THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

Kiwakaazi kept looking over at Deila while they crossed the buduga (serpent’s bridge). She turned to him sharply and asked, “Is there something you want to ask?” “No!” interjected Kiwakaazi. “I’m just checking, you know, because of what happened the other time. You almost died on me.”

The message about the Shosuma (Soul or Life), where it comes from and where it is to go started with Anambre who was Dzani (Knowledge). Anambre departed and left the work to his disciples led by Kudi, the cripple. When Kudi’s time to go to Alaami was up, he passed on the mantle to Vuga, the miser. And Vuga trained and perfected Makinwa II. Makinwa II was a descendant of Ingwa Mputu of Payuse and Naa-ba Makinwa of Kuzase. He was named after his great, great grandfather and was heir to the throne of Kuzase. The message was therefore sustained and passed on from one Gyaati (messenger) to another until it was time for Zimfatu to become a Gyaati.

It had been almost five hundred years since Kaki tricked and took over Deila’s mind and body. When it first happened, that beautiful realm where Deila goes to when she wants to talk to Kaki was dark. Kaki had a magnificent dark castle in that realm. Deila was her prisoner in that realm. She had been bound by very strong chains. Then one day, she looked into his eyes and everything in that realm started to change. Deila wanted so much to get to know him that she instantly rose to her feet and broke the chains around her wrist and ankles using shear brute strength; strength she did not even know she possessed. Kaki tried to stop her but she fought back and ran. The instant she set foot outside Kaki’s magnificent palace, someone turned the lights on. Kaki’s great palace shrunk into a small wooden cottage and peace was restored in that realm.

So Kaki was angry and with every passing day she grew even angrier. Deila was beginning to trust Kiwakaazi. She was beginning to depend on him. She wanted to teach Deila a lesson. Deila needed Kaki and she had to be reminded of that. Kaki retracted a little bit of her power; the power she was using to sustain Deila’s body. Deila immediately felt her life slipping away and tried to hang on to it. Kaki released her powers back to Deila. However, Deila absorbed too much power and her transformation into a shinko began just before her transformation into a stone mummy. And Kiwakaazi had to carry her and almost died in the process if not for Oogu (Cause of creation).

Zimfatu was Zeiba and Zakaru’s uncle. He was not really close to his nephews but he knew them more than they knew themselves. He shared a few secrets with Zakaru; secrets that guided the immortal to defeat Gbelemantse Kakai (king of death gods). Zimfatu was more than ready to expose his nephew to a world he did not even know existed. Sadly, the boy simply wanted to surpass his father. He was not interested in Zimfatu’s guidance. He used his knew weapon to defeat his neighbors after killing his father and seizing the title of Gondanwura (the chief who sits on a lion’s skin) from him.

“Is this also part of Nomposuro?” asked Kiwakaazi. They had finally arrived inside Adopedan home of the motiada (dwarfs). Adopedan was brighter with few tall trees compared to Dun-da (caves of darkness) and Nhutudan (elemental forest). In Adopedan, shrubs, grasses and flowers dominated. In Adopedan, there were birds flying in the sky and insects crawling on trees. It was different. It was beautiful. Kiwakaazi and Deila stopped for a while to take it all in; to enjoy the view.

Zakaru won every battle he fought. But perhaps none of his battles caught the eye of people as the battle that was tagged as “han-hum” – the battle of immortals. Remember Zimbaru was doing great as a conqueror until he got to Dagbaala where he almost lost Zeiba. When Zakaru became the next Gondanwura, he also attacked Dagbaala. He thought, ‘What better way to surpass my father than defeating the very village he failed to overcome?’

The leader of Dagbaala was known as Wosu (meaning invisible one or shadow) because it was known that only a few of his subjects had heard his voice and even fewer had seen him. Yet, the Dagbala’s believed he was immortal and invincible. Zakaru, after his mysterious resurrection from death, had also been touted as the kusu (the dead man). Well, so how can someone kill a dead man? He is already dead, for crying out loud — hence the name of the battle; han-hum (battle of immortals).

Gondwa was winning the war between Dagbaala and Gondwa. After the commander of the Dagbaala army was easily killed by Zakaru, a message was sent to The Shadow of Dagbaala and it was simple: “If the shadow does not come out of hiding his village will be devoured by the dead man.” Wosu (The shadow) came out to make sure that would not happen. He was a very spiritual man. Some say that he, like Zakaru, once died. Unlike Zakaru, Gbelemantse Kakai’s appearance scared the daylights out of him. There was no way he could challenge Kakai. Instead, he fell at the king of the death gods’ feet and cried. He begged Kakai to give him more time. He would do anything and everything. He will serve Kakai on earth and when he dies, his soul will be Gbelemantse Kakai’s servant. Kakai made a face and spoke. His voice; oh his voice and breath was just despicable. “Kneel!” first commanded Kakai.

“I guess you like what I have done with the landscape. It took me quite a while. But it was all worth it at the end,” said a deep and dominating voice from behind Kiwakaazi and Deila. They both turned expecting to see a huge and scary figure. You can just imagine it right? They lifted their eyes high above their own heights. But there was nothing at that height. They had to lower their eyes considerably and behold a short bearded man wearing straw around his waist and a crown made from palm leaves on his head.

About five hundred years ago, when the Central Empire was not a dark forest surrounded by a peculiar white wall and inhabited by kranju (immortal guardians), Kaazi Kiwakaazi II revived and ruled the eight Kingdoms that were together known as Nananompofie (Home of the Ancient Ones). The Central Empire had just been revived. It became the youngest empire in the Saharaifa (Saharan Civilization). After about ten years there were enough housing units to house the empire’s citizens. There were farms to produce food. Dams had been constructed to supply water to homes and farms and the Central Empire was developing with pace. Kaazi Kiwakaazi II had help from his childhood friend, Jaazi (Emperor) Arangosango of the South and his new friend Quaazi (Emperor) Selasi of the West.

Thanks to the west, almost every empire had schools to train young minds; hospitals and recreational centers and the new empire, the Central Empire, too wanted these things. But this would mean that more vegetation would have to be cleared to make way for construction.

One elder of Nananompofie, Fijae, opposed destroying the vegetation. Some say before the Central Empire was revived, he lived in the South and was very close to the herbalists. He did not develop the ability to talk to trees but he loved the trees and spoke against destroying them. He argued that the Central Empire needed food, water and shelter, and, all these things were available. They do not need schools. Children of the Central Empire can travel to the west for education. They do not need hospitals because among them were some very good herbalists, priests and wise men. Their leader, Kaazi Kiwakaazi II, was a very powerful man. His gaze can cure all ailments. They also had the guanvibushi (the plant of eternal health). There was no need to destroy plants to please his new western friends.

Kaazi Kiwakaazi II believed in democracy and it was put to a vote. The kings, chiefs and elders save the Kaazi of the eight kingdoms of Nananompofie voted. Fifty percent of these people supported Kaazi Kiwakaazi II and fifty percent supported Fijae. Kaazi Kiwakaazi II said, “We will do everything to protect the trees of our empire. But these are also important. We need these facilities to help our empire grow.” Kaazi Kiwakaazi II’s stand was clear. Fijae also spoke saying, “But you will not live forever. Today we need schools. Tomorrow we will need another thing which will lead to the destruction of more plants.”

Imagine you were Fijae. Imagine you love all types of plants even the poisonous ones but you did not have the power to protect them. Even if you were right not everyone will listen to you. Then one day you heard an intimidating deep voice. This voice offered power to protect the object of your love —plants. What would you do? You would jump right at it and that was exactly what Fijae did. He invited this voice into his body, mind and heart. And when all was said and done, his appearance changed. He became the dwarf called Kun (the plant dwarf). All his memories about his past life as Fijae were buried very deep within his mind. All he knew was that he was the dwarf who could create and destroy forests with just a snap of his fingers.   

The Wosu stood as a really tall and dark man. He was very muscular with six pack abs and a really great chest. He wore earrings and even had a nose ring. His head was completely shaved; no hair on his head. His eyebrows were thick with hair. He also had hair from around his ears to underneath his chin; really black hair. His arms and legs were also hairy. His hairy body was covered with an animal’s skin he wore like a cloak over his shoulders. It is said that he never smiled and he never laughed. He came out to challenge Zakaru and Zakaru alone. He rode gracefully on a white horse and looked with intent in only one direction — directly in front of him.

Riding on a black horse in a similar style was Zakaru. The eyes of the two immortals met. They were being followed by men in their armies. The Dagbaala leader, the Wosu (shadow) was well known and feared. Without ruthless acts of war and intimidation, he commanded a large army that comprised men from his neighboring villages. When the two men got close enough, the Wosu asked, “Are you the man who defied death?” in a serious and deep voice. “Who wants to know?” asked his opponent in another serious and deep voice.

“My name is “Kun”. I am the first motiada (dwarf). I control every plant in all of Adopedan, and Nomposuro, if I am allowed to step anywhere outside of Adopedan. I am sure you like the way I have blended the colors pointing to his right where some flowers with yellow and red flowers were growing together with flowers with pink and purple petals. It is really beautiful isn’t it?” the first dwarf asked.

Kiwakaazi and Deila were just staring at him. He was an ordinary man with small features. He was like a big baby. Small round head and a cute round face. He was not completely bald and had long and black facial hair. He had a very deep voice and smiled; not the scary being Kiwakaazi and Deila expected.

Gbelemantse blessed the Wosu saying; “no weapon fashioned by man can kill you. No death god will ever come near you. The Zabugi gbeleda vuju (keys to hell) I place in your hands. So long as you wield this weapon, all my promises will be kept and you shall be an immortal.” The Wosu held his arms above his head while kneeling before his master Gbelemantse Kakai to accept the keys to hell. The keys were not exactly keys but a weapon with black hilt and a square sitting above the hilt. Two blades: one with a silvery appearance and the second with a black appearance, coiled around each other until they met at and form a pointy apex. The Wosu gladly accepted this weapon and thanked Kakai for being so generous before he returned to his body on earth.

Kun (first dwarf) said, “I am not a violent dwarf. Honestly, I do not like violence. But you two must be stopped.” Kiwakaazi and Deila took their stands ready for his attack. Kun smiled and after smiling, a creeping plant sprouted from the ground and stole the kafunde from Kiwakaazi. The creeping plant bound the bodies of Kiwakaazi and Deila.

Kiwakaazi and Deila struggled to break free. Kiwakaazi could not change into a rahasi because his kafunde had been stolen from him but what about Deila? Strangely, she too could not change into Kaki. They were looking around their bodies. They were looking for a way to break free but there was none. Not only were the vines too strong but the leaves of these vines weakened them. They felt light headed as if something was stealing their strength. When they lifted their heads, they saw a number of well sharpened branches which looked more like well sharpened large pencils. There were about twenty of them in total.

Kun said, “I expected the two of you to be stronger than this.” The twenty sharp pieces of wood were suspended gently in the air. Kun made a fist and when he showed his small palm to them, the sharpened branches flew with great speed towards Kiwakaazi and Deila.