Chapter 6: The Shield and the Meteorite

5

"Yes na."

Amaka Nwokolo nod, her eyes dey shine with memory, e be like she dey remember old pain.

"Those three words, 'Ife Nche Oguo,' e take me time before I fit learn am." She talk am with pride, but small sadness dey hide for her voice.

I turn face other battles. Everywhere dey hot. One old woman with blond hair and blue eyes dey recite, her voice sharp:

"Wetin you wan chop?"

The young girl wey dey face am answer quick, hope still dey her face:

"My name na Halima!"

The boy wey dey her side reply, him chest up:

"My name na Sani!"

BOOM—

No connection for their answer. The two of them just turn to ashes straight, the thing fear everybody. The air just freeze. Grand elder fit use Ife Nche Oguo defend, but no be everybody fit try am. You need spirit, you need knowledge, you need power. Na still power matter pass—nothing else matter now.

As I look around, all the spell effects dey shine, colours dey dance for air like festival. But the things wey dem dey talk dey sound too familiar, like language wey you hear for compound every morning. Suddenly, I come reason say: If I go there, maybe I fit do am too. Maybe if I put mind, I go fit join—na so hope dey start.

Na that time, arrow just fly come. The thing sharp, if e touch body na bye bye.

"Abeg dodge!"

Amaka Nwokolo quickly gather power, recite one true word, her voice firm:

"chebe uche."

"Chebe Uche! (Protective Shield)" she shout, voice vibrate.

One clear shield just appear, cover us like umbrella. Amaka Nwokolo own shield even strong pass grand elder own—her tongue smooth, no break. The protection strong well, the colour shine like morning sun. I come notice one thing: Amaka Nwokolo Igbo dey even better than grand elder own—her tongue smooth, no break. Na so respect catch me. So, Amaka Nwokolo strong pass grand elder. If na so, maybe me sef get power, if dem just give me chance.

"Watch out!"

Another elder shout, voice shake. For our head, one big meteorite dey fall. The thing dey red, hiss like suya for hot charcoal. Amaka Nwokolo na the backbone for Umuola, so all the foreign people dey focus attack on top her. Everybody dey see am, nobody wan gree. CRACK—

Shield break at once, the sound loud like thunder. The big meteorite just dey come down on us, shadow cover everywhere.

"Sect leader!"

Everybody dey shout, voice dey tremble. Even those wey dey fear before, now dem dey scream. The foreign people just dey smile, as if dem don already see us turn to meat pie, dem teeth shine, dem eyes red with excitement.

People for this world dey call dem Island Clan—na so people for internet dey yab Japan, say dem stubborn pass. As the shadow swallow us, I just dey pray say today no go be my last sweep for this world.