Embracing the Magic

Prologue- Crimson Blood

by Umi

February 2001

Disclaimer: Lina and all Slayers characters belong to Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi, not me! Hikaru and all Magic Knight Rayearth characters belong to CLAMP, not me! I'm not makin' any money outta this!

Note: There will be some spoilers throughout this series about the end of the first Slayers season, the end of Slayers Next, and the end of the first season of Magic Knight Rayearth!


Lina woke up and stretched her arms over her head. She got out of her bed and strolled over to the window of her inn room. She gazed outside. The sky was brimming with the crimson colors of the sunrise. She sighed contentedly. What a beautiful day...

She scanned the people in the town below. She saw the usual merchants, sailors, villagers... and a girl with bright pink hair.

What? Lina eyed the girl. She was wearing a dark blue jumpsuit and her hair was so long that it reached her feet. The oddest thing about her though was her eyes. They were a deep blood red... Lina peered closer. She gasped in shock.

She had slitted eyes.

Just like a mazoku.

What in the world... Suddenly, those blood red eyes met Lina's own bright red ones.

The girl with those blood red eyes smiled.

Lina gasped. Before she had any time to react, the pink-haired girl jumped up to Lina's window.

"Arrow of flame!" The girl raised her fist and aimed it at Lina.

Oh shit! Lina tried to dodge the blast, but the flames were able to scorch her skin. Lina clutched her right arm, which was burned badly. Damn it... I can't cast a dragon slave here. But what else would work against a mazoku?

"What do you want?" Lina growled.

The pink-haired girl started to laugh. Lina winced as her laughter turned from cute giggling to maniacal hysteria. The pink-haired girl's eyes became slitted once again. She walked closer to Lina and rested her forehead on Lina's.

What the... Lina's eyes widened with fear.

"What I want..." The pink-haired girl placed one hand to pat Lina's head and formed a blade-like blast of lightning in her other. 

"Is you, my Hikaru."

What?! Who is Hi... Lina's thoughts were cut off as she felt a burning pain in her chest.

The pink-haired girl had stabbed her.

<To be continued...>