TRAILING SHADOWS

In that space of time, she had been able to come up with the eye of space, although that had been through the vigorous experiences that she had been through Something she had Elisa and Elias to thank for, as well as Tobias.

The three of them had been instrumental to what she had become. Then the other friends that she had been with, Sunday, Niniola and Tayo here had also been a huge part of her strength growth. She wanted to get home so she could tell all of that to her father and watch herself gain his approval. 

Her face scowled just then, although it was too minute to be seen or even noticed, except if someone paid really a lot of attention to her. She sighed now, she did not think she would have come this far. But even still, she was not yet where she would have wanted to be. 

There was still her brother out there and she did not want to entertain the thought that she had been here, growing and getting stronger while he did nothing in that regard. That would be foolhardy to say the least. And most likely, it would result in something that she would not be able to fathom, all the more reason why she had to fortify herself with more skills and training all the way.

But that was till then, now ,there was the more immediate matter that was pressing. 

"Do you think we'll be late then?" Tayo asked, lowering his head and grabbing his sword with a darkened face.

Ibiyemi nodded her head, bringing away all of her thoughts to the back of her mind just then. She sighed now, reflecting on the words that Tayo had just said, the meaning that they denoted. 

  Would it really be too late for them if the time on Earth had really been stretched out longer than they could anticipate? 

Would it really be too late? In that space of time, what would Sunday have been doing? Would he have been able to grow in strength like it looked like then? 

Would he have taken the path down the prophecy like they had imagined then? She shook her head too, she did not really agree with the prophecy too but there was really nothing she could do about those who interpreted it. Plus, her father was the one in charge of a mercenary house, it did not matter whether the prophecy would be real or not. As long as the  bounty had been declared to the person, his first and primary assignment would be to see that the mercenaries are all out on it.

Taking her mind back to the original thought she had in her mind about whether or not Sunday had taken the path that the prophecy had declared to him, she let it go off her mind. It was not possible that that would have happened, because if that truly did happen then the councils in Orun would be shaken up. 

Especially since they had seen that such would happen. In fact, there would be a series of events happening in orun, all of which would be angled to the defeat of Sunday. But neither of those had happened, so it was rather safe to say that nothing of such had occurred to Sunday, at least yet. Sunday was probably somewhere on Earth, trying to tough out in the conditions of a strange place. 

Or perhaps, then, time had not really gone for them on Earth like it had gone for them in Orun. It could all be that it was just one day on Earth since Sunday had arrived there, so there was not the notion that her thoughts would ever come to pass. 

And even if it did come to pass, they owed it to Sunday. No... She owed it to Sunday and Niniola that Sunday was back to the path that was right. She owed it to him that and the lonely, exiled girl that much. 

And so, finally, in response to the question that Tayo asked, Ibiyemi smiled faintly. "No... Even if a thousand years pass between us, we would never be late to save Sunday from all of that!" She replied.

And unlike the Niniola that they all knew, that is, Ibiyemi and Tayo, this was a knocked out and comatose Niniola. And so far since they had gotten her, she was still so very far from getting to consciousness ever since. 

The day was new but the environment which they had camped was still the same. The breeze parted through the leaves of the trees, bringing to the campers scome fresh wind as was usual with the First dawn. 

Birds began to chirp, multicolor butterflies beginning to spred their wings as they prepared themselves for the daily search of food, not that it was scarce in Orun. Natural things were ever so abundant in Orun, that is, things that mortals would go lengths to get were things that were in abundance here.

A bird called out in the sky and another one, perched within one of the tress replied with a sharp cry. The leaves of some tress shook as the wings of bird flapping resonated through the somewhat silent forest. 

it would have been silent, that is, if one did not consider the bickering and argument ready toned voice of Ibiyemi down below, at the circular path of cleared vegetations.

She stood, stomping her legs down with her eyebrows all knitted together. Just like the day before, she was wearing the same attire but without the white overall coat that she had on. And on her neck still was the mask of the Blue Moon  Mercenary Alliance House dangling in front of her, suspended over her neck by a string.

Tayo on the other hand seemed the same today, except for the fact that this day, he had his blue cape on. He sat on the circular rock piece as like before, using the whetstone to sharpen the edge of his lade. And this time, he had a reed of grass that he chewed on, absentmindedly.

He was quiet and form the way things were, it appeared as though Ibiyemi was trying so hard to upset him. Or at least, in her own sense of being, get a reaction from him. Behind them was the tent. The door to the tent had been zipped close but no doubt still had Niniola inside due to the little whimpers that emanated from it at intervals. 

"Hey... This is not fun! How did I get stuck with you?" Ibiymi said, waving both hands in front of her, trying to get his focus on her. 

"There. youa re doing it again! You act like there is nobody here. I dont know, It is annoying, you know." Ibiyemi said and then pouted. "I mean, the both of us are here. We are on this mission toegtehr." At those words, Ibiyemi frowned, biting the fingernail of her right thumb thoughtfully. 

"Actually, is this even a mission? I mean you are here with me because you did not have a place to go. Those guys you brought then were trying to attack so it was only reasonable we stuck together." She said and then sighed. 

At this Tayo stood up and then with a cold stare, looked on to Ibiyemi intensely thats he ahd to take a step back. "I did not ge stuck with you. You were the one who came to me. becasue you needed my help in getting strong, remember?" Tayo said, sheathing his sword and then moving past her. 

"But at least, you should try to act like you are a part of this. About the food we eat. You just get up and go and then boom, you are back with something to snack on. Not like food is important for either of us."

Tayo stopped. "You were the one who insisted that we got food, remember, even though you know we dont really need to eat to survive." 

"I know." Ibiyemi swirled around now, throwing her hands into the air, exasperated. "I thought that if we had meals over the fire, it would lead to some bonding session you know. We have ben together for a month or so and yet, you rarely talk to me. If i ask anything, you just go and get it done. What do you really want, if i may ask? You are always so quiet and pensive." 

"What? You want me to make jokes with you?" Tayo asked, still standing still.

To that, Ibiyemi shrugged and then rolled her eyes. "I mean, yes... Tht would not be such a bad idea,  you know?"

"Sorry! I don't make jokes with hags!" Tayo coldly replied and moved forward. 

"What?" Ibiyemi's jaws almost dropped to the ground. 

But Tayo was not entirely done with her. He still had something more for her.

"You are annoying. Hags are always annoying. It's your birthright!" He reasoned.

And Ibiyemi almost fainted, feeling the heavy stings of the words all at once.

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