1 Death of the Chief

"Everyone, the chief is calling all of us," said the young messenger. The chief looked at the messenger and smiled at the young messenger who always listened and followed him everywhere he went. Everyone from the great village of Imbaze gathered together. 

The chief looked at his people and said in a loud voice "My people today is my last day with you, i have decided to join the ancestors, after 100 years I have seen your children live and die as that is human nature, today I will walk to the land where each one of you fears, where fear becomes your greatest enemy, where fathers kill their own sons, sons kill their own mothers and where newborns became food.". Even though i do not have a child i see you all as my sons and daughters. I have one last request". As the chief spoke, his once handsome physique gradually transformed into the visage of age, marking the passage of time.

 "Who among you will accompany me to the realm of our ancestors, to bid farewell?" The chief's question hung in the air, heavy with a sense of finality.Women who had once adored him for his striking looks averted their gaze, struggling to accept that the man they loved had been overtaken by time's relentless match.

Amidst the solemn crowd, elderly men stepped forward, their voices filled with regret. "We, too, have become too frail to embark on such a journey," they confessed. "But your memory, dear chief, shall forever be etched in the depths of our hearts."

Meanwhile, the young men who had once reveled with the chief chose to remain in the shadows avoiding his call, unable to confront the stark reality of his transformation.

Then suddenly the young messenger came towards the podium and said started crying, he hold tightly to his heart and said "You have been like a father to me, you fed me, my mother and siblings, for so many years, you have never looked down on us with disgust even though we are weak and fragile compared to our tribesmen and so i will follow you towards the end of the world if i have to show my gratitude.".

The chief looked at the young messenger and appeared to the young man in the blink of an eye and said "You are truly my Son and heir from today, follow me ". Everyone looked in awe. The chief laughed with happiness and called the family of the young messenger and said to the mother "From today you and your family shall become the next leaders of the village and I bless you with the power of beyond human understanding, your generation shall be blessed.".

The chief extended his hand toward the woman who had been labeled "the barren one" due to her children's perceived weakness in knowledge, wisdom, and physical strength. Yet, her family possessed a unique and irreplaceable quality—an abundance of kindness and compassion that set them apart. In an unexpected turn of events, as the chief's touch made contact, the woman and her two daughters, siblings of the young messenger, fell unconscious. Concerned young men swiftly carried them to the chief's residence. Reassuringly, the chief turned to the young messenger, assuring him that they would recover. With that, the chief and the boy embarked on their journey, venturing deeper into the forest. Little did the young messenger realize that this journey would serve as a catalyst for him to reforge the very essence of the person he had believed himself to be, as if starting anew from the ground up.

After walking for several hours, they descended to the foothills of the towering mountains. Lush, towering trees, their verdant canopies reaching skyward, surrounded them, creating a verdant haven. As evening descended, the symphony of nocturnal creatures filled the air with their melodic calls, a harmonious backdrop to the majestic landscape.

The chief fixed his gaze upon the young messenger and addressed him by his true name, Kwame Amani. "It is now the moment for my departure, my beloved son," the Chief spoke with a warm and fond smile. "You have proven yourself as a devoted and loyal servant." As a hushed anticipation filled the air, an extraordinary transformation occurred. Enormous, obsidian wings unfurled from the Chief's back, stretching wide and majestic. He extended a hand, adorned with a unique and significant mark—an emblem featuring seven stars. Of all the stars, the seventh one shone the brightest, and its radiant glow seemed to defy gravity, as if it were destined never to fall. The touch of the Chief's hand upon Kwame's head conveyed a profound blessing and a transfer of wisdom that would guide the young messenger on his own journey.

The mark appeared on Kwame's forehead and the chief reaped into the air and suddenly vanished in front of Kwame's eyes. Kwame shouted to himself, "What the hell just happened". Kwame started walking thinking of what happened while walking back to the village slowly without fear of the darkness in the forest.

A mark materialized upon Kwame's forehead, and with a graceful gesture, the chief ascended into the sky, vanishing from Kwame's sight. Left alone and bewildered, Kwame couldn't help but exclaim, "What in the world just occurred?" With thoughts whirling in his mind, Kwame began his journey back to the village. Despite the encroaching darkness of the forest, he walked steadily and without fear, his mind abuzz with the enigmatic events that had just unfolded.

He heard the unsettling sounds of people screaming and women crying, prompting him to rush headlong into the heart of the village.

 He made a beeline for the chief's house, where his mother had been placed after fainting. Upon his arrival, he witnessed an elderly man, clutching a flaming torch of wood, suddenly raise his arm and hurl it toward Kwame's mother. 

Fortunately, Kwame's quick reflexes allowed him to intercept the projectile mid-air, preventing it from landing on his mother. The elderly man hastily retreated, crying out, "Upon whom shall we depend now?" Just then, Kwame's mother regained consciousness, quietly absorbing the chaos around her. Without uttering a word, she left the house. Standing there, she surveyed her surroundings, contemplating her course of action. Her voice rang out as she addressed the assembled crowd, "Dear friends, as I stand here, my heart is heavy with concern. I ponder what we can do to avert the destruction of all we cherish. I implore you to halt this senseless turmoil. Let us not allow the flames of destruction to consume our precious heritage. Consider the dire consequences if we do not act promptly—our children may starve, and our young men may perish in the madness. Therefore, I beseech you to heed my words, join hands, and unite in safeguarding what is rightfully ours. Together, let us forge a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come." Her impassioned plea stirred the villagers, snapping them back to their senses. They rallied around the new chief, guided by the wisdom of the elders. Apologies were exchanged, and at her command, they dispersed to their homes, determined to restore order and protect their community.