CHAPTER 4

The king's face contorted in anguish as he slumped forward, his head in his hands.

"No, no, no... How many more must suffer?" he lamented, his voice cracking with emotion.

Tears streamed down his face, a sight rarely seen by his subjects.

The advisor bowed his head, sharing the king's sorrow.

"I'm afraid it gets worse, my lord.

The villagers are in a state of panic.

They're demanding justice, and some are even calling for your abdication."

The king's cry turned to a growl, his eyes flashing with determination.

"I'll not be swayed by fear and doubt.

I'll find the beast and put an end to this terror.

I have already summoned the warriors and hunters.

We'll hunt this monster down, no matter the cost!"

The advisor nodded, knowing the king's resolve was unshakeable.

"As you command, my lord.

But please, be cautious.

The villagers are on edge, and the beast seems to be always one step ahead."

The king's jaw clenched, his mind racing with strategies and plans.

He would not rest until the beast was brought to justice, and his people could live in peace once more.

The tears on his face dried, replaced by a fierce determination to protect his kingdom and his people.

Just then, the guards came back with the warriors and hunters following them.

*

*

The king's eyes lit up with a sense of hope and determination as he turned to face the warriors and hunters.

"Ah, thank the gods you've arrived.

We have a beast to hunt, and I want it done swiftly and decisively."

The warriors and hunters nodded, their faces set with determination.

Their leader, a grizzled veteran named Chima, stepped forward.

"We'll get the job done, Your Majesty.

We've got the best trackers and hunters in the land. We'll find this beast and bring it down."

The king nodded, his eyes scanning the group.

"We're ready, Your Majesty," Mich, one of the warrior said.

"We'll do whatever it takes to stop this beast and bring peace back to our village."

The king nodded, a sense of hope rising in his chest.

With the warriors and hunters on the job, he was confident that the beast would soon be brought to justice.

"Go, and may the gods be with you."

They bowed deeply to the king, their faces set with determination.

"We will not fail, Your Majesty," Chima said.

"We will bring back the heart of the beast and put an end to the terror it has unleashed upon our people."

With a final nod, they turned and left the throne room, their footsteps echoing through the palace as they made their way to the armory and stables to prepare for the journey ahead.

The king watched them go, his eyes filled with a sense of hope and determination.

He knew that the road ahead would be treacherous, but he had faith in his hunters and the bravery warriors.

As the hunters disappeared from view, the king turned to his advisor.

"See to it that they have everything they need.

I want this beast brought down swiftly and decisively.

Our people are counting on it."

The advisor bowed and scurried off to see to the preparations, leaving the king to his thoughts.

*

*

The king's face clouded with concern as he heard the sound of the youths singing and approaching the palace.

He knew that the villagers only sang sorrowful songs when something was gravely wrong.

As the youths entered the palace, their voices grew louder and clearer, filling the throne room with a sense of foreboding.

The king's heart sank, knowing that their songs were often a lament for the dead or a cry for help in times of great need.

"What is it?" the king asked, his voice firm but laced with concern.

"What sorrow brings you to my palace today?"

The youths continue with their songs demanding to burn down the shrine.

"Oh, gods of old,

we cry to thee

Why have you forsaken us,

can't you see?

Our village lies in ruin,

our people slain

The beast that terrorizes,

your protection vain

Even Ezemuo,

your faithful priest

Fell to the beast,

his heart ripped from his chest

We demand no more,

your presence we refuse

For you have failed us,

our trust you abuse"

The king stepped forward, his hands raised in a calming gesture, but the youths were having none of it.

Their anger and frustration had reached a boiling point, and they would not be silenced.

"My children, please, let us not act in haste,"

the king pleaded, his voice barely audible over the din.

"We must not destroy the very thing that has protected us for so long."

But the youths would not be swayed.

They had lost faith in the deity and saw it as a symbol of their suffering.

They began to chant, their voices growing louder and more insistent.

"We must burn it down! We must burn it down!" they shouted, their fists shaking with rage.

The palace was in chaos, the king's advisors and guards trying to restore order but failing miserably.

The king's face was etched with worry and concern as he realized that the situation was spiraling out of control.

The youths, fueled by their anger and frustration, marched forward to the shrine, determined to destroy the symbol of their perceived oppression.

They poured flammable liquids on the wooden structure and lit the match, watching as the flames engulfed the shrine.

They cheered and chanted, their voices echoing through the village, as they declared their independence from the deity and its perceived failures.

"We don't want it anymore!" they shouted, their fists raised in defiance.

"We'll take our fate into our own hands!"

The villagers watched in horror as the shrine burned to the ground, the flames consuming the very fabric of their tradition and beliefs.

The air was thick with the smell of smoke and rebellion, as the youths danced and celebrated their newfound freedom from the deity's perceived tyranny.

The youth's revelry was suddenly interrupted by a chilling turn of events.

Two of their own, still dancing and singing, suddenly clutched their eyes and fell to the ground, blinded by some unseen force.

The crowd gasped in horror as Udemba, the son of Akata, collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Pandemonium broke out as the youths scrambled to flee the shrine, abandoning their defiant stance and fleeing in terror.

The once-bold chants and songs were replaced with screams and wails of despair.

The villagers and some of the elders who had been watching from a distance, rushed to the scene, aghast at the sudden and inexplicable tragedy.

The shrine, once a symbol of rebellion, now lay eerily silent, its ashes still smoldering from the earlier fire.

The blind youths, still writhing in agony, were carried away by their companions, their fate a grim reminder of the unpredictable consequences of their actions.

Udemba's lifeless body was gently lifted and borne away, his family's wails echoing through the village.

The king's face was ashen, his mind reeling with the implications of this sudden and inexplicable disaster.

Had the deity exacted a terrible revenge for their rejection? Or was this some other malevolent force at work?

The villagers scattered in fear, wondering what other calamities might befall them.

*

*

The people of Ozumba village had lost faith in their deity, viewing it as a weak and ineffective god that only brought harm to its own followers.

They saw how the deity's supposed protection had failed to prevent the beast from attacking and killing their loved ones, including the chief priest, Ezemuo.

The deity's inability to face the beast and protect its people had led to a crisis of faith, with many questioning its power and relevance.

"Why should we worship a god that can't even protect us?" they asked.

"What's the point of offering sacrifices and prayers if our god can't keep us safe?" others chimed in.

The king, too, was torn, struggling to reconcile his own faith with the harsh realities of their situation.

He knew that something had to change, but he was unsure what the future held for their village and their people.

*

*

Two days has gone, and the warriors and hunters are ready to go to the forest and fight the beast.

They went to the palace for the king's blessing before embarking on the journey.

The king, sitting on his throne, looked out at the determined faces of the warriors and hunters gathered before him.

He could see the fire in their eyes, the resolve in their stance, and he knew that they were ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead.

"My brave warriors and hunters," the king began, his voice firm and resolute.

"You embark on a perilous journey today, one that will test your courage and strength.

But I have faith in you, for I know that you are the chosen ones, selected by our ancestors to protect our people and our land."

The king paused, his eyes scanning the crowd, meeting the gaze of each warrior and hunter.

"Go forth, my sons, and may the gods of our land be with you.

May your spears be sharp, your bows be strong, and your hearts be filled with the spirit of our ancestors.

Bring back victory, and let the beast that has terrorized us be vanquished once and for all!"

The warriors and hunters cheered, their voices echoing through the palace, as they raised their weapons in a salute to the king.

With a final nod, they turned and marched out of the palace, ready to face the unknown dangers of the forest and the beast that lurked within.

They sing a war song as they match to the forest.

Oh, warriors brave and true,

Marching forth to see this through,

Into the forest dark and deep,

(Chorus)

Rise up, rise up, and take your stand,

With spears and bows, in hand to hand,

Fight for our homes, our families too,

Let the beast fall, and our village renew!

(Verse 2)

With every step, with every stride,

We'll track the monster, side by side,

Through trees that loom, and shadows dark,

We'll hunt the terror, leave our mark.

(Chorus)

Rise up, rise up, and take your stand,

With spears and bows, in hand to hand,

Fight for our homes, our families too,

Let the beast fall, and our village renew!

Our ancestors' spirits guide us on,

Their courage and strength, forever strong,

We'll honor them, with victory won,

And bring peace back, to our village done.

(Outro)

So let us march,

into the night,

With hearts ablaze,

and spirits bright,

For our village,

we'll fight and win,

And the beast's reign,

will soon come to an end!

Chima, with a determined look on his face, led the group of warriors and hunters into the forest.

His knowledge of the terrain was unparalleled, honed from years of hunting and exploring the very same woods where his friend Ebuka had met his untimely demise.

The memory of that fateful day still lingered in Chima's mind, fueling his resolve to track down the beast and avenge his friend's death.

With Chima at the helm, the group moved with a sense of purpose and determination, driven by their shared desire for justice and their determination to put an end to the beast's reign of terror.

The group had settled in for a brief rest, their weary bodies grateful for the respite.

But suddenly, a terrifying sight emerged from the underbrush.

Sochima, turned into a lioness with half-human, half-lion features.

Her eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as she swooped in, snatching one of the warriors in her powerful jaws.

STORY CONTINUES.

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