What do you mean? Dudu, Anuri 's husband, asked angrily. I don't understand a thing from all you have been saying. Dudu could not comprehend the nonsense his wife was saying.


The Strongest Deity 5
The Strongest Deity 5 


I'm so sorry, my husband. My hands are tied. There's nothing I can do about the situation and if there's anything I can do, I would have done it already. Anuri mumbled quietly, trying her best not to anger her husband the most.


Don't make me regret getting married to you. Dudu barked. Sacrificing my only child to Udeku? I can't believe this. Where was he when I desperately needed a child? For 20 good years, I prayed, sacrificing different animals. I had to do the unthinkable for him to give me a child but no, he never responded to me. I even went to Amuma for a chance to have a child but nothing came out of it. He grumbled.


My son later came when I decided not to involve them in my childlessness anymore. He came when I had lost hope of ever having a child and you wanted to give him to Udeku? He asked in fury.


What has he done for you and your stupid fellows in that stupid circle? Absolutely nothing, rather he had been taking and taking from each and every one of us. I'm sick and tired of this stupid deity of yours. And you won't sacrifice my son to him in the name of making him happy. NEVER! Dudu barked with finality.


Please try to understand. We have delayed this ritual for six months already just to see if he would change his mind but he was more furious, as a result of the delay, he started killing innocent sons and daughters of our kingdom. She said in tears.


It has not been easy on my side too. It's hard, very hard. She sobbed. It bleeds my heart to give up my son for the sake of the lives of the sons and daughters of this kingdom, but I have to do it. It's a must for peace to come back to our kingdom. Allow me to do this. Anuri begged while sobbing.


You know too well that I didn't choose myself to become one of the members of the circle of five. Like I care. Dudu cut in immediately. I…It was by birth and inheritance. I'm so sorry, I didn't know that Udeku would turn out to be selfish and thirsty for power. We didn't know that one day, he would request for the blood of our children. Anuri mumbled, breaking down in tears. If he would agree to take us and not our children, we would have done it already. She continued in tears. 


Her husband Dudu sat down on one of the empty wooden chairs in the living room, dejectedly as he listened to his wife's useless speech.


 I never knew that a day would come, that I would give up my child away to some deity that never gave him to me. I'm so bittered. He growled silently. He stood up with a scowl and went to their bedroom to retire for the night . He's so tired to the bone barrow, leaving Anuri to sob for all she wants. At least she deserves it.


Anuri sat down there and sobbed bitterly, yet silently so as not to wake her son who was fast asleep but little did she know that James her son was asleep, in fact he heard them even when they try their best not to yell.


He was angry and frightened at the same time. He doesn't want to be sacrificed to Udeku. He didn't want to die yet. He still wants to enjoy life with his friends. 


James had abhorred the tradition of his kingdom with every fibre in him. He detest the fact that they always sacrifice two virgins every year to Udeku to make him happy and to provide protection for their kingdom. He had secretly prayed that help should come and save them from Udeku.


He wants a deity that would not take from them before giving them. He wished for a good and kind hearted god that would see the desperation of the people and wipe away their tears. His mind slowly drifted to the god Ima was speaking about. He remembered every detail of what she said about that deity. If that deity can take little from them and save them from Udeku then, he doesn't mind, he would definitely worship him and save him as the deity wants.


The foolish Udeku is requesting for the lives of him and his friends, thereby making their parents childless and leaving them in eternal agony of watching while a stupid God will swallow them alive one after the other. He sobbed bitterly that night and wished that the so-called mystical being Ima had spoken about would save them from the hands of Udeku.


Even our people are now living in fear. Some are afraid to come out, not to talk of going to their daily activities. They are afraid of Udeku who is currently terrorizing the kingdom in anger. Hunger will soon strike the kingdom, if this continues.


I heard that some people had secretly left the kingdom to other neighboring kingdoms to avoid being eaten by Udeku. If I had the chance, I would run away too. Who would have thought that a once peaceful and admired kingdom would someday turn to be a more dreaded and terrorized kingdom by the same deity that once gave them peace and hope. James signed dejectedly.


I would definitely discuss this with my friends first thing tomorrow when we gather together. He assured himself.  


Sleep refused to pay him a visit that night. He was awake till the next morning.