TRAILING SHADOWS

Malintus stood by, the temporal soundproof bubble sloshing on its axis slowly as Orunmila Shope and her aides discussed inside.

He looked at them, trying to lip-read them. But after a while or two, he lost interest. Hands on his hip, he exhaled, the afternoon heat, washing across his face.

"I wonder why we have so much similarities with the last borns. I mean, we shouldn't be able to feel all this heat, right?" Malintus spoke, shaking his head whilst turning to take a look about.

"Imagine, such power. Enveloped in beings like us and yet we had to share likeness with man?... Wait... What am I arguing about? We are born before man. That means they were created in our likeness... Yuck... What am I saying? Focus, Malintus. Eledumare created them in his likeness. Okay... Okay... That's...umph" He sighed.

Turning back, he raised an eyebrow. Just what were they discussing in there? It was taking just too long.

Taking damn too long!

As a messenger Classed, he had lived his life on the move. Standing here and doing nothing, felt like his being was being wasted away.

'Ah Eledumare, I need to Ascend into the next class. If only I did, all this would not be there for me. Tsk! What a waste!'

Saying that, he dipped his hand into the spatial pouch at his waist. Pulling out a leather bottle, he smirked.

"At least, my companion is still on ever increase. Never boring..."

So saying, he turned the bottle to the tip of his mouth and pushed lightly. However something caught his attention and he froze.

"Malinton, please come with us." It was Council Lord, Ajibade who beckoned to him.

"Waa--whaa- gur~gur~~gur..." He gurgled as wine escaped from the bottle into his mouth, impeding his speech. Malinton hastened, trying to pull the bottle only to tip it more into his mouth. Instinctively, he doubled over, throwing out the excess wine. He belched, stench wafting from his innermost.

"Have you been drinking Malinton?" Ajibade queried, veins shooting across his temples. He crunched his fists till they blanched.

His face twisted and contorted, pain and anger spreading across it. At that moment, The atmosphere thickened, as his aura shot out.

Immediately, Malinton took a step back, fear written across it.

"N-No~..." He panicked.

"Ajibade, I tell you, your over reaction to minute matters should be cautioned." Orunmila Shope spoke out. Her back turned to the whole scenario whilst she faced the council house.

"If nothing more, I would like for you to be present for the roundtable meeting. Some matters cannot be discussed in public."

"Malinton, you have been drinking too much. And you know by now. His sense of perception towards heavy drinkers is..." Silas put in, his hand seated on the hilt of the blade.

"Come along, you three, will you?" Shope asked, as she walked forward.

A surge of energy whipped into existence, spiralling about with tendrils. The ball of energy hovred for a bit, before a hole began tearing into it. And within seconds, the hole expanded, pushing the energy into a big ring.

The trio stepped in, while Malinton hesitated for awhile before jumping in when the portal seemingly exhausted itself.

"Have a seat, please." Orunmila Shope spoke as she helped herself to one.

The room was dimly lit. Whether it was the custom design or the choice of the Prime Overlord, none could really say. The Prime Classed Shope sat on a chair with a high back. The two tips of the chair that rose were pointed, like staves while a feather attached to both.

Behind her was a huge faceless statue that seemed to cup in the chair she sat on, bending down and gazing at whoever sat before the chair.

Talks had it that when Orisha Ifa visited, he would assume the form of the statue to discuss with them, instead of appearing bodily to the people.

Aside from that, torches lit up the walls of room, revealing carving of various historical events that had occurred in Eledumare Garden- Planet Earth.

The designs were made carefully, revealing the detailing nature of Fate based Agbara users.

Up, in the hall was another orb hovering. It glowed dimly, changing colors from blue to white to red and green. Giving the room the sensations of a night club

But none of that was within the worries of Malinton. He was happy that his head was still spared. It was a taboo in Ilu Ifa for anyone to be found drinking wine.

But I am not even from this Ilu. Well, technically, I am a halfcaste. But that should be cutting me some slack by default, right?

Malinton consoled himself as he sat across from the Orunmila.

"What would the Ilu Ifa council have me do?" He asked, slowly swallowing saliva.

And that was because Orunmila Shope was coolly eyeing him. He felt a shrill touch on his spine and shivered, visibly trembling under her gaze.

However she noted this, and smiled quite briefly.

"Please, make your self at home, Malinton. Awon Eshu nii ota wa(1). Not us, and not me either."

She spoke, a false sense of assurance flooding his mind.

Malinton smiled rather uneasily.

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1. It is the followers of the devil that are our enemy, not us..