Once upon a time in the prosperous kingdom of Gashura, there lived a wealthy and enigmatic man named Avin Kwach Senior. His immense fortune was matched only by his eccentricity. Avin resided in a sprawling mansion known as Ot Maduong, a place of mystery and whispers. He had taken twenty wives and a half – the "half" being a curious, mischievous young woman named Atieno who was always half-intrigued by the secrets Avin kept.
Despite the apparent happiness, Avin laid down one peculiar rule for his wives: "None of you shall enter my room at night. If you disobey, calamity will befall you." Though puzzled and somewhat unnerved, the wives agreed, for they loved Avin and trusted his wisdom.
For a while, life in Ot Maduong was serene. The wives enjoyed lavish banquets, wore the finest silks, and spent their days in leisure and laughter. But curiosity is a powerful force, and the mystery of Avin's room began to gnaw at them, especially at Atieno.
One moonless night, Nyasembo, the eldest and most daring of the wives, could no longer resist the urge to uncover the secret. She tiptoed through the grand corridors and approached Avin's chamber. Heart pounding, she turned the handle and slipped inside.
The room was vast and dimly lit, filled with ancient relics and strange artifacts. At the center, a large mirror gleamed with an eerie light. Drawn to it, Nyasembo gazed into its depths. Suddenly, her reflection began to change, contorting into a ghastly visage. A dark force pulled her into the mirror, and with a silent scream, she vanished, leaving no trace.
The next morning, the wives awoke to find Nyasembo gone. Avin gathered them and solemnly said, "This is the calamity I warned you of. She disobeyed and has paid the price."
Despite the warning, the wives' curiosity only grew. One by one, they fell victim to the same fate. Each night, another wife would disappear, leaving the remaining more fearful yet more intrigued.
Atieno, with her half-measures of bravery and wisdom, decided to uncover the truth, but with caution. She secretly observed Avin's routine, noting his visits to the mirror at dusk. One evening, she followed him discreetly, peeking through a crack in the door.
Avin spoke to the mirror in a language unknown to her, and a spectral figure appeared, whispering back. It was then that Atieno understood: the mirror was a portal to another realm, and Avin was bound by an ancient pact to offer souls to the spirits beyond.
Determined to save her fellow wives, Atieno devised a plan. The next night, she entered the room with a protective charm she had fashioned from old spells found in the Ot Maduong's library. Approaching the mirror, she spoke boldly, "Spirits, I offer a trade."
The mirror shimmered, and the spirits hissed, "What trade?"
"Release the souls of the wives and take mine in return."
The spirits, intrigued by her courage, agreed. With a blinding flash, the mirror expelled the wives, who collapsed on the floor, alive but dazed. Atieno, however, was slowly being pulled into the mirror's depths.
But Avin, witnessing her sacrifice, could not let her go. He seized the charm and shattered it, breaking the pact with the spirits. The mirror cracked and disintegrated, releasing Atieno and severing the bond forever!!!
Freed from the curse, the wives and Avin vowed to never let curiosity lead them astray again. Avin, profoundly changed by the ordeal, devoted his life to caring for his wives, cherishing each day with them.
Ot Maduong remained grand and beautiful, but the nights were no longer shrouded in mystery. Peace had returned, and so had the joy, for now, there were no secrets left between Avin and his wives. Peaceful decades passed, and several joyous lives vanished!
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ENTER AVIN JR.
In the very kingdom of Gashura, nestled between emerald hills and shimmering rivers, lived a wealthy man named Avin Kwach Junior, son of the late Avin Kwach Senior. Renowned for his opulence and eccentricity, Avin's mansion was a sprawling edifice of marble and gold, hidden behind towering gates and lush gardens. His most peculiar trait, however, was his collection of wives. Like father, like son, Avin had married twenty wives and a half—a mysterious woman who was rarely seen and known only as the Half-Wife.
Avin's wives, each more beautiful and accomplished than the last, lived in luxurious quarters filled with silks, jewels, and endless entertainment. However, one rule governed their lives: they were forbidden from entering Avin's private chamber at night. This rule was emphasized repeatedly, the consequences of disobedience shrouded in ominous warnings.
The wives often speculated about the reason for this strange prohibition. Some believed Avin hid a dark secret, while others thought it was a mere whim of their enigmatic husband. Among them, the youngest wife, Akinyi, was particularly curious and determined to uncover the truth.
One moonless night, Akinyi’s curiosity overcame her fear. With the other wives fast asleep, she tiptoed through the silent halls to Avin's chamber. As she approached the heavy, ornate door, an icy chill ran down her spine, but she pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was bathed in an eerie blue glow. In the center stood an enormous mirror, its surface rippling like water. Akinyi's reflection beckoned her, and she could not resist stepping closer. As she touched the mirror, a cold hand reached out and pulled her in. Her scream echoed through the mansion, waking the other wives.
Panic spread quickly, and despite the fear of Avin's wrath, the wives rushed to the forbidden chamber. One by one, they too were drawn into the mirror's chilling embrace. Only the Half-Wife remained, watching from the shadows with knowing eyes.
At dawn, Avin Jr. discovered his empty mansion and the lifeless mirror. He mourned his wives, for their disobedience had unleashed a curse he had long struggled to contain. The mirror was a portal to a dark realm where a vengeful spirit, once wronged by Avin's father, awaited. The Half-Wife, a guardian bound to the mirror, had been Avin's ally in keeping the spirit at bay.
Realizing his failure, Avin fell into despair. The spirit, now freed, began to wreak havoc on Gashura, bringing storms, famine, and unrest. The once-prosperous kingdom plunged into chaos, with its people suffering for the curiosity and disobedience of the twenty wives and a half.
As for the Half-Wife, she vanished into the night, her duty fulfilled but her fate uncertain. Some say she roams the world, seeking a way to undo the curse, while others believe she merged with the spirit, continuing a cycle of vengeance and sorrow.
In the ruins of Gashura, the tale of Avin and his wives became a cautionary legend, warning of the perils of curiosity and the price of breaking forbidden rules.