Lina??!!!?
Our four hero's look on in shock and fear as they see their now found friend on top of the podium next to the man, they continue to watch, wondering what is going on with her until they see her eyes..., even as the two disappear through the curtain behind the chair. Suddenly they see the cloaked followers disappears and they find themselves back out in the hall.
"Um, can someone tell me what just happened?" Amelia asked her face showing confusion, the others faces reflecting hers.
"I have no idea"Zelgadiss replied "who was that guy, and what was she wearing?"
"I know it shocked me too, I mean she actually looked like a girl!" Gourry stated getting bopped on the head by Amelia.
They all looked over at Xelloss hoping for once he had an idea what was going on. Xelloss looks back a serious look on his face for once.
"Don't look at me, I'm just as confused as you are" Xelloss said truthfully "But from what I just saw I could only come to one conclusion. That Lina is under that guys control, its some sort of destiny like he said, thats for sure, but what does Lina have to do withthis?"
"Her eyes looked weird, they were a solid red - " Amelia started
"They tend to get that way when one is under hypnosis or mind control, hopefully we can find something or someone that could help us figure this out" Xelloss replied looking at Amelia.
They continued to walk down the hall, looking at the pictures and tapestries on the walls, some of pictures, some of sonnets and legends, on particular one caught their eyes though, it was worn down but still readable, it told about the temple and that it was built over 100 years ago by a race of monks, the picture showed the temple with a glowing figure over it. It told not much more so they walked on finally coming to a door, a simple door, but large, they open it and walk inside finding it to be a library.
"This place is amazing! its like a huge library!" Gourry said his eyes going wide with Amazement
Zelgadiss stifles a laugh and looks at Gourry "Thats because it IS alibrary"
The library itself was big with a ceiling that disappeared into the shadows, it was lit brightly and had lots of furniture, it was very warm and cozy atmosphere. Amelia goes to a bookshelf and slides her hand along the rows of books, after catching on the rest follow, each pulling out a few books and settling themselves around the room, all was silent for awhile while they leafed through the ancient books.
In another part of the temple, a mysterious person watches from the shadows, watching closely.
Back in the library piles of books can be seen strewn over the tables, the atmosphere now was one of stress and hopelessness, until a book hit the ground from shaking hands, they all look over to Amelia, who is huddles on the couch, looking at the open book on the floor with hatred and fear, the others rush over to see what happened.
"Amelia?" Zelgadiss asked worryingly walking over to her, "What did youfind?"
Amelia could only point to the book with a shaking finger, Xelloss picks the book up and looks at it, opening it up to the center, he freezes up on one page, the others looked up at him.
"Hm, this is..um..interesting...eheh" Xelloss muttered a sweat drop appearing on his head
"What is?" Gourry says walking over to Xelloss
Xelloss hands to book over to a shocked Gourry who hands it to Zel. Looking down on the book he could only see a picture, and a page of lettering, it tells of a prophecy, that sometime the one will come who can call upon the greatest power ever, and to get that power the only way their followers can, is to sacrifice the chosen one to the great gods, then the world would be restored to peace and tranquility, but if done wrong, would make the world come to an end. What scared them most was the picture on the other page, it showed a group of cloaked monks, standing in front of a glowing figure of a women, the thing that shocked them most, was the glowing figure, the same figure they saw on the podium, Lina.
"Wha...how?!" Xelloss explained
"I..don't know, but this can't be Lina?!, this was 100 years ago!"Zelgadiss yelled
"Could it be reincarnation? could she be a reincarnation of this girl?"Amelia asks hope in her eyes.
"Its possible."
They exit the library and find themselves back outside, they take a deep breath and sit down, thinking about what they read.
Gourry got this weird look on his face "We have to go back and get her"
"Yes but how?"
"Lets go around the back" Xelloss suggests with a smile on his face.
They all agree and walk around the outer edge of the temple, coming into a lush beautiful garden, rose bushes as far as the eye can see grow wild and controlled at the same time, they walk down a path through the bushes, coming to lush green grass , gardens spanning th clearing, and a fountain shooting up water in the middle, stone benches sit around. They hear a faint humming and follow it to the far side of the roses, they silently peak through the dense bushes and see Lina, in the same dress as before cutting roses, the dress moving slightly in the breeze, her eyes still look the same solid red as before, but she has her hood off her long red hair flowing down her back, two long bunches of hair fall in front of her ears, the hood now off they can see that she wears a ruby, pearl, and onyx crown on her head, the whole spectacle amazing to the guys. Gourry tried to move back snaps a twig in the process, Lina gets up quickly and faces the bushes where they are hidden. Lina's voice is soft and gentle, nothing like what she usually uses.
"Who are you? what are you doing here?" she asks as they come out of hiding.
"Lina its us, remember?" Zel says trying to make her remember
"Lina-san are you alright?!" Amelia asks stepping towards her but being held back by Xelloss Lina looks confused.
"Who are you, and who is this Lina you talk about? I don't understand?"
Zelgadiss, Amelia, and Xelloss exchange glances at one another, a look of sadness appears on Gourry's face.
"Lina, its me don't you remember?, please remember!" Gourry chokes out walking towards Lina but stops when she backs up.
"Stop calling me that! my name is Celina and I haven't seen you guys before in my life!" Lina says turning around to go.
"Celina wait" Xelloss calls out using that name for the moment. Lina stops and stands with their back to them
"What"
"I don't know what that guy did to you but listen, your name is Lina Inverse, and you are and have always been our friend."
Lina turns around to face them her eyes solid and unmoving as she blinks.
"I don't believe you" She says her voice low and deadly "Exodus has been the best thing that has happened, he is my only friend and I won't have you go saying he would do that, now excuse me."
Lina pulls up her hood and walks back into the temple, leaving the others shocked in her wake, a look of sympathy and hopelessness on their face. Amelia looks like she is going to burst into tears.
"What now?" Amelia says sniffling
"I don't know, do you we keep trying?, this is a very powerful hold he has on her, I mean she actually looks like the girl in the books." Zel says
"Zel, isn't there anything we can do? I dont like to see her like this, I mean she didn't even notice me - uh - us" Gourry replies, Xelloss looking at him oddly.
Just as they are about the leave the garden there is a rustling in the bushes, they turn around and freeze as they see some of the cloaked figures from earlier in front of them, they something grabs them from behind and all goes black.