---o--o--o---
Slayers: Clouds!
Chapter 3:
Steal! It's the Theft of a Lifetime!
---o--o--o---
Zelgadis looked up at the impressive sight of iron bars and castle walls. The stony walls were dark and slimy, covered with patches of thick ivy. Every odd or so place was a small window, covered with bars that were well worn and rusty, their great girth made them almost impossible to see through.
"They're not making this damn easy for us," he groaned.
The chimera turned to his current partner. Frankly, Amelia looked scared as she twitched her head back and forth in rapid motions. She almost looked a little lost. Even the cloak outfit was about two sizes too small of her.
"I'm too young to be trespassing!" peeped the princess. "What if we're heard?"
Zelgadis sighed. He wanted to get this done on his own...but no, he had to be considerate about it. Maybe it was their last adventure, but for once he couldn't get her off his mind.
"What if we get caught?" Amelia pinged.
The sigh turned to a frown. Not good, thought the chimera. He couldn't deal with this now.
"What if we end up on trial? Daddy would have to come down here. Our fight for justice would be so embarrassing. I don't know what I'd do..."
"Amelia, don't you remember the rest of your family-" The chimera was cut off rapidly by Amelia's words.
"And then, I'd end up in some brackish prison mining for coal and stuff. Other woman prisoners would surely take advantage of my virgin soul..."
Zelgadis arched in eyebrows at Amelia's latest words as the princess fell to her knees, glomping the chimera's leg like her favorite teddy bear. "You wouldn't want me to get strung up by those beastly woman, just because I wouldn't put out...would you?"
"Oh course not," as he coughed, "I might have to-"
"...oh, Zel..." Amelia's eyes lit up like full moons, her smile threatened to ever crack Zel's tough exterior.
"...call Lina for help." The chimera finished the words with a total lack of emotion.
Amelia sweat dropped, daring not say another word.
The chimera looked up again at the wrought iron gate and stone walls. The lack of personal security made it evident that something else was behind the impressive walls.
"Why can't we just 'RAYWING' up there?" Amelia then tried it herself as she bunny hopped less than a mere foot off the ground.
"Told you..." Zelgadis was digging through his bag, removing rope and the grappling hooks.
"Hai, I know." Amelia was now staring at Zelgadis has be wound the rope with in right arm, his left arm in the shape of a hook. It wasn't long for him to wind the endless length of rope.
The chimera threw his grapple hook into the air, well over the thirty foot wall. It pinged silently on the other side, as Zelgadis pulled it the line to firm the position. Sure enough, he immediately started to climb up the side of the wall, grunting every foot along the way.
"Zel, I don't think you should go first..." Amelia was right under the chimera as she started to climb up the rope.
He looked down. "Why not?"
"Well," Amelia gulped, "I really don't want something heavy falling on me...not sure it would be a good idea."
Zelgadis swallowed. "Guess you're right." He turned his body around on the rope, putting his back to the wall. "Fine. Grab my hand so I can pull you up."
Amelia easily scrambled up the hanging rope to Zelgadis. "I'm almost there." First, holding onto his legs, then his waist as the princess was now face to face with the chimera.
Zelgadis looked into Amelia's eyes. Weren't those the eyes of a child? So carefree in the world, one who had a whisper in his life? No, for the chimera had looked not just into Amelia's eyes, but into someplace else. He won't look, he won't do it, she is not just...
He looked. He had never been so close to Amelia, as her breath beat down on his stony yet sensitive skin. He was surprised how tight her body was even though it was smooth-
A knee to the groin interrupted his beautiful thoughts.
"Ooof."
"Is something wrong, Zel?"
"No...nothing." He winced his eyes shut in pain. "Just go. Climb."
It seemed Zelgadis didn't have stone protection everywhere, per say.
---o--o--o---
Lina turned around the corner, racing along as her little legs could carry her. She wasn't exactly scared at the situation right now, but the sheer number of Turnip house guards as well as the lack of magic power made the current situation unbearable.
"Quick, hide in here!"
The three of them dived into a small closet next to the open theatre areas. Lina was dumbstuck as she entered, for the room was stark white. In the middle of the small room were several canvas chairs, and the walls were either lined with mirrors or candles.
What was this place, Lina thought. Was it a hidden temple to a Mazoku lord? A sacrifice chamber where wax was their form of death? A deadly place where they would get strung up like sausages?
She couldn't stand any more and she forcefully removed her short sword. "Come on out, you Mazoku fodder!"
"It's a dressing and makeup room, Lina" The priestess rubbed Lina's shoulders for a sec, calming the fiery redhead of her nerves while pointing the makeup case on the corner side table. "You know, for the theater next door."
"Hai, of course...I knew that."
Lina looked back at her mini-group. Sylphiel was no timid soul. Lina had already been through quite a few adventures with the shrine maiden with considerably good results. But she was not an offensive type of woman, especially when both of them lacked any magical power at the moment.
Behind her was Gourry. He was finally getting back his composure as he rested in a lounge chair. He was still delirious from alcohol, his eyes blinking shut most of the time as he squirmed around. Sylphiel placed a wet towel on the swordsman's head, hoping the moisture would awake Gourry from his plight.
"What happened to him?" Lina, for once, expressed her words with a underlying thought of compassion.
The priestess looked up. "I really have no idea. I've never seen anyone react to alcohol like that before. I've always known Gourry to take a pint or two."
"But the way he reacted," added Sylphiel, "it seemed like his body was severely affected by it." She placed the back of her wrist on Gourry's face to check his temperature. "He's still tipsy, but I thinks he's better. Working without magic is difficult, but its safe to say he'll be all right."
Lina sighed.
Gourry stirred again, finally opening his eyes as he vaulted himself to a sitting position. "Pain...terrible..."
"Easy there, Gourry."
"Yea, stay in the chair, otherwise I'll barbecue you're ass..."
Gourry leaned back into the canvas seat as he flailed around to get comfortable. "What happened to me? I don't recall."
"Eh, for once it makes sense." Lina lightly knocked on Gourry's head, definitely getting the blond man's attention. "You stupid jerk, you drank three pints of brew and was drunker than a skunk!"
"Oh." Gourry paused for a sec. "So, how did that happen again?"
"Don't you ever get drunk?" Lina sneered.
"No. Not anymore," said Gourry, answering immediately.
"Wha!" Lina was close to beating Gourry with her own fist if he didn't spill the beans. "You mean you don't get drunk?"
Gourry paused for a sec. "Well, it's like this. I was going early as a kid to a school for swordsmanship. After a practice, we ended up down at the tavern eating away and celebrating. The Innkeeper was so happy with our business, that he gave the squad a giant barrel of his finest brew. After taking the barrel of brew from the back of the restaurant. We couldn't exactly drag the thing back to school to our dormitory. So, we hide the barrel in a local barn on the outskirts of town. Before long, we were drinking a few before dinner."
Gourry looked up for sec to see Sylphiel with her arms crossed over her chest. Anoo, for Gourry knew this story would get out one day, why did it have to be THE day.
"Go on..." Lina nodded, getting Gourry to continue his tale.
"We'd have a grand old time for hours on end. But coming home, stumbling around school was never good. I would break more stuff than usual."
"Heh..." Lina snickered for a sec before clamping her mouth shut with her hand.
"My mom found out I was misbehaving from the schoolmaster, and she took me to some white magician on the other side of town. Then from that point, alcohol had no effect on my body. I think he casts some spell on me."
Lina just eyed back.
"Heh, so the spell as been on all this time until today, at which point the spell has been disposed with, so to speak. Wow, Gourry, I have to give your mom quite a bit of credit there. I didn't she have the guts." Lina was patting the back of Gourry's head, though one could see the swordsman was not enjoying this part of the show."
"Gourry dear."
Gourry turned his attention to the shrine maiden. "Yes, Sylphiel."
"Why would you do such a thing? Don't you have any will?"
Gourry gulped.
Interrupting everyone, the dressing room door swung open, admitting two ladies dressed in very familiar kawaii outfits.
"I can't believe none of our spells worked tonight," said one of the young ladies.
"I know, its like the gods decided not to show up..." said other one, definitely a twin of the first one. They were dressed in matching yellow and pink outfits accessorized with sparkle on their faces, holding rather colorful magical wands.
The second twin stopped in the middle of her sentence, staring at Lina and company, their mouths agape in surprise.
"Lina!!" they both shouted in unison.
"Hi girls. I just dropped by to see how you two we're doing." Lina was doing her best to wave her hand in the air while not look pretentious. Behind her, Sylphiel was also doing her best to block the snoring Gourry in her lounge chair.
"Geez! I never thought I see you again," shouted Nene.
"I heard you got busted up a while ago!" said Mimi.
Lina moaned sheepishly. "Oh yeah, well here's the proof. I'm here."
"It's good to see you Lina," said Nene, "but do you care to tell us what the hell you're doing in our dressing room? We've got a performance in twenty minutes and we've got...AAGH!"
A wide-awake Gourry was busy powdering his nose with the girls' cosmetics. He was having a grand old time making a kooky mess. Sylphiel was having a hard time controlling the alcohol-induced Gourry. The swordsman didn't want to just sit and wait, but he rather walk around and explore.
"That stuff is 40 gold pieces an ounce! Get off of that stuff!" said Nene as she ran over, closing the makeup cases on the mirror counters.
"Oops, sorry..." The swordsman quietly say fell back down in his chair, his nose still white with powder.
Lina snickered.
"Lina-san, can you-" Sylphiel was being as polite as possible.
"Oh how thoughtless of me. These two girls-"
"Ladies!" snorted Mimi, bending forward.
"Umm, ladies are-" Lina just stood there for a sec.
"Sylphiel Nels Lahda." said the shine maiden as she held out her hand.
"Nene McIntyre, and my sis Mimi McIntyre. We met Lina on a treasure hunt, for the ceremony scrolls that help us perform."
"Well, not really, it was when we were searching for the Claire-"
"Oh really?" Sylphiel joyfully cut Lina off. "I used to learn ceremony spells from my father. Maybe I could show you a spell or two?"
Mimi interjected. "Well, we'd love to learn them, but our spells in this blasted city don't to work. The only that does work is the simplest of light spells."
"Yea, and the Turnip guards have not been happy with our performances at all!" said Nene. "Turnip says if we don't pull in more gate receipt-"
"That we get fired and would work the balance of our stay as hotel maids!" frowned Mime.
"So." Lina was tapping her finger on her chin. "You girls can't use your spells, either. And I thought someone had sealed our powers as well."
"Nope. It's the gambling here. If there were spell casters in the gaming rooms, there would be countless cheating. That's why you can gamble here without the thought of being swindled. Its Turnip who's collecting on this place."
"I'm sure he is. I just don't know how he's blocking the spell casting. And until we do-"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Open up, Turnip Security!"
The twin girls stared down the redheaded sorcerer. "Care to explain yourself, Lina?"
"Not really." Lina looked back down behind her. "How about telling me where the back entrance is to this place?"
Mimi frowned. "There isn't one. There's only one way in," as she thumbed at the door.
"Great. Look, I could really," Lina gulped for a sec, for it was never in her nature to ask for help, unless the times were desperate. Let's see...no magic, a useless Gourry-san, yep, it was desperate times all right.
"...I need your help. Swear."
"I don't know..." said Nene.
"Come on girls, I know we got off on the wrong foot the first time. But you do want to continue your singing career, right?
"Of course!" chimed Mime. "We wouldn't want to lose it for the world."
Lina smiled. "Heh, that's why you're going to have to help us. Otherwise, Turnip is going to get me and you. Heh, and I thought you girls would be good for maid duty."
Nene frowned. "Hey! That's not an option."
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Lina, what are we going to do?" pleaded Sylphiel.
"I haven't got any ideas," said Lina, "how about you?"
The twins' eyes just lit up like dinner plates as they stared behind the traveling group and behind them, the costume rack.
The sorcerer turned her head around. "Oh no. Anything but that. Please! Anything to keep me out of that!"
---o--o--o---
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"This is Turnip security. We're entering this room by the order of Lord Turnip in one minute."
Sounds of moving boxes and shuffling were the first sounds of intelligent life in the room. Inpatient, the sergeant guard banged on the door for the umpteen time.
"...hey! I'm not wearing that!"
"...shut-up! I told you to be quiet...now wear this, ok..."
"...you know, I'm glad there were five of us."
"...yeah, really..."
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Just a minute!" jingled Lina to a slight tune, "We'll be out soooon!"
The sergeant nodded his head as he turned to his subordinates. "Damn, showbiz girls are nothing but a pain in the ass."
"Heck, why don't we just knock the door down?" questioned one of the pupils. "Come on, move aside!"
"If we do, no dancing girls with self respect would even come here again." The sergeant grinned. "Then I wouldn't get laid."
"You get laid?"
The sergeant just glared.
"...Lina, I don't think..."
"...that is sooooo you..."
"...hey baka, watch the powder there, you told me..."
"...hold still while I tie this strap down. There!"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"We're coming!"
The door of the room flew open as if a curtain was going up. The strong stench of expensive perfume and powder immediately wafted down the hallways, putting a spell of lust over Turnip's guards. They reacted like the typical men they were.
"Hey there, ladies!" One guard whistled, his mouth drooling over a double prime-rib dinner.
"Yowzer! Twins!"
"Oh my, I have got to have that tall blond!!!" yelled the other guard behind him.
The five 'ladies' blushed as they left the powder room. Each of the ladies wore matching cocktail outfits: tiny spaghetti strapped cocktail dresses laced with plenty of beading and a watching boa. With low scoop lines, their fronts and backs showed plenty of skin as well. Finally, each outfit ended with shear stockings and very shiny silver-laced high heels.
"You're telling me! Just look at the muscle definition on that girl." The guards were really infatuated with the blond one, her long legs and heels gave them a heart-lashing.
"Get a life!" yelled the red-headed sparkplug, holding her fist to the guards.
"Uhhh, sorry. Umm, is she your girlfriend or something?"
Lina looked down at the ground in disgust, her anger threatening to erupt as she shook slightly. "No, you baka! She is not my girlfriend!"
"ATTENTION!"
The sergeant turned around to face his gaggle of troops, his fad beet-red. "What the hell do you guys think you are? We show CPR here! Courtesy, Professionalism, and Respect. Do I make myself clear!"
The ladies didn't stick around to watch the undressing of the Turnip guards, they made themselves scarce.
The guard went immediately to attention now that the distraction was gone. "Sir, yes sir!" It was griddle time now.
"Good. I'm glad you see it my way. You all know better. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
---o--o--o---
"Whoa, that was a close one." Lina sighed as she leaned back again the hallway, just relaxing for a second while Nene hid their previously sexy outfits in a nearby garbage can. They were now back in the Trump Plaza, in one of the hallways attached to the casino floor.
Mimi squandered next to the sorcerer for a bit of wall room, "Lina? What the hell are we going to do?"
"I can't miss a performance." The other sister said, muttering to herself. "I just feel awful about everything."
Lina rolled her eyes, frustrated over their predicament. "I don't know. Sometimes I'm so freaking useless without my magic powers, and then there's Gourry." She thumbed at half-awake Gourry, held together with the assistance of Sylphiel. "We're just not able to do much of anything right now except play hide-n-seek."
The hallway light from the ceiling was suddenly blocked out. Lina quickly looking up and shaded her eyes from the overhead glare. She took a hard stare before relaxing once again by leaning on the wall.
"Timothy! Don't scare me like that!" said the sorcerer, letting out her breath. "I'm sure glad to see you."
"I'm sorry, Lina. But I heard a report that the head guardsman has ordered your capture. I couldn't let that happen, so I went looking for you and Zelgadis."
"It's Turnip all right. He got Biru and his stupid tax scheme to do his dirty work. I swear, when I get my hands on him." Lina was playfully making strangling motions with her hands at the same time.
"I know. My father says I have to listen to Turnip. But it's so hard taking orders from Turnip."
"What do you mean, from Turnip?" said Lina. "Don't you work for the mayor protecting the city?"
"I do. I used to protect this city when there was no casino, and it was very quiet. Zelgadis used to come here every once in a while and I'd train with me."
"Then, Turnip came. He made a deal to protect the city with walls if we gave him land in the center of Monte Darlo. We did it because we wanted to protect the people here. And we were happy while the city grew larger and larger."
"But when Turnip started making threats to leave Monte Darlo, and take his casino business with him, the mayor conceited to his every wish. Turnip really runs the city now, and that's it. We're scared that Turnip is going to take over. He certainly has enough money to hire a mercenary army. All the bandits I've caught are locked up in Turnip's 'prison.' And I have no idea where my prisoners go."
"You mean he doesn't have a prison here in Monte Darlo?"
"Nope..."
Lina shuddered. It was bad enough fighting a few bandit gangs and such. But Turnip had enough dough to bring them together and really pillage the lands. He must have himself some side project. She shook again for the second time in the last few minutes.
"You're Zelgadis friends. I'll help you fight him." said Timothy.
"Really?" Lina's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"
"Hai, come this way." Timothy led the group down the hallway to a locked door. Unlocking the security gate with a skeleton key, the five of them walked down a dark walkway, then it ramped up several fights of stairs.
"Where are you taking us?"
"I's going to take you to my security post, outside the city. Then I'd know that you'll be safe over Turnip"
"No."
Startled, Nene pushed onto Lina's back. "Eh, why not? You've got to be nuts for staying here. None of us have any magic powers."
"Exactly. That's why." Lina turned to Timothy for a second, looking down the hallway at all the townsman playing casino games on the floor "It may not be for them, but as I have been reminded, its for those kids. And if I don't get my magic back, then Turnip may take out that orphanage even if we DO pay that blasted tax bill in the morning."
Sylphiel just nodded her head in agreement.
Lina turned up at Timothy. "You're going to tell me how they keep everyone here without the use of their magic, except for some darn light spells and such."
Timothy put his finger to his large chin for a second. "I dunno..."
Lina grabbed at Timothy-chan's collar. "Tell me! Tell me now or I tell Zelgadis that you've been bad."
Timothy fumbled under Lina's straightforward words. "OK! OK! I'll tell you. Swear."
"Good." Lina let Timothy go by the collar. The sudden lack of force leaned the big guy back into the hallway wall.
"Well, I guess you mean the magic box."
"Magic box? Eh, What's that?"
"I don't know. All I know is that it's on the roof of the main casino tower, part of the original castle. It's very high. Turnip's guards are up there at all times."
"Oh really? Do you know what else is up there?" The sorcerer's mouth just watered at the tidbits of information.
"No, I don't. I've only heard stories." The large man scratched his head in frustration. "Something about souls that scream in fright. It's supposedly a place of fire and flame." For a big guy, even Timothy looked scared in his eyes.
Lina nodded. "Hmmm, fire and flame. Perfect! That's where we're going -- I've never been scared by a little bit of a barbecue. Exactly the place that 'I' should avoid."
The shrine maiden gulped. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course it's a good idea! We're going to get to the bottom of this, right now!"
Timothy changed direction lead the group in the opposite direction, then up a second set of stairs into a dark on somber hallway. The gray walls were narrow and cathedral-like, lined with lit candles that seemed to glow up into the wooden rafters.
"Shhh, be quiet," commented Timothy as they crept up the hallway. "We have to sneak past the mirror room."
"Mirror room...ahhh, a room full of mirrors," answered Gourry.
Lina bonked Gourry on the head slightly to keep him quiet. "Now, quickly..."
"Ok, ok, we're coming." A narrow doorway on the left was ajar for everyone to see into the mirror room.
Lina could see that Timothy was right, for the darkened room was covered with mirrors. They lined the walls in a perfect checkerboard pattern, with each mirror was about twelve inches high by six or so inches high. What was surprising about them were they didn't reflect light, but instead swirled with images, lighting the room unnaturally.
There were of images of people gambling. Images of hallways, restaurants, shops, and of other casino floor. It was as if the mirrors were viewing everyone's actions and moves, remotely away from the casino floor.
And in front of the 'mirrors' were a pair of Turnip security guards, slouching in comfy chairs. They were intently looking at each of the mirrors, paying little attention to anyone outside in the hallway.
"Have you tracked down those little brats?" One of the mirrors on the left wall had another guard speaking to the slouching security forces.
"Heh, those damn kids are hard to find," said one of the resting guards. "They're probably behind in some darkened corner, hiding."
"Yea, right. Just keep a good lookout."
"Yes, sir."
The sorcerer's hands were balled up in fists, ready to pounce. "I don't care! I can pound the two of them into pulp with my bare hands!
Timothy put his hand on Lina shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "There's not much you can do, Lina-san. Remember you don't have any magic."
"I can't believe Turnip has been running me in circles for hours," said the sorcerer. "When I find him, I'll make sure I know how he treats a lady." In a gesture of frustration, she reached around the doorway a bit, gesturing with her hand.
"What did you do, Lina?" asked Gourry, scratching his head.
Instead of the redhead answering, it was Sylphiel who pushed Gourry forward. "Something very un-lady like."
As they turned the hallway corner from the mirror room, Timothy suddenly stopped. The always predictable Gourry ran right into Timothy's rather large behind, almost knocking the big fellow down.
"Ooof. Sorry."
"Its ok, Gourry. This is as far as I go." He pointed to a hole up in the ceiling, with the last rung of a ladder dangling from the makeshift entrance. It was dark, dingy, and full of ugly cobwebs.
Mime screamed, "I'm not going up there!"
"Yea, you're nuts, spiders scare the crap out of me," said Nene."
"Uh-huh, I'm going to have to agree with my sister on this one."
Lina didn't even bat an eye. "Suit yourself. Timothy, give me a boost up there?"
It took a little teamwork, but soon enough, Lina, Sylphiel and Gourry were all in the crawl space above the hallway. Soon, they would climb up the ladder into the darkness of the tower.
Lina poked her head out from the ceiling trap door. "Are you coming, Timothy?"
"No, go ahead. I'll lead the twins out of the city."
"OK! Good Luck!" waved Lina, "and don't forget to tell Zelgadis where we went."
"Hai! I will!"
---o--o--o---
"FIREBALL!"
The boarded up window smashed inward into pieces, littering the floor with debris. The chimera, wrapped in his cloak of black, swung in from the outside line that he used to climb the tower. All in all, Zelgadis looked quite naturally at home entering into the dark chamber.
"Come on..." he signaled out the now open window. "Get inside!"
"No." Amelia's voice was shallow from being outside. "Its not right."
"Now, what did we talk about back in the room?" Zelgadis' voice was cold and stern; he was not a happy chimera.
"Ok. I know, but-"
Zelgadis' voice was firm. "No buts. I can't have you hanging around outside all night, sticking out for some guard."
A bit more coaxing by Zel, and Amelia was safely inside the darkened tower. Frustrated, Zelgadis lit off a candle with a match.,
It was then they saw it was a library. Even though the place was dark as night, dust was not at home to this dark and dingy library. It was apparent that the place had been cleaned up and kept in good repair, they could tell because it really lacked the cobwebs.
The colors of the library spoke of the power of darkness. Everything was the color of blood-red, the color of Shabranigudo and his minions. From the blood-red carpet to the blackened shelves, everything was as dark as night. Even the candles were made of dipped blackened wax. The place where chrome and polish was evident was a dull at best, as it seemed only to reflect the redness of the room. It was a chilling sight indeed.
"Spooky place." Amelia was trying to light a candle, her shaking hands threatened to put out her match. "Why couldn't they make it a little more bright and cheery."
Zel was already thumbing through the shelves of worn books. "Bah, junk. These spell books are close to useless. Who would want to summon a jellyfish anyway?"
"I don't know, but Lina keeps calling Gourry that."
He ignored Amelia's comments. "Let's look around. Search on the other side of the library for anything interesting."
"Hai."
The chimera wasn't haven't much luck. 'Grow you hair so it attacks' was not an interesting book. 'Turn you loved one into a frog' seemed too amateurish. 'Fifty ways to fake Dragon Cuisine' was especially undelightful. He was close to giving up when Amelia yelped out in pain.
The chimera bolted over to the other side of the library, his sword drawn. He saw Amelia with her ass on the ground. "What happened?"
"Those books...they shocked me. I can't seem to touch them."
The chimera ran his hard close to the spine of the one of the hard covers. Little shocks came out of the binder almost like tiny lightening bolts, going from the binding into his fingertips. The strong protection spell was quite harmless against the stony skin of Zelgadis.
"These books are frightfully protective, for you anyway." Zel walked over to one of the other nearby bookshelves with earnest. Again, the shelves were surprising dust-free for such a dark and dingy room. The books were in surprising good condition.
"Ahhh...perfect." He pulled out one of the older looking volumes. Who says you can't pick a book by its cover?
First, he examined the condition of the spine. The book had given off a couple of minor annoying shocks, but soon the volume was quite dead. "To be in this good of shape and with protection enchantment, it must be something important."
"Really, you think so? I've never seen an enchanted book before." Amelia fawned over the chimera's shoulder as Zel opened the the novel.
It creaked open like a casket as pages came to view, illuminated by candlelight. At first, Zel couldn't see words or symbols, but then they gradually came into his focus.
He growled, dropping the book and grabbing another enchanted volume and cracking it open for his eyes to see. It was after his fourth that he really got angry.
"Aaaggh!!!" He snapped the volume shut in utter disgust and tossed it across the room. "These books are all written in code! I'd have to decipher it before I could even start to understand them."
"What! Really?" Amelia held the chimera's arm, pushing it down for a second. "Let me see. Now!" She saw the code with her own eyes, but alas, could not understand the writing.
"Why would they do that?"
A knock of the floor scared the both of them. "Those are some rats in the floor, Zel." As they grouped closer together, there was another louder knock was followed by the breaking of wood.
"Uh-huh, I don't think those are rats, Amelia." Zel was a calm as ever, as he took out his sword.
Red hair popped out from the new hole in the planking, then the rest of a person. Dust settled which revealed a very dirty and annoyed Lina Inverse. "Hi guys. Fancy meeting all of you up here."
Zelgadis lifted the sorcerer out of her newly formed hole. "Good to see you up here, Lina. Been talking to Xellos again?"
"Nope, heard it from Timothy, actually. I'm assuming you're looking for the 'magic box' then?"
Zelgadis was dusting Lina's hear of cobwebs as Amelia helped Sylphiel & Gourry through the hole in the ground. "It's call the Lynx box, according to Xellos. He sent us to do his dirty work."
Amelia opened her mouth for a second, but a very hard stare from Zel kept her trap shut.
"Heh, figures. I haven't seen that Mazoku fellow yet. I guess he knows I'm more irritated right now." Lina batted her eyes in disgust. "Turnip is after our ass, and we figured his little gizmo is up here, spreading all its wonderful joy in the world."
"Yea, some joy. Whatever this thing is, its blocking all of our magic."
"You're telling me," exclaimed Amelia, "at least there's plenty of guards in this city. They keep the place nice and safe." She thought back to her encounter with mad Thoth and shuddered.
"Anoo, unless they're after you," said Lina. "I can't wait to get to the bottom of all this."
Zelgadis chuckled. "Gourry, are you all right? You seem a bit hazy and quiet."
The swordsman burped. "Oh, it's nothing. Really."
Lina stared at Gourry.
"Lina! Come here!" The soft voice of Sylphiel interrupted Lina's story.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sylphiel. I'm coming."
The rest of the group joined the shrine maiden on the far side of the darkened library, where they found the purple haired one in a lull. She was intensely staring at the wall tapestry as if were the most important thing in the whole world.
"Wow," stuttered Amelia. "I've never seen anything like it."
The tapestry took up most of the far wall, for it was at least ten or so feet high and at least twice as wide as its height. Around the corners, were pictures of dragons, flying left and right, to and fro. Even thought they were in dragon form, they held in their claws a shield and a spear. Each of the shields was emblazed with a lightening rod.
But it was the center of the tapestry that took the center of attention. It was of a city -- no, a golden city of tall and delicate spires. Towers reaching far into the air, almost touching depth of space. The vertical city was clustered rather closely as it floated...on a cloud. Great, magnificent plums of clouds surrounded the base of the city, supporting the entire structure and giving it a look of pure fantasy. Next to the city were great channels of water, flowing among the layers of white. It was a sight.
"Oh Cepheid. It's such a story," commended Sylphiel, still spellbound from the beautiful tapestry.
"Story, what story?" asked Lina.
"Well, it was a tale that my father used to tell me. It was called the City of Clouds. It was a place of heavens, that you could never reach beyond the great barrier."
Everyone hushed quiet.
"The story goes that the city floats among the heavens of this world, only coming down on the opposite side of rainbow. Those who souls you actually seen the city of the clouds with their eyes are supposedly blessed by the great Cepheid himself. It is supposed to be the most holy of places, for the magic they practice is supposedly like no other in the world."
"How come I haven't seen this city or even heard of this fairy tale?" asked Zelgadis.
"I don't know," said Sylphiel. "The City of Clouds is supposedly just a myth, that's all. I've never heard of anyone seeing the city in our lifetimes."
"I'm not convinced that this city was real. After all, it sounds like a children's bedtime story." The chimera was not amused.
"Well, a lot of stuff that is unbelievable to us has come true," said Lina. "Sometimes I don't believe it for myself either." The sorcerer twirled around the room. "Amelia, did you find anything else interesting here?"
"Yea," answered Amelia. "There are these books that shock you."
"Really? Let me see!" The ladies ran off the enchanted stacks. Lina rushed right over to the stack, grabbing the closest book to her fingers. The enchanted hardcover did was every other book had done and kindly zapped the sorcerer.
"Ow! Baka!" The novel stumbled out of Lina's hands to the floor. This didn't deter her one bit from reaching down and trying again.
"Damn it! What the hell are you!" She playfully kicked the volume in anger across the floor.
"A book that doesn't want to be read," Zelgadis mumbled. "It seems I'm the only one who can touch them with no affect."
"Really?" asked Lina. "Let me try something." She quickly turned to an approaching Gourry.
"Gourry dear" Lina's voice was as smooth as silk. "Could you pick up that book for me?"
Gourry wordlessly picked up the fallen enchanted novel on the floor and handed it to Lina. "Here you go-"
"AIIIIGH!!!" The book seemed to get an extra bit of zap into Lina this time. "Baka!" The sorcerer could only hold on to it for a half-second as the book bounced onto the floor, this time with its pages opened.
Gourry was as swift as ever. "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me get that for you-"
"No! Don't." Lina tugged at Gourry's shirt, making sure the swordsman didn't come near the book again. "I like the book there -- leave it!"
"Lina! Look!" Amelia pointed to the open page in the book, of a very familiar drawing.
Sure enough, the book was showing a drawing of a city. Not just any city, but the City of Clouds.
"Hmmm, I'm sure these books are connected with our old fable here. Zel, you said you could touch the books. Right?"
"Hai," said Zel, "but what point would I have to a book I can't read," he questioned.
"I don't know. But take it with us, it's the first real clue that the City of Clouds may not be a mysterious place after all." She gripped as her aching hands at the same time. "I'm sure of it, now."
"Well, where to now?" Asked Sylphiel. "We still haven't found the magic box yet."
"Yea, it's got to be higher in this crazy tower. How about if we go up the stairs, here?" Lina looked at the circular staircase that was hidden among the central stacks of books. The iron works looked rickety at best.
"Those stairs?" Amelia gulped.
"Let's go." Lina almost ran up the iron circular walk way as it seemed to climb the center of the tower. No rooms lined the inside of the tower, it was just a great big open space with the iron spiral of stairs going up. They were up twenty flights at least when the stairs finally led to a small room capping the tower. Most of the tower roof was exposed to the outside elements.
Lina walked into the outside corridor, the rest of the group slowly came out with her, still seemly attached at the hip. "Let's go, I don't know what you're so scared of."
The night air was cold but well lit by the large half-moon in the sky. A very slight breeze swirled around, swishing Lina's cape around her legs.
The sorcerer could almost smell it in the air, for it was like her sixth sense. This was quite special. "Careful everyone. Wizards and sorcerers have always had a sense of their magic and the magic of others, especially when they are shouting their chaos words." The heair on the back of her neck was electric, for she knew something was up. "I feel something around here guys, and it feels very familiar..."
No one said a word as they crept further into the open tower courtyard. They were so high that not a blade of tree nor wall could be seen over the tower banisters.
Lina continued her spoken tale. "During the time of imagination of words into images, during that exact moment; a sense, a distinction come to form. Almost as an itch, a sorcerer can tell the point of a spell from nothingness to creation. "
"I feel it too," responded Zelgadis.
Sylphiel nodded as well.
"Each of us is able to control a bit of chaos, more and more each day," said Lina. "Though the reason for more advanced spells come with practice, knowledge, and repetition. Something, that's all it is."
"Uh-huh." nodded Amelia. "Is that why I can't seem to fry evil doers with Dragon Slave?"
Zelgadis grumbled, "Well, that's one reason."
They continued to walk along the roof in the moonlight. "This time, " Lina murmured to herself, "this time..."
"Lina?" asked her sidekick of a blond bodyguard. "Ummm, something's growing out of your hair." Gourry said it blandly as he pointed to Lina's red mane rather childishly.
"Whaaa!"
"Uh-huh. Right there!" Gourry pointed for everyone to see as the rest of them curiously grouped around the petite sorcerer.
Indeed, there was something popping off Lina's head. At first, it was very faint, almost like a dark and foreboding shadow. The sudden saturation of stillness did not stop it from fluttering like a miniature torch of fire. It flickered dark maroon on and off, as it were under the influence of the strong winds.
"Where?" Lina was a bit hysterical. "Am I no fire?"
"No," pointed out Zel. "At least I don't think so."
"Now I see it," commented Sylphiel. "It looks nice. And it glows."
Lina sweat dropped. She couldn't as well see the top her own head, butt wasn't like it felt like fire-
"Zel, your head!" shouted the sorcerer, pointed to chimera's head.
The blue one was also now flame-tipped with a matching faint strip of blue flicking over his stony spiky hair. "Oh, brother."
"I think we should go," as Lina pointed to the opposite site of the tower yard, "this way..."
The feelings became stronger, as the sorcerer's mind was being slowly drawn into a stream of magic. No, not magic. Of chaos. It was of a power she couldn't explain. Her hair, for she could see even on the reflection of her chaos stones on her wrists, was now almost ablaze in the same dark maroon color, spewing out energy at an alarming rate. Almost illuminating the area beside her; the shower of light wasn't pure nor touchable, but barely something touchable. Chaos spoke to her not as a language, but as an emotion; for under her breath Lina could feel the flowing out of her soul.
Following their instincts, they followed Lina followed their path away from the central spire and out into a larger open-aired courtyard. Each step forward became a new experience, indeed.
"Amelia! You have one too!" shouted Gourry. The rest of the group looked at the short princess with a small shower of silver energy coming from her head. It was then that Lina turned around to look at Sylphiel.
The purple shrine maiden was also springing a flame of chaos. It was the color of pure white; even its sparkle from the stream of energy seemed so much brighter than Lina's glow. The purity and goodness of the flame shone like a newborn star, a light that was absolutely without impure colors.
"Sylphiel, I had no idea..." blindly said Lina, staring into the shrine maiden's light.
Amelia had her own silver highlights, but she could only gaze at the clearness of Sylphiel's chaos. "You look so absolutely beautiful, as a shrine maiden could only look."
Sylphiel blushed red, her arms crossed over in total embarrassment. "I didn't know that this was going to happen...really."
Lina came back from her position to consult with everyone. "Luckily, I don't see this as a problem yet. We don't have any powers right now, its not like the chaos streams are hurting anything."
"Are you sure?" answered Zelgadis.
"No, not really." She turned back to Sylphiel. "Now, try to keep that chin up of yours. OK?"
"Yes, Lina."
Zelgadis gestured with his hands to continue forward. When they all stepped forward, it was Lina that had to turn around and look at Gourry.
The swordsman was keeping to himself, kicking a small rock across the tower courtyard. If everyone had a chaos stream -- it was Gourry that didn't have one. Not a hair on his blond head was glowing at all.
Poor Gourry, thought Lina. Sometimes he really needs his sword of light back. "Hey Gourry!" she shouted. "Aren't you going to protect me?"
The swordsman raised his depressed head up. "Hai!"
Amelia interrupted with a shout from the side of the tower rooftop. "Over here, Lina! There's something you should see!" Her voice seemed threatened as they turned the corner to the other side.
The princess stood agape to the center of attention in front of her. Her mouth was open, but silent nevertheless. She took to leaning on Lina, using her for support while her eyes stared forward at the scene unfolding before her very eyes.
Lina kippered up, "I believe we found what we're looking for."
Above Lina, her own chaos seemed to throb even louder with excitement. Disturbed that its secret had been found out, it drifted up and away as if it were still alive. It churned in a vortex of colors and energies above their position, swirling like a giant pinwheel of stars. Below the whirlpool of energy, it cascaded from a cone into a narrowest of funnels--
Into a box.
Only about a foot tall, the box was a whole lot thinner than taller. Nevertheless, every eye from the group looked impressively on its surface.
"Wow." Lina took dainties of steps forward as she looked closer. Even at her short height, she still had to squat down a bit to see the gilded form of the golden box. Parts of the box were carved in the shapes of moons and clouds. Where there were no exterior carvings, the chaos box glowed like a slow beat of illumination from shear excess of chaos energy, then it would fade and repeat. This gave the impression that chaos box was actually alive.
"I've never seen anything like this." as she stared at the Lynx box. "Do you have any idea...Zel?"
Everyone else was no longer looking as Lina nor the chaos box, but at Zelgadis. The chimera was staring at his now uncloaked hand and arm, which instead of the pure chimera form of stone; was swirling with the energies of chaos.
Chaos energy flamed around his flesh, bubbling and boiling his skin around in great currents of energy, sweeping away the chimera blueness. As it dissipated, a human form slowly came to light. Surely enough, his form was turning towards normal flesh. He looked at his other arm for a second, and saw his stone chips dissolve like mud and pinkish fully fleshed skin to appear.
The rest of the group could only watch the former chimera, his face still stony but dissolving in the bath of chaos energy -- right before their eyes. It was as if Zelgadis had been dipped in magic waters, the effect of his chimera complexion was slowly fading away.
"Zel!!!" shouted Lina.
"Unbelievable!" Amelia was more hyper than usual. "Your quest!"
"I'm..." The former chimera clutched his body and pinched himself, not believing his wishes were coming true. Falling to his knees in disbelief, his now human eyes dropped tears. "I...can't believe...that Xellos."
"What," shouted Sylphiel, "what about..."
Zelgadis was on his knees, tearing. "That he told me...truth."
"Be careful, Zel." Lina eyed the shadows beyond the chaos box as they danced against the light of excess chaos. "Xellos has never been so forgiving."
"Shhh..." Amelia was helping the former chimera as she glomped his human hand. "Hold it there, Zel. Take it one step at a time."
"But, but..." His heart raced with such excitement. "My whole life, I've been searching-"
"Hey, quiet!" Lina's eyes darted away from the group and into the shadows. "We've got company."
A large gaggle of Turnip security guards emerged from the hidden darkness, each member armed with their small crossbows, pointed at Lina and company. Behind them, another standing shadow emerged. Easily identifiable from all the obnoxious signage and posters, it was Turnip himself.
"I thought he would be bigger," said Zelgadis.
Lina shot the former chimera a dirty look.
"Ah, the great Lina Inverse reduced to a mere mortal. How delightful to meet for the first time...and might I add, for the last time..."
The guards edged closer, awaiting their deathly orders
The red-headed sorcerer didn't answer to Turnip's threats. Instead of directly looking into Turnip, she chanted chaos words into her hands...
"You, who are darker than twilight..."
"Lina?" said Sylphiel
"Are you crazy!" Zel was backing up, with the rest of them in two.
"...who are more crimson than flowing blood..."
"We're all going to die!" Amelia ran around Zel for a second, her hands up like the sky was falling.
Her anger bubbled, as if fed by the fear of her comrades. She didn't care anymore. She knew that they would survive, she just didn't know how.
"...You and I together will give ruin and no one can escape from us..."
"DRAGON SLAVE!"
The spell ignited in her hands all warm and strong with a burst of a brilliant flame.
Then without even a puff, it burst like an air balloon and was gone.
"Wha...wha...what happened!" The sorcerer looked into her empty hands, as she tried the grasp at the vast amounts of chaos energy around her.
For above Lina's head, the flames of chaos colors swirled with luminance never seen by a moral eye before. The maddening chaos glowed like fire, its path drawing into the sky and trying to escape its doom, sweeping across in a tornado of energy...down into the chaos box.
"No!"
"Nice try." Turnip backed off a few feet behind his guards, grinning all the way. "But it won't work. I know it will never work." He smiled and pointed forward at Lina's company. "Kill them! Bring their heads to me!"
"Eeek!" screamed Amelia.
The first row of troops drew their crossbows to a armed position has they kneeled, the second row took up the gaps right behind the first row. A second later, the air was filled with flying arrows.
Lina was scared.
There were times when the all-powerful Lina Inverse had her monthly curse. There were times that Lina had faced down the lords of the Mazoku. There were times that she even faced the gods from other worlds. There were times when the entire world was in the grasp of her small, tiny hands.
This was not one of those times.
Powerless. Not gods, not a Mazoku. A power and magic she knew nothing about, against humans that her own powers had been toothless. Nor did she know when her own magic was to return and come back.
Lina was truly scared.
She luckily dodged the first volley of arrows. She was about to jump into the air again, when the sorcerer was suddenly pushed to the ground.
"Lina, stay down!"
"Gourry..."
The redhead was covered head to toe by Gourry's armor and body. For once, Lina was glad that she was a smallish, petite woman, easily hiding under Gourry's larger armored body.
"I'm fine, really..." But she didn't even think about her protected self as she looked back at the rest of rest of them. She saw the Saillune princess was first; the quick and nimble girl was already peeking safely from behind a barrel. She flashed her 'OK' motion with her fingers to Lina in delight. And Zelgadis, thought Lina, would surely OK with his rock-hardened body; he would be able to protect Sylphiel from danger as well.
But only if Zelgadis was a chimera.
He moaned for a second, the sound loud even with the half a dozen arrows stuck in his back. Behind him, Sylphiel was on her knees, untouched and protected by the former chimera's sacrifice.
"Heh." Turnip laughed from his gut, for it was an ugly sound to hear. He levitated into the air from behind his troops, the scepter in his left hand glowed animosity with chaos power.
Lina stood up from off the ground, her weight leaning on Gourry who was still crawling on the courtyard floor. Beaten up a bit from a couple of arrows stuck in the clinks of the armor, his body was mostly unscathed. The sorcerer looked back again at Sylphiel, who had Zel leaning on her as she tried to tend to the former chimera's wounds.
Zelgadis growled, a bit softer now as he wisped for air between words. "I'm fine, really...just give me a minute to..." He coughed and choked up a few drops of human blood. "To rest."
The expressions on Sylphiel and Amelia's faces were grave indeed.
"Turnip!" Lina's eyes blazed wide open with anger.
"Ms. Inverse." Turnip was now twenty feet above his guards, floating around like a nice and easy target. "Do you honestly expect me to accept your unconditional surrender?"
"You have no right!"
"I have no right? It wasn't I who didn't pay her Inverse Tax..." Turnip mocked poor Lina by pointing his index finger at her.
"That's not the reason!"
"Ahhhh, true. But it wasn't you who plan the save the orphans house, it wasn't you who snuck into my private library, and it certainly wasn't you who is on this roof...doing who knows what. It is true, then, I that have other reasons to eliminate you"
"No." Lina stared up blandly at Turnip. "Chasing us around your crazy casino all night. Trying to capture us, eliminate us..." She pulled out her short sword and pointed it up toward the mad leader. "If you expected us to surrender, then you don't know of me at all."
Turnip sneered. "Surrender. Hardly." He raised his scepter high into the air; as if on cue it glowed angrily of light energy, a twin in likeness to the very chaos box. "No, I expect you to die!"
"Lina!" Gourry was up and about, now standing in front of his protectorate. Facing upward into the sky, he spoke hoarsely toward Turnip, "I will not allow you to continue!"
"Gourry..."
"You're going to have to go through me, Gourry Galbrev."
Turnip smirked. "Fine. I have no problem the that..."
"Baka!" Lina couldn't believe Gourry stupid chivalry in these moments. Once again, he was throwing his life in front of her body in a futile chance to save her live. Though it was a nice gesture.
"Guards!" shouted Turnip, "Attack positions! Await my final orders!"
They responded instantly like the well-trained solders they were. In perfect formation, they loaded their crossbows, the new arrow points ready to fire.
Turnip laughed. "It's no use, Lina Inverse. I shall enjoy carving your name on my dinner table, next to all the other victims that have suddenly 'disappeared' from Monte Darlo."
No! thought Lina, there was no way she was going to let this second-rate madman win. Anything would do...anything...come on!... Think! What to do...what to do...
And the corner of her eye caught something in the distance.
She reached behind into her far back pocket, well hidden from view and quite impossible to find in a search. It was there she found her objective -- and pulled out her pistol.
"Eh? What is this?" Turnip's eye brows shot up in suspense.
"You know very well, damn you." Lina was in no mood to play games.
"Ah," responded Turnip, with a sign of recognition. "I heard of such new primitive weapons. No matter, I'm well aware of their capabilities. They are quite useless in piercing my personal shield of protection."
Lina held the pistol up, squarely at Turnip. Her arms faintly shaking while she bit on her lip. "We shall see."
Turnip's specter started to glow again, its power ever-so increasing, feeding on the chaos energy that swirled around him. Lina could see his face, wishing that the evil act of her own destruction was only a second away. "Time to say goodbye, Lina Inverse."
And then, Lina pulled at her arms in, aiming the pistol downward.
"No! Not that!"
She fired.
"Nooooooo!!" Turnip yelled, his lighted specter blinked furiously at the moment of it all.
Lina's shot straight away across the tower rooftop, its detonation echoed among the stone courtyard walls. The gun had not been aimed at Turnip, but at the chaos box. It neatly intersected the far upper corner of the box; Lina's aim had been just off. But it made it nevertheless, chipping off a precious tiny corner. The damage at first seemed quite minimal. But clearly something was wrong as the chaos energy flowed out like it was emerging steam from a cooker pressure.
"You Bitch!!"
Chaos was mad, chaos was fuming. The box that had once held such powers of the desired shouted in frustration, its internal energies yearning to be freed. The box throbbed in illumination, its walls suddenly hairline spidering with hot-white cracks. The controlled chaos once held hostage was now freed -- untapped, unabashed, a force that was to be reckoned with.
"What have you done!!" Turnip's face was scared shitless.
And then, all hell broke loose.
The chaos box didn't just crack open like an eggshell, but it disintegrated as the raw chaos freed itself, rushing out like light itself, thundering as it quickly overtook Lina and her companions, Turnip, and the entire tower. A mix of light and chaos filled the air, circulating high into the starry sky, swirling at an incredible rate, a tsunami wave of energy. It was green, then blue, then purple. Then, it was on top of them.
"What...have I done," spoke Lina, under her breath.
"Lina!" yelled Gourry just before the wave hit them both square on.
Chaos streaked out across the sky, like a tidal wave. Spreading out in all directions, it swept across the darkened horizon.
The sheer force drove Lina and Gourry all the way to the other side of the roof tower. The sharp, inward-bending railing of stone trapped their thrown bodies safety from a fall.
Turnip's guards had not been so lucky. Closer to the near wall, many of the guards were thrown off the tower roof to their impending doom. The few that were left were in no condition to move, their huddled bodies were battered and broken.
Thunder quieted as the last of the chaos streaked into the darkness. The air was no longer charged with such strange and foreign energy, such aberrant energy had dissipated to nature itself. Only the moonlight shone down on the quiet tower; only the wind could be heard.
---o--o--o---
Xellos was busy holding one of the many enchanted books, scanning it over a lit candle. Hot wax poured onto the left page that he had just read, ruining it. Below his feet were other books read by Xellos, their pages permanently waxing together from his handiwork.
The tower shook. Violently. Books fell off shelves, a bit of ceiling cracked as plaster collapsed. He could see the night sky had become illuminated through the broken library window.
"Ahhh." Xellos gems on his neck glowed for a second has he took a quick breath. He reached into the astral plane for a second, pulling out his staff to reality. "That feels a lot better."
More ceiling gave way, dropping pieces of hot ash and fire from above. Placing the book into the library rack, he nudged the entire shelf a bit hard, tipping the old wooden rack in the awaiting smoldering floor. "Oh, dear. How clumsy of me..."
He looked up at the tapestry, of the City built on Clouds. Magnificent towers, bridges, and buildings, built impossibly on substance that was almost as light as air. Fire licked at the bottom of the tapestry as it ignited, the very image burning away.
"I must make sure." Grinning, Xellos disappeared just before a fiery wooden timber crashed down, igniting up the rest of the library.
---o--o--o---
Gourry was still holding onto Lina, embracing her petite body when she awoke. The sorcerer looked down into her hands, the wooden firearm cradled in its fired position. She could feel Gourry stirring around her once more; she dared not to move. It was actually in comfort, for Lina was quite content to lie on Gourry, just as long as she was doing the lying.
It all had been rather apparent to Lina: if Gourry hadn't pulled her down, she would have been a pancake on the faraway ground.
"Lina." Gourry's voice was parched and dry. "Are you ok?" The soft sound of the swordsman's voice was as soothing she had ever heard. "I didn't think that we'd..."
"Hush, Gourry." She turned to him once again, looking into that face of her once and always protector. The blond hair, the eternal charm, it was...devastating. Somehow, she thought, she would always be there for Gourry, and Gourry would always be there for her. Almost like...
"Zel!"
Lina was up in a dash, running to back of the tower courtyard.
"Zel!"
Sylphiel was still leaning over the form of Zelgadis, with Amelia wrapped on the other half of the former chimera's body. They had not moved far from the former chimera's position.
"Lina..." Sylphiel was up first, stirring around. She stirred up Amelia with a tug on the shoulder, and the princess awoke as well.
"He's cold...he's..." Amelia's eyes watered sadly as deep and ugly thoughts ran through her mind. She started to tear, the drops of pain falling on Zel's cloaked body.
"He's got no pulse..." Sylphiel voice was cold and heartless as it could be. She chanted her holy spell, but the magic seemed to have little effect. His body had no need for healing. "No..."
No!, thought Lina, it couldn't end like this! Never could it end up like this. Too much time had been at stake, for Zelgadis had searched for so much of his life to become human. To end up dead only a few minutes after his goal...would be unthinkable.
Lina motioned to the shrine maiden to help her turn over the cloaked body of Zelgadis. And in flipping him over, revealed a face, arms, and hands...of a chimera. It was his cloak that had covered his second transformation from a human back into his former. Where arrows had pierced and stabbed at his soft human skin, were healed with stone-like scabs. His body, now completely mended, expired cold air once again.
"Zel..." Lina shouted.
Eyes fluttered open.
"Zel!" Amelia glomped onto Zelgadis' arm, holding him as tightly as she could humanly grasp.
"Amelia....Lina...." His voice was tired...very tired. The chimera reached around dimly at first and tried to get up. He was sternly pushed back to the ground by the hands of Sylphiel.
"Wha...happened?" He reached up into the sky with his hands, almost as an afterthought. The sleeves of his cloak because of gravity, slid down his arms to his elbow. It only revealed the truth of his body, faster than the three ladies could say anything more...
"No...No...it's not possible!!" Zel stared at his limb, the familiar stony blue skin actually shone against the dim moonlight. He bent his arm around in other angles, his eyes shone with such acuteness that they could have burned sin away. The chimera could only now imagine the human flesh that was once on his bones.
"To be human, that is my goal. It's a simple task, isn't it?" He shivered slightly as he spoke his words, dropping his arms again.
"I didn't have a choice, Zel." Lina's moist, red hair covered her tearing red-soaked eyes. The sorcerer held her head low, unable to look into the eyes of the chimera. "You were going to die. We were all...going to die."
"And therefore, my nightmare continues."
And Zelgadis turned himself over and cried.
---o--o--o---
Slayers: Clouds!
Chapter 3:
Steal! It's the Theft of a Lifetime!
---o--o--o---
Zelgadis looked up at the impressive sight of iron bars and castle walls. The stony walls were dark and slimy, covered with patches of thick ivy. Every odd or so place was a small window, covered with bars that were well worn and rusty, their great girth made them almost impossible to see through.
"They're not making this damn easy for us," he groaned.
The chimera turned to his current partner. Frankly, Amelia looked scared as she twitched her head back and forth in rapid motions. She almost looked a little lost. Even the cloak outfit was about two sizes too small of her.
"I'm too young to be trespassing!" peeped the princess. "What if we're heard?"
Zelgadis sighed. He wanted to get this done on his own...but no, he had to be considerate about it. Maybe it was their last adventure, but for once he couldn't get her off his mind.
"What if we get caught?" Amelia pinged.
The sigh turned to a frown. Not good, thought the chimera. He couldn't deal with this now.
"What if we end up on trial? Daddy would have to come down here. Our fight for justice would be so embarrassing. I don't know what I'd do..."
"Amelia, don't you remember the rest of your family-" The chimera was cut off rapidly by Amelia's words.
"And then, I'd end up in some brackish prison mining for coal and stuff. Other woman prisoners would surely take advantage of my virgin soul..."
Zelgadis arched in eyebrows at Amelia's latest words as the princess fell to her knees, glomping the chimera's leg like her favorite teddy bear. "You wouldn't want me to get strung up by those beastly woman, just because I wouldn't put out...would you?"
"Oh course not," as he coughed, "I might have to-"
"...oh, Zel..." Amelia's eyes lit up like full moons, her smile threatened to ever crack Zel's tough exterior.
"...call Lina for help." The chimera finished the words with a total lack of emotion.
Amelia sweat dropped, daring not say another word.
The chimera looked up again at the wrought iron gate and stone walls. The lack of personal security made it evident that something else was behind the impressive walls.
"Why can't we just 'RAYWING' up there?" Amelia then tried it herself as she bunny hopped less than a mere foot off the ground.
"Told you..." Zelgadis was digging through his bag, removing rope and the grappling hooks.
"Hai, I know." Amelia was now staring at Zelgadis has be wound the rope with in right arm, his left arm in the shape of a hook. It wasn't long for him to wind the endless length of rope.
The chimera threw his grapple hook into the air, well over the thirty foot wall. It pinged silently on the other side, as Zelgadis pulled it the line to firm the position. Sure enough, he immediately started to climb up the side of the wall, grunting every foot along the way.
"Zel, I don't think you should go first..." Amelia was right under the chimera as she started to climb up the rope.
He looked down. "Why not?"
"Well," Amelia gulped, "I really don't want something heavy falling on me...not sure it would be a good idea."
Zelgadis swallowed. "Guess you're right." He turned his body around on the rope, putting his back to the wall. "Fine. Grab my hand so I can pull you up."
Amelia easily scrambled up the hanging rope to Zelgadis. "I'm almost there." First, holding onto his legs, then his waist as the princess was now face to face with the chimera.
Zelgadis looked into Amelia's eyes. Weren't those the eyes of a child? So carefree in the world, one who had a whisper in his life? No, for the chimera had looked not just into Amelia's eyes, but into someplace else. He won't look, he won't do it, she is not just...
He looked. He had never been so close to Amelia, as her breath beat down on his stony yet sensitive skin. He was surprised how tight her body was even though it was smooth-
A knee to the groin interrupted his beautiful thoughts.
"Ooof."
"Is something wrong, Zel?"
"No...nothing." He winced his eyes shut in pain. "Just go. Climb."
It seemed Zelgadis didn't have stone protection everywhere, per say.
---o--o--o---
Lina turned around the corner, racing along as her little legs could carry her. She wasn't exactly scared at the situation right now, but the sheer number of Turnip house guards as well as the lack of magic power made the current situation unbearable.
"Quick, hide in here!"
The three of them dived into a small closet next to the open theatre areas. Lina was dumbstuck as she entered, for the room was stark white. In the middle of the small room were several canvas chairs, and the walls were either lined with mirrors or candles.
What was this place, Lina thought. Was it a hidden temple to a Mazoku lord? A sacrifice chamber where wax was their form of death? A deadly place where they would get strung up like sausages?
She couldn't stand any more and she forcefully removed her short sword. "Come on out, you Mazoku fodder!"
"It's a dressing and makeup room, Lina" The priestess rubbed Lina's shoulders for a sec, calming the fiery redhead of her nerves while pointing the makeup case on the corner side table. "You know, for the theater next door."
"Hai, of course...I knew that."
Lina looked back at her mini-group. Sylphiel was no timid soul. Lina had already been through quite a few adventures with the shrine maiden with considerably good results. But she was not an offensive type of woman, especially when both of them lacked any magical power at the moment.
Behind her was Gourry. He was finally getting back his composure as he rested in a lounge chair. He was still delirious from alcohol, his eyes blinking shut most of the time as he squirmed around. Sylphiel placed a wet towel on the swordsman's head, hoping the moisture would awake Gourry from his plight.
"What happened to him?" Lina, for once, expressed her words with a underlying thought of compassion.
The priestess looked up. "I really have no idea. I've never seen anyone react to alcohol like that before. I've always known Gourry to take a pint or two."
"But the way he reacted," added Sylphiel, "it seemed like his body was severely affected by it." She placed the back of her wrist on Gourry's face to check his temperature. "He's still tipsy, but I thinks he's better. Working without magic is difficult, but its safe to say he'll be all right."
Lina sighed.
Gourry stirred again, finally opening his eyes as he vaulted himself to a sitting position. "Pain...terrible..."
"Easy there, Gourry."
"Yea, stay in the chair, otherwise I'll barbecue you're ass..."
Gourry leaned back into the canvas seat as he flailed around to get comfortable. "What happened to me? I don't recall."
"Eh, for once it makes sense." Lina lightly knocked on Gourry's head, definitely getting the blond man's attention. "You stupid jerk, you drank three pints of brew and was drunker than a skunk!"
"Oh." Gourry paused for a sec. "So, how did that happen again?"
"Don't you ever get drunk?" Lina sneered.
"No. Not anymore," said Gourry, answering immediately.
"Wha!" Lina was close to beating Gourry with her own fist if he didn't spill the beans. "You mean you don't get drunk?"
Gourry paused for a sec. "Well, it's like this. I was going early as a kid to a school for swordsmanship. After a practice, we ended up down at the tavern eating away and celebrating. The Innkeeper was so happy with our business, that he gave the squad a giant barrel of his finest brew. After taking the barrel of brew from the back of the restaurant. We couldn't exactly drag the thing back to school to our dormitory. So, we hide the barrel in a local barn on the outskirts of town. Before long, we were drinking a few before dinner."
Gourry looked up for sec to see Sylphiel with her arms crossed over her chest. Anoo, for Gourry knew this story would get out one day, why did it have to be THE day.
"Go on..." Lina nodded, getting Gourry to continue his tale.
"We'd have a grand old time for hours on end. But coming home, stumbling around school was never good. I would break more stuff than usual."
"Heh..." Lina snickered for a sec before clamping her mouth shut with her hand.
"My mom found out I was misbehaving from the schoolmaster, and she took me to some white magician on the other side of town. Then from that point, alcohol had no effect on my body. I think he casts some spell on me."
Lina just eyed back.
"Heh, so the spell as been on all this time until today, at which point the spell has been disposed with, so to speak. Wow, Gourry, I have to give your mom quite a bit of credit there. I didn't she have the guts." Lina was patting the back of Gourry's head, though one could see the swordsman was not enjoying this part of the show."
"Gourry dear."
Gourry turned his attention to the shrine maiden. "Yes, Sylphiel."
"Why would you do such a thing? Don't you have any will?"
Gourry gulped.
Interrupting everyone, the dressing room door swung open, admitting two ladies dressed in very familiar kawaii outfits.
"I can't believe none of our spells worked tonight," said one of the young ladies.
"I know, its like the gods decided not to show up..." said other one, definitely a twin of the first one. They were dressed in matching yellow and pink outfits accessorized with sparkle on their faces, holding rather colorful magical wands.
The second twin stopped in the middle of her sentence, staring at Lina and company, their mouths agape in surprise.
"Lina!!" they both shouted in unison.
"Hi girls. I just dropped by to see how you two we're doing." Lina was doing her best to wave her hand in the air while not look pretentious. Behind her, Sylphiel was also doing her best to block the snoring Gourry in her lounge chair.
"Geez! I never thought I see you again," shouted Nene.
"I heard you got busted up a while ago!" said Mimi.
Lina moaned sheepishly. "Oh yeah, well here's the proof. I'm here."
"It's good to see you Lina," said Nene, "but do you care to tell us what the hell you're doing in our dressing room? We've got a performance in twenty minutes and we've got...AAGH!"
A wide-awake Gourry was busy powdering his nose with the girls' cosmetics. He was having a grand old time making a kooky mess. Sylphiel was having a hard time controlling the alcohol-induced Gourry. The swordsman didn't want to just sit and wait, but he rather walk around and explore.
"That stuff is 40 gold pieces an ounce! Get off of that stuff!" said Nene as she ran over, closing the makeup cases on the mirror counters.
"Oops, sorry..." The swordsman quietly say fell back down in his chair, his nose still white with powder.
Lina snickered.
"Lina-san, can you-" Sylphiel was being as polite as possible.
"Oh how thoughtless of me. These two girls-"
"Ladies!" snorted Mimi, bending forward.
"Umm, ladies are-" Lina just stood there for a sec.
"Sylphiel Nels Lahda." said the shine maiden as she held out her hand.
"Nene McIntyre, and my sis Mimi McIntyre. We met Lina on a treasure hunt, for the ceremony scrolls that help us perform."
"Well, not really, it was when we were searching for the Claire-"
"Oh really?" Sylphiel joyfully cut Lina off. "I used to learn ceremony spells from my father. Maybe I could show you a spell or two?"
Mimi interjected. "Well, we'd love to learn them, but our spells in this blasted city don't to work. The only that does work is the simplest of light spells."
"Yea, and the Turnip guards have not been happy with our performances at all!" said Nene. "Turnip says if we don't pull in more gate receipt-"
"That we get fired and would work the balance of our stay as hotel maids!" frowned Mime.
"So." Lina was tapping her finger on her chin. "You girls can't use your spells, either. And I thought someone had sealed our powers as well."
"Nope. It's the gambling here. If there were spell casters in the gaming rooms, there would be countless cheating. That's why you can gamble here without the thought of being swindled. Its Turnip who's collecting on this place."
"I'm sure he is. I just don't know how he's blocking the spell casting. And until we do-"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Open up, Turnip Security!"
The twin girls stared down the redheaded sorcerer. "Care to explain yourself, Lina?"
"Not really." Lina looked back down behind her. "How about telling me where the back entrance is to this place?"
Mimi frowned. "There isn't one. There's only one way in," as she thumbed at the door.
"Great. Look, I could really," Lina gulped for a sec, for it was never in her nature to ask for help, unless the times were desperate. Let's see...no magic, a useless Gourry-san, yep, it was desperate times all right.
"...I need your help. Swear."
"I don't know..." said Nene.
"Come on girls, I know we got off on the wrong foot the first time. But you do want to continue your singing career, right?
"Of course!" chimed Mime. "We wouldn't want to lose it for the world."
Lina smiled. "Heh, that's why you're going to have to help us. Otherwise, Turnip is going to get me and you. Heh, and I thought you girls would be good for maid duty."
Nene frowned. "Hey! That's not an option."
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Lina, what are we going to do?" pleaded Sylphiel.
"I haven't got any ideas," said Lina, "how about you?"
The twins' eyes just lit up like dinner plates as they stared behind the traveling group and behind them, the costume rack.
The sorcerer turned her head around. "Oh no. Anything but that. Please! Anything to keep me out of that!"
---o--o--o---
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"This is Turnip security. We're entering this room by the order of Lord Turnip in one minute."
Sounds of moving boxes and shuffling were the first sounds of intelligent life in the room. Inpatient, the sergeant guard banged on the door for the umpteen time.
"...hey! I'm not wearing that!"
"...shut-up! I told you to be quiet...now wear this, ok..."
"...you know, I'm glad there were five of us."
"...yeah, really..."
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Just a minute!" jingled Lina to a slight tune, "We'll be out soooon!"
The sergeant nodded his head as he turned to his subordinates. "Damn, showbiz girls are nothing but a pain in the ass."
"Heck, why don't we just knock the door down?" questioned one of the pupils. "Come on, move aside!"
"If we do, no dancing girls with self respect would even come here again." The sergeant grinned. "Then I wouldn't get laid."
"You get laid?"
The sergeant just glared.
"...Lina, I don't think..."
"...that is sooooo you..."
"...hey baka, watch the powder there, you told me..."
"...hold still while I tie this strap down. There!"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"We're coming!"
The door of the room flew open as if a curtain was going up. The strong stench of expensive perfume and powder immediately wafted down the hallways, putting a spell of lust over Turnip's guards. They reacted like the typical men they were.
"Hey there, ladies!" One guard whistled, his mouth drooling over a double prime-rib dinner.
"Yowzer! Twins!"
"Oh my, I have got to have that tall blond!!!" yelled the other guard behind him.
The five 'ladies' blushed as they left the powder room. Each of the ladies wore matching cocktail outfits: tiny spaghetti strapped cocktail dresses laced with plenty of beading and a watching boa. With low scoop lines, their fronts and backs showed plenty of skin as well. Finally, each outfit ended with shear stockings and very shiny silver-laced high heels.
"You're telling me! Just look at the muscle definition on that girl." The guards were really infatuated with the blond one, her long legs and heels gave them a heart-lashing.
"Get a life!" yelled the red-headed sparkplug, holding her fist to the guards.
"Uhhh, sorry. Umm, is she your girlfriend or something?"
Lina looked down at the ground in disgust, her anger threatening to erupt as she shook slightly. "No, you baka! She is not my girlfriend!"
"ATTENTION!"
The sergeant turned around to face his gaggle of troops, his fad beet-red. "What the hell do you guys think you are? We show CPR here! Courtesy, Professionalism, and Respect. Do I make myself clear!"
The ladies didn't stick around to watch the undressing of the Turnip guards, they made themselves scarce.
The guard went immediately to attention now that the distraction was gone. "Sir, yes sir!" It was griddle time now.
"Good. I'm glad you see it my way. You all know better. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
---o--o--o---
"Whoa, that was a close one." Lina sighed as she leaned back again the hallway, just relaxing for a second while Nene hid their previously sexy outfits in a nearby garbage can. They were now back in the Trump Plaza, in one of the hallways attached to the casino floor.
Mimi squandered next to the sorcerer for a bit of wall room, "Lina? What the hell are we going to do?"
"I can't miss a performance." The other sister said, muttering to herself. "I just feel awful about everything."
Lina rolled her eyes, frustrated over their predicament. "I don't know. Sometimes I'm so freaking useless without my magic powers, and then there's Gourry." She thumbed at half-awake Gourry, held together with the assistance of Sylphiel. "We're just not able to do much of anything right now except play hide-n-seek."
The hallway light from the ceiling was suddenly blocked out. Lina quickly looking up and shaded her eyes from the overhead glare. She took a hard stare before relaxing once again by leaning on the wall.
"Timothy! Don't scare me like that!" said the sorcerer, letting out her breath. "I'm sure glad to see you."
"I'm sorry, Lina. But I heard a report that the head guardsman has ordered your capture. I couldn't let that happen, so I went looking for you and Zelgadis."
"It's Turnip all right. He got Biru and his stupid tax scheme to do his dirty work. I swear, when I get my hands on him." Lina was playfully making strangling motions with her hands at the same time.
"I know. My father says I have to listen to Turnip. But it's so hard taking orders from Turnip."
"What do you mean, from Turnip?" said Lina. "Don't you work for the mayor protecting the city?"
"I do. I used to protect this city when there was no casino, and it was very quiet. Zelgadis used to come here every once in a while and I'd train with me."
"Then, Turnip came. He made a deal to protect the city with walls if we gave him land in the center of Monte Darlo. We did it because we wanted to protect the people here. And we were happy while the city grew larger and larger."
"But when Turnip started making threats to leave Monte Darlo, and take his casino business with him, the mayor conceited to his every wish. Turnip really runs the city now, and that's it. We're scared that Turnip is going to take over. He certainly has enough money to hire a mercenary army. All the bandits I've caught are locked up in Turnip's 'prison.' And I have no idea where my prisoners go."
"You mean he doesn't have a prison here in Monte Darlo?"
"Nope..."
Lina shuddered. It was bad enough fighting a few bandit gangs and such. But Turnip had enough dough to bring them together and really pillage the lands. He must have himself some side project. She shook again for the second time in the last few minutes.
"You're Zelgadis friends. I'll help you fight him." said Timothy.
"Really?" Lina's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"
"Hai, come this way." Timothy led the group down the hallway to a locked door. Unlocking the security gate with a skeleton key, the five of them walked down a dark walkway, then it ramped up several fights of stairs.
"Where are you taking us?"
"I's going to take you to my security post, outside the city. Then I'd know that you'll be safe over Turnip"
"No."
Startled, Nene pushed onto Lina's back. "Eh, why not? You've got to be nuts for staying here. None of us have any magic powers."
"Exactly. That's why." Lina turned to Timothy for a second, looking down the hallway at all the townsman playing casino games on the floor "It may not be for them, but as I have been reminded, its for those kids. And if I don't get my magic back, then Turnip may take out that orphanage even if we DO pay that blasted tax bill in the morning."
Sylphiel just nodded her head in agreement.
Lina turned up at Timothy. "You're going to tell me how they keep everyone here without the use of their magic, except for some darn light spells and such."
Timothy put his finger to his large chin for a second. "I dunno..."
Lina grabbed at Timothy-chan's collar. "Tell me! Tell me now or I tell Zelgadis that you've been bad."
Timothy fumbled under Lina's straightforward words. "OK! OK! I'll tell you. Swear."
"Good." Lina let Timothy go by the collar. The sudden lack of force leaned the big guy back into the hallway wall.
"Well, I guess you mean the magic box."
"Magic box? Eh, What's that?"
"I don't know. All I know is that it's on the roof of the main casino tower, part of the original castle. It's very high. Turnip's guards are up there at all times."
"Oh really? Do you know what else is up there?" The sorcerer's mouth just watered at the tidbits of information.
"No, I don't. I've only heard stories." The large man scratched his head in frustration. "Something about souls that scream in fright. It's supposedly a place of fire and flame." For a big guy, even Timothy looked scared in his eyes.
Lina nodded. "Hmmm, fire and flame. Perfect! That's where we're going -- I've never been scared by a little bit of a barbecue. Exactly the place that 'I' should avoid."
The shrine maiden gulped. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course it's a good idea! We're going to get to the bottom of this, right now!"
Timothy changed direction lead the group in the opposite direction, then up a second set of stairs into a dark on somber hallway. The gray walls were narrow and cathedral-like, lined with lit candles that seemed to glow up into the wooden rafters.
"Shhh, be quiet," commented Timothy as they crept up the hallway. "We have to sneak past the mirror room."
"Mirror room...ahhh, a room full of mirrors," answered Gourry.
Lina bonked Gourry on the head slightly to keep him quiet. "Now, quickly..."
"Ok, ok, we're coming." A narrow doorway on the left was ajar for everyone to see into the mirror room.
Lina could see that Timothy was right, for the darkened room was covered with mirrors. They lined the walls in a perfect checkerboard pattern, with each mirror was about twelve inches high by six or so inches high. What was surprising about them were they didn't reflect light, but instead swirled with images, lighting the room unnaturally.
There were of images of people gambling. Images of hallways, restaurants, shops, and of other casino floor. It was as if the mirrors were viewing everyone's actions and moves, remotely away from the casino floor.
And in front of the 'mirrors' were a pair of Turnip security guards, slouching in comfy chairs. They were intently looking at each of the mirrors, paying little attention to anyone outside in the hallway.
"Have you tracked down those little brats?" One of the mirrors on the left wall had another guard speaking to the slouching security forces.
"Heh, those damn kids are hard to find," said one of the resting guards. "They're probably behind in some darkened corner, hiding."
"Yea, right. Just keep a good lookout."
"Yes, sir."
The sorcerer's hands were balled up in fists, ready to pounce. "I don't care! I can pound the two of them into pulp with my bare hands!
Timothy put his hand on Lina shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "There's not much you can do, Lina-san. Remember you don't have any magic."
"I can't believe Turnip has been running me in circles for hours," said the sorcerer. "When I find him, I'll make sure I know how he treats a lady." In a gesture of frustration, she reached around the doorway a bit, gesturing with her hand.
"What did you do, Lina?" asked Gourry, scratching his head.
Instead of the redhead answering, it was Sylphiel who pushed Gourry forward. "Something very un-lady like."
As they turned the hallway corner from the mirror room, Timothy suddenly stopped. The always predictable Gourry ran right into Timothy's rather large behind, almost knocking the big fellow down.
"Ooof. Sorry."
"Its ok, Gourry. This is as far as I go." He pointed to a hole up in the ceiling, with the last rung of a ladder dangling from the makeshift entrance. It was dark, dingy, and full of ugly cobwebs.
Mime screamed, "I'm not going up there!"
"Yea, you're nuts, spiders scare the crap out of me," said Nene."
"Uh-huh, I'm going to have to agree with my sister on this one."
Lina didn't even bat an eye. "Suit yourself. Timothy, give me a boost up there?"
It took a little teamwork, but soon enough, Lina, Sylphiel and Gourry were all in the crawl space above the hallway. Soon, they would climb up the ladder into the darkness of the tower.
Lina poked her head out from the ceiling trap door. "Are you coming, Timothy?"
"No, go ahead. I'll lead the twins out of the city."
"OK! Good Luck!" waved Lina, "and don't forget to tell Zelgadis where we went."
"Hai! I will!"
---o--o--o---
"FIREBALL!"
The boarded up window smashed inward into pieces, littering the floor with debris. The chimera, wrapped in his cloak of black, swung in from the outside line that he used to climb the tower. All in all, Zelgadis looked quite naturally at home entering into the dark chamber.
"Come on..." he signaled out the now open window. "Get inside!"
"No." Amelia's voice was shallow from being outside. "Its not right."
"Now, what did we talk about back in the room?" Zelgadis' voice was cold and stern; he was not a happy chimera.
"Ok. I know, but-"
Zelgadis' voice was firm. "No buts. I can't have you hanging around outside all night, sticking out for some guard."
A bit more coaxing by Zel, and Amelia was safely inside the darkened tower. Frustrated, Zelgadis lit off a candle with a match.,
It was then they saw it was a library. Even though the place was dark as night, dust was not at home to this dark and dingy library. It was apparent that the place had been cleaned up and kept in good repair, they could tell because it really lacked the cobwebs.
The colors of the library spoke of the power of darkness. Everything was the color of blood-red, the color of Shabranigudo and his minions. From the blood-red carpet to the blackened shelves, everything was as dark as night. Even the candles were made of dipped blackened wax. The place where chrome and polish was evident was a dull at best, as it seemed only to reflect the redness of the room. It was a chilling sight indeed.
"Spooky place." Amelia was trying to light a candle, her shaking hands threatened to put out her match. "Why couldn't they make it a little more bright and cheery."
Zel was already thumbing through the shelves of worn books. "Bah, junk. These spell books are close to useless. Who would want to summon a jellyfish anyway?"
"I don't know, but Lina keeps calling Gourry that."
He ignored Amelia's comments. "Let's look around. Search on the other side of the library for anything interesting."
"Hai."
The chimera wasn't haven't much luck. 'Grow you hair so it attacks' was not an interesting book. 'Turn you loved one into a frog' seemed too amateurish. 'Fifty ways to fake Dragon Cuisine' was especially undelightful. He was close to giving up when Amelia yelped out in pain.
The chimera bolted over to the other side of the library, his sword drawn. He saw Amelia with her ass on the ground. "What happened?"
"Those books...they shocked me. I can't seem to touch them."
The chimera ran his hard close to the spine of the one of the hard covers. Little shocks came out of the binder almost like tiny lightening bolts, going from the binding into his fingertips. The strong protection spell was quite harmless against the stony skin of Zelgadis.
"These books are frightfully protective, for you anyway." Zel walked over to one of the other nearby bookshelves with earnest. Again, the shelves were surprising dust-free for such a dark and dingy room. The books were in surprising good condition.
"Ahhh...perfect." He pulled out one of the older looking volumes. Who says you can't pick a book by its cover?
First, he examined the condition of the spine. The book had given off a couple of minor annoying shocks, but soon the volume was quite dead. "To be in this good of shape and with protection enchantment, it must be something important."
"Really, you think so? I've never seen an enchanted book before." Amelia fawned over the chimera's shoulder as Zel opened the the novel.
It creaked open like a casket as pages came to view, illuminated by candlelight. At first, Zel couldn't see words or symbols, but then they gradually came into his focus.
He growled, dropping the book and grabbing another enchanted volume and cracking it open for his eyes to see. It was after his fourth that he really got angry.
"Aaaggh!!!" He snapped the volume shut in utter disgust and tossed it across the room. "These books are all written in code! I'd have to decipher it before I could even start to understand them."
"What! Really?" Amelia held the chimera's arm, pushing it down for a second. "Let me see. Now!" She saw the code with her own eyes, but alas, could not understand the writing.
"Why would they do that?"
A knock of the floor scared the both of them. "Those are some rats in the floor, Zel." As they grouped closer together, there was another louder knock was followed by the breaking of wood.
"Uh-huh, I don't think those are rats, Amelia." Zel was a calm as ever, as he took out his sword.
Red hair popped out from the new hole in the planking, then the rest of a person. Dust settled which revealed a very dirty and annoyed Lina Inverse. "Hi guys. Fancy meeting all of you up here."
Zelgadis lifted the sorcerer out of her newly formed hole. "Good to see you up here, Lina. Been talking to Xellos again?"
"Nope, heard it from Timothy, actually. I'm assuming you're looking for the 'magic box' then?"
Zelgadis was dusting Lina's hear of cobwebs as Amelia helped Sylphiel & Gourry through the hole in the ground. "It's call the Lynx box, according to Xellos. He sent us to do his dirty work."
Amelia opened her mouth for a second, but a very hard stare from Zel kept her trap shut.
"Heh, figures. I haven't seen that Mazoku fellow yet. I guess he knows I'm more irritated right now." Lina batted her eyes in disgust. "Turnip is after our ass, and we figured his little gizmo is up here, spreading all its wonderful joy in the world."
"Yea, some joy. Whatever this thing is, its blocking all of our magic."
"You're telling me," exclaimed Amelia, "at least there's plenty of guards in this city. They keep the place nice and safe." She thought back to her encounter with mad Thoth and shuddered.
"Anoo, unless they're after you," said Lina. "I can't wait to get to the bottom of all this."
Zelgadis chuckled. "Gourry, are you all right? You seem a bit hazy and quiet."
The swordsman burped. "Oh, it's nothing. Really."
Lina stared at Gourry.
"Lina! Come here!" The soft voice of Sylphiel interrupted Lina's story.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sylphiel. I'm coming."
The rest of the group joined the shrine maiden on the far side of the darkened library, where they found the purple haired one in a lull. She was intensely staring at the wall tapestry as if were the most important thing in the whole world.
"Wow," stuttered Amelia. "I've never seen anything like it."
The tapestry took up most of the far wall, for it was at least ten or so feet high and at least twice as wide as its height. Around the corners, were pictures of dragons, flying left and right, to and fro. Even thought they were in dragon form, they held in their claws a shield and a spear. Each of the shields was emblazed with a lightening rod.
But it was the center of the tapestry that took the center of attention. It was of a city -- no, a golden city of tall and delicate spires. Towers reaching far into the air, almost touching depth of space. The vertical city was clustered rather closely as it floated...on a cloud. Great, magnificent plums of clouds surrounded the base of the city, supporting the entire structure and giving it a look of pure fantasy. Next to the city were great channels of water, flowing among the layers of white. It was a sight.
"Oh Cepheid. It's such a story," commended Sylphiel, still spellbound from the beautiful tapestry.
"Story, what story?" asked Lina.
"Well, it was a tale that my father used to tell me. It was called the City of Clouds. It was a place of heavens, that you could never reach beyond the great barrier."
Everyone hushed quiet.
"The story goes that the city floats among the heavens of this world, only coming down on the opposite side of rainbow. Those who souls you actually seen the city of the clouds with their eyes are supposedly blessed by the great Cepheid himself. It is supposed to be the most holy of places, for the magic they practice is supposedly like no other in the world."
"How come I haven't seen this city or even heard of this fairy tale?" asked Zelgadis.
"I don't know," said Sylphiel. "The City of Clouds is supposedly just a myth, that's all. I've never heard of anyone seeing the city in our lifetimes."
"I'm not convinced that this city was real. After all, it sounds like a children's bedtime story." The chimera was not amused.
"Well, a lot of stuff that is unbelievable to us has come true," said Lina. "Sometimes I don't believe it for myself either." The sorcerer twirled around the room. "Amelia, did you find anything else interesting here?"
"Yea," answered Amelia. "There are these books that shock you."
"Really? Let me see!" The ladies ran off the enchanted stacks. Lina rushed right over to the stack, grabbing the closest book to her fingers. The enchanted hardcover did was every other book had done and kindly zapped the sorcerer.
"Ow! Baka!" The novel stumbled out of Lina's hands to the floor. This didn't deter her one bit from reaching down and trying again.
"Damn it! What the hell are you!" She playfully kicked the volume in anger across the floor.
"A book that doesn't want to be read," Zelgadis mumbled. "It seems I'm the only one who can touch them with no affect."
"Really?" asked Lina. "Let me try something." She quickly turned to an approaching Gourry.
"Gourry dear" Lina's voice was as smooth as silk. "Could you pick up that book for me?"
Gourry wordlessly picked up the fallen enchanted novel on the floor and handed it to Lina. "Here you go-"
"AIIIIGH!!!" The book seemed to get an extra bit of zap into Lina this time. "Baka!" The sorcerer could only hold on to it for a half-second as the book bounced onto the floor, this time with its pages opened.
Gourry was as swift as ever. "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me get that for you-"
"No! Don't." Lina tugged at Gourry's shirt, making sure the swordsman didn't come near the book again. "I like the book there -- leave it!"
"Lina! Look!" Amelia pointed to the open page in the book, of a very familiar drawing.
Sure enough, the book was showing a drawing of a city. Not just any city, but the City of Clouds.
"Hmmm, I'm sure these books are connected with our old fable here. Zel, you said you could touch the books. Right?"
"Hai," said Zel, "but what point would I have to a book I can't read," he questioned.
"I don't know. But take it with us, it's the first real clue that the City of Clouds may not be a mysterious place after all." She gripped as her aching hands at the same time. "I'm sure of it, now."
"Well, where to now?" Asked Sylphiel. "We still haven't found the magic box yet."
"Yea, it's got to be higher in this crazy tower. How about if we go up the stairs, here?" Lina looked at the circular staircase that was hidden among the central stacks of books. The iron works looked rickety at best.
"Those stairs?" Amelia gulped.
"Let's go." Lina almost ran up the iron circular walk way as it seemed to climb the center of the tower. No rooms lined the inside of the tower, it was just a great big open space with the iron spiral of stairs going up. They were up twenty flights at least when the stairs finally led to a small room capping the tower. Most of the tower roof was exposed to the outside elements.
Lina walked into the outside corridor, the rest of the group slowly came out with her, still seemly attached at the hip. "Let's go, I don't know what you're so scared of."
The night air was cold but well lit by the large half-moon in the sky. A very slight breeze swirled around, swishing Lina's cape around her legs.
The sorcerer could almost smell it in the air, for it was like her sixth sense. This was quite special. "Careful everyone. Wizards and sorcerers have always had a sense of their magic and the magic of others, especially when they are shouting their chaos words." The heair on the back of her neck was electric, for she knew something was up. "I feel something around here guys, and it feels very familiar..."
No one said a word as they crept further into the open tower courtyard. They were so high that not a blade of tree nor wall could be seen over the tower banisters.
Lina continued her spoken tale. "During the time of imagination of words into images, during that exact moment; a sense, a distinction come to form. Almost as an itch, a sorcerer can tell the point of a spell from nothingness to creation. "
"I feel it too," responded Zelgadis.
Sylphiel nodded as well.
"Each of us is able to control a bit of chaos, more and more each day," said Lina. "Though the reason for more advanced spells come with practice, knowledge, and repetition. Something, that's all it is."
"Uh-huh." nodded Amelia. "Is that why I can't seem to fry evil doers with Dragon Slave?"
Zelgadis grumbled, "Well, that's one reason."
They continued to walk along the roof in the moonlight. "This time, " Lina murmured to herself, "this time..."
"Lina?" asked her sidekick of a blond bodyguard. "Ummm, something's growing out of your hair." Gourry said it blandly as he pointed to Lina's red mane rather childishly.
"Whaaa!"
"Uh-huh. Right there!" Gourry pointed for everyone to see as the rest of them curiously grouped around the petite sorcerer.
Indeed, there was something popping off Lina's head. At first, it was very faint, almost like a dark and foreboding shadow. The sudden saturation of stillness did not stop it from fluttering like a miniature torch of fire. It flickered dark maroon on and off, as it were under the influence of the strong winds.
"Where?" Lina was a bit hysterical. "Am I no fire?"
"No," pointed out Zel. "At least I don't think so."
"Now I see it," commented Sylphiel. "It looks nice. And it glows."
Lina sweat dropped. She couldn't as well see the top her own head, butt wasn't like it felt like fire-
"Zel, your head!" shouted the sorcerer, pointed to chimera's head.
The blue one was also now flame-tipped with a matching faint strip of blue flicking over his stony spiky hair. "Oh, brother."
"I think we should go," as Lina pointed to the opposite site of the tower yard, "this way..."
The feelings became stronger, as the sorcerer's mind was being slowly drawn into a stream of magic. No, not magic. Of chaos. It was of a power she couldn't explain. Her hair, for she could see even on the reflection of her chaos stones on her wrists, was now almost ablaze in the same dark maroon color, spewing out energy at an alarming rate. Almost illuminating the area beside her; the shower of light wasn't pure nor touchable, but barely something touchable. Chaos spoke to her not as a language, but as an emotion; for under her breath Lina could feel the flowing out of her soul.
Following their instincts, they followed Lina followed their path away from the central spire and out into a larger open-aired courtyard. Each step forward became a new experience, indeed.
"Amelia! You have one too!" shouted Gourry. The rest of the group looked at the short princess with a small shower of silver energy coming from her head. It was then that Lina turned around to look at Sylphiel.
The purple shrine maiden was also springing a flame of chaos. It was the color of pure white; even its sparkle from the stream of energy seemed so much brighter than Lina's glow. The purity and goodness of the flame shone like a newborn star, a light that was absolutely without impure colors.
"Sylphiel, I had no idea..." blindly said Lina, staring into the shrine maiden's light.
Amelia had her own silver highlights, but she could only gaze at the clearness of Sylphiel's chaos. "You look so absolutely beautiful, as a shrine maiden could only look."
Sylphiel blushed red, her arms crossed over in total embarrassment. "I didn't know that this was going to happen...really."
Lina came back from her position to consult with everyone. "Luckily, I don't see this as a problem yet. We don't have any powers right now, its not like the chaos streams are hurting anything."
"Are you sure?" answered Zelgadis.
"No, not really." She turned back to Sylphiel. "Now, try to keep that chin up of yours. OK?"
"Yes, Lina."
Zelgadis gestured with his hands to continue forward. When they all stepped forward, it was Lina that had to turn around and look at Gourry.
The swordsman was keeping to himself, kicking a small rock across the tower courtyard. If everyone had a chaos stream -- it was Gourry that didn't have one. Not a hair on his blond head was glowing at all.
Poor Gourry, thought Lina. Sometimes he really needs his sword of light back. "Hey Gourry!" she shouted. "Aren't you going to protect me?"
The swordsman raised his depressed head up. "Hai!"
Amelia interrupted with a shout from the side of the tower rooftop. "Over here, Lina! There's something you should see!" Her voice seemed threatened as they turned the corner to the other side.
The princess stood agape to the center of attention in front of her. Her mouth was open, but silent nevertheless. She took to leaning on Lina, using her for support while her eyes stared forward at the scene unfolding before her very eyes.
Lina kippered up, "I believe we found what we're looking for."
Above Lina, her own chaos seemed to throb even louder with excitement. Disturbed that its secret had been found out, it drifted up and away as if it were still alive. It churned in a vortex of colors and energies above their position, swirling like a giant pinwheel of stars. Below the whirlpool of energy, it cascaded from a cone into a narrowest of funnels--
Into a box.
Only about a foot tall, the box was a whole lot thinner than taller. Nevertheless, every eye from the group looked impressively on its surface.
"Wow." Lina took dainties of steps forward as she looked closer. Even at her short height, she still had to squat down a bit to see the gilded form of the golden box. Parts of the box were carved in the shapes of moons and clouds. Where there were no exterior carvings, the chaos box glowed like a slow beat of illumination from shear excess of chaos energy, then it would fade and repeat. This gave the impression that chaos box was actually alive.
"I've never seen anything like this." as she stared at the Lynx box. "Do you have any idea...Zel?"
Everyone else was no longer looking as Lina nor the chaos box, but at Zelgadis. The chimera was staring at his now uncloaked hand and arm, which instead of the pure chimera form of stone; was swirling with the energies of chaos.
Chaos energy flamed around his flesh, bubbling and boiling his skin around in great currents of energy, sweeping away the chimera blueness. As it dissipated, a human form slowly came to light. Surely enough, his form was turning towards normal flesh. He looked at his other arm for a second, and saw his stone chips dissolve like mud and pinkish fully fleshed skin to appear.
The rest of the group could only watch the former chimera, his face still stony but dissolving in the bath of chaos energy -- right before their eyes. It was as if Zelgadis had been dipped in magic waters, the effect of his chimera complexion was slowly fading away.
"Zel!!!" shouted Lina.
"Unbelievable!" Amelia was more hyper than usual. "Your quest!"
"I'm..." The former chimera clutched his body and pinched himself, not believing his wishes were coming true. Falling to his knees in disbelief, his now human eyes dropped tears. "I...can't believe...that Xellos."
"What," shouted Sylphiel, "what about..."
Zelgadis was on his knees, tearing. "That he told me...truth."
"Be careful, Zel." Lina eyed the shadows beyond the chaos box as they danced against the light of excess chaos. "Xellos has never been so forgiving."
"Shhh..." Amelia was helping the former chimera as she glomped his human hand. "Hold it there, Zel. Take it one step at a time."
"But, but..." His heart raced with such excitement. "My whole life, I've been searching-"
"Hey, quiet!" Lina's eyes darted away from the group and into the shadows. "We've got company."
A large gaggle of Turnip security guards emerged from the hidden darkness, each member armed with their small crossbows, pointed at Lina and company. Behind them, another standing shadow emerged. Easily identifiable from all the obnoxious signage and posters, it was Turnip himself.
"I thought he would be bigger," said Zelgadis.
Lina shot the former chimera a dirty look.
"Ah, the great Lina Inverse reduced to a mere mortal. How delightful to meet for the first time...and might I add, for the last time..."
The guards edged closer, awaiting their deathly orders
The red-headed sorcerer didn't answer to Turnip's threats. Instead of directly looking into Turnip, she chanted chaos words into her hands...
"You, who are darker than twilight..."
"Lina?" said Sylphiel
"Are you crazy!" Zel was backing up, with the rest of them in two.
"...who are more crimson than flowing blood..."
"We're all going to die!" Amelia ran around Zel for a second, her hands up like the sky was falling.
Her anger bubbled, as if fed by the fear of her comrades. She didn't care anymore. She knew that they would survive, she just didn't know how.
"...You and I together will give ruin and no one can escape from us..."
"DRAGON SLAVE!"
The spell ignited in her hands all warm and strong with a burst of a brilliant flame.
Then without even a puff, it burst like an air balloon and was gone.
"Wha...wha...what happened!" The sorcerer looked into her empty hands, as she tried the grasp at the vast amounts of chaos energy around her.
For above Lina's head, the flames of chaos colors swirled with luminance never seen by a moral eye before. The maddening chaos glowed like fire, its path drawing into the sky and trying to escape its doom, sweeping across in a tornado of energy...down into the chaos box.
"No!"
"Nice try." Turnip backed off a few feet behind his guards, grinning all the way. "But it won't work. I know it will never work." He smiled and pointed forward at Lina's company. "Kill them! Bring their heads to me!"
"Eeek!" screamed Amelia.
The first row of troops drew their crossbows to a armed position has they kneeled, the second row took up the gaps right behind the first row. A second later, the air was filled with flying arrows.
Lina was scared.
There were times when the all-powerful Lina Inverse had her monthly curse. There were times that Lina had faced down the lords of the Mazoku. There were times that she even faced the gods from other worlds. There were times when the entire world was in the grasp of her small, tiny hands.
This was not one of those times.
Powerless. Not gods, not a Mazoku. A power and magic she knew nothing about, against humans that her own powers had been toothless. Nor did she know when her own magic was to return and come back.
Lina was truly scared.
She luckily dodged the first volley of arrows. She was about to jump into the air again, when the sorcerer was suddenly pushed to the ground.
"Lina, stay down!"
"Gourry..."
The redhead was covered head to toe by Gourry's armor and body. For once, Lina was glad that she was a smallish, petite woman, easily hiding under Gourry's larger armored body.
"I'm fine, really..." But she didn't even think about her protected self as she looked back at the rest of rest of them. She saw the Saillune princess was first; the quick and nimble girl was already peeking safely from behind a barrel. She flashed her 'OK' motion with her fingers to Lina in delight. And Zelgadis, thought Lina, would surely OK with his rock-hardened body; he would be able to protect Sylphiel from danger as well.
But only if Zelgadis was a chimera.
He moaned for a second, the sound loud even with the half a dozen arrows stuck in his back. Behind him, Sylphiel was on her knees, untouched and protected by the former chimera's sacrifice.
"Heh." Turnip laughed from his gut, for it was an ugly sound to hear. He levitated into the air from behind his troops, the scepter in his left hand glowed animosity with chaos power.
Lina stood up from off the ground, her weight leaning on Gourry who was still crawling on the courtyard floor. Beaten up a bit from a couple of arrows stuck in the clinks of the armor, his body was mostly unscathed. The sorcerer looked back again at Sylphiel, who had Zel leaning on her as she tried to tend to the former chimera's wounds.
Zelgadis growled, a bit softer now as he wisped for air between words. "I'm fine, really...just give me a minute to..." He coughed and choked up a few drops of human blood. "To rest."
The expressions on Sylphiel and Amelia's faces were grave indeed.
"Turnip!" Lina's eyes blazed wide open with anger.
"Ms. Inverse." Turnip was now twenty feet above his guards, floating around like a nice and easy target. "Do you honestly expect me to accept your unconditional surrender?"
"You have no right!"
"I have no right? It wasn't I who didn't pay her Inverse Tax..." Turnip mocked poor Lina by pointing his index finger at her.
"That's not the reason!"
"Ahhhh, true. But it wasn't you who plan the save the orphans house, it wasn't you who snuck into my private library, and it certainly wasn't you who is on this roof...doing who knows what. It is true, then, I that have other reasons to eliminate you"
"No." Lina stared up blandly at Turnip. "Chasing us around your crazy casino all night. Trying to capture us, eliminate us..." She pulled out her short sword and pointed it up toward the mad leader. "If you expected us to surrender, then you don't know of me at all."
Turnip sneered. "Surrender. Hardly." He raised his scepter high into the air; as if on cue it glowed angrily of light energy, a twin in likeness to the very chaos box. "No, I expect you to die!"
"Lina!" Gourry was up and about, now standing in front of his protectorate. Facing upward into the sky, he spoke hoarsely toward Turnip, "I will not allow you to continue!"
"Gourry..."
"You're going to have to go through me, Gourry Galbrev."
Turnip smirked. "Fine. I have no problem the that..."
"Baka!" Lina couldn't believe Gourry stupid chivalry in these moments. Once again, he was throwing his life in front of her body in a futile chance to save her live. Though it was a nice gesture.
"Guards!" shouted Turnip, "Attack positions! Await my final orders!"
They responded instantly like the well-trained solders they were. In perfect formation, they loaded their crossbows, the new arrow points ready to fire.
Turnip laughed. "It's no use, Lina Inverse. I shall enjoy carving your name on my dinner table, next to all the other victims that have suddenly 'disappeared' from Monte Darlo."
No! thought Lina, there was no way she was going to let this second-rate madman win. Anything would do...anything...come on!... Think! What to do...what to do...
And the corner of her eye caught something in the distance.
She reached behind into her far back pocket, well hidden from view and quite impossible to find in a search. It was there she found her objective -- and pulled out her pistol.
"Eh? What is this?" Turnip's eye brows shot up in suspense.
"You know very well, damn you." Lina was in no mood to play games.
"Ah," responded Turnip, with a sign of recognition. "I heard of such new primitive weapons. No matter, I'm well aware of their capabilities. They are quite useless in piercing my personal shield of protection."
Lina held the pistol up, squarely at Turnip. Her arms faintly shaking while she bit on her lip. "We shall see."
Turnip's specter started to glow again, its power ever-so increasing, feeding on the chaos energy that swirled around him. Lina could see his face, wishing that the evil act of her own destruction was only a second away. "Time to say goodbye, Lina Inverse."
And then, Lina pulled at her arms in, aiming the pistol downward.
"No! Not that!"
She fired.
"Nooooooo!!" Turnip yelled, his lighted specter blinked furiously at the moment of it all.
Lina's shot straight away across the tower rooftop, its detonation echoed among the stone courtyard walls. The gun had not been aimed at Turnip, but at the chaos box. It neatly intersected the far upper corner of the box; Lina's aim had been just off. But it made it nevertheless, chipping off a precious tiny corner. The damage at first seemed quite minimal. But clearly something was wrong as the chaos energy flowed out like it was emerging steam from a cooker pressure.
"You Bitch!!"
Chaos was mad, chaos was fuming. The box that had once held such powers of the desired shouted in frustration, its internal energies yearning to be freed. The box throbbed in illumination, its walls suddenly hairline spidering with hot-white cracks. The controlled chaos once held hostage was now freed -- untapped, unabashed, a force that was to be reckoned with.
"What have you done!!" Turnip's face was scared shitless.
And then, all hell broke loose.
The chaos box didn't just crack open like an eggshell, but it disintegrated as the raw chaos freed itself, rushing out like light itself, thundering as it quickly overtook Lina and her companions, Turnip, and the entire tower. A mix of light and chaos filled the air, circulating high into the starry sky, swirling at an incredible rate, a tsunami wave of energy. It was green, then blue, then purple. Then, it was on top of them.
"What...have I done," spoke Lina, under her breath.
"Lina!" yelled Gourry just before the wave hit them both square on.
Chaos streaked out across the sky, like a tidal wave. Spreading out in all directions, it swept across the darkened horizon.
The sheer force drove Lina and Gourry all the way to the other side of the roof tower. The sharp, inward-bending railing of stone trapped their thrown bodies safety from a fall.
Turnip's guards had not been so lucky. Closer to the near wall, many of the guards were thrown off the tower roof to their impending doom. The few that were left were in no condition to move, their huddled bodies were battered and broken.
Thunder quieted as the last of the chaos streaked into the darkness. The air was no longer charged with such strange and foreign energy, such aberrant energy had dissipated to nature itself. Only the moonlight shone down on the quiet tower; only the wind could be heard.
---o--o--o---
Xellos was busy holding one of the many enchanted books, scanning it over a lit candle. Hot wax poured onto the left page that he had just read, ruining it. Below his feet were other books read by Xellos, their pages permanently waxing together from his handiwork.
The tower shook. Violently. Books fell off shelves, a bit of ceiling cracked as plaster collapsed. He could see the night sky had become illuminated through the broken library window.
"Ahhh." Xellos gems on his neck glowed for a second has he took a quick breath. He reached into the astral plane for a second, pulling out his staff to reality. "That feels a lot better."
More ceiling gave way, dropping pieces of hot ash and fire from above. Placing the book into the library rack, he nudged the entire shelf a bit hard, tipping the old wooden rack in the awaiting smoldering floor. "Oh, dear. How clumsy of me..."
He looked up at the tapestry, of the City built on Clouds. Magnificent towers, bridges, and buildings, built impossibly on substance that was almost as light as air. Fire licked at the bottom of the tapestry as it ignited, the very image burning away.
"I must make sure." Grinning, Xellos disappeared just before a fiery wooden timber crashed down, igniting up the rest of the library.
---o--o--o---
Gourry was still holding onto Lina, embracing her petite body when she awoke. The sorcerer looked down into her hands, the wooden firearm cradled in its fired position. She could feel Gourry stirring around her once more; she dared not to move. It was actually in comfort, for Lina was quite content to lie on Gourry, just as long as she was doing the lying.
It all had been rather apparent to Lina: if Gourry hadn't pulled her down, she would have been a pancake on the faraway ground.
"Lina." Gourry's voice was parched and dry. "Are you ok?" The soft sound of the swordsman's voice was as soothing she had ever heard. "I didn't think that we'd..."
"Hush, Gourry." She turned to him once again, looking into that face of her once and always protector. The blond hair, the eternal charm, it was...devastating. Somehow, she thought, she would always be there for Gourry, and Gourry would always be there for her. Almost like...
"Zel!"
Lina was up in a dash, running to back of the tower courtyard.
"Zel!"
Sylphiel was still leaning over the form of Zelgadis, with Amelia wrapped on the other half of the former chimera's body. They had not moved far from the former chimera's position.
"Lina..." Sylphiel was up first, stirring around. She stirred up Amelia with a tug on the shoulder, and the princess awoke as well.
"He's cold...he's..." Amelia's eyes watered sadly as deep and ugly thoughts ran through her mind. She started to tear, the drops of pain falling on Zel's cloaked body.
"He's got no pulse..." Sylphiel voice was cold and heartless as it could be. She chanted her holy spell, but the magic seemed to have little effect. His body had no need for healing. "No..."
No!, thought Lina, it couldn't end like this! Never could it end up like this. Too much time had been at stake, for Zelgadis had searched for so much of his life to become human. To end up dead only a few minutes after his goal...would be unthinkable.
Lina motioned to the shrine maiden to help her turn over the cloaked body of Zelgadis. And in flipping him over, revealed a face, arms, and hands...of a chimera. It was his cloak that had covered his second transformation from a human back into his former. Where arrows had pierced and stabbed at his soft human skin, were healed with stone-like scabs. His body, now completely mended, expired cold air once again.
"Zel..." Lina shouted.
Eyes fluttered open.
"Zel!" Amelia glomped onto Zelgadis' arm, holding him as tightly as she could humanly grasp.
"Amelia....Lina...." His voice was tired...very tired. The chimera reached around dimly at first and tried to get up. He was sternly pushed back to the ground by the hands of Sylphiel.
"Wha...happened?" He reached up into the sky with his hands, almost as an afterthought. The sleeves of his cloak because of gravity, slid down his arms to his elbow. It only revealed the truth of his body, faster than the three ladies could say anything more...
"No...No...it's not possible!!" Zel stared at his limb, the familiar stony blue skin actually shone against the dim moonlight. He bent his arm around in other angles, his eyes shone with such acuteness that they could have burned sin away. The chimera could only now imagine the human flesh that was once on his bones.
"To be human, that is my goal. It's a simple task, isn't it?" He shivered slightly as he spoke his words, dropping his arms again.
"I didn't have a choice, Zel." Lina's moist, red hair covered her tearing red-soaked eyes. The sorcerer held her head low, unable to look into the eyes of the chimera. "You were going to die. We were all...going to die."
"And therefore, my nightmare continues."
And Zelgadis turned himself over and cried.
---o--o--o---