Chapter 22:

Chapter 22:

The dark haired Princess watched the trio return to the camp with an apprehensive expression upon her usually glowing face.

"What happened?"

Just as the Trickster Priest opened his mouth, the Knight of Ceipheed placed a gloved hand before his face. "Shut up, Xelloss."

The mazoku took the hint and fell silent.

Curious, the entire Slayers cast glanced up from their little businesses. Before anyone could say a word, Luna's purple eyes narrowed dangerously, a fire burning fiercely within them.

Ever the wise one, the cursed youth crossed his arms across his chest. "What now, Luna san?"

"We head to the mazoku's lair."

"If you don't mind me asking, who will be our guide?"

With a sudden burst of flames, the camp fire blew up, then sputtered away and died in a poof of smoke.

Instinctively, everyone stood ready in a defensive stance.

"I shall be your guide."

As the eerie, haunting voice floated in the air and chilled the spines of all who were present, Xelloss's face appeared to expand and solidify in the darkness. Features of his face were shadowed, giving him a rather ghastly appearance. The delicate priestess from Sairaag released a scream of utter horror, leaping into the arms of her blond hero.

The phantom Trickster grinned.

"Stop playing around, you fruitcake!"

With a brilliant flash of light, Xelloss was thrown off his feet with a yell. "Argh! I'm blinded!"

Donning on a pair of shades, the fiery bandit killer snorted derisively. "You ruined the wrong part of the face, oneesama. His mouth is still moving." The Knight of Ceipheed reserved her comment.

Floating higher into the air and illuminating the place with its gentle glow, the lighting spell which the Knight flung into the Trickster's face revealed a second purpose.

His eyes squeezed shut in pain, Xelloss tried to clear away the coloured spots in his vision. "Luna san…that was mean."

"Get moving, Xelloss, before I rip off that irritating thing on your neck you call a head."

"Why, how kind of you." Audible snickers from Karyuuou's miko could be heard in the background as the blinded mazoku blundered straight into a tree.

The Knight of Ceipheed growled. "Don't test my patience, Xelloss."

Amethyst eyes snapping open, the Trickster Priest hopped to his feet. Taking the corners of his cape, the violet-haired mazoku bowed to the group with a graceful flourish.

"Please follow me."

Turning, the Trickster started at a brisk pace into the forest, seeming to dissolve into the shadows and disappear completely. Just as the impulsive Lina was about to voice a loud complaint, her elder sister stopped her with a trademark icicle glare.

The Knight waved her hand, causing the ball of lighting above them to float after Xelloss, revealing to the Slayers troupe his brown flowing cape. Immediately, they followed it.

They walked in pitch-black darkness for hours and hours. At least, that was what it seemed to the Slayers group. The Dragon Gods, except Rairyuu, began chatting with the Slayers cast gaily, evidently trying to keep the atmosphere cheerful and gay. No one dared to ask for a pit-stop, for Luna Inverse's gait spoke volumes of her answer to that particular question.

Finally, for what seemed like an eternity, the Trickster Priest halted. There was a peculiar dark sense of premonition in each and every one of them. Even the Dragon Gods fell silent.

Xelloss lifted his hand and beckoned. The lighting spell obediently flew into his waiting palm. Taking a step into the night, the Trickster Priest called out.

"Scylla san…we have arrived."

Question marks filled the air, as the Slayers troupe (with the exception of Luna and the Gods) looked at each other with bewildered looks. For once, Gourry was not alone.

Suddenly, there was a loud creaking noise of a gigantic door straining against its rusty hinges. From out of the blue, a figure walked towards the group.

The bright light revealed the figure to be a beautiful lady in her early twenties, her sandy blond hair framing her face almost perfectly. Upon her body shone a set of armour, and on her waist hung the sheath of a sword.

The lady spread her arms out at the blinking group, with a smile on her radiant face.

"Congratulations for making it this far, my friends."

With a snap of her fingers, the image of a towering mansion appeared before the gawking viewers, as a bolt of lightning struck in the background. The lady's smile widened.

"Welcome to hell."