For those of you willing to Purchase the complete story of CORRIDOR OF HELL, you will have to give me time. This story is getting longer and even crazier than I thought, it's almost turning to a full season trilogy by how long I've gone and how the plot seem to be spinning uncontrollably by itself. (I'm sure my fellow writers can understand what I'm talking about).
As tempted as it seems that I satisfy my readers curiosity quickly, I feel I will be doing both my readers and the novel itself great injustice if it ends poorly like GAME OF THRONES.
So please, you guys need to be patient with me as I promise to make the complete novel worth your wait and money.
Love you all.

dawno2008:
Hi ghostwriter, it's been a while,and no updates,hope all is well?

Because you guys aren't encouraging a brother with buying my completed books. No free stuff this year. Only buyers of my books will henceforth have a taste of the FULL me. Thanks to those who have patronized me.
WhatsApp 09045956287
Email: lucidpublishers@gmail.com

Lakesc:
How much for the one

let's talk on whatsapp or send me an email.

Happy new year to you all lovers of ghostwritter and his works. My prayer for you all is that God will continue to enrich you in all sphere of your lives. And may you all live long enough to read more of my stories in good health and in abundance of wealth, and God should pls help me improve on my writing skills and remove every spirit of procrastination inside this 2022.
For those making enquiry on how to buy my completed books, all you need to do is send me a direct message to my business WhatsApp line. 09045946287 or my email lucidpublishers@gmail.com I will have it sent to you immediately after payment.
I really appreciate those that went far in encouraging me by buying my books and one who even paid in advance for my uncompleted book. God no go shame you. I swear.
Abeg make una patronize me, I will need money this year o. Make una help my ministry.

For those making enquiry on how to buy my completed books, all you need to do is send me a direct message to my business WhatsApp line. 09045946287 or my email lucidpublishers@gmail.com I will have it sent to you immediately after payment.
I really appreciate those that went far in encouraging me by buying my books and one who even paid in advance for my uncompleted book. God no go shame you. I swear.
Abeg make una patronize me, I will need money this year o. Make una help my ministry.

For those making enquiry on how to buy my completed books, all you need to do is send me a direct message to my business WhatsApp line. 09045956287 or my email lucidpublishers@gmail.com I will have it sent to you immediately after payment.
I really appreciate those that went far in encouraging me by buying my books and one who even paid in advance for my uncompleted book. God no go shame you. I swear.
Abeg make una patronize me, I will need money this year o. Make una help my ministry.

Thank you all for reading, you can buy and read more of my completed stories by contacting me on my WhatsApp line 09045956287 or email: lucidpublishers@gmail.com
Thanks for those that patronised me. God bless you.

Thank you all for reading, you can read more of my completed stories by contacting me on my WhatsApp line 09045956287 or email: lucidpublishers@gmail.com

If you wish to my completed stories: WhatsApp me on 09045956287
Email: lucidpublishers@gmail.com
Abeg help my ministry.

Happy new year to you all lovers of ghostwritter and his works. My prayer for you all is that God will continue to enrich you in all sphere of your lives. And may you all live long enough to read more of my stories in good health and in abundance of wealth, and God should pls help me improve on my writing skills and remove every spirit of procrastination inside this 2022.
For those making enquiry on how to buy my completed books, all you need to do is send me a direct message to my business WhatsApp line. 09045956287 or my email lucidpublishers@gmail.com I will have it sent to you immediately after payment.
I really appreciate those that went far in encouraging me by buying my books and one who even paid in advance for my uncompleted book. God no go shame you. I swear.
Abeg make una patronize me, I will need money this year o. Make una help my ministry.

Jaylynn:
I want to buy your story. How can I, Sir?

Send your WhatsApp number to lucidpublishers@gmail.com or you can just WhatsApp me directly on 09045956287 let's talk.

Merry Christmas to all of my Christian followers.
I pray that this season will be a turning point to greater things in our lives inshaAllah �

Azzarah wasn’t just an adventurous traveler, he was a wanted criminal in many cities and most especially in the Kingdom of Kai, his place of birth but was smart enough never to be caught due to his perfect disguise, he had travelled many kingdoms stealing anything of value all for pleasure which he believed life was full of. Azzarah believes the gods themselves had always favored and protected him from being caught in his dodgy ways, and he had always been conscious of that in all of his actions knowing full well he might get killed if not careful.
On one of his numerous voyages, he came across a man he had once known too well, Gadar was his name. Azzarah had known Gadar in one of his exploits in Egypt hoping to steal some valuables he had been hinted about. There he could tell Gadar was a shrewd man and when both men had suddenly met on the voyage, he knew too well that he ought to be careful of such a man. He was careful with Gadar by portraying to him what he wanted him to believe of him, a well behaved adventurous traveler sober of his past life.
Gadar had spoken of his mission to him and he was willing to help him if Gaddar paid his price. The men agreed and search for Aidan, he listened with rapt attention as Aidan spoke to them, and he watched with keenness every attitude Gaddar unknowingly portrayed. Azzarah was conscientious in his attention to details, and he had to be meticulous in his act. For him, Gadar was too cunning to be trusted and Aidan was as well mendacious with her words, there was more to her either.

Before the night of the ritual, Azzarah ran away with most of Gadar’s valuables with intent to sell them off, he knew likewise that his life wasn’t safe knowing he was the only convenient alternative around for the ritual. He trusted no one but himself.
Gadar was furious to know he had been played, Azzarah had made him look foolish and that, he never liked. He promised to search and kill him when he is done with his mission. He had rode miles to kidnap an unsuspected traveler whose soul was the key to veil leading to the corridor of hell.

That night while Gadar sat next to Aidan to watch over her body as her spirit journeyed away in search of the secret of destroying the daughters of death, he heard her mumbling, he heard her mumbled names of object and materials, he also heard her speak of her deep hidden intentions. He was surprised. Gadar was astonished. Quickly, he drew out a scroll and inked every word he heard and forged his own plan upon it.
While Aidan was back to her conscious state, she revealed to Gadar what she saw and told him only what she thought he needed to know. Gadar appeared to believing her, but then he was certain that there was more to her that she revealed.
The two had parted ways with the plan that Aidan destroys the Daughters of death through an idea suggested by Gadar, an idea into making Baruu destroy itself from within by letting them think their weapon would be their threat…. Gadar had carefully drafted it all putting it to Adian to act. Adian in return would be wealthy, acknowledged and made immortal by Egypt.

Gadar was in no way fooled by the mere words of the witch, he knew too well to be fooled by the words from those he choose to trust, not after what Azzarah had done. As Gadar journeyed back to Egypt, he thought of a suitable strategy to effecting his plan, he won’t be cheated the second time not by a witch, never. As he was riding pass a small village, he saw a small crowd of villagers gathered around a young men, they had beaten him, his body bruised and eyes swollen. Gadar was mindless of neither the crowd nor the young victim; he rode passed with mind filled with more important thought to achieving his aim. Suddenly, something came to mind, he turned back and rode towards the crowd, he got off his horse to enquire what had happened and he was made known that the young man was a thief who had stolen food from a trader. Gadar pleaded that the young man be freed to him but the crowd refused only if he would pay for what he had stolen, Gadar paid double the fees charged and rode away with the young man whose name was later known to be Tak…Tak the eleventh son of Nahak.
Tak wasn’t a son of Nahak but rather the only bastard son after Nahak’s tenth sons. He was never claimed by Nahak as a son but a bastard, a product of unlawful sexual lust. Tak took to waywardness, he stole, and pick pocketed, lied just to survive each day. Tak felt he was smart and could never be caught, but he was caught and beaten but was eventually saved by a stranger who introduced himself as lord Gadar.
Tak and Lord Gadar had stopped by the bank of a river to rest and there they talked. Tak was promised wealth and comfort by Gadar if he can in return carry out an assignment. Tak was to go to Baruu, blend with the people and observant, he wants him to be his eyes and ears, to see and hear whatever Aidan the witch does in the kingdom when she comes. Tak had done as instructed, he had followed Aidan as she walked through the market square and he listened to her speak, and he had even asked her question from among the crowd about her powers when he felt everyone seemed to doubt her. Tak had watched as Zendaya and the Daughters of Death were tortured, he watched from amidst the crowd how the victims fell unconscious and was smart enough to had followed Aidan and the six hefty men who carried the bodies of the girls' out of the city unseen. He had followed into the forest and few times Aidan suspected someone or something following, she would look back but see nothing. Tak was quick to hide behind the woods. He would hear Aidan’s quirking voice urging the six men to move faster as she follows liked she was scared of something to come. At last Aidan and the men stopped at the front of a huge rock. Tak wondered what was to happen but was shocked moments later to see the rock mysteriously opened as she shouted strange incantations to the air. Tak watched with fear the mystery before his eyes and even more terrified to see Aidan mysteriously killed the six hefty men so swiftly. Tak came out of hiding when he saw Aidan transform into an Eagle which flew into the sky. He carefully came out of hiding, walked up to the front of the rock that now holds the daughters of death, touching it with utmost caution, he noticed the rock looked so sealed up like nothing was in it, he tried cracking the rock with a stone but nothing cracked. Tak walked back towards Baruu to go get his things before heading to Egypt as planned, his job was done. But as he was about reaching Baruu’s mighty gate, a man dashed out through the gate running far away into the forest as he kept screaming. Tak couldn’t see clearly who he was; he concluded it must be a mad man going by how fast he ran and screamed.

As he entered the city, Tak was surprise to see everywhere unguarded, and soon realized every man, woman and child had turned into a statue of gold. Tak ran out of the city gate screaming like a mad man also.
*

Azzarah rode into the kingdom of Baruu through it mighty gates, selling his stolen items to disguise himself as a trader, he had for long been wanted in Baruu for theft and if caught, he will be killed. As an experienced gambler, Azzarah took his chances as usual, he thought Egypt would come for war, he was almost certain of its invasion ones the daughters of death had been captured, he knew Gadar and Aidan must have come up with an idea to destroy Baruu. He waited for war to invade Baruu so he can steal plenty valuables as booty, disguise and run away but as the days passed he felt disappointed, disappointed to see nothing of such but was skeptical to see Aidan show up and had tried convincing the people against Zendaya and the daughters of death, it took him no time in figuring-out what was about to happen, he lingered around Baruu hoping for war to come soonest. At last, Baruu finally destroyed itself as expected. Azzarah watched, he was careful and treaded with caution, predicting correctly what move Aidan was to make. He wasn’t surprise when Zendaya and the daughters of death were captured and were being tortured; he knew it had been well planned by Gadar. He respected him for that. He knew it was the easiest way to destroy any powerful kingdom… you destroy them from within by using themselves against themselves.

Azzarah was in the midst of the jubilant crowd, he saw them all chanting for joy at the downfall of their ruler and protectors. One after the other they had killed their protectors and he knew they would soon be vulnerable to attacks from rivalry kingdoms. He saw how foolish they were. Later, he saw Aidan and six other men walking out from the city gate carrying the daughters of death. Then he was sure there was more to Aidan’s mission to Baruu. His curiosity took the best of him so he followed but was surprised to see another young man ahead of him suspiciously following, he assumed there was more to what he had thought and that made him followed closely and unseen.
__________
Moments later, Azzarah from reasonable distance saw the young man hitting a rock with a stone repeatedly like he aims to crack it open but couldn’t. The young man had passed by him hurriedly going back towards the direction he came from. Azzarah had hidden himself carefully not to be seen, he waited for the young man to be off sight before he slowly came out from hiding and walked towards the rock, he looked at it carefully hoping to find a crack but there wasn’t any. He hid himself in the forest all through that night hoping Aidan or the young man would be back, but he saw no one all through the night and decided to go back to Baruu the next morning, he was shocked by what he saw, an entire city turned gold. Azzarah been a lover of gold was canny enough to keep-off from cursed property, every gold shined so bright and attractive to the eyes, he knows when an opportunity is too good to be true and he was certain that was one. Azzarah knew Baruu had been punished for what they had done, they had betrayed death and had suffered greatly for it with their lives, he knew death had turned them all to gold as an eternal warning and lesson to other kingdoms as a reminder for the punishment of betrayal.

**


Azzarah was back to the rock, he slept beside it and ate from fruits in the forest, he was determined to see who comes back for the rock, he knew for sure Aidan would be back for the rock, and he wishes to wait for her. His perseverance paid-off after many days of waiting in the forest. One night while the moon was bright, he was sleeping with his back resting on the rock while he heard stepping of horses coming towards him, he rushed into the bush near-by and hides himself, he saw the young man who he had earlier seen and was more surprised to see Gadar following. The two men spoke inaudibly as he watches from hidden distance. Moments later, he saw Gadar dip a short dagger into the young man’s throat and had even gone further to stab him trice on his chest, he saw Gadar was unremorseful and must have seen him grinned satisfactorily as he stood above him uttering inaudible words.

Azzarah was so much terrified to see Gadar go further in using a cutlass in tearing the corpse of the young man into pieces. He had thought of hitting Gadar with a stone then but thought better of it by waiting to see what he was up to. So, he waited patiently for the perfect time as he watched furiously in his hiding. The perfect time came when Azzarah from his hiding saw Gadar fully turned his back at him to face the rock, he had earlier seen him poured various things into the fire and had rubbed it ashes on the rock, he saw him try enchanting the rock with incantation as the wind blew and the atmosphere was electrified with thunderous strikes.
Slowly and carefully, Azzarah moved forward in anger and despise for Gadar and quickly picked up the dagger beside Gadar to swiftly pushed it through his back, Gadar slowly turned in pain trying to reach for the stuck object with one of his hands but he couldn’t. Gadar surprised to see Azzarah, he groaned in pain, and slowly fell to his kneels as he kept trying to reach for the dagger tightly stuck behind him. Gadar was pointing to the rock with his other hand trying to say something but Azzarah was too furious and enraged to notice; he rose up a huge stone and mercilessly hits it upon Gadar’s head. Gadar fell lifeless to the ground with a broken skull as blood gushed out of it.
Azzarah was still breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath when he heard something crack; he slowly turned to the rock, gazed at it, hoping it’s not what he thinks. Slowly, the rock cracked heavily, fully exposing the creatures it had harbored. Azzarah carefully moved forward to have a clearer look; he watched with disbelief the once mighty daughters of Death lying still within a specious confine of the cracked rock. The light from the full moon had made him realize the three bodies were motionless and he doubted if they were alive but he wouldn’t dare risk his life to confirm. As he stood there thinking of what to do, he heard a sound behind him, it was a threatening growl, he turned around and realize it was a snarl of a beast with it glowing eyes directly at him. Shocked and trembling, Azzarah watched as the huge black hairy wolf gentle padded out from within leafs into the open reflection of the moon. Azzarah had no tool on him, he saw the dagger stacked to Gadar’s back and not too far was also a bloody machete but he realized it would be disastrous and foolish of him to make any confrontational move against such a beast. It snarled more aggressively at him with its body extended, back arched and tail vibrating , Azzarah knew he was done for, it was over for him, he stood still like an erected wood waiting to be pounced upon when suddenly a gentle wind blew from within the cracked rock where the daughters of death laid still into the open air. The Wolf fearfully pushed back, whining as it had its tail tucked between legs; it dashed back in hurry into the forest. Azzarah turned to the rock, closely looked at the unconscious creatures in it and try to figure out what just happened but he couldn’t and after a while, he decided to do what he had to do.

***

DebbieSylvex:
I do not understand this last part@ghostwriter

My dear, that is expected as I myself almost got lost and frustrated while writing it. But be rest assured that the next update will fill you in.

CHAPTER SEVEN

TALES OF THREE THIEVES


Memphis: Egypt
3114 BC (FIVE THOUSAND AND A HUNDRED YEARS AGO)
______________
The city gate was swung open to a man who hurriedly rode in on his horse, he had news for the King, good news but the strangest of it. The palace door was opened to him by guards; he saw the Pharaoh was with his chief adviser.
“He said it’s urgent my Lord” the guard bowed to Pharaoh
“You can leave” Pharaoh ordered and turned to the man who looked all dusty, scared and eager to speak.
“So what news have you for my Lord?” The adviser enquired hastily and with hostile tone like the man had intruded an Important discussion.
“Long live Pharaoh!” the man knelt and bowed his head to the feet of Pharaoh “I’m Tak the eleventh son of Nahak from the descendant of Abraham, I bring strange news my Lord which is of important to you and your Kingdom and others around.
“Speak of it and let thy tongue and heart hide no truth from my Lord’s hearing” Gadar a close adviser to the Pharaoh barked more harshly looking aggressively and impatient.
“Four days ago I had Sheppard my flocks down the hills to the path leading to Baruu” Tak nervously began.
“Baruu?” Gadar barked in enquiry.
“Yes my Lord” Tak replied with his head still bowed to the ground.
“So what happened?” Pharaoh calmly asked as he hopes Baruu’s army aren’t on their way yet matching towards Egypt for war, he feared the worst.
“I saw dead animals everywhere, birds, sheep, cattle…even rats all dead on my path”
“And so what happened son of Nahak?...speak!” Gadar barked again impatiently
“The forest was empty, everything was dead, even the leafs and trees had dried up, all the trees on the way to Baruu from upon the mighty hills of Nokot were lifeless”
“Liar, you are a drunk…for your words bear no truth. That is impossible” jumped in Gadar
“I swear by the God of Abraham that I saw it”
“Gadar, let the man speak” Pharaoh gently cautioned eager to hear what message the man would reveal “How many of them?...how many soldiers followed the daughters of death?” Pharaoh wishes to know before hand so as to get his army prepared and send message to other neighboring kingdoms who had earlier pledged their allegiance to him.
“I saw no man, none of them my lord”
“So what happened?” asked Pharaoh now more curious.
“I had then Sheppard my flocks down to Baruu to meet my brothers and tell what I had seen on my journey but the city had turned grave, a city of statue, every human had turned into gold, they were lifeless, nobody alive, I had to quickly come inform you of it.
“Guards!!” Gadar ordered and two guards walked in “I’m sure that my Lord would want you to get this drunkard out of his presence”. Pointing to Tak who was already shivering in great fear.
Pharaoh watched speechlessly and disappointed as Tak was dragged out of the palace and ordered to be thrown in prison. He ordered that chariots and reasonable numbers of soldiers immediately journey through every route leading to Baruu to spy upon intending invasion.
The journey had taken three days and three nights, the Egyptian army saw it all, they walked unchallenged into Baruu’s guard-less gate and saw in every houses and rooms pure gold in human form. They saw in every statue an unknown fear and horror as they searched for possible live.
“The gods had turned our enemies to wealth” one of the army laughed as he laid his hands on one of the gold statue. Immediately, all his body turned into gold. Every Egyptian soldier drew their sword at alert ready to attack whatever unseen force was around, they all stood ready back-to-back for confrontation.
“My daughters!” a harsh voice whispered from everywhere causing pain to the men, they dropped their swords and shield to quickly place their hands to their ears.
“This city is cursed and haunted…Run!!” the commander realized and immediately everybody started running out through the city gate but it was too late for many who were not so fast to get pass the walls, they slowly turned gold with their hands stretching towards the city gate hoping for the vain. Only three made it out with strange tales to tell.

**

Egypt and other kingdoms around it were free and so was Tak freed from prison. Gadar the chief adviser to Pharaoh had heard about what had happened to the army, he enquired from the three soldiers who survived and realized Zendaya and the daughters of death were not seen in the palace. Gadar then called for the attention of Tak in private when he saw him ready to leave Egypt after been rewarded for the information he’d rendered.
“I want you to do something for me” Gadar calmly said as he gently tapped the young man on his back.
“What is that my Lord?” Tak asked naïve.
“Ride with me, I want you to ride with me back to Baruu” Gadar whispered in hush tone careful not to be heard by anyone else.
Surprised “But that land had been cursed, I heard the city is now haunted” Tak said as he shook his head to the idea.
“Shuu!!...keep your voice down”
“My lord, I do not mean to be rude, but what have you to gain in the cursed land” the young Tak enquired
“You just follow me and I will reward you so richly. Will you?” Gadar promised and smiled when the young man nodding in affirmation.

*
Before sunrise the next morning, Gadar disguised himself looking like a city commoner, he found his way out of Egypt’s gate in company of young Tak. They rode on separate horses and avoided major routes so as not to be seen. It was what Gadar wanted, a secret journey.
The journey took three days and four nights and finally they halted around a huge rock behind the mighty walls of Baruu, there were six dead bodies around of it.
“Here it is my Lord” Tak said pointing to the rock that serves as a door to a cave in front of him.
Gadar quickly came down from his horse, walked around the rock like he was inspecting it, he looked at the dead bodied around and laughed, he looked so pleased with what he’d seen.
“And the witch?” Gadar asked Tak
“She flew away up west” he replied pointing to the sky
Gadar appeared thoughtful as he looked up to the sky like he intends verifying Tak’s claim.
“What else did you see... tell me, or what did you hear? I promise to pay you more” Gadar asked slowly walking back to Tak
“Nothing my Lord, I had told you all I had seen, I swear” Young Tak spoke timidly.
“Are you sure?” Gadar asked looking at Tak suspiciously.
“Yes my Lord, that was all I saw”
“Good”
Gadar pulled out a dagger and swiftly pushed it into Tak’s throat, Gadar held him back from falling to stab him three more on his chest. Tak fell to the ground upon Gadar’s feet and quickly bled to death.
“Tak…son of Nahak, that is your reward” Gadar said conclusively staring down at the dead Tak
______________
The Kings can rule, army can go on fighting the wars and citizens defending what is left of them but While Baruu was conquering the world, other’s were conquering their hopelessness through the search for hope in places that seemed hopeless. Zendaya might have been a tyrant to the world but never to his people, he used his power on other kingdom to build Baruu into civilization of its own era. As long as the daughters of death lives, defeat was inevitable upon other kingdoms, it was all a question of when. And only the smart ones knew this.
Gadar, one of the council elders and the chief adviser to Pharaoh had all his life falling to the service of Pharaoh his cousin who had since birth ruled Egypt. Gadar had given the best of his years through advice to his cousin and in turn received bounty favors.
As the year slowly passes, so was Gadar’s ego rising. He felt he had made Egypt what it was through his advices and deserved more. Even though he had been careful in keeping check of his ego, he sometimes reveals it unconsciously through open arguments with pharaoh. Gadar a very smart and canny man thought higher of himself which he tries not to make obvious. He had always thought himself the smartest of his generation and felt Egypt was too luck to have him with little in return.
When the war rises and began to spread, he felt challenged and his smartness was put to the test when pharaoh was in great need for victory against Baruu. Gadar thought if Zandaya could have gone in search for the daughters of Death then it was in his place to search even further for the perfect weapon in destroying then. He journeyed all alone half across the world, kingdoms to kingdoms, hills to mountains, riding upon lands and seas, paying greatly for every knowledge about the daughters of death he comes across, he meet magicians, sorcerers, soothsayers, witches and wizards of all sought but all feared the mere mention ‘daughters of death’ urging him that any kingdom that wishes to survive must surrender and pledge it loyalty to Baruu. Gadar had so many times felt disappointed, he wouldn’t allow Egypt bow to a once lesser kingdom and wouldn’t go back to Egypt till he finds the perfect weapon to destroying the girls.
____________________
Days passed, months passed and he wallowed in his disappointment but still determined in fulfilling his aim. One sunny afternoon, he came across an adventurous traveler by the name Azzarah, both men had met on a voyage, they talked at length and became friends. Gadar realized Azzarah was as smart and knowledgeable as he is, both men were of same age and had so many things in common. While Gadar was in search for power to conquering his enemies, Azzarah was searching for adventure in conquering his miserable past, he wanted to pass through life and see for himself what it is, he wanted inner contentment. Gadar informed his new friend of his mission and Azzarah swore he knows one person who created daughters of death, he told of how he heard people spoke of her in one the voyage he once boarded.
Immediately, Gadar set off with Azzarah after being assured of great reward for his service. Azzarah was more delighted for being paid for what he loves doing. Both men journeyed for days and finally got to a place they ought to find ‘Aidan’, Aidan was the name Azzarah had them called her. It was a cave in the middle of dead woods. In it was a woman looking old and haggard who’d welcomed them.
Gadar was extremely delighted as Aidan told of how she helped summoned death itself to the request of Zendaya, he told him how it happened that day, Aidan felt pained and cheated ever since for being abandoned by the ungrateful Zendaya who’d left her for dead, she had wanted to take revenge but realized that the power Zendaya wielded was far powerful than hers. Zendaya had always used the daughters of death as his shield, she could see it.
Gadar promised Aidan of her getting her revenge, he promised to help her destroy Zendaya if only she will help him summon a greater power capable of destroying the daughters of death. Aidan warned against it, she warned knowing Death was too powerful and far too dangerous to be summoned twice but suggested it is possible to tap through the portal that leads to the corridor of hell. Aidan explained that the corridor of hell was the link between life and death, a place where the dead summons the living and the living summons the dead, a place where souls are traded for wealth, power and knowledge. A place that holds the secret of all life and death, a place that hoards the ultimate scream of fear and horror. Aidan hopes to break the veil leading to the portal, she would tap through it in finding the secret to death but in doing so, a human life must be dragged along as a key to the passage through the veil.
Unknown to Azzarah, Gadar had made further promises to Aidan that he would instruct Pharaoh to erect a mighty statue in her honor which would be worshiped by all Egyptians, and also grant her wealth as Gadar planned on using Azzarah’s life as the key to the veil knowing too well that Azzarah had known too much of him to be let loose, a chance he never likes taken and obviously the last alternatives around the deserted place.
Unknown to Gadar either, Aidan wasn’t so much angry for the betrayal of Zendaya that she earlier made Gadar and Azzarah believed but rather she was jealous and envious of the power wielded by him, she wishes to have the daughters of death at her disposal. She wanted power and power she must get. She planned to hide the bodies of the girls somewhere enclosed for a long time so as to weaken their powers and come back to awaken them for a new reign.
And unknown to Gadar and Aidan, Azzarah had his own plan, he was nowhere to be found on the day scheduled for the ritual. He was gone, gone with all of Gadar’s valuables.
Gadar was furious on realizing, furious not for his stolen valuables but furious for being outsmarted, he felt unbelievably foolish; he had trusted a thief all along and had been played by the smarter one. He promised himself of searching and killing Azzarah when he ever sets eyes on him. Gadar kidnapped a woman whose life was dragged along with Aidan’s sacrifice to reaching the portal to the corridor of hell.
Aidan was unconscious for hours while Gadar watched over her all through the ritual. Aidan mumbled in her unconscious state, mumbling of things she shouldn’t. Gadar listened carefully as he sat besides her nodding to the unbelievable realization.
*

Gadar pulled out a dagger and swiftly pushed it into Tak’s throat, Gadar held him back from falling to stab him three more on his chest. Tak fell to the ground upon Gadar’s feet and slowly bled to death.
“Tak…son of Nahak, that is your reward” Gadar said conclusively staring down at the lifeless body of Tak.
Gadar carelessly dragged Tak’s body closer to the rock, his blood, flesh and bone are all part of the magical ingredients he would be needing for the ritual. Gadar mercilessly butchered Tak’s corpse into piece and burnt it up with some feather of a phoenix, eyes of a snake, a dried-up skull of a virgin girl and a drop of his own blood. He had well prepared for this day to come when he would live to rule the world through the powers that dwells within the rock.
He rubbed part of the rock with the ashes of the burnt ingredient, be pulled out a scroll to recite what was inscribed upon it. Gadar anxiously screamed out the strange incantations stretching out his hand to the air, slowly the wind blew and the thunder struck. The atmosphere was electrifying, Gadar was certain things are in motion, he seemed certain that soon the world was about to fall under his power.
All of a sudden, Gadar felt a sharp excruciating pain as an object pieced through his back, certain it was a dagger, his own dagger. Gadar turned slowly to see who it was, he gasped at the frame holding a bloody dagger behind him.

***

**

“Please tell me this isn’t true, or is it?” Sewa asked the two ladies sitting beside her hoping what she just heard was just a folktale and has got nothing to do with her or the girls.

Eva and Nana appeared confuse likewise, the trio appeared unsure what to make of the information in the dairy, they thought it more of a folklore, too mystical and supernatural to be true and they all made it known to one another.
“But my mother wouldn’t have insisted I read it through with you two if fabricated and besides, my mother wouldn’t lie” Nana said firmly trying to convince herself that the diary held something more important they’re missing.
“And how do I relate this to my present predicament? Can’t you see, this thing here…” Sewa pointing to the dairy on the bed “…I mean your mother’s dairy has got nothing to do with me”.
“You mean us” Eva added
“Okay, I mean us”
“wait girls, we need to calm down and try figure it out, why not let’s meet tomorrow and see what to make of it” Eva suggested, she stood up from the bed looking tired and realizing how late they’d stayed awake, Sewa followed suit.
“You mean you girls are leaving?” Nana was surprise, not sure she’d want them to leave, she’d enjoyed their company so much and desire that they stay the night. More so, she’d grown frightened with the story enough not wanting to be alone in the room through the night.
“Yes” Eva answered
“We lodged in a nearby hotel not too far from here” Sewa explained. The girls had arrived Ghana the previous day and lodged into separate rooms in a hotel not too far from Nana’s.
Nana urges they spend the night with her as she has got the entire house to herself that night “and we can even watch movies” she added pointing to the huge television screen on the wall of her room, she saw how the two girls looked hesitant of her request especially Eva who looked in haste to dash off but later agreed to stay the night.
Moments later, the girls happily slept side by side on the bed when a reality show came up to the television screen ‘KEEPING-UP WITH THE KARDASHIAN’. Nana had earlier given the girls her extra pygmies after they’d eaten and taken their bath.
“That’s my favorite show, I love how the girls are always there for one another” Sewa admitted in excitement pointing to the screen frantically as it’s been awhile she watched the show.
“I love Klohe more; you know she’s got a strong personality…right?” Nana asked as she rolled herself under the pink duvet.
“For me it’s Kim all the way, I love her style of fashion and her absorption of life as it comes her way” said Sewa.
Eva was disinterested with the girls talk or the show; she was engrossed with her thought. She couldn’t help but feel a connection to the event in the story. Many a time, she’d had weird dreams of being a great warlock, fought different battles in different dreams. And in all of it she would always wake to feel a strong connection to the weird character in the dream.
“Kourtney and Scott should just get over with being childish and marry, they’ve been together for…” Nana was saying when Eva interceded.
“Do you think your mother is right?” Eva asked thoughtfully. Nana and Sewa pause and looked at her while trying to make sense of her words.
“About what?” Nana asked not too sure if was about the diary.
“The events inside the dairy, I mean I still can’t bring myself to believe your mother had written all that for nothing, or had she?” she looked at the girls curiously like they had the answer.
“My concern is who are the three daughters of death and how are how are we related to them in anyway?” Sewa enquired before she gulped her bottle of water for the late night.
“I don’t think that’s possible, the daughters of death had been trapped…have you forgotten?” Nana said
“Girls please can we just talk about something else” Sewa had been uneasy with the story and had try sway the girls into discussing on the reality show which Nana likewise had gladly obliged as she was uncomfortable as well.
Nana to Eva “So what about your love life, any cute guy?”
“None,” Eva replied sharply not wanting to dwell on the new topic of sober memory “and you?” she consciously asked Nana in return.
“Yes, once had this guy who was all over me but we parted ways, he was then my everything, he had this strong arms, broad shoulders, athletic, dark and handsome but…” she paused and looked thoughtful before she continued “He left and never showed up till this moment” She lied and had promised to keep it that way forever. She framed a smile recollecting the tragic event that led to Ibrahim’s death and by the time she snapped into the moment Sewa and Eva had long slept.
Nana still awake in her restlessness ones again swiftly flipped through the dairy, she had a urge to probe further and hopes to find any link she’d got with the main characters in the diary
“What do you want me to see mother, what could have happened to the Daughters of Death…could they still be buried within the rock? Surely they must have died long ago” she sighed disappointed with no further source for answers. She threw the dairy on a table ahead of her but missed and fell to the floor faced open, she hesitantly crawled out of the duvet to pick it up when she noticed a small old business card beside it, it had been within the dairy for long, and she looked at it to see it was indeed a business card. ‘MARY-MARY CONSULTANCY’ was boldly written on the card with it address in Kanyakumari located in India. She wondered how a card from far India found its way into the dairy. She made a mental note to ask her father the next morning.
She flipped to the back of the card and saw a hand-written phrase on it which reads

‘SISTERS, FIND ME’

______
The Egyptian army with cold hands gripped their gelid swords and glittering spears under the ghostly moonlight and even as the wind screamed and splashed at their faces, the soldiers from Baruu could easily see the fear they held even from afar.
Swiftly, Baruu armies led by the beautiful but mysterious looking Shebaa, Sayaa and Sihonaa crashed upon their thousands Egyptian foes with deadly intent. The girls with their mysterious powers overwhelmed their opponents with so much mortality, Swayed and swamped above the Egyptians like corn in a field. Men were snarling and squealing as the ground became greasy with gore. And soon, the girls stood gallant upon the effluvium of death around. The battlefield had been baptized in blood and the bitter, mordant perfume of corpses emanated from it.
____

Eva, Sewa and Nana awoken almost the same time breathing heavily upon their nightmares, they were astonished to realize they’d had same dream of the battle scene where each took to a character like an avatar. They took turns to open up about their previous nightmares and they realized they’ve been having same nightmares at exact times. The trio concluded they were the daughters of Death in the diary but they couldn’t figure how it came to be. And while Eva and Sewa were figuring a possible means of way forward, Nana stretched the card she saw the night before. She had stood up to go get it from the dairy on the table.
“And what is this? I don’t understand” Eva looked at the card long enough but still unable to comprehend it relevance to the situation on ground.
Sewa collected the card likewise starred at it for awhile, and she looked disturbed realizing what it could mean.
“Where did you get it from?” Sewa turning to Nana
“Inside the dairy”
The other two stared at it long enough but yet couldn’t figure it relevance to them.
“Girls, I think there is someone in India we need to meet” Nana said.
The other girls stared blankly at each other wondering if such journey would worth it “Fine that’s it, you girls can go without me….” Sewa was reluctant to embark on another goose chase seeing how messed up her live had turned. She fear the journey could only reveal more horror about her which she isn’t ready for. Eva held such notion too but if the journey to india would reveal the mysteries surrounding her then she’s ready to go with Nana. Sewa picked up her things and was about to leave the room when she again stopped abrumptl by the door way. She realized she had nowhere else to go to if she goes back to Nigeria except her mother who she wasn’t sure knew who her husband really was or his where about, she even feared her mother could be an accomplice to the entire scheme all along, she burst into fresh tears at the thought of Raymond and what she’d caused him, at least he deserves a proper burial for what he was.
“Sewa this isn’t the time to cry, we need to think fast on what next to do” said Eva impatiently.
Sewa wiped off the tears and turned to the girls “Okay, let’s not jump into conclusion, India is too far a trip for mere speculation, I think we should ask your father if he knows about the card”
Good idea. Nana called her father.
About two hours later, Dr. Kofi was back home to come see his daughter’s friends she spoke of on phone, he couldn’t understand what his daughter had said on phone about the card they’d found so he promised to come see her. The girls had planned before his coming on hiding the truth from him and fabricate something reasonable and convincing.
“I know nothing of this” said Mr. Kofi after thoroughly inspecting the card. “It could only be for your late mother if truly it had been in that dairy.
“And did she ever spoke of anyone in India to you”?
“Not at all.

*

“I think your mum was trying to hide something from your dad and that begs the question why she didn’t tell him about the card,” Eva noted shortly Mr. Kofi was out.
“Maybe it’s all just a coincidence you know; maybe she got the card from one random friend of hers who might have resided in India long ago, what about that?” Sewa said trying to sound convincing.
“And what about the ‘sisters, find me’ phrase behind the card, it must mean something. I guess someone long knew about us” Eva noted.
It dawned on Nana that her mother could have confided in someone else, someone with her kind of power who could see far into the future and could help them.

But why India?

Desperately, she wishes to know what revelation India holds of her and the others, but even at that she fears more of the uncertainty behind the walls of their unknown.
“Girls, we must go to India!!” Nana sounded determined.
***

____________________



India: New Delhi

Yezir a stout man in his late fifty blared the car horn for the umpteenth time as he tries to maneuver his taxi out of the grid-lock, wondering if the rain would ever stop, he felt his day couldn’t be worse than this after he’d realized his screen-wiper had stopped working when he needed it most. His morning had been bad enough when his daughter Amrita made him know she is few months pregnant under his own roof for a German boy. And while he was trying to figure how to handle the situation his old mother had called sick as usual, she had battled sickle-cell all her life with the help of Yezir who had supported with his little earnings.
“Move, get out!!” Yezir angrily yelled at an old man who was sluggishly pushing his loaded cart in front of his taxi, he would frequently use his hand to wipe away water off the wind-screen. He accelerated a little further but again stopped, he watched as many tricycle also tried maneuvering their way into the already existing grid-lock. He peeped through the rear mirror to see how his passengers were fairing. He concluded they must be tourists on seeing their outfit and how they acted enthusiastically to everything they saw.
“I see you ladies like India” Yezir said as he still had his eyes on the rear mirror.
He loves to make his passengers happy, comfortable, and most of all he wanted a distraction from his worries.
“Yes, it’s a different world here” Nana replied as she turned to the cheerful looking driver “Are you Indian?” she enquired
“No. Me Palestine”
“So you live in India?”
“Yes, India peace. Palestine war”
He blared further once again clearing more pedestrian and cars off his path while he pushes calculatedly through the grid-lock “And you, where are you from?”
“Ghana”
“Aaah!” he seemed amazed for a second “Your team, the black moon of Ghana. Good team, good team!”
“You mean the Black Stars of Ghana?” Nana asked hoping to correct him”
“What!”
“I mean the football team, it’s the Black stars and not black moon”
“I’m sorry!” he apologized and concentrated on the road for a while, now the rain was heavier and without his screen-wiper he could barely see what was happening ahead. Ones in a while, he peeped to see ahead through the side door enduring the wet splash to his head. He stole a glance to the rear mirror ones more; he saw how beautiful the three ladies appeared. He concluded they were the most beautiful set of people to have ever boarded his taxi in the past twenty-three years of his career.
“And you madam, from Ghana?” he spoke to the rear mirror as he had his eyes on Sewa who sat between the girls.
“I’m from Nigeria”
“Good!!” he nodded his head like he concord with her, he didn’t want to go any further with questions but thought he might appear boring to his beautiful passengers.
“Nigeria…in South Africa, right?” seriously hoping he wasn’t wrong this time.
The three girls busted into laughter, they laughed at his wrong answer and obviously his strange accent for ‘South-Africa’ which sounded more of ‘Salt-Afrinka’. Yezir looked disappointed realizing his lack of knowledge in so many field due to his lack of education and poor background which had made him seem foolish to various enlightened passenger when he tries to get them engaged.
“And your name ones again?” Eva asked as she tries to control herself from laughing any further.
“Yezir…Yezir ibn Adeeb”
“Mister Yezir, Nigeria is in West-Africa and if you hope asking where I’m from, I’m from the United state of America, Texas to be precise”
“Three of you from three place?” Yezir indicating with three fingers as he tries turning his head backward. “Are you friends?” he enquired further hoping for the affirmation.
“No… we are sisters” Sewa replied.
“You mean sister-sister, like sisters from plenty mother and one father?” he looked surprised as he indicated with one finger.
“No mister Yezir, same father same mother but were given birth to in different countries” Nana tries to play along.
He gasped “I don’t belief you” said Yezir after looking closely into the rear mirror. He rolled down the glass to the side door and pushed his head through it ones again as the rain kept pouring harder.
“We look facially different because of the weather in our various place of birth” Eva said after realizing Yezir had noticed the complexions.
Yezir looked himself up at the side mirror thinking his twenty-five years stay in India should have him look like a true Indian he desires.
Still confuse but admitted after all. “Aaah!, I see now… you remember me of a story”
“And what story is that mister Yezir?” asked Eva
“It is a long time ago story, my mother tell me when I am small, she also say her mother tell her, but now I don’t even remember the story very well again…”

He saw he had disappointed his passengers who had looked eager through the rear mirror to listen to his story he himself wouldn’t belief, how stupid would he sound like telling three beautiful and enlightened passengers of how once three powerfully possessed women had once lived in three different parts of the world and how they manifested all sought of supernatural powers the world never imaged exist.
“Wallahi!” he swore knowing he is been doubted.
Yezir would have told the story to any other passenger who would not make him feel foolish and ignorant or less enlightened but he feared the girls would be delighted to make a fool out of him and that he wasn’t ready for. Besides, how would he have pronounced some of the names of people, place and important things in the story? Truly, he could barely remember how the event in the story had linked to each other and most importantly, how it ended.
“Aaaah!, at last we are free” Yezir sighed heavily seeing the road ahead of him, he was out of grid-lock, he pressed on the accelerator of his taxi which was now heading directly towards Kanyakumari.

______

I'm really surprise as no one has yet castigated me or say 'we talk am, d idiot no go finish the story'. I've been distracted by some real life shit lately causing me alot of psychological imbalance. I appreciate you all for your patience.
I will find the time this weekend to update. Love you.

CHAPTER SIX

THE CITY OF DEATH'S GOLD

___________

On the seventh day, twenty-one rulers across Kingdoms gathered in the council hall of Egypt to deliberate on the growing concern on how best to destroy Baruu.
“Let’s poison their water sources” ruler Rinachi of Truki offered.
“Let’s all join forces and strike them off guard in the middle of the night” another suggestion offered by the ruler of Gazara.
“We should bring together our powerful magicians and socrers to curse Baruu with plagues of all kinds”
“I think we should bribe their guards with plenty of rewards, lure them to our side and when we are done defeating Baruu, we kill them all”. Another ruler suggested.
The ruler of Egypt sighed in disappointment as it appeared all the ideas suggested had been implemented in the past and all of it had failed woefully, Baruu had always been steps ahead of any of it opponent’s moves due to the help from Zendaya’s three daughters who had the power to foresee the future.

“You’re all ignorant, like little boys you’ve merely gathered to play with fire and you shall be burnt if you dare touch it” a voice from a woman was heard as she slowly walks into the hall using a long black stick, she appeared haggard in her wears, looking frail with youthful twinkle in her eyes as one might expect of a grand witch.
Eyes locked surprisingly at the stunt frame of an old woman who’d suddenly appeared in their midst.
“Who are you?” Lord Pharaoh inquired “How did you get pass the guards outside?” he probed further and beckoned to the guards behind him to get her out.
“You are asking the wrong questions”, she said then paused for a while as she watches two guards aggressively walking up to her with intent to kick her out of the hall, the guards vanished into thin air as they touched her. The men in the hall pushed back in awe.
The strange woman laughed eccentrically and suddenly paused to look into everyone’s eyes. “Twelve days” she said.
“Twelve days for what?” Pharaoh asked puzzled.
“Give me twelve days and you shall hear no more of Baruu and the daughters of death…and when I’m back, you shall all pay my price” she hits her long walking stick to the ground and disappeared into thin air causing fear and commotion within the council of rulers.

**

The next afternoon inside the Kingdom of Baruu, the sun appeared to be at its peak and everyone seem to go about their prosperous businesses and jolly lifestyles, when suddenly a large black eagle flew into the city up above it gigantic wall meant to camp it citizens within. It flew into an isolated corner of the street and perched to the ground elegantly before taken into the shape of a human. Aidan the grand Sorceress limped out into the open streets in an air of proposed consciousness. She grinned when she sighted a concrete podium in the center of the market square. Fragile but carefully she made it to the top of the podium with no one paying her no attention.
“Citizens of Baruu, I sell you freedom!” her voice mysteriously echoed so loud that it captured everyone's attention in the market. Many had walked up to her and within a short period, she was the main center of attraction, ones again she grinned.
“Death knocks upon the city in a forth night…I see it” she informed.
Many mumbled away angrily blaming her insanity, the city guards had ignored her not surprised at another foolish talk.
“Zendaya and the daughters of death will crush you; Zendaya will conquer the world only for himself” she realized her words captured no one as everyone slowly drifted away. She angrily hits her staff to the ground and everything within the market instantly went silent, it was unusual of the busy market and everyone turned to face the fragile looking old woman who now had an angry frown on her. Aidan raised her hands up to the sky and made a circular pattern in the air as she chants in-distinctive words rapidly to herself, suddenly the space in front of her was unceremoniously filled with a large transparent bubble-like object. People wowed and ahhhed! in disbelief hoping it’s a magical show but feared it would soon be short lived as the guards forbids such sorcery under Lord Zendaya’s ruling. But not, even the guards stood watching.
Inside the bubble-like object which hanged midair right above Aidan appeared the exact image of Baruu as it people were attacked and struck down by the three daughters of death one after the other, the people watched in disbelief as they saw their exact images calling for help while Zendaya kept ordering the daughters of Death to kill them.
“How could this be? We thought he loved us” a woman from amongst the crowd protested angrily and people murmured in support filling betrayed.
“He will eventually have your souls to himself only when the time is right, he feeds you all with booties from his victories but you all are merely been fed to look healthy for sacrifice” she giggled to her own choice of words knowing she had manipulated them all into fear.
“But how do we stop them from killing us? The daughters of death are powerful, Help us!” a woman with a child cried out from amidst the crowd.
“Rub your bodies with ashes of an Oak tree, it will make you immune to their powers, attack them and when you finally grab them, bring them right here, the center of the market, I will tell you what next to do” She hits her staff to the ground to transform into a large black Eagle and flew into the sky before anyone could further ask question.
The small group of protesters from the market square informed others of all they’ve seen and heard, soon they were joined by many other till a protest enveloped every street of Baruu with the aggrieves . A revolt erupted with almost all citizens equipping themselves with dangerous weapons headed to the Palace, but they were suppressed by the heavy force of guards.
Zendaya got wind of the protest and ordered for the head of whoever instigated it but the person was nowhere to be found, the few people who spare headed the protest where beheaded in the presence of everyone within the same market square the next day as a warning from the king to the people.
Three days later and everything seemed to have gone back normal, Aidan the sorceress suddenly showed up in another part of the kingdom, this time she believes her words would easily provoke the citizens of Baruu, her plan was going as she’d hoped.
. “You all saw what happened to your brothers yesterday, Zendaya has begun, he is power-drunk, he will kill you all one by one and by the time we all try to attack, he will order his daughters to drain lives from us all . . . do you want that to happen?” Aidan asked.
“NO!” handful of crowd around her chanted in union,
“Then let me lead you all to battle, let me fight side-by-side with you all….and this day we will bring down Zendaya and the daughter’s of death”
Everyone cheered, feeling a sense of victory.
Like stone thrown into water, her words sank into their hearts, it gave them all courage and emotional strength to face their fears ones more, and they somehow believed the words of the stranger whom they thought had come to liberate them.
Aidan saw it was time to hit the nail on the head, time to ignite the fire of destruction in Baruu “Tonight will be the night” she continued her words and pulled up a fist as a show of strength “the day you will all take back your kingdom from the daughters of death, have yourselves all covered with the mixture of ashes of oak tree and blood of a virgin girl, that will make you invincible to the powers of the daughters of death and by that you capture them and leave me to the rest.
“Who are you and how do we trust your words this time?” a naïve looking man asked
“I am a messenger of the gods sent to save you from the doom that await you all if you doubt my words” She blew a powdery substance towards the crowd around her causing them heightened senses, she suddenly transformed into an eagle and flew away into the sky. Re-energized and reassured, the crowds were again convinced beyond doubt that truly the gods intend to save them from the evil plot of Zendaya and the daughters of death. Few loyalists to Zendaya were hunted down house to house. The people were all naked and their bodies covered with the mixture of ashes and blood as instructed. The revolt was fiercer as every strong and brave man and woman matched towards the palace; even the guards couldn’t hold them back as they eventually made their way into the palace after injuring and killing many guards. Zendaya was surprise to see his own people turn against him as he had been surrounded, he was made to watched as his loyal kinfolks and advisers were been slaughtered with sharp knifes through their throat one after the other.
“Who made you all do this to your own people?” Lord Zandaya asked looking around furiously; he wishes to know who led the revolt but no one talked. “Answer me you fools, I said who made you all do this to your kingdom?” He ordered shouting at everyone around but no one talked, the citizens all armed with weapons looked at one another not knowing what to say or do and then suddenly, a large eagle flew into the palace through the window and transformed into Aidan in midair before landing.
“You” Zendaya pointing at the familiar face in ahead of him, he continued “I thought you died that night”
Aidan majestically walked up to him “Almost, but here I stand today commanding you to hand over the girls to me, their power grows stronger day by day and they will soon destroy the entire world including Baruu, I had foreseen it” Aidan said.
It then dawned on the King that his people had only been lured by the old witch “You fools” Zendaya scanned across at the people all scattered in the palace, “she is a traitor and not me, she wants the girls for herself, can’t you all see?” he tried to warn but the people seemed determined and tend not to care, and so he stood up from his throne to summon Shebaa, Sayaa and Shironaa for protection by mere calling their names.

A strange wind blew across the palace when all of a sudden the three identical girls appeared from thin air to Zendaya’s defence but Aidan knew better when she quickly blew a handful of powdery substance upon the girls and instantly they collapsed to the surprise of everyone including Zendaya who seemed awed, everyone chanted in victory. Aidan grinned seeing as the event was going as she’d planned, she knew Zendaya would be tempted to summon the girls into his defense so she’d already had her palm filled with the ashes of an Oak tree jinxed with powerful spells. Everyone shouted in joy as they tortured, chained and dragged the King and the girls out in the middle of the market square. The once powerful girls seemed so vulnerable to the maltreatment. Their hands were cuffed to pillars and wiped several lashes to the amusement of everyone around for hours, the people of Baruu took pride seeing how they now have powers to themselves and the men satisfied knowing the girls have no more control upon them.
Aidan further instructed the people to rub mixtures of ashes and blood of a virgin girl on the girls one by one till the girls are drained off their super-powers; Delightfully, every man, woman and child in the kingdom dipped their hands into the bowl of mixed blood with ashes and rubbed it on the chained girls one after the other. Every touch on the girls caused them an excruciating pain, they screamed so loud that it made few women collapsed. Some men prevented the noise by hitting the girls with heavy objects and had their mouths covered. Few hours later, the girls were totally unconscious, they felt weak and drained of powers while Zendaya helplessly watched the girls from the corner of his swollen-bloody eyes as their bodies dangled uprightly.
“You will all regret this day for what you’ve done, woe upon you all!” Zendaya screamed in anger, still finding it hard to belief that the people whom he had scarifies many thing for had suddenly turned on him, fools!. A man hits Zendaya a blow with a stone to the back of his head making him fell unconscious instantly. The crowd cheered with joy on seeing that they all now have the power to control themselves without the tyrant Lord Zendaya and his daughters of death.
Later that evening, six hefty men under the instruction and supervision of Aidan the bodies of the three girls were secretly concealed deep into a caved rock. Their bodies were tightly bounded in ropes laced with ashes of an Oak tree and the blood of a virgin was sprinkled on their heads, an act aimed to suppress and trap the powerful spirits of the girls inside their bodies. As soon as the deed was done and the six men turned to leave, Aidan called back the men and jinxed them with a deadly spell, they immediately fell to the ground dead.
“Fools” she cursed as she hit her walking stick to the ground and transformed into an eagle, dived upwards into the sky and flew towards Egypt, the eagle flew effortlessly across forests and rivers for moments but after a while it landed uncontrollably to the ground in the middle of a thick forest, Aidan transformed back to herself realizing she had broken one of her arms. She was surprise to have falling, she sat up groaning in pain as she rested her back to a tree and warily around to see what might have caused her fall. Aidan been a powerful witch knew too well she could only have been stuck down by a more powerful enchantment from another witch possibly lurking around in the forest. She hoped to see who it was but after a while she knew there was more to the forest itself, she realized there were various animals lying dead on the ground including birds of all kinds. It appeared the birds had all fallen from the sky likewise the animals on the trees just like she did. The air became so cold and her body began to shiver, It didn’t take her long as an old and powerful witch to realize that there is the presence of an extremely greater evil force than hers lurking somewhere in the forest. Knowing what danger she could be in by staying any longer, she rose up her weak body using her staff and as she tries hitting it to the ground, something grabbed her firmly on her neck from behind and rose her up. Aidan knew it was too late to fight back realizing who it was. Her soul swiftly faded away from her crinkled body.

Baruu had celebrated their victory over Zendaya and the daughters of death, the celebration lasted into the late hours of the night, every street in the city had a feast going on. Every man, woman and child wined and dined till the last person fell asleep. As the night darkens and calmness enveloped the city so was the treacherous wind blowing across the quiet streets. Zendaya still chained and abandoned in the market square suddenly jerked up to life from his unconscious state, he looked around and saw the whole city was quiet and deserted like there was no one else inside of it. He realized he had been woken up by the sound of some barking dogs in distance, the dogs kept barking furiously and Zendaya was certain they must have seen something strange.

He feared realizing it could be enemies approaching as he could see the entire city obviously seemed unguarded. He tried so hard to free the chains off his legs and hands but he couldn’t, he could pray and hope nothing bad happens through the night. Few minutes, he heard the wimpy sound of the dogs before they all went quiet. Instinctively, he knew something bad had invaded the great city. Again, he tried harder to pull off the chains but couldn’t, he resorted to alarm the people by screaming
“Haaaaa!!” he shouted and kicked harder so as to get anyone’s attention but he was too weak to get it on for long, he tried screaming harder again and again…and again but he realized he had sounded more like a dyeing bird. Suddenly, while gasping for breath and down-casted for his people, a very cold wind blew on him, his body was icy and the cold unbearable. He was sure something strange was happening as he heard screams and loud cries coming from every part of the city, he looked around in confusion not knowing exactly what was happening, again he tried harder to free the chains off his hands but he failed, he watched helplessly and in horror as the cries got louder from every part. He couldn’t see anyone run across the city neither his people nor the invader, everywhere was still deserted. Soon the cries faded and an awkward silence replaced it but the severe cold still lingers. Moments later, Zendaya’s eyes caught a man in the dark running and screaming towards him, the man looked terrified and would once in a while look back like someone was on his trail. He had a key in his hands and looked desperate to give it Zendaya.
“It’s coming for me, I saw it!” he kept screaming as he ran. “My Lord, you must…”
Zendaya recognized the man by his voice; it was one of his Kinsmen who had survived the attack. And he had hoped to free him. Zendaya wasn’t sure what it is when he saw a darkish material swop over the man before he could complete his sentence. Right before Zendaya’s eyes, the man turned into a pillar of gold. Swiftly, Zendaya pulled back in fear looking around for what might have caused it but he saw no one. He knew for sure the sisters of death under oath can never attack any citizen of Baruu but rather to protect them no matter what. He looked around and it was still quiet but cold.
“Who are you?” he screamed into the cold silent night, looked around and waited for a reply but rather he heard his echo talk back in the distance.
“My people…what have you done to my people!!” he feared everyone in the city must have suffered same fate as the man ahead of him. He cried in his lost faith fearing he’d cursed his own people with such calamity.
Suddenly the chains broke off by itself to drop on the cold ground on which he stood. He raised his head to meet a familiar figure closely ahead of him. A colossus, it appeared to had formed from dark flames with it eyes blazing like hot coal, he quickly fell to his knees, his head and hands upon the cold ground in fear and total submission.
“Spare me…please spare my life!!”
Spookily, the creature gazed at him and upon his soul.
“For this day…this time…I curse you Zendaya for the sins of your people” the strange figure said in cold and gravel tone that echoed into his head painfully.
He screamed to the excruciating pain dwindling inside him.

**

*
3114 BC (FIVE THOUSAND AND A HUNDRED YEARS AGO)

_____________
Many years before the existence of the Kushite Empire, Carthaginian Empire, Kingdom of Numidia, Kingdom of the Vandals and Alans, Kingdom of Nekor and the great Emirate of Sijilmassa, there lived a king by name Lord Zendaya who ruled upon the prosperous Kingdom of Baruu. Baruu was a small kingdom surrounded by more greater and powerful empires who had always possess themselves as threats to it through the past years, the ambitious lord Zendaya was not comfortable with it as he knew sooner or later, his Kingdom will be crushed and would be for the taken by more powerful kingdoms. So he thought of a lasting solution to the shame and insecurity melted upon his people from other kingdoms around, he soughed the advice of all the wise men in his Kingdom and it was in that gathering one of them made a strange but outstanding recommendation.

Before the next full moon, Lord Zendaya yielded to that strange advice when he journeyed alongside twelve of his most trusted men all disguised as peasants while they rode for days and nights dashing through the stormy rains, scorching sun, whispering winds and treacherous forests. After two full moons of riding through the continent of Africa from it north to it south, they found the place they wished for and it was exactly what one of the wise men had described it to be. All thirteen men reluctantly entered into a cave within the forest, inside of it was dark causing the men to light up fire torches, they heard murmuring in the distance ahead and forged on, soon they were all surprised to see an old crone. She was hideous of appearance, mumbling to herself in a dreamy, ghastly smile. Her hair was lank and lusterless, falling around her like strings of rotten straw. A cauldron bubbled slowly in the corner, leaving off the most infernal and rancid vapours. Bits of frogs’ legs, bat wings and eyes of newt were scattered around the floor of the cave. Her lupine eyes, savage and cunning came to life when the men got uncomfortably closer with their torches.
“Tell me Zendaya, are you willing to pay the price for what you seek?” the withered old woman asked in a cackling voice while staring at one of them.
All the men were stunned at how accurate she’d picked out their leader, Zendaya boldly stepped forward willing to give whatever it takes. “Yes I am”

She grinned with beaming eyes revealing rows of black jagged teeth “Of course you are. And so will I also grant you what you seek” for a moment she closed her eyes as she mumbled like a lunatic while the men all stood watching the old sorceress. She suddenly continued when she opened her eyes “We will need a vacuum, your men must hurry to go get a virgin girl for the ritual.
And so some men headed out and returned shortly after nightfall with a teenage girl who’d been bought a slave far away.
When outside, within the forest for the ritual, the witch bent and spoke strange wordings into the ear of the young girl who immediately fell to the ground unconsciously.
The old Sorceress turned to Zendaya ones again to ask if he would be willing to processed with his request in which Zendaya boldly affirmed.
.“So be it”

Standing upright with her hands up towards the sky in plea, she shouted “On behalf of Lord Zendaya, the ruler of Baruu Kingdom, I call upon the four gods of the land, the sea, fire and air tonight that you all come together and help take a message to Death itself deep down the corridor of…..”. Her wheezy, cackling voice rose higher and higher as she neared the end of her incantation. Quickly, the atmosphere changed to be very windy and thunderous, the atmosphere was dangerously electrifying by nature and it brought greater panic upon Lord Zendaya and his men as it was so strange to their sightings and logic. Suddenly, everything went quiet and totally still, nothing from many miles away could be heard and it felt everything on earth went lifeless that exact moment causing every tree around to go dry, bats and other night birds fell dead. All of Lord Zendaya’s men fell to the ground lifeless like logs at a time.

“What in gods’ name is happening here?…talk to me woman” Zendaya swiftly drew out his sword and shouted fearfully at the sorceress who had also fallen to the ground and struggling to stay alive. Zendaya rushes to her and desperately requesting to know what was happening.
“You asked for it Lord Zendaya and now it’s here” She said almost in whisper.
“What are you talking about?” he yelled with his eyes searching into the woman’s.
“Death is here!”

Dark smoky materials snooped out from thin-air and took to a gigantic hollow frame of a man cloaked in coal-black rag with no distinct body part, it looked spooky. Zendaya the only creature before it decided to defend himself with his sword as he stood ready for an offence, just then he began to shiver of cold aggressively while he gazed upon what was claimed to be Death himself.
“You called for me…Zendaya!” the words caused great pain inside of him.
“Yes! Yes!...” Zendaya groaned in excruciating pain “I wish to be powerful and my kingdom indestructible, make me the most powerful king to rule the surface of the earth, Make me Lord Khanu Zendaya the greatest"
"Granted!"


Like wild fire of the harmattan, the news of Zendaya’s encounter with Death himself spread within and outside the Kingdom of Baruu. It was believed by everyone that Zendaya and his men encountered Death at their destination who challenged them one by one in a mortal combat in which every one of them were defeated except Zendaya who stood firm to the ground like a giant Oak tree, looks straight into the red glowing eyes of Death like an elegant Eagle and pounced upon it like a fearless Tiger as he wrestled Death for days and nights until Death grew tied, jaded and would fight no further. Death as sign of respect to his undefeatable challenger gave out a virgin girl to Zendaya”.
Whenever Lord Zendaya hears the version of his own fabricated tale of how he wrestled Death, he knew within him that it was just a lie, a lie which he purposely fabricated to boost his ego and the glory of his kingdom, a lie which he saw necessary to instill fear in the heart of kingdoms around, a lie which will portray him as the most fearless ruler who defer Death through physical combat, a lie which shall forever be passed from one generation to the other.
Every night, Zendaya kept having same nightmare, the one of which he’d knelt before Death, he remembered the painful echoes within his head as the spooky creature granted his request, he vividly remembered how Death had swiftly drifted closer to the virgin girl who was then unconscious and had lightly opened its mouth to pour out a small amount of its smoky content into her as it entered through her mouth, he remembered how death instructed him to “Go with her, for she is now a bearer!” he remembered how he’d journeyed back home with no comrade but rather with an unconscious girl who was about to make all his wishes come true.
___
The young girl whom Zendaya had brought along from his journey was nicknamed 'The Gift by Death' and ever since she’d been brought into Baruu, she had remained a source of mysterious for she had been unconscious ever since she was brought in and her belly had kept growing bigger everyday without no sign of fetus dwelling in her womb as confirmed by the physicians who watched over her in an enclosed chamber within the palace. Due to fear and rumors caused by wary citizens the king’s wise men advised Zendaya to quickly destroy and discard the girl saying a gift by death will only bring death upon the kingdom.
Twelve full moons later, the pregnant girl still laid unconscious with her stomach mysteriously growing bigger, the people of Baruu had lost hope on the purpose for their king’s quest a year ago. Zendaya anxiously checks upon the girl every night wondering if his quest for the protection of his people had not been in vain. One night, the physician ran to the king’s chamber and requested for his immediate attention.
“My Lord, you need to see this” the physician said before he was hurriedly followed to the underground chamber.
Three baby girls where on the floor soaked in blood, the virgin girl laid dead on the floor with her stomach tore open. The physician trembled as he tries to talk, he kept pointing at the three babies on the floor as he looks terrified.
“They killed her, they crawled out of her stomach…my lord I saw it, they killed her” he gasped with his eyes widen in horror.
The babies had practically tore out from the belly leaving a gory sight. Lord Zendaya was more than happy to see the estranged babies, he was glad not to have listened to the advises given to him by the wise-men, right there in the chamber after he’d stabbed the physician to death, he named the babies Shebaa, Sayaa, Shironaa. Lord Zendaya called for a great feast where he’d invited dignitaries from every known kingdom around to come dine and wine with him for the birth of his daughters. Dhina Phirona a great magician, illusionist, adviser and one of the emissaries sent from the kingdom of Egypt felt the cold wind of death and destruction hovering upon the three beautiful identical looking baby girls when he sighted them, he quickly called the attention of Zendaya and his wise men as a matter of urgency to destroy the girls for they are bound to forth bring great calamity and destruction upon the entire world and for if ignored, the world is doomed.
**
Twenty-one years later, the world was almost dragged to ruins by battles launched by Lord Zendaya. Baruu had transformed in fountain of power, as the most influential and indestructible kingdom to confront in battle as many kingdoms who dared had suffered serious mortal blow. No one dare ignore the authority of a once small and powerless kingdom which had in a short time become super power. Lord Zendaya made good use of his three daughters as weapons, kingdoms and empires dare not question his authority, he acquired enormous wealth and his people flourished in surplus riches. Even the kingdom of Egypt that was among the powerful loose woefully in battle against Baruu with almost all Egyptian soldiers maimed till they retreated. The battle was nicknamed the battle of ‘blood bath’ due to the high level of slaughter and carnage suffered by the Egyptians.

“This is strange, very strange, I have never seen so much death as I’d witnessed today” Pharaoh Khayu Tia Hsekiu the ruler and the commander of the Egyptian army spat out in disbelieve. He’d watched as his men all stumbled to the ground mysteriously at the sight of the three beautiful warlocks that led the Baruu’s army to battle. He was marveled at the effortless manner at which the Baruu warriors slaughtered his men as they begged to be spared of their lives, he witnessed as few of his warriors who had managed to stay alive retreated without order and ran off the battle field.
“Who were those three ladies who led Baruu to the battle?” Pharaoh asked with a curious intent.
“Your Majesty, they are believed to be the mysterious daughters of Zendaya who are capable of sucking lives from any living creature, they have never lose a single battle since they were twelve years of age and they seem to grow stronger with every battle fought” one of Pharaoh’s advisers keenly explained.
“Rumor has it that nothing on earth can kill the three sisters, I hear that their presence and touch drains live” another Pharaoh’s adviser added.
“What then do we do? For we cannot sit back and watch those demons take all we had worked hard for” he pointed towards a random corner of the palace just to emphases the location of Baruu kingdom as he angrily spoke.
“Your Majesty, it is obvious the situation at hand is far from the ordinary, it is time we call for the gathering of rulers across kingdoms to seek for a collective effort to defeating Baruu in battle” one of the counselors advised.
“No, what will they think of us, that the mighty Egypt now runs to them for counsel?” another voice came up from amongst the gathering and eventually the assembly of Egyptian strategist turned to one of contestation on whether or not forces be joined with other Kingdoms against Baruu.
“Silence!” Pharaoh ordered. “We shall call for the council of kings, for Baruu must fall”

**

*
Three days gone and Nana couldn’t still explain what exactly happened on the night of the incident even as she’d read it in the popular ‘Ghana Daily Watch’ and other local and international media about the death of thirty-three female who were believed to be massacred. The police are said to be on the look-out for the murderers and will do everything possible to find the people who had carried out such massacre. The police had no link at hand for any meaningful investigation; the only witness was Queen-B who had been declared mentally unstable and unfit to give any meaningful information to help the investigation.

Nana had sat on her bed all morning trying hard to recollect what had happened that said night, the last of that night she could recollect was her being unconscious of the event around her the instant Queen-Bee slapped her and by the time she opened her eyes, she was already on her bed in her room feeling so exhausted. Nana had wish to know what happened to those ladies that night, she wishes to know how she made it home unconsciously, she wishes to know how Queen-Bee suddenly ended up a lunatic, she wishes to know if what people had said about her was true, she wishes to know if she was truly a witch.

The only source of answer to her questions lies in a diary in her bedside drawer, the diary was gifted to her by her deceased mother through her father. Her father Dr. Kofi Nndaka a stout dark man had presented the diary to her when she turned twenty-three years of age about a week ago.
“What is this daddy?” she’d asked him when she held the brown hard-covered diary.
Dr. Kofi shrugged “I only know it’s a diary, your mother never told me the content in it” he paused, sighed and continued “She said she’d suddenly had the ability to see far into the past, to see into events and occurrences of the ancient days but I never believed, I was too busy with work to ever noticed she’d begun documenting things into this diary when she started growing ill. One evening, she handed me a diary and made me promise to hand it over to you when you are done with your education…she died the next morning” Dr. Kofi had explained.

Nana never bothered with the diary ever since and kept it in her drawer but that morning she decided to finally open and see through the contents of the estranged diary which had been in her possession for the sixth day. She was optimistic that the diary will hold explanation to the mysteries around her. She dusted the book, got her emotions ready for whatever the dairy was about to offer, slowly opened the diary and carefully read a short note behind it cover.

“To my dear daughter Nndaka Miranda Nana, I’m sure you are reading this diary this moment because you are ready to handle the truth. I wish I’m alive to personally reveal a lot of things to you and to provide answers to your million questions. Truly I might be dead but I am not gone for I have been opportune to see far into past of strange events entangled to your destiny. I want you to know that all that has been happening to you is the reaction of your ancestral-self. Before you read any further, I want you to read this diary along-side your sisters”

Nana couldn’t belief what she’d just read, she wondered if her mother was a clairvoyant and was greatly surprise to know she’d got unknown sisters somewhere.

“What sisters?” she wondered aloud as she’d being the only known daughter of her parents. She feared her mother perhaps had secret daughters somewhere else.
That moment, the house-maid informed her that two young ladies are outside requesting to see her. Nana feared it could be members of the fraternity who’d come for retaliation.
“Where are they from?”
“I don’t know Ma, but they said it’s very important they see you”
After many thought to it, she hesitantly went to the waiting room to meet her guest.

**

“Now you two are getting me confuse, how do you expect me to believe your stories? It’s unbelievable” Stunned by the information, Nana reacted to Sewa and Eva's tales of what had brought them both to her.
“At first I also never believe it but I had to since the night my boyfriend died mysteriously and Eva here made me realized that he died due to something powerful inside of me and that is what had led us here to Ghana” Sewa sounded sober fighting hard the tears as Raymond death crossed her mind.
“I am very sorry that you had to...” Nana tried to console Sewa who was now sobering.
Feeling irritated, Eva cuts in “Listen girls, I didn’t just travel down to Africa for this, I’m here to finding solutions to my problems and I will need you both to act maturely” Eva shouted angrily as she couldn’t sit to watch the two ladies in front of her going emotional.
“And what make you think I am the person you are looking for?” asked Nana
“Coz’ my mum said it’s you, she gave me the exact address...and here we are” Eva sounded so convinced and sure of her actions.
“And what makes you think your mum was right?” asked Nana not too convinced.
“Coz’ she was the same person who told me how to find her” Eva points to Sewa who was still sobering.

At that point, Nana remembered what her mother had written in the diary about her ‘two sisters’ and she wondered if it’s true that she had finally met them.
“Ladies, if I may ask, are we in anyway related to one another?” Nana asked curiously hoping to get a positive feedback immediately.
Eva and Sewa starred blankly at each other blankly and then to Nana; they had felt Nana should be in the best position to enlighten them on their situation and to help find solution. Eva threw herself heavily on one of the couch, felt so disappointed; she felt she’d gotten to the end of road for a self discovery. “Damn it!” she snapped “But mum told me we will find answers here, she told me you alone hold the key to who we really are and here we are without a damn clue…what a waste of time”.
Nana was certain that her mother was indeed gifted with extraordinary power which had made her see into both the past events and into the future, she realized Sewa and Eva were the ‘sisters’ her mother wanted her to read the dairy along-side with. Nana dashed into her room and came out with the dairy in hand.
“I am very sure this is what you are here for” Nana announced pointing the dairy to Eva.
“What is this?” Eva asked as she collected the dairy and flipped through it and it appeared like any regular story book.
“My mother must have foreseen your coming, she wanted all three of us to read it together, making reference to the cover note.
“Obviously your mother is also a witch like my grandmother” said Sewa
“Wait a minute girls” Eva seemed amazed by her realization “it’s all now making sense...it means the three of us have got a female witch for a family member and it seems nature had brought us three together for a purpose” she flipped back to the first page of the diary “Shall we begin” Eva asked looking into the dairy
“Yes!” Sewa and Nana affirmed in unison.
Eva began.



_____
*
Professor Walter Chamberlin of Greenfield University in London was one of the renowned and most successful archaeologists of his time, he was well known for his great curiosity to researches, exploration and the extraction of whatever was believed to be a myth by his colleagues of same profession. One afternoon in a lecture theater, Professor Walter was having an academic session with group of his students when one among his brightest students out of curiosity posed a question at him. Professor Walter was taken aback by such an unexpected challenge; he’d feared someone someday will eventually challenge him with such a dreadful question.
In 1926, Professor Walter attempted to answer the question by embarking on a journey to the upper north of Africa, he led a team of young and zealous archaeologist with him and where lead into the Sahara desert using a paper map, a lorry filled with research equipment and an Africa escort Mr. Koli who seem to be familiar with the terrains and treacherous roads.
After three days of journey, Professor Walter and his crew finally got to their destination and were set to begin work immediately. Every equipment and crew where set to work as everyone was curious to see if what they had thought was a myth turns out to be a true after all. Every member of the team knew what was at stake if Professor Walter’s led research turns out successful, it will make them rich and famous.
When Mr.Koli got wind of the aims of those he had followed to the site for illegal excavation, he was surprise and advised the team against it. He warned them about the consequences of what they are about to embark upon. He told explained why the site they stood is cursed and must be avoided. The team laughed to Mr. Koli's superstitious believes, they made fun of the Africa community for ignoring such rich site.
On seeing the team were unconvinced, Mr.Koli walked up to Professor Walter and asked to be paid off for his service stating he could no longer be of any help to them, he was persuaded to wait and that he will be rich and famous if he joins the team in uncovering the riches beneath were they stood. Mr.Koli vehemently turned down the offer and was paid off for his services but before he left, he gave the Professor and his team resounding warning.

For days and nights, the excavation team worked harder to achieve what was had been assumed by other archaeologist to be the impossible. Professor Walter stayed awake in his make-shift tent all night reads through a crappy scroll that holds the tale leading to his mission. He reminisced on Mr. Koli’s warning, he smiled with a sense of purpose knowing the tale wasn’t fiction after all, Mr. Koli’s fear only ignited his sense of pursuit for the greatest treasure hidden from modern civilization.
On the seventh day after rigorous job of bench-marking, surveying, excavation, tracking, sand exploding, pipe-lining, earth aggravation and hole clasping, a member of the crew discovered a gold-colored object in a shape and height of a human, he quickly called upon his colleagues who were also amazed at the object, they brought it out for closer examination and were excited to realize it was indeed raw gold. Professor Walter encouraged his team to work harder that there was more underneath the earth; he told them that that was just one out of thousands yet to be discovered, the crew intensified their effort and within few hours, they had dug up over two-hundred human sized gold. Every member of the crew was marveled at the availability of surplus wealth in such part of the world. Weirdly, the human gold all appeared terrified like they’d frozen in the sight of something horrific, some even seemed to be on the run while very few were asleep.
“What on earth happened to this people, were this gold carved by men?” one of the crew member wondered.
“No man could ever have carved these much gold into the shape of human and animals and decides to bury it, I think something unspeakable happened here” another crew reasoned.
“You are right, something unspeakable really happened here thousands of years ago that transformed this once beautiful kingdom into a cursed land” Professor Walter suddenly cuts in with an air of authority, he took his time looking into the eyes of his team as they obviously looked puzzled by what they just heard, they never thought the professor was more inclined to the tale than Mr. Koli. They listen intensely as the Professor continued “What happened here was known to no one until an anonymous writer documented it and dropped it in one of the libraries where the information now gradually spread till it got to my hearing, I was challenged by one of my brightest students for why haven’t I dare try explore this place to which we stand our ground presently”.
“Sir, but what exactly happened here. I mean, what happened to these people?” another member asked as she fearfully pointed at one of the gold that had the structure of a grown man looking directly at her in horror.

Professor Walter brought out a crappy scroll from his bag and read through it “it says here that there was once a kingdom that had angered the three daughters of the so-called Death himself and that Death had personally came down taking the form of a dark dementing dust-like form which enveloped the kingdom and transformed every living object on it's way into a pure gold, and that is why they call this place The Kingdom of Death’s Gold, and that is why few people around the world mostly here in Africa belief that Death itself still lurks around to watch over it gold”
“Bullshit, only fools would believe such a crap” another crew laughed to what seem to be a folklore, he and few others viewed such a tale to be a mere fabrication by the natives to scare foreigners from extracting the raw gold while only a handful were apprehensive but the professor convinced everyone to get back to work claiming he’s got everything under control. Not quiet long had the team resumed work did an awkward silence settled into their midst like someone had ordered it. The forty-two member team kept mute and starred around at one another with an expression of fear hanging on their faces, no one wanted to talk or be the odd one in breaking the chain of the sudden silence that grrew tensed. Suddenly, a cold-chilly breeze blew across the space where the workers are, whispering the unbearable sound of horror and creating a vision of Death itself as it laid it venomous hands on every mortal being across it path, transforming it into a hollow structure of gold.
Within twinkle of the eye, everyone except Professor Walter Chamberlin had transformed into statues of raw gold of the exact posture they were and all of them seem to have similar facial expression of one who’d witnessed horror. Professor Walter looked around him awestruck, quaking in his boot. He ran out from the underground tunnel onto the surface and kept running nonstop screaming into the empty distance like a man who’d sighted Death itself.

“It’s real. Death is real. The city is real!


**

CHAPTER FIVE

THE SUPREME SISTERS


His hands were chained far apart onto pillars; nothing alive within the cold whispering wind of the night, all hopes had dashed out of him as everything he held dare was gone. suddenly, the chain broke off by itself to drop on the cold ground on which he stood. He raised his head to meet a familiar figure closely ahead of him. A colossus, it appeared to had formed from dark flames with it eyes blazing like hot coal, he quickly fell to his knees, his head and hands upon the cold ground in fear and total submission.
“Spare me…please spare my life!!”
Spookily, the creature gazed at him and upon his soul.
“For this day…this time…I curse you Zendaya for the sins of your people” the strange figure said in a cold and gravel tone that echoed into his head painfully.
The man screamed to the excruciating pain dwindling inside him.
--------

He jerked to consciousness and starred across the room, it was a dream, same dream he’d had every day for sixteen centuries. Heaving heavily, he was certain Death had purposefully tormented him with same nightmare as a reminder of his sin, and yet he hadn’t been able to fight the effect it always rubs upon him. Bored with living, Zen desperately craves for death but that can only be granted until if he amends his one biggest mistake the people he ones ruled had brought upon him.
Centuries upon centuries, he roamed the face of earth un-aged and in search of Death and it’s daughters, he’d long ago given up his search until sometime in the late 1980s when he read of the mysterious death of a prominent white man in the hands of a young black lady who claimed innocent. Keenly, Zen trailed the case with strong hope that the young Lady called Latisha might be the answer to the one thing he seeks. When Latisha was sentenced to life in prison, he thought of breaking into the prison to rescue her and was at the verge of execulting the plan when his informant a wardern revealed Latisha was pregnant. Zen was greatly disappointed knowing the real daughters of Death wouldn’t be able to adore life. Shortly Eveyln was born, Zen knew she was the one on sighting her. He trailed her all through her childhood to her teenage years till he saw the real image of death inside her.
Zen prided himself the master of disguise with many centuries of experience making it impossible for Eva to detect she was being followed the last time she went to go visit Latisha in prison, when she boarded the plane to Nigeria, when she checked-in to a hotel on her arrival to Abuja, when she trailed two people who’d go watch movies and had dinner afterword in a fancy restaurant. The next morning, Zen carefully trailed Eva to a company’s housing quarters, disguising himself in a white beard he watched her walked into one of the building from afar and waited patiently for hours till she saw her walked out with another young lady. On spotting the other lady with Eva, Zen’s joy knew no bound realizing he’d just found the second daughter of Death. The ladies waved down a taxi heading for the airport. Zen smiled knowing it’s now only a matter of time he finds the third of them.

**
Accra, Ghana

The auditorium roared in applause as a young black lady headed towards the podium again to receive her seventh award in a row. She’d just won the prize for the over-all best graduating student of the University of Ghana. Like many others in the hall, Nana herself wasn’t surprise she’d won it, she’d always been the best in all she does.
“I will like to tell you few things about this pretty lady” the Faculty officer began after given the chance to discuss how he felt seeing his faculty produce the best of the best “it still marvels me how she does it, she had won the prize for the best student of her class four times in a row, she’d won the most beautiful girl on campus making her the face of this prestigious university, she’d on behalf of this institution won seven international competitions, she is presently the best student of her faculty, it will also amuse you all to know that this same lady is the latest winner of the ‘Campus Talent Hunt’” he paused in genuine amazement at the young lady next to him “how she has got the time to pull all these and still come out so brilliant to become the overall best student of the year will definitely keep a sound mind wondering, please ones again I will like you all to give a round of applause to a legend in the making, a person of Nana Miranda Nnkaba…she has definitely made her mark in Ghana’s most prestigious University!!” the Faculty officer concluded ceremoniously and gave her a well deserving handshake likewise all the dignitaries and officials on the podium.

A pretty dark skin lady full of life, Nana’s way of life had been a mystery to anyone who wishes to understand her and she’s more of a mystery to anyone who wishes to compete with her in any aspect of her life. Most of her colleagues had wondered how she was always outstanding in anything she does with much ease, she comes out top in anything she does and never likes to take credit for her success because she finds it difficult to explain how things always turns out in her favour even with almost no effort. Nana had always kept her personal affair at a low and had shielded it from the public who had in turn fabricated all sought of stories against her and that had made people tag her different names such as ‘the great scholar, Ghana’s queen, Lady genius, Nana the mystic, Miss-Know-it-all, and the most common of it all was ‘Nana the witch’.
*
Later that night, the pool-side party was filled with young men and women who were there to celebrate the ‘Passing-out party’ organized by the university to celebrate it graduating students for the last time, the party witnessed the presence of the various handsome men and beautiful ladies all trying hard to out-do one another in terms of swags and wealth. Nana had been the talk of the fabulous party as most guys present couldn’t take their eyes off her sensually shaped body and her glowing dark skin and in turn causing most ladies grow jealous of the attention she gathered which eventually led to some of them plotting a dangerous plan against her.
While Nana was having fun by the pool side with a handful of friends, four heavy looking ladies appeared by her side “Nana, Queen-Bee wants you now, follow us now” one of the heavy ladies sounded intimidating and gestured to Nana to follow without question. The heavy ladies are members of a dreadful female-only fraternity operating within and outside the various universities within Ghana and had for long existed and strike on low-key. Nana is familiar with the so-called ‘Black Jezez’ who had always tried severally to lure her into their cult due to her influence on campus but the group had always failed; the group assumed that Nana’s membership will definitely boost their prestige against rivalry cults and every time Nana refuses their offer it angers them but that night the Black-Jeez planned to put an end to the humiliation.

After the ladies led Nana away from the party venue into an abandoned building nearby, Nana wasn’t surprise to see about thirty other ladies already anticipating for her appearance, they each held a small bottle of acids as well as various sharp objects, and Nana could feel the envy and anger in every one of them as she walked pass them towards Queen-Bee.
“Queen, she is finally here” One of the ladies whispered into the ears of a tall feminine figure who had her back facing her informant, she slowly turned to confirm what she just heard….she made a wicked grim on sighting Nana.
“So I hear you are overall best, Congratulation. The great and famous Nana who feels like an untouchable” Queen-B busted scornfully, she is gorgeous herself but that can’t be compared to Nana’s who is far more beautiful than any of the ladies amidst her.
Nana acted calmly even as she felt something deadly was about to happen, she could sense a dark and evil tension hovering around her, that is the same feeling she get before something bad happens.
Queen-Bee continued “you go around the campus acting like you are more than what you really are, you act like a goddess who prove to know everything about anything but I have got more good news for you, since tonight will be your last night on campus, we have all agreed to celebrate with you in a grand style” she laughed.
“I don’t know what you girls are trying to do to me but whatever it is; I suggest you stop it before...” Nana tries to explain calmly when she was cut short with a strong slap from Queen-Bee.
“Before what?...Before the cops come get us? Or before you fight us one after another, that will be impossible because after we all kill you with this acid in our hands and have your remains chopped-off to pisses by each member, nobody will ever find you” one of the Queen-Bee spat out angrily.
“Girls please, don’t do anything stupid you will all regret sooner than you expect, I beg of you” Nana spoke as she maintained a composed tone.
“You dey craze, so you still have the nerves to threaten us in our midst….wat da fvck!” a member said furiously.
“I will commend you for your courage even at the face of death, but I wonder how you do it because you ought to be begging me to spare your life” Queen-B said as she walked closely to Nana.
“I don’t know how to explain it to you all but I have a feeling you will all die tonight” Nana spoke with her eyes closed like she was visualizing an occurrence.
“I am done talking with you….” Queen-Bee said in annoyance as she couldn’t stand the threatening words of one who is suppose to beg for her life, she opened the bottle on her hands and emptied it acidic content on Nana’s face and all the ladies followed suit immediately pouring the deadly content on every part of Nana’s body and they all withdrew back almost immediately hoping the acid will take effect but to everyone’s surprise, Nana was standing rooted on her foot with great anger growing inside of her, she was obviously not affected by the acid that felt like warm water on her glowing dark skin.
“Why is she still standing, I thought…?” In amazement, Queen-Bee was about to ask when she heard screams of agony all around her, ladies all screamed for help as they all kept running into one another in pain and Queen-Bee watch with fear as her compatriots’ skins melted into their muscles and veins leaving them all physically deformed and unrecognizable.
By the time she turned towards Nana, she was met with someone else standing in her place. “Who are you?” Queen-B finally found her voice after a long stare. as she saw a different kind of Nana standing in front of her, she saw a fearful and evilly-possessed looking person with dark expression but with similar look like that of Nana, her looks was more of the ancient kind with her black skin glowing like never before.
“I’m Shironaah!, the supreme!” the possessed Nana whispered in gravel tone.

**
Boredom eventually took its toll on Sewa after six day indoor, though Raymond had tried his best by getting her favorite genres of novels and as well have as much fun with her when he comes back in the evening but those weren’t enough, she wanted to be outside, wishes to socialize beyond the confinement, Raymond tried to talk her out of going into the public knowing the implications of it. Raymond on seeing how persistent and restless Sewa seemed to be suggested they could both go see a movie under the cover of the night as well go see other part town being on a weekend. By evening, Raymond hired a car and were careful not to be noticed as they boarded and drove out of the quarters. Raymond saw the excitement on Sewa’s face as they drove pass the lighted streets and so did Raymond who teased her of acting like a new realized prisoner except she would be going back to her prison after the night. He was bothered of the fate that awaits them both when either the security or Mr. Doyle get hold of them as it’s just a matter of time. Sewa smiled at him like she’d aimed to alleviate his fears, he genuinely smiled back seeing how beautiful she looked in her casual white shirt on a tight blue jean. They watched and really enjoyed a Tyler Perry movie in the cinema, had dinner in a nice restaurant and drove back when it got late. While driving back home, Raymond noticed a car that seemed to have being trailing theirs, he called Sewa’s attention to it and as she feared, indeed it was trailing. Raymond accelerated and swayed his way far off the trailer till it disappeared behind them.
On getting home, they both laughed in amazement at how they’d enjoy the fun and risk of the night after being certain no one followed. They helped each other out of their cloths while they kissed, Sewa giggled seeing Raymond totally naked, he looked very strong and attractive with muscles that have been developed through years of exercise. His eyes beamed in excitement seeing her unclad body, it was all perfection from her head to toe.
“Close your eyes” he whispered into her ears.
She moaned as he gently bit her nipple. he laid her on the bed and for am moment admired her like a trophy. He began sucking her round breast to her pleasure and at the same time slipped two fingers inside her. Sewa moaned louder while moving into his hands until he stopped suddenly to pull away.
“What is it?” Sewa inquired.
Raymond wasn’t sure how best to say it but he had to “I forgot to get protection and don’t…” he said with heavy breath.
Sewa cuts him with deep, passionate kiss, and when she had to talk, she told him to go ahead without protection. Swiftly, Raymond entered her and after she wrapped herself around him as he’d made love to her for half an hour, allowed herself in that single moment to be carried, he was astonished on realizing she’s virgin. When it was over, they sighed deeply and fell asleep without a word.
___

The bright morning sun shun across the room and into Sewa’s eyes as it opened, realizing she was naked, she smiled remembering what transpired the night before. Though a bit painful at start but she loved every act it in, her body seemed more revitalized and her sensed sharpened than usual. Slowly, She turned to the other side of the bed and saw Raymond laid faced up in a pool of blood, his own blood as it seemed to have poured out from every pores of his skin. She screamed and collapsed at such gruesome sight.
*
Warily, she opened her eyes to a knock on the door, whoever it was on the other side of the door seemed to be inpatient with her. She rushes to her feet on realizing someone is about to see her in the room with a dead body, for a brief moment she sobs quietly on seeing Raymond’s lifelessness amidst the heavy rapt knocks upon the door. There seem to be no time to mourn her lover as she thought to clean up the room to prevent any witness but it seemed impossible as the impatient knocker was persisting and Raymond’s copse looks too heavy a load for her strength. She anxiously sat by the side of the bed hoping that whoever was knocking would eventually leave if unattended to but the loud knock persisted and eventually she walked up to the door and asked who it was in a voice that hid her broken emotion.
“It’s me” a distinctive voice replied.
Sewa’s heart almost dropped hearing who it was.
“You who?” she asked to confirm her fear.
“It’s me Roger”
She stepped away from the door as if Roger was about to break his way in. she felt lost on what to do or say next, and when she finally decided what to do, she grabbed a kitchen knife in defense. She feared Roger had somehow found a way to kill Raymond and now had come for her. But how couldn’t he’d just killed her too when he had the chance?
“Sewa, I’m not who you think I’m. I have come to help you and you have to let me do that as fast as possible?” Roger said hurriedly like there is someone in pursuit of him.
“No I won’t, I don’t believe you”
“Will you believe me if I say there is a dead man inside the room as we speak”
Sewa gasped, indeed Roger was the murderer. “You killed him!” she screamed holding tight to the knife.
“It wasn’t me; it was you that killed him. Open this door, we don’t have much time” Roger’s voice grew impatient.
Sewa was petrified by the words, she couldn’t understand what was happening, and she concluded inside her head it was another dream and that she would soon be awoke.
“This is no dream Sewa, open the door before they gets to us” Roger shouted in respect to her thought like he could hear it and that made Sewa scrambled to open the door, not sure if that was the right thing to do.
“Get your things and let’s leave, they are coming for us” Roger ordered as he steps in.
“Who are those coming for us, I thought you…?”
Roger grabbed her hand, he swiftly let go as if electrocuted. Then slowly he began to shape-shift, his skin wearing out and his body shrinking into the heavy leather jacket he’d on, transforming into someone else in what appeared to be a painful fashion.
“Grandma!” Sewa gasped puzzled as every trace of Roger finally wore off Madam Ajike.
Sewa stepped back in her confusion.
Weakened by the process, Madam Ajike crumbled to her knees unable to walk. Knowing she had to answer to her granddaughter, she began to reveal how she’d taken a witcher’s risk to transform into Roger to safe Sewa as she’s being hunted by her father who would stop at nothing to hand her over to the Salicx in exchange for greater power in the underworld.
Sewa wasn’t entirely following, the whole talk bewildered her.
“You mean my father is also a wizard?”
“A powerful wizard at that” Madam Ajike replied, sighed deeply to reveal “Soon after Grunu had helped me birthed your father, I begged the creature to grant my new born baby powers to overcome enemies, the creature grudgingly granted it with warnings that he might grow to abuse such powers unless guarded with a mother’s touch. As years passes, Bankole had mastered the ways of the underworld as taught by Grunu but began to go too far by using it upon the innocent, I begged Grunu to help control my son’s excesses but we realized Bankole had grown in dark powers than I thought, I fear he’d made a convenant with the seven brothers of Abaddon to protect him from Grunu’s reach and in exchange deliver you as price for their darker powers” madam Ajike concluded.
While Sewa was in the process of making sense of the old woman’s narration, there came on gentle knock to the door.
“They’re here” Madam Ajike expressed in fear.
“Who?”
“The Salicx”

*

The two women braced up for a nasty confrontation, the young woman held firmly to the knife already on her while the old woman mumbled a defense spell.
“Sewa, when you eventually get out of this place make sure you find the supreme sisters and help put an end to this long age battle ones and for all”.
“Granny, I’m scared” Sewa wasn’t in for the old woman’s talk as the gentle knock persisted.
“You will be fine, you hold more power than you think. But I want you to promise…”
The door suddenly cracked open into pieces revealing Mr. Bankole Doyle and Roger himself who walked in majestically. Both smirking as they approached, they seemed to enjoy the sight of the women’s fear. Mr. Doyel narrated how he’d knitted the whole plan. He knowing that his mother was responsible for Sewa’s disappearance away from him, he cursed her with a temporary paralysis spell which also causes her to shape-shift when she desires. Madam Ajike unaware of Mr. Doyle’s plan escaped from the hospital, magically knocked Roger out on his way to go check Raymond’s apartment for Sewa, tied him in his boot and thought it best to transform to a Roger as to infiltrate Mr. Doyle’s plan.
Madam Ajike appeared disappointed as she realized she’d indeed fallen right into her son’s plan all along while she thought she was playing it rightly as she’d foreseen.
“Mother, I’m sure you already know what the future holds” Mr. Doyle smirked widely.
“Bankole please don’t do it, it’s not worth it” Madam Ajike cried.
“I’m sorry I can’t, it’s too late to turn back” he swiftly snatched the knife off Sewa and walked back to stab Roger’s chest repeatedly till he died.
Sewa watched in awe not sure what to make of the event or what to expect.
Mr. Doyle began to incite strange words in an even stranger tone that conjured dark smoke from thin air.
“Masters, I so will to you my body” he then slashed his own throat afterwards and fell lifeless.
There was silence for a moment, the women waited for what’s to follow, the old woman tend to understand the evil to coming as dark tension dwelled. The dark smoke suddenly vanished, Sewa heard a sound behind her and was stunned by Raymond approaching her in a zombie-like manner, his eyes were dark, and his skin pale with a face that held no emotion whatsoever.
“He isn’t who you think he is, he is a body case for the Salicx” explained madam Ajike.
Roger stood up and so did Mr. Doyle a moment after with the same weird features as Raymond. The old woman began casting defense spell that had little effect on holding the walking dead. The three men stretched their hands making the old woman crumble like she’d been overwhelmed by a darker force.
“She’s here” Madam Ajike mumbled her last words.
Sewa stood her ground unable to make sense of her granny’s last words or how to defend and attack the estrange men slowly approaching her.
Suddenly, a lady walked in stretching forth her hands towards the men, she seem to wield more power as the men began to scream in pain like one on fire and one-by-one they crumbled dead as the black smoke puffed out from their mouth and vanished into thin air.
“Who are you?” Sewa still shaken by what happened asked the lady who was also staring back at her in amassment.
“I’m Eva Tomskin, your supreme sister”
_____

Like a good teacher, Eva explained in brief her life and journey in America and how it’d brought her across to her other supreme sister in Nigeria. And like an awful student, Sewa couldn’t pay much of attention as she watched the bodies of her loved ones loitered the room. By evening, the two young ladies freshened-up and headed out off the room with light luggage.
A strange white bearded looking man who’d being standing in the distance all along watched keenly as the ladies waved down a taxi heading for the airport.

**


Writer's note: At this juncture I think it's fair every reader of this story should officially drop a comment about your view on the story so far, I will also appreciate that you click the LIKE and SHARE button and can invite your friends because the story is just about to get interesting. My apologies to my fans who thought I'd betrayed them by not completing my first version of this story six years ago. And let me use this opportunity to ask that I wish to travel away from Nigeria to somewhere better, or anyone with a BETTER job oppotunity within Nigeria, or you can help me publish my works to PLEASE help me. I swear na beg I dey beg, I no dey do shakara. E get why

*
The Doyles woke up to the realization Sewa was missing in her room where she’d slept the night before, her disappearance from the compound was a mystery as none of the guards, stewards nor even the various security cameras within and around the compound saw her leave the building. The security agents who were alerted about the incident concluded after their observation that someone within the building who had knowledge of boycotting the security cameras was likely responsible for Sewa’s kidnap as all of her belongings were in place including her phone and purse, and that made every worker a suspect. One by one everyone living or working within the compound was interrogated including Mr. and Mrs. Doyle themselves.
“It seems you were the last person who saw and spoke to Sewa before going missing, am I right? One of the officers inquired.
“Yes” Madam Ajike nodded slowly. That was the second time she’s being interrogated.
“And if I may ask, what was she feeling like and what did you two spoke about?”
Madam Ajike told the officer how she’d visited her grand-daughter’s room and simply told her a story.
“What sought of story?” the Officer was curious.
“A story of myself” she made brief smile as if she was glad she did.
The officer propped further but the aged-woman refuses to answer further questions.
By evening, shortly after the officers had left the house, Mr. Bankole Doyle walked into Madam Ajike’s room, he carefully locked the door behind him, walked up to the old woman who was seated and staring at him like she’d anticipated his arrival.
“Son, you need to start learning to stay away from the Pit, it’s getting dangerous by the day” said Madam Ajike.
“Abaddon is more of home to me than this place, it’s my source of power, a place where I can be my true self. I wouldn’t want anyone take that from me”
“It’s foreseen the three will eventually find their way back and take their places as guardians”
“I can’t let that happen, I must stop them”
Madam Ajike laughed “That will be suicide, you dare not”
Mr. Doyle swiftly cupped the old woman’s head before she had time to react, her body began to convulse violently for a while before it stopped. Madam Ajike’s entire body had mysteriously turned numb, unable to speak nor move, all that she could do was breath and stare helplessly at Mr. Doyle. He pulled off the black ring that had been on his finger all along then called the family doctor on phone to come down to the house to check on his mother who had gone paralyzed.
“I’ve had enough, I won’t let you stop me again” he said to her ears and added with a smirk “I’m sure you never saw it coming this time”
He unlocked the door and walked out of the room.
___

Raymond tiredly walked into his apartment very late in the night, he sank into his chair very worried and overwhelmed, it’s being a troubling day for him in his office, it started when one of the secretaries hinted him of Sewa’s disappearance that morning. At first he’d thought it to be one of those petty jokes but fear kicked-in when Sewa failed to answer his numerous phone calls. By afternoon, Raymond’s fear was ascertain when three officers visited the company in respect to Sewa’s mysterious disappearance, they interrogated few staff who had any sought of relationship with Sewa. Of course, Raymond was among the few interrogated, one of the officers browsed through his phone and grew suspicious when he saw Jacob’s Whatsapp conversation with Sewa, he deduced they were having secret love affairs. Raymond convinced the officers that his affair with Sewa has got nothing to do with her being missing, he promised to get in touch with the officers when he get clue of her where about. On the sofa in his apartment, he’d sat worried sick of what might have happened to Sewa. He thought of the possibilities of Sewa likely being attacked by the strange creatures of the underworld she’d told him about the last time she visited. There was no chance the officers would have believed him if he’d told them about it during the interrogation. He laid his back while he sighed deeply wondering how to go about searching for Sewa. Suddenly, Raymond heard footsteps in his bedroom, he alertly jumped to his feet pulling out a pocket knife in defense, he looked terrified as he could still hear the footsteps. It was obvious there was an intruder in his apartment. While wading the knife, he promises to strike the burglar as fast as he can like he’d mastered in his taekwondo classes. All of a sudden, Sewa walked out of the room appearing weird in one of Raymond’s outfit. Raymond was statured on sighting her, it was like he’d seen a ghost.
“What happened to you, I thought you’ve gone missing?” Raymond found his voice.
Sewa sat and requested that the amused Raymond do the same. Raymond eventually sat after he’d told her what transpired in the office due to her sudden disappearance and how he’d promised to alert security officers whenever she’s sighted. Sewa took turn to narrate her encounter with Grunu in the underworld, the headless human beings, her encounter with the Salicx and how she strangely awoke in Raymond’ s bedroom instead of hers. When Raymond suggested calling the security officers, Sewa warned him against it, remind him that her mysterious disappearance wasn’t logical and that she seemed more at peace away from home at that moment.

*

It was her third day with Raymond and Sewa felt more alive with him as every moment they spent together felt blissful, Raymond knew it was only a matter of time Security operatives discovers Sewa’s whereabouts but skeptical about himself being able to face the consequences knowing how frantic the Doyles are in seach of their only daughter. He struggles to fake ignorance when the topic of Sewa’s strange disappearance is raised among his colleagues at work place. Likewise, Sewa had been careful not to be seen; spends most of her day in Raymond’s apartment helping out with house chores and reading novels while Raymond does all the shopping on his way back home. It became obvious to Raymond something wasn’t infact right one evening when he tries to kiss Sewa while she was asleep, his nose bled but painless. He made researches online hoping to find the cause and cure to his illness but there was none related to what he had in mind but then he stumbled upon an article on a religious website which explains sudden bleeding in the nose as sign of death, the short article made references to a myth relating to some witches of the medieval era. Raymond soon dismisses it unable to make logic of it.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bankole Doyle having being briefed by the officers of their findings and especially Raymond’s romantic entanglement with his daughter, he ordered his guards that the young man be brought to him. It was one of Raymond’s off-days from work when he attends his community development service; some guards picked him up on his way and drove him to the Doyle’s residence, to Mr. Doyle’s presence. It was Raymond’s first time meeting Mr. Doyle up close and he felt so uneasy in his sight and could see he was an enigma even in his simplicity, he saw in Mr. Doyle eyes one that is desperate, rough, strong and sensitive as he stared.
“Where is my daughter?” Mr. Doyle engaged gravelly, showing no emotion.
Screams of thought rushed through Raymond’s head, indecisive on what to say as there were conflicting voices inside his head. One voice warned him against telling the truth while the other implored him to be truthful for the sake of his job.
“I don’t know sir”
Mr. Doyle grinned like he’d seen beyond Raymond’s words, he then ordered Roger to collect Raymond’s house key and go search it thoroughly. Raymond attempted to resist knowing Sewa would be in his apartment but thought against it on seeing the hefty guards around. Roger collected the key and dashed off.
The next thirty-five minutes seemed like torment to Raymond as Mr. Doyle just sat reading from the newspapers without a word to him until Roger came back without Sewa.
“Sir, I think he’s telling the truth, there was no trace of her in his apartment” Roger reported to his boss.
Raymond swallowed hard, uncertain of what he just heard.
Mr. Doyle watched Raymond keenly for a while; he seemed to doubt his innocence. He ordered that Raymond be given back his keys, driven back to his apartment and his monthly allowances be doubled as an act of apology.
___

On his way back home, Raymond wasn’t sure if Roger had purposely lied to protect him or had gone searching the wrong apartment. He watched the Jeep drove out of the company’s housing quarters as he was dropped in front of his block, he quickly unlocked the door to rush into his apartment and on the couch was Sewa reading a novel.
Raymond happily narrated to Sewa his encounter with her father, Sewa felt sorry for Raymond knowing how intimidating her father could be when desperate, and when Raymond narrated Roger’s search, they were both puzzled on what Roger had to gain helping them, but Sewa had her doubt knowing Roger had never lied to her father, and that made her suspecious that Roger was up to something mischievous.
**

*

It’s been a week since the mysterious death of Father Fredrick and Jonathan and yet Eva hadn’t been able to figure how it all happened, it seemed there’d been a loop in time the moment the priest sprinkle the oil on her and when she saw them cold dead except Mrs. Ford who’d ran out. Shocked by what she saw, Eva grabbed few of her things from the room and ran knowing the consequences if Mrs. Ford returns with security officers. She’d been strangely lucky to sneak her way from the various security check post and eventually out of Texas like a fugitive till she eventually got to California to meet that one person she belief will help her find meanings to her mysteries.
_____

Eighteen years old Latisha had been sentenced to life behind bar many years ago after been found guilty of murder when a white man was found dead in his apartment, Latisha claimed the man had lured and raped her while she served as his maid but the court see no justifiable reason to pardon a poor young black lady who’d maimed a prominent white man. It was the second month in prison Latisha realized she is pregnant, it was a very horrific experience for her knowing that the man responsible for her pregnancy was dead and rthat she would be birthing a child out of her choice as there was no chance rto abort it. Throughout her pregnancy, she was cared for in a special solitary confinement within the Central California women’s facility. She gave birth to a pretty girl of blend colour which made local news and starred up aggrieved protest within the black community aginst the justice system that indeed a black girl had acted in self defense against her white oppressor and that the jugement be reviewed but the system never bent. Latisha was given the grace of three months to breast feed and take proper care of her baby within special vicinity of the facility before the baby was taken away from her to a foster care facility home after she’d requested the baby be named after her grandmother Evelyn.
**

The young Evelyn was adopted from the foster home almost immediately by the Tomskins an old childless couple for how beautiful and cute she appeared. She was given the best education and best parental care, though she was made to know who her real mother was and always made to go visit her regularly but never made to know the situation surrounding her mother’s unfortunate situation. The last time Evelyn visited Latisha was on her eighteenth birthday to inform her mother of desire to travel to Texas to further her academics and most of all enjoy some freedom away from the Tomskins. But now she’s back.
“Have I ever told you exactly how your biological father died?” Latisha in turn asked Eva after revealing all the weirdness that’d happened of late in Texas.
Eva simply shock her head wondering how that had got to do with the present issue, it seemed so irrelevant at that moment that she wouldn’t care to know.
Latisha who’d achieved a celebrity status within the walls of the correctional center for her mystic ability to help inmates and authorities find missing objects or persons. On few occasions had she helped the security bodies apprehend some deadly fugitives and that had acquired her special treatment in the center.
“When he’s done having his way on me while I still laid on his bed that evening all pained for violating me, I desperately cursed that he bleeds to death. And he did”.
“What do you mean he did?”
“He bled to death from his eyes”
Eva gasped “How?”
“For many years I pondered on the mystery of that day until many years when I enhanced my inner Chi and understood who I really am. I eventually realized my Chi simply granted my wish that day having seen how pained I was”
“What’s a chi?”
“Ones inner spirit, somewhat an alter-ego.
“My Chi couldn’t have killed my boyfriend and the priest because I never wished for it” Eva clapped back angrily not wanting to admit she was responsible for the death of the innocent.
“It is summoned by your pain, it attacks whoever causes you pain even without your permission” She paused to notice how disturbed the realization had caused her daughter but there is something more important she needed to tell her of which she’d seen many times in her vision and had wanted to inform her “Evelyn, there is something else you need to know. Your Chi is no ordinary, you’ve got the supreme Chi and isn’t meant to stand alone, it’s too dark and enormous that I fear it will destroy you soon”
“How?” Eva feared as she could feel her heart pop to her mouth.
“Give me your hand” Latisha closed her eyes as she held her daughter’s hands tight, after few moments Latisha’s nose began to bleed and her body growing cold but still wouldn’t let go of her grip. Eva stared petrified and confused on what to do as Latisha appeared like one in severe pain, she was about calling for the help of a warden patrolling near-by when suddenly Latisha whispered like one in trance. “You Evelyn must help your Chi find it cause, there are only two more of its kind with which you must quickly seek them for a greater purpose for which not, the world is soon be doomed” she opened her eyes slowly, they looked drained.
“Are you alright?” Eva asked concerned.
“Yes Eveyln, there is a bigger task and a longer journey ahead of you and I suggest you start going now”
“But I don’t know where to go or how to go about it”
Latisha smiled wearily “I know just where”

CHAPTER FOUR

POSSESSION

Texas : United States
“Eva please, you’ve got to listen to me and not her” Jonathan begged
“Nathan I can’t, how would that make her feel, she is your mum and she will get to you anyway” Eva replied as the tears flowed freely from her eyes. It seemed she’d already lost him.
“I don’t care about my mum’s view on our relationship or whatever she feels about you, all I care about is loving you and I promise that nothing can change that. Eva I love you” he kissed her lips roughly as if trying to assure her of his love despite the grudges between her and his mother. He still couldn’t understand why his mother had suddenly been hell bent on seeing he doesn’t go close to Eva.
Jonathan Ford, an Africa-America who had for few weeks loved the pretty and athletic looking Eva since he first bumped into her in a grocery store few months earlier. Jonathan and Eva crosses perfectly into each other’s check list, one would’ve thought they’d been long time lovers or even couples already by the way and manner they go about their romantic affairs, but never sex itself.
Jonathan’s mom, Mrs. Alice Ford at first showed approval of her son’s choice of partner as she also had the gorgeousness, zeal and compassion towards life like the young girl but that changed suddenly.
“That girl is evil, Jonathan you’ve got to stay far away from her” Mrs. Ford, Jonathan’s mother warned when she last saw the two lovers togerther.
“But mom I love her and she loves me too, I guess that settles it” he stood in Eva’s defence.
“Listen boy” Mrs. Ford points to Jonathan to warn sternly “I am your mother and I know what’s best for you. This lady you see here isn’t what you think she is, she’s evil”.
“I’m old enough to know what’s best for myself mom and besides how do you know she is evil?”
She paused wondering if her sources matters, damn it “it’s the priest!” she simply said.
“And what’s the priest got to do with this?” he asked ignorantly.
“Father Fredrick said she is evil, I mean the real evil from the pit of hell, Stay away from her”
Jonathan since then had moved from his mother’s apartment to go stay with Eva, he was determined to love Eva no matter what. Rain had poured and the weather was chilly, it was one those nights when the flesh needed warmth upon it, Jonathan made his way into Eva’s room and on seeing her in one of her short skimpy night gown barely covering her laps, he starred in lust.
Jonathan softly whispered into her ear as he held her firmly on her waist from behind, he had his chin resting gently on her shoulder, pressing himself upon her succulent butt as he quickly grew sexually aroused. Something was different, the lights in the room were dimmed, her fragrance was sexually appealing and her touch was just what he needed for the moment, he realized Eva had got everything in motion he wanted to ask if she had made the room for his coming but dismissed the idea knowing it would make no difference at that point or worse ruin the mood. Anyway, he knew a good sex that night was inevitable.
“And you Mister Jonathan the lover boy will see heaven tonight” she turned to face him whispering into his ear likewise as she gave his outer ear a soft sensual bite, she giggled seeing Jonathan feeling ecstatic. She acted erotically, kissing and caressing him roughly.
“You are something else, you know that?” Jonathan hurriedly pulled off his shirt and trousers, leaving on him a short black pant. He gently laid Eva to the bed and rested himself carefully upon her body like a python on its prey. Eva reminded him it would be her first time, so he should take it gentle with her like he’d always promised.
“Whatever rocks your boat dear, but no pain no gains remember” Jonathan teased and the two laughed it off, the moment seems to have seized as they looked into each other’s eyes intensely and fell in love all over again. All of a sudden, the door to the room was slammed open and an elderly man walked in dressed as a priest, he was armed with a long sized crucifix and a bottle of oily substance. Jonathan was dumbfounded seeing Father Fredrick looked tensed and yet raged like one who had come for a kill, he realized they’d forgot to lock the door. Closely behind the priest was Mrs. Ford armed with her bible, she had fear all over her.
Jonathan rushes to his feet wondering what was happeneing and so was the confused Eva who quickly hugged Jonathan tight for closure on sighting Mrs. Ford.
“Oh my God!” Father Fredrick exclaimed and looked terrified like he’d seen the worst in Eva.
“Mom, what the hell is going on?” Jonathan asked but his mother seem not to mind him. “Mom I said what the hell is the meaning of this?” he inquired again but Mrs. Ford was less bothered at his anger.
“Boy, my lord is trying to safe you from this demon” she yelled still clutching behind Father Fredrick and her eyes on Eva.
Eva was confused as she looked from one person to another trying to wrap her head the unfolding incident. And while she attempts to get Jonathan’s attention for an explanation, she felt her skin burning, it was an excruciating pain that seemed to penetrate every inch of her. She screamed in horror as she kept rubbing every part of her body rudely. Every sprinkling of Father Fredrick oil caused Eva greater pain and Jonathan could only watch as Eva rolled, screamed and wailed helplessly on the bed.
“O you demon from hell I cast you out” Father Fredrick relentlessly commanded repeatedly as he then turns to point the crucifix at Eva who kept screaming in agony.
Jonathan still dumbfounded watched his girl acting possessed, or was she truly evil? He wasn’t sure what to believe or what to do.
“Father please you have to stop this!” he begged Father Fredrick who appeared engrossed in the exorcism, so he turned to Mrs. Ford “mother please tell him, he has to stop this, you are hurting her”
“Keep going father, keep going, it’s time we send the demon back to hell….Hallelujah!” she encouraged waving her hands in praises.
Shortly, Eva was motionless as she laid loosely on the bed like she’d died.
“I think she’s dead” Jonathan rushed to feel her purse, fear in his eyes “Father she’s dead, she is dead” he confirmed repeatedly.

Suddenly the atmosphere in the room turned tensed and everyone felt it, it was like a stronger force enveloped the room. While the priest was still figuring what was happening, Eva’s body rose from the bed into mid-air, it stood still and slowly turned upright to face Father Fredrick. Eva appeared chanted; strange wind blew madly within the room like mini-tornado as her body glowed so bright that it illuminated the room. A mystical dark smoke erupted from thin air to form a shield around her before transforming into someone else, another type of woman, an enchantress of sought.
With dropped jaws, the priest and the other two watched in disbelieve trying to absorb the realization before their eyes. Despite the consecrated power within Father Fredrick, he still feared for his life knowing he wasn’t just confronting an evil possessed human but something greater.

Mrs. Ford fainted.

“Father, please do something!” Jonathan begged as he took cover behind the priest.
“You can’t see what I’d seen boy, for this isn’t just mere evil” he shouted, trying hard to hold his ground and fear amidst the howling wind. It turned out he’d seen something else.
“What is it father, what did you see?”
“I see death!” he concluded overwhelmingly.

**
Three days later, a long bus heading for California was stopped by cops, various security agents had been on the search for the mysterious murderer of one Father Fredrick Moore and Mr. Jonathan Ford, both found dead in Eva’s apartment. The cops thoroughly searched and inspected the faces of everyone in the bus using Eva’s picture but the criminal they had in mind wasn’t found.
“Clear, you can go” one of the officers gestured at the bus driver to move-on.
Eva sighed in relief as she covered her head with a hood marveled by how she wasn't discovered when an officer examined her, she wondered how it had happened and then again wish she had answers to her million questions. She looked back as the bus drove away from a place she’d grew hoping to comeback when she finds answers to her true identity .Inside her head, a voice kept calling and she was sure that the owner of that voice was the real murderer and also the reason for her not being caught.

*
Raymond wasn’t entirely surprised when he walked in that evening to see Sewa in his apartment, he’d given her a spare key to the apartment a week ago when she visited, but now scared and curious on seeing her sobbing profusely, she was still in her NYSC uniform. Sewa looked like one who’d cried all day with slightly swollen eyes. Swiftly, Sewa rushed to hug Raymond tight, he held her tight too and couldn’t help but notice how shivery she was. She sobs louder.
“Raymond, I’m scared!” she cried still holding tight to him like a thirsty bug.
“Hey Sewa, relax and tell me what happened” Raymond was curious as many thoughts ran through his head.
“I came across something very strange today”
“What is it?”
Sewa sighed, she sat and stared thoughtfully at Raymond whom she doubt would understand what she is about to reveal. Raymond who now sat next to her was staring back curiously.
“Do you belief in the existence of witches?” she said for a start taking observance to Raymond’s reaction.
Raymond frowned; it seems he was trying to reabsorb the question.
“I meant witches in a good way” she quickly added with a lame smile.
“There is nothing good about witches as they are filled with evil powers”
Sewa uneasily readjusted on her seat looking away from Raymond “But not all of them are evil, some are…” she gasped and covered her mouth like she wasn’t suppose to say that, she stood up. “I need to leave right away” she’d picked up her hand bag and her phone.
Raymond was confused; he saw fear in her eyes while dashing for the door, he quickly intercedes before she had the chance to turn the knob.
“Sewa what is wrong with you? Please talk to me”
She tried to say something but shock her head against it, she attempted to force her way through Raymond but he wouldn’t let her until she speaks.
“I think I’m a witch!” she said suddenly and stepped away from Raymond like he would cause his to spit on her for her utterance.
For a moment that seemed tormenting to Sewa, Raymond’s eyes ran all over her, and then began to laugh so hard.
“You are not surprise?” Sewa asked puzzled by Raymond’s reaction.
“Of course I am”
“So what’s funny?”
“Because this is my first time of meeting a witch as pretty as you, witches I know are usually old, ugly, wrinkled-faced, and evil-minded women who suck human blood and eat the flesh for fun.
That got Sewa laughing really hard too especially the dramatic effect Raymond used in describing his idea of a witch. Her laughter soon faded into a saddened mood on realizing how Raymond trivialized the issue.
“I’m not sure but I think I can see dead people” she said almost in a whisper enough only for anyone closer to hear. She surprisingly felt relief confessing to someone else apart from her grandmother whom she told about her encounter of the spirit world. Raymond stopped laughing as Sewa took him through the details of it all, from the horrific event of the night in the hostel to the nightmare of the headless young man in the spirit world whom coincidentally was missing in the real life. Raymond seemed more confused than convinced after it all, he only succeeded pretending to belief what he was told and that was a big relief to Sewa.

“Should I get you something to drink?” Raymond asked in attempt to swerve the topic.

“Not at all, I just want you to hold me tight” she held tightly to him again “you don’t have to belief me but it’s true”

Raymond gasped to the thought of perhaps she could read minds too “Actually I….” he tried to lie when suddenly Sewa kissed his lips, they held to each other passionately for the first time as her lips brushed his, softly, delicately, like butterfly wings, just long enough that he could inhale her warm breath, feel the warmth of her skin, and the taste of her lipstick which she sensed would linger after she’d gone. Just then Raymond felt hit by a numbing cold all over, followed by a sharp pain in his heart almost costing him his breath; he quickly pulled back away from Sewa in fright.
“What is it?” She asked seeing how scared Raymond acted.

“I’m fine” he struggled to say as the pain he’d felt swiftly vanished “It’s just that…” he looked Sewa all over and trying to figurre out what had happened“…forget it” Raymond refrained from telling her how it seemed like a strange force overwhelmed him and almost pulled out his heart. He excused himself to the bathroom to freshen up and while he was at it, he felt a blood flow out of his nostril, he cleaned it not too bothered on what caused it, when he was done he walked up to Sewa in the room where she was seated expectantly but abashed.
“Raymond” she called staring keenly into his eyes “promise me you will always be here for me”.
“I promise I will forever be here for you” he hugged her lightly.
“I love you!”
He sighed deeply “I love you too”.
He led her out of his apartment, they spoke for awhile about other things and seem to enjoy each other’s company into the early sunset, and when she reluctantly left, Raymond’s eyes were on her till she maneuvered her car through the gate of the companies residential quarters and then a sense of loneliness brushed him to realize he is deeply in love with Sewa.
**

She would usually stay awake into midnight to catch-up with various episodes on Telenovela alone in her room, for her it’s more like a ritual but this night she had something more on her mind as she stared at the Latin-American actors on the screen, bothered about Raymond’s strange attitude while kissing her that afternoon, she’d caught glimps of blood stain on Raymond’s nose after he’d returned from the bathroom but refrained from asking him about it, she concluded he was perhaps nursing an ailment which he is keeping away from her, she wondered what it could be and hopefully ask him about it in her next visit. By 11:32pm she turned off the television, laid on her bed but couldn’t sleep, she kept tossing and after awhile she became restless and her heart suddenly began to kick like it’d happened in camp. She walked out of the room into the kitchen to get something cold to drink; everywhere was awfully quiet as she poured a glass of water from the fridge when suddenly the dogs in the compound began to bark furiously, abruptly the barking stopped and everywhere fell more silent like the earth was dead. As she closed the fridge and turned to leave, she saw a black bird staring at her keenly through the window at the top corner, it flew away immediately, she thought she’d seen a large black owl, one with glowing yellowish eyes. Quickly, Sewa headed back into her room locking the door tight behind her frightfully.

“What are you running from?”

Sewa jolted fearfully by the voice behind her. She turned around to see her grandmother sitting by the edge of her bed. “Grandma you scared me, when did you get in here?”

Madam Ajike looked tensed by the brow but forged soothing calmness in her voice.
“Come here come sit” tapping the bed “there is something I want to share with you” Madam Ajike ignored her granddaughter’s question.
As Sewa walked up to her, she seemed certain that whatever the old woman was about to share will cause her more sleepless and frightening night than she already had.
The old woman breathes deeply and soberly too “I have never told anyone this part of my life, not even your father” she began low spirited as Sewa sat uneasily next to her.
“I was born and raised by one of the most powerful man in my village; he was the warlock everyone in the village relied upon when it’s time for war. My father led his people to many battles and not one had he ever lost, he was worshipped by thousands within and around the village and when as a little girl who thought him a god that would have everything figured out, he died, gruesomely murdered by his own people after finding out his weaknesses”
Sewa gasped, sure she never expected that. “But why?”
“Because he was never loved for his powers, his people only feared him and worshiped him merely because of what he offered. I later discovered through the years that the village King and chiefs masterminded his death; they feared my father was becoming too powerful for them and could go out of control using his powers to challenge them”
“That’s really wicked, I’m sorry to hear that”
“That was just the beginning, shortly after my father’s death, my mother was banished and I as their only child was taken as a slave by one of the chiefs, after two miserable years under the chief, I ran away from him and the village to go in search of my mother whom I heard had fallen ill in a place far away but she died a day before I got to her. I stayed back and made a life for myself in a foreign land, I soon found my path by selling farm product all through my teenage years, life slowly became comfortable and then I fell in love with Adio a good man and a skillful butcher. Adio died the night we first made love, it seemed my creator and every creation worked against me when I was almost stoned to death by the villagers who accused me of being a witch and responsible for Adio’s death but I somehow made it out of the village into a forest where I decided to be by myself and perhaps wait for death to come get me. It took me four months alone in the forest to be certain I was actually pregnant”
“For Adio?” Sewa gasped, she followed with undivided attention.
“Yes. The thought of a baby strengthened my reason to keep living; I desired to keep the baby all alone to myself away from the wicked world that showed cruelty to me. Few months after I became heavy and was on my way back to where I’d gone to fetch fire-wood one evening, I felt the baby coming, all by myself in the forest I knew the delivery wouldn’t be easy so I braced up for the worse but the pain I felt was harder than I thought”
“So what happened grandma?” Sewa asked, she looked scared as much as curious.
“I collapsed under the pain while losing a lot of blood and then by the time I opened my eyes, I was somewhere else where everything felt different including my body, my big belly was gone and had been somehow cleaned and clothed in black. I soon realized I was in a room with a very strange creature staring at me with my baby in its arm, it had saved our lives”

*

Torrents of red flame blazed the overcast of the underworld as she slowly pushed through the crowd of miserable souls, dark witches and wizards cloaked in black, animals, demons, giants, monsters and other nonhuman creatures more fearlessly than her first encounter. This time Sewa moved with a sense of purpose and seemed not awed by her new world not even by a gigantic three-headed black dog led by a green elf that’d whistled pass her, but then her eyes caught a stranger creature grumblingly making its way through, it was a menacing slavering creature, it was large with bony limbs. The creature’s forelimbs were rather lanky compared to the rest of the body, and the back legs were short. From its stomach grew two more arms, which were completely caked in blood, the head appeared to be a solid sphere, but as it was about to briskly walk pass her, it opened its jaw extremely wide to let out a horrifying, slavering snarl, unfolding its head like an onion and revealing rows and rows of yellow teeth, it walked pass leaving Sewa wondering how many weirder looking creatures she is yet to see. There again by a corner was Elysia the blind witch trying to hypnotize a young witch with same necklace; she had that same mischievous smile that made Sewa realize she was up to no good. Sewa quickly rushed to hit the young lady by the arm who then fell back to the consciousness of Elysia’s trickery. The other lady glared, cursed the old witch, transformed into a bat and flew away to go mingle with other bats heading for another end of the realm.
“You again, what aims have you?” the old witch asked with disdain as she sniffed the air across her. Sewa’s intrusion had cost her a great lost, she was at the verge of sapping out a good deal of precious memories from one of the newly converts of witches who had merely come to explore the mysteries of the underworld with her kinds.
“I need your help”
The old witch scoffed, paused for a while like she was considering further conversation “Of what sought?” she asked.
“I’m here in search of a creature called Grunu.
“Grunu!” A whispery voice eloped from within Elysia’s rag, Oberon stretched out lazily, it seemed like the name had intruded the creature’s sleep. “Yooou again…seeking for an ancient creature that’d long gone into hiding, slippery is he, difficult to find I must say” it yellowish eyes beamed for a brief moment “I alone know where the creature can be found but I will only tell you for a price”
Sewa frowned at the black reptile and then at the old witch who seemed pleased by Oberon’s offer. Sewa was sure these two are up to no good but she hopes to tread with caution till she gets what she wants.
“And what’s the price?” she asked.
“Your blood, just a drop” said Oberon and then flicked its tongue.
“Good one Oberon, good one” Elysia grinned toothlessly “Just her blood is all we need”
Sewa would have thought it to be a small price to pay if she hadn’t known the two mischief’s or hadn’t been warned by her grandmother of the deceits everywhere in the underworld. While Sewa looked around thinking of what better way to find this Grunu without biding to Oberon’s request, a large black Owl suddenly perched on her shoulder; it quickly pecked her ear before taking to the sky. Instinctively, she followed the bird through the preposterous world till she saw it land in a lone place far away from other creatures and took a sharp turn behind a large Oak tree like it aimed to hide itself; Sewa followed the bird and noticed the tree behind where it hid was the only lively tree amongst many dead trees; the tree was more greenish than normal. As Sewa hurriedly moved closer in an attempt to catch-up with the bird lurking behind the tree, she came face-to-face with an enormous frame of a creature instead, the bird seemed to had transformed into another creature, it was a skeleton, wears a long, black cloak with a hood, and carries a scythe. Nervously, Sewa stepped back from the Oak tree wondering where the raven went. Now she wasn’t sure exactly why she’d followed the bird even though she felt a connection when it pecked her. The sight of this gory creature got her edgy and it seems to prick something inside her as the descriptive tattoo on her were slowly illuminating.
“At last you return, guardian!” the creature fell swiftly to a knee and bowed as soon as he stepped from behind the tree. It had a toneless guttural voice, as gravelly and penetrating as it was gruff.
“I’m sorry, I must’ve missed my way around here” she said bemused then paused for a moment at the figure that was still kneeling right in front of her “I’m in search of a creature called Grunu” she added mindlessly.
“Yes guardian, I’m that which you seek. I’m Grunu, the grim reaper”
Of course she then understood why her grandmother wouldn’t explain what exactly Grunu looked like even when she insisted, he looked everything unpleasant. She found it hard to belief that a creature as that once saved a life.
“My grandmother wants me to find you; she said you can help me figure what I am and what to do with my powers”
“Yes guardian, but I can’t do that without the permission from your selves”
“What selves?”
“You stand incomplete and vulnerable without yourselves and so does yourselves without you, you must find yourselves”
“I don’t understand, I just want to have answers to who I really am and why all these powers and this strange world and all the weird creatures in it.
“You and yourselves aren’t no mortal being, there was a time yourselves presided over all dwellings here in Abadon till you vanished leaving it distorted by mere humans for their selfish gains”
Sewa was mystified, wasn’t sure what to make of Grunu’s words and began to doubt if the creature would be of any help at all.
Something amidst the crowd afar caught her attention; it was another headless man calling for help while stumbling his way to a direction, Sewa was no stranger to such brutal sight.
“They are the trapped souls, preys of the earth who’d suffered untimely death so brutally in the hands of the powerful ones. They’re mere sacrifice to the Salicx in exchange for power, wealth and heath” Grunu explained like he knew what Sewa intends to ask.
She gasped. “That’s cruel” she found her voice.
“Guardian, come with me for you must see” Grunu hits his scythe to the ground and the two disappeared into thin air.

…

The two reappeared at the bottom of mountains around formed with the countless bodies and blood of humans, all headless and lifeless. Sewa was startled by such gory and eerie sight.
“This is where their bodies are dumped after the Salicx are done sapping their souls” said Grunu. “This is why you need to find yourselves as soon as possible before the Salicx become too strong to be stopped by yourselves”
“But why can’t you stop them?” she cried out furiously.
“I can’t, I do not posses such powers as yourselves against the Salicx”
“I too don’t have such power as well”
“You are one of the daughters of Death himself, you alone command stronger power than any creature in this realm.
Suddenly, a long eerie cry broke from above.
Guardian! The sky rumbled alarmingly like it screamed or so it seemed shortly before the clouds suddenly turned darker.
“Guardian, its best you leave immediately. I might not be able to hold them longer this time” Grunu said as he stood gallantly with his now burning scythe firmly held like one ready for a fight. The air was hot and tensed.
Sewa was certain there was trouble to come when potions of clouds began pouring its army of Salicx, but where exactly does Grunu expects her to run to? Like it happened the last time, the Salicx had her sounded but now with Grunu by her side. This time the tattoo on her grew brighter as the seven dark army approached with their burning swords and so did her confidence grew.
“We don’t have enough power against the Salicx without yourselves, leave now and find yourselves while I hold them back, I barely survived the last time I fought them” Grunu warned Sewa who strangely stood gallantly as well for combat.
“So it was you who rescued me the last time?”
“Yes, it’s my obligation”
“What are these things and what do they want from me?” she asked now standing back-to-back with Grunu in the circle of dark army.
“Your presence here is a treat to the Salicx who are the seven brothers of fear, the eaters of souls and the new rulers of Abaddon, they will see at all cost that you and yourselves are destroyed. Leave before it’s too late”
“But I can’t, I don’t know how to”
The Salicx were closing on them threateningly. Every step of each Salicx towards her aggravated her fear and it wasn’t just the ordinary fear but flood of unpleasant memories rushing through her head. she screamed to the sensation of her body on fire, her body slowly lifted itself slightly above ground and her strange tattoo illuminated so much light enough to push her adversaries away.

**