TRAILING SHADOWS

And on it"s back was a young Irunmole, holding the reins. The fellow tugged at the reins now, bringing the horse to a loud snort as it raised it"s two front legs while relying on the hind legs. The legs began to blaze brighter now, the orange hue turning fiery red. The horse itself neighed loudly, seemingly fuelled by the increased burning at it"s hooves.

It stumped down on the loose soil, snorting. The next second, it lifted up, fuelled by the impetus of it"s burning hooves. The horse drifted smoothly in the air, rising up into the sky as the blaze began to die down.

After some seconds, the flame dimmed, bringing the horse to descend, howbeit slowly. As it landed, outlines of buildings and Irunmoles began to come into view, a total contrast to where it had been some seconds ago.

Esin Onina(1) was a celestial beast, Mythical Cla.s.sed that maxed their soul growth at Omega Cla.s.s. They were quite powerful owing to their rather bulky physique that was further empowered by the principle of fire and Might under the Aspectual Law of Ogun.

As a result, these horsebreeds could greatly propel themselves by the fire from their hooves, using that to leap skysc.r.a.pers in one bound and to travel quite quickly. Fuelled further from the usual rage accompanying the Law of Ogun, these horsebreeds were the choice breed for any army.

(A/N///For the sake of clarity, I would be referring to Mythical Beasts, Common beasts and Rare beasts as Types. While the cla.s.ses from basic to Prime would still apply to them. Meaning a beast would be cla.s.sified thus as Mythical Type, Omega Cla.s.sed///)

However, in terms of endurance, these horses had enough of it, speed and all but still there were not quite as fast as the situation the rider found himself in.

The rider had one simple a.s.signment. Find the target and intercept him.And also the Quest had stated that target was in some kind of danger. He was even given a sort of soul sensor that beeped continuously in his covered palm.

The sensor would lead him to the target and that would be it. He would step in and act according to the plan. But now, the sensor had suddenly stopped beeping, going cold and silent in his hands.

If only Asoju Lekan had probably given him an Artefact that could have brought him here instantly.

After all, the council wanted this so they could definitely afford to sponsor that.

Clothed in a deep blue cloak gown of some sorts and a hood covering his face from view, Tayo looked around, observing the market scene.

It was quite a long time he had stepped up and feeling the warmth and bustle of this place was seemingly refreshing. Sighing, he pulled his hood backwards, bringing his face into view.

The Council had always wanted to control him.

Always!

At least since he began drawing to Sunday who he had felt had a similar background.

They had both been ignored.

Rejected.

Refused.

Disappointment was a common factor they both faced. But for him, it was more intense after his parents both died in the hands of a Lord Cla.s.sed Demon.

The fear and resentment that built in him towards demons could only push him to someone with similar thoughts.

Sunday!

But the moment one misguided seer gave a prophecy, the entire council suddenly began paying attention to him. They forcefully removed him from Ilu Obatala, claiming that the council was going to take full guidance of him.

And what then?

He found it strange. He tried to resist, to escape. And he was caught.

His punishment?

He was beaten, flogged, according to the harsh customs of Ilu Ogun. Expelled to the cold steels of confinement.

And in there, he was broken. Totally.
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His esteem, his charisma. Even the will to fight was taken from him.

Except the vow he made.

That he would be, one day, powerful enough, that no one else to go through what he had gone through.

That was his vow and since then, he took silence as his habit, withdrawing from public light. The Council saw this as remorse an began training him.

This time, he didn"t refuse. Took the training seriously and silently with the vow in mind.

And today of all days, they suddenly want him to become friends with he whom they barred him from.

"How Silly!" Tayo laughed bitterly.

Looking at the circular piece of metal in his hand, he frowned. The metal which was the soul sensor, had a cl.u.s.ter of gold stars at it"s center with bronze along the edges.

"why did you go silent? Why? How am I supposed to know where he is now? This market is so so vast." Tayo"s horse trotted along the road.

He closed his eyes now, condensing his essence to reach out to the soul sensor. In his mind, he saw, a blob of energy which representing his essence, twirling and turning.

Closing his eyes now, he began to imagine the sensor next to the his soul sensor. He tried once but was interrupted by a b.u.mping of something.

Opening his eyes, he saw an angry Irunmole growling at him.

"Look boy, don"t go riding with closed eyes? If not for last minute reflexes, your horse would have stumped on me. Warn yourself"

"Ema binu sir(2)" Tayo winced.

"I shouldn"t be doing this when I am on the move. Doing that makes me unconscious of my environment and some bad Irunmoles might just take advantage of that.

Aside from that, I could really just stump on a pedestrian. I should find somewhere safe to do this."

Tayo looked about him.

For the span of 50metres, there was no s.p.a.ce where he could make a stop. Except for a particular shop.

"Hmm! I hope the owner won"t mind much if I halt in front."

With that thought, he steered his Esin Onina there. On getting closer, he could read out loud the sign in front that said "Obedi"s Place" in Yoruba. He highlighted from the Esin Onina but stayed put.

With his hands on th back of the War Horse, he began to feel his soul s.p.a.ce. Repeating what he had done initially, he manipulated his soul essence to reach towards the sensor.

At that command, the blob of floating essence swished and turned towards the imprint of the soul sensor beside it. He willed it futher and watched as the blob moved as if to swallow the imprint.

For two seconds, the blob expanded on it before suddenly withdrawing and returning to it"s spots. The soul sensor imprint blazed, brillant radiance exploding from it before vanishing.

Huff... Huff... Huff... Huff...

Tayo breathed raggedly. He had expended alot of energy to do that and that took it"s tool on him, physically.

But not without a reward, the soul sensor began to beep madly. It vibrated and vibrated until it seemed to want to jump towards the shop behind him.

"heh... Can it be that Sunday is in there?" Tayo queried as he heaved, wearing his hood on.

Just then, a voice called out from behind him.

"h.e.l.lo, I don"t take it lightly to have people blocking my shop. Kindly move away, Now." Tayo turned back, his head completely hidden in the hood.

"h.e.l.lo, sir. I would like to look at your merchandise!" He said.

"Oh, if that be, come on in." The owner of the voice, Obedi in his simple gown and fila(3) suddenly had a 180 change of character as he beckoned to Tayo.

"Can I leave my horse here? Is it safe?" Tayo questioned, pointing at the horse.

Underneath the horse, a round circle containing various Agbara symbols weaved into form, making Tayo stare at the ground in surprise.

"Fine, fine. No one would dare steal in this market. Not from Obedi, of course. Now come in." Obedi led the way, feeling pleased with himself at the safety measure he had taken.

So saying, Tayo followed.

Inside, the soul sensor began beeping and beeping, forcing him to become impatient with the introduction Obedi was giving him.

"...a choice that will stick with you to the end. We don"t sell low grade Artefact, and we have just the right testimonials to back them up, sir. An what more, we can cover your anonymous status for you, so long as..."

"Hold!" Tayo raise his hand.

He paused, seeing that Obedi had done so. And let his essence expand and flow into his entire body. The sensation from it was relaxing and building up heat within him as his aura from the principle of Cutting and Valor began spreading into the air.

"I have Information that Sunday, from Ilu Obatal, The Elder"s last son was here. And I demand to see him." He questioned, audacity filling his voice.

Obedi froze, surprise registering over his face.

"Speak, where Is he?"

"Are you a mercenary? " Obedi asked, his face hardening.

"Don"t avoid my question. I am looking for him."

"And yet, you are posing a threat to me. Really? This is your grand rescue plan?" Obedi asked, folding his hands across his chest with a light chuckle.

"The way you answer means that you know a thing about him. Where are you kept him?" Tayo asked, moving a step closer.

Secretly, he unsheathed his blade within the garment, covering it with principle of cutting and principle of Valor.

"You are really perceptive, boy. But even with your mysterious look and your aura from the Agbara Ogun, you still are not strong enough to face me. Leave while you still can. "

Tayo smiled.

Now, he wasn"t denying it at all. He flexed his fists, crunching the hilt of the blade. Suddenly, a sickening feeling descending on him.

That type he had faced when locked withing steel bars.

He jerked around quickly, his blade in full view. As he did, a dimensional portal of some sort opened at the ceiling and two men in dark robes jumped out, their aura entirely with killing intent.

"Heh..."

"You are clearly outnumbered. Leave now and I"ll forget this ever happened." Obedi said as two men materialised into the air from behind him, clothed in similar way the first were, all wielding thin blades.

Tayo heaved, the exertion from the soul sensing he did beginning to wear on him. He laughed bitterly again before bitting his lips.

"So, he was here. What did you do to him."

"He"s deadmeat already." Obedi replied, shrugging his shoulders as if that was a regular occurrence to him.

Tayo gasped.

"Why do you care? Who was he to you?"

"Was? He used past tense to refer to him? Does this... No... Sunday can"t be dead. But he just used Was. Oh G.o.ds, I was late. I"ve failed, again."

Tayo"s face darkened as he groaned, rage filling him up. But the next second he put a lid on it. The people here, were outnumbering him.

Retreat was the only option available.

At least for now!

"Why are you asking?" Tayo replied.

"Heh... You must really care about him. Look at the way you just reacted. He"s your brother?"

"No!" He sheathed his blade as he replied.

"Friend?"

"No, a former friend." He replied, turning his back.

__________

(T/N)

(1) Fiery Horse (2) Don"t be angry sir.