THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

Kiwakaazi disappeared and attacked Kaki from behind. The pointed end of the kafunde was bearing down on her back. She turned quickly and displaced it to her right with a right fist. He attacked again, swinging the kafunde from left to right; then from right to left in quick successions over and over again trying to back Kaki into a corner.

Kiwakaazi could control neither his mind nor his body. True! Someone jumped out of the cave of tears looking like Kiwakaazi. Facially, he was Kiwakaazi but was it really him? To her, this man was not Kiwakaazi. Remember the first time they met in Nompoti (circle of truth). Kiwakaazi saw the human behind the beast. And a boy was the first thing Kaki saw when she looked into his eyes.

Somewhere inside Gbeleshie and a long time ago, Zakaru was trapped in darkness. This was no ordinary darkness. It was a spell cast by the king of the death gods to dull his opponent’s senses. Not only was he blind but none of his senses worked in the darkness. He just moved around in circles not knowing exactly where to go or what to do. Then, the torture begun: once in a while, something or someone will cut him with a sharp object. His arms were cut; His back and abdomen were cut. His legs and thighs had all been slit. He began losing blood. After a while, he felt dizzy and was losing consciousness. How pathetic! His legs felt heavy. His eyes refused to remain open. He was falling very slowly. He could not believe it. This was his only chance of proving his worth to his father. Maybe Zimbaru was right after all, he was too weak to be called the son of Gondanwura, Zimbaru.

On that day in Nompoti, Kaki first saw eleven year old Kiwakaazi. He was frightened and confused. He begged, “Help, please help me. Save me from this Zamaya (bringer of death).” Kaki’s maternal instincts kicked in and her human side fought hard to stop the beast from killing the scared innocent boy. That was not all she saw. That is a story for another day. Anyway, ever since that day, Kaki still sees that boy in Kiwakaazi’s eyes.

That was how she knew him – how she identified and recognized Kiwakaazi. The Kiwakaazi she was fighting was an illusion. His eyes did not reflect that boy. All she sees is darkness. It was like he was empty. It was like he was missing his soul. But where is he? Where is Kiwakaazi?

Back in Gbeleshie (Afterlife), slowly Zakaru was falling. He gave up in mind and body and soul. It is over. He was light headed and was not very certain but he felt something supporting him. He leaned on something. From this thing shone light. It started very small and then it went to shine so brightly that it dispelled the dark spell cast by Gbelemantse. After all the darkness had been consumed by the light, he saw that it was not “a something” but “a someone” – his uncle Zimfatu. He had journeyed all the way to Gbeleshie to help him.

Zimfatu was the older brother of Zimbaru but unlike his brother, he shunned all acts of violence. Because of his non-violent nature, he could not participate in the brutal ways of selecting leaders in Gondwa. He therefore lived a simple life of solitude and devotion to the gods or a god; no one was certain. Anyway he was very much respected in Gondwa and why not? When the village was attacked by strange diseases, who provided a cure? Zimfatu! When the village went through a few months of drought, who taught them about water underground and how to access it? Zimfatu! What was the name of the soothsayer whom foretold of the birth of a great warrior in Gondwa? Zimfatu! So everyone acknowledged him. To them he was a prophet – the true mouthpiece of the gods of Gondwa.

Zakaru started training with his father when he turned eleven. Sadly, his body was too weak and could not cope with the rigorous training. After each session, Zakaru will be bed ridden for days or weeks unable to move. His father realized his son was not capable of becoming a true Gondanwura. There was no need wasting his time on a weakling. He focused all his attention on the son with potential; Zeiba.

Zakaru lost his mother a long time ago and his father did not pay any attention to him. He knew his father wanted a strong son. He wished he was strong. Sadly, he was not. All he wanted was to be acknowledged by his father. All he wanted was for the man to love him. He wanted his father to be proud of him and that was why he did not want to lose. He must grow strong.

Gbelemantse said, “You (referring to Zimfatu)! You are one of the followers of that cursed being, Anambre.” Zimfatu said nothing in reply. He just turned to his nephew and healed all his wounds by touching him once with his index finger on the forehead. He said to his nephew, “This is all I can do to help you. The rest is up to you.” He moved to a safe distance and watched the battle. With Zimfatu around, the death god could no longer spread his darkness. Zakaru was now confident he could win.

Somewhere inside Nomposuro, the love birds had stopped fighting. They were both exhausted and stopped to catch their breaths. They were breathing loudly while staring at each other. Kiwakaazi tightened his grip around the hilt of the kafunde and vanished.

Kaki was right all along. After Kiwakaazi fell into the dark hole he never came out of it; his body and mind did, but not his soul. His soul remained trapped in the darkness – wandering. He could see no entrance and not even a glimmer of light. He shouted, “Hello! Anybody there!” He heard no response. He was growing weary and scared. Out of his frustrations, he shouted, “Kaki are you there? Help…! Please help me!” Somehow, mysterious as it may sound, Kaki heard Kiwakaazi’s cry for help. It was faint and distant but she heard him. “No! It must have been my imagination,” she thought initially. But after hearing it for a second and a third time, it was no longer an imagination. She knew he needed her help.

Zakaru after being healed by his powerful uncle felt stronger than ever. He tried his first trick again. This time, he had five Zakaru’s distracting the ginormous king of the death gods. Kakai had his hands full and cut his right leg again. He was reduced to his knees. The pointed end of the Uhurusa katui now sat on Gbelemantse Kakai’s throat. Zakaru said, “Drop your weapon, Kakai.” Gbelemantse let go of his Bukantanga katui. The peculiar sword fell and shook the earth. Kakai has conceded defeat.

Kaki threw a right punch towards her left. Kiwakaazi rightly appeared on her left and got punched in the gut. Kaki took in a deep breath. Rahasi’s are very persistent. He will continue to attack until his target is dead. Kiwakaazi disappeared.

She simply let go of all her fears, worries, anger and everything she felt strengthened the shinko inside of her and for the first time changed into a complete human being. It was the perfect human form. Beauty was written all over it. It was her beautiful face and slender body. It was her rounded breasts and tiny waist. It was her long hair and beautiful toe and finger nails. She was worthy of the title “Tinle (Princess).”

Kiwakaazi appeared right in front of her. His kafunde was already on its way towards her heart. She did not flinch. She did not move. She was ready to embrace death if that is what it will take to save Kiwakaazi. Like Isaac, she was ready to be the sacrificial lamb. Wait, Isaac did not know his father Abraham was going to sacrifice him, did he? I am not sure. What I remember is Kiwakaazi stopped himself just in time. He too like his ancestor, Kinwa-si-kaazi, stood with his sword pointing towards her heart and shaking like a leaf. Two or three drops of sweat fell from his face.

Zakaru has defeated the so called King of death gods. Gbelemantse asked him what he wanted. He said, “You will never come near me ever again and I am taking the Uhurusa katui along with me to the physical world.” Gbelemantse cautioned, “The Uhurusa katui is very destructive. It only seeks to kill and everywhere it goes, death shall follow.” Zakaru did not seem to care. He was ready to do anything and everything to gain favor with his father. The battle was over. There was no need for them to hang around in a spirit world. Zakaru planted the Uhurusa katui in his left palm and it disappeared. Zimfatu came close to Zakaru and tapped him on the shoulder. The two together disappeared from Gbeleshie.

Before stopping himself, Kiwakaazi saw a bright light. Kaki’s face was first to appear. She shouted from a distance, “Kay, I am here to help you!” Kiwakaazi could see not only her face but her entire body. She was not a beast at all and even more beautiful than he had ever imagined. She run towards him and when she got near, she hugged him so tightly he feared her soft breasts were going to suffocate him to death but it was okay. That would have been a glorious death.

Kiwakaazi’s eyes finally opened. Kaki was still human and was hugging him. The black vest slowly disappeared until only a long black thread hung around the hilt of the kafunde. His eyes returned to their normal dark brown color. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Once again, Kaki has saved him.

 “My guess is that, the man in Kiwakaazi’s dream was trying to tell him that only the power of love can save him but perhaps not just any kind of love. It is love that believes and sees past the darkness in you; the love that believes in your innate good and is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to prove that. That love can save you from anything.”

That kind of love saved Kiwakaazi.