Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ The Mazoku Ring (Tolkien crossover/parody) ❯ Chapter 9

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 9: Race against time

Lina…. Liiiiiiiiinaaaaa…. The ring, thee ring riiing…
Give us… preciousss..

With a gasp the redhead sorcery genius forced some air into her lungs,
not really registering anything around her anymore. The things she saw
was not the worried faces of her travelling companions, throwing her a
worried glance as they made their way up the steep hillsides, along wild
rivers and through dense forests. Everything she could see was a shimmering,
dark world, and all she could hear was a howling sound, far far away from
where she was. She was cold, she registered that too. Where were they?
Gourry?? WHERE WAS HE?! He… had sworn to protect her, hadn't he…? Why wasn't he here?
She felt so alone… she had never felt this alone before…
"…burns…" she breathed painfully, not caring that no one was around. But there were.
"She's hallucinating… how far is it to Seyruun, Amelia?" demanded Zelgadiss
after noting Lina's barely audible word.
"It's… about 2 days…" the princess responded, rather hesistant,
"I wish we could ray wing all the way there, but… it's too long!"
"But, if Lina doesn't get a healing within that time she will die!"
Gourry, who was carrying Lina spoke up, eyes wide and full of fear.
Instantly he cradled her closer to him, horrified over how cold she had
gotten the last hours. Her wound didn't look good at all, and even Amelia
and Zelgadiss' magic combined couldn't force the negative energy out of her shoulder.
Nobody dared to answer, fearing the question itself and the fate of their friend.
Gourry then looked almost acussingly at the Mazoku, who walked quietly in front.
"Xelloss! Why don't you do something?! Can't you teleport with her there?!"
Looking slowly over his shoulder, Xelloss halted for a minute, opening his eyes to look at Gourry.
"I wish I could, Gourry. But I'm afraid Lina-chan wouldn't be able to handle it…
not in her current state, and not when the energy I'm made of and using is just
as dark as the one she's poisoned with… she would die, Gourry…"
He then looked forward again, continuing to walk.
"All we can do is walk on…"
And so they did.

Xelloss was the first one to speak after walking for some time. Suddenly he just
stopped, then tensed up, opening his eyes to gaze down the road in front of them.
"Somebody is coming,,,"
"What?! More Mazoku?!" Martina demanded, looking stricken. Quickly going into a
fighting pose, Zel and Amelia moved protectically infront of Gourry and Lina.
"No, it's… human," reassured Xelloss, then actually gained a smile. The others
looked confusedly at him, then made a jump as a well-known character rolled down
the bushy hillside next to the road, landing with a 'oof' in front of them.
"SYLPHIEL!!" Gourry exclaimed, obviously relieved, as was the others as they ran over to her.
"Well, I'll be damned! It's the little shrine maiden from Sairaag…" Xelloss chuckled
and poked the bewildered girl.
"Sylphiel-san, what are you doing here?" Amelia asked, helping her to her feet and
brushed her off. Sylphiel smoothened out her hair and coughed before speaking up in
her usual meek manner.
"Oh, I was told that you were on your way here and ordered to meet you! I was just
galloping along the road…"
"Galloping?" Martina demanded, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh, hai! My horse threw me off, that's why I rolled down that hillside!"
"You have a horse!? Then it may not be too late!" Zel said, hope brightening up his eyes a little.
"Too late for what?"
Upon her question Gourry stepped forward, eyes sad as he looked down at the almost lifeless body he held.
"L-lina-san!!!" Sylphiel screeched, then ran forward.
"Gourry-sama, what's wrong with her..?! She.. I haven't seen anything like this before!"
Xelloss moved to stand next to Sylphiel.
"She's been struck with a Shadow knife, made by Mazoku. It's like negative energy has been
poured into her blood. She will require healing," he explained, and Sylphiel nodded before
closing her eyes.
"I will give her a healing now, though it won't be enough to save her completely…
she will get a full healing when we get to Seyruun!"
She then spread her hands above Lina, willing her powers to the limit.
The others watched as gentle white light gathered around Lina's shoulder and torso,
obviously working it's way into her body and forcing the negative energy out.
After a few minutes, Sylphiel breathed, letting the energy slowly die out.
"Now we have to find my horse so we can get her there as soon as possible!"
"There it is!" Zelgadiss pointed up the hillside, where Sylphiel's white horse was happily grassing.
After retrieving the reluctant horse, Sylphiel was soon back in the saddle with Lina in front of her.
She looked a little better, but her face had still that bluish tint.
"Ride fast, and don't look back!" Zelgadiss warned, making sure the saddle was fastened tight,
and Gourry looked up at Sylphiel with pleading eyes.
"Sylphiel… promise me you'll make it… and save Lina…"
The shrine maiden's eyes went sad for a moment, then she nodded and hugged Lina tight to her.
"I promise… Gourry-sama…"
Xelloss stepped up to the horse, looking at Sylphiel.
"I will have to follow, no doubt the Mazoku will follow your trail, and you won't be able to
defend both yourself and Lina at the same time."
Giving the Mazoku a quick nod, Sylphiel Niels Rada set her horse to full gallop, setting full
speed for Seyruun as the Trickster priest phased out, following them through the astral plane.


The horse was tired after galloping the entire night, but Sylphiel drove it on even as the sun's
first rays streaked over the mountaintops in the east. Casting a quick look down at Lina,
Sylphiel bit her lower lip. The redhead had gotten paler and bluer over the night, and she
didn't have long left... luckily it was less than an hour to Seyruun, and so far none of the
Mazoku Xelloss had warned her about had appeared. She urged her horse further on down the road,
then took off into the forest, taking a rough shortcut.
Just as she was about to speed up again, she suddenly felt a surge of fear cross her, making
her hair almost stand on end. Something negative was near… Mazoku!
Not daring to look over her shoulder she sent the horse running to where she felt less of the
energy, heading for even darker woods.
Trying to fight the wave of panic off, Sylphiel gathered her courage, hoping both she and Lina
would survive this.
Suddenly the horse halted, now struck with panic as something phased in infront of them.
Sylphiel's eyes went wide as a black cloaked figure lunged at her, and she forced her horse to
continue away from the danger as it sped through the air towards her. The second she expected a
searing pain to hit her, she instead heard something zoom by her.
A pained growl was heard from behind, and the shrine maiden opened her eyes, looking over her
shoulder to see the cloaked Mazoku stumble over, ripped in half from the shoulder and down to its hip.
"That was close!"
Sylphiel nearly fell off the horse as she heard the voice next to her.
"Xelloss-san!"
The Trickster flew next to her, eyes open and looking ahead.
"You just head on directly to Seyruun, and I will keep them from you and Lina, hurry!"
Not waiting for her response, Xelloss sped up, then intercepted another Mazoku that had been
dangerously near to getting Sylphiel.
Encouraged that she at least wasn't alone now, she spurred her horse on, galloping at full
speed towards the holy city that was now visible in the distance.

The Mazoku kept on assaulting, seemingly endless, and Xelloss had his hands full as he phased in and out,
making sure the shrine maiden could ride on without having to worry much for now.
Though Sylphiel didn't feel that safe, feeling Lina's body going more and more limp in her hands.
Minutes felt like an entire eternity, and time seemed to stand still. Though miraculously Seyruun seemed
to come closer and closer. Sylphiel was about to draw a sigh of relief as suddenly she heard Xelloss
cry out, and she gasped as she saw him fall to the ground, clutching his side as if in pain.
She halted her horse for a moment, looking afraid.
"Xelloss-san?!"
"RIDE ON!!!" RIDE ON!!!" he yelled, getting to his feet painfully, then phased out, only to reappear
in front of her, blocking a wave of negative energy that came from a lurking Mazoku.
Immediately she continued, driving the horse forward to its full limit, holding Lina close.
At full speed the horse ran up the bridge towards the city, and Sylphiel brightened up.
She was almost there! A few more minutes, and they would be safe!
But just then she felt her horse stumble and fall, crying out in agony as it was hit by a stream
of negative energy that Xelloss hadn't been able to intercept.
With a loud scream Sylphiel fell to the ground along with Lina, but she quickly got to her feet,
cradling Lina close. With wide eyes she looked up, seeing several of the caped Mazoku coming nearer
and nearer. In panic she turned around, running for the gates of Seyruun as fast as her feet could allow her.
Time went in slow motion, and she felt the Mazoku come nearer and nearer for every slow second…

Lina whined, feeling her entire body being shaken by something, It was cold now, too cold for her
to handle. Her chest suddenly ached terribly, and she screamed out, sobbing with pain.
Gourry… where was he?! Why wasn't he here with her!? Zelgadiss!! Amelia!! She even missed Xelloss
and Martina now… why? What was this dismal place? So shimmering and dark… unrecognisable. WHY?!
For the first time in a long while Lina felt streams of tears run down her cheeks.