Chapter 11 - The depature

While Eshuro's proclamation didn’t sound like a big deal, in fact it heralded a great change to the atmosphere in the hall. This was naturally of concern to everyone in the hall. However, Rhema was more interested in how Lady Janaina was linked to everything that has happened thus far.

The former primordial did not leave them in suspense for long.

A pressing aura filled the chamber, as a figure clad all royal purple came into view. Stunning, majestic. Members of the council felt their breath catch in their throat as they stared entranced. Destructive lightning coalesced around the figure that was full of unbridled elegance and power.

Long, golden hair tumbled down past her shoulders. When she walked there was a keen presence to her step, like a sword dancing through the air. Every inch of her glowed with a sort of natural quintessence, forming a woman nearly perfect both in form and substance.

Rhema’s eyes went wide in shock. The whole council stared in absolutely shock.

She was a woman widely known, though had gone unseen for the most part of a hundred and fifty years. In fact, they’d almost forgotten that Orundun Nla had ever produced someone like her.

Her achievements and power were obvious in the war against chaos. When it came to raw destructive power, she was surpassed only by the former godking Ochala and equal to the wargod, Ogun.

Janaina Yemoa

She walked through the hall to the front of the platorm, not even sparing a glance for Rhema as though she had never met him. Dropping to one knee in a solemn and dignified salute, she spoke out in a clear voice which rose like a crystal bell among the clouds, cold and crisp. “I, Janaina Yemoa, come to pay homage to my king, Ochala Alabalashe, Baba Arugbo, Orishanla"

She spoke to the empty throne as though the king was still sitted on it.

"You have guts, I must say" Lord Olukoso said. "Walking in here and breaking a dozen laws alongside and above all, saluting a dead king."

Janaina ignored him stood up from her kneeling position and walked back through the hologram of Lord Olukoso to stand in front of Rhema

“You are worthy of your spectacular bloodline, and are a shining beacon for the future of our race. I can sense it from you, the determination to break through all barriers. I can feel your indomitable spirit. I can also feel your strength, and noble heart.”

Rhema couldn't fanthom what she was on about.

Her saintly voice reverberated through the hall.

“Rhema, with his virtuous spirit and faithful heart, is a peerless representative of his generation. He has been taught wisdom and strength that has tempered him into the man that stands before us today, capable and self-sufficient, even without having a divine sobriquet"

Rhema couldn’t see his Teacher's ’ expression, hard as he tried to peek.

Lady Janaina then turned to address Imila “Our great and noble high priest, Rhema is a rare gem of the Ochala's lineage. I believe."

Lord Imila gently nodded his head.

The Janaina smiled, appeased. “Then with that settled… brave and steadfast Rhema, do you accept the role of a king? To become god in service of our order at the expense of your feelings, freedoms, maybe even your life? To defend the majesty of the gods and the safety of the faithful?”

The council of the gods were shocked and they raised their voices to protest but Janaina drew an hieroglyph to silence them.

They spoke but were voiceless, afterall they less powerful because they projected their consciousness from the outside, limiting their powers to a tenth of its full might, while Janaina was at her peak.

Rhema said nothing. He knew this was where he was to make a decision that will affect Orundun Nla. He knew how far fetched becoming godking was. His odds were zero and to be honest he never really cared for positions or power like that. They never interested him.

But he knew lady Janaina couldn't be bluffing. She always meant whatever she said. She was straight forward. If she said she could give him a divine sobriquet right now he would believed.

"Tempting? No? I understand you, little one. I just waltz in here and asked you to be king infront of the current kings royal council.

That will be a bit intimidating for anyone including me. Its treason afterall. Especially if I turned out to be bluffing. Then you would have thrown away your life for nothing" she said.

She looked around. The gods were angry. No doubt, they were outside trying to break down the seal the former godking put over this temple. It was futile. Only he could undo such powerful seal. Unless they managed to convince the living city to remove the barrier. Which was also impossible. It answered only to its master.

"I didn't plan to make you king right now you see, I had to tear down this reality before I can do so. But right now you seem to be able to insert yourself in controversial situations. Who would have thought you would be here today. A hundred and fifty yeas from the last time you were here" she said

Rhema's was shocked. He had been here before?

She saw his surprise and just laughed bitterly. "Ofcourse you would not remember, it was their wish to see what purpose he made you for. They know you are different from them but you are yet to manifest. I know what you are though. You're Orundun Nla's safeguard. Its hope against chaos should Lord Ochala cease to be"

Rhema looked at his teacher, lord Imila didn't look surprised compared to the other gods. He then turned his attention to lady Janaina.

"Why would you want me to be king. We have the godking, the council and a thousand gods with divine sobriquets, all far more capable than I am. I know my strength and I know I'm not ready to divide a kingdom"

"You do not know your strength, if you know who you come from you wouldn't speak like this. Chaos is already upon us. Orundun Nla has no time again, the council of fools and their king are only doomed to fail. We cannot win without Ochala himself. Only he has the power to oppose chaos...well unless you sit on that throne and command the forces of Orundun Nla" she said pointing to the throne.

"And if I refuse?" Rhema asked.

"Then I would do what I intended to do at first, erase this reality from existence, chaos, order, the gods, everything" she said.

"Vengeance has consumed you" lord Imila spoke.

All heads turned towards him in surprise. How could he speak? The surprise quickly faded. He was lord Imila afterall. A god of many means.

"You saw what they did and stood by and watched. In your infinite wisdom you thought it wise to allow order fall to chaos, you are no different from them, an agent of chaos" lady Janaina claimed.

"Every god must decide whether they will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. The lord Ochala was corrupted by Chaos in their last battle, he couldn't be allowed to step into Orundun Nla unless of course he wanted to plunge the entire heavens in chaos. Eshuro foresaw the world on fire, if he didn't do what he did then we wouldn't be having this conversation" lord Imila said.

Rhema was confused. Was he mistakened? The gods didn't go against their king? But he remebered what he saw.

Lady Janaina hissed "That's pathetic coming from you. I had low expectations from you lot but this is worse than I expected. Only the victors can write history but do not forget I was present when the betrayal happened, nothing of such happened as you claim. You are really slacking. Rhema here knows what he saw"

And so did he. Rhema remembered feeling what lord Ochala felt in his last moments, he didn't corrupted but how was he to know what it felt like. Although another thought came up. He wanted to believe his teacher naturally. The god raised him afterall, what if teacher was depending on this trust to decieve him...what if teacher was wrong, what if they plotted to dispose of their ruler for whatever reasons. Arghh so many what if's. He needed more information.

She then looked at Rhema "little one, it's a pity you can not make a decision. I wish you were half as decisive as your father but I can't let you stand in my way anymore. You are a distraction I indulged for too long. You would suffer me no more"

Rhema felt the atmosphere become even more oppressive than when Lord Olukoso threatened him. He instinctively fell into a defensive stance.

"I came here for the staff of judgement. The weapon of our godking or rather what is left of it" she said walking past the boy towards the steps on the throne.

Rhema was frozen still by her oppressive aura. He was outclassed here. He couldn't move at all as she made her move.

With each step she climb towards the throne, the throne began to illuminate a golden radiance, every step made it brighter. Rhema once more began to feel the vibrations he sense that led him here. She soon got to the throne herself and stood. As if she were in a trance, she simply held out her right hand.

Rhema looked at her, standing alone in the chamber was that solitary figure. He was very curious what she was thinking right now, why she had decided to make this choice.

After a while she dropped her hands and looked back to the boy and smiled. "The missing piece" was all she said before vanishing in a flash appearing before him. She grabbed him and in another step appeared in front of the throne once more.

She sat him on the throne and an unbelievable scene unfolded.

The entire temple lit up, the city lit up and the whole of Orundun Nla lit up. Rhema was coated in a golden energy, which emanates from them reminiscent of flickering flames.

He donned a set of armor that was a layered, collared, a golden vest with black plates and golden accents worn over a chain-mail shirt. The vest continued into a loincloth which hung over chain-mail and leather pants. The sleeves ended at arm-bracers similar-looking to the vest with a red underside. He wore knee-high boots with gold piping. The third set also featured a bright golden red cape that was attached to the vest by two black disks.

And in his right arm appeared a staff, incomplete, it was broken but still measured four feets long.

As soon as it appeared Janaina lifted Rhema of the throne, removed the staff from his hand and flung him down the steps. As soon as he was flung, he maneuvered himself, tumbled and landed on his feet at the base of the steps.

As he landed, he was no longer radiating the golden aura. The throne, the room and city that were lit up were dimmed once more. He was still donning the armour but without the glow. It looked a bluish grey and black colours at various parts.

He looked at her holding the staff. When he held the staff he could sense negative emotions from around him and everyone but his teacher had it in them, but the negative emotions he felt from Lady Janaina was the most powerful, it was destructive. She seeked the destruction of Orundun Nla.

He moved into action, he drew a hieroglyphs in the air, summoning a sword and shield, jumping to engage her but as soon as he met her she was covered in a grey barrier. He shield met the barrier and immediately eroded to dust.

He leapt back to put some distance between them.

The gods looked on. They had no way to interfere or stop her.

"It is a time space barrier" Lord Imila said shocked. "There's are only a few people with the divine sobriquet to alter the space-time continuum. And only one dares go against the heavens, it has to be the Heretic god, Geras"

Lord Imila frowned. "You plan to go to the earth realm to recover the remaining piece of lord Ochala's staff...you want to wield your former godkings power? You know that is impossible."

"Imila, don't act a fool. We are gods, we make the impossible possible. You're powerless to stop me. Once I leave, the gods will be unable to follow for another three months. That will be more than enough time to find the remaining piece" Lady Janaina said

She then turned to Rhema "my time with you was short, and I really cherish it. I'd love for my memories of you to stay that way but if you follow me, make no mistake, I will smite you"

Rhema simply looked on powerless.

She looked at the council of gods "Farewell, tell your godking, that the next time I meet him, I would stab him through his heart just like he did to me"

The barrier closed and she was gone. Leaving a promise with the council and Rhema with a decision.