Soul Bond.

CHAPTER THREE. THE OMEN OF NIGHT

CHAPTER THREE

THE OMEN OF NIGHT

Nonso omoluabi lay still in his small, one bedroom apartment. The air was thick with the scent of herbs hanging from the zinc, their medicinal fragrances filling the space like a heavy cloud. For over two decades, Nonso had lived a life of service, a life bound by the duties he inherited from his father, the revered ‘Babalawo’ of their village.

Nonso was not just a herbalist, he was the chief priest, the spiritual guide of the people, the one they turned to in times of need. His life was devoted to the village, and he took pride in that. But tonight, something far darker loomed over him.

His eyes shot open, the night clinging to him like a fever. His heart raced, and beads of sweat covered his face, soaking his bedsheet. He rose slowly, his breath coming in shallow gasps, the weight of what he had just seen in his dreams pressing heavily on his chest.

The silence of the night was unsettling, broken only by sounds of insects and the occasional rustle of leaves outside.

His dream…..no, the vision…..was unlike he had experienced in a very long time. He had a sister, Chimamanda, a younger sibling he hadn’t spoken to in years, and he had just seen her in this vision, and she didn’t look alright.

Amanda had been surrounded by a dark, swirling mist, faceless forces dragging her down into an abyss. He had tried to reach her, to pull her back, but something stronger, something far more sinister had blocked his way. His sister, who had distanced herself from the family and their ways, was trapped in a fight she could not see, one he could feel. He knew she was in danger…..a kind of danger that defied the natural world.

Nonso sat up and placed his hands on his knees, trying to calm this racing mind. He hadn’t spoken to Amanda in more than a decade. After their mother died of a very treacherous illness which the doctor called ‘multiple myeloma,’ she had blamed their father and himself for not saving her. It was a wound that never healed, a wound that eventually killed their father.

Amanda had never believed in the power that ran in their blood, never cared for the teachings of their father, but while their mother lay dying on her sick bed, she chose to believe and hold onto hope, but Nonso watched as that hope was taken away, just like their mother had been. He watched as she ostracized herself from her family, her home. She had chosen the life of law and order, training as a police officer in Lagos state, and rejecting the very path that had been very carefully laid before them, since the days of their forefathers.

His father had always said that Amanda’s refusal to believe in what stared her right in the face, in the name of logicality, was the reason she could never truly see the world for what it truly was.

She could not see the forces that moved through the earth, the energies that could either protect or destroy. And now, Nonso feared those forces were coming for her. He could still hear his father’s voice echoing in his mind, “To live without belief, is to be blind to the dangers that surrounds you.”

Nonso stood and lit a candle, casting long shadows across his room. He paced, trying to make sense of the vision. He was not one to be easily rattled, not after years of guiding people through sickness, spiritual needs and the every day struggles of the village life. He had inherited his father’s knowledge, his father’s skills in herbal medicine, and the ability to navigate the unseen world. But this was different, this was personal, his own blood was involved, and he wasn’t going to be helpless this time.

His mind raced back to the days of his childhood, when he used to be in awe of his father. The old man had been a giant in the village, revered not just for his knowledge but for his wisdom. People came from all over Ibadan, Lagos and other places to seek his guidance, and Nonso had watched, learned and soaked it all in. His father had been his hero, and Nonso wanted nothing more than to follow in his footsteps.

Amanda on the other hand had always been different. While Nonso saw a giant in their father, she had seen a man who clung to old beliefs, and when their mother died, Amanda’s disdain had turned to anger. She had left the village shortly, leaving Nonso with their father.

Now, years later, He just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming for his sister, it wasn’t something that could be fought with physical strength, or even the law Amanda so fiercely believed in, it was something ancient, something that required the knowledge of the old ways…..the ways she had boldly rejected.

Nonso wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped out of the room, the night air was cool, the village was quiet, the moon casting a soft glow over the landscape. He could hear the distant sound of a drumbeat….. likely a late night ritual in one of the neighboring compounds. The village was always alive with spiritual energy, and tonight, Nonso could feel it’s pulse more strongly than ever.

He walked to the small hut at the edge of his compound, it was the shrine where his father used to sir for hours, communicating with the spirits. The shrine was simple, but it housed sacred carvings that had been in his family for centuries, and they were powerful. Nonso knelt before them, placing his hands on the earth, grounding himself.

“What is after her?” he whispered, closing his eyes and allowing the silence fill his mind.

For a moment, there was nothing, just the sound of the night, the wind in the trees, the distant drumbeat. But then, he felt it…...a shift in the air. A presence. It wasn’t his father’s spirit as he had hoped, but something else. Something darker, watching him from the shadows.

Nonso’s eyes flew open, the hairs on the back of his head standing on end. Whatever was coming for Amanda was powerful, and it wasn’t just after her, it was now after him too.

He stood abruptly, his heart pounding. There was no time to waste. He couldn’t wait for Amanda to realize what kind of danger she was in. She might not believe in these forces, but Nonso knew better, he knew these powers and forces were the heartbeat of the earth. He knew she needed help, and not just anyone’s help, but his…..even if she didn’t want it.

He hurried back to his room, gathering his tools….. sacred herbs, his father’s staff, the charms, everything inherited. This force was on it’s way to Amanda already, he had to get to her before it did, he had to get himself ready for a trip.

He had sworn to protect the people, but now he had to protect the one person who had turned her back on him, on their family. It didn’t matter, she was still his sister, his blood.

Nonso knew what awaited him was more than a rescue mission, it was a confrontation with forces that had long been buried, and he had no idea just how powerful they were.

The night felt colder, as he briskly got himself ready for the trip, his heart pounding loudly in his chest…..

As something watched him.