Necropolis (Book One of Book One)

by Penn Fawn

  The unsuspecting creature ran for a bit but, in time, fell like a cut tree.

  “Good, good,” Akua said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear, although an X carved on the bark of a tree, or perhaps some fruit, would have served just as well for target practice.

  His guests grinned broadly while the beast’s peers closest to it looked at their fallen comrade, apparently in bewilderment.

  “You’re good,” Akua said while smiling, and Ossouna took great delight in the compliment.

  “Let’s see what you’ve got,” he said to Aswad.

  Aswad smiled, and the minute a straggler wildebeest came within range, he dispatched an arrow toward it.

  It lodged high up on the creature’s hind legs near its buttocks.

  It tried to run but found it now had limited use of its right leg and could move only marginally well.

  The men grinned heartily while the beast, having been struck by a poison arrow, would soon die.

  “Your turn,” Akua said, and Keita was eager to show what he could do.

  He fired into the side of one of the animals. The arrow lodged between its ribs.

  It ran for a while before falling; the men were thoroughly amused.

  For Akua, apparently, their one hundred percent accuracy kill rate was not sufficient proof of how skilled they were with the bow because he had them, or they agreed to, slay twelve more animals.

  He then downed an additional four before they were done with the morning’s training.

  Chapter VI – To Yagan

  KEITA, OSSOUNA, ASWAD, and Akua, were on their way home from combat training when his friend excitedly approached him.

  “Have you heard the news?” Mjumbe asked.

  “What is it?” Akua returned.

  “Word is most of the people have opted to stay and fight,” he replied.

  Akua became reflective. “How many is that?” he asked.

  “They estimate about a good two-thirds of the village,” Mjumbe said.

  Akua was at a loss for words.

  “Let that sink in,” he added, then hastily departed.

  The newcomers looked at him.

  “How do you feel about this?” Keita asked.

  “You mean what am I going to do,” he said, and witnessing him act and speak in so somber a manner was a first for them.

  Keita was slow to respond. “Right,” he replied.

  “I will fight,” Akua replied morosely.

  The newcomers fell silent.

  “You don’t have to, you know,” Akua added. “If you feel pressured, you shouldn’t feel like you’re under any pressure. I understand why you may not want any part of this.”

  “No one has made any decision,” Ossouna said.

  “Right, but you don’t have much time in which to do so,” Akua said. “And, given the short amount of time in which you’ve been here, I don’t expect you’d want to stay with those who do.”

  They said nothing.

  “Have a good evening,” Akua added then departed.

  An unnerving silence came among them.

  They continued home steeped in thought.

  “What do you think we should do?” Aswad asked, breaking the silence.

  “Leave,” Keita replied.

  “And you, Ossouna?” Aswad asked.

  “I can’t believe I got myself into this,” he said.

  “And, what’s your decision?” Aswad pressed him.

  “Well, I’m sure not interested in fighting,” he said. “What about you?”

  “Same here,” Aswad replied.

  “Do you think if we told Akua this, he’d still want to give us training?” Keita asked.

  “No,” Aswad said.

  “So, there then,” said Ossouna.

  “Would you have wanted to stay if we had time to get more training?” Keita asked.

  “No,” Ossouna replied.

  The others considered what he said.

  “I wouldn’t want to stay, period. I want to move on,” Ossouna added.

  “We just got here,” Keita said.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Ossouna remarked. “You can stay if you want to.”

  “Do you want to, Keita?” Aswad asked.

  “I’m playing the devil’s advocate. I don’t care to stay either. I say move on to see what’s next on the list of unwelcome surprises,” he replied.

  “I hear you,” Aswad said.

  “Again, how or why did I get myself in the middle of this?” Ossouna remarked.

  “Quit beating yourself up, man. You’re beginning to sound like me,” Keita said.

  “Right. We would never have been able to see this coming, would we?” Aswad said.

  “Not in a million years,” Ossouna replied.

  “So, no point in crying about it now, I guess,” Aswad added.

  However, mostly the women did cry, and several males liked to think they would be stoic in the face of almost any adversity.

  Akua came to the newcomers’ home the following morning.

  “I don’t have to remind you of time not being on our side,” he said. “So, to the point, what have you decided?”

  Ossouna looked at the others before saying anything.

  “We’ve decided we’re going to leave,” he began. “We . . .”

  “Okay,” Akua said, and Ossouna thought he looked crestfallen.

  “It’s fine,” he added. “You don’t owe me any explanation.”

  Although Ossouna was certain he didn’t want anything to do with fighting their foe, he found he felt uncomfortable.

  Akua placed his hands on his shoulders. “You need to prepare yourselves to depart then,” he said.

  Ossouna shook his head in an upward and downward fashion.

  “Go. Go join the others. I know you’ll move as stealthily as a thief in the night until you get to your destination. The time calls for it.”

  “Right,” Ossouna said.

  “Yagan would be honored to have you,” he said.

  “Thank you, sir,” Ossouna said.

  “No. Thank you,” Akua replied. “I may not know a lot about you, but I know you’re a great marksman. Your skill with the bow will come in handy.”

  “Thanks again, Akua,” Ossouna said.

  Akua directed his attention to Aswad.

  “It was very brief, but it was a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

  “The feeling is mutual,” Aswad replied.

  “Go in peace, but show no mercy to any man or beast you may encounter on your way to Yagan that may attempt to harm you, for they will show you none.”

  “That I will do,” Aswad replied.

  “And, to you, Keita,” Akua said, facing him. He also placed his hands on his shoulders. “I bid you farewell and a safe passage.”

  “Thank you, Akua,” he replied.

  “Try to remember the little we had time to go over. It should come as a great help in close combat situations.”

  “I won’t forget, my friend,” Keita replied.

  “So, that’s it,” he said, addressing them all. “It’s that time. I must go meet with the others to learn what are the plans for defending the village.”

  “And, of course, we’re to meet with those organizing the evacuation,” Aswad replied.

  “So, do that,” Akua said. “You won’t have far to go. A representative for this constituency will address you as a group right here in your immediate area. For you, that would be Dalia.”

  “Good,” Aswad said.

  “If you step outside, you’ll see the people have already begun to assemble,” Akua said, and they did so.

  “I’ve stayed as long as I can. I really must go now.”

  “Thank you for everything,” Ossouna said.

  The others bid him farewell and watched him disappear between the gathering crowd.

  Dalia waited until she felt it thickened to near one hundred percent capacity before she began speaking.

  “Okay,” she said. “l k
now, even for an occasion such as this, there are those who will be late. We can’t afford to wait for them. Let’s begin.”

  The assembled anxiously waited for her to continue.

  “We are to start the evacuation in two hours,” she said.

  A collective sigh came from the crowd.

  “That’s right,” she added.

  “If you thought we had time to get another night’s rest in, think again.”

  A fellow near her raised his arm.

  “There is no time to make this into a question-and-answer forum,” she said.

  The fellow meekly returned his arm to his side.

  “I will be clear, and to the point so we can begin getting out of here. Take every bit of weaponry you believe won’t slow you down or overburden you. Bows, arrows, daggers, swords. Whatever you’re skilled at using, take it. I don’t have to tell you what’s out there and whether or not there is the probability of running into any of it. The point is you have to be prepared. Prepared to take action if it comes down to that. We will be the lead party. I was assigned to take the lead because I’m among those who know the trade route well. That’s it. Pretty simple and straightforward. Get your things together. Say a final word to your loved ones. We leave in just under two hours.”

  A groan came from the crowd.

  “Disperse, I said,” Dalia ordered. “Prepare yourselves so we can depart.”

  The time when she and the others were to leave rapidly approached.

  She held her arms open, and Oluso embraced her.

  He then held her jaw in the cusp of his hand.

  “We traversed the trader’s route many a time together. Are you confident in your memory of it?” he asked.

  “I know or recall it like I do the back of my hand,” she replied. “And, many if not most of the main merchants have sworn to go. Should I fall, there is no shortage among us of those who know the way.”

  “Very well,” he said. “In your haste, proceed with all caution. We will hold them off here for as long as we can.”

  She shook her head in an upward and downward manner then tears streamed down her face.

  “Be strong,” he said. “We won’t suffer the devils to be upon us without giving them the fight of their lives. If they come across the plains, we will march and meet them out in the open, and all are sworn to fight to the last man to prevent their arrival here, inevitable though that may be.

  “If they come through the forest, again we will fight to the last man, and in the meantime, we will be more vigilant. The lookouts and sentinels will be on high alert, hoping to ward off any surprises.”

  “It was always a suicide mission, and you knew it,” she said.

  “There is always hope,” he replied.

  She shook her head from side to side.

  “Believe it!” he demanded. “Go now,” he added. “We have your back. By the grace of the gods, may our stalling them be enough for you to safely reach your destination.”

  “Stalling?” she said.

  “There is no time,” he replied.

  She did not reply.

  “Go. The people are depending on you,” he said, and she did as was told.

  Chapter VII – The Elephant Graveyard

  ALTHOUGH CROWSPEAK had a limited vocabulary, it was sufficient for those fluent in that tongue to state whether he could see movement and from where, while perched from above, or surveying an area.

  As such, Akua learned their most trusted messenger crows were dispatched to keep an eye on any movement coming from the southern front. They were to return to the base to report to them, and this reconnaissance mission would be ongoing.

  Jogoo, their most trusted and faithful messenger, was not among those sent south. He was instructed to head west to Yagan to alert Thoroughmann and the others that a party was on its way.

  The note around his leg read, “Fifteen thousand coming to you.”

  Some twenty to twenty-five thousand of those who stayed behind were to march well beyond the village.

  They were to advance as far out onto the plains as they could to meet Nyeusi’s men head-on, upon a moment’s notice of any advancement.

  A day passed, then two, then three since Dalia and the others’ departure.

  “Provided nothing has happened, they must be well on their way toward Yagan by now,” Mjumbe said.

  It was during the early evening, the time was well after those who stayed behind had completed the day’s training and drills, and he and his friend Akua had returned home.

  “That’s right,” Akua replied.

  “I hope they’re safe,” Mjumbe said.

  “They are,” Akua replied.

  “How do you know?”

  “I have a feeling,” Akua said.

  “I didn’t know you could feel these things,” Mjumbe said.

  Akua smiled. “I don’t care to say I do, but I do trust my feelings,” he remarked.

  “Given how many of them left, I understand it should take about a week to get such a large contingent to their intended destination,” he said.

  “A week, give or take. Yes,” Akua said.

  “I see,” Mjumbe replied, and Akua became lost in thought.

  “Still nothing from the messengers, eh?” the latter asked.

  “Nothing,” Mjumbe said, “which worries me a bit.”

  “Why?” Akua asked.

  “Putting so much trust in animals,” he replied. “Trusting we can understand them.”

  “You still feel this way?” Akua asked. “The Shetani trust them, and as far as we can know, they do just fine by them.”

  Mjumbe thought about that. “I’m just a bit worried that something could be happening, and we may find out too late if we find out at all.”

  Akua looked at him. “But you trust the wolves?” he asked.

  “I guess I do,” he replied. “They do keep the ghouls away.”

  “So there, maybe the Shetani’s got it right,” Akua said.

  “What do you mean?” Mjumbe asked.

  “That they’ve long had far greater faith, trust, and appreciation, for animals than we do.”

  Mjumbe listened.

  “We’re only just beginning to understand or value them, but it looks like it’s too late,” Akua said.

  Mjumbe thought of this.

  “The crows have never failed us,” Akua said, “and I don’t expect they will now.”

  “I hope not,” Mjumbe said.

  The reason they hadn’t heard from their messengers was Nyeusi was busy organizing a large body of men into a fighting force to send their way.

  There was the small matter of arranging affairs like being properly attired, armed, and organized for battle.

  There was also the small matter of fitting their elephants, ten thousand of them, with protective headgear.

  Getting the word out to their peers who resided within the caves in the mountains—their primary base for large scale weapons manufacturing—also took a good deal of time.

  It also took time for their peers—who lived in an area about four days’ journey from the Valley of Death—to arrive at their headquarters and join their march.

  All in all, the whole process was such a lengthy undertaking that those who left for Yagan arrived over a month and a half before Darkwing, a cousin of Jogoo the crow, arrived during the midst of a military drill and spoke excitedly in Crowspeak about having seen movement on the plains of the southern frontier.

  Akua’s Adam’s apple moved.

  “What is he saying?” a fellow asked.

  Akua looked him in the eye. “The time has come,” he replied.

  A boisterous chant of “hooray” was heard.

  Mjumbe raced toward where he placed his conch shell, blew into it, and once more, a chant of hooray came from the crowd.

  Before long, a wall of sound that stretched for miles beyond their immediate area stemmed from the messengers who heard Mjumbe’s horn and responded by sounding theirs.

 
Men, who never before had been in combat felt their body temperature rise. On that day, many learned how emboldened, and fearless a man can feel when placed amid a crowd bent toward a given aim.

  A most primal manner of thinking took hold of them, and as such, even those known to be reserved, timid even, felt inspired to fight.

  For weeks, these were men who slept with their weapons near or next to them, men who were prompted to be prepared for action at any moment’s notice.

  Word was sent out to form an assembly immediately.

  Those near Akua stepped either to their left or right.

  He walked through the parted crowd that closed behind him, then all faced south.

  The pattern was duplicated where anyone was assigned a commanding role.

  Presently, Oluso, the marksman, headed toward the crowd and then Zaeim and Mbou.

  Noor, the explorer, was not there. He was among those who had departed with Dalia. Alpha had left with them too.

  “I wish I were among the vanguard,” Mjumbe said.

  “To be among the last line of defense is no small matter,” Oba, the elder, replied.

  “Doesn’t change how I feel,” Mjumbe said.

  “In life, we all have our parts to play, son. Or, we all have different roles to fill at different times,” Oba responded.

  Fifteen thousand men left their homes that day.

  They headed toward the direction in which Darkwing said he saw Nyeusi’s troops approaching.

  A cavalry—defined here and at that time, as warriors who fought on elephant or rhinoceros back—of around ten thousand Shetani had been marching for the better part of two days when Nyeusi, who observed the proceedings from atop his favored kilman, swooped down before them and signaled to them to halt.

  Kifo, his most treasured friend, then Amri, swooped down on the backs of their flying beasts. The former’s kilman landed on his right. Amri’s landed on his left.

  “We’re about as far out as I deem it prudent to be from a supply of water,” Nyeusi began, “yet we still have a ways to go.”

  “Those of you who are near me, I bid you listen carefully, for your lives will depend on it. When you are done listening, you are to spread the word about what I’m about to share to the person next to you, then he, in turn, must do the same until the message is received by all.