Captive offer

The evening of the day came quickly and the only light that shun upon Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, the priests, the warriors and the whole multitude of the captives was the fainted light from the candles each of the priest held in their hands.

Eulogy of the witches the eldest priest continued to sing, and the rest of the priests continued to chorus a response to every last word the eldest priest made as they kept on walking in sequence steps even around the shrine.

To and fro as they continued to walk, in a circled and around the shrine, they began again with chanting the song that resurrected the presence of the witches to which their sacrifice should be accepted.

Osabiegun, Oranmiyan and the chiefs and Elders remained steadfast on their feet outside of the shine as they watched the priests even from a close distance do their ritual as according to them, the witches had demanded for it.

Nobody dared go close to the priests at that moment lest, he becomes meat in the feast of the witches. For the ritual the priests performed remained sacred for the priests alone and even the priest who had another thought than the ritual shall be swallowed by the ground as the witches did not grace any disrespect to their name.

Okiki-osupa even as fear grinds in her heart had not shaken but knelt in her position as every captive had been compelled to do and showed her bravery.

To every captive around her who was already lashing their teeth for the death they saw before them, she braced with her words.

For a tiger shall not be scared in the face of death, but in her own capacity will she do everything needed to be able to survive was her word to them.

But even if she thought she spoke any words of wisdom, she failed to accomplish her desire as everyone she spoke to drown more in fear as they continued to plead for mercy.

Definitely, Oranmiyan had not stopped to peep on Okiki-osupa but if he dare to speak any more word that concerns her will Osabiegun instruct the royal guards to do to the prince what has never been done before.

With only this knowledge had Oranmiyan remained muted about Okiki-osupa as the eyes of Osabiegun had nothing but daggers in it.

Perhaps the words Oranmiyan noted to him earlier had not left his mind and instead of the happiness of their triumphant victory, he was left in the state of his vexation.

The chiefs and elders even as they stood closely behind Osabiegun and Oranmiyan had continued to whisper their gossip against the words of Oranmiyan, if indeed, Okiki-osupa had used a charm on him even on the battle field.

Though, Oranmiyan captured every of their gossip with the attention he paid to their words, he had not been disappointed, neither had he placed any action against them. For he already knew, not a man shall believe his noble desire for the only princess that graced his heart.

The sudden halt of the priests who were previously moving in a circles and chanting compelled the attention of everyone yet again. Not a single noise was made, not even the sound of their breath was obvious as everything showered into a conquering silence.

In suspense and anticipation were the captives as they were buried into their maximum fright. If they hoped for words from the eldest priest left them more agitating for mercy.

Even Okiki-osupa was not any different as her courage left her and her cold feet grew entirely on her. With her mouth widely opened and stream of tears rolling down her eyes, she continued to wail and wailing again for mercy.

Even Oranmiyan's heart continued to pound more in trepidation. For his fear for Okiki-osupa shrouded his mind as he now regretted his decision why he brought Okiki-osupa to ifa-ile as a captive.

Just like the cock, which had gone looking for his own death was his case as he hadn't known the moment when he fell yet on his kneel with the only hope that the event which was about to happen could be reversed.

Suddenly as black smoke started to evaporate from the shrine had the laughter of the witches became obvious. As their maniac laughter was shrinking will another one became louder which left the chiefs and elders even in fear if their gossip had not angered the witches.

The eyes of the eldest priest which was before closed became opened as even his eye bulb was entirely covered with smokes that was coming out of it.

Not only the eldest priest had this happened to, even the rest of the priests had different reactions to the presence of the witches.

As one of the priests had black feathers which now grew entirely on his body, another of the priest had already shape shifted into a black crawl.

Osabiegun, the eldest priest called out loudly even as his voice at this moment was that of an old woman.

Even Osabiegun had already sunk in fear as he heard his name loud and clear. For he knew not what the witches had in store for him.

The gesture of the hand of the eldest priest compelled him to go on his kneel to which he did almost immediately. And he has done this compelled the whole of the chiefs and elders into the same state with him.

The instant the eldest priest opened his mouth for another word was the multitude of the voices of the witches echoed from his mouth at once; if Osabiegun was an evil cock drinking the yokes of his eggs was the question they threw at him.

For everything that happened before and everything they said, they heard. If they were not the one who fussed the interest of the princess into the prince and the prince into the princess, who then had?

Why was he a stumbling block to their desire as they needed the princess and the prince as one.

Osabiegun who then again struck with fear bowled his face to the ground as he wailed for forgiveness. For he had not known the intention of them was his words accompanying his tears.

With the lightning that now decorated the sky and the smoke from the shrine which now formed the cloud, the witches through the lips of the eldest priest commanded the start of the slaughter.

For death is certain and if an escape can be made was not a stupid decision was the thought of one of the captive who jumped up from his kneel and even with the binds that hindered him from a rabbit feet, he had taken his steps faster than his legs could had carried him.

The witches who noticed this exploded in maximum sneer as the crawl among the priest flew quickly before the captive and even before a blink of an eye, fed on his eyes.

With only this, he fell on his kneel yet again and slowly on his face to which all he saw now at this moment was total darkness that will never fade away.

Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, the chiefs and elders focus their attention on the event that was about to happen as even Okiki-osupa who was now rest assure of her own safety couldn't be satisfied with solace.

The eldest priest who now became floating in the air, flew before the captive and with the voice of the eldest witch which condemned him, commanded him to die.

The eldest witch, through the body of the eldest priest, stretch forth his hand and in same moment had the captive shrunken with pain as he kept yelling for mercy.

This hadn't occurred any pity to the eldest witch as she now began again with her laughter to which the rest of the witches echoed their laughter as well.

With only this had the rest of the captives couldn't brace themselves for an escape or even have any thought of it as the only salvation they could think was their tears and plead.

Pointing to each of the captives was the eldest priest with the voice of the eldest witch still exploding in her maximum evil laugh.

These ones are chosen, another word of the eldest witch which now compelled the royal guards to grab the chosen captives.

The rest of the captives who now beheld the eldest priest floating back to his previous position allowed them a bit of solace. If not for anything else, at least for the thought that had not been chosen.

As the chosen ones had not stopped waiting and their plead became even louder than before only for them to be allowed to live, will they worship ifa-ile till their life grow withered.

But if they thought their cry will be listened to, they thought wrong as they have now be made to kneel before the whole multitude of the rest of the captives, Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, the chiefs and elders and even the whole of the priests.

The hands of the young priests which they raised up and faster as it came down beheaded all the chosen four captives at ones and their blood gushing into the calabash before them.

With only this had the smoke from the eldest priest's eyes disappeared, and the rest of the priest became conscious of their environment and the question of what happened they continued to ask.