THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

Back inside Nomposuro, Deila was feeling the power of Kaki coursing through her body. She did not attack Kuntunku (the third dwarf). The dwarf was shocked because her last attack weakened his defenses. The only reptile left was the black mamba. If she acted quickly, she could have killed the mamba before the other reptiles were revived. This takes time — which she obviously knew. So why just stand and stare? This was the moment he had been waiting for. The moment she would feel she had the upper hand; she would have killed his reptiles and foolishly attack him (the third dwarf). This would have been the best time to have given her a lesson — a lesson she would have never forgotten. The name Kuntunku (Lord of reptiles) would have stayed with her forever. “What is this girl planning this time?” he wondered.

The third dwarf, five hundred years ago, before he became a dwarf, was human. He was not short, bald or hairy. He was tall, maybe fat and not too hairy. He was Pako Raguyezi (Pako the terror) — a thirty-five-year-old man. Well, he had not been Raguyezi (the terror) for about twenty years — not after that incident.

What should have been a short pause at the Imperial court of Nananompofie sparked murmuring, guessing, and exchange of glances. Kaazi Kiwakaazi cleared his throat a couple of times and the entire court was silent once again. He said, “Without wasting your time, the good food and music, l will like to introduce you to the next Kaazi of our great land. He turned to his left and while looking and pointing at Feitu and named him as the successor — Kaaziwe (crowned prince).

Pako was one of the biggest and strongest boys to have been born in the village of Baswana. Baswana was located in Odopafie (Home of Love or Eastern Empire) towards the north of Africa. It was a prominent village in the eastern kingdom of Basa. The name of the kingdom and village were coined from the name of a powerful witch, Basweni, whom used her witchy powers to help the people in that region. She used her powers to let food bearing plants grow quickly and also produce more food. She used her powers to heal the sick. She commanded rain and sunlight. She did almost everything “a messiah” would do and yet she did not lord over the people. All she wanted was for them to be grateful to the gods. The village she lived in was named after her even while she was alive. Anyway, the goddess, Mayale (goddess of Material Wealth) once visited her and warned her to stop being so good. It was against the grand scheme of Akaani (Nameless One) and His son, Ishfa (Time). Life is supposed to be bitter-sweet. If you take one out, you mess with the natural order of things and there would be consequences. However, Basweni was adamant and died after simply stumbling and falling. Let all men remember that being too good is also against the rules — emphasis on “too good,” not just “good”.

The people of Baswana and surrounding villages were lost after her death. They had everything and lost everything the instant she passed. It was very difficult for them but with time, togetherness and hard, the period of hardship without Basweni also passed. So Pako was born and bred in Baswana. He was tall, dark and a bully. He bullied all the kids in his neighborhood. He took their food, water and girls. One of the very weak kids called for a meeting — a meeting of weaklings. About eight weak boys attended this meeting. The time had come for the bully to go down. But none of them was strong enough to take the bully down single-handedly. He suggested they join forces, stand together and take the bully down. You can imagine him giving a great speech and asking at the end of the speech, “Who is with me!?”

Deila had no plans. She had stopped planning. She was no Kiwakaazi. Besides, planning had gotten her nowhere in this battle. No more planning. She was simply going to use a superior technique. One by one they were revived; the crocodile emerged from the Walanuntso (the lake of cleansing); the lizard came from behind the trees and the chameleon had concealed itself behind her. She opened her mouth.

The leader of weak boys in Baswana asked again, “Who is with me!?” because he heard no response after the first time. His fellow eight weak boys shook their heads, got up and left. Two or three patted him on his back for trying. They were all too afraid to do something about the bully problem. One of the weaklings was a spy for Pako and he reported everything that transpired at the meeting back to Pako. Pako met this weakling in the market the next day and gave him three days to enjoy his life. He should eat his favorite food; drink his favorite wine; if he had a girl, he should kiss her and if he doesn’t he should kiss his mother because on the third day, he was going to receiving such a beating, he may probably die. The weakling pissed his pants. Pako, his friends and people around laughed heartily at him. The boy with his head lowered in shame started a long, shameful and frightened walk back home.  

Kaki opened her mouth and her enemies knew she will produce her sound — menacing, loud screeching sound that destroys matter. The mamba as usual wrapped itself around her creator. The others just stood there and watched her. However, they were all mightily disappointed. They had gotten used to that sound but it did not come. Instead, Kaki sung a song. A soft, relaxing and enchanting music that took them out of their bodies to only the gods know where. So let me explain. There are three different sounds produced by Kaki. The first one we all know — loud screeching sound that vibrates matter and shatters it from a molecular level. This sound was her second — the dun kaki lala (the dirge) because it is the sound people hear before they die.

Feitu could not believe his ears. Why him? This was the last thing he wanted in life. How could this be? His two older brothers; Attawaazi and Bakaazi have been preparing and waiting all their lives for a chance to lead. Attawaazi was doing everything to improve the living conditions of the people of the empire. He was really good at inventing stuff that simplified life and made work easy. He was loved for that. Bakaazi was also very wise and had helped prevent pockets of conflict all over the empire. He listens to people and therefore people listen to him. People naturally followed Bakaazi. He was also a great warrior — very skilled archer. No one gave Feitu a dog’s chance to win the race and become crowned prince. Not even the young prince himself.

He stood up and standing beside his father said, “I must say I am surprised at this decision. But if this is the choice of my father, then, it is also the Will of Akaani (The Nameless One). I humbly accept our Almighty Father’s Will and pray he guides me to be half as great as my father here (gesturing at Kiwakaazi) is. Thank you.” His short speech was greeted with rapturous applause. He returned to his seat and the party continued. It was however no more a party for the twins. But they put on a brave face. They congratulated their younger brother. They ate, danced and enjoyed themselves. The Emperor and his wife only mingled for a short while and retired for the night.

The weakling arrived home. He stayed with his grandmother. His parents left Baswana to find work in other villages or cities and left him with his grandmother. He fetched some water from a big, cylindrical and tall clay pot filled with water into a small wooden bucket to wash away the urine before he joined his grandmother for lunch. His grandmother asked why he did not return with the items he was supposed to buy from the market. He explained his situation to his grandmother. His grandmother laughed and told him a true story. She said, “A long time ago I witnessed this with my own eyes. I saw fly caught in a spider web. The spider took about four careful steps towards the fly and turned back because a lizard was lurking. The lizard quickly crawled away because it probably spotted the snake and the snake did not hang around for long at the sight of a red ant. Do you understand what I just said?” asked the weakling’s granny. The boy just sat there and replied, “No Nana (meaning grandmother), I don’t understand.” His grandmother laughed again and said, “At least you have two days to figure it out,” and laughed some more. “Old crazy woman,” she just didn’t want to make it easy for the weakling.

While they were listening to the beautiful song, a black pigment spread and blinded them from the corners of their eyes. Their eyes simply turned black and they were trapped; hypnotized by Kaki’s beautiful performance.

Deila collapsed to her knees. She was human once again and exhausted. She was sweating profusely and felt dizzy. She turned only her head and looked at Kiwakaazi. He was slipping away. She must hurry. She rose to her feet and walked like a drunk towards him; still feeling exhausted and dizzy. When she got close to him, she lowered her body and tried picking up the kafunde (demon mummifier) with her right. She thought, “Kiwakaazi, you are amazing. How come you carry it as if it were the lightest thing on earth?” The kafunde was so heavy she almost broke her back trying to pick it up with a single arm. She now used both arms and had to drag it on the ground because she still couldn’t carry it. She turned to the dwarf and his pets. The dark pigment had started moving away. They will wake up soon. She walked fast and even attempted running. After a few quick steps, she stumbled and fell. She ate dust, spat it out; rose to her feet; picked up the kafunde and continued running and dragging it along.  

The dun kaki lala (the dirge) hypnotizes the opponent. Everything that lives outside the realm of Alaami has a mind. The mind is influenced by the senses. Two of these senses were the strongest; sight and hearing. Imagine this: You hear a song on the radio. You don’t even like it but it stays with you and one day while doing a chore, you begin to sing this awful song which you did not like. So how did Deila get to know about the dun kaki lala (the dirge)?

Deila contacted Kaki within and demanded for more power. Kaki suggested using her second sound — the audible sound that induces hypnosis. However using this technique will require so much power that Kaki warned Deila that she will lose her ability to transform and use the Kakinzi (the white shadow of death) transformation for a while. How long it would take — she was not sure. It could be a day or a week; a month or a year. The second sound does not kill. Deila would have to find an alternate means of killing the dwarf. The hypnosis was timed and Deila would have to kill the dwarf before the effect wears off. This would not be more than three minutes. And after using the second sound, Kaki would be weakened. Deila will assume her human form and she too may be weak. “What will you do?” asked Kaki.

Deila looked at the hour glass and knew she did not have enough time. She therefore agreed to use the dun kaki lala (the dirge) even after learning how dangerous it could be for her and how the odds were not at all in her favor.

Now, she was carrying this heavy weapon, kafunde (demon mummifier). She had lost so much energy she feared she could not make it. Her vision was blurring. She saw multiple dwarfs and reptiles. She noticed the hypnosis wearing off quickly; too quickly for Deila. She fell again and was losing consciousness. She feared she was too far away from the dwarf. She may not make it. She cried and turned her head. She saw Kiwakaazi lying there so close to death. She turned to face her obstacle once again.

She stopped crying; frowned; screamed; got up and started running towards the dwarf with the kafunde with all her might.