My Sword, My Curse (2)

Dami's eyes opened slowly to the sight of a young boy staring at him. He yanked himself up. The startled boy ran out of the room screaming, "Father, father, he is awake!" Dami caressed his head in a subconscious attempt to ease his headache. He looked around. He was on a mat in a small hut lit by firewood in a corner. There were different calabashes at the four corners of the room. A man rushed in through the open door. Dami, still trying to gather his composure, said, "Where am I?" "You are safe in my compound, warrior," the man said. "I apologize for my son. He was only curious," the man added. "How did I get here?" Dami asked. "I found you lying unconscious close to my maize farm. I saw the mark of the Hand of Olodumare on your shoulder and decided to help you, but then I realized who you are and was glad I made that decision," he said. "My name is Kolawole," he added. "You know who I am, you said," Dami responded. "You are popular around here, Balogun Otubu. Everyone remembers your heroics during the war between Ijebu Ode and Weme Warriors from Dahomey that spread into our lands. You saved many of our people that day," Kolawole said.

Dami tried to get up, but Kolawole insisted that he rest. "Rest, great warrior. You are among friends. Drink this. It will give you strength," he said. Dami was skeptical at first, but he sensed no malice or ill intentions from his savior. He took the medicine and went back to sleep. It was noon. Darkness was upon them in no time. The moon smiled down on Kolawole's children as they ran circles around the burning firewood at the center of the compound. The merry voices of men and women woke Dami up. He was feeling much better now. He walked out of his hut into a cheerful environment. Kola's wife, Tosin, sat on a mat close to the fire, telling tales by moonlight as the children of the compound gathered around in excitement. Kola spotted Dami walking up to them. "He wakes finally," he said cheerfully. Dami sat on a log of wood close to the fire. "Thank you for your hospitality. I feel much better now and must be on my way," Dami said. "At least spend the night. My wife has made amala, gbegiri, and ewedu with goat meat for you. Eat and rest till tomorrow, then you can be on your way. Please let my wife treat you for tonight," Kola pleaded. Dami found it difficult to turn down his request.

"Gbemi, go and bring boda's food," Tosin said to her daughter. Gbemi ran cheerfully to the kitchen and brought a wooden tray filled with a calabash of food. She smiled at Dami as she dropped it in front of him. Her smile warmed his heart. He was disarmed completely by the innocence of a ten-year-old. He ate to his heart's content while listening to the folk tales Tosin told, which brought back memories of his childhood. Kola sat beside him on the log of wood after he had finished eating. "So, what brings you to Isheri?" Kola asked. "I was supposed to be passing by. I'm heading to the neighboring town of Ota in search of someone," Dami replied.

"Who do you seek?" he asked further. Dami looked at him with a side-eye. Kola was flustered. "I mean, if you tell me, I could be of assistance. There are few secrets between both towns, and stories travel fast and far around here," he said nervously. Dami figured there was no harm in telling him. He was starting to warm up to his host. "I'm looking for an old babalawo that was last seen in Ota a few years ago, but it seems like he has vanished," Dami said. "The only babalawos in Ota over the years are the Aiyetoro family, and their head, Gbenga Aiyetoro, is affiliated with the Hand of Olodumare and a member of Igbomi Ifa. Surely, you know of them," Kola said. "Indeed I do, but the man I seek is not one that wants to be found, so his whereabouts would not be so easily ascertainable," Dami said. "Aiyetoro and the apprentices of a few Orishas were stationed in Ota to deal with the threat of higher darklings, Iyami Osoronga, that terrorized Ota. Their secondary mission was also to track the man I seek, but they lost his tracks before they could find him," Dami added.

"There is a tale of an old man with an opele neck chain that circulated the towns many years ago," Kola said. "The warriors of Awori Kingdom who patrolled the villages in Ota often met a nice old man clothed in white wrappers heading for the market square at Sango Ota. He told them he preferred to buy food items at night because it was peaceful and quiet. The food items were left by market women on their slabs and tables as is the usual practice so travelers at night can pick what they choose and leave cowries  in exchange. Over time the warriors grew fond of him till one curious warrior decided to follow him to know where he lived. He was a great tracker so he was not spotted by the old man, and he kept his distance. They walked many miles till they got to the dark forest of Elegua east of Ota and close to the borders of Ikorodu. The warrior was shocked beyond comprehension when the old man walked into the dark forest", Kola narrated.

Both men realized that the attention of the children and Tosin had shifted to them. There was silence in the compound worthy of a scary tale, and it was a tale that scared the communities for a while. The farm workers living with Kola who were also enjoying the merry environment locked onto the story as well.

Kola continued. "The warrior went back and reported to the others. They took the message to the Baale of Ota and the Oba of Awori. They planned for his return, and next time, they were ready for him", Kola narrated, and indeed they were. Ifaseyi walked into Sango Ota on a usual night for him, but it was unusually quiet. The warriors that greeted him along the way were nowhere to be found. He was a few yards from the market square when he sensed danger. The atmosphere around his body dispersed over Sango Ota so he could feel and sense the warriors hiding, waiting to ambush him. He sensed a powerful being amongst them. Suddenly, lightning struck a corner between massive huts. Electricity discharged into the atmosphere. The lightning remained connected to the corner. Ifaseyi figured out who was sent to confront him. Sango leaped into the air coated with lightning which remained connected to the sky.

The Oba had sent word to the Hand of Olodumare, suspecting the old man to be Elegua in disguise or a higher darkling of like strength, so they sent a divine messenger of Olodumare to aid them, Sango, the Orisa of Thunder and Lightning. Sango let out a battle cry. His eyes widened in excitement for the impending battle. He came crashing down on the old man with both fists, hammering him into the ground. The earth quaked. The ground ripped open on impact, and everywhere was filled with dust. When the dust settled, the old man was nowhere to be found. "You destroyed him with a hit", one of the warriors said. The others cheered the mighty Sango. "Quiet! You fools. I missed", the angry Sango said. "Spread out and find him", he commanded, but the old man was nowhere to be found. "That was the last they saw of him", Kola said. "Aiyetoro was called to assess the market square but there was no sign of ill curses. From that day on, they remained alert in case he returned. The market women still mention that cowries are left and their goods taken in exchange but the warriors remain certain that they saw no one approach the market square", Kola said ending his story.

"Okay that's enough, it's late now", Kola said, dispersing his audience. Dami felt his sword being pulled. He turned back and it was the four year old boy he first saw when he woke up. He looked into is eyes brimming with curiosity. Tosin quickly grabbed him. "Stop that", she said to the boy. Kola laughed. "I'm so sorry my friend, that boy is just too curious for his own good", he said. Dami smiled. "Rest and we shall bid you farewell tomorrow", he said to Dami and they called it a night.

A woman screamed in horror. Dami jumped up from his mat. The morning light shining through the window was blinding. He realized he had slept longer than he had intended. More importantly, he remembered the scream. Someone was in trouble. He grabbed his sword beside the mat, wore his sokoto, and sprinted out of his hut. The compound had huts built to form a circle. The center was spacious and used for many activities. There was a short wooden wall built behind the huts to form an enclosed compound with a wooden gate serving as an entrance. There was a small crowd at the wooden gate. Dami ran towards them. Kola's workers stood by him while he was talking to six people who stood opposite him. Five men dressed in tattered outfits and long and short sokotos, while a young woman sat on their wagon, which was parked in the large pathway between Kola's maize field behind them. Kola sounded agitated. Dami squeezed past the workers and saw one of them on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He had a knife injury. A woman sat on the floor beside the injured man, crying. "We haven't produced much lately, and I'm struggling to pay my workers. Surely, your Oga will understand that. You know our predicaments," Kola tried to explain.

"Why are we listening to him? Let's scatter his teeth on the ground, then he will know we are serious. Slap all of them up," Sapara, one of the gang of six, said with much violence in his voice and gestures. "Farabale (Calm down)," Faye said. He had an imposing figure and seemed to be the leader of the pack. His hair was shaved back in vertical lines in-between to form a zebra pattern. The scar on his face complemented his scary nature. They held spears, swords, and knives reeking of palm wine laced with intoxicating herbs. To be continued...