Slayers SEED: Phase 05
by Handsome Puppy
Disclaimer:Slayers belongs to Hajime Kanzaka/Rui Araizumi/Kadokawa Shoten/TV TOKYO/SOFTX/Marubeni. The title of Gundam SEED belongs to Sunrise/Bandai. This story and all the original characters are mine. This story is AU.
Zelgadiss was the first one to stir. At least, that was what he thought when he woke up to a very early morning. One quick glance around the room told him that there were only three people present, as supposed to four. One of the beds was not occupied.
"Filia!" Zelgadiss jumped out from his lying position, waking up the sorceress and the swordsman with the noise he made.
"Hmm? What's the matter, Zel?" Lina yawned sleepily and rubbed her eyes.
Before the chimera could answer, the door opened to reveal the Gold Dragon maiden, who appeared to be just returning from a morning bath.
"Good morning, everyone." Filia greeted them with a bright smile.
"Good morning." Gourry, still seated on the floor, replied happily. "How are you feeling, Filia? Better?"
"Yes, thank you."
"It's not safe to go out alone, Filia." Zelgadiss warned. "Especially when you are being targeted."
"Relax, Zel." Lina waved one hand unconcernedly. "She only went for a quick bath. Can't blame a girl for liking it clean."
"Speaking of which, where's the idiot that likes to smile so much?" Zelgadiss said.
"Xelloss is probably lurking in the shadows somewhere." Lina shrugged.
"He's right over there." Filia said, glaring and pointing at the neatly made bed beside Lina's. Everyone turned to look at the empty bed and saw the grinning priest materialising before their eyes.
"My, my. You're getting pretty good at detecting me, Filia-san." Xelloss smiled in his usual cheery way.
"Don't think I didn't know you followed me all the way to the bath house." Filia growled.
"He peeped on you!" Zelgadiss' hand went for his sword reflexly.
"I would never do that, Zelgadiss-san. I only waited outside the bath house" Xelloss said with a slight frown. "Filia-san does have a better figure than the washboard over there, but why waste my time and energy on peeping when I can wrap her up with my-"
The Trickster Priest found himself in a headlock, and a mace with very sharp spikes was right in front of his face.
"Who are you calling washboard, huh!" Lina tightened her grip and bared her fangs.
Filia's face was red, and anger didn't seem to be the only cause. "One more word and I will beat you to a Mazoku pulp, Xelloss!"
"What's going on? What did Xelloss do?" Gourry looked at the chimera with puzzlement.
"Don't ask. He deserves whatever punishment they give him." Zelgadiss replied, thankful that he didn't have to hear what Xelloss was going to say, whatever it was.
+ - + - + - + - + - +
"OK! Now that we're all here, let's discuss our next move." Lina announced. They just ordered something for breakfast and were waiting for the food in the dining area downstairs.
"Move on to find the other Clair Bibles like we originally planned, or take care of the Caiza problem first." Zelgadiss named the options.
"Why are we looking for the Bible things again?" Gourry asked.
Lina suppressed the urge to smack him, with no small effort. "The Ryuuzoku Supreme Primus, who is the keeper and the guardian of the real Clair Bibles on Dragon's Peak, received a vision indicating that the seals on the copies of the Clair Bibles scattering around the world have been weakening. Once the seals lose their power, those manuscripts which contain wealth of magic and spells will be free for the taking. If the ones with great power fall into the wrong hands, whether it be people with evil intentions or Mazoku, this world is doomed.
"Filia left her temple to answer the Supreme Primus' call to deal with the Clair Bibles manuscripts. We happened to stumble into her at one of the sites and agreed to help her. In exchange, Filia promised to let Zel have a copy of the part he wants, and we get to keep whatever treasures we find during the search. That's why we're looking for the Clair Bibles."
"Oh."
"How many copies of the Clair Bibles are still out there?" Zelgadiss asked.
Filia closed her eyes in concentration in order to communicate with the Ryuuzoku Supreme Primus on Dragon's Peak. Being the only one willing to undertake the mission, Filia was given the authority to report directly to the Supreme Primus without having to consult the elders of her temple, though she still kept in touch with the temple every now and then.
"There are two more Clair Bibles sealed somewhere, and one of these two holds power strong enough to influence the balance of the world." Filia said after a few minutes. "The other one would have the cure for Zelgadiss-san." The chimera's eyes lit up at her words.
"Well, the answer is clear, isn't it?" Xelloss said with a grin. "We go and search for the last Clair Bibles."
"Yes." Lina nodded solemnly. "I don't know what kind of power are within the last two copies, but as long as one of them is powerful enough to disrupt the balance, we must get it before the others."
"Who are the others?" Gourry asked.
"Mazoku, of course, and maybe some ambitious humans." Zelgadiss said, his hard gaze fell on the smiling priest. "And there's also Xelloss..."
"Speaking of which, I bet you're just tagging along and waiting for your chance to snatch what we find, huh? Xelloss?" Lina glared at the Mazoku Trickster.
The moment he showed up in front of the little party, they knew they couldn't afford to have any hard copies lying around. Lina sent Gourry and Zelgadiss to distract the priest while she helped Filia to a more secluded place. The two males resorted to an attack consisted of declaration and exclamation of the greatness and joy of life, and Filia used the time they bought her to take in the manuscripts. Being a high priestess of the Ryuuzoku, she could inherit the knowledge by swallowing the object that contain whatever texts in her dragon form.
"I haven't done that yet, have I?" Xelloss offered an innocent smile.
"And do you know how much trouble we had to go through just so you couldn't do that?" Lina growled. Zelgadiss looked like he was going to vomit by the end of the 'attack', she recalled.
"But he told Filia to take the one we found yesterday, Lina." Gourry chose that moment to comment and earned himself a glare from the sorceress.
"If we weren't attacked by those stupid Mazoku, there's no way that Xelloss was going to NOT try and take it." Lina shot another look at the grinning priest.
"At any rate, we have to prevent the others from getting the last two Clair Bibles." Zelgadiss concluded. He sighed inwardly when he saw the procession of waitresses with food coming their way. So much for the morning discussion.
"FOOD!" The sorceress and the swordsman happily dived into the mountain of food. The other three decided to move to another table in search for a little peace and quiet.
"What's the matter, Filia? You are awfully quiet this morning." The chimera asked.
"Eh? No, it's just..." Filia's voice trailed off. She looked out the window.
"Expecting companies, Filia-san?" The cheery voice of Xelloss said from behind her. Filia turned slightly to look at the smiling man but said nothing.
"So it is." Zelgadiss nodded. "I wouldn't worry too much about enemies other than Caiza. After all, even though Mazoku have a common goal of destroying the world, they never work together to achieve it. If anything, I'd say that they might even try to keep Caiza from killing you."
"Indeed. It is every Mazoku's dream to meet L-sama... unless one wants to rebel against Her, that is." Xelloss smiled meaningfully.
"So we can expect Mazoku to attack and try to capture Filia, but they won't harm her?" Zelgadiss mused.
"I wouldn't say they won't harm her." Xelloss smirked. "There are many ways to make one talk that's short of a direct death threat."
Filia bit her lips, trying to push the repulsive thoughts away for the moment. "I say we go and check out the maze Zelgadiss-san mentioned before."
"Sure, why not." The voice of a certain red head said, making the three jump.
"You've finished eating? Already?" The three blinked at the sorceress and the swordsman.
"Well, I WOULD like to have more, but they ran out." Lina complained, not happy at all. The three sweat dropped.
"Let's go, then." Zelgadiss got up and walked toward the door. Filia paid and exited with the rest of the party.
Lina glanced around as she led the group down the road. "Where did Xelloss go? Disappearing on us again?"
"Who cares. He goes off by himself all the time." The chimera shrugged. Filia knew that Xelloss was still with them, only invisible, but she didn't bother to point out his whereabouts.
+ - + - + - + - + - +
When they arrived at the crossroad that they passed by a few days ago, it was close to noon.
"So far so good." Gourry commented.
"It better stays this way until we find the manuscripts." Lina said, frowning slightly because she knew it was just wistful thinking.
"I'm afraid we have visitors." Filia stopped walking. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to the left.
"Just as expected from a Ryuuzoku high priestess." A soft chuckle reached their ears, and two figures appeared suddenly out of thin air.
"Mazoku?" Lina and the others immediately went into battle stances.
"Lina Inverse. We've heard much about you." The female with a long red braid chuckled.
"Oh yeah? Nice to know." Lina countered without much mirth. "And who might you be?"
"I am Sherra, and this is Grau." She pointed at the tall man with silvery grey spikes beside her. "We are the general and priest of Dynast Grausherra."
The group, minus Gourry, was slightly surprised upon hearing the name of the Mazoku Lord.
"Dynast? I thought he is in hiding." Lina said grimly.
"Well, Dynast-sama won't be after we get the power of the Clair Bibles for him." Grau smirked.
"So! If you don't want your friends to get hurt, surrender and come with us, Ryuuzoku's high priestess!" Sherra threatened forcibly.
"Like you can actually touch us!" Lina retorted, a flare spell brewing in her palm.
"Hmph, wanna play?" Sherra snorted and drew her demon blade.
The air was tense as the two groups faced each other, weapons and spells ready on both sides. Then a bell-like giggle sounded.
"That voice..." Sherra narrowed her eyes. "It's Dolphin-sama's brat!"
"Brat? Is that what you are, Sherra?" The voice laughed, but the owner of the voice remained unseen.
Sherra growled. "Come out, Parna!"
"Sure." The voice giggled again, but nothing happened.
Filia frowned. Something didn't seem right. She jerked her head up suddenly and saw a shower of rays of light appearing out of nowhere and went straight for her. It happened so fast, that even though she saw them coming, she couldn't dodge all of them in time.
"Filia!" Lina shouted.
Filia braced herself, preparing to take the shots, but they never hit. Xelloss appeared in front of her and deflected the shots with a force shield. "Xelloss!"
"Didn't think I'd abandon you, did you? Filia-san?" Xelloss grinned. He turned casually to look at the direction where the shots were fired. "Testing me, Parna-san?"
Another soft chuckle was heard, then a beautiful girl with a long blue pony tail appeared. "I knew you'd come out from hiding if I aim at her. After all, Beastmaster-sama ordered you to protect her, Xel-kun."
"Xel- Xel-kun!" Lina and the group were taken aback by the girl's obvious familiarity with the Beast Priest.
"I can't believe you're still infatuated with that disgusting Trickster. It's been over half a millennium, Parna!" Sherra snorted with annoyance.
"You're just jealous because Xel-kun doesn't like you." Parna made a face and grabbed his arm first thing when she teleported beside him.
Filia blinked and edged away from Xelloss. Lina and the others came up to her.
"What do we do now?" Lina asked in a whispering voice. "I say we try to sneak away and let those Mazoku fight. They seem to be enemies."
"You're not thinking of leaving me behind, are you? Lina-san?" Xelloss suddenly appeared beside the little group and smiled, with Parna still clinging to him.
"AH!" Lina screamed into the Trickster Priest's ears. "Don't do that!"
"Arrrr!" Sherra was furious at being ignored. "What are you doing here, Parna? If you're here to take the Gold Dragon, you can keep dreaming because WE are the ones taking her!"
The group turned their attention back to the general of Dynast. Parna smiled cutely. "I'm not here to take the Gold Dragon. I just want to see Xel-kun!"
"Where is Vondezan, Parna?" Grau asked, his red eyes cold and serious. "I doubt that the general and priestess of Dolphin-sama would pass on the chance to break the seal with L-sama's power. If you are not here to catch the Gold Dragon, then surely Vondezan is."
"Observant as always, Grau-san." A handsome young man with long blue hair appeared in the space between Dynast's force and Lina's group. "Although you are partially mistaken."
"Vondezan!" Sherra gritted her teeth at the sight of Deep Sea's general. Being creations of the gentle-natured Deep Sea Dolphin, both Vondezan and Parna were peace loving and never the ones to cause destruction. It was so un-Mazoku-like in nature and completely opposed to the ways of her master, she hated them with a passion.
"It's been a long time, Xelloss-san." Vondezan nodded to the priest whose arm was still in the possession of his little sister, Parna.
"Ah, Vondezan-san!" Xelloss greeted him cheerfully. "Someone who listens to reason."
"Great, another high rank Mazoku." Lina muttered as the group looked on solemnly.
"So how was I partially mistaken? What do you plan to do with our catch, Vondezan?" Grau asked as if the said target was already within grasp. Filia twitched slightly.
"Whatever I plan to do is no business of yours, Grau-san." Vondezan said. "However, I would suggest you leave quickly, since I would have to deal with you if you decide to interfere with me."
"Ha! You think you can defeat us?" Sherra laughed. "You might be stronger than either of us, but Parna is considerably weaker. It would be an easy thing to get rid of her first." Since the generals and priests of Mazoku Lords usually combine their power and fight together, Deep Sea's servants were at a disadvantage if they were to enter a fight face-to-face because of the uneven distribution in power.
"I still think we should sneak away." Lina said in a low voice while the other two parties continued to talk/threaten each other. "They're ignoring us right now, anyway."
"But Xelloss isn't going to leave us alone, and that Parna girl is not leaving him alone. Even if we try, they'll notice in an instant." Zelgadiss said, glancing at the Mazoku priest who had his back to them at the moment.
The group fell into a dead silence, until a certain blond broke it. "What do all these Mazoku want, Lina?"
"Filia, of course! Haven't you been paying attention for the last two days!" Lina fisted the swordsman's collar and hissed.
"Is that what Xelloss wants, too?" Gourry managed to ask with some difficulty. "He is one of us, isn't he?"
Lina froze. She dropped her iron grip on the swordsman's collar and turned to look at Zelgadiss with a surprised look. "Hey, this might actually work!"
"What might?" The chimera and the dragon maiden asked.
"They're under the command of three Mazoku Lords, and that makes them at least partially enemies, right?" Lina started.
"Yeah, so what?" Zelgadiss said.
"If they have a fight right now, who would win?"
"Probably Xelloss. He is stronger than he looks. Besides, he doesn't have to rely on a partner while the other two groups do." Filia said.
"What does Xelloss want? With Filia, I mean." Lina started.
"Nothing at the moment, since his mistress ordered him to protect her until Caiza is defeated..." Zelgadiss' eyes widened with sudden realisation. "Wait, don't tell you that you're thinking of-"
"Of what?" Filia and Gourry asked.
"Caiza is probably looking for the last two Clair Bibles as we speak. We don't have time to deal with them now." Lina jabbed her thumb at the five Mazoku facing off not too far away. "The best solution we have is to split up. Zelgadiss and Gourry will go with me to look for the Clair Bibles. Filia will stay here to hold them back from interfering with the search."
"WHAT?" Filia shrieked. Zelgadiss covered her mouth quickly, but the high pitch scream already attracted the Mazoku's attention.
"What's the matter now, Filia-san?" Xelloss inquired curiously. The other four Mazoku also turned their direction.
"Not- Nothing." Filia choked out a reply.
"Actually, I think we can solve the sick little love triangle here." Lina spoke up, ignoring the appalled look on the Ryuuzoku's pale face. "We will leave Filia here, and you five can decide how to settle the matter. It's Filia you want, right? We don't want to fight high ranking Mazoku like you, especially when there're so many of you. If you leave the three of us alone, we will simply walk away without causing any trouble for you."
"Ah, abandoning a companion at times of difficulty. How typically human." Sherra smirked.
"We humans have short lives compare to you, so survival is the most important thing for us." Lina shrugged. Inwardly, though, she was very mad at being mocked thus, since she was the last person to leave her friend in need. But if the lie could get them off their case, she was willing to take the taunt.
"Hmph. Makes sense." Sherra snorted. "As long as you don't interfere with us, we are generous enough to spare you."
"And you? Do you agree with the deal?" Lina asked the servants of the Deep Sea.
"You were never part of the picture. Of course it'd be best if we resolve the matter without any fights." Vondezan said.
"Then it's settled." Lina nodded. She paused as she walked past the trembling priestess. "Forgive us, Filia..." With that, she left with the swordsman and the chimera.
"Lina-san..." Filia's eyes welled up with tears. She knew very well that this was indeed their best chance, so even though she really didn't want to face five Mazoku by herself, she played along.
"Now, now, Filia-san. Don't cry over such little thing." Xelloss freed himself from Parna and came up to the dragon maiden to pat her on the shoulder.
'They are leaving you to me, aren't they? It's a pretty risky plan Lina-san has here, but it has merits.' Filia glanced at him when she heard the voice in her mind. Xelloss was doing it again, forcing his thoughts onto her.
Xelloss turned around to face his fellow Mazoku with a change of demeanour, shedding off the disarming little grin for the mysterious yet dangerous smirk he usually wore when he meant business. "So, what is it that you plan to do with Filia-san?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Xelloss!" Sherra glared at him angrily, noticing how the Trickster used the little crying scene to stand beside the dragon maiden and effectively denied them direct access. "As if you don't want to know the way to meet L-sama. I would be surprised if Beastmaster-sama didn't order you to get the information from the Ryuuzoku high priestess!"
"Well, be surprised. She didn't. Not yet, anyway." Xelloss grinned at the stunned faces of Sherra and Grau. "And what is your intention for being here, Vondezan-san?"
"To obtain the power of L-sama in order to free Dolphin-sama from the seal. You know that already."
"Yes, I do. What I really want to know is the method of which you are planning to achieve it." Xelloss continued to smile. "Sherra-san and Grau-san are sure to use force to take her, but I don't think you would change your peaceful way now."
"I was planning to talk her into giving us the information willingly." Vondezan said. "If she could allow you to be near her, surely she is more tolerate and reasonable than the other Ryuuzoku."
"Talk her into it?" Sherra snorted in disdain. "You're even more spineless than I thought! Such an excuse of a Mazoku!"
"At least he's won his way to stay." Xelloss smirked.
"What do you mean by 'stay'?" Filia gulped nervously beside him.
"I'm allowing the siblings serving Dolphin-sama to stay with us." Xelloss grinned and turned to the servants of Dynast. "As for you two, my friends, you are going to leave before I take action."
Sherra and Grau stiffened. If they start a fight now, it would be the two of them against the other three Mazoku. A battle which could not be won. "Very well. We will retreat for now. Expect us to return!" Sherra spat and disappeared with Grau.
to be continued
Author's Note:
Two more new characters! XD Even though this chapter is written quite recently, Parna and Vondezan were created near the beginning of the story along with Meiron. Because it took me this long to get them out in here, I ended up using them in my other stories (not posted). I hope I'm not ruining your appetite with the pair of peaceful Mazoku. This is AU, after all, and one that was created when I knew nothing about Slayers...
Now that the group has splitted, what's going to happen to them? What will Lina's group encounter? How will Filia deal with being surrounded by Mazoku? When will the next chapter be out?(!) I can tell you the answers to all these questions except the last one. Depending on how my final project (a.k.a mini thesis) goes, it might take three months or longer for phase 06 to come out. And depending on what I watch/read during this time period, the next thing I post might not (probably won't) even be Slayers. Only time will tell... XD
My inbox is open 24/7, so feel free to tell me what you think of the story, or if you just want to rant. :)