C3 THE ADVANTURE

As they walked along the strangest path to a mysterious hut where the cruel witches of Kiki live, Mandolin Trump's thoughts sprang up again.

He had done a mental calculation of what he needed to start off his ministry but one thing he knew he never agreed on when he had a phone conversation with Eric Travis was to go to a pastoral school or consult a pastor.

He thought it was a waste of time and that all he knew he ever needed was power. Without power, there won't be a miracle and without a miracle, there won't be a large congregation.

I must seek power.

His thought slipped as his eyes fell on Neo Rendos who was taking him to the witches. It is believed some pastors pay them homage and it won't be a bad idea to pay them homage before he becomes one too. Mandolin Trump thought as he followed Neo Rendos closely from behind.

The wind in the forest shifted again as the trees in the forest beat against each other producing the most frightening sound ever heard in the forest of the night.

As they approached the hut, the sound ceased and a new sound took its place—this time, it was the sound of birds—strange birds with red-painted lips and dark piercing eyes, that looked curved inwards. They screamed like humans in pain as they flew around the hut that seemed to be lighted up with some magical powers.

And as they were about stepping their feet on the entrance door, one of the birds screamed like a woman in labor and as soon as it did, it turned into a beautiful woman. She wasn't having a bra on and her well-formed breasts protruded from her chest and that got Mandolin Trump shocked and enticed.

She stood before them completely naked and spoke boldly, "we monitored your coming, what do you seek?"

Mandolin Trump's eyes shifted to Neo Rendos who looked set to talk. "I have been here several times. Don't tell me you don't know me. I seek Demora Tala."

She looked at Mandolin Trump instead and smiled, and that got him wondering what was on her mind.

As she turned around, the enticing shape of her curved buttocks caught his attention again and his lustful eyes sank into it for a few seconds before he recovered himself.

He noticed the cloud piling up in great thickness at one spot had suddenly spread all over mysteriously and that got him frozen to a spot. Before he understood what was happening, he heard her clapping her hands. And instantly the door to the hut opened up with a fantastic cracking sound that got the vein in his head throbbing and his heart pounding against his chest.

Then suddenly the beautiful naked woman turned into a great smoke that snaked up into the air above and that got the other birds that had been silent for a while watching the proceedings from the huge trees surrounding the hut to resume their noise.

Were they singing or making a hell of a noise?

Mandolin Trump's thoughts sprang up as his eyes moved around the huge trees once more. He held his hands to his ears for the sound they made was screwing his eardrums already. He knew those birds were not ordinary. They were also the witches in the forest of the night. The strange noise shook the forest for a while and as soon as they walked into the hut through the opened door. The noise disappeared.

"I was told Neo." A voice came loudly behind them and as they turned, it came again. "Sit—

They sat down as instructed and then Mandolin Trump's eyes quickly settled on the strange figure behind the echoed voice.

Panic ran through him for minutes as his eyes walked around the hut that appeared small outside but internally big.

Thoughts sprang up within his mind as he struggled to be comfortable on the stool he sat on. He glanced at Neo to see if he felt the same way he felt and when he noticed there was no form of anxiety on his face, his fears subsided.

Suddenly his fears shot up again when he saw several pots were on the fire and he could see the heads of humans in one of the pots and the others, but he couldn't see anything. His heart skipped.

He adjusted his sitting position and then struggled to wet his dried lips with his saliva within. And as he looked at the far right corner of the hut, he saw a life python.

It seemed to be resting but watching.

Mandolin Trump's hands had started trembling and he wasn't listening to the conversation but when the word power was measured. He responded as though woken out of sleep. "Yes, power, I came for power—yes."

And for the first time since they sat down talking, Neo and Demora's eyes both fell on Mandolin Trump.

Demora now inquisitive asked. "What sort of power do you seek?"

Mandolin Trump watched Neo for a while and when he nodded. He shifted his eyes to Demora. "Miracle power, power to do a miracle in the church, crusades and—"

He stopped talking when he noticed Demora's hands lifted. "Do you pastor a church already?" He asked.

Mandolin Trump nodded to the contrary. "I am about to pastor a church, haven't started yet—just want to get hold of this power thing, first."

Demora smiled and gazed at Neo. "Your man surely knows what he wants. He is a smart man."

He turned in Mandolin Trump's direction and kept his eyes on him for a while. "You are in the right place and I am happy Neo didn't miss his steps this time."

Mandolin wondered what he meant and when he noticed Neo didn't react, he felt relieved.

"What's your name?"

"Mandolin—Mandolin Trump," he answered without hesitation.

"Good name, hmm—do you have a plan or—"

Mandolin Trump noticed he stopped talking when the same naked woman they saw disappeared outside, and reappeared suddenly before them. And spoke for a while with Demora in a strange language and after which, she disappeared. Mandolin Trump noticed something happened and as his eyes fell on Demora, he saw that his eyes were missing.

His heartbeats increased and the thought of running away came but who will open the door?

What happened and what did they talk about?

His thought stopped when Demora spoke again. And this time, his eyes seemed to have returned.

How did this happen?

As his voice echoed around the warm hut again, his ears stood and his thoughts dropped.

"Some pastors come here to seek powers to expand their church or ministry as they will call it. This is a tourist center for these pastors seeking power to be famous and wealthy." Demora put on a faint smile and cut it off immediately. "Powers are given with conditions, although not so grievous to fulfill. So you have no problem once you cooperate with me"

He smiled again, but now, it was offensive.

Mandolin Trump kept on nodding his head for almost everything he said. He knew he will ask Neo for anything, but he does not know afterward.

"You must bury the head of a child in the altar of your church and the blood of the child sprinkled on the doorpost."

Mandolin watched his eyes blink again as he continued.

"Ten percent of the church money collected must be brought here every quarter—no excuse or things will change for the worse and I know you won't like that. The witches of the night must not be vexed. You must comply if you desire to progress in your ministry. You may have the bible on the pulpit or altar, but you must use wisdom to preach what you read to the congregation. I will invoke a power within you that will help you with what to say or do at every particular time."

"T—the child, how can I get it? I have never killed." Mandolin Trump stammered with his voice picking up frightful notes.

But Demora right hand interrupted. "Don't worry about that, in two weeks from now. The head of a child will be ready for you to use—come back here and pick it up. You must be bold and fearless. The power I will put inside of you will help you throughout your pastor reign—yes it is reign. A reign in power, wealth, and women, that is if you do like women but the covenant must be respected—"

He stopped talking when a human head in one of the bigger cooking pots sprang up.

The face was covered up in mud but the voice came forth strong, "Master I have done enough for the mission..."