Wura
The day of the Initiation trial had finally arrived.
A few days earlier, Wura had received a letter from the Grand Clergy of Koéa. Inside was a map marked with the exact coordinates of the ceremony's location. Apparently, everyone else had received the same.
They were gathered deep in a dense forest, so far from any settlement that Wura had to complete half the journey by carriage. The rest of the path was strictly reserved for the initiates. Around fifty candidates stood there. Before them, about ten men — some dressed in long white robes, others wearing only a cloth tied around their waists. Their bare chests were adorned with necklaces and pendants of mystical design. A few held scepters decorated with fluttering white ribbons.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. From scattered words, Wura gathered that most of them aspired to become Black Warriors — though the trial was known to be brutal. Only the very best succeeded.
Faces were tense, the air thick with pressure. Some candidates already looked like seasoned fighters.
One of the men in a white robe stepped forward. A powerful aura radiated from him. He was a priest, his salt-and-pepper beard wild and imposing. Clearly, he was their superior — his oversized scepter wrapped in white bands and the black-and-white beads around his neck left no doubt. His name was Kpanji Sibiri.
— If you stand here today, he began, his deep voice commanding silence, it's because you seek answers. Who am I? Why me? Why now? These are questions every person chosen by a Loa must one day ask. But today marks the beginning of your journey. You will begin to glimpse a world few humans can comprehend. The most valiant among you will become Black Warriors, trained to defend our kingdom against demons and invaders. But whether you succeed or fail, after these trials, your bond with the spirit world will be sealed.
He continued:
— The Loas have existed since the dawn of creation, born from Mawu and Lissa, the supreme deities, themselves children of the primordial god Nana Buluku. We, the Rada, worship six primordial Loas. From these six descend the superior Loas, foundations of our tribes and living links to the divine.
He paused, letting the silence settle.
— As you may know, our universe is made of parallel worlds, the world of humans and that of the Loas. The initiation trial will take place in what we call the In-Between, at the boundary between both. The ritual you're about to witness will lead you there.
Between two worlds? Wura thought, intrigued.
The priests clasped their hands and began a long incantation. The wind stirred softly, then grew until the trees bent under its force. Suddenly, Wura felt her body lift slightly off the ground. Moments later, she descended again.
— We've arrived, the priest declared.
Wura looked around. At first glance, nothing had changed.
— It looks like we haven't moved… someone muttered.
— Except for that weird lift, nothing happened, added another.
— You felt it too? whispered a third.
— Silence! thundered Priest Kpanji.
His voice cut through the noise like a blade.
— We are indeed in the In-Between Worlds. Here, we are invisible to the Profane. This realm overlaps the human world, but it is veiled by the Loas. That is how we avoid interfering with reality.
Another priest stepped forward to announce the first trial: survive two nights in the forest. The candidates were to find hidden Mojo — sacred amulets infused with voodoo energy. This test would measure their resourcefulness and individual strength. There were only thirty amulets for more than fifty candidates. Combat was allowed. Those who returned without one would be excluded from the path of the Black Warrior but could still become simple initiates.
At dusk, the trial began.
Everyone bolted into the forest like arrows. Wura remained still for a moment, thrown off balance. The wind from their departure lifted the hem of her tunic.
Then she regained her composure and took off in pursuit. She couldn't afford to fall behind.
She ran for a long time, weaving between colossal trees, until reality struck her, she had no idea where to look. The forest was vast. And she was alone. She needed a plan.
As she raised a hand to her neck in thought, she caught sight of a boy nearby. Tall — at least two heads taller than her — with fine dreadlocks falling over one side of his face. He walked calmly, almost leisurely.
He's just as lost as I am, she thought.
No matter. She needed an ally.
She approached him.
— Hey, do you…
A gust of wind. A blur.
Before she could finish, the boy sprinted away, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.
Wura froze, speechless.
Heartless…
She clenched her jaw. She didn't need him. She'd continue alone.
Like always.
***
Ru
Ru leapt from tree to tree, the wind lashing against his face. He had just dodged a girl with a suspicious headband who had come too close. He didn't know her and had neither the patience nor the desire to have anyone tagging along.
I'll make it on my own. Like always.
For a fleeting moment, he remembered his father's words:
« Help those you meet along the way. It's alliances that make great men. »
Ru grimaced.
People stopped fighting for themselves the moment they found someone to lean on. And that, he couldn't stand.
I've got no time to waste.
His goal was simple: find an amulet, find shelter, and wait for the trial to end.
***
High among the treetops
Two sinister young men with white hair were watching the candidates from afar.
One of them — the white-haired Linto, who had attacked the Purifiers in a Sinji village months earlier — sat perched on a branch.
Beside him, standing tall on another, was Doubyé, a towering figure.
— So that's him? The potential vessel we're supposed to keep an eye on? Linto asked, pointing toward Ru.
— No, Doubyé replied, gesturing toward a figure farther away. It's the girl. Over there.
— Her? She looks… so ordinary. What a waste of time.
Doubyé gave a faint, knowing smile.
— Don't trust appearances, Linto. Mother chose her herself. Let's wait and see what she's truly worth.