Ibaeran made her way to the garden wanting to meet Ton’Onama so he could help her fully master her power as going to him was the only option she was presented with and the only way she could possibly think of to save her people, so despite the fact that she still had her doubts about the strange Uha Tamunaran and his intentions for wanting to help she could not afford to refuse his offer as they were too many lives on the line.

Ibaeran roamed about through the soft grass cover ground, her eyes moving about, looking for a glimpse of Ton’Onama moving about through the corners of the tall trees in the garden, her ears listening attentively to every sound coming from the garden hoping to hear his feet racing through the garden’s grassy floor.

“TON’ONAMA!!!!” Ibaeran yelled out, hoping that Ton’Onama would hear her and come to her.

She continued yelling his name as she made her way deep in to the garden, only stopping once she heard something from the trees above her head.

Ibaeran then looked up to see what made the sound so high up on the trees only to see a shadowy figure jump down from the trees the moment she raised her head.

Ibaeran, seeing that the falling figure was falling towards her, quickly moved out of the way, ducking before it could reach her.

The figure collided on the ground where Ibaeran once stood before standing on its feet.

Ibaeran then slowly got up and upon doing noticed the figure and upon seeing its black fur and mane that made it resemble a lion realized who it was.

“You’re quick on your feet, good” said Ton’Onama as he made his way to Ibaeran.

“Must you attack me every time I come looking for you” asked Ibaeran with an annoyed look on her face.

“That wasn’t an attack, it was a test. If I wanted to attack you I would have done something like this” Ton’Onama said before, without warning, launching his hand with his claws fully extended out straight for Ibaeran’s face.

Ton’Onama claws however, never made contact with Ibaeran as he stopped his hand mere inches away from her face.

Ibaeran stood there speechless, her heart racing from fear and shock with her eyes fixed on the razor sharp claws inches away from her face which seemly just appeared in the blink of an eye.

“That’s disappointing” said Ton’Onama before putting his hand away.

“You’re too slow and if that were a real attack, that pretty face of yours would be as good as gone. Looks like I have my work cut out for me” said Ton’Onama.

Ibaeran upon hearing everything Ton’Onama said looked at him with a look of both shock and confusion.

Ton’Onama just sighed before saying, “What? I said I was going to train you did I? I mean that is why you’re here right?”

Ibaeran just nodded her head slowly before saying, “I need to master my powers before a mouth time”.

“A month but why so soon?” asked Ton’Onama.

“The king, he told me that if I don’t get him the Dumo stone within a month’s he would end the lives of everyone within the four nations” said Ibaeran.

Ton’Onama upon hearing what Ibaeran said spoke with bitterness and disgust in his voice, saying “Leave it to that spineless power drunk fool to go as far as resorting to black mail to get what he wants”.

Ton’Onama then sighed before turning to Ibaeran and saying, “I take from your desperation to want to master your power before a month’s time you’re not planning on fulfilling my request to put an end to the king’s reign”.

Ibaeran upon hearing what Ton’Onama said couldn’t help but feel ashamed and guilty as she had known that both Uha Tamunarans and humans alike were suffering under the oppressive boot of the mighty king Datubo but she was choosing to only protect her people.

“I…I’m sorry, I can’t risk the lives of my people fighting a battle I’m not sure I can win” said Ibaeran with her head bowed down, feeling the full weight of shame on her shoulders.

Ton’Onama upon hearing what Ibaeran had to say just sighed before walking up to her and placing his hands on her shoulders, making her feel uncomfortable and a little sacred that he would her due to her in willingness to help free the Uha Tamunarans.

“I get it, you’re afraid of fighting a battle you can’t win and risk the fate of you people. I don’t blame you after all the king has blinded everyone with fear that’s why no one dares to utter a word against” said Ton’Onama, a bit disappointed by Ibaeran’s decision.

Ibaeran, upon hearing what Ton’Onama said sense of relieve as it didn’t seem like he was angry with her decision not to help the Uha Tamunarans but at the same time she couldn’t help but feel even more ashamed and guilty, feeling like she was failing as the Su Baera for not helping the Uha Tamunarans but what was she meant to do, risk the fate of her people fighting for both them and the Uha Tamunarans or take the only chance she has to freeing her people.

“Alright, let’s begin your training” said Ton’Onama.

“Just like that?” said Ibaeran, taken aback at how eager he was to start her training.

“Yes, just like that. A month’s time isn’t much so we will need to start your training right away” said Ton’Onama.

Ibaeran stood silent for a minute as Ton’Onama casual attitude still felt strange to her as she still hadn’t fully come to terms with the fact that he was an Uha Tamunaran and yet he was treating her humanely with memories of the horrible way her masters treated her and the rest of the people enslaved by the Uha Tamunarans, making her ponder to herself even more about why Ton’Onama seemed much more kinder and gentler than other Uha Tamunarans.

Ton’Onama upon seeing Ibaeran face just chuckled lightly before saying, “Are you coming, the sooner we get started the sooner you people will be save”.

Ibaeran upon hearing what Ton’Onama said snapped back to reality, realizing that she didn’t have time to question Ton’Onama’s character or motives behind him wanting to help her, her biggest priority right now was to her people and so for their sake she will have to ignore every single fiber in her being that was telling her to be weary of Ton’Onama and trust because he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, her people’s lives were on the line and if it meant they would be finally safe and free from the Uha Tamunaran, she would put her trust in Ton’Onama.

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Ibaeran then took a deep breath, not knowing what exactly she was getting herself in to before following Ton’Onama, praying and hoping she was making the right decision.

Ton’Onama led Ibaeran to a special spot in the garden where stood a massive boulder rest beside a tree.

“For your first lesson, I want you to lift that boulder” said Ton’Onama as he pointed at the boulder resting on beside the tree.

“You want me to lift that?” said Ibaeran with a look of shock and disbelief as she used her eyes to examine the boulder, it was massive, so large that she doubted that even ten of the strongest warriors from across the land could come close to lifting it.

“Yes, it shouldn’t be a challenge for the great Su Baera after all, according to the legends the strength of the Su Baera is so great that it could level an entire mountain with little to no effort” said Ton’Onama.

Ibaeran upon hearing what Ton’Onama said looked at her hands, remembering the brief moments she had managed to tapping in to the power of the Su Baera although she did so unwillingly and without an ounce of control, she could not deny the power she felt, immense and raw, like nothing she had ever felt, that power was within her and if Ton’Onama’s words had an ounce of truth in them then that would meant she had barely scratched the surface with her power.

Ibaeran, after taking a moment to think, took a deep breath before approaching the boulder and began to lift it but however, the boulder seemed to be too heavy for to lift because no matter how much she tried to lift it, the boulder still remained planted firmly on the ground.

Ton’Onama watched as Ibaeran continuously tried to lift the boulder, chuckling and giggling with each and every failed attempt she made much to Ibaeran’s annoyance.

Ibaeran, despite the constant chuckling and giggling from Ton’Onama, remained undeterred, summoning ever single once of strength she could muster to try and lift the boulder before finally, after exhausting herself of all the she had, fell to the ground and panting profusely from exhaustion.

Ton’Onama upon seeing that Ibaeran was now on the ground drained of all her strength just sighed before walking up to her.

“You know you’re going about this the wrong way right” said Ton’Onama as he offer his hand to her to help her back up on her too feet.

Ibaeran although hesitant at first, accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her back up on her feet.

“What other way is there?’ asked Ibaeran.

“I don’t know, you’re the Su Baera, you tell me” said Ton’Onama.

Ibaeran looked at Ton’Onama with a look of confusion, unable to understand what he meant by his words.

Ton’Onama upon seeing the look of confusion in her face just sighed before saying, “You really don’t know how you’re powers work do you?”

“If I did I wouldn’t need you to train me now would I?” said Ibaeran.

“Fair point” said Ton’Onama with a slight smile on his face before walking towards the boulder.

“The reason you can’t lift that boulder isn’t because you lack the strength and power to do so, it’s because you have the power to do it but you can’t quite get it out” said Ton’Onama as he grabbed hold of her hand and then guided her back to the boulder before placing the hand he held on the boulder.

“Power like that of the Su Baera’s can’t be forced out, it has to come out from within and to bring it out you’ll have to dig down deep in yourself and find it” said Ton’Onama.

“So how do I do dig down deep into myself?” asked Ibaeran.

“Close your eyes and reflect, think about who you are, your journey everything that led you to this point, see yourself through your own eyes” said Ton’Onama.

Ibaeran upon hearing what Ton’Onama said just sighed before closing and began to think about her life, starting from her time as a slave working in fields for her Uha Tamunaran masters, Preyina, her death and the promise she made to her, training with Bafuro, all the battles she had to fight and finally claiming the steel wings and becoming the Su Baera, she had come along way and upon remembering how far she had come she couldn’t but feel a sense of pride in herself for had managed to do what so many warriors before her couldn’t, she successful claimed the power of the Su Baera, giving hope to not just her people but herself as well for a better tomorrow, one where they were free from the Uha Tamunaran.

Ibaeran upon remembering all she had accomplished so far couldn’t help but smile and upon doing she felt it, the power that lied within her, the raw and immense power of the Su Baera.

She felt the power flow through her entire body, it felt nothing she had ever felt before, it power felt pure and peace but yet at the same time Ibaeran could feel the raw and immense fury it possessed.

Ibaeran then grabbed hold of the boulder which, much to her shock, felt incredibly light like, like a feather or a small speck of dust, she could lift the entire boulder with little to no effort at all.

Ton’Onama watched with a smile on his face as seeing Ibaeran’s display of strength as she lifted the boulder gave him hope.

Ibaeran could not believe it, the power most say was the equivalent of that of god; great enough to shake the entire and break the heavens above her head, were at her finger tips but then she began to think about the king and his terrifying power, fearing that even though the power she possessed was great I was nothing when compared to the king’s as his power was great enough to end the life of the Su Baera that came before her.

As Ibaeran’s mind began to fill up with fear full thoughts about the king and how her power was nothing when compared to his she felt the power of the Su Baera begin to fade away and as it did she lost the strength need to lift the boulder so the boulder she held so firmly on hands began to get heavier and until she felt the crushing weigh of the boulder about to crush and flatting her right on the ground on which she stood but just as it was about to do so Ton’Onama rushed in and with a single wipe from his razor sharp claws reduced the boulder to nothing bit small bits of rock and stone.

“Are you okay?” asked Ton’Onama as he went to Ibaeran to see if she was alright.

Ibaeran just bowed down her head in shame and disappointment as she remembered the immense power she had just felt flow through her and instead of holding on it, for the good of her people and the four nations, she lost it just as quickly as she felt it.

Ibaeran couldn’t understand why she could hold on to the power as she felt it coursing through every fiber of her being, feeling her with strength and power she could barely fathom, only to lose it all.

Ton’Onama seeing the look of disappointment and shame in Ibaeran’s face just sighed before saying, “Don’t blame yourself Su Baera, power like that yours isn’t something that can be mastered overnight. It will take time…”

Ibaeran stopped Ton’Onama before he could complete his statement by saying, “time is exactly what I don’t have. My people and the four nations are counting on me and if I can’t master this power I won’t be able to save them and the more time I waste trying to master my power the closer they are to their deaths”.

Ton’Onama, upon hearing what Ibaeran said just sighed before saying, “You are more powerful and capable than you know. You already accomplished so much and fought in so many battles so why do you continue to doubt yourself and your abilities. The wings chose you for a reason, you are far stronger that you know and until you realize that fact, you won’t be able to master you powers and save you people”.

Ibaeran upon hearing what Ton’Onama said remained silent as she thought about all she had done to reach the point where she currently was, her loss, her training and the battles she had to fight through, it wasn’t an easy battle but she made it through it all and claimed the power of the Su Baera, giving her and her people hope for better days to come, one where they would be free from the oppressive reign of the Uha Tamunaran.

Ibaeran then crushed her hand into a tight fist, refusing to let everything she had gone through to reach this point in her life be for nothing, her people were counting on her and she didn’t want to fail them and make a mockery of all the faith and hope they had for her in being their savior, she had come too far to fail now.

Ton’Onama just smiled as he saw the look of shame in Ibaeran’s eyes now replaced with a fierce look of determination.

“It’s good to see you have the unbreakable spirit of the Su Baera” said Ton’Onama with a proud smile on his face.

“Now, for you next lesson” said Ton’Onama with a smirk on his face.