CHAPTER 1

      "This place is haunted, the ghosts of people who were killed by Imboko are not in peace. They will rest only if someone avenge for them," the old woman told Abednego.

"That king uses supernatural powers, there's only one way to destroy him, " she said.

Abednego was now curious, he could not believe what he was hearing. Yes, he wanted that king to be killed, he wanted to set his village free from horrendous murder. Innocent people have been killed, the village was in complete frenzy because of Imboko. He was ready to do anything to bring that village into total freedom, to liberate it from the cruel claws of Imboko.

"Yes, tell me," he asked the old lady.

"I am willing to kill that king. I will avenge for the innocent souls," he went on.

Mrs. Matendechere was a woman who knew much about the evil spirits in Igodo forest. She told Abednego that it will be possible to kill the king and set the land free.

"There's only one way," she told him.

" That way is not easy. You need to fight some ogrism and bring their tail. That way you shall be instructed on how you will kill the king," said the old woman.

There was a dingy old barn-like building, with an enormously portioned steeple sticking up straight into heaven, it was so high and the cause of nearly as much confusion in its day. This steeple, it must be understood, was an afterthought, and its addition to the main edifice, when the latter had already begun to decay, had excited a vehement quarrel, and almost a schism in some fifty years before. Here the road wound down a hill and was seen no more, the remotest object in view being the graveyard gate, beyond the meetinghouse of ogrism in the deep intense of the forest, eight miles beyond a deepest river in that forest.

For several moments they had not spoken, because the breeze was hushed, the brook scarce tinkled, the leaves had ceased their rustling, and everything lay motionless and silent as if Nature were composing herself to slumber. That's where ogrism are found.

The woman took Abednego to see the place so that he can lay a strategy to get the ogrism tail without being seen. Following her, they passed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a long, low room, paneled in black oak, at the end of which was a large stained- glass window. Suddenly Abednego caught sight of a dull red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and, quite unconscious of what it really signified, said to Mrs. Matendechere,

"I' am afraid something has been spilt there."

"Yes," replied the old woman in a low voice.

"Blood has been spilt on that spot."

"How horrid," cried Abednego.

The old woman smiled, and answered in the same low, mysterious voice,

"It is the blood of the Innocent, those who

were killed by Imboko, and those who were murdered on that very spot by her own husband, Okuyoyo. But now is the time to avenge for their blood."

In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen. Suddenly there was a terrible flash of lightning

lit up the sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder made Abednego to stand still.

"What a monstrous climate!" said Abednego. She sternly warned Abednego to beware of some trouble coming to the house.

"I have seen things with my own eyes my son," she said,

"that would make any person's hair stand on end, and many and many a night I have not closed my eyes in sleep for the awful things that are done here."

The storm raged fiercely all that night, but nothing of particular note occurred. The next morning, however, they found the terrible stain of blood once again on the floor. The second morning it appeared again.

Abednego left the following morning with the woman to go and spy about the ogrism, they did not return home till nine o’clock. By half- past ten all the lights were out. Some time after, Abednego was awakened by a curious noise in the corridor, outside the room. It

sounded like the clank of metal, and seemed to be coming nearer every moment. He got up at once, struck a match, and looked at the time. It was exactly one o’clock. He was quite calm, and felt his pulse, which was not at all feverish.

The strange noise still continued, and with it he heard distinctly the sound of footsteps. He stood up and opened the door. Right in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect. His eyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils; his garments, which

were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.

For a moment the ghost stood quite motionless

in natural indignation; then, dashing the bottle violently upon the polished floor, he fled down the corridor, uttering hollow groans, and emitting a ghastly green light. Just, however, as he reached the top of the great oak staircase, a door was flung open, two little white-robed figures appeared, and a large pillow whizzed past his head! There was evidently no time to be lost, so, hastily adopting the Fourth Dimension of Space as a means of escape, he vanished through the wainscoting, and the

house became quite quiet.

On reaching a small secret chamber in the left wing, he leaned up against a moonbeam to recover his breath, and began to try and realize his position. Abednego was supposed to go and get an ogrism tail, a tail that will destroy king Imboko, to get the tail it wasn't that easy, he will have to fight some terrible ghosts and monsters so that he can cross the impassable river to reach where the ogrisms sleeps. They are not supposed to see him, if they happen to

see him then he shall be a dead meat, they will end up feasting on him.

Mrs. Matendechere was to train him how he will reach there and how he will acquire the tail and flee before they notice Abednego. It was a matter of life and death. Any slight mistake and he will be no more. He was required to follow each and every instructions to detail. Abednego was given a magic guard, he will use it to strike the ground ones when he is in danger, the fourth time it will not be having power. He took of so early in the morning. The air was cool, the grass was damp and slick beneath. All around him the woods were lit with an array of morning blues and violets. It filled him with an almost contagious inner peace.

He paused to stare up at the few visible stars overlaying above him, where he stood stretching before his run. He stopped briefly, marveling at the fullness of the moon as it drifted towards the western horizon. It was in nature that he felt most at home. His muscles literally burned with the need to run. The sudden halt of the activity made him itch to begin again.

Knowing every thought the creatures had made from the comment he came into the evil forest, made the choice in trails easy. So picking the hardest route was the best option.

Suddenly cautious, Abednego paused and felt

for the creatures's presence once more.

Satisfied there was no danger, he took off at a

slow steady pace. It was the sudden breezy-whoosh of something landing behind him made Abednego freeze. His short-step run, came to a

skidding halt as he realized something was behind him.

Something, large enough it's air resistance alone had nearly toppled him over! Knowing deep down what it was, but unable to stop

himself from looking, he turned. Find himself staring up at the most impossibly large ogrism he'd ever seen. Backing up a step, he swallowed harshly, his Adam’s apple bobbing, as his eyes widen with terror.