Ngiphaphama ngisemotweni nje, ngibona amabhodi omgwaqo, kodwa ngiyakhumbula ukuthi sehle ehhotela siyokudla kuyoshaya ihora lesishiyagalombili. Manje uma ngibuka iwashi elisemotweni lithi kuyogamanxa ihora leshumi nomuvo. Inhliziyo yami icwila emafutheni uma ngibona ukuthi sesihambe amahora amathathu. Noma ubani osebonile ukuthi sinyamalele ehhotela akazi ukuthi sesihambe amahora amathathu namakhulu amaningi amakhilomitha siqhela ehhotela, futhi sisaqhela kakhulu ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

“Nake nezwa ngeBlood Stain Temple?” Kubuza umlisa ohlezi phambili eduze komshayeli.

“Cha!” Siphika kanye kanye sino Nqo. Uvalo ludla lubi kuthina.

“Nizoyibona namuhla! Ingaphakathi lalo, kusuka phansi kuya obondeni kuya ophahleni ngaphakathi, kupendwe ngegazi lamaqhawe afana nani.”

Sihlahla amehlo agcwele izinyembezi sinoNqo.

Ngihlangana nezimbila zithutha nje la eJapan, leli kwakuyizwe lami lamaphupho. Izwe lamaqhawe la emdlalweni wethu womkhalambazo. Ngisebenze kanzima ukufika la. Ngaqala emqhudelwaneni wesifundazwe. Sabulalana ngesibhaxu ngaze ngafika kuma-final. Saphumelela saba bane esifundazweni sami, saqhubekela emqhudelwano omkhulu obizwa nge-Champ of Champs.

Kwi-Champ of Champs kwakuqhathwe izinkunzi zodwa ezivela kuzo zonke izifundazwe. Nalapho kwakhethwa abane abaphumelele, kwaba yibo abazohamba bayomela izwe laseSouth Africa emqhudelwaneni omkhulu obizwa nge-All Africa Tournament, lapho kuhlangana khona amaqhawe avela emazweni onke ase-Africa. Izwe ngalinye liletha abantu abane. Nalapho yiso sona leso. Kukhethwa bona futhi abane abafike kuma-semi-final kube yibo abayomela i-Africa emqhudelwaneni obizwa nge-World Cup Tournament eJapan.

Akulula neze ukufika kuleso sigaba. Ukufika lapho kukhomba ukuthi uyinkunzi emidwayidwa ngoba kwakhona ukumela isifundazwe akulula. Baningi abasuke befuna ukuwina ngoba abantu basuke bezilungiselele. Kusuke kunguwafa wafa. Ngikwenzile konke, ngazikhandla, ngagcina ngifikile eJapan. Ngizomela izwe lami kwiWorld Cup Tournament. Yebo bekuyiphupho lami ukuza lapha eJapan kodwa nali iphupho lami seliphenduka indida egcwele ukwesaba njengoba sithunjiwe.

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Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe izigebengu zikhethe kahle ngokuthumba lamantombazane aseSouth Africa? Yini ekwenza uphendule ngendlela ophendule ngayo?