Married to the gods?

Hoa felt the life sipping out of her. Her breathing was coming in slow. She felt lifeless on the raffia mat, the oil lamps were blurry and she wondered if she's truly going to come out alive. If she didn't then Chia had decieved her or maybe the dream was just a endless worry to stop what will happen at the festival of the masquerade of faces. But determination has brought her thus far. 

When at the corner of her eye she sees Anaguho lying in his own blood; the thought and smell filled her - she wanted to vomit then run out of this wretched shrine but the powers that plagued her said had her still.

Then in a moment or two the world around and within her went blank!

                             . . . .

2 hours ago

It is forbidden for a woman who is in her monthly visit to approach Omi's shrine. Hoa knew all about the customs and traditions but still decided to pay Omi a visit tonight. She held her oil lamp guiding her way carefully into the thin but thick bushy path. The croaking of the frogs sent chills to her body and hooting owl reminded her of the times when her Mama told her of the women who transformed themselves into owls at night to take revenge or just seemingly to do evil. When such women were discovered they were stoned to death or banished from coming near the Six Lands.

This was the time Hoa learnt about herself. Her identity. Her fate. She'd then decided to move to Atouh, the fifth land to begin a better life after fifteen years of choking herself in voodoo and mysticism. But running away was worse than living in the shrine. Omi haunted and hunted her soul with his frequent visits.

Above her was the path that led into the mountain of Omi - the one at Atouh. As she made a way nearing the mountains she felt the presence of forces around her but paid no attention to the shadows or the cat that glares at her time to time.

When she turned her lamp to the left she felt the shadowy movements increasing coming at her then she abruptly stopped, "Haven't you heard that you cannot touch the one the gods chose!" she said with such sheer audacity. When no answer came she muttered "I thought so too!" then continued in her brisk foot steps. She knew at this point that evil aura had gone but the cat was watching from the rock ahead.

In the lands Cats were used to warn others about an impending doom. She knew this well but avoided it's message.

When she walked passed, it followed. Without much thoughts she spoke out

"I need to speak with Anaguho"

"you're unclean" the cat spoke. The voice was that of a man. It started descending down to her.

"That's what you've said and that doesn't bother me" she walked passed it.

"You'll only put yourself in danger when you do not listen to me, Hoa of Atoima"

Shocked, Hoa realized a man standing before her. A huge man covered in bushy beards and moustache.

"Anaguho! It is you!" She falls to her knees, " I need your help. It's urgent and it's a matter of life or death" 

"You're unclean. You cannot see the face of the shrine of Omi"

"Omi will recognize me he chose me"

"You rejected him. Your duties as a priestess"

"That's because the gods demanded too much. I was tired. I've been tired of them since the time Papa revealed to me my position".

"Is that true Hoa?" Anaguho moved past her. " I have heard of the sacrileges you committed at Ataimo. How you destroyed and burned down the shrine and running away"

"Didn't you hear me. I can't let myself be laid with priests in the name of preserving a tradition" she echoed into the night a mixture of anger, hatred, pain and tears.

Anaguho didn't say a word. He just watched. This was how way his sister felt before she died.

"There's nothing to do Hoa. You lost your worth when you left. I can't help you" he walked away.

 He is right. That night was dreading. She'd tried to fight her thoughts from eating her but Omi's pressure was even worse. The Divine still wanted her back and that's why he intruded her life.

"There's a way Anaguho. I will spill my blood on the sacred Calabash, the gods will recognize it when they see it. Chia did same but was killed. She came to me last night too" 

Anaguho stopped then faced her. "Chia?" 

" Yes. Omi wanted me dead by the end of tomorrow when the masquerade of faces appears. She said I must confront Omi. Omi isn't what he seems. He only enjoys trapping the spirit of women. He decieved the gods and priests about them needing a wife. He is foolish and selfish Anaguho" She explainer remembering every detail Anaguho's sister had told her.

" Can't believe this" He wants to.

"Omi wants to be human,Anaguho. He's been been perverted by the evil Ishi" she took her hands to his, "you've been guarding the shrine of an evildoer"

Anaguho didn't want to believe this but something about the way Hoa spoke made him subject himself. He'd been serving the shrine since when he was a boy. He's sister had laid her life for Omi and how did the evil Ishi able to influence Omi into such menance?

" I think it's time for Omi to pay for his crimes"

                         . . . .

Hoa woke up to find herself seated naked on the cold mud floor of an unidentified hut. She remembers last time she was in a pool of blood beside Anaguho and how she thought she's about the give you. Thunder had struck them both and Anaguho had died instantaneously.

When she pushed herself up, she realized the flickers at the fire place. 

"You dare mock the gods Hoa" a voice came from the fire or above her.

Realizing the voice of Omi. She heard it before when she was a little girl at Papa's shrine in what seem to be a dream or a trance "You decieved us. How could you? "

"Watch how you speak. I can decide to keep you here" his voice worked with an authority in the room.

She stood up from her where she sat, "you already made plans for that haven't you. Tomorrow?"

There was silence.

" I see you've been conjuring" Omi chuckled.

Hoa could feel her anger rise when she remembered the times she spent in the shrine of Omi back at Ataimo. Fifteen years she'd lived a lie. Fifteen years she been used my unwashed young men who came for purification rites and priests that Omi possessed. Fifteen years of living the hut - with the darkness that eluded her.

The fire flickered and made a cracking sound when Hoa said " I am the last you will ever decieve and that ends tonight"

Just then the fire went out and the darkness she remembered enters the room. No the darkness was Omi and he's been in the room all this while.

Hoa felt a firm grip around her neck and struggle for control. She tried screaming but could not. This was the pressure she felt when she slept months after destroying the shrine and running away. 

The pressure increased around her and next she felt her feet above the ground then Omi's force swung her to an even darker corner in the room.

" The next time you ever think of contending with a god bring your tools"

" You won't last long Omi. The gods already know what you're doing, what you have been doing" she struggled to say. "Anaguho spoke to them without you as an intermidiary"

Lie!

Omi's force began pressing her with an intensity that ate her soul. She was above the ground and then suddenly the fire came up. Then he dropped her.

Even in the spirit world Hoa still could feel herself drifting away. She heard faint voices but couldn't point to what direction it came or who spoke. When she felt herself been lifted by a much gentle force. She woke up!

Hoa stirred herself up to find Anaguho body surrounded by black and white cats. She wanted to say something but the voice wasn't enough for her, so she just watched.

" Go home!" One said finally bringing her to focus.

Hoa found the strength she'd always lacked. A lightness within her. She needn't asking whether the darkness was gone. It was all gone.