Demigods(book one) - Episode 9

 

nine The look on Remi's face was sickening. He could have wished to come an imbecile than to be the son of the enemy. "You are the first and the only one who survived." Ifadoju stated before leaving Remi to himself. For that, Remi was grateful. He left Ifadoju's house swaddling on midnight. He had to let the heavy load off his chest . He needed to tell someone. Ajoke lingered in his mind. Yes! He could tell her. Even though their relationship was on thin ice. He could trust her.

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE TRIANGLE(5years ago)

Ajoke cautiously ran, her father beside her. She could see her mother in pain from the injury she sustained. She heard a million hooves hit the ground causing dust to rise as their pursuers gained on them. "Give it to her," her mother screamed to her Father. Her father's eyes were teary as he removed a talisman from his pocket. He wore it on Ajoke and said, "Ajoke, we might not make it. You have to go. Run and don't turn back. Run till Aremu cannot find you or the talisman." Ajoke was confused. She did not plan on leaving her family to die. Before she knew, her father pushed her off the carriage to a soft bed of grass before taking Aremu on a wild goose chase. Ajoke waited till the last of the empire had left before running

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/demigods-book-one

. True to her father's words, she did not turn back.

***

Ajoke pressed the talisman to her skin absorbing the warmth. Her Father's parting gift to her. She heard a familiar animal sound, midnight. Those days without Remi had been dull and she was ready to forgive him. She opened the door almost immediately when she heard a soft knock on the door, keeping a bright smile on her round face. Remi looked hargard to her. He was dressed well but his face harboured a particular sadness. "What's wrong?", she asked, offering him in. Remi collapsed on a wodden bench near Ajoke's bed. "I just found out something disturbing" "What?" She questioned. "My father, My true father is Aremu." Remi sighed, slipping into another depressive state. Ajoke's countenance changed. This young man was the blood of the man she loathed. Ajoke wanted to see him as Remi, the man she cared about but her hate was stronger. "Please leave!" She ordered. Remi was surprised at her actions. He was at a very delicate stage in his life and the only person he could confide in had only hate for him now. "Fine. I'll leave. I just want you to know I'm not my father." He said before leaving. If someone he trusted could blow it out of proportion who could he trust. The legion was all he had. Ajoke fell to the ground, "Why! How could the man she loved be the offspring of that monster. The same man that killed her parents. Could evil skip a bloodline?"

***

Adeleke could not believe what he saw in the mirror. He looked ruffled. Red eyes and extremely pale skin. He could see his skin sunken to his bones. It was horrifying. "That stuff is not good for you.", His wife said wearing a rainbow coloured attire. "Perhaps I'll die.", Adeleke returned in total soliloquy. His wife approached him and cupped his face with her hands, "It's the farewell feast, Soon we'll have enough firepower to face Aremu." Adeleke smiled to her. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps the gods were wrong. Perhaps everything could be alright, Adeleke thought as he left his chambers. Remi sat with multitudes. He felt alone, deserted. Why did Ajoke treat him that way? She was such a drama queen at times. He needed to clear his mind and what better way, to gulp six shots of fermented palmwine. Soon he was bubbly as a bee, enjoying himself. The king came out finally. Mantle on his hand and his battlecrown on to give the farewell speech. Everyone stopped their irrelevance and turned to listen to his decree. Clearing his throat, he began, "When you came here, you were boys. Now you are men. An elite brotherhood of the hundred. I lease you therefore to Desuda to complete your transition from the hundred to the legion." There was an uproar. The atmosphere became wild as the smell of booze and vomit filled the room. Even the king was not left out, He was in stupor sipping palmwine like a roadway drunkard. Adetoye and chikwe could not wait for the toast. The poison had been given to a servant, a supporter of Adetoye and he had been promised power and riches, a bonus for the unscrupulous. The clock finally striked twelve, the toast. Everyone was given a fresh calabash of the best wine. The King's calabash was gold plated and outshone the rest. My plan is complete, now to wait,Adetoye whispered aside. After the usual boring speech Adetoye was accustomed to every year, his father raised his bowl to drink. The bliss in his eyes were shattered like glass when he heard a yell. "Stop." Remi screamed. His premonition had taken over. He could see a vulture sitting on the king, a very bad omen. Everyone looked at him in surprise as he approached the king. The guards restricted him but he spoke his mind, "The wine is poisoned." Everyone burst into laughter. He is drunk, one said. The king was too somber to think well as he put the bowl to his mouth only for Remi to knock it from his mouth. The countenance of the people changed drastically. They all wanted him lynched. He could feel it. Remi bent down to pick the fallen calabash which still contained remnants of the spilled contents. " Before I'm accused, someone should drink this to prove me wrong." Everyone began to murmur. They did not believe him but they couldn't risk their lives. The king who was still stunned at Remi's audacity called on his foodtaster. It was the same man who poisoned the wine. They say nemesis catches up to you, they're not wrong. The man however knew better than to reveal his involvement in the assassination attempt. He drank it to the last. At first, nothing happened and the guards began to approach Remi but then the poison took effect. The man began to gasp for air. His skin degenerating at each attempt he made until he was eventually just skin on bones. The whole crowd grasped at the realization that had just happened. Who just tried to assassinated the king? Their minds soon wandered to Chikwe who returned their suspicious glares. The king knew this would ruin the celebration so he decided to leave. The crowd still stole glances at Remi. Could he began human? How did he know? The questions were limitless.

***

Jaiye led the troop through Desuda plains. They decided to go at night when the inhabitants would be clueless. Aremu had made him general for this reason and he was determined to prove himself. The town was silent, too silent. They inspected the houses. There was no life. The soldiers started to give in to their fears. Were they expecting invaders? Jaiye held his calm as he noticed something move in the darkness. He followed it and his troops followed suit. The unusual light led him to a cave with many more lights but they weren't lights. They were eyes, animal eyes and they didn't look friendly. Jaiye noticed some had clothing on them. "These aren't animals. These are the people of Desuda.", he thought to himself. His thoughts were interrupted when one of the sentient leapt on his soldiers and bit in. The rest sheathed their swords. Compared to fangs and deadly claws, their weapons were useless. So was their fight but they had to fight, at least to survive. The battle was brutal. However jaiye's troop were losing. Seeing his men falling, Jaiye fell to the floor and smeared blood all over himself. He needed to play dead, survive at all cost. None apart from Jaiye survived. Desuda did not even lose a single life. When the last of them left, Jaiye ran for it. He knew Aremu would hate the new development but dead man tell no tales.

***

Chikwe reminisced on their failed assassination. Adetoye was hit hard. It was another plan failed for him. They needed another idea. Adetoye knew he had messed up when he instructed the servant to pour half of the poison into his Father's drink. He was too impatient and it had backfired on him. "That boy," the dwarf started breaking the silence,"he foiled our plan twice. He has to die. I suspect he is an agbara." Adetoye knew the dwarf was right. The boy was dangerous to them. He needed to kill him. "Yes, he could be killed at Desuda. If not, I'll send a dog." Adetoye said. Another idea clicked into his mind, his father's snuff. If he could not poison his father through his food, his snuff would do the job. His plan would work and this time, it was foolproof. "I'll leave." He said not sharing his plan. Adetoye had never felt so wicked in his life. After his experience with Aje. He was prepared for the worst. Adetoye sneaked into the heat room. The room was rarely used as it was to warm the royal family whenever it was cold. He found a chimney that led to his Father's chambers and climbed up through it. When he arrived to his father's room. He was covered in black and grime. He quickly located his father's snuff box lying at the mirror table. He opened the box and sprinkled the rest of the poison inside before he heard the door creak. Someone was coming. He hid near his father's wardrobe. His father, still drunk fell to his bed faceflat. Adetoye wanted to leave but his father could be unpredictable. His patience earned him points when a maid entered with a gourd of honey and lime juice, a natural remedy for hangovers. Adeleke sat proper and sniffed his snuff. "Yes!" Adetoye thought to himself but his wild gesticulation caused an expensive stone to fall to the ground. His father's acute senses caught it and he went to his wardrobe. Before he could get a clear view on the culprit, Adetoye pushed him out of his way and made a run for it sliding down the chimney like a pro.

Read " Living The Pureblood Series " by the same author ( samuelade. )

. However, someone was there. It was a young boy. The boy and him exchanged wary glances before the boy tried to scream for help. He anticipated this and lunged at the boy before he could voice out. In the struggle, Adetoye picked up a hot throng and impaled the boy who immediately stopped struggling. The boy stole a look at his fresh wound before hitting the ground cold. He was dead. Adetoye could not leave any trace ofanother assassination, he dragged the boy to a lit furnace to burn. The boy screamed in agony as his body singed in flames. "You think I'm stupid." Adetoye said to the agonized boy,"I'll leave no trace." He then walked out of the room reborn and cold.

(what do you think will become of Adetoye. will he began king?)