Across Pangea, the fragments began to fade and things started to calm down. Babalú-Ayé still holding onto the hide tightly, tears streaming down his face like an endless waterfall.
The Alaafin asks softly, “My apologizes if this abrupt but you mentioned that you hear suffering, yes?”
The boy nods his head, his hands still trembling and eyes still looking at the hide.
The Alaafin continues, “Then can you describe what is the suffering you’re hearing? But do not push yourself if you can’t do that right now.”
Babalú-Ayé shakes his head, “Talk slower, please.” He groans slightly, holding his head slightly, “My heads still buzzing, it’s hard to understand you.”
The Alaafin repeats what he said but tries to be slower and makes sure Babalú-Ayé catches everything he says.
Babalú-Ayé responds, “Nothing I haven’t mentioned before, cries and wails of the sick. I feel their aches and pains. All of it.”
The Alaafin looks down and mutters to himself, “Olorun would never give someone a gift without it having a positive side to it. So perhaps this gift has to have more to it than it seems.”
He looks back up at the boy, “I must take you to the Babalawo and Iyanifa, they might be able to help you with your abilities. Can you stand?”
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Babalú-Ayé nods his head and his body seems to still be unstable. His limbs phasing in and out. The Alaafin looks like he’d want to help him stand yet, can’t touch him. So he grabs a stick and gives it to Babalú-Ayé.
Babalú-Ayé struggles to hold his now crutch, “Thank you. But, who’s the Babalawo and Iyanifa? How can they help me?”
The Alaafin responds, “They’re the mouthpiece of Olorun when Orunmila isn’t on Earth. They could possibly decipher the nature of your gift and teach you how to use it. Come.”
The two men walk the large city, heading back to the Alaafin’s palace. But Babalú-Ayé isn’t paying much attention to the grand city, he simply stares at the hide in his hands to try to keep himself under control. He sees the feet of many men but he doesn’t feel the need to ever look up. As he continues walking, he notices cracks in the floor. Cracks like something was once there but, now removed.
Babalú-Ayé asks quietly, “Why are there cracks? It can’t be a fashion thing since…they look jagged. Ripped out due to anger more than anything performative.”
The Alaafin looks off, his expression dimmed, “You know where our gold used to come from, yes?”
Babalú-Ayé shakes his head.
The Alaafin continues, “The Sasabonsam bled it. We slaughtered them in hordes. Like they were…”
The Alaafin’s face contorts into a disgusted, almost enraged expression.
Alaafin spews, “Like cattle. But those days have been over for some time now. So I personally removed all of that gold from this palace. We use ivory now. Such thing has tied all clans to each other.”
Babalú-Ayé asks, “How so? I know we use it in our machinery and construction but, how do the other tribes use it?”
The Alaafin states, “Eloko’s Impundulus have it in the beaks and it’s in the teeth of the beasts Sasabonsam kill. We’re all close to the material. We’re all one through this single thing, it’s beautiful.”
Babalú-Ayé says, “You love all these people, even though some of them have committed unforgettable acts…why? What worth do they have? The Sasabonsam cannibalize their own, Eloko used to strike this kingdom with lighting, yet you value their love. Wouldn’t it be better if the Oyo Empire was just left alone? I get trying to achieve peace but unity? I don’t understand HOW you did it.”
The Alaafin looks down at the boy and notices his shame. It’s so obvious.
The Alaafin replies, “Perhaps but people get this… pit when they’re alone. It eats at them. Day after day. In this world, we have so much already against us that if we include that pit into the picture then the fighting will start again. Anything, any *purpose* to fill that pit. To trick oneself into feeling important. I can’t sit by and let that happen. It hurts to watch, every-time.”
