|
|
Author’s note: And the story goes on…and on…and on…..
Slowly, the pain and darkness receded. With great effort, Filia forced her eyes open. She was in a darkened room, the floor cold against her cheek. Stiffly, she tried to move, then whimpered as a blast of dark energy tore through her. Apparently, Melena didn’t want her to go anywhere.
The first question that floated into her consciousness was ‘why?’. Why was Melena doing this? Was it even relevant? Is Melena still sane? What can she do now? If Xelloss was right and the Dragon Army was really mobilizing, then they were all in deep trouble. Her long ears twitched as she heard the thunder crash outside. Dragons have better hearing than most, and she could tell it was really storming outside. Maybe that can buy them some time…
Off in the distance, a door opened. Filia raised her head a little, straining her eyes as she tried to catch a glimpse of the person. Footsteps came close, then Melena herself came into view. The green-eyed dragon smiled.
"Hello, Filia."
"Melena…."
Melena smiled. "Really, Filia. If it hurts that much to talk, then just don’t talk. I’m sure I have enough to say for the two of us." Filia glared at her. "Come on, now. I’m sure you’re rather curious as to why I’m doing this. And I’m all for telling you. What terrible weather." She murmured, walking to the covered windows and pulling back the heavy curtains. "I’ve never seen such an impressive display by nature, except when Shabranigido was sealed…."
Filia frowned. Melena was smiling dreamily, as if reminiscing. Obviously, the Golden Dragon wasn’t all here, and that meant she would have to be more careful than usual. "Why…. Melena….?"
Melena laughed. "Why?" Her eyes suddenly hardened and a maddened gleam entered them. "How dare you ask me why! If your father hadn’t named you as the Heir, none of this would have happened!"
"What?" Filia said, confused. The Golden Dragon walked up to her, then backhanded her as hard as she could. Filia gasped as the slap, with a Dragon’s tremendous strength behind it, flung her outward, sending her into the wall. The dizzying pain of the Demon wards lessened to be replaced by the more immediate, stinging pain of the slap. She crumpled to the floor, holding her cheek.
"You bitch! Why didn’t he make ME the heir?!" Melena screeched. "I was perfect for it! I had the power!I had just Sealed Xellas Metallium! I should have been the Chosen one. It’s all YOUR fault!" Melena grabbed Filia’s collar and hauled her to eye-level. "Just because you were his sweet little daughter." She hissed. "Just because. He knew I needed the power. He knew that HE was after me."
"….Who?"
"Him. He’s going to kill me…." Melena loosened her grip and Filia reeled back. "I’m going to die…The Earth Dragon King has abandoned me….and now he’s after me…." Melena whispered, eyes blank. "I’m going to….die."
Now she’s really confused. Who was this person that is going to kill her? "Melena…?"
The Dragon’s eyes were calm, eerily calm. "So that’s how it is, Filia. I have to kill you and get your power. And when I do that, maybe I’ll stand a chance against him. Maybe I’ll even survive. Yes, that’s what I’ll do…" Melena started advancing and Filia saw her death in those eyes. "I’ll kill you."
"This is it."
"Okay. What do I do with this?" Lina asked, looking at the oddly shaped stone in her hand. Gourry also looked at it, scratching his head.
"Do you feel anything strange?" Xelena replied. Lina stared at the stone a little harder. It seemed to be…pulsing….and it felt very heavy for a stone that fit in her palm. She voiced those thoughts and Xelana nodded.
"That is a stone of Anti-Magic. It will actively drain any magical power that comes its way." Xelana explained. "That’s why it seems heavy to you. Garv apparently used this stone to distort the realm of this reality. We’re not sure how he did it, but we know that it was done. So now all we have to do is figure out how to make it work."
"What?"
Amelia fingered the stone doubtfully. "And just how are we supposed to do this?" The stone was normal in every way except for the fact that it felt a little heavy for its size. "I mean, is there a spell or something?"
Xelana’s mouth turned down at the corners in a frown. "I’m not sure….My brother would know more about this, I think."
Gourry scratched his head again, wondering if it was safe to ask a question. "Um…who’s your brother?"
Lina resisted the urge to smack him and was successful, for once. "Xelana. Xelloss. See a similarity?" She said through gritted teeth.
Gourry pondered on that for a minute. "No." He answered truthfully.
"Grr-FIREBA-"
As far as Gourry can tell, two things happened, one after the other. One, a giant circle of white light seemed to appear beneath their feet. Two, the stone that was still in Amelia’s hands seemed to explode in black light.
And then nothing.
Xelana was floating.
Unconsciousness? She wondered.
Yes, that was it. It was a state very much like the sleep that her brother had put her and the rest of the pack in after what happened to their mother. The sensation that she was floating, encompassed in warmth.
What had happened?
Dimly, she recalled the white magic that had suddenly erupted beneath them. More of Melena’s wards? But she was sure that the stone had countered, sucking away all the magical energy near it…so where is Lina now? Is she with Garv, wherever he was?
Her only concern was that. Her brother had told her to lead Lina to the artifact and help her find Garv. That was all, so she could rest….
But her wish was not granted.
Xelana screamed as the white magic came again. It was like her awakening, but different. This time, it wasn’t her brother’s patient, experienced hand that was bringing her back. She fought against the raw, uncontrolled white power that dragged her back to consciousness, failing miserably.
She woke, breathing hard, as if she had just fought a battle for her life. Her whole body felt heavy and worn and sore. Yes, that horrible feeling, as if there were weights chained on her.
Melena stared down at the demon-girl in front of her. The little girl’s golden, mazoku eyes were revealed as they stared at each other. Xelana broke the gaze, trying to get up, but the wards flared up around her again and she doubled over.
"Why, look at what we have here…" Melena mused. "An honest to goodness Demon. I haven’t seen one in a long time."
Enemy! Xelana’s mind screamed. Melena jerked back, startled, when a deep growl rose from the little girl’s throat. A growl from an enraged animal….
"You’re one of Xellas’s wolves!" Melena realized. Xelana screamed in outrage, feeling the thousand year old hate bubble back to the surface, uncontained. Melena retreated as the girl staggered to her feet, only Xelana’s blind rage kept her standing as the wards crackled with power one more time.
Filia watched in awe as the white magic of the ward battled against the dark aura Xelana was radiating. The girl’s feet moved, as if held back by a great weight, but Xelana stepped forward, tearing at the white energy that was keeping her from her enemy.
"He’s going to kill me…"
Gods, if Xelana was acting like this…
"Xelloss just disappeared. He had a really weird expression on his face."
" It appears that Xelloss and Melena know each other."
Xelana cried out as the white electricity tore into her, thin wisps of smoke rising from her body. But she struggled on, taking a few more steps.
Melena’s face was a mask of fear and disgust. She raised her hands, chanting. The ward beneath Xelana’s feet flared and expanded, the runes glowing now with greater intensity. Her smirk was triumphant when the Demon dropped to her knees, burns covering her body.
"Brother…" Xelana whispered. Gods, it hurts so badly…she thought when her vision began to dim. She had failed…she couldn’t kill the enemy….
Filia struggled to her knees as Melena began to laugh, almost hysterically. "Xelana!"
Xelana heard that, dimly. Everything seemed dim right now. Even the pain… It took her a second to notice that the pain was receding. The horrible whiteness, that purity of magic, was gone. With a great force of will, she raised her head.
"Xelloss." Filia whispered when she saw the figure in black inside the six-pointed star of white magic.
"You did a good job, Xelana." Her brother murmured, supporting her. "It’s enough. I’ll take over from here." She relaxed gratefully into his arms. He’s always there for her when things got to be too much.
Xelloss smiled a little as his sister passed out. She’s always trying so hard, but it’s better that she doesn’t see this.
Melena was as pale as a sheet, her face a sickly gray color. "X-Xelloss…" She said soundlessly as she backed away. Xelloss picked Xelana up slowly, then turned to face the Golden Dragon. "No! GET AWAY!!’
The runes flared again and the whole ward exploded in energy. Xelana cried out and Xelloss opened his eyes. Melena screamed in fear as he walked toward her, completely unaffected by the energy sizzling around him.
"Melena-san," he chided softly, his voice eerily calm. "Did you really think I learned nothing after spending one hundred years as a prisoner of the Dragons?" He held Xelana out at arms length. Filia gasped as she felt a slight ripple in the Astral Plane, then all hell broke loose. Xelana disappeared, somehow teleported away even though she was in the middle of a powerful white magic ward, and black energy detonated, with Xelloss as its center. Melena screamed and was pushed back by the explosion, which also took most of Melena’s mansion with it. Filia yelped as she was flung back violently, trying to not get blown away by the unrestrained power. She slammed ungracefully into a wall, and it collapsed behind her. Rolling with the impact, she managed to get back on her feet although every muscle cried out in pain.
The rain came down in sheets, drenching her almost immediately. Xelloss stood there, in the middle of the rubble, with the seal of magic fading beneath his feet. Melena was backed against the remains of a wall, terror contorting her face almost beyond recognition. Thunder crashed.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" The Golden Dragon screamed as Xelloss advanced.
"What the hell happened?" Lina groaned, trying to get up. Her muscles protested, but she ignored them. The pounding headache was a little harder to ignore, though. Looking around, she saw Gourry and Amelia sprawled out beside her, both of them unconscious. "Gourry? Amelia?"
After some persistent shaking, Gourry opened his blue eyes. "Lina?" he asked groggily. She nodded, relieved.
"No, don’t move. Just rest a bit." She told him when he tried to get up. "I’m going to check on Amelia now, okay?"
The younger woman was harder to wake, but she finally opened her eyes after Lina casted Recovery. "Wh-what happened?"
Lina shrugged. "That’s what I’d like to know." She sighed and looked around, seeing the desolate landscape. "I have no idea where we are."
Gourry was feeling well enough to sit up. "I remember that stone, and that Fireball you were going to throw, and a white circle."
Lina pondered on that. "Xelana said the stone was anti-magic, didn’t she? Well, maybe somehow, I activated it when I tried to cast Fireball."
"But why would that bring us here?" Amelia inquired.
"Hehe….I have no idea." Lina laughed nervously. "But what are we going to do now?"
"That is a good question." Amelia got up, frowning. "All I can see is sand. And rocks. And more sand."
"Sound familiar?" Lina asked. Amelia shook her head.
"Hey, look over there." Gourry said, pointing to the horizon. Lina squinted, trying to see what he was pointing at.
"Looks like a person." She noted.
Amelia gulped. "I have a bad feeling about this…" She murmured.
The sorceress’s eyes narrowed as the figure came closer. It was a man who looked to be in his thirties or forties, with spiky red hair and blue-green eyes. He wore an orange trench coat and there was a smile that was almost like Xelloss’s on his face, except it was more bitter and cruel. She didn’t like the look in his eyes.
"Who are you people?" The man asked as he walked within hearing range. Lina noticed the giant sword strapped to his waist.
"We’re looking for a guy named Garv. Have you seen him?" Lina asked, deciding to be straightforward. The guy didn’t seem like the type to beat around the bush anyway.
He laughed, much to her surprise. "Garv?" He guffawed. "Yes, there is a Garv here. What’s your business?"
Amelia eyed him nervously as Lina smiled, somehow maintaining her air of confidence and assurance. "We’re here to talk to him, that’s all." She replied, staring unflinchingly into the man’s eyes.
"Just talk?" The man snorted. "Talk is worth nothing."
"On the contrary," Lina replied, her smile still firmly in place. "Talk can be very productive."
"I don’t hold much faith in talk."
"Oh?" Lina Inverse drew out, red eyes glinting with mischief. "Does that mean you won’t listen to us at all, Demon Dragon King, Garv?"
Garv raised an eyebrow, then laughed again. "You’re not as stupid as you look." He said appreciatively. Lina’s smile twitched a little, but she let that one slide. Her guess was right, that was victory enough.
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
Gourry looked confused. "What?"
Amelia gulped. "That man-he’s-he’s…..GARV?!"
Lina chuckled. "Yup."
Garv looked at the three humans before him, still smiling. "What strange people," He murmured. "And who might you be, girl?"
"Lina Inverse." Lina replied.
Garv applauded sarcastically. "Sounds famous. Tell you what, Lina Inverse, since you’re so interesting, I’ll give you a chance to fight for your life. Be grateful, usually I don’t give the intruders time to introduce themselves."
"Like I said, we came to talk." Lina countered.
Garv shook his head. "I don’t hold much faith in talk. I only listen to people worth listening to, and people are only worth listening to when they can defeat me." His human form began to distort and expand as he took on his Demon-Dragon body. "I’d like to see you try, Lina Inverse."
"AHHH!" Lina screeched as one of his spiked tails came crashing down, and the three scrambled out of the way just in time. "WHY IS HE SO UNREASONABLE!?"
The Demon-Dragon opened his mouth, shooting out destructive beams of energy. The desert landscape around them exploded as the attacks landed. Lina found herself dodging endlessly, unable to return fire.
Gourry unsheathed his sword. "Light, come forth!" The blade of energy materialized and he attacked. Garv intercepted him with a tail in mid-air, neatly knocking him out of the sky.
"Gourry-san! Elmekia Lance!" Amelia cried. The spell bounced harmlessly off Garv’s now thick and armored skin. Garv retaliated by more attacks. Amelia shrieked as one ripped by her, barely missing her.
"Damn!" Lina cursed, "Take this! DRAGON SLAVE!"
The red energy streaked out, destroying everything in its path. Lina landed hard on her butt, grunting with the impact. The dust slowly cleared….and her red eyes widened.
"Nice little spell." Garv growled, still in Demon Dragon form. "Here it is again."
"GOURRY! AMELIA, GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
It was too late, there was nowhere to run. Lina closed her eyes and called forth the strongest shield spell that she could summon, expanding it to cover Gourry and Amelia. Amelia’s magic flowed into the spell, helping her strengthen it.
The two sorceresses reeled back, barely holding the shield as Garv’s return attack. Lina gritted her teeth and held on. Amelia cried out beside her.
"Lina-san, I can’t hold it much longer!"
Lina felt her magic ebbing away, and knew that it was only a matter of seconds before their shield collapsed completely. "Gourry, brace yourself." She said, "Amelia, you too."
Garv’s power swirled around them and Lina knew she just ran out of time.
Your mind is your power.
She concentrated.
Your power is your mind.
How can someone be two places at once? There is no answer to that.
Lina Inverse chose to ignore that question and its lack of answer.
Garv roared in surprise as the three phased out. The Dragon Slave that he shot at them collapsed whatever shield was left and ripped through the place where they had been. How did she do that? He thought. This Lina Inverse wasn’t a Demon, of that he was sure. He would have known it if she was a Dragon…
With a jolt, Lina and company abruptly rematerialized a distance away. Gourry landed on his butt and Lina joined him on the ground when her knees gave out beneath her. Amelia was looking around frantically, disoriented.
"What just happened?!" She asked.
Gourry shook his head. "I don’t know! Lina??"
The redhead was doubled over, trying to catch her breath. "I….I think…."
The attention of the three turned back to Garv when the Demon Dragon laughed in a hideous voice. "This is very interesting." He mused.
"What’s so funny?" Lina growled, getting back to her feet.
"I never thought a human could manage the higher level magicks." Garv answered. "Teleportation is very high-level, girl. I’m impressed."
"Teleportation?" Amelia whispered. "You mean that Lina-san teleported us?"
Lina nodded. "I think that’s what I did….I don’t know how I did it, but somehow…."
"But it’s not going to help you at all." Garv said. "Even if you could control the power you have, you cannot defeat me. The only thing that you have accomplished is extending your lives a little bit longer."
Angrily, Lina stepped forward. "I didn’t come here to listen to stock villain dialog. Even if it’s only a few minutes, we’re still alive, and we’re still fighting. Don’t you dare look down on me, Garv. You might regret it."
"Big words, Lina Inverse. How to you plan to back them up?"
Lina summoned the Laguna Blade into existence. It didn’t work on Phibrizo, and she doubted it would be able to kill Garv. But there wasn’t any other options left and she wasn’t about to go down without a fight. "Be careful, old man. I just might surprise you." With a yell, she charged.
Swinging down as hard as she could, Lina cleaved the energy wave that he threw at her in half. Garv disappeared just as she sliced at him, the black blade passing through thin air. She stumbled, then spun around.
Garv rematerialized to the side. A long, jagged wound ran from the right side of his serpent-like neck to his side, but Garv himself didn’t seem seriously damaged. "Interesting. The Laguna Blade." And the girl had managed teleportation just a few minutes ago. Garv was having quite a few suspicions about this Lina Inverse. "It can hurt me, Lina Inverse. But it can’t kill me."
Lina stood up, back straight. "Sometimes hurting can kill."
The Demon Dragon roared in surprise as he felt Gourry’s Sword of Light slash into him. Amelia fired a barrage of Elmekia Lances at her opponent, his size and lack of maneuverability giving her the advantage for now. Lina followed up with another Dragon Slave and the landscape exploded in red-orange light.
"Gourry, Amelia! Back!" She yelled, pulling back so they could regroup. Unfortunately, she saw the spiked tail coming out of the dust cloud too late. It slammed into her with all the force of its greater mass behind it and the petite girl was thrown into the air like a doll. She hit the ground hard, and laid still.
"Lina!!" Gourry yelled, running to her. He turned, barely in time, to intercept a ball of energy that was streaking towards them. Amelia landed beside him, blue eyes frantic.
"Lina-san!? Lina-san!?" Amelia winced as she carefully turned Lina over. Broken bones, bruises, scrapes….She immediately began casting Recovery, hoping that it will be enough for now.
"You bastard!" Gourry shouted. Garv’s Dragon form loomed menacingly above them. Amelia gritted her teeth as the white healing light faded. It wasn’t enough. Lina just didn’t have enough energy left for the spell to use. Amelia knew she’d have to cast Resurrection if she wanted her friend to live.
"Gourry-san?"
Gourry looked at her.
"Keep Garv busy for a few minutes, okay? I’m going to save Lina-san."
The Swordsman of Light nodded, his face determined. "Save Lina, and I’ll give you all the time in the world." He replied. Amelia smiled a little.
"Thanks."
Melena kept backing up, trying desperately to escape.
Filia grabbed his arm as he passed her, wincing at the raw energy she could feel radiating from him. "Xelloss, no!"
"This is none of your business, Filia." He said in a soft, deadly voice.
"I can’t let you….it’s not right!" She didn’t hate Melena personally. She felt sorry for the insane Dragon, actually. And Xelloss had already wiped out most of her race. It wouldn’t be right for him to kill one more.
Who was she kidding? He had every right to demand revenge. She just couldn’t let him do it and look on without doing anything herself.
"Let. Go."
Melena turned and ran.
Xelloss pulled his arm free from Filia’s grasp. He wasn’t going to let her get away this time. Tendrils of black energy snaked out, slithering into the dark night. It wasn’t long before Melena screamed again. The screams came closer as Xelloss dragged her back with his power. Filia seized his arm again.
"I’m NOT going to let you kill her."
Xelloss didn’t look at her. "Try and stop me." He replied.
Filia bit her lip, but didn’t let go. "I am going to stop you."
With a jerk, Xelloss yanked his arm from her hold. "Don’t interfere."
She had no choice. This wasn’t what she fought for. Killing Melena for revenge isn’t going to do anyone any good at all, and it certainly won’t save the world. Filia called upon all the power that Cepheed granted her.
I was hoping I didn’t have to do this…Xelloss thought.
Melena struggled vainly against the dark energy. It burned into her and smoke rose into the air. If only she could-
Lightening crashed into the ground beside her, lighting up the dark street that they were on for a split second before it temporarily blinded her.
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
Xelloss and Filia both turned their heads in time to see a golden beam of light pass through her. Melena stood there for a second, surprise and horror on her face. Blood began gushing from a fist-sized hole in her chest.
"Z-Zira…." She choked, falling to her knees. The black energy holding her slowly dissipated.
Filia’s eyes widened as Zira walked out from the shadows. "Zira?!"
A snarl came from Xelloss as he pushed past her, eyes hard with fury. "What the hell did you do that for, Zira?!"
The servant of Chaos eyed him coolly. " You know perfectly well what I did that for." She replied. He was almost nose to nose with her now, and Filia was slightly frightened by the fact that he was actually…furious. And by the fact that Zira wasn’t afraid at all. She met his eyes calmly when he stopped, purposely getting in her face.
"She. Was. Mine." He growled.
"Really?" Zira’s gaze was level and very, very cold. Although she was just a hair shorter than Xelloss, she managed to make it look as if she was looking down at him. "Tell me, Xelloss. Have you forgotten what I told you a long time ago?"
He glared at her.
"Everything has a price. For every gain, there must be a loss. Remember what you have gained since our talk, and remember that for what you are given, you must be prepared to accept the loss that comes with it."
Filia saw him glance at the corpse of the Dragon on the ground, something unreadable in his eyes. Zira waited patiently for his response. None came and she shrugged.
"Melena’s death is deserved." Zira said. "But she didn’t deserve a death at your hands. That would throw off the balance."
"It would throw off the balance for that woman to get what she deserves?" He asked, tone bitter. "Or is it what I deserve? You always told me there is a price to pay, Zira. Is this the price that I have to pay?"
Zira’s voice never wavered. The woman herself never seemed to waver, to doubt. Doubt was a human emotion, a human feeling. She seemed to be past that. "You know the answer to that question as well." She turned away from his accusing gaze. "Lina and the others will be out soon. You two better decide what to do with the Dragon Army."
Xelloss stood there, unmoving, for a few seconds after she phased out. Filia could see the slight shaking of his shoulders as he tried to regain control of himself. The storm raged on. Then he turned, surprising her with the smile on his face. The mask was back on. "Well, Filia. You heard what she said. We’d better think up something fast."
"You can still fight, eh, boy?"
Gourry struggled to his feet, hands shaking with the effort of raising his blade again. He had promised, but he knew he couldn’t hold out much longer. "Of course." He replied, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded. But he believed in Lina. Lina was strong, and she can always think of something to get them out of this. "I’ve taken worse beatings from Lina."
Garv laughed, returning to his human form. "Well, admirable courage, human. I guess I can make this a little more fair." He unsheathed his long blade. "Of course, I know you’re just buying time for those two, for that little girl to heal Lina Inverse." The Demon Lord’s face twisted in a sneer. "And what good would it be to do that? All three of you are doomed."
Gourry thought the man’s tone was odd, almost…compassionate. But even though the tone was debatable, the words were unmistakable. "Lina can do anything she puts her mind to." He growled, attacking. "If it came to a showdown, I’d always bet on Lina." Garv parried his blow easily, still smirking.
"Let’s see if you’re right."
Lina opened her eyes at the sound of blades clashing together. She could hear the familiar hum of Gourry’s Sword of Light….
She became fully awake when she remembered what happened. Garv’s tail crashing into her, the pain that caused her to black out…"Amelia!" she cried as the girl slumped forward, eyes closed. She sighed with relief as Amelia tiredly opened her eyes and flashed a quick grin.
"It….works…" Amelia chuckled, eyes closing again. "Sleepy…"
She must have casted Resurrection, Lina guessed. That was a very high-level white magic spell and Lina wondered where Amelia could have learned it. Her wonderings were cut short when Gourry flew back past her, a ball of energy from Garv following up for the kill.
"FIREBALL!" Lina screamed, sending the spell into Garv’s, knocking both off course just enough so that Gourry escaped unscathed. Lina laid Amelia down and got to her feet angrily. She should have been more careful, then they wouldn’t be in this mess. "Garv! I’m the one you’re fighting!" Just to make sure he got the point, she threw a Dragon Slave in his direction. Garv, still in human form, reappeared in front of her with his sword against one shoulder.
"That doesn’t work, Lina Inverse. And I’m tiring of this game." He yawned, much to her annoyance. "It’s time that we wrap it up. Who should I kill first, hm?" Lina summoned the Laguna Blade as he looked past her, at Gourry and Amelia. "Maybe the little girl? Or the dumb swordsman?"
Lina’s head was down, but the Laguna Blade was still crackling in her hands. When she raised her head again, Garv thought he caught a brief glimpse of gold in her eyes before they returned to their normal shade of red. "You are not going to touch a hair on their heads." Lina said with perfect assurance. "It’ll be over my dead body."
That made him angry. "Really, girl?" He sneered. "That’s very nice. I guess you can all die together then!" What was it that made him so unsettled? The gold flecks in her eyes or the memories that those words brought forth? He didn’t know, precisely.
Lina yelled as she swung the sword of darkness at the destructive energy that Garv shot at them. The black blade crashed into Garv’s power, creating a sort of shield. Lina gritted her teeth and held on, feeling her feet slipping as black and red power crackled together in the air, straining to overcome the other.
She wasn’t sure where all this power was coming from. It seemed a strength born from nothingness, from a void inside of her. But how can something that is empty be filled with so much power? She didn’t know. But she knew that she had a mission, and that was to keep her friends alive. They all had to live. Her feet slipped some more, but it was mainly from the sheer volume of the energy she was blocking. She could feel the warmth of her blade, the power that it was radiating. It was working. Even though she had never used the Laguna Blade this way, it was working.
Garv growled, eyes showing his silent fury. Lina felt him increase the power and she cried out as she was shoved back a few more feet by the attack. Sweat was trickling down her face now as she struggled to adjust to this augmented attack.
"You will not survive this," Garv growled. "Just stop fighting, I’ll spare your life if you give up now."
Her feet slipped a little more, a few more inches and she’d be back where Amelia was laying… "If I give up, and save myself," Lina retorted, voice strained with the effort, "Then what kind of person would I be?! You can take your offer and shove it!"
"Oh? You’re sure about this?"
Lina labored to bring the Laguna Blade back into blocking position, every muscle screaming with pain. "Of course!" Her arms were numb now, but somehow she got them to move. She stepped forward, black blade exploding with energy in her hands. "I’m NOT going to let you kill them! LAGUNA BLADE!!!!!!"
Garv’s eyes widened as Lina’s Laguna Blade expanded in a burst of chaotic energy. It cleaved through his attack, the shockwave streaked toward him, tearing up the ground beneath it. There was a huge explosion, with Garv at its center. Lina and Amelia were thrown back by the blast.
Painfully, Lina propped herself up on her elbows after the dust cleared some. She could taste blood in her mouth as she struggled into a sitting position. That was her limit, she realized. She was dangerously close to exhausting her reserves of power. What about Garv? She wondered, eyes searching the dust cloud.
"Lina-san?" Amelia asked weakly, eyes flickering open. Lina turned to see the young girl sit up.
"Hey, Amelia." Lina laughed.
"What happened to Garv?"
Lina opened her mouth to reply, then drew in her breath sharply. The steely rasp of a blade entering the sheath was loud in the silence that followed. "Garv." She whispered as she turned her eyes towards him, her mind frantically trying to come up with something, anything.
Garv finished sheathing his sword. The gaping wound that the Laguna Blade made in his body was healing as he spoke. "You passed, Lina Inverse."
The change in topic and tone was too abrupt. "Huh?" Lina replied intelligently.
He shrugged. "You passed, girl. You’re worth listening to."
"Uh…" Lina’s brain scrambled, switching from Survival Mode to Comprehension mode in record time. "Wait a minute, that was just a TEST?!! We almost died!!!!!" Angry, she got to her feet and stomped over to him, poking his chest. "You’ve got a lot of nerve to say that!"
Garv laughed. "You know what, girl? You are the most interesting person that I’ve met since I’ve been in here." Gourry and Amelia were getting up now, bruised and scratched, but otherwise not seriously hurt. "Well, I’ve decided to listen to whatever it is that you’re going to say, so make it fast."
Lina glowered at him.
"And if you are going to ask me to join Cepheed or Shabranigdo’s side, the answer is no." Garv added.
"Xelloss-san did guess that you were going to say that…" Amelia agreed, looking at Lina, who still looked like one who had been greatly wronged. "Lina-san?"
Lina snorted. "Gee, and here I thought you were smart, Garv." She drawled. "Did you think I would be stupid to the point of thinking that you’d actually consider that?"
"Get to the point, girl."
She bristled a little at being called a girl. "Fine, be that way." She took a deep breath. "Why don’t you join us?"
Now it was Garv’s turn to be confused. "What?"
"Think about it." Lina reasoned. " The Dragons will never accept you, even if you joined them. The Demons will kill you the first chance they get. You’re pretty much caught between those two. When the next Dragon Demon war break out, humans are going to be in the same pinch. To the Dragons and Demons, humans are just a hindrance, maybe an occasional meal. Right now, the human race is as screwed as you are." Lina’s red eyes were serious. "There’s not enough people who can stand up to the Demons or Dragons. Heck, I’d be glad just for a few that can last ten minutes against one of them. And you, Garv, you need some allies too. There’s no way you can survive if you return to our world by yourself."
"Oh? And who says I’m returning?" Garv retorted.
"I say you’re returning. Don’t you think you’ve ran away for too long? I’m only a puny human, and even I have more pride then that!" Lina poked his chest again to emphasize her point. "If you stay here, you’re only going to prove that the Demons and the Dragons were right, that Maryuuoh Garv is just another coward."
"Did you call me a coward, girl?" He growled.
"Only if you are stupid and refuse to think about it." Lina snapped. "I’ve been bossed around by Dragons all my life. Then L-sama decided to give me the task of saving the world. I have to put up with Xelloss and Filia’s bickering, not to mention Zira’s so-called ‘lessons’. Then I had to pass your little ‘test’. Oh, I am in an atrocious mood."
"Did you say Zira?"
She wondered briefly at the look that crossed his face. "Yes, I said Zira. What about it? Have you made up your mind?"
"Gee," he said sarcastically, "someone’s in a hurry."
Lina tapped her feet. "I don’t have all day. We’d better be getting back soon."
Gourry scratched his head.
"What you say makes sense, girl." Garv admitted, "but when I return, don’t you think the idea that a Demon Lord working with humans is just a bit…"
"Ridiculous? That the high and mighty Garv would have to work with us puny humans?" Lina finished for him. "I admit that in terms of power levels, you are way above us. I can’t say this for all humans, but I can say this for myself and for Gourry and Amelia. Once I make a promise, I stand by it and back it up. I can only offer this: If you return with us and help us, I’ll do everything in my power to help you when you need it. I’ll fight for your life if the need arises."
Garv remained silent for a moment, then he smiled.
"Do we have a deal?" Lina asked.
His smile widened. "You interest me, girl. I think I’ll have to go back with you, just to make sure you don’t get yourself in trouble again."
Lina grinned. "Great! It’s all settled! Gourry, Amelia? Shall we go?"
Filia and Xelloss looked up with mild surprise as a beam of light erupted from somewhere within the rubble that was Melena’s mansion. "I wonder what that was?" Xelloss murmured, opening his eyes.
"Yoo-hoo!"
"Lina!" Filia cried. "You guys are okay!"
Lina, Amelia, Gourry and Garv came out into view. Lina flashed a victory sign. "Well, when the beautiful, talented Lina Inverse is on the scene, nothing can go wrong."
"Hello, Garv-dono." Xelloss greeted the Demon Lord. Garv smirked.
"You’re still alive, boy?"
Xelloss’s smile didn’t waver at being called a ‘boy’. He was used to Garv’s mannerisms. "Yes, Garv-dono. I see you’ve met Lina, Gourry and Amelia."
Lina grinned proudly. "Ha! I got the mighty Garv to come out." She crowed. Garv rolled his eyes, then started walking away. "WAIT A SECOND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!"
Garv threw a glance over his shoulder. "I’ll be here and there. Don’t worry, Lina Inverse. I’ll show up when you need me."
Lina gapped as he continued walking into the night until he was but a faint figure against the black backdrop of the city. She then noticed the rubble. "Of all the… What happened here? This whole place is wrecked!"
Filia chuckled nervously. "Um…we had some problems while you were busy Unsealing Garv…"
"Lina, Filia, as much as I’d love to explain everything in detail, we do have a Dragon Army to deal with." Xelloss pointed out. "This storm is only going to hold out for so long before they think of something to counter it. And we don’t want to be caught just yet."
Amelia looked at the angry skies, noting that although it was still raining cats and dogs, it was definitely decreasing in intensity. "What are our options?"
Filia shrugged. "We can fight our way out, we can stay put and run for it when the chance arises, or we can think of something else…."
"Personally, I don’t think fighting our way out is a good idea." Xelloss said. "It’s the few of us against all of them."
Gourry nodded. "The odds are totally against us, so brute force is out of the question."
Or is it? Filia thought, giving Xelloss a meaningful look. He smiled a little, but didn’t say anything.
"Wow, brilliant observation for you, Gourry!" Lina praised. "Well, even if we stayed put, it’s still a bad idea. I mean, we don’t fit in at all."
"Maybe a disguise?" Amelia suggested.
"Maybe…" Filia mused. "Pose as normal humans…"
"A lot of property is damaged." Xelloss noted, looking around. "Maybe we can pretend that…"
"We’re just a displaced family." Lina finished. "We’ll say that our house was damaged severely during the storm and that we have decided to go to a relative’s home that’s out of the city." They were silent for a bit. "It can work."
Amelia frowned. "What if someone asks? And if that’s the story we’re going to use, then that means we’ll have to get past the Dragon Army or whatever guards that they send to guard the city perimeters."
Lina shrugged. "I’m sure the Dragons don’t keep track of all the human families in the city. We’ll just make up something. As to the Dragon Army, I’m sure they’ll set up some sort of checkpoint for people that want to leave the city. We’ll just go through the checkpoint like normal people. I think the only problems we might have are Filia and Xelloss." Turning to Filia, Lina said, "Filia, you’re the General of Cepheed. Is it safe to say that the dragons in the army would recognize you?"
Filia nodded. "I’m sure, actually. But I don’t think it’s the same case for Xelloss."
The Demon smiled. "Well, I’ve been out of sight for a long time. I doubt anyone except for the Dragon Elders and the Cepheed Knight would recognize me."
Lina tapped a finger against her lips. "Hmm, still, it doesn’t hurt to take precautions. I’m not sure if anyone will recognize me either. My sister wasn’t exactly open about our family’s relationships…"
"It could work." Gourry said. "I don’t think there’s any major problems with it."
"If the biggest problem is being recognized, then there are ways around that." Amelia said with determination. "We have a plan, and that’s what matters! Let’s go!"
"Go where?" Filia sweatdropped.
Amelia grinned. "To start getting our things together and find a place to stay, of course! The storm’s stopped already, and if I’m not mistaken, that’s the Dragon Army over there, a few miles out. We should hurry."