Disclaimer and Note: I do not own Artix Entertainment. This is my next entry into the Shoujo-ai chain story. First thing you'll notice, is the little word right there, Prologue. That means it's a full-length story. If ya'll are confused about how it'll fit in, just have patience. Oh, and Dark-Angel, let me finish this, please...

Battleon Surface! II: Return of the Mage of Despair

Prologue

Every Guardian in Battleon sat before their captain, Paladin Artix Von Krieger, the halls of the briefing room decked out for Frostvale. Everyone listened intently to Artix delive the daily news brief.

"Surprisingly, Frostvale promises to be very quite this year, Clawgs premitting." He inhaled deeply before continuing.

Serras sat near the back in the empty row, as she always did. Her feet were propped up on the back of the chair in front of her and she was relaxed. As she had done several more times in the past, the surrounding room began to fade away as she slipped into a comforting sleep.

-

She snapped awake right where she had fallen asleep. She blinked several times and shook her head.

"Hello, Serras. Sleep well?" A familiar voice asked.

"Yea, I did actually." She looked to her right, where the voice was coming from, and jumped. She saw that the voice's owner was... herself.

"What's wrong, dear?" The other Serras muttered, grinning maliciously. "Startled?"

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed and she sat up.

"Oh, come now, dear. You don't even recognize yourself... do you?"

"Whatever." She reached across and pushed her other self, and suddenly found herself sitting bolt upright in her seat, the room full.

"Serras, dear." Natalya muttered. "Could you please take your hand off the side of my face." Serras took her hand away from being pushed into Natalya's face. "Thank you." She muttered, kissing Serras. Natalya looked at the worried expression on her lover's face. "What's wrong, honey. You don't look good." She added.

"Huh? Oh, no. No, I'm fine. It's just... I've been having some really weird dreams recently. And, it's kinda disturbing." She glanced at Natalya's face which was a mix of confusion and concern. "Oh, don't worry. It's nothing that bad. Relax. I'm fine." Natalya was unconvinced. "Really. I'm fine." She kissed her, dispelling all concern.

Artix cleared his throat loudly drawing Serras and Natalya's attention. They pulled away from one another and looked at him.

"Ya know, as much as we all want to see that, please save it for a more appropriate time, ladies."

"Aw, come on, Captain! They were just getting to the interesting part! Let them continue!" Wolfblitzer smiled. Maria stood from her chair, grabbed it, and whacked the Guardian over the head. "OHMYGODI'VEBEENHITWITHACHAIR!" He shouted falling over.

"Umou, hentai baka!" Maria shouted, repositioning her chair and taking her seat. "Ashikarazu, Krieger Kyaputen." She finished, folding her hands in her lap. Artix looked completely stupified to what had just happened.

"Uh... anyone know what the hell she just said?" He asked a general question, a limp finger pointed at Maria. There came a silence across the room.

"Why is your sister speaking in Japanese?" Serras whispered to Natalya, who simply shrugged.

"It's Maria. Do you really need another reason then that?" Serras rolled her eyes.

"Right." Artix stretched out, retracting his finger. "With that, we are done. You are all dismissed." He flashed a salute, walking away from his podium. Everyone else stood and filed out.

-That night-

Serras unbuttoned her shirt, yawning loudly at the labors of the day behind. She had not been this tired in a while, years to be exact. Stripping down the her underwear, she slipped in bed next to Natalya. The two snuggled up and close to one another, as they had done many nights before. Their cares melted away, as they slipped into a deep, comforting sleep. A sleep which Serras would be robbed of.

"Serras. Hello? It's me! Remember me? You're old pal?" A voice hissed in her ear. She did her best to ignore it. "Come on! Don't think I don't remember you, Serras. It's me! The Mage of Despair!" The voice hissed again. Serras' eyes snapped open. "Yes... that's right. You remember, don't you. Why do you reject me, dear? Everything I've taught you, everything I've given you..."

"You haven't taught me anything, except how to be a cold-hearted bitch. You haven't given my anything except five hundred years of pain, agony and sadness. Why would I care about you?" She whispered, trying not to wake Natalya. The voice let out a raspy laugh, followed by a sigh.

"Oh, how little appreciated the gift of independence and freedom is. Tell me, Serras. Are you happy right now?" It asked.

"Yes! I am! And I won't let you get in the way of that!" She shouted back. Natalya didn't move.

"Don't lie to me, dearest! I know your true feelings! You long for it! You yearn for the power! Power only I can give you! Go on, Serras. Touch me. Touch me, and feel the power course through your body once more! And together I can free you from this life of servitude and slavery you have committed to.

"I don't want anything from you!" She shouted, sitting bolt upright. "I never want to hear from you again! I won't revert to how I was! I won't let you ruin my life, or the lives of those I care for!" Her voice dropped from the deadness of the room and fell with a silent thud upon deaf ears. After a pause, a deep, raspy laugh peirced the room and Serras' ears.

"You're lying. I can see into your mind, Serras dearest! You want many things! Power! Fame! Fortune!" There came a pause. "Children..."

"Stop it, STAY OUT OF MY HEAD! I didn't invite you here just so you could violate my privacy! I don't even want to hear about you of from of you as long as I live! You're a monster! You ruined my life! I won't let you ruin anyone else's!" She began to pace about the room, her cheeks beet red from anger. "I tried to smite you from my very existence, but it didn't work. I tried taking myself out of the picture, but it didn't work. Do not think for a second, I won't try it again. Only, if that time should come again, I WILL kill myself, if it will destroy you!" She yelled.

"Serras..." Natalya's voice droned groggily. "Who are you yelling at? And more importantly... why?" Serras didn't respond, simply scanned the room, sighed heavily and proceeded to walk to bed. Once there, she put her arm around Natalya's bare waist, kissed her good-night, then fell asleep. Comforted, but still slightly worried about her, Natalya, too went to sleep.