The night passed for what felt like a century for the villagers and the students of the various clans and factions of the Ashuwa tribe. While Mashallah and the class teacher were scouting the area around the hamlet Malcolm stood alone in his room. He was looking down at his hands and trying to bring out his spiritual energy to cover his fists.
The attempts were in vain however as while energy could be used. At the moment it only layered itself on top of Malcolm's skin, adding to his defense as he tested with the spearhead slightly stabbing himself to see the difference.
"I guess im about as tough as those two faced hyenas with this but." He thought back to what the others were talking about just earlier and clenched his fists tightly.
"It's still not enough, for the nigga to have set those hyenas loose to attack the hamlet after grandma Mashallah left earlier means a few things. One the attacker clearly had to have been scouting the area out for a good amount of time, seeing when Mashallah leaves out and for how long as well. Two the attacker at least is comparable to Mashallah if she didn't notice anything wrong beforehand. Right now that's about all I can see,hmm lemme join the others." Malcolm concluded his thoughts as he set out for some of the students that came earlier.
The sun rose like an elderly man in the distance, slowly bathing all beings in its radiance. But what would normally be a good sign for another only seemed to welcomed future calamity.
Malcolm walked around for a few until he saw some well dressed and decorated youths ahead of him gathered in a semi circle. Malcolm walked up to approach but he was met with cold gazes and a hint of hostility. Malcolm could sense this feeling from a mile away now that he has risen to the first realm. Feeling perturbed by the cold stares Malcolm spoke first.
"Well if yall got a damn problem now just say that! Sitting there and looking at me crazy ain't gonna change shit!" Malcolm said with aggression while the students all looked at him with a shock that quickly grew into a blazing anger. To the youths who were born in nobility it was unfathomable that someone in the outer periphery of the tribes territory, a person of low standing would talk to them in such a disrespectful fashion.
"Now what is this little stare off all about? This looks interesting." Safari was coming from one of the nearby locals huts when he saw the group of his fellow classmates staring down Malcolm. Safari actually found Malcolm to be interesting since he first saw him so he'd been waiting for a chance to introduce himself in a positive light.
Malcolm glanced at Safari for a moment then back at the others before speaking.
"Oh it ain't nothing just wanted to introducing myself to the would be fine nobility I assume but instead of a greeting I get, yall giving me the cold shoulder and expect me to just take that shit?!"
One of the students finally has enough and shouted.
"You know nothing do you boy? We asked around and you've only been around for about a day or so, staying at elder Mashallah's place. So I guess it's expected a nameless vagabond like you wouldn't be privy to this but do you know why a grand elder of our Mashallah tribe stays out here in some little hamlet?"
"Nah but I guess yo bitch ass is about to tell me huh?" Malcolm responded calmly while Safari chuckled inwardly. The student nearly popped a couple of pains at the statement and stopped talking but before Safari could take his place another one of the students stepped up to Malcolm.
He had a rather short physique at least compared to the other young and tall nobility around him. His skin was lighter then the others, being of a light brown hue and he gave off a scholarly well mannered aura. He wore a thick red robe that left his right shoulder and chest exposed. He had a small afro that if Malcolm had to guess was combed up.
He stopped within a few meters of Malcolm and gave a small bow of acknowledgement. Malcolm gave a slightly awkward bow in return.
"First thing I wanna say is I sincerely apologize for the attitude of my classmates fellow honorable brother. For you see there is a reason for this, as I will explain right now. What you must understand first black is that we were born and raised in the Ashuwa city and are predominantly made up of heirs to powerful clans or various factions that hold some kind of influence over the Ashuwa tribe." The young man explained with a slight smile on his face. Safari slightly frowned at this behavior but for now didn't force himself in the conversation.
Malcolm lifted an eyebrow slightly and asked.
"Hey what's your name? You seem at least somewhat friendly compared to these other niggas." The red robed young man smile widened as he proceeded to perform a short tribal dance.
The name of my wonderful self is Banji Ngozi, it's good to make your acquaintance brother black!" Banji yelled out with enthusiasm and charisma while finishing his small dance.
"Now I shall explain to you good brother the circumstances that have lead to the current situation of elder Mashallah's distinct nature towards the tribes higher-ups." Banji then sits down cross-legged while Malcolm actually does the same. The others soon follow suit.
"Rumors have it that before our current tribe leader took charge, there were two brothers one of them being Hasani Ashuwa and the other being Ramses Ashuwa. During their younger days the pair were known as the two jungle kings respectively. Our current leader Hasani Ashuwa practices the mythical lion arts while Ramses practiced the mythical leopard arts. They each complimented each other well for a long time. But what most people don't know is that each of them had two elders raise them respectively. One of them Shanti for Hasani and the other one Mashallah for Ramses. All was fine until it came to who would be the best heir for the clan leader title. For you see the old clan leader at the time was dying of old age. His name was Essien Ashuwa known as the elemental grandmaster, he'd been alive for over 300 years but he no longer had any life extension methods. Once he died the entire tribe was mourning the lost of the old pillar of the tribe especially Shanti since he grew up with Essien and was brought into the tribe by him. However time stops for no people and soon after the death of Essien, talks of who was going replace him filled the air like spilled blood and the ones who bled the most were the two elders." Banji paused for a moment to look around at the area they were sitting in.
Malcolm sat like a statue while the rest were surrounding the pair with a bit of distance between them to show respect to Banji. Safari was listening attentively while thinking.
"It seems Banji has truly taken an interest to Black here if he's gonna tell him what I believe he's gonna tell him." Safari smiles slightly while keeping quiet.
"To speak the truth this is confidential information I'm about to tell you brother. I trust you'll keep this close to the heart and soul and no another place." Banji speaks with a serious gaze at Malcolm who in response lifts his left hand to his mouth to signal a zipping motion across his lips.
Banji gives a nod of approval before continuing.
"The two elders Shanti and Mashallah were once a couple and even bore two children who unfortunately past away at a young age due to a beast horde attack. This in turn cause the two to go their separate ways however there was no bad blood between them so they keaped everything professional when it came to matters of the tribe. Yet even so things are ever changing with the birth of the jungle kings in a way they were given a second chance to do what they couldn't do for their own kids. On the surface they were only doing what any elder should do which is guide the youth and maintain the tribal traditions. But things went beyond just guiding and before anyone knew each of the brothers received immense favoritism. However at the time no one could do anything as such a thing while viewed unfavorably isn't a good enough reason to ostracized either one of them. But.. one day when the tribe was facing off against a band of wicked mystics who terrorized the region of Capri with their might. The leopard king Ramses was slain in battle and his body was never recovered." Banji took a moment of silence for the fallen hero and so did everyone else.
A long moment of silence passed like the wind but like any wind it comes and goes and we only move on. Banji sighed deeply before continuing.
"The death of Ramses caused a storm to kick up internally within the clan it must be remembered that elder Mashallah was Ramses's biggest benefactor for his whole life so she suffered the most after his passing. Perhaps to elder Mashallah it was like the death of another one of her kids all over again. The opposition saw a chance and started to secretly suppress her power and authority within the tribe. The biggest enemy turned out to be elder Shanti in the end, since Ramses was the only major hurdle to Hasani's prospect to becoming tribe leader. Elder Shanti used his deep connections to make life more difficult for his previous lover and elder Mashallah didn't take it sitting down she confronted elder Shanti on along with all of her enemies within the tribe during a meeting. The situation would've turned bloody if it weren't for Hasani who had just become the new tribe leader, he'd proposed that Mashallah to take a post in one of the distinct hamlets. Officially it was deemed a long term protection of a resource point but everyone knew it was the higher-ups giving elder Mashallah an ultimatum to stay out of the way of Hasani's reign over the tribe. That was over 20 years ago now." Banji concludes.
Malcolm for a while sits silent. Grasping the immense amount of information that was dumped on him. He closed his eyes for sometime, no one disturbed him. After a minute he opens his eyes slowly and looks at Banji with a calm gaze and asks.
"Why are you telling me all of this? Surely this isn't something you'd just tell anyone passing by your tribe's territory?"
"Who said you'd only be passing through?" Banji responses swiftly. Malcolm narrows his eyes slightly while Banji keeps a relaxed smile on his face.
"That only answers one of my questions and I don't like to play no mind games so say it. What do you want with me?" Malcolm asks bluntly cutting through the vail in an attempt to reach the truth in one step. However.
"Oh good brother now what I want is predicated on a future demonstration of your skills and aptitude. Truly you have proved interesting so far, a lone wanderer with no home, no background to speak of. Really it's as if you spawned out of nowhere into the world. Yet even with no evident background you've proved you have what it takes to practice mysticism with your recent breakthrough into the first realm. But there's even more to you then meets the eye."
Banji looks over at Safari before continuing.
"Isn't that right Safari? I know you've spoke to the hunters our dearest brother had encountered a couple days prior."
Malcolm tenses up slightly at the mention of the encounter.
"Well yes I have and truthfully what they said have nothing much to do with you Banji. So I don't know why I have to tell you anything I've learned." Safari grins slightly before continuing.
"Why don't you ask brother black instead? After all he's the one in question and I believe it's rude to speak of others in the third person as if said person isn't present right now." When Safari finishes his statement Malcolm inwardly comes to a understanding.
"So this is all a scheme huh?" Malcolm thinks while secretly glancing at the other students, observing their silence and seeing the way they were subtly divided between Safari and Banji. Leaving Malcolm in the center.
In the end Malcolm was sitting by himself left all alone while being surrounded by people. The paradox at this moment is made self evident. The eyes were indeed on Malcolm but no one truly saw him. The people may speak the same tongue but nothing is ever understood. All those present may share the same skin color and share the same kind of hair. Yet in Malcolm's mind he always felt like an alien on earth and it appears in this world is just the same.
The words and world spoken to him slowly became more and more distant. The scene shifted and metamorphed into a blank white space that filled Malcolm's vision. The people around him became all black silhouettes who's only distinct features were the two eyes on each of them that looked at Malcolm expectantly.
Malcolm while still sitting cross-legged begins to chuckle to himself slightly. This must not be mistaken for amusment at the situation. This chuckle was filled with a deep garden of anguish and pain. All exposed to the eyes of the people around him but who would care to see underneath the chuckle and see the truth.
The eyes changed slightly to that of confusion and slight bewilderment. The figures mouths begin to move, indicating that something was being said but Malcolm didn't care to hear any of it.
Malcolm's chuckle evolves into a laugh that grows louder in volume and intensity.
"Hahahahahahaha! Yaahahahahaha!"
A black river begins to form in front of him. It quickly forms into a dark image of Amara before and after she became a two faced hyena. The two Amaras stare at Malcolm while he laughs harder, gripping his head tightly.
The pain of the laughter could be felt building in his throat but he couldn't care less. In fact this made him laugh harder and harder.
The black silhouettes around him begin to show looks of fear and worry. An indistinct figure walks into the blank scene and stops for a moment looking at Malcolm before slowly and calmly walking closer to him. One of the black silhouettes grab the figure's hand to try and get pull the figure away but the figure nodes in the negative and shrugs the black silhouette away, all while only looking at Malcolm.
Malcolm looks at the figure a little more closely and slowly distinct features begin to become apparent. An all white mikado silk bubu dress is what's first shown in detail then the ebony skin that contrast beautifully with the dress. Then the face started to become easier to see in fact if Malcolm had to admit the face he saw may have been the easiest face on the eyes in all two worlds he'd been in. Then finally her long braided hair that reached down her back to her waist.
The woman walked towards Malcolm while maintaining eye contact never giving anything else even the slightest glance.
Malcolm started to tone down on his laughter as she got closer. He let his hands drop down at his sides to hang like loose chains.
When she got within an arms reach he stopped laughing all together. She approached till they were face to face staring into each other's eyes. The woman looked at Malcolm for a moment in silence. Malcolm looked closely and could see tears starting to form in her eyes. For some reason this in turn made Malcolm start to form tears in his eyes as well.
The woman reached out both of her hands and cupped Malcolm's face in her small delicate hands. Malcolm reached out both of his hands to bring her into a hug. Everything else became a distant haze, the black silhouettes fully disappeared leaving only the two to their embrace. A young man and a young woman, a poor man and a rich woman all those things became irrelevant at this time, even the fact that they didn't know each other's names. Now at least neither of them are alone here.