CRADLE OF THE GODS

Chapter 1

"So there he was", Agha, the god of war said; his thundering voice causing the marble hall to tremble as he gloated about his conquests.

"The little man knew he was going to die. The other fool had already raised his blade to strike when gbam! I hit him with my club. All his men took off as they watched their hero fall."

The gods in the hallowed hall burst into laughter.

"Who fights better than Agha, the god of war?" Ufele, the god of weather said, raising his cup of wine to cheer.

The gods and spirits in the hall at the time surrounded Agha who stood placing a foot on the table next to his cup as he spoke. His necklace made of several animal teeth made noise as he beat his bare chest, dramatizing his narrative. He loved telling his tales and the gods and spirits loved to listen. They listened with rapt attention as the gods sat round the table and the spirits waited on them.

Everyone's attention soon shifted towards Oku the god of fire who was accompanied by guards. He was furious as he spoke.

"What is the meaning of this?" he yelled.

"Calm down brother", Oma, the goddess of prosperity said.

"I don't know you to be so aggressive. We summoned you because there have been allegations levelled against you by the spirits."

"You disrespect me so", Oku said, trying to compose himself.

"So you summon me here because of allegations leveled by common spirits? Who created them? Are they not beneath us?"

"Do not speak like that!" Ufele yelled. "We must uphold justice for all!"

"You don't say", Oku replied. "Is it justice that you three control the universe while I take orders from you?"

"Watch your tongue!" Agha yelled. "We would not tolerate such disrespect!"

"It is you three who disrespect me", Oku replied, pointing his fingers toward the triumvirate. "You disrespect all of us. You show favoritism to those you like while you leave the rest of us to live in squalor, bossing us around like you are so special. You owe your sophisticated lifestyle to me! I have toiled to make the universe a better place with my inventions. I sow while you seat on your exalted thrones reaping every reward that is rightly mine. Who are you to challenge me?"

Everyone else watched in silence as the four gods exchanged words. Agha and Oku soon got locked in a stare match. Agha made a fist and his hair stood as he panted, imagining the things he would do to Oku who kept his cool with a faint grin. Agha grabbed his club and charged at Oku who grabbed a cutlass to defend himself. They had barely begun to brawl when Ufele started choking. His skin turned pale and he fell from his chair. Agha and the other gods rushed to his aid; all except Oku who put on a smiling face.

"For a moment I thought it would not work", he said, adjusting his jacket made of animal hide. Everyone looked at him in horror.

Pointing at the triumvirate, he said; "It was meant for you three. Agha was so engrossed in his tales that he forgot to even drink from his cup."

Referring to Oma he said, "You were just lucky."

"What have you done?" Oma asked.

"I will no longer take orders from you", Oku said.

"From this moment on I transcend from being just a god to being 'the god'. Your reign is over!"

"Get him!" Agha ordered the guards in the hall.

As they moved to capture Oku, brandishing their weapons, smoke emanated from his body, filling the entire room. The smoke obstructed the vision of the guards who did not see him fleeing the hall. Agha managed to see through the fog and he engaged Oku in hot pursuit. The rage in him was palpable.

A while later, the gods and spirits in the hall were still trying to recover from the shock after what they had just witnessed. Ufele lay on the table, nursed by the god of healing and nature with Oma by his side while the other spirits cleaned up the mess left behind after the bedlam. Oma was dumbfounded, trying to make sense of all that had transpired. Some gods were around her trying to comfort her. Just then, a guard came in and knelt before her.

"Did you find them?" Oma asked in anxiety.

"Where is Agha?"

"Divine one", the guard said. "We have reason to believe that Oku fled towards the evil forest and Agha followed suit. A band of troops is hot on their trail."

"The cradle!" Oma exclaimed.

"That is where Oku is going. It is the one place where we are powerless. He is leading Agha to a trap!"

Hysteria filled the hall once again. Oma got up from her seat, her eyes gazing into nothingness.

"What are you up to Oku?" she asked, thinking aloud.