[Iczer] Guardian Angel Ch.4

GUARDIAN ANGEL
An Iczer fanfic by Andrew Dynon

The Iczer series and all characters (c) Toshihiro Hirano. 
English translations (c) US Renditions, US Manga Corps, AD
Vision, Antarctic Press.  
This story and all new characters (c) Andrew Dynon.

Chapter 4: Creature of Nightmares

     Nagisa awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bed. 
Her room was still dark - it hadn't reached morning yet.  Her
eyes were still blurry as she turned towards the digital clock in
her room, and tried to make out the glowing green numbers.  Still
only 2:00 AM.  She knew that something was very, very wrong, but
she couldn't place it.

     Suddenly, her perceptions - her reality - shifted.  In the
fraction of a second that she reacted in shock, she felt herself
falling out of her bed and hitting her head on a desk.  Then her
consciousness shifted, and she was weightlessly drifting through
the Astral plane.    

     Somebody's hand grabbed her arm, and Nagisa turned to see
the girl who had appeared during her conversation with Atros. 
What was her name again...?

     "It's Laveka." With her free hand Laveka unsheathed one of
her blades and severed the mettalic-blue cord that was attatched
to the back of Nagisa's head.  Like a ribbon in the breeze, it
fluttered and fell away from her.   "I'm sorry about this,
Nagisa, but you're in danger.  I've severed the connection to
your material body - it will be comatose until you return.  This
is the only way we can make sure you're safe."  

     A pale blue disc appeared before them, and Laveka flew into
it, with Nagisa in tow.  She rushed along the conduit, assisted
by a wind so strong that Nagisa worried that it would cause
Laveka to lose her grip, and her to be blown away and lost
forever.  

     Eventually the pair emerged from the conduit , and it
disappeared behind them.  Nagisa gasped in amazement at Ylara's
hall, seemingly hypnotized by its beauty.   Her trance was broken
when Ylara spoke.

     "I believe we owe you an explaination."

 *   *    *    *    *

     "Sister! Help me!"

     The psychic cry had hit Iczer-1 like a massive blow to the
head.  She could scarcely believe that Iczer-2 was in so great a
state of fear.  What could possibly have caused this emotion
within her sister, the emotion that Iczer-1 had until now
believed that her sisters were immune to feeling? 

      Whatever it was that had caused those emotions was
undoubtedly far too great a threat for her to ignore.  She knew
she had to confront it - as soon as possible.  In a streak of
blue light, Iczer-1 flew towards her sister.

*    *    *    *    *
     Nagisa gasped in shock.  "Neos Gold somehow escaped from
hell?" 

     "No, escape was beyond her power.  Somebody deliberately
released her." Ylara said. "Naturally, she desires revenge
against the Iczers, and anyone allied with them." 

     "Why hasn't she entered the physical universe?"

     "The first reason is that, due to her becoming a spirit
being, she is now far more powerful on the Astral plane than as a
material being.  Her chance of being defeated by the Iczers would
be much greater if she took material form.  But the second reason
may be even more compelling."

     Ylara paused for a moment, and Nagisa thought that she
detected a slight hint of nervousness, existing within even a
being as powerful as the Protector.

     "In the physical universe, Neos could only destroy the
Iczers' bodies.  that cannot satisfy her.  On the Astral plane...
she is able to destroy their very souls."

*    *    *    *    *

     "Iczer-1..." A cold dark voice echoed inside her mind.

     "Who are you?  Where are you?  Show yourself!"

     "You know who I am.  And I shall not spare you from the
vision of your destruction."  Iczer-1 saw the pattern of the
stars disappear, replaced by the emptiness of the Astral Plane. 
There was nothing here, nothing save herself and her enemy.

     "Neos Gold!"

     "We meet for the final time, Iczer-1.  Your sister has
already been destroyed, and you shall be annihilated as well."

     Iczer-1 activated her beam sword and flew towards Neos Gold,
but her thrusts were easily blocked.  Neos clawed with at
Iczer-1's face with her hands, and Iczer-1 parried, but a shock
wave carried from Neos' claws through to Iczer-1's body, sending
her spinning backward.  She desperately tried to defend herself
as Neos pressed the attack, but a claw-swipe from Neos broke
through her defences, and tore across her stomach.  Her ears were
filled with the sound of Neos' laughter.

     "Iczer-1, you must see now that you have no hope of
defeating me.  Why not end your struggle?  The pain may not be so
great."  Iczer-1 struggled to lower the pain she felt from the
gaping wound in her abdomen.  Perhaps she was right.  Perhaps it
would be easier to...

     Two spinning circles of golden light appeared from above
her, and Neos struggled to dodge them.  Iczer-1 turned, trying to
see who had helped her.

     "Neos, why don't you fight me instead?" Atros challenged as
her beam swords returned to her.  Neos shook with rage.  "Atros,
you little traitor!"
     "Oh, please." replied Atros sarcastically, "I'm *so* sorry
about that." Atros teleported, appearing next to Iczer-1.
"Iczer-1, you should get away from here.  I can defeat her." she
said softly.

     Atros and Neos Gold charged each other, and Atros struggled
to parry Neos' attacks.  Eventually, though, a slash from her
beam sword broke through Neos' defences, creating a slight wound
in her left arm. Neos Gold fell back, momentarily in pain, but
before Atros could press her attack, she felt the unmistakable,
chilling presence of another demon appear nearby.

     Atros instantly identified the demon as a Mekroi, an evil
spirit from Cthuwulf legend that fed on the fear of mortals - no
doubt a sevant of Neos, attracted by the prospect of gorging
itself on the Iczers.  It was a humanoid female, with sickly,
yellow-green skin, and foot-long black spines along its arms,
shoulders, back and legs, carrying a pair of spiked clubs in its
hands.  Its eyes were merely empty black sockets and its hair was
a long, tangled, dirty brown. Screaming, it flew at her.  

     Atros easily evaded the Mekroi's attack.  She knew this
thing was tough - or toughish, but she had destroyed its kind
before.  Right now, though, her priority was to protect Iczer-1
from Neos - she could play around with this thing once Iczer-1
was safe.  Atros turned, intending to block off Neos Gold, but
before she could reach her, she found herself blocked by the
Mekroi.

     "I'm your opponent."

     Atros slashed at the thing with her beam swords, driving it
back but not doing any real damage.  'Kuso!'  she thought. 'I
don't have time for this!'  Concentrating, she drew power from
the Heaven realms into herself, until she could feel it rushing
through her body like liquid fire, increasing her strength with
its warmth...

     "HEAVEN'S FLAME ICZER BOMB!!!!!"  Atros slammed into, and
straight through, her opponent, the Light ki burning it like a
flame would burn paper.  What was left of it melted into a fell,
greenish-yellow ichor.  Atros stopped, momentarily dizzied as an
aftereffect of the power she had used.

     Her servant was gone, but Neos saw her chance to dispose of
her traitorous daughter once and for all.  Gathering her dark
power into a ball, she launched it at her.   

     Iczer-1 watched silently, from what in the physical universe
would have been a couple of hunderd metres away.  She had been
advised by Atros to flee, but flight was not in her nature - and
especially not flight from one of the progeny of Big Gold.  She
had seen Atros destroy the Mekroi, but Atros was stunned from
overusing her power, likely unable to avoid the blast Neos was
preparing to fire at her.  Atros, Iczer-3's twin sister...

     Iczer-1's decision was instant.  She teleported,
materializing between Atros and Neos.  However, the power with
which Neos' energy ball struck her was even greater than she had
been expecting.  Iczer-1's body was thrown backwards, her
battered form landing in Atros' arms.  She heard Atros wail in
grief, but her senses were already weakening...

     "Iczer-1!!! Oneesan, why didn't you listen I told you to run
away?  You're not as strong here!  I could have survived that
blast!"  Atros burst into tears, failing even to notice Neos
laughing and fading away.  All she seemed able to do was sit and
cry in grief.

     "Atros..." A telepathic signal flickered into being inside
her head.  "I knonw what this mus have felt like to you.  I feel
for her as well.  But Noes' victory is not complete yet.  There
is still another you can protect ... Atros, you can still defend
the one most important to you."

     Atros' grief faded away, replaced by a reinforced
determination.  "Iczer-3... Hai, Lady Ylara. I shall not fail. 
Thank you for suppourting me."  Concentrating, she sought out
Iczer-3's spirit, and flew towards it.