Chapter 6: Lizolfos, Wolfos, and Stalfos, Oh My!

Gourry yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head, almost touching the ceiling. The blonde swordsman cracked his neck and knuckles loudly, and a somewhat cranky chimera attempting to sleep on one of the two beds growled softly. The blue man, shifted to look at Gourry in irritation. "Would you mind keeping it down, Gourry?"

Blinking sheepishly, Gourry smiled as he rubbed his head. "Sorry, Zel. Just getting ready to hit the sack!" he apologized innocently. Zelgadis sighed and went back to sleep.

The tall swordsman plopped down on his bed with a silent sigh. Gourry made certain that his new sword was nearby if he needed it. Hopefully not, since it was so late in the night. And he was quite bushed from the fighting at the bandit gang all night.

He gazed over at Zelgadis, who was falling fast asleep. Zelgadis also slept with his sword as if it were a teddy bear, clutching it closely to his chest.

It was a bit funny, but Gourry wasn't one to judge his friends like Lina. He had his own quirks, too. For one, he had a fondness for jellyfish. In respect of his favorite invertebrate, Gourry's PJ's had many cartoony jellies decorated on it.

As he laid under the covers, Gourry couldn't help but be in awe of how his life had changed since he had met Lina. At first, he though she was just some mouthy school girl, but soon realized that she was a powerful sorceress. Although he didn't fully understand the troubles she got themselves into, he had a blast. Sure, they were backed into a corner many times, barely getting out with their lives. Yet somehow Lina came out on top. She would blow all of her enemies into smithereens.

But Lina was still human, a young woman who's just as mortal as Gourry was. An injury or a stroke of bad luck could cost a mortal their lives. Lina was no exception; and Gourry wanted to protect her. He was her guardian, after all. He would take all the punches for her, and even lay down his life for her. Gourry became so accustomed to Lina that he couldn't even imaging traveling alone again. And he had traveled solo as a mercenary. But the blonde found life worth more living if he was protecting his little red head.

Gourry closed his eyes as sleep cradled his conscious gently.

~~~~~~~

A Seyruunian soldier leaned lazily on his pole as he stood watch from the town's wall. He knew that his superiors would have his hide if they found him nodding off on his watch, but the temptation of sleep was far too alluring. The night was beckoning his eyes to close and rest his droopy lids. He fought the temptation valiantly, swaying back and forth, slapping his face, but all for naught. He soon hung his head, shielding his eyes from the outskirts of the town.

However, that single moment was enough for a barbaric arrow to pierce the poor soldier's heart, snuffing out his life quickly and coldly. Another soldier, unaware of the now dead man lying in the tower, walked outside to address the now deceased comrade. "Lemme guess: sleeping on the job again, are we-"

He stopped in sheer horror of his comrade's corpse with his killer sticking out of his breastplate. Fighting instinct taking over, he rushed to the warning bells and begun to ring them madly. Unfortunately, another arrow flew towards the second soldier and took his life as well.

But his death was not in vain; the bells' clangs reverberated throughout the small town which was now awake on high alarm. Stores, inns, and homes lit up with frightened candle lights as some villagers opened their doors and windows in curiosity. Soldiers swarmed the streets and congregated at the front drawbridge, the other half of the small army rushed to secure the second drawbridge on the town's other side.

Awoken from the clangs of the bells and the shouts from the soldiers, Lina groggily lifted herself up grudgingly. She groaned as she rubbed her eye. "Ehh, what the hell's going on?" Lifting herself, she made her way to the window, only to find a frenzy of panic from the soldiers and concerned townspeople. "What's happening?" Lina asked herself as she clicked herself awake.

Suddenly, the door to her room busted open. Gourry came charging in. "Lina!"

Startled beyond belief, Lina screamed. She grabbed the vase that sat on the nightstand and hurled it at Gourry. It crashed into his face, knocking the tall man over flat on his back.

Growling, Lina stomped her foot like a spoiled child. "Idiot! Don't you know that you KNOCK before entering a fair maiden's room?!"

Gourry groaned as he pulled himself together. "Who's fair?" he whined. Lina was about to punish him more, but Zelgadis saved Gourry from the red headed girl. "Lina, we've got trouble."

~~~~~~~

Fully dressed in their traveling attire, the trio jogged towards the main drawbridge gate. When the three arrived, they saw many Seyruunian soldiers using beams and their own bodies to keep the wooden door in place; something was trying to force its way in. Each time the unknown enemy would slam the door, some of the pile of men would fly off but return to block the door.

Quickly, the banging stopped. It was an uneasy feeling that tormented the humans through silence. Zelgadis narrowed his heightened senses. He heard grunts, whoops, and hissing from the other side. But soon his nose smelled a familiar scent… Gunpowder!

"Get back!" the blue chimera shouted, but alas his warning was in vain. Before anyone heeded his word, the door exploded from a bomb-based explosion. The door was breached! Lina and Zelgadis utilized their capes to shield them from the blast, leaving Gourry to use only his arms.

When the blast subsided into a fire, beast men atop monstrous chimeras leap into the town. The creatures consisted of lizard like men, riding atop creatures that were a mix between horses and hyenas.

The animal chimeras whooped and shrieked eerily as the lizards riding atop them struck down any soldier that got in their path. They soon blazed their way into town and begun raiding the village. The beasts entered the homes and shops and spread terror to the innocents.

Lina attempted to stop the senseless raid, but soon she and her friends where encircled by the monster gang. Their mounts laughed manically as their riders chuckled tauntingly at the Slayers.

The trio lifted their guards, backing into each other as to make sure that no one's back was left opened to attack. "Who are these creeps? Never seen the likes of them before!" Gourry asked his friends urgently.

Before Lina could give Gourry any kind of answer, the circling stopped but Lina and co. were still trapped. One of the riders steered aside, as to let his leader with her larger, hyena horse mount approach the heroes. It was a dark, cloaked figure with her velociraptor-like muzzle poking out of her hood. Her steed(?) chuckled in such an unnatural way as it stared the Slayers down with it dead, pale green eyes that lacked irises or pupils.

The figure stopped only feet away from Lina, swiveling her chimera to the side as the figure looked down on the sorceress. "Well, well. What have we here? You three don't look like weak townsfolk…" The figure paused as she threw back her hood.

The best way to describe this beast women was an archaeopteryx on steroids. Her dinosaur face was riddled with hard shiny scales that framed her piercing neon green eyes. Her forehead, neck, back, and tail were covered in bird feathers that were a dark violet with neon yellow edges. She wore gladiator like armor with decorated, tattered loincloths.

She grinned darkly at Lina and her friends. "Ah, but yes. I remember you; you are that sorceress that took out that bandit gang not far from here." she concluded.

Lina returned the same dark grin at her adversary. "Maaaaaaybe. Friends of yours, I presume?" the red head asked dripping with mockery. The lizard women chuckled cruelly. "Fortunately, no. I prefer my own people than you clumsy humans."

"Hah! If I were you, I wouldn't be so quick to conclude that all humans are incompetent!" Lina scoffed as she readied an attack. The lizard woman laughed darkly. "So it would seem! However fun you three might be, you are not my target. But here's some playmates for you to frolic with! Hah!"

The lizard conjured a summoning spell, uttered in a language that was unheard of to Lina and her friends. Two magic circles pined the Slayers. They glowed ominously. One circle conjured piles of human bones, armor, swords and shields. The bones and weapons trembled and flew in mini hurricanes. The floating objects soon put together a horde of skeleton soldiers, whose sockets held evil glowing red orbs, chuckling darkly. The other magic circle summoned a pack of werewolf like creatures, howling eerily as their tongues hanged hungrily from their muzzles.

The reptilian sorceress laughed evilly as her monsters glared at the Slayers. "Go, my Stalfos and Wolfos! Play with these clowns as you please!"

"Clowns?!" Lina screeched angrily at the slanderous comment. But Lina didn't have time to get back at her nemesis as the wolfos and stalfos charged at them.

Before Gourry could do anything, the wolfos pack circled around Lina and trapped her completely. The blonde swordsman rushed to save her, but the stalfos prevented the bodyguard from performing his duties. The chuckling stalfos trapped Zelgadis as well, picking the two men out on account of being swordsmen.

Growling, Gourry unsheathed his new sword, reluctantly accepting a challenging duel with the undead skeleton soldiers. Gourry swung, but the stalfos were more cautious for being undead; it blocked Gourry's attack with it's demonic looking shield. The blond mercenary gritted his teeth; these guys wouldn't go down so easily!

Zelgadis was already engaged in dangerous swordplay with the undead. The stalfos blocked his attacks and Zelgadis halted their slashes with his trusty sword. One hit did slice Zelgadis's stomach. It ripped and ruined his beige tunic, but his stone skin did not have a scratch on it. Even an undead skeleton warrior could not nick stone. Zelgadis grinned darkly as he swung his blade skyward, reciting a spell: "Astral Vine!" The chimera's blade glowed dark red from enhancing magic, making his swipes all the more deadly to creatures.

Lina groaned to herself as she cradled her head, the wolfos still circling her. "Ohhhhhh! Why do I always attract the stupid animal monsters?!" Frustration ground her teeth. She couldn't use big spells because of the danger of inflicting harm on the town. But something like that wouldn't stop the famous Lina Inverse. The wolfos continued howling, much to Lina's annoyance. "Arrrrgh! Just shut the hell UP! Flare Arrow!"

Releasing the magical arrow of flames, the spell sped towards one of the unsuspecting wolfos. Lina crossed her arms as she continued to command the spell. "Break!" she ordered. As commanded, the Flare Arrow split into many smaller spells, hitting as many wolfos as they could reach. As Lina had suspected, these creatures were very, very low ranking monsters as they died in a flash of blue evil flames.

But Lina neglected to kill every lupine demon, as one of the few survivors ran up behind Lina's back. Before she could respond properly, the wolfos reared up and slashed Lina's back with its long, unnaturally curved paws. Lina gasped out in pain; she was expecting a bite, not slashing!

His gut falling in his body, Gourry had heard the unpleasant gasping of pain from his friend. "Lina!" he shouted as he charged. Before the wolfos could do any more damage, Gourry swung his blade, cutting the impure beast in half and reducing it into nothing but evil blue flames.

Lina groaned as she held her back; she suffered nasty gashes that begun to bleed, but as serious as it looked, it was nothing that a healing spell couldn't fix. But for the meantime she'll need Gourry to look after her as she casted Recovery. "Lina! Your back-!" "I'm alright, Gourry." Lina snapped as she conjured the white magic spell. "Just focus on watching the fight; I'll be back in shape soon!"

As the heroes fought, the lizard woman had ordered her men to terrorize the villagers, ransacking their homes and business and harassing the poor people. The lizard grinned to herself; there was no way the Hero of Time could say no to a suffering town.

Zelgadis cut down the last of the stalfos and wolfos, ending their battle with the lesser monsters. Lina's gashes were completely healed; the only evidence of her attack was the tattering of her clothes. Lina spun herself around and grunted angrily; she saw the terror that was being rained upon Elkmage for no apparent reason! "Stop this, you scaly hag!" Lina charged as she readied a spell, with Gourry and Zelgadis not far behind her.

The lizard woman grinned as she snapped her fingers, once again summoning the same magic circles, that once again summoned more wolfos and stalfos. Lina and co. found themselves in the same mess all over again. Lina howled in fury, practically ripping at her hair like a mad, raging raccoon. "EUUGH! Not these lackeys, again!" Seeing that they had no choice in whom they fought, they readied themselves for battle-

A loud horse's whinny echoed, and heavy hooves reverberated on the cobblestone streets.

Everyone, including the monsters, were startled. However, the lizard woman bared her teeth in anticipation. Swiveling her dinosaur head, she gazed expectantly at the fire of the drawbridge. Lina and co. turned their attention as the clopping became louder and louder.

Bravely from the flames, a huge crimson steed thundered into the town, jumping elegantly over the flames and stampeding towards the commotion. A man clad in green was atop the mighty steed, a look of pure determination on his features. He worn a green, hand sown tunic, a matching long green hat, beige pants, and worn brown boots and gauntlets. His messy blonde hair parted down the middle of his head, framing his face dashingly. His blue earrings shimmered in the fire's light, reflecting his own passion for protecting the weak. His cerulean eyes narrowed in a mixture between confusion and anger. He wore a heavy shield on his back; his sword already drawn as he charged with his faithful mare.

The crimson beast halted and reared up at the scene, allowing everyone to get a closer look at this strange figure who had appeared from nowhere. Lina, ever curious, narrowed her eyes as she discovered his long, pointy ears. "Is that an elf? What's he doing here, and-!" Lina and her friends' jaws dropped as they discovered who was riding behind this stranger, a cream colored, ebony haired girl they knew very well.

Gourry shielded his eyes as he squinted. "Hey! Isn't that Amelia?"

Bewildered, Amelia spun her head in total shock. "W-w-what's the meaning of this?! What's going on?!" The townsfolk, discovering that their princess had arrived, pleaded for her and her friend's help. Amelia's eyes soon caught sight of Lina and the gang. With relief and surprise painted on her features, Amelia dropped down from the elf's mount and rushed to her friends. "Ms Lina! Mr Gourry! Mr Zelgadis! Are you all ok?"

The princess flung herself to Lina, almost knocking the sorceress off her feet. Lina returned the gesture quickly. "We're fine, Amelia, except with the obvious. What are you doing here?" the red head asked quickly then pointed at the stranger. "And who's that?"

Amelia was about to elaborate, however she was cut off by the whooping of the lizard woman's mount. Everyone watched in fascination as the beast woman edged her ride closer to the elf threateningly. The elf and lizard gave each other a stare down that would put shivers down any knight's back. The evil being spoke first, "I knew that you would come running when a village's welfare was at stake, O Hero of Time!" she cooed cruelly as she drew her two curved, malicious looking Shamshir swords.

Link narrowed his eyes further. This dinolfos woman meant business and most likely wanted his head, noticing the decorative human skulls that hung from her chimera hyena's bridal. Her chimera mount was larger than the other creatures and more decorated with barbaric armor. It dumbly hung its tongue out, laughing stupidly as its soulless eyes stared down Link and Epona hungrily.

Link spoke, "I do not know who you are, or how you've come to know me," he paused. Link pointed at the civilians of the town. "but I am certainly not going to let you take out your rage on the innocent! I am your target, and your target alone! Release these people now, foul Dinoflos!"

The beast leader laughed to herself, raising her hand to her mug. "Very well, we shall release these people, IF you surrender your head, Hero! Or perhaps you would like to see them suffer even more?" As if on cue, the lizards began to torture the poor citizens. "No!" Amelia shouted. Zelgadis glared at the Dinolflos. "You damned coward!" Link gritted his teeth. The Dinoflos smiled wickedly. "If you surrender to me, the Great Saurus, then I'll stop! What will you do now, O Hero?"

Lina was confounded. But at least she knew who Saurus was after. But where did this elf come from? And more importantly, just who was he? What kind of significance could his death gain Saurus, or what kind grudge did she hold against this Hero of Time? Whatever that means. Also, how did he come to know Amelia?

Having seen enough, and to the failed protest of her friends, the princess climbed the nearest building she could find and stood proudly on the roof's edge. Enter the dreaded Justice speech Amelia:

"I have had enough of this lawlessness in our proud kingdom of Seyruun! Vile beasts who are cowardly enough to threaten the lives of innocence for ransom! You who spread terror across our peaceful land with no remorse or second thoughts! The heavens might forgive your misdeeds, but I, Amelia, princess of Seyruun, will not!" Everyone stared dumbfounded by the princess, save but the embarrassing squirming figures of her friends.

"Amelia," Zelgadis protested in annoyance. But his growls of disapproval did not reach the princess. "I do not know why you choose to torment Elkmage but it ends now! You may be strong, but the almighty Hammer of Justice is all the more powerful! Your evil schemes end now, beast men, and I shall rain righteous, divine punishment upon you, in the name of Truth, Love, Seyruun, and Justice!"

A hearty, friendly, but BOOMING laugh echoed behind the princess as a large figure appeared behind her. "Hwahahahahaha! That's my daughter! Now with me on your side, the powers of Justice cannot possibly fail!"

Lina nearly collapsed. "P-Phil?" Zelgadis groaned a sarcastic "Oh boy…" while Gourry became confused beyond measure. Link sweated. Saurus starred confused.

Amelia turned to her father and smiled brightly. "Daddy! You made it!" she chimed as she clasped her hands in adoration. The ogre like man smiled widely. "Of course I did! We were on our way to the city when we heard the commotion here in Elkmage. When I saw the senseless attack on our people, I couldn't possibly ignore the laments of the innocent!"

Phil's attention soon turned to Saurus, who raised her eyebrow at the awkward situation that had somehow emerged from this once, dramatic scene. "You are outnumbered, Saurus of the beast men! It would be wise if you ceased your attack on Elkmage! However, if you refuse to settle this issue peacefully, you will be punished severely!"

True to his word, Phil's horde of soldiers from the bandit hideout rode in the scene, giving the heroes more back-up than they had before. Each man showed no fear, for they shall fight to the death for their country and people. Their weapons drawn, they all pointed their spears and swords at Saurus and her posse.

The queen Dinolfos was not intimidated however. "Hehe. You fail to scare me with your pitiful soldiers, Prince. You've only succeeded in making this more amusing to me!" Her hyena scoffed and giggled uncontrollably. Saurus turned her attention to Link. "But, of course, this violent situation can come to a quick end: all you need to do is surrender, Hero, and these people can go free."

Link's eyes narrowed with hatred. But what was he to do? The Hylian could see the sheer terror on the locals' faces, and the last thing Link wanted was to have blood shed on his account. This evening took a turn for the worst. Damn it!… Link cursed.

"HOLD UP, HOLD UP! Aren't you forgetting something?!"

Link eyes widened as he stared at the source of the high-pitched and irritated voice. Lina took a broad step forward towards the standoff. She scoffed as she flipped her long, fiery hair and shifted her weight to one side. She placed her hands on her hips; from her body language, she was deliberately trying to be in the spotlight.

Lina smirked. "Since when did this story NOT revolve around ME?" she huffed as she broke the fourth wall, making the author very nervous.

Saurus snorted. Here was this loud-mouth shrew again. "Stay out of our business! Who the hell do you think you are anyway, little witch?" the Dinolfos spat venomously.

Lina posed herself like a proud peacock. "Oh, I'm only the most powerful and talented youth around, the most beautiful of all maidens, a genius beyond measure! The Bane of the Monster Race and the wicked! I am the most gorgeous, the most desired, and the brightest sparkle in the eyes of the gods! I am Lina Inverse, the best damn thing that has happened in this world since the invention of the wheel!" she gloated selfishly.

Link's mouth parted as he realized who she was. This was that girl that Amelia told him about! She must have his ocarina! But, man, was this chick self-centered! It's surprising that the goddesses didn't strike her down for her pride already.

Not wanting Lina to hog all the spotlight, Gourry stepped forward to Lina's side. "And I'm her protector and proud swordsman, Gourry Gabriev!" he proclaimed as he held his sword with determination.

"And don't count me out." Zelgadis said simply as he joined his friends. However, he wasn't one to indulge himself in outspoken pride. He smirked as he crossed his arms coolly as if this situation wasn't completely out of hand.

"And me, too!" Amelia shouted as she leaped off the building. However her luck had left her once again, and the spunky princess kissed the cobble stone street flat. She recovered quickly. "We aren't going to stand by as you torture innocent people!" Amelia finished, however a sore glowed on her face from the impact.

Saurus surveyed the group in slight awe. "And," Lina begun, pointing her finger at the lizard woman. "Don't you dare think that we are going to roll over on our backs while someone else plays the protagonist!" She cracked her knuckles threateningly, as she grinned maliciously. "Sorry, but you're going down!"

Despite their leader's resistance to Lina's intimidation, the lizard men gulped and shook. They did feel outnumbered by the new additions. Saurus sneered as she gripped her blades, even as she silently admitted that she was outnumbered. She never expected the Hero to have company.

Growling, the Dinolfos began another summoning spell. "Very well! If it is a fight you want, a fight you shall get! HAH!" The magic Saurus conjured was a huge, dark churning black, orange and yellow orb of evil. It exploded into smoke, and released many bat-like creatures upon the heroes. Some were typical looking, others were red with combustion while others glowed white with freezing temperatures.

The swarm of Keese flapped blindly towards the Slayers. Reacting quickly Lina recited a Bomb Di Wind, creating a powerful gale that blew the bats away.

But that was only a distraction; Saurus and a handful of her posse charged. Seeing the powerful hyena horse hybrids charging at them, Zelgadis slammed his palm on the ground and recited: "Earth below me, submit to my will! Dug Haut!" As he had chanted, the ground below their enemies shuttered, and then huge spikes made from rock, mud, and cobble stone shot up from below, impaling some of the enemies and scattering others.

But Saurus was too seasoned of a warrior to have herself be subdued by a Shamanistic spell. Expertly, she steered her chimera through the columns, charging straight to her original target, Link. He was ready for her though, as he raised his shield against her blades. Epona shrieked as she and her master became entangled with the lizard and chimera.

Amelia combined spells with hand-to-hand combat as she beat back the lizalfos that held her people hostage. With her father's help, she begun to herd the panicking civilians to safety.

As if the keese and the lizolfos riding chimeras weren't enough, the wolfos and stalfos from before continued their assault on the Slayers. Gourry and Zelgadis effortlessly cut down each evil beast in their path while Lina recited Shamanistic spells that effected both the bodies and spirits of the evil creatures. The soldiers of Seyruun provided help to the heroes as they fought against the foreign beasts.

Link and Epona charged madly at Saurus and her steed, steel clanging on steel as the two attempted to do bodily harm. Saurus rounded her steed and charged at the Hero of Time again, however she recited a dark spell: "Dark Blade of Light's Bane, lend me thy power to spear the fools in my path! Ghirahim Diamond!" Saurus held out her scaly hands; black and yellow diamond shaped energy beams flew straight towards Link in hopes to impale him and his horse.

Link gasped, he could use his enchanted shield to protect against magic, but he did not want Epona to get hurt, so he too recited a spell: "O Golden Blue One, who hath blessed the cultivated Earth with Law, grant me thy wisdom and deliver us from those who wish us harm! Nayru's Love!" Link shouted as he held his palm skyward. Immediately, a holy blue light enveloped him and Epona, and it hardened into a diamond shaped glass-like shield. The Ghirahim Diamonds impacted the shield, but their demonic powers dissipated when they impacted the holy field of magic.

The strange and new spells didn't go unnoticed by Lina and Zelgadis. "Woah! That was a seriously powerful magic barrier!" Zelgadis shoved a wolfos, and added, "I've never seen nor heard of such a spell, however!" Lina nodded and narrowed her eyes at Link, watching him continue his fight with Saurus. "Just who is this guy? And what's with the 'Hero of Time' thing?" Lina felt her pouch, holding the ocarina that she recently found. "Maybe… Does it have to do something with this?" she whispered as she felt the smooth surface even beneath her animal hide satchel.

Link dissipated Nayru's Love; spells took a lot of stamina and Link didn't consider himself a sorcerer. He huffed at bit, some sweat trickling down his brow. Saurus charged again, her mount still shrieking its blood churning laugh. Seeing how he was getting nowhere on horseback, Link pulled out his Fairy Bow and pulled an arrow on its string. Link calmed his senses and honed his aim. Finally locked on his target, he released the arrow. The weapon struck the chimera's head, instantly killing it and sent it and its rider lurching forward, tumbling violently.

Saurus roared angrily as she pushed her now useless ride off. That hurt her pride more than her body, a sorceress dinolfos leader taken down by a simple arrow. It made her blood boil as she watched Link dismount and approach her with sword and shield drawn. She gripped her shamshirs hatefully as she swung them in the air, warming up her muscles for attack.

She lunged forward with killer intent, but Link was the wiser. He side jumped away from the attack, rolled behind Saurus and sprung himself upward, swinging his sword as he did. He gashed her back, knocking her back on her belly, stunned by the counter. Link did not hesitate; he jumped as he gripped his sword with both hands pointed downward, intent on stabbing her with a death blow. But with her unnatural stamina remaining, she rolled out of the way, allowing Link's blade to dig deep into the floor. "Damn it!" he cursed as he pulled his sword out of the ground with difficulty.

When Link finally got his sword out, he was gashed on his side by Saurus's blade. He yelp as he held his side, which was now oozing crimson. Laughing, Saurus pointed her weapon at Link. Gourry saw all of this and jumped into action: he rushed between Saurus and Link, slamming his blade with her's and stopping her attack completely. She jumped back in surprise.

However, this tall human wasn't the only one to come to Link's aid: Lina and Zelgadis stood with the swordsman between the dinolfos and Hylian, while Amelia bent down to Link and begun healing him. They stood bravely, glaring daggers at Saurus.

The she lizard growled grudgingly as she waved her shamshirs. A lackey of hers stumbled towards Saurus in panic. "Lady Saurus! Our numbers have went down significantly! We cannot last long; we must retreat!" he squeaked cowardly as he held the reigns of his own hyena. Saurus snorted disapprovingly, but reluctantly agreed with her servant as she noted how few of her monsters were left; she was indeed fighting a losing battle. Sheathing her swords she mounted the beast with her lackey. "Very well. You and your friends win this round, Hero. But mark my words, I WILL taste your blood! Troops, retreat!" she shouted as she gestured towards the drawbridge she destroyed.

Obeying their master, the surviving lizolfos abandoned the fight and made a dash for the exit, following their leader. Lina huffed angrily. "Ohhhhh, no you don't! You're not going to get away that easily!" Lina rushed to a mid point as she watched her prey run off, then began reciting:

"Darkness beyond twilight, Crimson beyond blood that flows,"

Her friends became as pale as ghosts. Link looked up confusedly, unaware of the power this girl will release upon Saurus and her minions. Before Link could ask, Amelia and Zelgadis picked him up by the arms, with Gourry holding his legs. Comically, the three ran away like headless cuccos as they held a confused Link.

"Wha-What're you guys doing!?"

"Hurry, Mr. Link! Run away!" Amelia screamed, despite that Link was being carried by the frightened trio.

Lina continued her chant: "Buried in the stream of time, where your power grows," wind and red pulsing energy flew around the girl as a similar crimson orb appeared in her hands.

"I pledge myself to concur all the foes who stand against the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand,"

Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis pulled Link down in their custom made fox-hole. Epona, sensing the danger, jumped in as well as she huddled in the bunker with her injured rider. The crimson ball of black magic glowed even more violently.

"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess!" Lina opened her eyes and giggled. She released the spell.

"Dragon Slave!"

With a dull moaning howl, the magic red ball stretched out like taffy, flying forward. It dragged for a moment but then zoomed towards a now panicking Saurus and lackeys. No matter how much distance the posse did cover, the Dragon Slave caught up with them in a blinding red flash. Upon impact, a dome of pure crimson magical flames exploded in a mini atomic explosion, sending a wind of impact upon Elkmage. Saurus was sent flying, high up in the atmosphere.