Who knows about the Wolf Pack Island? Anyone could ask that question and will get the answer that one doesn't know or perhaps one can get as many as hundreds of myths and tales. No one truly knows about how dark and nightmarish the 'Forbidden Island', as many will call it, could be unless they were the lords who live or visit themselves.
Dynast Grausherra, also known as Supreme King of the North Pole, didn't exactly visit the Wolf Pack Island so often. He never liked the atmosphere of it, he claimed. But this time, it was important. Xelas had said she needed to talk about the battles between the Dragons and Mazoku and that was a pretty important issue, but Dynast could care less. Xelas Metallium, the Beast King of Wolf Pack Island, puffed smoke out of her mouth casually relaxed on the extra cushioned throne.
"Long time no see, Dynast." Xelas puffed smoked out of her mouth again. "Tell me, why have you been avoiding the battles?" Dynast leaned back casually; sipping wine Xelas had offered him earlier.
"I've not been avoiding the battles as you say. I just can't find where I play my part in the battles. YOU are playing a great part in the battles, have you not?" Dynast smirked. "I don't use ruthless violence, my dear Xelas, as you do. I play strategy, ruthless nevertheless, but never brute force."
His cold slitted golden bronze eyes glittered with merriment. "Are you already at your limit, my dear?" Xelas stopped in mid-puff and glared at Dynast. "You obviously don't know how serious this is, Dynast, to be smiling stupidly and mocking me."
Dynast took another calm sip of wine. "And how serious is it, my dear?"
"Quite serious. We can't have the Dragons win this battle, or else the Monster Race will be no more," Xelas said.
"Yes, and how will they win this battle?" Dynast asked. "I've heard they too have had no aid, we may still be the stronger side."
"We would be the stronger side if you and Deep Sea help out!" Xelas shouted.
Dynast shrugged. "Like I said, my dear, I don't play with brute force, and Deep Sea, she's not...well. Maybe if you ask her to help you."
"She's insane because of my Priest and General, I'd sooner die than to have to ask her for help," Xelas mumbled.
"Ah, then do not complain, my dear," Dynast said and sipped the last of his wine. "Tell me, how do you plan on winning this battle, if not from any of my help or Deep Sea's?"
Xelas smirked. "The Supreme King does want to know. Then I shall tell you."
She raised a hand and a picture of Lina Inverse projected itself.
"Do you know her?" Xelas asked.
Dynast examined the projection. "Ah, Lina Inverse, is it not? She who destroyed Gaav and Hellmaster?"
Xelas let the picture float freely. "Quite right. And she holds the key to the Mazokus' succession in this battle."
Dynast raised an eyebrow. "How is that so?"
"I ordered my Priest and General to make her one of us, that would further her magical ability, and had him bring her here," Xelas explained.
"And that would help us how?" He asked.
"That is what I'm getting at, Dynast." Xelas snapped and a glass of wine appeared out of thin air, she took a sip. "Good wine. Anyway, you do know that this Lina Inverse has channeled the Lord of Nightmare through her body, do you not?" A nod.
"If she is able to channel the Lord of Nightmare through her body then she would surely be able to channel 'other' power through her body, don't you agree?" Xelas said.
"The Dark Lord, you mean?"
Xelas smiled a satisfying smile and downed her wine.
"How is that possible? We've got no clue where the pieces of the Dark Lord are."
"That is where you're wrong, dear Dynast. I've found and have one piece of the Dark Lord," Xelas said, smiling inwardly. "And by channeling the Dark Lord into Lina Inverse's body, combined with her soul, the Dark Lord will be reborn onto this world and viola, the battles are taken care of, we live on."
"And may I ask where is your Priest and General with your key to victory?" Dynast asked.
"He'll be here soon enough," Xelas said.
They looked at each other, not much of emotions showing until another form appeared and bowed low.
"I am back, Master," Xelloss said.
Xelas stood up abruptly. "Do not tell me you've failed!"
Still bowed low, Xelloss said, "Yes and no, Master. I have turned Lina Inverse into one of us but I have failed to capture her, Master."
"You fool! How can you fail to capture her?" Xelas demanded.
"Apparently, Master, she has become stronger than I thought," he said.
Xelas growled and sat down.
Dynast stood up calmly. "I am taking my leave. Tell me when you have succeeded in getting your hands on Lina Inverse, my dear Xelas. Until then, don't expect me to be here again." With that, he disappeared.
"Bastard," Xelas growled and turned to Xelloss, still bowed low. "I will give you another chance, Xelloss! Capture her, and this time don't underestimate her! Begone!!"
"Yes Master," Xelloss said and disappeared.
This plan will NOT and CANNOT fail! Xelas thought to herself and snapped for another glass of wine.
Lina, Terry, and Melry arrived at a town right when the sun had set. Lina wasn't bothered by it what worried her was when will be the right time to leave the two siblings. She could just leave them here and have them fend for themselves but they had just lost their mother and she felt sorry for them. She would worry about it later, right now, the two siblings looked weary and needed rest.
Pixyville, despite its name, was big and consisted of many things. Out of the crowds still thick despite the hour and time, a woman wearing close to nothing was the easiest to spot. Looking round and round, she spotted her most favorite place of all: the Pixy Bar.
Smiling, she made her way through the crowd.
"Beware the evil surrounding this whole town," a queer voice eerily said.
The woman stopped on her track and turned around to look at an old, hunchback woman holding a wooden staff, behind her.
"Were you talking to me?"
"Yes, and beware the evil in this town," the old woman repeated. "Rid of it if you come across it but beware."
The woman held her chest high, making it jiggle and said, "Hah! What evil would dare show itself in front of Naga the White Serpent?! The most powerful and beautiful rival of Lina Inverse?!! OHOHOHOHOHO!!!!"
By the time she stopped laughing, every single person in the town scattered away from fear of losing their hearing.
Naga looked around and hmph'ed. "They simply don't appreciate my lovely voice."
With that she walked into the Pixy Bar.
Lina felt a chill run down her spine and shivered.
Odd, she thought. A Mazoku having chills?
"What's the matter, Lina?" Melry asked.
"Uh, nothing," Lina lied.
In order to have enough money for the rest of the week, all three of them had to share a room. Melry had the bed and Terry had the sofa, as for Lina herself, she didn't need any sleep.
After a meal, they went out to buy some new clothing (which the money came out of beating a few gangs of bandits). They took baths and were presently in the room. Lina, now having all black attire, stared out the window, mainly staring at nothing.
"Why is it that you got all black things?" Terry asked out of curiousity.
Without looking at him, Lina said, "It's better if you were to flee through the night with all black clothes. Hides you even more in the shadow."
"What will happen to us now?" Melry said in a low voice.
"Nothing," Lina said, still staring at the night sky. "Nothing will happen to you. You live on with your lives in this town, pretend you never knew me and nothing will happen to any of you."
The room fell silent until Lina said, "Go to sleep."
"But...will you be here in the morning?" Melry asked.
Lina hesitated and said, "That wasn't a request." She stood up and went to the table, preparing to put out the light.
"She asked you a simple question. You should at least answer her," Terry said.
Lina looked at him coldly and said, "I should do nothing if I don't want to." She put out the light and exited the room.
"Will she come back?" Melry asked Terry.
"I don't know. Do you want her to?"
"I...don't know..." Tears welled up. "Terry, I miss Mama......"
Terry clumsily made his way to the bed and held Melry.
Lina walked out of the inn and wandered off listlessly. She found out that the town was called Pixyville, despite its size. Lina made her way round and round the town until she stopped in front of a bar, the Pixy Bar. Nothing she would like in there. She turned around, ready to make her way back until the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Someone was watching her. Lina looked around but found nothing but drunkards from the bar. She was being very paranoid now but it doesn't hurt to be cautious, right? Figuring that going back would be better, Lina quickly walked back to the inn and figured that the two siblings wouldn't mind if she stayed another morning.
He was in trouble. Deeper trouble than he thought. His master was damn pissed at him and now he didn't know where to find Lina Inverse. He couldn't feel her existence but she shouldn't have died from that fall, she was strong enough to survive it. Oh, he was screwed because in order to find Lina Inverse now was to rely on pure luck and luck isn't sticking to his side very well. He needed to regenerate.
Xelloss appeared high above a populated town and sat himself down on a roof by a bar. Sorrow and sadness and anger, the bar was bound to give off some if not all of those emotions.
Yep, that was the spot to regenerate, a fight has already begun.
Xelloss looked down and spotted a familiar redhead. He stood up and couldn't believe what he saw. He smiled. Maybe luck WAS on his side after-all.
Naga the White Serpent was downing her fifteenth jug of beer. This was the life! No, alcohol was the life!! Drunk but not quite ready to stop drinking, she down another jug. As she finished her drink, she spotted someone she hasn't seen in years standing right outside the bar. Naga rubbed her eyes and finding it wasn't a hallucination, she stood up, paid the bartender and walked into another man.
"Hey! Watch where yer goin', woman!!" he shouted.
"Oh shut up!! Freeze Arrow!!" Naga shouted and went out the door to find the person already making her way back to wherever she wanted to go.
Naga tried to call out but couldn't and gave up to following the person until she was close enough to hear.
Lina walked and tried to think of nothing. Somehow, she was reliving everything from THAT night. She could hear Gourry's cry of pain as Xelloss shot something at him. She could hear Zelgadis' shout of anger as Xelloss started to beat everyone. She could hear Amelia's pleas for Lina to get away as she died in Lina's arms. Everything was coming back again...she didn't like that.
......miss......lina.........
Lina jolted, looking around frantically. She looked at the deep lush forest not so far away from the town.
"Amelia...?" Lina whispered, walking towards the forest.
......I'm right......here......
It sounded like the wind had carried Amelia's voice from somewhere.
"Wh-where?" Lina whispered.
Lina stopped dead on her tracks. It had to be a trick. Amelia's dead...but maybe her soul? NO! No, that's not Amelia!! I have to turn back! This is all a trick!
...no...help......miss...lina......help......me......
Lina turned around, making her way back to the inn, ignoring the 'wind'.
......please...help me......
She hesitated.
...he's......got...me......
Lina whip around and saw...Amelia...
"Am-amelia......" Lina couldn't believe what she saw. She saw Amelia, although faded, glowed slightly. Her face seemed tired and scared and she reached out.
...help......me......
Lina walked back into the forest quicker than the last time.
"Amelia!" Lina shouted as Amelia started to fade away. "Amelia! No!!"
Lina ran into the forest with speed she didn't possess as a human being. She looked around the forest and saw glowing lights here and there. Lina ran after them and they led her a forest opening.
"Amelia...?" Lina whispered and look around. She felt another presence near her, a powerful one and her skin crawled.
Oh no...this is a trap! I've got to go back! Lina thought.
Lina turned back to the path she took but the wind made her stop.
...miss lina...
She shut her eyes tight and clenched her fists.
Ignore it...that's not her...ignore it.
...I'm hurt......miss lina......help me? Please?......
Lina didn't turn around but soften her gesture, seeming weary of resisting what the wind kept telling her. Everything was quiet after that, eerily quiet......until a scream broke it.
Lina spun around and her muscles tighten.
"You..." Lina hissed at the person in front of her.
"Fooled you didn't I?" Xelloss said and snapped Amelia's faded image away.
Lina narrowed her eyes.
Xelloss smiled. "I thought I'd never find you again. I see you've healed. Of course if you still refuse to join my master then you'll have to hurt all over again."
Lina didn't respond to that and stood poised, unable to run away any longer.
Naga thought she spotted Lina running into the forest so she followed but then she suddenly disappeared. Naga ran here and there in the forest, listening very carefully for any movement nearby. Running wildly, Naga figured she'll find Lina somehow. Finally, she thought she heard someone talking in a forest clearing. Quickly, she ran to it and saw that Lina was talking to someone. Naga hmph'ed and thought Lina was doing good business again, without her most talented partner.
Oh, she'll be punished. Naga thought. She decided to eavedrop for awhile longer to find out what it was Lina was doing.
Lina didn't know what to do. There was no way she can escape. He wouldn't let her escape a second time.
He smiled and pop open his eyes. "Why is it that you look so tense? I won't hurt you. My master ordered me to take you alive, you know and I wouldn't dare make her upset again."
"Good. Then don't take me at all because the only way you're taking me is either dead or battered!" Lina shouted and thought that this could NOT go anymore lower than it is.
"Lina," Xelloss shook his head slightly. "You make it so hard for me." He sighed and prepared a spell.
Lina prepared one of her own and since she has recovered from her injuries, she should've been stronger than that of being a human.
OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!
The arrogant laugh was heard all around Lina and Xelloss.
Lina whipped around and said, "It can't be..."
"Hmm? Now who can that be?" Xelloss said with false interest.
A woman wearing a bikini-like outfit appeared from a bush nearby, apparently drunk.
"Lina Inverse! I finally found you!!" she said and laughed the horrid laugh again.
"Naga?" Lina gasped out.
"The one and only! And apparently, you've been doing good business again without my help!! How dare you show yourself in front of me again?!" Naga shouted with her shrill voice.
Lina sweatdropped. "What do you mean? YOU'RE the one who showed up in MY face, Naga!!"
"Hm? Oh really? Hrm...no matter! You will have to be punish for ditching me four years ago!!" Naga said.
"I really don't have time for this," Xelloss said, irritated. He let go of whatever he formed and it charged towards Lina to which she dodged.
"Naga! I'm kind of busy right now!! Go away!!!!" Lina ordered and threw Xelloss a fireball, which he dodged.
Naga looked from Lina to Xelloss then back to Lina again. "Hm? Is he your enemy, Lina?"
Lina put up a shield and blocked Xelloss' attack. "You idiot! What do you think he is?!! Of course he's my enemy!!"
"OHOHOHOHOHO!! Then I will help you get rid of your enemy then!! DEMONA CRYSTAL!!"
Blocks of ice charged at Xelloss but he dodged it with great ease.
"I really have to get rid of all your friends, don't I Lina?" Xelloss said and brung his staff up above his head and brought it down onto the ground. Black streaks rolled from the staff and towards Naga. It happened too quickly that Naga couldn't dodge it.
"Naga, you idiot!!" Lina shouted and ran in front of Naga which cause the black streaks to hit her instead. It went INTO Lina's body but it didn't hurt or burn at all.
"What the hell?" Lina whispered and looked up at the smirking Mazoku.
"I knew you'd do that, Lina," he said. "You'll regret that sooner than you think."
With that, he teleported away, smiling.
"...what?" Lina whispered and looked at where Xelloss once stood.
"Lina," Naga whimpered.
Lina turned to her. "What?"
Naga put a hand over her head and said, "I don't feel so good...I must've drank too much....catch me?" And she fell onto the ground with a thud.
Lina sweatdropped. "And who is the wounded here?" She picked Naga up and teleported away, exactly as how Xelloss always do. It was handy, Lina had found out.
Xelloss stood on a tree branch and watched as Lina teleported away.
She learns quick, he thought. That could cause some trouble. No matter. That spell ought to do the trick.
He smirked and disappeared.
Lina reappeared in the inn room, scaring Terry and Melry who had not yet gotten any sleep.
Lina waved for light and automatically, the candles lit up brightly.
She looked at the two siblings and grunted. "Why aren't you asleep yet?" She put Naga on the sofa.
"Sleep didn't come to us," Terry said. "Who's that?"
Lina either didn't hear or didn't care to answer. She took off Naga's cape, gloves, and boots and pulled the blanket over her.
"I hope you don't mind sleeping on the bed with your sister tonight. The sofa's taken now," Lina said and sat down by the window.
"Who is she?" Terry asked again.
"A friend," Lina answered.
"What's her name?" Melry asked as she got up and examine the drunken woman.
"Naga," Lina said.
"Hrm..." Melry shifted her eyes to look at Lina and her eyes widen as she pointed a shaking finger towards Lina. "Wh-what happened to you?"
Lina looked at the mirror and saw that her neck was purple. She checked under her tunic and her whole chest and stomach had turned purple. But it didn't hurt at all. They may look like bruises but they didn't hurt.
"It's nothing," Lina lied and she knew it was that spell Xelloss attacked with. "It doesn't hurt. Go to sleep."
"Did you get into a fight with someone?" Melry asked as she advanced towards Lina and carefully placed her small hand on Lina's neck.
"Yeah..." Lina said and turned to look outside again. "It's nothing you should know about. Go to sleep."
"But I'm not slee -- " Lina placed her index finger on Melry's forehead.
Melry closed her eyes as she fell down, Lina caught her and put her on the bed.
"...mm....li....na...?" Naga slurred and opened her eyes to see the petite red head. "Lina, it IS you. I thought I was dreaming."
Lina sat down beside the sofa. "Are you any better? Need some tea?"
Naga shook her head. "No...I'm okay...what about you? That attack...it did that to you?" Naga indicated Lina's 'bruised' skin.
"Yeah...sort of...it doesn't hurt, though," Lina said.
"That man...who was he?" Naga asked.
"Xelloss. That's his name. He's a...Mazoku. A high rank one," Lina whispered.
"What did he want from you? I heard he wanted to take you somewhere," Naga said. "By the Gods, Lina! Tell me everything that happened!!"
And Lina did tell Naga everything that happened, only some more than she needed to know.
"You...you're a..." Naga sat up and shook her head. "No...that can't be! How can YOU, Lina Inverse, be one of THEM?! That's insane!!"
Lina stared at nothing again. "It's true, Naga. But I don't know what they want from me now that I'm one of them." Naga fell silent.
Everything fell silent and Terry, who wasn't yet asleep, noted that the two probably had nothing else to say to each other.
Lina sighed. "I didn't want this to happen, Naga. I don't want to stay this way. I was born human and I swear to L-sama I want to die as one. What am I going to do? If I turn back into a human, then no one would bother me anymore. If only there was a way."
Now Lina knew how Zel had felt about being a chimera. Searching for a cure and never finding one, how she pitied him now that he's gone.
"I think I know a way," Terry piped in.
Lina looked at him. "And what is it?"
"Father used to tell me stories of an island that contains a magical amulet. You see, this amulet contain great magical power that will grant you limitless power, or so he claimed," Terry said and recalled the time when his father had sat him down to tell him about the world outside. "But the amulets haven't been seen for over hundreds of thousands of years and now people doubt that any limitless granting power amulet ever existed. Some explorers had said though, that the amulets lie due west from Pixyville, over the horizon."
Lina thought about the information. It could be true, the magical amulets. What can't be true now? Everything that never come to her mind had come true, why can't this be true?
"Alright. I'll make used of that information and head west," Lina said. "I'll book a boat in the morning. You guys could just go back to your lives after that. Pretend you never saw me."
"I don't think so, Lina!" Naga said and stood up. "I know what you're planning to do! You're planning on getting that amulet yourself aren't you?! HAH! But I will never allow that to happen! I, Naga the Serpent, will go with you until we get that amulet!"
"Naga! This isn't a joke! You saw how powerful Xelloss is and even then he wasn't using his full strength! You might die if you come with me!" Lina said.
"Don't try to scare me, Lina Inverse! I can handle him anytime!! I'm going with you and that's final!!!" Naga shouted.
Lina sighed. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you if you happen to lose your life out there in the sea."
Naga smiled. "Good!"
"Go to sleep. I'm going early," Lina said and looked at Terry. She dug up a big bag and threw it toward Terry.
"Here. Survive on that. That's all I've got, I need some to get a ship," Lina said. "And for the last time, go to sleep."
Everyone listened to her this time. Terry mumbled a 'thank you' and went to sleep beside Melry.
Naga sighed and rolled on sofa.
Lina sat beside the window, staring into the dark woods and for a moment she thought she saw her companions waving at her, smiling and then disappeared. Everything in one second, Lina didn't have time react. She smiled for the first time ever since that night. At least she know that her companions' souls were somewhere safe.
Lina shifted in her seat and sat, waiting until the sun will rise from the east.......
Make any sense at all? I tried my best to make it make as much sense as possible. And one thing I've noticed myself doing is keep spelling Mazoku wrong. Sometimes I spell 'mazuko' and sometimes 'mazoku' (i think that's what happens) so please don't mind 'em. Of course, all of you who are reading this should know what I mean, right? I sure hope so! So please read on for those of you who actually got up to this part!! :)
Part 4 | Fanfiction