Revenge of the Magic of Carealot
Disclaimer: I do not own: Slayers or anything else that ends up on this story! Especially Waldo…
Episode 10: Of Love and Other Demons…
Part II
A short austere ceremony found Amelia being crowned as queen of Saillune the day after the speech so she could have full authority to deliver the verdict to Gaston and Akmed. A simple gold and silver circlet was used for the ceremony instead of the regular highly ceremonial crown simply because it was the last of Zel's gifts to Amelia. It was found by her in the remains of his cape and she insisted that it be used.
By the time the deadline day arrived the city had been fully barricaded and prepared for battle. It would be obvious to even Akmed and Gaston what Amelia's response would be. Amelia stood on the main balcony overlooking the city as her two adversaries suddenly appeared floating on a stone platform.
"Well it seems you have decided to be destroyed princess?" Akmed began in his irritating nasally voice.
"We shall never surrender to the likes of you!" Amelia replied solemnly a roar of approval rose from her troops. Lina couldn't hold back any longer.
"And I'm gonna kick your butts! You watch I'm gonna shove a dragon slave right up your asses you just wait and see!" she yelled at them as Gourry struggled to keep her from flying off and making good on her threat.
"You have our answer!" Amelia added defiantly. Akmed shrugged arrogantly and said something to his servant Jafar. Jafar raised his staff and a smaller army than the one poised to battle Gen Walker appeared just under a mile away from the city gates!
"Very well then as you wish!" replied Akmed as he laughed and the battle began…
Gen Walker sounded the order as the enemy was finally within their reach. His army launched it self forward to attack. Charged and battle ready they seemed almost invincible their enemies seemed immobilized by the ferocity of their conviction! As they reached the first line of monsters though they realized that it wasn't fear that had frozen the enemy horde. Walker's sword slashed harmlessly through the first creature as did all other attacks!
"They're fakes!" shouted Trebek. Horrified Walker watched as the images of the creatures that had seemed so real and life-like from a distance shimmered and disappeared.
"We've been tricked into leaving the city unguarded!" Walker realized with shock. "Retreat! Fall back to the city at full speed!" He called out urgently to his confused troops. As the general gave the command it donned on the soldiers that even if they hurried it would take them at least a day to reach the city!
As they galloped or as was the case with those on foot ran as fast as they could a band of strange little white flying vehicles flew quickly towards them.
"General Walker! We're here to help!" called True Heart. He called the order to halt staring in surprise at the little creatures whom he'd seen only once at the princess' ball last week. As the ground troops caught up the road in front of him was suddenly painted in rainbow colors by what he could only describe as magic beams coming from the little critters' bellies. One of the little vehicles which Walker now saw was a funny shaped cloud carrying True Heart and Noble Heart swooped towards him.
"Take this road and as long as your hearts believe and care for your friends back in Saillune you'll get there in no time!" explained True Heart. He stepped onto their magical road. In a few steps he saw the countryside whiz past him at a speed not possible for any horse! He stopped and called to his troops to follow him into the road.
"Wow!" he heard Trebek exclaim as his second pulled up next to him. He turned to his troops and ordered them to continue as fast as their hearts would carry them. Then he galloped forward and as the countryside whizzed past he turned to glance at his troops amazed at how the ones on foot were keeping up with those on horse back. He smiled…
'Hold on Saillune rescue is on its way…' he thought praying for more speed. The road grew brighter and the scenery past by even more quickly as it fed on their good feelings and sped them on their way…
High up on the city walls Raven turned for a second as she loaded the first of her arrows onto her magical bow. She waved at Mai and Jessie who were ready to head up the ground assault.
"Cory! No matter what happens don't stop handing me those arrows you got that!" she ordered her 13 year old brother who had refused to leave with the evacuees. He nodded firmly and she took aim upon the horde of ogres, trolls, draconian and every manner of horrible creature that could be conjured out of someone's nightmares.
She called upon the magic of the ancient bow of elven make that had been handed down to the females in her family for centuries. She ignored the roar of the flying creatures that soared over head carrying more evil troops past the gates in to the city and concentrated on the first land wave. She would deal with the flying ones soon enough! She would let the other archers deal with them for now.
"Hail of Arrows!" she called and her precisely aimed arrow turned into 100 arrows and the first wave was felled by the deadly rain. A cheer went up in the soldiers below as they charged in to attack! Raven heard none of it as she immersed herself in the magic of the bow and one after the other the minions fell…
Large creatures rained from the sky as Squall and Co. prepared themselves for battle.
"Here they come!" he called out but Rinoa had already cast the protection spells around the fighters nearest her. The rapport of Irvine's shotgun could be heard as the creatures dropped and Squall cast his fire spells just before he swung his mighty sword. Argonian troops joined with Galbadian soldiers and volunteer Saillune troops in the city and as the monsters fell from the sky they were immediately cut down.
Swords clashed, axes swung arrows flew and spells fired upon the invading army. One young woman in mismatched armor attacked a draconian with a heavy frying pan even! Large lizard-like creatures with three heads each dripping venom and acid from their pores sprouted from the ground and Cloud swung his massive sword to take down one with a little help from Squall.
"There are less than I thought there would be," Squall commented unfazed standing back to back with Cloud as the other man called back his agreement. Tidus caught up with them and as they tackled another two creatures together he let them know that Kaiba was holding his own at the gate but Auron was backed against a wall with three of those lizard things. Squall looked up to check on Rinoa but Quistis – her Captain of the Guard – was already there and managed to dispatch one of the ugly three-headed creatures with her mighty Degenerator spell.
"Ok let's go help him!" Squall suggested. Cloud nodded as he quickly glanced at Aerith but her team had joined Tifa and Yuffie and they had already dispatched several trolls and more than a few draconians. The lizard things seemed intent on getting to the castle itself and paid no attention to anyone outside the main road. The three swordsmen hurried further up the main road and indeed Auron was trapped by two of the creatures.
"AURON!" Tidus, Cloud and Squall yelled as one as they hurried towards him. Standing in a semi-crouching stance with his long massive sword resting on his shoulder Auron studied calmly the two creatures that advanced slowly towards him over the rim of his sunglasses. Their venom dripped dangerously close to Auron but the older swordsman was unfazed as he staunchly stood his ground with his back almost against the side of a building.
"We're coming Auron!" Tidus called as they waded through some minor creatures trying to get to Auron.
"Hurry or the old man's gonna be toast!" Cloud called out to his companions Squall called back his agreement. Auron smirked slightly and pushed up his sunglasses
"Your pain shall be two fold!" Auron called out and with a mighty one handed swing of his sword both creatures were destroyed! Squall, Cloud and Tidus came to a screeching halt and gaped open mouthed. Auron sauntered past the dead creatures managing not to step on the dead creatures' venom.
"What are you three doing standing there staring like school boys? Five more just headed to the palace gates with a squad of Trolls! Move it!" he ordered with the barest hint of amusement in his voice and strutted past the three younger men calmly sword resting on his shoulder. Cloud and Squall frowned and Tidus laughed.
"We'll leave it to you," Cloud grumbled unhappily.
"Whatever," Squall griped and the two turned back to return to the teams near the center of the city. Tidus called back his thanks to which Squall and Cloud merely raised a hand in wordless acknowledgment and then he hurried after Auron staring at him in awe.
"You're pretty cool Auron!" he laughed. Auron merely smirked and then hurried forward to assist the Saillune troops at the palace gates. Once there they found little Yugi cornered by a couple of trolls and a giant wolf growling behind him however as they hurried to help him the wolf leapt over Yugi at the young man's order and destroyed the two trolls. Auron did a double take then laughed.
"No one's what they appear to be around here!" he commented sagely. Tidus laughed as he agreed and they hurried up to help princess Yuna and her handmaidens. Tidus froze for a second as he took in Yuna's skimpy battle outfit and the shiny guns holstered on her hips. To his credit though he recovered quickly and both he and Auron joined the three women battling the lizard creatures…
"Yea!" Jou called out from the palace gates as he watched Auron slash two creatures in half. The rapport of Honda's weapons brought him back to his immediate situation. A pack of Trolls had made it past Auron and Yugi had already dispatched a couple with a summoning but he and Honda were busy with three more.
"Flaming Sword of Battle!" he yelled calling upon the fire magic of the powerful sword Yugi had conjured for him. He swung it now with devastating effect. Flying creatures swarmed overhead towards the palace proper but Jou knew they wouldn't get far. Kaiba was just inside the gate…
"Comet Fall!" Seto yelled and a rain of flaming rocks smashed the flying creatures into the ground. Lina's fireballs could be seen blazing up into the sky as Gourry and Zangalus' swords joined the fray as more creatures dropped from the sky.
"Six, seven…" Gourry swung his lethal sword counting as he went how many creatures he took down.
"TEN!" called Zangalus jovially. Lina called to Gourry to pick up the pace because Zangalus was beating him. She turned to see Amelia and found her near Capt Kaiba tossing just as many fireballs around as she was. She waved to her little friend and launched back into the fight.
Amelia waved back at her friends. They were of course doing quite well. She could expect no less of Lina Inverse and her husband! Captain Kaiba had rarely left her side all week and now was no exception. He seemed to feel responsible for Zel's death and she couldn't for the life of her understand why. He was also demonstrating some very impressive hidden talents. She was glad that she had found him. He would be invaluable in the years to come. This time he called forth a lightning spell of tremendous power as she joined her own magic to the fray intensified by Zel's first gift: the bracelets.
'This victory will be for you my love…' as she blasted away at the enemies.
"Please win," Filia prayed softly as she looked back to the city. Her dragon senses hearing the battle raging there as she flew away with Mokuba, Val and the last of the evacuees towards Orange Grove. When she arrived the village was in a stir! The villagers were taking in all the refugees but being the closest town to the capital they also prepared themselves to defend the town in case any retreating enemy troops should head their way. Filia landed in the field that she knew was the Ingalls' field and let the children and refugees off.
"I have to go back," she said to Val and Mokuba.
"Would you please help my brother?" Mokuba pleaded softly. Filia smiled and was about to respond when Little Val spoke up a desperate panicked look in his eyes.
"Please Filia-mama! Please save Seto-papa! Please save him!" he pleaded softly. This took Filia by surprise! She had not been aware that Val was so close to Seto as to call him that! She thought about it and decided that she didn't mind. It was Val's choice and she would not deny him that. She owed him that much.
"I will do everything that I can!" she replied then took to the skies heading back at full speed towards the city. As she returning she unleashed her lightning breath upon the flying beasts frying them along with their loads. Cheer rose up from Saillune defenders on the ground as she did! She flew towards the palace and checked on her friends Amelia waved up at her as Capt Kaiba called forth a powerful lightning spell. Lina was up to her usual antics toasting everything in sight and Gourry was being very efficient with his new sword.
She flew past the magically fortified platform that Gaston and Akmed were standing atop and slapped it with her tail causing them to stumble and fall on their butts. She laughed as they stared in awe and fear at her. Nodding in satisfaction she turned her attention to the fell creatures besmirching with their foul presence the bright morning sky…
Gaston pulled himself up shakily he was a hairsbreadth from all out panic!
"We're losing! Why are we losing!" he shrieked as he looked over the edge and saw that a lot of the creatures they had summoned were turning tail and running. He cast a nervous glance at the shield that currently protected them. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword unwilling to completely trust the shield after that dragon flew by. Akmed straightened himself up.
"Relax nothing will get through the shield as long as we have the genie," Akmed replied somewhat nervously. Gaston watched him warily obviously not willing to trust his partner anymore than the shield. Akmed ignored him and opened the bottle summoning forth his genie once more.
"Jafar! Why is my army losing?" he demanded angrily…
"Why I don't understand sire? I summoned the strongest beasts in existence just as you requested…" Jafar replied as he affected a confused look as he inwardly congratulated himself. That idiot Akmed was so easy to manipulate it was sad! Now all he had to do was trick Akmed into summoning someone very dangerous and powerful with just the right amount of arrogance and he would be free!
"They are just running around like chickens with they're heads cut off! It's disgraceful!" Akmed yelled at Jafar. The clever genie affected a wounded expression.
"Oh I do apologize to you my liege but I am not but a humble genie I am limited only to conjuring what your heart desires… I can only summon your armies I cannot command them," he replied in his best pained and apologetic tone. He bowed low in complete deference.
"Perhaps my lord if you were to appoint a commander for your troops they will respond better of course I can always summon more troops to replace them," he suggested in his best groveling and subservient tone.
"No…that won't do me any good. I need a general so how about it Gaston! Care to take the job?" he suggested craftily.
"Ha! As if! I know what you're thinking! You'll send me down there in hopes that I'll get captured and/or killed and it leaves you free to collect on all the prizes! Well forget it! Find yourself another dope!" Gaston yelled at him. Akmed rolled his eyes. Jafar knew that was of course what his dimwitted master was planning but no matter he would deal with Gaston in time.
"Very well then…" Akmed said thoughtfully and paused to think Lina's Dragon Slave hit their shield and sneaky Jafar turned the shield down enough so they could feel the heat of her spell. Suddenly nervous of how close to victory Saillune was he turned to Jafar.
"Jafar summon the greatest commander in the entire universe!" he ordered without thinking as he tried to pull him self off the ground. He stared in fear at Lina who floated just above the platform. Jafar bowed low to conceal the triumphant smile on his lips.
"As you wish my lord…" Jafar replied gravely. He raised his staff as his genie powers automatically summoned what his "master" desired. He allowed himself a smile then as a long dark figure appeared in front of Akmed. The body was covered by a black feathered wing that for a moment concealed his face as well. As the wing unfurled a man with long white hair looked up slowly then turned a curious glance at Akmed still scurrying on the floor trying to hide from Lina.
"This is your master!" Jafar announced with wicked glee. The man glared at Jafar then at Akmed.
"Impossible," he stated simply lightly dusting off his jacket totally ignoring Akmed's fearful orders to go fight Lina. Before Jafar could answer Akmed outraged at being ignored he lashed out.
"I AM YOUR MASTER! I HOLD THE BOTTLE THAT CONTROLS THE GENIE THAT SUMMONED YOU! YOU DO WHAT I TELL YOU!" he yelled outraged at not getting his way immediately.
"Is this true?" the man asked calmly. Jafar again smiled in wicked glee and repeated exactly what his master had wished for.
"I see…" he replied equally calm. He took a moment to examine Akmed still on the ground with a look of mild curiosity and disgust.
Jafar's black bottle hung on Akmed's belt and it was only in that instant just before the man's sword materialized and his new commander's foot smashed the bottle into a thousand pieces that Akmed understood the danger his supposed loyal and obedient genie maneuvered him into. An extremely long thin sword swung in a graceful arch loping off first Akmed's then Gaston's heads in one swing. Neither even got a chance to scream! Jafar laughed triumphantly unlike a lamp genie a bottle genie merely had to get his bottle broken to be free of his genie bonds.
"You! Fetch the rulers of darkness in this world! I want to know why there is so much light in it," the white haired man ordered calmly. Jafar bowed respectfully.
"Who may I say is calling them my lord?" he asked with equal calm.
"Tell them Sephiroth has business with them…That they must answer for the second-rate job they have done so far," he answered turning back to examining the field frowning in disappointment as one after another a creature of darkness fell to the impure beings of light.
"Very well Lord Sephiroth…" Jafar replied as he disappeared 'should be interesting now that someone useful is running the show! I should stick around to see how it turns out!' Jafar thought as he teleported away to call the demon lords…
YAY! I finally got to bring him in! I knew I was going to get him here eventually but the how eluded me as a myriad possibilities emerged. I watched and re-watched FFVII Advent Children a million times but it wasn't until I saw the ending to the optional boss fight with him in Kingdom Hearts that I finally settled with an idea subtle for this psychotic train wreck of mine!
Slowly it seems my Slayers muse returns to good health and hopefully soon I should be able to finish this story and put its plot bunnies to rest!
Thanks for being patient and thanks for reading and reviewing!