Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers: Knightfall ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 11 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: tom the mighty 
Anime/Manga: Slayers Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.18.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 231 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Slayers Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.18.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 231 | Status: Work In Progress
Slayers: Knightfall
Chapter Ten
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we-"
"Dang it, Lina! No!"
Yes! It was I, rather than Gourry being annoying! We’d started out for the Vale of Shadows just about an hour ago and I was getting bored. Just how many trees did he think I was going to find interesting before my brain said goodbye? And there was at least another week’s worth of walking ahead! My feet are going to give me severed puppy heads for my birthday. …
Speaking of trees, this place was packed! Even for a forest it was dense. I’d almost call it a jungle, like the ones I read about when I was in the Guild. It was dark under the canopy of trees, even at midday. Only a scant few patches of light were filtering through, giving the floor a checkered appearance. It was really creepy, like in Flagohn. Anyone at anytime could ambush us with little difficulty, so we both had our senses on overdrive. I’ve never been this deep into Zephillia and it just isn’t safe. Lots of teeth and other sharp things that like poking people.
"So. . . what happened with your quest for vengeance?" I prompted, knowing that I wouldn’t get a decent response, but I had to keep my mind on something other than trees and … recent events.
Gourry kept walking but was obviously trying to think of a way to change the subject, judging from the stream emerging from his ears.
If he talks about trees I’ll show him how far one can go up his nether regions.
Gourry sighed. "Rushing into things like that gets people killed. Even those who aren’t meant to, die so young." He turned to look at me, the most serious I’ve seen him in a long time. "Don’t do anything stupid, Lina, promise me."
Whoa. . .
I blushed and looked away. "I promise. . ." I said, unconvincingly.
Gourry turned my chin gently so our eyes met. "Really. Promise me." There was something in his eyes that unsettled me. A combination of painful memories and loss, with a hint of hope.
"I … "
I didn’t finish. I sawthem again and froze, but just for a moment. They were still creepy, but now that I knew what they were I no longer suffered from the paralyzing fear I used to experience around them. I could feel their presence, almost inviting in a way, like they wanted me to command them.
Shades. . .
Three of them stood only a few paces behind Gourry, who abruptly stood up and drew his sword. But instead of turning around to face the shades, he pushed me securely behind him, toward the creatures!
I quickly squelched any unfounded feelings of betrayal. I knew Gourry had a good, probably life- saving reason for his action (which I will beat out of him later). Then I turned around to face whomever Gourry saw.
My heart sank into a sea of fresh and painful memories.
Lohi.
The bitch was glaring at us with two, very much there, eyes filled with murderous hatred. We didn’t have to say anything. I drew my weapon and she drew hers. Her pendant began to glow and the shadow men disappeared. Though I couldn’t see them; I just felt them leave.
Gourry and I charged as one, much the same way we’d charged Zumma so many times in the past. Gourry kept her occupied with a flurry of swift and accurate attacks, forcing the assassin to focus purely on defense. She couldn’t use her acrobatic skills much as there was too much foliage to get tangled up in. It was hard enough in this density to participate in relatively stationary sword play, much less the crazy flipping around of which she and Zumma were so fond.
With Lohi barely keeping Gourry at bay, I began to move around to her flank, hoping to get a clear shot at her with a spell. With her maneuverability severely hampered she wouldn’t be able to dodge as easily. The only thing I needed to worry about was hitting Gourry. As I began to chant Zellas Brid, a spell whose direction I can control remotely.
As I chanted my spell, I heard a voice behind me.
"Sister. . ."
Oh no ….
I knew it was a trick. The worst trick imaginable, played out by that horrible creature fighting Gourry. I should’ve fired my spell and finished it, Gourry was forcing plenty of openings.
But I couldn’t.
I had to turn around to find out if my sister was truly alive and her death just a dream, despite every strain of logic screaming against it.
I turned around and found myself staring at a mockery.
It wasn’t just my sister’s burned, mangled and reanimated corpse I was facing; my entire family was here. Mom, dad and Big Sis, all together again in the worst way possible. It was too much to bear.
The burned husks of my family moved toward Gourry, arms outstretched, unnaturally long and jagged finger bones protruding from their scorched hands. I couldn’t find it within myself to turn my powers on them.
. . .Lina. . .
"What?" I gasped. It was Luna’s voice, but not rasping from her corpse.
Lina, I’m all right. We are all ok.
"Big Sis?" I felt her presence inside me as surely as if she were hugging me right then and there.
"Thank you," I quietly said.
I also felt the presence of the three missing shades. They were the ones animating my family’s bodies.
Lohi … Lohi … She DID THIS!
Everything turned to golden black and I screamed.
Gourry and Lohi jumped back reflexively from their locked blades. Of course I knew they would do that well before their nervous systems registered the perceived threat and sent signals to their muscles to get out of harm’s way. I knew because I watched it happen. The nearly overwhelming flow of information was back in full effect. And now that I was fully rested I wouldn’t allow myself to make any mistakes this time.
Lohi will die. In the most horrible manner I can come up with.
Lohi made her corpse puppets move against Gourry. Apparently she wanted me all to herself.
Perfect.
With an assenting nod, I gave Gourry permission to take Lohi’s mockeries apart. Lohi’s pendant glowed with the commands she gave Gourry’s adversaries. I took note of that: She was distracted. That would be her undoing.
I began to toy with her.
She moved, but instead of keeping my full attention on her, I was concentrating on the tangle of roots she was just about to step on. I could see their structure, much as I had when I’d studied the castle in Zephyr City. I knew they were parched; the roots of larger trees had taken most of the water in the surrounding area. So I convinced the rudimentary mechanisms that controlled the roots growth to explosively "grow" into Lohi’s intruding foot so they could consume her blood.
She shrieked and I smiled inwardly. I knew I was going to enjoy this. I decided to take her ear next.
She lurched in pain, hobbling a little in my direction.
To beg me to stop, obviously. No way, sister. Not until you’ve shared a tenth of what you made me suffer.
I started to take pieces of her skin, using near-microscopic voids to carve away little tunnels everywhere on her body. I took perverse pleasure in watching the little valleys fill with cell after cell of her blood.
She was still hobbling and stumbling her way toward me, blind with pain no doubt. And boy did those particular nerves fire away with heedless abandon! It was like court mages setting off colored fireballs in the sky during Coronation Day!
She stumbled close enough for me to touch and I readied myself to finish her off, planning to look her straight in her brand new eyes to show her what happens to anyone that messes with Lina Inverse. And she lifted her head as if to give me the satisfaction.
Then, through the blood pouring down her face, I saw her out-of-place grin.
Then it hit me.
With all the attention I was giving to her suffering, I’d completely let my guard down and didn’t even notice the small knife she had palmed sometime earlier … and had now planted in my chest.
"GRAHH!" I growled away the pain and my dimming consciousness and used what remained of my fading strength to summon a void the size of my head and send it right through the assassin’s abdomen, utterly destroying her and the pendant she’d somehow gotten hold of to control what was rightfully mine. The world turned to its normal hues and I lost all sense of bodily awareness.
Or, what was supposed to be mine. I suppose a new knightmare will be born will be born someday. I only hope she or he has a better run at it than I did. . .
I fell to the ground, dimly away that I’d rashly thrown away the promise I, uh, sorta made to Gourry. I landed facing him as he was running to my side from the fallen bodies of my family. Panic was written all over his face. He looked liked he was going to cry, the big baby.
"Lina!? Are you OK?" he asked, cradling me in his arms. Tears were already falling down his face.
"Oh, I’m super ya big jellyfish," I managed.
"We need to catch up with Amelia, she can help you, just hold on Lina!" he babbled as he began to pick me up.
I don’t know why, but I suddenly panicked. I suddenly knew I couldn’t face death as bravely as Luna had. I suddenly had the strangest sense of belonging, like I needed to be with Gourry now and forever. I could see the beyond the veil of life, and beyond it was nothing but deepest black for me. Midnight black. The color of nightmares.
My eyes shot wide, momentarily rid of their deathly fatigue. As my lungs desperately tried to draw breath, I began to choke on my own blood. Gourry wasted no time, running at full speed with me secured in his arms.
I knew he wouldn’t make it. He couldn’t make it. Amelia and Zel had at least a dozen hours on us. I knew I would die before even the first had passed.
"I- I’m sorry, G-Gourry … I’m sorry," I choked out before darkness overwhelmed me.
Tom the Mighty’s Mighty Notes.
Uh oh. . . .!
To be continued?
Chapter Ten
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we-"
"Dang it, Lina! No!"
Yes! It was I, rather than Gourry being annoying! We’d started out for the Vale of Shadows just about an hour ago and I was getting bored. Just how many trees did he think I was going to find interesting before my brain said goodbye? And there was at least another week’s worth of walking ahead! My feet are going to give me severed puppy heads for my birthday. …
Speaking of trees, this place was packed! Even for a forest it was dense. I’d almost call it a jungle, like the ones I read about when I was in the Guild. It was dark under the canopy of trees, even at midday. Only a scant few patches of light were filtering through, giving the floor a checkered appearance. It was really creepy, like in Flagohn. Anyone at anytime could ambush us with little difficulty, so we both had our senses on overdrive. I’ve never been this deep into Zephillia and it just isn’t safe. Lots of teeth and other sharp things that like poking people.
"So. . . what happened with your quest for vengeance?" I prompted, knowing that I wouldn’t get a decent response, but I had to keep my mind on something other than trees and … recent events.
Gourry kept walking but was obviously trying to think of a way to change the subject, judging from the stream emerging from his ears.
If he talks about trees I’ll show him how far one can go up his nether regions.
Gourry sighed. "Rushing into things like that gets people killed. Even those who aren’t meant to, die so young." He turned to look at me, the most serious I’ve seen him in a long time. "Don’t do anything stupid, Lina, promise me."
Whoa. . .
I blushed and looked away. "I promise. . ." I said, unconvincingly.
Gourry turned my chin gently so our eyes met. "Really. Promise me." There was something in his eyes that unsettled me. A combination of painful memories and loss, with a hint of hope.
"I … "
I didn’t finish. I sawthem again and froze, but just for a moment. They were still creepy, but now that I knew what they were I no longer suffered from the paralyzing fear I used to experience around them. I could feel their presence, almost inviting in a way, like they wanted me to command them.
Shades. . .
Three of them stood only a few paces behind Gourry, who abruptly stood up and drew his sword. But instead of turning around to face the shades, he pushed me securely behind him, toward the creatures!
I quickly squelched any unfounded feelings of betrayal. I knew Gourry had a good, probably life- saving reason for his action (which I will beat out of him later). Then I turned around to face whomever Gourry saw.
My heart sank into a sea of fresh and painful memories.
Lohi.
The bitch was glaring at us with two, very much there, eyes filled with murderous hatred. We didn’t have to say anything. I drew my weapon and she drew hers. Her pendant began to glow and the shadow men disappeared. Though I couldn’t see them; I just felt them leave.
Gourry and I charged as one, much the same way we’d charged Zumma so many times in the past. Gourry kept her occupied with a flurry of swift and accurate attacks, forcing the assassin to focus purely on defense. She couldn’t use her acrobatic skills much as there was too much foliage to get tangled up in. It was hard enough in this density to participate in relatively stationary sword play, much less the crazy flipping around of which she and Zumma were so fond.
With Lohi barely keeping Gourry at bay, I began to move around to her flank, hoping to get a clear shot at her with a spell. With her maneuverability severely hampered she wouldn’t be able to dodge as easily. The only thing I needed to worry about was hitting Gourry. As I began to chant Zellas Brid, a spell whose direction I can control remotely.
As I chanted my spell, I heard a voice behind me.
"Sister. . ."
Oh no ….
I knew it was a trick. The worst trick imaginable, played out by that horrible creature fighting Gourry. I should’ve fired my spell and finished it, Gourry was forcing plenty of openings.
But I couldn’t.
I had to turn around to find out if my sister was truly alive and her death just a dream, despite every strain of logic screaming against it.
I turned around and found myself staring at a mockery.
It wasn’t just my sister’s burned, mangled and reanimated corpse I was facing; my entire family was here. Mom, dad and Big Sis, all together again in the worst way possible. It was too much to bear.
The burned husks of my family moved toward Gourry, arms outstretched, unnaturally long and jagged finger bones protruding from their scorched hands. I couldn’t find it within myself to turn my powers on them.
. . .Lina. . .
"What?" I gasped. It was Luna’s voice, but not rasping from her corpse.
Lina, I’m all right. We are all ok.
"Big Sis?" I felt her presence inside me as surely as if she were hugging me right then and there.
"Thank you," I quietly said.
I also felt the presence of the three missing shades. They were the ones animating my family’s bodies.
Lohi … Lohi … She DID THIS!
Everything turned to golden black and I screamed.
Gourry and Lohi jumped back reflexively from their locked blades. Of course I knew they would do that well before their nervous systems registered the perceived threat and sent signals to their muscles to get out of harm’s way. I knew because I watched it happen. The nearly overwhelming flow of information was back in full effect. And now that I was fully rested I wouldn’t allow myself to make any mistakes this time.
Lohi will die. In the most horrible manner I can come up with.
Lohi made her corpse puppets move against Gourry. Apparently she wanted me all to herself.
Perfect.
With an assenting nod, I gave Gourry permission to take Lohi’s mockeries apart. Lohi’s pendant glowed with the commands she gave Gourry’s adversaries. I took note of that: She was distracted. That would be her undoing.
I began to toy with her.
She moved, but instead of keeping my full attention on her, I was concentrating on the tangle of roots she was just about to step on. I could see their structure, much as I had when I’d studied the castle in Zephyr City. I knew they were parched; the roots of larger trees had taken most of the water in the surrounding area. So I convinced the rudimentary mechanisms that controlled the roots growth to explosively "grow" into Lohi’s intruding foot so they could consume her blood.
She shrieked and I smiled inwardly. I knew I was going to enjoy this. I decided to take her ear next.
She lurched in pain, hobbling a little in my direction.
To beg me to stop, obviously. No way, sister. Not until you’ve shared a tenth of what you made me suffer.
I started to take pieces of her skin, using near-microscopic voids to carve away little tunnels everywhere on her body. I took perverse pleasure in watching the little valleys fill with cell after cell of her blood.
She was still hobbling and stumbling her way toward me, blind with pain no doubt. And boy did those particular nerves fire away with heedless abandon! It was like court mages setting off colored fireballs in the sky during Coronation Day!
She stumbled close enough for me to touch and I readied myself to finish her off, planning to look her straight in her brand new eyes to show her what happens to anyone that messes with Lina Inverse. And she lifted her head as if to give me the satisfaction.
Then, through the blood pouring down her face, I saw her out-of-place grin.
Then it hit me.
With all the attention I was giving to her suffering, I’d completely let my guard down and didn’t even notice the small knife she had palmed sometime earlier … and had now planted in my chest.
"GRAHH!" I growled away the pain and my dimming consciousness and used what remained of my fading strength to summon a void the size of my head and send it right through the assassin’s abdomen, utterly destroying her and the pendant she’d somehow gotten hold of to control what was rightfully mine. The world turned to its normal hues and I lost all sense of bodily awareness.
Or, what was supposed to be mine. I suppose a new knightmare will be born will be born someday. I only hope she or he has a better run at it than I did. . .
I fell to the ground, dimly away that I’d rashly thrown away the promise I, uh, sorta made to Gourry. I landed facing him as he was running to my side from the fallen bodies of my family. Panic was written all over his face. He looked liked he was going to cry, the big baby.
"Lina!? Are you OK?" he asked, cradling me in his arms. Tears were already falling down his face.
"Oh, I’m super ya big jellyfish," I managed.
"We need to catch up with Amelia, she can help you, just hold on Lina!" he babbled as he began to pick me up.
I don’t know why, but I suddenly panicked. I suddenly knew I couldn’t face death as bravely as Luna had. I suddenly had the strangest sense of belonging, like I needed to be with Gourry now and forever. I could see the beyond the veil of life, and beyond it was nothing but deepest black for me. Midnight black. The color of nightmares.
My eyes shot wide, momentarily rid of their deathly fatigue. As my lungs desperately tried to draw breath, I began to choke on my own blood. Gourry wasted no time, running at full speed with me secured in his arms.
I knew he wouldn’t make it. He couldn’t make it. Amelia and Zel had at least a dozen hours on us. I knew I would die before even the first had passed.
"I- I’m sorry, G-Gourry … I’m sorry," I choked out before darkness overwhelmed me.
Tom the Mighty’s Mighty Notes.
Uh oh. . . .!
To be continued?