THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

“My good friend, Nene (Chief) Odoi, tell me what happened?” asked Quaazi (Title of an emperor meaning the most intelligent man) Selasi. Nene Odoi answered “something is wrong, your majesty. Something is terribly wrong.”

A long time ago, a great civilization was born in Africa. They named it the Saharaifa (Saharan Civilization). Five empires existed during this civilization; The Northern Empire, Islamaani (The peaceful empire); the Southern Empire, Jumapafie (The lands united through hard work); The Eastern Empire, Odopafie (Home of Love); The Western Empire, Nibooman (The land of inventions) and finally the Central Empire, Nananompofie (Home of the ancient ones).

Before the empires, only villages, close to a thousand of them, ruled by chiefs existed. Nene, for example, was title of the chief who ruled Nsatia; a western village that shared border with Nananompofie. The villages united to stop Sidiata (The Immortal) from conquering the world and formed kingdoms. About fifty-eight kingdoms were formed which later united to form empires. The Central Empire consisted of eight kingdoms. The Western Empire consisted of ten kingdoms. Twelve kingdoms united to form the Eastern Empire. Thirteen kingdoms made up the south and fifteen united to form the Northern Empire.

The Akodindin (The Great War) almost destroyed the Saharaifa. To prevent future wars, the Huluwaazis (Emperors) of the five empires agreed to hold the first ever peace summit. Quaazi Selasi agreed to host the four emperors in his royal palace in Nyansapofie (Home of intelligence).

The next day, on the day the summit was to commence, people woke up and Nananompofie had been surrounded by an eccentric barrier. White, convex shaped and pointy rocks surrounded the entire empire at equal intervals. A few natives of Nananompofie whom survived have been shared amongst the four empires and they were all suffering from amnesia. The buildings and animals were all gone and only the plants remained; tall and intimidating plants remained. Nananompofie, once touted as the home of light had now become the abode of darkness and hence its name was changed to Nomposuro (dark and evil forest).

“Brother… what happened?” cried a beautiful dark girl probably in her mid-twenties. She was kneeling with a young man’s head on her lap. He was her twin brother. There were claw marks on her brother’s chest through which blood poured like water. He was also bleeding through his nose, ears and mouth. There was no way he was going to survive. He lifted his right arm towards his sister’s face and before he dropped it and died muttered the word, “kranju” meaning “the immortal guardians”.

The kranju (immortal guardians) were now the inhabitants of Nananompofie, now Nomposuro. There were five groups of kranju:

Shinko (Furry beasts): Intimidatingly frightening beasts with black fur, blood red eyes, long sharp teeth and long claws with a killer roar. Thirteen of them resided in Nomposuro.

Nhutus (Manipulators of the elements): Normal sized teenage females except their leader whom was an older version of the nhutus. Their special ability is manipulating and using the elements; wind, water, fire and earth as weapons. Five resided in Nomposuro.

Motiadas (dwarfs): very short old men with deep voices, bald and yet hairy. Five resided in Nomposuro and each one had unique powers to control a group of organisms except their leader. Five resided in Nomposuro.

Ruhas and Ruhushis (gods and goddesses): Daale (dream god), Shutu (god of fear), Abra (god of anger), Suome (goddess of beauty and attraction but in Nomposuro she was more of a seductress), Afranto (the white messenger) and Mayale (the goddess of material wealth). By identifying the weaknesses in the hearts and minds of men, they stop intruders of Nomposuro.

Budus (water serpents): Sibudu (single-head water serpent), Sabudu (double headed water serpent) and Sobudu (triple headed water serpent) were the protectors of the buduga (serpents bridge; literally shaped like a serpent). The buduga was the only way to move from one region of Nomposuro to the next. Kranju cannot cross the buduga and it helped maintain order in Nomposuro.

Men have always feared the unknown and tried to get rid of Nomposuro. They tried and exhausted themselves in their efforts. When all seemed lost; when all hope was gone, he was born.

He was given a unique name. He was born under unique circumstances and entered Nomposuro after a unique incident. This is the story about his journey; the journey to destroy the center of darkness.

How did I get to know all this? Well, I was there!