The lagoon boiled like a cauldron, waves slamming against cavern walls, spraying salt and ash into the air. The Resistance stood in a half-circle, weapons raised, eyes wide. The twins' marks burned across their skin, fire and water spiraling uncontrollably.
Then the roar came. It wasn't just sound — it was a force that shook marrow, rattled stone, and made the air itself tremble. Orunmare was awake.
---
Imade gritted her teeth, rod glowing faintly. "This sound… it dey shake my soul. Elder, what we dey face?"
The elder's staff pulsed, runes flaring. His voice was grave. "The abyss don answer. Orunmare dey rise. Vessel don break. Koroba no fit hold am again. The serpent's rhythm dey scatter."
Adaeze spat blood, her blade trembling. "So all this fight, all this betrayal… na just to free a monster?"
Seyi's voice cracked. "We dey finished. Look at lagoon! Shadows dey pour like flood. The island's heartbeat dey fail."
Ngozi clasped her hands, whispering prayers. "Ancestors dey cry. Harmony dey collapse."
Olumide loosed an arrow into the mist. It vanished, swallowed whole. He cursed. "Even air dey betray us. Order dey crumble."
---
The lagoon split open, and from its depths a claw emerged — black as obsidian, dripping abyssal fire. Orunmare's beastly form rose, scales glistening like molten stone, eyes blazing like twin suns of ruin.
Orunmare's laughter rolled across the cavern. "Una think una fit stop me? I am abyss itself. The weave of creation be mine. Tonight, una go taste eternal shadow."
Imade shouted over the roar. "We no fit fight this thing here. Elder, where we go go now?"
The elder's staff blazed, runes igniting, first looking at the sky, then at her,he answered. "Hidden path dey. Ancestors show me long ago. There is a old underground temple where we can hide and recover our strength. But we need to retreat now."
---
Adaeze staggered forward, blade raised. "Retreat? After all this blood? After Nkem die? I no fit run."
Imade grabbed her arm, eyes fierce. "You go die if you stay. Nkem sacrifice no be for nothing. We must live to fight another day."
Seyi's voice shook. "She dey right. If we scatter here, abyss go swallow us all."
Ngozi's prayers grew louder, her hands glowing faintly. "Temp dey call. Ancestors dey guide."
Olumide nodded, jaw tight. "Then we move. Elder, lead us."
---
Orunmare's roar split the cavern, abyssal spawn pouring from the lagoon. Shadows with claws and fangs, eyes glowing red, rushed forward.
Imade struck one down, sparks flying. "Move! Elder, show path!"
The elder's staff flared, revealing a narrow tunnel carved into the stone. "Here! Follow me!"
Adaeze slashed another spawn, blood spraying. "Go! I dey cover!"
Seyi stumbled, blade trembling. "We no fit hold them long!"
Ngozi's prayers shielded the group, light pushing back shadows. "Ancestors dey protect. Hurry!"
Olumide loosed arrows, each one striking true. "I dey behind. Move!"
---
The Resistance fled into the tunnel, abyssal spawn clawing at their heels. The elder's staff lit the way, runes glowing faintly. The walls twisted like serpents, etched with faint symbols that pulsed at his touch.
Imade panted, rod glowing faintly. "Elder… how you sabi this path?"
The elder's eyes glowed faintly. "This na secret stronghold. Ancestors hide am. Only keeper of equilibrium dey know. Tonight, prophecy force me to reveal."
Adaeze stumbled, clutching her wound. "So all this time… stronghold dey hidden under island?"
The elder nodded. "Yes. Na sanctuary. Na last refuge. Na place for last stand."
---
Behind them, Orunmare's voice slithered through the tunnels. "Una fit run, but abyss go find una. The scales go tip. Last stand go be last breath."
Imade clenched her fists, her voice fierce. "We go fight. Even if abyss dey eternal."
Adaeze's eyes burned with resolve. "We go stand. Even if sanctuary fall."
Seyi's voice was steady now. "Choice dey stronger than fear. We go fight."
Ngozi's prayers grew louder, her hands glowing faintly. "The serpent's rhythm dey fragile, but ancestors dey guide."
Olumide's arrows flew, striking shadows that clawed at the tunnel walls. "We no fit scatter now. Orunmare dey rise, but we go stand."
---
The elder raised his staff, his voice carrying. "Hidden verse dey clear—last stand dey come. Stronghold go hold us till dawn."
The twins, still weak, exchanged weary glances. Kafé whispered, "We nearly die before. But if last stand dey call, we go rise."
Taye nodded faintly, flames flickering. "Even if we burn, we go fight."
---
The tunnel opened into a vast chamber deep within Tark Island. The walls were carved with ancient serpent murals, glowing faintly with protective light. Stone pillars rose like guardians, and a great altar stood at the center, its surface etched with runes of order.
Ngozi whispered prayers, her voice trembling. "Ancestors dey guide us here. This na stronghold."
Zoba's pendant pulsed violently, confirming her words. "Equilibrium dey stronger here. Abyss no fit break through easily."
The Resistance collapsed onto the stone floor, their bodies battered, their spirits frayed. The twins lay weak, their marks dimmed, their breaths shallow. Imade knelt beside them, her voice steady. "Rest now. We go need una for last stand."
---
Far beyond the stronghold, Koroba staggered through the mist. His cursed blade shrieked, shadows consuming him. He fell to his knees, laughter broken. "Prophecy be mine… shadow be my own…" But his voice faltered, his body trembling.
The blade whispered louder, its words chilling. "Vessel breaking… Orunmare dey rise… you dey nothing."
Koroba screamed, his body convulsing as shadows consumed him. His soldiers fled, abandoning their general to the abyss.
Orunmare's laughter echoed across the island. "Koroba na pawn. Vessel don break. Abyss don claim am."
---
The elder spread a map carved into stone, its lines glowing faintly. "We dey here now. Stronghold dey protect us. But Orunmare dey rise. The weave dey strain. Last stand dey come."
Imade clenched her fists. "We go fight with everything. Dawn and dusk go lead us."
Adaeze's voice was steady. "We go strike when abyss dey weakest. We go seal Pathway."
Seyi nodded, his blade steady. "We go fight together. Choice dey stronger than fear."
Zoba's pendant flared faintly. "Ancestors dey whisper. The serpent's rhythm dey fragile, but dawn and dusk fit seal abyss."
The twins, still weak, exchanged weary glances. Kafé whispered, "We nearly die before. But if last stand dey call, we go rise."
Taye nodded faintly, flames flickering. "Even if we burn, we go fight."
---
The stronghold trembled, its walls glowing faintly. Abyssal roars echoed from the tunnels, but the protective runes held firm.
Orunmare's laughter carried across the island, chilling every heart. "Una hide for stronghold? Abyss go find una. Last stand go be last breath."
The elder raised his staff, his voice firm. "The serpent's rhythm dey fragile. Prophecy dey unfold. Last stand dey come."
The Resistance realized the truth: their retreat had bought them time, but not safety. Orunmare was rising, the weave of creation was fraying, and the final battle was inevitable.