Supi Ami: Chapter 5

The transfer took place in earnest. Soon the Tufohen found herself in a large cell underneath the palace. She heard a strange scratching sound beneath her and then the ground beneath her exploded outward. The gong rang out across the palace as asafo swarmed to the cell, but by then Edufa was gone.'



Bound and gagged, the Tufohen and Edufa were dragged by several priestesses down a dark tunnel. They stopped at the entrance of a large metal door. One of them opened it with a red key and they emerged from the dusty tunnel into a candle lit church. The door was sealed and the Tufohen was dragged away from Fafa.



All around them, worshippers clothed in white, stood still, eyes closed. Edufa was pushed into a well lit room . Almost immediately, a call rang out, 'Dum Kanea' (turn off the lights) and she heard loud shrieks and roars as the congergation suddenly came alive. A firm hand shut the door, before brushing a white haired head.



Edufa recognised this church. It's members were said to go a bit crazy as soon as the lights were put out. The noise they made could be heard all over the city. The scary thing was they were ordered to do it. None of it was natural. All of it was orchestrated by the woman who stood before her.



'Welcome, Edufa, to the church of Frema'. Well, High priestess Frema. As to why we rescued you, it's because you are going to bring the chief to us. Before you protest, understand that if you leave this sanctuary alone, you will be hunted down across the country as a criminal for your crimes'.



'So what do you want me to do?' Simply walk up to the chief and bring her to you?'



'Yes, she trusts you. She doesn't know your true nature. It would be simple to prick her finger with a poisoned needle. Bring her to our people. Then we will convert her, making her one of us. It will be easier to influence the traditional area from behind the scenes, using her as our puppet'.



'What about being hunted by the asafo?' Won't the chief be warned?'



'She will. But the third high priestess told me about the secret you two share. We know you tried to stab her once in a moment of madness, but she forgave you and told the priestess never to talk about it. She'll want to see you. Hear your side of the story. When she's close enough, you'll make your move.'



So that night, Edufa set off for Ankonamkrom. The nkunimdifo) interrogated her harshly, but Hawa pleaded that she let her in.



'Be warned, Chief Hawa, the nkunimdifo) whispered, 'I sense an unclear intent from her. She's conflicted, that makes her dangerous' .



'I'll be alright'. Hawa assured her.



The Tufohen approached Hawa hesitantly. Hawa stepped closer. 'Edufa, tell me your side of the story. Tell me you haven't done these thngs they accuse you of'.



Edufa clutched the needle and was about to strike when Ami grabbed her arm from behind. 'Betrayal, my chief, just as I predicted.



The Tufohen brought a body wrapped in the traditional regalia of the chief to Frema. Frema unwrapped the body, revealing an unconscious Hawa.



'Bring the herbal concoction', she ordered her servants. 'If she's not insane after she drinks it, it will be the first step in her conversion.'



Suddenly the asafo raided the building, bursting through the entrance. The priestesses did not even have time to mount any resistance. After they were all securely bound, Hawa spoke to Ami in private'.



'If Edufa was right, then it means the last high priestess was the one I shared my secret with.'



'Who is it?'



'The old kingmaker. The one who made me chief. But she's been dead for fifteen years!'



Deep beneath the royal archives, in a metal steel room, the two hundred year old kingmaker watched the closed circuit tv cameras with thinly concealed disappointment. She had had high hopes for the chief. One who could exert great influence over the city, making her conversion crucial to controlling the city and then the nation.



And now she had to scale back her operations, hide and wait for another opportunity to present itself. Just as her mother had done in precolonial times and her elder sister in colonial times. She could wait. Wait for the day when priestesses would have the power, just like the three warpriests she had read about in ancient times. Priests who ruled the people.



That was what the high priestesses' alliance was about. There was a loud crack as an axehead split through the steel door, sending it crashing down. When the asafo filed into the room, she knew there was no need for another wait.



Ami filed her report. The few days had been stressful but she had done it. Yet as the sun began to set, she read a report that the priestesses action had been applauded by some of the populace. She then knew that something like this or much worse would occur again, if she wasn't vigilant