Chapter 8

Help!

It’s a Call For Action!

Xellos Changes the Rules!

She had left the infant sleeping in his crib, knowing that her two erstwhile companions would keep him under close watch. So when she sensed a slight shift in the magical atmosphere, she registered it, but didn’t really pay it any attention. She was selling vases, and the money would pay for living in the town.

“My, my… he does have quite a grip, doesn’t he?”

The voice chilled her and she spun around to find Xellos, of all people, holding the infant Valgarv. “Give him back, you filthy Mazoku!”

Filia reached out, grabbing the child (who had indeed had a very tight grasp on Xellos’ finger. It actually took a moment of concerted effort to pry the child’s fingers loose from the outstretched hand of the Mazoku Priest.) “How dare you come in here unannounced and try to take Valgarv away from me!?”

Xellos wagged his now-freed finger at her. “But, Filia, if I were here to simply steal the child, you’d never have known I was here. Only that he was gone.”

She clutched Valgarv more tightly to her. “What do you want, Xellos?” Why does he have to come back and bother me? Why can’t he go bother Lina? She thought angrily, feeling the heat of anger burn in her cheeks. Filthy, rotten, miserable Mazoku!

He scratched the back of his head, trying his best to look innocent for the moment. His arrival wasn’t exactly welcomed, he could see. “Well, I’m here on a call for help, Filia.”

“You? Why in the world should I help you? I don’t recall ever saying anything about me helping you ever again. Once was quite enough. Why, if Lina hadn’t asked me to help you, I would probably have let Valgarv destroy you.” She turned away with a hmf, checking Valgarv for bruises. Oddly, the child seemed quite content, considering who had woken him.

“Actually, Filia, it’s not me who needs help. I’m only the messenger this time. Under other, say, more normal circumstances, I’d make light of the situation.” Xellos said, an odd quiet in his voice.

She turned, to look at the Mazoku priest. He looked back at her, eyes open and extremely serious. She hadn’t seen him look that serious in… well, she’d never seen him look this serious. “What is it, Xellos?” There was something about his demeanor… What’s going on? She thought. Xellos… looks… upset. And I’ve never known a Mazoku to get upset. It’s a trick!

“Lina’s in trouble.”

“Lina? Where is she? What can I do? It’s a trick, isn’t it, Xellos?” Filia asked, still holding Valgarv.

“Oh, it’s no trick, Filia. She’s in Kuroryu. Valgarv’s descendants are testing her and she’s about to fail. Worse than that, in her failure, there is little doubt that she will die,” he replied, eyes dark and shadowed. “Were it anyone else, I probably wouldn’t care. But my Lady has decided that Lina Inverse should live a bit longer.”

Filia’s tail popped out from under her skirt. “Kuroryu? I can’t allow that! We have to help her at once! Jiras, close up the shop! I’m taking Valgarv out for a while!”

Xellos smiled faintly. Filia did have some redeeming qualities, after all. It was a pity…

“Well, what are you waiting for, Xellos? Let’s go! Honestly!” Filia fussed.

Amelia shook her head to clear it. She was still somewhat confused over what had happened. Had she passed her test? Where was she now?

She looked around, recognizing the room as the main hall of Kuroryu, only much older than she had just seen it. And there were Xellos and Filia…?

“Amelia, Lina’s in trouble.” Xellos opened with no preamble. “I’m trying to get everyone out from the spell that Elena has cast, but it’s not easy. You stay here with Filia and Valgarv until I can bring everyone here.”

“Miss Lina’s in trouble?” Amelia asked, but Xellos had vanished.

Filia and Amelia looked at each other, then down at Valgarv as the infant started to sniffle.

“Xellos told me that Lina’s going to fail her test, and probably die.” Filia told Amelia, shifting the child so that he was sitting up in her arms. He still wasn’t entirely happy, and kept sniffling to prove it.

Xellos turned around and around, looking up and down the rocky coastline. Damn! Trust the chimera not to stay where he was supposed to. It would have been easier if Zelgadis had simply stayed in the Inbetween.

“Xellos, what are you doing here?”

The Mazoku looked down to see Zelgadis sitting on some rocks by the water. “Actually, Zelgadis, I was looking for you. It seems that Lina’s gotten herself into some trouble.”

Zelgadis tossed another rock into the water, without looking behind him. “And why should I believe you? Is this another part of my test?”

It figured that the chimera would be skeptical. It was part of that one’s nature, after all. “It’s Lina’s test, Zelgadis. We have to break the spell that Elena has cast and keep Lina alive.”

Zelgadis now turned to look at Xellos. “Keep Lina alive? If you’re lying to me, Xellos, I’ll have to kill you. You do know that.” He stood slowly, cloak flaring out behind him as the breeze caught it. Show-off.

Xellos’ smile was twisted. “If I’m lying to you, Zelgadis, then you have my permission. I’m sure to enjoy it, either way.”

With that, the Mazoku vanished, and the area around Zelgadis resolved into the hall of Kuroryu… with Amelia, Filia and the infant Valgarv standing nearby.

The child was doing his best to set up for a squall, and both Filia and Amelia were unsuccessfully trying to keep him quiet. Valgarv just seemed to want to fuss.

Zelgadis arched an eyebrow at Filia’s presence, opening his mouth to ask why Filia was here with the infant, then turned halfway to see someone standing in the shadows, watching. Hand on his the hilt of his sword, he called out: “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

A young man stepped forward, face mostly hidden by hair cascading across his eyes. He wore white pants and a loose-fitting shirt, cuffs embroidered heavily in silver script that matched the writing on the walls.

The little group gasped as they individually recognized him. Aurin, the Crown Prince of the Ancient Black Dragons… also known as Valgarv, the Demon Dragon King.

He lifted his head, golden eyes settling on Filia and his expression darkened. “What are you doing in Kuroryu?” His voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the dangerous edge it contained.

Zelgadis’ grip on his sword grew tighter. Valgarv. Was this the trouble that Xellos had been talking about? Either way, Filia, Amelia, and the child were in danger.

“What is a Golden Dragon doing in Kuroryu? Are you not yet satisfied with our destruction? Have you come to completely erase our memory from the ground we lived upon?” Aurin asked.

The infant started to cry, a protest against Filia’s tightened embrace. His powerful scream emanated from her arms, echoing through the hall like the memory of a long-ago cry.

“It’s not like that, Aurin!” Amelia cried. “We’re here to help one of our friends who is being tested by the girl who served at your side! You called her Lalli! She came and brought word of the fighting!” She was grasping at anything to hopefully identify herself. He’d been so kind to her in her test. If he were the same…

The golden eyes switched to Amelia. Recognition flickered within them and then his attention was drawn to the child, who was still exclaiming his protest to Filia’s embrace. “What is a Golden Dragon doing with a Black Dragon infant?”

Filia’s eyes watered. This was almost too much for her. She’d asked herself the same question before, and heard herself give him the selfsame answer: “Because we are both the last of our kinds. It was my people who committed the sins… only I am left who can atone. He is my life now…”

Aurin reached out, his magic enveloping the child and pulling him out of Filia’s arms. She couldn’t catch him, watching in horror as the child floated across to Aurin. His magics blocked hers as she tried to take the child forcibly back by magic. He was older, more powerful than she, even in spirit form.

Zelgadis drew his sword, eyes narrowing as he watched for any sudden attempts on the adult’s part to steal the child away.

The infant settled into Aurin’s arms and two mirrored sets of golden eyes locked. The child fell silent, smiled, and then suddenly, was gone. Vanished.

Before Filia or Amelia could register that fact, Zelgadis was advancing on the image of Valgarv. “Where is he?”

“I see,” the other said. “You may stop, Zelgadis. I will explain.”

Zelgadis checked himself, coming to a stop, eyes glaring. He wasn’t sheathing his sword. Not yet. Not until he had answers.

Filia held her hands to her lips, wondering. She suspected, but could she be certain that she knew what had happened? If he didn’t tell them, perhaps he would tolerate her asking. Surely the child aspect would speak in her favor…?

“The child and I are one and the same. He was reborn so that I might return. I am Aurin, the Crown Prince of Kuroryu. During the war of Kuroryu, I was injured beyond living. Bitter and misguided, I took Garv’s offer for revenge. I was wrong. I thought that revenge would help my people rest. Instead, I see now that it only created more hardships. You did well to see beyond that, Golden Dragon Priestess Filia Ul Copt. You chose not to fight, but to love. You could not have known our history. They did not teach it to you. Instead, you loved for what you saw within.”

Amelia fingered the silvery bracelet at her wrist. Aurin had saved her life by giving her this… and given up his life in exchange for it. It hadn’t been a dream, then. The test had been reality all along.

“I understand all but one thing now…” Aurin said quietly, head bowed and eyes unreadable.

Amelia looked up from the bracelet, tilting her head and looking at him. “What don’t you understand?”

Aurin pointed. “Why you travel with him.”

Xellos stood there, a completely confused Gourry standing next to him.

“That’s a long story. But, I’m afraid that it will just have to wait,” Xellos replied, the sphere in his staff beginning to glow as he cast the complex spell that would break the barrier around the reality which Lina Inverse was within. “Right now, it’s time to go help Lina.”

Lina herself was having what she considered the worst day of her life. It even ranked below the day she got caught selling tickets to her sister’s bathing site.

She fired off a volley of flare arrows and took off for the other direction, wondering how long she could buy herself some time to figure out how to get the better of Shabranigdo. She didn’t have the Sword of Light, and the Laguna Blade could only do so much… unless she aimed it precisely. And cast it boosted.

It was enough to give her a headache.

Then again, a headache was better than dead.

Twisting out of Shabranigdo’s attack, she drew her arms across her chest. "Lord of the Darkness and the Four Worlds, I call upon you, grant me all the power that you possess!"

She felt his curiosity, but wouldn’t grant him the thought of an explanation. Instead, she took the power of her talismans and cast both levitation and a shield against harm. Then, drawing her hands together, eyes closed, she began to chant:

“A mere component of the Lord of Nightmares could release understanding upon the world frozen into the dark knife of annihilation.” She felt, more than saw the attack and dodged it easily. “With our power, with our essence, together, we can destroy all who cross our path. Spirits of the gods, deliver your smiting blow...”

Her eyes opened, “LAGUNA BLADE!”

The blade of darkness formed, massive and destructive. With both hands, she tore it through the air and into Shabranigdo’s head. A brilliant flare erupted, followed by an angry howl from her enemy. She’d done some damage there.

But he wasn’t destroyed and she knew it. She’d only bought herself a few moments more.

Those moments flew, precious and fleeting, and then his physical attack came from behind. She hadn’t expected that. It pierced her protective shield and caught her about the waist, upending her. He threw her up against the far wall, and for a moment, she thought she heard Gourry call her name. Then, suddenly, she felt Shabranigdo let her go and she was falling. Her body hit the floor, her mind suddenly falling on into the Astral Plane as he pushed her on into the Astral Plane.

“Is this what you want, Shabranigdo? My death?” She asked, falling. Levitation and Ray Wing didn’t work in the Astral Plane, and she knew that the longer she fell while unconscious, the lower her chances of living were.

“No,” he bothered to reply. “I want my rebirth. Through you.”

Something within her snapped, a spell coming unbidden but welcome to her lips. “There’s no way I’m letting you be reborn through me.” She didn’t bother casting the boost spell, it wouldn’t matter and she knew it. She took a moment, then began the spell as she fell through the Astral Plane. The only thought that crossed her mind for a fleeting moment was that Dark Star had counteracted the talismans when she had tried to cast the Giga Slave. Would Shabranigdo be able to do the same? She had to try.

“Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night!” I’d rather call Her again and take my chances before I let you back into the world, Shabranigdo. “Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!” Gourry… Zel… Amelia… forgive me. I won’t be coming back from this one… She landed back in her own battered body, standing as she called the last line: “Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess!” She didn’t bother to try to control it, felt the touch of the Lord of Nightmares and a moment’s thought explained the entire situation to Her. This time, it felt different. The darkness didn’t surround her and swallow her whole. A golden glow began to fill the room, pulsing out over her hands, spilling out towards Shabranigdo.

The room was filled with a strange light when Xellos managed to push through the barrier and bring everyone into the room. They didn’t have time to register shock at seeing Shabranigdo before two chilling words were called out by the source of the strange light, Lina.

“GIGA SLAVE!!"