35 Wizard Lanok

Ochieng' walked softly to where the two chiefs were standing. He took out his sword and looked at them intently . He lifted it to send them to their maker when a harsh male ancient voice resonated in the air.

"Who is this young man with moxie to attack my tribe?"

Everyone lifted their heads to see who it was but saw nobody. Even Ochieng' felt his heartbeat increase a little. He unconsciously kept his sword and waited for the person to come out. Apeleka, her mother and father also came out.

The place was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Many people's breathing quickened as they anxiously waited. Even after a few minutes had passed, nothing happened and a few started losing their patience.

Suddenly, a spate of cold winds started insulting everyone including Ochieng'. The weak civilians started trembling violently. Their faces turned pale as they gasped for air. Apeleka and her mother were not any different. Even though the warriors were slightly better, they were still shivering. The chiefs especially Tongedi who had no injuries were getting along better than everyone except Ochieng' who was stronger than them.

While they were still processing what was going on, the intensity of the surges of wind increased developing into a hurricane booming everyone present at the scene including Ochieng'. They all rose to around three metres from the ground covered with dust storm before plummeting to the ground hard. Many zonked out immediately, some spurted blood while others disgorged everything in their stomachs.

After everything lulled and while everyone including Ochieng' was still lying on the ground, an old figure appeared from the clouds and descended to Amonka clan. When he was close to everyone, his appearance was clear. The fellow looked cool and primordial. The gray hairs on his head and chin were well kempt. The skin he wore on him was a zebra skin. It was nicely made to fit him perfectly. His shining eyes looked very cool and his breathing was just regular. At a glance, he looked harmless.

"Rise."

After he landed, the voice of the old man sounded again. shockingly enough, everyone found themselves rising feeling very energetic. Even Chief Tok Tok who's condition had worsened after the fall rose feeling very strong. His previous injuries had disappeared without trace. Of course the over a hundred people who had died before were still dead.

"Lanok the wizard." Chief Tongedi called out pleasantly surprised.

"Lanok? You mean the one who disappeared two hundred seasons ago?" Tok Tok who had taken in Tongedi asked with astonishment.

"That's right." Answered Tongedi secretly glancing at Ochieng' who stood a distance away. He had found his savior.

Lanok was popularly known as Lang tribe guardian two hundred seasons before this date. Back then, he was known to be the most powerful person in Lang tribe. His magics were orphic to people and during his time, no one dared to infiltrate Lang tribe in fear of dying without knowing. It is said that before he disappeared, he had a clash with a mysterious beast when he was strolling near the entrance of the forbidden land. The beast had wounded him badly and if it was not for the beast having matters to attend to in it's clan, it could have killed him. He was picked by Lang warriors and hedisappeared during his treatment.

Many people thought he had died since he visited through dreams. Chief Tongedi also knew him through dreams. He wasn't scared when he saw him because he was after all a wizard, he could communicate with people through different ways without necessarily dying. The other tribesmen and the warriors did nit recognize the old man at all.

"He did not die?" Tok Tok asked agitated.

"Shhh, don't talk about this, don't you fear bringing trouble to yourself?" Tongedi warned his similitude placing his right forefinger on his lips.

Ochieng' stood up looking at the old man dubiously. He thought that after he walked out of the forbidden land, he stood on top of the world and would have to live without fear. This old man had proved to him that he had been naif.

"Why did you kill my people?" The old walked to Ochieng', stood before him and asked insensately.

"I..." Faced with the old man's question, Ochieng' was lost of words. He came to avenge his Apeleka and her mother knowing that he was stronger than anyone. Who would have known that such a figure would pop up in the process of doing so.

"If you don't want to talk, let me play with you." The old man said and immediately fluttered his wrist and a clear liquid was produced from his palm. The liquid moved at terrific speed toward Ochieng'. Ochieng' did not have time to react when the liquid landed forthrightly on his chest. He was sent flying before landing on Apeleka's father's 'manyatta'. The 'manyatta' collapsed immediately, burying Ochieng' within.

"Ochieng'!"

As soon as he fell and while inside the ruins, Ochieng' heard an anxious gentle voice outside. It was a voice he was very familiar with. It was the voice of the only person his heart had kept.

"Apeleka."

Ochieng' grumbled and jumped out of the devastated house. He then spout a mouthful of blood that he was trying hard to suppress. When he lifted his head, he saw Apeleka standing right in front of him wearing a worried look on her face. Her mother was standing right beside her.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly making him feel a sharp spasm of pain in his heart. He was chagrined facing her in that state. All along, he had been overcoming obstacles without showing any weaknesses. Today, he was helpless before another man, how could he face this girl of his. Seeming to have read his thoughts, the young lady walked up to him, helped him remove the dust off his body and softly said,

"You don't have to be worried my man. I understand, in this world, there isalways a mountain standing before everyone, I can't blame you if you can't fight him, all you have to know is that if you must die here,I will die with you and we will be together on the other side. If you survive, I will stay by your side no matter what happens."

Ochieng' felt a feeling of warmth rise in his heart. He looked at the young girl seriously and found himself unable to control tears coming from his eyes. He wanted to say something but was unable to. After trying hard, this is what came out, "It is not yet time for us to go... "

Ochieng' then turned to the old man and looked at him straight into the eyes. His heart started beating very fast. His breathing expedited and he started burning with fury. He took out his sword and started walking step by step to the old man.

The old man only chuckled disdainfully before crossing his arms, looking at Ochieng' calmly as if he was seeing an ant walking towards him.

"Ochieng'." Apeleka mumbled distressed.

Apeleka's mother hugged her daughter tightly asking her God to help Ochieng'. The Lang tribesmen and the warriors wanted Ochieng' to fall for killing their warriors. The two chiefs were trembling in agitation, they wanted to see how this audacious fellow fell.