Thirteen - The Shadow of Death
Zel and Gourry had been keeping their promise of watching Lina 24/7. Well, at least Zel was. Gourry wasn't a very good watch dog. He always fell asleep. So, Gourry was snoring loudly, hunched over the table. Lina was sleeping soundly in one of the beds. (They'd been smart enough to get a room with at least two beds this time.)
Zelgadiss was sitting on the window sill, gazing out. The moonlight poured in, highlighting his features. He sighed, glancing back over at Lina. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happen. 'What is Xelloss trying to prove? I know he wouldn't help us under normal circumstances. But what is he expecting Lina to do?' Zelgadiss shifted his gaze back at the moon.
Lina's eyelids slowly blinked open and she sat up in bed. A blood thirsty grin spread across her face. Zelgadiss was lost in his thoughts at the window. Gourry was asleep on the table. Lina slowly slid out of bed and grabbed her sword off the night stand. She was still dressed except for her shoulder guards and hard accessories. Her bare feet padded softly across the floor as she walked over to the table.
Zelgadiss looked up at the sound of movement. "Lina?" 'What is she doing up? And being so quiet?' He watched her from his seat at the window. Lina hardly made the effort to look at Zelgadiss but he caught the strange gleam in her eye and wide grin on her face. Something was not right. "Lina." Zelgadiss spoke her name again as his pace quickened towards her.
Lina ignored him and reached for Gourry's arm. Zelgadiss stared as she lifted Gourry almost off the bench with one hand. Gourry slept through it all, his chin rested against his chest. Long blond bangs covered almost all of his face. Lina grinned and raised the knife once more.
Zel's eyes widened. "Lina, no!" He lunged, grabbing the sword and knocking her to the hard floor. Lina's head connected with the floor but she was alright. She'd have a killer headache in the morning though. Gourry fell off the bench. He sat up cursing and rubbing his head, figuring he'd fallen off the bed again. He stood, then froze when he saw Zel on top of Lina on the floor.
Lina growled and tried to shove Zel off of her but he wouldn't let her up. He pinned the hand holding the sword to the floor. "What are you?" He glared into her angry face. Lina only grunted in response and wedge a foot in Zel's chest. He roared and was kicked backwards, sliding across the floor. He was gasping for breath. Normally, he would have been able to take her easily. But this was not Lina. Zel looked up at Gourry.
"Gourry, be careful! She's dangerous!" Zel yelled from his position on the floor.
Gourry looked at Zel, expressionless, then back at Lina who was glaring at Zel. He didn't notice she clutched the sword in one hand. Gourry walked towards Lina and knelt beside her. Lina blinked, forcing herself into a sitting position. Gourry looked back at Zel, who was now standing.
A determined, serious look came over Gourry's face as he spoke. "Zel, I know you think Lina killed them. But I trust her. She'd never do anything like that." Angry blue eyes narrowed at the chimera. "Lina didn't do it."
Just then, the sword punctured Gourry's gut. His eyes widened and the blood he coughed up splattered on the wooden floor. Zelgadiss gasped, frozen in place. Lina gritted her teeth, glaring up her victim. Gourry looked at her with the most confused expression he'd ever worn.
"Lina..." He barely spoke her name before he coughed up more blood. Lina stared into his eyes, a wide ominous grin spreading across her face. A fanged tooth glistened in the moonlight. She reached for the sword and wrapped her fingers around it. But Gourry's bigger hand wrapped around hers and she stopped.
Their eyes met and he thought he saw a flicker of pain in hers but in a second it was gone. Lina's face twisted into a hideous snarl and she yanked the sword from Gourry's stomach. Gourry roared in pain and grabbed his stomach. Lina cackled and lifted the sword high about her head, preparing to bring it down on Gourry. Up, up, up. Down.. stop! Zelgadiss dug his heels into the ground, holding Lina's wrist in the air with all his might.
Gourry, still gripping his side, stood. He stumbled a few steps forward then collapsed on the bed. His eyebrows creased as sweat poured down his face.
"Let go!" Lina roared, trying to free her wrist from Zel's grip. Zelgadiss gritted his teeth, glaring into her face. Slowly, he forced her hand downward, tightening his grip to a crushing caliber. Lina groaned and the blood stained sword clattered to the floor. Zelgadiss growled, taking hold of both her wrists and backed her up into the wall.
"Who are you?!" He asked again, icy blue eyes glaring into hers.
Lina didn't reply and struggled against his grip. Gourry watched from the other side of the room, still bleeding. 'It's a dream.' He tried to convince himself. But he knew the pain in his heart was all too real. He just didn't understand. 'Lina...'
Zelgadiss moved a hand to her throat and brought his face closer to hers. She winced but glared back at him with empty eyes. "I'll kill you right now. Tell me who you are."
Lina thought this over. Zelgadiss seemed quite capable of killing this body and that would be most unfortunate. Pink lips parted but the voice that came out was not her own. "They call me.. the Hell master." Just then, Lina's eyes went wide then closed as her body went limp. Zelgadiss gasped and caught her. He set her gently on the floor against the wall and turned to Gourry.
Zel's quickly made his way over to Gourry and began casting a healing spell. Gourry's breath was shallow and the sheets were soaked with blood. Zelgadiss cursed himself. Gourry wouldn't hold out much longer.
Leaning against the wooden wall, Lina's ruby eyes blinked open slowly. She lifted a hand to her head and groaned. "Nani..?" Then she gasped as she caught sight of Zelgadiss and Gourry. Lina jumped to her feet almost too quickly and had to catch her balance on the wall. She inhaled sharply as something flashed before her eyes. And again. Another vision was coming. Lina whimpered and fell to her knees again, gripping her head. Scenes of the recent occurrences flashed through her brain. Zel attacking her, then her retaliating with amazing strength. Then Gourry knelt beside her. "Lina didn't do it," he defended her just before she stabbed him in the gut. Tears poured from Lina's tightly closed eyes. 'This is what really happened. Just like all the others...' The dreamlike state continued, revealing her second attempt to murder Gourry. Zel stopped her just in time then forced her against the wall. "Who are you?!" He was yelling at her. She replied in a voice that was not her own. "They call me... Hell master." Lina gasped, jerking back to reality. "Hell master Phibrizo!"
"Nani?!" Zelgadiss' head whipped towards her. "Hell master Phibrizo?!"
Lina nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes and stood. "I saw it. Everything that just happened. And he told you who he was, right? He said 'They call me the Hell master.' That's Phibrizo, a Dark Lord." Lina joined him at the bedside.
Zelgadiss stared at her. 'He's been possessing you..? He's the one that killed Amelia and Raymia through your body?!' Zelgadiss gritted his teeth, muttering a curse. He blinked as Lina began casting a healing spell on Gourry. But he didn't join in. He just stared at her as a cold hand gripped his heart. "Lina." Zelgadiss backed away from the bed slowly.
Lina looked up at him, confused. She blinked, then ruby eyes widened and her body went into a cold sweat. The concentration on the healing spell was lost. Lina stepped back from the bed, her breath caught in her throat.
Lina swallowed hard and forced herself to meet Zel's sympathetic gaze. "Iie..." She whispered. But the tears filled her eyes because she knew it was true. A sob escaped her throat and she fell to her knees. "GOURRY!!!" She couldn't catch her breath. Her chest heaved with each gasp.
"Lina!" Zel rushed over to her side and knelt beside her. He knew what it was like. To lose someone you love. But it had to be even harder knowing that you killed them. He placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off, glaring angrily at him through her tears. He blinked, taken aback by that hateful glare.
Lina stood, stepping away from Zel. Immediately, she began casting a spell. "Darkness that shines upon the Sea of Chaos..." That forbidden spell. The Giga Slave. She continued, electricity crackled around her. Her fiery hair flowed in the wind generated by the spell and she was bathed in a gold light.
"Kisama!" Zel tackled her once more, causing her to lose concentration on the spell. Luckily, she'd only recited the first two lines and the spell simply faded out like a Dragon Slave would.
"Lina! What are you thinking?!" Zel yelled angrily at her. Lina glared up at him but didn't respond. She shoved him away and stood. Tears were running down her angry face as she turned from him and walked out of the room. Zel stared after her. He glanced back at Gourry, wasn't sure what to do. "Lina..." He decided to let her go and let her mind clear. "I'll find her later. She needs time to let this all sink in. Then I'll go find her." Zel went downstairs and informed the inn keeper of the third anonymous murder.
Zel and Gourry had been keeping their promise of watching Lina 24/7. Well, at least Zel was. Gourry wasn't a very good watch dog. He always fell asleep. So, Gourry was snoring loudly, hunched over the table. Lina was sleeping soundly in one of the beds. (They'd been smart enough to get a room with at least two beds this time.)
Zelgadiss was sitting on the window sill, gazing out. The moonlight poured in, highlighting his features. He sighed, glancing back over at Lina. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happen. 'What is Xelloss trying to prove? I know he wouldn't help us under normal circumstances. But what is he expecting Lina to do?' Zelgadiss shifted his gaze back at the moon.
Lina's eyelids slowly blinked open and she sat up in bed. A blood thirsty grin spread across her face. Zelgadiss was lost in his thoughts at the window. Gourry was asleep on the table. Lina slowly slid out of bed and grabbed her sword off the night stand. She was still dressed except for her shoulder guards and hard accessories. Her bare feet padded softly across the floor as she walked over to the table.
Zelgadiss looked up at the sound of movement. "Lina?" 'What is she doing up? And being so quiet?' He watched her from his seat at the window. Lina hardly made the effort to look at Zelgadiss but he caught the strange gleam in her eye and wide grin on her face. Something was not right. "Lina." Zelgadiss spoke her name again as his pace quickened towards her.
Lina ignored him and reached for Gourry's arm. Zelgadiss stared as she lifted Gourry almost off the bench with one hand. Gourry slept through it all, his chin rested against his chest. Long blond bangs covered almost all of his face. Lina grinned and raised the knife once more.
Zel's eyes widened. "Lina, no!" He lunged, grabbing the sword and knocking her to the hard floor. Lina's head connected with the floor but she was alright. She'd have a killer headache in the morning though. Gourry fell off the bench. He sat up cursing and rubbing his head, figuring he'd fallen off the bed again. He stood, then froze when he saw Zel on top of Lina on the floor.
Lina growled and tried to shove Zel off of her but he wouldn't let her up. He pinned the hand holding the sword to the floor. "What are you?" He glared into her angry face. Lina only grunted in response and wedge a foot in Zel's chest. He roared and was kicked backwards, sliding across the floor. He was gasping for breath. Normally, he would have been able to take her easily. But this was not Lina. Zel looked up at Gourry.
"Gourry, be careful! She's dangerous!" Zel yelled from his position on the floor.
Gourry looked at Zel, expressionless, then back at Lina who was glaring at Zel. He didn't notice she clutched the sword in one hand. Gourry walked towards Lina and knelt beside her. Lina blinked, forcing herself into a sitting position. Gourry looked back at Zel, who was now standing.
A determined, serious look came over Gourry's face as he spoke. "Zel, I know you think Lina killed them. But I trust her. She'd never do anything like that." Angry blue eyes narrowed at the chimera. "Lina didn't do it."
Just then, the sword punctured Gourry's gut. His eyes widened and the blood he coughed up splattered on the wooden floor. Zelgadiss gasped, frozen in place. Lina gritted her teeth, glaring up her victim. Gourry looked at her with the most confused expression he'd ever worn.
"Lina..." He barely spoke her name before he coughed up more blood. Lina stared into his eyes, a wide ominous grin spreading across her face. A fanged tooth glistened in the moonlight. She reached for the sword and wrapped her fingers around it. But Gourry's bigger hand wrapped around hers and she stopped.
Their eyes met and he thought he saw a flicker of pain in hers but in a second it was gone. Lina's face twisted into a hideous snarl and she yanked the sword from Gourry's stomach. Gourry roared in pain and grabbed his stomach. Lina cackled and lifted the sword high about her head, preparing to bring it down on Gourry. Up, up, up. Down.. stop! Zelgadiss dug his heels into the ground, holding Lina's wrist in the air with all his might.
Gourry, still gripping his side, stood. He stumbled a few steps forward then collapsed on the bed. His eyebrows creased as sweat poured down his face.
"Let go!" Lina roared, trying to free her wrist from Zel's grip. Zelgadiss gritted his teeth, glaring into her face. Slowly, he forced her hand downward, tightening his grip to a crushing caliber. Lina groaned and the blood stained sword clattered to the floor. Zelgadiss growled, taking hold of both her wrists and backed her up into the wall.
"Who are you?!" He asked again, icy blue eyes glaring into hers.
Lina didn't reply and struggled against his grip. Gourry watched from the other side of the room, still bleeding. 'It's a dream.' He tried to convince himself. But he knew the pain in his heart was all too real. He just didn't understand. 'Lina...'
Zelgadiss moved a hand to her throat and brought his face closer to hers. She winced but glared back at him with empty eyes. "I'll kill you right now. Tell me who you are."
Lina thought this over. Zelgadiss seemed quite capable of killing this body and that would be most unfortunate. Pink lips parted but the voice that came out was not her own. "They call me.. the Hell master." Just then, Lina's eyes went wide then closed as her body went limp. Zelgadiss gasped and caught her. He set her gently on the floor against the wall and turned to Gourry.
Zel's quickly made his way over to Gourry and began casting a healing spell. Gourry's breath was shallow and the sheets were soaked with blood. Zelgadiss cursed himself. Gourry wouldn't hold out much longer.
Leaning against the wooden wall, Lina's ruby eyes blinked open slowly. She lifted a hand to her head and groaned. "Nani..?" Then she gasped as she caught sight of Zelgadiss and Gourry. Lina jumped to her feet almost too quickly and had to catch her balance on the wall. She inhaled sharply as something flashed before her eyes. And again. Another vision was coming. Lina whimpered and fell to her knees again, gripping her head. Scenes of the recent occurrences flashed through her brain. Zel attacking her, then her retaliating with amazing strength. Then Gourry knelt beside her. "Lina didn't do it," he defended her just before she stabbed him in the gut. Tears poured from Lina's tightly closed eyes. 'This is what really happened. Just like all the others...' The dreamlike state continued, revealing her second attempt to murder Gourry. Zel stopped her just in time then forced her against the wall. "Who are you?!" He was yelling at her. She replied in a voice that was not her own. "They call me... Hell master." Lina gasped, jerking back to reality. "Hell master Phibrizo!"
"Nani?!" Zelgadiss' head whipped towards her. "Hell master Phibrizo?!"
Lina nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes and stood. "I saw it. Everything that just happened. And he told you who he was, right? He said 'They call me the Hell master.' That's Phibrizo, a Dark Lord." Lina joined him at the bedside.
Zelgadiss stared at her. 'He's been possessing you..? He's the one that killed Amelia and Raymia through your body?!' Zelgadiss gritted his teeth, muttering a curse. He blinked as Lina began casting a healing spell on Gourry. But he didn't join in. He just stared at her as a cold hand gripped his heart. "Lina." Zelgadiss backed away from the bed slowly.
Lina looked up at him, confused. She blinked, then ruby eyes widened and her body went into a cold sweat. The concentration on the healing spell was lost. Lina stepped back from the bed, her breath caught in her throat.
Lina swallowed hard and forced herself to meet Zel's sympathetic gaze. "Iie..." She whispered. But the tears filled her eyes because she knew it was true. A sob escaped her throat and she fell to her knees. "GOURRY!!!" She couldn't catch her breath. Her chest heaved with each gasp.
"Lina!" Zel rushed over to her side and knelt beside her. He knew what it was like. To lose someone you love. But it had to be even harder knowing that you killed them. He placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off, glaring angrily at him through her tears. He blinked, taken aback by that hateful glare.
Lina stood, stepping away from Zel. Immediately, she began casting a spell. "Darkness that shines upon the Sea of Chaos..." That forbidden spell. The Giga Slave. She continued, electricity crackled around her. Her fiery hair flowed in the wind generated by the spell and she was bathed in a gold light.
"Kisama!" Zel tackled her once more, causing her to lose concentration on the spell. Luckily, she'd only recited the first two lines and the spell simply faded out like a Dragon Slave would.
"Lina! What are you thinking?!" Zel yelled angrily at her. Lina glared up at him but didn't respond. She shoved him away and stood. Tears were running down her angry face as she turned from him and walked out of the room. Zel stared after her. He glanced back at Gourry, wasn't sure what to do. "Lina..." He decided to let her go and let her mind clear. "I'll find her later. She needs time to let this all sink in. Then I'll go find her." Zel went downstairs and informed the inn keeper of the third anonymous murder.