Enid parried Ara’s blow deftly then swept his leg while swinging with her off hand. He ended up on his back and looking up at her. He groaned and shifted. Enid offered sheathed her sword and offered her hand. He reached up and took it.

“For two years we have trained together Enid-chan and still you can outmaneuver me with ease.”

“That’s because even after two years your eyes linger on my chest.”

He bowed to her. She returned it.

“Am I not allowed to appreciate my wife?”

Enid blushed and pushed her platinum blonde hair behind her hears. The Sarah shape had become her form for the last two years. She’d almost forgotten it wasn’t her real form. She glanced around, seeing no one watching she pressed against Ara and kissed him. He wrapped his arm the small of her back and pulled her closer.

“I am the luckiest man alive. No other woman can match your beauty, wits, or skill.”

“You say the nicest things, husband.”

Enid groaned when she heard Hazel’s voice.

“Eew. Get a room.”

Ara released Enid and looked to Hazel.

“Daughter. You are as stealthy as ever.”

“I only used what you taught me.”

Ara laughed, then he glanced at the setting sun.

“It is time for supper.”

He wrapped his arms around Enid and Hazel.

“Actually, I was going…to go for a walk.”

Hazel glanced at her mother and then to the full moon. Enid nodded in response.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“So basically, do whatever I feel like?”

Enid sighed.

“Be careful.”

“Yes mom.”

Hazel walked off towards the woods.

“She is a strange girl. Every full moon she wants to run wild.”

“It’s the best time for night hunting. I’ve told you.”

“Yes, but it is no wonder men don’t glance at her as I do you.”

“I’m okay with that.”

Ara laughed and the pair wandered to Kimo’s home and Enid went inside and picked up their baby daughter Miko. Enid hugged the child close and smiled at Ara who smiled at her. The girl had green eyes, but darker skin then her mother. Her hair took after her father’s Asian heritage. She was a beautiful baby.

“She seems happy today.”

“Yes, she likes Kimo.”

“To think she’s almost a full year old. Why do you think her eyes have turned green?”

Enid blushed slightly.

“I told you this isn’t my true form I was stuck in it when I…lost my powers. My true form has green eyes, just like hers.”

“I wish I could see you as you truly are.”

“I am truly this now, my love.”

*****

Enid stirred her gift was going wild. She could sense it coming before it hit, and she moved her head just in time to evade the arrow that pierced her pillow. She reached out to shake Ara but she saw the two arrows were already sticking out of him. He wasn’t breathing. Her first instinct was to scream in a rage, but she held it in, her pack wasn’t nearby, and she had no weapons. She was naked. She wished she had her vampire powers again, but as was usual for the last two years she was completely bereft of them. She could hear Miko crying. Her husband was gone but her daughter was still alive…for now. She closed her eyes and let her gift guide her. In her minds eye she the door opening and hand reaching through with a blowgun reaching through. She positioned herself ready to grab the arm that would come through. The door opened and the hand came through. She grabbed the arm, then the tube of the blowgun and shoved it backwards. Ramming it down the throat of her assailant. He started gagging almost immediately. She shoved it harder then put her mouth over the tube and blew. Then she stuck him in the sternum. He started to shudder. The toxin wouldn’t be kind. She gently let the body down to the floor.

She peeked out of her door she saw two of others heading towards her children’s rooms. Hazel’s would be empty. She grabbed a dagger from the boot of the one she’d killed and threw it at the one heading towards Miko’s room and hit him in the throat. He tried to make a noise but just gurgles came out the one going into Hazel’s room had a sword out. Enid crept up behind him and jabbed him in four pressure points in quick succession. He went down and was struggling to move but she’d paralyzed him temporarily. She’d learned a few tricks from her ninja husband.

She grabbed his bow and arrows and crept out. She closed her eyes again and focused on her gift of foresight. She tried to picture where there arrows would come from when she walked outside. She saw two arrows fly towards her and where they would hit. She walked out and as the arrows flew evaded them and launched two of her own killing her assailants. No more attacks came her way. It had been a five-man crew. She stood up and walked back inside.

Enid went straight to Miko’s room. Her one-year-old daughter was in good health but crying. She turned to the one who was turning blue from lack of breath. He wouldn’t last much longer. She disarmed him then hit the pressure points to release him. Her calm had been swept away with the last vestiges of the battle and now the rage would come. They had killed her husband, tried to kill her child, and her. Retribution would shortly come to whomever ordered it.

She knelt beside the last living assailant and ripped his mask off. She didn’t recognize his face, but she recognized the look on it. Terror. He knew who and what she was, and knew she wasn’t the forgiving kind.

“You will tell me who sent you. There are worse things then death and I am quite capable of all of them. Especially when someone kills the people I love.”

He bit down and then bit down again. Enid laughed and held up the tablet he thought he was using to kill himself. She shook her head.

“You’re not getting off that easily you insignificant mortal cow.”

She punched him in the face. Then shoved him over and bound his hands and feet. He struggled against her, but she was adept at using pressure to force a body to do what she wanted even without super strength.

“Oh, we’re going to have a lot of fun, you and I. I was looking forward to spending another fifty years with my husband, you cost me that, so you’re going to be punished for every single year. Then once that’s done, I’ll start the real questioning.”

She tied a gag around his mouth and lashed his legs and arms together leaving him hog tied and gagged in a closet. Enid patted him on the back of the head and pulled on a robe before sounding the alarm bell at the compound. She rushed back to pick up Miko. Her daughter was scared and hungry. She rocked her in her arms before slipping her Robe aside to feed her. Enid sat on the wooden steps to her home. The Shogan’s men arrived shortly afterwards led by Toyo.

“Enid why have you sounded the alarm?”

“We were attacked, Ara was killed. I killed the ones I found but there may be more. They were after Miko.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Enid, I see the look in your face. You cannot do what you’re thinking. You have a baby.”

“It’s a matter of honor.”

“You are under my father’s protection. He will deal with this.”

Enid frowned. Toyo motioned to his men who scattered in pairs. Soon Ara’s body along with the four Enid had killed were laying on the grass. Toyo sat on his horse watching Enid closely.

“Where is the survivor?”

“What survivor?”

“My men saw tracks from five men on the riverbank. There are only four here.”

“Then the other one escaped.”

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Toyo frowned.

“Not from you. You are the most dangerous weapon in my father’s arsenal because you are through and ruthless. Where is he Enid? If you don’t tell me I’ll have my men search the house.”

Enid frowned.

“In my closet.”

“What were you planning on doing?”

“Punishing him for each year he cost me with my husband then torturing him to find out who send the men after my family.”

Toyo frowned.

“And after that?”

“Wiping out every man, woman and child from their clan, then doing the same to the people who hired them. No one hurts the people I love and lives. What else would I do?”

Toyo’s eyes went wide Enid felt Miko suckling but then the child started to cry as the milk dried up rapidly. The horses and the men started to get skittish. Enid hadn’t felt it but in her rage she’d shed her humanity again and the full effect of an angry goddess was radiating from her. She rocked Miko looking down at her hungry daughter blood tears dripping down her cheeks. Her anger…was her greatest enemy. Toyo backed his horse up.

“I did not see it… I did not understand. You… you… are a goddess. I am sorry. You may do as you wish with him.”

He waved to his men to release their prisoner. Enid rocked Miko and walked to the man and looked down into his eyes. She let her will press into him. His eyes were wide with terror. Enid felt the power well in her and he screamed.

“Did you think you could steal my baby? Did you think you had a chance of killing me? Tell me everything now!”

He screamed and blood started to seep from his nose.

“I am from the Haga clan. We were hired by the Chinese emperor. He wanted the child of a goddess…”

Enid was furious. She knew she couldn’t go kill the emperor of China it would rip the timeline to pieces. She screamed and in her fury the man’s ribcage imploded. Blood gushed from his mouth as his organs were obliterated from the pressure. Toyo and his men backed away, some started to vomit. Enid without realizing it lapsed into English.

“Fuck.”

Enid pulled her robe up and held Miko to her. The almost one year old apparently was full enough and snuggled her mother’s robe. Toyo looked to her.

“We will…dispose of the mess and have your husband prepared for his funeral.”

He bowed his head to Enid. She returned the bow. The men all of whom Enid was on a first name basis were looking at her with new eyes. She was no longer the friendly, wife, mother and samurai but something far more frightening. Enid walked inside and curled up in Hazel’s bed letting Miko sleep beside her. She found herself staring at the wall her immortality returning meant her inability to sleep also had returned. So she was stuck there beside her sleeping daughter with the dead face of her husband stuck in her minds eye. She blinked slowly and tried to will herself back to mortality but found she could not.

“What the fuck are you playing at?”

She glanced towards the ceiling as if God would respond. As usual she was met with silence. She felt more blood tears creeping down her face. She would have no vengeance for her husband, go after the clan or the Chinese emperor would just mess the timeline up and how many would suffer to make her feel better? She felt a tiny hand wrap around her fingers she looked down and her eyes met her Miko’s who smiled at her and giggled. Enid smiled.

“It is the time for little girls to be asleep.”

Enid reached out her other hand and started gently tickling her daughter’s back. A few minutes later she felt the girl’s grip loosen on her finger as her eyes closed. Enid sighed. She looked at Miko again. Her daughter would not be safe. Not with an emperor after her. She couldn’t crush him like an ant as much as she wanted, she had no way of stopping him chasing after her if they remained in Asia, but she also couldn’t take her daughter anywhere else. She couldn’t travel through time with a baby. She had no where to turn. Besides…Taichai. She sighed again.

“What is it going to cost me?”

*****

Enid was helping Miko eat breakfast when she heard the loud footsteps of Hazel as she rushed into the house. She was about to say something but the look on her mother’s face gave her all the answers she needed. Hazel wordlessly wrapped her large arms around her mother and hugged her tightly.

“I’m so sorry mom. Do you know who was responsible?”

Enid wrapped her pale hand around her daughter’s tanned forearm and nodded.

“When do we leave?”

“We don’t. We can’t risk the timeline…”

“Bullshit. They hurt us, we hurt them back, that’s what you taught me mom.”

“The price is too high.”

Hazel released her mother and started to pace.

“Who was it?”

“The Emperor of China, he apparently wanted to add the daughter of a goddess to his collection. I don’t think he realized it meant that he’d have to snatch her from a goddess. One who cannot strike back without…doing exactly what she’s been sent to… undo.”

“He can’t just get away with this! You always told me wealth and power should never be allowed to cover up crimes!”

Enid stroked Miko’s hair the girl was starting to get agitated with Hazel’s raised voice.

“Shh, Miko, she’s just upset, we all are.”

Hazel noticed the exchange and stopped her face falling.

“I’m sorry mom.”

“I understand. I feel the same way but there is nothing I can that will not damage the timeline. He’s not getting away with it because he’s powerful he’s getting away with it because we shouldn’t even be here right now. I love Miko, but really…in the timeline…she… you know. I should have never been married to Ara.”

“Mom, you’re human, you fall in love.”

“Not anymore.”

Miko tugged at Enid’s nipple. Enid sighed.

“I’m sorry Miko, there is no more milk.”

Enid offered another spoon of the rice pudding she’d made Miko gobbled it up.

“What are we going to do mom?”

“The only thing we can do, go to Taichai. He’s an angel.”

“That fat fish face?”

“He’s out of God’s grace but he can still alter reality. Maybe he can…make people forget Miko exists, or who her mother was, or I don’t know, I’m grasping at straws here. No where in Asia is safe and I can’t exactly take her to Europe. She’s half Asian. I can’t mix the gene pools yet.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means that Europe and Japan aren’t interbreeding for a few hundred years, so I can’t leave a half European baby here anymore then I can leave a half-Asian child in England.”

“Well lets just try to go the future.”

“No!”

“Why?”

“Hazel, have you aged since we left home?”

“No, but I’m fully grown.”

“No Hazel, you’re stuck in the body of fifteen/sixteen-year-old. The same will happen to Miko. Only she will be a baby forever. You can…at least have a life.”

Hazel blinked at her mother.

“Taichai explained it. I…I didn’t tell you and I should have. You’re stuck in the body you had the day we left its why… why your cycle stopped.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you can’t have children, you’ll never get older and I have no idea how to fix it.”

“You’re immortal, you’re fine.”

“Yes, but I… I was an adult when I was turned… made immortal, you will always have the brain of a teenager. You’ll never fully develop, its why we’re not allowed to turn teenagers and children hon.”

Hazel stared at her mother for several seconds then stormed out. Enid sighed. She looked into Miko’s eyes. Her daughter looked back and crawled then stood up reaching up to her. Enid scooped her up.

“Mama.”

Enid quirked her head to the side. Her daughter’s first word. She smiled.

“Miko.”

*****

Enid put Miko down and she walked to Kimo. Kimo picked her up and smiled at Enid.

“She’s walking now?”

Enid nodded.

“She even called me mama.”

Enid tugged her armor’s gloves on. Lucius was strapped to her back. She glanced back at the setting sun.

“Are you going to war Enid-chan?”

“Yes sister-in-law, I am.”

Kimo frowned slightly.

“You should let the men handle it.”

“Hazel is right, If I’m not true to myself, I am setting a bad example for Miko and Her. I will be back in the morning. She could probably use some milk…mine has dried up.”

“Enid-chan, you told Ara that you hung up your sword and armor for good once Miko was born.”

“And then they killed him. If I don’t do something they’ll keep coming after her. They took the choice away from me sister.”

“Be careful Enid-chan.”

“Nothing can hurt me now, Kimo-chan.”

Kimo’s eyes went wide and Enid lept into the air. She started accelerating she wrapped the a time bubble around herself and she flashed forward creating a sonic boom. With in minutes she was doing a hero landing in front of the Chinese emperor’s palace gates. She shouted at the men watching the wall. She spoke in their language.

“Your emperor dared covet my child, he must now pay the price for his hubris! Prepare yourselves for battle! In one turn of an hourglass I will be coming for him!”

The alarm was sounded bells rang and she heard men rushing out from the barracks. Arrows were launched at her, and she used her telekinesis to turn the rain of arrows aside. They didn’t bother with a second volley.

Umm, just, so we’re clear, you’re letting him get his army ready?

“Yes dear. When I crush them under my boots he will see the folly of his choices.”

Yes but won’t obliterating his…royal guard cause a dent in the timeline as you call it?

“I’m not going to kill them. I’m going to part them like Moses parted the red sea.”

I liked your don’t do anything plan better dear.

“But then I wouldn’t be me.”

I was hoping… you had grown out of being you.

“If they killed you, would you not want me to seek vengeance?”

No I’d rather you care for our daughter.

“If I do nothing Hazel will do something, I’m just here to put the fear of…well me in them.”

Enid’s smart watch told her an hour had passed. She swept her hand forward and blew the massive metal gates off their hinges. The slammed to the ground and she walked through them. Arrayed before her was a thousand men in armor.

“You may surrender now and no harm will come to you.”

The general at their head laughed. Enid reached out her hand and flicked her finger in his direction he went flying backwards and slammed into a wooden pillar smashing it. He shifted slowly. The army took a collective step back. Enid stepped forward and spoke again.

“I am a goddess you ants! Move or be crushed beneath my boot heel!”

Laying it on a bit thick aren’t you?

Enid grinned she was eager to let her anger loose. She could feel the power of her blood welling up in her as if her body was just as eager to let the power out. She jumped in the air and did another super hero landing in the middle of the army unleashing a telekinetic blast that left a small crater and sent the men around her flying into the palace’s outer wall. Not a single man was standing. The stone pillars that made up the grand entrance shattered causing the roof to collapse. She stepped over the rubble her platinum blonde hair flowing in the rush of air as it rushed to fill the void her blast had caused. There was a loud clap that shattered more of the artistic stone around the palace’s courtyard. The inner doors were barred before her.

“Quaint.”

She waved her hand and blow them off their hinges smashing several people behind them and more statues. She walked over the fallen soldiers. The remaining men who were standing guard started to run. Enid waved her arms sending them flying into walls, more out of spite then any necessity.

“Oh, little Emperor, where are you hiding? Show yourself and I’ll be gentle, make me tear your palace apart piece by piece we’re going to have more problems!”

Enid, you need to calm down.

“Lucius… have you never heard the statement, never tell an angry woman to calm down?”

Enid looked around the foyer she saw a woman flee into a hallway and ran in that direction. She felt her power leave her and started to choak as gas filled the room. The world started to spin around her and she fell on her back looking up at a gem that radiated with the light of the sun.

“Fuck.”

Her eyes closed and the world went black.