Episode 7

Alone in Kuroryu,

Lina Starts Her Test.

An Ancient Enemy is Revealed!

Lina blinked. One moment she had been in the hall of the Ancient Temple, the next, she was standing in a large open room with people dancing and eating and… it was a ball! But she wasn’t dressed for—

Waitadamnminuite… what am I doing in this dress? She looked down, eying the black and hunter green gown. Tight black velvet bodice. Long hunter green lace skirt. Gold trim at the hem. She tentatively reached up, her fingers touching her hair. A tiara? Where… am I? What the Hell am I doing here?

“Ah…. The lady of the hour.”

Lina turned, looking to the voice that had addressed her. He was tall and fair, but not at all like Gourry. “Who are you, and whaddya mean I’m the lady of the hour?” She asked. It was reason enough to believe that her being at this ball was her test… but what kind of a test?

“Ah… but don’t you know that’s a secret, Lady Inverse? You’ll find out when you need to know,” He replied, and she had to check herself to keep from decking him.

“I want an answer. You’re not Xellos, so you can’t get away with that ‘this is a secret’ line. Start talking, or I start blasting,” she said.

Man, Lina. Is your temper hot today or what? Take it easy, would you? She chided herself mentally. I mean, so what if you’re being tested by the Ancient Black Dragons. That’s no reason to be abrasive. It doesn’t match the dress.

She softened her expression, and shook her head. “Where are my manners? Please excuse me, I’m fairly hot and could use a drink?”

The male took the hint and practically fell over himself to get to the bar and collect a glass for her. When he returned, she had collected herself into somewhat more of an approachable figure and graciously took the glass and sipped at it. I’m going to kill whoever put me here… she thought. Then she followed that thought with another. Temper, temper, Lina! What’s gotten into you today? Hear him out first.

“So… please, what did you mean by calling me the lady of the hour? After all… I don’t know anyone here... particularly…” She fumbled for more words, then settled on sipping from the glass. Apart from helping quench her thirst, it helped serve as a distraction from the fact that she was winging this, and trying to control her temper, which seemed unnaturally high.

Slightly more at ease, the young man pointed towards one end of the room and laughed softly. “Ah… but you do know someone in this room. And he’s gone to such difficulties to bring you here.”

Lina turned, then nearly dropped the glass she held. Valgarv? What the Hell is Valgarv doing here? Isn’t he being raised by Filia? Wait a minute, that’s an adult Valgarv… Eyes narrowing, she shifted her vision to mage-sight and for a moment, was dazzled by the aura that surrounded Valgarv’s form. Blinking to return her vision to normal sight, she frowned slightly, sipping the drink for time. No… that’s not Valgarv. There’s no mazoku in him. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that his aura was pure… Dragon.

“Why has he brought me here? What does he want with me?” Lina asked casually, raising the glass back to her lips. At this rate, she’d be drunk in no time, but she had to do something to cover her shock. If this was true… had she fallen back in time, or was this simply a constructed reality? Falling back in time… a true time shift could have devastating effects on the future. And only someone of a Great Priest’s caliber could cast it with any effectuality.

The blonde looked at her for a moment, and then lowered his voice to reply. “He has heard that you are powerful, and desires an illustration of that power.”

“What? Have you gone mad? Listen, whoever you are, I don’t just go throwing magic around! It’s dangerous! Somebody might get hurt!” Lina almost shouted over the rim of her wine glass. In her mind, she could almost hear the replies she’d get from various members of the group, and then her own thought followed close behind. What are they after? Surely this isn’t real… they want me to cast something, but how badly do they want it? And what do they want me to cast? A cold chill crept into the pit of her stomach. She still didn’t recall what had happened after casting the Giga Slave, and it had made her even more shy of what it was capable of doing. What she was capable of doing.

His answer was careless, and she saw completely through him in that one moment. “You don’t care about most others, Lady Inverse. Why should you suddenly affect concern?”

Her eyes narrowed, and she set the glass on the table beside her. “All right, who are you and what is this place? I don’t believe one thing that I see here, and you don’t want me to have to find out the hard way. It’ll just be easier if you tell me of your own accord.”

He smiled maddeningly, shaking his head. “You’ll get nothing from me, Lady Inverse. Go speak with the Crown Prince. He will explain some things,” and with that, to Lina’s fury, he turned his back on her and walked away.

Seeing no other recourse, Lina turned on her heel – these shoes were dangerous – and stalked over to the dais upon which Valgarv sat. As she approached, she could feel her anger building tangibly around her. Get a grip on yourself, Lina. Give him a chance. There’s no mazoku in him… maybe this isn’t what you think it is.

As she approached, she watched him rise to his feet, golden eyes settling calmly upon her. He’s so different… I don’t know how to read him. She thought frantically. What do I do?

“Ah... the Lady Inverse. Thank you for gracing us with your presence.” She blinked as he offered a bow to her and gestured for her to sit at the empty seat beside him. “Word of your marvelous doings has reached even this far, Lady Inverse, and we desired to meet with you.”

Lina wasn’t sure what he was after, or how this was part of her test, but she was willing to play along with it. “You have me at a disadvantage, knowing my name while I do not know yours. Well… here I am. What is it that you want?”

He looked at her, startled for a moment, and then laughed. “Truly you are the great Kira Inverse! Only she would dare speak such to the Crown Prince Aurin of the Black Dragons! Welcome, Lady, for you are among your equals here.”

Kira Inverse? He just called me Kira Inverse? She was the one Inverse that no-one in the family would talk about! There were rumors that she was so powerful that even the Gods listened to her voice. And Luna used to say that I favored her…oh, what did she do that was so awful that she was written out of the Inverse Family Books?

Lina smiled thinly, adopting a somewhat more regal stance. “Equals or no, I still want to know why I was summoned. If we are equals, what need have you of me?”

He laughed again. “Your wit is as quick as your hair is red! We wished to meet the human who had the power of one of our kind. It is not often that we come across that in our lives. Indeed, what we see is the powerful humans destroy themselves before they can attain the abilities that you so carelessly control.”

“Carelessly control? I’ll have you know that I know better than to go insulting my equals!” Lina retorted restraining her fury. Man! What an attitude! I can see how he turned into Valgarv.

“You are correct, Lady Inverse. Our apologies. We meant simply to test your control. Had you attempted to cast a spell, your life would have ended. But as you have demonstrated a remarkable will, we shall end our spells and allow this marvelous ball to continue.” There was a slight shift, and a gentle tingle of magic receding from the edges of her mind.

An anger spell? Was that why my temper seemed so high? Were they deliberately provoking me into casting something? Did Kira cast something and that is why she is not spoken of? Why don’t I understand any of this! And what does this have to do with those ruins at Kuroryu? Lina muttered to herself. Outwardly, she allowed herself to nod once to Aurin. “Now, perhaps, we can truly stand as equals without a geis on me to provoke unnecessary action.”

He smiled, seemingly embarrassed, and turned to sit. “We have need of you to do something that we cannot. There is a force here that is oppressing us. We have not the ability to do anything about it, for we are forbidden to interfere. You are not forbidden as a human, and we ask you to act on our behalf.”

Lina folded her arms. “What is this force?”

Aurin shook his head. “That we do not know. Those who have entered the room in which it resides have not returned. So far, it has been content to dwell in a single room and cause havoc from within. But we fear the day that it will decide that the room is not large enough for it.”

Lina tilted her head. It’s obvious that he wants me to go have a look at this thing. But what could be so frightening to a race of Dragons? She sighed, shrugging. “Well, I see no choice for it. Show me the room.”

Aurin clapped his hands, and two men approached. They were carrying clothing that looked similar but not precise to Lina’s normal clothing. Instead of yellow and pink, it was black and hunter green, just like the dress. The epaulets were trimmed in gold, and there were runes stitched in along the cuffs and edges of everything. The only things that she truly recognized were the amulets that she had acquired from Xellos. “Please feel free to return to your normal clothing. We do not expect you to continue in a ball gown…”

She grabbed up the clothing and looked around for somewhere to change. A female who looked vaguely similar to the woman who had sent her here beckoned and opened a door to a room for Lina to change within. Darting inside, she was relieved to dispense with the gown and return to somewhat familiar clothing.

Lina changed in all haste, absently pondering the colors. She actually kind of liked them better. She grabbed the amulets and stepped out of the room, fastening the last one as she walked back up to the dais. “Okay. Where is this room that you want to show me?”

“Come with me,” the woman beckoned.

Lina followed, more out of a blatant curiosity than any sense of duty. She was still trying to figure out why they were calling her Kira Inverse when the woman stopped short at a large door. Quickly stopping, so she wouldn’t run into her guide, Lina turned to look at the door. There’s something very nasty behind that door. I really don’t want to go in there.

The woman waved a hand, and the lock on the door popped, allowing the door to fall open. She motioned Lina to follow her, then stepped into the room.

Lina swallowed, gathered herself and stepped into the room.

There was another smallish door, to which the woman was pointing. “It is within that chamber. Others who have gone in have not returned, and we fear that they are gone forever. I dare not go in myself.”

Lina folded her arms. “So you expect me to go in there by myself. Alone.” She hadn’t faced anything big on her own in a very long time. Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis… they were almost always there now. Even Xellos, for what he was worth, lately. Hell, right now, I’d even settle for Naga being here.

“You have to help us. We have no-one else that we can turn to,” The woman said quietly. “Our best have vanished into the darkness within the room.”

Lina frowned. That wasn’t anything she wanted to hear. “Well, fine. But I’m not going in there on an empty stomach. If I’m going to vanish into darkness or whatever, it had better be with a decent amount of food in me. So show me to the food, and then I’ll take care of business.” It’s not quite a stall… but it buys me dinner and some time to think…

She was led out of the room and down the hall into another room with a table and several chairs. The woman offered her a chair, then stepped through an inner door, leaving Lina alone in the room. Lina sighed and sat in the chair, trying to think of what the mystery darkness could be… and how she could tackle it on her own.

“It’s quite powerful, isn’t it?”

She looked up to see Aurin/Valgarv standing in the doorway. “Yeah. And I’m not sure how I’m going to handle it. But first, I’m going to eat,” she replied. He looks so much kinder than when we had to fight him. It’s a pity that he turned into the monster he became. And there’s no way I can warn him against it. This isn’t the real past.

He approached slowly, as if perhaps wary of her. “Would you mind if I joined you? I have not yet eaten, and affairs of state always bore me.”

She thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s fine. Mind if I ask some questions, though?”

He sat easily and shook his head. “By all means, go ahead.”

“First of all,” No… better not tell him that I’m not Kira… “When did the strange things begin happening in that room?” She leaned back in the chair and waited for food and an answer.

He sighed, tilting the chair some as he leaned back. “It started about six days ago… one of the girls went in to gather the silver to polish it… and something had hold of the candlesticks on the fireplace. Poor thing, the monster drained most of her energy before she could pull free. She died as she was trying to warn the guards.”

Lina shuddered as she saw the mental image, shaking her head. “Then what did you do?”

The door opened and the woman from before entered with food for both Lina and Aurin.

“We sent priests in to bless the room, but they too were taken by the darkness. They were swallowed whole,” Aurin answered sadly.

Lina stared at the food. I’m not sure I want to eat anymore… This sounds way too nasty for me alone…

“After that, only one managed to enter the room and return. When he came back, he was quite mad and killed himself a day after he had returned.”

Lina picked at the food, then decided that it just might be her last meal… she’d better eat it. She took a bite, then two, then pushed the plate aside. “I can’t sit here after hearing that. Anything strong enough to drain three dragons of their power and still want more… I’m going in, and I’m going in now.”

The door to the inner room pulsed with magic. Only it was a dark form of magic that Lina had a suspicion that she’d dealt with before. It made her stomach do flips to consider it, and she was very glad that she hadn’t eaten more than she had.

She touched the door, watching it fall open and looked into the room, a sinking feeling of dread falling over her.

Shabranigdo.

Another fragment of the Dark Lord.

She was in it deep.