The Dark Brilliance
Chapter 2: Transcendent Duel
"A duel is two glittering jewels. One might shine brighter, but which is truly genuine?"
His master had sent for him. And he knew that the Dark Brilliance was not to be disobeyed. From the countless millennia that the Dark Brilliance had dwelled in chaos, he had gathered much hatred, greed, jealously, and other negative feelings. But it would not be wasted just for pleasure, like the impotent mozaku race had done.
His master had created many servants with his limitless power at one time, but then had killed them all and absorbed them again when their purpose was rendered to be obsolete. Now, the Dark Brilliance had once again created servants, but not many, not useless slaves. He had created Three. Three that possessed the same types of horrible power as their master, and which would keep the Dark Brilliance amused while he was off on more important duties.
And now the order had been sent. He would be the first to attack the world of Lina Inverse, and there was great honor in that. He knew that he was the weakest of the Three; his master had never lied to him, but it did not matter. He only wanted to serve his master, and he was dying for some new emotions, to make him all the stronger. If all went well, he would be the one to carry out his master's orders in its completeness - to kill Lina Inverse and her companions, for they were not to interfere...
He vanished, laughing horribly. The air where he had been gave a shriek of pain, and then exploded inwardly, turning back into chaos.
***
Lina and the others continued through the blue portal, their wings glittering powerfully. Lina surely wanted to know what was going on, and opened her mouth to ask...
Or tried to. She was comfortable the way she was, but it seemed that in this place, Kyra was in control, and she would just have to wait until they got to the Outer World, however the travel worked. But she greatly wondered - what type of sorcery was this? In all her years of magic training and experience, Lina had never remotely heard of such a spell, or one that changed others' bodies, and then allowed such total control...
Kyra's hair and eyes continued to shine beautifully, and her mouth was set in a thin line - it seemed she knew exactly what she was doing, and where she was going. Her wings were the only ones that really flapped, as she led her companions along the endless blue.
Up ahead, and then all around the travelers, a brilliant blue light began to get brighter and brighter, an aura seemingly coming from Kyra's body. Her perfect shimmering white cloak glowed brighter as well, but, oddly enough, the Slayers needed not to shield their eyes. As they were safe being guided by Kyra, their bodies were safe from all harm, as well. At last, the light got so bright that the travelers' visions were filled with it entirely, despite the fact that they didn't need to hide from it.
At once, there was one last brilliant blue flash from the already blinding light, and then it was over.
Kyra landed quietly on her feet, her wings quickly shrinking back into her shoulders. A beautiful clear sky is shining overhead, and the grass was greener than any spot back in the Slayers' homeland.
Lina and the rest of the group landed in a heap, dazed. Their wings simply vanished into thin air all of a sudden without a trace. As they began to breathe normally again and become accustomed to the new environment, all six companions got up, and brushed themselves off.
There was a still silence, broken only by the quiet chirping of a faraway bird. It was truly a miraculous place, seemingly devoid of trouble; tranquility stretched out, quietly, in all directions. It seemed to be Paradise, materialized on earth.
The Slayers still didn't know what to think, and Kyra still stood silently, looking out at the horizon, as if waiting for something. The emerald around her ponytail shimmered, and then transformed into a simple yellow flower.
"Okay," Gourry finally managed, breaking the silence. "What exactly just happened here?"
The rest of the travelers, including a rarely-confused and speechless Xellos, nodded their heads, also demanding to know what process had carried them to what they believed to be the Outer World.
Kyra suddenly laughed again, breaking her emotionless mood, and her essence glittered with perfection, once more. "Did it surprise you?" she asked, smiling.
"Did it surprise us?" Zelgadis repeated with disbelief. "We were just sitting in the restaurant talking, when all of a sudden everything disappears, you have us flying after you with wings that came out of nowhere, unable to move or talk, and you asked if it SURPRISED us?!"
"Oh, come now," laughed Kyra. "It wasn't as bad as all that. It's the safest and most elegant way of travel where I come from."
Amelia gaped. "You mean your people do this all the time for casual travel, Miss Kyra?"
Kyra nodded back. "It's called de-quintessence movement. Usually, only one person controls it. I took the purest and most essential essences of each one of you, and then moved myself to the same state. Once we left all other parts of ourselves behind, shape, form, and state of mind mean nothing. Since I was the one that initiated it, I was the one that controlled where we went. It happens to be the custom of my people to travel using the golden, blue-tipped wings; it's very beautiful to us. Once we got here, your bodies, minds, and whatever else simply connected back with you again; it is the nature of togetherness that enables the rest of you to travel with the movement."
"Why don't you use teleportation?" Xellos and Filia asked simultaneously, and then, realizing they'd said the same thing at the same time again, hmphed, and looked away from each other.
"Ah, teleportation is moving your body physically through another plane? But eventually that would tire you! Instead of moving a body that gets easily tired, I moved the quintessence, which is the very throb of life; it is far more efficient. Also, it is far faster. I do not think either of you could have traveled all the way to the other side of the world so quickly." Kyra laughed. "But you two sure seem like you would make a nice couple. Are you?"
There was a momentary silence, and then the rest of the Slayers burst out laughing as Xellos and Filia spoke at once, saying "WHAT?! NEVER!"
Lina made gesture of frustration. "C'mon, you guys. We've only been together for how long, and you're already doing this?"
Xellos opened his mouth to say something, but then was promptly hit over the head by Filia's mace. "Finally got you, namagomi! Serves you right for embarrassing me all this time!" Xellos grimaced, then smiled weakly as he healed.
Kyra smiled. "You seem quite the interesting group!" she commented.
"Indeed," muttered Zelgadis.
"Miss Kyra, where exactly are we?" Amelia asked.
"Well, we're between the spot you previously explored, according to your description, and my homeland. Quite convenient. And Lina... are you ready to duel?"
Lina gaped. "What? Here?"
Kyra nodded, to everyone's surprise.
"But this looks like a perfectly natural landscape. Wouldn't you end up destroying everything?" Amelia asked, worried.
"Watch," Kyra whispered. "Let's do something basic..." She moved her hands in a familiar set of movements, and then thrust them outwards. "Fireball!" she said, and the blast flew into a relatively close pile of rocks.
Her companions watched as the blast hit the rocks, destroying them, and then gasped as the rocks flew back together into their original position. The recovery was so complete that it was as if nothing had happened in the first place. "But... how?" Xellos asked; he'd never seen any landscape of this sort. In fact, he was getting rather tired of asking for the secrets, rather than keeping them.
"Is it some sort of spell?" Lina asked, bewildered.
Zelgadis, Amelia, and Filia also looked clueless, but for once, Gourry seemed to know what he was doing. "I know!" he said. "It must be some sort of holy place!"
Kyra nodded. "Right. This is the exact spot where Ceipheed fell, after battling with Shabranigdo, before he vanished into chaos. It is the most blessed land in all our world, and no one knows of it but my people."
Amelia gaped. "Uh... how did you know it was holy, Mr. Gourry?"
"Yeah, how could a jellyfish-brain like you actually know what's going on when nothing's making sense?" Lina demanded.
"C'mon, guys!" Gourry protested. "Give me some credit! This was almost as obvious as when I figured out that Xellos was a mozaku!"
Filia burst out laughing. "Looks like you need to tidy up your act, namagomi!" she commented, smiling.
Xellos's eye twitched. "It's just a coincidence! And stop calling me that!"
"You seem to be losing your cool, Xellos," Zelgadis said, leaning against a tree.
Xellos was really tiring of not knowing what was going on, and now he was getting made fun of. "Well, I'll see you all later, then. I've got other things to attend to for now...." he muttered, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He teleported away.
***
All was ready.
Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia stood off a safe distance away. They agreed that if the explosions got too severe, Amelia and Zelgadis could cast barriers, and, if necessary, Filia as well.
The sun shone brightly overhead, illuminating the tranquil landscape. Everything was as it should be.
Except for the two sorceresses. Lina clenched her fists slightly. "It's been a long time since I had a real magic duel with someone," she said to Kyra, who stood a good distance away. "Ever since I perfected black magic, there was no one worthy dueling with. All the real battles I've had have been with enemies."
Kyra smiled, and the flower around her ponytail quietly transformed into a glittering diamond. "I'm glad I'll have the honor." She brought her hands down to her sides. "Shall we begin?"
Lina nodded, and wondered how strong this Kyra really was. As according to traditional sorcery ceremony, both magicians shouted "Lighting!", casting their spells into the sky, and meeting them, and then shielding their eyes. The moment the double spells' effects wore off, the moment the duel would truly begin.
Lina tensed a little, as she held her hand to her forehead, protecting her eyes. She'd felt great power in that Lighting spell alone, but she could also feel that it was greatly contained. Who was her opponent, really? Were all of her people normally this strong? There was so much Lina didn't know...
Kyra smiled.
All at once, the Lighting spell diminished, and the duel began.
"Fire... ball!" Lina shouted, firing the blast, and then instantly levitating into the sky.
The energy scorched towards Kyra, who wasn't moving, her hair billowing down over her white robes....
Lina hovered in the air for a split-second, wondering if the blast would hit... and then gasped.
The blast hit the far rock face, and the land quickly reformed itself. And Kyra was untouched. She had simply shifted from where she was standing to the air above her; one second she was there, and the next second she was simply gone. It was like teleportation, but Lina felt it had a different power...
Lina barely had time to regain her composure; all of this had happened in only two or three seconds, and Kyra had already fired a Flare Arrow at Lina.
Lina had only managed to duck out of the way just barely, when she suddenly realized. "I... didn't hear any words from her whatsoever. She doesn't need to say the name of the spell or perform any actions to cast magic...?" Lina whispered to herself.
Snapping back into reality, Lina quickly cast a basic barrier before a dozen Ice Arrows from Kyra struck all around her. The elegance of the ice was captured in the sun for a second, before they shot away. They flew off into the distance, freezing the land everywhere, which instantly thawed and went back to its natural state.
"Is she... that strong?" Filia asked, in disbelief.
The other three shared similar thoughts, and Amelia already had the first barrier up, as a precaution.
Lina swung around quickly in the air, knowing she'd have to cast more powerful spells if she was going to stand a chance. Lina performed the necessary motions, and then cast her spell. "Burst Flare!" she yelled, and the highly amplified Fireball rushed towards Kyra. Learning from her previous mistake of just watching, Lina fired a dozen Flare Arrows to amplify the effects. Quickly landing on the ground, the sorceress put her hand to the ground and unleashed the final part of her barrage. "Dug Haut!" Enormous stone spikes began rushing out of the ground around Kyra.
Kyra's eyes glittered. "Balus... Wall!" she shouted, and her perfect face changed to one of competition and battle. Since Kyra had actually uttered the words of the spell, it was far more powerful. The enormous barrier swung up in front of her, and dispelled all of the fire attacks.
Lina yelled, firing a Freeze Brid attack at Kyra, the opposite of a fireball.
Kyra flew out of the way, and the ice ball broke into pieces as one of the emerging spikes of the Dug Haut shattered it. Ice billowed out everywhere, and then the landscape completely healed.
Kyra's eyes suddenly glinted, and Lina cast a Ray Wing, flying up into the air, just avoiding being hit by an earth attack. "Pretty good," Lina admitted. "Ready for more?"
"Am I ever," Kyra stated, smiling. "It's time to get a bit more advanced." She flew at Lina, calling out a spell. "Hell Blast!" The spear of dark energy formed in her hand, and she flew faster as she almost got to Lina.
Lina cast a Diem Wing, hoping to blow Kyra backwards, as she flew upwards to avoid her attack. Kyra swerved to the side to avoid the wind, and then shifted, as if in teleporation, once again, ending up directly above Lina.
Lina quickly looked up, and spotted her opponent. "Val Flare!" she shouted, as Kyra hurled the spear downwards.
The two blasts met in mid-air, and instead of cancelling out, spread chaotic red and black flames everywhere. The land was barely able to keep up with healing now that the real battle had started.
Zelgadis cast the second barrier, as flames fell around them, falling aside harmlessly as they hit the barrier.
"It's quite a battle," Amelia whispered, her eyes glued on the fight even as she held up the first barrier.
"Yeah," agreed Gourry. "I haven't seen Lina like this in a long time.... I wonder who's gonna win..."
"Hyah!" Lina yelled, casting two Vice Flares, and then diving down lower.
Kyra blocked both of them with an Astral Vine sword that seemed to have been made out of thin air. The air around her darkened, and it was clear she'd powered up for something powerful. It crackled. The energy thickened. And she attacked. "Ultima Flare!" she cried, launching a colossal blast from her hands.
"What the?" Lina gasped, as the blast filled her vision. "I've never heard of that spell before..." Lina flew as fast as she could out of the way, and managed to dodge it, but barely. The sphere of energy singed her as it barreled down out of the cosmos.
As the blast hit the ground, the land seemed to hold its breath. And then the explosion. It was at least as powerful as the Dragon Slave, and the air everywhere exploded in flames from the blast.
Filia cast the third barrier, and looked skywards. "Looks like we'll be here for a while..." she commented.
The other three nodded.
Lina grimaced. It looked like Kyra would have quite a few tricks up her sleeve during this battle; there must be more advanced spells where that came from.
"Demona... CRYSTAL!" Lina shouted, and the icy fog raced towards Kyra, which would freeze her, rendering movement useless.
Kyra shifted again, and appeared a short distance behind Lina. "Fireball!" Kyra yelled, the blast soaring towards the other sorceress.
Lina gasped, and then barely had time to cast a barrier before the blast hit. "Time to get serious, then," she said, and started her spell.
Kyra smiled radiantly, looking as if she had all the time in the world.
"Lord of the Four Worlds..." Lina began, as her talismans began to shine.
"She's doing what?" Zelgadis asked, surprised. "Be on your guard; strengthen your barriers!"
"Grant me all the power that you possess..." Lina continued. A red aura started to grow around her from the energy that she was prepared to release.
Kyra then reacted, casting a Ray Wing in preparation. A blue aura started growing around her; she was powering up, strengthening her defense...
Lina's crimson aura erupted as the sorceress unleashed her power. "Blast Bomb!" cried Lina, firing the ultra-powerful attack at her opponent.
A dozen balls of fire shot at Kyra, each one several times stronger than a Fireball. Even with the Ray Wing attack, it looked like it would be hopeless. The Blast Bomb is almost beyond human capability to cast.
But Lina knew better. And she knew not to underestimate Kyra at this stage. She quickly landed on the ground as explosions began devastating the sky, and began the chant, still calling on the power of the Demon Blood Talismans. "Darkness beyond twilight..."
Gourry's eyes widened. "She's really casting an amplified Dragon Slave!" he cried, worried.
Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia grimaced, and each strengthened their barriers. What had started out as a friendly duel had gotten infinitely more dangerous. It was the greatest sorcery battle any of them had ever seen...
The air darkened, fearing the worst. The mountains which looked so peaceful loomed tall and ominous.
"Crimson beyond blood that flows..."
The talismans glowed brighter as the fire from the Blast Bomb grew ever larger, consuming Kyra's Ray Wing; none could see what had happened...
"Buried in the stream of time..."
The red aura around Lina deepened. The Slayers strengthened their barriers.
"Is where your power grows..."
Lighting flashed down from the sky, illuminating the black landscape. All around, a great power could be felt.
"I pledge myself to conquer, all the foes who stand... Before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed... by the power you and I possess!"
Lina gave a determined glance to the heavens, and then she launched the spell, as the Blast Bomb began to die down...
"DRAGON... SLAVE!" An enormous blast shot from the sorceress's hands, toward the smoke of where the Blast Bomb had hit Kyra.
To everyone's disbelief, an equally strong blue blast shot out of the smoke, and as it cleared, Kyra was seen, still alive and well. Her eyes glittered with power, but her true power had yet to come into play.
Blast met blast, and the sky sang with might. The blasts were too powerful to dissipate, or even explode, and so both sides were trying to force their blasts to their opponents. While Lina clenched her teeth, expending more effort, Kyra looked only to have little strain on her mind. The landscape deepened even further, and waves of energy spread in all directions. Beneath the blackness of the sky, the two sorceresses heated up the duel to its limits.
L-sama, she's strong! Lina thought, powerfully surprised. Even after all the precautions and extra spells, she had still ended up underestimating Kyra. It looked like the duel would end with Lina's loss; she had been matched in every way, and realization of the opponent was beginning to set in.
Kyra's eyes shone, bluer than ever, and her hair blew elegantly behind her from the energy emitted by the battle. She didn't act like she wasn't trying at all, but she obviously had a lot more power to put forth, if necessary.
Both combatants tensed up now, and got ready for the last push to determine the victor.
The others brought up the barriers to maximum power, and Gourry stood completely still, surveying the fight in silence. Even someone as dense as him realized the unbelieveable events of Lina and Kyra's duel.
Lina gave a shout, and pushed the Dragon Slave's blast forward with all her might, and then...
The blasts vanished. Both blasts suddenly vanished, swishing into nothing, without a trace. The duel had been unceremoniously ended.
Darkness. Wrath. It suddenly ate at the space everywhere, and life throbbed more slowly at some horrible event.
"What the?" Lina managed to gasp, before looking up. Her eyes widened considerably, and her mouth hung open slightly, looking at the creature that had materialized. "L-sama..." she whispered, fear suddenly clutching at her.
Beyond horror. Beyond anything.
Kyra seemed to be taking the situation seriously as well. Her expression, now altered, was no longer a smile, or emotionless. It had turned to cold fury, and the blue from her eyes flashed menacingly. "One of you..." she hissed, gazing at the shadowy figure that had appeared in place of the blasts. The diamond around her hair glinted one last time, and a black skull appeared in its place.
It cannot be destroyed. It cannot be opposed.
"What is... that??" Gourry panted, looking at the creature in horror, but Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia could only gape in silence.
Like an unwavering swarm of despair, the creature hung, suspended, even then causing decay to the withering sky.
It seemed to hold the essence of evil. Chaotic red and black power radiated from its vulgar body, and eyes that gleamed worse than the pits of hell stared forward. Eyes that showed no compassion. "Master," he said, simply, bowing to no one. "I shall be the one to destroy them." He wore clothing made completely out of pitch-black material, so that it seemed he was suspended in darkness entirely. The mouth was contorted, gaping and terrible. It was made out of the substance of the Dark Brilliance, and fulfilled the role brilliantly. And as the creature breathed in its dark essence once again, the Slayers could see shadows of the duel dancing around it. The thing had absorbed both blasts, with ease. "Lina Inverse!" he suddenly shouted, his face slowly forming into a smile of utter evil. "Now I challenge you. Now my wrath will be the one to tear you apart." He held up his hand to the sky, and suddenly something materialized, making all that witnessed it gasp.
It was the Staff of the Gods.
Chapter 2: Transcendent Duel
"A duel is two glittering jewels. One might shine brighter, but which is truly genuine?"
His master had sent for him. And he knew that the Dark Brilliance was not to be disobeyed. From the countless millennia that the Dark Brilliance had dwelled in chaos, he had gathered much hatred, greed, jealously, and other negative feelings. But it would not be wasted just for pleasure, like the impotent mozaku race had done.
His master had created many servants with his limitless power at one time, but then had killed them all and absorbed them again when their purpose was rendered to be obsolete. Now, the Dark Brilliance had once again created servants, but not many, not useless slaves. He had created Three. Three that possessed the same types of horrible power as their master, and which would keep the Dark Brilliance amused while he was off on more important duties.
And now the order had been sent. He would be the first to attack the world of Lina Inverse, and there was great honor in that. He knew that he was the weakest of the Three; his master had never lied to him, but it did not matter. He only wanted to serve his master, and he was dying for some new emotions, to make him all the stronger. If all went well, he would be the one to carry out his master's orders in its completeness - to kill Lina Inverse and her companions, for they were not to interfere...
He vanished, laughing horribly. The air where he had been gave a shriek of pain, and then exploded inwardly, turning back into chaos.
***
Lina and the others continued through the blue portal, their wings glittering powerfully. Lina surely wanted to know what was going on, and opened her mouth to ask...
Or tried to. She was comfortable the way she was, but it seemed that in this place, Kyra was in control, and she would just have to wait until they got to the Outer World, however the travel worked. But she greatly wondered - what type of sorcery was this? In all her years of magic training and experience, Lina had never remotely heard of such a spell, or one that changed others' bodies, and then allowed such total control...
Kyra's hair and eyes continued to shine beautifully, and her mouth was set in a thin line - it seemed she knew exactly what she was doing, and where she was going. Her wings were the only ones that really flapped, as she led her companions along the endless blue.
Up ahead, and then all around the travelers, a brilliant blue light began to get brighter and brighter, an aura seemingly coming from Kyra's body. Her perfect shimmering white cloak glowed brighter as well, but, oddly enough, the Slayers needed not to shield their eyes. As they were safe being guided by Kyra, their bodies were safe from all harm, as well. At last, the light got so bright that the travelers' visions were filled with it entirely, despite the fact that they didn't need to hide from it.
At once, there was one last brilliant blue flash from the already blinding light, and then it was over.
Kyra landed quietly on her feet, her wings quickly shrinking back into her shoulders. A beautiful clear sky is shining overhead, and the grass was greener than any spot back in the Slayers' homeland.
Lina and the rest of the group landed in a heap, dazed. Their wings simply vanished into thin air all of a sudden without a trace. As they began to breathe normally again and become accustomed to the new environment, all six companions got up, and brushed themselves off.
There was a still silence, broken only by the quiet chirping of a faraway bird. It was truly a miraculous place, seemingly devoid of trouble; tranquility stretched out, quietly, in all directions. It seemed to be Paradise, materialized on earth.
The Slayers still didn't know what to think, and Kyra still stood silently, looking out at the horizon, as if waiting for something. The emerald around her ponytail shimmered, and then transformed into a simple yellow flower.
"Okay," Gourry finally managed, breaking the silence. "What exactly just happened here?"
The rest of the travelers, including a rarely-confused and speechless Xellos, nodded their heads, also demanding to know what process had carried them to what they believed to be the Outer World.
Kyra suddenly laughed again, breaking her emotionless mood, and her essence glittered with perfection, once more. "Did it surprise you?" she asked, smiling.
"Did it surprise us?" Zelgadis repeated with disbelief. "We were just sitting in the restaurant talking, when all of a sudden everything disappears, you have us flying after you with wings that came out of nowhere, unable to move or talk, and you asked if it SURPRISED us?!"
"Oh, come now," laughed Kyra. "It wasn't as bad as all that. It's the safest and most elegant way of travel where I come from."
Amelia gaped. "You mean your people do this all the time for casual travel, Miss Kyra?"
Kyra nodded back. "It's called de-quintessence movement. Usually, only one person controls it. I took the purest and most essential essences of each one of you, and then moved myself to the same state. Once we left all other parts of ourselves behind, shape, form, and state of mind mean nothing. Since I was the one that initiated it, I was the one that controlled where we went. It happens to be the custom of my people to travel using the golden, blue-tipped wings; it's very beautiful to us. Once we got here, your bodies, minds, and whatever else simply connected back with you again; it is the nature of togetherness that enables the rest of you to travel with the movement."
"Why don't you use teleportation?" Xellos and Filia asked simultaneously, and then, realizing they'd said the same thing at the same time again, hmphed, and looked away from each other.
"Ah, teleportation is moving your body physically through another plane? But eventually that would tire you! Instead of moving a body that gets easily tired, I moved the quintessence, which is the very throb of life; it is far more efficient. Also, it is far faster. I do not think either of you could have traveled all the way to the other side of the world so quickly." Kyra laughed. "But you two sure seem like you would make a nice couple. Are you?"
There was a momentary silence, and then the rest of the Slayers burst out laughing as Xellos and Filia spoke at once, saying "WHAT?! NEVER!"
Lina made gesture of frustration. "C'mon, you guys. We've only been together for how long, and you're already doing this?"
Xellos opened his mouth to say something, but then was promptly hit over the head by Filia's mace. "Finally got you, namagomi! Serves you right for embarrassing me all this time!" Xellos grimaced, then smiled weakly as he healed.
Kyra smiled. "You seem quite the interesting group!" she commented.
"Indeed," muttered Zelgadis.
"Miss Kyra, where exactly are we?" Amelia asked.
"Well, we're between the spot you previously explored, according to your description, and my homeland. Quite convenient. And Lina... are you ready to duel?"
Lina gaped. "What? Here?"
Kyra nodded, to everyone's surprise.
"But this looks like a perfectly natural landscape. Wouldn't you end up destroying everything?" Amelia asked, worried.
"Watch," Kyra whispered. "Let's do something basic..." She moved her hands in a familiar set of movements, and then thrust them outwards. "Fireball!" she said, and the blast flew into a relatively close pile of rocks.
Her companions watched as the blast hit the rocks, destroying them, and then gasped as the rocks flew back together into their original position. The recovery was so complete that it was as if nothing had happened in the first place. "But... how?" Xellos asked; he'd never seen any landscape of this sort. In fact, he was getting rather tired of asking for the secrets, rather than keeping them.
"Is it some sort of spell?" Lina asked, bewildered.
Zelgadis, Amelia, and Filia also looked clueless, but for once, Gourry seemed to know what he was doing. "I know!" he said. "It must be some sort of holy place!"
Kyra nodded. "Right. This is the exact spot where Ceipheed fell, after battling with Shabranigdo, before he vanished into chaos. It is the most blessed land in all our world, and no one knows of it but my people."
Amelia gaped. "Uh... how did you know it was holy, Mr. Gourry?"
"Yeah, how could a jellyfish-brain like you actually know what's going on when nothing's making sense?" Lina demanded.
"C'mon, guys!" Gourry protested. "Give me some credit! This was almost as obvious as when I figured out that Xellos was a mozaku!"
Filia burst out laughing. "Looks like you need to tidy up your act, namagomi!" she commented, smiling.
Xellos's eye twitched. "It's just a coincidence! And stop calling me that!"
"You seem to be losing your cool, Xellos," Zelgadis said, leaning against a tree.
Xellos was really tiring of not knowing what was going on, and now he was getting made fun of. "Well, I'll see you all later, then. I've got other things to attend to for now...." he muttered, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He teleported away.
***
All was ready.
Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia stood off a safe distance away. They agreed that if the explosions got too severe, Amelia and Zelgadis could cast barriers, and, if necessary, Filia as well.
The sun shone brightly overhead, illuminating the tranquil landscape. Everything was as it should be.
Except for the two sorceresses. Lina clenched her fists slightly. "It's been a long time since I had a real magic duel with someone," she said to Kyra, who stood a good distance away. "Ever since I perfected black magic, there was no one worthy dueling with. All the real battles I've had have been with enemies."
Kyra smiled, and the flower around her ponytail quietly transformed into a glittering diamond. "I'm glad I'll have the honor." She brought her hands down to her sides. "Shall we begin?"
Lina nodded, and wondered how strong this Kyra really was. As according to traditional sorcery ceremony, both magicians shouted "Lighting!", casting their spells into the sky, and meeting them, and then shielding their eyes. The moment the double spells' effects wore off, the moment the duel would truly begin.
Lina tensed a little, as she held her hand to her forehead, protecting her eyes. She'd felt great power in that Lighting spell alone, but she could also feel that it was greatly contained. Who was her opponent, really? Were all of her people normally this strong? There was so much Lina didn't know...
Kyra smiled.
All at once, the Lighting spell diminished, and the duel began.
"Fire... ball!" Lina shouted, firing the blast, and then instantly levitating into the sky.
The energy scorched towards Kyra, who wasn't moving, her hair billowing down over her white robes....
Lina hovered in the air for a split-second, wondering if the blast would hit... and then gasped.
The blast hit the far rock face, and the land quickly reformed itself. And Kyra was untouched. She had simply shifted from where she was standing to the air above her; one second she was there, and the next second she was simply gone. It was like teleportation, but Lina felt it had a different power...
Lina barely had time to regain her composure; all of this had happened in only two or three seconds, and Kyra had already fired a Flare Arrow at Lina.
Lina had only managed to duck out of the way just barely, when she suddenly realized. "I... didn't hear any words from her whatsoever. She doesn't need to say the name of the spell or perform any actions to cast magic...?" Lina whispered to herself.
Snapping back into reality, Lina quickly cast a basic barrier before a dozen Ice Arrows from Kyra struck all around her. The elegance of the ice was captured in the sun for a second, before they shot away. They flew off into the distance, freezing the land everywhere, which instantly thawed and went back to its natural state.
"Is she... that strong?" Filia asked, in disbelief.
The other three shared similar thoughts, and Amelia already had the first barrier up, as a precaution.
Lina swung around quickly in the air, knowing she'd have to cast more powerful spells if she was going to stand a chance. Lina performed the necessary motions, and then cast her spell. "Burst Flare!" she yelled, and the highly amplified Fireball rushed towards Kyra. Learning from her previous mistake of just watching, Lina fired a dozen Flare Arrows to amplify the effects. Quickly landing on the ground, the sorceress put her hand to the ground and unleashed the final part of her barrage. "Dug Haut!" Enormous stone spikes began rushing out of the ground around Kyra.
Kyra's eyes glittered. "Balus... Wall!" she shouted, and her perfect face changed to one of competition and battle. Since Kyra had actually uttered the words of the spell, it was far more powerful. The enormous barrier swung up in front of her, and dispelled all of the fire attacks.
Lina yelled, firing a Freeze Brid attack at Kyra, the opposite of a fireball.
Kyra flew out of the way, and the ice ball broke into pieces as one of the emerging spikes of the Dug Haut shattered it. Ice billowed out everywhere, and then the landscape completely healed.
Kyra's eyes suddenly glinted, and Lina cast a Ray Wing, flying up into the air, just avoiding being hit by an earth attack. "Pretty good," Lina admitted. "Ready for more?"
"Am I ever," Kyra stated, smiling. "It's time to get a bit more advanced." She flew at Lina, calling out a spell. "Hell Blast!" The spear of dark energy formed in her hand, and she flew faster as she almost got to Lina.
Lina cast a Diem Wing, hoping to blow Kyra backwards, as she flew upwards to avoid her attack. Kyra swerved to the side to avoid the wind, and then shifted, as if in teleporation, once again, ending up directly above Lina.
Lina quickly looked up, and spotted her opponent. "Val Flare!" she shouted, as Kyra hurled the spear downwards.
The two blasts met in mid-air, and instead of cancelling out, spread chaotic red and black flames everywhere. The land was barely able to keep up with healing now that the real battle had started.
Zelgadis cast the second barrier, as flames fell around them, falling aside harmlessly as they hit the barrier.
"It's quite a battle," Amelia whispered, her eyes glued on the fight even as she held up the first barrier.
"Yeah," agreed Gourry. "I haven't seen Lina like this in a long time.... I wonder who's gonna win..."
"Hyah!" Lina yelled, casting two Vice Flares, and then diving down lower.
Kyra blocked both of them with an Astral Vine sword that seemed to have been made out of thin air. The air around her darkened, and it was clear she'd powered up for something powerful. It crackled. The energy thickened. And she attacked. "Ultima Flare!" she cried, launching a colossal blast from her hands.
"What the?" Lina gasped, as the blast filled her vision. "I've never heard of that spell before..." Lina flew as fast as she could out of the way, and managed to dodge it, but barely. The sphere of energy singed her as it barreled down out of the cosmos.
As the blast hit the ground, the land seemed to hold its breath. And then the explosion. It was at least as powerful as the Dragon Slave, and the air everywhere exploded in flames from the blast.
Filia cast the third barrier, and looked skywards. "Looks like we'll be here for a while..." she commented.
The other three nodded.
Lina grimaced. It looked like Kyra would have quite a few tricks up her sleeve during this battle; there must be more advanced spells where that came from.
"Demona... CRYSTAL!" Lina shouted, and the icy fog raced towards Kyra, which would freeze her, rendering movement useless.
Kyra shifted again, and appeared a short distance behind Lina. "Fireball!" Kyra yelled, the blast soaring towards the other sorceress.
Lina gasped, and then barely had time to cast a barrier before the blast hit. "Time to get serious, then," she said, and started her spell.
Kyra smiled radiantly, looking as if she had all the time in the world.
"Lord of the Four Worlds..." Lina began, as her talismans began to shine.
"She's doing what?" Zelgadis asked, surprised. "Be on your guard; strengthen your barriers!"
"Grant me all the power that you possess..." Lina continued. A red aura started to grow around her from the energy that she was prepared to release.
Kyra then reacted, casting a Ray Wing in preparation. A blue aura started growing around her; she was powering up, strengthening her defense...
Lina's crimson aura erupted as the sorceress unleashed her power. "Blast Bomb!" cried Lina, firing the ultra-powerful attack at her opponent.
A dozen balls of fire shot at Kyra, each one several times stronger than a Fireball. Even with the Ray Wing attack, it looked like it would be hopeless. The Blast Bomb is almost beyond human capability to cast.
But Lina knew better. And she knew not to underestimate Kyra at this stage. She quickly landed on the ground as explosions began devastating the sky, and began the chant, still calling on the power of the Demon Blood Talismans. "Darkness beyond twilight..."
Gourry's eyes widened. "She's really casting an amplified Dragon Slave!" he cried, worried.
Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia grimaced, and each strengthened their barriers. What had started out as a friendly duel had gotten infinitely more dangerous. It was the greatest sorcery battle any of them had ever seen...
The air darkened, fearing the worst. The mountains which looked so peaceful loomed tall and ominous.
"Crimson beyond blood that flows..."
The talismans glowed brighter as the fire from the Blast Bomb grew ever larger, consuming Kyra's Ray Wing; none could see what had happened...
"Buried in the stream of time..."
The red aura around Lina deepened. The Slayers strengthened their barriers.
"Is where your power grows..."
Lighting flashed down from the sky, illuminating the black landscape. All around, a great power could be felt.
"I pledge myself to conquer, all the foes who stand... Before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed... by the power you and I possess!"
Lina gave a determined glance to the heavens, and then she launched the spell, as the Blast Bomb began to die down...
"DRAGON... SLAVE!" An enormous blast shot from the sorceress's hands, toward the smoke of where the Blast Bomb had hit Kyra.
To everyone's disbelief, an equally strong blue blast shot out of the smoke, and as it cleared, Kyra was seen, still alive and well. Her eyes glittered with power, but her true power had yet to come into play.
Blast met blast, and the sky sang with might. The blasts were too powerful to dissipate, or even explode, and so both sides were trying to force their blasts to their opponents. While Lina clenched her teeth, expending more effort, Kyra looked only to have little strain on her mind. The landscape deepened even further, and waves of energy spread in all directions. Beneath the blackness of the sky, the two sorceresses heated up the duel to its limits.
L-sama, she's strong! Lina thought, powerfully surprised. Even after all the precautions and extra spells, she had still ended up underestimating Kyra. It looked like the duel would end with Lina's loss; she had been matched in every way, and realization of the opponent was beginning to set in.
Kyra's eyes shone, bluer than ever, and her hair blew elegantly behind her from the energy emitted by the battle. She didn't act like she wasn't trying at all, but she obviously had a lot more power to put forth, if necessary.
Both combatants tensed up now, and got ready for the last push to determine the victor.
The others brought up the barriers to maximum power, and Gourry stood completely still, surveying the fight in silence. Even someone as dense as him realized the unbelieveable events of Lina and Kyra's duel.
Lina gave a shout, and pushed the Dragon Slave's blast forward with all her might, and then...
The blasts vanished. Both blasts suddenly vanished, swishing into nothing, without a trace. The duel had been unceremoniously ended.
Darkness. Wrath. It suddenly ate at the space everywhere, and life throbbed more slowly at some horrible event.
"What the?" Lina managed to gasp, before looking up. Her eyes widened considerably, and her mouth hung open slightly, looking at the creature that had materialized. "L-sama..." she whispered, fear suddenly clutching at her.
Beyond horror. Beyond anything.
Kyra seemed to be taking the situation seriously as well. Her expression, now altered, was no longer a smile, or emotionless. It had turned to cold fury, and the blue from her eyes flashed menacingly. "One of you..." she hissed, gazing at the shadowy figure that had appeared in place of the blasts. The diamond around her hair glinted one last time, and a black skull appeared in its place.
It cannot be destroyed. It cannot be opposed.
"What is... that??" Gourry panted, looking at the creature in horror, but Amelia, Zelgadis, and Filia could only gape in silence.
Like an unwavering swarm of despair, the creature hung, suspended, even then causing decay to the withering sky.
It seemed to hold the essence of evil. Chaotic red and black power radiated from its vulgar body, and eyes that gleamed worse than the pits of hell stared forward. Eyes that showed no compassion. "Master," he said, simply, bowing to no one. "I shall be the one to destroy them." He wore clothing made completely out of pitch-black material, so that it seemed he was suspended in darkness entirely. The mouth was contorted, gaping and terrible. It was made out of the substance of the Dark Brilliance, and fulfilled the role brilliantly. And as the creature breathed in its dark essence once again, the Slayers could see shadows of the duel dancing around it. The thing had absorbed both blasts, with ease. "Lina Inverse!" he suddenly shouted, his face slowly forming into a smile of utter evil. "Now I challenge you. Now my wrath will be the one to tear you apart." He held up his hand to the sky, and suddenly something materialized, making all that witnessed it gasp.
It was the Staff of the Gods.
