Survival Of The Cursed

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 15: 𝕬 𝖂𝖆𝖞 𝕺𝖚𝖙

They lost the forest floor to darkness. Against the hazy gray sky, black branches writhe like the tendrils of a monstrous, unseen beast, thickening in the distance to an impenetrable tangle that bars the fleeing youth’s way, inhibiting its escape and trapping it within the wilderness inhabited by the ravenous, bestial nightmare-creatures. Their howls grew louder; meaning they were terribly close. Grunting heightened towards the giant’s hall while the Ninki Nanka encircled it in thousands.

Todun, and the man who had the broken brown teeth, stood by the window, immersed in the shadows that stretched over the entire city outside the cracked mud wall. He could sense the danger awaiting them. He searched for hope in the depths of darkness, and couldn’t help but to wonder if these were truly the will of the gods or the devil trying to conquer them, himself.

He turned his back to others and heaved out heavily. “I can’t see anything... I’m short-sighted.” He muttered the words and jumped down from the king’s chair that now serves as a ladder to check outside the four corners of the giant’s hall. Prince Awade climbed the chair to peep.

“Which of you is ready to go out there?” Sanmi questioned.

“They’re 5 hours away. The closer they get, the tighter our chances are to leave here. That’s an army, and those doors won’t hold them back.” Awade concluded while Asa walked towards him.

“What about the northerners?” Ajoke brought up.

They ought to be here by now. I think the traders are sluggish at keeping up with time." King Otun muttered.

Awade jumped down from the chair while Sanmi claimed to check if he might see any clearer.

“Through your secret passage, is there anyway we could get around and get past them?” Prince Awade asked the king.

“What good would that do?” Asa hissed, depressed. “Those eerie beasts would chase up wherever we go.”

“I have allies nearby, I can call for help.”

“And how sure are we to trust you? For all we know, you’d make us your slave again.” Todun murmured into the prince's ears with hatred. He knows Prince Awade was wily to an extent.

“Not after what we’ve gone through.” He replied with a promise in his sincere eyes. “I would get enough knights to fight off those at the front door.”

Asa gazed into his eyes and found it hard to doubt his words. A smile slowly crept across his face while Ajoke approached him. “How can we trust you’d to come back?”

Awade shrugged his shoulders. This is what I think; if you remain here, it will be fatal. If I leave, maybe you die.”

Banjoko looked at his bleeding hands. He’d mistakenly cut himself through the fightings and looks weak already. Atata just stood by his side, watching.

“If you decide to come back. What about us?”

He shrugged again. She brushed him away and wiped off her face.

“What does it matter? You just want to go home, so are we. The town is guarded by those Ninki Nankas.” Ajoke gazed at Awade with bitterness in her eyes. “We’ve lost over a thousand men already. How many more men would die?”

“I’ve got an idea.” Sanmi jerked after a long thought of staring into the darkness of hovering beasts. He stepped down from the royal chair and landed on his feet.

“First, I need those sacks you took from me.” Sanmi pointed to the chief.

“I’ve been wondering what these actually are.” Todun smiled with a straw bag in his hands. “I guess it time we use these.”