"Seems like the commotion is over! She pushed the demon out of the enchanted forest!" Wezhira walks over to Mukura.
"Really? That is great news!" her gloomy nature relieves off her.
"Yes, and that leaves you!"
"What does that mean?"
"In a short period of time, you have done well and have improved yourself. Exceptional for a human being! But now comes the real test."
"And what is this test?"
"You will journey to a land hidden behind the waterfalls. Recently in that land there has been attacks by snake like creatures and I need you to go take a look!" he instructs her.
"Is this the right time to bring up the fact that I am terrified of snakes? And also, I have no idea where that is!"
"Let me create a map for you!" He walks towards the nearest tree.
Gently he places his hand and gently slides it down the trunk, and a white sheet forms and false to the ground. He walks towards her looking at it. Hands it over to her.
"Here is your map! It will guide you to where you are going. To the land of the river god, one of the most powerful entities in existence."
"You are forgetting about my…..."
"I am well aware about your fear of snakes!" he cuts her off placing his hands behind his back, "better start working on that on your journey!"
"Can you not like, whoosh away my fears and then bam I am not scared anymore and I go snake man or woman!?"
He stares at her a bit confused if it is humour or not, "That is just not amusing!"
"I know, just thought I can give it a try!" she is embarrassed, looks down.
Then it hits her, "Why all those sacrifices? Why so much blood? Why does she have to kill so many people?"
He waves his hand slowly and the plain changes and this time it does not feel like a hologram projection but the actual thing. An insalubrious earth with no trees or animals or even people. Mukura, cannot with hold showing the fear she is feeling, breathing heavily.
"It is for the blood moon ritual, a ritual which will open a blood portal to the demon realm of this universe. The blood of the sacrifices is absorbed by the moon making it scarlet red and when the blood moon eclipse is mature, the moon releases a drop of blood that will burn reality opening a door way for demons."
Mukura swallows her saliva, with windy hot air hitting her skin hard.
"What is this place?"
"This is the earth, if you fail to defeat Gwanhoya!"
"So, you are saying what she is doing will completely destroy this world and leave it looking like a waste land like this?"
"That would be correct!"
He waves his hand again returning everything back to normal. Mukura falls down and lies on the grass and exhales loudly in relief.
"You seem to be exhausted! Unlike you humans I need no food sustenance, I think it would be best if you eat something before you leave!"
"Yes, lord, I will do just that before I leave!" she shows respect bowing down to him.
Wezhira smiles, "Godspeed, Divine!" he disappears.
"And he calls me that and disappears!" she twists her mouth with her lips tight together, "Where to now?" she speaks softly to herself.
"Let me get home first before I leave and tell mother that I am okay and she need not worry about me!"
She makes her way home with haste wearing the battle wear she was given by Genteel.
She gets home only to see a huge opening on the wall, the side where the sitting room is. She rushes inside and finds Takada and her younger siblings eating in the kitchen. They did not even hear that someone has entered the house. Takada's mind seems to be elsewhere and the Natasha and Taylor have blank looks on their faces.
"Mom!" she calls softly startling her and the littles ones, rush to Takada and grab hold of her.
"Mom, it's me!" tears flow from her eyes with her lips beginning to shake.
"Muku?"
She gently moves the little ones aside and walks towards her.
"Yes, it is me, mom!" she also advances towards Takada.
The two stares at each other, with cheeks wet with tears and emotion showing in their eyes. Takada gently places her hand on Mukura's face and wipes off her tears.
"I thought I was not going to see you again!" she moves her hands from her cheeks and hugs her tight, "But how, how is this possible?"
"The woman in the enchanted forest saved me! She is a good woman, mom, that is where I got these clothes." She sounds so excited telling her mother.
Takada, looks at the clothing and remembers them from back then when she met her.
. Wearing the same clothing as she went to battle alongside Tofireyi and Taruziva back in the day. The first thing that runs through her mind is does she know everything now? Or Genteel did not tell her who she is?
"It looks nice, Mukura!" she pauses thinking whether she should ask or not, "Did she say anything to you?"
"Not really, she just saved me and let me go! I don't really have too much time mother! I have been sent on a journey and I think this will help me save Monalisa and I need to eat and pack some food and depart and maybe some water too!"
"Slow down! I just got you back and you are already talking about leaving and who sent you?"
"The god Wezhira did! After he saved us from being killed by Gwanhoya."
"US?"
"Yes, me and Gurudza."
"Wait you and Gurudza? When did this happen?"
"Recently!"
"And now he is sending you on expeditions?"
"Mom, if I don't do this, the whole world will end! I need to free Monalisa from the demon!"
"I don't want to lose you both! Stay and we will figure something out." Takada holds Mukura's hands pleading with her.
"It will be alright, mom. You will not lose us both, we will return to you!"
Takada softly giggles, "If it was going to be that easy, I would be at ease but I have a bad feeling about everything that is going to happen." she releases Mukura's hands and goes back to sit on the chair.
Mukura follows, kneels and puts her right hand on Takada's cheek, "You do not need to stress, mom, everything will be fine! Do not overthink this." She turns to look at Natasha and Taylor, "Hello, babies!"
Natasha folds her hands and contorts her face, "Who are you calling babies? Ohh, so now you notice our existence?"
"I was about to ask the same thing too!" Taylor interjects in support.
"Both of you! You are babies. And what the hell are you talking about, why would I not notice your existence!"
Takada rises from the chair, "Well, you can play with your siblings for a while, while I prepare food for you to eat and some for you to take on your Journey!"
"Thank you, mom, I was about to ask for that!"
Takada starts preparing the food while Mukura plays with Natasha and Taylor.
Gwanhoya's Cave
Gwanhoya reaches her cave, exhausted from the fight against the queen of the enchanted forest. And to welcome her, she finds Wrath standing on the entrance of the cave.
"I take it you have had enough rest now?" she stands in front of him as he nods in agreement.
"Good then, wait here, I have something I need to do! To speed up everything and also to surprise them before they surprise me any longer."
She advances deep into the cave and begins setting up for a ritual. Chanting, drawing four circles with stars in them and on the centre draws a diamond.
She kneels down in front of the diamond she drew and pours lava from her mouth and moves back with her arms spread out looking up and her eyes turn scarlet red chanting louder. The lava divides itself going to the circles, slowly filling in the lines.
"Come fourth my brethren, for I have need of your assistance!"
"What type of assistance do you need Gwanhoya?" a voice comes from the piling up lava forming bodies from each of the circles.
"I need you to cause some misery among the humans, distract them from me while I prepare for the coming!"
"That is fine, we accept as long as we don't get bored!" the demons answer simultaneously.
As soon as they finish emerging, they vanish from inside the cave.
"Now this will make my work easier while I prepare."
Takada's Home
"Here is your food! And also, this is for your journey." Takada hands over a bag to Mukura, "You can place it somewhere and eat and the two of you," she looks at Natasha and Taylor, "You can go and play outside now."
"Yes, mom!" they leave the house.
"I had missed them so much!" Mukura says looking at them leave and sit on the table to eat.
Takada smiles, "Those two are really a handful!"
"Yes!" Mukura answers and they both laugh.
"Everything is a mess right now and I will do everything I can to restore everything to how it was before."
Mukura freezes speaking and her face becomes gloomy.
"Everything will be alright," Takada holds her hand, "Everything will come to pass, it is only a matter of time."
"I hope so mom because so far things have gotten worse rather than better!"
"It always gets worse before it gets better! Now eat up before it gets cold."
Takada gets up and leave.
Mukura eats and goes to the bathroom to bath. Wears her clothing, takes her bag and searches for Takada to say goodbye. Finds her outside near the gate watching Natasha and Taylor play. She notices Mukura coming her way and turns to meet her.
"You are leaving already?"
"Yes! Actually, I need to start my journey soon so I will be able to help Monalisa!"
"But should it be you? Can't the god who send you do it?"
"No mother, he can't, not that he can't but he said it is not his path but me and Gurudza's at least that is what he allayed!"
"I see!" she moves closer to her, put her hands on Mukura's face rubbing it gently, "May God be with you my child!"
"I hope so, because I really need him on this one!"
"Funny, you met a god but still believe in God!"
"Well, he does not seem like the one I pray to but he is somewhat a god in his own right!"
"I am having a loss of words! You have grown into a fine young lady."
"Thank you, mom!"
"I really have not done anything!"
"You raised me and that is enough!"
Tears drop for most of her life, she has mistreated, hated and blamed her for the death of her husband and the father of her children. But still, she seems to not hold any ill thoughts toward her but rather thanks her. Takada hugs Mukura, holds her tight.
Releases her, cleans up the tears from her eyes.
"Run along now, if you continue being here, I might not be able to let you go!"
"Yes, mother!" she turns and begins running.
"And be careful out there!" she shouts.
Mukura raises her hand waves it, "I will be!" she looks down, "I wish I had learned to fly even for a bit! Would make my journey easier! I wonder how Gurudza is doing, did he get his head back on track? Clearly doing this alone is suicidal."