Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers For the Future: The Prophecy of Inverse ❯ Luna-cy! The Prophecy of Pain ( Chapter 8 )

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Chapter 8

Luna-cy! The Prophecy of Pain

~ 12 Years Later ~

"Where's Hiero….this picnic celebration is for him. And what about Val? Are those two screwing around in town again. I don't want to have to lie to Priest Devin again about him being caught spying on girls in the bathhouse. He's not being fair to his career by being labeled a blind pervert." Lina chuckled with a forceful look in her eyes, nudging her husband.

Zelgadis just sipped his coffee as he looked across the wildflower encrusted valley. It was a few miles away from their home and on the edge of the forest. He and the boys came here to practice out in the open spaces, himself teaching them how to use swords and staffs and Filia teaching Val how to master his dragon form and magic. Both had been pretty uncontrollable when they hit their teens, being purposely late and playing pranks on Filia with her tail.

Hiero always sat out of the way and let Val do most of the pranks, but Hiero was always the one to irritate her into losing control over hiding her tail. She'd chase them both around with her mace before Hiero cast white magic on her to save them from broken rear ends.

He thought back fondly on those days, Hiero had been so energetic growing up with Val, as if he considered Val to be his brother, not just his friend. He even healed Val when he was hurt and comforted him when he was sick or sad. If Hiero was around, so was Val, and when they were apart, that meant they were plotting something sneaky.

He recalled one such occasion that Val had been in the very spot he was sitting in, his dragon horn sticking out of his head, so it meant he was either irritated or he was up to something. Zelgadis had been taking a nap before Val had come out of the forest, his sword still on his side and his golden eyes flickering around as looking for something. Lina and Filia were with Hiero far from where he and Val were, training.

Zel had thought nothing of it until it slowly dawned on him that Val's lessons had ended for the day already. He was supposed to be home resting or eating, whatever he did when he wasn't training. Zel looked at him harder and found he wasn't alone, there were other teenage boys behind him.

Val had bothered the local boys on purpose to lead them to Hiero for a plan they had cooked up day earlier. It was a simple one, to scare the living daylights out of the local bullies and show them how powerful and tough a blind boy and dragon boy really were, especially with a dragon mother. Val punched one of the bullies and kicked another before running for Hiero and his female teachers, taking his sword out just in case.

Zelgadis got up as Val reached the trio, shoving Hiero next to his mother before grabbing his hands. Though Zel found out later Hiero improvised how to irritate Filia, lifting her skirt up in front of everyone was actually an accident. Hiero just wanted to lift up the back and pinch her, as crude as that was to do to Filia, but the breeze blowing that day had other plans. Her skirt flew up over her head and everyone, even Zel, saw her white panties, slender legs, and the golden tail with a bow on it. Everyone blushed, even Hiero since Val chose that time to look at his mother.

The two boys ran off the moment Filia turned into a dragon, breathing fire everywhere. The bullies wet their pants thoroughly before they ran off screaming like girls. They never bugged the pair again.

Zel found out about the plan after Lina made him sit on their son's back until he talked. Hiero took the blame, but Val wouldn't let him go down alone and shared it. As soon as Zelgadis got off of his son, Hiero cast Ray Wing on himself and pulled Val in and flew the coop.

Lina was steamed to say the very least, but not enough to cast Dragon Slave. When they returned with sweets for their mothers, they got off with only being confined to their rooms for a month and even then they broke those rules. It had been quite a day, and Hiero and Val went on making mischief along with their training, never apart until a prank idea came into their head.

'As rebellious as his mother….being blind doesn't stop that love of life in an Inverse. Whatever happened to those days? Hiero's so distant now….he acts like me when I was younger….well, when Rezo turned me into a chimera. At least he acts like me and not my grandfather. That would be a terrible problem.' He thought, taking another sip. Then he took an elbow to the head, wincing while the hitter yelped.

"Zel, I asked you a question. Stop daydreaming." Lina let out, rubbing her sore hand. "Sorry, love, I was thinking about the old days, you know….when Hiero was a bit more lively. And no, I don't know where Val is. Hiero is probably still at the shrine, which is my opinion. He's going to start traveling abroad in his priesthood tomorrow night. He'll be here….it doesn't take long to get from town to out here."

Lina nodded, her mood becoming less tense as she relaxed against his side. He smiled at her warmth and wrapped his arm around her, bestowing a kiss in her creamy, soft cheek. It was still an amazing thing, being married to the one and only Lina Inverse. They'd been married ever since Hiero was six years old, making the child be a state of unfathomable happiness. He kept Inverse as his last name though, but that didn't bother him.

That happiness dwindled every so often, but as long as Zel and Lina were together and showed affection, he would perk right up. Val's presence had added to it, making him a bit of a troublemaker, but none the less content. Now Val was the only person that could make Hiero smile or talk. He'd heard so little of his son's voice when he reached his 20's, he'd almost forgotten what it sounded like.

He pushed those pains away, concentrating on his beautiful wife. Neither of them had aged a day since the day they married, or since the day they met. They still looked like a pair of odd teenagers, the chimera and the sorceress, what a pair. 'And Hiero will just keep getting older. He'll never age and he'll just get….Oh shut up, Zel, you're being depressing again. Enjoy his presence, he's your son. Try and be happy, not dreary. That Zel is long gone….' Zelgadis mentally scolded himself, tightening his lips in a sneer. He willed it away when he felt Lina shift in his embrace, making an calm mask of tranquility.

He involuntarily stiffened when he heard someone moving in the brush and cursed. 'I forgot my sword….wait a minute, calm down, Zel. It could be Val and Filia with the pastries. Or Hiero. You're not out to save the world or get a cure now, this is your son's big day.' He thought, but kept his eyes trained on the noise.

A sigh of relief passed his lips as the white robed form of his son came through the brush, his new wooden staff leading him past obstacles. His eyes were closed gently, as he was prone to doing most of his life, but now he looked more like a priest than the mischievous youth he once was. He was decked up in white robes and a white cloak. He looked a bit like Copy Rezo dressed like that, only less insane, a lot less. He had a long tuft of sapphire hair that hung over his right eye, similar to Zelgadis. He looked as young too.

Hiero looked positively sullen, not smiling at all as he left the darkness of the forest. He'd gotten taller over the years, a half a foot taller than Zel was and slender shaped. As much as Hiero still ate, far more than Lina, he was still a very lithe and handsome young man, being seven weeks into his 22nd year of life. He was wearing a holy symbol around his neck, a cross of purest silver and holy magic, a gift from Devin when he was barely 13.

Hiero had never been over-enthusiastic about it and rarely wore it, unless it was asked of him. He'd learned to guide himself around better as the years went by, not tripping over things or ramming into people like he used to. After Xellos nearly killed him, he forced himself to learn his surroundings, blind or not. He hated being made to feel so helpless by the lousy fruitcake, and he hated the reminders of it.

When Hiero had returned home after his sudden kidnapping, Zel, Lina and Filia cast numerous healing spells on him, feeding him a good 12 course meal to get the bug flavor out of his blood stained mouth. The scrapes and bruises went away just fine, but the head scratches and the knife wound on his left hand scarred, all a light red color. The wounds on his head weren't noticeable unless you looked real close, but the scar that went from his middle finger to his wrist was rather deep, leaving the mark there when they'd tried their best to heal it away.

Hiero didn't cry the entire time, only saying how much he hated the Mazuko for breaking his family's hearts by scaring them like that. It had been such a self-less statement, he and Lina both fell helplessly into sobbing fits and white-hot tears at his bravery and instead of thinking about himself, he thought about them instead.

'He's always been so self-less….like we matter more than he does. It's good to be that caring, but he'll get himself killed if he keeps it up.' Zel thought, suddenly aware that his son had stopped and was tapping his staff at him and Lina.

"Sorry, Devin was asking me a bunch of questions about tomorrow, asking me if I had everything packed for my journey. We got into a fight about food. Everything's all right now….he'll cool down by tomorrow." Hiero said quietly, almost like he was whispering. His and Val's voices had changed drastically upon puberty, Hiero's very innocent and infantile tone as a child had become a smooth tenor, like water over a rock. Lina said liquid velvet, but she said that about his own voice as well. She always went on how much Hiero resembled him. Hiero made girls swoon whenever he spoke, even though priests weren't supposed to do that.

Val's voice was far more different than his voice as Valteir and Valgaav, he hadn't been stained with haughty upbringing so he didn't sound so spoiled or superior, the voice they heard threaten Lina's life so matter-of-factly, it was unnerving. Val still had strength in his voice, but it was more of a devil may care sort of tone, so easy going and velvety, making himself and Hiero a dangerous pair when they spoke together.

This, on numerous occasions, caused half the female population of Sakura to be hit by fainting spells. Val could regain the haughty tone when he was teasing someone or challenging an enemy, but it would soften and caress the ears when he was calm and content.

Hiero wasn't as easy to read, unless he wanted you to know what he was feeling. 'Must have inherited that from me. Can you inherit your father's long lost behavior….I wonder….' Zel thought. Right now, Hiero was making it very clear how he felt, annoyed and sad.

"I know that tone, Hiero. I used to have it when I was upset about things in my life. What's wrong?" Zelgadis asked.

He watched his son scrunch up his nose, looking really annoyed at him, or rather over him and then at him as he focused on his voice. "What could be wrong, mother's dream is coming true. I'm a priest and by sundown tomorrow, I'll be traveling the world after I get my orders from the White Magic capital of Saillune. How could I not be happy about that?" Hiero said, his voice gone cold before he walked past them to a stump. He tapped at it when he found it, then sat down, staring out with closed eyes at the valley, probably wishing he could really see it.

"Hiero….its what's best for you. We've been over this a million times. You'll only be truly safe from the Mazuko if you're there. They can't take you from there." Lina told him, as if the subject bothered her. Hiero shrugged.

"They won't stop….a shrine is just another building, really. And a city is pretty much out in the open. They could get in there a few times just to locate me and send their best to get me when I least expect it. They only need a few minutes to grab me and teleport out. I still don't see how being a clergy will keep me safe. I'd rather not be a coward either and hide behind religion like a it was beacon of hope or a protection spell. It only lasts so long." He said, quite passionately.

'Same old tired discussion….we say what's best for him and he insults the church as a temporary setback for the Mazuko. Maybe he's right, the more I hear him complain about it, the more he makes me wonder how long he will be safe in there.' Zel thought, making sure only to think it.

If Lina heard him say it, he'd be eating a fireball. Lina was terribly overprotective of Hiero. After he and Lina had tried to have other children together to give Hiero a brother or sister, they found that she couldn't get pregnant anymore, but making love wasn't given up on. Hiero was all they were getting, forever. It had been a blow to both of them and Hiero seemed upset he'd never get a sibling, but he got over it.

Zel was still unable to understand why Hiero was all Lina could give birth to, he felt it deep down in his soul that it was some kind of miracle. Hiero was indeed a miracle, a miracle of life and of heart, he was the perfect child, their child. 'What we'd die for.' He added mentally, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as Lina got up.

"Hiero…not today. We can argue about this some other time, but today is the eve of your holy journey. Please, we're so proud of all you've accomplished with them. Don't spoil the day. You can spoil all the other days, but not this one. Please, Hiero, for me." Lina pleaded, getting the cutest look on her face.

Zel wanted to laugh. Lina had never been terribly judgmental of people she cared about, like him. She'd forgotten numerous times that he was made of stone and had hurt her hand and treated him as if he were human. She'd never I insulted his appearance.

With Hiero, she'd forget he was blind, treating him as if he had been born normally. She'd point at things and tell him to look at stuff or get cute and angry looks on her face without expressing it. Hiero had relied somewhat on Zel and Val to let him know what the expression of the hour was, but growing up in his teens, he'd stopped asking, relying on his hearing to analyze everyone's tone of voice to pick out their mood.

Hiero just sighed and wagged his staff at Lina as if to tell her to calm down or stop her antics, like parent does to one's child. "No need to get out the big cute guns, Mother. I won't ruin the day. I'm just crabby because I haven't eaten all day. No food in the building is a terrible rule for any group. I can't believe I can't even have breakfast unless I'm outside the shrine. When do we eat?" Hiero chuckled, offering his empty hand to the air in a gallant way.

"You eat too much, the both of you. We'll go poor with your huge appetites." Zel commented, getting a double dose of death glares from his wife and son, Hiero with his eyes open this time. "I mean it….don't look at me like that. We'd better wait. Val and Filia are still carting the desserts up here. Can't you wait for them?" Zel pointed out. Lina didn't seem to stop the look of death, but Hiero did, his face calming.

"I'll wait for Val." Was all he said before his head aimed itself back at the valley, keeping his sapphire eyes open. "You always wait for Val. It's good you two are such good friends, but Val is testing my patience by being late with the eclairs and the bon-bons. This is Hiero's celebration. And I'm so hungry!" Lina grumbled, holding her stomach in pain. Zel had to laugh now.

"Lina, he eats more than you and friendship keeps him in check. Why can't I keep you in check?" Zel chuckled, Lina just giving her hair a good toss before flopping down beside him. "I'm older than he is and he and Val aren't married….and I pretty much doubt that's going through their minds, after we caught them pinching girls and blaming it on the town crier last year. And the black smith's son the year before that. And the mayor the year before that." Lina drawled out, fiddling through the extra large picnic basket for a snack. Zel pulled her away, but she fought him, getting bruised in her struggles.

"Mother, please be patient. I can hear some footsteps right now….give them a few more minutes. Then you have my full permission to pig out." Hiero piped.

"I'm taking that 100% seriously, Hiero. Hey! Val! Filia! Hurry it up, we're getting starved and withered out here!" Lina shouted at the forest, finally able to hear the footsteps herself.

Lina started to reach inside the basket again, then everything happened in a blur. She felt cold all at once, like she'd been encased in ice all the way, a gnawing fear enveloping her heart. Then she heard the screaming.

"ARGGGGHHHHHH!!!!" It was Hiero who was screaming in pain and Zel that was screaming bloody murder with," You bitch! Get away from him!"

Lina lifted her head up to a sight she had hoped she could avoid for all times, and the sight was bleeding heavily with a sword in its back, something she never wanted to see again above it. "LUNA!" Lina whimpered, tears filling her eyes as she leaped up with Zel.

Her sister just stood there, looking superior and smiling in her waitress outfit, holding her sword firmly in Hiero's back. It had come out the other side and the blood soaked blade was jutting out of his chest. His face was wracked with pain, but he was still alive.

Luna Inverse seemed to notice them and yanked the sword out, a spray of crimson showering herself, but she made no move to wipe it off. She stabbed him again for good measure before taking it out again, holding it out before her. "So….there you are. You've been naughty Lina. You weren't supposed to have children, you cheated fate with that thing." Luna said, pointing her sword at Zelgadis.

Lina could hear Zel growl at her, his fists raised. Neither of them had swords, only their magic, and no magic they had would result in anything good as long as Hiero was near Luna. No Dragon Slave or Ra Tilt could be cast without taking Hiero down with Luna.

"It couldn't be helped, Luna. Please leave him alone. Take me instead. Zel and Hiero are innocent." Lina cowered, her bravery failing her. Hiero seemed braver than her. He, much to Lina's horror, smashed Luna on the head with his staff then kicked her.

Luna retaliated by stabbing him again, sending him crashing to the ground screaming, but with a look of defiance. "He's like you are when I'm not around. You never warned him about me, did you? I do not care what you feel or for your sacrifices. This boy must die. He is the child of the prophecy, the son of chaos….the one destined to bring chaos out of its eternal slumber. The Knights of Cephied have ordained that he is to die. Nothing personal….well, maybe a little. You knew better, not telling me you'd had a son. You're not allowed to have children, ever! I would have killed him if I'd known sooner." Luna told them calm and smiling, her purple hair swishing over her shoulder, the long bangs hiding her eyes.

"EVIL! You dare say you have a right to kill our son! I won't have it! You'll die for this!" Zelgadis screamed, but Luna just shrugged and looked at Hiero, who had crawled several feet away from her leaving a river of blood in his wake.

"I have no time for an emotional freak. This has to be taken care of," Luna sighed, leaping out of Zel and Lina's sights to land in front of Hiero," Divine breath of the Holy Dragon, Holy Father of the light, grant unto you loyal knight the power of the blessed Dragon King, Cephied Flare!"

Lina watched, screaming her lungs out as she raced to rescue her son, but she was too late. The Flare Dragon spell became a ball of molten energy and raced right at Hiero before she could take more than a step. Hiero yelled something before it hit, when the divine power took him out of Lina's sights. As the dust cleared, all Lina saw was his holy symbol in a human shaped char stain, blood caramelized right into the ground.

"HIERO!! NO!!" Lina turned vaguely to see Val running towards them, his horn spiking out of his blue-green hair and green wings sprouting from his back. He was in a total and unstoppable rage. Lina could relate as she turned sharply towards a very pleased Luna. "You….you killed my son….my son…..You….YOU UTTER EVIL BITCH!!!!" Lina screamed," YOU MUDERED MY SON!!"

Luna actually looked shocked, her mouth opening partially as Lina raged towards her. She didn't move for the lack of believing how angry Lina really was, even worse than Luna herself had been when she found out that Lina was showing projections of her bathing. She moved at last when Lina started casting Dragon Slave and Zelgadis was starting Ra Tilt.

"Darkness from twilight, crimson from blood that flows, buried in the flow of time, in Thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness! Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess! DRAGU SLAVE!!"

Lina practically screamed the chant out, but Luna managed get well enough away from it to avoid damage. "Lina! Stop this! He was ordained to die at birth…the fact he's survived threatens the entire world! You stop this now!" Luna commanded, but Lina was trying to cast her spell again. The one called Zelgadis was surrounded in spiritual energy, beating his wife to the punch. 'I have to depart….Xellas must know its been done. Friends do that for each other. How was I to know she loved this child so much as she would abolish her fear of me?' Luna thought.

"Source of all souls which dwells in the eternal and infinite, Everlasting flame of blue;

Let the power hidden deep within my soul be called forth from the infinite!

RA TILT!"

Zelgadis was screaming it, but he screamed louder when he saw Luna had already disappeared, the attack hitting dead air. His wife was a lot louder, bawling her eyes out as she collapsed on the stained spot where Hiero had been vaporized. Val was soon with her, but standing angrily with his body facing where Luna had been. "I'll kill her! I'll kill her!! He didn't do anything, damn her! Why? Why!!!???" he shouted, slashing his sword feverishly at the sky," L-sama, why did you forsake my friend!?"

Zelgadis was busy wrapping his arms around his wife, tears clinking down his cheeks and into her hair and shattering on the charred ground. Lina was holding the holy symbol, the small silver necklace it was on cracked and melted. "Hiero…." She whimpered, shaking terribly against him. "We'll make her pay….we will, darling.

"All of us…." Val added, and Zelgadis found the dragon youth staring at them, a stern look on his face, anger whipping violently through the golden depths of his eyes. "Yes, all of us, Val. Luna won't get away with this. We won't let her," Zel told the angry young man, then looked back at a worried Filia," Filia, go back to the shrine and inform the sect of Hiero's death. He'll have a grand funeral….for the wonderful person he was. He'll….be….remembered….Oh, L-sama…I can't….I can't take this anymore…."

Zelgadis stopped talking when sorrow overtook him, his only child ashes beneath his feet. The pain seemed to his him like a raging tidal wave of sorrow, washing every emotion away to drown his soul in its wake. Lina joined him with choking sobs, sounding like she was a child, wracked with the sorrow of the world. Val didn't cry, he just stared angrily at the stain they wept on, taking the melted holy symbol out of Lina's hands. It looked more like a silver splatter of blood, the cross symbol barely in its center. Val just held it and walked towards Filia.

"Let's go….the sooner we give his….remains a proper burial, we can hunt that witch down and kill her. Let's hurry!" Val snapped, dragging his mother roughly along back into the dark depths of the green forest.

"Val….yes, the sooner….the better." Lina hissed out through acidic tears, looking up at Zel with hate in her eyes. He knew it wasn't for him, Luna had gone too far. He'd made some very angry enemies very fast, she hadn't bothered to think of how having a child would change Lina. She'd done the stupidest thing in her entire life, she destroyed Lina's fear and awoken the great rage within, within them all.

"Luna….your name is death. You'll earn it the moment our eyes find you!' he thought, sharing his wife's look before they collapsed into each other in a sorrowful embrace.

~ The Outskirts of Saillune ~

The figure on the grassy cliff was laying face up, blood seeping at an alarming rate out of his chest and back. The blood was drooling swiftly down the cliff side as the figure let out painful gasps.

"Death….you've come to tease me again….such a tease. You always say, but you never do." Hiero spouted, coughing up a good helping of blood. He'd managed to teleport himself away from Luna to prevent a long and painful death, but he was still going to die. He'd been run through three times.

'Luna….Inverse, mother's elder sister. That's who did this. Very cute, Delphine, real cute. Send my own aunt to kill me. Oh well, I was waiting for death, but I thought it'd be quick and painless. I was stabbed to death the last time, but being run through, that both painful and new.' He thought, more blood cascading out of his body.

"Oh….well, guess I'm almost there. This hurts. Hell, it hurts every time I die, but I'll never be gone for a long time. Fade to black for a few hours and I'll be back. Oh….shit, this hurts. Ah, fine, last few minutes alive I better say this now….I'll kill you, Luna Inverse! I'll kill you and your Mazuko bitch friend Xellas. I will be your destroyer!! L-sama, I swear it!" he shouted, then convulsed and passed on, his Mazuko eyes staying open as he faded into death.

Hiero was aware of plenty as he internally healed, the pain more than any normal human could stand, not a young human anyway.

Destiny awaits….Hiero. The mission for the pieces of the Demon King begins….

'Thanks for the pep talk, Delphine, you sorry sack of crap. You don't own me. That was my mission and mine alone. The moment I live again I won't hear you anymore. It'll just be me….I don't need you to tell me when to begin.' Hiero mentally chided, the pain crashing into his soul again.

That may be true, but I am the reason you will never die….the reason you go on eternally. Though your other gifts that are natural to your species are inside you, they will remain dormant until you resurrect the Demon King….however, I will give you a small present when you wake up. A nightly one, accurately, to show you how proud I am of your progress in this world. Avenge yourself, and the price will be completely paid. Enjoy your immortality here….I leave its fate in your capable hands….my beautiful child….

Hiero just blinked, biting back the last bit of pain in his tired body, the smell of blood wreaking havoc with his senses. Bloody deaths usually smelled the worst, the coppery rot worse than dead dog after being baked in the sun for a few hours. It was night now, which was the first thing Hiero noticed. He could see the stars, the actual midnight blue of night.

"Nightly sight….nice. I guess I can only see at night, huh Del? You and Death, such teases. Ah well….oh, slow down, slow ascent. Man, am I dizzy….Luna's going to pay for cheating me on a nice quick death." He muttered, taking in the sight of the kingdom of Saillune below the cliff.

"Hmm, very bright….even if this is Amelia's kingdom, its pretty. Hmm, maybe I'll be able to see my family and friends someday….someday. Right now I have decades to prepare myself for Shabranigdo, starting Lei Magnus. The spell to pull the pieces out must be prepared, so I have to go to Mt. Kataart near Dragon's Peak. We have some talking to do, he and I. Oh yes….some talking indeed." He snickered, picking himself up before walking down the cliff, Saillune to his back. He'd go there soon enough.

'After all, I have all the time in the world .' he thought, baring a feral smile at the moon above.

To Be Continued….