Chapter 5: Monsters, From The Overworld?
Filia was leading the other four to the location of the other piece of the manuscript, located to the sand dunes far north of Holerfan, according to legend the second piece was put there because the Gods knew that the monsters hated holy places, there is said to be an ancient holy temple the Gods built to seal the second piece of the manuscript near the dunes.
"Lina remember when Redin said he couldn't break that seal, we helped them get it out…" Zelgadis said.
"True, however something tells me that all he had to do was find it so that someone else could open the barrier… in other words he lied because the monsters knew they could open the seal and take it out, we have to make sure these pieces are destroyed to insure the safety of our future. We were just the ones that found it first, he used us because he thought he could destroy the most powerful humans in the process." Lina explained.
"I see…" Zelgadis replied.
"So, are you still interested in following Zel… might not be a cure here after all." Lina said.
"I'll go, I can't very well help myself when the world is destroyed now can I?" Zelgadis replied.
"Great!" Lina said as they continued to follow Filia. It had only been a couple hours before they left Holerfan and Filia was thinking about how Lina Inverse came to ask for help where as last time it was her asking Lina's help, if Filia hadn't traveled with her in the past she probably wouldn't have met Valgarv, Jiras, and Glavos but all of that was over and a new happier life could be started. Until Lina showed her the manuscript, she thought that the tales of the three pieces and the horrible spell were just myth. But now that she knew it was fact she just had to check to see if her psychic powers received from the Fire Dragon King which was the dragon they worshipped before most of her people were killed, could be of any help. She stopped for a moment as the others behind her stopped as well.
"What's wrong Filia?" Amelia asked.
"I need to ask the Fire Dragon King for the correct path to take." She said as she got out a piece of paper and started drawing rapidly.
"Has she gone… crazy?" Nahga said.
"No, actually she prays to the Fire Dragon King this way letting him temporarily take control of her body and draw the correct conclusion." Lina explained to Nahga as she thought.
"Kind of like that Giga Slave thing, oh no were all gonna die aren't we. The world is going to turn to cosmic jelly and…" Nahga fainted.
"What was THAT all about?" Lina said.
"I told her about the fights with Rezo and Phibrizzo we had. She might have thought that the Fire Dragon King would kill us all or something." Zelgadis said trying to keep from laughing.
"Heh, I guess that is kind of funny but… you get to carry her until she wakes up!" Lina said. Zelgadis immediately frowned as he grudgingly picked up Nahga and they watched Filia.
"Wow she really gets into that!" Amelia said looking over Filia's Shoulder. Filia was drawing frantically, close to scribbling on it.
"Finished!" Filia said as she pointed to the north. "Its that way!" She said with confidence.
"I certainly hope so." Gourry said as they followed the running Filia.
"It may take awhile to reach the sand dunes, but we have to make a strait line for it!" Filia said.
"You mean… no stopping, not even for food or sleep?" Lina asked.
"Well… maybe for that but we must make haste I fear that the monsters may have already found it." Filia said while frowning.
"Then lets get moving!" Amelia said as they continued running for a while that eventually turned into a steady walking pace.
"It's a good thing we remembered to stock up on some water!" Gourry said drinking from his canteen.
"It sure is!" Amelia said as she did the same. Zelgadis put Nahga down as she was coming to.
"We're not… dead!" Nahga said.
"Of cores not Nahga, it was only Filia's psychic ability at work!" Lina yelled.
"Oh… Guess I over reacted huh?" Nahga said.
"Yeah, much like you always do!" Lina said shaking her head. Zelgadis approached Nahga.
"Well, I told you my stories… what's the deal with you and Lina here?" Zelgadis asked.
"Uh… well you see, we didn't really meet on the best terms…" Nahga replied.
"Please continue, I don't mind actually. Come to think of it, me and Lina didn't really get along at first either." Zelgadis said as Nahga laughed, while Amelia watched her closely.
"Ok, it was a really long time ago though… but here it goes." Nahga said as she thought. "I had heard about Lina's accomplishments and heard she was staying at a certain Inn. So I decided to check it out, at the time I wanted to find someone who was my equal in sorcery. I knew from what I heard that she had to be at least my equal so I burned the Inn down and declared myself the official rival of Lina Inverse!" Nahga explained.
"Heh, so how did you two end up becoming friends dare I ask?" Zelgadis asked.
"Well it got to the point that she was irritating me so much because she found tons of treasure, that I just tagged along trying to claim what Lina had found for myself. But we ran into some very sticky situations and we ended up saving each other time after time, but I'm still her rival! Just more friendly than most I suppose…" Nahga said as she laughed. "I want to find this thing were looking for first, just so I can say I beat Lina to it!" Nahga said as she grinned.
"Heh, I see…" Zelgadis said.
"Lina seemed shocked to hear that Amelia was your sister…" Zelgadis said.
"Hahaha, I never told her… she never asked, besides how was I supposed to talk about it with men constantly flocking to me like sheep!" Nahga said seriously.
"Oh please!" Lina said as she overheard and walked up to Nahga.
"Your so full of crap… no guy in his right mind would go up to you, you'd just blow them away for fun!" Lina yelled.
"Ha, More than I can say about you… men don't even give you a second look!" Nahga said as the two argued.
"Heh, oops." Zelgadis said as he walked passed the two and continued to walk.
"My, my… I could watch this all day!" Xellos said as he appeared just above the two and watched them bicker. Filia stopped and turned to see Xellos. "Well, hello there Filia!" Xellos waved. Filia's tail shot out of her skirt.
"Can you stop stalking us for once you creep!" Filia yelled.
"Still have that, winning personality eh?" Xellos said as he appeared in front of Filia. Lina and Nahga stopped fighting and walked up to where they were as Amelia, Zelgadis, and Gourry followed.
"Xellos… I've herd about you, they say you're a double-crosser." Nahga said.
"Is that so? Well I suppose that's true from time to time, but I have to follow orders." He said as he shook his finger.
"What do you want Xellos?" Lina asked.
"What, I can't drop in to say hi?" Xellos said with a smirk.
"We all know your up to something so just spill it!" Zelgadis said.
"Oh, come now… my orders were to protect you and so here I am doing just that." Xellos said.
"We need no protection from you!" Filia said as she stuck her nose in the air.
"Time will tell I suppose." Xellos said.
"Well… I guess there is no getting rid of him, lets go." Lina said as they continued walking. Zelgadis once again approached Nahga.
"Tell me, why didn't you stay in Seyruun if you're a daughter of a king?" Zelgadis said. Nahga looked sad, as she got closer to Zelgadis.
"I never really told anyone this but, since you may be the future husband of my sister…" Nahga whispered.
"Hey w…wait just a minute there!" Zelgadis yelled as Amelia looked at him tuning red.
"Shhh, you want to know?" Nahga said.
"I uh… I guess…" Zelgadis replied.
"When we were little, Amelia and I were the treasure of our father… and our mother…" She said as she frowned. "Anyway one night our mother went to go out to run an errand. I was really little at the time and followed her, a man jumped out and… and." Nahga stopped as a tear went down her cheek.
"Hey, you don't have to tell me this if you don't want to." Zelgadis said.
"N… no its necessary to get this off my chest. I watched in horror as my mother was killed by this demon of a man. When he realized it was the Queen of Seyruun, he ran like hell out of the town. Ever since I made a vow to find this man… and kill him." Nahga said.
"I… see, so you feel you needed to take it out on someone." Zelgadis said.
"Yes, I chose Lina… but now I'm losing hope that I will ever find this terrible man." Nahga said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Does… Amelia know about this?" Zelgadis asked. Nahga perked up.
"She knows that her mother went missing, but not what I and now you know." She replied.
"We, have to tell her!" Zelgadis said.
"No, it would be too much of a blow to her!" Nahga said as Amelia walked up to the two.
"What's the matter Nahga is everything ok?" Amelia said looking at her.
"Uh, yeah Amelia… its fine." Nahga said as Zelgadis frowned.
"Oh, Cheer up Mr. Zelgadis your always so gloomy!" Amelia said as she smiled and put her arm around him.
Lina overheard the conversation that Zelgadis and Nahga just had. "That must be why she can't stand the sight of blood… damn and all this time I thought she was just a bitch." Lina muttered to herself as Xellos approached her.
"So Lina I see you haven't changed much in four years!" Xellos said.
"Heh, and you haven't changed at all." Lina replied.
"How true, say can I look at that manuscript of yours?" Xellos asked.
"Now way in hell." Lina replied.
"Aww, and here I thought we were getting somewhere… oh well." Xellos said as he started floating a little and swiped it out of her pocket.
"Damnit Xellos give that back!" Lina screamed as the others ran up to him. Xellos examined the scroll and quickly gave it back to Lina.
"You see… no harm done!" Xellos said as the others calmed down.
"You just love to cause turmoil don't you!" Filia screamed.
"Well, I am a monster." Xellos said laughing. Once again Filia sat down and got out her paper. Lina sighed.
"Man I sure hope she knows where she's taking us!" Gourry said as he watched her draw frantically on the backside of the paper she had last time.
"Don't worry that's how she helped us find you guys when you and Amelia were stuck on that island, remember?"
"I sure do… that's where I was struck by lightning!" Gourry said in a shaken voice. Lina laughed.
"I guess you'll never get over that huh?" Lina said as they turned to see Filia get up.
"Ok, now we travel east!" Filia screamed as the rest followed. "It won't be long now, I sense the sand dunes are close… but its finding that temple that will be the problem." Filia explained.
"Yeah, you told us that already… we're in for quite a search blah blah blah." Lina said.
"Fine then, let us continue for the dunes." Filia said as she frowned at Lina.
"What, it's the heat ok… I get a little edgy." Lina said.
"Hey Filia… why not just transform and fly us there?" Gourry said.
"Actually that's a very good idea!" Xellos mentioned.
"I'm not transforming in front of all of you, besides I want to try walking for once!" Filia said.
"Go find a bush or something before we reach the dunes and transform!" Lina complained to Filia. A vein popped out of Filia's head.
"Why don't you use a spell to pick US all up and fly?" Filia said. Lina sighed.
"Look this isn't getting us anywhere, lets vote on it."
"Goody, can I join in?" Xellos said clapping his hands.
"Don't see a problem with that I guess." Lina said as the rest stopped.
"Raise your hands for the dragon idea!" Lina said as she and everyone else raised their hands. Filia whined.
"I demand a recount, I didn't see all of the hands… err the sun was in my eye!" She said complaining.
"Just do it!" Lina screamed. Filia let out a large sigh as she looked at the others.
"Fine, but everyone please turn around!" Filia said as she blushed and everyone turned. "You too Xellos!!!" She yelled.
"Oh, fine." Xellos said, as he looked the other way. Filia began to transform and she eventually became her true form with that bow at the end of her tail.
"Happy now? Everyone get on before I eat you!" She said with a crazy voice. Everyone got onto her back as she took of in flight.
"Well it won't be long now!" Xellos said while sitting on her head.
"Get off you fiend, you can fly by yourself!" Filia screamed.
"Yes, but this is so much more satisfying… Mush!" Xellos said as Filia started to whine.
"Oh, cut it out Xellos." Lina said as the Mazoku used his own power to fly while following Filia.
"Oh… fine." Xellos said as he frowned.
"Look I can see the dunes!" Zelgadis said as Filia started to land.
"Why are we landing, find that temple!" Lina demanded.
"Stop it miss Lina, besides the temple is under the sand which is what I tried to tell you before." Filia explained. Lina sighed.
"Damn, now I know what you meant by hard to find." Lina said as Filia swooped down to reach the dunes faster.
"Well what do you expect us to do… dig?" Zelgadis said.
"No, the underground temple is said to have a mark on one of the dunes to its sacred entrance, but the angle could be wrong plus its too small to see from the sky." Filia said.
"Hmmm, well at least its marked." Nahga said while watching her land. Filia touched the ground.
"Ok, everyone off!" Filia exclaimed. Lina, Zelgadis, Gourry, Amelia, and Nahga jumped off into the sand while Xellos landed near them. Filia returned to her human form and blinked. "Well lets get started." She said not too sure about where the entrance was.
"I suppose we should!" Lina said as she started to look around the dunes.
"I'll ask the Fire Dragon king once again." Filia said as she sat down and pulled out a new piece of paper and started to pray. The others looked around that area with Lina to make sure they don't overlook the temple. Xellos stared off into the dunes and frowned.
"Hmmm, it appears we have company." Xellos said as Lina walked over to him.
"What kind of company?" Lina asked.
"Probably the unwelcome kind." Xellos replied as Lina looked in distance to see two figures closing in on them. Everyone gathered and Filia got up off of the ground to join the group in watching the two beings landing next to them.
"Give us your piece of the manuscript!" One of them demanded. Lina sighed and looked at him.
"Look pal we've already destroyed two monsters already… what makes you think we would just give it to you!" Lina yelled.
"Destroyed, you can't destroy us… you did not permanently kill Kraid or Redin. You cannot kill us so easily." The other strange man said.
"So, what should we call you then?" Nahga asked.
"I am Haren and the man to my right is Jhirad." Haren said.
"We know you want to keep that manuscript, but cannot let you have it. Now hand it over to us." Jhirad demanded.
"What are you talking about, Lina did kill the other two we saw their burning remains!" Zelgadis yelled.
"Fools, you have not figured it out yet have you? Before Lina Inverse Destroyed the gate that held Dark Star we came through it… undetected by you. Monsters from the Overworld can regenerate their body even when what you describe as dead. Only the power of the gods themselves can truly destroy us, as with all monsters." Haren explained.
"Hmmm, well I guess the cats out of the bag." Xellos said as he walked up to Lina.
"Did I just hear what I thought he said? It can't be true!" Lina said.
"I'm afraid it is, these are monsters or Mazoku from the Overworld. I was sent to stop them from their ultimate goal." Xellos said.
"Which IS?" Lina asked.
"Well you may know that their from the Overworld Lina but unless they say more… That is a Secret!" Xellos said. "Lets just say I pretty much have the same assignment as last time, Lord Beast master can't very well have monsters from a different world destroy ours. That my dear Lina is up to us to do." Xellos explained further.
"HA! You know much for the weak monsters of this world." Jhirad said.
"Its true that our power has weakened since Phibrizzo's destruction… however, I am more then a match for you two." Xellos said as he shook his finger.
"I guess we'll have to get more information from Xellos later… looks like their about to fight!" Lina said, as the others got ready for battle as well.