Birthright: A Phoenix is Born

Phoenix Tales

"Queen Ogunyade." Koju stammered. Quickly he dropped the ground plank like. My mother hauled at his shoulder to rise, veins budging under the weight.

"Queen, you look so...... differen..."

She held up her index finger and yanked him past the corridor into her room on the left. Hushed whispers traversed between them, a few disjointed phrases made their way to me. When they re-entered, Koju wore a sombre expression. I itched to know what happened but mom caught my attention when she lit a match and shared its light with the wick.

"Damian, I know you have a lot of questions. I'll try answer some with a tale. Bear with me while you look into the flame."

I took a seat next to her, stunned by the sudden change in mood. Mom usually expressed herself clearly. A fiery shout there or soothe lull here. Now, she mirrored Koju. A glass plane reflecting only the onlooker, cloaking some shadowy ambition. My mother didn't keep secrets from me. At least, I didn't think so.

"What do you see?"

"Ehhh, bits of red and yellow?" I shakily answered.

"What do you truly see?"

I took deep breath and bore my eyes into the light. The itch from before peppered my scalp even worse. Erupting again on my forehead until the urge to claw at my skull almost consumed me.

Then, I saw it.

Tongues of fire folded into different shapes. Trees, bushes and animals. A crimson canopy. The flame didn't grow larger. Instead it revealed something deeper, a secret, confidential information which only concerned my eyes.

My mom's voice entered, yet so stark from the one I knew all my life. Lacking in robustness but enveloping me further into raging haze. Her tone chimed with an omnipresent effect.

"In the beginning, there was darkness. The earth had no shape or life. It was void. Then light was spoken into existence. And with that light, life began to thrive. Out of that light came a being of pure flames, embodying powers of life. This being was named the Phoenix. It watched in the background as the world was created. Seas, earth and animals. However it took particular interest in the creation of man. As man began to exercise dominion over the world, establishing kingdoms, the Phoenix visited them. Grass grew greener, crops higher and larger at its arrival. It didn't take long for the mankind to realise the tremendous power in their midst."

The fire flickered into a nasty purple glow. Indigo chains wound tight around the neck of the bird, held down by legions of men all with the same look of green.

"El Dorado, Themyscira, Avalon, Atlantis, Tír na nÓg, the Phoenix scoured the Earth, in search for one place where its power wouldn't be abused. Yet it failed. Until it came across Prince Oranmiyan. Oranmiyan was the youngest of seven brothers, a child of a mistress, yet due to his kind heart and diligent mind, his father King Oduduwa choose him as successor to the Ile Ife throne. A thriving city-state in modern day Nigeria. But this arrangement was not to last, his brothers grew jealous and plotted to kill their father and favoured brother. Led by the eldest of them all Okanbi Iyunade."

The flames depicted six men dressed in strange colourful thin robes, sitting on a circle of tree stumps. They stood up and placed their hands on top of one another. An emerald spark emerged from the centre. It hungrily consumed them all.

"The Phoenix took the shape of a young servant to warn Oranmiyan of the treachery moments before the princes' soldiers arrived at his home. With the little time he gathered his wife, children, precious possessions and any servant who wished to follow and fled Ile Ife into the neighbouring forest. The Phoenix appeared in many guises to lead Oranmiyan and his clan through the dangerous Omo Forest."

I saw a long line of flower buds bloom whenever Oranmiyan and his family came near. At night, a swarm of fireflies surround the travellers leading them through the unknown.

"Finally, after a forty day journey they found a clearing in the middle of the forest. There, Oranmiyan and his people settled. He named it "Ibi ti ina ti bi" or "Bi'ina" for short. The place where light was born. It didn't take long for their home to flourish. Rumours of a magical city hidden in the woods began to spread far and near. Yet when the eldest brother Okanbi heard this, he knew it had to be Oranmiyan. So he called his brothers all of whom had gone their separate ways to establish their own kingdoms and ordered. "In return for never paying tribute again, I ask that you add your armies to mine and we finish what we started in killing Oranmiyan."

"Two of his brothers declined and they, their family and kingdom were utterly wiped out and conquered. Okanbi stopped at nothing to achieve his goal. Large portions of the forest burnt to ash, as with the livelihoods of many who depended on it."

Images of birds, deer, monkeys and other animals desperately fleeing the black mist filled my vision. Worst still was the fire itself. It eagerly sprang from tree to tree. Its purpose evident, to steal, kill and destroy.

"As Okanbi's army approached, Oranmiyan assembled his own troops to meet them. However many of them were just simple farmers or servants, knowing nothing of war. He begged the Phoenix for aid, yet the Phoenix decided to no longer interfere with man's world and left."

Two armies came into view, one a colony of ants, the other an armada sailing on a blackened sea. My fingers numbed at the sight. Multiple empires spanned the horizon, all with orders to bring Oranmiyan's head to their king.

"Okanbi's vengeance at hand, he ordered the first wave to slaughter the Bi'inans. Then, fire rained down. The Phoenix returned. Huge numbers of opposing soldiers incinerated in an instant. But it wasn't enough. Okanbi's mounted his advance full-force. The Phoenix knew that if Bi'ina was to survive. Oranmiyan and it must to fight as one."

From the edge of the flame's glow the Phoenix dived and entered Oranmiyan's. It encapsulated him in a pillar of flames. Out of that inferno emerged a knight clad in ember, black gold outlined its armour. The emblem of two crimson wings engraved on his chest plate. Two short blades holstered at each side. Symbols of his kingship.

"When the Bi'inans saw their leader transform. They surged forward with courage. When Okanbi's troops observed what happened, their courage died. It is said Okanbi spent the rest of the battle demanding deserting troops to fight and was trampled by a herd of fleeing forest elephant. The Phonix's powers were amplified within a host and with them it regrew the forest, infusing it with power so no fire could harm it and trespass became virtually impossible. Bi'ina continued to prosper like no country ever before. A secret hidden from the world."

My mother turned towards me. Shadows gained territory across her face as the candle's light died.

"This is your legacy Damian. The legacy you inherit."

"As the next Phoenix."

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Author's Note

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*Nollywood = Nigeria's Hollywood. Nollywood produces more films than another studio area in the world per year. Also to brighten your life type in "Aki and Pawpaw." videos into Youtube. And click the first one, sit back and enjoy. You're welcome.