Triumph!

The Victory of the Blue Dragon!

Episode 33

Blue light surrounded Lina in a cold embrace. Before she could move a muscle or even bat an eyelash, the palace around her vanished into thin air. Images moved too quickly for her to follow. Finally, they focused onto a building far in the distance. In no time at all, she was above that building, and then she was falling into it.

Lina Inverse landed with a large thump as the blue light released her from its grip. It hovered overhead for a few seconds before floating upwards and disappearing into the hulk of the blue dragon floating above her.

"Ohohohohohoo!"

It took every ounce of Lina's control to keep her from firing a spell at Naga. Then she looked up, and all of her anger melted away like a freeze arrow cast against a dragon slave.

The palace behind Naga was burning.

The people were fleeing in all directions, pure fright in their eyes. Many others were lying motionless, with numerous wounds. An army of blue men ran around, trying to gather the people up unsuccessfully. Some of the military men were fleeing too.

A blue dragon hovered in the sky, its sinuous coils blocking out some of the sun.

Nakago and Naga stood triumphant. The character for heart glowed on the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi leader's forehead. Soi, who was unobtrusively standing a few feet behind Nakago, smiled sweetly, the symbol for chamber glowing on her thigh.

Lina was alone. All alone.

Lina understood. She finally understood. Her vision had come true.

But it had come true for Kutoukoku.

It didn't make sense. Why would Nakago destroy his own country? Why was the army fleeing for their lives with the rest of the citizens? What was she doing here in the first place?

"Ohohohoo!" laughed Naga into the back of her hand. "What do you think now, Lina Inverse? Shadow Snap!"

Lina's response was instant. "Flare Arrow!" The burst of light caused her shadow to disappear, and the spell to be rendered useless. But if Naga had her magic back, then...? She gritted her teeth as the urge to throttle and/or inflict heavy body damage rose again. She fought it successfully, and grinned at Naga. "They don't call me 'Dragon Spooker' for nothing, do they?"

"This is one dragon I don't think even you can spook," remarked Soi pertly.

"Oh, but you're ruining my fun! Why do you think you're here?" asked the White Serpent.

A giant question mark floated over Lina's head, providing an answer of sorts.

"You should be honored. I used one of my wishes to bring you here so that you could see my victory. Alas, it will be the last thing you will ever see..."

"Flare Arrow!" The red-haired cast it not because she thought it would work, but so she would not be forced to endure the taller sorceress's laughter.

"Freeze Arrow!" The two spells met and cancelled each other out. Naga smirked. "I'll no longer be known as the goldfish feces! I'll be known as the sorceress who managed to defeat Lina Inverse, and I'll be famous far and wide! I'll no longer be seen as your little sidekick. I'll have my own name, not attached to yours like some consolation prize! Ohohohohoho!"

Lina gritted her teeth again. At this rate she'd grind them down into nothing. Naga wished her magic back. Then she wished me here. That means she still has one wish left... but what is she going to do with it?

"I've finally won!" exulted Naga, indulging in a victory speech, spreading her arms wide and shooing away a bumblebee. "At last, I can wish for anything I want!"

Nakago nudged her gently, clearing his throat.

Naga smiled again. "Yes, I know, Nakago-sama. You want me to use my last wish to help you, right? Very well, then... Watch me, Lina. Watch me destroy you with my last wish."

Lina gathered up all the magical power she could muster and threw it at Nakago. He coolly blocked it with his ki, not even raising a muscle.

"Kai Jin!"

Lina gritted her teeth, unable to do anything but watch as Naga was enveloped by a bright blue light. The symbol for Seiryuu glowed on her forehead like a mystic sigil. Overhead, the dragon god stirred, his sinuous coils creating a mesmerizing pattern.

"Seiryuu, this is my third and final wish! Make the being known as Tenkou-sama a god that is equal to you!"

Lina and Nakago froze in surprise.

"Te...Tenkou-sama?" mumbled Lina, wondering if she had missed something. "Who or what is that?"

From behind Naga, a figure loomed. It was in the shadows, and all Lina could see was straight, long hair, and a little bit of light glinting off of an elaborate headpiece on the being's forehead. Even without knowing who or what the being was, Lina could feel the power emanating from him.

"Ohohohohoho!" laughed Naga, breaking Lina out of her thoughts. "Why do you look so surprised, Nakago-sama?" The honorific was spat out sarcastically.

"Tenkou-sama... Impossible! How did -?"

"Did you really think you were the one controlling me, just like you manipulated the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi? Did you think I wouldn't look past your power and find another more powerful yet? Did you really think I believed you heart and soul and would have granted your last wish?"

Unnoticed by anyone but Lina, Soi clenched her fists silently behind Nakago. Her eyes narrowed, and a glowing of blue surrounded the character on her thigh.

"How does it feel to know you were the puppet, and I was the puppet master?" mocked Naga.

A cry from the heavens, or more precisely, a bolt of lightning from the sky, flashed down to smite the gloating Miko.

Naga smirked at the effort. Although all she raised was an eyebrow, the electricity crackled around her, leaving her untouched.

That thing behind her grounded the attack, thought Lina in surprise. How long have they been in cahoots?

"Ohohoho! That little trick won't work with me. How about a taste of real lightning? Digger Bolt!"

The blast hit Soi squarely in the stomach, sending her reeling.

"Soi!" Nakago grabbed her swiftly before she could fall over, stunned.

"Nakago-sama... this isn't the way... this should have ended... Please..."

"..." said the tongue-tied Nakago.

"I..." Soi's eyes filled with tears. "I love you, Nakago-sama... Ever since that day...when you saved... me and... changed my life... Please don't forget... that..."

He gritted his teeth as her body went limp. Gently setting her down, he whirled around to face the defiant Miko.

"Oho, are you angry, now? Yes, you are... good! I can do the same to you! Icicle Lance!"

The symbol of heart flared on Nakago's forehead. Naga's spell crashed into a bright blue barrier, shattering into thousands of ice shards, tinkling as they landed on the ground.

Surprised, Naga faltered a little, but the being behind her did not.

"You'll attack Seiryuu no Miko, I can see... but will you attack me?"

"Tenkou-sama..."

"You worship me, just as your Hin tribe have done for generations upon generations. You revered me as a god, forsaking Seiryuu. When your kind were outcast for your blonde hair and blue eyes, you continued to believe in me, trying to find a way to fight back. Even when your entire race was destroyed, you sought me for help. Even when you discovered you had the power of Seiryuu, you bowed to me. You wouldn't attack me."

Nakago's fist clenched, and he gritted his teeth. "You stole what is rightfully mine," he snarled.

"Was it rightfully yours? Godhood? No. You're merely a human. Your outlook is too narrow. Your thoughts are too jumbled. Your life is too fleeting. You're too easily led, but we worked that to our own advantage. I've been waiting for many years. Countless years, biding my time, gathering power. I was a god in everything but name, and now that name is secured. I am the god. You're nothing but a pathetic little human."

Rage and fury flashed in Nakago's eyes. He screamed his anger in a wordless cry. Blue power swirled around the Shichi Seishi, then spun wildly towards the self-proclaimed god.

Tenkou smiled at the effort, holding his hands out and catching the ki that streamed at him. Soon, he held a blue ball of crackling, sparkling energy, not unlike a dragon slave. Coldly, he looked at Nakago, who was panting after expending so much power. "Pathetic. Is this all you can do? I'm surprised you actually found the guts to attack, but really, you shouldn't have even bothered." And he casually sent the blue ball of ki back at Nakago.

There was a soundless explosion of blue light.

Visions assaulted Lina again.

A young boy walks down a path, holding his mother's hand tightly. They are both wearing covering robes, but a few wisps of blonde hair spill over the edges. It is Nakago as a young child, and his mother. He looks scared, but his mother is confident, ignoring the gazes of the people around them.

The scene blurs, then focuses again. Soldiers are attacking the village where Nakago and his mother live. Horrified, the young boy runs back to where his mother is... and stops cold, as he sees soldiers attacking her.

The symbol for heart flashes on his forehead. Blue ki surrounds him. There is a soundless explosion of blue light.

In the aftermath, Nakago is captured. His mother died in the blast.

He is taken to the court of Kutoukoku's emperor.

He vows his revenge on Kutoukoku for their crimes against the Hin race.

He learns to control his power as a Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi.

He rescues a young girl named Soi, from her attacker.

He becomes a general in the army.

He begins to gather the rest of the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi. One of them is Soi.

He suddenly finds a strange young woman being attacked by thugs. He realizes that she is the legendary girl known as Seiryuu no Miko. He rescues her...

As suddenly as the visions came, they disappeared, leaving Lina confused. How come she was still receiving these images? Were they true? Was someone sending them to her? If so, for what purpose? She shook her head to clear her thoughts as the explosion died away, leaving nothing, not even the bodies of Nakago and Soi, behind.

"And so, we return to the business at hand, Lina Inverse." said Naga.

"Ah... yes..." agreed Tenkou. "Lina Inverse..."

There were still too many unanswered questions in her head.

"Ohohohohohooo!" Naga laughed. "This will be the most fun yet. Lina Inverse, Dragon Spooker, Enemy of All Who Live, brought down by the White Serpent!"

"Goldfish feces," mumbled the red-haired sorceress under her breath.

Naga paused. "What did you say?"

"You think you've won? Just because you don't follow me doesn't mean you're on your own. Don't you see? This Tenkou's manipulating you just like you manipulated Nakago and he manipulated the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi. You're not my sidekick anymore. You're Tenkou's."

Naga paused again. "What are you saying? You're just jealous because I'm finally the one with all the power, and you're just trying to rationalize it in some silly way."

"Naga, I-"

"Enough," said Tenkou. "We do have the power here, and anything that girl says is nonsense."

The White Serpent smiled. "That's right... We have all the power in the world. All the power of a god. The power of Tenkou-sama."

Tenkou smiled as he stepped into the light.

Lina stood rooted to the spot. What struck her most about Tenkou's image was his eyes.

Austere, golden eyes.

"It was you, wasn't it?" she asked softly.

"Me?" asked Tenkou and Naga in the same moment.

"Those eyes in my vision... they were yours... Tenkou."

Continue: Episode 34: Mysterious! The Secret Behind the Golden Eyes!