Kehinde exhaled in relief as the snores resumed then she continued her slow progress towards the ring of keys.

Closer and closer until her frail hand reached out and lifted the ring off its hook, it jingled but she quickly quelled the noise with her other hand.

As cautiously as before she made her way back to Afolukemi.

Tears of apprehension fell from her eyes as she fumbled with the keys and locks.

Finally the shackles on her wrists swung free and with the key she did the same thing to the locks at her ankles.

Afolukemi rubbed the circulation back into her wrists and she smiled but it was a smile devoid of warmth and humor, it held only a promise of death.

Slowly the captives began to free themselves and as the excitement began to spread they grew less cautious.

Afolukemi turned to warn of the man sleeping under the wagon but she did not get a chance for a man stepped into view holding a cruel looking knife.

He approached the princess.

“I am going to gut you! WITCH….?” He stopped short when he saw them hurriedly unlocking their chains.

He gaped like a drowning fish. “WHAT THE…?”

That was all he could say before he died. In all his years as a highwayman nothing could have prepared him for the moment as she reached and held his hand, a sharp twist and his weapon became hers coming alive and slashing out faster than the strike of a serpent.

With eyes opened wide the man gripped his throat as he tried to squelch the flow of blood, gurgling he fell and drowned in his own blood.

“BY THE GODS!” Abulu exclaimed from under the wagon where he slept.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?” he rolled out and quickly fumbled for his sword and when he looked up his eyes fell on hers and he saw his death mirrored in them.

The intensity of her gaze transfixed him as she rose and hurdled over the side of the wagon with the knife in hand but her feet were unsteady from lack of use, she stumbled holding the wagon for support and the spell was broken.

The one-eyed wagon driver snarled in anger and with a loud battle-cry tore his sword from the scabbard and charged as the captives jumped from behind the wagon with shouts of their own swinging the long chain shackles over their heads, they met his charge taking him down under a hail of blows.

Kehinde busied herself with freeing as many captives as she could but the slaves were too eager to be freed and a tussle began for the ring of keys, it fell to the dense grassy floors and was temporarily lost to the excited crowd of slaves.

The men were now fully alert to the upheaval and they came in force to contain the rebellion with whips and daggers drawn.

The princess quickly regained her footing and her thoughts raced knowing the uprising would come to an end quicker than it started if more slaves were not set free.

There were three keys but she needed the other two and as if on cue she saw a wagon-driver emerge with two of his companions, they were distracted for their attention was on the fight in the middle of the camp, they headed for the foray.

Afolukemi broke out into a run hoping the keys were in their possession.

She raced and kept low in the high grass with her knife held tucked into her palm with its tip to the elbow as she closed in on them like a wildcat approaching its prey.

They did not see until it was too late, she threw herself into a slide and skidded smoothly on the grassy surface while her dagger flashed several times slicing through skin and muscle.

The men screamed like goats at the altar as blood soaked through their pants as they fell cursing her with all the venom they could muster.

She stood and walked to the wounded men and unceremoniously slit their throats until the three lay dead.

A search produced the ring of keys she sought and quickly she began unlocking the slaves at the back of the wagons for they were stronger and could put up a greater resistance.

“BEHIND YOU!” a woman shouted a warning and pointed to four approaching men.

They came running, except one who busied himself with stringing an arrow into a large warrior bow.

They came with swords and were almost falling over each other in a rush to reach her first.

She spat in contempt, tossed the keys to the women and faced them, a lone, naked bloodstained girl with a knife against three swords and a bow.

“She stands no chance,” was the thought on their mind but the princess had other thoughts; she ran two steps and threw the hunting knife.

The weapon spun neatly through the air missing the three swordsmen and lodged into the throat of the archer throwing him off his feet as he raised his bow.

Undeterred by his death the three men came for her and she in turn ran to them like they were her lovers, ducking under a slashing sword her elbow snapped up and connected and she spun and danced until her hand held his and a weapon exchanged hands, a sword sliced down and was deflected and then her elbow snapped up and connected yet again.

She danced away and stood to observe her handiwork.

A man lay unmoving on the ground and of the two men who stood before her one was injured and the other was without a sword.

She twirled the weapon once to test its weight and stood waiting for them to make a move, only the men did not seem as certain as they initially had been.

The weaponless man hurriedly glanced around looking for his dead comrade’s sword.

Afolukemi looked down and the two men followed her gaze, the missing weapon lay by her feet, the men gasped in surprise while she came in for the kill, but before she could deliver the death blow, the cries stopped everyone in their tracks.

AIYEEYEEEYEEEYEEEEEEYEEEEEEEEE!

The cry resounded through the forest and yet seemed to come from just beyond the borders of the clearing and it came from no human throat.

AIIYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Came the reply

Whatever the creature was, it was not alone.

AIIYEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The battle between the slaves and the wagon-drivers dwindled to a halt and everyone began looking around in fear.

What manner of creature had been awakened?

The cry came again, this time numerous replies followed confirming without a doubt that a host of the creatures were communicating, and coming closer.

AIYEEYEEYEEEYEEEEEEEEEEE!

There was a rustle from the bushes to her right and the princess instinctively dived out the way.

An enormous batlike creature swooped out of the trees on leathery wings.

It missed her by a moment but the man before her was not so lucky, with a loud screech its clawed three-toed feet grabbed the man by his shoulders and lifted him off into the bushes, he screamed and struggled but it was all to no avail.

Suddenly more of the creatures flew out of the cover of the bushes and began circling over the clearing, each one crying the terrible call, without warning they dove into the clearing and picked up the bewildered humans one by one.

Afolukemi decided it was time to leave.

She looked around for Kehinde who had gotten lost in the foray and hoped no harm had come to the child. Instead she saw Abulu the one-eyed limping off into the protection off the bushes.

His clothes were torn and bloodied and he cradled his left-arm gingerly, his right hand held Oro the poisoned dagger.

He was still alive? And her precious knife was finally within reach.

She made to chase after him but was stopped by a terrible sight.

Kehinde stood rooted to a spot in shock while a bat creature hovered high in the air above her, its large owl-like eyes were fixed on the small framed girl and it poised for a dive.

“KEHINDE!” The princess shouted in alarm.

She shoved people out of the way and began running towards the transfixed figure.

“KEHINDE!” she shouted again, there was a screech behind her and she turned to see she had drawn attention to herself, one of the bat creatures was swooped down for her with claws extended.

She ran faster, shoving away anybody who stood in her way and leaping over obstacles but still the creature came for her, coming closer and closer until she could feel the wind from the beating of its leathery wings.

“KEHINDE! FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS, GET DOWN!” she shouted as she ran.

The creature hovering above Kehinde suddenly broke into a dive, coming straight for its prey but Kehinde seemed to have heard the warning cries for she suddenly flung herself out of the way.

The creature missed her and swooped back up into the sky, screeching and crying in disappointment.

For the moment Kehinde was safe but the princess had her own problems to deal with.

The creature closed in on her and was about to grip her shoulders.

Suddenly she dropped to her knees and slid on the grass until she came to rest under a wagon.

The creature seeing its prey disappear from view did not stop its attack but instead latched on to one of the bigger oxen and hoisted it into the air effortlessly.

The ox was harnessed to the wagon but was lifted into the air.

The creature beat its wings harder reluctant to relinquish its meal, the harness broke and the wagon dropped with crushing force.

She rolled away as the wood splintered with its metal wheel narrowly missing her legs and stayed in the cover of the tall grass.

The creature having won the tussle with the ox and wagon finally flew off into the bushes with the prize.

The two girls lay on the ground until the creatures satisfied with their raid flew back into the trees and vanished.

Cautiously, the survivors came from hiding and gathered under the covers of the trees, no wagon driver survived except one and he now was fleeing in the bushes taking her cherished dagger with him and leaving her oath of vengeance unfulfilled...

sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

Demosalesman:
sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

Hello, is there a way I can obtain the full story, please? The tale is too enthralling to stop midway.

Can you give us the link to those site please

Demosalesman:
sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

like seriously I've been addicted to this story since it began,I can't afford not to finish it,this is my email,incase u have a change of mind.kevweodeh@gmail.com

Demosalesman:
sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

BROS ABEG CALM DOWN, TAKE HEART AND IN THE NAME OF THE MOST HIGH AND COMPLETE THIS STORY NOW, THANKS AND GOD BLESS U IN ADVANCE

if u dont finish this story then u let us all down especially me....i joined nairaland because of your story and now that in fully engrossed in it u say u are not posting again.....that wickedness oh

Demosalesman:
sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

Calm down man. This has been the reason so many masterpiece remain incomplete here on Nairaland. However, I have seen many who kept posting their works despite the obstacle you mentioned above. I know it's your choice to decide as you please. Please don't stop.

Demosalesman:
sorry guys. this will be my last post. got wind some people been copying my work and putting it in their blogs. wish there was a way i could post without being copied. Alas.

i believe you should think about the reason you started. yes....am sure you know this might happen but you started anyway. Now, you successfully endeared us to your epic stories and you want us to regret being part of your life by abandoning us.

Think about your decision very well.

please naaaaaa i keep checking this page up for update everyday the story is too interesting to forget about it just like dat

Demosalesman... I know it's your decision to make, just consider your fans before making any decisions..
In the meantime can you please drop update for us Biko