Chibuzor's mind was blank. Dark. Like staring into an abyss.
Just who are you? Chibuzor asked silently. What is this power?
A voice answered—smooth, ancient, mocking.
"Anukili," it said. "My mind is your mind now. All you have to do is remember."
Long ago, when the world was still an infant, I reigned as a mighty warrior. Born alongside my brother, Enyinyi, I came into this world with a full set of teeth. A bad omen, they said. My father rejected me. I was cast out, forgotten. They preferred my brother—the great sorcerer.
But I discovered my power. I was not just a warrior; I was a living god among mortals. I took what I wanted. Ate what I pleased. But my hunger grew. I wanted more. So I devoured my brother and absorbed his power.
I became too powerful. The people prayed for judgment. And Chukwu answered. Enraged by what I had done, He banished me to Ajofia to suffer eternal exile.
Ajofia tried to kill me. The very air was venom. Creatures I had never seen hunted me. Animals—common in our realm but twisted here—craved my flesh. I had no weapons. I ate raw meat. I slept in bloodied mud. But then… I met a dog. Majestic. Wise. I remembered the old tales. I befriended it. And in return, it gave me fire.
With fire, I regained my magic. I rose once more. I built a kingdom in the sky and ruled it. A haven for the unfortunate, the broken, the desperate. I made three sacred laws—etched in eternity with Chukwu's own seal.
But beasts—disguised as humans—used dark magic to overthrow me. My enemies were many. They subdued me, imprisoned me, erased me from memory, and corrupted my utopia. My body decayed, but my mind grew sharper. I waited. Patiently.
"And now," Anukili said, voice coiling through Chibuzor's thoughts, "I sense betrayal in you too. I feel your rage. Ha! You want revenge—on this realm and the human one alike. Give me your fury, and I will make your will manifest."
Above the shrine, where Chibuzor and Anukili were meant to be sacrificed, Chibuzor floated—his eyes glowing white, his body radiant with spiritual aura.
Then—he unleashed devastation.
The mountain shattered, a thunderous roar ripping through the air. Debris rained from the sky, crushing the wildlife below. Fire burst from his body with deafening fury, a storm of power so intense it vaporized Kene and his crew.
In the palace, the Bird King strolled through golden halls with his entourage of royal guards, headed toward the prison cell.
"The breeze feels cold," the king murmured. "Bit chilly today, don't you think?"
The guard beside him gave a respectful nod.
At the entrance to one of the chambers, a man lay sprawled on the floor, legs awkwardly pointed outward—unconscious, dumped like garbage.
"And who is this?" the king asked.
A guard rushed forward. "Sire, he's one of ours—a royal guard. Looks like he was under a spell."
The king's face twisted with horror. "It couldn't be—"
Before he could finish, the palace trembled. Thunder exploded through the walls.
The Bird King rushed outside. He looked up—and froze.
A monstrous shadow stained the clouds. The skies darkened to a hellish hue. Then, from the heavens, a blinding light descended—and from it emerged Chibuzor.
Possessed. Eyes glowing dark red.
The Bird King stood in awe and terror as the kingdom gathered behind him, all staring skyward at the god descending from the clouds.
"Bird King!" Chibuzor's voice boomed like a storm.
"Do you still believe yourself above the strong? Above the gods? Come. Come and feel what true godly power is."
He smiled—mad, radiant. His hands crackled with fire.
Then he unleashed it.
Flames poured from his palms, scorching the palace. The Bird King and his noblemen were incinerated. Chibuzor did not stop. His hunger for destruction was unrelenting. He spared no one.
He turned to the heart of the kingdom—and rained down fire.
The Sky Kingdom trembled, cracked, and with a final, anguished cry—it fell. The skies wept ash. Ajofia shook with the weight of its collapse.
And in the wreckage, Chibuzor rose.
He sniffed the air. "Mmm," he said. "I still smell Mmbeke."
Then he thundered, "With the way you don't die, you should've been a cockroach, not a tortoise. But… my quarrel is not with you."
With his right hand, he tore open the fabric of the realm, ripping a portal into the human world. Floating, majestic, blazing with unholy might, he stepped through.
Through his mouth, Anukili spoke:
"Ahhh…" he inhaled deeply.
"The human realm. The air stinks of weaklings."
Then Chibuzor raised his arms and roared:
"Time to pay, you little brats!"