Akachi swung a sword. The sound of a clangor echoed in the room. The blow reverberated in the air like a great electrical discharge that took the form of a reddish, translucent blade. The blade struck Hakim. For a few seconds, time froze.

“Nine Fractions of the Sky.”

Time returned to normal. The crescent-shaped blade acquired seven more arms and became a nine-pointed star. The sphere of Axé energy in the sage's hands dissolved in a high-pitched sound.

The Axé dome was shattered. An enormous pulse of energy shot towards Hakim. The Sage, Ekundayo and Fadala were thrown into the stands. A hot wind swept through the area around the Judgement Stone.

Hakim felt like an exhausted heap. The side effect of the Ofó thrown at him was visible. An incessant current of electricity clamped down on his muscles. His lower and upper limbs were in constant spasms. It was as if he had been hit by a bullet train.

“Damn it, Ekundayo, did you write down the license plate of that thing?”

The Sage of Justice raised his head with difficulty. He felt a bitter taste of impotence.

“What are you talking about, you idiot, that was an Ofó issued by an Entity. We're lucky we're still alive.”

Akachi, with Iyamesan incorporated, stomped down hard on Hakim's head. The medium couldn't see the attack coming, without sensing his attacker's presence. He didn't have the strength to fight back. It was a humiliating position.

“There's a reason you're still alive. I didn't strike you with my sword in its sheath. Thank Akachi for his mercy.”

Ekundayo's jaw dropped as the truth was revealed. Fadala found that display of power absurd, which made his bones tremble for the first time in his life. Hakim knew he was defeated, but he didn't know what fate the Entity would decide for the Circle of Sages.

“What will you do with us, madam?”

“I've already given my lesson. I won't let shitty sages like you decide Akachi's fate. He's my direct ancestor, and as his ancestor, I'll take care of him.”

“Uragh!”

Akachi rubbed the sole of his foot against Hakim's face until the blood began to flow again.

“Please stop!”

“Akachi represents the Faith of Ilu Nla, he is our chosen one to carry this value forward. The Spiritual Key of Faith belongs to him, it's our clan's inheritance, don't interfere with it!”

“All right, we surrender.”

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“Poor medium, have you ever been told that 'the weakness of youth is to ignore the experience of elders'! He who denies tradition has forgotten the face of his ancestors. Your real enemy is called Ojwang. You should ally yourselves instead of fighting each other. It is division that weakens the whole.”

“We… understand, ma'am, we're going to help this blessed boy. Now, please, get your foot out of my face!”

“You are bold, Sage of the Law. Between the divinized ancestors and the Circle of Sages there is an ocean of distance. I don't have any more time to humiliate you and Ekundayo…”

Akachi rolled his eyes and fell to the ground. Hakim soon realized that his opponent was incapable of holding an Entity in his body for long.

Adisa ran towards her son. She knelt down beside the teenager and lifted his head. She patted his face lightly.

“SON!”

Ekundayo crawled closer to Hakim. He realized that his companion had not been mortally wounded.

“He's not hurt, just exhausted.”

“Don't come, get away from us…”

Adisa hugged her son tightly. She laid her face against Akachi's hair. She stroked his cheek and shed warm tears that made the boy smile, even though he was unconscious.

Fadala stood up, took out a herbal cigarette and lit it. Spin Bomb, Feruzi and Mashal came up behind Azekel's son.

Fenyang was sitting on the bleachers. His legs were stretched out, his body propped up on his elbows. He stared up at the sky. There were ambivalent feelings inside him. He hadn't helped at all in that battle, but he was happy to see the reunion between father and son. As a spirit, he no longer had a family to return to, no one was waiting for him.

He looked up at the sky, which was no longer cloudy. The sun was already setting. The clouds shone with lilac and pink stripes after the rain. A rainbow was forming in the distance. Fenyang felt as if he was no longer needed in this world. Perhaps the time had come to go to the spirit world.

“I know what you're thinking, but don't leave him now, you're a good Ori Guardian.”

The maculelê master looked around him. He saw Iyamesan's silhouette evanescing. The fighter bowed and tapped his forehead against the floor, with the utmost respect.

“Excuse me, ma'am, I will.”

⸎

Fadala was happy, the only thing stopping him from showing it was his cold demeanor. Besides, he feared that the same hidden enemies who had killed the sages would take advantage of his moment of weakness.

“Mr. Adisa, we need to get out of this place.”

Mashal put a hand on the scientist's shoulder and shook his head.

“It's late, and we don't have a vehicle to transport Akachi quickly. It would be good if Feruzi gave him first aid.”

“You can use the military helicopter we stole from Ilu Nla. It can take you quickly to the safe house.”

Ekundayo spoke while supporting Hakim. They were both very weak and could barely stand.

“I don't trust you.”

“You don't have to trust us. We've learned our lesson, Iyamesan was very clear. We have failed as sages.”

Feruzi and Mashal looked at each other in surprise. This was an opportunity to strengthen their forces against interim president Ojwang. Feruzi took the floor and spoke:

“If that's the case, come with us.”

Hakim disentangled himself from his companion's arm and replied, not with resentment but with shame:

“I witnessed an Entity possess this boy. I no longer have any doubt that he is worthy of carrying a spiritual key. He must have something that we sages don't have. We've lost our dignity, acted selfishly and forgotten what it means to be the bearer of a spiritual key.”

Mashal went up to him and held out his hand to Hakim. It was a gesture of deep friendliness. The Sage of the Law looked at his palm, fearful. He took a step back.

“If you don't come with us, you'll only repeat the same mistakes. Together we can win.”

The leader of the Circle of Sages responded to Mashal's greeting. The old medium was happy with the decision of the young man in front of him. Twilight rays fell on the top of the Judgement Stone. A cool evening breeze blew over them. More than an alliance had been made, it was a return to their origins.

Fadala and Ekundayo went to the helicopter and landed on top of the building. They laid Akachi on a stretcher on the floor of the aircraft. Adisa gave her son first aid with a medical kit she had found, and Spin Bomb helped him.

The helicopter's propellers cut through the cold wind and took the aircraft towards the resistance camp. What no one inside could have suspected was that this would bring about their downfall.