Chapter 431: Teacher
Laz’s hand appeared on Jill’s shoulder as her voice was spent, but inside of her body the energy became almost unbearable.
"Circulate it using the method I’m transmitting to you," Laz commanded while looking into her.
Jill, now used to listening to Laz’s command, did as she was told, sitting down cross legged and pushing the energy through her body. While she was just at the early stages of awakening, her ability to handle energy was already top notch. The information entered her head as Laz laid a hand on her hair and focused. It was a simple thing to inject a moving picture into her mind since she didn’t try to resist. He only had so show her once before she started on her own.
As soon as she began the process, her body took the energy in like a sponge, greedily feeding her inner storage. Without much effort, she felt it expand enough to allow her to step into the middle stage, the ball of energy now ten times bigger than before.
Seeing this, Laz stepped back and smile before walking over to the two bodies.
Looking down, Laz could see their grey skin peeling away, flaking as though they had lost all water and even the slightest breeze would allow them to dissipate into nothingness. Even so, Laz raised his hand and let loose the black flame, charring the few remains within a heartbeat before the bodies vanished like they were never there.
’Besides, they might be able to identify them with just the bones. Still, while I could burn the cars up into nothingness with enough time, I doubt I will get it... and not only that, but we can’t stay here any more either.
Laz looked at the police cars and decided to just ignore them. Even if he tried to dispose of them, enough would remain due to his lack of time for someone to figure out something bad happened. If he just left them like they were, then there would be far more questions than answers.
While leaving Jill to her work, Laz went around silently to the front of the building and went in their room. Considering he hadn’t been seen today, there was no reason for anyone to remember him specifically. Laz did a quick once over, grabbing their stuff and using the lightest amount of the black flame to erase any evidence of them being there. Even the towels they had used were burned into nothingness in an instant.
Retreating back outside, Laz saw that Jill was now standing while looking around, obviously for him.
"Let’s go," Laz said getting back into the driver’s side. Jill looked like she wanted to say something, but decided against it and just sat in the passenger’s side next to him. Avoiding the car behind him, Laz backed up and went around the car, before getting himself back on to the main road out of town. Even though Laz had taken steps, it was far too much to hope that there was no way they could be linked to this. After all, they had been seen earlier when they were shopping.
Without waiting for Jill to speak, Laz spoke up first.
"Those two that you killed, they were both chosen.... in a sense."
"Chosen?" Jill asked, clearly not up to speed on things.
"Yes. Chosen...." Laz then took the time to explain everything he could about the chosen, the awakened/infected and everything that others didn’t know concerning their background.
When he was finished, Jill finally spoke up.
"From what you said... how could those old .... things... be chosen?"
"Well. As you pointed out, they were old. They’re bodies could no longer handle the influx of energy and in a survival kind of innate sense, they didn’t bother drawing in energy to help themselves grow... assuming they grow that way. To be honest, I’m not really sure. But anyway. The point is their bodies would naturally take in some energy even without their knowledge, but only to a certain point. After that, maybe they would live longer than most people or be a bit faster and stronger. But other than that, there was nothing special about them. They would probably not even register as a chosen if they were to get tested. But when they died, the pure energy inside of them leaks out in an attempt to return from where it came. Thanks to that stake though, the energy was directed at and absorbed by you instead. And thanks to that little stick filtering it, the energy going into you was massively pure. All of this is what lead you to growing so fast."
"I see..."
"Well anyway. You got a late start as it is so growing fast isn’t a bad thing, as long as you don’t rush it."
"Why’s that?" Jill asked, obviously interesting in these things that Laz was talking about.
"Because getting stronger is great, but building a castle on a foundation of sand is a wasted endeavor."
"A castle on sand?"
"Maybe I am getting old."
"Maybe..."
"Did you just make a joke?"
"But you are old, aren’t you?"
"Apologize right now to all the twenty somethings out there... We are not old!"
"Then what are you?"
"... Well seasoned. Anyway. The point is that your foundation needs to be strong for you to keep getting stronger. If you rush too much to fast and your foundation is weak, then at some point you won’t be able to build the castle any higher or it will collapse. So on that point..."
Laz then went on to explain about the various realms, awakening, condensation, foundation and void palace. He didn’t bother going farther since just these four alone would take her a while to not only understand but also reach.
"So then... which realm are you at?" Jill asked, her eyes full of praise.
"I’m a bit higher than that."
"Higher than that?"
"There are realms for use greater than what I’ve explained, but for now you should focus on where you are, not where you want to be. Grow that ball of energy inside of you to as big as possible. Stuff as much energy as you can because when it reaches it maximum size, you will be ready to step into the realm of condensing. And that will be the first major milestone you accomplish," Laz responded, encouragingly.
"Just... who are you anyway?" Jill said, her voice shaky again for the first time in a while.
"A traveler of sorts. At least for now. Anyway, it’s time to get out of town and head closer to our target. While I’m not totally sure where we are going, I’ll have to leave you for a bit once we get there to do something, ok?"
"You’re leaving?" Jill suddenly froze up.
"Just for a bit. Afterall, the place I am going is no place for you. Not yet anyway. So you just need to focus on getting stronger, got it?"
"uh... ok...."
Laz could tell she didn’t believe him, but he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he focused on the road ahead, hoping they could get far enough away before anything was discovered.
Unfortunately, Laz wasn’t so lucky.
Bring the van to a halt in the road, Jill woke up from her small nap she had been taking, the stuff animal and blanket once again in her tight grasp.
"What’s happening?
"Road Block..." Laz said, cursing to himself.
"What are they looking for?" Jill wondered.
"Well... judging by the sketch they are passing around, I would say you..." Laz responded, knowing that this was his fault for not hiding the whole thing. His idea was to show Jill that even if people saw she was in trouble, they would do nothing to help. And while it worked, it also exposed Jill.
Jill started shaking in the seat, her previous confidence gone in the face of this problem.
Laz could only shake his head, knowing that she had a long way to go.
"Relax. Ok? We just need... fuck...." Laz could sense several chosen nearby. While he knew he could hide his own situation, there was no way for Jill to hide hers.
’Wait a minute. Fuck. I had almost forgotten about these...’ Laz thought to himself before taking out a bracelet with red beads on it.
"Here. Slip this on to your wrist. Good."
The beads had been something he had long forgotten about as they no longer worked for him. But for someone as weak as she was, they were the perfect accessory she needed.
Jill put on the beads, not really sure why he wanted her to do this. Was it one final goodbye present or something?
Jill started to worry.
"You will need to play the part of my little sister here, ok? Which means you need to act like a normal girl who just so happens to be taking a trip with her brother.
’This sounds like a bad porn plot... fuck....’
"So... I’ve got to act like your sister?’ Jill said, a bit of color returning to her cheeks.
"Yes. Can you do that?" Laz said, pulling up and knowing he was next in line.
A bit of hesitation flashed on Jill’s face before it vanished just as quickly.
"Yes," Jill replied.
It was their turn now.
