King T'Chaka of Wakanda wanted to open up his nation, supposedly because he had witnessed the turmoil of the outside world and wished to take on some responsibility as a fellow human being. But Solomon absolutely did not believe that his decision was made for such a simple reason. And his skepticism was justified—T'Chaka was a textbook feudal monarch, and the art of feudal rule had been a mandatory subject for Solomon since childhood. Athena had tirelessly drilled into him all the mistakes made by past feudal dynasties, as well as the best decisions made by various rulers, so there was no way he would believe that a king would make a decision concerning the fate of his nation without solid reasoning.
This was, without a doubt, a meticulously calculated move!
The plan to open up Wakanda was no secret within the royal palace. Many Wakandan scholars had already proposed their own suggestions and concerns, addressing numerous potential issues. For instance, while Wakanda had decided to open up to the world, was the world ready to accept Wakanda? What challenges would arise once Wakanda was open? But the most critical question remained unresolved—how exactly should Wakanda open up? And to what extent?
Regardless of the final outcome, once Wakanda opened up, it would inevitably face probing from other nations. Every country would test Wakanda's stance in the global order, its economic influence, and its potential as a competitor. There would be scrutiny over its agricultural imports and exports, its level of industrialization, its military strength, and most importantly, its reserves and sources of vibranium—meaning, the very location of Wakanda's capital itself.
Wakanda possessed technology far beyond the reach of other nations, as well as advanced automated agriculture and genetic engineering that ensured abundant food production. This meant Wakanda had no need to rely on foreign agricultural imports to feed its people. However, apart from common resources like coal and iron, Wakanda did not have abundant reserves of other metals. The greatest advantage of opening up would be the ability to purchase large quantities of industrial raw materials.
To engage in international trade, Wakanda would have to integrate into the global financial system, which was dominated by the U.S. dollar. That was why T'Chaka had proposed pegging Wakanda's currency to the dollar. Wakanda would exist as an exporter of high-end industrial products and technology, trading its advanced science for upstream industrial resources. However, the downside was obvious—Wakanda would become vulnerable to inflation driven by excessive U.S. dollar issuance, ultimately suffering the same fate as Europe today. The next step would be a global war over vibranium, and with its small population, Wakanda had no hope of complete victory.
This was evident from the number of smugglers Wakanda killed at its borders every year. Once Wakanda opened up, the people coming in wouldn't just be smugglers anymore.
One particularly pessimistic scholar suggested a partial opening—keeping vibranium reserves a secret while establishing corporations to import industrial raw materials. At the same time, Wakanda should strengthen its military capabilities and publicly announce nuclear test results as a deterrent against foreign threats.
T'Chaka was a ruler who valued good advice. He accepted this suggestion, which meant Wakanda would have to showcase its advanced technology in certain areas to intimidate any greedy nations. Considering how T'Chaka had dealt with his own brother, Erik, who had been determined to start a global Black liberation movement, it was clear that T'Chaka held extremely conservative views on racial issues. Solomon had no expectations of T'Chaka showing any real backbone.
The answer was obvious—T'Chaka had either already made secret contact with the U.S. or was about to do so. He was a king embodying the "American spirit," making what he saw as the best decision before opening Wakanda. Solomon's Eternal City was the perfect stepping stone for Wakanda—by leveraging it, Wakanda could obtain resources without fully opening up.
T'Challa had forgotten that Solomon was a spellcaster. Through the eyes of the Wakandan scientists in Eternal City, Solomon had seen T'Chaka's orders. Only that naive little princess still believed she had made a mistake, unaware that without her subordinates' meddling, that document would never have landed in her hands.
T'Chaka was a wise king. He knew how to claim power that was not rightfully his. That was why he had to die.
The temple's murals depicted the first Black Panther warrior consuming the Heart-Shaped Herb under the guidance of the Panther God, as well as Black Panther tribe warriors slaying mutated beings under their leader's command. The older the murals, the further back in history they reached. The first mural illustrated a meteorite descending from the sky. The lower half of the murals, painted with pigments ground from iron ore, reflected the flickering flames of burning braziers, while the upper half near the temple dome remained shrouded in darkness, like the caves where the ancestors once dwelled.
Solomon, guided by a small black cat, walked into the Panther Temple as if no one else were there. The cat's paws padded silently across the smooth obsidian floor as it led Solomon on a leisurely tour through the incense-filled temple corridors, without encountering a single priest. The mystic slowed his pace to glance at the murals before catching up with the small black cat once more. When the cat finally stopped, he picked up the tiny creature, which stuck out its pink tongue, licking its paws, as he stood before the massive Black Panther statue in the temple's depths.
In the firelight, the statue cast enormous, flickering shadows.
Gifted artisans had carved the panther's muscular physique in metal, capturing the noble wildness in its obsidian eyes. It gazed down at Solomon from above, but Solomon's attention remained fixed on the fluffy little black cat in his palm.
"I've made my decision," he said to the cat.
The cat lazily licked its paw, listening absentmindedly.
"He must die. You know why." Solomon's tone was ice-cold. "If you don't act, I will. And you won't like my way—I will burn everything down."
"I know." A deep, ethereal female voice emerged from the cat's mouth. "But that is not a reason for compromise."
"It must be a compromise. And it must be you who compromises, Bast." Solomon's gaze was piercing. "Don't forget—this is Earth."
"The war is long over!"
"The damn war never ends!" Solomon's roar echoed through the temple, shaking the air. He took a deep breath, exhaling his fury slowly. "I will not allow anyone to hold me back in this matter, Bast. My alliance with Wakanda was based on fairness. T'Chaka's actions have crossed the line."
"He is my chosen king."
"Then choose another, or I will. I happen to know someone who harbors deep resentment against the Wakandan royal family."
"How many more must die, Solomon Damonet?" the black cat asked. "How many fathers and sons have perished by your hand? The guilty and the innocent alike—you send them all to hell, don't you?"
"My mission is to ensure humanity's freedom. No so-called god will interfere!"
Golden light coalesced beside him, fading into the form of a divine sword, forged by the Earth Mother herself. Brilliant radiance filled the dark temple hall as Solomon's eyes shone with an overwhelming, blinding golden glow. His figure seemed to grow taller, towering over even the statue like a mythical giant. Solomon pressed his thumb against the small black cat's chest.
"You overstepped from the very beginning! Every Wakandan king's soul resides in your divine realm—you've stolen human souls. Now you must choose, Bast! War, or submission?"
Bast remained silent.
"Wakanda's faith alone is not enough to sustain you. You don't even dare to manifest before me." Solomon calmed his fury and gently placed the little black cat back on the ground. He knew Bast had made her decision. Her goal was to ensure the survival of the Egyptian pantheon—Wakanda was merely a means to that end.
"T'Chaka must die. He coveted something that was never his." Solomon spoke softly. "If you want to keep control over Wakanda, start doing more. Revoking your blessing is only the first step."
The little black cat leapt onto Solomon, its sharp claws hooking into his clothing as it climbed up to a comfortable spot. It planned to take a nap there. Solomon glanced at the tiny creature burrowing into his coat, then at the statue one last time before opening a portal and vanishing.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]