Chief Makifgilimeni stepped closer to Filippo, he brought out a scroll which he handed over to him, "In there is an ancient map which will guide your path and lead you to the underworld" he noted glaring at Filippo.
Confused, Filippo collected the stroll, his expression holding lots of questions that needed to be answered.
"How did you know about this prophecy?, how did you know that I am on my way to the underworld?" Filippo asked confused looking up at the man before him.
Chief Makifgilimeni turned his gaze away from him, "Come with me" he stated leaving the room. Filippo stood up and followed suit, they got out of the hut and walked towards a larger hut that stood apart from the others. The servants at the front stood still staring at Filippo who followed the Chief into the hut. When they got inside the hut, the interior was well decorated with craftworks of different sizes. They walk into the large room filled with books and ancient articles which made the place look strange.
The Chief motioned Filippo to seat on a cushion, Filippo obeyed and watched the man who sat down at a wooden chair opposite him. The chief took a pipe on the table beside him, lit it, and began to puff out smoke.
"Long time ago in the days of my fathers. The world was filled with peace and humanity. Our village never experienced war or dispute with neighboring villages. We treated everyone with care and love because every human is created in one accord" he puffed at a smoke, lit the pipe again, and returned his gaze at Filippo.
"Then a certain time, a young philosopher walked into my village. He wore a different kind of clothing that the people of my village were not familiar with in those days. He looked thin and worn out, the man came in begging to be saved. Of course, our fathers than were confused because he spoke an entirely different language, only the Chief back then understood his dialect. He kneeled with tears in his eyes coughing and begging which was so strange as the whole villagers gathered and watched him in awe. After minutes of trying to explain himself, he fainted into a deep unconsciousness. My forefathers back then took him to the medicine man who attended to his care with herbs and other medications he could prescribe. Months passed, the man's illness grew worst, my people tried all their best to make him improve but he didn't. Ever since the day he fainted, he hasn't said any word but kept his eyes wide open staring into space, months passing on.
One night, miraculously, he spoke requesting the medicine man to call in the Chief. The medicine man stared at him puzzled but he could not understand a word. He quickly got out of the room and ran towards the Chief's hut requesting his presence. A few minutes later, the Chief walked into the room looking confused but sat down beside the dying man. The man asked for the bag which he brought in the day he stepped into the village. The servants quickly brought the bag beside the man. Slowly, he dipped his hand into the bag and brought out a book, back then, my forefathers were illiterate so they couldn't understand what was written in the book.
The dying man handed it over to the Chief instructing him to keep the book safe with his life, he instructed that the Chief should pass the book unto the next Chief after him and this act should be done from generation to generation. This is a book written by him due to the visions he had, he is a priest and a philosopher. The man explained how his monastery was invaded by demons, he stated that he and another priest were the only survivors, just because they were able to escape on time before the invasion occurred but they lost ways deep in the woods making them divide. On his way of fleeing, without finding his companion, the philosopher came across my village but by the time he got here, he was starved and dehydrated. The dying man stated that in the future, a young priest will come into our village as he embarks on his journey to the underworld for the safety of humanity. When he comes, the Chief of that time should be aware and be at alert for the end is near.
As the dying man explained, he coughed on the more holding his chest, quickly he was given water but he refused to take it immediately, he coughed out blood, his blood pressure radiating. He told the old Chief about the prophecy of the Apocalypse of the prince of hell, his vengeance on mankind along with his seeds who will bring nothing but death" Chief Makifgilimeni paused, his eyes piercing on Filippo who stood gazing at him, "All these were narrated to my forefather. Seconds later, the philosopher died slowly, his heart couldn't take more of the great pain that surged him.
The Chief stood up, went towards a table, bent down, opened a drawer, and brought out an old book. He walked up to Filippo and handed it to him, "This is the book the philosopher handed to my forefathers" he stated and walked back to his seat, sat down, and smoked his pipe slowly staring at Filippo.
Filippo gazed at the book with widened eyes, he looked up at the chief who sat across, with shock written all over his face, "This book!" He let out glancing back at the book and back at the Chief.
"I have a copy of this book with me," he said gazing back at it, "THE POWER OF THE SIX SEEDS" he read aloud holding the book. "An old priest instructed me on his death bed that I should take hold of the book at the right time" he glanced at the book and back at the man, "It is the same book".
Chief Makifgilimeni sat up dropping his pipe in surprise, "This is surprising, I guess the priest who gave you this book came in contact with the other priest who escaped" he nodded his head, "The prophecy has come just like it was predicted.
Filippo gazed at the book exhaling deeply, " Now that I am aware of this, what is the next step I should take?" He asked staring at the Chief.
The chief nodded stroking his beards, he stood up, walked towards a cabinet, and brought out a sword, "When you came into this village, I saw a sword with you, do you know how to use one well?" He asked raising an eyebrow as he held his sword tightly.
Filippo looked up at the chief, "As a boy, I was trained by my father how to use a sword. He was a great warrior and blacksmith during his era but died unfortunately by an illness" Filippo explained.
The chief walked up to him, he studied him closely, "Hmm, I see, quite impressive" he brought the sword towards his face, "Your journey to the underworld is a dangerous mission, you will face countless demons who will try to kill you by all means" he paused with a hardened face, "You need to be brave with no sign of fear in your heart. I know that as a priest, you are gentle and mild but that won't help you. You have to wear the garment of a warrior, a fierce one. A warrior doesn't have a heart, he is emotionless, that is the kind of heart I want you to have because your fate and the fate of the world is in your hands" He instructed moving towards him.
"You will have to stay here for a few days, I will train you more with the use of a sword, I will make you skilled with the sword so that you can have your way easily. This is the only part I can play to help you. Listen" he raised a finger, "This is your destiny, you were born for this. This won't be easy but you must succeed" he notified, turned away, and walked towards the table.
"You can go over to your hut and rest, your training starts tomorrow immediately the sun rises" he instructed, his gaze fixed on a mirror, he stared at the reflection of Filippo who gazed back at him, filled with a mixture of worry and courage.