Free The Ancient Lands: Warrior Quest, Search for the Ifa Scepter by Jason McCammon

isn’t here?”
    “Why, of course it isn’t here. Do you think
I would be selfish enough to keep something like that to
myself?”
    “I really don’t know what to think.”
    “You should have more faith in Hagga,” Hagga
said.
    “But aren’t you, Hagga?” Farra
interrupted.
    “That’s right! I am!”
    “Then this map is useless,” said Bomani.
“Why did Anu have a useless map?”
    Hagga continued to add ingredients to her
stew. Bomani and Farra couldn’t identify what most of the
ingredients were, but there were a few items that they could make
out. She added various animal bones, a live nuka, a hairless
rodent-like creature whose skin produced a yellow, slimy, film that
made them difficult to handle once caught. It was amazing that
Hagga was able to pull the creature from its cage with her twisted
fingers. Farra and Bomani turned their noses up, but made no
comment.
    “Was the map actually given to you?” Hagga
asked.
    “Hmmm, actually no. I sort of took it.”
    “Then who are you to complain — a
thief?”
    “But he said it was the map to the Ifa
Scepter. Whether I took it or not doesn’t change that. Besides, I
am the king’s son. I am entitled.”
    “No one is entitled to steal. Let me see
that map.” Hagga said. She snatched the map from Bomani. “Ah, I
see. Yes, yes, yes.”
    “What is it? What do you see?” Bomani
asked.
    “There is nothing wrong with your map,
child.”
    “I am not a child, I will be king
someday.”
    “To be so foolish as to speak to Hagga in
such a manner, makes you very childish.” Hagga reprimanded him.
“Besides, this map doesn’t lead you to the Ifa Scepter.”
    “What do you mean it doesn’t lead me to the
scepter? But, Anu — he said…”
    “Silence! This map, impatient one, it is
supposed to lead you to me .”
    “But I don’t understand. How does that help
us?” asked Bomani.
    “Oh, just let her finish Bomani,” said
Farra.
    Hagga spit into the pot three times, bowed
her head before them, and then continued, “Because, boy, I am the map to the scepter you seek.”
    Bomani choked back his repulsion and asked,
“Then you know where it is?”
    “Yes, I do. This is not the end of your
journey, boy. This is just the beginning. To get what you want, you
must travel much, much, further than Hagga’s little hut.”
    “Aw, further?” Farra sighed.
    “Yes, a lot further. What makes you children
think you are strong enough for such a task?” Hagga asked.
    “Do you think we are strong enough?” Farra
asked.
    “Don’t answer questions with questions,
child. It’s rude,” said Hagga.
    “But I must find it!” Bomani
demanded, “I have to find the scepter.”
    “What is so special about the Ifa Scepter
anyway?” asked Farra.
    “Ah, a history lesson. Regarding the future
and prophecies, you come to Hagga. For the past, you must ask the
Griot.”
    “What’s a Griot?”
    “A Griot knows all things of the past. He is
a verbal library, the keeper of our ancestry, a historian, and my
husband.”
    She pointed to what seemed to be a wall.
“Hey hubby, wake up! We have guests. They want to ask you
something.”
    Farra and Bomani followed her finger to the
wall but saw nothing, and then in the dimness of the poorly lit
room amongst the horribly decorated wall, they saw two eyes
materialize in a slow and surreal flicker. They were both startled
and confused because just as quickly as the eyes materialized, they
disappeared. Farra grabbed Bomani’s arm. This time he didn’t push
her away and secretly he was glad to have her nearby. Then, a
distorted image stepped forward in a movement that made it appear
to pull away from the flatness of the wall into the third
dimension. They both gasped and then they realized that it was an
old man. He had been standing there sleeping the entire time. Like
his wife, he was also very wrinkled and haggard and he had to be
more than six feet tall. He towered over everyone else in the room,
and like Hagga, he was