Ring Of Fire

Ring Of Fire 2

"If my sister was able to posses your woman why was she not able to possess you as well?" Zimba who was seated on a lonely and tall mountain in the open lands asked Feb who was standing and crossing his hands behind his back and looking down the mountains.

"Nobody has ever told you how the ring first appeared. Centuries ago I was with the love of my life Ama in the woods of Lofa, the capital city of Lobatam. We normally visited the woods to be together...

****

"Feb are you going to propose to me with that?" Ama had asked Feb who was rising up from picking a strange ring from the ground. "Feb?" She called his attention again not sure why Feb suddenly started behaving strangely. "It could be a couple that mistakenly dropped it here" Ama added.

Feb turned to face her. "This is no ordinary ring Ama. I felt something. We need to take it to the shrine of the Chief Seer for inspection"

"No I'm not going there Feb. I don't like seeing those half naked men called Men of the Oracle" Ama had said but looking deeply into Feb's eyes nodded and he held her hand as they ran off the woods.

****

Back on the mountains.

"And that was how the Chief Seer showed the ring to the king and he got possessed by it. The ring is evil. Your sister is going to be worse than the lord of the underworld.

The ring couldn't possess me because no magic is beyond the love I have for Ama. Even in death we still loved each other. Now get up. We must continue our journey"

"To where?" Zimba asked.

"To wherever I say" Feb said before something terrible happened. In the thick forest surrounding the mountains, the army of the dead roared out of it, running towards the mountains. Zimba stood up immediately. The dead were many and Feb could see Ama and Lotem on a horse, galloping towards the mountain as well.

************

"You can't escape them. It is never going to work for you this time" Zimba said to Feb who just stood on the mountains and watched as the army of the dead reached the mountains but stopped at it's foot and waited. Lotem dismounted from her horse and so did Ama.

"Give me back my brother and we can talk about how I can deliver you this ring. I never wanted this ring. I never wanted any of this. Just let him go and we will not attack you" Lotem said aloud and Feb dragged Zimba with him down the mountains. The dead made way for them as they approached Ama and Lotem.

"Giving us the ring means killing yourself. Are you ready to die to let it go?" Feb asked Lotem.

"Don't threaten my mistress again" Ama pointed her smokey sword at Feb.

"You equally confessed my love with your evil ring" Feb said almost angrily.

"If the ring is powerful then it is not evil. It is only evil in the hand of the person that possesses it. Lotem how strong should we trust you with the ring?" Zimba asked.

"You don't understand. I need that ring to bring back myself and my woman from death. Surely we can't go back to the underworld now. The lord of the underworld won't forgive our betrayal" sounded Feb.

The ring whispered to Lotem and she slowly looked at Feb and asked "centuries ago you found this ring. Am I wrong?"

Feb and Zimba looked at each other. "How did you know that?" Zimba asked.

"The ring talks to me. I can equally bring and your woman back into the human flesh...but...but" Lotem stuttered.

"But what?" Feb asked.

"Bringing you and your woman back will require the whole strength of the ring. It will cost it and the dead already here to disappear to the underworld. If that happens the lord of the underworld will breath strength into it and use it to control millions of the dead back to earth and will not only dominate Lobatam but the entire kingdoms of the four corners of the earth. Is it something we can risk?" Lotem asked.

"Do it" said Zimba.

"I should do it?" Lotem asked her brother.

"Yes. Release them from death. When the ring disappears to the underworld and the lord of the underworld breaths strength into the ring and come to the earth with his savages, the men of the oracle will be ready for him. We will go to the King of Lobatam and have him issue a royal invitation to all the Kings of the lands; from north, south, east and west; for them to have their Seers prepare their men of their deities for the coming war." said Zimba.

"Thousands will die because of these two lovers? And how sure are we that after defeating the lord of the underworld that the ring will be destroyed alongside with him?"

"The ring can't be destroyed but it can be used to lure the lord from the underworld and use it to destroy him for good. If the ring stays here he will keep on sending the dead but when we release the ring to him he will personally come to rule the earth with it" said Feb.

"How will you use it to destroy him when he already has it in his finger?" Lotem asked.

"Love will destroy him" said Feb. Lotem approached Feb and faced him."and when all these is over, who wears the ring?"

"You do" Said Feb.

"I don't need it. I just need to get back home to my parents and to my brother here" said Lotem.

Zimba was almost in tears as he said. "Sister. I'm never going home. I'm part of the men of the oracle, forbidden to marry or bear children of my own. I joined them hoping to find you when the ring made you disappear"

Lotem was infuriated, and as her anger increased Ama fell on her kneels and held her head. The King of Lobatam also fell on his kneels in his palace. Feb and Zimba fell to the ground. A minute later Zimba and Feb opened their eyes but the army of the dead and Lotem, including Ama were no longer there.

In a strange land called Mmafa, Lotem appeared with her dead army and Ama, who was standing beside her, and said, " I loved my brother so much and the king of Lobatam and his Seer dared initiate him to the oracle. We shall see!"

************

The king of Mmafa kingdom where Lotem appeared was informed of the strange thing happening in the land.

"The people of Mmafa are fleeing the city. They woke up to witness the dead in their homeland. My King we are not safe" one of the Chiefs said.

The King asked to be taken to the shrine of his chief seer but was advised otherwise. "The pathway leading to the shrine my lord is filled with the dead, roaming the city and scaring the people. But my lord, they have not touched anyone. Yet is it not wise to involve the men of the oracle?" Asked the Chief.

The King asked to be taken to the shrine at once to speak with his seer and being accompanied by a thousand soldiers he sat comfortably on his carriage as they passed town by town heading to the shrine and seeing some of the dead on the streets.

"I hear they have a Queen. My lord I fear for something. What if the ring is back after centuries of disappearance?. We should send a message of clarification to Lobatam. If the ring is back then there is calamity in the whole kingdoms and our destination should be to Lobatam to decide the fate of the people"

Before one of the advisers could finish, cries from the middle village started emanating and the King ordered the carriage to be halted. He came down and sighted one of the towns of Mmafa burning to the ground. To his shock some of the dead they were seeing on the streets turned and started approaching them. The army charged to protect their king but more of the dead came running from four corners. The battle began and the King was shocked. One dead man could kill ten of his soldiers before being cut down. He knew they didn't stand a chance.

"Take me out of here!" He shouted to his generals but before they could do a thing beheld Lotem and Ama riding towards them on horses. Fearfully looking giant dead men rode beside them with heavy weapons.

The King asked his generals to drop their weapons which they did.

The generals dropped their weapons and so were the remaining soldiers. Lotem and Ama reached their spot and dismounted like soldiers. The giants dismounted and followed them to stand in front of the king.

"You found the ring?" The King of Mmafa asked.

"I did" Lotem answered.

"You come from Lobatam?" He asked further.

"I am" she answered again.

"And this is what you will do with the power you have? To kill innocent people of Mmafa?" He asked again.

"My anger was not on your people but your soldiers who first started war with us in the middle village of Mmafa. I'm not here to conquer your land but to liberate it from an ancient crime" she said boldly.

"Which crime?" Asked the King.

"Men of the oracle" release them from their vows so that they can go home and marry and father sons and daughters that will succeed them just like you have sons and daughters that will succeed you" said Lotem.

"Who are you to instruct a king to release men of his oracle from their vows?! Shouted the king and Ama hit him on the stomach. The generals tried to pick their swords but the giants put their weapons on their throats and they surrendered.

"I'm not here to conquer your land but do as I say or I will" threatened Lotem.

"Why my land. Why my kingdom?" Asked the King.

"You misunderstand me dear King. My mission is going to be in every kingdom in this earth. All kings must release men of their oracle from their vows. A new dawn for the sons of men. I will escort you to the shrine of your chief seer. There you will summon all the men of the oracle of Mmafa and release them from their sacred vows which states they will not marry or bear children of their own. After I'm done with Mmafa I will turn my army West" said Lotem before mounting her horse.

"Command your soldiers to move" said Ama as she pointed her sword to the king.

They left to the shrine of the chief seer of Mmafa.

In Lobatam, Feb and Zimba were heading to the palace with Feb's face covered.

************

The Chief Seer of Mmafa had foreseen this calamity. He had first summoned the men of the oracle of Mmafa to his shrine. The men gathered in their high spirits, ready to obey the command of the seer. But were shocked to see their king approaching the shrine from the rocks with Lotem, Ama and the dead behind his army.

"Your king is a betrayal. He brings the dead to our doorstep. Wait no more! s*******r the enemies!!! The seer screamed and the men of the oracle swept down the rocks with their weapons dancing in the air. The king of Mmafa was shocked to see his men of the oracle advancing towards him with dangerous weapons.

"Get ready to attack!!!" Lotem commanded her army of the dead.

"I won't have you attack them!!! The King said to Lotem.

" they feel you are a betrayal. They are men of the oracle and they are coming to destroy us. I won't forgive any man of the oracle who won't have the patience to understand my mission and tries to attack me. I will kill them all!!!" Screamed Lotem as the the army of the dead swooped forward to clash with the men of the oracle. The King and his army were attacked from their side by some of the men of the oracle and he knew it was time to let his soldiers fight. He commanded them to fight.

In Lobatam. The eight Kings of the lands gathered with thousands of the men of their oracle to decide war once and for all. Zimba stood like a demon, heavily dressed in Lion's skin with Feb beside him with face covered.

The King of Lobatam stood from his throne and the Kings stood as well. Thousands of men of the oracles of the eight kingdoms stood in the field of the palace ready for a world war with Lotem and her savages.

"Zimba, the vow you took is sacred. Are you ready to lead the men of the oracle of the earth against your sister Lotem, the most dangerous lady on earth at the moment?"

"Yes. I will" Zimba sounded and there was a thunderous salute by the men of the oracles.

"I will fight beside you" Feb whispered to him.

"I know but never lay your hand on my sister" warned Zimba.

"I will not. As long as she releases Ama for me. And free us from death" put in Feb.