After a not-so-pleasant dinner, thanks to the ancestors and the fathers and mothers of nature, Kamu and his brother were finally able to go to sleep. Kamu didn't have to exaggerate when he later said that he fell asleep quickly after dinner. After all, he didn't just fall asleep quickly, he only had to put his head on the pillow and he was already sleeping like someone who had been knocked out.
Accordingly, the next morning, he woke up looking like he had been trampled by an entire army. Thanks to this, no one noticed that, unlike the vast majority, he had not gone directly to the large field where Athira would give his speech, but to a nearby wooded area that could not be seen from the clearing, but the clearing could be seen from there.
As usual, he positioned himself high up among the branches of the trees and even made himself comfortable. He leaned his back against the trunk of the tree, put his hands behind his neck and crossed his legs, then closed his eyes. He didn't know when the big event would begin, but he was sure that listening to a speech wouldn't require his eyes to be open.
Kamu hadn't even noticed the passage of time and only knew from the fact that he had been sitting on top of the tree for quite some time that his backside had started to twitch and he had to move it. Then, after what seemed like hours, the Great Athira appeared. Kamu didn't need to see the clearing to know what had happened; the cheering of the people was enough of a sign.
A satisfied half-smile crossed the young Teike boy's lips when he heard the familiar voice that belonged to the daimon king's favorite. He had just mentally prepared himself to listen to a completely boring speech when something happened that made him blink his eyes open wide.
"Are you messing with me now?" A voice shouted over the Great Athira, a voice that belonged to none other than General Csito's best táltos, young Kamu's foster father, Etele.
The táltos stood staring at the great leader of the hegin troops with sparkling eyes and outstretched arms. Kamu already knew his father well enough to know that when the man's chest rose and fell so slowly, his father was restraining himself from cursing someone.
"Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by that." Athira smiled back at the most frightening táltos of the hegins.
"Don't play me for a fool here, Tapló leader! What does this mean?" Etele's hands clenched into fists and he stepped closer to Athira.
"I think you're confusing me with someone else." The great leader chuckled.
"Suck a dick! I know who stands before me!" Etele growled, causing Athira's eyes to sparkle evily.
"Really? Then it won't be a problem for us to shake hands, right?" Athira held out his right hand.
"Etele! The Godwhip is in his hand!" Inepta caught the táltos's arm as he was about to extend his hand.
"And then?" Etele pulled his hand out of the grip to shake hands with the high leader of the hegins.
Like most of the soldiers and those present, Kamu also noted to himself that this was the last thing his father did in his life. Everyone knew that if Athira asked for a handshake and extended his hand towards you, you would experience the Godwhip's wrath, which would strike you like lightning and you would immediately collapse dead in front of Athira.
Knowing this, the people watched helplessly as the best táltos of their troops almost slammed into the hand of the great leader and grabbed him tightly. Etele's eyes suddenly widened and the man fell to his knees, but he still held the leader's hand.
"You swallowed a fucking lightning bolt?" Etele hissed between his teeth, causing everyone to look at him with wide eyes, even Kamu.
"Oh, I didn't think anyone could bear this." Teike appeared next to the young Kamu and looked at the youngster's father in amazement.
"Interesting." Athira smiled.
"Your mother is interesting, Tap..." The kneeling táltos gritted his teeth and summoning circles began to flash on the ground around him, all with different inscriptions and different colors.
"Ah, he does it on instinct. His kí senses danger and it wants to summon." Teike thought, holding his chin.
"Come on!" Athira pulled Etele up with his other hand. "We'll continue soon!" The great leader shouted to the troops before dragging the táltos behind him straight to the wooded area where Kamu was resting.
"Oh, this will be interesting." Teike grinned and watched as the daimon king's favorite pushed the táltos against a tree.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" Athira growled.
"I won't kiss you again don't look at me like that! You can pretend, but I know who you are, Csito." Etele snapped back. "You may have fooled the bastards there, but I know your kí, so I'd be happy if you didn't take me as an idiot!" The táltos shouted.
"Will you shut up?" Athira hissed.
"Should I shut up? Hah, should I shut up? Theoretically I would be your friend or what the Fene, your best friend! Didn't you think you should say to me, 'Hey Svihák, I'm Athira by the way.'? You should really know that I am loyal enough that you don't..." Etele couldn't say anything more, because right before Kamu and Teike's eyes, the Great Athira, or as they and the boy's father apparently recognized him, General Csito, kissed the táltos. However, this operation didn't go flawlessly, as Svihák suddenly moved and knelt in the noblest part of the great leader's body, earning himself a huge slap.
"Why now?" Etele wiped his mouth.
"Because I know from experience that the only way to shut your mouth is to stuff it with something. The last time I tried with my hands, I only got richer with a drooling palm, Svihák." Csito growled.
"I'm glad you're finally not playing around, Tapló leader!" Etele folded his arms in front of him and a wicked smile spread across his lips. "There wasn't much point anyway. We've been spoiling each other's air for long enough for me to know who you are." He rolled his eyes.
"You shouldn't have revealed my disguise in front of everyone." Csito growled and adjusted his clothes.
"Your disguise?" Etele blinked.
"Yes, Svihák. If you hadn't heard, I don't know why I'm surprised when you don't hear any rumors. Anyway, if you hadn't known, there is a great leader Athira among our troops and he has a twin brother who leads his strongest troop, Csito." The daimon king's favorite explained.
"But you are both of them." Etele grimaced. "How can you be in two places at once?" He wrinkled his nose.
"Like that." As he said this, a figure appeared among the trees, who was a spitting image of Athira.
"Yes, that one is transparent." Teike confirmed Kamu's unasked question. It was a good thing that the boy had already become part of the environment and so the two men arguing below him didn't notice him.
"What the..." Etele stepped closer to Athira. "What is this?"
"A gift from the daimon king." Athira shrugged. "So will you be able to keep your mouth shut while I give my speech? " Csito put his hands on his hips.
"You owe me a detailed explanation and a hearty dinner." Etele looked seriously at the leader.
"We agreed." Athira nodded, then headed back to the clearing with his best táltos at his side.
"I always knew that father had a strange relationship with Athira, but I didn't know it was this strange?" Kamu laughed softly.
"You have to admit that your father is not a simple hegin." Teike patted the boy on the shoulder.
"That's for sure." The boy agreed. "Let's just say he wouldn't be my father if he were just a simple hegin."