Morning broke over Ajeji Village, washing the scorched earth and battered homes in gold. Life crept back into the streets, but Ade's mind wandered far from the sounds of rebuilding.
Baba Ikuomola had made up his mind: Ade needed training. The Night People weren't finished here, not by a long shot. They'd come back fiercer, sharper—and Ade had to unlock every bit of power his bloodline carried.
So the training started at the forest's edge.
Baba was unyielding. No soft words. No breaks. Just his booming voice slicing through the heat. "You can't fight darkness with brute force," he told Ade. "Your mind has to be as sharp as your spirit. Feel the energy. Command it. Make it listen to you."
Ade forced a nod, sweat dripping down his face. The sun didn't let up, and Baba drilled him hard—every lesson meant for both body and spirit.
"Again!" Baba barked. "Find the light inside you. Don't let it flicker!"
Ade lifted his hands. He summoned the glow he'd used on the portal, but it wobbled and almost died out. Baba pushed him, fiercer this time.
"Focus! Remember what's at stake—the fear, the anger, the hope of your people. Let that drive you!"
Ade's hands trembled as light erupted, stronger than before. It soared, arching over the forest, setting leaves blazing with harmless fire.
"That's it!" Baba shouted. "Don't stop. Your power is tethered to your will, Adegboyega. If your heart falters, the Night People will use it against you."
The hours crawled by—sun overhead, then sliding west. Ade practiced everything Baba taught:
How to burst with light, how to shield himself from dark energy. How to sense spirits drifting in the air. How to meditate and push his physical limits so his endurance matched his strength.
By evening, Ade's hands glowed without even thinking. He carried an aura, faint but dense.
Baba nodded his approval. "Control comes easy now. But there's more—something deeper than light."
Ade frowned. "Deeper?"
Baba's face grew serious. "Your father called it the Shadow Within. Every bridge holds both light and shadow. You have to face it. Accept it. Otherwise, the Night People will twist it against you."
Ade shivered. "You want me to face my shadow?"
"Yes. Shadow isn't evil—it's power. If you control it, you'll be far stronger than they expect. Ignore it, and it'll eat you alive."
That night, Ade sat out beside the River of Shadows. Moonlight danced in the black water. His body hurt, but his mind raced.
He shut his eyes.
He felt darkness tug at him, cold and seductive. Whispers curled through his thoughts:
"Use it," something hissed. "Join us. Be unstoppable…"
Ade gritted his teeth. "No. I'm in charge, not you."
He pressed back. The shadow didn't disappear, but it followed his command. He felt it, dangerous as a coiled serpent, but held fast under his will.
A slow smile crept across his face. "I see you… and I see me."
Moonlight caught his eyes, glimmering with light and shadow tangled together.
This was it. The awakening.
Ade wasn't just a boy anymore. He was the bridge—the thing that linked worlds.
And he was finally ready.
Baba Ikuomola appeared behind him, silent as mist. "You did well, Adegboyega. You've taken the first step. To control yourself is to control the gate. The Night People will return soon. And when they do…"
Ade stood up, muscles taut and eyes shining. "I'll be ready."
Baba nodded. "You'd better. The darkness doesn't knock politely."
The wind whispered through the forest, brushing the trees.
Ade clenched his fists.
"I'm ready."
Inside, shadow and light whirled in perfect balance.
For the first time, Ade felt unstoppable.