The lagoon still smoked from battle. Ash drifted lazily across the dark water, mingling with steam where fire had kissed the tides. The ancient serpent murals glowed faintly on the cavern walls, cracks spidering across their stone faces like veins under strain. Around them, the Resistance gathered in a heavy silence—bodies bruised, spirits frayed, hope hanging by a thin thread.
Imade stood at the center, her iron rod tapping rhythmically against the stone floor. Her voice was hoarse, but steady as steel.
"We survived tonight," she began. "But shadow dey grow. Koroba no dey fight alone—Orunmare dey guide am."
Kafé knelt beside Taye, his brother's skin still flickering faintly with dying embers. Taye's eyes were hollow, full of guilt that weighed more than wounds.
"I almost burn all of una," he whispered. "If I lose control again… prophecy fit destroy all of us."
Kafé gripped his shoulder firmly. "Brother, dawn and dusk no be curse. Na choice. And we dey choose together."
For a moment, Taye's flame dimmed, soothed by the certainty in his brother's voice.
Across the cavern, Seyi sat apart, blade trembling in his grip.
"Prophecy dey heavy," he muttered. "Every fight dey show say this shadow strong pass us. Maybe… maybe we no fit win."
His voice cracked, echoing the fear choking every heart in the lagoon.
Zoba lifted her pendant. Its glow was softer now, like a heartbeat fading yet persistent.
"Balance dey fragile," she said quietly. "But ancestors dey whisper say help dey near. Shadow no dey walk alone… and light no fit walk alone either."
The warriors exchanged wary glances. Help? From where? From who?
Before anyone could speak, movement stirred the mist beyond the lagoon. A lone figure stepped through—cloaked, hood drawn low, walking with silent, deliberate steps. Metal glinted at their side. Instantly, blades were raised, hearts thundering.
Imade barked sharply, "Who be dat? Show your face before I strike!"
The figure paused, then slowly lowered the hood.
Adaeze.
Koroba's scout. His tracker. His loyal shadow—at least until now.
Her eyes remained sharp, but her voice trembled with something unfamiliar: fear. Or maybe conviction.
"I no fit follow Koroba again," she said. "Shadow don consume am. He don mad finish. If una need person wey fit help fight am… I dey here."
A stunned silence swallowed the cavern.
Seyi surged to his feet, blade shaking with fury.
"You betray us before! How you expect us to trust you now?"
Adaeze met his glare without flinching.
"I betray, yes. But I dey here because I don see wetin Koroba turn into. I see shadow swallow villages. I no fit carry that blood again. If una want balance, una need ally inside shadow. That ally… na me."
Nkem stepped forward, regret shadowing his face.
"I know how betrayal dey taste. I burn villages for Koroba too. I still dey hear children cry. If Adaeze wan fight shadow now… maybe she fit help."
Imade's iron rod tapped against stone—once, twice—her jaw tight as she studied Adaeze. Rage battled against necessity in her eyes. Then, slowly, she lowered the rod.
"One chance," she declared. "Only one. Betray us again and I go strike you down myself."
Before Adaeze could answer, Zoba's pendant flared—bright, almost blinding. The light wrapped around Adaeze like a judgment, like prophecy itself had reached out to touch the truth in her words. Gasps rippled through the Resistance.
Adaeze bowed her head.
"I no ask una to trust me. I no even ask una to forgive. I only ask for chance. Koroba dey plan ritual. Orunmare dey gather shadow beasts. If una no stop am… Shadow Pathway go open."
She swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "That na wetin I overhear before I run come meet una."
As the words settled, the serpent murals trembled violently. Cracks deepened across their twin stone heads. The lagoon water rippled in unnatural patterns, darkening as if shadow seeped from beneath the earth.
Then—faint yet unmistakable—came Orunmare's laughter, drifting across the cavern like cold fingers tracing every spine. A howl tore through the mist, beastly and unnatural, echoing across the chamber.
The Resistance shivered as one.
Siege dey come.