TRAILING SHADOWS

Chapter 10 - Bitter Realizations

Sunday coughed now.

He had felt a strange presence around him. It seemed familiar but yet so distant. Willing his body to act, he pulled his arm forward.

After he'd done that, he felt the flush of winds about it.

He had wanted to move and react to whatever was there. Sadly, all he could do was simply what he did.

Groaning, he pulled his mind together and began recounting the whole affair. His eyes shone with realizations as he thought.

First, Elder had refused to act. No matter how he tried to exonerate Elder, he just couldn't

H e told himself that Elder had simply wanted to see how strong how was hence the reason why he had not acted.

But if truly that was the case, why could he sense Elder's aura in glorified stage now? At least, Elder could have just done anything… Just anything to ensure he was still able to continue in his combat.

But No!

Now, Elder was in combat but he had refused to do anything when he was almost gobbled.

Just then, shockwaves resounded from distance. Sparks flew up in the air as powerful damages were dealt out that. The air about him vibrated, sending out a steaming sensation to his skin. The exchanges of damages were incredibly high for him to be feeling the aftermath, at this distance.

Sunday gasped.

Was Elder trying to have him killed? Was that why he had not acted and had prevented any actions?

He knew that he had wanted to impress everybody when he engaged the beast. But it did get out of his hands and yet Elder did nothing

What type of a father did he have?

The one who arranged the death of his children?

Fine, he was often disobedient. Hanging out with that rascal girl… Niniola, against the wishes of his father.

H e bore no grudges against her and did not see why anyone would refuse their friendship.

If the gods were offended, they should come to avenge themselves. Besides, his relationship with

Niniola was one that had benefited him in all ways.

Still that was not enough reason.

And Maerius too… Well, he couldn't really blame him. After all, he had seen Maerius been stopped by Prime earlier.

He had heard escapades of Maerius over riding the elder's order and acting out. Didn't he do so in the time of Trixius the great? When Elder was severely limiting the movement of the Irunmoles in a bid to listen to Trixius conditions.

Maerius had thundered that day. Calling to every Irunmole that light had nothing to do with darkness. That Trixius, the grandmaster classed demon had no right giving the irunmoles terms and conditionms.

To everyone's surprise, Maerius bursted out of Elder Transcendency aura field that exerted limiting force on them. He tore out, and in one dash, rammed into Trixius.

Ramming the demon's essence into nothingness.

He had heard of it. In fact, the whole Ilu Orisha had known.

So, just why, just why did he remain still? Why didn't he come to save him?

Was he that und.e.s.i.r.ed?

At this, a tear streaked down his face. Just then, he moved his trembling hands to his face, cleaning off the tear.

He was not going to wallow in misery. That was an abomination to him.

Sunday bit his lips now.

A problem that they were willing to bet upon a beast to resolve. His father wanted him to die.

Even Maerius.

But here he was alive.

Thinking about that, Sunday forced himself to rise. But fell back heavily.

'Wait… why was he still alive? He remembered that he had been spat out violently and had bashed into several objects? Trees?

It must have been rocks. That was all he remembered before passing out.

It surprised him that he was still here, alive. Perhaps there was something more in store for him than what he thought.

Perhaps, his life held out more meaning.

He shook his head slowly, grimacing with effort. Each movement he made felt lik his head was being pounded by several fists.

Like he was a piece of yam in a mortar crumbling under the awe power of the mighty pestle.

Sunday's form trembled as essence began to gather around him. Absorption of essence to heal the body was a natural response.

After a while had passed, he finally was able to push himself up from the ground.

Into a seating position. Seating now, he crossed his legs and exhaled, trying to absorb more essence in.

Despite the fact that agbara absorption was a natural process triggered by extreme damage, it still had to be guided into the body by the irunmole will.

And for a severely injured irunmole as he, it would take a lot of effort.

Sunday closed his eyes now to focus when a feminine voice cut in.

"Sunday, you're up. I-I thought I lost you."

He frowned upon recognizing the owner of the voice. "Oooh…Oooh… what are you doing here? Leave me alone" He grumbled without turning to see the person.

Niniola rolled her eyes.

"Typical. But I'm sorry. I can't leave you alone because I care about you." She responded, coolly. She was a meter apart from Sunday and had crouched to one knee.

Observing.

Light had begun to outline Sunday body. He was absorbing agbara but Niniola was not so optimistic. His body had taken too much damage. It was merely luck that he was able to survive even to now.

Luck. Luck was something Sunday had always been blessed with. His life facing dark turns had often and always had the Orisha of luck, Eshu smiling at him.

Descending from a line of great and powerful primes. He was even a descendant of the last demigod that had ruled before been taken out by Trixius the great.

He came from a family where power and gift came to them easily.

What's more? He was a Prime's son.

Handsome, charming, strong, stubborn and charming. Niniola blushed now.

'I bless the gods that I arrived here in time. Only the gods know what would have happened if that shockwave had rammed directly into him.'

"This, this is my fight. Niniola, stay out of this. Its something I need to settle with father." Sunday looked her way, his voice jarring her out of her thoughts.

"Uh… what did you say?" Niniola extended her hand into the air. Despite the fact that she was knocked clean, her essence had already rejuvenated greatly, although not to full extent.

"It would have been better for me to be dead. Than for me to realize this." He muttered, squeezing in face in rage.

"Stop talking nonsense! Nobody wants you dead" Niniola cut in sharply with furrowed eyebrows.

Struggling to her feet, she covered up the one meter gap between herself and Sunday, painstakingly.

"Father… Father WANTS ME DEAD. " Sunday fumed, punching into the ground.

As he did, he felt a drain on his soul.

The exhaustion forcing him to heave uncontrollably. He scrambled to his feet.

In his scrambling, he missed a step and began falling back onto the ground. Only for him to stop in motion. Niniola had caught him in an embrace.

She looked at him, emotions sparking in her eyes.

"You are not well, Sunday. Let's go from here. It's risky staying here. You know the backlash from t-th.."

"You don't get it, do you? That place where the shockwaves are erupting. That's where I need to be. Father will have a piec…" Sunday laughed into her face.

"I said… YOU ARE NOT WELL" She screamed, her aura exploding all at once.

Sunday paused, looking at her face outlines. He trailed her face with his eyes.

Starting from her forward down to her eyes. He watched closely, drawing his face near. Already Niniola frowning face had begun to soften.

From her eyes, he trailed down to her nose. Observing the solid yet soft fleshy nose that sat there.

Down to her lips.

"S-Sunday…" Niniola stammered. It was all too apparent that she was losing it. She too drew closer to him.

BAAAMMM!

Sunday hands blurred.

Niniola c.h.e.s.t was hit. The Impact sent her staggering backwards, uncontrollably.

She gasped, surprised at what just happened. Drawing one leg backward, she heaved holding her c.h.e.s.t. In front of her was Sunday. They were still close but not as close as they were.

Sunday was smiling. A smile that seemed to reproach her..

And in the corner of his eyes, she saw something else. Something, trying desperately, to commandeer his life.

Something that had made him lunge at her and yet smile back.

This smile, it wasn't normal. Her senses heightened immediately as stared Sunday in the eyes. Her body was automatically kicking into battle mode.

She knew this feeling.

The feeling that always accompanied her whenever she set foot in Orun Apaadi. It was what had always prepared her against demons and beasts.

But why, why was she having this feeling here, beside Sunday?

"This… This won't make me leave you. You are not well, Sunday. Believe me, I sense shadows around you, Sunday. Please, let's get help…"

"Gbe eni sun!(7) Everybody wants to tell me what to do, how to do and why to do! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF IT!" Sunday thundered, flinging his hands open.

"There is just one thing I want you to know, Niniola. Don't you dare interfere. This shadows that you sense. Father put them into me. FATHERRRR… " He thundered.

"And showing myself there. In their midst. I would be shaming every one of them that wanted me dead. And I… I, SUNDAY, I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE" He gritted his teeth, raising clenched fists into the air.

Niniola gaped, dumbfounded.

Sunday was strange.

Although, she knew why.

Shadows had begun to creep in on him. But she really did not expect this outburst. This wasn't the Sunday she knew.

This wasn't the Sunday that she had always been protecting.

This wasn't he Sunday that.. that she felt some…

"Sunday, what if you are wrong? What If you are only having a misconception of the whole thing. First Prime, The Elder loves you and everyone knows that. So, why, just why would he want have you killed? It's not like the Prickled Bane Winged Wolf attacked you, did it> It attacked Him and hes out there facing it off.

While you are here, blabbing that you were knocked away from the battle. You should be grateful that you have your life.

You don't even know what it feels like to be banished.

To be an exile.

You don't know that! You don't know what it means to be ignored for years. Treated as a piece of cow dung .

You don't know that! And yet, you are here grumbling as the spoilt lucky child you are. Simply because you were dislocated from the battle.

You think you are strong, you fool? Even the primes are still there battling one… ONE BEAST. JUST ONE BEAST..!

You know, I hate the fact that I care about you. I hate the fact that I stopped that day to save you. I hate it … I HATE IT.

But as Irunmoles hatred has no stay in our hearts.

But now, you think you have grown.. now…" Niniola blurted before breaking down into tears. She covered her face, masking the torrent of tears from view

Sunday just stood there unmoving.

He wanted to move over. To tell her that he was only been a spoilt stubborn child.

But his body wouldn't budge.

He knew so much now. He had realized something that he was not wanted here and he just knew that she was never going to understand him.

That's why he wanted her not to interfere.

"You know, that Rare Classed Wolf out there. It… It attacked me first. And Father did nothing. He did NOTHING!" Sunday punched into his open palm.

At this, Niniola sobbing ceased. Slowly, she drew her hands away from her face, revealing widened eyes.

"He did nothing? Are you sure?"

"Believe me! Even Maerius…"

"AH" She gasped.

"And its funny. But I feel a strange connection to that beast out there. I don't know why but I feel like its calling to me. That's why I am going there.

I want to understand why it… why i… why feel this connection with it. And why Father left me to die." Sunday grimaced once more, clenching his fists tightly.

He knew that using aggression on The Elder was worthless. He wasn't even as strong as an elite. But yet, he wanted to know. He wanted to know why Father hated him so much.

"Don't be stupid, Sunday. Clenching your fists when talking about The Elder. Don't you get it? You can end up worse than being banished. And… Sunday, I can't imagine anything happening to you. Please, lets just leave from here." Niniola pleaded, reaching to grab his hand as tears began to flow down her face.

"No! My fists would taste his life essence" Sunday replied, dodging her hands.

"Sunday!!!" Niniola stalled, she could identify the bloodl.u.s.t in his eyes now. " That is sacrilege!"

"Sacrilege begun when he left me to die. He committed sacrilege. That moment, he refused to move, that moment, he lost me as his son."

"Ah, Sunday, she gasped, holding her hands to her cheek, you will be breaking the laws that govern our existence in Irunmole. You will be offending the whole Orun Emi Ogun if you harbor that thought. Sunday, please, just stop, okay" She trembled visibly, sweat and tears competing for attention.

"The laws that govern our existence" He laughed gesticulating. " It had been against me since the moment I started existing. It had hated me before I ever became conscious. I-i am not a happy man, Nini, and if this is the only way I can truly attain that happiness, then please, don't interfere. Don't interfere, if you truly care about me, please"

At that, Sunday began walking away.

She didn't stop him. Standing there, hands on her cheeks, tears streaming, as she stard in nothingness.

"Sunday , No… i… I don't want to lose you. Please, don't be stupid, please. Let me take the blame. Let me bear the cross for you. Let me do this instead. Please."

He heard her.

And stopped.

He had walked three meters away already when he heard her pleading.

Shaking his head, he steeled his face and gazed outward.

"No… This is my fight. This is something I must do on my own. If you truly care about me, you'll let me be." He said and started off.

Walking on and on. Each step, a tremendous effort for him.

As he did, the air began to sizzle with electrified sensations. He felt the burning heat in the sun increasing. And in the distance, he saw the silhouette of a 15ft beast howling loudly in a hazy cloud of orange and fire.

Behind was a female Irunmole, crying. She still stood where he left her. But she was the latest of his worries.

He had realized something.

And that was that he was not wanted in Orun Emi Ogun. Even his own father had disowned him.

_______

(T/N)

7. Keep Quiet, There!

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