The King in White
Chapter: 5
Rage
Time for some fun. Really big chapter time.
Lina looked down on the town from the top of the hill at the base of the tower. She watched as the town came to life for the day. The farmers were working in the fields as they had been for some time since before the sun has come into view. The store owners and shop keepers were tending their shops and preparing for the day. Some were cleaning, others stocking, the whole town look as if it was a giant machine with all the cogs moving in unison. Lina smirked as she watched and could not help but think, 'He has everything working to quite a timely schedule. The town is very productive but...is there any room for what they want?'
Lina shrugged before she began to walk down the road towards the town. After about ten minutes Lina walked into the outskirts of the town and smiled as she passed by the many store workers as they prepared for the day. Many waved to her as they had gotten used to seeing the other red haired maiden that the king in white had taken in. Lina continued to walk through the town as she could not help but want to be apart of the living town if not for just a little while. She knew that it was not wise to become attached with the members of the town but she could not continue to stay in state of isolation like the king in white. Lina came to the center of town were a grand fountain stood. She sat on the edge of the fountain and looked into the water. She frowned as her face stared back at her from the liquid mirror of the water. She had not aged at all when it came to her looks. She still looked like she was just a teenager though she had live for well over a hundred and fifty years. Lina was beginning to drift off into her thoughts when she felt a tug on her pants. She turned quickly, ready to give someone a piece of her mind, to come face to face with a young girl. Lina's emotions changed as the little child looked at her with curiosity before asking, "Excuse me Miss, but...," then blushing before falling silent.
"What is the matter dear," Lina asked as she reverted to talking like a mother would to her child.
The young girl turned around before continuing, "Are you the king's...the king's...are you his girlfriend?"
Lina's eyes widened for a second before she let loose with a laugh while trying to not to be too loud. Nonetheless, Lina's outburst attracted the attention of other's around the square. A few other children that had stayed away approached before asking the other girl, "What is so funny? Is she the king's girlfriend or not?"
Lina finally gained control of herself before saying, "No...No I'm not. I'm a mage like the king in white."
There came a collective sigh from the young girls as the main question was answered. A young man came from the side and asked, "You know magic like the king?"
Lina nodded. She noticed that a lot of people were starting to crowd around. Kids, teenagers, and adults all wanted to hear who this stranger was and what she was doing with the king in white. Next came a question for out of the crowd, "Are you trying to study under the king?"
Lina shook her head before saying, "I was wanting to compare notes. See if he had come across anything I haven't."
A loud den arose at the idea of someone being as strong as the king in white and how that was impossible. "Who are you then?"
Lina huff slightly as she could tell that they did not believe her when she had said she was in league with the king in white. She knew that the king had told them her story but would they believe her. "I'm Lina Inverse," Lina replied while crossing her arms over her chest.
A hush fell over the before the den of whispers began again. Lina could tell from their faces that they did not believe her and was about to shout when a voice came from behind her, "She is Lina Inverse. The king in white confirmed it himself."
Lina turned to see Shaya coming her way with a smile on her face. She stopped next to Lina before saying, "The king in white has invited Lina to live amongst us as long as she wishes. Please, accept her as our guest and friend."
The small girl next to Lina looked at her with wide eyes before saying, "The real Lina Inverse..."
Lina nodded. She was about to replied when a loud explosion was heard. Lina stood and looked where the noise came from to see a large plume of smoke coming from the outskirts of the village. Lina quickly stepped up onto the fountain basin before jumping in the air and shouting, "Ray Wing!"
Lina took off towards the area that the explosion came from with Shaya right behind her. Lina turned her head as she flew and asked, "What is going on?"
"I don't know. But, it could always be a new bandit gang that doesn't know what they are getting themselves into," Shaya replied as she tried to catch up with Lina.
Lina smirked as she cracked her knuckles before thinking, 'Time to have some fun.'
Lina landed on the outskirts of town to see the burning remains of a cart and a few of the town guard that had been knocked out of commission. She ran over to one of the guards that was still conscious and asked, "What happened?"
The guard looked up before saying, "Bandits...they came out of nowhere."
Lina laid the man down before looking at Shaya and asking, "You know white magic right?"
"Yes, I'll take care of the wounded you go help out," Shaya replied as she kneeled next to the guard and began a healing spell.
Lina ran up a hill to see a guard trying in vain to ward off a decent group of bandits. Lina held her hands over her head before drawing back on the invisible bow. "Flare Arrow," she shouted before letting the arrow made of fire loose.
The flare arrow flew through the air before striking true and hitting a bandit in the back. The bandits looked up to see Lina before one of them shouted, "Shit, a mage!"
All the bandit turned their attention to the girl in the yellow shirt and mauve jeans as she looked down on them. The leader stepped forward and laughed before saying, "Aye, it be just one little girl."
"Little," Lina yelled before fire shot out of her hand and three more bandits became crispy.
The leader, who was like most bandits in that he was dirty, had a rough beard and was missing a good bit of his teeth, cocked an eyebrow before saying, "You've gon'an done it now missie."
Lina was about to to taunt the bandits when she heard a boom. She quickly dodge out the way as a cannon ball came sailing her direction. The cannon ball hit a tree and exploded. Lina quickly cast a ray wing and was in the air again. "Man you guys are terrible. The one chance you have to hit me and you botch that up."
The leader laughed before saying, "Well, then try this on'."
Lina watched as the bandits aimed the cannon so it would land inside the town. Lina's eyes grew wide as she flew back and prepared to defend the town from cannon fire. The ball rocketed out of the barrel of the cannon and flew through the air at quite a speed. Lina adjusted her course and got in front of the ball before shouting, "Balas Wall!"
The magical barrier erected between Lina and the ball before the projectile hit. The cannon ball exploded on contact with the barrier, but to Lina's surprise her balas wall failed and she took the brunt of the explosion. Lina lost control of her ray wing and plummeted to the ground like a rock. She hit with a hard crash before she felt herself black out for a moment. She felt someone cradle her before she heard Shaya's voice, "Lina are you alright?"
Lina opened her eyes to see Shaya over her and the bandits approaching. Lina looked to the side and noticed townspeople and guard coming towards the outskirts ready to defend what was theirs. Lina stopped Shaya from casting the healing spell and said, "Don't...don't worry about me. There are going to be a lot more causalities if you don't...don't summon him now."
Shaya nodded before concentrating and sending a ball of light into the air. After the ball reached a good height it exploded into a large white flare. Shaya then looked down to Lina and began to assess the injuries. Lina was bleeding from a cut over her eye as well as a few cuts up and down her body that had come from the explosion of the cannon ball. As the bandits were about to come down the hill a and the townsfolk had made it to Shaya a loud voice was heard over the area, "What is going on here?"
The people cheered and celebrated as they knew the voice. Soon the visage of the king in white had appeared out of thin air in front of Shaya and Lina. "I thought I said that bandits are not my problem..."
The king stopped in mid-sentence as he turned to see Shaya cradling and battered Lina Inverse. The king in white clenched his fist as anger ran through his body for the first time in a long time. Shaya saw the look in his eyes and knew this was not good. Shaya picked Lina up and moved back to where the townsfolk were standing. She handed Lina to a guard before saying, "Apply this salve to all the cuts and that should stop the bleeding," before handing over a bottle.
The guard nodded before laying Lina down and beginning his task. Shaya stood up before clasping her hands and chanting, "Jewel of the king lend me your strength."
The pearl that was set into Shaya's head band lit up before she shouted her next spell, "Balas Wall!"
The magic barrier appeared around all those that were not about to be in combat as Shaya thought, 'I must protect the villagers.'
As Shaya was preparing for the worse she heard the guard say, "Lady please, you must rest."
Shaya looked over to see Lina stand up and look towards the king in white. She began a healing spell on herself before Shaya asked, "What are you doing?"
"I don't want to let him fight alone. I should be out there," Lina replied.
"You need to stay here. What is about to occur is something that hasn't happened in quite a while and even I don't know what to expect," Shaya replied with true worry in her voice.
Lina turned and watched as the king in white squared off with the bandits.
The leader of the bandits laughed before saying, "Lookie her' boys. 'nother of them mages."
"You will pay for the blood you have spilled," the king in white replied before bringing his hands up.
"Blade of darkness which hides from the noonday sun. Come to my call and let us destroy those who stand before us. Blade of Shadows," the king chanted before flexing out his right hand.
Lina watched as a blade of pure black formed in the king's hand. She gasped at this spell that she had never seen before. 'He is good,' Lina could not help but think.
The king stood his ground with the blade in his hands. The bandits moved as the cannon came into view. The bandits fired the cannon at the king. Before anyone could react the cannon ball launched above the king and sliced in two before exploding off in the distance. The bandits and the townsfolk stared in disbelief as they could see that the king in white had parried away the ball with the blade. "Gett'em boys," the leader shouted at a few bandits rushed at the king.
The bandits charged as the king in white effortlessly dodged their slashes. A bandit came in with an axe just to see the axe head fly the other way as the blade had made short work of the weapon. Said bandit did not have long to stare as a glove covered fist connected with his face and sent him flying past the cannon. Another bandit tried to attack the king with his sword but the same happened with the piece of metal. Said bandit when flying in another direction as the same fist attacked him. The bandit leader gnashed his teeth before saying, "Just shoot! I don't care how many of ours are hit shoot."
The cannon fired into the melee and exploded. The crowd gasped as the smoke and dirt erupted from the middle of the group. As the dust cleared the bandits where all done and the king in white was on his knees. The king had turned away from the cannon but was gripping at his face. Lina could tell he was in pain and wanted to go to him but knew that Shaya would not drop the wall until it was over. Lina watched as the king stood and let his hand down. Lina gasped as she saw something she did not expect. It would have gone unnoticed if it was not for the pure contrast between the ivory mask and the blue that was running down it. 'Blue blood,' Lina questioned in her mind, 'He isn't human at all."
The king laughed as he saw his own blood for the first time in over a hundred years. 'My mask is magical...and the shards of it pierced my skin,' he thought as he knew the mask was cracked over his right eye.
He stood to his full height before laughing again but in a voice that did no seem to belong to the king in white. Lina's eyes widened as she felt a change in the man and could swear that something felt too familiar to be a good thing. The king raised his head before opening his eyes. The whole town gasped as the eyes that were normally sapphire blue had changed to a full blood red. Lina looked at Shaya before saying, "He's a monster!"
Shaya sighed as she knew this could happen. A long time ago Zelgadis had told her that the demon inside him was becoming more a part of him as he aged. He had warned that if enough anger was brought out in him that the bronze demon would more than likely take control. Now the thing he feared the most was coming to pass and the king in white was turning into a demon in front of her eyes. Shaya's eyes snapped open when she heard the cannon fire again. The ball came at the king but exploded before it hit him as it was block by an invisible energy. The king turned around and laughed before saying, "Your pitiful toys are no use against me."
Lina looked at Shaya before saying, "Get the people out of here."
"What," Shaya replied.
"Get them out of here. After the bandits are done for he will turn on us. I'm the only one here who can hold their own against this," Lina replied as Shaya dropped the balas wall.
Lina ran forward as Shaya began her task. Lina grumbled, 'Great the guy I want to study under is a freakin Mazuko...wait! Blue blood...It can't be,' Lina's mind snapped as she stopped in her tracks.
Lina watched as the king in white disappeared and then reappeared next to the cannon. Before she could move the cannon was ripped to pieces and a large explosion kicked up the earth. After a minute the smoke began to clear to show the king in white holding the bandit leader by the neck. Lina watched as the king slowly strangled the life out of bandit leader until his body went limp and no noise could be heard. The king in white threw the body away before turning towards Lina. He looked at her for a long moment before he began to move forward. Lina finally came to and shouted, "Don't move any closer," while preparing a fireball.
To Lina's surprise he stopped and just looked at her even though she knew that the fireball would not stop him. "Lose the mask now! I know who you are...," Lina let the fireball drop and she bowed her head before asking, "Why didn't you tell me, Zelgadis?"
Lina watched as the figure of the king in white began to shake as if he could not control himself. Soon after a cackle came from the king before he reached up and placed his palm on the mask. He pulled the mask from his face before raising and opening his eyes. "Hello, Lina," Zelgadis replied in his normal voice while looking at Lina through ruby colored eyes.
Lina glared at Zelgadis as she wanted to ask so many things. She wanted to know so much that had happened. But, nothing would come from her mouth other than, "Why?"
Zelgadis smiled, seeming like a devil in human form, as he cackled into the air. "Why," he responded, "Why you ask...Because, I was bored."
Lina took a step back as her eyes widened before she asked, "What's happened to you Zel? And, how are you able to talk in that state?"
Zelgadis began to walk forward while saying, "As I aged I began to become more in touch with the demon in me. Now I can enter this state but still keep most of my mental facilities in line. Kind of like a berserk mode but not as bad."
Lina backed away slightly before asking, "Why didn't you say anything? Why did you hide from me? We're friends Zel."
Zelgadis smirked before disappearing. Before Lina could react he had reappeared right in front of her. Zelgadis reached out and grabbed Lina's shoulder with his left had and her chin with his right. He gently moved Lina's chin until she was looking as his eyes. Zelgadis' glowing red eyes looked down into Lina's before saying, "It has been quite sometime since I have run into someone that I could call a contemporary. When you showed up I saw an opportunity to have a little fun. You have no idea how boring it gets. Living as long as I have and the only thing to do is to play mayor for the town. No challenge to my mind whatsoever, but then you showed up. I began my game of dropping hints...just this little unexpected event caused the game to end much sooner."
Lina reached up and placed her hands on Zelgadis' cheeks before asking, "What has time done to you?"
"I've withdrawn from the world for the most part, but it has left me with a lust for a challenge," Zelgadis began, "I've tried so many different things but none of them were truly worth my time. I could create any stone decoration or music box but it is still no substitute for what I have felt the brief period I was playing this game," Zelgadis replied.
Lina looked down before replying, "Well, the game is over. But, that doesn't mean that you have to be alone again...Zelgadis," Lina replied as she spread her fingers and chanted, "Sleep."
Zelgadis released Lina as he stumbled back while fighting the spell. He stood straight again and looked at Lina with his normal sapphire eyes. "I...will not...give...," Zelgadis said as he stepped forward as if his foot was weighted down.
Lina moved forward while outstretching her hand while saying, "I'm sorry Zel but I need some time to think...and you need rest...sleep."
The second spell hit and caused Zelgadis to fall into slumber. Lina caught his drooping body before hugging to him and sobbing slightly. 'This is what time does to us...it causes us to lose ourselves,' Lina began to think, 'Yet, we are too afraid to end it.'
Lina picked up Zelgadis' body and cast a ray wing on herself as she flew back towards the tower with a lot on her mind.
Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.
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