Slayers: Daring

 

By LejindaryBunny

The Only Slayers you’ll ever need! (Until series four comes out)

A/N: The prologue to a much longer fanfiction dealing with all the characters you know and love. Especially Lina and Zelgadiss (Not paired! I’m a Jellyfishshipper!) This chapter only has one old character in it. My favorite naughty priest! Tell me what you think or there’s no way I’m writing the whole epic! (I’m already busy with my other saga Darwinian Rhapsody, a totally awesome X-Men: Evolution fanfiction!)

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Slayers characters, just Ellone who is neither a Lina clone nor a Mary-Sue thank you very much!

Prologue: Demon Dreams

Ellone was in the most expensive room of the Griffin Feather Inn. It had everything; a fluffy feather bed with silk sheets, carpeting and a bath with complementary bath salts and perfumes. She was going strong; she felt good things on the horizon. She hummed cheerfully to herself as she got out of the large tub and toweled herself off with the large fluffy white towel. She rubbed to semi-dry her long, powder blue hair and closed her sapphire eyes happily. Yes, absolutely nothing could go wrong today.

She was Ellone Midsommer, she thought, striding gracefully over to the magnificent mahogany wardrobe. She opened it and was faced with a reflection of herself in the perfect full-length mirror. She was the picture of a beautiful woman, slender, not too tall with a feral beauty men would kill for. She pulled out her favorite long black dress. For some reason she felt the need to dress up tonight, even though she would be dining alone once more tonight.

Ah yes, the only thing that could possibly make tonight any better than it was already. She slipped the long gown over her head. It was and ruffled and billowed out so that she could look majestic doing a sweeping turn. She pulled on black fingerless gloves and fastened a jeweled choker around her neck. Putting on a pair of tiny black shoes she decided that the ensemble needed just one thing more. She took a long blue sash and tied it around her waist; a bow at her side letting the ends trail elegantly behind her. There, she thought, the picture of a young and beautiful sorceress, which, at not quite eighteen, she was.

She sat at the dresser in front of another mirror and began to brush her luxurious silky hair. He’d been gone for only a little less than a year, that one thing she longed for. Xell, the man she had met at an Inn quite like this one when she’d been only just fifteen. She remembered how he’d invited himself to her table with a smile, sitting down without even asking her permission. They had begun talking and Ellone quickly decided that she quite liked the man, who introduced himself only as Xell. In fact she’d fallen near instantly in love with the charming and mysterious stranger. He had decided, to her delight, that he would come with her as she traveled. He taught her some dark magic which she turned out to be more talented in than the elemental variety she’d been using. She learned useful spells like Gaav Flare and Demona Crystal, and the Dragon Slayer which could level a city calling on the destructive power of Shaburanigdo. He also taught her a whimsical spell calling on the power of the Beast Master Zelas, which summoned a jellyfish. Also a spell of the power of his subordinate Xelloss which was the magical equivalent of roulette.

Xell… she closed her eyes and remembered his face. He had sharp, slender features and pale skin; high cheekbones, an aristocratic, slightly pointed nose and deep dark soul devouring amethyst eyes. He had soft, violet hair that fell above his shoulders but below his chin, and was perfectly straight. He was always smiling. They traveled together for over a year squashing bandit enclaves, taking random magical assignments staying at fancy Inns; eating, drinking and generally having a good time. Then on February 19, her seventeenth birthday he told her something over dinner and a glass of fine wine.

 

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“It’s odd, really,” he said, smile taking on an oddly thoughtful cast. “I seem to have fallen in love with you. I’ve never been in love before. I was beginning to think that it was impossible.”

Ellone blinked. “You… are?” she whispered.

Xell cocked his head. “Is something wrong Elle?” he paused, eyes concerned. “Oh, dear. I see. You aren’t in love with ME are you?”

“Yes I am!” she amended quickly. “I thought you didn’t… I’ve been in love with you since you sat down at my table.”

“My, my. I barely even suspected. You’re very clever at deception… my dear.”

Her heart could have melted. “You really do love me?”

He stood and walked over behind her. He put his arms around her shoulders and his face beside her cheek. “With all my soul.”

She stood without breaking their embrace and turned to look at him. She put her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer. She looked into his endless eyes. He laughed softly. “You must be the most perfect creature since the beginning of time.”

“Flatterer. I could never be as perfect as you.” She pulled herself up, he leaned down, and they kissed warmly.

 

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Elle, still bushing her hair, sighed. She looked up into the mirror, into her own blue eyes. It had been so long since she’d seen him. Only a week after that evening he’d told her that he had to leave, that there was something important that he had to do. He’d been called to work. A potentially deadly situation, he’d said. He told her to wear always the bracelet he’d given her, so that he could find her again. He’d vanished without telling her where he was going, or what he had to do that was so very important.

Ellone glanced down from the looking glass and at the bracelet she still wore. She hadn’t taken it off not even as days turned to weeks which in turn became months. Now here she was on the new year’s festival a month from her birthday and he still wasn’t back.

“Lord, I miss you Xell,” she muttered not looking up.

“And I have missed you as well lovely.”

She looked up sharply. Reflected in the mirror she saw Xell teleport in and nearly burst for the joy that welled up in her.

“Xell!” she exclaimed leaping from her chair and whirling around, dress sweeping majestically. She practically flew to where he now stood and threw her arms around him. “You’re back!”

“I told you I would be. Did you think that I’d lie to you?”

She shook her head. “I was just worried.”

He looked around the room. “Well, where have you hidden them all?”

“All what?” she asked, puzzled.

“Your entourage of admirers of course. I don’t believe that someone as beautiful as you could possibly not have an entire slew of men after her.”

She grinned rather sheepishly, “Well, after I cast Gaav Flare on the first few…” she trailed off.

“My, my, I never expected,” he giggled, “crispy fried eh?” he smiled and held her for a moment then let her go. “Love, I need to talk to you.”

“Of course, how about over diner, I-“

“No,” he said, cutting her off. “Privately.” His eyes became deadly serious.”

She nodded and sat down at the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong Xell?”

He sat down beside her. “The second war of the gods and demons began this morning. Lord Ruby-Eye Shaburanigdo has been wakened from his thousand year slumber.”

“What? How do you know? Why? Lord?” she sputtered confusedly.

He nodded. “My mistress commanded me to oversee the process.”

“Come again?”

“Ellone, I have a secret to tell you.”

Her eyes widened. Never before had he told her one of his much- guarded secrets. She realized how little of him she knew. “What is it Xell?”

He stood and walked to the middle of the room. He raised a hand and in it materialized a tall mahogany staff with a ruby globe in it’s crook, partially wrapped in a strip of material. He tapped it once on the floor and his clothing changed from the black and indigo traveling clothes she was accustomed to into something altogether different. A black cape and cloak with a yellow stripe and red squares at the edge concealed a long sleeved tan shirt and sash and black pants tied at the ankles. He wore blue gloves and had a red gem on each as well as at his belt and the clasp of his cloak. Ellone stared at him with sudden and terrible recognition and he smiled rather mockingly and gave a sweeping bow.

“You’re XellOSS? Xelloss the trickster priest? The servant of Zelas Beastmaster? The most powerful Mazoku in existence below the five lords?! ” Xelloss was infamous. His exploits were spoken of in whispers or used to scare children into obedience.

“I’m afraid so,” he said cheerfully, eyes sparkling mischievously once more.

“I should have known. No one like you could be human. Xelloss the trickster priest, honestly.”

“Do you… hate me now?” he asked cautiously.

She lay back on the covers of the bed. “I thought that Mazoku were creatures of darkness. I thought that they couldn’t… love.”

He sat down on the floor against the wall. “True, we are creatures of darkness, but that doesn’t mean that we are incapable of love. It’s just much harder and much rarer for us. That makes it just that much more special, ne? Most Mazoku never love. But those that do? Only once.” He looked at her very seriously again. “So do you hate me then? For what I am and what I must do?”

“No,” she said quietly. “I love you Xell, nothing you can tell me will change that. Not if you were Ruby Eye himself. But I’m confused, why didn’t you tell me before? Why are you telling me now?”

He flickered out of existence for a moment then reappeared by her side. He stroked her blue hair as she stretched out, one arm fallen over the pillow. “The second war is on, a lot of people are going to die no matter who wins the war. And Shaburanigdo wins…”

“The entire world is forfeit. You don’t, don’t really want the world to end, do you?”

“This is blasphemy but,” he shook his head, “not as long as you are still with me.”

“So then why are you here? To warn me? I’d think they’d need you for the war.”

“Yes, they do need me. And no amount of warning will do any good with the full power of the Dragons and Mazoku being thrown about like so many flower petals. Eventually you’ll run into someone you cant handle, whether it be a Mazoku looking for sport or a Dragon spawn who decides you know too much dark magic for the good of the world. Or maybe you’ll get caught in the crossfire and I won’t be able to help you.”

“So then you’ve only come to say goodbye?” she asked him sadly.

“Maybe… there is of course the slight chance that both the Dragons will win the war and you survive. But it’s likely to take a very long time, especially in that scenario. And I likely won’t be able to see you at all in that time, if I even survive, which is not likely should the Mazoku lose.”

“Just how long is a long time?” she asked looking up at him.

“Perhaps a hundred years, perhaps more.”

She shut her eyes. “Then you have come to say goodbye.”

“I have come with a choice. We could have a day maybe and then say goodbye and hope for the best but oh Elle that would break my heart.”

She sat up and laid her head against his chest. “And mine.” He put his arm around her. “What’s the other choice Xell?”

Xelloss looked into her eyes. “You could stay with me for as long as the world keeps spinning.”

Her eyes narrowed. “How?” she demanded.

“I could turn you into a Mazoku,” he told her, smiling again.

“”You can do that?”

He nodded. “I was going to ask you in a few years actually. I had a much more cheerful proposal all worked out, but I guess fate doesn’t always cooperate. So I used dramatic build up instead.” He grinned.

Ellone pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow. “Ah. Hah.”

Xelloss raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t serious about everything I said. Heavens. Do you think it was a little over done though? Melodrama’s all well and good but- oh dear I seem to have gotten rather off the subject, haven’t I?”

She laughed in spite of herself. “And you’re one of the most powerful Mazoku in existence? I don’t think the world’s in much danger at all.”

“Oh but it is, now, where was I? Ah yeas, turn you into a Mazoku. Now, it might seem like the perfect solution, power, immortality, but like everything else it dose have its price. You’d be tied much more significantly to the astral plane for one thing. And you know that we feed off dark emotions while overly positive ones make us weak and rather nauseous. And you’d need to ally yourself with one of the five lords, rogue Mazoku don’t live long.” His expression darkened. “And there is one more thing.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “You’d have to die. I’d have to kill you.”

“But, I’d be alive afterwards, as a demon. With you.”

“It would still hurt. So would turning you for that matter.”

She looked up at him more than a little petulantly. “I don’t care. I want to be with you until the end of the world whether it lasts a billion years or ends tomorrow after lunch.” She crossed her arms. Had she been standing she might very well have stamped her foot.

He laughed merrily. “And you’d do this for me, lovely?”

“I would not. I’m being very selfish,” she teased. “I want to keep you to myself until the end of time and I refuse to share.”

He laughed again, eyes sparkling. “Well now that you’ve put me in my pace, dearest, we’d best get on with it before you change your mind.”

She nodded and stood. “Now how did you say this worked?”

“Do you trust me?” he stepped towards her. She nodded. He put his arms around her protectively, the globe of his staff angled at the small of her back. “I’ll make this as quick as possible,” he promised. She drew even closer to him, seeking comfort, and almost wishing that she hadn’t agreed. With two gloved fingers he drew up her chin and kissed her tenderly. The crystal on his staff turned from blood red to black and tendrils of dark power coursed crushingly into her spine. Intense pain racked her body a thousand times worse than anything she’d ever felt before, like burningly cold terrible needles piercing her from every direction. But it was only for a moment. She didn’t have time to scream. Now there was nothing and she went limp.

Xeloss hated the look of agony in her eyes and the knowledge that it was he causing it, but that was the nature of what was being done. He felt her body go slack in his arms, she was dead. Now for the awful part. Now he must bring her back, and it would hurt her infinitely more than her death. He charged his staff with dark energy again just as she was beginning to weep blood. He poured as much of his own energy into her as he could without destroying himself. He wouldn’t let the darkness work any of its perversions on her form, like horns or blue skin or a tail. She would be as perfect as he could keep her. As perfect as he could make her.

Ellone woke to pain that was like boiling ice and frigid fire screaming through her veins while Xelloss poured his soul into hers to heal and to turn her. Only vaguely aware that she was screaming she felt darkness pour through her like a tidal wave across every fiber of her being. Outside she might have heard thunder had her senses been able to register anything other than mind crushing pain. She was blinded but somehow she could feel that Xelloss’ lips were still upon hers and he was using a lot of power.

Then abruptly it stopped, the kiss broke, and the searing pain shattered. Both new Mazoku and old fell to their knees in mutual ache and exhaustion. They sat there a moment neither doing anything but breathing. One by one Ellone senses came back to her and she could see, hear, and feel more than pain again.

“Xell?” she asked the man who looked worse than she felt. “Are you alright?”

“I’ll be in a moment I just- oh dear.” He looked at her. “I had hoped to get away without it but I suppose things like this have to leave some mark.” He smiled at her confused look. “Your hair my dear.”

She took a lock and gazed at it. What had been blue was now violet, perhaps a shade or two lighter that Xell’s. “It’s okay, I kind of like it.”

“Do you feel alright?” he asked.

“If by ‘alright’ you mean ‘like death warmed over’ then yes.” She laughed a little. “Maybe we should get some rest. I paid a lot for that bed and bother if I’m not going to at least sleep in it.”

“As you wish lovely.” He held her hand and teleported the two of them onto the bed.

“Xelloss?” she said. “I love you.”

He smiled, “I love you too, Xellonn.”