Finding Contentus

Chapter 120: Guardian

"Imagis."

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The Radiant Rassy, dressed in free-flowing orange robes that trailed behind her, glared at the fuming sandstorm approaching them with folded arms. Her expression of sternness assessed the challenge in their way like it was a non consequential nuisance. Her long braided hair formed a stream down her back.

"What are your options?" She asked her nephew in her stentorian voice.

Out of the Big Four, everyone feared Rassy the most when it came to her brassy exterior. Not in a bad way, but in a way that matched her animalistic nature as a fearsome and ferocious tiger. There was just something inherently daunting about her stern eyebrows and strident way of speaking.

Searing. Genesia found the best word to describe his aunty as he walked to stand next to her. She was one inch taller than his father and mother, just like his uncle.

Rassy exuded raw belligerence without even having to be hostile or aggressive. It was like her light brown skin was surrounded by torrid claws that would not be pushed around and left unprotected. She was the one that pushed like a natural disaster and protected like a natural barricade.

Although Bantii was the strongest crafter of their race, Rassy, as their second strongest, always had this blistering air of durability that withstood everything around her, including the elements, like she was constantly crafting her blustering presence into the world, splitting the planet into stripes instead of letting Mama Earth split her into pieces.

Rassy glanced at Genesia as he played with his dreadlocks. "The first option is to discard all reserves and charge right through the sandstorm by pushing onwards as it dares to push us backwards."

Genesia gazed into the storm, feeling the pressing glare of his aunty on him. She was hard as nails like that, compared to his mother who was much softer. It's how the two sisters balanced each other out. And honestly, there was a strange charm to Rassy's roughness that everyone loved and feared dearly.

She wouldn't beat around the bush when it came to hard decisions and tough choices that had to be made, for better or for worse. She was plain-spoken and honest, not in a demotivating way, but in a way that spoke the full truths and realities of things, regardless of how harsh, whilst firmly establishing her intent on healing all worries and attending to the needs of all her people without fail by bending reality to her standards.

Yes. Rassy didn't sugarcoat things at all. Instead, it was like she sandcoated things for others, which they appreciated. Because when times were always rough, Rassy was rougher to make them stronger. Her ability to make quick and effective decisions when they were indecisive and ineffective never let them down. It's how she displayed her love and care, especially when she sang and danced to lift their spirits like she was raising bridges into the air like leaves.

"The second option is to go the long way," Genesia gestured to the furthest part by the curving sandhill, then sucked his teeth. "But then we'd have to deal with all those primals blocking us. They keep coming..."

Subconsciously, Genesia compared the scenario he had imagined as he looked up at his aunty. "This situation..."

Jarring softness invaded the roughness on Rassy's expression as her finger traced the dashed tiger lines on her nephew's face. "Is exactly like the one we faced when we were underground," Rassy explained, baring her teeth like she was warding of any and all attacks.

"Our people were always, and I mean, always, backed into a corner. This here is a child's scale of that. At the time, we were adamant on not losing any more numbers. Not a single one. Hence why Reno..." Rassy sniffed like she had smelled something awful, then waved her hand towards the situation.