The Headquarters of the Watchers council was situated right in the heart of Merko city, buried underneath all the liveliness and activities of the great city. On the surface a magnificent city thrived but underneath, the government that ran it presided. The Chamber of Echoes as it was called was a unique underground lair created by nature. The hollow circular hall at the base of the mountain was a niche left behind by the many years of volcanic inactivity. The dry and smooth floor of the chamber was as a result of dried up magma trodden on for hundreds of years. In the city up above, all one saw was a mountain surrounded by houses, shops and roads, a relaxed complacency, considering this use to be a volcano mountain hundreds of years ago. The base of this volcano mountain served as the Chamber of Echoes but before that was a very deadly maze that one had to traverse before reaching the meeting place of the Watchers. At the entrance of the chamber stood two sentries, Enforcers by tribe and birth who guarded the door. Whenever the council was in session, the only people that went past the two sentries, through the doors, were the Watchers and the Keeper of the scrolls. Occasionally, guests also partook in meetings after receiving a Summon from the council. The top of the mountain was sealed off and used most times as the training base for the council's forces, an elite group of highly trained and disciplined officers who only honored directives from the council expressed via letters bearing the council's crest. All in all, the Chamber of Echoes though situated in the heart of a busy city as Merko city, was very much shrouded in mystery, and safe. No one in their right senses would go up against a God, let alone Gods in their legislative chambers.
The Keeper of the Scrolls was a young man who did all he could to change the outlook of the Watchers, their meetings and customs. He wanted them to get with the times, evolve, embrace technological advancements, and stay trendy. But of course this was often met with stiff, stubborn refusal but he still managed to work what little changes he could.
Knowing today's meeting would begin in five minutes time, the Keeper decided to run through the list of issues that were discussed in the last meeting. Crosschecking the minute, he sadly shook his head hoping there would be changes to what was discussed last time. The council actually lacked what to discuss hence the reason why they met whenever there was a major event, like the time that the God of War was murdered. That topic dominated discourse for years because the council wasn't any closer to solving the mystery surrounding the death of one of its members. The Keeper just hoped something exciting had happened to warrant the need for this meeting. Like maybe there's been a breakthrough in ongoing investigations regarding the death of Dioha.
WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING?
The Keeper thought and smiled. He glanced at his wristwatch. It was almost time for the meeting. He looked up when he heard movement coming from the door behind him. A frown creased his perfect face as he wondered who it was. None of the Watchers ever used the catacombs and the maze to get to the chamber, preferring to just appear or disappear using their different teleportation spells. The maze was actually built to deter non watchers from attempting to pay the Chamber of Echoes an unwanted visit. Many with an undying thirst for adventure had lost their lives trying to be the first to get to the end of the maze. The maze couldn't just be completed, the walls were constantly moving, and shifting you away from the path they originally set out on, a guarantee that if the deadly traps didn't kill you, getting lost and starving to death would.
The Keeper got up and waited patiently for whoever was making their way from the other side to arrive. If the person is expecting a reward for completing the maze, well, the person should be in for a very unpleasant surprise. With the God of Violence currently having a major say in the council's decisions of late, one can only imagine the unfortunate end this historic adventurer would meet. The door opens slowly, and Dioha walks in.
The Keeper's jaw dropped immediately he saw who it was. His eyes were as large as baby fists as his brain struggled to make sense of what was going on. Here was the God of War who was murdered 18 years ago, whose murder was still being investigated and no close to concluding.
• AMADIOHA? BY THE HEAVENS, IT IS REALLY YOU.
The Keeper prostrated in greeting to Dioha.
• YOU CAN STAND UP NOW KEEPER.
Dioha walked to him, paused briefly when he got to him before continuing onwards towards the second door out of the room. The Keeper hurriedly follows behind Dioha, a frown on his face again.
THIS WAS DIOHA ALRIGHT, BUT HE WAS LOOKING YOUNGER THAN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO. HECK, HE WAS EVEN LOOKING YOUNGER THAN WHEN HE DIED EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO. OR…DID HE REINCARNATE AND TAKE ON THE EXACT SAME LOOK AS THE LAST DIOHA?
the Keeper thought to himself.
The Keeper decided he needed to ask that, at least get the confusion sorted out in his brain.
"LORD DIOHA, I…" the Keeper began.
"SAVE IT KEEPER. I BELIEVE THE HOUSE IS IN SESSION?" Dioha asked.
"YES, IT IS." the Keeper answered feeling intimidated.
"THEN WE'D BETTER HURRY. IT'S NOT NICE TO BE LATE."
And with that Dioha opens the other door leading out of the Keeper's little office into a long corridor. At the end of this corridor is the door leading into the Chamber of Echoes with two sentries waiting there, arms folded across their chests. They salute as Dioha and the Keeper get close but there's clearly some confusion, even suspicion on their face as they gaze on Dioha. They would've halted Dioha's advancement had not the Keeper waved his hand at them, a sign that they should let them through. They push open the big doors of the chamber letting Dioha and the Keeper through.
They realize the meeting had already begun albeit not long ago as pleasantries were still being tossed around the large circular room. There were 7 throne-like chairs in a semi circular formation. Chairs made of rock looking like they grew out of the ground like that. The designs and frames of the huge chairs were exquisitely beautiful. The floor of the chamber shone and bounced off the bright lights coming from the huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Two chairs were empty, Dioha's and Mujayi's, save for those two seats the other five were occupied by their owners. Orsun, the Goddess of Beauty and Divinity was the first to see Dioha come in with the Keeper. The Keeper had a beaming smile splayed across his face, happy there would be something refreshingly new and different to discuss in today's meeting.
"OH! MY!! GOD!!!" That came from Orsun's lips.
The idle banter in the room momentarily dies down as everyone looks at the direction Orsun's gaze still is. For a stifling 10 seconds, the world stopped. Not a sound, not even a breath could be heard in those 10 seconds. Everyone looked like they just saw a ghost, kinda like these God avatars were frightened out of their wits. All except Eshu, the God of Wisdom, Wine, Sex, and Music, his features remained unchanged like he was carved from stone. The first to break the silence was Aganju, the God of Violence and Volcano and self appointed God of War.
"KEEPER OF THE SCROLLS, YOU DARE TO BRING A STRANGER TO OUR HALLOWED CHAMBER? I WILL KILL YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU STAND!"
Aganju fumed.
And with that Aganju gets off his throne and takes a few steps forward. A flaming axe materializes in his right hand which wasn't there before. Dioha quickly looks at everyone in the room expecting someone to intervene but no one was making a move to. They were still frozen in shock. Dioha was suddenly under immense pressure, fear clawed at his heart. He hadn't expected things to go south so soon. This attack from Aganju would reveal how flawed he was. After drinking the Alter potion, his strength had completely vanished just like Ogale had said it would. The other option would be to allow Aganju kill the Keeper but Dioha couldn't stand idly and watch while someone died for his sake. Aganju throws the flaming axe directly aiming for the head of the Keeper. The scared Keeper of the Scrolls just stands there, eyes wide open, frozen on the spot with trepidation. Dioha reacts quickly pushing the Keeper out of harm's way as the axe whizzes past embedding itself firmly in the door they had just walked through some few seconds ago. This infuriates Aganju more. Two flaming axes appear in both his hands as he walks towards them. Little beads of sweat broke across Dioha's face. He knew he was in deep shit. All he had was his speed but he couldn't rely on that in a fight against any of the Watchers, let alone against the God of Violence. Dioha decided to try a different approach.
"UNLESS YOU'RE PREPARED TO GO TO WAR, I SUGGEST YOU STAND DOWN, YOU BRUTE!"
Dioha warned.
"WAR? WITH WHAT ARMY?"
Aganju retorted.
"THE ACCORD STATES THAT ANY WATCHER THAT PHYSICALLY ATTACKS ANOTHER WATCHER HAS FORFEITED HIS IMMUNITY AND CAN BE TREATED AS AN AGRESSOR BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. SEEING AS YOU ARE A GOD WITH NO FOLLOWERS I WONDER WHAT PEOPLE YOU'LL BRING INTO BATTLE." Dioha pressed on looking Aganju in the eye.
THIS KID MAY LOOK AND TALK LIKE DIOHA BUT HE WAS NO WATCHER. DIOHA WAS DEAD, THIS IMPOSTOR WAS JUST TRYING TO STALL AND ESCAPE JUDGEMENT BY CITING THE ACCORDS,
Aganju thought to himself
Aganju was just a few steps from Dioha, axes ready to swing. The axes came down in an X shape with frightening speed and force.
BOOM!!!
A loud deafening boom resonates in the entire underground lair of the Watchers Council. Dusts and rocks crumble downwards as the whole mountain quake for some seconds. As the dusts settles and the air clears, Dioha is standing with his forearms crossed in front of him in a block, eyes closed as the Keeper hides behind him. Aganju on the other hand is several meters away pulling himself out of a crevice created when he crashed into a wall moments ago. Aganju yells in unbridled rage. The torches hanging on the walls of the chamber instantly light up as Aganju walks menacingly back towards the people in the middle of the room. Dioha opens his eyes to find Osoose, the God of Nature holding his wrist, his Shield swirling round them both. The Keeper was a little further behind to have any contact with the Shield. The God of Nature had stepped right in at the right moment, activating his Shield that split second the axe came down, negating the impact of the axe instead causing the Shield to react to the foreign body attacking it. The result was Aganju getting thrown across the room several feet away into a wall. Orsun gets off her throne and joins Osoose in the center of the room, facing the coming Aganju. She stands just close enough not coming in contact with Osoose's Shield. She was ready to put her influence on Aganju to the test.