Inside the tent, Elena was lost in thought, reflecting on the events of her past as she pushed Ethan in his wheelchair. Meanwhile, Ethan was filled with questions about Elena's outburst; he sensed there was more to it. Her murderous aura had felt all too real.
"Wife, are you okay?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Startled from her reverie, Elena looked at him with affection. "I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. Your injuries aren't fully healed, and now you're dealing with these people. Let's visit the medical bay later."
Ethan nodded but maintained a serious tone. "Wife, what's going on with you?"
Elena tried to evade the question, opting for a simple response. "Of course I'm angry. She tried to covet you fearlessly. That woman is full of herself."
Ethan raised his brows and looked at Elena, silently conveying, That wasn't what I meant.
Knowing Ethan would never stop asking questions if she didn't address her outburst earlier, Elena decided to create a blatant lie based on her past life.
"She's dangerous. In my dreams, I saw her hunting someone along with the military. They wanted that person so badly."
Ethan gripped his hands tightly, his voice probing. "Is that person a woman?"
Elena hesitated, not wanting to worry her husband but not wanting him to be ignorant of what the Heather family was capable of. "Yes, they ruthlessly hunted her in my dream. But I saw her fighting with all her might alongside a man."
Ethan's expression shifted as he realized that Elena was the woman in those dreams. Confusion washed over him as he wondered why the military wanted her. "What do they want from the woman? And why are the Heathers capable of commanding the military?"
Elena looked at her husband, knowing she would eventually have to share the truth to prepare him.
"She is a unique space ability user who has land that can grow food, so the military prioritizes her. As for why they wanted to hunt that woman, I don't know. The dreams, as I said earlier, are just flashes—not comprehensive."
Elena wanted to shield Ethan from worry.
Yes, it was all because of her unique time ability that they wanted to hunt her, as the aliens had requested. But this time, she never let anyone know about her ability, not even her trusted allies. If possible, only her husband should know.
Unbeknownst to Elena, the space ability she thought Trixie possessed was a mere façade, and the space they were so proud of was now hers. In her past life, the space had been attracted by the spiritual energy that the planet emitted due to the new cycle that will occur soon. Jack Heather had seen a great treasure emerging and had done everything to acquire it.
The space then materialized into a bracelet, which Trixie found in Willow Village. This marked a new era for the Heather family, making them one of the most sought-after factions because of the food they could produce during the apocalypse.
Ethan could sense that Elena was holding back, and he wanted to delve deeper into the truth. Now that her life was on the line, he needed to ensure her safety from any threat.
Before pressing further, he heard Elena say, "Husband, I'm going to enter the space to check on Poochi. If someone asks, make an alibi for me."
She slipped away before Ethan could respond.
Left alone in the room, Ethan was deep in thought, brainstorming ways to keep his wife safe.
A few minutes later, Elena returned to the tent and noticed her husband lost in contemplation. He didn't even realize she was back. She was about to speak when Ethan finally looked at her, his expression still serious.
Ethan wasn't done yet.
Since Elena wouldn't reveal why she was hunted in her dreams, Ethan revised his plan to eradicate the threat.
"Wife, you said they are dangerous. Then let's eradicate them," he said.
Elena had already thought about this, but unfortunately, Heaven's will protect each favored person.
"We can't, as a force is protecting each one favored by Heaven."
Elena then explained Heaven's will and the new cycle that would happen soon.
******
"What do you think about the Heather young miss?" General Kaiser asked the abbot for his opinion.
"She has a golden aura, indicating she will be successful in the near future," Brother Elias replied honestly.
General Kaiser's brow rose in skepticism. He couldn't understand how she had a golden aura; from her behavior earlier, he could easily gauge her true nature. She seemed immature, with a few loose screws.
"So, Brother Elias, is she the one we're looking for? I mean our salvation according to Heaven's will?" General Kaiser asked.
"I tend to believe that the young brat's wife is more decisive than she is." He added.
"I said I would look for her aura. I didn't say she would be the one my vision was pointed. Know your facts, General," Brother Elias rebutted.
"Okay, okay, my bad. What do you think of the young brat's wife?"
"Interesting! Just like Chief Ethan, she has no aura. For Ethan, it vanished, but for his wife, I can't tell if she has one or if it has also vanished since this is my first time seeing her."
"What do you mean, brother?"
"I can't see right through them; it's as if a veil is obscuring them. Everyone has an aura, but these two are so different. If a mystic practitioner like me can't perceive them, then it will be hard for normal people to gauge their true nature. The way the chief's wife carries herself puzzles me—remember that murderous look? I thought she was just a normal person living a normal life. So where did that look come from? Plus, I can sense that she's warning us about the Heather family."
"Yeah, I could tell. Should we try to get to know them better? We might not have time since they plan to leave this camp by tomorrow."
"Sure, let's invite them to dinner."
"Okay."
They immediately took action—one headed to Ethan's tent to invite them, while the other went to the camp kitchen to arrange food.
*****
Lieutenant Oslo and Xander arrived just in time as Elena and Ethan prepared to head to the medical bay. Before Elena could push Ethan's wheelchair, a voice called from the tent door.
"Chief!"
"Sister-in-law, we're planning to head to the canteen for dinner. Do you want to join us?" Oslo asked.
Elena glanced at Ethan for his response, and he immediately replied, "Okay, but let's visit the medical bay first for a check-up."
Oslo entered the tent and began to push Ethan toward the medical bay.
As they walked, Oslo and Xander chatted about trivial matters. Both were eager to know how Elena had rescued the chief.
"Sister-in-law, how did you save the chief?" Oslo inquired.
Elena looked at them and lied, "Well, you could say it was luck. Someone from the village heard a noise near the cave, and I found them."
Oslo and Xander had no choice but to accept her explanation.
"By the way, Chief, where is Poochi?" Xander asked.
"I sent him to the veterinarian," Ethan replied.
"What happened to Poochi?" Oslo asked, concern etched on his face.
"He's fine, just some injuries, but they will heal soon," Ethan assured them.
"As long as he's safe," Xander said, visibly relieved.
When they arrived at the medical bay, the doctor immediately examined Ethan. Knowing that his injury required a thorough examination at the hospital, Elena promised the doctors they would return to the city the next day for a complete check-up.