A/N: *Takes deep breath* Okay, I think I'm ready to revive Lina now. ^_^ You may think it's too simple to "bring back the dead" but let me remind you that as long as Lina's spirit stays alive on the plane, she won't died just yet.
Lina: HEY!! Why you.. they went through my room!
Kollina: ^_^ You didn't want that?
Lina: Of course not! And..you read them my diary?!
Kollina: *waggles finger* Not diary – journal. Besides, it was just /lying/ there.
Lina: Yeah right.
A/N: Also, I don't think that I can fit Xellos in this chapter, but I think he'll do well for the next story.
Xellos: *Playful Pout* I can't be in there? Phooey, I'll miss out on all the fun! ^_~
A/N: ^_^ Just you wait.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that isn't mine to own.
The Original Initiation SpellThinking better of it, Kollina closed the journal and told the others, "On second thought, maybe we should save this for later. Luna-san works the night shift, from sundown to sunset, so I suggest that we don't bother her – today is one of the busiest days of the week. Get a good night's sleep and we'll see her tomorrow. Ne?"
Gourry, Zel, and Amelia nodded in agreement.
"But,"
Gourry asked, looking around, "Where do we sleep?"
Amelia and Zel also wondered
about this. Kollina smiled and pointed
toward the ground. "Between this
floor and the restaurant are three inn room levels. Sometimes travelers are too tired to travel after eating, and
they're allowed to stay in one of those rooms, with sufficient pay, of
course. Then again, since you're Lina's
friends, I'm sure Luna will let you off this time. Here are three room keys for the rooms right below this one. Take the stairs on the other side of the building."
Amelia asked Kollina, "What about you?"
Kollina looked down on Liona and answered softly, "I think I'll stay here with Liona-chan."
Gourry immediately declared, "Then I'm staying here too."
Kollina seemed to get a wistful look in her chaos black eyes. "There are no spare beds here. You're better off sleeping downstairs."
Gourry resolutely shook his head; he was determined to stay with his daughter. "I believe Lina will come back someday, but until then, especially now, I want to spend as much time as possible with Liona-chan. Besides, since Lina didn't want me in this room before, she made me sleep on the couch outside.""
Kollina sighed. She looked to Zel and Amelia. "I suppose it's alright if Gourry stays, but Princess Amelia, Zel, I think you'd prefer to sleep on beds, am I right? Besides, I don't think Luna would react too well with so many people here without her consent."
Amelia was torn between decisions. She wanted to stay with Liona, too, but then, she didn't want to get on Luna's bad side or be forced to sleep on the floor when there was a perfectly good bed downstairs. In the end, she decided that Kollina and Gourry, and later Luna, would be a sufficient amount of protection for Liona. Since Zel, too, felt this way, both of them stood, took their keys from Kollina, bid them goodnight, and closed the door behind them.
Kollina stood up, gently putting Liona underneath the covers, as the little Inverse started to feel drowsy. She turned, conjured up a rocking chair between the bed and the trunk, and seated herself in it. Kollina then gestured for Gourry to take the bed with Liona as she glanced around the room. When the lights were turned off, artificial stars sparkled on the plain ceiling.
Gourry hesitated as he looked from the bed, to Kollina. "Are you sure you don't want the bed? Isn't it uncomfortable, sleeping in a chair?"
Kollina showed mild surprise at this gesture, but smiled and shook her head in reply. "Go ahead and take the bed. This is my own rocking chair, created by my nightmare magic. I feel as comfortable in this chair as I once did in a cushioned, silky bed. Believe me, I don't even really need to sleep. Go on, I don't mind at all. Sleeping on a bed is healthier for you anyway, but I /prefer/ this chair."
After being assured that Kollina really didn't mind, and that she /really/ didn't want to take the bed, Gourry uneasily slipped in beside Liona. (Yes, yes, I remember the part in the earlier part of the first season when Gourry slept on the floor out of chivalry or whatever, but Gourry just trusted that Kollina was much more comfortable in her chair than the bed -_- just go with me on this)
Before even half an hour had gone by, Gourry and Liona were sleeping like bumps on a log. Kollina sighed softly as she watched Liona and Gourry sleep the night away. Not being able to sleep herself, out of pure restlessness, Kollina cast a very light Lighting spell and summoned a black book to her hand. Kollina let the ball of light levitate steadily in the air as she fingered the golden-engraved lettering on the cover. In beautiful calligraphy writing was, "Forbidden Spells of Chaos ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Written by Lina Inverse 3000 A.S (After Shabrinigdo ^_^)"
Below the title, and her previous name, there was a symbol, the symbol of the Lord of Ngihtmares. This was also engraved in gold. Kollina slowly opened the book to see the table of contents. She reminisced at all the spells she had written eons ago. Under Chaos healing, there were easily a dozen spells; at least a score of "small" destructive spells, while the rest were simply for recreational purposes, if you could call it that. As Kollina flipped to the last page of the contents, she saw the last section of the book, with only one spell under it, "The Giga Slave ~ P. 219." It wasn't the spell that surprised Kollina, but the section title, a process she had forgotten long ago.
Hurriedly, she turned the pages until she reached P. 219. Kollina calmed herself down as she read the small entry, describing the Giga Slave.
The Initiation Spell~Giga Slave~
This spell is used to call upon the Lord of Nightmare's powers, in order for the caster to take out his or her current enemy. But beware when using this spell, for even slightly miscast, and it will result in the doom of yourself, your comrades, and your whole world.
The Giga Slave is an original spell, made for two purposes. The first is to bring chaos and destruction to the environment, and the plane itself. Fortunately for the plane, this has yet to happen. The second is to bring about the ultimate enslavement, thus the name, "The Giga Slave". Should the spell be miscast, purposely or not, the Sea of Chaos will envelop the caster as well as the caster's opponent. As the Lord of Nightmares reigns over all within the Sea of Chaos, she wishes to forevermore have someone to ease her never-ending loneliness. Therefore, this spell is designed to bring the vivacious spirits of the two in question, and "enslave" the caster in the Sea of Chaos as her Supreme Council, fit for power, immortality, and strength beyond your wildest dreams. ~See Below for Incantation~
Kollina sighed. This was what had happened to her, Mazolina, and Angelina - as well as Lina, much later. Kollina's eyes widened in unbelieving amazement as she skimmed past the incantation. In very small letters, there was a postscript (P.S.) of sorts.
There is another fine point to this spell that I should mention. Should the spell be miscast, the enemy then defeated, and the caster swallowed, it is possible to save the caster from the chaotic enslavement. A courageous heart, with undying love for the caster, must sacrifice him or herself in order to breach the barriers and reach their love. If the two hearts are bound, both will be spared. However, if it is a one-sided love, the "rescuer" will remain in the Sea of Chaos, while the caster lives on the plane. Should the caster be saved but once, the initiation contract given to any who possess the potential to cast the spell, will be broken, never again allowing the caster entrance into the Sea of Chaos. As a last note, if the caster attempts to go through to the Sea of Chaos, without this Initiation Spell to get there, the caster's spirit will cease to exist, be it here, or the Sea of Chaos.
Kollina's stomach gave a sickening lurch. She had forgotten that Gourry had successfully saved Lina 3 years before, breaking the contract. If Lina signed that last paper on the contract with Angelina. . . Kollina abruptly stood up and made to teleport to where Lina and Angelina were. She stopped shortly to drop the book on the chair, put out the light, and give Liona a light kiss on the forehead before teleporting away. After she had gone, Liona broke into a wide smile, but that may have been due to her dream, because she uttered just one word in her sleep, "Foood."
As soon as she "landed", Kollina walked towards the desk and called out, "Stop!"
Both Angelina and Lina jumped from surprise. Kollina had teleported so fast that Angelina hadn't seen her coming and nobody had bothered to bother them where they were all day.
Slightly worried by the anxious feelings coming from Kollina, Angelina asked, "Kollina? What's wrong?"
Kollina didn't answer as she stopped at the desk. "How far did you get, Lina?"
Surprised and tired, Lina answered, quill in hand, "Eh? After I sign this, Angelina says I'm done."
Kollina grimaced. She took a deep breath and said, "Oh you'll be done alright. Lina-san, as much as I want you to be with us, I can't allow you to sign this contract."
This surprised Angelina and Lina as well. "Why?"
"Both of you should know. I had forgotten over the years, but a certain book reminded me. You both read, 'Forbidden Spells of Chaos' in your youth, did you not?"
They both slowly nodded. They answered the same, "I was interested because it said it was written by me before I was even born." They looked at each other in surprise. "You too?!"
Kollina smacked her forehead with a disappointed groan. "Sorry about the confusion. I wrote that book before I left to be with L-sama. I completely forgot about the breaking of the contract. You remember it, don't you? The very small writing at the end of the Giga Slave entry?"
Lina murmured softly, "I think I remember it. At least, I remember not being able to read it."
Angelina exclaimed and remarked, "Oh that! It said that. . . oh. I get it now. It really would be a bad thing if she signed it, ne Kollina?"
Lina was starting to get angrily flustered. "What are you talking about?"
Kollina explained, "You see, to make a long explanation short, Gourry saved you from going to the Sea of Chaos three years ago and you both returned safely. That broke the contract that would have originally allowed you to get there, but now, since it's broken, your spirit would be extinguished if you signed this contract. In other words, signing /this/ contract will be your undoing. Not even /L-sama/ wants that, or your family."
Lina was quiet for a "spell" (no pun intended). Finally, she spoke, "So now what?"
Angelina stated, "Yes, what to do? The obvious thing would be to return you to your family but… without your body, your spirit has no body to go into.
They were quiet for a long while, neither sure if a spell or act could undo it.
Lina suggested, "We could have a copy made of me. There was a guild that did that in Sairaag."
Kollina shook her head. "Didn't you notice when you visited what-was-her-name Sylphiel-san? They didn't rebuild the guild."
Angelina added, "Even if they did, I believe you need a lock of hair to make it work, right? You can't exactly yank hair from a spirit. As of now, you're transparent."
Lina nodded and bent her head down to think a bit more. Before they knew it, the sun had risen in the distance.
Lina looked out the large window at the approaching sunrise. "Onee-san and the others should be waking up soon. Oh, by the way, did my s-sister agree to let Liona stay with her?"
Kollina absently nodded. "She was busy, but she agreed to it. You know, you may not like it when she's in a bad mood, but your sister really is a good person."
Lina sighed. "I know, but to me, it feels like she's /always/ in a bad mood."
Kollina suddenly thought of something and started walking towards a magic circle carved into the marble floor. "Wait a minute while I check something. I think I may have the answer."
Angelina and Lina watched as Kollina seated herself directly in the middle of the circle and started to mumble a chant. After she finished, she quickly whipped out a dagger from her side and slit the back of her hand so that a drop of her red-black blood dripped into a crevice of the magical circle. The blood spread to every corner of the drawing and shined like gold, completing the spell. From a horizontal line directly in front of Kollina wisps of green smoke rose and stopped about five feet off the ground, eventually making a "picture". Apparently, Kollina was surprised by the result. She yelled out, "99%?!?! THAT MUCH?!?!"
Her yell broke the spell, the picture dispersed, and the light of the magical circle faded. Head bent down, Kollina made her way to the two onlookers.
When Kollina stopped next to them, Angelina asked softly, "Kollina-san, was that… ?"
Kollina nodded. Angelina had a forelorn look on her face as she stared at her feet. Kollina took a deep breath and looked up at Lina with a determined smile. "Well if those are the circumstances, than I might as well use /that/ spell. Come on Lina. I'll take you home before we have to go."
Uneasily, Lina asked, "Just so I'm sure, who exactly is 'we'?"
Kollina smiled. "We'll drop you off before Angelina and I go. We're letting you off the hook, so to speak."
Lina exhaled deeply with relief. "So I'll be back with my family and friends?"
Kollina nodded. She held out a hand between them with a soft smile. Lina looked at Kollina, to her hand, and smiled as she put her own on top of her's. Kollina turned her head to look at Angelina. "You coming?"
Lina, too, looked at the distracted Angelina. She shook her head vigorously to clear her mind and nodded as she, too, put her gentle hand on top of the others. Kollina closed her eyes as she teleported them to Zephillia. The same feeling that had embraced Lina when Kollina had teleported them to Dynast's layer, enveloped her once more. Finding comfort in the cool, but heartwarming environment, Lina was slightly miffed when the short trip ended. When Lina opened her eyes, she found that she was in the restaurant. . . that her sister worked in. Lina turned blue with dread. Thankfully, as she looked around, the place was deserted.
Unfortunately for her, Luna had felt the enormous astral presences arrive, and had gone down to meet them. Needless to say, she was very surprised to find three figures that looked very similar to her little sister (one of them actually being Lina).
Slowly, Luna Inverse walked toward them with a vehement look on her face. Lina cowered behind the two spirits as Luna greeted them. "What's the meaning of this? Who are you?" As she got closer, she recognized Lina. "Lina? Is that you?" Lina whimpered in reply. Before Luna could say anything else, Angelina introduced them. "Luna-san, don't be too mad at Lina, she's been through a lot. As for who /we/ are, my name is Angelina, the appointed Supreme Healer under the great L-sama. This is Kollina, the one and only Knight of L-sama."
Angelina and Kollina politely bowed. Angelina then walked towards Luna, grasped her wrist lightly to hold out her hand, and put something in it with her other hand before stepping back. Luna slowly looked down at her hand, and saw a lone white pill. She looked up at Angelina and asked, "What is this?"
Angelina smiled and folded both hands in front of her as she answered, "A Restoration Pill. You're tired, right? Swallow that pill with some water and you're health and energy will be restored completely. Trust me, it works."
Luna wearily blinked, as if very tired. She smiled wanly. "Thank you, Angelina-san." That was when she realized something. Her smile broadened as she laughed lightly. "I remember you two now! You were there when Lina and Liona were born, right?"
Kollina and Angelina also smiled. Kollina answered, "Indeed we were, but as we hid our auras to the best of our ability, you are a very fine detector to notice us."
Luna grinned. "Thank you but truth be told, even if you tried to hide it, the power behind your auras are much to large to conceal. Oh, excuse me, would you like something to drink? Our specialty Zephilian wine perhaps?"
Kollina hurriedly waved her hand as she shook her head, "no". "We're here on strictly business, but thank you for the offer. Luna-san, if you could kindly wake up Lina's friends that are staying here including Gourry and Liona-chan, and meet us on the roof, we'd be much obliged. Simply tell them that Lina's back and I'm sure they'll come running. Oh, be sure to take that pill as well, you don't look as good as you usually do."
Kollina smiled, and Luna nodded and smiled back. "Well then, I'll meet you again shortly. If you'll excuse me, I'll get them right away. Zelgadis-san and Princess Amelia are in rooms 301 and 302, correct?"
Kollina nodded. Luna bowed and went up the stairs. After she had left, Lina looked at Kollina and Angelina in awe. People that even Luna respected. Well, she "respected" almost everyone, but Lina could have sworn that Luna almost looked up to them. . . Before Lina had any more time to speculate, Kollina spoke to her. "I'm sorry, Lina-san, but it seems that we'll have to take off again. You don't mind if I teleport us to the roof, do you?"
Lina shook her head. "Not at all."
"Well then," Kollina held out her hand once more. Once the other two both took it, Kollina teleported them up four stories to the roof. It was a simple place - clear of anything except a door to go back downstairs. Once they arrived, Kollina walked to the middle of the roof, and began to magically draw two identical magical symbols.
While she worked, Lina couldn't help but ask Angelina, "Why were you watching when Liona-chan and me were born?"
Angelina smiled as she summoned two chairs for them to sit in. "Simple. We wanted to observe your magical readings as soon as you were born. I suppose Luna-san caught us in the act.
Lina nodded in understanding. Before she thought better of it, Lina asked, "What was Kollina checking earlier that made her shout out like that?"
"That. . ."
Before Angelina could answer, Kollina called out, "I'm done drawing the circles! Angelina! Bring Lina over here."
Angelina winked as she and Lina stood up. ". . .Is a secret. Come on, Lina-san."
Lina sweatdropped at the thought of Angelina using this saying, but followed Angelina to where Kollina was. Her friends still hadn't arrived.
Kollina told her to stand in the middle of the other circle (besides the one that she was standing in the middle of) before she began to chant the spell. Kollina said it aloud, so Lina was able to hear it.
"Darkness beyond the blackest pitch,
Deeper than the deepest night!
Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos,
Lina's mind whirled as she stood, shellshocked. 'This spell…it can't be…' Lina believed that Kollina was casting the Giga Slave, but when she opened her eyes and smiled at Lina, it helped to reassure her, along with the final words.
I call upon thee, having sworn myself to thee!
Separate mind from body,
And allow this soul to regain her form!
Soul Release!
It was at that moment when Zelgadis and Amelia charged through the door; Gourry, Luna, and Liona were nowhere to be seen. However, Lina didn't notice this as she watched a golden liquid spread completely around and within Kollina's circle. Then, the luminescent "liquid" gathered at Kollina's feet and slowly crept up her body until she was surrounded by a fierce golden aura. The aura then visibly gathered at the center of her body in a large ball that launched itself through the air straight into the same place on Lina. Lina's eyes were wide as the ball reversed itself, going back into an aura surrounding her body, and falling to liquid in the circle, before disappearing altogether. During this process, Lina had felt an extremely warm feeling in her heart and a cool sensation flowing through her body. Once the liquid had disappeared, Lina barely had time to see what happened to Kollina before the roof part directly below her collapsed, sending her to the room directly below – her room – and directly onto a sleeping form – Gourry.
Even if you are a deep sleeper, a male can't possible ignore a feminine body dropping 10 feet on top of you, with a knee at your groin (_ totally accidentally, I swear! ^_^). Seconds earlier, Luna had sensed what was to happen, and had moved Liona and herself into a safer place, out of the way of Lina's fall.
Gourry woke up in pain. Lina groaned as she opened her eyes. Her first instinct upon seeing Gourry was to nearly choke him in an excited hug. When Lina realized where she had landed on, she quickly rolled off to lie next to him, but a broad smile was on her face. Once Gourry had sufficiently recovered and was able to take in the sight of Lina in front of him, Gourry embraced Lina not unlike what happened in the Sea of Chaos.
Luna was thinking on how she could best interrupt when Liona fully woke up and realized where she was. She knew an opportunity like this wouldn't show itself very often, so she took advantage of it; she clamped onto Luna with all of her little might. ^_^ When Luna felt Liona, she blushed very deeply but before she could react much, Liona tumbled in the air and landed between Gourry and Lina as they were about to kiss, letting them both kiss her on either of her cheeks. Gourry and Lina opened their eyes in amazed as they both pulled back slightly, allowing Liona to sit between them, in a fit of hysterically happy giggles. After a glance at each other, Liona, and back to each other, they laughed as well.
Out of breath, Zel and Amelia finally made it to Lina's bedroom. Lina stopped laughing to look over at them. She paled when she saw Luna leaning against the wall near the door. She was surprised when Luna smiled softly and said, "Welcome home, little sister."
Feeling confident from having just come back from the "dead", Lina answered, "I'm home, big sister."
Amelia hurled towards Lina and gripped her in a "spine-breaking" bear hug. She loudly and happily greeted, "Welcome back, Lina-san!"
Zel didn't hug her, but he had a welcoming smile on his face. Lina smiled back and told them, "I'm back from the dead – sorry if I worried you."
Before anything more could be said, a large, crackling, chaos-black, fireball-like sphere flew in from the hole made by Lina and orderly disappeared into Liona's medallion. Gourry wondered aloud, "What just happened…?"
Lina held the medallion in her hands as she remarked, surprised, "The dragon! It turned black! It was white before!" They all looked up at the hole, and wondered what had just happened as well. Luna uttered a single word that seemed to explain it all. "Kollina-san."
Lina nodded slightly in agreement. She must have done something, but what? It was then that she actually realized what room they were in. The room she had forbidden anybody but her to enter – her room. From there, let's just say Lina's temper tantrum was equal to the might behind her Dragon Slave until Luna reprimanded her with one word, letting it dissolve to nothing but a Lighting.
By the end of that day, had accomplished much. Lina had assured everyone that had been invited to her funeral, that she was alive, and had eventually bid farewell to her friends before they all went back home. Amelia, too, eventually went, but Zel wanted to search the underground library with renewed hope of his cure. This sent Lina on another tantrum, having discovered that Kollina read her journal to them, but once more Luna calmed her down. She was set at taking off again to travel with her family, but Luna grabbed her by the neck of her cape before she could even go off the small property. With a voice like (poisoned ^_^) honey, Luna /convinced/ Lina, Gourry, and Liona to stay and help with the business while Liona was growing up. Lina worked out that Liona could be tutored at the magic school in town while she was "busy" and then Lina would help her "study". With that in mind, Luna informed them that Lina's magical practicing arena would have to be rebuilt. With Liona's innocent potential, Lina had to agree.
A/N: Thus ends my story, "Slayers: Medallion". Not much about Medallions, huh? Ah…the story solely about Liona's adventures is going to be so /fun/. ^-^! Here's a little riddle: What do you get when you combine a vivacious, strong-willed, scrawny, tempermental, first-rate sorceress, a dumb-as-a-rock, kind, tall, expert swordsman, a little Mazoku influence, and a secret curse? Tons of fun, lots of adventures, and the one and only Liona Inverse! ^_^ Please review!
P.S. There will be just a last chapter with a profile on Liona (age 2) and responses to any questions you have about this story or the one I'm going to write. So go and review my story and feel free to ask me questions! ^_^