They lost the forest floor to darkness. Against the hazy gray sky, black branches writhe like the tendrils of a monstrous, unseen beast, thickening in the distance to an impenetrable tangle that bars the fleeing youth’s way, inhibiting its escape and trapping it within the wilderness inhabited by the ravenous, bestial nightmare-creatures. Their howls grew louder; meaning they were terribly close. Grunting heightened towards the giant’s hall while the Ninki Nanka encircled it in thousands.

Todun, and the man who had the broken brown teeth, stood by the window, immersed in the shadows that stretched over the entire city outside the cracked mud wall. He could sense the danger awaiting them. He searched for hope in the depths of darkness, and couldn’t help but to wonder if these were truly the will of the gods or the devil trying to conquer them, himself.

He turned his back to others and heaved out heavily. “I can’t see anything... I’m short-sighted.” He muttered the words and jumped down from the king’s chair that now serves as a ladder to check outside the four corners of the giant’s hall. Prince Awade climbed the chair to peep.

“Which of you is ready to go out there?” Sanmi questioned.

“They’re 5 hours away. The closer they get, the tighter our chances are to leave here. That’s an army, and those doors won’t hold them back.” Awade concluded while Asa walked towards him.

“What about the northerners?” Ajoke brought up.

They ought to be here by now. I think the traders are sluggish at keeping up with time." King Otun muttered.

Awade jumped down from the chair while Sanmi claimed to check if he might see any clearer.

“Through your secret passage, is there anyway we could get around and get past them?” Prince Awade asked the king.

“What good would that do?” Asa hissed, depressed. “Those eerie beasts would chase up wherever we go.”

“I have allies nearby, I can call for help.”

“And how sure are we to trust you? For all we know, you’d make us your slave again.” Todun murmured into the prince's ears with hatred. He knows Prince Awade was wily to an extent.

“Not after what we’ve gone through.” He replied with a promise in his sincere eyes. “I would get enough knights to fight off those at the front door.”

Asa gazed into his eyes and found it hard to doubt his words. A smile slowly crept across his face while Ajoke approached him. “How can we trust you’d to come back?”

Awade shrugged his shoulders. This is what I think; if you remain here, it will be fatal. If I leave, maybe you die.”

Banjoko looked at his bleeding hands. He’d mistakenly cut himself through the fightings and looks weak already. Atata just stood by his side, watching.

“If you decide to come back. What about us?”

He shrugged again. She brushed him away and wiped off her face.

“What does it matter? You just want to go home, so are we. The town is guarded by those Ninki Nankas.” Ajoke gazed at Awade with bitterness in her eyes. “We’ve lost over a thousand men already. How many more men would die?”

“I’ve got an idea.” Sanmi jerked after a long thought of staring into the darkness of hovering beasts. He stepped down from the royal chair and landed on his feet.

“First, I need those sacks you took from me.” Sanmi pointed to the chief.

“I’ve been wondering what these actually are.” Todun smiled with a straw bag in his hands. “I guess it time we use these.”

The bags were actually those tied in red clothes in the sack, downstairs. Luckily, the other prisoners didn’t take it with them.

Gathered around the table, Prince Awade, Sanmi, Atata, Banjoko, Asa, Ajoke, and Shade began to devise an escape plan.

“So first, we draw them away from the passage. That should by enough time for us to slip away and find out.”

Meanwhile, Asa’s little finger mistakenly touched prince Awade. She jerked her hand off him and looked at him. Noticing his big black eyes focused on hers, Asa couldn’t understand what was going on in his mind. She just walked away.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Todun joined the table.

“I have an idea.” Asa brought up. She walked to the other side of the table and placed Banjoko’s brown bag in the middle of the table before folding its edge. The twin golden eggs were there.

“Yes, that would help.” Awade suggested. She looked away.

Ajoke and Sanmi smiled while they shared an eye contact. Banjoko pulled himself in between the both of them so it was brief. “I’d borrow you for a while, but don’t forget, it’s the dwarf’s treasure.”

“He said he’d borrow you for a minute, but he needs it back when he returns.” Sanmi explained.

“Really?”

“You’re a good man. I would follow you.” Banjoko muttered.

“And you, he says you’re fine. And he trusts you as well. He’d follow you to bring more knights.”

Prince Awade nodded his head in agreement as a fulfilled smile spread across his lips. He was excited by the fact that at least some people might actually get saved. He would get safe.

“Why?! No, don’t do this! Not now!” Atata muttered in ancient Yoruba and others turned to him, confused.

“Don’t worry, I’d be fine.” Banjoko told him, placing his hand on his chest so he’d calm down.

“No, this wasn’t our plan.”

“Yes, brother! Plans change, okay?!” Banjoko pointed out. “I’d go, you’ll stay!”

Banjoko handed the bag of twin eggs to Atata to hold. Meaning he’d take his place in his absence. They were just 18 of them, alive in the hall. The servants looked at themselves and the people that wanted to follow Prince Awade stood up.

Ajoke stood back and wince when Asa pulled her forward.

“You’re going to follow them, okay? Are you ready?”

Ajoke swallowed nervously at Asa’s question.

“Your job is to get through, that’s it. They are good fighters, you’d be protected but you should also protect yourself as well. Just do what you have to do and you’ll live.”

“I don’t want to g-“

“I can not be worrying about you and about how to save our people as well! This is the safest opportunity to leave this place, take it or leave it! I promised your brother that I’d protect you now, leave when you have freedom.

“But I don’t...I don’t want to leave.” Ajoke’s eyes clouded and her voice shivered to the effect of the tears. “I want to fight by your side. Please, don’t push me away like this.”

Looking into each other’s eyes, Asa heaved with a conclusion.

“Fine, don’t worry about me. As the princess of Odo-Ara, I need you to be safe. To stay with our townsmen and if I escape this. If I find a way, somehow, I’d come to find you. Prince Awade would take good care of you. Go with him... Please.” Asa begged, while a tear lingered down her chin. “For Odo-Ara.”

Without uttering a single word, Ajoke fixed her knives to her side and walked towards where others were. Asa was confused. Holding her up in the shrine could be more risky. All she wanted right now was her protection. Four of the servants were willing to follow their princess.

Prince Awade walked to Asa and moved close to her. He held onto her neck and watched her even nearer. Asa closed her eyes, feeling the heat of his breath against her face. At least, it was better than facing him. She could feel her heart racing, but she nibbled softly on her lower lip to subdue the burning feeling.

“Destiny decides who you meet in life, but it’s only your heart that decides who gets to stay in your life.” He muttered to her. She gently opened her eyes to his gaze as they shared an eye contact. Asa met with Awade’s deadly serious eyes and focused on them, intensely.

“When I return, if I choose to return. I think it would be best of you to leave ilé Ife. You can’t come to a well-guarded town and slaughter chiefs and cast sleeping spells on gods in my ally’s land and expect to get away with it!” He warned.

“What about my sister? Would you care for her for me? Like you would to me?” She whispered to his hearing.

“She’s very young and brave, but of course. I think we have more wars and battles to fight together.” He said plainly and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’ve never said this to anyone, but I love you. Asa Ketu of Odo-Ara.”

Perplexed, Asa closed her eyes, and more tears spilled over the edges of her eyes. Prince Awade then walked away, to join those that were ready to leave.

Banjoko held his younger brother, Atata, into a tight hug. Their eyes were bloodshot due to the tears they held, but the both of them tried hard not to say their goodbyes, yet. They’d meet soon, when it’s dawn.

Probably.

Ajoke looked at Asa one last time, but Asa didn’t look at her. She didn’t want to say her goodbyes yet. There won’t be any goodbyes. They’d meet soon.

One just has to believe it, and it would happen. Everyone is destined to die, but it’s what you do within life that matters. And for Asa, saving the princess of their land was coming first. It was an achievement. Even if she dies, her mind would be at rest that she saved the last member of the royal family.