By mid-morning, after a heartfelt farewell ceremony and many blessings, we finally depart Ntanda. Hugs, clasped hands, and soft words of gratitude pass between us. The chief elder presses a woven bag of provisions into my arms and wishes us safe travels. Though I have been stripped of extraordinary power, I stand straighter now, buoyed by a quiet confidence and the blessings of this community.
Nyota is at my side, her pack slung over one shoulder. She has chosen to accompany me part of the way, at least until I reach the main road north. Together, we set out along a red-earth footpath that winds through the tall grasses.
The day grows warm and still. Cicadas buzz in the brush, and the air carries a faint scent of charred wood from yesterday's fires. We pass remnants of the battle—here a patch of scorched ground, there a toppled tree—but nature is already healing. Green shoots poke through blackened soil, and bright-yellow weaver birds chatter in an acacia that lost a branch. Life goes on.
Around midday, we reach a lone baobab tree standing sentinel at a bend in the path. Its immense trunk casts a broad circle of shade, a welcome respite from the climbing heat. We decide to rest there for a short while and take water.
I settle my back against the baobab's smooth, ancient bark. A gentle breeze stirs the leaves above. I rest my palm on the warm trunk and feel a comforting presence, reminding me of my dream the night before.
Nyota asks softly if I dreamed. I tell her yes, that I saw my Nana and Elder Kofi among the stars. Her eyes shine as she hears this. "Your journey is blessed," she says.
"Maybe," I reply, looking up through the baobab's branches. "But I do feel them with me now. I feel connected."
Eventually, we hoist our packs and resume our trek.
By dusk, we arrive at a dusty junction where a single paved road cuts across the land. This is the highway that leads toward larger towns and eventually the distant coast. A battered road sign points south and north.
This is where Nyota will turn back. Her path lies south, returning to her people now that our mission is done. We linger in the sunset glow, reluctant to part.
Nyota steps forward and wraps me in a warm embrace. "Go well, Obasi," she whispers.
I chuckle, blinking back the sting of emotion. "Medase (thank you), Nyota," I reply softly.
We step apart and say our final goodbyes. I watch her walk away until her silhouette disappears into the dusk. It hurts to see her go, but I know our bond will endure.
Night falls, revealing a dome of brilliant stars. Among them, one particularly bright star twinkles steadily above the southern horizon. I smile, imagining for a moment that it's Nyota herself watching over our journey.
"Goodnight," I whisper skyward, unsure if I speak to Nyota, to the ancestors, or perhaps all of them at once.
As I drift to sleep under the baobab sky, I know none of us are truly alone beneath the endless stars.