Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers-Quest ❯ Onward - The Next Challenge Awaits ( Chapter 11 )

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Onward -



Onward -
The next challenge awaits


Moving further into the temple the group didn't notice Lina hanging back a bit to talk to Xellos.

"Are you Okay" she asked touching his arm.

Xellos nodded. "I understand you better now, it is so much more difficult when things are not clear-cut self-interest."

Lina grinned, "Makes life more interesting though." she teased.

"As if life was ever boring around you." Xellos responded with a smile. Seeing the others waiting for them at the entrance to the main chamber they walked through the archway. In front of them was a silk draped altar, on top of it, resting on a cushion was a fist sized diamond. Xellos marched up to it staff in hand, s he reached sown to a it a blinding light enveloped both him and the stone.

"My turn." Melee flew beside him and began her quiet chanting. The light continued to become brighter.

Lina turned away from the light, rubbing her eyes fiercely, she could feel herself being drawn into the chant, a quick look at the others reassured her that they didn't have the same problem. "I will not be drawn into the Lord of Nightmares' power again." she told herself not realising that the statement did not have the same obstinacy as before.

The light dimmed leaving a bemused Xellos clenching his staff, the diamond now graced the tip. He looked at Melee and whispered, "I understand now, how have you stood this alone."

"The Mother will always be there, she is within the power you now carry. Reach out to her." Melee told Xellos.

"Yes, time is running short, there is one last item to gain." Xellos turned around a looked at Lina quizzically. "the unwilling..."

"What do you mean, Xellos? What is going on here?" Lina demanded.

"Now that my dear Lina is a Secret." Xellos smiled.

Lina hurried over to Xellos and began hitting him over the head. "Oh Lina, I love it when you do that." Xellos smiled as she backed off blushing.

"I want some answers now." She told him.

Hearing agreement from the others, Xellos whined, "I never have any fun any more. We have to get the Chaos Sword I have reason to believe that the dragons are going to ally themselves with the monsters against us. They do not care about the greater foe to come."

"Greater foe?" Zelgadis picked up.

"I don't have any details on that yet, just a feeling that there is danger coming." Xellos answered.

"Just point me in the right direction." Gourry answered. "and out of the way of Lina's dragon slaves."

"Mr Xellos is this a just fight?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, without a doubt." the new Priest of the Mother answered firmly.

"Okay." Lina informed the group, taking charge as usual. "Let's get rested and start out again tomorrow morning. Xellos you and I are going to have a good long talk back at the campsite."

Recognising Lina's determined expression from other travels, Xellos nodded in agreement before moving out of the chamber.

Supper finished Zel, Amelia and Gourry settled down to sleep. Melee found herself a tree branch and settled in as well giving Lina and the new priest a sharp look. "Convince the unwilling my child, for your own sake as well as the Mother's" she said softly. Xellos glanced at her his sharp hearing picking up the comment, looking at Lina he confirmed that she had not heard the comment.

"I must be hard" Lina commented, "To have the Lord of Nightmares taking you over."

"It isn't like when you cast the giga slave, then you took on all of her power. This is just a connection to her an ability to call on her power. I can feel her with me but it is separate from me." Xellos smiled ruefully. "The rewiring that Melee did was a lot worse and I do not regret that. It doubled my sources of food for one thing."

With a smile, Lina patted his shoulder. " It's good to have friends isn't it?"

"Can't fool you for a minute can I? It is good to have friends, just before you arrived at the battle I felt a rush of strength, that was Amelia and Gourry wasn't it."

At Lina's nod Xellos continued, "I've have to thank them, I would have been dead before you and Zelgadis got there if it hadn't been for that."

They were both silent for a minute, "What was the other test Xel? It disturbed you still does doesn't it."

"The guardian wanted me to destroy a village in exchange for the diamond, I almost did."

"What stopped you?" Lina asked.


"There was a little red-haired girl playing with a dog, I remembered you story and I just couldn't do it. Even for more power, I just couldn't hurt her." Xellos looked at Lina and cupped her cheek in his hand. "You did well in teaching me the lessons I had to learn." He kissed Lina's forehead gently and smiled as she turned away blushing confused by the feelings it evoked.

"You are my first friend and I thank you for it." Lina felt vaguely disappointed by his words but was able to look Xellos in the eyes.

"I gain as much as you do, friendship is a two way street. She smiled Now let's plan tomorrow's route, you do realise that if we don't hit an inn you owe me another meal."

"Any time Lina dear" answered Xellos as he got out the maps.