Into the Unknown

Volume I: Children of the Earth

Chapter 8: Into the Unknown

The early morning mist clung to the earth like a shroud as Alozie and Olaedo left the village behind. Their footsteps were muffled by the damp ground, the silence of the morning broken only by the occasional call of birds in the trees. Alozie's heart was heavy, his mind racing with thoughts of the prophecy, the Oracle's warnings, and the shadowy forces that seemed to be closing in around him.

He had never felt so alone.

Olaedo walked beside him, her sharp eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger. Though she hadn't voiced it, Alozie could sense her unease. They were stepping into the unknown—leaving behind the relative safety of Umudike and venturing into lands ruled by the spirits, lands that few dared to travel.

But it was the only way. If they were to find the truth, if Alozie was to understand his role in the prophecy, he had to keep moving forward. He had to reach the mountains.

The mountains. The words echoed in his mind like a distant call. The Oracle had spoken of a source, a place where the spirits were strongest, where the prophecy had first been spoken. It was said that those who sought wisdom from the spirits would find their answers in the mountains. But it was also a place of great danger, where the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the spirits were thin.

Alozie swallowed hard, pushing down the knot of fear that had lodged itself in his throat. He couldn't afford to be afraid. Not now.

"Do you think we're being followed?" Olaedo asked suddenly, her voice low but tense.

Alozie glanced over at her, frowning. "I haven't seen anyone. Have you?"

She shook her head. "No. But that doesn't mean no one is watching. The Oracle said there are those who want to control the prophecy. I wouldn't be surprised if they were already tracking us."

Alozie felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't considered that possibility, but now that Olaedo mentioned it, it made sense. If Udochukwu or the king were desperate to control the prophecy, they might send someone to watch him, perhaps even capture him.

"We'll need to be careful," he said, his voice tightening. "We can't let them catch us off guard."

Olaedo nodded, her hand moving instinctively to the hilt of the dagger at her waist. "I'll keep watch tonight. We can take turns sleeping—one of us always on guard."

Alozie glanced at her with gratitude. "Thank you."

As they continued on, the forest began to change around them. The trees grew taller, their trunks thick and ancient, their branches twisting overhead like the arms of spirits. The air grew cooler, and the sounds of the forest seemed to fade into the background, replaced by an eerie stillness.

Olaedo came to a sudden stop, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the path ahead. "Do you hear that?"

Alozie strained to listen, his breath catching in his throat. At first, he heard nothing. But then, faintly, a rustling sound reached his ears—something moving through the underbrush, too soft to be an animal.

"We're not alone," Olaedo whispered, her hand tightening around her dagger.

Alozie's heart began to race, his body tensing. "Should we hide?"

Olaedo shook her head. "No time. Whatever it is, it's already too close."

The rustling grew louder, closer. Alozie's pulse pounded in his ears as he scanned the trees, searching for any sign of movement. His hand instinctively went to the small knife he kept at his side, though he knew it would be little help if they were attacked.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the trees.

Alozie's breath caught in his throat. It was a man, his dark skin covered in strange markings, his eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. He was tall, his body lean and muscular, and there was something otherworldly about the way he moved—like a shadow come to life.

Olaedo stepped forward, placing herself between Alozie and the stranger, her dagger at the ready. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the tension in her stance.

The man tilted his head slightly, his glowing eyes fixed on them. "I am a guardian of the spirits," he said, his voice low and resonant. "I have been sent to watch over you."

Alozie frowned, his mind racing. "Watch over us? Why?"

The man's gaze shifted to Alozie, his expression unreadable. "The spirits have taken an interest in you, child of the earth. They have sent me to ensure that you reach the mountains safely."

Alozie's heart skipped a beat. The spirits had sent him? Did that mean the spirits were guiding him, watching over him as he walked this path? But why? What did they want from him?

"I don't trust you," Olaedo said sharply, her eyes narrowing. "If the spirits sent you, why didn't the Oracle mention you?"

The man's expression remained calm, though there was something unsettling in his gaze. "The Oracle speaks only of what is necessary. I am not here to harm you. I am here to guide you."

Olaedo didn't lower her dagger, her suspicion evident in the way she held herself. "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

The man's eyes flickered with a strange light. "You do not. But you have no choice. The path ahead is dangerous, and without my guidance, you will not survive."

Alozie hesitated, his mind torn. The man's words rang with truth, but there was something about him that made Alozie uneasy—something in the way he spoke, the way he moved. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this stranger than he was letting on.

"We'll follow," Alozie said finally, his voice quiet but firm. "But if you betray us, you'll regret it."

The man smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You have my word, child of the earth. I will not betray you."

Eze Nnobi's Frustration

Back at the palace, Eze Nnobi sat in his chamber, his hands gripping the arms of his throne as frustration simmered just below the surface. Udochukwu stood before him, his expression calm and calculating as always, though there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"The child has left the village," Udochukwu said, his voice measured. "They are heading north, toward the mountains."

The king's jaw tightened. "You knew about this, and you didn't stop them?"

Udochukwu inclined his head slightly. "It is better this way, Your Majesty. Let the boy think he is in control. Let him believe he is fulfilling the prophecy. When the time comes, we will strike."

Nnobi's fists clenched. "And what if he reaches the mountains before we do? What if the spirits grant him the power the prophecy speaks of?"

Udochukwu's smile was cold. "The spirits are fickle, Your Majesty. They may speak of destiny, but destiny is easily manipulated. If we reach the boy before he understands his true power, we can turn him to our side."

The king frowned, his brow furrowed with doubt. "And if he resists?"

"Then we eliminate him," Udochukwu replied, his voice flat and emotionless. "There is always another way to control the prophecy. The boy is a tool, nothing more."

Nnobi stared at him, his mind racing. Udochukwu's words were logical, but they filled him with unease. There was something about the prophecy—something powerful and dangerous—that made him hesitate to act too rashly.

But time was running out. The people were growing restless, and if the child of the earth was not found soon, the kingdom could spiral into chaos.

"Very well," the king said finally, his voice tight with tension. "Send word to the guards. We will follow the boy to the mountains. If he resists, we will do what must be done."

Udochukwu bowed slightly, though the glint of triumph in his eyes did not escape the king's notice. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

The Guardian's Test

Alozie and Olaedo followed the mysterious guardian deeper into the forest, the trees growing thicker and the air cooler as they climbed higher into the foothills of the mountains. The man moved with an unnatural grace, his steps silent and sure, as though he knew every twist and turn of the path by heart.

But the further they went, the more Alozie's unease grew. Something about the guardian didn't sit right with him—something in the way he spoke, the way he watched them when he thought they weren't looking. It was as if he was waiting for something, biding his time.

They reached a clearing at the edge of a steep cliff, the mountains looming ahead of them, their peaks shrouded in mist. The air was cold and thin, and Alozie felt a strange sense of foreboding as they stood at the edge of the world.

"This is where your journey truly begins," the guardian said, his voice low and resonant. "The mountains are not just a place—they are a test. The spirits will judge your worth, child of the earth. If you are found wanting, you will not survive."

Alozie swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. "And if I pass the test?"

The guardian's eyes glowed faintly. "Then you will have the power to shape your own destiny."