APOLOGETICS GLADIATORS A CLASSIC NOVEL BY NWOKO SOLOMON I.

Chapter Five The Beginning of Martyrdom

CHAPTER FIVE
The Beginning of Martyrdom
Today marked the completion of 168 hours, the king had already dispatched his army to the cave around the mountain side to verify if the Christians had left the land. Sundiata, the army commander with his men left for the cave. But when they got there, the cave was empty; there were no living soul in the cave. To them, the Christians were no more in the land of Berber Taghaza; they had left out of fear and panic. They returned to the palace in the great city to report their mission to the king.
My king and lord, we found no one in the cave;
the cave is totally empty.
I am aware that they had left the land, my lord.
Sundiata said in their diction as he knelt and bowed before the king Mandio XV. When the king heard that, he smiled ridiculously.
Sorcerer, what do you say about this report?
Have they really gone?
Mandio XV asked. The Chief sorcerer brought out his magic little golden pot; he placed it on its stand towards the magic mirror and began his incantations.
No my king, they are still in the land causing more havocs
my lord.
The Chief sorcerer replied with lions face.
Impossible! Where are they?
Find them; find them now! Sorcerer
The king exclaimed in great rage. Another incantation was made by the chief sorcerer and after some minutes he said.
Hmm! My king, these rebels operate with a strange power.
The exact place they are, is undetectable my lord.
The chief sorcerer concluded in dismay.
Sundiata!
The king shouted.
Dispatch your men to every village,
town and market of Berber Taghaza.
I want to have all the rebels both their leaders and followers alike.
Tell the people of Berber Taghaza that the king Mandio XV
will honour anyone that divulges the hiding place of the rebels
in the great city, right here in the Mandios golden palace.
Go, now!
Mandio XV concluded out of infuriation.

The king Mandio XV was again on his throne in the great city, right in his golden palace with his cabinets, eminent, educated, and nobles, dialoguing on some crucial matters. At the gate of the great city, a common man was stopped and prevented from entering the great city by the city gate keepers, who were with their swords, arrows, bows, and spears, well dressed in their armours. They began to interrogate the common man to know exactly why he wanted to see the king in the golden palace.
Hey! You old son of a bitch; stop right there!
Where do you think you are going? Ha!
One of the city gate keepers asked the common man.
Please, young and strong baboon,
I want to see the king.
The common man replied. The city gate keepers looked at themselves; looked back at the common man and laughed simultaneously at him
Ha! Ha!! Ha!!! Ha!!!! Ha!!!!!...a!
They laughed at him.
You are an unclean old son of a bitch
and cannot be allowed to enter into the great city
of Berber Taghaza. Am l clear? Are you there?
Another gate keeper said as they laughed at the common man again.
You belong to the group of those at the world extreme corner
and unclean. Do you not know that no unclean
is allowed to enter the great city?
Let alone taking your stinking, penury and reckless body
into the golden palace of the Mandios?
You are a dreamer, you better wake up; you old son of a bitch.
Said another gate keeper and they all laughed again at the common man.
The king Mandio XV ordered and sanctioned
that every bona-fide cum legitimate citizens of Berber Taghaza
has the right to enter into the great city
and see him in his golden palace
if the citizen knows the hideout of the rebels in the land
with inimical and lethal doctrines. So you watch your rude, foolish and impious heads roll like stone of fire for war,
if you prevent me from seeing king Mandio XV.
The common man threatened.

The city gate keepers threw a sight on each other's face in panic and let the common man into the great city. The common man flied on his feet running tirelessly directly to the Mandios golden palace. When he came to the gate of the golden palace, he stopped, waiting anxiously for the kings permission, to fall in. And as expected, the king ordered him to come in.
What can I do for you old man?
Mandio XV asked the man that was kneeling and bowing before him.
My king and lord, I saw the rebels in the market
in the little village of Gao. They were spreading their demonic
and false doctrine everywhere around the market side,
healing the sick and doing many other unbelievable miracles
with their strange powers, my lord.
The common man concluded.