PROLOGUE: THE INTRODUCTION

A long time ago, while the world was still young, there lived two brothers. They were named Demi and Malong’. They were light beings created by Kai, to roam the lands East of Arikana and dwell there. Demi was not as adventurous or as wild as his brother Malong’. He was a cultivator. He grew seeds from the earth and planted trees in the forests. He called them from the ground, the air, and the water, and they would listen to his voice and flourish. Malong’ was a groomer. He was fond of beasts and of the long reach of the fields where he would often run to. He called the animals to become, one by one. The lions, the cheetahs, the jackals, the hyenas, the pheasants, the antelopes, the crocodiles, the butterflies, the cattle, the goats, the serpents, all these were well known to Malong’s heart. 

One day, when Demi was speaking to the trees, Malong’ was on the other side in the fields bored. He did not want to seek his brother for company, lest he was drawn into the endless feud of what they should plant next. His imagination was clouded. This was not his best day. He returned home and did not speak to Demi even when he was spoken to. The next day, Demi decided to join his brother in the fields, and instead of talking him into planting something, he wanted to help him be happy again. Malong’ saw this and thought, this was not his brother’s usual. Demi had never taken interest in what he did and did not care for the animals as much either. Every time he raised a forest, the fields got smaller. Many times Malong’ had tried to stop Demi, but being the youngest of the two, Malong’ mostly conceded. This was the day to show that he could make wondrous creations, greater than  Demi’s. 

He asked him to stand back and see what he was capable of. Demi obliged and watched as his brother worked with his hands. Malong’ thought that maybe if he fused some elements of the forests and those of the beasts, then he could wow his brother. He weaved and weaved, and sang and called, and finally, a mighty creature stood. The Shamalok, he called it. Demi saw this and thought that his brother was trying to belittle him. He called him the next day to the Lake, west of their home, and Malong’ witnessed as Demi weaved into being, a water creature from reeds and coral and the bones of dead fish. He called it; the Lukwata. It was mightier than the one Malong’ had made!

The next day, they went out to a fearsome contest, bringing forth many more abominations. Later that day, Kai came to visit the two as he had not seen them for some time. He had entrusted them with this part of His world. However, when he arrived, he was moved with distaste! Malong’ had just finished forging the most gruesome of all the beasts. A monster so great, only the oceans could hide: Leviathan! 

In fury, Kai arrested them. He then parted the soil, so that the belly of the earth was seen, and vanished the abominations, sealing the doors to the underworld. He took away the lightful nature of the two and cursed them to live as men of flesh. When they saw that they could no longer create, they asked that Kai be merciful and that He would allow them to marry and bear children, as their flesh could waste away. Kai saw this as a sincere plea and commanded that if it were to be, then they would have to live on separate ends of Arikana. Demi was given the East, and Malong’ the West. Kai then promised to send them maidens of flesh with whom they would marry and bear children. On reducing to an entirety of flesh, then all its ails would also befall them and their descendants.

Three days after the two brothers were separated by Kai, they became very lonely. Demi missed Malong’ so much that he walked to the fields to see if any memory of him would remain. There, The wind had refused to bring forth forests, and the seeds ceased to hear him. He sang in sorrow through the evening. 

Malong’ also missed his brother. In the West, trees did not sway as gloriously as those that Demi had created back home. He felt lonely and lost. The animals did not know him. Instead of lions letting him groom their mane, they became aggressive, chasing him away! He also wept, and when he had no more tears to cry, he slept as it was evening.

The next day, both of the brothers awoke to the most beautiful and fair of maidens. They had smooth dark skin and soothing voices, laughing like the jitters of the crickets. They had long dark hair that glistened in the sun and their eyes were deep like wells of sweet water. It was made known to them that the women were sent to be their brides and comfort, as a gift from Kai. The brothers never met again and they lived apart until their deaths. 

The story of the East

Demi wifed Soye and she bore 7 beautiful daughters. They were named Toya, Yara, Fola, Wuyi, Soni, Enai, and Nuba. They lived in the East with their parents. Demi told them the stories of Kai, and stories of how great he and Malong’ once were. However, as the girls grew older, they believed less in their father’s tales. Each year after counting 30 suns, they would each present a fat ram to the sacred tree; the large oak tree where the brothers were brought into existence by Kai. The girls never understood the custom as they had never seen Kai with their own eyes. Their father often reminded them of Kai’s mercies, and how His hand protected them from evil all year round. Even so, evil had already existed from the beginning. The temptation that led to their fall was its attribute. Kek had roamed the realms of men and corrupted them. There had been many wars and wrongs outside of  Arikana, but up to then, evil seemed unaware of them.

The girls finally became of age and they desired to marry. However, there were no men in the East. Demi saw it wise to go seek Kai and ask him to provide men for his daughters. As he made his offering, Kai visited him and asked, ‘What is it that you seek here? You have already made your sacrifice a fortnight ago. Do you feel that it wasn’t enough?’

Demi answered, ‘My Lord, I am here to ask that you may favour my daughters and give them wonderful men just as you gave to me a wife.’

Kai responded, ‘I am afraid that you cannot receive the sons of your brother, as they already went out to find wives of their own, and have been corrupted by the outside world. This I will do in your favour: I will send 7 good men that I have watched from their birth till now. They will be husbands to your daughters. Once they marry, you must do your best to keep them close, because if they scatter from your dwelling, then they will also be corrupted.’

 Kai consumed the offering by fire and left.

Demi went back home and shared the good news with his family, and then they waited. 

First, was a man from the South. He was handsome and strong. He married Toya. Three more followed a year later from the East in vessels. They married Yara, Fola, and Wuyi. Later the same year, a tall dark-skinned man came from the North, marrying Soni. After two years, two men came from the far West also in vessels, and they married Enai and Nuba. 

They quickly multiplied and began to crowd their father’s dwelling. The men then told their wives, ‘Ask from your father, each a portion of this vast land, that we may have our dwellings as well’. Demi refused this request, saying that it was not Kai’s will. As they bore more children, the resources therein were not enough for all of them. One day, Toya’s eldest son had a quarrel with Yara’s youngest son over the sheep they had brought back from the field. One of them had lost a sheep from his herd and blamed the other. They fought bitterly, and Toya’s son killed Yara’s. On seeing this, Demi burned with anger and decided to do the inevitable. It was then that he sent the men out to find land suitable for their families. This way, if they had any quarrels among themselves, it would be their burden to bear.

The man from the South chose Tanga, far South of there. The three men from the East chose to settle along the coastal shorelines of Shani, with it the lands of Takoa, and the Mara which was South of there. The man from the North took the land known as Kush, North of the lands and one of the men from the far West took the path of the Lake called Nile. The last Westerner chose to stay there with the ageing Demi and take care of him and Soye. He was the husband of the youngest daughter, Nuba. Everyone else took their belongings moving to their new lands and settled. 

The lands had not been named. This happened much later when new generations came, as when the people were settling, they were no more than just plots belonging to Demi.

The Flood

After this was done, it rained heavily to the point of flooding. Kai was not pleased with the decision made by Demi. He had not heeded to their agreement. Demi and Soye suffered drowning, as did many of the children who were unable to climb up to higher grounds. When the rains stopped, they all had lost their belongings. They parted from Kai, each on a path that pleased them. Kai, from a distance, watched over them still, never to show Himself.

Kai saw the struggle that the men were having, as there had not remained enough cattle or good land to till. He then blessed them with the knowledge of trading, hunting, crafting, fishing, and mining. The Kush found vast mines of precious metals, mainly gold. They also herded cattle in their fields and took so much pride in them, that they did not eat them as much, but instead saw them as a sign of riches. 

The mara was surrounded by a mighty forest. Though shared between them, the Takoa and the Akanga, they had most of it within their boundaries. They made lumber and crafted rocks for building and decoration. Due to the amount of labour required to do these tasks, they mainly ate in the forests and wilderness. They were great hunters, and like the Kush, kept large groups of cattle in their homesteads. Further South in Tanga, Iron was in plenty! They became masterful smiths and used their tools to hunt and cultivate. The Shani saw the ocean as their land to till. They made vessels, fished, and travelled to far parts of the ocean, meeting the men from whence their forefathers came. They traded with the Eastern civilisations with cowries and made treaties with them.

The Takoa were great travellers. They traversed all the lands, trading with the people there: a piece of metal for a piece of fabric, a log of wood for grain, a fish for a gem. They used most of their land to build and store food and items for trade as they did not cultivate much, or herd as much either. Those who did, would not harvest enough to sustain their population, and so trade became their forte. The Akanga; those who remained on Demi’s original plot, were mainly cultivators. They had a few cattle, but they did not hold them as a symbol of pride and riches as the Kush and the Mara. They preferred to keep them for the milk, butter, ghee, and manure. The Nile dwellers were in a way secluded from the others. They kept to their fishing and their Nile, doing a little cultivation here and there, and a little lumbering when they could. Their land was mainly untouched, as they were not as industrious as the Akanga, or the Mara. 

 

The Rise of Kek

The larger Nilotic people had much time on their hands, and they often sat to do sports and wrestle at night. Among them, there was one small tribe in particular, who were very weak in stature but very cunning. A day came, and the strongest tribe called on the weak tribe for a challenge. Even in their small number, these men were gutsy and reproached the strong tribe, asking them to put up a wager. One of the strong tribe’s wrestlers called Chui, to mean leopard- for his strength and speed, suggested a wager:

‘We meet by the fire to fight in 7 days. If I lose to one of you, then we will give you our piece of land and become your slaves for 7 years; if I win against your champion, then we will have your land and you shall become our slaves for 7 years.’ This was sealed among them as there were no appointed leaders then. Usually, the strongest would have their way.’

The weak tribe met amongst themselves, and none wanted to fight Chui. They had seen how prosperous he had been in various fights. He had broken the jaw of the mighty Bai, and in another fight Choda, also called the Python for his strong arms, had left with broken ribs after facing him. The tribe knew that there was no chance for them to win against the tribe of Chui, and prepared to forfeit their land and become slaves to them. 

There came one among them, a young man by the name of Shimei, son of O’tui who rose and said that he knew a way they could win but warned of the risks of it. Desperately, the others begged him to speak, ‘Bring out each family a kid, and I will go to pray to the god of the mountains in Beruel. There, our help will be found’. Without question, they each gave a kid to him. For 3 days, he led a few men to the far North Eastern mountains of Beruel. They had climbed up to a point on the peak of Beruel when a dark presence came down to meet them. It was Kek. They trembled in his presence as He exuded fear and plagued them with his terrifying form. He asked them, ‘Sons of Kai! Why do you come to me?’

Shimei replied, ‘Lord Kek, we seek you concerning our Kin. They wish to enslave us and take away our land. We have no shield and yet Kai did not bless us with the strength to hold battle. We ask that you save us! My people have agreed to give all that we could as an offering, in exchange for your favour.’

Kek gloated at this request. He thought to himself, ‘This could be how I get to them who Kai has protected so well.’ He then asked, ‘This offering is not enough! What more shall you give to honour my aid to you?’ Shimei then spoke, knowing well that he had to return to his tribesmen with an answer, ‘Me and my people will serve you. It is better to be under you who helps us, than under Kai, with whom we continually suffer in our weakness’. The others agreed, and a seal of blood was made. Kek then offered them a stone, forged from the rocks at the peak of Beruel. 

‘This is my gift, the BON MENDA. It will grant you powers beyond the strongest man, rivalling Kai’s chosen. However, if you use it to your advantage, I WILL that you come to my mountain, here in the deserts. Establish your people here, and serve me. If you break this promise, then you and all your kin shall die from the power vested in this stone!’

The presence left them, and Shimei knew what he had done. He led the men back to the Nile, and surely as Kek had spoken, Chui was defeated by the smallest among Shimei’s people. There was disbelief in the eyes of all who saw how the boy lifted a mighty warrior, breaking him to the ground like a lion would a gazelle. The tribesmen of Chui were afraid and they ran back to their huts, getting their hooks, machetes, and spears, to kill Shimei and his people. Only Shimei remained standing before the fire, holding the BON MENDA in his hand. 

No man crossed his stance and lived, falling 300 men that night. With great devastation, they begged that Shimei and his people leave their land, as they feared death. And so it was that Shimei and his tribesmen followed the route of the Nile to where it drained its water, in the sea of Reeds. There, in the great Tibesti desert, with the mountains of Beruel to the East, they built their new home, and they called it Nubia. 

Shimei feared being followed by enemies from the Nile dwellings and changed his name to Ovu, meaning ‘one marked of Kek’. The stories of this great happening reached all of the 7 lands. The people questioned how such a small people would defeat such a great tribe! They suspected it was a fable. ‘A mere story told to scare children by the fires of the ‘lazy’ Nile dwellers.’ 

Kek had succeeded in inflicting fear, but he was far from done. He went down to the belly of the earth, taking Ovu, who was Shimei with him. Ovu was baffled at seeing those – abominations! Kek maniacally taunted Ovu, ‘Unleash one of these to the lands, and prove your loyalty to me.’ Ovu had never seen such terrible creatures. He had heard of such in tales, but even those who told these did not fully describe the half of it. He did not wish for the lands to face this kind of devastation. He also knew that if he didn’t choose, Kek could bring forth the worst of the underworld himself. He then sought to find one that was weak enough that the men could slay with ease. He looked at them all: fire breathing, mighty serpents, horrendous monsters, and finally he settled on the Ogres. Kek tricked him, and multiplied the Ogres by the thousands, to an army. These monsters were 9 feet tall, with mouths in the back and front of their heads. They had slimy skin and a single eye that rested atop their two large nostrils. They carried the strength of three warriors and were ferocious in their movement. Ovu was devastated by what Kek was plotting and wanted to warn the rest. Kek saw the change of heart in Ovu, and kept him there until the damage was done. ‘You cannot pity those who looked down on you. If so, you must choose now, if these Ogres will also meet your tribesmen in Nubia!’ He was quiet, not answering, but shook at the words of Kek.

The Ogres were released at nightfall, ravaging the 7 lands from all directions. Men, women, and children were crushed under the feet of these giants! They proceeded to loot the precious relics and gifts that Kai had given to men from their shrines, including all of the precious NARUMOR scrolls and ritual items of gold. All the blood spilt that night was like a mighty river. Kai was deeply grieved by this and hurried to stop further deaths, as the ogres could have wiped out the entire population. 

The Ogres quit their path of destruction and retreated to the West, in the lands between Demi and Malong’s people. 

Wrath descended to meet Kek. He slew him and chained him atop the mountain of Beruel, taking away his sight for what he had done. Kai then resealed the underworld, mastering a lock and breaking it into the three of balance called the SANGARII, scattering them to the North, the South, and the Navel of Arikana. 

Ovu was spared, but Kai said to him, ‘Your mischief has created disunion between me and your people. I will no longer protect you, and from now on you must live by the powers given to you by Kek, and no matter what ailments come to you, I will not prevent it!’ Ovu returned to his people, heavy in his heart. Knowing Kai’s word to be true, he mobilised his people to start building a city surrounded by a great wall, using the powers of the BON MENDA. He also set aside Emissaries; mercenaries who from childhood were taught to battle at the feet of Beruel. Those who survived the harsh nature of the training, Ovu himself would teach how to control the beasts he had seen hidden in the belly of the Earth. These would know of no pleasure than to serve Kek all their lives.

There was an aspect of the stone’s power that over time culminated in youth. The men and women who sat with Ovu never seemed to age, and with every dawn that came, their foreheads shone even brighter. Ovu knew of this and in his place as the new leader of his tribesmen, decided to keep this manifestation of the stone to only those whom he willed.

The age of men

As the age passed by, the men of the 7 lands grew weary of the Ogres. They feared that they never got enough of the taste of blood that they had that night. Even so, many prayed to their gods as well as they knew that they would be protected from any further attacks. There was wisdom offered in the council of the Lands, that they find worthy leaders from among them, Men of valour who would speak and be heard. They would govern their lands and speak on their behalf to the gods. When the people heard this, they asked, ‘How then do we find such men in a sea of them?’ The elders proposed that each subtribe forwarded a man who had been trusted with the affairs of the people, and one would be raised to stand over them. They all agreed and men from all the individual lands were raised as their leaders. The Akanga had Meneo, The Takoa had Soyinka, The Shani had Menza, The Mara had Omi, The Nile dwellers had Ita, The Kush had Hewala, and the Tanga had Oria. These built altars to their gods, as they were many, and led the people into new seasons of restoration. 

Kai saw what they had done, but despite their ignorance, He had laid a promise to watch over them. He intended differently and purposed to send them into war with the Ogres. 

The Battle of Peruzio

In the hearts of the leaders, Kai cropped up a thought, this continuing to a meeting; a first of many. All the Kings and Chiefs sat together deciding to wage war with the Ogres. They sent spies westwards to find out where the Ogres had gone. They found a flourishing land, fed by great rivers and plumb fruit cultivated beneath forest canopies. For shelter, the ogres had built giant moulds made of Earth. The Ogres had multiplied in great numbers! When the spies returned, it was told to the men. In great awe, they realised they needed GREAT help. 

It had been 150 years since the Ogres attacked. Ita from the Nile dwellers proposed that they seek out the power that Shimei had kept for himself and his tribe up North in Nubia. There was a lot of opposition brought forward over this, however, it was told how many years before, a child destroyed Chui, a mighty man in battle, and another felling 300 men without as much an effort as moving his arms. There was much question to these stories, despite Ita’s assurance of the facts. No one up to then had gone to search for Nubia. It was at last decided that ONE among them should go North and find the dwelling of the ‘Stone-wielder’ and return with a cure to their ail.

There was a man, a son of the lineage of Wuyi,  a renowned craftsman. He was tall and much stronger than most men in the 7 lands. His name was Peruzio. He was also revered among the Mara people, to be a great huntsman. Those who knew him called him honest and kind, welcoming all to his home- even strangers and helping wherever he could. He was found fit for this quest after a fierce contest. When the other people saw him, they agreed that he was worthy to lead them to war as their champion and even carry their matter to the North. 

In Nubia, the years had been good. Even with the imprisonment of Kek, they had prospered, continually offering to the remembrance of the day they were taken from possible slavery. Ovu had grown grey hair despite his body remaining the same. He had built a city to behold! Nubia had become self-sufficient with its walls surrounded by the power of Kek. They built a great Temple for the BON MENDA, whose architecture was so complicated and extravagant, showing the much advancement the Nubians had seen over the years. 

They had learned how to harvest water from the river Nile and feed their homes. They built towering pyramids where they hid the treasures of their dead, who they never buried. They would preserve their bodies in special tombs, to visit their ancestral spirits in case of family disputes. They weaved their fabrics from palm trees, silk, and gum. They made their cloaks from the sheep and their skins from their goats. They travelled by horse and camel. Their wealth was measured in barley, wheat, and gold. 

As the Kingdom of Nubia expanded, so did the population. Ovu saw that it would be difficult to govern alone, and so he decided that there would be twelve regions, each with a representative who would be part of the council of the BON MENDA, members of whom had been touched by its power. These were men and women exceptionally gifted in Prophecy, Healing, Psychic powers, Sorcery and Alchemy. They were also the guardians of the laws of the stone and their Temple, located in the middle of the city.

 Among the twelve in the council, was a woman meek in her manner and a powerful healer. Her name was Erea. She was the wife of one of the prophets of Kek, a bald man called Uzi. Erea had three daughters:  Zinzi was the eldest. She was three years older than Sheba. Benu was the youngest. They were born of the power of the stone, as Erea had difficulty conceiving children, and was treated using its power. 

As with every child born of the stone, they bore a mark that everyone could identify; the hair on their heads was purple. Zinzi took after her father, and was gifted with Prophecy; Sheba got the rarest of all the gifts- that of Psychic and Benu got the gift of her mother, healing. As it was with all gifted children, when they became of age, they would be given to the Kazai and left in the hands of the temple masters, who would train them in the ways of their giftings. 

During the tenure Erea sat in Ovu’s council, Peruzio appeared from the south, weary from the heat of the desert, dying with a deathly thirst. He fell at the feet of the gatekeepers of Nubia who took him up immediately and carried him to the Citadel where Ovu sat. Ovu had known that this day would come. The tragedy of the ogres never left his mind. However, he was not willing to share the gains of the BON MENDA with anyone away from Nubia. This is because his counsel had advised against it, citing misuse of the power if put in the hands of outsiders.

 

Peruzio was revived by Erea, and placed before the council’s sitting. He saw the Throne and bowed:

‘Oh Lord of the North, so it was true as it was told to us…’

‘What did they say?’

‘They praised a child and a son for the defeat of the Mightiest tribe among those in the Nile! They spoke of your high place here in the North, minted with majesty and magical wonders!’

‘This you see with your own eyes. What brings you to our city?’

‘My people have suffered a great massacre in the years of your absence. Ogary creatures from the bellies of the earth ravaged our land, killing our women and children, maiming our men, and devouring our herds. No nation deserves such a vile punishment. Our nights are full of trembling, and our days are full of fear. They ask, ‘where will they come from? Is it the East? or is it the West?’ Even after all these years, we have not recovered from the losses we suffered that day. I ask for your aid, as you were once with us as kin. We do not need your armies, we have many willing to fight back home. We ask just but a small favour. Just a touch of the power that once gave you immense strength against your adversary. You have done well for yourself here in this barren wasteland. I have seen this wondrous city you have built yourselves. Our defeat of the Ogres will free us, and my people will forever be grateful to you.’

Ovu answered:

‘Mighty warrior, greatest amongst your people, you have shared true words and even more, you have admitted to the weakness of your people, but I cannot give you what you seek. These men and women seated here represent every single Nubian in speaking against your request. Your people are anarchists, desiring to have power over one another. This power will only bring pain and suffering to you. Who am I to force my way? What if after your conquest over the ogres, you assume sovereignty and then wage war against my people? You understand why I cannot allow it. However, I cannot let you go without a solution. I can offer this counsel; I will give you one of our priests, and between you and the Ogres, there shall be a treaty that may be sealed by the power of Nubia, and so, the Ogres shall never come to your land again, nor you go to theirs!’

Peruzio would not agree to this as the Ogres were increasing, and soon they would advance Eastwards and cause more harm; one that he feared even the power given by Ovu, would not suffice. To this, there was no deal reached between Peruzio and the Nubians, leaving the throne empty-handed, even refusing the escort of Ovu’s guards.

 

The betrayal of Erea

Erea had compassion over Peruzio. When she healed him, she had felt the extent of the damage his body had suffered. Only an overly determined person could suffer such a treacherous journey, without assurance of relief whatsoever. After the council was dismissed, she ran to her home, changed from her official robes, covering her head, and rode a horse through hidden back streets to the gates of Nubia. She intercepted Peruzio before he got to the gate’s clearing and said, ‘The power we have thrived on was never given to any one man for his selfish use. I will help you.’ She gave him a change of Nubian clothes and they took the horse to the temple. She managed to sneak him in through the roof. There was a small-time gap in between the offering times in the evening when the stone was left unattended. She forged him a TALISMAN, chipping off a piece of the stone and placing the crevice of the BON MENDA in the middle of her very own honorary council medallion. The piece was made of a triad of gems, and with the chip in the midst of them, it looked like an emblem of the Northern star. It was as beautiful as it was enchanting. 

Time was running out and the next group of prophets was coming in to offer. Their footsteps were getting louder. She quickly sealed the Talisman with the spell, PIL-FA-SEIGH, which means in Nubian, ‘Cease my Power’. She rushed to get him out and put him on her horse, directing him to a different path, secret only to Ovu and his closest companions, and through which he would advance out of the city. This act remained secret to her heart.

The TALISMAN OF PERUZIO

Peruzio travelled through the night arriving in Kush at the end of the next day. Word spread fast ahead of him, reaching the leaders that their hero had arrived. They planned to meet immediately and see what Peruzio had brought. On receiving him, there in his hands was a Talisman, known to all as of that day as the TALISMAN OF PERUZIO. The inscriptions of the sealing spell had faded into the essence of it, and no man could read it. Peruzio was then charged to prepare the men for battle, for by this then, they would become victorious! In groups of 500, Peruzio touched the warriors from each of the lands with the power of the TALISMAN and then continued to train them with tools of war. There were axes, blunt Iron, Machetes, and swords; Spears, shields, and arrows. Due to their weight, it would be cumbersome for one to carry all, so each man had to choose a weapon fit for their skill set. 

They then travelled Westwards and surrounded the Ogres’ dwellings in folds of 2,000 in each direction. Each leader led their troops, carrying horns of battle in their hands. They waited patiently until the ogres were all gone to rest in their moulds, as they were heavy sleepers. Once this had passed, Peruzio blew his horn, as did the other leading warriors, and all followed to attack! They slaughtered the Ogres with no relent, even their infants, burning down their moulds. They wailed in pain, but they were shown no mercy. The Warriors avenged the blood of their people, and Kai did not stop them. Some of the Ogres fled to the forests of the West, scarred and maimed. Peruzio led the men back home: a hero to his people. 

The celebrations were long, going on from dusk till dawn for over a moon. Men got drunk, singing into the night the praises of Peruzio. These became so much that the leaders of the lands envied him, and they started plotting in secret to steal the Talisman from him. Peruzio never took it off! He had tied it with a leather strap and hung it on his neck even when he slept. He was a light sleeper, and never took brew. The leaders would pay off thieves and warriors alike to slay him, but every time, they died in Peruzio’s mighty hands.

Peruzio had fallen in love with a woman from the Shani. Her name was Hori. He trusted only her and loved her dearly, siring 3 children with her. In all this, Peruzio did not seem to age, and it was said that his sons and daughters also continued to have lived longer than the ordinary. 

Menza of the Shani summoned Hori to his seating. She then set for a journey to Shani, leaving her husband’s home in Mara. When she met with him, he proposed that she kill Peruzio, and bring him the Talisman, in exchange for great wealth. She refused this, but Menza threatened her and she had to choose between the death of her parents or her betrothed. She returned home to Peruzio with a heavy heart. That night, she prepared his favourite meal, roasted boar. She then served him some brew, which he declined. She used her charm on him and finally, he fell asleep from getting drunk. Some men came later in the night and killed him, taking the Talisman. On seeing this, Hori quickly buried her husband and returned to Shani with her children never to claim her reward. She went into hiding, living the rest of her life in mourning. The leaders learned of what Menza had done, and they were angry. Menza was charged by the council, and it was then that it was decided that the Talisman would not be safe in the hands of any one man. They built a fortress for it in Takoa; a central point for all the lands. The fortress was guarded by a select group of warriors, who never let the Talisman out of their sight. 

The first generation of leaders passed, and a second was enthroned. 

The plague

A deadly plague came over the lands, and those who got sick died in days. No known medicine could cure it. It was then that the people looked to the Talisman and their leaders allowed their medicine men to draw its power, and the people were healed. It was then decreed:

‘No longer shall the Talisman’s power remain unused. Men shall be set apart and taught to draw from it and use its powers for the benefit of the people. We have seen its healing powers, we must know what more we can use it for.’

This was also the birth of dark magic in the lands. Ignoring the power given to them by Kai through his NARUMOR scrolls, every tribe raised its lead magician. Not all however meant to do well with the gift given to them and soon, harm was returning in terms of greed and misuse. Magicians and witches would be paid off by wealthy men to enslave others, and this did not please Kai. He then raised his messengers to the lands and made them watchers over the people. However, the people were becoming so hard at heart, that they would not hear them and even planned to kill them. These messengers would then take different lives, shapeshifting to seal themselves from the eyes of those who sought to do evil against them. They also never left their swords behind. In secret, they continued to watch over them, only intervening when Kai commanded them. 

They were known as the GER HAKHAN- or THE WATCHERS OF THE ONE.

The ways of people in the lands reached the Northern Kingdom of Nubia, and Ovu was angry about what he heard. In the lead statute of Nubia, anyone who was found guilty of infringing any of the set laws suffered a public death, and their families would follow them to the gallows!

Kek remained silent, and so Nubia was left to govern itself as Ovu saw best. He remained revered almost as a God among the Nubians for the 258 years that he had reigned.

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