Chapter 478: Battle Of The Manor (Intermission 4)
When Laz finally woke up, he noticed he hadn’t been killed. Opening his eyes, he saw Ivana speaking with Sylvia while several members of her order were tending to Maia. Moving slightly, he felt pressure on his arm and moved slightly, only to notice that there was a weight on it. Turning over, he saw that Jill had fallen asleep next to him, looking somewhat peaceful. Laz could only move slowly to not disturb her.
Getting up, he walked over to get himself some water as every eye in the room was on him. Talking a deep drink, he finished off his cup and poured another, downing that as well.
When Laz finally had some sense in himself again, he looked over at Sylvia and Ivana.
"So what’s happening now?" Laz asked, curious.
He had been here a while and had no idea what was happening with the battle.
"All of our troops have pulled back and the manor has been locked up tight, this time with some sort of array around it. We have no way in and anyone who was still fighting inside... well.. they have no way out," Sylvia responded, her normally proud demeanor gone.
"So... this entire thing, from start to finish... was a trap?" Laz asked, taking another drink of water before throwing the cup aside. From inside his spatial pouch, he grabbed a large bottle and started drinking.
He didn’t stop until it was gone. He then set the bottle back into his pouch and grabbed another.
’Fuck... noting... I guess this body is both a blessing and a curse huh?" Laz thought to himself.
Just as he was about to open the bottle, Sylvia came over and set her hand on his.
"Hang on," Sylvia said. With the wave of her hand, a blue glow encircled her ring and out came a fine glass bottle. With her other hand, she produced three goblets of fine silver and white gold, then handed one to both Ivana and Laz. Twisting open the cork, she poured the fine, azure liquid into all three of their goblets, filling it about halfway full a piece.
Raising her glass into the air, Sylvia said,
"Fuck it, just drink," and downed her glass quickly, obviously not in the mood to make any sort of speech.
Laz and Ivana did the same.
Unlike the alcohol Laz had for himself, this stuff was like liquid fire going down his throat. a sensation he never thought he would miss.
"Fuck... that’s good."
"It’s not easy making a drink this potent for people in our realm, but my people have had many, many years to work on it. And it seems like no matter what the race, it’s always the men folk who are most interesting in drinking," Sylvia said with a laugh, quickly joined in by Ivana.
"Heh. I hated alcohol as a kid. Even as a teen, I never bother to take a sip although it would have been easy. Our people have a rule against, kids drinking..." Laz started off by saying.
"A good rule. Our people as well." Ivana commented.
"Although by their teenage years, most kids have broken it at least once or twice."
Sylvia and Ivana laughed at this, a clear sign that such a thing was common among their people as well.
"So what’s the problem? Why do I feel there is more i don’t know?" Laz said, clearly wishing for more, but hesitant to ask. It’s not every day someone gets a queen to pour a drink for them. Besides, Just that one was enough to cause Laz to feel it, all be it slightly.
There was no way he could know that normally this drink was consumed by the ounce.
"The members of the council that went to take over the battle from you didn’t return. And even since the array has been in place, there has been no sign of them," Sylvia said. At first, she wasn’t going to tell him since it really wasn’t his business. But considering how he had already risked himself for them, not to mention saving their lives, Sylvia didn’t feel it necessary to hide it.
"Yeah. About that. What is an array?" Laz asked, not familiar with the word.
Ivana and Sylvia looked at him confused.
’What kind of world did he come from where he wouldn’t know what that was? Maybe it had a different name?’
"It’s a complicated inscription in the ground using runes. When set up properly, it expands to a predetermined area and engulfs it with a certain restriction. Sometimes, they are used to confuse people. Sometimes it’s used to attack them. Or in this case, it’s being used to block off the compound," Ivana described, trying to make it as clear as possible.
"So it’s a force field?"
"A ... what?"
"Nothing. Isn’t this what they had going on before? With the blood running through the gate and walls? Well... no. That didn’t involve many runes and I don’t remember a pattern."
"No... that was a forbidden sort of art, a dark mix of blood and curse arts. This is different and far more powerful. The biggest difference is that unlike before, where disrupting the flow of the liquid stopped it from working, an array is much more costly in terms of resources,"
"So it need more battery power?"
"Right. Uh... no. Nevermind. Anyway, the other problem is that unless they turn off the array, it’s next to impossible to break it. We’ve gotten some of our best array masters to look at it, but all those useless old things can tell us is that it’s old and it’s powerful," Ivana said, half complaining and seeming to channel Sylvia as she did so.
"So breaking it..."
"Is out of the question. While we have many strong people on our side, so do they. And what’s more, right now, the strongest of us are missing while the rest of us are finding out energy being drained with the lose of Maia..." Ivana stated, turning to look again at the sleeping goddesses avatar in worry.
"Right... well... I can fix that..."
"ABSOLUTLY NOT. NOT IF IT WILL INVOLVE DOING TO OUR GREAT MOTHER WHAT YOU DID TO ME AND THIS SLUT OF A QUEEN!" Ivana said, obviously still somewhat upset at how things had gone.
"EXCUSE ME? WHY ARE YOU TAKING THIS OUT ON ME?" Sylvia stormed back. While there weren’t many people there, the ones who were were now looking at the screaming women and trying to make themselves believe that it was their queen and spiritual pillar.
"OBVOUSLY YOU WERE AWAKE WHEN IT HAPPENED SINCE YOU SAW IT AND YOU DID NOTHING TO STOP IT!" Ivana continued to rage.
"NO, LET’S BE HONEST. YOU’RE JUST PISSED OFF YOU GOT IT DIRECTLY IN THE THROAT WHILE MINE WAS DELIEVED VIA A KISS."
"SHUT UP YOU FUCKING WHORE,"
"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Laz finally broke in with, knowing that there would be no end to this if he let it continue.
"Look. Be pissed off if you want. That’s one of the joys of being alive. And no matter what you think, the longer we drag this out, the worse it’s going to get for her. Besides, as an offspring of the world tree, her vitality will probably be pretty high and she won’t need as much of it as we are thinking.
"I’m curious as to who gave you that information;. Besides your master, you’ve not explained a thing," Ivana said, side eying Laz and still unhappy at being yelled at.
"That’s all you need to know. Once we get out of here, I’m sure she would love to meet you so you can figure it all out then, alright?"
It wasn’t alright, but there was nothing Ivana could do or say if Laz didn’t want to share.
"Well, if you’re done with you nap then, I guess it’s time we got started. Here is a cup. Deposit your five loads into it and let us know when you’re done. At least we can save her the embarrassment of having to be force fed," Ivana grunted.
Laz froze, not sure he heard her right. He then turned to look at Sylvia who was massaging the bridge of her nose with her fingers, a look of annoyance on her face.
"Ok. Forgetting all of the big problems with what you just asked, would feeding the avatar actually work? I would have assumed I needed to give it to the tree itself?
"Don’t call our goddess a tree. And while you would normally be right, it will be fine in this case. After all, she is still connected to the avatar which means going through it first would allow her to recover fast and direct the healing of her body better," Ivana responded.
"Alright then... as for the other problems.."
"EVERYONE OUT!" Sylvia raised her voice and ordered everyone to leave. Although they had questions, they wouldn’t dare voice them. And since she was awake, they would respect her wishes.
Still though, that didn’t stop the attendants and priestesses from giving Laz a strange look as they again went outside.
Just as they were about the close the door, the remaining members of the council tried to storm in, only to be stopped by both Sylvia and Ivana.
"Don’t even thing about it. If you have this much extra energy, go watch the damn manor," Sylvia said, slamming the door in their faces.
"Uh..?" Laz didn’t understand.
"Alright. I know what you need even if she isn’t able to comprehend it. So from now on, I shall take care of your needs so that we can quickly get the goddesses awake," Sylvia said, a serious look on her face.
Seeing this, Ivana chimed in as well.
"I shall help as well then. Far be it from me to skirt my responsibilities to the goddess during her most stressing time."
"As you wish," Sylvia said with a smirk and started undressing.
"Just what do you think you during?" Ivana asked, watching the queen take this action.
"The boy needs milking and the mother needs his milk! It’s my duty to assist him with this so that it can be done faster," Sylvia said before swaying her hips and walking towards Laz.
"Then... then... me too..." Ivana replied and began undressing as well, anxious not to lose in this endeavor.
’At least one of these two knows what they are doing... wait... doesn’t this mean that Ivana is a virgin?’ Was Laz’s last thought as the two older... and I mean way older women, descended upon him.
