Insult! 101 Ways to Flambé a Mazoku
Lina had seen her share of death during her relatively short lifetime. Even so, it still bothered her a great deal. And the sight before her now did little to calm her stomach, which had already been protesting due to hunger. At least her reaction reminded her that she truly had not become as insensitive as many a legend depicted her.
Gourry put his hand on her shoulder to snap her out of the sudden shock of seeing the town laden with dead bodies. Lina jerked her head around for a moment, trying to find somewhere to look away to, but the dead were everywhere. Perhaps somewhere, there was someone still alive at the moment. Sure would be nice to have a healer right about now.
Lina spun around and yelled urgently back up the hill for Amelia. Although she somewhat regretted wanting Amelia to come to a place like this, she would be the most helpful if they did indeed find someone still alive.
Amelia heard Lina yell from the edge of town. She grabbed Sonjia by the arm and said, "Sonjia-san! Something's wrong in town!"
"What, is someone being 'unjust'?" Sonjia managed to reply before her arm was nearly ripped off as Amelia sprinted down the hill. "Whhhhhhoooaaaaaaaa! Let me go!" she yelled as she was dragged along behind the righteous princess. "Whatever's wrong in town, it's none of my--ow!" A rather large rock had shut her up for the remainder of their short journey.
Lina and Gourry were standing at the edge of town, still looking down the main street in shock. Everyone was dead. Bodies were lying on the street, at vending carts, and partially hanging out windows. Amelia gasped and choked as she caught up to them, dropping Sonjia in a heap at her feet. Zelgadis simply turned his head away and sighed.
"This is too weird," said Lina, examining the area. "It almost looks like everyone was just going about their normal business, then just keeled over and died at the same time."
"Stress is a killer," said Gourry, nodding, it being the best explanation he could concoct. Lina just elbowed him in the side for that. It was too serious a situation for her to really beat him up for the stupid comment.
"Urrrggghhh..." came a groan from the ground. Everyone turned suddenly, hoping it was a survivor, but it turned out to be only Sonjia. "Remind me to avoid you people from here on out if I value my sanity," she mumbled through the dirt.
Everyone ignored her as Lina turned her attention to Amelia. "Amelia, can you do anything for these people?" she asked. Amelia lowered her eyes and shook her head.
"There's nothing anyone can do for any of these people anymore," she said. "This whole place has a really creepy empty feeling, and I don't think it's just because of everyone being..." she trailed off, not wanting to say it.
Lina sighed. "Well, the least we can do is try to figure out what exactly happened here. C'mon, let's see if we can find anything." They wandered off, but Amelia stayed behind momentarily, feeling incredibly small and useless. Whoever did this... to all these innocent people... no, she would never forgive that person. Her white magic would do no good for these people now, so all she could do was help Lina and the others search for clues.
Sonjia, in the meantime, had stood up and dusted herself off. She was currently surveying her surroundings for the first time, having a slightly different reaction than everyone else.
"Hey, a town full'a cadavers. Don't see that every day," she commented, arching an eyebrow.
Amelia turned to face her. "Sonjia-san! How can you be so indifferent about this?!"
"People die all the time," she replied, shrugging. "Not my fault, so it's not my problem."
"It's everyone's problem!" Amelia retorted, eyes aglow. She struck a pose and declared, "It is the duty of every just person on this planet to defend their fellow men from the forces of evil!"
"Asking for help is the cheap way out of pain," Sonjia responded. "I, for one, am no one's ticket to cheating death! ... Or causing death, for that matter," she added absently.
"Is that why you won't let me heal your arm?" Amelia asked. Although she didn't like the attitude towards life Sonjia had shown just now, at least she didn't seem to be a hypocrite about it.
Sonjia patted the ribbon tied around the injury on her arm. "It's not like you could do anything, anyway. In my current condition, this wound will never heal," she admitted. She then blinked and patted her arm again. "Shouldn't it hurt when I do this?"
Sonjia slid the bloodied ribbon up her arm some and found that her cut was completely gone. There weren't even any traces of blood save for that stuck to the ribbon, which had made it completely red rather than its original silver. Amelia noted that Sonjia seemed strangely dismayed.
"Maybe that healing spell I cast on you a while ago worked after all," Amelia offered as her only explanation.
Sonjia glared at her. "If it was something you did, I'll throw myself at Shabranigdo's feet and ask him to eat me."
Amelia sighed and decided that she was starting to understand why this girl made enemies so easily.
In the meantime, Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis had gone farther into town to examine the bodies. Lina knelt down beside a man holding a loaf of bread.
"Hm," she observed. "There aren't any traces of physical damage anywhere. He isn't cut up, and he isn't burned or frozen. It just looks like he suddenly died for no reason. Poison, maybe?"
Zelgadis shook his head. "I don't think so. It looks like everyone in town died at the same time. Poison would affect people at different rates. And there isn't any trace of anything in the air that would have done this, either."
"I still think it was too much stress," said Gourry. Lina and Zel ignored him. Gourry shrugged and looked around. A sparkle caught his eye. "Hey, I found a silver bug!" he said, holding the shiny dead beetle up triumphantly.
"Good for you!" said Lina. "Maybe you can pay for lunch with it...... You jellyfish-brain!" she yelled, elbowing him in the head. Sleuthing was definitely not a profession invented with Gourry in mind. She looked up in annoyance, but then noticed something out of the ordinary. "On second thought, that bug isn't the only silver thing around here." Zelgadis looked up to see what she was talking about. Many of the people in town had clothes dyed silver. Also, most of the walls and produce carts had a silver tint to them. That definitely wasn't natural.
"You know," said Lina, pondering. "Everything here is silver. Sonjia just happens to have a very suspicious ribbon that's also silver. You don't think..."
"...That she had something to do with this," Zel finished, smirking. "Perish the thought."
Lina rolled up her sleeve. "Okay, looks like it's time to give that girl some serious questioning. And this time, 'That's a secret' isn't gonna cut it." She stomped over to Sonjia, who was still having a conversation with Amelia, and didn't seem to take much interest in the fact that about a hundred people were dead right in front of her.
"Okay, Sonjia," said Lina, grabbing her roughly by the collar. "I want some real answers about this! And I want them NOW! And don't you dare even think about playing stupid with me!"
"Everyone's dead! I can see that!" she answered. "Why are you asking me about it?"
Lina ripped the ribbon off her arm and held it up. "Because I think whatever happened here had something to do with this," she explained. "Everything here is colored silver, and so is this ribbon."
"Actually, right now it's red," observed Amelia. Lina shot her a look, but didn't have any free hands to reprimand her with for the dumb comment. Zelgadis took the ribbon and took it to a barrel of water on the side of the road to wash it off. He returned a moment later and handed it back to Lina, like she had never let it go in the first place.
"Okay, see?" said Lina, holding the ribbon up. "This ribbon is suspicious because it's silv..." She glanced at the now washed ribbon. "Wait a minute. This ribbon is blue!" She glared at Sonjia. "Okay, where's your real mysterious ribbon? The silver one!"
"Am I interrupting something?" came a voice from overhead. Everyone looked up to see a figure calmly sitting on a roof. A gangly figure looking to be a cross between a cat and a human.
"Javelin!" said Gourry, putting his hand on his sword. "I thought we'd meet again!"
Lina looked at him quizzically. "Javelin?"
"Isn't that was Xellos said his name was? Javelin, Jordan, what was it? The thing that blew up Sairaag," said Gourry, pointing up at him.
"Pardon me, but I am not a 'thing'. And the name's 'Jadarin'," he stated, jumping down from the roof. He had something in his hands. Thinking they were weapons, everyone backed away. But upon closer inspection, the Mazoku appeared to be holding... a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks. "I was just having breakfast and heard a commotion," he said innocently.
"Wait, did you do this?" said Lina, motioning to the town. Jadarin looked to the town and thought for a few moments.
"Hmm.... Yep. I believe I did," he replied. He plucked up a clump of rice and chewed on it. "So what of it?" he mumbled with his mouth full.
Lina clenched her fist. "You come to a town and kill all its inhabitants at once right behind their backs. You have the nerve to think nothing of it, and..." she said, glaring up at him. "You have the nerve to eat in front of me when you just killed my breakfast!"
A little sweatdrop appeared on Jadarin's head. "Oh dear. Not this shtick again.."
Lina lunged towards him. Jadarin put up an arm to block any attack to the head, but instead, Lina's target was... his bowl of rice?
"Give that to me!" she demanded, trying to pull it out of his grasp. "When I first met you, you promised to find me food! So, this must be mine! Now hand it over!" She jumped up onto his back and tried to reach for it over his shoulder, but his long arms kept it out of reach. Pulling herself up to sit on his shoulders, she wrapped her legs around his neck and began pounding on his head. "I need my breakfast, you stupid Mazoku! And when I don't get breakfast, I get cranky!"
"So I noticed," he said through the constant drumming on the top of his head. "But if you want breakfast, you'll just have to steal it from someone else." With that, he used his wings to pry Lina off his back and throw her to the ground. He then made his escape by levitating above the city.
Lina pulled herself off the ground and glared up at the Mazoku. "Oh no you don't! That rice is MINE! Fireball!" She tossed a giant ball of flame at Jadarin, who simply floated there, watching it come toward him. He lazily spread his wings and put a hand in his pocket, not looking very impressed. The fireball hit him head on...
And evaporated. Lina growled in annoyance. "And here I was thinking you actually had some sort of magical talent."
"Lina-san, he just absorbed your fireball!" Amelia said. "Although, I guess most Mazoku can probably do that," she added after a half a second's thought.
"And speaking of fireballs," said Lina, looking back up at him, "that's what you were using when I first met you. Not just balls of fire, but Fireballs. As in the spell. And although I've met my share of Mazoku in the past, none of them were capable of Shamanist magic outside of Xellos using the talismen."
"Ahhh, you mean how Mazoku can't draw power from anything but themselves!" exclaimed Jadarin. "I'm impressed that you know that much about us. However, it will do you no good against me. For you see, I am quite different from other Mazoku."
Lina sighed and buried her forehead in her hand. "Good for you, but you still had to drop your levitation to cast a shield."
"But he's still flying just like before," observed Amelia.
"Ah, but wings are quite the gift, little girl," he said down to Amelia. "True, they're not as efficient as levitation, they make for a decent backup." Upon finishing his gloat, a downdraft helpfully smacked him into the roof of the building he was hovering over. "And still the wind picks on me," he mumbled through the shingles. "Wasn't my fault."
Jadarin picked himself up off the roof, attempting to regain some part of his intimidation factor, while Lina and the others on the ground were trying to hide their sweatdrops. True, this guy did claim responsibility for what happened here, so he needed to be punished, naturally. But given that initial showing, how much trouble could he really cause them?
"Sorry, pal, but as pathetic as you are, I'm gonna have to blow you up now," said Lina.
Jadarin slowly pulled his lips into a grin. "Oh, really?"
Lina pointed at him. "Damu Bras!" she shouted, sending a ball of energy streaking towards him. It hit him, and just like before, evaporated. "Okay, so maybe the shield's a little more powerful than I thought. But he's gonna pay for ruining my breakfast! Elmekia Lance!" Same result. Lina shook with rage. "NOW I'm ticked! Stop fooling around, you stupid Mazoku!"
Jadarin shook his head and smiled. "Sorry, but there's absolutely no way you're getting through this shield."
"To hell with you!" Lina yelled. "Gaav Flare!" This time, the spell didn't even hit him. In fact nothing happened. "Oh yeah, Gaav's dead," Lina realized. "Can't use that one anymore." She tried to think of something else to try, when suddenly, a previous conversation flashed through her mind.
"My sister specialized in defensive magic," Sonjia had said. "So, unless this 'Jadarin' is looking for a big wall to sit behind, he's out of luck."
Lina looked behind her at Sonjia, who was simply standing by and watching. "Could it be...?" Lina wondered. "Could it be that this is one of her sister's spells from the old lab?"
Her train of thought was broken by a tap on the shoulder. Lina whirled around, expecting to be face-to-face with that rotten Mazoku.
Except the rotten Mazoku she was faced with wasn't the one she was expecting. "Xellos? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Mind if I help out?" said Xellos. "I happen to have some business with this individual as well, and I'd hate to have you blow him up before I got the chance to talk with him."
"No way!" shot Lina. "That Mazoku killed hundreds of innocents and messed with my breakfast, and I'm not going to stop this until he's in a few hundred pieces!"
"My my," said Xellos, scratching his chin. "So what am I to do with this plate of ham and eggs I just happen to be carrying around?"
Lina's expression suddenly changed. "Give give!" she shouted, yanking the plate of food away from him. She wasted no time in wolfing it down, almost eating the plate as well. Within three seconds, she was done.
However, in that time, Xellos had situated himself in a hovering position in front of Jadarin. He wasted no time getting down to business. "Our Master is displeased with you, Jadarin. You've overstepped your bounds on this one."
Jadarin didn't seem the least bit threatened by this. "I revoked my 'bounds'. I can do anything I please, and don't need some Greater Beast bossing me around."
"In that case," replied Xellos, "my Master has given me permission to eliminate you. I can't say I'll miss having you around." With that, Xellos began charging up a ball of dark energy.
"Hey, Xellos, no fair!" Lina shouted up to him. "I wanted to be the one to blow him up! Let me!"
Jadarin simply ignored Xellos and examined the back of his hand while the ball of dark energy was released upon him. It engulfed him, but faded completely away as soon as it did so, leaving him completely unharmed. Xellos was more or less surprised.
"Ooo-kay," said Lina. "Now I want to know what shielding spell he's using."
"Are you quite through?" said Jadarin. "That little slap on the wrist isn't going to do much for me. I suggest you try using a stronger spell," he taunted.
Xellos was more than a little annoyed, but kept his cool as he began casting another spell. He let loose a stream of dark energy in multiple bursts. Still, it did absolutely nothing.
"Okay, guys, it's time we pitched in!" said Lina. "Hit that Mazoku with everything you've got!" She turned back to her prey. "Fireball!"
"Blam Blazer!" shouted Amelia.
"Flare Arrow!" Zelgadis chanted.
The Fireball and Blam Blazer hit Jadarin, yet had no effect at all. The Flare Arrow, however, caught Xellos in the back. Lina turned and looked at Zelgadis. He shrugged.
"You didn't say which Mazoku to hit, now did you?" he said innocently.
"Zelgadis-kun, that's so cruel!" said Xellos, pouting.
Amelia struck a pose, pointing skyward at Jadarin. "Evil creature who wishes destruction upon the innocent, prepare to feel the wrath of Justice!" She assumed a spellcasting position. "Ra Tilt!" she shouted.
Xellos moved out of the way as the beam of spirit energy leapt towards its target. Jadarin simply crossed his arms and let it hit him, as it too evaporated on contact.
"Waaah, it didn't do anything at all!" cried Amelia, clutching her hands in front of her face.
Lina finally made up her mind. She marched over to Sonjia and glared at her. "Okay, you said your sister specialized in defensive magic, so would you mind telling us what the heck kind of shield he's using and how we can get around it? Or at least how to bring it down?"
"Is it absorbing absolutely every spell you throw at it?" she asked.
"YES!" Lina huffed. "Haven't you been watching?"
"Well, you haven't tried every spell on him yet, have you? There still might be some spell that can get through it, which would mean it isn't..."
Lina grabbed her collar. "Isn't WHAT? You know what it is, don't you? But noooo, you've got to make it hard for everyone and not tell!"
Jadarin had been observing the confrontation from a distance, as a Dynast Breath fizzled out at his right side. "Ah, I see you've met my associate," he stated.
Lina whirled to face him. "Associate? Her?"
"But of course!" he said. "Without her, I would never have been able to kill everyone in this city, nor would I have been able to create my shield. She's helped me immensely through all of this."
Lina turned her eyes back to Sonjia. "Is that so...?" she said slowly.
Zelgadis put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "That's just what I wanted to hear."