THE CURSED LANTERN Episode 4 By Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

THE CURSED LANTERN Episode 4 By Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

Amandi was fortune to eat as much as he could. The festival offered free food for everybody. He was so excited as he ate. He had fun dancing around. He was at least happy for his transition into the Oduma kingdom without being captured by Umudike warriors.

King Onwuatuelo and his family went back to the palace in the company of the five hefty guards called the Umudimkpa (macho men) or the super five.

These five guards were known for their outstanding valor and wrestling tactics. They’d won many wrestling competitions in Oduma kingdom and beyond. Their reward was to become the special palace guards. Many maidens admire them. Their positions in the palace made them not be seen as slaves anymore.

Umeano, Udoka, Imo, Kalu, and Paraudo were the super five that guarded the palace. Their reputations preceded them. The name, Umudimkpa was a name coined using the first two letters of their names except for Kalu who had just one letter of his name used; just to make the acronym have a perfect meaning.

Umudimkpa literarily has three meanings and they all make a perfect sense in connection with the achievements of those who bear it. The first meaning of the name is ‘a people fathered by great men’. The second meaning connotes ‘important children’, while the third is ‘men of valor’. The three meanings imply that the super five had achieved a lot in terms of physical strength and security of the land.

When the sun began to set, nightfall became fast approaching. The full moon was about to take over the nocturnal activity making the people begin to go back to their respective homes.

Amandi had just begun to understand that he had no place to put a roof over his head. The joy of the celebration that overwhelmed him began to dwindle drastically. He started feeling sad and lonely.

Being that it was already a dry season, he had to consider sleeping in the bush just as he did the previous night. He dispiritedly went to a corner and sat as he observed the people going to their houses. He was just waiting for the last person to go before he finds his way to the bush; with a secret prayer that the warring monkeys wouldn’t visit.

In that sitting position, Amandi didn’t know when he dozed off. In that nap, he began to see himself in a strange land that was entirely different from what he’d been seeing in his dreams and imaginations. He saw a big river looking like the Mmirimuo (water of the spirits) River of Umudike.

The poor boy dreaded the water because that was the last place he wanted to be. It was obvious to him that the spirit of the dead python was after him. As he turned to leave and avoid the river, he became so weary. He knew that some power was about to overpower him, so started to call on the gods for rescue. It was as if the gods were silent to his supplication, so he began to force himself to get up and run. This enigma continued until he started seeing many children crying and gathering around him. Each of the depressed children had a lantern. As they continued to cry, their tears began to extinguish the lights one after the other until the last lantern was left. The remaining lantern was very bright while the carrier was bathed in tears. It was a girl-child even though her face wasn’t clearly visible to Amandi.

Amandi tried to understand why the children were crying but no explanation came forth. All of a sudden, he heard a female voice calling him. He didn’t know if it was a human or a goddess. As he tried to move in the direction of the voice, heavy rain started; even when it was meant to be a dry season. Trying to run for safety, he woke up dizzily and saw some people gathering around him. One of them sprinkled some water on him but he had obscured vision of the face because his eyes were still weak.

“Oh, he’s awake!” one of them exclaimed happily.

Amandi’s sight was still blurry when he tried opening his eyes wide to see clearly.

“He will be fully awake soon,” another lady said monotonously.

Amandi was fighting hard to be conscious but everywhere seemed dreamy and unreal.

“He will be awake soon, ” the voice repeated, “let’s give him a chance,”

When he finally opened his eyes, Amandi saw some strange faces. He was surprised to see a group of girls; all in white. Their clothes were from the furs of the white sheep. The entire environment looked like the house of a priestess, so he got up. A sudden headache got him whimpering as he tried to understand what was going on.

“Who are you people and how did I get here?” Amandi asked feeling a bit frightened, “How can I wake up inside a dream? I wish to end this dream,”

“Welcome to the land of the living,” the young lady that seemed to be their leader said.

Amandi felt as if whatever was happening had happened before. “But wait,” he said with unclear mind,” why am I feeling as if whatever is happening now has happened before?”

The young priestess smiled and said: “That’s the reason for you to believe that reincarnation is real. This shows that sometimes in your previous lifetime, you’ve passed through this. It’s normal,” she came forward and smiled at him. “I am Mmirimaraugo. I am the priestess of Ngene, and a healer. You’ve been unconscious for three days, and those who brought you here have been afraid that you might have died but…”

“Sorry, priestess,” Amandi said with muddiness. He looked around and became more confused, “did you say three days?”

The pretty priestess nodded in affirmation. “Yes, you’ve been in deep sleep for three days. But thanks to the gods that you’re awake,”

Amandi didn’t get it yet because he was yet to understand how a short trance in a short sleep metamorphosed into a three days coma. He couldn’t connect the dots, so he began to stagger to the door.

The maidservants to the priestess tried to stop him but she signaled them to allow him to be.

On getting to the door, Amandi pushed it open to see the environment.

He was shocked to see that he was at the shore of a big river. He was afraid, so he rushed back into the hut.

“How did I come here?” he queried sternly, “Unu abu ogbanje (are you, people, the marine spirits)?”

The priestess stood up and came to him. She held his shoulders and said smilingly: “I am Mmirimaraugo…”

“You’ve said that before, ” Amandi interjected, “tell me something new. Are you mermaids or the succubus?”

“I think you need rest,” Mmirimaraugo said to him and tried to make him sit.

“I don’t need any rest,” he hollered. He then realized he was being harsh, “I’m so sorry for this but I’m confused and need to run as fast as I can away from Umudike kingdom,”

The priestess took him to the back exit door so that he wouldn’t be frightened by the river.

“The gods have been silent and we all have been worried,” she said to him, “But right now, you’re not in Umudike. So relax,”

It took Amandi some time trying to unearth what was going on.

Losing touch with reality for three market days was the most intriguing and confusing part to him.

“I have been suffering since I was a kid,” Amandi confessed dejectedly, “my case seems worse. Right now, my earth-mother has blocked my destiny even when she’s supposed to be my personal chi. I’m currently…”

Mmirimaraugo shushed him and patted his back slightly.

“Running away, right?” Mmirimaraugo completed the statement for him, “I wish to proffer a solution too. But even as a priestess, I know that the gods are silent. But all I can say is that you took the best decision by leaving Umudike,”

Amandi was for the first time feeling relaxed because the beautiful young priestess just encouraged him with her exhortative words.

“I so much treasure these words,” Amandi said and knelt before her, “shower your priestly blessings upon me and…”

“Blessings are from the gods,” she cut in, “Get up and face your destiny. It’s not entirely bad; that’s to the extent that I can see,”

The words of hope got Amandi interested to hear more, so he got up and happily tried to cuddle her but she prevented that.

“Oh, sorry, I forgot that you’re a priestess,” he apologized and genuflected before her.

“No, don’t adore me like a god,” she averred, “I am a mere mortal like you,”

“But you’re the servant of the gods,” Amandi reminded her smilingly, “for a long time; I haven’t had such a sweet conversation. You’re not just a priestess but solace in my grief. You’re a comforter,”

Mmirimaraugo felt honored and happy. She almost forgot that she was a priestess, so she began to blush as a woman should.

Nneka, her deputy nudged her to bring her back to reality.

The priestess suddenly got herself back and cleared her throat.

“Ozioma, the widow from Oduma kingdom brought you here,” The priestess revealed, “she’s a woman with an excellent spirit. Here is Azummiri village; a place where those who have been possessed by strange spirits are brought and healed,”

Amandi shuddered to hear that last part. He was beginning to come to terms with the fact that he could be possessed by a strange spirit. He was overtaken by curiosity because he had lots of questions to ask about his destiny.

“I think you’re right,” Amandi said convincingly. He looked around and observed the maidens present, “but what I don’t know is why I always hear the voices of the children. Can you help me?”

Mmirimaraugo smiled at that. “You’re not possessed by any strange spirit. The future is vague and the gods must have been on important missions; hence, their silence. When they’re back, help will come. For now, follow your heart,”

“I’m not sure if I have any heart anymore,” Amandi added gruntingly and grimaced in dissatisfaction.

Nneka smiled but shammed being serious so that Mmirimaraugo wouldn’t notice her chuckles.

“You have a heart and it’s soft and welcoming,” the priestess said and brought out a feather of an eagle. She also brought nchuanwu (scent leaf) and aki inu (bitter kola) and handed them over to him.

Amandi collected the items but had no bag to put them in. He ran his hands searchingly on his body but didn’t know how to house the items and what they were meant for.

“I have been wearing one cloth for many days,” Amandi mumbled and shook his head dishearteningly. He was seething with anger against the gods but afraid to badger them with grunts “I am not worthy to be counted among the humans anymore but filthy animals,”

Amandi was surprised that the priest who was avoiding an embrace pulled him into a hug and stroked his back gently.

“You’re not filthy that’s why I’m doing this,” she assuredly said to him, “you’ve been here for three days and we never complained of dirt or filthiness. “Mirimaraugo ya sara ugo ahu (the droplets of the rain on the eagle have gotten it cleansed)” she added proverbially, “therefore, the gods have made you clean inwardly even though there is a lot they’re not revealing to you. You’re a blessed one but you’re not seeing it. You’ll soon realize that. That’s all I can tell you, ”

Amandi was happy and didn’t want to end the embrace but Nneka tapped gently on his back and said: “This is a rare privilege and a blessing. You may now depart in peace but do not reveal to anyone where you came from,”

Amandi smiled and nodded as he ended the short-lived embrace.

“How can I tell anyone where I came from? I have no father or mother. I’m not even ready to go back to Umudike to avoid being enslaved by Mmirimuo,”

On hearing that, the priestess was surprised but didn’t want to say anything yet. She simply looked at Adanna, one of her maidservants, and said: “bring it now and hand it over to him,”

Amandi didn’t understand what was happening or what was to be brought to him. He was eager to ascertain what was going on but he couldn’t make good guesses, so he waited.

The maiden left and came back with a bag made from the skin of the antelope. It was handed over to him.

Amandi was excited to discover that many beautiful clothes were in the bag; even a pair of lion-skinned sandals was there too. He wasn’t sure if those were gifts for him or he’d be getting instruction about who to deliver them to.

“What am I looking at?” Amandi asked inquisitively, “these are fine clothing and I can’t remember ordering for one. I am nothing but a penniless boy seeking survival,”

“That’s your problem,” The priestess pointed out, “In life, you’re as great as you think you are. Your perception of life over the years has been that your life is a fiasco. This has been making you so timid. Break loose from that hard shell of inferiority and have your destiny bathed in promising sunlight. Take these,” she added and put the bitter kola, scent leaf, and the white feather of the eagle into the bag. “Whenever you want to sleep, place the bitter kola and the scent leaf under the bed. Sleep on it. In eight market days, you’ll get a hint of what has been happening in your life. And when you do, a solution is near,”

Amandi was overwhelmed with hilarity, as he admired the clothes one after the other. His lips were coated with smiles as the joy overhauled him.

“Wow, Amandi, nwa Acharaba, o buzikwa gi (Is this really you, Amandi the son of Acharaba)?”

“An uncommon privilege,” Adanna added gleefully, “you’re special to her, I can see,”

Nneka nudged Adanna to make her quiet, and then looked at the priestess who was full of happiness that she couldn’t conceal. She cleared her throat and covered her mouth with her palm to avoid the impending laughter.

“This will be my first time to put on sandals, ” Amandi confessed tearfully, “I am elated by this. Thank you, my beautiful priestess,”

Mmirimaraugo smiled on hearing the compliment. The happiness was inevitable, so she quickly turned and veiled herself. She pretended not to be moved by praises. She was simply being a woman at that particular point in time. “You can now go,” she said smilingly behind the veil.

Nneka and Adanna helped Amandi to carry his bag. They were to escort him to the boundary of the village where he’d find his way from there.

Amandi didn’t feel like leaving. For the first time, he felt at home and happy. He was encouraged to pick up the pieces of his life and face it with a head-on confrontation. The erstwhile disturbed boy was at least happy that such a young and beautiful priestess was by his side.

“You just narrated my entire life in a few words,” Amandi said appreciatively as he started following Nneka and Adanna to find his way to a destination he never knew.

The priestess simply stood and watched him leave. She didn’t say anything but continued to smile and wave at him.

When they’d gone a bit far, Amandi looked back and saw that Mmirimaraugo had removed the veil. In his head, he heard her say: “I know about the lantern too”.

Amandi was amazed because he heard that voice clearly as if she was with him. He wanted to go back since the issue of the lantern had been mentioned but Nneka and Adanna didn’t allow him to do that.

“You even got more than just an audience with the priestess,” Nneka said to him, “I don’t know why you want to overuse the privilege you just enjoyed,”

“The priestess is a lady of few words,” Adanna entered, “but she surprised us all today with the way she attended to you. I suggest you continue going without looking back because she may become angry with you. Believe me, if you see her in an angry mood, you’d be surprised if she’s still the easygoing priestess. Follow our advice and continue your movement,”

Even though Amandi believed them and heeded the candid advice, he still was assured that he heard the priestess’s voice. It was very difficult fathoming how he could hear her from such a distance but he simply had to keep moving.

Knowing more about the lantern and why he kept having the vision was so important to Amandi.

That quest was just as important as he wanted to know about his destiny and where he should be heading in life.

Getting to the boundary, the maidens stopped and handed the bag over to him.

Amandi was still in shock as he craved hearing the voice of the priestess the second time but he didn’t.

“Thank you, beautiful maidens of Azummiri kingdom,” he said gratefully with smiles, “I’ll never forget this day so soon. Thank you again, ”

The maidens were all flushed with blush at the moment. They simply became shy and started running back to meet Mmirmaraugo.

“Go to Ozioma’s house and meet the young guru,” he heard again thinking it was from the maidens.

Amandi was eager to know more, so he turned and called on the ladies.

They stopped a few meters away from him, so he raised his voice and said: “Why should I go to Ozioma’s house?”

The girls didn’t understand him, so they smiled and continued running back to the priestess.

It became obvious to Amandi that it was the priestess that talked to him again. His wonderment became more pronounced because he couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He wished to hear more but the voice doesn’t come on command. At a point, he became unsure if the voice was from the priestess or the gods. He simply shrugged and continued to follow the pathways meandering through the bushes to Oduma village.

On getting to Oduma River, a boundary between Oduma and Azummiri, Amandi saw many people swimming while some were washing their clothes.

The children played around. He felt good seeing a river where he’d take his bath after a couple of days. He went closer and then dropped his bag at a corner. He didn’t have anyone to talk to or play with because he was a stranger.

Oduma River wasn’t just for the Oduma villagers; Azummiri people use it too. It wasn’t easy knowing who the stranger was because Azummiri villagers may think he hailed from Oduma while the Oduma people would think he was from Azummiri.

Amandi began to take his bath; with his clothes on. He didn’t have to undress because the children were there too. He simply went to a corner and started bathing.

As he continued bathing, the villagers present turned everything into fun by organizing special wrestling competition for the guys. A dance competition was for the ladies. The children competed using the Ikpo oga, itu ncho, and Igba oso. These were different traditional plays and sports.

Amandi was busy enjoying the show until some men of Oduma kingdom that bragged of being the champions in wrestling pointed at him.

“Hey, this Azummiri man, come and challenge Ekene,” Agaba the boaster yelled at him, “I know you have no strength but I want your clan to be humiliated,”

Oduma people started laughing at Amandi who was still busy bathing by the corner.

Azummiri villagers couldn’t recognize him, so they kept trying to figure out if his clan would be ascertained and why he wasn’t known in the village.

Amandi didn’t take Agaba seriously until he began to get cheers from Azummiri people while Oduma villagers booed him. He wasn’t just in the mood of any wrestling because his life was a nightmare at the moment.

The Oduma maidens all gathered and started clapping for Ekene.

Agaba was a youth of about twenty-three. He was always the funny but playfully mischievous kind. He was well known for his pranks and instigation of fights between people. He wouldn’t fight but would always lure people to fight while he boos the loser and partners with the winner.

Ekene already impressed the maidens with his display of strength, so he garnered support from them.

Amandi continued to pretend that he didn’t understand what they were talking about until one of the guys in the crowd threw a stone at him. If not that he dodged it, the stone would have hit him on the head.

“This one is a woman with no guts,” Ekene jeered at Amandi, making the entire people start laughing at him.

Amandi hates when someone likens him to a woman, so he knitted his brow at that statement. Even though he wasn’t willing to fight, he just had to do it because the cheering crowd was already seeing him as being chicken-hearted.

He came to the shore and entered the already-formed circle where the fight would take place.

Ekene didn’t even wait for Amandi to be ready. He rushed at him and started wrestling.

As the wrestling was going on, Amandi was reluctant to show his full physical strength. This made Ekene earn more points at the beginning.

The privileges being enjoyed by Ekene ended when he gave Amandi a blow that made his lips bleed.

Amandi wanted to show his fighting skills but remembered the unforgettable punishment he underwent in the hands of Obidi when he beat Anuka. He tried to unleashed the first heavy punch but withdrew it when he felt that Ekene may not be able to withstand it. He began to leave, showing that he wasn’t ready for the fight but Ekene rushed at him and kicked him hard on the buttocks.

Without delay, Amandi rushed at Ekene and gave him just one hard blow on the face that made him fall.

People thought that Ekene was dead because he remained on the ground without moving.

Amandi, at this point, became afraid, so he rushed and Ekene and began to pour water on him.

Agaba tried to sneak out from the crowd because accusing fingers must be pointed at him but Ekene suddenly sneezed and opened his eyes. Agaba was happy when he saw Ekene getting up wearily.

The entire people began to applaud Amandi for defeating Ekene without a delay. The latter became shameful and angrily left the crowd.

Agaba had to swallow his pride to congratulate Amandi. The entire crowd came and lifted the winner and sang their native victory songs known as Onyemmeri bu dike (the winner is great).

As the song and jubilation continued, the princess, her maids, and two of the palace guards came to the stream.

Seeing her, the people stopped the jubilation to respect her presence.

Those that were carrying Amandi on their heads put him down immediately. But before then, the princess already saw what was going on.

Ugegbe was feeling so happy seeing that the people were happy and enjoying the river.

The entire villagers bowed in respect; even Azummiri villagers too.

In Igbo land, royalty commands respect even in other kingdoms. Having royal blood is seen as unalloyed blessings and privilege from the gods. The people in this circle are highly honored; even their foes have no choice but to respect them unwillingly.

“You all should stand and continue the fun,” Ugegbe said smilingly and came closer to them all, “Let me join you. What’s going on? I can join if you let me,”

The people were uncomfortable accommodating her into the fun because she was seen as being highly placed.

“The princess just made a demand!” Kalu yelled at them, making the people afraid but the princess signaled him to keep the strictness aside.

“I didn’t make a demand, Kalu,” she corrected, “I made a humble request. If it’s the jumping competition or the dancing competition, I can partake. You all would be surprised that I have hidden skills. Feel free with me because I’m one of you,”

Agaba came forward and bowed before the princess. “May I speak, my princess?” he said seeking royal permission.

“Of course, you can,” she responded enthusiastically, “you have my attention,”

There was a moment of silence for a moment as Agaba tried finding the right words to avoid attracting the anger of those hefty guards.

“We’re having a wrestling competition, my princess,” he said and looked back at others, “aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are,” they chorused.

The princess was happy to hear that. She slowly began to remove her sandals. Her maidservants came to help but she stopped them. “I got this,” she said assuredly to them, “here isn’t the palace,”

‘I’m already tired of all those rigorous protocols and procedures in the palace,’ she thought.

Ugegbe removed her sandals and handed them over to the maidens.

Most common people go barefooted except the rich and royalty that wear sandals. The children don’t even wear clothes because they have nothing to hide. It’s only those from adolescent age that cover their private parts only; and not fully covered. The adults are the ones that are fully dressed.

“So, who is winning?” she asked excitedly looking at Amandi,” I saw you people carrying him on the head. Did he win any trophy?”

Amandi genuflected before her in reverence. “My…my…princess, it was nothing,” he said stammeringly in a bid to end the discussion that could reveal that he wasn’t from the kingdom, “we were just playing the Igbajiem aka play, that’s why they carried me up,”

Igbajiem aka play is the play that involves throwing someone up and catching him in the air. It’s usually done to someone of lightweight so that the crowd can easily catch him and throw in up again and again. The elders frown at that kind of play because kids could get injured. They can even lose their lives in such a dangerous stunt.

The reaction of the people and the way they looked at Amandi made it glaring to the princess that he was hiding something.

“Are you sure you’re not lying,” Ugegbe asked smiling trying to make him feel free with her, “Tell me the truth, nwokeoma (cute guy)” she urged, “I hate lies, but because we’re in a playful mood, I won’t punish you for that,”

Amandi at the moment was busy rehearsing how to reply to her. As this happened, Agaba cut in: “He just won a wrestling completion and Ekene was defeated…”

“I didn’t ask you, ire ncha (talkative)” Ugegbe mocked him playfully making the people laugh at Agaba.

Agaba hid behind the crowd in shame as this happened.

Amandi suddenly remembered the words of Mmirimarugo when she asserted that he was shying away from taking his destiny in his hands. To end that inferiority complex, he suddenly cleared his throat and said: “I was taking my bath and never wanted any fight. In no time, this boy came up with the wrestling idea and lured his friend into a fight with me,”

Listening to his accent, the princess could deduce that he wasn’t from Oduma. She smiled and said: “Oh, you won the fight for Azummiri people and you’re being hailed for it,”

“He’s not from Azummiri…oo” a guy from the crowd said making everybody to be confused. They began to wonder where he came from.

The princess wanted to start cross-examining him but felt it’s something that wouldn’t be done in the public to avoid humiliating Amandi.

“Okay, I’ve heard you,” she said to the anonymous voice and chuckled, “I will like to see how he fights, but seems no one can contend with him among the crowd,”

“Ekene, our strong man has been defeated by him,” A voice from the back said.

That assertion aroused the princess’s attention and interest. She couldn’t help but imagine the kind of strong boy they had in their midst, so she became interested to find out more.

“You have a name, friend?” The princess asked looking intently at Amandi.

After some hesitations, Amandi muttered: “My name is Amandi Acharaba,”

“Oh, that’s good,” Ugegbe said happily, “let’s test your strength then,” Looking at Imo and Kalu, she smiled and nodded.

The two guards who were among the five reputable guards named Umudimkpa already knew what the looks meant.

Kalu shook his head, genuflected before the princess, and said: “No, my princess. He’s just a boy and can’t withstand any of us,”

“Besides,” Imo entered, “It’s like a waste of strength for us to allow ourselves to be belittled by this mismatched fight,”

Amandi was already afraid seeing how hefty and virile they were. He was just twenty-three but those warriors were nothing less than thirty. It was a real mismatch, so he shook his head and began to draw back into the crowd.

“I insist he wrestles with any of you,” The princess said to the bewilderment of the entire people gathered, “it’s an order,”

Amandi almost urinated on himself out of fear and anxiety, especially when Agaba pushed him forward to obey the princess.

Imo and Kalu laughed scornfully at the situation but since the words from the princess were considered an order, they had to obey.

“Just don’t waste time in winning the wrestling,” Kalu said to Imo.

Imo couldn’t believe his ears. He felt humiliated by Kalu for urging him to be the one to fight the boy. But being that the princess already nodded in approval, he reluctantly came forward to the wrestling ground.

Amandi didn’t even want to fight at all but he must obey the royalty. He looked at Imo submissively to attract his sympathy.

The humiliation felt by Imo transmogrified into anger and pride. He felt that his ego had been jabbed, so he quickly went straight to Amandi and clouted his jaw. That heavy shove made his mouth to bleed.

“I never said you shouldd engage in a serious fight,” The princess warned, “why not understand that this is a sport? Do not do that again or you stand disqualified; and that means you’ve been defeated,”

“I’m sorry for that, my princess,” Imo apologized and positioned himself in wait for the wrestling to start.

Amandi’s fear vanished when his anger was triggered by the wound that Imo had already given him. He came closer and held Imo by the hands as his legs remained apart. Their fingers were crossed while their legs were pinned to the ground.

The duo waited for an order from the princess before the fight would start.

By size, Amandi looked much smaller, even by age, much youthful. It wasn’t a fair fight but the princess was bent on seeing how Amandi fights. Even though she was eager to see Amandi’s skills, she was ready to stop the wrestling if he’s being defeated.

At her clap, the wrestling began. The people began to cheer them. No one wanted to bet because they were assured of Imo’s victory at last.

Imo wrestled with anger and was bent on injuring Amandi as a warning to him but he began to dawn on him that the boy was stronger than he thought. He then changed from wrestling to a real fight.

Amandi already mastered his opponent’s strong hands, so he focused on them and dodged the blows. His size became an advantage in the fight to meander and dodge blows. He surprised the people by showing so much strength and skill that they couldn’t imagine it.

The princess was amazed at the way Amandi fought even without hitting back. The boy was more at a defensive end than the attacking side. Out of the entire punches delivered by Imo, only one touched Amandi’s shoulder but he endured the pain and continued the fight.

Imo felt that Amandi was boyish, so he held him by the waist, lifted him high into the air, and threw him hard to the ground.

The observers shouted with fear thinking that Amandi would be badly injured with that move. They were surprised that the boy reached the ground with his legs pinning to the earth. Everybody was amazed that his back didn’t touch the ground. They began to call him Azueruana (the back that doesn’t touch the ground).

When Amandi noticed that the wound in his mouth was becoming very painful, he began to attack furiously while Imo defended.

Imo dodged some of the blows but the upper-cut delivered on his jaw was inescapable because of how swift it was. That single blow threw him to the ground. He got up immediately but Amandi was too fast to deliver the last blow on his ear, making him lose his balance. He staggered and fell on his face. He began to pant heavily and couldn’t stand up. This made Amandi the winner.

The noise from the riverside was alarming because that day was the first time that one of the Umudimkpa guys was defeated in a fight.

The people rushed at Amandi and carried him up just as they did before. They ran around the stream as they jubilated and celebrated him.

The princess was filled with admiration and respect. She even wished she didn’t allow the fight to go on because one of the strongest men in the village just got humiliated. She never believed in her wildest imagination that Amandi would ever win the fight. Even though she had no trophy earmarked for the winner, she made up her mind to offer one because it was an unimaginable victory.

Imo got up with shame and began to head back to the palace staggering.

Kalu tried to call him back but the humbled warrior was too infuriated to listen; even though he knew that he may be attracting a royal sanction for leaving the princess in the stream and heading home.

Being that the king would be mad at him, Imo went and sat under the mango tree as he nursed anger and shame for what just took place a couple of minutes earlier. There, he waited for others, so that they’d be going back to the palace together.

“What a victory!” the princess finally voiced after spending some time trying to realize that what just took place wasn’t in a dream, “Can I see the young man?” she added, making the people bring Amandi to her.

Amandi genuflected before the princess smiling sheepishly and shyly. He was blushing and astonished as he breathed heavily. He couldn’t even believe that he’d won the fight. His self-confidence skyrocketed at the instant. He was so happy and stunned.

“I’m grateful, my princess,” Amandi said with ecstasy and gladness.

Notwithstanding that Amandi’s body was draggled with the white sand, the princess couldn’t resist pulling him into a warm hug. She couldn’t just contain her joy and admiration for the young warrior who they never knew existed.

The people shouted with surprise when they saw how the princess embraced Amandi.

The maidservants to the princess looked at each other with astonishment because they never believed what they saw.

After the embrace, the princess held Amandi by the nape, looked directly into his eyes, and said: “I am so proud of you, ibu dike (you’re a strong man)”

Amandi was so fretful being around the princess. He didn’t count himself as being worthy to have such a royal embrace. He trembled with fear and respect as he blushed.

“Thank you, ma… Sorry, thank you, my princess,” he faltered with bashfulness, “sorry, I’m acting strangely,” he apologized tearfully, “I’m not used to people like you around me,”

The princess was filled with admiration and pity as he watched him display such an inferiority complex around her. She knew that Amandi was battling inside of him with the desire to be noticed and the fear of being humiliated.

“You don’t address me as, ma’am,” she corrected fixing her eyes on his but he avoided the eye contact, “I am about your age, if not younger. So don’t allow your status to make you timid. Be a man and make a request of what you want from royalty as a reward,”

Kalu was so angry and ashamed because one of them had been humbled by a commoner. He wished that he’d be allowed to beat Amandi mercilessly; even though he was unsure of that because of the last mock fight he had with Imo. In the fight, he lost to him. He couldn’t imagine how Imo lost to the weak-looking guy. He simply blamed the failure on the overconfidence that Imo had.

Amandi knew that it was his time to take advantage of the situation to seek permission to be allowed to stay with Ozioma and her son. Even though he wanted to obey the voice of Mmirimaraugo, he wasn’t sure that the people wouldn’t think that he had some amorous intent. He also never knew how King Onwuatuelo would take it when he finds out that a stranger was in their midst. He simply bowed to the princess and said: “I have no request to make. Thanks for your offer of benevolence. You’re a great woman, and would make a good queen someday, ”

The princess, in that elated state, didn’t feel like leaving but it was already getting dark, so she began to leave with her maids and guard. As she left, she kept looking back at intervals even when her ego was battling against it. She was thrilled by such humility and sincerity from Amandi. She couldn’t believe that a commoner who was allowed to make a request never asked for any royal reward. Ugegbe secretly nursed the wish to go back and know him more because she wasn’t sure if she’d be seeing him again.

#OpraDre THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN THE CURSED LANTERN

To be continued…

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