"Sir, nothing to report sir!"

"Very good," replied a bearded man. "Damn the prince. If he were drugged
like he was supposed to none of this was supposed to happen."

"Well one way or another they would learn you tried to assassinate the
prime minister, and you would be chased out of town and..."

"QUIET YOU! Did I give you permission to speak?"

"No sir...." the other man went into a salvo of muted scottish curses as
the bearded man stroked his chin.

"Hopefully my tracks have been covered well. And he'll..." the bearded
man stopped as something caught his attention.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

"What the bloody hell?" the man cursed as he turned to the roof.

Crash!

"You should get that roof checked. There's a great big hole in it," the
bounty hunter said with a smirk, jerking a thumb at the huge gaping
hole.

"MEN! GET HIM!" the bearded man ordered.

All the nearby men ran in and pulled out their pistols and started
shooting through the hole.

Rainier seemed to dissapear. Suddenly, a sword scythed down through the
wall, the whole wall falling apart with a clatter. "What's up senator?"
he quipped, grinning as he parried the bullets by spinning his sword.

"Oh nuts! It's him!"

"You're that crazy sword swinging bounty hunter, Rainier the Red!"

Rainier raised an eyebrow as he grinned, reaching into his pouch,
withdrawing a handful of sparkling gold powder. "Well then, a new
nickname deserves a new sendoff. Fireball!" The cast powder exploded
into a flaming projectile that arced past them, setting the rest of the
small shack on fire.

"Owie owie owie owie!" cried one gunman, as his pants got caught in the
fire.

"Run for it!" cried another.

"Waaaahhh! I don't wanna die!" was the pathetic whine of a third.

And thus, Rainier Leo Gabriev, bounty hunter extrodinaire, has tracked
down and thwarted a fugitive of justice. But as long there is evil in
this world, Rainier's job never ends.

<><><>

(Music Cue : Batman Beyond -Warner Bros. Records)

(We see land rushing below in a incredibly fast speed. We see a
pair of eyes opening)

Corruption

(We see buildings burning brightly, people screaming as monsters
ravage the land.)

Deceit

(A shot of a fat man in a red suit, his back to the window)

Greed

(A shot of two weapons burning into existance)

Hope

(We see scenes of Ranier, Pyron, Alexander and Hyne tearing
through groups of monsters.)

Honor

(Shots of different magical spells being thrown as Ranier flings the
Doragu Sureibu)

Justice

(A shot of Anika as she holds three spinning wings in her hands.)
(A final shot of the five against the title logo.)


Magictech Productions Presents...

A Sidestory to the Magictech Crossover Series...

Slayers BEYOND

Concept by WarChild
Written by WarChild and Shaun Garin

All characters, places, events are the copyrights of their respective
owners.

<><><>

Episode 1: Alone? Rainier's New Partner!

<><><>

"Another day, another reward. Life is good," Rainier mused as he walked
to the Bounty Hunters Guild.

Rainier Leo Gabriev, a young man of 17 with fiery red hair, was a bounty
hunter for as long as he could remember. He remembered back when he was
13, the daughter of the mayor of the town he lived in was kidnapped. The
local authorities was unable to find anything on her and her kidnapper.
So a 750 gold coin award was placed for the return of the daughter alive
and another 750 award for the capture of the kidnapper. Needless to say,
three day after the bounties were posted the girl was rescued and the
kidnapper was captured. The bounty hunter pocketed a cool 1500 coins for
his efforts. That whole incident introduced him to the world of bounty
hunting, and ever since he was fifteen, he has been tracking down anyone
with a bounty ever since.

Some people nicknamed him, "Rainier the Powerful," or "Rainier, God of
Destruction." "Rainier the Red" was a new one on him, and was more
appealing than his other nicknames. Being of the Inverse-Gabriev Line,
though many did not know this, he had vast power within him, even though
he did not know the full extent of his power himself.

Like his predecessors, a rain of destruction followed him, sometimes
obliterating most if not all of the cities he entered in hope of finding
someone to bring in for bounty. Although, somewhere, in the Inverse-
Gabriev Line, the insane destuction had curbed slightly, only showing up
mainly during catyliclismic incidents, mostly the end of the world.

It could be due to the fact that the over time whatever in the original
Inverse's blood that made them so chaotic was thinning over bit by bit
in each generation. But some may say, that the bloodline was building up
for something insanely big later in the Inverse Line.

The gods may know it. The demons may know it. The prophets might know
it. But sure as hell, the Inverse-Gabrievs wouldn't know it until it's
told to them.

Which is a surprise. Shh. Don't tell em.

<><><>

The bounty hunter's guild was your typical guild. There was the guild
leader, who receives the info on the latest bounties and puts them up,
and relays to other guilds if a bounty has been obtained.

Then there were the higherups, a bunch of now flabby former Bounty
Hunters who did nothing but munch pasteries and relay hunters on jobs
through the Guild Leader. They were spoiled from the incredible amounts
of money that they had amassed over the years, and were practically
nobles.

Then of course you wouldn't forget the different bounty hunters,
mercenaries, and adventurers who might pop in to look up the latest
bounties on people.

The Guilds were also a good source of information on the latest bandit
gangs, runaway princessess and such, enabling almost anyone off the
street to head out. Of course, after such a long time at work, the
Guilds also provided shelter, food and even equiptment for people who
were under equiped. Not to mention Fairy Dust.

Like it's name, the Dust was created with one purpose in mind; to cast
magic. But unlike harvesting it from faries, the Dust itself was
enchanted by a trio of mages stationed at each Guild center, providing
each person with the ability to cast magic as long as the dust was dry
and plentiful.

Rainier pushed the door to the guild open, revelling in the bellows of
the various hero types, bounty hunters and such sitting around, drinking
various types of alcoholic liquid in large tankards. "You survived," the
bartender and Guild Leader said as Rainier sat down.

"It was a breeze," Rainier replied, taking a mug. "The poor fool didn't
put up much of a fight."

"You mean you actually apprehended the idiot tied to that attempted
assassination?" the guild leader said in shock.

"I'm surprised that no one else actually did, considering his bounty has
been up for almost four months."

"How tough was it?" the Guild Leader asked.

"Well... this one actually took me a good two weeks to track them down.
But still... considering that people been looking for him for four
month... I'm surprised that no one else found him sooner."

"Where was he holed up?"

"Can you believe it, in some old abandoned house!"

The Guild Leader went pale. "That house wouldn't be on the outskirts of
Ter'clath, would it?"

"What about it?"

"That house was the summer home to the most powerful lord in three
counties! You could see the blaze two towns away!"

Rainier swallowed. "Well, it was kinda run down, and I thought it was a
shack of some kind..."

The man sighed. "It's okay. It probably wasn't the same house anyways.
Anyway... since you got him, I got to take the bounty off him." With
that the Guild Leader made it official by going to the wanted poster and
tearing it down.

"Glad to see it. I ain't interested in splitting the bounty." Rainier
nodded, taking a sip from his mug.

"IS IT TRUE?!"

Everyone's attention was turned to the man now standing in the doorway.

Rainier looked up at the seething man. As bounty hunters went, Pyron was
one of the lesser known Hunters. With dark red hair and cinimmon red
eyes marking his looks, he looked a lot like the flaming red haired
Rainier to the point where they could be brothers. Of course, many
scoffed at the notion.

Of course, there were some differences between the pair's styles. While
Ranier had the habit of blowing everything up, people seemed to cause
damage around Pyron, as if some mystical force kept on diverting any
life threatening attacks to the side.

Then again, Pyron was quite the pacifist, believing in only inflicting
enough pain in order to subdue a target, unlike how Rainier goes all out
on a target.

Right now, Pyron looked mad enough to inflict damage, forgoing the
pacifist type of manner in which he hunted as he stalked up to Rainier,
jabbing a finger into his chest. "That was MY bounty," he snarled
angrily.

Rainier blinked. "Is that really you Pyron? Usually you're only angry
about what state I leave my bounties in. I thought you were going to
complain on how I fried the senator."

"Eh," interjected the guild leader, "you forgotten he's been on this
bounty for three whole months."

Rainier smacked a fist into his hand. "Oh yeah! No WONDER you're so
pissed."

"Damn right," Pyron huffed, folding his arms. "I've been on his tail for
ages, and then YOU go ahead and find him so quickly and take him on.
Well I've had it! This is the second time you've done this!"

"Second? When was the first?" Ranier asked, totally confused.

"The FIRST time you did this was when that Princess was kidnapped back
two years ago. I was trying to get her out without destroying the Duke's
castle, but YOU came in and blew half of it to bits, not to mention
scaring the princess so badly with your entrance that her hair turned
WHITE!"

"Hmmm...." Rainier was quiet for a moment, trying to recall that
particular incident.

"Full moon, tons of undead guarding the palace, high pitched screams
coming from the tallest tower, cliche bad guy routine?" Pyron said,
trying to jog the others memory.

"Oh, that one!"

"Glad you remember," Pyron said, half sarcastically. "If I remember
correctly, the King was furious, since his daughters brilliant golden
hair was one of his most valued things about her."

Rainier shrugged. "Aw well... Look, if you want, I'll give you some of
the bounty. Not all of it mind you, I have to make a living also."

Pyron sighed. "It's called SHARING Ranier. I don't care for the money
normally, since bringing people in is more rewarding. But thanks
anyways."

Rainier flipped him a coin. Pyron looked at it and demanded, "What's
this?"

"The reward," Rainier replied. "He was so banged up, that it would take
most of the reward to have him healed at the healers. So, I only got two
lousy coins. Isn't that a burn?"

"Why's that?" Pyron asked, confused.

"Because, they want him ALIVE so they can get him to the trial."

"Uh huh," Pyron just said, eyeing Rainier's pouch, doubting the truth of
the statement, and with good reason.

Rainier grinned, spreading his arms wide open. "It's the truth."

"Sure it is," went the guild leader. "And it's also true that one coin
won't be able to afford those large meals you always have Rainier,
unless you find a buffet."

Rainier chuckled nervously at the poisonous glare Pyron was giving him.
"Okay, okay, pax." He emptied out a good two handfuls of coins into
Pyron's hands. "There. Happy?"

"Well... you should know you aren't the only one with a large stomach,"
Pyron stated, placing the coins into his pouch.

"Really?" Rainier was curious. "So.... what's your last name anyhow?"

Pyron blinked. "Why'd you want to know my last name?"

Rainier shrugged. "Just out of a common curiosity. I never knew your
name past Pyron."

"It's Inverse," Pryon answered, "My name's Pyron Ra Inverse."

Rainier fell out of his stool in shock. "In-IN-INVERSE?!"

"INVERSE?!" The whole guild chorused in abject shock.

Pyron nodded. "Yep. Inverse."

"NO WAY!"

Rainier was to his feet and grabbed him by the shoulders. "You're
descended from Lina Inverse? The Bandit Killer and Dragon Spooker?!"

Somewhere in some magical pools destined to become the legendary
Jusenkyo, Lina Inverse sneezed.

"Nooo..." he replied, "Rina Inverse."

"Who's Rina Inverse?" The Guild Leader asked curiously.

"Rina Inverse.... I heard stories about her... said she looked just like
the Bandit Killer, Lina Inverse. Travelled with a top heavy girl in
black leather. Both were stunt pacifists but extremely powerful
Sorceresses." A voice chimed in.

The whole room turned towards a figure in a dark cloak, drinking from a
tall thin glass. "Am I right?"

Pyron nodded. "Yeah, that's great great grandma all right."

"I don't recall Lina having a twin, from the stories I was told. But she
did have this older sister," Rainier mused.

"Older sister?" The Leader asked. "Well now, this is interesting."

"The older sister was Luna, I think her name was. She was a Knight of
some kind."

"Say... what's your name Rainier?" Pyron pressed. "You never mentioned
your full name to me."

"Ahh... I thought I did. It's Gabriev, Rainier Leo Gabriev," Rainier
replied.

This time, it was Pyron's turn to fall over, as well as the rest of the
Guild. "Gabriev?! As in Inverse-Gabriev?!"

"You're from that line of legendary heroes?!" added the guild leader.

"Well yeah, didn't I tell anyone about this?" All the heads in the room
shook as he shrugged in surrender. "I guess not."

"Any problems with Dragons?" The Leader asked curiously, mixing up a
double strong ale. The whole Guild would need a batch when this night
was over.

"Not really." Rainier grinned evilly. "They don't hang around long
enough for me to take them down though. Considering I mention my name."

"So you're a Dragon Spooker?" At Rainier's shrug, Pyron chuckled. "Guess
so."

The guild leader attention was turned as a group of birds flew in.
"Ah... hold on for a minute. New bounties no doubt."

The birds transformed into several wanted posters as they adhered
themselves magically onto the walls. Immediately, a good sized portion
of the Hunters crammed themselves at the wall, searching for bounties to
take.

Of these there were two highly priced ones. One was for bodyguard work,
helping escort dangerous criminals to the capital of the Earth Kingdom.
The other was a wanted poster of a notorious warlock that has risen to
power in the past few months.

When the mob had settled, the few that were left were all low paying
jobs, and the warlock one. Ranier looked at it and whistled. "5,000 gold
coins huh? Not bad at all."

"That's a dangerous one Ranier," The Guild Leader warned. "It's said
that he's got a ton of Forbidden Magics that haven't been sealed away by
the Sorcerer Hunters."

"Ahem... do you know who I'm descended from... right?"

"Point taken. Of course, I highly doubt that you, of all people, can
cast the Doragu Sueibu."

"Doragu Sureibu?" Pyron asked.

"Over the years, the name Dragon Slayer was garbled into Dragon Slave,
and then Doragu Sureibu," Rainier explained. "Then again, it is one of
the few black magic spells that do exist. The real question is," Rainier
remarked, looking at the poster, "do I feel like a Sorcerer Hunter?"

"I would take it if you chicken out," Nagi said quietly from her corner.

Rainier turned, scowling. "No way in hell lady. You can take those other
jobs. WE'LL handle this!"

"What do you mean, WE?" Pyron demanded.

"Simple! Two highly powerful Hunters can take on one measly Warlock,"
Ranier pointed out.

Pyron blinked. "What in the goddam blazes are you saying?"

"Me and Pyron'll take the job!" Ranier proclaimed, grabbing the warrant
from the Leader.

Pyron sweatdropped. "... Just like his ancestor."

<><><>

"Sir, the senator has been captured."

A grim looking man looked at the messanger, and frowned. "Do you know
where he is now?"

"Um... they are going to transport him to Crystal City. It'll take them
two weeks to reach it."

"I see..." The grim looking man looked out the window. "It's bad enough
they placed the bounty on me. But if word gets out that I'm connected,
King Endymion will send his forces after me, endangering the plan."

"So what do we do?"

"You do nothing. I'll summon a few 'friends' to help me get him back."

"Yes sir."

The man stared out into the window. It was dawn, the sun peaking out
from atop the mountians. "Well then, it's all a waiting game now."
Taking a long drag of his cigar, Lord Spyron watched the sun rise.

<><><>

"Gawd, it's so early in the morning," Pyron muttered, rubbing at his
eyes.

"It's almost high noon!" Rainier said, poking the other. "You should be
so thankful that I let you sleep so long!"

Pyron just shook his head, just trying to get out of his state of
sleepyness. "Do you treat all your partners this way, Rainier?"

"Well... officially, you're my first partner," Rainier replied.

"Gee, I wonder why," the other remarked sarcastically as they trudged
through the forest. Rainier suddenly held out a hand as he grabbed the
other and ducked into the bushes. "What're you doing?!" Pyron hissed.

"Beholders," Ranier replied. On cue, a small group of large eyeball type
monsters floated down the road, past their hiding place.

Pyron's head popped out of the bushed, when the monsters were nowhere to
be scene.  "That was weird. Why would beholders come out of the middle
of the day?"

"Dunno... beholders are usually nocturnal creatures, considering the
bright sunlight hurts their eyes." Ranier's brow crashed together.
"Something isn't right."

"Did you see which way they went?"

Pyron twisted his head, trying to determine were the eyeball creatures
went. "They went that way."

Rainier snuck out of the bushes. "We should follow them... at a far
distance." The other nodded and together, they crept down the road.

Both of them did their best to keep pace with the Beholders, while
making sure that they weren't spotted.

Of course, that was no easy task, being that they were a huge floating
eyeball.

"What do you think they're doing? Where does this road lead?" asked
Pyron, keeping his voice down.

"The road leads down to Sylvania, a small rural town. It's just a little
ways away from Sarg."

"Sylvania? You mean the rebuilt city of Sairaag?"

Rainier nodded. "Yes. And there's really nothing of interest there,
except it has a main road to..."

"Crystal City," Pyron finished. "You think they're cutting through the
city?"

"No..." Rainier shook his head. "If you caught a criminial in this area
and he needs to be tried in Crystal City, what route would you take
him?"

"Death Peak." The mountian road, while a bit steep, was the fastest road
to Crystal City. And it ran right past Sylvania, with a road that cuts
right into the main one.

"Exactly. I think the Beholders are gonna cut the caravan off at the
pass. C'mon, I know a shortcut."

"Caravan? What caravan?" Pyron asked, as Rainier went off in a different
direction.

"They always dsiguise an escorted mobile cell as a caravan, so that if
they cut through any cities, there'll be no one panicking, especially if
the one being brought to Crystal City to be tried is paticularly
infamous."

"You don't mean.... that senator guy you caught?"

"Oh yeah. I had a feeling his capture wouldn't go down very easily with
whoever actually staged the whole thing. So I decided to wait it out and
not take the escort job since I knew they would ambush it from a
different vector."

"What about that warlock guy then?"

"I thought it was strange. I've been keeping tabs on warlocks and such,
and this guy's territory is small and contained to at least two towns.
But with the incredible amount of power the guy has, I have a feeling
that he could be involved in this too. Call it a hunch..."

"Well... if that's settled... lead on!"

Rainier grinned as the pair rushed off in a slightly different direction
than the Beholders. "We'll cut them off and then shadow them until they
reach the caravan. Then we'll see who's behind all this."

<><><>

"Lord Spyron, the beholders are in position."

"Excellent Warlock Drakken. Now have you set the ambush points?"

"Oh yes indeed. They can't do anything against energy vampires."

"Let's hope so, for your sake," Lord Spyron added, making the Warlock
swallow.

"Ah... if anything goes wrong. I will be able to finish the job myself.
Mere bounty hunters can't do anything against me." Drakken chuckled
nervously.

<><><>

The caravan trudged along the roads, unaware of the forecoming danger.

A young bounty hunter yawned. "Man, this is so borning."

"But you got to admit," yawned another, "the pay's good."

Suddenly, spears of rocks erupted all around them, creating a high wall
surrounding them. The horses bucked and whinnied in fright as the
hunters drew their various weapons.

"What in the blazes is going on?"

"Hey, you were to one who said it was boring."

From the earth, figures rose. They were pale skinned and dressed in a
simple loincloth. They had rows of teeth lining their mouths as they
screamed like a banshee. "Energy Vampires!" The first hunter spat.
"Damn, I hate fuckin Energy Vampires!"

With that he pulled out his pistol and shot a full round into a nearby
energy vampire.

The Vampire keened shrilly at the silver round and crumbled into dust.
The other hunter held up his sword and threw Fairy Dust on it. "Astril
Vine!" The now magically enchanted sword sliced through the advancing
Energy Vampires as they continued their slow lumbering towards the
armored caravan.

Making their way though, Pyron and Rainier had heard the sounds of
combat.

"Sounds like the party already started without us," Pyron commented with
a smirk.

"Pity. And no beer too." Unsheathing his sword, his leapt up and slashed
down. A whole section of rock wall crumbled into dust. "Easy as pie."

"Well then, shall we join the others?"

"Sure. After you."

Pyron shrugged. "If you say so." With that he entered the fray where a
dozen or more zombie like creatures were slowly advancing on the
caravan.

"Pardon me! Excuse me! So sorry!" With each proclimation, Pyron's fists
impacted on a Energy Vampire. The vampires slammed against the walls,
and slumped to the ground, unmoving. One of the younger hunters looked
at him and winced.

"Do you really have to appologize when you do that?" he asked with a
wince.

"Would you believe I'm quite a pacifist?" quipped Pyron, as he bashed
another vampire.

"Riiiight," the group chorused as they went back to Vampire slashing.

Suddenly, more creatures rose. These ones however were green skinned
with large triangular torsos, wolf like features and thin skinny legs
with a loincloth to their modesty. Ranier's eyes went wide with shock.
"SHIT! VAMBEES!"

"Hehehehehehe! That's right, and there's more where they came from!" a
voice crackled, it's source unseen.

"These things won't stay down!" a younger hunter cried, hacking away at
the Vambee who was crawling on both hands as it's lower half was sliced
off.

"No kidding, they're half vampire, half zombie! Show yourself!" Rainier
shouted as he was assulted on all sides by the blood thirsty creatures.

"Hehehehe! As you wish." With that energy crackled in the air as the
source of the voice appeared out of thin air.

"I thought so," Rainier said with a smirk. "The Warlock."

The other bounty hunters gasped as the person who's bounty they didn't
want to go after appeared before them.

"Well now, this is a surprise. The man who brought our little senator
in, Rainier the Red."

"So... you are connected into all this," remarked Rainier. "I guess that
mean there's other people too connected to the prime minister's
attempted assassination."

"Quite right," the Warlock replied, smug and sure of himself as the
hunters fended off the onslaught of Vambees. "My master would like me to
see the senator brought back. As much as he hates people who fail, he
still has some use."

"Grrr... you are not going to get him!" declared Rainier. "I'm going to
get bounty on you though and you just made it easier."

Rainier cast a quick glance at Pyron and said in a low voice, "Keep him
busy and have the others keep the Vambees off my hide for a moment."

"Got a plan?" Pyron asked as the pair hacked away at the hybrid
monsters.

"Oh yeah, and it's a doozy."

Pyron rolled his eyes and started wondering if it was a good idea to
even tag up with Rainier.

Rainier leapt to the top of the caravan, out of reach of the Vambees as
Pyron began a magical attack run on the Warlock who only laughed and put
up a spirit shield. Calling on powers that only his family had, he
chanted in a low voice, too low for anyone to hear, save for someone
right next to him.

"Hey... what do you think you are, a magician?" went that someone.

Ranier's eyes snapped open as he thrust out both hands in mystic
positions at the still standing Warlock. "Doragu Sureibu!"

A crimson ball of energy streaked forth, exploding against the shield.
The Warlock barely had time to cry out as he was thrown dozens of feet
away. Rainier sighed. "Not as good as Great Great Grandma but close
enough."

"I thought that was sealed!" Pyron cried in shock. "You could have
killed us all!"

"Naw, it's sealed but not sealed enough. There's enough magic left in
our family bloodline to cast the Doragu Sureibu." They observed the
warlock hitting the ground before adding, "Although not at the same
power levels that my ancestor was famous for."

"Well we're not dead, but the Vambees are," a young hunter said, jerking
his thumb at the fried and cut up Vambees.

"Well... since this is now over with... come on Pyron." With that
Rainier leapt of the caravan and headed in the direction of where he
blasted the warlock.

When they got there, Ranier raised an eyebrow. "Drat, he put up a
shield. He's only charbroiled and twitching. I thought for sure he'd be
unconcious by now."

Pyron sweatdropped.

"The Doragu Sureibu, while powerful, can knock someone unconcious while
giving them a world class hotfoot. Or worse. I've never measured how
potent it can get though."

"Does it matter, we beat him... right?”

"Oh yeah. Let's tote his sorry ass to the nearest station and turn him
in."

With that they placed him in some anti-magic binds and started dragging
him to the nearest station.

<><><>

"What did you say?!" screamed Lord Spyron.

"The Warlock was defeated... by Rainier the Red and his partner, Pyron
the Invincible," the small and timid messenger stuttered. "He's been
turned in to the proper authorities and.."

"SILENCE!" Lord Shinra pounded the armrest of his chair angrily. "This
will not do at all."

"If word gets out you are in big trouble. With both Warlock Drakken and
Senator Gilahems in the authorities hands..." a voice began.

"Our plans will be surely be derailed," another voice finished.

"Silence...." Lord Spyron rubbed his forehead, suspending the advancement
of the pounding migrane. "We will move more... subtly...."

"And what of the Hunters?" asked the first voice. "What will you do with
them?"

"Deal with them. Quietly."

"If you can't deal with them Lord Spyron... our master will not be
pleased."

"I understand." Spyron swivelled in his new chair, watching the blood moon
rise.

End Episode 1