A/N: ^_~ Well, it's easier to write other things if I have less projects to
do, you know? Anyways, thanks for all your reviews! On with the story!
Disclaimer: I never have, and I never will own Slayers. T_~
Selfish Self Struggle
A loud yell bordering on a shriek echoed through the castle walls that next morning. All heads turned toward the sound, barely glimpsing the blur that passed them. A few yards back, a floating white girl seemed to be following the blur intently. As they cleared the dining room, Lina stopped Angelina to ask what was happening. Angelina skidded to a stop, made a quick bow, and said in a low voice that Liona just hadn't agreed with her on something and that she'd handle it. Lina bit her lip hesitantly before asking, "Before I change my mind, do you think you can spare some time to talk with us?"
"But what about-"
"I'll look for her," Blake stood up willingly and determinedly. The occupants of the room turned their heads toward him. Luna asked, "Are you up to it?"
A small smirk instantly tugged at his lips. "Don't worry; I'll be fine." Blake closed his eyes as his hand traveled to the hilt of his sword and gripped in firmly. With a few small mutterings, he had disappeared. Half the people there were startled by this. However, Lina shook it off first. She called Angelina over to sit down.
As Angelina took her seat, Lina's first question was, "Now then, I get the feeling I'm missing out on something important here. Can you please tell me what I don't know about Liona."
Lina didn't exactly like the reply. Angelina was slightly reserved as she slowly replied, "Alright, but this might take awhile. Liona enjoys living with utmost secrecy of her actions."
Not too far away, in the middle of a forest, there was a reasonably sized lake, crystal-clear and perfect in every way possible by nature. A large triangular rock overhang stretched to nearly the middle of the lake in a way that was reminiscent of a natural diving board at least fifty feet from the surface of the water. With her legs swinging over the edge, Liona played a mournful tune on her flute. In the water, a lake dragon jumped and swam with appeased ears.
After she finished, she sighed as she brought the flute down to her lap.
"That's a nice tune."
Liona was so surprised by the sudden voice that her whole body jumped.right off the cliff. Blake started to go towards the cliffhanger to make sure that she was okay; she was. Liona had cast a Levitation spell, and had levitated back onto the top of the cliff. After catching her breath, Liona looked at him ruefully and childishly pouted as she said, "Don't do that!"
Blake smiled halfheartedly and walked slowly towards her. Liona didn't move, but her eyes followed his movements like a lioness stalking her prey. Though he was getting more nervous, Blake didn't let it show. When he reached Liona, he asked if he could sit down with her. Swinging her legs back over the edge, Liona nodded.
Blake sat down without a word. A cool silence presented itself, and stayed for quite a time. The lake dragon broke the smooth surface of the water. In the distance, the chirruping of birds was peacefully added to the sounds of the forest area.
At the same time, they started, "So-"
They looked at each other in very mild surprise before they both cracked a grin. Blake told Liona to go first. Liona said nothing at first as she looked back over the water, her eyes becoming clouded with foggy memory. Briefly trying to ignore it, Liona began.
"So how did you find me so quickly? I didn't hear you coming."
Blake grinned and patted the hilt of his sword. "I found a very efficient way to track you down. Nothing to it, really."
Without any sign that she had heard him, Liona continued, an almost mournful sound to her voice and expression. "Did Mommy and them send you to bring me back?"
Blake leaned back a little, using his arms as props. "Eh.sort of. I volunteered to find you. While the ideal notion would be for you to come back, we don't have to right now. We can go whenever you want."
Liona blinked, as if not believing what she was hearing. After the thought sunk in, she gave Blake a warm smile. Blake returned the favor.
After another long pause of silence, Blake started again. "So anyways.mind if I ask what happened back there?"
"Angelina wanted me to take off my medallion. It didn't want to be taken off."
Blake furrowed his brows in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"
"I mean just what I said: the medallion won't let me take it off."
"How do you know it's the medallion at work?"
Liona stopped to think about this. Slightly frustrated, she murmured, "I don't know, I just do."
Another period of silence was observed. Slowly, Liona began to speak again.
".Did.did you know? I'm part mazoku."
Blake nodded. He leaned over and whispered, "Want to know a secret? I am too."
This made Liona's eyes shoot wide open. Her eyebrows raised even more when Blake added, my mother was a demi-level demon under Deep sea Dolphin."
Both of them said at the same time, "I met her once, too. She's not as crazy as everyone thinks."
They looked at each other in surprise and broke into laughter that had intensified beyond norm due to a weak attempt to hold it in.
Suddenly, at the same time, they realized, "Wait, when did you meet her?"
Without even trying, both lapsed into another period of giggling/chuckling. Blake was first to recover. "Haha.no seriously. When did you meet Deep Sea Dolphin?"
Liona also put an end to her laughing. Her eyes squinted as if trying to remember something that had happened a long time ago.
"I dunno. I think I was really, really young then. You?"
"I was really young too. After my mother died when I was about four or five, Deep Sea Dolphin came to our wilderness retreat and 'inspected' us, to decide what do to with us. She didn't stay for very long, but I remember something that she said to me before."
"What?"
"'I spare your life today, but your monster soul is mine forever.'"
Liona gave an accepting nod as if she were almost impressed by it. "Deep."
"Yeah, really."
"Did you hear from her afterwards? Directly or with minions?"
"Umm.not really, no. Her words really scared my dad though. That's why he taught me the Plane Transcendence technique. I left before anything bad happened to me."
"Wow.really? Where'd you go?"
"Umm.The plane with Chaotic Blue as the top demon, like Shabrinigdo is here."
Liona nodded in understanding. "What'd you do? And why'd you get back?"
"Well, when I was traveling that world to explore and everything, I came across the name 'Inverse'."
Liona started. "Inverse? As in-"
Blake nodded. "When I looked into it, I found that a Kollina Inverse was born here, and saved this world many times before her death."
Liona began to play with her medallion absently. "How'd she die?"
Well, actually, nobody knows. One day she was there, and the next.she was gone. Nobody there has seen her since."
When Liona didn't say anything in response, Blake continued. "Did you know that there are even a few shrines dedicated to her there? At one of them, I found this sword."
Liona abruptly turned to him. "'Found'?"
Blake waved it off. "Okay, okay. I 'found' it and then I kept it. But you know.they say this sword was custom made by Kollina herself, and blessed by the Lord of Nightmares."
Liona muttered to herself, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Blake heard her and shrugged. "If you're looking for power and don't mind if it might be a little tainted, then sure."
"So why'd you come back?"
"Easy- I didn't want to get caught for stealing."
Liona shook her head in hopelessness, but accepted the answer.
Cautiously, Blake asked, "Um.not to change the subject or anything.but was everything that you said yesterday true?"
"About the whole having no friends and everything part?" Blake nodded. Lina sighed. "Well, I guess, deep down, that's how I really feel, but I'm not saying it's true either. Everything in my life revolves around my family's medallions, especially this one. I hate it for its corruption, but I love how useful it is."
"What do you mean by that? How is it useful?"
"Well, for example, if I were to die, illness or murder, this medallion has the power to bring me back to life almost instantly."
"How do you know?"
"I've died at least four times already. My first was when I flew off a horse into a raging river, down a high waterfall, and hit my head on a rock."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, I know."
Silence interrupted the conversation dutifully. After a while, Liona asked quietly, "Hey, can I see your sword for a second?"
Blake shrugged. "Sure, but be careful with it."
As Blake stood up to unclasp the sword from his belt, Liona stood up as well. As Blake carefully handed it to her, she took it just as carefully. Liona ran her fingers over the unique designs on the scabbard and hilt. Her eyes squinted with scrutiny as if she were a shopkeeper critiquing an interesting item a customer brought in. Straight down the middle, Liona seemed to read ancient text, a language as old as legendary Runes. Once more, her eyes clouded over as she whispered aloud, "Isolo (Alone) Cholero (Anger) Rhabdo (Beaten) Melano (Black) Hemato (blood) Merintho (Bound) Pnigero (Choking) Tapho (buried alive) Thanto (Death)."
Turning swiftly to Blake, she demanded, "How did you get this sword, exactly?"
Not noticing Liona's death grip on his sword, Blake looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Well, it was a while back, so it's kinda hard to remember. I know there were elves and shrine maidens at that place though.I remember thinking that it was really big, and the security was very tight. Not so much bodyguard security as more spell protections than usual. I was interested in seeing what they were trying so hard to protect, so I used my skills to break through their defenses to sneak a peek. In the middle of a circular room, there was a cylinder-shaped stand type thing. Slowly revolving around and around right above it was this sword, the blade pointing up. Then, I'm not sure what it was, but I stretched out my hand for it, and it was as if something malfunctioned. The blue aura around the sword disappeared, and the hilt of the sword flew into my hand. After that, I realized that they'd be chasing me forever if I stayed in that world with their sword, so I used my spell to come back. That's about it."
Liona's eyes didn't leave the sword for a second. She made a short, dismissive nod, that showed that she at least heard Blake's story. For a few moments, Liona's voice changed back to that of the cruel, sadistic part of herself. "This sword is mine. The only thing that is left to me now. It was mine in the past, and it will be mine now, and forevermore. Only I can tap into its wondrous power. The negative power that it draws from its wielder. Only I."
Blake furrowed his brows and looked at Liona. He interrupted, "Are you okay?"
Eyes downcast, Liona began to chuckle, "Yesss.never better.now that my one and only companion has been reunited with me. Yeessss.."
Blake ruefully remarked, "You sound like a snake; you're not your normal self. Give me back my sword."
"Your sword? No, that is where you are wrong.It is mine. My sword, you hear?"
Blake didn't want to hurt her, but he thought it vital that he get his sword back. He tried to blandly reach for it, but Liona pulled away. Blake tried harder, and she fought back. Seeing that this was not going to work, Blake opted to attempt persuading her.
"Liona.-chan. I don't think your Mom, or your Dad, and especially your aunt, would like it if you kept that sword."
Liona gave a dismissive sniff and turned her head away from Blake. "What do they know? They don't care at all of my happiness. They don't even care enough to look for me when I'm lost. They think I'm a burden; a mistake; a troublemaker. They don't care for me at all."
Blake licked his lips before speaking. "Well, maybe you're right."
Liona swiftly turned her head, eyes wide, and a look of unending surprise on her face.
Blake put his hands in front of him in defense, and continued, "Let me finish. I don't know your family all that well, and maybe that's what they really think, though I doubt it. Have you ever asked any of them any of what you just said, to verify it?"
Liona scornfully said, "I don't need to ask; I can see it in their eyes."
"Looks can be misleading. Look at you- I'm told that you're already sixteen right? You don't look any older than eight."
Liona made her eyes look down again, and refused to say anything back. So Blake continued. "Now, I'll be truthful to you, only because I know you deserve it. The way your acting now, compared to how you were acting only ten minutes ago, could and would make anyone weak of heart just listening to you. But you know, from what I've seen, nobody in your close ring of friends and family is weak hearted."
"He's right."
Both Liona and Blake whirled around to find Lina, Gourry, Angelina, and Luna, breathing slightly hard, as if they had just run.
Lina continued as she walked forward. "If we didn't care for you at all, we wouldn't have gone to rescue you from the Mazoku Lords when you were two. I don't suppose you remember that, do you?"
Liona made a sly smirk. "Of course I remember it. That was when I was born. And before I had even had a breath of fresh air, I was put into this body; this confining body, and taken away from my real mother."
This confused everyone for a second, but then it dawned on Lina. She crouched down next to Liona. "That was when it started, wasn't it? What did they do to you? The sweet, innocent little Liona that we once knew?"
Liona's voice was harsh, but she didn't have the strength to look at Lina in the eye. "They did nothing to me; they couldn't do a thing. This is how I always was, and this is how I always will be."
Luna walked forward now, followed closely by Gourry and Angelina. When all had surrounded her, she gave them all a searching look. "Now what? Are you going to push me over the cliff? Go ahead, it's not as if I'll die. My medallion protects me."
Luna gripped Liona's closest wrist and forced her to stand up. Liona yelped, but obeyed Luna involuntarily. Luna's voice was firm and slightly harsh, but there was a touch of worry buried beneath the words. "Liona, listen to me. Your soul, your true soul that you were born with, is nothing like this. I know; I can feel the difference. I know the real you is trying to reach the surface but can't because of this evil spirit residing within you now. Fight it, Liona. I wish we could help you, but it's your fight, your demon. You have to find a way to kill it yourself. You can do it, I know you can."
Liona's head drooped and she started to shiver and shudder. Luna dropped Liona. From there, they witnessed Liona's battle with herself.
"Is that the best you've got? Pathetic."
"No! Go away! I don't need you!"
"Need me? Of course you need me. Everybody has abandoned you, everybody hates you."
"That's not true! I know it isn't!"
"You know it is. You see what I see. You see the hatred in their eyes."
"Stop it!"
"Make me."
With a heft of her arm, Liona made a quick decision. She hurled the sword straight into the lake. Blake reached for it in a lingering, but hopeless manner. In that same instant, a loud roar was heard - a dragon's roar. Everyone carefully looked over the edge. A few horrified and disgusted sounds could be heard, for floating on the surface of the water, was a lake dragon slain by the sword. The black blade dissipated, and fell off the dragon into the water. With a sickening hiss, it sunk lower and lower until it could not be seen.
Everyone's attention turned back to Liona, who was now breathing hard. Tentatively, Gourry asked, "Are you alright Liona-chan?"
Gulping in some air first, Liona answered in short gasps, "I.think.so. At least for now. I tried to put all of her into powering the sword before I threw it, but I don't think that all of her disappeared from me."
Liona shakily stood up with help from Blake. She looked back over the water and added, "She's right though. Maybe I can't live without her, but at least I can restrain most of her."
'That's what you think.'
The moment those words were thought in Liona's mind, the sword suddenly came whirling back out, much faster than it had going in. Although the blade had shortened a little bit, it had not missed its mark. It pierced Liona's medallion, heart, and back all at the same time.
Involuntarily gripping the sword, Liona faltered and moved with uneasy steps. Turning to her friends and family, she smiled wanly before falling backward, off the cliff, into the depths of the lake. Lina immediately went after her, followed closely by the others. But Angelina stopped them, she told them to wait for just a moment. Lina panicked and said that Liona could be dead in 'a moment'. Angelina frowned and said that if she wasn't dead when she fell, she'd be dead when they actually got to her anyway. Reluctantly, they allowed themselves to obey Angelina's imperative prevention. Seconds later, a very loud scream was heard, albeit severely muffled by water. Angelina closed her eyes, and moments later sighed. She informed the group, "Liona's alright now, in a few days, better than she's ever felt in the last sixteen years, I'm sure. However, I doubt that you'll ever find her again, if she doesn't want to be found by you."
Gourry was puzzled, as was everybody else. "Why would she not want to be found?"
Angelina sighed again. "All she wants now is a little time alone, to truly explore her options and abilities to their fullest extent. Maybe, someday, if you wait for her, she'll return to you. Changed for the better, but overall the same."
Lina asked, "How do you know all that?"
Angelina smiled. "I can read her mind from here."
A/N: Phew! Long chapter for dialogue. Okay, I promise the next chapter will be the last one. Please review as much as you can (I don't mean twice, just everyone who reads this should send a review, just so I know that you've been there) before or after next week! I'll always appreciate it! Thanks so much for all of you who put up with my writing for so long! (I know compared to other stories, its really not that long, but still!)
Selfish Self Struggle
A loud yell bordering on a shriek echoed through the castle walls that next morning. All heads turned toward the sound, barely glimpsing the blur that passed them. A few yards back, a floating white girl seemed to be following the blur intently. As they cleared the dining room, Lina stopped Angelina to ask what was happening. Angelina skidded to a stop, made a quick bow, and said in a low voice that Liona just hadn't agreed with her on something and that she'd handle it. Lina bit her lip hesitantly before asking, "Before I change my mind, do you think you can spare some time to talk with us?"
"But what about-"
"I'll look for her," Blake stood up willingly and determinedly. The occupants of the room turned their heads toward him. Luna asked, "Are you up to it?"
A small smirk instantly tugged at his lips. "Don't worry; I'll be fine." Blake closed his eyes as his hand traveled to the hilt of his sword and gripped in firmly. With a few small mutterings, he had disappeared. Half the people there were startled by this. However, Lina shook it off first. She called Angelina over to sit down.
As Angelina took her seat, Lina's first question was, "Now then, I get the feeling I'm missing out on something important here. Can you please tell me what I don't know about Liona."
Lina didn't exactly like the reply. Angelina was slightly reserved as she slowly replied, "Alright, but this might take awhile. Liona enjoys living with utmost secrecy of her actions."
Not too far away, in the middle of a forest, there was a reasonably sized lake, crystal-clear and perfect in every way possible by nature. A large triangular rock overhang stretched to nearly the middle of the lake in a way that was reminiscent of a natural diving board at least fifty feet from the surface of the water. With her legs swinging over the edge, Liona played a mournful tune on her flute. In the water, a lake dragon jumped and swam with appeased ears.
After she finished, she sighed as she brought the flute down to her lap.
"That's a nice tune."
Liona was so surprised by the sudden voice that her whole body jumped.right off the cliff. Blake started to go towards the cliffhanger to make sure that she was okay; she was. Liona had cast a Levitation spell, and had levitated back onto the top of the cliff. After catching her breath, Liona looked at him ruefully and childishly pouted as she said, "Don't do that!"
Blake smiled halfheartedly and walked slowly towards her. Liona didn't move, but her eyes followed his movements like a lioness stalking her prey. Though he was getting more nervous, Blake didn't let it show. When he reached Liona, he asked if he could sit down with her. Swinging her legs back over the edge, Liona nodded.
Blake sat down without a word. A cool silence presented itself, and stayed for quite a time. The lake dragon broke the smooth surface of the water. In the distance, the chirruping of birds was peacefully added to the sounds of the forest area.
At the same time, they started, "So-"
They looked at each other in very mild surprise before they both cracked a grin. Blake told Liona to go first. Liona said nothing at first as she looked back over the water, her eyes becoming clouded with foggy memory. Briefly trying to ignore it, Liona began.
"So how did you find me so quickly? I didn't hear you coming."
Blake grinned and patted the hilt of his sword. "I found a very efficient way to track you down. Nothing to it, really."
Without any sign that she had heard him, Liona continued, an almost mournful sound to her voice and expression. "Did Mommy and them send you to bring me back?"
Blake leaned back a little, using his arms as props. "Eh.sort of. I volunteered to find you. While the ideal notion would be for you to come back, we don't have to right now. We can go whenever you want."
Liona blinked, as if not believing what she was hearing. After the thought sunk in, she gave Blake a warm smile. Blake returned the favor.
After another long pause of silence, Blake started again. "So anyways.mind if I ask what happened back there?"
"Angelina wanted me to take off my medallion. It didn't want to be taken off."
Blake furrowed his brows in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"
"I mean just what I said: the medallion won't let me take it off."
"How do you know it's the medallion at work?"
Liona stopped to think about this. Slightly frustrated, she murmured, "I don't know, I just do."
Another period of silence was observed. Slowly, Liona began to speak again.
".Did.did you know? I'm part mazoku."
Blake nodded. He leaned over and whispered, "Want to know a secret? I am too."
This made Liona's eyes shoot wide open. Her eyebrows raised even more when Blake added, my mother was a demi-level demon under Deep sea Dolphin."
Both of them said at the same time, "I met her once, too. She's not as crazy as everyone thinks."
They looked at each other in surprise and broke into laughter that had intensified beyond norm due to a weak attempt to hold it in.
Suddenly, at the same time, they realized, "Wait, when did you meet her?"
Without even trying, both lapsed into another period of giggling/chuckling. Blake was first to recover. "Haha.no seriously. When did you meet Deep Sea Dolphin?"
Liona also put an end to her laughing. Her eyes squinted as if trying to remember something that had happened a long time ago.
"I dunno. I think I was really, really young then. You?"
"I was really young too. After my mother died when I was about four or five, Deep Sea Dolphin came to our wilderness retreat and 'inspected' us, to decide what do to with us. She didn't stay for very long, but I remember something that she said to me before."
"What?"
"'I spare your life today, but your monster soul is mine forever.'"
Liona gave an accepting nod as if she were almost impressed by it. "Deep."
"Yeah, really."
"Did you hear from her afterwards? Directly or with minions?"
"Umm.not really, no. Her words really scared my dad though. That's why he taught me the Plane Transcendence technique. I left before anything bad happened to me."
"Wow.really? Where'd you go?"
"Umm.The plane with Chaotic Blue as the top demon, like Shabrinigdo is here."
Liona nodded in understanding. "What'd you do? And why'd you get back?"
"Well, when I was traveling that world to explore and everything, I came across the name 'Inverse'."
Liona started. "Inverse? As in-"
Blake nodded. "When I looked into it, I found that a Kollina Inverse was born here, and saved this world many times before her death."
Liona began to play with her medallion absently. "How'd she die?"
Well, actually, nobody knows. One day she was there, and the next.she was gone. Nobody there has seen her since."
When Liona didn't say anything in response, Blake continued. "Did you know that there are even a few shrines dedicated to her there? At one of them, I found this sword."
Liona abruptly turned to him. "'Found'?"
Blake waved it off. "Okay, okay. I 'found' it and then I kept it. But you know.they say this sword was custom made by Kollina herself, and blessed by the Lord of Nightmares."
Liona muttered to herself, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Blake heard her and shrugged. "If you're looking for power and don't mind if it might be a little tainted, then sure."
"So why'd you come back?"
"Easy- I didn't want to get caught for stealing."
Liona shook her head in hopelessness, but accepted the answer.
Cautiously, Blake asked, "Um.not to change the subject or anything.but was everything that you said yesterday true?"
"About the whole having no friends and everything part?" Blake nodded. Lina sighed. "Well, I guess, deep down, that's how I really feel, but I'm not saying it's true either. Everything in my life revolves around my family's medallions, especially this one. I hate it for its corruption, but I love how useful it is."
"What do you mean by that? How is it useful?"
"Well, for example, if I were to die, illness or murder, this medallion has the power to bring me back to life almost instantly."
"How do you know?"
"I've died at least four times already. My first was when I flew off a horse into a raging river, down a high waterfall, and hit my head on a rock."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, I know."
Silence interrupted the conversation dutifully. After a while, Liona asked quietly, "Hey, can I see your sword for a second?"
Blake shrugged. "Sure, but be careful with it."
As Blake stood up to unclasp the sword from his belt, Liona stood up as well. As Blake carefully handed it to her, she took it just as carefully. Liona ran her fingers over the unique designs on the scabbard and hilt. Her eyes squinted with scrutiny as if she were a shopkeeper critiquing an interesting item a customer brought in. Straight down the middle, Liona seemed to read ancient text, a language as old as legendary Runes. Once more, her eyes clouded over as she whispered aloud, "Isolo (Alone) Cholero (Anger) Rhabdo (Beaten) Melano (Black) Hemato (blood) Merintho (Bound) Pnigero (Choking) Tapho (buried alive) Thanto (Death)."
Turning swiftly to Blake, she demanded, "How did you get this sword, exactly?"
Not noticing Liona's death grip on his sword, Blake looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Well, it was a while back, so it's kinda hard to remember. I know there were elves and shrine maidens at that place though.I remember thinking that it was really big, and the security was very tight. Not so much bodyguard security as more spell protections than usual. I was interested in seeing what they were trying so hard to protect, so I used my skills to break through their defenses to sneak a peek. In the middle of a circular room, there was a cylinder-shaped stand type thing. Slowly revolving around and around right above it was this sword, the blade pointing up. Then, I'm not sure what it was, but I stretched out my hand for it, and it was as if something malfunctioned. The blue aura around the sword disappeared, and the hilt of the sword flew into my hand. After that, I realized that they'd be chasing me forever if I stayed in that world with their sword, so I used my spell to come back. That's about it."
Liona's eyes didn't leave the sword for a second. She made a short, dismissive nod, that showed that she at least heard Blake's story. For a few moments, Liona's voice changed back to that of the cruel, sadistic part of herself. "This sword is mine. The only thing that is left to me now. It was mine in the past, and it will be mine now, and forevermore. Only I can tap into its wondrous power. The negative power that it draws from its wielder. Only I."
Blake furrowed his brows and looked at Liona. He interrupted, "Are you okay?"
Eyes downcast, Liona began to chuckle, "Yesss.never better.now that my one and only companion has been reunited with me. Yeessss.."
Blake ruefully remarked, "You sound like a snake; you're not your normal self. Give me back my sword."
"Your sword? No, that is where you are wrong.It is mine. My sword, you hear?"
Blake didn't want to hurt her, but he thought it vital that he get his sword back. He tried to blandly reach for it, but Liona pulled away. Blake tried harder, and she fought back. Seeing that this was not going to work, Blake opted to attempt persuading her.
"Liona.-chan. I don't think your Mom, or your Dad, and especially your aunt, would like it if you kept that sword."
Liona gave a dismissive sniff and turned her head away from Blake. "What do they know? They don't care at all of my happiness. They don't even care enough to look for me when I'm lost. They think I'm a burden; a mistake; a troublemaker. They don't care for me at all."
Blake licked his lips before speaking. "Well, maybe you're right."
Liona swiftly turned her head, eyes wide, and a look of unending surprise on her face.
Blake put his hands in front of him in defense, and continued, "Let me finish. I don't know your family all that well, and maybe that's what they really think, though I doubt it. Have you ever asked any of them any of what you just said, to verify it?"
Liona scornfully said, "I don't need to ask; I can see it in their eyes."
"Looks can be misleading. Look at you- I'm told that you're already sixteen right? You don't look any older than eight."
Liona made her eyes look down again, and refused to say anything back. So Blake continued. "Now, I'll be truthful to you, only because I know you deserve it. The way your acting now, compared to how you were acting only ten minutes ago, could and would make anyone weak of heart just listening to you. But you know, from what I've seen, nobody in your close ring of friends and family is weak hearted."
"He's right."
Both Liona and Blake whirled around to find Lina, Gourry, Angelina, and Luna, breathing slightly hard, as if they had just run.
Lina continued as she walked forward. "If we didn't care for you at all, we wouldn't have gone to rescue you from the Mazoku Lords when you were two. I don't suppose you remember that, do you?"
Liona made a sly smirk. "Of course I remember it. That was when I was born. And before I had even had a breath of fresh air, I was put into this body; this confining body, and taken away from my real mother."
This confused everyone for a second, but then it dawned on Lina. She crouched down next to Liona. "That was when it started, wasn't it? What did they do to you? The sweet, innocent little Liona that we once knew?"
Liona's voice was harsh, but she didn't have the strength to look at Lina in the eye. "They did nothing to me; they couldn't do a thing. This is how I always was, and this is how I always will be."
Luna walked forward now, followed closely by Gourry and Angelina. When all had surrounded her, she gave them all a searching look. "Now what? Are you going to push me over the cliff? Go ahead, it's not as if I'll die. My medallion protects me."
Luna gripped Liona's closest wrist and forced her to stand up. Liona yelped, but obeyed Luna involuntarily. Luna's voice was firm and slightly harsh, but there was a touch of worry buried beneath the words. "Liona, listen to me. Your soul, your true soul that you were born with, is nothing like this. I know; I can feel the difference. I know the real you is trying to reach the surface but can't because of this evil spirit residing within you now. Fight it, Liona. I wish we could help you, but it's your fight, your demon. You have to find a way to kill it yourself. You can do it, I know you can."
Liona's head drooped and she started to shiver and shudder. Luna dropped Liona. From there, they witnessed Liona's battle with herself.
"Is that the best you've got? Pathetic."
"No! Go away! I don't need you!"
"Need me? Of course you need me. Everybody has abandoned you, everybody hates you."
"That's not true! I know it isn't!"
"You know it is. You see what I see. You see the hatred in their eyes."
"Stop it!"
"Make me."
With a heft of her arm, Liona made a quick decision. She hurled the sword straight into the lake. Blake reached for it in a lingering, but hopeless manner. In that same instant, a loud roar was heard - a dragon's roar. Everyone carefully looked over the edge. A few horrified and disgusted sounds could be heard, for floating on the surface of the water, was a lake dragon slain by the sword. The black blade dissipated, and fell off the dragon into the water. With a sickening hiss, it sunk lower and lower until it could not be seen.
Everyone's attention turned back to Liona, who was now breathing hard. Tentatively, Gourry asked, "Are you alright Liona-chan?"
Gulping in some air first, Liona answered in short gasps, "I.think.so. At least for now. I tried to put all of her into powering the sword before I threw it, but I don't think that all of her disappeared from me."
Liona shakily stood up with help from Blake. She looked back over the water and added, "She's right though. Maybe I can't live without her, but at least I can restrain most of her."
'That's what you think.'
The moment those words were thought in Liona's mind, the sword suddenly came whirling back out, much faster than it had going in. Although the blade had shortened a little bit, it had not missed its mark. It pierced Liona's medallion, heart, and back all at the same time.
Involuntarily gripping the sword, Liona faltered and moved with uneasy steps. Turning to her friends and family, she smiled wanly before falling backward, off the cliff, into the depths of the lake. Lina immediately went after her, followed closely by the others. But Angelina stopped them, she told them to wait for just a moment. Lina panicked and said that Liona could be dead in 'a moment'. Angelina frowned and said that if she wasn't dead when she fell, she'd be dead when they actually got to her anyway. Reluctantly, they allowed themselves to obey Angelina's imperative prevention. Seconds later, a very loud scream was heard, albeit severely muffled by water. Angelina closed her eyes, and moments later sighed. She informed the group, "Liona's alright now, in a few days, better than she's ever felt in the last sixteen years, I'm sure. However, I doubt that you'll ever find her again, if she doesn't want to be found by you."
Gourry was puzzled, as was everybody else. "Why would she not want to be found?"
Angelina sighed again. "All she wants now is a little time alone, to truly explore her options and abilities to their fullest extent. Maybe, someday, if you wait for her, she'll return to you. Changed for the better, but overall the same."
Lina asked, "How do you know all that?"
Angelina smiled. "I can read her mind from here."
A/N: Phew! Long chapter for dialogue. Okay, I promise the next chapter will be the last one. Please review as much as you can (I don't mean twice, just everyone who reads this should send a review, just so I know that you've been there) before or after next week! I'll always appreciate it! Thanks so much for all of you who put up with my writing for so long! (I know compared to other stories, its really not that long, but still!)