SOMALINZE: THE GREAT RIVERS

PROLOGUE

The harmattan wind blew slowly on this sorrowful night. The wooden window shutters flapped against the wall of a nearby command building. The cold wind chased away the morning leaves and blew away the sand, leaving behind the result of a gruesome battle. Hundreds lay dead. Bodies littered about, some with spears plunged into them, some arrows, some ridden with bullets, others, burning. They were all dead. Both the brave and the cowardly slain alike. By sacred law, it was a grave dishonour to the valiant. One the earth would never forget.
Somma laid on the thorny bushes, trying so hard to breathe, to hold on. Her bloody hands clutching her belly. The cold wind dried her tears before they reached the ground, and it took her whispers away. She looked around jerking to her reality. She saw the dead, she stretched her hands crying out. Her free flowing tears now hitting the ground. She crawled slowly through the bloodied bodies, knives and spears. She knew she had two things she had to do before she died.
She crawled, squealing as she rummaged through the bodies. She soon found it. A red pouch in the pockets of a man. A sword ran through him. His uniform, it wasn't like the other soldiers. He had a white feather on his helmet and on his arm and leg bands. She took the pouch out quickly sobbing silently. He was so still. His body was cold as the night. Somma came closer. His brown eyes glistened in the moonlight and the burning flames. She saw his face more clearly now. She jerked back quickly, screaming. Tears flowed from her eyes. She sobbed slowly, her hands on his shoulder.
The night was still ever silent. Even as the winds whistled away. To Somma, for a time it was like the whole world had disappeared.

A voice tore the silence and the song of the winds. Followed by a sharp scrape of a blade. Somma didn't move. A shadow got up in the distance, it's  cracking bones piercing the night, and it's scraping armor devouring the peace. Somma saw the shadow. She held her mouth in fear. She was scared and alone but, she knew what had to do.

She quickly opened the pouch and brought out a red feather. She laid it on her palm and blew gently. The feather lifted off her palm as she blew on it. But that's all it did. It hovered just above the surface of her palm. It's end pointing downwards. She closed her eyes briefly in a moment of self reflection and opening her eyes she said. "A warning to the children of írí. We have been betrayed. The Soldiers of the city... They're... They're all dead. No survivors" The scraping got louder. Somma turned towards it, quivering. she could see it, walking slowly through the flames. She turned back quickly. " Don't walk into the light, you will fall over the edge. They are twenty two... they stand at the gates. They... They're hidden behind the kings of man... 'Urgh! '" she coughed amidst her erratic speech. "... The girl. The girl isn't what she seems. Don't trust her. Beware! ... Safety on the sky bridge... Beware!... " she stopped as the thing called out her name. The thing was now so close to her. She could see it was a man. Or it was a man. She quickly blew the feather gently a second time. This time it went with the wind, soaring high up into the dark skies. "Somma!" He shrieked. "M ga gbu gí... "
Somma crawled away from it. She crawled as fast as she could.
The figured walked slowly towards her, limping on a injured leg, and with a sword through his chest. He raised his own sword as he came closer to her. "Scum" he said. "Njo" he said again with disgust and resentment. he quickened his steps. She crawled even faster. She wanted a sword... The sword. She saw it, it crest glistening against the moonlight.
She got to it. It was stuck into the ground. She tried to rise, but fell down. She landed on two bodies. She hadn't noticed them. They were laid beside the sword. The hand of one. Stretched towards the blade. Somma drew back slowly. She couldn't believe. She covered her mouth. But She couldn't cry anymore. She just stared at them. The Tears flowing from her eyes turned crimson red. She didn't move, her face was plain as theirs.

The thing was close enough now. Somma still didn't move, her brown long hair locked with blood. He raised his sword. Somma wasn't scared now. She was tired, empty. She wanted death.
With a loud shriek, he let down his sword.