Slayers: Chaos

Chaos 39

Slayers Chaos

Episode 039: Traitor! Never Give Up, Never Surrender

"Traitorous?" Filia questioned Erosnum. She understood if he was angry at all those from the dragon race who participated in the summoning of the monster lords by donating their energy to the cause. They were trying to do what they thought was best for the world and years ago, before the Darkstar prophecy, Filia would have been standing beside them doing the very same thing. But why was Erosnum apparently angry at Topaz specifically? What made him different from the other dragons?

"The fool was tricked you see," Erosnum revealed. "He wanted to sacrifice the over-world and live peacefully in our world. Of course, this world will become the target of Darkstar once the over-world is finished."

Filia gasped, "you were aware of that? You knew the over-world was to be sacrificed and you allowed it?" Her anger towards Topaz rose. Being tricked was certainly not the same as sacrificing innocent people. "What about the others?"

"The dragon council you mean?" Erosnum interjected, even if Filia's question had been directed at Topaz, who seemed to be too afraid to speak anyway. "Ignorant fools, the lot of them. They had no idea what would happened to the over-world. They honestly thought Luna had managed to establish communications with Vorfeed, who intended to repay this world for defeating Darkstar during the prophecy by getting rid of the monster lords."

Filia let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "Then their intentions were not bad."

"What does it matter?" Erosnum huffed. "The result was the same anyway.

"Of course it matters!" Filia argued. "I wouldn't want to think that the dragon council would actually sacrifice the over-world. I thought they had learned from past mistakes and were doing better now. They were tricked, but being tricked is very different from being selfish enough to sacrifice a whole different world."

"Even if that's what the dwellers of the over-world wanted for us," Erosnum reminded.

Filia frowned, "maybe not all of them. We only encountered a small group during the prophecy after all," she reasoned.

"Either way, it makes no difference to me. I will end this useless banter now," Erosnum decided. "I did not come here to speak with you. If you'll excuse me, I have an execution to carry out."

"Wait!" As angry as she was at Topaz, Filia managed to hold on to her use of reason and her mercy. She gave up on explaining mercy to Erosnum and went straight for the logical uses of keeping Topaz alive. "Shouldn't we interrogate him?"

Erosnum chuckled mockingly. "We? You speak as if we were on the same side."

"Well..." Filia shook her head and tried to guide the argument back into the main topic. She was with Xellos, but more often than not, she didn't like the way Zelas did things. She was in-between in a sense not fully allied to the light or darkness, she was looking for a balance, but that would take too long to try to explain. Furthermore, Erosnum wouldn't understand if he was unwilling to do so. "Never mind that, if Topaz is interrogated, useful information can be gained. Besides, he is not to be solely blamed for what happened to Lord Beast Master." She spoke carefully concerning the topic of the monster lord, addressing her in a respectful tone so as to not anger Erosnum.

The monster accountant laughed. "You still don't get it, do you? This isn't about Topaz at all; it is about you, my messenger."

Filia's eyes went wide with alarm and confusion. "Me?" What could Erosnum want with her? "What do you mean by messenger?"

"It is merely convenient that Topaz is here, I never liked the fool," Erosnum admitted. "However, a random person from this city would suffice; Seyruun and its inconvenient shape cannot stop a monster of my rank after all. To put it simply, my messenger, I wanted to rattle you before I sent you on your way."