CHAPTER 8
A strange dance
swords clashing against each other as one man is being pushed back by his opponent, he eventually falls and the his opponent points his sword at him.
"Aren't you supposed to be the head of my father's army?, why are you this weak?".
The general then replied.
"Am sorry am not meeting your expectations your highness, but you and your brothers, rather have a unique gift when it comes to combat".
The prince then looks down on him and replied.
"Is that so?, now tell me who is the strongest amongst us?".
The general then replied while being anxious.
"I would rather not respond to that your highness".
Soon after one of his brothers walked in while they were still talking.
"You ask to many questions brother, why don't we find out ourselves".
The general, then stepped back as he watched the two Princes trash talking themselves, soon after they engaged in battle.
Clashing of swords, at overwhelming speed, battling without holding back, causing the entire area to shake, the general, with a surprising and fearful look on his face he thought'what kind of monstrosity is this'.
And he whispered silently
"I was known to be the strongest amongst the soldiers of Bellingham, but now, my eyes can't keep up with their battle".
As the battle continues, it becomes more intense, as the entire palace began to feel the impact of battle, the princes smiles while battling, as they were able to use their full strength in combat.
After a while their third brother entered, looking at the frightened face of the general he smiles, am sure you're surprised of how fast we were able to surpass you. He then got closer to his brother's, as they were producing shock waves due to their clashing of swords.
"Enough!".he yells.
They then stopped the battle instantly, and both their weapons were no longer in good shape.
"Dad has demanded for your presence immediately, clean up yourselves, you're coming to the presence of the king".
One of the brothers then said.
"What a way to ruin the fun..Brother, I would have loved you to join the battle".
He then replied.
"If I did, the battle would already be over in an instant".
The other brother then smirked.
"Cheap talk.... I will surpass you to someday".
And he replied.
"I would love to see you try", as he walked out.
The general, still in shock about what he just witnessed, thought to himself
'The eldest prince, would be in a completely different level, I can already tell even without him engaging in the battle.
Then he recalls, earlier before he stopped the battle, due to their clash of swords a fragment of them sword shit out, while they were battling, and the prince caught it before it could cause him any harm.
He then whispers to himself
"My eyes couldn't even keep up with the battle... What a display of power amongst this princes, I am of no use to them anymore".
As they all walked pass him one then turned back and said.
"Why do you still sit on the floor, come with us, let's go see the king".
Soon after the get to the kings chamber, as he the king then asked the general.
"How is their training going".
He then kneels to the ground.
"My lord, my young masters here, have all surpassed me, I don't think I can be of any use to them anymore.
He then moved towards the general.
"I appointed you, not just because you're the strongest warrior amongst my army, but because, you're very strategic, and can see the best in them, clearly they have strength, and power, but you have experience and knowledge, I won't ask again, how is their training going".
The general then stood up on his feet and looked at the king.
"The training is successful, they learn fast and grow stronger each day, sooner or later, am sure they will be able to lead the army all on their own, and with their unique gift, no one can stand a chance against them".
The king then inhales softly.
"I like the sound of that, but I would like to see it with my own eyes".
As the princes with their heads still bowed, smiling at the kings suggestion.
Back at Melina's store.
It's been over 15 years, Alex is now a blacksmith, learning from an elderly African man whose name was Matthew.close to his mothers store.
"Hey Alex my boy, you have grown to be strong and handsome, how is your mum?".
He then replies.
"Well, she's doing alright, I mean she's at her store, I will go join her during my break".
The African man laughs aloud.
"That's my boy, where I come from, we, were never lazy, my dad, always takes us to his farm, and we will work our butt of, but the good thing is, we gain alot after the harvest, good times".
Alex replies.
"So why did you leave your home town old man?".
He replies.
"Na, I didn't, I was brought here actually and now, I don't know my way back, and it's been years now so....".
Alex face became gloomy as he asks.
"Don't you miss home, sometimes?".
He then looks back at Alex.
"Of course I do son, but it's been so long I barely remember my people".
Alex noticing he was sad said.
"I bet they're waiting for you, and don't worry you will see them again".
He replies.
"Thanks son, that means a lot. It's your break now, so go meet your mum".
Alex smiles, replies.
"Yes sir, I will be back in few minutes, let me go check on my mum".
After few minutes, three armed men walked into the old man's store, scattering everything.
He asked."sorry what can I help you with?, want to buy swords, or want anything metallic?".
One of the men replied.
"Yeah we want swords, what do you have to offer?, but I didn't bring any money, so what do we do now?".
The old man, while trying to arrange what the men had scattered, replied.
"Well I don't know what to do about that, you could come next time, am always open".
He then stretched out his sword.
"Listen old man, I didn't come here to negotiate, I came here because I need new weapons for I and my men, so get us one".
The old man looking frightened replied.
"I understand but I would love to have a feeling for it, each of the swords are carved and created with efforts and will power, I plead with you, don't let all that determination be in vein".
All the men laughed at him, as they began to take equipment, pushing the man, as he falls off his feet.
The old man still pleading, he gets up on his feet, trying to stop the men, as one of them hit him so hard that he fell had to the ground, as they laughed at him.
Soon after Alex came back, seeing the old man on the floor, he rushed towards him.
"Mr Matthew!, Mr Matthew!".
As he looks up at Alex and smiles.
"Oh son you're back".
Alex then asked, "what happened?, why are this people thrashing the place?".
The old man replies.
"Well they say they demanded weapons, I guess they wanted to take it by force".
Alex then takes the old man ways from that area as he tries to go back.
The old man then stops him.
"What are you trying to do?, just stay back child, you're gonna get yourself killed".
Alex then smiles at the old man as he says.
"Don't worry about it Mr, I am stronger than I look".
He then walks back into the store.
"Hey, drop it, it doesn't belong to you".
The men all looked back surprised at the young man talking to them with so much confidence, mean while Melina comes to see Alex, only to notice the old man across own store, and go to him and ask.
"Where is Alex?".
The old man glad that he saw her, panicking, told her.
"Please stop Alex he is going to get himself killed, some men came to attack me, and he went in alone".
She then calms him down.
"Don't worry it's gonna be ok".
The man seeing her so calm and relaxed, asked her.
"Why are you so calm?, your son is in trouble, why aren't you worried.
She then replies.
"Oh am not worried about Alex, I am more worried about those men who came to attack you.
Back at the old man's store one of the men said.
"Let me handle this insect you guys take as many things as possible".
As he approaches Alex, Alex kept a smile on his face making the man more furious, rushing towards Alex.
Alex, clenching his fist, punched him so hard he passed out, at once, and Alex flung him, outside the store, only for him to land at the same area where his mum and the old man were.
See that the old man was surprised as he whispered to himself
'"Alex, of course, that symbol, I had seen it somewhere, the one on his arms".
As Melina becomes curious "you do".
Still in the old man's store, the other men, shocked at the instant defeat their colleague had faced they rushed at Alex with full force, Alex still keeping the smile, with overwhelming speed in grabbed both of them by their faces and tossed them to the end of the store, as the symbol in his wrist began to glow.
After a while, the man that had been tossed outside by Alex eventually woke up holding his head, he then sees, the old man and Melina, by his side, as he grabs her, and the old man holding a knife, to their necks.
Alex still beating the other two men in the store, he hears the screaming of his mother.
"Mum!", as he rushes outside, seeing the man holding her by her throat.
He then says to Alex.
"I will make you pay for what you did to me and my men, who do you think you are?".
Alex on seeing this became furious, as he tries to rush in, as soon as the man sees Alex rushing forward, he squeezes harder, making him to stop in his tracks. Due to this distraction, on of the me , from inside the store hits Alex so hard with a metal mallet, making him fall on his feet.
Soon after Alex passes out.
And the men then laughs as they continually torment Alex's mom.
While they were still laughing, they didn't notice when Alex was standing on his feet, this time the symbols on his left wrist, had covered his entire arm, as his eyes, glowing red. He started speaking a language, no one could understand, as the old man bow his head, tears rolling down his eyes, the men noticing this kicked the old man, still holding Melina, the other two men rushed at Alex, before a blink of am eye, both their hands were ripped out, as they shouted, in agonising pain, witnessing this the third man was frightened, still holding his mother.
"S-stay back, a-am warning you".
With unimaginable speed his hands was also ripped off still holding Melina, without realizing it.
As he screams in pain, running backwards. As the man rushes backwards, grabbing the metal mallet from earlier rushing towards Alex with pure rage in his eyes, Alex then punches the mallet as it scatters into pieces, still in that trance Alex began to move his legs and arms in a strange manner as he then continues to speak that same unfamiliar language the old man gets up from his feet and bows again as the says aloud, while Melina stairs at him.
"The spirit of Ogun, the god of war, and iron, I bow, I could recognise those symbols on Alex arms... Now I see he is a vessel of Ogun".
As he continues to dance, the three men, flea in fear, not understand what kind of phenomenon, was I'm display.
Soon after Alex fell, out of the trance, and the symbol on his arms had reduced, but this time stopped higher than his wrist.
The old man and Melina, went to Alex, as the man said.
"Agere Ogun, the dance of the gods".
Melina still not understand what the man was saying asked.
"Can you explain to me what happened?".
He then replied.
"Of course, I can, your son Alex is special".
He then looks up to the sky and says.
"Ogun, hasn't abandoned me".