Sorry for the long wait, but now I have inspiration. I'm writing again. Yay! Please review.

Shadowed Moon

"Amelia take care of her," Lina cried as threw up a shield around them.

"But this wasn't covered in my teachings, Miss Lina," Amelia declared frantically.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it's the job of midwives."

"My water broke." Kerenina stared down at her soaked dress from her sitting position on the ground.

"Just help her, do something."

"Like what?" Amelia cast panicked glances between Lina and the pregnant woman. The redheaded sorceress made a wild gesture as Zelgadis launched another elmekia lance at their former companion. "Fine."

* * * *

"…Breath?"

"I know." The woman screamed angrily as she bore down. "Gods dammit, this hurts." Amelia patted her hand distractedly and peered between her legs, blushing all the while. Around them explosions shook the ground while incantations and smoke filled the air.

* * * *

"Fireball." The glowing sphere of molten energy splintered about the shielded priestess, bringing crimson highlights to her raven hair. She laughed cruelly and casually tossed off one of her own. Lina threw herself to the ground, feeling the ends of her hair singe.

"She's learned some more spells," Zelgadis observed dryly as he launched a spell of his own.

"Sylphiel, please stop it," Gourry pleaded as he tried to make his way through the pitted ground.

"Gourry, get the hell back."

"What are we going to do, Lina. Our weaker spells aren't making a dent. I think it's time to use those spells." Lina glared at her blue-skinned companion and shook her head.

"We can't just kill her."

"We might have to."

* * * *

"Push."

"What the hell do you think I'm doing?" Kerenina screamed again and flailed weakly at Amelia. The girl winced at her charge's furious tone and the blood pouring out.

"I think I see something. A head." The woman's reply was an inarticulate cry. Her body convulsed and sweat dampened her dark hair.

A wave of smoldering heat rushed over them before either Lina or Zelgadis could throw up a protection spell. The woman moaned horribly, flushed face tossing from side to side. It felt like the child was ripping out her insides and carrying them to the outside world. Her abdomen burned and throbbed with each contraction.

"Just a little more. I think it's almost here," Amelia declared as she reached for the tiny being. She grimaced as her hands touched the blood and birthing liquid that coated the baby's wrinkled skin. The woman cursed vividly, shocking the naïve princess with her knowledge of vulgar terminology.

The princess made several faces as she helped to remove the wriggling newborn. The new mother heaved choking gasps and lay still upon the ground.

"You have to unplug it's nose and mouth and then cut the umbilical cord," she sighed with a exhausted smile. Amelia stared at the mewling child and wondered how she was going to do that. Kerenina just lay there smiling, all strength spent.

"I did it. Wow, that's a first," the princess declared as she proudly displayed the bloody baby. The woman stretched her arms out to embrace the newborn, radiant joy suffusing her countenance.

"What is it?"

"A…girl. You have a baby girl. She's so cute, messy, but cute." Kerenina drew the struggling infant to her chest and laughed softly as its tiny arms waved about sluggishly.

"I…thank you, Amelia. I…" The woman's tired body suddenly convulsed. She cried out, as tears of pain fell from her green eyes.

"What's wrong?" Amelia cried scampering to the woman's side.

"I…Gods…" Kerenina weakly pushed her daughter into the young princesses' arms and gripped her now-flat stomach. She threw her head back, eyed opened to frightening proportions, and screamed as another gush of fluid rushed from between her legs. A tiredness that had nothing to do with the birthing washed over her. She felt as if she had been dropped into a sea of cotton. Everything felt so far away, the pain, the cries of her companions.

"Kerenina? Miss? What's happening? Gods, you're still bleeding."

"Princess?" She blinked rapidly as she tried to focus on the girl's worried face. "Something's wrong…This shouldn't be happening…"

"Everything's going to be fine, just you wait."

"I don't think so…"

"Don't say that, everything is fine." An explosion rocked the ground and Gourry crashed to the ground, slightly worse for wear. Tears fell from her eyes as she cradled the damp child. It began to scream as the light slowly dimmed in her mother's gentle green eyes.

* * * *

"…Dragon…"

"…Ra…"

"Stop it." Surprisingly everyone did cease their spell casting at Amelia's furious cry. The petite princess stood up shaking badly, her arms barely holding the crying infant. Her own tears coursed down her cheeks as she strode away from the corpse of Kerenina.

"Xelloss, give her back. Your mission's over."

"Is that so?" a disembodied voice inquired from all around. "How do you figure?"

"You were only to kill the woman. She's…she's dead. You have nothing more to do." The purple haired priest phased into view. He looked thoughtful as he rested a restraining hand on Sylphiel's arm. "Isn't that right?"

"That is correct. Too bad, I was really enjoying watching you fight." He bestowed a cheerful smile upon them, eyes closed all the while. "And you want who back?"

"Sylphiel, dammit. Take whatever spell you've got on her off, now," Lina growled as she threatened him with a fireball.

"I vote for killing him outright," Zelgadis muttered.

"Don't you like her like this? She's far more effective than before and she's quite cute when she acts so assertive." His grin grew wider as their scowls deepened.

"Stop this fooling around, Xelloss. This isn't the time." Amelia wiped the tears from her cheeks and clutched the child tighter. "Just give her back."

He sighed dramatically and then rapped the priestess' head with his knuckles. The young woman convulsed and a black crystal burst from her chest. It hovered there for a moment before the dark priest plucked it from the air and tucked it away.

"This was fun," he announced jovially before disappearing. Sylphiel swayed suddenly and Gourry managed to catch her before she passed out.

"Is it true, Amelia?" Zelgadis asked as he looked at Kerenina's still body. The girl nodded as she choked back her tears and tried to put on a brave face.

Lina walked up and poked the infant on the cheek. "I guess its ours now."

"She."

"I guess she's ours now. What should we do?" Gourry, holding an unconscious Sylphiel, approached them.

"Find a babysitter for her?"

"Filia," Lina cried, clapping her hands together. "She's already got one kid, I'm sure she won't mind another."

* * * *

Okay that's the end of this saga. Short and sweet, sort of. Yes, now the Slayers are saddled with an infant, where'll they get milk? The next part of this series is going to be called Dark Sun. Please review and don't forgot to look out for the next saga.

Please excuse all grammar mistakes, I was very tired when I wrote this.