THIRTY-SIX- AGATHA

Standing on the hill that overlooked the realm of Agatha, Uloma felt darkness temporarily fill her, but she shook it off consciously, not wanting Abali’s keen awareness to notice how affected she was from travelling this far with him. The darkness felt different from Abali’s, but she refused to give it any more attention; she was fine, she told herself vehemently. 

“I am not one for beauty, but what a sight.” 

Kama said, coming up to her, and Uloma nodded her agreement. It was quite a view looking down on Agatha. 

“I am one for beauty, and I never tire of the view. This is indeed a beautiful realm, but it is nothing compared to ours.” 

Ogba declared in his booming voice, and Uloma felt her eyes roll. She caught Abali rolling his eyes as well. Their eyes met, and for a second, all Uloma saw in his was amusement, before he looked down at his feet. Uloma felt her heart twist at his action. She was going to look away as well, but she caught his shaking shoulders; he was laughing, she thought. The realisation washed over her, almost drowning the sickening darkness she felt blinking in and out inside her head. 

“Ogba, stop being so humble, would you?” 

Asiya stood beside them; Temi and Teni were not far behind. 

“What a view.” 

Echi exclaimed, suddenly burning away behind Teni. Ekama detangled herself from Ogba and went over to him. She punched his fiery arm. 

“We have already covered that.” 

“We are now debating Ogba’s humility.” 

Asiya informed him, and Uloma guffawed, her sister and Ekama ganging up on Ogba was both hilarious and new.  

Agatha stood in the middle of a sea of greenery. It was surrounded by a flat, light green that was bordered by dark green trees growing in clumps, conspiring to resemble manicured bushes fencing a well-kept yard. Sunlight shone over the realm, as if it were on a mission to drench it in golden light. A half-moon stood in the sky, unaware that it was out of place. The clear blue sky made the moon appear more silvery than the cosmics was accustomed to. 

The day demanded jocose joviality, and the travellers were more than willing to comply as they made their way down the hill, on their trek to Agatha. 

“We could just appear in Agatha. Why do we have to walk?” 

Uloma heard the rock girl ask, and winced at their terrible nickname for the girl, Owi. She corrected herself, her name was Owi. 

“One, because no one likes to be badged in on. It would be impolite just to appear there.” 

Dena, her friend, replied, putting up a webbed pointing finger to make his point. His green skin matched her moss-covered surface. 

“And two, because if ever there was a day to go on a trek, it is a day like this!” 

Ekama shouted over her shoulder as she threw her head back to feel the sun on her face. She closed her stormy eyes, and a breeze gently swirled around her, causing her hair to flow behind her. 

“You are stunning, and when you control your powers like that, it does something to me.” 

Ogba drew Ekama into a hug and effortlessly swept her off the ground. Uloma wrinkled her forehead in a frown and almost laughed when she heard a chorus of ‘eek’ around her. 

“Jealous, all of you!” 

Kama yelled as she giggled in Ogba’s arms. 

Uloma pinched her friend’s feet, but Kama kicked her away.  

“What does today remind you of?” 

She asked Ekama, who thought for a moment and chuckled; Uloma heard Echi groan loudly. 

“Stop.” 

He said, but Ekama and Uloma were already giggling uncontrollably. 

“You won’t let me ever live it down, will you?” 

“No, no, we never will.” 

Ekama told him, grinning. 

“Okay, I have to hear this story. Something happened.” 

Ogba said 

“Yes. Something did, and they never get tired of teasing poor Echi about it. Let that be a lesson to you. Never let either of them rescue you from anything, or they will hold it over your head for as long as they can.” 

Abali told Ogba, and Echi groaned deeply again, nodding in agreement with Abali. 

“We are very gracious people. I don’t know what you are talking about.” 

Uloma said, her shoulder moving in a show of humility. 

“But gracious as we are, we will never let you live it down. How else will we make fun of you?” 

Ekama asked Abali, who shook his head, as if to say, he could not argue with that. 

“So, what happened, my love? I am a willing audience; regale me with this tale.” 

Ogba justled Ekama in his arms as he spoke. 

“Fine.” 

Ekama giggled, retelling the story for the millionth time, Uloma joining in whenever she was needed. Echi did not stop groaning as they told the story of his embarrassment. 

“You know, it feels strange hearing Echi speak.” 

Ogba commented when Ekama and Uloma were finished with their story. 

“Oh, I thought it was just me.” 

Asiya said, coming to join them, hand in hand with Eligwe. Uloma felt her inside lurch at the sight of them, but she was unsure what to attribute the sinking feeling to: to him or to the darkness she could feel slowly spreading through her. 

“This feels like a gang-up. What have I done to deserve this from any of you?” 

Echi moaned; he flickered translucently in the sunlight. His colours were shades of embers that made him appear almost as golden as the day. 

“You know, now that you mention it, I hear it too.” 

Ekama said, blinking rapidly, as she made a soft breeze pull Echi toward her, and she patted him gently on his blazing head. He looked at her, pouting, his hands to his chest. 

“You break my heart, Kamame. My voice sounds weird to you? Really?” 

“Okay, not your voice exactly. It is strange whenever you speak. We are used to just hearing you without hearing you.” 

Ekama told him. He turned to Uloma, his eyes huge. 

“Do you also think that it is strange to hear my voice?” 

Uloma shook her head and mouthed, ‘Don’t listen to them, you are perfect.’ 

“Traitorous coward!” 

Asiya yelled, but Uloma ignored her, smiling sweetly at Echi. He winked at her, making her giggle. 

~ 

Music from gifted children serenaded the night. Oma looked on as the prince poised and held his bow in front of his face. She had heard all about his prowess and talent, she thought, and seeing him hold his bow better than she ever could, made her feel that the rumours had some truth to them. If the prince were infinitely better than she was, she would never get chosen for the palace, Oma despaired.  

The prince released the arrow, and it flew on a straight path, landing on the board it was intended to land on. He shot two more arrows in speedy succession that made Oma’s palm sweat. He was better at this than she was; she worried again as she fiddled with the head of her arrow. One of the prince’s arrows split the other in two, landing in the middle of the board; the other landed close to where the other two sat firmly. 

Oma felt her nerves grow until she felt sick to her stomach.  

“You don’t look well.” 

Her mother observed.  

“It is okay if you would rather sit this one out. There is always next year. Your sister did not compete in her first year of coming out either, and neither did Nkem, but look how proud they made us tonight.” 

She went on, feeling Oma’s forehead with the back of her palm. 

“I am fine, mother.” 

Oma muttered, but she did not feel fine. 

“No, you are not. Look how pale you are; you must be running a fever. Nnem, let's go home.” 

Oge urged, but Oma shook her head. She was not going to wait until next year to come out. 

“I don’t like this stubbornness you have inherited from your father’s family. It must always end with what you want.” 

Oge quarrelled, but Oma ignored her and took her place in the space the prince had vacated a moment before. Her hand slippery with sweat, she pulled an arrow from her satchel, balanced on her back, and placed it on the arrow rest. Drawing the arrow to her face level as she had done so many times, she took a deep, steadying breath. Oma angled her body so that she was facing the drawn bow; she stared down her target, a rectangular board held up on two bamboo poles. She pulled the strings towards her ears, releasing the arrow, and doubled over. She heard the crowd gasp in horror and some loud whispers about some parents pushing their children too far. But none of them mattered to her. Something else was begging for her attention and pulling on her mind. 

“She is in danger!” 

Oma said out loud with certainty. 

~ 

They arrived at the entrance of the village, still joking and teasing each other. Uloma felt her insides curl; the hair on her body stood on end, and Uloma silently swore never to journey with Abali again; she would hurt his feelings if she had to. 

“No delegates to meet us.” 

Abu said. 

“Whose heart did you break in this realm now?” 

He asked Eligwe playfully, but Eligwe ignored him, frowning. He was giving her her space, Uloma thought, but she could see that something was bothering him as well; something that had nothing to do with her. He was brooding more than usual. She could not be the only reason for his bad mood. He had worn that deep frown the moment he appeared on the hill and looked down on Agatha.  

Uloma felt the darkness again, firmer, more insistent this time as it rushed through her. 

~ 

Oma’s eyes snapped open, and she shut them again, concentrating on the feeling. The more she concentrated, the sicker she felt. Darkness wafted through her insides, threatening to engulf her. 

“It’s a trap!” 

She belted, the sound coming out of her reverberated, silencing every other noise and sound. 

~ 

Uloma stood in her grove; the girl, Ogechi’s daughter, was there, wearing a beautiful attire and carrying arrows in a patch attached to her back; she held a bow expertly in her hand. 

“You are the girl from before. I forgot you as soon as I woke up.” 

Oma said when she noticed Uloma. 

“I remember, you are not one for talking.” 

She continued, when Uloma did not reply immediately, Uloma blinked at her. 

“How are you doing this? You summoned me here just like Mother does. How are you even able to do that?” 

Oma narrowed her eyes like Asi would, frowning, she shrugged. The girl felt familiar, too familiar. Was she a Death as well? Uloma wondered. 

“I don’t know what you are talking about, but you are in danger. They are watching you. You are in danger. They are watching you. Go. They are watching.” 

~ 

“Uloma.” 

Abali was shaking her forcefully. 

“What happened?” 

Uloma asked. But she was talking to herself, and not to the worried set of eyes peering at her. 

“We were walking and teasing Echi one second, and the next, you had slumped to the ground.” 

Kama told her. Uloma looked around her, embarrassed, a fainting cosmic, how absurd, she thought, and paused... 

“Oma. Oma, Oge’s daughter.” 

Uloma said, hastily attempting to sit up. 

“What happened to her? What happened to you?” 

Abali whispered to her, but before he could say anything else, Asiya was by his side. 

“She came for you like mother does, didn’t she?” 

She asked, assisting Uloma to sit up more firmly. Uloma wondered warily how Asiya could tell, but she did not have the time to wonder. She could feel them now. 

“What is Asiya talking about?” 

Ogba asked; he looked as shaken as she felt. She had not meant to cause them worry, but they had more pressing concerns. 

“We don’t have time for this.” 

Uloma muttered. She gave her sister a pleading look when Asiya tried to press her about Oma. Uloma looked around at the varying degrees of cosmics peering at her. 

“We need to talk away from everyone.” 

She muttered under her breath to Asiya, who nodded and faced the crowd. 

“My sister needs her space vultures. The show is over; move along, away, and preferably far away from my sight.” 

Asiya shooed the crowd. 

“You could be nicer, but then I could also be asking a fish to walk on dry land.” 

Abali told her reproachfully. He pulled Uloma away from Asiya and held her in an embrace. 

“I am fine, and you have met fish that walk on land.” 

Uloma told him she did not have the time or luxury to be comforted or cuddled; they were all in danger. The presence in her head was louder now, more insistent, but she could not see herself and the other cosmics like she had the night those things attacked them. 

“What is this business with human you?” 

Asia asked her. 

“She is not me.” 

Uloma snapped. 

“But she was here. Not here, but in my mind.” 

“Oh, why?” 

Kama asked. Uloma shook her head. 

“I cannot believe I ignored it. I thought it was an aftereffect of vanishing with Abali.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

Eligwe and Asiya asked her at the same time. 

“Can you sense anything? Can you sense why we have yet to meet any people from Agatha?” 

She asked them and watched the look of horror, she felt growing inside her, on their faces. 

“She is right. It is odd.” 

Asi muttered. 

“How did we not notice until now?” 

Ekama’s eyes darted around. 

“Oge’s daughter, and why did she come to you?” 

Eligwe asked her; the look in his eyes told her that he was not surprised. He had known that something was wrong all along, she realised. 

“She came to warn me that we were walking into an ambush.” 

“She is human, is she not?” 

Eligwe asked her. He appeared deep in thought. 

“Hmm.” 

That was all he said, before she could respond. Something about his misgivings left Uloma weary. Uloma understood his apprehension. She was a threat for being a cosmic with powers she should not have. Oma’s power was growing, and she was still so young; it made her that much of a threat. 

“Who would be stupid enough to ambush us?” 

Asiya asked. 

“Not who, what. What have you as cosmics not been able to sense so far?” 

Eligwe spoke with very little emotion on his face, and Uloma could see that he was being careful to keep his face expressionless. He didn’t have to, because every one of them there had, in a manner, seen what those things were capable of.