Xelloss and Seraya stood before their foe, staff and sword raised, respectively. The black shape had appeared suddenly and fired a sphere of shimmering blue energy at them. Xel had been able to get them both out of the attack's way, and now they were ready to defend themselves.
"Xel-chan, what is it?" He eyed the thing and deflected another attack with his staff.
"To tell you the truth, Ser... I don't know. I've never seen anything like it." He winced slightly at the sudden pouring of fear from his lover and wife. "Don't worry, Ser-chan, we've escaped far worse - " He stopped talking a moment and concentrated, forming a barrier around them both when a larger attack aimed towards them. " - then this."
"Then let's get out of here, Xel-chan!" He nodded and pulled the strings of their physical beings, attempting to teleport away... and was shocked when nothing happened.
"... Ser-chan, I can't teleport us out." Suddenly, he cried out as a vice grip formed over his power, the red jewel of his staff darkening sharply.
"Xel-chan!" He leaned on his staff, gasping for breath.
"S.. Ser-chan, this is bad... I've lost contact with my magic..." Ser's eyes widened and she looked back at the black form.
The evil thing seemed to be laughing, taking the form of a giant blob of dark flesh. It was revolting, and apparently very powerful to take magics away like that. That was the way it destroyed its targets, the method had worked for millenia and it had never failed.
Ser started to say something else when the sentence turned into a scream of pain, feeling the same grip on her own magic. Xel opened his eyes, "Seraya!" Anger fueled him and he straightened, holding his staff up.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO, WEAKLING? They both cringed at the loud telepathic voice, Xel holding his staff tighter and Ser using her sword to keep her upright.
"What can we do, Xel-chan..." Her voice was weak and forced, losing touch with her magic had a stronger effect. Xel was about to reply when time seemed to slow.
The dark blob pulsed and released the largest spell yet, all in slow motion. Worse yet, it was aimed for Seraya. "NOOO!" Xel dived, the slow time effect making it seem to take forever. His eyes were open, filled with fear for his wife's safety, and determination to protect her.
Ser looked back, her own fear matching his. She started to cry out to him when Xel made contact and pushed Ser away from him and the spell. She fell backwards, all of Xel's momentum and strength sending her a good distance away. Unfortunately, it also gave her a perfect view of the resulting event.
The spell continued on it's path, the huge orb of blue and black energy impacting with Xel. Pain bolted through the Mazoku and he shut his eyes tight, trying to call once again on his locked powers to no avail. The spell ball surrounded him, becoming like a cage.
"Xelloss!" The slow motion effect ended and Ser rushed towards the dark prison after climbing to her feet. She reached it and beat on the shell, eyes becoming glassy.
"Seraya!" Xel added his own beating on the cage, ramming against it. His eyes were open again, rage at being imprisoned apparent.
NOW MY TASK SHALL BE COMPLETE. The shell started rapidly imploding and Xel pressed against the sides, rage turned to fear.
"XELLOSS!" Warm tears started sliding down her pale face as she kept weakly beating on the spell's wall. However, it proved useless... the sphere collapsed upon itself and disappeared with a blinding flash of light, taking Xel with it.
"XELLLLOOOOSSSS!!!" Ser collapsed onto her knees, drowning in sorrow. Tears stained her clothing as more and more fell. He was gone, taken by... by...
The blob stayed there, pulsing a moment then formed into a humanoid figure. He had shoulder-length white hair and light gray eyes. His clothing was also pure white, making him almost painful to look at. "My dearest Seraya... now that this world has been purged of all Mazoku influence, our kind can live in peace again."
She barely heard him, face in her hands, crying for her lost husband. "You are free again, free from the imprisonment that demon had you in." Trembling, tears still rolling down her cheek, she slowly looked up. He smiled warmly and knelt down next to her, lightly stroking away her tears. "You're free from the demon's influence."
Something inside her snapped and she slapped away his hand. "You killed him and I don't even know you are!" Ser's words wavered from her grief and forced anger. He kept smiling, kindness in his eyes.
"My dear, I am Kashoku, the Demon Slayer. I've been here for a couple hundred years and doing the same thing I just did to that last one." The lack of concern made Ser shiver and she backed slowly away, towards Xel's staff that lay forgotten on the ground.
"Kashoku... what are you, human...? Dragon...?" He chuckled quietly.
"I'm the same as you, Seraya, an angelic being. Now is a time for rejoicing, for all of the demons are gone." She shook her head slowly then picked up the staff, holding it up in shaking hands.
"No...! You killed him, you monster...!" Kash sighed quietly and stood again.
"It seems the influence of this Mazoku was stronger than I thought. Come here so I can - "
"No, stay away from me!" She swung the staff at him, a fresh set of tears rolling down her face. It reminded her so much of Xel and memories were flying through her mind...
"Mmm... this will be more difficult than I thought." A light green spell started to form between Kash's hands. Determined to not give up to this "angel," Ser held up the staff and called upon the power it contained.
A bolt of red energy launched from the jewel towards Kash, who simply waved it away. "Try that again and I might be forced to fight back."
"Then fight back," she cried tearfully, sending more attacks at him. Slowly he advanced towards Ser, deflecting the various bolts until he got a grip on the staff, deactivating it's power. She looked at him, trembling, eyes red with sadness and grief.
"Stop this, Seraya, we're on the same side."
"No!" In a show of strength she pulled the staff out of his hands and backed away, holding it high in the air. "Powers of the Demonblood, come to me, help me vanquish my foe!" The jewel started glowing brightly and energy swirled around it.
"You're making a big mistake," Kash said coolly. With that, he threw the green orb at Ser and the slow motion effect started again.
She knew it was coming and simply tried to cast the spell before it was too late, but the orb smashed into her as well. Unlike the one that trapped Xel, it surrounded her then immediately collapsed, taking the young white mage with it.
The staff hovered in the air over where Seraya was standing, then the energy around it faded and it dropped to the ground. clang clatter clatter The slow motion effect ended and all was still a moment.
"I wish I hadn't needed to do that," Kash told himself quietly as he kneeled and picked up the staff. It reeked of Mazoku and a little white magic, apparently from Ser. "Such a shame, she had a lot of potential." Eyeing the jewel, he sensed the power it contained.
Chanting quietly for a moment, he held a hand over the jewel and an image of Ser and Xel together appeared. It was like a photograph, Xel had his arms wrapped around her waist and Ser was resting her head on his shoulder. Both had tear streaks down their faces.
"Hmm... most interesting..." Kash smiled lightly then headed off, the staff a symbol of his latest conquest over the evils of darkness and demons.
The next day, after the last of the Mazoku were destroyed, the balance was broken and the world was demolished. Destroyed by the attempts of those trying to save the world. Who's the evil ones...