Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers: Knightfall ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 23 )
[ 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: 04.21.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 232 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Slayers Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.21.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 232 | Status: Work In Progress
Slayers: Knightfall
Chapter Twenty Two
“You know,” I said over a breakfast of thick bacon, tomatoes, sausages, hash browns, grape fruit, oatmeal, pancakes (sigh), milk and slightly sour orange juice. I was hungry. I had a busy night. “I had always thought that my first time would be somewhere a little more romantic and private than a tent in the middle of a refugee camp.”
Despite that, I felt good. Crazy good. Good enough to light a bag of poop in front of Deep Sea Dolphin’s door step, knock the door and run, heedlessly laughing at the danger that kind of silliness would cause.
“Anywhere is fine, as long as it’s you,” Gourry complemented. . .I think. I mean, it sure sounded like a complement. But, Gourry doesn’t tend to think enough about what he is going to say, so much as say it and then gurgle desperately in my headlock to actually say what he meant.
Yeah.
“Oh yeah? Even in a garbage dump, surrounded by things even Shabranigdo would shudder before?”
He looked me straight in the eye. “We’d put a blanket down first.”
“Ha! Pervert.”
“I dunno, you were really into it last night,” Gourry grinned.
No! No details! This isn’t that kind of story! I’m a sorceress not some sleazy bard you’d find in a dank corner of some sleazier bar.
“Yeah, right up to the part when the empty steiners and mugs being thrown at our tent. I didn’t think we were that loud.” I blushed at the memories and just smiled. After that night, I couldn’t really blame Zel and Amelia for going at it seemingly every other time they found themselves alone.
Why did it take us this long to get this far? Fear for my part I supposed, but I’m sick of being scared all the time.
I’d always told myself that I’d be married before I lost my virginity but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Gourry and I where already married in all but official capacity. We love each other with all our hearts, never even think about being with someone else and get sick at the thought of being not together and work brilliantly as a team The ceremony would be just that, nothing but a ceremony.
Though I wouldn’t mind going through with it eventually, if just to make it “official”.
“Uh. . .what are we going to do about the sleeping rolls? I really don’t feel like cleaning that kind of mess anytime soon.” I kinda, sorta complained. I was getting too full to really be mad about anything.
Gourry eyed the soiled bedding with just a hint of fear, “Think we can buy some new ones?”
“Probably,” I agreed. “But what about the next time?”
“And the next time, and the next time, and the nex-!”
I laughed, and threw a sausage at him just to get him to shut up. “Pervert.”
From the morning on we walked. Every few hours or so I’d sing a song or two to keep up moral. I liked this new kind of “magic” I had over people. With a few notes and words I could bring a man to tears or keep him marching til his feet were nothing but bloody stumps. Gourry was especially into the music. He’d always be asking me what the lyrics meant if it was in old Zephillian. I promised him I would rewrite all the songs I knew into the common tongue for him.
Before noon the mountains to the north were no longer grayish blurs barely visible on the horizon, but instead purple behemoths, signaling to all that our goal was in sight. The Katahto Mountains were a large range, having at least some presence in three different countries. The lowest foot hills to the east where in Zephillia, the main ranges in Dilse where we now traveled, ending in the Duchy of Letidius. I didn’t expect Valgaav (still haven’t seen him since his acceptance of me and Gourry into his little band) to lead us through the capitol of Dilse, Gallia (which was still pretty much, uh, burned down as far as I knew). It, along with every other apparently Gods forsaken city in the world was now under attack or under control of Deep Sea Dolphin’s faction.
I still felt bad about Amelia, Zel and Naga, but I tried to think that it would end up okay in the end. Seriously, I could just put up with Valgaav for now, try not to do too much evil and dump him like a used tissue once I find the Shard of Lucidia and bitch slap the world back straight. Then, once everything is fine and dandy, much like sponge cake, Amelia and Zel will forgive me for leaving them to hang we can all be pseudo happy friends again and have sleep overs and play cards and other stupid stuff that we never did to begin with.
The end.
Oh, and maybe even Milgasia, in his infinent wisdom, will see fit not to kill me when its all said and done.
I decided to move on ahead, working my way up to the front of the caravan leaving Gourry behind to chant with the locals. The mood was getting better, with the mountains in sight, the refugees were now moving more with a sense of purpose. Whether or not that purpose was to be for good or evil, nobody knew yet, but they had to do something. Besides the immediate need for food and shelter, the main reason for the Zephillians to follow Valgaav was the need to do something, anything, to make their world right again. With the Golden Dragons, practically the gods own personal emissaries, hardly able to help themselves, most cities under siege or worse, where else did they have to turn?
I would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes, heck I am doing the same thing!
But what was Valgaav up to? Where did he come from and why hasn’t he tried his hand at vengeance before now? He’s had nearly two years for crying out loud. He mentioned he was an Ancient Dragon, I’d never heard of them but Milgasia seemed to know what one was. But that demonic aura of Val’s. . . I’ve heard of and seen people get possessed by demons but I never heard of anyone actually becoming one. Unless, of course, he was a hybrid, someone who allowed themselves to merge with a demonic enity, like Halcyform the White (asshole), Zumma (tenacious asshole) and most recently King Bob (bean pole asshole).
Most of those examples where powerful enough to begin with, but once they merged they became nearly unstoppable. Heck even Bob was able to toss me around like a rag doll.
It barely occurred to me that I hadn’t really brainstormed like this in a good while. My heads been so muddled with fear, doubt and confusion that until late I’ve just been taking things as they come. Could it be that all that it took to get me out of my funk was to take control of my destiny again?
Maybe.
The outcome may well be the same either way. Me doing whatever Milgasia and the Self Righteous Goon Brigade said or me telling them to piss off and willingly joining a mazoku of all things may just be two roads to the same destination of destruction. But, if I’m gonna go out, I’m gonna do it after I save the world.
Then there is the matter of the premonition I had that is still vivid in my mind. There will be a child in my future, I can’t die yet. I won’t let anyone take the reigns of my destiny ever again.
Mil may be well meaning in his own way, but someone as long lived and . . .devoted to his cause can only think to do things for the “greater good” as he sees it and not at all for the good of me. He sees me only as a tool, a weapon, to be used and controlled for his own purposes.
He doesn’t realize that fundamentally you can’t control chaos.
It was a half of a mile of people and wagons to the front of the Zephillian train, made longer by the simple fact that it was moving I did eventually make itl. Valgaav was leading the way, radiating contempt, anger, and maybe just a little bit of sadness. Following closely was an odd pair. One was large and bulky like a troll but looked more like a lizard who likes the gym way too much with a humanoid head. His partner was a short anthropomorphic fox wearing a wide brimmed hat and a duster who’s style eluded me. Both were missing eyes, the big one having a red glass replacement while the fox wearing a simple eye patch.
“Excuse me!” I called out. “Mr. Valgaav! Can we talk a moment! I know you’re busy, walking and looking constipated and all but I have a few questions!”
“Hey Gravos,” the fox person said to the big lizardy thing in a voice that seemed naturally predisposed to whining. “I think the red haired chick wants to talk to the Boss.”
“I think so too, Jilas,” answered the gruff but not too bright sounding Gravos. “What do you think we should do about that?”
I know! How about you get out of my way before I shred the two of you’s and feed you to some unsuspecting orphens?
I was about to do just that when Valgaav lifted his hand, signaling his two goombas to stop their silly little show. “Leave us,” he commanded.
“B-but boss!” Jilas whined, proving that once again, I am an excellent judge of gauging people’s most annoying traits.
“She’s Lina Inverse. . .,” Gravos joined in, making the whining club a membership of two.
Valgaav turned to look at his minions and shot a “do what I say or I’ll use your skull as a toilet” look.
“Right, Boss!” the two muttered, walking away at last.
“What is it?” Valgaav bluntly asked.
I decided to be blunt as well. “What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you offering to take in refugees and dragons in exchange they be your soldiers? Demons aren’t the most hospitable types, what’s your angle?”
“Isn’t that something you should’ve asked before you joined me?” Valgaav said with all the humor only a dead baby could instill.
“Let’s just say I knew that teaming up with you was the only option I had.”
Though I didn’t show it, I was genuinely surprised to see Val’s molten, hate filled eyes, even just a little, soften.
“Dolphin has found something.” He simply stated.
“Found what?”
“If I knew that, I would’ve told you. Whatever it is, it isn’t the Staff of the World. If that were the case we’d all be dead already and not even our souls would survive.”
How cheery.
“True, but it must be something nearly as bad for you to bother allying yourself with humans and dragons.”
“If I had a choice I wouldn’t have!” snarled the unstable demon dragon, apparently he didn’t take the same anger management course Xellos did. “Lord Gaav would’ve known a better way to deal with this problem!” He suddenly was very up and in my face, a crazed bloodlust I’d never felt before chilled my very bones.
He’ the real deal. . .not even the hybrids spewed hate at that level, whatever he is he’s almost ALL demon.
“But no. . .You had to exist. Exist and compel the attention of that bastard Phibrizzo whom’s plans he had for you Lord Gaav had no choice but to thwart!” His tone was getting higher and more strained with each syllable, I wondered was huffing helium from an invisible tank or something. “And for that he was destroyed!”
“I thought to kill you,” Val seemed to calm suddenly, added yet more evidence to the mounting pile that he was a wee bit unbalanced. Like a duck who thinks it’s an insurance salesman.
“But,” Valgaav continued. “I’ve come to realize that I need yours and all the help I can possibly get. Like Lord Gaav, I too, possess a survival instinct that most demons do not. It is their goal to destroy the world, destroy themselves even. That is why Lord Gaav was hell bent on destroying you, destroying Hellmaster’s best chance at reaching any pure blooded mazoku’s goal.
“The very fact that I use humans, beast men, elves, dragons, even you. . .who all needed my help or at least believe they do, beings with little in common but share one undeniable trait: They don’t want to die. It gives meaning to Lord Gaav’s sacrifice if they all join together under the banner of the one being who has most cause to hate the world in order to save it!”
Oh, boo hoo. My life hasn’t been a picnic either you know. . .
“Right. . .,” I droned. “That’s nice and all but what say you get back to the original topic?”
“But don’t you see? This is the entire point!” Val’s voice went shrill at that exclamation but quickly dropped to its lower, snarling octaves. “The only reason I’d go this far in uniting the “goodly” races is because I believe that Dolphin has found the one thing that would unite the demonic and monstrous races. It’s the only real explanation for all the chaos the world is currently consumed in.”
I froze in my tracks, Valgaav overstepping me a few paces, a grin forming on his face as he could tell that I had just put all the pieces in the puzzle. I felt cold inside, the good mood I found myself in this morning flew out the door and flipped me the bird.
Oh, Sylpheed. . .it can’t be! I should’ve known sooner! I guessed it in Seyruun but I dismissed it as over dramatic thinking!
“She’s found another shard. Ruby Eye has returned. . .,” I strained, resisting the urge to vomit.
Tom the Mighty’s Mighty Notes.
Duh duh duuuuuh!
Maybe Valgaav isn’t quite the same as you remember in the anime, but I decided to take a few liberties for the sake of the story. But rest assured, he isn’t exactly on friendly terms with Lina, he, like Mil sees her as a weapon to wielded, at least for now. . .I’ve got plans for him in Book 2 due . . .sometime. . .
Review please!
Chapter Twenty Two
“You know,” I said over a breakfast of thick bacon, tomatoes, sausages, hash browns, grape fruit, oatmeal, pancakes (sigh), milk and slightly sour orange juice. I was hungry. I had a busy night. “I had always thought that my first time would be somewhere a little more romantic and private than a tent in the middle of a refugee camp.”
Despite that, I felt good. Crazy good. Good enough to light a bag of poop in front of Deep Sea Dolphin’s door step, knock the door and run, heedlessly laughing at the danger that kind of silliness would cause.
“Anywhere is fine, as long as it’s you,” Gourry complemented. . .I think. I mean, it sure sounded like a complement. But, Gourry doesn’t tend to think enough about what he is going to say, so much as say it and then gurgle desperately in my headlock to actually say what he meant.
Yeah.
“Oh yeah? Even in a garbage dump, surrounded by things even Shabranigdo would shudder before?”
He looked me straight in the eye. “We’d put a blanket down first.”
“Ha! Pervert.”
“I dunno, you were really into it last night,” Gourry grinned.
No! No details! This isn’t that kind of story! I’m a sorceress not some sleazy bard you’d find in a dank corner of some sleazier bar.
“Yeah, right up to the part when the empty steiners and mugs being thrown at our tent. I didn’t think we were that loud.” I blushed at the memories and just smiled. After that night, I couldn’t really blame Zel and Amelia for going at it seemingly every other time they found themselves alone.
Why did it take us this long to get this far? Fear for my part I supposed, but I’m sick of being scared all the time.
I’d always told myself that I’d be married before I lost my virginity but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Gourry and I where already married in all but official capacity. We love each other with all our hearts, never even think about being with someone else and get sick at the thought of being not together and work brilliantly as a team The ceremony would be just that, nothing but a ceremony.
Though I wouldn’t mind going through with it eventually, if just to make it “official”.
“Uh. . .what are we going to do about the sleeping rolls? I really don’t feel like cleaning that kind of mess anytime soon.” I kinda, sorta complained. I was getting too full to really be mad about anything.
Gourry eyed the soiled bedding with just a hint of fear, “Think we can buy some new ones?”
“Probably,” I agreed. “But what about the next time?”
“And the next time, and the next time, and the nex-!”
I laughed, and threw a sausage at him just to get him to shut up. “Pervert.”
From the morning on we walked. Every few hours or so I’d sing a song or two to keep up moral. I liked this new kind of “magic” I had over people. With a few notes and words I could bring a man to tears or keep him marching til his feet were nothing but bloody stumps. Gourry was especially into the music. He’d always be asking me what the lyrics meant if it was in old Zephillian. I promised him I would rewrite all the songs I knew into the common tongue for him.
Before noon the mountains to the north were no longer grayish blurs barely visible on the horizon, but instead purple behemoths, signaling to all that our goal was in sight. The Katahto Mountains were a large range, having at least some presence in three different countries. The lowest foot hills to the east where in Zephillia, the main ranges in Dilse where we now traveled, ending in the Duchy of Letidius. I didn’t expect Valgaav (still haven’t seen him since his acceptance of me and Gourry into his little band) to lead us through the capitol of Dilse, Gallia (which was still pretty much, uh, burned down as far as I knew). It, along with every other apparently Gods forsaken city in the world was now under attack or under control of Deep Sea Dolphin’s faction.
I still felt bad about Amelia, Zel and Naga, but I tried to think that it would end up okay in the end. Seriously, I could just put up with Valgaav for now, try not to do too much evil and dump him like a used tissue once I find the Shard of Lucidia and bitch slap the world back straight. Then, once everything is fine and dandy, much like sponge cake, Amelia and Zel will forgive me for leaving them to hang we can all be pseudo happy friends again and have sleep overs and play cards and other stupid stuff that we never did to begin with.
The end.
Oh, and maybe even Milgasia, in his infinent wisdom, will see fit not to kill me when its all said and done.
I decided to move on ahead, working my way up to the front of the caravan leaving Gourry behind to chant with the locals. The mood was getting better, with the mountains in sight, the refugees were now moving more with a sense of purpose. Whether or not that purpose was to be for good or evil, nobody knew yet, but they had to do something. Besides the immediate need for food and shelter, the main reason for the Zephillians to follow Valgaav was the need to do something, anything, to make their world right again. With the Golden Dragons, practically the gods own personal emissaries, hardly able to help themselves, most cities under siege or worse, where else did they have to turn?
I would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes, heck I am doing the same thing!
But what was Valgaav up to? Where did he come from and why hasn’t he tried his hand at vengeance before now? He’s had nearly two years for crying out loud. He mentioned he was an Ancient Dragon, I’d never heard of them but Milgasia seemed to know what one was. But that demonic aura of Val’s. . . I’ve heard of and seen people get possessed by demons but I never heard of anyone actually becoming one. Unless, of course, he was a hybrid, someone who allowed themselves to merge with a demonic enity, like Halcyform the White (asshole), Zumma (tenacious asshole) and most recently King Bob (bean pole asshole).
Most of those examples where powerful enough to begin with, but once they merged they became nearly unstoppable. Heck even Bob was able to toss me around like a rag doll.
It barely occurred to me that I hadn’t really brainstormed like this in a good while. My heads been so muddled with fear, doubt and confusion that until late I’ve just been taking things as they come. Could it be that all that it took to get me out of my funk was to take control of my destiny again?
Maybe.
The outcome may well be the same either way. Me doing whatever Milgasia and the Self Righteous Goon Brigade said or me telling them to piss off and willingly joining a mazoku of all things may just be two roads to the same destination of destruction. But, if I’m gonna go out, I’m gonna do it after I save the world.
Then there is the matter of the premonition I had that is still vivid in my mind. There will be a child in my future, I can’t die yet. I won’t let anyone take the reigns of my destiny ever again.
Mil may be well meaning in his own way, but someone as long lived and . . .devoted to his cause can only think to do things for the “greater good” as he sees it and not at all for the good of me. He sees me only as a tool, a weapon, to be used and controlled for his own purposes.
He doesn’t realize that fundamentally you can’t control chaos.
It was a half of a mile of people and wagons to the front of the Zephillian train, made longer by the simple fact that it was moving I did eventually make itl. Valgaav was leading the way, radiating contempt, anger, and maybe just a little bit of sadness. Following closely was an odd pair. One was large and bulky like a troll but looked more like a lizard who likes the gym way too much with a humanoid head. His partner was a short anthropomorphic fox wearing a wide brimmed hat and a duster who’s style eluded me. Both were missing eyes, the big one having a red glass replacement while the fox wearing a simple eye patch.
“Excuse me!” I called out. “Mr. Valgaav! Can we talk a moment! I know you’re busy, walking and looking constipated and all but I have a few questions!”
“Hey Gravos,” the fox person said to the big lizardy thing in a voice that seemed naturally predisposed to whining. “I think the red haired chick wants to talk to the Boss.”
“I think so too, Jilas,” answered the gruff but not too bright sounding Gravos. “What do you think we should do about that?”
I know! How about you get out of my way before I shred the two of you’s and feed you to some unsuspecting orphens?
I was about to do just that when Valgaav lifted his hand, signaling his two goombas to stop their silly little show. “Leave us,” he commanded.
“B-but boss!” Jilas whined, proving that once again, I am an excellent judge of gauging people’s most annoying traits.
“She’s Lina Inverse. . .,” Gravos joined in, making the whining club a membership of two.
Valgaav turned to look at his minions and shot a “do what I say or I’ll use your skull as a toilet” look.
“Right, Boss!” the two muttered, walking away at last.
“What is it?” Valgaav bluntly asked.
I decided to be blunt as well. “What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you offering to take in refugees and dragons in exchange they be your soldiers? Demons aren’t the most hospitable types, what’s your angle?”
“Isn’t that something you should’ve asked before you joined me?” Valgaav said with all the humor only a dead baby could instill.
“Let’s just say I knew that teaming up with you was the only option I had.”
Though I didn’t show it, I was genuinely surprised to see Val’s molten, hate filled eyes, even just a little, soften.
“Dolphin has found something.” He simply stated.
“Found what?”
“If I knew that, I would’ve told you. Whatever it is, it isn’t the Staff of the World. If that were the case we’d all be dead already and not even our souls would survive.”
How cheery.
“True, but it must be something nearly as bad for you to bother allying yourself with humans and dragons.”
“If I had a choice I wouldn’t have!” snarled the unstable demon dragon, apparently he didn’t take the same anger management course Xellos did. “Lord Gaav would’ve known a better way to deal with this problem!” He suddenly was very up and in my face, a crazed bloodlust I’d never felt before chilled my very bones.
He’ the real deal. . .not even the hybrids spewed hate at that level, whatever he is he’s almost ALL demon.
“But no. . .You had to exist. Exist and compel the attention of that bastard Phibrizzo whom’s plans he had for you Lord Gaav had no choice but to thwart!” His tone was getting higher and more strained with each syllable, I wondered was huffing helium from an invisible tank or something. “And for that he was destroyed!”
“I thought to kill you,” Val seemed to calm suddenly, added yet more evidence to the mounting pile that he was a wee bit unbalanced. Like a duck who thinks it’s an insurance salesman.
“But,” Valgaav continued. “I’ve come to realize that I need yours and all the help I can possibly get. Like Lord Gaav, I too, possess a survival instinct that most demons do not. It is their goal to destroy the world, destroy themselves even. That is why Lord Gaav was hell bent on destroying you, destroying Hellmaster’s best chance at reaching any pure blooded mazoku’s goal.
“The very fact that I use humans, beast men, elves, dragons, even you. . .who all needed my help or at least believe they do, beings with little in common but share one undeniable trait: They don’t want to die. It gives meaning to Lord Gaav’s sacrifice if they all join together under the banner of the one being who has most cause to hate the world in order to save it!”
Oh, boo hoo. My life hasn’t been a picnic either you know. . .
“Right. . .,” I droned. “That’s nice and all but what say you get back to the original topic?”
“But don’t you see? This is the entire point!” Val’s voice went shrill at that exclamation but quickly dropped to its lower, snarling octaves. “The only reason I’d go this far in uniting the “goodly” races is because I believe that Dolphin has found the one thing that would unite the demonic and monstrous races. It’s the only real explanation for all the chaos the world is currently consumed in.”
I froze in my tracks, Valgaav overstepping me a few paces, a grin forming on his face as he could tell that I had just put all the pieces in the puzzle. I felt cold inside, the good mood I found myself in this morning flew out the door and flipped me the bird.
Oh, Sylpheed. . .it can’t be! I should’ve known sooner! I guessed it in Seyruun but I dismissed it as over dramatic thinking!
“She’s found another shard. Ruby Eye has returned. . .,” I strained, resisting the urge to vomit.
Tom the Mighty’s Mighty Notes.
Duh duh duuuuuh!
Maybe Valgaav isn’t quite the same as you remember in the anime, but I decided to take a few liberties for the sake of the story. But rest assured, he isn’t exactly on friendly terms with Lina, he, like Mil sees her as a weapon to wielded, at least for now. . .I’ve got plans for him in Book 2 due . . .sometime. . .
Review please!