Nile helped Khari dress up the next morning. He buttoned his shirt and only left two of the upper buttons open. Khari just smiled when he realized Nile's jealousy. "You don't have to show it all do you?" Nile asked Khari teasingly. Khari just smiled and shook his head. Nile stretched his hand towards' Khari's and Khari held Nile's hand. "We are going to walk to the cave to see the girls like to normal people. No teleporting Khari." Nile told Khari smiling and Khari nodded his head. The two of them walked out of the house and out of the yard. They walked together hand in hand and when they were on the streets Nile let go of Khari's hand but Khari took it back and held him. Nile looked at Khari and smiled. "I told you I am not from your world and even if I was I'd still want to show off." Khari teased Nile who smiled at him. He was happy because the last man he loved only wanted to see him behind closed doors and the rest were men he met at the tavern and made out with. He held Khari's hand tighter and they walked on the streets. They walked into the forest heading towards the cave. Khari carried a basket with food Nile had prepared for the girls. Nile had both his hands hooked around Khari's arms whilst holding his hand. As they walked both of them would steal a kiss from the other. Nile told Khari his stories about finding berries and his attempt to hunt but failed, Khari would just listen and smile at him. They were almost at the cave when the sharp pain in Khari's chest grew more painful that he couldn't cover it up anymore. He held his chest and felt to the ground groaning in pain. Nile quickly knelt besides him and held him in his arms as he groaned in pain. "Aargh! Mmm!" Khari screamed as he gritted his teeth together. Nile was worried he screamed for Pead and Path to help. "Pea! Path! Help!" He shouted for them as they were closer to the cave. Khari held to Nile's hand tighter that it hurt Nile. Pea and Path came running out of the cave. They saw him groaning in pain and they held both Khari and Nile disappearing with both of them into the cave.
The guard who had followed Khari and Nile from a distance left to report this to Adana. As soon as she gave her feedback Adana went straight to the queen. The queen was in the garden when Adana arrived. She bowed and the queen signaled at her to approach her. "You have news Adana?" The queen asked. "Yes your highness. The human lived and he was seen with Khari today." Imani stopped touching the white flowers and looked at Adana. She had a poker face on. You couldn't tell what she was thinking by looking at her. "Didn't you say he was hit by one of our arrows?" She asked her and Adana nodded. "Yes, my queen. He was indeed hit by one our arrows." She explained to her. Imani looked annoyed by this. "Then explain to me how he lived! What is he doing with Khari?" She asked angrily. "It seems he is the reason behind the glow from the dead Iris flower. He and Khari are together." Adana explained. Imani opened her eyes wide open. She was shocked. It was not the first time two men had fallen in love but it only happened in the human world and the dark world never the guardians. "How is this possible? How is it a man?" She asked as she trembled. She began walking out of the garden as fast as she could. "Follow me to the valley Adana. I need to have a word with the high priestesses." She commanded her and Adana followed her queen. They both walked out heading to the valley. Dain saw the queen stride across the yard followed by Adana heading to the valley and he knew something was wrong so he followed them. When Imani and Adana got to the valley the three priestess and Bloomy stood circling the iris flower. It had a full glow, it was still dead but the light around was bright. The ladies saw Imani and bowed their heads but Imani almost fell after seeing the glow. "It is coming back to life. How is it possible for a man to fall in love with another man?" She asked the priestesses who looked shocked. "What are you talking about?" Eshu asked the queen who still was shaking. "Apparently it is a man who has my brother's heart shaking. It is a man who is going to doom us all." Imani explained angrily to the priests. The three priestess had never heard of a man falling in love with another man. "How is that even possible?" Zahari asked. "It is very possible, the sun god fell in love with the moon god once." Dain explained as he walked towards everyone. He bowed his head in respect and continued telling his story. "The gods saw this as a taboo and they petitioned for them to be punished but the universe god didn't see anything wrong but he wanted to appease the gods so he separated the moon and the sun god. We have day and night so they never meet again but he only allowed them to meet once every five years so we have the eclipse." Dain explained to them. The queen touched her heart. "So Jahzara must have known this story that she made sure when mother put the curse there was a loophole." She said as she felt defeated. Dain held the queen up as she wanted to fall. "I will not allow her to be free, I will kill the human myself if I have to." She swore as she walked away from the flower leaving everyone else there. The three priestesses just stood there looking at the flower, they were all panicking but they couldn't show it. Dain followed the queen back to the palace. Imani went to her room and ordered her maidservants to help her dress in her armor. They took off the queens' jewelry and accessories and helped her put her armor on. It was a long shirt dress with a pair of pants inside. She wore her metal helmet that was white too and she took her sword. She walked out of the room and met Dain outside. "Your highness, you going to the human world yourself?" He asked her and she kept on walking. "Yes Dain, watch over the palace form me. I need to deal with this once and for all by myself! Adana let's go!" The queen said as she walked out. Adana bowed at Dain as she followed Imani to the humans' world.
In the cave Khari's pain had subsided but he needed to rest so they allowed him to. Nile was holding his head on his thighs. He kissed him and asked Path to go out with him to look for some herbs. They left the cave together as they walked deeper into the forests. He wanted to ask her why Khari was in pain because he thought it was because he had healed him. They walked silently together. Nile stopped and looked at Path who was still surprised that Nile had asked her instead of her sister. "Is Khari sick because he saved me?" He asked Path concerned, she just smiled at him and shook her head. Path was mature, her purple hair was long and she loved to tie it into a ponytail. She was mostly quiet but always took care of everyone. "He is only sick because of the heart curse. It seems your love for him is ending the curse." She explained to him, Nile smiled with joy. "Then it is a good thing then, right? We can finally love each other freely!" He expressed his joy but Path's just forced a smile and he noticed it. "What is it Path? What are you not telling me?" He asked her worried. Path sighed and before she could reply him she got interrupted. "Oh, that your stupid love affair with my brother is a taboo! It should never have happened!" Imani said behind Nile. Nile turned around to she the angry queen with Adana and two other guards. "Hello Nile, they told me that is your name." She was being sarcastic and he just frowned. "What do you want Imani?" Path asked her calmly and Imani took her sword out with all her guards following suit. "I am putting an end to this mess! I will not let you free Jahzara Serpent!" She said to Path as she got ready to fight. Path clicked her tongue. "So you came here to kill Nile? I will not let you kill him." She spat back at Imani as she cut her palms with her nails and made two swords from her blood of snake venom and ice. Imani was shocked to see her able to make a weapon of water because snakes could not have such magical powers. "Stay behind me Nile." Path ordered him as she drew her two swords. Nile rushed behind Path and Imani smiled. "You think you can defeat the four of us? She asked Path mocking her. Path stood in front of Nile with both her swords in her hands. She began to fight the four Guardians trying to stop them from getting to Nile. She fought them and hit two of the guards with the tip of her two swords and they fell to the ground. "Snake venom, darling. It is not only you who has a few tricks up your sleeves Imani." She was left with Adana and Imani. These were two strong contenders but she knew she had to protect Nile no matter what.
Pea had noticed how Path and Nile hadn't come back so she left Khari resting and followed them. She walked towards the bushes she knew Nile picked his herbs. She closed her eyes and used her senses to find them and she felt them in danger. Pea transformed and slithered as quickly as she could to where her sister and Nile where. Path stood in between Imani and Adana with Nile behind her. "You think you can beat us and save him?" Imani asked her. "I am sure I am more powerful than you two combined." Path spat back at Imani. As they prepared to fight Pea slithered and knocking Iman and Adana on the ground. She transformed back to her human form and took her two daggers out. "Are you alright sissy?" She asked her sister as she winked at Nile who smiled at her. "I am alright, lets deal with these bitches first." Path said to her sister who smiled back at her. Pea charged at Adana and the two of them began to fight. Path and Imani fought each as Imani wanted to get to Nile. "You want to bring Jahzara back?" Imani spat at Path as she kicked her in the abdomen. "I don't want that witch back you fool!" Path replied back angrily at Imani. "Liar! Why else would you and my brother try to break the curse using this human!?" She screamed at Path who had both her swords on her swords pushing her down. "Khari doesn't know the real reason for the heart curse is because you used his heart to imprison Jahzara!" She said as she pushed Imani further away. The two of them stood opposite sides breathless as they still wanted to go at each other. Nile was shocked to hear the real reason for the heart curse. "What do you mean he doesn't know? You didn't tell him?" Imani asked Path surprised as she tried to catch her breath. Pea and Adana had gone further away from them fighting they couldn't hear anything they were saying. Path laughed sarcastically. "Didn't tell him!? Your mother abandoned a five year old with blood thirst serpents and didn't bother to explain to him why. Why he had to be cursed so he couldn't love and you wanted me to watch him bear the burden of it all and be sad." She said to Imani in tears. Imani just looked at Path and she didn't seem moved by it at all. "Well I am still going to kill that human. So save your tears for when Khari goes back to his hell hole." She said this coldly and Path took a deep breath with tears in her eyes. Nile's heart broke for Khari, he didn't know how much of the pain and burden he had to bear from such a young age. "Bitch shut up!" Path spat at Imani as she charged at her and they began fighting again.
Both parties were busy fighting they didn't realise that the two guards were coming back to their senses. One of them took his spear behind Nile and he threw it at him. Nile turned and saw the spear aimed at him and he just closed his eyes. He waited for the spear to hi him but it didn't so he opened his eyes slowly only to see Khari standing in front of him holding it and he threw it right into the guards's heart. "Khari!" Nile just uttered his name. Khari turned and looked at him, he touched his face and smiled. "Are you alright?" He asked him and Nile nodded his head. Khari walked to where his sister and Path were fighting. He took out his sword and blocked his sister's sword from hitting Path's. "Take Nile away from here." He ordered Path who instantly left and went to get Nile out of the forest. She took his hand and disappeared with him to his house where Khari had put up the protection spell for him. "You dare come between me and that human Khari! You will not bring back Jahzara!" Imani screamed at her brother. Khari heard the whole conversation between Path and Imani but he wouldn't let her kill him. "I will not allow you or anyone to lay a finger on him sister!" He warned her sternly. The two sibilings fought each other and Khari cut Imani's arm with his sword. "Ooops, water and snake venom. I'd go back home if I were you." He warned her sarcastically and she felt dizzy. Adana who had been fighting Pea this whole time was pinned down by her saw his queen fall to the ground. She tried pushing Pea away but Pea kept her hold on her. "I told you not to mess with my people you dumb ass Guardian." Pea warned her again as she kept on pressing down on her. Khari walked up to his sister as she held her arm in pain. "I am not going to kill you but if any of your Guardians come after my family, especially Nile I will kill you Imani." He told her. He was cold and serious. He put his sword back and walked away from her. "Pea, let her go!" He ordered Pea who immediately let go of Adana. She walked towards Khari and the two of them went deep into the forest. Adana rushed to her queen and she disappeared with her taking her back to the palace.
Imani was carried to her chambers and they called a physician to her bed chambers. Dain and two other council members followed and they watched as the toxins were drained from her body. "Snake venom and water? How is this possible?" Dain asked Adana and Imani. Imani swallowed hard in pain. "I still do not know how but it seems as if the snakes have water energy and Khari has theirs." She explained in pain. The physician looked shocked by this. "They did a spell or they infused their blood together. That is the only explanation to this." He said to the queen and members of the council present. They all looked confused. "Another thing, Khari doesn't know why he has the heart curse. The snake confirmed to me angrily." Imani further explained to the council. "Are the snakes manipulating Khari and the human? They served Jahzara after all." Dain asked the queen. Imani sat up straight as she groaned in pain. "I do not know, but it seems likely so. We have a big problem on our hands." Imani told the present elders. They all were worried about the serpents' agenda. They fought and protected both Khari and the human with their lives but still the Guardians couldn't let their guard down.