Filia broke off a strand of her long blond hair at the roots and stepped into the circle, jaw set. She would do this for Miss Lina. So many people owed Lina their lives today, and didn't know it. It almost made up for the bandit's she'd killed.

Around the blonde woman, L'risia bit her lip so hard it drew blood.

'Okay.'

The magic-users drew in the blue-sheened shields in to form slender bars, shaping it like putty in their hands, lengthening and thinning the magic. Then in lightening movements, they shot out from their owner's hands, growing rigid and framing the unicorn. Light flared, causing them to shield their eyes. When they opened them, the red-eyes unicorn screamed in rage. Zelgadis could see Dynast, with his eyes narrowed and mirth gone staring out from them, he could see the internal anguish of the unicorn, and felt a rush of sympathy for the creature.  The magical blue-white cage was a tightly barred box around the unicorn. Xelloss watched, mesmerised, as Filia's hands shaped the strand of hair in a loop, sunlight glistening off the hair and causing occasional flashes of gold. She threw the noose around the unicorn's neck, and pulled. The noose tightened.

'Now what?' Val asked L'risia.

'Now we get that bastard where it hurts most.' She snarled, stepping next to the unicorn's head. 'Filia?'

The woman nodded, and stroked the creature, soothing the unicorn itself. It calmed slightly. The internal fight between it's own will and the dark lords was almost visible. The red light in its eyes throbbed.

'Wha-' Zelgadis began, and fell silent as the three priestesses grimly pressed their hands on the unicorn's skull, joining in the mental power struggle.

'He can't escape now.' Xelloss said with a certain amount of satisfaction.

'What's going on?' Val asked, looked wretched. Xelloss cast him a sidelong glance and shrugged.

'All right, I'll tell you.'

Zelgadis took some time to recover from this surprise. But then, he reasoned later, it wasn't his secret to keep.

'A unicorn can only be tamed by a virgin,' Xelloss said, not taking his eyes off the quiet war going on not a metre and a half away from him. 'And the one with the longest hair is Filia. The priestesses helped you two to create a cage of mixed powers- their light and dark, my dark, Val's dragon magic, your shamanistic power woven into on cage, one prison. In that barrier some of it leaks into the mind of the unicorn, trapping Dynast and stopping the unicorn from running any of us through. Filia's hair strand is enough to hold it, for reasons I can't be bothered to explain but I'm sure you can figure it out. Filia can calm the unicorn itself. In short, Lord Dynast, who is now trapped in its mind, possesses it. All he can do now is fight, and then he will be weakened- there are three priestesses of Chaos and a unicorn fighting him with all the mental force they have.'

'What will happen to him when he loses?' Zelgadis asked, teeth clenched.

'Dynast will be disabled. I know why L'risia hates him, and why the others do- they just don't show it so much. They mean to destroy him while they have the chance.'

'Why do they hate him?'

'That is a secret.'

Val rolled his amber eyes to the sky and muttered something under his breath. Xelloss giggled.

Behind the explanations and struggles, Amelia was keeping half an ear open as she worked up the strength to perform the spell on Lina. Putting Casper to rest had been harder than she had thought. She gritted her teeth and held out her hands, sweat trickling down her face. This would nearly kill her. She hoped Filia would not be hurt.

'Resurrection!'

'Amelia!'

'Princess?'

'Oh my. Casper's bond-breaking must have taken it out of her.'

Zel sighed. 'She's way overdone it- still- Lina's breathing.'

Val glanced at Xelloss pointedly. 'Well?'

'Well what?'

'Your cloak, Mr Metallium.'

'Eh? Hey!'

Val snatched the cloak off the priest and gently covered Lina's body with it. Zel was doing the same with Amelia. Casper was shuddering, sweat soaking his clothes. Xelloss wrinkled his nose.

'He's going to need a bath.'

'Oh shut up.'

'Four unconscious.' Zelgadis muttered, shaking his head. His hand was absently stroking Amelia's raven hair. Val opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He sat down on the grass with the other two, and watched the silent battle ahead.

The unicorn fell to its knees, heaving gasps of cool air. The cage collapsed. Filia stroked it, soothing,  L'risia took her hand away from it's cheek and turned around, throwing a weary smile in the boys direction. Cleo did the victory sign.

'He's dead?'

'I hope so.'

Kai'ila sat down heavily, wiping her forehead. L'risia did the same.

'I really want a good sleep-' she murmured softly, eyes fluttering shut. Suddenly she yelped, eyes open and sat bolt upright. Her round-eyed expression would have been funny if the other two hadn't been mirroring it. Xelloss held his head, looking annoyed.

'Oh crap.'

'He's baa-aaack.'

'Not for long.' L'risia snarled, and disappeared. 'See you around gang.'

'Say hi to Lina for us.' Cleo grinned, and disappeared. Kai'ila threw a green glance at Casper and nodded with a smile to her friends, disappearing. Filia nodded and ran her fingers through the wonderful coat of the now sleeping unicorn. Val tore off a strip up his shirt and wandered over, wiping off all the blood that stained it.

'Something like this shouldn't be stained with the blood of another.' He said.

'It murdered Lina.' Gourry said, sitting up, his eyes fixed on it.

'No it didn't.' Val said sharply. 'Animals can't murder. It's one of the things that make us different from them.'

'But-'

'It was possessed, Gourry. Dynast tried to murder Lina. The unicorn was a tool, a pawn in his little game.'

'Tried?' Gourry looked down at Lina, and noted her soft breathing. Those that remained looked away. Some things were too intense and personal to look upon.

L-sama shook her head.

'That idiot.'

Dolphin looked over her shoulder, the alcohol on her breath making the flowers on the TV wilt.

'Well?' she hiccuped. 'What do we do now? Smash Dynast into itty bitty pieces? Whee! Jellyfish!'

'No, the priestesses have a score to settle. However that unbalances the- balance.'

Zelas rolled her eyes.

'That was a good quote if I ever heard one.'

'Oh be quiet, Beastmaster. Hm…' he gaze fell on a figure, seated in the grass with eyes shut, a look of infuriatingly peaceful happiness on his face. She smiled.

Xelloss stood up, picking up his staff.

'Where are you going?' Zelgadis asked suspiciously.

'The battle is over.' Xelloss said. 'Dynast no longer exists. Lina will be quite angry to find she missed out on the battle, but there you are. I will take you home.'

'I don't have a-'

'Home.' Zelgadis finished, hitting the floor of the Sailloon palace. Filia leaned on the unicorn's neck.

'So what do we do with this?'

'Let if free.' Xelloss said. 'Unicorns were not to be slaves to anyone.'

'L-sama?' Filia asked mischievously. Xelloss tilted his head and said softly,

'Anyone.' He repeated. Filia released the unicorn. It nuzzled her once, nodded to the others, and disappeared, a star on the horizon in a minute. Zelgadis picked up Amelia.

'C'mon Gourry.' He said, starting to climb the stairs. 'Guest bedrooms are this way.'

'Of course you'd know all about that, wouldn't you.' Val and Xelloss chanted. Filia giggled as a fireball rocketed down towards them.

'Temper.' Xelloss grinned. Val looked relieved.

'I'm glad you're acting like a fruitcake again.'

'Eh?'

'Well you were answering questions and not grinning. You were being quite scary.'

'Oh. Good!'

'Moron.'

A few days later….

'I still can't believe I missed out on all that excitement!' Lina groaned.

'Yes, you've said nothing else for the last few days.' Casper nodded. Xelloss grinned.

'What does it feel like to be human, Casper?'

'Strange.' Casper nodded, 'but I got used to the half-emotions I had before…it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Um-'

Amelia raised an eyebrow over her magazine.

'What's up?'

'You haven't heard from the girls, have you?'

'Girls?' Lina repeated. 'Oh, the priestesses? No.' she looked saddened, then brightened up. 'But I'm sure they're fine. Hey Val when did you learn to swim!'

'Sano threw me in the river.' Val explained, climbing out of the pool. 'I didn't have much of a choice!'

'Sano-?'

'Oh a guy with hair like mine.' He grinned.

'What, like a deranged mop?'

'Y- HEY HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?!'

'About half an hour.' L'risia said from where she'd reclined in a tree. She had a bandage on her arm and a cut on her cheek. 'How d'you feel Lina?'

'Great! Where are the other two?'

L'risia indicated the balcony above their heads. Kai'ila and Cleo waved.

'Hello!'

'Well, they're alive.' Zelgadis said dryly. L'ri rolled her eyes and got down from the tree branch. 'What happened with Dynast? Xelloss wasn't a lot of help.'

'I'll bet.'

Cleo settled down in a chair.

'Well it basically started off with a slanging match and then it was magic spells all the way- we got a bit knocked up, but you should see Dynast.'

'If you could.' L'risia added.

'You vaporised him?!' yelled Amelia.

'Yep.'

'Geez-' Lina groaned. 'I can't believe-'

'I missed out on that!' chanted everyone else. She glared at them.

'Hmph.'

'Well, Lina, perhaps one day you will have another chance.'

'Gek-' L'risia squeaked. She, Cleo, Kai'ila and Xelloss hastily dropped to one knee. The beautiful blonde woman smiled faintly and walked towards them. The landscape behind her could be seen through her body. Slowly, Amelia and Lina knelt, followed by Val, and Filia dragged Gourry down, explaining things rapidly under her breath since Lina was too spellbound to do so. Casper slowly got down on one knee.

'L-sama.' Murmured Kai'ila. The woman smiled.

'Now, girls. Thankyou for taking Dynast off my hands- except you may realise the problem this has caused, yes?'

'Uh-'

'Imbalance in the dark forces, my Lady.' Xelloss said. L-sama nodded.

'As such I wish to- allocate a new Lord.'

Lina groaned.

'Well, its not as if Dynast did much anyway.' Cleo shrugged. 'Sat around watching TV, mostly-' suddenly she paled as the mental list of candidates stopped at a likely name. 'Oh noooooo-'

'Ah-' Kai'ila looked at her friend, noted her expression, and also paled, colour completely draining from her face. L'risia had frozen. Xelloss looked at them.

'What's wrong with you three?'

'She-' L'risia choked on the words as Lina clapped a hand over her mouth.

'Shut up!'

'Xelloss?' another female voice said. He turned around, and bowed.

'Master.'

The mauve-haired lady tapped her ash into the pool and indicated her servant.

'Now dear,' she said, 'L-sama has discussed this with me at great length, and though I do not entirely approve, you have served me loyally and I will not object if you choose to accept the position of a Dark Lord.'

Xelloss's eyes opened in shock.

'Master?!'

'L-sama wants you to be the new Dark Lord, in Dynast's place.' Cleo translated for him. Everyone blinked and glanced at Xelloss, to L-sama, to the Beastmaster. All eyes were on Xelloss.

'Um-'

'Why is he hesitating?' Gourry muttered. 'I thought Mazoku liked power!'

'If I didn't know better I'd say humanity has rubbed off on him….' Val murmured to no one in particular.

'DON'T YOU DARE XELLOSS!' Filia yelled, hurling her mace. It knocked him into the pool.

'Filia?' Xelloss sputtered, squirting water out of his mouth like a fountain. She put her face very close to his and growled,

'You've just started to act like a normal person, namagomi, and if you DARE accept this new "job" I'll-'

'What?' he grinned. She thought and a malicious grin spread across her face.

'I'll kiss you.'

Xelloss stared at her. Lina and Zelgadis fell over. Val began to grin. Casper looked sympathetic.

'Ooh.' Zelas said, looking interested. 'I don't suppose you've got any decent drinks, princess?'

'Huh? Oh, yes Beastmaster- just inside that door.'

Zelas wandered off. Xelloss licked his dry lips.

'You wouldn't.' he said hoarsely. 'Besides, Filia, you'd have to mean it.'

'Watch me.' She snarled. L'risia produced a bag of popcorn and passed it around.

'How can she make herself mean something?' Gourry asked Lina, and the world in general. She sighed and relaxed against him.

'Dunno.'

L-sama looked rather intrigued and sat down on the air with her cocktail.

'Well, Xelloss?'

'Why do you care?' Xelloss asked Filia. She opened her mouth to say something and then scratched her head.

'I'm not exactly sure,' she admitted, 'but then- if you were a dark lord- you'd get worse and then I'd have more reason to hate you and, and- I just- sort of-'

'Stopped hating you.' Finished Cleo. 'Wow, Filia.'

'Yeah.'

'Eh?!'

'We've seen you as helpless as a baby.' Val said, 'A human baby, Xelloss, it's hard to hate someone who yells for his teddy-bear.'

Xelloss looked embarrassed.

'I think he's blushing.' Kai'ila gaped. 'He looks kinda cute.'

'You have a teddy bear?' L-sama laughed. Xelloss rubbed the back of his head. Lina grinned.

'I'll tell you what, if you accept this, Xelloss, I'll tell everyone I see that the new dark lord sleeps with a teddy bear and THEN if you turn up again, I'll have time to get REALLY pissed off and I'll Ragna blade you.'

'L-l-Lina?'

'Right. Me too.' Zelgadis agreed.

'But you can't do that spell!'

'I'll learn.' Zel snarled. Xelloss looked miserable as the priestesses and Val added in that, and Amelia launched into a Do What Is Right And Good For The World Speech. Xelloss turned to L-sama and let Gourry pull him out of the pool.

'I am sorry, L-sama, but it would appear there is a better future for me being the slimy fruitcake I am now.' He said, and grinned, his face resuming his normal cheerful position. Several people looked relieved.

'Whew.' L'risia breathed out. L-sama nodded.

'I understand. I'll just make a new one then. Good luck, Lina-tachi. Oh, and girls?'

'Yes, L-sama?' the priestesses asked as they stood up.

'You're on a holiday. Say a millennia or two. Same for you, Xelloss.'

All of them looked wretched.

'But what are we supposed to doooo?!' they wailed. Val snickered. L-sama shrugged.

'Find something.' She ordered, and vanished. Xelloss slumped and looked at Zelas.

'Master?'

'Don't look at me, it's your holiday. Oh damn that means I have a holiday too- well I'm off to the Bahamas. See you around Xelly-poo.' And with a twinkle of her fingers, she vanished. In the embarrassed silence that followed, eyes slid to the on-vacation Mazoku twiddling his thumbs and looking at his feet.

'Xelly-poo?!'

A/N- I'm going to write an epilogue people, and then I think the story is finished. I kinda lost the pairings idea didn't I? Oh well, there are lots of those out there any way ^_^ but still, I can have a lot of fun with epilogues…hehe!

Waaah- one month left of summer holz….boohoo!

Sniff. Anyway.

Ja ne

Star-chan