Chapter 516: Divine Item
The green flame in the eyes of the skull flared as though given an injection of fuel. But then they started to fizz and pop, as though something foreign had been interjected. While the black flame started to appear within the green, the green started surging as though it was suddenly being attacked. Back and forth they raged, neither letting up on the other.
Laz could feel the strength draining from him quickly as the amount of energy it took to maintain the flame seemed to be endless. While the green flame looked weak at first, it’s power wasn’t something that was easily extinguished. The only advantage Laz had was that he was a fresh source of energy for the black flame, something the green flame didn’t have.
Just when Laz thought he would drop, the green flame began to fade, slowly at first but faster as time went on until it vanished with a strange shrieking noise, as though the life of the flame had been put out.
Despite it’s disappearance, Laz didn’t let up, instead injecting every last bit of energy he could into the skull as the black flames in it’s eyes grew brighter and stronger before a sudden rush of air exploded outward, pushing Laz back a step or two. When Laz looked again at the skull, the eyes now had a cool yet intense violet flame burning in their depths.
"Thank you!" Came the voice from the skull that echoed around the room.
"What... Did that green flame have something to do with the Infernals?" Laz asked, remembering the corpse man from the elven dimension.
"Yes," Came the response, but nothing more.
"So then you...?"
Laz tried to get it to communicate more, but there was no response. Sensing something wrong, Laz drew his hand to the skull and set it down on it’s head.
*You are weak, very weak?* Laz said, feeling as though the fire inside of it would go out soon.
*I spent thousands of years resisting the corruption of the Infernals. While you have freed me in my final moments, the strength I once had is long gone. I can’t speak and can only barely communicate with you this way, by bringing out minds together.* Came the response. As for the voice, it was somewhat strange, It was neither male nor female, instead sounding like two voices speaking at the same time that could have been both or neither.
*What do you require to survive?* Laz asked, curious.
*A host and a supply of energy. The goddess that just vanished from here was my old battery. While living within me, should could not die. But now that she is free, she could die, but I have also lost the thing keeping me alive,* the skull explained.
"Interesting..." Laz said, thinking to himself.
*Then what was up with the green flame?* Laz was curious as to how the Infernals were connected to this.
*They found me after the fall of the empire in which I was residing. Taking control of me with their corrupting flames, I was forced to serve as a conduit for their troops. One of my functions allows me to open gates throughout the known omniverse, allowing pathways to open that would not normally be opened.*
*Then what’s with all the books?* Laz asked, looking around.
*My original function was that of a library.*
*A library that can open gateways throughout... everything?*
*Yes.*
Laz didn’t see why a library needed such a function, but then what did he know about intergalactic libraries anyway?
*So the goddess who just escaped? And it seems like the Infernals let you go?*
*I was not released from them, I was lost to them. Some battle took place many thousands of years ago in which I was attacked. While undamaged, the bridge gate I was connected to was lost and I ended up floating lost for the longest time. When I thought I would finally run out of energy and be reduced to dust, a fleeing goddess found me. Together, I was able to hide her while she powered my systems and we ended up running away from whatever was chasing her. As she did not have the power of a flame, she could only use her energy to power the corrupted flame of the Infernals which slowly twisted her mind and body. Once we landed here, she was out of strength and I, without direction or guidance, settled into this planet to await... well... whatever came next.*
*Until she woke up?*
*Yes. Upon waking from the intruding, she was able to sap the energy from the world around us which had grown since we slept and got me to open a bridge to her former forces. After tens of thousands of years however, they had all died. But due to their loyalty to her, they will still fight for her even in death.*
"I see," Laz said out loud, looking at the open door upon which skeleton beasts of all sorts still spilled out from.
*Let’s close the door. As for energy, once she had returned here when sensing the closing of the gate, I’ll put her back into place for you.*
*You would trap her within these walls against her will? Although she has been weakened after sleeping and being drained for so long, a goddess isn’t something a mere mortal can contend with,* the skull warned, showing some surprising emotion for a faceless being.
*You let me worry about that. For now, are you willing to close the gate?* Laz asked, not really bothered by the libraries lack of support.
*As you have restored my sense of self, it’s the least I can do. One moment please,* The skill said before the skull seemed to focus it’s purple flame gaze onto the door.
In nothing but a moment, the door shrank to nothing and then was gone, like it had never been there in the first place.
*Excellent. And now we wait. But first, why is this pile of skulls here? It doesn’t exactly seem to fit the overall decorum of the place?* Laz said, walking around the alter.
*It’s not suppose to be here. This is the alter that allowed for my corruption in the first place. While it is now weakened due to me regaining my freedom, it still drains my energy which would normally restore itself after a time. Such is ability of a divine item like myself.*
*I see. So a divine item huh? I guess that means we will need to get rid of it soon. The coffin too I suppose?*
*That was meant for nothing more than housing a battery for my usage. Once the alter is gone, the coffin would serve no purpose.,*
"Alright then," Laz said, sitting down on the coffin and leaning back against the bone pile that jutted up from behind it, waiting for the return of Neferia.
It took less than five minute for her to show up to the door of the building, ragged with cuts everywhere on her body and several strips of cloth missing from her once silken dress.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Neferia yelled, seeing Laz sitting there so calmly.
*When she first came to me, she was nothing more than a scholar. If not for that, she wouldn’t have been able to enter in the first place. But the years spent here have corrupted her and she is no longer what she once was,* The skull explained, even though Laz was no longer touching it.
"Well. If we are being fair, technically you corrupted her. But that’s neither here nor there," Laz said out loud, still sitting on the pile of bone.
"I’ll kill you!" Neferia said, her eyes black with blood dripping from them.
"No you won’t." Said a voice from behind her and with a loud ’whack,’ Neferia was sent flying after getting hit from behind.
Laz could see that behind Neferia, the four sisters had entered after apparently chasing her here.
"Glad to see my beauties are alright. Not that there was a doubt in my mind," Laz said, standing up.
Neferia got to her feet and without missing a step, once again charged at Laz. Now though, she was out of reach of the four sisters and made it to Laz within a single step that covered the vast distance in the library.
Laz didn’t dodge her attack but took it full in the stomach. As he claws bit into him though, Laz raised a hand to her forehead and summoned the black flame once again, this time at full strength from the beginning.
Out of Neferia’s body rose a green flame that started in her chest but soon spread to the rest of her body. Laz didn’t give up having expected this. Instead, he willed forth all the power her could, covering her body in the black flame as it ate at the green flame. With them both locked in this battle with their flames, there wasn’t a lot of time left.
Laz reached back and popped open the cover of the coffin and with a huge display of strength, Laz picked up Neferia and slammed her, head first, into the open coffin before slamming the lid down on top of her and sitting on it.
