Chapter: 5

Liana sat on the chair in one of the tents in the Seyluun army camping ground. In her hand was a glass of Zefirian wine. Liana took a sip of the wine and sighed. Despite the fact that she had grown up in a vineyard she still was not too fond of wine, although she could drink it. But she had developed a slight dislike towards it after she had fought Shablaniguduu. To Zefirian wine especially.
Though she couldn’t help herself from drinking the wine with a strong alcohol contant. She was almost trying to get drunk so she could sleep. Sleep and keep herself from having to see the eyes of Amelia.
“……” Liana cursed softly as she remembered the eyes of the princess. Cold and distant. The same hue as Zelgadiss’s eyes when Lina first met him. It had been a good three years since ‘she’ had seen Amelia but…
“……” Liana cursed again as she remembered her ‘meeting’ with Amelia.

‘Lina-san!!’ The girl, no woman, screamed in delight as she saw Liana walk into the parlor of the Seyluun castle.
‘No, I am not Lina. I’m Liana.’ Liana replied as she walked over to Amelia and bowed. ‘Liana Reverse. It is a pleasure to meet you Princess Amelia.’
Amelia looked at Liana and then looked down to the floor. ‘Yes, I am sorry. I am really sorry Miss Liana. I thought, I thought you were…’ Amelia couldn’t continue as tears welled up in her eyes.
‘Amelia-san, it is okay.’ Filia took the shaking princess into her arms and hugged her. ‘It is okay Amelia-san.’
‘Hai.’ Amelia replied softly and then looked at Liana again. This time Liana froze as she saw into Amelia’s eyes.
Liana couldn’t see any light in Amelia’s eyes. It was as if they were made of Glass balls. Amelia’s eyes were….dead.
‘Welcome to the Seyluun army Liana-san. I have heard you are skilled in magic. It will delight me if you would take the post of Seyluun’s military commander.’ Amelia said it as if she was reading lines from a book. Lina shook in fear. ‘…..Amelia?’
‘Yes?’ Even the smile seemed as if it were plastered on her face.
‘…nothing. I would be glad to take the post of Seyluun’s military commander.’ Liana replied and this time she looked down to the floor. She felt as if she had cut off Amelia’s last string of life.


Liana shook her head strongly to rid herself of that memory. Since then when ever she looked at Amelia she felt a wave of guilt rush over her. Screaming at her that she shouldn’t have ‘died’ that Lina Inverse took Amelia’s life as well.
“…..Suffering?” A soft voice asked. Liana froze as she heard that voice. Although it had aged into that of a fully matured woman’s from the teen age woman’s voice she remembered, the strong integrity that covered the soft voice was…
“…..Luna?” Liana turned around and saw a woman with short blue-violet hair with bangs that were long enough to cover her eyes. A tall figure that had an aura of superiority wrapped around her. She wore a long red cape and a red breast plate that had the symbol of Cefied engraved on it. When the woman moved her bangs to reveal her sapphire eyes Liana’s suspicion was confirmed. The woman was the Knight to Cefied the Dragon God as well as Lina Inverse’s sister. Luna Inverse.
“Suffering?” The voice asked again. Liana could only nod, fear crept into her. “I got a letter from you, ‘Liana’ asking for my assistance in war. I thought it would only be appropriate if I came to talk to you.”
“Luna…” Liana whispered softly. “Will you give your help to us?”
“……..explain.” Luna commanded as she sat on the chair opposite of Liana and poured some wine into a glass she had materialized out of thin air.
“…………”
“Explain.” Luna commanded again. Liana knew what Luna was requesting. An explanation for Lina’s sudden death.
“I am not Lina. I am Liana.” Liana replied.
“Not in front of me.”
Silence filled the air.
“………..I wanted to die. The moment I thought that I was no longer Lina Inverse.” Liana replied. Luna just looked at her and that was the same as an order to continue. “Lina Inverse, she was not human, and at the same time was neither mazoku nor dragon. Mazoku all have a death wish. Dragons believe that an eternal life is happiness. Lina Inverse didn’t want either. She was ‘life’ and life does not want ‘death’. If I had stayed Lina Inverse, I knew I would sooner of later be labeled mazoku or dragon….not human. I wanted to die while I still had enough human in me…and then live as a human.”
“…..to die of old age. You had always wished that.” Liana nodded her head at those words.
“….Lina Inverse couldn’t die of old age. She was forever to stay young and a reckless child. The moment she matured, she was no longer Lina Inverse. She had spent so much of her life becoming a legend she did not want to become. She was tied to the ‘legend’ and her only escape was death. So I gave her that and took on the task of her real wish. ‘Human’, she loves it. I love it. I am human.”
“Then why are you suffering?” Luna asked.
“I unintentionally became a reason for the ‘death’ of Amelia. I killed her, although unintentionally. Another reason Lina Inverse died was to free Gaury Gabliev from death. I never imagined that freeing Gaury would cause Amelia’s death.” Luna stared at the woman whose eyes looked as if she was crying yet not a single tear had escaped the ruby eyes.
Luna closed her eyes as she remembered her sister when she was young that cried over the bird that had broken its wings. Luna knew then that Lina was too caring for the destiny she had to live. Lina was not the person to be living this destiny. It was too heavy for her.
“…….Everything is the will of the Lord of Nightmare.” Luna then stood up and walked towards the entrance of the tent. “…..Nothing is your fault. It is all destiny…..” Luna then turned around and for a second Luna and Liana were no longer ‘The Cefied Knight’ or ‘Lina Inverse/Liana Reverse the Military Commander’ but they were the two girls who had ran around Zefiria’s mountains, laughing and believing they would always stay that way, before Luna was The Cefied Knight and before Lina/Liana was ‘THE Lina Inverse’. “Sorry I couldn’t free you of it or live it for you.” And for the first and last time in her eternal life, a tear escaped Luna Inverse’s eye.


“Shilfiel!!” A deep mans voice called and Shilfiel turned around, only to feel a strong stab of pain in her heart, not physical though.
“…..Gaury-sama…” Shilfiel almost cried at the sight of the man with long blond hair and soft blue eyes.
“Shilfiel, I heard you were here and…Lina, is Lina here?!” Gaury asked excitedly. Shilfiel longed to tell him that she was but ‘Liana’s’ facial expression when ever she said ‘I’m not Lina. I’m Liana’ held her back. “Shilfiel!!” Gaury asked again with hope shining in his eyes. Shilfiel couldn’t stand to see his look when she told him she wasn’t but she had already betrayed Lina once and couldn’t again.
“………no.” Shilfiel managed and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Shilfiel…please don’t cry. It’s okay, I’m used to it.” Opposite to his words though his face was torn with disappointment and sadness. All which only made Shilfiel cry harder. She felt useless. Here she had tried so hard to give her life for the good of people and yet she couldn’t make the two people who deserved happiness together more than anyone else be happy.
“Shilfiel…please don’t cry. Please.” Gaury pleaded.
“….What are you guys doing?” A cold voice asked and the two jerked their heads up in the direction of the voice.
“Zelgadiss(-san)!!!!!!!!!” They both exclaimed at the same time.
“Hi.” Zelgadiss replied coldly but then broke into a small smile as Gaury tapped his shoulder.
“Been awhile huh?” Gaury asked cheerfully. For the first time since Lina Inverse’s disappearance he sounded like his old self.
“Zelgadiss-san! Gaury-san!!” Amelia called to them and ran to them. Although her eyes still seemed like glass balls, her smile seemed genuinely glad. “When did you get here?!”
“Just now.” They both replied with a smile.
“I came from the Raizel camp. I was there for a while until I heard that Seyluun set camp here. I thought I’d be able to see you.” Gaury smiled warmly.
“I came, or rather was dragged, by the Cefied Knight.” Zelgadiss replied. “She should be here already. She went to meet Liana Reverse.”
“Thank you so much for coming both of you.” Amelia was almost teary eyed. “I feel much more confident now.”
Zelgadiss sighed as he saw Amelia’s eyes and remembered his conversation with ‘Meta’, whom he found out was Zelas Metalium during his conversation with her.


‘Well, where should I start? I guess with saying that my son has gone insane would be sufficient.’ Meta nodded her head and smiled.
‘Why do I care if your son has gone insane or not?’ Zelgadiss snapped which made Meta smile even more.
‘Because my son just happens to also be my priest. He’s my precious Xelloss-chan.’ Meta smiled a smile that could make all the men in the world swoon at her feet. But Zelgadiss was more shocked at her words. If she was Xelloss’s mother than she could only be…..
‘Yup!! The most beautiful of the five subordinates, Beast Master Zelas Metalium!’ Meta/Zelas striked a pose as she announced that fact. Zelgadiss quickly grabbed his sword and took a stance. She was the Beast Master, which made her be able to attack him even if she didn’t look like she was about to attack. ‘Hold it Zel. I’m not here to fight. I’m here to talk to you.’
‘Talk?’ Zelgadiss snickered. ‘I have nothing to talk about.’
‘Well I do so listen.’ The smell of perfume filled Zelgadiss and Zelas was near his side in a second. She had his sword in her hand. ‘I told you that my precious Xelloss has gone insane. Even more than he used to be. You see, love is the ultimate down fall for anything and everything. Especially to mazoku. His love for Lina Inverse seems to have messed up his ability to hmm, evaluate situations. He worships her would be the best word. Well, I’ve got to admit I had a part in triggering it. But that was because it was an order.’ Zelas took a breath and a sip of the wine.
‘You see, I’ve been best friends with Luna, and the previous knights of Cefied, for about seven hundred years now. At first it was an order according to this old prophecy that exists between mazoku that ‘A human loved by the Lord of Nightmares, the golden Dark King will be born. That child will be loved by Cefied and a Mazoku.’. So I was put to keep an eye on the Knights of Cefied which are also the reincarnation of Cefied,(* The Cefied Knights have the power and memory of Cefied). Well the Knights are pretty far from a god as you get, and I’m not exactly the hard core Mazoku type like Phiblizo and Graushelaa. So we sort of hit it off. Well, Lina-chan was born and I tell you the only other baby I’ve seen that was that cute was when Xelloss was a baby.’
‘……….Your point is?’ Zelgadiss asked as Zelas went on a tangent of how cute Lina was.
‘Well……The mazoku that she was loved by just happened to be my Xelloss. Which is pretty bad. I mean, I was in a tight situation. To a mazoku the order of the above is ultimate. I tell you it could even be some mazoku’s reason for not committing suicide. It is ultimate. And sadly I’m no exception. Well, a War is starting between the Mazoku vs. The Humans and the Dragons and Luna has to be with the humans. I’m enemies with my best friend, pretty depressing right here but since Shablaniguduu-sama’s order is ultimate, I’ll obey. Well, my son goes insane and decides that he is going to kill all of Lina Inverse’s friends. Which is a good thing for mazoku but, he’s not ‘mazoku’ any more. Like I said the order of above is ultimate to us but not to him any more. He no longer has ‘fu no kanjou’ and he wishes death only because he could be with Lina Inverse only in death. Okay, so here I am battling my best friend while my son is crazily hunting humans down. On top of that I receive an order that Lina Inverse’s old friends can’t be killed. Now what am I to do?’
‘………………………..’ Zelgadiss was speech less. The only other person he knew that could give these long of speeches was Amelia.
‘On top of that the Princess of Seyluun just happens to decide this time to loose her intention of living. She decides that she doesn’t care if she dies or not. So Zelgadiss since I informed you on the details of mazoku, Guard Amelia.’
‘……………..huh?’
‘I said guard Amelia. Okay, see you later on the battle field bye!’ Zelas waved her hand and disappeared into thin air. Leaving a totally confused Zelgadiss alone.
‘……….what was that?’
‘Typical Zelas.’ Luna replied. ‘Come on let’s go to the Seyluun camping ground.’ Luna tied a rope around Zelgadiss again and started to drag him down.
‘What the……….?!’


“Zelgadiss?” Gaury asked and waved a hand in front of him.
“huh?! Oh yeah, I was out of it for a second.” Zelgadiss admitted. “So what’s the plan?”
“We don’t know what the mazoku have in stock for us but Amelia needs to be heavily guarded since she is the head of this whole war. Zelgadiss, can I ask you to that duty?” Liana asked and Zelgadiss nodded.
“Gaury, you lead the swordsman group. They are each given a strong magic sword that can kill mazoku. Shilfiel you lead the Shaman’s and Filia you go with the dragons and become our messenger between them. I’ll lead the Black Magic using Sorcerers. We will be the head. Then will come the Shamans and then the Swordsmen. Luna-sama would lead the dragons. Amelia you will stay with the King or Raizel and Dils. And keep the King of Dils from acting on his own. He has a strong hatred towards Shablaniguduu.” They all nodded at Liana’s explanation.
“Hold a sec!!” A voice called.
“Luke!! Meleena!!” Gaury exclaimed as he saw the man with black hair and a red bandanna, who was dressed in red armor and a woman with long silver hair in a pony tail and wore gray armor.
“We’ll fight too!” Luke announced and walked in to the tent. “Meleena and I are both skilled in magic so we can lead the Shamans or the Sorcerers.” Luke smiled again. “We both have also fought along side Lina Inverse. You can trust us.”
“Liana, that’s true. These two are trust worthy.” Gaury added in. Liana looked at them and smiled.
“Welcome aboard. I can tell you two are trust worthy.” ‘I know you two well enough’. Liana thought to herself.
“Of course with Meleena and my love love power..!”
“Idiot.” Meleena said quietly and Liana couldn’t help but smile. It felt good to see that at least these two hadn’t changed.
“The death of Lina came as a shock to us. Revenge may not be what she wanted but I can’t let the mazoku get away for killing her.” Meleena looked straight into Liana’s eyes as she said that.
“Luke, Meleena. Lead the Sorcerers with me. Expect to be facing the mazoku first hand.” Liana declared and the two just smiled.


“Luke, Meleena, Gaury, Zelgadiss, Amelia, Shilfiel and Filia. All the actors are set. Now for the ultimate Finale.” Xelloss smiled as the image of ‘Lina Inverse’ appeared in the crystals that surrounded him.