Revenge

One evening in the coastal city of Mimia, the Slayers were enjoying a pleasant meal at the city's premier restaurant. Lina and Gourry were engaged in a vicious fork fight over the last tidbits of the entrée. Amelia picked at her dessert, preoccupied with eyeing Zelgadis with big googly, hero-worshipping eyes. Zelgadis calmly sipped a cup of coffee, seemingly oblivious to the insanity surrounding him. Xellos was loitering nearby. None were aware they were being watched.

A mysterious figure skulked outside of the restaurant's stained glass window. She wore a long, dark, hooded cloak and a pair of dark tinted spectacles. A pair of black pearls hung from her ears. She stared at the group, hatred burning in her eyes.

"Oh Xellos, how dare you," she said in a harsh voice. "It's not fair that you enjoy a carefree evening at a nice restaurant with these humans while my master is a prisoner in her own castle because of you. I, Scylla, the proud and loyal general of Deep Sea Dolphin, swear that I will punish you for your crime. Yes, I will strike when you least expect it." She paused from her vindictive monologue. "But how? Therein lies the difficulty. Perhaps the key lies in these humans he keeps company with. He seems to have taken a particular interest in the sorceress, Lina Inverse," said Scylla. She thoughtfully regarded the auburn-haired girl in the gaudy pink outfit. "He's followed her closely for quite some time now. I wonder why. Oh well, no matter. It's sufficient enough to note that she warrants being kept track of. After all, she did destroy Shabranigdo, Zanafar, and Hellmaster Phibrizio."

Scylla turned her attention to Zelgadis. An aura of melancholy surrounded him. "And that one, such pain and suffering in his life. His emotions could sustain an army of Mazoku." She drank in the negative energy he projected. "What he desires above all else is a cure for his condition. I could use this against him." A plan began to form in her mind. "Vengeance shall be mine! Haa Haa ha ha ha!"she cackled wickedly, drawing strange looks from passing pedestrians. "Oh, paint a picture, it'll last longer!" she snapped at no one in particular. With a dramatic flap of her cloak, she headed off to the beach in a huff.

The sun was beginning to set over Demon Ocean, giving the water a lovely red hue. Scylla looked about to see if anyone was looking, and then disappeared in a puff of black mist.

She reappeared moments later before the grand entrance of Deep Sea Dolphin's undersea palace. Scylla removed her shaded glasses and threw back the hood of her cloak. Her golden hair was pulled back into a bun. Her eyes were a rich shade of violet. She raised her hand, and the huge doors opened before her. She cautiously stepped into the palace.

She entered the great hall. The ceiling sported a huge chandelier made from coral. The walls were lined with elegant columns. The floor was an intricately designed mosaic made from fragments of seashells. In the center of the hall was a beautiful tiered fountain. Across the room was a raised platform in the shape of a half circle upon which was placed the ornate golden throne of Deep Sea Dolphin.

A familiar figure stood before the throne in a classic posture of displeasure, arms folded and scowling. She had long purple hair that flowed in soft waves down to her ankles, held back from her face with a pair of pearl haircombs. She wore a matching pearl necklace and a white gown. Her satin slipper made a soft sound as she tapped her foot. It was Charybdis, Deep Sea Dolphin's priestess. Scylla and Charybdis had not seen each other since Deep Sea Dolphin's breakdown. Charybdis did not seem overly cheered by Scylla's return.

"It had better be good," replied the bitter priestess, her voice unsteady. Charybdis had never been able to stay angry with her sister for long.

"I've been monitoring the events in the world above, waiting for the time when we would be able to avenge Lady Dolphin."

"Avenge?" Charybdis's eyes brightened at this prospect. They glinted like gold coins in the dim light.

"Very well then. I've been monitoring Xellos's actions. It appears that he's been assigned to follow the sorceress, Lina Inverse."

"Lina Inverse!" Charybdis exclaimed. "The bane of gods and monsters alike! The harbinger of doom! The scourge of Shabranigdo!"

"Yes, the same." Scylla thought it interesting that even though Charybdis had been secluded in a castle at the bottom of the ocean, she had still managed to hear of Lina Inverse's reputation. "Anyway, it seems that Miss Inverse has a companion who's been turned into a chimera. I believe we can tempt him with a cure for this condition."

" We tell them that his cure lies on an island in Demon Ocean. When they travel there, we attack their boat and destroy them."

"Oh, it's a beautiful plan, Scylla, but are you sure he'll fall for it? Manipulating humans can be difficult."

Scylla reappeared in her old room. It was just as she had left it. She shed her cloak and donned a form-fitting suit of black scale mail armor made from the hide of a great sea dragon. She dug her trident out of the closet. "Now I'm set. They'll be no match for me." She teleported back to Charybdis, who was finishing the chant for the conjuration spell. A scroll materialized, hovering in front of her. Scylla snatched it out of the air. She looked it over and deemed it suitably ancient looking.

Charybdis grasped Scylla's shoulder and teleported them to a padded room with no doors or windows. Numerous silken cushions were strewn about the room. Huddled in a corner was the great mistress of the oceans, arms bound behind her back in a straight jacket, hair disheveled, and an empty look in her eyes. If she noticed her servants' presence in the room, she gave no sign of it.

It had happened so suddenly. Who could have guessed that Xellos was capable of something like this? One day he appeared at the castle and said he was to give a message to Dolphin. She bid them leave so that she could speak with Xellos privately. He left acting perfectly normal, whatever normal is by Xellos's standards. But when Scylla and Charybdis next saw their master, she was reduced to a raving, drooling lunatic.

Charybdis stood close to their sovereign, gently stoking her teal-colored hair. "Don't worry Dolphin," she whispered, "We'll make things right again soon." She cast a sleep spell on the Mazoku lord. Deep Sea Dolphin mumbled something incoherent, then closed her eyes and collapsed on a cushion.

"We'll find the chimera and his friends in the city. Xellos is with them. We'll need disguises," said Scylla. Charybdis cast an illusion spell. Scylla appeared to be a middle-aged woman with a gray streak in her hair, dressed in an embroidered robe and soft suede boots. Her trident became a walking staff. Charybdis became a young teenage girl, wearing a dress and a short cape. A velvet cap was drawn down over her eyes.

Suitably attired, Scylla led Charybdis into the city. "They're staying at this inn," Scylla said, gesturing towards a nearby building.

They entered the inn. It was a quaint little establishment known as the Dagger's Point. Lina and her coterie were seated at a table. Scylla approached Zelgadis. Charybdis opted to hang back and stare at the floor.

"Excuse me sir, I've noticed that you are a chimera," Scylla said bluntly, pulling the map out of the folds of her robe. "I have something I think will interest you. For I was once afflicted with a condition similar to yours. As you can see, I've found a cure. This map will show you the way." Scylla placed the map on the table and walked away. Charybdis followed silently. They exited the inn and walked down the street towards the beach.

"Oh, Mr. Zelgadis, this is so exciting. This could finally be the cure you've been for!" Amelia piped, eyes twinkling.

"It seems almost too good to be true," Zelgadis said pensively as he examined the scroll.

"Hey Gourry, I was going to eat that!" Lina screamed, wrenching a leg of lamb out of Gourry's grasp. Xellos edged behind Zelgadis to peek over his shoulder.

"This proves that fate does have a sense of justice!" Amelia said, standing on the table.

"Even though this does seem kind of suspicious, we should definitely investigate. Otherwise we'll never know if it's true or not. Besides, who knows what other magical treasures we might find," said Lina.

"All right! We shall embark on this quest armed with the light of justice!" proclaimed Amelia.

Lina bopped Gourry on the head. From the shadows Xellos eyed the map, which led them to an island deep within Demon Ocean. It reeked of magical energy. Could it be?….nah.

Scylla and Charybdis, having long since abandoned their disguises and returned to the undersea palace, watched the Slayers from Charybdis's scrying pool. They patiently bided the time while the ship made its way across Demon Ocean. Scylla had mixed feelings about staying at the palace again. On one hand it gave her a warm, nostalgic feeling. On the other hand, she was frequently awakened by Deep Sea Dolphin's sporadic fits of hysterical wailing. She noticed that the restlessness of the ocean varied directly with Deep Sea Dolphin's disposition.

It seemed like a perfectly normal day at sea. There had been no violent storms the last couple of days. Lina and Amelia were lounging on the deck working on their tans. Gourry was napping. Zelgadis was practicing his sword technique. Xellos was in his room doing whatever Xellos does when he's in his room. Yep. Everything perfectly normal…. until….

On the west side of the ship, a giant sea monster emerged from the ocean. Its skin was a pale greenish-blue. Its torso was vaguely humanoid. It had dark purple eyes with slit pupils. It had long arms and webbed hands tipped with long golden claws. Its body ended in a long, finned tail.

On the east, a giant whirlpool threatened to suck the ship down into a large aperture lined with many rows of razor sharp fangs.

Lina and Amelia were the first to notice. Lina reflexively readied a Dragon Slave.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said the sea monster. "You'll destroy the ship. You'll never make it back to shore."

"Elmekia Lance!" Lina yelled, casting a spell less likely to destroy everything in a mile radius.

By this time, Zelgadis had appeared on the scene. He joined the attack. "Icicle Lance!"

Xellos appeared on the deck of the ship. The slayers were fighting off the sea monster while the crew frantically tried to keep the ship from being drawn into the whirlpool. "So we meet again," he said, seeming only mildly surprised.

"I've waited a long time for this, Xellos. We will have revenge!" avowed the sea monster.

Gourry, finally awakened by the commotion, grabbed his trusty sword. "Light come forth!" he shouted as he jumped into the fray. He leapt towards the sea monster. Scylla effortlessly swatted him out of the air with a long scaly arm. The sword of light flew from his hands.

"Oh No! My sword!" Lina and Gourry screamed in unison as they watched the sword of light drop into the swirling water. It was sucked into the whirlpool.

Scylla grabbed Lina and hoisted her into the air. "Now Xellos, watch your favorite human die!" Xellos calmly stood his ground and giggled.

An inhuman scream came from the whirlpool. The torrent of swirling water abruptly came to a halt. The ship barely avoided capsizing.

"NO!!!" Scylla hissed as she dropped Lina and swan under the ship to her partner. Charybdis had reverted back to her human form, floating limply in the midst of a cloud of blood. Scylla took Charybdis in her arms and teleported them back to the palace. Revenge would have to wait.

Lina, Amelia, Gourry, and Zelgadis stood dumbly on the deck, none of them quite sure what had just happened. Lina was the first to break the silence, "Sorry, Zelgadis, but it looks like this was a setup."

"My sword, I can't lose my sword!" Gourry yelled as it dawned on him that the sword was no longer with him.

"I see it, Mr. Gourry. It's floating in the water over there," said Amelia. Gourry promptly jumped overboard to retrieve his prized family heirloom. Amelia politely lowered a rope so that he could climb back onto the ship.

"Hey Xellos," said Lina, "What do you know about those monsters? Why'd they attack us?"

Scylla sat beside the sleeping Charybdis. The wound would have killed a human, but Mazoku were inhumanly fast healers. She would be fine soon, the bleeding had already stopped. Satisfied that Charybdis would live through the night, Scylla left her alone. She teleported to the great hall and seated herself in Deep Sea Dolphin's throne. She leaned back, pondering what to do next. They would pay for this. But how?


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