Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers nor have I moved on to greener pastures. I have moved back to the States from Japan, and I finally got some Slayers action. Yatta! For those who may not know, it was the 4th (Revolution) and 5th (Evolution-R) seasons (both anime and manga) plus another new manga called Slayers Light. Our Slayers hopes and dreams have finally been answered (well mine have at least, not sure about you guys).

Lina and Amelia stood on one of the main outer balconies of the palace watching as the throng of people below in the greater courtyard attempted to organize themselves with the help of Amelia's seneschals.

The mass turnout was even greater than Lina could have ever expected. Lina had no idea that rumors like the ones that had been spread by Amelia could have produced so many people; when it had finally seemed that they were ready to get the festivities and unveiling started, word had spread that the peoples of the nations past the Demos Sea were interested in attending and were requesting that the unveiling be held off just a little longer.

So in actuality, it had taken a few more days beyond the two Amelia had initially promised for everything to start, but Lina couldn't just up and leave because of that.

Amelia had apologized quite profusely for the extra time taken out of Lina's schedule, but as Zelgadis had explained before, during and after Amelia's apologies, they had actually done pretty well, providing for all the people arriving and staying in Seyruun, in the short amount of time that they had. The logistics alone for allocating as much food and alcohol as they had for all the people now in Seyruun was a hassle in itself and took over a day to sort out.

Lina turned wide eyes to Amelia, her surprise still evident at the number of people the rumors had managed to draw in. Amelia smiled at Lina's incredulous look, her face serene for she had known all along, even though she too had been surprised by the interest of the outer nations.

Though she had been working on things like this for quite some time now, and had learned very early on that rumors alone could sometimes make or break a kingdom or a people, the interest in Seyruun, more specifically the interest in the triplets and Lina, from countries outside of Seyruun's periphery was still absolutely astounding.

Amelia had never created any rumors like these before, and so did not expect the results that came about, but she had known that if she had her people spread enough rumors that seemed realistic enough for the people to believe, the people would make their own stories up from other things they had heard about Lina, the triplets, and the Mazoku. The hundreds of different rumors would of course clash, different events would have been described and the events may have even been told in a diverse order completely opposite of the truth, but the gist of what she wanted spread had spread, far and wide, and had created the horde of people below and throughout her city.

There were literally millions of people now encamped in and around the great kingdom of Seyruun, and there would be more by the end of the day. Every guest room in the palace was filled with kings and queens, princes and princesses, and those few who were too important—not of royal blood but those who ruled nonetheless—that to have offered even the best of rooms in the best of inns would have insulted them. Their various servants had to make do with the extra space in the palace's servants' quarters, or be encamped in the gardens and the less visible areas in the palace courtyards where the festivities were not to be held, and even those places were few and far between.

With as many people who would come to see the children and Lina—and the 'tame' Mazoku—there had to be a number of areas all over the palace grounds that were devoted entirely to the festivities.

Others, who were wealthy or had the right connections, took up space in the many inns and taverns and hostels of Seyruun; some stayed in the few homes with those of the wealthy elite and those of the merchants of Seyruun who had room to spare.

The rest were encamped beyond the great walls of Seyruun, those people, peasants really, who had come to see not the children, but the living legend Lina Inverse.

Lina shook her head still unable to accept it even as she looked upon the chaos created by so many people. "How could your little canards inspire such a mass migration? I didn't really think it was possible, even with the rumors being as crazy as they were. I thought maybe only a few hundred people might be interested. Not… not…" she looked down again, but this time to her left to the tents concealed in one of the lesser gardens. "Not this many. I can't even begin to conceive just how many people are really here."

Amelia chuckled, though she was a bit amazed that so many people were interested in meeting the chaotic being called Lina Inverse. She didn't find it that insulting that Lina was considered much more important and much more popular than her own children, not with the various tales that had been spread about Lina.

To be sure there were many people who thought the birth of her children a significant event, most specifically those of the ruling classes. But it was Lina Inverse and the rumors surrounding her that truly had inspired people to come to Seyruun. "Well, I think it's not so much the stories that I created, but more that they have grown in the telling."

Lina turned back and looked at her friend. "I haven't really heard the latest." She chuckled. "Gourry sort of won't let me out of his sight with the way Xellos has been acting around me. What's the official story now?"

Amelia tried to control the grin that wanted to appear on her face. She did her best; she didn't want to give the game away just yet. She looked away for a moment, getting control over her expression and then looked back to Lina, looking for the entire world as if she had to recall the best tale in particular. "I've been told that the latest and most outrageous one so far is that the Mazoku have apparently accepted you as their queen," Lina's eyes widened, "and ah, ahem, your consort is…"

Amelia attempted to cover her smile with her hand, but at the thought of the specifics, a giggle came out anyway, "apparently going to be…"

Giggle, giggle.

"Xellos."

Lina choked for a moment and continued coughing for a full minute afterwards. "What?!"

Amelia knew Bleed was having a bad effect on her, but she had to admit seeing her best friend so completely out of her depth was quite entertaining.

"And that's not all. It's gotten out that you're pregnant too…" Amelia paused for a moment savoring the paleness of her best friend's face.

Lina's eyebrows rose, a glint of horror in her eyes. She knew Amelia was not finished.

Amelia looked away, studying the people below for a moment. "Yep, not only are you pregnant, but you're pregnant with Xellos's baby."

Lina's eyes widened further, her shock silencing her.

Amelia stood straight and looked back to Lina, her expression stern. "Shocking of course. And shameful. You two haven't even been officially married yet and you're already pregnant with his child. Premarital sex and behind Gourry's back no less. You're such a brazen hussy. Honestly, I was surprised at you Lina. Such horrible and scandalous behavior."

Lina practically screeched, her face red from embarrassment and anger. "MAZOKU AND HUMANS CAN'T BREED!" She pointed an accusing finger at the people still gathering in the courtyard. "They should know better!"

Amelia looked back down at the crowd of people below. They were all looking up to discover where the sound from Lina's outburst had come from and now most were pointing at Lina and discussing her amongst themselves.

But the conversations weren't accusatory at all; even from this distance that was obvious. They could have been. In fact, a few years ago they would have been. Even a few months ago they might have been. But from the obvious smiles on the people's faces and their nods, the discussions were favorable toward Lina.

It seemed almost as if they were proud to call Lina Inverse one of their own, something that Amelia never thought would happen in a million years.

And the caustic look on Lina's face didn't seem to matter to them, not one bit.

Amelia couldn't help herself.

She giggled again.

Lina turned her glare on Amelia. "And just who came up with that little rumor?"

Amelia shrugged, displaying a nonchalance she didn't really feel. She had an idea of who might have spread that particular one, but she wasn't completely certain, and telling Lina was detrimental to her health. She liked living thank you very much. "How am I supposed to keep track of who made all the variations? My job was to start the snowball rolling. Your history just made it all the stronger, faster, and bigger."

Amelia gently grabbed Lina by the shoulders and turned her to face the mass of people gathering below; it beat having Lina glare at her.

Lina was a bit shocked at the manhandling, but allowed her friend to turn her.

"But look at them Lina. They are looking at you with awe, not fear. There is a difference, a slim one yes, but a difference nonetheless. And in what I am trying to accomplish, that's all that matters.

"For too long you have only been known as the 'Enemy of All Who Live.' For too long you've had to trudge behind a reputation that was built by your greed and your rampant destruction to the places near the objects of your greed.

"After a while, all anyone ever saw was that reputation. Not the true Lina who actually does care, but the one who leaves terror and devastation in her wake."

Amelia took a deep calming breath and smiled. "My people fed the tales of how you and you alone saved the world every time from obliteration, despite the destruction you caused. The humans of the world are being told that you have never started the fights, but you have been there to finish them. They know that the Golden Dragons are after you; another race bent on your destruction only because you are so powerful. That the dragons are after you because you, a human—not a dragon or a Mazoku—have been touched by the Lord of Nightmares, and that the dragons don't like anyone having more power than they do."

Lina cut in. "That's not exactly why the Golden Dragons are after me Amelia."

Amelia quirked an eyebrow, "Is that so? So the fact that you can now technically destroy their power base has nothing at all to do with why they want you dead? Nothing at all to do with the fact that you could, if you wanted, destroy not only them, but the world and everything in it?" Amelia snorted. "Bleed told me part of the reason Lina. The dragons want you dead because you are a threat. They cannot ever control you. And I thought about this myself, after learning all I have from Bleed, but if the Golden Dragons get rid of one threat who is dangerous to them and all that they believe, then what's wrong with getting rid of the next threat in line? And then perhaps eventually the reason why the Mazoku can survive at all without their Lord; we humans who are so diverse in our beliefs? What's to stop them from killing us and then afterwards the Mazoku?"

Lina's eyes widened as she looked at Amelia. "You figured all that out?"

"After Bleed spoke with me, yeah." Amelia sighed. "She's really pretty talkative. I suppose I passed her test or something, cause honestly, she won't shut up now. She's really annoying sometimes."

Lina chuckled. "Why? She interrupt you when you're getting intimate with Zel?"

Amelia blew out a breath in exasperation. "Yes! I really want to give her a speech to make her ears ring." Amelia looked at Lina, seeing the same vexation echoing in her eyes. "Why? She does that to you too?"

"Sort of. Her interruptions always seem to fall along the tune of how much better Xellos would be for me over Gourry. About how Xellos has had a millennium of practice, if not more." Lina rolled her eyes. "I know why she does it to me, but it's not to get me upset, if you'll believe that."

Amelia cocked her head to the side. "Really? Why then?"

Lina shrugged a bit. "I guess cause she thinks that I'd be happier with Xellos."

"I disagree with her, you know. You and Gourry have always been perfect together. I've never seen a better pair. You're both exactly what the other needs."

"She doesn't think so. But then again, she's a servant of the Beastmaster. She thinks in terms of the more physical aspects and needs of life, not the emotional or mental ones. That's not to say she isn't intelligent, she just has more animal practicality and she is Mazoku and common emotions aren't granted to them, you know? So she can't understand why I'd choose Gourry over Xellos even if Xellos would be more pleasing in bed."

"I suppose so. And I will agree with you on her intelligence. I suppose it's only because when we look at her, we see a wolf and so tend to think in terms of only animal intelligence. But yeah, she's got quite a mind. She thinks much more deeply than most humans I know, despite her lack of emotional understanding."

"Yeah she does." Lina paused for moment, looking out at the crowd below and thinking of the other things Amelia had said. "So then, you've spread more rumors on my abilities? You told people that I can call down the power to destroy the world?"

Amelia nodded. "Yes Lina, I did. I figured it couldn't hurt and it'd get out anyway. I figured it was best to give the people an idea now of how powerful you are, before the Golden Dragons try their own propaganda on them. And they will, and many people will believe them. Right now, all I'm trying to ensure is that they get an idea of the truth so that they can make up their own minds. And as you can see, most already have. They know now that it's us as humans, or them as dragons, and that if they want to live they better be willing to back the one person who can quite possibly save them from a destruction they had never even thought to think about. And you will destroy quite a bit once the fight starts. I let that out as well. But now…" Amelia paused as she smiled at her friend. "Now the people are beginning to realize that if they want the omelet, you need to break a few eggs."

Lina attempted to cut in, shaking her head. "I didn't do it all alone. I had you guys to help with all that destruction."

Amelia shook her head with a chuckle. "No Lina, I'm not talking about the destruction. I'm talking about you saving the world, many times over."

"Even in that, I still didn't do it by myself. I had you guys with me."

"We all may have journeyed with you while you were led down that path, but we could barely help you when all the chips were really down. You had the ability to save the world and you did, without our aid. Every time. It is your power and your talent, as destructive as it is that has saved our world numerous times. It is your power and your talent, as destructive as it, that will save us again."

Amelia turned to look back at the crowd below, most who still stood, looking up at them, admiring the Sorceress Supreme, the reason they all still lived. It was heartwarming to Amelia that her friend finally got the respect she deserved. "And now they know that."

Lina tried to rally her modesty. "You know, my big sister will probably try to smack you upside the head with a slipper for making my ego even bigger. Heck, I might do it to you so that you stop."

Amelia chuckled again. "So that's where you got that habit from. I had always wondered."

Lina shook her head. "With her strength she usually just knocked me unconscious. I used to wonder if she had a boulder inside the toe cause every time I woke, it was with an enormous headache." Lina sighed as she rubbed her eyes, remembering all the headaches she had as a little girl, byproducts of her older sister's wrath. "You honestly don't know who was spreading that juicy little rumor?"

"Honestly?" Amelia remained quiet for a moment. "Sort of."

Lina immediately turned on her friend, like a bloodhound that had sniffed out the scent. "Who?!"

Amelia paused for what seemed an eternity, especially with that raptor's gaze of Lina's focused entirely on her. "Well, from what Bleed told me… well, um… the Mazoku."

Lina blinked a few times. Then she chuckled. It was not a happy sound. "I must have misheard you." She smiled, brilliant white teeth gleaming in a feral grin. "Say that again."

Amelia sighed. "It's not wise to kill the messenger Lina, nor the crown princess of a major kingdom."

"Xellos started it, didn't he? He's still pissed about that 'tame' Mazoku crap isn't he?"

"No…" A lilting contralto responded in the area of the balcony ledge to their left. "Xellos didn't start it."

In a moment, there was a smoky haze filling the area of where the voice seemed to come from. In another moment, a beautiful blonde with a luscious figure wearing extraordinarily revealing gauzy—almost smoky clear—garments was lounging against the ledge of the balcony. The blonde flicked her cigarette, her bangles clinking, the ash drifting down and disappearing before it reached the floor of the balcony.

"But yes, he was still pissed. So I decided to trump all the rumors about us and make one that was too juicy to be true. It's amazing what you humans will believe. You're so like lambs to the slaughter. Well, most of you anyway. There are a few wolves in sheep's clothing, aren't there Lina?" She then looked to Amelia, "Or maybe perhaps a few sheep trying on wolves' clothing to see how well it fits."

Lina took a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn't exactly say that she was friends with the woman before them, in fact, the less time she spent with her the happier she was. But she had to admit that at least the woman was more informative than her main servant. "Xellas-

Amelia had been goggling the incredibly striking, practically naked woman before them and her shock was complete when she heard the name. "Xellas? You mean that's the Beastmaster, Xellos's boss?"

"I prefer being called Xellos's Mistress, Princess Justice." Xellas drawled. She paused as she looked Amelia over, her pale yellow eyes twinkling behind long dark lashes. "Or maybe we should start calling you Princess Deceptive. Bleed has told me all about you. You know you'd make a fine Mazoku, once we got rid of all that…" Xellas stuck her tongue out in disgust, "icky brainwashing you endured as a child."

Amelia looked like she might just explode with the need to get out the perfect speech she had been saving for just such a time as this, a time when another Mazoku Lord would try to challenge her beliefs. She had obviously learned her lesson with previous Mazoku Lords and had prepared many speeches for the defense of her pacifist values. Unfortunately that was a dangerous road to go down with a Mazoku Lord, and unfortunately Amelia had never learned that sometimes it was best to keep quiet.

Lina spoke up before Amelia could, personally knowing the danger this Mazoku Lord embodied.

It was not wise to piss Xellas off, and she did not like justice speeches. Lina's experiences with Xellas while torturing Xellos had proven that much. She put up with most of what Lina had done only because she felt that Xellos had deserved it. She would not put up with it just because Amelia felt insulted.

And she, technically, was not bound to Lina. And furthermore, if Lina was uncertain as to whether or not she could possibly defeat Xellos, she knew for a certainty she could not take on Xellas. Xellas may like to play with her food before she ate it, but she was also smart enough to realize that there was some prey you just killed.

Lina was that type, a predator in her own right and dangerous if allowed to go unchecked, which Xellas certainly knew from having Xellos follow her for so long. She honestly did not want to test any theories on an unpredictable creature like Xellas.

Xellos…

Maybe, for she knew he had developed some sort of odd emotional attachment to her; with all the obvious hints he gave her, ones she still refused to think about, she knew he would hesitate in killing her quickly, even now, even were he to be ordered to do so. He, like his mistress, would probably play with her before he made the final killing stroke, but Xellas…

No way in the nine hells.

Xellas was the Beastmaster. She probably wouldn't even hesitate in killing Xellos if she knew it was logical to do so.

So Lina did the only thing she knew to keep Amelia quiet, and Xellas happy. She acted like her sister, using a tone she knew her sister would use with the Mazoku Lord, a tone of annoyance.

"Xellas. Enough."

"Oh pooh." Xellas pouted for a moment, before a smirk twisted her lips, showing her strong white canines. "You're just like you're sister you know." She leaned in closely to Lina, her eyes wide and infiltrating as she stared into Lina's, then she snapped her jaws a centimeter from Lina's nose. "You take out all the fun in life."

Lina refused to move her head away, despite how uncomfortable she felt. Instead she cocked it to the side as she considered Xellas. "Why are you here?"

Xellas closed her eyes as she snickered, pleased to see that Lina wasn't intimidated. Then she stood back and settled her luscious rump on the ledge of the balcony, crossing her legs quite demurely before she snickered again.

"You are just like your sister. Oh, by the way. She has a message for you. And I quote," Xellas gathered herself into a grand posture and said quite sternly, " 'Come home.' " She giggled and settled herself back into her leisurely pose, leaning against the empty air as if she sat in a throne. "Did I get the tone right?"

Lina blinked, then sighed. "Actually, yeah, you did."

"Oh goody!" Xellas squealed. It sounded odd coming from a creature as dangerous as she was. "Then I've almost got your sister's mannerisms down pat. The servants love it when-

"Xellas, why are you here?"

Xellas giggled again, and though Lina didn't know it, she had the same thoughts as her sister.

Was this truly part of Xellas's personality or was she just trying to be annoying with a giggle that sounded like nails down a chalkboard?

"I wanted to see my queen of course. And to make sure Xellos has been a good boy. Has he been?"

Lina leaned back against the balcony and folded her arms across her chest as she considered Xellos's recent behavior. She frowned as she studied the doors leading back into the palace. "He's been avoiding me."

Xellas ran her hands through her long curly blonde hair as she stretched, reminding the two humans of a large pampered lioness stretching herself in the sun. Lina was surprised she didn't actually purr with the motion. "Good. Then he's been an obedient child and I don't have to punish him."

Lina frowned again, then looked at Xellas. "Why is he avoiding me?"

Xellas cocked her head to the side, her pale yellow eyes opening as she regarded Lina.

Lina immediately felt as if her soul had been exposed to that powerful and piercing gaze.

Xellas's tone lost its girlish squeal and became the husky contralto that indicated complete seriousness on her part. "Because that's what you wanted. I seem to recall you torturing him for over a week because he was being a bad little voyeur. If my servants ever upset you so, I find out why and I deal with it… My Lady. Are you unhappy with my orders?"

Lina's brow knit for a moment as she tried to gauge her feelings. "I guess it's just odd. I'm so used to him always being in my personal space that having him not be… It's just odd not having him around."

Xellas's eyes widened even further, her pupils narrowing to thin slits before she grinned, and drawled, "Really?" Her eyes closed again and her grin widened as Lina visibly relaxed from the loss of her penetrating scrutiny. "I shall remedy that, My Lady."

"And stop calling me that."

The squeal was back. "But you are my queen after all. I should address you with the utmost respect due to the Mazoku Queen."

Her head turned immediately to Amelia who was slowly, almost unobtrusively, backing away from the two, and had been ever since Lina had stopped her from shouting out her prepared speech.

Amelia must have realized that Lina, by interrupting her, had saved her life. And she must have also realized that Lina did so because the Mazoku Lord was a very dangerous woman, and that any person that Lina was afraid to anger, Amelia should be ten times more afraid of.

"And no Princess Deceptive, I'd rather like to keep my eyes on you. Never know when you might prove invaluable."

Xellas phased out and phased in right behind Amelia to nudge her next to Lina. She smiled at the both of them, her predatory grin back in place. "Now, let's get this party started. I would like to be introduced to the triplets. Bleed says they have got such wonderful potential."

AN: Cliffhanger, but not a crowd pleaser…

Amelia was jolted into a response. "Potential? Potential for what?"

Xellas shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Just potential for… whatever."

Amelia, as a mother should be, was just a little bit worried. "Just what are you planning on doing to them?"

"Now what sort of Godmother would I be if I just told you what my gifts to them were?"

Lina's eyebrow rose. "Gifts? Xellas, please don't-

The husky contralto was back, as well as a set of narrowing eyes. "What? You would deny me?"

Lina stood straighter. "I am their Godmother, not you. And if you even think of harming of them-

Xellas interrupted her again, harshly this time. "You'll what? Ragna Blade me?"

The laugh that came out of Xellas's throat was in no way an annoying giggle. It was abrasive, almost a bark and a growl combined.

"I am Beastmaster. I will not tolerate a beta female thinking she is my alpha."

Lina bristled, her fingers flexing. This was why she hated dealing with Mazoku. "I am not part of your pack."

Xellas regarded Lina for a moment, considering the girl's response. Every second that she spent with the human was another second more that showed the girl's true strength and character. And she was liking the little human more and more with every passing moment.

She could see why Xellos was attracted to her, and it wasn't because of the girl's power; though her power had been the only reason Xellas had tolerated the attraction in the first place.

Now it was a totally different story.

She chuckled, her sharp white canines flashing. She came even closer to Lina, closer than Xellos would ever dare try. Her mouth was right against Lina's ear, and her voice whispered seductively. "Not yet."

Lina did not move away despite her fear; her fingers flexed again. Her first job would be to distract Xellas so that Amelia could get away. She knew she would surely die, but at least Amelia would be safe if she was fast enough with her casting.

Xellas was quicker than she was, as she knew what Lina might try. She grabbed both of Lina's wrists, effectively stopping her from casting any high-powered spells. She pulled away from Lina and stared her down. "Besides, you don't even know what I would be giving them."

Amelia looked between the two powerful women. She had been afraid many times in her life, but this fear practically took the cake. And her respect for Lina went up a number of notches. It may be the death of them or even Lina herself, but even so Lina was willing to protect her friends to the very end.

That was something she would never ever forget for it gave her another boost of faith in Lina; no matter the outcome Lina truly would save her friends first. And though Amelia had been trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, now she managed to speak up quite politely, giving a slight break in the tension. "Just what do you plan on giving them Miss Xellas?"

Xellas regarded the princess for a moment before she looked back to Lina. The little human definitely had the ability to attract powerful allies to her even if they weren't as powerful as she was. She hadn't yet let go of Lina's wrists for Lina was still ready to fight, even knowing that it would likely be the death of her. That sort of inner strength and stubbornness was definitely a good attribute for anyone, especially for one of her intendeds.

Yes.

Lina would be most acceptable.

The squeal came back in full force just as she dropped Lina's wrists. "Now that is a secret!" A high-pitched giggle followed.

The tension had finally been broken and the two humans almost visibly sighed with relief; Xellas giggled again, and though this one was just as annoying, it had more amusement in it.

Oh how she loved to play!

"Now now, Princess Deceptive, I'll have you know I do not exactly want Lina as my enemy—not that it would do her any good if she were, but that's neither here nor there. And cursing the little brats would definitely make her my enemy, which means I'd have to be rid of her, which means I'd then be getting rid of the little one inside her, which would then mean I'd have to deal with her sister—who is actually looking forward to having a little niece or nephew around since she has none of her own.

"Luna won't say it of course, especially not where little sister can hear her. She's always been the taciturn type, but Lina knew that already. And while I already have the enmity of that one Inverse, I'd rather not have her willing to make me into wolfy cutlets. If you haven't heard, she is pretty good with a butcher knife. Besides I'd really prefer to keep my new queen alive for a little while at least. No point in making the claim that she's my queen if I kill her over something so trivial."

Lina sighed. Her body was in overdrive and she did her best to calm it down.

That was scary.

She had always known how dangerous Xellos was and through him his mistress, but that had been proof enough. She did not want to mess with Xellas, ever.

If Amelia hadn't interrupted, or even more importantly, if Xellas hadn't decided to drop the issue… Lina shuddered internally. This was really why she hated dealing with Mazoku, especially with innocents nearby.

Lina leaned back against the balcony railing and closed her eyes, sighing again in feigned exasperation, even though it was really just exhaustion. "I am not your queen."

Xellas smiled and phased back to her original place on the balcony, her rump perched almost dangerously on the balcony ledge, stretching out her arms and legs to mimic sitting in a different type of throne and defying the laws of gravity with her odd balancing act—not that the laws of physics applied to her. "You are if all the Mazoku say so, which they do. Dynast and even that bitch Dolphin decided that it was a clever scheme on my part."

Lina cocked her head at Xellas. "And you actually convinced all the Mazoku to just drop Shabranigdo like that and then just, arbitrarily, promote me to the position as your Lord and Master?"

"Lady and Mistress would be the more appropriate terms." Xellas took a drag from her cigarette. The laws of conservation didn't seem to apply to her either. The cigarette hadn't lost any of its length despite how much she sucked on it.

Lina shook her head, her tone incredulous, "And they all just agreed?"

Xellas shrugged. "In a word, after we discussed it, yes."

"And this was just to spread another stupid rumor?"

"Well that and it did please Xellos quite a bit. He rather likes the idea that you'd be his consort and his queen." Xellas smiled when Lina's face paled. She continued, "and, well, it did also help to piss off the Golden Dragons. If they weren't on the rampage before, they are now." Xellas chuckled with immense joy at the very idea.

Lina shook her head, glad in a way, that Xellas had changed that little bit of the subject. "And what good does it do us for them to be on the rampage? I'm not exactly thrilled to go up against them all by myself. Everyone may seem to think I'm all-powerful, but I'm just a human when all is said and done, and I can't go up against them all without killing myself. And honestly, I'd rather not die again."

Xellas opened her pale yellow eyes again as she looked Lina over, and an eyebrow rose as she became serious again. "They're much more likely to make mistakes when in a rage. Plus, most of the ones who are against you are too young to have ever fought in battle. They have never fought you nor have they ever fought us. Sure, there were a few in that war who did survive, but those that did are the feeble old farts who would rather not face us again, and those are also the ones who know better than to fight you.

"The younger generations who may have heard the stories of the wars from their great great grandfathers think that the victories that came from those stories are just that, quick easy victories that came from the triumphant victor. They do not realize that blood was actually spilled on both sides, that many from both sides died for that outcome." Xellas snarled. "They are just tiny suckling babes who think that even now only the lesser Mazoku run free, that the Mazoku Lords are incapable of doing anything because we've lost so much power with two of our lords dead and with our Maou imprisoned. Hah!" She took another long drag on her cigarette then smiled, blowing the smoke out slowly.

"They do not truly know who and what we are and they definitely do not know who and what you are. They will expect you to die quickly and expect us to disappear to leave you to die alone, like the cowards they think we are. They believe that at the first sign of trouble we will abandon you, like Xellos has done so many times before. Xellos plays the coward so well when I require him to." Xellas smiled at Lina and Amelia, both humans' eyes widening at such a large piece of the puzzle now placed before them. "He's been a very acceptable child in following my orders so exactly, despite the fact that he'd rather not."

Lina shook her head. "You're saying that Xellos would have stayed and fought alongside me all those times, but didn't because you told him not to."

"Well, maybe not in the beginning. Most of your fights were not his own, and he truly wanted to see if you were capable of surviving without him. But as he got to know you and see you in action, he began wanting to be a part of your group, instead of just the bystander I required him to be. In the very end of one of your last fights, I'm sure you'll recall that he stayed to protect you despite the damage he sustained."

Lina nodded. "Yes, he did. I must admit he surprised me with that."

Xellas smiled. "I had ordered him not to. And for once, he actually defied me. I punished him for it of course. I can't let my servants think they can get away with disobeying me after all. But he's always been impressed with you, you know, even in the beginning. Though it isn't that hard to understand. Your power is very alluring, even to me." Xellas sighed as she regarded Lina again, her gaze almost longing.

Lina's eyes widened. Bad subject to linger on when a Mazoku Lord was involved. "So you've mainly just been spreading misinformation. Have you all really thought that far ahead?"

Xellas shook her head. "I haven't, but Dynast has. He's the next in line in regards to military planning and strategy. And he's always been harping on us to spread as much misinformation as we could should something ever come up where we as a species had to fight again. As you can see, he was correct. This war will not be a small one Lina Inverse. And you are the very center of it, as you should be. There is always chaos in war, and we Mazoku know how best to use that chaos to our advantage."

"So you are using me then." It was more a statement then a question asking for confirmation.

Xellas answered anyway. "Yes, but only because we have to. You drew out the anger of the Dragons, and because of that, we must come out and fight as well. This war between our races must come to fruition. It is the only way to restore any semblance of a balance."

"You really want a balance of power? You, as a Mazoku Lord?" Amelia asked, bewildered by such an idea.

"Yes Princess Deceptive. We all do. We have not remained true to our original code and the only way to get back to the way we were is to have one final fight, of good versus evil, even if the boundaries for that have disappeared. I am no longer certain of who I am or what I want. Neither is Dynast or Deep Sea Bitch. And I'm quite certain the Shinzoku feel the same, what with most of their followers and servants turning more and more despicable as the years pass. We have all lost our way. And our Mother will finally make Her decision on what She wants us to become in the final days."

A silence settled over them, one that was disturbing as it forced Lina and Amelia to come much closer to the truth than they had ever imagined they could.

Xellas decided to break it with a squeal. "So, let's start up the festivities. Seyruun needs to go out with a bang!" She hopped up onto the ledge of the balcony and grabbed both humans by their arms. "Come on! I wanna have some fun! Where's that cute blond swordsman of yours Lina? Bleed says he's quite potent especially since you won't leave him for Xellos."

"W-w-what?!" Lina spluttered as Xellas grinned and pulled both Lina and Amelia onto the balcony ledge. "Wait! Xellas, stop!"

Xellas, as was her way, ignored her and shouted out to the crowd of people still milling below, her voice booming. "Hear me humans in Seyruun! This young woman here, Lina Inverse, is the Mazoku Queen! She's gonna kick some Golden Dragon ass and her army of Mazoku followers shall kick the asses of any of her leftovers! But first, I want to party already, so how about we start the festivities a day early? Screw all those who chose to be late! Crack open those wine barrels already, start the bonfires and let's get this party started!"

A great cheer rose from the people below and through the rest of Seyruun. Clearly all the people in and around Seyruun could hear her and agreed wholeheartedly with her sentiments. Lina looked at Amelia who stared right back at her. Amelia only shrugged.

Who were they to argue with such a powerful, demanding Mazoku Lord who was actually on their side?

AN: Apologies. I'm a little gaki and have been writing on all my other stories while my mind attempted to figure out the intricacies of my devious plot to rule the world, I mean, uh, to write this story, yeah…