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.

 

Together Apart, Loving Connection

 

* 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 sobbed into Zelgadis' arms. He tried everything he could think of to console her, but nothing worked.

"Amelia, will you at least tell me why it is that you're crying so much?" he asked, exasperated. Amelia just looked up at him with her puffy red eyes and started crying again.

She sobbed not only because of what Phil had said, but also because she was afraid what Zel had said the day before might be true. What would happen if they did have a child? Would the child be part demon too? Finally Amelia lifted her head and stopped crying. She would not cry about something that hadn't even happened yet. Zelgadis petted her hair and smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Thank you Zel. I feel much better now," Amelia said with a bright smile. Zelgadis smiled back. For a moment no one moved. Then, Zelgadis heard a distinctive snapping sound. His muscles tensed.

"Amelia, did you just hear that?" he asked. Amelia shook her head. Then she frowned.

"What's wrong? What did you hear?" she whispered. Zelgadis held up a cautioning hand. He climbed to his feet and went toward the door. He peeked out in the hall. The two imposters stood face to face with Gourry's and his former master Jarred. Jarred held out a magical sword not unlike Zel's own. His face was beaded with sweat, his eyes intense.

"I want you to leave! Go back to your own world and stop terrorizing the people in ours. The prophecy you spread was wrong! None of this mess should've happened!" the old man was saying.

Xellos sneered and said, "It doesn't concern you, Weapons master, if that's what you call yourself these days."

Jarred growled, "I've made a place here. I have a family now, monster. It is no concern of yours what I call myself."

This time, it was Lina who spoke, "Well Jarred, if you want us to go home, then make us!" Jarred smiled knowingly. Xellos raised his hand and the three started to waver into subspace. Zelgadis grabbed Amelia's arm and pulled himself and his new wife into the barrier after him. The old man could not face two monsters alone.


Xellos looked up from the book he and Lina were searching through. They had been trying to find the real prophecy concerning Lina. Xellos had heard the opening of the pocket dimension and wondered if it could be his doppelganger dragging someone else into a fight. Suddenly, one of the palace servants appeared and confirmed his thoughts.

" Lina! The imposters have just taken the Princess, Zelgadis, and Master Jarred into another dimension!" the servant said frantically. "I saw them myself. Master Jarred was standing against them with his sword and then the monsters started to fade out. Just then, Zelgadis came hurtling out of a doorway with the Princess in tow! They all disappeared, just like that!" cried the frantic servant.

Lina leapt up from her chair. "They what! A pocket dimension! Hey, how do you know about those anyway?" she asked suspiciously.

The man blushed, "Well, I do know how to read, and I've been studying the library books for a few years when I'm on break, so I know a little bit."

Lina looked thoughtful a moment. "Could you get us in there?" Lina asked the young man. He frowned and shook his head.

"Only monsters and some lesser demons can do that," he said sadly. Lina turned to Xellos.

"Then it's up to you Xel. I'm going to find Gourry and meet you in front of Amelia's room. And for your own sake, you'd better be there," Lina said. Then she stood up, spun on her heel, and walked from the room.

Xellos sighed and walked after her. These imposters really needed to go back where they came from.

Lina and Gourry stood at the door of Amelia's bedroom. Lina's foot tapped impatiently and Gourry was on the verge of falling asleep. Xellos had not shown up yet and Lina was getting angry.

"Oooh, it's just like that purple-haired freak not to show up when I ask him too," Lina muttered. Suddenly Xellos's head poked around the corner. He was out of breath and stopped to catch it before he spoke. In his hand he held a book.

"Lina, here it is. The original Prophecy! I think you should take a look at it before you go into the pocket dimension. If you still want to send reinforcements, I'll send Mr. Gourry instead," Xellos said.

Lina and Gourry exchanged a look. Lina said, "I don't really think we have much time, but okay. Hey, you and Gourry go on ahead. Then you can come back for me later."

Gourry frowned but nodded, "Okay, Lina. I'll go. But I don't like to leave you alone like this."

Lina kissed him. "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself for once okay?"

Gourry nodded and stepped away from Lina. Xellos raised his ever-present staff and Gourry disappeared. Lina sat down against the wall and sighed. Xellos sat down beside Lina and opened the book. He flipped through a few pages until he came to the one he was looking for. He put the book in Lina's lap and crossed his arms.

Lina looked at the page and frowned. Her eyes narrowed and she growled. "Xellos! I can't read ancient text! You know that!" she exclaimed.

Xellos smiled, "Yes you can Lina. It's almost exactly like runic. All the letters have an ancient counterpart. Here, let me show you."

Lina rolled her eyes, "Xellos, just tell me what it says. I don't want to learn ancient script right now. I just want this done quickly so I can get back to Gourry and the others."

Xellos shrugged, "Okay, but when you need to read it, don't come crying to me Lina. Here goes:"

One hundred years shall pass and a child shall be born. The child will be known as Bandit Killer, Dragon Spooker, and destroyer. In youth, she shall learn the mystic ways of the magics, in adolescence, she shall perfect them. Her life journey shall be wrought with perils. She shall protect the world from the evils of the Monster Race and the follies of the Dragons. L-Sama will smile upon her and grant her power. The woman shall be not alone in her perils. Among her companions: a stone man, a swordsman, and a monarch. Each has their part and each shall have their final reward for their struggles. The Bandit Killer shall find her destiny in her sons, whom she shall conceive of the descendant of the great sage who carries the mystic glowing blade. Their sons shall bring peace to a destroyed place and restore it to majesty. Thus is the life of the maiden of fire, the great sorceress Lina Inverse.

Lina's head reeled as if from the smell of strong drink. Xellos snapped the book shut and tucked it under his arm.

"So Lina, are you ready to go help the others?" he asked cheerfully. Lina, however, wasn't even listening to the Mazoku. All she could think of was the prophecy. It perfectly described her life and her quests. It even had a clause about her companions. And the scary part was, it was completely accurate. She had conceived of the swordsman of light, the carrier of the glowing blade. But did the prophecy mean she was having twins? Lina's brow furrowed as she wondered exactly what was to become of her.


Gourry fell down on top of Zelgadis, who was struggling to rise. Amelia held her Valis Wall up with effort, but managed to protect Gourry and Zel while they were down. Gourry leapt to his feet and brandished his glowing blade. Zelgadis climbed up more slowly, starting to exhaust his energy. The doppelganger Xellos merely stood in the background watching Lina do his dirty work.

"Zel, can you still fight?" Gourry asked, concerned for his friend.

Zelgadis nodded, "I'll be fine. Besides, if you recall, you're not the only one with an enchanted sword. ASTRAL VINE!" Zelgadis' sword burst into red flame. The flame then disappeared, leaving only the blade red. He shouted for Amelia to cover him as he leapt at the doppelganger Lina. He used his demon speed to catch her off guard and struck with his sword. As he sprinted back to Amelia and Gourry, he saw blood on his sword. The chimera was nearly out of breath as he reached the safety of Amelia's Valis Wall. Why had her wall held this long? What was it which allowed her to maintain such a barrier for such a long period of time?

"Zelgadis, hurry, she's still weak! Hit her again!" Amelia shouted. Zelgadis looked at Gourry. Their eyes met and suddenly, both men knew what they had to do. They had to kill Lina Inverse.
"Xellos, I think I'm ready now," Lina said, "Let's go kill your evil…er…eviler twin!" Xellos smiled at Lina. He held up his hand and a dimensional rift opened.

"Lina, you must remain in contact with me in order for this to work. I have to navigate through several pocket dimensions and it would simply not do to get you lost." He held out his other hand to her and Lina reluctantly took it. Xellos stepped into his pocket dimension. Lina followed, a determined look etched into her face. She would not back down. She could not lose Gourry, not after everything he'd done for her, not when they'd finally found their happiness together.

Jarred sat back, breathing heavily. His human form never was the best at stamina, he recalled. Before he had come to this world, he had been another creature entirely. He had been a Mazoku, like Xellos and Lina…no the doppelganger Xellos and the doppelganger Lina…only he had fallen in love with a human woman from another world. He had given up everything that was evil and everything he treasured in his own world to be with her. As it turned out, she was the Princess of a then small kingdom called Seyruun. Her father was the Crown Prince and thus, he had married into the line of Seyruun. He sired three sons, Philionel, the oldest, Christopher, the middle, and Randy, the youngest.

Jarred remembered his feelings at his wife's death. He made a vow to her to see Seyruun become great. He had also vowed that he would not rest until that time. He had watched his sons grow up and when Philionel was old enough, he gave the Crown to his son and went off to become the Weapons Master. In one of his first classes had been an overly eager young swordsman named Gourry. He had been and still was one of Jarred's best pupils. Then had come the strange blue-skinned one. He had come to Jarred in a very bad state of mental health, wanting to perfect his sword techniques. Jarred remembered the spell the boy had put on his sword…Astral Vine. Yes, Zelgadis had been a fine pupil as well, but Gourry remained the master, perhaps even better than Jarred himself. The old man smiled fondly as he watched his former students fight. He decided that it was time to shed this human body and resume his true natural form.

Amelia's head snapped around as she heard her grandfather's scream. Her concentration lapsed, allowing the evil Lina to break her Valis Wall. Amelia found herself screaming as she flew backwards from Lina's blast. She felt strong arms literally her out of the air just seconds from smashing into a rock. Her breath left her lungs in a whoosh of pain and she found herself unable to breathe for a moment. She looked up and saw a face not unlike her grandfather's looking tenderly down at her.

"Ami, it's okay. Grandpa's here. Relax and I'll make everything okay again, I promise." Amelia wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or if this was real, but all doubts flew away when the strange monster leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Oh, Grandfather!" Amelia whispered. Jarred smiled tenderly as his little Ami's head rolled to the side. He laid her gently down and turned back to the fight at hand.

"You hurt my little granddaughter, now you'll PAY!!! MONSTERS!!!"
"Xellos, what happened?" Lina said, her voice beginning to show signs of impatience.

The purple-haired Mazoku sighed and rubbed his temples. "Lina, I think they have warded the pocket dimension. Besides, maybe we'd just be getting in the way if we tried to get in, you know?"

Lina's eyes began to get wild. "Xellos! What do you mean? It wasn't blocked when you took Gourry in!! My husband and two best friends are in there!!! Get us in!!" she shouted, beginning to get frantic.

"Lina, I'm sorry, but I don't think it's wise. After all, the ones we're fighting are…us, and that might be a bit awkward for our friends. Lina, all we can do is hope and…wait. I think I know how we can help them. Will you trust me?" Xellos held out his other hand, the one Lina was not already holding. Lina narrowed her red eyes suspiciously.

"What are you going to do?" she demanded.

"I…well, it's a spell I think I've seen somewhere before. Just trust me, Lina," Xellos said again. Lina sighed and looked around at the swirling mass of blackness.

"Fine, Xellos, but if any of them get killed because of this, I'll personally dragonslave you into oblivion.

"Ahhh, My lo--uh, Miss Lina, everything will be fine." The trickster grinned evilly, "Trust me!

"Lover, give me your strength!" the doppelganger Lina cried to Xellos as she clung to his cloak. The Mazoku shook his head.
"I'm afraid I'm not your lover, Miss doppelganger. Your Xellos switched places with me some time ago, when you first opened up the portal. You'll get no help from me." The real Trickster Priest smiled sedately and teleported to the nearest large boulder so he could sit atop it, leaving the doppelganger to fend for herself. She sat down and cried. She couldn't die now. She had a baby growing inside of her! This was another life, not just her own, not Xellos' but a new one, one who could have a future. Lina cried out for mercy and silently wished she'd never taken Xellos' vow.

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