Chapter 7 - Foretold Death

It was midnight when Nzelu bowed his head low to the Maviki River. Beside him was a bloody loaded sack. His dwarfs stood away and looked on as Nzelu chanted to the river. Nzelu raised his head and turned to the sack. Nzelu opened the sack. He kept on chanting as he pulled out a head of a woman by the hair.

Nzelu held the head up high. Its eyes were still open along with the mouth. He pulled out a tiny bottle from a pocket in his rob and snapped the lid off. Nzelu then pinched some greenish powder out of the bottle and looked intently at the head. His squinted eyes focused on the opened mouth. Nzelu chanted louder and stuffed the mouth with the powder.

He smeared a vertical line of the powder onto the forehead and then tossed it into the river. Nzelu reduced his chants into hums. The dwarfs looked on anxiously. For a moment, there was silence. It was quiet-too quiet. Nzelu listened carefully for anything but, he heard nothing at all. He sighed to himself and picked up the sack. With the help of his cane, he got up with a groan. Clearly, his old bones were getting wiry.

Nzelu was just about to turn away from the river when a big splash occurred and drenched him from head to toe. He wiped his face and gasped at Breenis who stared down at him with her yellow beaming eyes. Nzelu hastily bowed down and his dwarfs followed suit. Breenis scoffed and set her bare feet above the water.

She took the form of a naked dark woman with red horns sticking out of her head. The long black hair covered her breasts but left everything else exposed. Breenis zoomed across the river and kicked Nzelu hard in his chest. The impact was so hard that it sent him rolling in the sand. Nzelu stayed down and groaned in pain. He spat out his blood and held out his hand for mercy.

'Why do you feel the need to bother me?' Breenis' fangs stuck out and her claws grew longer. 'I should kill you right now.'

'Please, great caretaker. I do not understand your anger against me. Didn't I deliver a successor to you?' Nzelu desperately pleaded in between his huffs.

Breenis paused in thought. Just then, from the corner of her eye, she saw one of the dwarfs lunge at her. Breenis glared at Nzelu and the next thing was a blade shattering to pieces at the back of her head. Breenis' hair burst into snakes to the horror of the dwarf. One snake bit him in the eye, another went for his other eye and several more sank their fangs all over his body. He screamed and dropped the bladeless handle of his sword to the ground.

Nzelu covered his nose to the foul scent of the dwarf's body melting in a smoky mess. The other dwarf took refuge in the darkness that the trees provided. Breenis on the other hand, stared down in disgust at Nzelu.

'So you came here to kill me?' she icily asked him.

'Never!' Nzelu coughed, 'That fool was just doing his duty, but he forgot his place.'

'Why have you come here?' Breenis asked again in the same cold and wicked tone.

'I came here to tell you something important. I have been trying to get your attention but you ignored me every time. I read the stars and I received a shocking revelation about - '

'My death?' Breenis cut Nzelu off, and he stared at her wide-eyed, 'I know that my time is close.' she chuckled to herself and knelt down in front of Nzelu, 'I know that any day from now, a darkas god will end my life.'

'Aren't you worried that your death is coming too soon? Your successor still has over a decade before she can take over. That'll mean the marine world will have no protector for eleven years.'

Breenis grabbed hold of Nzelu's jaw and squeezed it. Nzelu trembled at her cold and deathly hold. He dared not to break eye contact. The mischievous smile on Breenis' face was enough to paralyze him with fear. He tried his best to control his heavy breathing due to his rapid heart rate.

'There are some things we have no control of, Nzelu. I have already accepted my fate.' Breenis let go of Nzelu and slowly made her way back to the river. 'Do not disturb me again over this.'

Nzelu watched on in silence as she sank into the river. As soon as she was out of sight, the surviving dwarf ran to his aid. He helped Nzelu get up and together, they slowly made their way back home.

****

The cheerful and melodious sound of women singing was heard all over Mbesu's land. People danced and drank to their fill. It was a glorious occasion after all and this was because Dingii's long awaited wedding was finally upon them.

The beautiful bride was covered in a special brown wrapper. Her hair was braided neatly and decorated by white beads. On her neck were golden necklaces and on her hands were ivory bangles that went halfway to her elbow.

Dingii wore the special groom's wrapper from the waist down. His strong arms and hard chest were inked by special traditional marks. Covering his head was the head of a lion. He wore beads that bounced off and on his chest and abs as he danced with his bride. Mbesu proudly looked on as the villagers threw money on the dancing newlyweds. Senza smiled at Dingii who winked back at him.

Senza turned away and helped himself to another drink. He barely cringed at the sour taste as he looked through the crowd before him. All he could think of was his dear mother Eclipse and his sister out there in the evil forest.

'Senza, I still think that you are crazy for deciding to go after mother in the evil forest.' Dingii expressed in skepticism desperately.

'It is the day of your wedding. You shouldn't be burdening your thoughts with my quest.' Senza boldly replied.

'I know but... it is the evil forest you fool.'

'And mother is in there.'

Dingii sat on his bed and shook his head in disbelief at Senza's stubbornness. 'You are so hard-headed.' he remarked in defeat and suddenly widened his eyes, 'You never mentioned what happened to you that night. Who attacked you when you saw our sister – I mean, her?'

'It's not who but what.' Senza sat down with Dingii and looked seriously into his eyes, 'A demon attacked me.' he continued and Dingii dropped his jaw, 'I didn't see it clearly but it was so fast. It knocked me out. I think it's the one that took our sister away.'

'Okay, you are definitely not going into that forest.' Dingii declared with seriousness.

'No, I must.'

'No, it's suicide and moreover that girl is likely dead.' Dingii strengthened his argument.

'There's only one way to be sure of that.' Senza stood his ground.

Dingii shook his head disapprovingly at him, 'Your stubbornness will one day get you killed.'

Senza heard Mbesu call him, immediately cutting his flashback. He then went on to join his father who slapped his shoulder and spoke highly of him to his friends. Senza respectfully nodded but said nothing as his father talked. For a few seconds, Senza studied Mbesu's smile. He wondered if he would ever accept Eclipse back if he were to find her.

****

The wedding ceremony ended at a good note. As per tradition, the couple were left alone in their room. The room was brightly decorated by scented candles. Flower petals graced the bed that the bride's naked body laid on. Dingii was already on top of her. He traced his hand down her thigh and sucked on her neck.

She raised her hips-deeply aroused by his tender touch. Dingii spread her legs apart and broke through her walls. She shrieked in pain and sank her nails into his toned back. Dingii showed her no mercy as he pounded her. The sound of her moans and bed springs filled the air. She cupped the back of his head and gritted her teeth with groans as the thrusts got tenser.

By the time Dingii was finished, she had already used up all her strength to hold on. He raised his head at her and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She weakly smiled at him, and he pecked her beautiful full lips. Dingii got off her and she forced herself to sit up. Together, they stared down at the red stain on the bedsheet.

'Miyani, clearly you have been true to me as I have been to you ever since our marriage was arranged.' Dingii softly said to her and her face brightened.

'And I will always be true to you.' she graced him with her voice.

Dingii held her head with both hands and kissed her forehead, 'The gods have blessed me with a wife more precious than diamonds. I will do everything I can to keep you happy for as long as I live but there is only one thing I ask of you.'

Dingii let go of Miyani and faced down tensed. His sudden mood shift alarmed her, and she wrapped hands around him concerned. Dingii held her and kissed the top of her head.

'Now that you are my wife, I can't hide anything from you.' he whispered to her.

****

Senza got up early before the sunrise. He picked up his already packed bag, a sword and silently made his way out of his father's land-taking with him, one horse. As soon as he was out, he got onto the horse and rod out of Maviki village. He was long gone by the time the sun was up but still very far away from the infamous evil forest.

Senza rode for hours when he came across a stream. He shook his water bottle and nodded at the sound of little water in it. Senza got off his horse and approached the stream. He first drank water to his fill before filling up his bottle. Senza was closing the lid when he heard twigs break. He got up alarmed and listened harder.

The sound of someone approaching him got louder and clearer. Senza put his hand back and slowly pulled out the dagger hidden behind his wrapper. The moment he saw a person appear, he tossed the dagger and it pinned onto a tree behind the person.

'You almost killed me, idiot!' Dingii shrieked and Senza mouth fell open.

'You?' Senza couldn't believe it.

'Who else?' Dingii cockily asked.

'What are you doing here?'

'The same thing you're doing.' Dingii replied with a smirk and pointed back, 'My horse is trapped. I was hoping you'd help me free it.'

Senza gave a slow sarcastic clap. 'You are something else, you know that? I mean, aren't you supposed to be with Miyani right now?'

'Oh, she let me come. I explained everything to her.' Dingii explained with a grin, 'Are you going to help me with the horse or not? We have a long way to go, so we can't afford to waste any more time.'

Senza sighed in defeat, 'Sure, let's get to it.' he smiled.