A/N: I would like to apologize for the word himttsu in the last chapter… It was meant to be himitsu, but my spell check kept messing up. By the way, This chapter has little to do with our main character, regretfully. Also, I'm going to explain Zelgadis and his reaction to William in this chapter. I would also like to dedicate this chapter to the Squigglies… It has been a difficult thing for them… not being in my newest chapters…. Anywayz, here is my chapter…

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers. NO!!! I DON'T OWN SLAYERS!!!! THAT'S RIGHT!!! It would be cool if I did, but I don't, so forget about it. Just forget it and start reading this chapter… GO ON and READ IT!!!!

Chapter 9: The Rescue

(Where we left off….) The muffled screams tore through the sock as William screamed in utter pain. If Xellos had been there, it would have been a buffet.

Gourry, who had fallen asleep, suddenly awoke. "Huh? What's that?"

Lina would have replied but her mouth was still 'socked'. Still her eyes told Gourry, "Gourry, if my hands weren't tied, I would slap you so hard that stars wouldn't be enough to show the pain you felt!!!"

Zangulus, luckily was not socked, and spoke up. "Don't worry I'm sure we shall be rescued!"

Gourry replied, "Why do we need rescuing?" (Grumbling and loud mumbling heard from Lina's direction.) As the mumbling slightly decreased, the large wooden door near Lina (Which just happened to be fire red) slammed open. The doors, which barely missed Lina's left arm, were so fast in opening that the wind created from knocked the socks out of everybody's mouth (literally, except for William's, who was too far away.) Lina, instead of screaming at Gourry, or casting a spell, as expected, looked to see who had entered.

"Martina, my love!!! I knew you would come for me!!" Zangulus shouted.

"Zangulus, my love, you are only one reason I'm here. The other is to kill Lina Inverse!!!" Martina replied. Martina looked at Lina Inverse with a cruel smile. Hello, Lina. Oh, look you dropped this!! Here you go!! Martina then picked up one of the socks that had flown away and stuffed it in Lina's mouth. "Now that's better. I hear shouting is bad for your health. And guess what!!! I've learned to cast a Fireball through the graciousness of Zoamelgustar so now I'm going to use it. FIREBALL!!!" She shouted pointing at a guard. "FIREBALL!!! FIREBALL!!!" She shrieked as she shot the remaining guards. "See Lina Inverse? I can cast a spell!!! See, see!!"

"That's wonderful, my love!! Absolutely wonderful, but could you help me undo these ropes?!?" Zangulus said interrupting her before she would say something else. (Zangulus was actually horrified, wondering what would happen should she learn any other spells. He hoped that the spell wouldn't affect his life at all.)

"Of course, my dear." Martina walked over to Zangulus and cut his ropes with the Howling Sword. "Here, love muffin. I got this from some guy guarding a room marked NOT A TORTURE CHAMBER. He didn't seem to know what it was so I Fireballed him and took it from him, for you…"

"Good. Good." Zangulus was now ignoring Martina. He walked over to a guard and took a sword. "Gourry, I free you. Here, have a sword. Now let's fight!!!"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no. A sword fight wouldn't be interesting enough, just by itself!! Let's add a pawn. "

Zelgadis realized what was going on. "NOOOOO!!!!!"

Xellos stepped out from the darkness. "Why not? You moved pawns Martina and Zangulus, while we only moved a knight, me. So my team still has a piece to play. And here it is…" From the open doors, a roar was heard. A black shadow could be seen just outside. "Oh, Lina Inverse, I'm sorry but it's a pity you can't join this round. You're to far away on the board. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The King must be regretting that now."

Lina looked at him questioningly. CRASH!!! The sound came from the shadow. BOOOOMMMM!!!!!! The shadow moved forward. "XELLOS!!!!" Gourry rushed at him with his sword. But, when Xellos teleported just beyond his reach, Xellos realized, "The knight moves 2 by 1!!! He wasn't attacking me!!! He's attacking the pawn!!!!" And so he was. Gourry was running into the shadows. "I don't know what Zelgadis and Xellos are talking about but….uhhh, Yeah!!!!" Zangulus, not to be outdone by Gourry, also rushed forward. The shadow lurched into the light of the chamber. It was a dragon.

"HOWLING SWORD, PART TWO!!!" Zangulus yelled as he approached the huge reptile.

"FIREBALL!!!" Martina shouted as Gourry and Zangulus thrust their swords at the dragon. The dragon, distracted by Martina's fireball, bellowed with pain as the swords entered his heart and lung.

"OHHHH, THAT TASTES SO GOOOOODD!!!!!!" Xellos said as he reveled in the pain. "Well, Zelgadis. It's your turn again. Your knight corners my pawn. One of your pawn, without moving, blocks one of my pawns moves, and another of your pawns, finishes my pawn. Myself, the knight, takes advantage and gains a better position on the board, by a delicious meal, I might add. Your swordsmen are quite good cooks. I'll see you all later."

Gourry, Zangulus, and Martina (with reluctance) released the rest of the Slayers. Lina asked the thing which was on everybody's mind. "Zelgadis, what's going on?!?!"

A/N: The chess match continues… Hmmm… who are the kings that are maneuvering the Slayers and their opponents around?? Is William really all that important? When are they going to rescue him? Will they even do so? Why does Xellos act the way he does, even though he's the enemy? Where are Gourry and Lina going to find a restaurant? Find out in the next chapter!! Please review. By the way, there are 989 words in this chapter. Anywayz, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!