15 Reappreance

Even though not a soul had seen the witches, it was felt throughout Ifa-ile that the presence of the witches fell on them.

All villager began shivering in their fears. Definitely, this was to them an indicator that the wave of the ocean would easily sink their boat if truly the witches dawned on them, their little hope for a some day salvation became buried six feet beneath the grounds.

This moment, that they would be delivered from the darkness flying round their village was what they prayed to Eledumare but even with this, the only changes that happened was no changes at all.

In the shrine had the witches appeared that all the priests could see them. Even so they appeared, they have appeared with their backs turned to the priests. Their head was in same way bowed to the grounds and also in a circle with them holding each other's hands.

Their contemptuous laughter filled the shrine in its loudest noise. This easily shaken the feet of the rest of the priest and the young priests who was now shrunk in their fears.

The only confident priest was the eldest priest who hadn't blink a fear but stared at the witches as they continued to explode in their maximum sneer.

In truth had no one ever beheld the closeness of the witches this much. The young priests and even the rest of the priests could not have been judged by their fears because in some reason, they were right to be afraid.

Definitely, who will see the continuous wonderful smile of a crocodile swimming down to the river shore and not picked a race? Even so that their fears were obvious, it would only be the reason the eldest priest shall pardon all of them.

If the eldest priest expected some words from the witches quickly enough was more reason he was disappointed as everything they said was their loudest and continuous laughs.

The words the eldest priest began to praise them with as the mighty black birds the instant he was tired of waiting had not had any effect on them or propelled them to talk than to cause them yet again into laughter.

Even at this moment as their dominating fear conquered their confidence all the young priests had not ignored to peep on the witches for the kind of garment they appeared in.

Definitely, all they heard about the witches and their kind of dressing were all rumors not until now when they could behold it with their own very eyes.

Their black tattered dirty garment and their long unkempt hair and even their crawls, an evidence of the animal that they were hadn't qualified them to be worshiped let alone placed them in same rank as a deity, was the thought of one of the young priest.

If the witches had heard his thought was a total surprise to him that they immediately pursed on their laughter and looked suddenly at him.

Even so, they looked at him, their face had not been visible to any of the priests. For all they saw was total darkness and some kind of smoke in a hoodie blowing out of the garment and traveling back into the garment as the hoodie covered the smoke from traveling away from their necks.

The priest who was already drunken in fright braced his legs on his head and ran double as faster than his leg would have carried him which caused the witches yet another maniacal laugh.

Sudden quietness became the dominance of the shrine as the rest of the witches stood firm with their hands strongly holding their waist.

The eldest witch appeared suddenly in the midst of the circle as the rest of the witches gently welcomed her in one accordance that they bowed their heads and bend to the kneels.

Slowly yet again, they rose up gently as they began to move closely and in one accordance by the name of the eldest priest, the witches called him together in a chorus.

This instant, the eldest priest paid more attention than ever before as his name had been called. He couldn't be surprised as the witches chorus to him and their voices echoed out throughout the shrine for him to kneel and bow to his god whom he shall now begin to worship.

Even if the eldest priest felt reluctant, he had done what they wanted and at the moment he fell on his knees with his head bowed, the rest of the priests, including the young priest had done the same which began another episode of laughter from the witches.

At this moment, the eldest witch rose yet to her feet, a compulsory silence conquer the whole shrine as she called the eldest priest by his name again and name of his mother.

The story of his fore fathers, the eldest witch began with as she talked faster than the sounds of a bee. That his lineage would have easily perished if not for their very own intervention only because one of his fore fathers just like this moment came to them and bowed his head pledging to them his own personal worship.

And this saved him from the mockery that should have eaten him to his early grave that he became functional in his duty and due respect had everyone given to him even the then King of the time almost lost his throne to him because he was scared of his powers.

That because of this very reason he obeyed their command, they shall rest on him and be his back bone all the days of his life. That no one shall confront him lest, they become one of the sands of the ground. That, no one shall look into his eyes without them seeing the burning coal of powers in it because no one can tackle the power of a tiger and see the sun rise of the next day.

But with a stringent warning shall all these come into manifestation if the priest seek their worship and a festival in their name the whole village will celebrate each full moon. That, aside the child sacrifice they were used to shall be another sacrifice of an adult female who hadn't known a man all the days of her life.

If the rest of the priest had thought that was all to which they had to say, they were surprised the moment a black statue had appeared suddenly by the side of the eldest priest to which he was compelled to carry in his hand.

According to the words of the eldest witch which they all listened to attentively, the black statue in the hands of the eldest priest shall now henceforth be the mouth piece to which they shall talk and must be treated as though it was them.

Every sun rise shall they bow to the statue and the rain of palm oil they must fall on it. If not done, shall it began with the priests their own very lives as no one of them shall remain a living soul on earth.

The eldest priest who remained with his head bowed was instructed to stand and walk gently to place the statue just before them in the middle of the two heads. As he intended to walk back to his previous position after he had done as told had he heard suddenly another warning not to turn his back on them as he should walk back with his back lest, he falls dead and another priest shall take his place.

Their garment must always be dark, was another command from the witches which condemned how the priests had looked. As according to them, the servant of the bird black must hearken to the symbol to which they stand. That in darkness they must appear for no one will be able to see the source of their powers for in darkness they shall be lost.

As if nothing had happened has the event suddenly became. The instant the witches were gone, the waves of the witches, and the uncontrollable breeze injecting with maximum endurance had stopped.

The eldest priest rose gently on his kneel and bowed to the statue which Immediately became their new deity. This instant had the rest of the priests, including the young priests bowed to the statue and calabash of palm oil, the eldest priest ordered one of the priest to get as he rained it on its head.

Osabiegun in his chamber who understood the reason behind the earth quake throughout the Ifa-ile couldn't lay his head for a sleep as he continued to walk helter skelter of his chamber.

Osukapo, who remained with him with will not stop to pacify him with words just for him to have a rest and that the eldest priest was capable enough to handle the encounter he must had with the witches.

Oranmiyan in his chamber although understood the predicament of Ifa-ile had not seemed to be bothered about it as Okiki-osupa remained the thought that bothered his mind. Her gentle beautiful face that kept on revealing itself to him over and over again.

The imbalance that struck the palace shaken at once and the continuous screeching laughter of the witches which called Osabiegun into the palace by his name and that of his mother placed everyone under the garment of fear.