**Disclaimer** I don't own Slayers (duh) but I DO, however, own the poem so I'd like no one to use it unless asking. Thanks in advance!

And, with that said, here's a warning: THIS IS A DARK FIC!!!! It probably should be 'R' but I didn't think it was that bad. So, on w/the fic:

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***

Listen closely my children and you shall hear

Of the ride of the demon, the night of fear.

***

Xellos rode out, smiling in his own stupid way. Yet that smile held something so sinister that it would put any dark lord's sneer to shame. This was the night and everything was going as planned. Fear, panic, loss, he could taste it on the air and it tasted so good. His only question was, where was She?

***

The death of light, and the light of death

Carried along on a bitter winter's breath.

***

The Sword of Light that idiot had reclaimed from that Sirius fellow had failed. And without it, all hopes of light and life, were gone. He, Xellos, was finally as cold as everyone claimed him to be, colder than winter's ice, and he loved it. Adding to the torment and sadness, a blast of frozen air flew past him as his maniacal laugh echoed throughout the blood-strewn battle ground.

***

In he rode from the Underworld that night

Burning fire-bright terror, spilling crimson fright.

***

Zelas had wanted chaos, mass destruction, and she got it. Finally, she had deemed it time to attack, and so he did, with a force to be rivaled by none . . . except Her. However, the temporary worries at her whereabouts were banished for the moment as he saw fire lighting up the night sky, smelt the hideous odor of human flesh. The mazoku would reclaim this land and utter chaos would rule forever.

***

From the holy he runs, and from the blessed he hides

Yet in the darkness, turneth the tide.

***

That sweet little priestess, he always did love the sadness that emanated from her for that idiot and Her, her emotions always tasted so sweet, like human candy. For the life of him, Xellos couldn't think of her name right now, but he dismissed that curiosity and smirked down at her. She tried to summon light into her palm, a holy spell. Holy light would be his downfall, so he wouldn't let the shrine priestess get one up on him. Xellos stayed anchored in his world of darkness, overwhelming the light and turning it on her. Terror flew from her body just before her limp body fell to the ground.

***

Into the night, with countless souls he fled

Allied to troops all condemned to the dead.

***

His insane smile widened when he mounted his blacker-than-pitch thestral and rode down, down the tormented earth below him. Calling forth every demon he knew the name of, Xellos charged into the fray, more than satisfied with the rush of tormented human emotions.

***

The stars winked down shedding crystal tears

Wishing to ease the torture, pain, fears.

***

Xellos threw his head back and laughed manically once again. Looking up at the stars, he grinned, his amethyst eyes sparkling evilly. Those stupid higher ^kami could do nothing because of their vows to the human race. Oh how they must have wished to help these, otherwise helpless, little humans, they perhaps cried for the weaklings, but they could do nothing. Everything was indeed going well for Xellos.

***

The sun rose that day, over hill and veil

Bringing an end to this sad, sad tale.

***

Suddenly, it was as if darkness had been completely banished from the world. Light rose in the sky, golden as a wheat field. Xellos fell back, off of the thestral, who promptly disappeared from his sight.

"Trespasser on my lands! You will die for the evil deeds you have committed against my people!"

The formerly sinister eyes of Xellos went wide in actual fright, She was here. Inside his mind, Xellos knew he was doomed to die this time, She lived, the light inside Her, the war was over.

***

The Lord of all Light came along for to banish the dark

On that carcass was left Her mark.

***

His eyes, windows to what he thought was really inside of him, softened, even warmed to see Her. Hate, however, was evident to the extremes in her eyes. Xellos frowned, this wasn't Her, but another presence in her. But to get it there, She had to grant permission, She was lost to him forever. Well, if this is how she wanted it, so be it, but he wouldn't die without a fight.

"I am here for to banish your darkness and cleanse this land of the stench of you. Prepare to die demon!"

Xellos staff was raised and a spell of utter darkness, more powerful than a black hole, was emitted from it before the words were completely spoken. But the spell didn't get far, for a beam of light emanated from the shining sun that was Her, and it struck him through the heart.

The light moved on, leaving his body to fall, while it continued to brighten the landscape and clear it of demons, blood, and bodies. Each man and woman thus stood from their broken positions on the ground, light filling their bodies and life returning to their hearts.

***

In a shrine on a hill sleeps the binds of a demon In Her last moments of innocense, She loved him.

***

Bending down, for She had calmed her glow and that incredible power, and She picked him up, She knew he was not dead and would some day come back. She couldn't let that happen, he couldn't go back to his master, it would break the landscape and Her, spirit.

On a hill, far from any town, village, or kingdom, a shrine stood proudly. On the stone slab made to cover the entrance, a mark was inscribed that resembled a half-moon and a half of a sun, sealed together. She carried his body, Her own being over exhausted, into the shrine, fazing through the door as if it were water.

With her last reserves of strength, She sealed the shrine with a powerful spell, and fell into a deep sleep next to him.

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A/N: sad? well, it is a dark fic, you were warned. who was She? well, that's a secret, you'll have to figure it out for yourself. I hope you liked it however, comment, question, concerns? click the little thing at the bottom of the screen that says 'GO' when it's on submit review and i'll try and answer anything that's asked (i have review alert so if there's any questions, i'll send ya an email) the poem itself is called Demon Darkness, my best rhyming poem i've ever written.

^ kami: In the Shinto religion, there wasn't necessarily one kami or god, the kami where everywhere, in everything. The higher kami resided in the heavens. [just thought that ya'd like ta know(^.-)]