The three elders, Ogbuefi Akunne, Igweatuonye, and Omeni, arrived at Nkoroma village,
They were greeted by the warm smiles of the villagers.
They asked some of the villagers about the road that led to Ezenwanyi's shrine, and an old man named Okoro stepped forward.
"Ah, you seek the road to Ezenwanyi's shrine?" Okoro asked, his eyes twinkling with knowledge.
"It is not an easy journey, but I can guide you.
The road is treacherous, with steep hills and raging rivers.
But if you follow my instructions, you will reach the shrine safely."
The elders listened intently as Okoro described the journey, pointing out landmarks and warning them of potential dangers.
They thanked him profusely and set off.
Their hearts filled with determination and their spirits lifted by the villagers' warm hospitality.
As they journeyed on, they encountered many challenges, but they persevered, using their combined wisdom and experience to overcome each obstacle.
Finally, after many hours of walking, they arrived at the shrine.
As the they approached the entrance of the shrine, they felt a sudden jolt of anticipation.
They had traveled so far and overcome so many obstacles to reach this sacred place.
But just as they were about to step inside, a voice boomed down from above, echoing off the walls of the shrine.
"Stop! Do not enter this sacred place!" the voice commanded.
The elders froze, looking around in confusion.
There was no one in sight, but the voice seemed to come from all around them, echoing off the trees and the ground itself.
"Who are you?" Omeni called out, his voice shaking slightly.
"Why do you forbid us from entering the shrine?"
There was a pause, and then the voice spoke again.
"You have been chosen to receive a message from Ezenwanyi, but you must not enter the shrine.
Your hearts are not pure enough to behold her glory."
The elders looked at each other in dismay.
They had come so far, and now they were being denied access to the very place they had sought to reach.
"What must we do to purify our hearts?"
Igweatuonye asked, his voice filled with determination.
The voice spoke again,
"You must make a sacrifice to make you worthy of entering the shrine."
Ogbuefi Akunne's face fell as he heard the voice's response.
He looked at his fellow elders, Igweatuonye and Omeni, and saw the fear and uncertainty in their eyes.
He knew that he had to make a decision, but it was a heavy burden to bear.
"What do you mean, voice?"
Ogbuefi Akunne asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"What kind of sacrifice are you talking about?"
"The sacrifice of one of your own lives,"
the voice replied, its tone unyielding.
"One of you must give up your life so that the others may enter the shrine and receive the blessings of Ezenwanyi."
The elders looked at each other in horror.
They had never imagined that their quest for solution and help would come at such a terrible cost.
"Which one of us must make this sacrifice?"
Igweatuonye asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"The choice is yours," the voice replied.
"But know that the fate of your village depends on your decision.
If you do not make the sacrifice, you will never enter the shrine, and your village will suffer the consequences."
The elders looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
They knew that they had to make a decision, but it was a choice that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.
Omeni's eyes filled with determination as he spoke,
"I will sacrifice myself. Show me how to do it."
But before the voice could respond, Ogbuefi Akunne grabbed Omeni's arm, his grip firm.
"No, my friend," he said, his voice filled with a mix of sadness and resolve.
"It is my turn to die.
I am the eldest, and it is my duty to make this sacrifice.
You must stay and continue the journey with Igweatuonye."
Omeni tried to pull away, but Ogbuefi Akunne held fast.
"No, I will not let you do this," he said, his voice firm.
"I am the one who must go."
The two elders locked eyes, their faces filled with a deep sense of sorrow and understanding.
Igweatuonye watched in silence, his heart heavy with the weight of their decision.
The voice remained silent, waiting for their final decision, as the three elders stood there, frozen in a moment of ultimate sacrifice and loyalty.
Ogbuefi Akunne took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the entrance of the shrine.
"Which way?" he asked, his voice firm and resolute.
"Enter into the shrine, Ogbuefi Akunne," the voice replied.
"Your fellow elders, Omeni and Igweatuonye, will wait here. Only you can enter."
Ogbuefi Akunne nodded, his face set in determination.
He took a step forward, then another, his movements slow and deliberate.
As he reached the entrance of the shrine, he paused, looking back at his fellow elders.
Omeni and Igweatuonye watched in silence, their faces filled with a mix of sadness and admiration for their friend's courage.
They knew that Ogbuefi Akunne was walking into the unknown, and that his sacrifice would be remembered for generations to come.
With a final nod, Ogbuefi Akunne stepped into the shrine, the darkness swallowing him whole.
As soon as Ogbuefi Akunne disappeared into the shrine, a thick white smoke billowed out, enveloping the entrance.
Igweatuonye and Omeni watched in horror, knowing that their friend was gone.
They fell to the ground, weeping and wailing in grief.
The voice spoke again, its tone unyielding.
"Ogbuefi Akunne has made the ultimate sacrifice.
His spirit has been received by Ezenwanyi. You, Omeni and Igweatuonye, are free to go now.
The two elders slowly got to their feet, their faces streaked with tears.
They looked at each other, then back at the shrine, now shrouded in silence.
They knew that their friend was gone, and that their lives would never be the same.
The white smoke lingering in the air like a haunting reminder of their friend's sacrifice.
They entered the shrine, and a voice welcomed them.
"Welcome to nduime shrine, noble men of Ozumba village."
They turned their back but couldn't find anyone in the shrine, the place was like an old shrine that has been abandoned for centuries.
Suddenly, Ezenwanyi appears to the shrine.
They was about to run when they heard a voice urging them to stop.
"Do not be afraid, for the gods are with you.
You seek for peace and peace you shall have.
They summoned courage and came back.
"Please Ezenwanyi, help us, our village are in a big trouble". Omeni speak with fear in his face.
"there's a beast hurting us, and also killed our Ezemuo.
Act of anger, the youths burn down the shrine, and now the gods have taken their revenge on us."
Ezenwanyi's expression turned from warm to stern as she listened to the elders' tale.
Her eyes blazed with a fierce light as they recounted the desecration of their deity and the tragic consequences that followed.
"How could they commit such a heinous act?"
she exclaimed, her voice thundering through the shrine.
"The youths of Ozumba have brought a curse upon themselves and their families.
But I shall help you, for the sake of the innocent lives that are being lost."
Ezenwanyi raised her hands, and a brilliant light enveloped the elders.
When the light faded, a small, delicate calabash lay in her hands.
"This is the Calabash of Life," she explained.
"It holds the power to heal and protect.
Take it to your village and use it to cleanse the land of the curse.
But first, you must perform a ritual to appease the spirits and restore balance to the land."
Igweatuonye and Omeni listened intently as Ezenwanyi instructed them on the ritual, their hearts filled with hope and gratitude.
"At Eke day, the elders of Ozumba village will take the calabash and walks around the whole village, and then take it to the shrine to appease the gods.
No one is expected to come out that day, not even a visitor is allowed in your village that day, they must cover their faces while on the mission, for anyone who sees the calabash with his or her eyes while it's on a mission dies instantly."
They where happy that at least, they will find peace again in their village.
"May the blessings of the ancestors be upon you, and May your village prosper and may the memories of Ogbuefi Akunne's sacrifice never be forgotten." Ezenwanyi spoke as she ordered them to go back to their village.
With a sense of purpose and hope, the two elders, Igweatuonye and Omeni, began their journey back to Ozumba.
They walked in silence, their hearts filled with a mix of emotions - grief for their fallen friend, gratitude for Ezenwanyi's guidance, and determination to rebuild their village.
As they walked, the dense forest gradually gave way to the familiar landscape of their village.
They quickened their pace, eager to share the news of their successful quest and to begin the ritual that would lift the curse.
Finally, they beheld the thatched roofs of Ozumba's homes, a sight that filled their hearts with joy and longing.
They knew that their journey was almost over, and that soon they would be reunited with their people, free from the curse that had haunted them for so long.
As Igweatuonye and Omeni entered the village, the air was filled with cheers and shouts of joy.
The villagers, who had been waiting anxiously for their return, rushed to welcome them, eager to hear news of their quest.
The two elders were surrounded by a sea of smiling faces, as the villagers patted them on the back and congratulated them on their success.
With the Calabash of Life held high, the villagers escorted Igweatuonye and Omeni to the palace, where the king awaited their return.
The palace gates swung open, and the two elders were led into the throne room, where the king sat in anticipation.
The king's face lit up with a warm smile as he saw the two elders with a Calabash, and he rose from his throne to greet the elders.
"Omeni and Igweatuonye, you have returned with the blessing of Ezenwanyi,"
he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "Our village is forever in your debt."
The villagers cheered and chanted the names of the two elders, hailing them as heroes.
Omeni and Igweatuonye bowed their heads in humility, knowing that their journey had been for the greater good of their people.
They greeted the king and explained how Ogbuefi Akunne sacrificed himself for the betterment of the villagers.
They also explained the instructions given to them by Ezenwanyi that the elders of the village will take the calabash and walks around the village and no one is expected to come out that day.
Except the elders, and no one is allowed to see the calabash with his or her eyes that day.
The king's face turned solemn as Omeni recounted the tale of Ogbuefi Akunne's sacrifice.
He nodded gravely, his eyes filled with a deep respect for the fallen elder.
"I see," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "Ogbuefi Akunne's bravery and selflessness will never be forgotten.
His spirit will live on in our hearts, and his sacrifice will be honored for generations to come."
The king then turned his attention to the instructions given by Ezenwanyi.
He nodded thoughtfully, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"I understand," he said.
"The elders of our village will carry the Calabash of Life and walk around the village, following the instructions given to us by Ezenwanyi.
And on that day, no one will venture out of their homes, lest they risk being struck down by the calabash's power."
He paused, looking around the room at the assembled villagers.
"As we prepare for the ritual," he declared.
"Let us honor Ogbuefi Akunne's memory and lift the curse that has plagued our village for so long.
May Ezenwanyi's blessing be upon us all."
With that, the king began to make arrangements for the ritual, assigning tasks to the various villagers and ensuring that everyone understood their role in the ceremony.
The villagers dispersed, each one eager to play their part in the ritual that would restore their village to its former glory.
STORY CONTINUES.
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