Children of a Lesser God

Chapter 293: Countdown

"All jokes aside... we really don't have a choice..." Laz said, rather solemnly.

"So...?"

"We are going to do it and hope it works out. From the looks of things, we can set this in a reboot sequence. Timer to shut down and then it comes back up after the reboot. Right here." Laz pointed it out to Ruby who understood it, but still not as clearly as Laz.

"Yeah. Ok. Hit this and run like hell? I don't think things are going to be that easy baby."

"What's the worst..."

"Say it and you will be sleeping alone for the rest of your life."

"Ouch. Ok. Getting back to it. How long do you think?"

"From here to the gate looks like 15 minutes tops. Assuming the others are already there, it shouldn't take us that long to get out."

"That might be an issue. Look." Laz pointed out one of the overlay monitors that showed two different groups of dots. One group was huddled a ways away from the gate while the other was approaching it at a fast speed.

With the numbers of dots, there was no way at they were all from the same side.

"Well. I guess this means we are fighting our way out. One hour to shut down and it looks like the reboot takes 15 minutes."

"Sounds good babe. Pop those buttons and let's get the fuck home. Next time, I choose the date night. Deal?" Ruby said with a smile.

"Yes mam."

And with that, Laz set the timer and double checked to make sure it was counting down.

Just as they were about to make their way to the gate to hopefully arrive before the two groups met, another earthquake hit, shaking the building even more. This time it was so bad, Laz and Ruby ended up grabbing each other to stay up right while cracks appeared in the walls of the control room.

As they stood there and waited for it to stop, one crack that ran the length of the far wall and down along the floor, separated to reveal a large collection of energy cores, just laying there like rocks on the bed of a lake.

Neither Laz nor Ruby could believe that they were down there, right underneath the floor they had been standing on.

"What the fuck is this? Poof and they appear?"

"Less talk and more grabbing woman. We are running out of time."

"Boy... you are testing my limits today. But we can deal with that later cause you're right."

What they had found was the storage and compression room for the energy cores. The building that they were in served not just as a control center, but it also was part of the entire networked that absorbed the energy in the air outside the outpost, purified it and released it into the air inside the dome. Then, when the levels reached saturation for what the machines could handle, it used the excess to make the cores and stored them right underneath them..

There were a few other places that cores were stored as well, such as the first building that Jennia and Dwayne had checked out. But this was the main unit for it.

What they didn't know was that this caused the energy on the rest of the planet to become somewhat thin in general, minus a few special places. The base acted like a parasite that feed off the planet.

Of course, none of that would have mattered to them even if they knew.

It only took a few minutes since they both had spatial storages before the cores were gone.

Looking at each other's smiling faces, they knew it was time to go.

They took off running the way they came while the timer loomed in their heads, getting outside and heading off to the gate.

"Isn't the gate going to shut down when the power turns off?" Ruby asked, thinking of something along the way.

"The gate's not wired into the power grid. From the little I can understand, although the civilization here understood how to make it open and close, they didn't build it. They just found it here."

"So then who made the gates?"

"No clue," Laz responded honestly.

"Are these things everywhere? Like all over the universe?"

"I think so yeah. From what I gathered from my master, these gates are even older then them and they once ruled a good portion of the known universe," Laz revealed what he had learned, surprising Ruby.

"Really? Damn baby... these things are getting more and more dangerous, huh?"

"I don't think any of these gates should be thought of lightly."

"Yeah... Hey. You sensing this?"

"Yeah. They are engaging..."

"What's with this massive energy? It makes me feel like I want to puke."

"That's one of the chosen... In fact, I have a good idea who it is too. And that's not good. Let's move it."

They picked up the pace, moving so fast that they appeared like the wind and disappeared just as quickly.

They had both reached the peak of the Foundation realm and only needed time and a chance to enter what Laz had learned was called the Void Palace realm. The reason it was called this was because after building the base, they would then build on top of it. To call it a palace was a stretching it a little bit, but it wasn't wrong. The palace, formed of nothingness, was there to store the energy of the user.

And Laz now had tons of ways and means to do so in the library like, golden drop of blood his master had left for him.

If Laz were to release this info into the world, it wouldn't wrong to say that he was creating the planet's means of cultivation, one step at a time.

Arriving on scene was like walking into a raging inferno. The ground was covered with splashes of melted metal pools, still burning from some unknown source while the other areas were covered in blankets of flames. Several dead bodies were strewn through the area, no longer recognizable.

Face off against each other with nothing but the gate in the middle, there were two groups of people. On on side, a man with crimson lines covering his face and bare upper torso stood in front of a group who looked mockingly at their opponents.

On the other side, Dwayne, the four Ivy's, Remi, the freshly awakened Jennia, and Helen stood at the front of the other group. Although they didn't look disheartened, the people behind them looked like they wanted nothing more than to flee... at least some of them. The ones following Helen and the Ivy's seemed the most steadfast and fearless, followed by the Vodun who had come with Jennia and Dwayne. If anything, Damien and the others looked very much like they wanted to find a rock to hide under. It was obvious that this was way above their current selves to handle.

Laz made a brief note in his mind that when he got back, Julia would have to fix that. He had no plans to manage this group long term.

"How delicious. Such rare treats delivered to my door. Not only that, but they are even those infected pieces of shit that can no longer be called human. That just means I can enjoy you until I kill you," Tommy said, glancing at Helen, Jennia and the others who stood in front.

"But you... Well... you seem to be good at taking a beating. Looks like I found someone for Jesse to enjoy to his fullest?"

"I don't care what you're talking about but unless Jesse is some hot ass babe, Imma have to pass on that one bro," Dwayne responded back, sicken by the look in Tommy's eyes.

"You think you got a choice son?"

"Motha Fucka, I'm going to mess you the fuck up..." Dwayne, despite his subevent attitude towards, Jennia, was not a weak willed person. So hearing this kind of provocation was enough to stir him up even more.

"And to think... quadruplets? And sexy ones at that? But... what the fuck happened to your skin? You've got a condition or something? Ah well, three of you will be fine and we can get rid of the fourth." One of the Ivy's, Death, had gotten some of her clothes burned off, enough so that her arms were now visible. Although Laz had helped them heal a bit, the scars were still fully visible. Tommy had taken that to mean that she had something wrong with her and decided just to kill her. What he didn't know was how much that had pissed off her sisters, Famine, War, and Pestilence. As far as they were concerned, he had to die.

"And this thing... I don't even know what she is but I'm guessing she screams quite loudly when beaten. Am I right baby?"

"Remi hopes you get raped by a pack of angry unicorns..."

"The fuck does that even mean?"

"Sir. All of the ones standing in front of us are considered the big shots around town," one of Tommy's lackeys' reminded him.

"These weaklings are the ones you had trouble with? Pathetic. Well. Whatever. People like you could never hope to measure up to someone like me. So let me show you some mercy and remove these things from the city. After that, you should have no trouble brining the city under control, right?"

"Yes my lord."

"Good. Then let's get started. Any female who get's maimed is going to cost you, so make sure you set them aside safely for me to pick out. Don't worry, I won't take all of them so you'll have plenty left over."

"Thank you my lord. Let's go!"

Just as the tattoos on Tommy's body shimmered and the air around him burst into flame, the sound of laughing came out of nowhere, surprising all who had gathered.

"Ho... Look at this? The guy who went and got himself knocked out in gym class is standing here like some sort of big shot who's word is law? God damn the times they are a changing..."

It was obviously Laz's voice that rang out as he and Ruby walked up. They had been running but stopped to observe the scene more fully once they arrived. Although Laz's group had been a little roughed up, they were for the most part fine. At least, all the ones who were still here. Looking at them, the group of thirty plus was now down to twenty plus, showing that more than one person had fallen here.

"Knocked himself out in gym class?" Ruby, who was walking along beside Laz couldn't help but ask. It occured to Laz that she might not have heard this story.

"Kennedy never told you?"

"Kennedy was there?"

"Oh there is so much to catch you up on. But... maybe save that for later," Laz, looking at Tommy, seemed to see flames coming from his eyes which thanks to his flame channeling, probably wasn't far from the truth.

"WHO. THE FUCK. ARE YOU?" Tommy yelled, billows of smoke came off of him as a result of his loss of temper. Very few people today knew who he used to be but some random asshole seemed to know about one of the most embarrassing days of his life.

"Seems like he doesn't remember you?"

"Yeah. It cuts deep. Real deep..." Laz wasn't just acting this way just to get a reaction out of Tommy. The real reason was because Laz was trying to feel his power level out. After the fight with Brian which almost killed him, Laz understood that his lack of knowledge was dangerous. Watching the shirtless former classmate of his, Laz was trying to figure out if there was some kind of tell and felt like he was on to something.

"YOU'RE REALLY PISSING ME OFF RIGHT NOW. TELL ME WHO THE FUCK YOU ARE OR I SWEAR I WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL..." It seemed like Tommy was losing it more and more. But every time his body seemed to burst with power, Laz noticed the the tattoo like, red lines on his upper body seemed to shimmer.

"One... two... three... four...? Is that... is that it?" Laz said to himself, ignoring Tommy.

Seeing Laz not even bother to respond, Tommy lost it and charged straight for Laz who was lost in thought. Ruby, who was standing right next to him, decided to slip away and join the rest of their group leaving Laz to face him alone.

Just as Laz was about to be hit, his eyes lit up. The difference between the past and now was that they were a pale gold color. The strength that Laz normally kept hidden also flared to life as black flames exploded out of his body.

Tommy, seeing this, didn't miss a beat and punching out, caused a high pressured blast of fire to come crashing at Laz.

Everyone watching couldn't help but gasp, knowing how dangerous Tommy's flames were. Earlier he had used them to intimidate Laz's people, but there wasn't a member of their group which attempted to take his strike head on.

Laz didn't even bother moving. He just raised his arm up, opened his palm and acted like he was catching a ball that had been thrown at him.

The blast of fire collided with his palm and stopped right away, the end portion of the blast condensing with the front and shrinking itself into a ball.

Laz closed his fist, causing the energy to dissipate as though it was nothing.

Tommy, surprised, started to cool his head at this unexpected result. Looking at the man standing a few yards away from him, covered in black flames with glowing golden eyes seemed to trigger a memory.

"They used to be red..."

"Seems your not completely stupid."

"You were also the one who killed the guy in that video? The lightning user?"

"Oh? You saw that too?"

"We've been looking for you? I thought you'd have dug yourself into a hole by now and stayed there..."

"Why would I do that? There is way to much going on to be enjoying the quiet life now..."

"How's my sloppy seconds? Or did you leave her too"

"Please.... She didn't even want to touch you, much less do anything else with you..."

"Is that what she told you?"

"She didn't need to. People like you make people like us sick. It's hard to even breath the same air as you."

"HA. HA. HA. NOW THAT I AGREE ON. But to be honest, even then, you people are no longer human. So as much as it makes me want to vomit, I have thoroughly enjoyed making people like you my pets. Remember our old homeroom teacher? That bitch always thought I was nothing more than a kid... but now she serves me on her hands and knees... SO TELL ME THIS ISN'T AWESOME? THIS WORLD WITH YOU PIECES OF SHIT IN IT. HA HA HA HA HA."

"God damn... how the fuck are you this messed up?"

"OH. Don't worry. I will have a place for you too. After all, male or female... I don't have a problem with either. As long as there is a hole I can use...."

"Wow... No... fuck no.... that's just.... fuck...." Laz was looking at Tommy going from evil villain laughter to normal conversation like he was watching several people taking turns talking. But even though he wasn't scared of Tommy, he couldn't help but clench a bit at his last statement.

Ruby had finished telling everyone about on their side about the time limit when...

"BOSS. THIS PLACE IS COMING APART IN ABOUT AN HOUR. WHEN THE DOOR OPENS UP, WE HAVE TO LEAVE...." One of Tommy's lackeys called out to him.

"HOW IN THE FUCK?" Ruby asked, looking over at the guy who just yelled out. Her eyes changed as she spread her senses out and noticed that one of the members of the Vodun looked like he was talking to himself. But the words he was speaking was everything she had just informed everyone of including the time limit and what was coming for them.

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT," with only those words, Ruby lunged forward, her hands grabbing on to the member of the Vodun's throat as she suddenly screamed with all of her might, right in his ear.

Not only did he scream, but the one who had yelled out to Tommy screamed as well as blood started to seep out of both of their ears.

Ruby then broke his neck like it was nothing before quickly throwing the body away. Just as the body hit the ground, multiple branches suddenly penetrated his skin and spread out, causing his entire body to go stiff before tipping over.

"Aww... Guess we were found out. Well, looks like we should have some fun before I bury you shits in here forever, hmm?" Tommy asked with a smile on his face.

Laz couldn't help but frown while everyone started running at each other.

The battle for the gate had begun.

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