The Tremor Beyond the Gate
Ayomi awoke screaming.
The Gate had shaken—not from something trying to enter, but from something being pushed out. She saw it clearly now: not just a shadow but a name, whispered by the wind in reverse. The Lwa were quiet, watching.
"There's a crack," Ayomi said during the morning council.
"Something is leaking through. Not fully. But soon."
Zion placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Keep watching. And if it steps through—we meet it."
Tensions in the Outer Tribes
From the coast to the highlands, whispers of Zion's tribe stirred unease.
Some called them gods in flesh. Others, tyrants dressed in peace.
Three regional elders, from tribes not yet allied, gathered in secret.
"He builds too quickly."
"He has warriors. Markets. Temples."
"We must slow him before we vanish beneath him."
One of them carried a curved blade—a symbol once belonging to the destroyed Kòk Batay. They passed it among themselves in silence.
A plan had begun.
Love, Loyalty, and the Fractured Bond
Back in Nouvo Lakay, the warriors trained harder than ever. But not all battles were fought with weapons.
Of Zion's seven closest brothers, one—Jomu—had changed.
He had long been committed to Meka, a fierce, sharp-eyed woman with a quiet heart. But after a scouting mission with another tribe, he returned with Nara, a soft-spoken herbalist with laughter like birdsong and a wild mind that challenged his beliefs.
The tribe noticed.
Whispers grew.
Meka remained silent… until she didn't.
In the quiet grove beneath the moon, she confronted Jomu.
"You've built your life here," she said.
"So why do you wander now?"
He had no answer—only confusion etched in his eyes.
Zion watched from a distance but did not interfere.
"Every fire burns what it must," he said to Thalia.
"Even if it burns the house."
The First Marriage of Nouvo Lakay
But the chapter did not end in heartbreak. On the seventh night of the full moon cycle, the first sacred union was held.
Two young villagers—Tao, a builder, and Nisey, a healer—stood before the priestesses, their sigils glowing faintly.
"You offer yourselves to each other," Sael said, "but also to the tribe.
For when you love well—you guard well."
The entire tribe gathered. Milo laid the foundation stone beneath their feet. Thalia's warriors stood in full dress, guarding the circle. Ayomi poured sweet water around them, binding their souls with Papa Legba's blessing.
Even Zion smiled, and for a rare moment, so did Ayola.
As drums echoed across the valley, Zion whispered to Thalia:
"Let love grow in every corner we defend.
Let it outlive even us."