The Return

A better day it was yesterday and this day, is the day she gets the answers to what she wants to know. She gets up early to do chores early but to her surprise, everything was already done. She returns back to her room to prepare for an early departure.

Finished her preparations but still no one is awake. She writes a note, slides it down Monalisa’s door and gets out of the house. Pulls out the lumps of darkness, confused on which will work she so she tries the first one and settle the other one down.

“Take me to the heart of everything!” 

And a road for her to follow is mapped out on the ground, “Ohh, guess I am handling the road one right now!” she begins following it.

BACK HOME

Takada wakes up and for the first time goes to check on Mukura and find her not there. Seeing wax on the floor she begins searching through her things. She stumbles upon a paper which looks like a list of things and she reads them out slowly. 

“Candles, a black mirror and an azan flower! Hmmm, where have I heard about this combination from? A beauty treatment? No, they would not need a black mirror! Then what?” she continues pondering on her thoughts.

“Oh, it is you mom! Where is Mukura?” 

Thinking holding the paper in her hands, “I don’t know!” she answers in a very low voice, “Monalisa, come look at this and tell me where you have seen it before?” 

Monalisa gets closer to take a look, “Hmm it is for a beauty treatment? At least she said so yesterday, why ask?” 

“I think something is wrong! But I just cannot grasp my head on it!” Takada continues to dive into her thoughts to find the Knowledge she is looking for. 

“Okay, maybe you are just over thinking this maybe it is just a beauty treatment!” 

“Yes, maybe it is,” Takada sighs, “you are right, maybe I am just over thinking this.”

“Yes, maybe mother, now let us leave go to the kitchen and eat, I am sure Natasha and Taylor have finished preparing breakfast now!” 

“Good, because I am really hungry. By the way, did she say where she is going?”

“Yes, she said she is going to research some more on the family history” 

“Oh, you talked to her? Did she call or you saw her before she left?”

“Her phone is off, she left a note in my room.”

“Okay, at least now I know that she did not run away or anything crazy.”

“She would never do that! She loves us all here so much that she has sacrificed herself for all our well-being!”

Natasha budges in, “Mom, Monalisa; the food is ready!” 

Takada smiles, “We will be there in a minute!”

Natasha runs back to the kitchen.

“If only your father was alive, but at least we know his………..” she pauses and contorts her face being thoughtful.

“What is it mother?” Monalisa is concerned now because Takada’s facial expression drastically changes.

“Of course! How could I not have seen this,” she looks at the paper again, “these are some of the requirements needed for spirit summoning!”

“Whoa! Slow down mother what do you mean spirit summoning?” 

“All this time I have tried to keep her away from all this and then I opened my big mouth and now this is happening!” she puts her right hand on forehead and the left one on her waist.

“Mom, slow down! Ii can barely understand you!”

“I need to go somewhere and see someone!”

“Mom, go where?”

“I will tell you when I get back!” she shouts and the fear in her eyes is tremendous that it reaches Monalisa’s soul.

“Okay, what do I do? Do I search for her or wait for you to return?”

“No, I am going to do that, just stay here with your little sister and brother!” she makes haste into her room, changes and leaves the house quickly, leaving Monalisa and the other two.

At the Heart!

Hours of walking, Mukura reaches the heart of everything where she was told to go by Gwanhoya. Since the shadow trail stops at the cave entrance in front of her. She looks up and relieves air from her lungs after a long walk to her destination which is scary, but this is no time to tremble. She moves in slowly and carefully looking around and the deeper she goes in, the darker it is. 

“Okay, I think I should eat this lump now! But I should probably get ready to be sick thereafter.” She puts it in her mouth and it dissolves instantaneously and, in that moment, she becomes is enshrouded in darkness and loses her freewill and becomes a puppet.

The spirit of Gwanhoya emerges from the deepest and darkest parts of the cave. With a malevolent smile glued to her face. 

“For centuries I have waited, but now I think I will be able to finish the work I began a long time ago!” she exclaims.

She begins manipulating Mukura’s body to resurrect herself using Mukura’s power, “But since my natural body has long been gone, I will need a new vessel and lucky me, you showed me a fine one! But first I will use yours to get to it!”

Tears flow out of her eyes, but she can’t seem to cry, strangled, being forbidden from using her own body for her own desire. Curiosity got the best of her and now is being to do evil. The feeling is just like that time when she was having visions but the only difference is she can see everything but still cannot do anything about it. Her body willingly doing Gwanhoya’s bidding. 

“Last time, they stopped me! But this time, I will lay waste to everything that stands in my way!” she enters into Mukura’s body, “I will use your body for the time being as I search for my perfect vessel!” she laughs turning into smoke vanishing into thin air.

The Chief’s Place

Takada reaches the chief’s home and is allowed safe passage to the chief. Entering into the chief’s presence, she bows down with her forehead kissing the floor. 

“Your highness, sorry for showing up on such short notice but I desperately require assistance!” 

He looks at her, the widow of his late friend bowing down for a while! For ever since he has died she has never visited or even kept in touch and now she budges in and asks for assistance.

Rises from where he is seated, “So it has come to this? After a long time, still no hello, no what and straight up to a favour!” he continues standing behind her, “If I may ask, what is it that you desire Takada?”

“It is my daughter, the second one, ‘Mukura’ she is now practicing magic. This morning I found equipment used for spirit summoning and she had woken up early and left. I am afraid she is now trying to follow in her father’s footsteps that got him killed by that demon.”

“You still haven’t told your children how their father died, why?” 

She begins crying, “I just can’t bring myself to do it!” she laments in regret and the chief reaches down to bring her up on her feet. 

“Dry your tears! I will depart with you but you will need to place Mukura under my guidance!” 

“Thank you, Chief Taruziva Chikanda!”

He laughs, “Do not be so formal with me, Takada! For to me you are family even if you disappear for years and you only come when you desire something, I will not turn you away!” he starts walking, “Come now, let us leave! And you can tell me all about life on our way there.” Even though she looks terrified, he seems merry to see her!”

Back At the heart!

“Well it took a while but I think I have managed to subdue you for now!” Gwanhoya lays her hand on the stomach, “an unrefined one, not bad, it will work until I get a new vessel!” 

She moves out of the cave, her dark soul shielded by the vessel, “How I have missed this sensation! The sun kissing my skin, the wind slapping my cheeks, the blood raging in my body rushing to a beating heart!” she speaks softly, “Your father did well to kill himself in order for him to prevent my return, but this time I took a few extra precautions to prevent any revolt by your soul. You were too easy, did you even suspect? Ohh well, after I acquire my desired vessel you will become my brainless pawn!” 

Her eyes gaze upon the land, delectable to the beauty of feeling human. The skies blue, but in her eyes red with blood, the depravity of Gwanhoya growing. 

Her eyes move around in search of something for a little while.

“Now where is my stuff?” she questions herself, “Well, since I cannot sense it anywhere maybe it has been destroyed! Guess I will just have to make a new one.”

She laughs malevolently, “Now let the mayhem begin!” she shouts and her voice echoes, immediately vanishes into thin air.

At Home

Chief Taruziva Chikanda and the others had already arrived and had already gotten tired of talking and waiting for Mukura to return from where she went. A knock sound originates from the door and all become jumpy! 

Monalisa wipes her face, “This must be her, let me go and open the door for her!” she heads straight for the door!”

Upon opening the door, she sees Mukura freezing in front of her.

“Mukura, what happened? What is wrong? Where were you!” concern rings from her tone as she takes a hold of Mukura who is looking down shivering. 

She sets her down in the living room and she does not raise her face to look at them at all. 

“Monalisa!” Chief Chikanda calls, “Move away from her now!” 

“What? Why? Can’t you see she is freezing?” she responds harshly concerned for her little sister’s health, “I need to get you warmed up, let me go and get a blanket!” 

Monalisa about to leave looks at the others and see Takada and Chief Taruziva Chikanda shielding Natasha and Taylor behind them. Taruziva grabs Takada and puts her behind himself and continues staring at Mukura who still has not raised her head to look. 

“What is going on?” she asks them confused. 

“It is because, they know none of you all are coming out of here alive!” a hoarse voice comes from Mukura. 

“What do you mean, do not say that it is not funny!” Monalisa kneels down holding Mukura on the shoulders. 

“Monalisa, you need to get away from her now!” Takada is drowning in terror, “Monalisa!” she shouts calling Monalisa who rises and looks at them all. 

“Mom, what is wrong with Mukura?” Natasha asks holding on tight to Takada who looks down at her children and places a hand on both their heads.

“It will be alright babies, it will be alright!” Takada assures them.

Gwanhoya laughs, “Lying to your little ones, telling them it will be alright! When deep down you know it will never be alright from this point onward!” 

A feeling of dread and malice arises and now, Monalisa feels the heavy pressure being emitted by Gwanhoya! The feeling of warmth that Mukura always bring is no longer there, but a cold breeze of darkness and evil. 

“Mu...Mu…Muk..., Mukura are you okay?” she stammers gripped with fear.

“Your sister is not there anymore!” Chief Chikanda says advancing forward! “The body and soul has been taken over by a demon!” he explains further advancing still. 

“Do not be so rude! Of course, I am a demon after being elevated into one despite all my failures during my time alive because, you know, originally I was a human and one of the ancestors of this family!” she lifts her head up.

She slowly opens her eyes and in them, there is total darkness, she slowly levitates into the air and her body emitting dark aura looking like pitch black and think with a devious smile on her face. 

Chief Taruziva Chikanda jumps in trying to stop her, she stops him mid-air, without even moving her an arm, and pins him to the wall. Monalisa is in shock and her body refusing to move because of the terror she is feeling. The cries of Takada, Natasha and Taylor hit their pick. Gwanhoya laughs feeling the blood rush through the body with excitement. 

“Well before I kill you all, I will be taking back this body now!” she turns to look at Monalisa who is still in terror.

Monalisa makes it for the door, but her speed is not enough for her to escape as Gwanhoya waves her hand, drawing her back and putting her back against the wall.

“Sweetheart, you are not going anywhere! I need that body of yours to make it my own! I will admit, it is more gorgeous than my actual body back in the day. Maybe because in this era you have refined beauty ornaments!” she moves the nose closer to Monalisa and sniffs her, “How nice!”

“Get away from my daughter, you witch!” Takada shouts in anger, “The one who killed my husband, the one who was lurking around like a shadow around my daughter and the one I saw that day he died besides her! It was you wasn’t it?” she asks with tear racing down her cheeks, “Leave my children alone, you bastard!” 

Gwanhoya laughs cunningly, “No can do! This body belongs to me now! And as for this one. You can have her for a second, afterward, I will be taking her with me!” she returns her attention to Monalisa, “Now then, let us proceed with the transfer!”

Forcibly opens Monalisa’s mouth, inhales deeply and exhales darkness into her mouth. 

The screams continue with Chief Taruziva Chikanda pinned to the wall still unable to do anything. The demon spirit transfer now taking effect, Mukura is released and falls to the floor the same time the Chief is released from the wall. Taruziva rushes over and takes her body and gives her to her mother.

“Listen to me now Takada, you need to get away from here as fast as you can! You hear me? This place is no longer safe!” Taruziva instructs her.

“What about you?” her tears still flow and the sound of her voice still in terror of everything.

“Everything will be alright, just do as I say okay?”

“Okay, yes!”

“Good, carry her now and get as far away as you can!”

“Thank you!”

She tells Natasha and Taylor to make a run for it to the car and she picks up her daughter and follows them to the car and drives off leaving the chief. 

Gwanhoya finishes merging her demonic spirit with Monalisa’s body and mutates it also to suit her evil nature. With Black stripes around her body, Black and red eyes with black lines around them.

“What a rush! I knew I would love this body, but I just didn’t think I would love it this much,” she echoes her excitement, “Well I need to just to put on my work gear and everything will be perfect!”

“Callous by the gods to protect the future of this kingdom! I will put an end to you before you spread evil upon this land and destroy!” he shouts with authority, “Prepare yourself demon!”

Gwanhoya laughs echoing a distorted sound, “You seem constrained to believe that you can kill me! A human cannot do anything to me!” she quickly attacks him with overwhelming power.

Taruziva, coming out unscathed strikes Gwanhoya with consternation and she steps back agitated by this unforeseen development. For in the entirety of her life before her death she had never encountered such a human who can survive the amount of power she used on him. 

“This is impossible, how could you have survived that attack just now? It would tear a normal human to pieces!” 

Taruziva walks towards her, “That is just it! It would tear a normal human being to pieces!” he concise.

“Just what the hell are you?” her distorted voice is filled with anger as she shouts.

“Not what, who! For I am Chief Taruziva Chikanda and this is the last name you shall learn and be grateful, for you are the only one who has survived this long after hearing my name!”

“So, you are a descendant of the man responsible for my death back then? I shall repay you with the same kindness that your ancestor showed me!” 

“Try you worst, demon!”

His eyes become focused, as he prepares for Gwanhoya who is advancing slowly at him. 

Gwanhoya infuses lightning her hand and throws it at him, who remains calm as he deflects it and attacks, hitting her on the stomach hard with a punch. While she is holding her stomach, he backhands her down and looks ups.

“For you to throw the fire of the gods at me is a travesty, and I will allow such insolent to continue. Give it up and return back to whatever hole you crept out of and this will not have to end badly for you!” 

A cold power pressure, weighing down Gwanhoya who is unable to move. Thoughtful on if her power is enough to defeat this unexpected existence.

“With you not answering, it means you are ready to die!” 

She does not answer, rather shocked at being overpowered by a human being, and not just any human being, the descendant of her executioner. Shrieks in disappointment of being humiliated. Effuses dense dark aura from her body and explodes causing the whole block to tremble.

Rises from the ground, levitates in the air with foreboding power coming from her. But even so, the composure possessed by Taruziva does not dwindle or shake. 

“Enough talk!” she returns down on the floor, “If My magic will not work on you, I guess, I will just have to go fight you using my fists”

She attacks head on, he dodges and knock the breath out of her and grabs her by the hair and throws her through the wall and follows. 

“The way you moved now, shows that you were a warrior and not just a witch when you were still alive demon.”

“You haven’t beaten me yet!”

“And you can’t beat me demon. You stand no chance against me!” 

Take her by the hair once again, he punches Gwanhoya again who is having trouble breathing in her body, continues to deliver. Gwanhoya releases herself from the hair grip falls back breathing heavily putting herself together. 

“I understand now!”

“What do you understand?”

“You are one of those blessed by a god! And defeating you will be a pain but it is not impossible, so from this point on going forward, this fight is not going to be fair for you!” she vanishes from his eyes.

With unwavering eyes, he searches for her around the house and outside, but cannot find her! 

“It is true that I can’t defeat you! Well, head on anyway or one on one, but with a little extra help from my beautiful and most obedient descendant. I will be able to!” she smiles and as Taruziva turns he sees, Mukura there besides Gwanhoya enshrouded in dark aura.

“How cowardly!” his eyes become fiercer, “To bring a child into this!”.

“She is already older than me when I first fought my first battle!”

“Give her back to her mother! And fight me on your own, I do not wish to harm her.”

 “I did give her back, but I did say it will be for a while! I kept my word and also, this not about fighting fair, or bravely young Chief! But about my revenge against you and every other child of your ancestor! And I am sure that once he sees you fall into nothingness, he will cry in agony.”

“Centuries have passed and you still hold on to what happened that long ago!”

“To me, it seems like yesterday, boy!” she stretches her hand forward, “Mukura! Eliminate him!” she orders her, “You are great warrior! If only you had been born in the right lineage.”

Taruziva wonders why she is now using Mukura but letting his guard down at this moment might give Gwanhoya a decisive win against him, the young girl springs forward and raises a strong wind toward him, and while blocking it Gwanhoya appears behind him and stabs him in the back. He unleashes an elbow strike on her face, removes the knife advances to Mukura and lays his hand on her head and put her to sleep. And returns his focus to Gwanhoya who seemingly is delighted after getting her decisive moment.

Ambling in pain towards Gwanhoya, breathing heavily, blood flowing out of him like water, but the spirit still intact. 

“I cannot say I did not expect such a cowardly move from you! After all, you have no honour,” he places his hand on his wound and closes it, stopping the bleeding.

Gwanhoya in her thoughts wondering, what he did and what more he is capable of doing. But even so he has closed the wound it seems like it is still hurting him. Have the tables turned already? And he just placed his hand on Mukura’s body and she went straight to sleep and he seems eager to fight more.

What type of power was he blessed with by the gods? He is still not showing his true power yet. The power he has used so far is that which he borrowed from other elements and is weak, accept for the first one he used. 

“Here on wards, I begin fighting seriously!” he advances towards Gwanhoya with his body emitting gravitational disturbance aura. 

“With how much power that is coming from your body! I presume that is your magical specialty. Gravitational magic. That power has only been known to be used by celestials, lest you are one or a child of one, either way, playing human from now on will not be good for me!”

In an attempt to complete her transformation is rendered motionless, falls to the ground. And cuffed by the earth’s crust. Infused with strong magic she cannot escape the hold on her. 

“I do not wish to harm that body, so I will just expel you from it and get the child of my late friend from you!” writes the letter W, on her forehead, “I ask thee to come forth ……….”

Taruziva falls to the ground and dies. And the magic withers out releasing Gwanhoya from the restrains. 

With his eyes opened while he lay down on the ground and she go over to his body and closes his eyes.

“If that poison had not kicked in by now, I would have been back in the demon realm, thankfully, it did! Most probably you were the most powerful one in this entire world, and I doubt I would have beaten him even if I had reached the last phase of my transformation, a great soldier fallen for nothing!” she lifts them both by putting her hand forward and lifting it, “I doubt if there is anyone left who has the power to defeat me, but I will not let my guard down anymore!” she vanishes with them.