Chapter 90: Quiet Before the Storm
A loud voice rang through the battered house.
"Fuck! My noodles!"
Nathaniel's shout echoed from the kitchen, followed by a loud crash of broken crockery.
Philip, seated cross-legged in the sitting room, raised an eyebrow, though the faintest trace of amusement tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Moments later, Nathaniel stormed into the room, eyes darting wildly as if expecting another attack.
"Are we under attack again?" he demanded, tense.
But instead of enemies, he saw Amaka now awake, sitting up, wrapped in a blanket, her aura calm but steady. The relief that washed over Nathaniel's face was instant.
"Amaka!" he gasped, and in two strides, he was across the room, pulling his sister into a tight hug. "You're awake… thank God. I thought "
Amaka, still slightly dazed from her awakening, hugged him back with a tired smile. Her voice was hoarse but steady.
"I'm alright... just tired. You look worse," she teased softly.
Nathaniel pulled back, chuckling with a weak shake of his head. "You saved me. I should have protected you, but " his voice faltered.
"You protected Mom and Dad," Amaka cut in gently. "You did what mattered."
Philip stood silently, arms crossed, watching the scene. His sharp gaze flickered toward the kitchen, where the faint scent of burnt noodles still lingered.
"Your shockwave knocked over Nate's noodles," he said dryly.
Amaka blinked, then giggled despite herself. "Sorry."
"Well, now I'm starving," Nathaniel groaned, rubbing his stomach. "But the kitchen's still in one piece, so time for round two."
Amaka stood carefully, testing her limbs. Though tired, her new adept-level strength hummed through her body. The house may have been damaged, but the kitchen was largely untouched. Only the sitting room, part of the roof, and Amaka's own bedroom had taken the brunt of the assault.
The siblings moved to the kitchen, the simple routine of cooking bringing a small measure of normalcy. Amaka reached for eggs and a loaf of bread familiar staples of their morning meals. As long as she could remember, their father always bought fresh bread every night so they could enjoy it in the morning.
A tradition she clung to now.
She cracked the eggs into a pan, letting the comforting aroma of frying eggs fill the air. The siblings sat quietly, the only sounds the gentle sizzle from the stove and Nathaniel humming faintly as he prepared tea.
After eating simple but satisfying they gathered once more in the half-ruined sitting room.
There was no need for small talk. The air was heavy with unspoken questions.
Nathaniel spoke first.
"What now? It's not just our house... most of the street's been wrecked. A lot of the neighbors' homes too."
Amaka nodded grimly.
"There were... so many Gutterborn. We couldn't stop all of them."
Philip leaned back slightly, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in thought.
He wasn't overly concerned about the neighbors. Not out of malice but because his priority was his family. The enemy had made a mistake: they had attacked his home.
Now he would respond.
"I've already arranged for repairs," Philip said. His voice was calm, but the undercurrent of cold fury was impossible to miss. "I contacted the construction firm last night. They'll begin work today."
Nathaniel blinked. "Already? You don't waste time…"
Philip's gaze sharpened.
"We can't afford to."
He continued, "I also sent word to Maya. I instructed her to purchase every house surrounding this one every property within two blocks."
Nathaniel's eyebrows rose. "That'll cost a fortune."
Philip nodded. "I told her to offer five times the market value. More if needed."
He would build a proper perimeter one not just of stone and walls, but of wards, seals, and unseen defenses. No enemy would ever strike at their family so easily again.
Nathaniel leaned forward, serious now. "You're planning something."
Philip's eyes gleamed faintly. "I'm going to Ibadan. I know where they're hiding. I'll find whoever is behind this… and I'll burn them out."
There was a silence after that heavy and thick.
"You're going alone?" Amaka asked quietly, her voice steady despite her fatigue.
"Yes," Philip answered simply. "This isn't a fight either of you can join
Nathaniel frowned but didn't argue. His instincts told him that whatever Philip faced next would be far beyond anything they had yet seen.
"I want you both to stay with Mom and Dad," Philip continued. "I've already set wards around their house. You'll be safe there."
Amaka nodded reluctantly, understanding but still feeling that gnawing frustration of helplessness.
Nathaniel sighed. "At least let us help rebuild the house."