Afia's Zubaki's Advantageous Ambition

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Trailer edited by: Umair Shaheen

Text in trailer written by: Jazlyn Nguyen

Ghana Empire, West Africa 300 CE

Ever since she was little, Afia Zubaki had a rough childhood. Other kids her age would never let her hang out with them because Afia's family often lost their honor at animal sacrifice ceremonies.

No! I could never sacrifice my beloved pet!

Once in a while, it would be Afia's family's turn to sacrifice an animal to the Gods. Frequently, they would back down and their whole family would be frowned upon by their empire. Animal sacrifice is the practice of sacrificing animals in hope of the Gospel brining life in the presence of the Gods.

Drawing by Jazlyn Nguyen

Afia took a walk and thought about her life. She didn't like the thought of always being part of the family who was known as a "disgrace" to the Gods. Afia decided to do something to prevent her family from losing their honor at the upcoming animal sacrifice ceremony. It was going to be her dad's turn to represent their family and give up his dog. Therefore, Afia came up with a scheme to switch her dad's dog with another person's dog right before the upcoming animal sacrifice event would occur. She hoped that he would notice and be more willing to participate in the sacrifice, instead of thinking about backing down when the time had come.

Yes, I'm a genius!! I shall switch the animals!

Afia Zubaki, as well as her family, are in the noble social class of West Africa. The emperor in West Africa rules the people and gets to make lots of important decisions as well as monopolizing trade. Afia and her family are in the noble social class, which was one level lower than the emperor. They have a main role of helping the emperor govern a specific country, and they also lead armies. Additionally, Afia and her family have a monopoly on carrying arms and camels, and they also collect tribute from their vassals. But, even though Afia and her family are nobles, they still have to participate in the Ghana Empire's animal sacrifice ceremonies.

Jealous of the emperor's daughter named Daliah who was so privileged and got to choose when to participate in the animal sacrifice ceremonies, Afia constructed a plan to obtain Daliah's dog and switch it with her father's dog. Both dogs happened to look exactly alike, except for a tiny patch of gray fur that was placed on Daliah's dog named Jumbo. Therefore, Afia thought it would work out perfectly!

Write an anonymous letter offering for an exchange with Daliah and place it where she will see it, but you are going to scam her in the trade.

Choose a path for Afia:

Ask Daliah if you could have her dog and let her know that you are going to oblation it at the upcoming animal sacrifice ceremony.

To start off her scheme, Afia wrote a letter that was addressed anonymously to Daliah. The purpose of the letter was that it was supposed to contain all the information about the exchange. The letter was the main part of Afia's scheme, which she knew would sure lure Daliah into her ultimate trap...

Then, Afia got the plan ready and placed everything in its correct place. The letter was put on the floor in an alley. Next to it was a box where Daliah's dog was going to be placed during the exchange, and on the side was a bag that Daliah would think contained ivory but actually had a stick inside it. Afia also placed a sign in front of the alley that said, "Daliah, come here and read the letter for an opportunity to exchange for ivory."

Drawings by Jazlyn Nguyen

Now that the scheme was set up, all that was left to do for Afia was to wait for Daliah to go on her daily walk with her dog. Afia knew that this was the route that Daliah always took everyday to walk her dog, so she would definitely see the sign.

A few minutes later, Daliah walked past the alley and her eyes caught onto the sign about the ivory exchange...

Yes! My devious scheme will definitely work!

Letter written by: Jazlyn Nguyen

WOW! What an interesting deal! Let's see what the person that placed that sign there has to offer!

Daliah walked over to the sign that led her into the alley. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but Daliah was just too eager to get that ivory that she didn't think about how mischievous the deal was.

Daliah picked up the letter and read it. She was hesitant at first, but after some thought, she made up her mind.

Hm... I really love my dog, Jambo, but I also really want this ivory... I think this would be a good trade though. I can always get another dog, but my father will never let me go to that trading port to get some ivory!

Daliah decided to agree to the trade, so she placed her dog in the box, took the bag of "ivory", and walked home. On the other hand, Afia was glad that her plan to trick Daliah into giving her dog away had worked.

WOO-HOO!

Yes! I'm so happy that I finally got some ivory!

Drawing by Jazlyn Nguyen

Later that day when Daliah arrived home, she couldn't contain her excitement about the ivory and opened up the bag right away. To her surprise, there was actually a stick in the bag instead...

Yes, daughter. Your wish is my command!

Oh no! This anonymous person has tricked me! I had to exchange by beloved dog for a stick??!!? I thought it was ivory!! I was not so smart and should've not agreed to this exchange!

Father, please order your servants to print out missing dog posters!! Make sure that there is a reward included as well!

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Daliah was so ashamed of herself for agreeing to such a mischievous deal. She decided to find a way to get her dog back. Daliah had her father order his servants to print out posters everywhere offering a reward to whoever found his daughter's lost dog. Daliah also told her father about the whole exchange, and how she lost her dog in the first place.

To start off her mission, which was obtaining Daliah's dog, Afia decided to play it safe and politely ask Daliah for her dog instead of stealing it to hopefully prevent herself from getting in trouble with the emperor.

I shall ask Daliah politely, and maybe she will give me her dog!

I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE WILL REPLY, BUT I'LL still give it a chance!

Afia was taking a stroll around the empire to find Daliah and found her walking her dog on her usual route. Afia came up to her and kindly asked her for her dog.

Hello your highness! How are you doing today? So.... I was wondering, could I please have your dog to oblation it at the upcoming animal sacrifice ceremony?

I am doing great today! Wait did you just ask for my dog!!???!! Of course not! I love him so much!! How could I give up such a dear thing for animal sacrifice??!?

Every second that passed, Daliah got madder and madder. She was so surprised that someone would even ask such a question to a beautiful highness like her. Daliah had enough, so she decided to take things even a step further...

HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING!?!? I SHALL FORCE MY FATHER TO SACRIFICE YOU INSTEAD!

Afia begged for forgiveness and for Daliah to change her mind, but it was too late. There was no going back and Afia was going to be sacrificed the next day...

The next day had finally come and Afia was scared for her life. Daliah had ordered her dad to have his servants use the practice of human sacrifice on Afia. She was thrown into a big fire pit to be sacrificed to the Gods, and her life had flashed before her eyes. Afia died right there and then.

Please forgive me your highness!!

Ahhhh!!! No!!!

Click here to choose again

It was the morning of the animal sacrifice and Afia had woken up bright and early just to take Daliah's dog, Jumbo, for a walk. It was early enough that she thought no one except her would be awake yet. She headed to the front of her house and found that there were lots of posters hung up about the emperor offering a reward to whoever found his daughter's lost dog.

Jambo looks like my dad's dog named Safari. They will never suspect me!

Just as Afia headed to the side her house, which coincidentally was where her father's dog named Safari was sitting, Afia's best friend named Aurelia happened to be taking a stroll around the empire and saw the two identical dogs.

Hey Afia what are you doing?!!? Wait... Am i seeing things right? Why are there two identical dogs? Hmm.. they both look immensely similar to Daliah's dog! Wait that is Daliah's dog??!? It has a patch of gray fur on it!

Afia had hoped that no one would notice the patch of gray fur, since it was the one thing that Daliah's dog was known for. It also happened to be the only difference from her dad's dog.

Afia was hesitant at first because she didn't know if Aurelia would get her in trouble with the emperor for stealing Daliah's dog. After putting in some thought, Afia decides to tell Aurelia all about her plan to switch the dogs...

Well you see Aurelia... I stole Daliah's dog in order to switch it with my dad's dog right before the upcoming animal sacrifice ceremony in order to hopefully prevent my family from losing our honor again at the event. Maybe if my father knows that it is not his dog, he will be more willing to sacrifice it!

Aurelia doesn't know what she should do. Even though Afia is her best friend, she also really wants the reward that the emperor is giving out for whoever finds his daughter's lost dog.

Choose a path for Aurelia:

Help Afia out and join in on her sneaky mission

Turn in the dog to the emperor to hopefully collect a reward

Aurelia decided to help her friend out instead of collecting the reward. She joined in on Afia's mission and Afia told her everything she needed to know about her big plan.

Yay! The scheme to prevent my family from losing their honor again at the upcoming animal sacrifice ceremony is almost complete!

I shall join in and help you out with your mission, Afia!

Before the animal sacrifice ceremony began, every chosen participant had to bring their animals to a specific area to make sure that all the animals were present and that nobody was trying to hide them. Afia's mission was to bring Daliah's dog, Jumbo, there without the guards noticing the gray patch of fur on him which was the difference between Daliah's dog and Afia's father's dog. The guards knew the description of every animal that was supposed to be sacrificed, so Afia and Aurelia had to find a way to sneak Jumbo into the animal sacrifice area without getting him examined.

Dad, I'll bring Safari to the animal sacrifice area!

T-Thank you daughter. I-I really don't want to sacrifice him, but our family can't lose our honor again.