Dawn broke gentle and golden. After a night of omens and ancestral whispers, the morning light felt like a blessing. I stood with Amina and Jabari beneath the baobab's broad branches, watching the sun rise. However brief, it was a promise that the darkness would not last.
Nkiru joined us as dew still sparkled on the grass. As we prepared to depart, we took comfort in a shared meal and quiet conversation. The simple morning rituals reminded us what we fought for – the small joys of life that Nyos sought to extinguish.
By mid-morning, travelers and guardians drawn by the coming eclipse arrived at the clearing. Word had spread of the threat rising in the sky. About a half-dozen warriors and seers from distant lands now stood with us under the baobab. Some were familiar, others new, each bringing their own strength. A broad-shouldered warrior from the eastern hills bore a curved blade that glinted with sunlight. A desert nomad adjusted her mechanical goggles as she studied a star map. Different tribes, different talents – yet the same resolve in every eye.
We formed a circle, sunlight filtering through the leaves. Nkiru raised her staff and the murmurs fell silent. "Brothers and sisters," she said, "the eclipse draws near. Nyos the Devourer moves to strike." I saw jaws tighten and fists clench at the name. "But we stand in the light of day to vow he will not prevail," Nkiru declared. One by one, our allies offered oaths and blessings – swearing by sun and sky, invoking the ancestors, pledging guidance and strength. When my turn came, I stepped forward. "Nyos threatens all we love," I declared. "I carry Earth's gravity, but I am nothing alone. With your strength beside mine, we will not break. For our ancestors and those yet unborn, we will prevail."
A chorus of assent rose from the circle. Hope kindled among us. Our unity was true light against the darkness.
Using her staff, Nkiru drew a rough circle in the dirt and an eye-shaped symbol at its center. "We believe Nyos will attempt to tear through the veil when the sun is darkest," she said. "There is a place called Ntanda, the Navel of the Earth, near the equator. At noon during the eclipse, the sun and moon will align directly overhead there. The barrier between realms is thinnest at Ntanda – an ideal place for Nyos to break into our world."
It made sense; legends said Ntanda was where the sky first kissed the earth. Zahra, the goggled nomad, projected a glowing map, confirming Ntanda lay far to the east. "On foot, we'd never make it in time," she said, but she and the others had come prepared. Solar skimmers, sun-fueled hover-bikes – our caravan could reach Ntanda by the next night.
I boarded the skimmer along with Nkiru and Amina, while Jabari joined the warriors on one of the hover-bikes. Before departing, we joined hands in a brief prayer. We asked the sun to light our path and our ancestors to watch over us. I felt warmth through our linked hands, as if the sun blessed our pledge.
By late morning, our convoy set off. The sun climbed higher, hot but reassuringly bright overhead, as our skimmer glided above the savannah grass. Nkiru sat in meditation near the stern of the craft, saving her strength. Amina and I stood together at the bow, wind in our faces as the landscape blurred past. She was quiet, gaze distant. I gently touched her arm. "Thinking of them?" I asked, meaning her lost family. She nodded. "Every step, I carry their memory. I want them to see justice when this is over." Even in grief, her resolve held firm. I squeezed her hand. "They're with you," I whispered. She gave me a grateful look and fell silent again, comforted by the unspoken understanding between us.
Now and then Jabari looped back on his hover-bike, whooping and performing little stunts to lift our spirits. I couldn't help but laugh when he nearly lost his headscarf to the wind, drawing a wry smile from Amina. Trust Jabari to find levity on the road to war. His fearless joy was contagious.
As afternoon wore on and we neared the dunes, I noticed my nerves stirring my power – grains of sand vibrated and rose where we passed. I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly, forcing myself to steady. Gradually, the sands settled. I had to remain in control.
Without warning, the very air shuddered. In an instant, gravity flipped – our bodies and the sand beneath us lifted into midair. Amina cried out as we floated free; I grabbed her arm as we hung weightless. Just as quickly, the invisible grip released. We crashed back down, gasping. For a moment the daylight dimmed, an eerie twilight passing over the sun.
Nyos. Only he could warp the world so. My heart thundered in my chest. We halted to regain our wits. Aside from bruises and rattled nerves, everyone was alright. Amina's eyes blazed. "He's toying with us," she snarled. Nkiru nodded, jaw tight. "A warning, perhaps. He knows we're coming."
We gathered ourselves, forming a tight cluster in the sand. "Let him try to frighten us," the eastern warrior growled, lifting his blade. "It changes nothing." Everyone nodded grimly.
I raised my voice to the group. "We stand together for the light, and we will not be broken!" A cry of defiance rose from all of us. Even the quietest of us thrust a fist toward the sky.
We pressed on with renewed urgency. The sun sank low, turning the dunes amber as we raced toward a desert oasis to make camp by nightfall. By tomorrow night, we would reach Ntanda. I imagined Nyos's baleful gaze watching from afar. I narrowed my eyes at the horizon and whispered into the wind, "We're coming for you, Nyos." The wind carried my words eastward, as our convoy pushed on toward the coming battle.