The Turning Tide

The sun dipped low over Lagos, casting long shadows across the rebel strongholds that had been secured during the night’s offensive. Ada Sobowale stood atop a crumbling building in one of the newly liberated sectors, surveying the city sprawled beneath her. The taste of victory lingered, but the air was thick with an awareness of the peril still ahead. The streets below, alive with tentative hope, mirrored a city on the edge—caught between freedom and the encroaching shadow of the Eternal Council. In the distance, smoke from distant sectors twisted into the sky, a stark reminder that the war was far from over.

Jidenna approached, his steady presence marred by the exhaustion creeping into his movements. He had been everywhere that morning—inspecting fortifications, checking in with captains, and planning with senior leaders. Ada could sense the strain he carried, the weariness pulling at him as it did with her. Still, his resolve remained solid, like the man himself.