Age of Sango(Naija Demigods Chronicles #1)

If Kola Walks On Water, He'll Drown.

Kola approached the river with the charm in his hands and his new pet leopard in tow. From the position of his shadow; which laid in an eastward direction away from his body he knew the day was past noon.

Kola said the chants Sangosakin had taught him squeezing the charm tightly in his hand "Je ki n maa rin lori omi". When he was done took a leap of faith and stepped on the water. He didn't place one foot in the water then the next in, he literally leaped into the water both feet in at the same time.

The surface of the water behaved like a water bed. It was purely elastic; its surface tension was highly unnatural and the water around him was eerily still. His Nikes remained as dry as they were when he stepped in. Where he stood there was a depression, other than that everything was fine. Instead of running like the babalawo advised, Kola treaded leisurely. He made it almost halfway across the water before the attacks started.

The hair on the back of his neck arose in warning. Within seconds numerous hands broke through the surface of the water and bunched around his legs and ankles. Caught unawares, Kola accidently let the content of the red pouch - which seemed to be the bones of small fishes and sea shells- spill into river. At once, he was pulled under and propelled deeper beneath the murk. Kola kicked and pulled at the tight grasps on his lower limb but all to no avail; he seemed to sink deeper.

Before he could piece his thoughts together he was ejected from the water; shot like a ball out of a cannon. It was like all of a sudden, the evil water sprites that wanted to drown him couldn't get rid of him hastier. Kola flew out of the water screaming with limbs sprawling and landed on the bank at the other side of the river. He arched his back on contact with the ground. His chest heaved with fright of what almost was. He remained on the ground concentrating on his breathing.

The leopard yowled at Kola from across the river as if to ask if he was okay. Kola groaned seemingly responding.

When Kola had adequately calmed down, he got to his feet and proceeded southwards weapon-less, his shoes making squishing sounds as he moved. The machete now adorned the bottom of the river. Before he got to the landmark the babalawo had described he spotted what seemed to be a child sitting on the huge chunk of limestone. The humid air carried the scent of cannabis.

Kola advanced further with caution; he had learnt in the paranormal world that not everything was as it appeared. As he got closer, he found out what he had thought to be a child from a distance was actually a child. It was a broad faced kid with a flat nose and dada hair that looked like he belonged in primary school puffing on a hand rolled joint.

"Omo dada" Kola called his name.

He threw the end of the burning rizla and hop down from the rock.

"It's just Dada" he said in Yoruba picking another rizla from his breast pocket, filled it with hemp, rolled it and lit it up.

Kola looked at him weirdly

"Funny being's human," Dada said thoughtfully "They make thing that will destroy themselves knowing fully its effect and yet they indulge them."

"How are you different from them. You are smoking the tobacco?"

"Apart from being a spirit and cannot die?" Dada asked without humour. "My hair style has become a symbol of smokers, ruffians, musicians and the likes so I have become their patron spirit. The visions and inspiration I give has now been classified as effects of narcotics."

"Remember Oba Sango the way humans picture us can influence our character but it's not necessarily who we are. Free will has always been a gift special to human and they enjoy it most of all creation. Create who you are now that you have gotten a chance."

"I don't understand" Kola said truly befuddled. For one he could not for the life of him grasp how what he said related to his journey.

"Will you be like the fabled Alaafin who pit his generals against one another because of his insecurity and had a very short rule which ended with hanging himself or the cowardly and weak womanizer lazing around having been blessed with one of the most vibrant ashe in the cosmos or..." he stopped abruptly and guffawed

"I wonder if the narcotic is affecting me like they say it does my followers. I know you think I'm mad" he said continuing his boisterous laughter.

Kola did think he was mad or under the influence but kept his mouth shut.

Dada continued his laughter till he vanished into thin air.

Kola scratched the back of his head trying to understand this strange encounter. He shrugged finally and proceeded to enter the forest from that point. He spotted a vulture eerily watching him from a tree top.

As he got to the edge of the forest he noticed a shrub burning but the flames did not seem to consume the bush.

"Kola, Kola! Here I am." a very deep voice came from within the fire.

He recalled a similar occurrence from the bible story about Moses and the burning bush and assumed the voice was Eledumare's. Kola began to walk to the fire with reverence when it said,

"Do not come near; put your shoes of your feet, for the place you stand on is a holy ground"

That's when kola got suspicious, he knew the grounds were cursed hence why it was called an evil forest but he did as he was told anyways taking of his wet shoes.

"Kneel. I am your God..."

"You are a fraud Abanigbele; spirit of fire" Kola said shaking with rage. The knowledge had come to him. "It seems I have now become I play thing to everyone. Get out before I lose my temper."

The spirit apologised hastily and fled leaving the bush unharmed.

Kola promised himself when he returned to orun that they would pay.

As he went into the forest he started to sense the location of his axe so he forced his way through the thickets till he got to where oshe was. He found oshe blade fixed in a stump.