I
The unwavering crow of roosters stirred the village, a timeless ritual waking its residents. Faint murmurs echoed from each dwelling as parents roused their children to face the day's tasks. Dawn approached, carrying its own set of challenges.
Ajaka awoke feeling revitalized, a rare sense of serenity embracing him. Retrieving his axe, he set out to chop logs for the morning fire and prepare breakfast. Though not entirely at ease, Ajaka had successfully unburdened himself of a weight that had long oppressed his soul.
The sound of chopping coupled with the soft murmurs of the villagers gives way to serene atmosphere that put his heart at peace. An eace he never had with the life he led, not that he had a choice in the matter. Life was good if it could remain like this. But never has his prayers been answered and now won't be any different.
Steady footsteps reverberate as it's owner move closer to the hut. Ajaka dropped his axe as he looked in the direction of the sound. An aura seems to permeate from whoever was coming, an aura unique to those who train in power beyond the reach of the mundane. The arrogance with which this stranger walks puts him ill at ease. He may hate his father and all he stands for but he will never let anyone do as they please in his father's house not when he could do something about.
The footsteps proceeded in his direction and Ajaka could see them clearly. A man in white standard garment of priests. To be precise Ifa priests, those sketchy bunch. The Ifa priests are the impromptu rulers of all The Known Lands. As the custodian of the most powerful religion in the land they hold almost unimaginable power. What Ajaka personally hates about them is their hypocrisy. They hide all the filth and vile actions under their white garment while presenting themselves to the masses spotless.
As if to acknowledge his claim a man waltz into the compound followed by guard like men. The man noticing Ajaka turned to him with a frown, clearly disliking his presence.
"Who are you" he demanded.
Ajaka clearly taking an offense, he growled. How could some just walk into his father's house and ask him who he was to his face.
"Who are you" Ajaka asked straight back to the priests face.
The frown on the face of the priest deepened as he felt insulted as this unknown man dared to ask who he was. He was not the only one taking offense to this as the bodyguards behind him were getting riled up. Though it will take tens of people like them to be a threat to the battle hardened Ajaka.
The door to the hut opened as Asake came out probably due to all the ruckus.
"Asake! where is my mother" the proud priest said without any trace of respect in his voice.
Ajaka was not a stickler to tradition nor a fan of always respecting people older than oneself as he has killed a lot of men older than him but if a narcissist idiot dares to insult the most important woman in his life he will take up his blade and teach him a lesson he will never forget.
"What did you just say" Ajaka said menacingly.
Noticing the change in Ajaka's disposition. The bodyguards of the priests rush to create a barrier between Ajaka and the priest they were charged to protect.
A look of realization appears on the priest's face as he said,
"You most be the bitches son"
His fate was decided at this moment because whatever civility was holding Ajaka back disappeared with the wind. He had never been this angry before not when he personally saw the cruelest of man slaughtering innocent people.
The priest's bodyguards realized that a battle was inevitable as they rushed towards Ajaka in other to put a safe distance between him and the priest. The Ifa priests were known for their spells. Using ritual, incantations and convenants they channel power from the diety Ifa himself. One of such incantations is currently being cast by the priest with an expressively large smile on his face. He was set to remind just how much the difference is between an average human like Ajaka and a spellcaster like him.
He was wrong though, Ajaka was anything but average and he will be an idiot if he let him finish his chant. The bodyguards might as well be snails with their current speed. Taking the initiative from them, he moved at a speed they thought was impossible as he appeared behind one of them with a axe in his hands. Anyone that dared to protect the man who insulted his mother does not deserve to live.
He raised his axe and logged it deep into the spine of the poor man. He couldn't scream before his head was separated from his body by the axe. The other bodyguard sensing that Ajaka will not let him go swung his blade and Ajaka seemingly narrowly escape it by moving backwards before lunging for the man once again. The bodyguard having gotten into a defensive form parried all Ajaka's slashes. His hands felt like they will fall of any minute but thankfully for him help was coming. Unbeknownst to him a mini storm was forming overhead. The voice of the priest barely discernable was repeating the name IGI.
IGI is the spiritual personification of storms, with control over storms and chaos, he was a very powerful foe.
'this little priest does have some tricks up his sleeves' Ajaka thoughts.
It was known that the stronger the diety the harder it is to channel their powers. Sometimes it takes multiple generations of making sacrifices to such diety before a child capable of channeling such power is born. This priest must one of them.
Ajaka looking up to see that the immediate sky was turning dark with a whirlpool is forming. Common sense dictates he rush towards the priest and end him before he finishes his spell but frankly a spell of this magnitude could not hurt him.
'this imbecile might not even be able to hit me'
The guard seeing Ajaka was distracted applied pressure in his attacks hoping to turn the tide of this battle not knowing Ajaka was also tired of the annoyance he was constituting.
Jumping backward Ajaka crouch on the ground him a prancing pose and lunges once again at the guard with even greater speed throwing him of his guard. Before he could put his acts together, it was too late. His left hand fell to the ground after a swift swipe of an axe closely followed by his right.
"I'll give you a chance to scream because you were better than that failure over there"
Did the guard scream? Yes, he screamed in pain like that was the last thing he will do. Only then did Ajaka grant him the mercy called death.
"Ahahaha, I expected nothing less from a generational fool. Giving a spellcaster time to finish his spell" the priest said with smug.
"Now I will give you death by being swallowed by an unforgiving storm. Don't worry your mother will follow shortly"
As if afraid Ajaka is not angry enough and he wants him to be more angry. The priest taunts with reckless abandon, having full confidence in his spell.
"Go my servant, go"
Powerful whirlpool akin to a natural disaster started to brew with the intent to destroy anything in its path. The looks up to Ajaka expecting to see fear on his face just like the others that dared to defy him but what he saw made him uneasy.
Ajaka standing there with complete apathy as if watching a failure of a clown perform. Having had enough of his charade. He called out a name that carried enormous power,
"Shongo o"
Like a stillness everything stopped, the storm and the wind that follows. Crickets and all little animals cry as if to welcome an authority so vast they will never know it's end.
Ajaka can feel the power of Shongo coursing through his veins to every cell in his body.
"Impossible, you are merely a child of poor villagers. There is no way you will have access to such power"
The priest muttered, clearly still in disbelief. The power he weilds comes from generations of his ancestors making exorbitant sacrifices to Igi. He could not come to terms with the fact that the son of an average villager could wield such power.
Igi is not necessarily weaker than Shongo but the difference between the two spellcaster can't be more different.
Lightning came from even deeper part of sky as the cut through the storm clouds summoned by the priest dispersing them like they were nothing.
Sensing things not going his way the priest decided to leave.
"Igi grant me your flight"
The power of Igi flowed into his body granting him enormous speed in other to aid his escape. But will Ajaka let him leave just like that? Of course not.
Buffed with the power of Shongo, he moved with speed impossible to the human body and he appearing right before the priest his hand gripping his neck like a vice. Contrary to Ajaka's expectations, the priest had no desire to surrender. He is consumed by his rage. A commoner made him flee and now captured like him like a rat. The priest eyes reflecting his anger.
"Well, I better send you on your way" Ajaka said while smirking.
Lightning flowed out of his body into the priest's electrocuting him. Only now did he realize that Ajaka might kill him. He never imagined that Ajaka will dare to kill an Ifa priest in public. While Ajaka killed his guards he never thought he would dare to kill him. But the looks in Ajaka's eyes made realize that he will most likely die here today. Fear slowly crept into his heart as he gasped for breath while bearing the pain on lightning coursing through his veins.
"Does it hurt?" Ajaka asked " This is what I feel every time I channel lightning"
Only mad men choose to channel the power of Shongo because of the pain that comes with it. Ajaka watched as life slowly left his body with apathy . He was not his first kill and he wouldn't be his last.
After all signs of life left the priest body, Ajaka trew him away like the trash he thinks he was. Looking in the direction of the hut he saw his mother with an agap expression and his father? Same old stoic expression.
"What have you done" Asake cried.
She can see the shadow of Lakunle in her son. A man daring enough to challenge the world. This battle will not end here. It will probably go on till her son is dead
Seeing the hurting look of his mother made Ajaka soften. He doesn't want to see her sad. He moved closer to her to pacify her.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh"
A scream came just from out the door as a woman ran from the hut to the chared body of the priest. She bawled in pain as she held the body like it is the most precious thing in the world. Asake seeing this also started crying. She most be the woman the priest called mother. Also, judging from her voice she most be the other wife of his father, Mori.
Ajaka can't bring himself to pity this woman. If he hadn't killed him, his mother will probably be crying over his body just like that.
"Why" Mori said in a voice broken by tears.
Ajaka can't think of anything to say just looked directly into Mori's eyes. He could see her pain. He could see her madness. She lost two children. One to the spirits and one to death.
Standing up she looked at Ajaka having determined him the killer. The pain and the madness evident in eyes.
"I have shouldered the sins of your father and I lost my daughter as a price" he said in a raspy tone "Now you his son took my boy from him"
She paused once again to mourn her child's death.
"I curse you to die in pain just like my son did, you shall watch as everything you worked for crumble before your eyes and you shall do nothing but watch, powerlessly."
She fainted. A somber atmosphere descends. Something heard her words and approved it.
With a sigh Ajaka Ajaka turned back to his mother only to see her standing like she lost a part of her soul.
"I can't stay here anymore" Ajaka said turning towards the hut to pack his stuff. After doing that he walked towards his horse.
"Where are you going" Asake said "Please stay"
"You know I can't " He knows the is no place for him here. He knows he has to end this somehow.
He got on top his horse and muster it slowly out of the compound. His story won't end here but he has to move on. His mother will obviously be able to take care of herself. He can't risk being near her not with the curse he currently carry.
Slowly, his horse moved like it was aware of it's masters mood.