Slayers FUSHIGI Crossover fanfiction written by Ming-Ling (tama_neko_chan@hotmail.com) - - > http://members.limitless.org/~mingling/sf.html < - - Volume 9: Final Battle Episode 33: TRIUMPH! THE VICTORY OF THE BLUE DRAGON! 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." Episode 34: MYSTERIOUS! THE SECRET BEHIND THE GOLDEN EYES! TENKOU SMILED COLDLY behind Naga. His golden eyes were the most striking part of him, and Lina finally understood just what had been going on since she had arrived. Well, she partially understood. She knew that this Tenkou being was behind all of those visions she'd been unfortunate enough to experience, but she couldn't figure out why. There was some crucial reason she couldn't make out. "I'm pleased you've figured it out," chuckled Tenkou. "It would be a shame after all those hints I placed." "Well, you weren't exactly subtle. I mean, using big fat yellow eyes in your face is like using a dragon slave to kill a fly." Naga laughed. "Oh, don't be silly, Lina. If we had wanted it to be subtle, it would have been. But that wouldn't have worked for our purposes." Lina groaned. "And now I suppose you'll indulge in stock theatrics and tell me with excruciating detail about every single plot point I missed along the way along with a few others you made up right now." She rubbed her head ruefully. "I wouldn't mind if I hadn't gone through this routine about a bajillion times before. First you say how original your plot is and invite me to guess just what you had planned..." "Ohohohoho! What a perfect idea!" Lina face faulted. "This is not shaping up to be a good day," she mumbled into the ground, feeling a strong headache coming on. "Why not just kill her? I know you two share a long rivalry." Naga shook a finger at Tenkou and tisked. "Na-ah-ah! It doesn't work that way. It wouldn't be right unless Lina understood exactly why she failed." Tenkou sighed. "So while you explain she miraculously comes up with a way to escape and does so?" Lina gritted her teeth. That was the normal formula for situations like these, but unfortunately Lina didn't have a way to escape, and couldn't think of any way to defeat Tenkou or Naga. Her magic was ineffective and since Naga's wish had brought her here, she had no route back to Konankoku. "Nonsense!" Naga waved a hand trying to mollify him. "First off, this isn't some easily escapable death trap set up by some incompetent bandits, it's a watertight plan set up by Naga the White Serpent! Ohohohoho!" "Kill me now," pleaded Lina. "Just shoot me or something before I have to hear that laugh again." "It's such a wonderful plot that only someone of my genius and caliber could create! I met Tenkou-sama not long after arriving in Kutoukoku, and he instantly showed me how Nakago was trying to manipulate me. So we turned the tables on Nakago, and used him to make Tenkou-sama a god. Of course, we wouldn't let Nakago know, so I had to act like the poor weepy heroine, but that didn't matter. Still, that wasn't enough. You see, Tenkou-sama grows stronger on negative emotions, so I told him to send those visions to you in order to unbalance you and to make you feel more desperate and angry. Then Tenkou-sama absorbed your negative emotions and it made him stronger, strong enough so he could finally truly become a god." Lina didn't hear anything Naga said after 'negative emotions.' The wheels in her head spun into life, cranking out the computations and fitting in the missing pieces, working on making her scattered information into one unified whole. Her mind struggled with the concepts for a second, until the last loose end had been fixed into place. Suddenly, things made a lot more sense. Whoever Tenkou was, he was either a Mazoku or something very similar to one. He fit all the patterns of a Mazoku. She knew she was feeling bad vibes from him, and this confirmed it. Instinctively, she had known he was Mazoku, and the information about negative emotions only clinched it. This whole thing, this whole farce was just its ploy to gain more power and more control. A spark of thought flashed in her head. If he fed on negative emotions, why didn't he leave Naga the way she was and just feed on hers? Her natural rivalry with Lina, unnaturally magnified to bitter revenge, should have provided him with everything he needed to become a god. No... he needed Naga in her right mind so she could summon Seiryuu and give him that final piece of godhood. And Naga didn't realize she was also being manipulated because Tenkou had convinced her that Nakago was the manipulator instead. Nothing on Lina's part could convince Naga otherwise. Of course, this knowledge really didn't help her in any way. It was nice to know why everything had happened the way they had (everyone was a puppet in the hands of the master puppeteer), but it still didn't tell her how to defeat Tenkou (would a dragon slave work on him, or would he even be affected by magic?) and it didn't tell her how to get out of this situation. Lina gritted her teeth again. None of this was helping her in any way and unless she could think of something fast, she'd be killed. It was certainly not a particularly cheery outlook. Futility, frustration, and fear rose up in her, and she forced it back down again. No doubt Tenkou was feasting on her massive output of negative emotions right now. Every bad feeling she had would only make him stronger. It was impossible not to feel despair at the situation. The worst part was feeling alone. It had been a long time since she had truly been alone. She worked better in a partnership, or in a small group. She was able to take care of herself, but sometimes, many times, she felt the need for support. Even when she had faced down Shaburanigdo she had the help of others. Whether she was with Gourry, Zelgadis, and Amelia, or with Tamahome and the Shichi Seishi, Lina had never been utterly isolated like this. She had come to depend on the Shichi Seishi a lot. To an almost uncomfortable extent, actually, considering that she was supposed to return to her world after the end of the book - if that was even possible. "Well Lina, this looks like the end for you. Ohohohoho! What better way to be done in then by your own overkill dragon spell? The one that branded you eternally as a dragon spooker and me a the goldfish feces?" The dragon slave? But how did...? "Darkness beyond the twilight and crimson beyond blood that flows..." Lina froze in pure shock. "Buried in the flow of time... In thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness..." Words sprang unbidden to Lina's own lips. "The four directions of the sky, "The four directions of the earth, "The protector of the south, Suzaku, "Come to us physically." "Those fools who stand in our way will be destroyed by the power you and I possess..." "Please make extinct every kind of evil "By using your divine powers, protect us. "Only I wish, please listen to this." "Dragon Slave!" "Please come do to us from the sky!" A bright flash of red light enveloped Lina seconds before a second red light that pulsed wildly with magical power smashed into the place she was recently standing. Light surrounded her - red light. She stared up into the regal face of a young man. He was dressed entirely in red and gold, and ribbons flowed around him like flickers of fire. A pair of scarlet wings spread out behind him like molten gold. A shock of crimson hair brighter by far than Lina and Tasuki's hair combined rose from his head like a sacred flame. "You have summoned me, my miko?" Lina stared some more. Her mouth worked for several moments before she managed to gasp out, "Su-Suzaku?!" He nodded. "I am Suzakuseikun, the scarlet phoenix of the south and protector of Konankoku." Lina was speechless. "You have called me forth, my miko. Merge your powers with mine. Three times you must say the phrase, 'Kai Jin' and summon me, and three times I will grant your wish." Lina found her voice again. Alas, it was too late, as the avian man faded from view, along with her surroundings. Tenkou stared at the smoking crater created by Naga's magic. Something was wrong. That little girl, Lina, had somehow disappeared a split second before she would have been hit by the spell... "Ohohohoho! Finally, Naga the White Serpent has triumphed over her oldest enemy, proving that I am the ultimate sorceress!" Tenkou shook his head. He stretched his new-found power out a little farther, into the realm of the gods, and found... Suzaku had been woken. Suzaku had been summoned. Somehow, that little girl managed to call upon the phoenix god! "She's not dead," hissed the new god through gritted teeth. "She's summoned Suzaku! Didn't you see that red burst of light? That wasn't your spell - that was her summoning Suzaku!" "What?" gasped Naga in shock. "That's... that's impossible! You're just seeing things. Nothing can withstand the power of the dragon slave!" Tenkou's gritted teeth ground down further. It was just about time to get rid of his final puppet, but he still needed to see what Lina was planning. "You fool! She summoned Suzaku before you could kill her with that spell! She was never in danger from it!" Naga paused, then grinned. "Ohohoho! When she returns I'll just dragon slave her again!" Tenkou felt a large headache looming on the horizon. If he didn't need Naga's magic, he would have killed her for her laugh months before. A flash of red light distracted them both. A figure stepped out of it. "Think you could kill me that easily, Naga? Haven't you learned anything since we've been traveling together?" "No way... that's impossible!" Naga shook her head, but Lina did not disappear. "How could you have summoned Suzaku?!" She faced down Naga and Tenkou again. This time, she wasn't afraid. This time, she had the power of Suzaku behind her. This time, she wasn't alone. Seven distinct presences sparkled in the back of her mind. Knowledge flooded her. That came from Chiriko, whose youth did not diminish his bright mind. The character for stretching glowed on her foot. Compassion flowed into her. This came from Mitsukake, who cared for everybody no matter what. The character of rare cart shone on her palm. Courage rushed into her, coming from Tasuki, whose fiery temperament burned away every fear. The character for wing flashed on her arm. Experience swept into her. That came from Chichiri, who had traveled and learned the realities of life. The character for well gleamed on her knee. Strength washed over her. This was from Nuriko, whose strength had no match anywhere in the world. The character of willow glistened on her chest. Pride infused her. It came from Hotohori, whose dignity soothed her torn ego and allowed her to lift her head. The character for star shimmered on her neck. Love, pure love, poured into her. This came from Tamahome, whose love was absolute and forgiving. It filled her with the power to fight back, the power to defeat Tenkou, and blasted away the loneliness that caused her so much despair. The character for ogre flared on her forehead. She didn't know how they came to be there, and she didn't question their god-sent help. She didn't even wonder how she could feel the ki of people who were supposed to be dead, because she didn't care. It was enough that they were there, giving her strength and support when she needed it. She looked at Naga and Tenkou, who were staring back in utter surprise. She turned her face to the skies, where the blue dragon continued to linger, coils shifting restlessly. She took a deep breath and then intoned the sacred phrase, as much a spell as any she had ever cast. "Kai Jin!" Episode 35: SHINE! THE SPLENDOR OF THE PHOENIX GOD! 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 and woe to any insect caught in its path, 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!" ?????? ??? Episode 36: WISH! TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER! RED LIGHT SURROUNDED HER as Lina found herself looking at Suzaku-seikun again. Three times. This was her last wish. Are you sure about this? Suzaku-seikun's lips didn't move, but the words reverberated in her head. Was she? Ever since she had learned she had three nearly unlimited wishes to use, she had been worried about what to actually wish for. She had already figured on wishing protection for Konankoku and to get Naga out of Nakago's hands... but the third wish had eluded her. Everything she wanted beforehand (unlimited supplies of food or treasure, a larger bust size, and so on and so forth) seemed petty now. She had toyed with the idea of staying in this world forever. She had even thought of using the wish to bring Nuriko and Chiriko back to life. Silly, useless things, those wishes were. Greedy, selfish wishes. The fate of this world, of her own world, and ultimately her own fate as well was riding on this wish. Use it wisely, my miko. Seven people inside of her agreed with her. Seven people gave her their assent, their trust, their forgiveness, and their love. "Suzaku-seikun! This is my third wish! Destroy Tenkou! Destroy him for everything he's done! Destroy him before he takes over this world!" I hear, and I comply. "Impossible!" protested Tenkou loudly. "I am a god! Nothing can stop me!" "I, too, am a god. And so are my brothers." From the skies, a scarlet phoenix glided down to join the dragon. From the earth, a white tiger and a black tortoise appeared. In a flash of light, the four gods had surrounded Tenkou in their human-like forms. "I am a god!" shrieked Tenkou angrily. "You cannot stop me!" "You are not a god," the black-armored god of the earth, Genbu-seikun replied coldly. "You are a vengeful spirit," agreed the white-armored god of the wind, Byakko-seikun. "Many years ago you find the Shijintenchiso. You found the power that it held, and you wanted it for yourself," said the blue-armored god of the waters, Seiryuu-seikun. "Because of this you were sentenced to death. The power you held was rightfully judged too dangerous," spoke the red-armored god of the flames, Suzaku-seikun. A strong wave of power solidified, linking the four gods and creating a sphere around Tenkou. "But your spirit lived on. In its vengeance, it entered the world of the Shijintenchiso," intoned Genbu-seikun. "You have gained power through your machinations, your plotting, and through your allies," said Byakko-seikun. "You even dared hope for the power of a god," reproached Seiryuu-seikun. "You planted yourself as the god of the Hin race, waiting for a day when you could gain that power." "You deluded yourself," Suzaku-seikun continued. "You believed you had power, and you forced others to believe you had power - until this belief became so strong it became a conviction." "But you forgot one thing," said Genbu-seikun. "You are not a god," said all four gods. "You are but a vengeful spirit. And we will extinguish that spirit. So it has been requested, and so it will be done." The sphere of energy grew in intensity until the light was blinding. "No! This can't be happening! Noooo!" Tenkou's strangled cries weakened. "Fuusatsu!" There was a great explosion of light. Lina opened her eyes and blinked several times. The afterimage of the explosion was fading, and she looked around at the entirely different but entirely familiar surroundings: A rugged mountainscape complete with flowers and bees, spheres and pagodas, Taiitsukun and Nyan-Nyans. "How did we get to Mount Taikyoku?" she wondered out loud. Naga the White Serpent looked around the surroundings, quite confused. "Where is this place? What the heck is up with those little floating spheres and pagodas, anyways? And who's that old lady?" "Welcome to Mount Taikyoku, Suzaku and Seiryuu no Miko." "SUNAKAKE BABA!" screamed Tasuki in horror. "Welcome also, Suzaku and Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi," added Taiitsukun belatedly. "Minna!" gasped Lina, as she saw fourteen (not including herself, Naga, Taiitsukun, or the impossible-to-count-because-they-were-bouncing-around-too- much Nyan-Nyans) people and/or spirits staring in surprise at the mountainside. Someone tapped Lina's shoulder. She turned, flicked away a bee, and looked at Naga, who had a disgusted look on her face. "Please tell me what's going on here," she demanded shakily, trying not to stare too closely at the locals. "Everybody's here!" cheered the Nyan-Nyans with sugar-hyped enthusiasm. "Great!" "Wonderful!" "Let's get started!" "Cure, cure, fix, fix!" "I wanna fix Taiitsukun's face!" "I -" "EXCUSE ME FOR A MOMENT!" the creator demanded testily, staring within inches of the Nyan-Nyans' faces. They shut up. Reluctantly, of course, but at least they weren't babbling like brooks in the background. "You're probably wondering why you're all here." THAT set off the time bomb. Everyone started talking at once. There was lots of yelling, arguing, accusing, naming, and finger pointing going on. The Nyan-Nyans weren't helping any; they were going around trying to heal people (mostly Lina and Naga) and succeeding only in getting in the way. "EXCUSE ME FOR A MOMENT!" Even a being of infinite patience, knowledge, and power can get fed up. Everyone shut up. "Seiryuu has been summoned. Suzaku has been summoned. Three wishes each have been granted." That was stating the obvious, but Taiitsukun wasn't finished yet. "That also means that this story has come to a close." Two seconds passed. "Whaaaa?" blinked Lina. "You chose wisely, Suzaku no Miko, in that last wish. You sacrificed much of your happiness to save the world." Lina blushed and said demurely, "Oh, no trouble at all, it's not like it's the first time..." "However, as I have said, the story has run its course and come to its end. You are here because..." Another pause. "I personally have no idea." Everyone fell over. "Normally the miko returns to her world after all three wishes are granted. I suppose the four gods are feeling especially benevolent today and are giving you the chance to say goodbye before the last page is turned and the book is shut." "Going home?" asked Lina and Tamahome in the same breath. Taiitsukun regarded the red-haired girl closely, although not in the up- close-and-personal fashion she was wont to do. "Wasn't that your wish when you first came to ask for my help?" Lina thought about that for a second. "It was. But... things change. Months have passed. Lots of stuff has happened. And... well... it's easy to change your mind." "Be that as it may, you knew perfectly well this was a temporary adventure. You knew that at the end of the story, you would go home." Lina reflected on this again. "That's true. But it doesn't stop me from wishing otherwise." She sighed, rubbing the edges of her eyes. "I suppose I should be glad we're even able to say goodbye for one last time." Taiitsukun nodded and floated high overhead, dragging the Nyan-Nyans with her and leaving them alone and in peace. Lina turned to the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi and Naga turned to the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi. It was time to say goodbye. For her part, Lina couldn't find anything to say. Words got stuck in her throat. Finally, she managed to say lamely, "I guess this is it." "Yeah," agreed Tasuki just as awkwardly. "You know, after working with you, maybe I don't hate all women as much as I used to. Good luck, Lina-chan, no matter what you do." Tears shimmered in everyone's eyes. No more words were passed, they merely hugged each other tightly. "I won't forget you," said Lina. "We won't either," assured Tamahome, holding her like he would never let go. "I'm sorry... I wish you could stay here... or I could join you... but it's not something that'll happen, will it?" Lina hugged him back. "No," she replied softly. "I guess not. Some things just... aren't meant to be, I guess. No matter how hard we wish..." "Lina-chan... I just wanted to say I'm proud of you." Tamahome's tears trickled onto her shoulder. "When I felt what your third wish would be... no matter what... we trusted you, and that trust wasn't wasted. We're all proud of you. We're a family, you know. No matter what... No matter where we are or what we do... we'll always have each other. Even if we're in different worlds... We'll never forget what's happened here." He let her go slowly, reluctantly, then pressed something into her palm. "A golden ryou?" Lina blinked, "You're giving away money? What in the world... Are you in your right mind?" "You'll never forget me this way now, will you?" Tamahome smiled through his tears. "Think of it as a momento." Things started blurring. Colors started fading. The world was turning into a red haze. "No... not yet Suzaku!" Lina reached out for Tamahome's hand, found it, and grasped it tightly. "Please... please!" There are some things even a god cannot do, came Suzaku-seikun's voice, laden with regret. I am sorry. "Just one more second... Just one more!" Swiftly, Lina pulled off her headband and thrust it blindly at Tamahome. "Don't forget! I won't! Maybe we can still be linked with this!" She felt his other hand catch it, mere seconds before he and everything else disappeared into a red light. Red light was swirling, twisting, and spinning around her. It was like the time she arrived for the second time. Tamahome's coin was clutched tightly in her hand. Lina closed her eyes, feeling tears slide down her cheeks and disappear into the psychedelic crimson world, until... WHAM! She landed on the side of the bed in an inn in the middle of Rand McNally. Beside her, Naga landed as well. Lina stared across the bed at the desk. Gourry slumbered peacefully, his head resting on his arms. In front of him, the Shijintenchiso's glow slowly faded into nothingness as an errant breeze from the open window blew the last page over. The story had ended. Gourry snorted a few times and sat up wearily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He stared down at the book and instantly starting panicking. "Oh no! I've lost my place! What's going on with Lina and Naga and everybody else? What's that Nakago up to and... Huh?" The puzzled reply came when Lina tapped him on the shoulder, forestalling him from flipping the pages in the book. "You're back? You're back." Gourry felt best when grounding himself in the obvious before venturing into unknown territory. "But... how did you get back here? Why's the story over? How did the story end?" Lina looked at Naga. Naga looked at Lina with a perked eyebrow. Finally, Lina stood up and walked over to the desk. She closed the book's cover gently and with infinite care, caressing the spine for a moment. Then, she turned to Gourry and explained to him with wet eyes: "It ended happily ever after." Epilogue: EXPECTED! A PARTING OF OLD PALS! A BELL RANG OVERHEAD as Lina Inverse and Naga the White Serpent entered the Antiques shop. After confirming that a mere two days had passed since they had gone into the Shijintenchiso, Lina and Naga were fuming mad, and ready to make somebody pay. Finding the Antiques Shop had been easy. It was located directly across from the boarded-up storefront near the fabric shop. The worn sign with the letter "A" creaked softly as it shifted in the gentle wind, no doubt rusty after several days' rain. The congenial shopkeeper greeted, "Welcome! How may I help yo - urk!" He was cut off as Lina grabbed him in a headlock. "We want some answers, Mr. Shopkeeper," Naga smiled, regarding the poor man like she would regard a steak dinner. "It regards a little book called the 'Shijintenchiso' which you sold to Lina here the other day for seven gold coins." "Urguggkle," choked the purple-haired man, still held fast in Lina's iron grip. "WHY didn't you tell us what was up with that stupid book?!" demanded the girl, throttling the shopkeeper in the same way she throttled Chichiri. "WHAT in the world was up with that 'Sore wa himitsu desu' crap you gave me when I bought it? You KNOW something, don't you? You sold it to me because you KNEW that was going to happen! I want my money back PLUS INTEREST!" "Ano... Lina, I don't think he can answer you if you're cutting off his air," Naga felt impelled to remark. "Chichiri was able to, why can't he?" A large sweatdrop rolled down the back of Naga's head. "Right..." "But Chichiri was a monk," spluttered the man, "so he had special powers. Besides, you were shaking him this hard." The shopkeeper fell to the floor, gasping for air as Lina stared at him in shock. Oddly, his smile had never left his face, and he actually seemed to be smiling wider as he zipped behind the counter and folded his arms on the wooden countertop. Lina slammed the red book down on the countertop, missing his hands by atoms. "Explain," she said in a voice that would have frozen nitrogen. "Very well," said the man after a moment. "I'll tell you everything. It's a bit of a story, so I hope you're suitably comfortable." Two nods. "You're right, Lina-san. I gave you the book because I knew something very special about it." Lina glared. "I had read about the legend of the story. Unfortunately, only young human females are allowed within the book, so I was a bit out of luck." Naga glared. "I noticed you two and thought, 'What a coincidence! Just when I need a strong sorceress or two to do my dirty work for me, I find you perfectly suited for the job!' Therefore, I arranged for you to meet and come to this shop and buy the book from me." Lina blinked, caught up a few sentences back. "Wait a second, pops. This is insane. What do you mean by ' human females'? And just how did you manipulate us so easily? I'd think you were a Mazo... Oh L-sama..." The man smiled widely (or rather, wider than previously noted) as he nodded. "You've hit the nail on the head, Lina-san. My name is Xelloss, the Trickster Priest, and I am a full-fledged Mazoku." Lina and Naga froze. "Of course," Xelloss continued, "I couldn't just let you into the book unsupervised. Although I could not personally enter, I sent in my spy. That way I could keep tabs on things and also slightly influence events in the book world as well. I don't believe Taiitsukun was too pleased with me, but she was unable to stop me." "What spy?" asked Lina dangerously. A fat little bumblebee buzzed laboriously and landed on the book. "Why, this spy, of course," Xelloss winked. Naga stared. "You see, my mistress, Beastmaster Zelas-Metallum had felt an energy growing. She could feel the rise of a new Mazoku, of a power that possibly equaled her own. But we couldn't find the source. That is, until I stumbled onto this book after a bit of searching. I was ordered to either make this new Mazoku one of our allies or to destroy him." The shopkeeper-cum-priest clapped his hands together. "And poof! You went in and destroyed him for me, for which I am very grateful. Thanks a lot, you - gurk!!" This time, Naga held Xelloss in a headlock. "I don't care if you're Shaburanigdo yourself! What right did you have to go messing with our minds like that?" "Why... why are you telling us this?" "Sore wa himitsu desu!" Xelloss winked before Naga choked off his air again. Veins popped on Lina's forehead. Puffs of fume sprouted from her hair. "That's not an answer," she said, shaking with the effort of keeping her considerable rage under control. In a blurring of black light, Xelloss disappeared out of Naga's grip and reappeared behind the counter. His eyes opened as he said, "Actually, in a minute you won't remember a single thing that's happened, so I don't feel at all bad about revealing this." "What?" Black disks of light shot forth from Xelloss' hands and wrapped themselves around the two sorceresses. "Forget," intoned the Mazoku, grinning all the while. Lina stared at the rows of crap in the store. "Ne, Naga, what sort of Magic Shop is this, anyway?" The White Serpent was examining herself in an ornately decorated mirror which had little tags on it proclaiming to be a glamour enhancement. "You were the one who suggested finding one in the first place," she retorted. She picked up a 'lava lamp' and turned it upside down, watching blobs of red wax congeal in the conical tube. "Right. But you were the one who found this place." Behind the counter and paying them no attention was a smiling purple- haired shopkeeper, busy at work polishing a ruby-tipped staff. "Ne, what shop is this?" Naga asked. He looked up and grinned. "This is the Everything-for-a-gold-coin Antiques shop!" WHAM. Two sorceresses fell face-first onto the ground. "ANTIQUES SHOP?" Lina demanded angrily of both the shopkeeper and of Naga. "What the hell are we doing in here?" "Ohohohoho!" Naga laughed. "You just don't appreciate a good bargin! I'll take this one, please!" She set down the mirror she was looking in before. Lina noticed a blue dragon design coiled on the back. She felt a headache coming on. "One gold coin, please!" "Done!" And hands were shaken as the transaction was completed. Lina marched up to the counter and regarded the smiling man for a second before plunking down a gold coin of her own. "Very well, I want some advice." "Advice?" "Job tips, information, whatever. I'm a sorceress and I'm traveling with a mercenary, and we're looking for a good job since we finished our last one recently." He looked at the coin for a moment before sliding it back to her. "I don't charge for information," he explained. "However, I hear the Prince of Saillune is traveling incognito and according to my reports, he should be in the area." "Prince?" Lina's eyes grew wide and sparkled with excessive amounts of glitter. Images of handsome young men on beautiful white horses pranced in her mind. "Thank you," said Naga simply as she dragged a daydreaming Lina out of the store. "Oh no, thank you," said the shopkeeper mysteriously as they left. "Ne, Lina, where are we going again?" asked Gourry. "And why isn't Naga here?" "Naga went her own way. I don't blame her, and I'm actually quite glad." "Eh? How come?" "Things have... well, changed between us. It's better this way." "Okay," Gourry nodded, not understanding but not bothered at all. "So where are we going again?" "The Prince of Saillune is traveling down this way. Maybe we can meet up with him and..." Lina sighed at her little daydream of shining princes. She tossed the coin in her hand that the shopkeeper had refused to take a few times before pausing. She stared at the golden surface for a second. "Ne, Gourry? What country uses ryou for currency?" "Gee, I don't know, Lina," came Gourry's honest, but unenlightened, reply. Lina turned the coin over and looked at the embossed image of a beautiful phoenix in flight. Something... She shrugged and pocketed the coin. There were other things to worry about now. "Onward Gourry! Onwards towards fame and fortune and lots and lots of food!" "YOSH!" High above, a purple-haired priest sat on the lowest branch of a tree, his ruby-tipped staff leaning on his shoulder. He watched as the two travelers walked off into the noon (as no traveler is stupid enough to walk off into the sunset unless he's being chased and has to flee by moonlight) and chuckled. His eyes opened as he said, "Thank you for a very amusing time. Great fun was had by almost all." A pause. "But don't think you've seen the last of me, Lina Inverse." And he smiled. ~ owari ~