Chapter 17

The young guard ran back to the dark forest as fast as she could. She was breathless when she arrived at the boundary that had been set by Khari. She stood there calling out for Pea but she couldn't see her. She took out her spear and began thrusting it on the border to alert the people. Khari felt his power disturbed so he walked out of the house only to see the young soldier. He closed his eyes and sensed her distress. "Pea, I think that young soldier is calling out for you." He told Pea. She looked up and saw her. The serpent slithered away closer to the barrier. She saw the young soldier kneeling down breathing heavily. So left the barrier and went to her. "You called for me? Have they already killed her?" Pea asked her scared as she helped the young soldier up. Amara and Nile had already caught up to her. The young soldier shook her head. "She escaped the trial. The high priestess Zahari helped her escape!" She was breathless when she told them this. The three friends looked at each other. "She what?!" Pea asked her confused. "She escaped and I do not know where she is but what I do know is we have been ordered to kill both of them. I need your help to find her first." She was in tears as she pleaded with them. Pea quickly nodded her head. "Lets go now! Amara, take Nile back I have to go and find Adara." Pea told her friends but Amara held her hand. "I am coming with you. Nile go back home." She told Pea and ordered Nile to go bac home. They both left with the soldier and Nile ran back to let Khari know. "Pea and Amara have gone to find Adara and the high priestess. They are being hunted by the Guardians." He reported back to Khari. Path stood up in shock and Khari saw her anger. "So she just upped and left to find her?" She asked angrily and Nile nodded his head as he tugged at Khari's red robe and he looked at him. He already knew Nile wanted him to go and help find Adara. "I will follow them to help, they won't make it by themselves." He said as he walked away from the others. "We coming with you." Tuwani and the other clan elders told Khari. he nodded his head and began walking away. Nile ran up to him but before he could say anything Khari did a spell with his hand that bound Nile inside the boundary. "You are staying right here Nile." He told him and Nile protested. "No I have to come with you!" He protested as he ran next to Khari. Khari turned and looked at him. " We will see about that." He said as he left the boundary with everyone else and Nile couldn't pass through. "Khari, undo this spell right now!" He shouted on top his voice but Khari ignored him and this made Jay and Danai laugh as they too walked past Nile. He put both his hands on his hips and frowned. "He is going to skin you alive when you return home." Chamu told Khari who just looked back and replied. "Better me than him."

Zahari and Adara ran in the forest. They tried teleporting out but they kept going in circles. Zahari took Adara and they sat under a huge tree. They were tired and it was getting dark. "We keep going in circles, this forest is like a maze." Adara said to Zahari. She looked around her and put her head in her palm. "I do not understand why we can't seem to find a way out of this forest. We keep coming back to this darn tree." Zahari replied Adara. They both sighed. "I guess we will have to stay here for the night." Adara told her and she nodded her head. They sat there looking up and it was quite dense with the trees that covered the whole sky. "Why did you save me? You went up against Aiwel and we both know she wont take this lightly." Adara said to Zahari. Zahari put her head on Adara's shoulders. "She will hunt us down and make sure I die a very painful death." Zahari told her. She paused and continued. "I just know you don't deserve to die, Khari. I feel Khari is something we need. You are a good soldier and you'd never betray the queen unless there is good reason." She explained to Adara. Adara smiled and put her head on Zahari's head which was on her shoulder. "For both our sakes I hope I was right and I hope we do make it." She said to the priestess and they slept under the tree.

Pea and Amara had been tracking the Guardians all day when they had got no leads on Adara and Zahari. They finally rested and Khari caught up with them with the others. "Master you followed us?" Pea asked Khari and he nodded his head quietly. Path was still angry at her sister so she just sat down quietly. The young soldier bowed her head to Khari and he helped her up. "You are going against your people? Is this not troublesome for you?" He asked her calmly with his deep voice. She had never seen up close but from afar. She felt the aura of a kingly man and his voice sent chill all over her body. "I will face whatever consequences after my master is safe." She told Khari and he nodded his head. "Spoken like a true Guardian." He complimented her. He looked at Pea. "Do you have anything that belongs to her? I can trace her using my magic." Khari said to Pea and she handed him the letter she received from Adara. He sat down on the ground and held it in both his palms. He began meditating with it and trying to find her exact location. The young soldier saw this and she was surprised. "Only the high priestesses possess this kind of magic. Not even the royals could track a person's exact location using meditation." She told the others and Pea being funny and childish she pat her on the shoulder. "That is because my master is special. He is not your average Guardian." She bragged to her about Khari and Amara nodded her head in agreement with a smile on her face. Path just looked at her sister and shook her head in disbelief. It was after a few hours had passed that Khari managed to find Adara's exact location. "I found her, she is in a forest but it looks dangerous, quite dense and there is a mythical creature standing guard over the forest." Khari explained to the others. Tuwani looked at Chamu. "It is the Mirkwood forest. It is guarded by the Nguma-monene. It is a gigantic Reptile looking creature that lives on chaos." Tuwani told Khari. "If it catches scent of them, it will kill them. That forest has many deadly mythical creatures that have been corrupted by evil and they all served Jahzara and the Dhiyabhorosi in the ancient times." Chamu further explained to them. Khari took a deep breath. "There is so much I do not know about this world." He said looking at Path and she just looked away. We need to set out right now. If I have located them so has the high priestesses of the Guardians." Khari explained to his companions. Khari set a portal and let everyone in it and they camped next to the forest.

Adara and Zahari woke up early in the morning. They began walking in the direction of the sunrise. They walked together afraid of bumping into the mythical creatures of the forest. A Kongamato came out and flew above them. It took notice of them and went right after them. Zahari saw it and she warned Adara. "Run! The Kongamato is coming our way!" She warned Adara and the two began running. They ran in the direction of the sun and the creature made a sound waking up more of its kind and other creatures in the forest. "Shit! We need to run as fast as we can!" Adara said to the high priestess as she grabbed her hand and ran with her. The Banshees in the forest woke up and one them stood in front of them blocking their way. She wore a dark grey torn dress and had wet hair, her skin was greyish in color as if she had stayed in muddy water for a while. She had crooked teeth and her eyes were deep red. Adara held Zahari's arm tighter. She looked at her and smiled. "I need you to trust me." Adara told Zahari and the high priestess nodded her head. Adara had been trained for situations like this so she knew how to maneuver when she was caught in something like this. She let go of Adara's hand and ran up a tree close to them, she took a spin and landed on top of the Kongomato. The commander held on to it's neck and swung on it letting go and pushing the huge creature to fall on the banshee, blocking her screams so they couldn't hurt them. She landed on one knee and foot. Adara ran and grabbed Zahari's hand again and they began running away. The banshee's scream awakened everything. It gave Khari and his friends a clue of the exact location of the commander but it also told the Guardians where to find them, the most dangerous thing the scream awakened it the Nguma-monene. It sounded it's cry from the river as it awakened. The two Guardians looked at each other as they ran from the forest.

Adara and Zahari got to an open space of the forest. the creatures in the forest surrounded them. They could feel the ground underneath their feet shake from the footsteps of the Nguma-monene. Adara held Zahari's hand tighter as they saw the huge creature emerging from the trees. The banshee they had fled from stood with her other creatures. "We do not like Guardians." She said in a horsy voice. Adara took Zahari behind her to protect her and began walking backwards. The gigantic creature was almost there when Zahara held on to Adara's arm. She had never left the valley since she had become a priestess. "Thank you Zahari." Adara told her as she looked at her. They both closed their eyes ready to die when something huge coiled up around them. Adara opened her eyes and saw a gigantic green python coiled around them. It had its head up in the sky. "Pea!" She whispered and tears filled her eyes. She didn't think the python would come for her and seeing her sent a feeling of relief and joy in her heart. the serpent looked at her and she could tell how much she meant to it. Zahari looked at both Adara and the serpent. She immediately felt their connection. The creatures moved backwards. They had served Jahzara with Pea and Path so they knew how ruthless they could be. The Nguma-monene who was their leader still came approaching. Path and Khari stood next to Pea. "Take them away from here." Khari ordered the serpent and she disappeared from the forest with them. Khari stood there looking at the Nguma-monene who also looked at him. It didn't move, it was as if it didn't want to harm him. The creature sounded its other creatures back and they turned to leave. Khari and Path looked at each other confused so they just went and followed Pea.

Outside the forest Pea met with the others. The young guard ran to her master who was shocked to see her. "Allana, why did you come? You know you will be tried with treason." Adara warned her as she pat her head. The young guard smiled. "I will go wherever you go master." She told Adara. Khari and Path arrived and they saw Adara and Zahari with the others. "Thank you for saving us." Zahari thanked Khari with her head bowed down. Khari walked to the high priestess and he helped her up. "No need to thank me. Adara saved my life once and she means a lot to Pea." He told her. The young priestess nodded her head and she looked at Khari. She kept on glaring at him until Chamu cleared his throat. "Oh I am so sorry, but you do look like your father. He was a good man." She said to him and Khari just looked at her. "I do not know him." Is all he replied to the high priestess and she just smiled. She could feel his aura, it didn't seem like he carried the heart curse. It was different from any other aura she had felt. Not even the late king and queen had that kind of aura. She looked at him examining him and Khari could feel her gaze on him but he didn't want to speak about it. Pea held Adara's hands, she smiled. "I am glad you are not hurt." She said to the commander. Adara smiled at her. As they prepared to leave the Guardians arrived. Aiwel was with them she was chanting and her chant created a barrier that wouldn't allow anyone to leave. "I am afraid none of you can leave this place." The high priestess said to them. Zahari saw her sister. "Aiwel! What are you doing?!" She asked her harshly. The high priestess was floating in the sky so she descended and landed on her feet. The queen was with her. The supernatural biengs got ready to fight the Guardians. "I have been looking for a way to kill you brother. Who would have thought that my most trusted advisors would betray me but bring you to my doorstep." Imani mocked her brother. Khari walked in front of everyone. He had a smirk on his face. "I can't die here. I have a whole man waiting for me at home sister." Khari replied his sister mocking her back. The two siblings charged at each other whilst the others fought each other. Zahari sat down and began meditating. "She will try to break the barrier. We need to keep anyone especially Aiwel from getting to her." Adara explained to them. They all agreed and they fought whilst protecting the high priestess. "You are like a pest! I wish you's just die!" Imani screamed at her brother. Khari scoffed as he fought with his sister. "Oh I am sorry." He was sarcastic in his apology. They battled each other out. Aiwel was blocked by Pea and Adara who fought together.