Chapter Three: Shadows at Dawn
The morning sun spilled gold over the university campus, but for Stephen, there was little warmth in the light. The victory he had felt over KOA's first assault still burned faintly in his chest, but the shadows whispered that it had only been a taste of what was to come. Every corner of his world seemed laced with unseen threats, and the charm around his neck, though silent, pressed constantly against his skin, a reminder that his father's influence never slept.
Stephen had begun to rise earlier, praying before the sky brightened, calling on God for strength, discernment, and courage. He felt a weight lift, but the tension remained. It was as if two worlds—the one of light he was learning to walk in, and the dark that sought to claim him—were pressing against each other, each eager for dominance over his soul.
Favour's Guidance
Favour found him one morning, seated alone on the edge of the campus pond, hands folded over his knees, eyes closed in silent prayer.
"You've changed," she said, her voice low but certain. "I can feel it. You're stronger than before. The darkness tried to move against you last night, didn't it?"
Stephen opened his eyes, hesitant. "It came… more real than ever. I don't know why it keeps targeting me."
She shook her head slowly. "It's not personal—it's strategic. You're important. The enemy knows that. That's why KOA exists, why your father does what he does. They want to destroy what God wants to build. But Stephen… don't be afraid. Every prayer, every decision for God pushes them back. They cannot defeat the light if you stand firm."
Her confidence bolstered him, but the fear remained. It was one thing to hear about spiritual warfare in church, another to experience it firsthand, to feel a presence that chilled his very soul.
The First Attack
It was a Friday evening. The campus was quiet, corridors empty except for students heading to hostels or studying late in classrooms. Stephen, returning from a study group, sensed it immediately—a heavy, oppressive presence, like the air itself had thickened.
From the shadows, he saw movement: figures cloaked in darkness, their faces indistinct but their intentions clear. KOA's operatives had arrived—not in human form, but as manifestations of evil, their spirits sent to test, intimidate, and destroy.
Stephen froze, instinctive fear rising, but he remembered Favour's words. He whispered a prayer, calling on the name of Jesus, and the figures paused.
"You belong to us," one hissed, voice like dry leaves scraping stone. "Ogundare… your destiny is with us. You cannot escape. Join, or perish."
Stephen's chest tightened, the charm pulsing against his skin as though feeding on his fear. Yet, deep within, a flame he had not known burned bright. "I belong to Christ," he said aloud, voice trembling but firm. "And He is stronger than you."
Light erupted from his hands, pure and blinding, and the shadows screamed, retreating into the corners of the corridor. The darkness dissolved, but only for a moment. Stephen knew KOA would not rest. The attack was a warning: the war had escalated.
The Burden of Knowledge
That night, Stephen sat in his dormitory, contemplating what had happened. He realized that Favour was more than a friend—she was a guide, a teacher of spiritual discernment. He needed to understand the battlefield, learn to fight in ways he had never imagined.
He remembered his mother's prayers, whispered over him every night of his childhood. Those prayers had built a fortress around him, protecting him from forces that even now sought to penetrate his soul. And yet, he knew it was not enough. KOA's power was organized, relentless, and vast.
The charm, too, weighed on him more heavily than ever. He understood its purpose: it was a tether, a binding spell meant to make him obey, to make him serve the very darkness he was learning to reject. The realization made his chest tighten, but also steeled him. He would fight—not with weapons of this world, but with faith, with prayer, and with the power God had already placed within him.
Favour's Training
In the following weeks, Favour became more than a friend—she became a mentor in the spiritual arts of discernment and prayer. She taught him to identify spiritual attacks, to recognize the subtle ways KOA manipulated people, and to protect himself through fasting, prayer, and reading the Word.
"Stephen," she said one afternoon as they walked across the campus green, "you have the power to resist them. But you must know who you are in Christ. The more you walk in obedience, the less influence they have. They cannot touch you without your permission."
Stephen nodded, absorbing every word. "I feel their presence constantly. Even in class, even while sleeping."
"That is because you are important," Favour replied, eyes steady. "You are a target because you are a vessel. The higher God lifts you, the stronger their attacks will be. You must be vigilant at all times."
The Vision
One night, Stephen dreamt of fire and shadow. He stood in a vast, dark hall, the walls carved with symbols he did not recognize. Figures in black robes moved around him, chanting in languages he could not understand. At the center, a man with piercing eyes and a crown of iron stepped forward. Stephen recognized him instinctively—his father.
"You cannot resist forever," Baba Dagunduro's voice echoed through the hall. "Ogundare, you were born to serve. Join us, and power will be yours. Refuse, and you will be destroyed."
Stephen fell to his knees, calling upon the name of Jesus. Light poured from him, burning the shadows, scattering the figures. Yet even as they retreated, he felt the weight of a thousand unseen eyes, waiting, watching, planning the next strike.
He awoke in a cold sweat, the memory vivid as if it had happened in the waking world. The vision was a warning—and a confirmation: the battle he had felt since birth was far from over.
The First Realization
Stephen began to notice KOA's influence in the physical world. Students who seemed friendly would turn cold without reason. Rumors of accidents, mysterious illnesses, and unexplained misfortunes spread across campus, each incident leaving Stephen uneasy. He knew the spiritual attacks were leaking into the mortal realm, and the realization made him more cautious, more prayerful, more determined.
Even as he navigated university life—lectures, assignments, and friendships—he kept one eye on the spiritual battlefield. Every choice mattered, every word carried weight, and every prayer was a shield.
The Weight of the Charm
The charm around his neck, though silent for weeks, began to pulse faintly again. Stephen could feel the pull toward darkness, subtle and insistent, testing his resolve. One evening, alone in his room, he touched it and whispered, "I am yours, Lord. Not them. I belong to You."
Immediately, he felt a pressure lift. The charm had no power over him unless he allowed it. The realization strengthened him: though KOA and his father had designed traps and temptations, they could not touch him if he remained anchored in faith.
Yet the threat was real. KOA's operatives were patient, cunning, and relentless. They would continue to tempt, manipulate, and attack him, seeking any crack in his defenses. Stephen knew the war had only begun, and the price of failure was unimaginably high.
The First Victory, the Long Road Ahead
By the end of the semester, Stephen's faith had deepened. He had experienced his first true spiritual victory against KOA. Yet he also understood the stakes: the enemy was organized, dangerous, and would stop at nothing to reclaim him.
He knelt at his dormitory window, hands lifted toward the night sky. "Lord," he prayed, voice steady, "I don't know the battles ahead. But I trust You. I surrender my life, my destiny, and my soul into Your hands. Protect me, guide me, and let Your light shine through me, even in the darkness."
The wind whispered through the campus trees, carrying with it the silent promise that the battle was far from over. KOA would strike again, the war between light and darkness escalating in ways Stephen could not yet imagine.
But for the first time, he knew something undeniable: he was not alone, and his faith was a weapon stronger than any charm, stronger than any shadow.
The first chapter of his spiritual journey had ended—but the war had only just begun.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." — 1 Peter 5:8