SailorStar9: Anyway, Chapter 11 goes up. This is Chapter 12. To all my non-reviewing readers, I love you all! Will love you more if you review! *hugs all round!*

Disclaimers: Nothing here is mine, well, except the plot and the pairing.

Chapter 12: SHOCK! Sairaag Falls!

"I got it." Lina snorted. "You just look like him."

"You mean he's a fake?" Gourry echoed

"And just how did you come to that conclusion?" Aria asked.

"He can't be the real one." Zelgadis insisted. "It has to be some kind of horrible joke."

"They did a great job finding a double for him, didn't they?" Lina mused. "Right, Zel?"

"Yes." Zelgadis agreed. "A very clever fake."

"Why are you all so sure he's an imposter?" Amelia inquired.

"Because we fought Rezo before and we managed to kill him." Lina replied.

"What?" Amelia exclaimed. "Rezo, who everyone says is a great sage? You killed him? Lina, you're all really…"

"Incredible?" Lina smirked.

"I was going to say 'villains'." Amelia corrected. "And who is he?" she pointed to Zelgadis. "He's so creepy and suspicious looking."

"Well, excuse me." The chimera muttered.

"Amelia, anyone who judges people by looks or rumours give justice a bad name." Lina scolded. "Okay, Zelgadis may seem suspicious at first glance…"

"Well, excuse me…" Zelgadis sweatdropped.

"But he's sort of okay." Lina finished.

"Sort of?" Zelgadis murmured.

"Ouch." Aria winced, knowing how self-conscious her other half was.

"Rezo, the Red Priest, wasn't the great sage people said he was." Lina added.

"Really?" Amelia blinked, the trio sitting down as Lina continued her lecture.

"Really." Lina insisted. "That's why he has to be an imposter."

"And you wonder why I have to up my aspirin medication so often around these three." Aria sighed as the trio argued over the copy Rezo. "Guys, can we please get back to topic?"

"Rather than asking if I'm the real one or not, isn't there a question that needs to be answered first?" Rezo asked. "The one of whether you really killed me or not."

"We killed him." Lina declared. "Meaning you aren't the real Red Priest."

"Well then," Rezo stated. "Why don't I try my luck?"

"Well, you've got the attitude down pat." Lina snorted, as Eris and Zangulus jumped back to give Rezo space. Fireball!"

"Take this!" Zelgadis snapped, Rezo dispelling the flames with his staff. "Ghozu Vro! Impossible." He gasped, the attack having no effect.

"Guess we should've expected that to happen." Aria reasoned. "You aren't just some imposter, are you?"

"Well then, allow me to make the next move." Rezo remarked and released a 'Blast Bomb' at the group.

"Man, he's powerful." Lina remarked, she, Amelia and Zelgadis enforcing Aria's barrier with their combined shield spell.

"This protection field isn't going to hold out." Aria warned.

"I've hardly begun." Rezo tsked.

"Frostbrand Shield!" Aria was forced to draw on Ragradia's powers when a powerful blast of protection magic powered up her barrier.

"What was that?" Lina was astonished. "Someone just cast a major protection spell."

"Sylphiel?" Gourry blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about Gourry." Sylphiel explained. "So I thought I'd go looking for you."

"Never mind that." Lina cut in. "With Sylphiel here to protect us, we can give him to works. Run for it!" she turned tail and fled.

"Damn, we have no choice." Zelgadis snorted and resheathed his sword.

"So that's what you are, Zelgadis." Amelia blinked after Aria went into explanation mode.

"And you are a Seyruun princess and a friend of Gourry." Zelgadis added.

"Now that we've calmed down, anyone know who the Rezo twin is?" Lina asked.

"And why did he let us escape without trying to follow us?" Gourry wondered.

"Search me," Lina shrugged. "As long as we don't know who he is…"

"We consider him an imposter, although a powerful one." Zelgadis finished.

"You're sure he isn't the real one?" Amelia pressed.

"I'm sure we killed Rezo." Lina insisted. "We must have."

"Maybe you killed the imposter instead." Sylphiel suggested.

"That's not possible." Lina shook her head. "The one we killed had to have been the real Rezo."

"Then who was the Rezo we just saw?" Zelgadis pressed.

"A copy." Aria replied, having powered down from her 'Oracle' state.

"If it was a copy of Rezo," Zelgadis mused. "How is he able to cast spells that powerful?"

"It's not my area of expertise," Lina replied. "So I'm not clear about the details."

"What are you going to do?" Gourry asked when Lina stood up.

"Go ask an expert." Lina winked. "We won't learn anything just hanging around here."

"And I'll try some other things in the meantime." Zelgadis suggested.

"What are you doing?" Aria asked.

"I have a few things to investigate." Zelgadis replied. "I'll meet you here tomorrow at noon. See you."

"Sure thing." Aria sighed. "Be careful."

"What happened to you?" Zelgadis asked, reconvening back at the meeting spot and finding everyone else asleep.

"Morning, Zelgadis." Lina yawned.

"It's afternoon." Zelgadis reminded.

"Don't ask." Aria moaned. "Just thinking about gives me premature grey hairs."

"So, did you find out anything about copies?" Zelgadis was not amused.

"Not much." Lina replied. "Just that it's possible to make a perfect copy."

"No answers there." Zelgadis noted.

"So, what were you checking out?" Aria asked her partner.

"Just some stuff about Rezo." Zelgadis answered.

"Why am I not surprised?" Aria sighed.

"What I checked on wasn't the fake Rezo." Zelgadis corrected. "I mean on the real Rezo."

"So what did you find out about the real Rezo?" Lina wondered.

"Wait, you don't mean…" Aria realized.

"Yes." Zelgadis confirmed. "Rezo told us something a long time ago." He filled the others in. "About an ancient laboratory he sealed away which contains the books of spells and sorcery he's collected."

"They couldn't help him cure his eyes apparently." Aria continued. "But it seems there are some extraordinary magic books in it."

"If Rezo collected them, they've got to be extraordinary." Lina went starry-eyed. "Where is it?"

"Sairaag." Aria sweatdropped, Zelgadis taking cover behind her.

"Once I learned that from my investigation, I discovered something else." Zelgadis added. "Rezo's sealed laboratory is in the ruins of the old Sairaag."

"The ruins of old Sairaag…" Sylphiel started. "They're not far from here. On the other side of the great holy tree, Flagoon. It's a desolate place in ruins now."

"Will you guide me there?" Zelgadis requested.

"Sure she will." Lina beamed. "And I'll come along too. We may learn who 'Rezo' really is. Just knowing he's powerful isn't enough. With Rezo's collection of treasure, I mean spells, we may be able to find a way to fight this imposter."

"At least she's honest about her greed." Amelia mused.

"Okay, it's all settled." Lina declared. "Okay with you, Zelgadis?"

"Be my guest." Zelgadis retorted.

"You don't sound too happy." Aria joked.

"Leave me alone." Zelgadis muttered.

"But the old city is a very dangerous place now." Sylphiel warned.

"Be that as it may, I'm still going." Zelgadis insisted.

"Right, let's look for that treasure." Lina declared.

"All I want is to find a way to turn myself back to normal." Zelgadis glared, after Lina sent him to the ground with a slap on the shoulder.

"I know I should be getting Lina for that, but…" Aria giggled.

"Sure…" Zelgadis was not amused.

"Is it much further?" Zelgadis asked, the group heading off under the cover of the night.

"I can see it." Sylphiel replied.

"No way!" Lina gaped, the group dodging a fireball.

"We've been waiting." Eris grinned, forcing the group onto the ground. "Now give the Sword of Light to me."

"You people never give up." Lina tsked.

"Gourry, this time we settle things." Zangulus challenged.

"You're really starting to annoy me." Gourry sighed.

"If Gourry's taking him on, then I'm fighting you." Zelgadis faced Rezo as the two swordsmen went at it.

"Zel, wait." Aria tried to stop him. "You want to fight him in the middle of the city?"

"Don't worry." Zelgadis assured. "This time I'll test his powers in one shot."

"Men…" Aria sighed, as Rezo and Zelgadis decked it out. "Doesn't he remember what happened the last time he said those words? Amelia, don't interrupt." She pulled the Seyruun princess back. "But why is Rezo so confident?" she frowned. "Zelgadis is hitting him with all his power."

With a blast of his power, Rezo blew Zelgadis back.

"You see, my power is far greater than even this." Rezo declared, powering up.

"Run for it!" Zelgadis roared.

"Everyone, over here." Lina instructed. "You too, Gourry. Move it."

"We have to get out of here." Zelgadis urged. "It's almost too late."

"Zel, back me up." Aria instructed. "Frostbrand Shield."

"Right." Zelgadis nodded. "Wind Shield."

"Sylphiel, I need a protection spell from above." Aria continued. "Amelia, I need a levitation spell from you. Lina, reinforce the barrier."

Amelia barely managed to get the group into the air when the 'Mega Brand' spell struck.

"How could it be so destructive?" Lina was stunned.

"Was that a 'Mega Brand'?" Zelgadis wondered, shielding Aria from the impact. "That's impossible."

"It definitely had the effect of a 'Mega Brand'." Aria corrected. "But the magical power is much, much larger."

"Guys, Sairaag is…" Amelia started. "Half the city is gone."

"Father!" Sylphiel broke down.

SailorStar9: Okay, this chapter is finally down. Read and review folks.