Chapter 32: A Tragic Legacy
1649words
"Leave us alone," Kunle repeated, his voice strained with barely controlled anger.
"This is not your business," the guard growled back, his eyes shifting from Eki to the book she was holding tightly.
Eki's mind raced. Who was this man? Why does he want to stop them so much to know the truth? And what is his link with Kunle, which looks like it begins as a small thing but causes quiet conflict between the two?
Before Eki had a chance to ask her questions, she heard a loud cracking sound fill the hallway. Guard was startled and quickly turned towards where the noise came from.
From dark shadows, one tall figure comes out wearing long black robes. In the soft moonlight, Eki just sees a silver pendant shining on their neck—it looks very much like a feather.
"Let them be, Kazeem," the dark figure ordered with a voice deep but like music. Eki did not know their language, yet the way it sounded showed strong power and authority easily.
Kazeem is the security guard who makes a short pause. His eyes move quickly between new people coming in and Eki and Kunle. Then he talks in powerful Yoruba with much emotion, shifting slightly to the side but still very troubled inside.
"This is not finished, Eki Olumide," he says with a deep and scary voice. After those words, without more talking, he disappears into the night. Eki and Kunle stay standing there in uncomfortable silence.
The new person walked closer, moving very smoothly and with much grace. When coming near, Eki could see that their face was hiding under a dark hood, showing only two sharp eyes.
"Who are you?" Kunle demanded, his voice trembling slightly.
The person paused only a few steps in front of them, and there was a soft smell of incense around. "Someone who wants to keep safe from what happened many years ago," they answered, their voice sounding almost known. "And to ensure history doesn't repeat itself."
Eki took a deep breath, her heart beating very fast in her chest. "What do you mean?" she asked. What's in this book?"
The person stretched out hand, showing want for the book Eki had. After a small moment of thinking, Eki handed it over to them.
They looked at the old leather cover for a short time, then opened it. The shaky light from Kunle's phone made strange shadows on the yellowed pages while the person read over faded writing.
"The Olori's Promise," they murmured, their voice a low murmur. "A tragic legacy indeed."
When the person starts reading out loud, the voice has a strange and frightening rhythm. Eki felt breath stop in his throat. The book was telling an ancient story from a long time ago, connected to something called the Moonlight Lease.
The story is about an ancestor with big dreams named Olori from the Olumide family who wanted to build a grand palace. He asked for help from Ayana, who was a very skilled architect, to make his dream come true. Ayana, a woman famous for her strong skill in architecture, put all her heart and effort into the project.
"The Moonlight Lease," as people named it, explained the deal between Olori and Ayana. Olori gave a piece of land to Ayana where they wanted to build the palace in return for her skills. It was an important and new agreement, one which gave power to a woman when such chances were not common.
But the story becomes very sad. When the palace nearly finished, Ayana disappeared and left no clues behind. The building never finished, now stands as a sign of broken promise. People talk quietly about unlucky events happening for many years, making the name Moonlight Lease have a sad and dark story attached to it.
Eki felt a cold shiver crawl down her spine. Was this history repeating itself? Is it because she must experience the same fate as Ayana, with her life being claimed by the secrets of Moonlight Lease?
The person wearing the hood closes the book quickly, eyes meeting with Eki's. "Past is a very dangerous place, Eki Olumide," they say in a voice that carries a strange warning. "Be careful what you seek. Some truths are better left buried."
Eki swallowed nervously, her mind reeling. More questions than answers swirled within her. Who were these people hiding in secrecy? Why do they fight with such strength to keep the past safe? And most importantly, was Ayana's disappearance truly an accident or maybe there is something more sinister behind it? Eki's hand clutched the worn leather cover of the book very tightly without realizing it. He feels his heart beat fast when he thinks about many questions with no answers and strange clues hiding deeper truths. His mind runs quickly through many ideas, wondering if secrets hide in shadows which nobody ever says aloud. The story of Ayana is about a woman who other people stayed away from because she had special powers. But, with the help and support from an older person named Olumide, she discovered her inner strength. This story made a very big impression on me. Ayana felt fear growing inside herself—not just for her safety but also about what old papers might show.
"Who was that?" she asked, whispering so quietly it could barely be heard over the strong pounding of her heart. "And what do they want?"
Kunle, who before was stubborn and fearless but now is quiet and cautious, shrugged with sadness. "I don't know, Eki," he said in a voice that felt like it carried some kind of betrayal inside. "But they seem to know more about this than they're letting on."
The sudden reveal stayed like a heavy cloud over everyone. Kunle, who was always known as a dependable friend, now has a hidden past that raises big questions about his true intentions. Eki suddenly felt very confused and hurt, like someone had done something bad to him. The feeling was very sharp, just like the cold stone walls in the hallway.
"Kunle," she started, her voice shaking a little, "why you not say to me that you know all this? About the Olumide mansion and hidden entrance?"
Kunle looked at her, and for a short time, she saw pain in his eyes before he covered it fast with an awkward smile. "Listen, Eki," he said nervously, "things are not so simple." There's a lot I can't explain."
"But you can try," Eki said with a strong voice, though inside she felt unsure. "We are in this together, yes?"
Kunle let out a deep sigh, feeling like he had a very heavy weight on his shoulders. "Okay," he said, "but not here." "This place has many of those... maybe you call them Guardians." He glanced nervously into the darkness where Kazeem disappeared.
"Guardians?" Eki echoed the word sparking a flicker of recognition. A memory came up – an old story from her grandmother told in a soft voice about secret guardians who keep Olumide's family secrets. Maybe the hooded person and Kazeem belong to this ancient group?
"Yes," Kunle spoke more quietly now, like a secret. "They are here for a long time, watching everything, making sure Olumide family secrets stay hidden."
Eki felt cold fear growing inside her stomach. The past she looked for seemed like a tangled web of secrets, protected by strong and hidden power. But as they revealed more, Eki felt a growing pull, an increasing urge to uncover these secrets. It was for her purpose and maybe also to respect Ayana's memory.
"We need to leave this place," Eki said with a strong voice. "And then decide what to do after that, yes."
Kunle nodded his head to show agreement. They walked back the way they came in silence, with only their footsteps making sounds that echoed around them. Their minds were full of many worrying questions as they walked back.
When they arrive at the Secret Service entrance, a soft metal-clicking sound echoes in the hallway. Immediately, a strong sense of fear overwhelms them. Had Kazeem returned, or were they facing a new threat?
Kunle grabbed Eki's arm, his grip tight. "Stay here," he whispered, his voice urgent. "I'll check it out."
Before Eki could say anything, Kunle moved quickly back into the dark hallway, vanishing in the deep shadow. Eki was left by herself, feeling the book very heavy in her hand as if it carried a big responsibility.
Time felt like it was moving very slowly. Every small sound, every noise from the old building made her feel more scared. The air crackled with a sense of impending danger.
Then, a quiet thud disturbed the silence, and soon after came a soft groan. Eki's heart jumped suddenly. Kunle!
Ignoring her fear, she moved quickly ahead, the light from her flashlight breaking through the dark all around. She turned a corner and felt short of breath when she saw what was in front of her.
Kunle lay stretched out on the chilly stone ground, not awake. Above him, shaped against the soft moonlight coming in from a small break in the wall, was someone dressed all in black. But it wasn't Kazeem.
One person held a long, shiny blade aimed at Kunle's chest. Their voices, very cold and without feeling, cut through the tight silence.
"Tell her to drop the book, or he dies."
Eki stopped moving, her face turning pale. The past was not a distant memory anymore. It had teeth, and it was ready to bite.
