THE WOMAN OF THE STORM AND THE CALM - by Muhammad Mercurial

Beneath the skies of Omalicha, the land of beauty, where the people, hills, and rivers live peacefully under the bright sky, there lives a humble but rich woman named Zirachi. Even<a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://Zirachi.Even" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a>with all her wealth and kindness, Zirachi has faced many broken marriages. Now, she is about to marry for the ninth time. This time, she has made up her mind, "No matter what happens, I will stay and make it work." Zirachi was walking through her farm, checking on her workers, when she saw a handsome man dressed in the attire of a titled individual. He walked toward her and said, “Good day, woman, what is your name?” Zirachi looked at him and replied, “My name is Zirachi. And who are you?” He smiled and said, “I am Zimuzo.” She asked, “What brings you to my farm, titled man?” He laughed softly. “Maybe the gods sent me to find the woman of my peace.” She stared at him. “You talk like someone who already knows me.” He replied, “Maybe my heart knew you before my eyes did...'' Two moons later, they got married. Zirachi realized that Zimuzo was nothing but a man who lived a fake life, lazy, deceitful, a womanizer, and a wife-beater. She began to see things even worse than what had driven her from her past marriages. Yet, she kept reminding herself, “I will not leave… not this time.” One afternoon, she went to onye na-edozi isi (hair stylist) with her childhood friend, Yadichimma. As the woman was braiding her hair, Zirachi sighed deeply ''All my marriages have been hell,” she said softly. “And I don’t want to leave this one as well. Tell me, Yadichimma, how do I stay and endure so much beating from a man like Zimuzo? You are my bestie, pls tell me what to do"? Yadichimma looked at her closely and asked, “Zirachi, what do you really want?” Zirachi sighed deeply and said, “It seems Zimuzo does not love me. I want my love to overwhelm him, to the point that whatever I ask of him, he will not say no.” Yadichimma smiled faintly and said, “I know where I can take you to; you shouldn’t be suffering like this when you have someone like me to help. I chose to keep quiet because you never came to me for help before.” She leaned closer and added in a low voice, “If you do whatever this man asks you to do, your husband will never resist you again. Even if you tell him to bend, he will. If you tell him to wash your innerwear, he will. If you tell him to lick plates, he will.'' Yadichimma took her friend on a two-day journey to the great Njaba River. The path was long and lonely, surrounded by thick forest and the sound of wild birds echoing through the trees. When they finally arrived, they stood before the mud-and-thatch shrine of Paa Kachimra, the old dibia whose name was feared and respected across the Six lands of <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://Omalicha.Yadichimma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Omalicha. Yadichimma </a> turned to Zirachi and said softly, “This is the man I told you about.” After much talk, Paa Kachimra looked at Zirachi with his old, sharp eyes and asked, “So, my daughter, is that truly what you want?” Zirachi nodded firmly. “Yes.'' Paa Kachimra stroked his grey beard and said calmly, “No problem. Come back on the seventh day. Bring seven thousand with you.” Zirachi smiled and replied, “Paa, if it works well, I will give you seven million.” Zirachi arrived on the seventh day, just as Paa Kachimra had instructed. The old dibia was sitting before his shrine, pounding strange leaves in a small wooden <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://mortar.He" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mortar. He </a>looked up and said, “I have finished your work, but there’s one liquid left that I need to add. I thought I still had it, but I just realized it’s finished. Once I add it, and you mix it with his food, everything will be complete.” Zirachi folded her arms and said sharply, “Paa, don’t talk in riddles. Tell me exactly what it is.”Paa Kachimra sighed and said, “Telling you isn’t the problem, my daughter. The question is, will you be able to get it ?" Zirachi let out a short laugh and said, “Paa, there is nothing people like us cannot get. Did I not search for you by staying on a boat for two days, withstanding heavy storms to find you? Now spill it, Paa Kachimra, what do you need?” Paa Kachimra looked at her steadily and said, “Okay then, I want you to get me a lioness’s breast milk, the one that has just given birth. Just a little of it. That is the only thing delaying your work.” Zirachi’s eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled boldly. “Paa, is that all? No worries, I will find it and bring it to you.” After twelve days of restless search through forests and villages, Zirachi finally met Adaolisa, Yadichimma’s close <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://friend.Adaolisa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">friend. Adaolisa </a>listened quietly as Zirachi explained her mission, then she shook her head and said, “I don’t know where you can get a lioness’s milk, but I know someone who knows a hunter and that hunter can get it for you.” After a long period of time, Zirachi finally met Ikemefuna, the hunter. He looked at her and said, “I am a hunter who hunts animals; I do not extract lioness milk. However, I can tell you where to find a lioness that has just given birth.” On the twelfth market day, Zirachi began to ask around for someone who knew how to extract lioness milk. At last, she found a woman called <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://Ogbenyanuju.Ogbenyanuju" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ogbenyanuju. Ogbenyanuju </a> looked at her and said, “So you want to take milk from a lioness?”Zirachi nodded. “Yes. Tell me how.” Ogbenyanuju smiled, “That is your problem to solve, but I will help. Go to the place that sells cow meat and buy three kilos. Put each kilo in a different nylon bag. Then go to the place where the lioness was seen. Stand twelve steps away. When the lioness looks toward you, call to her the way hunters call animals to get their attention. Throw the first kilo of meat. When she finishes it, throw the second. When she finishes the second, throw the third. After she has eaten all three, come straight home. till the next day. "The next day came, and Zirachi went straight to Ogbenyanuju’s <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://house.As" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">house. As </a> soon as Ogbenyanuju saw her, she asked, “You are here, but what kind of cloth are you putting on?” Zirachi looked down and said, “Just another cloth. The one I wore yesterday was dirty.”Ogbenyanuju shook her head slowly. “Go back home and wear the same clothes you wore yesterday. Then go and repeat everything exactly as you did before. Without arguing, Zirachi turned and hurried back home to change into the same <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://cloth.The" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">clothes</a>... On the third day, Zirachi went to Ogbeyanu’s <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://house.Ogbeyanu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">house. She </a>looked at her and asked, “I hope you did not change your wears?”Zirachi replied, “No, I wore the same one.” Ogbeyanu smiled and said, “Good. Today is the day you will extract the lioness' milk.” She drew closer, eager to hear <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://more.Ogbeyanu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more. Ogbeyanu </a> continued, “Once you reach that usual spot, throw the first kilo of meat. Then move six feet closer and throw the second one. After that, move another six feet and hold the third, When the lioness starts eating the third meat in your hand, begin the extraction immediately. Make sure you finish before she finishes eating. You will extract it and nothing will happen to you, no need for prayers or incantations.” Zirachi did exactly as she was instructed. She threw the meats one after another and moved as Ogbeyanu had said. When the lioness begin t to eat the third piece, Zirachi quickly began the extraction and to her surprise, nothing happened. She finished it safely and hurried away with the <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://milk.She" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">milk.</a><a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://milk.She" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">She </a> headed straight to her Dibia's house. ''Paa Kachimna,” she called as she entered, “I’m here already. Here is the lioness' milk.” He collected the small gourd from her hand and examined it closely. His eyes widened in shock. “Eh! How did you do it?” Zirachi smiled proudly. “I told you, there is nothing we, the rich, cannot find. The patience of finding the lioness, the patience of finding who knows how to extract, and the courage to face the lioness, I have all. And now, I am here. Zimuzo must be my slave henceforth.”Paa Kachimna nodded slowly, still amazed. “Wait here, I am coming.” He went inside with the milk, and after a while, he came out holding a small voodoo charm wrapped in red <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://cloth.When" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cloth. When </a> Zirachi got home, she greeted Zimuzo warmly. Then she began to narrate how hectic her business trip had been, all the struggles and long hours on the <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://road.Her" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">road. Her </a> husband smiled lazily and said, “Save it, my wife. Go and prepare us something to eat.” Zirachi, in her mind, said, “Finally, I have caught this foolish man.” Zimuzo, in his own mind, smirked and said, “Na your papa you caught.” Zirachi went into the kitchen, prepared the meal, and added what Paa Kachimna had asked her to mix inside. When she was done, she served it to Zimuzo. He ate everything and soon went to sleep, snoring <a class="tc-blue external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link external-link" href="https://softly.Zirachi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">softly. Zirachi </a> stood by the doorway and whispered to herself, “By the time he wakes up, I will start by asking him to wash my stinking undies for the past thirteen days.” WATCH OUT FOR THE FINAL SAGA

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