The moon cast its silvery glow over the Zambezi River, illuminating the mist-shrouded waters. The air was heavy with the scent of blooming acacia trees and the distant rumble of the river's mighty Victoria Falls. In this mystical landscape, one of the seven natural wonders of the world where the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was thin, the ancient ones stirred.
Deep within the river's depths, a serpent of legend began to awaken. Nyaminyami, the mighty snake, slowly uncoiled its massive body, sending ripples through the water. The snake's scales glistened like polished obsidian, reflecting the moon's light. As it rose from the depths, the river's waters churned and foamed, signaling the serpent's return.
On the riverbank, a old initiate named Mowgii stood watch, his eyes scanning the waters for any sign of the serpent's awakening. He wore a traditional white robe, adorned with intricate patterns of cowry shells and beads, symbolizing his connection to the Nyaminyami cult. Mowgii"s heart pounded with anticipation, for he had been chosen to bear witness to this momentous event.
As the serpent's massive head broke the surface, Kofi felt the air vibrate with an otherworldly energy. The snake's eyes, like two glittering stars, locked onto Mowgii, and he felt an electric jolt run through his veins. The initiate knew that he was being called to fulfill an ancient prophecy, one that would determine the fate of Africa and the world beyond.
Mowgii's mind was filled with visions of the past and present, as the serpent's gaze seemed to awaken a deep understanding within him. He saw the ancient civilization that had once flourished along the Zambezi river, and before that he saw the beautiful cultural that Africa had been before the introduction of civilization. He saw the powerful magic that had been once wielded by the Nyaminyami cult. He saw the time when the ancient serpents were betrayed by the gods, he saw the sea god being imprisoned and sealed in a man made dam. He saw the struggles of the present, as dark forces sought to claim the land for their own.
As the visions faded, Mowgii felt a sense of purpose wash over him, as he realized the role and connection he had to play.
That same night, inside a remote village near the bustling city of Betibridge, a lively ceremony was taking place. Multiple figures surrounded a roaring bone fire, their faces aglow with excitement. Young men, barely in their mid-thirties, sat in a circle, beating out a lively rhythm on their drums. Beautiful young women performed a traditional dance around the fire, their movements graceful and mesmerizing.
The air was filled with warmth and joyfulness, as women grouped together, discussing various household matters and sharing the latest gossip. The men, too, were grouped together, bragging and sharing stories of their hunts in the forest and their latest conquests.
Children sat in rapt attention, listening to elderly storytellers recount ancient tales of Africa's past, when the continent was still connected to the outside world. At one such group, a young boy named Kofi listened with wide eyes as an elderly woman spoke in the Shona language, the language of their tribe.
"Once upon a time, two centuries ago, Africa was once a land of culture and diversity. It mingled with foreign lands, exchanging goods with them and trading its resources.The people of Africa also welcomed the foreigners into their homes, permitting them to preach their foreign religions on our lands. This act angered the gods, and caused them to turn their eyes away from us and after losing the protection of the gods, Africa was seized and enslaved by the visitors they had invited."
The old woman's eyes seemed to cloud over, as if memories of the past still lingered. "They were subjected to forced labor, stripped of their lands. During this time, the Africans tried to call out for help from the gods, but they had forsaken them. Their cries were unheard."
Kofi's eyes were fixed on the old woman, his mind absorbing every word. The old woman continued, her voice weaving a spell of enchantment.
"Later, with the help of other forces from foreign lands, Africa joined hands and retook their lands. After stabilizing, they made peace with the other forces and strived to build a civilization together. New religions were introduced, and an extraordinary force called technology was born. People were able to travel to different lands in just days or hours. It was truly a wonder."
The old woman's expression turned somber, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. "But as they indulged in these fantasies, they started to forget the ancestors – those who bled for the lands they lived on. They began to forget the gods, those who gifted them with life. This once again angered the gods, and a prophecy of their wrath came."
Kofi's heart skipped a beat as the old woman's eyes locked onto his. "The prophecy stated that if the children of the soil don't stop mingling with foreigners and tainting the lands with their oils, three calamities will unfold."
The old woman's voice dropped to a whisper, her words sending shivers down Nkosilati's spine. "The first calamity would be the emergence of terrifying and contagious diseases that would originate from the foreign lands. These diseases would then spread across the lands of Africa, reaping many lives in the process."
The second calamity was a promised devastating drought and famine. Due to the their acts, of destroying nature to fuel technological advancements, the consequences would became apparent as the lands withered, forever remaining dry. The once-turbulent rivers would dried out, their waters disappearing.
The third calamity—
At this moment, Kofi suddenly spoke, "The Awakening of the great Sea God, snake of fate and chaos, the Nyaminyami."
The old lady turned her eyes to the owner of the voice. Kofi sat cross-legged, his dark dreadlocks covering half his face, making it difficult to discern his features. The boy appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, with an averagely muscular build, neither too thick nor too thin.
He wore a brown looking robe, that was emblazoned with intricate patterns and drawings of clay pots.
When she heard the boy's words, the old woman revealed a tender smile and continued,
"Yes, yes, the awakening of the great snake of fate and chaos. Although to this day, the signs of the snake awakening hasn't appeared, people think that it will arrive. After all the, first two calamities had already unfolded and-"
While she was busy explaining, the old woman was suddenly interrupted mid-speech. A few drops of rain suddenly landed on her face signaling that it was about to rain.
The villagers ,upon receiving the rain suddenly displayed joyous expression, fully embracing the long awaited rain.
Everyone present were showing their happiness to the rain, everyone except the elderly people.
All of them, instead of being happy, they were all displaying pale expressions, as if they had just witnessed an ominous sign.
Kofi who was always observant noticed this and was intrigued. He then approached the elderly woman who had been storytelling before, and asked curiously.
"Elder, why are you not happy. Isn't the rain a sign from the gods? Isn't this why we were performing the ceremony today?
The elderly woman seemed to not hear the young boy's questions.
Instead she was stammering in a barely audible voice, with fear apparent on her face.
Just at this moment, the sound of the clouds rumbled,and a brilliant flash of light suddenly descended from the sky, heating a nearby hut and a few unfortunate villagers in the process.
The elderly woman's eyes locked onto Kofi's, and she whispered a single word that sent shivers down his spine,
"Nyaminyami"
Elsewhere in Africa, in a different region that was shrouded in darkness. Several figures, both children, animals, young men and women, elderly woman and men, were also performing their own ceremony.
The figures played drums, danced harmoniously, sang songs of a happiness and shared brewed Alcohols and gathered food.
It was a joyous ceremony and would have been a normal one, if it wasn't for the constant baboons and chickens, that danced and chatted with humans as they shared roasted turkey together.
While the ceremony commenced, Loki a young girl in her teens was bound on a wooden stake, with countless figures sorrounding her and dancing with smiles plastered on their faces.
The young girl watched with a grim composure as the fanatics around her danced strange dances and sang weird songs of an ancient languages that was both farmiliar and unfamiliar to her.
As she stared at the dancing people and while the night wore on, the celebration grew more frenzied, with the drumming and dancing reaching a fevered pitch. It was as if the villagers were trying to summon something, to call forth a power that had been dormant for to long.
And then just as suddenly as it had begun, the celebration stopped. The drums fell silent, the dancing and singing ceased. The villagers looked up at the night sky with a mixture of awe and trepidation.
The clouds rumbled as silver arcs snake like lighting illuminated the dark shrouded region. Drops of rain began to shower the dry land and and from a certain long distance, a mighty roar sounded, echoing across the landscape like thunder. It was a sound that had not been heard in generations, a sound that signaled the awakening of a power that would change the course of time itself.
It was the awakening of the Sea god.