THE FORESTS IN BETWEEN

Aziza and her companions spent many days traveling, but it wasn't boring as they spent those days laughing, telling stories, and bonding despite the harsh conditions. They had officially left Egypt and were now in the forests between Egypt and Sobekana. At this point, everyone became silent, leaving Aziza in confusion.

"Why have you all gone silent?" she questioned.

"Quiet now, child. We are in The Forests In Between and these forests are home to the Kishi," replied Ikubo.

"What are Kishi?" a curious Aziza asked.

"They are creatures forged with remnants of Vutu, a dark form of Juju that seeks to destroy rather than replenish. They are vampiric creatures that move in packs, drawn to the feel of Juju. They take the form of hyenas, their skin dark with the smell of death and blood engulfing wherever they inhabit. They feast on the innate Juju of their victims, rendering them dead. They are vile creatures that cheat death, regenerating their limbs no matter how many times you chop them off," Ikubo narrated, almost trembling.

At this point, everyone was silent, with children holding their parents and covering their eyes, men wielding their weapons, staying alert and vigilant, and Aziza at the front of the caravan with a sword in hand, ready for anything. But nothing could prepare her for the ferocity of the Kishi. Travel through the forest was quiet, almost too quiet. The air was still, and nothing could be heard, no birds chirping, insects flying, or rodents grazing nothing except for the horses and wheels that rolled through the forest.

They were halfway through the forest when Aziza felt a change in the air. It became heavy, almost difficult to breathe, with the smell of blood filling the atmosphere. At that moment, the Kishi stormed the caravan in a pack of five. Aziza rushed to one of the Kishi, slicing off its head, but another one bit her leg. She cut off the other's head, but almost immediately, it grew back as if nothing had happened. At this point, she realized that her attacks would amount to nothing.

"WE MUST RUN!" yelled Ikubo. All the caravans began to move at full speed, pulled by stamina-filled horses. The archers did their best to hold back the Kishi, but their efforts were futile as the arrows were like toothpicks on the Kishi's skins. The last caravan lost its wheels, rendering it unable to traverse, and in that moment, all the Kishi swarmed the caravan, slaughtering mothers, children, and horses alike, feasting on their very life force.

"WE MUST STOP, WE MUST HELP THEM!" a frustrated Aziza beckoned.

"No, we cannot. If we stop, we will suffer the same fate. I cannot put the lives of the remainder of my party at risk," Ikubo said fiercely, as if trying to believe his own words.

They came out of the forest and back onto the open road, but the entire traveling party was overcome with great sadness—children mourning friends, mothers mourning husbands, and fathers cursing themselves for not being strong enough. Aziza sat puzzled, unable to come to terms with what she had seen, replaying the scene of mothers crying and children screaming as the life left their eyes, with the smell of blood so strong it could drive one to illness. She cursed herself at intervals, cursing herself for not being strong enough, for being useless.

"If I cannot protect travelers through a forest, then what do I hope to achieve at Sobekana?" she questioned herself. She wept for hours on end.

***

A day had passed after the incident, and the travelers had camped a couple thousand paces outside the gates of Sobekana. Ikubo walked to Aziza, who sat behind one of the caravans still in despair. "Do not weep, my child," Ikubo comforted. "You are not responsible for the lives of all, and you cannot protect the lives of all."

"I could not even protect the lives of those who were in my care," she said in anger.

"Oh, but you did, child. If not for you, none of us would have left that forest alive. If not for you, we would not have even made it out of the Egyptian desert. Do not always focus on the negatives, my child, as my people say amadin ai yan agbon, only the brave can possess the world."

"But I still feel useless," she said, tears running down her cheeks.

"You still do not understand, child. Failure is a part of life, but what you do after is what matters most. You can either sob and lie in your failure, or you can get up and take all that you feel and let it fuel you into making sure that you do not fail again!"

Aziza wiped her eyes and had a fierce look on her face. "I promise to get stronger, strong enough to protect as many people as I possibly can."

Ikubo smiled at her and said, "I believe you, my child. Now, have supper and rest. Tomorrow, we shall reach The Great Gates of Obadju."