Tempo Trigger Chapter 15
Dark Dealings
By Nanaki
Timeless
The air practically burned deep in the bowels of the planet. The cave was stinking hot, the air rippling with the heat. Pools of molten rock bubbled on the side, but the center of the wide chamber was empty, for the moment. Gazuga was sweating under his mask. He quickly fumbled with the environmental controls on the outside of his combat suit, and sighed with relief as it dropped to a freezing cold. It was strange to think of it as a combat suit, really. Gazuga never wore anything else. He stopped just at the beginning of the wide empty space, and stretched his arms high. "Master, I heard you summon me. I have come." He stated simply.
Almost instantly, cracks appeared in the wide space, and lava began to bubble out of them. Before long, the compound spikes of a Class B Lavoid thrust through the rock, and on up into the ceiling, throwing chunks of rock and lava everywhere. Gazuga winced as some of the projectiles barely missed him. "Please be careful master. I'm still weak enough to be harmed by such intense heat." He said apologetically.
The five pronged eye pod of the Lavoid popped open with a sound like a knife stabbing into soft flesh. The trademark eerie blue light poured out, mixing with the orange of the chamber to flood everything with a bizarre purple shade. "Not for long I hope." The Lavoid responded vocally.
"So, you have learned how to speak." Gazuga nodded in approval. The "eye" of the pod disappeared, and it opened wider. A humanoid being around six and a half feet tall walked out. He had a basic human shape, but blue skin, no nose, and hard spikes in place of hair. He also had small spikes protruding from his back that Gazuga was willing to bet were for more than decoration.
"Seeing as I spend so much time conversing with humans, it seemed like a useful skill to pick up." The Lavoid responded neutrally.
"Anyhow lord, why have you summonded me?" Gazuga asked with geniune curiousity.
"I've had a number of heroic "visits" as of late." The Lavoid's eyes narrowed. "This gives me suspicion that Rofellos may be here, in living form."
Gazuga simply nodded. "Indeed, Leng confirmed that fact for me before he and my other sons defected."
The Lavoid whirled on him in anger. "You have known for all this time and you did not inform me?!"
"It is of no consequence lord. This is his "lifetime off," and from what I've seen, he's just pleasing himself with total self indulgence. He poses no threat to you."
The Lavoid frowned. "If he does not, who does?"
"Elan, El, and Rez have all been fighting my sons, without realizing how foolish this action is." Gazuga smiled a little. "Despite that display of stupidity, they actually managed to defeat Moogoo, although only with the efforts of all three combined."
"I don't see how any of those pathetic weaklings could pose a threat to me. None has even reached the thousand mark. Elan and El couldn't even stand against my father. How could they possibly stand against ME?!!" With the last word, the cavern shook, and chunks of rock fell from the ceiling. Gazuga winced again.
"Lord, El, Schala I mean, is still in a severely weakened state. Her power could grow exponentially were she to recover. Also, Leng looked into the information on Elan's Tempo form way back when he was still with me. Given the amount of power his mother wielded, he could become as powerful as Schala, perhaps moreso. And we already know how much power Rez gained as Sephiroth."
"That was only a gift of Jenova!" The Lavoid protested. "She made a mistake putting all her power into one last gamble. That is why I have not given you any of my power, although you show all indications of deserving it so far."
"I understand lord." Gazuga bowed. "I only mean to say that the potential for threat exists. The threat is not there yet."
"I see." The Lavoid thought for a minute. "You say your sons are fighting them? Why?"
"They do not yet realize that they are all on the same side. Even Leng, who should know better, is making efforts against them. After they defeated Moogoo, the battle turned personal, and now Habeeb has been drawn in as well. It is only a matter of time before Leng joins them."
"Such a waste, when they could be so much more effective under our guidance." The Lavoid smiled.
Gazuga looked up at him, surprised. "You have a plan." He guessed the Lavoid's intentions.
"Yes. If Moogoo and Habeeb are both in the same time and place now, it will be exceptionally easy to bring them back here, where our particular brand of persuasion will be well received."
"Heh." Gazuga couldn't help but smile. The Lavoid didn't mean to be funny. As far as he knew, Lavoids didn't have a sense of humor. But some of his phrases could be quite amusing. "But what of Leng? He will not be so easily captured."
"I believe your daughter can be of service in this area."
"My... daughter?" Gazuga almost seemed reluctant for a second. "What possible use could she be to us? She is too weak to-"
"Leng's concern for her will prove to be his undoing. She is of no concern to me. She cannot stand against me, nor can she be of any great use. I would get rid of her, but that might make for some small sign of reluctance on your part."
"Never lord!" Gazuga dismissed that concern.
"So you say, but I've found that humans are quite attached to their offspring, for some odd reason. I will let her live, but only as long as she does not join forces with the heroes."
"You are too generous master." Gazuga bowed again.
"That may well be." The Lavoid began walking back into his shell. "Our primary concern now is Moogoo and Habeeb. If we can arrive right as they're battling Elan and El, we may be able to fry two birds with one flame."
"Ah, about that lord." Gazuga held his hand up. "I'm afraid they've managed to get out of the "future" time."
"That is of no concern." The Lavoid shook his head. "El's pride will force her to return to face Habeeb, and I know where she goes, Elan goes. Now, get ready to depart." The Lavoid walked back into his shell, and the front pod snapped shut. There was an intense rumbling for a few seconds, then the shell vanished back into the huge lake of bubbling lava. Gazuga turned up his cooling device again.
"Let my daughter live after Leng is captured?" Gazuga tugged on one of his gloves, to make it fit more tightly. "I wonder if that is a wise move, master. I would not."
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Nanaki: In honor of this being only the second story I've done to reach a Chapter 15, I'm leaving it quoteless, just like Mount Woe Chapter 15. Also, I'm just about out of good quotes that I'm not saving for later on. It's time to empty those quote bags again people! Send me the best you've got, because my quote generating brain is running on fumes! Stay tuned for more Chapters in very short order.
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