Slayers Mystic
Episode 19
Unexpected! The Truth Unfolds




"You are tough," Vee comments. "As tough as that...what's-his-name-with-red-hair?"

"I'm better than that," Patriot boasts.

"We'll see," Vee smiles coolly. "I disintegrated him and the other one."

"So you did," Patriot's sword came down on Vee who jumps back immediately.

-Slash!- Vee attacks. Her sword cuts Patriot's shoulder.

"Why aren't you angry?" Vee asks, baffled.

"Because, I have nothing worth fighting for. I am fighting only because you want to fight."

"WHAT? Stop!"

They stop fighting and stare at each other.

"Why are you not angry for your brothers' deaths? Why are you not angry at me?" Vee demands.

"Because there is too much happening for me to comprehend," Patriot says.

"Have you two finally done with your fighting?" Charity comes up, looking absolutely delighted.
"Have it finally came across your mind that fighting is wrong?"

"No," Vee scowls. "We are just taking a break."

"What is happening then?" Charity asks curiously.

Patriot throws away his sword. "There goes all my beliefs in this war. Kill me now and get it
over and done with."

"No way," Vee looks confused. "Not until you fight properly."

"The Restoration of Justice is just a set-up for him to be the most powerful person on the
continent.

"Idiot, don't you know that??!!" Vee scolds Patriot.

"I thought that it was for the good of people," Patriot admits. "I only got to know just know,
that we are the ones who are evil..."

"And don't you know that too? That was why we call you 'The evil ones'," Charity says.

"I found a passage," Gourry calls out.

"I will lead you to my...father. For the sake of Good," Patriot volunteers. "I know where his
real 'throneroom' is. Take me onto your side please," Patriot bows his head. "Now, I have seen
the truth."

*0*

"So you have finally become a traitor to the Restoration of Justice. You have finally become
this," a voice booms out.

"Where are you, come out!" Gourry shouts. "Come out like a real man."

"I can't," the voice booms out again. "Because. Because, I am not human. I am MORE than human."
A dark shadowy figure emerged from the darkness of the room. It had shining red eyes and sharp
fangs. It turns to Gourry. "You wish to fight me? You can't, you pathetic human!" with a swipe
of it's claws, Gourry is thrown to the wall behind him.

"Ooof," Gourry calls out.

"Gourry," Lina shouts out and rushes to his side.

"And you have brought the Queen with you. How convienient," it chuckles. It's arm reaches out and
extends.

"What kind of freak..." Vee begins.

The hand is about to grab Amelia when Lina rushes forward and swings her sword. The hand is
chopped off, but as it falls onto the ground, it dissolves into black smoke.

"Ahh!!" Lina sucks in the air deeply in surprise. Another hand regrows in place of the chopped
one.

"Eat this!" Zel goes. "Mega Flare!!!!"

"Fire Tornado!" Charity shouts.

"Lightning Bolt!" Amelia yells.

"Hiya!!!!" shouts Lina as she chops up the arm as fast as she could before it reaches Amelia.

"Light come forth!" Gourry charges towards Monthzie.

"Light saber!" Vee screams as she leapts towards the monster.

"It won't work," Patriot whispers. "DON't!!!" he shouts.

Monthzie snaps it's fingers on it's unoccupied hand and a gush of wind throws the whole gang
(including Patriot) against the wall behind them. There are groans as they all slide down, and a
snap as Gourry's sword breaks. "I am powerful. How can you defeat me?" it laughs. "Give me the
queen."

"You will never defeat him, you might just as well give up," Patriot says.

"Shut up!" Charity shouts at Patriot. "Are you with us or not?! If you are then do SOMETHING."
She knocks his head.

Everyone looks at her with wide eyes.

"Gee Charity, that's a big change in you," Amelia says.

"Er..." Charity sweat-drops. Then she turns to Monthzie. "Alright," she points at him. "No more
nice people. We are ALL going to take you down. Levitation!"

"What can you do with levitation?" Vee asks.

"Hmm..." Zel looks thoughtful. Then he looks up and says, "Earth Quake!!!"

"What? Are you crazy Zel?" Gourry shouts. "Even if I don't know magic, I know that we are doomed
if you do that!"

The gang rise a few inches above the ground.

"Levitation," Amelia whispers. And they rise a few more inches.

"Levitation," Lina mutters the spell. They rise a few metres.

"Now, Vee," Charity says as she starts perspiring as she concentrates.

"TELEPORT!" Vee says the spell just as the ceiling begins to cave in. They find themselves on the
hill outside the castle.

"Now, that's over," Lina sighs. "Why are you sad Gourry?"

"My sword of light...it's ruined," Gourry holds up his broken sword.

"What!!" Lina shouts, her eyebrow twitching. "The family heirloom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She collapses
onto the ground.

"Don't worry, some of the spells today can mend it," Zel mutters. He turns to his goddaughters.
"I'm really glad that both of you have set aside your differences to work together. This has
been such a good education for you."

"Don't bet on it," Vee replies.

Amelia smiles. "I'm proud of you both all the same. Now we can go home and..."

"IT IS NOT OVER," booms a voice. There is a flash and the ugly monster appears. Now, in the
light, they could all see it better. It stands tall and looks uncanningly like Shabranigdu.

"What the..." Lina says.

"Is this your father?" Vee asks Patriot. She hurls a fire ball at it. The others began to attack
it as well, with the exception of Gourry.

"I can't help it," Patriot leaps on Monthzie and tries to slash its head.

"FOOLS! YOU CAN'T HURT ME HERE. YOU CAN'T EVEN HURT ME IN MY OWN CASTLE, WHAT MORE OUTSIDE?" It
snaps its fingers and they are all thrown over the place, "AAGH!!!"

It snaps its fingers again and they are flattened against the ground.

"Why?" it asks Patriot, who is now battered and bloodied. "Why did you choose to go over the
other side, when you can help me in the Restoration of Justice?"

"No..." Patriot replies. "No, I shall not help you in the name of the false cause. Even though-"

"You are the only one of my sons left. Come and help your father," it says.

"Father, my foot!!!" Vee shouts as she struggles to get up. "Me...Mega...Megaflare!" The spell
does not work of course.

Monthzie snaps its fingers and Vee screams in pain.

"Vee!" Lina and Gourry shouts.

"Aargh!" Vee's face contorts.

"No!!" Charity yells. "Please...don't do this."

"My cause is not false--my son." It snaps its fingers and Charity screams in pain too.

"Please..." Charity looks pale.

"Will you help me?" Monthzie asks.

"No! Enough is enough!!!!!!" Patriot breaks free of the spell and flashes his sword before him.
"I will not allow these lies. You never loved me as your son. I was only your servant. And no
more now! Take this!!!!!" Patriot slashes at the fingers that would snap so often.

"Protection!" Zel gasps out and a shield surrounds the gang. For a moment, they were all off the
spell.

"Vee!" her parents calls out as they rushes to her. "Are you alright?"

"I am...fine," Vee sighs. "Charity?"

"I think she's fainted," Gourry turns to look.

"No," Charity whispers. "I'm just a bit out of breath. I'll recover."

"Where's Patriot?" Lina asks.

Not far from them, Patriot is kneeling, with his sword thrust into the ground. He is staring at
Monthzie, whose fingers have regenerated. "I won't...let you have your evil...ways. I won't..."
and then he collapses.

"What is going on?" Vee asks as she rushes forward. Then, she sees that he is bleeding profusely.

"Please...Vee...stop my...father..." Patriot says.

"Heal," Lina chants and some of the bleeding stops.

"At whatever cost, stop my fa..."

"I AM NOT YOUR FATHER," says Monthzie.

"It's so pathetically obvious 'doh," Vee comments. Everyone sweat-drops.

"I know who you are," Amelia, who has been silent, says.

------------------------------------------------2 B continued