The sky was black.

Pitch black, black like the depths of Rezo's lab, or...

Or like Eris's basement, full of unknown horrors made into Chimeras. But here, instead of monsters, he found buildings. Somehow, the buildings were worse than any monster the copy had ever faced.

These buildings were incredibly tall- stretched and skewed so that windows looked normal, but also seemed big enough for Kopii to walk through at the same time. The buildings were slightly twisted and leaned in towards the street he found himself on, blocking view of that black sky to a narrow strip far- far above him. Those buildings, too, were black, and hellishly lit from beneath by an unknown source that picked out the crevices in every brick and the slime that grew on those bricks. The windows were black; the doors were black! But worst of all, they were soullessly staring at him- hating him for what he was and what he was capable of.

Biting his lower lip, he staggered to his feet and turned, trying to find a way out of this place- he didn't want to be here. But the only directions he could go were up or down the endless street that eventually disappeared in choking mist. Kopii turned again, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as he stared at the buildings that hated... hated and loathed him. Desperately, he screamed at them, "Well I hate you back!" it was childish, but that was all he could come up with in the face of his terror that was turning to fury. He was trapped in this place- trapped just like before, and no one cared. No one asked if he was alright- no one thought to make sure. They just assumed and asked things of him, he could hear their voices whispering from all directions, "Rezo- heal me!" "Rezo! Bless my baby!" "Rezo! Give me something to..."

He screamed again, tearing at his hair as those voices beat at him, getting louder and more insistent, begging him for this or that and he didn't want to give it to them. "You take- you take and take and take! You people are disgusting! I hate you!" he shouted back at the disembodied voices and the walls of the buildings around him began swaying- undulating as if they were made of water. Or perhaps they were consulting with each other on his answer. He staggered, sobbing and knowing that his words of hate weren't true. He would help them- if they truly needed help. But the ones who just took for no other reason than because he could give were disgusting.

"Pathetic."

While he'd thought he was afraid before, pure and unutterable panic clamped over his heart. Kopii broke into a cold sweat, trembling and unable to move- unable to look back and see the one person he never wanted to see again.

Eris hissed, the sound of her heels hitting the pavement echoing in the silence. "Absolutely pathetic. You're nothing like him." Her dark eyes were wide and wild with rage as she approached him, and finally Kopii found the strength to turn and look at his worst nightmare- and staggered backwards hastily, tripping over his robes. The very same robes he'd died in, only they looked like they had when he'd been resurrected. "You're weak and uncivilized and a complete failure in all respects. You don't even look like him with those ugly eyes of yours! I should have destroyed you! I should have made another. Another would have been better- I could have perfected the process and gotten a perfect copy of my dear Lord Rezo. But you- you-" she raised a hand, pointing her finger at him with savage rage displayed across her features. "I could dress a pig in those robes and it would be a better replacement for Lord Rezo than you ever were!"

Rage replaced fear, and Kopii surged to his feet and screamed at her, "NO! You're a stupid blind- obsessed- bitch! You can't see anything past your own pain! You don't WANT to see anything! You're even blinder than Rezo ever was!"

Eris surged forward, landing a slap across his jaw that knocked him to the ground. She shouldn't have been that strong- but Kopii clenched his teeth, knowing the truth of it was that he just wasn't strong enough to stand up to her, rage was no way to battle terror.

I can't go on like this! Flagoon! Where are you? I need you! Sylphiel!

Desperately, he pulled himself across the ground, trying to drag himself away from her, but she followed in a confident stride. "If you were anything like Lord Rezo, you wouldn't have killed me!"

"You drove me mad!" Kopii shot back, "What do you expect? You tortured me and tormented me! All I ever knew was pain and you were the source! Even an animal treated the same would have bitten back, so what do you expect from me? You already said yourself, I'm little better than an animal anyway!" The walls were closing in, and the copy dared to dart his eyes around as the buildings suddenly burst aflame, black smoke rising from black buildings into a black sky. Demonically displayed against the black and flames, Eris strode towards him, madness still lighting her eyes, her pale features eerily lit in the flickering light. Kopii screamed one last act of defiance even as he finally staggered to his feet, finding strength in the truth Sylphiel had taught him, "You just wouldn't face the truth! YOU CAN'T REPLACE PEOPLE!" his voice echoed off the walls, down the street and the buildings wavered again, or perhaps it was a trick of the light.

The woman's shriek of fury was like a banshee's wail and she sprinted the last few steps between them, landing against his chest- knocking the breath from him even as she gripped his throat and they tumbled to the ground. "You're WRONG!"

"I'm RIGHT!" Kopii shouted back, despite her tightening two-handed grip on his neck, he held her at bay by grasping her thumbs, "And you know it! That's why you couldn't kill me!"

Briefly- Kopii closed his eyes, reaching for whatever strength he could find within himself- knowing without a doubt that he couldn't continue like this, he had to break her power over him or he'd always be her puppet! His grasping finally connected...

"If not Sairaag, then when did I fail?"

"There you go again, using that F word. That's a four letter word, you know, not the kind of thing you should say to a lady... But more, I was thinking that your belief in what Eris said was where you messed up. She had her reasons- love like that is hard to come by, but she handled her grief wrong and she pulled you down into madness with her."

Opening his eyes again, Rasmus stared up at Eris's fury, feeling his own expression soften from the mask of fear and pain he hadn't known he was wearing. Perhaps it was that sudden change in him that made her grip slack, or perhaps something else, but he shifted his hands and clasped her wrists, "This isn't you, Eris. You're a Healer- not a destroyer. Look what you've done to yourself with this obsession. Rezo wasn't the only thing that gave you reason to live."

Desperately trying to hold onto her anger, Eris shook her head, "No! No you're lying! I loved Lord Rezo!"

"You loved what you thought he was- and he did have that in him, but you refused to accept the dark as well as the light." Rasmus gripped her wrists harder, "Eris! You couldn't have saved him!"

Her tears broke free and she tried to pull her hands from his grip. "You're lying!" she screamed at him.

Rasmus grasped her wrists, keeping her from trying to attack him again, as well as keeping her there, "Quit lying to your self, Eris!"

Opening her eyes, Eris stared down at him and shouted, "I should have killed you!"

Calmly, he stared back at her, "You couldn't. You couldn't create life and destroy it- even if I am a copy, you're responsible for my existence- no matter if you felt as guilty as a bastard's mother, you couldn't kill me because you made me. Just as you made me into what I am now. Face it Eris- your love for Rezo drove me insane!" She was sobbing now, shaking her head and unable to speak.

Taking her hands into both of his, Rasmus pushed her over and dropped her onto her back as he rolled on top of her, then sat up, silently watching as she curled into a ball and sobbed. "Rezo..." she hiccupped, "Please... I..."

He shook his head slowly and got to his feet. "No, Eris. I'm not yours anymore. I can't be Rezo for you, and you can't accept me for who I am. Don't ever call me Rezo again, my name is Rasmus."

"Don't leave me alone!" Eris screamed and pushed herself up, reaching out to clutch his robes.

Rasmus slid back a step, revolted by this sudden change in circumstance. "You're strong enough to make your own way."

Lifting her head, face splotched with tears as she reached up to grab his belt, using it to pull herself to her feet, then fell against his chest. "No- no I'm not!"

Squeezing his eyes closed, Rasmus shook his head, "Stop that!" he commanded and she stepped back in surprise. Eyes open again, Rasmus stared down at her, "Why do you think Rezo took you as his apprentice? As his assistant? Because you WERE strong! Because you were strong enough to keep him from doing stupid things- you were strong enough to boss him around when he got it into his head to stay up four days in a row without eating! That was why he picked you! You stood up to him, and that was what he admired about you! You were powerful magically- you could have learned everything he had to teach you and more! That was why he chose you, Eris! Now quit sniveling and put yourself back together! Rezo wouldn't be proud of this thing you've turned yourself into over him!"

She staggered back another step in the face of his barrage- one she hadn't been expecting- not from her copy, and Rasmus straightened, set his shoulders, and lifted his chin, "Rather sad that your own bastard child should be telling you to grow up," he told her in a level voice.

Applause reached their ears, and it was an approving clap, at least to Rasmus's estimation and he turned quickly as a figure stepped out of the flickering shadows and smoke behind them, his strong hands lowering from their movements. Heart in his throat, Rasmus staggered back, passing Eris even as she stepped forward, her eyes shining.

"Lord Rezo!" she breathed with joy.

Rezo came to a stop at about the same place Rasmus had been occupying before the Red Priest's appearance, his soft dark blue- almost violet- eyes open, looking over first Eris, then Rasmus. "That was well said," the priest spoke softly and smiled faintly, "And I do agree with it."

Eris sprinted forward- throwing her arms around Rezo and sobbed into his chest. Lifting a hand, Rezo cupped the back of her head, feeling her hair even as he studied it, "This is Black..." he said, "It is beautiful."

Lifting her face, Eris stared up at him and smiled even as Rezo continued his observations, "And these- are tears. I don't think I like them," he gave a faint smile once more, then looked towards Rasmus, who had backed even further away from the two, trembling, his face averted. "And that... must be what fear looks like."

Lifting his eyes, Rasmus stared at Rezo, then shook his head.

Eris briefly looked back at him, then tucked her face against Rezo's chest, holding the red priest where he was, but Rezo replied, "Though I'm not sure why you are afraid of me."

"Then maybe you shouldn't strain yourself," Rasmus snapped back and turned away to look down the endless row of burning buildings. There was nowhere to go that he could truly get away from those two. Nowhere to run. He shivered.

Carefully, Rezo attempted to remove Eris, but she shook her head and clung tighter, "No- Lord Rezo, just... leave him. He's not worth the effort."

Those words died on her lips as Rezo turned a hard look on her, "Truly, Eris, you have changed- to speak of your own child in such a manner."

"He's not my child!" Eris denied.

Finally getting her to release him, Rezo shook his head, "But he is. I'm sure you put just as much pain and energy into creating him as you would have giving birth. But I cannot leave him simply because of that. No- he is also my son."

Shocked, Rasmus peered back over his shoulder at the two, and Rezo continued speaking even as he stepped closer, "You may have given birth to him, Eris, but he was made from me as well, so he is our son." Reaching out, Rezo moved to touch Rasmus's arm, but the copy pulled away.

"Changing the label doesn't make the broken bottle whole," Rasmus pointed out and slid back another step. "You can't fix me, not now, not likely ever. I want nothing to do with either of you. I want out of here."

Rezo came to a stop, expression shocked, then sad. "I'm afraid... that's impossible. This is..." he gave a slow gesture down the row of burning houses, "Hell... there is no escape."

Memory came flooding back.

The Mazoku attack, Rasmus's desperate attempt to protect the people of Sairaag and...

"Sylphiel," he whispered brokenly, knees turning to water beneath him, and like a rotten tree, he collapsed where he stood, hands bracing on the ground in front of his knees as sobs wracked him. He'd failed her- failed Flagoon- failed the people of Sairaag! He'd died again just when he'd started to figure things out and get them right.

Slowly, Rezo knelt in front of him, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder, "It's al-"

Sitting back, Rasmus knocked the hand aside, "No it's not!" he shouted, "It's not alright! My life has already been Hell and yet I'm condemned here yet again- just after I start to finally get the chance to figure out who the hell I am- just after I start trying to make amends for what I did, I get sent here- with you and her!"

Eris stepped forward, anger blazing in her eyes, "How dare you speak to Lord Rezo like that! Apologize now, scum!"

In return, he snarled at her, "Rasmus! I swear if you ever call me 'Rezo' or 'Copy' or anything other than my name ever again, I'll make every moment of your existence here pale in comparison to what you did to me!"

Shaking his head, Rezo frowned at Eris, "Enough, Eris. His name is Rasmus. Please remember that."

Scowling at each other, Rasmus snarled, "I should torment her. This is Hell after all, and we're going to be trapped here for eternity."

"Don't take it out on her. Life isn't always fair-" Rezo started to point out.

Surging forward, Rasmus grabbed the front of Rezo's shirt, "Fair!" he screamed, "For every bad time you had, there was always something good that happened- and you never appreciated it! You know how many times I've EVER been happy? I can count them on ONE hand, Rezo! And that's TWICE out of the six months I'd gotten to live! You don't know the meaning of unfair! At least in death you get your sight! In death- I just get you!" Savagely, Rasmus shoved Rezo and let go of his shirt as he staggered to his feet, "Just shut up, Rezo. If I have to be stuck in Hell with you, then at least make it bearable for me and don't talk to me and keep her away from me. I may have forgiven, but I've not forgotten." Turning away from the two, he started walking down the row of burning soulless buildings that mocked him with their similarity to the ones from Sairaag- the ones he'd destroyed.

Slowly, Rezo got to his feet, watching as his copy faded into the smoke. "Eris. Who is Sylphiel?"

Pausing, Eris looked down, "She was Mayor Eruk's daughter- from Sairaag, he took her on as a student for a few weeks before..."

"Before Lina showed up and you tried to take revenge on her for supposedly killing me," Rezo turned to face her, "I know about that much of it."

Lifting her eyes, Eris stared at him, "I've- I've been here for a while... why...?"

Gazing at her in silence for a time, Rezo finally sighed, "Because I didn't recognize you. Your aura had changed, you didn't speak the same, and didn't smell the same. I wasn't sure who you were."

She hung her head in shame, "I'm ...not sure myself," she whispered.

Though she couldn't see it, Sylphiel knew that a hand was reaching towards her. Despair filled her, leaving no room for anything else- and here she'd thought she could never feel as terrible as she had when Rasmus had destroyed Sairaag. Alas, she'd been wrong.

Tilting her head back, Sylphiel gave voice to the hopelessness that had taken hold of her in an anguished moan, "Nooo!"

As her pitch rose and grew stronger, light flickered to life at her throat.

Starting as a tiny pinprick of white, it steadily grew brighter as Sylphiel mourned the loss of her beloved Sairaag, her beloved Flagoon, her friends, and Rasmus. Still, even after her sob of denial had ended, the light grew brighter, shining through the Mazoku's darkness, cracking it- shattering it. All at once, the lighting spells that had been cast during the battle burst into brilliancy again. Blinded, Sylphiel threw her hands over her eyes even as she heard a familiar voice shout- Gourry coming in for an attack! And Lina's voice from above, "Raagna Blade!"

But most astonishing was the feeling of Flagoon's power that filled the air around her. The girl in the Mazoku's hand shrieked, but her voice was moving away from the demon to the sound of running feet, and Lina's howl of rage and frustration was coming closer, the crackling of the black lightning she held flashing over Sylphiel's head.

Howls of rage were followed by something that sounded like cloth ripping, and the oppressive aura of the Mazoku fractured- shattering into a thousand pieces. Voices from people Sylphiel had thought dead filled the air, curious and frightened, but not in panic, and blinding light still filled the air.

Abruptly exhausted, Sylphiel felt unconsciousness sneak up behind her even as she tried to get to her feet. The last thing she felt were arms breaking her fall as she collapsed.