Gods of the earth - Chapters 27 & 28

Chapter 27

Ade called Kola for the umpteenth time before deciding to send a Familiar to find out what was going on. He wondered why Kola hadn’t been picking his calls throughout the week. Perhaps he was even out of the country…he leaned back into his seat in the office and waited for the return of the Familiar.

There was a knock on the door and his new PA came in with a tray laden with fruit juice and an assortment of pastries. She was a pretty girl who also lived alone with her mother…that was an essential part of his criteria for employing P.A.s in addition to being a young lady.

Her name was Rhoda and she was very humble and quiet…he hated those types with too much sophistication…they inevitably ended up having too many airs and a stuck up attitude.

He preferred his close associates to be people already brought up to understand submission…it made his work that much easier.

Rhoda had been introduced to him through one of his receptionists – Titi- with whom Ade had occasional romps with in one of his guest houses…so she knew exactly what Ade was looking for in a girl and also in a P.A.

Rhoda had graduated over three years ago and had still not been able to secure a job. She began squatting with her friend and former classmate Titi after she could no longer afford the rent for the one bedroom apartment she had rented for herself and her mother in the slums of Lagos.

Reluctantly she had had to send her mother back to their hometown alone, after Titi had invited her to stay with her promising to speak to her boss about offering her a job.

Titi had then driven all the way to Rhoda’s place to pick her up, partly because she wanted to create a first impression about the good life she was living, and partly to begin schooling her about the compromises she would need to make if she really wanted a job in Lagos and more particularly with the company she worked for.

Titi drove a white SUV…that was standard procedure for all of Ade’s ‘girls’ as he liked to refer to them in private.

By the time Titi had answered all of Rhoda’s questions about working with the boss, especially if she got the now vacant job of P.A, Rhoda was ready to ‘dine with the devil’ if need be. She had been deprived of the good life for so long she didn’t even know what the Air Conditioner in a car felt like any longer.

“My boss is fair but firm,” Titi had told her as they drove back to the Island that Saturday morning.

“He will definitely want to have intercourse with you whenever he wants. That is a major part of the deal. He also wants girls that are absolutely submissive to him; that’s just how he is…you just do as you are told and no questions asked. Can you manage all that?” Titi had asked when they arrived at her three-bedroom apartment again with AC’s in every room, each with its own toilet and bathroom.

After spending the weekend with Titi who took her shopping for new clothes and things, Rhoda was even more convinced that she would do anything to get the job…the only question now was whether or not her qualifications would get her the job.

Titi smiled at her feeling amused.

“Do you think I was qualified for the job when he interviewed me? No I wasn’t. But he told me that if I could do everything he listed out to me, he would take care of the rest,” said Titi when they were back at home enjoying some fruit wine and pizza.

“So what else will he require from me then apart from love making?” asked Rhoda a little nervously.

“Well we girls have to take it in turns to come over to his place and wait on him whenever he summons us.”

“Wait on him…I don’t understand”

“My boss is a traditionalist…he believes in using charms to protect himself from his many envious enemies. As a result of this they sometimes try to reach his staff in order to hurt him because he is so impregnable with his protective charms. So he requires that we participate in certain rituals to be protected too,” finished Titi as she leaned back and took a sip of her fruit wine.

Rhoda let all of that sink in… she was a Christian…a Catholic Christian and this would have bothered her a lot except that she had not been able to afford to go to church for almost a year now. The closest Catholic Church was two buses away and she most certainly couldn’t afford that. This would mean a repudiation of all that she believed in…but now it was looking like a do or die affair. Titi had assured her of a job if she could only comply with her boss’s demands…perhaps when things improved for her, she would be able to go back to her faith and attend Confession…but for now, unless she took this job she might find herself sleeping under a bridge or worse.

“I’ll do it,” said Rhoda, suddenly making up her mind.

“Are you sure, because there will be no turning back once you are initiated,” said Titi leaning forward and looking directly into her friends eyes.

That was how Rhoda had spent the first night in her boss’s house and learnt many things at the same time.

By the time morning dawned brightly, Rhoda was the most submissive young woman that Ade had ever come across as she went on both knees with her head bowed to the ground in greeting…and in worship…she had received her first Familiar in the course of love making…her life would never be the same again…for she now belonged to Ade Odugbemi, and would do anything for him.

Familiars would teach her what her job entailed, Ade had assured her. She had moved into her own fully furnished three bed-room apartment that same day and begun driving lessons the following week.

She placed the tray of fruit juice and pastries on the table and sank to her knees with her head bowed, waiting for further instructions from her boss, but he shook his head and dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

Ade had been preoccupied ever since Janut had ordered that his former P.A should no longer work for him, but dedicate all her time to him – Janut.

The problem was that the baby had been born but no one but Janut knew neither its whereabouts nor the whereabouts of its mother – Toun.

Janut seemed to have spirited them away out of the house, for about two weeks now.

What bothered Ade was that he wasn’t sure whether he had his favourite house to himself once again or not…yet Janut had ordered him not to move out of the house. So Ade had reluctantly sent a senior Familiar in search of Janut and it had come back gravely wounded…Ade could see it with the use of the usual unguent they applied to their eyes whenever they needed to ‘see’ spirit beings. The Familiar had been beaten thoroughly and had returned with a message for Ade…

I AM NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!

For the first time in his life, Ade had begun to panic…something had definitely gone wrong! Why would Janut send him such a message? Granted, they hadn’t had the best of relationships but he had upheld his end of the deal and given Janut the female mortal he had requested for and in return Janut had fulfilled his own part of the deal too…had Ade done something to irk this mighty Principality?

It was only when the Familiar he had sent to Kola Adeleke returned that Ade finally understood what had happened.

The baby died at birth…along with its mother.

The Familiar had declined to tell him anymore except that Janut was in a blind rage for which he was seeking an outlet…not even the other Principalities dared go near him.

Kola lost his abilities when he betrayed Janut and returned to the Faith of the Nazarene; said the Familiar, reporting on the errand on which he had been sent.

Clearly Janut would need another female mortal…for Principalities were known to be dogged in their pursuit of whatever they needed.

That must be why Janut had sent that cryptic message to him, surmised Ade, relaxing a little.

He would pacify Janut and find someone else for him…but definitely not his new P.A…he rather liked her and wanted her for himself.

He would find someone for Janut free of charge…that would put Janut in his obligation…perhaps he could then approach Janut at a later date and make a final request…he had thought about the translucent body that Janut frequently used when he stopped by to pay his late female bride a visit…would it not be possible for Janut to fashion such a body for him wherein he could project his spirit whenever he needed to do some spiritual things?

Chapter 28

 “Have you ever wondered why Paul uses the word ENDURE rather than 'listen' in that prophecy he gave to Timothy? Turn with me to…”

2TI 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not ENDURE sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

“To endure means to go through some hardship with patience and longsuffering. Paul was talking about listening to sound doctrine with a view to practising it, because sound doctrine is practised not listened to. They will not be able to endure sound doctrine because they will not be able to practise sound doctrine. The reason is what he gives in the next part…they will instead, heap up to themselves teachers who will cater to their own lusts, for those are the things their ears will be itching to hear. Sound doctrine is hard to practise because it goes against our lusts.”

“Still speaking to Timothy, Paul mentions in another place some things that are contrary or opposed to sound doctrine…”

1Tim 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 

“In those two verses, fourteen things are mentioned that are contrary to sound doctrine and they all represent active life styles that were being practised. The lawless represents a group of habitual breakers of the law, the profane represent those who make it a pattern to desecrate or speak lightly of holy things, so you understand what I mean about practising things that are opposed to sound doctrine.

It reveals that sound doctrine represent the total body of beliefs that we are expected by God to practise. So when people ask me in a ‘smart’ kind of way, how one can memorise the whole Word of God with a view to practising it, I generally laugh. We were never meant to memorize the Word, we are only meant to practice its principles or doctrines.”

Pastor Adewusi closed his bible and looked around the congregation. They still looked subdued…probably because of the funeral of Godwin that had taken place two weeks ago. He had been loved by all for his gentle nature…many still believed there was something mysterious about the way he was alleged to have fallen down the stairs…he hadn’t been carrying any equipment…nor was the staircase slippery.

Pastor Adewusi knew that it had been a spiritual attack on the church…but he couldn’t tell them that yet…because he knew it was only the beginning and that they would panic if they knew that more attacks were coming…instead he had formed an inner circle of intercessors – Wunmi and Mary, along with himself and his wife.

They had been interceding as usual two hours before choir practice when the Lord had shown Mary a huge Gateway through which demons, fallen angels and spirits of all kinds were falling through into their world.

As she was still seeing this vision, Mrs Adewusi had suddenly cried out;

“They are here already, even in this church. They have fallen through!”

This will take more than the intercession of a few…it is time for those who have endured sound doctrine to arise and take their place in this battle…for I have promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against my Called Out Ones!

It was the reason for Pastor Adewusi’s sermon this morning…for he was about to make a grave announcement that would shake the church.

“Do we have any contributions or questions?” he asked, looking round…but all was quiet.

“Then before we close the Service I have an announcement to make. This church is currently under spiritual attack. I do not mean to scare you, but what happened to our brother Godwin was a spiritual attack. We have been specifically targeted for attack because we have failed to conform to the regular kind of teachings prevalent in most of our churches today. These attacks are just beginning and as your pastor, I owe it to you to warn you that from now on our services will be converted to prayer meetings alone. You are free to attend any other church of your choice if you so wish for I do not wish to endanger any lives. But if you choose to stay, please know that you do so at your own peril.”

Long after Pastor Adewusi left the platform, the congregation still sat stunned. There was muted conversation about his announcement as many left the church hurriedly. Pastor Adewusi stood at the entrance to the church along with his wife, praying for everyone as they left the church.

It was impossible to tell for now those would remain until the next Sunday Service, but Pastor Adewusi knew they would not be many…for only those who had made it a habit to practise sound  doctrine would be able to resist the attack of the enemy.

They were the ones Heb 5:14 referred to…

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Belial stood face to face to Bulawa whom Belial himself had named through the Witch Mother. The name was representative of what Bulawa would grow to become…a Shape Shifter of Two Realms.

With grim satisfaction he had watched all his uncle’s men who had dared lay hands on him suffer his wrath...they didn't  live to tell the story. His uncle had only been spared because he still had a role to play.

Bulawa knew he was Guardian of the Seven Tribes for a good reason…because he was the son of Belial; he also knew the connection his three triplet sisters had with him…they were the new breed that the Lord of Darkness was grooming to replace the Ancient Mothers of whom the Queen Mother had been the strongest (see Enemy of Darkness); their time was over…a new generation was coming in…soon all would fall into place…

“And what will become of my uncle Januka?” asked Bulawa, mildly curious.

“He is destined to start a rival cult…one that will rival that of my foster son – Adebajo,” replied Belial.

“And what about me…where do I fit in?” asked Bulawa.

“You are the Guardian of the Seven Tribes…the Tribes where the Gateways to Power are already being built…you are the Destroyer of the Church but you will come in peace till it is too late…you are the last little antichrist before the Antichrist appears. You it is who will have the singular honour of destroying the Lord of Darkness’s most hated foes – female mortals,” Belial strode purposefully towards a huge dark entrance and pulled a curtain that had not been there a moment ago.

A large auditorium was revealed, and in it two young women, a man and his wife were praying. Over them was a dome shaped bright light that covered and shielded them.

“I cannot get through that Dome of Light…none of us can…but you can Bulawa. You will join that church and become one of them…you will use your abilities in the name of their Majesty, for that is what will convince and deceive them. Then when their guard is down they will accept you into the Dome of Light, and even if their Majesty in the heavens gives them forewarning of your coming…the destruction has already begun…there will be too many distractions and attacks on too many fronts…sooner or later they will weaken…then they will fall. You must seize your chance then Bulawa; for the SevenTribes you guard are in fact the Seven Continents of the world…guard them well till your older brother arrives,” Belial drew the curtain and the huge dark entrance closed behind Belial as he disappeared within its depths.