---
The sun cast a faint glow on the figure sleeping beneath the tree, its warm rays gently stirring him from slumber. His eyes twitched as he stirred, slowly opening to greet the new day. The first thing he did was turn toward the spot where Ire had lain the night before.
His eyes snapped open in panic—she was gone.
Bolting upright, he scanned the area in alarm and began to walk around. Then he heard it: her soft voice, faint but clear, speaking to someone. He followed the sound, carefully stepping over the uneven ground until he saw her.
She was kneeling in the open field, her hands clasped tightly, eyes shut in quiet prayer.
"Heavenly Father," she whispered, "thank You for Your goodness in my life. We commit our day into Your hands. As the enemy hungers for our lives, we pray You keep us hidden from their sight. Bless and protect us this day. Thank You, Father, for we know our prayers shall be answered. In Jesus' name, Amen."
She opened her eyes slowly and stood up, unaware that he had been watching.
"What where you doing just now?" Efe's voice got Ire alarmed for a moment before relaxing.
"I was communicating with my Heavenly Father. Don't you do it sometimes?" she asked, eyes fixed on him with quiet curiosity.
Amused, Efe glanced at her again. He tried to recall the last time he felt that close to God. The only moments that came to mind were Sunday mornings in church—and even then, he never gave his full attention. A hollow feeling crept in, one he couldn't quite explain or shake.
Looking at Ire again, his perspective of her began to shift.
"I wasn't always consistent," he admitted. "Maybe... you could help me—if we ever make it out of this mess."
"Sure. But don't wait till then," Ire replied with understanding. "Every chance we get, we'll pray together. Agreed?"
"Okay, fine by me," Efe said, studying her. There was something different about her, something he couldn't put into words.
Noticing his lingering stare, Ire felt a chill of unease ripple through her. She cleared her throat and stepped back slightly.
"Uh... right. So what now? Where do we go from here?" she asked, eager to change the subject.
"Let's go. The road ahead won't be easy—and the others are waiting," Efe said, turning to walk away.
"Others?" Ire echoed, surprised.
"Yes. We're not the only ones. At this point in time, we all need to be together. Don't worry—you'll meet them soon.
-----
Inside an old bus, a group of young adults sat huddled, tension thick in the air as the robotic voice rang out for the sixth time:
"Sorry, the number you are trying to dial is currently switched off. Please try again later. Thank you."
"No, that can't be. Please try again!" Etiosa cried, gripping Prince's arm in panic.
"Enough! We've already dialed the number six times!" Prince snapped, his irritation finally boiling over.
"So... does that mean he's gone?" Jerry asked hesitantly.
Etiosa immediately turned and smacked him on the chest.
"Ow! What gives?" he winced.
"He's not gone! Stop saying negative things!" she barked, lips pursed in anger.
Prince gave her a sharp glare, clearly showing his frustration.
"What now?" Jerry asked again, his voice laced with uncertainty.
"We wait,"prince said "He said seven days. If we don't hear from him by then, we continue the journey on our own.
Silence engulfed everyone in bus,once again.
----
At the sight of the car crash, a black Range Rover pulled over nearby, and several men surrounded the remains of the vehicle. As the sleek car came to a stop, the men straightened up to welcome their guest.
The front door opened, revealing a pair of well-polished, high-quality shoes. A man dressed in an exquisite suit stepped out, not sparing a glance at anyone as he walked over to the back door. He opened it with care, revealing an elderly man adorned in an expensive agbada. The old man remained seated, raising a wrinkled hand adorned with beads and a golden watch. He pointed silently at a man standing among the others.
Understanding the unspoken command, the man stepped forward, his head bowed deeply in respect.
"Did you find anything?" the old man's voice rang out—low, calm, and venomous.
"Not yet, sir," the man replied, his voice trembling in the heavy silence.
"Are you sure they're dead?"
"At this point, we can't say for certain. Not many survive a blast that intense," the man said, daring to raise his head slightly—but the chilling glare from the nearby bodyguard quickly forced it back down.
"Then we take precautions," the old man declared coldly. He turned to the bodyguard beside him. "Proceed with Plan B."
The bodyguard gave a sharp nod, closed the door, and climbed into the car. The black vehicle drove off in a cloud of dust, leaving the tense men behind in silence.
-----
Far from the wreckage and unaware of the shadows closing in, Ire and Efe walked hand in hand when, suddenly, Ire blacked out. As if he had been expecting it, Efe moved quickly and caught her before she fell.
"Oh no… not now. At this rate, how will we ever reach the others?" he muttered in frustration.
"Don't move!" a deep voice barked.
Efe looked up and froze—there was a gun pointed straight at his face.
"Damn it!" he cursed, but before he could react, a sharp pain exploded at the back of his head, and everything went dark.
---
There was chaos. Screams and shouts tore through the air in a violent rampage. Ire slowly opened her eyes, only to witness a devastating sight: the village below the mountain where she stood was on fire.
Beside her stood Idusogie and a young man adorned like royalty, his body decorated with beads and a small cap on his head. He clutched a horn in his hands, his eyes locked on the burning village below.
Ire turned back toward the chaos. She saw men, women, and children being slaughtered by monstrous creatures. Blood soaked the ground, and smoke filled the air. She trembled.
Then, at a distance, dark storm clouds began to gather—violent, unnatural. A figure emerged from the haze. His face was familiar yet distant, and Ire felt an indescribable pressure and a deep, creeping dread.
A smirk curled on the man's lips as he stared directly at Idusogie and the prince.
The prince let out a roar of anger and frustration, his voice cutting through the downpour. Then Ire recognized the man—it was Sapele, the same figure from her last vision.
His smile widened, feeding her fear, before he turned and vanished.
The heavens opened up, rain falling in torrents and extinguishing the fires below. The blood and destruction were slowly washed away.
"I want an end to this. I want him gone!" the prince spat through clenched teeth, his eyes burning with pain and fury.
"There will be, my prince. But for now, you must come with me. We can't afford you falling ill at a time like this. The kingdom needs its ruler," Idusogie said, his voice gentle but firm.
Ire's curiosity burned. She stared at the ruins, desperate for more answers—but the vision began to fade again, giving way to darkness.
She opened her eyes—this time, for real.
She tried to move, but her arms and legs were bound. Panic surged through her as she scanned the dusty, blackened room.
Her body bumped against something—someone—beside her. It was too dark to see clearly, but deep down, she knew it was Efe. He was unconscious.
"Oh no... not now," she whispered, fear tightening in her chest.
---