The Dark Goddess

Chapter 6

The mortal realm (somewhere in Nigeria)

Finding Ifa the god of prophecy took a total of five days, both Oya and Osoosi never imagined finding a deity in the mortal realm could be that hard.

Ifa is a divinity deity, an oracle, well The oracle, hence he did not have a permanent abode but still he had a few places where he had set up as his domain, all of which the duo had been to but couldn't find him there and even his acolytes also had absolutely no clue as to where he was.

Osoosi was beside himself with frustration, he felt as if the world was ticking loudly on to its end, like an hourglass almost running out of sand.

"What do we do now Oya?, we can't keep this up, time is of the essence and we are running out of it" he stated.

Oya gave him a long stare, she stared at him so long he stared getting uncomfortable and shifted from foot to foot like a prey under scrutiny from a predator deciding whether to kill it or save it for later.

"Ifa is a free spirit kind of deity, we've been going about this search the wrong way by expecting him to be in rooted places" she finally said much to his relief.

"So what are you saying?, we search where he wouldn't normally be?" He asked totally not getting the point.

Rolling her eyes Oya answered "for a deity of scouts and hunters you sure are thick headed and clueless, what I'm saying is that he would most probably be where he is most comfortable, a free spirit will want to feel as free as possible so he won't be at his domains but rather where he'd be absolutely free".

Finally he started to get her point, "oh right, places with cool breezes, optimal sunlight, high reach, a creek or stream, wait could he be at a waterfall?".

Oya's mouth dropped in surprise at his poor conclusion,

"Really? After all you rightly listed, all you could come up with is waterfall?, are you forgetting there has to be silence in the factors too? He won't be at a place with noise such as a waterfall

You know what, I'll save your brain the trouble, where is the highest point you know?" She said.

"Well mountains and hills and there are so many around here" Osoosi replied a bit irritated.

"I asked for the highest one around, the highest and closest" Oya retorted.

Osoosi heaved a sign before answering her "well that would be Idanre hill".

"Then that's where we are going" she answered getting irritated as well.

The last time she had been in human form, it had been for almost nine months carrying the so called child of prophecy.

To the others that knew about the child that's all her offspring was, a ripple, a wave, a distortion, an entity in a damning prophecy (well all except probably Osun the river goddess).

But to her, her child is her child, her flesh and blood, her miracle after being so long without being able to conceive, there was absolutely nothing anyone could say or do to shift her loyalty away from her child, she'd protect the child with her life.

Oya came to this decision as they journeyed on to the peak of the hill.

She wasn't particularly fond of being back in human form, but she could see that Osoosi was even more uncomfortable hence his irritation.

Well that and her consistent nagging, she knew being in human form had at first impaired his godly abilities hence why he seemed dumb, but she also knew once he got accustomed to the form, his level of power and intelligence will once again soar, but till then she's going to have her fun with him.

On getting to the peak, they immediately started their search for Ifa, after a fruitless while Oya spotted a little boy with just a white wrapper tied about his waist squatting at the edge of a cliff on the hill.

He seemed really young and such a position was dangerous so she got closer to him with Osoosi following her.

"Little boy, come away from that edge, you might fall" she beckoned.

"Look before you leap is not just a term for physical activities or decision making, it is also a warning not to jump to conclusions based on first or early impressions, so I'd give you that advice now and let you off for calling me a little boy this time" the boy answered.

Oya was flooded with different emotions; relief at finding Ifa, embarrassment at confusing his identity for a human boy and angered that he had spoken to her in such a manner.

But she kept it all in check, her mission at the moment was more important than pride and ego.

"I'm sorry for the honest mistake, we are just getting used to being human and our senses aren't fully balanced yet unlike you who has chosen to dwell among humans so long you are almost one of them" she apologized halfheartedly.

"So brother, what brings you here disturbing my peace and disturbing the mortals atmosphere with your wind travelling?" Ifa asked Osoosi directly, totally ignoring Oya and her words even though it was her that was responsible for the wind travelling in question (she and Osoosi had been riding the winds as a means of transportation in their quest).

Oya was furious but still she held her peace as Osoosi started to answer him.

"We came here seeking information regarding the balance of the world and the peace therein and if it concerns a certain offspring just coming into the light" Osoosi said trying not to be ambiguous but as well not fully forthcoming.

"I do not know why you need any information I might have since both of you already have your minds set on your next actions already" Ifa started

"For you though brother, yours is still in forks, two paths, but hers is clear and certain and decided already

What I have for you will please you both and as well displease you both, do you still wish to know?" The oracle offered.

Osoosi was skeptical but Oya was decisive.

"Tell us what you have seen oracle" she asked sternly.

"Very well, the child of your transgressions is not the cause of the wrong with the balance of the world, that honor belongs to a far more sinister dark entity not born of this realm,

But the child will have a hand in robbing the world of its peace, in both the godly realm and this human realm, there will be clashes of power and will, and chaos will ensue from it,

Both of your separate decisions will influence the turning of the hand of fate concerning the child and whether the peace and balance of the world will be restored or not" Ifa supplied.

There was no much ambiguity in his words, in fact it didn't sound like a prophecy but rather the interpretation of the prophecy, both of them knew clearly what implications were present,

And like he had said, both of them were relieved that the child isn't the one causing the fail of the balance between the light and darkness of the world but there was the issue of the peace of the world which was also at stake.

Oya and Osoosi stared at each other for a while, both knew none of Ifa's words will go unfulfilled, both knew a decision had to be made.

Ifa broke the silence once again;

"I see the motion has been set already, a decision has been made, I'm tempted to say let the games begin, but I fear this is nothing like a game and the harsh consequences will come to bite us all".

Oya blanched, she didn't do anything yet which meant Osoosi must have put something in play before now and has now finalized the decision.

"What are you saying Ifa?, what is happening?" She asked him with fear all over her face.

"You don't need an oracle to get answers to that, ask him" Ifa said pointing to Osoosi, then he turned around backing them and disappeared in a plume of white smoke, right where he had been standing appeared a silent brook of clear pure water running off the edge of the cliff but not falling down to the ground.

Oya whirled around, facing Osoosi, her fear had totally transformed into pure rage to which raging winds to match her fury had started gathering.

"What have you done?! What did you do?!" She shouted at him.

"I sent a part of me in search for the child as we were commencing the search for Ifa, I've finally found the child and made the decision to kill it, the peace of the world comes first Oya, I'm sorry" Osoosi said firmly standing his ground.

Oya roared at him and all the gathered storm winds blew at him, blasting him forcefully of the cliff.

Then she called an iji, one of her storm minions and rode it at unimaginable speed towards her child whose life is in danger in the hands of her lover.

***

Back in New York

Ami had been feeling like she was being watched for a few days now, there was always this sense of impending danger tugging at her mind.

Aegis as well didn't help matters, all of a sudden he would just start yapping and barking and won't stop till Ami as well stops feeling the watchful danger filled sense of dread, he really took this guardian dog thing to another level.

This was confirmation for her that something was in fact wrong or at least about to get really wrong.

Now the feeling was back and she was alone on her way to the grocery store to get a few things including Aegis' food.

She kept looking around, wary of anyone that passes by her, scanning about for who might be watching her.

She was out of sorts with serious worry such that she didn't look forward to see or sense the presence she suddenly bumped into.

"Hey, I'm sorry..." she started but cut herself short as she saw the person;

He was a guy of about seventeen and he looked really really handsome, enough to get her words stuck in her throat, and for the moment the feeling of dread totally subsided.

The stranger was dark skinned with thin full & lengthy dreadlocks dropping down to the middle of his ears, his eyebrows were bushy and he had a perfect jawline,

His honey brown eyes seemed to totally devour whoever was being looked at, he was dressed in a sleeveless vest, denim trouser and a sweet all white Jordan kicks.

"Urrm, hi..." He started to say as well in a silky sweet tenor voice but she cut him short,

"I'm really sorry" she said and started to move away hurriedly once again.

But once more the presence gripped her in its gaze and she felt like it was definitely the end for her as whatever or whoever was stalking her would finally get her.

She made one quick look back in hopes to at least see the cute guy once again before doom catches up to her but she stopped short in her strides as she found out he had vanished.

There wasn't enough time or coverage from the time they bumped till when she looked back for him to have even run away and not be seen at all.

But alas he had disappeared completely, 'I must've dreamt him up' she thought to herself, then she turned back to keep on going her way only to almost bump into yet another person.

This time though she knew that this person was very real and wasn't an ordinary person and he most probably was the doom that had been stalking her all week long.

He was tall and moderately muscular with bulging veins on his black skin, he was bald headed but his form actually wavered and it seemed for the briefest of moments that he had hair done in beaded braids.

He looked old enough to be her uncle if not her father and her first thought was that this must be a repercussion of the Counselor case, someone found out it was her and they have sent someone to get her, but at the same time she knew that this wasn't connected to that case in the slightest.

The man had a steady gaze that fixed on her like she was a prey and he was the hunter.

He was probably a mercenary she thought again and she took a step back while locked in his gaze like a deer in headlights.

"You were able to detect me even in my stealth mode these past few days, very few deities can boast of that, which really tells how fast you're growing into your true self" the man said with a baritone voice thick with accent (the accent made her remember the lady in her vision the day she got aegis).

But he was talking of things she didn't understand or she would rather not understand.

She tried to talk, to say she didn't understand and that he had the wrong person, but her mouth was suddenly dry and deep down she knew this man wasn't one to make identity mistakes.

"At first, I wanted to examine you some more before taking any action, but I've discovered now that the decision can't be withheld any longer, do you understand me child" he asked sternly and took a step towards her.

She responded by also taking a step backwards even as she shook her head fervently that she didn't understand, (although deep down she understood, she understood that this wasn't any repercussion of the counselor's case, this was a repercussion of the strange powers she suddenly developed, powers she is currently trying so hard to summon but is failing her at the moment).

"Let me simplify it then, iji child of Oya, you are a threat to the peace of the worlds, the godly realm and the mortal realm alike, and as your procreator it is my duty to right this wrong" the man stated.

Ami was shocked but she wasn't shocked dumb anymore as she found her voice, it should work for her for a while since she couldn't find her powers yet.

"At least give me a better explanation, give me a concrete reason why I have to be the one that'll get punished for your crimes because if what you say is true that you are my procreator then you're my birth father, aren't you?" she asked with as much strength in her voice as she could summon, she herself wasn't following what she was saying, she just let the words out if only to buy her more time.

The man squinted his eyes a little as if her words actually hit a mark with him but his stern gaze returned in a moment and he raised his right hand up.

"It is what it is child, we do not choose our suffering and even sometimes we don't get to choose how it must end" he said and in his raised hand a long steel spear appeared with its tip gleaming silver in the evening sun.

Ami's eyes went wide and she knew there was no way she would escape this fate unless by some miracle, 'why did you fail me now powers?' She thought to herself.

In that moment when the spear was coming down to strike her, she expected her life to flash before her eyes, but instead there was a flash of gold, a very loud ringing of clashing steel and sparks flew all around her.

Her vision cleared and she saw that there was a gold sickle interlocked with the spear then she realized it had blocked the strike of the spear.

She looked at the wielder, lo and behold there was the stranger she had bumped into earlier in all his cute glory and dreads, holding the sickle with both hands and gritting his teeth as he struggled with the man who was beyond surprise that someone actually blocked his strike.

"Who are you and how dare you interfere" the man asked even as they tried to overpower each other in the interlocked state they were.

"Hey peaches" the cute guy said referring to Ami "block your ears",

She had just enough time to both be offended at his remark and also comply to his request, he was saving her after all.

In a flash the guy freed one of his hands and flicked his wrist and suddenly a silver sickle appeared in that hand, then he struck the silver one on the gold really fast and hard.

Even as she blocked her ears Ami still heard the deafening clang that sounded and was surprised it actually worked to unbalance the man as he stumbled a few feet away from them totally disoriented as well.

Then the guy grabbed her hand and turned her away "now we run" he said to her and they both started running away as fast as their legs could take them.