Chapter 403: Tricked
The ancient energy quickly flooded Laz’s space, expanding the area at a rate that astounded Laz. The hundred feet quickly turned into a thousand feet and kept going, bring with it plenty of new trees and grasses and bushes along with many types of plant life Laz had never seen before. Things expanded so fast that it felt to Laz like he became bloated, barely able to keep up with the energy gains.
When Laz finally was able to gain control of the energy, he stopped it from flowing outward and instead forced it back into the land that had already formed, causing the newly formed plant life to grow taller and stronger. Laz kept it there with all his will, forcing it to reinforce itself again and again. Laz knew without being told that this was far more beneficial to him in the long run than allowing the land to expand without end.
Just as Laz finished this expansion, he felt a pull from outside his body. Quickly pulling himself from his center, Laz opened his eyes and noticed that both Celes and Nora were standing beside him while facing out, their faces a full of fear and worry.
"What is it?"
"You’re back baby? Good. I was worried. There is something going on. I’m not sure what it happening but this thing seems to be far more awake than you warned us about," Nora informed him while pointing out. Following her finger, Laz noticed a massive head, at least twenty feet tall, was sticking out of the ground with these massive stakes sticking up into the air that looked like they were dozens of feet in length themselves. It looked like they span almost a hundred feet in length, matching the area apart they were when underground.
To see the head with the spike coming out of it was horrifing enough. Laz couldn’t even begin to imagine how big this thing would be once it was fully out.
"LAZ? HA HA HA! LAZZZZZ! COME. BOW BEFORE ME AND PULL THESE THING OUT NOW WHILE I’M ASKING AND I SHALL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO LIVE. BUT IF YOU KEEP HIDING THEN I SHALL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL EVERYONE!!!!"
This seemed like a completely different person than the projection that had spoken to Laz under the ground that had requested his help.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Laz asked, calling out.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I am Quetzalcoatl you puny mortal. Why? Don’t recognize me?" Zal stopped yelling and simply focused his attention on Laz. Originally he hadn’t known where Laz was and wanted to draw him out. Until he was completely free however, he didn’t want to attract any more attention.
Laz looked at the massive head with the stakes sticking out of it and shook his head.
"You’re not. I can tell that you are the one I spoke to under the ground, but the feeling I get by being close to you is one of anger and disgust. You must have hidden yourself from me then, hm?"
"OH! HA. You have good instincts, don’t you? Well it doesn’t matter. My brother is still sealed and yet I am free. Once I get out of here, I shall be free to conquer the entire world. Then, even if my foolish brother gets out, it won’t matter a single bit."
"Your brother? Wait... You’re Tezcatlipoca, are you not? Nora asked, raising her voice.
"OH? Well. I’m still known in this day and age? Good VERY GOOD!" The giant head seemed happy when Nora called out his name. Just as Nora was about to continue though, Laz stopped her.
"Don’t. Best not to make him angry right now," Laz warned her. He was sure that Nora was going to mention only knowing it because she had studied about the Aztec’s in a history class. Compared to Quetzalcoatl who has been used in video games, movies, manga and is even depicted on a special plane of the official airline of Mexico, Tezcatlipoca is much more obscure.
"What’s your plan?" Celes asked, turning her attention to Laz. While Laz and Nora had been communicating with Tezcatlipoca, Celes had been issuing orders for everyone to retreat. Luckily the compound was still a ways away from the field they were currently still in, but it wasn’t far enough away to ensure anyone’s safety. She had instructed those she had found to be prepared to evacuate.
Laz knew he had been had. This wasn’t the god Quetzalcoatl, but his brother, Tezcatlipoca. Laz asked for any information Nora knew and this was what she told him.
"A protean wizard, Tezcatlipoca caused the death of many Toltecs by his black magic and induced the virtuous Quetzalcóatl to sin, drunkenness, and carnal love, thus putting an end to the Toltec golden age. Under his influence the practice of human sacrifice was introduced into central Mexico. He is basically the darkness to Quetzalcoatl’s light. Two sides of the same mirror," Nora finished explaining. There were many other small myths that she knew, but none of them would be helpful right now.
"So a black wizard god... well... fuck..." Laz didn’t know what it would be like to fight a black wizard, but he got a bad feeling from it.
"Alright. Well, we are screwed I think. I really don’t have any plan for how to deal with this. You two, get everyone and get gone. You need to be on the road before dawn," Laz explained, getting up.
"We won’t leave you," Celes said with conviction.
"It’s just one black wizard god. How hard could he be?" Nora added.
"It’s not going to end with just one black wizard god though. This isn’t something that can be kept hidden. Other people, even miles away in other towns, they will hear this asshole and call people. And the ones who show up will show up in force. Then what will you do? Who will protect the order?" Laz asked, turning to Celes.
"And you." Laz turned to Nora.
"Your powers are sealed. Even now, with the seals breaking, you don’t have any access to your bloodline strength," Laz pointed out.
"But I.."
"No buts. Neither of you. You’re both strong and will keep getting stronger. But right now your biggest concern is the safety of the girls of the order. And Gretchen and Wilma. It will be hard for them to move, but no where here is safe. You need to go so that I don’t have to worry about you both while I fight, ok?" Laz said, pleading with them to leave. He knew that this wasn’t a fight even all of them combined could win. The least he could do was the give them time to escape. As long as Laz was alive, he would keep the head distracted. And if the head didn’t kill him, then that would give the armed forces and the chosen time to get here.
Maybe then, he could escape. But that wouldn’t happen if he had to watch out for Nora and Celes.
Laz then kissed them both and before they could object, he turned around and began walking towards the massive head.
"HE HE. I SEE. A man like you would be popular with the females, eh? They seem pretty special too. Not goddess material, but still special. NOW COME AND RELIEVE ME OF MY BURDEN!!!"
Laz wasn’t sure if Tezcatlipoca was mocking him or complimenting him. In fact, the way Tezcatlipoca went from a normal speech to screaming had Laz wondered if the Aztec god had gone crazy from his years of imprisonment.
"I SEE. You have become that Void Lord. Good for you. SO GOOD. NOW IT’S TIME. Remove these stakes from my head."
"Why aren’t you a mindless madman?" Laz asked as he approached, getting to within a few dozen feet. Laz looked into the eye of this Aztec god and marveled. The pupil was pure black, both were, in fact. His noise and mouth were a bit weird too, extending out like a snout. The skin Laz thought was grey at first was actually a fine coat of hair that laid close to his body. Strangely, Laz got the feeling the old god felt more like a dog than he did a human.
’A jaguar? I wonder why that thought popped into my head?’ Laz was getting a sense about this old god, but it felt like the sense wasn’t his own.
"Who knows? It’s strange, is it not? Now then, since you didn’t want to receive my gift of ancient energy, I decided to force it on you as a gift. Aren’t I a giving god? Yes?" The head looked at Laz and waited for a answer.
After a few moments without Laz’s response, Tezcatlipoca again asked the same question.
"Aren’t I a giving god? RIGHT?"
"Yeah. Sure. If that’s what you want to hear," Laz responded, still studying it’s massive face.
’Those teeth are like swords. And the way his eyes follow me every time I take a few steps. But why? Does he fear I might attack him? And what’s even to be afraid of me for?’ Laz knew he wouldn’t get any answers and the giant head was getting impatient.
"REMOVE THESE STAKES SO THAT I MIGHT ONCE AGAIN WALK THIS EARTH, BOY!" Cleary he was getting impatient, but knowing what he knew, there was no way in hell he was going to remove them.
Instead, Laz pulled the blade ’Sever’ from his belt pouch and brought it up to bare.
"I see. So determined in the end to die. Ah well. Good bye foolish mortal. I shall be sure to take fine care of your women in your place."
Before Laz could even react, a black beam of light shot out from Tezcatlipoca left eye and hit Laz in his chest, sending him flying.
"I’ll show you the path you walk is pointless. No one can resist me, mortal. So just... GIVE UP AND DIE ALREADY!" The old god screamed, shaking the ground all around him as Laz was sent flying from another one of those black beams.
"AND WHEN I EAT YOU LATER, I SHALL BECOME PART ASURA!!!"
’So that’s what he wanted from me... Well.... shit.’
