Akachi was cleaning the lenses of his glasses. Sitting on the carpet, he listened to the updates in the middle of breakfast. He was pleased to hear that the population of the Ilu Nla Liberation Movement headquarters had been safely evacuated before General Gahiji's attack.

  After his Discharge Session, his thoughts, feelings and senses were confused. The decompensated Axé energy was altering his perception of the world. He needed to rest.

  Something inside him was bothering him. Ilu Nla's Cyber Troop had taken everything from them. Innocent people had died. They were treated as internal enemies in their homeland. The time for separation was over, now it would be time for reunion. Unexpectedly, the young medium said:

  “What are we going to do from now on?”

  Everyone was silent, either because they had no answers or because the question had come so suddenly.

  Feruzi straightened the sleeves of his robe, brought the cup of coffee closer to his mouth and blew the smoke away.

  “That's a complex question.”

  Hakim, who was lying on the floor, turned his face to the ex-sage and said:

  “Complex, but necessary. We can't stay here and pretend nothing happened.”

  Ekundayo nodded and added to what his friend had said:

  “It's true, we've been on the defensive all this time. We can't hide in the shadows forever.”

  Feruzi put down the cup at his feet and lit a pipe. He took a puff and let the smoke spiral out of the corner of his mouth.

  “A counterattack is not impossible, but it will cost many more lives. Those who make themselves available must be aware of that.”

  The mood in the room was heavy. Akachi hadn't lost his point. He had been fighting in the dark until that moment. He needed answers, and he would get them right away. He bit his lip; he might be getting into a sensitive topic for the sages.

  “Mr. Feruzi, we all know what we're fighting for. But it didn't start now. We need answers. I need answers.”

  “Fair enough. What do you want to know, young man?”

  “Over time, we've heard about Yerodin, the deceased Sage of Knowledge. What role did he play in this war?”

  At this question, Hakim emitted a small pulse of hostile Axé. Matters involving his old friend affected him greatly.

  “His role was the saddest of all. The whole of Ilu Nla should pay tribute to him.”

  “I don't understand, Hakim.”

  Hakim turned the other way, ignoring Akachi. The boy was irritated by the other's silence. Feruzi signaled for the discussion not to start.

  “All right. Yerodin was my pupil. He was the person who inherited the Spiritual Key of Knowledge. A very noble and selfless young man like no other...”

  ?

  “We are at Ilu Nla International Airport. Acting President Ojwang has returned from his diplomatic trips in Africa and West Asia. His last visit was to Iraq...”

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  The reporter relayed the news to a population anxious to know the results of the visit. Ilu Nla needed to circumvent the threats of economic sanctions imposed by the Anglo-American Alliance and increase its technology exports to the BRICS.

  The mood was celebratory. The Head of State had guaranteed sovereignty in the face of threats of military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States. Ilu Nla began its entry into the African Union, becoming the 56th country.

  Despite requests at the press conference, the politician decided to return to his official residence. An alert had been triggered while he was still abroad. He needed to find out why.

  In the limousine, Lomungo, his special advisor, was sitting in front of him. In a sycophantic tone, the man spoke:

  “You were splendid, Mr. President Ojwang. The nation's enemies didn't count on your diplomatic skills and geopolitical knowledge. You predict scenarios as if you were Orunmilá himself.”

  “Don't be so superstitious, all this is the result of study and analysis.”

  You'd be very surprised if you knew the truth, Lomungo.

  Ojwang lit up a cigar. In his youth, he thought the habit was a waste of time, but as president, he took up smoking. It relieved the stress of dealing with power, and it also conveyed an image of a refined and powerful person.

  “They still see the world as if they were in the 20th century, it's a shame.”

  What worried Ojwang were not the external enemies, but the internal ones. The Circle of Sages, the Masters of Suspicion and Akachi. The Ilu Nla Liberation Movement was less dangerous than annoying.

  The Chief Executive leaned his face against the glass of the door. He looked at the crowd outside with signs and posters in his favor. Despite the show of affection coming from the citizens, he felt only distance from them. There was no way that Ojwang belonged in that society.

  The president followed his entourage to the official residence. He asked Lomungo to call an extraordinary meeting with the Phalange in his office in half an hour. After taking a shower and putting on a new suit. Ojwang went to his office. Five minutes later, General Luena and General Jitujeusi entered.

  General Luena was carrying a stainless steel containment box. He had a huge smile of satisfaction on his face. The other general crossed his arms behind his back and maintained a stony posture.

  Ojwang frowned. He had been clear in ordering all three generals to come.

  “Where's General Gahiji, he's never been one to be late.”

  “He won't be able to come, Mr. President.”

  “Why not?”

  “He was shot down by enemy forces.”

  Even Jitujeusi was startled by the coldness with which the military officer delivered this news.

  Ojwang took two steps backwards until he leaned against the table. He took a towel from his suit pocket and wiped away the sweat that was stubbornly running down his face.

  “Don't play games with me, general! Gahiji is a member of the Phalanx. He's one of my most powerful soldiers.”

  “His power didn't stop your recklessness, sir.”

  “Explain yourself, it seems you acted without consulting me.”

  Luena recounted everything that had happened, omitting only her participation in the catastrophic events. Despite the misfortune of losing a general of the Phalanx, she showed that the balance was still positive. They had recovered three spiritual keys. She opened the containment box and revealed the glow of the mystical artifacts.

  “Here it is, the Spiritual Key of Evolution, the Spiritual Key of Force and the Spiritual Key of Generation. In addition, the death of the master of suspicion Mashal has been confirmed...”

  General Luena remained silent. Ojwang approached with glassy eyes, eyes full of ambition and desire. He took the box from her hands and smoothed the keys with his fingertips. He wasn't a medium, but he could feel the power coming from them. Then his eyes narrowed, and he took on an ophidian look.

  “As the general in charge of the Ilu Nla Armed Forces Intelligence Service, didn't you foresee Gahiji's actions, General Luena? There are times when you offend my intelligence.”

  Luena swallowed his saliva dry. He bowed his head and put an arm tightly around his chest.

  “My leader Ojwang, I devote my life to your ideals. General Gahiji acted in absentia and corrupted some of my subordinates with false promises. He offered advantages in exchange for support. Those soldiers have already been silenced.”

  Jitujeusi laughed a little. Luena looked at him with great hostility:

  “What a beautiful fairy tale. And you, as the leader of the Cyber Troop's espionage sector, only saw Gahiji's actions after the battle had begun. You used your Phalangites to spy on his actions, and took the opportunity to steal the spirit keys. Even so, you never reported anything to President Ojwang.”

  “Shut up! Don't you dare doubt me. I sent my soldiers to watch the operation unfold and take the keys from their holders. The situation was contained in time, and our leader was on an official mission abroad, so he couldn't be alarmed.”

  “You decided all this on your own, just like Gahiji. You fool! I don't know if this stupid idea came from you or from that idiot, but the casualties were too great to compensate for winning three spiritual keys.”

  Luena felt the prosthetic joint in her arm throb with great pain. The effects of Nyatui's blow were still being felt throughout her body.

  “Don't be so presumptuous, you weren't here. Don't judge how you should have acted.”

  “I wasn't here because I was protecting our leader!”

  “ENOUGH!”

  They both turned to Ojwang. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the military duo. The generals left. The politician went to his desk. He covered his face with his hands. He was furious. He hated it when his subordinates acted on their own.

  After mourning the loss of General Gahiji and hundreds of well-trained soldiers, he opened the box. He smoothed out the spiritual keys he had won one by one. He gave a huge smile.

  “Three more to go.”