14 |Summoning Gone Wrong I

"Oni! Oni! Oni!? Oni!!?"

Ilo shouted at the top of her lungs, stomping straight to a particular hut a few meters away.

Sighting the door of the hut left open, her face scrunched into a deep scowl.

"Oni, you pig", she snarled, quickening her pace.

She swung the door open, darting her eyes at all corners of the living room. The room had only a centre mat, two long wooden seats and a study table and chair in one corner.

She then snapped her eyes at the kitchen door — A cling sound echoed from the other side.

"Got you", she furrowed her brows, striding up to the door and immediately flinging it open.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!"

The six-year-old boy seated on the floor at the far end of the kitchen immediately snapped his eyes at her.

He froze.

Having a pot of soup placed between his legs and a large chunk of goat meat locked in his jaws, his eyes slowly widened.

Ilo frowned. "You little—!" She rushed up to him — he quickly bolted off the ground.

"Oh, not you do!" She seized him by the back of his neck, pulling him back and quickly grasping his ear.

He shrieked in pain, stomping his feet.

"I knew it! I knew you'd be here as always!" She smacked the back of his head lightly but repeatedly, "I knew in perilous times you will be somewhere eating! You are always eating! With your parents looking for you, you are here stealing meat from the pot!"

The boy, Oni, hopped from one foot to the other, struggling to run in a circle as the hits on his head got more regular and harder.

"You! Like! Food! Too! Much!" Ilo twisted his ear.

Oni screamed, having his voice muffled by the fat piece in his mouth he refused to let go of. Ilo quickly grabbed the part of the meat that hung out of his mouth.

"Let go!" She pulled.

Oni shook his head, still struggling to chew the meat without releasing it.

"Let go! Let! Go!" Ilo pulled harder, having Oni groan as he resisted.

"I said, let go!" She knocked his head hard, finally getting him to let go — he plummeted to his bottom with a loud grunt.

Ilo snapped her eyes at him, panting, "What is wrong with you!?"

"I was hungry!" Oni shouted.

"You ate three plates less than an hour ago!"

"That was in the past! I am hungry now!" He pouted.

Ilo turned to the side, placing the piece of meat on a plate before turning back at him. "Because of you, we are already late for the ritual! Your parents have been looking for you!" Ilo stepped forward, grabbing his arm.

Oni quickly turned back to the pot of soup. "No, wait! Let me take one more!"

"Shut up! Let's go!"

"No!" Oni launched forward to try and grab the entire pot. Ilo had to drag him over the floor, having him consistently fight to escape in hopes to get to the love of his life.

Ilo grunted, pulling him hard with both hands as he became even heavier to drag.

"U- Uhg! Let's go!"

"No!... The food!"

"Shut up!"

"My food! I. Need. To. Get. To. Food!" He waved his hands vigorously whilst pulling back.

Ilo grinded her teeth, "Only the Ancestors know what Mama Chyma ate before giving birth to a glutton like you!"

She quickly swept him off his feet, throwing his small body over her shoulder as they briskly strode out of the house.

Oni stretched forward, "NOO! FOOD!"

Ilo rushed on her heel, racing straight for the village square.

On reaching the village centre, she then caught sight of Oni's worried parents in search of the son.

She then waved her hand in the air. "Mama and Papa Oni!"

Mama Chyma and her husband snapped their heads in the direction of her voice. Their brows quirked at the sight of their son on her shoulder.

They rushed forward.

Oni's father was then first to ask, "Where did you find him!?"

Ilo pulled Oni off her shoulder to place him carefully on the ground. Oni stood peaceful with a gloomy expression with his arms crossed over his chest.

Ilo then responded, "He was in your house eating".

"You are always eating, Oni!" Mama Chyma frowned.

Oni pouted. "But I was hungry..."

"Is there a time you are never hungry!" His father tsked.

Oni looked down, clutching his fists.

His parents then looked back at Ilo. "Thank you, Ilo, for finding him for us", Mama Chyma smiled.

"Yes, thank you!"

"No need to thank me, Mama and Papa Oni. It's okay", she bowed subtly.

"Let me take him and find our spot in the crowd. Meet me when you are ready, dear", Papa Oni said, pecking his wife on the temple before taking Oni by the hand and motioning him forward.

"Papa, but I am still hungry!" Oni looked up.

"Quiet! You will soon eat me one day", Papa Oni hissed, pulling him faster as they walked away from the women.

Ilo then looked up and into the village square, seeing the growing crowd of people; women, men and children, circling around the wooden stage in middle of the square.

"Have they finished?" Ilo asked.

Mama Chyma shook her head. "Not yet. Kamyla told us to be patient. Baba Elawo and the royal family will be coming for the ritual soon with Danji".

"Woah! The royal family!? I can't remember the last time I ever saw them with my own two eyes".

Chyma nodded. "Hm. Same here. This ritual seems very important because it must be related to the werehyenas and Evil Forest situation".

"I hope it is a success". Ilo stood on her toes, straining in an attempt to look above the heads of those surrounding the stage.

She then sighted the two warriors on the stage; Ajefe and Kamyla — with Kamyla standing by the edge as she rubbed the head of her dear tiger pet — with Rhou seeming healed and stronger from his injuries the previous night.

Meanwhile, laying on the stage were the four Arabian captives with ropes tied around their bodies and sacks over their heads. They seemed unconscious, being laid around the large heap of dry wood prepared as a fireplace.

Ilo furrowed her brows, looking back at Chyma. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that they are going to be using human sacrifices? We have never done that before".

Chyma nodded, "I was also surprised as well. But I think it is needed to strengthen the ritual to be strong enough to summon a powerful warrior like Aku Makil".

Ilo hmmed in agreement, looking back at the stage. "At least I am glad they got to use those slave traders for the sacrifices. At least their death will be well deserved and useful to us".

"True. And also, I feel it is such an honour such a legendary ritual like this, will be done here in our little village".

"I can't believe we get to witness it with our own eyes!" Ilo smiled.

"And the royal family is coming to our vill—"

The clopping sounds of horseshoes immediately stole the attention of the two women as well as the crowd's.

Approaching their village square were the four royal carriages being pulled by white spotless horses as a symbol of majesties.

The royal carriages were uniquely made with black painted wood, having the top covered with the finest fur coat of white lions and golden ornaments over it.

With the carriages pulling closer, the people of Diowo stepped back to let the four carriages finally pull to a halt.

With Danji as the rider of the first carriage, he then stepped down, turning around to walk up to the door and pull it open.

The people immediately went low on the ground.

Emperor Ado slowly stepped out, having the Chief Priest, his subordinate and then the Royal Adviser, follow after.

"Ihiwea!" The people recited.

They waved their hands in response to their greetings, smiling as they made their way to the set of thrones prepared for them at the front of the crowd, closest to the stage.

The other coachmen then opened their doors. The second carriage had the five Elders step out, whilst the third had the three Empresses, all trailing to their prepared seats up front by the Emperor.

"Ihiwea!" The people greeted once more.

Finally, the last carriage door pulled open as none other than the prince, the Emperor's adult first-child, step out.

Dressed not only in the exotic-looking robe attire similar to the Emperor, there was a smaller crown set on his head and symbolic rare beads and gems worn on his neck and wrists as he paced in the direction of his parents.

Next were then the two princesses.

With the stunning women looking between the ages of nineteen and sixteen, they proceeded forward; and just like the Empresses' glamorous appearance, they were lavished with spackling ornaments of precision beads, gems and stones.

They all walked up to sit behind the Supreme Heads at the front of the crowd.

The people finally got up from the ground, dusting their hands as they all turned to face the stage as well.

Baba Elawo and Danji then walked up to the stage, joining the other two that stood next to the sacrificial goats.

Danji handed Baba Elawo a large calabash full of the prepared concoction for the ritual.

"You three can step back now", Baba said to the warriors.

They bowed, turning around to step down from the stage and stand next to the seated royalties.

With all eyes locked attentively on Baba Elawo, he turned around to begin the ritual.

Reciting a few opening incantations, Elawo then placed the calabash at the centre of the stage, pulling out a pouch filled with a special ground of herds and shell pieces.

He then lowered himself, sprinkling the powder on the floor and slowly drawing a circle around the sacrifices and fireplace.

Completely the circle, Elawo pulled out chalk and drew a few ancient symbols within the circle.

Still mumbling something underneath his breath, Baba Elawo picked up the calabash and began walking around the circle, gently pouring the liquid content on the wood and sacrifices.

He shut his eyes, whispering incantations as he continued in that manner until the calabash was emptied.

He then placed the calabash aside, turning to the side to walk up and pick a fire torch hung on the pillar of the stage.

He strode forward and placed the flame on the pile of dry wood; It didn't take too long for the fire to spread, quickly consuming the pile.

He then turned to the crowd, raising his arms apart. "People of Sah'Jangi! Let us lower our heads and offer our prayers to the Ancestors, committing the success of this Ritual in their hands".

The people held their hands together, lowering their heads in prayers.

With the fire burning behind Elawo, he then shut his eyes whilst reciting ancient incantations — the fire brewed brighter.

With the wild flames growing to consume the bodies of the sacrifices, its flame reached the brim of the dust circle, unable to leave the mark around it.

The people finally looked up, watching the flames flicker bright orange. The fire suddenly busted — they gasped in fright.

Baba Elawo turned around.

Having the inferno combust uncontrollably, it broke free from the sacred circle. Elawo stepped back.

The fire blasted brighter, suddenly changing from orange to deep blue.

Elawo furrowed his brows. "That's not right..."

The blue flame sparked loudly, causing the people to flinch — it suddenly darkened, busting out of the circle and engulfing the two wooden pillars next to it.

Subtly panic and confusion crept into the hearts of the audience.

"What's happening?"

"Is this supposed to happen?"

"What is that?"

"Is something wrong?"

Watching the unnatural dark blue fire burn moments longers — an even darker figure suddenly appeared within the flames.

All eyes narrowed.

The flames slowly began to degenerate, shrinking inward and swirling around the figure in the centre.

The flames suddenly extinguished as a hard black wave extruded from the stage, spreading across the whole village — The people shielded their faces in reflex.

They then lowered their hands to slowly look back up.

All eyes widened.

A pin-drop silence consumed the entire atmosphere, with every face stuck in a bewildered grimace of absolute shock.

Oni blinked twice, raising his hand to pull the side of his father's clothes. "Papa?"

"Hm?" Papa Oni was too astonished to look at his son as his jaws were hung open.

Oni wiped his eyes, shaking his head vigorously to ensure his sight wasn't deceiving him as he looked back up.

"Is it just me, Papa? Or did the warrior come out half-done?..."

Everyone remained frozen.