Way of The Wand

A day could have only so many surprises, and Lila had had her fill of them today. Waking up and getting to Jira’s only to be informed by Timi that Tomi had been kidnapped and Jira had gone off to rescue her.

Then she arrived at the arena and Chidi showed up unannounced talking about how he probably wouldn’t be an Airad student for much longer. And as if that wasn’t enough, her parents obliged her request to come to the arena, and then they broke the news of their new unemployed status to her.

The sun had only just come up, and the day had given her enough surprises to fill a memoir.

She stopped beside Chidi and Timi. “If one more crazy thing happens today, I’m going to explode.”

Perhaps she shouldn’t have said that, for in the very next moment, another crazy thing happened— Two golden carriages pulled up at the arena, carriages bearing the symbol of Edoh’s royal family, a black crown.

Timi gasped when he saw the royal family’s convoy enter and stop at the arena. He glanced at Lila. “Looks like you’re going to explode.”

Guards got out from one of the golden carriages and opened the other to let out the King, his wife and his daughter.

As King Bolu stepped out with his family, resplendent in his cleanly cut and heavily embroidered agbada, the crowd fell silent, whether out of respect or shock, it didn’t matter.

Chidi tapped Timi on the shoulder to get his attention, as the latter’s eyes had been fixed on the royal family.

“I’m going over to the Airad stand,” Chidi said.

“No, no, don’t go now. We need you here. I need you here,” Timi pleaded.

“I’ll be back,” Chidi explained. “I’ve got to find out why the king’s here.”

Chidi climbed down the steps and went to join his fellow Airad students.

He ran into Daila there, who gave him a stern look of disapproval. Chidi didn’t say a word to her. At this point, he’d all but accepted his time at the school had come to an end.

He turned to a member of the cheer team instead. “Akeem, what’s the king doing here?”

Akeem gestured with his hands. “Beats me. Ask the principal, if anyone knows, it’s her.”

“And where is Miss Kalinda?”

Akeem pointed to a stand to the right. “Check the stand for school and state officials.”

And like that, Chidi was on his way again.

As he navigated his trajectory, he realized the king was headed precisely where he was headed. He walked faster, because once the king was seated, no one would be allowed near that stand anymore.

“Principal Kalinda,” he hailed, filing past a group of Airad teachers and city officials.

He spoke in a low tone. “May I ask what the king is doing here?”

Kalinda smiled at him. “He is here for the same reason as everyone else. To watch the match.”

“Why?” He pressed.

“That I can’t say,” Kalinda answered.

Chidi mumbled a “thank you” and rushed back to Timi to report what Kalinda had told him.

“Great, now we have to figure out a way to stall with the King here” was Timi’s response. The king’s surprise attendance only made things worse. Now everyone would want to start the match as quickly as possible. Who would dare waste the king’s time?

A minute after the king settled down, Sharazan, the host for the tournament, took to the stage.

The stage today wasn’t an elevated platform or a hastily constructed chamber, but a ring of sand.

“We have an extremely important guest today.” Sharazan’s voice boomed all through the arena. “His Majesty, the King.”

A loud around of applause rocked all the stands.

“Yes,” Sharazan continued after the applause died down, “His Majesty has blessed us with his presence today. He has come to watch the epic battle between witch and wizard. It would be unbecoming of us to waste His Majesty’s time, so the match will start in earnest.”

The crowd went wild. The arena came alive with drums, screams, applause and horns.

“Our first champion is a wizard from the kingdom’s top wizarding school−Airad, the school that trained the His Majesty himself. Please make some noise for Daila Rakha!”

The cheering team for Airad broke into chants, shouting Airad’s name at the top of their lungs as Daila walked to the stage.

Sharazan calmed the crowd then spoke on. “Now welcome to the stage, the champion representing witches in today’s task, Tomi Afolabi!”

The crowd charged up to hail Tomi as she stepped out.

“Okay that’s our cue,” Timi said to Chidi and Lila.

“But we’re not Tomi Afolabi,” Lila pointed out.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Timi burst out, “just come with me. I have an idea.”

Timi, Lila and Chidi filed out to the stage at the centre of the arena.

“What’s our plan here?” Lila asked Timi.

“We’re going to sing a song.”

“Really, a song? That’s your brilliant idea?” Chidi complained.

“I didn’t say the idea was brilliant. You imagined that part all by yourself,” Timi said.

By the time they reached the ring of sand, everyone had gone quiet.

“Hello everyone,” Timi greeted in his loudest voice, ignoring the bickering between Lila and Chidi behind him.

“I know you were all expecting Tomi Afolabi, but—” He gestured to himself, Chidi and Lila. “—We’re not her, as you can see. She is one person, and we’re three people.”

The crowd broke into a spat of laughter and Timi wanted to kick himself for saying something so stupid.

“My friends here,” he gestured to Chidi and Lila, “have a song to present to His Majesty, the King.”

Chidi elbowed him covertly. “What song are going to sing?”

“Follow my lead,” Lila said, and then broke into a song. As it was a pretty popular song, people in the crowd soon joined in, some even beat their drums to the lyrics.

The crowd was rocked with another wave of applause as the song came to an end.

“What now?” Chidi asked. “Do we just keep singing song after song?”

“I’ve got a few more songs,” Lila said.

Sharazan stepped in before Lila could begin. He made sure to speak in a hushed tone.

“I know what you guys are doing. You’re buying time because Tomi isn’t here. I understand, but I can’t let you waste anymore of the king’s time.”

“We just need a few more minutes,” Timi begged. “The king came here to watch a match between Daila and Tomi. The least we can do is make sure he does.”

Daila, who had been standing aloof came closer then. “I don’t know what game you three are playing. Get Tomi on this stage right now.”

“Daila’s right,” Sharazan agreed. “If Tomi doesn’t show up soon, I’m afraid I’ll have to give the win to Daila.”

People in the stands started murmuring, and at first Timi assumed it was because of the argument he and Sharazan were having, then he looked up and saw two figures riding on a broom with the sun in the background.

“Yes!” He exclaimed.