"That doesn't make sense," Lina murmured, removing the magnifying eyepiece and looking at the magical compass in her hand.
"What doesn't?" Quar poked his head into her room and ducked a boot in the face. "You really haven't changed have you?"
"Don't you know you should knock before entering a lady's room?"
Quar looked around, gray-blue eyes faintly surprised. "Lady? What lady?" And he ducked under another flying boot.
"Still can't take a joke after all these years?" murmured the priest as he ruffled Lina's hair.
"I hate it when you treat me like a kid," she grumbled.
"You do look like one."
"And exactly whose fault is that?"
"Yes, I think we went over this the night before."
"How is he?"
"He? Which one would you be referring to? There is Migel who is still following Gourry, Gourry who is devouring his way through the village's extra food stores, and your statue friend who refused to stay still until I slapped a sleep spell on him."
Lina tried to imagine Quar slapping someone but the image just didn't fit. "So how are his wounds?"
Quar sat back in his chair, folded his hands, and assumed his detached manner. "From my inspection, most of his wounds have healed up quite well. The ones that hadn't, like the one you hit him in earlier, were fine after a small healing spell. However, given another day or two, they might just have healed by themselves."
"Accelerated regeneration then?"
Quar nodded.
"Hmmm. Perhaps a bit of troll was thrown into the chimera pot?"
"Would it make a difference?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind. You seemed confused about something when I came in?"
Lina chewed on her lip and tapped on the compass. "Maybe it's nothing, but I was trying to figure out how this worked. And I came across a small...detail."
"And it isn't anything you want to talk about it. That's alright."
Lina smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Quar. It's good have someone with intelligence to talk to."
"What about that Zelgadiss?"
"And trusts me."
"Hmmmm. That's true. He was asking for you, or rather demanding to know where you were earlier. After you've finished dinner, he'll be awake."
"Dinner?! Where?!"
Quar found himself in an empty room. He shook his head and pulled out a locket. Opening it up, he smiled sadly. "No. She doesn't seem to have changed at all."
"Yo, Zedilgas!" Gourry popped his head into the room.
"That's Zelgadiss," Zel corrected with a scowl. That priest, Quar, made him sleep after the healing so he had lost the rest of the day already. Who knew what Rezo was up to?
"You're certainly sounding better," came the voice from outside. "Gourry, get out of the way!"
"Eh? Oh sorry." Gourry moved into the room, grabbed a chair, and sat in it. Zelgadiss also noticed the swordsman looking warily around for something. And Migel was anywhere in the room even though last Zel heard, Gourry still refused to take the reformed young man as an apprentice.
Lina came in, her arms laden with various things, and her hands full with a tray of food. The food she lay on the nightstand next to his bed.
"Got you a new set of clothes," she announced, hanging them up. "Ivory this time too. Your last set was torn to shreds."
Zelgadiss remained silent. That must have been why that priest was asking for his measurements. And speaking of the devil, Quar stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He gave a nod to Lina.
"The shields are up. No one can scry into this place from now until maybe morning."
"Good." She hopped onto the window sill and sat on it. "During dinner, I already went over the basic outline of what happened so Gourry is all caught up."
"I'll say you did," Gourry yawned.
"You still talk a lot," Quar nodded in agreement.
Lina scowled. "Any questions?"
Gourry raised his hand.
"Yes, Gourry?"
"What happened to that Rezo we saw in the road?"
Everyone minus Gourry grew sweatdrops.
"That wasn't a real Rezo. It was only a picture through which Rezo was talking to us. I broke the connection when I destroyed the eyeball that was serving as the focus."
"Oh yeah. But wasn't that knife you threw the one that was cursed?"
Lina smiled and tapped her headband. "This protects against all mind-control or mind-affecting spells. Still it doesn't hurt to be careful."
"But why did you throw that one?"
"Because, aside from the curse, it was also enspelled which would enable it to break the spell. My sword is also enspelled but I couldn't have thrown that without Rezo noticing! Now are there any real questions?"
"I have one."
"What is it, Zel?"
"I want the keys."
"Really direct person aren't you."
"That swordsman," Zelgadiss gestured to Gourry who was falling asleep. "Never had the keys did he. You had them all along."
Well, no point in hiding it any longer. "That's right."
"So you lied to me," he hissed, his hands clenching the bedsheets tightly.
"No. I never said I didn't have them. You assumed that Gourry had them."
"You even told Dilgear you didn't have them."
"I was telling the truth. I didn't have them on me then."
"Then where were they if not on you?"
"A mage has to keep some secrets or we'd lose the mystery of the trade."
"Calm down, boy," Quar advised. "And Lina, stop baiting him. I didn't waste my power to heal him just so you can get back at him for all the humiliation you received from Dilgear."
"Oh alright." Lina tossed Zelgadiss something. He caught it and found it to be the statue. "Either way, I was going to give this to you eventually. But I didn't know how to approach you about it."
"What are you planning now?"
"Does the word 'trust' appear in your vocabulary?"
"Answer the question."
"Hmph. This will never work if you don't trust me even a little bit."
"Why should I trust you?"
Lina threw her arms up in the air. "You. Are. Impossible."
They sat in stony silence. Gourry snored. Lina watched as the stars began to appear. Zelgadiss glared at her. Quar stood leaning against the wall, watching all of them. Finally, he lit several candles in the room to alleviate the darkness, both in lighting and mood.
"You'd better eat your dinner," advised the healer to the patient.
"I'm not hungry."
"Look, I know you don't eat a lot but even you need to eat after a major healing session," Lina interjected. "Are you trying to die before getting your revenge on Rezo?"
His hand around the Orihalcon statue tightened, the strange ore beginning to bend under the intense force.
"So..."
Lina waited for him to continue.
"So why are you handing the statue over to me?"
She shrugged. "It seems like the best idea. Rezo expects me to be carrying both of them. He can't sense either now because of the Protect I cast. Somehow, the Philosopher's Stone is supposed to break the seal. I trust you won't try to break the statue and use the stone when we're on the island tomorrow."
"Island?"
"I've figured out how the compass works. It points to an island off of the coast."
"I've already arranged a ship to take you there," Quar added. "But I should warn you that sailors have avoided that island for years. Seems that it's bad luck."
"How appropriate." Zelgadiss looked at the statue in his hand. This was rightfully his. He paid for it, dearly in coin and blood. There was no way he should let it get out of his hands again. He placed the statue next to the tray with an audible thunk.
"The statue will remain here when we go."
Lina stared at him. All this time he was making such a big deal about wanting to get the keys and now that he finally got one in his hand he was ready to leave it behind so easily. He wasn't even going to try to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone to use against Rezo. Perhaps she should revise her opinion about him.
Zelgadiss forced his fingers to let go of the statue. It was probably the only thing he could use to defeat Rezo. Two years ago, he feverishly studied magic, knowing that his sword alone couldn't defeat his great-grandfather. But even with his rapid rise in the Arts, Rezo still had nearly a century head start. The Philosopher Stone could erase that difference, power-wise, but even if Rezo couldn't find the statue, he could still find Zelgadiss. If one key was left behind, hidden, Rezo's plan would still be foiled.
Gourry yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, were we talking about something?"
"Idiot," Lina sighed, more out of habit than anything else.
"I want to go as well!"
"Migel?!"
The former Hand of Ruby Eye poked his head into the room through the window where Lina was sitting.
"I want to demonstrate the power of justice and good to that which corrupted me before!"
"Um, Migel?"
"And we will show the Demon Lord the true might of the holy warriors of light!"
Lina groaned. This she did not need.
"Migel, I quite understand how you feel." Quar walked over to the window, unobtrusively signaling Lina to move aside. He placed a hand on each of the reformed man and looked into his eyes. "But I will also be staying behind. We can not leave the people defenseless in such a dire hour of need now can we?"
"Well...no..."
"Exactly. We must be vigilant in all directions. Who is to say that the Mazoku won't attack other places to distract attention from the rebirth of Ruby Eye?"
"So then it is my sacred duty to keep guard here on the mainland, such that Gourry-san, Lina-san, and Zelgadiss-san will not be disturbed when they strike down Ruby Eye before he is released again!"
"I think he bought it," Lina shrugged, sitting on the edge of Zel's bed. "At least he won't be following us."
Gourry added a fervent thank you to Ceiphied.
So tomorrow, the three of them would be on their way to the place where Shabrinigdo was supposed to be sealed and have to find someway to prevent the seal from ever being broken. To say nothing of any Mazoku that might decide to pop in for the fun. Rezo knew that the keys were collected and together. And besides a Demon Lord rebirth, she still had to worry about the possibility of Abran resurfacing in Migel again if Ruby Eye is resurrected.
"By Ceiphied, how did I ever get entangled in this?"
"You took something that didn't belong to you," Zel smiled.
"Don't even start on that." Lina rolled her eyes, noting that he looked much better when he wasn't brooding.
"Gourry, are you *sure* you pulled the boat high enough up shore so that it doesn't get pulled away during high tide?"
"He pulled it all the way up to the forest line. I think that would be high enough."
Lina scowled and concentrated again on the compass in her hand. From the rounded gem, a beam of light shone in a straight line to its assigned destination.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Gourry asked for the umpteenth time.
"Yes!"
"But it looks like you're just walking aimlessly."
"I'm following the light. I've told you that many times already," Lina gritted through her teeth.
"But I don't see anything."
Zelgadiss used that rest stop while Lina beat up Gourry to take in their surroundings. From what he overheard from the superstitious sailors, this island had been deserted for several hundred years at least. Only some ruins on the eastern part of the island facing the mainland hinted at possible settlements in the past. There was also the remains of a small dead volcano that rose above most of the vegetation. From the path Lina was leading them on, that volcano, something in the direct path from here to it, or something behind it was where Shabrinigdo lay.
"If we want to keep ahead of Rezo, we'd better try flying."
Lina looked up from trying to tie Gourry's left foot to his right arm. "That could be faster. But you'll have to carry Gourry then. It's going to take all of my concentration to manage flying without crashing into anything and keeping the compass activated."
Zelgadiss shrugged and picked up the blond by the arm as he began to rise in the air. Lina followed, holding the compass and studying the trail of light only visible to her. They skimmed above the treetops, Zel periodically warning Lina about an unusually high tree. He was surprised about how easily she accepted his warnings, never looking up to check, but just following his suggested change in heading. If it had been him, he would have checked every single time. Why did she trust him?
They had landed on the northern shore of the island and traveled in an approximate southeast heading. The old volcano spread out beneath them now. It was quite sparse, probably nothing more than a few ground cover plants from what Zel could make out as they flew over it.
Something flashed in the distance in front of them. Zel's eyes widened.
"Lina, spell!" Zel yelled as he dropped himself and Gourry to the ground.
Lina, who had been too wrapped up in the compass and her private thoughts, looked up to see the many beams of red zooming toward her. In her surprise, she barely dodged some of them, dropping the compass and crashing into the ground below as she lost her Ray Wing.
"What was that?" Lina coughed, rubbing the dirt from her mouth. A magic attack? "It couldn't b - "
Lina felt a pressure behind her neck.
"Rezo!" Zelgadiss snarled.
Gourry blinked and peered at the man who suddenly appeared behind Lina. "That's Rezo?"
"How kind of you to lead me here."
By voice alone, Lina recognized the Red Priest Rezo. His fingers around the back of her neck squeezed meaningfully and Lina didn't move. If he wanted, he could break her neck. Still...where did he learn how to do that? And just how did he get here so quickly!
"I believe there is still something you need to hand over to me?"
"There is? What would that be?" Lina asked flippantly.
"I can kill this girl instantly. Hand it over and I'll let her go."
That could be problematic.
"Kill her Rezo, and you'll never learn where it is," Zelgadiss growled.
Actually, even if Lina died, Zel would still know and technically Quar as well. But what was a little half-truth among enemies?
"What is everyone talking about?" Gourry asked, watching the exchange warily, sword drawn.
"Why, Gourry-san." Rezo's voice had changed from its cold, menacing manner to a silky, honey-sweet tone. "I'm just looking for the Orihalcon statue."
"Statue? I don't know know what this Oli-whatever is but I do have a statue. Isn't this the one that's supposed to have that Philosopher's Stone in it?"
If Lina's jaw could drop, it would have. In Gourry's hand was the Orihalcon Statue.
"Impossible!" Zelgadiss sputtered. "I left that behind!"
"Well, Lina said it was important so I thought it was strange that she'd leave it there so I took it with me. Good thing huh?"
He really didn't understand the situation did he?
"A very good thing, Gourry-san. Now give it to me."
"You have to promise to let her go."
"Of course."
Did that idiot really believe him?
"Don't give him that!" Zel yelled, desperation tingeing his voice. After all, Rezo getting that statue would nearly be equating to Rezo winning this game.
"But he'll kill her if I don't."
Hmmm, good question. Saving her life or preventing Shabrinigdo's resurrection, which to choose?
"I'm losing my patience," Rezo warned, the grip on the back of her neck getting tighter.
"Here!" Gourry tossed the statue.
"You idiot!" Zelgadiss looked ready to run Gourry through.
Rezo caught the statue.
"Now let her go!"
"In good time."
From the side of her eye, Lina could see Rezo grasp the statue.
"I have it, I have it at last!"
She shivered, not from the hand still at her throat but the evil undercurrent in his laugh. With apparently no effort, Rezo broke the statue and the two pieces fell to the ground, leaving only a rough black rock in his hand. It looked like a piece of charcoal but in fact was the Philosopher's Stone. Reality could be so disappointing.
Lina felt the grip disappear from her neck and she sighed in relief. Then Rezo began to laugh again.
"It doesn't look like much does it?" he laughed, voicing everyone's silent thought. "Perhaps then, you'd like a demonstration."
Gods he wasn't...
Lina turned around to see the power collect in his hand. And it was aimed right at her.
"Aero Bomb."
The ball of air, which should only have been about the size of his hand but was instead as tall as her, exploded before Lina. This Shaman Air spell for beginners wasn't designed for damage, just a little bit of defense by deflecting arrows and such. It was not supposed to slam into her and blow her high into the air. She hit the ground with a thud and several bounces, gripping her stomach as if she had just been punched in the gut by a troll. Was this how the victims of her Dill Brando felt? Or at least a Diem Wing.
"Lina!"
Lina didn't know who called, nor did she care. Her attention was fixed on Rezo. What was he going to do now? How was the Philosopher's Stone supposed to free Shabrinigdo?
Rezo brought the stone to his mouth. And swallowed it?!
Immediately, his aura of power intensified, creating a huge vortex of wind that kicked up the dirt and dust. Lina covered her face with her cape, knowing with sudden certainty, that the nausea rolling through her wasn't from the amplified Aero Bomb. Just as it wasn't wind causing the dust to fly. This 'wind' was waves upon waves of negative emotions and they were all coming from...Rezo.
It all fell into place. She knew what the compass was for. She knew what the Philosopher's Stone was for. But did the Red Priest know?
Lina struggled to her feet, currently being too close for her liking to what was possibly the worst thing to ever happen in her entire life. She backed away several steps when a hand fell on her shoulder.
"Gou - " Lina's voice died when she saw it was Zelgadiss. But he wasn't looking at her but at Rezo.
"It can't be..."
So he also figured it out.
"My eyes...My eyes are opening!" Rezo laughed as after nearly a century of darkness, his eyes opened. And those eyes were ruby red.
"Oh gods..." Lina moaned. She was right though this time she wished she wasn't. Nee-chan was going to kill her.
"I can see...I can see!" he howled in glee. "So this is the sky. This is the ground. This - "
"Get out of the way," Zelgadiss snarled, chanting a spell.
"What is that?" Lina asked as Zelgadiss stepped forward, blue-white light blasting forth from his hands.
"Ra Tilt!"
The light struck Rezo, shimmered, and died.
No way! The Ra Tilt had absolutely no effect! Then that means Rezo really is...
"You are Zelgadiss. This is the first time I've seen you. Such an unsightly form I made for you. You want to be rid of it don't you? Fine then. I'll destroy you and it together," grinned Rezo, probably still ignorant of the true danger. "I will...What?"
It was something so horrible that you wanted to look away but couldn't. The flesh on his face began to slid off, revealing something darker like dried blood underneath. The same began to happen everywhere else as either the skin withered away or his robes morphed into something else. They were witnessing the rebirth of Shabrinigdo.
Was it her imagination or did Rezo smile just before he was consumed by the transformation?
The Demon Lord loomed over them, like a mansion looms over its inhabitants. The sky had darkened above them, turning the noon hour into midnight. There were no sounds, as if every living thing had died.
"I have you to thank for my return to this mortal soil."
His voice was like rumbling thunder but darker. Lina felt an eerie sense of deja vu at the amorphous shape Shabrinigdo had taken, not unlike the statue she had seen in Migel's castle.
"And for that, I could grant you a painless death."
"What kind of gratitude is that?" Lina yelled. Not because she thought it was a cheap repayment but she had to do something other than tremble in fear.
"However, I will be especially lenient this time."
This time?
"Join me, serve me, and you will be able to live out your lifespan. Or refuse and fight me now, before I go to destroy my other self, the Demon King of the North."
Destroy? One piece destroying another? But that was a question for a later time.
"So join or die. Which way to go?" Gourry pondered.
"What are you? Stupid?" Lina shrieked, growing fangs.
Oh wait, this was Gourry. Still, how could he ask such a question!
"Demon Lord resurrection equals world goes boom!"
"But didn't he say he was going to fight someone or other?"
"Two pieces of Shabrinigdo fighting also equals world goes boom!!"
"Oh."
"Vlave Howl!" Zelgadiss slammed his hand into the ground, summoning the power of Bephimos, the spirit of earth. Everything between him and the Demon Lord turned into a river of molten rock that rushed forth as a tsunami and crashed over it. "Run!"
The three started to run but Lina did a skidding 180 degree turn.
"The compass!"
"Lina!" Zelgadiss's yell fell on deaf ears. "Keep running!" he snapped at Gourry as he turned to follow her himself. What was that idiot doing!
The lava had cooled quickly, encasing the Ruby Eye in rock. But Zel doubted that would hold it for long if at all. Surely Lina realized that! The dark power of the Demon Lord grew stronger, the wind picking up into a storm. Lina seemed to yell something that he couldn't make out and something sparkled in the ground.
"Found it!" Lina grabbed the compass just as the stone around Shabrinigdo began to crack. Something glowed in that crack and shot out. She began to roll away as something caught and threw her aside.
"Idiot! Just what the hell were you doing!" Zelgadiss hissed. He didn't bother waiting for a retort, just grabbing her and making all due haste as far away from the Ruby Eye as possible.
The rest of the dark gray stone fell away and the ruby-like eyes in a smooth lump watched the three escape. It smiled. The change was coming, its new form wasn't ready yet. But it could wait a little while. It had been a very long time since it had the chance to play.
Another branch popped in the fire. The three had found refuge in the eastern ruins that Lina led them to after their disastrous encounter with Rezo and Ruby Eye. Gourry tended the fire and dinner, occasionally poking the pieces of bear meat with a stick when he wasn't looking at either Zelgadiss or Lina. Zelgadiss was seated in a corner, looking as if he wasn't looking at anything but really studying the other two closely. Lina on the other hand wasn't looking at anyone. She sat in the open window, one legged propped against the opposite frame. From that window, the brightly lit coastline could be seen.
"Well, the other side seems to be in a festive mood," Gourry noted, trying to break the silence as yet another firecracker lit up the night sky.
"Of course they're festive," Lina muttered. "It's Moonfall."
Gourry blinked. "The moon fell?"
"It's a holiday," Zelgadiss corrected quietly from his corner.
"A holiday to celebrate when the moon falls?"
"Are you purposely trying to get me angry?" Lina growled.
Gourry gingerly held out several slices of cooked bear meat as a peace offering. She looked at it, decided it smelled good, and grabbed it. The swordsman sighed as another beating was avoided.
"Moonfall is the name of the midsummer festival," she explained, blowing on the hot meat to cool it. "It's an old elven holiday to celebrate life, love, and family. The original elven name was corrupted to its rather nonsensical 'Moonfall' name the holiday now bears. But most people don't believe in elves anymore so hardly anyone knows that."
"Well this time, it's more appropriately a celebration of death."
Dark clouds descended. Lina wafted them away.
"Come on, Zel. Things can't be *that* bad."
"Oh? Ruby Eye Shabrinigdo has just been resurrected on the same island we're on and it wants to use us as his warm-up session before taking on the Demon King of the North. How much more worse can it get?"
"He has a point..."
"Not you too!" Lina groaned.
"There is no way to escape from it. Hiding is only delaying the inevitable. I'm going to face it even with no chance of winning. I'd never be able to face anyone again if I didn't."
Gourry nodded. "I'll go too. It may be hopeless but it isn't right to just let something like that run around."
"Sorry for getting you entangled in this."
"What are you talking about? This isn't just 'someone else's problem'. I brought the statue didn't I?" Gourry picked up one of the bear meat sticks. "This one's done. Want it?"
Zelgadiss accepted it reluctantly. And though they didn't say anything, Lina knew they were waiting for her answer. She didn't know if they were looking at her, her eyes were fixed on the fireworks. It has been a very long time since she sat down and watched the Moonfall nighttime light show.
"So...what you're saying is that because I'm partly responsible for Ruby Eye's resurrection, I should go and throw my life away facing it? I don't want to die like that."
Zelgadiss figured she would say something like that. After all, she was a selfish girl only concerned with herself. But for some reason, he felt the disappointment written on Gourry's face.
"No one is forcing you to go," the swordsman said gently.
"What's the point of going off to fight expecting to die? There are so many things I still haven't done yet, foods I haven't tasted, treasures I haven't stolen, er that is - "
"I think we're getting the picture," Gourry sweatdropped but Lina went on.
"And if I ever get tired of magic..." Unlikely given how long I've been studying it but... "I can always try to be a normal person."
Gourry tried to imagine a normal Lina.
"The world may sooner come to an end," Zel remarked, earning a dirty look from Lina. "It is your choice not to fight. You may do whatever you want. Just don't get in our way or I will kill you."
Lina let the firelight catch in the compass in her hand. "Excuse me? Who said I wasn't going to fight?"
They looked at her, half hidden in shadow.
"But didn't you say..." Gourry began.
"Don't strain your brain, Gourry. You'll need it for later," Lina grinned. "I just said I don't want to die. I never said anything about not fighting."
"Let me guess. This is just like when you said you didn't have the keys on you," Zel frowned. Gods, he had to keep on his toes with her!
Lina snapped her fingers. "Bingo! I'm saying it's stupid to go off to fight with the attitude 'oh I'm going to die'. I don't care what you call it, be it manly, be it honorable, that's just a load of crap. With that mindset, any possible chances of winning becomes nothing! The train of the dead is a one way line. No second chances. Zip. If I'm going to fight, I'm fighting to win! And I expect anyone fighting with me to be the same!"
"So that means you're going with us?" Gourry asked eagerly.
"Isn't that what I just said?" Lina asked the ceiling. "This Lina Inverse would never say something as wimpy as 'I don't want to fight because I'm afraid of dying'!"
Zelgadiss hid his smile at her posturing. Even at a time like this...
"So then do you have a plan to defeat Ruby Eye?"
Lina laughed nervously. "I have been thinking about that but..." What she was thinking about was a family secret. "It's a little hard when I don't know what everyone can do. Or specifically, what Zel can do."
Gourry looked around blankly. "What about me?"
"Besides bearing the Sword of Light, being an excellent swordsman, and having the intelligence lower than most kids do you have anything else to add?" Lina asked in an exasperated tone.
Gourry thought. And thought. And thought.
"I can knit."
Zelgadiss and Lina crashed to the floor.
"And just how does that help us?!" Lina screamed, climbing back onto the window sill ledge.
Gourry shrugged. "You did ask."
"Yes, yes," she sighed. "Alright then Zel, exactly what magic do you know?"
"My most powerful spell is the Ra Tilt..."
"Which was what you first cast at Rezo before he changed wasn't it?" Lina groaned. "And that spell is supposed to be Shaman Astral magic's equivalent to Dragu Slave."
"Eh?" Gourry looked between the two mages. "He cast Dragu Slave? When?"
"No! What I said was that the damage it deals is supposed to be equal to a Dragu Slave even though it does it from the Astral Plane and can only affect one target!"
Gourry blinked.
"Forget it. Zel, you take over."
Zelgadiss looked at the clueless Gourry, shrugged, and decided to give it a try. "As Lina said, the Ra Tilt uses the caster's own astral power to tear apart the target. However, Ruby Eye's presence, which is more astral than physical, is so large that it can easily deflect an attack from a human. Shamanism also covers the four basic elements, fire, water, wind, earth. But it's difficult enough as it is to try to defeat normal Mazoku with those types of spells, to say nothing of defeating their Demon Lord."
"I...didn't quite understand that but the point then is that your magic won't work. But then if Lina uses Dragu Slave then - "
"It won't work," Lina said flatly. "For the same reason, most other black magic won't work on Ruby Eye. Black draws on negative emotions and Shabrinigdo is that personified. Furthermore, Dragu Slave actually calls upon Ruby Eye's power. Who in the world is stupid enough to let someone else kill them with their own power?"
"EH?! Dragu Slave calls on the Demon Lord!"
"Just what the hell did you think those lines in the beginning were describing!"
"Calm down, Lina. He doesn't understand Chaos Words."
Lina swallowed her urge to punt Gourry into the wall. Zel was right. If Gourry could barely remember her name was Lina, how could he possibly know Chaos Words, the language in which black magic was cast.
"Hey, little girl."
Lina counted to ten. Here it came, the inane question.
"Why is the spell called Dragu Slave then?"
"My gods, an intelligent question!" Lina stared at Gourry. "Actually, it was dubbed Dragon Slayer after its creator Lei Magnus destroyed a 1400 year old Arc Dragon with it. Over the years, the name corrupted to Dragu Slave. Whatever its real name was is lost. But I hope it was better than Dragon Slayer. That just sounds corny."
"So, what you both are saying is that your magic doesn't work on him. Zelgadiss's doesn't work because the Demon Lord has more spirit and your's won't work because...what again?"
"Because they're basically the same. And don't even suggest White. Besides the fact we don't have a strong White mage here, all knowledge of offensive white magic was lost during the Kouma War, the *last* time Ruby Eye was resurrected."
"So all that is left is your Sword of Light."
Everyone looked at Gourry's sword.
"The legendary blade that destroyed the Demon Beast Zanaffar 120 years ago," Lina murmured. "But how will it fare against a Demon Lord?"
"Well, I know one thing," Gourry shrugged. "If none of us sleep tonight, we're not going to do very well against the Demon Lord."
"There's a chance Shabrinigdo won't kill us in our sleep," Zelgadiss snorted but pulled his hood over his head as he settled into the corner.
Lina noticed they both slept with their swords in their arms. She just hoped Gourry didn't accidentally cut himself while he slept. Still, despite her earlier show of confidence, it was a real problem about how to defeat Ruby Eye. She wasn't her sister with the power of the Flare Dragon to back her up.
How to use the Sword of Light at its best advantage? She had killed Zorom with it but he was only a low level pure Mazoku. Of course, the fact that she caught him by surprise might have helped. Lina had just cast that Elmekia Flame which was much stronger than usual...and the Sword of Light afterwards seemed to be bigger? She had been holding the sword when she cast the spell. The Sword of Light was a weapon based on will, materializing that will as an energy form. Maybe...
It was a longshot, a very longshot. The Sword of Light may help if she needed to cast that spell. But that should be the very, very, very last option.
Lina looked again at the compass in her hand. Should she or shouldn't she? That question plagued through the night.
When Zelgadiss woke up again, it wasn't even dawn yet. But something was pulling him away from slumber and it wasn't Gourry's snoring or occasional murmuring. He peered through the darkness, trying to find what was out of place. The fire had gone out, Gourry was snoring by its embers with the Sword of Light held tightly in his arms, Lina was...not here.
He sat up sharply, ready to draw his sword instantly. Where was she? Could she have turned traitor on them? Damn it, he knew he couldn't trust anyone. Kicking through the ashes, Zelgadiss roughly shook Gourry awake.
"...just a bit more," mumbled the dreaming swordsman.
"Wake. Up. Now." Zel growled, shaking the blond even harder.
"Hm? Oh, it's you," Gourry yawned. "What is it? Breakfast?"
"No," Zel answered shortly. "Lina's gone."
That snapped him awake. "Gone? Where?"
"I don't know. Let's go."
Gourry stumbled after the chimera, awkwardly belting on his sword and tripping on things he couldn't see in the dark. They walked out of the old hallway to the balcony that was part of the entrance to the ruins. Leaning against the broken battlements with her back toward them was Lina.
"Eh? Lina is right here. Honestly, you woke me up for nothing," Gourry grumbled, leaning against the wall and falling promptly asleep.
"Just what are you doing out here?" Zel asked evenly. He didn't enjoy playing the part of the fool.
Lina never heard him, wrapped within her own thoughts. Was this a dream? It all seemed so...so...so unreal. Was the Demon Lord Ruby Eye Shabrinigdo really sitting less than half an island away, waiting to destroy the world? Where were the signs? Sure, over the island, dark clouds gathered, the wind howled in despair as all living things escaped or hid. But over there, across the water, people still slept peacefully. To them, there was no question of when or if tomorrow would come. It always did.
A hand fell on her shoulder and shook hard. "I said, what are you doing out here?"
Lina blinked and immediately plastered her devil-may-care smile on her face as she turned to face Zel. "What worried about me?" she teased. "Thought I went and challenged Ruby Eye all by myself?"
"Don't be ridiculous. But I am wondering why we haven't been attacked yet."
"Hmmm. True. Rezo as you said was working with the Mazoku but none of them have shown up here for their grand master's glorious rebirth either."
"Nor has the Demon Lord sent any."
"Perhaps he's waiting for us to give him our answer," Lina joked.
"Very clever of you, girl."
Their heads snapped up at the rumbling voice. The massive shadow of the Demon Lord loomed outside of the ruins.
"So I ask you again, will you swear fealty to me?" The Demon Lord moved closer, and the two received the biggest shock of their lives.
He was a she.
She moved forth on what looked like the body of a humongous scorpion, appropriately the color of dried blood. The poison tipped tail waved meaningfully behind her torso. Where the head of the scorpion would have been was the torso of a beautiful woman, also the same ruddy hue, with writhing black hair that were actually tentacles. From each side of her head, ivory delicate horns curled around to meet at the ruby gemstone embedded in her brow. Those smooth pupil less eyes were of the same color as the gemstone. From her back rose eight black jointed appendages, each prehensile.
To say the least, this was not what any of them were expecting.
"I can't believe you can ask a question like that!" Lina retorted when she recovered her voice. "Of course our answer is - "
"Wait."
"Eh?" Lina watched Zelgadiss step toward the crimson darkness.
"If I swore fealty to you, would you undo this chimera form?"
"EH?!?" Lina edged away from Zelgadiss. "Ju-just hold on a minute here, Zelgadiss!!"
Gourry rubbed his eyes. "Hm? Is something going to happen now?"
Lina bopped him on the head. "Zelgadiss just asked Shabrinigdo if it would return him to normal if he joined its side!"
"What?!"
Ruby Eye began to laugh. "Kusukusukusu. Even one such as I, a Demon Lord, with my power cannot do such a thing. Perhaps if you asked that one but for me, it is impossible."
"So...I see," Zel said, head bowed in a voice slightly tinged with sorrow.
If even a Demon Lord couldn't help Zel, then what kind of spell did Rezo use to create that chimera form anyway!
"In that case, I will never join you! Even if you kill me!"
Lina scratched her head. "I was going to say that before you interrupted me."
Ruby Eye raised a hand, an orb of ruby power gathering in its ruddy fine-boned hand. "Then die."
"Run!" Lina screamed.
The pulse of crimson power flew and exploded. Lina found herself thrown to the ground as the scorching heat roared above her. When she could look up again, the entire ruined settlement was razed. Gourry and Zel were also looking up. It could have easily killed them with that blast.
"It would be boring to kill you all so quickly. It's been so long since I've been in a body again. You are the lucky ones that are to serve as my trainers."
"So that's why you haven't killed us?" Lina yelled, getting to her feet. "You want some live targets?"
"Your struggles should be briefly amusing."
"We have no intention of letting you just kill us," Gourry said as he got up as well.
"Intentions and results aren't always the same."
"And you're living proof aren't you? Rezo-Shabrinigdo." Lina retorted.
Ruby Eye giggled. "You appeal to someone that isn't here." It spread its eight spider legs wide, power gathering in each point and interlinking with the others in an energy web. "I want to try out what this body can do."
"Not again!"
Bolts of energy rained down at the running and dodging threesome as Ruby Eye watched on gleefully.
"Oh shi - " Lina's curse was cut short as one bolt nearly gave her a short cut. "That's it! I'm sick of just running away. Laguna Blast!"
Underneath the monstrous body of Ruby Eye, an inverted pentagram of violet outlined itself before a column of white light shot forth and upwards within the designated area. That was followed by a pillar of black plasma that obscured Ruby Eye from view.
"Did you get her?" Gourry asked, looking up from where he was covering his head.
The black plasma dissipated, revealing the untouched Demon Lord. "Oh please. Do you think that I would be harmed by one of my own subordinate's power?"
Lina scratched her head and laughed sheepishly. "Hey, it was worth a shot, right? AAHH!"
Lesser Demons erupted from the ground, formed of dirt and stone.
"Make it a shot that counts!" Gourry snapped, slicing several demons in one swing.
"Leave the Lesser Demons to me!" Zelgadiss summoned the power of the earth spirit again. "Dug Break!"
"Zel! Do you really think that - " Lina swallowed her words as the Lesser Demons collapsed into piles of earth. Well, that was the purpose of Dug Break, cut off all power to Bephimos within a certain area but she didn't think it would be effective against these Lesser Demons.
"Good good," chuckled Shabrinigdo.
Lina felt like she was being patted on the head for doing something right like cleaning her room or doing the dishes. A chill went down her spine at the thought of the Demon Lord being maternal.
"Zel!"
Though she didn't say anything more, Zelgadiss understood what Lina wanted. The effect of the Dug Break was gone, so he was free to cast this other spell.
"Dug Haut!"
Spiraling spikes of stone rose from the ground, entrapping the Demon Lord's large body. Ruby Eye only raised a sharply defined black eyebrow.
"My turn! My turn!" Lina jumped up and down like a young child.
"As you wish," Zelgadiss rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to smile at her antics.
In Lina's hands formed a very familiar ball of roiling fire. She sent it on its leisurely way before the Demon Lord where it simply floated.
"You mean to attack me with a Fireball?"
Lina shook her head. "With a Fireball? That wouldn't hurt you at all. It isn't for attacking. Break." She snapped her fingers and the sphere of flames burst into smaller orbs that circled the Demon Lord and exploded in a fiery dark cloud.
"Gourry!"
"Right!" Gourry dashed toward the immobilized and blinded Ruby Eye, his bladeless sword in his hands. "Light!"
The beam of light cut through the dark smoke from the top to the ground. Lina and Zelgadiss held their breaths. Gourry's eyes strained to see through the darkness. But his other senses served him better as years of trained reflex kicked in and Gourry rolled away.
A large tail slammed into the ground where Gourry used to be but it didn't stop there. As if it had a mind of its own, it swung again at the blond swordsman, sometimes attempting to impale him on its wicked pointed end. The smoke disappeared to show Ruby Eye leaning lazily on one of its folded spider arms, chin resting on an human hand, watching Gourry frantically avoiding its tail.
"It didn't work..."
"Hey! I could use some help here!!" Gourry screamed, parrying the tail with his sword but was thrown back anyways.
Ruby Eye snorted. "Did you think the Gorun Nova would help you? If the power of one of my servants doesn't hurt me, then why would Gorun Nova?"
"Why do you Mazoku keep calling the Sword of Light Gorun Nova?!" Lina demanded.
Shabrinigdo studied with her with a bemused expression. "Sword of Light? How quaint. I'm sure he would love to hear Gorun Nova called by that."
"He who?"
"But, you humans aren't rising to the occasion yet. Perhaps you need some...encouragement?" The Demon Lord's smile was filled with glinting sharp pointed teeth as the gem in her brow began to glow brightly.
The wind picked up again, raising the scattered dust and gravel to choke and blind them. Then the earth beneath them rumbled and belched, cracks several feet wide and much deeper tearing through the abused earth as pillars of fire erupted toward the darkened sky. From nowhere, crystals of the darkest black appeared, crackling with energy as it ran through the facets.
And in the midst of it all, Ruby Eye simply stood there on her many jointed legs, tail swinging idly like a cat, a purple tongue running over her teeth.
"Humph. More games. Bram Gush!" A widening cone of high pressure air roared from Zelgadiss's hands to one of the crystals. The arrow of wind struck the black crystal, but instead shredding it, the power of the spell was absorbed.
"What the - "
"Zel!"
By their own volition, or by Ruby Eye's, several crystals surrounded Zelgadiss and released their energy into him, letting it course through him and back out again.
Zelgadiss's scream could be heard even over the breaking of the heavens above where part of the clouds opened to reveal the full moon that was being covered by something else like a lunar eclipse. Only a ring of what appeared to be fire marked where the full moon had been.
"Gourry! Cut one of the crystals!" Lina yelled, praying that her voice would reach him.
"But..."
"Just do it!!" Lina ordered, readying a spell that just might let the Sword of Light break through and avoid the entrapping energy of the crystals. "Flow Break!"
The spell to temporarily cut off all magic in an area flowed into the Sword of Light. Gourry struck part of the energy web racing between the crystals and Zelgadiss, struggling to stay standing as the two energies clashed. The Sword of Light blazed like a bonfire before everything exploded.
Lina groaned and tried to open her eyes. Darkness. She blinked again, and waved a hand before her. Did she see anything? Yes...it was coming back except for several dark spots that lingered in her vision. Something dripped into her eye. Lina touched it, blood smeared the white glove.
Squinting to keep the dust from getting into her eyes, Lina tried to find where Gourry and Zel were. Some crystals lay dead and lifeless on the ground. Gourry's leg was bent over a rock and she assumed he must have been on the other side. Zelgadiss lay crumpled in the center of the blast.
She struggled to get up. What had happened? Some sort of conflict? No, reaction between the crystals and the Sword of Light which had grown even larger before the energy backlash. Were the crystals both energy amplifiers and batteries?
"So you can still move?" Ruby Eye asked amused. "That's good. It would have been boring if you had expired only from that."
"So glad to be of service," Lina grimaced, trying to convince her legs that she could stand on them.
"You appear to be sturdier than the other two."
Gourry and Zelgadiss were only beginning to move but not attempting to stand up.
"Shall it be one-on-one now?"
Lina tasted the metallic blood in her mouth, as one hand curled around the compass in one of her pockets. There didn't appear to be any other options left.
"Gourry! Give me the Sword of Light!" Lina ordered, her eyes never leaving Ruby Eye's condescending smirk.
"What? But..."
"Do it!"
Gourry blinked at the deadly calm voice and equally serious expression on Lina's face. That didn't look like the little girl he was supposed to be the bodyguard of. It didn't look like a girl at all but a woman. Silently, he threw the hilt to her outstretched hand.
Zelgadiss forced himself onto one elbow, the rest of him still in rebellion about the orders to move their battered selves. From his vantage point, he saw the sorceress stagger to her feet, one hand clutching the Sword of Light, and the other something he couldn't make out. And that look on her face...one that was older and at odds with her appearance.
Lina impatiently wiped away another trickle of blood that sought to blind her eyes. There wouldn't be a second chance, she would have to try both now. With a whisper, Lina activated the compass, letting it float above her as it hummed softly. Hopefully, it would catch the right attention.
Holding the hilt horizontally before her, Lina summoned the blade. "Light."
"You already tried that," Ruby Eye noted, bored.
"You...are Ruby Eye Shabrinigdo. The eternal nemesis of Flare Dragon Ceiphied."
What is she doing? Zel wondered.
"Even though you were broken into seven parts 5000 years ago, each part still holds an incredible amount of power that to any of the normal races would appear infinite."
Gourry frowned. Why was she just standing there talking?
"Ceiphied left this world 5000 years ago. And the Water Dragon God was destroyed by the Demon King of the North 1000 years ago. With the barrier erected by four of your five highest servants, the other Dragon Gods cannot enter here to challenge you."
One finely manicured finger with black claws tapped against Ruby Eye's smooth cheek. What was this human trying to do? Bore her to death?
"There is no one of equal power to challenge you. But if for example, one was to call upon that one that you mentioned before..." Lina smiled coldly, noting the startlement passing through the pupil less eyes.
Ruby Eye shook its shoulders, the black tentacles rippling. "You humans really do know how to joke around..."
"Oh?" Lina said softly. "Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than deepest night."
Zelgadiss strained to hear the spell she was chanting. The meter and phrasing were like the Dragu Slave but the words were different. Something, he couldn't tell what exactly, was beginning to gather around her. Darkness? Sparkling darkness?
"Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos."
Alarm began to appear in Ruby Eye's eyes. This was impossible. How could anyone, especially a human, know about that one! Much less be able to cast a spell calling upon that one's power!
"I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!"
Still, it was only a human. Such power would destroy the upstart who dared to attempt to wield it. Shabrinigdo wondered if the sorceress understood the implications of the spell. Seeing as the structure of the spell was based off the Dragu Slave, probably not.
Some of the energy was being absorbed into the Gorun Nova. So the fool thought she could stabilize the spell using that? It wouldn't work. But Ruby Eye wasn't going to leave it at that, power gathering again in her eight spider arms and focusing into the ruby gem in her brow.
"Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed..."
Lina struggled to keep the Chaos Words straight. Gods, when was the last, and only, time she cast this spell? Had it really been so long? Then caution was doubly important. Before, she had counted on the Sword of Light, but the black crystals were also reacting, struggling to control the random energy she was summoning.
Concentrate. Concentrate on the Chaos Words and on the magic.
Something was dripping down her face, but Lina didn't have the hands to spare to wipe it away. It was taking all of her strength to force the darkness into the sword that was an extension and amplification of her will.
"By the power you and I possess!"
Lina forced her fatigue to be dormant. She had forgotten how much of her own life energy this spell took to power. It would come down to just one shot. After that, the spell would fall apart and she could as likely die from Shabrinigdo or from this spell, her deepest secret spell.
"Look out!"
Lina started, almost losing her hold on her spell from Zelgadiss's warning. Ruby Eye was literally blazing with energy, and all of it was focused at her. There was no time to raise a shield. She couldn't, not with this spell in the Sword of Light. There was no time to run. Where would she run to?
"Die," hissed the Demon Lord.
The crimson darkness collected into the gem and shot out like a laser, a physical manifestation of a intense wish for another's death. Lina cringed and shut her eyes. For it all to end like this...
"Lina!" Gourry and Zelgadiss yelled. And then stared in shock.
She cracked an eye open when nothing hit. Then both eyes opened wide to see the Demon Lord's blast slamming into a shield extended around her. It wasn't her shield. Zel shouldn't be capable of creating a shield of this magnitude either. Then who?
Shall we finish this?
Lina gulped. It looked like the compass did its job. There was no other way to go. She nodded.
Well then, I will take care of 'her' defenses.
The voice in her mind sounded oddly amused. She gave herself a mental shake. Introspect later. Lina lifted the silently crackling blade of darkness above her head.
"Giga Slave!" she cried, as she swung down, willing the power of the sword to shoot forth the glittering darkness laced with gold toward the piece of Shabrinigdo.
Her mouth was dry. It tasted like dirt. How did that happen? That's right. With some help, she had pierced Ruby Eye's defenses. But could that really kill it?
Her eyes were heavy. But she had to see. Lina's eyes slowly opened, first seeing the much abused ground. Lifting her head up, she couldn't stifle a groan.
Ruby Eye still stood.
"I can't believe this," grumbled Ruby Eye. "To be defeated by a human and...you."
In her mind, Lina could hear someone, that one who helped her, shrugging and laughing.
You should pay attention to whom you pick fights with. Still, didn't you have fun?
Ruby Eye snorted as her spider legs began to shrivel and fall off. "I guess. But it's all over now."
True. It's not likely that another one will awaken within a normal human's lifespan.
"So you get to claim that you defeated me, human." Only the smooth pupil less eyes remained as the rest turned gray and began to crumble into dust. "One last word of advice..."
The two red eyes fell to the ground.
"...he is still alive..."
The smooth red stones turned to dust.
"What was that about?" Gourry asked, limping over to where Lina lay sprawled on the ground.
"What did it mean 'he is still alive'?" Zelgadiss nearly collapsed against a rock near Lina.
She shook her head. She didn't know. And she couldn't say more without revealing her...helper.
Well done, little one. I hope this doesn't become a habit...
The compass that had remained floating the entire time suddenly stopped humming and fell to the ground before Lina. Her fingers curled around it. She sincerely wished she didn't have to call on him again.
"What's with that compass? There's something more to it than what the stories say."
Zel had no idea how right he was.
"Compass? What compass...Ah! That's my sword!!" Gourry said angrily, grabbing his precious sword and cuddling it. Lina tried to smile but she was too tired.
Something began to burn in their eyes and they looked over the battleground to the east where the sun began to rise, driving away the dark clouds as it painted the sky a light crimson.
"Just can't get away from the red," Lina joked weakly.
"How can you make a joke about that now?" Zelgadiss asked irritated and then got a good look at her in the early morning light.
"Your...hair..." Gourry stammered, pointing at the glistening strands of white that tumbled down Lina's back and over her black headband.
"This?" Lina blew some of the strands out of her face. "I just...used to much of my own energy in that spell...it's not as bad as it looks...if I had miscast it, it would have absorbed and killed me..." Her eyes fell shut.
"What? But you still..." Gourry leaned over the quiet girl. "Hey. Hey! Little girl!"
"Lina?!"
"...can't you let a person rest..." Lina mumbled.
"Oh, sorry," Gourry apologized.
"What's so special about that compass?" Zelgadiss asked again.
Lina smiled as she felt herself drifting away. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." She knew Zel would think she was talking about him and Rezo. That was true, but she was referring to this piece of Shabrinigdo's other enemy, the Demon King of the North.
"So what now?"
Naturally it was Gourry who asked. It was a perfectly normal question to ask the day after you defeated a Demon Lord.
"I'm on my way to Atlas," Lina pointed out, flicking back a stray white strand. Her hair would remain this way for several more days at least. "What are you doing following me?"
"But I'm your bodyguard."
Lina sighed and gave up. "Zel?"
Surprisingly enough, he wasn't wearing his hood or mask as they traveled down the oddly empty road to Atlas City.
"I'm meeting some people outside of the city."
Hmmm. Must have been some pre-arranged meeting before this big mess.
"So what are we going to do when we get to Atlas?" Gourry asked.
"Eat. Bathe. Sleep."
"Simple minds need simple lives."
"What was that?" Lina growled at Zel who just smiled.
"Atlas is just over this hill right?" Gourry had jogged on ahead at the mention of food.
"Yes, Gourry."
"...I think you should take a look at this."
"What?" Lina demanded, stomping up the small rise. "What the hell happened here?!"
Atlas City was nothing more than a burnt broken ruin.
"Someone was certainly busy," Zel commented. Lina looked at him balefully and he explained. "This had to be recent else word would have spread. And I don't know of any spell other than Dragu Slave that might cause this much damage."
"Not the Dragu Slave."
"Yeah," Gourry agreed with Lina. "If it was the Dragu Slave, then there would be a big crater."
If she wasn't so tired, she would have hit him.
"Besides which, one of the Magic Guild's main branches was located here. It would have been a major spell battle to take all of them down."
"Well, it's none of my concern." Zel began to walk away.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"I already told you I'm meeting some people here."
"So you're going to just walk away without a good-bye at least?"
"Maybe he doesn't know how?" Gourry wondered aloud.
Lina thought about that. "Given how anti-social he is, you're probably right. This is how it's done Zel. You say something like, hope we'll meet again someday. And then you extend your hand out like this and shake."
Zelgadiss looked at the extended hand and the expecting smile on her face.
"Well, it isn't as if we'll ever meet again," Zelgadiss sighed with resignation as he clasped Lina's hand.
Lina's grin grew even wider. Actually, his hand was quite warm, not really cold like stone. He let go and left.
"You know," Gourry commented, chewing on a piece of grass. "I think he likes you, shaking your hand with his sword arm and all."
Lina blushed and threw a rock at Gourry. "Don't be ridiculous!"
As Zel walked away, he could hear the fading argument of the two. At the designated meeting place, there was no one. That is, there appeared to be no one. But once Zelgadiss stepped forth, people melted out of nowhere to bow and greet him.
One of the men looked behind Zel and asked, "Zolf? Rodimus?"
Zelgadiss shook his head sadly. The entourage bowed their heads in respectful silence for their fallen comrades. After that, the leader of them spoke again.
"What now?"
Zelgadiss surveyed the land around them, briefly pausing at two dark figures walking away.
"That," he murmured, "is a very good question."