Muur Chronicles

EPISODE - 4

    Shortly after, Neerudi left and went immediately to the Universal Asportation Agency, a very powerful agency in the Muur located in the First Muurdom, Marrialu, and the seat of power. The Universal Asportation Agency is responsible for immigrations, emigrations, transportation, exploration and some other specific travels to certain areas of the explored universe under the control of the Muurs. They are also in charge of every voyage and expeditions all through the Universe and work together with the Amarandubi to protect Muur interests all over the universe.

Unlike Linagu, Neerudi do not have the necessary authority and power to travel to anywhere she pleases except for functions or that it was demanded of her. She is being bred to be the next Nee Buamada. It's not that she can't get direct access to anything if she pleased, and nobody can refuse her if she actually demanded; but, the Muur people are very law abiding from top to bottom, and she must not be misinterpreted to abuse her powers especially with regards to earth which has been deemed off limit. Having all this in mind, she had to liaise with Eledu to acquire secret untraceable asportation links which will enable her accomplish Linagu's request. Eledu granted the request immediately, while assuring her that she will be adequately protected at all times.

At the Asportation Agency, she met with the director in charge of Emigral Rock. Emigral Rock is the name they refer to earth as, though the common name is Duria among them. She wanted to learn some things about the place to be prepared.

As a rule of law and assimilation, every Muurian is expected to have perfect knowledge of a lot of things, though some more than the other. However, the primitive nature of earth doesn't cut for further learning aside the obvious ones. But, she has been learning a lot ever since they took interest in Steve. Linagu was on his way back to the Headquarters when his anani roared, and it was Neerudi who hailed him. He immediately pressed a key and was transferred to the point of the call immediately he got sucked into the asportation link from the call.

"Hope this is not one of your usual..." Linagu did not finish before Neerudi cut him off.

"Shah! How do I meet him?" She asked.

"Oh that!" Linagu said out immediately.

"His signature is specific. Just log on to this." he said, displaying an advanced tracking system he imbued into Steve's anani.

"However, you can also track him with the anani i gave him. You know your navigations!" Linagu ended.

"Great!" She said, and Linagu asported off immediately before she could say another word.

"Very incorrigible!" she muttered and left the UAA building.

*** 

On reaching, Steve was not surprised they were not back. Knowing Annie, she may have convinced them they were better off at where they are than the bore that may follow soon afterwards. With the combo of Tracy and Nora, Steve did not want to think much of it. However, he decided to call Annie.

"What's up?" he said as soon as she picked the call. "We are having the time of our lives here Steve." she said out loud enthusiastically as soon as she answered the call.

"Should i come?" he asked. Immediately, Steve heard her telling the others and was rejected.

"I'm so sorry Steve, but its girls stuff! See ya!" she said.

"Wait... In case you come back and don't see me, i am watching ball somewhere. It's Champions League today." Steve told her.

"Yeah, i will relay accordingly" she replied and ended the call laughing mildly. Steve knew why she was acting that way, and couldn't agree more with her chimes.

*

   Steve is a simple guy. If he put his mind to doing something, he got it done. When he decided that he was going to revenge the humiliation meted on him and Esther by Landon and his men, it was the only thought that spurred and ate him up. He spent several months calculating and perfecting what is now an obsession for him. All news involving unsavory brigands or cultists only refreshed old wounds in him that never healed. He learned to observe without uttering a word. Back in his days, Landon was a viper, an intimidating destroyer who will gore your eyes if it pleased him. Unfortunately, Steve crossed his path, and it did leave a bitter taste and a dirty dent deep within his soul.

After spending sometime at the sister's place, he left with one thing in his mind. He went straight to the Mountain, to the area he has marked out as his operations vantage point from where he wants to lay his siege. It's been brewing a long time, and even though he has always planned to revenge a wrong done to him a long while ago, it was never really on this scale. Recent events no doubt have amplified it for him to deliver it in a grand style, and nothing is going to stop him from doing it. As he positioned at the vantage point, more than 50 meters away from the initiation spot and fully loaded with his favorite Ruger Mk3 in hand, he started thinking of all the wrong things he was going to visit on them, the potential and prospective ones included. Every year, it's always same crap, different and new people, the life. But, he knew Landon will be there. When it comes to Steve, that name really rings a bell in the loudest way you can ever imagine, and the story involved Esther, the girl he met with and spoke to earlier.

  He waited for at least thirty minutes before movements started in the surroundings, and in that same period he kept regurgitating what Linagu told him before he vanished while still checking up on his weapons. Mutterings started filtering in not too far from where he stood but he was very sure nothing has started yet. From his point, he saw them putting on fire in what seemed like pots or bowls to dimly light up the place while canvassing in slangs he was not all too familiar with. It wasn't long before some group of people, apparently blindfolded, were led in and a sort of greeting commenced among what should be the high ranking members of the cult group. Steve sighed, and kept observing nonetheless. He was sure of one thing though, they won't start until Landon is there. After all, he has ascended from the Capon to a self-acclaimed High Chief Priest but was somehow wildly accepted because of all he has done for the group. More like, he has earned his place, and despite no longer being a student, he still controlled a lot of things with initiations being one. He has presumably perfected the act of screening out weaklings during the initiation rituals.

While still waiting for the ceremony to commence, Steve continued to observe them, and it wasn't long before Landon and his entourage comprised of the Capon, the striker or executioner and some other long staying members in the good graces of Landon, who has refused to graduate apparently. Watching them bounce in majestically as if the sun rises from their anus and sets on their head, Steve just smiled. He has banked on it for a long time, and now he has his chance, but not yet.

  Watching on from his position, the Capon did an introduction and then motioned for one of the older members to bring out a paper containing all the names of the prospective initiates and call it out. One by one he did, and they answered while being directed to move forward as they were still blindfolded. The Capon began by telling them how unworthy they were to stand in their presence, and are therefore being blindfolded.

"This is Mount Zion, the Holy and anointed Kingdom of the elite and Wampa men!" he added.

"But you will have a chance, each of you, to join us and drink from the Holy Grail of Lord Himpusha, the giver and creator of wise men!" he stated again.

"Do you want to be wise? " he screamed moderately.

"Yes!" they all screamed.

"I said, do you want to be wise?" he screamed again, followed by some members dishing out heavy lashes and blows on the initiates, and urging them to respond like wise men.

A resounding "Yes!" followed immediately.

"Good!" the Capon said and motioned for the Executioner to take over.

"Your initiation has begun!" the Executioner uttered with his hushed voice.

"You are now on the path to glory, the path where Jew men fear to tread. The path laid out only for the wise, the path Lord Himpusha himself walked on and attained the Holy Grail of the Kundalini and now sits in the abode of the enlightened carried men!" he spoke out, and continued.

"This is the path for rugged men, for the road ahead is crooked but he who walks in the path of Lord Himpusha shall fear no man born of woman!" he echoed and forced the initiates to repeat after him severally which they did.

"Now, you are going to take our holy oath of secrecy and drink from the cup of Making, for you are not made yet and neither are you wise!" he shouted at them. Another older member brought forward a bowl full of liquid concoctions and started passing it around to the initiates to drink one after the other while the executioner kept barraging them with unsavory rhetoric’s as to how they need insane ruggedity to ascend the throne of made men, citing High Chief Landon as a good example of what a wise man can accomplish when he drinks from the Holy Grail of lord Himpusha. As soon as the last person drank from the bowl, Landon took over from the executioner. Steve became fully alerted, filled with rage and fury seeing him take the stage.

"You are about to be made!" he said, removing his hood and a jacket he was wearing. A priest-like red colored robe in form of a cardigan, a big bip and a sleepy designed cap reminiscent of the Cherubs were instantly adorned on him. A cup was brought forth from a bag, and what appeared like an expensive bottle of wine was brought out. Another liquid stuff was brought out from the same bag, and it seems like one of those things you take that make you highly susceptible to mild persuasions.

"Hail Lord Himpusha!" he shouted, and the crowd around him echoed it three times successively.

He took the two bottles and poured it together into a big cup. After doing that, a sharp knife was handed over to him which he used to cut himself and allowed his blood drop into the mixture. He muttered some inaudible words and then passed same to the Capon who did same and passed on to the next in rank. This continued until everyone has had a drop of his blood in the liquid mixture and the cup got back to Landon.

He took it, raised it up and screamed" Hail Lord Himpusha!"

Again, everyone replied in the same way accordingly for three times in a row.

"I can see Lord Himpusha himself in our presence this evening, hailing his children." Landon began. At this, the executioner shouted "üopaka üopaka!" Everyone repeated after him. Landon brought down the cup and continued.

"Lord Himpusha is pleased with all of us here today. You are all blessed!" he stated.

They set up a stand immediately, and underneath it is a small fire place they raised. The big steel cup was placed on top of it.

"Let this gbogbonki's be turned to men!" Landon commanded. A rowdy noise followed immediately, and the lashing began on the new initiates. Not everyone participated in it though, but majority did. As Steve looked on, he saw Landon and some of the top executives light up some tabs.

After about five minutes or thereabout, the Capon gave the order to halt the lashing and beating of the initiates. No-one died, but serious injuries were sustained by all the initiates while the older members laughed at them hilariously. They were still blindfolded.

Landon motioned for the big cup which contained all their liquid mixtures be brought forward, which was done.

"Now, you shall be made!" Landon uttered, with reference to the initiates. The initiates were ordered to remove their blindfolds, which they did accordingly and watched as Landon and the rest drank from the cup after one another. As soon as the last member finished, he carried the cup to the initiate nearest to him. Another member brought a knife.

"Because, you are not yet made, you cannot drink from the cup of wise men unless you bond with us. Now, each of you will cut yourself and ensure your blood drop into the cup!"  Landon ordered. They all did as he commanded, and after they were through, the cup and knife was taken from them and given back to Landon who personally went and placed it on the stand with fire underneath. Silence raided the place as everyone awaited for the next act. A minute later, he removed it and brought it back.

"I look at all of you, you want to be men, you want to jurah in the abode of exalted carried men. You want to be refined from soft cotton to hard boiled steel. I am happy for all of you, but i cannot decide who enters. Only Lord Himpusha will decide!"

"Hail lord Himpusha!" he echoed again, and the crowd repeated after him three times. "This is the cup of wise men, this is the Holy Grail of carried men bestowed upon man by lord of the wise. Whoever amongst you that drinks but remain standing, Lord Himpusha has approved!" he finished.

"Üopaka üopaka!" the executioner started and the others joined him as the cup was passed to the initiates to drink and pass along among each other. They apparently thought it was a joke, that it was all for show but reality hit some of the initiates hard. They were about forty of them, but by the time they all finished drinking from the cup, about fifteen of them were on the ground seriously convulsing while the older members laughed at them. Some died on the spot, while some were too weak and demented to even realize what they were doing there in the first place. Horror filled the eyes of those who passed as they watched some of their fellow initiates lying there, lifeless on the ground.

At this juncture, Landon came forward and looking at the ones standing, he smiled at them. "Lord Himpusha has chosen!" He said, congratulated them, shaking their hands in the process. All the other members followed suit, greeting them like men and welcoming them to their midst.

They were doing this when they heard a noise nearby. The executioner was motioned by the Capon to check it out. Steve walked up to him stealthily and with the strength and speed of a meteor strike, his fist connected with the executioners head, breaking the neck and sending the cultist toppling to the ground. He emerged from the shadows in a rush following the killing, and the nearest person to him was sent flying backwards as he emptied bullets on his chest.

Some members and the newly initiated ones panicked and took a dash in different directions; it was everyone for himself it seemed. Steve imagined himself having a field day as he made an unlucky one clean out all of the fire in the bowls with his face charred in the process. Just a few feet away from him were Landon and some members including the Capon. They brought their own weapons, mostly shotguns with Landon the only one carrying a pistol and started shooting at him. His Anani blocked it all off as he made a dash forward, releasing an energy blast at them that sent them all flying in different directions. He was surprised at this, but not more surprised than Landon and his men. He went for Landon straight, and jacked him up, shooting two in the head on his way.

"Do you remember me?" he asked Landon in anger, trying to drag Landon off the spot. From the look on Landon's face, he did remember Steve as his face was one of surprise.

"Yeah, you do!" Steve stated and started releasing flurry of punch after punch at him. He buried Landon on the ground with the heavy punches he was dishing out till he was dead and every bone in Landon's body was crushed, his face disfigured beyond recognition. He left him on the ground, with his head and blood spattered all over the face. But, it wasn't enough. A sort of rage engulfed him again after that, forcing him to go after the other ones, taking Landon's pistol along with him.

He met the Capon trying to force himself up having fractured some bones and writhing in pain from the earlier blast unleashed by Steve. "Please, please..." he begged but Steve didn't care as he emptied Landon's bullets on his body and watched the living daylight depart his now rigid lifeless body stretched on the ground, lying in the pool of his own blood. Not satisfied yet, he diverted his attention to the others who were now running away from him into the bush, none with the courage anymore to put up a fight.

As soon as gunshots was heard, the few policemen who has been mobilized moved into action immediately having being tipped off from Esther as instructed by Steve. They were about twenty-three in number, fully loaded and armed along with some members of the school security who were to lead the way owing to their familiarity of the environment. Both security outfits have been on standby prior to now.

Owing to his superior area knowledge and superb tracking skill, Steve moved on through the bush with ease as he pursued the runaway members as well as the new initiates. A few seconds later, he caught up with one of them and before that one could say jack, he was lying down on the ground lifeless while Steve moved on. A few feet away from the last person he killed, he saw one crying and writhing in pain from a dislocated leg gotten while running away for his life. He was about to shoot him when the cultist started pleading.

"Please, please I was forced into coming here, I swear to God. It was never my intention, I denounce, I denounce!" he pleaded.

"Yeah, right; keep some nice company in your next life" Steve told him.

"Please, I have renounced... Oh God, help me!" he cried, fear written all over him as he closed his eyes in anticipation of his imminent death. Steve looked at him briefly for a while, brought down his gun and walked away.

He killed three more as he tracked them inside the bush before noticing that the security agencies were around after masterfully dislodging one of his weapons and incapacitated him momentarily. He didn’t kill him but left the mountain immediately in a hurry. He didn't want any confrontation with them as the last incident was very much in his mind; these are law officers doing their duty. On their part, some of the cultists and initiates willingly sought the security operatives and surrendered themselves for fear of Steve and their own lives.

A few miles away from the scene of the horror he has pulled off, Steve regretted that he did not kill as many as he wanted to. However, he figured it was still a big win for him and the police. He believed he literally pursued the cultists into their grab. He continued his walk, and as he looked up ahead, a muddy colored light started appearing right in front of him. He stopped moving and started wondering what it could be. It surely could not have been Linagu he thought to himself because it was just a few hours ago he had come to him. The brightness started dimming in what started moving like a cloudy shadow which finally melted and Neerudi manifested immediately from it. Slowly, she started walking up to Steve who stood firm while bracing up his mind for whatever confrontation that comes next.

"Had your revenge?" she asked him upon standing few feet from him, her beauty and magnificence totally captivating Steve.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Steve asked, unmoved but still fascinated by her ravishing appearance.

"I am Neerudi!"