Chapter 296 - Times Up (2/2)

”We need to head back before this place is destroyed or before the power comes back on. I'm not sure which will happen but we can't be here for it.”

”Ok. Yeah. Head back. Remi agrees. But the enemies beat us there first and it's not safe to cross. Remi doesn't want to leave the frying pan just to enter the fire,” Remi spoke up, voicing everyone's thought.

”Yes. Well, that is an issue. So we will need to cause a little chaos over there first before we jump back in,” Laz said with a wicked grin.

”And how we doing that?” Dwayne asked.

Laz took the time to lay out his plan. There was no way he would miss the doubt that everyone was showing after listening.

”Any questions?” Laz finished up with.

”You sure this will work sir?” Helen asked, looking more than a bit nervous. The plan could be described in one word, 'Crazy.'

”No. But if anyone has a better suggestion, I'm all ears,” Laz replied, expressing his own helplessness. He knew it was a long shot, but with the limited time window and the fact that there was an army waiting for them on the other side, it was the best he had.

”It sounds crazy, but I trust you,” Ruby said.

”We will believe in him,” the four sisters said at the same time.

”Remi has no other ideas.”

”Fucking insane... but what isn't right now?” Jennia asked.

Everyone had to agree, there wasn't another choice. They couldn't stay here and miss their chance of getting back. More than one of them promised to never gate jump again for as long as they lived.

”Bro. I'm with yah. But I got to ask, how are you sure those creatures are going to be just hopping through like that? I mean, even if they dumb as rocks that doesn't mean they don't have a survival instinct, right” Dwayne asked, figuring out a flaw in the plan. Jennia, who was right next to him, couldn't help but nod approvingly. She was glad Dwayne was using his head when she hadn't even thought of it.

”Well, I have a plan for that, but first...” Laz took a few steps back and raised his hand in the air. The last time he had used the runes to mark everyone on his team in a type of cloaking, it had worked well. There was no reason it wouldn't work again. Added to that his increase in power and Laz didn't even need to do everyone one at a time. He just summoned a whisp of black flame, drew the symbol in the air and slapped it with his palm. The symbol then broke down into many smaller, complete versions and hit everyone at the same time, causing their bodies to fade.

”Grab the ones on the ground. Even if they are useless, we can't leave them here,” Laz ordered. Before long, everyone was either standing and being held up when the first native creature made it's appearance.

It's body was as far from human as it could be. Black sections of armor covered the creature from head to toe while it's almost three meters of height was leagues taller than Dwayne in his battle form. Behind it, more and more of these creatures came into view as the clicking grew louder. Everyone understood that the clicking was the sound of their armored feet hitting the metal ground.

Before long, it seemed like they all were looking at the group of people standing there, as though they could see them and Laz's rune had failed.

That wasn't the case.

”Alright everyone, back up,” Laz ordered as everyone backed away from the gate.

”What are those things?” Jennia asked as she moved.

”Best way to describe them would be bugs. Imagine really large ċȯċkroaches and that's about right,” Rudy answered.

”Hey Bro... why is it that they seem to be looking at me?” Dwayne asked, noticing that the creatures sight seemed to be locked on to where ever he went as opposed to everyone else.

”Well. Remember you asked how I was going to get them to go through the door?” Laz said as he made his way over to Dwayne.

”Yeah...”

”Well... I planned to use bait. Sorry bout this bro as it's going to hurt. But on the plus side, at least you won't die. Probably,” Laz answered with an apologetic smile.

He hadn't used the Rune on Dwayne.

”OH FUCK NO. FUCK THAT... YOU SON OF A ....” Dwayne's last words were cut off as Laz threw him into the gate. Just as his body disappeared, the large ċȯċkroach in the front of the pack made a loud screeching noise before it and all of the ones around it charged for the gate and jumped through without stopping.

”He was a brave man.” Ruby said right away.

”He will be missed,” Helen added on.

”Remi thought he was funny.”

”Manly!” The sister's commented.

'Good luck bro. Don't die. Cause I'm probably the only one here that will miss you,' Laz said a silent prayer before getting ready for part two of the plan.