Part Eight Mazu Slave

Gourry grimly got up the following morning. Though the past few days had been quiet, he knew that he was going to have to face Gorel again. What had happened to his brother to make him change so much? Gourry didn't have a choice on that cursed day, so why did he feel so guilty? Gourry could feel his heart sag. Though, to everyone else, he acted normally, he knew that something in side him was changing and he couldn't understand if it was for better or worse. As he grabbed a bun from Lina, he wished Sylphiel was here to explain what was happening to him.

Later that morning, Gourry was following Zel through a small path in the woods. Everyone was unusually quiet, just as the forest was. There was no sound other than their footfalls. Everyone had their weapons handy. There was something in the air that screamed ambush. Zelgadiss halted, ears twitching.

"What's wrong?" Lina asked quietly.

"Lesser Demons," he whispered. "Kotowa, Copy Rezo." He sniffed the air. "That guy Gourry fought before." Gourry's grip tightened on his sword. He was going to fight Gorel again. Zelgadiss continued. "They're heading this way. Fast, very fast."

"Actually," said Kotowa from behind them. "We're already here."

"What??" Everyone whirled around. There was Copy Rezo, Gorel, and Kotowa standing before an army of demons.

"That," Kotowa said. "Was just a bunch of demons with our scents on them. We teleported here. Now then, shall we begin?" Out of the corner of his eye, Gourry saw Lina hop onto Zel's back and go charging into the woods with Copy Rezo following them. Everyone else attacked the demons, leaving Gourry to face Gorel again. They locked swords.

"Ah," Kotowa said, floating over them. "Who will win this Battle of Brothers, ne? Will Gorel avenge himself on his killer and sibling, or will Gourry reassert his claim to the Sword of Light? Will the darkness of hatred prevail, or the light which is sworn to fight it?" Gourry and Gorel gave no answers. "Oh to hell with the announcer, just fight!'

"Why did you kill me, little brother?" Gorel asked. Gourry felt like a dagger was struck through his chest and twisted. Their fight was temporarily interrupted as a large explosion was heard in the distance.

"By Drrael-sama, Copy Rezo can really dish it out," Kotowa whispered. "Or was that Lina? Oh well, doesn't matter."

"Why, Gourry? Why?" Gourry remained silent. They continued to fight. Gourry noticed that everyone else was whittling down the Lesser Demons with ease. The most surprising part was the spells that Sirus was using. No one had ever seen them before. The fight progressed with neither Gourry nor Gorel gaining an upper hand. Finally, Gorel saw an opening and sliced deeply into Gourry's sword arm. He cried out in pain and almost tripped back. He switched hands.

"Oh goodie!" Kotowa said, sounding very childish. "We may be on the verge of a victory for a change. Get him Gorel!" Gorel started to advance, but another explosion distracted him. Gourry sliced Gorel's arm similarly. A second, smaller explosion was heard. Gorel was now enraged and their battle intensified.

"Gorel!" Gourry shouted. "Big bro, stop this! I don't want you to die again!" Gourry brought up his sword to defend, but the blow was to strong. The sword flew from Gourry's hands and he fell back. Gorel got ready for the final blow.

"Gourry may not be able to kill you," Xellos said, appearing behind Gorel. "But I can!" He jabbed the end of his staff into Gorel's back. "Ice!" he commanded. Whatever enchantment he called upon worked in freezing Gorel from head to toe in ice.

"Oh please," Kotowa said. With a snap of his fingers, Gorel was free from the ice and stumbled forward, landing on Gourry's sword which he had grabbed to bring up in defense. The sword ran him through. Gorel fell to the ground, dead.

"Nooooooo!!" Gourry cried out. "Gorel!!"

Meanwhile, Kotowa decided to do his own fighting. A ball of black energy appeared in his hands and he aimed it at Xellos. Xellos was able to dodge, but only barely. Kotowa got another ball ready when a large mace made contact to his head. Knocked off balance, Sirus and Amelia attacked.

"Domu Bras!" Amelia shouted. The spell erupted from her hands.

"Cepheid Flare!" Sirus commanded. Surprisingly, the spell did not seem to come from anywhere in particular. A large fiery orb of light suddenly appeared in front of Sirus' staff which he released.

Kotowa stumbled back, but stood straight. Damn it, they are good. Kotowa summoned the black orbs again. At the same time, he called more Lesser Demons forth.

"You know," Xellos mentioned. "You never seem to call upon other Mazoku. Could it be that no one other than you will follow Drrael? Gee I wonder why."

"Shut your mouth!" Kotowa yelled, throwing all the orbs at him. Unfortunately, that golden priestess cast a strong shield

"Sirus! Amelia!" Everyone turned around to see Zelgadiss make a not very graceful crash into the ground with Lina. Lina stood up and rolled up her sleeves. "Come here.:"

"What??" Everyone whirled around. There was Copy Rezo, Gorel, and Kotowa standing before an army of demons.

"That," Kotowa said. "Was just a bunch of demons with our scents on them. We teleported here. Now then, shall we begin?" Zel looked around the area again, confirming the fact that he had been here before.

"Lina," he whispered. "Get on."

"What?"

"Just get on!" he barked. "Ride me like a horse!" Wordlessly, Lina obeyed. Zel took off into the woods. As Zel predicted, Copy Rezo followed them. He explained his plan to Lina as he raced for a cliff nearby. "I know this area. I'll fly out over a cliff and you get ready to give Copy Rezo a Dragu Slave he won't forget."

"Okay, but a Dragu Slave won't do it. He's somehow been enhanced by Drrael, or Kotowa, or whoever is raising the dead."

"That's why after you get him off balance, I'm going to dive in." Zel broke through the trees and opened his wings, soaring out into the air. Far below them rested a field of wildflowers. Once out a fair distance, Zel whirled around and hovered. Just breaking through the trees was Copy Rezo.

"Now!"

"Dragu Slave!!" The spell exploded from Lina's hands and nailed Copy Rezo. Zel flew up into the sun, leaving Lina levitating. She would be his backup if this didn't work. As the smoke cleared, Zel could see Copy Rezo's form. Animal instinct took over and he dove at a fierce speed. He plowed into Copy Rezo and slammed him against the cliff's sheer face. Zel wrapped himself around Copy Rezo as much as possible to prevent him from using any spells. Copy Rezo did manage to stab the end of his staff into Zel's side

With a cruel feral smile, Zel concentrated a spell into his hands. "Ra…"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Copy Rezo smiled.

"Tilt!" The spell released into Copy Rezo. However, it was Zelgadiss who was on the receiving end of the spell. Releasing Copy Rezo from his grasp and convulsions, Zelgadiss was suddenly aware that the end of Copy Rezo's staff was imbedded in his side. It was the perfect conductor.

"You may have reprogrammed yourself," Copy Rezo said arrogantly. "But I still control you."

>When did this happen??< Program Rezo demanded. Zelgadiss started to fall. He was faintly aware of Lina calling out his name.

"Zel!!!" Lina cried out as he convulsed from the affects of the Ra Tilt he cast on Copy Rezo. As Zelgadiss fell, he started to open his wings, slowing him down as he started to get some control of where he was going. Copy Rezo tsked him and somehow, the Ra Tilt went through Zelgadiss again. Lina adjusted her levitation spell and caught up with Zel as fast as she could.

Once with him, she got onto Zel's back and opened his wings by hand. With more surface area, their descent slowed, but the ground was still hard. Lina stood up, ignoring the throbbing in her leg and arm. She was pissed, but the smell of the wild flowers calmed her. Perhaps a dozen yards away, Copy Rezo landed.

Please, L-sama, help me, Lina quietly thought. "Darkness beyond twilight, Crimson beyond blood that flows, Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows." Zel stood up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her power. "I pledge myself to conquer, all the foes who stand, before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess. Dragu Slave!!"

The spell blasted from her hands like it always did, but Lina thought that the light tricked her eyes. For a brief moment, it appeared to be golden. But Lina was to tired. Even with Zel's power boost, she threw everything she had into that spell. She fell to her knees. They didn't have time to fight with all of these dead people. They had to stop Drrael before anyone else was killed. She had seen the torture that Amelia endured when her dead mother came back to life. Though her selfish attitude wouldn't admit it, she vowed to make Drrael pay for hurting her friends like that.

Lina looked up. Copy Rezo was still standing. She swore. Loud and at length. But this was lost as something came from behind her.

"Dragu Slave!" Though much weaker than the one she had cast, Lina turned to see Zel collapse, breathing hard.

"Zel?"

"Is that all you've got!" Damn it, Copy Rezo was still alive. Something heavy was put in her hand. She looked down. Zel had given her his sword. With his hand on hers, he whispered, "Astral Vine." The sword's enchantment activated.

"He's weak Lina. Weaker than he's letting on. You can do it." Lina turned to Copy Rezo. She studied him. Zel was right. He wasn't moving quite so fast and his voice wavered ever so slightly as he tried to taunt her into using the Giga Slave. With Zel's sword raised, she rushed him. She cast a minor Levitation just to give her more speed. Copy Rezo brought up his staff, but Lina kicked him in the stomach. Off balance and stumbling back, she gave the final blow. He fell to the ground and disappeared. The enchantment stopped and Lina went back to Zel.

"Okay, get off your knees and fly!" she commanded.

"What?"

"The others are going up against Kotowa and Lesser Demons. They're going to need help." She climbed onto his back.

"Lina, I don't have any power left. The Ra Tilt attacked my Mazoku third and spread to the rest of me." Lina placed her hands on Zel's shoulders, as he had done with her, and gave him her power.

"Now fly." Zelgadiss grumbled but started to flap his wings. Within a moment, he started to maneuver the wind currents and climbed high above the cliff. Off in the distance a tiny village lay nestled in the woods. Unsteadily, Zel glided down to the battlefield where spells ignited the area. As they came in for a landing, Lina saw Gorel dead with Gourry looking frozen. Kotowa was a little ruffed up with black orbs in his hand. Lesser Demons were appearing behind him. Xellos said something as Zel started to dive down. Kotowa let loose the orbs, but Fillia cast a shield in time to save everyone.

"Sirus! Amelia!" Lina called. She knew Zel was going to need a healer. Everyone turned around to see Zelgadiss make a not very graceful crash into the ground with Lina. Lina stood up and rolled up her sleeves. "Come here."

Everyone came over to her, except Gourry who was dragged over by Fillia. "Leave Kotowa to me. Sirus, Amelia, heal Zel. Fillia, protect them and give them enough time for Xellos to teleport all of you to the nearest town. It's about a half mile that way," she said pointing. "I'll join you there tonight."

">Even with your healing spells,<" Program Rezo interjected. ">Zelgadiss is going to be unconscious for three days. He needs rest and I will be going over his programming thoroughly to avoid this in the future.<" He reverted back to his normal chimeric state

"Fine," Lina said. She turned to Kotowa.

"Lina!" Sirus grabbed her arm and looked at her. "You are too weak to go against Kotowa. I'll handle him."

"No Sirus," she replied, pulling her arm free. "You're our best healer. Zel needs you now."

"Lina, the spells of Shamanism and Black Magic require the caster to use their own energy to control it. You don't have the strength."

"I said.." Sirus raised a hand.

"I know what you said and I shall going to obey you. But you can not defeat him using your usual spells. Remember what I have taught you. Offensive white magic draws energy from the world around us and controls itself. You will not be drained of any more energy. Use the spell from the book." Xellos grabbed onto Sirus and teleported. Lina looked at Kotowa, going over everything Sirus had taught her and the spell that she had received. It had to work.

"So," Kotowa said. "It's just you and me now." With a wave of his hand, he banished the Lesser Demons. Small black orbs of power appeared in his hands. "You will finally pay for killing Gaav-sama!" The orbs were released and hurtled towards her. She leapt aside. "Your move," he said.

"Are you sure?" Lina asked.

"Very. I want to see what this spell of yours can do."

"It's your funeral." "Brightness beyond Sunlight,
Fullness beyond life that flows,
Buried in the purest heart is where your power grows.
I pledge myself to aiding,
All the foes who stand,
Before the might gift bestowed in my unworthy hand.
Let the vile who stand before me be defeated by the light that you and I posses
MAZU SLAVE!"

The spell was the exact opposite of the Dragu Slave. Instead of being designed to kill Ryuzuku, it destroyed Mazoku. Bits of light appeared from all the living things around her. The trees, the grass, the animals nearby everything. All the light gathered into her hands. She did nothing to control it. No energy was drained from her. But the light seemed to know what she wanted. Once it was formed, it released itself towards Kotowa. He would never see a day or night again. He ceased to exist.

After the light destroyed Kotowa, it came to her. Lina tried to run away, not wanting to be destroyed, but found she couldn't move. The light surrounded her. For a brief moment, Lina truly understood what peace was. Then she collapsed.

When Lina woke up, it was dark out. All of the pain and weariness she felt before was gone, though that knowledge that she found peace temporarily lingered. Something felt vaguely different about herself. She didn't know what, but she had confidence that she would know when the time was right.

"Lina!" a voice called in the distance. It sounded familiar.

"Lina can you hear me!"

"I'm over here Xellos!" she called back. They came together under a great pine tree.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," she replied quietly. "That spell not only destroyed Kotowa, but it healed me as well."

"Lina, are you sure you're all right?"

"Perfectly."

"Really?" Xellos said. "You sound different."

Lina hit him on the head hard. "I SAID I WAS FINE NOW BACK OFF!"

"Yup," the ground said. "That's the Lina we all know and love." Standing up. Xellos grabbed her arm, slamming his staff to the ground and teleported to an inn. "You were right about this town. It's actually quite cozy." Xellos smiled. Lina looked around. Fillia was sitting at a table in the corner having tea with Amelia. Sirus was coming down the stairs looking very tired. Gourry and Zelgadiss were nowhere to be found.

"Where's Zel and Gourry?" she asked.

"Gourry's in his room and refuses to come out," Sirus said glumly. "Zelgadiss' wounds are healed, but like Program Rezo said, he is not waking up. I believe we are stuck here for a few days." Lina's shoulders dropped. "Did the spell work?"

"Beautifully!" Lina said. "Do you have any more books you'd like to share with me?"

"No." Lina's face fell.

"Lina," Sirus said. "I know you must feel great right now, but you should go to bed as soon as possible. That was the first time you cast that type of spell. Even though you didn't use your own energy, the process is overwhelming. Go to bed before you collapse."

"What are you talking about?" Lina yelled. "I've never felt bett…" Lina fainted.

Sirus and Amelia had brought up Lina so Xellos sat by Fillia and decided it was time to discuss what they were going to do when they finally caught up with Drrael.

"Kotowa is finally dead," Xellos said.

"Thank Cepheid," Fillia replied. "The psychological damage he was doing on everyone was incredible. I mean, if Zelgadiss wasn't messed up before, he certainly is now. And poor Amelia. She's still dealing with her mother's death."

"Gourry doesn't seem to be doing that much better either. As I recall, in that last battle he had with that Gorel character, I believe that he was Gourry's older brother."

"Oh dear," she said. "And they way Gorel died? He must be blaming himself." Fillia sighed. There was a moment of silence. Xellos impulsively reached over and put is hand on Fillia's.

"It'll be okay, Fillia." He stoked her hand. "We're going to face Drrael and we're going to win."

"I hope so," Fillia whispered. She put her other hand on Xellos'. For some reason, the act comforted Xellos. It felt good, but he didn't know how else to describe it. It was also familiar. Something he had felt since he first met Fillia. But if he was a Mazoku then, how could he feel? He changed topics. Both in his head and his conversation.

"We must be close."

"And how do you figure that?" she asked.

"Kotowa. He would never actually do his own dirty work. That's why he always called up demons to do it. For him to actually fight us on his own indicates he was getting desperate to get rid of us. We're close."

"Good. I want to give that semi-Mazoku a piece of my mind."

"Indeed. I have a few things to say to him as well. I think we'll have to depend on Lina to destroy him."

"Probably. She's the only one with spells powerful enough to defeat anyone."

"Hai. I think a Giga Slave would do it, but that's out of the question."

"Agreed. Besides, I don't think it would work." Xellos raised an eyebrow and Fillia explained. "I've been having this dream that Lina cast a Giga Slave at Drrael. As soon as it hit, any control it or she had was lost."

"Ouch," Xellos whispered. "What about the Laugne Blade?"

"It could work, but she'd have to hit him with it. I doubt that it would be that simple."

"Perhaps. But what if Zelgadiss and Amelia keep him from the Astral Plane with a few dozen Ra Tilts?"

"That might do, but Drrael might be fast on his feet. The fact that the general public doesn't know of his existence points to that. I think Gourry, Sirus and myself will attack him while Lina prepares the spell."

Xellos felt a wave of helplessness and uselessness start to drown him. "And what about me?" he whispered.

"You can probably port in and out getting the injured away. I doubt we're going to get through this unscaved." For some reason, that made Xellos feel better.

"So we have a plan." Xellos got up, pulling his hand from Fillia's grasp. "I think we may need some sleep. We'll need all the energy we can muster when we get to Drrael."

"Indeed." They both went upstairs to their individual rooms.
Go to Part Nine-The Misadventures of Sirus and Amelia