Music, not the type sang by voices nor played exclusively by the orchestra. The type that is utterly unworldly, an incoherent blend of everything musical and melodious. This sound was soothing, there were no words so the brain wasn't tasked with grasping each lyric to make meaning of the singer's message. There was just music, free flowing and unhindered. One couldn't point out what musical instrument played what and what. The blend was erotic.
Dioha felt a stirring in his loins. He felt like he was being stroked, gently but surely. His eyes flew wide open as he looked down at himself. There was no one with him. He was alone, lying on his back in a very soft bed. Just the feel of the bed on his palm elicited a moan from him. He looked at his surroundings. He was in a lavishly decorated room. The room was wide but not quite as spacious as it should be. There were too many items in the room. Precious items, most of them made of gold. The finest wool and fur the world had never seen was spread about on the floor of this room, in various vibrant colors. Soon as Dioha's feet touched the fur/wool covered floor, another moan escaped his lips.
Everything in this room shoved sensuality down one's throat regardless of if the person was or not. Dioha noticed the wall immediately he moved away from the bed. The walls of the room were lined with mirrors.
Dioha walked closer, his reflections from the numerous mirrors coming towards him too. He stopped to look at himself in the mirrors. He was no longer staring at the scrawny body he was possessing, rather at his real self. Dioha looked at his face. Gone was the young, wild look of the teenager and in his place was him, as he was before he died. His beard neat and well trimmed, hair pulled back in a little ponytail. His brows shaped like a scimitar and his lashes bushy and lush. His eyes traveled downwards to reveal strong and visible chest and biceps. As his eyes proceeded to go down, Dioha realized with a jolt that he was naked. Stark naked. That feeling that woke him up earlier, the feeling of being stroked, returned. Dioha spun round the room, his reflections greeting him all the way round. He could see he was alone in this room but something was off. He felt a pair of eyes scrutinizing him thoroughly. Dioha instinctively covered his lower region with his hands. He wasn't ashamed, he just didn't like being appraised by invisible eyes. His eyes darted to the bed, and there lay a gold comb in the middle of the bed. Dioha was very certain it wasn't there earlier when he woke from the same bed. He walked towards the bed and picked up the gold comb. A sound like linen rubbing on bare skin made Dioha turn away from the bed, and there, stood a beautiful woman.
This beautiful woman was heavily adorned with the nicest, most sparkling jewelry. On her ankles were several bracelets all of high quality. Her pearl earrings dangled like the best wares of an Aba merchant. There were bracelets on her wrists, nose rings on her nose, rings on her fingers and even her belly button. She wore an armless linen gown, very transparent as Dioha could see her breasts, the earring dangling from her navel, the tiny piece of fabric covering her pubic hairs, her curves, and smooth skin. Dioha swallowed hard. He was a man, but he wasn't like any other man. He never lusted after any woman. Even Femures who were insanely beautiful and had powers that intensified their beauty, enabling them to control one's mind and action, never succeeded in making him want them. But this woman here, made him want her without so much as lifting a finger. Dioha found himself moving towards her without actually raising a foot. Somehow they were gliding towards each other without walking. Dioha was staring down clear turquoise eyes. The green so vibrant it made her look a little inhuman. Her hair was held in place by a unique golden hair loom.
Dioha's thoughts jerked back for a second. Who was she? So far, all Dioha could confirm was that this was a very powerful woman. She couldn't be a femure because she was way too powerful even for the Watcher of the goddess of beauty. And no follower could be more powerful than their god.
He was an Enforcer and a Watcher for the Enforcers. Enforcers were immune to many magic, especially mind control. This made Enforcers the only tribe that could withstand the Femures successfully. Add that to him being a Watcher, that alone increases his basic magic resistance to incredibly high levels. So to be so affected by her meant he was either too weak or he was dealing with someone far beyond the level of Watchers.
As if reading his mind, the lady smiled and said, "Oh, you flatter me Dioha. I am no watcher, or even as powerful as the goddess of beauty. I can't even measure up to the gods."
Dioha thought of letting her know just how much her looks, magic, or whatever it was affected him but he decided to let it go, instead focusing on the more important things. Like how he got here and where here was. She answered again while he was thinking it.
"My brave Dioha. You were drowning. I couldn't let you just die and be gone forever. The world still needs you. I need you." And with that last line she thrust herself forward. Dioha instinctively put his arms out and caught her in an embrace. She placed her head on Dioha's chest. Dioha was confused. This strange woman was reading his mind, something no other tribe or Watcher could do. She wasn't a mortal neither was she a watcher.
"Who are you?" Dioha managed to let out. "Some say I am the goddess of the seas," she began but Dioha cut her off.
"You are not Mujayi" Dioha said, a big frown creasing his forehead. She seemed upset by the mention of that name as a frown briefly crossed her face. Or maybe she was annoyed at being interrupted, Dioha reasoned.
"Of course not. How can I compare to the high goddess of wind? I am just a humble sea spirit. My name is Ekandem".
At the mention of her name the room shook and trembled. She screamed, holding her head and ran to a corner of the room. She looked very terrified. Dioha couldn't understand how a being as powerful as her could be so terrified, and of what? Dioha moved to her and knelt by her side.
"What just happened? Why are you so scared?" Dioha said, placing a hand on her arm. She looked up at Dioha with tear filled eyes.
"It's my brother. He's coming. He's going to kill you if he finds you here."
"Let him come then" Dioha said getting up. "No!! You don't understand. He's way too powerful and you are not strong enough yet." she said also on her feet.
"I'm strong enough to take him on," Dioha replied.
"Dioha!!!"
She didn't even shout his name out loud but it sounded like she did. His very core was shaken.
"Look at the mirrors," she said more mildly. Dioha looked and what he saw was Lanre, the boy whose body he possessed. Gone was his muscular, perfect and true self.
"This, is how you are right now. What you saw earlier was how you use to be, what you need to become again. If I'm to ever be free of this prison my brother put me in, you need to get stronger. You need to find your true body. Get back to your council. That's the only way to finding your body. Heaven knows you need it for what's to come" She said the last line fearfully.
"What are you talking about?" Dioha asked getting more confused. At that moment, a loud roar echoed above the room and the room shook violently as some mirrors shattered.
"There is no time to explain now. Promise you'll come back for me," she pleaded.
"But how will I find you? I don't know how I got here."
"When it's time you will know. I will come for you and bring you here. Just promise me, please!"
Dioha wished they had more time. So many questions welled up in his heart but just like she'd said, now wasn't the time. Dioha decided he needed to come back. Apart from rescuing her, he needed to know what she meant earlier.
"I promise"
"Let's seal it with a kiss," she said. Before Dioha could protest he felt her lips touch his. His nerves ignited immediately, his nerve endings on fire. Dioha couldn't tell who pulled out of the kiss first, all he knew was she tasted really good and lovely. Dioha shook his head to clear it. He was feeling faint and lightheaded.
"Now go!!!"
With that one word, Ekandem pushed Dioha gently in the chest. Dioha flew for hundreds of yards expecting to smash his back into something. But he kept going, flying in endless space. The room was gone, everything was gone. All he saw was darkness as he kept lying backwards. He was certain he was wide awake as he kept touching himself to be certain. All too soon he was back in the river. Dioha looked round, there was no sign of Ekandem, the room full of mirrors or the crocodiles he had seen before passing out. Dioha swam to the riverbank and got out.