64 In The Skies (1/2)

Mboya suddenly found himself at the entrance of a large castle. Its walls was made of stones that did not exist in Lu tribe. It was emanating a bright golden color making it look like it had fallen from heaven. It was surrounded by beautiful trees and plants making the air around it pleasurable. The entire castle and the plants around it were shrouded entirely with mist.

The path leading to the entrance was filled with beautiful twinkling gems. Mboya hesitated a little before walking tardily towards the closed entrance. He was fearful but was delighted being in such a beautiful place. His heart palpitated with mixed feelings.

When he was about thirty feet from the entree, the large wooden door that closed thethreshold opened revealing bright light from within. Mboya who did not expect this squinted before covering his face with his palm. He stopped suddenly, wondering what was happening still covering his face.

”Just walk in Mboya.”

A loud voice echoed in the air making Mboya's hair stand on end. He shuddered a little before charging into the castle hyperventilating.

Immediately he went past the doorway, the large wooden door closed behind him and the light vanished without trace revealing a long beautiful large corridor. The floor was made of stones of different splendor arranged in such a way that they formed beautiful flowers of different kinds. The the walls were painted cream with ancient drawings. On the ceiling hung narrow cylindrical tubes that emanated white light from within. At the very end of the corridor was a white door. The architecture of the corridor alone was top notch.

The middle aged man walked softly towards the other door looking at his surroundings with awe. This was the most outstanding structure he had ever seen. He saw different paintings of people doingdifferent things on the walls.

Just before he reached the door, his eyes caught a painting that was nearest to it on his right.

”Ochieng'”

As he was looking at the painting, he saw a familiar man viciously fighting a dark robust creature. The creature had a human physique but the head resembledhyena'swith tongue as long as giraffe's but looked exactly as a snake's tongue. The face of the animal looked extremelyvenomous. Its red eyes made its onlookers shudder for no good reason. Even Mboya who was just looking at it from the painting felt chills run down his spine. The familiar person who was around 1.6 metres looked small in front of the 3 metres tall creature. Even though things were stationary in the painting, it was clear that the fight between the two was flagitious.

”Has Ochieng' met that creature anywhere before? Can it be a Black Fiend? Aren't the Ordainers kept from these creatures by the One from above until their three main powers are fully activated?”

Mboya was bewildered by what he was seeing. The familiar fellow he was seeing in the painting was without question Ochieng'. Paintings were normally used by painters to evince their thoughts and what they had seen. Since the painter had painted Ochieng' in a fight with that stranger, maybe he had seen that happen, the reason why he did the painting.

”I should ask Ochieng' about it once I am from this place...Ehe?!”

He was mumblingbut suddenly saw something strange again petrifying him on the spot. He even heard his heart beating as he widened his eyes in astonishment.

What did he just see?

He was mumbling things when he saw the creatures within the painting move. It started by a slow movement before fast movements followed. He then heard sounds coming from the very painting! It was like a screen had been placed before him.

Pi! Pa! Pu!

Ochieng' was intensely fighting that huge creature. Mboya was looking without blinking his body still stiff from shock. Even the corridor shook a little just from the waves made by the loud sounds that came from the battle.

Thud!

Mboya was already shocked to the point that his eyes were looking at the painting but seeing nothing. The sounds were loud but he was not hearing anything. He was waken from that state when a loud thud resounded. When he looked, he saw Ochieng's lifeless body lying on the ground and the beast stepping on his belly thumping its chest with delight.

”I never knew I could kill an Ordainer in this life. My journey here was not wasted after all.”

The beast roared before picking up Ochieng' and walking away. He carried Ochieng' casually like a chick. It was as if Ochieng' had no weight at all. As soon as the beast disappeared, the painting disappeared as well. It was as if it was never there in the first place.

”Ochieng'!”

Mboya realized he was shedding tears. He thought he was in a dream but when he pinched his right thigh and felt some pain, he knew he was not dreaming.

”Is he really dead?”

Without knowing, he had started crying tears welling down his coarse cheeks uncontrollably. He did not know this Ochieng' before but ever since he learnt that the latter was an Ordainer, he had had a deep respect and love for him. Since he also knew the very responsibilities of an Ordainer, he more than anyone wanted to ensure that no harm came to Ochieng'. But, here the young man died just before his eyes. How could he even maintain his cool?