Wale and the Little Moonlight

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

                                                      CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The entire Ogunta being rampaged and r***d was not much of a surprise to the people, but the sudden defeat of the sun by the sons of the moon in the morning light was most puzzling to them, even as the darkness persisted. Wale, like every single soul of Ogunta knew this was a twisted truth, and they all, in their mind, struggled I to undo this mystery. Captured, bound, and tortured while being marched out of Ogunta soil to unknown destiny, weak in their bodies, they only hoped for a divine hero. But Wale’s mind was not in any way bound or weak; he kept searching for an answer.

At the Omini, the Great Stream—a boundary between Ogunta and other smaller kingdoms—the captives were halted and spoken to.  Although, their captors spoke in a language unknown to them, Wale later understood them, but no one knew this. Wale gradually discovered he could understand them. Perhaps, the gift of many languages was one of the many gifts he had. But he just discovered this in this black day. They were warned not to communicate with the water or do anything stupid with the water as they were about to be crossed to the other side where they were to be joined with other captives of other kingdoms who had earlier been subjugated. So, they entered the water to ghost through it. Wale was among the last to enter it, then as soon as he stepped a foot into it, his mind, his spirit opened.  First, he realised the invaders were scared of the water; secondly, he realised the moon was never his foe, but a friend, and that the invaders wouldn’t have been sent by the moon. Immediately, the memory of his birth resurfaced as though he was around when he was birthed—perhaps from what his parents had told him countless times. Then he remembered his cries, his tears, and the power he wielded in them. Wale gently went on bended knees into the water, and cried out a cry of a billion drums.

“Tania, Tania, Tania!!!” the invaders’ commander yelled back as he and six others rushed towards Wale to torture him for his crime.

Then, tears popped out of Wale’s eyes, rolling through his cheeks. The earth quaked again; the fierce storm raged even again, and darkness increased still. It became too late for the invaders. Everyone and everything was stuck in the middle of the water, while the other side and all that were with it, was overlooking them. And even, the water, yes the Great Omini, boiled in chill and in foams. Then it rained—a rain of a zillion clouds. Commotion then reigned with the dark. And Wale kept crying. As soon as a drop of tears fell upon the water, the clouds shifted, and all of nature re-adjusted; and the sun became bright again. Yet, Wale cried on, and the invaders became confused and weak even as the commotion intensified. Everyone one in chains felt the chillness of the water, while anyone without chains felt the heat of its boiling. The invaders indeed met with their water-doom; and they all fainted.  

A sudden strength came upon Wale, as though from the light of the sun, loaned by the force of the moon. All the corners of his being became super-energised; he broke his chains as though there were mere sticks around him. Even as he stopped crying, the storm still raged on. “One of the gods is indeed among us”. An elder cried out as everyone stood amazed at Wale.

To free his people, Wale broke the chains of other warriors first so they could help and free others as well. As soon as all of Ogunta captives were freed, calm return; the rain and storm ceased. And the captives became the captors. The invaders were all maimed, and then, their heads chopped off by their own sharp weapons in the hands of Wale and all Ogunta’s warriors. And the sun shone brighter upon the bloods on the water. Omini became saturated, the sun elated. The people of Ogunta came out and stood by the bank and chanted their songs of victory, and of praise to their gods and the Maker of the sun, moon, stars, waters, and all of the universe, as Omini became redder and redder at the shinning of the sun. Ogunta stayed by the bank of Omini for many hours in awe and jubilation, rendering praises after praises to the gods. They could stay there for ages for their eyes had seen what had never happened in the history of the whole Oduduwaland--not in their many days and ages.

"The gods, even the god of the gods live among us. For today they have changed everything in our own favour with just a touch of their hands on nature. Generations after generations will sing this day on their lips at every rhythm of their heart beat". The Oba cried out in overwhelming joy.

So the Ogunta sang on a new song of victory as they matched on back to their homes. The warriors' voices were highest and loudest as they stamped their feet and roared in gallantry as though they were about to go for another war. But Wale did no utter a sound; he only kept moving.

In the evening, when the moon came visiting, its light was like the sun’s.  The intense drumming, chanting, talking, dancing and feasting gladdened the moon, so, he was fully by their side just like he was with Wale. It was clear to the people that Ogunta was more than just a kingdom; it was where the sun smiled in the day, and where the moon danced at night; it was where no one could conquer as long as Wale lived. As the people, were still jubilating, Wale quietly walked out of the crowd and went back to Omini in the company of the moonlight alone. At the bank of Omini, Wale stood, and the moon came closer and brighter, shining on the redness of Omini—it was clear that the blood of the invaders would never dry off. And Wale communicated with the moon.