Chapter 125: Lazula

Zoey followed the woman wearing a red long dress. She still had no idea what was happening and why the woman uttered Marcus' name.

As she could see right now, they were in a forest. The sun was high up in the sky and there were a few clouds near the sun. 

They walked on the grassy pathway, passing by large trees which had vines coiling around some of them. 

"Where are we? Who are you?" Zoey asked. Her puzzled mind couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to receive some answers about what was going on. She expected to land inside a pool with red liquid inside but was sent to a forest instead.

The woman stopped walking. She turned her head, squinted her eyes, and asked. "Did he not explain it to you?"

Zoey had a confused look on her face. She didn't know who the woman was pertaining to. 

The woman continued walking, "Didn't Marcus choose you?"

Zoey tried to catch up. "I didn't get chosen for anything."

"But do you know someone named Marcus?" The woman didn't stop walking nor did she turn her head.

"Yes," Zoey nodded. "Vermilion hair and eyes."

"That's him," The woman smiled. "You wouldn't have come in contact with my blood if Marcus didn't allow you."

Zoey's eyes widened. "That-that-that red liquid inside the pool, that was your blood?" 

She couldn't believe she dove into a pool of blood.

"Marcus didn't tell you anything?" The woman asked as she stopped walking.

"He didn't send me here. I fell," Zoey spoke as she now stood the tall lady in red.

"You what?" The woman shook her head. "Where did Marcus place my blood anyway."

She coughed and continued. "Nevermind that. Since you're here, let us proceed. I'm sure Marcus wouldn't have you close to him if you weren't special."

Before Zoey could even respond the woman in red already snapped her fingers.

----

After three bright spheres disappeared from the sky, Senator Bong flew at high speeds towards the place where the other Strongwald leaders were.

He landed at a courtyard. Neatly cut grass, with well designed bushes on the side. Bong hurriedly walked towards Pald and Merts who were sitting at a round table.

"I saw her!" Senator Bong spoke in an excited tone.

Pald already noticed Bong's arrival but he just didn't spare him a glance nor a greeting.

Merts on the other hand, turned his head and smiled at his family member. "Saw who?"

"The sister of Eva, I saw her on the battlefield but she suddenly vanished." Senator sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.

Pald who was treating Bong like thin air laughed. He slammed his fist on the table making the tea in the Senator's cup spill.

Bong glared at the bald man.

Pald composed himself. "Are you going insane? Now I know where your son went crazy."

Pald once again started laughing.

Senator Bong roared. "I know what I saw! It was definitely her. She was under three large bright spheres that looked like the moon."

"Ahem," Merts cleared his throat seeing that there is a chance a fight might happen. "Are you absolutely sure that it was her? We have already sent people to investigate on the moon like spheres you are talking about, but when the team got there, they didn't see anyone."

Senator Bong removed his hand from the cup. "Actually, I didn't clearly see the person's face. Still, I was quite sure it was her."

Merts sighed. He didn't believe the Senator, but he still indulged him as Bong is going through a tough time.

"Let's stop with that useless talk." Pald chuckled. "Where were we, oh yeah, the nagas, kappas, and siyokoy that we captured were less than we expected."

Merts slowly nodded and indicated Pald to continue.

"Around Two hours after the nagas attacked the Eastside of the city, we sent a team of both Commanders and Preparation Stage people. They swiftly caught the creatures of the sea, but some of the creatures were already badly injured, and the number of creatures caught were less than a hundred. We expected to have captured around five hundred." Pald reported.

Merts quietly listened as he sipped from the cup in his hands. He then turned to Bong. 

"Did you attack their city properly?"

Senator Bong nodded. "We did. The whole team I brought blasted the barriers together with me. Although we didn't break it, we still caused a slight panic inside their city."

The barrier was clear, making him see what was going on inside. He saw the creatures swimming in a panicked manner. 

"It doesn't matter." Merts shook his head. "As long as we have something to show for, then that's enough."

Bong and Pald nodded.

Bong then asked. "Where's Vid? Is he in his lab again?"

Merts had a slight smile on his face. "Where else would he be. You know he's not interested in any of the activities we're doing."

Bong sighed. He could never understand whatever was going on inside Vid's head.

"Contact Octopi, tell them the plan was a success." Merts stood up and left, leaving the two other leaders of Strongwald sitting.

"Yes sir," Bong answered. He flew away, not wanting to interact with Pald.

The bald man remained seated as he continued to drink tea.

----

Marcus in his aura form had a few heavy bruises and charred skin all over his body, but the man who's sprawling on the ground had it worse. The Preparation Stage Expert he had just fought, lost an arm. 

Marcus' robe was torn from the fight, the tattoos could now be seen. There were more compared to the last time he had transformed. 

Marcus walked towards the man.

The Preparation Stage expert who was sprawling on the ground, lifted his body, then raised his remaining arm and tried to cast a spell.

Marcus scoffed. He flicked his hand sideward, destroying the spell.

The Preparation Stage expert looked at his hand. A fireball was supposed to come out and he was sure that he still had enough mana to cast one.

"Stay down!" Marcus threw a 'Chaos Lightning Javelin'.

The chaos spell hit and landed on the man's chest as he had no strength nor will left to block. 

He couldn't understand how it all happened. He didn't expect to be beaten by a Commander Stage alien.

At one point he wanted to transform, but every time he tried to cast the spell, it would fail. 

The Octopi would teach their members to transform into monstrous beings that would not only enhance their strength and defence, but also their speed.

Marcus, of course, would not allow the person to do any weird transformations. So he would destroy the spell every time the Preparation Stage expert would try it.

Marcus picked up the person and went into the Stone of Destruction. He landed in the living room near the white couches.

Nexus, Emily, and Erika were there. Eva was in the room with the dragon pool as she was concocting a potion that Zoey would need to drink just in case.

Marcus looked at the three. He smiled, and said. "Look what I bagged."

He raised the bloody one armed human up.

Emily chuckled. "Don't you think you should change first?"

Marcus nodded. He then reverted back to his human form.

"I'll be right back." He then proceeded to the chamber and locked the person up. 

The three looked at each other after Marcus left.

"Nexus you tell him. It was partly your fault for scaring her." Emily smiled.

Erika nodded.

The cat wanted to protest, but in the end, he sighed and nodded. "I'll tell him when he comes back."

The two girls giggled and left, they went to the room with the blood pool.

Not long after, Marcus came back. He wore his black-longsleeve outfit.

"Damn I need a bath." Marcus spoke under his breath as he entered the living room.

Nexus stood up from the white couch, and took a deep breath. "Marcus, something bad happened."

Marcus immediately focused his attention on Nexu, he then remembered that the only ones here were Erika and Emily.

"Did something happen to Big Sis and Zoey?"

Nexus shook his head, before nodding, and then shaking again. "Eva is okay, she's perfectly fine. Zoey on the other hand, fell into Lazula's blood."

"What?!" Marcus' unconsciously raised his voice.

He then dashed towards the room where the pool was located and saw the three other women there. He hurriedly walked to the side of the pool and furrowed his brows.

"She's a good candidate, I mean, it's bound to be someone in the future, so why not her?" Nexus who was hurriedly following Marcus, hastily said. He thought that Marcus was displeased.

Marcus shook his head. "You don't understand. I agree Zoey is a decent successor, but she isn't ready. The trials may scale depending on ones strength but even then, Zoey will still have very little chance in passing everything."

"So you're not mad?" Nexus asked.

Marcus shook his head. "Lazula has been waiting quite a long time for a successor. I'm just worried about what will happen to Zoey."