Kintu and Nambi; The First Task #9

By Mugabe Victor

It happened so fast. And really I have to admit that that is when everything changed. Sides were picked, spears were drawn, masks were revealed. A single explosive gust of wind, shoved every inch of the earth forward, and in merely a second the recoil sucked at every stance, tearing us from our positions. Everyone had to have felt that. I could barely hold my head up. 

That day was one I would never forget. The ground crackled with electricity as the sound of a raging storm whispered from a distance. A ghostly chill crawled over my skin as goose pimples formed tiny craters over it. I had to go inside at least to get warm; but no, I had to stay outside and watch him. 

It had been hours since the meeting with father and I couldn’t help but hold myself back from reprimanding Nambi on her recklessness. Somehow, something held me in my tracks. Nambi and Kintu, a pair not even a god of my supreme intellect could comprehend. It didn’t make sense. Was I not seeing something? They shyly stole glances at each other as they were taken their separate ways. Nambi to father’s side and Kintu for his tasks. The creature was left alone at the center of the massive arena. His only known company, a massive boulder hand chosen by father. The little axe embedded with his hand was tormented with curves and dents as he had already spent hours pounding the two objects against each other. It was sad to watch, but I had no choice. Father’s will would have to be done without fail.

I watched him go at the boulder a few more times. Tactless in all his swings, the little axe went on to take on unnecessary damage.

“Pathetic,” I involuntarily whispered, “wasn’t that the first phase of training when i was still a toddler?”

“You!” the creature bellowed, “Yes, you, the one who has been watching me for the past hour,”

I was barely shaken by his perceptive ear. He was feeble and definitely stupid, after all he had accepted daddy’s little challenge. Clearly this was a set up for failure, and anyone could see it. I could still sense the fear in all his actions, the slight hesitance in all his words. He knew he barely had an upper hand. And yet; she called him Kintu, tenderly as though in an attempt to seduce affection out of him. Before the task, they spoke for hours without end, tentatively whispering to themselves and boldly ignoring the height of the sun above their heads. The sheepish look in his eyes almost looked sincerely heart felt when their fingers accidentally crossed each other. This was definitely something new, I was curious, I wanted what they had or better yet to understand what was happening to my sister.

“Are you such coward to the extent that you cannot face a mere man?”

Oh, he was definitely pulling my strings. Did I not come up in their conversation? Does he not know the extent of my abilities? Or is this one of his little tricks to get out of the quagmire he had gotten himself into. 

“I guess all the gods are more of talk than action,”

Oh, he had finally gotten me there. Maybe his plan all along was to get killed before he made a fool of himself. It would be easier for Nambi to stay hooked to a martyr than to a failure. 

I’ll give it to him, he does have one swift tongue. I will illustrate my power and skills to this creature and seal his lips with the shame that he deserves.