The First War: When Darkness Stirred in the Heart of Man

● The Deformity and the Prophecy

In the dawn of time, when the red-skinned Amarire, the First People, walked the Earth, a shadow began to stir in the heart of their idyllic existence. Their world, nurtured by the Great Mother Ninavanhu-Ma and the colossal Tree of Life, was one of nascent wonder, yet susceptible to the subtle creep of corruption. It was into this fragile balance that Za-Ha-Rrellel was born, a child unlike any other, whose very arrival was heralded by an ominous prophecy and a chilling deformity that marked him for a destiny of darkness.

Za-Ha-Rrellel, the firstborn of Kei-Lei-Si, was a grotesque sight. His body was twisted, his spirit even more so. The wise Kaa-U-La birds, ancient beings who had witnessed the cosmic dance of creation, immediately recognized the malevolence festering within him. Their warnings to Kei-Lei-Si were stark and urgent: destroy the child, for he carried the seed of unimaginable wickedness that would unravel the very fabric of their world. But a mother's love, even for a monstrous offspring, is a powerful, blinding force. Kei-Lei-Si, deaf to the birds' dire predictions, fled with her deformed son, seeking refuge in the deep, silent embrace of the Earth's underground [1].

● The Birth of the Tokoloshes

Beneath the surface, in the subterranean gloom, Za-Ha-Rrellel grew, his deformity mirroring the escalating darkness within his soul. He was not content with the natural order; his ambition was to dominate, to control, to twist creation to his will. It was in this hidden realm that he discovered the raw power of incantations, ancient whispers that could bend reality. With these dark arts, he began to forge life from inanimate matter. From the very iron ore of the Earth, he conjured forth metallic, insect-like creatures – the first Tokoloshes. These were not beings of flesh and blood, but constructs of cold metal, imbued with a sinister purpose, an army born of pure malevolence [1].

Kei-Lei-Si, his mother, became his first victim. Her life force, once vibrant and nurturing, was slowly drained to sustain his monstrous creations. She withered, a living sacrifice to her son's burgeoning evil, until her last breath extinguished, leaving behind only the chilling echo of her misguided love. With his mother's life consumed and his metallic army complete, Za-Ha-Rrellel emerged from the depths, leading his legion of Tokoloshes into the unsuspecting world of the Amarire [1].

● The Empire of Iron and Lies

The arrival of Za-Ha-Rrellel and his metallic horde was a cataclysm. The Amarire, accustomed to a life of harmony and natural rhythms, were unprepared for such an onslaught. Za-Ha-Rrellel, with cunning words and the terrifying might of his Tokoloshes, promised them an era of unparalleled ease and dominion. He offered them metal slaves, the tireless Tokoloshes, and flesh-and-blood slaves, the **Bjaa-uni**, to serve their every whim. Seduced by the allure of effortless power and comfort, the Amarire succumbed to his promises [1].

This new empire, built on the foundations of slavery and forbidden knowledge, quickly began to rot from within. The Amarire, once vibrant and fertile, grew lazy and sterile. Their pursuit of immortality and dark secrets, fueled by Za-Ha-Rrellel, angered the Great Spirit and the Tree of Life. The balance of creation was severely disrupted, and the seeds of their own destruction were sown. The world teetered on the brink, awaiting the inevitable retribution for the hubris and wickedness unleashed by the deformed child who became the architect of the First War.

This chilling tale, passed down through generations and meticulously recorded by Credo Mutwa, serves as a potent warning. It speaks of the dangers of unchecked ambition, the seductive power of evil, and how the choices of one can ripple through the ages, forever altering the destiny of a people. It is a narrative that reminds us that even in the earliest chapters of existence, the struggle between light and shadow was fiercely waged, shaping the very essence of what it means to be human.

● References

[1] SoBrief. (n.d.). *Indaba My Children | Summary, Quotes, FAQ, Audio*. Retrieved from [https://sobrief.com/books/indaba-my-children](https://sobrief.com/books/indaba-my-children)