“So Gourry… what do you think’s in this place, anyway?” Lina asked as they headed through the forest. It was bright and sunny, yet the forest was strangely quiet. They’d been in the forest for almost two hours, heading deeper into the undergrowth.
        Lina squinted. There was something up ahead, and she was trying to identify it at this distance when Gourry pulled out his sword and threw his hand out in front of her. “Hey-!” She objected, but she sensed the presence immediately after, and reached for her own sword.

        The rest very quickly went to Hell, she thought as she stood in the room, letting her hands fall. But I’ve been to Hell… and now I’m back to send them there.

        “We have to do something,” Sylphiel protested. “We can’t simply let Zelgadis stay in that forest without the Blessed Blade!”
        Xellos sighed. There was something to be said about having Mazoku for minions. They simply did what you told them, didn’t talk back or come up with their own ideas. And yet, he was stuck with these two girls largely because of Lina.
        A hand in a bloodstained glove reached out and picked up the Blessed Blade.
        Silence fell as the three at the table realized who had just walked up and picked up the sword. Without a word, without an explanation, she walked out of the front door.
        Sylphiel leapt to her feet. “Miss Amy!”
        That was enough to jolt Xellos and Amelia, and the three headed out of the house as fast as they could.

        Zelgadis was in trouble. He was faltering under the attacks of the monster, but he knew that the monster itself wasn’t tiring. It was one of Dynast’s creatures, and not a possessed elf. They’d fought back and forth, and now they were in an area where Zelgadis couldn’t cast the Ra-Tilt. He’d have to start thinking fast. He wasn’t even sure that there were any elves left, at this point.

        They’d lost sight of her, and Amelia and Sylphiel came to a stop at the top of the hill where they had seen her last. Amelia looked around, grumbling. “Great, we lose Miss Amy… and now Mister Xellos is gone too!!”

        Xellos actually wasn’t all that far away. He stood in the forest, looking at a very surprised monster. “Why, hello there…” He opened his eyes. “Where is Dynast?”

        The closer she got to the forest, the angrier she became. And the angrier that she became, the closer she came to her decision. A flash of light caught her eyes, and she scowled as she saw what was happening through the trees. Zelgadis was under attack.
        She landed outside the forest, allowing the Blessed Blade to rest on a rock nearby. She crossed her hands over the talisman at her throat, her decision made, final and true. Magic built around her, and she opened her eyes, a new determination burning within them. She’d lost one companion. She’d be damned if she’d lose another.
        A hand extended, collecting the magic. They were close enough now. Within her extended hand, a thin band of light appeared. She timed the moment, then flicked her wrist and watched the band of light snap out, catching the Monster in the arm through the trees.

        There was a brilliant flicker of light, and suddenly, Zelgadis found that he wasn’t the target anymore. The Monster snarled in rage, and turned to thunder through the trees towards someone else.

        Xellos frowned at his opponent. “What is here that you don’t want anyone to know about, I wonder? Could it possibly be…” He looked up, feeling a slight tug as the source of his powers was drawn upon. Eyes opened, and he tilted his head. “Well, well. It seems your little game is over.” His eyes glowing, an unidentifiable spell shot away from Xellos’ staff, and the full power of the Trickster Priest ripped through the lesser Mazoku before him, unhindered by the orihalcon in the ground. Orihalcon was trivial when Xellos was irritated enough.

        She remembered.
        There were no elves. Someone had whispered it to her while she lay broken on the bed. But she couldn’t recall who. A woman in white, sitting by her bed that night that the healers had done all they could do. A woman with power… more power than she had had… whispering in the night.
        There were no elves in the forest. There was no orihalcon. It was all an elaborate lie set up a long time ago, a spell older than human memory. It had been set up to hide something from the humans… something that was capable of changing the balance of the world.
        A new spell had been whispered to her in the night as she fell into a healing sleep.
        And she remembered.

        Zelgadis headed out of the forest after the Monster, but came to a shocked halt as he looked up the hill that the Monster was charging up.
        She stood there in the old stained and torn pink and yellow costume, ragged cloak billowing out behind her from the sheer force of magic that she had collected around her. An aura of fury rippled around her, mixed with the magic. As he watched the Monster near her, a brilliant flare of light extended from her outstretched hand, slicing the Monster in half.

        Amelia and Sylphiel skidded to a halt as they saw her slice the Monster in half with the light. “What was that?” Amelia cried in dismay.
        “I don’t know, Miss Amelia… but it can’t possibly be good… oh Miss Amy…” Sylphiel sobbed.

        Xellos phased into the air above the woman with the flame red hair. So. Zelas has decided to make Her move against Dynast and use… her? I see… how effortless on Her part.
        But the words that she used nearly caused Xellos to fall out of the air.
        “By Your hand I was spared, by Your command I have come. The forces of thine and mine shall destroy those who oppose us! Lord of Darkness and the Four Worlds, I beseech thee thy aid in the time of need! Grant me all the power you possess!” Her talismans flared unnaturally bright as the magics twined.
        Violet eyes narrowed in shock. How did she learn that? How…? The full invocation of those talismans had been known only to the Mazoku! No mortal should have those words! No mortal should know that much! Zelas cannot be behind this! It suddenly made itself clear as to what was within the forest, what Dynast had sought to control. The Balance was shifting. Shortly, he’d be in a good deal of trouble. He tried to depart, but something held him, bound him to the time at hand. He cursed in every language he knew, and hoped that his mistress knew what he was doing.

        Zelgadis landed beside Sylphiel, looking to the two girls. “What happened?”
        Both girls shook their heads. “We brought the Blessed Blade… but it’s there, on that rock. We thought that it would help. But she picked it up… and brought it here… and hasn’t used it.” Sylphiel said.
        “Look out!” Amelia shouted over the growing sound of wind, throwing up a shield.
        Zelgadis and Sylphiel both cast shields, watching as the magics swirled around the caster, a strong wind beginning to circle about her. Amelia shivered. For all the wind, the redhead wasn’t affected.

        Four people watched as the magic gathered itself around the caster, each of them wondering not only what was going on, but who that was in the center of the magical maelstrom. Amy, or Lina?