Tales of Hadithia

Origin of Hadithia - Conclusion - Part 1

The crystal walls of the room echoed with Eshu's pained moans. Ayao wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Yemoja had been standing before Eshu for what felt like hours, flexing her hand in and out as she raised it towards him. Red tendrils danced from her fingers and reached around Eshu's shuddering body – the same red as Ayao's sacred ibis. There were a few other colors mixed into the wisps of energy – blue, emerald, gold; colors she recognized of Yemoja and other Orisha – but it was clear her sacrifice was the main force behind Yemoja's struggle to subdue Eshu.

Struggle wasn't quite the right word, at least on Yemoja's part – the Orisha had her weight resting on her left hip in a relaxed stance, while Eshu was curled up on the floor, moaning and screaming and fighting with everything in him to resist the rainbow of colors that danced around him. To subdue an Orisha, to lock away their power and force them into submission, was not something to be taken lightly. Even with all the pain Eshu caused humankind, nothing he had done warranted this punishment, forcing the Orisha to turn a blind eye to his abuse.

Ayao was grateful they heeded her pleas and sensed the hidden danger in Eshu's latest scheme, but even still, she felt deeply uneasy seeing her brother in such a pitiful state, writhing on the floor with all of his usual pride forgone in his struggle. Yemoja's back was turned to her, but she knew the figurative mother of their people was in tears at this assault on her son, whether he deserved it or not. Her body was still in a relaxed stance, but her being radiated sorrow and regret. Ayao turned away from them both.

Finally, an explosion of light announced the end of their struggle. Ayao turned back around to see Eshu lying on the crystal floor the same way he was before, only now his brown skin glowed red as if illuminated from within. Yemoja's arm was back at her side, but a small tendril of red light shot from Eshu's form to her head, pulsing large waves to her like a snake swallowing his dinner. After a moment, the light disappeared and Yemoja tensed, the sorrow Ayao sensed now replaced with rage.

"So that is what you were planning." she spoke in a hoarse voice. "Why, Eshu?"

Like a chastened child, Eshu arched his body so he couldn't see her, refusing to reply.

Yemoja turned her face away, half facing Ayao. A glistening streak on her cheek proved she was indeed crying before. "I will return." She said curtly, vanishing from sight before she finished speaking.

Not knowing what else to do, Ayao fidgeted impatiently where she stood, doing her best not to look at Eshu. Despite how insufferable she found his cockiness, and despite what he had done to her daughter, seeing him now in his pitiful state was too hard to bear. As she fought to focus on anything but the glowing red mass before her, she realized something.

She could only sense herself and Eshu. The subtle atmosphere of the Orisha beyond the veil of the crystal room was gone. She had truly forfeited her place amongst the Orisha: Ayao was now no more than a mortal human. Standing in the crystal chamber that reflected emptiness everywhere she turned, thousands of miles from her husband and son – and even farther from her daughter, wherever she was – now abandoned by the ancestral claim she always held in her spirit, Ayao never felt more alone.

"You can't feel them, can you?"

Ayao flinched, whipping around to see a rejuvenated Eshu lounging on the floor with his head cradled in his hand, a victorious smile stretching his lips. The only remaining sign anything was amiss was the scarlet glow emanating from his skin.

"Well, can you? I can." He gloated, speaking slowly to make sure each word had enough time to slice through her heart. When Ayao didn't respond, he pouted exaggeratedly, cocking his head at her. "Man, they are an-gry. I haven't felt Orishan rage like this since the last time I – ,"

Finally, Ayao cut him off. "Don't speak to me so casually, brother."

Eshu cocked his head even more, frowning in mock confusion. "Brother? Can you really call me that anymore?"

Ayao's temper snapped, and she stormed over to Eshu's figure on the floor. Seeing he finally got a rise out of her, he jumped up into a seated position, his head resting now on both hands, eyes expectant.

"You dare to test me here, Eshu? You are no better than a mortal yourself right now." She threatened, fist clenched.

Eshu smiled. "Please. You mean this?" he said, waggling his glowing fingers in front of his face. "My power can only be subdued like this when I am bound to someone more powerful than me. Yemoja and all those other all-important Orisha will pass me around for a couple thousand years until they all get tired of babysitting duty, and I'll be let off with a warning. And once I am, I will start my plan all over again. I'm a very patient man, you know."

Ayao stood over him now, nostrils flaring in rage, but this only served to increase Eshu's glee. He didn't budge as she bent down to meet his eyes. "What. Plan?" she said in a clipped tone.

"Don't worry about it."

"What do you mean, 'don't worry about it'? I know you want to gloat! Well, go ahead, gloat!" Ayao yelled.

Eshu shook his head. "Unh uh. See, I gloat when it's fun. Right now, it is far more fun to watch you squirm."

"It doesn't matter. Anything you can think of, we will stop."

"We?" Eshu scoffed. "We? I'm sorry dear, I think you mean they. You're not part of this party anymore."

Ayao snatched Eshu's collar and pulled him forward, teeth bared. "Watch your tongue."

Eshu mock pouted again. "Oh yeah? And what are you going to do to make me? It's not like they can tether me to you, human. And don't worry, you and your precious family will be long dead by the time I'm free to fulfill my purpose." He sneered. "Oh, but I suppose your great-times-ten-grandchildren will still have to face me. And there's nothing you can do to protect them."

Ayao let out a strangled cry and lifted her fist to break Eshu's nose, but she was stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That's enough." Yemoja said.

The two backed away from each other, Ayao aggressively wiping away tears that had begun to fall as Eshu's cocky demeanor melted away in Yemoja's presence. Yemoja turned from him and briefly recounted the spiel of Eshu's plan to Ayao, detailing the experience he created in the dimension Hadithian ancestors once walked. The goal was to manipulate the people there into destroying the land of Hadithia the same way the motherland was colonized and stolen from long ago.

"Thankfully, we all agree this is more than enough of a threat to allow us to take action to preserve balance." Yemoja said crossly, clearly agitated from voicing Eshu's scheme. Ayao held herself against the cool crystal wall to prevent herself from strangling Eshu.

Regaining his confidence, Eshu stood to square up against Yemoja. Even at his tallest, he barely reached the Orisha's shoulders. "It doesn't matter what you try to do, my plan is already in motion. You're too late! Stop me if you want, but those mortals are already set to cross the portal into Hadithia; once they do, it is only a matter of time until this land falls to ruin." He spat.

Yemoja regarded him cooly until he shrank back down, chastened without her having to say a word. Finally, she smiled. "Is that what you think, Eshu?" she said.