TRAILING SHADOWS

Orunmila Shope led them on, through the winding passage, filled with doors at each sides and candles to show the way. They soon arrived at a large empty circular room with a huge glass orb in the center.

She walked on, resting her hands on the orb whilst her staff stood on it's own in the air. Shope sighed again, her shoulders trembling visibly.

Shaking her head, she let her hand move about the surface of the orb as if she was communicating with it.

The orb responded, a beam of whitish energy flooding the entire room before condescending into the orb again.

Shope heaved.

"I would show you. A vision. A vision of what is to come. I am unclear of the details but this is all I could get before Orisha Ifa stopped communicating with me."

Wisps of energy curled from her hands, enveloping the orb for a brief second. Sighing again, she took a step backwards, motioning to the two Alphas who had stood only at the entrance to come closer.

Within the orb, mist gathered before clearing away to reveal a shadowy forms of several Irunmoles clothed differently in accordance to their Aspectual Law rushing at with war fever at a man that stood on a hill.

Seated upon a large quadrupedal beast. The Irunmole had spirals of dark energy rushing all about him as dimensional gateways opened bringing out various demons. Their vile presence corrupting Orun Rere.

They watched, as A celestial being in red and black, with chains and a dreaded hair and twisted beards screamed into view. His eyes contained madness, his being exuding a force of violence and war that seemed to vibrate out of the large orb.

His visage the same as Ogun, the Orisha of War.

The next second, energy blasted forward, vaporizing The God of War into nothingness. The focus of the orb turned downwards, revealing a dying Orisha in red loin wrapper with a necklace of beads and cowries, the signature attire of Ifa, Orisha of divination, fate and wisdom. Beside him, and in tears was Orunmila Shope, herself not any better with tattered gown and darkened face.

And a portal opened revealing a cage with brittling metal. Inside was a presence greater than that of the Orishas put together. The embodiment of darkness.

A roar could be heard across the battle field as a wave of darkness shot across the arena, Orishas and Irunmoles falling alike.

Suddenly, a persona appeared before the cage containing the darkness embodiment, her likeness not to be mistaken.

Youthfulness radiated from her face. As well as stubbornness. The mist cleared, revealing more and more of her facial features.

It was Niniola.

The audience sighed collectively at this.

Then, the orb blurred again, before clearing out. In the orb, showed an Irunmole with a hard face but filled with youthful vigors in a dark blue garment clothings and a cape, gritting his teeth as he slashed through demons with bloodl.u.s.t.

The image continued for quite awhile before blurring out. The mist took over slowly as the orb slowly became dormant, the images fading away.

It sent forth another wave of energy as it shivered, a single crack line appearing on the orb.

"Aaahh..." Orunmila Shope fell forward.

But she was caught quickly by her two aides. Leaning forward, weakly she sighed once more.

"My vision that I projected to you didn't go quite long but based on my class ranking, I know so much. However I probed fate, pushing against the limits placed on us, so that the two of you can understand what is to come. "

"You must rest, Orunmila. You are tired." The Irunmole who hadn't spoke a word spoke now.

"Don't mistake my trembling for weakness, Ajibade. Staff!" The Orunmila summoned her staff.

She caught it midair, with a quick move of hand, she raised the staff and slammed it down, an aura of peace and understood spreading forth across.

With that, she shook her head briefly, her confidence and presence becoming enforced.

"Then, we must raise this at the High Council Summit, Orunmila. Or what is your view?" Ajibade chipped in, his hands knotting themselves behind him.

The trio began progressing away from the orb, leaving it encircled in the mists that swirled around it.

They walked through a door now and soon arrived at the entrance of the bustling Council house. As soon as they were sighted, all movement stopped as Irunmoles did little bowing of their heads to them before continuing with their whatnot.

"By now, I suppose the messenger should be back, right?" The Orunmila asked.

"Of course,he should. "

Just then, the neighing of a horse rent the air, drawing eyes over. On the back of the horse was a man clad in white robes that covered just one shoulder down - A loin Cloth.

He had a spouch -Spatial pouch, no doubt as he urged the horse to a stop. The horse snorted, however, as the trails of whirlwind and flames on it's hooves gradually vanished, bringing it to an abrupt stop.

Immediately, Some warrior Irunmole gathered around him, helping him halt down before pointing to the Irunmole and her aides.

"That must be Malintus, right?" She asked no one in particular.

The Messenger Classed Irunmoles races over quickly, slightly bowing to The Orunmila as he dipped his hands into his pouch.

He fumbled with something, before deciding his mind and drawing out a scroll bigger than the pouch.

"Here, is the report on Ilu Obatala, My Orunmila." He said, pointing the scroll at her.

Malintus was a Messenger Classed Irunmole who had been assigned with spying on the happenings in Ilu Obatala.

In so doing, each Ilu was putting itself one step ahead of The Other Ilu. Malintus was not supposed to leave his spy post but based on how urgent the news was, he had hired a horse from Ilu Eshu, boarding it to journey across to Ilu Ifa quickly. As horses from Ilu Eshu was known to very fast. Due to Eshu, the patron Orisha, being an Orisha of travellers , opportunity and chance.

"Mi o ni emi to mo fe ka scroll yii.(6) What is in it?" She asked as Silas made to take it.

"O. In summary, The Elder's Son now has a soulbound. A Prickled Bane Winged Wolf, one he soulbonded with today after it attacked the ilu. It is Rare Typed. "

"A quadrupedaled beast..." The Orunmila whispered as her form shivered.

"Excuse us, Malintus. I need to speak to my aides." She said as she took a step back, accompanied by her aides.

At that, she snapped her fingers and a whisper of wind whirled about, blocking sounds from entering or going out.

"It has begun." Silas said

"The vision. Sunday is the one." Ajibade added, shaking slightly.

"We would stop it. As our sacred duty. We have to get Sunday..." Shope spoke.

"But what are we to do with Sunday when we don't even know where he is. The last, the scroll mentioned was his presence at the battlefield." Silas put in.

"I could search his soul through out fate. But with his soulbound fate beast. That would be very hard as we know he could mask his presence through fate. Thanks to the Rare Classed Beast in him." Ajibade heaved.

Silence reigned for quite awhile as Prime and Alphas thought deeply.

"I'm setting a bounty. We get her and we find Sunday. They seemed to be destined for each other, My Alphas." She spoke, determination flooding her eyes.

"B-but why a bounty... I could mobilise our forces and..." Silas stammered.

"No, She raised her hands, we don't want to offend the Most Blessed of the Gods. The Elder clearly doesn't want us involved that is why he has not made this public. Hence, we must proceed with caution. Exert our action with seemingly flawless hands. "

"We'll play fate against itself." Orunmila Shope Smiled, the sound barrier collapsing completely.

(T/N)

1) No, It's a lie

2) This cannot be done!

3) Don't be angry at us

4) I am not angry

5) I know. I know what you both want to say.

6) I don't have the spirit to read the scroll.

(A/N)