Chapter 1 (The unexpected message)

Just twenty-one days left before the most significant festival of the land of Acata, the "Redemption Festival". The village was named after a great warrior Acata, who founded it. He moved away from his village after being betrayed by his loved ones and settled down far inside the forest, which later became a very great and mighty village. Although nobody knew what had been done by Acata, since its inception, Acata had never lost a battle. Some said Acata sacrificed a Lion and an elephant to the gods, while some said he handed over the land to the seven spirits of the sea to watch over it, some people even believed that Acata did not die and he still assisted the warriors in battle. Truly Acata angrily went into the forest of Bashal with a golden rod when he was old and never came back. The reason for his departure and anger remains a mystery and completely unknown to anyone. So, people thought he still lives and that he remains immortal.

 The village of Acata fought so many battles but the notable ones include the Battle of the Giant. Some herdsmen who were giants passed by the village and discovered that it was blessed and fertile. They were happy that they had found a place where they could finally settle, they asked for the opportunity to dwell for a few days, stating clearly that they would move on after a few days. Secretly they sent messages to other herdsmen and they formed a very strong army. After some time, they attacked Acata. Because the warriors were unprepared, Acata lost some warriors to the battle but eventually defeated them. The other one is the Unseen battle, when some warriors that have the power to become invisible attack the village, they kill a lot of villagers at their first attack. Fear and panic gripped the people's hearts because it is difficult to fight the enemy you can't see. But when the invisible armies attacked again, there was a lot of rain and they became visible to the people of Acata. Mercilessly, they slew them. Since then, no village has dared to battle with Acata again. In total Acata village fought twenty battles and won all.

As the custom, King Saro, the current king of Acata patiently waits in his palace for the priest to tell him the mind of the gods towards the coming forth festival of redemption. King Saro was a very tall man, handsome, and very strong as well. He was in his early sixties. Everyone who came to the village admired his ways of handling matters and his unique height. 

After waiting for a while, the priest entered the palace. He greeted the king, sat down on the mat, and started his message. The great king of our land, I asked the gods to reveal their minds to me concerning this year's festival and they said all will be well. They said we will need seven white cocks without blemish, seven kegs of palm oil, three kegs of honey, seven baskets of oranges, and twenty-one pieces of kola nut. They said that if we can provide all these necessary things, the village shall continue to be in peace and they will continue to be the defense and fortress of the land. The king was happy when he heard the message of the gods and he blessed the priest. But his joy suddenly diminished when the priest gave the second message.

The priest said to him, "My king, may you live long, after the gods told me about the festival, they also gave me a message which is a bit difficult to deliver". The king said to him, "Go ahead and deliver the message of the gods, no matter how difficult it may be, as long as it is from the gods, you have no option than to tell me." The priest then took a deep breath and said to the king, the gods said a stranger from a faraway village will occupy your throne after you die. This message came as a shock to the king because he had a son, who he believed who reign after him. It was even because he needed a son that he got married to ten wives, his first nine wives only gave birth to females but it was his tenth wife that gave him a boy. And now the gods said this boy will never become king but a stranger will take over his seat. He asked the priest if there was any ritual, they could do to appeal to the gods, but the priest said no sacrifice could change the words of the gods. The king in a sober voice told the priest, please plead on my behalf before the gods, I will give anything they want, even if they require thousands of cows or even a whole elephant, I will provide it. But the priest gave him the same answer as the first, no sacrifice my king, no sacrifice can stop what the gods had proposed to do.

The king after hearing this message, told no one about it but kept it in his heart. Although he felt so bad about this, he said to himself the gods are wise and their ways are difficult for a mortal being to understand most times.

A few days after the message from the priest, his only son, Prince Bate fell sick. It was thought to be a minor sickness but after one week of treatment and no changes in the health condition of the prince, the king sent for the priest. When the priest arrived, the king said to him "Why are the gods so quick in fulfilling their words? I don't want to live to see my only son die." The priest then consulted the oracles and told the king that his son would live. But they have to make three stages of sacrifice for the prince. The first stage is to make the sacrifice of obedience with the big ear of an elephant, the second stage requires sacrificing seven doves as the sacrifice of humility and the last stage is the sacrifice of patience using three tortoises. He said, that after these three stages of sacrifice, the prince would be perfectly healthy. They ordered that all the materials should be made available within three days. Because of the urgency, one of the warriors had to travel with a horse to a far village where he bought the ear of an elephant at a very huge price. He rushed back quickly to the village and they made everything needed for the sacrifice ready. The king sent for the priest immediately, and when he arrived, he started with the first stage. Cut the ear into pieces, cooked it, and told the prince to eat it. As he was eating it, he asked him to repeat these words.

 I have made the sacrifice of obedience

 The foundation of wisdom and long life

 I have made the sacrifice of obedience

 The safest path out of danger and evil

 I will live and I will not die

After the prince finished eating the ear of the elephant, the priest moved to the second stage immediately. He took the seven doves and put them in a cage, he gave the prince feeds to give to the doves. He said to him, "You must repeat this every three months with the words you will say today."

I have made the sacrifice of humility

Humility the mother of honor and greatness

I have made the sacrifice of humility

The golden secret of dining with the gods

After this, the priest instructed that the seven doves should be kept around the palace and the prince must feed the doves, once in three months, repeating those words. Lastly, he took the three tortoises and made every necessary preparation. He said to the prince, this is the last stage to perfect your healing. Also at this stage, the prince repeated certain words after the priest.

I have made the sacrifice of patience

The pathway to abundant understanding

I have made the sacrifice of patience,

The tool that is more effective than strength

I have made the sacrifice of patience,

The guard against errors and horrors

After the priest completed the three stages, he told the king that his son would be healthy the next day. To the amazement of everyone, the prince who had been bedridden for completely a week, stood up and was healthy again. The king seeing his son being active again, said, "Who can understand the ways of the gods, sometimes they show us light and knowledge even through the evils that come our way."