Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers: MYTHOS ❯ Explosion! Inferno of the Chaos Child ( Chapter 5 )

**Disclaimer** Don't own slayers, that'd all I gota say on that matter ^.^
And now, on with the story:

Lina lay staring at the ceiling of the darkened room, her wet bangs stuck to her forehead and her damp hair splayed out on all sides of her. Turning on her side, she cringed at remembering how she had tripped and dumped the contents of the chamber pot all over her. The bath was nice thought, Anwyr had a nice, large tub filled with warm water set next to the fire in the baths room when Lina came Huffing and purely disgusted into the cottage. A nice, warm soak could melt anyone's cares away, however. When Anwyr came to summon her, Lina had dozed off, te fire had burned low and the water gone cool.

Sighing, Lina turned on her back and wriggled, trying to get comfortable in her futon. 'Anwyr's always liked simplicity.' No beds were in the small cottage, a fireplace in the commonroom and the bathsroom, and only three tiny bedrooms. Lina herself preferred her old house which had a fireplace in every room and lots of bedrooms for visiting guests, which her parents often had. Modern convinces were lost to the Lyr woman, no privies, only chamber pots, no cushioned chairs, one very thinly lined couch. True ot Lina's thoughts, Anwyr thrived off what the forest provided her. She did, however, have several of the warmest, comfortable robes to wear after a bath.

Pulling the firs that served as her blankets back, Lina sat up, with no particular idea of just what she was going to do. A sharp gasp stopped any action she was going to do, causing her to go on the defensive immediately.

"Fire-" a hand covered her mouth.

"Sh, please Lina, be quiet, we can't afford -" Xellos was cut off, trying desperately to hold back a wail of pain as Lina gripped firmly onto his hand with her teeth. Quickly, he withdrew his hand.

"Xellos, in Cephied's name WHAT are you doing???"

Lina-sam, ,we MUST get out of here now, they will come looking for you-ah, us."

"What are you talking about and what's with all the respect all of a sudden

Xellos sighed shaking his head and rubbing his hand, why couldn't she just do something without having to question it? Doesn't she see that he's trying to help her?

"You were about to get up no? Well, why don't you and we just leave, please?"

"Wait, you said you were supposed to manipulating me, how do I know that this isn't one of your little tricks?" For some reason, Lina just didn't want to trust him.

"Can't you just disregard that for now? You wanted the truth, and the truth is right now, I'm not tricking you!"

Lina cocked an eyebrow, again shocked at hearing the amount of emotion those words held. "Xellos..."

Grabbing her hand, he hefted her up and began to search around the room, "Where are your things

Quite shocked, LIna pointed toward the closet, her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness. Xellos nodded and rushed over, rustling around proved that he was gathering all he thought she'd need before they left. Once finished, he slung a small duffle bag over his shoulder and looked at her, "Let's go."

"Wait, what'll we say to Anwyr, we can't just leave her like this, she'll be worried and we need food!"

Xellos rolled his eyes, "Can't we hunt or something, just leave?"

"NO! I need food!"

Rushing to the kitchen area, Xellos grabbed a select few things from the cupboards and icebox Anwyr kept in the basement below the kitchen for storing food stuffs for winter. Once finished, he almost flew out of the room, meeting Lina by the dor of the cottage.

"So tell me what's this all about She was now dressed in her traveling attire.

"I'll tell you once we're on the road," he glared ahead, into the pitch dark forest that lay before them.

"I still have to say goodbye!"

Emitting a grunt of severe annoyance, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. Lina tried kicking him, shouting obscenities in his ear. Promptly, Xellos put a silencing spell over her. Once she found she had no voice, Lina looked at him perplexed.

"I told you I still have some of my magic, and I"m not afraid to use it if you don't cooperate right now. Please, just believe me this one time and don't question, I'm doing this for you." A dangerous glint illuminated in his eyes when he heard a sound rustle in the forest beyond them. "Come, we must leave now."

Lina sweat dropped and rolled her eyes, like she had a choice. Looking back at the cottage they had just left, she struggled to say something, but all that came out was a pathetic peep, she gave up.

-\*/-

Somewhere along the road, Lina fell asleep, she didn't want to, but not getting enough sleep before they left, and the sudden urgency of their leave-taking exhausted her. So, slung over Xellos's shoulder, she fell into a slumber

In her sleep, Lina dreamt of a time long, long ago, of a burning ball of fire the size of a planet. She walked on this world of molten rock and fire and it didn't burn, but warmed her both physically and spiritually. The fire sang to Lina like a mother singing a lullaby to her sleepy child. The fire within her swelled as if in welcome.

-\*/-

Xellos found himself smiling as he watched Lina in her sleep. They had been stopped an hour, although she was completely unaware, for she had fallen asleep quite a few hours ago. Now she lay here, smiling in her dreams, Xellos couldn't help but wonder just what it was that was making her so happy, probably thinking about that dense blonde man who had deemed himself her protector. Couldn't he see LIna didn't need a protector, she needed an equal, someone to express things with, not an idiot who didn't know the first thing about magic and kept insulting her. Surprising himself at the thought, and most of all, the emotion that sprang up, Xellos was almost shocked when he felt something coming up the path toward them. Of course, they were still quite a way's away, yet still, he was still disgusted with himself for letting that slip.

"They're coming for you Lina-san and you don't even know it. I won't let them take you, I promise." Protecting this redhead was addicting evidentially. His eyes softened as he looked down at her, all snug and warm underneath those blankets sleeping peacefully. He'd have none for the night, but it didn't matter, she was the important one here. With a tremendous sigh, he walked to the edge of the small campsite and jabbed the pointed end of his staff into the soft ground. Suddenly, his head shot up, looking at the blood red gem topping off his staff, he flushed. "Well, it would make for better protection." Hesitantly, he walked over to her sleeping form, chanting as he went. Upon reaching her, he knelt down and, ever so slowly and carefully, he bent down and brushed his lips against hers, relishing in the warmth of her lips. All too soon however, the kiss was over as Xellos forced himself to cease. Lina rolled over mumbling, "Mm, Xellos..." Again he felt the tightness inside him but forced it down to set about the task of completing the protection spell. Lina's lips began to glow a silver color, much to Xellos's satisfaction. Getting up, he walked over to his staff and touched his finger to his own glowing lips to hte red gem atop the staff, it glowed silver and the light on their lips died. A transparent barrier thrust itself in a wide circle around the campsite, starting and completing itself at the staff. Xellos smiled in satisfaction and promptly sat down, leaning on the staff. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on spanning his awareness as far as he could.

.:~*~:.

Xellos's ees snapped open, something was close, too close, "How could I have just fallen asleep?" He growled and cursed himself, then threw a glance at Lina and found she was still asleep. "Hm, these last few days must've really taken it out of her."

Xellos quickly snapped his couth shut as she began rustling around in the process of waking. She sat up and looked around, "Xellos?" Lina gazed blearily at her current traveling partner.

"Morning lovely." He smiled at her then went about collecting odd things around their campsite, "We'd best be going, they'll be catchin up if we linger too long."

"Who?" Her eyes began to clear while looking for her pack.

"The same one's who werew following us at your aunt's."

Xellos, who are-HEY!" She protested loudly when he snatched her pack away from her.

"Answers will come, now hurry!" He hoisted her up and went about packing up her bedroll and furs.

"What about breakfast? I'm starving!"

"Lina?" A familiar, friendly voice called out to her.

Turning around, she smiled, "GOURRY! And Zelgadiss, Amelia and Slyphiel! What'er you guys doing?" Lina rapidly jumped up and made to run at them, but was thrown back once she hit the barrier. Everyone present on the opposite side gasped.

"Sir Xellos, what have you done?" Slyphiel looked fit to burst, anger distorting her normally graceful features. Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadiss nodded their approval at the demanded question.

"It's for her own safety."

"How, how can this be for her own safety Mr. Xellos?" Amelia held a hand out to stave off Zelgadiss charging at the barrier. Glaring, he stood on the alert, his hand atop the hilt of his sword at his side.

"I know what you're here for and I can tell you that you don't have her best interests at heart!"

Lina sat up, holding the wrist she had landed on after being thrown backward. "Xellos, you fruitcake, just tell me what's going on here right now!"

Rather than answer, he turned to the small group gathered around the front of the barrier. Warily, his hand went to his staff, but he never took it from the ground.

Zelgadiss leered, "It seems that it is you who does not have Lina's best interests at heart! We've been given specific information that you'd be holding her against her will, probably forcing her to join your side of this great war!"

Xellos growled, "If you'd clear those rocks out of her your head," he smirked at the response gained by the chimera, "you'd have enough sense to ask her if I've tried anything. I've done nothing against her and she's come willingly with me! I'm trying to spare her soul by not giving her to you!"

"Wait, how can you be helping her if you're against us, and we're trying to help her too?" Gourry scratched his head confused.

"Gourry dear, he's lying!" Slyphiel looked rather distressed.

"I've done no such thing! Your intentions are, no doubt, honorable, but if I am to let Lina-chan go then she will surely lose herself to the Lord of Darkness."

"But we were told-" Amelia tried feebly to defend their positions, in which everyone was seriously beginning to doubt. After all, why would Xellos defend Lina so much AND defy L-sama, his master's master?

However, Amelia was not given much time to consider the matter further, a scream of pain wretched its way from Lina's mouth as she fell to her knees, clutching her hands to her head,trembling wisibly as an aura of flowing redness enveloped her body, obscuring her from site.

"LINA!!!" Xellos dived toward her, this time, pulling the staff from the ground.

Out of nowhere came dozens of trolls, mazoku, and the group of bandits who had kidnapped Lina before. Evil, hungry grins adorned their faces as their gaze never left the glowing mass writhing on the ground.

Tears pricked Xellos's eyes as he charged them, swinging the staff in a dramatic arc, casting a spell in the process. Bringing the staff to rest pointing the head at the gathered crowd, Xellos let fly a stream of dark power from the ruby eyes, desimating the group of beasts in mere seconds. Everyone behind desperatly attempted to shield themselves from the buffeting winds, dust, and after effects of the spell.

Just as soon as the dust clouds clearned and the winds died, another explosion rocked the small clearing, knocking everyone flat.

Pulling themselves up, they let out a collective gasp at what they saw. Lina stood before them, the fire taking the form of a phoenix, her own eyes glistening with the light of utter chaos, her face marked with a scowl, hands flexing with the absolute need to expend energy.

"You feeble beings will use me no longer! The Child of Chaos is born and you will be first to pay the retribution for believing you could tame the wild fires of Chaos!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

V/O: Oops, guess I went a little overboard there. The great Child of Chaos is born again, what will this mean for our favorite (and lovely) sorceress? Will I certainly hope it's good! Next Episode: Prophecy: Anwyr's Answer