"Ittee......." Lina rubbed her bottom as they stood in the small cave that they'd managed to find shelter in. They had a bright fire burning as the rain poured down outside, sending a strong chill into the cave that bit into the bone. Xelloss lay under some blankets, his face pale and drawn, not moving at all. He hadn't woken since he'd been thrown against the wall, which was beginning to worry them. Amelia sat next to him, watching him with a worried look, as Lina wrung her cloak out by the fire.
They'd gotten away easily enough, Val had provided a very good distraction in his true form as he'd battled the mazoku, though he'd sustained a few injuries. However, that had been taken care of, and he lay next to Filia in the darkness, both sound asleep in each others arms. Lina wondered about them as she sat down by the fire and watched their sleeping forms. A black and a gold dragon.... She'd never thought that she'd see a pair like that.... She shook her head and lay down on the ground next to Gourry, and he put a hand around her shoulders as she leaned against him. What a day.......
Zelgadis was standing watch at the entrance of the cave, watching the rain endlessly pour down. They'd managed to make it all the way to the area where they needed to be for the spell.... However with Xelloss not waking up, they might have to wait, or it might be a wasted effort.
The flickering flames eventually died down as everyone was asleep, sound in their own dreams..... and one sorceress twitched slightly in her sleep as dreams overtook her....
It was a beautiful day...... the sun was shining bright on the ground, the flowers were open in full bloom, and the smell of the air was sweet as a gentle breeze brushed the tree's blossoms gently to the ground. Lina stood beneath a cherry tree, looking around at a spectacular city.... It was all built in the trees, and there were many many different kinds of people everywhere around the lake that lay spread out beneath them like a glistening mirror. On the lawn, were people like she'd never seen before.... She walked down and milled among them, glancing at their strange shapes. Some had wings, some had tails, some were chimeras, or crossbreeds of strange creatures.... But though each bore a strange difference to the next, there was one thing in common with them all.... They all were looking pleasant and happy to be where they were.
She milled closer to the trees where the buildings were, and caught the snippets of a conversation from behind a grove of trees, and paused to listen.
"Are you going to evacuate sire?" Came a soft mellow voice that somehow sounded familiar to Lina.
"No.... no we can't do that." Answered an older rougher voice.
"But if we don't..."
"This is our home. We can't leave it Mei'rai. You know that."
"Yes sire, but if we don't, they'll come here...."
"No, our troops will hold."
"Yes sire, but what if..."
"NO! No what if's! Our troops will hold, is that understood?"
A rustling of silk. "Yes sire...."
"You will not breathe a word of this to anyone Mei'rai."
"......hai....."
"I have your word on this?"
"Yes sir....."
Silence. Lina thought that they had left, but then they started again. "Mei'rai...?"
"Hai sire?"
More silence. "Between you and me...." There was a rustling of silk followed by the clinking of a chain. "I want you to have this."
A gasp. "Th-this....? But....But sire!"
"Nothing said. I fear that I shall not live to see the end of this war, and just in case that is the truth, you are the successor. You will protect this with your life."
"Yes sire!" Came the dedicated reply. "I swear on my life."
"Good boy...." Sigh. "You will become a very skilled ruler.... You have the gift of patience and sight...." Chuckle. "I suppose something good comes from being what you are."
Silence. "Yes sire...."
"Mei'rai.... One more thing."
"Yes sire?"
"I pray things will work out..... but if they don't....."
"Yes sire, I know what to do."
"Good..." More silence. "Very well, dismissed."
"May fortune go with you sire."
FLASH
Lina blinked as she found herself standing on a bloodstained battlefield, littered with bodies of many. On a hill, framed by bloody flickering flames, the outlines of several individuals could be seen, and she could barely make out their words as she watched events unfold. One tall individual had a large sword pointed at a figure on it's knees.... The figure had wings upon it's back, and was bound tightly, and flanked by some other outlines. The man with the sword lowered it directly towards the individual's neck, but then someone came up and put a hand on his arm. "Wait. He can be of use to us."
"Eh?" The man with the sword turned. "This rat?"
"He is their heir."
The man with the sword turned and seemed to appraise the individual. "Cursed mazoku half breed.... The heir?"
"That's right, Hellmaster-sama wishes to see him first, if you kill him, he won't be happy."
"Feh, that little brat doesn't scare me." The sword came back up.
"Oh? Perhaps you'd like your life extinguished in his hands then?"
"Feh.." The sword lowered. "Very well....." But the man spat on the prisoner and kicked him hard in the ribs, causing the man to go down in pain. "But he most likely has something spectacular planed for you little bastard."
FLASH
The outline of a huge magic circle, glowing brightly in the light and shining so brightly that it illuminated the surrounding area. Lina shielded her eyes, but watched wordlessly as she was able to distinguish figures below her. One in the very center was bound by chains and didn't seem to be having a good time..... Then surrounding him were individuals placed at certain points in the magic circle.....They began reciting, and the land erupted in brilliant colors and blinded her...