Afonja - Episode 6

 

Her solemn gaze met Iku, burning through the fog that the demons had created over him.

“Mercy,” she pleaded with voice as soothing as wind across the sea. “My Lord, mercy please.”

And for the first time in forever, the demons listened and Iku fell back, his powers slowly fading to oblivion. ?ya fell to the ground and so did everything else, a sudden stillness stealing the atmosphere from the hands of rage . Iku wan’t completely pacified but the burning wrath had become a cold smoulder of suppressed anger. His dark eyes softened and he turned to Olokun, falling into the lull of the ocean. It hurt ?ya to know that Olokun even had control over his demons which had been only possible because his heart without his knowledge cared for her but she was alive and at this moment, that was what was most important.

Huffing and puffing, he retreated to his throne, a trembling Olokun trailing behind to keep him sane.

“I cannot forgive you,” He started upon sitting on his throne “This is too much a betrayal, too much a disaster to let go. Were it to be another soul, I could have let it go but Afonja,” he sighed “You really don’t know what you have done!” he ran a hand over his face “You have unleashed a beast untamed and you must face the consequences and surrender to the punishments”

She crawled to the feet of his throne and brought herself to her knees, it was too much to know that she would never earn his forgiveness “I accept,” she swallowed “I swear on the gods and pantheons of Hell, I swear on my soul and I swear on Olodumare to accept whatever the punishments I am given without defiance,” She met Olokun gaze and sent her a look of thanks- though it pained her ego to do so.

“You have betrayed the hands that fed you, ?ya. Betrayed I, Iku, the King of darkness and the divine spirit of death

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. You mocked me, the scythe wielding, six-winged demon whose presence heralds fear in the heart of gods and all humanity. The Mighty valour of Hell and divine emissary of death.” Strength of a thousand gods oozed off his aura as he spoke, the intensity of his power stilling the hearts of everyone in the room.

 “For this graven sin of yours, you are hereby declared banished from the Cavern of Darkness forever, never to set foot on the dust of Hell. Cursed be the day your presence is found in Hell and cursed are you. With the powers of Hell and of darkness, I strip you off your duties as a deity and make you naked to the evils of mankind. You would grovel as a mere man and suffer the ills of humanity until your soul withers in the arms of death. You would no longer have the powers of a goddess, of the storms, the wind and of sorcery. You are a banished soul Oya, a banished soul sold to eternal pain, evil and wickedness.”

Her eyes widened in shock- how could he take her power away from her. It was made her a goddess, what made her who she was. She itched to speak, to atleast save her powers but she was bound by the oath to accept her punishment. With a sad sigh, she took a final glance of the place that had been her home for most of her existence and walked out, head hung in shame.

Each step was painful, each step an aching reminder of all she had lost but more importantly, what she was going to lose- her place as the Queen of darkness. She was close, extremely close to sharing throne with the one her heart went out to but now she could see the crown on the head of Olokun, the gallant and imperial goddess, perfect to rule Hell side by side with Iku. The reality burned her, jealousy mocking her until she was seething in anger and wishing the death of anyone who dared to steal her throne.

Your throne? it is no longer yours. The reality shook her core and fuelled anger within her. She couldn’t have suffered for so long; waiting patiently for her time and then watch it all go away because of one stupid mistake! Why wouldn’t Iku forgive her, why wouldn’t he give her another chance. Each thought was as coal to fire, heating it up until it bubbled over the top like lava and erupted into a volcanic eruption.

She had to feed Iku what he had given her, every morsel filled with the pain of the punishment on her shoulders.

Revenge? Afonja? Power?

She smirked, she already had a plan.

She began to walk down a lonely path and anyone who saw her, saw a broken lady walking into nothingness but Oya was too stubborn to let go. Gone was the lady full of sadness and pity and now, walking down was a woman filled with anger, pain and vindicated excitement…isn’t Olorun just a wise creator.

Knowing that some good things in life came with a cost to the self gave her the courage to take quicker steps into the forest where she had hidden the soul.

She pushed open the wooden house of an abandoned house and curled on the floor was ‘Afonja Olaniyan’, the mighty soul that shook the heart of Iku. He was no more than a teenage boy, young in his years but aged in powers and wisdom he may not even be able to fathom. Dark woolly hair covered his head, loose curls falling over his hung head. His amber eyes glistened at the entrance of light from the opened door, curiosity gleaming in his solid gaze. He appeared weak, limbs almost paralyzed and light pulse of a half dead man pumping in his veins. He was a pretty soul and if his existence scared Iku then he was a strong one, strong enough to fit her vengeance.

“Afonja? What powers do you possess?” she asked with childish excitement, running towards him like a woman to her lost lover. 

He looked at her confused, eye rolling around like a man on a drunken stupor. He opened his mouth to speak but she stopped him with her finger and smirked “Don’t worry,” she reached down and patted his head gently

“We’ll find out together,”

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Author: Omemu Moyo Esther © 2018