" go, im sure you have things that need to be done now that you are back....I swear im ok."
I stood in the kitchen with alaine helping her out when she said this, I had stayed with her after opening just to make sure she was still ok
" ok,but one word and I'll be back here in a instant. " coming up behind, putting hand on her hips she pushed against me grinding a bit
Leaning back she allowed me access to her lip for a kiss " I love you."
" i love you too...see you tonight ill be waiting." She didn't mean just for talking judging by the was she was rubbing up against me
" i thought you were sore from last night." A bright blush ignited her cheeks
" i am but I still want to."
"Just as bad as the other one...but it'll have to wait until after our talk ok." Grabbing her new tail, rubbing it, caused her to bit her lip to keep down a moan and nod quickly
Kissing her one more time I embraced her from behind before turning and leaving the diner
" what's going on." While bathing in the sunlight after getting outside there looked to be a squad lead by James about to leave the city's gate
appearing in front of them they halted their steps, kneeling.
Waving for them to stand i addressed James " is there something wrong?" Standing the group began moving again as I followed
" we have some trouble in the swamps near where the lizard-man's territory. I kept pace as they began to speed up tha clanking of armor shuffling of close filling the air as the steam stream of people enter the city got further away
" isn't that why we allowed the adventures guild to establish themselves here to handle these things." The landscape before us slowly shifted to the swamps the lizard-man's territory was know for forcing us to slow a little
" w-well it is but every once in a while one of the hell portal opens up and its to much for them to hand so we have to step in plus its good combat training for the new newbies."
his voice was a little hesitant and I knew why it was kinda my fault these portals because of the eclipse
" ill come with...if just to make sure things go smoothly." It seemed like James was going to object or say it was unnecessary but ultimately kept quietI didn't push him to speak and kept wadding through the swamp
After long minutes that felt like hours we arrived at our destination we knew this thanks to the grotesque creatures torn apart and the sounds of fighting up ahead
" damn disgusting things... surround and push them back to the portal!" Ka'zeck's voice echoed through the swamp as he gave orders to his own people whi where already there dealing with the portal
The sunlight filtering through the wide leafs of the trees dotting the swamp setting the atmosphere to their fight
The lizard-man utilized through swamp environment to their advantage using the murky water to hide their movements and strikes
" move in, rangers use the trees,ground units approach everyone follow your training." Quickly moving with their rifles the rangers climbed the trees their boots allowing them to walk up the trees bark unaffected by the swamp water
Aiming their rifles they began shooting at the creatures coming through the gate with great accuracy none of their projectiles hit their fellow soldiers or the lizard-men, only striking the creatures coming through the portal
The melee units moved in following the movements drilled into them through their training effectively backing up the lizard-men and slaughtering the creature attacking them
I stayed back watching my soldiers work with smooth efficiency glad the strictness of the training paid off, while it mean less soldiers pass the ones that do are at the top of their selection which is crucial for any force
" dont spread out to wide they will be able to overwhelm you." James's voice echoed across the conflict making sure the fights stayed at a pace he could control
Overall I was pretty impressed with not just how well my soldiers worked together but also with how James commanded them he turned out better for this than I ever thought
The stench of rotten flesh and dying fires filled the air while scratching wails accompanied them as the fighting continued
The water off the swamp constantly being disturbed by falling corpses or meticulously movements never staying calm for long, any signs of wild life not in sight having fled the only things there able to witness the skirmish were the trees
Hearing sloshing beside me I saw...well more flet ka'zeck presence
" these things never last long, but they put up a good fight." He spoke standing up while the swamp water easily rolled off his reptilian scales
" that's true, their strength is in numbers not their physical power though even im a little surprised how quickly you thinned them out." What i assumed was a smirked appeared on his face
" this is our territory it would be a disgrace if we did treat them to some hospitality."
I shivered slightly remembering the welcome i got a while back if it wasn't for my elemental power I would have fell to the lizard-men warriors and their mastery of using the environment
Continuing to observe the fight as it came down,with many grotesque figures littering the ground and none of ours as far as i could see, i noticed a familiar in the back of the thinning hoard near the portal slowly moving back across it's boundary
" i got to check something ill be back." I teleported appearing just on the other side of the portal but I dont know if it was the fact i rapidly went through two forms of spatial manipulation or the horrid smell and suffocating heat of this dimension that left me disoriented for a second
" d-dont hurt me again i-i dont have a choice." The creature i ripped up in front of that bat thing was no shaking in front of me again
" hang on one second....there we go ok, now I figured there was a reason you im more here to make a deal this is good training for my soldiers so I won't rip you into pieces like last time as long as you dont kill anyone."
He looked even more scared at my suggestion " i-i-i can't if I did they will eventually find out when they continously get nothing and I'll just be replaced." I couldn't tell if he was more scared of accepting or declining
" what do you keep coming here for anyway." I asked out of genuine curiosity
" y-your blood contains power that is useful to us."
' power in our blood.' It took me longer than I was willing to admit to realize what he was talking about
" do you mean mana?, what do you think of this." I held out my hand too which now held a mana crystal from the mine,taking it gingerly from my hand he bit the crystal feeling the raw mana contained inside his eyes went wide
" i-its so pure." He stammered staring at the crystal than me " if i brought this to him he would ask where I got it from."
I understand what he was getting at but at the same time...." does it matter or would you prefer we endlessly go through this at least this way you guys can actually get something out of it. "
Seeing him go into a contemplative stance i looked across the hellish landscape, the rocky terrain almost looked sickly and decaying, lava flowed between them like veins, pulsing as if trying to convey its fury or pain
Around us creatures of different hellish proportions surrounded us waiting for the signal to attack
I didn't feel threatened knowing i could squash them in a second if they tried
Finally his red eyes focused back on me as he clutched the crystal tighter " I cant give certainties but ill take the crystal with me."
" fine." I wave my hand as I turned to leave seeing James, ka'zeck and their soldiers anxiously waiting for me to come back across the portal hesitant to come through because of the effects it will have on their bodies
" but refuse at your own risk, dont say i never tried to handle this diplomatically." I left those words moving back to the other side of the portal not long after it closed and the atmosphere shifted
the smell was gone,there wasn't any unnatural heat being spread through the area and the light coming through the canopy became more gentle
Feeling their curious gaze apon me i explained what happened to both of them
" arwyou sure it is wise to trust them or even believe they will fallow the deal." James was the one to voice their thoughts
I shrugged " I dont know an we wont know until the next portal appears." The two of them looked at each other before Shrugging gathering their soldiers up to return
During this i went through what needed to be done for the day