Episode 4:
History? The Past Holds Many Secrets!
�You. Who are you, and what do you want?�
Xellos turned his head. A man—he was a bandit, to be sure—was standing over him, bedecked in various jewelry and ornaments that only royalty should wear. He was most certainly not the biggest or most muscular of bandits Xellos had seen, but the pitch-haired man had a certain aura of ruling, terrible power about him that marked him as a leader.
�Oh, were you talking to me?� Xellos asked casually, leaning back in his stool in the dim, crowded tavern. He was sure that he had seen the bandit before, but he didn�t quite feel like remembering at the moment.
�Of course I was talking to you, fool,� he snapped. Fool? Xellos thought. The man clearly didn�t know he was a demon. �I believe I may have seen you once here. You�re up to no good, are you?�
�I don�t know what you mean,� Xellos replied doubtfully. Suddenly, he didn�t feel like sticking around much longer. The bandit�s eyes were a steely gray, and were evilly enchanting. Xellos tried to pull himself away from the feeling that he was being sucked in somehow.
�What�s your name?� The bandit gazed at him levelly. Xellos, for some reason, could not refuse an answer, nor could he lie.
�Xellos, a priest.�
�Ah, Xellos,� the man said, smiling suddenly. �Do you, perchance, know the sorceress Niriko Inverse?�
Xellos would have dearly loved to say no; this bandit was clearly Niro, and while Xellos thoroughly enjoyed playing games with Niriko and the others, he wanted no part in the animosity between Niriko and her sworn enemy—especially after Lina�s talk. But Niro�s eyes were commanding.
�Yes.�
�Well, I happen to know a thing or two about her,� Niro said. �She studies Red Dragon runes, and the temple in this village holds the history of the Red Dragons. Surely, the Claire Bible was placed there for a reason.�
Xellos nodded dumbly, taking this all in, but not hearing a word.
�Listen Xellos, and listen carefully. There is a room in the heart of that temple, and it is the only one sealed off. There is a code written on the wall of the entrance, no doubt a riddle of a sort. You will bring Niriko to that room and have her solve the riddle or whatever. Once that room is opened, come and get me immediately. I�ll wish to speak with Niriko directly after. Understand, Xellos?�
Xellos nodded, completely under Niro�s mysterious spell. A sudden thought occurred to the mentally captive monster.
�Suppose she refuses?�
Niro grinned again, a bloodthirsty glint to his fang-like teeth. �Force her,� he said simply. �Threaten her with death. Don�t actually kill her, of course, but get the message across.�
�Yes.�
�Good. I�ll be seeing you tomorrow, then.� Niro got up, then paused. �You say you�re a priest, Xellos. Under whom do you serve?�
�None other than Zelas, my mistress,� was the blank reply. Niro froze, though his face remained expressionless. There was only one thing that could confirm his suspicions about Xellos.
�You�you are dismissed, Xellos,� Niro said airily.
�As you wish.� And suddenly, he was gone. He had simply disappeared!
Realization dawned on Niro heavily, awed and terribly frightened at the same time. He had just enchanted a monster!
Niriko arose early. She had gotten enough sleep to last her the rest of the month, but she liked sleeping anyway. Besides, who�d ever heard of too much sleep?
The others rose with her. Niriko waited for them to shake the sleep from themselves only because they knew where the ruins were. As soon as they�d managed to uncover the last of Niriko�s wealth—which was barely enough for the usual amount they all ate—they sat down for breakfast. Niriko chatted as they ate.
�So, about that temple,� Niriko said, munching on a rice dumpling towards the end of their meal. �I�d like to go—now, if possible.�
�Well, that can be arranged.�
�Xellos,� Kadachi moaned. �Xellos, we really don�t have time for you right now. You can go get us into trouble tomorrow, okay?!�
Xellos looked at her with a sort of dismissive coldness. �This doesn�t concern you,� he snapped.
Kadachi was taken aback. He�d never spoken to her like that.
�Now, see here, Xellos!� she said angrily. �I don�t know what you�re up to—and frankly, I couldn�t care less—but we�re in the middle of something right now! Go away!�
�Fine, I will,� Xellos replied airily. He grabbed Niriko�s arm. �Well, bye!� And then he teleported both he and Niriko away.
The others just stared and blinked. Suddenly Chame stood up, still slightly in shock.
�Xellos took her to the ruins,� she said blankly.
�No kidding,� Lina growled. �And I don�t like what�s going on here. Come on!�
Niriko was stunned. This wasn�t like Xellos at all. Usually he gave reasons for his actions. Annoyingly mysterious reasons, yes, but still reasons. But he had just snatched her away out of the blue, and here she was, in some dark enclosure.
The room Niriko was in was pitch-black, and cool. Niriko could smell the distinct scent of musty stone walls close around her. Instinctively she cast a Lighting Spell, not sure if Xellos was even in the room with her.
Suddenly, something cold, stiff, and straight pressed up hard against her neck, making her lose concentration over the Lighting Spell, and it went out immediately. She gripped at the thing that was choking her—a wooden staff—and tried to yank it off. It only pressed harder.
�Now, now, don�t struggle. You�ll only make things worse,� came Xellos�s voice. It was his staff!
�Xellos!� Niriko choked angrily. �What the hell are you thinking?�
�Wouldn�t you like to know?� Niriko didn�t like the tone in his voice. It sounded distantly familiar, but she was sure she�d never heard the demon speak in such a way. And, Niriko noted with some degree of shame, it even made her feel slightly afraid.
�Xellos, what�s going on here?� Niriko demanded. �Where are we?�
�Why, in the ruins of course,� he replied, and Niriko could almost hear him smirking. �I�ve been instructed to take you to this particular room. I�ve blocked off the exit so that you can�t escape. And now you�ll have to do me a favor.�
�You�ve been instructed?� Niriko repeated. ��Can�t escape? Do you a favor?!�
�Yes,� Xellos answered somewhat politely. He pointed to the darkness ahead of them. �There are Red Dragon runes on that wall. Tell me what they say, Niriko.�
Niriko snorted. Was this all a big joke? �Yeah, right, Xellos,� she retorted. �Like I�m about to do anything for you!�
In a split second the staff was pressed even harder against her neck. �You�ll do it,� he commanded. �And you�ll do it now. Or do you prefer this room to be your own personal tomb?� He released her and shoved her towards the wall.
Rubbing her neck, Niriko knew Xellos was serious. He didn�t sound like he was kidding. She cast another Lighting Spell and inspected the wall.
They were Red Dragon runes. Though it had been quite a while since Niriko had last laid her eyes on the ancient symbols, it came to her quite easily.
�Read it aloud,� Xellos ordered.
�Right,� Niriko said somewhat shakily. �Um�I can�t read this.�
�Don�t lie!� Xellos hissed.
�No, really,� she insisted. �I mean, I can read it, but it�s in another language.�
�Read it anyway!� Xellos snapped.
�Okay�� Niriko studied the runes again. �Soru dakra sonra li pa�anet ria sheti sel soru into.�
�Hmm,� Xellos murmured. �Ancient words, I see�and the Red Dragons were quite into riddling��
�What does it mean?� Niriko asked.
�It means, I believe, �The enchanted sword of the dragon sorceress slayer is the key���
Niriko realized what it meant long before Xellos did, and she had no intention of letting him know that.
�Sounds like a riddle to me,� she supposed.
Xellos�s purple eyes flashed. �Ah, and I know the answer,� he said. �And so do you!�
Niriko�s eyes widened. So he really did know her that well after all�
�Come on, now, you didn�t really think I thought you were that stupid?� he continued. �We both know you�re the dragon sorceress slayer�and your sword is the key!�
Niriko�s eye twitched. �Even if that were true,� she agreed slowly, �What in the world does it mean by �the key�?�
�This is what it means!� Xellos pointed to a line in the wall. Closer examination proved that it was not a line, but a thin slot�designed for a sword to slide through!
�Don�t even think about trying to strike me with it, either,� Xellos said. �I�m much more powerful than you are, and we�d both sorely regret it, don�t you think?�
Niriko swallowed, her mouth and throat dry. He was right�
She drew her sword quietly and inserted it into the slot. It glowed a blinding white, and Niriko suddenly lost control of her own mouth. As if it was some sort of a spellbinder, she yelled out her war cry.
�Sorushinaaaaaaa!�
Niriko still holding onto the sword�s hilt, the wall slid into its adjacent partner, creating an open doorway. Niriko pulled her sword free as the wall disappeared into the �threshold�. Before her stood a brightly-lit room—though Niriko couldn�t tell by what; there was no apparent source of the light. And on every wall, thousands of Red Dragon runes were etched in, not leaving a square inch of blank space in the four-walled room.
Xellos tapped Niriko on the shoulder, startling her out of her awed stupor. �I�ll be going now,� he said.
�Going?� Niriko growled. �What do you mean, going?�
�Well, I�m to fetch my instructor,� he replied, smirking. �Bye!�
He teleported away.
�Miss Lina, are you sure you know where you�re going?� Filia panted as she ran alongside Lina and the others through the twisting corridors of the temple ruins.
�As a matter of fact, Filia�no,� Lina admitted. �In fact, I think we�ve been going around in circles for a while!�
�Well that�s nice to know,� Chame snapped.
�I just wish we knew where Miss Niriko was!� Amelia wailed.
�Why the hell do you think we�re here?!� Kadachi exploded. Amelia shrank back.
�Calm down,� Zel ordered. �We haven�t got time to waste arguing. For all we know, Niriko�s life is in danger!�
�It probably is,� Lina remarked.
�That�s just Niriko for you,� Shunozike added.
�Well, come on!� Yamato said. �Let�s not just sit around! Let�s go find Niriko!�
Niro was just a little bit surprised when Xellos suddenly reappeared in front of him in his room at the local inn, but he hid it. He didn�t want this powerful creature to think he was weak—whether or not it was true. Of course, Niro mused, it wasn�t.
�I have Niriko,� Xellos reported.
�Good,� Niro said. �Take me to her.�
Xellos lightly gripped the bandit�s hand and promptly teleported himself and his instructor to the ruins where Niriko waited.
As soon as Niriko could feel the presence of the demon priest again, she whirled around in anger.
�Xellos!� she raged. �What do you—Niro?!�
Was she hallucinating? Why was Niro standing beside Xellos, looking quite smug. And then it dawned on Niriko.
�Xellos!� she sputtered, struggling with words. She backed away, step by step, shaking her head furiously. �Xellos—you—you—you�ve turned against us—this isn't just one of your—your pranks—�
�Pranks, Niriko?� Xellos said mildly. �I have no idea what you�re talking about.�
Niriko was practically on the verge of tears. Sure, Xellos got Niriko and her friends into trouble a lot, but it was never serious—and if it was, he always helped them out. But�here he was, standing beside the man she had sworn death on twelve years before.
Niriko suddenly found it very hard to breathe. She clutched at her neck, gasping for air. Because of the lack of air, it took her to realize it was a spell, making her throat seize up. And through blurred and clouded vision, Niriko could see Xellos smirking, moving his fingers in a strange gesture.
�Xellos�� she gasped. �Stop it�it�s�it�s not�funny�Xellos! Why�uhh��
And Niriko collapsed to the floor with a shudder, still trying to breathe.
�All right, Xellos,� Niro said sharply. �You�ve had your fun.� The bandit looked at Xellos straight in the eyes, and the monster stopped at once.
Fun�? Niriko�s clouded-over mind couldn�t process the thought.
�Now it�s my turn,� Niro continued softly.
His turn�Niriko, her lungs working properly again, was able to hoist herself up onto shaky legs.
�Come on, Niriko,� Niro prodded. �Don�t make this easy. That would make your death all the more dishonorable!�
�My death would be dishonorable in any setting, should you be the one to kill me,� Niriko said quietly.
Niro didn�t miss the insult in that remark.
�You dirty little witch,� he sneered.
�That�s the most pathetic line I�ve ever heard from a clever bandit such as yourself,� Niriko replied calmly.
�Draw your sword, Inverse,� he snapped.
�That won�t be necessary,� Niriko told him placidly.
Niro blinked. �What�what do you mean?� he said. Then he spread his arms wide, smiling cruelly. �Surely your magic tricks won�t impress me.�
�I�ve far outgrown the parlor trick of pulling a rabbit out of a hat,� Niriko shot back coldly, and then she too grinned. �I�m sure that this little spell won�t fail to leave you rubbing your eyes in disbelief.�
Niro, absorbed in self-confidence, smiled openly. �Try me,� he said simply.
Niriko backed up and took a deep breath.
�Lord of dreams that terrify; sword of cold and darkness,� she began. Niro arched his eyebrows. He hadn't heard this spell before�
�Heed yourself from the heaven�s bonds,� Niriko continued, placing her hands as though she were holding her blade. �Become one with my power, one with my body, and let us walk the path of destruction together�� Niriko�s voice rose steadily in a crescendo, becoming harsher by the second. �Power that can smash through even the souls of the gods! Ragna Blade!�
Suddenly, something huge and black formed itself in Niriko�s waiting hands�a sword, comprised completely of pure dark energy! Niriko�s head—which had been bent down in concentration—lifted, her eyes ablaze with the rush of battle.
She raised her arms, jumped, and brought the Ragna Blade down in a crashing arc, just barely missing Niro as he sidestepped quickly out of the way.
�You are a foolish girl,� Niro roared as he dodged yet another one of her deadly Ragna strikes. �I�ll show you what real magic is! Hellfire Hand!�
Suddenly, Niro�s right hand was engulfed by swirling flames, the fire hungrily licking at his bare flesh. He drove that hand, balled into a fist, into Niriko�s stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Her concentration on the spell disturbed, the Ragna Blade disappeared, and Niriko fell to the ground.
�You�re a bit rusty, Niriko,� Niro taunted, standing over her. �You really are making this far too easy—oof!�
Niro doubled over in pain, his opponent having double-kicked him in the stomach. Niriko stood up quickly, smirking.
�Looks like you�re a bit rusty, old Niro,� she remarked.
In response, the bandit shouted, �Flare Arrow!�
The spell just barely hit Niriko, who�d nimbly jumped aside. However, it grazed her arm, burning through the fabric of her clothing and scorching her shoulder.
�Your aim�s a little off, bandit,� Niriko teased.
�And so shall it be with your head, Inverse!� Niro spat.
�Nice choice of words,� Niriko commented cruelly. �That actually sounds threatening. But, well, I hold the sword, and I�m afraid that the same can be said for you!�
And in one liquid movement that took no longer than a second, Niriko had drawn her double-edged blade and was facing Niro with it.
�Now the battle begins,� Niro laughed. �I was wondering what you were doing with that black sword spell of yours. You actually looked like you were going to try and kill me with that. And after you�d sworn to slay me with that blade you�re holding now!�
Niriko grinned wickedly, her teeth flashing. �The Ragna Blade? I was merely warming up. I keep my promises, Niro!�
Niro laughed mirthlessly. �Ah, but you shouldn�t make promises you don�t know that you can honor, my dear Niriko Inverse.�
�If I�ve ever been sure of an oath, it�s the one that I made thirteen years ago!� Niriko raged. �Strike of Lightning!�
Her blade flared with electricity, forks of lightning climbing all over the hard steel. Niriko swung the blade in a high arc, which Niro dodged.
�Years of practice,� he explained offhandedly to the silently watching Xellos, who seemed somewhat surprised at the man�s agility.
�Ah,� was the short reply.
However, Niriko was unconcerned with the traitor monster. I�ll deal with him later, she decided. After I take care of Niro!
�SORUSHIINAAAA!� Niriko drove on, jabbing and swinging at her sworn enemy, who repeatedly dodged all of her attempts. Finally, a high kick from Niro disarmed Niriko, and Xellos stepped in front of the enchanted blade, preventing her from retrieving it.
�Very well,� Niriko murmured. She sighed somewhat theatrically. �It always comes back to this.�
By then Niro had begun to guess at what Niriko was attempting. He backed against the wall.
�You wouldn�t,� he sputtered. �You—your friends are in here�you�ll kill them if you do it!�
Niriko actually laughed a little at that. �Niro, you are such an idiot,� she told him mercilessly. �Just yesterday I fired a Dragon Slave at them, and they�re all still in fine health, for the most part.� Niriko cocked her head to the side. �Did you actually think I intended to kill you with a Dragon Slave?� she continued. �Come on, Niro�you know I know you better than that. My best shot would be firing a Giga Slave at you, but that would most certainly kill my friends.� She advanced a step menacingly. �Now, just hold still, Niro,� she said softly. �This shouldn�t hurt a man of such strength�
�Darkness beyond twilight; crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hands. Let the fools who stand before me destroyed by the power you and I possess. Dragon Slave!�
They all heard the explosion, and they all recognized the raging voice.
�We�ve found her, all right!� Lina shouted. �Come on—follow the sound of the stones falling!�
Niro lay on the floor, only slightly injured—though the wind had been knocked from him. Xellos, who had teleported away as Niriko had cast the spell and then returned just a split second after the damage had been done, sat hovering in a corner unharmed. Niriko stood, her body half-bent over, breathing hard.
�Come on, Niro,� she said. �Get up. That didn�t hurt much, did it?�
Niro winced, getting up. �Only just a bit,� he replied. �Now, Niriko�I think it�s my turn.�
�Fireball!�
Xellos, Niro, and Niriko turned to see Lina and the others standing defiantly in the frame of what had used to be the wall to their left.
�Xellos!� Kadachi screamed the second she saw the demon. �You will so pay for this!�
Xellos merely looked down his nose at her. Though he spoke no words, his expression spoke volumes. This wasn�t the Xellos they knew�
And then Lina saw Niro. She placed a hand on Kadachi�s shoulder.
�It�s not Xellos�s fault,� Lina said quietly. �Look. If Niro�s involved in this��
Kadachi turned and saw the black-haired bandit standing nearby.
Niriko, unexpectedly, was not thrilled at all to see her cousin and her friends. In fact, she seemed rather ticked off.
�It�s all well and fine for you guys to show up, but don�t interrupt me!� she snapped. �I�m busy—can�t you see that?�
�Niriko!� Chame said. �We just came to save your life! Doesn�t that mean anything to you?!�
�Of course it does!� Niriko shouted, irritated. �But at the moment I�m a bit occupied, Chame—you know what you can do? Go distract Xellos or something!�
So, as Lina, Filia, Jillas, Amelia, Zel, Gourry, Yamato, Kadachi, Chame, and Shunozike cornered Xellos, Niriko retrieved her sword from the ground. And so now there were two battles going on in the room: one of swords and magic�and one of beating the crap out of a monster with Amelia�s Justice Song.
As Niriko�s sword clashed with Niro�s, Amelia struck up a tune and started to sing.
�A who girl has justice on her side never has to fear�� she began.
�Amelia, please,� Kadachi said, wincing and putting her hands up to her ears. �Can we choose something that won�t injure me, too?�
Amelia looked a little hurt, but she agreed. Lina, however, chose the new form of torture for Xellos.
�Oh, Xellos,� she said menacingly, cracking her knuckles, �we�re going to have so much fun��
Xellos, still every bit under Niro�s spell, wasn�t at all fazed. He looked at Lina with the same expression he�d thrown at Kadachi. �Oh?� he said.
Kadachi, totally infuriated by his attitude, was unable to reply—which is probably a good thing, due to the language content—because at that moment, Yamato had distracted all of them by leaping forward and drawing his sword at the same time, crying, �Niriko!�
And they saw why right away. Niriko was lying on the ground, Niro's sandaled foot pressed against her throat. Her sword was still clutched tightly in one hand, but Niro's other foot was stepping on her arm, preventing her from using the blade in the first place.
Then they saw just what Yamato planned to do about it, and, in Lina's opinion, it was quite well-thought-out for two reasons: the fact that it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction of pure emotion, and the fact that Yamato was an ignorant fool most of the time.
Yamato jumped up, and in mid-leap, resheathed his sword. Then, thrusting one leg out, he neatly kicked Niro off of the sorceress, and sent him flying. Yamato slid with him for a short distance, and then stopped and stood up, brushing himself off, watching Niro continue along the floor driven by momentum. The bandit hit the opposite wall with a crack, and he was knocked unconscious. Yamato looked placidly at his friends, who were all shocked beyond belief at his graceful agility.
�I'm an elf, remember?� he reminded them. �It's part of being what I am.�
�But—Yamato!� Lina choked out. �You—you're so clumsy all of the time!�
Yamato's calm expression changed to one of those half-closed-eyes looks. �Gee, thanks,� he said sarcastically.
�That just goes to show we don't know Yamato as well as we thought,� Chame remarked.
�Thanks, Yamato.�
The others turned around, and Xellos took that opportunity to teleport away without them noticing. Standing on two shaky legs before them was Niriko, who slowly resheathed her sword. Yamato was pretty shocked. He hadn't expected much of a thank-you, knowing how much he knew Niriko hated him—or did he?
�Um�what?� Yamato asked, not sure he'd heard right.
�Thanks.� And with that one uttered word, Niriko collapsed onto the floor.
Well, there he had it. Niriko had appreciated what he'd done�Yamato was on the verge of fainting himself. However, Lina had something else on her mind.
�We've got to get her out of here,� Lina ordered, �and preferably before Niro wakes up. I'd rather that I didn't have to deal with him at the moment.�
�Xellos!� Kadachi practically screamed.
�Kadachi, now is not the time to deal with your lovelife problems,� Lina snapped impatiently.
�No, Lina!� Kadachi shrieked. �Xellos is gone!�
And they all turned around to see that the corner behind them was empty. Zelgadis groaned loudly.
�Oh, God!� he yelled. �Why do we have to deal with that stupid monster?!�
�We're going to have to, sooner or later,� Chame pointed out. �Now that we know it was Niro's fault, we're going to have to find out what the hell possessed him to even go near that bandit!�
�And after I told him not to, too!� Lina said angrily. Then she sighed. �Come on. Let's get Niriko out of here.�
�I'll carry her,� Yamato offered. Lina actually laughed.
�Yeah, right,� she snorted. �She�d kill you, remember? I�ll carry her.�
�But you�re smaller than her,� Yamato pointed out. Lina couldn�t argue with that, and besides, she saw that no matter what, Yamato still loved Niriko. She sighed and gave up willingly.
�Fine, Yamato,� she said. �But, hey, it�s your funeral.�
So Yamato carefully picked up the unconscious Niriko, and then started to walk out. But then he stopped suddenly.
�Uh�do any of you guys remember the way out?� he asked uncertainly.
�Oh, crap.� Lina slapped her hand to her face.
�I�ll teleport us all out,� Kadachi offered, and she did. The next second, they were in their inn room. Yamato gently laid down Niriko on the couch.
�I�m sorry.�
They all spun around very quickly, and saw Xellos standing there. He wasn�t hovering or reclining, and there wasn�t a smirk on his face, or any trace of smugness to be found. In fact, his open eyes portrayed an emotion none of them could identify. And then it hit them all at once: it was remorse.
Kadachi, however, was far too angry to care. She started on him at once.
�You�re sorry?� she raged. �You�re sorry after you nearly got Niriko killed?! Well, let me tell you, Xellos, sorry just won�t do it when Niriko�s dead the next time you try to pull something like that off!�
Xellos almost looked as if he was going to cry. �Let me just explain before you all go and try to kill me, all right?� he pleaded. Kadachi opened her mouth to yell at him again, but Lina stopped her.
�Just let him talk,� she said firmly.
�Whatever,� Kadachi muttered.
�It really wasn�t my fault,� Xellos started. �It�s like you said, Lina—Niro just has this power to possess others!�
�But I told you to stay away from him!� Lina snapped. �Don�t you possess enough common sense to stay away from him if you know he can control people�s minds?!�
�But I did stay away from him!� Xellos protested. �He approached me in a tavern the night before�Lina, please believe me. I didn�t recognize him right away. By the time I�d realized who he was, it was too late!�
�What do you mean, too late?� Chame inquired, raising her eyebrows.
�I believe I�ve discovered where that controlling power lies,� Xellos explained. �It�s in his eyes. He�d locked my eyes with his, and�� Xellos shuddered. �I don�t remember much after that night.�
�Well, Xellos, tell us exactly what you do remember,� Zel ordered.
Xellos thought for a moment. �After I�d seen his eyes, I got the feeling I was being pulled in somehow. I found that I could neither lie, or refuse to answer him. He asked me what my name was, and I think I said, �Xellos, a priest�. He asked me if I knew Niriko, and I said yes. I really didn�t want to, but I had to—it was his eyes! He gave me instructions to bring Niriko to a certain room in the temple, unlock some door, and then fetch him back to see Niriko. Then, before I left, he asked me under whom I served, since I said I was a priest. I told him that it was Zelas, he dismissed me, and I teleported away.�
�You teleported away?� Lina repeated. �Xellos, didn�t you realize how stupid that was?!�
�Lina, by then I couldn�t have told left from right. I was completely under that damned spell of his!�
Lina sighed. �God, this is so complicated!� she shouted. �Xellos, you can go. We�ll take care of things from here.�
But Xellos remained, clutching his staff tightly.
�What do you want, Xellos?� Kadachi demanded.
�I�m not going to let you just �take care of things�,� he said. �Firstly, I�ve got something personal against Niro now, so I�m not going to take this lying down.�
�You know Niriko�d never let you kill him,� Chame reminded him.
�I don�t care,� Xellos replied airily. �I�ll just help track him down for you, and then maybe play with him a bit.� Xellos flashed a wicked grin at that point, and then turned serious again. �Secondly, I really owe Niriko an apology. She definitely didn�t deserve what I did.�
Now that came as a surprise to the others. Lina started to protest.
�Xellos, all you did was hand her over to Niro,� she told him. �Niriko would�ve ended up doing the same thing herself, since we were going to the ruins that day anyway!�
Xellos gave her a look so brutally sorrowful, so truthfully determined, that Lina nearly fainted.
�I didn�t just play delivery boy, Lina,� he said quietly. �I threatened to kill her. Sure, I�ve nearly gotten you all killed a few times, but I�d never willingly do it myself! And that�s not all, Yamato,� he added when the elven Gabriev opened his mouth. �I put a spell on her, and held it for far too long, too. It�s a horrible spell that makes people�s throats seize up so they can�t breathe. I held it on her for so long, she nearly passed out! And then, do you know what Niro said to me after she�d collapsed? He said, �Okay, Xellos, you�ve had your fun�. And that�s what it was to me at the time—a game! Do you know how sick that makes me feel?�
Then they all realized how truly sorry Xellos was for what he�d done, and not even Kadachi could find something to yell at him for.
�Xellos,� Chame said after an awkward silence, �we believe you. But for now�we can�t do anything, so�you can just leave now.�
�I�m going to help you, whether you like it or not," Xellos said firmly.
�We know!� Kadachi burst out. �But Xellos, when you�re serious, you�re even more annoying that usual, so just go now, will you, and act like you did before!�
A sudden, familiar smile broke over Xellos's face. �Well, if you insist, Kadachi��
Kadachi, suddenly realizing what she had just done, took a step backwards. �Xellos�� she said. �I didn�t actually mean that!�
�Oh, but you sure sounded like it�� Xellos's devilish grin didn�t look too good to Kadachi. She ran out the door, Xellos chasing after her and yelling, �Come back, Kadachi!�
�Not if you�re right behind me!� was the wailing reply.
Lina sighed. �Well, I guess things are more or less back to normal,� she remarked.
�If you can call it normal,� Zel added.
Kadachi returned about twenty minutes later, reporting that she had beaten the crap out of Xellos, and that he was now lying hogtied on the side of a road about thirty miles west. The next morning, they all awoke to find Niriko just waking up herself, her wounds almost nearly healed from the day before. Niriko, it seemed, wasn�t the least bit put out despite the previous day�s skirmish, and her will remained strong on the fact that she wanted to investigate the temples.
�But Niriko, Niro�s probably still there, waiting for you!� Lina protested.
�Yeah, right,� Niriko snorted. �Niro�s going to have one helluva headache to take care of today, thanks to Yamato, and I think he comes before anything else in his life.�
�But Miss Niriko�� Filia tried. �You�re�not fully healed yet!�
�Not fully healed?� Niriko said. �All I had were a few nicks from his sword and a singed shoulder. I think I�m fine by today.�
�But—� Amelia started.
�Oh, why are you even wasting your time?� Niriko groaned. �You all know we�re just going to end up going to the ruins anyway, so why don�t we just end the argument here and go?�
Shunozike laughed. �She�s got a point,� he remarked.
So as it turned out, they all immediately gave into Niriko�s will, and Niriko led them back to the ruins. On the way, she questioned them about Xellos�s involvement in Niro�s death plot against her.
�So Xellos really wasn�t acting on his own free will,� Niriko concluded after they�d retold the previous night�s conversation.
�Nope.� Lina shook her head. �And he�s even promised he�s going to help us with tracking Niro down. He says that he�s got something personal against Niro now.�
�But Xellos isn�t going to kill him, right?� Niriko asked.
�No,� Chame replied. �But he mentioned something about �playing with him a bit�.�
Niriko grinned. �That�ll be something worth seeing.� Then they reached the ruins, and Niriko suddenly stopped.
�What is it now?� Zel demanded.
�It�s just that�Xellos took me to a certain room,� Niriko explained. �We could find it, except Xellos sealed off the back.�
�Well, we just won�t go to that room,� Gourry said.
�That�s the room I specifically wanted to study,� Niriko said dryly. �I wouldn�t have brought it up if I didn�t think it was important.�
�Where�s Xellos when ya need �im?� Jillas muttered.
�Well, right here, of course!� Xellos was floating over them with his usual lackadaisical air about him.
�Don�t you dare lead us into another trap,� Lina told him. �You�ll take all of us, and all at once!�
�To that little room with the sword-key-thing?� he asked uncertainly. �Well, erm, if you say so!�
�You could�ve told us it was gonna be cramped, Xellos,� Lina remarked. They were all jammed into the tiny room where Xellos had taken Niriko the day before, and since it was so tiny, all twelve of them—including Louie—were smushed together.
"I suggest that you all make room, since I�ve got to draw my sword," Niriko commented. "I wouldn�t want to have to do any stitching after this is over."
"Niriko, you don�t have to be so violent about it," Zel chided.
"Of course I do," Niriko told him.
"If we can�t move these rocks a few feet back, I�ll have to use a Fireball," Lina warned them.
"Let�s get moving, then!" Yamato said hastily. He was one of the people at the back, so he steeled himself against the wall, and proceeded to shove the large boulder in front of him back. The others weren�t prepared, however, when the elf actually succeeded to slide it back a yard or so, and they all fell to the ground.
"You�re just full of surprises, aren�t you, Yamato?" Chame said.
"You shouldn�t underestimate me so much," Yamato replied.
"We shouldn�t overestimate you, either," Niriko drawled. Suddenly, the other rocks, which had been supported by the one Yamato had pushed, came crashing down on the hapless elf. Niriko looked down at the pile of rocks and rubble that covered Yamato. "See what I mean?"
Then she turned to the opposite wall and ran her hand lightly over its surface until she found the thin slot for her sword. Drawing her enchanted blade, she thrusted it into the slot, crying as she had before, "Sorushinaaa!"
And just like it had done the last time, the wall began to slide into the frame, forming a doorway, and Niriko jerked her sword free. Then she turned to her stupefied companions.
"Well, are you coming?" she demanded. Then she turned around and entered the large room, the others following close behind.
"Hey, Niriko�" Lina said, "is it just me, or did I just dream that I blasted away that wall over there?" Niriko gave her a weird look, so Lina continued. "Well, remember I Fireballed the wall over there for us to get in? Well, I�ve got news for you, Niriko, but the wall�s still there!"
And she was right. The wall to their left was no longer in ruins—in fact, none of them were. They were all in perfect condition, in fact.
"That�s really strange," Shunozike commented. "It looks the same as the other walls—good as new!"
Filia actually laughed. "Well, of course it does!" she exclaimed.
The others turned to stare.
"Oh, I forgot how little you all know of dragon temples, or dragon customs in general," she said in a sort of lofty tone. "As it is with all dragon ruins, they repair themselves if they�re partially destroyed! And the Red Dragons were no exception. Erm, these are Red Dragon ruins, right, Miss Niriko?"
Niriko nodded. "The Red Dragons have a certain distinct way of writing. Most of the dragon alphabets are script-like, but the Red Dragons have a more of a print-like alphabet."
"So�why this room in particular?" Zel wanted to know.
"It�s way different from the others," Niriko explained. "See how every square inch is covered in rooms? I�m thinking it�s a kind of a history room. Am I right, Filia?"
"Whatever you say, Miss Niriko," Filia said blankly.
"What do you mean?" Lina asked.
"Well, I wouldn�t know!" Filia laughed. �I only know how to read Golden Dragon runes!�
Xellos laughed. �Oh, so your people didn�t really believe in thorough education?� he said. �That�s pretty sad when you think about it. A human is more literate in dragon alphabets than an actual dragon! Oh, that�s a riot!�
Filia turned bright red. �It�s not my fault, you stupid monster!� she raged. �It�s all the Supreme Elder�s! And I think we both know that the Supreme Elder didn�t care too much for his own people!�
�Well, you�re right about that, Filia,� Xellos replied thoughtfully.
Meanwhile, Niriko was reading over the runes on the wall opposite the one they�d come through. She ran her fingers over the pictures etched into the solid stone, but she was really only paying attention to the actual words. Xellos, seeing her puzzled expression, came over to look.
�Is this in ancient words, too?� he inquired.
�No,� Niriko responded absent-mindedly. �I can read it, but��
�But what?� Kadachi persisted.
�It doesn�t really make any sense,� Niriko answered. �Here. I�ll read it to you�
��Long ago, before the War of the Monsters� Fall, the Red Dragons were led and ruled by the Teyo Ria Lord, a part-Red Dragon, part-human sorceress leader. When the War of the Monsters� Fall came, she led them into battle with her enchanted sword. Legend had it that it could slay even the most powerful monster with a single strike, and that no god, demon or man could lay hand to it but the Teyo Ria Lord herself. The Teyo Ria Lord, however, was slain early in the war by a monster of incredible strength, and he shattered her blade into a thousand pieces. This sword was the only of its kind, with eight magics attached to it: that of Fire, that of Water, that of Ice, that of Wind, that of Lightning, that of Earth, that of Life, and that of Death. When the Teyo Ria Lord was not in battle, she took the form of a human sorceress, and changed back and forth through the use of a magical amulet. As all great warlords do, the Teyo Ria Lord named her sword, and used its name as her infamous warcry.
��The Red Dragon Prophecy states that the Teyo Ria Lord will one day be reborn. The Prophecy reads as follows:
��Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she be reborn as a human; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will it be forged again by her greatest enemy; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will the human and the newly-forged sword reunite; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will the human come to know of her history; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she return to this temple and retrieve that amulet which was lost; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she resume her holy form and her throne; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she slay thine enemy that forged her sword; long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will the Dragons of Red come together once more.��
Niriko turned to her friends, sweat working her paled face. The others, however, did not understand the Prophecy as she did, and so Amelia asked, �Wow, Miss Niriko—what does it mean?�
�That�s what I�d like to know,� Zel muttered. �Why do all those prophecies have to be so cryptic?!�
�It means,� Niriko said, �that I�m the Teyo Ria Lord.�
Lina looked at her, and then started laughing. �Ahaa! That�s a good one, Niriko—you�re the warlord of the Red Dragons! Woohooaahaa! No really, what does it mean?�
�Uh, Lina,� Chame said, �I think she�s serious.�
Lina stopped laughing abruptly. �Oh,� she said.
�Why d�you think that, Niriko?� Gourry questioned.
Niriko turned back to the wall and looked at it until her eyes fell on a certain drawing. �C�mere,� she said, and all of them obeyed, stepping forward to see the picture. Niriko carefully drew her sword and held it flat up against the wall next to the diagram.
�Compare the two,� she told them. After a few seconds, Amelia gasped.
�They�re—they�re the same!� she cried.
�That�s the Teyo Ria sword that this is all about,� Niriko explained. �See these characters?� She pointed to a line of symbols above the drawing. �That says, �Sorushina, The Blade of the Teyo Ria Sword�.�
�Sorushina?� Yamato repeated. �But�that�s your warcry, isn�t it, Niriko?�
�Very perceptive of you,� Niriko said dryly. �It�s also Teyo Ria�s warcry, and the name of her sword. It all makes sense, doesn�t it? �Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she be reborn as a human�. That�s me! �Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will the human and the newly-forged sword reunite�. I�ve got my sword, don�t I? And look at those diagrams. You can�t argue with that! And then�there�s that part in the history where the protection spell on my sword was mentioned.�
�Protection spell?� Zel inquired.
�It�s a certain passage,� Niriko explained. �It reads, �no god, demon or man could lay hand to her sword but Teyo Ria herself�. Cryptically, it means that only she could touch it. That�s the way it is with my sword, and that�s why Niro didn�t try to pick it up after he�d disarmed me yesterday.�
�I don�t believe it,� Xellos said airily. �I think that little paragraph was a result of the fact that the Red Dragons practically worshipped the Teyo Ria Lord, and that they believed that she was flawless. That�s why they�re all broken up now; they can�t get over the loss of Teyo Ria.�
�Would you care to try it, Xellos?� Niriko offered innocently. She lay down her sword in front of him, and the others got a little frantic.
�Are you crazy?!� Zel exploded. �That�s a double-edged enchanted sword, and you�re handing it over to a monster?!�
Niriko gave him a look that said, �I know what I�m doing, smart one� and spoke volumes otherwise.
Xellos picked up the sword, holding it with a two-handed grip like Niriko did. �See? It�s just a silly misconception,� he said smugly. �It�s got no protection sp—AHH!� Xellos dropped the blade quickly, and jumped up, waving his hands around.
�Aahha!� he wailed. They could all clearly see that his gloved hands were smoking. �Crap, Niriko—ouch! You were right! Owowowowow! That damned sword burns anyone else�s hands to pieces but yours!� Tears of pain streamed down the demon�s face. �Ahaa! I�m out of here!� And he teleported away, still cursing and screaming.
Niriko casually retrieved her fallen blade, holding it with one hand. �Anyone else want a go at it?� she asked them, lightly waving it in front of them. The others backed away quickly.
�Well then, back to my reasoning,� she said. She turned back to the wall of the Prophecy, and frowned. �There�s something that really bothers me.�
�Wot is it?� Jillas questioned.
�You wouldn�t understand,� Niriko told him.
�Try me,� the fox challenged.
�It�s two certain lines of the Prophecy,� she stated. �The first one says, �Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will it be forged again by her greatest enemy�, and the other one reads, �Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she slay thine enemy that forged her sword�.�
�Well, then, we�ve got to figure out who it is!� Shunozike exclaimed.
�I already know who it is,� Niriko said impatiently. �It�s just that�well, like I said, you wouldn�t understand.�
�Will ya jus� try �n explain it anyway?!� Jillas snapped.
�Sheesh,� Niriko said. �Well, that enemy that�s mentioned is�Niro.� A certain silence hung over the room. Then Chame spoke up.
�You mean�Niro forged that sword?� she choked out.
Niriko sighed. �I guess I�d better tell you what happened that night.� Even though she didn�t say it, the others all knew that she was talking about the night Niro killed her parents.
�I�d better back up a bit,� she began. �When Niro was about my age, he was the apprentice to my village�s smith. To complete his apprenticeship, he needed a final project that his master would approve of, therefore making Niro a real smith.
�Now, even though Niro wasn�t a bandit then, he was still a crazy, evil young man, and he hated all sorcerers or anyone who possessed even the most rudimentary magic ability.�
�Why�s that?� Gourry interrupted.
�Because he didn�t have magic himself,� Niriko said. �He wished to have magic so much that it drove him to hate—and want to kill-any sorcerer or wizard out there.�
�That doesn�t make sense,� Kadachi pointed out. �Isn�t he a black magic sorcerer?�
�I�m getting to that,� Niriko snapped. �Anyway, he especially hated my parents—all because they were the only ones with magic in our village. I�d hate to say it, but most everyone in my village despised my parents in some small way. It was nothing intentional, but when they moved there before I was born, there were a few witch-doctors and fortune-tellers there, but my parents were the most powerful ones there. Eventually my parents drove away all the others because the villagers would come to them instead of the others, therefore running them out of business.
�Well, back to Niro. For his final project he would forge a sword—and not just any sword. It would be a sturdy double-edged blade that was sharper than any knife or sword on the face of the earth. And it would be the one to kill my parents.
�It just so happened to be a twist of fate that this sword should be the �reincarnation�, if you will, of Teyo Ria�s blade. The second he finished putting it together, something happened that was so miraculous that I don�t think Niro even fully understands it. Quite literally, the magic exploded from the sword. Since Niro was not a sorcerer at the time, and nor was he a Red Dragon, he could not put the eight spells on the sword the way it was supposed to be. Therefore, the sword did that itself.
�However, fate played another small part in this. Niro should have, by all means, been killed&mdashno, totally obliterated—by the magical explosion, since it blew the smithy to pieces and very well killed the smith himself, who lived in the apartment above the smithy. But it didn�t. Instead, it gave Niro the power of black magic. Niro, however, still wanted to kill my parents.�
�Why?� Chame demanded. �He got his magic, didn�t he?�
�Because my parents did something he could never forgive,� Niriko continued.
�What�s that?� Yamato asked fearfully.
�They saved his life.� The heavy silence that hung over the room got heavier still. �This was a long time ago, before I was even born—right after my parents moved to the village. Well, Niro was twelve or so, when he went out playing in the woods that surrounded our village. However, it�s filled with trolls, and he was nearly killed. My parents found him and restored him back to full health—using their magic.
�Anyway, back to the sword. My parents knew of his hatred of them, and so when he forged the blade, they were more than a little suspicious. However, my parents thought that he may have a kind heart underneath his hard exterior, so they didn�t think much of it.
�Niro, sensing he may need a bit of help, went out into the forest in search of some vagabonds. He got about twenty, called them bandits, and took them to my house one night.� Now Niriko�s voice had a bitter, hateful tone to it. �Then he killed my parents with this damned sword. He was laughing his head off like some crazed maniac&mdashwhich he was, by the way—until he suddenly remembered that his now-dead enemies had had a child, who was also being trained in the art of sorcery. He reached for his sword, but as soon as he picked it up, the same thing happened to him that just happened to Xellos here. I was only six years old at the time, but for some reason I was able to lift it up after he�d dropped it, and then I swung it at him with all the strength I could manage. I slashed him right across the face, screaming �Sorushina�. Have you ever seen that scar right below his left eye? That�s what it�s from.
�Anyway, I was scared out of mind and more than a little surprised at my own actions, so, dragging the sword behind me, I ran right out of the house and into the woods. That�s where I later met Louie, but that�s not the important thing.�
The others were all totally silent, and then Niriko spoke again as if nothing had happened.
�There is still one final thing about the Red Dragon Prophecy that�s bugging me, and I�ve got an idea of what it might mean.�
�W�what�s that?� Yamato asked.
�It�s the line of the Prophecy that says, �Long after the blade of Teyo Ria is shattered will she return to this temple and retrieve that amulet which was lost�,� Niriko replied. �That�s what�s got me confused.�
�You said that you had an idea of what it meant,� Zel said. �What�s your idea?�
�Well, the Red Dragon�s history of the Teyo Ria Lord included mention of some kind of transformation amulet,� Niriko explained. �And I think the Prophecy is referring to the same thing. However, there�s no explanation here as to how I�m supposed to get it...�
�You haven�t even read all the walls, yet, Niriko,� Shunozike reminded her. �How do you know that somewhere in here, there isn�t a way to retrieve it?�
Niriko slammed her fist into the palm of her other hand. �You�re right!�
Niriko�s mood improved significantly in a split second. �Come on, everyone! Let�s look for it!�
The others just stood there, staring at her. �We don�t know how to read the runes, Niriko,� Yamato pointed out.
�Oh. Right.� Niriko studied the Red Dragon history for a moment, and then turned to the others. �Come here, guys,� she said. Her companions obeyed. �See this word?� Niriko pointed to a series of the symbols. �This means amulet. Search the walls and tell me if you find it again. Okay? Go!�
The others took a quick glance at the word again, and then set to work. In a few minutes, Gourry had something. �Hey! Niriko! Look at this!�
Niriko came over to look. �Gourry, that says �dragon�,� she said.
Gourry looked a little disappointed. �Oh.�
So they continued until Gourry called out again. �Niriko! I think this is it!� he exclaimed. A little annoyed, Niriko came back to take a look.
�Gourry, that spells �is�!� she snapped. �Stop bugging me!�
�Sorry,� Gourry apologized.
The search continued, uneventfully and unsuccessfully, when Gourry shouted again.
�Gourry, leave me alone,� Niriko said through gritted teeth. �It probably says something like �idiot�.�
�No, Niriko, I think he�s got it!� Shunozike said. �Come on!�
So Niriko reluctantly trudged over. She read it over silently. �Well, you actually got it, Gourry,� she informed him.
�What does it say?� Lina wanted to know.
�It�s in an archaic idiom,� Niriko replied. ��She that doth seek thine amulet which was lost come forth, draw thy blade, and shout the name of thy sword. Then such shall happen: she who is the Teyo Ria shall thrust thy sword into this solid wall, and that amulet which was lost shall be retrieved. And such, the Red Dragons will reunite!��
�I hate it when they do that,� Zelgadis muttered.
�Do what, Mr. Zelgadis?� Amelia asked.
�Talk like that!� Zel burst out. �It makes it sound so...ridiculous! And it makes everything so hazy and confusing!�
�Well, that�s the way it�s supposed to be,� Niriko said acidly. �If they put it there in plain speech, just anyone could walk in here and prevent me from doing this.�
�You�re going to go through with it?� Kadachi questioned. �But it says that you have to drive your sword into a wall! Think about that for a moment—a solid, stone wall!! Your sword would shatter!�
Niriko gave her an impatient look, and then drew her sword. �Sorushinaaaaaa!� she cried, and suddenly the blade was blazing white. With a two-handed grip, she thrust the sword into solid wall before them.
And something totally unexpected and illogical happened. The sword went straight into wall as if it were butter. And then suddenly, it wasn�t just the blade that was aglow—it was the entire room. Each and every single rune carved into the stone walls was shining with a bright light, and then from the ceiling shot down a beam of that sparkling light. The others were entranced by the sheer beauty and purity of the glow, and Niriko withdrew her sword.
Enchanted, she walked regally and dignified, up to the shining light, and picked up a glistening object from the center of it. It was the amulet of Teyo Ria!
Holding her sword with one hand, Niriko, now in the center of the unearthly beam of light, hung the amulet on its golden chain around her neck. It was large, framed in pure gold, and the amulet itself was bloodred, like the Red Dragons, and a thin banner—like Filia had used to have—streamed from the bottom. In the center of the amulet was a symbol they all recognized from Niriko�s sword: the symbol for Life.
And then Niriko was compelled to do something drastic—something that the Red Dragons had been waiting for and anticipating for over a thousand years. She placed her hand on the amulet, straightened out the arm that held the sword so that it was pointing horizontally, and cried out for the second time: �Sorushiinnaaaaaaa!�
The light seemed to flock from wherever it was in the room to the glow that surrounded Niriko, making the beam of light even brighter, so bright that the others could scarcely watch. And suddenly, it all went out.
Or had it? The room was still brightly lit, but Lina had lost her concentration on the Lighting Spell when Niriko had driven the sword into the wall. But yes, the light had definitely gone away. The only source of light was brightly shining figure in the center of the room, holding a double-edged blade.
�It can�t be...� Lina gasped.
�Niriko?� Yamato whispered.
�No,� Filia said quietly. �The Teyo Ria Lord!�
�I�m still Niriko, Filia,� said the figure. It was definitely Niriko�s voice, but it sounded different somehow. It seemed to echo off the walls, and very regal and commanding. �I always have been—just like I�ve always been the Teyo Ria Lord.�
�You�re not the same, Miss Niriko,� Amelia said, almost fearfully. �You—you don�t look like you!�
The figure—if it was really Niriko, they couldn�t tell—strode toward them, and they could finally see her clearly.
Amelia had been half-right—she still looked like her old self, in the sense that she was no taller, and her face was familiar. But there seemed to be a lust for battle in her eyes that hadn�t been there before, and there were markings on her forehead and around her eyes. The symbol on her forehead was the same as on her amulet and her sword. Her hair was almost the same; it still came down short on either side, but her braid was gone. In its place were three streaming strands of hair that swirled with an unseen wind.
Her attire, however, was completely unsettling. Her top had no sleeves or straps; it was just wound around her chest, and in the center of the front was a small, simple brooch. From that brooch hung a strange, silky garment, which came down in both the front and the back. She wore heeled thigh-boots, and at the ankles were tiny wing-like sets of feathers. It seemed that a bloodred ribbon floated around her back, coming up underneath her shoulders, giving her an unearthly appearance. But it was the likeness to the Red Dragons that thoroughly disturbed them.
The telltale wings of a Red Dragon spread from her back, but they were decorated with feathers, unlike any other dragon that had ever lived. And then there was the tail. It was just like Filia�s, except it was red and longer. The end looked something like Filia�s—which looked like an upside-down heart—but it was not round in any way; only pointed, and the tip looked so sharp that one might think one could cut oneself on it. Secured on both sides were identical likenesses of the Life symbol, with two sets of feathers and two short red ribbons streaming down from them. This wasn�t—at the same time, still was—the Niriko they thought they had known.
�Niriko...� Chame said, nearly speechless. �I—I...you...you�re the warlord of the Red Dragons!�
�I can see that, Chame,� Niriko/the Teyo Ria Lord said flatly. Then she grinned slightly. �Well, you could say I�m up one on Niro, don�t you think?�
�Definitely,� Zel said.
�It�s just scary to see you like this,� Lina commented. �You don�t look like Niriko!�
�Whatever,� Niriko/the Teyo Ria Lord said. �Now...how about some lunch?�
�That�s definitely Niriko, all right,� Gourry muttered.
�You said it,� Jillas agreed.
�Shut up,� Niriko/the Teyo Ria Lord told them. She placed a hand over her amulet, and she changed back to the Niriko Inverse they knew. Now they were much more comfortable. Kadachi teleported them out, where they found that it was nearly sunset, they�d spent so much time in the temples. So, they went to dinner, and then slept peacefully.
�Damn you, Niriko Inverse, damn you!� Niro cursed. �I swear, I�ll get you back for this...and you�ll be the last to die.� In the darkness of his bedroom at the inn in a village fifteen miles from the temple, he smiled. �Yes, I�ll make you suffer. Oh, I�ll kill you halfway, and then make you watch your friends die. Their deaths will be quick—but yours will not.� A sudden knock on the door made Niro jump.
�What do you want?� he snapped.
�Boss, it�s me,� said a voice from the other side of the door. �I�m here to do your healing.�
�Come in, then, and hurry up,� he commanded. �Then get the other sorcerers in here. I�ve a plan to weaken Inverse.�
The door opened, and a sorcerer bandit came in, using a pathetically weak Recovery spell on his master. Then he went to fetch the other nine or so bandits in the gang, and they went to their boss�s room.
�I�ve got a good plan in mind,� Niro told them, �that�ll surely weaken Niriko. I�ll need all your strength, and we�re to do it tonight. So listen carefully...�
And they did. They took in every word, every tiny detail, of their master�s plan. It would take a lot of work...
End of Episode 4: History? The Past Holds Many Secrets!
