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Coming of agePrologue-6350030099000They were old enemies. Things had gone quiet for years. But his damned interference had not been forgotten. Having their plans meddled with .. neither forgotten nor forgiven. Bruised .. knowing that they had been laughed at, their downfall mocked.Not the kind of thing some men shrugged off. Things had gone quiet. Peace had reigned. But not in some men’s hearts. Men brought up to be fighters, men destined to lead. Thee the fires of revenge still burned.Years of resentment. Bitter at seeing warriors putting up with fishing for a living, not fighting. Angry at strong young men tilling the fields. Not battling, not capturing, not covering themselves in glory.Things had gone quiet. But it was only a matter of time. Quietly planning, secretly plotting.Just a matter of time before that old enemy paid. His capture .. his death .. signalling a new age. When again the jungle would ring with the sounds of their glory.Illustrations featuring:Craig Capurso as TarzanArron Arogundade as Chief NkonuGerardo Gabriel as Mwale centercenter00 TOC \o "1-2" \u Prologue PAGEREF _Toc455128555 \h 21.Waylaid PAGEREF _Toc455128556 \h 5Drumbeat PAGEREF _Toc455128557 \h 5Want ….? PAGEREF _Toc455128558 \h 82.Welcomed in triumph PAGEREF _Toc455128559 \h 11Joyous greetings PAGEREF _Toc455128560 \h 11Jeered PAGEREF _Toc455128561 \h 14Parade of pain and shame PAGEREF _Toc455128562 \h 173.Meet again PAGEREF _Toc455128563 \h 21Skewered PAGEREF _Toc455128564 \h 21Peacock PAGEREF _Toc455128565 \h 24Nephew PAGEREF _Toc455128566 \h 27Murderer PAGEREF _Toc455128567 \h 30Honour PAGEREF _Toc455128568 \h 33Progeny PAGEREF _Toc455128569 \h 36Accused PAGEREF _Toc455128570 \h 404.Challenges PAGEREF _Toc455128571 \h 44Goading PAGEREF _Toc455128572 \h 44Calling out PAGEREF _Toc455128573 \h 47Defy PAGEREF _Toc455128574 \h 51Respect! PAGEREF _Toc455128575 \h 54Temptations PAGEREF _Toc455128576 \h 57Grip on reality PAGEREF _Toc455128577 \h 60Preparations PAGEREF _Toc455128578 \h 645.Champions PAGEREF _Toc455128579 \h 67Folly PAGEREF _Toc455128580 \h 67Abadu PAGEREF _Toc455128581 \h 70Round 1 won PAGEREF _Toc455128582 \h 73Xana PAGEREF _Toc455128583 \h 76Round 2 lost PAGEREF _Toc455128584 \h 80Mkana PAGEREF _Toc455128585 \h 83Squeeeeeze PAGEREF _Toc455128586 \h 866.The gift PAGEREF _Toc455128587 \h 89Ruse PAGEREF _Toc455128588 \h 89Cheek! PAGEREF _Toc455128589 \h 92Granted PAGEREF _Toc455128590 \h 95Two days PAGEREF _Toc455128591 \h 99It starts PAGEREF _Toc455128592 \h 102Epilogue PAGEREF _Toc455128593 \h 106Part OneThe Unwanted returnWaylaidDrumbeat032067500The drumbeat sounded mournful. Like someone in the jungle had died, a hunter killed by an animal maybe.Respectful Tarzan approached .. following the sounds .. someone might need his help.Never thinking the slow funereal beat was luring him into their trap. Tarzan had woken up once already but it had been a long hard march the day before and he’d drifted back off again. The sound of the river nearby had lulled his tired spirit and aching muscles back to sleep. But it wasn’t the sounds of nature waking after a warm night that brought his senses back to life. A drumming. A slow but heavy beat. Sounding like a drumbeat for some departed soul. A sad slow beat as a hunter’s body was carried away to be buried.Curious Tarzan followed the sound, deeper into the jungle, away from the openness of the river. He was on the right track .. the sorrowful slow beat got louder as he pushed his way through the undergrowth.Breaking through into a clearing, Tarzan saw a group of young men, their backs turned to him. Stood around the drumming, hidden by their muscular bodies from Tarzan’s sight. At the sound of his entering the clearing, they turned, though. Through the strong frames of muscled men Tarzan caught a glimpse of the drummer. Hitting at a drum .. beating it with a large war-club.Before Tarzan could put this mis-match together in his head, one of the young men raised his head. A well-built man with a strong presence.“We are looking for Tarzan.”Tarzan nodded.“I am Tarzan.”Grim-faced the young man paused. His powerfully muscled chest lifted. Tarzan got a strong smell of young man’s arrogance and certainty. A whiff of hostility. A flash of threat. But the young man broke his thoughts.“You are the apeman?”That was a term generally used to mock. More often used as abuse .. thrown at him by his enemies than strangers he had never met before. But Tarzan let it pass. Curious about this group of five young men. Had they been sent to ask for his help? That drumming calling to him? Men seeking his help .. that happened often enough. But by the look of this pack of virile young men there would be little fighting they could not handle themselves.“What do you want with Tarzan?”The young man did not reply. Tarzan felt his gaze run over his body. Taking in Tarzan’s powerful shoulders. Running down over the defined muscle of his torso. Scrutinising him. Coming to rest of the narrowness of his tight waist. Strange .. Tarzan was not unused to people appreciatively eyeing his physique. But he did not sense respect here.“Do you need help?”As he finished off, Tarzan was aware of movement. Behind. He half-turned. A blow hit him across the shoulders. The force knocked him forwards on his other foot. It would have done more damage if his instincts had not twisted him in time. But the second blow with the war-club hit Tarzan across the back of his neck. He had blacked out before his chest slammed lifeless into the earth. Want ….?Nervous .. he might come round any moment. They didn’t dare waste any time .. getting him back to the river .. getting him bound.They’d hunted him down. They’d bagged the old enemy. The apeman, they had the most glorious prize.When they got him back, the tribe would shower them with praise. Their outstanding success, they’d covered themselves in glory.But let him escape ….? They’d return to mockery. They’d be faced with universal scorn. Capture the apeman, then let him go .. they’d know their chief’s wrath. Their backs would be whipped by his fury. Water in the face brought Tarzan round. Streams of warm liquid splattered into his face. Tarzan recognised what was happening before he opened his eyes. They were pissing on his face. To bring him round. To humiliate him. The liquid smelled rancid, body-heat-warm. And as he twisted his face away, the streams followed.Twisting, he felt the bonds. His hands tied firmly by his head. Angered he wrenched open his eyes .. ignoring the two streams of piss in his face. Forcefully he yanked at his hands. His feet too were pinned down. Splayed out. Tarzan was tied down on some form of wooden frame. Down on the damp earth.That same handsome warrior loomed over Tarzan’s face. Now looking more arrogant than before .. seen from upside-down .. preening in his success, his young man’s muscular body moved to dominate the captive tied down on this frame. Smugly he answered Tarzan’s question.“WANT? What do we want with Tarzan? He is needed. Tarzan is invited.”From upside down Tarzan saw the significant change in the young man. His hard-packed chest was now streaked with two fingers of bright red dye. In that one instant Tarzan saw what this was about. The man was proudly bearing the war-paint of the Nanoosa tribe. An old enemy. Tarzan had settled their warring ambitions .. what? .. Five years ago? He had intervened. Decisively his actions had put a stop to that tribe’s belligerent plans. Stealing, robbing wealth from other tribes. Trading men for cash down the river. Girls taken back as whores. Tarzan had thwarted their ambitions, the jungle had been at peace for many years. But now these young men, symbolically decked out in their warriors’ war-paint .. they had dared come looking for him. Tarzan had been “invited”. And, knowing the Nanoosa and their pride .. it wouldn’t be to celebrate five years of peace.To show that threat of their war-paint was going to mean nothing to him, Tarzan snorted up into the hard face smirking down on him from above. Tarzan’s face giving back his disdain. “And if Tarzan has better things to do ….?”Tarzan did not expect any reply. He didn’t get one. Just a burning glare from above his face .. a look that was as strong and muscular as the young man in his war-paint. Then he stepped back. Suddenly Tarzan was being hoisted up in the air. Effortlessly lifted by four muscled warriors .. raised to their shoulders. And walked off .. down to the river. Like a prize piece of game. Hunted down. Brought back in pride from the hunt. That muscular young warrior’s way of saying that they were giving Tarzan no choice. It was an invitation Tarzan would not refuse.Tarzan was stretched out between a rectangle of poles. His hands were tied by his head, bound to a pole behind his neck. At the other end his feet were spread, his ankles tied to the corners of the frame. A stout pole under his shoulders took his weight, another support under his backside kept him stretched out flat. Clearly this gang of warriors had come prepared. His capture, effortless, a simple trick -- it had been well-thought-out. No chance meeting. No random seizure. They had planned this. These cocky young warriors had come hunting him down.A pair of canoes .. Tarzan’s frame was roped between them. With no talking, with no orders .. the mark of fighting men who each knew what they had to do .. the canoes were launched into the river .. Tarzan trapped in-between. The sun rose. On the river they were all exposed to its harsh rays. Tarzan felt the heat burning into his bare front. Grateful for the cooling splash of river water from underneath. He watched these warriors thundering their paddles into the water. In time their muscular bare backs too ran with sweat. But they ignored the heat. Doggedly they battled against the effort. Each gritted his teeth. Determined each dug their blades powerfully into the river. Driven. Battling against the current. Men on a mission. Defying the heat. Driven by their task. Charged to bring Tarzan back in triumph to their tribe. Welcomed in triumphJoyous greetings9398017462500The river rushed beneath him. He lifted his head seeing the warriors either side in the two canoes powerfully thrusting their paddles into the water to deliver him up. Somewhere that Tarzan would find less than welcome.Nearby someone had struck up a song. A strong male voice. Pounding out a rhythmic tune that had the muscled warriors paddling in unison. Muscular thrusts of power into the water. The rest joined in the celebration .. deep male voices .. bursting into a song that rang with young-muscled pride. Young men full of the sense of success. They were bring the hated enemy back .. delivering the apeman in triumph to their tribe. The Nanoosa. With whom Tarzan had had dealings. With whom there was still bad blood. Tarzan sensed the powerful thrusts of the paddling slowing. Were they arriving? Against his bonds he craned up his neck. He knew quickly where he was. Not the first time he had been at this village .. although that had been some time past. For good reason. Not somewhere he would have been welcome if he had turned up.He had been saving his strength. Tarzan’s efforts at freeing himself had proved useless. Since recognising that war paint .. since knowing his plight he’d save his strength. Aware he’d need his powers to deal with these captors when he had a chance. Through the journey he had rested, sometimes drifting off. Conserving his energy. Now he knew where he was being taken .. now he recognised the surroundings and the village they were approaching .. he suspected he’d need all his reserves of strength.His instincts sensed a change in the rhythm to their paddles and alerted him. Ahead, as the canoes turned mid-stream towards the river bank, he heard the clamorous cheering. Mad ululating. Manly roars of welcome. Men and women lined the river, he saw. Tribespeople waving and calling, hailing the return of the raiding party. Come to welcome the hated Tarzan back. Greeting the prize meat caught in the hunt .. helplessly strung out on the frame between the two canoes. The captured game brought home from a victorious hunt.Tarzan identified Nkonu pretty soon. Just from his pose. Stood well back from the water, positioned himself up on top of a big boulder. All the better to see. All the better to be spotted by his old enemy. But stood alone. Arms folded across his chest. Looking imperious. Looking every bit the chief. And certainly looking pleased with himself. Time had served him well. Those years ago Nkonu had been slightly podgy, the lesser son. But he had bulked up in these years, put on beef. Suited to his new position as chief. Now he looked every bit the leader of a warring tribe. And his bearing there on the boulder, high above his rejoicing tribe, spoke of a haughtiness. There was a glorious smile on his face, smug. Hearing the joyous welcome from the tribe. Seeing that what he had sent for was being delivered up.Once beached, immediately the warriors set about releasing Tarzan. He felt the ropes on his ankles freed. Tarzan readied himself .. tense to jump into attack. Others were cutting through the rope that held his bound hands to the frame. Before Tarzan could right himself, however, they were yanking on his arms. Pulling him over the cross-beams between the canoes .. jerkily jarring him over the poles. Then, his legs free, his body flew, yanked into the air. Tarzan dropped. Smacking hard down on to the earth. Quickly, with lightning efficiency .. before he could catch his breath .. he was buried under a mass of muscled weight. His hands were grabbed, tied. Tarzan was carried .. dragged .. hauled up the river bank. Twisted over. A heel stomped down on the back of his neck. Dumping him .. head still reeling from the speed and trained ferocity .. stomped on .. kicked .. forced to stay onto his front .. face-down .. at Nkonu’s feet.Tarzan, angered, made to rise to his feet .. hauling his legs up .. about to rise to one knee. But a foot jabbed him in the back of the back .. forced his face back down in the dirt. And carried on pressing .. making Tarzan stay down on his front .. his face pressed into the dirt.“Have you ever been so welcomed? Listen.”All around him Tarzan heard the cheering. The whole village had turned out. Cheering their victorious warriors. Jeering him. “Have people ever been so pleased to see the jungle-lord?”Nkonu’s sneering voice above him was mocking Tarzan’s predicament.“They’ve waited ages for this …. Apeman.” Jeered2520959906000A sense of eager anticipation had tingled in his loins .. since the news that the canoes had been spotted. A manly shape strung out between. Like wildfire the joy had spread. With eagerness the village had emptied .. man, woman and child .. rushing excitedly to the riverbank. Hailing their return. Joyously welcoming the hunters’ triumph.How many years had they languished in their shame? Because of that hated interfering fool, the apeman! Robbed of wealth. No longer feared. Their true greatness denied, the butt of the jungle’s laughter. With his capture that all changed. With this revenge he was sending out the signal. The apeman was finished. The Nanoosa were on the rise again. The foot pressing his face into the earth let up. Tarzan raised his head. Straining up to see his old rival towering over him. Looking like a cat that had got the cream of the milk. Nkonu didn’t object when scowling Tarzan started to push himself up, rising to his knees. He looked self-assured. Pleased with himself. Willing to grant his captive some slack. Looking like he could afford that gift.But when a snarling Tarzan attempted to rise to his feet .. dared to go up on one knee .. a hand grabbed Tarzan by the scalp. A beefy warrior twisted his hand in Tarzan’s hair and wrestled him back to his knees. The riverbank broke out in loud ecstatic cries. The joyous sounds that Tarzan was hearing around him were not cries of welcome. They were jeers. Applauding that a humiliated Tarzan was being forced down to his knees. Made to kneel before their chief. Behind Tarzan felt hands on his ankles. Binding them. He should have resisted. But he had greater concerns.“What you up to, Nkonu?”Tarzan had crossed paths with Nkonu a number of times. None of them good. This tribe was always up to something. Always something bad.“What you dragged me here for?”Nkonu retorted with a self-satisfied smirk. The smugness on his face could only get right up Tarzan’s nose. He growled.“Don’t be like that, Tarzan. It’s been some time.”Nkonu’s glistening eyes invited Tarzan to look about him. To see the cheering tribe assembled around the river bank. Everyone from the while tribe had come to see this prize piece of game brought back from the hunt.“Look. Listen. They have missed you.”He saw Nkonu open his arms. He watched as his eyes encompassed the tribe. Assembled on this river-bank to welcome Tarzan brought as their captive. His expression appealed to the cheering people strung along the river bank. A look that said, Tell him, how we have missed the apeman.The jeers that erupted gave Tarzan his answer. He was hated here. The hatred behind those cries told Tarzan that Nkonu and his tribe were at one in this. He had this tribe eating out of the palm of his hand. No amount of defiance, jibing and challenging their chief was going to win them over on Tarzan’s side. Nkonu had his tribe licking out of his hand .. because he was giving them what them craved. Tarzan captive, helpless. A dead man. If Tarzan wanted to wriggle himself free .. there’d be no counting on winning this tribe over. To come out of this alive .. he’d have to come up with something else.The best Tarzan got from his old rival was a shrug. A “you-see-how-it is” gesture. A “they’re loving this” look. A “seeing you return like this .. you’re making their day” smirk at Tarzan on his knees, bound hand and foot. Nkonu raised his smiling head to his tribe, acknowledging the jeers of hatred poured down on Tarzan from all sides.A kick in his back surprised Tarzan. He couldn’t stop himself .. falling forward onto his front. His bound hands went out. To stop his face from smacking into the dirt. Another kick into his backbone .. Tarzan reacted instinctively .. he threw his hands forward .. trying to control his fall. Hands were on Tarzan’s bound wrists .. pinning them down. A body landed forcefully on his back. Driving the wind out of him. Aware then of hands grappling on his legs. Lifting his lower legs. Rope had already been tied around his ankles. Desperate .. knowing he was being attacked from all sides .. Tarzan struggled back. But hearing a surge of laughter all around from the tribespeople. There seemed to be an untold number of men going for him. He was pinned down by the weight on his back. Maddened by desperation. But his struggles were getting him nowhere.A hard smack in the back of his neck .. Tarzan bawled his surprise into the dirt. Hands on his lower legs .. he felt the ankles tied together .. his legs raised. Something being passed between his calves. Wood… A long pole. Pushed an endless long time between his bound lower legs. Passing up his back. In front of his head his hands were being lifted. That self-same pressure. The wooden pole being passed between his bound wrists. A long pole .. pushed through from his bound ankles .. along the length of his back .. passing through Tarzan’s wrists in front.The weight peeled off him. The pressure of fighting hands let him go. The men sitting on his back had released him. The hands fumbling around his ankles had freed him of their grip. Tarzan made himself rise. He couldn’t. Pinned down. He tried to twist over. No chance. He was skewered. Speared out on a long pole. His muscular body stretched out on a tree-length spit. Like a wild pig over the fire. Lying on his front. A pole running the length of his back. Shoved through his ankles .. pressing down on his back .. running through the wrists stretched in front of his head. A pig skewered on a stick.Trapped. Tarzan tried to lift his head .. to see how he stood. He couldn’t. The pole up his back kept his head pressed down. He tried to twist. Tried again to roll on to his side. But he was impossibly constrained. A pole passed between his raised lower legs .. it travelled the length of his back .. it pressed his shoulders down .. it kept his face crushed into the dirt .. above his head the pole passed between his bound wrists. Skewered. A human sacrifice stretched out on a stick.“You see, apeman …..”The cheering had gone mad. Nkonu’s mockery broke through. Shouting down at Tarzan through this laughter and cheers. His smug voice added to the universal jeering.“ .. how long they have waited ……”Tarzan’s ears will filled with maddening ululating.“How much they have waited. To have you back. For this.” Parade of pain and shame-6352032000It was a show. A grand performance when the hated apeman was paraded through their midst. A dream. A longed-for hope. To see the cause of their misery brought back to pay. A proud tribe. They had plundered, they had made themselves rich. Stolen cattle. Captured young men and sold them off.But the apeman had put an end to that. Their warrior-chief killed .. his people were no longer a threat. The jungle tribes had hit back. Aided by the killer. Encouraged by the murderer of their chief.For years resentment had simmered. That name .. the hated apeman’s name .. not a man in the tribe had not cursed that word. Not a single man’s blood had not raced at the thought of seeing him dragged back here again. Hated. Cursed. They longed for revenge. Every man craved his pain. Tarzan’s screams. Was there a single warrior in the tribe that did not yearn for Tarzan’s last breath? “Has anybody ever been so welcomed?”Nkonu was mocking him somewhere above Tarzan’s body. Angered. Determined not to put up with this. But he could not make a move to show his defiance. With that pole stretching from ankles to his wrists tied in front of his head, Tarzan was pinned down. Impossible to move. Impossible to show himself unintimidated.“Listen. Listen how pleased they are.”Around him jeers. Mockery. Laughing. Pleased to see Tarzan helpless and vulnerable like this. Women ululating madly. Laughing at the jungle lord strung-out .. a pig on a stick .. prisoner of a vengeful tribe. “It does you good .. doesn’t it? To make people so happy ….”As if on signal, warriors lifted Tarzan to their shoulders. Tarzan face-down on his skewer. Two men in front, two behind. In an instant the strain showed, not soon after the pains started kicking in. Tarzan was dangling off the pole. Trapped between bounds wrists and ankles. Impossible to quell the groan. Hanging face-down off a pole .. hands caught in front .. legs pulled up from behind. His body suspended and his own bodyweight pulling at him against nature .. gravity torturing his joints on the long pole. Pain torn out of his armpits. In his upper arms eagles’ talons clawed to find pain in every fibre. His straining body .. heavy-muscled and helpless .. it hung down . pulled down. Skewered on a spit. Like some great ox for the slaughter.. Behind, his powerful thighs were forced backwards and stretched against nature. Tarzan felt the burning there beginning to build. Hung .. skewered off a pole .. face-down .. back arched .. strain and pain growing in every bit of his body. And around him the cheers. Hailing the chief who’d brought them Tarzan back. Cheering on the brave warriors who’d hunted the hated enemy down. Laughing at his predicament. Rejoicing over his helplessness. Tarzan felt fear. His powerful body .. this toughness of spirit .. skewered on Nkonu’s torture-pole. He hurt .. and it was going to hurt more .. Tarzan had his teeth gritted together. His jaw tight clenched tight .. fighting pain. But already he could see that every burning fibre in his body could threaten to overwhelm his determination. The strain of being hung up in the air for long …... it would take its toll. The first tear coloured his eye. Much of this and tears of pain would betray Tarzan’s weakening strength of will. He was being hung-out to discover growing agony.“Listen to them.”Nkonu had grabbed Tarzan by the hair. Twisting his face over so he could gloat into Tarzan’s grimacing features. Relishing the tears of pain forming in Tarzan’s contorted eyes. Tarzan cursed his eyes betraying the strain. But he couldn’t do otherwise.“How they welcome your return.”Tarzan gritted his teeth.“Damn you, Nkonu.”It was an effort. Tarzan put his every tortured sinew behind his curse.“I settled your damned brother.”Tarzan clenched his fists together. The strain of this suspension was grinding pains into his muscled frame. Through gritted teeth Tarzan promised.“I’ll have your damned hide as well.”Mockery lashed into Tarzan’s face. Nkonu jammed his elbow into Tarzan’s side. Jarring pain into a torso already racked with strain. “Brave words. Apeman.”At this term of insult, Nkonu repeated his thud. Driving his elbow into Tarzan’s aching ribs. Not so much to hurt his old adversary. Just to show to Tarzan there was nothing he could do to help himself.Laughing Nkonu twisted Tarzan’s face painfully over. Forcing him to look into his captor’s grin. The strain on the face of Nkonu’s enemy’s was plain to see. Tarzan was hurting.“Have my hide? Eh? Look forward to it.”Nkonu slapped the head away.“Give it a try. Apeman.”Hearing around the people jeering wildly, Tarzan hid the strain on his face underneath. Cursing his old enemy, gritted teeth biting into the burning aches growing in his joints. As if recognising his struggles, Tarzan heard the cheers lift. The voices of this hate-filled people raised. Honouring the sight of his defeat.Nkonu responded to the cheers .. with arms raised .. accepting their praise. He walked to the front of the procession. Smiling at the jubilation raining down on him. Taking the old enemy back to the village. Gratified by the jeers as Tarzan was passed through his people. Nkonu led the way .. followed by the proud young man who had led the raiding party. Also showered with thanks from the joyous tribe. Arms out-stretched, his broad muscled shoulders slapped gratefully with his people’s thanks .. nodding at the cheering greeting of his triumph. Hailed for bring the apeman back.And behind .. dragged swaying through a swirling corridor of hate .. skewered on the proud-muscled shoulders of the men who had captured him, Tarzan was led to their village. Strung out .. dangling off a pole in tortured agonies .. his muscular strength battered by waves of jeers. Laughed at. Taunted. Villagers calling out in mockery of his shame.They crowded in on him. Tarzan heard the cheers change into jeers as he passed. As people welcomed his captive hide. Their chief had passed through .. welcomed with cheers, adulation. Then as the hated apeman was being dragged through their midst, they pressed in close. Mockery and scorn rained down on him. Tarzan was surrounded by contempt. A few got in a blow. He took punches. Hard hate-filled blows thwacked into his side. Dragged painfully, skewered on a pole, through a swirling tunnel of hate. Calling out for Tarzan to suffer. Threatening him with death. Threatening the hated apeman with unimaginable pains. Relief only coming in his tortured death. Surrounded by cries of revenge. Crying out for justified retribution. Meet againSkewered3111514478000The strain would eat into every bit of his powerful body. Wearing down his strength. Effortlessly weakening him. Torturing his self-belief. Thinking he could stand up to this. And finding he was fooling himself.Nkonu had reason to celebrate. Withdrawing to his hut. Congratulations for the success of their venture. Praise and rewards for bringing that enemy back. And would end his days here.Nkonu would drag this out. Every minute he delayed was another hour of torture gnawing away at the apeman’s strength. Pains twisting into knotted agony in that muscled body. Nkonu knocked back another bowl. Strong spirit burning in his mouth as outside the heat of torture gnawed at Tarzan’s strength of will. He was in pain. Tortured agony. Like red-hot irons were being stroked the length of his back-bent thighs. Pulled back by the stretch. Stuck there. Human meat on a skewer. Muscles on fire. Hot embers alive in his muscled flesh.Where the hell had Nkonu gone? Tarzan had been hung out like this .. a seeming eternity. No sign of his enemy. Or that muscle-head who’d ambushed him and brought him here. Anger burned with pain throughout Tarzan’s stretched out body.The warriors escorting him back to the village had hung his pole off a pair of trestles .. stuck ready and waiting outside the chief’s long hut. Tarzan had been left stretched out .. free-hanging .. human-skewered meat. Bound hands in front of his head .. wrist-ropes trapped over the pole. Behind, the pole threaded between his tied ankles. Left hanging. The pull of the dirt beneath him dragging his chest down. For all his strength .. useless. Back straining in a painful arc, his own muscled bodyweight torturing the strength out of him. Left agonisingly stretched out.The tribe was assembled all around, leisurely waiting. His guards had wandered off .. accepting offers of strong liquor, The village was celebrating. The hated apeman had been returned. Cause for celebration. Reason to break out the strong booze. Women gathered in groups, one broke out into a cheery song. The tribespeople were assembled and encircling the one man who had been the cause of their misery .. for many years. Now thankfully returned to their midst.Gladly they had him surrounded. Happily they waited .. digging into the strong liquor .. relishing their time with friends .. rewarding the warriors who had taken the risk. Celebrating that the hated apeman had returned. And would never escape them again.The strains just grew. The pains burned in his muscles, tortured his joints. Teeth gritted into the pain. His sight bleary .. tears of strain trickling off his face. Tarzan was entering a confused state of mind .. the agonies in possession of his body were burning their way into his head. Pain like a powerful drug intoxicated him with waves of suffering .. weakness threatening to swamp him. In his head Tarzan was calling on Nkonu to come and get on with it. Before it was too late. Before Tarzan was weakened into a semi-state of unconsciousness .. broken by a crippling feebleness that could overpower his mind.Shocked. Caught out. Falling. Pain hit him in the chest. The earth smacked him in the face with a slam. Caught unaware. Self-obsessed with the efforts of fighting the overwhelming pains. Overcome by his fears at these weakening agonies, Tarzan had missed the change. His ears had not alerted him to the cheers. The tribe welcoming the appearance back of their chief. Stepping out of his hut to their cheers. Unaware that the cocky young warrior had signalled to his men. They’d dropped Tarzan on his pole to the dirt.It took time to take it in. Shock, pain, confusion. Hard to break through the clouds of red pain. But it was time he could not afford to waste. Still the animal in Tarzan knew to respond. The feel of the pole roughly being dragged out between his ankles. Pure instinct swept in. Tarzan’s body intuitively knew itself free of the pole. Crawling into a ball on his side. Relief from those agonies sweeping powerfully through him .. overwhelming him almost as heady as the earlier suffering. A churning whirl of sensations that had bitter acid rush to his throat. Free of the pole but waves of crushing emotions still had his head in a whirl.Tarzan cried out loud, surprised in his sickening confusion. Cursing at the pain in his scalp. Yanked upright. Dragged up off the earth. A tight grip in his hair. Other hands surprising him .. hands on his upper arms. Violently dragging him up onto his knees.“Quite a sight you are.? APE-MAN.”Around Tarzan the world burst into laughter. Through the noise and this overwhelming bleariness .. swallowing back the sharp bitterness in his throat .. still Tarzan recognised Nkonu’s gloating voice. And the goading mockery of his tone. Peacock-3175012255500Forced to his knees. His head in a whirl. Free of the pole but those sickening emotions still threatened to empty his stomach. Head held upright by a tight grip in his hair. Feeling himself swaying in weakness, fighting through the confusion and pains rushing in his head. Churning like crazy in his gut.Kept upright, on his knees. A hand twisted in his scalp. Panting, long deep breaths .. fighting himself back into control. Blinking the pain out of his vision. Nkonu swam into sight. Arms crossed over his broad muscled chest in smug triumph. Tarzan felt anger shove his weakness aside. At being made to submit before this old enemy. Up on his knees, an active posture of subjugation. Kneeling before this enemy chief. “You remember my nephew?”Tarzan was trying to locate who Nkonu was talking about. Suddenly there was a hard yank up on his scalp from behind .. tugging his head backwards. Tarzan winced with surprise and pain. Then an elbow hammered down on his forehead. Tarzan yelled. Pain blasted in his brains. Making him gasp out. The shock threw Tarzan down into the dirt. Just managing to land forward on hand and knees.A tug on his arms pulled Tarzan back. A tight grip in the scuff of his neck yanked him up. Roughly, his head still pounding, his vision swimming from the pain in his head, Tarzan was being roughly made to sit up on his knees again. The squeeze on the back of his neck got him back up. Held him up. In an act of submission before his captor.Tarzan fought his way back .. shaking his head to clear his sight. Making himself recover fast, blearily. He saw a broad-shouldered young man sauntering from him over to the chief. Pain thudded in his head. But he recognised that cocky walk. Something discordant rang in his pounding head.Nephew? Nkonu had called this strutting peacock his nephew? Something in Tarzan’s head rang alarm bells. But through the pain and confusion he was not making the connection.His head hurt like hell. That smash to his forehead had his ears ringing . He had to shake his head again to clear his vision. Tarzan recognised the man .. you couldn’t miss that arrogant walk. The muscle-head that had led the raiding party. So it had been him holding Tarzan up from behind? It had been his elbow that had thundered down into Tarzan’s forehead .. unbalancing him .. sending him sprawling in the dirt. A move that had broken out wild cheering from the tribe. A blow meant to knock Tarzan humiliatingly into the dust. And there he sauntered .. his hard-packed backside ambling back to Nkonu .. arms up to accept their cheers. Flexed in a muscled pose to show off his strength. His defined body boasting the power he had demonstrated over their hated enemy.Cocksure. Arrogant. A preening peacock of a young man. Full of himself. The warrior that had masterminded Tarzan’s capture. A brave warrior, that. Took a man from behind, in his weakness. Took a man on, bound hand and foot. This cocky young man who had engineered Tarzan being dragged back like this. So brave! And now look at the fool, he posed for the appreciation. Arms up to expand his broad muscle-packed chest, knotted arms flexed, showing off to the tribe, posturing. Bathing in their praise. Showered with their thanks for Tarzan’s humiliation. Smacking the hated enemy to the ground for the pleasure of the tribe. Nkonu’s nephew? The thought broke through Tarzan’s anger. So it ran in the family? This attitude that you got what you wanted by shoving your weight around .. especially attacking your enemy from behind .. better still if he was tied up with ropes. Nkonu’s nephew? A chip off the old block.Tarzan’s blood was up. That cocksure gait .. the way that tight muscled backside peeked out from a skimpy loincloth .. he was all show-off. Not an ounce of a true fighter in him. This muscled peacock who had to get his five friends to help capture Tarzan .. six against one. His posturing as he sauntered back from that surprise attack on Tarzan .. cheered and applauded .. cocky in his young man’s body, vain .. posturing, showing off ….. The poser got right up Tarzan’s nose. Proud as a peacock for ambushing Tarzan from behind half-stunning him. Tarzan couldn’t wait to get his hands on the fool .. to take him on one-on-one. His conceited attitude had got Tarzan’s temper up. And the raging anger in his blood only made the thudding in his head worse. Hard to think through the pounding headache and his temper. But something in the back of his mind was warning him. There was something he was not managing to connect. But his temper at getting ambushed .. at the way this vain young man was strutting .. angered at mocking jeers applauding this cowardly attack .. Tarzan had more things whirling in his head. Not in the mood to start worrying about vague warning signs. 3111528321000NephewIt had long been the chief’s greatest desire. Probably he’d spent numerous hot-nights, handling himself. Hard with the thought of what he would do .. if ever he got the chance.He had presented it to him. Tarzan on a stick. And that was his own overwhelming yearning too. He too had had reason to crave for this day. It was personal, this capture. The idea had driven him .. for years .. Often his mind had wandered off to the longed-for time when he’d face down the apeman. And exact a burning revenge.In his head he’d planned the ambush a thousand times. Complex ideas .. complicated ways to lure Tarzan into a trap. In the end, the fool had wandered into the net with barely a fight. Taking him alive .. that went without saying. A quick death .. killing him in combat .. that was not the answer. Tarzan owed. The apeman owed his uncle too. And the whole tribe deserved to see the killer pay. Nephew? Somewhere there was the connection, the point nagging at the back of his mind. Something to do with this preening prick being Nkonu’s nephew, But the sight of that conceited gait .. the arrogant sway of a young man’s tight-muscled arse .. this peacock so full of himself .. angered at getting surprised from behind .. head busting .. Tarzan just felt his temper rising. Hating that posturing walk .. arms up and widespread .. the broad muscled back showered with the tribe’s praise. For humiliating Tarzan. He was furious at this show-off who’d got his gang to capture him. Tarzan could not be bothered to connect the dots. He wanted to get even.“You remember my nephew?”Did he hell! Except for the ambush Tarzan hadn’t set eyes on this preening prick before. But he was unlikely to forget that face now. What Tarzan would give to get his hands on the fool. And when the chance came ….. To feel his fists hammering that smug look off his face. They’d never met before .. the coward had come attacking Tarzan with his thugs. Ambushed him. Dragging him here against his will. Tarzan was angered at getting waylaid, out-numbered, knocked out. The kind of introduction he did not take to in any way. He hadn’t welcomed the way that strutting coward had introduced himself. And he was going to get even .. the fool could bet on that.Tarzan was still forced up on his knees guarded by a pair of the warriors. In a threatening circle he was surrounded by more warriors .. and around them the whole tribe was cheering the nephew for his surprise ambush on Tarzan’s skull. No quick escape. No easy way of fighting himself free. He was going to have to face this one out .. wait for his chance. Tarzan shook the pain out of his head, he lifted his chest, head high. He was going to face down this mockery from the tribe that had been assailing him every moment since arriving.“But you remember his father .. ?“Tarzan gave the young man a glance. His eyes roamed again over the tight-muscled body that had managed his ambush. No, he didn’t see any man in him he’d recognise. No similarity. But from the way Nkonu had spoken, it seemed he should have. Tarzan’s scowl scoured the peacock from head to foot. Then he frowned back at the chief. Remember the father? That meant nothing to him. For now he chose to ignore the cocky young man standing next to Nkonu. He’d deal with the cocky coward later. That old enemy Nkonu held all the cards here.“What is it you want, Nkonu? More of your cowardly tricks?”In turn the chief ignored Tarzan’s question. In a blinding show of affection, Nkonu extended his arm around the back of the young man. Broad-chested, strong shoulders on his youthful frame. Nkonu gave the hard muscle on the young man a squeeze. Tarzan gave him a closer look. Tall, good-looking, incredibly well-built, stood there dressed just in brief revealing skins. The cocksure dress of a proud young musclehead who knows he’s got what it takes. And that the girls can’t wait to bed with him.“Mwale .. my brother’s son …”That DID get Tarzan’s attention. He saw the light. He looked the young man up and down again. Was there some resemblance? But now this whole set-up was making sense. Mwale, Nkonu’s older brother. This peacock’s father?The man did have his father’s well-defined torso .. and aggressive glare. But he must have got his good looks from his mother, his father had been an over-muscled brute of a man. And an ugly brute at that.Now Tarzan felt the young peacock’s eyes piercing into his face .. a look of intensity ….. THAT look .. that was all Mwale. Determined .. self-willed .. not given to taking No for an answer. Grabbed what he wanted. Just the way the young man was eyeing him.. Mwale had been the cocky peacock’s father? Tarzan now recognised his father in the son. That look. The build. A ruthless look of self-possessed determination. Mwale. Nkonu’s older brother. The man who would have become chief.Nkonu reminded Tarzan.“The brother you killed.” Murderer3111514605000Tarzan was gripped by the sudden realisation. Who this cocky muscle-head was. The reason he had been ambushed. Staring at a strongly built man bristling with nervous energy. Pumped up with muscled hatred.His head was shaking. Denying Nkonu’s words.“He MURDERED my father.”Not “killed”. A look of burning intensity swept over Tarzan. From down on his knees he was staring back into a fiery bitterness. The peacock was still firmly held across the shoulders by Nkonu’s arm. But Tarzan got the feeling that nothing would hold that heated fury back .. given the slightest excuse. Nkonu waited a while. Letting the two of them get acquainted. Letting Tarzan read the message for himself .. this nephew was the reason the two of them had been brought together here today.“He has lived with me these past five years .. since you .. murdered .. his father …”Clear as day now .. why Tarzan had been captured and dragged here .. for an act of revenge. For the death of his cocksure peacock’s father. But Tarzan wasn’t going to show any nerves. Brought face-to-face with a son burning with a craving for revenge .. for the death of a father Tarzan had justifiably beaten and killed.Undaunted Tarzan pumped up his chest .. a gesture that said he was not to be intimidated. He set his jaw firm to show he was not thrown by being tied up like this. And being surrounded by a tribe of hate-filled warriors did not scare him. Nor facing down a vengeance-filled son whose father had deserved to be killed.“From what I remember …..”Tarzan answered back.“….. it was hardly a fair fight.”He had spun his head over to the son. “One against five. Me unarmed .. Mwale and others with spears.”Tarzan’s justification had not changed the peacock’s fiery glare .. Nkonu’s nephew registered no reaction to Tarzan defending himself. Tarzan recognised that look now .. his father’s same intense glare .. self-willed, self-possessed. His father Mwale had always grabbed what he wanted. And that look said this son wanted Tarzan.“I was supposed to be the one dead,” Tarzan added .. but not defending himself .. stating the facts.“I was not supposed to come out alive.”Tarzan’s look asserted strongly that he had been defending himself against a gang of cattle thieves who were not giving their trophies back. Mwale and his warriors had come to deal with an apeman who thought otherwise. With force. With overwhelming and deadly force.Nkonu continued regardless. As if Tarzan had not opened his mouth. As if whatever Tarzan had to say for himself was not going to count.“My nephew has lived in my hut these past five years … As good as a son.”He repeated his words. This time more emphasised.“Five LONG years .. since you murdered his father.”Equally determined Tarzan corrected him. His posture giving nothing but defiance.“KILLED. Defending myself.” Honour018605500“Killed.” Not murdered. “Defending myself.” “Out-numbered 5-to-1.” Who the hell cared? Not this tribe. The apeman could justify himself till the cows came home. Tarzan had killed their chief. What was there more to say?Chief Mwale had fired them up. Their warriors had gone hunting. Cattle. Captive men sold as slaves. Women-turned-whores. Good times. Wealthy times. Life had been good.Till the apeman interfered.Nkonu had taken the boy in, his brother’s son. Who would have become chief .. if the apeman had not interfered. His mother’s stunning looks. But his father’s will. Muscle-piled on-etched muscle as he grew. He knew the story, his father’s death. He knew the culprit. Nkonu had made sure of that. And .. fired with the rashness of his age .. pumped with the pride of the young warrior-male .. his nephew burned with the urge to exact retribution. Nkonu had made sure of that. “Defending myself. One against five. Me unarmed.”Nkonu did not even bother shrugging off Tarzan’s retort. No one here was interested in any talk of self-defence.“He entered manhood two years ago.”Nkonu still had his manly embrace around his nephew’s solid shoulders.“He has excelled.”Nkonu looked to his nephew. But the peacock had eyes only for the captive down on his knees. Nkonu noted the intensity of the looks exchanged between this new set of adversaries. He smirked, satisfied. And continued.“In the hunt. Brought pride to himself.”In other words .. probably gone out cattle-thieving like his father, Tarzan thought .. killing farmers to get his hands on their wealth. Again Tarzan looked the proud young man over .. seeing clear signs of being a chip off the old block. Athletically built, long strong legs. Lean, etched with a prodigious strength in his muscles. He had inherited his father’s powerful physique. And the young man had not wasted it, he had worked his body well. An impressive looking young man. Any father would be proud. Except that this young man’s father was a murdering thief. Rapist. A monster.“To celebrate his coming of age, I chose him to be my captain,” Nkonu continued. Tarzan saw a look of fondness sweep over the strongly built young warrior. But the young warrior was not to be distracted in his glare of hatred thrown at Tarzan. And visibly gloating that Tarzan was so vulnerably placed.“That is the tradition in the tribe, “Nkonu explained. “After a chief’s son has been accepted into manhood .. After he has led raids .. proven himself .. done well.”Butchered peace-loving tribes .. Tarzan re-translated the words to himself. Stolen cattle. Raped young girls. Proving himself as single-minded and ruthless as his evil old man.“Made leader of our warriors …..”Nkonu smirked over Tarzan made to kneel in subjugation before him.“Took you easily enough …..”He chortled, taunting. His eyes passed over the whole tribe. Inviting them to join in.“Without much of a fight, I hear ….”Tarzan heard the laughter around him. Their old enemy here before them. And captured by a man not much more than a boy.Tarzan sneered back at the young peacock. His demeanour had now lightened somewhat, he saw. At hearing his vanity stroked. At seeing Tarzan mocked by the tribespeople around. Nkonu again turned to the tribe. Giving out his news. His gaze addressing all the on-lookers.“And you know what …..?”He paused to make sure the whole tribe was listening in.“This brave young man .. leader of our warriors ……”Nkonu’s arm around his nephew’s broad shoulder gave him a squeeze on solid muscle. A gesture of pride in the young man’s achievements. Evidence of a fondness.“ … to celebrate this victory …..”Nkonu’s other hand was gesturing with a dismissive move.“ .. who brought us THIS prize ….”Nkonu was indicating the hated apeman down on his knees .. stuck in a posture of submission and shame.“ … AND in honour of his illustrious father ……” Nkonu’s hand gave a firm squeeze around the broad muscled back of his nephew. He gave the young man a smile. But the peacock wasn’t to be side-tracked, eyes for only one man. Looks that were fired with a proud pleasure. Pride in what he had achieved. Anticipating the pleasures to come.Nkonu turned his gaze back on Tarzan too. He paused. Then his eyes swept over the whole tribe, drawing in their attention. Indicating a great announcement was to follow.“To honour this day .. in memory of his father .. my nephew has changed his name.”Nkonu had been smiling proudly at the young man. Now he was smirking in satisfaction at Tarzan.“From now on .. he is to be named ……”Nkonu’s look of satisfaction took on a gloating tinge.“Mwale.”Cheers of approval burst around Tarzan. Applauding the young man’s honourable move. Joyous cries that could only ring of threat for Tarzan. The peacock had taken on the name of the man he had killed. Like his father’s ghost was coming back to avenge a death. Nkonu’s arm was around his nephew’s hard-muscled shoulders, it gave a light affectionate slap. His head gave a nod of approval. Then it turned. Glaring into Tarzan’s face. Announcing his fate. Pronouncing his doom.“He has taken his father’s name. Mwale.”And casting on his mantle …… Progeny-63532004000That news certainly got Tarzan’s attention. The son taking on his father’s name. Acted on after he had captured his father’s killer. Tarzan was in no doubt there was something substantial in that decision. Tarzan was staring intently up at the proud muscular young man. That change of name .. that raised all kinds of possibilities. He suspected where this was going. Knowing his capture was not by chance. This was all connected.The new Mwale stood beside his uncle. Proudly accepting the tribe’s cheers. Applauding his decision. Visibly pumped up by the approval that stroked his muscled torso with his people’s praise. Showing himself off.“He would have been the chief’s son . ….” Nkonu reminded Tarzan. “… if you had not murdered his father .. “And for Tarzan it did not go amiss that Nkonu himself had benefitted from Mwale’s death. As younger son, Nkonu would never have become chief. Ironically Tarzan had done his adversary a favour. “My brave nephew asked me . ….,” Nkonu glanced into his nephew’s face. His pride in the young man could not be missed. Nkonu was very fond of this tall, well-built warrior. But the preening full-of-himself peacock did not return the look. He had not let his glare leave Tarzan for one moment.“ …. when I named him as captain ….”Nkonu was now smirking over at his prisoner. The kind of smirk that said he knew something Tarzan did not. But it had a lot to do with him.“ .. what could he do, he asked?”Tarzan saw Nkonu’s gaze draw over him. Tarzan on his knees, bound .. surrounded by a hate-filled tribe .. close-guarded by the nephew’s cronies who had helped ambush him. No way of escape. Tarzan bristled at the mess he was in. But he couldn’t help himself out .. not yet.“How could he best serve that honour?”Nkonu’s look of affection at the nephew was sincere. But the young warrior wasn’t to be distracted, eyes only for Tarzan .. a look filled with greed. Greedy for revenge on Tarzan. Nkonu too was giving Tarzan a knowing look .. one that said they were about to get to the truth.“What gift can I give you?”Nkonu’s hand around his nephew powerfully muscled shoulder gave a squeeze. It was ignored. The vengeful young man was determined to stay preoccupied with his hate.“He asked … How best can I serve?”For the first time the vain young man now spoke up. Out-of-the-blue. As if he could no longer hold himself back.“Know what my chief said? Apeman?”Tarzan recognised the intensity of that gaze. The same look .. Mwale Junior had the same vicious snarl as his father. He turned it on Tarzan. On his knees, with hands bound in front. Under the close guard of a pair of his warriors. Defenceless. The way his father had liked things.“How could I best earn that honour?”His handsome face had now twisted into his father’s snarl.“Know what my chief wanted?”Tarzan knew the answer already. He was here. He had been captured.“Above all else.”The young man was dragging it out. His muscled shoulders lifted as he snorted.“Above riches. Above slaves. Above women.”Mwale’s conceited muscle-head smirked.“What my chief wanted?”Tarzan goaded him back. Spoiling his fun. Aiming to dim his limelight. Getting in a mocking retort. Meaning to spoil this show-off’s act. Deliberately. Knocking the young peacock off centre-stage.“Let me guess.”Ruining the vain peacock’s control over this act of triumph, Tarzan had his chest up, chin raised. Showing a man not intimidated. Or impressed.“Now WHAT could that be,” he mocked?The peacock growled. Annoyed by the interruption. Irritated by the laughing mockery in Tarzan’s tone. HE had captured this prize. HE had Tarzan bound and on his knees. Shamed before the whole tribe. Yet the apeman was not acting like he should. No escape, no way out of this. But Tarzan was answering him back. Mocking his triumph. Showing him up. Angered by his captive’s ridicule, his fists clenched. He wasn’t going to be talked down to by a captive. Demonstratively, in response the muscular young man raised his chin. Visibly he was gearing himself up to responding to Tarzan’s challenging stance. Angry he pulled himself up to his full muscular height. His gaze now left the captive, down on his knees, humiliated. Seeking his approval from his people, he passed his look around the assembled tribe. Glorying in their admiration for his success, seeing it confirmed in their faces. Bathing in the adulation for the image of the triumphant warrior he presented them.Satisfied he had the attention of all, Tarzan saw young Mwale turn his gaze back on him. Bristling in his vanity. He glared. His eyes afire. With hate. With cocksure confidence in himself.““Bring me Tarzan. THAT was what our chief desired.”His hands extended outwards .. encompassing the sight of his captive on his knees. The job done. And no way out. On his knees, submissive, in shame. His father’s murderer. Tarzan saw Mwale smirk.“Above everything else .. our chief .. what he wanted ….”Mwale was glaring at the captive prize he had brought. His eyes snarled down at the triumph he had wrought. Tarzan felt every eye in the tribe was homing in on the cocky young stud. The young Mwale scoffed. His big-headedness was performing. Acting out for the whole tribe.“Tarzan’s hide.”Vanity rippled in every defined muscle of his near-naked torso. Seeing the tribe’s attention on him. He asked the tribe the vital question .. to which every single one of them already knew the answer.“Above riches .. above fame …. What did our chief require of me?”The reborn son, honouring his cruel father by taking his name .. he tossed up his proud head. In pleasure. Pleased that his efforts had come to this. Proud of what he had done.“His life, our chief said.”He lifted his proud chin. His gaze lifted. Vain his eyes travelled around the admiring tribe. “Our chief’s greatest desire.”Slowly, demonstratively, his vanity still inviting the adulation of his people, his arm lifted. His hand pointed. Fingering the prisoner. Proving the deed was done. Evidence of a mighty warrior’s success.“Give me Tarzan’s life.” Accused-6350019367500He’d kept the lie alive. Tarzan suspected that Nkonu had nourished an orphaned boy on the tale of his father’s murder. Probably fed him the lie of how the apeman had ambushed the great Chief Mwale. Stabbed him in the back.Underhand. Trickery. Mwale was a mighty chief. A formidable warrior. How could one unarmed man possibly overwhelm the great fighter? Except by deceit. Fed the boy the tale daily, poisoned his mind. A diet of hate. Consoled by the loving uncle who’d taken him in. Grief and sadness gradually turning. Changing into hate, bitterness. Fuelling a lifelong burning to get even. For a son to avenge his father’s murder.Nkonu had stoked up a boy’s hatred. Feeding it, nourishing it. Hate growing within him as a young man took on bulk, muscled-up. A hatred as hard as the muscles developed on his back. A fire for revenge as durable as the packed strength burning in a proud young man’s carved belly. Nkonu had forged himself a tool to avenge. “You murdered my father.”Young Mwale had approached, stood close-by. Tarzan knew he was itching to get stuck in. Bristling with barely controllable urges to exact revenge. Desired no more than to lash out with bone-breaking punches. He steeled himself.But he didn’t. The vain peacock .. playing to his audience .. making them ache for his first devastating move .. he stood domineering over Tarzan. Forcing his captive to look up at him. Was he toying with the tribe’s cravings? Or .. nephew of a chief .. who himself would have been chief if Tarzan hadn’t killed his father .. did he feel the burden of chiefdom weighing on him? Tutored by Nkonu .. the uncle who never dirtied his own hands. Young Mwale was not hesitating out of fear, Tarzan was sure of that. He was not a cowardly Nkonu .. he was not staying out of harm’s way like his uncle. Tarzan was in no doubt .. he felt the urges bristling off the young man .. he’d happily have got stuck in. His father’s son …. Would happily have beaten Tarzan up .. dishing out punishment .. getting the tribe roaring him on. Begging for more. But he didn’t. Had his uncle’s training taught him that wasn’t how a chief got things done? The strutting peacock led the warriors, he had status, he’d been told. Beat the shit out of an enemy? He had others to do that.But Tarzan was reading his vanity. Convinced his control was only skin-deep. Unexpectedly Tarzan, made to rise to his feet, testing him .. like he was sick of being made to grovel beneath this conceited young man’s preening ways. Surprised the nephew grabbed out. His hand dug into Tarzan’s scalp with a twist and forcefully made him stay down at his feet. Forcing his captive to submit and listen to what he had to say. He wanted his father’s murderer where he belonged .. to be seen down on his knees, shamed. Looking up into the glowering face of the offended son.Tarzan knew he had surprised the young prick. Pleased at unbalancing his presence of mind, Tarzan glowered back up, unintimidated.“Yes. I killed him.”He admitted it. Forceful Tarzan told the young fool the truth. He was trying to goad this preening muscle-head into doing something rash. He regretted he was made to raise his head .. still had to look up off his knees. As if in submission at his captor’s feet. But he was making sure his attitude indicated the opposite. Pushing him. Saying Tarzan was giving nothing. Here there was going to be no cringing. No backing down. Tarzan was provoking him. Showing he was not afraid of this vain young man. And he did not deny the truth. He HAD killed his father.“I remember. It wasn’t much of a fair fight.”Tarzan sneered back into the face of the young man. Showing no signs of fear, whatever his situation. His father had deserved to die.“Five against one. VERY brave of your old man.”Another goading push.Young Mwale took an aggressive move forward. Bristling. Tarzan smirked to himself. Again he laid it on. Taunting.“HE came looking for me. With thugs to back him up. I never started the fight.”The son had stopped in his move forward. Halted by Tarzan’s tale? Or building himself up for the strike?“They took my knife away.”Tarzan was winding the peacock up. Deliberately goading him into losing control. Undeterred, glaring up into the stern face, Tarzan spat back his scorn.“BRAVE. Your old man .. he was a MAN. Me, unarmed. Against the five of them. With spears and clubs.”Tarzan scoffed.“Yes, indeed. A brave man, your illustrious father.”Tarzan saw the jab hit home. “He was BRAVE alright .. your father. Backed up by a bunch of thugs.”Tarzan’s lips curled in contempt.“Others to do his dirty work.”He saw the young man’s eyes slit under Tarzan’s scorn.“I killed your father, yes. Another man too. Would have got the lot of them .. if the other cowards hadn’t run for their lives.”Young Mwale’s hand whipped around the back of Tarzan’s shoulders. His hand grabbed in Tarzan’s hair and yanked his head back. Spiteful he spat out his denunciation into Tarzan’s face.“You murdered my father.”This wasn’t the wisest thing Tarzan had done that day. It wasn’t the most subtle way to put things .. under the circumstances. But he was working on a feeling that his best chances came with provoking this vanity. “Don’t know much about your old man, do you?”Tarzan was pissed off. He’d had enough .. captured, dragged here, humiliated, played with. And now he was banking on pushing this proud peacock into a fight. One-on-one. Free of ropes and restraints. His best chance to get out of here. Live to fight another day.“Mwale .. your esteemed father .. he was a THUG. A murderous brute. A piece of shit.”So full of himself, this young prick. Knew he was so good looking, muscular, the fool had every girl drooling for him. A vain man who thought life owed him. The son of a murdering killer. Rapist. Brute. Chip off the old block. And impetuous. Vain, rash - there he was weak. That was what Tarzan was counting on.An incensed kick of anger slammed into Tarzan’s gut. But he’d been ready. Flexed hard, tightened and kept out much of the force. He’d known what he was provoking. Of course, young Mwale only knew what his uncle had told him. His mind had been poisoned with tales of his murdered father. His thinking twisted against the ape-man who had treacherously killed his father off.Tarzan hid a quick wince as he let his belly muscles go. He held in the pain of the blow out of his guts. Deliberately he sneered back up into the angry face above. Like his face said, that the best you can do? To your father’s killer?“Plenty brave when warriors were backing him up.”Tarzan mocked.“Your darling uncle teach you this? He’s brave too when he’s got Tarzan tied up.”The grip in Tarzan’s scalp tightened. His head tugged back. Arching him over backwards. Staring up into a volcano of fury.“You a coward like him? Like Nkonu? Brave when Tarzan can’t hit back?”A muscular arm lifted. Tarzan sensed the clenched fist ready to strike. He tensed. But he was wrong. He grunted out when an angry peacock’s knee smacked him in the chest.“YOU MURDERED my father.”Young Mwale leaned right over into Tarzan’s face.“Only right then …”The hand twisted hard in Tarzan’s scalp. Yanking pain out of his hair. Tarzan winced.“Only right …,”Young Mwale was snarling, struggling to get out the words through his clenched teeth.“Only right …..,” he repeated, “… that his son returns the favour.”Tarzan grunted. Quick as a flash a knee cracked upwards. Hitting home. A hard smack to Tarzan’s jaw. Bone hit on bone. Pain exited with a spluttered grunt. In the blink of an eye another knee-kick ratcheted onto his chin. The hand in Tarzan’s hair forcefully shoved him back. Sending the apeman sprawling in the dirt.All around cheers flooded the air. Part TwoThe StrategyChallengesGoading014224000Tarzan continued his attack. Still trying to provoke some invitation to take him on. A fighting chance, free of ropes and bonds. After the vain nephew had smacked Tarzan to the dirt .. inciting an explosion of excitement from the tribe .. cheers egging the strutting peacock on .. Nkonu had intervened, though.This was HIS day. Getting back Tarzan .. that was HIS prize. It had been HIS command to the proud warrior that had brought Tarzan here. He was not to be robbed of his fun. He was in no mood for sharing. Not even with a favourite nephew. This was Nkonu’s day.But Tarzan wasn’t giving up. He may have been back on his knees. He may have been hearing only jeering at him from all around. But Nkonu had thrust himself back into the fray. Not so easily provoked maybe. He had always been a coward, weak, trailed around in the shadow of his big brother. From the Nkonu Tarzan had known there was nothing about him for Tarzan to fear. He’d work on anything to give himself that fighting chance. “Untie me.”Tarzan knew he was asking the impossible. “Let’s settle this man-to-man.”Nkonu would never dare. He’d always shirked a fair fight. Tarzan was hoping that this old rival could be goaded into doing the wrong thing. But he did not hold out much hope .. not with Nkonu. Tarzan needed to move things on, though. Playing some passive pawn in Nkonu’s game was getting him nowhere.“Let’s settle this .. once and for all .. as men do.”Tarzan was positioned in the middle of the village compound. Centre of attention. He had all around him the whole of the tribe assembled .. listening in. Hearing him challenging their chief. In a ring around stood the young Mwale’s warriors, armed with spears and clubs. No one planned on Tarzan making any easy escape. He had to come up with something else. If Tarzan could somehow contrive a fight …..?Deliberately in a display of mental strength Tarzan puffed up his chest. His hands were still bound but the image he was giving out was anything but a man who looked beaten. His belly sucked in, powerful, strong. Giving the watching tribe the sight of a man unafraid. Standing tall, issuing their chief a challenge.“Untie me. We’ll sort out our differences .. the way MEN do.”A challenge addressed as much to the tribe as to his old enemy.Tarzan swung his bound arms up in front. Offering for Nkonu to untie him. Suggesting to the tribe that the only reason Nkonu was still alive was because he had Tarzan bound. Hiding behind the nephew’s thugs who had tricked him. Nothing manly in all this. Relying on showing Nkonu up. Trusting he could goad his pride into something rash. Did a chief want to look like he was afraid? Too scared? “Show me! Show me the man you are.”Holding up to this tribe their chief as spineless, gutless. Telling them this was the only way a real chief would sort out their differences. Hiding behind thugs .. that made Nkonu a coward. With Tarzan tied up? Was this the way a strong chief dealt with an enemy? “A real man. REAL men know how to settle differences.”Tarzan leered. Every defined sinew in his demeanour challenging.“You ARE a man .. aren’t you?”Looking at Nkonu Tarzan had to admit the change. Now he certainly looked every bit the man .. every bit the chief. How he had changed. Chiefdom had done him good. Much more formidable. Becoming chief had transformed him. How many years was it? Five? Six? What a change in this lesser son who had dragged around in the footsteps of his older warrior brother. Becoming chief had worked wonders for the man, he had to admit it. Grown in stature. Grown in self-assurance. Tall, chest thrust high in self-belief, muscular. And poised. Astonishingly that podgy wimp Nkonu had turned himself into the image of the warrior chief. But Tarzan was having no luck. His goading was meeting with a scornful response. Like Nkonu knew what Tarzan was up to.“Man? More. I am a chief. THEIR chief.”Nkonu smiled back. He was not so dumb. He’d found a new confidence in himself. “A chief has no reason to get into a fight. He has champions .. they answer for me.”Tarzan sneered back.“A warrior .. a real man .. he fights his own battles.”Tarzan squared off his shoulders. His chest expanded. Tarzan let his body do the talking for him. If there was any real man here .. it wasn’t a coward who hid behind others. His challenge was met with a snort.“And a warrior stupidly gets himself killed.”Nkonu laughed back at him.“A chief looks out for his tribe. Not getting himself killed. What good’s a dead chief?”Nkonu was mocking Tarzan back in return. Tarzan bit down on his frustration. Nkonu was not going to let any goading from a captive he’d finally got tied-up provoke him into anything stupid. Calling out-6350031178500The stud was a pushover. Press the right buttons .. he flipped. Just as Tarzan expected. Just as predicted. A young man’s cockiness raged in his blood. A few choice challenges .. and his certainty was already firming up in his crutch.Tarzan had a son. About the same age. Seen it for himself. How the blood could be manipulated. How the right words could flick the switch. Impulsive. Impetuous. His head no longer making the choices. Believing himself impregnable. And how often finding himself wrong?Tarzan had tested his vanity. Goaded him .. telling him the truth. Giving it straight. Telling it the way it was. His father had been an animal. Called the old Mwale a coward. Pressing the right buttons. Flicking the switch.That rash impulsive attack. His knee smacking Tarzan in the jaw. Flooring him. Sending Tarzan sprawling in the dirt. That was all the proof Tarzan needed. This vain peacock .. easily manipulated. Eager to prove himself. Invincible in every etched muscle of his being. Just waiting to be proved wrong. “Nice try!”Nkonu was stood only a pace or two from Tarzan. Quietly talking to his captive. Not wanting everyone to hear. “Tempting the boy ... He is so impulsive …. ”Tarzan remained defiant. Still making a show of his strength of mind. Stood strongly on his own two feet. Glaring back at his old enemy.“You read him well, Tarzan.”Nkonu was glorying in Tarzan’s helplessness. And his failure to goad the nephew into acting rash.“Well tried!”After having his adversary moved, Nkonu found this display of mock strength amusing. Restrained yet .. to a fleeting glance .. looking free of bonds too. Unfazed, confident in his control over this situation, Nkonu was smirking back .. his grin laughing at the mock display that Tarzan projected to the onlookers. Looking confident in his strength, unfazed by Tarzan’s show of his strength of mind. Nkonu was OK that Tarzan did not look in the least unsettled. The man was showing off to the tribe. But he was fooling himself. Tarzan was still Nkonu’s captive. And would remain so to his last breath.Nkonu had had Tarzan moved. Stood him between two stout uprights planted firmly in the hard earth. Tarzan knew he could have fought those warriors back. He would have taken a few of them down. But these “guardians” who had captured him were preening in their success. Glorying in the tribe’s thanks for bringing him in. Any attempt at resistance in front of the adoring tribe, they’d have done their best. They’d have jumped at the chance to show Tarzan would not get away with it. And even if he managed to take them all down, Tarzan was still surrounded by a tribe of vengeful men.He’d finish up here between these two stakes anyway. But beaten into weakness. Broken into submission before Nkonu. At least this way, they had simply tied his ankles to rope snaking from his feet to the foot of the stakes. Bonds that kept him in place. But his hands were free, Tarzan was proudly standing on his own two feet. He was left with the strength of mind to show he was not troubled. Chin up, chest out, giving this tribe a powerful symbol. Projecting an image that Tarzan was not to be overawed.“Impetuous, young men .. think they are invincible.”Nkonu spoke quietly to Tarzan. Like sharing a great secret.“Like my nephew. Thinks with his dick.”Nkonu chortled. Tarzan, though, glared back. Annoyed that his old enemy had read Tarzan right. Seeing through Tarzan’s hope of goading the vain peacock into something rash. Nkonu had intervened .. foiling Tarzan’s idea of provoking the young nephew into a fight. That fighting chance free of ropes and bonds.“Can’t let you get away with that. Good try, though …”Tarzan felt his hackles go up .. at this taunting. At Nkonu spoiling his chances. At his smugness.“You read him well. I’ll give you that ……”Nkonu was acting almost good-natured. As if he was welcoming the return of a long-lost friend. Like he was about to break out the strong booze and celebrate with Tarzan. Tarzan gritted his teeth angrily at Nkonu’s smugness. He growled when the old enemy winked .. toying with his temper. Angry at knowing Nkonu was still calling all the shots.Tarzan had spotted that weak link in this duo .. young Mwale, impetuous, hot-headed, he COULD be goaded. Rash - and vain. A girl had come forward, she was pouring water into a bowl young Mwale held. Her eyes were only for the chief’s nephew. Peering into his face. Tarzan saw the young warrior had hold of her upper arm. A thumb was spreading out and stroking at her breast as he drank. Nonchalantly making a move on her .. in public. From the look on her face, Tarzan saw she would have done it there-and-then .. everyone watching. Her eyes were full of lust.The young prick was used to having his ego stroked every-which-way. This young Mwale .. good-looking .. newly flushed with his success in leading this raid .. girls giving in to him without him giving them a nudge. This stud was flattered, he was vain, he had everything. And everything he wanted, he took. An arrogance that he’d happily turn on his enemy. Tarzan wasn’t giving up on the peacock’s vanity yet. Still trusting he could be manipulated. The young cocky nephew would expect to get his own way with Tarzan as well.Tarzan’s frustrations with Nkonu’s intervention took an welcome turn. Unexpectedly.“My chief, this piece of cow-dung insults us.”The peacock had drunk his fill from the bowl. He turned on Tarzan again. As if the girl’s adoration has spoken to his conceit and pride.“He dares challenge us.” As Tarzan had hoped, this conceited stud was taking the bait. Chest out, chin up, sneering across at the victim trapped between the pair of stakes.“Let me. I’ll show this ape-man his place!”Maybe he just wanted to show off? Maybe his prowess in the capture had gone to his blood? Or simply pumped up at the adulation from every young girl in the tribe .. knowing he was watched? Feeling he needed to prove? But Tarzan didn’t care. If he just gave Tarzan a chance ……… Defy-5651530734000A girl sidling up to him .. her eyes eating up the power of his presence .. tempted by the awesome lure of his physique. Every sinew in her body offering herself. Making him look irresistible. To everybody..Her readiness wormed her way into his manly being. The sense of her willing herself to him .. that crept into his blood .. drawing the best out of him. It got to him. Appealing to his supreme manliness.A headiness in the air. Seducing him to show the man he was. An intoxicating urge .. to prove himself. The chief’s captain. Leader of their warriors. And no better chance. What better target? The hated apeman stood defiant here .. his father’s murderer. Who here would not cheer him on? Taking Tarzan on. His father’s son.The dog had dared soil his father’s memory. Called him the worst .. spat on his name. His warrior blood was up. His spirit fired up. HE had planned this capture .. hauled the apeman back covered in shame. Every urge in his muscular young man’s body willed him on. The apeman had to be shown up, put to shame. His insults would be paid for. His foul mouth silenced. And HE was the man for the job. None better. So close .. Tarzan had nearly hooked his fish. But still Nkonu was having nothing of it. He intervened. With a nod he indicated what his nephew should be about.“Even an ape-man needs his drink. To last out his ordeals.”As if he saw the logic of that .. finding a cover for his frustrations, cocky, young Mwale gave the girl a wink. She visibly fluttered .. clearly knowing where she’d be spending her night. Then the stud visibly preened at this public seduction .. before his swagger sauntered over to Tarzan ..bowl of water in hand. To sustain the victim. Seemingly biting down on his eagerness, doing as his chief had bidden him do.Covering up that his uncle had foiled his response to Tarzan’s challenge .. but Tarzan sensed he was not happy at being ordered to stand down. Ostensibly the proud young warrior did not look bothered that Nkonu had manipulated him into bringing water to their prisoner. But Tarzan caught a look. He got a whiff of looming danger from the stud as he approached. He sensed a strong itch to get into a fight .. sparks invisible prickling off his skin. Tarzan recognised in his moves the hidden urges of a sneaky predator closing in on its prey. Encouraged Tarzan did not give up hope. Recognising the barely hidden signs. Tempting Tarzan tried a further twist in his plan. Now he tried making it look like Tarzan had had enough. Nkonu would not be goaded into something stupid …. but watching the swagger as it brought him the water bowl, Tarzan was sure he could keep reeling this vain stud in. Suddenly Tarzan was behaving like something had snapped. As if Nkonu’s taunting and gloating had got right up his nose .. like his frustration at this capture had pushed him over the top .. angered at being brought down by some over-muscled young stud too full of himself .. suddenly Tarzan was acting like he was taking no more. Like he’d lost it. He’d flipped.“A coward. Your chief .. he is a COWARD.”Rash Tarzan yelled out at the surrounding tribe. Face full of scorn. Tarzan stood encircled by the whole tribe .. assembled to gloat at his capture. Tarzan was the centre of attention. He had a captive audience.“Challenged to a fight. And what does he do?”Tarzan lips curled in disgust.“Shivers. In fear. SCARED.”Tarzan was pulled up to his full impressive height. The muscles of a fighting man stood bristling and ready. “What warrior will not settle differences in a fight?”Head up .. a man who feared nothing. Here was a MAN. Broad chest expanded by the urge to take on anyone. Tarzan’s challenging gaze encompassed the whole assembled tribe.“This chief of yours ….”Tarzan snorted. Fists clenched. A man busting to settle old scores.“A coward.” Contempt for Nkonu was written on Tarzan’s face.“This chief of yours ……”Tarzan laughed out. Scoffed.“Fight? This COWARD? He doesn’t dare.”Young Mwale had stopped. Stock-still. Rooted to the earth. Shocked by the disrespect. Stunned by Tarzan humiliating his uncle publicly like that.“I challenge you again, Nkonu.”Tarzan glared at Nkonu again from between the two stakes.“Fight me. Man to man.” Aggressively his clenched fist smacked at his own hard-packed chest. “You and me.”Without waiting for a reply, Tarzan turned to young Mwale. He yelled.“See. He doesn’t dare. Your chief is a …..”Tarzan’s accusation was cut off mid-stream. Young Mwale had thrown the water in his face. Tarzan’s head recoiled away when the young stud then smacked him with the bowl in the face. Young Mwale was on to him, enraged. He threw himself at Tarzan. One hand grabbed Tarzan by the hair. Tarzan was still shaking the water from his eyes when lightning-fast young Mwale thudded a fist low in to Tarzan’s gut.Tarzan was still reeling from a bowl cracking hard on his jaw. The hard punch in the belly took him unawares. He gasped, shocked. In an instant another incensed blow landed on the same spot. The air was smacked out of his chest with a grunt. Tarzan doubled up, now taking Mwale’s knee smacked up into his belly. Tarzan’s leg lifted under the force. But not enough to fend off another body-crunching fist thwacked in uncontrolled fury into his gut. Respect!027686000The speed of the onslaught had been awesome. The ferocity of the hits had taken Tarzan’s breath away. A savagery of attack thundered into him. Taking him by surpriseA barrage of breath-taking punches to his gut. Brutally pounded with rapid knee-kicks into his lower belly. Tarzan was then shoved. The grip in his scalp thrust him down to the earth. An elbow slammed into the back of his neck.Tarzan had set him up. His taunts had reeled the fish right in. But still the force had him down on one knee, gasping. Surprised. He was not all show. This peacock’s physique was honed into a fighting machine. That defined muscular torso knew how to deliver crippling blows. Tarzan shook his head. His senses reeling. He’d under-estimated young Mwale perhaps. But still ….. Tarzan had sprung the trap. He’d set himself up as bait. And the young prick had taken it. Reeling from the speed, Tarzan felt his torso yanked upright by his hair. Forced painfully back to his feet.“SHUT-YOUR-MOUTH! APE!”Young Mwale spat his fury into Tarzan’s face. Still he was gripping Tarzan threateningly by the scalp. Tarzan resisted, his own hands in his hair trying to break the hold.“RESPECT!”Again his fist drove deep into Tarzan’s belly. The power of the hit bent him up.“My chief! I ask you ….”Young Mwale was screaming at his uncle.“It is YOUR honour I defend …. ”His hand shook Tarzan by the scalp.“Let me ….!”Tarzan knowingly piled it on. He recovered fast. Adding insult to injury after the ferocity of the attack.“And THIS one .. this fearsome warrior …”Tarzan was yelling through the burning in his guts. Struggling for his wind. But still shouting out so the whole tribe could hear. “Son of the GREAT Mwale. So brave! So strong. When he’s got Tarzan tied up.”Tarzan bawled through the pain burning in his innards. Snarling he faced the infuriated stud.“Coward!”Furious Mwale shook him by the hair. Tarzan grabbed for an upright to look steady his bound legs. Defiant, secretly pleased with this act of folly he had provoked, Tarzan hauled himself up to his full height. Chest up, pained belly sucked in, defiant. His eyes centred on Mwale. Challenging.“. Fight me. IF YOU DARE!”Young Mwale flew at him. The muscled proud young man smacked a fist at Tarzan’s jaw. Deftly Tarzan swerved his head to one side. The blow landed on empty air. Tarzan’s hands thrust at the anger-drenched chest, shoved the peacock away .. making him stumble backwards. Tarzan could have struck back .. but that wasn’t the idea.Incensed, tricked, young Mwale threw himself back at Tarzan. His hands going to Tarzan’s throat. Bodies collided. Strongly Tarzan stood his ground. Anticipating his attacker’s moves Tarzan shoulder-barged the young warrior off. Like swatting off a fly. Disdainful he pushed back, he threw the muscled young stud off him again.Thwarted, angry at being made a fool of, young Mwale again grabbed for Tarzan’s hair. Tarzan shadow-tricked .. flicked his head out of reach. But the young man’s reactions were fast too. His hand swerved mid-move. His fingers tightened in Tarzan’s hair. Seething Mwale bent his hated enemy down. He yanked Tarzan’s head downwards. Tarzan let him. Letting the prick slip deeper into his trap. Goading the stud’s impetuosity. Provoking his vanity.Mwale’s knee was already driving upwards. The force caught Tarzan in the ribs. A hard driving force smacked him in the side. Hit so strongly it lifted him bodily. Before he could catch his breath, young Mwale was kicking his leg upwards again. Growling like a maddened animal. Enraged .. smacking his father’s murderer hard in the gut. Holding Tarzan’s head down .. Tarzan was not fighting back .. he let the peacock show himself off. Feel good about himself. Cheers from the crowd .. Mwale was getting approval from the tribe. This was what they wanted to see. A muscled thigh drove upwards again. The knee thwacked Tarzan painfully in the gut. And again .. another punishing kick from the knee. Tarzan’s hands were free. Bent-up, still his fist could have slammed in-between the prick’s legs. Got him where it would really matter. Shown up the vain strutting fool. Tarzan could have had the fool down in the dust clutching at his precious balls. Writhing in the dust .. everyone watching. Easy as pie .. but he didn’t. That wasn’t the point.Again and again .. an onslaught of body-crippling blows. Knee-kicks smacked with breath-taking force into Tarzan’s torso .. forcibly held bent over. Held by his hair .. letting himself be kept doubled-up. Having the hell kicked out of him. Until this peacock made the hated apeman shut-the-hell up. And till he thought he could finish Tarzan off in a humiliating fight, Temptations8128010414000Still it was Tarzan’s plan to work his way free. To worm himself into a fight with is stud. Get free of ropes and being tied up. What happened then was down to luck. And a fiery determination to win.A look of fiery certainty came into young Mwale’s eyes. Bent over Tarzan, snarling into his face, a flash of recognition burst on his face. This was what he had hoped for .. for years he had been waiting for this .. the chance to exact retribution. Challenged. Called out .. to fight. The apeman had dared. Go one-to-one. With his father’s evil murderer. What could be better? A chance better than he could have wished. And before his father’s tribespeople. To show great Mwale’s son was made of sterner stuff. “Then YOU fight me. HE daren’t …..”Tarzan briefly nodded in Nkonu’s direction. But it was the strutting peacock he was egging on.“Nor your old man ……”Tarzan sneered contempt back into young Mwale’s face. “You no better?”Tarzan jerked his head up. Sniffing in the air. Like he got a whiff of something rotten. A stinking coward.“Do yourself a favour. Avenge your father.”Tarzan was down on one knee, neck forced back by the grip in his hair, a snarling young Mwale leaning right over him. Tarzan snarled back, challenging.“Do what that coward of a father never dared.”Tarzan snorted out his derision for the vain peacock’s father.“One on one.”He panted out the challenge.“You. Me. You dare …..?”The sneer on Tarzan’s face said he knew the answer already.“Or you no better than your coward of an old man. That you too?” The pair of adversaries were pressed tight against each other, bodies together. Eyes full of anger for each other. A confrontation that had got intensely personally. “One-on-one. Be are MAN. Your father didn’t dare.” Tarzan spat it out. A direct challenge. An insult.Young Mwale gave his answer. Tarzan saw his eyes light up at the idea. Insulted by Tarzan’s jibe at his father. Tarzan’s challenge was an appeal to his young man’s confidence in himself. Tarzan grunted. Young Mwale’s answer had come in a punch at his jaw. He had Tarzan gripped in the back of his scalp. Tugging on his hair .. arcing Tarzan’s neck backwards. The punch would have smacked Tarzan hard on the chin if he hadn’t twisted his head away. The punch landed on air. Another provocation to a young stud’s vanity.Furious, a hard punch thudded down onto Tarzan’s chest instead. Tarzan played along. As if in shock he cried out. His features twisted, his torso contorted. Making out that the strutting peacock had the power to hurt.“The idea, of course, is laughable.”Damn it! Nkonu. In his taunting Tarzan had forgotten the uncle. Now he was calling a stop to this trap Tarzan had set .. a lure for the nephew’s hot-headed vanity. Tarzan cursed, he hadn’t been ready for that. He hadn’t noticed that Nkonu had approached .. was stood close-by. Had been listening in. Mwale’s son had been looming over his back-bent torso, Tarzan hadn’t realised Nkonu was on top of them too. His chief’s authority had his nephew’s arm in a strong grip.“Out of the question.”Nkonu’s stern look stopped even Mwale’s temper in its tracks.Tarzan was frustrated. He had just about gained his goal. The stud now let him go. Tarzan was breathing deep .. panting out his annoyance .. settling his frustrations .. readying himself to win back some advantage again. Eyeing up the situation he saw Nkonu stood with his nephew .. he had backed the young stud a pace away. Nkonu had his arm wrapped around the back of young Mwale. His hand on the strong muscle of his nephew’s shoulder. Holding him. Holding him. Tarzan read the body language. Nkonu was holding young Mwale back. He was restraining his nephew. His grip ordering his nephew to stand down.Tarzan looked into young Mwale’s eyes .. reading him. Seemingly acquiescent to his chief’s words. But Mwale looked frustrated. itching. He wanted that. Like nothing else. He wanted that fight. He wanted to beat the crap out of his father’s murderer. He wanted to prove himself. He wanted what Tarzan wanted. But his chief had ruled that out. NO!No punch came, no reckless attack. Nkonu had tight grip on his nephew. Forcing young Mwale to back off, to let Tarzan go. Keeping the vain stud tight in his uncle’s arm. Tarzan gripped a hand on an upright. As much to clamp down on his frustrations. Annoyed, so close to getting into that fight. But Tarzan refused to give up on this stud’s vanity. Nkonu would always resist any temptation to settle things with his fists. But THIS young man .. he was a chip off the old block .. he’d shown as much. As aggressive as his father Mwale. And he’d proven that the power in those shoulders was not for show. Young Mwale knew how to throw a punch. There was a strength behind those muscular arms. He knew how to hurt. Those punches had got right through. Bent over like that, Tarzan’s muscled strength could not fend off the strength behind those blows. This young Mwale had certainly learned how best to hurt.The vanity of this peacock was still Tarzan’s best chance to get free of the ropes on his ankles. A few more presses on his buttons and Tarzan would have his goal. But Nkonu was the obstacle. Did he suspect Tarzan’s plan? Or was he teaching his proud nephew restraint .. tutoring him in being a chief? Oorrrr ….? Was Nkonu aiming to have a go at Tarzan himself? Why wouldn’t the chief want to take the lead? Did Nkonu have his own plans on how best to settle old scores?Slowly, controlled, as if the failure of his challenge was nothing to him .. his sneer saying he knew he was dealing with a bunch of cowards .. Tarzan straightened himself up. He stood once again strong on his own two feet. Chin up, chest out. Got himself together. His defiant demeanour back .. and still intent on goading a rash young man’s pride. Grip on reality-8191523622000“Good try, Tarzan.”Nkonu was grinning. “You really should stop winding my nephew up. Not got a sense of humour like me.”Tarzan hadn’t found much to laugh about. Having a laugh with the vain peacock hadn’t been part of his plan. He wanted to plant his fist in his conceited face.“And besides .. he is your host. Because of him you are here.”Fine way to treat a guest, Tarzan thought .. feeling the burning in his guts. And the hurt from kicks to his ribs when he breathed in deep. But he held his tongue. Nkonu was just prattling on.“Not the wisest thing you’ve done today. Winding him up. He could get to resent that.” Nkonu had approached. Tarzan was still panting out his frustrations. Annoyed. His goal of goading Mwale into that fight within his grasp. Then Nkonu had interfered. Breathing to calm himself. Get himself ready for the next chance that came along.“Calling out my nephew like that.”Tarzan threw a shot over Nkonu’s shoulder. The young man was stood back by Nkonu’s ceremonial chair. Watching carefully, visibly infuriated. But his uncle had called him off. And dutifully .. if reluctantly .. he’d obeyed.Almost conspiratorially Nkonu whispered to Tarzan.“Impetuous. You know these young men. They still have so much to prove.”Nkonu was stood only a couple of paces away. Tarzan saw his eyes glide over Tarzan’s front. Taking in the reddening on Tarzan’s belly .. where young Mwale had driven a half-dozen body-crippling kicks. Nodding with satisfaction.“Silly idea, too .. calling me out.”Nkonu smirked. “My people know me for the chief that I am. What I have brought them. Giving back their self-belief.He grinned smugly to himself.“Not heard anyone complain.”Nkonu’s shoulders shrugged as he sniggered.“And as for questioning young Mwale’s courage .. today of all days …?”Nkonu chortled.“On the day our people are celebrating his triumph? Bringing you in.”Nkonu chuckled.“Tarzan, really! Get real!”Stood a couple of paces away, Nkonu’s eyes seeing the situation as it was .. Tarzan helplessly captive .. hopelessly trapped. Showing signs of the beatings he had taken. Tarzan wondered if Nkonu had seen through his plans .. foiled in getting into a fight .. aiming to free himself of these restraints. As if reading Tarzan’s thoughts, Nkonu chuckled.“Whose lost grip on reality? Tarzan?”He was talking quietly to his captive. But Tarzan could see the rest of the tribe was intently listening in. Not wanting to miss a word.“No one wants to know .. not today. On young Mwale’s day of celebration ….?”Nkonu laughed at Tarzan’s failed attempts.“And when he has just taken his father’s name!”Nkonu was chuckling good-naturedly with the man he had ordered returned to him. To avenge the deeds of the past.“Who they going to believe? Their hero? Or YOU .. looking like this? Absurd!”Nkonu changed his features. A look of mock reproach came over his face.“No way to act. How ungrateful of you, Tarzan!”Nkonu was shaking his head at his captive. Like some disappointed father.“Hasn’t everyone ……?”Nkonu’s hand encompassed all the tribe still sitting around, watching, waiting. Listening as their powerful chief engaged the hated captive. Helplessly their prisoner.“ .. haven’t they all .. everyone in this tribe .. welcomed you here this day? Shown how pleased to see you back?”Nkonu snorted. Another change of attitude. Speaking now less in humour, more in contempt.“Challenging me? Challenge to fight? Do battle? With what? With some captive?” Tarzan frowned. Seeing his plans evaporate like smoke.“Fight you? What for?” Nkonu’s hands extended towards Tarzan “What do I have to prove? What more is there to gain?” Tarzan wondered if that question was intended as more tutoring for the young hot-head. A lesson in the ways of a leader, how a chief of the Nanoosa succeeds.“I’ve WON.”His hands extended outwards. “Look at you.”The outspread arms indicated Nkonu’s trapped captive. He shrugged his shoulders. As if everything Tarzan had said did not make sense.“You, Tarzan .. the renowned apeman .. tied up like this .. captive ….”Nkonu smirked. “Fight? What for? What more proof is needed?”His hands extended outwards. Enveloping all the onlookers. “Look at you.”Nkonu nodded his head towards his nephew. In appreciation.“Thanks to my brave warriors .. I’ve won. WE’VE won. No contest.”Not yet, Tarzan swore to himself. Nkonu had won a round .. but the fight was not yet over. Tarzan noticed, even with himself tied like this, Nkonu was still keeping his distance. Nkonu may have put on muscle. He may have learned the authority to rule. But he knew he was no warrior. He’d not get into a fight. A waste of time hoping to tempt Nkonu into a rash decision? He had never had much of a brave streak down his backbone. A fight wasn’t in his plans .. Tarzan was pretty sure of that .. Nkonu had other things for Tarzan in mind.On the other hand .. that young Mwale. Impetuous. Bristling with a young man’s self-belief. Full of his view of himself .. invincible. With him? Still worth a try? Tarzan wasn’t giving up on him. Preparations8128026352500“Only a few hours of daylight left.”Tarzan frowned to himself. Wondering what he had missed. What significance Nkonu’s words had. He soon found out.“Young Mwale. Prepare yourself.”The chief was still stood facing Tarzan. But he spoke over his shoulder to his nephew. Barely bothering to turn his head around. What a change in Tarzan’s old adversary. Clearly Nkonu commanded here .. ruling over this tribe and what they did .. his rule was absolute. Even the rash peacock had stood down at Nkonu’s command. Any word he dropped out .. that was to be obeyed.Then how did Tarzan get out of these ropes?“With sunset, the fires will burn,” Nkonu continued. There was a cheering from the tribe.“With the darkness, torches will be lit.”Louder cheers. Like they all knew what that would mean. “Fire and light? ..? young Mwale, we will illuminate your celebration.”Nkonu’s eyes met Tarzan’s, knowingly.“Go, prepare.”Nkonu’s words were for his nephew. But Tarzan sensed they were messages for his captive as well.“Then the apeman is yours.”Around Tarzan there was cheering. Voices raised in celebration from within the tribe. Expectant. Welcoming the coming of the dark. And revenge for a chief’s death. Exacted by a vengeful son. Was that Nkonu’s plan?Nkonu smirked over at Tarzan.“It was his wish.? All he wanted.”The chief glanced over at his nephew, the generous uncle, pleased to offer a gift.? Then he turned back at Tarzan.“Quite an honour for the young man, Tarzan. Don’t you think?”He chortled at Tarzan’s confused frown.“What can I give you, I asked? To celebrate this great raiding success.”In mock praise, Nkonu’s hands indicated Tarzan. Captive. Unable to defend himself.“Only one thing .. in the whole wide world.? Not a girl .. not furs, not precious stones. Only one thing he wanted. You, Tarzan.”Nkonu shrugged.“What can a surrogate father do?”Smugly, lording it over his old foe, Nkonu chuckled. “I love the boy like mad.”Tarzan got it. Far from getting himself free to take the vain strutting nephew on and escape during a fight .. using him as leverage. Tarzan, bound and trapped, was being handed over on a plate. For Mwale to exact a personal revenge. And to do Nkonu’s dirty work.Had Nkonu spent years filling his nephew’s head with hate? Had he encourage the boy in his natural physique .. building up the strength? Honing himself a tool? Nkonu was not one to get his hands dirty. Had he spent years in shaping the perfect tool? Physically perfect? Mentally shaped for one purpose? To settle an old score. ChampionsFolly032067500Maybe not the best move Tarzan had made .. provoking the young stud. It was like he had been walking blindfolded into Nkonu’s secret trap. Out-foxed. Tarzan’s had not allowed for that .. Nkonu handing him over to the vain hunk. All the time Tarzan had been working on his own plan .. the one way he had come up with to get free. And THAT was what had now got him into trouble.Get the vain peacock in a fight. Overpower him .. threaten his life. Warn he’d break his neck. Work on an uncle’s obvious fondness. Use the broken nephew to get himself free. His one-and-only plan thwarted. Now a gift to the vain man he had goaded .. the son whose father he had insulted. Called his father a coward. Mocked his uncle. Questioned the peacock’s own courage. Insulting him. Berating. In public. Abusing his vanity in front of the tribe. Now Tarzan was being handed over .. bound, trapped .. to carry out Nkonu’s plans. The wet dreams that had heated his nights for years. The twisted plans he had dreamed up for Tarzan .. tortured ways to settle old scores. Handed over to the perfect tool for Nkonu’s warped thoughts. The deadly weapon Nkonu had been fashioning for years. He’d have to think things over again .. and fast. Tarzan saw how young Mwale had evaporated through the people, disappeared together with his friends. Off to prepare for his “celebrations” .. Tarzan playing the main part. And when he returned .. Tarzan knew .. from every look he’d got .. from the hatred that oozed out of every pore on the stud’s muscle-stretched skin .. things were going to take a nasty turn.The strutting peacock had vanished. But the rest of the tribe had stayed. They were eager for more.“Like I said, Tarzan .. a stupid move.”Nkonu was still stood near Tarzan. But he was talking loud enough for the rest of the tribe to hear.“Calling me a coward.”He chuckled. This transformed Nkonu-now-chief had the confidence not be ashamed at Tarzan’s outburst. He didn’t even looked annoyed. Not afraid to refer publicly to Tarzan’s accusation of cowardice. Tarzan’s old enemy had certainly found confidence and guts .. from somewhere.“Expecting a CHIEF to fight!”He shrugged. In a mocking gesture of Tarzan’s stupidity. What folly!“A chief has champions. Men who fight for him.”Nkonu was shaking his head. In mock derision at Tarzan being so dumb. It was obvious Tarzan was being played with. Question was .. where did this lead?Frustrated Tarzan’s hands were gripped on the stakes either side of him. His plans ruined. All he could do for now was glare back. And try and come up with another plan. He’d never get down to grips with Nkonu, one-to-one. That was no way out of this mess. Nkonu had never been hands-on. He’d shaped a hate-filled muscle-stud for that job. Clearly Nkonu ruled here with an iron hand. Tarzan’s hopes rested on out-thinking his old foe. But he suspected Nkonu had spent time planning. Coaxing retribution out of his night-time hard-on. Rejecting one brutal means for another one more deadly. He was years ahead of Tarzan in this.“But …”Nkonu was smirking. Tarzan sensed he’d had some idea up his sleeve. And it was not going to go well for him.“ .. since you are interested ……”Nkonu was rubbing his hands together. “ .. itching to prove yourself …..”Tarzan read that Nkonu was up to something. “ .. busting to get down to some action ….”Clearly he looked pleased with the idea Nkonu had in his head.“ .. why not get to know my champions?”His gaze travelled over the torso trapped underneath the ancient tree. Tied there. Signs of punishment on him. Impossible to escape. Surrounded by the tribe. Not going to let this captive make a break for it.“My champions!”Nkonu had his arms raised. Searching. His head moved from side-to-side. His gaze swept over the tribe standing around. His arms inviting them to join in.“Let’s hear it for our champions.”From all around Tarzan a cry went up. Raucous cheering. Men bawling out. Women ululating. Inviting the champions of the tribe to appear. Above the cheering Tarzan heard Nkonu cry out.“Abadu .. come out. Introduce yourself.” Abadu6794522225000Tarzan was to meet Nkonu’s champions. Could he hope? Could he wish? That he’d get into a fight? Not with Nkonu .. but free of these ropes on his legs, Tarzan would get the chance to fight his way free?Cheers acclaimed him as he strode out of the crowd. Loud cheering for their chief’s champion. Confident and firmly he stepped into the clearing. Acknowledging his chief with a simple nod. Yet purposefully striding past toward the pair of posts.Handsome. Impressively built. Broad in the shoulders, tight-muscled in the waist. But Nkonu’s champion? Tarzan frowned as he walked closer. Nkonu had chosen this man? Preferred him above others? Favoured to be his champion?A cynicism swelled in his gut. This champion was eye-catchingly built. But a lightweight. Free of these restraints on his legs .. with Tarzan’s added bulk .. with his determination to break free .. in a fair fight Tarzan would floor him. In no time. The man that strode out into the centre of this circle of villagers was strong, noticeably muscled. But nothing for a fighter like Tarzan to fear. Tall, muscular. But lean, sinewy. Not much bulk on him .. in a fight Tarzan’s extra weight would put him down. Solid muscle, eye-catchingly defined, perfectly formed. But a lightweight.No posturing from him. Not for him the vain peacock’s swagger. No arms raised in arrogant self-belief. A quiet certainty as he approached his chief’s captive .. almost modest. He strode past his chief. His eyes searching out only one thing, though .. Tarzan .. helplessly stuck between the uprights. He moved gracefully, his every step was gazelle-like. And Tarzan had never felt intimidated by a gazelle.There looked nothing to fear in him .. this champion of Nkonu. That incongruity was just forming in Tarzan’s curious thoughts .. something at the back of his mind .. something here did not make sense. THIS was Nkonu’s champion? A man built like a gazelle? A gazelle was built for speed. And the man proved it. Only five paces away, he exploded. The last paces evaporated .. his movements disappeared in a blur. Tarzan felt a foot land on his thigh. Another planted on his chest. In the same split second a foot smacked him in the jaw. He saw lightning flash .. crimson-red .. fiery yellow. Force threw him off his feet. Blinding pain knocked him backwards. Pain jarred in his shoulders .. pain as his bodyweight collapsed under the breath-taking smack in the face. The back of his skull cracked on the hard earth.Abadu had sprung athletically to his feet again. Nkonu compared the two. Tarzan shocked out of his head .. the ankle ropes had comically upended him .. smacked into the dirt. The apeman was surrounded by laughter from the crowd.Abadu’s athletic face-kick had smacked Tarzan ungainly to the ground. The champion had finished up down in the dust too. But quickly, effortlessly, Abadu threw his feet up in the air. Nimbly he jack-knifed himself back to his feet. Around him the tribe was yelling out .. bawling out his praises .. just one blow and their athletic champion had humiliated the apeman with his attack. Just one blow! The crowd screamed him on.Nkonu grinned. Tarzan out-played. The apeman shocked. He didn’t know what had hit him. Abadu sprinted forward .. graceful, nimble, lithe. He dropped to one knee .. his fist drove right into the middle of the apeman’s guts. Nkonu knew his champion had little bulk. But his speed was taking the apeman by surprise. The force behind his fist was not that great. But he had moved so fast .. the apeman’s head was still reeling with the shock of the attack. Abadu had followed up his shock-tactics with such mind-blowing speed .. that shock punch smacked into a gut still gasping. Tarzan had not readied himself. He had not firmed up in time. The hurt bend him down in the midriff, the shock blasted the prone weight of the apeman into the dirt.The cry of surprise was scarcely out of his mouth when Abadu grabbed Tarzan by the hair, yanked his head back upright. And the other fist scored a blaster into Tarzan’s loincloth. Just above his crutch. Surprise, hurt and speed, all combined, released a loud apeman cry.But the yank in his hair did not let him go. Using the impetus .. making the best of the dizzying whirl in Tarzan’s head .. Abadu’s pull dragged the apeman wobbly to his feet. The ankle ropes hindered the apeman’s moves, he collapsed. He was yanked up again. Dragged up by the scalp .. weakened arms fumbling to break the painful twist in the hair. Before he could gain any balance, Tarzan was doubled up. A sharp twist in his scalp contorted Tarzan’s shoulders .. his helpless head in a sickening spin from the speed. Abadu paused briefly, gathering himself .. holding his victim bent forward at the waist. Before Tarzan had the first idea where he stood, a knee kicked up. A speedy blow to Tarzan’s belly from a perfect muscle-etched thigh. The blistering rapidity of Abadu’s hits gave Tarzan little chance to catch his breath .. taken unawares by devastating speed. Kicked again in a sore belly .. Tarzan let go a sharp cry. Surprise snorted out of his nose .. blasted out of his shocked guts.Still bent double .. an elbow blasted downwards. Pain smacked Tarzan in the back of his head .. the force wobbled his legs under him. Shock broke from his throat .. bent doubled-up .. his pained cry vomited to the earth. A knee-kick followed through .. with breath-taking speed, no pause, no relief. A hard-muscled kick .. smacked with the speed of lightning .. blasted into Tarzan’s bruised side .. detonating in a shocked cry. A punch .. another hit exploding pain to the back of Tarzan’s neck. Another knee-kick .. smacked into his ribs .. another cry. Too fast to react, too shocked to defend .. an onslaught of punches and knee-kicks exploded in Tarzan’s guts. The shock wobbled him on his feet. The tribe roared, The apeman’s legs gave way. Hampered by the ankle ropes. Tripped. Falling ungainly. Hands out to grasp at something. A kick. A foot deftly thudded to the jaw. Hit smack on his chin as the apeman still fell. Forced jarred his head back. The torso twisted as it fell. Shock blasted out a shout as he hit. Splattered to the dust. Sent sprawling in the dirt in cries of shame. Round 1 won4064020891500“Get into a fight? Do your own dirty work? With a champion like Abadu? Why would you?”Nkonu saw Tarzan was in no state to answer .. the way he looked . the way he was struggling to catch his breath. He was goading him. Inviting Tarzan to hear the deluge of scorn from all around.Nkonu was grinning from ear to ear at the jeers from the tribe. Laughing at the renowned ape-man feared for his fighting strength. Ridiculed, mocked. A few lightning-fast blows from their champion had knocked the famed apeman off his feet. Jeers battered him. Shocked by a nobody .. just one of their own. Tarzan lay sprawled in the dirt. Hurting, visibly shocked. Sweat running off his hair. Covered in their dust. Covered in mockery and shame. Angered Tarzan used the stake to right himself. He hauled himself up on his arms, he pulled himself doggedly to his feet. That attack had been shocking. It had been the speed of the man that had got him off guard. Tarzan was quickly making himself calm, catching his breath. His belly was hurting. But it was more the shock that was hampering him .. slowing him from getting his breathing under control.Tarzan glared over at Nkonu. Still stood a safe few paces away.“Listen.”Nkonu’s arm extended outwards. Encompassing the tribe. Inviting Tarzan to hear their jeers.“Listen to the joy you bring.”Tarzan seethed. Angry at himself .. for getting caught out .. for under-estimating that champion. For forgetting Nkonu had planned this through for years. He was out to humiliate his old foe. Nkonu was not bothered that ropes on Tarzan’s legs made this an unfair fight. Nobody was interested in anything like that. Anything to win an advantage. Anything to make Tarzan look small. And this was just the start.He had shown Tarzan up. All but Tarzan felt justified that a chief got his champion to do the work for him .. anything good if it belittled the old enemy. And stupidly Tarzan had overlooked that Nkonu would have chosen his champions well .. perfect for the part .. for this game of humiliating him. Tarzan warned himself to be on the alert. In only a few blows Tarzan had been thrown to the dirt, head reeling .. tricked by the ferocious speed of the attack. Put to shame by a fighter who was nowhere near his size. Nkonu’s champion had shown him up. And the tribe loved it. To Tarzan’s shame. He warned himself not to make the same mistake again.All around Tarzan heard the cheers for Abadu. Now, triumphant, the champion did pose .. arms raised. Accepting the praise of the tribe. His back chiselled out of ebony by an expert carver. Thick muscled shoulders raised .. the breadth of his back like carved from rock. The narrow athlete’s waist. Arms raised to show off the muscle power that had made the hated apeman eat dirt. Proud-muscled, pleased with himself, he gave a slight bow .. acknowledging his joyous people’s acclaim.And mixed in-between .. Tarzan heard the jeers. He felt the sharp lash of contempt. Laughter at the ease with which the lord of the jungle had been broken by their champion. Now stood clutching at an upright, still getting his wind back. Breathing laboured, chest rocking with the effort. And all it took .. a few surprise blows from their champion.“But surely you cannot let it go at that?”Tarzan saw Nkonu smirking at him. “They want more from you. Listen.”Suddenly Tarzan’s brain awoke. Champions, Nkonu had said. Not one. How many? That one attack was not going to be enough.“Listen to your audience. Can the renowned apeman be content with that simple show?”Tarzan glared back. Preparing himself, getting his head together. Calming his breath. Nkonu was not finished him.“Can you disappoint your adoring public?”Nkonu was gloating. He was playing with Tarzan. Up to something.“Of course!”Nkonu was clapping his hands. In glee. Like a child. As if he had surprised himself. Just remembered something.“How stupid of me!”Tarzan felt his enemy’s eyes wash over his body. Streaks of sweat with dirt clinging to his front. Ribs reddened from getting brutally kicked. His belly muscles hurting from the peacock’s blows. Just managing to get his breathing back. And now angrily glowering. Angered by stupid tricks. Tired of this play-acting. Here it came .. another stage-managed surprise.“Xana. Where are you?”Nkonu’s eyes were searching in the crowd. Playing a game with Tarzan.“My champion. Xana. Show yourself.” Xana020891500People had parted as he stepped out of the crowd. Like this physical presence was enough to push them aside. He approached scowling. Slowly stepping out for the joyous tribe, ignoring their cheers, his eyes blazing with a fiery intensity. Another impressive physique .. Tarzan let him scowl. Still quickly catching his breath, he returned the muscled champions broody looks with equal strength. But you could not miss the resolute passion with which Tarzan was being eyed.Where the first had been lean with defined muscle, Nkonu’s second champion was heftier, beefy. Powerfully muscled. With more bulk. This wasn’t going to be a combat about speed. Tarzan prepared himself mentally. For a clash of wills. For a collision of muscled might. A strong presence .. as muscular as his torso. A brooding intensity. He stood broad in front of Tarzan .. his scrutiny slowly parading down Tarzan’s muscled front. A cold threatening gaze assessing the strength in Tarzan’s muscled shoulders. Menacing across the breadth of Tarzan’s hard-packed chest. Down the tapering sides to the tight waist of a stomach like packed with a sack of hard rocks. The man’s stance declared this champion could match his enemy’s physique. Unfazed however impressive Tarzan looked. Defined, etched, like himself. He gave a snort. A sound that rang with derision. No respect. An indication that the hated apeman should expect none.He was Tarzan’s height but bulky. But if Tarzan had not been tied between these stakes, he would not have hesitated to answer that snort. His fist would have shown this big-head. He’d come off better against beefier warriors many times before.For Tarzan what came across from the stud was that brooding intensity .. a barely controlled passion quivering under his skin. A fiery ambition to justify his name as champion. A sizzling dedication to please his chief. And stamp his formidable might on the hated apeman’s face. Under the surface he buzzed.Nkonu was out to show Tarzan up. Clearly the day had moved into another phase. Entertainment. Giving the tribe something to laugh at. Tarzan was the clown. And Nkonu had just sent a glowering panther into the ring.Tarzan watched that brooding intensity move to his side. Tarzan was seemingly looking calm, unfazed by this palpable menace .. but Tarzan’s every cell was on full alert. He’d learned to expect the worst. And a blow from this glowering physique was sure to make its mark. The threatening muscle-hunk was circling Tarzan moving around to his side. Making him turn his head to keep a wary eye on him. Tarzan felt himself already under attack, instinct had his fists fight-ready. What else had Nkonu summoned this warrior here for .. except to surprise Tarzan in a devastating assault?The pair kept their looks locked on each other .. like grappling in a preliminary scuffle .. sizing each other up before the combat began, intense. Menacing glowers, psyching each other out. Stood to one side beside Tarzan’s arm, the muscle-stud extended a hand. A finger touched Tarzan’s shoulder .. as if testing the strength it pressed into the muscle.Tarzan did nothing .. their looks locked. The finger jabbed .. provocatively. Tarzan felt a wave of annoyance at being prodded. But the firmness of muscle did not give way .. he let that hardness speak for itself .. its way of telling this opponent Tarzan was not all for show. And still this Xana let nothing show on his face. Impassive yet intense. The menace trembling under the surface of his skin.He moved right behind, unnervingly .. the carved muscle of his torso flowing with suppressed intimidation, leopard-like the stud crept behind, graceful yet rippling with muscular threat. Tarzan was made to twist his neck around to maintain eye-contact. Once behind, again the finger poked out. A hard fingertip pressed and traced a path .. from the back of Tarzan’s neck down to his shoulder blades. Other fingers joined in .. spreading the trail .. probing at the power of the muscle along Tarzan’s backbone.Tarzan could have pushed the pawing off .. his hands were free .. but he didn’t. His features stayed proud and unfazed. Chest high, shoulders back .. his posture telling this mauling hunk, You impressed? Want a feel? Be my guest.He had been put on show. Nkonu was out to embarrass him .. belittle him .. Tarzan had been staged to perform before his tribe. Nkonu had won one round with his first champion. With the appearance of another champion, Tarzan knew he’d not be satisfied with one win. Nkonu had promised his tribe Tarzan. He was offering them entertainment. And Tarzan was the star.However all this performance ended, right now Tarzan’s posture was sending out a signal. He was putting up a counter-image .. it was Tarzan dictating how this tribe should see him. Whatever they thought .. however he looked, tied-up .. they’d not see Tarzan intimidated. By not swiping the mauling hand away, Tarzan was making a show of mental strength. Such gestures meant nothing to a man like him.There was a purpose in not showing any annoyance .. refusing to get riled at being mauled, he too was giving out a message. Here in Tarzan’s broad back was a power to be respected. Others too had learned that at their cost. He was communicating it was understandable that this muscle-hunk could not keep his hands to himself. Here was a formidable strength, here was a fighting strength to be feared. In Tarzan there was a daunting power. And this champion of Nkonu .. for all his muscled physique and glowering looks .. that was a message he’d best not forget.As if on signal .. like Tarzan’s point had got across .. the groping fingers left off. As if Tarzan’s strength of mind had got too hot to touch. Tarzan realised he had lost sight of the man. He’d lost eye-contact. Quickly he twisted his head around the other way .. looking to meet his glowering features on his other side. Tarzan turned his head quickly .. meaning again to grab hold of his opponent with his own stern glare.Tarzan exploded in a loud grunt. Pain burst on both sides of his back. Hard punched into both sides from behind. Just when the warrior had disappeared from his sight. Sharp chops with the bony edges of his warrior hands. Jabbed into Tarzan’s ribs. The shock contorted Tarzan’s torso around. Pain sizzled through the bruising on his ribcage.When their eyes clashed again, Tarzan’s eyes were slitted with annoyance. Glowering over his shoulder, Tarzan’s mouth was tight-clenched .. angry at getting tricked. But again his look was met with just that intense yet expressionless brooding. And undeterred by Tarzan’s glare, the hunk’s hand grabbed on Tarzan’s shoulder. Fingers draped over the muscle between neck and shoulder .. like some act of friendship between two men. Straightaway Tarzan tensed. The thumb had dug into his shoulder. The pressure immediately found the nerve. Tarzan’s free hand went up over his upper chest to break the grip .. his fingernails dug at the hold to force off the thumb. To break the grip already digging sharp pains out of his nerve. Instinctively his upper body contorted to shake him off, in response the pressure dug deeper. A light hiss escaped. The thumb pressure ignored Tarzan’s fighting hand. It gouged in further. Clawing more viciously into shoulder muscle. Digging deep. Digging for extreme pain.In the same moment his other hand was on Tarzan’s opposite shoulder. Attacked on two sides. The nerves in both shoulders both coming under pressure. Digging now at the nerve on the other side too. Part-weakened by the stabbing pain being dug out of one nerve, still Tarzan’s other hand doggedly shot up and made to force the attacker off. In response the relentless pressure increased. The gouging thumbs dug in deep. Digging for gold, digging out pain.He couldn’t break the holds. The onset of a paralysing pain. Tarzan’s head went back. His neck tense, quivering. Arms crossed over his upper chest, his strength of mind grappling .. determined to fight through the pain .. fingers clawing away to fight off the pressure. But trapped. The pressure on both sides burning agonising at his nerves .. weakening his arms .. enflaming a stiffness in his neck. Shooting eye-crunching pains into the back of his head.Gritting his teeth together still Tarzan fought back, his torso squirmed. His fingers clawed at the hand groping away at his nerves. But his wriggling only made the thumbs cling on, dig in harder, deeper .. like iron nails pressed inescapably into his flesh .. gouging agony out of his nerves .. grinding breath-robbing pain out of his shoulders. Tears watered his eyes. Sweat ran. The grating pressures in his head increased. Fighting back, struggling but failing. The paralysing hold on him clung on like a crocodile’s bite. Tarzan was failing to shake off the grip .. fearing the crush on him was robbing him of strength. Tarzan struggled, he wriggled, he jammed his hips back. He persisted, trying to throw his opponent off, jaws clamped tight together .. teeth clenched into the muscle-numbing pain. Fighting to shake off those thumbs .. struggling against the gouging pressure of hands clamped like iron to his shoulders .. grinding pain out of the nerves in his neck. In response to his struggles, the strong thumb pressure started circling .. sharp stabbing agonies .. pain that sliced like a sharp blade through his neck. A cry shivered from the core of Tarzan’s suffering. Staccato, clipped, broken. Pain ground out of his nerves. His shoulders on fire. Round 2 lost022225000Suddenly the pressure was gone. But not the numbing pain. Not the effort .. to get himself back together. Tarzan was panting. The hands had gone, shoulders freed. Warily Tarzan twisted his head around, one way, the other. Seeking his opponent out, suspicious of a further attack. Sweating, his head in a whirl. Still hissing out the pain through clenched teeth, he found Xana .. coming round Tarzan’s other side. Eyes impassive, muscles bristling with intensity. But no showing-off. No fire, no triumph .. a cold expressionless dominance. A muscular threat at Tarzan’s side. Angered at getting caught out again, Tarzan had his teeth clenched. The burning in his shoulders pained. Tension sizzled down his back. Weakness roared down his arms. But still, doggedly, Tarzan fought his breathing back. His fighting spirit roared. The pair of opponents locked eyes on each other. No longer just a war of looks. Fierce combat between hated foes. Tarzan understood why Nkonu had left his hands free. Feet tied to the stakes but hands-free gave some appearance that Tarzan had a fighting chance. Making him look stupid when a leg-rope tripped him up. When a champion could seemingly put Tarzan down.Nkonu really had spent nights thinking this through. How best to make Tarzan look a fool. How to get the tribe laughing at him. Tarzan could hear them. Mad, cheering Xana on. Roaring him on to show the apeman what he could do. Make a fool of their hated enemy. Xana’s gaze briefly off fixing Tarzan. His eyes went to the shouting villagers. Surveying their bright faces, listening to their calls .. willing him to give it to the apeman. His brooding eyes came back. Eyebrows raised, his head slowly gestured at Tarzan to listen to the cheers. To turn and face the universal hatred against him here.Tarzan did no such thing .. too guarded, too much on edge. Intent on winning back advantage in this fight. Pig-headedly he was glowering at his muscle-head. Intent on showing that he may have been hurt but it took more than pressure on his shoulders to crush Tarzan. He was not broken .. far from it. Not by Xana’s magnificent physique, not by the strident odium for him in this tribe.When Tarzan did no such thing .. when he refused to survey the hatred ranged against him .. Xana shrugged his shoulders. With a non-committal gesture on his face that showed he did not care one-way-or-the-other what Tarzan did, dismissively the stud turned away.In a split second .. in the blur of an eye .. Xana snapped his elbow backwards. The force hit Tarzan in the ribs .. a bludgeoning crack with an elbow into Tarzan’s side. Smack on the reddened flesh. Thudded hard into bones bruised and battered by the peacock’s kicks. Hit with a bludgeoning force that had all of Xana’s muscled bulk behind it.Shocked, Tarzan cried out. The power of the blow had his body reeling. Pain re-ignited in his damaged ribs. Caught off guard, the massive impact threw Tarzan sideways, pain crumpled his leg, a leg rope jarred him, unbalanced him. Tarzan had to grab for an upright. Just one blow. Tripped by just one bone-crunching hit.He was righting himself, hands holding on to the upright. Arms hauling himself back up. A punch shot out of nowhere. Right on target. Smacking into Tarzan’s side under the raised arm. A punch that hit with the impact of a knotted war-club. Knocking him off-balance again just as he was getting his legs together. Whacked sideways. Unready, Tarzan felt a leg wobble under him. Suddenly a leg flashed out. Xana’s foot stomped down on Tarzan’s knee. A massive force that broke his leg under him. A thick-muscled thigh again kicked out. The foot jarred down onto Tarzan’s failing thigh. Breaking any strength in his leg. The mighty kick completely upended him .. knocked off his feet .. twisted Tarzan around. Just in time Tarzan made a grab for an upright. Stopping himself from falling. Half-hanging in the air, grabbing awkwardly on to the stake. To preserve his dignity. Saving himself from falling. Dangling in the air, hanging on to the pole. Looking a fool.Scowling Tarzan cursed. Holding himself upright by the post. The crowd roared. The tribe laughed. The people cheered their champion. The men jeered. In a few simple moves their Xana had shown the apeman up. Broken him. Shown him how feeble he was. Unworthy. No threat. Xana stood to one side .. his arm-gesture inviting the tribe to see for themselves. Enjoy what Xana had done. His dismissive motion encouraging them to jeer at him, at this famed lord of the jungle .. struggling ungainly back to his feet. Awkwardly pulling himself back to his feet on the stake. Felled by their chief’s champion .. muscled in his might, chest high with pride .. he’d felled the renowned apeman with a few simple moves. What a contrast, his body told. Look at HIS might .. stood worthy of his title .. worthy of that honour .. their champion. And look at the other, this renowned jungle lord .. struggling clumsily to his feet. Streaked with dirt and fame.Xana’s arms were spread out to the side. Facing the cheering tribe. Questioning, Was it really THIS easy? A few simple moves .. just a few simple tricks. THIS was all it took? To break the hated apeman to the dirt, his people’s enemy? Next time, PLEASE .. his muscled body pleaded .. next time he wanted a real opponent. One worthy of his formidable might. One worthy of their chief’s respect. This feeble apeman? This fantasy of manly strength. Scrabbling to get himself up out of the dirt. He had made it too easy. Far too easy. Mkana9525024955500Tarzan knew Nkonu was playing around. Playing Tarzan for a fool?“Mkana. Come out here. Show yourself.”Nkonu was play-acting. Worrying Tarzan about another champion. Toying with him. But still putting Tarzan on edge.Rightly. When eventually Tarzan caught sight of the brute he knew to fear. That could deliver a savage beating. His nerves spiked, put Tarzan on the alert. Nkonu had invited out a mindless brute to beat the hell out of him. Man? Monster? This Mkana looked half-deranged.A thug meant to get this crowd cheering. Whoop-whooping as Tarzan got the stuffing knocked out of him. Nkonu had thought this through. Always good at working a crowd. “Mkana. Stop hiding. Show yourself.”Nkonu’s eyes were scouring the assembled tribe. But every time his head moved from one side to the other his eyes met Tarzan. And Tarzan saw a flash of sadistic pleasure light up in Nkonu’s eyes.“You playing hard to get, Mkana?”The villagers were joining in the fun. Laughing. Looking about themselves .. searching in the crowd.“Mkana,” one shouted out. “Mkana.” Another in the crowd repeated the cry. Soon the whole village was calling him out.“Mkana!”Nkonu smiled. Satisfied he looked around. The whole tribe was assembled here. Enjoying this show. He had every one of them joining in. The villagers were busting to see the apeman punished. For his crimes against their tribe. The calling-out went on. “Mkana. Mkana.” Getting louder. For them Mkana was the one to show the apeman the depth of their hate. “Mkana. Mkana.” The whole village now called out in unison. In a rhythmic cry for their elusive champion. “Mkana. Mkana.” Tarzan was concentrating. His eyes focussed on his old rival. Trying to divine what the hell this fool Nkonu was up to. But all he was getting was a smirk of pleasure. Until …The unison summons broke into a cheer. Tarzan found himself scouring the crowd. Trying to see where this fresh champion was coming from. What he looked like. Why Nkonu was driven to play the game like this.“There you are …”Nkonu looked beyond Tarzan’s head. In the same instant Tarzan felt hot flesh press against his back. Surprised he tensed. Suddenly a great bulk was pressed against him behind. It felt like his own broad shoulders had just been eaten whole in a giant snake’s mouth.Before he could look around, arms encircled his chest. Panicking he looked down. The arms folding around Tarzan’s ribs looked like the trunks of a young tree. Enormous for a man’s arm. Freaking at the sight, Tarzan’s free hands took hold of the arms closed around his chest. Hands gripping on muscled arms the thickness of some men’s legs. Folded around his ribcage .. massive muscled arms .. the hands had clasped together in Tarzan’s front. Locked tight. Colossal, muscular .. huge black arms around his chest .. securing that outrageous broad solid bulk against Tarzan’s back.Before Tarzan knew it, the squeeze began. Squeeeeeze02603500He was huge. His physique monstrous. A punch in the chest from him might floor a great ape. Every inch of him was muscle. Thick, aggressive attacking muscle.Thick knotted arms like living tree trunks encircled Tarzan’s chest. A body as solid as a rock-face was pressed hard against Tarzan’s back. At the back of his skull Tarzan felt a presence like some fiery dragon breathing down his neck. Hot, seething. Consuming.The arms around him tightened. Muscle in the arms hardened like flesh becoming steel. No amount of grappling to break the hold got Tarzan anywhere. Solid shoulders like a boa’s jaws were wrapped around Tarzan’s own broad frame. Sucking him in. The monster crushed its prey into itself. Enveloping him. The giant strength started to feed. With the ease of lifting a small child, Tarzan was raised off the ground. The gigantic biceps against his side pressed inwards, crushing. The giant fists in his front pressed into Tarzan’s upper belly, crushing. It was like he had an enormous constrictor wrapped around his upper body, crushing. In an instant Tarzan’s body was being consumed. Eaten up by crushing pain. Inescapable mind-crushing pain.Fear of what was to come had Tarzan defending himself. Pounding himself backwards into the solid rockface pressed into his back. Jabbing backwards with his head .. trying to smash his skull into the face behind. His hands clawed at the arms squeezed around him. His foot stabbed backwards .. hitting against solid granite legs behind. But to no effect. Nothing worked. Nothing gave.Every effort was met with hard jerks from the liquid-steel arms crushed against the side of his ribcage. Squeezing. Crushing. Locked in this unforgiving grip .. every effort Tarzan made only invited the agony to increase. Locked in a mind-numbing squeeze that took his breath away. Squeezed the life out of him. Crushing the fight out of him. Tarzan’s mouth gaped wide-open with the pain. Involuntary his head rocked from side-to-side. His spirit not believing such will-crushing pain. Eye-popping pain. Inescapably wrapped around his torso. Dangling him up in the air .. his back helplessly pressed against a solid-muscled chest.Cripplingly the pressure increased. Pain that could not get worse did get worse. Slowly, helplessly he found himself being rocked from side to side. As if his heavy-muscled weight was some plaything. His legs flapping useless from side to side. With each pass the agony crushing his chest only amplified. Mind-numbingly painfully. Body-crushing agony. Shamefully he knew his mouth was open .. forced open by torture in a silent scream. The pressure in his skull popped wide-open his eyes. The agony in his head froze open his mouth. His legs swayed helplessly in the rocking grip. A plaything. A toy. In the crushing grip of this frightening colossus. Completely at the mercy of this bone-breaking force.He could feel it. Tarzan could sense it. A menacing onward creep. Pain taking over his whole body. Agony winning over his mind. Tarzan saw himself .. as if looking at himself from outside .. he was passing out. Pain was taking him down.Mkana had not even started with him yet. He had no intention of letting his chief’s rival off so lightly. This apeman had not even begun to feel the might of the potency against his back. Considerately he let his victim’s feet touch the floor, he released some of the body-crushing force around his chest.Instantly, as expected, Mkana sensed the legs go. The apeman collapsing, legs buckling in weakness under him. Quickly his arms enveloped the sagging torso, quickly the massively muscled arms locked around the apeman’s waist. He heard beneath him the brief groan of relief. He felt the torso pressed to his chest shudder as pain released itself .. trembling madly through tortured flesh.Then Mkana went to full power. Arms crushed around the waist of his chief’s enemy .. he squeezed. Body-breakingly tight. Mind-crushingly hard. Pitiless. Increasing the pressure .. cruelly .. he lifted the helpless body back off its feet. He went to full strength .. the body in his grip offering no fight .. crushed, broken. Tarzan yelled out. Pain surged through every pain-pumped muscle of his body. A long tortured cry of agony. Encouraged, Mkana increased the squeeze. Crushing the life out of the apeman. Squeezing the will out of the tribe’s enemy. Hearing him .. groaning with despair .. agonising in his cries.Monstrously Mkana kept up the squeeze. Cruelly keeping on the pressure. Biceps flat yet bulging against the apeman’s sides .. elbows crushing on his ribs .. fists digging deep into his belly .. gripped in bands of iron around his torso. Squeezing every bit of fight out of him. Then .. like this hated enemy was nothing more than a girl’s doll, still torturing him with the body-breaking squeeze around his waist .. Mkana bounced him. Lifting the heavy-muscled torso up .. and dropping it down .. still tortured in his grip. Up-and-down. Up-and-down. The apeman’s head wobbling .. up and down .. shaking violently, helplessly. Bouncing him mercilessly, legs underneath wildly failing. Limp in a mind-blowing crush. His struggles had broken in a tortured whirl. No control, no resistance. No fight-back. A hated enemy broken in a mind-numbing hold.Mkana knew no let-up. Keeping up the squeeze .. deaf to the cheers from the tribe. Planning to make the hated apeman suffer long and hard. Every muscle of his prodigious form set on only one thing. Intent on hearing only one sound.“Please.”The apeman begged. His voice agonised. The plea tortured.“Please. Enough.”Mkana had done the job. His chief had the apeman’s pleas.“No more.”He let his victim go. Stood in a sea of cheers. The apeman crumpled in a heap at his feet. A broken man. Part ThreeThe OutcomesThe giftRuse031623000That had hurt. It had hurt like hell. And it had left Tarzan with a bitter taste on his tongue. But the trick had worked. He’d broken that murderous grip. Tarzan had wormed himself free of that life-robbing crush on his chest. By begging. No sooner were the sounds of his agony out than the monster threw open his arms and Tarzan crashed to the earth.It hurt like mad for Tarzan to beg. But that hold could have broken bones. Where would that have left him? A small price to pay .. to let Nkonu hear him beg. No cracked ribs .. on hands and knees .. panting like mad .. humbled into begging for the agony to stop. It had worked. Free of that danger. Tarzan would find the strength to fight another day. His legs had given way. The constrictor’s agonising squeeze on him had opened and powerless Tarzan had fallen. Collapsed, his knees had buckled under him and Tarzan had crashed helpless into the dust. Down in the dirt on his hands and knees, Tarzan lifted his head. That half-deranged champion was stood like a rock, arms raised, posing for the crowd. Showing off the strength that had broken the apeman .. bathing in the cheers. Tarzan felt sick to the pit of his stomach .. not with shame, the trick had worked. But the sight of Nkonu gleaming as his champion paraded his triumph before the tribe .. even knowing Tarzan had tricked them into breaking that hold .. still that hurt.Stuck down, catching his breath, panting like fury on hands and knees Tarzan felt their scorn. Mockery rained down on his bent back. Laughter lashed down at him .. like dozens of vicious canes striking out at his back. Humbling himself had worked. But it pained him .. small victory that he had tricked the tribe into thinking he was beaten, broken. That hurt. But his plan had worked. Tarzan was still intact .. even if his ribs hurt like hell. But he was in shape to take advantage when a chance came. No broken bones. And who knew how many more tricks Nkonu had up his sleeve? How many more champions he had lined up? Nkonu was years ahead of Tarzan in thinking this through. Tarzan was racing to catch up. But at least he was in shape to grab that fighting chance when it came. “Can you believe it, Tarzan?”Nkonu was grinning across at Tarzan. He had managed to haul himself to his feet, Tarzan had used the upright to drag himself up. Feeling their scorn turned on him, every inch he wormed himself upright. Torn. Part of him goaded into showing Nkonu he was not broken, he was still into this fight. And another part counselled him to play along. Let his own pride fool Nkonu into thinking he had got Tarzan on the run. He still had not decided what was best when Nkonu had sauntered over to the stakes. Cheers hailed his success. It hurt Tarzan to see Nkonu looking so pleased with himself. But he let it ride.Nkonu had just glanced over at young Mwale when he’d spoken to Tarzan. The young peacock had returned. Maybe drawn by the thunderous cheers that had greeted Tarzan collapsing to the dirt. Tarzan followed Nkonu’s gaze. Neither of them could miss the renewed intensity of his nephew glaring at Tarzan. Greedily eyeing the prize he’d brought back to the tribe. Tarzan looking bruised and broken.“The cheek of this young lion.”Nkonu was a few safe paces away from Tarzan. His head indicated over his shoulder at the glowering peacock.“Would you know what he said? The audacity.”Nkonu was grinning at his nephew in a benign way. A mismatch between the implied criticism of the young man and Nkonu’s evident fondness for him.“Wanting the right. To take your life.”Despite the tone of the words, Nkonu was looking at his nephew like a proud father.“I ask you! For his services. For his success. He has claimed that right.”Nkonu was shaking his head. In mock disbelief.“Your life. The death of the lord of the jungle. As his right …”He was smiling genially at Tarzan. “Preposterous!” Nkonu laughed. “I told him,” he winked confidentially at Tarzan. “No way!”This amiable conversation between prisoner and executioner was bizarre. But Tarzan saw there was no geniality on young Mwale’s face. His features did not match his uncle’s cordial tone. His stare was focused only on Tarzan. And there was no affection in that look, no geniality. No joking around. The peacock had returned. And his hard-packed being spoke it loud and clear. That was exactly what he wanted. What he’d asked of his uncle. Tarzan’s life. He’d meant what he said. Every sinew in his proud and muscular body claimed that right. Revenge. Cheek!266704953000Nkonu owed it to the boy. He’d acquitted himself. Done what he’d promised. Brought the apeman back. And in e of age. His father’s son to the core. Young for the task. Young to lead the tribe’s warriors out. But he’d come true. Proven himself. The apeman’s interference out of the way .. it was young Mwale’s task .. to go hunting. Raiding. Ravaging. Making the tribe rich.Brought up in hate. Daily he’d consumed Nkonu’s tales with his meat. Shaped into a deadly weapon. Honed to be Nkonu’s big stick. The lethal weapon to hit back with. Grown into manhood, put on muscle to match the size of his hatred. His every powerful sinew zinging with a hunger. To avenge his father’s death. The stud had returned. Nkonu had sent his nephew off to prepare. The chief had promised to celebrate his nephew’s success with the tribe. Honouring him for returning with the coveted prize, Tarzan. Now the peacock was back .. his vanity even more polished. The brief covering he had worn when he’d led the ambush had been replaced. For something even skimpier, more daring. Clearly he wanted to be seen in his full muscled perfection. He was looked like a man preparing to go up against his father’s murderer almost naked. Putting now a marker to the onlookers, a marker of elemental significance. Here young Mwale stood in his prime. In homage to the great chief, his father. Stood there a man .. in its rawest, most male, most avenging form.Nkonu had got closer to Tarzan .. knowing he was safe. His captive was still firmly tied up between the stakes. And visibly shaken by those encounters with Nkonu’s champions. In such situations Tarzan had always known Nkonu to be brave.“So ungrateful, these young men .. don’t you think?”Tarzan frowned, not understanding the remark. Again Nkonu stood there feigning mock intimacy with Tarzan. A pair of wise adults bewailing the ingratitude of the young.“You offer them the world .. anything a man could wish for.”He chortled good-naturedly, sharing confidences with Tarzan.“Anything in the world .. anything .. their hearts desire ..”Nkonu shook his head at such ingratitude. Play-acting. Was he expecting Tarzan to play along? Tarzan saved his breath. No one was interested in what he had to sayTarzan was still on the search. Looking for his plan. A chink in Nkonu’s planning. A gap he’d could widen and slip through.“Tarzan, I ask you. Look at him.”Nkonu turned around at looked at his nephew standing just behind. Inviting Tarzan’s to engage again with that seething glower. That impatience. Those urges to exact revenge bubbling under the tight skin of the stud’s skin.“What more could he want? He’s got it all.”Nkonu’s face lit up proudly.“The looks. Look at that body on him. He’s got the position .. leader of my warriors. Respect.”Nkonu winked and grinned.“And the girls ….”Again he whipped his head over at the boiling fury stood behind him. He grinned at Tarzan.“Well …. Just look at him .. stood like that. What girl wouldn’t ….?”Nkonu shrugged his shoulders. His arms extended in a gesture of not understanding.“BUT …. Not enough. Never enough!”Nkonu was shaking his head. His eyes looking for some agreement from Tarzan. The kind only a mature adult could appreciate. Looking for the shared understanding of a parent.“These young warriors .. so full of themselves.”Nkonu shrugged at Tarzan. As if saying, we wise ones, we know what these young bucks are like. Like them too, in our days .. weren’t we?“I asked him .. what reward did he want?”A look of mock horror came over Nkonu’s face.”“Would you believe it? What he asked for …..?”Nkonu .. not Tarzan’s best friend in the world, their paths had crossed several times. And never cordially. But he was grinning conspiratorially with Tarzan .. even if both knew he was playing at this game. Young Mwale, by contrast, was a study in tension, the muscles of his jaw set hard. As good as naked, a warrior’s impatience for the fight trembling in hard-packed muscle. Busting a gut. As if he found it torture to be made to wait. Bursting to get on with it.“Tarzan’s life! What reward did he want? Your life!”Nkonu burst out in feigned shock at the thought.“He wanted THAT. To take your life? Can you believe it?” Tarzan saw the firmness of his young man’s upper chest almost quivering .. like a wild cat about to pounce .. swoop on a cowering prey. “The right to take your life!”This young male leopard trembling with gut-busting impatience .. he wanted Tarzan’s life? Tarzan could believe it alright.“I refused. Of course.”Nkonu’s words awoke Tarzan from his mulling over this contrast.“This young lion wanted to take your life” Tarzan frowned. What was his old enemy playing at now? “I said NO.”Nkonu snorted in surprise at the idea. But kindly as well ….. here comes the BUT …., Tarzan thought to himself“I refused.”The chief looked indignant. Glancing at his nephew. An act. Putting on a show of mock outrage for the amusement of the tribe. Then he smirked back at Tarzan. His eyes scoured down his enemy’s muscled front. His fighting strength stuck trapped between the stakes.“I denied him that right,” he winked. “Of course.”And the BUT …..? Tarzan wondered. Granted812807937500Young Mwale turned his face towards his uncle. He nodded slowly .. recalling his feelings when Nkonu refused him Tarzan’s death. The prize he wanted above everything in life. And deserved. Nkonu’s hands described an arc towards the helpless victim trapped between the uprights. “No, I said. But this is what I offer ….…”The whole tribe was stood around. Tarzan was encircled by the dozen warriors who had come for him. A tight group of muscular young men, Mwale’s friends. No easy way out.Mwale turned his gaze back on Tarzan. Eyes fiery with intensity. Muscled with bristling revenge to his core. Hostile. Clearly he understood more about this than Tarzan did. Young Mwale knew already what his uncle had promised as his reward. Suddenly the chatter of the insects in the jungle lessened. As if the whole world was listening in. To discover what fate had in store. “This is the reward I give you, I’ve told him.”Nkonu knew he had his old enemy’s attention.“My dear nephew. Captain of our warriors. My brother’s son. My gift to you.”Nkonu’s hands were indicating Tarzan. “I grant you this suffering,” Nkonu clarified. “Tarzan’s pain .. that is my gift to you.”Nkonu and young Mwale were looking at each other. Tarzan sensed that the tension that had held young Mwale in its grip had lessened. As if he was content to be getting almost everything he wanted out of life. And those desires were almost within his grasp.“For two days .. do with him as you wish.”Nkonu was narrating his talk with the vengeful muscle-hunk but his words were totally directed at Tarzan. Instructing him on his doom.“Torment him .. make him regret .. show him your anger. For your father’s unwarranted death.”The muscle-hunk shot Tarzan a sharp scowl. But then his dutiful look returned to his chief.“The apeman should feel our people’s hatred in his flesh. Let him pay back their sorrows. Pain-for-pain.”Nkonu turned back on Tarzan. Quickly the fondness for his nephew was erased from his face. Replaced by the features of the avenging chief of his tribe. Representing the people this interfering apeman had cheated of their rightful destiny all of these years. A sternness that bode little hope. Nkonu’s face was lit with sadistic pleasure. His gaze stroking like a master over a rebellious dog the muscled power in Tarzan’s front. Condescending. Feeling mastery over his fate.Then suddenly, chameleon-like, the features lightened. Nkonu was play-acting with Tarzan again. That irritating mock intimacy was back. Nkonu crooked a thumb back at his nephew.“The young, Tarzan .. I ask you!”Talking disappointed parent-to-parent. “You understand, Tarzan …. These ungrateful sons …”Tarzan caught a slight smile on young Mwale’s face. The stud understood the unspoken nature of this line of Nkonu’s talk. This pretend saddened parent-to-parent nonsense. A whispered communion of like-minded souls. This rubbish, this playing-Tarzan-around. Tarzan was getting edgy. Clearly young Mwale understood better than Tarzan what was going down.“They get one thing. Then suddenly they are demanding more. More and more and more …….”Nkonu’s head was shaking. In mock-disbelief at the ingratitude of the young.“You’re a father, Tarzan.”Nkonu’s thumb indicated young Mwale. Then throwing Tarzan an aside …..“Your son soon to be an orphan too ……”That was Tarzan’s first indication of his fate. But not for one moment since his capture had he had any reason to doubt.“ …. tends to warp their thinking, I’ve found …..”Nkonu swivelled his head over to his nephew briefly. A benevolent smile. Then his attention turned back to Tarzan. In a mock whisper that the whole village could hear, he carried on.“I put him straight.”The tone was light. But Tarzan saw that the mock-smile on Nkonu’s lips had not reached the calculated coldness of his eyes. Nkonu sighed in disbelief. At the perfidy of youth.“I told him firmly. THIS is what you get.”Nkonu paused. He knew he had Tarzan’s attention now.“Two days you have him. Do with Tarzan what you will …”Another deep sigh feigned Nkonu’s exasperation. A mock-frustration with the nephew he loved.“Then …”Nkonu looked Tarzan firmly in the eyes.“I told him. THEN …”A master of the dramatic moment, Nkonu kept Tarzan waiting.“I made it clear as day ……”Nkonu had turned his attention direct on Tarzan. Stood bound and surrounded by his captors.“Then .. after two days .. after two days avenging your father’s murder .. in ways, my dear nephew, that you may freely choose …..”Another pause. Nkonu’s gaze swept another cruel stroke down the length of Tarzan’s hard-packed front. Trapped. No escape.“THEN .. It is I who acts. Your CHIEF acts.”The smile had gone. The benevolent looks Nkonu had been giving Tarzan .. playing with him .. they too had frozen. “Rest assured, Tarzan ….”Nkonu looked deadly serious. The tribe was listening in, intent.“I made it crystal-clear ….”Nkonu’s face was taut. Grim.“The apeman’s death is mine. I told him. MINE. Make no mistake.”Nkonu had turned his bitter gaze on Tarzan.“Two days. A free hand. His suffering is YOURS, I told him.”Now it was Nkonu that was wearing his older brother’s intense look.“Two days. Two days to do with Tarzan what you will.”Unexpectedly Nkonu broke into a grin. Smirking at Tarzan. But it was a merciless look. “After THAT … he is mine.”Nkonu’s eyes took in a helpless Tarzan encircled by this hate-filled tribe. The fighting strength of the old enemy trapped. Tied down.“THAT .. my dear nephew .. I told him. You who honoured your father, taking his name. You who took on the cloak of my murdered brother ….”A glaze gave over his eyes. “THAT is my gift to you. Dear nephew. That I grant you. THAT you deserve.” Nkonu was already gloating over the next days. For a doomed Tarzan.“Tarzan’s suffering. Two days.” Two days-6351778000How long had he waited? Had many years had he planned? His thoughts in the night racing wild with the fires of this dream.His father’s murderer .. in his grasp. No way out, no escape. That evil body, a killer .. murdered his father .. sent the tribe’s fortunes into decline. That yearning .. to get his hands on this swine. No death could atone for his crimes.A hundred nights .. hand tight on himself .. vengeance squeezed out of every hard-packed muscle of that murdering dog.A thousand images .. countless thoughts. A flood of imagined ideas. What he wouldn’t do! How he would make that foul apeman suffer! Pay. Vengefully squeezing from himself cruel images in the heat of the night.His mind’s eye ablaze with sights of a body twisted in torment. His lust for revenge shrill with a murderer’s screams.And NOW .. that chance …. it was here. Nkonu had retrieved his ceremonial staff. A stick an arm’s length adorned with ribbons and feathers. And a carved jagged end resembling a wild cat’s fangs. He jabbed it at Tarzan’s hard-muscled chest. Tarzan brushed it angrily away. Again Nkonu reinforced his will, prodded Tarzan’s proud chest with it again, twice. Asserting his control. Nkonu gave Tarzan a hard look. “Then ..,” he said .. “ … when his time with you is up ….”Nkonu nodded at his nephew.“ …. I made it clear to him. Firmly.”Nkonu was getting off on the power. Tarzan thought, almost getting himself hard at the thrill. A dogged determination had sent Tarzan’s pulse running. This news, what the next two days held for him .. that was looking to be his best chance. He didn’t believe that muscle stud was going to leave Tarzan tied by the feet between these stakes. He’d get released. The muscled vanity would want to prove itself, show off. Show himself THE man here. How long before this overweening vanity over-reached itself? Thinking Tarzan didn’t have it in him? Slip up? Give Tarzan that chance he’d been looking for?Right now, though, Tarzan was mindful of coming under double threat. Conscious of that peacock was stalking him. Glowering, moving to the right, passed one of the stakes, moving behind Tarzan .. while Nkonu again jabbed at him taunting from the front. Tarzan swatted him off, he did not fear Nkonu. He’d take on the strutting peacock too. But he was in danger of getting it from front and back. He had learned to take seriously the element of surprise, getting ambushed. The champions had taught him that. And this swaggering hunk did not look in any mood to play fair. The way he had re-appeared dressed .. dressed to-kill. Near-naked, raw male aggression. Tarzan kept a wary eye on him while Nkonu prattled on.“Two days, I told him. Your crimes deserve that, Tarzan.”Crimes? What crimes? But this was no a tribe interested in the truth. And Nkonu was not play-acting any more. Stern-looking. “Two days I’ve granted him. Two days to show the tribe. Give them what they too deserve.”Tarzan was tense. The cocky swagger had taken the near-naked stud behind. Tarzan had to twist his head to keep an eye on him. Taking advantage, Nkonu again jabbed Tarzan in the chest, Demanding his attention.“Two days. Avenge his father’s murder.”Tarzan felt the presence of the peacock right behind. A glance over his shoulder confirmed the muscled show-off was as good as breathing down his neck. He got ready for some surprise blows.Annoyed Nkonu tapped with his staff at Tarzan’s front .. or was he diverting his attention? But Tarzan was all-ears for the attack to hit from behind.“THEN …. nephew dear …..,” Nkonu prattled on, though Tarzan was keeping an eye over his shoulder.“Two days. My gift. To you. To show the tribe.”The annoying staff jabbed hard at Tarzan’s front. Grabbing his hearing if not his eyes.“THEN .. the apeman is mine.”A dramatic pause. Nkonu waited to see if he had his captive’s attention. And to check the whole tribe was listening in.“Tarzan’s death is mine.”Tarzan was aware of young Mwale making a move. He tensed, fight-ready. He felt the heat of hate-filled skin radiating into his back. Tarzan looked backwards, their eyes met. He saw the stud’s eyes alight with greed .. hungry for hurt .. itching for revenge. Eyes unflinching. In a face set firm, grim, proud. Every bit the arrogance and self-will of his father. Mwale leant his head forward, his upper chest hot against Tarzan’s sweaty shoulders. He had Tarzan fixed with a look of that glaring intensity. His mouth moved to Tarzan’s ear. As if sharing a secret.“Know what, apeman?” Young Mwale made a sudden move. His hand shot up Tarzan’s back. Grabbed him by the hair and tugged his head back. Leaning against his scalp, the stud was breathing down Tarzan’s ear. The breath hot on Tarzan’s neck.“You know what, ape-shit?”Young Mwale too could glory in a dramatic pause. His eyes on fire.“I agreed.” It starts044196000It was kicking off. This ferocious duel between right and wrong. Fierce combat between deceptions and the truth. A fight that Nkonu meant to prove that lies could prevail.Tarzan thought the stud was full of himself. Saw himself as god’s gift. He couldn’t be wrong. Perfection itself. His body living proof of that.Nkonu had fed him the lies. Filled his belly with hate. Regaled him with stories of his glorious father .. that cattle-thief, that rapist. Painted the picture of the mighty warrior-chief, larger-than-life. The image to follow .. to shape his son’s sculpted body. The model for his life. His mind had been warped. Nkonu had filled him with the urge to avenge.Whittled into a tool. The deadly blade to settle Nkonu’s scores. Honed into his lethal instrument of revenge. A willing hand to squeeze the living fire out of that enemy. Crush him. Break him. Destroy the apeman. Before Nkonu took pleasure in putting out Tarzan’s lights. Tarzan knew the peacock was still breathing down his neck. The show-off had just released the yanking grip on the back of his head. A head-jangling punch to his skull had knocked Tarzan forward. Angered Tarzan was starting to twist around and thrown him his own punch when again he was surprised. Tricked by a lightning-fast move.A hand slid around the side of his neck, the edge of the hand cutting like a knife across the front of his throat. In the blink of an eye, Tarzan’s throat was locked by the press of the muscle-stud’s forearm. Pressing on his throat .. starting to choke him. Tarzan’s hands went up, going to shake off the vain fool, break his grip.Nkonu watched, curious. Amused he saw his old enemy had been ambushed, his head still ringing from that blow. Automatically Tarzan’s hands went up. Fighting the arm locked around his throat .. his face determined .. his jaw set hard for this fight. Nkonu again had reason to smirk .. his nephew’s arm, locked on Tarzan’s neck, grabbed his other upper arm. Tarzan’s head was crushed between the muscled hardened strength in young Mwale’s grip. Almost comically popping out between two massively peaked biceps. Good trick, nephew, Nkonu thought. Makes the apeman look like a fool.Angry Tarzan’s fingers clawed at the arm choking his breathing. But young Mwale was strong, his ambition to win was equally ferocious. The force on Tarzan’s breathing tightened. The more he tore at the crush on his throat, the more a teeth-gritted Mwale put on pressure.Tarzan jarred his skull sharp backwards. He felt his head crack against the chin behind. He’d surprised his attacker, he felt a lessening of the squeeze. Pleased, he gave it another go. Tarzan quickly jerked forward and then jarred his skull back again.But it didn’t work. He felt Mwale’s hand now on the back of his neck. Fighting him back. Mwale was pushing forward with his hand onto the back of Tarzan’s skull .. stopping the blow backwards into his face. And that hand .. in the base of Tarzan’s neck .. starting pushing forward. Mwale’s hand was forcing Tarzan’s neck closer into the crush on his throat. His throat .. pressed from behind, crushed from in front .. squeezed into the immovable, inescapable solid rockface of Mwale’s forearm. Crushing his windpipe. The clutch on his breathing tightened. The grip on his throat squeezed. Closing off his air.Realising the danger, sensing a rising panic, Tarzan squirmed. His shoulders wriggled. His torso writhed. His back pressed murderously tight into young Mwale’s front twisted .. fighting like mad to break free. But the grip just held on. Tarzan shook, he jarred. But the crush on his windpipe clung on. And slowly Tarzan felt Mwale pulling back. His shoulders leaning backwards .. squeezing the choke around Tarzan’s throat murderously tight. He couldn’t breathe.Nkonu was mesmerised. He’d never seen anything like this. Tarzan was locked in his nephew’s grip. He struggled with his hands. He’d tried to wriggle free. But Mwale had him trapped. Where had his nephew learned these things? Was this his father’s blood coming out in a fight?And astonishingly Nkonu could see it .. with his own eyes .. a look of panic on Tarzan’s face. The shock that had seized hold of his body. Tarzan knew what was happening. He was fighting to break free. But he couldn’t, Mwale had him. Nkonu spotted a rigidity in the muscle when Tarzan realised .. Mwale was choking him.Tarzan saw the world changing. The light was shifting. The village was losing colour. His head wasn’t getting any blood. His brain was deprived of air. He heard nothing but his eyes saw people screaming. Tarzan heard no sound. Villagers jumping up and down, the village .. everything was turning to black-and-white. A pressure in his head .. like his skull was being forced apart .. his senses filling with a stinging gas. Pain in his eyes. Like an unstoppable pressure was popping them out of his head.A groan escaped. But he gave no sound. The pressure on the front of his throat was crushing on his voice-box. The pain there was mind-numbing. Inescapable. No sound was heard. But Tarzan felt his whole being singing with weakness. He heard voices of dismay. He was passing out, he knew. Light-headed. Fuzzy. Nothing he could do. His legs felt empty. His vision swam. The whole of the village .. it was disappearing down a swirling tunnel before his eyes. He couldn’t breathe. The light was going. He couldn’t hear. He was blacking out.Tarzan knew he was going under. His brain starved. Every effort he’d tried .. desperately clawing at the grip cutting off his air .. FAILED. He felt himself weakening. He’d struggled, he’d fought. He was fainting .. trapped in this monstrous clutch. Losing strength. WEAK. Everything against this crush on his throat had failed. He was passing out.Mwale hissed down his neck. His hatred poured vengeful poison into his ear.“Two days, apeman.”He jerked hard on Tarzan’s neck. Crushingly tight across his throat. Making sure Mwale still had Tarzan’s attention.“Only two days .. you hear ……?”Incredibly his hatred found the strength for more of a squeeze. Impossibly he crushed even more life out of Tarzan’s throat. The murderer never heard the rest. Mwale felt his legs loosen. He knew his strength and given way. He hung lifeless in a murderous choking grip.“Better make the most of it ……….”Young Mwale let go. His arms flashed upwards. The powerful physique that had broken the apeman stood triumphant on display .. arms raised above his head .. solid chest up .. an effigy of muscular conceit. His muscled body preened. Arms up, chest high .. victorious manliness in perfection. Around him in the torchlights people were screaming. Hailing the wonder of his greatness.But Mwale had eyes for only one thing. Beneath him. The hated body had slithered down his front. The air around lit up at the sight. A tumultuous roar burst up at the darkened sky. The whole tribe was screaming. All the people roared. But Mwale never heard them. He saw the only thing that mattered. His father’s murderer lay crumpled in a heap .. unconscious at his feet. Not much to ask ……Two days in the hands of a vengeful son. Then handed over to an old enemy. To avenge Tarzan’s so-called crimes. A public act of execution. Before the whole tribe. Undoubtedly not something to hang around for.And Tarzan didn’t intend to. Two days to manage his escape. The vengeful son squeezing every inch of pain out of Tarzan’s being. Others had tried, most had failed.He’d slip up, this show-off. He’d over-reach himself. This vain strutting young man, high-and-mighty, his head full of his own self-importance. He’d make a mistake. Tarzan was counting on it.That was what it took. Beat the vain peacock at his own game. That was Tarzan’s goal. Wait it out. Tough it out. Take everything thrown at him. It’d come, his chance. This vain muscle-head would trip himself up. His conceit would undermine him, this big-headed muscle-hunk. He’d over-reach himself. Tarzan had to keep himself ready for that. Keep himself fight-ready. Body and mind constantly primed. The prick would slip up. Then he’d strike. Then Tarzan would hit out. Attack .. fast as a snake. Hit back .. vicious as a panther’s claws. Explode .. hard as a maddened great ape. That strutting peacock .. that vain-glorious muscle-head .. so full of himself .. puffed-up .. so proud of how eye-catching he looked .. how manly ….. He’d not know what hit him. Can there be any with misgivings? Are there cynics out there? That dare think the archetypal jungle hero will not tough this out?That this wildman will take everything Mwale throws at him and spit it back?Any sceptics that doubt Tarzan will endure .. spot his break? And have enough in reserve to break free?Who can doubt?One thing young Mwale can count on. Once free, Tarzan is not one to let sleeping dogs lie. Mwale can count on being perused. By a maddened wild animal lurking in the undergrowth. Muscled predator stalking a dumb strutting prey. Striking violently when Mwale’s guard is down. Mwale is a dead-man, done-for. He needs to watch his back .. every waking moment. Relaxing. Getting drunk. Going down on a girl. And best never sleep. The lightning WILL strike.Nkonu neither. He can’t rest easy in his bed. Tarzan had killed the father Mwale in self-defence, the odds stacked against him. Nkonu’s revenge against him was unjustified, a fantasy. Nkonu had stoked up the fires of hate in the son. Burning for years with unfounded rage to avenge his father’s death. This attack on Tarzan was unwarranted. Killed in self-defence. But Nkonu had warped the truth.Retribution .. against Nkonu .. against Mwale’s son? YES. Justified. They’d brought this on themselves. Tarzan’s revenge every bit as pitiless as that young Mwale had planned. Raw savage ferocity. Retribution in its animal and most elemental form.And the jungle would be a better place for it.Neither of Tarzan’s two days in Mwale’s clutches is drafted. Not a clue. Not a first idea ……And Tarzan’s subsequent retribution against his foes? Not even given that a thought. But something that might get the blood racing? Eh?And maybe something to return to ….?So what have we got? Yet another serial dispatched unfinished to the archive .. waiting to be finished off …….But hey! That’s rendsz’ world for you ……..Hey-ho! ................
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