Unleashed (Guardians of Anubis - Book 1)

5 Chapter 3

Dage stared at the room he had chosen for himself in the big mansion Mafka had given them. It was big, modern and very clean. This, Dage noticed the minute they’d stepped into the house. For a change he will live in a clean space. Dage sat on the king sized bed and his body literally sagged in relief. They had travelling for the past three days; using out of the way roads because Mafka didn’t want other guardians to know of whatever was happening and where he was taking them. Dage didn’t much care about the secrecy, as long as he was free.

His eyes took in the white walls, cream furniture and the magnificent bathroom. He glimpsed some clothes in a closet fitted into the opposite wall. Mafka thought of everything. Dage could hear Micah and Zen running around the house like teenagers their laughter reverberated through the walls.

“You two teenagers should be returned to your cages!” Dage heard Yeo shout while chasing after Micah and Zen. Their laughter was infectious that he found himself smiling.    

He was in the human world again, Dage thought breathing deeply. Even though much has changed in a hundred years Dage felt somewhat free even if that was a delusion on his part. He savoured his five minutes of peace. His mind relaxed a bit, not entirely as he could feel the beast surfacing slightly. It was curious and almost peaceful as he was.

But his relaxation was short lived. A knock sounded on his door. Dage got up and went to open it. Nkem stood there looking stern. Dage released a sigh. He wasn’t free yet. The chains that had imprisoned him in Otome still stretched to here; to this room with its big bed and silk sheets. That very moment Micah and Zen turned the corner and rushed towards them managing to execute some excellent Parkour moves in the hallway. 

“Cut it out!” Ginga yelled unfurling the whip at her waist Mafka had seen fit to bring with him. She cracked it above Micah and Zen’s heads. They came to a skidding stop.

Nkem turned to Dage. “We need to talk.” Nkem rarely showed his emotions, but at the moment he looked like he was going to burst at the seams.

“After I get out of these,” Dage pointed to the rags that clung to his body. All of them looked at themselves and nodded in agreement.

“The room with the artefacts in five minutes.” Ginga turned away going to her room.

The room with the artefacts was the sitting area. It was decorated with glass casings that had crude African tools and weapons that were carefully preserved. Antique pieces of furniture furnished the room. It was a room of memories; their memories. Dage walked to one glass case mounted on the wall. In it lay a child sized iklwa spear and ishlangu shield. The sharp point of the spear was made of a wedged granite stone. Dage remembered he never managed to make it sharp enough no matter how hard he’d scraped it against the stones submerged in the river that past next to his village.  Dage turned away from the walls as he heard the others file into the room.

“Mafka must be a really sick fucker,” Yeo commented as he surveyed the room with disdain. “When are we redecorating?”

“We didn’t come here for that,” Ginga said finding a seat on one of the huge sofas. But her eyes never touched the objects on the walls.

“We are staying, right?” The ever playful Micah suddenly sounded serious. He stared at Dage and then Nkem. “Right?”

“We like it here,” Zen chirped in.

“If we stay we’ll have to do what Mafka has commanded,” Dage said. He folded his arms on his massive chest. It was all their decision to make.  

 ‘Protect the humans of Brown from demons,’ that had been their master’s decree.

“I thought that was the only reason he released us from Otome,” Zen stated the obvious. He had no love for Mafka. Ever since he left them at Otome, Zen felt no connection to their so called master anymore.

“Yes, but we can run and live our lives,” Nkem said. He didn’t hide the fact that he didn’t want to be there. Dage wondered what was it that stopped Nkem from walking away. He could very well do what Nkem suggested himself, but something was holding him back.

“Doing what?” Ginga turned to Nkem, her hostile nature in full force. “At least now we are given an opportunity to save other humans from our fate.”

“She’s right,” Micah said. “What better way to give purpose to our lives than to protect others. I mean out there amongst the guardians we are nothing, we are rejects – something to keep locked up. They hunt us anyway.” Micah turned around to stare at each one of them letting his words sink in. “Being an Unborn places us higher than humans. For once we have the strength and power to protect others. I think we should use this opportunity.”

“It is decided then,” Dage declared. “Nkem?”

“We’ll see. I stay for now. Mafka knows he’s not my master. He never was,” Nkem threw over his shoulder as he walked away. The others stared at each other.

“What is he talking about?” Yeo said moving to take a seat next to Ginga. Dage silently promised himself he’ll ask Nkem when the time was right.

“So we stay,” Yeo declared making himself comfortable by draping his arm along the back of the sofa. “That, that and that,” Yeo pointed to the glass casings, “must go.”

“What’s the plan?” Ginga asked getting to her feet. She was a woman of action. Sometimes Dage felt she pushed herself too hard in order to keep up with the men. She was a woman after all, not that he doubted her abilities. She just never had room for weakness, and avoided it in others.

“I think we should head out,” Dage said to them. “Scope out the situation and then we can come up with a concrete plan.”

“Sounds good to me,” Yeo got to his feet. They all filed out of the room. Nkem came out of a concealed door beneath the staircase. He stared at them.

“You might want to see this.” he moved aside letting them in. Behind him was a well-stocked armoury. Dage’s eyes adjusted to the dark and took in the gleaming weapons hanging on the walls, swords of all shapes and sizes. The ancient ones would be proud of them. Mafka had managed to preserve their weapons. The weapons were all in pristine condition.

One in particular drew his gaze. Dage held his breath. He never thought he’d see it again. Mafka had trained him with it. Dage had been awed by its beauty when Mafka had first given it to him. The hilt was black and gold with a curved blade that had a sharp bend at the end. He’d felt like a warrior when he’d held it, and not an Unborn. Now he can be the warrior he’d been all over again. Mafka was giving them another chance in life. Dage reached for the sword in its sheath.

“Ready?”  He turned around to find the others already strapped up. Well there was no turning back now.