Shine!

The Splendor of the Phoenix God!

Episode 35

Suzaku's symbol flared on Lina's forehead as she cried out the sacred summoning phrase. "Kai Jin!"

You summon me, my miko? Suzaku's voice filtered into her head, sounding almost amused.

"Suzaku-seikun! My first wish is this: Grant me my full magical power!"

As it is wished, so let it be done. And Suzaku's presence faded, but not entirely. A small portion of the grand phoenix's power still lingered, waiting.

The familiar power of black magic poured through Lina's veins, a heady draught that re-energized her and gave her new vitality.

Naga glared back with pure, cold hatred. The look in her eyes could have frozen a volcano, but Lina was finally up to the challenge.

Lina smirked.

Naga smirked.

In an instant, the battle was joined. Black magic crashed against black magic. Spells were flung with casual destruction. The Kutoukoku capital was quickly being reduced to a rubble, although no one was bothering with such frivolous thoughts at the moment. There was little time to chant the Chaos Words, and even less time to ponder the consequences. It was a furious fight with both sides using crude, raw power rather than with dazzling displays or intricate spells. Attack and counter attack, shield, block, and rain down more blows.

In the back of her mind, seven people joined with her. They lent her their power, sending forth their ki and giving her a stable frame of mind with which to consider the situation. Chiriko's intelligence and Chichiri's experience guided her moves and attacks. Tasuki's courage and Nuriko's strength gave her the power to continue the battle. Hotohori's pride ensured her during the moments of doubt, while Mitsukake's compassion kept her anger in check.

Tamahome's love infused her with a warmth like none other. His love, mingled with the love from all of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi, ensured her that she would be victorious. They trusted her with everything before, their love told Lina, and they would continue to stand by her now.

In a fair world, the battle would have sew-sawed back and forth until one of them gained an upper hand. Lina, with her greater knowledge and stronger power, would have managed to strike the fatal blow even without the help of the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi.

Fair does not enter the equation.

As soon as Tenkou realized Naga would eventually slip up, he acted.

A blast of raw power send Lina sprawling. Black lightning crackled in the new god's hands as he regarded the two impassively.

"Tenkou-sama!" Naga hissed furiously. "How dare you interfere? The final blow will come from my hand, not yours!"

"If I had not interfered, Lina would have been the one to strike the final blow," Tenkou pointed out coldly but factually.

"Still, this is not your battle! This is a personal grudge match between the two of us!" Naga would not be mollified.

Tenkou inwardly sighed, once again regretting not having disposed of Naga earlier. "If that is your wish..."

Wish?

Several thoughts ran swiftly through Lina's head, sending her mind reeling for a brief moment until she regained her balance. This isn't working.

Agreed, remarked Chichiri's thoughts. This Tenkou being will not wait patiently on the sidelines when his fate is interwoven with that of Naga.

Wish. Tenkou's word triggered the thought.

Your second wish, advised Chiriko. Use it wisely.

I can't keep fighting against Naga! No matter what, we're still friends!

Mitsukake agreed. Despite everything, you must never forget that Tenkou influenced Naga, so she is not entirely at fault.

Wish. Lina nodded. My second wish...

"Kai Jin!"

Again the words have been spoken, and again I answer the call, came Suzaku-seikun's voice.

"Suzaku-seikun! This is my second wish! Return Naga to the way she was before this incident - undo all of the brainwashing Tenkou has done to her!"

As it has been commanded, so I obey.

Naga blinked. She blinked several more times. After a pause, she blinked again, looking quite stunned. This was both a good thing, since she was apparently no longer under Tenkou's control and thus confused, but also a bad thing, because she was holding a highly charged freeze bleed spell between her hands.

Fortunately, she had regained enough of her senses to launch said spell high in the air and away from the combat area. The glorified ice cube sparkled majestically in the air, before sailing in a perfect arc and speeding down towards a hapless house. Luckily, its occupants had long since fled the city.

The resulting shards and splinters (both of ice and wood) would have made a spectacular scene in a documentary of How Not to Cast Potentially Highly Destructive Spells, but no one really noticed or cared.

"What's going on?" the White Serpent managed to ask.

"Behind you!"

Instincts in full play, Naga instantly whipped up a shield spell, deflecting most of Tenkou's blast.

The Mazoku-like god fumed. All of his carefully wrought plans were now going awry, just because that little girl had managed to summon Suzaku. Her wishes took his schemes and tied them into a snarled knot complete with a cute little bowtie on top.

This could not be tolerated. He was a god. No mortal could defeat him. No mortal could be allowed to defeat him.

But Suzaku was a different matter.

This girl had to be terminated, and terminated immediately. And Naga, too. She had outlived her usefulness.

Once they were gone, he could finally complete his quest. He would overthrow the four gods, and Taiitsukun, and rule this world. Possibly even the world from which the Miko came. He was a god, after all.

But first, he had to deal with this minor annoyance.

Lina Inverse and Naga the White Serpent regarded the form of Tenkou.

"Any smart ideas?" asked Naga. She was fuming now that Tenkou's control over her had vanished. She remembered every little thing he had done, and the White Serpent was not one to be controlled. She wanted revenge. There was just one little problem.

She wasn't quite sure how to get it.

Naga looked at Lina.

A smile crept onto Lina's face. She looked back at Naga and winked, mouthing the words, "Dragon Slave."

Naga grinned too, and nodded back.

Side by side, they began the incantation for the spell. Like twins, they drew simultaneously on the power, their words echoing across the landscape.

"Darkness beyond the twilight,

"Crimson beyond blood that flows,

"Buried in the flow of time."

Tenkou smirked at their efforts. He had seen Naga cast the same spell several times, and even doubled, he knew a way out of it.

"In thy great name,

"I pledge myself to darkness.

"Those fools who rise up to oppose us

"Shall be destroyed by the power

"That you and I possess.

"DRAGON SLAVE!"

Tenkou moved out of the way, leaving only an illusion of himself to be attacked by the massive spell.

One smoking crater in the Kutoukoku countryside later, Lina and Naga looked at each other again.

"Did it work?"

The blurred image of Tenkou rose before them.

"Impossible!" blurted Naga in shock. "How can anything survive a Dragon Slave, much less two? It's the strongest spell in black magic!"

Ruby Eyed Shaburanigdo. The memory flooded back into Lina. She remembered the battle with the great Demon Lord of the Mazoku.

It hadn't been that long ago. Less than a month before she had reunited with Naga, Lina had single-handedly defeated the Dark Lord with only two weapons.

Gourry's Hikari no Ken.

Her own, secret trump card. A spell more powerful than the Dragon Slave.

Of course, it was silly to even try casting a Dragon Slave against Shaburanigdo. The Dragon Slave took its power from the Ruby-Eyed Lord, and any number of simultaneous Dragon Slaves couldn't even scratch him.

Lina had defeated Shaburanigdo with a spell of her own creation.

The Giga Slave.

It was her most carefully guarded secret. She had come upon a piece of parchment one day while poking through her older sister's room. It told of a greater power, a being called the Lord of Nightmares, who was the highest being in the universe - higher in power than Shaburanigdo.

She had created the Giga Slave, basing it on the principles of the Dragon Slave. Instead of drawing power from Shaburanigdo, it drew power from L-sama herself.

The first test of the spell turned the coast into a bay, and to this day, no fish would enter those waters.

The second casting of the spell was used to defeat Shaburanigdo himself.

It was dangerous. It was the riskiest spell she had ever used. Merging the power of the Giga Slave with the power from the Hikari no Ken, she managed to defeat Ruby-Eyed Shaburanigdo.

Lina was oblivious when Tenkou began his attack. Naga hastily cast a shield spell, managing to deflect most of the onslaught, but it was temporary at best.

"Lina! Hurry up! Tell me you know a spell that can kill Tenkou!"

She did. The Giga Slave would certainly defeat Tenkou. It could work - but there were no guarantees.

The Shichi Seishi inside of her mind gave her the strength, courage, knowledge, and the power to try. Their love showed her that no matter what her decision was, they would trust her completely, as they always had.

The problem was because Lina didn't trust herself.

There was some missing fact, some crucial factor in the Giga Slave that she hadn't realized yet. She didn't know the full extent of the stakes. She didn't know what she was getting herself into. If the spell was cast improperly, she could die. But worse, the entire world - no, the entire universe might be destroyed. The power of the Giga Slave was that great.

The Shichi Seishi were there to support her. They would give everything they had to help her succeed.

But Lina couldn't bring herself to cast it. Not even when Naga's shield failed and the two sorceresses were thrown backwards, both badly hurt. Not even when Naga stared at her with large eyes, hoping for some miracle to happen. Not even with all of the Shichi Seishi in her mind giver her the power and the love to try.

Then, with suddenly clarity, she realized the answer.

One little question had always been in the back of her mind ever since she got involved in this whole mess. It nagged her constantly, but always before, it seemed insignificant and was pushed aside so she could consider the situation at hand. Until now, when the situation at hand depended on that little question.

What would her third wish be?

And now, she finally knew.

"There's one last thing to try," she said to Naga flatly, dispassionately.

She struggled to her feet and faced down Tenkou.

Suzaku's character glowed on her forehead for the third, and final time.

"Kai Jin!"

Continue: Episode 36: Wish! To Life Happily Ever After!