THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

Anambre was accused of spreading falsehood, treason and other crimes. He was called a beiyoo (warlock) by the chief of Wetinga. If his message about the Shosuma was truth, then why was his message causing so much conflict among families, friends and people all over the world? But more importantly, why has it had no impact on his son, Sukye?  

“You have been using your beiyoo powers to brainwash people. Those who fall under your spell have been armed and are ready to attack villages on your command. We cannot wait for you to destroy homes, lives and property. Anambre son of Atinga, you are sentenced to perform Kurubaba (ritual of cleansing)!” said Nayiri Walanka. Anambre was imprisoned subsequently.

Kiwakaazi and Deila dropped their guard. They thought they had won. Safihutu was undergoing kafushii (stone mummification) transformation. Kiwakaazi had no control over the elements like the Nhutu. He could not readily see colors around people or fruits. He could not make useful conclusion from these colors but he could tell — call it a feeling when something sinister is about to happen. Whenever he felt his impregnable armor crawl up his skin, he knew something dangerous was about to happen. He could not tell when or from where it will come, but, he knew. He suddenly wrapped his arms around Deila whom was standing next to him and shouted “Sadindin! Uhurusa.”

Anambre married Wematu whom was to be burned alive after she was condemned as a prostitute. They had a son. An okay boy they named Sukye, who looked very much like Anambre minus the white hair and blue eyes. When Sukye was about thirteen years old he got into a fight with a neighbor’s son. The opponent and Sukye’s best friend called his mother Ashawo (whore or prostitute). Sukye got mad and attacked the boy. After the fight, his parents explained his mother’s situation to him. “Men are always quick to judge but listen to your mother’s story and judge wisely my son,” advised Anambre.

Wematu does not exactly remember where she was born or where she originally came from. From age ten to age thirteen she was moved around a lot by a woman called Maame Sika. Maame Sika was not bad but perhaps just a little bit lazy. Wematu was the one whom worked to provide food, water and clothing for herself and Maame Sika. She did everything and yet Maame Sika was never content. She always demanded more and more. ‘Why does she not work? If she worked, they will have enough to live the life she wanted,’ Wematu often wondered. Ignorantly, one day she openly asked this question.

The kafunde was like a cone with five sharp edges and four sides. It had a white appearance. Its grip was black and long black threads hung around it. The sword was a source of great power. You can use it without necessarily releasing its power. Once its power is released, there are two primary levels: the Rahasi (the guardian of hell) transformation; and the release of the mark of Uhurusa (ultimate guardian of hell mark). When the mark is complete, the wielder of the sword gains great powers — powers enough to take on Ishfa (the god of time) himself. But this power easily corrupts the soul. Kiwakaazi knew this and did everything to put a lid on it. But sometimes in battle, the opponent pushes very hard and Kiwakaazi is forced to release a little bit more power from the kafunde to push back. This time, he released the Sadindin! Uhurusa (The dance of a hundred golden swords).

Maame Sika was very angry to have been asked that question; so angry that she dragged Wematu whom apologized all the way to the home of another woman, Eno Dufie. Eno Dufie kept a large number of orphan girls. These girls worked hard in her huge mansion during the day; cleaning washing, cooking and scrubbing, and, during the night, they dressed up in gorgeous clothes to satisfy the unhealthy sexual desires of men.

Three years passed before Wematu started work as a prostitute for Eno Dufie.  For five years or more Wematu had to endure this kind of life. She never liked it. But she was too afraid to escape. Not after hearing the screams of the girls whom were pursued and caught after trying to escape. Eno Dufie personally tortured them every night. She cut their faces and burned their bodies. They begged her so much that the other girls cried and could not sleep. And if any girl tries to beg on behalf of the offender, she too will be tortured. It was a nightmare situation, I tell you. No one sleeps during those nights of torture. They can’t help the offenders either. All they could do was cry and beg the gods to save them all from this hell before they died.

Safihutu, who was undergoing stone mummification, disappeared and this coincided perfectly with a lightning attack. Kiwakaazi felt it — her sinister intentions but fifty golden swords were not going to be enough. He therefore commanded a hundred golden blades, the Sadindin! Uhurusa. The golden swords formed a roof above their heads. Once again he wrapped his arms around Kaki. If his swords are unable to stop the attack, she will still be protected by him. How sweet of him. Kiwakaazi, the mortal, shielding Kaki, the immortal…? What love can do to people?

The lightning was powerful and intense. It struck the golden roof causing the roof to have a white glow in addition to the golden glow. When the attack was over, the number of swords reduced to five and the length of the mark on Kiwakaazi’s face shortened. Kiwakaazi and Safihutu were looking squarely into each other’s eyes. Two very strong opponents; two acute thinkers. Who is going to win?

Clearly Safihutu was no push over. She probably anticipated that they will try to use the cry of death on her. The duration of the cry would definitely have caused her death. So she created a clone. Since she created only one clone this time, it was so similar to her that it also underwent stone mummification. This she planned to do in advance hoping they will drop their guard. But how come he knew of her attack? She planned it all too well. This boy, she thought, must be stopped by her. The Sabudu (double headed water serpent) and the dwarfs do not stand a chance.

There was one rich trader in Kuzase who once every month had a party. He invited many men to indulge in all their sexual fantasies. Eno Dufie supplied the women. Only the most beautiful and sexy women were given the special invite to these parties. It was at this great party that one rich man decided to buy Wematu from Eno Dufie.

Wematu was very valuable to Eno Dufie and she did not want her to go. The man had to drain his purse dry to convince Eno Dufie. But she was so greedy that, she planned something horrible to befall Wematu’s savior.

The battle inside the valley of peace was far from over. Both sides came close. Deila’s cry of death came close and Safihutu’s lightning attack caused Kiwakaazi to release more power. Kiwakaazi took in a deep breath and exhaled. The number of golden swords increased from five to fifty. He did not want to get close to Safihutu. It was too dangerous. He moved his fingers and about twenty golden swords attacked her left. She swung her left arm and the wind blew them away like they were feathers. She quickly looked up and noticed about ten attacking from above her. She lifted her right and an ice roof appeared over her head. Safihutu moved her arms like commanding something to rise from the ground and it did. The very ground formed a cylindrical wall around her that defended her from the many golden swords that attacked her from almost every angle around her body.

Kaki shouted, “Kay…!” Kiwakaazi immediately disappeared and appeared somewhere in the bushes away from the valley of peace this time around. You know what this means right? He knew instantly what she was going to do. The Kaki-lala (cry of death) had been activated. Kaki screamed.

The earth shook and the trees outside the valley vibrated. The beautiful valley of peace was being destroyed. Cracks developed in the hard earthen walls of the valley. The water in the valley was so disturbed that it boiled. The wind was moving and the fire was being turned off one after the other. Even Kiwakaazi whom concealed a great part of his body in a hundred golden swords felt the vibration. His swords and his body vibrated. Slowly and one after the other, his swords developed cracks and shattered. This time, she lasted for more than two minutes; her record best time. Kiwakaazi was frightened. At this rate, she might kill herself.

He came out of hiding. He was standing on two of his golden swords and floating in the air. He could not get to close to her. His body was still vibrating. He yelled, “Stop it! Deila…! Can you hear me!? I said stop!” But she would not. Kiwakaazi said to himself, “Think…? Think quickly?”