Chapter 517: Unexpected Reunion
Laz shouldn’t have been able to over power a god level being that easily. Even the girls who knew him well were surprised at his ability to just pick her up and choke slam her down. What they didn’t know was that the connection to the library had been cut off, sapping most of her strength. Added to that the battle they had just gone through and it was more than enough to turn her from a god into an almost weak nothing.
With the portal down and the fighting having come to a halt, there was going to be another problem very soon, but for the moment, Laz turned his attention to the skull.
"So what now?" Laz asked out loud.
*Although she has been put back in place, there is very little use for her. Her power is practically gone as is her will to fight. The green flame within her is still battling the black flame, but it will likely lose that battle since it has nothing to supply it. It wasn’t strong to begin with and hadn’t taken hold of her to the point of no return. Still though, she can no longer power me and as such, I shall shut down soon. Once an item like myself does shut down, it is the same as death...* Laz thought that such an item didn’t have feelings, but even he could sense the sadness in it’s voice. Apparently, it was in the nature of all things with a soul to want to survive. And while Laz wasn’t sure, he felt that there was a soul present in this library.
"Then all you need is something to power yourself, correct?" came a voice which almost made Laz drop on the ground.
Walking in behind the four girls were another group of women whose bodies were covered with almost matching black outfits while masks covered their faces. They walked in a group, their steps in time as the four sisters made room for them while they approached Laz who was still sitting on the coffin on the top of the bone pile, as though a king accepting a delegation.
While the battle itself didn’t take a lot out of Laz, the constant use of his black flame did. Between freeing the skull of the Infernal control and then countering the goddess to seal her back in the coffin, Laz was pretty worn out.
Despite this, once he heard that voice, his head shot up as he looked at this new group that appeared, feelings of familiarity and longing burning in his chest.
*Yes. I’m surprised you can hear me.* The skull responded back, rising from it’s place on the alter and turning to face the new group. While the violet fire shown in it’s eyes, it didn’t give off a sense of foreboding, but one of age and wisdom.
"Anyone who is strong enough can hear the words you speak. I greet you, ancient spirit. I know this might sound a bit presumptuous of me, but we can provide you with a place to refuel yourself as you would not be the first divine artifact we have come across," the familiar voice said, clearly showing both respect and invitation in her words.
The skull didn’t answer, instead turning to look at Laz who was still gazing at the newly arrived group. He knew them... all of them. And yet he wondered why they didn’t bother saying anything to him.
’Then again, I haven’t spoken to them either so I guess there is no point in my getting upset at my own actions,’ Laz thought before noticing the skull looking at him.
"Go ahead. It’s what is needed. There is no reason to let this entire collection of work from throughout the ages go to waste. I know she can be trusted, or at least, I used to know that and she has never shown me a reason to doubt her," Laz said, telling the skull to accept the offer.
*There is still the problem of this altar and the restriction it puts upon me,* the skull stated, looking down at Laz’s ’throne.’
"Not a problem. Give me some time to rest and I’ll take care of the whole thing. What about the sleeping goddess?" Laz said, turning to the woman who seemed to be in charge and asking.
"We can restore her as well and control her if needed. You need not worry about that. But still, we should move quickly as things outside were getting bad before we entered."
"I’ll need more time before I can remove this thing however," Laz argued.
"You don’t need time, you just need some energy. Come... take my hand and I’ll loan you some of my own," the woman said with a playful smile on her face, her golden blonde hair shining with the radiance of the strange lamps that lit the library up.
"You sure you are strong enough?" Laz asked with a faint smile of his own. Before she could respond, there were angry mutterings coming from the group that had walked in with her, ones that were quickly stifled as soon as they were heard.
"Try me," she responded as Laz took her bare hand in his own.
Without warning, a powerful surge blasted out from her, throwing almost everyone back from where they were standing. Her body had partially transformed as she had two fox like ears above her head, the fur of which was a perfect match for her golden hair. And what’s more, out of the small of her back, right above her plump rear were six fluffy white tails, swirling around as though not truly fixed in place.
As for the energy she was giving off, it was far stronger than anyone else in the room, except for maybe the one person holding on to her hand.
Laz couldn’t help but smile as he pulled her close to himself, drawing the energy of this fox creature into himself and using it to fueling the black flame which roared to life at his summons.
The flame first engulfed them, but then spread, growing larger and larger until the entire bone pile had been engulfed.
Before everyone’s amazed gaze, the pile of bones that were thousands of years old, started to melt and fuse and melt more. Standing on top of the pile, bathed in the lit darkness of the flames, the two stood holding each other, with Laz’s arms wrapped around her waist while her arms were around his neck, holding his head close to hers.
"Did you forget about me?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Only once. But to be fair, I had forgotten about everyone. Still though, I would have dreams about you, ones that haunted my sleep and plagued my waking moments. I didn’t know who you were, but I knew that you were someone important to me."
"Its been so long and so much has happened. And I see you haven’t been hard pressed to find someone else to keep you company during the long, lonely nights," she said, a bemused sound to her comment.
"I uh... well.... it’s not like I can really control..."
"Don’t worry so much. If I only wanted you to myself, I would have hunted you down a while ago and locked you in my basement. Besides, I must say, the ones you find who desire you as well, they are all very special women. Perhaps that is something to be grateful for," She responded playfully.
"I see you all came out today?" Laz asked, his gaze wandering over to the ones who had joined her for this visit.
"You’ve been on your own quest, but you’ve ignored a few of us for far too long. We have come to... remind you of your duties to us."
"Oh really?" Laz said as the bottom of the coffin hit the floor, the pile of ancients bones now nothing more than a memory.
"That’s right. So now how do you feel?" She asked with a purr.
"Much better." Laz responded, already feeling the coming battle. It had been quiet outside for too long and with the disappearance of the gate, they had probably taken care of the the skeletons running wild out there. Therefore, their next target could only be here and the thing that brought them this never-ending army.
"Alright all of you. Be prepared for battle once we exit this cavern. It seems our friends have brought over many of their friends so that we may dance. Therefore there is no reason to hold back. Once we are through this door, open fire until we break through the line.
"YES M’AM!" They all said, saluting. Except for those at the front of the column anyway.
"Hold on a second. Let me see if I can say something to them to get them to back off before we go starting a blood feud. Alright?" Laz said, stopping her from making any more speeches.
"Whatever you say," she replied, acting nothing like her normal self.
For his part, without stopping, Laz made his way out the doors, only to find himself surrounded on all sides by a massive amount of artillery and chosen.
