"In war, men die. But in forgotten wars, even their souls burn unheard."
— General Odumegwu Ojukwu, Secret Diary (1970, Unreleased)
---
Enugu — One Day After the Bombing
The wind carried the scent of burnt yam, diesel, and blood.
Obinna stood still as stone at the edge of what used to be his hometown. The ruins of Enugu smoldered behind him—roofs torn open like fruit, roads cracked like broken backs, the bodies of neighbors now indistinguishable from rubble.
His legs trembled. But not from fear.
He had buried them—his family—with nothing but his hands, digging into the warm ash and gravel until his nails split. His mother's anklet. His sister's doll. His father's tobacco pipe. Three graves for three gods lost.
He did not cry.
Instead, the storm in his chest grew louder.
> "You are no longer just a boy," the voice whispered again, sliding into his mind like it had always belonged. Deep. Heavy. It wasn't a single voice, but a harmony—three tones speaking as one.
"You are chosen. You carry the will of the land. You carry the wrath of the gods."
Obinna's breath shook. He looked down—his reflection shimmered in a puddle of rain mixed with blood. The eyes that stared back weren't his. Not anymore. Faint gold etched the iris like sunbursts. Beneath his skin, his veins pulsed with fiery patterns that danced like burning roots.
> "This is madness," he muttered aloud.
And yet—madness didn't come with floating glyphs above your head.
---
Abuja – Nigerian High Command (Underground Facility)
Far from the ruins, beneath layers of reinforced concrete and red tape, General Aruna Bello stood in silence. A curved holographic screen replayed the satellite footage—over and over.
A boy.
Kneeling beneath a flaming mango tree.
Nine glowing rings spiraled in the sky above him. A pillar of divine light. And then—something descended. Not a drone. Not a missile. Something alive.
> "You're certain this is real?" the general asked without turning.
The French envoy beside him adjusted his glasses and spoke in crisp, clipped English.
> "Oui. Your machines in Kaduna triggered a response. But this… this was not machine-born. He is natural. Untouched. Cleaner."
Bello finally turned. His eyes were hard.
> "Find him. Before Biafra does. I don't care what you use. Kill him. Or capture him."
> "And if the gods interfere?" the envoy asked, almost amused.
> "Then let them come," Bello growled. "We've made pacts too."
---
The Spirit Grove — Sacred Temple, Aro Chukwu
Far beneath the forest, in the root-veined caverns of Aro Chukwu, time flowed like honey. Here, the old gods still whispered through leaves and shadows.
Three spirits knelt before a throne of glowing stone.
On the throne sat Ala—Mother of Earth. Her skin shimmered with soil and starlight, vines coiling gently around her limbs. Her eyes were galaxies.
To her left, Amadioha stood—a giant cloaked in storm. Lightning danced on his palms, never still. His frown etched valleys into the air.
To her right, Ekwensu lounged with irreverent grace. The trickster wore a grin that could start or end wars.
> "It has begun," Ala whispered, her voice echoing like mountains shifting.
Ekwensu tilted his head.
> "So soon?" he asked. "The last one barely survived the Awakening."
> "This one will survive," Amadioha said grimly. "Or the world burns."
Ekwensu chuckled. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
> "Who will bear our banner?" Amadioha asked.
> "The Eagle boy," Ala said.
> "Obinna," she breathed.
---
Enugu – Forest Ruins (Near Udi Hills)
The skies wept.
Obinna walked until his legs gave out. He collapsed beside a crumbled shrine nestled beneath massive trees, where roots had pushed out the earth like fingers seeking sun.
His father had always warned him: "Never touch that shrine. Not unless you're ready to hear what it has to say."
Now, there was no one left to warn him. No one left at all.
The shrine was simple—an eagle carved from obsidian, resting atop a weathered totem pole. Its wings were cracked. Its beak, chipped. And yet… it pulsed. Faint blue light danced along its surface, like breath through stone.
Obinna crawled closer.
A whisper stirred the air.
> "Say your name."
He hesitated.
Then, softly:
> "Obinna Uduka."
The ground shuddered.
Roots coiled upward around him—not to trap, but to cradle. The totem glowed. The eagle's broken beak mended itself with fire. Its wings spread wide, bursting into flame and thunder.
From the shrine, something emerged.
A spirit beast—massive, regal, and terrifying. An eagle, but more than that. Its body shimmered with fire and mist, wings trailing embers and thunderclouds. Its eyes locked with his.
And then—it bowed.
> "I am Azụmiri," it spoke. Its voice was wind and waterfall. "Your spirit beast. Bound to your soul. I have waited since the sky broke."
Obinna stared, wide-eyed. "Waited for what?"
> "For you to walk the Path of Realms."
> "What is that?" he whispered.
> "Your destiny," Azụmiri replied. "And your curse."
---
📘 Mini-Dictionary (New Lore Terms Introduced)
Ala – Earth goddess in Igbo mythology; guardian of morality, fertility, and cosmic law.
Amadioha – Igbo god of thunder and justice, wielder of storms and divine judgment.
Ekwensu – Trickster spirit; complex, not purely evil, often the spark behind chaos and change.
Azụmiri – Name of Obinna's spirit eagle. From "azu" (back, source) and "miri" (water), symbolizing unstoppable flow.
Spirit Beast – A living embodiment of one's
inner soul power. Only true champions awaken theirs.
Path of Realms – The Nine stages of cultivation tied to spiritual awakening. Each realm unlocks deeper powers and responsibilities.