Author’s Notes: Okay, so, major author notes going on here, but read them, they’re important. If you’ve read any of my other fics you know that I’m not very keen on writing a plot into my stories. After all, plots require (usually) villains, and likewise villains tend to be original characters (usually) and I’m not really one to make an OC that will probably eventually die.

So, what’s this story going to be about you ask? That’s simple! It’s a Xellos/Filia story! Time travel, lots of character interaction, Xellos/Filia? Yep, sounds like one of my fics. So, read on, or don’t, up to you.

A couple notes on my own take of the Slayers world: through much thought I’ve twisted the Slayers world in my own mind to fit my liking. A few minor changes, mostly in the historical background of Slayers and the characters. See, I’ve always been a fan of Zelas but never really liked that she merely created Xellos from her own energy. I also liked Shabrinigdo and imagined he’d be quite the bishounen should he have had a human form. Thus, I strongly support a Zelas/Shabrinigdo pairing and naturally Shabrinigdo Zelas Xellos. I think they’d make great parents! Eheheh, yeah. Anyways, basically, Xellos is pretty much a prince in a sense and yadda yadda yadda you’ll see. (If you’d like more info on my Zelas/Shabrinigdo idea check out my fic Legacy of a Dark Lord.)

Also, if you enjoy this story check out the first story I posted round these parts, Time Warp.

Pairings to Expect: Xellos/Filia
Hints of: Zelas/Shabrinigdo, Zelgadis/Amelia, Gourry/Lina

This story also contains a new take on an original character named Sollex. (Xellos backwards, am I not creative? Lol) Anyways, don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll point out Sollex differences when the time comes. Now, on with the story! (Don’t forget to review!)

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Time Warp Again!
Chapter 1 – Never Trust Old Books

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“So, Lina, what are you doing again?”

Lina growled her disapproval at the inquiry, “Geeze, Gourry, can’t you retain anything?!”

“What’s ‘retain?’”

“Egh, never mind,” the young sorceress responded, “I’m trying to find some sort of spell to help defeat Valgaav! You should be looking, too! Go check that stack of books over there,” she gestured to a pile of dusty tomes about a foot away from where Amelia sat flipping through the volumes.

“I don’t think we’ll ever find anything of use in here,” Zelgadis sighed, placing a book aside and grabbing another one, “the mages that used to live in this sanctuary focused on divination and other passive magic, not offensive magic.”

“And do you have a better idea?” Lina grunted as she moved a pile of books out of the way only to find another unsearched stack behind them.

“Hey, what’s this?” Filia asked, handing the book to someone more versed in Arcane magic. If it was holy magic she’d probably be of more use, but that wasn’t the case.

The adventuring party scrambled across the dusty old floor to the dragon, all hoping they’d found their answer so they could quit searching. Lina snatched the book out of Filia’s hand and scanned over the page, her face becoming more and blander as she read along.

“I . . . don’t know what this is,” Lina responded, looking over the strange spell.

“I don’t recognize it either,” Zelgadis interjected as Amelia shook her head from behind him, signaling she was also perplexed.

“Hmm . . . Xellos!” Lina shouted, hoping to summon the weird priest.

Sure enough they were soon greeted by his quirky smile and closed eyes as he sat perched atop a shelf above them, “What is it, Lina? Catching up on some homework?”

“Have you seen this spell?” Lina asked him pointedly, not wanting to deal with him more than was absolutely necessary, “Will it help against Valgaav?”

In a flash the priest appeared behind her, looking over her shoulder, making the young sorceress jump slightly. He scanned the page once, then twice, and shook his head, “I’m afraid this is something I’ve never seen before. It does have phrases worked into it that hint that it’s a very powerful spell, so I’d imagine it would work on Valgaav.”

That was enough for Lina. As she smacked the book shut and tucked it under her arm she exclaimed, “Let’s go get him.”

“Miss Lina, is it really wise to use unknown spells?” Filia fretted as she followed the sorceress out of the tower along with the rest of the gang, “That can be dangerous, can’t it?”

“Do you want to go back in there and search through some more books or do you want to save the world?” Lina near-shouted at the dragon priestess, who stuttered then sighed.

After a bit of loud Gaav bashing as bait their foe showed himself. Not willing to give Valgaav a chance to pin them down, or worse, obliterate them, Lina quickly began her spell as she read from the moldy old tome, “I call upon a power greater than Time itself, allow me to draw power from ages past and ages yet to come, relinquish your power unto me . . .”

Valgaav scowled his displeasure. This was a spell unfamiliar to him. Sure to stay on his guard, he began readying his plan for a counterattack.

Lina’d nearly finished with the mysterious spell as Valgaav’s wings began to appear, “May this tremendous power compel the ages, sway and break, churn in the eddies of time, and relinquish your power unto me! CHRONO JAUNT!”

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Valgaav glared at the small crater where Lina Inverse and those that she traveled with had stood just a moment before. What was that spell? Some sort of teleportation technique? They’d vanished instantaneously. But why would they call him here just to blink out like that?

After waiting a moment to see if they reappeared the ancient dragon departed from the scene, leaving the still smoking crater where Lina Inverse and friends had disappeared so mysteriously.

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Lina Inverse moaned slightly, rubbing her head where a small lump had formed. What had happened? Where was she now? She peered around. It was very dark, but a bit of dim yellow light leaked from a small box above her head. She was laying on a hard stone surface and her companions were littered about her, stirring slightly as they regained consciousness as well.

The area they were in seemed to all be made out of sculpted stone. Perhaps a prison of some sorts? There were two large halls, one slanting downward and one upward. Were they underground or above ground? How had they gotten here?

“Egh, what happened?” Zelgadis asked as he sat up, trying to pry his bent hair back into it’s correct position, “Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Lina responded, looking around some more, “I cast that spell . . . and now we’re all here.”

“I told you not to do it,” Filia groaned, lying several feet away from Lina, glaring condescendingly at the young sorceress, “I told you it’s dangerous.”

“Hm, well, seemed like a good idea at the time,” Lina mentioned off-handedly, drawing a face fault from Filia.

Xellos stood up silently, wiping unseen dust off of his cloak.

“Xellos, do you know where we are?” Lina inquired of the mysterious priest.

“I have no idea,” Xellos said as casually as if they’d been discussing the weather, “but,” he added, “I think we may be in the Outer World somewhere.”

“Why do you think that?” Lina blinked back.

“There’s not a lot of magical energy around,” Filia answered before Xellos opened his mouth, “No sorcerers . . . we could be the only magic users for miles,” Xellos nodded in agreement with the girl’s conclusion.

“Well, either way, this place is pretty dreary,” Lina stood up and clapped the dust from her gloves, kicking Gourry lightly to wake the swordsman up, “Let’s get out of here.”

“But, how do we get out?” Amelia asked tentatively, looking around at this stone building drenched in the light emitted by the box above their heads.

“Well, only one way to find out,” Lina smiled, starting to walk into the wide hallway slanting upwards, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Gourry rubbed his eyes and yawned, “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Just stay quiet and keep up,” Lina called back as they all began trekking up the gentle incline.

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Author’s Notes: Hehe, more major author notes. First off, a cookie for anyone who can guess where they are. (Not that it’s really that hard.)

Now, I know I need to update my other fics, especially my X/F Christmas fic, but I’m not in the Christmas mood. (I had a pretty crappy Christmas. Lots o presents but I didn’t get to spend it with my family. Got all of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the third Case Closed/Detective Conan DVD as well as the second Slayers novel and the Battle Royale novel. Oh, and a kick ass Lina cel from Try. I think it’s Try, but I don’t really remember. Just gotta watch the show again! LOL I’ll post a pic of the cel on my webpage accessible in my profile and if someone can tell me what eps of what series it’s from . . . they’re special. :P The cel will be under Anime - My Stuff ) Anyways, I’ll try and update my other fics soon, but this fic’s been brewing in my head for over a year and I just had to get it down.

Review! Review! Review!