Chapter Eight
Almost as soon as they had made landfall, the twenty adventurers were beset by problems. First of all, the hostile people who lived along the coast attacked them and desolation they saw was disheartening.
"Yep, certainly looks like something has been through here, other than bandits, of course." Lina remarked, as she looked at the charred landscape.
"But what could have done this?" Gourry asked, as he also looked around.
"By the looks of things, a dragon the size of Shooting Star that has the power of Shabranigdo." Ashram said, grimly, with a distant look in his dark eyes.
"Not a good combination." Parn murmured, as he got an agreement from those who had been at both battles (in their respective groups, of course).
"But where would something like that hide?" Amelia asked, worriedly.
"Usually in a subterranean cave or a fortress built from solid stone. All four of the demon dragons that we had knowledge of were hidden in caves. This included Shooting Star and Brand. But this dragon is something of a mystery." Cecil said, as a chill breeze blew past him, stirring some of the ashes around into small clouds.
"How do you know so much about this dragon, Cecil? Have you heard anything in particular about it?" Deedlit asked, tensely.
"I've only heard rumors. But they were very detailed rumors. I've heard that there is a demon dragon in this area that lives in an old fortress not too far away from here. I'd also heard that an entire village of elves was annihilated by that selfsame dragon." Cecil said, as the elves that had come with them gasped in horror. While listening to this, Rain blanched; the White Priest had been an elf! What if what had happened to the elf village had also happened to the White Priest?
"Rain? What's the matter?" Sheen asked, when he'd noticed the look of shock on Rain's face.
"N-nothing! Do you know exactly where this village was, Cecil?" Rain asked, shakily.
"I'm not exactly certain, but I think it was this way." Cecil replied, as he led the way over to the charred remains of a forest. It was almost dusk when they reached the center of what was once a lush forest. To her horror, Rain saw something she was hoping she wouldn't see; the unscathed staff of the White Priest!
"No……………." Rain whispered, as she walked forward and reverently pulled the staff out of the ashes and dusted the ash off of it's silver length, listening to the soft clinking of the rings on the top.
"The White Priest's……………………oh gods……………not here…………don't tell me he died here……………." Teim said, with grief emerging in his voice.
"So there is another reason for us to be here." Zelgadis murmured, as tears started flowing down Rain's cheeks.
"What might that be, Zel?" Lina asked, as she, Amelia and the other females in the group tried to console the grieving Green Priestess.
"Revenge." Zelgadis replied, with a hard edge in his voice.
Filia and Callisto ducked when they saw a shadow pass over them, but were relieved when they saw that it was only a small common dragon.
"Whew! I thought that was the demon!" Callisto said, exhaling a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding, and as Filia did the same.
"Same here! I'm beginning to think I should have waited for Lina and the rest after all." Filia said, as she and Callisto started walking again.
"Lina? Who is Lina?" Callisto asked, curiously.
"A close friend and the most powerful sorceress to date. I think even the Grey Witch would think twice to cross her." Filia said, with a slight smile.
"Oh………..you mean the great Lina Inverse?" Callisto asked.
"That's the one." Filia said, sighing when she finally sighted the fortress.
"Wow………….I didn't know you knew her! Her fame has even spread as far as Alacrast!" Callisto said, before turning her attention to the dark stone structure ahead of them.
"Well? What now?" Filia asked, as ominous foreboding came into her mind.
"How about waiting?" a voice said, irritably, from above them.
"Huh?" Filia and Callisto asked, at the same time, as they looked up at the owner of the voice. It was none other than a very peeved Lina Inverse!
"Lina!" Filia shouted, relieved.
"Damn straight!" Lina retorted, then turned and called down to somebody below her, "Hey guys! I found her!" Within moments, the rest of the group was around Filia and Callisto, all of them asking questions, at least until Parn spoke up.
"Listen! With that fortress in sight, it is very probable that the dragon knows we're here. I would like to suggest a quick attack. Hit him hard and fast, so he won't know where to strike us." Parn said, as soon as the group had quieted down.
"Hey, we could provide a diversion, Sir Parn." Cecil suggested, as he and Aldonova stepped forward.
"What about us?" Lina asked, leaning toward Cecil, hoping she could intimidate him like she always did Gourry. Cecil didn't take the bait.
"You'll be going inside with the rest of the fighters. They'll need your explosive skills to take out the fortress from within. Is that all right with you?" Cecil asked, with raised eyebrows.
"I hate you." Lina muttered, when she saw that Cecil had beaten her in the battle of wills.
"I'm going with her." Gourry said, refusing to be a part of the diversion that consisted mainly of the elves in the group. Cecil nodded.
"I know. You're going along with the fighters. Even though your elfin magic would be of great help out here, I can't force you to help us. You follow your path, we'll follow ours." Cecil said, as he got his group together, which consisted of Pirotess, Deedlit, Leaf, Sheen, Neese and Raina. As the fighters gathered together, Callisto called their attention to her.
"Minna, I know of a way in, but we are going to have to move quickly. The demon dragon may already know that we are here." Callisto said, getting an affirmative nod from the group.
"Then let's get in there and show that demon dragon who not to mess with!" Lina said, cracking her knuckles as she said that.
"Yes. Lead the way." Parn said, as he unsheathed the Holy Sword and held it ready before him.
Xellos grimaced as the guards dragged him and Shiroi along, heading for the throne room. Once there, they were deposited at the feet of the demon dragon.
"Well, well! So glad you could make it, Xellos! I didn't want you to miss the main event!" Tern sneered, as a low growl emanated from Xellos' throat. With a wave of his clawed hand, Tern willed an illusion screen into existence before both of his prisoners. The place it was showing was one Xellos knew and instinctively gasped in shock; Wolfpack Island!
"What the hell?!" Xellos asked, as Tern laughed at his expression.
"That is where I am going to start my assault on your kind, Xellos. I will start at the heart and work my way out." Tern said, as horror replaced the outrage Xellos had initially had on his face.
"How do you intend to do that, Tern? Not even the strongest Golden Dragon or Ancient Dragon Warrior could hope to defeat even one legion of Mazoku!" Shiroi said, boldly.
"I have the means to do just that, and more." Tern snarled, as he produced a vial of thick yellow liquid.
"What is that?!" Shiroi asked, sickened by the sight.
"The Plague……………………" Xellos whispered, with real fear in his voice. Tern cackled.
"Not just the Plague, Xellos, but also a spell to prevent you from ever going back to the Mazoku lands and to prevent any inside the lands from escaping." Tern said, with evil glee.
"But if you release that disease inside that realm, thousands of Mazoku will perish! It will be genocide, Tern!" Shiroi shouted, desperately. Xellos was puzzled by Shiroi's concern.
"Why are you so worried? It's not like your kind is in peril." Xellos murmured, so Tern could not hear.
"That may be so, but, no creature, no matter how good or how evil, deserves to be destroyed in such manner! This isn't honorable flesh to flesh combat, this is biological warfare, such that even the Ancients would tremble at the thought." Shiroi said, as Tern smiled ferally down at both of them.
"I'm taking my leave now. Have fun watching the destruction, you two!" Tern sneered, before disappearing without a trace.
"No! Tern! Don't you dare! TERN!!!" Xellos screamed, furiously, as he struggled at the invisible chains that bound him to the earth realm, preventing him from going and helping his kin. As they watched, they could see Tern approaching Wolfpack Island and watched helplessly as he dropped the vial onto the unsuspecting Mazoku. Xellos uttered a wordless cry as he watched the first few start succumbing to the now airborne disease. Seconds later, Tern had returned, but only long enough to grab his sword and leave, taking his Orcs with him. Almost immediately, Shiroi felt the spell loosen from around him and took that chance to get free.
"Xellos, let's go! We're free! Xellos…………?" Shiroi asked, then noticed that Xellos was sitting motionless on the floor, watching silently as his kind started dying off by tens and twenties.
"Xellos…………" Shiroi murmured, as he watched Xellos continue to watch the carnage in shock.
"Whether I want to or not, I must leave him for the time being. I must see if I can find the invasion force before Tern does and warn them of what kind of power he has." Shiroi said, as he made the difficult decision to leave Xellos behind and followed the enemy out.
Ashram swore in all the languages he knew as he cut a swath through hundreds of Orcs. Beside him, Parn, Zelgadis and Spark struggled as well.
"Now, now, King Ashram! You don't want to teach these Orcs such foul language!" Lina teased, as she easily blew away about thirty with a well-placed fireball.
"I'll give them the true meaning of Justice!" Amelia shouted, as she let about ten Orcs have it.
"Flare Arrow!" Zelgadis shouted, letting loose his own magical attacks on the dark creatures. There was a sudden flood of water as Gourry unleashed the water spirits onto a swarming mass of Orcs.
"Now that was well planned, Gourry!" Rain commended, as she let loose her own magic upon the Orcs. Then, suddenly, Rain felt the familiar weight of the White Priest's staff leave her back (where she had strapped it) and watched as it disappeared without a trace.
"What the……………………?!" Rain wondered, but quickly went back to business. As valiantly as he could, Teim held off around a hundred Orcs, but found that he was weakening.
"Teim! Hold on!" Rain shouted, as she rushed over to aid him. Abruptly the ground fell right out from under the Orcs that were attacking Teim, then resealed just as quickly.
"What was that all about?!" Teim asked, before a slight chuckle got their attention. They turned and saw Callisto standing there, smiling.
"I can do something too, you know. I didn't lead you in here expecting to be protected the whole way." Callisto said, confidently. Rain stared at her in amazement, while Teim merely smiled.
"Let's get back to the battle, shall we?" Teim asked.
"Hai!" Rain and Callisto said, in unison.
Meanwhile, Shiroi is rushing through the halls, trying to pinpoint the source of the fighting. He could hear the sounds of steel against steel, but he didn't know which way it was coming from, since the stone halls were notorious for augmenting sound. Suddenly, Shiroi was gripped by the feeling of power flowing through his veins.
"My powers……………they are returning!" Shiroi murmured, as a white glow surrounded him and a silver staff appeared in front of him. The moment he touched the staff, changes started taking place. First, his body grew from that of a boy, into that of a man, and his short, tousled white hair grew until it was about ankle length and tied back with a piece of ornately engraved silver. Then his tattered, dingy clothes were replaced with the sparkling white robes of a priest.
"Finally…………..I am free………….the White Priest has returned." A now adult Shiroi murmured, as he opened his eyes to reveal his cool gray gaze.
"And now the final battle will begin." Shiroi thought, as he pinpointed the sounds, raised his staff, and teleported, inevitably heading for the battle.
