The Combat

"Welcome back, my Lord" I have prepared your royal chamber. The meeting of the old gods will begin soon, will you like anything else, my Lord... my Lord... my Lord...

"Sir, will you like me to assist you with anything else your Highness" asked Asake.

"No, I'm good. Thanks for your service" Ogun replied her.

"The world is a beautiful place, do not give up on them yet, they will still return to worship the old gods, one day. do not lose hope"

Ogun heard Asake voice ringing in his ears.

Ogun woke up, his eyes still feeling dizzy from the ruins of the Temple that collapsed on him. Little by little, the fragments of what transpired earlier dawn on him. With anger, He pulled the ruins on him off, "I'm coming for you Demon" he said.

He was determined to exact vengeance on the demon who attacked him and brought down his Temple, more importantly, for taking Asake soul away to Hell.

Ogun sat on the ruins of his Temple, he thought deep within himself, within all this anger burning within him, he had no idea how to get to the gates of Hell, for he knew not the sacred paths to tread to Hells Gate.

The Ancient Dark Kingdom of Hell had been at a secret location no supernatural being knew about. Perhaps that's how God wanted it and created it, no soul should be able to travel down the sacred paths to Hell without being dead.

Ogun dusted his arms, he knew what must be done. He must seek the Knowing ones, the Ancient Elders as old as life itself should be able to point him down the sacred paths to Hell.

The knowing ones were special beings created before the formation of life itself, no one knew their origin or how old they were. They know everything, see everything and everyone. Legends has had it over the ages that even though the knowing ones knew everything, they have had a track record of not offering their help to anyone, especially mortals, irregardless of the person's status or title. Powerful Men and Kings have tried to reach for knowledge more powerful than their minds could fathom from the knowing ones and they have all failed, some not ever returning from the journey, others got back and became vagabond on the streets. Stories tell of a powerful King who embarked on a journey to the Temple of the knowing ones in seek of a knowledge to conquer the world. Driven by Greed and lust for power, he traveled down the journey, ages had past and no one had seen him or heard of him, some said he never made it, others believe the knowing ones used him as sacrifice.

Moreover, for ages now, no one has known where the knowing ones are or even if they exist anymore in this world.

Ogun got up, he knew where they are, they are at the Secret Temple of the Elders, a temple whose location was hidden from any mortal view. He had been there before, back when he was still a boy, he had sojourned through the lands of the Elders. Now he must seek them out if he could have a chance at getting to Hell.

Ogun lifted up his feet, he was floating in the air, he looked at the ruins of his Temple, he shouted out so loud that the Heavens was shaken, his voice echoed through the Heavens and it began to rain thunderstorm all over the world.

"What is it" asked King Oranmiyan

"The gods are angry with us" said the palace Priest. We have angered the gods, their wrath are upon us all.

" Quiet" ordered the King.

"if the gods or any devil dared enter my kingdom, it shall be their lasts" said the great King.

Ogun got to the Ancient Temple of the Elders, it was how he remembered it, nothing has changed. He could remember standing where he stood, looking around at the world, one could see the whole world from the balcony of the Temple, it was a view Ogun loved when he was younger and visited the place.

He walked right in, just as he suspected, the Knowing ones had been expecting him, of course they knew everything. He walked right in, he saw them, four old men seating on the High Chairs facing the sun.

"welcome, Ogun the god of iron" said one of them.

" It seems the Ages hasn't been fair on you, my child" said another.

"Why are you here" said the one at the middle of the High Chair.

Of course they knew why he was there, they just needed him to say it.

"I need your help" said Ogun.

a cough, and then a laugh follows

"Do I hear him right, now he needs our help" said one of the Elders.

Ogun had despised the knowing ones the last time he was there, he had promised to come back and end their lives should the opportunity presents itself, for what they did to him.

"We have to help him" said the female among them,

"He's a child of the Elder, a son of the knowing ones"

"Enough" said the one at the middle.

We will help him, the middle man said, simply because our blood runs in his veins, he is after all one of our own child. But tradition is tradition, you have to give something for a knowledge.

A sacrifice for a knowledge you seek.

"what do you want" Ogun asked,

"Your life, in a combat to death"

It is the only way to see that which you seek.

Ogun knew he had no choice, this is one of the reasons he detested the Knowing ones, nothing is ever free with them.

"What is it" said King Oranmiyan

"sir, the thunderstorms getting more powerful and violent, and sir, uhm uhm Ravens are gathering at the center of the sky"

"What in the gods is this"

" sorcery" one of the city's ministers cried out before renting his costly clothes.

"something is coming out of the thunderstorms sir"

A Raven flew out of the thunderstorms, head straight into the palace, fell down and died at the feet of the King, while crows are now gathering up over the entire City.

"Hmm, the crows are gathering up for a feast," said the priest.

" No one is dead yet" said the Right Chief.

"no, not yet, but soon blood shall flow through the entire City" answered the Palace priest.

" A bird dead at the feet of His Majesty"

" It is said, that death always comes before him" said the palace Priest.

" who" asked the Great King.

shivering and finding it hard to open his mouth, the palace Priest muttered his name "Sango". Immediately it rained thunderstrike at the palace, tearing anything it could tear up.

"You don't have to do this" said one of the knowing ones to Ogun.

" I have to"

Ogun entered the arena, to his greatest surprise, the arena was filled up with different crowds of people and unimaginable creature. Beings from different spheres and world's have gathered at the arena.

So this is how these people have fun around here, Ogun thought to himself.

He entered the arena, the door was shut behind him.

Ogun heard clanging of irons, another door opposite him was opened. Immediately, the crowd bursted into frenzy.

A man walked out of the other door.

"This must be their champion" Ogun muttered to himself.

"I am Azazel, and I shall be the last being you saw before you die" the man said to Ogun.

" Let the battle begin" said a voice.

The whole crowd got up in anticipation.

Azazel ran towards Ogun with his double sword on both hands, he strike with his right sword, Ogun dodged to the left, he strike again with his left sword and Ogun dodge to the right and delivered a powerful kick to Azazel chest.

Azazel fell down and immediately got back up, he dashed towards Ogun again, but this time, Ogun slide down and hit him from below with a hammer he summoned out.

Azazel fell to the ground bleeding, Azazel then brought out his wings, the tip of his wings sharper than swords, he set flight towards Ogun, Ogun ran and jumped up, Ogun landed at Azazel back, grabbing both his wings and with his brute strength, Ogun began tearing Azazel wings apart, he cried out and fell to the ground bleeding furiously.

He stood no chance against the Yoruba god of war.

"is this your champion" Ogun cried out.

"What a pity" said one of the knowing ones.

"I knew he can't be stopped, our blood runs in his veins" said the female knowing ones.

"He should soon take his place among us as an Elder god" muttered another.

Ogun felt cold shivers running down his spines, he could feel the space empty around him, then everything went blank, and he saw it, the sacred path to Hell.

"What is happening" shouted the Right Chief.

more thunderstorms and now they are getting louder and more powerful.

"Sir, something is coming out. sir..." shouted the Palace priest.

The whole city had taken shelter from the destructive thunderstorms.

Suddenly, the thunderstorms stopped, and a man was standing at the center of the city, eyes red, lightning in his hands, his feet floating on the air, his hairs full of lightning.

He arrived, Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder and fire.