A Heart In Flames

CHAPTER SIX

The following night, when they were in bed, Oma and Mansa had a lengthy talk about their journey to Mookoo. They had to subdue their fears and raise their hopes high because, going to the evil island was something that no human had ever done. Apart from the tall tree and the smoke it produced every thousand years, everything humans knew about the island was told by the wizard of Manke. But the wizard himself was as evil as the devil. No one trusted the wizard.

“This is a deadly journey; we may not return alive,” Mansa said to her husband, as she leaned on his chest.

“We shall conquer. We shall win. We shall prevail, and safe the world,” Oma assured his wife.

They talked and talked—Mansa expressing her fears and Oma giving her hope and assurance for victory. Then, when they had firmly decided, they started planning their journey. They had to prepare adequately for the mission because, they were going to spend many days and many nights on the sea. They would need a big boat, food, water, clothing, a source of fire, and other wherewithal.

The dawn of the next day, Oma again went to the town crier. This time, he asked the town crier to announce to the people of Subasu about their decision to visit Mokoo to defeat the evil beings on the island and to chop down the evil tree. The town crier looked at the blistering ring on Oma's finger. It was amazing, but something more amazing made him forget about it momentarily. He couldn't believe what Oma told him.

The town crier laughed mockingly at Oma when he heard what he and his wife had planned to do. “You must be crazy,” he said. “Your first coital act with your wife has made you crazy, huh? Where on earth have you ever heard that a human had ever gone to Mookoo? Go and see the great herbalist in the village and get treated of your madness before you become insane completely.”

“Don’t worry about my madness, town crier,” Oma replied. “I knew you would not believe me before I came here. Just do what I want you to do for me, and I will pay you accordingly.

“Tell the people of Subasu that seven days from today, my wife and I will be going to Mookoo to defeat the evil beings and chop down the evil tree to safe the world. Tell the boat makers to build us a strong, big boat for our journey.”

“Very well. I will do as you have said. Who knows, may be it is time for the world to be saved from the evil hands,” the town crier said with feelings of pity for Oma. “I will not charge you any amount for this. Return home to your wife, and you will soon hear my voice.”

Oma thanked the town crier and got on his way back home. And just when he reached home, he heard the voice of the town crier after his bell had rung.

“Oyez, oyez, oyez! People of Subasu, I come to you again with my bell and my voice. But this time, what my voice is carrying has never been heard before on earth, so, listen to me and listen to me carefully.

“The most handsome man and the most beautiful woman in our village; I mean the newest couple, have asked me to tell you that, they have decided to go to Mookoo, the evil island where evil beings, monsters, demons and wizards exist, to fight and defeat the evil beings and chop down the evil tree to save humans from the calamity that befall us every thousand years.

“And they have asked me to tell boat makers in Subasu to build a strong, big boat for them.

“Thank you for listening, people of Subasu.”

The village started boiling immediately the town crier finished the announcement. People got out of their homes and rushed to the home of the new couple. They wanted to hear from Oma and Mansa themselves. No one in the whole world had ever visited the evil island, and so, what the town crier announced was so strange to them. In no time, the home of the new couple was filled by the aged, the young, women, men, boys and girls. Oma and Mansa were not surprised to see the villagers surround their home; they expected a thing of the sort to happen.

It was the Great Savant who first spoke when the new couple came out of their room to meet the people. “People of Subasu want to know whether what we heard from the town crier really came from you?”

“Every word he spoke came from us,” Oma replied. Mansa was standing beside him, and all eyes were on them. “We are ready and capable to save the world.”

That was funny and unbelievable to the people, so, many of them laughed mockingly. Others murmured in disbelief. And that led to an awful din; no one could hear what the other was saying.

"Hush, hush!” the Great Savant shouted, and instantly, everyone became quiet.

“Can you in anyway prove to us that you will be able to go to Mookoo and defeat the evil hands that dwell on the evil island?” the Great Savant asked.

Neither Oma nor Mansa replied to the Great Savant. They stood silent for awhile, and then, Oma whispered to his wife. And acting on what Oma told her, Mansa went into their bedroom and returned with the sword and the small axe, and gave them to Oma.

Oma held the little axe in his left hand, and the sword in his right. And when he had turned to face the direction of the mountain at the east, he chanted: “Tamun Hu Oma.”

Then, unexpectedly, the sword burst into flames, and the small axe flew into the sky and when it touched the clouds, a deafening thunder stroke, and the earth quaked as a result.

Everyone, including the Great Savant trembled. They had not seen a thing of the sort before and that made them become afraid. Shortly, Oma chanted the three mysterious words again, and the flames on the sword disappeared and the small axe flew back into his left hand.

“We believe you now,” said the Great Savant. “We shall build the boat for you to go and destroy the evil ones and save the world.”

“Thank you. We are grateful,” Oma and Mansa said to express their gratitude.

Trusting Oma and his wife completely, The Great Savant and the people went back to their homes with the promise that, they would build a strong, big boat for the journey of Oma and his wife.