All Rights reserved. This work,or any part thereof shall not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the author.


Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living,dead or undead is purely coincidental.


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988 A.D



I stand,wiping off blood stains from my bent scimitar.

My heart is beating fast. Behind me I can hear screams,shouts,taunts and boos. I ignore them anyway.

They don't matter to me,not anymore. I am going to fight to the death. It is only a coward that would stand and watch his people get insulted,taunted,humiliated,enslaved and killed. I turn to face my people one final time. I see the fear boldly etched on their faces. Akalazu looks at me and smiles,a sad smile that had layers of pain and hurt heavily stacked. He clenches his fists and raises them to the sky. A way of showing his solidarity,the way we do back in the tribe. I nod in appreciation.



Then HE came.


The Tuaregs yelled and their war screams and ululations deafened me even more,as they welcomed perhaps the greatest warrior they had ever seen in the last Fifty Rains. Razak,they called him. The Merciless Slayer,they named him. His chain mail could tear a man in two in one swing. Yes,that chain mail that brave men from the Great Desert to the Hinterlands talk about in hushed tones.

They call it the Takouba.



Enough of the ramblings already. I have a battle to fight. Me,the village wimp two Moons ago,now leading Idumuje to the toughest battle she has ever fought. And I had to take down this skilled warrior without any knowledge of the martial arts...I,the clown...I,who the damsels always make fun of. I,who the elders of the land use as their major joke staple in hallowed meetings. Me,the butt of all corny jokes.




I,Amadi.

Hmmmmm....First to comment...#dancingshokimixed with etigi

Good start. I'm looking forward to a great story. But you should practice proper spacing for elegance and correctness - space after full stops and commas.

Two Moons To Annihilation
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"Wake up,you fool!"

Urgggggh! I'm supposed to be used to this daily morning treatment from Oma. I open my eyes to see him in his favourite position,the window.
Omasilimmuo, which is his full name,meaning "It pleases the gods" is my elder brother.Mother says he has seen twenty one Rains.He is a bit taller than I am,with rippling muscles and broad chest,unusual for someone his age.He is a really mischievious human,and he likes playing annoying pranks with everyone in the house.Mother jokingly calls him "the evil child that entered his mother's womb through the back door".Aside his petty mischief,he is handsome. Handsome to the extent that the damsels in his archery class call him a god. Mother says he got it from my father.She tells me my father's body was sculpted and meticulously handcrafted.That he passed it on to his son. But he's dead now.He died before I was born.Mother talks about him with a distant smile on her face. From all she says I guess they really had affection for each other......
"Still daydreaming,ehn? I ka na alo nlo?"Oma asked me ,splattering water on my face.I stand up,stretching myself and I turn to face him.
"What is it this early morning biko?"I ask impatiently.
That instant,his mischievious grin leaves his face,and is replaced almost immediately by pitch sadness.
"Its the Tuaregs.They've taken our King".

Writeditor:
Good start. I'm looking forward to a great story. But you should practice proper spacing for elegance and correctness - space after full stops and commas.

. Thank you.I'm new here. Still learning the typing methods.

Ubechu1:
Hmmmmm....First to comment...#dancingshokimixed with etigi

Lol You're welcome!

*********************************


Everyone was already seated when we got to AmaOdogwu,the hallowed meeting place of my people.It also served as the gladiatorial pit where prisoners of war were put to death through decimation by our own warriors.
We shoved,pushed and harried our way through a mass of people just to get the best seats. Akalazu,my great grand uncle made sure we got them.For a wizened old man who had witnessed a hundred and forty rains,he lasted more than any of his mates. The other surviving member of his age group,Ideani, cannot even rise from his bed. Akalazu is greatly respected through out the ten hamlets that make up Idumuje. A famed wrestler,warrior and fighter,Akalazu's reputations go as far as Carthage in the distant desert region. He motioned to us to come forward and claim our seats,which we gladly do. He limped with his walking stick to the heart of The Pit,clenched his fist,and raised it to the sky. We all stood up and did same.He asks everyone to sit,then he began to speak.
"As you all know,we have been "onigbo" (Slaves) to the Tuaregs since the battle of Carthage Four Hundred Rains ago.We have diligently served,toiled and provided tribute for them at the appointed time.We have given them no reason to be angry with us". Many of the men nodded in assent.
"In capturing our King,they have taken our meekness and our obedience and rubbed in our faces!They have dragged the name of our fathers and our gods in the mud!Our people say that a child will only fight his father if he has beaten his child to the point of malice. The Generals of our land have held consultations,and we are going to get King Egwuatu back,whether the Tuaregs like it or not!You know what this means?"He asked.
"WAR!!!!!!" The Crowd roared.

WAR!!!!!! #following

The kind of noise that greeted our ears was perhaps the most shocking thing I had ever experienced. War?We've never had any in the last century...What exactly might prompt the hallowed Generals to move for war?
Men,Women and children growled and roared,hitting their chests and making war noises.
"This can't be good"Mother said,gently squeezing my hand.
Oma,on the other hand,was applauding. The
Smile that lighted up his face showed me he was truly happy with the happenings.
Akalazu motioned for calm. All was quiet.


"This is the first time we're going to war this century. We need all the help we can get. We need our youths!We need people of bravery and unflinching courage!If you feel you can join this fight,report to The Pit at Sunrise in four market days. For the glory of Idumuje..."His voice trailed off.

"Everything must be done!"The crowd roared.


That night,as I looked through the window at the benign moonlight that lighted up the village,I couldn't help but wonder how an old man like Akalazu had such a loud voice.
Oma told Mother and I that he was joining the Army,but I am considered to weak to engage in manly activities. Well,I think its time I told you a little about me...

almacherish:
WAR!!!!!! #following

. Lol thank you

almacherish:
WAR!!!!!! #following

. Lol thank you very much!

Oga Royver,I'm a big fan of yours...I would consider it an honor if you can look upon my writings...Thank you very much in anticipation!

*****************************************

Like I said earlier,my name is Amadi,son of Obidike and Nwankenji Ikeani,of Ituluagbaka,Idumuje. I have witnessed eighteen rains. You can always pick me out of any crowd. I have really long hair,the type Mother says belong to only Mermaids.
She had to weave it into locks and gather them neatly at the back with strong twine. Unlike my brother,I am lean,though I have the same colour as him.My legs have no "yams" unlike other boys,so they made fun of me and called me "Egret". I abhor violence,a rarity for the male species living in my time,and that also made me look effeminate to most people. They always said I was a girl in a boy's form. Well,I actually did not care until today.
Its been four days since the youth recruits joined the army for volunteer services,both male and female. Oma was one of the first people to enrol. His matchless archery skills stood him out from any other. Mother sent me to bring him food at The Pit,since he hadn't returned home for four market days. I stopped my thoughts as I came before the huge doorpost leading to the arena. A huge sign in Nsibidi Language hung above it. It read:



THIS IS NO PLACE FOR THE WEAK.




I winced,shrugged my shoulders,pushed the door open,and sauntered into the Arena.
A group of volunteers were seated on the sands,tired after rigorous training.I looked around for Oma,but I didn't see him. My eyes roved round until it randomly came to rest on a girl at the far end of the arena doing some archery practice. By the gods,she was beautiful in every sense. Her hair was silky black,the kind you see in the Wall drawings at Iyiani temple. Her gear let me see the curvy body she had. I had never seen such before,you can't blame me. That instant,the gods chose to shit on me.


"If it isn't the Egret,who else?"



That was followed by roars of laughter from male voices. I turned to see Akaeze,the Village Bully and his team,four in all. He had seen Twenty Five Rains,and he was the stongest youth in Idumuje. Before I could say corn,they were on me,carrying me effortlessly towards the Door. I didn't resist because it was futile doing so. Then one of them said something,something I'd never forget:

"We should throw the bastard to the crows"

Believe me,the anger I felt was enough to drown a thousand vessels at sea. The mention of the word "bastard" reminded me of my father's ordeal,which you'll learn of much later. My fists clenched,and I let Oma's food parcel slip to the floor. That instant,I directed my dangling leg towards Akaeze's groin. And I did it with all the force and the venom I could muster. He fell to the ground soundlessly,before he began groaning and calling his mother. His friends,not knowing what happened dropped me in shock,before they realised.
This was my chance.
I broke into a run,ticks before my assailants followed my lead. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Akaeze yelling at them to skin me alive. My heart beat faster. I just had to run.

I huffed and puffed as I hid behind a boulder,two clicks away from The Pit. I was afraid,afraid of the fact that I'd get beaten up so bad and Oma would do nothing about it. I looked down at my hands. They were shaking.


"That runt should be around here!"I heard a familiar voice swear.


"By the gods,I'd give him his teeth to chew if I set my eyes on him"Another voice added,with unmistakable venom.


I shut my eyes tight and muttered a prayer to the gods to save my hide this one time. And they did just the opposite.


"Get out of there" said a third voice,very gruff and that instant,I felt myself dragged by strong,powerful hands. I was caught. I tried to run again,but trust these bullies to give me a good hiding. I turned to see a fist coming towards my nose.I ducked. But I was a second too late.

The last I could remember was blood spurting from my nose as I sank into oblivion.

*****************************************


Mother ran with all the strength she could muster. The Beast gave chase.


"Help!Help!Help!" She yelled.


She was running toward me. I tried to run to her,to shield her from the Beast,but I was inexplicably rooted to the ground.


"Mother!Mother!" I called,stretching out my hands so she could see me in the pitch darkness of the Woodlands.
Luckily she did. She fell at my feet.


"Kalu,please save your Mother! The Beast wants to make a meal out of me!"

I looked at my hands. They were glowing.
The Beast came to a stop before me growling,blood dripping from its teeth. It had a mangled face,no eyes and a monstrous set of front teeth. Then it came into the full glare of the Moonlight.


I had never seen such wild animal in my life. And I was supposed to be scared. I wasn't.




"What do you want?" I barked,trying to be brave. And then the unexpected happened.

I sailed through the Air in upward movement,from which I looked down to see the Beast turn into a Man. He smiled evilly,looked up at me and said:


"I've been waiting for you for centuries for you to show yourself.Now,I'll slay you,take your Power and Rule over Nations! This Empire is too small! You wait and see!"

With that,he turned into the Beast-and ran off into the woods.

Mother!Where was she all the while?


The Force brought me down from the Air. Grateful to have saved my Mother,my joy turned to despair as she suddenly disappeared.


"Mother!Mother!Where are you?" I called out.



"Here" A voice answered from behind me.


I turned round to see the beautiful damsel from The Pit smiling at me. She looked shiny and radiant,dressed in the regalia of a High Queen. She motioned me to come to her.





Then I woke up.



Akalazu was sitting by the window,that very spot where Oma normally sat. He smiled and came over to my bed.


"Rise,my son. I think its time you know WHO you really are".

following######### Make I relax from my writing and enjoy beta tori for a change

Royver:
following######### Make I relax from my writing and enjoy beta tori for a change

Thank You so much Sir! You won't believe how honoured I am! Huge fan of yours!

Good! Good!! Good!!! I hope your updates doesn't slow down

O boy iii eee....
Lesson: Information builds a man's strenght.

****************************************


Baqqar woke up sweating in the dark,a wan smile playing across his face. He stared into space for a minute,half dazed.


"Othman!" He called,moving toward the water basin at the far end of the magnificent room. A short,stout man promptly ran to his side.


"You called me,my Lord?" He asked,bowing.


"Prepare the Messenger Hawk and have it brought to me at once" Baqqar said,waving him off.

Othman disappeared as soon as he heard the last word depart his master's tongue.

Baqqar smiled again. He walked across the room to a huge cage where a parrot chirped endlessly.He promptly fed it with some left-over dough from the Royal Kitchen.

After all these years,he mused. His endless search,the human sacrifices,the astrologers and necromancers he had brought to the King's Catacomb from all corners of the earth couldn't help him achieve his aim. Well,it ended this night. His prayers had been answered. He would swing into action instantly.



"The Messenger Hawk is here my Lord" Othman cooed,standing undecided in the doorway.


"Bring it and get a quasi-scroll. I need you to write me a message" Baqqar replied,half-walking and half-dancing around the room.

In ticks Othman got the quasi-scroll and sailed over to the table by the window,where he promptly sat. He was amazed by his master's sudden happiness. A man who had an ill-temper since the day he joined his service twenty five rains ago. He decided to wait and see if crumbs of information could fall to him from his master's table,for he knew that there had to be a reason for his sudden change in mood.


"Write as I speak,Othman" Baqqar began.

"Send a message to The Brotherhood Of The Black Moon. Tell them Baqqar The Infallible sends his greetings. Tell them our search of four centuries is over. And tell them that We've found The Scimitar Of Thunder and Lightning"

Wow

*****************************************


"We are here" Akalazu said,dropping his cloak and his walking stick at a corner of the dimly lit room.
I looked around,my brain numb,trying to recollect,to understand how bizzare the day was. From a scuffle with Akaeze and his gang,to this bizzare dream,and an hour's journey with my great grand uncle to this desolate hut on the outskirts of town.


"I know what you must be thinking,my son"
Akalazu said,breaking my thoughts. He had a hoe in his hand,which he held out to me.


"Take it and dig" He commanded,pointing to the centre of the room.


"But I can't see anything Uncle,the moonlight is not enough for me" I protested.

He laughed.


"I knew you would say that"

"How do we get light?" I asked innocently.

"That can be arranged,only if you promise"
Akalazu replied.

I looked at him,still dazed. The day was indeed very bizzare.

"Promise that whatever happens here does not escape your tongue" He continued.

"I-I-I promise" I said,wondering when I began to stammer.

"Good." He sighed,breathing heavily. The wind outside howled like a dog at the sight of bones. I looked at my hands. They were glowing,just like my dream. His hands were glowing too. What could this be? I wondered in fright. Then the unexpected happened.


A torch from no where burst into flames,illuminating the room with its bright light. Akalazu turned his back to me and crouched. Then he stood up.

And I got the shock of my life.


Standing before me was a tall,huge man clothed in fire. He held out his hand to me and said:

"I am Anyanwu, a courtier of The High God and The Eye Of The Sun. And I'm honoured to stand before you,O Scimitar of Thunder and Lightning."

Nice! Thoroughly enjoying the story. But are you telling it in first or third person narrative? The two are not supposed to go together.
We should either be hearing the story from the point of view of The scimitar of thunder and lightening or from a universal narrator as in your second to last update; but you can't have both.

This is fantastic #following

Royver:
Nice! Thoroughly enjoying the story. But are you telling it in first or third person narrative? The two are not supposed to go together.
We should either be hearing the story from the point of view of The scimitar of thunder and lightening or from a universal narrator as in your second to last update; but you can't have both.

Thank You for noticing,I'll effect the changes!

Euphrosyne:
This is fantastic #following

gracias!

*****************************************


The fear that coursed through my body at the sudden realization that the world around me wasn't the way I thought it was,was monstrous. My head was spinning out of control. I felt shock,fear,dread and desperation. I needed to get out of the hut.
And I promptly tried to do so,only to see the door slam tightly shut. I had to try pleading.


"Why?Why me? I have no Thunder nor Lightning! I'm just a boy! Let me go,and I promise,I'll never tell any body about this!"


The Flaming Man was silent. Then he turned and took the torch.

"Pick up the hoe,my Lord" He replied.


"Please! It seems you do not hear me! I want to see my Mother and Brother! Do not tell me you are this heartless!"


The Flames on his body grew in size,big enough to bring the hut down,but it didn't.I sensed he was losing his temper. I had to try again.


"I beg you in the name of The High God,let me..."


"Enough! I have wasted enough time as it is!"He roared,flinging the torch,which hung suspended in mid-air. He got a hold of himself,and stretched out his hand and that instant,the torch came sailing through the air,into his hands. He took up the hoe and dug with such strength I have never seen before. He stopped all of a sudden,put in his hand and pulled out a scroll. Then he turned to me.



"This is a map of the Tuareg Empire. You've never been to The Teachings before,have you?" He queried.

He was right. I had never gone to those classes where children were taught the history of their land,where they were taught Early Archery,where they were taught how to do certain things that slaves throughout the Tuareg Empire couldn't. And I didn't care. Not till now.


"No,why do you ask?" I queried,still maintaining my distance.


"Because" he paused, "The fight ahead of you is very huge,especially for a young boy like you,and as your guardian,I want you to know what and who you are up against" he concluded,beckoning on me to come closer. Seeing my fright,he promptly changed into the old man I knew as my great-grand uncle all my life.

"Come,we have not much time to waste"


I walked over to him,still keeping safe distance.


He explained it all to me,which I will relay.

*****************************************


"The High God sent me down from the Sun a hundred and fourty rains ago,with the aim of stopping Shaitan, the Despot of Destruction.
That's his home up there,in the heart of Hoggar,the capital city of the Empire" he paused,showing me the point up north on the map,across the great Desert. Then he continued.


"Shaitan has lived for seven centuries. He is the ruler of the seven provinces of the Empire,which is only rivalled by the Kingdom of Carthage. The seven provinces are Agadez,Zinder,Kidal,Azawagh,Menaka,Timia,and Tanout,which this very town falls under.
The natives who live in the Capital City speak a different language from us. They call it Tamasheq. In war circles,they are called The People Of The Blue Veil,because you can never see a Tuareg on a battlefield without his veil.

Directly below Shaitan,you will find the Seven Sisters of the Night. They help him spread his evil in the Seven provinces. They are nameless. Under them you will find the Brotherhood Of The Black Moon. Their magical powers are matchless in this realm. Like their superiors,they are seven in number. Membership of the Brotherhood is passed down from generation to generation.
They came together four hundred rains ago with a sole mission:finding you and taking the Celestial Orb" he paused for breath,spitting phlegm from his mouth.

"Celestial Orb?What's that?" I asked.


"Good Question! The Celestial Orb or the Orb of the Heavens,is a very powerful tool.
After the Great Battle of the Heavens,The High God stripped the Evil One of his great powers and stored it in the Orb. He sent his favorite courtier to hide it somewhere the Evil One would never find it. In order for the courtier to comfortably carry the colossal weight of the Orb,He bonded his soul to the it,and sent him down to this realm to comfortably hide it. He came down and hid it,but then set his eyes on a beautiful damsel and fell in love"


"What happened?" I probed further.


"He never went back to the Heavens. He married the damsel and lived among mortals. His soul,being bound with the Orb,was transferred to the second child in every generation,being the curse the High God placed on him for disobeying Him. The firstborn were cursed to forever live in the shadow of the second. The courtier was told that the child of the seventh generation would be the One to end his curse,as a way of forgiving his wrongs"


"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"You can count,is that not so?" He quizzed.


"Yes,why do you ask?"


"According to the Sages Of the Empire,a generation is equal to how many rains?"

"Twenty" I answered.


"Now how many generations can you find in a hundred and fourty rains?" He asked,with an air of finality.


My jaw dropped open.



"Go home and sleep,My Lord. The battle ahead of you is steep,and you have a lot to learn. I failed trying to stop Shaitan,and I wouldn't want it to happen to you. Ka o di echi,onye nwe m. Sleep well"

*****************************************




"Concentrate!" Anyanwu barked,pacing about the room.



My eyes were shut tight. I sat down on a raffia mat,my legs spread wide apart and my palms together. It has been a week since the bizzare incident in this very hut on the outskirts of town. I had begun learning how to master my "ability" since then. And it seemed fruitless and useless. For the past few days I had been in this position for hours,still I hadn't come close to producing that glow on my hands. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.


"Stop!" Anyanwu ordered.


Grateful to be free for a while,I got up from the mat and I stretched my self. Anyanwu handed me a gourd filled with palmwine,and I took a swig gratefully.

"We are not making any progress,are we?" He asked,taking back the palmwine gourd.


"I don't know,maybe I am not who you think I am" I replied.


He sat for a while,staring into space. And then he jumped with a start.

"Maybe I can help you!" He exclaimed,reaching for a jute bag on the table. From it he brought two pieces of yellow chalk,with which he drew a large circle on the ground. I watched with amusement the urgency with which he drew it.


"Step in" he commanded.


I stepped into the circle. He drew four lines on my forehead,representing the four market days. He drew same on his forehead. Then he asked me to hold his hands,which I promptly did.

"Close your eyes" He whispered;"We are about to discover your true potential"


I closed my eyes. It was pitch black. I shut them tight until they hurt. Then it happened.


I saw myself standing at the door of the abandoned hut. I looked in and saw my body standing with Anyanwu,hand in hand. Then I was taken up in the air. I came down again to find myself in the woods where I encountered the Beast in my dream. Standing in front of me was that pretty damsel I saw at the Pit. She smiled at me.


"You are the one my father has been talking about all this while. I'm surprised,I must confess.I expected to see a warrior,not a bumbling weakling" She cooed,smirking at me.


"Who are you? And who is your father please?" I asked,smarting from the insult she smeared on my face.



She laughed.



"Oh,they never told you?My name is Omambala, and my father is Okike,the High God"

Ratings,Reviews and Comments are highly appreciated!!!!!!!!!

captivatin nd mind blowin

*****************************************


"Come,I have something to show you" she beckoned,stretching out her hand towards me and I took it.

We found ourselves inside a magnificent room,so beautiful I thought she took me to the heavens.


"Are you taking me to see your father?" I ignorantly asked.


"No" came the curt answer,"I am taking you to the camp of your adversary"


That instant,cloaked people numbering fourteen came into the room in slow procession. At that moment I noticed there was a large egg at the centre of the room.


"Watch closely" she whispered.

"Who are these people?" I asked.


"What in the name of the High God has Anyanwu been teaching you?" She asked impatiently,hitting my shoulder so hard I nearly cried.



"They are the Seven Sisters Of The Night,working with The Brotherhood Of The Black Moon,and you are the reason why they are gathered" she answered.



I turned to watch them. They were seated on the ground,forming a circle and holding hands. Then they started chanting:




Lord Shaitan,You rule over the Earth,
We thrive in your benevolence,
We bask in your light.
Grace us with your presence,
And vanquish our foes.



They chanted for a while until the egg started shaking. It bobbed and danced around from side to side. As it shook,the chantings intensified.


Then it cracked.



Out of the shell came an animal that grew in size almost immediately it came out of the shell. It was monstrous. The chantings went on until one of them raised his hands,and they stopped.


"Bring the Ash" a female voice from under the cloak ordered.

Another of them brought a gourd filled with ash.


"This will enable this beast to track you down,the ash in the spirit world helps to track down people" Omambala whispered in my ear.


I was too stunned to listen. I was moping at the people in cloaks.


On sniffing the ash,The Beast growled. Then it hit me.


"This is the same beast I saw in my dreams!" I nearly screamed.


"That is Ayradan,The Lion Of the Underworld,only the powerful can awaken it using the dark arts" Omambala replied.


They resumed their chanting as the Beast took off,breaking through the wall and into a nearby bush. Then they stopped.


"We trust that the Beast will come back to us,bearing the Scimitar's Gall and The Orb" the same female voice spoke.

"So shall it be!" The others answered.


Then I felt myself being pulled from there as I found myself in the abandoned hut.


Then I opened my eyes.


"Sit down" Anyanwu said,"And tell me what you saw"