Chapter Fifteen:

"What is that fool doing?" Zelas screeched, watching swirls of black power wrap around the golden throne.

"Something incredibly dangerous and stupid." The Lord of Nightmares answered angrily. With a flick of her wrist, Lina sat dazed, on the floor before the throne.

"What, exactly, are you doing?" Zelas demanded, not appeased by L-sama's answer.

"It was the only I knew of to get her attention." Lina shrugged. Zelas muttered something profane and sat back, content to watch the rest of the encounter.

"Fix this." Lina begged without hesitation, turning to the Lord of Nightmares. "Please."

"What would you have me do?" L-sama questioned.

"Erase Gourry's memories of the last four years."

"Do you have any idea how much effort that would require?"

"Yes and I'll do anything you want. You want this body?" she questioned, pointing to herself. "Take it, it's yours."

"Why are doing this?" The Mother of All Things asked, watching the young sorceress's face.

"Gourry had never hated before Thrayne. It… destroyed him." Lina whispered.

"What do you mean?" L-sama demanded, forcing the girl to say the words.

"It's not in Gourry's nature to hate anyone. He couldn't hate someone and then be the same person he was before. All that remains of the man I knew is the shell, which remains to fight and kill. That's all he is now." The sorceress said, tears streaming down her face.

"And you would give up everything you are to undo that?" L-sama mused. "Why?"

"Because it's my fault! It only happened because he loved me. I destroyed him." She exclaimed.

"You cannot run to me every time you have a problem." The Lord of All Things commented.

"This will be the last time." Lina Inverse swore as she got to her feet.

"Why erase four years and not just the time with Thrayne?" L-sama wondered.

"I can't put him in danger if he doesn't know me." Lina stated, forcing the tears away.

"I can't do it." The creator of the world said softly.

"Please?" she begged. "I'll do anything, please, save him…"

The Mother of All Things was silent for a long moment, considering all possibilities.

"If Xellos had killed Thrayne before Chaotic Blue started helping him, none of this would have happened." Zelas said slowly, and L-sama nodded her approval.

"Is it possible?" the sorceress demanded, understanding immediately.

"Anything is possible for me." L-sama declared, amusement in her tone.

"If we go back to that moment and finish the kill, it'll fix everything." The Beast Maser continued.

"Won't Chaotic Blue find another way? She wants me dead." Lina sighed.

"Don't worry yourself over that, child." Was all the Lord of Nightmares said.

"So you'll send me back to the moment before Thrayne escapes into the underworld. And then what will I do? I don't have a dark lord's strength." The sorceress said, battle plan forming in her mind.

Saying nothing, the Lord of All Things held out her hand. Hesitating, the red-haired girl took it. A warm light spread through her body and for just one moment, she forgot everything else.

"You need only touch him. The spell I just wove in you will take care of the rest."

"Thank you." Lina whispered.

"This is not a gift." L-sama said softly.

"I know."

"After this encounter with Thrayne, I forbid you to use any spell that involves my power." The Lord of All Things declared.

"The ragna blade, the giga slave… " Lina murmured.

"Exactly."

"So you're taking that part of my power?" the sorceress asked.

"No." L-sama shook her head. "The ability to use those spells will remain, forever a temptation. I will leave you this memory so you know what you gave up and why."

"Alright," Lina said quietly. "I swear that when this is done, I will never call upon your power again."

The Lord of Nightmares nodded and a golden light enveloped Lina.

"Thank you." Lina called, barely able to see through the light.

"Just remember your oath." Came the soft reply. The light became brighter ands the form of L-sama faded completely.

"Always." Lina whispered as the world began to spin.

"Follow her." L-sama said.

"I suppose you want me to visit Chaotic Blue again."

"Precisely."

"And I'm to give her the same message as before?"

"Of course. You can even make it more threatening, if you like." L-sama replied.

Zelas was laughing as she disappeared.

"My life isn't in need of saving." Replied Thrayne with a petulant smile.

"Do you honestly think I'd let you live after what you've done"

"You truly are a fool" laughed the mad man, beginning the spell in the back of his mind. Hatred numbed the general-priest's senses and the pooling of power went unnoticed.

"Just shut up, Thrayne." The sorceress growled as golden light filled the room.

"Lina?" Xellos exclaimed as she appeared next to him.

"Trust me." She said.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, too confused to heed her advise.

"Saving us." She whispered, the pain in her eyes unmistakable.

"You shouldn't be here!" Thrayne shouted, throwing a fireball in her direction. It dissipated before it reached her. Cautiously, she went toward him.

"Lina, don-" the general-priest started.

"Trust me." She said again.

"Leave, girl." The madman growled. "We have much bigger plans for you."

Lina stood only a few feet from him now.

"Those plans won't work." She told him smugly.

"You can't possibly-"

"Oh, please, you really think those little dreams are going to hurt anyone?" she sneered. Thrayne leapt forward and grabbed her throat.

"How do you know?" he demanded, strangling her. Xellos could wait no longer. Gathering his power in his hand, he lunged toward the he-dragon. Thrayne threw the tiny sorceress into the nearest wall, but made no move to block the monster's attack, not realizing his shields were gone. The black lance of magic tore through the madman's body. With a snap of Xellos's fingers, Thrayne's body burst into flames, giving him no time to scream as he died.

Wasting no time, the General-Priest searched the tiny room for Lina. She laid crumpled in a heap, barely conscious. A puddle of blood pooled around her head. Xellos swore, not realizing she'd struck the wall so hard.

"I'll get you to Sairune. Amelia will-" he babbled, gathering the girl in his arms.

"You can't." she whispered. "I'm already there."

"Seems you hit your head a bit too hard, huh?"

A soft smile lit her face as her body began to fade.

"It's over now." She said softly, closing her eyes.

"What-"

"He was a plague that almost destroyed us. I had to fix it." She murmured, body begging to fade.

"You were from the future." He whispered dumbly.

"Yes… Don't worry… Everything's fine now." She said, her form almost gone.

"Thank you, Lina." He said softly as he got to his feet and the last of her faded to nothingness. Forcing his mind to other things, he surveyed the room. There were burn marks on the walls and floors and a few broken antiques, but damage wasn't that bad. The blood splattered flowers rested exactly were they had been left.

Knowing he had to return to Filia soon, he took one more moment to inspect the flowers. In the center rest a single unmarred rose. Gently, he pulled it from the case and studied it. Not one drop of blood tainted the blossom's purity. With a soft smile, Xellos returned to the woman he loved, flower in hand.

"So you killed him?" Lina asked, munching on her breakfast.

"Yes." Xellos answered, avoiding her eyes. "I killed him."

She nodded uneasily and finished her food.

A few moments later, Xellos excused himself to check on Filia. Lina followed him into the hall.

"What really happened, Xellos?" she demanded.

"Lina… please leave this alone." He begged, eyes open and unguarded. Just as she was about to press for more information, a memory hit her. Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded, a silent promise echoing in her mind.

"Lina?" Gourry voice startled the two. "What's the matter?"

One tear trickled down her cheek as she whispered, "Thank you."

Xellos smiled and left the couple alone.

Lina said nothing as she threw her arms around Gourry's neck and clung on tight, not caring who saw. The swordsman knew not to question her anymore, but held instead.

"Hey, Lina?" he said softly.

"Hmm?" she asked, pulling back enough to look at him.

"I love you." He said and kissed her gently.

"And I love you." She murmured.

"Thank you, Mother. I doubt Chaotic Blue will bother them ever again."

"They should be safe now." L-sama said with a satisfied smile.

"So what happens now?" Zelas asked as she sat next to the Mother of All Things.

"They finally get to be happy." Came the reply.

The End.

Thank you all so much for staying with me all this time. I couldn't have finished this journey without all of your support. Your reviews meant the world to me.

Thank you.

-Ahria

P.S.- Please go to my bio for a special author's note about an upcoming story. I really need some imput on it. Thanks!