Episode #9
Rezo's eyes open, glowing a dark red. "I can see! My eyes are opened!!"
Then he recoils in pain again as the spirit of Shabranigdu fills him. Rezo's
body starts growing larger and darker. Zelgadis throws his hands out and unleashes
a burst of blinding energy, but when the light clears, Shabranigdu stands, unaffected
by Zelgadis' attack.
Towering over the five humans, Shabranigdu offers them a choice of joining him or dying. Wonderful set of choices. Zolf begins to cast Dragon Slave as an answer, but Lina, amid her surprise at his skill, tries to stop him, saying that it's no use. And it isn't. Rodimus and Zolf are caught in the attack by Ruby Eye and vanish as the rest barely escape with their lives.
Knowing they can't defeat Shabranigdu with magic, the remaining three retreat to work on a strategy. Lina complains, but later she becomes more optimistic, urging Gourry and Zelgadis to eat and relax. "Being depressed gets us nowhere." Zelgadis adds darkly, "After all, this may be our last supper." Oh yes, the perfect way to cheer everyone up, I'm sure.
After filling her stomach "eight-tenths
full", Lina's ready to plan. Black Magic, such as Dragon Slave, won't work
on Shabranigdu. Black Magic draws its power from darkness - the realm of energy
that Ruby Eye controls. As Lina puts it, Zolf casting the Dragon Slave was like
saying, "Help me destroy you!" Even the chant of the Dragon Slave
says so: "Darkness beyond twilight... those who oppose us shall be destroyed
by the power you and I possess!" The Dragon Slave was originally called
the Dragon Slayer, as its first caster used it to kill a dragon, but its name
became corrupted through time. It is strongest known spell in Black Magic (let
us very heavily stress the word known).
Next option: Shamanist Magic, the specialty of Zelgadis. Zelgadis tells them that the spell he cast against Shabranigdu in the beginning was Ra-Tilt, the most powerful Astral spell. Power equivalent to Lina's Dragon Slave, the Ra-Tilt attacks an opponent from the Astral (Spiritual) Plane. This sort of magic is very harmful to Mazoku ? however, Shabranigdu is beyond the power of any Astral spell cast by a human.
White Magic is for healing, not attacks, so it would have no effect upon Shabranigdu. So there remains only one option: Gourry's Sword of Light. As trolls swarm into the town, Zelgadis resolves to avenge Zolf's and Rodimus' deaths by killing Shabranigdu. They figure that they'll die either way, so why not die in defiance of a Dark Lord?
Lina, though, seems a bit reluctant. She says that she wants to be a normal girl again. With Lina wavering, Gourry and Zelgadis decide to go on out against Shabranigdu. But Lina tells them to wait. "Hey, I'm going to fight. And don't give me that "I'll fight even though I will die". When I fight him, I'll win."
They step into the midst of a swarm of trolls, which are now all over the city. Lina and Zelgadis attribute their ferocity to Shabranigdu's rebirth. Lina stands aside and lets Gourry and Zelgadis fight, until a troll that's about to smash her ignores her for more attractive prey. "How dare you ignore me!" (you can imagine the rest) There seem to be no END of trolls, so Lina uses a Dragon Slave.
Trolls are dead everywhere and Lina and Gourry have collapsed from exhaustion. Zelgadis looks on the two, and resolves to go off and die his own death. "Even if I do die, Zolf and Rodimus are there, I will not be alone," he thinks darkly. His dark thoughts are rudely interrupted by a bonk on the head from a rock thrown by Lina. "We agreed to go together, remember? Don't try to become the lone ranger just yet!Ħħ Gourry whispers, "It's a lot less painful to just do what she says."
Just then, Shabranigdu appears on the horizon... literally. Battle is no longer an option that they have a choice about.
Episode #10
Shabranigdu, towering over the group, repeats his offer to them to join him
or die. His thunderous steps rip new chasms in the ground, yet amidst the odds
Lina remains confident. Shabranigdu continues, "Zolf and that old man were
fools to attack me..." which angers Zelgadis. Gourry and Lina have nothing
but contempt for Shabranigdu's lack of regard for human lives. Zelgadis charges,
but Shabranigdu brings forth a wind that blows him aside. Lina tries to cast
Gaav Flare against the Dark Lord, but it is easily deflected and sent back in
a threefold version.
Zelgadis tries another attack, calling forth Vlave Howl. Lava cascades all around, encasing Shabranigdu in a hard shell... which breaks easily. "You should use lava like this." he says, forming several wispy wyverns out of lava, which start to surround the party. Gourry slashes at one of the flaming wyverns, and it crumbles into dried lava; Zelgadis calls forth Van Rehl spell, keeping the rest of the wyverns at bay. One last wyvern nips Zelgadis, and Lina launches a Freeze Arrow at the beast and leaps into the sky with Ray Wing. Lina flings a Fireball at Shabranigdu, knowing it to be useless as anything but a diversion for Gourry to leap in with his Sword of Light.
Shabranigdu catches the Sword of Light in one hand before flinging Gourry aside with an energy blast. Then he rains down a torrent of energy bolts. He then explains that he gains energy through their screams, as if the screams of heroes are more potent than those of more 'normal' humans. Turning to Lina, Shabranigdu fires energy bolts, one of which grazes Lina's thigh. As she casts a healing spell, Shabranigdu mocks her and forms a giant fireball. Gourry, exhausted, throws the Sword of Light to Lina. Lina struggles to her feet, calls forth the light of the Sword, and then casts "ELMEKIA LANCE!" which sends energy out towards Shabranigdu, who catches and shatters it. Lina wonders what spell would work with the Sword of Light.
Zelgadis yells, "Rezo! Do you really want to destroy the world you fought so hard to see?" Shabranigdu pauses at the shout. Lina senses the last traces of Rezo's soul fighting back and shouts "You may be strong, but there is a higher lord, more powerful than even you!" She grips the Sword and starts to gather energy for her final attack, calling upon this mysterious being as her last hope.
She calls upon the sword, and the sword is surrounded by black energy. The sword is engulfed in darkness, sparkling as Lina recites, Shabranigdu gathering even more power. "'Darkness beyond the blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night! Waves upon the Sea of Chaos, Golden Lord of Darkness! I call upon thee! I swear on your being! Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess!' Sword! Accept this darkness and obey my will!"
"Rezo! Will you let your soul be consumed, or will you take revenge?" The sword crackles with electricity and lashes out at Shabranigdu as Lina finishes, "GIGA SLAVE!" The inky darkness surrounds everything as Shabranigdu launches a counterattack. But the sky has already parted and the image of Rezo flickers in the sky as well. Bathed in light, Rezo's spirit comes down on Shabranigdu along with the sword and the Nightmare energy into an explosion of blinding white light.
Only when the light clears, Shabranigdu is still standing. Lina falls to the ground, the strength gone out of her. The Mazoku Lord begins to speak, "A valiant effort. You, mere humans, have destroyed the Dark Lord Shabranigdu. I have granted you and Rezo the honor of killing me. It was fun while it lasted." Then he crumbles away into nothingness.
Lina closes her eyes and lies motionless, her hair bleached white. Rezo's spirit, still present, thanks them for everything, and apologizes for the trouble he's caused.
Once the three recover, they start back along the path for Atlas City. As they walk, Lina says that she couldn't have defeated Ruby Eye alone ? Rezo and the Sword of Light played a major role as well. Zelgadis does not want to give Rezo any credit, but Lina argues that she thinks it was Shabranigdu, not Rezo, who made Zelgadis into a Chimera, leaving Zelgadis to make the decision for himself. With Atlas City now visible in the distance, Gourry has finished his obligation to Lina and no longer has to accompany her. Gourry has the Sword of Light, though, so Lina will follow him wherever he goes. Zelgadis, though, follows his own path, and leaves the party. And so Lina and Gourry travel to Atlas city at last.