THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

“So tell me why you are so bent on helping me?” asked Kiwakaazi.

It was daytime in Nomposuro. It was time for the sun to shine and bring life to everything it touches. But the sun avoided Nomposuro. It was dark; not completely dark but darker than your usual daytime. Kiwakaazi followed his new ally, Kaki, on an adventure to find a mysterious weapon hidden somewhere in the home of the shinkos (furry beasts), Dun-da (caves of darkness). Kaki led the way and Kiwakaazi followed. He watched only the back of her human head and tried to avoid the lower part of her body that was the form of a beast.

Journey through Dun-da was never easy. The trees are always in the way. There was no pathway and bushes and branches of trees have to be moved or avoided during such a journey. The birds do not sing; the insects do not make any sounds. Only one kind of sound could be heard – the sound of wind brushing past trees, leaves and branches of trees.

“Why do you ask? Must I have a reason for wanting to help you?” answered Kaki. Kaki continued to walk but turned her head briefly towards Kiwakaazi while she answered his question with a question of her own. Kiwakaazi answered, “I have come to learn that people always have a reason for everything they do.” Kaki stopped for a while and appeared to be thinking about something. “I guess you are right. But things here are different. There is never a reason for what we do. Anytime someone invades the forest, we attack and kill; no questions asked. We act on instincts and right now my instincts are directing me to help you. This is my reason and I hope it is enough for you,” answered Kaki.

Kiwakaazi realized she was uncomfortable and changed the subject immediately. “What can you tell me about this weapon we seek?” asked Kiwakaazi. “Kranjus call it ‘the Kafunde’ meaning ‘the demon mummifier’. It is the only weapon that can kill a kranju (immortal guardian). One day, I discovered a strange part of the forest. It was a peculiar cave. Water that sparkle white and blue surrounded the entrance completely. When I tried to enter, a strong force pushed me out so hard that I was out cold for about a day. I later found out its name – bon-nsu (the cave of tears),” responded Kaki.

“A few months later, I was tracking an invader. I found him at the entrance of the bon-nsu. He read out the inscriptions on the wall above the cave. The ancient inscriptions he read out as ‘sharush alak shatal’ can be interpreted as ‘only the true self knows the way.’ He entered the cave and came out with the kafunde (demon mummifier). But that was not all. He also came out a Rahasi (guardian of hell).” Kiwakaazi asked, “What is a Rahasi?”

Instead of an answer, Kaki just leapt from in front of him. For a second there he thought that was it for him. He questioned what he had said to anger his new partner. Thank the gods she did not kill him. On the contrary, she saved him.

She run past Kiwakaazi and carried an airborne shinko pouncing on Kiwakaazi above his head. It was so quick and precise. Kiwakaazi saw the shinko float above his head and just before it fell, collided into another shinko that was attacking Kiwakaazi from that direction.   

Kaki shouted, “Climb unto my back Kay and hang on!” Kiwakaazi climbed unto her back and wrapped his arms around her neck and lowered his head. She ran ever so quickly. Kiwakaazi could barely see a thing. It was like the wind was carrying him on its back. It was both exciting and frightening for Kiwakaazi. But this exiting and frightening ride on Kaki’s back lasted for only about half a minute.

Kiwakaazi dismounted Kaki and stepped on land. It was magnificent. He just stared at it – the entrance of the cave. It looked just like water; water that sparkled white and blue. It did not look like a cave at all. The top half and sides of the entrance was green; moss invasion I presume. The earth leading to the cave was dry and not even a single plant grew on it. However, a thick bush surrounded the cave of tears and Kiwakaazi would not have found it without her help. What a reliable ally Kaki is turning out to be.

Kiwakaazi and Kaki both turned. They heard movement in the bushes behind them. The movement stopped and two shinkos jumped out of the bushes. Kaki turned to Kiwakaazi and commanded him to enter the cave. Kiwakaazi was hesitant. Kaki’s face changed and she roared at him. Her foul breath and the wind blowing past him made him understand. He hurriedly entered the cave. She turned to face her new opponents; the fifth and eleventh shinkos.

On a normal day, these two would have been no match for Kaki. But things have been abnormal lately. She left her brothers to help an alien and her battle with the six and tenth shinkos was more difficult than she had expected. Either the shinkos had grown stronger or she had grown weaker. With this two here, others will be coming soon. She must finish this battle quickly and hope Kiwakaazi finds the weapon before the others arrive. With a loud roar, she jumped to attack her brothers.

Kiwakaazi was inside the mysterious cave. It was very dark inside the cave. Then someone appeared – a man. He was an older version of Kiwakaazi and he too was sparkling white and blue. A second person appeared. This time, a woman and she too was the female version of Kiwakaazi. Soon, the entire cave was bright – shining blue and white. The source of the light was people; people of different sexes, dressed differently and of different ages all looking like Kiwakaazi.

Outside the cave, Kaki had put on her scary face and was fighting the other two scary faces with all her might. The fifth shinko blocked her attack and swung his claws. She was able to avoid being hit but the eleventh attacked from behind her and hit her on her side. She was thrown to the ground. Before she even fell, the fifth shinko was already airborne. While she lay on the ground, he descended upon her with a right fist prepared to crush Kaki once and for all.

Kiwakaazi remembered “sharush alak shatal” “only your true self knows the way.” He thought, “All I have to do is to find my true self.” Wait a minute. Which of them was his true self?

It would have been easy if they did not look like him but even the females were Kiwakaazi. An old Kiwakaazi approached present Kiwakaazi and said “come with me. I know the way.” He took a step and Kiwakaazi followed. Then, Kiwakaazi stopped not sure about his choice. Another Kiwakaazi, this one only about two or three years older than current Kiwakaazi, tapped him on his shoulder and said, “Don’t follow him. He is not your true self. I am. Come with me.” Kiwakaazi answered, “No! You are not my true self either. I know how to find him. My true self is the one whose thoughts and heart resonates with mine.”  

Kaki rolled on the ground just in time to avoid being crushed by a blow that destroyed the ground completely. The two shinkos, fifth and eleventh, stood side by side looking intently into the blood red eyes of Kaki. They commenced their growling. She was already tired and out of breath. They sensed there was something missing about her; it was as if she was losing her killer instinct. The Kaki they knew would have been through with them eons ago. If hanging around a human teenager has made her this pathetic, then, it was time they finished her. The two shinkos roared – a roar so loud that it almost blew Kaki away and followed it with an attack.

Kiwakaazi heard the roar and feared Kaki might be in danger. He must hurry. He closed his eyes and tried to quiet his thoughts. He hit a brick wall. The many voices inside his heard suddenly became louder shouting all kinds of nonsense like, “Why are you so worried about the beast? And you are going to die here?” One voice took him as far as the first girl he kissed. The voice asked, “Do you remember your first kiss?” They were all simply unnecessary noise to distract Kiwakaazi. To put an obstacle between Kiwakaazi and his true self. He focused on his own heart. What is he feeling now? Is it fear? Is it calmness? Is it love? What emotion and what thoughts define the kind of person he has become? Slowly the noise disappeared. One after the other the voices were quieting down. And the one voice he was seeking became loud enough to hear.

Kaki caught the two shinkos by the neck. The eleventh shinko’s neck was trapped in her right and the fifth shinko was trapped in her left. They struggled but could not break free from her powerful grip. They could not believe this. Where is this strength coming from? The two shinkos were right. Kaki was going through so many changes now; physiological, mental and emotional changes. She felt it too – her killer instinct was weakening but it was not dead. Like a glowing splint, it can always be rekindled. And now, it has been rekindled. She slammed the body of the eleventh shinko into the ground so hard that the earth cracked and the shinko lost consciousness. With her right arm free, she decapitated the fifth shinko turning him instantly into a stone mummy before ending the eleventh shinko.

Kiwakaazi heard the voice of a boy – a confused and uncertain ten or eleven year old boy. The source of this boy’s fears has always been making the right choice. He was whimpering, “Can I do this? What if I make the wrong choice? What if I fail?” Yes! This voice must be it. This boy must be his true self.

Kiwakaazi did not understand the concept of “true self” but all his life it is like a great war has been waged inside of him. He has always been torn between two sides. He is never sure of the path he chooses. There are always doubts; always there are worries and he is always afraid he will fail. The boy who shared in these thoughts and emotions must be his true self. Kiwakaazi opened his eyes and noticed his other selves were disappearing. One after the other they disappeared until two boys remained. One of the two boys smiled and he also disappeared leaving the one – Kiwakaazi’s true self.

Young Kiwakaazi; true self of Kiwakaazi’s back faced the original. He turned to be greeted with a warm smile. Kiwakaazi walked towards his true self and asked, “Who are you?” His true self frowned and answered, “Well, I am you. I am Kiwakaazi.” Kiwakaazi realized he had asked a stupid question. His second question must make more sense. “Do you know the way?” asked Kiwakaazi. His true self was now boiling over. He shouted, “Why did you choose me if you doubt I know the way!” What did I tell you? He is never certain. Kiwakaazi frowned and thought, “Have I always been this temperamental? Perhaps I made the wrong choice.” His true self instructed, “Follow me,” and Kiwakaazi did. The third time of asking and finally Kiwakaazi was able to ask the right question.

“Tell me about this cave?” asked Kiwakaazi while he and his true self walked. Kiwakaazi’s true self answered, “Nomposuro is a pseudo spiritual forest. On the day the forest was created, many lives were sacrificed. The spirits of those who died on that day could not enter Gbeleshie (Afterlife). This cave was therefore created to house them temporarily until the war is over.” “What war?” questioned Kiwakaazi.

But his true self ignored Kiwakaazi’s question and went on to explain. “The tears of those spirits became the sparkling water that surrounded the entrance of the cave. It is strong magic; magic so strong that no kranju can enter. Nompotse decided to hide the one weapon that can temporarily defeat kranju inside the cave of tears and found use for the souls. When a person enters the cave, the many souls will appear as the person. People don’t really take their time to know who they really are. Thus the riddle, only the true self knows the way.

Kiwakaazi and his true self stood in front of two entrances. Kiwakaazi asked, “Which way do we go?” His true self looked left and then right and pointed on the entrance on his right. Kiwakaazi asked, “So what will happen if you make wrong choice?” His true self took the lead and entered the cave and Kiwakaazi followed. They walked a short distance and were out. Facing them this time were three entrances.

Kiwakaazi’s true self answered, “Your choice will disappear and you will face the worse kind of fate.” A man came running out the middle entrance and screaming, “Get me out of here! Get me out of here!” It was sudden and he frightened Kiwakaazi. Kiwakaazi almost ran until he realized the man was transparent. They should have collided but he passed through the man. His true self explained, “He is a ghost who keeps on trying to find his way out. He has been wandering these caves for the gods know how long.” Kiwakaazi’s true self pointed at the middle entrance and once again led the way.

In the next hall, there were five entrances. Kiwakaazi’s true self moved his eyes from one entrance to the next. It took him three long minutes and still he could not make a decision. Kiwakaazi asked, “Which way do we go, now?” His true self answered, “Be patient.” “Be patient… are you sure you know the way?” asked Kiwakaazi. His true self ignored him once again.

A girl with rabbit teeth appeared in front of one of the entrances. It was the second entrance from the left. His true self said, “That way!” Kiwakaazi shook his head and thought, “All he is doing is following the ghosts. I really don’t want to be a mad ghost.” His true self was already inside. He stuck his head out and shouted, “Are you coming or not?!” Kiwakaazi followed.

At last they appeared on the edge of a large crater. Hanging high above the crater and centrally was the kafunde – the same weapon that changed Kinwa into a monster. Kiwakaazi waited. He needed to think. Is this what he really wants to do? Does he want to become a monster? He heard roaring and knew Kaki needed his help. He asked his true self, “How do I get up there?” with a determined look. The boy shrugged.

Kiwakaazi looked around but saw no way to reach the weapon. Suddenly he slipped and was flapping his arms in the air like a bird. He was about to fall into the dark abyss. Surprisingly, instead of falling, his left foot landed on an invisible stair. He took another step and another stair appeared to support his right. He followed the stairs carefully which led him straight to the weapon. He turned and looked at the boy whom was looking on unconcerned.

He reached out for the weapon and stopped. He thought, “These things are always booby-trapped.” He looked around some more as if he could spot a trap if there was one. He touched the weapon and quickly let go of it again. Nothing happened. His true self stood there irritated at what Kiwakaazi was doing; “Just grab the damn thing already!” he shouted. Not out loud to Kiwakaazi’s hearing but inside his own head. Eventually, Kiwakaazi mustered courage and grabbed the weapon. He held it for a while and realized it was safe. He faced to his “true self” and raised the weapon. He smiled and waved it implying, I did it.

Kiwakaazi’s true self whispered, “Please don’t let the power overwhelm you,” and disappeared.

Kiwakaazi heard what is true self said and thought, “This can’t be good.” And it was not. The inside of the cave and crater began to shake. Kiwakaazi jumped. He knew he did not have enough time to descend the stairs slowly but he still fell. The invisible stairs were gone and Kiwakaazi was now falling into a dark chasm.

“Help!” screamed Kiwakaazi on his way down a bottomless and dark pit.