The Dark Brilliance
Chapter 1: Oldest Legend, Newest Journey

"It is encased in ice and fire, Under siege of wind and water,
Guarded fierce by creatures of old, Long forgotten, shining with gold"

Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev saw the restaurant. It was at the end of the street, past the weapons shop and magic shop, and all of the peddlers and townspeople that scrambled around in the daily rush.

Their eyes glinted.

It was nearly dark, and they hadn't eaten since that morning. They'd been traveling all day, and the restaurant was the planned meeting spot. Its brown doors and friendly sign swung in the light breeze, as dusk began to set in.

And they ran.

"I want the food first, Gourry! Get out of the way!" Lina screamed as she attempted to shove her companion away, while trying to sprint to the restaurant first.

Gourry uttered an awkward squawk as he was pushed, and then yelled back, "Hey, no fair, Lina! I'm hungry, too!"

People all along the street began to stare as they saw the blur of the rambling duo racing along the street. Their hair flew up behind them as they began sprinting even faster; the notion of food was all it took to power them up.

Gourry grinned. It was just like old times, and he was familiar with the rush of trying to beat Lina to the food; he had hardly ever won, but he still got the food in the end. He was even starting to like all the staring people, 'cause they all looked so comical.

Lina grimaced. The only thing on her mind right now was food, food, FOOD, and she was going to beat Gourry if she had to Fireball everyone in the street, and blast Gourry out of the town!

All was going according to routine. The street flying by, the restaurant in sight, and their capes flapping in the breeze, the two companions were almost to their destination.

All except one thing...

They were going to meet up with some very old friends. And memories of them flooded back into both Gourry and Lina's minds now, regardless of their current desire to eat, which was very unusual. For these were companions that had shared many exciting adventures with the two; adventures of majesty, complexity, and sometimes, miracles. And the lessons learned from them were too important, even for Gourry to forget.

Wow, Lina thought. After all this time, I wonder what it'll be like to see- AUGH!

Lina suddenly fell over, her body falling to the ground with a thud, and Gourry took this as one of the few opportunities to beat Lina. The swordsman took off into the distance, and covered the remaining distance to the restaurant, with people still staring after him.

"Ow, what happened?" Lina asked out loud, dazed. At the speed she was running, coming to a sudden crash stop was like running into a brick wall. Looking down at what she crashed into, she saw another woman of about the same age rubbing her head.

"Sorry, miss," the woman apologized, getting up and brushing herself off. It was clearly Lina's fault, rampaging about, but she was polite enough to say so, anyway.

The woman looked to be in her early 20s, like Lina, but unlike Lina's tomboyish style, her complexion was very elegant. Her attractive sky blue hair was bundled into a casual ponytail in the back, and the ponytail appeared to be held in place by a ruby. Her skin was clear of all faults, her face being the most beautiful of all. And her eyes. They were cool and relaxing, yet warm and inviting, for the clear sky blue of her hair reflected in her clear, all-seeing eyes. She wore an exquisite cloak, as well, mostly of a dazzling white color. The sleeves were frilled with the same blue of her eyes and hair, and another shining ruby shone about her waist. Although her outfit was very simple, it had more beauty than that of any queen.

Lina got to her feet, and then stared, wide-eyed. This woman looked so different than anyone else she'd ever met; it was as if she were an angel that had come down from heaven. Lina, too, had never seen a cloak quite so beautiful before, the white as inviting as the coo of a dove. The "heartless bandit killer" that so often showed no emotion suddenly found herself awkwardly trying to figure out who this goddess was. She stumbled on her words in her disbelief, her desire of food temporarily forgotten. "I... N-no, it... No, it wasn't your fault... Um... Are you from around here? I haven't seen anyone that looks quite like you... around this place." Actually, I haven't seen anyone like you before, ever, Lina thought, wondering where the girl could be from.

"Oh, you'd like my name?" the woman replied, in a pleasant tone, getting off the last bit of dust. "My name is Kyra. I work as a priestess in the 'Outer World', as you put it." She paused, as if considering, and then continued: "I got here about two years ago, to find more exciting places to visit. And, as I found out the hard way, it's hard to get used to this place." She smiled. "In terms of variety and strength, I'm also a pretty powerful sorceress... What about you?"

Lina paused. She still wasn't completely buying all of this, but Kyra did seem like a decent person. She paused a second more, and Kyra's cloak rippled lightly as another breeze started up, and the ruby about her waist glinted like the purest diamond. "A priestess?" Lina asked. "But... you don't look like one... A priestess of what?"

The people had stopped watching the two women by now; they seemed to be simply talking. Nothing unusual was going on, except in Lina's mind...

Kyra shook her head. "Perhaps the outfits are different here, but this is standard attire in the land I come from. And I'm afraid that the name of my temple is secret, and sacred, to my people alone." She shook her hair back, the brilliant blue catching the sun, like waves lapsing against a sandy shore.

Lina nodded. Well, I guess it seems truthful enough... she thought. I don't know why, but this Kyra seems... pure. I feel like I could tell her anything... Like she's a very old friend... After Lina sorted out her thoughts, she grinned decisively, and extended her welcome. "My name is Lina. Lina Inverse. I'm good at sorcery myself; we'll have to compete sometime."

Kyra laughed, a melodic sound that warmed the hearts of those who heard it. The wind slowed down a bit at the sound, as if to pause, and listen. "I'll take you on," she mocked jokingly.

Lina didn't know why, but she felt that she really enjoyed being with this woman, although they'd only been talking for a few minutes. Kyra had done in less than 10 minutes what usually took a very long time to achieve - achieve faith from Lina Inverse. "Why don't you come with me for some dinner, Kyra?" Lina offered. "My companion Gourry and I are meeting up with some old friends; it's a perfect opportunity to introduce you all... I'm sure they'll all welcome you."

"I was only heading back from a stroll when we 'met'," Kyra laughed. "I think I will."

With that, the powerful sorceress and the elegant priestess walked down the street to the restaurant, and entered. Strangely enough, as Kyra walked in through the door, the light caught the gem around her ponytail, and only the gem. And all of a sudden, an emerald shone there; the ruby was gone...

The sun disappeared behind the faraway mountains, and night began to set in.

***

"Miss Lina!" Amelia shouted joyfully, running up to greet Lina as she came in sight of the appropriate table. "It's been such a long time!" Amelia still looked young, as she always did; it was only her eyes that gave away the wisdom, and memories, of passing years.

Lina smiled, and ran up to embrace Amelia. "Yeah, 5 years can change a lot, Amelia. But you look as great as ever." She flashed a thumbs-up sign.

"Wow, Miss Lina, you're sure in a great mood," Amelia commented. But she was glad of it; she'd been half-expecting for Lina to grab her in a headlock or something, for old-times' sake.

The other three at the table had looked up as Amelia left the table, and smiled at the reunion. The images of Darkstar and Valgaav flashed through everyone's minds, as they looked back through the windows of the past.

Gourry lied back in his chair; he hadn't even eaten yet, because he'd been so busy talking with his old companions. Even for someone with memory as bad as his, he still knew that it was important to simply talk, instead of eat. At least Lina won't be angry now, he thought.

Zelgadis smiled one of his rare smiles, as well. Things had been pretty peaceful since they'd fought Darkstar. He hoped it would stay that way. On the downside, his cure still hadn't been found, but to him, it was worth it, because Amelia was always there with him. He'd returned to Seyruun about one and a half years after the parting, to Amelia's great joy and disbelief. He smiled, and his heart jumped a little, as he flashed back to his reunion with her. She was crying openly with happiness that he'd come back. She sure can pack a wallop, Zelgadis thought, remembering how she had punched him as she cried, telling him not to scare her like that again. Amelia had thought that he'd never come back, him usually being so cold and alone. He felt a little jab at his heart as he once again realized his mistake of leaving so suddenly.

When Zel had returned to Seyruun, he had planned, at most, a long visit. But, as it turned out, Amelia's affections kept him there like a dog to a stake. He found himself starting to feel at home there, and when he went on journeys to look for his cure, Amelia couldn't stop him, but always insisted on going with him. Zelgadis admittedly acknowledged that he and Amelia were probably just on the verge of a real relationship, but he would never admit it to her; not now, anyway. Just thinking about it made him nervous.

Filia, too, was relaxed and calm, instead of going through extremes of anger or despair. She'd led a very happy life, actually, since the parting, and her life had gotten even happier, and a lot more hectic, when Val was born. She'd been so worried when the egg didn't hatch after six months; that was usually the longest it took for a Golden Dragon egg to hatch. But, realizing that she knew nothing of Ancient Dragons, she, Jillas, and Grabos still lovingly cared for it. Exactly on the one year anniversary of the battle with Valgaav himself, baby Val hatched. He was now almost four-and-a-half years old. Dragons normally grow at a fast rate, but Filia had still been surprised at how fast the Ancient Dragon grew. Right now, Val looked like he was almost ten years old, and he diligently practiced in his studies. His magic and physical capability were both extremely high, and almost beyond belief for his age, even as a dragon.

And there was no Xellos. Filia hadn't been bothered by him once since the parting. As a matter of fact, none of the Slayers had either seen or heard anything about the Mysterious Priest since that time. They supposed that his business simply didn't involve them anymore. And Filia was very aware of it, as quiet, happy days with Val continued. She tried to convince herself that she was ecstatic that Xellos was totally and utterly gone; she had Val, and Jillas and Grabos were always there to help out. An untrustworthy monster was the last thing she'd need..... And yet.... sometimes she had felt so lonely, even with her help and her child. The images of Xellos sometimes echoed in her mind as she slept, as if to haunt her. She couldn't shake it off, and she cursed herself for feeling like she needed him. The way he'd acted in that last battle - so strong and so determined; Filia felt that if Xellos weren't on their side, the prophecy would never have been fulfilled, and not only because he was the one that could summon Shabranigdo's power. "That's the dragon I know!" he'd said when she finally decided to fight, and there seemed to be no insincerity, either. Empty, empty...

But this is no time to think of it, Filia suddenly thought, shaking her head. She was with her companions now; it was a time of joy and reunion. Val was safely at home, being watched over by Jillas and Grabos. She smiled, washing away the momentary sadness. She hoped he wasn't testing out his magic again on Jillas or Grabos; they always got pretty burnt up...

Gourry, Zelgadis, and Filia switched their attention back to Lina and Amelia, and took in the sense of peacefulness. It looked like they were all back together again.

Amelia broke her embrace from Lina, and said, "C'mon, Miss Lina! Come sit down; we have so much to talk about. Mr. Gourry was just starting to get into what you guys have been doing!"

Lina smiled. "All right, Amelia," she replied, "I know it's been a terribly long time..."

She stepped back a little. "But first... I'd like you all to meet someone..." At this, the three at the table sat up straighter; they wondered who Lina was talking about, especially Gourry, who had no recollection of who Lina was talking about, and for once was right not to. Amelia stayed where she was, looking at Lina expectantly.

"Who, Miss Lina?" Amelia asked, puzzled.

The air held its breath.

And around the corner after Lina, until in sight of the table, strode Kyra. It felt as if her earrings should have clanged together, or her jewels should have shone dazzlingly, but she had no earrings, and her jewels stayed just as they were. For she needed no introductory noise or light; the Slayers stared wide-eyed as the bright goddess came to stand next to Lina. Her sky-blue purity shone just as it did before, and she laughed once again, like a gentle river flowing across a valley. "I'm glad to meet you all," she said, looking them over.

Lina gestured at Amelia, who still looked to be in semi-shock at such a beautifully perfect woman, to go and sit down. Beckoning Kyra, Lina went to get two more chairs, and then set them down at the table. The six sat around the table now, but what was supposed to be an active reunion had turned into a confused jumble.

Zelgadis and Filia managed a happy greeting at Lina, whom that hadn't talked to in so long, but then lapsed back into silence, gazing at Kyra. "Who... is she... Miss Lina...?" Filia asked Lina, hesitantly.

"Oh, come on, guys!" Lina said loudly, scaring the silence away. "It's not like she's a zoo animal! She's just a very nice woman I met,"- or rather, crashed into, Lina thought. - "on the street before. I thought we should all get to know each other."

Surprisingly, Zelgadis was the one that broke the silence with Lina. He knew it was silly to be gaping like that, and he cursed himself silently for letting himself get carried away with everyone else. "My name is Zelgadis Greywords," he introduced himself, offering his hand to Kyra's. With that said, Kyra introduced herself to everyone, and pretty much described the same amount of what she did, and where she came from, as when she was talking to Lina.

In no time at all, the Slayers and Kyra had started talking happily again. "Dinner for twenty, and step on it!" Lina shouted at the nearest waiter, so that they could get started on eating.

Kyra mostly sat by and listened to the stories of the Slayers' past as they talked, and no one could really tell what she was thinking as they spoke of past battles. Still, she contributed conversation sometimes.

"Gourry, you idiot! How dare you leave me on the ground after I trip!" Lina was yelling now, grabbing Gourry in a headlock, and getting back into present times.

"But-but Lina," Gourry choked. "Sometimes you throw me on the ground on purpose!"

The other Slayers watched the display with amusement; it looked like Lina and Gourry hadn't changed at all. After Zel and Filia had told their basic stories, which they had been thinking about, Amelia started talking about what she'd been doing.

"Business in Seyruun was rather boring after we last met," admitted Amelia. "It was only recently that things have started to get more exciting; very exciting, actually. As you all know, our last expedition to explore the entire Outer World ended in rather abrupt disaster, when a sorceress we all know managed to sink the entire Seyruun fleet..."

Lina looked sheepish, remembering how she'd caused a huge tsunami after she'd tried firing the Dragonslave at Filia. However, Gourry, and even Zelgadis, smiled, remembering the long disastrous days without food as a result.

Filia looked a bit sheepish, too. "Well, at least I got to find out if you were strong enough to take on the prophecy," she commented.

Amelia, in contrast, looked annoyed. "Daddy was pretty angry that we just took off, leaving all those sunken ships. He told me so after we finished the battle and separated," she explained. "It's been five years, though, and this time our fleet is ten times stronger; we'll be able to explore the Outer World... for real."

Kyra, in her turn, smiled at the conversation. "You didn't tell me you knew such powerful magic, Lina," she pointed out. "It makes me all the more eager to have our competition all the sooner."

"Competition?" the rest of the Slayers asked in unison. "Oh, it's just a little thing, guys," Lina explained. "Kyra says she knows some powerful magic too, and we want to see whose magic is stronger."

Everyone gaped. "Miss Lina, don't you think that's a bit dangerous?" Filia asked. "Where would you find a place large enough for you guys to compete with spells as powerful as the Dragon Slave?"

"Well..." Lina paused, considering. "Now that you mention it, I have no idea!"

Everyone else fell over. Except for Kyra. "Don't worry; I know of a perfect place in the Outer World. We'll have our duel. I promise."

The Slayers got back up, and acknowledged Kyra's statement. "I suppose we'll have a chance to be by ourselves when we journey out again," Amelia said. "I'll have to ask Daddy when, though. We wouldn't want to miss the fleet on the way back."

Filia smiled. "Yes, it'll be pretty odd to actually journey normally instead of going off on our own, for once. There's no deadly prophecy this time... No great evil to conquer..." The others nodded in agreement, and in relief.

Kyra's eyes glittered, and suddenly her presence seemed to loom a hundred times stronger. "Isn't there?" she asked softly, yet with great power.

Everyone tensed up at this. "What do you mean?" asked Zelgadis cautiously.

Kyra lost her beautiful smile, and her face darkened a bit. "There is always evil about. But this time, it stands unrivaled. Back in the Outer World, and through my sources here, I have heard that high up in the sky, there have been repeated sightings. Some claim it is only an illusion, and I had my doubts as well, until I could have sworn I saw it once, glittering in the heavens."

"What is it?" Lina asked, puzzled; she hadn't heard anything. It seemed that Kyra always knew something that she had no idea of.

"The Staff of the Gods."

"The WHAT?!" the Slayers exclaimed in unison.

Except for Gourry, of course. "Uh... is that important somehow...? It sounds kinda familiar, like someone told me something about it, or maybe I-"

WHAM! He was abruptly cut off as Lina punched him square in the face. "You idiot! How could you forget what the Staff is? Remember the Philosopher's Stone? With Rezo? The thing in the Orihalcon statue that you carried around for days???"

Gourry stared, wide-eyed. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Everyone sweatdropped. Kyra smiled hesitantly. "This man... Gourry... has no idea what the Staff of the Gods is?" she asked in disbelief.

"Trust me, Miss Kyra," Amelia whispered to her. "Once you get to know Mr. Gourry, you'll be expecting this sort of thing..."

Lina sighed, and went into an explanation. "The Philosopher's Stone was one of the most powerful amplifying devices of all, like my demon blood talismans, capable of overthrowing entire kingdoms. But it was a mere piece of the Staff of the Gods, which, according to legend, supports the entire world. If the Staff has been sighted, then that means that apocalypse is upon us. According to ancient lore, it means that some evil greater than the mozaku will destroy the Staff, and consequently our world. I truly thought that such a thing was impossible, and that it was only a tale to entertain small children. But now, if all as is foretold... Darkness will consume everything that exists, and all of creation will lapse back into chaos... Understand?"

Gourry was about to say something, but then was hit in the head again by Lina. "You know what?" Lina said, with a hint of annoyance. "One thing I've learned is that these long descriptions do everything but actually teach you anything. So let's not even bother this time..."

Kyra nodded, approving the description of the legend, and Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia looked worried. "Does this mean something horrible's going to happen to the expedition this time, too?" Amelia asked, sadly. Zelgadis found himself wanting to comfort Amelia, his usual cold nature thrown aside. He started to reach out to her, but stopped himself just in time. I must find my cure first before I even try to get close to her... he thought to himself bitterly. He shared Amelia's sorrow, and the news about the Staff had greatly unnerved him.

Filia, torn between reason and lore, protested, "But I used to be a servant of the Fire Dragon King. I was a servant of the Gods, a priestess for my people. If there really had been such a terrible thing afoot, I surely would have sensed it somehow."

Kyra nodded understandingly. "Ah, but the Fire Dragon King would not know of such an ancient evil. The Staff of the Gods itself is beyond the comprehension of Ceipheed's servants. As I am from the Outer World, we have different sources for these legends; the people of your land, sealed inside the ancient barrier of Ceipheed and Shabranigdo for so long, would not know much of these things."

Filia nodded, and understood.

Lina sat up straighter at the table. "If what you say is true, Kyra, then I'll voice my opinion. Listen up, especially you, Gourry. The legend of the Staff is too ancient that any clear details can be made of it; it is not said what dark lord may come about. Since the mozaku aren't even involved, I'm not sure what to expect. But I'll tell you this - We've used our gut feelings to win more than one battle, and my heart tells me now that if an evil really does come, it will be far worse than our battle with Darkstar could have measured up to..."

A silent gloom settled over the table, with each knowing that they would be drawn into an adventure once again - it seemed that fate wanted it to be that way. Kyra remained clear-eyed; she clearly knew more, that she would not yet reveal.

Suddenly, Filia tensed, breaking her hesitant mood. She sensed something, but she wasn't quite sure yet... She felt a shadow dancing in the back of her mind, and then she could have sworn she'd seen something move out of the corner of her eye... There it was - she felt it fully now; she knew he was here. Any second now...

Everyone looked up as they heard the sound of a single person clapping. Filia was right - it was him. Xellos was back, just like that. As expected, he looked exactly the same as he had the last time they'd seen him. His violet hair shined a little under the light of the rising moon, and that was all the introduction he needed. "Well done, as always, Lina Inverse," he commented, in the typical Xellos fashion. Ironically, it was almost exactly the same entrance he'd made the first time the Slayers had met him.

"XELLOS?!" the Slayers exclaimed. Filia, for some reason, felt better about the situation even as she got annoyed that the Mysterious Priest was back. She felt a connection with Xellos that she couldn't shake, no matter how hard she tried. She felt more complete again, and once again was annoyed at herself for it.

"Well, it's official," Lina sighed. She'd had more than enough surprises for one day, and the appearance of their old accquaintance was the last straw. "If Xellos is showing up again, that means Kyra's sources are correct, and it also means that we're all in for another round of trouble."

"Y-you..." Zelgadis managed to get out. He still despised the Trickster Priest as much as ever.

"Oh, come now!" Xellos replied calmly and happily. "I'm not always an omen for bad news! In fact, the only reason I showed up was to say hello to you all!"

"Really..." Lina muttered.

"That is a secret!" Xellos glanced over at Filia. "Ah, my beloved dragon is here as well!" he teased.

"Namagomi..." Filia muttered angrily.

"Excuse me," Kyra suddenly broke in, still a stranger. "Who is this?"

Xellos, noticing her for the first time, actually looked a little surprised as he took in the sight, but then quickly covered his reaction with an air of smugness. "I... am the Mysterious Priest!" he introduced himself.

"C'mon!" Lina broke in. "This is no time to keep your stupid secrets! His name is Xellos, he's a high-ranking mozaku, and he's the servant of Beastmaster."

"Oh, so this is the Xellos you were talking about before," Kyra realized.

Xellos actually looked rather annoyed. Lina had spoiled his grand entrance.

"Mr. Xellos, what ARE you here for?" Amelia asked, speaking up.

Regaining his composure, Xellos replied, with the air of one answering a very obvious question, "Why, to accompany you on your new journey, of course!"

"Again?!" the Slayers protested.

"Well," Xellos replained. "Lord Beastmaster had heard of these sightings of the supposed Staff of the Gods, and these events are clearly important enough that I'll be travelling with you again. But who are you?" he finished, gesturing to Kyra again.

Once again, Kyra introduced herself. Then, she faced the rest of the people at the table. If the power that seemed to be coming from her had seemed radient before, it had now increased beyond comprehension. Her voice was as decisive as it was soft, now. "I have decided that I too will travel with you all. You seem to know what you're doing, and I was beginning to think that no one of this land would be able to aid against the coming wickedness."

Gourry looked confused. "Are we going anywhere soon?"

Zelgadis looked a bit confused himself. "Yes, didn't you say the fleet wasn't leaving for several months, Amelia?" he asked.

Kyra interrupted, taking in her new traveling companions. "Since I have decided that you are all worthy of this journey, it is vital that we begin the quest right away. Time is precious now; the Staff will be sighted more and more often, and the disaster will get ever nearer. I'm afraid I had lied to you, Lina. I did not get here two years ago simply as an adventurer. I have been searching well in advance of these sightings in order to find people of this land that are powerful enough to aid this world. There may be nothing left to go explore by the time Seyruun is ready to launch its ships." She flung her hair back, and in the light of the moon, it shone beautifully. "We must go. Now."

Xellos had stood by with wonder; this was surely not a normal human; he didn't sense any ordinary emotions inside her. She also talked and acted in a way that seemed higher than humans could be capable of. For the first time, he found himself unable to pinpoint any knowledge on a living being. It was as if she wasn't of this world...

Lina looked at Kyra, unsure. "But how are we to stop the foretold evil? And how do we even get to the Outer World?"

Kyra nodded. "It is true that I have not explained what is to be done. But the full extent of the tasks will be revealed to you as we get to the Outer World. Back in my homeland, I had heard of the oldest temple of all, forgotten on this world, within the depths of a region foreign to both the people here, and I. It was supposedly created when chaos came into being, and was put deep into this world, in a place so secret that none were supposed to even hear of it. It is encased in ice and fire, under siege of wind and water, guarded fierce by creatures of old, long forgotten, shining with gold. That is what the oldest legend of my land speaks of, and we should be able to find it with the help of you travelers. I do not need to test you; I can sense it in your essence that you have what it takes to attempt this quest, and that every journey you have spoken of before is true to the fullest degree."

Amelia spoke again, voicing everyone's question once more, "But how do we get to the Outer World?"

"I will take care of that," Kyra whispered, and those words seemed to have all the power in the world. Her voice held great suspense, and then almost seemed to take physical form.

All of a sudden, the restaurant was gone, and only endless blue space stretched out in every direction. The sky-blue of Kyra's eyes and hair glowed so bright, it was as if they had lives of their own. Her jewels flashed every color in the spectrum. Her voice rang clearly and eternally, and it sounded unearthly to every member of the group. "Follow me," she spoke, simply. Kyra flung out both of her arms in a sudden motion, her robes billowing. To the amazement of all, golden wings tinted with sky-blue edges erupted gracefully out of their guide's shoulders. Truly an angel had come to that earth; it was all the more disbelieving. And as Kyra gave another flick of her wrist, her companions all sprouted the same wings as well, as if in a dream world.

"Follow me," Kyra repeated, clearly, gesturing forward into the endless blue. The Slayers were silent, bewildered. Even Xellos clearly had no idea what was going on. Their bodies moved on their own, their wings lifted them upwards... It was not moving through the physical plane, it was not teleportation, and it was not magic. It was spiritual, of the same nature as Kyra. The goddess flew swiftly off into the distance, with Lina, Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis, Filia, and Xellos gliding close behind...

It had begun.