Oyi ga'aje (son of the soil)

Renewed vows

As they turned the corner, a fiery figure emerged, her feet pounding the ground in rhythmic anger. Nnenna’s eyes blazed with a mix hurt and indignation as she confronted Agaba. “Why did you ignore me this morning?” she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Did I mean nothing to you?” Agaba’s expression darkened, his anger and frustration simmering just below the surface. Nnenna’s ire began to dissipate, replaced by concern for the boy she cared about. Ahmed, meanwhile, sensed that something was amiss, that Agaba’s hyperactivity was a thin veil for the turmoil brewing within. Nnenna’s voice softened, her words infused with a gentle sweetness. “I’m sorry, Agaba. I didn’t mean to upset you. You’re my friend, and I care about you”. her hand reached out, cradling the back of Agaba’s head in a tender gesture. The tension began to dissipate, replaced by an awkward silence. Jordan and Ahmed exchanged surprised glances. Ahmed’s eyes narrowed, a spark of jealousy igniting within. He had thought Nnenna and Agaba’s relationship was platonic, but this intimate moment revealed a deeper connection. Jordan, too, seemed taken aback, his expression a mask of curiosity.“Should I give you guys some space?” Jordan asked, his voice tentative. Agaba’s face remained turned away from Nnenna, his voice gruff. “No, stay. There’s nothing to hide”. Nnenna’s hand fell to her side, her eyes lingering on Agaba’s closed-off expression. She knew he was still wrestling with the thought of last night, but she couldn’t force him to open up. “Okay”, she said softly, her voice a gentle concession. As they walked towards the school field, Agaba’s voice cut through the silence. “Hey, Nnenna, I’m sorry for ignoring you earlier. My mind was elsewhere”. Nnenna’s smile was a warm forgiveness. “No worries, Agaba. I’m just glad you’re okay”. Ahmed nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’re good. You can join us, Nnenna, if you want”. Agaba’s nod was a silent affirmation.

The four of them strolled onto the field together, their footsteps echoing across the empty space. Nnenna and Ahmed settled into the spectator seats, their whispers and giggles carrying on the breeze. Agaba sat alone at the top row, his eyes fixed intently on Jordan. “Show me what you’ve got, Jordan, punch my hand”. Jordan’s grin was a flash of excitement. He cracked his knuckles, hopped on one foot, and threw a lightning-fast punch at Agaba’s outstretched hand. Agaba’s fingers closed around Jordan’s fist, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. But his gaze was short-lived, his attention snatched away by a cluster of sneaky onlookers. Risikat, Ann and three girls from the cafeteria were huddled beneath the spectator bench, their eyes fixed on Agaba with a mixture of fascination and fear. Agaba’s eyes narrowed, his voice low and even. “Come out, all of you. How long have you been spying on us?” the girls exchanged nervous glances before scurrying out from their hiding spot, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Ann’s voice quavered as she replied, “S-Since you left the canteen with Jordan, sir…” Her words trailed off, her eyes wide with fear. Agaba’s eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with a warning. “Let’s keep this little encounter between us. If I hear even a whisper about this in school, I’ll come for each of you. You’re not exactly hard to remember”. the girls’ faces paled, their eyes darting wildly as they nodded in frantic agreement. As the four friends walked away, Ahmed asked, “Where are we headed now?” Agaba’s smile was enigmatic. “I know an abandoned storey building down the school street. It’ll be good we meet there now than in school, It’ll be our base” “Base?” The others echoed, their voices laced with curiosity.The storey building loomed before them, its crumbling facade a testament to years of neglect. Ahmed’s eyes widened as they stepped inside. “Wow, this is crazy! But won’t it look suspicious, the three of us with a girl sneaking off to an abandoned building every day?” Agaba’s grin was mischievous. “Let them wonder. Till they see us”. Jordan’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he sprinted towards a box. “check this out!” he exclaimed, leaping onto the box with an air of confidence. “It’s comfy!” Agaba’s smile was a challenge. “Now, Jordan, come at me with everything you’ve got!” As he spoke, he untucked his shirt and loosened his tie, his eyes flashing with anticipation. Jordan’s grin was a fierce warning. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you…Ha!” with a battle cry, he launched himself from the box, his feet pounding the ground in a blur of motion. He hurtled towards Agaba with a lightning-fast punch that left Ahmed and Nnenna awestruck. The collision between Jordan’s fist and Agaba’s grasp sent shockwaves through the air, the force of the impact causing a miniature tremor. The two combatants clashed in a frenzy of punches and kicks, their movements a whirlwind of speed and agility.

Agaba’s voice was a calm commentary amidst the chaos. “Not bad, Jordan. You’re getting faster, hum!”. Jordan’s response was a snarl of determination. “I won’t give you time to react!” He unleashed a flurry of punches, each blow landing with superhuman force. The air reverberated with the impact, the sound echoing off the storey building walls. Their battle was a blur of acrobatic feats, the two combatants performing impossible leaps and flips with ease. Their movements were a testament to their extraordinary abilities, their strength and agility defying human limits. “NOW IT’S MY TURN!” Agaba bellowed, his voice echoing through the top floor of the storey building, with lightning-quick reflexes, he snatched Jordan’s kick out of mid-air with his left hand and unleashed a devastating counterattack, his right fist flying towards Jordan with incredible speed. Jordan’s heart skipped a beat as he desperately freed his leg and launched a kick to deflect the punch. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, the sound of their collision echoing off the walls. Jordan’s eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling from the sheer speed and power of Agaba’s attack. “How…how did you do that?” he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Agaba’s smile was a hint of pride. “You’re fast too, Jordan. You saw the punch coming and reacted in time. That’s the kind of skill and power we’ll need to take down Ochenteji’s foot soldiers”. Ahmed and Nnenna exchanged nervous glances, their voices laced with concern. “foot soldiers?” they echoed in unison. “How powerful are they?” Agaba’s expression turned grim, his eyes glinting with a fierce intensity. “What do you expect from beasts born in the depths of hell?” he asked Ahmed, his voice low and ominous. As Agaba turned to face his friends, his eyes burned with a fierce determination. “Guys, are you prepared to follow me on this journey?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not sugarcoating it - the path ahead will be treacherous, and I don’t know the limits of our enemy. But I do know that together, we might overcome them”.“Are you serious, bro?” Ahmed asked, his voice laced with incredulity. “We’ve been in this together since the beginning”. Nnenna’s eyes burned with determination. “I saw what my father went through that night. I want to destroy the source of this evil before it causes any more harm”. Jordan’s expression turned thoughtful. “I don’t know what this evil is or if it even exists, but I do know that our skills have been passed down through my lineage for a reason. And that reason is to kick some enemy butts”. Without warning, Jordan charged at Agaba, his fist flying in a lightning-fast punch. Agaba blocked it with ease, and the two friends erupted into a flurry of kicks and punches, their movements a blur of speed and agility. Ahmed watched, feeling a pang of inadequacy. “I guess I’m not much help in a fight”, he muttered to himself, unaware that he’d spoken out loud. Nnenna’s voice cut through his self-doubt. “Are you kidding me, Ahmed? You think brute force is all it takes to win a battle? Wisdom and strategy are just as important. You may not have superhuman strength, but you’ve got the brains to help us outsmart our enemy. Put that brain to work, Ahmed!” Ahmed’s face flushed with embarrassment as he realized he’d spoken his thoughts aloud, “Oh, thanks… I guess I didn’t mean to say that out loud”, he stammered, scratching his neck nervously.