THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

One Shinko did not make it to the meeting. It was the female Shinko, Kaki Shinko. She stood at the entrance of a cave looking on. Her face was completely transformed from a beast to a beautiful maiden; the same face Kiwakaazi saw when they met. How that happened is a mystery. Maybe looking into his eyes she saw her own face; she saw the beauty behind the monster. She liked it. She wanted it and now she is it. Unfortunately the hero did not see her body. So, only her head was human and the rest of her body remained a beast. She could tell something interesting was happening in Nhutudan. She saw the lightning flashes, the whirlwind and even felt a cold breeze. She too received the invitation, you know.

She however decided not to go. Not after everything that had happened. “Was she going to be welcomed or scorned?” She had doubts and the others may sense her worries. No! She was not going. She will wait for him to recover, get some answers before she makes her next move. She turned and looking inside the cave, she saw her “new pal” resting and recovering at a pace she felt was humanly impossible.

 After her rather strange encounter with “the latest guy on the block” in Nomposuro, she has been set on a path of change – a path she neither chose nor understood. It frightened her a little but somehow and somewhere within her, she felt connected to this new entrant too.

So, quick recap; she almost killed a human but ended up slicing a ginormous tree into two using a combination of her sharp claws and a deadly punch. She started running, confused and afraid. Afraid - that was a feeling not known to her for close to five centuries now. She ran so fast that it was almost like she was teleporting. Her heart was racing as fast as her body was moving.

Suddenly, she stopped. She sniffed her environment for a while and turned back. A new kind of fear was brewing inside of her. It was not fear for herself but for her latest acquaintance. About six Shinkos were near and were bearing down on him. If they should find him, they will tear him up into pieces. She doubled her speed. Unlike the hero she knew the forest very well and evaded the branches of the trees splendidly; not even a single slap, I tell you. She got to the spot, took him and fled before the other shinkos arrived. This party of six being led by Grand Shinko, Aran shinko, himself arrived seconds later but did not pursue her. Maybe they figured she wanted to finish the job she had started.

He was terribly injured so she put him to rest inside a cave. There were a few torches that brightened the inside of what would have been a really dark cave. She examined his body and realized his recovery rate was beyond human; a rate only common amongst kranjus. “Who is he?” she wondered.

“What is going on there and why all these lightning flashes?” she questioned. She wished she were there and here by this stranger’s side. Then she can know what is happening inside the circle and get the answers she desired from him at the same time. But this was not possible. Even shinkos have limitations.

Meanwhile in the great circle all the other kranjus sat and watched patiently. They were waiting for the old hag to deliver her message so that they can all return to their various homes and duties. After spewing something about change being upon them, she closed her eyes again and would not open them even after a long time had passed. Abra (god of anger) could not stand this elaborate suspense any longer. He got up from where he sat and shouted, “Senile old witch, will you tell us why you have gathered us here or not?” She opened her eyes slowly; the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes were very distinct. She tilted her head to one side and then to the other. With a smile, she asked in her annoying voice, “Who are you?” Abra was so consumed with anger, that his face instantly turned red.

He had every intention of doing something to the poor old lady whom turned out to be neither poor nor old. The events that took place are still hazy. No one can tell what exactly happened. Abra pointed his right hand at her, fell on the icy floor and started screaming in pain. So loud were his screams that, the other kranjus could have sworn they felt his pain too. “What did she do? She neither moved nor said a word. So how did she do it?” The impatient second dwarf was half way up on his feet but sat down slowly and watched round to see if he had been noticed. He too was getting tired of waiting and was ready to support Abra but after seeing what had happened to him, he was ready to sit and wait till the end of the world. He personally did not care any longer. She could take all the time she wants.

 While Abra screamed, she said, “I finally remembered, you are Abra!” Silence enveloped the entire meeting grounds. No one wanted to get on the bad side of this all-powerful witch. She called for silence and silence is what she will get; except for Abra. He was in pain and was all screams.

The female shinko, Kaki shinko’s new best friend had begun to open his eyes. He lay on his back. He turned his head to the left and then to the right and back to the left. He was still feeling light-headed but he saw a furry body at the entrance of the cave. His heartbeat increased and he was a little scared. He tried to get up but could not rise to his feet. He knelt on all four limbs and coughed. His coughing drew her attention. She walked in. Her entire body but her face had maintained her beastly appearance. She looked at him for a while and he too sized her. Slowly, the fear disappeared all because of that face. Seeing it makes him brave and unafraid of nothing. “I am…,” said Kaki before he interrupted.  

“I now understand. Thank you for saving my life.” She was still new to this side of her; her human side. She struggled to keep the beast inside her in check. All he did was express gratitude and instead of welcoming the gesture, she was enraged, her face changed back into a beast, she roared and attacked him.

Elsewhere in the great circle where the all-important meeting was taking place, “granny” had stopped Abra’s pain by simply pointing at him and was about to start her long, boring speech. She started by saying; “hello my children…” “Who’s she calling my children, she may be old, powerful and all but she is no one’s mama” thought impatient second dwarf. She continued with “I know you have many questions. Do not worry. All your questions will be answered at the right time.”

Back in the cave Kaki shinko had her long claws sitting on the neck of her guest. It seems she was able to stop herself at the last hour. Her face was slowly changing back to human. That was really close. A few blood drops run along her claws and dropped on the ground. She withdrew her claws slowly and wanted to apologize but felt too proud to do so. When she looked at the face of her prey, he looked really calm. “How come he is so calm? Who is this man?” she wondered. When she asked why he is so calm. He answered with a smile saying, “you saved my life when you should have taken it; it is only fair you take it now. Besides, I am too weak now to fight you (can he?). I simply hoped you were going to spare me again.” The way he spoke and his very demeanor relaxed her. She was slowly getting a hang of it; gaining control over the beast.

White granny sitting on a white stone continued. She said “I am Afranto (white messenger) of Nompotse (Lord of Nomposuro also referred to as the hidden one). It was Nompotse’s will that this meeting take place inside Nompowaka (the circle of power). A similar circle exists within Dun-da (the caves of darkness), Nompoti (the circle of truth). Just as power fills the body inside Nompowaka, truth feeds the mind inside Nompoti.

“Two nompo days and nompo nights ago (note that time travels differently in Nomposuro), our home was invaded. For some reason, this intruder found himself within Nompoti with one of our very own, Kaki shinko (she looked the way of the shinkos) and that is probably why she is not here with us now. She is confused and finds herself in darkness (Did she just say Kaki Shinko was now in darkness?). She needs our help to come back into the light” said Afranto (Clearly she must be kidding, right?).

Kaki shinko asked her new friend, “What are you?” “I don’t really understand what you mean by that,” responded her guest. “How come your wounds healed so fast? Only kranjus have this kind of ability and you are no kranju. So, what are you?” demanded Kaki Shinko.

“Oh that! Back in the world where I come from, I am an Onimdifo (medicinal research scientist) and a few years back, I stumbled on an herbal formula that can cure just about any ailment and wound within the shortest possible time. I named it the tsofako (cure to a thousand ailments). I guess the dose I took is probably still circulating in my system. If only it could cure all ailments like I hoped it will, things would have been different” said the lanky figure. His mood had changed all of a sudden. Kaki immediately knew why he was in Nomposuro. He came for it. Kaki looked away. She did not want to feel pity for him. “I am Kaki. What is your name?” asked the shinko.

“The hidden one has gathered us all here for one particular reason. He wants us to know that this intruder has come to Nomposuro for the same reason many men came in the past; for Nomposuro’s greatest treasure and why? So that he can become famous, powerful and wealthy. We must all work hard to drive this alien out,” ended another part of Afranto’s (the white messenger’s) speech.

She paused for a while and looked around. Everyone was still very silent. Palpably that was not the reaction she expected. In her head she saw them all rising and cheering her great speech. “Worse audience ever,” whispered the old witch. “Sitting in this circle, he wants us all to imbibe more power – power to drive our enemy out once and for all!” She paused once again to observe their reaction. They remained silent. “What kind of audience is this!?” shouted Afranto in a scratchy voice and spitting while she screamed.

“We heard you loud and clear Afranto. But what is special about this alien?” In the past Nomposuro had been invaded many times and each invasion failed to destroy the great tree we call Nomposuro. Its roots run deeper than any known tree and no mortal born of a woman can uproot it”, said the blond haired nhutu. This was greeted with loud chants and applause from all the kranjus present. “You chant and applaud to that!?” eyes flashing with rage, asked Afranto.

Shutu rose leisurely and putting on a serious face this time spoke, “I get it now. It is him isn’t it? He has finally returned”. The faces of the kranjus changed. Many of them were simply bemused. Then Safihutu also asked with great surprise and a hint of fear “Afranto, tell us, is Shutu right? Is it really him?” The fourth dwarf asked with a puzzled look “who is… him?”

We are still scratching the surface. You have no idea what Njanjan has for you.