Scene 1 – Akinwumi Village (POV: Adeola)
The sun bathed Akinwumi in golden warmth, its rays dancing across the rooftops of the rebel stronghold. For the first time in weeks, the clang of steel and the cry of warbirds were replaced by drumming, laughter, and the rhythmic chants of celebration.
Adeola sat by the riverside, his fingers trailing through the cool water.
Peace… strange, how foreign it feels.
He watched children play in the distance, young warriors showing off their carved wooden blades, while elders recited ancient oríkì. The scent of roasted yam and peppered goat stew wafted in the air.
Moremi approached, her eyes soft, her steps as quiet as the wind.
"Thinking again?" she teased.
He smiled faintly. "Trying to remember what it means to breathe without fear."
They sat side by side in silence, only the river speaking. Moremi placed her hand near his.
"I used to sit like this in Ondulo… before the empire came. My brother would tease me for daydreaming," she said.
"And now?" Adeola asked.
Her gaze met his. "Now I dream of surviving. Of reclaiming what was stolen."
Their hands brushed.
And something between them bloomed—quiet and fragile, but unmistakably real.
---
Scene 2 – Wale & Moremi (POV: Moremi)
Later that afternoon, Wale stood beneath the Ìrókò tree at the village's edge, sharpening his blade. Moremi approached slowly, her heart knotted in emotion.
"You could have told me," she said softly.
Wale didn't stop sharpening.
"I thought you died, Wale. I cried for moons. I buried you in my prayers."
His jaw clenched. "If I told you… they would have hunted you too. I did what I had to."
She stepped closer. "You're not just my brother anymore, are you? You're something else… something torn between two lives."
He finally looked at her, pain flickering in his eyes. "I'm a shadow. That's all the rebellion needs from me."
She reached out, touched his arm. "No… You're still Wale. My blood. Don't lose that."
---
Scene 3 – Evening Fireside (POV: Femi)
The fire crackled as roasted corn passed between hands. Laughter filled the circle—Ayomide, Wale, Moremi, Damilola, and Femi gathered in a rare moment of joy.
"Remember when Damilola slapped that merchant because he winked at her?" Ayomide chuckled.
Damilola rolled her eyes. "He was a goat, and he deserved worse."
They all laughed. Even Femi.
He glanced at her, heart pounding. "You were brave that day," he said softly.
She raised a brow. "And what about you now?"
He looked down shyly. "Trying… to be someone better."
She didn't smile—but she didn't look away. That was enough.
---
Scene 4 – Bankode's Return (POV: Tunde)
Back in the cold, stone corridors of the Ojora palace, Tunde poured wine with trembling hands.
I've failed too many times… Adekunle watches me like a vulture. Wale mocks me with silence.
Then the air shifted.
A chill crept through the halls like death's whisper. The flames in the sconces flickered violently. The guards stepped back.
He entered.
Bankode.
Draped in dark fabrics etched with ancient runes, his face hidden beneath a veil of cowrie-beaded cloth, the sorcerer glided like smoke. His voice was quiet, yet every word thundered:
"The ancestors stir. Blood will follow."
Even Tunde, who feared nothing, stepped back.
What monster has my father summoned? he thought.
---
Final Scene – The Forest (POV: Unknown Woman)
Far beyond the kingdoms, in a forest untouched by empire, a cloaked woman knelt in the grass. Her bare hand touched the earth, feeling the tremor of shifting power.
She gazed into the sky where the stars began to pulse—one by one.
She whispered, "Ẹmí pẹ̀lú òkú… the balance is breaking. It begins."
As wind howled through the trees and birds fled into the dusk, her eyes glowed faintly with ancestral fire.
---
What This Sets Up:
Adeola and Moremi's growing bond
Wale's internal struggle between spy and brother
Femi's emotional development and Damilola's guarded respect
Bankode's terrifying introduction as the supernatural threat intensifies
> The Lost King © 2025 by (Idris Bilal Adavize).
This is an original work protected by copyright. No part of this story may be reproduced or used in any form without the author's written permission