14 Apeleka's Reques

After the incident with the bird, the strength of Mudho and Ochieng' you reached another level. Their journey inside the forbidden land had become quite easy. Even though they died in some instances, considering their abilities to regenerate, they easily got away. Ochieng' concealed his pouch so well that even when they met with danger, he never lost it.

Everyday he thought about Apeleka. This made him train conscientiously so as to become strong enough to avenge her without fear. Mudho would cultivate with him but from time to time checked their circumferent to ensure their safety. They roamed in every corner of the forbidden land and after two years, they had gone to every corner of that mysterious land.

Even though Ochieng' had become exceedingly powerful, he was yet to release the aura that most beasts that were close to people like him longed for, however, he was able to discharge a little. It was that little bit the animals could mix with theirs so that when the orphic one appeared, they could devour without incurring any danger.

Mudho knew he was almost reaching the level that it would need him most, it started training closely with him so that it could coalesce it's beast aura with his. It taught him how to bring their auras together without harming it. The beast and the man with time became even closer to one another that they almost did nothing without the other.

They had also obtained a lot of treasures, from fruits to ores that could be used to make very powerful weapons. They decided to leave for home two weeks after the third year of being away begun. As they had done in the past, they could stop at some points at dusk, kill an animal and eat alongside fruits and herbs they harvested during their journey. Because of the treasures they acquired almost everyday, Ochieng had made a large beautiful rucksack with the scarlet furred beast's skin to hold them.

After eight days and nights, they got about five kilometers away from home. At around noon on the eighth day, Ochieng' had a peculiar feeling. He felt his internal temperature rising and his cells becoming numb. His eyes were extremely red and he was shading tears uncontrollably. When Mudho turned to to take a look, instead of being worried, it started jumping like a lunatic.

"How can you laugh..." He said incoherently before he squirted a mouthful of blood.

The beast stood firm to the ground, opened its mouth and got ready to guttlethe aura if it was released. Ochieng saw it and realized something. He knew he was going to breakthrough. When he thought he was going to go through more pain, out of his pores he released a very cold aura. The plants that were touched by this aura freezed down.

He tried extending his right arm and the aura left in a raging speed. It turned into strong winds and everything aheadwas changed into nothingness. When he saw that, he at once pulled the aura back in fear.

"Mudho, what will happen to everyone and everything around me with this?" He asked

"Don't worry, the best it can do to a fellow human and the normal animals is overwhelm them a little and injure them at most if you fully release it. For plants and we the extraordinary beasts, you have to control it if you don't want to destroy us." The beast explained.

"Why should it be dangerous to you but not to human beings and other ordinary animals?" He was perplexed.

"Because we have unique blood and body constitutions. That aura is the bane of our blood and our body composition. Once it comes into contact with our body, it kills us immediately."

"But you say you can devour the aura and use it against other beasts..." Ochieng' was flummoxed even more.

"I have trained with you since you were weak. When you trained, you breathed and even release those auras though too weak to harm me. I used your breath and aura to alter my body composition so that I couldn't be vulnerable to the dangerous aura you just released, but consume and store it in my body. I can always use it against my enemies and even conquer the whole forbidden land if I want. This is what happens to all of us. As for plants, I'm not too sure either but with just a thought from you, your aura can be completely harmless to them. " The beast patiently explained.

Ochieng' nodded in realization. He then asked the beast what he needed to do to help it obtain the aura. After which, without vacillation, he helped it absorb the aura. After around to hours, the process was complete andthe two were left fagged. They decided to take a rest under a tree and even spent a night there.

While they were sleeping at night, the gray bird with white wings decided to visit again.

Heee! Heee

It started singing again. This time round it wasn't a song to temper them in any way but to make Ochieng' have a dream. In the dream, he was entering the verboten land. As soon as he was in, he saw a lady sitting away, showing him her back. "Hey!" he shouted and when the lady turned, he was elated to see Apeleka again.

He rushedand sat next to her.It seemed she didn't have much time because after he was beside her, she said quite hastily, "You must get me out of this proscribed place. I have suffered enough."

He wasn't given time to react when the lady disappeared. He even woke up without awareness andvoicelessly whispered, "I will get you out of here."

He never slept for the rest of the night. His mind was engaged in the lady he always saw in his dreams. From the first time he set his eyes on her, the affection he felt towards her kept soaring up. She was the first woman and person to meet since he left his home over fourteen years ago.

After it delivered the message, the bird flew away. Mudho was sound asleep, oblivious to what its human friend was going through. Its stertorous sleep was even unnoticed by the human beside it.