VOICE OF THR ANCESTORS
2101 Words
The first sound that reached Aloni's ears the following morning was the distant beating of drums. It was not the joyful rhythm used during festivals or the slow beat played when a chief died. These drums carried a warning. They came from the direction of the western hills where the warriors had gathered after the attack. Aloni opened his eyes and remained still for a few moments, staring at the roof above him. His body was painful from the training Kato had given him the previous day, but he did not complain. He remembered his father's words from years before. A warrior must learn to endure pain before he can expect his body to obey him.
He slowly sat up and looked towards the entrance of the compound. His father had not returned.
That thought immediately troubled him.
Amoni had promised to come back.
Aloni remembered the way his father had placed his hand on his head before leaving. He remembered the confidence in his voice when he said everything would be fine. Yet something inside Aloni told him that things were no longer fine.
He stood and stepped outside.
Kato was sitting beside the dying fire, sharpening his spear.
“You are awake,” Kato said without looking at him.
“Did my father return?”
Kato stopped sharpening.
“No.”
Aloni's heart sank.
“Why?”
“He is with the warriors.”
“Did anyone come from the west?”
“Not yet.”
Aloni looked towards the forest.
The trees were unusually quiet.
No birds.
No monkeys.
Even the morning insects seemed to have disappeared.
Kato noticed his expression.
“What is it?”
“I don't know.”
“What do you mean?”
Aloni pointed towards the forest.
“It is too quiet.”
Kato stared at the trees.
He listened.
After several seconds, his expression changed.
“You are right.”
Aloni looked at him.
“How did you know?”
Kato gave him a questioning look.
“You heard it too?”
“I felt it.”
Kato slowly stood.
“Stay here.”
Aloni shook his head.
“I am coming.”
“No.”
“I can help.”
“You can help by staying alive.”
Kato walked towards the edge of the compound.
Aloni followed.
They had barely taken a few steps when a strange breeze moved through the village. It was cold despite the warmth of the morning. The leaves above them began moving violently while the trees further away remained still.
Aloni stopped.
A strange sensation passed through his body.
His chest became warm.
His head suddenly began hurting.
He placed both hands against his temples.
“Aloni?”
Kato turned.
“I am fine.”
“You don't look fine.”
Aloni closed his eyes.
Something was calling him.
It was not a voice he could hear with his ears.
It was something deeper.
Something inside him.
A woman's voice seemed to whisper from a great distance.
Come to the river.
Aloni opened his eyes.
The voice disappeared.
Kato was staring at him.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Do not lie to me.”
Aloni looked towards the western forest.
“I heard someone.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Kato became cautious.
“Did you see anyone?”
“No.”
“Then forget it.”
Aloni remained silent.
The voice came again.
Come to the river.
This time, he knew exactly where it was coming from.
The river.
He had never understood why he sometimes felt strange when near certain places. His mother had once told him that some children were born with a strong connection to their ancestors, but she had never explained whether he was one of them.
She had died before he could ask.
Aloni turned towards Kato.
“I need to go somewhere.”
“Where?”
“The river.”
Kato immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because the western forest is dangerous.”
“My father used to take me there.”
“That was before the foreigners came.”
Aloni stared at him.
“I will be careful.”
Kato sighed.
“Your stubbornness will kill you one day.”
Aloni smiled faintly.
“That is what you said yesterday.”
“And I meant it.”
They began walking.
Neither of them noticed the elderly woman standing quietly near a compound several houses away.
Her name was Ayuni.
She had lived in Bantana for more than seventy years and was known among the elders as someone who understood the old ways. She had spent most of her life studying herbs, dreams, signs and the stories passed down from generation to generation.
When she saw Aloni walking towards the river, her eyes widened.
She whispered to herself.
“So it has begun.”
---
The river was not far from the village, but the path leading to it passed through thick vegetation. Aloni walked behind Kato, carefully observing the ground as he had been taught.
After some time, he noticed something.
“Kato.”
“What?”
“Look.”
He pointed at the ground.
There were footprints.
Kato crouched.
“These are fresh.”
“Three people?”
Kato looked impressed.
“Four.”
Aloni smiled.
“You taught me well.”
Kato stood.
“I taught you enough to keep you alive.”
They followed the footprints until they reached a large tree beside the river.
Then they stopped.
The footprints ended.
Kato looked around.
“They disappeared.”
Aloni touched the tree.
The moment his fingers touched the bark, his entire body became stiff.
A powerful heat rushed through his arm.
His eyes widened.
Images suddenly flashed through his mind.
A battlefield.
Men screaming.
A large group of warriors.
Fire.
Blood.
A man standing before him.
Someone he did not know.
Then another image came.
A weapon.
Not a spear.
Not a sword.
Something different.
Something Aloni had never seen before.
He saw himself holding it.
He was older.
Much older.
He was wearing strange warrior clothing.
His body was covered in scars.
He was surrounded by enemies.
Then someone approached from behind.
A familiar voice whispered.
“Forgive me.”
Aloni turned.
The weapon entered his body.
Blood poured from his chest.
His knees collapsed.
The world became dark.
Aloni screamed.
He fell to the ground.
“Aloni!”
Kato rushed towards him.
Aloni's body shook violently.
His eyes were wide open, but he did not appear to see Kato.
He was somewhere else.
He saw a village burning.
He saw warriors kneeling.
He saw people he loved being killed.
He saw a woman crying.
He saw an old man holding a strange staff.
Then he heard a voice.
You were betrayed.
Aloni tried to speak.
“Who are you?”
The voice answered.
You have forgotten.
A bright light appeared.
Inside that light stood a tall figure.
Aloni could not see the face.
But he felt something familiar.
A grandfather.
Perhaps older.
Much older.
The figure raised his hand.
A symbol appeared in Aloni's chest.
It was a seal.
The figure spoke.
Your time has not yet come.
The vision disappeared.
Aloni collapsed.
Kato caught him before his head struck the ground.
“Aloni!”
The boy remained unconscious.
Kato looked terrified.
He had seen warriors injured in battle.
He had seen men die.
But he had never seen anything like this.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
“You should not have brought him here.”
Kato turned quickly.
Ayuni stood several steps away.
Her face was serious.
Kato raised his spear.
“Who are you?”
She ignored the question.
Her eyes remained fixed on Aloni.
“He has started seeing.”
“What are you talking about?”
Ayuni walked closer.
“Put down your spear.”
“I asked who you are.”
“My name is Ayuni.”
Kato did not lower his weapon.
“I know you.”
“Then you know I am not your enemy.”
She knelt beside Aloni and placed two fingers against his forehead.
Her face suddenly became worried.
“The seal is still strong.”
Kato frowned.
“What seal?”
Ayuni looked at him.
“You do not know.”
“Know what?”
She stared at Aloni.
“This boy carries something his father does not understand.”
Kato's voice became tense.
“What?”
“A gift.”
“What kind of gift?”
Ayuni looked towards the forest.
“The gift of the ancestors.”
Kato remained silent.
Ayuni continued.
“His bloodline is old. Older than this village. Older than the current royal family. His ancestors were not ordinary people.”
“Warriors?”
“Warriors, healers, seers and people who understood things that ordinary men could not.”
Kato looked at Aloni.
“Are you saying he is a soothsayer?”
“Perhaps.”
“Perhaps?”
Ayuni nodded.
“He may also become more than that.”
Kato did not understand.
Ayuni looked at him.
“There are things inside this boy that have not awakened.”
“What things?”
“Memories.”
Kato's face became confused.
“Memories of what?”
Ayuni's eyes narrowed.
“Another life.”
The words left Kato speechless.
He looked at Aloni again.
“You mean reincarnation?”
Ayuni nodded slowly.
“Some souls return.”
“But why would his?”
“Because something was left unfinished.”
A cold breeze moved across the river.
Aloni suddenly opened his eyes.
He stared directly at Ayuni.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Aloni whispered.
“I know you.”
Ayuni's face changed.
“You have never seen me before.”
Aloni looked confused.
“I saw you.”
“When?”
“In my dream.”
Ayuni slowly stood.
“What did I look like?”
Aloni closed his eyes, trying to remember.
“You were older.”
Ayuni's lips trembled.
“And what did I say?”
Aloni opened his eyes.
“You told me to remember.”
Ayuni took a slow step backward.
Kato noticed the fear in her face.
“What is wrong?”
Ayuni looked at Aloni.
“The ancestors are calling him.”
Aloni sat up.
“What ancestors?”
Ayuni did not answer.
Instead, she looked towards the sky.
Dark clouds were forming over the forest.
“We must take him home.”
Kato helped Aloni stand.
But before they could leave, a loud sound came from the trees.
A branch snapped.
Kato immediately raised his spear.
“Someone is there.”
Ayuni grabbed Aloni's hand.
“Do not move.”
Another branch snapped.
Then a man stepped from the trees.
He was carrying a bow.
Kato recognized him.
“Fonjai.”
Fonjai lowered his weapon.
“I was looking for you.”
Kato frowned.
“What happened?”
Fonjai breathed heavily.
“The foreigners have attacked again.”
Kato's expression changed.
“Where?”
“The western village.”
“And Chief Amoni?”
Fonjai hesitated.
“He was captured.”
Aloni froze.
“What?”
Fonjai looked at him.
“Your father was taken alive.”
Aloni's chest tightened.
“Where?”
“We do not know.”
Kato looked at Ayuni.
She was staring at Aloni.
Then she spoke quietly.
“This is only the beginning.”
Aloni clenched his small fists.
He did not understand the visions.
He did not understand the strange voice.
He did not understand why Ayuni spoke about another life.
But one thing was clear.
His father was in danger.
Aloni picked up his wooden spear.
“I am going to find him.”
Kato immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Aloni looked at him.
“He is my father.”
“And you are his son.”
“So let me go.”
Kato stared at him for a long moment.
Then he looked towards the darkening sky.
“Not today.”
Aloni's eyes filled with anger.
“Why?”
“Because you are not ready.”
Ayuni quietly watched the boy.
She knew Kato was right.
Aloni was not ready.
His power was still sealed.
His memories were still buried.
And whatever had returned with his soul was still sleeping.
But the day would come when the seal would break.
The day would come when Aloni would remember the warrior he had once been.
And when that happened, Bantana would never be the same again.
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