Chapter 468: An Ill Omen
Laz walked in step by step, not in a hurry. Despite his declaration, he wasn’t an idiot. Charging forth into an unknown place was a good way to find yourself dead without even knowing how you died.
To both sides of of him walked lines of armor troops, behind them were the priestesses and behind them came Jill, Sylvia, Ivana, Genevieve and the rest of Laz’s friends along with the elite attendants and fighting priestesses. Ivana was now gowned in her usual dress, but also held a massive mace on her shoulder, the spikes nearly as long as her arms. As for Sylvia, she held a greatsword, one as tall as Laz. Watching the two of them was a stark contrast to what he thought were two normal, all be it elven, women.
"Captains?" Laz called out before four warriors appeared before him. They were the legion captains who were to take part in this fight. Outside of the compound, still waiting in reserve, were several higher members of the military along with the fighting forces of the head families. They had all gathered to show their support, but only after Sylvia and Ivana had shown up.
But even then, they didn’t think that the gate would open so easily and therefore none of them had been prepared to fight.
Laz preferred it that way.
As such, Sylvia ordered them to stay back and reenforce the troops surrounding the manor. This way they wouldn’t get in Laz’s way of leading the charge.
Due to that, the only leaders on the battlefield besides Laz were these four gathered in front of him. Laz didn’t know what they would face, but he needed them to follow his orders all the same. Therefore he spoke with a calm and assured voice.
"Scout around. If you see anything, report back immediately. You are not to engage on your own, understood?" Laz said, adding a bit more volume at the end.
"Sir. What if we encounter the enemy?" One of the captain’s asked.
"You may kill them, but only if you can do so before they notice you. I’m not sure how many of them can control the green flames, but anyone who does could kill your entire legion with ease. So if you want to try to kill, have at it. But don’t let them have the chance to fight back. GO!" Laz said with a shout, sending the four warriors back to their legions.
Laz was left with the warriors he had been assigned from Sylvia and Ivana, something he didn’t quite know how to deal with. After all, he had been in fights before, but he had never lead anyone. And while he had watched some movies and played some games, standing in front of so many people, their eyes drilling into his back even as the weight of their expectations sat on his back, Laz just didn’t know if this was something he would ever get used to.
The four legions disappeared, half to one side and half to the other of the compound. What happened next to them would be up to themselves.
As for Laz, he decided the best thing he could do was take point and head inside.
As for the goal? Capture if possible, kill if not. Simple, straightforward and easy to understand.
Just the way he liked it.
Laz walked up to the door and knocked three times, just to see what would happen.
Nothing did.
"GIRL SCOUT COOKIES FOR SALE!" Laz yelled as he aimed a kick at the center of the large wooden door. The iron hinges holding the door to the stone wall held, but the stone did not causing the door, hinges and stone to plow into the entrance and collapsing onto the floor.
’What the fuck is wrong with him?’ Troy thought to himself after hearing Laz’s ’battle cry.’ Looking over at Red, Troy saw him shrug as though he had no clue.
’That knocks that off my bucket list,’ Laz said to himself, making a mental note.
As soon as he set foot on the collapsed door, Laz swung his fist out, smacking it into a huge ball of green flames that came shooting at him.
"Rent’s due, fuckers. Time to pay up," Laz said, seeing the armed guards along with robed figures running to engage them.
The troops behind Laz ran forward, their patience all but gone. They were waiting to fight and the enemy had finally appeared.
Laz didn’t hold them back.
Loud screams echoed as the sounds of wood and metal bashing together filled the large room, drowning out everything else. Laz didn’t join in the mayhem. Instead, he stood back and watched, waiting. He knew that this type of one on one wasn’t what he was there for.
Soon enough, several robed figures emerged from deeper in the house, standing on a grand staircase that overlooked the entrance way.
Seeing these people, Laz got the feeling his time was here. Walking towards the stairs, Laz avoided the scuffle that was taking place and calmly walked up the stairs. Getting to the top of the landing, the three figures turned to face him. Laz could tell the old man from before wasn’t a part of this group.
The person in the middle stood out the most as he was a head shorter than the other two. Laz assumed it was male since it’s body didn’t match that of a female, but who knew for sure.
"You’ve shown us something... interesting..." The person said with a voice that was both masculine and feminine, sounding almost like two people talking at the same time.
"Really? I can’t say I’m surprised. Considering the mistakes my people have made over the years, it doesn’t hit me as strange that you would be mixing bloodlines. What bothers me is what you did with that gate and your walls though..." Laz said, his voice cold.
"You don’t like it? I thought it was truly a marvel of wonder. To think that the blood of this inferior species could be of such use when properly applied."
"You’re not Fae, are you?" Laz asked, the feeling he got from this person vastly different than anyone else from this family so far.
"HA HA HA. Of course not. No more than you are human."
"Ah. See. That’s where you’re wrong. I am human. I’m just also something else. But you... you’re body gives off the stentch of death mixed with something like... I don’t know... rotting meat? What the hell are you?" Laz said, his eyes focused.
"I don’t see why I should tell you anything, do you? Although truthfully it doesn’t matter though as pretty soon everyone in this pitiful little place will die," the strange voice said in what could only be called a mocking tone.
"Really? Looks to me like you’re the one losing," Laz shot back, knowing that the guards of this house were getting slaughtered.
"Oh. I see. Your vision is limited to only this one space?"
"So you think you can kill off everyone attacking this place? Give me a break. You’re like a fly trapped in a jar. All we need to do is shake it a little and you’ll fall down. Even you should know that," Laz responded. Even though he said that, something wasn’t sitting right. After all, their people were dying and yet he was just standing here without a care in the world.
"This place? This little hut? Boy... is your head on straight? Why would I care about something so little as this? But no matter... You’ll see soon enough. And by then, I will have more than enough time to get to know you and extract your secrets. After all.. all of your people should be dead. So it truly vexes me to see you standing here in front of me."
Laz was confused for a moment, but having seen enough villains in movies, the innuendo didn’t escape him.
:Sylvia, Ivana. I need you to meet up with the legions. Bring in more people as well. Something big is going down and if I’m not wrong and I hope that I am, this entire pocket dimension might be in some serious trouble.: Laz said, sending his thoughts out to Sylvia and Ivana who were waiting outside.
:What do you mean?: Sylvia shot back, confused. Despite this, she started ordering other teams though the gates.
:I don’t know. But they are up to something, something big,: Laz responded, not sure what he should say.
:We had eyes on something going on the past few days. People being led somewhere. But most of our vision was blocked so we only saw bits and pieces.: Ivana spoke up.
:Whatever that is, must be it. The one in front of me... I think... it’s an Infernal.:
:That’s impossible...: They both denied at once.
:Yeah... I know. Now move quickly.:
Laz knew he wasn’t going to get any answers, but that was ok too. He had set the others in motion and now he would have to trust them to figure out what was going on.
As for him, he only needed to focus on the one in front of him.
The black flames around Laz sprang to life, covering his body and shooting outward as soon the only thing one could see within the flame was his golden eyes.
"YES. IT’S BEEN FAR TOO LONG!" The strange robed man said as the Emerald flames engulfed him. burning the robe to dust.
Before Laz’s very eyes stood a rotting corpse of black skin, bit and pieces oozing off everywhere. And yet within his eyes was the same green flame, burning through his head like a jack-o-lantern.
Before Laz could even process what it was, the creature was on him, his teeth to Laz’s neck.
