Ediba Village was easily one of the cleanest villages I had ever been assigned to on a contract. Not only was it naturally captivating, but its architecture was also surprisingly unique—square-shaped homes that looked like small, elegant factories. Even the Chief's palace followed that same modern, uniform design. The whole place radiated an energy I hadn't felt anywhere else in the Southern Kingdom.
And I've been to the capital before.This was nothing like that. Not even close.
I arrived in the evening, just as the sun began its slow descent behind the hills. That timing allowed me to catch the village in its full natural glow. And when the night fell, it was something else entirely. The streets were lined with warm bulbs. The energy of the village didn't wane at sunset, it intensified. You could barely tell the difference between day and night. Light pulsed everywhere, not harsh or artificial, but soothing and ambient. It made the place feel... alive.
It had taken me about two days to arrive, though the usual journey would have taken three, maybe four. But that's the advantage of riding my Ashtari. She and I had built a close bond over the years, and I knew how to get the best out of her during long travels. This wasn't the first time we'd shortened a trip like this.That's why I'm always on time, for meetings, for contracts, for anything that requires a presence before a clock ticks down.
As I rode through the open village gates, the locals welcomed me warmly. They had already recognized my divine family badge and uniform and quickly took the reins of my Ashtari with the usual respect shown to visiting Divines. The village handlers, referred to as "Keepers"—led her to the stables where the divine steeds were kept and cared for.
My temporary lodging was a modest cubicle not far from the Chief's palace. From there, I headed straight to meet with the man himself, Chief Asuquo Eniang.
He was waiting in his sitting room when I arrived. I gave a proper divine greeting, and he blessed me in return. After exchanging pleasantries, he asked that we take a walk. I obliged, and together we strolled through the glowing lanes of Ediba.
We spoke as we walked.
He asked about my trip, surprised that I had arrived earlier than expected.
"My friend Kamdili told me you'd arrive tomorrow," he said with a warm smile. "You're a day early. I like that."
I smiled in return. "I learned from the best."
He laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yes, Kamdili is always ahead of time. Even more punctual than the Taris who live right here in the South. Any time I had need for a contract, I'd call him—no matter the distance. Somehow, he always got here faster than those based next door."
"He's family, after all," I replied. "So I suppose it's only right I take after him."
"You do," he said proudly.
He then expressed how he would have wished Master Kamdili could be here in person, because the function, which would take place the day after tomorrow, was one he had been excited to share with him. Since the institution's development, he had been patiently waiting for its completion, and now he was glad it had finally arrived.
There was a deep sincerity in his voice. He meant every word.
"I take it you're quite passionate about it," I said.
"Passionate?" He chuckled. "Jimoh Lawal is the one truly passionate. When he came to me with his vision, I was skeptical at first. He had no divine backing. Just ideas and the funds. But he pushed. Fought. Appealed to the king and his council until they approved it, even with resistance."
"As expected," I replied. "Anything that touches divine territory is bound to be met with some."
"True," he said. "But the Taris… they took no stand. Neither for nor against. And that neutrality? That was Sekara's saving grace. Had the Taris opposed it, we wouldn't be talking about any function right now."
His tone made it clear how precarious this whole thing had been.
Still, I wondered.Why would the Taris, ever so watchful, choose to remain silent?Did they believe in Sekara's mission? Or were they waiting to see how things unfolded?
"I'm just glad it happened," the Chief continued. "What Sekara has done for this village in just a few months is beyond anything I imagined. Look around you, Major. The energy supply, the cleanliness, the entire ambience of the village, everything had changed since Sekara's development. This place is a different world now. We haven't had a single Fallen attack."
I stopped walking.
"Not even one?" I asked, brows raised.
"None," he said, with both pride and awe. "We don't even budget for security anymore. And still… not a whisper of a Fallen presence. Sekara seems to be handling everything just fine for us."
There's a saying in my village:
"What glitters too easily was never gold. It only fools you into thinking it is."
That might just be the case with Ediba. And that's exactly why I was here.
They saw Sekara as salvation.But if there was false glitter gilding this gold,I was going to be the one to dust it off.