Dami sighed. Hundreds of sharp tentacles shot at him from every angle. He shut his eyes, anticipating his demise. He kept them shut, then realized his eyes had been shut longer than he expected to live. His eyes opened. To his amazement, the darklings had become static. Sharp tentacles were an inch from his eyes and every part of his body. He barely had breathing space. "I'll admit, you are skilled. But your skill alone cannot tempt you to enter a dark forest. I think it has more to do with foolishness," a voice said from somewhere above him. "Even the mightiest Orishas would think twice before making such a decision," the voice said. Dami struggled to look around. The darklings began to move again, but they retracted their tentacles. They wailed, looking around as if they were looking for him. “They can no longer see me”, Dami thought to himself. The darklings continued wailing, scampering around in different directions, and dispersed into the darkness.
The relief in Dami's eyes came straight from his heart. His mind sharply diverted his attention back to the voice he had just heard. Still on his knees, he looked around. There he was, sitting casually on a tree branch a few yards from him, the elderly man he sought. He had a glow around his body distinct from the glow of his white itagbe. One leg dangled playfully below the tree branch he sat on. "You are him," Dami said in admiration. "Who am I?" the elderly man responded. "The one I have been searching for," Dami said. His excitement dimmed his wit. "Yes, it was definitely foolishness," the old man said.
"You are him. Ifaseyi Bioku, the babalawo of legends," Dami said while trying to steady his breathing. He composed himself. "You think a legendary babalawo resides in a dark forest?" the old man responded. "Your white itagbe and opele neck chain give you away," Dami responded. "You are a Messenger of the Hand of Olodumare, are you not?" Ifaseyi asked. "Indeed, I am," Dami answered. "And a strong one at that. Surely you know that Elegua has the ability to shapeshift and alter perceptions," Ifaseyi noted. "Yes, but it is not in Elegua's nature to save someone such as myself," Dami responded. "I didn't save you. My presence tends to make things flee," Ifaseyi said with an intimidating look on his face.
"I heard tales of the old man who bought food items from the market square at Sango Ota," Dami said. "Indeed, and many believed him to be Elegua," Ifaseyi responded. "Yes, but their minds are only clouded by fear. Elegua would not be pleasant with the soldiers. They would have been dead in moments. And why would Elegua need to buy food items from the market square? He is a higher darkling. Besides, Aiyetoro scanned the area for ill curses, and there were none. So there was no motive behind Elegua's frequent visits to the market. I am more surprised that the Hand of Olodumare believed you to be Elegua as well, but on second thought, it makes sense. No one has ever been recorded as capable of living in a dark forest except darklings and higher darklings. Why would anyone even attempt it? But it's possible that the extent of your strength and mastery of ase was inconceivable to them. They only knew you to have the strength to rival Orunmila—a befitting description. One more factor confirmed my theory. This is the only dark forest where darklings do not swarm out carelessly. I believe it is because of your presence," Dami explained.
"I am always flattered by being compared to Orunmila, but it remains an exaggeration. It is true that none other comes close in the mastery of ase," Ifaseyi responded. "So you are him," Dami said with wide eyes and a lifted spirit. "It depends on the reason you would risk your life based on deductions that could easily have been false, to find this legendary babalawo," Ifaseyi responded. "I need to face myself, to become stronger. I feel small and insignificant in a world filled with powerful foes, and I believe you are one of the few people that can help me achieve my goals," Dami responded while he struggled to remain on his feet. "I am always wary of men that would risk so much to gain strength, for power. They often leave the world in ruins," Ifaseyi pointed out. "I am a Prime Messenger of the Hand of Olodumare. All I do is for the will of Olodumare," Dami argued.
"You belittle the Hand of Olodumare if it will take resorting to actions like yours to further the will of Olodumare. The Hand remains the strongest force in these lands and beyond. Many Orishas and Irumoles are plenty strong already. Why would they need your desperate attempt to gain strength?" Ifaseyi asked. "Then tell me why my brothers in arms, great Orishas, Amadioha, Oya, fell at the battle of Benin. Tell me why our own connived with the very darkness we fight against to destroy the heritage we seek to preserve," Dami said with pain in his voice. He coughed up blood as he finished his sentence.
The Hand of Olodumare has faced difficulties countless times, yet they come out on top, and no one furthering the will of Olodumare ventured into the dark forest seeking strength, plunged into darkness to foster light. You are here for your own volition, corrupted by power. This is not the first time a messenger of the Hand has turned to the dark side, and it was not for the will of Olodumare," Ifaseyi accused him.
"Orunmila is dead!" Dami yelled. Tears dripped down his angry face. "He died conquering the epitome of darkness while I slumbered from injuries that should be insignificant to someone carrying duties bestowed on him by Olodumare; while you hid in the darkness at our darkest time. He was a father to us," he said at the height of his voice. His angry face turned to a sorrowful one as the tears kept dripping. "No matter what, I will gain strength, and my heart will never waver, will never succumb to darkness. "It beats for the will of Olodumare, and it will die for the cause," he said, panting heavier than ever. The sorrow in his eyes touched Ifaseyi, who never expected Orunmila to fall. He was the pinnacle of the Hand.
Dami was losing a lot of blood. His eyes blurred. "It seems I have made a habit of slumbering in dire situations," Dami said with a smile before falling unconscious.
A few minutes before Dami fell unconscious, within the dark forest, a couple of miles away from where he battled the darklings, two powerful beings raced towards him, leaping off trees and boulders. They blended perfectly with the darkness. They stopped suddenly. "The presence has disappeared from the forest," one said to the other. "No one has ventured into this dark forest in ages. Not since the old babalawo," the other said. "To think he lasted so long against the darklings," one added. "Still, the result remains the same. No one survives here unless Elegua wills it. We have nothing to worry about," the other said. They turned back and merged completely with the darkness. To be continued.
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