Chapter 17

Kuye sat alone in his hut, the embers of the fire casting eerie shadows on the walls. He couldn't shake off the unease that had been growing inside him since the day Loye had left for his journey. He had known his son was different from a young age, but he had never anticipated that he would have to make such a difficult decision. Kuye had spent the day in his hut, lost in thought, his mind constantly returning to the meeting that had taken place just a few days ago.

Since the Loye had told about the dream he had and his decision to train as a Mage Warrior, Kuye had been having troubled thoughts and sleep. Because of the severity of the matter, he had summoned all the clan's elders to discuss how to go about such a momentous matter. Finally, the day of the meeting had arrived. Kuye sent runners to summon all the clan elders, he had wrestled with his thoughts on how much to reveal and whether or not to plead for support for Loye or leave the decision to the collective wisdom of the clan elders. After being unable to make a decision despite a long time pondering the matter, he decides to proceed to the meeting hut.

As Kuye entered the meeting hut, he sees only Kito sitting with his divination board. Shortly after, they were joined by several other elders of the clan. There was Okon, the village blacksmith, renowned for his skill with metals; Oto, the clan's chief hunter, feared by all the game in the surrounding forests; and Iya, the oldest woman in the village, who was said to have been alive before any living member of the clan was born. When all the elders were seated, Gani, the commander of the clan's warriors, a tall and wiry man, spoke up with a mildly challenging tone.

"Kuye, why have we been summoned so suddenly? It is not the full moon, nor is it any occasion of our sacred meeting days. What is the matter that cannot wait?"

Kuye looked at Gani, his face grave. "The matter at hand is of the utmost importance," he said. "And it concerns my son Loye."

Kuye looked around at the elders gathered. "As you know, my son Loye has set out on a journey, and the purpose of that journey is the topic we must address." Kuye continued

The room fell silent as the weight of Kuye's revelation sank in. The elders at this time had believed that Loye's travelling from the village was merely a journey many young embarked on when they were on the cusp of manhood. Realizing that the situation had much more gravity that they had initially believed, exchanged glances, their faces full of concern and apprehension. After all, any impromptu meeting that involved both the clan chief and Kito at the same time must be a grave one indeed.

At this point, Kito spoke softly, "We must proceed with caution. If the matter you wish to reveal is one of such great importance, we must beware the words released into winds"

Hearing this, Kuye nods in agreement and looks at Kito saying, "You speak true diviner, therefore, before I reveal the true purpose of this meeting, I must enjoin all present to swear an oath of secrecy, that whatever is discussed, agreed or disagreed upon today shall be revealed to no one outside this place, until such time as passed that it no longer needs be kept a secret."

Having said this, Kuye looks to each elder who in turn gave a slight nod once they met eyes with their clan chief. Having received that cooperation of all the elders present, Kuye turns to the diviner and say, "Kito, I ask you to oversee this oath."

Kito nodded and stood up, his eyes closed as he began to chant softly in the ancient language of the gods. He then takes out a wooden gourd filled with some form of liquid and passed it around to all the elders, asking them to take a drink and swear not to reveal the contents of the meeting to any soul, be it human, spirit or animal. The other elders followed suit, their faces solemn as they repeated after Kito.

Kito added, "Before we proceed, I must remind everyone of the oath we have taken to keep the secrets of our clan. We are in the presence of the Gods, and we must uphold our honor."

With the oaths taken, Kuye starts to address the elders on the reason for calling the gathering. "I cannot stress enough the seriousness of this matter. Loye's journey is not a simple one, and it involves a danger that threatens not only our clan but also our entire world. I ask that you all listen with open minds and hearts."