Three weeks had passed since the portal was destroyed. Ajeji village was starting to come back to life. Laughter from kids drifted through the air, stalls got patched up, and cooking fires crackled again. You could almost believe everything was normal. Almost.
But underneath, the peace felt thin like it could tear any second.
Ade stood at the edge of the woods, working on his power over light and shadow. He moved with total focus, every flick of his wrist and pulse of energy tight and controlled.
Baba Ikuomola watched close by, eyes never still, always searching the treeline. "Stay sharp," he said, voice low. "They wait. Darkness remembers."
Ade nodded. The responsibility pressed down on him. Even now, he sensed faint traces in the air almost like old cobwebs left behind by the Night People.
Then the wind shifted.
A cold breath swept the trees. Leaves shivered in odd patterns, almost like they were responding to something. Shadows stretched and crawled, twisting on their own.
"Something's here," Baba said, hand finding his bow.
Ade tightened his stance, staring into the gloom. "They're back."
Shapes started forming out of the darkness between the tree trunks. Taller, sharper this time. More dangerous. Their eyes burned with a dull red glow.
"They've returned," Baba muttered.
Ade stepped forward, his hands burning with entwined light and darkness. "I'm ready."
No one said anything more. The Night People surged forward.
The first one went straight for Ade. He dodged easily, sent a shot of pure light into its chest, and just like that, the creature was gone.
Another blurred at him from the flank—fast, hard to see. Ade reached for the shadow and pulled it around himself, the darkness turning into a shield. Blow deflected.
Baba's arrows whistled from the side, picking off enemies trying to circle around. His aim was deadly.
The villagers kept their heads down, peeking between cracks in doors, jaws dropped at Ade's power.
"They've gotten stronger," Ade said, teeth gritted as he blocked another attack.
"So have you," Baba called back. "Stay focused on your shadow. Don't hold back."
Ade breathed in, feeling that perfect blend of dark and light inside him. He lashed out, coiling energy into a beam, several of the Night People disappeared instantly. But the one with the burning red eyes didn't show itself. This was just the opening act of a scouting party.
Ade kept moving forward. Nothing slipped past him.
Soon, the forest's edge and village square blurred together in chaos. Dust spun up, tree limbs snapped, light and shadow flickered wildly as Ade channeled his power.
Then everything went quiet. The Night People melted back into the trees. The cold wind faded. For a moment, the village felt completely, eerily still.
Baba walked over. "This was a test," he said softly. "They wanted to see if you'd break. You didn't."
Ade's breath came hard. "They'll be back. And next time, they'll hit harder. This was just the start."
Baba nodded. "We use this time. Train. Build defenses. Don't forget that you're not just a weapon. You're the bridge. That's why they fear you."
Ade stared at the woods. He could still feel that red-eyed presence, lurking.
"They're not done," he said.
"No," Baba agreed. "And next time, it's not just your strength they'll test. It'll be your mind, your soul, everything."
Ade clenched his fists. The mix of light and darkness in him thrummed, fiercer than ever.
"I'll be ready," he promised.
The sun slipped below the horizon, throwing orange and purple streaks across Ajeji.
For now, the Night People were gone.
But this was only the beginning.