She ran. That was all that she had in mind: running. Where to? What direction? Why was she running? Oh yes, to nowhere, to no one, with no direction...from HIM...
How can she run? She was Lina Inverse. Lina Inverse didn't run away like this!
No. She didn't run away, but she had to lure him elsewhere. What for? Her friends are dead, everyone died in a horrid death. He let her live...but to be of other use to him...and others more powerful than him...
No. This was getting her nowhere and fast. She had little power left and nowhere to hide. Yes, hide like a coward...hide like a...weakling that she is...
Lina ran into the deep forest in hopes of getting from a once known companion. She had little power left and was running out of strength.
The forest was deep, dark and damp. The low branches of varied trees scratched her as she ran on and on. Why did she have to run like a coward? Living was meaningless now that she saw her friends die right in front of her, dying in a horrid death. And what did she do after that? Nothing. She did nothing but drain her strength and energy. She just left them there, dead on the forest ground.
She didn't swear vengeance. How could she if she didn't have the power to avenge them? She was a total...coward, unable to do anything about her friends' death.
Tears jerked out of her eyes and it stung. Hot tears rolling down her blood drained face burned but she didn't bother concerning about it. Lina pushed the thoughts of her friends away and concentrated on escaping to a far away place. She ran to the forest's clearing and stopped dead on her track. There he was, floating above her head, smirking. He sat cross-legged in the air with his staff lying across his lap; he seemed very much amused by the sight in front of him. He was the first to witness Lina Inverse frightened and it was delicious.
"My, my, I never thought you could've run so fast, Lina. You really ARE a healthy girl," he said, smirking all the way.
Lina backed away one step, helpless. "Why are you doing this?"
He seemed to smile wider and wagged his index finger. "That is a secret."
She took another step back.
He sighed tiredly. "Hmm...what happened to the Lina that gets mad every time I say that?"
She didn't answer and glared at him.
He shrugged and floated down onto the ground, landing not so far away from Lina.
"I do so wanted to play with you a little longer, but time has its limit, even for a Mazoku like me." He took a step closer and Lina took a step farther.
"Let me tell you why I am ordered to do this," he started.
"I doubt you were ordered to kill me friends!" Lina hissed.
He shrugged again. "They got in my way. I was ordered to do this particular assignment in any means necessary."
"But you didn't have to kill them! It was uncalled for!" Lina sneered.
She received another shrug.
He went on, "Quite frankly, I was ordered to recruit you."
"What?"
"You DO know that the Mazoku has problems fighting back the Gods or the Dragons, do you not?" He asked. "Of course, with Hellmaster and Garv gone, the Mazoku are cornered with nowhere left to go. And may I point out that you're responsible for their death."
Lina fell into silence and stared at him.
"In any case, we are at a shortage of talented Mazoku and my master thought you'd be perfect to fill in the gap," he said. "Of course, you'd be rewarded."
When that didn't seem to stir Lina, he went on, "You see, Lina, there are some things you can never get when you are human. Let's say your precious food, for example. Oh sure, you say you get delicious meals day and night, but, as a Mazoku, you get to taste 'food' delicious beyond your imagination. Human emotions, that's what they are."
Her knees weaken and she swayed slightly.
"Perhaps power and abilities may be one. Power beyond your mind, that's what you get when you join us." He smirked. "You always wanted power, right? This is a good chance to get power the easy way."
Knees too weak to support her body, she fell onto the forest greens.
"My convincing is going nowhere with you, Lina," he stated. "So here's another way of doing it. I was ordered either recruit you or..."
"...kill me?"
He smiled down at her. "No."
"What?"
"I was ordered to recruit you by force. That's so very painful, Lina. Don't make me do it. Join us willingly and you'll feel as little pain as possible. Refuse and you'll feel pain like you've never felt before," he said and on the way, he managed his face seriously. Lina stayed on the floor, unable to speak. The Mazoku wanted to recruit her, why her? She wasn't that powerful, why were the Mazoku interested in her?
A hand suddenly extended towards her. She looked up.
"Don't make it hard on yourself, Lina. Join us willingly and all will go well."
He smiled as Lina placed her hands on top of his.
"That's a good girl. One that knows what's best for her."
He helped her stand. She stood. Silence, smirk.
In another instant, she gave a strong, quick tug and hissed into his ear, "I'd rather die than to join you willingly!" A fireball formed in her hands and she pushed it into his stomach. It didn't do much damage, but it was enough to put a big gap between them. Lina shakily stood up, knowing it wouldn't do much damage on him and she was right, he stood there, unscratched.
"If you do not want to take the easy way, then so be it!" He formed something pure black in his hands. Lina didn't have time to react for what he formed hovered over her head and surrounded her body, swallowing her up whole. Darkness, that's what she saw, nothing but total Darkness. No Light shed, but pure Darkness. Her vision blurred but she will not fall unconscious...
Torn apart, that's what she felt. Something inside her was being torn apart. Her will? Her memories? Her human side... She tried to fight it away...nothing worked...too weak...need strength...and power...
Darkness, it swallowed her up, tore her apart, and repaired her again with its blackest shade.
He smiled maliciously as she screamed in agony. She was changing into one of the Mazoku, which was a good thing. She was powerful and will be of great help, his master had said. He agreed with his master, but she was powerful being human, wouldn't the change in her be a risk of rebel? He had asked. His master smiled and would say he could handle her if she rebelled. He was much more powerful, it was true. He was sure she would not agree to help the Mazoku and would rebel. That was why he had to waste her power before doing this; otherwise, if still powerful, she would put up a great fight, he was sure of that. Her change was almost done, he noted.
Lina saw that the dark blur was leaving her vision. Darkness was parting and she breathed her breath. She shook vigorously.
"Hrm...that wasn't so bad, now was it, Lina?" He asked mockingly.
Lina held out a shaking hand.
"...no..." she whispered breathlessly. "No, it can't be..."
He stepped closer. "You can't say I didn't warn you, Lina."
She lowered her head towards the oddly black stained ground, despaired.
He took another step closer and another and another, until they were less than two feet apart. "Now, all I have to do is take you back and all will be over."
Lina clenched her hands. It can't be! How can she let this happen?
She formed something in her hands, power she now possessed.
He reached out and pulled her up on her feet.
She looked up with hatred in her eyes and threw the formed power into his face.
Shocked and taken aback, he jumped dimension as the magic burst.
After a split second later, he jumped back into the dimension and looked around.
No Lina. Only a whole area of burnt forest.
Apparently, he thought, she wasn't drained enough.
He smiled slyly and disappeared.
This would be interesting.
Once again, Lina Inverse ran like a coward. What else can she do? She was completely drained now. Whatever she did back there had drained her almost completely. There wasn't much strength left in her either. It was only enough so she can run away, she estimated. And it won't be long until she would run out of both strength and power and would be cornered.
No! She would rather die than to follow ANYONE!!
She ran and ran until there were no more places to run. She ran in the wrong direction. There, in front of her, lie the edge of a cliff and below was a waterfall with rough currents.
"Where will you go now?" Lina gasped and whirled around to see him floating casually in the air. "You ran out of places to run." He smiled.
She didn't say anything because he was right, she ran into a deathtrap.
"Now tell me, Lina," he said. "Where can you run? How long before others would try and kill you?"
"Others?" she repeated.
"The Dragons, the Gods, all of our enemies of course!" He exclaimed, too happily. "When they find out Lina Inverse, the most powerful human alive, has turned into one of the Mazoku, they'll come running trying to eliminate you off the face of the Earth. Now tell me, how long before you'll be killed by THEM?"
She fell silent. It was true. He was right. The enemies of the Mazoku will surely find her and kill her if they knew she has turned into a Mazoku. The Dragons, they will know sooner or later, what if they send her sister to kill her? What can she do against her big sister? The Knight of Ceipheed?
"If you come with me, you won't be alone, Lina," he said. "I will personally guarantee your safety." He took a step closer. She couldn't step back any farther since she was already on the cliff's edge.
She didn't want to be under anyone's rule, but she didn't want to have so many enemies all at once either. What was she supposed to do?
He came closer and still she didn't know what to do. Join and she'll be ruled over, refuse and escape will bring her many enemies. But she would have enemies, as a Mazoku too, wouldn't she? What's the difference? She wouldn't be safe with the help of the Mazoku. Do what they want and they keep you, refuse what they order and you die. No difference. She would rather die without having to lick anyone's foot.
It will only take one step and she'd be falling down the cliff and into the waterfall. Will she survive? Although a Mazoku, she was still weak and falling down a cliff and a waterfall didn't guarantee her escape...or her life.
It doesn't matter now, does it? It won't matter if she dies now. No one will mourn her death; no one will suffer if she dies now... She took one step back, falling down the cliff and into the water.
She saw him smirk and felt an invisible hand take hold of her legs.
"You can't escape, Lina," he said with much satisfaction.
Lina readied a spell. Hopefully it would be powerful enough. It was all she had left.
"Damn you, Xelloss!!!" She screamed furiously and threw the spell directly at him. "Damn you to Hell!!! DRAGON SLAVE!!!"
Lina felt the invisible hand slip away as the spell burst into Xelloss' face.
Her eyelids felt heavy as she fell into the waterfall.
Can't breath, her mind seemed to process itself.
Darkness took hold of her and she surrendered.
She was more powerful than he had thought. Telling his master that he had failed to capture Lina Inverse will not be a problem but trying to catch her again will be. Once she knows how to use her abilities as a Mazoku, she will become a nuisance. He smiled wickedly and said, "This is going to be interesting."
How long was it? Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? Years?
"Is she dead?" Lina heard someone say.
Who's there?
"I don't think she is." She heard another say.
Where am I?
"She's hurt. We should take her to Mother."
Don't take me anywhere.
"Awright. Mama will know what to do!"
No...I will bring you...trouble...
Lina's mind slipped into Darkness again as she felt someone carry her away......
For those of you who actually read the whole part 1, I thank you kindly!!! And the note I wanna say is that this will be no pairing of any kind, just a 'regular' dark fic and this story takes place after TRY series but please note that I've only watched up to volume/tape four thus far. I have no clue what happens after volume/tape four and if anyone can fill me in on the information, please do (cuz it'll help me lots)!!! I thank you kindly once again!!! ^_^;