Author's Note: Reaching towards the end, finally! I have it all planned out, though I couldn't bring myself to end it the way I'd planned before. But anyway, I get to have a last little bit of fun with most people before the world goes to hell for them all. Beware of sadness to come, but not just yet! No offense, but I don't need any more ideas. Yet. At the end of the story I may want ideas for a sequel, but I'll take a while off first to do other stuff. Anyway, on to the next chapter!
Ramblings of the Doomed
Chapter 14: Rising Action and Dreams
Kopii noticed that the population of kopiis in the house had been dwindling lately. Aside from the ones that had gone with Milgazia or Rezo, or been killed by Eris's 'cures,' quite a few had wandered outside, never to return. They were surprisingly resilient though, so Kopii didn't worry about them too much. Despite their lack of attention span, they were smart enough to take care of themselves. He was also immensely relieved that his mind-calming spell had worked on Eris. Now she was even a little better than she had been before leaving to look for Rezo. Kopii could deal with her this way.
Eris felt as well as could be expected. When she had gotten home she had been so angry it had been painful. After that guy with the sword had knocked on the door, she had suddenly felt floaty, and too tired to do anything. Shortly after she had felt compelled to go upstairs to bed. She knew that Kopii had done this to her. It made her feel immeasurably better, but she knew he had done it for his own purposes, not for her. So she saw no need to thank him. She was practicing controlling him with the gem on his forehead. It got easier with time. She also made Kopii do everything with his eyes closed and practice speaking in more of a Rezoish voice. Kopii had the voice naturally, but the tone was all wrong. Far too informal.
Kopii, of course, hated these 'Rezo lessons.' But Eris had gotten so good at controlling him, he couldn't do a thing about it.
A few days after Zangulus had handed over his sword, Kopii had it very nicely enchanted. It still worked just like a normal sword, but it was nearly unbreakable. And if its wielder used it right, it could fire off huge waves of greenish energy. It was truly a force to be reckoned with. Unable to think of a better name, Kopii called it the 'Demonic Howling Sword' since its energy was derived from the mazoku and its power blasts made an eerie howling sound. He took it to Zangulus's room at the inn one night while Eris was asleep. Zangulus was immensely pleased with it and thanked him profusely.
* * *
Zelgadis, meanwhile, nearly had the philosopher's stone in his grasp. Zolf had located it in a bandit camp. He had gained the bandits' trust and was about to take the statue that hid the Stone when Lina Inverse, the Bandit Killer, Dragon Spooker, and Enemy of All Who Live showed up. She blew up the whole camp and took the treasure. Since Zolf had been so close by, his whole body was now covered in bandages. He looked like a mummy. Zelgadis had attempted to buy the statue from Lina and her new bodyguard, but the price she asked for it was completely ridiculous. And she hadn't wanted to join him either. So he, Dilgear, and Rodimus had been forced to ambush Lina and her bodyguard and kidnap the small sorceress.
This, of course, would have led them all to needing as many bandages as Zolf, if it hadn't been That Time of the Month for the Enemy of All Who Live. So luckily, Zelgadis was able to capture her without incident. He had brought her back to the stronghold of the animal men, and Rodimus and Dilgear had soon joined him. They tied up Lina Inverse and hung her in the middle of the room for Zolf, Dilgear, and the fish man Noonsa to torture. Or just to tease, as it had turned out. It had soon degenerated into a contest of who could be more ridiculous. Zelgadis sighed at their lack of seriousness and went to bed. He left Rodimus to guard the outside door and Zolf and Dilgear to guard the sorceress herself. He was taking no chances. He knew what the Philosopher's Stone could do, and he couldn't let Rezo have it!
Zelgadis lay down on his hard wooden bed and tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep. When he did fall asleep however, he wished he hadn't.
* * *
It was dark and gloomy in the swamp. Zelgadis was slashing furiously at the air. 'Must become stronger,' he thought. There was mist all around him. And suddenly a bell-like ringing. That staff… Rezo appeared, moving silently toward him. He couldn't move. Then Rezo's hair and robes seemed to grow, becoming ragged tentacular things. They wrapped tightly around his smooth skin. He couldn't breathe. Could barely scream. His skin was turning blue and bumpy. Rezo was laughing somewhere, but everything was going dark for him….
And he woke up gasping for breath, drenched in a cold sweat. Just a dream. He looked at his shaking hands, blue where the gloves didn't cover them.
No, it wasn't just a dream. It had happened. It had to be undone. Now was the time, Zelgadis realized. He would make Lina Inverse show him where the statue was hidden. Then he would kill Rezo for what he had done. He got up and went to cut Lina's bonds.
But Zelgadis was not the only one who dreamed that night….
* * *
Lina Inverse had dropped into a light sleep even in her uncomfortable position. She dreamed that she opened a door. There was a huge room full of food. "Lucky!" she said, grinning. ""It's all mine!" But as she reached for the first plate, hands snatched it away. That scary Zelgadis was eating her food! She was about to yell at him, but she could not speak at all. And when she tried to run towards the food, it was so slow that she was barely moving. More people appeared. To her right, aka houshi Rezo was stuffing his face with fish. He ate amazingly well for a blind man, she realized through her rage. The old man, Rodimus, was also eating. And Mummy Man was trying to eat noodles. He ended up sucking in his bandages also, and after a while he had devoured then all, and there was nothing left of him. His cape fell to the floor, and Lina turned away, sickened. That horrible Noonsa came in eating shrimp and smacking his lips. Eww… Lina cringed as she saw her sister Luna casually eating some Pocky. And there was a happy-looking man with purple hair grinning as he licked an ice cream cone suggestively. A blond girl appeared to whack him with a mace, and then she took a big bite out of the mace. Right in front of her, Lina saw Gourry eating a huge pot of something.
"Oi Lina, this dragon cuisine is great!" he said, laughing. Everyone started laughing. Lina tried to run to the food, or away from it, but she couldn't move. She woke up suddenly when the rope holding her up was cut and she slammed into the floor.
* * *
Rezo had fallen asleep over his work.
He saw nothing, of course, but Xellos's voice came to him. "It's almost time now. You're doing so well! We're all very pleased with you."
"Xellos?" Rezo called. "When will I get to see? Please tell me!"
"Oh, soon," Xellos said, his voice fading into the distance. "Soon enough."
"Come back!" Rezo called, sensing the mazoku was gone.
A new voice came. It was his own, but slightly higher. "Why did you create me? I never did anyone any good. I'm not you! Why can't you all leave me alone?"
"Kopii?" Rezo asked.
"She says I have to be you," Kopii's voice continued. He ignored Rezo. "I'll show her. I'll SURPASS you! Then… Then…" the voice faded out.
"No, Kopii. Wait! I –" Rezo called after the voice.
"Rezo-sama," Eris's sad voice came to him. "Oh Rezo-sama. You're always with Zelgadis. You won't even talk to me. I love you, Rezo-sama. And I miss you so much…"
"Oh Eris…" Rezo said softly. "I wish I could be with you again. I don't deserve anyone as kind as you are. But it's too late now. Just… Take care of Kopii. Treat him as well as you treated me."
And she was gone. Rezo was alone again in his eternal darkness.
* * *
Kopii dreamed that he was in Rezo's tower near Atlas City. It was daytime, but he couldn't see a thing. He realized when he felt a sickening lurch where his eyes should be, and fear in the back of his mind, that he was Rezo. Horrible pain blasted out of his eyes, and he clutched them tightly. Then they opened. He saw the room and some frightened-looking people through a haze of red before he blacked out. The next thing he knew, he was standing in his own body near Flagoon. Ghostly dragon heads writhed around him, overwhelming him, almost in complete control of him. He looked up at Flagoon. The holy tree had always been a comfort for him to look at, but this was different. It was trying to stop him. He felt an irresistible anger, and an urge to stop it first…. And then Xellos was in front of him, smiling almost sadly.
"Ah, Kopii-kun. Don't worry. It will happen, but it's not as bad as it looks. All will be well, I'm sure.
* * *
Eris dreamed that Kopii was speaking to her with Xellos's voice.
"You silly baka," he said scornfully. "I'm not your Rezo-sama. I'll be better than he ever was. Try all you want, you can't stop me."
Then it shifted to become Xellos with Kopii's voice.
"Eris-san, you're doing well," the strange combination said. "Just don't try to overstep your boundaries. I told you the kopii would be more powerful than you could ever hope to be. If you don't let that happen, you won't like the results."
She later had a blurry vision of Rezo telling her he cared for her, and to treat Kopii as if he were Rezo himself, or something like that. But that was all.
* * *
Zangulus and Vrumugun had nearly identical dreams. They stood beside Eris, with Kopii looming behind them. Three girls and two men with swords were in front of them in battle stances. Vrumugun recognized one of the girls as Kopii's student Sylphiel. She looked upset. Kopii looked impassive, even cruel. There was a faint red pulsing under the band around Kopii's head. Vrumugun felt a force compelling him through the huge jewel that seemed to be on his own head. Zangulus felt obsessively pulled towards the blond swordsman. That was all.
* * *
The little kopiis dreamed that night as well. They dreamed that they all played together, with Rezo, Kopii, and Xellos. They laughed in their sleep, playing all the fun games they could think of.
* * *
Xellos, floating in his room on Wolfpack Island, dreamed nothing at all. He was far too busy planting dreams for others to find.
************************
No more Japanese lessons for you. Go out and learn some on your own now. And review another chapter for me, please! Thank you!
Ramblings of the Doomed
Chapter 14: Rising Action and Dreams
Kopii noticed that the population of kopiis in the house had been dwindling lately. Aside from the ones that had gone with Milgazia or Rezo, or been killed by Eris's 'cures,' quite a few had wandered outside, never to return. They were surprisingly resilient though, so Kopii didn't worry about them too much. Despite their lack of attention span, they were smart enough to take care of themselves. He was also immensely relieved that his mind-calming spell had worked on Eris. Now she was even a little better than she had been before leaving to look for Rezo. Kopii could deal with her this way.
Eris felt as well as could be expected. When she had gotten home she had been so angry it had been painful. After that guy with the sword had knocked on the door, she had suddenly felt floaty, and too tired to do anything. Shortly after she had felt compelled to go upstairs to bed. She knew that Kopii had done this to her. It made her feel immeasurably better, but she knew he had done it for his own purposes, not for her. So she saw no need to thank him. She was practicing controlling him with the gem on his forehead. It got easier with time. She also made Kopii do everything with his eyes closed and practice speaking in more of a Rezoish voice. Kopii had the voice naturally, but the tone was all wrong. Far too informal.
Kopii, of course, hated these 'Rezo lessons.' But Eris had gotten so good at controlling him, he couldn't do a thing about it.
A few days after Zangulus had handed over his sword, Kopii had it very nicely enchanted. It still worked just like a normal sword, but it was nearly unbreakable. And if its wielder used it right, it could fire off huge waves of greenish energy. It was truly a force to be reckoned with. Unable to think of a better name, Kopii called it the 'Demonic Howling Sword' since its energy was derived from the mazoku and its power blasts made an eerie howling sound. He took it to Zangulus's room at the inn one night while Eris was asleep. Zangulus was immensely pleased with it and thanked him profusely.
* * *
Zelgadis, meanwhile, nearly had the philosopher's stone in his grasp. Zolf had located it in a bandit camp. He had gained the bandits' trust and was about to take the statue that hid the Stone when Lina Inverse, the Bandit Killer, Dragon Spooker, and Enemy of All Who Live showed up. She blew up the whole camp and took the treasure. Since Zolf had been so close by, his whole body was now covered in bandages. He looked like a mummy. Zelgadis had attempted to buy the statue from Lina and her new bodyguard, but the price she asked for it was completely ridiculous. And she hadn't wanted to join him either. So he, Dilgear, and Rodimus had been forced to ambush Lina and her bodyguard and kidnap the small sorceress.
This, of course, would have led them all to needing as many bandages as Zolf, if it hadn't been That Time of the Month for the Enemy of All Who Live. So luckily, Zelgadis was able to capture her without incident. He had brought her back to the stronghold of the animal men, and Rodimus and Dilgear had soon joined him. They tied up Lina Inverse and hung her in the middle of the room for Zolf, Dilgear, and the fish man Noonsa to torture. Or just to tease, as it had turned out. It had soon degenerated into a contest of who could be more ridiculous. Zelgadis sighed at their lack of seriousness and went to bed. He left Rodimus to guard the outside door and Zolf and Dilgear to guard the sorceress herself. He was taking no chances. He knew what the Philosopher's Stone could do, and he couldn't let Rezo have it!
Zelgadis lay down on his hard wooden bed and tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep. When he did fall asleep however, he wished he hadn't.
* * *
It was dark and gloomy in the swamp. Zelgadis was slashing furiously at the air. 'Must become stronger,' he thought. There was mist all around him. And suddenly a bell-like ringing. That staff… Rezo appeared, moving silently toward him. He couldn't move. Then Rezo's hair and robes seemed to grow, becoming ragged tentacular things. They wrapped tightly around his smooth skin. He couldn't breathe. Could barely scream. His skin was turning blue and bumpy. Rezo was laughing somewhere, but everything was going dark for him….
And he woke up gasping for breath, drenched in a cold sweat. Just a dream. He looked at his shaking hands, blue where the gloves didn't cover them.
No, it wasn't just a dream. It had happened. It had to be undone. Now was the time, Zelgadis realized. He would make Lina Inverse show him where the statue was hidden. Then he would kill Rezo for what he had done. He got up and went to cut Lina's bonds.
But Zelgadis was not the only one who dreamed that night….
* * *
Lina Inverse had dropped into a light sleep even in her uncomfortable position. She dreamed that she opened a door. There was a huge room full of food. "Lucky!" she said, grinning. ""It's all mine!" But as she reached for the first plate, hands snatched it away. That scary Zelgadis was eating her food! She was about to yell at him, but she could not speak at all. And when she tried to run towards the food, it was so slow that she was barely moving. More people appeared. To her right, aka houshi Rezo was stuffing his face with fish. He ate amazingly well for a blind man, she realized through her rage. The old man, Rodimus, was also eating. And Mummy Man was trying to eat noodles. He ended up sucking in his bandages also, and after a while he had devoured then all, and there was nothing left of him. His cape fell to the floor, and Lina turned away, sickened. That horrible Noonsa came in eating shrimp and smacking his lips. Eww… Lina cringed as she saw her sister Luna casually eating some Pocky. And there was a happy-looking man with purple hair grinning as he licked an ice cream cone suggestively. A blond girl appeared to whack him with a mace, and then she took a big bite out of the mace. Right in front of her, Lina saw Gourry eating a huge pot of something.
"Oi Lina, this dragon cuisine is great!" he said, laughing. Everyone started laughing. Lina tried to run to the food, or away from it, but she couldn't move. She woke up suddenly when the rope holding her up was cut and she slammed into the floor.
* * *
Rezo had fallen asleep over his work.
He saw nothing, of course, but Xellos's voice came to him. "It's almost time now. You're doing so well! We're all very pleased with you."
"Xellos?" Rezo called. "When will I get to see? Please tell me!"
"Oh, soon," Xellos said, his voice fading into the distance. "Soon enough."
"Come back!" Rezo called, sensing the mazoku was gone.
A new voice came. It was his own, but slightly higher. "Why did you create me? I never did anyone any good. I'm not you! Why can't you all leave me alone?"
"Kopii?" Rezo asked.
"She says I have to be you," Kopii's voice continued. He ignored Rezo. "I'll show her. I'll SURPASS you! Then… Then…" the voice faded out.
"No, Kopii. Wait! I –" Rezo called after the voice.
"Rezo-sama," Eris's sad voice came to him. "Oh Rezo-sama. You're always with Zelgadis. You won't even talk to me. I love you, Rezo-sama. And I miss you so much…"
"Oh Eris…" Rezo said softly. "I wish I could be with you again. I don't deserve anyone as kind as you are. But it's too late now. Just… Take care of Kopii. Treat him as well as you treated me."
And she was gone. Rezo was alone again in his eternal darkness.
* * *
Kopii dreamed that he was in Rezo's tower near Atlas City. It was daytime, but he couldn't see a thing. He realized when he felt a sickening lurch where his eyes should be, and fear in the back of his mind, that he was Rezo. Horrible pain blasted out of his eyes, and he clutched them tightly. Then they opened. He saw the room and some frightened-looking people through a haze of red before he blacked out. The next thing he knew, he was standing in his own body near Flagoon. Ghostly dragon heads writhed around him, overwhelming him, almost in complete control of him. He looked up at Flagoon. The holy tree had always been a comfort for him to look at, but this was different. It was trying to stop him. He felt an irresistible anger, and an urge to stop it first…. And then Xellos was in front of him, smiling almost sadly.
"Ah, Kopii-kun. Don't worry. It will happen, but it's not as bad as it looks. All will be well, I'm sure.
* * *
Eris dreamed that Kopii was speaking to her with Xellos's voice.
"You silly baka," he said scornfully. "I'm not your Rezo-sama. I'll be better than he ever was. Try all you want, you can't stop me."
Then it shifted to become Xellos with Kopii's voice.
"Eris-san, you're doing well," the strange combination said. "Just don't try to overstep your boundaries. I told you the kopii would be more powerful than you could ever hope to be. If you don't let that happen, you won't like the results."
She later had a blurry vision of Rezo telling her he cared for her, and to treat Kopii as if he were Rezo himself, or something like that. But that was all.
* * *
Zangulus and Vrumugun had nearly identical dreams. They stood beside Eris, with Kopii looming behind them. Three girls and two men with swords were in front of them in battle stances. Vrumugun recognized one of the girls as Kopii's student Sylphiel. She looked upset. Kopii looked impassive, even cruel. There was a faint red pulsing under the band around Kopii's head. Vrumugun felt a force compelling him through the huge jewel that seemed to be on his own head. Zangulus felt obsessively pulled towards the blond swordsman. That was all.
* * *
The little kopiis dreamed that night as well. They dreamed that they all played together, with Rezo, Kopii, and Xellos. They laughed in their sleep, playing all the fun games they could think of.
* * *
Xellos, floating in his room on Wolfpack Island, dreamed nothing at all. He was far too busy planting dreams for others to find.
************************
No more Japanese lessons for you. Go out and learn some on your own now. And review another chapter for me, please! Thank you!