Web of Confusion batch 6

WEB OF CONFUSION”
Episode 10
Okoro’s compound was like a grave yard. Not as silent as a grave yard though, but the continuous weeping of Asa was sure enough tell the wh0le world how the pains of losing both of her children made her feel.
She couldn’t eat anything. Other women had to reprimand her to eat something for the sake of her s-ckling child who was barely 5 months old.
“You just have to eat! Eat so that your child can see what to s–k from your br-ast!”An elderly women had told her.
She nodded slowly and immediately, a girl was sent to bring in food for her which she ate slowly and forcefully.
It’s been 4 wh0le days and both Ebere and Ulumma were nowhere to be found. Search parties has been dispatched by both Okoro and Prince Afam but all proved futile.
“Asa, I want you to be strong for both me and your children. I strongly believe that they’re both alive and well and would come back soon enough”Okoro consoled his wife who was still shedding tears that night in her Hut.
“How can I stop crying? It’s been 4 days Dim! 4 full days and no one knows there whereabouts.. When will they come back? Is it when I die?” Asa busted into tears but Okoro kept consoling her..
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THE PRINCE’S HUT
The Palace cook had reported to the Queen Mother that Afam has been refusing food for days now and this bothered the Queen greatly. She marched into Prince Afam’s room that evening to have a talk with him.
“Afamefuna, I don’t need to ask you the reason why you stop eating your food..but my son, would u kill yourself before the girl is found? Would u starve yourself to death? Do u want to die before me? Don’t you know you’re setting your own grave by skipping meals??”
Afam sighed “Am sorry nne, am just so confused.. Where would her sister take her body to? What exactly happened that day still remains a mystery to me.. Am just so confused, I can’t believe Ebere is dead”
“Calm down my son, I don’t think the girl is dead..i have a strong feeling that she didn’t die that day”
“But who would want to kill her and why?”Afam asked confused
Akunna sighed deeply
“We’ll leave that to the gods..for now, try and eat OK?”
Afam nodded
Lolo Akunna stood up to leave but met with Olaedo in front of the Hut.
“Good evening my Queen”she cotseyed
“Good evening.. Who are you? Your face looks familiar”
“Uhm.. Am Olaedo, a maiden of this Land.. You probably must have seen me around”She was smiling
Lolo Akunna was unconvinced but she nodded anyways.
“OK.. You came to see the Prince?”
“Yes..he’s a friend”
“OK.. Go ahead”She motioned and walked away but deep in her mind, she was trying to place that face..
“I’ve seen that face somewhere before, am sure, very sure..Who could she be? And why do I feel so uneasy about her presence? Who really is she?”Lolo Akunna thought deeply as she got into her Hut but no answers came forth…
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FOREST OF THE DARK
Ulumma had managed to bring Ebere to Nku’s shrine. If not for her powers, Ebere would have been long dead even before they arrived the dark forest.
She had however encountered hindrances and strange powers attacking her on the way but somehow, she had managed to overcome them. She knew deep down in her heart that Nku played a vital role in the survival of her sister. However, Ebere was still unconscious.
Nku had finished his incantations and medications on Ebere whom he placed on the mat.
“King of the Dark, would she survive this? Would she make it out alive?”Ulumma asked
“Yes she will.. She’s not as ordinary as you think.. She has a bond with Umuozara kingdom, a destiny to fulfil and she can never die except she fulfils it”
“Bond with Umuozara kingdom? Great one, I don’t understand”Ulumma was confused.
“Well, she’s destined for the Prince. She’s destined to marry Prince Afamefuna and save the Land from danger.. Long before she was born, the gods knew a day would come when Umuozara would be in big trouble, great clouds of storm would appear and only a strong umbrella can shield the kingdom from being wiped away by such heavy storm..Ebere is that umbrella”Nku explained.
“Umbrella?”Ulumma was all the more confused.. “But..i diverted the Prince’s mind away from Olaedo to Ebere..”
Nku laughed
“You thought you did.. But actually you didn’t.. You were just a tool in the hands of the gods”
“But I am not from Umuozara, I came here on a different mission..but I had to stop because the love Asa, Okoro and Ebere showered on me was too much”
Nku stood up from his raffia mat and walked out of the shrine.
Ulumma stood up and followed him.
“Nwaala, Love cannot stop a spirit from manifesting it’s mission. Spirits have no heart, they do what they want without feelings..Only a mortal can love another mortal and feel the need to help or pull out of an agreement”
“I still don’t understand.. Who really am I?”
Nku turned around sharply and looked her straight in the eyes.
“That is left for you to find out..”
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Olaedo started becoming close to the Prince and since Ulumma wasn’t there to stop her, she succeeded in charming him finally.
His guards were solidly behind her and dished advices to him which he adherred to.
Afamefuna who previously respected and cherished his mother now turned against her.
“Mother I must marry her!”he scre-med
“And I say you won’t marry her! That girl has a bad aura around her.. I don’t seem to figure it out.. I feel she isn’t who she claims to be.. Open your eyes Afam”Lolo scre-med back
“It is just 7 days to the expiration of my marriage ultimatum. I either get married and secure the throne or d–n it and lose everything”
“Hold on! I believe something good will come out before then. Besides isn’t it better to lose the throne than to bring more calamities to the people?”
Afam was angry
“So this is your plan right? For me to lose the throne.. my inheritance! My birth right! Oh mother you are so wicked”
“whaaat? did u just say that to me?”Lolo Akunna was shocked
“Why am I even wasting my time here anyways? I have delivered my message to you.. My marriage to Olaedo comes up in 4days time”
“I won’t give you my blessings and I won’t attend”Lolo Akunna said sitting down very exhausted with the arguments.
“Then so be it..”Afam said and left..
Lolo Akunna was shocked beyond words.. did her own son just walk out on her? now she has fully realised that Olaedo was not an ordinary person for her to have such a great and quick influence on Afam.
“No.. This cannot happen while am still alive.. I must go and see Onu-agbala” she said and off she went to Agbala’s shrine..
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Tighten your seat belts.. the story JUST started..
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Episode 11
Lolo Akunna arrived Onu-agbala’s shrine.
“Greetings to you, mouth piece of agbala”
Onu-agbala looked at her.
“Welcome Lolo.. To what do I owe this surprise visit?”
“I’ll go straight to the point Great one.. I don’t seem to understand what is going on with my son anymore. There’s a strange woman he brought in to be his wife. This woman has turned him against me totally.. I think there is more to this..”
Onu-agbala exhaled
“Of course there is more..”
He looked at his cowries which was scattered on the bare floor and sighed.
“Do u still remember the prophecy?”
Lolo Akunna nodded
“It’s almost about to come to pass”He said
“But… Why so soon? I thought…”
“Umuozara has sinned against the gods. They have totally forsaken and neglected his warnings.. They don’t fear agbala anymore.. They buried Eze Omekannaya properly against the warnings of the gods.. They won’t just suffer for the sins of your late husband, their King. They’ll also suffer for rubbishing the gods..”
“Hmmm..can anything be done about this? I mean to avert all these?”
“Well, the person or people to save the Land are already here.. It’s in their hands to either save the Land or turn their backs against it.. Whichever they chose, is left for them”
“You mean the Land is at the mercy of some people? Who are they?”Lolo inquired
“Go home Lolo,..everything said in the prophecy will come to pass.. Let your son be.. Just offer sacrifices to the earth goddess so she can protect him from further harm before the Messiah comes..”
Lolo Akunna stood up
“Thank you very much Onu-agbala, I’ll take my leave now”
“May the gods be with you”He said..
When Lolo Akunna left, Onu-agbala turned to carry his cowries from the floor but shook in fear at what he saw. One of the costume was as red as blood. He immediately understood what it meant.. He shook his head in pity..
“Chei Umuozara! With your very own hands, you have dug your grave”…
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Lolo Akunna walked home fast to get ready the sacrifice for the earth goddess. To her, time was indeed Precious.. She had to save her son before things got worse.
As soon as she entered the Palace, she called two guards.
“Go into the store now, get me 20 tubers of healthy looking yams, a big goat and 15 eggs.. Fast!”
The guards left and she proceeded into her Hut. She went in and to her surprise, met Olaedo sitting down on her raffia bed and fanning herself.
“What are you doing in here?”Akunna asked in shock
“Welcome back my Queen.. How did your meeting with Onu-agbala go?”Olaedo said with a mock smile on her face
“I know… You evil girl.. Who really are you and what do u want with my son?”Lolo asked in shock
Olaedo moved around her slowly and stopped right in front of her
“You were right the first time.. You know me indeed, we’ve met before.. Not here.. But at “Ndi mmiri village”..”
Akunna jumped up in fright
“Chim ooo.. It’s you! Daughter of Nne mmiri.. Ohhh, am dead!!”She cried out
Olaedo laughed at her all the more..
“So you went to seek for help? After your husband’s sin? Very funny.. Who would let you people go Scot free? Definitely not I Ajonwa..”
Akunna tried to run out of the Hut but Olaedo used her powers to pull her back and threw her to the raffia bed. Lolo Akunna forcefully landed her head on the wall before crashing on the bed.. DEAD!!
Olaedo laughed in happiness..
“Oh! Am so enjoying this”…
With that, she vanished into thin air.
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Back at the dark forest, Ebere was already getting better. It’s been 7 days now.
She was able to move around with the help of a stick..
On the 8th day, Ulumma sat down to talk to her.
“Ebere my sister, can u remember who did this to you? How did it happen?”
Ebere sighed “Yes I vividly remember.. I went to pee at the backyard but was attacked by a woman dressed in all red. I must say she’s a very beautiful woman to behold with many jewelries..endowned with a very long hair and she was holding a staff. She said something like I have to give way so her daughter can function well..i don’t understand what that meant but before I could question her, she threw a knife at me which landed on her chest and that was all”
“A very beautiful woman dressed in all red, endowed with a very long hair, holding a staff.. Urghhhh that must be Nne Mmiri!”Ulumma said aloud.
“Who is Nne mmiri?”Ebere was confused.
“Just hold on, I’ll be right back” Ulumma said and swiftly ran out before Ebere could protest.
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The death of Lolo Akunna delayed Afam and Olaedo’s marriage.
The Queen had to be buried first and so preparations started in earnest.
The Land was in total confusion as they couldn’t comprehend why the Lolo would die barely a month after the King.
She wasn’t sick or anything.. she was just found dead in her Hut.
“This is no longer a child’s play my fellow elders.. The death of the Queen is mysterious. Please let’s consult the gods to know what really is going on”Ndulue said.
The Ndi Ichies had assembled at the Palace to conclude arrangements for the burial of the Lolo.
“I think I’d agree with Ndulue this time around. Let’s call Onu-agbala to seek for help”Dike said
The rest concurred and Onu-agbala was sent for. Unfortunately, he refused to adhere to their call.
“Tell them I’ll be disrespecting agbala if I obey their call. This is the part they chose and they should be ready to follow it to the latter.”He told the guard who was sent to call him.
The Ichies were left with no option than to go ahead and bury the Lolo on their own.
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After the burial of the Queen, calamities began to befall the Land. It was as if the death of the Queen opened the way for the spirit of death.
Each day, Umuozara recorded not less than 5 mysterious deaths.
There was commotion in the Land.
Onu-agbala still refused to say anything even after the Ichies had gone to his shrine to see him.
The worse happened when the village stream. The only means of getting water in the Land suddenly dried up!
We all know what that means.. Drought in Umuozara!
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TO BE CONTINUED..