Fuse.

KAOS

It was not hard to find Dhiji's restaurant. It was bigger than most of the restaurants in the area and I could also make out his unique scent from the others. I burst into the building and basically everything stopped to look at me.

"oh dear!" a worker quipped worriedly, making his way towards me. "all our slots are booked, ma'am...you would have to book another..." I grabbed his hand and immediately wormed my way into his mind.

"Sorry, human but I need to see Mr Smith...it is of Utmost importance he sees me...Tell him it is Kaos" The worker turned on his heel without a word and entered a door leading to where Dhiji was.

A minute later, Dhiji came running out, all eyes were trailed on both of us. He had flour patches on his shirt and face which was twisted with worry.

"How the fuck did you find the restaurant?" he blurted.

"Not important right now...It is your brother, I will brief you on the way..." I pulled him out of the restaurant after allowing him to give a few orders for his workers to carry on until his return.

"what is happening, Naga?" he didn't start the car. "what happened to my brother" That broke the dam holding back my tears. I covered my face with my arm and wept. "it's okay, talk to me"

"He was poisoned" I stated inbetween sobs

"what the fuck? how? by whom?"

"Neema, but she was possessed by a dangerous god" I knew he was raging inside, his calm demeanor could not fool me.

"Where is she? I'm calling the police!" he fumbled for his phone which I stopped him from taking.

"No! I can fix it...i just need you to take Dhara and run as far away as possible. I can not protect him and fight at the same time...so please...you may be in danger too but we do not know that yet but to avoid that... please..." I burst into tears again.

"which hospital did you take him?"

"a what?" I wiped my face.

"Ah, nevermind. Let's go!"

DHIJI

My heart raced as I drove to my brother's apartment. How could this have happened? Why would Neema do this? I can't lose my brother, not now not ever.

I didn't bother parking, I bolted out of the car with Naga in tow. I got into the room and I just couldn't take any more steps towards him.

My brother looked white as sheet, i could feel how much pain he was in as i watched him trashed around the bed. The woman beside him, probably the nurse was trying to calm him down.

"give him a sedative or something! can't you see he's in pain? what kind of nurse are you?" I yelled, pushing her off of him.

"How dare you!" she growled at me, clearly feeling insulted "Who is this insolent human, my lady?"

"His brother...Strife, this is Dhiji Smith...Dhiji, this is Strife, she's a goddess too... I asked her to protect him while I came to find you"

"I'm so sorry...pardon my rudeness"

"hmph!" She looked away, not acknowledging me further.

"I will need you to go with Strife to a safe place... it would be disastrous if Inke or Neema finds him...She knows where to go...we have no time to waste!" I made to lift my brother but Kaos and the woman, Strife stopped me with a look of horror plastered on their faces.

"what?"

"he is extremely fragile, right now... I'll do the lifting" Kaos stepped around me and carefully wrapped him in the sheets before lifting him like he weighed nothing. I forgot she could do that.

She laid him down at the back seat, Strife got in front with me, without so much as a word. I mentally berated myself...For the second time, I have disrespected a goddess.

"I'll come find you when it's over...see you" Naga stared briefly at Dhara before stepping away from the car.

"Take care, my lady" Strife mouthed and Naga waved.

I revved up the car and off we went.

"Can you tell me where we're headed?" She didn't speak, she just hesitantly placed her hand on the GPS and the device beeped. "how'd you do that?"

"It is a normal for a god to be able to interact with everything around them be it alive or dead or in between" she explained, flexing her fingers as she did.

"I see." I gripped the wheel "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier...i didn't know who you were but that is not an excuse for me to behave like that" That seem to alleviate some tension between us.

"Good, you know your wrong. Apology accepted" She smiled "you do not look much like your brother"

"yeah, I've been told" I laughed a little "so what are you doing here on earth?"

"I quit my job as one of the escort for the god of war" She sighed.

"oh...that's um...new. You can quit?" I'm not sure I quite get what you gods and goddesses can and can't do. "it's like a job, being a god?"

"Yes actually, for minor gods like me. We attach ourselves to gods that need our help and we get paid with time...this helps us to keep existing"

"so...world war one and the subsequent wars?"

"Yes... fueled it."

"oh wow...did someone usually pray for it"

"a lot of people... powerful people still do up to this day and age...just to fill their pockets and show dominance and power...it got boring, my boss is a terrible god so I quit... I am independent now and that is why I'm on earth"

"So goddess of Strife?"

"yes...if a man wants war... he would have to accept everything it comes with, do you understand?"

"yes I do"

"now, step on it" she ordered and I found myself obeying.

NEEMA

"you're just a pawn... there would be no one to help you....you will fall...he won't give in....i don't love you...." I scratched my ears trying to shut the horrible voices out. Inke is true to his word..he wouldn't do anything to me...right?

whatever anyway... I share his power...i can take him out if i want, I can become a god too.

"ugh..." he is finally awake. I rushed to him to help him up but he just swatted my hands away. I laugh bitterly.

"you'll have to learn to accept me...whether you like it or not" I got up, away from him.

"keeping me hostage won't make me fall in love with you...nothing ever will!" he spat

"well then, I guess i have to kill her then...no one can have you if I can't" i giggled and then laughed but stopped short when i heard him laugh too "what?" worry washed over me for a second

"Kill her?" he had a good time laughing "you have no fucking idea who you're messing with, Neema" his face was devoid of emotions now "you really don't value your life... what about your mom? don't you can about her anymore? stop this madness and return to her, I'm sure she's worried sick"

"My mom..." I turned around " she's dead...I killed her...she was nagging and nagging and I had to shut her up" I shook and my lips spread into a wide grin and comically, I felt a fuse blow up in my mind.

I think I've finally lost it...my mind.