"To begin, this tribe of ours isn't from this continent. Actually, it isn't even from this Domain. The story begins in the lands of my forefathers – Tsew Acirfa."
"In this land, three powers reigned supreme, the Mali Clan, the Ghana Clan, and the Songhai Clan. Against external threats, they stood united, but between one another…well, let's just say some heads flew under cover of night. "
"However, no matter how much they tried to subvert one another, they were all incapable of dominating one another. For generations, all three powers competed against each other, and for better or worse, this rivalry of theirs strengthened and sharpened them, with the most notable improvement being their bloodlines. "
"In the land of Tsew Acirfa, each of the three clans held a bloodline, unique to only them. In some ways, the silent conflict between the clans could be attributed to this since, for one, all clan members held a grade of the bloodline. Two, the bloodlines prevented successful intermingling between the clans' members. And on top of that, courtesy of these bloodlines, Celestes and Terrests was practically nonexistent, making practically everyone on the continent conform to one clan, thus ensuring that the clans never truly unite."
" Nevertheless, it's also because of these bloodlines that everyone in Tsew Acirfa was incredibly strong and powerful. The Mali Clan had the Domnus King bloodline, the Ghana Clan had the Warrior King Bloodline, and Songhai Clan had the Tempest King Bloodline. However, though these bloodlines were the source of each clans' strength, they also become the cause of their downfall."
"The fall of the clans began when a man named Primus Zulu arrived on Tsew Acirfa. He came from a similar land to Tsew Acirfa called Htuos Acirfa. Upon his arrival, he met with the clan leader of the Mali Clan at the time with a promise. His promise? He could elevate the Domnus King bloodline from the regal grade to the imperial grade. The significance of this? All three clan chief's bloodlines were at the regal grade, and comparing a regal bloodline to an imperial bloodline is like comparing the light of a moon to the sun's. If such an advantage was given the Mali Clan, wiping the Ghana and Songhai Clan would be a matter of one snapping fingers."
"And as fate would have it, upon hearing that and all Primus Zulu needed was his bloodline seed, the Mali Clan leader happily agreed. Unbeknownst to him, Primus Zulu had met with the other clan leaders for the exact same thing. With three regal bloodline seeds in hand, Primus Zulu vanished. And all he needed to rob away three bloodline seeds was faux higher bloodline grade pressure. Quite the heist, really. Regardless, when the leaders realized what happened, they couldn't help but lament their foolishness. But no matter how much they mourned, they had paid the price for their recklessness. Honestly, quite stupid, really, knowing the rules of the Realm. Why would someone stronger willing to help a weaker person and for free at that? There is probably more to the story than what's been passed down, but from what we have, 'stupid' is an understatement."
"Nevertheless, without their bloodline seeds, the three clans' chiefs' bloodline grades began to plummet, from Regal to Noble, to Advanced, to Intermediate, and finally down to Basic. And this degradation didn't just affect their clan chiefs, but every member of their clans, regardless of their bloodline grade. As for why the remaining members would be affected? A ritual took place long ago that linked all clan members' bloodline to the clan heads'. The benefits of this allowed even the weakest member of the clan to possess an intermediate grade of the bloodlines. The downsides? Well, when the source of something is negatively affected by something….."
"Nonetheless, with the continuous grade drops, so did the clans' overall strength. With no other choice, each clan summoned their Oracle Spirits to guide them on what to do. Perhaps they should have done that before handing their bloodline seeds to a stranger, but alas….. Regardless, when the Oracle Spirits appeared, they only bore foreboding news. Primus Zulu was returning with an army, and he had somehow fused the three bloodline seeds with himself to create a new bloodline of the imperial grade…."
"But all hope was not lost. Though the clans were facing destruction and enslavement, each Oracle Spirit offered their clan hope. They each told their respective clan leader to send out their youngest child with a small group of people off the continent. Only a small group would be able to sneak past Primus Zulu's incoming fleet. With no choice, the leaders acted in haste to sent out their youngest. The Mali and Songhai Clan went in their foretold direction with swiftness. As for Ghana Clan, something interesting happened with their Oracle Spirit."
"Just as the Ghana Clan's Oracle Spirit was about to deliver its instructions, something took over its existence. Our records don't describe what took it over, but who or whatever it was, the Clan leader at the time immediately took a polite attitude. Nonetheless, what or whoever took over the Oracle spirit had a request."
"It pointed to a direction and told the Ghana Clan leader to send his youngest and wait for the arrival of someone who would walk out from the valley of five mountains. And as compensation, it offered two Blood Fruits and a Domain Vessel. As for what a Blood Fruit and a Domain Vessel are exactly, we aren't too sure, but we can infer a bit from their names. Also, along with this request came a warning: Protect The Valley And Minimize Interaction."
"Notwithstanding, the Clan Leader took the offer as what or whoever took over the Oracle dissipated. With haste, the Clan Leader sent his youngest child, Asante, and a few other people in the requested direction."
"Traversing from the Inner Domain to the Outer Domain, Asante and his companions eventually landed on new land, a beach of a desert to be more specific. Being the filial son he was, Asante then began searching for a valley of five mountains."
"Eventually, Asante and his people found it, after cross an entire continent and losing a few of their people to the dangers of the continent. It was difficult and brutal, but it was done. Nonetheless, that is how my people arrived here." Finished Ayfia as she released a heavy breath.
"Are all your questions answered?" Asked Cisse.
Hearing Cisse's question, Arthur paused for a bit as he fully digested Ayfia's story. He couldn't help be impressed by the Asante Tribe's dedication and will. However, a question remained. What happens now?.
"Do you suspect I am the one the tribe has been waiting for?" Asked Arthur.
"More than likely," responded Ayfia. "However, there is a requirement that needs to happen in order to confirm the identity of the one we are waiting for. That one has yet to happen yet. It was written that it should happen within a month of the awaited one's arrival. So until then, we wait."
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[Tidbit 1: Tsew Acirfa is literally West Africa spelled backward lol...sounds cool, though.]
[Tidbit 2: Removal of a bloodline seed isn't exactly the removal of the seed. That's impossible. However, manipulating its essence is possible. It's a similar process of how a person can refine their bloodline to higher grades.]
[Historical Tidbit 1: Between 700 and 1600, there were three great empires in the center of West Africa: Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. All three came right after each other's end, by the way. They didn't exist at the same time.]