Khar’Ka-Umgadzi Weminyaka Leyinkhulungwane

Wasita kudala Buntfu kutsi bancobe imphi. Kwaphela tigidzi teminyaka, waba ngumgadzi walo kuphela.

Ngesikhatsi iSpulves iphuma eMhlabeni Loluhlata sasibhakabhaka, iKhar’Ka itfola umsebenti munye wekugcina: kuhlala eMhlabeni, kubuka kugucuka kwetinhlobo letinsha kanye nekwecwayisa bantfu bakhe uma bantfu baba yingoti. Kuvinjelwe kutsi angenelele, kumele ahambe eminyakeni leyinkhulungwane emakamelweni ekumiswa, avuke kuphela kuhlola inchubekelembili yekuhlangenwe nako.

Kepha kusukela ekuvukeni kwekucala, Khar’Ka uyabona kutsi kukhona lokungahambi kahle.

Bantfu abazange basindze kuphela, kepha bacala kusakateka kulo lonkhe leplanethi. Emkhatsini wabo kugijima ingati yaMontarion, lesilwane lesimangalisako lesakhulula tiboshwa tekucala emalabhorethri eSpulves futsi samemetela kubuya kwaloyo lowamnika ligama lakhe. Lapho Khar’Ka aphenya kakhulu ngaloluhlu lwekutalwa, utfola tintfo letingakafaneli kutsi tibe khona: timphawu letibhalwe ngaphambi kwemphucuko leyayidala, imilayeto lebhalwe ngetilwimi letingakatalwa, kanye netiphrofetho letibonakala ngatsi tiyati likusasa.

Ngeminyaka, Khar’Ka ufakaza kutalwa nekuwa kwemphucuko. Ubona tivakashi letivela etikwetinkhanyeti titiveta njengabonkulunkulu, imibuso yebantfu iguculwe yaba tintfo tekusebenta tetimphi letingaphandle kwemhlaba kanye nemandla lafihlekile lancintisana ngekubusa eMhlabeni. Ngekungakhoni kuhlala angabi nandaba, ucala kwephula imiyalo ye-Spulves, avikele bantfu, abhubhise emabutfo layimfihlo futsi asule eMlandvweni imikhondo yalabo lebebafuna kugcilata Buntfu.

Kungenelela ngamunye, noma kunjalo, kumsondzeta kuloko lakwesaba kakhulu: kuba ngumkhapheli emehlweni ebantfu bakubo.

Ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka, emkhatsini wemaMaya, Khar’Ka utfola litje lelidzala kunanoma ngukuphi kuhamba kwesikhatsi lokwatiwako. Ligama lelingenakwenteka libhalwe kulo: José Monteiro. Ligama lemuntfu lelabhalwa kudze ngaphambi kwekutsi kube nePortugal, lulwimi lwesiPutukezi noma umhlaba lapho bekatawutalelwa khona.

Lokutfolakala kucala kusesha lokutawutsatsa emavekati kanye neminyaka leyinkhulungwane. Imimango yemfihlo yebantfu iba tindlalifa telwati lwe Khar’Ka. Labanye bafunga kutsi batawuvikela siphrofetho saMontarion; labanye bakholelwa kutsi iJosé itawuba nesibopho sekuphela kweMhlaba wonkhe futsi bafuna kuvimbela kutalwa kwayo. Ngaleso sikhatsi, titsa letindzala tiyabuya, bonkulunkulu bemanga baphindze batfole emandla, futsi i-Spulves icala kusola kutsi umgadzi wabo akasekho umbukeli.

Ngesikhatsi Buntfu bangena ekhulwini leminyaka letimphi, imishini netikhali letikhona kubhubhisa iplanethi, i-Khar’Ka ibhekene nekungabata kwayo lokukhulu: ingabe tinhlobo letivikele iminyaka letigidzi tifanelwe mbamba kuphila?

Imphendvulo itawufika lapho badali babuyela eMhlabeni Loluhlata sasibhakabhaka kute bacedze silingo lesacala ekucaleni kweBuntfu. Bebabhekene nekusongelwa kwekubhujiswa, Tindlalifa teMfihlo tifuna lendvodza ligama layo leliwele sikhatsi, kantsi Khar’Ka utfola kutsi Montarion akazange abe ngumgca wengati nje.

Ngumjikeleto. Futsi José Monteiro ngumcimbi wonkhe uMlandvo bewuwulungiselela.

Edzabukile emkhatsini wekwetsembeka kubantfu bakhe kanye nelutsandvo lwetinhlobo latibona tikhula, Khar’Ka kutawudzingeka kutsi aphule sifungo lesamgcina siboshwa seMhlaba futsi akhetse kwekugcina: anikete Buntfu kubadali babo noma acale imphi lekhona kulahla bonkhe srewo kuvikela imphucuko yena.

Ngoba Khar’Ka washiywa eMhlabeni kutsi ancume kutsi Buntfu kufanele bufe nini. Kepha badali bakhe abazange bacabange kutsi utawufundza kumkholwa.