Chapter 6: Masquerade Mother and Broken Chains

Western Hills—Nameless Peak.

Great black Masquerade Mother kneel for ground, no even fit breathe.

"Im... Immortal, wetin you want make I do?"

Sun Zikora frown small.

Great black Masquerade Mother dey pressed for ground by force wey nobody fit see, e don form three-foot-deep pit.

Sun Zikora no talk, but for Masquerade Mother mind, ancestral power dey flash.

The meaning na: "Where you see this talking drum?"

Great black Masquerade Mother no sabi ancestral power, but she fit understand the message.

She dey shake, talk, "Hundred years ago, after earthquake, e come out from ground. I just see say this drum no dey spoil, and e fit capture soul. So I hide am, no know say na Immortal own. Abeg, punish me."

Sun Zikora shake the talking drum two times; the sound still dey clear and sweet.

Na gift from my mama when I be five, later I refine am to magical tool for Elder's Obi stage, leave am for family as memory. No expect say e go still come back to me.

Sun Zikora feel the bottleneck wey don hold him cultivation for long dey shake small.

From early True Elder to mid-stage.

The thing wey hold Sun Zikora for almost ten thousand years loosen because of this drum.

Sun Zikora happy. With one wave, golden staff land for black Masquerade Mother front.

"I go use this staff exchange your drum, our wahala end here."

This staff na one small demon wey get Combined Body stage use am during demon war. Discipline officer no send am, no register am; Sun Zikora see say e fine, keep am.

"Thank you, Immortal, for sparing my life! Thank you, Immortal, for sparing my life!"

As she shout, her voice crack like old calabash, eyes shine with tears she no gree let fall. Even the birds for nearby tree pause their singing. I feel small pity, but for this path, mercy dey sometimes cost pass war. The drum warm for my palm, memory of my mother's laugh rise sweet inside my chest. The bottleneck inside me crack like dry kolanut for elder's hand. Today, spirit ancestors surely dey watch. As I turn to go, I hear her still dey chant gratitude, voice echo for valley like evening bell.