Women Of Steel | ✔

XXXI

The storm in the distance roils and rises, several more tents are blown away and dragging my feet to move in the pool of sand reminds me of the first time I learnt to swim, I had almost drowned in the water I had been pushed into by my tutor and I didn’t learn to swim until I first overcame that fear of drowning. If didn’t know better, I would say that the gods have finally decided to interfere and fight the war against Remilekun and her army. I spit out and reach for Arewa’s hand before I realize again that she is not really alive, at the last moment, I jerk my hand away and feel bad at once.

We reach a stable that has been half destroyed by the storm and I don’t wait before I reach for the reins of a horse tied to the bamboo post. She whines in my face and I echo the same sound, the animal watches me in quiet as I free her from the post.

“This is madness, riding into the storm will kill you before Remilekun can have the chance,” Arewa says from behind me and I try not to look at her.

“Omolara!” She shouts. I burst into tears.

I whip around to stare at her and feel a pang of pain in my chest. “You weren’t supposed to die, I thought you were happy with Remilekun and I should have tried to save you.” The words leave my lips as broken sobs. In that moment, I hate myself, for trying and failing to protect the people I swore to.

“I went of my own accord, to be with my sister. I made that choice; my death is not your fault, Omolara.”

Her words do little to assuage the guilt blooming in my chest, if this is what it feels like to be a hero – feeling responsible for every single life – then I don’t want to be one. I don’t want all the blood and death on my hands.

As if sensing my discomfort, the horses left in the stables neigh loudly.

“I want this to end, I am tired of all the blood spilling and I am tired of closing my eyes and seeing nothing but death. I don’t want this power!” I shout to the wind, to my father, wherever he is.

“You have it and there is not a thing you can do about it. This will not be the last death you will see.”

I jerk on the horse’s rein and hop atop her, whispering sweet nothings and stroking her mane. I turn back and look at Arewa, noticing that she is phasing out of my vision.

“Are you not coming with me?”

She shakes her head. “I am not alive, Omolara, the only reason you can see me is because the veil between the afterlife and this world is weak.”

“But my father is the keeper,” I say and then gasp with realization. If the veil is weak, then something has happened to my father, Arewa confirms my suspicion with a nod of her head.

“You were given something a while ago, Omolara, steel specially blessed. It is the only thing that can kill a god, it is the only thing that can kill your father –“

I complete her words with dread. “And me.”

***

I remember the bracelet that Mama Agba gave me a few weeks ago. The ordinary looking metal had stung me, I recall how the zing made me slip it off and tuck it in its box, if only I had asked questions, but I had thought it was merely a gift from her. And it is what Esu went after when he saw the camp burning and I fight off a shiver, knowing that it must be what Remilekun is after now.

I yank on the reigns and kick my feet into the side of the horse, forcing the animal to continue even as violent winds send sand flying my way. I bend my head and swerve the reins to the left to dodge an incoming wind.

I scream as my horse dig its hooves into the sand, unmoving and send my tumbling down and hitting the ground hard.  Pain shoots up my right leg as I stumble to my feet; my vision is half blinded by the storm ahead and the sand in my eyes. I swear when my horse gallops into the distance, frantic as I feel. I bit my lip hard and taste blood.

Lightning rents the sky ahead and I pause in my limp. The air does not smell heavy of rain; the wind is hot against my skin. Something tells me that the storm is not natural.

I whimper as I continue walking.

“Help!” I scream, my voice is quickly swallowed by the passing wind. I am not sure who I am shouting at for help.

Lightning streaks across the sky again and I glance up, breathless. it feels like a sign and suddenly, I take off running in its direction, my whole body feels like it is on fire but my desperation runs deeper. I climb atop taller sand dunes. The lightning flashes again, right before me and when I climb down, my jaw drops in horror.

Remilekun is a whirlwind as she fights my father in the ruins of what used to be the Sheikh’s camp. Esu dodges a blast of wind with the sheer force of his hands but he is losing, I realize. There is something that frightens me about how she does not look the least bit tired, despite the fact that they have been fighting for hours. Over a piece of steel.

Esu strikes back, picking up his forgotten sword. The weapon meets Remilekun’s with a loud clash and I watch as the force makes her clench her teeth. She dances away and my father does not hesitate before catching her in the shoulder, blood splashes on the sand but she does not look the least bit deterred. The two of them are almost beautiful to watch together, they don’t speak, their swords do the talking. But when Remilekun strikes my father on the chest, I know that he won’t win this fight.

She twirls again and my jaw drops as she disappears into thin air, only to materialize behind my father, he turns too late and she slams her sword against his, sending his glinting steel flying across and then falling on the sand. He stumbles back and she matches him step for step and spears him through with her sword. Someone screams and I am not sure if it is me.

He kneels before her, blood pouring from his mouth, even from the distance I stand, I see how his eyes flash to a violent blue. Remilekun walks to where his fallen weapon lies and picks it up. There is a sudden stillness in the air as she does so and I could swear that whatever balance existed before is shattered the moment that she does. The wind stills.

She prowls back to where my father kneels, not dead but in pain and raises the sword in her hand above his head. Realization hits me like a staggering slap to my face, the steel in her grip glints even though the light of the rising sun is pale. The bracelet must have been fashioned into a blade. And she is going to end the life of a god with it. My father’s life.

Anger sweeps into my body like a cold wind. I break into a run and scream her name.

“Remilekun!”

She hesitates, her weapon hanging in the air. Without thinking, I slice open my bottom lip with my teeth biting down hard and I spit blood onto the sand.

The wind picks up its motion and I pick up the sword of bones that forms from the desert sand.

*****

The final chapter will be out tomorrow, plus an epilogue. You have no idea how badly I want to finish the books. So, who's placing bets? Do you think Esu will die? Will Omolara win this fight?