Lina and Gourry had not gotten far when they heard Mara Jade call, "Dame Lina, Sir Gourry!"
"What is it?" Lina asked as she inwardly groaned and wondered what could have possibly gone wrong now.
"There's been an accident in the basement and the goblins are in the tunnels." She explained.
Lina raised an eyebrow, "Is anyone hurt? Should we send for Lady Sylphiel…?"
"No, but the goblins are making themselves at home in the tunnels, and I thought you'd want to see the damage."
"Right," Lina said as she realized that this day was not getting any easier as she patted Gourry on the arm, "Go on and talk to Rick and my parents, I'll see you in a bit."
"You sure you have this?" Gourry asked.
"I'll just grab Honor and a few other kids and go down." Lina said.
"Oh, Honor is already down there, along with five or six others." Mara Jade said.
"Then she's probably already got everyone organized cleaning out the tunnels." Lina said dryly as she followed Mara Jade to the basement.
"Evening!" Pippi said as she ran through the hallways with Peter and Anne.
"Oh, Dame Lina, I have a question about the homework." Anne said.
Lina smiled tiredly as they stopped in front of the basement door, "Come to me on during my office hours tomorrow, I'm a bit busy at the moment.",
"We really have no time to waste," Mara Jade said as she put her hand on the basement door.
"Anne!" Honor called as she ran from the library, holding a book in her hand, "You left this on the table."
Lina looked at Honor in surprise, "I thought…"
The basement door creaked as it opened and Lina sensed several presences behind her, but before she could turn around to see who someone poked her in the back of the neck and she went out like a light.
"Hey Sylphiel, do you know where Rick is?" Gourry asked as he found Sylphiel sitting in the upstairs parlor with Leia and Amelia.
"He's playing cards with the stablemen and a few of the others. Why?"
"Something's up." Gourry said, "The less said now the better. Is Han with them?"
"Yes." Leia said as she stood up when suddenly they heard the sound of a door slamming shut from downstairs followed by one of the girls yelling for help.
Everyone looked at each other for a moment as the sounds of a scuffle grew louder and then they all raced to the stairs as Gourry felt gooseflesh form on his body, almost as though someone had walked on his grave. Lina was in danger. He didn't suspect it, he knew it in his gut!
"I can kick the door down!" he heard Pippi declare as they reached the top of the stairs and saw a crowd gathered round the basement door, "Make way!"
Gourry saw Jean Luc run towards the stairs, meeting them at the bottom just as they reached it, "They've taken Dame Lina as a few of the other students."
"Who?" Gourry said.
"Who did this?" Leia demanded to know at the same time.
Jean Luc shook his head as if to shake away his emotions, "Tom and his group. They call him Voldemort and practically worship him. I can't explain everything now but he wants the complete chant for the Giga Slave."
Sylphiel gasped as the sound of Pippi kicking the door reverberated through the hallway as Gourry barely registered Clark telling Pippi that he could help. Leia said, "What do you mean?"
"Dame Lina taught me and a few others the weaker version, but he wants the full, complete version." The splitting sound of wood shook the room as the students cheered as Pippi and Clark broke down the door, and Gourry had to fight to not rush into the basement with them. Still it was hard to focus on what Jean Luc was saying as he continued, "I don't know how because I didn't tell him one word and he got it from me somehow. It's like…he could read my mind."
Gourry put a hand on his shoulder, "Do you know where in the basement they would have taken Lina and the others?"
Jean Luc shook his head, "I know they had a secret location they would meet at, but they didn't fully trust me and after I refused to tell them about the Giga Slave they weren't going to show it to me."
Gourry couldn't wait any longer, "Thanks." He said as he took off.
"Do you know the names of the other hostages they took?" Amelia asked.
"I think they took Anne and one other." Jean Luc said. "I'm not sure who. But Honor was hurt, someone was giving her a Recovery spell."
Leia kept pace with him as Sylphiel kept on their heels while Amelia stayed behind to talk to Jean Luc. Leia was possibly the only person who felt the same sense of urgency that he did about finding Lina safe but she kept her face carefully composed and he hoped he projected that same sense of control to the kids despite the fact that he felt as though he was about to fall apart. Still, he figured, if Tom was wanting information on how to perform the complete Giga Slave then that meant he needed Lina alive. So he took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves as he saw Honor sitting in the hallway with Adam, who was chanting a Recovery spell over her collar bone. "Sir Gourry," she said as she saw him, "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop them."
"We're just glad you're okay." Gourry said as he fought against the urge to keep moving. Still, if a group of students had gone rogue and taken other students as hostages then they needed information on who was a friend and who was a foe. As much as he wanted to rush down there and get his eyes on Lina so he could be assured she was safe, rushing would put them in more danger, "What happened?"
Honor shook her head, still in shock, "Dame Lina was talking to Anne. She'd left her book in the library. And then the door to the basement opened and Mara Jade, Arnold and Indy grabbed Anne, Peter and Dame Lina and closed the door behind them. I tried to stop them but one of them hit me with a Flare Arrow."
"They threw a Flare Arrow in the manor!?" Leia exclaimed.
Honor nodded, "I called for help, but they'd locked the basement door."
"I'm afraid any other student we find down there is likely an enemy now." Sylphiel said grimly.
"Adora joined them," Adam said, his voice gruff, "Please, I don't know why she's doing this, but please don't hurt her!"
"We're going to do everything we can to recover everyone safely." Amelia said as she came up and joined them.
From in the basement he heard Nerys yell, "Fall back!" And Gourry couldn't stand the wait anymore as he went down and found that Nerys had taken command in the basement.
"What's the status?" he asked her.
"There are a group of Tom's gang guarding the hallway and they aren't holding back on the attack spells." Nerys explained. "We could charge them but we'd likely lose a few people if we did before we take them down."
Gourry's mind was swimming so badly he could barely think as he wondered if he could charge in with the Blast Sword and cut through any spell lodged at him, but fortunately Sylphiel seemed more grounded, "Do you know where in the tunnels the hostages have been taken?"
"Excuse me," Jean Luc said as he came in with a roll of parchment and set it on a table and unfolded it, "Here's a map of the tunnels that Indy and I have explored."
"I think Ripley got in the farthest." Nerys said as she raised her voice, "Does anyone know where Ripley went?"
"I do." Dave said.
"We need her."
Gourry felt the weight of time pass as it felt as though Ripley took forever to reach them, "What's up?" she asked.
"Can you look at this map and tell us where they took Dame Lina and the others?" Sylphiel asked.
Ripley stared at it for a moment, "They went down this hallway, but then a group of them stayed behind while the group with the hostages went further down, I'm not sure where they went after that I'm afraid."
Sylphiel sighed in relief, "I know another way in there. Come on, hopefully Tom hasn't discovered it."
"Do you know how many students are helping Tom?" Gourry asked.
"About fifteen, give or take." Ripley said with a shrug, "Mostly from the new batch."
"Should we keep them busy while you try to surprise them from the route Lady Sylphiel knows?" Nerys asked.
"I want a few more people with us." Gourry said, "Ripley, Dave, Bruce, Gomez, Ace, Cuchulain, Danielle and Jackie."
"We just heard, where's Lina, what's going on?" Han asked as he came in with Zelgadis and Rick.
"Hostage situation. We're going in through the backdoor hoping to surprise them. Follow us." Leia explained as Gourry put his hand on his sword as he took a deep, bracing breath. He'd had to raise his sword to his own flesh and blood in the past and he'd not thought that anything could be worse. But these were students he'd been entrusted to protect and guide and a sense of failure rushed through him as he felt the cold hilt beneath his hand. He closed his eyes and hoped that he had the strength and skill to recover Lina and the other hostages safely and without bloodshed.
And then he opened his eyes and looked at the group that had gathered, "Let's get moving. Sylphiel, show us the way."
Lina moaned as she started to stir, the flow of her breath impeded by something in her mouth. She sat up straighter as she realized she was gagged and tied to a chair as she tried to yell but her words were distorted as she looked around and tried to figure out where she was and wondered why the room was bathed in a blue light that she found disturbing. And as her eyes adjusted she could just barely discern a figure within the light, and her stomach twisted as a horrifying sense of deja vu flooded her.
You know what you need to cast to save him, a voice rang in her head, and Lina bit her lip as a flood of memories tormented her as she shook her head as she tried to gather her bearings. This looked similar, but she was not in the Hellpalace, Fibrizo was dead and the spell that she had compiled was not needed!
It's needed, Lina. If you don't cast it now, he will die!
Lina closed her eyes as she thought of the boost spell, but it was useless. She no longer had her talisman. And even if she did she wasn't in a position to cast it given she was bound and gagged. She wasn't sure what this was but...Suddenly it clicked.
That spell is nothing you want to mess with. Lina thought back as she tried to think of anything but the Giga Slave. And why don't you take this gag out so we can have a real conversation.
You don't need to speak to have a conversation with me. Tom's voice sounded in her head as she looked away from the figure in the blue light. She was too scared she would even up revealing too much if she did!
What do you want with that spell? Lina thought as she twisted her hands and tried to find some weakness in the binds but they were tight and efficient.
I understand that you wish for me to leave the school.
How did he figure that out? Lina thought, Damn, this is why I hate talking to telepaths!
That is irrelevant. There is something I need to know before I go though. You taught some of your students about it but I knew you would never teach me. Not with that warning you got from the future. I know the incomplete version. I know you must know it well. You figured it out yourself. All that hard work to piece it together and you get so little credit.
Lina's stomach sank as the memory of staying up late at night in inns, worried sick about Gourry, the recitation to the chant turning again and again in her mind as she wondered if she could control it rose, the words of the chant rising like a long, lost song and...If I throw myself on the floor will I hit my head and make myself lose consciousness!?
But as soon as she thought it someone came from behind to hold the chair down as Tom began again, I know you cast it for Lord Hellmaster Fibrizo twice to save Sir Gourry. He wasn't very happy with the first version that you cast. How did it go again? Oh yes!
Thou who art blacker than darkness
Though who art deeper than the night
Lina squeezed her eyes shut and to avoid reciting the spell with him, especially as the memories of watching Hellmaster threaten Gourry spilt out despite herself. But she couldn't think of it! She had to think of something other than the fact that the Lord of Nightmares was chaos. Dammit Lina! Think of a sleep spell!
But Tom's voice grew louder in her head, Hear me, golden lord of darkness, adrift upon the Sea of Chaos…
That's wrong, Lina thought as she tried to suppress how it was wrong as she tried to think of the chant to a sleep spell, or a Fireball, but her mind drew a blank as she kept thinking about the Sea of Chaos, and…I need to think of a Fireball, a Dragon Slave. Darkness beyond twilight…
She focused on reciting the chant, and she would over and over again, and every time she thought of the Giga Slave she would focus again on the Dragon Slave. Still, it felt as though random words broke through her thoughts and she wasn't sure if she had given too much away. Her stomach twisted at the thought, but in the distance she heard the sounds of a fight. If she could hold him off for a bit longer...
Bring me Anne. Tom said.
What do you want with Anne? Lina asked as she heard a door open as Tom walked in with Mara Jade, who was holding a knife to Anne, who had a resigned expression about her that chilled Lina to the core.
"I was hoping to snatch a student you liked a bit better. Unfortunately this was the best I could do on such short notice." Tom said as he stepped out of the blue light.
From down the hallway Lina heard the sounds of the fight getting closer. But Tom grinned at her as he read her thoughts, "All this does is give me good reason to kill her quickly if you won't tell me the complete version of the Giga Slave. I don't have the luxury of time at the moment."
"This is going too far," The person behind her said, and Lina recognized Indy's voice. "You said no one would be killed!"
"Anne's about as nobody as you can get. No family to miss her. Everyone finds her insufferable. I know exactly what you think of her, Indy. The only reason Dame Lina cares is that it looks bad for the school." Tom suddenly glared at Anne, "Don't even think of trying to fight Mara. You're not strong enough."
Anne seemed to shrink a little as Lina felt the gag release as Indy undid it and she spit it out, "You're stronger than you know, Anne! You fight like hell!"
The door slammed open again, and Lina hoped to see that allies had arrived, but when Lina saw that the first to come in was Arnold her heart sank, "They found another way in."
"And you lead them here!?" Tom said as he raised his voice as several other students followed Arnold in.
"We have to leave, now!" Adora said, "Before they seal off the exit routes."
"How dare you defy me!" Tom said, "We can't leave until we have that spell."
Adora's eyes widened as she looked at Arnold uncertainly as Indy suddenly ran and charged at Mara Jade, pushing her onto the wall and away from Anne. But as Mara Jade punched Indy, Tom started chanting a Blast Ash spell as the room broke out into pandemonium as Lina realized to her horror that several students were likely to be caught in the blast radius.
YOU WILL GIVE ME THE COMPLETE SPELL NOW OR THEY WILL DIE! Tom's voice thundered in Lina's head ominously as her sense of desperation grew as the one thought she had tried so desperately to suppress leaked out.
Adrift upon the Sea of Chaos...
AN: Yeah, I could have wrapped this up a bit better, but it's more fun to leave ya'll with a cliffhanger
In the novels Lina casts two versions of the Giga Slave, an incomplete one which is like a Flare Carrot, and a complete one which summons the Lord of Nightmares. This distinction did not really make it into the anime. And in the third novel Gourry knocks some guards out by tapping them on the back of the neck, so I figure it's a thing in the Slayersverse.