The mourning atmosphere shined upon the land of the Ashuwa tribe like a bright orange cover vail. The scale of the tribe is comparable to an medium urban inner city area in the US. There is the outer periphery which housed mainly average people who haven't either the opportunity nor aptitude for mysticism. These people for the most part worked as farmers using irrigation methods similar to earth due to the savanna environment.
They were treated well for the most part, minding of course the occasional incident where a few young hot blooded mystics will travel to the outer periphery to cause trouble ranging from assault,breaking and entering,theft,kidnapping and even murders and worse have occurred from time to time. Often due to their clan connections and prestige they got off light for the most part.
Then as one goes past this outer periphery you'll come to the nicely paved stone walls that were built up over a number countless years, naturally enchanted by various arts to be more durable under any kind of assault.
Past this is the main base of the Ashuwa tribe where the vast majority of trade and commerce occurs. The city is divided in several sections where the distinct clans reside and govern over the many aspects it takes to run a tribe of this scale.
The Ashuwa were a mid to large sized tribe comprised of a multitude of clans of various backgrounds. All of which brought together thier many differing specialties of the diverse arts of mysticism to create a cohesive organization. The elders were a neutral party that connected most of the clans and kept the various traditions Alive.
Then finally in the center of the city is where the tribe leader resides and rules over the tribe with an occasional iron fist when necessary. Luckily for potential enemies right now the tribe leader named Hasani Ashuwa is currently looking out of the grand palace balcony that is his home into the city below him. The man Hasani stood tall at 6,8 with a lean and athletic physique. He also wore an all black robe that complimented his ebony skin with hair fixed like a lion's mane. Without a doubt the powerful man looked to be pondering and planning for the future, until someone knocks on the door.
"Come in." Hasani spoke calmly.
An old man with a walking stick and no eyes entered the room the two guards giving way to show their respect to the old man. The old man walked to Hasani's side to watch the sunrise for a moment with him.
"Old Shanti what are you doing up so early it's not time for any meetings yet."
"What now I can't even come see my young protege whenever I want.*Sigh ever since you became the tribe leader you act like you don't know no old friends lil hasa." The old man said sighed deeply while gazing down at the city.
"Do you think I can do the best job old Shanti? Ever since I took over, many of the other clans have been working in secret to try and suppress my rule. Just a couple days ago I had to stop the munsaka and qwabe clans from tearing each other to pieces over a resource point that could provide great benefit to both clans. I nearly had to use force on both of the clan leaders who didn't want to listen and cried woes of tyranny and injustice in an attempt to bring damage to my name."
For the first time Hasani turned to look at Shanti who even without eyes could feel the man's gaze looking to him for advice.
"You know you two are nearly just alike it's scary lil hasa. Father and son just alike, you know now that I think about it I told your father the same thing back then so maybe If no mishap occurs the same solution may be the breakthrough you need." Shanti speaks seriously with also now turning to look at Hasani for the first time.
"You mean-?" Before Hasani could continue with his question the door is opened slowly and in comes a young woman who's appears to be 16 or 17 years in age. She has similar features to Hasani only she's shorter,slightly darker and has braided hair that goes down her back. She wares a white mikado silk bubu dress. The young girl's pupils hold a pure black light that radiates a hope for the future.
"Well speak of the demoness." Shanti spoke kindly.
"Father, uncle Shanti good morning to the both of you." The young woman spoke with respect even giving a slight bow to the men and even the guards who bowed back.
"Haha lil hasa watch out for this one before you know it she might win the hearts of everyone in the tribe!" Old Shanti jested while Hasani's expression became gentle for the first time as he walked up to the young woman to give her a bear hug. It didn't end with that however as Hasani picked her up while maintaining the hug and spun around until the two became a blur generating a slight turbulence in the palace room.
*Squeak" father please what are you doing im too old for this stop it!?"
"Oh Yara I'm sorry I can't resist myself hahaha!" Hasani laughed jovially.
For a few moments it seemed as if all the worries in the world were null in vold before the father and daughter duo,even old Shanti had almost forgotten what he was going to mention, key word being almost. After a moment Hasani stopped spinning and they stopped
"Well young Yara it's good you came around now, me and your father were just mentioning you. You know it's about that time of the year where many of the academy students are examined for their aptitude for mysticism and if they have what it takes they can receive a minor art to start them off."
"Really it's that time of the year already?!" Yara spoke hurriedly
"Ah it is isn't it? Hasani spoke calmly.
"Father, uncle Shanti l...are you sure that I have what it takes?"
"Of course you do honey we examined you since the moment you were born and you have a super grade aptitude since the moment you were born. Unfortunately the cost of your birth toke your mother's life." Hasani spoke solemnly with a hint of pain in his gaze.
Yara froze up on the spot as her eyes became watery while even old Shanti wore a grim expression. A moment of silence processed for a short time.
*Sigh. "It's ok Yara it's truly not your fault, your mother rests well with the ancestors above and I know she looks down on you with a smile on her face. Still what happened before is now only the past Yara. I'll be the first one to tell you that things will change once you fully become a mystic. Right now your only at the half step phase the only thing you need is an art that complements you but we'll get back to that once the examination is completed ok?" Yara nodes in response to her father.
After all was said and done Yara went on her way with a heavy weight in her inner heart.
"Only a few more days." Yara thinks inwardly.
Under a sausage tree rests a young Malcolm who had been traveling for hours now with no rest. The only reason he could go on for so long was due to his enhanced stamina and due to the distinct protection of the leopard, staving off predators that would make quick work of young Malcolm.
Malcolm opens his eyes after a brief rest then marches on forward.
"Damn starting to feel a little hungry I guess i should've grabbed me one of those fruits on that tree." Malcolm reprimandeds himself slightly buy giving a quick slap to his own cheek.
"Shit what's done is done I gues- huh." He stops mid inner monolog along with moving altogether. For the reason why well only a few dozen meters ahead of him were a group of men with hides bones and other various ornaments as clothes with dogs beside them who all stopped at the same moment as Malcolm did, noticing each others presence all at once. All are silent for a few moments even the dogs. That is until one of the men step forward ahead of the rest.
"Excuse me if I sound a little mean but...why are you naked?" The man who's Malcolm assumed as the leader only spoke what was on the minds of the rest of the hunters.
"I-I was robbed you see this crazy bitch with a white robe and red eyes I came across a little ways back she tried to take my ass for all I was worth! I fought and we tussled for a while till a got free and ran off. Unfortunately I couldn't get my clothes back, you'd think when you tell a bitch no they stop instead she keaped coming at me!" Malcolm spoke with a sincerity that sounded quite convincing to the hunters.
However what really heightened their guard was the description of the woman Malcolm mentioned.
"Wait wait wait! Hold on, the woman you mentioned, are you talking the ghost of the Zuri kingdom Natasha?"
"And your saying you encountered her!"
"AND SURVIVED!"
The men clamoring all at once in disbelief but most of all fear.
"Wait woah what's going on im I supposed to know who she is?" Malcolm asked confused and bewildered.
"You don't even know who she is?! Where the fuck you've been raise in, the bottom of the lion's ass boy?!
Woah calm down what are you niggas panicking about it's just one woman we talking about?!
The men look ever more bewildered then Malcolm who's starting to have an increasingly bad feeling about the woman sometime back he encountered.
"Hey look yall I just need some clothes and I'll be on my way. like I said I don't really know much about that woman aside from her being a rapist ok!"
Malcolm's slight deviation seemed to pay off as the topic came back to him being naked in the first place. The men grumbled and muttered slight obscenities for Malcolm's physically. Eventually some hides are tossed out for Malcolm to provide cover for his hindparts.
Before Malcolm could take his leave, the leader of the group walks over to him to explain why the men reacted to way they did. After a brief talk Malcolm walks away slightly perspiring due to the information delivered.
"Oh sweet Jesus I just didn't just dodging a bullet, I dodged a fucking nuke!" He shouts inwardly.
The story Malcolm had been told was only one of many about the woman Natasha he dropped on only a few hours prior.
This was only 6 mouths back when Natasha had been wondering the region of Capri unrestrained with nothing except maybe her father. However unfortunately for the yakuba tribe and subsequently all of the various clans that made up said tribe there was no father in the world of Ala that could stop what had happened.
Natasha came across a young girl who was lost in the savanna. This young girl was being harassed by remnant spirits that lingered after their deaths, hearts unresigned of the tragic fate that likely befell them. Natasha using a few of her large variety of arts sealed them away.
After the business was done she escorted the little girl back home to her village. All at the time seemed simple and when the hunter had gotten to this part of the tale Malcolm had dropped his guard but soon after what the man told Malcolm next shock him to the core.
Natasha after finding the parents of the girl dropped her off in secret and went about her way. Natasha however came back a few days later to hand in various materials for income she needed. After all mysticism is not a cheap game to participate in. While she was at it she thought she'd might as well check on the little girl she helped out. She came the little house the girl lived in but what she saw stood her still as ice.
The small village in the first place belong to the yakuba tribe so it wasn't the presence of a few of their mystics that shocked her. It was their actions, their horrid wicked actions.
The inside of the small house was open for anyone to look within if they dared. The father at this point had been long dead, left gutted in a pool of his blood and vomit. His eyes gouged out open for the flies and maggots to breed and feed themselves.
Next the mother who was pinned to the wooden wall and staked by all four of her limbs while a young boy was carving away her breasts for safekeeping. The sheer pain and agony of the woman Malcolm couldn't imagine it.
Then finally the little girl Natasha had saved was left skinned exposing her bare tendons and muscles. She was hung above a small fireplace the men had set up evidently all of this was done to create some kind of blood talisman at least the hunter that told Malcolm believes it to have been the case, since the yakuba were known for thier powerful blood arts that often needed a sacrifice of some kind to use in full effect.
It's no particular tragedy however that the full truth of their intentions can never truly be known for once Natasha saw the scene for what it was she revealed herself. What followed can only be described as a slaughter for all of the yakuba mystics including the young boy with them were slain. Natasha then buried the family that was massacred and cut off the heads of her enemies, then revealed herself and her actions to the villagers who all freaked out knowing who she is.
Natasha then started a very brief but brutal war against the yakuba tribe. Her alone verses a whole tribe comprised of many elites. Its either a testament to either how strong the ghost of the Zuri truly is or how complacent and negligent the yakuba tribe was towards its foundation. No matter which case held more ground the result was the same and only a week after Natasha revealed herself to the spotlight the land the yakuba tribe occupied were flowing in rivers of blood. The villages were burnt down and the core city the yakuba tribe built their influence for over 500 years was erased from the map of Capri.
After all was said in done Natasha sighed and lamented the state of the world and said to various emissaries nearby forces sent over.
"For all the good benefits and progression the art of mysticism brings to mankind. It also reflects an equally dark reflection back at us and for some of us that dark reflection is all we see, therefore all we are. From that child's family to the families I've slain on this land, from kings and slaves alike it's a bad world for the helpless."
Natasha spoke these words with an aura of bloodthirsty solemnness, both glad and sad that what had happened occurred to begin with.
"Sighs. It really is." Malcolm whispered to himself.
"A different world but the people are just the same." Malcolm concludes while moving forward meanwhile the leopard who watched all of this in the distance shuttered slightly.
"Maybe we both dodged a calamity.. by the ancients." The leopard looked around him cautiously before sighing at his misfortune.