Chapter 14

Xellos had just finished with tonight's promise to Lina. He was proud of this one. It had been a bit of work to find them, but it was well worth it. He thought back to the last few nights, they were all satisfying works of destruction.

Xonna had become once more, a prosperous kingdom. Martina, with Zangalis beside her, had worked hard and managed to rebuild the ruined city. Over time, Martina had grudgingly become glad Lina had destroyed the old kingdom. Life in Xonna was good now and it was all thanks to that one Dragon Slave.

That night Xellos had found Martina and her husband in their private rooms, phasing in he smiled cheerfully as he bowed. He could already taste the fear coming from Martina and the distrust from Zangalis. "Greetings King and Queen of Xonna. I take it that I am finding you well on this visit."

"What do you want Xellos?" Zangalis moved in front of Martina, he had come to love her deeply and had managed to calm many of her wild ways. He raised the Howling Sword in defense.

"I merely need your assistance in helping me complete a task." Phasing out and in behind the Royal couple, he grabbed them and left the city.

Martina and Zangalis soon found themselves on a ridge over looking Xonna, and before they could question why they had been brought there, the city was destroyed.

Zangalis held on to his wife as she screamed, trying to break free and run to the city they had worked so hard to rebuild. He just held her as she finally gave up, sinking to her knees. He heard her choked sobs, crying to herself, and to Zomugustar. He listened to her beg the imaginary monster to save her father and her people. Zangalis looked to the place the city once stood. No one could have survived, he was sure of it.

Xellos drank in the terror and pain that the unusual husband and wife were providing him. He brought the gem of his staff down, level with their hearts. His work and feast tonight was just about finished, this one last task was left.

Martina felt the sudden pain, and saw what she felt in her husband's eyes. Her last act was to hold to him, as tight as her dying body would let her. Her eyes closed, and her breath escaped her as she lay on top of Zangalis. Their blood forming in a pool around them.

Xellos walked over and picked up her symbol of Zomugustar and the howling sword and left the fallen kingdom of Xonna. Appearing at the Inverse home he embedded the sword in the ground and left the symbol hanging from the hilt.

Dusk came and soon gave into night, a young girl with soft pink hair walked towards her home. It had been a long day and she was ready to have her supper and then off to bed. She hummed to herself walking along, never realizing she was being watched.

Xellos studied the girl, she had grown since that time he and Lina had traveled to meet her, with Martina tagging along. She had grown and in a few years would make a lovely woman he mused. Stepping onto the road before her, he knew she would never become a young woman. "Greetings, Miss Kira."

Her eyes widened as she recognized the man and she ran up to him full of energy. "Oh! Hello! I remember you, you were here a long time ago!" She walked around him looking at him closely.

"Yes, I was." Xellos looked at the child and raised his staff. Her death was a quick one. She fell, not having time to say a word as Xellos pulled the bloody staff from her body.

Cutting a handful of her hair and taking a book of potions from her house he left them in the middle of the kitchen table that night for Lina to find.

Mornings were becoming a hated thing. Everyone knew that what they would find. A sign that someone else had died. No one spoke and sleep was becoming a hard thing to find.

Luna stepped outside to leave for work as the sun rose, today she had an early shift. Walking onto the porch, she just stopped where she was, her apron fell from her hands as she gazed upon the two people who were crucified in the front yard. She never heard the others coming out behind her as she stood staring in disbelief and horror.

Zelgadis felt the cup shatter in his hand, and a snarl of rage escaped him. He knew it wasn't her, she was next to him, but his mind just kept asking "How" How could this be?"

Amelia took in the sight of the woman and it was more than she could handle. She ran to the other end of the porch her stomach emptied it's contents onto the ground, her sobs making it even more painful and a more difficult task. She couldn't take her sister's death twice.

Mrs. Inverse sank to her knees, she had been strong through out this ordeal but the sight of her youngest daughter was enough to break that strength. She buried her face in her hand and let her tears fall.

Mr. Inverse kneeled beside his wife trying to comfort her while his eyes remained on the red haired girl that held the perfect image of his daughter. His mind knew it wasn't her, her crimson eyes and red hair were proof of that, but his heart still ached.

Gourry stumbled off the porch, looking at the petite sorceress, her red hair was with blood. Her small hands and feet ruined as she hung by them, nailed to the cross. Deep cuts marked her naked body, someone had tortured them both before killing them, who knows how long it actually took them to die. His voice echoed the anguish everyone felt as he spoke the one girl's name. "Lina..."

Lina could hear the tears, her heart sank. This was someone they all knew she thought. She stood waiting, till she heard Gourry speak her name. His emotions confused her. He spoke them as if it was she who had died. "Who is it? Tell me!"

Zelgadis had went to check on Amelia and was bring her back to the group. He was holding to the small Princess, she hadn't managed to stop crying yet. "Lina, Amelia says the tall black haired woman is her sister, Gracia. I don't know how or what kind of trickery this is, but the Lina that is crucified has red hair and crimson eyes."

Lina covered her mouth in shock, she now knew who this was. She had never told anyone about them, not ever. She never thought she would need too. "It is me, and that is Naga. A long time ago we fought against a man that had a magical item, the Shadow Reflector. He used it one Naga and I, those people are our shadows. In a sense that really is me up there and that really is Naga. They were so gentle." Her voice had trailed to a whisper by her last sentence.

Gourry took the Sword of Light and began to cut them down. He hadn't spoke a word as explanations were given, and he didn't feel like speaking now. He could taste the bile in his mouth as he fought not to throw up during the grim task of freeing them. He was glad no one was questioning him. He lay both of them beside the other one and left to find a shovel. He would give them both a proper burial.

Amelia watched Gourry working, she still was holding to Zelgadis, not trusting herself to stand on her own. She was never going to be able to forgive anyone for this. All she wanted was to avenge her sister and everyone else that had been killed by Xellos. She feared that the next morning she would awake and find her Daddy to be the next victim. She slowly began to understand that this was hate she was feeling. All she wanted to do was see Xellos die for the pain he had caused. A decision was made and she turned to Lina. "Miss Lina, teach me how to cast the Dragon Slave." A shrine maiden that morning was left behind and a sorceress began a new path in life.


	Jeniam's spot on the web \| home Prologue \| Chapter One \| Chapter Two \| Chapter Three \| Chapter Four \| Chapter 5 \| Chapter 6 \| Chapter 7 \| Chapter 8 \| Chapter 9 \| Chapter 10 \| Chapter 11 \| Chapter 12 \| Chapter 13 \| Chapter 14 \| Chapter 15 \| Chapter 16 \| Ending Number 2 Chapter 14 Xellos had just finished with tonight's promise to Lina. He was proud of this one. It had been a bit of work to find them, but it was well worth it. He thought back to the last few nights, they were all satisfying works of destruction. ---------------------- (flashback) Xonna had become once more, a prosperous kingdom. Martina, with Zangalis beside her, had worked hard and managed to rebuild the ruined city. Over time, Martina had grudgingly become glad Lina had destroyed the old kingdom. Life in Xonna was good now and it was all thanks to that one Dragon Slave. That night Xellos had found Martina and her husband in their private rooms, phasing in he smiled cheerfully as he bowed. He could already taste the fear coming from Martina and the distrust from Zangalis. "Greetings King and Queen of Xonna. I take it that I am finding you well on this visit." "What do you want Xellos?" Zangalis moved in front of Martina, he had come to love her deeply and had managed to calm many of her wild ways. He raised the Howling Sword in defense. "I merely need your assistance in helping me complete a task." Phasing out and in behind the Royal couple, he grabbed them and left the city. Martina and Zangalis soon found themselves on a ridge over looking Xonna, and before they could question why they had been brought there, the city was destroyed. Zangalis held on to his wife as she screamed, trying to break free and run to the city they had worked so hard to rebuild. He just held her as she finally gave up, sinking to her knees. He heard her choked sobs, crying to herself, and to Zomugustar. He listened to her beg the imaginary monster to save her father and her people. Zangalis looked to the place the city once stood. No one could have survived, he was sure of it. Xellos drank in the terror and pain that the unusual husband and wife were providing him. He brought the gem of his staff down, level with their hearts. His work and feast tonight was just about finished, this one last task was left. Martina felt the sudden pain, and saw what she felt in her husband's eyes. Her last act was to hold to him, as tight as her dying body would let her. Her eyes closed, and her breath escaped her as she lay on top of Zangalis. Their blood forming in a pool around them. Xellos walked over and picked up her symbol of Zomugustar and the howling sword and left the fallen kingdom of Xonna. Appearing at the Inverse home he embedded the sword in the ground and left the symbol hanging from the hilt. ------------------------------------- Dusk came and soon gave into night, a young girl with soft pink hair walked towards her home. It had been a long day and she was ready to have her supper and then off to bed. She hummed to herself walking along, never realizing she was being watched. Xellos studied the girl, she had grown since that time he and Lina had traveled to meet her, with Martina tagging along. She had grown and in a few years would make a lovely woman he mused. Stepping onto the road before her, he knew she would never become a young woman. "Greetings, Miss Kira." Her eyes widened as she recognized the man and she ran up to him full of energy. "Oh! Hello! I remember you, you were here a long time ago!" She walked around him looking at him closely. "Yes, I was." Xellos looked at the child and raised his staff. Her death was a quick one. She fell, not having time to say a word as Xellos pulled the bloody staff from her body. Cutting a handful of her hair and taking a book of potions from her house he left them in the middle of the kitchen table that night for Lina to find. ------------------------------------- (present) Xellos stood near by, hidden in the trees. He wanted to watch the reaction to his latest deed. ------------------------------------- Mornings were becoming a hated thing. Everyone knew that what they would find. A sign that someone else had died. No one spoke and sleep was becoming a hard thing to find. Luna stepped outside to leave for work as the sun rose, today she had an early shift. Walking onto the porch, she just stopped where she was, her apron fell from her hands as she gazed upon the two people who were crucified in the front yard. She never heard the others coming out behind her as she stood staring in disbelief and horror. Zelgadis felt the cup shatter in his hand, and a snarl of rage escaped him. He knew it wasn't her, she was next to him, but his mind just kept asking "How" How could this be?" Amelia took in the sight of the woman and it was more than she could handle. She ran to the other end of the porch her stomach emptied it's contents onto the ground, her sobs making it even more painful and a more difficult task. She couldn't take her sister's death twice. Mrs. Inverse sank to her knees, she had been strong through out this ordeal but the sight of her youngest daughter was enough to break that strength. She buried her face in her hand and let her tears fall. Mr. Inverse kneeled beside his wife trying to comfort her while his eyes remained on the red haired girl that held the perfect image of his daughter. His mind knew it wasn't her, her crimson eyes and red hair were proof of that, but his heart still ached. Gourry stumbled off the porch, looking at the petite sorceress, her red hair was with blood. Her small hands and feet ruined as she hung by them, nailed to the cross. Deep cuts marked her naked body, someone had tortured them both before killing them, who knows how long it actually took them to die. His voice echoed the anguish everyone felt as he spoke the one girl's name. "Lina..." Lina could hear the tears, her heart sank. This was someone they all knew she thought. She stood waiting, till she heard Gourry speak her name. His emotions confused her. He spoke them as if it was she who had died. "Who is it? Tell me!" Luna was the first to find her voice to answer her. "It is you Lina, they have been crucified. You and another woman." "Me? That's impossible!" Lina felt her voice rising as she tried to think about what Luna was saying. Zelgadis had went to check on Amelia and was bring her back to the group. He was holding to the small Princess, she hadn't managed to stop crying yet. "Lina, Amelia says the tall black haired woman is her sister, Gracia. I don't know how or what kind of trickery this is, but the Lina that is crucified has red hair and crimson eyes." Lina covered her mouth in shock, she now knew who this was. She had never told anyone about them, not ever. She never thought she would need too. "It is me, and that is Naga. A long time ago we fought against a man that had a magical item, the Shadow Reflector. He used it one Naga and I, those people are our shadows. In a sense that really is me up there and that really is Naga. They were so gentle." Her voice had trailed to a whisper by her last sentence. Gourry took the Sword of Light and began to cut them down. He hadn't spoke a word as explanations were given, and he didn't feel like speaking now. He could taste the bile in his mouth as he fought not to throw up during the grim task of freeing them. He was glad no one was questioning him. He lay both of them beside the other one and left to find a shovel. He would give them both a proper burial. Amelia watched Gourry working, she still was holding to Zelgadis, not trusting herself to stand on her own. She was never going to be able to forgive anyone for this. All she wanted was to avenge her sister and everyone else that had been killed by Xellos. She feared that the next morning she would awake and find her Daddy to be the next victim. She slowly began to understand that this was hate she was feeling. All she wanted to do was see Xellos die for the pain he had caused. A decision was made and she turned to Lina. "Miss Lina, teach me how to cast the Dragon Slave." A shrine maiden that morning was left behind and a sorceress began a new path in life. When Light is Lost Saphire Draco's Fics Fan Fiction