Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers-Quest ❯ Relief - The Test is Complete ( Chapter 10 )

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Relief -



Relief -
The test is complete

Xellos tried to explore the blackness searching for minds and magic as far as he could. He felt a his mind being torn apart and being examined much as when he had been chosen, this time however there was not the pain of the changes just the fear that he would be found wanting.

As the others entered the temple, they stopped abruptly at the vision in front of them. Xellos was floating in a cloud of darkness, his arms widespread, back arched, and a silent scream on his lips.

"What can we do?" Amelia asked. Zel looked at her and shook his head.

"A dragon slave would hurt Xellos as much as that fog." Lina answered, "Astral attacks would be effective against it but again we'd end up hurting Xellos as well. This battle is being fought in the astral plane." Lina squared her shoulders. "Melee can you help us get to Xellos?"

"Only you and Zelgadis can go the astral plane with my help. "Melee answered, "You have met chaos before, Zelgadis is balanced by his form."

Lina nodded, "Okay guys this is the plan, Amelia, you and Gourry can strengthen Xellos with positive emotions. Zel and I will go in and bring Xellos back."

"On thing though "Melee added, "You may look different in astral form, be prepared, Xellos in particular will be hard to recognise due to his monster heritage."

"In other words don't blast first and ask questions later as you usually do Lina." Zel joked as he looked sideways at Lina.

Ignoring Zel, Lina simply stated, "Let's get this show on the road, I don't think Xellos can take too much more."

Motioning the two to lie down Melee began chanting a spell. Lina and Zel's eyes closed as they felt themselves being transported to the astral plane.

This was not good, Xellos thought as he looked around after the darkness lifted, he was caught in the astral plain, trying to tele-port was useless. At least he still had his astral form, he consoled himself by sending out a few smaller cones experimentally.

"Now for your test." A voice boomed out, "to gain the priest's diamond you must destroy this village."

Near by a village took form, Xellos smirked, "You want me to destroy some figments of your imagination, fine."

"You are mistaken chosen of Melee, the damage you cause here will be reflected on a real village, including all deaths that you cause. It is of no consequence, you have never met these people, they have nothing to do with you."

Xellos moved above the village readying his subordinate cones. He felt himself pausing as he watched the villagers go about the tasks daily living, it was sad but he needed the power to protect his friends. Then a small redheaded girl ran out of a hovel followed by an old dog, the girl paused and grabbed the dog around its neck and hugging it fiercely. Xellos felt something bubbling up from his soul.

"NO, this is wrong!" Xellos searched until he found where the chaos energy originated from and sending his smaller cones towards it he attacked.

The black fog appeared and the battle began.

In another part of the astral field Lina and Zel were becoming aware.

"You look exactly the same Zel" Lina exclaimed.

"Wish I could say the some about you" Zel snickered.

"What do you mean?" Lina queried.

"You look like a Lina version of Melee, not quite as..." Zel cut himself off before he could make the mistake of referring to her chest.

"Quite as what Zel?" a dangerous tone entered Lina's voice.

"Ditzy, that's it... ditzy." Zel sweatdropped.

"Oookay, now look for Xellos, forget that, his power signature and his form will have changed too much, just look for a battle."

Moving forward they each Lina scanned left, Zel to the right.

" There!" Lina pointed, "Raywing" she flew towards the battle with Zel quickly following.

"What the...?"Lina exclaimed at the sight in front of her, a large black cone was fighting with a mass of fog. "Okay now who do we save" she asked Zel. The only answer she got was a shrug.

"Hey Xel could you wear a white hat or something, I can't tell the good guys from the bad guys" Lina yelled.

There was no answer, then Lina remembered a stray comment Xellos had made. She closed her eyes and looked, sure enough there it was a line connecting her and Zel and the black cone. "Zel shoot the mist the cone is Xellos"

Zel shouted "Raw Tilt" while Lina chose the Raguna blade. When he spotted what they were doing, Xellos added his power to the blast. The fog exploded and they found themselves back in the temple. Xellos was now lying on the floor unconscious.

"He's been spending a lot of time asleep lately," observed Gourry

Lina laughed, "yeah we'll have to talk to him about that." She then walked over to Xellos. "Time to wake up sleepy head. "she told him relieved when Xellos's eyes opened and looked into hers.

"Its over." He said quietly. "I passed the test thanks to all of you."

"What do you mean" Amelia asked.

"Part of the test was if I had people that cared enough about me to save me, the other part." he shuddered. "I came close to failing, I'd prefer not talking about that."

Xellos stood up, "I can get the diamond now, we have to hurry I felt the monsters massing while I was in the astral plain."