Thanks to my ONE (ahem) reviewer so far, I know that I am doing a "perfect" job on this fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers... WHY! T.T

Chapter Five: Old Sairaag

They phased outside Sailune. Thila turned to Xellos. "Does your mistress always get that way when she drinks?" she questioned, as they started walking toward Sairaag.

"Only when she feels like it," Xellos answered. It took them a couple of days to get to the city because they didn't want to attract Gaav's attention by using the Astral Plane to teleport. Strangely, no monsters attacked them on the way there.

Once outside Old Sairaag, Xellos opened both his eyes. "I can sense Gaav, he's close."

"Where?" Thila questioned, loosening her sword.

"In the center of the city," Xellos said, pointing the way with his staff. "The strongest point of power here is the holy tree Flagoon. It used to protect the villagers from monsters and such," he explained.

"I've heard stories about this place," Thila said. "I've never actually been to it before, though."

"Let's move," Xellos commanded, and took off walking at a brisk pace. Thila sighed, wanting to study the buildings more, and followed.

They walked through the silent city. The crumbling buildings made it look like a ghost town. Debris flew across streets. Thila looked around and readied her sword. This place gave her the creeps. It looked like anything could pop out at you, and she felt invisible eyes on her. She extended her senses to the Astral Plane. Just as I thought: lesser demons and monsters hiding on the Plane. She looked up at Xellos to see him on full alert. "You take right, I've got left," he said in his mind.

"Okay," Thila answered. Then the first monster attacked her. She spun to the side, dodging it, and clashed blades with another lesser demon. She finished him off in one blow, and in the same movement decapitated the first one. She killed other monsters and demons that appeared around her.

Xellos was firing black tops at appearing monsters and demons. "I can't see them!" he yelled to Thila.

"I can fix that!" Thila yelled. "Reveal yourselves to me, evil beings," she chanted. "VISION!" She cast the spell over Xellos and herself so that they could see the monsters and demons. They appeared as warm-colored silhouettes against a cool-colored background. (Infrared Vision)

"That's a neat little trick!" Xellos exclaimed as he killed another monster.

"Thanks," Thila said. "I've been working on making charms like this!" she said as she killed another demon.

They finally managed to kill all of the lesser demons and monsters. "If that's all Gaav's got with him, this'll be cake!" Thila exclaimed, sheathing her sword, and taking off the spell.

"Too true!" Xellos said. "Though I must warn you, Gaav is a whole lot more powerful than you think."

"Don't worry," Thila assured him. "I'll just hit him with my 'specialty spell', and he'll be dead!"

"Yes, but what happens to you after you use it?" Xellos questioned.

"Well… I would probably be in a coma for a couple of days, because of all the light," Thila explained. "I haven't used it yet, so it's a little hard to predict what will happen."

"We should probably get going then," Xellos said, and they walked through the city toward the center of Sairaag.

They finally got to the very center of Sairaag, and Thila gasped at the sight of the charred remains of a large tree. A figure in an orange trench coat and long red-orange hair was standing at the base, arms crossed.

Xellos walked up behind her. "That is what's left of the Holy Tree, Flagoon," he explained.

"Who's that woman over there?" Thila asked curiously.

"That's Gaav." Thila suppressed a giggle. Xellos's hand went to where Gaav had stabbed him through.

"What's wrong, Xellos?" Thila questioned, seeing this gesture. "Are you injured?"

"Oh no, I'm fine," Xellos reassured. "Just remembering an old battle wound that Gaav gave me," he explained.

"That girl-I mean guy-harmed you?" Thila said in disbelief. "Then he really is a force to be reckoned with."

"Ah, Xellos!" Gaav said with fake cheerfulness. "So good to see you again!" he said, hefting his broadsword onto his shoulder. He towered above both Thila and Xellos.

"So Gaav, we meet once more!" Xellos said with a forced, close-eyed smile.

"Who's your girlfriend?" Gaav questioned, pointing at Thila.

"I have a wife now, Gaav. Her name is-" he was cut off by Thila.

"I'm nobody's girlfriend!" she spat, glaring up at Gaav.

"Oh, and who would you be then?" Gaav asked.

"Thila, deadly assassin," she said, unsheathing her sword. "And you're my target," she regarded him with cold eyes.

"And how do you plan to kill me, Thila?" Gaav asked.

Xellos watched this conversation with closed eyes. "I believe," he said, speaking up, "that that's a secret she doesn't wish to share!"

"Quite right, Xellos," Thila said, readying her sword. "So, Gaav, prepare to die!" Thila spat, and giving a battle cry, launched herself at him, with Xellos not so far behind.

Read and Review!

Xellos and Thila: *phase in*

Me: Hey guys!

Xellos: Thila... you really thought Gaav was a woman?

Thila: Well... yeah! I mean... who wouldn't, with that hair!

Me: I have to agree with Thila, Xellos. Gaav's hair is very much like a girl's.

Gaav: *phases in* I use volumizing shampoo and conditioner! T.T *phases out*

Me: O.o' Awkward... so anyone want pizza?

Xellos and Thila: Sure!