Oyi ga'aje (son of the soil)

The Achadu bloodline

ACHADU BLOODLINE Achadu, the half-cast, was born to an Igala mother and an Idoma father. To the Idomas, he was tainted by “devil’s blood”. his father, an Idoma warrior, was forcibly conscripted into the Attah military squad. He fought alongside Igala warriors in the west of the empire, never returning home again.In the heat of battle, he met an Igala maiden who nursed his wounds. Despite the discrimination against foreign soldiers, she tended to him with compassion. Their bond grew afterwards, and one fateful night, they surrendered to love. But their joy was short-lived.When her parents discovered the pregnancy belongs to an Idoma man, they reported it to the military general. The idoma warrior was condemned to death and beheaded in public for his “transgression”. the igala maiden fled the empire’s capital with the pregnancy. In a daring act, she stole her lover’s head from the field of castaways, where the bodies of criminals were discarded. She sought asylum in Idoma land, seeking refuge from the dangers of her past.The Ochi’doma granted her permission to live among the Idomas, with a sympathetic gaze, he said,“after hearing your story, you may stay among us, especially since you carry a child with Idoma blood”.He instructed his people to conceal her Identity from the Igala warriors stationed in their land,“take her to the village at the outskirt of the city along the road to Adoka, with this message you should instruct the chief of the settlement, tell him that he all you witnessed and what she spoke that his people should hide her identity and allow her to live among us, we must protect her and her unborn child…”, h the king ordered a guard.Despite the king’s protection, the people shunned and discriminated against her.“you’re an outcast”, they would say. “your child is a product of taboo love”. She faced hostility mostly in the market, with people refusing to trade with her.A fateful day, a market woman spat at her feet and said, “you’re not welcome here. Take your cursed child and leave”,“what did I do?, I only came to trade”, she said.“you Igala witch, get out of my face”, the woman shouted.The Igala woman held back tears, her eyes fixed on the ground.Forced to live a secluded life, she took up farming to support herself and her son. Years passed, and her son grew strong. She named him ACHADU, meaning, “leader of king makers”.Tragedy struck when she succumbed to a mysterious illness. Her 18 years old son, Achadu, wept beside her grave, saying, “mother, why did the gods take you from me?” The villagers remained indifferent to her wellbeing, and they never knew how she died. Achadu, now a young man, married Ihotu, an Idoma maiden rejected by her parents. Ihotu’s life had been marred by tragedy. She was r***d by Igala warriors, and her parents, filled with shame and regret, disowned her. Four months pregnant, she was forced to flee her home, her parents refusing to accept a child they considered, “devil’s spawn”. Achadu found Ihotu attempting suicide in the forest near his home while on one of his hunting expedition. He saved her and took her in, caring for her and accepting the child as his own. Ihotu bore him three children, their lives marked by happiness and hardship. However, Ihotu’s parents, upon learning of her life with Achadu, accused him of impregnating their daughter. Despite lacking evidence, the accusation tarnished Achadu’s reputation. The chief ultimately ruled in Achadu’s favor, but the damage was done. Achadu and Ihotu lived an isolated life, until the incident with the Echur.

Achadu was bestowed with the extraordinary ability to wield all seven powers. The news stunned the Ochi’doma’s subjects, with some whispering that the priest had been bribed by Achadu. However, when the gods ignited the Altar with an otherworldly flame, dispelling the people’s doubts, their astonishment only deepened. Achadu’s newfound power cam with a steep price: he was bound to live a life of neutrality, striving for godly perfection and relinquishing all worldly attachments. Descendants of the 8 wielders possess the temporary ability to harness the natural elements, but only until 40 years of age. The sole exception to this rule is the chosen heir, who retains the power beyond 40 and are task with the transfer of the ability to their seeds. However, the bloodline of Achadu is unique. Only one child in each generation inherits the ability, and that child is destined for a spiritual nomadic life alongside their predecessor. This journey continues until the predecessor passes away, and the next generation assumes the responsibility. To determine the destined child, the child is born with the Achadu eyes, the eyes are bright purple rather than brown with an Octagram or the ‘eight-pointed star’ in it pupil. The Ochi’doma was compelled by his subjects to initiate another revolution, as the gods’ blessing of power had ignited hope and anticipation of victory. Yielding to the pressure, the Ochi’doma mobilized 2000 soldiers, including the 8 wielders, to drive the Igala warriors out of the kingdom. The Igala warriors retreated, bearing news of their defeat to the Attah of Igala land. Enraged by the report, especially upon learning of the Idomas’ supernatural abilities, the Attah’s pride in his military’s strength led him to doubt their accounts. He ordered one of his generals to lead a formidable force of 20,000 soldiers and 4000 cavalry to annihilate the Idoma people and erase them from the face of the Earth. The Igala battalions departed the capital at dawn, only to be confronted by 2000 Idoma soldiers across the border. The Igala general, scoffing at the smaller Idoma force, taunted them to surrender or throw themselves from the hills to avoid further bloodshed. However, the Idoma soldiers stood firm, buoyed by their faith in the divine powers bestowed upon them. Though some harbored doubts, they were prepared to flee if the battle turned against them. At midnight, the Igala warriors launched their invasion. As they entered the valley leading to the Idoma kingdom, they found themselves surrounded by Idoma troops, who stood atop the hills, torches ablaze. The Igala warriors, expecting a rain of arrows attack, were taken aback when the Idoma soldiers retreated some few meters. The Igala general sneered, but his mockery was short-lived. Eight individuals remained stationary, and the general’s expression changed from ridicule to confusion. He recalled the warnings from the fleeing Igala soldiers about the eight superhumans. Sudddenly, an earthquake struck, and water burst forth from the ground. A whirlwind swept away the cavalry, and the archers found themselves conjured into firing upon their comrades. Pandemonium erupted within the Igala camp as cries of terror filled the air. Nearby Igala villages heard the screams and knew their warriors were being defeated. Fearing an Idoma invasion, the villagers fled in terror that night. By daybreak, the c*****e was evident: 5000 igala warriors lay dead, 16000 were injured and the rest were taken captive. The Idoma soldiers emerged victorious for the first time, their divine powers proving decisive in the battle. Following five unsuccessful campaigns led by the Attah of Igala to reclaim the Idoma kingdom, the Attah Dynasty finally relinquished their pursuit. The fifth campaign proved fatal for the Attah, and his death marked the end of Igala aggression towards the Idomas.The Ochi’doma, seeking to protect his people, closed the kingdom to foreigners. The presence of the 8 wielders, now masters of their powers, ushered in an era of peace and prosperity for the Idoma people. The wielders utilized their abilities for the betterment of their society. To ensure the wielders’ powers were never misused, the Ochi’doma decreed that no future king could employ them for offensive purposes against neighboring kingdoms. Achadu, adhering to his nomadic lifestyle, traveled extensively throughout the kingdom, providing aid to various villages and settlements. The Idoma kingdom’s prosperity attracted unwanted attention, but their skilled warriors successfully defended against these threats. The Igoche bloodline played a crucial role in training ordinary soldiers, imparting skills that made them formidable even without supernatural abilities. Twenty years passed, and the Attah dynasty finally collapsed after the Junkun warriors defeated the Igala warriors led by the new Attah the III in the battle of the river Benue. Emboldened by their victory, the Junkuns launched an invasion of Idoma land but were decisively defeated at the border. The battle proved catastrophic for the Junkuns, with approximately 40,000 soldiers killed, and their military might ultimately broken by the Idomas.