Part Two
"Daddy! Watch me!"
"Chadih, don't make White Blaze run too fast," Sekhmet told his daughter. "I don't want you to fall."
"You know that White Blaze would never let anything happen to Chadih," said Cale. "Or Yuli."
"He loves them both," said Sekhmet. "I know." He sat at the picnic table and watched his daughter sitting on White Blaze's back as the tiger ran around the empty public playground.
School had ended two weeks ago and the proud father promised to take Chadih to the park for a picnic. Cale and Dayus had tagged along with them to keep an eye on Chadih. Yuli was already at the park with White Blaze when they had arrived, and now the young boy had climbed onto White Blaze's back, sitting in front of Chadih. Their laughter sailed through the air as White Blaze continued to run.
Cale grinned. "Sekhmet, I think I'm looking at your future son-in-law."
"What?" Sekhmet looked at him.
"Look at them."
"They're only seven years old, Cale," Sekhmet said. "It's a little early to think about marriage."
"Look at the bright side," said Cale. "At least you know who he is. You can threaten him now, and not worry about how he treats her after they get married."
"You are such an idiot." Dayus shook his head. He looked at Chadih and Sekhmet noticed the sad look on his face. Cale also had the same look in his eyes.
I can't say that I blame them, Sekhmet thought.
All three of them were fathers, and Sekhmet felt a little guilty that he was the only one of them that still had his daughter. Dayus never saw his son grow up to become a man, and the oni forced him to kill his newborn daughter. Cale had to watch his little boy die in his arms. Sekhmet knew that they weren't trying to replace their children with Chadih. Just watching her brought back the memories of their children that were from another lifetime.
"I heard Yuli's mother say that you should go out sometime and look for a woman who would be a good mother to Chadih," said Dayus.
"She has a mother," Sekhmet said. "Lyonta will always be her mother." Nothing will ever change that.
White Blaze stopped and looked down the path leading towards the parking lot. "Come on, White Blaze," said Yuli.
"What's the matter?" Chadih asked.
"He just stopped," her best friend answered.
Sekhmet felt a tingle in the back of his mind, a little premonition that a snake-god or goddess was in the Mortal Realm. And Sekhmet knew it wasn't his father. He got to his feet. "White Blaze," he called. "Get away from there!" The tiger started to run towards the three Warlords.
Kiyaa appeared in front of them. "Hello, little one," she said to Chadih.
"You're that lady from the school playground!" said Yuli. "Why did you try taking Chadih?"
Kiyaa smiled. "Because I'm-"
"Get away from her, Kiyaa," Sekhmet warned.
The snake-goddess turned and looked at him and his friends. "Why, Sekhmet. How good it is to see you again."
"You know my daddy?" Chadih asked.
"We go a long way back," Kiyaa answered. "Not all of it good, though." She walked towards Sekhmet. "I'm here to take what is mine, Sekhmet. And you and your friends are not stopping me."
"I almost beat you that one time, if Anubis hadn't interrupted," Sekhmet reminded her. "I will stop you, Kiyaa. My power is greater than yours, because of my father and my Armor."
"Oh yes, dear Anubis, the deceased Warlord of Cruelty." Kiyaa shook her head. "I'll admit that you did have the upper hand during our fight over four hundred years ago. Essah is the strongest of the snake-gods, and even though you are half-human, so are you. But things have changed. I have greater power than all the snake-gods combined."
"Right." Sekhmet laughed falsely.
"As the humans say," Kiyaa raised her hand, "seeing is believing." A lightning bolt shot from her hand towards the three Warlords. Quickly they jumped out of the way and landed in different places.
How did she do that? Sekhmet asked himself. During their fight, after he had unfortunately met her, Sekhmet had seen Kiyaa wait before striking to gather enough energy for her attacks. But now she was attacking without even a slight pause in between. Where did she get this kind of power? Did the other snake-gods know?
Kiyaa sent the trio flying backwards towards the trees. Sekhmet hit one and he collapsed to the ground.
"Daddy!" cried Chadih. She jumped off White Blaze's back and ran to her father.
You won't be calling him 'Daddy' anymore, little one, Kiyaa thought, reaching out to grab Chadih.
Suddenly, two figures dressed in dark clothes landed in front of Kiyaa, blocking her from Chadih. They both had cloaks on with the hoods pulled up. One had on a mask, and held Chadih behind her. The other one had a katana on her back and one in her hand, the second sheath hanging at her left hip.
Sekhmet looked at them and remembered the dream that Chadih had told him. It was a warning... he thought.
"Back off!" warned the one with the katanas.
Kiyaa looked at her and then a smile appeared. "So you are his sister," she said. "I can't say that I'm impressed. You have no business here. Get out of my way."
"It's you that has no business here! Why did you join my brother?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Kiyaa answered. "Why he made me promise not to fight you is beyond me. However, he did say that if you become a nuisance, I can." Kiyaa threw a fireball at her, but she raised her hand and deflected it.
"Leave now," she said. "And tell my brother that this game will end."
Kiyaa glared at her for a moment and then she disappeared.
"Chadih." Sekhmet got to his feet as Dayus helped Cale stand up. She turned around and ran to her father. He picked her up and asked, "Are you all right?"
Chadih nodded. "Daddy, my dream."
"I know," said Sekhmet. He looked at the two saviors. "Thank you for protecting my daughter. I'm indebted to you."
"There is no need for debt," said the one with the katanas. She pulled back her hood. Her eyes were dark as the night sky, her hair was even black and white streaks, and her face had an inhuman beauty even though she looked human.
"Who are you?" Sekhmet asked.
"My name is Parz," she answered. "This is my servant, Altyno. Peace, Sekhmet, son of Essah, Warlord of Venom."
"How do you know who I am?" Sekhmet asked in shock.
"I can't explain everything now," said Parz. "But I must speak with your father. It's very important."
Sekhmet looked at her. Something in the back of his mind told him that he could trust Parz. And why not? She and her servant had just saved his daughter from being kidnapped by Kiyaa. And there was also something very familiar about Parz. If only he could figure out what...
"All right," Sekhmet agreed. "I'll take you to him."
____
They returned to Mia's house first, then left Chadih, Yuli, White Blaze, Cale, Dayus, and Altyno at the house for a few reasons, the major one explaining to Mia what happened at the park. Sekhmet teleported himself and Parz to the snake-god realm.
"How is it that you know my father?" Sekhmet asked.
"It's a very long story," said Parz. "And there isn't much time to tell it. For now, let's just say that I owe him a debt and I'm starting to repay it. You'll find out all you need to know later." She stopped at the doors. "I think it's best if you wait outside."
"Why is that?"
"Essah might be happy to see me, but the other snake-gods won't be, because of who I am."
"Just answer me this question," said Sekhmet. "How old are you?"
Parz looked at him. "I'm exactly two hundred years older than you." She pulled the hood up and opened the door.
Essah walked through the cavern towards the main doors. He felt Sekhmet enter, along with someone else, and he wasn't the only one that felt it. Several other snake-gods also went to the main hall. Upon arriving, they saw a person wearing dark clothes and a hooded cloak walk towards the center and stop.
"Who are you?" demanded one snake-god.
The visitor pulled back the hood so that they could see her face, then she pulled her left sleeve up, revealing the crisscross pattern on her arm. Essah smiled and his heart jumped with gladness, while the other snake-gods hissed and some walked backwards a little.
"You," gasped one snake-goddess.
"Parz," said Essah, and he walked over to her. "You're all right."
"It's been a long time, Essah," said Parz.
"You knew that she lived?" Tarynl asked. "You said that Goshiem was dead!"
"Goshiem is dead," said Essah. "For six hundred-fifty years."
"But she is his daughter!"
"Not by choice," Parz said. "I never called Goshiem my father and I never will. Jinmin, however, idolizes him."
"Jinmin?" someone asked. "Your… brother?"
Parz nodded. "My twin."
Horrified gasps went through the room. "Get out!" shouted Tarynl.
"Now listen to me," said Essah.
"How could you allow them to live?" Xiyaln asked.
"You've gone too far this time, Essah," Tarynl said. "You knew that you they lived and you never told us!"
"And then Talpa would have found out, and then he would go after them," Essah said. "It was better that I only knew about them. Although, Jinmin hates us, me mostly."
"That doesn't make any difference!" said Tarynl. "What about the legend? 'Both shall be salvation and destruction'. It's too dangerous for them to live. Their kind nearly destroyed ours."
"That was thousands of years ago," said Parz. "And it was the generation before you that defeated the males. All the females were dead before that. I have no desire to see Goshiem's kind rise from hell again. Do you think I asked to be his spawn? I'm half-human. I've lived over six hundred-fifty years as a human."
"It doesn't matter," said one snake-god.
"Then I guess it doesn't matter about those of you who had children that were half-human." Parz saw some guilty looks. "It's true the legend says that Jinmin and I are both salvation and destruction. But I won't be destruction for you snake-gods, or the humans." She looked at Essah. "I wouldn't have come here unless it was an emergency, but there's something that all of you need to know. One snake-goddess has sided with Jinmin."
"I find that hard to believe," said Tarynl. "Since your brother hates us so much-"
"Kiyaa has sided with Jinmin," Parz said. "And she tried taking Chadih again today. Her power has increased because of my brother. Why he chose her to be his partner, I will never know. But the next time you see her, don't expect a warm welcome." She left.
No one said anything, and then they returned to their rooms. Only Essah and Xiyaln stayed.
"If she's telling the truth," Xiyaln finally said. "That she won't harm us-"
"She won't," said Essah.
"Why do I get the feeling that there's a bond between you and her? But it wasn't like the one you had with Aoi."
Essah looked at the snake-goddess. "Let's just leave it at that." And he left the hall.
____
Sekhmet looked up as Parz came out the door. "Well?" he asked.
"Like I said," she smiled. "They weren't too happy."
Essah came outside and looked at Parz. "I wish you had told me that you came back."
"It's better that they do know that I live," she said. "I doubt that Kiyaa is ever coming back here."
"I doubt that she will." Essah sighed and looked at Sekhmet. "I bet that you have a lot of questions."
"Oh, believe me, I do," Sekhmet said. "But I won't ask them now. I just want to be home with Chadih and make sure that she's safe." He looked at Parz then back to his father. "You trust her?"
Essah nodded. "With my life."
"I'll accept that for now." Sekhmet and Parz walked down the stairs and teleported back to the Mortal Realm.
____
That night Sekhmet watched his daughter sleeping next to him in the guest bedroom, with Yuli sleeping on the other side of Chadih. The young boy had somehow managed to convince his parents to let him stay the night. Sekhmet grinned. Yuli was starting to pick up some of the Warlords' traits.
Sekhmet rose from the bed quietly so he wouldn't disturb the children. White Blaze was resting at the foot of the bed. He raised his head and gave a low rumble.
"You keep an eye on them, White Blaze," Sekhmet told the large tiger as he left the room and walked to the kitchen.
Dayus was in there, sitting in a chair, eating a sandwich, and reading a book. "How's the kids?" he asked.
"They're sleeping," answered Sekhmet, sitting in the other chair. "White Blaze is in the room with them. How come you're still awake?"
"Couldn't sleep." Dayus held up the book. "I'm almost done reading this, and I stopped in the middle of it yesterday. Also, just in case Kiyaa decides to make a house call…"
"Cale still asleep?"
"Yeah, we're alternating shifts." Dayus smiled a little. "I decided to let him sleep."
"That's thoughtful of you," Sekhmet complimented. "I can't thank you two enough for helping me protect Chadih."
"She's your daughter, Sekhmet. I never saw mine until that day…" Dayus stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. "I don't want to see you lose Chadih."
"It wasn't your fault." Sekhmet put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Dayus, the oni killed your daughter, not you."
"But it was my hand… on the knife…"
"You didn't kill her. Do you hear me?" Dayus looked at him and nodded. "Okay, then." Sekhmet released his shoulder. "Where's Parz and Altyno?"
"Altyno is sleeping on the living room couch," Dayus said. "Parz… uh, last time I saw her, she was on the roof."
"The roof?" Sekhmet raised an eyebrow.
"Don't ask me why she's up there," said Dayus. "Because I haven't a clue."
Sekhmet shook his head and left the kitchen.
____
Parz sat near the chimney on the top of Mia's house. She was used to being on rooftops. All her life, it was the easiest way to avoid the streets.
Sekhmet, Parz thought. I swore the day you were born that I would protect you. But that one time, that day I couldn't stop you from joining the Dynasty and imprisoning your father. I warned Essah what kind of destiny Fate had written for you. I told him that I wanted to take you away when you were a baby, but he wouldn't let me. The way Viraz treated you made me sick. And when Jynavy was born, I wanted to take both of you away, when she was old enough to leave your mother. But then you killed Viraz shortly after your half-sister was born. Essah still didn't let me take you away from there. He should have.
Parz heard a slight scuffle and looked up. "Essah," she said. "What brings you here?"
The snake-god sat next to her. "I wanted to check up on my son and my granddaughter. And I also wanted to see you, Parz. Four hundred years on your own. I'd like to know what happened to you during those centuries."
"I hid," she said. "That crazy seer Talpa had two hundred years ago tried capturing me."
"I see that he failed." Essah smiled. "Was there anyone who came into your life? Someone like your husband?"
"No one." Parz shook her head. "And there never will be."
"I'm sorry." Essah put his arm around her. She leaned against him, her head resting on his chest and her arms hugging his waist. Essah held her close, resting his head on top of hers.
They didn't see Sekhmet looking at them. Sekhmet wanted to ask Parz if she knew why Kiyaa's power had increased so much and what her brother had to do with the renegade snake-goddess. He came to the roof and was shocked at the sight of his father embracing this girl like that. He knew Essah was Matched with Aoi, but did he have a relationship with Parz as well? Did either woman know about the other?
Something was telling Sekhmet in the back of his mind that it wasn't anything physical. Parz was here to protect Chadih from Kiyaa and her brother. And there was something else. He could feel it. Parz was hiding something about her heritage. She was half-human like he was, but what was the other half?
It'll have to wait till later, Sekhmet decided. He climbed down and went back to the bedroom where his daughter and her best friend were sound asleep.