Chapter 12

Path and Pea had travelled the whole day and whole night. The bought two horses in the market place in the Tate village. They rode south towards the dark world. Most supernatural creatures feared the two serpents in the dark world because of their association with Jahzara. They approached the dark world together and they saw the sorcerers, the werewolves, vampires, mermaids, the half bloods and demons. They all made way for the two new strangers. They had been rumors the serpents were released and could maintain their human form. The scent from the two sisters could be smelled from a thousand miles. They had been used to recruit and instill fear in the supernatural realm and it felt like yesterday that their reign of terror had been spread around. "You are not welcome here serpents! This world does not belong to Jahzara." A voice was heard saying to the two sisters. "I know and it never did belong to her." Path spat back at the voice. A shadow came from behind the trees, it was fast as it approached the two sisters. The other supernaturals stood there quietly. The shadow appeared in front on Pea and path and a tall figure came out of it. He was a tall handsome man, his skin was pale white, his lips were red and his eyes were dark. He had long black braids and he stood in front of the two sisters wearing a brown coat. He had long nails and they were painted black. "I see half bloods still rule this part of the world." Path said to him and he frowned. They both laughed and he hugged Path. "My darling Path, how long has it been? You can transform back." He said laughing with Path. "Hello Chamu, you still look sassy like the old days." Path hugged him tighter. Pea just stood there looking at her sister and Chamu hug. He looked at Pea and smiled. "Pea, you have grown into a beautiful woman." He complimented her and she rolled her eyes. "I thought you were dead Chamu." She spat back at him and he just pulled her and hugged her tight. "Even in your human form you are still so lovely." He said to her sarcastically. Chamu was half Guardian and half demon. His father was a lion demon who fell in love with a guardian and gave birth to him. The Guardians didn't not take their own sexually interacting with the other worlds lightly. So they punished his mother by banishing her into the wilderness where she died giving birth to him. Chamu was found by the serpents and they adopted him as their own brother. They were only separated when they were taken by the powerful demons into slavery and sold off to Jahzara. Chamu had always hated the Guardians so he had lived in his world with other supernaturals who hated the Guardians. He had worked for Jahzara as he tried to free his sisters but they were far too gone in her clutches. "I missed you Chamu." Pea said as she hugged him and he hugged her tight. He took his two sisters deep in the forest. The other supernatural creatures made way for them. "This way please." He said to the girls.

They got to the center of the forest, the forest was beautiful, it had beautiful houses some in the trees and other on ground. It was surrounded by a waterfall. Pea looked above and she saw the fairies flying in the sky, the mermaids were in the waters diving in and out of the waters. Chamu took the girls to the huge tree. The Yggdrasil tree was at the center of the forest and there were council chairs right under it. It's leaves were dead but it was a sacred tree for the people in the dark world. "The Yggdrasil? How did you find it?" Path asked Chamu. He looked up high at it. "We were outran by the Guardians when they defeated Jahzara and we just stumbled upon it." He explained it to Path. Path walked towards it and touched it's bark. "This sacred tree is dead." She commented and Chamu nodded. "I t has been dead since we set our eyes on it must have been dead for thousands of years." He told her. Path looked at the tree worried. "Something is not right. This tree is not supposed to be dead. It connects all the nine worlds, the dead, the living and the gods." She went on to tell Chamu. They all looked at the tree when someone interrupted them. "You think the elders did not think of all that?" A female voice asked Path rudely. Path turned and saw a dark browned skin wo \man standing behind her. She wore animal skin as a tiny skirt and a tiny top made of animal skin as well. She had two cornrows on her head and she had white dots around her eyes as her makeup. She was beautiful but the sister felt her aggressiveness towards them so they retaliated. "Oh it's just a cat spirit." Pea said mocking the girl. "I am jaguar spirit not a cat spirit." She spat back. Pea shrugged her shoulders. "It's still a cat, which makes you one. And I hate cats." Pea spat back again and the girl stepped forward closer to Pea. "Not as much as I hate snakes. You are just never loyal to anyone even your own kind." She said to Pea angrily and Pea stepped forward closer to the girl too. She was angry too. "I am guessing we crossed our paths at one point in our lives. Pity I don't remember, I don't want to and I definitely don't care." She said and the girl had her claws and fangs out ready to attack Pea. "Don't even think about it kitty." Pea warned her with her serpent eyes green. "Amara, stop. These our guests and we do not attack our friends." Chamu warned her. She calmed down and put back her claws and fangs. Pea shrugged her shoulders as if the image of that creeped her out. "Why are we associating with the serpents. We all know they did Jahzara's bidding." She said to Chamu harshly. "Didn't we all though. If you want me to apologize for something I did under Jahzara's command then you will have to wait until you die. And that is a very longtime." Pea told Amara as she walked away from her. They had done the worst possible things but all these were under the influence of her power. Amara turned and began walking way. "You are no friends to us. And we do not welcome you here." She said as she walked away. The other supernatural creatures did not dare to say anything mostly because they were afraid of the sisters and some also knew how much they meant to Chamu. "Come with me. Amara is still just holding on to her past she will come around." He told the sisters as h led them to the middle of the forest.

They got into his house which was made mostly by wood. Path had been awfully quiet since she had seen the Yggdrasil tree. She sat next to her sister and took a cup of water from Chamu who handed it to her. Chamu could see there was a lot on his adoptive sister's mind. "What are you thinking about Path? The Yggdrasil?" he asked her concerned. "Hmm, I have seen the tree in one of Khari's dreams. But it wasn't dead." She explained to him and he sat closer to her. "I am taking you here because of this Guardian you have been with. Rumors have spread that he has you on the leash. Is he forcing you to do things you do not want to?" He asked them concerned. Path shook her head, she was till deep in thought. "Path you know I will stop him. I will not allow another Guardian to control and use you again." He told his sister. "Khari is different, Chamu. This is why I am here. I need your help gathering forces to join us." She told him and Chamu angrily left his seat. He walked to the fireplace with his hands on his head. "No Path, I can't have another Guardian controlling us. We already have been controlled by th Guardians. Have you forgotten what Jahzara did to our kind? To you?" He asked her angrily. "You do not understand, Jahzara is coming back and the only one who can defeat her is him!" She defended Khari and Chamu laughed sarcastically. "What on earth has got into you?! I will not risk the lives of anyon in the dark world for your Guardian! Is he forcing you do this?" He was not backing down from his decision. "You are not listening to me. Khari is different from any other Guardian I have met or head of. He is someone you want on your side." Path tried to explain to him but he just laughed even harder. "Of course he is different, he has a cold stone heart and he is incapable of feeling anything towards anyone and that makes him worse than Jahzara or any other Guardian!" Chamu firmly told the two sisters. "Then we wasted our time coming here. I can't believe I just didn't teleport her but used the long way here because I wanted to see the scenery." Pea commented as she stood up from her chair. She began walking out and Path stood up as well following her. Chamu grabbed Pea's hand. "Please stay, don't leave Pea." He pleaded with her. She removed his hand. "I need to go back to Khari, he needs me." She told him and she walked out of the room. Path just looked at Chamu quietly and she just shook her head. "You didn't even try to understand us. He saved our lives, gave us back our humanity. I know he is different and I am going back to him. Goodbye Chamu." She told him sadly. Chamu took a deep sigh and looked up his roof.

The two sisters began walking back, they were ready to leave when all the other supernatural creatures stood there looking at them. Amara stood in front of everyone as she had heard the fight between them. "I can not believe you came all the way here to bargain for a Guardian. You will always be doing their dirty work. You are weak!" She scolded the two sisters. Path didn't reply, she just held her sister's hand and dragged her so they could leave. Pea wanted to say a lot to that irritating cat spirit but her sister kept pulling her hand. Chamu ran out of his house following them but two werewolves stopped him. He closed his eyes as he watched his adoptive sisters leave. It was in this moment that there was a white whip that hit across the forest hitting some of the supernatural creatures. They fell in all kinds of directions. The dark world had visitors. "Guardians! They came with their queen!" One of the fairies screamed as she hid behind the tree. Pea and Path stood in he middle of the ground. "You led them to us. We have been living here peacefully but now they have come here to hurt us all because of you!" Amara said angrily to Pea and Path who didn't say anything. Imani, Adara and a couple od guards descended from the sky. Imani held her white whip made of phoenix energy. "I do not come here to fight. I just came here for the two fugitives." She said proudly as she floated in the air. Everyone moved backwards exposing Pea and Path. "Oh there you are, you know you have been locked up for a long time and the memo might have missed you. This is our world, we create peace and nothing stands in our way." She bragged to the sisters. Pea laughed sarcastically. "No wonder that Yggdrasil is dead. Guardians were the anchors of this world not bullies like you." She said to Imani annoyed. She looked at Adara who looked back at her but Pea could see something was different in her. Imani didn't like being mocked so she hit Pea with her whip hurting her with Phoenix energy. Pea fell down in pain and Path ran to her but she was hit by it too and fell on the ground. Imani hit Pea a couple more times with her whip and Path screamed for her to stop. She crawled to her sister but Imani tied the whip around Pea and handed it to Adara. "Hold this, I will teach you both a lesson and your Guardian is not her to protect you." She took out her sword and she walked towards Path who cut her palm with her nails and made a sword from her blood. The sword was made of water and venom. The other supernatural creatures saw this and they were confused. "Water magic? How is this possible?" Chamu asked. Path stumbled as she stood up and she began fighting with Imani. She was infected with the phoenix magic so she was weak. Pea felt her body on fire from the phoenix energy that kept digging into her flesh from the whip. She cried in pain and Path got distracted by her cry allowing Imani to stab her on her shoulder. She fell on the ground and groaned in pain. Chamu couldn't move because he knew he'd risk the lives of his people. Pea bowed her head in pain, she was drenched in her blood and also her sweat. She looked at Adara and forced a smile. "It had to be you again." She said and her tears filled up her eyes. Adara couldn't quite understand why she felt sad and sorry for Pea. "Master please save me." Pea managed to utter words in pain. She said this in tears and Path screamed seeing her sister in so much pain.

Khari was sleeping with Nile when he felt Pea's call. He sat up straight and Nile woke up. "Khari are you okay? Are you in pain again?" He asked him concerned. Khari shook his head. "Pea and Path are in trouble. They are in the dark world. I need to go now." He told Nile. Nile threw the fur blanket away and began wearing his clothes. "Lets go now." He said to Khari but Khari held his shoulders. "It's dangerous, Imani will hurt you. Stay here and I will bring them back." Khari told Nile. Nile nodded his head and went straight to the wardrobe, he brought Khari's red robe. "You will be needing this." He handed him his favorite red robe. He knew his man would love showing up fancy to save the sisters and he loved it when Khari showed up for them. Nile took Khari's face in his hands. "Promise me you will come back to me. Both you and the girls." He made him promise and Khari kissed him on the lips. "I promise you." He told him as he let go and he disappeared from the room. Nile sat on the bed with his hands folded. He closed his eyes and hoped Khari would bring back the girls.

Path was trying to reach for her sword when Imani kicked it away. She walked towards her slowly and Path began moving backwards on her bums. She was bleeding on her shoulder and the phoenix energy was burning through her wound. Imani walked with no mercy on her face. The people from the dark world all feared to intervene but they looked at the sisters in pain, fear and anger they couldn't do anything about. As Imani was about to raise her sword at Path a strong wind blew in the forest and it threw everyone away. It was a strong wind that blew Imani and the other people away. Khari appeared from the wind and he walked to Path. She saw him and she began crying with relief. The supernatural creatures from the dark world had never seen Khari but rumors spread about how he loved red and wore make up so they all assumed it was the famous Guardian. Khari held Path in his arms looking at her wound. "You had time to look this fancy." She said in pain as she saw his makeup and red robe. He smiled at her. "It was all Nile's idea this time." He told her as he held her in his arms. "Are you alright? I need to deal with my sister." He asked and she nodded her head. "I will be fine. Save Pea." She asked him and he gently let her go. "Imani! How dare you hurt my serpents!" He screamed in anger. He turned and looked at his sister who held her sword ready to fight him. "Take the serpent away from here!" Imani commanded her guards. Khari smiled and he looked at the guards. "No one is taking my serpent anywhere!" He told them as he shoot out ice from his hands towards the guards. He shot most of them and Imani ran towards him but he grabbed her by her throat with his hand. She dropped her sword as he continued to strangle her neck. "I warned you Imani, I warned you and told you if you'd ever hurt my people I'd kill you." He reminded his sister. Imani struggled to remove his grip but Khari was powerful and angry. The people from the dark world all came forward to watch. "Tell you little dog to release Pea right now! Or you will die with her." He commanded her. Imani was too stubborn to listen so Khari strangle her more and looked at Adara. Adara looked at how powerless and weak Pea was and she felt sorry for her. She looked at her queen losing her breath and she quickly let go of the whip and letting go of Pea. Pea fell from the sky and Khari quickly let go of his sister's neck. He quickly rushed to get Pea and she fell in his arms. He landed on the ground with her and she slowly opened her eyes. "Master, you came to save me again." She said as she closed her eyes allowing the tears in her eyes to flow down to her ears. Adara took her queen and left the dark world with the remaining guards.

Khari held Pea in his arms and he looked at her injuries. Path ran to them and she began crying. The rest of the supernatural beings came out and looked at Khari, they didn't know what to expect from him. "Is there a water source nearby?" Khari asked them worried. They all moved opening a way so he'd see the waterfall and the pond full of mermaids behind them. Khari saw it, he carried Pea in his arms and walked towards the pond. He walked into the pond with her in his arms and he held her tight. He went to the middle of the pond and began to heal Pea with water magic. The water flowed in both his and Pea's body healing her. He held her tightly and was just so quiet. Amara looked at this and she was shocked that a Guardian would risk his life for a demonic serpent. Chamu looked at Path and she looked at him in tears. All others in the dark world looked at this marvelous and unexpected scene. Khari carried Pea out of the water. "Is there anywhere proper I can put her? Path you need to go and get Nile. He will know what to do here." Khari said. He had a voice and presence that commanded respect. "You can follow me to somewhere comfortable for her." Amara immediately said to Khari. Path listened and left to go get Nile. Khari carried Pea to the place close to the Yggdrasil tree and put her on the ground. He took both her hands and began chanting in Guardian language. He stopped and held Pea's forehead. It was still on fire. "Damn you Pea! You need to fight." He said to her. "He actually cares for her." Amara whispered to Chamu and he nodded his head. Path came back with Nile and the supernatural creatures all looked surprised at Nile. Nile sensed the tension so he just waved and ran to Khari. Humans hated the supernatural and they loved the Guardians. Seeing one of them in their home was something new. Nile knelt next to Khari and held Pea's hand. We need the Salak fruit right now!" He said. To Khari. "She can't have the ordinary salak fruit she needs the one we find in the valley of serpents." A man said from the crowd