Chapter 1: The Blacksmith’s Deadly Bargain

I went to find the best blacksmith in the whole country and begged him to forge the sharpest blade for me. In exchange, he wanted me to draw my own blade and help him collect debts from four people.

E no easy, but desperation dey push person go where mouth no reach. I come dey reason say, make I no shame my family for this journey. I remember my mama voice for morning prayer—her hand dey press my head, dey beg God make pikin no carry shame come house. Before I gree, I even do small prayer for my mama house, just in case wahala show face.

I touched the blade at my waist, the one I hadn’t unsheathed for a whole year, and just smiled to myself. To draw blade dey wahala abeg; I prefer to win with mouth.

I remember my elder brother dey always talk say na only mad person dey quick draw blade. True true, for Naija street, na mouth dey first fight.

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"You no sabi say I no dey forge blades for anybody." The number one blacksmith in the land sat opposite me, frowning.

His frown fit even scare masquerade. The whole workshop get iron smell, heat dey hang for air, and men dey hammer, sweat dey drip. Him red cap even dey one side—proper old Bini man. Somewhere for corner, radio dey play old Osadebe song, mixing with the sound of hammer for iron.

"I know. As long as the price correct, Baba, you go forge any weapon—except blade."

My own eye no blink as I talk am. For that kind place, if your heart shake, you go miss your chance.

After a short pause, I smiled again. "But I dey hope say you go make exception for me, just this once."

I try form loyal pikin voice, dey beg with body and face—small small smile wey dem dey use beg mama for extra meat.

The blacksmith looked me well, then talk: "You dey mistake. I dey forge weapons for people, but no be just about money."

Him eye dey study me like say e dey weigh soul. For this country, no be money alone dey open door.

"You dey check person character too. If person wicked well-well, you no go forge for am, true?" I continued.

I try bring my voice down, make e sound like we dey do secret business. For Naija, na trust dey hard pass money.

He nodded. "I don forge weapon for four people before, one each. Years later, dem show say dem no get loyalty, no respect, no kindness, and no righteousness. People like that no deserve my weapon again."

The way he talk am, na like pesin dey talk about old wounds. E pain am. E be like say dem disgrace him work, e dey swallow anger for inside.

"So you wan collect those four weapons back," I talk.

I nod head as if I fit understand wetin dey for him mind, but my mind dey reason another thing. To collect weapon for Naija streets? No be beans.

"I don dey forge weapons for people in the streets for years. Dem dey call me ‘number one blacksmith for Nigeria.’ Every day, people dey come beg me to forge for them. People wey get money wan weapon; people wey no get, wan am even pass. If them get money, e easy. If not, I go tell them to help me do something in return."

You go think say na only politicians dey run this kind condition. But street people sef sabi style—nobody wan dey owe.

"And wetin you dey tell them to do na to collect those four weapons?" I ask.

I lean small, my voice calm but sharp. For market, e no dey good make everybody hear your matter.

"Anybody wey agree go—but none ever come back alive. So, I never really forge weapon for person wey no get money," the blacksmith talk am straight.

I feel small cold for body, but I bone. Na street level.

"Those four people get name for the streets, all of them be masters. To collect weapon from them no be small matter."

He clear throat, eye dey shine. Him hand dey rest on heavy anvil like say e dey ready for battle. I smell sweat, iron, and palm oil from the fire side.

I smiled. "If I fit bring those four weapons come back, you go forge blade for me?"

My smile dey stretch like I dey sell market, but na fear dey hide for back of am.

"At least hundred people don talk that thing before. Nobody come back alive. You no fear die?"

The way he ask am, e be like elder wey dey reason your future, but e dey test your spirit.

I just shrugged and smiled. "Na weapon I dey go collect, no be death."

As I talk am, na for my mind I dey pray make my guardian angel no sleep.