Disclaimer: We do not own Slayers, and we're not making any money off of this.
SPECIAL NOTES: This fanfic is written by Nathan J. Urbansic, a good friend of mine who does not have an FF.net account of his own and is currently unable to possess one. Hence I am posting this as a proxy with full permission from the true author.
Please still feel free to review, but keep in mind that all compliments go to Nate. Thanks minna. Enjoy!
ALSO: This is set in a universe parallel with the NEXT storyline. However, a few subtle differences occur, and slightly different choices are made. This just goes to show you that it really is the little things in life that create who we are... And what we become.
SLAYERS NiXT:
Nobody's Perfect
Chapter Seven
Zelgadiss stepped over the arm of a frozen body. All around, people remained motionless, trapped inside the crystalline beauty of ice. This state suited them well, it was more true to their unliving nature. "Nice work," said Zel, examining one of the reluctant ice sculptures.
"Zangulus said that you might need my help."
"Wow!" piped up Amelia. "You sure are a lot stronger than those copies of you we faced!"
Behind them, Martina growled. "Okay, first I'm attacked by a group of zombies! Then I'm frozen by this idiot, here! And finally, you thaw me out with a fireball! Come on! This is no way to treat a princess!"
Ignoring Martina entirely, Vruumugun continued, "What say you we go get the one behind this?"
Zel smirked. "Not a bad idea."
"Yes!" cried Amelia from atop Zel's head. "We must hunt down that fiend and show him that justice would never allow such atrocities to go unpuniiiiiiiiii--!" Tragically, her speech was cut short due to Zel's moving out from under her. "Mr. Zelgadiss!" she squeaked indignantly. "That wasn't very nice of you!"
"Amelia, it's not that I mind your justice tirades," Zel said in a tone one would use in trying to teach a slow child. "I can handle those. But did you have to deliver that one while standing on my head?!!"
"Well," she replied sheepishly, "if I'm not standing on something tall it isn't as dramatic. Plus, you were so readily available, Mr. Zelgadiss!"
"What about all the giant blocks of ice around you?!" Zel screamed.
"Well…I…" Amelia stammered trying to come up with an answer. She also ended up blushing for some reason.
The golem sighed. "Come on, Vruumugun." The other nodded.
***
The only sound to be heard was the hollow echo of running in the long and empty corridor. Together, three people made their way to the heart of a monster's temple, two of them out for revenge, the third for, well, the heck of it.
"…and I thought this place looked big from the outside!" joked Zangulus as they ran. Lina and Sylphiel only looked intently ahead.
"Lina," said Sylphiel softly.
"I see it," she replied.
Soon, the ground before them opened up and they found themselves standing on the edge of a massive pillar of space that went further down than vision allowed to be seen.
"What is it?" asked Zangulus.
"Don't know," said Lina, "but there's only one way to find out. Come on, Sylphiel." She motioned with her head towards the accompanying swordsman. Sylphiel nodded and with each sorceress grabbing an arm they picked Zangulus up into the open air, with only an unknown emptiness below.
"H-Hey!" Zangulus sputtered. "W-What are you doing?! I hate flying!"
"Zangulus," said Lina, "there are only two ways you can get to the bottom here: us or gravity. For some reason, I don't think you would have preferred the latter."
Zangulus thought this over for a short time, including getting rather disagreeable images of him becoming a tiny little splat on whatever floor there was. He grinned nervously. "I see your point." For a while afterwards, nothing more was said as the trio floated silently down.
As time passed, from within the darkness, something came into view. It wasn't until they were nearly upon it did they see it for what it was, a great translucent ice blue crystal. Throughout the immensity of the crystal were spread countless dark slivers. Nothing in nature could account for this. It had to be the work of Hellmaster, but for what end? A short distance further down a group of the mysterious dark slivers lay near the surface of the crystal. What they saw was, sadly, not too surprising.
"Phibrizzo?" said Zangulus.
Lina nodded.
"Who are they?"
"The people of Sairaag," answered Sylphiel somberly.
"Are you sure?" asked Lina.
Sylphiel nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. That man, the one over there." She pointed with her free arm. "He used to sell me vegetables from his run-down cart in the market. And her…" She pointed again. "...she let me play in her garden when I was a little girl. And he..." Lina looked at the third person Sylphiel pointed out, and her heart skipped a beat. "…is my father." Lina turned her head to say something of comfort to Sylphiel, but at seeing Sylphiel's pained stare at her father, decided it best to keep her peace.
Not too long after they could finally see the ground. They could also see, perched upon a mass of crystal next to the bottom of the central pillar, a single child.
"That's Hellmaster Phibrizzo?" said Zangulus, almost with a sense of disappointment.
"That's him, alright," said Lina. "He uses that form to trick people, but I can assure you, his power is not something to be questioned lightly."
"I see, and if it's you saying that, then…"
"Exactly."
"Well, well," said Phibrizzo as the three came to a landing. "You took so long, I was almost beginning to wonder."
"Now, Lina?" whispered Sylphiel.
"No, wait for me and follow my lead," Lina whispered back.
"Still," continued Hellmaster, "it is so nice to finally have you here, Lina."
"Enough with your games, Phibrizzo!" commanded Lina.
"Games?" he said angelically.
"The people out there."
"Ah, yes."
"…and why are they also inside this giant crystal?"
"Well," began the Phibrizzo, obviously pleased with his own handiwork, "this object here contains the souls of all the dead of Sairaag. Those things you encountered outside are just shadows of these people I create using my power. Magnificent, isn't it? With almost no effort at all I make them do my every bidding. Convenient puppets for me, you see, since all my servants were destroyed a thousand years ago. I do have Xellos, but he is still out of action due to his last encounter with the dearly departed Gaav. Really, though, all I need these creatures for is to simply chase you and keep you from escaping. They serve surprisingly well in that role."
"I've heard enough!" exclaimed Zangulus. "Now, I've never been one to fight for what's right or just. Cepheid knows I love the coin more than most people, but still… You sicken even me!" With but a swing, his enchanted blade sent a fierce shockwave streaming straight for Hellmaster. The monster didn't even flinch as the magic exploded into nothing against the barrier in front of him.
"You have no idea who you're messing with, do you?" said Phibrizzo with cruel delight. Zangulus gritted his teeth as he stared back into those cold, dark, unfeeling eyes.
Turning to face Lina, Phibrizzo almost seemed to cheer up. "Well, Lina, what do you say? Ready to cast the Giga Slave yet?"
"Not quite yet," said Lina with a sly grin.
"Oh?"
"But I do have something else for you. Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows…'
"What? Lord Ruby-eye's spell?"
"…buried in the flow of time. In Thy great name I pledge myself to darkness!"
"I'm disappointed, Lina. You, of all people, should know that won't work."
"Let all the fools who stand in our way be destroyed by the power you and I possess! Dragon Slave!" An intense shaft of deep crimson energy burst forth from Lina's hands, directly hitting Hellmaster.
"You'll have to do better than that," said Phibrizzo calmly as the power of Shabrinigdo splashed off his barrier and around him.
"Then how about this. Sylphiel, now!"
"What?!" Phibrizzo jerked back.
"…Let all the fools who stand in our way," rang out Sylphiel's voice clearly, "be destroyed by the power you and I possess! Dragon Slave!"
The second mass of crimson energy smashed against Hellmaster's barrier, shattering it and pushing through to the dark creature behind it.
"It can't be," screamed the child. "Nooooooo…!"
Together, the force of two Dragon Slaves exploded against the unprotected monster. The loathsome red magics swelled, filling the entire room. With no other release available, a concentrated pillar of destructive energy shot throughout the remainder of Phibrizzo's temple, shaking its very foundation. When it cleared, one wondered how anything could survive such a blast. That is, except, our two heroines.
"Do you think we got him, Lina?" asked Sylphiel.
Lina looked around the room. All she could see was partially melted crystal that bubbled and steamed from the heat of the spells. "I think we did it, Sylphiel," she said with a grin. Immediately, though, that grin twisted into a face of shock and terror. Before Sylphiel could ask about it, Lina grabbed a hold of her cape and swung around to find Zangulus crouching right behind her, and quite a bit too close for comfort. "Just what were you doing back there?!"
"Well, Lina," said Zangulus very nonchalantly, "the caster of the Dragon Slave is magically protected from the effects of the spell, correct?"
"Yeah, so! That's no excuse to…to…to violate me!"
"I didn't have the luxury of magical protection as you did. If I hadn't chosen to cower under your cape, I would have died along with Hellmaster Phibrizzo."
Sadly for Lina, she saw the logic in that, and couldn't quite justify to herself fireballing him where he stood. Zangulus smiled inwardly, as he could see the mental battle on her face as she tried so hard to restrain herself. Oddly enough, she kept muttering something about "…must not kill…must not kill…"
"Come on," said Zangulus, satisfied. "Let's get out of here."
All of a sudden cackling laughter filled everything. "Even I must admit, Lina," a sinister voice emerged from amidst the echoes of sadistic glee, soon followed by the form of a young boy. "I am impressed. I never would have thought that you'd try something as sneaky as a dual Dragon Slave. You truly are a credit to your craft."
"B-But we saw you destroyed!" stammered Sylphiel in disbelief.
"Poor girl," the monster said with false sympathy, "what you destroyed was but a shell of myself that was left behind while my true form escaped into subspace. Who knows? If I hadn't done so, your little plan just may have worked."
Sylphiel could feel her legs getting weak under her. She knew as well as Lina that that was their best, and last, hope of killing Phibrizzo without resorting to that spell… All was up to Lina now.
The evil child sighed as he slowly shook his head. "It seems you're still not serious about this, Lina. However, you will be soon." A wicked grin spread across the fiend's lips.
"What do you mean?" said Lina, tensed.
"Just this." Hellmaster raised his arm and casually snapped his fingers.
End of chapter seven. To be continued...