Once again, the wizard made his way through the forest, weaving his way around the trees and bushes and making sure not to trip on the roots or anything else lying on the ground. Aches and fatigue coursed through the warrior's tiny body. The constant attacks on the barrier by the asanbosam were transferring the damage to his body and mind. The battle and the prolonged use of sorcery were wearing him down constantly. Not the best moment to fight a god. Then again, when was it?

  He could sense more of Anansi's powerful presence the closer he got to him. Something else also grabbed Mikumbi's attention. It was faint like a small ship caught in a storm but it was definitely present.

  A nexus point. A place where dimensions converge. Also, where the fabric of reality was at its weakest.

  Mikumbi had reached the nexus point, a large tear in the fabric of reality hovered in the middle of an area cleared of trees.

  “So this is where the asanbosam are coming from,” thought the sorcerer while examining the nexus with a sorcerer's eyes.

  Now and again, these tears would appear all over Irun'uwa. They'd last for a few moments, no more than half a day then disappear. Sometimes, different creatures from the other side of the nexus would enter Irun'uwa. Some good. Some bad. Some beautiful. Some ugly. Most returned to their pocket universe. A few don't go back.

  The tear that Mikumbi was inspecting should've closed already. Something, more like someone very powerful was keeping it open.

  “This tear has Anansi/e's mystical work all over it,” sensed the warrior.

  Dispelling magic was easy. Sealing a tear in the fabric of reality was trickier but still doable for a highly trained sorcerer. Dispelling magic from a deity...

  Mikumbi wondered if he had the skill to do such a thing. Only one way to find out.

  Mikumbi took a deep breath through his nostrils then began to chant his strange whisperings, making sure not to draw in too much energy from the area that was supercharged by the portal and Anansi/e's godly presence. His eyes, hands and spear tip shone bright with yellowy-green energy.

  “Hey,” said a familiar voice from the surrounding trees. “What are you doing?”

  Anansi/e leapt down from the trees and landed on the ground.

  “You should know. After all, you are a god of knowledge.” Mikumbi replied.

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  All four of the deity's eyes narrowed. The deference Mikumbi had for the god of knowledge was gone.

  “I haven't finished having fun with the mortals,” said the deity.

  “Fun time is over. I'm putting a stop to this mayhem right now.”

  A burst of laughter let loose from Anansi/e's mouth. “And how are you going to do that? Let me guess, you're going to stop me?”

  “You also forgot the part of making you call back the asanbosam that you unleashed and return them to their realm.”

  Once again, the deity couldn't contain his amusement. A mere mortal threatening him.

  “Silly mortal,” said Anansi/e, his face went from laughter to a narrowed-eyed smile of bloodlust. “Do you have any idea with whom you are going to take on? I am nearly as old as the universe itself. I have witnessed all the events that have happened on Irun'uwa, scratch that, this whole solar system. The things that I've seen and experienced would melt your puny brain. You are indeed powerful even by mortal standards but it pales in comparison to beings like me that can hold your very sun and crush it in the palms of our hands. I'll give you one las-.”

  Mikumbi cut the deity's monologue short with a thrust of his spear. Anansi/e leapt back to evade the strike.

  “No need for the grandiose speech about how powerful you are. I get it. Let's get on with the fight,” said the wizard.

  “A fight!? This isn't a fight. It's your fucking EXECUTION,” roared the deity.

  With blinding speed, Anansi/e zoomed toward Mikumbi with clenched fists and caught him with an uppercut under the jaw. Mikumbi sailed through the air in an arc. His head felt like its insides from bone, brain matter, cartilage, etc, had been liquefied just by the sheer superhuman power of that blow. All of his breath rushed out of his body as he landed on the ground hard. He lay there nearly still, as the darkness of unconsciousness began to creep over his eyes.

  Anansi strolled over to the barely conscious wizard then looked down on him with a menacing smile.

  “Silly mortal. You're barely alive from a punch that wasn't even close to my true power,” said the deity. “Just stay on the dirt where you belong, mortal. This will be my only act of compassion and mercy to you.”

  The deity walked away but then stopped midway. He turned around and saw with his widened eyes.

  Mikumbi stood slumped, bloody-faced, breathing heavily with his spear grasped tightly. His chest burned with pain from his multiple fractured ribs, thank Khonvoum that he had no collapsed or punctured lungs. One thing that radiated from the sorcerer, apart from his yellowy-green aura around his eyes, hands and spear tip, was grit and determination. Anansi/e couldn't help but be impressed with Mikumbi. Most mortals would've lain dead and/or defeated or got up and run away.

  However, Mikumbi wasn't just any mortal. He was the protector of Ikwubara. It was his task and his living to stop any supernatural threat to the continent. Be it monsters, demons, rogue sorcerers, or even deities.

  “Is that... the best... you got?” panted Mikumbi with a sly smile on his face. “My grandfather... hits harder than that. And he's long dead.”

  The deity let loose a hearty laugh. “I'm impressed, mortal. Most of you would've fled. Why not show me what you can do.”