Chapter 4: Return Home

"Number 95274065, your leave don reach. You get three thousand years holiday. If you no come back on time, you sabi wetin go happen."

"Yes, sir."

I pack my load, drop am inside my Spirit Pouch. As I dey look this big barracks, I turn, fly go Eastern Heavenly Gate.

The Battle of Okeji finish thirty thousand years ago. Since then, I don move from Spirit Elder to True Elder, serve thirty thousand years, now get three thousand years leave. Na big man Celestial Soldier dey get this kind treat.

But these three thousand years—where I go go? All my life dey pursue the Way, I no marry, no get pikin. Where I go go? Where I fit call home?

I really wan go house, just look am.

Almost fifty thousand years now. For lower realm, once your cultivation reach, you fit ascend. But to come down from upper realm to lower realm hard die. No be say e no possible, but e hard.

My body turn breeze, I disappear from Eastern Heavenly Gate plaza.

As I fade, my mind dey drift go back—old village, laughter under moonlight, smell of roasted corn, my father's hand on my shoulder. The world of immortals, with all its shining glory, no fit match that one evening my mother call me to share hot porridge, whispering, "Zikora, na you go bring our family name honour." Those words dey echo for my heart as I cross realm boundaries, spirit heavy with longing.