The Other Side of the Dark

By: Morri

All copyright laws apply to the owners of Slayers and to me for my plot and original characters.

What Dreams May Come

* DISCLAIMER* Warning! This is a very dark fanfic. It involves an alternate reality, death, violence, and is very much not the slapstick Slayers we're all used to. While it does retain a certain comic element, the core of the story is nothing if not creepy. It also retains my views on the couple situation, so there. If you don't like that, you don't have to read it. Otherwise, enjoy!

Amelia woke up and found that she could not move. Her immediate reaction was one of panic. Was she dead, was she wounded? Amelia looked around. Her eyes came to rest on Zelgadis, who was still holding her after last night. He was asleep, slumped against the headboard of her bed. He was breathing evenly and smoothly. Amelia sighed. Why didn't he just admit that he cared and get it over with. Everyone else already had, even those princes who were to be her suitors knew they had no chance against Zelgadis.

Zelgadis stirred and Amelia feigned sleep. She burrowed deeper into his arms and through the tiny slits in her eyes she could see him smiling warmly at her. He stroked her hair and whispered her name. Amelia wanted to shout out right there, "Oh, Zel! I love you too!" But she somehow restrained herself and breathed in his scent in. He tightened his grip and fell asleep again. Amelia waited for awhile until she was sure Zelgadis would not awaken. The princess the slid out of bed and went to her closet. She pulled out an outfit to wear. She glanced at Zelgadis again to make sure he was still sleeping, then turned her back and began to change clothes.

When she was struggling to pull on her leggings, she heard stirrings from behind her. With a startled yelp, the Princess dove behind a chair and attempted to recover her dignity. Zelgadis did not help by peeking around the chair and asking, "Amelia, why are you hiding behind…the…" he trailed off. Amelia turned bright crimson and pulled her shirt closer to her chest, which the chimera was staring intently at. The princess frowned and raised her hand to slap him.

Zelgadis blushed and turned away, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were…well I guess I didn't expect…*sigh* I'm sorry."

Amelia pulled on her shirt and stood up, pulling her leggings up as well. She took his arm and said, "Can we just forget this ever happened?"

Zelgadis forced himself to look into her eyes and nod. Amelia got a strange look in her eyes then and grinned, "You certainly were being protective last night. I didn't notice you letting go of me at all, the entire night! It was sweet." Amelia blushed and pushed herself up on tiptoe to kiss the still red Chimera on the cheek.

"There you are Lina! I've been looking everywhere!" Gourry yelled as he ran toward the sorceress. Lina spun around only to be caught in Gourry's warm embrace. He kissed her and smiled.

"What brought this on?" Lina found herself saying.

Gourry shrugged. He reached in his pouch and pulled something small out. "Close your eyes, love," he whispered. Lina obediently did as she was told. Gourry knelt down and took her hand in his. He kissed it gently. "Okay, Lina, you can look now," Gourry said.

Lina's first reaction was one of shock. Then she blushed, "Oh Gabriev, you are so sweet."

Gourry smiled disarmingly and slid the diamond on her finger, "Lina, I love you. I've always loved you. Never forget that." He stood up and embraced her again. Lina closed her eyes and felt his warmth fade away. The next time she opened her eyes, she stood before a Priest with Gourry. She glanced behind her. In the front row sat Amelia, Zelgadis and Xellos. Prince Phil sat off to the side, weeping into his brother Christopher's arms. Lina rolled her eyes.

She and Gourry faced each other for a part of the ceremony and Lina chanced another look into the spectators. She recognized some of her old friends, some enemies. And standing in the doorway was a shadowed figure. The figure's eyes glowed red. It was the figure of a tall man of average build. Lina assumed he was just another onlooker and shrugged him off and turned back to her beloved. The Priest concluded the ceremony and Gourry lifted Lina's veil.

She leaned into Gourry as he kissed her and bells rang in her mind. She nearly exploded with happiness. As they broke their embrace, they were met by loud applause. Lina smiled serenely and Gourry beamed proudly. The new couple went back down the aisle toward the door. Suddenly, the figure raised a gloved hand. A single phrase echoed in Lina's mind as she went on the defensive.

"Dragon Slave," the figure said calmly. The red energy flew directly at Lina. Gourry, always her guardian, shoved his new bride out of the way. The move cost him his life. Lina screamed out and ran back to Gourry's side. Gourry was gone, replaced with a charred and broken body. Suddenly, Xellos was there, throwing up a barrier around her, protecting her from the shadow-man's next attack. Xellos did not have time to shield himself from a well-placed Fireball. In minutes, he too was dead, taken from Lina while attempting to defend her. Zelgadis came next, leaping to her aide with his Astral Vine spell. His glowing red sword slashed at the shadow, and went cleanly through it with no resistance. Lina heard Zelgadis mutter, "Impossible," seconds before he joined Gourry and Xellos in the land of the dead. Lina's tears burst forth and she fell to her knees amidst her fallen comrades.

Lina turned to the side to find Amelia and Prince Phil side by side, preparing to attack. The pair leapt at the shadowed figure with red eyes, justice burning in their hearts. But justice would not prevail, for the Evil One destroyed father and daughter with a Dither Bolt. Lina could not hold back any longer. She shut her eyes. When she opened them, she was surrounded in a nexus of red energy. She began to chant the forbidden Laguna Blade spell. She didn't care if the Lord of Nightmares possessed her eternally. Without her friends, life was not worth living.

The black sword came to life in her hands, burning a hole through the shadow and shedding light on the perpetrator of these heinous crimes. Lina gasped as she saw who had been in the shadow.

Lina Inverse stepped out of the doorway, grinning evilly. The dreaming sorceress cried out to Gourry before the other woman cast her freeze spell. Lina could almost feel the cold when suddenly…she sat straight up.

"Lina? Lina? Are you going to eat that?" Gourry shook her with concern.

The troubled sorceress shook her head, "No Gourry, you can have it. In fact, I'm not hungry at all. Take it all."

Gourry felt Lina's forehead. "Lina, are you okay? What's wrong. And don't' tell me nothing, cause I won't believe that for a minute," the swordsman said, looking into Lina's eyes. His eyes betrayed his concern, even though his face was smiling. Lina sighed.

"You're right Gourry. I think that maybe I should tell you later though, when there isn't anyone else around. I might start crying and I don't think I want anyone else to see me cry, okay?" the sorceress looked up at her stalwart champion.

Gourry's eyes softened. "Oh Lina," he said gently, "you would cry for me and no one else?" Lina, puzzled, nodded. Gourry's heart leapt out of his chest.

"You know, Gourry, I think maybe I am hungry after all," Lina said with a grin. If she could talk to Gourry, he'd make everything all right. He always did. Well, when he could understand it anyway.

(Line break)

Prince Phil sat in his study with Christopher and their grandfather, Jarred. Jarred had his nose buried in a book, while Phil and Christopher talked in hushed tones. The three men had been sitting up all night trying to find a way to better protect Amelia. Amelia could not be harmed, at any cost. They all loved her too much. Jarred was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a noise from outside. He went over and pulled back the blinds. He blinked a few times as the sunlight streamed in. He looked to the source of the noise. Lina, Xellos, and Gourry were hitching up a wagon to some horses.

"Well, boys, it looks like we've been working all night. Let's go get some breakfast and discuss this later," he said, still looking below with a frown. He wandered what they were up to.

At breakfast, he sent for Inverse. She came into the room a few minutes later, not sure why she'd been summoned. Jarred motioned for her to sit with him.

"Lina, earlier, I saw you and your friends hitching up a wagon. What are you planning on doing?" the weapons master asked.

Lina sighed and explained, "I have some contacts in town that may be able to give better protection than I. I still have to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I don't know about you, but I don't think I can concentrate on both at once."

"But what about Amelia? Who'll be here to protect her?" Jarred protested.

"Oh, don't worry. Zelgadis is here. We're leaving him with Amelia. Speaking of them, I wonder where they are; they weren't at breakfast. Anyway, you're here too Weapons Master. Or have you forgotten why you're called that?" Lina said.

Jarred thought a moment then nodded. Lina smiled. Then she took her leave and went down to the waiting wagon. Zelgadis and Amelia had joined them finally. When Lina approached, Amelia began to talk.

"Oh Miss Lina! It was horrible! Someone attacked me again! Mr. Zelgadis saved me, though, so I'm okay now!" Amelia's words ran together in a squeaky, fearful voice. Zelgadis, who stood next to her, put his arm around her shoulder and spoke gently to her for a moment. She visibly relaxed and looked to Lina.

Lina thought for a moment, then asked, "Does anyone besides me sense a pattern here? I mean, so far, when Amelia gets attacked in her sleep, this Monster has followed up with a journey to subspace. I wonder if that's going to happen again. Zelgadis, don't leave Amelia's side at any cost, okay?" Lina hopped on the back of the cart and this time, Gourry took the reins. Xellos pulled himself in beside Lina and settled down for the ride.

Zelgadis tightened his arm around the Princess' shoulders and waved with his free hand. Once Lina and the others were out of sight, Zelgadis and Amelia went back inside. Prince Phil met them at the door.

"Amelia, you know you still have your duties to perform. There's about four young suitors you must look at," Phil said.

Amelia frowned and looked at Zelgadis, "But Daddy…" she began.

Phil drew his daughter aside from Zelgadis and whispered, "Dear, I know you're in love with Mr. Zelgadis, but it is your royal duty to at least meet these other ones. Please Amelia." Phil waited. Finally, Amelia dropped her eyes and nodded. Phil hugged his daughter fiercely.

Zelgadis cleared his throat and spoke, "Prince Phil, I don't want to intrude, but I don't think it would be wise to let Amelia alone with people she doesn't know. Lina specifically told me not to leave Amelia's side."

Phil smiled, "Oh don't worry, we can pass you off as a bodyguard for now. No one with any sense would question that."

Zelgadis shrugged and held out his arm for Amelia. "Lead on oh Princess," Zel smiled. The Princess took his arm with a laugh and walked toward the throne room, where several families waited. Zelgadis escorted the Princess up to the throne and then took his place at her side, hand on sword hilt. His face was set in a menacing scowl. As the first suitor nervously approached Amelia, Zelgadis murmured to the poor girl, "I tried."

(Line break)

(Play midi)

Lina and Xellos were deep in conversation when Gourry called the horses to a halt. Gourry got down out of the drivers' seat and knelt on the ground. Lina stopped in mid sentence and hopped down beside Gourry. She gasped at the object on the ground. It was a jeweled goblet. It could fetch a handsome price. Lina reached for it. Suddenly, Xellos stepped behind her hand swatted her hand away with his staff.

"No, Lina. Don't touch that," he said. Lina frowned.

"Why not Xellos? What's wrong with it?" Lina asked. She didn't like to be kept from her treasures.

"The goblet is tainted. Look at the glow it's got. That means it's poison to touch. I know where this thing came from too. It came from a forge about twelve leagues north of the ruined city of Zoanna. Lina, trust me, please. Just this once will you trust me?" Xellos said, his eyes open and pleading.

Lina, taken aback at his willing display of emotion, withdrew her hand without a comment. Xellos relaxed visibly and stepped forward. He scooped up the object with one hand and quickly stuffed it inside of his tunic. Lina sighed and hopped back up in the wagon. Gourry hopped in beside her and sat down beside her. Xellos grudgingly took up the reins and started them on their journey again. Lina crossed her arms across her chest and promptly began brooding. Gourry looked back at Xellos who was having a conversation with the horse (or himself) and was not listening to him at all.

The swordsman cleared his throat, snapping Lina back to reality. "Lina, will you tell me what was bothering you at breakfast? We're not in the presence of a lot of people now."

Lina looked into the blue ocean of Gourry's eyes. Nothing but concern for Lina swam in that ocean. Lina sighed again and began to speak, telling Gourry absolutely everything. She left nothing out, even the parts about them…about the wedding. Lina came to the painful part about the attack, however, and stopped.

Gourry's face was twisted into a deep frown. "Lina, so far, I don't see why you're so upset. Did something else happen that you haven't said yet? Or were you just so offended that…that I had feelings for you?" Gourry choked out the last words with visible effort.

Lina put a hand to her forehead. "Not Gourry, that's not why I'm upset. I left something out. I left out the part about your deaths. All of you. Xellos, Amelia, Zelgadis, Phil…and you Gourry. You…you were first to fall. You were trying to save me and she fried you! She…she came out of her shadow and…she wore my face Gourry…my face." Lina rocked back and forth with her knees tucked into her chest. She put her head down on her knees and started to feel tears drip down.

Gourry put a protective arm around her and with his other hand lifted her face to wipe her tears away. She smiled sadly at him. He held her at arms' length for a moment and then drew her gently into his arms. She lost all control at that point and began weeping into Gourry's warm chest. Xellos turned around at the sound of Lina's sobs and frowned. What had spooked her so much about that silly dream? Xellos pondered this as he drove the horses on toward the outskirts of Seyruun.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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