Arrow of God

Ezeulu insists on returning to Umuaro immediately, and John Nwodika insists on traveling with him. Halfway along the journey, a storm begins. Ezeulu is “not depressed; if anything he [feels] a certain elation which torrential rain” (182) brings to him. As they continue to walk, Ezeulu is energized by thoughts of revenge. He starts to realize that the rain is dangerous and threatens to chill him too far.

Ezeulu’s family rushes to care for him when he arrives “numb and shivering” (183). Even when Akuebue visits, efforts to make Ezeulu speak achieve “only limited success” (184). Ezeulu is not unhappy, only missing Nwodika already. [A]s if he knew” (184) these thoughts, one visitor asks about Nwodika’s role in Ezeulu’s conflict with Clarke. Those around him are still skeptical of Nwodika, who serves Winterbottom and is form Umunneora. But Akuebue stands up to defend Nwodika, for “travelling,” he claims “has changed him” (184).

Ezeulu was prepared to fight the people of Umuaro as if they were “enemies,” yet once he arrives home, he can “no longer see the matter as simply as that” (186). His last visitor, Ogbuefi Ofoka, arrives to welcome him back home.