Sekhmet raced through the halls of the Dynasty palace where he, the other Warlords, and Kayura lived. They had been trying to bring peace and prosperity to the Dynasty that had suffered so much under the brutal and heavy hand of their former master, Talpa. He almost ran down Kale who was coming out of his chambers.
Kale glared at him. “Watch where you’re going, clumsy oaf!”
Sekhmet turned on him and slammed him into the wall. “Where is Kayura?”
Kale was momentarily stunned. Sekhmet rarely gave in to angry outbursts anymore--not since they were all freed from Talpa’s influence. He had become thoughtful and almost even-tempered. Kale shoved him away. “Don’t you remember? Mia invited us all to her house this weekend. Kayura jumped at the chance to go and dragged Dais along. I think it is a trick on Mia’s part to get us to help her with the additions to her home so I stayed behind. I do enough work around here without having to go to Earth for more.”
“Yes…that is right. I…forgot.” He turned away and stormed off down the hall.
Kale called after him. “What is the matter with you anyway?” When Sekhmet didn’t answer, Kale shrugged his shoulders and walked the other way. “Lunatic.”
Sekhmet was consumed by the thought that “they” had returned. He could feel them, somehow--perhaps because the same poisonous blood ran through his veins. Whatever allowed him to sense them wasn’t strong enough to let him find them. Somewhere buried in his memories were the answers. He needed Kayura and the Staff of the Ancients.
Sekhmet went to the sublevel beneath the palace. He needed to use the Mirror of Tartoros. It was Talpa’s magical portal that had allowed the Warlords to transport to anywhere on the Earth. After Talpa’s defeat, they had destroyed his rooms and any of his magical artifacts they could find. But the mirror was a seemingly indestructible part of the palace itself. While Sekhmet did not have the magical know-how to access its power remotely as Talpa always did, he knew how to use it through physical contact. He placed his hand on the frame, picturing in his mind where he needed to go. When the image appeared, Sekhmet stepped through the mystical gateway and found himself in the woods near Mia’s house. He mentally commanded the gateway to stay open as he walked towards the sound of laughter drifting through the air.
Mia and Kayura came out of the kitchen with sandwiches and lemonade. They were wearing old clothes mottled with recent paint splotches.
“Break time, everybody.”
Ryo, Rowen, and Dais started down the ladder from where they were hammering on the roof, stepping over White Blaze at the bottom lounging in the sun. White Blaze looked at them out of the corner of his eye and promptly went back to sleep.
Kento and Zoe peeked around the corner. Kento was practically salivating. “FOOD! It’s about time! I thought I was going to die of hunger over here.” Kento dropped the wood he was carrying and ran to the plate of sandwiches. Zoe sighed and set down the drill she was holding to follow him.
Sai and Sage laughed. Sage just shook his head. “For once I agree with Kento. I’m starving.” They stopped sawing and went into the kitchen to wash up. “Come on, Kento. You need to wash your hands.”
Kento almost had his hands on a sandwich when the two of them dragged him into the kitchen to wash up. Zane, Gilgamesh, and Trace came out from the other room where they had been putting up drywall.
Mia looked around. “I hope we made enough for everybody.” She looked at Dais. “Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure any of the Warlords would show up.”
He gave her a slight smile. “I was not sure I would, either. But someone talked me into it.” He glanced over at Kayura who blushed.
Mia was glad Dais and Kayura still had their “understanding” (first mentioned in SW4: Wrath of the Aesir), even though they didn’t seem to be a very demonstrative couple. Mia had never once seen them kiss, hug, or even hold hands. Oh, well. That was their own business. She looked around again. “Somebody’s missing.”
Trace spoke up. “Anubis, Astarte, and Jack went to cut down some trees.”
Kento scratched his head. “But they didn’t take any equipment.”
Trace smirked. “They don’t need any. Anubis thought it might help Jack learn more control if he used his lightning to knock down some trees. Astarte’s going to chop them into smaller pieces—with her hand no doubt--and carry them back.”
Mia shook her head. “Well as long as they don’t knock the trees down this way onto the house, that’s a great idea.”
Kento was sulking. “So we’re over here doing all the hard work and Anubis just tags along with them? Man, what a cream-puff job.”
Zoe elbowed him in the ribs. “Hey! Don’t forget how dangerous Jack’s lightning can be. Would you rather have gone along instead? Remember when he almost struck you with a stray bolt when we went looking for Zane?” (see SW4: Wrath of the Aesir)
“Oh, yeah. Um…right. I think I’ll stay here with the sandwiches.”
Trace volunteered to go get them since he would be able to track them easily in the woods. “We’ll try to hurry back before Kento eats all the food.” He took off running.
“Hey! Can I help it if Mia and Kayura didn’t make enough?” Mia stepped on his foot. “OW!”
Dais looked at Kayura. “Ah, just like home. Only with less blood.” He turned at a sound behind him. Sekhmet was walking towards them from the trees. “Will wonders never cease? Now if Kale shows up, I will truly think the world is coming to an end. I am surprised to see you here, Sekhmet. You are just in time for sandwiches.”
Sekhmet completely ignored him. “Kayura. I must speak to you.” He glared at the others. “Alone.”
“Um…sure.” The two of them went around the side of the house.
“I need you to use the Staff to help me clarify my thoughts and bring my memories to the surface. Anubis once told me that the Ancient used it in such a way when he helped him overcome Talpa’s influence.”
“Yes, it can do that. But Mia is actually much better at bringing hidden things to the surface than the Staff. We should ask her to…”
“No! I do not yet feel comfortable around the Ronins and Sentinels. You I know. You must do it. And I must ask that you only release the images buried in my mind—you yourself must not examine them. I must have your word.”
Kayura looked at his pale face, his desperate eyes. “Alright. You have my word. Sit down.”
Sekhmet sat in the grass and crossed his legs. He took several steadying breaths. Kayura held the Staff aloft as its rings began to twirl and clink. A bright flash momentarily blinded Sekhmet. Suddenly his thoughts became clearer, his memories more accessible. He wished there had been another way to find the location of the H’ris. He doubled over as too many things best forgotten flooded his mind. His gasps for air alarmed Kayura.
“Sekhmet? Are you ok?”
“I…I am fine.” He began to take slow, deep breaths, quickly regaining his composure. Sekhmet stood up and brushed himself off. “Thank you.” He turned and started walking away.
“Sekhmet, did you find what you were looking for?”
“That and more.” In a harsh whisper he added, “Too much more.” He disappeared into the woods.