I spent the better part of the day searching for a trail but found none, it was as if the missing members of my band had disappeared into thin air, but still I followed my instinct as I burrowed deeper into the forest, on the second day of my search. I made my first encounter, an old woman so wizened, death mistook her for dead and so she lived on.

“Come to me young warrior’’ she croaked as i drew close, "lend me your strength and youth."

“Stand back old one,’’ she stopped as I drew my cutlass, “my strength is mine for I earned it, my youth is mine for it is my time, why borrow mine when you spent yours to the fullest even though I find it hard to believe you were once supple and young.’’ I grinned mischievously.

“A trade then,” the old woman crooned, "a sliver of youth for a glimpse of your future, or a chance at what you most desire.’’

“No thank you old mother," I answered polite but firm, "I am young and full of zest, why burden my mind with a glimpse of the future, and my heart desire? I am a prince; what more can I ask for.’’

I made to move on but the old soot bent on dying, grabbed my arm as I passed, she hissed and released her hold like she was burnt.

"Your life force burns with so much thirst it drains others close to you, you’ll have nothing but a life of misery and ruin ahead she cried.”

Chilled with fear at her evil prophesy, I cursed her in rage.

“Depart from my sight old witch, if you desire death so bad offer yourself to Elegbara, for I shall not soil my cutlass with your foul blood as much as I want to, a slap from me is enough to end your horrid existence.”

On saying this, I brushed past her and moved on, the old woman’s voice followed me as I hastened to distance myself from her.

“A brisk life of regret," she wailed, “As fleeting as the fog of dawn. Thirty children you shall bury and countless souls you shall send to the beyond and none shall know your grave, master of chaos.”

Her evil crackle chased me as I ran on like daemons were after me. It took me another full day to get over the old witch’s ominous prophesy and by then I had ventured deep into the dark god’s grove, then I had another encounter.

This time it was an old man, not as old and hideous as the old witch but old still; regaled in a flowing silken robe and wore a beaded crown, sat on a boulder like a king in court. My encounter with the old woman had made me cautious as I quickly prostrated and paid homage as expected of a Yoruba youth to an elder then made to move on when he called me by my name.

“How do you know my name old one," I asked, the old man smiled and answered in a surprisingly deep voice for one so elderly.

“Who does not know the infamous wayward son of Oranmiyan, the birds sang your arrival and the forest dwellers gathered their females away from your path lest you leave them without women, the stories I heard about you always portrayed you as vain and rash but never foolhardy enough to throw his life away as the man I see before me.’’

“What I am doing in the dark forest does not concern anybody but me,’’ I snapped rudely, my temper getting the best of me. "Have you had a friend who was lost you would understand but I see all your age mates must have joined their ancestors by now.’’

The old man chuckled.

“The famous temper; I heard many a story about that too, so who was the lost person you seek?’’

“My friend and drummer Obembe, I replied still wary, “he disappeared along with a number of my band a few days ago.’’

“Then he is lost forever’’ the old man mused; ‘‘for anyone taken in the dark forest never saw the sun again, go back while you still can young prince for your friends has been claimed by the god of despair for now as we speak Elegbara may be drinking their blood, using their skulls as cup.’’

“Then Elegbara has taken his last meals on this earth for if he does not hand over my friends in peace I will take them in pieces.’’ I raged.

“Bold words from a brave man," the old man cried clapping his hands, "Ogun the Orisha of iron and warfare said the same before he beheld the daemon deity and give ground, he is an Orisha, you are just a mere mortal, what did you have that Ogun does not.’’