Chapter 288 - A Brief History Of A People Long Gone (1/2)

Laz had no idea what was going to happen in 72 hours, what this creature was or even if anyone found a way to open the door back. The only thing he did know was that if they didn't find a way to leave within 72 hours, they would never leave.

And that was not a comforting thought.​​

Be that as it may, Laz wasn't going to freak out because there was a lot more he needed from this creature in front of him. For the first time since Laz had awakened those year ago, he finally found someone who knew more about him than he did. This kind of opportunity wasn't something he was going to pass up.

:You have many questions?: The voice asked.

:Yes.:

:Well, I've got nothing but time I suppose. After all... I've been dead for a long time...:

:YOU WHAT?:

:HA HA HA HA. Didn't know that, did you? I can see that your small mind thinks of death as only an ending and a very final one at that. Well, you're only half right, little one. In truth, even after death, if you are strong enough, you can live on.:

:That's....:

:That's not something you need to worry about for now. Let me tell you a bit about your ancestors, my people.... our people.:

Inside Laz's head, he suddenly saw many pictures and thoughts that went along with it. Although it was a bit of a strain, getting information in this way, it wasn't uncomfortable. And it was also a much faster process than if the dead Asura in front of Laz had told him word by word.

The Asura people used to be located on a beautiful planet, a very long ways away. Looking at it form space, the planet, due to it's special life forms, had a purple tint to the oceans while the landmasses could be many colors, depending on what kind of plant life they contained. The Asura were war like from the beginning and constantly fought with each other. Empires would rise and fall all over the planet, sometimes within days.

It was all they knew for the first part of their history.

They finally had peace.

But peace was a very foreign concept to the war like people.

The grand ruler understood this and knew that his people, his planet, was restless. Due to being united, the strength of the average person soared to new heights, not to mention the ruler's armies. As such, they needed a new enemy to fight. Looking out upon the planets in his solar system, they decided to spread the empire out to the stars. Although this didn't give them anyone to fight, it allowed them a goal that everyone was keen to work on. There was more than one planet within their solar system that could support life and they were going to make it theirs.

They made the first contact with a foreign species on the final planet they could inhabit. The creatures were large but gentle, low in population and not a challenge for the invading armies, so even though they loved war, they weren't going to commit a genocide just to see blood. These new creatures greatly resembled whales that could fly through the air. More interestingly, they also possessed an intelligence that could match the Asura people. During conversation with these creatures, the Asura learned of a gateway, located on the planet that was considered a place off limits for the native species.

This peeked the Asura's interest greatly.

And this also started their peoples venturing out into many other galaxies and the beginning of their galactic empire.

As the half body showed Laz all of these images, like a movie in his head at an incredibly fast speed, Laz felt like he was there to witness the rise of this emperor, the movement out to the galaxy, discovering new worlds and people and going to war with empires much older than that of the Asura.

Laz could feel his blood responding to the story.

On and on the narration in his head went, until they come upon a dark galaxy that had no star and no light. Originally, the Asura ignored it, thinking that it couldn't support life, but soon that decision would lead to a war that would decimate the empire.

While the Asura were at war with another huge empire, both sides occupying a third of the known universe, enemies unlike anything that had ever seen started pouring out from the dark galaxy, laying waste to everyone that stood in their way.

The empire that the Asura were fighting were targeted first and fell within what could be considered the blink of an eye. Seeing this, the Asura started joining hands with every other major power that they could find, trying their best to hold back these unstoppable creatures.

For what the could be told about them, they were like shadows made corporeal. They could survive anywhere and everywhere. The creatures that fought at their sides were also strange, beings made of wind and water, ground and fire. A peaceful, green planet would find themselves swarmed with fire creatures that destroyed the planet within days of arriving while a frozen wasteland full of strong and sturdy bodied, barbarian like creatures would find themselves assaulted by beings of wind and water that would turn the entire place into a giant, frozen ice ball, truly devoid of life.

But the Asura could hold their ground almost anywhere, causing the elemental creatures to have to retreat until their masters arrived.

As the story seemed to near it's conclusion, Laz was able to view the final battle between the shadow like creatures and the Asura, one that decimated the center of the universe, cutting off various areas from one another. In it, the Asura who Laz was currently hanging on the wall in front of Laz with was a warrior of great renown and valor, leading his armies into battle. He fought until his body broke in two and the spatial tears ripped the place apart, causing him to be separated from the few remaining warriors left alive.

This was almost the last scene to play in Laz's head. The final scene was one of the Asura floating in space dead, while his soul still remained attached to his body. He seemed to be waiting for his people to come find him, only to eventually be picked up by a massive starship of non-organic creatures.

This lead him to be brought here. He had no idea how long had passed since that final battle, or even since he arrived where ever he was. Time was hard to measure for a soul.

Laz felt the sadness, despair and even longing from the creature in front of him. It was hard to miss it. The sadness and despair were easy to place, but he was unsure of what the longing was.

:And that is our story. A history of hundreds of thousands of years, many different rulers, all now in the past.:

:Perhaps. Even if they killed off most of us, I doubt they could have found all of us. And arn't you standing before me? There must of been one member of our people who lived long enough to become your ancestor.:

Hearing this, Laz realized something. The longing that the Asura in front of him felt was for that of his lost people. As of this moment, Laz was the closest thing he had to his kind.

:Is there anything I can do for you?: Laz asked. He felt kinship to this person who's name he didn't even know.

:Had you been stronger, you could have taken my soul with you. When I felt the resonance of our blood, I thought that maybe they had come for me. But instead it was you. I won't lie and say that I am not saddened by this, but at the same time, I wasn't going to be able to hold on long enough to find a new body anyway. Had I been weaker, my soul would have long dissipated. But I guess my strength was a blessing when I was alive and a curse now that I am dead.: