blue
=
Astral/telepathic speech
purple
=
Zelas's speech
Xellos
and 'Zelgadis' [1] faced each otuer, eyes narrow. Both had wings, now, although
Xellos' were dripping with his own blood and 'Zelgadis'' were lightly dusted.
"Time
to die, Israfael." Xellos snarled, a direball charging in his hands.
We
are sorry that it must come to this, Mazoku. The
power of the Israfael spoke through Zelgadis' body.
"DIL
BRANDO!" Lina cried, shooting endergy at teh both of them. "Why are
you doing this, Xellos?! Why, and don't give me any of that 'Sore wa himitsu
desu' crap!"
"Since
the initial defeat of Shabranigdo, the Israfael have been the natural enemies of
the Mazoku." The Tricster grinned as a swift kick to the chest sent 'Zelgadis'
out the window. "The battle ends here." He leapt after him, and the
Mazoku drove him into the ground with a drill kick.
"FIREBALL!"
The red head yelled, sending a massive amount of pyrokinetics at the aggressor.
"I'm not about to sit back and let you kill one of my best friends,
fruitcake!" Xellos easily dodged the first assult, but instead of
continuing in a straight forward direction, the flames veered to keep him as
their target.
Xellos.
It doesn't have to be this way. 'Zelgadis
staggered to his feet, ever calm voice dropping with pain as he approached his
attacker. I won't fight you,
Xellos, so please don't condemn yourself.
What
in Hades are you doing, Zel? Lina
wondered as she jumped to the earth. Yin
faces Yang, darkness trying to destryo light and light trying to save darkness.
"Die!"
Xellos roared, Mazoku ki forming a sinister looking black blade. He lunged as
Lina screamed.
"Damn
it, Xellos, open your eyes and see the truth!" Zelgadis roared, the
feathers in his wings falling to the gound and combusting on contact. The
Mazoku's blade entered his stomach the same moment that he grabbed the blade by
the hand guard and held it in place.
The
fiery tempered sorceress couldn't even scream as Zel further impaled himself by
struggling to grab his attacker by the throat, rich black blood flowing over his
lips.
Mazoku.
Bearer of Darkness. Do you remember guilt?
You
will feed on the pain of others, their sorrow, their hate...
Do
you remember remorse?
Guilt
will noat strike you down again when you become Mazoku.
Do
you remember love? "Zelgadis!
Xellos!" Lina's calls fell on deaf ears.
Do
you remember the light?
Traitor!
I will kill you myself before I let them
take you back!
Remember
the innocence you held! Xellos!
What
Xellos sees;
Mazoku.
Bearer of Darkness. Do you remember guilt?
Himself.
Alone in the lightless, uncomfortable dark.
Do
you remember remorse?
A
sick feeling brings bile to the back of his throat as he stares at his
blood-stained hands. He killed themm all... killed his people.
Do
you remember love?
The
horribly mutilated bodies of the people who had one time been his family lay at
his feet, their blood on his hands. They wouldn't fight back... Why?
Do
you remember the light?
Family,
friends, clan, kin; none would attack or strike back in defense. They just
stared at him with empty, sad gazes, forgiviness in their eyes as they died.
Remember
the innocence you held! Xellos!
His
own brother was the last to go. Gabriel , who gave him a brilliant smile as he
knelt in the bloody snow.
"You'll
find a way back to us, won't you Xellos?" You'll come back to the Israfael,
right? I know you will." And he had slaughtered Gabriel without even
answering.
"ESPRIT
FLARE!" Zelgadis yelled. The resulting explosion threw them apart and
bathed the world in light. Lina could only yelp in surprise as a heavy form
collieded with eher and sent them tumbling to the ground.
Traitor!
Deserter! You won't return, ever! You're Mazoku property now!
"Lina..."
Zelgadis' icy blue eyes stared into the empty space between them. "Run...
please... don't let my sacrifice be... in vain..."
"Zel..."
She looked around at the situation. Xellos lay sprawled out in his human form
about ten feet away. The ring of scorched earth was at least thirty feet in
diameter, and the west wall of the inn was blackened beyond repair.
To
the east, dawn's frey light provided an eeire sillohuette for the fully armed
figure of the royally pissed off Beastmaster.
I
won't let the damned Israfael have you back! Her
grim tone struck a note of dread in Lina's heart as she realized she had no time
to retrieve Gourry's Sword of Light. Now you shall all die!
The
violet-red energy Xellas hurled at them formed a blast large enough to take out
the entire city with ease, and Lina did the only thing she could under the
circumstances.