Jahzara stepped into Aki's town square, the air heavy with the scent of wilted jasmine and the acrid tang of blight. The Orisha statues—Oya's windswept form, Osanyin's herb-crowned head, Shango's thunderous stance—stood radiant despite black veins creeping up their bases, their sapphire eyes flickering like Mother Gaia's fading heartbeat. Her owls perched on Oya's outstretched arm, their golden eyes watchful, as Jahzara's sapphire necklace pulsed in rhythm. She traced the scar across her lip, her heart heavy with the memory of the human woman's ashen remains from the sacred tunnel. How many more will I fail? she thought, her Koajin wrath stirring, a faint whisper urging destruction.
A soft glow shimmered by a massive baobab tree, its roots untainted by blight. Atu, a spirit in flowing robes, sat cross-legged, his translucent form radiating calm. "Hmm… The owlets are quite fond of you," he said, his voice warm like a hearth. "Usually, they're filled with anxiety. Something tells me you didn't come to Aki for a casual visit, daughter of Kento."
Jahzara turned, startled, her owls hooting softly. "Atu," she said, bowing deeply, her gi swaying. "You looked after me as a child. I… I'm sorry for what happened to you."
Atu's eyes softened, his spirit form shimmering. "It's all right, child. I died serving Aki, my joy. Now, how may I assist you?"
"I seek the Temple of The Elements," Jahzara said, her voice steady but urgent. "To purify the blight, to save Gaia."
Atu's gaze grew solemn. "Aki is tied to the Temple and Mother Gaia, but her corruption and Gizo's stolen shards have weakened the Ẹgbẹ́ Àwọn Òrìṣà—the Council of Orishas." The statue of Oya hummed, its eyes flaring as Jahzara's necklace pulsed. "Oya, Osanyin, and Shango guard the Aiyé Ẹ̀mí, the world of souls, and the universe itself. Gizo's theft has shattered the barrier between living and dead, letting corrupted spirits roam. You must free them to reach the Temple."
Jahzara's fists clenched, anger flaring at Gizo's name. "Why do the Orishas let this happen? Gaia's dying, and I…" Her voice cracked, memories of Junshi's bloodied body flashing—her sacrifice during Janaka's coup, triggering her rage. "I couldn't save that woman... I purified her, but she turned to ash."
Atu floated closer, his hand ghosting over hers. "You freed her soul, Jahzara, gave her an afterlife unshackled. Death is but a step, not an end. You honor her, and your mother, Junshi, by fighting for Gaia."
Jahzara nodded, tears stinging. "I wish Master Abena were here. She taught me to guide spirits to peace, as we are the last Spirit Guides left with such a deep connection to Gaia."
"Abena was my student," Atu said, smiling faintly. "You've learned well. But spirits stuck in corruption need your Ase—and your heart." He handed her a bracelet, its sapphire beads glowing with a warm hum. "This belonged to Zafia, a leader who held Aki together. Her spirit lingers in the lost forest. Use this to find her."
Jahzara slipped on the bracelet, warmth flooding her wrist, a vision flashing—Zafia planting seeds in untainted soil, her fierce eyes alight with hope. "Zafia," she murmured, resolve hardening. "I'll bring her home."
Atu's eyes twinkled. "One more thing, child. This task needs backup. Oh, Miss Jackson?"
A rush of water roared overhead, the bracelet flaring in response. Zhavia Justine Jackson surfed down on a shimmering wave, her Y2K suit sparkling with gold accents, her braided ponytail bouncing. "Whoo-hoo, niecey!" she hollered, landing with a grin, hands on hips. "Auntie Z's here, sugar, ready to save Gaia like we're the X-Men!"
Jahzara laughed, the weight lifting. "Auntie Zhavia. It's been too long." They hugged, her owls fluttering happily.
Atu nodded. "Kento trained her well, Jahzara. Zhavia's waterbending will aid your mission."
"Darn skippy, old man!" Zhavia said, winking. "I got your back, Z. Let's save some souls and make history."
The bracelet pulsed, Zafia's spirit whispering through Jahzara's Ase—a cry for help. "She's in the lost forest," Jahzara said, eyes narrowing. "Come on, Zhavia, follow my lead."
"Poor soul callin' an SOS?" Zhavia said, cracking her knuckles. "Lead the way, spirit guide."
Jahzara and Zhavia trekked through Aki's blighted outskirts, the bracelet's glow cutting through the haze of twisted roots and tar-like sludge. The air was thick with decay, the ground soft under Jahzara's boots, her sapphire necklace pulsing faintly in rhythm with the bracelet's warmth. Her owls soared above, their golden eyes scanning the darkness. Zhavia's waterbending sliced through encroaching vines, her waves shimmering like hope against the blight's oppressive weight.
"Lord, niecey, this place is a hot mess," Zhavia said, her Mississippian drawl thick as she spun a water whip to clear a path. "Reminds me of them polluted rivers I cleaned in the Congo—pure poison, but we got this. You feelin' that bracelet yet?"
Jahzara touched the glowing beads, a faint whisper of Zafia's spirit echoing through her Ase. "It's warm, like Gaia's heartbeat, but… sad," she said, her voice low. "It's calling me to Zafia, but every step feels heavier. Like I'm carrying Mother's sacrifice all over again."
Zhavia's brown eyes softened, her braided ponytail swaying as she glanced at Jahzara. "Sugar, I know you miss her. Yo Mama's story truly isn't one for the faint of heart. That Koajin wrath in you? It ain't you—it's just a shadow. You're her light, Z, purifiyin' this land. If anyone can save em... girl, it's you."
Jahzara's scarred lip trembled, a flash of Junshi's bloodied body flickering in her mind—her mother shielding her from Janaka's blade. "I want to believe that, Auntie, but the wrath… it's always there, whispering to let go. I buried an army once, lost control. What if I can't save Zafia without becoming that monster again?"
Zhavia stopped placing a hand on Jahzara's shoulder, her diamond earrings glinting. "Listen here, nature girl. You know I grew up poor, bullied, framed by folks who wanted me gone. But I turned that pain into power, like Storm, controllin' the elements. You got that same fire—your Ase, your heart. That bracelet's guidin' you 'cause you're meant to heal, not destroy. We gon' save Zafia together, you hear?"
Jahzara nodded, her necklace glowing brighter. "Thanks, Z. For believing in me… even when I don't."
"Always, niecey," Zhavia said, grinning. "Now, let's move before this blight tries to make us its lunch."
They reached Zafia's home, a ruin overtaken by Gaia's corrupted vines, moss choking shattered furniture. Jahzara's earth sense pulsed, finding untainted soil beneath the decay, but two corrupted knights emerged from the shadows, their crossbows firing bolts of blighted crystal.
"Watch it, niecey!" Zhavia shouted, summoning a water shield that shimmered like a Mississippi sunrise, deflecting a bolt. "These fools think they can take us? Oh, honey, they don't know who they're messin' with!"
Jahzara's earth sense locked onto the ground's pulse, raising a stone barrier to block another bolt. "Stay sharp, Auntie!" she called, ducking as a bolt grazed her arm. Pain ignited her Koajin wrath—red dragonic tattoos flickered on her skin, her eyes whitening briefly as the earth trembled. Not again, she thought. She forced the wrath down, her necklace flaring with blue Ase. "I won't lose control!" she growled, earthbending a boulder to crush one knight.
Zhavia spun, her water blades slicing through the second knight's armor like a hot knife through butter. "That's my girl!" she cheered, her waves merging with Jahzara's Ase to purify the spirits. The knights' forms cracked away, revealing the spirits underneath, their ghostly faces nodding in thanks and respect before fading into the ether.
"Whew, we showed 'em, Z!" Zhavia said, wiping her brow, her gold-accented suit sparkling. "Your earthbendin' and my water? We're like Captain Planet out here, savin' Gaia one fight at a time. You okay, though? Saw them tattoos flare up again..."
Jahzara panted, her arm stinging, the tattoos fading. "I'm okay… really. Mama taught me to heal, not destroy, but it's so hard sometimes."
Zhavia knelt beside her, her voice gentle but firm. "I know, sugar. That wrath's like the hate I faced growin' up—tryin' to break you, but you're stronger. You purified them knights, gave 'em peace. That's Junshi's love in you, same as my fight for clean water's in me. We got families to save, like Zafia's. You ready to keep goin'?"
Jahzara touched her necklace, a faint smile breaking through. "Yeah, Auntie. For Zafia. For Mother. Let's do this."
Inside, Jahzara found a family photo half-buried in moss, a mother and two children smiling. A flash of Junshi's face flickered in her mind, her mother's laughter echoing from childhood. "By Olorun, more broken families," she vowed, her voice thick. "How many has this blight torn apart?"
Zhavia peered over her shoulder, her eyes softening. "Too many, niecey. This photo's like the ones I got back home in Jackson—folks just tryin' to live, love, be free. This blight's like every corrupt system I fought, tearin' folks apart. But we gon' fix it, Z, for them, for Gaia, for the culture."
A giggle echoed, and two child spirits appeared—twins, Yuan and Yuri. Yuri's laugh rang out as Jahzara slipped on a vine, falling. Yuan, the older twin, helped her up, smirking. "Sorry, my brother's a lovable moron, emphasis on moron."
"Hey!" Yuri protested, then beamed. "You saved our parents! Thank you!"
Jahzara's eyes softened. "You're their children… I'm so sorry. Your family didn't deserve this."
Yuan's ghostly form flickered. "The blight took us when Gaia vanished. Zafia, our sister, saved us from corruption, but she's lost at the Waterfall Range. That's her bracelet!"
Jahzara touched the glowing beads, feeling Zafia's spirit call stronger now. "Atu gave it to me to find her. I'm a Spirit Guide, trained by Abena, leader of the Ubtantu Clan." She glanced at the sapphire spiral on her pants, Abena's symbol.
Yuri's eyes lit up. "Abena's mark! You're a master, right?"
Jahzara blushed. "Just Jahzara. The land's still corrupted… I haven't earned that title yet."
Zhavia chuckled, an arm around Jahzara's shoulder. "Don't be modest, Z! You're out here savin' souls like Wonder Woman. These kids know you're the real deal."
Yuan smiled. "You freed our parents' souls. If anyone can save Aki, it's you." She looks towards Zhavia. "And you too waterbending lady." Zhavia nods and smiles at him.
"Thank you," Jahzara said, her resolve firm. "Lead us to the Waterfall Range. We'll find Zafia and reunite your family."
Zhavia grinned, water shimmering like a spotlight. "Let's do this, y'all! For Zafia, for Gaia, for every family fightin' to be free. Ain't no blight stoppin' Miss Jackson and her niecey!"
Yuan and Yuri nodded, their spirits darting ahead as Jahzara and Zhavia followed, the bracelet's glow lighting their path through the blighted night.
Meanwhile, Ember and Lawrence trekked through a dark forest, its twisted trees pulsing with a malevolent heat that prickled their Koajin senses. The air was thick with ash, the ground slick with tar-like blight. Lawrence's fists glowed with fire, illuminating gnarled roots, while Ember gripped her ruby-encrusted katana, Crimson, its blade humming faintly. Her crimson Nurabaian robe shimmered, her cornrow braid with curls swaying, her orange dragonic eyes scanning the shadows.
"Tch. These spirits' malevolence reminds me of Hell's smog sis," Lawrence said, his voice sharp, his human form taut with readiness.
Ember smirked, her red sunshades glinting. "They're nothing compared to Koajin royalty, brother. We were born to burn through filth like this."
A sinister laugh echoed, the trees warping as flames flickered unnaturally. Moto, a fire spirit with a malevolent aura, stepped from behind a twisted trunk, his eyes glowing like molten embers. "The Hellfire Twins," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Gizo's been waiting to meet you."
Ember's grip tightened on Crimson, her tone regal and biting. "Who are you to speak to the Princess of Hell, Empress of Nuraba? This planet ain't yours to have. Step aside, or my blade will carve your fate."
Moto's smirk widened. "I'm Moto, Gizo's right hand. Your Koajin blood—forged for battle, torture of sinful souls—could serve our master's plan to rule this world with Gaia's lost shards."
Lawrence laughed, flames dancing around him. "Serve a minion like you? Our fire burns brighter than your master's schemes. We don't bow to you, fool."
Moto's eyes narrowed, his fingers snapping. Corrupted gorillas and undead warriors rose from the blighted ground, their eyes glowing red. "Ah there it is, such boastful pride… The Kaos clans deadliest sin and curse. You'll regret that arrogance," he hissed, flames twisting into faces of tormented spirits. "Join us, or die."
Ember drew Crimson, her voice cold. "You dare threaten us?! I'll cut your strings you worthless puppet!"
Lawrence grinned, fists blazing. "Let's roast 'em, big sis."
The twins sprang into action, their movements a fierce dance. Ember slashed through a gorilla, flames trailing her katana, her scars flexing with each strike. Lawrence dodged an undead warrior's spear, his carefree grin masking lethal precision as he incinerated it. Their Koajin fire lit the forest, a beacon against the blight.
Moto folded his arms, smirking. "Amusing, but I'm done watching. Let's heat things up!" In a flash, he unleashed a massive wave of corrupted fire, its heat warping the air, aimed at Lawrence.
"Ember!" Lawrence shouted, stumbling.
She shoved him aside, her mind flashing to Seraphina's betrayal—never again. "No!" she roared, her own flames surging to meet Moto's. The wave overwhelmed her, slamming her into a tree, pain searing her scars. She gritted her teeth, her love for her family, fueling her resolve.
Moto laughed, knocking Lawrence out with a fiery blast. "Master Gizo will be pleased with the power of the Hellfire Twins at his side. Not even your royal blood can resist corruption!"
He gloated, commanding his gorillas. "Take the boy to the Fire Temple. Kill the girl."
As Moto vanished, Ember staggered to her feet, rage boiling within her. Her eyes glowed, as quiet rage, become her. Her hair igniting with a fiery aura, Crimson pulsating with hellfire. Ember: (glaring at the corrupted beasts) "Pieces of trash. Nothing but soulless silhouettes. I will teach you the meaning of pain." She says calmly.
Her Koajin pride surges into her form as she attacks. With swift, furious strikes, she easily dispatched the corrupted spirits, fire dancing around her, blood splashing the ground. "Fade into nothingness damned souls…" She says calmly, her blade a blur of crimson wrath.
With a fast and brutal slash in the chest, the last beast fell, and Ember stood amidst the carnage, breathing heavily, her power retracting. A faint blue pulse flickered in the distance—Jahzara's Ase, tied to Gaia's heartbeat. "That warrior," she muttered, recalling Kelith's words about a Koajin tied to Gaia. "She surely must share my hatred for these wretched souls. She's my path to Lawrence—and Gizo's end." A defiant smirk then curled her lips, her Koajin battle lust flaring. "And if she ain't an ally, she owes me, at the very least, a challenge."
With a determined look, Ember sheathed Crimson, her Nurabaian robe stained with blood, and strode from the forest, fueled by vengeance and a flicker of hope for an ally in Jahzara… Or a worthy rival...
Chapter 2 END