Slayers: Knightfall
Chapter Twenty

"I'm open to suggestions, you guys," I yelped, dodging a well-aimed flying hatchet. This was getting ugly. The endless number of Zephillian refugees that Valgaav had turned against us was pressing in fast.

Flying away would probably be pointless, as Valgaav seemed to be at least part demon. While he had already left, leaving the crowd to do his dirty work, he no doubt had informants and the like in the refugee throng. How else would he have known where we were? Anyway, the point is that we'd be a lot more noticeable flying around like birds.

Bright, colorful birds with exotic plumage just begging for an arrow up the arse.

Valgaav, eh? Something about his name bothered me.

Amelia flipped a few of her own attackers onto their backs. "Well, we can't kill them, but we have to get past them somehow!"

"The bees will save us!" Naga proclaimed, and then, subsequently . . . nothing happened.

"Can't you guys make a barrier or something with your magic?" Gourry grunted, throwing a young man into a crowd rushing in at him.

"Too many people. Someone's bound to get hurt or worse if we suddenly conjure up a stone wall or blast away with wind spells," Zel said, deflating that idea.

"How about we use you as a shield and push our way through?" I suggested, only half kidding. But if our lives depend on it, with or without Zel's consent, that's EXACTLY what we would be doing.

"How about no?" Zel rejected my brilliant idea and came up with one of his own.

He removed the scarf and cowl he normally wore to hide his face from strangers. His face, as you are all well aware, is pretty scary looking the first time you see it. Light blue granite and water- smoothed pebbles of a sea-green color make up his visage, with silver wire for hair. This curse Zelgadis has lived with for over half a decade.

Many of the refugees stopped cold at the sight of Zel. They were suddenly unsure whether or not they should attack this "monster" in their midst.

Hello!? There was a guy with a horn protruding from his forehead standing over there!

"Zel!" Amelia was mortified. She knew more than any of us just how sensitive Zel was about his appearance.

Zel levitated some ten feet into the air so everyone could get a good look. Though he was hiding it well, I could tell that this farce was taking an emotional toll on him.

This isn't just my story, I suddenly remembered. Zel and Amelia have their own reasons for traveling with me. The show that Zel was putting on hammered that home.

He bared his teeth at the crowd. "Are you sure you want to take me on?"

To my delight, a sizable section of the murderous gaggle parted to let us through. Most of the people weren't close enough to know what had just happened, so we hoped to get lost in the crowd before word spread too far about yet another bounty on my head.

I, obviously, could pass myself off as Zephillian and could cover for Gourry. Amelia, with her stark raven hair, delicate build and thick Seyruun accent, and Zel with his, well . . . Zel in general would be much harder to conceal.

Still we pressed onward. I swiped some native wear and bribed a guy to let us change in his covered wagon. Gourry looked quite fetching in a kilt, despite the bright shade of vermillion his face acquired when he stepped out of the wagon to show the world his new look.

"Excuse us, we forgot something at the last inn."

"Sorry, I think I dropped my bagpipes somewhere down the road."

"Who wants to take a break for whiskey and haggis?"

You see, if you blend in well enough, the bad guys will never know you left.

Bump

"Nice try, Inverse." A regrettably familiar voice, uh, congratulated me I guess.

"Um, thanks? So why do you want to kill me?" I automatically took a defensive stance when confronted with Valgaav.

Up close, the demony thing was very handsome, with a chiseled body to boot. The only thing that marred what he had going in the looks department was his omnipresent scowl that screamed, "Somebody DID pee in my cornflakes!".

"What did she do?" Gourry came to my defense. (He was my guardian, you know.) "Did she eat your restaurant out of business too?"

"You'd be surprised how often that happens," Amelia added, unnecessarily.

"This is indeed vengeance," Valgaav growled. "But do NOT put your ridiculous problems on the same level as mine! You killed Lord Gaav, and for that I shall kill you!"

"Wha-?" I didn't have time to protest as Valgaav simultaneously blew some nearby refugees out of his line of fire and launched an attack that I just barely managed to duck. The explosion caused people to either take cover or scatter. I wish I could've joined them.

Oh, great . . .not this again.

I was feeling so good, too. Maybe the lack of fighting, the sheer peacefulness of it all made me forget that once again, there are about a thousand beings that want nothing more than to see me dead. Now this tool as well . . . the demon that obviously was a minion of the Chaos Dragon Gaav, formally one of the Five Retainers of Shabranigdo. While I suppose we were party to Gaav's death a couple years ago, we did not actually kill him. Hellmaster Phibrizzo saw to that in gruesome fashion. But apparently that doesn't matter to Valgaav.

Again, it felt as if someone had slung a backpack for of bricks on my shoulders. The world dimmed to grey. The only thing that still seemed to shine with its usual contrast was Gourry as he leapt to my aid, blast sword engaging that strange weapon of Valgaav.

No, strike that. Gourry wasn't the only one who wasn't shaded in gray. Valgaav was not only in full color contrast, but a golden light faintly shimmered around his being

Oh, I get it.

Suddenly more demons materialized out of the ether. Zel, Amelia and a few of the braver refugees took up the fight. The demons didn't seem keen on injuring, much less killing, the refugees. They just conjured up some wind spells to scatter them. Amelia and Zel, however, were fighting for their lives, trying desperately to aim around the wayward Zephillians to land an Elemekia Lance or a Rah Tilt on Valgaav or one of the other mazoku. Anything to turn the odds back in our favor.

I was sick of it.

Sick of this depression.

Sick of the never-ending fighting.

Sick of Demons.

Sick of Dragons.

But most of all, SICK OF BEING LED AROUND BY MY FREAKING NOSE!

I was dimly conscious of the fact that I was about to do something perhaps unforgivable. Gourry would go along with it, I was sure. Zel might understand in time, but Amelia may never look at me the same way again. But it was the only choice I had to stop this battle without putting everyone's lives in danger.

Not only that, I knew in my gut that it was the only thing for me to do. The only way for me to complete my journey.

The only way for me to live.

"Wait!" I shouted. "Valgaav! Let me join you!"

That plea certainly put the brakes on things. Gourry looked puzzled at my request. Zel slapped his hand to his face. Amelia looked like her eyes where going to fall out of her head.

"You? What?" Valgaav was stunned, to say the least. "What kind of a ploy is this?"

"What kind of ploy indeed?" The voice of Milgasia, of all people, boomed overhead.

Once again, I didn't get a chance to reply. Valgaav howled in animalistic rage, shoved a dazed- looking Gourry out of the way and shot off some powerful-looking attack spells at the Golden Dragon. Mil skillfully banked and let loose with some patented Dragon Lord Laser Breath, searing the land where Valgaav had just been standing.

Then Valgaav sounded off. "High Priest of the Katart Golden Dragons! Though I feel little but hatred for your kind, I feel obliged to offer you this one chance to join me so that we may put an end to Dolphin's schemes!"

"Y-you, you were once a dragon, weren't you?" Mil, startlingly, seemed to be taken aback by what he had just sensed.

"Not just any dragon, priest!" Valgaav snarled. "An Ancient Dragon, as your kind calls us."

"That's not possible! The Ancient Dragons are a legend. A tale to show how far we fell away from the Gods!"

"We are only legend because you Golden Dragons made it so! All of us but me!" Val fired another plasma burst.

"What are you talking about!?" Mil shouted, deflecting Val's attack and retaliating with one of his own, which Val parried with his Light Weapon.

Val ignored Mil's query, "Look! See, fleeing people of Zephillia! A dragon lord who sees only what he wants to see. Remember how the followers of Sylpheed were powerless to help you defend your kingdom as it was taken over by demons!"

Many of the refugees stopped and turned to listen.

"The dragons of Katart are too weak to save you. But even though I am part demon, I can make you strong! Join me! I will take anybody who wishes to see his home free again!"

"Don't listen to him!" Mil shouted. "The dragons would've gladly helped, had we been greater in number. I regret not being able to help you! You may lose your lives looking for some other refuge, but going with him could very well cost you your souls!"

"Aren't you listening?" someone in the crowd yelled. "Seyruun is practically lost! We have no other place to go!" The expression of similar sentiments was quickly drowning out the noise of Amelia and Zel's skirmish, as well as that of the few Knights Mil had brought along with him.

While this was all going on, I kept looking back and forth at Mil and Valgaav. Val was the only one of the two that shone gold. Mil was as gray as the rest of the world, confirming that the choice I'd made was the right one. At least for now. But how did I go about convincing Valgaav to let me come with him before he took my head off?

"Lina!" Gourry set off his danger alarm.

I suddenly could sense bloodlust, as several of my fellow countrymen and women had surrounded me while I was in my daze. They held their motley weapons high, ready to rain down a world of hurt on yours truly.

But then they all exploded.

Or rather, their heads exploded, misting the air in crimson, studded with grisly chunks of flesh.

Xellos …

"I'm almost starting to like being your rescuer all the time, Lini-kins!" chirped the sociopathic demon.

"Oh, Valgaav!" Xellos called. "I have a proposition for you!"

"Zellas' lap dog? What do you want?" Valgaav eyed Xellos nervously. I would too, as Xellos is second in power only to the remaining demon lords.

"Well, this is how it will go down: You take Lina and her pet human along with you, and I don't kill your would-be subjects."

"Xellos!" Mil growled, landing a few yards away and transforming himself back to his human form. "What do you plan to do with her?"

Zel and Amelia, their fight apparently over, ran to stand by me, Gourry and Xellos. Naga suddenly appeared, covered in honey and with various things sticking to the honey. To this very day I have no idea where she got it.

"Lina?" Amelia said. "I might have misheard you in the clamor of battle, but did you say that you wish to join forces with Valgaav?" She had those eyes trained on me . . . the ones that said, "Please say it isn't so!"

"Well, uh, you know . . . " Then I got cut off from my rapidly forming, glutes-covering tale by Xellos's more accurate and incriminating version.

"Oh, you heard right, little princess. Lina has finally figured out that in order to accomplish her goals she has to take some more . . . drastic measures. Like embracing her demonic side!"

"Xellos." Mil's voice was flat. "Release her to me. No good can come of her joining with Valgaav."

"Or else what?" Xellos's tone went creepy times ten and Mil simply looked away. Xellos could kill Mil faster than the blink of an eye and they both knew it.

"Again, see how the followers of Sylpheed are powerless against a demon," Valgaav pontificated. "Very well, Xellos. I'll put aside my grudge for now, but!" He turned to me, and coldness was all I saw in those molten-metal-colored eyes of his. "Lina Inverse, I don't know your reasons for wanting to join me, but know this: I will not suffer any trickery on your part. If I get even the slightest hint that you have or are going to betray my cause, I will dismember you."

"Then it's agreed!" Xellos sang.

"Lina!" Amelia cried. "You can't do this!"

"It's the only choice I have, Amelia. Deep inside, I knew that I couldn't be led around by people who only see one side of things. I'm done with Milgasia and his roundabout and self-righteous way of doing things. I know that it goes against everything that you believe in, but I am joining the winning team. I'm sick of being hunted by demons. So in order to protect myself and the world's future, I am joining the Mazoku!"

Valgaav let out a low chuckle. Mil grimaced and turned his back on me.

"Gourry, say something!" Amelia pleaded, looking like her world was coming apart.

"I'm not really sure what is going on, but Lina hasn't led me wrong yet. I don't care if she's falling in with the wrong crowd. That's what I'm here for. I'll keep her head on straight."

Gourry …

"Be sure that you do," Zel said darkly, hurt just barely evident in his cold, emotionless voice. "You're walking a very slippery slope, Lina. If you get mired in the mud of evil, we will wash our hands of you."

The finality and bluntness of Zel's statement struck harder than I had expected. I felt like I'd been sucker-punched in the solar plexus. I could barely breathe. A few tears fell, shed in acknowledgment that it could be the last time I would be able to think of Zelgadis Greywords and Amelia Weir Tesla Seyruun as my friends.

"Sting . . ." Naga said softly. I couldn't be sure through my own tears, but I could've sworn that even Naga shed a few of her own right then.

Tom the Mighty's Mighty Notes.
Bet you didn't see this one coming! Revisions and edits can come later, but I thought you guys deserved another chapter for putting up with me and my late updates and constant story changes all the time, so there.