The first light of dawn crept into the dim room where Káòṣù lay, the rough bedding beneath him a stark contrast to the silken sheets of his past. Yet, despite the unfamiliar surroundings, he had slept soundly—perhaps for the first time in ages. The echo of Bídèmí's words still lingered in his mind, giving him a strange sense of peace. There had been no nightmares, no shadows of the past haunting him. For a moment, he almost forgot that he was no longer been taking care of like a prince, there were no maids to wake him with gentle whispers and take him to the stream to have a soothe bath. But on the bright side, he not locked in the princely prison and he can now try to prove his worth and become like a special one in this realm.A rooster's crow shattered the morning stillness, its call persistent and loud, drawing Káòṣù from his peaceful slumber. He opened his eyes slowly, a smile playing on his lips as he stretched his arms wide, the muscles in his bare chest flexing as he yawned.Káòṣù: [Yawning and stretching] "What a night... No nightmares... just sleep. I could get used to this."But the tranquillity was short-lived. As Káòṣù began to gather his thoughts, he realized the room was eerily quiet—too quiet. He looked around and noticed that the other soldiers who shared the space were gone. The sheets were neatly packed, and the room bore no signs of recent occupancy. Panic set in.Káòṣù: [Eyes wide in realization] "I'm late! No one woke me... No one told me the rules... What do I do?"He bolts upright, the sun's harsh rays piercing through the open doorway, momentarily blinding him. He squints, realizing just how late he is. His heart races as he scrambles to his feet, his thoughts a jumbled mess.Káòṣù: [Fumbling with his clothes] "I haven't even taken a bath... What do I wear? What if Lady Adéọlá finds out? She'll... She'll..."The thought of Lady Adéọlá's wrath makes his blood run cold. Just as he is about to decide whether to risk a bath or run out as he is, he hears a voice call out, harsh and loud.Soldier 1: [From a distance] "Half-caste! Hey, half-caste!"Káòṣù's heart nearly stops. The voice, combined with the clanking of Armour, sends him into a panic. He looks to his side and sees two soldiers marching toward him, one gripping a spear, the other with a sword at his side.Káòṣù: [Muttering to himself, eyes wide with fear] "It's her... Lady Adéọlá sent them for me!"Without a second thought, he turns and sprints, his feet barely touching the ground. The soldiers yell after him, but he pays no heed, his fear fuelling his speed.Soldier 2: [Shouting, frustrated] "Stop! Where do you think you're going, half-caste?"Káòṣù: [Shouting back, not stopping] "Leave me alone!Soldier 1: [Shouting, frustrated] "Why should we leave you alone are you trying to escape you fool!!"Káòṣù: [Shouting back, not stopping] No! I am notSoldier 1 & Soldier 2: [Shouting, frustrated] Then why are you running?Káòṣù: [Shouting back, not stopping] "Leave me alone! I'm not going back to the lady!"The soldiers exchange a glance, suddenly understanding the source of his panic.Soldier 1: [Shouting after him] "That's not why we're chasing you, fool! Lady Adéọlá isn't looking for you!"Káòṣù: [Sceptical, still running] "Why should I believe you?"Soldier 2: [Panting, but still shouting] "If the lady wanted you captured, you'd already be in a prison cell mumu!"Káòṣù slows down, considering the logic in their words. His breath comes in heavy pants as he finally stops, waiting for the soldiers to catch up. When they reach him, they are bent over, hands on their knees, cursing under their breath.Soldier 1: [Gasping, annoyed] "You... You insolent fool! You make us pursue you like we are pursuing a thief at Ọjà Ọba!"Káòṣù: [Sheepish, but defensive] "But I didn't steal anything..."Soldier 2: [furious at his response, still catching his breath] "Who says you steal anything? You dumb boy"Káòṣù wants to react as they called him dumb but takes a glance at the soldiers, noting their middle-aged twin faces and the exhaustion in their eyes. They look more tired than angry, and a pang of guilt hits him.Káòṣù: [Hesitant] "Why are you looking for me?"Soldier 1: [Still annoyed, gesturing sharply] "Come with us, fool. You're late."Káòṣù: [confused] "late? For......"Before Káòṣù lands his question the guards starts to move so he follows them, curious and nervous, his mind racing with questions. As they walk, he finally musters the courage to ask.Káòṣù: [Quietly] "Where are you taking me?"Soldiers 1 & 2: [Simultaneously, annoyed] "Shut up and follow us."Káòṣù falls silent, trailing behind them until they reach a familiar place, an open field filled with soldiers—hundreds of them double the number from the last time he was here. His heart sinks as he recognizes the place where he had fought and nearly lost. The soldiers' eyes turn to him, some filled with disgust, others with thinly veiled annoyance. He is confuse about why the soldiers still look at him that way since he is already one of them, is it because his eyes are different or his body attracts the palace maidens more? Then he remembers he is half naked, Káòṣù feels exposed; embarrassed by his bare chest and the simple blue adìrẹ trousers he wears. "This must be the reason why they are all staring at me" he said to himself. To avoid any distractions he stayed at the back and decides not to move forward. He mind is filled with confusion, to clear his doubts he asks the soldiers.Káòṣù: [To the soldiers who brought him, voice low with embarrassment] "Why did you bring me here?"Soldier 1: [Grinning slightly] "For Ọ̀rọ̀ Ìkànsí."Káòṣù: [Frowning, confused] "What's Ọ̀rọ̀ Ìkànsí?"His British intonation only seems to annoy the second soldier more, who rolls his eyes in exasperation.Soldier 2: [Gruffly] "It's an induction speech given by the commander to new soldiers. You're supposed to be here, idiot."Shame floods Káòṣù as the realization hits him. The stares, the whispers—it all makes sense now. He is supposed to be here, part of the ceremony, but instead, he is standing out like a sore thumb, underdressed and unprepared.Káòṣù: [Voice tinged with frustration] "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"Soldier 1: [Smirking, annoyed] "We tried, but you made us chase you down like a headless chicken. Now we're late, thanks to you."Káòṣù: [Groaning, running a hand through his hair] "You could've at least brought my armour."Soldier 2: [Snapping back] "We're not your maids boy! As a soldier, you're supposed to handle these things yourself. Your armour should've been sent to you last night. Your dorm mates should've told you, or woken you up!"Káòṣù pauses, the words sinking in. He hadn't seen his dorm mates—they must have left without him, leaving him to fend for himself.Káòṣù: [Muttering, more to himself] "I didn't see anyone... I was alone when I woke up."The soldiers exchange a glance, realizing the situation.Soldier 1: [Sighing, resigned] "Well, it's too late now. You're here. Just stay at the back and try not to draw attention to yourself."Suddenly, a loud voice booms from the front of the assembly, cutting through the murmurs like a blade.Voice from the Front: "Soldiers of Isédòkan!"The entire field falls silent, the air thick with anticipation. Káòṣù can't see the speaker, but the voice sends a shiver down his spine. It isn't the commander's voice, or the grand general's. It's someone new, someone intimidating.Káòṣù: [Whispering to the soldiers beside him] "Who is that?"The soldiers beside him stand at attention, their faces serious, their fingertips trembling slightly.Soldier 1: [Whispering back, almost reverently] "That's Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀. Shut up and listen."Káòṣù's curiosity is piqued as Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀ continues, his voice resonating with power and authority.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Loud and commanding] "It is an honour to congratulate you all. You are no longer the child that sucks from your mothers' breasts, but the man who will protect her from chaos. Unfortunately, Kwamanda na Tsaro, the commander of guards, is not available, as he faces pressing issues at the capital. But I am honored to see and speak to the men here."As Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀ speaks, Káòṣù feels a surge of emotion—pride, fear, and something else he can't quite name. The words stir something deep within him, a sense of purpose that resonates with his very soul.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Continuing, passionately] "Fighting for Isédòkan is not just about defending Ìkùn, but about protecting our mothers, sisters, and children here in the capital. We remember the stories—how our realm was nearly destroyed by chaos, and how the three blessed Orisha, Ọ̀rúnmìlà, and the Ẹyẹ Òrè Ìnà àti Èrè, saved us. Their emblem graces our armour and shields even today. The battle against chaos has been the battle of generation by generation since the Orishas ascended to the sky; the more it gets stronger the more our will to defeat it gets stronger and when it got to a point where all hope were lost, when the gates to chaos opened once again we were blessed by Olódùmarè and he gave us the special ones to protect us doing our hard times as I speak presently the special ones are at the gate of chaos fighting for us as we speak. We all know chaos is not the only enemy we have; there are enemies everywhere which main goal is to destroy our purpose and goals. That we must not accept; we must and we will crush our enemies' bones by the sword and digs it to the ground"Káòṣù feels goose bumps rise on his skin as Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀'s words wash over him. He doesn't fully understand the language, but the passion and conviction in the man's voice are unmistakable. Still he has question to ask what is chaos? What happened in this realm? How strong are the special Ones? What is their major role in this realm? He has many questions that needs to be answered from this Bàlógun speech.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Raising his hand, voice booming] "Bí àwọn Òrìṣà bá wà lórí wa, ìkẹ́sẹ̀ wa lòdì sí ìrèjẹ́ kì yóò dá!"The soldiers stomp their feet in unison, fists to their chests as they echo his words, their voices a powerful chorus.Káòṣù: [Thinking to himself, awestruck] "I don't understand what he's saying... but I can feel it. The passion, the power... No wonder their fingers were trembling. Who is this man?"As the speech draws to a close, silence once again falls over the field. Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀'s final words hang in the air, a reminder of the responsibility that now rests on each of their shoulders.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Commanding] "I will be in the capital for a while until Àrẹ Ọ̀nà returns. Go to your dorms, your official post will be sent to you, be prepared and protect your mother's house, for we do not know when thieves will come to steal her gold. You are dismissed."As the soldiers begin to disperse, Káòṣù tries to slip away unnoticed, eager to avoid further attention. But then, Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀'s voice rings out once more, sharp and direct.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Firmly] "Who is Káòṣù?"Káòṣù freezes, his heart dropping to his stomach. He doesn't need to raise his hand—everyone's gaze is already on him. The whispers stop, the eyes burn into his back as he slowly makes his way to the front.As he stands before Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀, he feels the weight of his mistake—the absence of a proper uniform, his bare chest, the shame of being late. But what surprises him most is the expression on Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀'s face.Bàlógun Ọ̀dàráyọ̀: [Disappointed, shaking his head] "This is not the Káòṣù Àrẹ Ọ̀nà spoke of."Káòṣù stares in shock, the words cutting deeper than any blade.Káòṣù: [Whispering to himself, confused] "What does he mean by that...?"