Abeni had always been a bit of a blabbermouth. Someone whose mind didn’t stop thinking. She’s even been teased about it before by the only friend her parents allowed her to have back in the village. But why would she ever expect that her desperate plea of “protect me!” would make her stomach tingle?

And why would she ever expect that this creature, this ẹda – as her parents called it – would stare down at her again, without a drop of hostility in its eyes right afterwards? Bowing its head, even.

It made no sense.

Perhaps, she used her ability. That strong tingling sensation in her stomach and the creature’s sudden change of behaviour. This must be her ability. She must’ve awakened it. But what did she awaken?

Her parents’ abilities seemed to be limited. “Cellular acceleration,” her mother called hers. Sand control, she was going to call her father’s. Based on those very specific abilities, Abeni might have something similar. The ability to confuse? To slow time?

Well, whatever it was, she was saved. She didn’t have to die. She now had an opportunity to escape and she wouldn’t take it for granted! So, without a second thought, Abeni cautiously shuffled past the ẹda and began running down the outer tunnel towards the familiar exit.

But something was wrong. What’s that slithering sound?

Abeni turned around to see it hot on her tail.

Oh no.

Oh no! No! No! It was chasing her!

She ran faster, as fast as she could. In a desperate attempt to flee. Pushing her legs to the limit as she noticed the brighter lights from the more frequently placed wall torches outside of the tunnel, but she couldn’t outrun it. It caught up too quickly.

So, Abeni shut her eyes, collapsing on the floor out of exhaustion as she awaited her ever-persistent destiny. Lying on her side. There really was nothing she could do when…it stopped. Leaning over her still in that big, creepy form.

But it wasn’t smirking anymore.

Abeni tried speaking to it. “What are you?” It didn’t react. “Just…do it…” It let out a gurgling sound.

Fed up with everything she cried out. “Just e-end me! I’m done!” She wanted to see her parents.

“…What are you waiting for?” But the ẹda just stayed there. Looked around the tunnel walls before moving to rest by a wall beside her.

Was it…was it letting her pass?

Abeni sat up, panting and wiping her already swollen eyes, unable to rip her gaze from it. Sceptical.

What was going on? Why would it do that? Wasn’t every ẹda a killing machine? That’s the impression Abeni got from the other one. But no matter what she thought, it stayed still. Just staring at her with something she couldn’t understand behind its eyes.

So, slowly but surely, Abeni got up and resumed her walk out. Unable to muster the strength to run anymore.

And…it followed behind her. Occasionally gurgling. Incredibly ominous. Abeni was beyond afraid of the ẹda, but she knew she had to put up with it at least until the end of the outer tunnel. Then, maybe she could try to lose it.

What did it? The ẹda that had been so ready to kill her in this form five times her size with nails and teeth so sharp it would be easy…just decided to spare her. A thirteen-year-old eniyan without a fighting bone in her body.

Why?

Was it because it, like her, had been taught by its parents how to resist that horrific curse that everyone in the underground had? The times when you’re playing a round of Oware and get a bit passionate and the curse latches onto that idea, made it more vivid, until you suddenly have the fierce, irresistible urge to kill your own parents.

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That was the reason why villages were the biggest group of beings around. Because any more than that substantially raised the risk of a mountain of deception, betrayal and mutinies. Any more that that would spiral out of control.

No, she shook her head. It must be what she said before.

“Protect me!” Come to think of it, that’s when she felt the tingling. Did this creature take that…as an order? Was that what it was doing?

In that case, she didn’t want its help!

Abeni only articulated those words in the heat of the moment but she couldn’t stand the sight of it! Especially in this muscly, intimidating form. She just wanted to go home to their stone hut…have a funeral for her parents and…say a proper goodbye.

She just wanted to go back to her village.

With that in mind, Abeni reached the end of the tunnel with the ẹda right behind her. Almost comically large in stature. And the sight of a recognisable sign made her sigh in relief.

The sign on the pole read ‘Pessimum Path’. The exclusive hidden pathway that was only accessible through one specific outer tunnel in the maze that they used to get here from their village.

Pessimum Path was a pathway made to get through the endless rock that led to the creature’s maze. It had a much higher ceiling and wider width. Compared to the maze tunnels which could just about fit one transformed creatures, it could fit three side-by-side. Illuminated by torches on the far-away walls all at eye level that were maintained daily by guards who patrol the place.

Plus, while it had the occasional rocky hill and ominous corner leading to a slightly wider part of the path, the fact that it had ankle-high piles of rocks on either side that worked as edgings meant that it would be impossible for her to get lost. That going down this path was her best bet for getting home unscathed.

Abeni considered herself fortunate that she remembered which outer tunnel would lead her back here.

With that thought, she stepped out into the path, looking around the long rocky pathway that she and her family trekked for six hours until they got to the maze. Only interrupted by a moss-covered path, a group of mole tunnels, a groundwater pond, a graveyard and a sign indicating their village’s location.

That’s five things. Five checkpoints she had to reach before she’d…she’d be home.

Without them.

Abeni’s knees suddenly gave out and she grit her teeth at the pain of the impact. Panicked breathing filled with a mixture of solace and despair escaped her as she tried to catch her breath after not being able to do it in that eniyan hole back there.

“Urgh…” she moaned. Everything hurt.

And all the while, the ẹda now beside her just watched the her with an unreadable expression that Abeni caught sight of when she eventually calmed down and made eye contact with it. Feeling distrustful. Wary.

No. She couldn’t seem weak to this thing. She couldn’t advertise her weakness.

Even if she wasn’t all-powerful, she had to act that way to survive in the underworld. Especially with that violent curse that they all had. Abeni had always been bold. Stubborn with her aspirations. Hell, she even believed she could defeat an ẹda with her parents just a second ago.

So…all she had to do was be as daring as she’d always been. Because while she was grateful that it spared her. That it, in its own way, was protecting her by not attacking her, Abeni had to be strong enough so she could go home. Alone. Without the constant reminder of what she just lost.

She had to be strong enough to get it away from her.

Abeni picked herself up. Slowly brushing herself off as she realised that she couldn’t stay here forever when there was a six-hour-long journey awaiting her, and used a firm voice. “T-thank you for escorting me here. Now, please leave,” but nothing happened.

Abeni raised her arm towards it, shouting in Derin. “Leave! I want you to leave me alone.”

But she didn’t feel her stomach tingle and the ẹda just looked at her with that same neutral expression, as if…as if it was assessing her.

If her ability wasn’t working now then she just had to try a different approach, right? It seemed to understand her before so why not now?

“Listen. I want to go home…I have checkpoints that will help me find my way back to my village and I don’t want you to follow me there and scare everyone away. I don’t even want to see you right now…” in a larger, creepier form compared to the one she first saw it had. “You can leave. No. Please leave me alone. Please.”

Surprisingly, this had an effect. While it stayed still next to her kneeling body, the ẹda’s flower face twitched and she read…annoyance on its face? Really? Really? It’s the one who’s annoyed? After everything its’ kind just did to her parents? After it wouldn’t just leave her alone?

It’s annoyed?

In that instant, all of her fear, guilt and loss made way for stupid, childish anger.

“Fine! Follow me home then, I don’t care! Wait…no…no, I didn’t mean that! Ugh!” Not again! She definitely was going to need to learn how to control this ability. Did it really have to awaken now of all times, when she didn’t know how to use it?

Abeni shook her head, let out a sigh and started the journey home without one more word. But not before looking back to the ẹda for some kind of visible confirmation that it heard her and would come along.

Who knew? Maybe it was ignoring her rambles and would go back to the maze on its own.

But instead of a movement, her confirmation came when the creature opened its mouth and responded to her in Derin. “Fine.”

[Current Total Beings In ‘Abeni’s Army’ – 1]