Heart Of Igboju Chapter 4

Legacy Of The Gods: Heart Of Igboju

Chapter 4

Young Maybelle hurried around her modest-sized bedroom, cleaning up before her mother came home from another long night at work. She didn’t want to leave without a least welcoming her mother home with a decent breakfast, or sometimes lunch when she worked really late. But it couldn’t be helped now. Billie had called her yesterday after school and insisted that she and the others meet up at her house for an emergency meeting. She breathlessly explained it had to do with the Yoruba gods and the possibility of a new enemy. At that news, the Jamaican girl’s heart sank. More enemies? Didn’t they defeat Samedi and Shapona? Wasn’t peace restored?

Maybelle was just getting accustomed to her new life here in America, with a new school, new friends, and hopefully someday, a new boyfriend. She blushed just a bit when she thought about the half Latino boy Antonio, putting away her shoes. Over the past few months since defeating Samedi, he had done his best to help her fit in at school and this strange yet awesome city of New Orleans. Whenever they would meet up, Billie and the others would give her and Antonio knowing smiles. But Maybelle would try to assure them it was only because he was showing her the best places to hang out, eat, shop, and even get some of the latest Caribbean music, which helped to ease Maybelle’s homesickness.

Through Antonio, she learned that the American South and the Caribbean weren’t that much different, having similar foods, music, and folk tales. Even the accents here brought back just a touch of home to the island girl. The biggest difference, of course, was that while there was a big river here, the ocean itself was so far away. She missed the sound of the crashing waves that woke her in the mornings and the smell of the sea breeze that calmed her nerves when she was anxious. She remembered how the soft sounds of the waves gently coaxed her to sleep at night. She would always missed that from the islands. But Antonio, he made it better being here.

He made sure he took the time to show her around the school whenever they would bump into each other, showing her shortcuts to classes to avoid being late. He even showed her some shortcuts to take to school from her house, just in case she had a late morning at home. At first she was shy and nervous around him, having never really had boys show any interest in her. But with his patience, kindness, and knowledge of the city where he was born and grew up in, the uneasiness soon disappeared and she came to actually look forward to spending some time with him. Having visited his mother’s family many times on the small island of Puerto Rico, Antonio understood some of her homesickness, understood how much she just loved the sea breezes. She was grateful for his companionship. It came to a point where she shyly and nervously asked him if he would like to walk her home from school one day. With a smile, she remembered how she almost couldn’t get the words out, standing in the school hall and wringing her hands. Her heart fluttered until she felt it would give out on her!

But the caramel-skinned boy merely smiled softly at her when she finally asked. Instead of bursting out with laughter as Maybelle feared,  he simply nodded his head, as though knowing what she wanted to ask and was thinking. He had looked so handsome with that little smile and hands in his pockets. The two walked to her house in silence, but in her heart, Maybelle was excited beyond anything and knew this was the beginning of something wonderful, just as she saw with Billie and Dante.

But now, back in the present, Maybelle narrowed her eyes when she finally finished cleaning up and surveyed her room. That phone call from Billie had made her nervous yet angry at the same time. She had tried to get Billie to tell her more on what the meeting was about, but with a shaking voice, the New Orleans girl would only say it was important and that more will be revealed.

Maybelle didn’t want to believe it was more trouble and another enemy, but what else could it be when it involved the powerful Yoruba gods? A new enemy has definitely emerged. Did this mean their normal lives were over, that they would have to fight for their lives again and the lives of those living in their city? It was heart-breaking to come to that realization, but Maybelle knew that no matter what, she and her friends wouldn’t be alone. Ayao and the other gods were with them and they would never let any harm come to them. The Jamaican girl trusted them with all her heart.

With a satisfied nod, Maybelle turned and left her room, going downstairs to grab her jacket and purse. With it being the weekend, she was grateful that traffic wouldn’t be so bad and she would made it to Billie’s in no time.

Just as she finished locking her front door, she turned and saw a figure walking down the sidewalk towards her house. At first she couldn’t see because of the bright sun, but as the figure walked closer, she smiled when she saw who it was. “Antonio!” she called out, waving and hurrying to him.

The curly-haired boy smiled softly and waved back, his other hand in his pocket. When Maybelle stood before him, he ran his hand through his thick hair.

“I..ummm, figured you were heading over to Billie’s, since she called me too, and I thought, well,  that we can walk together, you know, since we’re headed to the same place..and...” He blushed slightly and stared at his feet. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to -”

“I’d like that very much!” Maybelle said without hesitation, trying very hard to keep herself from throwing her arms around him. It was like he could read her mind! From the sound of Billie’s voice on the phone, she was actually nervous about heading out alone and contemplated calling Antonio, but here he was. She smiled gratefully at him and nervously shuffled her feet.

“Great! Oh, I mean...that’s good, because Billie sounded serious and we should stick together. I mean, ALL of us, not just you and me, I mean...” He paused and blushed, trying hard to stop babbling.

Maybelle nodded at that and looked around, a wary look in her eyes. “Yeah, I know. But come on, we should go now. I have a feeling Kwame might kick your butt if you’re late!” She chuckled at that, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

Antonio chuckled back, grateful for her attempt to help ease his nervousness. “Yeah, it won’t be the first time!” he laughed.

Together, they turned and walked down the street, silent but happy in each other's company. Then, almost with out thinking, Maybelle stepped closer to the taller boy and linked her elbow with his, as though hoping to gather strength from him to deal with whatever Billie had to talk to them about.

Without looking at her, the young boy smiled in satisfaction. He too was saddened by the possibility of a new enemy emerging, but with Maybelle as well as the others beside him, he would face whatever challenge that came. With that thought and the comfort of Maybelle near him, Antonio raised his head a little higher and walked on, doing his best to put courage in his heart.

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“There you are!” said Hazelynn, opening the front door to Billie’s house just as Maybelle was about to knock. “Everyone else is here, and Kwame was just about to tell some more of his lame jokes! Thank goodness!”

At the disappointed look on the Nigerian boy’s face, everyone chuckled. “What?” he said with a bewildered blink of his eyes. Hazelynn stepped aside to let Maybelle and Antonio into the living room, shaking her head. “These were the best jokes I could come up with on short notice! Even Jimmy Fallon would have been impressed!” He crossed his arms and gave a satisfied grin, followed by a wink at Hazelynn. He had seen when she was trying to hide her smile at his jokes. He knew she was warming up to him, and if he had to tell a thousand jokes to finally get to her heart, he would gladly do it!

The half Italian girl groaned and rolled her eyes, but somehow, everyone knew it was an act. She was enjoying it as much as they were, even through she tried to hide it! When everyone finished chuckling, Billie stepped up, glad for the moment of lightness but knowing how important this meeting was.

She gave everyone a sad yet hopeful look. “You guys, thanks so much for coming. I...I know it’s been a while since we’ve come together like this, having defeated Samedi and Shapona. We’ve all went back to our lives and thought everything was great. But yesterday, something happened and we almost didn’t make it. It was...it was….” A lump formed in the dark-skinned girl’s throat, the memory of Madam Brigitte running fresh in her mind. How close did she and Keisha come to perishing? What if Aja and Yemaja hadn’t bonded with them in time? If she and Keisha hadn’t thought quickly on their feet, they probably wouldn’t even be standing here. The realization of it almost overwhelmed the girl and she fought hard to fight back tears.  

Seeing that, Keisha stepped up next to her and laid a hand on her shoulder, the others looking on in concern. The albino girl nodded to her, letting her know she was not alone. She then turned to the others. “Everyone, there’s something you should know. There’s a new enemy, an enemy that might even be more powerful than Samedi.” She took a deep breath and began the tale of the ghost goddess Madam Brigitte attacking them on the way home from school.  

Hazelynn, Antonio, Dante, Kwame, and Maybelle all listened with rapt attention as Keisha explained how powerful Brigitte was, how she almost ended their lives with her control over the cold and what seemed like spirits and ghouls. Then when she had the chance to attack again, she mysteriously stopped and retreated, almost like she under the command of someone. Who it was, the girls had no clue. The the ghost goddess was most likely to come back soon, and they had to be ready.

When Keisha was done, the others looked at each other in shock and concern. Who was this Madam Brigitte, and why did she attack? They tried to rack their brains for some answers, but nothing came up until Dante finally spoke.

“Wait a minute. Madam Brigitte. I think I remember Gran and my mom talking about her one time, but I was really little. Something about her being in charge of cemeteries and justice. I’m not sure. But there is something familiar from the way you describe her. I think she might have something to do with Samedi too.” The dark-skinned boy’s eyes lowered, thinking about his recovering grandmother.

Billie went other to gently take his hand in her own, and just when she was about to say something, a voice filled the living room, making all the others look around.

“He’s right, everyone. She does have something to do with Samedi.”

In a bright flash, each of the gods appeared before the group of friends, one by one. When the glowing dimmed, Aja and the others gods, with their bodies as transparent and glowing as before, looked at them all in concern.

“Aja!” Billie said in relief, going up to the Nature Goddess. “Do you know who she is? Why did she attack us? What does she want?”

The tall goddess turned to the other gods, as though seeking permission to explain all. At first hesitant, the gods all finally nodded one after another. This was not the time to keep secrets. Living as long as they have and seeing so many young royal descendants cut down before them, the gods knew that secrets were sometimes detrimental, bringing forth great tragedies.

“What is it?” Keisha asked, her light eyes wide.

With a sigh, Aja turned back to the friends. “My liege, it was no accident that Madam Brigitte has come out of hiding and targeted you. Long ago, she was a loyal member of our order. While some of the gods protected and helped the living mortals, there are those of us in the Orisha that dealt with the other side of that. The mortality of humans. Samedi was one of those who guided the dead to the Underworld, to keep them from getting lost and trapped in the Living World. Along with him, he had a wife who also dealt with the dead. She was the one who protected and guarded the cemeteries or tombs of the dead. She helped secure their resting place, to make sure they were not disturbed. She was the one who helped eased the fear and shock of dying, helped bring the souls to rest before they are guided to the Underworld. She also helped keep the memories of the dead alive to those who loved them, had a connection to them.”

The goddess paused to gather her thoughts before continuing. “You would think that dealing with the dead would be much easier than the living, but it isn’t. The dead, they bring along great sorrow, fear, pain and regret they experienced in their lives, especially the ones who died violent deaths. It never gets easier, no matter how long you’ve been at that responsibility. The fear, the confusion and shock of dying emanating from souls can sometimes even overwhelm a god after so long.”

Everyone was silent at those words, never thinking about how traumatic death can be to a soul. Kwame was the firs to finally say something, blinking his eyes in astonishment. “Wait, Samedi had a wife? So, it was Madam Brigitte? Sheesh, what the heck did she see in that jerk?”

Hazelynn shot him an annoyed look and jabbed her elbow into his ribs, making him wince slightly in pain. The Nigerian boy gave her a questioning look, as if to say “What? We were all thinking it!”

At Billie’s eager look for her to continue, Aja raised a hand palm up, allowing a soft glowing holographic image to show. In it, the others saw a very handsome, dark-skinned god, who they were sure was Samedi long ago, and a beautiful, long-haired goddess with soft, medium brown skin and dark eyes. They were embracing lovingly.

Even Keisha sighed with a hand on her heart at how emotional and intimately the two held each other under the bright sun of the gods’ world. Love shone in their eyes, their touch, and their smile. Then the image slowly darkened when the two leaned forward and touched their foreheads together. The image  faded right before the others could see how the gods were slowly filled with rage and hate.  

When the image were gone, Billie’s eyes teared up slightly. “So...so that’s why she was saying how we destroyed her love, how we -” She swallowed and lowered her eyes sadly. “It was us. We killed the person she loved.”

“No, it’s not your fault,” Oshun said, stepping up. “Yes, they loved each other, but they allowed the pain of the dead to overwhelm them. That pain and grief affected the two, and soon they started to believe it was you mortals that caused the other gods to turn on them, to abandon them.  But more than that, it was Samedi who turned Brigitte against the mortals. Not only was she the Guardian of Cemeteries, but she was also the Goddess of Justice, who saw to it that justice came to those who were wronged in the mortal world. She believed in that, but Samedi, he turned her against the mortals, making her believe that they had no justice, no decency and didn't care for the deceased. It was he who turned her heart. If we could somehow get through to her, make her understand what Samedi really did, perhaps there is hope.” The Goddess of Love and Beauty closed her hand into a fist, determined to get through to her one-time close friend. There has to be a way, there just has to!

“And not only that, we have to figure out who is behind Brigitte finding you and attacking,” Ogun said, stepping up next. “We were listening, and from what we heard, something...or someone, is agitating Madam Brigitte, pulling the strings, as you mortals today say. We have to find out who it is. There is a chance it could be someone very powerful, but we’re not sure.” The big, powerful God of Iron and Weaponry..as well as Fire, crossed his arms over his massive chest and narrowed his eyes in concentration.

Billie gasped at hearing those words. Someone pulling the strings? Could it be that awful man in her dreams? Was it connected to Madam Brigitte somehow? Her heart beating, she swallowed and was about to speak up and tell them about her nightmares, but when she turned and saw her friends in quiet conversations with their gods, she quickly changed her mind. What if it’s just that? Nightmares? A new enemy just reveal herself, surely they had enough to deal with. If it happened again, perhaps she would say something. But so far, she hadn’t had the nightmare for a while. It was probably just her nerves, that’s all.

She suddenly felt a cool sensation on her hand, and Billie looked up to see Aja looking at her with concern, her transparent, glowing hand on top of her own. “Are you alright, princess?” the goddess asked softly.

Her lips quivered just slightly, but quickly hiding it, Billie gave a soft smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine, really. It’s just...I mean, this is all so sudden, you know? I really hope we can get through this.”

“And we will, as long as we work together and trust one another. Do not fear, Billie. We will never leave you alone.” The goddess smiled at her in assurance.

Hearing those words, Billie’s heart lightened. Yes, it was true. She had her friends and she trusted them with all her heart and soul, especially Dante. Almost as though he felt her looking at him, the boy turned from his conversation with Ogun to look back at her. The encouraging smile he gave her made her heart leap. She knew without a doubt that she would never be alone in this. Dante would always be at her side, just as her other friends, she would never have to worry about that. But still, the memories of those nightmares hung in the back of her mind. But she pushed them far back and forced herself to be brave and strong her Dante and her friends.

Unknown to her, Keisha looked at her with worry and concern, as though instinctively knowing that there was something Billie just wasn’t telling them.

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Far beneath the cemetery from which she first emerged, Madam Brigitte allowed the damp coldness of the earth fill her. She closed her pitch-black eyes and threw back her head, her arms wide. Yes, the dark deep within the bowels of the earth was her strength, her rejuvenation. That battle with the wretched descendants nearly spent all of her energy. She would never have guessed they were so strong, so powerful!

But at least she was here now, gathering strength and power from the earth itself. Energy in the form of black waves slowly flowed into the goddess’s body, reinvigorating her. Oh yes, those descendants will not survive the next time she attacked. Then after them, she will personally search the Earth for any more of the descendants and make them ALL pay for what happened to her beloved.

With a small smile at that comforting thought, more and more of the black energy flowed into Brigitte, filling her with power she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Just then, the dark voice entered her mind, surprising her at first, but then comforting her.

Yes, my sweet one, said the voice. For some reason, Brigitte can almost imagine the god behind the voice closing his eyes and lifting his head up in ecstasy. Soon, you will be at full strength with the power I am giving you, and will execute judgment to those how have wronged you. Stay with me, beautiful one, and you will have your vengeance. Trust in me, only me. I have already found a new descendant that has not awakened in his powers yet. If we can destroy him, we can destroy the others!

Almost in a hypnotic state, Brigitte slowly straightened back up her head, her black eyes wide. “Yes,” she said softly, her arms still out. “Yes, vengeance against those who wronged me. And then, I can see my beloved again.”

The haunted look still in her eyes, the ghost goddess held back her head once more, allowing the dark energy to completely envelope her.

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The lunch bell at De La Salle High School chimed out loud and clear throughout the whole building, leaving no doubt  to the students that it was time to relax and catch up with friends. Almost immediately the hallways were filled with students rushing to their lockers for their own personal lunch or get lunch money for the cafeteria. Lines for picking up food and then to the cashiers quickly grew long.

Keisha barely noticed that, rushing into the cafeteria and scanning the area. Where could he be? She had spent almost the whole morning trying to find the new student who had rescued her from the bullies. She never had a chance to properly thank him with everything that was going on. She didn’t want him to think she was ungrateful. If she could find him and let him know how much it meant to her, perhaps there was a chance they could be friends. From what she remembered from their brief encounter, he had seemed so sad, despite how tough he tried to act.

Not only that, but she had to see if he was a descendant like herself and her friends. If so, then she definitely had to talk to him! But what would she say? She couldn’t exactly go up to him and shout “Hey, you’re a descendant of African royalty and your life is in danger!”, could she?

But looking around intensely, she found no sign of the boy. Luckily she had asked around and found out his name was Edwin and that he was from Brazil. No one knew much more than that.

With a sigh, she turned and left the cafeteria and headed to the school’s large courtyard, where some students also had lunch. She had just stepped outside when she saw the boy’s familiar dark-colored, faux-leather jacket. He was headed to a bench on the far side of the courtyard, away from all the others. He held a small paper bag in his hand and his head was hung low, as though somewhat ashamed of the meager lunch he had no choice but to take.

“Hey!” Keisha shouted out, dashing over to him. The boy lifted up his head in surprise just as he was about to sit down.

Smiling shyly, Keisha set down her own paper bag of lunch and sat down next to him. “Umm, you’re Edwin, right? I...I’m Keisha, and I never really got to thank you for, you know, helping me out that day with those bullies. Mind if I sit here?”

Blinking his eyes, Edwin shook his head, as though not believing what was happening. He watched in slight amusement as the albino girl took out her lunch and then looked over at him, waiting for him to do the same.

With a slightly embarrassed look, Edwin looked down at his own small bag. But the small smile Keisha gave him let him know that there was no need to feel self-conscious about what he could only scrap together before he left home that morning. When he was done, Keisha nodded and began her lunch, picking up her sandwich and biting into it.

“So, you’re from Brazil, right?” she said between chews, hoping to ease into a simple conversation.

When Edwin nodded, still staring curiously at her, Keisha swallowed and gave a wistful smile. “I’ve heard so much about Brazil! I hope I can go there some day. I hear the music is amazing, and -”

“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Edwin suddenly interrupted, giving her a suspicious look. From since saving her from those bullies, many of the others students made sure to stay clear away from him, giving him the reputation of a fighter and troublemaker. It had disheartened him at first, as he was taught that fighting should be a last resort, even in his tough neighborhood in Brazil. But he forced the loneliness down and did his best to ignore the stares and whispers. Sure, he had gotten in some scuffles, but he didn't think it was that severe to deserve that reputation!

To his surprise, Keisha stared at him in question before shaking her head “no”. She blinked her eyes and cocked her head to the side. “Why? Should I be?”

At those words, the Brazilian boy actually felt hope and a softness towards the young girl sitting next to him. Who was she, and why was she being so nice to him? He didn’t understand, but right now, he didn’t care. Smiling softly to himself, he started to eat his meager lunch and listened to Keisha talk on about how exciting she thought Brazil was. For the first time since coming to America, he actually started to feel better, that things were finally starting to pick up. And it was all because of something so simple as someone sitting next to him and talking to him.

But unknown to him and Keisha, a dark form had found him and was watching him. The eyes in the dark form glowed a bright green and narrowed. Soon, the figure thought to itself. Very soon. In a flash, it disappeared and no one was the wiser that it was ever there in the first place.

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To Be Continued…….