When Laz returned with the girl in tow, there were a lot of questions from his subordinates, but he cleared those up right away.
"Boss... I was just asking. No need to be so heavy handed," Blake complained as he picked himself up from the floor, wishing he would have hit sothing other than the stone wall.
"Did you really think that the First would be soone with disgusting preferences like you?" Seven asked, poking the still in pain Blake.
"Well what do I know when he returns with a half naked young girl from who knows where?"
"How about asking first before just blurting out the first dumb thing you can think of? Maybe then he wouldn’t feel the need to see how bouncy you are when slamd against a wall?"
"Maybe you should be glad that the kid didn’t understand what you were implying?" Two said, taking another look at the young girl who was going with a few of the village mothers to get changed.
"Why’s that?" Blake asked, but Two turned away from him and faced Laz.
"Why do I get the impression that this little girl could kill every one of us with barely an effort?"
"Because you have good instincts and aren’t an idiot," Laz responded with a laugh.
"You’re not going to tell us about her?" Two stated, more than inquired.
"Best you don’t know. But just know that she isn’t as young as you’re thinking and even I would have a hard ti trying to subdue her if it ca to it. Also... I don’t know much about her loyalty other than she won’t hurt . As for anyone who show’s her killing intent? Well... there would be much less ssy ways to die. Let just put it that way," Laz explained.
"Right. Understood. Still... She isn’t nearly as scary as that thing out there. So I’m only guessing that’s not what she’s here for?"
"No. Just an sudden discovery while I was searching around. This castle isn’t what we think it is and may be the only key to our survival," Laz suggested.
"We can’t live here forever. At so point we will need food," Two responded.
"I’m aware and that isn’t what I an anyway," Laz inford him.
There was sothing that was tugging in Laz’s head, a thought that didn’t want to leave him. This was a building build out of the immortal body of a divine beast. What’s more, it didn’t always reside here either as was evident by the young girl’s mory so that could only an it had been moved here at so point.
’So if it was moved here, could it be moved again? Seems like it should be able to... but how...?’ Laz thought while thinking back to the divine artifact Library and wondering if it was sohow similar.
’Not that it said it was build out of an ancient beasts body.... actually, it probably wasn’t, right?’
*Kat? Kat? You there?* Laz tried, but received nothing but silence in return.
’With how often she’s not there, I sotis wonder if I am just talking to myself most of the ti? I an... she’s helpful when she’s here, but she’s normally so quiet it’s like she isn’t there at all...’
Laz wasn’t going to get an answer so he just waiting with the others until the young girl returned, dressed in a rather pretty yellow sundress that one of the mothers had left over from her older daughter. Along with the dress, her hair had been tied up into pig tails with bows along with so sandals. Compared to how she was before, she looked like a little angel now.
She ran up to Laz and twirled around, showing how the dress flung around with her movents, obviously still enjoying the feeling of moving with feet. The won who had helped her clapped while she giggled as the stunned n’s responses. Seeing sothing so cheerful and innocent had a rather impactful effect on the n and won who had only been engaged in battle for as long as they could rember.
"I will protect that smile even if it costs my life," Sixteen muttered while Two and Seven nodded in agreent.
Blake was strangely silent.
"Look at you! How are you feeling?" Laz asked, laughing at little.
"Amazing... but... uh..." The little girl stopped in front of Laz and had a slightly inquisitive, slightly sad look on her face.
"What’s the matter?"
"Well... the nice auntie’s asked for my na... but I never got one so I didn’t know how to respond," the girl said, pointing over to the nice won who now seed to be glaring at Laz.
"I appreciate what you’ve done for us m’lord.... but really? To leave your daughter without na of her own seems pretty irresponsible."
"That’s right m’lord. Maybe soone of your status doesn’t understand just how much of a embarrassnt for those young’ins born out of wedlock to not be given a proper na. Now we be seeing your surprise and know you be a kind man who probably didn’t know he be having a daughter. But now that ye be aware, you should be a good man and take responsibility for young lass. She be needing her dad more than ever right now...."
And the ’advice’ went on and on, making Laz raise an eyebrow at the young lady who was still standing in front of him with a big smile. As Laz looked closer, he could see a bit of mischievousness within her eyes.
’She’s not as innocent as she seems...’ Laz thought to himself with a sigh.
"How about Nagini? It’s the na of a very powerful being from where I co from," Laz said with a sigh after thinking about it for a while.
"Nagini?’ The girl asked.
"Yes. Nagi for short? How’s that sound?"
"And my family na daddy?" she said, obviously rembering what the older won had told her. Only lords and royalty had nas that could or should be inherited. And since that’s what Laz was, she should make sure she has his last na as well.
While Laz understood this principle, there was a slight problem with it. While it was all fun and gas for now, should one of her people, if she had people, ever find her, shouldn’t her family na then be related to her mother? Or at least to her real father?
Still though, seeing those eyes looking up at him, Laz knew he wasn’t going to be able to tell this little girl no.
"Crowe. You shall be my Nagini Crowe. How’s that sound?" Laz said, finally giving in.
The smile she gave lit up the whole room as the village won clapped as though proud of making him admit this connection. And while it might have been a good thing from where they were standing, there was no way they could understand just what effect this would have on the future.
Of course neither did Laz at the ti.
With that settled, Laz dismissed the won and called Nagi over to his side along with the senior mbers of his legion.
"Did you enjoy that?" Laz asked, looking down at the girl. He finally understood that she wasn’t as naive as she had been acting from before, although she really hadn’t known the castle was the body of her mother. After all, there was no way to fake the kind of crying she did.
"I did daddy. Why? Are you ashad of this daughter of yours? Nagini asked.
"Whatever. Anyway, I need a favor," Laz said.
"What is it daddy? Anything for you!"
"You rember what I said about this building? Do you think you might be able to connect to it? I believe that this place can actually move around. But to do that, we would either need to find so sort of controls for it or find so other way to connect to it. If it’s you... then it might be possible," Laz explained.
Nagi thought about this deeply for a mont before she responded.
"I’ll try!" With that, she went and sat down on the throne like seat that was close by while the other’s all turned to face Laz.
"First. Is this sothing a little girl can do?" Two asked. He rembered what Laz had warned him about but still couldn’t see her as this ancient being like Laz had said she was.
"If anyone can, it will be her."
"And what’s the plan once we can move this thing?" Two asked.
"I was made aware of so things recently. Right now, we only have one chance to survive this thing and make it out of this alive. The Empress is currently call forth everyone still able to fight to set up one last stand at a mountain fortress sowhere in the mountains away from the capital. As for the capital itself... it has been abandoned. The Emperor went crazy and started a bloodbath. While he is now stronger than ever, he has also lost any sense left in his head and is nothing but a monster now. The tide should reach the capital within a few days where they will et this mad Emperor. No matter who wins, we will be screwed though. So I think it best if we et up with the Empress and see what can be done on her end. As for the Emperor and the shadow dragon? If we’re lucky they will take each other out. But I doubt we will be that lucky."
"The capital has been abandoned? What about our families?" Seven asked, looking very worried for the first ti since Laz had t him.
"Anyone who survived ended up following the Empress and she’s giving shelter to all who reach her. So although I don’t know about your families, there is still a chance they are alive. At least for now," Laz tried to reassure the man.
While he still looked pale, it wasn’t as bad as before.
"And what exactly do you think this giant hunk of rock will do?" Two asked.
A massive rumbling sound although with the shaking of the castle began just as he asked.
Laz smiled.
"It will make one hell of a difference."
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