Chapter 28

Aian teleported the crew back to the Inn. Howard groaned in pain as his knees gave way and he blacked out.

"Shouldn't the bracelet start healing him?" Violette asked in a concerned voice as she laid him on the bed.

"It's drained of power, isn't it?" Juma asked Aian.

She nodded once and replied, "It's completely depleted. Not even I can replenish it now, at least not until I am at full power."

"However his wounds will heal up much faster than yours," she said looking at Kuronike. He gave a short chuckle but stood taller.

He could boast that he survived a mid-ranking angel's attack. He also knew that if he hadn't taken that swipe, Howard would have been severed in two.

She gazed at the wound and gave it a healing boost as golden light illuminated the long gash on his left hand. She then turned to Howard and directed the golden light to the serious wounds, leaving alone the light ones.

"Also Winjoy, thank you for putting up that barrier at the last minute before he was struck."

Winjoy looked at the goddes surprised. She didn't think that her last minute forcefield would be noticed.

Aian smiled at the elderly lady, "I am a god after all. Well I suggest we should all take a rest for now."

Howard was woken up by Aian who was pinching his arms. He grumbled and got up annoyed.

[Would you have preferred the bucket of water?] she asked holding up a wooden pail.

He sighed and started dressing up. He remembered arriving at the Inn before losing consciousness. Aian's healing had not only healed him but during his rest had rejuvenated him too.

He looked at the bracelet and frowned, it wasn't warm as it usually was but rather cold; ice-cold. Even without being told he could tell it was dead but he couldn't remove it, as he knew it had saved him very many times and discarding it felt like betrayal.

He was attached to it. He decided that even if he manages to help Aian to the end, he would never remove it. All the digits on the bracelet displayed an inverted mirror-image 9. The etched runes had also faded away.

He joined Aian and the rest downstairs who were having breakfast at the Inn. The innkeeper as usual had served them the food before disappearing.

Aian waved her hand transforming Howard's stale bread and soup to a more palatable and edible mix of cereals and cold meats with a tankard of coffee.

She then went on to explain how she had tracked down Floof at the double peaks. Unlike his pathetic human detecting skills, she had sensed all the traps set in place to destroy any cosmic beings and had avoided them. The rest of the clan had then armed up ready to attack her.

She could sense two of the clan members had godslaying weapons though they didn't know how to effectively use them. Floof had stopped them from attacking her by recognising the spiritual energy matched Howard's.

The two women then had a long discussion that saw Aian being given the helmet and in return; one, placing the clan in a time bubble that would remain in effect as long as she remained near them.

At this point Aian looked at Violette who gave a slight nod.

The second condition being that she had already confided in Howard what was needed to seal the deal.

After she had looked at the dead crystal, she had not only revived it, but also handed the Mirror of Time to her.

"Finally Howard, there's something you never knew had my suspicion but Von Syphlet confirmed it." Aian said maintaining eye contact with him.

"Even without my divine intervention, the Von Syphlet family is going to survive and give rise to a clan of Hunters. God slayers to be precise."

"Winjoy," she turned her attention to the elderly lady. Winjoy felt her heart beat rapidly, "Floof is your direct ancestor you are a Von Syphlet from the direct branch."

The rest of the team looked at her in awe and shock. "That's why I didn't want you to meet up with Floof especially now. Your PSIs would synchronise and she would have known. Howard , someone else is from a side branch."

"It better not be me," Violette joked but Howard already had a feeling who it was.

"After doing a forward extrapolation, one of Von Syphlets will traverse to the Asian continent and marry a local. He will die but not before seeing his daughter turn three years old. After many generations, one of the Von Syphlets will move to current day Kenya and give birth to Githiora."

All eyes were trained on Howard who was trying to control his beating heart.

"Njata Githiora," she reiterated. "Lynx's grandfather."

[I know you have more questions than answers but I too don't know. I was shocked when I found out the familial relation. It still doesn't answer how Njata became a deity though his godslaying lineage may have helped.]

"That means Winjoy is related to Njata," Kuronike said out loud.

Winjoy shook her head, "I am nothing like him, my family is right here with me."

Frank squeezed her arm affectionately.

"What will you do now?" Aian asked Howard after She had told him about the relationship between Floof, Njata Githiora and Lynx.

He stood up and looked at the team individually before settling his gaze at Aian.

"I promised to be with you to the end and I will. Floof told me of an artefact but it needs you to transport us to the future. Four thousand years to be precise."

Aian nodded her head and looked at the team. "I know where we are headed to but unfortunately I can only take Howard. The rest of you will head back to the current time, except for Violette I have a special assignment waiting for you."

She waved a hand at the three and they literally phased out of view. She turned to Howard and grabbed both his hands. He felt self conscious as the two stood face to face.

She grinned and winked at him then vanished as a bright green light engulfed them both.

Violette was left all alone in the room and she packed her bags before departing heading for the dual peaks.

She knew her assignment was to watch after Floof and her clan until Howard and Aian came back for her. Her other assignment was to protect Floof from Njata who would appear shortly to wipe out the family.

As she closed the door and walked down the path she heard the bushes behind her rustle. She stopped and stared at them until a red fox appeared from the bushes and yipped twice before vanishing back in the underbrush.

By nightfall she should have arrived giving her enough time to set up a hidden camp to watch unseen. As she chose her location, she ruminated on the news they'd been told earlier.

As much as Winjoy had hidden it, Violette knew that she too was shocked. Finding out that she came from a family of God-slayers was mind numbing. That maybe explained why Winnjoy didn't have a proper PSI or rather why her PSI didn't work well with artefacts.

Her mind drifted to her current mission. Aian had pulled her aside to inform her of the mission. From Aian's predictions, Njata would appear in exactly thirteen days and it was up to her to defend the fledging clan.

Violette sighed knowing that one small mistake and she would lose. However, Aian had assured her that she wouldn't be alone in the fight. Whatever was to happen she would prepare herself. She would start with transcendental meditation to increase her PSI pool and then learn four new techniques that Aian had imprinted in her mind.

As she remained motionless she heard the yip of a fox. Using her PSI she felt it approach her warily before it was a foot away from her.

The fox yipped again then placed its head on her laps. She didn't know it but for the remaining twelve days the fox was going to be her constant companion. For the moment she ignored it and focused on expanding her pool.

Inside the bubble, Floof felt Violette outside the bubble. She hadn't told the goddess of Time, but she had sensed a death. A very important person would die soon.