The look Kainene was giving him could have melted glass, which was apt, considering her affinities. Her eyes, usually a warm amber, now blazed with an intensity that made Somadina want to take a step back.

"Again," she barked, looming over him with her arms akimbo. Across the room, seated on a weathered wooden bench, and eating plantain chips Ije, Rai, and Olisa watched the unfolding events with undisguised amusement.

"Was this how you protected them?" Ije asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She popped another chip into her mouth, savouring the salty-sweet flavour. "I thought you said you killed a lionram?"

Somadina grumbled, running a hand through his smoking black hair—evidence of the many near-death experiences he had been subjected to in the name of "training." "I said I helped kill a lionram. There's a difference," he retorted, trying to muster some dignity. "And even if I did, that's no excuse for Kainene trying to murder me."

Kainene's expression didn’t change. "I'm not trying to kill you. If I was, you'd be dead," she replied simply, her tone matter-of-fact. "I'm just pointing out your many weaknesses." She poked him in the chest with her staff. "Your defences are terrible and your attacking power leaves much to be desired." Her voice softened slightly, a hint of the concern beneath her harsh exterior. "Don't get me wrong, the techniques you know are potent. But the problem with attacking a dibia's mind is that their resistance to it quickly builds up the more the person outranks you." Her expression grew grim. "And, as I'm sure you've noticed, they won't work on Aberrations at all. Most of them don't have minds to affect and even when they do, it's so alien and wrong that being in contact with it for long could seriously hurt you."

Somadina's shoulders sagged, the weight of his recent experiences pressing down on him. "I know, I know." He had to repress a shudder, the memory of his encounter with the Aberration's mind still fresh and terrifying. He wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon what it had felt like to be in the mind of one.

Or how useless he had been against them. If Rai hadn't been there...

He looked up at Kainene, determination replacing the fatigue in his eyes. "What do you think I should do?"

Olisa leaned forward, his brow furrowed in thought. The bench creaked beneath him, the sound echoing in the stone room. "I think we should focus first on improving your reaction time after we help you choose new techniques." He gestured with a half-eaten plantain chip. "Right now it's dismal; you take far too long to visualise and cast a Seal." He shrugged, his muscular shoulders rippling beneath his tunic. "There's no help for that one though, other than constant practice. You need to use a technique over and over until triggering it becomes as easy as breathing."

Ije raised a hand, her bracelets jangling softly. "Something you should start thinking of now is your repertoire, the techniques you will specialise in and master."

A small crease appeared on Somadina's forehead, his confusion evident. "I'm not sure I'm following."

Ije's eyes lit up, always eager to share knowledge. "A Firstborn bond doesn't just grant you an affinity or two, it also gives you access to whatever Seals they know. Which is what allows us to cast our techniques." She leaned back, absently stroking Rai's fur. The soul beast purred contentedly, the sound a soothing counterpoint to the tension in the room.

"These can range from a little over a dozen to nearly a hundred. So trying to master all of them isn't smart. Or feasible." Ije continued, her voice taking on a lecturing tone. "It's not impossible, of course, given enough time. People like the Thrones have had hundreds of years to fully delve into their magic. But the rest of us don't have that luxury."

She paused, making sure Somadina was following. "That's why we divide Seals into major or minor, depending on how complex and/or powerful they are. With minor Seals, you can try and learn as many as you can. They are simpler and often far more useful in day-to-day life." She scratched her nose, a habit Somadina had noticed she did when deep in thought. "It's how dibias like Kainene can light a campfire without worrying that they'll blow up a house because of how strong the technique is."

Somadina nodded, understanding dawning on his face. "I think I get it." He started digging into his satchel, the rough fabric rustling as he searched for his book. "Minor Seals for the small to medium magics. Major for the heavy, powerful stuff." He flipped open the book, the pages crackling with age and use. "How many should I go for then?"

Olisa answered, his deep voice resonating in the small space. "Four is ideal. Five maybe if you can handle it. Six is pushing it." Here he glanced at Kainene, who stuck out her tongue at him in a rare moment of playfulness. "You'll want a mix of all the techniques. Except for Enchantments. I wouldn't touch those unless you're planning to go full-time into Forging."

Somadina nodded and started to quickly scan the chapter on the Taleweaver. The room fell silent save for the soft rustle of pages and the occasional crunch of plantain chips. As he read, his mind raced with possibilities. Projection and Invasion were Conjuration techniques, and despite their words of doom, he wasn't keen on dropping them. They had proved their uses, and even though he wasn't strong enough yet to fully utilise them, he was aware that was only a matter of time.

He had no intention of stopping at Disciple, and he knew Olisa and Kainene would waste no time in getting him to Practitioner as quickly as possible. After that... well, he'd just have to wait and see. Thankfully, Creator's Touch didn't qualify as a major Seal. He liked being able to heal, and it would have been a shame to give it up.

Somadina turned several more pages, the rustling echoing in the now-quiet room. He noted a few interesting candidates and marked them out for later study. They included Spirit Totem, an Invocation that could summon an avatar of dream anwansi around him, like armour; Weaver's Domain, another Invocation that granted dominion over one's surroundings and its reality for a short time; and Fleeting Touch, an Enforcement that allowed complete control of one's mass, enabling things like levitation and density shifting.

But there was a problem. Whilst Spirit Totem could be learned at Disciple just fine, Fleeting Touch and Weaver's Domain strongly suggested waiting until Ordained. Somadina's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What's up with that?" he asked, looking up from the book. "Why do techniques have rank requirements?"

Ije's eyes lit up again at the question. "It's a combination of things," she began, shifting slightly and causing Rai to readjust her position with a soft meow of protest. "First is how easily learned the Seal is. Second is the amount of anwansi required to power the technique, as well as whether your body and/or soul can handle it."

She gestured towards the book in Somadina's hands. "You'll have noticed that most of the minor Seals don't have those requirements. That's because they usually have little to no strain on you. With the others, it's different." Her voice took on a more serious tone. "A Mystic's core holds far more anwansi than a Practitioner, for example, and their channels are far more robust. Remember, the difference between the ranks increases exponentially with each level. While there isn't much change from Adept to Disciple, it'll take quite a few experienced Practitioners to pose a threat to an Ordained that knows what they are doing."

She paused for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "The third reason is rather common sense. No one wants a Disciple trying to summon a tornado. They'll probably fail, but it's just as likely they'll destroy a building in the process."

Somadina nodded again. "It makes sense," he mused. Then, a spark of curiosity lit his gaze. "Seems like you'd have to be an idiot to try and experiment with techniques. But... has anyone ever managed to create a brand new one?"

"Yes," Ije replied. "It happens occasionally. But they are always made by Sages, and all too often can only be cast by one." She flicked her fingers, a small spark of anwansi dancing between them. "It's common practice to refer to a Sage by the name of their bonded Firstborn, but that changes if they can successfully create a new Seal. Then, their title becomes that technique."

Somadina was suitably impressed. "How do you know all this?"

Ije's laughter rang out, bouncing off the walls and filling the room with its warmth. "You're funny," she said, shaking her head. "Why wouldn't I know? My parents and I are all Ordained, and I'm a noble of a pretty important clan." Her voice took on a fond, exasperated tone. "Uchenna is a scholar and will give you lectures whether you want them or not."

She raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting to one of curious scrutiny. "The real question is how you don't know this."

Kainene, who had been watching the exchange with growing amusement, finally chimed in. "I know, right?" she said. "Granted, he was unbonded when we found him, but it's still alarming."

But she was smiling as she moved closer to Somadina, the scent of sun-warmed grass and something distinctly her wafting over him as she reached out and ruffled his hair.

"No lie there," Olisa added, shaking his head in apparent disappointment. "When we met, the boy didn't even know what a Seal was. We did a lot of brushing up on him."

Somadina tried to glare in response, but his heart wasn't in it, too distracted by the feeling of Kainene's fingers running through his hair, a sensation that sent pleasant shivers down his spine. His earlier irritation melted away, replaced by a warmth that spread through his chest.

Ije observed this interplay with keen interest. Her eyes darted from one smiling face to another, taking in the subtle shifts in expression, the way they leaned towards each other without seeming to realise it. Suddenly, a toothy grin spread across her face, an expression of shocked realisation dawning in her eyes.

"Mother above," she breathed, her voice a mix of surprise and delight. "I had my suspicions, but... you two do care about him." She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Is he your boyfriend?"

The question fell into the room like a stone into a still pond, sending ripples of tension through the air. Somadina chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. The idea that they could be interested in him was hilarious, in a painful sort of way. It would have been sad if it wasn't a truth he had long accepted.

But Kainene and Olisa had very different reactions. Kainene snatched her hand away as if she had been burned, her eyes wide with something that looked suspiciously like panic. Olisa, on the other hand, started spluttering, his usual composure completely shattered.

"Don't be ridiculous," Olisa said, seizing one of the hand fans off the nearby table and beginning to fanning himself vigorously with it.

"Yeah," Kainene agreed, her voice just a pitch too high. She crossed her arms, her posture suddenly defensive. "It's absurd. Even if we wanted a third, why would we choose him?"

The words hung in the air for a moment, sharp and cutting. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

Well.

Somadina felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He crossed his arms, mirroring Kainene's posture, his face settling into a scowl. "My apologies," he said, his voice cold and brittle. "I didn't realise the idea was so revolting. Travelling with me must have been agony."

Kainene looked like she had eaten something that disagreed with her, regret etched in every line of her face. "Somadina, wait," she said, reaching out towards him. "I didn't mean it like—"

"It's fine." He cut her off, his tone making it clear that it was absolutely not fine. The hurt in his eyes was unmistakable, a raw, vulnerable thing that made Kainene flinch. "I'll be training outside where you two won't have to look at my face, assuming, of course, you can tolerate that much."

And with that, he turned on his heel and strode towards the door. The room seemed to hold its breath as he reached for the handle. For a moment, it looked like he might turn back, might give them a chance to explain. But then his shoulders stiffened, resolve hardening his features.

The door slammed shut behind him with a bang that echoed through the suddenly silent room, the force of it stirring the air and sending a few loose papers fluttering to the ground.

***

The first person to clap eyes on Jidenna ran away screaming. It was a child, a young Disciple with wide eyes and trembling limbs, who had taken one look at Jidenna's bleached white skin and dark, fathomless eyes before turning tail and fleeing in the opposite direction. The sound of the child's terrified shrieks echoed through the air, drawing curious and alarmed glances from nearby passersby.

Jidenna sighed, a mix of resignation and amusement colouring his expression. It was an expected, if somewhat unfortunate, reaction, and he tried not to let it hurt his feelings too much.

Poor thing probably thought I was some kind of Aberration.

Which, given what he knew, wasn't an unreasonable fear to have. Dire Wraiths were unfortunately a thing and worse things than Direbeasts often emerged from the rifts.

The incident served as a stark reminder of the need to remain unseen, at least for the moment. Jidenna glanced around, cradling his chin thoughtfully as he took in his surroundings. The sun had long since vanished behind the horizon, its last golden rays giving way to the encroaching night. Shadows lay thickly on the ground like dark, velvet blankets, stretching and distorting with each flicker of nearby lanterns.

A thought crossed Jidenna's mind, and the shadows began to respond. They slithered towards him, defying natural laws as they crept up his body and seeped into his skin. This Enforcement technique, Shadow's Embrace, was the first one he had ever learned, and his mastery of it was second to none. All it took was a blink of the eye, and then he was gone. The only sign that he was still there were two small depressions in the soil where his feet had been moments before.

Satisfied with his preparations, Jidenna strolled into the forest, whistling softly to himself. The melody, an old tune from his childhood, seemed to dance on the night air, weaving between the massive trunks of the mushrooms that dominated the landscape.

Sinikat was truly stunning at night. The giant mushrooms, some towering hundreds of metres into the air, came alive with bioluminescence. Hues of ethereal blue, vibrant green, and warm orange pulsed and shimmered, creating a natural light show that put even the most elaborate of clan Uzozie’s illusions to shame. Even those fungi that didn't glow had smaller cousins sprouting from their trunks that did, dotting the forest floor with pinpricks of multicoloured light.

The shops and homes situated away from this natural spectacle had their own charm. Long strings of aether-lights, delicate Enchanted lamps that twinkled like earthbound stars, festooned their fronts. The soft, magical glow cast flickering shadows that danced across the faces of passersby, lending an air of mystery and enchantment to the bustling nightlife.

Laughter and chatter filled the air as groups of people gathered around Karfi tradesmen expertly roasting suya over small grills. The tantalising aroma of spiced meat mingled with the earthy scent of the mushroom forest, creating a unique fragrance that made Jidenna's mouth water despite himself.

Under the glowing plants, itinerant griots sat, surrounded by entranced crowds. Their voices rose and fell in captivating cadences as they wove tales of the past, bringing history to life through word and illusion. Jidenna paused, unseen, at one such gathering. A griot had visited their Court once when he was a child, and the memory stirred something within him. He knew he couldn't stay long; not if he wanted to catch up to his quarry. But he hadn't heard one of the storytellers speak in ages, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him.

This particular griot was young, possibly in his late twenties, with smooth dark skin and eyes that sparkled with intelligence. But when he opened his mouth to speak, his voice carried the weight of centuries. His brown eyes, heavy with knowledge, seemed to peer into the very souls of his audience.

"When we pray, we speak to the Father who made all things and the Mother who gave life and made the world whole," he said in a near whisper. As he spoke, images flickered to life around him, conjured by his skillful manipulation of light anwansi. A majestic mountain thrust itself into the sky, its peak wreathed in clouds. Then, a delicate flower rose from the earth, its petals unfurling to greet the sun in a dance of life and growth.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Sent to guard their creations were the Primordial Elders, those spirits closest in thought to Their will. To Karfi went the Jinn, Irorun had its Orishas, and Oreze was governed by the Arushis."

More images materialised around the griot, each more breathtaking than the last. Armoured warriors made of red, smokeless flame stood tall, their weapons held aloft in eternal vigilance. A group of men and women clad in shimmering gold stood upon a sea of pure white, their faces serene and powerful. A legion of figures commanded animals made of swirling anwansi, the magical energy taking on forms both familiar and fantastical.

Firstborn, Jidenna thought, a spark of recognition igniting in his mind. He knew this particular tale, but its telling never got old, especially when handled by such an expert user of light anwansi. The images seemed to pulse with life, drawing gasps and murmurs of awe from the assembled crowd.

"Eventually, when Man was formed and the Ancestral Trees made, the Elders returned to their rulers, leaving the world they had refined to Man and the spirits, great and small."

The anwansi animals separated from the gods, soaring over the crowd who gasped and clapped in delight. They were trailed by an exodus of other winged things with wooden masks, their forms shimmering and ephemeral. One dipped down near Jidenna, circling the people once before fleeing back to join the others. They danced again, forming great loops in the air, then converged with a sudden snap, glowing brighter and brighter until they winked out like a candle flame extinguished by an unseen breath.

Jidenna leaned forward, grinning eagerly. This was his favourite part.

"The world may be perfect, but we must stay vigilant," whispered the griot, his voice dropping to a tone of warning intended to send shivers down the spines of his audience. "Evil lurks in the dark places of the world, and the End of All Things draws ever closer. Only with constant watch and diligence may we ride out the night into the bright light of the day." He spread his arms wide, his voice rising to a crescendo. "This is my tale. This is my warning. He who has ears, let him hear."

The griot finished to rapturous applause, the crowd surging forward to press into his hands the customary gifts of cowries, manillas, and kolanuts. An assistant hurried around, sweeping all these and more into an animal skin satchel made especially for such an occasion. Jidenna smiled to himself, a mix of admiration and nostalgia washing over him as he made a swift exit.

There's nothing like a story about an impending apocalypse to get a crowd well and truly worked up, he mused. But he wasn't one to talk. Over the years, he had become somewhat of an expert in separating people from their hard-earned cash. Although, he supposed being a living reservoir for much of humanity's collective knowledge more than made up for a little materialism on the side.

This time, Jidenna took a hard left when he came to the path, forcing himself to ignore the tantalising aromas emanating from the many shops selling roasted corn, akara, and fried potatoes. The scents wafted on the night air, a tempting siren call that he reluctantly pushed aside. He wasn't close enough to truly sense his quarry, but the trail was fresh enough to give him a rough idea of their direction. It was faint though, forcing him to keep his senses as open as he could.

Which was why he noticed the spies.

They were perched atop a nearby building, their cloaks helping them blend seamlessly into the night. There were two of them, both women, and they were speaking quietly to each other, occasionally pausing to make notes on a thin slip of paper. Their movements were precise and economical, betraying years of training and experience.

Well-trained and probably belonging to a major clan, Jidenna deduced. A quick check with his magical sight confirmed his suspicions. Light and flame anwansi swirled around them, barely visible to his enhanced perception. The Oselokas.

"Who are you watching?" he whispered, more to himself than to them. He smiled when one of the spies jerked her head in his direction, her keen senses picking up something, but unable to pierce his magical concealment. Look all you want, little lion. You won't see me.

Something else answered his question. A patrol came into view, clad in leather armour and wielding long staffs that hummed faintly with contained anwansi. The spies watched them pass carefully, then vanished in the other direction, away from Jidenna. But they were no longer needed. He had seen the patrol's soulmarks: an eagle, wings held open in flight. The sign of the Firstborn known as The Wonder in the Sky.

Jidenna considered this puzzle, his mind working through the implications. What could the Ofodiles have done to attract the attention of the Oseloka clan? Or more precisely, Oseloka Oma? He had known she was here the instant he stepped off the sand ship. The Sage of Gold Venom never bothered to properly veil herself, and there was no way he could have missed her overwhelming presence otherwise.

He tilted his head and swept out with his senses, feeling the ebb and flow of anwansi in the area. Sure enough, the trail he had been following aligned with the path the patrol had taken, which he was certain led back to the clan leaders' home.

The smallest of frowns appeared on Jidenna's face, marring his otherwise smooth features. This wasn't good at all. Oma's attention wasn't something one wanted on them. They had to be warned.

He frowned some more, then brightened as an idea took shape in his mind. Setting off once again, he resumed his soft whistling, the tune now carrying a note of anticipation. He had been worrying over the best way to make a great first impression, and now, it had been handed to him on a silver platter. The Ofodiles would definitely want to know who was watching them and would most certainly be grateful.

Grateful enough, Jidenna was sure, to overlook the fact that he would most likely have to beat their guards into submission to gain entrance. He was certain the place would have scripts that would prevent his Shadow's Embrace, as it currently was, from working, so he couldn't just slip in unnoticed.

Jidenna fought down a cackle and rubbed his hands together in excitement, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation. This was going to be fun.

***

Somadina was still sulking when the sun disappeared down the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and purple. The last rays of light glinted off the intricate metalwork adorning the balcony railing, casting dancing shadows across the polished stone floor as Olisa approached him sheepishly, bearing a peace offering of perfectly roasted suya.

The spiced meat was skewered on thin wooden sticks, a street food delicacy that had found its way even to the grand homes of Sinikat's elite. Somadina glared at him, then at Kainene who was lurking by the ornately carved door, its surface inlaid with precious stones that seemed to glow in the fading light.

"I still haven't forgiven you two," he said grumpily. But they had brought suya. The scent of roasted beef mixed with peanuts and spices was a powerful lure, reminding him of bustling markets and laughter-filled evenings and the familiar comfort food was hard to resist.

Grumbling darkly, he seized a spit and began to tear the chunks of meat violently off with his teeth. The explosion of flavours – the heat of the peppers, the nutty undertones of the groundnut powder, the savoury richness of the beef – momentarily distracted him from his anger. Figuring it was safe to approach, Kainene skulked over, her footsteps nearly silent on the stone floor.

Together they sat and watched the moon rise, a pale disk climbing above the distant mycelium canopy and chewed on their suya in silence, the quiet broken only by the occasional night bird call or the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. Below them, the city of Sinikat was coming alive for the night, lanterns and magical lights flickering to life in windows and along the winding streets.

"Bribery is against the law in all three realms," Somadina said finally, and his words caused Olisa and Kainene to chuckle, the tension slowly easing from their shoulders.

"You don't seem to mind," Olisa said, wiping his oily fingers with the suya wrapper, the paper stained with spices and grease. He threw an arm over Somadina's shoulders, the gesture casual but filled with genuine affection. "I'm sorry. Both of us. You know we didn't mean it like that."

Somadina chewed his lips, then sighed, his anger dissipating like mist in the morning sun. "I know. I just... I guess I overreacted. I'm sorry too." The words felt heavy on his tongue, but the relief of speaking them was palpable.

They hummed their assent, and the three of them sat for a while in comfortable silence, watching the full moon drift across a cloudless, star-filled sky. The constellations above were unfamiliar to Somadina, different from those he'd known in his village and he wondered idly if they had different stories here, different legends etched in the heavens.

"You know," Kainene began, her voice contemplative, breaking the silence like a pebble dropped in still water. "We met on a night like this. Olisa and I."

Somadina perked up, his curiosity piqued. He had never heard them talk about their past, and he leaned in slightly, eager to learn more about his mysterious friends.

Olisa's eyes took on a distant look, as if gazing into the past. "Yeah. It was during one of the yearly intra-court games. Kainene had just finished demolishing all of the opposition and was one final match away from winning her clan and the Citrine Court a flawless victory. Again." He laughed at the memory, the sound warm and rich in the night air. "For context, Kainene is a bit of a prodigy. She's the youngest person ever to make it to Practitioner and her glass fusion, or any fusion at all, is very rare. It's only been seen twice in the last century."

Somadina stared at her, eyes wide and Kainene blushed and looked away. Her fingers absently traced patterns in the air, leaving faint, shimmering trails that dissipated after a moment.

"It's not that big a deal," she murmured. "Olisa's Practitioner advancement was only a year behind mine."

"Don't mind her. She just hates taking credit for how awesome she is." Olisa looked at his girlfriend with fierce pride, his arm tightening around her shoulders. "When I was finally sent out to face her, everyone wanted me to just put on a good fight. 'Show your strength,' they told me. No one actually expected me to win."

Somadina had a sense of where this was going, his excitement building. "You beat her?"

"He beat me," Kainene confirmed, her answering smile just as fierce as Olisa's pride. "I have never seen an audience go as wild. I almost didn't believe it myself. It was the first time since hitting Disciple that anyone my rank could match me. So when he asked me for a dance later that night, how could I say no?"

"I was terrified she would reject me. Or blast me for the audacity," Olisa confided to a giggling Somadina. "I think I knew I'd always be hers when she leaned in and whispered that she would feed me my own entrails the next time we fought."

Somadina's face hurt from all the smiling he was doing. "Seems like things were working out for you two. What happened then? Why did you leave?"

The mood dropped at once, as it always did whenever nobles or Zin Kibaru were brought up. But this time, instead of dodging the question or brushing it aside, Olisa and Kainene exchanged a long look, seeming to come to a silent agreement.

"Our families happened," Kainene began, her voice tight with old pain. "The Adichie and Ekwueme clans have been feuding for what feels like forever. By all accounts, it got worse when they both became Vassals of the Oselokas, each trying to outdo the other." Her expression soured, lips twisting as if tasting something bitter. "It's sickening."

"It's funny how little they cared at first, our parents," Olisa added, his voice gone cold. "They thought it was a brilliant plot we'd each concocted to bring down a rival." He shook his head, a humourless chuckle escaping him. "Things started to change once they realised we were serious about each other."

"My family was livid," Kainene continued, her hands clenching into fists. "They wanted me to stop seeing Olisa and to directly challenge him at the next games. The way it works is that a noble has to fight in the games at least once every ten years. It's usually a gauntlet where a wave of fighters is thrown at you. But if you've fought before, you can directly challenge another noble. And they can't refuse." Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. "They expected me to win. In their minds, last time had been a fluke and now he would be too in love with me to put up much of a fight or something. My father... he swore to disinherit me if I refused."

Her hands were shaking now, and Olisa took one while Somadina, took the other. The touch seemed to ground her, and she took a deep, calming breath.

"What did you do?" Somadina scanned their faces. "You didn't agree to it, did you?"

"Of course not," Kainene replied, her voice steady once more. Her hands stilled, then curled around each of theirs. "When the time came and I was made the offer, I didn't choose Olisa. I chose my father."

"It was the bravest thing I had ever seen," Olisa said, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and lingering fear. He tucked a braid behind Kainene's ear. "It was also suicide. When you make a challenge like that, it's either a fight to the death or until the opponent can't move. And her father is a Mystic. She didn't stand a chance."

He turned to Somadina with haunted eyes, the memory clearly still vivid in his mind. "I wasn't going to interfere. I would have only made it worse. But when he broke her arm and she screamed... I was in that arena before I knew what I was doing." He let out a mirthless laugh, the sound sharp in the quiet night. "We must have made quite a sight. Two of the most promising Practitioner Heirs in the realm facing down the Mystic Patriarch of a Vassal clan."

Somadina listened, horror-struck, imagining the scene. The roar of the crowd, the clash of powers, the desperation of two young lovers against a merciless opponent. He could almost feel the crackle of energy in the air, see the flashes of light as techniques collided.

"The Throne intervened before we got too bloodied. But not before we made my father bleed," Kainene snarled, taking over when Olisa's voice failed. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and for a moment, Somadina caught a glimpse of the formidable fighter she must have been that day. "After that, it's all a blur. Our families wanted us on our knees and begging for mercy—funny how they both seemed to agree on that—and when we didn't do it, we were banished, never to return to the Citrine Court."

She sighed, the anger draining from her, leaving behind a weary sadness. "Staying in Zin Kibaru lost its flavour after that, and we left almost immediately. We bumped into Ije a little while later and the Ofodiles sort of adopted us." A small smile touched her lips. "We go on scouting missions for them in exchange for a warm place to sleep when we want it so it's not so bad an ending. They insist it isn't necessary but it's something we want to do. And besides, if we hadn't taken the mission to scout the valley we wouldn't have met you."

Somadina was quiet for a while after that, processing the weight of their story. The cool night air seemed heavier now, laden with unspoken pain and lingering regrets. Finally, he spoke, his voice soft and hesitant. "Are all the Great Clans that bad?"

"I guess not," Olisa replied reluctantly, running a hand through his hair. "The Okoyes aren't as different from the Oselokas as they'd like to think. And the Onovo and Aniweta clans don't care about anybody other than themselves." He paused, a shadow crossing his face. "The Chinyelugos were nice enough I suppose, before they went and got themselves extinct."

Somadina blinked, sure he had misheard. "What?"

"Yeah. Caused quite a stir when it happened," Olisa continued, his tone oddly casual for such a shocking revelation. "The explosion nearly sent Zin Kibaru crashing back down to the ground. It isn't very common for Thrones to die, you know? Hell, I didn't even know Thrones could be murdered until I heard the story."

He paused, then snatched a buzzing mosquito out of the air with startling speed. "It's not the sort of story the other Monarchs like spreading around so they buried it. Helps that a sizable portion of the clan is still around. Only the nobles died in the attack. Of course, now their Vassals question why they should answer to a Great Clan without a Throne. It's only a matter of time before they go to war over whatever they can grab for themselves."

Somadina's mind reeled at the implications. An entire noble family wiped out, a Throne destroyed, the threat of war looming. But looking at his friends, he realised there were more immediate concerns. "Are you okay? Both of you?"

"Of course," said Kainene dismissively, her voice brittle. "It happened a long time ago."

But they were still shaking when he pulled them both into a hug, and they clung tightly to him as if afraid to let go. They stayed like that, the three of them, for what felt like hours. The moon climbed higher in the sky, casting its silver light over them, a simple, silent witness.

The moment was broken when Ije appeared on the balcony, Rai riding on her shoulders. "I hate to interrupt," she said apologetically, her voice tight with tension. "But there's something you should see."

Somadina, Kainene, and Olisa exchanged puzzled looks. The air was thick with tension, the earlier tranquillity of the day shattered by an unseen disturbance. Without a word, they rose from their seats on the veranda, the wicker chairs creaking softly, and followed Ije back into the house.

The cool interior was a stark contrast to the humid heat outside, but the atmosphere inside was far from comfortable. Aunty Rose and her husbands stood near the entrance, their faces etched with concern. The usually jovial Aunty Rose now wore a grim expression, her colorful robes seeming out of place in the tense setting. Her husbands flanked her, their stances protective and alert.

What truly caught Somadina's attention, however, was the small army of guards brandishing an array of weapons—gleaming swords, ornate staffs pulsing with anwansi, and even a few modern firearms. Their attention was focused entirely on a figure standing in the doorway, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

The man at the centre of this commotion was unlike anyone Somadina had ever seen. He was shockingly white—an albino, Somadina realized with a start. His skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the foyer, a stark contrast to his jet black dreadlocks that tumbled down his back to his waist like a cascading waterfall of darkness. But it was his eyes that truly captivated Somadina. They were onyx black, seeming to drink in all light, yet somehow managing to glitter with an inner amusement that belied the gravity of the situation.

Behind the stranger, visible through the open door, the guards that had been posted outside lay scattered on the ground. Some were completely unconscious, while others were still half-conscious, moaning and stirring feebly. The scent of vomit wafted in from outside, making Somadina's nose wrinkle in disgust.

The albino man winced visibly when one of the fallen men groaned and hurled all over himself, the sound of retching breaking the tense silence. Despite the chaos he had apparently caused, the stranger's demeanour remained remarkably calm.

"Sorry," he said, his deep voice resonating in the quiet foyer. He seemed utterly unperturbed by their astonished silence or the weapons pointed at him. "They wouldn't let me through and I think I got carried away." He paused, his onyx eyes scanning the room, taking in each face with a calculating gaze that contrasted sharply with his casual tone. "My name is Jidenna and I bring news of great danger."

Just as the tension in the room reached a fever pitch, Jidenna's serious expression cracked. He laughed, the sound rich and melodious, completely at odds with the situation. He flashed his teeth at them in a wide grin, startlingly white against his pale skin. "That was ominous enough, right?"

The absurdity of his statement hung in the air for a moment. Somadina felt Kainene stiffen beside him, her hand instinctively moving towards her staff. Olisa, on his other side, shifted his weight subtly, ready to move at a moment's notice. The guards remained frozen, their weapons still trained on Jidenna, uncertain how to react to this strange intruder who had effortlessly incapacitated their comrades only to surrender with a joke.

Aunty Rose was the first to break the silence. "Ominous indeed," she said, her voice tight with suppressed anger. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young man. Starting with how you managed to bypass our wards and take down a dozen trained guards."

Jidenna's grin never faltered, but something flickered in those bottomless eyes—a hint of seriousness that hadn't been there before. "Of course, Madam Ofodile. I assure you, my intentions are peaceful. But the news I bring..." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room once more, lingering for a moment on Somadina. "Well, let's just say it's best discussed away from prying ears."

Somadina felt a chill run down his spine, not from fear, but from a sudden, inexplicable certainty that his life was about to change dramatically. Again. He glanced at Kainene and Olisa, seeing his own mix of curiosity and apprehension mirrored in their faces.

As Aunty Rose begrudgingly motioned for the guards to lower their weapons, the air in the room seemed to shift. The tension didn't dissipate, but rather transformed into something else—a sense of anticipation, of standing on the precipice of something monumental.

Jidenna stepped fully into the house, the door closing behind him with a soft thud that seemed to echo with finality. As he moved, Somadina couldn't help but notice the fluid grace of his movements, the way he seemed to glide rather than walk. This was no ordinary man, albino or not.

"Now then," Jidenna said, clapping his hands together with an enthusiasm that bordered on the inappropriate given the circumstances. "Shall we discuss the doom that’s about to fall upon you all? I promise it's a fascinating tale."