In Odindi clan, things were going on unremarkably. Everyone was oblivious to the war that had taken place a few days ago. This was the same with all the clans in Lu tribe.
It was better that they did not know. People tend to do unnatural things when they are in their state of fear. Who knew what the members of the Lu community could do? Even if they knew about the war, what help could they give? It was better to be safe than sorry. Everything concerning the war was only known by the upper echelons of the various clans and all of them were in the Lu tribe training camp if not in their own clan training fields.
This afternoon, many from Ong'am's family had already known about the war that took place a few days ago because of Ochieng' and Jakony.
Many had taken their afternoon meals and were currently involved in various activities. Most women were under trees telling stories. Young men had taken their animals from water and were grazing them not far from home. Old men were gathered in different places busy smoking cigarette from their old pipes while discussing clan issues. Young women who had not gone to their own homes were together learning a few things here and there and children were playing as usual.
Suddenly, the ambiance around and within Odindi clan specifically changed. Things tranquilized everywhere. That was strange. Nimbus appeared on the sky but there was no rain. The winds were blowing gently making the atmosphere comfortable. Maybe something unexpected was yet to happen.
"Ong'am, this is a a bad sign. It is all your fault. See what you have brought to our clan just because of that filthy son of yo..."
PAA!
A resounding slap landed on Mboya Ogwang's left cheek. The slap was accompanied by him spouting blood and a few of his teeth landed on the ground as he staggered a little before finally stabilising.
"Did you just slap me?" He inquired his stomach burning with anger.
"So you are also too dumb to realize what I did. You insult anyone you want in my family but dare not insult my son Ochieng'!" Ong'am warned with all seriousness.
"Fine, you just have to prove that you have the capability to stop me from insulting him."
Mboya dashed towards Ong'am with great force as soon as he finished saying so. His right fist was already ahead of him piercing the air ferociously as he moved. The fist carried great might such that if it landed, Ong'am could lose his life.
Faced with the enraged Mboya, Ong'am remained calm. He did not fear anything happening to him. After all, even if he was injured by that fist, he had the regenerative ability. Notwithstanding, he hated feeling pain, he could not just allow that punch to land on him.
"Stop!"
When the punch was just an inch away from Ong'am, an angry voice echoed in the air. Mboya stopped and turned to the direction of the voice, to see who was audacious enough to poke his nose where it was not needed only to see a group of warriors clad in leopard skins led by two men. One of the two men was middle aged and the other one was a young man in his late thirties.
The majestic air around the middle aged man indicated his standing. The killing intent in his eyes also showed the number of battles he had gone through. He was the one who had called out.
"Tribe head."
Upon seeing the middle aged man and feeling the authoritative air around him, the two who were involved in a fight bowed respectfully simultaneously.
"You were left here to train your warriors for a coming battle and here you are, fighting. What if the enemy attacked?" Censured the tribe head.
"It was all because of him here." Mboya pointed at Ong'am.
"What did he do?" The tribe head asked with a deep scowl between his brows.
"His son arrived here with two Lang women a month ago. A week ago, when we were discussing the coming of the battle, he disappeared. He is over eighty seasons old and capable of fighting but chose to leave us during the meeting. Ong'am over here is busy defending him."
Even though Mboya was an outsider in Odindi clan, as the saying goes, 'walls and leaves have ears', it was not impossible for the commander to know a thing or two about Ochieng's arrival.
"Okoth, is he the one from the other day?" The tribe head turned to Okoth Ang'wen, Odindi Clan's Chief.
"That is right." The chief nodded.
"Ignorance can make a mouse attack a cat. Do you even know whom that person is?" The tribe head asked looking at Mboya as if looking at an idiot.
"You know him?" Mboya was not a fool. It was clear that the tribe head knew the young man.
"He finished the war the day before yesterday." Smiled the tribe head proudly.
"What do you mean by that?" Ong'am asked.
"He came with some monsters and slaughtered all our enemies except their tribe heads. Ong'am, don't tell me you don't know your son is an Ordainer." The tribe head asked the former chief jokingly.
The Lu tribe could be said to be one of the most blessed communities in Keniya land. Out of the number of Ordainers that had appeared in Keniya, Lu tribe had hosted more than fourty five percent of them. It goes without saying that other tribes had only had not more than five percent of those people. It is not wrong to say that the Lu people had a deeper understanding of the Ordainers compared to other tribes. Chiefs and commanders definitely knew about their existence.
Mboya fell on his knees and apologized to Ong'am earnestly. He did not know Ochieng' was an Ordainer. The knowledge of the people about the Ordainers was limited. Mboya however stumbled across an ancient book when he decided to take a walk in dry lands far from his clan. The book was written in Lu language.
One of the pages read,
'Humans make the best dishes for the Black Fiends. Their flesh and blood revitalize these demons. Only Ordainers are the nemesis of their lives. These Ordainers should be taken care of when they are found until they are powerful enough to deal with these dark demons...'
The night after the day he obtained the book, he met some Anindo Ngilo who claimed to be the eighteenth Ordainer of Keniya in a dream. Ngilo said the book was his. He had written it casually out of boredom but lost it when roaming. He wanted nobody to have it for the sake of any Ordainer's safety. He asked Mboya not to reveal the secret of the book and pray to 'Were' to keep the current Ordainer safe.
The next day, knowing that there was nowhere safe enough to hide the book, after reading everything, Mboya burned it and its secrets remained with him and the Anindo. If there was anyone who knew about the Ordainers deeply other than the gods of Keniya land and powerful wizards that also had the role of protecting the people was Mboya. He obtained his knowledge from the ancient book.
When he realized Ong'am had fathered an Ordainer, his attitude made a three hundred and sixty degrees turn and felt apologetic from the bottom of his heart.
"It is okay brother, rise."
Seeing how serious Mboya was, Ong'am helped him up. He admired how swiftly Mboya changed his attitude. If he knew why Mboya apologized, maybe the admiration could not be that much.
"Ong'am, we are visiting your clan." Smiled the tribe head after everything was settled.
"Really?!" Ong'am's eyes lit up immediately.
They followed the tribe head after being beckoned.
At Nyara clan in Nyangini's compound. The great seer from south had just come from the shrine when she saw the changing of clouds just before she entered her hut.
"The rainless dark clouds and the smiling of winds. The winds blow towards Odindi. I must head over and take a look. It is long since I saw the tribe head."
The woman was talking to herself. All her husband saw was her being in a daze just before she entered her hut. Instead of entering afterwards, she turned in a hurry probably not wanting to be late for something.
"What is it Nyangini?" He could not help but ask.
"The tribe head is visiting Odindi clan."
"What...?!" He wanted to ask a few questions but the woman disappeared. He shook his head and followed.