The demigods series: Book one

It's a dare

Remi had been walking for hours. His body shook from exhaustion and hunger. His newly acquired companion was also weary from all the galloping and prancing. They had been on the road for three days and still caught no glimpse of civilization not to mention the castle. The castle was further away than he had assumed. He felt another pang of hunger as he strolled down another hilltop. He almost did not notice the garden below. It was an orchard, a large one. A new burst of energy surged through him as he raced down the hill. The orchard had a long variety of fruits to choose from. Remi plucked some breadfruit and apples for midnight. He began to pick dried sticks on the ground to set up a fire when he saw a silhouetted figure pass by him. He turned and held his weapon close just in case violence was needed. The silhouetted figure moved away from the shadows and closer to the moonlight allowing Remi to study it. The figure wore a cape and held a staff which end was carved in the form of an eye.

"Who are you?"

He questioned as the figure removed the cape's hood. Remi saw the face of a man. He looked like he was in his early forties. He had olive skin and black hair with grey streaks. His face looked ancient and his eyes were glowing emerald green.

Remi gaped at the man with fear as the man moved closer towards him and spoke in a mesmerizing tone,

"Son of the viper. Hear thy destiny. Thou shall protect and bring joy to those thou loves but with thy hands, thou shall destroy the very thing thou hath built." Remi still stared at the man, his leg rooted firmly into the ground as the man's eyes transformed from emerald green to brown." what did I say?"

The man asked startling Remi.

"You said something about me building and destroying something I built."

Remi replied in a broken voice. Something screamed inside him to run as the man approached him. The man paused and continued his walk.

"You know,"

he began as he reached Remi,

"you have your father's eyes."

Remi was amazed this man knew the devil he called father. Remi took a step back and asked,

"who and what are you?"

The man smiled revealing a perfect set of white teeth.

"I am Ifadoju, the royal seer."

What is wrong with me? As if his encounter with the general was not enough. Remi thought as he threw himself on the ground to pay homage. The man was a seer, the King's seer. One who could tell him of his future. The man paid no attention to Remi as he prostrated.

"Stand up child."

He ordered. Ifadoju moved towards the edge of the orchard cliff to watch the moon.

"You want to inquire of your chance into the legion."

The man said, aside. Remi was Surprised. Could the man read his mind? The man turned to him and spoke,

"you know, your mother made me promise to come here today."

Remi was both happy and embittered by this revelation.

"Was she like me?"

Remi asked referring to his gift. The man nodded and continued,

"About the legion. A fighter can never be stopped even If he is not invited."

The man put back his hood and took his staff with both his hands and told Remi something else.

"As for your horse, he might not survive."

With that, the north wind began to envelop Ifadoju until he disappeared.

"What did he mean?"

Remi thought as he turned to look for midnight. The horse was nowhere to be found. Remi followed the hoove print leading outside the orchard. He stopped to study the print which appeared to have been dragged. He saw another print that resembled a jawler's. A nocturnal beast that once fed on one of his father's cows. He had to find it before it was too late. He followed the trail which now had beads of blood. Remi opened his mouth and flared his eyes in horror, In front of him was a limping half-dead horse and a bloodtroll. Its eyes were golden yellow. It was a mammal covered in crimson and black hair and had the likeness of a wolf but it was much bigger. It gave a blood-freezing roar as it sighted Remid and more of its kind appeared. It was a pack and they were five in number. The alpha who had apparently attacked midnight circled Remi as he prepared his arrow waiting for the right moment. The creature seemed offended by the weapon and its body flinched in a revolting vibration. It was about to attack. The beast raced for his throat but Remi quickly slid out of its way. Before it could react, Remi stretched the bow and aimed. A screech filled the air as the arrow pierced the backside of the alpha. The pack followed him as similar wounds were seen on them. They were connected psychically. The creature cut off the arrow from its body like a toothpick. It snarled and its eye color became crimson red. It leaped for Remi and dug its canines into his laps. As the pain became excruciating, Remi's body felt numb. His eyes turned blue as he effortlessly pushed the creature away from inflicting more damage. The creature rushed back at him like a mindless zombie baring its fangs. Remi was ready. He instinctively took its fangs as it shrieked and broke it. The creature wiggled on the floor like a snake and tried to escape but Remi grasped it by the tail and slammed it on the hard ground. The creature lay there defeated and Remi went to check on his horse but the troll was not done. It landed on all fours and lunged for Remi to claw him badly. Remi had a fuzzy premonition of danger as he turned to see the blood troll racing for him. He took one of the ten-inch fangs and charged. The blood troll stopped midair as blood violently spilled from its stomach before it slumped and died. Its pack members began to wail as another wound appeared on their hind legs. Like in all bad movie show ever done. They began to retreat. Remi darted madly for midnight. The horse looked like it was in the very bottom of the underworld. Its leg had been fatally wounded and flies were perching on it. There was no way he could carry it as his newfound powers came when they wished. He needed help. Like manna from heaven, he saw rising smoke. Smoke meant people and people meant help. He slowly followed it and found a small hut. The hut looked strange considering the fact that the hut wasn't on the ground like regular huts but was built on a carriage, so it could be moved. He saw some birds that were bigger than horses which were probably their means of transport. He saw where the smoke had come from. It was a makeshift fireplace. A woman suddenly came out and stared at him with shock. She ran inside to call a man. The man had a javelin that glistened wickedly in the moonlight.

"Who are you?"

The man questioned as he fondled with the javelin. His wife seemed to dislike their conversation as she revealed a dagger hidden under her clothes.

"Sorry to bother you sir but my horse was injured by blood trolls and is..."

"And it is still alive. Lies."

His wife cut in slightly annoying Remi who did not cherish her hate_at_first_sight ideology. The man chastised his wife before asking,

"is it still alive?"

************

Midnight still lied limply on the ground when Remi arrived. It was so close to breaking its mortal cord if they hadn't appeared sooner. The man and Remi slowly put midnight on a cart as he winced in pain. His wife quickly opened a bottle with green liquid. It smelt like lime and was runny. She poured it on the horse's wound as it sizzled and let out a cloud of mist. The horse neighed and would have jerked but it was too weak to move. The man's wife brought out a live spider that stung midnight. It was an anesthetic whose venom had a numb-like effect. Remi stared at the woman, she could be kind when she wanted to. She wrapped midnight's wound as the strange creatures carried them back. The man w asked for details of the blood troll attack.

"You know they killed one of our Mawz. I'm Surprised it only went to injure your horse. What killed it?"

Remi didn't want to spook them out with how he killed an alpha bloodtroll. He still did not understand his powers.

"It was dead when I came."

He lied. The couple both stared at themselves before sighing.

"There is a new alpha. We have to move."

Remi was bemused. There was an alpha before what was special about a new one, he thought so he asked.

"When a blood troll reaches alphahood. It becomes more savage and unstable."

I killed it. I'm not Savage, Remi whispered to himself as he looked at the book the man whom he learned to be Ejike was reading from.

"Are you scholars?"

Remi finally said breaking the silence as he sipped his ogi. Ejike and his wife, Anulika exchanged wary glances before he spoke,

"We used to be until the new king of Aguze came."

From the emotion-filled conversation, Remi learned the king of Aguze, one of the triangles wanted to disable a magic stone protecting his part of his triangle from the enemy. He thought of nothing as he slowly fell asleep.

***********

King Adeleke paced around as his mind pondered on Ifadoju's prophecy. His cushioned throne felt like it had stony lumps. As a king, he had to worry about the safety of his people first. How will Adetayo conquer the triangle? The projection jewels protected them day and night, he thought. Ifadoju walked in abruptly breaking the King's thought.

"When will he come?"

The King asked. Ifadoju as wise as always comforted him,

"He Will come at the time of chaos."

King Adeleke shifted his thought to more pressing matters. His spies had gotten information that Eze chikwe was planning to betray the triangle to Adeleke. The Desuda kingdom were peace-loving fanatics who could not raise a sword in an assault. He had to make a treaty and quick. He went to the balcony as he watched the new recruits arrive. He remembered when he himself joined the legion. His youngest son, Adewale had decided to join the legion. He was a brave child because he grew up in affluence. Adeleke turned to talk to Ifadoju but the seer had disappeared as usual. He would never understand the way of the gods. Why make something only for it to be destroyed. The Royal trumpets blew and Adeleke left his throne room to attend to another pressing matter, his speech to the recruits.

"Here comes the Kabiyesi."

A man acknowledged from the crowd. The whole kingdom bowed in response. The king was pleased. Even in impending doom, they still acted calmly. He waved his horsetail to signal them to rise. His advisor, Damola was at his right looking as ancient as time. He was Adeleke's father's advisor before he died. Adeleke marveled at the crowd in front of him, it had become almost a norm for people from afar to visit the kingdom for his speech but this crowd was different. They had also come for the King's selection. He was getting old and had to pick an heir to the throne. " people far and wide, welcome to Arole." He began.

"Men, husbands, and warriors, you have been chosen by Eledumare himself to fight for your land, for your people. We shall go on this battle and return victorious."

He finished as his subjects let out a great war cry. Adeleke smiled with satisfaction. He had gotten one matter off his chest. He had to face the other, chikwe. Never had Remi seen so many people gathered before. Ejike and Anulika had taken the castle route. They were leaving to a land where chikwe could not find them. They had been of great help to Remi. Midnight's injury had almost healed as it could walk without limping. Anulika loved midnight and took the pain to take care of him every day. It was sad he had to part with them. They were like the parents he never had.

"I guess this is where we part."

Remi said slurring his words. Anulika was the most hurt. She hadn't cherished his company at first but she had grown to love him like her own son. As they dropped him to chase his own dreams, he was gifted a boomerang. It had a sharp tip. So it could be used to attack enemies at a safe distance. He climbed onto midnight as he rode into the royal fanfare. He looked around for the legion recruits. He spotted some at a small tavern near the castle grounds. He spotted for any new developments. There was one. They all had shoulder pads with the signet of the kingdom. He had to rely on his inner rogue to get the most information. He targeted a recruit that had drank palm wine so much that he could barely stop babbling. A talkative. He went to him and sat. The man stared at him drunkenly before continuing his conversation of how much he spent into the legion,

"I mean a thousand gold for entry. That's daylight robbery. I can't wait to join the legion and Rob young recruits dry."

Remi could not be happier. He didn't even have to ask questions. It was all coming on a platter.

"Who sells the entry pass?"

Remi asked while sipping his palm wine.

"The king's second general, Gbonka."

the latter said dryly. Everyone knew Gbonka. He was a great man of valor who remained undefeated in battle. Remi rose up to leave when he met a familiar gaze. Ifadoju sat on a chopped-off tree that now served as a bench. Remi didn't need beckoning before he sat close to the man. The man looked at him smiling,

"welcome

. I see you take your dreams seriously."

He took out something from his pouch. It was the soldier pad the recruits wore. The man saw his confused look.

"It would have been very difficult for you to get it from Gbonka. So I got it from you. Take it."

He gestured. Remi took the pad like a trophy and wore it like a trophy. He could not believe his dreams were happening just as he had wished. He turned to thank the seer but he was long gone. Remi smiled to himself as the wind blew cooling his face. His father was wrong. Dreams were not dreams and he was living proof.