Starts off with a wonderful flashback for you all

Starts off with a wonderful flashback for you all. I hope my anonymous view acceptance thing is finally working, if not then I don't know what do.

Corrupt Moon

As the effulgent sun began its leisurely descent a mysterious figure walked up the dirty path that wended along the gentle slope a verdant hill. Sylphiel raised one arm to block the sun's glare and wondered who was coming towards her house. There was something vaguely familiar about the careless stride and elegant bearing of the person.

"Hello there, Miss Sylphiel," the man, determined from the baritone of his voice, called. A sweetly innocent smile bloomed on her face as she finally recognized the person.

"Good evening Mister Xelloss. What are you doing here?" she asked as she ran down to greet him. He gave her a short wave and met her halfway.

"I have a favor to request, nothing large but I do need your help."

"Well, I don't know how much help I'll be, I'm not that powerful." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away with slight embarrassment.

"Don't be so…negative…besides I need you to help me identify an artifact," he replied, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. She really wished he would open his eyes, it was rather unnerving the way he smiled all the time.

"I still don't know how much help I'll be, I only know about white magic relics and such," she murmured evasively. "I'll give it a try though."

"Splendid. Shall we go inside then?"

"Of course, I'll make us some tea," she exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. Finally she would be of some use to someone, albeit a Mazoku.

* * * *

Carefully Sylphiel poured the steaming tea into two delicate, blue china cups, watching as the seemingly content priest as he looked about her small kitchen. She placed one before her guest before taking a seat herself.

"So, what is it you want me to identify?" she asked with a curious smile. He reached inside his cloak and withdrew a small black velvet pouch. From that a small shard of black crystal fell out. Silently he handed her the crystal and waited patiently for her assessment.

Carefully she examined it, noting the strange energy that pulsed within. It was like nothing she had ever seen, a vessel of some sort, but what was it? Suddenly a thought bloomed in her mind and she stared down at the innocuous shard with horror.

"This isn't a holy relic," she cried, "This is demonic."

"Really. You're right." With a devilish grin Xelloss snapped his fingers. The young woman screamed as the crystal shattered in her palm, jagged chunks embedding themselves in her hand. She whimpered softly as the inky pieces began to sink deeper into the flesh, absorbing the blood that spurted forth. A vaguely pleasant burning sensation flowed up her arm then moved through her entire body.

Her eyes remained open in fear as her conscious slowly faded into the chaotic darkness that surged relentlessly through her leaden limbs. She tried to speak, ask him why, but the air was gone from her lungs, sucked out by the malicious glee reflected in his now open violet eyes.

"This tea is quite refreshing," he said as he took a sip. He arched an eyebrow as the brunette landed on the floor with a dull thud. "That's going to leave a mark."

* * * *

The brunette smiled cruelly at her former companions, face partially obscured by a fall of ebon hair.

"Master Xelloss taught me a few tricks. I'm far more powerful than I was before," she purred.

"Miss Sylphiel, why are you doing this?" Amelia cried out desperately, confusion evident in her tone.

"Why? Because I can, because he wants me too."

Lina glared at Sylphiel, hating Xelloss for twisting her pure soul into the creature of darkness before them. This was all a game to him, the shrine maiden was nothing but a toy to be used and discarded on a whim.

"Please, Sylphiel," Gourry intoned, "What's wrong with you?"

"Gourry?" Her soft voice sounded almost normal, except she had forgotten her usual term of endearment she usually added to the end of his name. "I'll kill you first."

"No choice," Zelgadis declared, with that he sent an elmekia lance at her. Kerenina covered her eyes, unwilling to witness the violence. "Damn it."

"Well, she does specialize in shields to some extent," Lina observed as the bolt of energy bounced away.

"That's not all I specialize in." A look of dark triumph appeared on her face as she began to recite a frighteningly familiar spell.

"She's going to cast a dragon slave."

"What's going on?" Kerenina cried as she struggled into a standing position, her gaze moving from her companions and the strange woman confronting them. Instead of answering she found herself pulled into the air by Zelgadis and Amelia while Lina held onto Gourry. Together they sped away from the forest.

A flash of intense light surrounded them, a strange keening sound filling their ears. Then the shock wave hit them and they all tumbled into the emerald greenery. They cowered as a scorching wind grated across their bodies, stealing the precious breath from their lungs.

"Damn you Xelloss," Lina hissed as she stood up. Around them a twisted landscape of warped and charred trees spread out before their eyes.

* * * *

He grinned maliciously as he stared at his battered opponents. Yes, choosing that Mazoku had been a stroke of pure genius, after all he wasn't directly interfering. Nothing would stop his plans, nothing.

* * * *

"Lina," a singsong voice echoed through the burnt stumps. "Gourry, Zelgadis, Amelia, where are you?"

"Who is she?" Kerenina demanded as she wiped back her tangled hair. "Why…" Her anxious voice trailed off as she doubled over in evident pain, breathing coming out in pained gulps.

"What's wrong?" Amelia cried, rushing to her side.

"I think…I think it's time," the woman hissed in agony as the first contraction seized her pregnant form.

* * * *

Finally the site's up; I was waiting for sooooo long. Oh well. For this series I think that I'm almost done, please review and I'll finish this series and then start on the sequel series. Thank you!