THE
CRYING STONE
CHAPTER 5: TOMB FOR THE BANDIT KILLER
by Ashe Rhyder
A little more than a week later, Zelgadis was still trying to explain how
Cerina Esrevni, who was previously unable to use any magic, was now suddenly
able to cast up to the most powerful spells in Black Magic. He had barely been
able to save three different inns from being Dragon Slayed out of business
whenever Xellos decided to tease Cerina. As it turned out, she was a lot more
like Lina than either of them wanted to admit; both she and Lina had short and
fiery tempers when someone made an inappropriate comment about her physical
appearance. Cerina also seemed to have the Dra-matta's love for treasure, and
occasionally dragged her 'escort' off the main road to loot some nearby bandits.
"Just like the good ol' days, ne Zel?" Xellos poked the chimera
in the ribs. Zelgadis bashed the Mazoku's face in out of habit, then headed
after the girl.
"Whoa!" Cerina's startled cry brought Xellos and Zelgadis
running.
"What is it?" Xellos demanded.
"Are you all right?" Zelgadis grabbed her by the shoulders, his
icy blue eyes wide. Cerina weakly pointed to the stone temple that lay half
buried in the forest.
"What is that?" She asked, clinging to the chimera's shirt as a
large slug crawled by them. Zelgadis had long since bough a new outfit similar
to his old attire, but more durable.
"Looks like some kind of burial shrine." Xellos chirped,
hovering over to examine the words engraged in stone. "Here is the final
resting place of the Bandit Killer, the Dra-matta, Lina Inverse. When the time
is right, the chosen of the Lord of Nightmares will awake as one who is blessed
with the power of the Golden Demon's creation. Lina Inverse shall reclaim her
vitality from the very earth, and she shall fight to save the world from
annihilation by Shabranigdo once and for all."
"Shabranigdo?" Cerina swallowed the cold lump in her throat as
Zelgadis took a few stepst towards the entrance of the crypt.
"Lina... is here?" His voice was soft and disbelieving. "Lina...?
Lina...!" He dropped to his knees, clutching his arms and shivering as if
he were suffering from extreme cold. One of his crystalline tears shattered on
the harsh stone ground.
"Zelgadis!" Cerina cried out, trying to catch him as he fell
back. "Hey!"
"She's here.... but I couldn't save her... but I tried so hard....
but I couldn't..." He was muttering incoherently, half sprawled across
Cerina, lifeless sapphire eyes staring listlessly at the sky.
Xellos floated over to the chimera with his ever-annoying smile, picked
him up by the collar of his shirt, and...
~BAM!!!~
...slapped him across the face with his staff.
"Snap out of it, Zelgadis!" He roared. "Final Attacks are
always the most dangerous, and Shabranigdo is nothing to be trifled with,
remember!? If Lina-chan can be revived, we have to find out how!" Zelgadis
blinked twice, then sighed.
"Right." He admitted reluctantly. "Why are you doing this?
Honestly, Xellos."
"Because the world's too much fun to screw with and I don't want that
to end just yet."
"Fruitcake." The shaman turned to Cerina. "Cerina, you
don't have to accompany us. In fact, it would probably be safer for you to wait
here."
"Oh, c'mon Zelgadis." She snorted. "I'm not powerless,
we've proven that already!"
"You aren't completely aware of how to use them, Cerina."
Zelgadis reprimanded her. "What will you do if something happens and we
can't help you? What if you can't save yourself? Something terrible could happen
to you."
"So? I have a feeling, call it woman's intuition if you will, that
you boys are going to need my help in waking up this Lina."
"..."
"Zel?"
"What is it, Xellos?"
"Do you know you've been standing really close to Cerina?"
"..."
"Why, Zel, I always thought you'd blush purple instead of pink! I
mean, with your skin tone..."
"Shut. Up. Namagomi. Fruitcake."
"I'm insulted."
"......?!" Zelgadis cut the argument short as the earth around
them began to tremble. Cerina screamed, and Xellos picked her up easily.
"C'mon, Zel, now is not the time to space out!" He yelled.
Zelgadis replied with a quick nod, then urged them into the doorway of the tomb.
"Brace yourselves!" He ordered. "This is going to be one
hell of an aftershock!"
All around, the forest's vegetation withered and was burned by a misty
black power. Animals died by the hundreds as the negative entity sapped up their
life forces. A handful of bandit zombies and other mindless creatures rose up
and began to move at them with weapons drawn.
"Get in there!" Zelgadis roared, casting a Flare Web in the door
way. The three of them turned and ran into the heart of the crypt.
