Chapter 12

He was torn between watching her and following his team. As if being heard, his vision split into two. One side showed the Eagle team and the other showed his team. 

His team hadn't been discovered yet using the ensuing confusion to their advantage. As the alarm had already been tripped there was no need for stealth anymore. 

They rushed down the hall and Violette got on her knees, tampering with the electronic keypad in vain. Juma pushed her aside and connected a palm-sized screen to the keypad. 

A beep was heard and the door opened to reveal ten guards waiting on the other side guns raised. 

Howard finally saw the chemistry between the team. Winjoy raised up her hand quickly just as the first sputter of gunfire was heard. The bullets stopped a centimetre away from her as they struck her defensive barrier. 

Violette pulled out her blade and sliced the three nearest guards who never saw what killed them. 

Frank threw a punch that blew away a number of them and the remaining one slammed away by Magnarr's shock waves. 

All that happened in under a minute and not a single soul was left standing. The group hurried through the large atrium ignoring all the covered artefacts headed for the single one that wasn't encased in glass. 

Juma stepped forward and examined it. He removed his glasses, pocketing them. Howard felt the aura change around him. He stretched his hand and firmly grabbed the blue and golden egg. 

Howard expected his hands to be burned by imaginary lasers. He soon found out that there were indeed lasers surrounding the Fabergé egg. 

With that done the team started to head back but stopped when the Eagle team appeared at the doorway. 

Howard had been so engrossed with his team that he had forgotten to keep tabs on the others. 

Lynx stood at the forefront and she beckoned at Juma to drop the egg. Her teammates had all trained their guns on Howard's team. 

But Howard sensed something else, and so did his team because he felt all their PSIs flare up dominating the lower side of the room. 

The air around one of the men started to shimmer and a figure stepped forth from the portal. 

Instinctively, Howard managed to put up a PSI that he never knew he had as he watched Nyota Kusni appear. 

He wanted to warn his team but even before he did he saw Violette shake her head slightly. 

So that little assassin had felt his presence from the very start. 

"Well Christmas comes early to me, not only do I get the Chanticleer but I will also manage to finally exterminate five rats that have been a pain in my neck."

"I don't know if you know the value of that item though I doubt you do. You people only steal for money, I would have offered more than what you are being offered but you guys have been a pain in my neck for too long."

Howard felt all the five gear up ready to fight to the death, he didn't know if they knew they didn't stand a chance against a demigod. 

{But you do.} 

"Aah, unlike that little pest who died without a fight, what was his name, Howard... It was no fun killing..."

At that moment, three people reacted and attacked Nyota Kusni. 

Frank's punch was the first to connect with Nyota Kusni's face and a trickle of blood flowed from his nose. 

Violette, attacked with her blade and plunged it between his ribs drawing blood initially but it was soon followed by a golden liquid. 

Lastly and most surprising was Lynx. She had procured what looked like a sharp lance and stabbed her grandfather by throwing it at his abdomen. 

Nyota reacted by laughing though he watched Violette warily. She was the only one who drew his ichor. He pulled out the two weapons but held on to the lance. 

"Lance of Penitence," he said looking at it. "I didn't think you could summon and use it. You must be full of grief my dear granddaughter."

"You killed the only person I loved, and I have never forgiven you," she said through clenched teeth. "You may have supernatural powers, but you aren't the only one."

"A family feud, don't think I'll go easy on you just because you are family."

"I won't go easy on you just because you are old," she retorted. The lance flew back to her hand and she charged. 

This time Nyota took a step aside. And grabbed the lance. However, the lance reacted to him and it changed shape and turned into a barbed whip. 

Lynx pulled at the whip and was glad to see not red but gold ichor flowing out of his hand. 

Nyota lashed back with his other hand but he pulled it back hurriedly as a deep gash leaked ichor. A purple light slashed again at his exposed hand wounding him. 

He grunted in pain and took a step back. He eyed the two women who were working in collaboration. His granddaughter he could easily dispose of, but the other assassin had godly eyes and that was what enabled her to attack him. 

He decided to get serious. He summoned an avatar that he stepped into. That would stop the physical damage from the two. 

He saw the short dwarf raise up that hammer that reminded him of his Eastern deity kin. 

The hammer glowed white before he slammed it on the floor hard. 

Nyota found himself frozen in place for five seconds before he threw off the mental attack. 

The moment he did so, he had a resounding crack and pain in his ribs as Frank delivered a mortal blow to the avatar. 

So that was their game plan, Nyota thought as his avatar crumbled away. He now remembered why the five of them were very hard to catch. Their teamwork was exceptional. 

But the old lady had yet to make a move. If memory served him well, she was the defensive one of them. 

"Correction my power isn't defensive, my power is barriers," she told him looking directly at him, "I can put up and destroy any barriers in place." 

She pointed a finger at him and he felt a shift in his physiology. He felt as if he was being torn in two. 

"Violette go right, you girl hit his left, and Frank, aim for his head. Nike his feet," she hastily commanded. 

They all struck Nyota at the same time and he gave a bloody curdling scream before he disappeared. 

"Watch ou—" Juma's warning died on his lips as blood gurgled from his mouth. 

Nyota Kusni appeared before them unharmed. He clapped slowly with his gloved hands. 

"That was a very smart idea to put up a barrier in my body, separating my ichor from my blood and then simultaneously attacking me, it would have worked but you forgot something, this is my domain." 

Lynx dropped her lance in fear and watched her grandfather, her lips quivering. She knew that she would be joining Howard soon. She just hoped that he was waiting for her. 

Violette looked up at where Howard was hidden and he swore he saw a smile and a small tear form in her eye.