PAGE FOUR
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Loud tribal songs were being sung immediately they stepped out of the ancestral shrine, making orire wonder how he had not been able to hear anything when he was inside the shrine.
How many children are having their totems today?
I think four children became five years within this month.
Ah! it's orire, the chief is already out which means he is going to get his first warrior totem.
Such a smart looking child,
apparently he has never cried since he was born, shhhh! The clan chief is coming,
Many of the villagers whispered among themselves while casting appraising glances at orire.
The chief led orire to the village square while explaining the totem branding process to his child.
Soon they arrived at the village square where a scrawny man covered in tattoos with snow-white hair was sitting on the ground in front of a very small Hut, while mixing a viscous dark red liquid.
He was surrounded by different strange items from needles made of beast tooth and feathers and several clay pots giving off a demonic vibe.
Where are the children?, a very raspy voice sounded but instantly the square became quiet.
Orire's eyes flashed the instant he heard the old man's voice, he didn't know why but he felt that this old man could absolutely dominate his father known as cambali's champion.
Four other men including the clan chief instantly stepped forward while pushing four boys out of the crowd
Elder, there are five children today for their totems omotayo swiftly replied.
Five children, a raspy voice sounded ah! I can only smell fortune in cambali's future, come and kneel before me young warriors of cambali,
Pay your respects to elder tutu a stout man among the men who stepped out sharply said
Instantly the five children prostrate waiting for elder tutu to accept their greetings,
*hahahahahaha* the vibe of a warrior leaks of the bodies of these young ones, he stretched out a scrawny finger to point at the five of them. Listen to me young warriors, a warriors chest shall only touch the ground when he is in the embrace of kogi the earth goddess or when he shows respect to an elder.
I have accepted your greetings, stand up.
Four of the children quietly stood up while looking at elder tutu with curiosity.
Elder tutu smiled while looking at the children, his gaze went down to the still prostrating orire while his eyes flashed with curiosity,
Young one, why do you not stand?.
Elder it is the first time I have seen you, but you seem like a tiger wearing the skin of a man and I feel like I should stay prostrated, I don't know where this feeling is from but I can't stand up.
Elder tutu's eyes flashed with deep surprise as he looked orire up and down again like he was only seeing him for the first time.
Omotayo smiled faintly while he watched this happen but the other children seemed confused and continued watching the old man.
You are the only child born with three chosen marks to this village in a long time, recently seven children have been born with chosen marks, and three are in this ceremony, tell me your name child.
Orire!.
Oooo, orire, good head! You do have a good head, he smiled showing his bad dentures. For your coming of age ceremony I will personally select a totem for you and force brand it on you.
Orire didn't know why but deep down he felt ecstatic and he swiftly replied, thank you elder.
Omotayo quickly kowtowed to the man not saying anything, while the other men cast looks of envy on him.
Stand up father and son, I shall take these children with me and they shall return home tomorrow before nightfall.
Enter the Hut children the totem brands you get would be based on the will of the gods.
The children slowly trotted into the Hut with gazes of encouragement from their fathers.
Orire slowly pushed the straw coverings of the Hut as he stepped inside, he and the children surrounding him were immediately stunned with surprise. The two meter Hut they had entered,upon entry was transformed into a vast land stretch.
there seemed to be stars surrounding them as
Strange tribal markings and totems floated around the hall like it was their home,
A strange totem of a burning monkey, a flying red semenjaja, high up even a strange snake totem that kept circling around the children watching them like it had seen something new.
All five children, seemed to be lost in wonder when suddenly a loud sonorous chirp was heard,
It sounded beautiful, but the hearts of all the children couldn't help but clench.
Orire looked up and he saw there was a look of franticness in the eyes of the semenjaja, it looked just like a swallow but it's tail feathers were longer than the span of its body, covered in bright red feathers that waved like a flag.
The semenjaja dived down instantly before anyone could react and entered the body of one of the children. The young boy's eyes instantly turned blood red, he instantly let out a screech at the top of his lungs,with a look of confusion on his face.
he kept looking around not knowing if to step deeper into the lands.
All the children then heard the voice of elder tutu saying, follow your instinct child it would never lead you astray.
The young boy quickly started running North, ignoring the gaze of everyone.
Orire stared at the back of the child running away as he muttered to himself, "follow your instincts".
He turned around and started walking deeper into the land.
Casting glances at each other the four children went their separate ways.
Orire walked deeper and deeper into the hall, soon he could no longer see the shadows of the remaining children, after continuous walking, he had seen a lot of totems moving around like the stars in the night sky.
"is this hall endless?,the totems here are beyond countable" but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched by something.
After two hours of constant walking he had seen a lot of totems,
some got close to him just to turn around and flee, and others ran away upon seeing him.
He could already feel his legs getting tired but he still couldnt shake the feeling of being watched.
"I have been walking for so long here, which totem belongs to me?".
A short while later he could hear sounds like that of a stampede. He saw hundreds of beast totems running towards him from the west,
both on the land and in the air, he felt shocked by the sheer amount of totems running towards him.
all of a sudden an eye piercing light shone in his surroundings like the great afternoon sun, startling every totem causing them to stop and run away in every direction,
A totem slowly hovered down, still emitting blinding white light,
When orire took a closer look it was the totem of an eye, it was formed of four pitch black overlapping rings, with a hint of majesticness, orire could sense curiosity in the eye of the totem.
Orire slowly stretch out his hands, wanting to grab the totem that was looking at him.
ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!
the atmosphere shook with the roar, orire looked forward and saw a huge beast charging towards him from the direction the other totems fled from.