Visions of Fire

Volume I: Children of the Earth

Chapter 10: Visions of Fire

Alozie stood frozen before the ancient altar, his vision clouded by the dark swirl of the spirits' power. The cold mountain air around him vanished, replaced by a searing heat that pressed down on his skin, suffocating and thick. The blackness around him cleared, and he found himself in the heart of a great city, but it was not Umudike. The sky above was red, filled with thick smoke that blotted out the sun.

Buildings burned. The crackling roar of fire consumed the cries of those running through the streets, their faces twisted in fear and desperation. Flames licked the sides of stone walls, devouring the wood and thatch of homes, casting long, dancing shadows. Alozie's heart pounded as he stumbled forward, his feet moving without his control, drawn toward the heart of the destruction.

He knew this place. It was his home—Umudike, or what remained of it. But everything was wrong. It wasn't just the flames that engulfed the kingdom; it was the sense of doom, an unstoppable force that threatened to consume everything. And then he saw them: figures moving in the distance, draped in dark cloaks, their eyes glowing with a strange, sinister light.

The spirits are angry, a voice whispered in the depths of his mind, low and haunting. The balance has been disturbed. The land will burn unless the chosen one restores it.

Alozie's breath caught in his throat as he gazed down the burning streets, his eyes drawn toward a towering figure at the far end of the city. It was a man, his body draped in royal robes, his face obscured by shadow. Yet Alozie felt the weight of his gaze, as if the man could see him even across the burning wasteland.

"Who are you?" Alozie whispered, his voice trembling. "What do you want from me?"

The figure did not answer, but he raised a hand. Fire sprang forth from the ground at his feet, surging toward the sky in an explosion of flame and light. In that moment, the figure stepped forward, and Alozie's heart dropped. It was him—the king, Eze Nnobi.

But it wasn't the same man who sat on the throne of Umudike. This version of the king was different, corrupted, his face twisted in fury and madness. His once-proud crown was blackened, cracked like the earth beneath his feet, and the power he wielded was not the power of the spirits, but something darker, something far more dangerous.

The king's eyes blazed with a fire that seemed to consume his very soul, and as he raised his hand once more, the flames surged higher, devouring the city in an unstoppable wave.

The king seeks to control the prophecy, the voice whispered again, echoing through Alozie's mind. But the spirits will not be controlled. If he takes the power for himself, he will bring ruin upon the land. You must stop him.

Alozie's heart raced as he watched the kingdom of Umudike crumble before his eyes, the faces of his people—his friends, his family—fading into the flames. The weight of the prophecy pressed down on him, heavier than ever before.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the vision shattered.

Alozie gasped as the heat vanished, replaced once more by the cold, biting wind of the mountains. He stood before the altar, trembling, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The world around him seemed distant and unreal, as though he were caught between two realities—the peaceful mountain summit and the burning kingdom he had just seen.

"The spirits have shown you what is to come," the guardian said, his voice soft but filled with gravity. "This is the fate of Umudike if the prophecy is corrupted."

Alozie's mind raced, the images of fire and destruction still vivid in his memory. "The king…he was the one behind it. He's trying to control the prophecy, and it will destroy everything."

The guardian nodded slowly. "The spirits cannot be bent to the will of man. If the prophecy is twisted, the land will suffer. The balance must be restored."

Alozie clenched his fists, a mixture of fear and anger rising within him. "How can I stop this? I'm just one person—I don't even understand the prophecy."

"You are more than just one person," the guardian said, his glowing eyes fixed on Alozie. "You are the child of the earth. The spirits have chosen you to restore the balance. But to do so, you must embrace your power. You must trust in the path the spirits have set before you."

Alozie stared at the guardian, his heart pounding. The weight of his destiny felt overwhelming, but deep within him, a spark of determination began to burn. He couldn't let his people suffer. He couldn't let Umudike fall into darkness. He had to stop the king, no matter the cost.

But how?

The Palace's Pursuit

Far below the mountains, the forces of Eze Nnobi moved with a grim purpose. The king's personal guards, led by the cunning Udochukwu, traveled swiftly through the forest, their eyes fixed on the peaks ahead. The tension in the air was palpable, their silence broken only by the rustling of leaves and the crunch of boots against the earth.

Udochukwu rode at the head of the column, his sharp eyes scanning the path ahead. He knew that time was of the essence. The boy was growing stronger, and if he reached the source of the prophecy before they did, it could spell disaster for the king's plans. The power the boy was said to wield was unlike anything Udochukwu had ever encountered—and if the spirits were on his side, then they were facing a far greater challenge than they had anticipated.

"The boy is close," one of the scouts reported, his voice low. "We've tracked him to the higher peaks."

Udochukwu's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of satisfaction crossed his face. "Good. We cannot allow him to reach the mountain's summit."

The king's advisor tightened his grip on the reins, his mind racing. He had to make sure they intercepted the boy before he unlocked the power of the prophecy. Failure was not an option—not with the king's wrath hanging over his head like a blade.

As they pressed forward, the winds howled louder, the temperature dropping with each step they took into the mountains. Udochukwu glanced at the towering peaks ahead, his eyes narrowing. The path would only grow more dangerous from here.

But danger did not concern him. Only victory.

The Spirits' Test

Alozie stood at the edge of the mountain plateau, his heart heavy with the weight of the vision he had just seen. The flames of Umudike still burned in his mind, a reminder of the destruction that awaited his people if he failed. But deep down, something stirred within him—an ancient power, older than the mountains themselves.

"The spirits will guide you, child of the earth," the guardian said, his voice barely audible above the howling wind. "But you must be ready to face the darkness that lies ahead. The king will not stop. His ambition will consume him—and the land—if you do not stop him."

Alozie swallowed hard, his mind racing. He knew the truth now. The prophecy wasn't just about him—it was about the fate of the entire kingdom. If he didn't act, Umudike would fall into ruin, consumed by the very power the king sought to control.

Olaedo stepped forward, her expression filled with quiet determination. "We'll face it together, Alozie. Whatever comes, I'm with you."

Alozie met her gaze, gratitude swelling in his chest. He wasn't alone. With Olaedo by his side and the spirits guiding him, he felt a flicker of hope.

But before they could move forward, the ground beneath them trembled. Alozie's heart skipped a beat as the mist parted, revealing another figure standing at the edge of the plateau.

It was Udochukwu.

"I've found you," Udochukwu said, his voice cold and calculating. "The king sends his regards."

Alozie's blood ran cold.

The final confrontation had begun.