Chapter 18

Inside the barrier each side battled out to survive. Aiwel fought the commander and serpent to get to Zahari. Imani and her brother fought each other. Aiwel was strategic in her thinking. She turned her focus on Khari. The high priestess made a bolt of lightning and she directed it at Khari. Path saw this and she quickly transformed in a serpent coiling around Khari. She was hit by the lightning in her heart and she hissed in pain. Khari saw Path being hit and her huge body falling from the sky. He quickly left and flew down in her direction to catch her. Zahari opened her eyes and she hit her palm in Aiwel's direction hitting her with her magic. Zahari who had been sitting in the air stood up and she charged at Aiwel with her plans. "Enough Aiwel!" She warned her sister. Pea who saw her sister fall had followed Khari down. Zahari hit Aiwel with her magic until she was weak and the barrier fell. She looked at Imani. "You need to leave because if that serpent is dead he will kill you." She warned her queen. The Guardians left and the others followed Khari to the ground. They found Path in his arms. She had transformed back into her human form. "Path!" Pea knelt besides her sister in tears. Path was pale white, she had coughed blood and was holding Khari's hand. "Take me home please. I want to see Nile." She said to him in tears. Khari nodded his head and he teleported everyone to the forest. He put her down just inside the barrier and let it down so Adara, Zahari and Allana could get in. Nile saw them and he ran to them. He knelt besides her. "Path are you alright?" He asked in tears. Path took his hands, Khari's hands and Pea's hands. She was crying, so was Pea and Nile. "Take care of each other. Promise me you will not let go of each other." She said as she coughed more blood out. Khari took his hand wanting to heal her but she shook his head. "This is not your fault, you are meant for great things." She told him as she continued coughing blood. Nile sobbed hard. "Please don't leave me. I still need you." He sobbed and she touched his face. "Thank you for loving us, thank you for believing in him even when no one did." She thanked Nile and he shook his head crying. He held Path's hand tighter. She looked at her sister. "Now that you have grown I can rest. She looked at Adara. You take care of her for me. Love her like she does you too." Path said to Adara and she nodded her head. She coughed a lot of blood and closed her eyes. She died in Khari's arms. Pea wailed for her sister in pain turning her eyes green, Nile held her as she wailed in pain. Khari just sat there with no emotion on his face. He was numb and he watched Path's body turn to dust as Pea wailed. The other supernatural beings had tears in their eyes. They all knelt down and the fairies dimmed their lights. The dark world bowed in silence for the loss of Path. Khari slowly stood up and he walked away without saying a word. Nile watched him leave and because he knew him so well he knew he was hurting but he didn't want to show.

Pea collapsed in Nile's arms. He carried her to her house and sat besides her bed. Adara, Zahari and Allana were given a comfortable place to stay in. they were also given clothes t change. Adara sat on a chair quietly. She was troubled by everything that had happened. Zahari could see how troubled she was so she held her hand tight. "We could give her a send of. Something to give Pea." She said to Zahari who just forced a smile. Zahari left the tree house and went to meet with Tuwani who bowed at her but she bowed back. "I wanted to do a memorial for the serpent. She saved my life and it is the least I can do for your people." Zahari told the elder and she nodded her head. "I think our master would love that." She replied the priestess.Zahari smiled as she walked with Tuwani towards the tree. She saw the Yggdrasil. She looked at it and didn't remove her eyes from it. "The Yggdrasil. It is dead but also still sacred." Tuwani told her and the high priestess walked over to the tree. She touched its trunk and it was dead. "This tree was a gift from the gods. It connects all worlds and the first Guardian was given this task. It is dead because there is no Guardian or supernatural worthy to take care of the world." She explained to Tuwani who didn't know the history. "So it is connected to your people? It has a connection with Khari. it calls out to him." Tuwani told Zahari who opened her eyes wide in shock. "I was right. Khari is indeed special." She said to herself. And Tuwani heard her. "What was that you said?" She asked Zahari. The priestess turned and looked at her. "This tree has been lost and forgotten for thousands of years. But it calls out to Khari, if I am not wrong he is the keeper of this tree. He is true heir to the nine worlds." She explained to Tuwani. "Who would have thought the condemned one is the heir to the world." She commented. The high priestess looked at Tuwani and they both stood there looking at the tree.

Zahari with the help of the fairies and mermaids put together a memorial for Path. She had the fairies light up the skies, the mermaids helped put up flowers in water bubbles. She lit candles around the Yggdrasil and had her sword put on a pedestal in front. Adara went and took Pea to the memorial. She held her in her arms the whole time. Nile and Amara stood right next to them with the other elders. Zahari had been given permission to perform her priestly duties for the memorial. She sang songs with them and did all the ritual prayers to the gods. Khari was nowhere to be found he had been missing since the body of Path had scattered. He hadn't been seen and Nile was worried about him but he knew he couldn't leave the Pea alone. The fairies lit the lights in the sky and let them burn out in honor of Path. Everyone knelt down and bowed their heads as the lights went up in respect of her honor. Pea had tears in her eyes as she held on to Adara's hand. She looked everywhere for her master but she couldn't find him anywhere. He was gone. "Where is my master?" She asked Adara and she shook her head. Pea just closed her eyes and let her tears flow. Nile was afraid his lover would reach his breaking point and snap. He was afraid this would drive him to the edge so he just prayed he would be alright.

Khari walked into a valley. He went down the valley until he got to a village. The village was ominous and he walked down the streets. It was full of blacksmiths and they all looked at him. He could sense some of them were not human. He went straight to a bar. He had drunk wine once with Nile and Path had mixed it with her toxins so he got drunk and didn't like it. Today his heart was so heavy and it was in so much pain so he needed something to numb the pain. He walked into a bar full of people. They were dancing, drinking and making noise. They all stopped and looked at this beautiful man in a red robe and pants with make up on his face. He looked dashing. He walked past the people straight up to the bar and put out a gold coin. "Your best wine please! I need to get drunk." He told the barman. He took the coin and gave him a jar full of red wine. Khari took it and walked to a table in the far end. He didn't want anyone from the dark world seeing him and taking him back home. He sat on the table facing the door and began drinking the wine from the jar. A tall man who had a hoodie on his robe came and sat opposite him. Khari didn't like interacting with people so he frowned and carried on drinking his wine. The man looked at him and didn't say anything. He let him drink his wine and kept on staring at him. Khari felt his gaze on him so he rolled his eyes. "Do you want some wine?" He asked the man so he could just leave him alone. The barman brought a jar of wine for the man and he took it. "Nop you don't need my wine. Do you know me?" He aske the man but he didn't reply him but he kept drinking his wine. Khari sighed and drank his wine too. They sat there without speaking to each other drinking wine from a jar. Khari got his third jar of wine and drank it again. He later stood up ready to leave. He felt his head heavy and he shook it. "How am I this drunk?" He asked himself. He stumbled as he staggered from the table. He walked out of the bar staggering, with the jar of wine in his hand. He stopped in the middle of the streets and staggered backwards almost falling. He stopped because someone held him back up. He opened his eyes and saw the man in the hoodie. He was beautiful and Khari saw the light in his eyes but he was too drunk. "You again? Can a man just be alone." He said to the man and he stood up straight and began staggering in the road. The man just followed him quietly and Khari would turn and see him. He was so drunk he didn't even know where he was. He took another sip of wine and as he swallowed it her felt his feet heavy. He stumbled and fell but the man in the hoodie caught him in his arms. Khari slowly closed his eyes and fainted in his arms. He just shook his head and carried him to his house.

Khari felt his head heavy the next morning. He had his hand on his head. He slowly opened his eyes and he was in a room he didn't know. He slowly sat up straight and looked around. He didn't know this place and it wasn't in the dark forest. His robe was on a chair and he only had his pants on. He grabbed his robe and wore it. He walked out of the room slowly and he saw a man half naked. He was a blacksmith and he was working without his shirt on. Khari walked out and he looked at the man. "Are you just going to stand there watching me Khari?" He asked him and the man turned to look at Khari who just stood there looking at him too. The man scoffed. "You really are how they describe you." He walked and dipped a sword in water. "Who are you? And how do you know me?" Khari asked the man calm. He walked over to the man and he looked at him carefully. "You are not human but you also neither Guardian or any of the supernaturals I have come across. What are you?" Khari asked him. He left his tools and went to the fire. "Your water is warm enough for you to bath. You need to wash up." He told Khari who looked at him suspiciously. Khari still followed him and took ad bath. The man sat on the edge tub eating an apple as Khari bathed. Khari felt his gaze on him and he remembered the same gaze from last night. "You are the man in the hoodie. I remember your gaze. But I swear your eyes had light last night." Khari told him and he just kept on eating his apple. Khari finished bathing and stood up showing his naked body. He wasn't bothered by him. He walked past him and got his robe and pants on. " I am leaving, thank you for the bath." He said to the man cold but the man grabbed his hand. "You are afraid of yourself. You are not going deeper enough. I picked you for a reason. You are stronger than you can ever imagine." The man told Khari but he tried to pull his hand away and couldn't. "If you do not open your eyes and let yourself go they will all die Khari." The handsome man told him. Khari looked at him with a frown on his face. The man took a copper coin and put it in Khari's palm. It was old and plain. "When you are ready come find me. This will lead you to me." He said to Khari he walked out of the room and Khari just looked at him with the frown on his face. He wanted to throw the copper coin away but he didn't instead he put it in his pocket. He followed the man and he saw him back to his work. Khari walked out of his house and the man looked at him leave. "I hope you will be ready when the time comes." He said to himself.

Khari walked back to the dark forest. when he got there everyone was worried about him. He walked slowly inside to the place where Path had died in his arms. Chamu saw him and ran to meet him. He saw him looking at the grass and the stains of blood from Path were still there. Pea and Adara followed Chamu to the place. Jay went to tell Nile Khari was back. Khari just stood there looking at the blood. He had visions of the day he met the serpents when he was a child, how afraid they were of him but still wanted to kill him. He saw how he had earned their trust by pricking his index fingers and giving them a drop of his blood. He remembered how he went for days without eating and he just fed them and eh almost died until path had Pea bite her skin with her fangs and dropped blood in his mouth. He held both of his hands and tears filled his eyes. Khari had never let a tear out till this day. He fell to the ground shaking as he touched the grass stained with blood. His tears fell on the ground and he saw the blood stain wash away. Nile got to the place and saw his lover on the ground shaking. He had never seen him show his weakness and he knew he was hurting to be in this state. Pea was in tears seeing her master. Khari touched the stained ground and he couldn't control his tears. He began to sob so loud and he felt his heart in pain. Nile ran to him and hugged him tight and let him sob. He cried so loud in pain and he held on to Nile's arm crying. Nile kissed him on the head as he cried. Everyone just let him wallow in his pain. Pea walked over to him and hugged him from behind and they cried together. "Let me take you home." Nile said to Khari and he obeyed. Nile helped his lover up and walked him home. Chamu looked at him and his heart broke for him. Zahari stood next to him. "I didn't know he cared for the serpents like that." She commented. "Path was like his mother, she raised him, took care of him, protected him and she loved him. She was his family and now he just lost that mother all over again." Amara explained to Zahari and the high priestess felt so sad for him. "He and Pea are more like siblings but Path was like their parent. You Guardians took that away from him again." Amara said to her as she walked away. Zahari just looked at Khari as he walked away and she realized how much damaged her people had caused him.

Khari sat next to the pond alone at noon. He had left Nile sleeping inside the house. He sat there quietly looking at the copper coin. Zahari saw him sitting alone and she went over and sat next to him. "Do you mind if I join you?" She asked him and he moved over so she could sit. She was holding a cup of tea so she handed it to him. "We met at the very worst possible time your highness." She addressed him and he looked at her. "Why do you address me like that? I am not your prince." He said and she just smiled. She looked at the Yggdrasil and sighed. "I wish we never left that cave, that we just stayed and never came out and maybe she'd still be alive." He said to the high priestess. She listened to him without interrupting. Nile woke up and he walked to the ponds but he stopped behind the tree when he heard Khari speak about never leaving the cave. "I used to tell them love is the source of all evil, my mother's love for the people but I think my own love is the darkest source of all evil. my love for Nile is the doom that everyone has been dreading. I am the reason Path died and I am the reason you are not with your people and Jahzara is going to destroy the world. I am the dark source." Khari said in tears. Nile heard this and turned to leave. Zahari pat Khari on his shoulders. "But even though it is like this I can't let him go. I just can't stop myself from loving him and destroying the world." He sobbed, Nile heard this so he left. He had never stopped to think he amount of weight that Khari carried because he wanted to love him. Zahari held the prince in her arms. "If I had not met you or Nile I wouldn't have understood this kind of love. This is the love you fight for and make sure nothing comes between it. Not even Jahzara." Zahari encouraged the prince as she comforted him. She saw through his heart and she saw how pure he was even with the curse they had put on him. He wanted to protect the world for the man he loved. And he wanted his family to live. She felt so wrong and guilty. She held him and comforted him.