DISCALIMER: I still do not own The Slayers...
Welcome one and all to Nicci's Halloween special. Those of you who have been here a while know I've written a horror novel so think of this as a chocolate-covered sample. Happy-ish Ending, romantic entanglements, oh hell, let's stop dancing around it and call it a thriller!
There! That sums it up.
This story is really about Xelloss. Other characters have main parts but really, this story is about him as any good Halloween story should be. Afterall, he is the monster!
If you don't like Xelloss, run away now, before he hears you say as much.
Enjoy!
- Nicci Rockdad
Chapter One
An Unlikely Curse…
The woods were dark and deep, the aroma of wet moss permeating them. A soft mist hung off the ground, causing the many moss covered rocks to glint and glitter up at the duo mischievously.
The taller was blond, with pleasant blue eyes the color of a clear summer sky, the shorter had a long fiery mane, and a glinting ruby gaze to match.
They were of course, one Lina Inverse, and her protector Gourry Gabriev.
"It's pretty quiet here, isn't it, Lina?" He whispered, drawing his sword on instinct.
Lina's eyes glinted as she surveyed their surroundings suspiciously. "A little too quiet, huh Gourry?"
Gourry grinned playing along with the familiar game as he too took in their surroundings. "Almost as though there's something scarier in this forest than you, eh Lina?"
Lina twitched but kept her grin pleasant. "Or perhaps someone who thinks so, anyway."
"Come on out!" She called into the woods. "I know you're out there and I'm getting tired of waiting."
No answer, no birds, no insects, no wind, nothing.
Lina smiled coolly, raising her hands daintily. "Well then I guess we'll have to do this my way..."
"BOMB DIEM WING!!!" She declared, blowing out rows upon rows of trees before her path.
"Hm..." She stated with a small smirk, eying the clearing and turning to the right. "Nothing there. How about..."
"MEGA BRAND!!!" She bellowed, dropping to a knee and slamming her palm on the earth, the unseen transfer of magic rearranging the terrain as it took off into the woods.
The trees cracked and split to either side of their new-found divide. Gourry watched patiently, a small smile on his face.
"Oh?" Lina asked, her smirk widening as their quarry was still hidden. "Really? So, you're sure you don't want to come out then?"
She pivoted to her right in a blur, diving down, her hands at the ready. "BRAVE HOWL!!!"
The land before her stretched out as a river of lava and she grinned, pleased with herself.
"Last chance." She stated calmly, turning right and looking long and hard into the remaining woods as she raised her hands.
The woods remained silent and she smirked, giving an easy shrug. "Well then, your funeral."
"BURST RONDO!!!" She cried, a series of fireballs eliminating the remaining cover.
Gourry readied his sword and Lina grinned coolly.
Her plan was flawless. To one side there was a river of lava and to the other no where to hide, and their back was secure.
The trees were ablaze and yet there came no cries from within, Lina swallowed nervously. She'd never admit it but the stillness of this place was starting to get to her.
It just wasn't natural...
"Where is she?" Gourry asked, eying the open clearing perplexed. "We left her nowhere to run..."
And in that instant Lina knew exactly where she had gone.
"Gourry!" She cried in horror, lifting her hands. "Beneath you!"
A hand shot out of the dirt and Gourry leapt back, swinging the blade of his sword down at it even in his retreat. "Not today, Lady!"
Lina smirked; he looked like such a stud fighting, if the world only knew.
Then the hand caught the blade, its grip surprisingly strong despite the blood now trailing down the arm.
Gourry gave a startled cry; people didn't really go around grabbing his sword all that much, and swung it upwards, bringing the forest witch with it.
"FIREBALL!!!" Lina yelled, taking advantage of the bizarre situation as always.
The witch screamed and released the sword, falling to ground. Gourry watched in stunned horror as she proceeded to beat the fire off of herself.
"Curse you, Lina Inverse!" She hissed, raising her muddy face and baring her ancient gaze into Lina's cool ruby one. "I'll see that your body becomes food for this forest. A fitting punishment for destroying my home."
"All you had to do was come out, Yucinda." Lina replied with a hard smirk, holding her hands up. "Now quit your yakking and give me your best shot."
Yucinda snarled and raised her hands muttering darkly. "DARK MIST!"
Lina swore bitterly as the air grew dense, taking on an enchanted purple hue, Yucinda and Gourry both fading from her sights.
"We're not afraid, are we, Yucinda?" She called mockingly into the darkness, willing the witch to give away her position.
A snarl of "BEPHIS BRING" was the response and Lina groaned inwardly as the ground imploded beneath her feet, allowing her top fall into the same tunnel Yucinda had burrowed to try and get the grab on Gourry.
"RAYWING!!!" She declared in irritation, floating back up top in a hurry.
As she expected Yucinda had taken the opportunity to dispel her cover and try and take out Gourry.
"Not so fast, Yucinda!" Lina growled, irritated at being pushed aside like that. "This fight is between..."
Yucinda turned on her and cut into her rant with a hiss of. "RAZA CLOVER!"
Lina gave a startled yelp and used her wind bubble to propel herself into the trees, giving her a head start as the floating lights followed her menacingly, and fast.
She hopped upward, from branch to branch, each time one dodging for her and firing into the branch with an array of sparks.
Once she reached the top of the tree she cut the spell, using sheer gravity to outrun the last of them.
As she fell to the ground, she rolled quickly, the last one hitting the spot where she'd just been and she heaved a relieved sigh.
"Van Rail!" Yucinda hissed and Lina froze, afraid she'd been caught off guard. Her heart dropped when she heard the stunned cry of Gourry instead.
She sat up quickly and saw the wretched ice-web form out of nowhere, holding him in place.
"Gourry..." She whispered, rising to her feet as Yucinda relieved him of his sword.
Lina had bought him that sword... Yucinda was going down...
She lifted her hands in rage and then...
"VAIS FLARE!!!" Yucinda cried, whirling on her with a fearsome grin. "Got you, Lina Inverse!"
Lina stared at it in irritated horror for a moment before dodging the massive explosion, singing her hair and cape as she threw herself to the side.
"Alright." She muttered, touching her fists together and closing her eyes in concentration. "If it's and explosion she wants..."
"Lina..." Gourry croaked, he and Yucinda having caught some of the blast themselves. "Remember... we only get paid if she's alive..."
Lina growled, closing her eyes tighter as she muttered under her breath. "Fine, I'll tone it down, but not by much... Lord of Darkness of the four worlds, grant me all the power you possess..."
Yucinda's eyes narrowed into slits and she pulled a dagger from her pocket, muttering an enchantment under her breath and kissing its hilt to seal it.
"What did you do?" Gourry asked in horror and Yucinda smirked.
"You'll see." She whispered, holding it ready.
Lina opened her eyes with a smirk. "This was the first spell I ever saw used with these talismans, I hope you appreciate it."
Yucinda smirked coolly, actually, giving the curse she had prepared, she did actually...
"BURST..." Lina began and the dagger was out of Yucinda's hands in an instant.
"BOMB!!!" She declared and Yucinda threw her hands to her face in horror.
"Oh no!" She cried. "What have I done?"
"Huh? What do you..." Lina began, before letting out a pained cry as the dagger slammed into the talisman on her right wrist, penetrating her wrist along with it.
Yucinda smirked with cold horror. "The curse I just cast is designed to double the power of a spell and send it back at its caster, but with a BLAST BOMB..."
Lina met her horrified gaze, holding her bleeding wrist in terror. "Why, that will turn this whole place into one smoking crater!"
The magic streamed out and in, ready to connect and Lina threw herself in front of Gourry with mixed screams of. "RAYWING! BOMB DIEM WING! RAYWING!!!"
The twin explosions incinerated Yucinda and rushed hungrily at the pair.
Lina turned into Gourry's chest, praying her shield would hold.
She had set up a wind shield, to protect them along with a powerful wind blast contained in another wind shield, it was the best she could do... however...
"Gourry." She whispered as he held her in his arms, both of their eyes wide in fright. "If we don't make it through this..."
"Yeah, Lina?" He asked softly, gazing down at her gently, the fear still evident in his blue gaze.
Just then the flames were finally pushed back and Lina breathed a sigh of relief, pulling herself away. "Nevermind. We're good."
With a hurl of effort she pushed the wind shield wider, until it broke, the BOMB DIEM WING contained inside blowing the fire away from them.
"Not for nothing, Lina." Gourry stated surveying their decimated surroundings. "But you need a magic-off spell or something."
Lina grinned eying her lava moat, forest fire, and newly forged catacombs with appreciation. "Maybe so, Gourry. Still... not bad, right?"
"Tell me, Lina..." He muttered, kicking over a pile of ash. "How are we supposed to get paid now, they wanted her alive, remember?"
"Hey!" Lina yelled in defense, holding up a fist to make her point. "Its all her fault that she went and got herself blown up! I expected her to from a counter attack and then I was going to put her to sleep as she prepared it, but no! Why is it witches always have to curse you?"
Gourry smiled softly, unnerved by her rant as usual.
"Your arm, Lina." He stated, noticing the blood and ripping off a piece of his shirt. "How deep is it?"
"Ah, it's barely a scratch..." She replied, waving him away and he narrowed his brows incredulously.
"Lina." He stated warningly. "The dagger is still sticking out of your wrist, let me see it."
Lina sighed, cracking a smile despite herself and offering him her arm. "Fine. But be gentle, it hurts enough already."
"I though you said it was barely a scratch." He chided and she glared at him, pulling back out of his grip.
"Well if you're going to be glib." She muttered and he held up his hands in surrender.
"Sorry, sorry!" He said and she sighed, offering it back.
"Hey Lina... What's glib mean?"
O O O
"What are we doing here, Lina?" Gourry asked, looking up the shop before them.
"We need money, right?" Lina asked cheerfully and Gourry nodded, he was with her so far...
"Well, what good are talismans of the Four Worlds if only three of them are in working order?" She asked calmly.
"Um..." He replied, thinking hard, math had never been his strong suit. "Three quarters?"
Lina backhanded him hard, wincing as it reverberated through her bandaged wrist, which of course only made her feel bad about it; which in turn only made her more irritated...
"No use at all." She muttered, pulling open the door. "Now come on."
O O O
Prince Dade was a dashing man, tall and handsome with pale skin and dark hair. A nice strong chin and well defined brow. He ruled one of the most Peaceful Kingdoms his side of the Desert of Destruction, and as such one the wealthiest. He was a fine catch for any princess, but Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune wasn't quite like other princesses.
They both wanted this treaty to go through, that he knew, but her heart wasn't in it. Prince Dade had the love of princesses everywhere; however, if he couldn't win the heart of his own future wife, it was all meaningless.
He sighed nervously as his carriage trotted on, eying the gifts he'd brought.
Gold, perfume, personalized paintings, and statues of the finest Orihalcon.
As he looked at it he knew immediately that she wouldn't like it. Amelia was a pure girl, such material possessions had no effect on her. She needed something, rustic, something that would mean something to a people-princess like her.
"Stop the cart!" He declared and the cart stopped with a graceful sway, his footman stepping down and opening his door.
"Looks like rain, Your Majesty." He stated calmly, holding out an umbrella. "Shall I escort you?"
"Please." He replied, pulling his jacket closer to himself for warmth, the fall breeze nipping at his face. It was so much colder on this side of the Desert. "I need to find a personal gift for my princess."
"Of course, Your Majesty." He replied, with a swift bow as they turned and headed down the street. "Where?"
Dade glanced around the square and noticed an odd couple exiting a shop, the younger red-haired maiden holding a large bag of money and grinning with glee.
"There." He replied pointing at the shop. "Whatever they traded must be something indeed if a dingy shop like this paid them so well."
The door chimed open and old, tried eyes watched them enter. They were so very different than his last customers. He could tell by their attire that it was time to make back all that money he'd just doled out, and then some.
"What can I do for ya, My Lords?" He asked wheezeily and Dade put on his most formal smile.
"I wish to see what it is those two just sold you." He replied loftily. "If it's to my liking, I shall be quite interested."
"I hear ya, I hear ya.' He replied amiably, pulling it out of his secret compartment under the counter and spreading them out on the glass display case. "Real fine taste you have there, My Lord. This is worth more than all me haul."
Dade smiled coolly, familiar with the bargaining style of these sorts. "Oh? And why is that?"
"This is the rarest stone known to man." He whispered, leaning in conspiratorially. "And since one of them is broken, I got it for practically a steal!"
Now Dade understood. If what the man was saying was true, and he could easily tell that one of them was smashed beyond repair, then this was exactly what he was looking for.
"I see." He stated softly, smiling wide. "I only need two of them. The collar guard and the other wrist guard if you'd be so kind. It's an engagement thing"
"Oh I see! Well, they weren't a package deal, anyway." He replied with an easy shrug, wrapping the pair up and a silken kerchief. "Although, a man in my profession would be remiss if I didn't charge you for one. Especially given the special occasion."
Dade smirked coolly. Oh yes, he more than familiar with this man's kind. "Tell you what, just charge me what you paid that couple, plus an extra two hundred gold, what do you say?"
The shop owner grinned toothily, handing him the silken bundle and offering his hand.
"I'd say it's been a pleasure doing business with you."
O O O
Amelia stared at her reflection, fiddling with the talisman on her neck as she held back the tears.
At least it reminded her of Miss Lina.
She wished she was here now; then everything would be fine.
Yes, if only Miss Lina were here...
O O O
Curse you... Lina Inverse...
O O O
And so it begins. I hope you enjoyed the intro, I should warn you the next chapter just dives right into it.
See you guys on Friday for Chapter Two...