The night pressed heavy over Tark Island. Mist clung to the lagoon, curling like fingers around the serpent murals. The Resistance stood tense, blades drawn, eyes darting toward the shadows beyond the water. Zoba's pendant pulsed like a heartbeat, warning of danger.
Then came the sound—footsteps, faint but many. The crunch of gravel, the whisper of movement through reeds. Olumide raised his bow, arrow notched, eyes narrowing. "They dey close. Too close."
Imade lifted her iron rod, voice sharp. "Hold line. No scatter. Shadow dey test us tonight."
From the mist, figures emerged—scouts cloaked in darkness, eyes glowing faintly with Orunmare's corruption. Their movements were unnatural, jerky, as if pulled by invisible strings. The Resistance tightened formation, hearts pounding.
Seyi trembled, clutching a short blade too heavy for his hands. "Prophecy dey too heavy… I no fit fight shadow." His voice cracked, fear spilling into the night.
Kafé stepped beside him, waves shimmering faintly around his wrist. "Courage no mean fear no dey. Courage mean you still stand even when fear dey choke you. Stand, Seyi."
The scouts hissed, shadows dripping from their blades. They lunged forward, and the clash began.
Steel rang against steel. Olumide's arrow flew, piercing one scout's chest, but the shadow within hissed and clawed even as it fell. Ngozi whispered prayers over the wounded, her hands glowing faintly as she pressed cloth against bleeding flesh.
Taye's flames erupted, wild and uncontrolled. Fire streaked across the lagoon, illuminating the mist in violent bursts. Warriors flinched, some nearly scorched, but Imade's voice cut through the chaos. "Taye! Control am! Fire no be curse—na weapon!"
Taye gritted his teeth, forcing the flames into shape. His hands trembled, but the fire bent into arcs, striking scouts with precision. The mist burned away in patches, revealing more enemies crawling from the shadows.
The scouts were only the vanguard.
At the edge of the lagoon, siege engines creaked, their wheels grinding against stone. Torches flared, casting monstrous silhouettes. General Koroba himself strode forward, blade pulsing with dark light. His eyes gleamed with obsession, his voice fevered. "Dusk child… I go find am. I go break am. Prophecy go bend to me."
His lieutenants followed, faces grim. Captain Duro's jaw clenched, Adaeze's eyes darted nervously, Nkem's hands shook with regret. Yet none dared defy Koroba.
The Resistance braced. Imade raised her rod high. "Una no scatter! Tonight, dawn and dusk dey fight shadow together!"
The battle erupted.
Kafé unleashed waves that crashed against Koroba's soldiers, sweeping them off their feet. Taye's flames roared, igniting siege engines, forcing enemies back. Olumide's arrows flew in rapid succession, each strike precise. Ngozi's prayers steadied the wounded, her voice rising like a hymn against the chaos.
But Koroba's blade was alive. Shadows wrapped around it, whispering promises of victory. Each swing carried unnatural weight, cutting through shields and scattering warriors. His laughter echoed, fevered and cruel. "Shadow dey bless me! Prophecy dey mine!"
Imade charged, iron rod clashing against Koroba's blade. Sparks flew, shadows hissed. She gritted her teeth, forcing him back step by step. "You dey mad, Koroba! Prophecy no dey yours to twist!"
Koroba sneered, shadows crawling up his arm. "Prophecy bend to strength. And I dey strongest."
The Resistance faltered. Scouts swarmed, soldiers pressed, shadow thickened. Doubt gnawed at them again. Seyi stumbled, nearly falling, but Kafé pulled him upright. "Stand! Even if hand dey shake, stand!"
Taye's flames flickered wildly, threatening to consume him. He gasped, sweat pouring down his face. "I no fit hold am… fire dey choke me!"
Zoba's pendant flared brighter, pulsing violently. She cried out, voice breaking. "Shadow dey spread! Lagoon dey bleed!"
The serpent murals trembled, their twin heads glowing erratically. Cracks spidered across the stone, light leaking through. The island itself seemed to shudder under the weight of prophecy.
Koroba raised his blade, shadows swirling. "Dusk child! Dawn child! I go break una! Shadow Pathway go open!"
The Resistance rallied, voices rising in defiance. "We go fight not only against shadow, but for dawn of choice!" Their vow thundered across the battlefield, shaking the mist.
But the night was far from won.
As Koroba's blade struck the ground, shadows erupted like a storm, swallowing warriors in darkness. Screams echoed, fire sputtered, waves crashed. The lagoon itself seemed to collapse inward, as if shadow sought to consume it whole.
And above it all, Orunmare's laughter carried on the wind, chilling every heart.