5:45
Tolu woke up feeling strange.
It wasn't exhaustion or hunger—it was something deeper. Something missing.
She sat up, pressing a hand to her chest. The usual pulse of power that had always lurked beneath her skin was gone.
Her breath quickened. No. No, no, no.
She threw off the sheets and rushed to the kitchen, hands trembling as she grabbed a candle. She sprinted back to her room, placed it on the nightstand, and held her hand over it.
She took a deep breath.
"Iná." (Fire.)
Nothing.
Her heart pounded.
She tried again, more forceful this time.
"Iná!"
Nothing.
Cold dread settled in her stomach.
She had lost her magic.
Tolu's knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the floor, silent at first—then the tears came. They poured down her face as a deep, aching sob tore from her throat.
She had wanted to be free from dark magic. But she hadn't expected this. She had lost everything.
A knock on her door startled her.
"Big sis?" a small voice called.
She quickly wiped her face, but it was too late. The door creaked open, and her younger twin brothers, Kehinde and Taiwo, peeked inside.
"Are you okay?" Kehinde asked, stepping closer. "We heard you crying."
Taiwo frowned. "Did something happen?"
Tolu forced a weak smile. "I… I just miss Emeka, that's all."
The twins glanced at each other.
Then, without hesitation, they wrapped their arms around her.
"It's okay, sis," Taiwo said. "We miss him too."
Kehinde nodded. "You can talk to us anytime, okay?"
Tolu swallowed the lump in her throat and hugged them back.
She couldn't tell them the truth.
That for the first time in years, she was normal.
And it terrified her.
7:54am
Tolu walked into school, but she wasn't really there.
Her uniform was perfectly ironed, her hair was neatly braided, but the light in her eyes was gone. Her movements were slow, like she was dragging a heavy weight behind her.
Sunmi noticed immediately.
She had never seen Tolu like this before. Sure, Tolu could be moody, sarcastic, even a little reckless—but this? This was something else.
During lunch, Sunmi pulled her aside. "Okay, what's wrong? And don't even try to say 'nothing' because I know when someone is sad."
Tolu hesitated. Then, with a deep sigh, she whispered, "I lost my magic."
Sunmi blinked. "Wait, what?"
"It's gone," Tolu repeated, voice cracking. "I can't feel anything anymore. No power, no connection. Nothing."
Sunmi frowned. "But… aren't witches born with their magic? How do you just lose it?"
Tolu looked away.
"Not all witches are born with magic."
She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes lost in distant memories.
"My family wasn't always rich. And I wasn't always a witch either."
Sunmi stayed silent, sensing this was important.
"It all started with Mama G," Tolu continued. "I used to help her after school—running errands, cleaning, whatever she needed. She was this mysterious old woman, always dressed in white, always carrying a cane. No one really knew what the 'G' in her name stood for."
A small smile flickered across Tolu's face before it quickly disappeared.
"She taught me everything I know. Spells, rituals, charms. She told me magic wasn't just about power—it was about balance."
Sunmi tilted her head. "So… she was your mentor?"
"More than that." Tolu sighed. "When she was dying, she had no children, no grandchildren. So, she left everything to me. Her estate, her books, her magic."
Sunmi's eyes widened. "Wait. She gave you her magic? Just like that?"
"It wasn't just any magic." Tolu's voice dropped to a whisper. "She got her powers from the Orishas themselves. And when she passed, they became mine."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Tolu clenched her fists. "And now? I think they're punishing me for going against nature. For using dark magic. For creating that zombie plague."
Sunmi bit her lip. She didn't know much about magic, but she knew guilt when she saw it. And right now, Tolu was drowning in it.
She nudged her shoulder. "You know what? At least you've got me. I have powers now, so I'll protect you!"
Tolu snorted, wiping a tear. "You? Protect me? You can barely use your powers."
"Hey! I'm learning!" Sunmi grinned. "And when I finally figure it out, you'll be the first to know."
Tolu gave a small, tired laugh.
For the first time all day, she felt a little lighter.
Maybe—just maybe—she wouldn't have to face this alone.
3:47pm
Kehinde and Taiwo grinned as they bounced in front of her, their voices overlapping.
"Guess what?"
"Mum and Dad are taking us out!"
Tolu raised an eyebrow. "And why is that news?"
"Because we told them you were sad," Taiwo said smugly. "So they said we should all go shopping!"
Tolu blinked. They noticed?
Her brothers could be annoying, but right now, they were… sweet.
"Fine." She sighed, ruffling their heads. "Let's go before I change my mind."
---
Ikeja City Mall – The Parking Lot
The mall was packed. People walked in and out, chatting, laughing, carrying shopping bags.
Tolu, her parents, and her brothers made their way inside when she suddenly paused.
"Wait. I forgot my phone."
Her parents barely looked up as they waved her off. "Be quick, okay?"
Tolu turned back, walking toward the car, but something felt off.
A strange tingling crawled down her spine.
Like she was being watched.
She shook it off. Relax. You're just being paranoid.
She reached the car, grabbed her phone, and slammed the door shut.
Instantly, every car alarm in the parking lot went off.
A deafening symphony of blaring horns and flashing lights filled the air.
Tolu whirled around.
And then—
The sky turned red.
A crimson dome stretched across the sky, covering the entire mall like an unholy barrier.
The air crackled with energy.
And then she heard it.
A cackle.
A cold, twisted laugh that sent chills racing down her spine.
Slowly, she looked up.
A figure floated above the mall, crimson energy coiling around his fingers, his glowing red eyes locked onto her.
And then—
"Hey, bitch. Guess who's back?"
Tolu's blood ran cold.
It was him.
The boy from the alley.
The one who had died. The one whose body had been left to rot.
He descended slowly, landing just a few feet away from her.
She staggered back, but he only smirked.
"Pardon my manners."
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small ring.
The second he slipped it onto his finger, his body shifted.
His features morphed, reshaping, reforming.
And then—
Tolu's breath caught.
"No… it can't be."
Because standing before her—
Was Christopher.
— - -
"Oh, Tolu. You shouldn't be so shocked." His crimson eyes glowed as he stepped forward. "I'm two hundred and sixteen years old. If death could stop me, I'd have died a long time ago."
Tolu's hands curled into fists. "That's impossible. I saw your body explode. How the hell are you still alive?"
Christopher's grin widened. "Hell. That's how."
Tolu stiffened. What?
"Let me explain," Christopher said, his tone dripping with amusement.
"When you killed me with dark magic, it corrupted my soul, sending me straight to hell. And believe me, suffering down there?" He shuddered dramatically. "It's not pretty."
His eyes darkened.
"But what I didn't know… was that I was a siphon."
Tolu's breath caught.
A siphon.
A person who doesn't have their own magic but can draw power from magical creatures, artifacts, or sources.
Christopher smirked, reading the realization on her face.
"Yeah. And guess what hell is full of? Magic."
Tolu swallowed.
"At first, I didn't even realize I was doing it. I was just suffering, screaming, burning—" he paused, his smile fading for a second. Then it came back, sharper than ever.
"But by the time I noticed, I had already absorbed enough magic to break free."
He spread his arms.
"Only problem? My body was gone. Blown to pieces, thanks to you."
His eyes gleamed with something cruel.
"So I did the next best thing."
"I jumped into the body of someone who was already dying."
A cold chill ran down Tolu's spine.
"And now?" Christopher grinned, stretching his fingers as red energy crackled around them. "I'm back for revenge."
Tolu exhaled sharply, but then, to Christopher's surprise—
She smirked.
"You can't do anything, Christopher. We're in public. People will notice."
Christopher laughed.
And laughed.
And laughed.
Then he leaned in close.
"That's what the dome is for."
Tolu's heart skipped a beat.
"It's an illusion spell."
Christopher's voice dropped to a whisper.
"No one outside can see what's happening. And no one inside even knows they're trapped."
Tolu's stomach twisted.
Christopher tilted his head back and cackled again.
——-
Tolu barely had time to react before Christopher raised his hand, and an invisible force yanked her off her feet.
She slammed against a car door with a painful thud, the impact rattling through her bones. She gasped, struggling to catch her breath, but Christopher's mocking laughter filled the air.
He tilted his head, eyes glowing red.
"Why aren't you fighting back, Tolu?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
Tolu said nothing.
Christopher frowned. Suspicious.
But then, his frown disappeared, replaced with a wicked grin. "Oh well."
A ball of fire swirled into existence above his palm.
"This is getting boring."
He hurled the fireball toward her.
Tolu rolled out of the way just as it crashed into a parked car, shattering its windows and sending shards of glass flying.
Christopher sighed dramatically. "Running? That's all you can do now?"
But Tolu wasn't just running.
She was thinking.
She may have lost her magic, but she still had knowledge.
Her eyes flicked to a piece of broken glass on the ground from the shattered window. Quickly, she snatched it up, dragged it across her palm, and let her blood drip onto the concrete.
With a sharp inhale, she used her fingers to draw a circle in her own blood, muttering an incantation.
A binding spell.
If Christopher stepped into the circle, he'd be trapped.
Christopher arched a brow. Then he laughed.
"Seriously? Blood magic? And a basic binding circle? This is child's play, Tolu."
He smirked. "Fine. Let's see what you're up to."
The moment Christopher's foot crossed the circle, a sudden, searing pain shot through him. He groaned, clutching his head, his body trembling.
Tolu smirked. "Looks like you're not as invincible as you think."
But then—
Christopher chuckled.
A slow, menacing laugh that sent a chill down her spine.
Then, red energy swirled around him—
And the magic from the binding circle began to drain into his body.
Tolu's smirk vanished.
Christopher sighed in satisfaction as the magic fizzled out completely. Then he lifted his gaze to her, a smug grin on his face.
"What part of siphoning don't you get?"
Before she could move, he lifted his hand again, and Tolu was yanked off the ground, suspended in mid-air.
Her breath hitched.
Christopher's eyes darkened. He was going to end her.
He raised his other hand, magic crackling—
Then suddenly—
He hesitated.
Something flickered in his expression.
A memory.
"I made a promise…"
He clenched his jaw.
Emeka's voice echoed in his mind.
"Promise me, Christopher. No matter what happens… protect her."
He hated her for what she did to him.
But he hated breaking promises even more.
With a heavy sigh, he lowered his hand and gently placed her back on the ground.
Tolu stared at him, stunned.
"If I didn't hate breaking promises," Christopher muttered, "you'd be dead."
Then he reached out to touch her, his fingers glowing red.
He was going to absorb her magic.
But the moment his hand brushed against her skin—
Nothing.
His brows furrowed.
He tried again—
Still nothing.
He yanked his hand back, glaring at her.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
Tolu didn't respond.
And then—
Christopher grinned.
"Well, damn." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Guess Mother Nature is a bitch after all."
Then, in a low, commanding tone, he spoke in Benin:
"Dòwò guòmwèn!" (Repair yourself!)
As soon as the words left his mouth, every single thing damaged during their fight began to repair itself.
The shattered windows fused back together.
The burned cars looked untouched.
The mall dome disappeared.
And then—
Christopher took off into the air, vanishing into the night.
Leaving Tolu speechless.