The eyes opened. The pain in his body opened them. He felt his arms swing like pendulums from side to side. He heard people talking, footsteps bustling, the urban vein pulsing with life. With some effort, he turned his head. He realized he was being carried by someone. With every step the man took, all his bruises screamed with pain.

He maintained his resilience. He felt pain, he was alive. He took the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Ilu Nla. It lived up to its name. The massive investment in infrastructure and technology contrasted with the traditional architectural standards. After his hospitalization to treat his illness, he was never allowed to leave the hospital again.

The old hometown had changed, and so had the young man, but there was no harmony between them.

"Fadala… urgh! My whole body hurts. I feel like I've fallen through a meat grinder."

The hitman turned his head and stopped. The crowd of passers-by continued their march. It was as if an instant of time had been frozen for the pair.

"Close enough. That sage finished you off. Her skill is very dangerous. It's almost absolute camouflage…"

"Almost absolute? What do you mean?"

"At our next meeting with the Circle of Sages, and that won't be long, leave Nkechi with me."

"Okay."

Akachi's voice came out like a melancholy echo resounding at the end of an empty tunnel. Fadala continued walking. He was in a hurry to get off the streets.

"Don't look like that. You fought well. It was thanks to her that you didn't defeat Jabir. He was confident, but he underestimated him. If it hadn't been for the intervention of the other two, he would have regretted his carelessness."

The man from Ilê Apanyan walked even faster. It was dusk, the streets were well monitored with biometric recognition cameras, patrols and surveillance drones. Disentangling the entire police apparatus was challenging. Fadala avoided the large urban agglomerations, police barriers and the city's surveillance system.

He had received and memorized the updated map of Ilu Nla from Babu. He knew where he had to go, an Ilê Apanyan hideout in the big city. A forward base for the various operations of the order of assassins.

Fadala arrived at an inn in an area far from the city center. A stronghold for digital nomads, great for cover. In order to increase Ilu Nla's revenues and convey a better image of the new regime, he opened the borders and made visas less bureaucratic for these content producers. They had a lot of money and didn't interfere in the country's internal politics. They served as unofficial public relations.

Stolen story; please report.

Fadala went up to the counter and asked for "the master key that opens the hidden doors". The receptionist, realizing the content of the message, bent down and picked up a lead box from under the counter. There was a padlock with a password on it. The killer thanked him and went upstairs. The room was on the fourth floor.

In every metropolis in the world, there is an apartment, public restroom or basement that is constantly being renovated. On its door or façade there is a symbol written in ultraviolet fluorescent paint, visible only under black light.

After climbing the stairs with Akachi. He stopped in front of a room with a very old door, no numbering and no trespassing signs. It looked like it had been abandoned for years. The killer took out his smartphone and activated the device's flashlight. He selected the black light and confirmed the room. He took the key and opened the door.

The interior looked very different. Everything was new, lined with bubble wrap. The absence of human warmth had made the room cold.

Fadala carefully placed Akachi on the bed. He removed his shoes. The young medium couldn't move. His body lacked any strength. Akachi smiled. Despite the pain, he gathered his energy and managed to put his hands on his stomach. Then he started laughing.

"What are you laughing at, Akachi?"

"No, it's not funny, but I can't help it. I was born with a disease that took all the strength out of my muscles and made my bones ache. I couldn't walk. It was a rare, chronic degenerative disease, and for some doctors, it was autoimmune. My grandfather blamed my father, he believed it happened because he turned his back on our ancestors."

"I don't understand how he could be blamed. You were born with a disease; I doubt your father would have wished it on you."

"I know… I blamed my father. I ridiculed his efforts. I didn't believe he could cure me. He went to great lengths to make sure I had a normal life again. I have no memory of when I was paralyzed, I feel confused."

"Are you afraid of losing your movement again?"

"I don't want to be in that state again. Fadala, if…"

"Shut up! You need to rest."

"Thanks for listening to me."

Akachi let out a sigh and fell asleep. The weight of his unconsciousness fell on his eyelids. It was a deep and refreshing sleep for him.

The mortician took advantage of the fact that his companion had fallen asleep and collected the suit in his hands. He pulled up a chair and checked the scanned map of the Ilu Nla Liberation Movement headquarters. He accessed Ilu Nla's NeTV programs, taking care to use the order's virtual private network.

According to the news reports, the episode of the confrontation over the possession of the Spiritual Key of Faith had only been a terrorist attack provoked by the sages. Fadala couldn't understand how the population believed it.

The Phalanx's disinformation machine is very powerful.

The Circle of Sages was a very select group of people. They acted sneakily and without seeking the limelight that terrorist organizations usually use to demonstrate power or acquire sympathizers. These media actions guaranteed the terror of potential targets and new members.

While listening to the news, Fadala realized his current condition. His suit was tattered and dirty, and his glasses had one of the lenses cracked. He went to his closet and chose a new change of clothes, as well as a new pair of glasses. He decided that he would take a shower and go downstairs to prepare something for him and Akachi to eat.

Before he went into the shower, his cell phone emitted a holoprojection of Babu. Fadala went over to the device and slid the button on the screen.

"God bless you, Fadala, my son. I wish you well on your mission."

"I wish the same for my Babu. The boy with the spiritual key is with me. They trust me."

"They?"

"Yes. The Masters of Suspicion took us in. My infiltration mission was unsuccessful. I beg your pardon. Nyatui, a Master of Suspicion who was accompanying us, ended up staying behind so that I could retreat with Akachi. We fought off three sages, but managed to escape. We're going to the central base of the Ilu Nla Liberation Movement, where Spin Bomb, Mashal and Feruzi will be waiting for us."

"Things seem to have escalated a lot after our last contact. I'm traveling to Ades Adeba. I will see for myself the source of the danger to Africa and the world. Continue to protect young Akachi, be a guardian to him, my son."

"So it shall be, my Babu."