THE GUARDIAN OF THE GUARDIAN.

Idoga vanished and reappeared in front of Ohi, his movements so swift that Ohi couldn't react in time. He viciously clawed at Ohi's chest and delivered a powerful kick, causing Ohi to crash to the ground. Seizing Ohi by the collar, he hurled him through the air. Ohi's back scraped against the floor, engulfing him in excruciating pain. He struggled to formulate an escape plan, but the agony clouded his thoughts.

"Do you understand why your demise is necessary, Ohi?" Idoga approached slowly. "You're an obstacle to Our mistress, and that can't be allowed when the time arrives." Gasping for air, Ohi's vision blurred from blood loss, impeding his slow healing ability.

Ohi struggled to stand, his body barely supporting him. Raising his hand weakly, he attempted an attack, but Idoga mocked him, taunting his feeble attempt. A sudden impact from a large rock striking Idoga's back echoed with the sound of bones cracking. Ohi collapsed, breathing heavily, while Idoga cried out in pain, rolling on the ground.

Enraged, Ohi vowed, "I'll end you! You're dead!" With a burst of energy, he lunged at Idoga, gripping his neck and lifting him, but Idoga retaliated, causing Ohi to scratch his face desperately. However, the beastly Idoga showed no reaction. The ground began to split, forcing Idoga to release Ohi, who gasped for air, clutching his sore throat.

Idoga charged at Ohi again but was suddenly struck in the gut by an unknown assailant, collapsing and coughing up blood. "Why such force?" cried Idoga, in pain. Ohi, bewildered, observed the stranger and thought, "Why does he seem familiar?" Idoga, tears streaming down his face, asked, "Who are you?" The stranger replied, "I am Orisha Eshu, the guardian of the guardian."

BEFORE HE GOT THERE.

Seated comfortably in a spacious blue van, Eshu was surrounded by an array of electronic gadgets and a compact shelf. Connecting the devices to his laptop, he settled into a revolving black chair, leisurely sipping his coffee while typing in seemingly random codes. A beep drew his attention, and a smile graced his face as he dialed a number.

"Ello!" greeted a quavering female voice. "Hello, I'm Lucy Benson," Eshu responded through the microphone, having already configured his system to emulate a female voice.

"I'm contacting you regarding an issue with your account. Could you provide your account number and BVN?" he calmly requested, anticipating the elderly woman's response. Concern laced the woman's voice as she inquired, "Is there something wrong with my account?"

"Yes, but there's no need to worry; it's easily fixable," he reassured. "Okay, I'll send... BANG!" The door to his van was kicked, startling Eshu. "I'll call you back later," he hurriedly ended the call.

"You're back," Eshu turned around, eyes widening, a smile spreading across his face. "Oya, I didn't expect to see you," he greeted, his smile widening further. Oya entered with a woman following closely behind, the latter grimacing as if tasting something bitter. As Eshu's phone rang, Oya picked it up.

"Ello! It's me again. Should I send my BVN?" the elderly woman asked in a shaky voice. "No need. Your account has been fixed. If anyone calls asking for your BVN, don't provide it," Oya instructed before ending the call and placing the phone on the shelf. She glanced at Eshu, raising her left eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't know about that phone call?" Eshu feigned ignorance, but Oya narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine, I'm guilty," he admitted, raising his hands.

"Why are you here anyway?" Eshu settled into his chair. "Shouldn't we report him? He's a terrible person," the woman accompanying Oya interjected, her disdain for Eshu evident. Eshu looked at the woman in front of him, curious. "Who is she?" he pointed, eliciting a shocked reaction from the lady.

"After what you did to me," she pointed to herself, her mouth agape in disbelief. "I've done a lot of things to a lot of people," Eshu replied casually. "I am the Orisha of weather. I wanted to become more beautiful so that my husband would only have eyes for me. Instead, you gave me a potion that caused huge boils to appear on my face!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, causing Oya to regret bringing her along despite Ladi's pleas. Eshu appeared lost in thought, and a sudden change in his expression indicated that he had recollected something. "Ah! I remember now. You're the lady who resembles a face attacked by porcupine needles," he burst into boisterous laughter, slapping his thighs. "I got you good," he chuckled, wiping tears from his eyes. Suddenly, the van and the entire street began to tremble.

"Ladi, please calm down!" Oya yelled, but the enraged woman paid no heed.

"Eshu, I need you to protect the new guardian," Oya said, still restraining Ladi. "What's in it for me?" Eshu inquired. "I'll grant you half your powers for this mission. Once completed, you'll receive your full powers and a route home." Oya struggled to control Ladi. "And if I refuse?" Eshu challenged, meeting her glare. "If you refuse, I'll send you to the land of the doomed as a slave for a thousand years," Oya growled, sending shivers down Eshu's spine. He swallowed hard, hesitating before conceding, "How can I refuse when you ask so nicely? I'll protect... and train the guardian," he agreed reluctantly.

Oya vanished with the furious Ladi, and the street returned to normal. Suddenly, a picture materialized before Eshu. Studying the image and the name below it, he read aloud, "Ohinoyi .M. Ozovehe."