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When the whirlwind stopped Amelia was surrounded by clouds of mists, with walls peeking through as the mist swirled about. Amelia looked around, arefully listening for any sound of movement.
"This must be her stronghold," the princess thought. "Where are you Nephillo?" She called out.
"No where, everywhere," a disembodied voice replied. "I am so sick to seeing that little doll face of yours."
"Then why did you bring me here?"
"To kill you, of course," Nephillo laughed and appeared a few feet away from the princess.
"Which is exactly why you brought Zelgadis to see us in the first place. Where is he?" Amelia shouted.
"Where you can't get to him," she said and shot another energy blast at the princess, which she blocked.
"Elemika Lance!" Amelia shouted, aiming the spell directly at the Muzuko. Nephillo returned the blast and Amelia quickly dodged it and countered with one o her own.
"Is that all you can do? Throw insults and weak attack spells," Amelia said, behind her newly erected shield spell.
"I have more power in my arsenal then you could imagine little girl. But dallying with the likes of you is beneath me so I have some guests you can entertain." The mist began to dissipate and revealed a large hall filled with Muzuko of almost every variety.
"They'll kill you," she continued, "while I go cuddle up with my chimera." Then she disappeared and the demons began to close in on the princess.
* * *
"We have to do something. We can't just stand around here!"
"We aren't just standing around. We'll get them back."
"But the way she looked at Amelia and the things she said. Amelia could be . . ."
"She's able to take care of herself," Lina said to Daisy, although she was also concerned.
"We'll get her back and Zelgadis too. Don't worry Daisy," Gourry said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"But how?" she sniffled. "After they were taken Nephillo created some kind of barrier that we can't cast magic through."
"We'll work around it Sis, Nephillo's not the only one who has tricks up her sleeve," Bubbles said.
"I smell the beginnings of a plan," Lina said. Bubbles confirmed her words with a nod. They still remained in the astral plane, now in the ruins of what use to be the Briseral of the dream scape. After Nephillo took her quarry they almost fell back into reality but with Daisy's quick thinking they teleported to another part of the dream scape before Nephillo's barrier appeared.
"It was her plan all along, wasn't it?" Daisy asked.
"To show up, kill us and take Zelgadis," Lina shrugged, "It makes sense."
"But she could have killed us without showing her face or bringing Zelgadis, right?" Gourry asked.
"She has an ego to feed," Bubbles said from the other side of the ruins that they had taken shelter in.
"Besides that, I think Zelgadis wanted to see us. She didn't say anything really until Amelia noticed the spell she had placed on him," Lina reasoned.
"That part I still don't understand. How did she see through it?" Daisy asked, regaining her composure.
Lina shook her head and sighed. "I don't know, but however she did it, it scared Nephillo enough to break with her plans for us and take Amelia."
"You think she was going to kill us in front of Zelgadis?"
"No, after he left. So that he would still think we were alive and safe," Lina said thoughtfully. "But Amelia seeing through her spell changed all that, now . . ."
"Now Amelia's out there, all alone," Daisy whispered.
* * *
"Elemika Lance!"
The spell hit its target creating a small explosion as chunks wall and Muzuko flew in all directions, breaking the ring of creatures that surrounded the princess.
Another Muzuko grabbed her from behind and she flipped him over her shoulder quickly and blasted him before he could hit the ground. She erected a shield spell and the lesser demons of the group started pounding on it as some of the other higher level demons threw a variety of blasts at the clear sides that weren't occupied.
"This is getting me nowhere," she thought angrily as the Muzuko continued their onslaught. "They have the numbers and home territory advantage. I need to find my own," she thought, strengthening her shield. She looked around quickly, taking in the large hall and high ceilings and also studying the types of Muzuko that were currently trying to kill her. And a plan began to form.
"Lightening!" She shouted, blinding the Muzuko long enough to cast a levitation spell.
"Burst Rando! She cried from above at the group of lesser demons, instantly killing them as their more powerful compatriots started to recover their sight. Only they saw the princess with a sly smile a large amount of energy forming in her hands.
"RA TILT!"
When the smoke cleared, the walls and floor were marred with scorch marks and Muzuko remains.
Amelia landed on the ground and saw no further signs of movement and sighed in relief.
"This room strikes me as a receiving hall of a castle," she thought leaning over to make a crude map in the charred Muzuko ashes. "Which means this place probably has an east and west wing, maybe not long ones and towers and a lot of floors," she thought, trying to theorize the layout of her new surroundings. "If that's the case then the upper leverls are the best place to go, since there's a better opportunity to lay traps for unwelcome guests."
With that decided she stood up and began running for the giant doors at the far end of the hall and headed deeper into the castle. As she ran down the hallway, she considered using Raywing, but thought better of it, hoping to stay undetected as long as possible.
"I just hope my guess is right about the lay out of this place," she sighed and continued running.
* * *
"Okay, it's all clear," Bubbles said returning to the others.
"All clear?" Gourry asked.
"I was checking to see if she was in the area it takes a while to sense around the dream scape, but I don't detect any sign of her. For now."
"Good, now back to this plan of yours, what is it exactly?" Lina asked.
"Amelia's astral signature, we use it as a trace. We might not be able to cast in this field that Nephillo has erected but we can still detect them," Bubbles explained.
"By using that crystal you gave Amelia last night?"
"Her signature would be more pronounced up here with the crystal and we can use it to communicate with her," Daisy said excitedly.
"I was thinking about something," Gourry asked. "If the field Nephillo set up is still there then somewhere inside the field is where she lives and where Amelia is. Umm, right?"
"Good call. I was thinking with Amelia's astral signature we could get Zelgadis and Amelia out of there in a flash," Lina said.
"But what do we do with Nephillo? She's bound to come after us," Daisy added.
"I get the feeling that she wants more from Zelgadis then his . . . company," Bubbles said. "But luckily some things haven't been affected by all this." Then he opened his hyper dimensional pocket and pulled out a crystal similar to the one he gave Amelia.
"How many of those things do you carry on you?" Gourry asked.
"Plenty and it's a good thing too," the Muzuko smiled. He let go of the crystal and it began to float and spin like the needle of the compass, turning about rapidly til it stopped and one of the ends pointed westward and began to glow faintly. "Let's head that way," Bubbles said, grabbing the crystal.
"That's it. You just drop it and spin?" Lina asked.
"It's made from the same crystal Amelia has, which recognizes her signature. If needed crystals can be merged back together and also be used in the same manner as a trace spell. But now is not a good time for the particulars. Let's go."
"But we can't fly there. You can't cast any flight spells," Gourry said.
"No need to," Daisy said and began to glow slightly. "We don't use a transformation spell to change forms, so I think I can -," suddenly Daisy began to grow and change shape into a large Dragon with great wings and a long spiraling tail.
"Wow," Gourry said, staring at Daisy. "You're a big Dragon."
Daisy turned her head and smiled. "Thanks," she said, projecting the words from her mind. "Everyone climb on so we can leave."
Bubbles and Gourry climbed on quickly. Lina had a little trouble getting a good grip on Daisy and started frowning until an arm snaked around her waist and lifted her.
"Thanks Gourry," the redhead said, blushing as the swordsman set her down in front of him still holding her.
"Is everyone ready?" Daisy asked.
"Yeah, sis time to get flying?"
Daisy flapped her wings and moments later they were soaring through the dream scape.
Lina looked around from her perch on Daisy's back and found nothing put swirling clouds and space or multi colored flashes in the mists as they separated and reunited, like a dance.
"It's beautiful," she thought, despite the ugliness of their current situation. "What a wonderful place for people to come and dream." She could understand why a whole magical canon was based on the astral plane. There was beauty and mystery swirling all around with untold boundaries of power lying underneath. She looked up as a flash of light zigzagged over them and gasped in wonder. She tilted her head up and leaned back just a little to see more when she hit a wall or what felt like one.
"Are you okay Lina?" Gourry asked.
"Uh, yeah fine," she answered quickly.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you," he said, leaning closer to her ear.
"I said I'm fine," she managed, "Just looking around," she laughed.
"I know what you mean, this place is pretty," he smiled.
"How are you guys doing up there?" Daisy asked, drawing their attention away from the scenery.
"Good," the three said in unison.
"Bubbles, are we close yet?"
"I'm not sure, but we'll know the place when we see it."
"You mean like that." Gourry pointed to the left outside of Daisy's view.
"Daisy stop and head over to the left," Bubbles said.
Daisy turned where directed and continued onward. At first they didn't see anything then through the clouds a tower peaked out, then another until the mist started to clear.
"This place looks bigger then Sailunne," Gourry said.
"I thought she'd have something like a small castle maybe but not this," Lina cried.
It was large and majestic with floors upon floors and more towers then they could count.
"It's a fortress of some kind," Bubbles murmured as more of the structure peaked out of the mists. It spread out in all directions.
"It must be like a maze inside," Daisy whispered and prepared to go closer.
"Wait," Lina said, making the dragon stop. "I think this is as close as we can get without being noticed," the sorceress continued. "Let's just circle and use the clouds for cover. This place is too huge to try and use the crystal to trace Amelia from one spot."
"It'll take Amelia forever to find Zelgadis in a place like that," Gourry said as more of the fortress revealed itself.
"I hope she's all right," Bubbles sighed, "Let's try flying over the top."
"Right," His sister called and increased her speed.
* * *
Amelia ran along another hallway and sighed in frustration. "Exactly how big is this place anyway," she thought, making a turn only to find another corridor with a staircase at the end. The princess clinched her fists in anger as she stared ahead.
"This screams 'I'm a trap. Walk on ahead', she thought. "She could have at least been discreet about it," the princess murmured. "But it's the only staircase you've seen since you left the main hall," a voice in her head reasoned.
"If it's a drop floor, I can levitate. If something comes from the walls I could blast, and there aren't any other options for me to take."
She closed her eyes and focused for a second and a ball of light materialized in her hands. She tossed the ball down the hall, letting it bounce off the walls and ceiling. The ball hit a spot on the floor and beams of dark energy begin to shoot from the walls in a random combination.
Amelia stared at the beams shooting out from the walls, which had seconds before destroyed her light ball spell.
"I don't want her to know I'm coming so big spells are out, if they'd even work in the first place," she thought. "I guess there's only one thing left." With that she took a few breaths and headed into the hallway.
The beams shot out rapidly as she flipped and dodged her way through them, grateful for the extra time she had taken lately to practice her gymnastics was paying off. She was halfway through when beams from the ceiling started to shoot out, one of them grazing her leg and in turn interrupting her momentum.
The pain seared up her leg and she fought the urge to buckle under it. "I can't stop," she thought desperately as she continued to flip and dodge her way onward, putting most of her weight on her uninjured leg. She was almost at the end when the beams of dark energy began to cross from one wall to the other on each side and blackness from the floor and the ceiling, meeting up in the middle to seal off the hallway.
Amelia used her legs to push her hard through the air as the gap between the beams grew smaller. The gap closed on the soles of her boots, scorching them slightly as she crashed into the staircase. The pain in her leg increased when it rammed against the stairs.
The princess used her arms to pull herself up to a sitting position. She shifted her legs out in front of her and inspected her injured leg. A small patch of black miasma clouded the wound.
"This must be the same stuff that affected Bubbles crystals, Liquid Nightmare," she murmured while casting a healing spell. It took her several minutes and a spell two grades stronger then what normally would have been used for a wound of its size before it completely healed. Which worried her a great deal.
"This stuff is really strong. I guess that's what Gourry was talking about when he said highly concentrated."
She continued healing spells on her bruised arms and side. "I wonder what she's doing to him up there," she thought. Images of the room and events Zelgadis showed her in his dream clouded her mind, fueling her anger. "She can't have him," she thought, slamming her fist on the step next to her. She got up after finishing her last spell and began making her ascent.
Meanwhile Nephillo sat at her night stand, brushing her hair and humming a soft tune. She looked over to the bed where Zelgadis lay still unconscious and smiled. "Soon there won't be anything to distract you from me and you'll be all mine. You're mine, your body and especially your power," she laughed and continued her preparations.
* * *
"Anything yet?"
"Not yet. Let's try getting just a bit closer Daisy," Bubbles said.
Daisy moved in closer above a mass of clouds that floated above the fortress.
"I hate all this sneaking around," Lina mumbled, "Gimme a clear shot and I'll Dragon Slave her ass."
"We'd do that if we knew where Zel and Amelia are but we don't Lina. If you blast the place they might get hurt," Gourry said.
"I know," She grumbled, still hating the fact they were creeping around like mice hunting cheese.
"Don't worry Lina, we'll have you Dragon Slaving in no time," Bubbles said, turning around and smiling. He smiled even brighter when he noticed Gourry's arm still wrapped around Lina's waist. Lina followed the direction of his gaze and blushed hotly as Bubbles turned around.
The Muzuko looked down at the crystal that still maintained its faint glow. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all," Bubbles thought.
"Don't get discouraged," Daisy whispered," We're on the right track, I just know it."
"I'm glad you think so but I- Daisy wait!" Bubbles watched as the crystal began to glow brighter.
"What is it?" Lina asked looking over his shoulder.
"We're close, she's somewhere below us," Bubbles said.
"Can you try and reach her from here?"
"I think so. Daisy circle the area and keep a look out?"
"Okay brother."
"Well lets try this out," the Muzuko said. He stretched his hand ut, the crystal in the center of his palm and began to focus on the crystal's connection to its other half.
"I hope this works," Lina thought as she continued to look on.
* * *
Amelia continued up the long stairwell carefully looking around for more traps. She looked down the stairs and fingered the hole in her leggings idly. She was thankful for putting on practical clothes that morning as opposed to some of the nice things she had worn during the week.
"This is not the time to think about things like that," she thought shaking her head. Then noticed a strange glow coming from the side pouch on her belt.
"What in the world?" She murmured, stopping to open the pouch and pulled out the pale crystal Bubbles had given her. While she held it, a cylinder of light emitted from the crystal with a blurry image in the center. It gradually came into focus and she recognized the face as "Bubbles?"
Bubbles stared into the crystal looking at Amelia's image and heard her say his name and smiled at Lina and Gourry who were looking over his shoulders anxiously.
"Amelia, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but how did you-"
"Your astral signature, we followed it. We're circling outside on Daisy. What's happening in there?"
"So far I've gotten a demonic reception when I arrived and just went through a pretty nasty trap of Liquid Nightmare. No sign of Nephillo, yet. I think she's busy elsewhere," she mumbled. "I think on the higher floors is where she's keeping Zelgadis so that where I'm heading," the princess ended.
"We can't get inside. Neph, the little darling that she is put up a dampening field so we can't cast any magic. And you may have a problem finding Zel also." This got the princesses attention as she stared into her half of their makeshift crystal ball.
"What do you mean?"
"What he means," Lina said into the crystal, "is that this place is huge. We've been circling for a few minutes and we haven't seen the end yet. It'll take you forever to search the place." The news made Amelia frown in worry.
"That's why they're so few traps. I'd be going in circles before I ever found where she was," she thought.
"There has to be another way we can find Zel," she heard Gourry say.
"We don't have a trace or a clue as to where in this monstrous place where they are," Lina said.
"A trace," Amelia murmured. "That's it! Bubbles we can use Zelgadis's astral signature to find him like you found me."
"But we don't have his signature. I can't-"
"Yes, you can," she interrupted. "His and my astral space are connected so our signatures might be too. Back track on my signature and somewhere mine will end and his will begin," She reasoned.
"But he doesn't have a crystal."
"He doesn't need one if he's still unconscious. Which I think is very likely."
"That means he's in his astral space and his signature would be more pronounced," Daisy added, "And she could use her crystal as a tracker like we did ours."
"That means you'll have to face off with Nephillo. Amelia are you sure you can handle it?" Lina asked.
"I don't have a choice. I can keep her occupied and maybe weaken the field so you can get Zelgadis."
"Amelia?"
"I'm going to keep heading up, when you have his signature let me know," the princess said then the crystal went out.
"She got the hang of that pretty fast," Bubbles said.
"She wants us to just leave her in there," Lina whispered and Bubbles began to work.
"We don't really have a choice until this field weakens," he murmured.
* * *
Amelia placed the crystal back into her side pouch and continued onward with more energy at the latest news.
"Hopefully it'll work and we find Zelgadis. I just hope he's still all right."
The only thing that concerned her was Nephillo's presence, or lack there of since their exchange of words and blasts in her receiving hall.
"Is she so confident in her abilities that she doesn't care that I escape? Or is she so powerful that it doesn't make a difference to her what I do?"
There seemed to be no end to the Muzuko's arrogance as well as her hatred for the princess and Amelia wondered if she was just bluffing. Everything they had heard implied that she had a great reserve of power at her disposal. Implied was the key word in this. They had seen evidence that she was strong; fairly formidable and intelligent, but had yet to see her at full power.
"It's best not to dwell on it," Amelia murmured. "I don't want to over or under estimate her, especially with so much at stake," she sighed and continued further.
* * *
Daisy circled a small area above Nephillo's fortress, trying to stay close to the general vicinity where they found Amelia.
"Have you found it yet?"
"No."
"Can't you work any faster?"
"I could if you weren't yelling in my ear, Lina."
"I wouldn't be yelling in your ear, Bubbles if you would just hurry up."
And so it had been for the last few minutes after they had talked with the princess.
"I'm working as fast as I-"
"ENOUGH!" The dragon shouted.
Bubbles and Lina looked down at Daisy in surprise.
"I know you're both worried about Amelia, but this has got to stop. We could be in for a big fight and -"
"We'll have to stick together, so knock it off you guys," Gourry finished.
Lina and Bubbles looked at each other ashamed of their childish behavior and nodded.
"I'm sorry," they said to each other.
"I'd better get back to work," Bubbles said.
"Umm, Daisy how much of this place can you see from down there?" Lina asked.
"A good bit. It seems to keep going. Nephillo must have used a strong spell to hide it from us on our first search."
"The question is why isn't she hiding now?"
"Maybe all of this is just, you know, one big trap," Gourry said. "I've been thinking -"
"I guess that's why you haven't said much," Lina smirked.
"Lina please that's not nice," Daisy chided. "Now Gourry what were you thinking?"
"Well, you guys figure she wants Zelgadis because she's got the hots for him right?"
"Pretty much," Lina answered.
"Isn't this a lot of trouble just to get a guy? Nothing against Zel, but . . ."
"I see your point Gourry, unless you're a psycho, chimera obsessed Muzuko, this would be a lot of trouble. As far as we can tell all she wants is-"
Suddenly a wave of mist and wind rumbled through the astral plane from the castle and moved outward, throwing the group off balance atop Daisy.
"Hold on everyone," she cried, turning a flying in the opposite direction as the other held on tightly.
The wave moved outward from the fortress on all sides, pushing anything near it back with a lot of force. As quickly as it started the wave stopped and the group flew off to a safer distance.
Inside the fortress Amelia felt the place shake for a few moments then stop.
"What's happening out there?" She whispered, wishing she could see outside. She pulled out the crystal in her pouch and tried to contact the others.
"Bubbles, Lina, Gourry? Anybody please answer me," she cried, looking into the pale cylinder of light of the crystal.
"Amelia, we're all right," Bubbles answered. The princess sighed in relief.
"What happened?"
"We don't know. Some kind of wave came from the castle, forcing us to fall back."
"The place was shaking a bit, it must have been the wave you experienced," Amelia said. "Did you have any luck with Zelgadis's signature yet?"
"Yes but its faint. If I had a little more time . . ."
"We've wasted too much time already," The princess heard Lina say.
"Lina's right, I'm tired of creeping around this place. We need to get moving -" They were interrupted when the fortress began to shake. "Guys are you still there?"
"Yes, another wave came through. We're all right but were not close enough to help."
"We could fly under the wave, couldn't we?" Gourry asked.
"Yes I could," Daisy said, "The undercurrent may be a little rough But I can cut through."
"Okay then, I'll find Zelgadis and try to weaken the field so you guys can pull him out."
"Your crystal will glow brighter the closer you get to his location. Be careful."
"I will and hurry," then the crystal faded out.
Bubbles put the crystal away and looked at his sister.
"Come on sis, Amelia needs us."
"Right." Daisy dove down at a fast speed, then began flying back to the fortress once she reached a lower altitude.
Meanwhile Amelia had reached a cross roads in the hallways. The crystal started to glow when the princess pointed at the corridor on her far right.
"I guess that's where I'm headed," she thought. "Ray wing!"
She flew down the hallway at a rapid speed, pushing the limits of her flight spell.
"I'm tired of the cat and mouse game Nephillo. I won't let you use Zelgadis," Amelia thought angrily as she pressed on further.
* * *
Nephillo looked up from her primping and smiled as another wave radiated from the fortress.
"It looks like there's going to be a party," smiled wickedly and looked at Zelgadis.
The chimera moved slightly in the early stages of consciousness.
"I'll kill the others and have you for dessert," she said walking over to him and stroked his wire hair.
"This is all so delicious," she laughed with a bloodthirsty gleam in her eyes.
* * *
Amelia zoomed through the hallways and up flights of stairs looking all around her. In the meantime her companions outside flew back to the fortress in the undercurrents of the rapidly appearing waves.
The light of the crystal slowly increased as Amelia moved through Nephillo's maze of a home.
"I'm getting closer. I know I am," she thought, clenching her teeth in an effort to focus her energy so that she could fly faster. Too much time had been wasted in her opinion to get to this point. Now all that mattered was Zelgadis and Nephillo, saving him and defeating her.
Daisy had finally finished her backtrack to the fortress and took a position on the perimeter, circling. Bubbles, Lina and Gourry held on tight in preparation for what would come next. It hadn't gone past anyone's notice that the waves had become more frequent and with added strength.
Bubbles pulled the crystal and tried to call Amelia with no response. He figured she was already deep in pursuit of the chimera's location.
Lina sat looking around the changing astral space, ready for anything. Gourry had his sword drawn and also scanned the area for anything that could be lurking in the mists. Between the waves there was nothing but eerie quiet as they waited.
Amelia stopped flying when the crystal glowed at its brightest. In front of the princess was a circular door made of a liquid like substance. When she touched it, the surface rippled like a pool of water.
"This must be it," she sighed, then jumped through.
* * *
His eyes opened and darted around the room frantically in instant alertness.
"The others, where are they? And Amelia, what did Nephillo do?" He wondered, trying t assess his situation.
He thought he was doing the right thing, to save his friends by staying with her.
"But I just had to say good bye to them, didn't I?" He thought, angrily.
"There's no time for that now," he ended and went back to his previous objective.
He realized he was back in the room he had been held in on the bed. He looked beside himself and saw the blood stain on the pillow case from his previous bout of unconsciousness.
"What is with unconsciousness and this damn bed?" He thought.
"Yes, what is with you being unconscious and this bed? There are better things to do then sleep you know," a second voice whispered inside his mind.
"Get out of my head Muzuko," he grumbled.
"Do you always wake up so grumpy," she pouted playfully from her seat beside him on the bed.
"I hate it when she just appears like that," he thought, regarding her annoying habit of appearing when and wherever she pleased. "Could you knock me back unconscious," he said aloud, "the view is horrible."
"You've acquired quite the sense of humor throughout all this haven't you?"
"Well, it's either look at you and laugh or look at you and throw up. Laughing isn't so messy."
"You won't be laughing when I kill your friends," she said.
"Didn't we go through this already?"
"That was before your little bitch of a princess ruined everything."
Zelgadis tried to lunge at her but found he couldn't more, but saw no restraints.
"I can't have you running off so I whipped up a little something to keep you in your place," she smiled.
"You tricked me into believing I was cured, you're the one who's a bitch," he yelled, pulling at his invisible restraints.
"All in the pursuit of what I want."
"MY BODY!" He shouted. "Are you really that hard up for a man?"
"Of course not, but then you aren't just any man," she laughed, tapping his nose with a finger. "You don't think your companionship is all I want, do you?" This got the chimera's attention more so then anything else she'd said.
"And what else would you want from me?"
"Your power. Aside from being well built, you're a strong shamanist. Draining the magical essence from you is going to be so enjoyable," she sighed. "I didn't have this problem with my earliest lover. His power was practically limitless until he went to pieces. Now I have to look amongst the rabble of Muzuko, dragons and even mortals to satisfy my appetites. A shame really," she ended, shaking her head.
"And who was this former lover of yours that you need so many to replace him?"
"Oh, you've heard of him, Shabrinigdo."
"Shabrinigdo! You mean you and him were -"
"Yep. I thought we'd have another chance together thanks to your Granddaddy Rezo, but Inverse got in the way," She grumbled. "You should consider yourself lucky I chose you. Soon all this nonsense will end and they'll all be dead," she laughed.
Behind her by the night stand Zelgadis noticed a faint rippling in the air and a circle form with someone stepping through.
"Amelia," he whispered and watched the princess stumble through and the strange portal close.
Nephillo turned and scowled before launching a spell. The princess ducked and rolled to the side and returned fire.
"I guess I shouldn't have left those stupid nitwits downstairs to finish the job," Nephillo spat out.
"I guess not," the princess said and moved in for another barrage of spells.
"Leave her alone," Zelgadis shouted, fighting against his imprisonment with new vigor.
Amelia looked at Zelgadis fight against some unseen bonds as her and Nephillo faced each other.
"I've got to hit her enough to break the field and get him out of here," Amelia thought.
Nephillo dealt out some strong attacks, but not as strong as the princess had anticipated.
"Is she planning something," Amelia wondered.
Nephillo broke of her attack suddenly and went to Zelgadis. She grabbed the chimera's throat, her hands glowing with power.
"One move and he's gone," she said. The princess remained still upon hearing the threat.
"I thought you said this room was lined with Trialcon?" the chimera rasped.
"It is," the Muzuko answered.
"Then how is it she can cast spells and I can't?"
"All apart of the illusion," she said. "You always assumed that once you regained your human form that you'd loss your magic. So I worked it in, but we can discuss the details later." Then she turned to Amelia who still remained frozen.
"Let him go," she said.
"Why should I? Because your royal highness ordered it?"
She looked at Amelia with cold glistening eyes and the princess knew she meant every word of her threat.
"I've got to get her away from Zelgadis and weaken that field so the others can help," she thought watching the Muzuko hold Zelgadis's life in her hands. Her hands glowing a brilliant blue around his neck. "Blue! That's how I can do it," she thought excitedly.
"It'd be a shame to go through all this trouble to get him then just kill him, wouldn't it?" She said slowly moving closer. "I mean it's obvious why you were so keen on having him. You have good taste."
"What the hell is she doing?" Zelgadis thought, watching her as Nephillo turned her attention to his bound form.
Once Nephillo turned her head Amelia mouthed a few quick words in silence to Zelgadis who understood her plans.
"Complimenting my taste is not going to save you or him. I can always find another," Nephillo said.
Amelia now stood at the foot of the bed, staring at the two. With her free hand Nephillo grabbed Amelia's arm.
"I told you one move and he dies," she growled, pressing her nails deep into the princess's arm.
"Source of all souls that dwell in the infinite . . ." Zelgadis started.
"Everlasting flame of blue," Amelia added.
"What?" the Muzuko said looking frantically between the two.
"Be called forth hear and now, RA-TILT!"
* * *
The others waited outside impatiently when they heard a rumble come from the far side of the fortress.
"Great, probably another wave," Lina grumbled, "I wish I could fireball the place," she shouted and a ball of flames hurled forward.
"Lina did you just cast a fireball?" Bubbles asked.
"Yeah!"
"The fields broken. She did it, let's get them and get out of here," Daisy aid and moved in closer.
The double Ra-Tilt blasted Nephillo through the wall with its force. Zelgadis felt weakened from casting through just one arm but managed to sit up.
"Come on, everyone's outside. We have to get out," Amelia said, helping him off the bed.
"Are you all right?" He asked.
"I'm fine. Let's just go."
The doors of the room opened and Amelia found the layout of much more inviting then the other parts of the fortress.
"It actually looks like a regular castle up here," she said. "If we can get to a tower, we can signal the others."
"Do you think we got her?"
"I don't know but I don't want to stay around and find out. Come on let's head this way," she said, pointing left. "Can you run?"
"Yes."
"Good"
The two of them ran down the hallway making turns left and right until the reached a window and by it a stairwell in the corner beyond a curved part of the wall.
"Looks like we found the entrance to one of the towers. I thought it would take more time," Amelia said and headed in. She wasn't up a good flight's worth of stairs when fatigue set in and she missed a step, stumbling.
"Amelia?"
"Sorry, I guess I'm a little winded. It took a lot of leg work to find you," she said. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"I wouldn't be if it wasn't for your plan," he said, remembering the words she mouthed to him 'close range double Ra-tilt.' "I'm glad you're all right too," he smiled and picked her up off the steps. "I'll carry you the rest of the way up. Climb on my back." He turned around and the princess wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
"Hold on tight," he said and felt her squeeze him a bit more.
"Okay, I'm ready," she said.
Zelgadis ran up the stairs at incredible speed, all the while aware of the princess's weight against his back. The softness that rubbed lightly against his shoulders as he ran.
"Oh no. This is not the time for me to be thinking things like that," he yelled to himself.
The stairs seemed to be unending in the tower as he kept running.
"We must be going up several more floors," Amelia said close to his ear.
"How big is this place?"
"Don't ask," she giggled, the warmth of her breath against his neck making her blush.
After a few more minutes of running they reached the top of the tower and found a window.
"This is the end of the line," Zelgadis said.
"I guess so," Amelia said and slid off the chimera's back.
"What now?"
"We send a signal and wait. BURST FLARE!"
The ball of light went out of the window and exploded in a bright white brilliance.
Not too far away the signal was seen by the others who headed to investigate the source. As Daisy flew in closer to the fortress, the trio on her back looked about anxiously.
"Do you see anything?" Bubbles asked.
"No," Lina answered.
"I think I do," Gourry said. "In that tower," He said and Daisy flew in closer.
"I guess that makes two sightings in one day," the redhead said.
Amelia looked up and saw the glistening scales of Daisy's tail move into view and smiled.
"There they are," she cried excitedly and began to wave as they approached.
Zelgadis looked out the window and saw a large lavender dragon with great wings carrying three passengers come closer to the tower.
"Daisy is that you?" He asked as the dragon stopped alongside the tower.
"Yep it's me, I'm glad you're all right."
"Hey Zel, glad to have you back," Lina cheered and Gourry smiled brightly.
"Nephillo?" Bubbles asked in concern.
"As good as gone,"Amelia said. "Climb on Zelgadis," she stepping back, "after all chimeras first," she smiled.
Zelgadis climbed onto Daisy with Gourry's help. Once settled he extended a hand to the waiting princess, who suddenly grimaced in pain.
"Amelia?" Lina asked.
The princess looked down at her leg and noticed that her wound reappeared and the black miasma around it had also.
"YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD KILL ME OR GET RID OF MY LIQUID NIGHTMARE THAT EASILY, DID YOU?" A loud voice rumbled through the tower.
"Come on out and show yourself," Bubbles shouted just as darkness began to snake around the princess.
"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU GET OUT!!!" The Muzuko yelled and a loud powerful boom sent the group hurling away from the fortress with incredible force. As they hurled off Zelgadis watched in horror as the darkness enveloped Amelia and she disappeared. When they finally slowed down, they found themselves back in the real world.
"We have to get back," Zelgadis cried.
"I can't," Daisy said, " something's keeping us out of the astral plane, I can't pass through."
"You mean we're locked out?"Lina asked.
"I'm afraid so," Bubbles said.
"We have to find a way back in," the chimera said, " She's in serious danger."
"We know," the redhead said. "Nephillo doesn't have a high opinion of her."
"It's worse then that."
"What do you mean?"
"Nephillo didn't want me just for my company. She wanted to drain my magical essence. She's done it to countless others since her former lover disappeared. She'll kill Amelia for sure.
"Who was her former lover?" Daisy asked.
"Shabrinigdo." Zelgadis answered and the others looked at him in fear of their friend's fate.