The deeper Sade and Tunde ventured into the shadowed path, the colder the air became.
The light of the spirit realm dimmed, leaving only faint glimmers from the glowing moss on the ground.
Sade's heartbeat raced.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
"This place… it's alive," she whispered.
"The shadows… they're watching."
Tunde nodded.
"They're waiting. For you. For your choice. For your fear."
Suddenly, the shadows coalesced.
A towering figure rose from the darkness, smoky and writhing.
Eyes like molten coal burned into Sade's soul.
It was the shadow that had followed her from the Crossing—the devourer of souls.
And now… it had a face.
A face twisted in rage.
Familiar, yet unrecognizable.
Its mouth moved, whispering words that made Sade's blood run cold.
"You belong to me… your light is mine…"
Sade trembled, but she refused to step back.
"I… I am not yours!" she cried.
Her voice echoed across the shadowed forest.
The shadow surged forward.
Its form stretched and expanded, threatening to consume the path itself.
Tunde stepped in front of Sade, shielding her.
"I told you," he said firmly, "I won't let you face this alone."
The shadow paused, eyes narrowing.
It seemed to study them… calculating.
Without warning, the shadow lunged.
Dark tendrils whipped through the air, wrapping around Sade's spirit.
Her glow flickered—her heart filled with fear.
"Hold on!" Tunde shouted.
He radiated light, his aura mixing with hers.
The tendrils recoiled, unable to touch the bond between them.
Sade's courage surged.
She focused on her inner light, letting it grow and pulse in rhythm with Tunde's.
The shadow hissed, frustrated.
It retreated slightly, but its eyes never left Sade.
It wasn't done.
"You will not escape me," it whispered, the voice echoing inside her head.
"You will belong to the darkness ".
Tunde grabbed her hands, looking straight into her eyes.
"Sade… you have power within you.
But if you let fear control you, this shadow will win.
Do you understand?"
Sade nodded, trembling but determined.
"I understand. I will not let it take me."
The shadow roared, a sound that shook the ground, the trees, and even the air itself.
But Sade and Tunde stood their ground.
Side by side.
Their light began to grow, brighter than before.
Filling the shadows, pushing them back—just enough for them to continue forward.
Sade took a deep breath.
"This is only the beginning, isn't it?" she whispered.
Tunde nodded gravely.
"Yes. The shadow is strong. But together… we are stronger."
And with that, they stepped forward, deeper into the darkness.
The shadow watched them, patient… waiting for the next moment to strike.
Sade knew one thing for certain:
She could no longer run.
She would have to face the shadow…
And uncover the truth behind her Ayè-Ọrun spirit.