Khari didn't got to Nile's house, instead he just stood in the middle of the forest trying to get over the argument between Path and his sister. He couldn't believe his ears so he kept replaying the conversation in his head. He stood there with his hands on his waist, wearing his shirt that Nile had buttoned halfway up. Pea stood next to him and she didn't know why he wasn't going to see Nile. "Are you doing alright master?" She hesitantly asked him. Khari looked as if he wanted to cry. "I need you to tell me the truth Pea. Am I the key to Jahzara's prison world?" He asked her, his voice was shaking, it was as if he didn't want to know the answer. Pea bit both her lips and tears began to swell up in her eyes. They streamed down like a river and Khari closed his eyes allowing his tears to also stream down his cheeks. "So.. so is it true you have been working for her too?" He asked her with his voice trembling and Pea shook her head. "No! Never! You know what she put us through. She hurt us and used us but you cared for us master Khari." Pea said in tears. "Path and I didn't want you to know because we didn't want to make you sad. And when we met Nile we just couldn't do it." She explained to him and he cried even more. He screamed as he looked up in the sky in tears. "You know I can't love him Pea! Why did you allow me to get closer to him!? Huh?" He asked in tears. "Because you deserve to be happy and you deserve to feel love! And I am sorry but I do not care about the world because it never cared about me like you did!" She replied back. She was crying and she didn't regret her decision. "But Nile comes from this world! How can I carry on being close to him knowing this will destroy all the berried he loves and the herbs, Pea!?" He asked her in tears. He fell down on his knees and began sobbing. Pea hurriedly hugged Khari and held him tight. "I can't bear to see you like this Khari." She said to him as they both cried.
.They both stayed liked that for a while and they sat next to each other. Pea had told Khari stories about Jahzara over and over again as a serpent and he knew the sisters didn't like her. They were afraid of her so for them to just sacrifice everything for him like that he knew it took a lot. "I can not believe you'd prefer me falling in love to keeping Jahzara locked up." Khari commented and Pea just smiled. "I know if there is one person who can put that bitch in her place it is you master. Pea said with conviction, Khari laughed and took a deep breath in. "What do I do Pea? If the Guardians are so hell bent on killing him then it means the curse is breaking. I am indeed falling in love with him." He asked and explained to her. Pea held his hand in hers. "Master you have never had the liberty to make any decision for yourself. This time I need you to follow your heart." She told him and he had more tears in his eyes. Pea hugged him again and he hugged her back too. Khari had been their primary carer for years now, their first carer. They felt they owed him a world even if it meant death. Pea stood up and stretched her hand to Khari. He placed his hand into his hers and she pulled him up. They began walking together heading towards Nile's house.
Nile had been quiet the whole time, he didn't even say a word to Path. Path began panicking thinking maybe he was mad or maybe he believed the Guardians but she too didn't dare speak up. She just sat by the fire poking the ashes quietly. Nile took a deep breath. "I don't understand, I guess I am not so lucky in love you know. The other time he just wanted to know how it felt to be with a man, so he'd just tap and leave. Eventually he married a woman." He paused and laughed at himself. "Now I thought this is it only to find out he is the harbinger of death. It is like if you love him then the whole world goes poof!" He said as tears streamed down his cheeks. Path had her supernatural hearing so she heard Pea and Khari standing still outside but Nile didn't. Khari just stood there silently. "The Guardians want me dead too, hmm." He paused again and put his head in between his legs and began to sob. Khari couldn't stand there any longer so he just teleported himself home and left Pea standing there alone. "Humans are selfish, can I be selfish too Path? I want to be selfish too for once. Because I can not lose him. I'd rather die than live the rest of my life without loving him." He went on to say. Path slowly stood up from the fireplace and went to him. He had his knees up and his head on them crying. She hugged him tight and replied. "If you want to love him then do that. I will never let Jahzara or anyone hurt the two of you." She told him and he sobbed so hard in her arms. Pea entered the room after couple minutes and Nile saw her. He looked behind her and didn't see Khari. "Where is he?" Nile asked her and she just shook he head. Path just closed her eyes and sighed. Whilst Nile stood up and walked out.
Days went by with Khari locked in his cave, he had put up a boundary spell that didn't allow anyone in except the two serpents. He sat on the seat he had sat for the past centuries, he was sad and his heart grew more and more in pain. Nile came everyday to call out to him and sit outside until it went dark. The Guardian stood watch over Nile saw this and reported back to their queen. Khari was sad but he didn't want to see him. Pea who had decided to stay with Nile so she could comfort him grew weary each time. Path didn't want to see Khari like this so she'd encourage him to go and see Nile but he was hellbent on his decision. One afternoon Pea couldn't take it so she went to cry in the forest. She sat under a tree and began to sob when Adana appeared. She wanted to mock her but after she saw her sobbing she just handed her, her handkerchief. "Here, you don't want to mess your clothes." She said to Pea coldly. Pea stared up at her and grabbed the handkerchief, wiped her tears using it and handed it back. Adana shook her head. "You can have it serpent." She said as she began walking away. "Pea." Pea told Adana. Adana stopped surprised. "Huh?" She asked. "I said my name is Pea. Stop calling me serpent, You Guardian." Pea spat at Adana. "You have a name? Who gave you such a ridiculous name? Khari?" Adana mocked her and Pea didn't reply her so Adana figured out it was him. "You do not know him, unlike your kind he is the kindest soul I ever met. You cursed him, threw him away, forgot about him and you still chastise him but he with a stone heart still had to leave the only man who gave him love and joy because he doesn't want the world to be hurt." Pea explained to Adana in tears. "I was messed up by Jahzara and many others before but Khari instead of torturing us and enslaving us he took care of me and my sister. A five year old boy fed us his blood so we'd survive and taught us how to not thirst for blood. If that is not love then I do not know what is. But your kind! You know nothing but duty without love." She went on a rant and Adana just stood there quietly. She had no idea the serpents were this type, she watched Pea weep in pain over Khari and a part of her felt really bad. "Why am I even telling you? You probably thinking crazy serpent. Well tell your queen once again she wins and Khari loses just like before they were even born." She said and she stood up. She held the handkerchief that Adana had given her and walked back to Nile's place. Adana stood there questioning everything she was taught and she didn't like this feeling at all. She walked back into the forest.
Khari held his chest in pain, he was groaning in pain and sweating. He knelt on the ground as he groaned. Path found him on the ground and she rushed to him. "Master! You alright?" She asked him concerned. She helped him up and he took in deep breaths. "You can not live like this anymore Khari. You stopped seeing him but you can't stop yearning for him." She told him and he just looked at her. Khari swallowed hard and held on to Path. He sat up straight and asked. "How is he holding up? Is he moving on?" He really wanted to know. Path looked at him and shook her head. "He is love sick, he is heartbroken and he misses you." Path told him and he looked at her with his sad eyes. "You know when I was trapped here I always envisioned myself tormenting the humans and the Guardians but the first thing I do after I was free was meet this human who made change all my views. I am a fool." Khari said as he just smiled. Khari had wanted to take revenge on the Guardians and humans. His mother's love for them was the reason for all this mess. He used to say "Love is the dark source of everything, it is the reason why all evil begun." Now he seemed to swallow his words as he would do anything too for the man he loved including stop loving him so he'd live in a safe world. "You did not do all that because deep down you were never a bad person. But Khari you do not stop loving a person because you not seeing them." Path explained to him and he didn't reply her. "Khari give me your hand." She said to him and he gave it to her. "I want you to close your eyes and all your sense to me. I want to show you something." She told him and he listened to her. He closed his eyes, senses and Path took his hand, placed it on hers and put her hand on top of his. She used her supernatural eyes to see through his heart and Khari saw through Path. He knew he was cursed but he had never actually saw his heart. "Look at your heart Khari, the cracks are there and they keep on happening." She told him and he saw his heart. It was like a cracked stone, it looked like something wanted to crack out of it. "It looks like and egg hatching little serpents." He commented jokingly as he laughed with tears in his eyes. Path just laughed back to. "Well that is your heart fighting to hatch out of that little egg. Let it be because it will not stop." She told him and he just nodded his head whilst opening his eyes. He looked at Path and smiled. "Then I guess I have to go and fight for my man then." He said in his deep sexy voice and Path smiled. "Oh yes you do, we will face Jahzara when the time comes." She told him and like a teenager Khari rushed out of the cave.
Imani had received reports that her brother had cut off ties with Nile but the flower kept glowing. This had disturbed her so she decided to pay a visit to warn Nile as she thought Khari couldn't love anyone but Nile could still be holding on. Nile had been drinking wine to numb his pain when the queen arrived just outside his yard. The spell Khari had put up prohibited them from entering so she stood right outside the boundary with Adana and one other guard. Pea who had taken liberty to take care of Nile saw them. "You and your little minions can't seem to get enough of us huh?" She asked Imani angrily. "I am not here for you serpent!" Imani spat at Pea. "Are you here for me then, your highness?" Nile asked her sarcastically as he stood next to Pea drinking his wine. "We would invite you in but then you'd kill us. So speak your piece and leave." Pea said to Imani cold. Imani didn't seem fazed by Pea and Nile's hostility. In the midst of their conversation Khari arrived but he didn't show himself. Imani stepped closer to the boundary. "You need stop having feelings for Khari or I am going to have to kill you." She threatened him and Nile just burst out in laughter much to Imani's annoyance. "You really are a bitch!" Nile told Imani coldly and Adana held her sword but Nile looked at him. "You going to draw your sword and do what? She is a bitch! You can't even call him your brother. Bitch, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, your bloody mother gave you the life that was meant for both him and you. She cast him out and way before he was even born but you turned out worse than he did." Nile told Imani sternly. Imani gritted her teeth and Nile clicked his tongue. "Jahzara was never Khari's problem but your mother's. judging from how dirty she did her son I think she is also the reason we have her unhinged lunatic of a sister locked up in some prison somewhere." He went on to rant and Pea was just biting her lower lip trying to hold her laughter back. "I am the Guardian's queen. I rule the three worlds and I will not have you speak to me like that human!" She commanded him and he laughed in her face. "Bloody queen my foot! You are nothing but a spoilt little girl who thinks the world revolves around her Imani!" He called her out by her name as if she was his child. "If you had just stopped for a minute and put yourself in Khari's shoes, you would know how lucky you are. He left me because he wanted to save all our asses but you can not even stop for a second and put your own brother's needs ahead of your stupid duties. I will not allow you or anyone else to keep hurting him, I will love him and I will protect him from you and your minions!" Nile told her. He was angry at her and he didn't even want to listen to her. Adana had not said a word since they got there, her eyes were set on Pea who was making faces encouraging Nile. This was all just too much for her. Nile drank his wine, turned his back on Imani and walked away. Imani was infuriated by this and she just walked away followed by the other guard. Adana stood there looking at Pea who also looked back at her before leaving. She eventually followed her queen back to their world. Khari just stood behind the bushes smiling, he couldn't believe Nile would challenge the queen of the Guardians just for him. As he stood there smiling he felt another sharp pain in his chest and held it with his right hand.
Khari rested outside for a while waiting for his pain to go away. He later picked himself up and walked into Nile's yard. Nile sat on the bed with his head down. He was a bit drunk so he was just sitting there alone. Khari walked into the room quietly and slowly towards where Nile sat. he was wearing a proper red shirt, buttoned and had not worn make up in these past couple days. He tied his hair into a note and he was just as beautiful as always. He stood right besides Nile. "Nile." He called out his name quietly. Nile "Hmm." He answered without lifting his head, he hadn't realized it was Khari until after he answered. He paused and quickly lifted his head, he saw Khari standing right there next to him. In that moment he felt both relief and anger. He quickly stood up and pushed Khari away from him in anger. "You lied to me! You said you would never leave me but you did!" He screamed in tears. Khari held his arms trying to hug him but Nile pushed him away again and stood on the other side. He was btreathing frantically and tears streamed down his cheeks. Khari looked at him and it hurt to see him like this. "I am sorry Nile, I should have never left." Khari apologized with his voice trembling. Nile stood there wiping tears from his eyes. "You hurt me, you told I could love you but you left me. Your broke my heart Khari!" He cried and Khari walked up to him. He grabbed his face and kissed him hard tasting the salty taste of Nile's tears on his lips. Nile pushed him away but Khari didn't let him go. "I thought you wanted me to leave." Khari told Nile. Nile kissed Khari softly on the lips. "What I want is you Khari." Nile told him as he kissed him. Khari kissed him back and smiled. "I will never leave you again, I promise you." He promised Nile as he kissed him on the forehead. Nile hugged Khari tightly and passed out. Khari just laughed and he carried him to bed. "All that feistiness was because you drunk huh?" He said as he put Nile to bed. He covered him with a fur and sat next him. He touched Nile's face, his brown skin was smooth. Khari sat there watching him sleep until he too just fell asleep.