THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

In Nomposuro; in Adopedan; at the bridge across the Jadan (black river), home of the sobudu (triple headed serpent), Kiwakaazi and Deila fought their last physical battle together. It was intense. It was fierce and it promised to be easy — only a promise.

Kiwakaazi’s entire body was covered from feet upwards and concealed under a black vest. Only a small area of his face was shown. His eyes, nose, lips, chin, cheeks and ears remained visible — untouched by the black vest characteristic of a rahasi (guardian of hell). A red and relatively thick mark only a few centimeters long appeared underneath his eyes. Pointing downwards was the pointed tip of the kafunde (demon mummifier) in his left. He was looking up. His right hand was raised and his palm opened as if he was receiving something from the sky. He looked focused. He looked determined and he was damn certain of victory.

He continued to make a loud “haa” sound and fifty golden swords dispersed in various directions to cut down snakes that were being hatched and sometimes the eggs themselves. But fifty swords were not going to be enough. The red mark under Kiwakaazi’s eyes grew longer and the number of swords increased. It grew again until five hundred golden swords cut down blue, red and black snakes.

Kaki was already air-borne and screaming; producing a loud screeching sound that destroyed the falling snakes. She shifted her body towards her right and swung her right arm tearing one black snake into two. She turned and screamed exploding about ten snakes falling behind her. She shifted her body right and then left to avoid being hit by the red and blue liquids that causes corrosion and paralysis respectively. She screamed and turned her body round while still flying. She was like an ace pilot spinning a plane in the sky. Only her plane was her own body and many of the snakes were killed.

Kiwakaazi remained on the ground to deal with the snakes that somehow survived Kaki’s high tune. He too vanished and appeared about a microsecond later close to where he disappeared just to avoid a red liquid ball thrown at him. He slowly raised his left hand and whispered, “Come and taste my blade.”

Before this very awesome battle against red, blue and black snakes, Kiwakaazi was trying to bust Deila out of her inner world. He stopped lightning with his palm and used it like a whip to attack Edua first. The lightning whip did slice through Edua. Before it got to Kundu, he glowed and the lightning whip disappeared. It virtually disappeared from Kiwakaazi’s palm. Anantie agreed, “He is powerful indeed.”

Anantie quickly went on his knees and touched the ground. He shouted, “Shikpon tsu (earth prison)!” and trapped Kiwakaazi in a rectangular rock building with no doors and windows — just solid brick-like building. Kundu shouted, “Hain panie mpem mpem (thousands of light needles)!” Long pointed needle-shaped light rays attacked the rectangular building Kiwakaazi was supposed to be trapped inside. Suddenly, Kiwakaazi’s prison exploded sending about a thousand pieces of brick into the air. The long needle-like light rays were all diverted away from Kiwakaazi’s body and disappeared. Kiwakaazi lowered his head and noticed that his feet, legs and thighs have all turned red. He wondered, ‘What is she doing now?’

Inside Deila’s cottage, Kaki pushed Deila with her left hand and stretched her right hand. She caught hold of a golden chain and held on firmly until the chain shattered into a million particles. Zibaru appeared again after the chain shattered. Kaki immediately sung; her second sound which is enchanting. Zibaru’s eyes turned black and Kaki killed him by driving her cone-like tail through his chest once again. Deila was amazed. Kaki killed the rahasi quickly, but what amazed her was the fact that her fair skinned doppelganger’s sound did not affect her. Deila inquired, “How come I was not hypnotized by your sound?” Kaki answered, “It is because you are immune to it. That is not important for now. Listen carefully. There truly is another way to connect you to your body. All you have to do is….”

Close to the buduga (serpent’s bridge), Kiwakaazi was swinging his kafunde like a true master of the sword. He would disappear once in a while to avoid a blue or red liquid and when he appears, will simply cut through the snakes. He moved about three feet above the ground and used his golden swords as steps. Kaki landed and said, “Kay, we can end this quickly with my powers. But you will have to close your ears to not be affected by this sound.” Kiwakaazi did not question. The black vest around him simply moved and filled the inside of his ears until he could not hear a thing. Deila swung this time. It was actual music. It was intoxicating music; music that forced the three-headed water serpent to rise out of the black river. It crawled on the ground and stopped in front of Kaki. Its eyes have been turned black.

Kaki went on her knees and shouted, “Now Kay!” Kiwakaazi commanded three of his golden swords into action. The three heads of the serpent were lost and the serpent’s body disappeared. Kiwakaazi appeared next to Kaki and questioned, “Are you okay?” She answered, “I’m fine. Just a little bit light headed that’s all.” Kiwakaazi helped her to her feet. Kaki inquired, “Did we get it?” The eggs and the falling snakes were all gone but the river remained black. That should not happen. If a budu is defeated, the river it resides in turns clear. It was an indication that the serpent had been defeated. Deila asked, “Kay, what is wrong?” Kiwakaazi took two steps forward. He looked up and looked down and shouted, “Fly!”

In Deila’s inner world; somewhere in the beautiful gardens the fight between Kiwakaazi and three powerful heroes of Nomposuro continued. Anantie spoke. “I think trying to get him with long range attacks won’t work. We have to hit him with brute strength.” The soil rose and covered Anantie’s body. His skin became reddish — his impervious clay armor. He held out his right hand and his clay spear appeared. Kundu also held out his hand and his light staff appeared in his right. Edua was late to the party. He was a rahasi with a kafunde in hand.

Anantie was first to attack. By using the air as steps, he took one step and by the end of his second step towards Kiwakaazi, Kiwakaazi was gone — vanished. Kiwakaazi appeared behind Anantie. He had already swung his golden sword horizontally but at the same time, Kundu’s mysterious staff made from light was pointed towards Kiwakaazi’s back. Kiwakaazi was forced to vanish again.

 He appeared only to meet Edua and the kafunde in his back. He was fortunate to have been surrounded by the black flames that shielded him from the kafunde. The very powerful and mysterious white sword could only travel a short distance through Kiwakaazi’s back. Kiwakaazi quickly turned and swung his golden sword aiming for Edua’s head. Edua disappeared. Anantie, Kundu and Edua now surrounded Kiwakaazi. They paced around him slowly until it was Kundu’s turn to initiate an attack.

At the third and final buduga, Kaki was air-borne. This time, Kiwakaazi rode on her back. She questioned, “How did it survive?” They both looked down and there it was: a black snake with three black heads. “This must be the real sobudu (triple-headed snake). The one that jumped out of the river must be a fake. It probably knew about you and your powers and decided to hide underground to avoid being affected by your sound,” explained Kiwakaazi.

 A few minutes earlier, the real sobudu (triple-headed serpent) crawled from underneath the ground. It was unexpected and quick. Kaki lifted off the ground very quickly but the serpent still pursued her. Only one of her three necks; the one in the middle grew tall in pursuit of Kaki until it was cut down by one of Kiwakaazi’s golden swords. The serpent turned the other two heads to attack Kiwakaazi. Kiwakaazi quickly used his golden swords as steps to rise above ground level and managed to cut off the remaining two heads. Since they were not done at the same time, the heads of the serpent regenerated. This second black serpent with only black heads spread something at its back. It was white. It was a pair of wings. It flapped it once again and took to the sky.

Kundu leapt off the ground. His light staff was high above his head attacking Kiwakaazi from his right. Kiwakaazi quickly turned and swung his golden sword. Kundu was blown away. He fell on his back. He lifted his head and noticed a deep horizontal cut across his abdomen. He could not believe it. Kiwakaazi’s golden sword did not make contact with his body. He disappeared. Anantie attacked from Kiwakaazi’s left. He attacked with the pointed end of his clay spear. Kiwakaazi turned left and swung the golden sword deflecting Anantie’s spear. Edua was already close to Kiwakaazi from behind. Without necessarily turning, Kiwakaazi drove a golden sword through Edua’s abdomen. Kiwakaazi quickly disappeared and surprised Anantie after he drove his golden sword through Anantie’s impervious clay armor and through his back. Kiwakaazi defeated all three men under a minute. But there was still danger. His body up to his shoulders had turned red. Only his neck and head remained.

The sobudu laid about a hundred eggs that hatched into small black snakes with wings. They grew very quickly and laid more eggs that hatched into either red or blue serpents. Then, the sobudu dived back into the Jadan (black river). Kiwakaazi asked, “Can you use your sound?” Deila answered, “Negative! It will take some time. I am sorry Kay but you will have to continue this fight without me.” Kiwakaazi answered, “It’s okay. I can do it without you.” Kiwakaazi commanded his golden swords — five hundred of them and they attacked and killed the snakes. While riding on Kaki’s back, he still fought the snakes. He vanished and attacked two flying snakes. He swung left and then right and they were cut into two before he returned to Kaki’s back. Kaki adjusted her body from side to side to avoid the liquid balls of the serpents. She warned, “Kay, behind us.” Kiwakaazi disappeared again to deal with three snakes; red, blue and black snakes on their tail.

He killed all three. He turned and saw Kaki falling. Her body was covered with some liquid. They had gotten her. One of the black snakes wrapped itself around her and guided her to the earth. Kiwakaazi also landed and reduced the number of golden swords around him just to five. All the snakes disappeared except one — the one holding Kaki prisoner. The serpent lifted its head and spoke: “Kiwakaazi, you have two options. Change from rahasi (death god) to human. Surrender the kafunde to me and accept defeat, or try anything funny and she dies.”

Kiwakaazi stopped to think. He considered everything and realized there was only one way he could save Kaki; to become uhurusa rahasi (ultimate guardian of hell). Kaki shouted, “Don’t be stupid Kay! Don’t trust this serpent!” Kiwakaazi asked, “You promise to spare her if I surrender?” The black serpent responded, “Yes, I will!” Kiwakaazi changed back to human and dropped the kafunde. Something pulled the kafunde into the earth. Then, the black snake disappeared. Kaki turned to human. She was paralyzed and weak. Kiwakaazi quickly moved to her side. She knelt on her knees and her palms also rested on the ground. Kiwakaazi touched her face, the right side of her face with his left hand, and said, “I am glad you are okay.” She stared into his eyes and faked a smile.

After defeating the three men, Kiwakaazi went on his knees. He was losing himself and Deila was not returning. Deila appeared. She appeared kneeling before him. She whispered, “Touch my face.” Kiwakaazi tried to move his arm. He could not do it. Deila touched his left arm. It felt hot and burned her. Kiwakaazi whispered, “Stop this.” She responded, “It’s okay.” She helped him and touched her cheeks with his left palm. It burned her face and the steam released was visible. She made a face and endured. She closed her eyes and all that she could see was that day in the valley of peace when he first touched her. An oval shaped mirror appeared on her right. Both Kiwakaazi and Deila looked through it and saw their bodies lying next to each other. “Can we go back now?” asked Deila.

Kiwakaazi’s neck was now red and it was climbing up his face. Kundu, Edua and Anantie returned. Deila carried his left arm over her shoulders and helped him to his feet. It burned and she screamed but she was not leaving him behind. She took a step and before the three great “root shakers” of Nomposuro could attack, they were gone — returned to their bodies by passing through the oval mirror. Deila woke up first and was relieved when she saw him slowly changing back to human. She waited for his transformation to be complete and whispered, “Thank you, Kay.”

Kiwakaazi was facing the black river. He rose to his feet and Deila asked, “What is it now, Kay?” Kiwakaazi answered, “There is a woman standing on the river.” Deila was able to turn her head. She recognized the woman. Suddenly, the woman disappeared and stood about three feet behind Deila. She said, “It is an honor to meet you once again, Kiwakaazi.”

Kiwakaazi was quite popular in Nomposuro but truth be told, all those claiming to know him were not people he knew. He asked, “Who are you?” “Sorry, where are my manners. I am Salima — guardian of the buduga (serpent’s bridge),” answered the woman.

Salima was a servant at Kaazi Kiwakaazi II’s palace. She was the most beautiful servant in the palace and had a very unique relationship with Jenak. Before Deila came into the picture, she was one of two women Jenak might have fallen in love with.

Salima explained, “About five hundred years ago I was human. I was a servant to Kaaziba Dedeli. She treated me like her daughter and taught me the path of discipline so that someday I may return to Alaami (Eternal Home of Peace). Her practices were difficult and just before I thought I was getting a hang of it, things changed. On that day when Nananompofie (Home of the Ancient Ones) was under attack, I was here. I witnessed many people change. I witnessed how after changing they killed family, friends and strangers. All I wanted to do was to help. I screamed out for help and heard the voice of a woman. She introduced herself as budu (spirit of the black serpent). She claimed she was a friend; a friend of Kaaziba Dedeli. She heard my cry for help and she came to help. She would do anything to help Kaaziba Dedeli. Salima believed the spirit and hosted her. After I changed into a serpent with three heads, Nompotse (Lord of Nomposuro) appeared and whispered some incantations, “Budu vali vapa kash hali (spirit of the black serpent, obey the voice of your master).” He took control of the serpent and used it to kill. First, the black snake with three heads laid two eggs. One of the eggs hatched into a red snake and the second hatched into a blue snake with two heads — the sabudu and sibudu respectively.

The spirit of the serpent was truly a friend of Kaaziba Dedeli. It is rumored that budu was once a very beautiful woman in Vuiti (home of the gods). She was so beautiful that even Suome (goddess of beauty) felt a little jealous. She attracted all the top dogs in Vuiti. Yezar (pride) and his brother Lile-fale (the thousand tongue god or simply the god of language) were the two most interested. Lile-fale (the god of language) and Yezar (pride) were not just brothers but best friends. They worked very well together in creating chaos among mankind. Yezar (pride) was all about singularity and superiority and sometimes people become proud of their language. They consider their language superior and look down on those who speak so called inferior languages. Akaani (The Indescribable One) is one. But people give him different names because they speak different languages and thus claim their god is the true god when the difference is in just the name.

Yezar could not risk budu coming between them. So he cursed her. He turned her into a serpent with black skin and three heads. He kept her as his pet changing her into her true and beautiful form when it pleases him. All was not fair in love and war for Lile-fale (god of language). He was angry with his brother and although the two gods continued to work together, they never see each other. Correspondence between the two top sons of Ishfa is through servants and messengers.

Budu once attacked Kaaziba Dedeli but the light around the wife of Kiwakaazi II was too powerful. It blinded the serpent. Kaaziba Dedeli instead of killing her assailant took it upon herself to rescue her. She took the serpent back to her palace in vuiti where she taught the serpent how to change to human on her own accord. When the serpent reached a stage where she would remain human for a whole day in vuiti, she would be free of the curse.

Salima continued to explain that the voice of Nompotse commands the serpent. However, when the sibudu (single headed water serpent) and sabudu (double headed water serpent) are slain, Salima can cease control and command the serpent. Before Kiwakaazi and Deila reached the bridge, Kaaziba Dedeli paid his two favorite girls a visit. He told them that someone very special will be arriving at the bridge soon. His name was Kiwakaazi. They should let him pass but first, they should test him. They should push him to his limits and give him a choice - a choice to become monster to save the person he loves or to remain human and lose the battle or war. His choice will become very crucial to the outcome of his journey in Nomposuro.

Kiwakaazi made the right choice and crossed the third bridge without necessarily killing the budu. While they crossed the bridge, the sky turned dark. What am I saying? It is always dark in Nomposuro. This time, the darkness was an indicator of impending rains.