Author's Notes: Anybody who remembers this story will probably pass out, but yes, this IS an actual update!! It's a tiny one, but I figured it was MORE than overdue, so, here it is (for those of you who care....and at this point, I think that might be only Digi Riven...) ^_^ But that's ok. Read and enjoy, and I'm sorry that it took me forever to get even this little bit up. More IS coming, but I have no idea how long THAT will take....so bear with me folks. Ok, enough from me, happy reading!
Disclaimer: If I owned Slayers, the series would never have been finished. Don't sue poor slow ol me.
* Chapter * 13 *
Faith gasped out loud when she felt the barest brush of warmth against her mind. After the cold nothingness she had been immersed in, this tiny hint of life was like a lighthouse beacon burning bright. Her mind stretched out towards the tickle, knowing instinctively that it was the Life of her cave calling to her. But it seemed so very far away. Faith couldn't understand why it seemed so distant when she was right here. She tried to phase into the heart of the cave, but found that she couldn't. This wasn't right, this wasn't adding up. She reached out towards the warmth in her mind, and it reached to her, forming a link, a bridge that would bring her back into it's heart, into it's Life.
She reached out to touch it, brush her mind against it... and recoiled when she felt the fear radiating out from it.
My cave is...afraid? she whispered, trying desperately to piece the information together. This place can't be real, it can't be. It's not possible for me to be the only life remaining, just NOT possible, she muttered. But, loneliness, isolation...it's what I've always feared. Fear. My cave is afraid. It's alive, and something is scaring it... Koutero had tapped into it, I felt his energy there, just before I blacked out. Koutero... the self-proclaimed Lord of Terror... she muttered, piecing things together. If he could tap into the heart of the cave, it's mind...maybe he could do the same to me. Maybe he can manipulate minds, make us see what we fear. So all this is only an illusion, something in my head...that would be why my cave feels so far away, it has to push through the illusions! she cried as it all began to fall together.
And now it's calling out to me, it reached me, she mused. I need to get out of this illusion, and the cave might be able to link me back to reality...but I think that would mean going into the heart of it, and going through it's fear. Faith closed her eyes and sighed.
Well, am I half Mazoku or what? she said, shrugging and steeling her nerves. Let's just get me outa this hell, she whispered, half to herself, half to her cave. Closing her eyes, Faith reached out again with her mind, straining towards that tiny spark of life that was her cave. It reached out for her as she strained towards it, both battling through the illusions. Finally, Faith touched it, her mind reached the mind of the cave, and she sensed it's fear.
And she allowed herself to devour it.
It did little to ease the fear that the Life of the cave felt, but it did let Faith keep her sanity as she pulled herself into the swirling storm of terror and confusion that raged in the heart of the cave. She felt nauseous as the fear began to overwhelm her, but she willed herself to keep control for a while longer. She had gotten INTO the heart of the cave well enough, now she needed to get back OUT again. This wasn't like when she usually phased into the heart of the cave. Usually, her physical body went with her mind and astral body. But since she had been trapped in a realm of the mind, her physical body wasn't there to serve as a buffer, as a grounding point to the physical world. Her mind was in full contact with the Life of the cave, and it was almost too much for her.
Pressing thought the waves of horror, she searched for her physical body, which she reasoned would still be in the cave. She groped, half blindly, until she felt a comforting heaviness calling to her, drawing her in like a magnet. Her body. She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Stretching, pulling herself out of the sea of confusion, fighting the waves of nausea that made her dizzy, she reached out and grabbed onto herself. Instantly, her mind slipped back into place, and she once again found herself waking up in the darkness of her cave. But though she saw that everyone was accounted for here, when she caught sight of Koutero sitting cross-legged on the floor, illuminated by an aura of blue-white energy, with black, purple, and golden energies flickering through it, Faith wondered for a moment if she had simply traded one nightmare for another.
She allowed herself a moment to get her bearings and take a breath before she uttered the spell to bring her Ryuuzoku powers to the fore. She sat up quickly, and with a shriek, sent a beam of brilliant blue energy streaking towards the white-haired Mazoku, hoping to catch him off guard...
And she blinked as the laser breath struck the aura around him and fizzled into nothingness. However, her attack was not without an effect. Koutero opened his eyes and looked straight at the half-breed, a crazy grin plastered across his face.
Oh hells, this can NOT be good, Faith muttered as she began to scramble backwards, still half sitting.
Indeed, Faith-chan, I don't think that was the smartest thing you could have done, said a cheerful voice from behind her, But at least it had some advantageous effects! Faith spun quickly to find herself staring at...Xellos' kneecaps. Glancing up, she saw the purple haired priest glaring through closed eyes at Koutero. Faith scrambled to her feet.
she asked, but Xellos silenced her with a glance.
No time for explanations. I'll keep Koutero occupied, you wake the others. He essentially had us all trapped in our own worst nightmares, but it shouldn't be too hard to wake them now, with his concentration broken.
Faith said, and scrambled to help the nearest person. She dropped to her knees by Filia's side and gently shook the dragon woman's shoulder, hoping that Koutero really was distracted enough that waking the others wouldn't be the ordeal it had been for her. Filia-san, wake up! To Faith's relief, the dragon groaned and shivered as she started to come awake. Come on Filia-san, come on, it's just a dream, snap out of it! Faith prompted, still worried about the Ryuuzoku. Finally, Filia's eyes fluttered open, seeming glazed over and unfocused. Faith waved her hands in front of the dragon's face, snapping her fingers.
Filia blinked. And sat up like a shot, her eyes wide, her breathing frantic, looking around wildly.
Filia! Calm down! Faith cried, grabbing the dragon woman by the shoulders. Filia still paid Faith no mind, but the Ryuuzoku did get herself under control. Her attention was focused on a small, white form crumpled on the floor in front of Koutero, only a few feet to the right of where Xellos was trading blows with the Mazoku. As she became aware of reality again, her mind was focused on only one thought.
Filia croaked, scrambling forward, carefully skirting the battling Mazoku.
Faith mumbled as her friend dove into the fray to save her adopted son. Still avoiding the Mazoku, Filia scooped up the unconscious baby dragon. Faith breathed a sigh of relief as the blonde woman scooted away from the battle, cradling her precious parcel tightly to her breast.
It's okay Val, Filia whispered to the still unconscious baby, I've got you now, you're gonna be just fine. Now that her son was safe in her arms, Filia took a moment to survey the situation. Lina and Gourry were laying on the ground, unconscious, a few feet away from her. Faith was over to the far left of the cave, apparently trying to wake Zelgadis and Amelia. Amber and Raven were a few feet behind Faith, also both unconscious. Xellos was still trading blows with Koutero, but they seemed evenly matched, and neither Mazoku seemed to be making any real headway against the other.
Filia scooted over to Lina, shifting Val in her arms so that she could attempt to shake the sorceress to wakefulness. Unfortunately, the fiery young woman showed no signs of waking; nor did Gourry when Filia attempted to wake him. Faith seemed to have been similarly unsuccessful in waking Amelia and Zelgadis, and had gone to try and wake Amber and Raven. However, none of the humans seemed willing to wake up, and it was apparent that Xellos couldn't keep Koutero busy forever.
We have to get out of here! Filia called to Faith.
But we can't just leave everyone, and we can't very well carry them! the half-breed replied.
We could phase to a different location and bring them with us! Filia suggested.
I don't know if I can manage that... Faith said warily. While she could travel via phasing, she was uncertain of her skills at getting to places great distances apart. And taking people along for the ride with her was a chancy idea at best. However, the decision was made for her in an instant when Xellos spun around quickly.
That's a wonderful idea, Filia-chan! he cried, and before the dragon could protest, she and Faith found themselves being pulled into that strange in-between realm along with their unconscious friends. In an instant, they were kneeling on the damp, muddy ground that they recognized as their campsite from the previous night, with Xellos grinning brightly at them.
End Notes: Like I said, it wasn't much, but it's somethin. More is coming, but gods only know when. Till then, reviews can't hurt my creative process.... ^_^