The Gift: The Awakening

By Semira Emeasoba and Moses Kuku

"Ebun (The Gift)" presents a riveting exploration of Yoruba religion and mythology through an engaging five-book series. The narrative revolves around twin brothers, Aja and Odun, born seconds apart at the cusp of December and January. Descended from an extraordinary lineage, they awaken their soul's spirit force, "EMI", and attend a prestigious school to prepare themselves to combat an impending evil.

This is not merely a tale of supernatural adventure; the series plunges readers into the Yoruba people's rich culture and heritage, bringing to life the Orishas - gods and goddesses of the Ifa religion. It artfully blends aspects reminiscent of popular superhero stories with a profound exploration of creation, purpose, and the interconnectedness of all things from a West African perspective.

The characters, though young adults in a contemporary world, must journey into history's depths to understand their origins and the mystic wisdom defining their destiny. "Ebun (The Gift)" promises to redefine Africa's portrayal, merging thrill, adventure, and cultural depth, setting it on course for best-seller lists and Hollywood screens.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9798350908459

Semira Emeasoba

We are siblings deeply invested in culture and religion. Previously Muslims converted to Christianity, yet still looking for answers about life, before, during, and after. The book is inspired by our journey to finding the one true God, using our experiences, love of fantasy epics, love of anime, mythology, and our culture.

Book preview

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Inspired by the Word of God

The Gift

The Awakening

© 2023, Semira Emeasoba & Moses Kuku.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Print ISBN: 979-8-35090-844-2

eBook ISBN: 979-8-35090-845-9

The Gift series is not your average book; it delves deep into the concepts of creation and purpose of Being, told from a West-African socio-cultural standpoint. The book seeks to share the views of the Yoruba on the interconnectivity of all things and the shared collective consciousness of all of mankind. The main subjects of the book are young adults in a modern world, who must journey back into eons of history to obtain knowledge of the mysteries of their beginnings, and mystic wisdom required for understanding whom they truly are meant to be.

The book’s goal is to propose three questions:

Where do we come from?

What is our purpose in life?

Where do we go after death?

The sooner we start thinking about these questions, the sooner we can find answers.

Contents

Chapter 1: Beginnings

Chapter 2: A King’s Farewell

Chapter 3: The Academy

Chapter 4: Race to the Academy

Chapter 5: The Journey Continues

Chapter 6: Welcome to Awo Academy

Chapter 7: First Day of Class

Chapter 8: Social Night

Chapter 9: Divine Vision

Chapter 10: The Book of the Indigenous, Iwe Ijinle

Chapter 11: Interhouse Sports Part 1: Finding Answers

Chapter 12: Interhouse Sports Part 2: Auto-Relay Race

Chapter 13: Soccer Match: The Spirit of Victory

Chapter 14: The Unforgettable Dance

Chapter 15: The Impossibly Possible

Chapter 16: The Awakening

Glossary

Chapter 1:

Beginnings

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Where are you going? Stop running, please, I can help you!" Odun screams.

A girl with long black hair and a birthmark shaped like a rat’s tail on her neck is running through a long hallway. The walls are covered with holographic paintings, gold trimmings, crown molding, and a never-ending staircase that leads into the main hall. Music is playing in the background; lights glisten all around and beautifully attired people are dancing. A blinking Academy sign on a board flashes several times then fades. A loud holler in the distance Odun, Odun, Odun, come back is the backdrop as Odun dashes after the girl with the tail birthmark.

Am going to save her; I cannot lose a soul; I cannot lose this soul! Odun screams as he hops over the balcony to grab her foot. A majestic red slipper falls from the sky and the vultures carry the girl into the full moon that glistens in the night sky.

COOKOOROOCOO! the royal bionic roosters crow to the break of dawn, waking the residents of Ile-Ife. The royal roosters have been programmed to crow five times, but today is special. They crow six times; it is the first day of Awo Academy. The twin boys, Aja and Odun, have been preparing for this day for the past 16 years. Aja regularly wakes at first light. Odun, on the other hand, is the sleep-in-late and always-rushing twin. Sly as a fox, Aja tiptoes towards Odun’s bed—the floorboards creak and the noise prompts Odun to toss restlessly in his bed.

Noticing that Odun is still asleep, Aja grins. Those who are familiar with that silly grin of Aja know it’s the beginning of the contemplation of a series of actions, the result of which could only be callousness. True to character, Aja proceeds to blow on his palms, rubs his hands together, and smacks Odun across the face.

Thwack!

Wake up! he yells. It’s time for morning training.

The thunderous slap snaps Odun out of sleep. The sheer agony of a hot hand upon his fleshy cheek triggers Odun into a state of maddened retaliation. He springs out of bed like an unrestricted cheetah ready to assassinate its prey. As if by intuition, Aja begins to pace backwards, being careful to assume a defensive stance, knowing fully well that there will be an attempt at evening the score.

You little—! Odun shrieks, grabbing his pillow and throwing it towards his brother with the force of a thousand blows. I was having a nightmare and you woke me abruptly.

Do you want to babble about it? Your face looked like it was troubled, Aja says, catching the pillow, but the brute force exerted by Odun thrusts Aja back. He trips over their homemade, powered-down robotic spider monkey and falls, crossing over to his side of the room.

Ugh, Aja moans in pain, contemplating his next move. Odun on the other side of the room is outraged with the intent to get revenge. He sprints towards Aja, hopping over the monkey in the middle of the room. Odun lands on Aja and attempts to punch him, but Aja blocks. He tosses Odun across the room, creating distance between them.

Aja stands up a little disoriented. He sees Odun in the distance; with a stern look, Aja is ready. He firmly plants his feet on the hardwood, claps his hands together, and closes his eyes. A bizarre feeling lingers through the room; a delicate aura begins to surround the extremities of Aja’s body. He channels his Emi, his soul’s spirit energy. Aja opens his eyes and directs his right palm to the floorboards beneath his feet. The floorboards begin to loosen, the joists breaking apart causing loud screeches as they haul up like pulled taffy. Aja sweeps his right hand and the floorboard wraps around Odun’s right leg, restricting him from any movement. Odun, thrown out of focus, stops in his advance. In the flash of a second, he realizes that Aja has used Emi.

It’s time to wake up, says Aja seriously.

You used spirit energy! You cheater! Fight fair, no Emi! yells Odun.

You have your mastery; I have mine, Aja says in a seemingly cold voice.

Aja sprints head-on to kick his brother, but he is stunned when Odun exerts force on his right ankle, picking his leg up, shattering the hardwood into a million pieces with his animalistic strength. Odun uses the momentum to perform an aerial backflip, while he lands a kick on Aja’s jaw, triggering a muscle spasm on the right side of his face.

Argh! Aja grunts, but quickly recovers, using his left leg to sweep Odun’s right leg; Odun staggers and falls on his back. Now they are both on the floor, wheezing uncontrollably. There are remnants of hardwood on the floor, pillows and clothes scattered across their room.

Are you ready to take a shower now? asks Aja.

Nope, responds Odun as he belts out in a maniacal laugh. You should have seen your face when I broke the plywood.

Just get ready. We cannot be late! Remember what happened last time you were late? Aja says, still on the floor conversing with his twin.

Oooo . . . do not remind me . . . Uncle Odi literally sprinkled pepper on my wound! I never want to see another broom again, Odun responds.

Well, if you do not get ready, you will have to sweep the mansion and the palace, Aja warns. Well, I am going to be downstairs. If I do not see you, I am leaving. I am not sharing your punishment today!

You think we will get punished if we are late? Odun asks curiously. I mean, we are going to the academy today.

"Well, first, there is no we because we are not getting punished; you are. Second, I do not want to find out so . . . see ya," Aja says as he gets up from the floor.

Come back, brother, help me up, bro, twin, my favorite brother, Odun teases his twin.

Am your only brother, Aja responds.

Amongst the commotion, a female servant enters the room, her piercing brown eyes survey the room, and immediately she is overwhelmed, feeling distraught, knowing she must clean up the mess.

Good morning, my young lords, it is time for your morning training, she says, bowing and muttering her despair under her breath. Not that she isn’t used to such situations; this is part of their morning routine after all.

It is too early for this, Aja utters, standing from the cold floor. As he walks by, the servant blushes, admiring his presence.

Aja and Odun are finally ready, rushing downstairs like a roaring wind to avoid being late for their morning training.

Mother and Asha are sitting in the parlor. Mother is sitting on the red sofa facing the west window; the sun is beaming on her honey-colored skin; the door is ajar, letting in the morning’s fresh air. Their mother has long, dark, curly-kinky hair with streaks of grey from wisdom, age, and a little stress from her twin boys of course. Aja dashes to steal his morning kiss from their beautiful mother. Odun sees this and of course must fight Aja for the same kiss.

Must you two fight all the time? Asha, sitting on the armchair, chastises the boys with scorn in her eyes.

Yes!!! the boys reply condescendingly.

As it is your first day of the Awo Academy, my boys, I have a gift for you, Mother says lovingly.

Me first! Odun yells, dashing across the room as if there was a race to be won. Aja rolls his eyes and hisses like a kettle on the stove.

"Odabo Iya wa goodbye, Mother, greets Asha. Oh and boys . . ."

Yeah? Aja responds while Odun worries about getting his gift.

Break a leg, she says in a friendly tone as she leaves for the day.

Aw, thanks, Odun says, not looking up from the trunk. Look, Aja, she cares that we’re leaving, Odun looks up smiling.

No, literally, Asha says cruelly before she exits through the marble foyer.

Mother leans over her red couch to her famed golden trunk and reaches for the gifts. Aja and Odun kneel—a courtesy when an elder is presenting a gift, the young must kneel, in appreciation and respect. Mother brings out a bejeweled box made by Mödiu, the greatest goldsmith in all the land. The box is made of pure gold, adorned with crystals. She punches a personalized security code on the keypad disguised as a ruby-cased ornament buried in the center of the box’s lid, and a holographic projection of each item is projected in the atmosphere. She selects a black velvet pouch amongst the options. A loud mechanical hum indicates the box opening, and only the black velvet pouch manifests. Mother pulls out the pouch from the box and reaches inside; there are two necklaces. The chains are made of pure gold, and the pendants are handmade from the toughest elephant tusk; the vintage jewelry is pearly, white and lustrous, and appealing to the eye. One of the pendants is in the shape of a saber-toothed tiger’s tooth and the other has the shape of a lion’s claw. Aja receives the necklace made in the shape of a claw and Odun receives the tooth. Mother wraps the necklaces around their necks.

Thank you, Mother, they say with a smile.

My sons, she begins. These are family heirlooms. Keep them on at all times, she says in a serious tone.

"Odabo Iya wa goodbye, Mother! they scream as their voices fade out in the distance as they head to the marble foyer. Odabo, my sons. May Eledumare be with you," Mother prays with teary eyes, knowing she will not see her children for a while. They rush out of the marble foyer to meet up with Aremu the Prince.

Chapter 2:

A King’s Farewell

Aja and Odun Balogun are the youngest children of the Balogun family in Ile-Ife. They are fraternal twins born in different years. Aja was born in the last seconds of December, and Odun in the early seconds of January, 16 seconds apart to be exact, delivered in the dark, dreary dungeons beneath the Balogun mansion as prophesied by the sacred Ifa priests.

The Balogun family have been the royal guardians sworn to protect the kingdom and the royal family for thousands of years. The Balogun family clan is the appointed JagunJagun of Ile-Ife, the chosen clan tasked with protecting the Kingdom of Ile-Ife. Separate from the formal police and military officers, JagunJagun are the royal guardians sworn to protect the kingdom and the royal family from otherworldly threats.

The Balogun family belongs to a group of sacred priests named Awo. Created over 1600 years ago, after the Great War involving man and the Orishas—the gods and goddess of the universe—and the formation of the mother kingdom of Ile-Ife. The Awo Organization serves as protectors of all humanity from evil forces that threaten the world. To hone their skills as Awo guardians of the next generation, Aja and Odun must go to the Awo Academy to refine their skills, learn to strengthen their Emi, and learn Odu—a set of stories, teachings, and poems translated into the codes that access the physical and spiritual forces of the universe to become the strongest warriors and ascend as the next generation’s JagunJagun in Ile-Ife.

Aja and Odun train with Prince Aremu daily. They grew up together as best friends, wandering and causing trouble around the palace and the Balogun mansion. They had been the three musketeers of some sorts since they were toddlers. The three boys have been preparing for the Awo Academy ever since they can remember.

Aja is the eldest of the twins, standing at six feet two inches tall, with a lean, muscular physique. His copper-colored skin makes the females melt, and his fashionable high-top fade hairstyle is always well groomed; a bit obsessive compulsive, Aja is always neat and presentable. Odun stands at the same height, has a brawny physique, pure brute strength, and already above-average mastery at different fighting skills. His build has always made him seem like the older twin, so he enjoys the mix-up. He has bronze-colored skin, hazel eyes. His shoulder-length dreadlocks are thick, shaggy, often bushy and unkempt. Mother spends her days leaving hair pomades and hair bands around the mansion for Odun, just in case; she wishes and hopes the heavens will convince him to keep his hairstyle, though long, but groomed. The Prince of Ile-Ife, Aremu, is the privileged son of the famed King Alade Ade of Ile-Ife. Aremu stands at six feet four inches, with a slightly more muscular build in comparison to Aja, though he has been sheltered growing up in a palace. Training and befriending the twins has taught him the value of hard work, friendship, and compassion, though he loathes to show his gentle side. His caramel skin glistens in the sunlight; his man-bun with side swept curly bangs sweeps across his amber-colored eyes. His clothes are custom made by the royal seamstress, always fitting to his taste. He walks with his hands in his pockets, a display of arrogance or just for comfort—who truly knows. Odun has always wondered why he walks this way. He usually has a pompous tone towards the servants, but respects his parents and best friends.

Since they were four years old, the three boys have had daily morning training. Odi Balogun, their Awo Master, is the top royal JagunJagun in the palace. He is six feet five inches with chocolate-colored skin, a bald head that complements his full beard with golden highlights. His ivory-colored eyes pierce the soul upon a glance. He loves his traditional attire—ankara pants and a fitted agbada top, a flowing wide-sleeved robe that exposes his chiseled arms with golden traditional tattoo. He is the king’s personal guardian and right-hand man, also younger brother to Odun and Aja’s father. He was born deaf, but do not let this fool you; his skills with lip reading and body language gestures are superb. Before the boys could talk, Uncle Odi is responsible for teaching the musketeers the history of Ifa, fighting styles—both Emi and Odu— and the ways of the Awo world. Uncle Odi is a force to be reckoned with, due to his strict insistence on good manners. The boys must stand at ease—hands behind their backs—when they arrive at the battle ground. Odi has often left them standing for hours like this before, and that was all the training for the day.

The Balogun mansion and the palace are a ten-minute booster flight apart. Though right next to each other, the estates are simply massive. Walking from the main house of the Balogun Estate to the royal quarters takes over two hours, but the twins run to the palace every morning, which takes them about 30 minutes, as they must be present in the battle ground by 6:00 a.m. Arriving on the Royal Estates’ grounds, Aja runs making his way to the royal battle ground in the palace, while Odun galivants behind. Odun notices that Aja stops midway through their journey to the battle grounds located in the center of the palace, frozen like he has seen a ghost, with a pale expression on his face. Odun advances towards Aja, and he halts in his tracks. The aura this morning is different; the air is thick; an ominous feeling circulates their surroundings, making it difficult for the boys to move a muscle. Aja lifts one leg after the other as though his legs weigh a ton; Odun follows suit. They make their way towards the battle ground. At least a few feet before they approach the grounds, the boys can feel some sort of pressure. It feels like in a movie when you know not to enter the room, but you do anyway, knowing catastrophe awaits. With great apprehension, the boys enter the room.

They arrive at the training ground with an uneasy feeling. The battle ground itself is ready for action; the smell of fresh chalk fills the air; fresh sand has been leveled the night before, and all the mess from the previous day has been cleared. The circular barrier has just been drawn. Seems so small, yet so effective; the objective of training is simple: No part of your body must step out of the barrier, even your sweat! Odun remembers another of Uncle Odi’s mantras. At the west of the battle grounds, there is a large digital display on the concrete walls. The giant score board reads King: 4,383, Boys: 0. As they glance at the room, the circular barrier drawn on the floor with white chalk of the battle ground starts to levitate, slowly increasing its speed.

And the battle begins. The boys look at each other, and a grin fills Odun’s face. Today, it seems training with Odi will be skipped and they will go straight to their favorite part of training, fighting with the King.

Let’s get this started, Odun rubs his hands together in excitement. They stretch to get limber.

Despite the ominous feeling, the boys are ready, for they enjoy grappling with the King. The mornings the King spars with the boys, their goal is simple: land a hit on the King. His fights are more fun than training with Odi, who is a strict man after all.

The twins are standing at the center of the barrier, but the King is not in sight, and Odi is nowhere to be found. The twins wonder where everyone is.

Ahem, shem, (crackling and static noises) technology nowadays. His voice echoes around the room. The boys trace the ruckus to the scoreboard. The King’s face appears digitally.

Make your way to the meditating hall! the King orders in a stern tone they have never encountered.

Where is Aremu? the King asks.

Umm . . . he’s n-n-not here yet, Odun replies, sensing the King’s disappointment.

The indoor training ground is where the boys usually train with Odi and the King, but today they’ve been summoned into the Meditating Hall. The Meditating Hall is the secret training room of the King. Only Kings are allowed in the hall, but today is special because the King has invited them into the secrets of the Kings. The twins run to the hall. Still amazed by the size of the doors leading into it, they pause in awe. They have always tried to catch a glimpse of the inside but they were never allowed to till now. The deep, rich mahogany double doors are decorated with carvings of primordial beings, ancestral symbols, and proverbs. The sacrosanct carvings of a saber-toothed tiger and lion stand on opposite sides as if to protect the hall. The deafening creak of the opening doors sends a chilling sensation down their spines. After pushing the doors open, they lean on their knees for support out of fatigue, wheezing excessively. They finally collect themselves to revisit the grandeur of the room, staring in amazement. The Corinthian-style pillars draw their attention to the ceiling of the room, where the portraits of the royal ancestors glare back at them. They pace a few steps forward into the beautiful room that doesn’t seem to end. As they survey the room in adoration, the ominous feeling cuts them short of their amusement.

It’s that feeling again, Odun recognizes. Aja nods in agreement as they are immediately forced into defense mode. Odun thinks back to another of Uncle Odi’s mantras: In a situation that does not feel right, stand right. The boys are instantly on guard, their feet 20 inches apart, feet turned out, knees bent, hips square, elbows tight, fists at cheek level blocking their faces, and their dominant shoulders guarding their chin. They immediately go into their default battle stance.

Behind the blinding rays of the sunlight, Odun notices a figure. Oh, it’s the King, he exclaims in relief, but before he can rejoice, he notices the King is sitting on a meditation pillow instead of the replica of his throne built into the Meditating Hall; the King always sits on a throne. The King’s eyes are closed, his complexion pale, and a look of exhaustion almost seeming like he had been sitting there for days just meditating as normal. A bead of sweat drips from the King’s bronze-colored skin, slides from his face onto his perfectly defined pectoral muscle. There is a tornado-like force surrounding the King’s vibrant physique. The King rises from the full lotus pose. As the King strides forward, the Emi emanating from the King’s body is so overwhelming that the boys retreat even further away from him. As Aja and Odun wonder what is happening, the Emi emitting from the King’s body starts to charge at the boys like a whirlwind of blade strikes from a sword in the hands of a Kendo master. After a few attempts to dodge the piercing attacks, Aja is hit on his left foot, as he tries to summersault away from the tornado. Odun, on the other hand, is faster, so he reaches the wall close to the entrance of the hall, attempts a wall jump, but he just isn’t fast enough. The force exerted by the King’s Emi against Odun sends him crashing into the wall, causing it to crack.

Odun gets up in minor pain and dashes towards the King. The King angles his leg back and kicks Odun like a football. Odun is sent flying back. Aja dashes up and catches Odun, but force pushes them back, causing the soles of Aja’s feet to burn.

Aja sets his brother down. My turn, Aja exclaims, standing in the saber-toothed stance—a fighting battle stance, Aja’s inner animal battle style taught to him by Uncle Odi. An aura