"What's wrong, Zel? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Was he happy? Hadn't he just decided, sort of, to let Lina's ghost rest and let this new Lina stand on her won? Now he was confronted with the jarring reality that they were one and the same person.
"How..." His question was raw with a never forgotten guilt, heartbreak, and yearning.
Lez survived all this time by being placed in magical stasis. But Lina, Lina he saw disappear into that dimensional rift, leaving behind only a Demonsblood Talisman and many unspoken words. How could she have returned?!
"Zel..." Her eyes softened at the obvious sorrow in his eyes.
But a sharp floating sword blocked her path.
"Hmmm. I wonder if the treatment didn't take," Lez murmured. "You're not supposed to be acting like this at all. Well, can't blame Yllia if she's devoted all of her attention on that Xelloss."
That seemed to shake Zelgadiss slightly out of his confusion.
"Jedah, go check on Xelloss."
"It's only a normal Mazoku," Jedah protested. "How much trouble can she be?"
"Then go make sure Val and Filia are alright," hissed Hellmaster.
"I want to stay and watch!"
"This doesn't concern you!"
"I do hate watching a family squabble. Though I really only have something against Zelgadiss here, why don't I indulge you both with some old friends?" Lez snapped his fingers.
In the space between them, three figures appeared. Two were tall, one in a complete suit of black armor and the other wearing an orange long coat. The third was not even half their size but his green eyes showed a maliciousness beyond the other two.
"Okay, maybe they aren't exactly friends but they are old," Lez amended. "And they probably have a bone to pick with their successors."
"This little shrimp is making a mockery of my title," growled Gaav. "I'll wipe this embarrassment clean with your blood."
"Um, technically Mazoku don't bleed," Jedah contradicted, taking on the stereotypical appearance of a boring lecturing professor. "The appearance of blood is only part of the thoroughness in which a certain Mazoku makes his appearance human and - Hey!!"
Gaav's claymore cleaved the ground several feet down and out where Jedah had been standing a moment before. The new Chaos Dragon landed a distance away, brushing the dust off of himself.
"Oh look, you cut part of the suit. I'm only borrowing this!"
"Insolent whelp," sneered the old Chaos Dragon, throwing out one hand before him. A wall of force slammed into Jedah, pushing him back several feet.
"Not...bad...old timer," Jedah grunted, standing up against Gaav's power. "Thought you were...just shades...how can you still have..."
"The power?" Fibrizo laughed, watching the one-sided struggle. "Don't be ridiculous. We were created directly from Shabrinigdu-sama. How could we lose it?"
"But we hold your positions now."
"Zelas's firstborn," Fibrizo sniffed. "I didn't recognize you then. Not that it would have mattered but I would have had some fun with you. Such disturbing imbalance."
"You may hold the titles but you do not have our level of power," Dynast explained coldly. "We were the first created from Ruby Eye-sama's self. You were infused with power from the usurper Lei who doesn't even have half of Ruby Eye-sama's power."
"Half of infinity is still infinity," Lez said quietly. "Besides, Lei Magnus also took another power that the Mazoku had reason to fear."
"Zanaffar..."
"So, it looks like this may be an interesting battle at any rate," shrugged Zel's eternal nemesis. "Chaos Dragon versus Chaos Dragon, Hellmaster versus Hellmaster, and Dynast versus...humph. Maybe I raised one too many."
"No need to be concerned on my account." Dynast hefted his glittering ice-blue broad sword. "There's another upstart that needs to be put in his place."
"Oh no no. That won't do at all. I gave Yllia my word that she could have Xelloss to herself," Lez frowned. "Perhaps there is another opponent here that could interest you?"
"Like you?" snorted Dynast Grausherra. "What's the point of fighting someone who can only die by one person's hand which isn't mine?"
"Point. Perhaps then you'd like to double up against Zelgadiss or Jedah?"
"One of Zelas's mongrel pups. I heard the oldest was pretty good with a sword. Hey, Fibrizo. Do you mind sharing?"
"Do what you want," shrugged the child Mazoku Lord as dark energy began to pour from his body. "Don't blame me if I accidentally hit you."
"Humph." Zel summoned his blade, facing off against the two Mazoku Lord shades.
"Me first!" called Fibrizo with maniacal glee, sending a blast of the dark energy floating around him at Zelgadiss.
Easily, with an air of contempt, Zelgadiss leaped into the air above the plasma. Bringing his sword above his head, Zel parried the overhead blow from Dynast Grausherra who teleported above him. The force of the two weapons striking each other created a shower of sparks that marked their meetings as they disappeared into a flurry of aerial combat. Fibrizo joined with his dark plasma field as the two old Mazoku Lords tried to pierce the new one's defense.
"They're really going for it," Lez said impressed. "What do you think?"
Lina's worried eyes tried to follow the clashes of power that marked the trail of fighting.
"Don't worry. Even those two won't kill him."
"That's good," Lina smirked, the flatness returning to her eyes again. "That's very good."
"What's that over there?"
"I won't fall for that old trick!"
Xelloss felt a small sweatdrop rolling down his head. Actually, it wasn't a trick except perhaps of the light. After all, he was seeing a red three-headed dragon, the likes of which he hadn't seen since he last saw Gaav, rampaging through the city in the distance. And its opponent was a smaller slim metallic silver dragon whose tail was longer than its body that moved like quicksilver.
Dragons...
He had a dying one on his hands, one that scared him because of the depths of how much he cared for her. And the only apparent key to saving her lay, ironically, in the one who placed her in this state. It was doubly ironic that this person was also his estranged daughter.
Xelloss faced his hate-filled daughter, glaring at him with her mother's and her aunt's eyes. What was she so angry about? Most half-Mazoku were glad to never know their non-human parent, as the case was usually the mother being human.
"Exactly what are you so angry about?" Xelloss asked much more calmly than he felt. It wouldn't help Filia if he got into a family squabble with Yllia.
"Angry? Why the hell do you think I'm angry?" Yllia asked sarcastically.
"I don't know you very well, actually, not at all. So - "
"Why would you care?! You never remembered either of us! And mother was always a trusting innocent...she never forgot your worthless hide! Never during those nine years before she died!"
Xelloss could agree with the innocent part. If there was ever an opposite for Lina, her shadow had been it. But that was the reason for her creation. How odd that the real Lina fell in love with stone boy and her shadow fell for him.
Yllia continued raging on in her anger. "You never gave mother a second thought but you spend centuries flirting with a dragon. Not just any dragon but a Ryuzoku and a Gold Dragon! You even went as far as proposing to her!!"
"Actually...I technically haven't said the words yet..."
"But you gave her a ring!" Yllia spat. "And mother? You never gave her anything!"
"I gave her you," Xelloss said softly.
Yllia halted in her tirade, Xelloss's words like a slap across the face.
"She must have made an excellent mother," he continued. "A very caring, accepting person. I'm not very familiar with child-rearing but under her, you must have had a very happy life. What could have turned you away from that and into this?"
Yllia's head was bowed down, her shoulders shaking from repressed emotions. The knuckles of the hand gripping her whip were white.
"Yllia..." Xelloss slowly reached out a hand to his daughter.
Her black metal whip snapped out, wrapping itself around his outstretched hand and slicing it off. The Mazoku Lord didn't move, his stump that didn't bleed still held out to her.
"Don't...touch me."
Her voice trembled.
"Don't...say my name."
Like the other half-Mazoku turned Mazoku, Yllia still could emit an aura of emotions remembered from before her transformation. Right now, Xelloss could see the overwhelming hatred that covered everything like a concealing veil.
"How dare you say anything?" hissed the Mazoku as she finally looked up at him with her unveiled eyes. "You destroyed my mother. You destroyed my life. You destroyed everything I ever cared about with your stupid war!"
That was hardly fair. But then, people lost in their emotions rarely were fair or clear-headed.
"For five hundred years I've waited. I'll do the same to you. I'll take away everything you care about, the one you 'love' most." Yllia's tone turned to mocking on the word love though her eyes registered another emotion. "I hate everyone, everyone who is happy. But most of all, I hate you."
"You know, this seems disturbingly familiar," Xelloss murmured.
"Xelloss!"
"And speak of the devil."
Val came run, slightly out of breath. He had been on the other side of city when he saw his mother fall. Without a doubt, he knew Yllia had been the cause. His Sight was becoming more and more active now. Why?
"Xelloss, have you seen - Mother!!"
Val rushed to his mother's side but hesitant to touch her. He didn't know any healing spells or other. Filia had made sure he grew up as normal as possible which included keeping him from learning magic. His vision earlier that day came back in painful clarity as he saw her shredded wing.
"I should have told her. I shouldn't have let her go. Mother, please, answer me!"
Xelloss turned away from the Ancient Dragon. Even in this second chance, Val would have to lose his world to forces outside his control. Why did history have to repeat itself?
"I suppose you're happy now," Xelloss said tightly to Yllia.
But she wasn't paying any attention to him. Instead, her attention was on Val, calling to his mother and trying to get her to respond. Yllia had said her mother had died and Val had said that he had saved her from several Mazoku. Had her mother died then because of the Mazoku? He could try twisting that against her, turn her hate onto herself and possibly make her destroy herself.
But suddenly, Xelloss was feeling very old and tired. He was tired of everything ending with more people getting hurt. Funny thought, that, coming from a pure Mazoku such as himself. He must have been associating with humans for much too long. How did his master ever last 5000 years?
"What's wrong? Yllia. Does this remind you of something?"
"Do-Don't be ridiculous!" Yllia firmly turned her eyes from the mother and son.
"Perhaps, of you and your mother?"
"I told you not to speak of her!"
But Xelloss caught her arm this time before she could snap her whip at him.
"You probably still remember. How she died. How you felt."
"Stop talking about it!"
"You do remember. And now seeing Val-kun and Filia-san, you feel it again don't you?"
"Shut up!"
"Yllia...ignore your hate for me, ignore whether it's hate that you really feel. You can't ignore the pain of losing your mother. You can't ignore Val-kun's pain, can you."
"Just...shut up..."
"You have the power to stop it. You can help Filia-san so she doesn't have to die."
Yllia wavered slightly before hatred returned full force.
"Don't think you can trick me like that! You're all in this together! You don't give a damn about me. You just want your precious Filia-san back! I'll destroy her right before your eyes!!"
"Yllia!" Xelloss tried to grab her but she vanished, reappearing by the comatose dragon.
"Right before your eyes, Xelloss," Yllia snarled, preparing herself for another dive into the Gold Dragon's psyche. "And there's nothing you can do about it."
"No!"
Val dove to intercept Yllia.
"Idiot!" she screamed as the power sent her tumbling into, not the Gold Dragon's mind, but the Ancient Dragon's.
"Val!"
"Mommy?" A nine year old girl ran into the cottage. "Mommy, there's something happening in the mountains."
"Perhaps a storm. You should stay inside, Yllia."
Yllia pouted, crossing her arms.
"Now dear, I know I've been lenient on you because your father isn't here but you'll have to learn to curb your behavior."
"Where is daddy? Why don't we ever see him?" Yllia snatched a still warm cookie from the cookie tray in her mother's hands.
Her mother tried to frown but didn't succeed. "Your father is a very busy man."
"But I've never seen him. Mommy, doesn't he care about us?"
"Yes, he does. I know he loves us both very much and wishes he was with us now."
Yllia frowned. "But why doesn't he - "
She was cut off by the door suddenly ripped off its hinges. A horned creature with glowing red eyes and covered with fur peered into the small cottage. Yllia quickly ran behind her mother, sensing the darkness in those creatures. It was a familiar darkness.
"Excuse me, but I hardly think it was appropriate to do that."
Her mother, even in the face of this monster, would calmly try to talk it out of its destructive tendencies. Yllia didn't know why her mother always insisted that violence never solved anything when so many other people did it. But her mother always wanted a peaceful solution and it would work.
Until now.
"If you would - "
"Mommy!!" Yllia screamed as the blood splattered on her face and clothes. The body fell to the ground, staining the floor her mother always strove to keep white and clean.
"Mom...my..." Yllia whispered, staring transfixed at the pool of blood growing at her feet.
The bloodthirsty Lesser Demon turned toward the other little human. No, not quite human, there was something the same about it. But it was scared, it would be a delicious meal. It sniffed her, blood dripping from its maw.
"N-NO!!"
The Lesser Demon suddenly howled as small black ribbons ripped through it and tore it apart. Yllia watched wide-eyed as it didn't fall to the floor but crumble into a pile of dirt. She thought it was a monster. She had been wrong, no monster died like that.
"Ma...Mazo...ku..."
"Find out who did that!"
Yllia jumped at the voice. Someone was outside of the cottage and more of those things were tearing through the front. They were going to kill her! The little girl scrambled onto the kitchen counter, a little voice reminding her that her mother always warned her against that.
But mommy was dead.
She opened the window and jumped out. Never looking back, she quickly dashed into the forest surrounding her home. The only home she ever knew where she and her mommy lived waiting for her daddy.
But mommy was dead.
And daddy never came.
"Follow whatever that was! I want it dead!"
Yllia choked on a sob. She ran blindly through the forest, trying to get away from the pounding feet behind her. If it was more of those things, they would be slowed by the tree growth but they could cover more ground than she could. Tears kept streaming down her face. Her eyes stung.
She coughed.
Where was all of this smoke coming from?
Overhead, birds rose to the sky, their dissonant cries raising the alarm. Forest creatures of all kinds burst from their homes, ignoring the usual cycle of life in their desperate instinct to get away from a force they could not stop. A fire was raging through the forest.
She tried to run faster, following the animals who knew where to go to be safe. The fire was coming from behind her. Which meant that the cottage was probably already gone. And so was her mommy.
Yllia almost fell into the river that suddenly appeared. Whatever creatures could were across or crossing it. She jumped in after them, almost losing herself to the current because of the slippery stones underfoot.
Her pursuers weren't deterred by running water as they plunged into the river after her. Yllia began to run but the swift water was already up to her waist and the footing precarious. One of the things lunged for her, its maw open and ready to devour her. She froze.
"Close your eyes!"
A beam of intense crackling heat vaporized the thing and the others halted in their chase to glare at the newcomer. Yllia also looked up at the aqua-haired winged boy in the sky who had saved her. Was this an angel that mommy always told her about?
"What's with all of these Lesser Demons?" he wondered aloud before destroying the rest. Then he swooped down toward the river and held out a hand to Yllia. "Come on, whoever sent them probably has more."
Her mother's bloody death still sharp in her mind, Yllia quickly and tightly latched onto the angel. The angel beat his indigo feathered wings strongly to lift both of them high into the air, way above the forest.
"Those Mazoku are just running around like crazy," he muttered, surveying the damage to the forest. "What were you doing down there?"
"My...mommy..."
"Your mother is down there?" he asked in alarm.
Yllia shook her head as her vision blurred with tears.
"...I'm sorry."
"Ne, are you an angel?"
The boy blinked. "A what?!"
"An angel. Mo-Mommy used to tell me stories about them. They were people with wings and they helped people," Yllia mumbled in between sobs.
"If you put it that way..." He did fit the description. "I guess you could call me that."
"Idiot. Look what you did!" With a flick of her wrist, she shattered the painful memory. "I'm not here to torture myself with my own painful memories!"
"No, you were going to torture my mother," Val replied calmly. Or as calmly as he could when he was somewhere that was dark and the only other company he had was a somewhat psychotic Mazoku.
"And where did you bring me to?!"
"Me? I thought this was you."
"I dive into people's minds," Yllia snorted. "I don't hang around in this kind of limbo to sort through their memories."
"And I don't have any powers what so ever except for my Sight..." His Sight often gave him glimpses into the future. Her power allowed her glimpses into people's past. Could they have conflicted and canceled out? Or combined into something else?
Yllia grumbled something.
"What was that?"
"I said, some angel you turned out to be," she snapped. "Oh, I understand what they mean by angel now. Some oh high and mighty servant of goodness helping the misfortunate. Some help. You're probably wishing you let me get killed by those Lesser Demons during the War."
"Yllia. You have to stop hiding."
"What are you talking about?"
"You need to stop hiding behind the excuse that you hate Xelloss. How did you learn he was your father anyway?"
"It doesn't matter! My hating Xelloss isn't an excuse, it's a fact!"
"But you haven't done anything. You haven't tried to attack Xelloss. All you've done is try to get the people around him."
"Of course! I'll destroy him the same way he destroyed me! By taking away everything he has!"
"But you didn't kill Lina when you had the chance. You didn't kill me. And even though my mother is probably dying right now, you didn't kill her outright. Did you ever wonder why?"
"There's no meaning if Xelloss doesn't personally attend the death. He has to - "
"Yllia. Did you ever think that your hatred is just an excuse, a cover for your desire for him to be the father you wanted him to be? That the reason you struck out against Lina, me, and my mother, is because you want the attention we have from him?"
"Shut up!" Yllia lunged at him, sending her whip flying before her. But he anticipated that, leaping away and using his wings that had manifested on their own to keep him afloat. "What do you know about anything?! You've always had it easy. Mommy's little boy. You've always had her. You had your mother's friends who cared about you. You had Xelloss doting on you. You never had to feel loss in your entire charmed life!"
She sent hundreds of black ribbons toward the hovering target out of her reach. That upstart, how dare he say such things! He had no right! He didn't know how it felt to be alone, to have no one care for you. He didn't know how painful it was, so painful that you had to bury it with something else. Like an irrational burning hate.
"You don't think I know?" Val asked softly by her ear.
"When?!"
But he twisted her arm behind her. That shouldn't be a problem, she could just teleport and...what? She couldn't shift dimensions?!
"Just as I thought. You can't shift out of here because we aren't here physically. We're on some mental place. It'll take both of us to get out. But first, I think we need to get something clear."
"Like what?" she snarled.
"You said I don't know anything about loss. I think it's obvious you don't know much about me. Or more specifically, the two previous me's. Val Agares and Valgaav. Maybe after you hear, you'll understand that I know and understand you better than anyone else."
"Chaotic Disintegrate!"
The shade of Dynast Grausherra was burned away in a bright blue light.
"What?"
"Impossible! How could someone know that Divine Magic?!" Fibrizo growled.
Lina looked up at the two floating combatants, her hand still outstretched from the spellcasting. Momentarily, her eyes were hard but then she smiled and held up her victory sign.
"Lina?"
"Good luck, Zel!"
Just when did she learn that?! Only Filia had been able to cast it but no, didn't some other Gold Dragons cast it during the Second Kouma War? With the Mazoku's God-Sealing Barrier weakened or down, that meant Ceiphied's power could again reach the peninsula. So the long lost Divine Magic could be cast again by humans?
"You should pay attention to your opponent, boy!" Fibrizo smirked, as his black plasma enveloped Zelgadiss.
"Two can play at this," Zel countered, sending his own power to draw Fibrizo down into the darkness.
The black prison grew and changed as the combatants inside called on even more power as they fought for ascendancy. Only those two could tell the difference between the two struggling forces of death.
Suddenly, a large dying roar erupted from one of the two remaining heads of Gaav's dragon form. The deep red scales faded to gray before fading away to reveal the silver dragon. It gave a big grin and gave a victory 'V'.
"To the reigning champion and victor!"
"Idiot."
The black plasma burned away to reveal Zelgadiss holding the tattered remains of Fibrizo's shade. He tossed it at Lez's feet.
"More games, Lez?"
"Hmmmm, it would be pointless to bring them back wouldn't it?" Lez grabbed ahold of the hilt of his floating sword. "One on one then."
"A floating sword against my almighty brother? Did the midwife drop you on the head when you were born?"
Lez simply smiled as he walked toward Zelgadiss.
"Jedah, stay out of this," Zelgadiss ordered.
"Oi, oi. Aren't you going to use a weapon?"
"That would be useless."
Jedah pulled out some question marks and held them up to express his confusion.
"I won't go easy just because you won't draw a weapon," Lez smiled, dashing at an inhuman speed.
"I learn my lessons." Zel disappeared before Lez's Blast Sword could swing at him.
Not missing a step, Lez swung his sword out wide as he turned around, neatly slicing in two the large ball of energy sent flying at him. The cut was so swift that the two semi-circles didn't explode until several yards behind Lez.
"Flying, Zelgadiss? I would call foul except..." A pair of white feathered wings made entirely of energy burst into existence on Lez's back. "As you can see, I will match you in all respects."
Lez vanished in a fall of white feathers.
"En garde."
Zelgadiss barely dodged the swing, losing some hair from the near miss.
"After all, it must all be fair."
"And how does your using a sword constitute being fair?" Jedah yelled.
"Fair in ability. If he chooses not to use his sword skill then you can hardly blame me," Lez shrugged before the duel began again.
"Talk about high level," Jedah whistled as the only marks of the battle were the sparkling white feathers and patches of darkness darker than the storm clouds above. "That guy isn't human. Wonder why only Zel has a destined rival."
He noticed Lina following the battle closely.
"Hey, don't worry about Zel. He'll win," Jedah yelled to her.
"Of course, he'll win," Lina said absently, touching the Demonsblood talisman on her left wrist. "He can't die yet."
Jedah blinked. Now just what did that mean?
A burst of light brought their attention back up. Lez was completely obscured by a whirling shield of white feathers generated by his energy wings. They were absorbing all of Zelgadiss's attacks. The feathers cleared as the attack slowed.
"I have something to return to you."
The shield slowed and then began to whirl in the opposite direction, firing all of Zelgadiss's attacks back at him. But the passage through Lez's shield had changed them to match his own mysterious energy.
Zel released hundreds of black daggers to destroy the ones flying at him. Those that made it through that barrage struck the barrier he also raised.
"You created Zanaffar for the Destroyer. Why?" Zelgadiss demanded, fending off the rain of energy bolts.
"Why? To draw everything together." Lez released his sword to free both hands for the energy he was summoning.
"Everything? What everything?!"
"Everything. Setting up the future foundation for a battle to rock the very heavens."
"That's so beautiful," Jedah sighed.
He received some very strange looks.
"So overly theatrical," he clarified.
"You mean this?" Zel snarled, waving an arm at the destruction of over half of Merilyth.
Lez smiled. He still hadn't realized it yet, had he.
"Let's just get through this, shall we?" Lez raised his arms, releasing the energy as a large bird of prey.
Zel countered with a giant wolf of darkness that ran through the air as if it was running on the ground. A howl to the unseen moon was answered by a shriek of defiance. Fangs met talons in a clash of light and darkness against the stormy sky. A sharp beak dug deep into one eye and in retaliation, the sharp teeth bit down and tore off a wing. White motes of energy trickled from the wound as the wolf proceeded to tear the rest of the raptor apart.
Finished with the servant, it went on to the master, baring its dark canines. Lez only looked on, unconcerned, as his energy wings flared into blinding intensity. The wolf tried to get closer but the whirling shield of feathers kept it back. It pressed closer, against the shield, trying to bite into it.
The two exploded in a boom that made the thunderclaps sound like party crackers. On the ground, the two observers barely saw Lez pass by Zelgadiss before the Mazoku Lord disappeared. He reappeared on the ground, clutching the large gash Lez's Blast Sword left behind, proving once again that it could cut through anything.
"Zel!" Lina ran up to the staggering Mazoku Lord, throwing her arms around him and almost knocking him over.
Zelgadiss, in as much pain as he was in, couldn't have stood up to much more. A feather could probably knock him over in this state of pain and surprise. As such, he wasn't too observant on what Lina was doing.
"Lina?"
"Zel..." Lina's eyes looked sorrowfully up at him. "You can't die because of Lez."
Jedah kept a respectful distance but was it just his imagination or was something rustling Zel's cape? But about the only thing he kept in there was that music box and...
"Zel, get away from her!"
"Jedah?"
Lina smirked when the last talisman clicked around her right wrist. So he had gotten it fixed. It was only right since he was the one who broke it in the first place."
"Zel, you can't die because of Lez," Lina repeated, stepping back. "Because I'm going to be the one to kill you."
Zelgadiss stared at her.
"Chaotic Disintegrate!"
Blue light erupted around the injured Mazoku Lord.
"Zel?!" Jedah screamed.
"I heard that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but exactly what did he do to merit this kind of treatment?" Lez asked, landing next to Lina who watched the light dissipate from the fallen form of the Mazoku Lord.
"He knows."
"I can't believe you! How could you kill him like that?!"
"...jedah..."
Jedah rushed to his brother's side. Zel was in very bad condition, the Chaotic Disintegrate and the Blast Sword's wound cut very deeply into him. Zel's younger brother winced at the tight grip on his shoulder as he tried to help Zel sit up.
"Okay, so he isn't dead but how could you hurt him like this?" Jedah demanded. "Aren't you two in love with each other?"
"He's just feeling a fraction of what I felt," Lina said coldly, arms crossed, as her long hair danced around her.
"Zelgadiss, perhaps you should apologize. I don't know what exactly what it is, but apologizing always worked with my girlfriend," Lez suggested.
As if apologizing wasn't what he wanted to during the entire war. But he hadn't been able to get in touch with her then. "Lina, I...I'm..."
"I don't need to hear any of your excuses! You never think of anyone but yourself! Release the Demon King of the North? Sure, why not? Let's just sacrifice the person who trusts you most!"
Zelgadiss paled.
"Demon King? Lei?" Jedah asked.
"One of the greatest mysteries of all time. How was the Demon King of the North released from his icy prison in the Kataart Mountains?" Lez pondered.
"You'll have all the time in the world to figure it out," Lina smirked as her four talismans began to glow. "All the time that is, before this world ends."
"What?"
"This doesn't sound good."
"Lina!"
"Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than deepest night!"
Where was this? It was so cold. Lina hated the cold.
There was a very good reason she hated the cold. It reminded her of a nightmare. One in which everything was dark. In the cold darkness, a voice called to her, called to her to release him. When she first began having them, her grandmother told her to not do what the voice said. So she didn't.
The nightmares didn't stop. The voice didn't change. Sometimes it would be nice, sometimes it was demanding, other times it would scare her. But it was always cold, and when she woke up, she would be shivering even in the middle of summer.
They scared her, these nightmares, if that's what they were. There was something in the voice that scared her. She never knew what it was but that her grandmother was right, that she should never do what it wanted her to do. She didn't know how to release it, and she didn't know what it would do when released.
So she kept the nightmares to herself. And never told anyone else. Well, anyone else who was awake and listening. Just once, she had confided in someone else, unable to get back to sleep that time. But he had been asleep, should have been asleep. He couldn't have heard what she said. Could he?
"She's already awake."
"I know that."
She knew those voices. The first she never really trusted, after all, it was foolish to trust one of them. But the second, she thought, as long as they were on the same side, she could trust him. She thought wrong.
Lina opened her eyes but darkness was everywhere. Then a point of light was born and grew slowly to let her eyes adjust. As she expected, Xelloss was standing there but his usual smiling face was gone, replaced one with a distant serious one. Slowly, she stood up, testing herself to see if anything was broken, missing, or not working.
Then she turned to face the person who had brought her to this cold place that reminded her of her nightmares. The person who she had painfully missed during the past four years and even more so after his disappearance when the opening volley on Destroyer predictably failed. She had been so happy when he showed up, happy enough to ignore his distant behavior, happy enough to not pay any attention to the fact that he arrived with Xelloss. And if he brought her to this place of nightmares...
"Zel..."
Zelgadiss was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, head down.
"Ne, Zel... If you wanted to take me somewhere, you just had to ask. No need to knock me out," Lina joked weakly. Why was he acting like this?
"You're smart. You figure it out," he said coldly.
"And with Xelloss too. What? Did the sun rise in the west today?" Lina swallowed nervously, her recurring nightmare and Xelloss's and Zel's strange attitudes compounding the uneasiness she felt. "How about a little fire in here? It's kind of cold."
"Yes, child. It is."
Lina froze. That voice from her nightmares.
"You've finally come."
She didn't even waste time to look at the unknown speaker. Pulling back an arm, she immediately began to cast a spell to get out of here.
"Dam - Ah!"
Her arm was painfully twisted behind her back. Lina tried to turn around to twist out of it but her captor grabbed her other arm.
"Itai," Lina winced at the strong grip. Why? She looked over her shoulder at those dark eyes. "Why? Zel."
"Isn't it obvious? Child."
"Xelloss!"
The Mysterious Priest only shrugged and gestured for Zelgadiss to move ahead with his captive.
"Why are you doing this?" It was so cold she could see her breath. But her heart was beating rapidly in fear. She couldn't cast spells with one arm pined behind her back. There was no way she could break Zel's grip by strength alone. "Xelloss! Zel! You're being controlled! Stop this!"
Please, please let that be true. Please let them not be doing this by their own free will. Please let this not be Zel.
"Ne, Lina-san. It wasn't very nice of you to never tell anyone about these nightmares you've been having."
The nightmares. It all tied back to the nightmares.
"Nightmares? What nightmares?" Lina bluffed.
"Ah ah. Zelgadiss-san already told me all about them and I recognized them immediately. Rest assured, he agrees with me on this course of action."
"Who? Mr. Nightmare man?"
"Zelgadiss-san of course."
So he did tell. And that just had to be the night when she confessed her stupid suspicion about the speaker, wasn't it?
"To think, all this time, we've been searching for a way to free our master." Xelloss stepped into the dim darkness that wasn't illuminated by the light. He laid his hand on something that seemed to shine. "We tried every method but the one the Water Dragon King set forth for us. We thought it was impossible of course."
Xelloss turned toward Lina and she cringed, leaning toward Zel for support that never came. The gloved hand that had touched whatever was in the shadows traced her face. It was icy cold.
"No resemblance at all. But then, that doesn't matter. It all lies in the blood after all."
Lina snapped at his finger, fighting against the fear that was building inside of her. Desperately, she wished Nee-chan could somehow appear and get her out of this living nightmare.
"I don't believe you. You must have enchanted Zel somehow. He would never agree to doing this!"
"But he did." Xelloss's eyes glinted. "The best course of survival for all concerned requires this."
"Are you out of your mind? You're just stacking the odds in your favor!"
"See, Zelgadiss-san?" Xelloss shook his head sadly. "She would never go along with it. Just as I said. We'll have to force her."
"Like hell I'll help!" Lina struggled to break out of Zel's vise-like grip.
"Child. You have no choice."
The light shifted and shone on what took up the center of this chamber they were in. It was the reason behind the unearthly chill here and in here nightmares. Vaguely, she noted, the similar robes to Rezo.
"Give me a break. There is always a choice," Lina growled, glaring at the eyes that didn't really see her. "Demon King."
The voice chuckled.
"No need to be so formal. Lei Magnus is fine. Or more appropriately... Great-Grandfather."
The ice cold spear of fear pierced through her again. "Great...Grandfather...?"
"It doesn't seem like she knew," Xelloss mused.
"No. My 'daughter' made sure to keep her origin secret."
"Impossible. You're my...I'm your...but you're..." Lina stammered. The danger became all the more clear in her mind.
"Xelloss," the voice commanded. "There isn't much time left."
"Yes, master," Xelloss bowed. He turned with an apologetic shrug to Lina, a sharp knife in his hand. "It is as my master commands."
"No!" Lina kicked away the knife in Xelloss's hand. She didn't know everything that was going on but what she did she had to stop. The Destroyer was already ravaging the world. The first Demon King of the North was going to help matters. She could possible be his descendent, it made sense in some ways, but that meant her blood could free him!
"Stop it!"
"I'm not listening to you ever again!" Lina snapped at Zelgadiss. "I hate you!"
For the first time, his eyes registered something else but Lina didn't notice as she finally managed to tear her arms free. She didn't have a spell to deal with Lei Magnus. Priority was to get out of here.
"Lina!"
Someone grabbed her arm and jerked her back.
"Itai!"
Lina glared at the guilt knife in Zelgadiss's hand that had slashed through her hand.
"Let me go!"
"This is the only way," he said harshly, pushing her hand toward the icy surface of Lei Magnus's prison.
"Stop! Zel, releasing him is only a trick! He'll kill everyone!" Lina tried everything, kicking, hitting, whining, pleading, but he never stopped pushing her hand toward the prison. "There's probably even a trapped rigged to freeing him!"
Her bloody hand touched the ice.
"I forgot about that."
Xelloss and Zelgadiss looked at Lei Magnus in disbelief. Lina was beyond hearing as something tore like fire ran through her, burning her inside and out. Everything was consumed by the countermeasure to opening the icy prison.
He remembered everything clearly about that day. By using Lina's blood to release Lei Magnus, they had triggered a whole slew of magical fire designed to incinerate everyone. The newly freed Demon King had shielded them all but Lina had been severely burned. Lei had taken them all somewhere where they were confronted by two very angry people.
One had been a tall young lady with purple hair and eyes hidden by her long bangs. Oddly, she was dressed in a waitress outfit even during these wartorn times. But there was something about her that radiated power. Xelloss had greeted her cheerfully as Knight.
The other was of average height, with a remarkable resemblance to Lina. She for one, was not happy at all to see Lei, even calling him her 'old man'. Lei simply took it all in stride and asked them to take care of his great-granddaughter. They both looked at him fit to kill.
He never saw Lina again after that until the final loss of the Clair Bible. There were several times when he tried to see her but one of those two women he met before firmly sent him away. If Lina hated him because of what he had to do, he couldn't blame her. But those three words were burned painfully into his mind.
"Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos."
And now, she was purposely calling on the Giga Slave to destroy the world. Destroy the world that he purposely hurt and betrayed her to save.
Lez stood unaffected. "Remind me never to anger Lina Inverse."
"You're not likely to have another chance. Oi, Zel!" Jedah shouted to be heard in the maelstrom of energy gathering because of one girl. "Say something or the world goes boom!"
Zel sat silently, holding the gash that spanned from his right shoulder across his chest to his left waist.
"Why don't you just kill her?"
"Terisa!" Jedah said joyfully as the last Mazoku Lord appeared kneeling next to Zel. Then he remembered what she had done to him. "What was the big idea of telling Lynis who I was?!"
"Later," Terisa dismissed, trying to keep her long blond hair out of her eyes. "She's busy holding that spell together. Just run her through and be over with it."
"No!"
"No time to emotional." Terisa stood up and began to walk toward Lina. "With all of this interference, you have to do it personally. Don't worry, Zelgadiss. I'll make sure it doesn't hurt."
"Terisa, don't!" Zel struggled to stand up but was too weak. "Jedah, Lez, stop her!"
Jedah only looked at his older brother sadly.
"She's right," Lez said softly. "The world isn't fated to end yet. Someone has to stop her. And it wasn't going to be you so..."
"But I can't let her die!"
"She's rather set on killing all of us."
"I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!"
"What?"
Everyone stared as the glittering sphere of darkness that was gathering in Lina's hands suddenly changed shaped as it began to suck into itself. As they watched, it stabilized into an vertical ellipsoid shape.
"What the hell is going on?!" Lina demanded angrily.
A head popped out of the dark oval. "Looks like this is the right one."
Three jaws dropped. One scowled. The last looked only mildly interested.
Through the darkness stepped forth a man with light violet hair and dressed in the fashion of half a millennia back. He guided through a tall blond woman dressed in forest clothes. The last person was another tall purple haired lady wearing silver chain mail under a tabard bearing the arms of the country of Zefilia. After they all landed safely on the ground, the darkness vanished.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for someone to use a spell of Nightmare energy," sighed the man. "Can't stabilize a gate without it. Not to mention it's a perfect marker for the correct world."
"Who the hell are all of you?" Lina demanded.
"I believe you were taught to speak more politely than that," coolly answered the lady in chain mail.
Lina squinted a bit to get a better look. "Oh, Nee-chan isn't it. Thought you died back in the War."
Zelgadiss's shock was compounded. That woman was Lina's older sister, the person she feared most in the world? But she wasn't acting very scared right now.
"Not quite," Luna replied primly, crossing her arms and glaring at her sister. "Thanks to those silly Dragon Kings, I've spent who knows how long trapped outside of the world with those two lovebirds. And he couldn't open a gate for us until someone used Nightmare energy and we all know there is only one person who can. So my question is what took you so long?"
"A better question would be how long has it been since we've disappeared?" murmured the man.
"About five hundred years," Terisa sighed but kept a careful eye on the volatile girl who almost killed Zelgadiss. "Dad."
Terim blinked. "That's all?"
"That's all?" they choked. "How long did you think it was?!"
Zelas playfully punched Terim's arm. "You owe me a hundred cases of Zefilian wine."
"Yes dear."
"What is wrong with you?" Luna asked, drawing everyone's attention back to herself and her little sister. "Obviously something is wrong since you're not cowering and jabbering in fear as usual."
"People change, Nee-chan," Lina snapped. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a world to destroy."
Luna's eyes narrowed and grabbed Lina's hand. "No, I don't think I'll excuse you. What exactly happened to make you want to destroy the world now?"
"What happened?! You know exactly what happened! That bastard used me to release the Demon King of the North that's what happened! I'm going to destroy him and this stupid world!"
"I thought you got over that," Luna said puzzled.
"As if I'll ever get over that!"
"Hmmm." Luna let go of Lina's hand and slapped her hard twice.
"What did you do that for?!" Lina demanded, wincing at the slaps that had nearly taken her head off.
"Snap out of it, Lina. You're obviously under someone's mental control or influence. Whatever happened to your bandanna? That would have prevented this whole mess, whatever it is."
"It's all Lez's fault," Jedah piped up.
"Thank you ever so much for pointing that out," Lez murmured as a very angry Luna Inverse marched over to him smiling sweetly. If he could see her eyes, he would have been looking straight into them. For some reason, he was very relieved that he couldn't.
"What did you do to my little bratty sister?" Luna asked sweetly.
"Strictly speaking, I didn't do anything."
"Really." Luna's tone said she didn't believe him. "You see, as annoying, greedy, selfish, and immature Lina can be, she's my little sister. So no one gets to pick on her. Except me."
"I suppose I could direct you in the general direction of who did but..."
"She's right here." Xelloss popped in dragging a swearing Yllia in tow.
"Filia?"
"Better. No thanks to my little girl here but thankfully alive. Remind me to thank Val later. Whatever he said to her worked - "
"I just decided that this wasn't tortuous enough for you!" Yllia retorted.
"Yes yes whatever."
"Xelloss's..."
"Daughter..."
"Oh, is that the little girl that was born?" Zelas asked interested. "Quite the spitfire. Not at all like her mother."
"You shut up about my mother!"
The former Greater Beast blinked and then laughed. "Guts too. She's definitely going to make your life hell, Xelloss."
"Master..." Xelloss sighed. Then he did a double take. "Master?!"
"Ahem," Luna coughed.
"The Knight?!"
"Me too," Terim raised his hand.
"...who are you?"
"No one knows me."
"By the way, Zelgadiss-san, what happened to you?"
"Forget about me, Lina is more important! What did that girl do to her?!"
"Do I have to go over this every time?!"
"He's just crabby. All repressed people are," Xelloss informed Yllia.
"I'll repress you to - "
"There are children present, Zelgadiss-san."
"Not to mention mom and dad," Jedah murmured. "It would be pretty embarrassing to have mom wash your mouth with soap in front of everyone don't you think?"
Lez shook his head. One minute it was a deathly serious atmosphere and the next it degenerated to some comedy sketch. That was life.
"Hello."
Lina glared at the smiling man who had supposedly used her spell to power a gate.
"We made a friend while wandering on another world. Would you like to meet him?" Terim smiled, holding out his arm.
Luna smothered a snicker.
Lina looked eyeball to tentacle stalk eyeball with a slug the length of Terim's arm, wearing a top hat, a monocle, and a bow tie. She blinked. It blinked.
"I'd like you to meet Mr. Slug."
"IYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
Lina ran away screaming.
"Oh come on, just say hello to it," Terim asked, chasing after her until she dove behind Luna to hide.
Luna quirked an eyebrow. Terim just smiled.
"Lina?"
"Wh-What?" Lina stammered in fear. Then she rubbed her eyes and looked again. "N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-NEE-CHAN?!?!"
Lina's mind barely acknowledged that her terrifying older sister was here when everything else began to come back to her. The Destroyer, the Second Kouma War, when she was lost, somehow waking up in this time period, meeting everyone again, and how she nearly destroyed everything. And Nee-chan knew all about it. Lina immediately closed her eyes and cringed for the blows that were sure to come.
A gentle hand ruffled her hair. Lina cautiously looked up.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you? Lina."
She didn't know how to react to this kinder Nee-chan.
"But isn't there someone you need to apologize to?"
"But...I..."
"Do. It."
"Hai!" Lina ran away from her demonic sister and dove for Zel, throwing her arms around his neck, sobbing. "Gomen, Zel. I didn't mean everything I said. I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Zelgadiss closed his eyes. "I deserved it. And Lina, I'm sorry for what I did as well."
"I think I'm going to be sick," Yllia gagged.
"Me first."
"You're just jealous, Luna," Zelas teased. "Now you're really an old maid."
"Excuse me? And just how old were you when you married?"
"I suppose now would be a bad time to ask to continue my duel?" Lez rhetorically asked the sky.
Lightning flashed across it as the clouds began to clear.
"That means yes," Terim translated.
"Just how am I going to explain to Filia that I have a daughter?" Xelloss mused.
"Are you still wondering about that?" Yllia demanded.
"Wondering about what?" Xelloss asked absently.
"Wondering how you're going to tell your lady love that you have a bastard daughter."
"Remind me to work on your concept of self-esteem," Xelloss replied glibly, still going over his mind how to approach Filia. After several weeks under the care of a Ryuzoku priestess they found, Filia's wing had healed and she could resume her humanoid form again. Yllia was one thing, the other thing was...
"And I suppose you're going to propose to her," Yllia said snidely.
"This is one piece of business that I'm not going to argue with you. In fact, I don't even know why you're still here. Didn't you want to go off and plan a more hideous hell for me?"
"That's what you want me to do isn't it? Well, too bad. I decided 'grandma' had the right idea. I'll just hang around and make you regret ever fathering me."
"This certainly ought to make life interesting. And here we are." Xelloss entered Filia's shop with Yllia following. "Good morning, Knight. How goes the job?"
"Don't stand in the middle of the room. Sit down if you want to order. Leave if you don't. Filia is in the back storeroom. Val is in the kitchen."
"Quite professional isn't she?" Xelloss smiled at his daughter, giving her a pointed shove toward the kitchen. "Now why don't you go chat with your friend?"
"He isn't in any shape, manner, or form my friend!"
Xelloss raised an eyebrow. "I had no idea you two were going so fast. To think my darling girl has a boyfriend already. Next you'll be telling me you're engaged."
He pushed her through the kitchen door.
"WHAT?!"
"What what?" Val turned around from the sink. "Oh, it's you, Yllia. I didn't know you're still in town."
"It's just because of him," Yllia snorted. "And just what are you doing?"
Val looked down at his soapy hands and the dishes in the sink. "Washing dishes."
"A powerful Ancient Dragon with divination powers such as yourself is washing dishes in a tea shop in a human city?" she asked skeptically.
"Yes."
"Forget it."
Yllia paced around the kitchen like a caged animal while Val resumed washing the dishes. This peace and quiet was interrupted shortly by a very loud 'NAMAGOMI!'
"What was - " Yllia got an apron in the face as Val rushed by and out of the kitchen. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Shhh!" Val hushed her as he peeked into the back storeroom.
Yllia frowned but the voices inside would have heard her if she said what she wanted to say. Keeping her mouth shut, she leaned over the Ancient Dragon to listen.
"This is a wedding ring?!"
"Ano, Filia-san, could you lower your voice please?"
"You expect to just set up an elaborate party, slip this into a rose, hand it to me, and just like that you think I'll marry you?" Filia demanded, hands on her hips.
"This doesn't seem to be going well," Val murmured.
"You want them to marry?"
"After five hundred years of watching them just dancing around each other, it's either marry or lovers suicide."
"Love is overrated."
"You loved your mother didn't you?"
"Shut up."
"Filia-san..."
"Humph. There's no way I'll marry you just like that."
"He actually looks sad."
"He has feelings too you know."
Yllia bopped Val on the head. "Shut up."
"If you want to marry me, you'll have to do it right and propose."
"That's someone who knows what she wants."
"Mother always did like to make things difficult between her and him."
"Is he really getting on his knees?!"
"Yes, hush, or we won't be able to hear."
"Filia Ul Copt, will you marry me?"
"Much better. Alright, but only if you officially change your name to Namagomi."
"Does she always call him that?"
"Quite often. Why?"
"I like it."
Val sweatdropped.
Xelloss was also sweatdropping. "Um, Filia-san..."
"And stop using the 'san'," Filia sighed. "Now are you going to kiss me or not?"
Xelloss happily obliged.
"I'm going to be sick."
"If you stay around here, it's bound to become worse. Imagine their kids."
"Aren't you jealous or anything? Your mother is getting married."
"So? She's happy. That's all that really matters."
"I'll never understand you."
"Just because she's marrying him, doesn't mean she'll love me any less. The same goes for Xelloss and you."
"He doesn't give a damn about me," Yllia snorted though her contempt didn't touch her sad eyes.
"He does. Why else do you think he's been protecting you all this time? From what I heard, Lei wasn't too happy about someone playing with his great-granddaughter's mind. Xelloss stood up for you against him."
Yllia looked at Val in surprise. "Really?"
"Ahem. What are you two doing here?"
"Busted."
Lina looked around the room. It wasn't as if there was much to pack anyway. She and Luna were returning to Zefilia and restore the former wine country. It would be a welcome change to all the hell that had been happening recently. Plus, she didn't think Zel would ever want to see her again after what she did.
Knock knock.
She opened the door to find, of all people, Zelgadiss standing there looking rather sheepish. Lina knew she was staring but she couldn't help it. It was so strange to see him normal and yet he was a Mazoku Lord now. So many changes to process.
"Um, your sister wanted me to take you to Filia's shop."
Luckily, Lina's boarding house and Filia's shop were some of the buildings that weren't destroyed by the rampage of dead dragons. Luna had been taking care of the cafe portion of the business as Filia recovered from her torn wing. Now that Filia was back, she and Luna were leaving.
"I know my own way. And it isn't like I have a lot of stuff to take." Lina grabbed the two bags and without looking at Zelgadiss, tried to leave.
His hand fell on her arm.
"Lina."
"...what?"
"We need to talk."
"About what?" she asked softly.
Zelgadiss took a deep breath. "I'll tell you when we get to Filia's shop."
"Oh. Okay." That would give her sometime to mentally prepare herself, Lina thought gratefully.
"Here we go."
"No, wait, Zel!" Lina fumed as they appeared on the balcony that was usually reserved for Xelloss. "You didn't tell me!"
"Yes, I did." He had teleported them on purpose. Lina tended to be more truthful and honest with herself when disoriented.
"Baka," Lina grumbled. Great. She didn't have time to prepare herself for whatever rejection Zel was planning. The whole trip back to Zefilia was going to be a crying fest.
"Lina," Zel cleared his throat. "Remember...back on that night before we faced the Destroyer? We made a promise to see each other again."
"Yes." And boy did they ever see each other again.
"I...wanted to ask you something."
Lina took a deep breath, reminding herself to be patient. "Yes?"
Zel pulled out the music box, the gold filigree along the lid and down the sides catching the sunlight. That old song she sang when she though he was asleep as he recovered from his first battle with Lez floated through the air when the lid opened to reveal the dark blue lined and bejeweled interior. Pressing a hidden button, he removed something that had been secreted under the lid of the music box.
Lina felt her breath catch. She once wondered if there was something there in that small space. Could it be...
"Lina. I wanted to ask you if - "
"Watch it, Zangulus! You almost hit that poor old man!"
"I am a perfectly skilled swordsman! I don't just 'almost' hit someone!"
"You were aiming for him then?"
"No!"
Lina looked over the balcony railing as Gourry and Zangulus fought their way by.
"You could set the clock by them. What was it you were saying, Zel?"
Zel started again. "Lina, will you - "
"ZEL!! Help me!!!" Jedah suddenly rushed onto the balcony and grabbed his brother by the collar. "You've got to do something! Save me!"
"Je-Jedah! What are you doing?" Zel choked before tearing his shirt out of Jedah's hands.
"She's after me!"
"Whose after you?"
"Jedah dear!"
"No, she's found me!" Jedah jumped over the railing and down into the streets. He quickly vanished among the throngs of people.
"Jedah? Oh, I'm sorry." Lynis bowed her apologies to Zel and Lina. "I thought I heard Jedah was in here."
"He was," Terisa noted calmly. She was sitting in a previously empty chair. "He went that way."
"Why thank you. Weren't you that diviner that told me who Jedah was?"
"You must have me mistaken with someone else," Terisa replied coolly.
Lynis didn't quite buy that but she had more pressing business to do. Namely, chase after Jedah.
"What did Jedah ever do to you?" Zelgadiss asked his younger sister in exasperation.
"Ask him," she smirked. "I'll leave you two alone now."
"What's going to interrupt now?" Zel grumbled, waiting for the sky to fall or something. But nothing happened. Deciding not to tempt fate any more, he was going to get this question asked once and for all.
"Lina, will you marry me?"
Lina was sipping her tea. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
Zelgadiss fell back in his chair and groaned. So he didn't see Lina smiling. Hey, he deserved it for making her wait until now to pop the question, the jerk. She moved her chair next to his, making enough noise to make him look up.
"You, Zelgadiss Graywords, are a selfish, arrogant, cold-hearted jerk," Lina said simply, taking the ring out of his hand and slipping it on to her finger. "It fits perfectly too. As I was saying, you're a jerk and if I marry you, I'll have to put up with you being a jerk. I suppose there are worse fates."
Zelgadiss closed his eyes as he processed all of that. "So, is that a yes?"
"What do I have to do? Spell it out?" Lina demanded, blushing.
The quick surge of joy was replaced with a mischievous desire to pay her back for that little trick.
"Well, you could answer me another way," he smirked as he let his eyes trail down her body. "One that would prove that you do love me."
Lina turned even redder. "Wha-Wha-What are you..."
"I mean," Zel continued. "A little kiss never hurt anyone."
"...baka."
He looked innocently at her. "What did you think I was talking about you?"
"You...you..." Lina sputtered. Oh, forget it. She leaned over to kiss him when some giggles floated by.
They both sighed deeply.
"Alright, you two," Zelgadiss called. "Come out."
Alfred and Amelia poked their heads out from behind the curtain that separated the balcony from the interior of the second story. Giggling, they scampered downstairs, all the while singing 'Zelgadiss and Lina sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G'.
"Honestly."
"I wonder if our kids will be like that," Zel wondered aloud.
Lina felt herself blushing again. Zel grinned evilly.
"You're making me blush on purpose!!"
He just shrugged.
"Why do I love someone like you," Lina muttered quietly.
"Second thoughts already?"
"Did I mention you're an idiot?"
"No, I don't think you did. But I probably must be to marry someone who gets into as much trouble as you do."
"Hey, I don't go looking for trouble!" Lina protested. "What about you and Lez?"
Zel sobered. "I'm probably going to have to fight him again."
"But you'll win right?"
"With you by me?" Zelgadiss pulled her close and kissed her. "I can do anything."
Somewhere on the coastline, there was a young man with long silver hair training for a destined battle. Some say that the way to become stronger is by beating more powerful opponents. The sea could be considered one of the most powerful opponents known to man. As such, if you could beat the sea, you would be invincible.
Or, in Lez's case, you could have fate spite you and send a tidal wave your way.
Terim sighed. Things certainly got very weird.