CHAPTER TWO

Two cloaked figures were discussing in hushed tones inside the hall of the divination temple.

"I want that girl and that witch dead.

I want them both dead. You promised to take care of it.

They will ruin everything for us if you let them live." The shorter more agitated figure was speaking in an increasingly shrill voice, pacing the narrow hall and wringing her hands together in frustration.

"Lower your voice woman." The deep scratchy voice of the taller figure came in low, menacing tones which gave no room for further argument.

"I intend to keep that promise, but you must be patient. Leave this temple at once and make sure we are never seen together again or I might have to kill even more...people." He looked straight into her eyes, with a slight pause before the last word.

Hearing that, the shorter figure quickly turned around with a low huff of annoyance. She left the temple through the same secret passage she came in through. As she made her way back to her hut, she could not stop thinking about the last words she had just heard.

I might have to kill even more people.

She shuddered a bit as she considered the veiled threat issued by the man she had come to know as the drummer.

She knew, without having to be told, that the threat was directed at her and that she would have to tread carefully from now on.

A little while after she left the temple, the other cloaked figure who had previously been standing perfectly still, stroked his hand over the curved, jagged scar on his left cheek, his plans were coming along nicely he thought to himself.

Even the mighty goddess Ani could not stop him now.

Suddenly he shook his head as if he wanted to clear it.

Ani?

What did the goddess have to do with anything?

Lately, he had been having strange thoughts. Thoughts that were not his.

Maybe this was the cost of his power.

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Isinne stood in Ama, the large, circular combat arena with a lake right in its middle. She faced the crowd of onlookers with the wind blowing through her curly hair, she was scanning them for any sign of her mother. As she looked, she adjusted the bodice of her outfit to make sure it was securely in place. The separate pieces of soft dark brown leather which moulded to her lean figure left most of her midriff bare. One strip wound across her chest and the other across her hips short enough to facilitate easy movement. She had carefully tied linen strips underneath the skirt for the sake of modesty.

She checked her weapons, her identically curved swords lay crossed against her back, and the yield amulet which had been given to all who would participate in Ogu lay warm against her chest. A row of six needle-like daggers lay strapped to both her thighs in identical leather bands just within reach of her fingers. Isinne did not carry a shield, to avoid the extra weight, but she wore gloves made from hard leather with cut-outs for her fingers.

She continued to look around the arena, her honey-brown eyes squinting against the sun until she saw her mother seated on the second row with her six serving maidens around her. Finally making eye contact with her mother, Isinne touched her open palm to her forehead.

"K'aa." She mouthed.

She saw her mother reciprocate the gesture just as her opponents entered the arena and the crowd began to cheer.

Isinne focused on assessing each of her opponents for possible weaknesses like Papa and the masters had taught her to do. She steadfastly refused to deal with the pain and shock of Papa's death until after the combat.

She would not lose focus now.

After she had scanned her opponents and made mental notes, Isinne tried to assess the only other girl in the arena, the Vodun, for a possible partnership.

Her father had told her that Vodun people were straight-forward and she knew the best chance they had of defeating the monsters they would fight in this stage of Ogu was in pairing themselves up. Her half-brothers had paired up already. Nthusi stood with Taharaq, Jesan with Taofiq. They were testing their weapons and flexing their arms and legs in preparation for battle.

Isinne approached the other girl, taking her appearance in along the way.

Nazora had on a short, white, unadorned linen gown clinched at her waist with a short brown rope, shockingly-white hair which was a sharp contrast to her dark skin was in a single braid down her back stopping just after her shoulder blades, she had a jewelled dagger in each hand and if the slight bulges on her thighs were any indication she had a few more hidden under her dress.

The Vodun girl, who was not much taller than Isinne, seemed to have a perpetual crease between her dark eyebrows as if she was constantly thinking hard about something. Once Isinne was about an arm's length away from the girl who was silently watching her approach, she spoke.

"I would like to be your partner for this stage Vodun."

"My name is Nazora, not Vodun, use it or get lost."

Nazora's expressive black eyes flashed in a defiant challenge.

Isinne gave her a disarming smile in response. On closer inspection, she noticed that Nazora had tiny freckles right beneath her eyes and that her ebony skin was so smooth, it seemed to glow under the morning sun.

"I am sorry Nazora, I would like to be your partner for this stage I hope you do not mind." She said.

"Alright then." Nazora came closer to Isinne, close enough that Isinne could make out her reflection in the girl's dark eyes.

"How do I know you will not stab me once my back is turned?"

Nazora had her right eyebrow raised as she asked her question.

"Rest assured, I intend to be your chief and I will not have it said that I stabbed my subject in the back. If being stabbed by me frightens you then it is your stomach that should worry you. I would not dishonour my name by resorting to underhand tactics." After calmly saying this, Isinne stretched her right hand out with the open palm facing upwards.

Nazora slapped it lightly after a slight pause.

"Your humility astonishes me...partner," she said with a wry half-smile.

Isinne and Nazora now stood back to back weapons drawn and ready.

The arena had suddenly gotten quieter.

The air was ripe with expectancy as eight green-robed priests holding long staffs began to surround the arena. Once the priests were equidistant from each other they stopped moving and faced the arena, then as if on cue, they each raised their staffs and began to chant in deep soothing tones. A thin, crackling, transparent shield began to rise from the circular half walls surrounding the arena until it effectively formed a sealed dome.

The only two entrances to the arena were sealed and manned by red-robed priests.

"Where are the monsters?

It is tradition to bring in the monsters before sealing the gates. The priests have brought nothing in." Isinne said without turning her head backwards to look at Nazora who was crouched behind her in an attack stance.

It was clear that the other combatants were as confused as Isinne was because she could hear them echo similar questions.

"They did not have to, I think the monsters are within the arena already," Nazora replied her in a hushed whisper.

The previously still surface of the lake at the centre of the arena suddenly began to show bubbles.

Something was coming out.