Sylphiel jogged across the rubble, following Lina, though rather reluctantly, as their goal was the mound of blocks David's body had fallen into. Garadaar had stumbled off a ways, standing away from the stadium wall, too far away for anyone to jump onto its head again. It held its claws up, tail ready as it eyed the fleas that dared to bother it. Amelia was healing Zelgadis and Gourry while Lina had commanded Sylphiel to follow.

Reaching the pile, Lina climbed down amidst it, "David?" she called, "Rasmus?" hoping that he wasn't dead. He said he'd teach her some more spells! "David!" she tried again.

Something moved amidst the dust, and slowly, Rasmus pulled himself out from beneath a slightly propped up piece of concrete wall. Blood stood out against the white powder of dust, oozing down his cheek from a gash right at his hairline and a cut in his leg. His left hand clutched his chest. Once he'd completely emerged, he collapsed again, falling onto his face with a shudder. "Li...na," he choked as she came to crouch beside him.

"Don't talk," she told him, "We'll get you fixed up in no time."

Rasmus looked up at her and smiled slightly, apparently deeply touched by her concern, and said no more. "Sylphiel!" Lina snapped, "Get over here." Holding her own hands out, Lina began casting a healing spell. Pressing her lips together, Sylphiel came to kneel beside the redhead and helped.

Taking a shuddering breath, Rasmus's clutch on his heart eased, "Lina, I saw a weak point," he coughed as soon as he felt well enough to speak. "It's on the head, three plates meet there, just behind the eyes."

Shaking her head, Lina sighed, "It's on guard now," she reported, "And we're all but beat. We've got one card left, and I'm not going to have enough power to control it if-"

Despite the pain of the maneuver, Rasmus shoved himself up to a sitting position, "That's always your answer, isn't it?" he demanded. "If Ruby Eye's spell doesn't work, Giga Slave it!"

Drawing back, Lina took a breath, "That's not true!" she retorted, "I defeated Darkstar combined with Vorfeed and an Ancient Dragon without it. But we can't use that spell. It required a Mazoku and a servant of the gods to combine their powers with me, and I don't happen to have either right now. Nor do I have any way to get the spell to its head unless we drop it down from above."

Rasmus sagged back down again, just short of falling into Sylphiel's lap and fell silent. Lifting her hands again, Sylphiel stubbornly went on healing him, her eyes cold. Slowly, his fingers dug into the dirt, pulling up a handful of grass that lay hidden beneath the rock powder and gravel from the stadium. Abruptly, his grip relaxed and David lifted his head and began dusting his hair out. "That thing's blood stinks," he griped, not liking the eerie silence that had fallen. "God, I'm going to take a good long bath after this is over."

"You still think we can win this?" Lina asked, amazed.

David dusted his shirt a bit, finding splatters of the Demonbeast's ichor. "Yes," he stated firmly, "I refuse to believe otherwise." He looked towards her, "Because if I don't, Rasmus will quit trying to find some other way, and you'll feel resigned to cast that Giga Slave, which to my understanding, isn't the best frame of mind to be in when casting something that'll destroy the world if you screw up. Also, if I give up, the rest of your group will begin to doubt, and the world really will be lost. Lina, honestly, my people don't have the weapons capability to handle something like this, and we have no magic users. I doubt a nuke would scratch its hide any more than a Dragon Slave did. So you and Ras are this world's hope."

Sylphiel lowered her hands, her expression softening somewhat, and she looked away. David looked towards her, then back towards Lina with a significant look. Lina glanced towards the shrine maiden as well, and nodded her understanding. So Rasmus was trying to make it up to her as well, trying to save this Sairaag where he'd destroyed the other. Lina sighed and sat back as the last three of their party crested the hill of rubble and slithered down to join them.

Taking a breath, Rasmus re-emerged, "Maybe we can distract it enough for someone to get on its head again?" he suggested, and continued before Lina could point out that they'd tried everything already. "I could cast Vun Ga Ruim and send the summons to drain it while you take a Raagna Blade to that joint? Or perhaps I could summon a Brass Demon."

"That might work," Lina conceded as the others limped up to take exhausted seats on the ground around them. "But I'd have to find a way to get up there, and it would have to hold still long enough for me to stand on it and cast the spell." She sighed, "Except, my Raagna Blade isn't as powerful as yours. I wasn't able to do more than scratch it. Yours drew blood."

Rasmus huffed, "I got a lucky shot between its plating, and I also had David cast it with me."

Slapping her hand into her palm, "Aha," Lina pronounced, "So that's how you were casting two spells at once."

But Rasmus was shaking his head, "We're about out of energy," he replied. "It's a lot more difficult than you think. Sure, our spells turn out stronger when we match them, but that's the hardest part, Matching. You and..." he hesitated, "Sylphiel have been casting Dragon Slaves together, but you're still doing it separately. David and I are casting through the same pair of hands."

Zelgadis folded his arms and sighed, "So, you're saying... you've only got one big spell left, and you're finished?" Both Rasmus and Lina nodded. Silence fell.

"Is anyone keeping an eye on that thing?" David asked after a moment more.

Amelia nodded, "I can see it from here," she sighed, "It hasn't moved, but its still on guard," she peeked at his eyes, "Mr. David."

He gave a slight smile at that, then sighed, "The other Sylphiel and Zelgadis are still fresh and ...should be under Flagoon. But I wouldn't put it past Zel to do something stupid." He shook his head, then looked towards the version that was currently present. "No insult intended."

"None taken," Zelgadis muttered, "I would do something dumb," he admitted and put his elbow on his knee, resting his forehead on his hand. "I have before."

Tipping his head to the side, David hmmed, "You're more mature, I think," he stated, "Though, I'd say my version's older."

Lifting his head slightly, Zelgadis peered at David, "It's the curse," he grumped. "And the one who gave it to me."

David looked away, then frowned, "Damn it, stop that!" he snapped at Zelgadis, "You brood too damn much. Keep it up and you'll never get anything done." Abruptly, he got to his feet, and swayed, ending up using Sylphiel's shoulder as a steadying point while he collected his wits and tried to settle the world. Landscape wasn't supposed to twirl. "Are we going to try it?" he asked, "with the... whatever it was demon."

"You called?"

Xelloss landed next to Lina with a smile.

Rasmus flared, removing his hand from Sylphiel and bristled, "No, go away! We don't want whatever trouble you're here to start!"

Lifting a finger, Xelloss tsked, "I still say that you need me."

Shaking his fist, Rasmus wheezed, "You're SO TOAST when I get the energy to blast you! I don't deal with Mazoku!"

"Gee, he sounds like Ms. Filia," Gourry observed, laughing softly.

Lina jumped to her feet, "Wait!" she leapt up, latching onto Xelloss's back, arm around his neck in a chokehold, "You mean HE's the servant of the gods?"

Opening his eyes, Xelloss smirked, "Oh my, you found out. Oh well..." he shrugged, "Yes, he's the God Touched one I mentioned before. It wasn't coincidence that he ended up here, after all. Cephied put him here."

David pushed Rasmus back, ignoring the seething mage in an effort to get some information, "Hey- what do you mean? The gods stuck Ras and me together? But WHY?"

Lifting a finger Xelloss smirked, "That... is a secret!"

Growling, Lina slid off the Mazoku's back, "You're going to stick around and help this time, aren't you?" she asked.

Sighing, Xelloss dusted his clothes off, "I suppose, since I have to," he admitted, "But..." he opened one eye. "You'll only get one shot at this."

Lina flopped back onto the ground, "We still don't have anything to cast the spell on. Not like the weapons of light we used before."

"Will this work?"

Lifting their heads, the group looked up at the young man who stood casually above them, a wide blade resting over his shoulder from the narrow hilt, light catching the large green gem in the center. Dramatically heroic, he looked, and probably knew it too. Beside him stood a young woman, her hair getting pulled in the breeze that had sprung up. The man lifted the gleaming sword off his shoulder and turned the flat of the blade towards them.

Sylphiel stood, "The Bless Blade!" she gasped. "But- how is it here?"

Stepping forward, and into better view, the pair made their way down to join the group, "I went and got it," the woman replied, "From ...the other Sairaag. We never had a blade like this, so I guess there's just the one." She stopped briefly to meet Sylphiel's eyes, then gave a slight smile and turned, "Are you okay David?" she asked, reaching up to touch the blood on his face.

David's heart lightened, and he smiled at her, "Yeah, I'm okay," he put his arms around her. "About ready to end this, though."

The man heaved a sigh and dropped the tip of the Bless Blade into the earth and shoved his hair back from his face. "Dave... Your girlfriend's really freaky," he stated, "She can walk on water."

Laughing, David replied, looking at his Sylphiel's face, "Oh, I already knew that, Zel. She's a regular miracle worker." She blushed darkly, but didn't argue.

Zel leaned on the Bless Blade and sighed, "So, what's the plan?" he asked. "Do this Demon-God spell on the sword and fling me at your monster? I seriously hope I'm gonna have some backup, cause that thing looks pissed."

Scowling, Rasmus snapped, "Who said you were going?"

Straightening, Zel pointed at Syl, "Yon Priestess of Flagoon," he stated, "Said something about me being 'chosen' to wield the sword. Craziness if you ask me, but," he smirked slightly, "If it'll help you out, I don't mind getting a little dirty."

The Chimera stood, shaking his head, "Idiot," he muttered, or started to. Zel swung around and planted a foot in his other self's stomach and left it there. The impact rocked the Chimera back slightly, but mostly it was shock he suffered from.

"Listen up," Zel snapped, "David's rule: no brooding without explaining. So either cough up the story or lighten up."

Though the blow hadn't hurt, the Chimera stood stunned for a moment longer, then lifted a hand to his forehead and laughed softly. "No choice," he sighed, "We don't have time for an epic."

Lowering his foot, Zel gave a nod and pulled the Bless Blade back onto his shoulder. Taking a breath, Lina got to her feet again and dusted her legs off, "Alright, here's the plan. Amelia, Zelgadis," she pointed at the Chimera, "Sylphiel," she pointed at the shrine maiden, "You three figure out a way to tie the thing down, Gourry... sorry, but you get to play bait and attract it's attention and keep that tail from getting us."

Now, Lina pointed at the other Sylphiel, "You- what's wrong?" she stopped when Syl shook her head.

"I only know one healing spell, Ms. Inverse," Syl answered, "And..." she blushed softly, "I can't always cast it right."

Sighing and putting her hand to her forehead, Lina started to speak again when Rasmus interrupted, still holding Syl in a rather possessive grip around behind her waist. "I could teach Syl and Zel Levitation fairly quickly. Zel can fly up over the lobster's head."

Lina smiled at that, "Alright, do it. Syl, you'll just be backup in case Rasmus or I have a problem. Give the signal to Zel when we're ready. Zel," she pointed at the Rockstar, "There's a place on its head, just behind the eyes where three armor plates join. That's your target. It's going to be dangerous though, that tail has a poison tip and I think you're going to have to ride the blade all the way down. Meanwhile, Xelloss, Rasmus and I will cast the spell."

She didn't say that after that, she'd be finished for the night. Lina didn't have to, and didn't want to. Instead, she found somewhere to sit and rest for a short while and sighed. Gourry sat beside her while Rasmus took his Zel and Syl off to the side, showing them both how to cast a lighting spell, then worked on levitation with them. The other three mages broke off to discuss how they might confine the demonbeast long enough for Zel to stab it. Xelloss simply stood there, grinning to himself.

"Hey, Xelloss," Lina called. He looked over at her with that smile still in place, "What're you getting out of this?" she asked, expecting the exact answer that she got.

"That... is a secret."

Rasmus gibbered incoherently in the back of David's mind as they moved into position. David didn't actually have anything to do in this plan, other than loan his body to Rasmus who would be calling upon the power of the gods. Meaning that he would have to open himself up completely to their judgment. To say that he wasn't looking forward to it was an understatement.

David at least got to hold his Sylphiel's hand while they walked. The other one had given them such a strange look before running away to get into her position that David had felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Syl hadn't paid the least bit of attention to her, other than a slight smile. Though, he had a feeling that they'd exchanged a few words while Rasmus was showing Lina a spell called Chaotic Ball. It was apparently some spell that used non-matter to implode whatever it hit.

Zel was walking with Lina and Xelloss; Gourry, Amelia, and the other Zelgadis had followed after Lina's Sylphiel. They'd apparently come up with some solution to the problem of keeping the demonbeast still, but David still worried.

Squeezing Syl's hand, David leaned down and whispered to her, "What did you tell your other self?" he asked curiously.

Smiling up at him, Sylphiel laughed softly, "She wanted to know why I love you." David blushed slightly and Rasmus uncurled from his corner and began paying attention. "I told her," she said softly, moving to walk closer to him, tucking their clasped hands behind her back. "I told her that I love David because you're a good man willing to stand up for what you believe in and forgive people, as well as give them a chance even when they've admitted to doing wrong before, and you're sweet and honest and a bit of a flirt." She took a breath, "And I told her that I love Rasmus because he's so cute when he's unsure of himself, but willing to try new things, and he's willing to take responsibility for his actions and once he realizes they're wrong he tries to make it right, he says the nicest things so innocently, as if it were obvious, and he's a great kisser." By now, David's face was the shade of a combined blush from both copies of Rezo, making for one rather red sorcerer. "And lastly, I love you both... because you love me."

Unable to speak, David, as well as Rasmus said nothing, and merely managed to kiss her forehead and stumbled along beside her. Lina glanced back, having overheard the conversation, a slight smile touching her lips. Coming to a stop, Lina put her hands on her hips. "Here's good," she stated, watching as the others got into position around the demonbeast.

Zel, still carrying the Bless Blade, shifted its weight on his shoulder and glanced back towards the tree, then shifted his eyes to David. "Remember that promise," he stated, "About dying."

"Which one? I seem to have made two," David answered.

Snorting, Zel flicked his chin up, "Both of them," he stated.

Glancing at the blade, Rasmus reached into his cloak and pulled out a length of black cloth. "Here, put this on," he said, "And try not to get in front of the moon."

Taking the offered cape, Zel wrapped it around his shoulders and clipped it into place, then grinned, "Wow, a real sorcerer's cloak," he marveled and pulled the hood up. Rasmus smirked faintly. "This is really nice fabric too," Zel continued, "and it's not hot."

"It's spelled to be opposite of the weather. In summer and fall it has a modified freeze spell on it, in winter and spring it radiates heat. The fabric'll resist dust, stains, and water, too," Rasmus explained.

Grinning, Zel held out his hand, "Thanks," they exchanged their 'secret' handshake, "See you when it's over." Taking a breath, he closed his eyes. "Levitation!" He leapt into the air, hauling the Bless Blade with him.

Letting go of Sylphiel's hand, Rasmus stepped up beside Lina. "One chance," he whispered, "Make or break, it's over."

Glancing up at him, Lina huffed, "and here I was, trying to look on the bright side. You're worse than Zelgadis."

"I come by it legitimately," Rasmus replied dourly, "Straight from the source."

David smiled slightly, "I'm sure it'll turn out okay in the end."

Xelloss sighed, "Really, all this is making me sick." He lifted his staff, and placed it in front of himself, a wash of blackness trailing up off of his form.

Shivering, Rasmus stared ahead, then closed his eyes and reached for a part of him that Rezo had long neglected in himself: his tie to the gods, and prayed. "Oh gods, please, this isn't about me and what I did, this is about... about saving these people from something they can't fight. So if you must judge me, judge my goal first, then anything else you see fit!"

Lina took a breath, watching Rasmus as nothing happened at first. Slowly, though, white light began to rise up off of him, growing in power until it balanced the dark that Xelloss was emitting. As one, they reached out, placing their hands upon Lina's shoulders, feeding their power into her.

Taking a breath, Lina gathered that power and began shaping it along with her Chaos spell.

Sylphiel came to a stop at her position in the west, the direction Flagoon stood in, relative to their position, and wiped a hand across her forehead. Amelia had suggested that they each take a cardinal direction, and cast the spell at the same time, in hopes that it would be powerful enough to work on the demonbeast, for at least a little while. A flash of light went up from Lina's group, then the blade was covered and its carrier disappeared into the darkness of the sky. A pillar of Evil began to radiate up from the same group, followed by light. The two pillars twined and twisted, fighting each other even in this form.

Turning her eyes away, Sylphiel looked across the way to Amelia who had gotten into her place, and then, to Zelgadis and Gourry who'd decided they'd pair up, since Gourry had no ability to heal himself.

Lifting her hands to her face, the shrine maiden rubbed her eyes. "I love them because they love me," her other self had said. Then the image of Rasmus looking down at her with despair in his eyes, despair mixed with admiration and love, even as he'd told her that what he'd done to Sairaag was nothing more meaningful than a child's temper tantrum.

"After," she whispered, "Afterwards, I can think about this!" They were all in position, and the remaining large eye was roving from one member of the group to the next, pupil growing and shrinking as it focused on them. The demonbeast only looked upwards once, and once Lina started her spell-casting, it focused on her intently and began to move forward, pincers up to protect its remaining eye, and tail arching over its back, ready to strike.

The signal was given, a triple flash of light, and Sylphiel gasped a breath of air, shouting in time with Amelia and Zelgadis, "Laphas seed!" Ropes of golden light sparked into existence and wrapped around Garadaar. Abruptly, the demonbeast's progress forward was halted. It struggled, letting out a piercing wail that drove Sylphiel to her knees while covering her ears. A shot of white light, like before flared out, arcing across the ground just behind Lina's group.

The spell held though, and Sylphiel looked up, just in time to see Lina's spell go off, a ball of light and dark and chaos speeding upward.

Zel suddenly became visible again as his cloak whipped back, the Bless Blade catching the moonlight, just before Lina's spell caught on the sword. He continued downwards, nothing more than a streak of light even as Garadaar's eye swiveled up to look at him.

It struggled harder and Sylphiel had to put all her attention into her spell. It broke Amelia's first, then hers. "We're doomed!" Sylphiel sobbed and covered her eyes.

The signal! Zelgadis dived downwards, keeping the sword tucked under his cloak so it wouldn't reflect the moon's light, only to throw it back when he saw the flash from Syl far below. Lina's spell arced upwards, a flashing creation that awed and terrified the singer-guitar player. Steeling himself, Zel swallowed and squinted against the rush of air. He had a job to do, and it was important. He couldn't fail! Not and let David down. They were counting on him to keep his part.

Now, he swung the Bless Blade down, piercing the spell with the point of the blade, then moved it aside so he could see to target, the spell leaving a trail of dark-light. The demonbeast's eye swiveled upward and focused on him, and the lines holding it down from the east broke, then the west. Zel bit his lower lip as terror surged through him. I'm too young to die!

He aimed the sword and shifted his grip on it- and impacted.

The sword met resistance, but only briefly, and Zel opened his eyes again and shoved, both physically and magically. Lina's spell exploded in a flash of light that was so dark as to be blinding.

Zel screamed in fury, "DIE!"