The grove faded into twilight's embrace, the air heavy with impending rain, thunder grumbling like a distant god's complaint. It was nearing 09:00 PM, the moon a veiled sliver casting silver shafts through leaves. Tobi walked with Yusuf's star-beast padding beside, its growl a low rumble.
Nneka lagged, her steps heavy, uli tattoos flickering like fading embers.
"Nneka, you dey alright?" Tobi asked, his voice soft as the mist.
She stopped, tears glinting in the moonlight. "Iron stir old wounds. My clan in Arochukwu, air always sweet with palm wine, drums beating like hearts. I tinker with gates, bind spirits as priestess. But one night, lesser water Alusi escape during my ritual. Iron relic twist it and floods the shrine, drown my brother in bubbling screams."
Her voice broke, sorrow saw its way as open wounds, the scent of river mud haunting her words.
"Elders exile me, say I curse the bloodline. Now I hack alone, but every gate echo his laugh lost in water."
Yusuf's beast whined, nuzzling her. "Curses break with allies," he said.
A growl cut the air a pack of envy-twisted hyenas surged from shadows, eyes green poison, reek of rot filling the night.
Battle erupted: Tobi's threads bound a lesser soul, shattering it in mist bursts. Nneka, fueled by sorrow and pain, hacked blades of code, slicing hides with uli fire. "For him!" she cried, tears mixing with blood.
Yusuf's beast roared, golden aura cracking bones.
The pack fell, Nneka kneeling in rain that washed her clean.
"We forge on," Tobi said, his Crest aching in solidarity.