Age of Sango(Naija Demigods Chronicles #1)

I Repeat, Yoruba goddesses Seriously Don't Play Fair in Splash Fights.

Omítọ̀nàdé awoke feeling an ache that wasn’t physical. Her body seemed fine but her spirit, not so much. She noticed Kola kneeling by her bedside.

"It would seem that our positions have been reversed," Kola said giving a false smile.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, big sis." a feminine voice told her. She realized that Ife was sitting on the floor resting her back against the wall close to the hut's entrance.

"Where is Obatala?" She inquired feebly.

"Right here my dear" he said, suddenly appearing in a space close to Kola. He took her hand and muttered words of consolation to her.
"You need rest to heal, Omítọ̀nàdé," Obatala told her as he touched her forehead and muttered sleep and she slept. He looked at Kola and said 'We need to talk' and they reappeared in the babalawo's shrine.

Sangosakin looked like he was expecting them.

"A few months ago Sangosakin informed me that there has been a steady rise in the number of deaths in Yoruba land, adult and infant alike," Obatala said without preamble, "At first I thought it was Babalu aye but the deaths all seem to be without cause and the children seem like Abiku. I concluded that the reason for these deaths would be my old nemesis Iku."

"Ummm, why are you telling me this?" Kola wondered.

"Because it is your job as Oba of Orishas to ensure peace and prosperity amongst the Yoruba people."

Kola considered the statement in silence.

"But why do I have to go and fight this Iku?  If he is your nemesis should you not fight him yourself?" Kola grumbled.

"I would but this is not my fight, Kola."

“Sounds like you are just scared.” Kola muttered under his breath.

“What?”

"I said so I have no choice but to kill this Iku then?"

Obatala burst out laughing. "You can't kill Iku, Kola, he is death, if you kill death who would make him die?" He asked still laughing. Kola hated being laughed at. He was getting angry when Obatala stopped abruptly and apologized. He had sensed the change in Kola's ashe.

"Our history teaches that sometime in the dimmest past Iku began to take men, women, and children from aye(earth) before their time. Most of the Orisha's were angry, but they were also afraid to interfere. Only Orunmila took action. One day, while Iku was distracted, Orunmila snatched lku's hammer of death and hid it away." Sangosakin chipped in.

"Then let Orunmila do it again."

"Look over there" Obatala said to Kola, pointing at the divination tray and the sacred palm nuts.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Kola asked looking around for gods know what.

"Those sacred palm nuts are Orunmila," He explained "He did that to himself so he won't return to the earth."

"That's just great," Kola sighed.

"Don't complain Kola, you are Oba. With great power comes great responsibility" Obatala said sagely.

"You stole that from a movie" Kola said smiling for the first time at Kassidy. He returned the smile.

“No, its part of my wisdom. You will require the assistance of the gatekeeper of the cemetery and Omítọ̀nàdé”

“Who is the gatekeeper?”

"You know her na. Anyways, I've got exams back in school so goodbye for now, Kola" he said waving at Kola as he vanished in a flash of white light.

Thinking about his quest made him perspire. Kola decided he needed to cool off.

Without a word to the babalawo he left the shrine with only one destination in mind; the stream. He was going to have a swim even if it killed him, which he hoped not, with death on the rampage and all. He stripped down to his boxer shorts and dived into the water. He swam a few laps across the pool. First he did freestyle, then backstroke, breaststroke, and sidestroke.
It took Kola a while to notice he wasn't alone in the water. The attractive female who had defended him from Ogun was in the water. By now he knew who she was instinctively.

"Oba," He called out. She swam towards him, the expression on her face as serious as the last time. Her hair was completely covered in a large blue swimming cap and she wore a grey T-shirt. "Kabiyesi Oba Sango." she greeted him.

"I didn't get to thank you for what you did the last time I saw you," Kola said embarrassed "So thank you."

"You are welcome."

Kola didn't know what to say or how to act around Oba. He knew she'd probably be within his age group but she had a very mature air about her. He told her so and she smiled at him for the first time. She looked even prettier when she smiled.

"I'm not that serious," She informed him "As a matter of fact I can be fun too. How about we have a water fight?"

Kola was slightly cautious. The last time he had a splash battle it hadn't been so good for him.

"Okay." he agreed reluctantly.

Making quick scooping motions across the surface of the pool with his hands Kola started splashing her without warning. After the shock of the initial splash on her face, she retaliated. Kola swung his arm in wide arc, flicking the water surface. Oba pushed at the water with both hands, a churning motion that produced smaller but more concentrated sprays.

Precipitously, Oba submerged into the stream. Kola waited arms at ready for her to resurface but she didn’t. He began to panic thinking she had drowned; he called out her name repeatedly but there was no response. Going under as well, he searched for her swimming around where she had been going deeper and deeper but couldn’t find her. Kola emerged from under and started swimming for the bank hoping to get help if it was not too late. Just as he was about to arrive at the shore, the water seemed to return him to his start. He was back at the middle of the stream again.
Kola swam but he could not make progress in any direction. He recalled a similar occurrence with Oya.

“Oba!!!” he shouted as waves began splashing him. His powers were virtually useless in the waterbody unless his plan was to commit suicide by electrocuting himself.

“I give up. You win.” Kola yelled.

Momentarily, Oba emerged on a wave; riding it like the river goddess which she was.

“That was fun, Oba Sango.” she said.

“For you!” Kola sputtered.

As She began to evanesce- dissolving in a mist of fresh water-she said “We will meet soon again Oba. And my name in this life is Bukola Gbadamosi.".