THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

A door opened. Okyerefo was in bed. Two women stood next to him. He gestured for the person at the entrance to enter. He entered carrying an electronic tablet in hand. Okyerefo in a sickly voice asked, “What news do you bring?” The man answered, “He did it. He is still alive.” He showed a blinking red dot on the screen of the tablet he carried. He said, “Remember the dot represents his heartbeat.” Okyerefo asked, “But why is it beating so slowly?” The man answered, “I think he just won a very difficult battle. The dot disappeared for a while. It is an indication that he is very weak.” Okyerefo smiled and said, “That sounds good. He has avenged the death of his brothers. Now, I can die in peace.” The man said, “Why didn’t you just tell him?” Okyerefo replied, “He chose his own path.” Okyerefo closed his eyes and drew his last breath.

Back in Nomposuro: Zibaru fully recovered. He took on the sibudu (the single headed serpent). It was a very difficult battle which he eventually won. It was now the turn of the nhutus.

After Okyerefo’s death, the remaining Asrafos were debriefed. Elder Demba supervised the debriefing. They were warned never to utter a word about the Asrafodom (league of warriors) program. Failure to do so will end them and their families. The man who was monitoring Zibaru asked Elder Demba, “What are you going to do about Nomposuro?” Elder Demba responded, “Nomposuro is a spiritual problem. We were blind to try to solve a spiritual problem with physical weapons. We are going to fight the supernatural with supernatural weapons. A new program called the Ahonti (Purifiers) program will be started in the east.”

The man protested. “But an Asrafo is still alive inside Nomposuro!” Elder Demba asked, “How do you know this?” He showed elder Demba the beeping red dot on his tablet. Elder Demba asked, “Do you have any theories to explain his survival?” The man answered, “It is the mysterious weapon hidden in the forest. I have forgotten its name.” Elder Demba remarked, “A weapon... is it…?” He stopped. He thanked the man and left immediately for his chopper.

Zibaru’s fight with the nhutu’s took place in the forest. He had plenty of trees around to use as shield. He was hiding behind a tree facing his right. The blond haired nhutu was on the other side looking left and right trying to figure out where Zibaru was hiding. He turned to look forward. The red-haired nhutu was floating in that direction. Fire burned under both her feet. She pointed her left index finger at him and shot a small ball of fire that spread and surrounded Zibaru. She watched while the fire burnt violently reducing the tall tree to ashes in a couple of minutes; presumably also doing the same to Zibaru when Zibaru emerged from the fire and drove the kafunde through her abdomen. He turned and twisted the kafunde whilst it was still inside her to ensure she dies. He pulled it out and even before she fell on the ground, she had been turned into a stone mummy.

A man addressed a gathering. “Welcome to the Ahonti program. You are the men who have signed up to purify the earth of its one pure darkness – Nomposuro. I am your teacher, Ogboo (powerful one).”

Zibaru held the kafunde vertically upwards. Lightning struck the kafunde. It was very powerful but Zibaru held on firmly. He swung his kafunde and a semi-circle of light was thrown out of the weapon. The semi-circle of light attacked the white-haired nhutu and killed it too. Two down, three to go!

Elder Demba met with Ogboo. “I think we can win. The sikan nifanum (five edged sword) is inside Nomposuro. You must encourage the Ahontifos (Purifiers) to find it and use it,” suggested Elder Demba. Ogboo answered, “We will not need that. Follow me.” Ogboo took Demba outside. It was sunny and his Ahontifos were all bare-chested and training. They all stopped the instant they saw Ogboo and Elder Demba. Ogboo called out two names; Jima and Jabari. Two young men probably between the ages of nineteen and twenty-three stepped forward. The rest of the Ahontifos moved back. Ogboo shouted, “Show Elder Demba how prepared we are!”

Jabari first went on his knees and touched the earth with both palms. He shouted, “Shikpon wosomo (earth quake)!” The earth shook beneath their feet. He shouted again, “Shikpon tu (earth gun)!” The earth itself molded a huge gun. He picked it up and placed it on his shoulders. He shouted, “Kpo (fire)!” and three huge, round rocks were fired in quick succession.

Jima lost balance when Jabari used the shikpon wosomo, and just when he was regaining his balance he saw three rocks flying towards him. He went on his knees and shouted, “Nsu din ban (ice shield)!” and held out his left arm. A rectangular ice shield erected in front of him. It was probably the hardest ice ever created. Three rocks smashed into it and only a small crack was made by the rocks.

Jima now attacked. He shouted, “Nsu din agai (ice bow and arrow)!” He planted an ice arrow in the bow string and let go of the arrow. While the arrow was still travelling to its target, Jima shouted, “Pi-ti (scatter!).” The single arrow divided into about a thousand arrows and attacked Jabari.

The black haired nhutu clapped. Two earth arms rose and clapped. The clap was intended to crush Zibaru within but he disappeared and appeared swinging his kafunde at the black-haired nhutu. She turned into a stone statue and the kafunde crushed the statue. It came crumbling down and seconds later, the emergence of the black-haired nhutu commenced. There was no one around Zibaru. He stood and looked round and round waiting for where and when the next attack will come.

Jabari went on his knees and shouted, “Shikpon gbogbo kokloo (circular earth wall)!” A circular earth wall surrounded him. The ice arrows struck the wall but could not find a way through. Jabari suddenly leapt out of the circular wall. His arms had been surrounded by solid rocks. He stepped on a rock mid-air with his left. He stretched his right leg and it also landed on a rock. After the third rock, he was fairly close to Jima. He jumped and on his way down, attacked Jima’s face with a right fist. Jima raised his left hand. A circular ice shield shielded his left face from Jabari’s fist. Jibari’s attack was still powerful. It forced Jima backwards and shattered his ice shield.

Jabari quickly touched the ground and shouted, “Shikpon agbui (earth spear)!” A pointed edged rock rose from the ground where Jima stood. Jima jumped and landed on a solid rectangular ice that balanced on the rock spear below him. Jabari took a step, lifted his right leg high up and lowered it with enough force. Solid rock surrounded his right foot and crushed the ice. Jima summersaulted in the air and he also shouted, “Nsu dan (water prison)!” Water from the ground surrounded Jabari and hardened; it changed to ice. Jabari made a fist and punched the water prison shattering it into a thousand pieces.

It started to rain inside Nomposuro. Zibaru heard it – thunder and later lightning came crushing down upon him. He disappeared and appeared behind the blond-haired nhutu. He swung his kafunde but she also turned into a water statue. Lightning came again and again Zibaru disappeared. He thought he had ended Safihutu when he drove his kafunde through her but her lifeless body did not turn into a stone mummy when it fell. It started, stopped and disappeared. Lightning attacked him again. Zibaru felt a sharp pain in his chest during that lightning attack. He clutched his chest and it was over for him.

This lightning struck Zibaru. He was electrocuted and burnt. He fell flat on his face. The black vest around him disappeared and later the kafunde (demon mummifier) too. The kafunde returned to the cave of tears. The three standing nhutus gathered around him. Safihutu said, “He was a strong one to have made it this far.” The blond and black haired nhutus agreed. They were all breathless.

 The fight between Jima and Jabari went on. Elder Demba’s phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered, “Hello.” He waited for the person on the other side to talk. It was the scientist who worked with the Asrafos. He called to deliver some bad news. Elder Demba said, “I am also sorry. Goodbye.”

Ogboo asked, “Who was it?” “Elder Demba answered, “It was the scientist I talked about. It seems Zakaru has finally been stopped.” Ogboo apologized. “That is unfortunate. I am sorry,” expressed Ogboo. “Don’t be. It was not your fault. I am impressed with their progress. But do you think they are ready for Nomposuro?” asked Elder Demba.

Ogboo answered, “We will never know unless we try.” Elder Demba said, “Fine. Inform them. They will be journeying into Nomposuro in three days’ time. I will first send the scientist to attach the monitoring chips and secure the services of a priest who will perform the Nompogbeto (pathway to Nomposuro).”

Ogboo said, “That is fine with me. We will be waiting for your return after three days.” Ogboo and Elder Demba shook hands. Ogboo rose and shouted, “Enough!”

About a thousand or more ice arrows were preparing to attack Jabari from above while Jima held a ball of water in his palm to distract Jabari. Jabari had bound Jima’s feet with soil and was holding two pistols ready to fire rock bullets at Jima.

Ogboo shouted, “The two of you have fought well. Prepare yourselves. You go to Nomposuro in three days.” The other Ahontifo cheered Jima and Jabari. Their abilities have been recognized by the great teacher Ogboo. They will be the first Ahontifo to enter Nomposuro. Jima and Jabari were carried on the shoulders of their brothers and tossed in the air.

They are happy to be going on a suicide mission. To be human… right?