Family Debts 1
Family Debts

By Janime

Part One

"Father," she pleaded, and the man seemed to go limp, an expression on his face that caused terror to well up in him. Something was going to happen, he had to protect her, the baby...
It all seemed to happen at once, in one horrible moment. Herke shouted, "No! I'd rather see you die than see you marry the demon!" He pulled a dagger from his belt and threw it just as Sekhmet realized what he was doing and turned, trying to shield her with his body. He was too slow, too late. Time froze as the dagger left Herke's hand, as he tried to spin around. There was no sound, complete silence…
And then time resumed, sound resumed, and Lyonta gave a strangled scream and sank in his arms, fingers slipping in the blood pouring from her chest.

Sekhmet shot upright in his bed, gasping, and covered with sweat. He took a few deep breaths to calm his rapidly beating heart, then shakily wiped his hands down his face.
If there is one memory I could ever erase from my mind, he thought, that would be the one. Lyonta…
Over four hundred years and Sekhmet still remembered her. Lyonta helped him while he was living in the evil part of the forest not far from their clan village. The day she told him that she loved him; it scared him at first because he thought someone like him could never understand love. But Sekhmet soon realized that he was in love with Lyonta and it thrilled him when she told him she was pregnant. After the massive shock, of course. He never felt so happy before in his life.
But all good things come to an end, Sekhmet thought bitterly, forced to remember Lyonta's father stabbing her, and her dying in his arms. Did Talpa find out about us, somehow? Sekhmet wondered. Is that how her father knew?
He stood up from his bed and walked over to the small table. A watch, a wallet, and a set of keys to Mia's house, just a few small items that were necessary in the Mortal Realm rested there. Behind the knickknacks was a picture of Chadih. Sekhmet picked up the photo of his daughter and smiled sadly. If only Lyonta was alive to see their daughter.
"Daddy?"
Sekhmet looked and saw Chadih standing in the doorway leading to her room. She looked frightened.
"Chadih," Sekhmet put the photo on the table. "What's wrong?"
The little girl quickly walked to her father. He picked her up.
"I had a scary dream," whimpered Chadih.
"Don't cry," said her father as he sat in a chair, resting her in his lap. "It's all right. Tell me about it."
"There were three ladies," Chadih began. "Two were dressed in dark clothes; one was protecting me, and the other one had a sword and she was yelling at the third lady. I think it was about me."
Sekhmet began to feel worried about this and asked, "What did the other lady look like?"
"She looked like Grandpa," his daughter answered. "But her hair was different colors like mine is."
It couldn't be… Sekhmet thought uneasily.
Chadih looked up at her father. "Daddy?"
Sekhmet smiled down at her. "It was just a dream, Chadih," he said. "Don't you worry about it. Now you get back to bed. You have school tomorrow."
"Will you tuck me in?" Chadih asked.
"Of course I will." Sekhmet carried Chadih back to her room, laying her on her bed. He stayed with his daughter until he was sure she was asleep. A light smile on her face told Sekhmet that she was probably dreaming about butterflies and ponies. Sekhmet left her room and returned to his own bed.
"She looked like Grandpa," Chadih's words returned to him. "But her hair was different colors like mine is."
Sekhmet closed his eyes briefly. "Kiyaa," he whispered in disgust. "Damn it." He turned onto his side and began to drift off to sleep; silently praying that the dream Chadih had was only a bad dream and nothing more.

Pain… it hurt… How did he know? It's cold… my love… I lost… my child… so cold… so dark… I'm not afraid… but where am I? Ah! Ground… hard and cold… it's freezing here… there's light… what? A blanket? But how? Who? "Who…?"
"There are some things you must do for me before I can release you."

Sekhmet got out of the jeep and walked towards the main entrance to Lee Chang Elementary School. Just after finishing lunch, he had gotten a call from the principal asking him to come to the school. He was worried only a little bit. A couple of weeks ago, a boy that was two grades ahead of Chadih was picking on her and she slugged him in his jaw, knocking out two teeth. The boy's mother wasn't surprised – she knew her son had it coming – but was completely shocked that it was a girl, let alone younger than her son.
Sekhmet pulled the door open and walked to the principal's office. There was a police officer talking to Mrs. Kim, who was Chadih's teacher, and the principal's secretary. Chadih was sitting in a chair, her backpack next to her, swinging her legs and playing with her bracelet.
"Excuse me," said Sekhmet.
"Oh, Mr. Naaza," said Mrs. Kim. "I'm so glad you're here."
Chadih waved. "Hi, Daddy."
"Hi, sweetie," he said. "I'll be with you in a minute." He turned back to the others. "What's wrong?"
"Some woman tried taking your daughter off the playground," said the officer.
"What?!" Sekhmet exclaimed.
"I don't know who she was," said Mrs. Kim. "We finished lunch and went to the playground and… it was like she appeared out of nowhere. I called all the children away from her and she tried to grab Chadih. I stopped her and got right in her face and told her to leave. I have to admit that was a great make-up job she had on."
Sekhmet felt his insides tighten. "What did this woman look like?"
"She had medium-length red, black, white, and yellow hair, brown eyes – I wonder where she got that kind of contact lenses, her outfit was unique, and it looked like she had scales on the sides of her face and arms."
Damn her, Sekhmet thought and inhaled deeply.
"You wouldn't happen to know who she is, would you?" asked the officer.
Sekhmet shook his head. "Can't say that I do. If you don't mind, I'd like to take Chadih home for the rest of the day."
"That's what the principal suggested," said the secretary. "Everything's set. All you have to do is sign the early release form." She went to her desk, picked up the clipboard and pen, and handed them to Sekhmet.
I'm glad Cale taught me how to read and write, Sekhmet thought as he signed his name. "Come on, Chadih," he called, handing back the clipboard. "Let's go home."
Chadih jumped off the chair, picked up her backpack, walked over to her father, and was lifted into his arms.
"You're lucky, Chadih," Mrs. Kim said. "You're leaving early on a Friday and starting your weekend early, too."
"Yeah," said Chadih. "But I have to come back Monday."
Sekhmet laughed. "Just a few more weeks and you'll have the whole summer to run around." He looked at Mrs. Kim. "Thank you for calling me."
"When things like this happen," she said. "You'll hear it faster than the wind can carry it."
Sekhmet nodded at her and left the school. He walked to the jeep, opened the driver's door, putting Chadih inside. She climbed over to the passenger seat and Sekhmet got in.
"Put your seatbelt on," he said.
Chadih fastened the buckle and Sekhmet started driving back to Mia's house.
"Daddy, the woman that was on the playground," said Chadih. "She was in my dream."
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"Because fathers know just about everything." Sekhmet grinned at his daughter.
Chadih laughed and hugged him. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too, Chadih."

Cale searched the house, eventually finding Mia at her computer. "Have you seen Sekhmet?"
"The principal from Chadih's school called," Mia answered, not looking up from the monitor.
"Uh-oh," Cale grinned. "Whose teeth did our manadeshi knock out this time?"
Mia looked at him. "Actually, he told me they didn't say what was wrong. All they did was ask him to go to the school. I let him borrow my jeep."
Cale shrugged and went downstairs. He walked into the living room and saw Dayus lying on the small couch, his legs hanging over the armrest, reading a book.
"Did you tell Sekhmet that his father wants to talk to him?" asked Dayus.
"He's not here," said Cale. Dayus looked at him. "He went to Chadih's school."
Dayus smiled. "Who lost the teeth?"
"They didn't say. Mia told me that they wanted Sekhmet to go to the school. For what, who knows."
Dayus returned to his book. "Essah didn't say what he wanted to talk to Sekhmet about either."
"Not like it's any of our business." Cale sat on the other couch and shifted through the pile of mail. He picked up one particular envelope and smiled. "We got a letter from Ryo."
"Read it, read it," encouraged Dayus.
Cale tore the envelope open, unfolded the paper, and read out loud:

Dear Mia, Yuli, Kayura, Dayus, Cale, Sekhmet, Chadih, and White Blaze,
It's pretty hot here, not that I'm complaining unlike my Dad. I guess Wildfire has something to do with me handling the heat so well.
Last week, we saw a whole pack of tigers. If I could, I would bring home a female to be White Blaze's girlfriend. But first, we would definitely have to make her immortal.
By the time you're reading this letter, my Dad and I'll most likely be somewhere in Kenya, looking for a bunch of rhinos. Ancient One, save me.
I really miss being at home with you guys and the other Ronins. I should be back in Japan maybe around Christmas time.
Here are a few pictures of my dad and me, and notice how happy I am. Not. I still say I look like an idiot wearing this safari outfit. Laugh now, but don't make fun of me when I get home.
Take care,
Ryo


Cale pulled out the pictures and started laughing. "He has everything! Including the hat!" Cale passed one of the photos to Dayus and the Warlord of Illusion couldn't help laughing as well.
In the photo, Ryo had on the famous tan colored shorts, shirt, and hat. His father also had the same outfit on, his hand was on Ryo's shoulder, and he was smiling. Ryo's expression, however, was humiliation mixed with disgust.
"I want a copy of this one," Dayus chuckled.
"Better make a few copies," Cale grinned. "I'm sure the other Ronins will want one." He sighed. "It's gotten quiet since they've left."
"Yeah," Dayus agreed. "It's funny. The Ronins somewhat moved out and we somewhat moved in."
"True," nodded Cale. "Rowen is in Germany."
"Kento is in China."
"Sage is in America."
"Cye is in Ireland."
"Ryo is somewhere in Africa." Cale stared at the letter. "Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze are here."
"And Kayura is in the Dynasty." Dayus sat up. "She really doesn't care about being in the Mortal Realm."
"I wonder, when the Ronins come back, will we have to move out?"
Dayus thought for a moment. "Us? Maybe. I think Sekhmet will stay except for the summer because of Chadih." He looked out the window at the sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway, and saw Sekhmet and Chadih get out of the jeep. "And speaking of our manadeshi and her father, here they come."
Father and daughter entered the house, Chadih's laughter making its way through the air.
"Manadeshi," called Dayus. "Was that boy picking on you again?"
Chadih ran into the living room. "He doesn't bother me anymore," she smiled proudly.
"I wonder why," said Cale.
Sekhmet entered. "Chadih, why don't you go get changed and play with White Blaze."
"Okay," said his daughter and she ran upstairs.
Cale looked at Sekhmet. "All right, what happened this time?"
"Someone tried taking Chadih off the playground."
"What?" Dayus asked alarmed. "Who?"
"My guess is that it was Kiyaa." Sekhmet answered. "From the way Chadih's teacher described her, it had to be her."
"Why would she go after Chadih?" asked Cale.
Sekhmet shook his head. "I don't know. But I'm going to talk to Essah, and if I see Kiyaa there, I'm going to say a lot more than words of warning."
"Speaking of Essah," said Dayus. "He sent a message a little while ago and he wants to talk to you."
"About what?"
"He didn't tell us."
Sekhmet tapped the back of the couch for a moment. "I'll be back shortly." He left the house and teleported himself to the realm of the Snake-gods.

{I really think that the two of you should try. I know that you-}
{Let him hate me, Essah. Let him hate me.}

Essah opened his eyes, leaving his trance. He stood up and walked out of his room to the great hall. Sekhmet would be arriving soon, he felt his son's presence enter the Snake-god Realm.
Looking around the hall, Essah saw Xiyaln holding her newborn son, the first full-blooded Snake-god born after so many centuries since Aoi. Essah felt a pang of grief as he thought about her. Aoi was the last born before the war that nearly wiped out all of the Snake-gods. He killed her, releasing her from the everyday torture of her life and magic being drained from her corpse-like body. In a way, part of him died with her.
The hall door opened and Sekhmet entered. Essah smiled and raised his hand in greeting. Sekhmet returned the gesture and his eyes scanned the hall. He watched his son's expression harden and he walked over to a small group near Xiyaln. Essah walked over to them and heard Sekhmet's voice.
"You bitch," he hissed. "If you ever go near her again, I swear to whatever God or gods that are worshiped today, that hell will seem like heaven when I get through with you."
"Where do you get the audacity to speak to me that way?" Kiyaa's voice reached Essah. "You're nothing but-"
"What's going on?" Essah broke in. "Sekhmet?"
Sekhmet looked at his father. "Kiyaa tried taking Chadih at her school today."
"Kiyaa!" said Essah.
"Her name is not 'Chadih'," Kiyaa glared at Sekhmet. "I will call my daughter whatever I wish."
"She is not your daughter!" growled Sekhmet. "You abandoned your daughter when she was only four. You told me that you never gave her a name because you didn't want to become attached to her and then you would eventually forget her. I named her. I marked her. I claimed her as my daughter. I gave her what you should have given her from the moment she born! Your daughter is dead, Kiyaa. Stay away from Chadih."
Kiyaa's eyes started to glow with anger. "How dare you! You half-breed bastard!"
"Be careful how you use the term 'half-breed'," warned Sekhmet. "If I remember correctly, you also said that you consorted with a human and then gave birth."
"Sekhmet," Essah stepped in before either of the two could say anything else. "Please, go wait outside." His son looked at him and then at Kiyaa before leaving the hall. Essah turned to Kiyaa. "What the hell were you thinking? Trying to kidnap Chadih?"
"You can have your son, but I can't have my daughter?" demanded Kiyaa. "Is that how it works?"
"The daughter you gave birth to no longer lives," said Essah. "I was there, Kiyaa."
"She is my daughter. I have the right to claim her." Kiyaa looked at everyone else. "I know that there are others here that were once a parent to a child that was half-human. I know that you'll agree with me. If Essah has his son, I should have my daughter."
Silence hung in the air. Essah spoke, "I understand that those who did have half-breed children envy me because my son is the only half-breed that has lived beyond the age of ten in human years. Some humans cared for them, others didn't. I know that most of you who left your children probably wonder what he or she would have been like if they lived as long as Sekhmet had before he joined the Dynasty. And I'm glad that he is here with me. I'm not saying this to hurt you. Sekhmet is my only child. If you side with Kiyaa believing that she has the right to claim her daughter, I won't be angry with you. But I can't say the same for Sekhmet."
No one said anything.
They'll side with me, smiled Kiyaa. I know they will. If they were given the opportunity to claim their children again, they would. Why should Essah be the only one with a half-human child?
"Kiyaa," said Xiyaln.
"I have my right," said Kiyaa triumphantly.
Xiyaln shook her head. "No," she said. "You do not."
"What?"
"Sekhmet is right." Xiyaln said. "I was a mother to a half-human boy. He wasn't even a year old when I left him by a small river. Like you, Kiyaa, I didn't name him or mark him. I only pray that someone found him and took care of him." She looked at Tarynl, her Match, and then at her baby. "The son I have now will never replace the son I abandoned. It's been at least six hundred years. And everyday I can't help but wonder what he would have been like if he had lived as long as Sekhmet has."
Six hundred years… Essah thought.
Xiyaln continued, "If I was given the chance to claim the son I abandoned all those centuries ago, I wouldn't. Yes, I admit that I carried him and I gave birth to him. But I wouldn't claim him. I lost my right to claim him when I left him by the river. You don't have the right to claim the girl. Sekhmet is right. I should have marked my son the day he was born. Let Sekhmet raise Chadih. She is his daughter."
Some of the Snake-gods voiced their agreement with Xiyaln while others nodded.
"I can't believe what I am hearing." Kiyaa said in disgust. "We're free from Talpa's oppression and you're still groveling before Essah!"
"Essah has nothing to do with this!" shouted Tarynl. "It's true. None of us wanted to see our children become slaves like we were. But I should have marked my daughter and made myself a part in her life like Essah had done with Sekhmet. Her mother loved her, but that didn't stop my daughter from being killed. If I had the opportunity, I wouldn't claim her either. That is my penance for leaving her." He looked at the other Snake-gods. "I think we all can agree that Chadih is better off with Sekhmet. They're both half-human. He has taken care of her for a year now. He is the only parent that she knows and she loves him."
All of them murmured their agreement.
"Then it's decided," said Essah, looking at Kiyaa. "Chadih stays with Sekhmet."
"I will not stand by and watch my daughter be raised by your son." Kiyaa hissed. "If none of you agree with me, fine. At least I have realized that Talpa can't hunt me down anymore. Talpa has been destroyed by the Ronins. What are you afraid of?"
"That history will repeat itself," said Xiyaln. "And we might try to annihilate each other again."
"And be sold out by Essah." Kiyaa snapped.
"I'll admit that his decision was rather extreme," Taryln said. "But even you have to acknowledge the fact that he did save our kind from extinction."
Kiyaa narrowed her eyes at him, knowing that he was right. "If you want to believe that my daughter is better off with Sekhmet, go ahead. But I don't."
"Kiyaa," said Essah. "Listen to me." But the Snake-goddess disappeared. Essah sighed and saw some Snake-gods shake their heads. He walked to the hall doors and went outside, finding his son on the steps.
"Well?" Sekhmet looked up at his father.
Essah sat next to him. "Everyone has agreed that Chadih stays with you."
"Even you?"
"Of course. She's my granddaughter. I'll say it now, I didn't influence anyone."
Sekhmet grinned. Then asked, "What about Kiyaa?"
"Just don't let your guard down." Essah said truthfully.
"That's what I was afraid of." Sekhmet closed his eyes momentarily. "What did you want to see me about?"
"I have something to give you." Essah reached into his pocket and pulled out a small circular pendant with an upside-down triangle engraved on it. "Remember this?"
"Yeah, I do." Sekhmet smiled. "You had that on the day I met you."
Time for truth. Essah toyed with the pendant a little. "It belonged to your mother. She gave this to me the first time we were together. I thought that maybe you should have it, or you can give it to Chadih."
The smile left Sekhmet's face as he looked at the pendant. Sadness filled him, then changed to bitterness. He got to his feet before the bitterness could change to anger. "Give it to Rowen," he said. "He is my half-sister's descendant. It belongs to him, not me."
"You are her first born child, Sekhmet." Essah stood up.
"But I wasn't her favorite. Jynavy was. When I was thrown out of the village and lived in the forest, that was the happiest time of my life. I planned to have a future with Lyonta, but her father found out that she was carrying my child and he killed her. I have my daughter with me now, thanks to you, despite all that I had done to you. But last night I had to see Lyonta die again." Sekhmet turned away. "Before I killed everyone in the village, Jynavy told me that our mother loved me."
"She did."
"No, she didn't. She used me to get her first husband out of the way so she could marry Viraz. And before I killed her, she said that she wished that I had never been born and she should have let Viraz drown me."
"I know, Sekhmet." Essah walked next to his son. "I was inside that soul-orb you put me in. I heard everything when you destroyed the village. It's hard to say anything right when you bring up someone's dark past." He put his hand on Sekhmet's shoulder. "I did want to take you away. I knew what kind of life you would have there. But the only place I could bring you was the Dynasty. And if I had brought you somewhere else, Talpa would have found you and brought you into the Dynasty a lot sooner. I was told what would happen if I ever had a son. I didn't want you to become a Dark Warlord of the Dynasty. But you did and you are the Warlord of Venom. I guess it was inevitable. There's really no sense trying to stop what Fate has planned for us, is there?"
Sekhmet looked at Essah. "Why didn't she kill me? Because of you?"
"Partially," his father answered. "There's another reason, but I'll tell you some other time."
"I'm used to that by now." Sekhmet walked down the steps and stopped. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I would like the two of you to try," said Essah.
"It's too late for that." Sekhmet shook his head and returned to Mia's house.
Essah looked at the pendant and closed his hand over it. "It is never too late, my son."

Kiyaa sat on a stone pillar overlooking a small town surrounded by trees. Pitiful humans, she thought. My daughter is half-human, but her Snake-goddess blood makes her worthier than any of you. Her father was unworthy to be with me. I did care for him, though. But if you humans can reclaim the children you abandoned, so shall I.
"I never thought I would see another one of your kind again," a male voice said.
Kiyaa turned around and saw no one. "Who's there?" she demanded. A beam of energy shot at her. Kiyaa quickly moved out of the way and hovered in the air. "You have just made a big mistake."
"I'm only testing your strength," said the invisible attacker.
Kiyaa was getting annoyed. "I do not wish to play such childish games," she called out. "I prefer to see my opponents before I kill them."
"See me, you shall." He appeared floating in the air a few meters away from her. He was wearing dark modern human clothing with a hooded cloak around his shoulders, his hair was even black and white streaks, and his eyes were as dark as the night sky. But his face, handsome as it was and looked human, had a look that was too beautiful to be human. "Satisfied?" he asked.
"Who and what are you?" demanded Kiyaa.
He smiled and pulled up the sleeve on his left arm, holding it up so that she could see the crisscross pattern starting on the back of his hand and traveled up his arm, disappearing beneath his sleeve.
Kiyaa's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible," she said. "Your kind has been dead for thousands of years. When I was still a child they died."
"You're wrong. One survived and I am his son. I am half-human like your daughter and so is my sister. But she doesn't have the same view as I do. One of your kind killed my father and turned my sister against me."
"So you wish to kill all Snake-gods in retaliation?" Kiyaa asked. "Well, you won't start with me!" She summoned her power and attacked.
Such power she has, he thought, blocking her attack. Stronger than the legends I've heard about them.
They continued to battle for many hours. Kiyaa threw a fireball at him. Her aim was true and when the smoke cleared, he was gone. Kiyaa stood on the ground and smiled. "Foolish."
"Indeed you are."
Before Kiyaa could move, he grabbed her hair and held a sword at her throat.
"You resemble the belly-crawling reptile," he said. "I don't. But I can be just as silent and deadly."
"Go ahead and kill me then," said Kiyaa, sensing her defeat.
"I wanted to," he said. "But I don't now. Even though you are a Snake-goddess, I see that you are more like me. You think like I do." He lowered the sword, but didn't release her hair. "Why don't we form a partnership?"
"A partnership?" asked Kiyaa, amusement in her voice. "What makes you think I'd side with you?"
He turned her so that they were looking into each other's eyes. "You help me get what I want," he said. "I'll help you get what you want."
"And just what is it that you want, and what I want?"
"You help me get the man that killed my father, I'll help you reclaim your daughter."

"The Snake-goddess that tried to kidnap the girl has joined your brother."
"That's not like him. He hates the Snake-gods with a passion. But still, if they can serve his purpose he'll use them to his own extent. We better keep an eye on them."

Manadeshi = teacher's pet / favorite pupil