Author's note: In a nutshell, this 'fic is Try from Xelloss's POV. No particular reason, just pure, Xelloss-y goodness. Evilness? Anyway, I don't own Slayers.
Somewhere, a dragon just teleported.
The ripple made by a dragon converting its mass to the Astral Plane is unmistakable; the very fabric of a dragon's aura screams protest as it hauls the physical body along. The tell-tale ripples make a teleporting dragon easy to trace, and combined with the difficulty of such a task, make the act fairly rare. Your average dragon teleports once every few years.
However, a dragon just teleported, and did so near Lina Inverse.
The petty matter I'd been attending to can wait. The anchor in Lina's substance pulls me swiftly to her, and I can see the dragon lumbering heavily through the Astral Plane, wings rowing uselessly. A golden dragon. Very interesting. She drops back into the physical plane with a small sigh of relief, but doesn't seem drained by the act of teleporting. Sinking lower, binding my aura so that she doesn't detect me, I hover just outside the physical plane and look at her. Well, that explains it, she's in human form. That makes it less exhausting, dragging only a small human body around. She puts her hands to one of the baubles she's wearing, and begins a somewhat lengthy and demanding process of changing back into her natural form. She must be young – it shouldn't be that much of a struggle to shift back.
With an obviously forced scream of what's supposed to be primal rage, she launches herself from the tower and makes a series of passes over the docks and boats. There is minor damage and moderate chaos, and I wonder what the silly thing's trying to do. My lovely little friends scamper onto one of the ships, obviously intending to lure the dragon out to sea. Lina's enthused, Gourry's blinded by his moment of understanding, even the chimera's a bit excited – but the little white-magic princess is dismayed. Another pass, and the captain and crew jump ship. Amelia grounds herself with a snap, taking command and polishing her favorite phrases about justice. The ships wallow into position, and a row of white-magic sorcerers prepare to launch an assault on the dragon as she comes back around. I can't help but be amused – white magic, against a dragon? A being created by the very entity that white magic draws from? The rest of the fight is as much a farce as the first attack was; the dragon knows how to fly, that's for sure. Lina's had just about enough. I can feel her frustration, and that steel behind the fire. She's marginally more effective than the others are, but the dragon is still unscathed. Her temper is almost at the boiling point. Wait for it, wait for it . . .
"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. . ."
There is a short pause, and then the influx of Lord Ruby Eye's power electrifies the Astral Plane around her, forming a swirling vortex of black energy that crackles red as it centers upon her. The talismans that amplify her powers glow slightly in response, and the dragon tries desperately to get out of range. Just before the blast consumes her, however, she hurls herself back into the Astral Plane. The sea's response to the explosion hurls Lina's ship further from shore, stranding my favorite people.
Well, well, well. A golden dragon causing chaos and luring Lina away from the lands previously covered by the seal. I know we'd agreed to let the dragonkin into and out of the area freely, but we honestly didn't expect them to send someone in so soon.
There is a bit of a squabble; they could technically get back to shore, but Lina doesn't want to go back. She didn't intend to cause that much damage to the port town, but apology has never been her strong suit and it's easier for her to blame the 'Filia' that she suspects caused the dragon attack, and fueled by the desire to wreak her vengeance upon the girl, she uses unfair logic and bullying to get her way. I'm so proud of her! It looks like my presence has been rubbing off on her. Let the dragonkin try to use her as a pawn in their schemes; once she discovers that Filia is the golden dragon that attacked the port town, they'll have no chance. Lina hates being manipulated more than anything else in the world, and the dragonkin aren't very good at it. Mazoku, on the other hand, are. Lina's a piece on My Lord Beastmaster's side of the chess board, and has been since she was twelve.
Ah, Lina, things are never boring around you. Whatever shall we do when you're gone?