"Master, I have important news to speak of." "Something new with that sorceress, Xellos?" "Actually, it is Dynast." At this, Beastmaster raised one golden eyebrow. "He has been sending out his troops, as well as his general after an unusual duo." "Strange... I would have think they would have moved on to intercept Lina and her swordman companion, Gourry. Who is this duo you speak of?" "High Priestess Sylphiel of Sairaag and King Zangulus of Xoana. A curious duo if I may say so." Xellos answered, maintaining a quirky smile and raised eyebrows. "The white priestess? What do they want with her?" "From what I can gather..." Xellos began, before noticing the impatient expression on his mistresses' face and cleared his throat. "The white priestess has a curious black magic weapon. And Dynast wants it. It does not match anything we have seen before." Zelas rasied her eyebrows. "A black magic weapon? What did it look like?" "Like a spear on steroids," Xellos answered with a straight face as he could muster. Zelas held onto her apolm quite well, fighting the urge to laugh at his description. But then something clicked in her mind. Something ancient. "No... could it be..." "Um... Mistress?" Xellos wondered what his master knew that he didn't know. "... and it has chosen the white priestess... the one who knew what the real power of the Giga Slave can result in..." Xellos suddenly blew into a bugle that startled Zelas out of her reviere. "Forgive me, Mistress, but you were rambling." Zelas nodded. "I was." Her eyes were hard, but twinkling with amusement at Xellos' near insubordanation. "But never mind that. Return to your post and keep an eye on Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev." "Yes mistress." He then vanished. "So.... the Lance of Omega... and the white priestess weilds it... interesting indeed...." Zelas mused to herself. Interesting indeed... =========================================================================== Magictech Productions Presents... A Slayers and Sailor Moon Crossover... Slayers REVOLUTION Another unlikely crossover from the minds of Shaun Garin and WarChild... And as usual, nothing here belongs to us. If they did, we'd be rich! =========================================================================== Episode 4: Cold! The Slopes of Sindel Mountian! =========================================================================== Sylphiel swung the heavy blade around in a vicious yet wobbily arc, and it bit into the tree. A thin line appeared as it crashed to the ground. Wiping her forehead, Zangulus picked it up without breaking a sweat. "Not the most useful work for a bloody big glaive thingy, but it'll work." Zangulus felt the area where the glaive cut the wood and whistled. "Damn... that weapon's sharp enough to cut this wood and make it smooth." Sylphiel felled another mighty tree as a pair of stout men picked it up as well, cleaning branches and sending up a smell of pine into the air. "We should hurry. The first snowfall will be tonight," one man said. "Lassie, cut down four more oaks. Big ones." Sylphiel and Zangulus had arrived in the area known as Sindel Peaks. Before they were able to inquire about Lina and Gourry there was this madness about a major snow storm or something like that, even though the skies were very clear. Thus, the men and women of the village were using all their resources to stock the woodpiles and cover them before the final day hit. It had been four days and the final day would arrive along with the snow. Zangulus, as always, insisted they keep moving to catch up with Lina and Gourry, wherever they are. But Sylphiel, noting the hurried pace of the villagers, had deemed to stay. She also noted that if this snowstorm is big as they say tranversing the hills and peaks of this area would become extra difficult. So, thus, they worked and waited out the snow storm Day after day, the pair had worked to fall oaks and cut them up into firewood for the people. Sylphiel had discovered that her Glaive made for a very good axe. It served to make clean slices through trees, so not only she was helping the villiagers, she was beginning to sort of understand it. Or at least become able to use it as a regular weapon. "Ok lassie, that should be enough," the man said, after another row of trees fell from just a swing of the Glaive. Sylphiel wiped her forehead as she walked over towards the town square to get a cup of lemonade the women of the town were providing. "My dear... you have work as hard as the men of the villiage but felled more trees than any of the men," one of the women said, pouring Sylphiel a drink. Sylphiel drained the glass. "Thank you," she replied, embarrased at the woman's praise. "Hopefully, this year will be very prepared for this snowstorm then last year, or the year before. We always know that on this day, the storm comes, and yet we always procrastinate," the woman ranted. "Thank goodness you arrived." "It's not a problem," Sylphiel said. "We're happy to help." "But I have to wonder, is this storm here on this exact day every year?" "Like clockwork. It's been a routine here for as long as I can remember. On every year on the same day, it snows hard." The woman said. "Our patron guardian, Shiva, holds the power to snow." Sylphiel raised her eyebrows. "This guardian... is responsible?" "Yes. She brings snow to this mountian to keep the balance. When it melts, it brings water for our crops." The woman answered. "And it keeps hooligans like raiders and bandits away from us," said another woman. "They would be fools to stand up to the most dangerous snowstorms that Shiva can conjure." Sylphiel nodded. "I see." The woman sighed. "It's beginning to get colder. Soon, this town will be covered in snow." =========================================================================== "Fools... they think their 'Guardian' is a master of all things cold,' Sherra said to herself. "Dynast is the Mazoku Lord of the North, and the one that truly embodies the coldness in all of us." "I wouldn't put it past humans to think that a benevolant spirit is here to help," added the mazoku standing beside Sherra. "Those Spirit Beasts... a great annoyance to our kind in the war one thousand years ago. I would be nice to be finally be done with them once an all," Sherra said, before turning to the Mazoku, "and if you are able to claim the weapon, we'll be able to do so." "No problem," uttered the mazoku. "Just don't screw up and underestimate them, Froxen. Let Krystox's death be a reminder of you what would happen if you did." Froxen grinned as he tossed a ball of energy like a plaything around his hands. "Not a problem, luv," he said, earning a glare from Sherra. "I just go there, mess up a few things and we'll have people freezing before you know it." With that, the Mazoku disappeared. "Show off." Maybe another high-ranking Mazoku would have sufficed. But no matter, that Glaive will belong to Dynast. =========================================================================== "Well... is it going to be snowing soon? Don't see any damn flakes in the sky!" groaned Zangulus. "It's strange," an older man said. "The snows should have covered the village when we awoke this morning, and yet, it is warm." "If this keeps up, we'll won't be able to have the time to repell a possible raid if there is no snow to hinder those raiders," said a younger woman. "Mommy? Where's the snow? I wanna make snowmen!" whined a little boy. "Where does this spirit live?" Zangulus asked. "There's a temple amongst the highest hills of Sindel Peaks. It's known to us as the North Wind Temple. It was built in dedication to the fallen Water Dragon Lord," the elder explained. "Spare me the history, and just tell us how to get there," went Zangulus before Sylphiel interrupted him. "Tell me more about this temple," she asked. "Well, the North Wind Temple is the home known to Shiva. People have made trips there to meet the guardian, and have come back blessed." "Blessed how?" "Mastery of Ice magics have been known among the people. We have sculptors of ice who can form magnificent statues by condencing the air into ice. Although there is this one person that I wished didn't try to make contact with Shiva." Sylphiel blinked. "Who was this person?" "It was about three months ago when this tall female in a outfit hardly suited for cold weather came here," went the elder. "Nice girl, but terrible terrible laugh." Zangulus blinked at that. "Whatever." "So you didn't make contact with a sorceress that is about this tall, red hair, traveling with a blond swordsman?" Sylphiel asked. "Why yes, during the Festival of the Hunt a few weeks ago," the elderly man said. "The man entered and won the first prize. Then they proceeded to eat half of the food set out." "That sorceress may have visited Shiva as well, something about looking for magic swords," said an eldery woman. "You should have seen the blush on her face as we asked if it was for the swordsman." "That's Lina-san and Gourry-sama," Sylphiel said with a giggle. "That settles it... to the temple then. If not to get this storm started, but to see if this guardian has more information on their whereabouts," Zangulus stated. Sylphiel nodded. "Thank you for your help." The eldery man nodded. "Let us lead you to the path of to the temple. I'm sure you two can take care of yourselves." "Thank you sir," Sylphiel said, bowing. As the pair were being led the way, no noticed a white haired guy shadowing them. =========================================================================== The temple was a majestic thing, made of what appeared to be blue ice. High spires that seemed to be made of stalagmites rose into the air, suspending a delicate looking snowflake between the tiers. It had the the feeling of the "Water Dragon Lord" written over it. "Well, looks like we knock," Zangulus said, reaching out to rap on the door. Upon touching the handle, the could feel the ice making up the handle was fragile... as it if were melting. Gingerly moving the door open, the hinges broke and fell to the ground with a loud shattering sound, the fragments spilling into pieces of ice that were slowly melting. "Um... hello?" Sylphiel walked in. It didn't feel like freezing weather as the thought this temple would be... but felt like your normal outdoor autumn weather. A warm wind blew through it as a low singing was heard. It was melodious with the warm thumming of a harp. "Gee... feels like autumn rather then winter," commented Zangulus. "Didn't the author just say that?" Sylphiel said, breaking the fourth wall for the first time in this series. "Whatever. Lets go. Follow the singing." Zangulus went on, careful not to break any vital walls. The melody was sweet sounding and soothing, as if it was meant to help sooth someone to sleep. It was said that this particular melody is used by all those who love to sing their audiences to sleep, even if it wasn't their intention, like a certain pink puffball in another universe. Of course, the wording was a bit different, but the intent of the song was the same. Zangulus, deciding it was enough, kicked the door in. A woman, barely clothed save for feathers on various parts, stood, singing, chained to the ground. There was a magical device on her throat that seemed to keep her singing, as tears of sadness ran down her eyes. And a woman slept on the ground, similarly clad in barely anything. She seemed to be in a very deep sleep. "A siren!" Zangulus exclaimed, clasping his hands over his ears. "Young one sleeeep.... sleeep very deep...." sang the siren. Sylphiel examined the chains and the magical device. "A repeation choker," she remarked. "And magical chains." "So she was used to put Shiva to sleep? Who would do this?" asked Zangulus. "I would. I was tired of her and her storms that kept my men from entering the hills," a new voice said, as a white haired men entered. "So this year, we decided to use this siren's abilities to sing Shiva to sleep, leaving the town unprotected." Zangulus shifted his stance, one hand on his sword, ready to draw it. "And you are?" "Call me Thorns, leader of the Woodland Raiders," the man introduced. "Figures," Zangulus snorted. "Only a bandit would be dumb enough to boast who he is. Where are you from? You're too dumb to be from Zephelia." "We don't stay in one spot, as we always move our base through the forests, so no one can find it, including that blasted bandit killer Inverse..." The bandit leader paused. "Actually... we were originally planning to stay in the oaken woods outside Yutzs Village... and take the name of the Oakland Raiders..." WHAM! The bandit was suddenly out like a light as Zangulus grinned, sheathing his sword. "You talk too much." He turned to Sylphiel. "Rule number one, take them out while they're talking." Sylphiel nodded as she examined the magical devices. "See if he has something to unlock these things of the siren." Zangulus quickly produced a key and unlocked the chains and magical choker. Siren stumbled to a halt as she rubbed her neck and rasped, "Thank you." "You're welcome," said Sylphiel. "What happened here? That man said you were brought here to sing Shiva to sleep." "Actually I was visiting my sister here..." she took a moment to suck on a piece of ice that laid at her feet to moisten her throat, "and they caught me. Sorry, throat's raw." Zangulus blinked. "So you're just not a regular old siren?" "No." She broke a piece off the ice and let it melt in her mouth. "I am a Spirit Guardian, like my sister here." "Spirit Guardian.... Spirit Beasts?" Sylphiel asked. "Like Queztcoatl in Statik." Siren smiled at Queztcoatl's name. "Yes, I know of him. A comrade from a long time ago." "It seems to me that you have recently met up with him." Sylphiel nodded. "A Mazoku had inflitrated the festival dedicated to him." Siren blinked. "A Mazoku?! Those bloody things?!" Sylphiel nodded, taken back from the harsh language the female spirit used. "I hate those awful things! Did you know that they killed a bunch of dragons like they were nothing? Such a horrible thing!" Zangulus sighed as he bound the bandit with the chains. "We should get going one we wake up your sister there." "I'm afraid not. No one's leaving here.... except maybe for the Sea of Chaos," a chilling voice said. "What the?" went Zangulus. "Oh no.... not a Mazoku!" declared Siren. A form resolved into view. It was a strange mazoku, made up of what appeared to be crystal. But it was definately malevolant. "My name is Froxen, a servant to the true cold one, Dynast," the figure announced. "Well tell your master he can go to hell," snapped a fully awake Shiva. Icy winds blew as she snapped her fingers. "Diamond Dust!" "Bleeding Ice!" Froxen called on his dark ice-based powers and the two attacks collided. "You'll have your chance to die, as soon as I dispose of those human and take their weapons." Shiva's ice blue eyes glared. "Lets take this outside." With a gesture, the Mazoku was flung through the walls of the temple in a storm of ice and wind. "So... a thousand years haven't dulled your powers one bit, Shiva," the Froxen said, as he got up. "But that's not going to save you." Shiva snarled angrily as she formed an elegant rapier from pure ice. "Shut up and fight." Froxen smirked as he formed a similar blade, one pitch black. "Bring it on bitch." The trio watched on intently, as the battle took to the air. "We have to stop him immediately. Shiva need to start the snowstorm immediately before those raiders take advantage," said Siren. Sylphiel nodded as she held out the Glaive to Siren. "Hold this." Zangulus, recognizing the situation, shouted, "Shiva! Move away from the Village and temple!" Shiva, not quite understanding, did what she was told and flew away, the mazoku in hot persuit. "Hopefully... he's not strong enough to stand up to this spell," said Sylphiel as she got into her casting stance. Sylphiel concentrated on the powers of the black magic, it's familiar feel drawing through her body. It was like a heady rush of power that made her feel on top of the world. Channeling it into her palms, she began chanting to help focus the attack. "Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows..." Siren blinked. "What the?! She's using the Dark Lords power to..." "Hush! You'll break her concentration!" admonished Zangulus The power came to a head as she finished running through the powerful exercize. Opening her palms, a huge ball of red pulsing within it, she aimed carefully, hoping to Celphied that she wasn't going to hit the town by accident. "Dragon..." Shiva, realizing what was happening, moved out of the area before Froxen could react. "SLAVE!" A huge ball of flames fueled by dar magic lit the skies as Froxen was literally evaporated, both astral form and physical. As the red aura faded, Sylphiel gave a sigh of relief. "It's good think I learned that spell..." she noticed that Siren was gaping. "What?" "You just caused a rock slide! It's going to hit the main road leading to the village!" "Aw damn," Zangulus groaned. =========================================================================== "Now gentleman, without that blasted weather, we can finally raid that villiage in the hills and takes what ours!" the second of command of the Woodland Raiders declared. "YAH!" went all the men. "Now onward too...." As the men started up... they started to feel a rumbling, and heard something that sounded like a bunch of things falling down. "What the?" "Rock Slide!" =========================================================================== Zangulus smirked as he deactivated one of the few spells he had learned in his time, this one, a sight spell. "No problem. Forget about the rock slide." "Forget about it? How could you?" demanded Siren. "Easy... considering that all the victims look like the raiders working for that guy," Zangulus explained, pointing to the chained up guy. "How could you see that far?" Siren demanded. "Even I can't see that far." "Sight. It's a spell I learned from an old guy with a long beard over in Middle-earth. I learned a few spells from him so I won't be totally helpless without a sword." Zangulus answered. "Gee... you destroyed a Mazoku and crushed a bunch of bandits," Shiva remarked to Sylphiel. "You're becoming a regular Lina Inverse." Sylphiel blushed. "Um, thank you, I suppose." =========================================================================== "Achoo!" Lina sniffed as she and Gourry walked down a path. "Better not be my allergies." "Bless you, Lina," Xellos said, phasing in. "Baka Xellos!" Lina decided then and there to play whack a mole with him. =========================================================================== "You saved our people!" The elderly man exclaimed happily. "A thousand thank yous!" "It wasn't anything," Siren said with a smile. "Lets eat! A feast for our saviors!" As the people wandered around, Zangulus noticed a very short man. "Excuse me for a second." The man was young, with curly blonde hair. Looking up at Zangulus, he laughed and hugged the much taller man. "Zangulus!" he exclaimed happily. "It's been so long!" Zangulus laughed as he hugged back. "You crazy Took!" he replied in greeting. "How long has it been? Is the old Sod well?" "Gandalf is fine," Pippin said with a smile, sitting down on the large bench. "Frodo is still living in Hobbiton and Sam married Rosie. Merry is somewhere here." "And Legolas or Gimli? What of Aragorn?" Zangulus asked. "Aragorn is now ruling Gondor," Pippin explained. "But enough of that, there's something from Gandalf wanted me to give you, if by change if I ran into you." The man blinked at that. "What kind of thing?" "This letter." Pippin pulled out a small envelope. "I don't know if it is important or not." Zangulus took the letter with the seal of Gandalf the White on it. Breaking the seal, he removed the letter and began to read. =========================================================================== Zangulus, By the time you read this I believe you might have met up with a girl weilding a mysterious weapon. By all means, do not let her loose that weapon! If it falls into the wrong hands, all worlds will be in danger. And I do mean that. The Ring quest pales in comparison to this event. Protect her with your life, like you protected Frodo. Gandalf the White PS : Your wife is flaming mad. I suggest you run really fast now. =========================================================================== Zangulus blinked rapidly. "How does he do that?" "Twenty years I've known Gandalf, and he never ceases to amaze me," Pippin said with a sigh. "Pippin!" Merry called out. "They have PINTS!" Pippin drooled. "Care to join us for a drink? For old times sake?" Zangulus grinned. "Sure. Merry still owes me two pints." =========================================================================== "Damn it! Stupid fool decides to go for the Spirit Beasts first instead of trying to get the weapon!" fumed Sherra. "Well that's life," remarked Xellos who appeared out of nowhere, as in his wont. "Xellos!" Sherra cursed. "Damn it... that means Zelas knows too!" "Of course," Xellos replied breezily. "Oh, you should watch yourself around the swordsman too. I hear he partook in a quest in Middle-earth. Or so the rumor mill goes." "The Middle-Earth? Impossible! With the barrier, all contact with everything outside was lost, including Middle-Earth!" "Oh I don't know really," Xellos said, floating in the air in a relaxed pose. "Some sort of quest he was rumored to have done, bring the ring to the crack of doom, yadda yadda yadda." Sherra groaned. "Just stay out of this, Xellos. I don't care if you the most powerful of all the remaining priest and generals! Dynast-sama wouldn't like that." "Oh pooh, you're not any fun." Xellos smirked as he vanished. "Jerk," Sherra said to herself. This was not going to be easy. Bad enough to know that Xellos was 'tagging' along with Lina and Gourry, as reported by the priests Grau and Grou, and for him to learn about the weapon. She will not allow Dynast to be upstaged by Zelas or Dolphin. Now way in Ruby-Eye's name. But her assignment worried her somewhat. The girl was no problem, but with a strange weapon that she had could be dangerous. More dangerous than just amplifying magic. And the swordsman. If he had stepped into Middle-earth, his power could be incredible. And she used the Dragon Slave. And she thought the rumors of the white priestess using that spell was false. It was bad enough that Lina managed to get the Demon Blood Talismans from Xellos, which was a stupid move by Xellos in her opinion. Of course, Xellos was almost human, a situation that irked the female mazoku to no end. Almost human, because he had been around before she was and had intermingled with the species for so long, he had picked up many annoying habits. Anyway... it was bad enough for a Dragon Slave user to get their hands on a black magic amplifier, but another? Even though the spell wasn't amplified... Sherra continued to watch the town from afar. "Soon... no one else will be getting away with insulting me and Dynast-sama... no one..." she whispered to herself. =========================================================================== End Episode 4 =========================================================================== Authors Notes (Shaun) : Designing the look and feel for this episode was easy enough. It was a mountanside community, averaging at least 100 people. The temple, at least in my mind, was a ice blue version of the crystal tower from Pokemon 3. As you may notice, Middle-earth and it's denizins rapidly become a fixture. This, of course, alters the story of the Lord of the Rings to quite a degree. A bit of history in the background. Zangulas joined up after the Mines of Moria and after Gandalf's demise in the mines against the Balrog. Instead of following Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, he deemed to protect Frodo, and wouldn't leave his side no matter what. Zangulas travelled with Frodo and Sam to Mordor where the final events of the book/movie were to be taken place. When Zangulas was younger, he was born just outside the barrier. Thus, he was a much younger man when he encountered Middle-earth. Then, after returning, he met Vrummigan and the rest is history. The ages would place the hobbits around fifty or sixty along with Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas. Of course, Legolas is probably much older than he looks. The enchantments he recieved from Gandalf, allowed him to penetrate the barrier just once. He used the power and has been hunting Gourry since. Author's Note (WarChild) : Well, it's another round of Slayers madness. It won't be a while till we introduce another character before we get deep into the real major plotline revolving around Sylphiel and the Silence Glaive, which the Mazoku(or at least Zelas) know it as the Lance of Omega(as in the Alpha and Omega). I was also in a bad joke mood, especially with the Oakland Raiders bit. Blame it on the Minnosota Vikings joke in Pokemon: The First Movie.