TRAILING SHADOWS

"Fine" Tayo shrugged, unwilling to drag the conversation.

Sunday shoved off Niniola's arm at his torso and walked to tent with an audible sigh. With his hands to his h.i.p.s, he sighed once again, before turning to face the rest of the ragtag team.

"So, if the High Council Deployment Zone is full of moles as you say, people who might be on the lookout for me, then what do I do? I certainly cannot travel down the six heavens in just two days to go, you know?"

Ibiyemi gave a short laugh, squeezing her neck and shoulders together. "What if you can? What if you can actually do all of that in so less than two days? The BlueMoon Alliance..."

"No." Niniola interfered, shaking her head furiously. "That is in Ilu Esu. There is a shorter route here. And even at that, we may have to cut down on some, you know, travel procedures."

"Uh..." Ibiyemi looked fl.u.s.tered. "okayyy... What about The Orun Transport. I ca pull in a favour with the Head Master."

"No." Niniola countered again. "The Head Master stays in the Ilu Esu branch. Before we can even get as close to where he is to pull in a favour, Sunday would have been busted. Look, I know you are trying to help but there is an easier way out of all of this."

"Hm!" Tayo sighed, appearing interested.

He had to keep his ears open so that he could find the route that they would take and then, complete his mission.

"Besides, I do not really know much of you right now. You all might have some hidden agenda, no offense intended but if there is gong to be any decision making as regards Sunday and this mission, then, it has to come from me." Niniola said with a note of finality, slapping her c.h.e.s.t to show emphasis on what she said.

"Like I mentioned, there is an easier route. If we take the road to the Land of Thunder, we can easily sneak into the Thunder's deployment zone at Ilu Sango and get right away to Orun Apaadi. Thunder is close and what's more is that we do not have to worry about the High Council Guards being there. Yes, they might but they have very limited influence on things there because it is not Ilu Obatala so things are different there. In fact, Elder and the Lightning Sage there do not exactly see eye to eye on things." Niniola slammed her left fist into her open right palm. "We can capitalise on that and get Sunday and me to where we intend to be."

"Well, well. Sounds reasonable." Ibiyemi tried to sound as okay as she could but her sad face did not help it. She had desperately wanted to be able to pull her weight on something so far but from the looks of it, she was only extra weight.

"Alos, that means that there is no training." Ibiyemi swallowed seeing as they all looked at her. "I mean you and Sunday have not exact;y trained like we had in mind before. Don't you think he is going to need all of it if he is going down to Earth, especially since it is a sure thing that he will make a stop in Orun Apaadi, the first heaven."

Niniola made to answer her but Tayo was not listening. They were going to the Land of Thunder. The Lightning Sage, just as Niniola had said did not exactly see eye to eye with The Elder of the Ilu Obatala. But that was not all.

The Lightning Sage who was the Prime of Ilu Sago, the realm of Irunmoles under the Orisha of Lightning, thunder and vengeance did not see eye to eye with many other Primes as well. Most especaily with the War Prime of the Ilu Ogun. Both Primes were hotheaded, or so he had been taught and as result, one sought to dominate the other with their c.o.c.ky attitudes and this most times resulted in friction between them both.

If this was where they would be gong, then he had to call so that the War Prime could see to the Sunday Mission before things got really dicey and the Lightning Sage got involved. Most especially as he would because War Irunmoles were in his domain.

But then again,t he whole thought of having to betray the one person he had looked up to as Friend did not exactly sit well with him. After these moments they had both shared, eve though himself and Sunday had not exchanged words since the market, he had at least come to understand just a very little of the guy.

They both had suffered similar fates. Ignored and then restrained only to be treated like non-entities, they lived very similar lives. Except that right now, Sunday was willing to do all he could to prove to his Father that he was worth something in the end.

And himself, the only thing he was doing was l.i.c.k.i.n.g the ground and clearing the path for the same people who had beat him up and ostracized him severally.

How was he any better than Sunday?

In fact as it was, sc.u.m like him did not get to have the rights to betray anyone. Tayo ground his teeth, pondering over the thoughts. If for anything, Sunday was the better version of him and yet he was going to stand in his way.

All for what?

Even if the Elder was to piece everything together, the fact that Sunday was on the run from him would be their trump card. They could just easily say and claim that Sunday had lost his life to wild beasts at the border or something else. Maybe even mercenaries had killed him or something else.

And it would go down well, after all, Sunday would be far beyond the reach of the Elder should he leave Ilu Obatala now. And for all that could be said, nothing would get pinned on Ilu Ogun, thus the Council there would not only rid themselves of an idiotic dark prophecy, they would also have clean hands from the wrath of The Elder.

Killing two birds with one stone,

And he, he was the one that was going to be used.

HAPPY NEW YEAR YOU ALL.

CHEERS TO 2021!