“Of course, we can’t beat all the Xombos. That is impossible!” Louis said.
“Well, thanks for the encouragement. Now, tell me something that I don’t know!’ Crystal said.
“No, you don’t understand. It’s what you and Gus said. You’ve given me the answer! We can’t fight them all, but maybe we can fight just one. . .”
They didn’t know what Louis was getting at. Maybe he was becoming delusional from all the stress and pressure.
He didn’t know if the idea would work, but it was certainly better than just waiting to be eaten.
Louis took a deep breath and said, “Your Majesty, if you would allow me to ask you a question, I would certainly be grateful, seeing that you are so wise and powerful. It won’t take but a moment.” Louis hoped his voice didn’t sound too insincere.
Bonxu responded with delight at the flattering remark and thought to himself, Certainly, here is a creature full of intelligence and insight!
“This is highly irregular,” he replied. “But you may proceed. Ask what you will of me. Prolonging your lives for a few minutes more is of little concern to me.”
“I would like to know, Your Majesty, if you are the strongest and bravest of all Xombos.”
“I would not be the ruler of my tribe if it were not so,” he responded with immense pride and self-importance. “I ascended to this position by defeating the previous leader. That is how it is in our tribe. The beaten one relinquishes his authority and title and passes it on to the victor. I have defended my title many times over.”
Louis continued, “If that be the case, would I be correct in saying that you would be able to defeat anyone who crossed your path?” Louis asked.
“Yes. You have spoken truly,” he said with confidence. “No one has and no one will ever defeat me!”
The Xombos waved their arms and shouted their agreement. The noise was so deafening that Louis covered his ears.
Louis paused for effect and asked his final question. He hoped that he had assessed the Xombo’s vain character correctly.
Louis shouted loudly so everyone could hear. “If what you say is true, then why not fight me? But I imagine that it must be easy to be brave and fearless when there are hundreds of your soldiers here to protect you. Are you as menacing without them? Maybe you are not as brave as you think. There is one way to find out. I challenge you, alone, to a battle! If you refuse, then everyone will know that the ‘mighty’ Bonxu is afraid and not worthy to be the ruler of his subjects!”
The Xombos screamed in disbelief at the insults. How dare this insignificant creature say things like that! But then again, they started to wonder, would their leader fight or back down?
Bonxu looked at his tribe and saw doubt forming in their eyes. Didn’t they believe he was the most powerful? How could they question his bravery?
“Well, are you afraid? Here, let me make this more interesting. If I am victorious, you agree to let us all go and not harm us,” Louis said.
“And what if I defeat you? What could you possibly give me in return?” Bonxu sneered.
“I will give you me! You can eat the others but I, Louis, will remain to be your personal slave and servant until the day I die. I will proclaim throughout the land that you are the mightiest and bravest warrior! You will be revered and respected by all. You will be feared by all. You will be known as the greatest ruler in all of Tetra!”
“What do you mean, he can eat the rest of us?” Crystal said angrily to Louis. “What kind of friend are you, anyway?” she lashed out.
Louis brought a finger to his lips for Crystal to be quiet. “Trust me,” he whispered to her.
Bonxu seriously considered Louis’s offer. Xombos never let their captives live, but the prospect of having a slave for himself would be a novel way to demonstrate his authority and strength throughout the land.
Imagine, this creature would tell everyone how great I am. I would be the first one in Tetra to have a personal slave, he thought.
The more Bonxu considered it, the more the idea appealed to his self-centered nature. There was no way this puny creature could defeat him, so why not?
“I accept the challenge! I will show all that I am truly fearless. Prepare to breathe your last breath, weakling!”
The Xombos cheered loudly and clapped their enormous hands in approval.
The mob moved outward to form a large circle for Louis and Bonxu to fight in. Xombo guards took Crystal, Gus, Mr. Bixbee, and Shining Star off to the side.
“It will be a horrible sight. I hope you all can stand the sight of blood,” laughed one of them.
“This is a good place to stand. You’ll be able to get a better view from here to see your friend die,” mocked another.
Louis felt alone and scared. Overwhelming emotions of sadness washed over him. He thought about the peacefulness and quiet of his home. He had taken everything for granted. It wasn’t the town, the school, or neighborhood that was boring. He suddenly realized it was him. And now, on the verge of death, everything about his life became painfully clear.
“Prepare to fight!” bellowed Bonxu. The crowd cheered in delight.
He laughed at Louis. He could see the fear in his eyes. Bonxu thought that, perhaps, this creature was not as wise as he previously thought. After all, he dared to challenge the great and mighty Bonxu to a duel!
The Xombo raised his arms high above his head and swung them fiercely down at Louis’s head.
“Look out!” screamed Crystal. “Duck!”
But Louis did nothing. He stood there calmly as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He merely looked at the Xombo and waited for the blow.
As the gigantic fists of Bonxu came down on Louis, the horrible sound of bones cracking and breaking emanated from the impact. Crystal turned and buried her face in her hands. She fell to her knees and said, “My best friend in the whole world is dead!” She cried uncontrollably.
But Crystal wasn’t the only one who was crying.
“No! This cannot be! It is impossible!” screamed Bonxu in astonishment and disbelief. “This cannot be so!”
There, before him, Louis stood, unharmed and smiling broadly with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The sound of broken bones did not come from Louis. They were from the fractured hands of the attacking Xombo.
“Crystal, look! Louis is alive. It’s a miracle. It’s a miracle!” exclaimed Gus.
Crystal looked through tear-filled eyes and saw the blurry image of Louis standing, apparently, unscathed and unharmed.
“Louis is. . .alive?” she said in a barely audible voice.
What happened? Was she dreaming? How could Louis survive the tremendous strike of the monstrous Xombo?
“Well, well, well,” Louis taunted. “It would seem that you have injured your hands and arms. Would you still like to give it another try, or maybe you would like to quit right now and save yourself from any more embarrassment?”
His words made the Xombo livid. He didn’t understand how Louis had survived, but he was not about to give up. He would defeat Louis even if it meant his own death in the process.
“I will crush you like a bug!” he grimaced in pain. Bonxu lifted his huge foot and slammed it down on Louis.
“Oh no, I can’t watch this!” moaned Crystal.
The sound of broken bones filled the air once again. The Xombo screeched in agony as his foot shattered. Bonxu slowly tipped over and struck the ground like a felled tree in the forest.
“The pain, the pain is so terrible!” he said. “What have you done to me?” he gasped.
“I have defeated you!” shouted Louis in triumph.
Bonzu sat up to catch his breath. He was confused and bewildered. How could such a puny creature defeat a powerful warrior such as him?
“I repeat, I have defeated you. Will you honor your word to me?” asked Louis.
A hushed silence fell over everyone as they waited for Bonxu, leader of the Xombo tribe, to respond.
“Yes,�
�� Bonxu said in an anguished voice. “I do not know what sorcery you have perpetrated on me, but I will do what I have agreed to do.”
The defeated leader struggled painfully to his feet and announced to his tribe, “I hereby decree no Xombo will lift a hand against Louis or his friends. Anyone who disobeys will be punished by penalty of death. You are to leave them alone. I have spoken!”
Louis gazed at Bonxu with unexpected sympathy and respect. Here was an honorable creature. Even in defeat, he kept his word. He now realized that Bonxu was not only a powerful opponent, but a creature with integrity as well. He was feeling guilty about taunting the Xombo earlier. He should not have embarrassed him in front of his tribe.
As he was contemplating these facets of the Xombo’s character, Louis had an extraordinary idea. “Listen to me, mighty Xombo tribe members. Today, you have seen a great warrior keep his word. He could have gone back on his agreement and commanded all of you to attack us, but he has chosen the path of honor. He did not lie to me. He has done what he said he would do. He is to be praised for this.” Louis said.
Halfhearted applause drifted out from the crowd. They were in shock at the defeat of their leader.
Louis continued. “You mentioned before that in order for someone to be the new leader of this tribe, the challenger must defeat the reigning leader. Is this true?”
“You are correct. It is how I attained my position here. I defeated the former ruler in battle,” replied Bonxu.
“I do not wish to embarrass you. I merely want to ask you this. Were you defeated by me today or not?”
“Yes, you defeated me. That is obvious. What is your point? Do you find pleasure in gloating over your victory?”
“No. That is not my intention. According to your own words, you have stated that I have defeated you. Therefore, by the laws of your tribe, I declare that I am now the new ruler of the Xombos!”
To say there was confusion in the Xombo tribe was to put it mildly. The Xombos started to laugh at the ridiculous declaration made by Louis, but the laughter soon faded and was replaced by arguing among the tribe members.
“No! The law only allows Xombos to rule other Xombos,” one said emphatically.
Others were arguing that the Xombo tribe laws said no such thing. The bickering and shouting grew louder and louder. Fights broke out in the crowd over who was right. A riot was forming.
“Stop immediately!” Bonxu demanded.
The chatter died down quickly.
Bonxu continued, “This is hard to accept, but Louis is correct. There is no law that prevents a non-Xombo from becoming the leader of our tribe. While we have always assumed only a Xombo could take positions of leadership among us, it is not specifically stated to the contrary. Our ancient laws only describe how someone ascends to the position of ruler. I have been defeated by Louis. According to our sacred laws, he is now your new tribe leader!”
“Listen to me, Xombo tribe members. You have heard what Bonxu has commanded. I am the new leader by reason of his defeat against me in battle. If anyone doubts this, you can challenge me this moment. Does anyone dare? If not, keep your peace!” Louis said with authority he didn’t really feel.
The Xombos were stunned by how Louis spoke to them. How could such a small creature speak such strong words? In spite of his diminutive stature, they did not doubt Louis was the strongest among them. After all, look at what he did to Bonxu.
As Louis hoped, none came forward to challenge him. Inwardly, he was extremely relieved.
“Good. Now we understand each other. As your new ruler, I command you to cease your violence against the citizens of Tetra from this day forward. You are not to attack, harass, or terrorize any longer. You will live peacefully among the citizens of Tetra. This is my command as your tribal leader!”
A low murmur rushed through the crowd. The Xombos considered what Louis said and knew their way of life would change drastically. But orders were orders. They were Xombos and Xombos always respected and obeyed their ruler.
“Yes,” they all said in unison. “We will do as you command.”
“Excellent. There is one more thing that I declare. I appoint Bonxu as my second in command. He will be my enforcer to make sure my will is obeyed. He is to carry out my wishes to the letter and administer punishment to anyone who ignores my charge. He will also act as the leader in my absence. I have important things to attend to and Bonxu has shown me that he is most worthy to rule in my place while I am gone. Listen and treat him with the same respect that you would show me.”
“Will you do as I command?” asked Louis to the astonished Bonxu.
“I will do your bidding. I am honored to fulfill your wishes. I will do as you say, my master.”
“Good. My friends and I will be leaving tomorrow. But in the meanwhile, let us celebrate! A new beginning has begun for all inhabitants of Tetra!” Louis shouted.
Louis reached up to take hold of Bonxu’s broken hand to show unity and approval to the crowd. A blinding flash of light shot out from his sweater and into the body of the stunned Xombo.
“What was that?” the Xombo said perplexed.
“I don’t know. All I did was grab your hand.”
Bonxu looked at his hands and discovered they were no longer broken. Neither was his foot.
Louis stared in wonderment. The tribe stared in disbelief. A tremendous cheer erupted from the crowd and everyone danced in honor of Louis, their new tribe leader, and Bonxu, his second-in-command. Bonxu danced carefully at first. When he realized he was completely well, he jumped high into the air and shouted with happiness.
Crystal, Shining Star, Mr. Bixbee, and Gus ran to Louis to celebrate. They jumped, pranced, wiggled, hopped, laughed, and yelled until they were hoarse. When they finished, they had some serious questions for Louis.
Crystal started first by asking, “Louis, I thought you were going to die. This may sound strange but, why are you still alive?”
“My plan to fight Bonxu didn’t occur to me until Gus said something about our fight in the schoolyard. Remember, Gus?”
“All I said was fighting this many Xombos wasn’t fair. I said that, at least, with you and me, it was just the two of us.”
“That gave me the idea of fighting just one Xombo. I was hoping to get Bonxu to battle me alone by insulting him,” Louis explained.
“You were pretty lucky with that guess, but it still doesn’t explain why you aren’t hurt,” Gus said.
“What happened when you tried to hurt me in the schoolyard, Gus?”
“How could I forget? My hand is still a little sore from that. I was about to knock the stuffing out of you, but when I punched you in the stomach, it felt like I hit a brick wall. That was so weird. I don’t know what happened.”
“That had me wondering too. After thinking it over, I had the idea that it might have something to do with my sweater. My mom always told me my sweater was special and would protect me from harm. She said I would be in no danger as long as I wore it. I never really took her seriously because I thought she was making up a story. But I guess my mom was telling me the truth. I was betting that my sweater would protect me from the Xombo just like it did when you tried to hit me. I was only going on a hunch.”
“Wow, that was a huge chance to take! Weren’t you scared? What if you were wrong?” Crystal asked.
“I really didn’t have time to think about that. I just did it and hoped I was right,” Louis said in a nonchalant manner.
Crystal threw her arms around Louis and said very loudly, “My hero!”
Crystal was the only one in the world who could make him blush and that was exactly what Louis did.
“Evidently, you surmised correctly, but this does not explain the powers your sweater seems to possess,” Mr. Bixbee said.
“It has protected you up to this point, but you do not know if this condition is permanent, temporary, or, most importantly — how.”
“Gee, aren’t you the optimist?’ Crystal said sarcasticall
y.
“Mr. Bixbee may have a point,” Louis said.
“Thank you, Louis. As I was saying, there are no assurances that the sweater will continue to function as it has. Remember, you are no longer on Earth. It is hard to predict what the sweater will do here on Tetra. I am not being pessimistic. I am trying to be practical about this. We need to be assured that your sweater will continue to protect you from danger. Our survival depends on it.”
“What danger? I thought the only danger on Tetra were the Xombos. And they already have agreed not to harm any of us. So, what is there to worry about?” countered Crystal.
“Tetra is a large world and, while very peaceful, there are yet other perils you know nothing about. The Xombos were a strong threat but in no way are they the only threats residing in this world of ours,” Mr. Bixbee said soberly.
“Now, he tells us. Just when I thought things were getting better,” Crystal lamented.
“But they are better! I’ve got my sweater! Mr. Bixbee said that if we could find something we lost, it would help us to get back home. Isn’t that right, Mr. Bixbee?”
“That is correct. Your sweater is the key in opening another portal for you and your friends to return home. However, I must clarify that I do not posses the power to accomplish such a monumental task. This is beyond the scope of my abilities.”
“What? You mean to tell us that this has all been a waste of time? We finally have the sweater to get us home, and now you’re telling us you don’t know how to do it?” Crystal said with frustration.
“I didn’t say that. I only stated I did not have the power to do it. In order to do this, we must seek out the Wise Ones. They are located somewhere in the Deep Forest. It will be a dangerous journey, but a necessary one if you wish to return home. If Louis’s sweater is able to protect him, we will have a better chance of survival. But if it fails, we will have a very difficult road ahead indeed,” said Mr. Bixbee.
“It doesn’t matter. If we want to go home, there is no other choice. We can’t give up now. Besides, if the Wise Ones are as smart as Mr. Bixbee says, maybe they can tell me about my sweater. Lead the way, Mr. Bixbee,” Louis said.
Louis in the Land of Tetra Page 9