Chapter 494: Setting Off Again
It was over even before it began. While most of the fae following the corpse man were killed off, two, the grand elder and patriarch, survived. What’s more, they found that in the spatial storage pouches there were hundreds of bodies having been identified as being the remains of the members of the first family. They had been killed and saved as a way to ensure a food source for the corpse man since he was their guide.
What was worse was that the two survivors showed not a hint of remorse.
As the guard A’ruya had brought led the three away, Laz could still hear the laughter of the corpse man as he was being violently dragged.
Once they disappeared, A’ruya turned back around to face Rakia who’s face had gone pale white.
"Thanks to your actions, a surviving Infernal almost escaped. If he had somehow made contact with his people, the sparks of war would have ignited once again. Tell me... was that your master’s plan all along?" A’ruya asked, her voice laced with venom.
"I... I honestly had no idea princess... how could you ever think..."
"Whether your actions were intentional or accidental, the result remains the same. We were informed of this ahead of time and had you done your job properly, this wouldn’t have even of been a problem," A’ruya said, not letting up.
It was only now that Laz understood that there were schemes going on in place behind the scenes. As for this Rakia, he was obviously a part of the other side and was trying to do something by arriving here first when the Forest Meadow people emerged from the gate.
"You are relieved from your post. From now on, another will be assigned as the ambassadors of our people when they make their way back to us. Guards! Escort this man back to face further disciplinary action," A’ruya commanded. The guards who had come with Rakia quickly saluted before dragging Rakia away as well, leaving the group of youngsters he had come with, including the one Laz had hit, alone and ignored.
That particular young man with the green hair was about to speak up to A’ruya when sure turned away to face Laz again.
"I see you’re looking well and staying busy, hmm?" A’ruya said, a bit of playfulness now that the only ones around them were her loyal followers.
"I guess. Honestly I just fell asleep and ended up getting dragged through another gate...." Laz said, laughing a bit.
"It wasn’t a mistake. Well, you being here wasn’t intentional, but the gate opening had everything to do with your connection to our people. Had you not been here, the gate would have remained closed, locked and forgotten so for thank, my young slave, I must thank you," A’ruya said, actually giving Laz a slight bow, something he had never dreamed possible.
"I... Uhh..." Laz didn’t even know how to respond having never expected this from her.
A’ruya didn’t say anything else, instead turning to face Maia.
"My lady Maia, as a princess of our race, i humbly greet you," A’ruya said, giving her a lower bow that she had given Laz.
"I don’t deserve such respect from one such as yourself. I am just glad I had the foresight to connect with you before any of this happened," Maia said, returning the greeting.
"I am somewhat curious about that. You had no reason to contact me directly, knowing that any seed of the mother would be most welcome in their return. So why did you decide to do it this way?" A’ruya questioned.
"My lady A’ruya. Even if I have been sealed for the last ten thousand years while I grew, I still have the memories of my past life. I knew from before that politically speaking, things are never as straightforward as they appear. Therefore, for my safety and my children’s safety, I felt it best to make contact with someone who I believed I could trust before beginning our return," Maia answered honestly.
"And you knew I was someone you could trust?"
"Yes. After all, you are his master and I trust him," Maia said, pointing to Laz.
"Mmm. I see. He was a bit of a bet in the beginning, but for the first time since I took him on, I can say I made the right choice," A’ruya said with a laugh.
"So you doubted me up until this point?" Laz asked, a little shocked.
"Of course. The only thing you’ve done so far that has impacted me is getting yourself killed. Tell me what you would think in my position?" A’ruya asked, silencing Laz.
Sylvia, Ivana and Maia all laughed at Laz’s response face.
"But come now. We have prepared everything for you back at our home. Mother has also been expressing her desire to communicate with you as well," A’ruya said, pointing at the big, glowing white portal in the distance. Compared to the dirt path that was this gate, this thing looked like a five lane highway if only going by size.
"We shall happily take you up on your offer," Maia said, finally at ease.
"And what about you?" Sylvia asked, feeling the relaxed nature of Maia infect her.
Laz looked at the gate, but then looked back at the cars that were speeding away. It seemed like all of the other humans, werewolves included, decided to get the hell out the moment they set foot back on earth.
"I must continue on. I still haven’t finished my own missions yet," Laz said, turning back to look at the gather women. While Maia, Sylvia and Ivana frowned a bit, A’ruya smiled and spoke up,
"I wish you success my slave. I will call on you again when I need you," A’ruya said, waving off Laz like she were a queen.
"I’m sure you will your grand highness majesty, most glories goddess of all the goddesses..."
"OK. OK... Just stop. I feel like I might become sick from your words," A’ruya stopped Laz from his obvious sarcasm.
Laz just laughed and with Jill in tow, went to their van that was still parked on the lonely dirt road.
"Didn’t you want to say goodbye?" Laz asked Jill when she followed along silently.
"My teacher, Genevieve, told me that there is no reason for goodbye. If fate wishes it, we shall meet each other again. She also told me to keep training since she saw great power in me," Jill replied, although there was a small tear in her eye.
"Don’t worry. I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them," Laz said, rubbing Jill’s head in a comforting way.
As they got in the van, the elves were already disappearing through the gate. When Laz finally got it started and turned off the hidden dirt road and on to the highway, he started heading north with no real plan in mind. He remembered something about a prison facility up this way and figured he would check it out since it was suppose to be used for housing infected. While it had been weeks since he had gotten on this path, it was still something he wanted to see with his own eyes.
As for Jill, she was in the back, getting their stuff in order. When they had been transported through the gate, all of the supplied and equipment had been sent with them. When they had been taken by the elven hunters who had found them, it had been left behind where they were first discovered. Only after coming back to the gate to leave did they actually retrieve it.
Laz had questions why it had come in with them automatically but not sent out when the gate opened, but he didn’t think he would find an answer so he just let it go.
"Oh... uh..." Jill said, making noise in the back.
"What is it?" Laz asked, his eyes still on the road ahead.
"I was looking at the phone you had gotten me, wondering if i would need to charge it. I had left it hear in the van since I didn’t think I would need it for our one night of camping. Turning it on though, I still almost have a full battery."
"Oh? That’s pretty impressive. I didn’t think a battery would last that long even if the phone wasn’t in use," Laz replied back and began skimming through the channels on the radio.
"Well... that’s because, unless I’m wrong... It’s only been one day..." Jill said, surprised.
"Ah. Well.. yeah. I guess I can see that." Laz finally found something he didn’t hate and let the music fill the van.
"You’re not surprised?" Jill asked, slipping back into her seat.
"Nope. Time flows differently on the other side of a gate."
"But we were there for weeks..."
"Yeah. Might have gone the other way. Weeks here could have passed for every day spent there. Hell, for every hour in fact. We might have come back twenty years later for all we knew..." Laz responded.
"And you’re not concerned?"
"Well. We didn’t have a choice and there was no need to worry about it. Besides, I saw the vehicles when we got back. Had they been missing or turned into rust scrap in the time we were gone, I might have been concerned. But since we got it up and going with almost no trouble, no I wasn’t worried," Laz said honestly.
"Yeah. I guess you’re right." Jill muttered, looking out the window.
"It just means that before you decide to step into a gate, you have to be prepared for more than just what might be on the other side. You also have to be ready for what might be there when you get back," Laz said, trying to give her something to think about in case she ever found herself wanting and able to enter a gate again.
"I understand," Jill said as Laz pulled over.
Twelve police cruisers and even two swat trucks rushed past them with sirens going, almost drumming out the sounds of the helicopters flying by above them.
When they were finally gone, Laz turned to Jill and laughed, only to be joined by her in her laughter.
He pulled back on the road and began driving once again.
