The Night Runners (PREVIEW)

Chapter One: In the Beginning

February 1st

Port Harcourt, Rivers State

8:17 PM

It started with a god.

His name was Sango and he was hovering a few kilometres above the bustling city of Port Harcourt. From that distance the lights of the cars below looked like little fireflies. There was yet another traffic jam, and the god watched in amusement as a large bus broke out of the queue and began to drunkenly weave its way between the stalled and loudly horning vehicles. Sango gave a wry smile. Humans could be quite stupid at times.

An explosion grabbed his attention. A line of cars suddenly vanished under a rapidly expanding fireball and an ear splitting roar shook the earth. Tentacles emerged from the ghostly blue flames and flailed at the fleeing survivors, their screams only adding to the general confusion.

"Finally," Sango said, a genuine smile making it's way onto his face. A massive axe appeared in his right hand, crackling with electricity and flame.

The people below paused their panic to observe the bolt of lightning that threw itself into the fireball. The explosion stopped exploding, and from the smoke emerged what was for all intents and purposes, a reptile/octopus hybrid. It towered over most of the buildings and sprouting from the darkness beneath it were hundreds of wriggling tentacles. The monster hissed its displeasure, then proceeded to launch rapidly elongating tentacles up Sango's way.

The god grinned and dove down at a speed that shattered the sound barrier. The two clashed violently, sending out shock waves of energy. Reptile-Octopus hissed and swatted at the tiny god, but the deity was ready and a heartbeat later, the tentacle lay wriggling on the road. The monster screamed and turned to flee, but Sango gave chase, his axe flashing every which way. The thing hissed one last time, then collapsed into piles of reeking meat. Sango gave a victory cry and wiped his axe on the body.

"That was shameful," said a voice behind him. "You've gotten slow."

"Oh? I suppose you'd know about slow, seeing how out of shape you are. I heard you couldn't walk straight when you first got out."

Sango hung his axe on his belt and turned to face the newcomer. Though all of the humans had wisely run away, if any were still around they might have mistaken the two for brothers. The similarities were just too obvious. The well-muscled body. The dark skin. The way both hovered over the ground and lightning raced across their bodies, frying innocent insects flying past.

"Sango," said Amadioha, extending a hand. "I missed you old friend."

"Likewise," the god replied, ignoring the hand and instead engulfing the other in a hug. "I couldn't believe it when I heard you'd been freed. We had all resigned ourselves to the apocalypse."

"It was a very near thing. But the story is long and that isn't what I came here for." Amadioha frowned at the pulsating pile of meat. "Shouldn't you take care of that? I don't think the stench of dead shayatin will do the mortals any favours."

"Nothing does the mortals any favours," griped Sango, but he waved a hand and all evidence of the fight vanished. "You worry too much. By tomorrow all their flawed brains will remember was that a horrible accident happened here."

"Still, it does not pay to be careless. Skies know we cannot afford it now."

Sango gave Amadioha a long look. "So it is true then. Ekwensu has betrayed us."

The Alusi sighed and nodded. "We cannot find him. Even Anyanwu has failed to uncover a trace of his whereabouts."

"Neither have we. Obatala and Yemoja ordered a search just in case the rumours had any merit to them." Sango paused, thinking. "How fares your priest by the way? I hear you've gotten a new one."