Chapter 20: The Truth
Rezo smiled at the golden orb he held in his hand. It pulsed weakly; the magic was fading, and despite his best efforts, without Phibrizo's life force to support the illusion, it would not last much longer.
"A pity," he mused to himself as he regarded the swirling orb. "I was looking forward to witnessing the destruction of Sairoon personally." He smiled grimly, raising his staff. "But I will have to be satisfied with simply breaking Sairoon and Elmekia's royal dynasties. There is still so much more to discover, isn't there my Lady…" The magic flowed around him, and the intensity of the glow emitting from the orb increased.
- x – x – x -
Amelia looked up from the bench. "We should go back," she said resolutely. "I have to apologize to Naga… I mean Gracia," she said sheepishly. "And you have to stop Luna, don't you?"
Lina stood up and dusted herself off. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "Luna might be a little rough, but even she couldn't force Zelgadis to do something he didn't want to. I'm more afraid of what Zelgadis will choose…" She trailed off, drawing her brows together. "I know he can't stay here. Not the way he is. He needs to be a real person, Amelia, and he's not right now." She growled with frustration and raked her fingers through her hair messily. "Oh, whatever! I can't think my way out of this one!" she yelled.
Amelia bit her lip. "What if I wished he was real?" she asked quietly. "I could do it. I have one wish left."
Lina's head whipped around and she grabbed Amelia by the shoulders. "Don't even think about it! Didn't you hear a word Naga said? Shabranigdu's killing you!"
Amelia sighed. "I have felt tired after making my wishes… but how do they know what will happen? Maybe it will all go away after I use up the last of Shabranigdu's power."
Lina frowned and pulled out the manila envelope she had stuffed into the belt of her jeans. "Wait a second, Amelia. Luna gave me something that she said might help…" The two girls moved closer to one of the flickering lamps in the park, and Lina opened the folder.
"This looks like a crime report!" Amelia whispered, her eyes widening. "Where did they get this from?" she squeaked in shock. "My dad is going to kill us!"
"Not if he doesn't find out about it," Lina said with a smirk. "Why'd Luna give this to me anyway?" She grimaced and flipped through the pages quickly as she came across a few photographs. "It looks like an old murder case of some sort… Garia and Laia Einberg," she read out loud. Her eyebrows lifted as she read the report details. "Wait a second… oh my God," she murmured as her eyes grew wide. "I think this is about the Priestess of Vorfeed."
Amelia scanned over the report, her eyes also growing wide. "S-she was killed by her own father?" she whispered. There was a short silence as the two girls scanned the report further, along with Luna's neatly scribbled annotations in the margins. "That's what will happen to me?" Amelia stuttered, looking up to Lina with shock. "Why… why didn't Rezo tell me?" she said suddenly, her blue eyes flashing with hurt and anger.
"Maybe he didn't know," Lina said. Why the hell am I trying to stick up for that jerk? she thought sourly. Seeing Amelia's fragile confidence shaken, however, she couldn't bring herself to be as blunt as she usually was. "It's pointless anyway. You have to keep yourself from making a final wish… and I have to figure out what to do about Zelgadis."
Amelia shivered. "It's so cold here," she mumbled as the enveloped dropped from her fingers.
"Hey, watch what you do with that!" Lina scolded, diving after the report and scooping up the scattered papers. "What's wrong with you?" Looking up, she froze, a sense of foreboding rising in the pit of her stomach. "Amelia?"
The dark-haired girl's eyes were closed, and her teeth were chattering despite the balmy evening. "L-lina…" she whispered, her voice scared. "What's h-happening to me?"
Lina quickly stood, the report forgotten as she made a grab for Amelia. A spark of blue energy flashed out and zapped her hands, and she jumped back with a yelp of pain. "There's some kind of spell on you!" she shouted, glancing up as the dim lamp overhead began to flicker. With a pop, the light overhead blew out, and the blue glow around Amelia increased.
"Aahhh!" screamed Amelia, her body stiffening in agony. "It hurts!"
Lina's eyes widened as she watched Amelia's arms shoot out to her side. "It's your jewellery!" she said suddenly, noting the glow of the blue stones around the young girl's wrists and throat. "Take them off, they must have some kind of enchantment on them!" she yelled.
"I can't move!" Amelia cried as the blue glow grew unbearably bright. Both of the girls squeezed their eyes shut as the light grew too intense.
Gradually, it faded, and Lina dared to crack one eye open. "Amelia!" she yelled, seeing her friend sprawled across the ground. She scrambled forward but was halted by a low chuckle. Eyes widening with disbelief, she looked up. To her horror, it was as she remembered in the vision on Mount Taikyoku. Rezo stood over the collapsed form of the young girl, his staff in hand and a cruel smile on his face.
"I must remember to thank my Lady for providing me with such a convenient link to your world," he said with amusement. "Originally, the gems were only to provide for your safety by allowing me to locate you. But after discovering the truth of your world, I realized that they might be able to serve a much greater purpose. I do apologize for the pain it may have caused you," he said to the young girl at his feet with a bemused expression. Amelia could only shudder, too weak to lift her head and glare at Rezo.
"Oh no…" Lina mumbled, still in shock at seeing the Red Sage standing in the park before her.
Rezo redirected his sightless gaze to Lina and smiled. "Oh yes, Priestess," he said to her with a grim smile. "I have arrived."
- x – x – x -
Zelgadis stared at the pen between his fingers with a mixture of wonder and disbelief. He clicked the tip of the pen once more, his eyes growing impossibly wider as he watched the ballpoint's nib emerge from its plastic casing. "And you don't need an inkwell at all?" he asked, befuddled.
Gracia dropped her head onto the desk and let out a low groan. "For God's sake, Zelgadis, it's just a pen! Stop staring at it and write your stupid letter!"
Zelgadis tore his gaze away from the pen and glared at the chesty girl with irritation. "Fine, I'm writing…" he grumbled, focusing on the paper once more. He closed his eyes for a moment in thought, and then with a nod, opened them and began to write with long, fluid strokes.
Gracia lifted her head up, relieved to finally hear the scratching of the pen. She had already wasted more than half an hour explaining the intricacies of modern paper and writing implements to Zelgadis, who was amazed by each discovery. How did Luna talk me into this? she thought irritably as she regarded the young man. On a whim, she took a glance at the note he was writing, and facefaulted. "What are you doing?" she said incredulously, looking at the scrawling calligraphy across the paper.
"Writing, what does it look like?" Zelgadis said, quirking an eyebrow at Gracia with irritation.
"It looks like Chinese to me!" Gracia said as she squinted at the paper.
"That's because it is Chinese," Zelgadis answered her with boredom. He took another look at the paper and grew a sweatdrop. "I guess you have a point…" he mumbled. "Maybe you could write it for me?" he asked, reluctantly offering Gracia the pen.
Gracia's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. "No way! I failed stenography! Get Luna to do that for you!" she yelled shrilly.
Their argument was interrupted when the door flew open. Luna stood there, panting, the book in her hand. "We've got a problem!" she said breathlessly.
- x – x – x -
"Hey! What are you doing to those girls?" The young man who had spoken rushed towards Rezo, who only turned his head slightly.
"Stay back!" Lina screamed, but it was too late. There was a crackle of lightning, and the man went flying into the bushes, flipping over one of the park benches with a loud crack. Lina winced and glared at Rezo once more. "Leave them alone! They're just innocent bystanders. Don't hurt anyone else!" she cried angrily.
Indeed, the few denizens of the park had gathered around the fantastic magical disturbance that Rezo was creating. But no one seemed to have the power to hold the magician in check. Rezo laughed and tightened the binds that held Lina down. Amelia lay a few feet away, unconscious. "Such concern for your fellow man," he said mockingly. "You've already abandoned your countrymen in Sairoon once, Priestess. Your word has no value here…" He grinned, and Lina winced in pain as the chains crackled around her. "And your body no power." He lifted his head slightly and smiled. "I have always wondered what your world would look like. It will be a pleasure conquering this kingdom."
Lina glared at Rezo angrily. "This world is nothing like the Universe of the Four Gods! You're not going to conquer anything!" she yelled at him.
"Really?" Rezo said with boredom, waving his staff at another section of the park. It exploded into flames at his motion, sending more people scattering and screaming. "And who will stop me? For such an advanced society, your guards have offered me no challenge at all." He smirked at a few quailing bystanders who had frozen at his display of magical power. "Is there none here brave enough to challenge me for the safety of your Priestess?" he said loudly, looking around.
Lina squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. "I told you already! I'm not a Priestess in this world, and neither is Amelia! We have no powers here, we're just ordinary girls!"
Rezo whirled around, his face drawn and angry. "I do not believe you," he said incredulously. "You were chosen to represent the Beast Gods! Do not lie to me girl, or I will make more of your Kingdom suffer!" He lifted his staff as he spoke, and Lina cried out in pain. "I can keep this up for as long as you wish to play these games," he said coldly to the shuddering girl. He paused as a low rattle filled the air. "What is that noise?" Rezo said with disgust, wincing and raising a hand to his ear as the sound grew louder. There was a loud crash and a few screams, and then two pointed lights shone on Rezo, who instinctively ducked.
"Let her go!" Zelgadis' voice rang out through the night air, managing to carry over the clanking and jangling of the rusty old truck. He hung on precariously to the side of the careening vehicle as Diol swung it around towards the small group. The truck screeched to a halt, and Zelgadis took a flying leap off of the side. He crashed into a surprised Rezo, sending them both rolling across the grass. It was all the distraction needed to break the binding spell over Lina, who fell to her knees coughing.
"Lina! Are you alright?" Luna jumped from the truck and rushed towards her sister, kneeling by her side as a purple blur passed them both.
Lina looked up, gasping for breath. "Fine! Get Amelia, though, Rezo…" She stopped as she saw Gracia staggering back towards them, carrying her sister in her arms.
"I didn't know… she was so… heavy!" she puffed as she fell to her knees beside the two other girls, gently releasing her sister.
"Naga?" Lina said incredulously, looking at the older girl with newfound respect. "What are you guys doing here?"
"It's the book," Luna said quickly, pulling out the tattered novel and spreading it open before them. "The boundaries between our worlds are falling apart. We read about Rezo crossing into this world… even exactly where it happened."
Lina looked up, her eyes widening. "Rezo still has all his powers! We have to get him out of here, and now, or else our world--" A small gasp escaped her as she saw Zelgadis lifted into the air, suspended by Rezo's magic.
The sage stood up shakily, his expression annoyed. He wiped his chin slowly, drying the trickle of blood that Zelgadis had managed to draw with his surprise attack. "Very clever, boy. Unfortunately enthusiasm cannot take the place of stupidity!" he snarled, blasting Zelgadis' body with magic and sending him tumbling to the ground.
Zelgadis coughed and spat out some dirt, rising to his knees. "I won't let you harm Lina or the others," he grit out. Regaining his footing, he sunk into a fighting crouch and beckoned towards the sage, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Come on, Rezo. Your fight is with me!"
Rezo frowned slightly. "Your hubris continues to amaze me, boy. However my fight is not with you. You see, I wish to control this world. You are simply an annoying thorn in my side." He smirked and sent another blast of energy towards Zelgadis, who managed to leap out of the way. "You cannot win!" he laughed, raising his staff towards the sky. "Sairoon was nothing. I will have this entire world for my own!"
Zelgadis clenched his teeth. "You're the one who's deluding yourself, Rezo!" he growled. "You don't even know the truth about this world, do you? You don't know the truth about us."
Rezo raised an eyebrow at Zelgadis. "And what do you know of truth?" he said scornfully. "Your attempt to buy time for yourself and your band of fools is futile."
Zelgadis smiled darkly. "It's your quest that's futile, Rezo. You can never rule over this world, or any other. And the people here won't even have to fight you for that to happen," he said. "We're not real. We don't exist in this world, and nothing you can do will change that. We're just bits and pieces of a spell made by the people here, nothing more!"
Rezo paused, a look of shock coming across his face. He quickly masked it, his mouth drawing into a thin line. "You lie, boy." He levelled another attack at Zelgadis, who once again managed to dodge it.
"I'm not lying! Stop for a minute, Rezo, and think about it! I know you can feel it, the same way I can." He grinned wryly. "Nothing we do will make a difference." His voice grew quieter. "We don't really exist."
Rezo was silent, lowering his staff. The brief respite from his attacks was broken by the shrill sound of Lina's voice.
"No! That's not true!" she cried, struggling as Luna held her back. "How can you say that, Zelgadis?"
Zelgadis turned and regarded Lina. "It is the truth, Lina. But I can admit that now," he said lightly. "Even if I am just a piece of a story, brought to life by a spell, it doesn't bother me. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened in my life. And you gave me the chance… to touch reality," he said, staring at her. "I understand why we can't be together now."
Lina struggled even more violently, her eyes clouding with tears. "Don't you dare say that, Zel! I told you we'd find a way! I won't let you give up now, not when we're so close…"
Zelgadis shook his head. "No… I can't give you what you need, Lina. A real life and a real family, here in the real world." He smirked ruefully and glanced at his smooth, human fingers. "Maybe I'm just a reflection after all… and maybe there's a real me, somewhere in the world, just waiting to meet you." He looked up and gave Lina a small but genuine smile. "I couldn't take that away from you. I love you too much."
Lina opened her mouth soundlessly, pain searing through her chest. "Don't say that…" she managed to choke out, her struggles dying down. "I don't want it to end, not like this!"
A low chuckle interrupted them, and Zelgadis whipped around to face Rezo. The sage was bowed over, his head cupped in one hand while he clutched his staff tightly with the other. "So it's true," he murmured, another hoarse laugh escaping from his throat. "Your crippled soliloquy made it clear enough," he said.
Zelgadis smiled bitterly. "That's right, Rezo. In the end, all we have is our own beliefs. I love Lina. And I believe in her. That's enough for me." He looked down on the trembling priest with a measure of pity. "What do you have?"
Rezo shook his head, his face pulling back into its impassive mask as he straightened. "I have always suspected my existence was a lie," he said. "If I am nothing but a figment of imagination in this world…" he said, raising his staff slowly. The energy crackled, and a pained cry was heard from Gracia as Amelia was lifted out of her arms by Rezo's power. "Then I will make myself real!" he finished, his face twisting into an ugly grimace.
"Amelia!" Lina yelled, her eyes widening as her friend was forcibly roused from her stupor by Rezo's torture. "What are you doing to her?"
Rezo ignored her, his face splitting into a mad grin. "Wake, Priestess of Shabranigdu! Wake, my Lady Amelia!" he cried, lifting the young girl's body higher into the air.
"Stop it! You're going to kill her!" Lina screamed.
Amelia moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She squeaked in fright as she realized where she was, and looked around frantically. "Rezo! Put me down this instant!" she yelled.
"Not until you grant me my final wish," Rezo told her calmly. "Use the power of Shabranigdu to make me real, my Lady. Use your final wish to grant me this."
Amelia stared at Rezo, her mouth hanging open. "You tricked me… you lied to me from the very beginning… and you almost killed my best friend!" she said finally, after recovering from her shock. "I would rather die than give you anything else!" she screamed furiously.
Rezo tilted his head at her slightly. "You misunderstand, my Lady. I need you alive." He smiled. "But not them," he added, gesturing at Lina and the others. "Grant my wish, or I will kill them, one by one."
Gracia stood up, her eyes fixed on her sister in the air above. "What are you doing to my sister, you crazy old man?" she yelled, charging towards him.
Rezo looked at her disdainfully, and with a surge of energy sent the woman flying away. She crashed into Diol's old truck with a gasp of pain and slumped to the ground. "Shall it be this woman?" he said to Amelia. "Or your friend Lina?" he said, pointing his staff at Lina threateningly. Before he could cast a spell, a hand caught his staff and grappled with him.
"You won't touch Lina," Zelgadis hissed as he tried to twist the weapon out of Rezo's grasp.
Rezo snarled and sent an explosive array of magic radiating outwards. Though Zelgadis roared with pain, he refused to relinquish his grasp on the weapon.
"Stop it!" Amelia cried helplessly as she watched the struggle. "Why are you doing this, Rezo? I know you weren't always like this!"
Rezo threw Zelgadis to the ground and paused, lifting his face to Amelia. "You will fulfil my request, or I will kill your friends," he told her brusquely. "Starting with this one!" He pointed his staff at Zelgadis, who had risen to his knees.
Amelia gasped, her eyes watering as she stared at the weakened man before her. "No… please stop," she murmured. It was the wrong answer to give the crazed magician.
Zelgadis only had a moment to look up in surprise before Rezo sent his magic spiralling towards him like a spear. The energy caught the warrior through the chest and sent him rolling over the ground. He came to a stop near Lina, who managed to shake her way out of Luna's grasp and crawl to his side.
"Zelgadis!" she yelled, fear twisting her stomach into thick knots. This can't be happening… she thought as she turned him over and checked him for injuries. "You're not hurt," she murmured with relief, brushing some hair out of his face. Her hand froze as Zelgadis coughed slightly, sending a thin line of blood down his pale cheek.
"Lina," he said, opening his eyes and staring at her. "You have to stop him. Don't die here…" he rasped out, catching her hand and gripping it so tightly it was almost painful. "Damn… I'm not strong enough anymore…" he groaned as he released her fingers.
Lina watched with horror as the man in her arms collapsed against her, his face growing paler by the moment. "This is not happening! You're Zelgadis! You're not supposed to die! You're too stubborn to die!" she said desperately, gripping at the fabric of his shirt. "Don't close your eyes!"
"You have to live, Lina," Zelgadis said again gently, reaching up and brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. "Don't give up."
A chill shook her body as she recognized the look in his eyes. It was the same expression he had worn when Gourry had run him through with the Sword of Light. It was one she had hoped never to see again, and it iced over her soul with numbing fear. "I'm supposed to be the one telling you that!" she yelled at him.
Zelgadis didn't hear her, his hand falling away from her hair.
Lina stared in disbelief at Zelgadis' still face. "Not like that…" she whispered after a moment, watching his breathing still. "Not like that!" she said again, slightly louder. "You don't get to make a heroic exit, you jerk! Wake up!" Her shouts turned into screams and she shook his shoulders angrily. "I need you! I love you!" She dropped her head over his still form, trembling uncontrollably.
"Lina," Luna interrupted gently, holding out the book. "He's dead. It's already been written. I'm sorry…"
"I don't care what the story says!" Lina screamed, pushing the book away. "He's real! His fate can't be decided by some stupid writing on a piece of paper!"
Rezo laughed harshly, pointing his staff towards Lina. "I am the one who decided his fate. Yours shall be next, unless my Lady makes a wise decision." He smirked as Lina glared up at him. "Even now, his story is ending," Rezo continued to Amelia, who could only watch in frozen horror. "I wonder if your friend Lina will share such a fate. She is of this world, after all," he said mockingly.
Lina looked down in shock to see Zelgadis' body growing faint. "What's happening?" she whispered as his body slowly faded from view, leaving her arms empty. "No!" she choked out, clutching desperately at the empty space where Zelgadis formerly lay.
The tension in the air grew thick, and a heavy silence descended onto the remaining group as Rezo awaited Amelia's decision. It was broken by a shrill command from an unexpected source.
"Xellos! Valgarv! We need you!" Rezo regarded Luna with surprise as the older girl leaned over the open book, spread out on the ground before her. Sweat dripped from her face, which was twisted in concentration as she poured over the magic book. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" she mumbled to herself. Then, once again, with more conviction, she yelled into the open pages. "Come on! If you don't come to this world, Lina is going to die!" And just as before, a dull red glow began to emerge from the book.
- x – x – x -
A frown creased Xellos' face as he looked up from the ornate funeral pyre in the courtyard. Valgarv stood beside him, the only sign of his new position being the thin golden circlet he wore around his forehead and the two angry red stripes running down each of his cheeks. The bandit had asked Zangulus to burn them onto his face directly after returning from the battlefield with Gourry.
Despite the delicate weave of the metal crown, Xellos knew the real burden the young bandit bore was very heavy. The war had been progressing badly; since the Emperor's death, Sairoon suffered only losses. The people were demoralized, the supplies dwindling, and it looked more and more as though Valgarv's reign as Shogun was destined to be a short one. Their only reprieve was the disappearance of Rezo a few days prior, which had caused confusion among the enemy troops. Valgarv was using the temporary lull in battle to allow for a proper royal funeral. But neither the Shogun nor his advisor could concentrate on the elaborate ceremony that day, even as the flames licked higher into the air.
Finally, Xellos broke the silence, cracking one eye open. "My Lord." He paused as Valgarv shifted uncomfortably beside him; the young man was still unaccustomed to Xellos' use of the formal title. "I feel a strange sensation, as though there is some greater power calling to me."
Valgarv turned his head slightly, regarding the trickster wearily. "Cephied's power is still gone. I can't feel anything," he said, his hand automatically reaching for the rod hanging down from his back. It was more for decoration than anything else, too short to use as a proper staff without its flaming blades.
Xellos shook his head slowly. "No… you're right. My powers are still sealed as well. But this sensation…" His head shot up, and he turned towards Valgarv with surprise. "Why, it's the same as on the ship when we sailed to Kataart! You must be able to feel it as well. Concentrate!"
Disturbed by Xellos' sudden earnestness, Valgarv could only nod and close his eyes. After a moment, they shot open, and he stared at the magician with shock. "What the hell!" he swore. "I thought I heard a voice!"
Xellos hushed him as he turned his face to the sky above. "Listen!" he said roughly.
… on! If you don't come to this world, Lina is going to die!
The two men both gasped at the same time. "You are Lina's sister? You're contacting us from your world once more?" Xellos called out loudly.
Yes, and yes! There's no time to argue, you have to concentrate on me, and come to this world! Now just --
The voice was silenced suddenly, leaving the two men staring at the sky with confusion.
"What the hell was that? What's going on in Lina's world?" Valgarv spat angrily. "We have enough problems down here!"
"Shh!" Xellos said quickly, hitting Valgarv across the chest with his staff. "I hear that voice again!"
… ugh! Listen, there's no time! The ethereal voice was weaker than before, and wavered, but then came back with a vengeance. You have to concentrate on me now! Listen, Rezo came to our world, and killed Zelgadis. He's going to kill Lina next. If you don't come right now, nothing that happens will matter. Rezo will destroy both of our worlds! Concentrate on me!
Even as the words were spoken, the two men were surrounded by a dull red glow, and a tugging sensation pulled at them. Xellos growled lowly, and then threw out instructions to his companion quickly. "Clear your mind, Valgarv. Think only of that voice, and give in to the pull. There's only one chance!" With that, he raised two fingers before his forehead and shut his eyes.
"What? Are you nuts?" His eyes widened as Xellos was engulfed by the light and disappeared. "You're just going to follow that crazy bitch's voice and leave Sairoon in shambles, you bastard?" Valgarv shouted angrily.
HEY! Who are you calling a crazy bitch? boomed the voice.
Apparently the taunt gave Luna enough willpower to forcibly grab hold over Valgarv and pull him along, albeit unwillingly, with Xellos. There was a red flash of light, and when it disappeared, the courtyard of Sairoon was empty, save for the smoking funeral pyre.
- x – x – x -
"Luna!" Lina's cry echoed as her sister was hit by another wave of energy, sending her tumbling backwards from the book. "Leave my sister alone!" she cried out, panic colouring her voice.
"Stop what you are doing this instant, girl!" Rezo snarled at the older girl.
Luna twitched weakly on the ground, moaning. A small mumble escaped from her lips, and Rezo strode over towards her. He stood over the abandoned book, his mouth twisted into a scowl. "What did you do?" he asked ominously.
A low chuckle answered him. "… you're too late," Luna said, pushing herself up with a pained smile. Her thick bangs parted, and one of her eyes glinted up at him. They were every bit as ruby red as Lina's own, and steeled with the same determination. Rezo snarled and sent his staff in an arc towards Luna, which she tried to block with only limited success. There was a sharp crack as it struck against her head, and she fell to the ground bonelessly, knocked unconscious from the blow. Rezo paused and turned back towards the book, regarding the light with a mixture of annoyance and incredulousness as it erupted at his feet. The sage flung himself backwards as a strong wind filled the air, and the light formed itself into two solid shapes. When it died out, there was a pause, and then a cry of elation.
"Xellos! Valgarv!" Lina said, scrambling to her feet. The two men stood there, one glaring at Rezo with barely contained rage, and the other rubbing the back of his head as he looked around the park.
"My my, what an interesting world you come from, Lina! You should have invited us here sooner," Xellos said, cracking an eye open and smiling at the open-mouthed girl who barrelled into him. He caught her and pushed her away as she clutched at his arms tightly.
"Rezo… Zelgadis… Luna… Amelia!" she managed to choke out rapidly.
Xellos frowned and turned his head towards Valgarv. "Perhaps they speak a different language in this world," he said thoughtfully. "Lina certainly seems to have lost all of her powers of communication," he added. "Maybe we should thank Rezo for that…"
"Shut up!" Valgarv bellowed, not even bothering to turn around to face the magician. "Save your stupid jokes for later, trickster! I don't care where the hell we are, I'm going to kill that bastard! Take care of Lina, I'll deal with Rezo." He drew out the Sword of Light, complete with its replacement blade. "This is for Gourry," he muttered darkly as he rushed towards the surprised sage.
Xellos glanced back to Lina, who glaring into the sky above him. Following her gaze, his mouth curved into a frown as he saw Amelia suspended in the sky above them.
"We need to get her down from there, Xellos. Can you do it?" Lina said curtly.
Xellos cracked an eye open and his expression grew serious. "Only if Valgarv can truly distract Rezo. There might be a chance, but without my powers…" he began cautiously.
"Just do it!" Lina said shrilly, shoving him forward. Xellos nodded and began chanting softly, pointing his staff towards the floating girl.
A strangled cry caught Lina's attention, and she turned in time to see Valgarv fly past her, his body smoking. The bandit landed with a loud crash into the ground beside her, the metal blade of the Sword of Light once again shattered. "Valgarv! Are you okay?" she asked him worriedly, helping him climb to his feet.
Valgarv looked at the useless hilt in his hand, and then shrugging, tossed it aside carelessly and drew the short staff from his back. "No, I won't be until I have this asshole's head on a silver platter," he answered with a wry grin.
"Do you really think it will be that simple?" Rezo laughed, the top of his staff jangling as he stabbed it into the ground. "That I could possibly be overcome by the likes you, fool? Without your powers, you are nothing!" The mocking smile dropped from the sage's face. "You were the one that killed Eris, were you not?" he said, his tone deadly. Valgarv only gripped his staff more tightly and smirked at the other man. "For you, I will redefine the meaning of pain," Rezo promised, raising his own staff. Lightning thundered around the furious magician, and he pointed the weapon towards Valgarv. "Die!"
Valgarv lifted the lifeless handle of Vessegace before him, his eyes narrowed. "If it's my destiny to die here, then so be it!" he growled, throwing himself towards Rezo. All he met was the energy discharged by the sage, which pushed him back several feet. But instead of the gut-wrenching pain he expected to feel, there was only a bright light. Wincing and opening his eyes, Valgarv looked up to find Xellos standing next to him, his arms shaking as the energy split around the trickster's outstretched staff. "The hell you doing?" he grit out in surprise as Rezo's attack tapered off and Xellos fell to his knees.
"Y-you'll owe me for this of course," Xellos managed to pant out between trembling breaths. "I'll think of my price later," he added as sweat poured down from his forehead.
Rezo growled, pointing his staff at Xellos. "I should have known you would interfere, meddler. Your plan to distract me has not worked, however." He lifted a hand, and Amelia, still trapped in Rezo's deadly force field, was dragged before him. "Enough delays," he said coldly. "Make your wish, priestess, or they ALL die, now!"
"Don't touch her!" Lina yelled, trying to rush him. A simple flick of his hand was enough to send her skidding from them, tears of pain springing to her eyes from the force of the magical blow. Her cry and Rezo's harsh demand were also enough to rouse Amelia from her stupor within the field.
"Please… stop this," Amelia whispered painfully as she stared into Rezo's face.
"Grant my wish," Rezo answered unflinchingly. "If you want your friend to live, do it."
"No, don't, Amelia!" Lina yelled, but her voice was faint and muffled. Amelia took the moment to glance around the devastated remains of the park. Diol's old truck was parked messily across the grass, and Gracia was slumped against it as the quavering old man tried to protect her. Lina's sister lay sprawled across field further away from them, her hand still outstretched towards the open book. Lina herself was holding her side, her face contorted with pain as she struggled her way towards a kneeling Xellos. The only one left standing defiantly against Rezo was Valgarv, who refused to bend despite the cuts and rapidly darkening bruises across his face and shoulders. Amelia felt her heart clench in her chest, and faced Rezo once more, who was regarding her with amusement.
"There really is no other choice, is there?" he said to her quietly.
I'm sorry, Lina… but it's the only way, she thought to herself. Amelia stared at Rezo for a moment longer, then dropped her head with a quick nod.
"I pledge myself to thee, Shabranigdu."
The words escaped her lips in a whisper, and a dense silence settled over the park. The wind picked up then, slowly at first, but gradually whipping into a frenzy as Amelia's body was engulfed by the strange blue light. She heard Lina cry out her name, her voice sounding vaguely frantic, but the numbness climbed over her body again. There was a howling noise, and she could see Rezo laughing, his eyes for once open, and glowing strangely as the wind whipped his robes around him. Then the light grew too bright, and everything faded from view.
- x – x – x -
"This can't be good," Valgarv grumbled as he, Xellos and Lina stumbled away from Rezo and the brilliant sphere of blue light that used to be Amelia's body. Thunder and howling wind surrounded them, and the sphere shifted, changing and growing into a coiled, sinuous form even as it wound around Rezo. The red sage's eyes were open and glowing red, pulsing in time to the draconic beast that was rising into the sky around him, all scales and limbs and teeth.
"I can feel it! I can feel the power of Shabranigdu inside of me!" Rezo raised his hands to the sky once more, mad laughter erupting from his throat.
Xellos raised his staff and squeezed an eye open. "I'm afraid I have to agree with you, Valgarv," he added, and then looked down at Lina in concern. "Something's happened to Lina," he said quickly, gently easing the unconscious girl onto the ground.
"Probably better that she's not seeing this anyway," Valgarv answered, his eyes glued to the towering dragon that had formed in the sky above them. Rezo raised his staff once more, and the beast let out an earth-shattering roar in reply. The young bandit felt the pit of his stomach drop out. "What the hell are we gonna do about this one…" he mumbled under his breath helplessly.
- x – x – x -
Groggily, Lina opened her eyes. The howling, the terrible glow of magic and the pain all seemed to have washed away from her body. She sat up slowly, looking around, unable to identify where she was. There was nothing but emptiness all around her, and if it wasn't for the fact that the gentle, soothing light surrounding her was blue, she might have guessed she was in another one of Phibrizo's illusions.
Lina…
Lina's head shot up quickly, and she scrambled to her feet. "What? Who's there? Where am I?" she called out, scanning the blue emptiness wildly for any sign of life.
Lina, it's me.
Lina whirled around once more and came face to face with Amelia, who was smiling at her. The young girl stood before her, wearing her school uniform and not bearing any mark from their perilous journey into the book. Most noticeably, her wrists were unadorned, free of their whitened scars.
"Amelia! You're okay… but where are we?" Even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. Even without Amelia's physical appearance or the soft blue glow around her body, she felt the separation from the physical world. "This isn't real, is it?" she said after a moment. "Are we dead?"
Amelia shook her head slightly, her bangs falling across her clear blue eyes.
You're not dead, Lina. We're in another place. I had to tell you something important before I go. It's about my final wish.
Lina felt her mouth dry out and reached towards Amelia, but was unable to touch her. "Yeah… about that…" she managed to whisper. "Why'd you have to go and do it?"
Amelia sighed slightly. It's the only way to save you and everybody else.
"Yeah, but what about you?" Lina shot back, her eyes clouding with tears. "I don't want you to be consumed by Shabranigdu! What's the point of doing all this if you die?" she yelled back.
It's too late to go back now. Listen, I don't have a lot of time left. I'm not using my final wish to give Rezo what he wants. I'm using it to fix something that never should have happened. I'm sorry, Lina.
"I don't care about any of that! Can't you take it back, Amelia? Don't do this! Don't leave me!" Lina shouted angrily. But it was too late, Amelia was already fading from her view, smiling sadly at Lina.
It's in your hands now, Lina. You have to summon Cephied. Save yourself… and our world.
"Summon Cephied? What are you talking about! Wait! Amelia! Come back! Amelia!" The cry died on her throat even as a dull, throbbing pain overtook Lina's body. The vision faded, and slowly her view came back into focus. Blankly, she realized she was staring at darkened grass of the park, being buffeted by the unnatural wind as thunder cracked overhead. She heard Valgarv and Xellos shouting to each other distantly over the roar of the wind. A prickling sensation burned through her body and she sat up slowly, her mind reeling. "Amelia… Amelia's gone… Zelgadis is gone…" she whispered, tears leaking out of her eyes. It felt as though a thousand weights were suddenly in her chest, and Lina gasped for breath. The sensation of burning intensified. "W-what's happening to me…" she whispered, holding up her hands. With shock, she noticed they were beginning to glow with red light. And suddenly, she realized what Amelia's final wish had been.
"This… this is the answer?" She turned her hands over, watching the tiny motes of red light dance off of her fingertips. "This is it? Amelia… Zelgadis… Gourry and Sylphiel… they all died, for this?" The heavy feeling of sorrow in her chest began to dissipate, fast being replaced with a burning anger. "To summon a dead god that nobody's interested in?" Her voice rose in octaves as she stumbled to her feet, and belatedly, Lina realized that the wind had died down. In fact, everyone was looking at her. The faint red glow surrounding Lina had evolved into a full blown red floodlight, the bright red aura dancing over her skin like living flames. She fell into the full force of her rage as the words of the summoning came to her lips. "Yes, Cephied! I want to meet you! I want you to come here right now!" she screamed, lifting her hands to the sky above, where the draconic form of Shabranigdu roared in anger.
"Light which burns beyond crimson flame, let thy power gather before me!" she chanted as the red light exploded all around her. A tunnel of wind lifted around her, and suddenly the world blacked out, and she was alone as a regal form twisted into life before her. It was shapeless and cloudy, but it glowed with the intensity of fire. Two startlingly blue eyes gazed out at her from the shifting mass.
"Priestess of Cephied," its voice boomed around her. "Offer yourself to me as a sacrifice, and I shall grant you three wishes."
Lina took a moment to stare in awe at the shifting form, her confidence wavering slightly in the face of the beautiful and yet terrible sight. The being shifted, and its voice echoed around her once again.
"I wait," it said, its tone demanding. The energy crackled around Lina, and suddenly, she knew that if she stopped, the power would tear her apart. But even as the pain flooded through her, she thought of Amelia and Zelgadis, dying before her eyes.
"No," she said suddenly, lifting her head to meet the startled blue eyes.
The being rumbled, its displeasure darkening the swirling red clouds as the energy thickened and crackled in the air. Lina lifted her chin defiantly, refusing to be cowed.
"I said no," she said more loudly, levelling a finger at the swirling being. "I won't let you consume me, you bastard! You want to be released. That's why you do this, isn't it? That's what happened to Amelia! She released Shabranigdu! And look at what it's doing to my world!" she yelled angrily.
"It is the only way to save your world," the voice echoed around her.
Lina shook her head. "No, it's not! Now listen up real good," she snarled, a glint coming into her eye as she advanced on the swirling cloud. "I've had it with your stupid religion and human sacrifices! I'm not going to be used anymore!" She narrowed her eyes, her voice cutting through the spell with a deadly edge. "You are going to come to my world. You are going to take care of that… THING in the sky, and you are going to grant me three wishes while you're doing it." With each word she spoke, she fought against the energy, stepping forward and stabbing her finger against the cloud. And with each step, the burning, aching sensation faded, and the rumbling form of Cephied shrank before her. "And when you're done, you're going to return into that stupid book like the enchantment that you are, and you and your little buddies are not going to consume me, or anybody else, ever again!"
Cephied's vaporous form flashed once more, growling with displeasure as it clashed against Lina's will. But Lina's sorrow and anger left no room for the struggling deity, and with a final yell, she sealed the pact. "I AM NOT GOING TO DIE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" she screamed, the roles reversed, towering like a demon over the tiny cloud. There was a twisting, wrenching feeling, then with a pop, the cloud dissipated. A warm, gentle sensation coursed through Lina's body, and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was standing once more in the park, the others staring at her with wide eyes.
"L-lina?" Valgarv stuttered, taking a step towards her uncertainly. Lina ignored him, training her eyes on Rezo, who was watching her warily.
"You," she said, her voice echoing over the park. "You're going to pay," she said clearly, her eyes hard. "Cephied! Make your presence known!" she yelled, lifting her hand to the sky. There was a crack of thunder and a shrill cry, and searing red light erupted from the open book to form into a huge fiery red bird. It screamed as it vaulted into the sky, crashing into the draconic form of Shabranigdu overhead.
"My power…" Valgarv gasped out as the flames erupted out of Vessegace with a vengeance.
Xellos' eyes glowed with unholy power as he brought his staff before him, his red character symbol blazing through the fabric of his sleeve. "Lina has unsealed the power of Cephied," he said darkly. "I think it's time for us to have a little talk with Rezo," he added with a feral smile.
Valgarv's deadly grin matched the trickster's own as he spun his staff around confidently. "For once, I agree with you completely, pervert."
- x – x – x -
Ah, dream, too bright to last!
Ah, starry Hope! That didst arise
But to be overcast!
Edgar Allen Poe, "To One in Paradise"
AN: I really thought I could fit this all in one chapter. But it's turning out to be too long. So there will actually be one more chapter after this, and maybe an epilogue. Sorry about the miscalculation!
