Children of a Lesser God

"So anyway, mind if we get going?" Laz asked when he opened his eyes. He saw that Dwayne seemed to be absorbing the energy as well, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't like he was going to be mad for sharing. Besides, he had the lion's share anyway.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah. Let's do that..."

Without so much as a though, Laz ended up destroying the remains of the doctor and the other guy without so much as blinking, causing Dwayne to stare at him in wide eyed shock. It was only after Laz looked at him and called his name a few times that he woke up.

"You good?"

"You cold dog, like real cold."

"What are you talking about?" Laz was confused.

"You just... boom and they piles of... liquid. Not even. Those were humans man."

"They were dead. Whether they were human or not before, once you're dead, you're dead. The only thing leaving a body behind was going to do would be to cause us trouble. When there is no body, there is no crime, right?"

"And that's why I said you were cold bro. Like, how many times have you done that to the point where you don't even blink? Hell, I've seen people axed before, but..."

"You'd be surprised what you can get used to. Let's go."

Although Dwayne was a bit frightened of Laz after this, he didn't let it effect him in the slightest. Instead, he just talked and talked as they walked, telling stories about some of the crazy things he's done since getting his ability.

"How about you? You must have quite a few stories and shit to tell seeing as how you can be so stoned face. Specially considering you're younger than me, right?"

"Yeah some. But let me ask you something first?"

"Yo?"

"Why are you so weak?" Laz had noticed something from Dwayne. His core had actually reached the foundation realm but it seemed liked it wasn't stable. Originally, Laz had thought that he was in the condensation realm at most and just seemed to have gained a special ability, causing him to be 'immortal.' But after using his sense on him to check him out, Laz noticed that his energy seemed all over the place. It was actually the first time he had seen this.

"Bro. You got you're stories you ain't want to share and I got mine, ok?"

"Yeah man. That's fair. Forget I asked." Laz wondered if he had hit a sore spot and decided to back off.

That was his intention anyway.

"Well, since you really want to know, it's like this..."

Laz was treated to a long drawn out story that made him want to smack his head with a break until he lost consciousness. He was debating trying it until he realized that the brick would probably just break before he could black out.

"Alright, alright. Stop, just stop. Let me see if I understand the long and short of this. Your internal energy is basically all eaten up by your ability to regenerate yourself so it can't be used for anything else, like strengthening your body, fighting, anything?".

"Pretty much man. Ma cells just eat up whatever I absorb and it becomes loaded. I got to wear I am cause I was able to get enough energy to power up the core, but even that's unstable. We tried asking those expects at Blood Moon, but they said they had no idea about that which meant we ran out of leads. It's like... I can't get the energy to stay focused in one place long enough for it to do anything, know what I'm saying? It's like trying to collect sand with your hands. Yeah, you can grab a little, but if you ain't got nothing to put it in, it just keeps slipping away."

Laz was slightly intrigued by Dwayne's problem and then was rather surprised that he was interested. It seemed to be a thing that happened ever since he had helped Sarah.

"That's so weird..."

"Right?"

"And that's how it's like whenever you try cultivating the energy you can absorb from the air or do you have items that have it or how do you go about building your core?"

"Uh... Yeah man. All those things, basically." Dwayne turned away when he answered, not really giving Laz an straight answer. Laz figured there was something he wasn't being told, but decided it was none of his business.

"Anyway, here we are. What you need to see that old bat for anyway?"

"Well, actually I guess it's her husband I'm going to be talking to..."

"HER WHAT? FUCK THAT SHIT. You're on your own dog..." Just as Dwayne turned around and was about to flee from the physic shop, a rather strong hand landed on his should, holding him in place.

"Welcome back Dwayne. It's been a while. I see you brought a guest. Why don't you both come inside for a chat?" The man, although slightly past his prime, was still in top physical condition with large arms and rock solid hands. He had a rather prominent beard, sharp facial features and piercing eyes.

The man had the look of someone that others looked up to, something that Laz didn't think he could match.

"UNCLE AARON..."

"Madam Cal's husband?" Laz was surprised. Madam Cal looked... older than this and she supposedly had grandkids where as this guy looked middle age at most.

"You're the one my wife told me about hmm? Interesting." The man looked Laz up and down for a moment before nodding his head.

"Come. Let us talk inside. She told me you would be visiting today."

Uncle Aaron walked inside while dragging Dwayne along with him, not giving him a chance to run. Laz was actually a bit amused to see the ever boastful 'immortal' being dragged like a rag doll.

When they ended up inside, the same young woman who greeted Laz the last time showed up to greet them again. This time though, she noticed Aaron and Dwayne, nodded her head and backed away quickly.

Without even breaking stride, Aaron proceeded up the stairs to a decent sized parlor room, threw Dwayne on a couch and started pouring himself a drink. Without asking, he ended up also pouring one for Laz and surprisingly, one for Dwayne.

"To your health," Aaron said as he downed the cup in one go.

Seeing this go on, Laz felt like it was some sort of test and as he was about to drink, Dwayne beat him too it.

"HOLY SHIT THAT BURNS...." Before Dwayne could say anything else, he dropped his glass on the carpeted floor and felled forward like a stiff board, completely passed out.

Seeing this, Aaron didn't even blink while Laz raised an eyebrow before downing his glass as well.

He now understood what Dwayne had meant. The liquid was like a lava going down his throat, but other than that, it didn't really effect him. In fact, the amber golden liquid seemed to almost taste familiar.

"Hmm. Good."

"This drink is some of the most expensive stuff I own and only one place makes it. Since this is our first meeting, I figured I would offer it as a gift, but I am feeling let down. No matter who has tasted it, a full shot like that is usually enough to make them at least have to circulate the energy, causing them to be taken back for a bit. Or, in the worse case scenario, passing out like my nephew there. But for you, it didn't do a damn thing... Unless you had it before?"

"It does taste familiar, but I can't quite place it," Laz replied honestly.

"It's a Blood Moon special. If you had it before, you would remember it."

'No... way.... It couldn't be... could it?' Laz suddenly remembered the golden flower and the shimmering blue pond.

'But that flower wasn't an alcohol. Then again, this stuff tasted very similar and yet different so maybe...'

Laz felt like he knew the right answer, but he wasn't going to comment on it.

"Well, although I am a bit disappointed, I am also somewhat relieved. Seems you're not just some green boy looking for a handout."

"Thanks?"

"That wasn't a compliment. My wife told me you wanted to meet with me about something. What is it?"

"Is this place safe?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're not being watched by those chosen?"

"Chosen? Don't call them that in front of me like they are some god given beings brought upon the earth. They are nothing more than leeches of the world."

"Leeches?"

"It doesn't matter. Call then what you wish." Aaron didn't want to explain and instead looked angry, confusing Laz.

"So then..."

"This place is safe. Why do you think I was outside when you got here. Just taking care of the squatters hanging around. It will be a few days before they realize what happened and send replacements if they will even bother doing so. We have bigger buildings with greater activity so this little shop is nothing. So get on with why I am sitting here with you right now."

"I want to make you an offer of cooperation."

"Not interested. Please leave."

"You didn't even listen."

"I don't need to. My people tell me you where hanging out with the blood suckers and even put yourself in charge of the group of idiots who call themselves the council. That sound about right?"

"Well..."

"So what that means to me is that you are closer to those two organizations than you will ever be to this one. I'm not keen on working with someone who won't give a shit about my family boy. Hence why I said, please leave."

"So the fact that they are targeting you means nothing?"

"I'll eliminate them as they come, one at a time if need be."

"You really think that it will just be the leeches and their followers who will be coming?"

"Who else would it be?" Aaron took another sip of his drink while looking at Laz, seemingly unconcerned. But Laz noticed the middle age man's gaze seemed a bit sharper than before.

"They are already working with the government. This thing, this whole thing that they are doing is part of a information war. And they are already dominating that battlefield. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"Notice what? You think the good old feds have ever given a shit about people with my skin color except as a way to gain voters?"

"This time it's not about your skin color. In fact, that's probably the smallest concern in their minds right now. It's about power. And right now, the upper members of those chosen bastards have convinced the ones in power that they are the right way of humanity and that we are a disease. They..."

"Enough. Stop. I already know the government is siding with them. So what? They going to start arresting people in the street and accusing them of being infected? Then what, isolation? Ooo, jail time. You've yet to tell me a single bit that I don't already know."

"You know about the door they are trying to open?"

"You met my wife, didn't you?"

"Did you know that everyone who has gone missing has been fed to that door to open it?"

"What the hell are you on about know?"

"The energy in their blood. Even normal people have it, we just have a hell of a lot more of it that's been condensed and purified. This is also why they are targeting members of all three groups now. They are taking who they can take, quietly, to slit their throats and feed that door."

"That's..."

"But leaving all that out, that's not what I came to you about. My original intention was to stop them, but then I said fuck that. No, know, my goal is to take a trip through this door they are opening."

"You.. wait. What?"

"The door. I want to see what's on the other side and I want to give others the chance as well."

"Are you saying you want me to send people with you into this gate?"

"That's exactly it."

"AHA HA HA HA HA. That's hysterical. Why the hell would I want to send people into a door that takes blood to open? You think I was born yesterday boy? And why the hell would I trust you of all people?" Despite his reaction, Laz could tell Aaron was intrigued.

Was there danger involved? Absolutely.

Would there be rewards? Possibly.

Would he go himself? No way in hell.

Just when Laz was about to continue on, the door to the parlor opened and in walked Madam Cal, moving along slowly. As soon as the door closed though, Madam Cal's footsteps sped up and she dropped herself onto her husband ŀaps without so much as a hint of the old age she was showing before. In fact, when Laz looked closer, he noticed that a good portion of the aged lines on her face disappeared in an instant, causing her to look no older than her husband.

"Ye should not be doubting this boy my love. He is thee one I been seeing when I cast a look beyond the veil."

"But this boy... he's a runt. How the hell do you expect me to trust him?"

"He may look small when ye be comparing him to yerself, but even you should understand that the power one possess isn't always shown on da surface."

"So you think he is strong?"

"I be thinking he stronger than you..."

"Oh, really now?" It was clear based on their conversation that this was something Madam Cal wanted but Aaron wasn't convinced about. Despite that, he was not going to disregard her advice in the slightest. Instead, he took a much more serious look at Laz, this time using his spiritual sense to scan him directly.

No matter how good of a mood Laz was in, this was being a bit too invasive. As such, he quickly raised a spiritual shield in front of himself, completely blocking off Aaron's perception.

"Looks like you do got some balls boy..."

"Not only that uncle. Laz here is colder than you. He killed three guys and didn't even blink earlier. Then he melted their bodies into nothingness and walked out without so much as a glance back. I think Aunt Cal is right. He might be stronger than you," somehow Dwayne had regained consciousness and sat up while speaking his mind, only to see three sets of eyes rest on him.

Laz's were completely indifferent while he got a bad feeling from his Aunt Cal. His uncle actually looked on him with pity.

"OHH? What's this? My sister's useless older son has decided to show up now hmm?"

"Oh fuck..." Dwayne whispered to himself while back up towards the door.