Survival Of The Cursed

West Africa, 355 B.C.

The wind swirled around a stick-thin man, shoving an imaginary rain into his face so that it's slashes at his boney cheeks. The dusky fog of the night spread towards him. His short, curly hair was fitted on his dark skin and brilliant black eyes that sparkled like two pairs of onyx. However, his thick gray eyebrows and beard covered his charm. Yet, one would discover his beauty at first glance.

Ayo, the old farmer in his late 40s, was still digging holes to harvest tuber of yams, potatoes and cocoyams he had planted earlier that year.

Another hit of his rusty hoe against the soft-skinned earth. It peeled it off, revealing its rich soil, along with the woody scent hovering alongside the cold, night breeze.

With this, Ayo deepened his shaky hands into it, trying to know what the earth has brought for him this time. Curiosity laced his eyes as he grabbed the fibre out of the ground.

Alas! It was nothing but rotten stems. Ayo forced it out, and the tuber bursted onto his face, filled with nothing but maggots swimming out of it. He threw it away immediately with disgust.

This was the last piece of it, out of the thousand tuber stems he had planted earlier that year. This was the last. It's been two years now. No farmer in Odo-Ara planted a single crop. Every farmer failed, and the villagers were sick and dying. When this happens, they believe that the gods of the land are angry. Human give blood and sacrifices to please the gods but these times, everything gets rejected.

Looking up at the darkening sky, Ayo could feel the sound of silence. A single tear clouded Ayo's eyes, filling up the space. His lips shivered at the coldness that blew through his skinny body like a virus.

"It's been two years without rain! My wife is sick and my son is dying! Tonight, I curse this land!" He raised up to his feet despite tears dripping down and settling into his beard.

"A thousand curses upon you, wretched gods! Despite all the blood you've taken! You never satisfy me, anyway! I rebuke you henceforth!!"

Saying this aloud to the sky, Ayo's voice echoed back to him, but not only his voice. As if something was there in the darkness. The sound of fire jarring in the air. Like thunderclaps, crackling.

Hissing.

His eyes widened in shock while he tried to see clearer, hoping it wasn't a dream. Ayo wiped his eyes to the direction. He had never expected this, but he stood still until he realized what it was. A purple thunder bolted the sky like a furious dragon.

A Comet.

In a split of moment, it filled the entire place with light, an arc of lightening. With menacing speed like a burning ball from the fire thrown from the sky.

His lips quivered at the words. "Praise be to the gods of the land!" But he was too late.

The comet struck the farmer down with just one blow.

His burnt body moved forward as he tried to recognize what the shiny thing was. It sparkled in his eyes with its eye-like shape. Crawling to it with the fibre of his veins twisted out with his shaky hand stretched to it. Ayo let out a choky cough as this charming brown skin turned into charcoal.

Just then, he heard another sound from above. Hoping it wasn't another comet, he raised his gaze to the dreariness of the night and there it was. A blur vision of a giant flying bird. He wasn't sure of what it was, but it's type of golden was exceptional. His muscles twitched as he tried to survive the pain.

About to touch the egg, the dragon grabbed it with it's legs. Next, it breathed out fire on Ayo's burnt body, as if the comet wasn't enough. It burnt his entire farm and disappeared into the dark sky.

The next minute, the remains of Ayo, the greatest farmer in Odo-Ara. Was nothing but his burnt body, lying on the farm that burnt along with him. All in ashes.

That night, Digi, his wife, let out a screeching cry. She was in the labour room alongside an elderly woman with totally white eyes called Iya Aduke. She had lost her sight at an early age from the use of harsh herbs her parents had used for her because of ignorance. She's also a widow, but she helps to labour women within Odo-Ara to deliver their babies.

She never remarried, nor does she have a child. People call her Iya Aduke, hoping someday she would have a child to succeed her too. Blind as Iya Aduke, she knew every nook and cranny of the town.

"Listen. . . I can hear the cry of your baby, my dear. It's just one push and these are over." Her hoarse voice whispered into Digi's ears.

"What about my husband? I need my husband!!" She bursted into a gut-wrenching sob that tore up her lungs.

"Your husband isn't back from farm yet but I believe he'd bring good news. Right now, you need to push out. Your child's birth should be a joyful sight in the eyes of the gods."

'Hmmmm. . .'

As if a bowling ball landed on her spine. The sweat drops from her face tickled into her ears, but Digi didn't mind wiping it off. Everything was useless right now. She hardly could feel herself on the bamboo bed where she laid.

The pain came in waves and she was in the middle of a contraction when a new one would start. All of her focus was on the pain. It was terrible, this was painful than Toni, her first child who is now very sick. She wasn't thinking about breathing or needing to go to the bathroom. All she wanted was to get the baby out and be free of these pains.

"You're doing great, Digi! I can feel her head already!" Iya Aduke cheered with joy laced in her voice, but right that minute, Digi couldn't hear any of them. It looked as if she was in another world. All she got was low-pitched echoes from the old woman.

She closed her bloodshot eyes to the pain once more. Digi tried to push, but all her effort come out as a painful groan. Her legs were wide apart and her eyes to the dried palm-leaves roofed to the red clayey hut.

"The head is already out! Just one more push! Puushh!!!" The elderly woman instructed.

Digi tightened up her lips and held her sweaty palms together in a fist.

"Hmmmmmm..."

Holding her breath and pushing like she was pushing her biggest poop out for 15 seconds at a time.

'Hmmmm!!!!'

The ripping of her insides poured out in just one push, and what followed was the cry of a baby.

'Waaaa! Waaaaaaaa!!!'

Iya Aduke looked at the baby with a smile before wrapping it up with a white, cottoned shawl.

"It's a baby girl." She announced to Digi but her cold eyes were wide open to the ceiling.

Then, Aduke gently cut off her placenta and checked on the mother. There was no sign of life left in her.

Looking back at the baby with sparks of hope in her eyes, she let out a fussy, repetitive cry as if he was rooting for breast milk, or probably hoping to feel the warmth of her mother.

Iya Aduke deepened her hand into a wooden calabash of water and wiped Digi's face with a piece of cloth.

She then closed her eyes and carried her crying baby.

"You saved your last breath for your daughter. "Too terrible. Death is so cruel."

Looking back at the baby in her arms, her tiny tongue gave a lip-smacking sound as she sucked her lips. The baby did this for a while, while the elderly woman watched. Then she fixed her little thumb into her mouth, sucking on it really fast.

Hidden tears split down Iya Aduke's sad eyes and a smile appeared on her lips. She walked to the corner of the room where Toni, a four-year-old boy, was lying asleep to see how he was faring.

"Toni! Wake up, you have a baby sister."

The silence of the room gave a bitter reply while she moved closer to check on him. Iya Aduke scrambled backward, trying her best not to scream out loud as her eyes met the lifeless stare of Toni's dead body before her.

'Not again... Indeed, we are truly cursed.' She let out a heavy sigh and deepened her hand into the clean water. The then trailed her fingers to the baby's forehead and wiped her head.

"Welcome to life, little one." She shivered at the coldness of the water and cooed silently. "Tonight, I pray you'd be a blessing to this household. I pray you would bring joy and pride to this townfolk. I pray the gods smile at you."

She stepped out of the dark hut to check what was happening outside the room. It was ghost silent, only the cry of crickets from afar interrupted. She watched as the moon cast long shadows against the earth. Iya Aduke raised her gaze to the crescent moon that hanged out like a silvery ball, hiding in the dark clouds.

Looking forward, her imaginary sight caught the flying bird. No, it wasn't a bird; it had the body of a reptile. 'What creature is that? Or am I just dreaming?' She frowned at the thought.

Her old eyes squinted at it, though. It was very far. Soon enough, she couldn't see it anywhere. She couldn't feel its presence. Looking at the direction of where it came from, she realized it might be from Ayo's farm.

Hearing the fire rustling from the distance, the clouds of smoke showed that his farm was definitely.... Burning. It was already midnight but, Iya Aduke let out a loud cry that woke the entire neighborhood.

It's been two years and almost all the families on Odo-Ara have wiped out. A big crowed city full of riches is now a small wretched one. And what happened to Ayodele Ketu–Same fate befell the prominent men within the town. And everyone wondered who would someday be the survival of the cursed. If of course, the gods pardon them.

18 Years Later. . .

Ifé.

The sun, like a Knight of light, set the sky darkened with its face ablaze. The view of Oyo Empire–A well enriched town ruled by 5 Giants is the capital territory, of Western part of Nigeria but, unfortunately, faces same fate as Odo-Ara. Mounted on an island, its bridge somewhere unknown, the city wall to the rest of the world.

It was moonrise to the full moon. The night-wind hit the air violently, while the birds cried in the sky. Unable to sleep. Unable to settle in their dusty nests. For most trees were dry and lifeless, while the others took the leafy ones down and burned into ashes in form of firewoods.

'Kraaaww! Kraaaww!! Kraaaaawww!!!'

'Craaaa! Craaaaa!! Craaaaaa!!!'

'Kraaaww! Kraaaww!! Kraaaaawww!!!'

The homeless birds croaked to the sound of vultures, ground hornbills, ravens, owls and bats mixed with the faint voices of people partying in the god's hall–Shrine. They were celebrating the tenth millennia since giants started ruling in Ife, Oyo-Ile. Ten millennia of their reign and tenure.

The low hum of melodious drum beatings filled the air. Rhythmic songs and dancing steps moved along with the chimes tingling that followed. Fire crackled in mighty calabashes hung on artistic stands and the rust chains that held them from edge to edge showed that the Yoruba people practiced a rich religion and also believed in it. They believed the Giants were godsent from the heavens and each of the Giants represented parts of the gods and deities who mediate between the creator and humanity.

They served as pillars between the heaven and Earth. Rothonyhr, Larike, Sosan and Ase seated in their Chambers sipping wine from their bronze goblets. With servants, filling their plates and cups with more food and wine. As it is, there was a big white curtain that separate the giant's chamber from the other part of the hall.

In the middle othe hall were the bàtá drummers and dancers glorifying the Yoruba culture and paying respects to the gods. Among the ladies who were dancing, some of which are young teenage girls while others, married women with bold tribal marks seated on their faces were all sold into slavery from different territories of Yorubaland, and used for entertainment.

With the music flowing in the background, a lady with big cowrie earrings grabbed a knife from the table of her master and held it behind the ears of the beer jug in her hand. Then, she handed it over to a charming man who hanged a drum over his shoulder. On him was simple adire trouser with white-clay markings on his body.

"Prince Yotifa, who exactly is the fifth god?" She started.

"You mean Tesse? I heard Ase killed her centuries ago out of jealousy that his brothers would keep her to themselves. Tesse–the goddess of love and fertility and Ase–the god of war and death are twin. She was the only female goddess. What do you expect?"

A smile appeared on both their faces as looked around with curiosity.

"They're all getting drunk." Asa whispered to prince Yotifa, who was walking right behind her.

"Get the girls into position and be careful."

"I'd be careful." She smiled as they parted ways.

Asa and some other girls dressed in beautiful adire attire followed her to the giant's chamber. They were all drunk and relaxed. The human servants carried large pots on their heads, filling the cups for the semi-gods. Asa watched as the servants did this with utmost care. Rothonyhr, the god of Fire and Thunder and Larike, the god of Ice and lightening grabbed a handful of slaves and cut out their heads. Throwing the bodies into the fire, Larike grabbed the human bodies and roasted them in the fire like skewered beef or rather, skewered human meat. All slaves die, anyway. The giant cared less and humans to them has no use, especially the slaves.

While dining, Ase took off his cap made of Mosaaji; the royal fabric that shines like the stars. Only the families of the king and high positioned chiefs were such luxurious clothing. However, Ase emptied his wine cup with the last gulp of wine and heaved out heavily.

"How unfortunate we are. How unfortunate it is. That despite all the glory, fame and riches. Despite all the respect earned from human race; as descendants of the gods, we have no partner. Doesn't that disturb you?" He flinched against the mighty goblets, which were tiny cups, in front of him.

The surrounding humans scattered. A couple of servants died with just that, while others survived through injury. The injured find their way out while the dead were roasted again.

"Yeah, but that's what makes us different, isn't it?" Larike replied, intoxicated.

Ase, instead of roasting the other slaves, his mighty fingers picked their body one after the other, while he sprinkled them into his wine.

"I feel guilty."

"You must, brother. It's been a millennium since killed you killed Tesse. Anyway, what is left of her is her spirit trapped outside this island. Let's hope ododuwa brings her back to us. Or send forth someone else to represent Oshun. You can ask your mother, Yemaya."

"She won't reply to me, Rothonyhr. She now sees me as an outcast. In my sleep she usually appears, but she doesn't listen to my words. I know I have step-backs, but..."

"Exercise patient. She's your mother, after all. Little by little is how the pigs nose enters the yard. She'd soon give in to your plea." Rothonyhr lamented.

"Why don't you ask Shango, Osain or Orunla? They'll definitely hear you out."

"Who is closer to Oshun than my mother?"

Just then, Ase tilted a little towards one girl. She looked older than the rest.

"And who are you?" His guttural voice snapped.

The elderly woman spat into her palms. A quick burst of wind blew through as her voice echoed in the room.

"Burning fire from the heart of hunters and smiths. I summon all the Giants to sleep!"

She threw her arms to air and thick black clouds like smoke poured out of her.

Ase looked around vacantly, then turned back at Rothonyhr. They burst out into laughter. Only Larike and Sosan were asleep from the effect of the wine and its intoxication.

His hand wiped in her direction, but she clapped and vanished from his sight.

"Where's she? What's happening?" He asked Rothonyhr who looked around in a confused manner as well. As if searching for a tiny fly.

She appeared in the other corner of the room and did the same thing. But before she could clap and disappear again, Ase pinned her to the ground with his index finger.

"Magic doesn't work on Giants, wrench! Who sent you?!"

Ireti tried to free herself from Ase's grip but couldn't even move. She grunted painfully, as tears poured out of her eyes in regret. If these semi-gods had one rule, "No one escapes the giants."

And she knew something for sure. That he might end up eating her or brewing her like tea-leaves.

Rothonyhr looked closer while Ase held her up to see. Her fat legs swing helplessly as she looked up at them. Still hoping to get revenge. Ase had eaten all her children, her husband died in battle.

"She's Iretiola, an old witch." Yotifa introduced and dropped to his knees. "Please my Lord, I beg for mercy. Don't kill her."

"Why shouldn't?" He frowned at the plea.

"Because she might still me of use to you." Yotifa begged, in a bow.

"I don't need witches!"

"She is quite bold. Reminds me of Tesse." Rothonyhr cut in.

Ase rolled his eyes at his brother, still pissed. "That won't stop me from chewing her bones. She's of no use!"

"What if I keep her as my little toy. She's just an old witch, anyway." Rothonyhr suggested.

"Do you need more wine my Lord?" Prince Yotifa who was directing the other slaves, suddenly asked.

"No, it's enough! This little woman has made me lost interest!" He threw her down with no feeling. "And where is she from... This old witch?"

"She's one slave brought from Odo-Ara ten years ago."

"I don't need old witches in my chamber. Young and able men and women are enough." He instructed. "I don't need toys either."

His dark, gruesome eyes rolled at his bother.

"Okay, my lord." Yotifa bowed to Ase in full respect before pulling back.

Rasing his gaze, the room when pitch white. The sharp beam of light shot out from her right hand as she raised it above hear head like a lamp of liberty. Looking at it, Ase and Rothonyhr's eyes twitched and trembled. Not only the both of them, Sosan and Larike had the same experience as well.

As if being struck by lightning from above. They raised their eyes towards the light, unable to shout out to the electric shock. As if it took their voice, their powers, and their strength. The giant's faces froze to the extreme shock that took over them.

Meanwhile, the others buried their faces to the ground in fear. Suddenly, Iretiola dropped her hand and the eye-blinding light went off. The Giants dropped back to the ground, unconscious.

"What?" Yotifa raised his gaze to her. "What have you done?"

"We should drag their bodies into the prison before sunrise." She hissed at the prince, adjusting her clothes.

"I know we have a plan, but killing them isn't part of it? We've been through a lot. The gods would forsake us! You literally electrocuted them!"

"That was Plan B, my prince. Perhaps magic doesn't work on Giants. I had to come up with a back-up plan for all of us sake; for our safety." She held the golden egg in her hands and walked out of the chamber.

"Whatever, we don't have enough time. Okay guys, now, let's drag these bodies into the prison. They're temporarily asleep, not dead so, let's be snappy about it!" Yotifa instructed the other servants.

Immediately, the slaves tied thick, long ropes around their mighty legs and started pushing and pulling. About twenty men to one body.

With these going on in the giant's chamber, none of the settlers knew or had a clue. The indigenes were treated as Kings and chiefs, while the giants were the mouthpiece of the gods.

Facing the crowd, a group of men burst out into such boisterous laughter that that Iretiola and prince Yotifa felt irritated. The both of them realized how drunk most of the chiefs were. The only active ones were the slaves, out of which ninety percent of them were from Odo-Ara.

"What is the next plan, my prince?"

"I don't know for now, but there would be a bloodbath. Use your magic if necessary, but tonight, we'd be taking over Ifé. Are you ready?"

"I was born ready." A smirk spread across her chapped lips while her hand held the golden treasure to her side.

Translations

*Bàtá: The bàtá drumming, singing and dancing tradition of the Yorùbá has been described as one of the most prominent markers of pan-Yorùbá culture. Bàtá drummers' skills are closely associated with the old Yorùbá religion of Òrìṣà worship. In religious rites bàtá drummers recite the biographies and histories of the Òrìṣà and direct prayers to them.

*Adire: (Yoruba: tie and dye) textile is the indigo-dyed clothes made in southwestern Nigerian by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques.

*Oyo-Ile now called Oyo State. One out of the 36 States of Nigeria.

*Ifé: Capital of Oyo-Ile in the olden days.

Any more question, simply do a Google search on its meaning. Thanks for reading.

Most people would think the chiefs and royalties in Ilé Ife are strong and wise, but there's no way anyone could think that after seeing them burst into unrestrained laughter.

"I'm such a butterfingers! That's the third drink I've spilled today!" One royalty told his friends; then, a slave girl takes a rag to wipe it off. He teased her with his hand on her body, but the girl endured. Yotifa, who was watching them, took his gaze from the direction, disgusted.

"Where is Adara?" He asked the girl that came to join him.

"I don't know." She replied, her doe-like eyes searching the crowd. "She's definitely not among those dancing."

"Stop, you idiots!" The prince of Oyo-Ile raised his eyebrows and grinned. He was also in his young twenties, but he had so much power. Almost as equal as his dad, the king seating on his throne.

The dancers stopped right away at his command. He signalled they should all leave. Confused about why, the servants thought it might be because of his drunkenness. But that wouldn't stop them from executing their plan.

"Come here!" He signalled the woman leading the dance. She had brown aso-oke on, which brought out the glow in her chocolate skin. She had two tribal marks on each side of her cheek but it fitted her so well.

"What's your name?"

"Asake, my Lord." Her voice trembled.

"Beautiful. Move closer." He demanded.

Walking up to him, he grabbed her by the neck and aggressively planted a kiss on her lips. Even though she was older than him in age, the young lady dared not to fight. He could have her head cut off the next minute.

Watching this in shock, the other chiefs and indigenes from Oyo-Ile who were superior, bursted out into laughter. They cheered up their prince is this was something usual.

Disappointment stuck on the faces of other servants as they watched. With one rip, he tore off her blouse as Asake closed her eyes in tears, quivering. Unable to withstand any of their trauma, Asa walked towards them with the jug in her hands.

"More wine." She grabbed the Prince's head and splashed the whole jug to his face with the anger burning in her. He staggered, almost falling on his butt.

Watching her doing this. One of the Prince's guard, Itile grabbed Asa by the jaw and raised her up. He was an enormous man with scattered teeth. Itile gritted his teeth in anger and strangled Ase with his bare hands. She hit off his hand while he threw her against the mud-bricked wall.

Asa let out short cough as she raised her head up from the ground. Her hands lingered on her forehead and the next thing she noticed was blood dripping from her forehead.

"How dare you, careless bitch!" Itile grumbled at her.

The prince inspected her and recognised the fierceness in her honey brown eyes.

"And who are you?" He asked interestedly.

"Asa, daughter of Ayodele Ketu." She replied boldly.

"I don't know him."

She glared at him with a hateful look as they stared at each other.

"I think she'd be great in bed, your majesty." Itile suggested with a bright smile exposing his scattered teeth.

"Yeah, she would."

"What about more wines and some meat instead?" Yotifa interrupted the heated conversation.

"Asake, some more meat for the royals." He demanded.

Asake, whose head wrap had fallen, picked up and placed it on her chest to cover her exposed body. As she walked away, Itile rolled his eyes at her while the prince's eyes settled on Asa.

"Is she new here?"

"It's been ten years since her captivity, but it's her first time here." Yotifa explained briefly.

"What about the friendly slaves that usually serve us?"

"Some are sick, others died, my prince." Yotifa explained with seriousness in his eyes.

They used him as the head of slaves, but none of them imagined he is the prince of Odo-Ara and what his mission was. As for Asa, she was a mystique to the Prince's eyes.

"Arrange my bed. I'd love to spend the night with her." The prince smiled.

"Of course, my prince." Youtifa replied and pulled Asa by the arm. "Let's go."

Noticing her long legs, he longed to bed with her.

"I so want her." He hummed under his breath and nibbled on his lower lip, gently.

"You can marry her if you wish. You are the prince of this town after all." One of the seated chiefs suggested.

"Are you suggesting I take a second wife?"

"Kings do it. Why not a prince? You'd be sitting on the thrown a couple of years from now. You'd have to take in a second wife, anyway."

"Marrying her would make her a martyr to Odo-Ara descendants. Something might charm me to make her my queen, but I don't want to. I just can't wait to bed her for now." He cheered out with joy as they drank to it.

More servants entered with food and drinks. The girl with coal-lined lips and shuku braided hair walked to one of the drunk chiefs. He was already sleepy, but his hands held his empty cup forward for more wine. As she filled his cup, the chief held her hand and noticed tiny arrows fixed on her armlet.

His eyes widened immediately as he caught sight of it, but Shade jerked off immediately. Her coal-lined eyes focused on serving him. She filled his cup and watched him gulp down the content. Inebriated to its content, the chief fell off his stool and Shade moved forward to serve the others.

"Tonight feels like heaven. I never imagined we would be this close." Asa muttered to prince Yotifa.

"Whatever you do, be clever about it. Understood?"

She nodded at his warnings. "I know... but where is your sister?"

Yotifa stepped forwards, staring at the crowd. He still couldn't find Ajoke, anywhere. He couldn't help but to worry, for she was his only relative, alive. His eyes glittered at the effects of the burning lamps while he patiently waited.

Meanwhile, Ajoke was climbing downstairs with one chief. He has a shiny round head and a potbelly, but Ajoke finds her way to the sacred room, away from the main hall.

"Where are you going, dearest? You know that we shouldn't be down here. It's special for the gods and they-" His excited voice begged.

"Shh Shhh Shhhh... Don't worry about the gods, my Lord. It's only both of us here. You know what, take a breath and calm down-"

"Akerele." He introduced.

"Chief Akerele it is." She flashed him a beautiful smile as he stumbled closer.

"I think we needed privacy." She took off the scarf on her head and suddenly stabbed him in the stomach with two sharp knives.

"Ahh!" The chief coughed out blood on her face while he struggled. She took them out at once and stuck them to this chest, again.

The burning lamp in his hand fell off immediately. The poor man dropped to the ground, lifelessly while Ajoke wiped off the blood from her face.

With this, she looked at the death stare the chief gave, but all she felt was the passion to kill more of them. It's been ten years since they had invaded Odo-Ara and killed both her parents, the king and queen of the town. Thinking about this, Ajoke heard a quivering breath in the silence.

As if someone was behind her. As if someone was nearby. She could feel the invisible person. 'It's probably one guard,' she thought.

Ajoke tuned around, but couldn't find anyone.

Even if it's the spirit of the gods, Ajoke was ready to kill anyone that came her way. Climbing upstairs, she noticed another room and walked in. Her small eyes caught the man who had been peeping.

His eyes widened when he realized she had caught him. Trying to escape, he pushed her away and let out a thunderous cry. "Help me!"

Her blood boiled as she thought of what to do. But before he could run out of sight, Ajoke threw her knives at him and he fell down, dead. His face hit the ground, unconscious.

While these were happening, the high positioned royalties cried out in merriment. Some other women were mistreated, even the male servants.

"Take this." Asa secretly handed a knife over to lanre. A guy who was by almost all the royals in the room. He was terrified and timid, but of course, he wanted vengeance, too.

Lanre collected the knife and tucked it into his trouser.

"Be careful with that. You won't want to cut your dick off. " She warned and smiled.

"I'm prepared for anything." Lanre replied and joined her in laughter. Looking at how the drunk chiefs were maltreating the rest, his smile dropped.

"Why don't we execute them right away?" He asked with spite in his voice.

"We have to wait for a signal from prince Yotifa. Till then, just stick close." Asa whispered, and walked away.

Lanre exhaled heavily. He could feel his heart hammering at the plan. They've all prepared for months but now, it's finally time.

"Your sister is missing." Another slave, Lara, reported to yotifa. She was the youngest of them all. At least the youngest slave was alive.

Her father, who was the greatest Hunter in Odo-Ara, was murdered when the shiny knights of Oyo-Ile Army attacked their city. Then, Lara was only 5.

"I'm not waiting any longer." Yotifa hissed. "We don't have time now. Nobody should leave or enter the hall. We should attack in two minutes' time."

Lara walked away while other girls gently picked up the knives of the chiefs. As it is, they had it for protection, just in case. As the most powerful city in the whole of West Nigeria, no greater army had dared to attack. People from far and near knew it to be the best, yet... Nothing stopped prince Yotifa and his people from preparing for this. It was their escape plan, their chance for freedom.

With a sword Yotifa had secretly stolen in the warrior's weapon room, he was about to bring it out when someone hit the giant front door. All the servants looked up with startled faces.

The guards standing outside banged the door open and a young man in white mosaaji threw himself to the ground.

His crown dropped and rolled to the middle of the hall, as if he knew their plan. He raised his head to their serious faces and bursted out into a loud, chocky laughter. Prince Yotifa and the girls sensed they were bad people when they heard their demonic laugh in the hallways.