Chapter 3
The god of trickery
Bayo took a deep breath and muttered, "Humans and orishas never change. Trusting them leads to destruction." Rubbing his hungry stomach, Bayo resigned himself to the harsh reality of his beliefs.
Bayo took a deep breath and pondered his next move. He couldn't let Professor Robert's ultimatum dictate his fate. Why should he give up so easily? He refused to be a victim of circumstances.
Despite his doubts about Èsù, Bayo was determined to stay and fight for his place in America. With a newfound resolve, he decided to take control of his destiny. He would defy the odds and face whatever challenges came his way.
It was risky, but Bayo was willing to take that chance. He would rather face the unknown than succumb to the expectations of others. With a steely determination, Bayo swallowed the beads, ready to face whatever consequences lay ahead.
As the beads broke apart and mixed within Bayo's stomach, the indistinct black demon mark that Bayo had beneath the left side of his chest became more vivid, blending with the addition of white color to create a map-like pattern, reminiscent of the domains of the orishas.
At the same time, a dark blue ring materialized in his black pupils, intensifying the darkness of his deep brown Dada hair. The strands of his Dada, previously devoid of any black beads, now intertwined, creating a perfect balance between the white and black beads. It was a paradoxical sight, both natural and unnatural at once.
The moment Bayo consumed the black and white beads, the black beads on the broken headboard levitated as if enchanted and connected to a black string. Similarly, the white cowries followed suit, floating and attaching to a white string. The black beads gracefully moved into Bayo's right wrist while the white cowries settled around his neck. Despite twelve cowries, which should have strangled Bayo if there was no space between them, they fit him perfectly. And although the wristband should have been oversized, it surprisingly fit Bayo's wrist flawlessly, defying expectations.
Following these transformations, Èsù materialized in all his majestic glory, suspended in mid-air with a regal crown of horns and a whip made of leopard skin. However, Bayo had replaced his initial terror of Èsù with a burning anger that threatened to consume him. Yet, amidst the fury, there was an inexplicable connection that Bayo felt towards Èsù as if they were cut from the same cloth, sharing a kindred spirit. This realization was reinforced by the persistent itching and burning sensation of his devil's mark.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Èsù conjured a vertical wall of reflection that spun with a mesmerizing whirl. However, instead of leading to another realm, it served as a mirror, revealing Bayo's reflection in a way that defied the room's darkness. It was as if he stood bathed in the sun's radiant glow.
Bayo stared at his reflection, making his eyes widen in disbelief. He silently questioned, "Is this truly me?" He shook his head in denial, desperately wishing for a different reality. Yet, curiosity got the better of him, and he mustered the courage to take another look. To his dismay, the reflection remained unchanged, a stark reminder of his true self.
Èsù, with an indifferent smile, mused to himself, "Humans, always chasing after fleeting illusions." With a casual flick of his hand, the swirling wall of mirrors dissipated, redirecting Bayo's attention back to him. After all, Èsù felt he deserved to be the center of attention, not a mere mortal made of flesh and blood.
Èsù shifted to a casual tone, saying, "The rapid technological growth in America is quite fascinating, don't you think?" Èsù's lips curled into a grin as he savored his word like a hidden treasure.
Upon hearing this, Bayo furrowed his brows and pondered, 'Why is he asking me this?' Despite his confusion, he shook his head in response. It was not the first time Èsù had shown up uninvited, and Bayo was starting to feel annoyed by his presence. He knew Èsù always had some trick up his sleeve, but he hoped it had nothing to do with him.
Bayo had no interest in playing the savior or martyr. He only desired a simple life, free from strife and turmoil.
Èsù chuckled softly, slowing his speech, and said, "Not all good people meet a tragic end." He added, "Sometimes, heroes live long enough to see the harsh reality of the world."
Bayo shook his head, speaking bluntly, "I don't need much time to see the darkness." He clenched his fist and continued, "It's everywhere I look." Blaming Èsù for his troubles seemed like a good start for Bayo.
Èsù sighed, sounding slightly disappointed, "You're impossible to talk to."
Bayo narrowed his eyes, wondering, 'What does he want from me? Does he expect me to dance for him?' He had no time for Èsù's games, especially when hungry and eager to save himself. Besides, his fate here or in Ijebu-Remo was uncertain, but he had already endured enough suffering to last a lifetime. Yet here was Èsù, trying to assert his dominance over him.
"Let me enlighten you about Ase and Ori," Èsù said, lowering his voice and adopting a somber tone. "Your issues might be connected to them."
Bayo shot Èsù a skeptical look, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. He could see right through the guy's manipulative tactics, trying to convince him of something that was a ploy. But Bayo wasn't about to fall for it.
Èsù's voice remained firm as he spoke, "The orishas are silent because Olodumare has taken away their Ase and Ori."
Ase, representing authority and destiny, and Ori, one's spiritual intuition, were crucial aspects of the orishas. But Bayo wasn't buying into Èsù's story. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, feeling nothing but frustration.
He had already made it clear to Èsù that he wanted no part in this. Why should he be the one to restore their powers? Bayo was fed up with Èsù's nonsense, especially since the guy had done nothing but cause trouble for him in the past.
Bayo clenched a fist and retorted with a blunt tone, "The orishas can take care of themselves. It's not up to mortals to interfere."
Èsù ignored Bayo and continued, "Olodumare stripped everyone of their Ase and Ori."He chuckled, raising his voice, "Aren't you curious to find out why?"
Bayo gazed silently at Èsù, unable to hide his hatred for the game the man was playing. Reluctantly, he inquired, "Why?" with a hint of frustration enunciating his tone.
Èsù snapped his fingers as if Bayo had suddenly regained some lost wisdom. Lowering his voice, he explained, "It all boils down to the rapid development in America." Èsù continued, "They took what they didn't understand the value of."
Bayo, misunderstanding Èsù's words, interjected, "So, if we didn't appreciate our Orishas, and the others stole them, didn't Olodumare punish both the Orishas and the humans?" Bayo had heard enough. If the Orishas were powerful, why didn't they resist the Americans? He was aware of the conspiracy theory suggesting that the Americans were exploiting the Yoruba Orishas for technological advancement. What did that have to do with him? He wondered why Èsù, the troublemaker, had not been apprehended.
Èsù waved his hand dismissively, unbothered. He maintained his tone, "That's not what I meant." Just as Bayo was about to speak, Èsù cut in and added, "I'm referring to your natural resources." Èsù hesitated before reluctantly adding, "And the Orishas as well."
Bayo widened his eyes in surprise. Èsù had first rejected his accusation, but now he appeared to be confessing it. Bayo saw hypocrisy in Èsù. He had never been fond of the world or the people; their lies and way of life disgusted him, and he found that trait in Èsù.
Bayo's jaw tightened as he responded, "I can't even save myself from this mess, let alone save someone else." He felt Èsù was aiming at the wrong person. Bayo hadn't even had a decent meal, facing the threat of deportation and a miserable fate in his own country, yet here was Èsù with his manipulative tactics.
Èsù's gaze narrowed, his tone becoming more serious as he said, "Look at the suffering the Americans have caused you. Don't you want them to pay for it in some way?"
Bayo saw through Èsù's charade as he tried to win over his host with pitiful gestures. He was like a pauper who traded his dignity for a morsel of bread. In response, Bayo decided to speak plainly, "It's not just Americans that are causing me trouble; even people from my state want me dead." He shook his head in disbelief and added, "Should I really save those who want to kill me?" Bayo expected Èsù to hear the sarcasm in his words and drop the nonsense.
Observing Bayo's cynicism and pessimism towards life, Èsù couldn't help but think that Bayo's father had a valid reason to despise his child. Bayo was a constant source of pain, moaning louder than a factory engine.
Èsù sighed and narrowed his eyes, "By assisting and retrieving the Ase and Ori, you can also find a way to overcome your situation."