The air around the village thickened with anticipation. A sacred stillness held everything in place, as though the world itself dared not move. The ancestral gates, bathed in radiant gold, neared their full opening. Their light rose into the sky like a second dawn, casting long shadows across the land. Whispers rode the wind—soft, reverent murmurs that trembled with emotion and memory. Villagers, draped in flowing white garments, stood in solemn awe, hands clasped to hearts, eyes wide with a mix of hope and sorrow.
Within the golden shimmer, figures flickered—silhouettes of the ancestors, tall and ageless, drifting between realms. They watched. They waited.
But far from the ceremonial ring, where light could not reach, the forest stirred with unseen movement.
Two figures crouched beneath a canopy of leaves, half-swallowed by shadows. There, the air was different—dense, heavy, electric with tension.
David Nyamewero knelt low behind a thick tree trunk, his breathing fast and uneven. Sweat dripped down his temples as he peered through the foliage at the glowing gates ahead. His fingers curled into the dirt. Every heartbeat felt like a drumbeat of doom.
Beside him stood Saponu Sebastian, arms folded, back pressed against the bark. His golden eyes, sharp and knowing, reflected the distant light of the gates. His face bore no tension, only the calm of someone who had already decided what must be done.
"It's almost time," Saponu said, his voice low, firm, and cutting through the rustling leaves like a blade. "If you delay… the Unknown World will claim you."
David nodded stiffly, never taking his eyes off the ceremonial field. He could already feel the other gate stirring—the one to the right. Dark, massive, and swirling like a storm cloud torn from hell. Its energy surged fast, devouring space.
The ancestral gates were his only chance.
But he would not go alone.
His gaze fixed on the figure standing in the center of the ring: Joshua Destiny.
Tall. Upright. Surrounded by light, family, and reverence.
The chosen one.
David's stomach twisted.
Saponu's voice broke his spiral of thought. "Once you're in, the lie must become your truth. Play the role. Or all of this will have been for nothing."
David swallowed hard, but said nothing. His throat was dry. His heart pounded like war drums. In another life, he might have wept for what he was about to do.
Instead, he crouched lower.
The plan was simple: wait for the Unknown World's gates to draw close enough, then run—fast and hard—and make the switch. One push. That was all it would take. Joshua stood perfectly in the middle, unaware of the storm heading his way.
David's breath hitched. The pull had begun.
A low hum swelled in the air, growing louder and deeper. The right side of the village darkened. Shadows spiraled like smoke, churning outward. The ground began to tremble. A powerful wind swept across the field. Leaves scattered. The sky seemed to lose color.
Gasps rose among the villagers. Some pointed in horror. Others began to murmur ancient prayers.
Still, Joshua stepped forward, his face serene. He was drawn to the ancestral gates, to their warmth. He didn't see the storm gathering behind him.
He didn't see David.
The moment came.
David broke from the trees.
He was a blur of movement, boots pounding the earth, arms pumping hard. His eyes never left Joshua. The light of the ancestral gates shone on his left. The darkness of the Unknown World surged on the right. He had seconds. Maybe less.
Joshua turned at the sound of rushing footsteps. Confusion spread across his face.
"David…?"
But David was already there.
He rammed into Joshua with all his strength. The force was brutal—raw, unrelenting. Joshua's body twisted as he stumbled backward, arms flailing.
For a split second, their eyes met again.
David's were wild with fear.
Joshua's were filled with betrayal.
Then—nothing.
The black pulled him in like a vortex. The ancestral light vanished from Joshua's sight, replaced by an endless swirl of darkness.
He was gone.
Swallowed whole.
The ceremony erupted into chaos. Cries of shock, horror, and confusion spread like wildfire.
"What happened?!"
"Where is he?!"
"No! Not Joshua!"
The ancestors—once glowing and poised in welcome—suddenly recoiled. Their light flickered in panic before retreating back into the gates. The golden shimmer dimmed. The opening began to close.
In Joshua's place stood David.
Breathless. Shaking. Alone.
The gates sealed behind him with a final flash of gold.
A stunned silence fell over the village.
Jennifer collapsed first.
"No… no… no!" she screamed, clawing at the air. Her cries cut through the stunned quiet like a blade. She fell to her knees, hands trembling, face soaked in tears.
Williams rushed to her side, but his face was pale, eyes blank. "He was right there… I saw him…" he whispered.
Rachel stood frozen. "Why him?" she choked. "Why now?"
All around them, panic took root.
"He was the chosen one!"
"This is wrong—this wasn't meant to happen!"
Someone cried out, "David pushed him! I saw it! He pushed Joshua!"
The crowd turned.
Fingers pointed. Voices rose.
"He betrayed him!"
"He stole the rite!"
"This is a curse! A disaster!"
Jennifer's sobs turned into wails. "My son… he was supposed to ascend…"
A warrior stepped forward, fury burning in his eyes. "We must act! We must confront him!"
But it was too late.
The gates were closed.
The Unknown World had claimed their chosen one.
And the ancestors were gone.
Back in the forest, unseen by the crowd, a soft chuckle rose through the leaves.
Saponu stood where he had watched it all unfold. His smile was wide. Cold. Triumphant.
"Well…" he murmured, eyes still on the sealed gates, "that was easier than I expected."
He folded his arms, his golden eyes glowing in the shadows.
"Just one push."
"I hope he remembers our deal. After all… betrayal this clean doesn't come twice."
The forest swallowed him as he vanished into the night.
The village was left with nothing but silence.
And the echo of a stolen future.