Chosen: The Legend of Saqui

BOOK IV CHAPTER I

BOOK IV: INVASION OF THE GEN ZANA

CHAPTER I - UNITY DAY

It was the fifth annual Unity Day, the day the tribes celebrated Saqui defeating Amaru and fulfilling the prophecy of uniting the six tribes. Each of the six villages celebrated with their own versions of music, dancing and cuisine.

At the Grand Central Palace, however, the party was tenfold. Thousands of members of all the tribes gathered, bringing foods from their lands. They could sample foods from other nations, learn the cultures of the other nations. This was a time of remembering and celebrating.

A month prior to Unity Day, the names of every sixteen-year-old girl were placed in a bowl. Saqui would draw a name from that bowl, and that person would portray her in a reenactment of her final battle with Amaru. Likewise, she would also draw the name of the man who would play her nemesis.

This year, the choice was Tohona from the Patamon to play Saqui and Iyapu of the Tobbi to play Amaru. For the next month, they rehearsed their roles.

On this day, they put on a flawless performance. Saqui was very impressed with their accuracy of the battle.

For Jumoke, however, he was not in a partying mood. He had felt a bit left out and neglected from the whole story. He could not accompany Saqui on her quest for the lost Quesmi, when she fought the pfarrno, or to help save his daughter.

Still, he knew this was her day, and he was not going to stand in her way of enjoying it. Besides, she had told him some news that made him feel much better.

She was two months pregnant with their second child, a way to rebuild their relationship and mend their broken hearts from the loss of Olubaya.

But not everyone could celebrate. Down in the dikao mines, Amaru had labored since his sentencing five years ago. And for the past five years, he had been plotting his revenge against his judges.

Finally, he would put his plan into action. Using his pickax that he used to break the dikao, he broke his chains. He was free from bondage. He freed those with him who shared in his punishment.

As Amaru was freeing them, he saw Cunac for the first time in a year. He had not spoken to the wizard since his defeat. He blamed Cunac for his failure. Feeling betrayed, he killed Cunac with a stab to the head.

With pickax still in hand, he ran for the entrance. Anyone who got in his way received the wrong end of the weapon. They could not stop him.

He was eventually able to reach the entrance to the mine. As he ran from his prison, Amaru was stopped dead in his tracks after a few steps. Having been trapped underground for the past five years, he was deprived of sunlight. It took several minutes for his eyes to adjust.

When he regained his senses, he ran for the nearest form of escape. He found it in the form of a boat at the docks of the Galenic Ocean. He hijacked the boat and sailed away from those who imprisoned him.

Hours later, one of the guards arrived at the Grand Central Palace as Unity Day was winding down. He told Saqui about Amaru's escape and the escape of the other prisoners.

Instantly, she wanted to go catch Amaru and return him to his underground prison. However, Jumoke reminded her that she was with child.

Clearer heads won out over her passion to catch the one who once tried to rule all. She sent others trained in the spirits to track down the escapees and to find Amaru. Little did she know he was long gone.