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Chapter 21
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The next morning came and went without anything happening, at least, not
as far as the three captive were concerned. There was a lot of angsty
wishing that they could get on with it, but, this was Beastmaster...
They had a plain breakfast, and decided that they didn't want to worry
about sex. It was a relief to take a break actually, an enforced daily
diet was not as pleasant as waiting for the time when both partners were
turned on to each other and wanted it. Besides, they were pregnant now,
what was the point?
Oh right, they were married...
And they liked it...
There wasn't a lot of work done, the dishes mostly, and a bit of
firewood cut but nerves wouldn't let them concentrate. All the abuse,
all the torture and captivity, it was all coming to a head today, and
they were just too nervous. At times the clock semed to tick backwards,
or the sun seemed to be setting lower into the east. What was taking so
long? Did it have to be forever?
Lunch, and unbelievably they were not hungry, though they picked at
something because they couldn't be still. Pleasant small talk was
attempted, but no one had the heart. Finally, they decided to just go
have a nap, because they didn't know what else to do. They settled into
a restless sleep.
And of course, it was then that Xellos, always giggling, shook them
awake...
Sheesh, you'd think he'd had been waiting for this moment to come and
get them...
Actually, knowing him, that's probably just what he HAD been waiting
for...
"Get up sleepies! Mistress wants to see you all in one half of an hour,
so, get yourselves ready." he sang out, very cheerfully.
The three of them were in the bathing room in a flash. Now they missed
the apartment/cell that Gourry had originally had. This place they were
in now was great for room and things to do, but you had to bathe the old
fashioned way,in other words they had to haul and heat the water from an
ice cold well. Naturally, they didn't have time for heating...
Well, they washed what they could, especially the all important
important bits...
"Gods, my face feels like it's frozen..." complained Lina as she
scrubbed.
"W-w-wait till you get to the armpits..." shivered Luna.
"Now I get how cold showers work..." muttered Gourry as he scrubbed his
chest.
They did their best, got dressed in what they had on hand, and combed
their hair as best they could. A quick scrub of the teeth, and...
"I, uh, guess we are ready..." said one of them.
At precicely "one half of an hour" later Xellos reappeared and lead them
to the main castle. Even though it had been weeks since they had been in
the palace it was all too familiar. It weighed heavily upon them as they
entered and remembered all that went on. Lina cowered. She could just
about recall the way to the dungeon. she gulped, then bravely went on...
Finally they came to an audience room. Zellas, with her cigarette, was
lounging on a sofa, in front of a large carpeted area. On the wall
opposite was a big mirror.
"Welome, welcome, my dear dear sisters Inverse! Welcome! Today is a
great day for us all!" she enthused, standing up and opening her arms as
if greeting the dearest of friends.
"Hey, smoking's bad around unborn babies..." said Luna, rather flatly.
"Oh? Why so it is..." said a slightly subdued Beastmaster. She gave a
sort of a flick, and the cigarette and it's holder dissappeared.
She then turned with a wicked smirk and looked at the girls. She gave a
little laugh and walked up and grasped Luna into a big hug. "And how are
our precious mothers to be?" she asked.
"Well enough, Mistress Zellas." replied Luna, remembering to be humble.
"We are anxious to go on our mission and serve you." she added, hoping
it would serve as a large friendly hint to Zellas to get on with it.
Zellas smiled at her in a way that suggested that she got what Luna
meant and was amuzed by her impertinence. Amuzed, because now she could
punish her somehow...
After a long stare at Luna, followed by a penetrating look to Lina,
Zellas said "You haven't followed my instructions today, have you?"
Luna was confused and Lina was worried. "P-pardon?" said Luna, worried.
"Well, mission or not, you were told to make love every day were you
not? Once to Gourry and once to Lina?"
Luna flushed, then nodded yes. "B-but, isn't it bad for the baby?" she
said, trying to steer away form the topic. Beastmaster could,
wouldn't...
Would she?
"You may trust me in this, it is not. And we are going to prove that
point, right now..." said a smiling Zellas.
"Um, but, um it will take some time to recover between each time..."
said Lina, nervously. "C-can the mission wait that long?"
Zellas laughed. "Alright, let's speed it up. Make love to each other,
right now. Don't stop until you've both cum. Gourry, you can help, and
cum in the girl of your choice. Or would you prefer me again? I could
show you some new tricks to please your wives with..."
Gourry immediately grabbed the girls into a fierce protective hug. "Hurt
me but not them, Mistress, they are carrying babies." he pleaded.
"First, this is about pleasure, not pain. Second, it takes a lot more
than simple pain to harm an unborn baby." explained Zellas. "So, you and
the girls get busy, or I'll slap a control spell on you, similar to dear
Phibby-chan's, except you'll be totally aware, and unable to do anything
to stop yourself, as I take us to heaven and back." she sneered.
Gourry gulped. "It's okay, Gourry. Let's go for it." said Lina softly.
The three humans went to the carpeted area and knelt down. Luna and Lina
gave each other a sad smile, then they leaned in and started kissing.
They knew what to do, and soon there was tremendous amount of passion
being generated. Either they had grown to like incest, or they were
great at faking it. Tongue met tongue, lip met lip, and they hugged and
fondled each other. Gourry did what he cold, helping the girls take off
their clothes, that sort of thing, but it was primarily their show. And
they made it a good one.
They opted to keep it simple, they wanted to get it over with, and if
they could somehow follow the Greater Beast's orders without giving her
too much of a show, the better. Indeed, it was strangely mutated now,
but their rebelious desire to have their freedom was slowly recovering
from the horror of "the pit".
After a lot of kissing and exploring each other's bodies, Luna took
control and Lina let her. Luna gently pushed Lina down until her tongue
could get to work on the little red patch of heaven her sister kept
between her legs. As Lina began to moan softly from Luna's now expert
tonguing the older girl waved her butt in the air and moaned "Do me
Gourry, stick it in..."
Thus, in short order, Lina was moaning softly as Luna walked her up the
stairway to heaven, and Luna was moaning rather loudly, albeit muffled
by Lina's muff, as Gourry pumped her to the same place.
As for Gourry, he was definitely breathing hard. And harder...
Zellas, surprsingly wasn't masturbating, but simply watching with a
triumphant smile. Annoyingly she seemed to prefer the view in the mirror
rather than watch the live show.
Oh well, who knew from Mazoku?
After a time the inevitable happened and Lina arched back with a groan
and spasmed in obvious pleasure. After Luna ahd licked her through it
she gently pushed her sister off and said "Your turn big sis, enjoy..."
And Luna did. Now that her tongue was free she put herself into enjoying
what was happening. "Oh gods, YES!" she cried as she started thrusting
back to meet Gourry's incoming cock. "Deep, hard and fast! Take me,
Gourry, fuck me!" she panted. Lina shook her head, where had Luna ever
developed such a potty mouth? Oh well, the things she didn't know about
her sister...
But, of course, it was all about pleasure, wasn't it? Who cared, dirty
talk could be erotic too. And in this case it was highly erotic.
Too erotic perhaps as Gourry suddenly gave a gasp. "I- I can't hold
it..." he panted, obviously struggling. "Oh no!" begged Luna.
"Do it!" said Lina as she got up with a smile and held onto Luna's back
end.
And Gourry did, poor boy. A mighty thrust in, and he seemed to freeze.
"Oh gods, he's emptying into me!" groaned Luna, wiggling around to try
and get herself off. Of course, it didn't work, and in a minute Gourry
had to withdraw, exhausted. Luna gave a frustrated sigh.
"Oh ease up, sis, that's what I'm here for." smiled Lina, who then moved
into position and began to eat out Luna. "Th-thanks..." moaned Luna as
she quickly got back into the rhythm. A mere minute later sher had a
wonderful, screaming orgasm...
Lina couldn't help but giggle afterwards. Luna rolled over and pulled
her down into a kiss. "Hey you, you don't get to swallow all that cum
yourself, share, greedy." she said. And Lina did.
After a bit they were all done. They all looked over to Beastmaster to
see if that was okay.
"A perfect send off!" she enthused, clapping and getting up. "But, let's
not take my word for it, let's ask our special guests." With those
ominous words she walked over to the mirror.
And opened it...
Lina gasped, and Luna gave a little "Eek!" The first thing they could
see was that it was a one way mirror. Someone had been behind it,
watching...
Beastmaster stepped back.
If the girls could have, they'd have sunk into the floor at that point.
If they had been given knives they's have killed themselves.
Bound and gagged, and in perfect position to have seen and heard
everything...
Were their parents...
After freezing in terror, the girls tried to find their clothes, which
had mysteriously disappeared...
The tears poured from their eyes. "M-mommy... daddy..." Lina cried. Luna
blushed red then turned to Zellas. "It's not enough to have enslaved us,
you have to do this too?" she hissed. Despite her bangs her eyes glowed
in murderous rage.
Xellos stepped up and stood between the parents. The threat was obvious,
and Luna backed down, slightly.
Zellas spoke. "You are about to go on your mission. I realised I needed
more hostages than just Gourry, so, here they are, the future
grandparents. As for showing them your degradation and humiliation, I
wanted them to realise how much I have bent you to my will. I am not to
be trifled with, and I won't tollerate them trying to stop you from
serving me. I don't know if they ever told you, but I have a bit of
history with them from their wandering days, and I am in no mood to get
into a serious fight with them any more than with you. You know I have
them in my control, and you know what I've done to you, and can do to
them, and Gourry, so, you will be good. And now they know what I've been
able to do to you, so for your sake I know they will also be good. So,
embarassing? Yes. Fun for me to humiliate you? Not as much as you might
think, I actually do ahave a tender side, and in this case I do this
more of neccessity than love of cruelty. But, atleast I will have
compliance, yes?"
As she asked the last question she looked at each human individually,
and in turn they each and everyone nodded yes...
Zellas nodded. "Xellos, release Mr. and Mrs. Inverse, and get these
people their clothes."
In a flash the older Inverses were free. In another flash they went to
their children and grabbed them in big, parental hugs. There was a lot
of crying and several hiccoughed apologies, accompanied by motherly
soothing noises and assurances that they understood that Beastmaster was
a formidable opponent, and that if they had had to behave like they did
to survive it was understood and forgiven. Even Gourry was included and
given gratitiude for helping to protect the girls.
And there was much wonder and awe about the new babies that were on the
way...
After a time the crying settled and thoughts again turned to clothing.
Now the girls, and Gourry got a pleasant surprise. There, in three neat
piles, were their clothes.
And it was THEIR clothes, not the skimpy sex things that Zellas had been
giving them. Gourry had his familiar blue garb on in a flash. Even his
beloved breast plate, made from the scales of a black dragon, had been
returned! Oh Joy!!!
Lina couldn't stop crying in relief as she put her familiar orange and
yellow garb back on, right down to her boot. Even her sword was there.
"Uh, where's my cape?" she asked, missing that one item of her dress.
Zellas presented her with one, and said "Your cape is safe, but many of
the things you have stored in it are harmful to unborn babies,
Lina-dear, so I'm not giving it back to you just yet. This one will do.
It's a magical cape and you'll find endless astral pockets for storing
things. Inside you'll find money and simple medicines for if you get
hurt. I've also arranged for it to provide you with basic food good for
expecting mothers, enough for both of you. No alcohol, byt the way, I
mean that. One more thing, if you toss it over yourselves and say the
magic word that I'll give you in a minute it will make you invisible,
and that may be a great help if your mission takes long enough that your
bellies get in the way." With that, she whispered the magic word into
Lina's ear. The petite mage nodded.
Zellas turned to Luna, who had her plain peasant dress back on, the one
she had worn under her armour the day she was captured. the rip s had
been invisibly mended and all the blood was gone, infact, it was in
better shape than when she had left on her mission, and that was saying
a lot, Luna took very good care of her clothes.
Zellas then gave her a sword. "I can't trust you with your own magic
blade, dear Luna, and I would never insult our beloved Gourry by giving
away the Blast Blade, even though Dynast would give me anything I wanted
for it, or him. But I have a blade that is magical enough for you, and
non magical enough for me, that you can use. And if you succeed it will
be the first item of payment. I give you this sword." Here she handed
Luna an old broadsword, of ancient and powerful lineage, but which
looked rather well used...
Luna cocked an eye at it and swung it a few times. "I-it's got a good
balance..." she said, finally. She looked at the runes engraved on it.
"What is it's name?" she asked, not able to read them. Ceiphied within
her semed happy to see the blade, but Luna wisely kept that to herself,
no sense upsetting the psychopath, especially when she was handing out
swords of power.
Zellas smiled and simply answered "Excaliber."
Luna was stunned. So was her father. And Gourry. Lina and her mother
echanged glances, then Lina asked, timidly, "Who?". She had heard the
name but couldn't recall the context.
"Th-the blade unbreakable..." whispered Luna.
"That's a legend isn't it?" asked an awed Lina.
"No, it's just been out of sight so long that it became one." replied
Zellas. "And don't look at me, I'm not the one who's been hiding it for
so long, just the one who took it from him..."
Now everyone turned to Zellas, and waited.
"So, what's the mission?" she said, finally getting to the point. "You
know mazoku cannot love, but you maybe don't know that we can get close
to each other in other ways. Lust for example. Yes, I admit it. But
there's always been a problem. No other mazoku than me has ever had the
gift of lust, it was something Lord Ruby Eye gave to me alone. What he
didn't see, unless he was having a delightfully cruel joke at my
expense, was the pain it cause me to be alone all those millenia without
an equal, without a partner. Oh sure, there were lesser beings, trolls,
elves, humans, and the like, but never a person who could meet me on my
level. And I don't just mean sex, I mean relationship wise. No one,
until..."
She paused dramatically, then resumed. "Until he came. My brother, Lord
Gaav, tied to a human soul. He was the first of all my kind who could
feel the burning heat of desire. And don't forget that the difference
between lust and true desire is nothing but this. Lust IS desire, but it
is inappropriate desire. Appropriate desire would be love, and that
would be fatal, but we, as Mazoku, and brother and sister, were totally
inappropriate, and it was wonderful."
She gulped. Her eyes seemed... moist?
"Then he died, and left me alone. Since then I have burned in agony for
another. But who could ever replace him? There was no one to be found. I
was in despair, and thoughts of death came to me."
The humans were in shock by now. this was like nothing they had ever
known about the mazoku before, and the look of desparing sadness on
Zellas' face was too real to be doubted. Zellas, did she think of
herself as a, a, widow???
Zellas went on "Then, in my desperation, a faint ray of hope came to me.
You humans, you, or at least some of you, believe that you can do
something miraculous known as "reincarnation." You can come back to a
new body. Lord Gaav was a Mazoku, but he was also a human. And the fact
that he was not desiring the end of the world anymore showed he had
fused with the human. As did the lust. Now, Phibby-chan, that bastardly
other brother of mine, destroyed him utterly as a mazoku. But, I
realised from what Xellos told me of the event that he didn't destroy
the human part, only sent it on to the next level. Being fuzed, I
believe it would have taken Gaav with it, and so, when it comes again,
so will the Mazoku soul. But where, and to who?"
She stared at Lina and Luna. "That is your mission. Call his soul down
to one of your babies. Reincarnate my Lord Gaav, and give me that baby.
Then you will be free and have anything you could possibly desire of us,
except our deaths..."
The silence was the most deafening one ever recorded...
CHAPTER 22
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Zellas had arranged a final meal for the girls before they left on their
mission, and perhaps realising what a bombshell she had dropped into
their midst she left them alone as a family to talk things through.
"Holy hell..." said the girls father as he gave his wife a big glass of
wine and then poured one for himself. Right behind him Gourry poured one
for each of his wives.
"No." said their mother as he went to present the drinks to them.
Lina nodded and said to him "Mommy's right, drinking isn't the best
thing for the babies."
"And just when a good stiff one would come in handy too." added Luna.
Mother Inverse gave both her girls, and Gourry, a critical once over,
then she seemed to soften. She sighed and said "Do you want to talk
about it or would it hurt too much." she asked, gently.
Luna, despite her reputation as the stong one simply started weeping.
Lina gulped, and with her own eyes trickling tears said "We need to
talk, but it's going to be hurtful, and hateful..."
It took a minute to get started but eventually she did. Luna joined in
at the appropriate moments. They seemed to get stuck trying to explain
the incest, and for a minute they seemed like little girls caught in an
evil scheme. "This is worse than the Shadow Projection..." said a
trembling Lina.
There was a long silence as their mother just wept into her hands while
their father held her tenderly. Not knowing what else to do Gourry put a
hand on each girl's shoulder. Instinctively they reached up and grasped
them.
After a bit their mother looked up. "I don't know what to say. Except
that my least concern is the incest thing. You are right, you had to do
what you needed to do in order to survive. You will work this out when
you get free. And as for the double marriage, the bitchmaster is right,
it technically isn't illegal in Zephilia, though it is socially frowned
upon. And you are now mothers, so you must decide what to do about that
as a, a, what do I call you?"
"A triple?" asked their father, perhaps trying to lighten things just a
little bit. "Well, I knew you were an important person when we met,
Gourry, but I didn't know you'd be this important."
Gourry hung his head and looked ashamed. "I, I'm sorry." he said. "I
wanted Lina, and Luna was forced on me. I couldn't let her get hurt, not
like that evil woman wanted to, I didn't know what else to do but accept
her as well. Now that she's here, I'm falling in love with her too, and
I want to be her husband and raise out babies together, but I never
sought this. Lina is my first love, and I want her as my wife and the
mother of my babies too. What do I do?"
Lina and Luna gave Gourry a smile. "Just what you are doing. We know
what the situation is, and we accept it, Gourry." said Luna. "Yeah,
Jellyfish, don't worry about it, sheesh, the two most beautiful sisters
in the world, some guys would be doing cartwheels..." added Lina, trying
to tease. The mood was just so heavy...
Their mother got up and gave Gourry a big long hug. "You do just what
you are doing, Gourry. I have no doubt that now that things are started
you'll do everything to make my babies happy. I know it's awkward, but
as long as you love each other I think it'll work out." She hugged him a
while, then gave the girls a hug as well. After that, she returned to
the table.
"Listen," she said "your, um, "unusual" loving relationships aren't the
major problem here. They won't change until you are free, and who knows
what will happen when you are. The real crisis will be when you find out
you cannot do what is asked of you and you have to try and explain to,
to... her..."
"Or worse," added their father quietly, "when you find that you can, and
have to decide which baby to give up..."
There was a long silence after that.
"Thank you for forgiving us." said Luna.
"Whatever happens we will need you all more than ever after this is
done." said Lina.
"We will be here, my babies, we will be here." promised their mother.
More might have been said, but there was a rustle and a slinky Zellas,
cigarette holder and all, entered the room. "Well, this is a pleasant
treat! Inverse flavoured angst! Delicious. My complements to the chef!"
she smirked as she walked to the head of the table.
"You Bitch! We had a deal!" hissed mother Inverse unexpectedly.
"Yes, we settled down and you were to leave us alone." added their
father.
Zellas interupted "I did not pick on Luna and Lina because I wanted
revenge for our little disagreements, which, I can see from their
stunned looks, you have never told your daughters about. Well, time for
that later, they are to go on their mission now, the tide is turning and
the ship is ready. I chose them because between Luna's willpower and
Lina's ability as a mage they are the only two women on the whole planet
who I believe will be able to get the job done. Believe me, if I could
have chosen someone less dangerous than the Knight of Ceiphied, and the
Enemy of All Who Live, especially to my brother Phibrizzo, and one of
the pieces of my own father, I would have chosen her instead. But, I
need, and they are the only ones who can do it. I could never have hired
them to do this, so, I have chosen the way of force, and it has worked."
She stared at them, looking every bit the evil Mistress that she was.
"Rewards all around if they succeed, and a living hell for all of you if
they fail. There is the carrot and the stick as plain as I can make it.
Now, girls, take your leave of your parents, gather up what I have given
you, and go forth. You are both two months along, so I will expect you
back no later than in seven months. It would be well if I didn't have to
come and find you. Rest assured, I will not harm a single hair on any of
the people you love who are here as my hostages, unless you fail. You
have had a taste of what I can do, but only a taste. I suggest you don't
try to find out how truely terrible I can be if crossed, but rather how
generous I am prepared to be if I am served well."
She seemed ready to say more but suddenly she chocked up. After a
struggle, and a tear, of all things, she looked at the girls and said
"Oh, please, just go. Give me what I need, I am begging you."
Xellos was behind the girls and he said "Please, let's go, ladies." Luna
and Lina bowed to their Mistress, then ran up and kissed Gourry and
their parents. "G-goodbye. We love you all." they gulped, then they
turned and let Xellos lead them out to the ship.
Later, after the quiet tears had dried they were sitting in the cabin
and began to talk.
"We arent' going to succeed, are we?" asked Luna.
Lina seemed thoughtfull. "Who know? No one has in the past that we know
of, but then, has anyone ever tried? I am not even sure how this
reincarnation stuff works. I mean I know the basic theory, we die, our
souls go to heaven or somewhere, then after a time we come back to do
something here on earth again, but what else? Is there anything else?
How did this idea even come to be?" She sighed. "This is going to be so
complicated..."
There was silence then Luna spoke again. There was a mournful tremor in
her voice. "Lina, listen. I know Gourry loves you more than he will ever
love me. Please, don't deny it we both know it's true. I don't mind, but
listen, on the off chance we succeed, I'll give my baby up. It'll hurt
like hell, but if you have to give up his baby I think it will shatter
both you and him. Losing my baby will be hard enough, losing your baby
and you will be even harder, so, please, don't argue about it, let it be
my baby, okay?"
Lina looked up, startled. She reached over and hugged Luna. "We will
make that decision when the time comes. And having you shattered won't
be any easier on me than the other way around, so don't be so noble,
okay? We will decide when the time comes and not sooner. Got it?" she
said softly.
Luna paused, then nodded. "Okay." she said.
After that, the girls settled in to sleep, the boat ride was scheduled
to last all night.
CHAPTER 23
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The girls awoke in the early midmorning to strange creaks and thumps on
the ship. There was some activity on the deck above them and they
listened, trying to figure out what was happening. No one was acting
like there was any danger, that was a relief, they were just busy. Then
a faint "Fore and Aft lines out. Look lively the pier." a pause and then
a "Let go the mains'l. Ready on the boathooks, steady as she goes."
"We must be docking." said Lina as she climbed from the bed and rummaged
for her clothes. Along the way she found Luna's and tossed them to her
sister. In a few short minutes the sisters were dressed and sitting on
the bunk ready to go, whenever anyone came to get them. After a few
minutes there was a knock at their door, followed by Xellos himself
entering without waiting for an okay from the girls. "Well. well, my
fair ladies, we have arrived. I apologise for the lack of amenities on
this noble vessel, she wasn't built for passengers so much as cargo. But
we have arrived. Go forth and get your land legs back, and start your
blessed mission."
"Speaking of which, Xellos, are you really okay with that?" asked Lina.
Xellos cocked an eye and actually hesitated, but then said "I-I'm not
sure what you mean Lina. I serve my Mistress and as long as she's happy
then I have done my duty."
"I meant nothing, I was just curious about your own personal take on the
whole thing. And please don't tell me you don't have one. But, let me
guess, "It's a secret." right?" said Lina.
Xellos seemed to sweatdrop. "Well, Lord Gaav did seem to make mommy
happy, but I'm just not going to say anything more..." replied the
trickster priest.
Lina and Luna gave each other curious stares. So, even Xellos had
worries about this?
The girls were taken topside, then down the gang plank. "A final gift."
said Xellos as she held out a small object. Lina took it. It was a
silver whistle with a wolf's head on it. "If you get into serious
trouble blow on the wolf wistle and help will come, though it may take a
bit of time." he explained. Lina nodded.
With that he was gone and the girls stood on the pier, blinking and
trying to take in the fact that they had finally gained some small
measure of freedom after all the painful months they had just endured.
Months that seemed to be years.
"Well, nice of him to have us landed where we would hit the main road to
Seirune." said Lina finally.
"That's good is it?" asked Luna.
Lina nodded. "Well, unless you have a better plan, big sister, I think
our best chance of finding the answers we need is in the library of
Seirune. Might be wrong of course, but I can't think where else to
start.
Luna looked thoughtful, then nodded. "If we can't, then I suggest we ask
the Eternal Queen next. She can be a bit daunting, but after 800 years
of living with a fragment of the Aqua Lord in her she's picked up a lot
of information that no one else has. And we are her subjects, we have a
duty to report, and hopefully she might feel obligated to help us."
With that they set their feet to the road, as it were. True, their first
steps only took them to an inn where they could eat, wash, and get a nap
after the long sea voyage. For all that they slept on the ship it wasn't
as restful as they would have liked. So, really, it was late afternoon
when they started the journey proper. And it only took them to the edge
of town before they realised how out of shape the confinement of the
past several weeks had made them. They were happy to see a stage coach
and book a passage to the Holy City of Seirune. "We should get back into
shape." muttered Luna, clutching her ticket. Lina agreed, but pointed
out that a long walk in their present state might not be the way to go
about it, while clutching hers.
Finally, the boarding call was made and they joined four other
passengers inside the coach. Sure, it was more expensive than riding on
the top of the coach, but hey, Zellas was paying...
They managed to get in first,being pushy had it's advantages, and they
sat across from each other on the left hand side.That way they each had
a window. A rather diminutive and plain looking girl sat next to Luna,
looking as if the weight of the worldhad crashed down upon her. Luna
wondered what was wrong, and also wondered how the girl's tale of woe
would stack up against the one she could tell. Meanwhile, a rather
rakish looking younger man climbed in,leered, and made straight for the
seat beside Lina."Pardon me, is this seat taken?" he asked.
"Is that the best you can do?" glared Lina, in return. Something about
her look made him back off, for now...
Finally, two nondescript business men climbed in and took the right hand
seat. They rather rudly insisted on chatting about some business deal
they were working on and didn't seem to care if the other's minded or
not. Something about a business called "Fuzzy wigs". Or was that
"Fezziwigs"? Anyway, the two men, Jacob and Ebeneezer, apparently, were
bound to take him over, or something.
There was some further shaking as baggage and a couple of lower fare
customers were put on top of the coach, then the driver and the guard
mounted, there was a bit of "Whoa there" as they got the reigns sorted
out, then the command G-yap!" followed bythe crack of a whip.
The sisters screamed instinctively and grabbed each other when the whip
sounded, causing concern amongst the passengers.
"S-sorry..." said Luna, sweatdropping and putting her hand behind her
head. "We, uh, we were startledby the whip, sorry everyone, we aren't
used to stagecoaches, sorry..."
"Yeah, sorry..." added Lina, looking sheepish in her turn as they sat
back down.
"Nasty things, whips." said the rake. "Yell at the driver, shall I?" he
offered, making for the little hatch at the top of the coach that was
there sopeople could communicate with the driver at need.
"N-no, no..."said Lina, putting a hand out and stopping him. "Thanks,
but I'll be okay." she said.
"Ah, but of course! Pray permit me to introduce myself. I am a nobleman
of some degree, my name is Lord Cassanova..."
Luna just sighed. Poor Lina, the twit had obviously counted on her
stopping him, now he had an excuse to "chat her up" as the modern saying
went. That's not all he'd try to get up either, by the looks of things.
Luna just hoped that she could stop sis when the time came, before she
blew up the coach...
Which, judging from the stress lines on sis' forhead, wouldn't be long
in coming...
So, an unpleasant ride was started by all, the business men chatting
away, oblivious to all, the other woman sitting beside Luna, silent and
deep in her own thoughts, and Lina, getting more and more tense as the
rakish gentleman proceeded to regale her with any and every tale of how
marvelous he was, with several little complements to her thrown in along
the way. Luna tried not to smile at that, the guy had nothing that would
ever take Lina from Gourry, that was for sure. To help Lina she intruded
on the conversation a little bit, and soon the man was making a play for
both of them. He seemed to be blind to both their wedding rings and
their physical status, though they were not really showing yet.
At one point the rake made a remark about what a gentleman he was, being
he was noble, and it apparently stuck a chord, or perhaps a dischord,
with the tiny woman as she suddenly asked in a somewhat venomous voice
how many mad wives he had in his attic. Lord Cassanova blinked several
times in surprise and replied, "M-my dear madam, I assure you that I am
not married, though, if the right woman were to come along I'd remedy
that as soon as I realised it was her..."He seemed to give Lina a
hopeful look...
Lina mearly held up her hand, letting her wedding ring show.
"Oh, my..." said the rake as he took a good look at the stone. "A fine
rare stone that, your wedding ring is it?" he asked, looking awed by the
beauty of the stone. Lina nodded.
The rake went on "A magnificent stone, but clearly cut in half. Pity
your husband didn't make you a set of earrings with both stones. I would
have."
"He needed it for this ring." replied Luna, smirking, as she held out
her hand.
The rake blinked and looked both impressed and confused."Um, marvelous,
and clearly the mate, but, uh, why did her husband give you a wedding
ring too?"
"Because where we come from he's allowed to be OUR husband..." smiled
Luna, nastily.
"Oh my..." said Lord Cassanova, clearly at a loss, and possibly thinking
he'd better not go where the girls were from...
"Zephilia, isn't it? The accent, you kow..." put in one of the business
men, all idle chatter now stopped as the rings were presented.
"Yep." said Lina, to the point.
"Y-you can do that? I never heard..." the slight woman started to say.
"Not usually practiced, but it's not illegal." explained Luna. "But me
and sis here, we just weren't going to give up the man we wanted, so, we
reached a compromise..."
""Y-your sisters then?" asked the rake.
"That's my sister Luna, and I'm Lina." the petite mage said.
"Um, those names sound a bit familiar." said one of the business men.
"May I ask what your last names are?"
"Gabrieve." the girls replied at the same time.
"That's Elemikian, isn't it?" asked the other businessman, confused.
"Yep."said Luna, leaving it at that.
B-but, how does it work?" asked the petite woman. "I, uh, I'm leaving a
man who is married and who tried to trick me into marrying him as well,
because his wife is mad and has been so since the day he first met her.
But, you can have two wives?" she said, sounding terribly confused.
"You can where we come from, but what do you mean he's married to a mad
woman?" asked Luna.
The girl began to launch into a tale that threatened to be of epic
proportions and length, full of dark twists and turns of the human
condition, not to mention the human psychie. Fortunately, Luna cut her
short. "Skip the drama, just explain how she was mad and ended up as his
wife. Sheesh."
The little woman gulped and complied. Luna was good at getting people to
do that...
Lina gulped too, she'd felt Luna's awsome will power many times herself.
"Well, uh, he had traveled to a far land on business and while there he
was entertained by a wealthy family. They presented to him their
beautiful daughter, and he became, well, smitten I guess is the right
word. Naturally they did everything the proper way and he never had any
real alone time with her, so, he was lead down a false path by her
family to the point where he fell in love with her, believing her to be
a different woman than she was. They were married, he brought her back
here, but by the time he got home he realised he had been tricked. Being
a somewhat honourable man he has kept her and tried to look after her,
but he keeps her locked away because she is violent."
She sighed and went on. "He eventually became lonely and when I was
hired as a governess for his adopted daughter, well, things happened,
and we fell in love. He didn't tell me about the mad wife. We were at
the point of exchanging our vows when we were interupted by a lawyer for
the family who revealed all, and so, now I am here..."
As she finished the small woman was about to break into the most
heartfelt and grevious tears. The business men seemed nauseated. On the
otherhand, Lord Cassanova seemed ready to offer to duel the lout for
wronging the poor little girl who sat before them.
Then Luna reached over and cracked her fingers against the woman's
forehead.
Lina winced and adjusted the band on her own forehead, grateful that
Beastmaster had given it back. She was a little self concious of the two
marks on her forehead that she always told people were moles. Actually,
they were marks from one too many times of getting Luna's fingers
cracked on her forhead the same way...
"OW! What gives?" said the woman.
"You thinking clearly now?" asked Luna, clearly sounding like she was
suffering a fool poorly. "Listen, toots, if she was mad at her wedding,
then her vows and her "I do" have no legitimacy. He was never married to
her. Sheesh, you'd think people could figure this out for themselves..."
The girls was stunned. "Uh, never thought of that..." she said.
The coach fell silent for a bit as everyone digested that.
That's why they could hear the guard say to the driver "Over there! In
the trees! Shit, it's the Dick Turpentine band!"
CHAPTER 24
xxxxxxxxxx
"That's Dick Turpine, you idiot! I'm the leader of the most feared band
of bandits to ever work these roads,and you better remember that if you
want to live." yelled a harsh male voice, followed by "Anyway, stand and
deliver!"
Then came a lot of stamping and tramping as several bandits burst from
the bushes, including one on horseback. Most of them wielded swords or
axes, a couple had shields as well. The man on horse had a sabre and one
of those new fangles pistol thingies.
"I have so got to talk to Jillas..." muttered Lina as she sighed.
"Now now..." said the driver in a concilliatory voice, "No need to be
threatening, Mr. Terapin. We'll give you what you want and no one needs
to get hurt, right?"
The man on horse snarled. "Turpin! Can't you people get it right? And
yes, hurry up with the loot, I haven't got all day." he ordered. "And
get those people out of the coach, I want whatever they have too."
"How greedy..." muttered Luna, looking annoyed more than anything.
"Oh dear, your poor rings." sighed Cassanova. "But, my dears, you must
give them up you know, it is better to live and mourn your loss than end
up having your husband mourn his."
Luna and Lina gave each other quizzical looks. "You ready?" asked Luna.
Lina smiled "For this, no problem." she replied.
"Um, I think my sword is in your cape." said Luna. Lina nodded. "Yep,
though you won't be able to draw it in here." she said. Luna nodded,
then opened the door and climbed out with Lina
"S-sword?" asked Cassanova, looking afraid, as he came behind them. "My
dears, these men are bandits, if they see a sword they will do all sorts
of desperate things to you!" Others in the coach also expressed worry.
"After the past few weeks I've had, I'm counting on it. A girl has to
let steam off somehow." said Luna as she reached into Lina's cape and
grasped her sword hilt.
"Hey! You there, you two, let's see those rings." ordered the bandit
leader as he spied the sisters and the red brilliance on their hands.
Then he saw Luna was reaching for something. "More treasure? Is that a
sorceresses cape?" he asked.
"Hey, top marks for that one!" smiled Lina, rather nastily.
"Give me the cape too. I know witches hide money and other valuables in
them." ordered the bandit leader. By now the rest of the gang had
gathered around and the whole thing looked rather threatening. The
people from the coach cringed in fright.
Except Lina and Luna. This wasn't Beastmaster, this lot they could
handle, no problem...
"You want my stuff?" said Lina in a quiet, dangerous voice, some of her
old confidence and cockiness returning. "You can have it when you pry it
from my cold, dead hand."
"Huh?" said Luna with a quizzical look.
Lina laughed. "Ah, I just always wanted to use that line, I figured
these cornballs were perfect for it."
"Well, now you've had your fun at our expence, I suggest you hand it
over. NOW!" shouted the leader, threatening Lina with his sword.
"Hey, just 'cause it's a stupid line doesn't mean I didn't mean it."
shouted Lina back. "You want it, come and take it."
The bandit leader stiffened in rage. "I will not be talked to like that
by anyone, least of all a woman!" he snarled.
"Careful sis, we aren't at full power these days." said Luna. She had
been standing there the whole time with her hand in Lina's cape, now she
decided it was time. She withdrew Excaliber. "Who harms my sister
answers to me..." she said ominously.
"What are you idiots doing?" whispered Cassanova, urgently trying to
calm the girls down and get Luna to hide the sword.
Lina ignored him and nodded to Luna. "I'll use it if we need help." she
reassured Luna.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, the cavalry is to be avoided if
possible..." sighed Luna in reply.
"Uh, would there be any point in asking what you are talking about?"
someone asked.
"No. Now shut up, all of you." ordered Luna. They did...
The bandit leader was taking this all in with a look of utter disbelief.
"Just who do you think you are?" he asked with an unkind tone.
"Two sisters on their way to get something valuable and take it home,
but annoying small minded people keep interupting them, Little
Richard..." snarled Luna with such ferocity that the bandit's horse
instinctively backed off.
Nor was the insulting inuendo lost on the bandit gang. Most looked
elsewhere as if they hadn't heard it, but a few couldn't help but
snicker.
By now the leader was allowing himself to get into a towering rage.
"Right, You lot! I'll do you later, right now, get the loot!" he shouted
at his gang who suddenly got the look of a pack of whipped curs and
hastened to comply.
"As for you two smart asses," he said, turning to Lina and Luna, "this
is your last chance to make it easy on yourself. Dick Turpin doesn't
want to start having a reputatuion of being unkind to the ladies, but
you two are acting like you are anything but. I want your rings and your
cape and I want them now." he snarled.
"No." said the girls together.
"Oh my..." sighed the rake. "It was nice meeting you..."
Luna gave him a hard stare that rapidly backed him off. "Oh ye of little
faith..." she muttered.
The bandit leader seemed to reach some conclusion. "Right. So that's it
then is it?" he asked, lifting his sword.
"Yep." replied Luna.
He drove his horse forward suddenly, and swung his sabre, intending to
hit Luna with the back of the blade and teach her a lesson. Luna hardly
seemed to move, just a mere flicker with her sword, but suddenly the
highwayman's blade was sailing over the tree tops.
"What?" he asked, in confusion. "Hey, what did you...?" he asked.
"Way to go, big sister." chuckled Lina.
"Wait for it..." smiled Luna.
Even the bandit boss waited...
Then...
His saddle slowly began to slide off the horse...
He just had time to look down and realise that Luna had not only flung
his sword over the trees, but she had also cut the girth strap on his
saddle completely through, and hadn't so much as cut a single hair on
the horse...
He landed in a heap. The horse whinnied and trotted off, presumably to a
better life of freedom.
After a second the boss jumped back up trying to salvage any dignity he
might have left. His gang were standing beside the passengers their
mouths open in disbelief. Lina turned on them and told them in a quiet
but clearly dangerous voice to put everything back and walk away...
"Don't listen to her." snapped the highwayman. "Just get them and we can
make them pay us back tonight." he threatened.
"Use it Lina, we may need backup." said Luna. Lina looked at Luna,
disbelief in her eyes. "We can take them." she pouted.
"Don't be silly, you can't summon much in your state, and I can't let
the full force of Ceiphied flow through me either. Don't you remember
mom telling us?"
"Uh..." said Lina, remembering. "Well, there must be something I can
do." she mused.
"Surrender!" enthused the bandit leader coming forward.
"Back off..." said Luna, decking him without so much as a glance. Then
she said "I'm sorry Lina, I don't mean to ruin your reputation as the
Bandit Killer, but you're expecting now, you can't do what you could
before. And there's been all that time on the island without your
stuff."
"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me..." sighed Lina.
An older member of the gang now came forward, fear in his one eye. The
other was covered with a black patch. "Bandit Killer? N-No, it can't be,
is it, is it... you?" he said, trembling. Then he raised the patch...
To reveal a perfectly good eye. Wierdo...
"Wait, wait, short, plain, red hair, red eyes, but it's all brown now,
that's why I didn't recognise you, outlandish red and yellow cloths,
flat..."
Lina began to fume the moment he started talking, and when he reached
"flat" she flung her fist into his face and screamed "Finish that
thought and die!"
"Eeeeek! It is her! Bandit Killer Lina Inverse! The flat chested enemy
of all who live!!!" he shrieked, sounding like a girl, which caused
several people to blink and wince. Luna of course, treated the whole
thing with the dignity it deserved, and burst out laughing.
"So much for "World's most Beautiful Sorcery Genius."" she chortled.
"Hmmm, no, I've met her, you look nothing like her." said Cassanova,
looking thoughtful. "As I remember she was tall, had pure white skin, I
think her shoulders were delicate, but you couldn't tell under the
spiked shoulder guards she was wearing, she has Cerulian blue eyes, long
black hair like a midnight waterfall, legs that go on forever, a perfect
heartshaped butt, the most perfect rack I've ever seen on any woman, and
I do mean seen, the clothes she wore would make a bikini look over
dressed, oh and her laugh, such a powerful and worldly superior laugh.
Now how did it go? Something like..."
Lina had had enough. Weak, helpless even, forced to defend herself,
forced to put up with flat chest remarks, and now, she was being
compared with, with...
"FIREBALL!!!"she screamed, lobbing the first one at the passengers from
the coach, and then proceeding to make the grand rounds with the bandits
before Luna could stop her.
"Enough Lina! Think of your unborn baby!" she yelled at the petite mage.
And that did the trick. Lina stopped. "I-I'm sorry, big sister, I'm
sorry! They shouldn't have insulted me like that. Not flat chested AND
compared to Naga the Serpent, not that..." She fell sobbing into Luna's
arms.
After a bit she looked up and asked "How about you? Are you fully able
to be the Knight of Ceiphied right now? You're expecting too..."
Luna shook her head. "I have to be careful as well, sis, we have to be
careful."
Lina looked around at the smoking husks that were the bandit gang. "But
they are not getting our rings." she said. Luna nodded.
With that, there was nothing else to do but pack up the charred coach
again, leave the bandits to smoulder, and roll off towards Seirune.
CHAPTER 25
xxxxxxxxxx
The trip seemed too long, even though the coach was covering many more
miles in a day than the girls could have walked, even when they were in
peak condition. Of course Lina did manage to point out that in the good
old days she could have flown them there already, but she already knew
the answer. The fireballs from the battle two days ago had left her
feeling weak and tired for a long time afterwards, and she knew she'd
not be able to fly them now, even Levitation would take too big a toll
on her energy. Such was the downside of being pregnant and a mage.
No wonder their mother stopped at two. Lina was probably lucky to be
born at all.
So, now they were riding in a coach. Well, riding in the day and
stopping
at the stage stops at night. Like they were now at the end of their
third day of travel. Only two more left to Seirune. If they didn't blow
up their fellow passengers.
True they had been left more alone after it came out who they were and
that they had the power not to suffer fools gladly. Cassanova had turned
his attention to the jilted girl, who's name turned out to be Jane
Eiresomethingorother. "Airhead..." as Luna had mouthed to Lina who tried
not to giggle about it too much. He had his work cut out for him though,
she seemed more interested in mulling what Luna had said about whether
her Rodgester had indeed been married if his wife was mad on their
wedding. Still, when she had left the coach that evening after the
battle, so had he...
The extra room was nice, it almost made up for the fact that the two
business men were still antisocial psychpaths, more interested in
developing a business empire that seemed to specialise in screwing the
poor than anything else. Lina shook her head in sadness. She knew from
her parents that there was shrewed business practice, and she hadn't
been above being exorbedant in her demands and prices when she could get
away with it, but these guys, they made Naga's avarice look tame. The
worst of it was that they seemed the types to make it work too. Well, if
nothing else she'd make sure she never did business with the Custom
House of Scrooge and Marley if she could help it.
For her part Luna was thinking of more mundane things. Like food. Not
that she was hungry, but she was wondering if the baby would forgive her
if she didn't eat tonight. Not because of her morning sickness, but
because the first two meals on the road had been "Beans with Bacon", and
this night it was to be "Bacon with Beans". Oh what she'd give for
something raw and wriggling...
Anyway, they picked up two new passengers the next morning when they
started again, and were back up to six in the coach. The two new men
seemed rather desperate types, but they were neat, clean, and freshly
bathed, paid the fare, and were mannered well enough, so there was
nothing to say. Still, there was something about them that was creepy.
Fortunately they seemed to want only to nap on the trip, so, so far so
good...
The coach rolled on, the day was warm. Everyone in the coach started to
nod off...
They were rudely awakened by the coach juddering to a halt as a nasty,
and familiar, voice shouted "Stand and Deliver!"
"Not Little Richard again..." groaned Luna as she was rather rudely
awakened from a pleasant dream where she was playing with her new baby.
"Dickhead..." cursed Lina, quietly.
"You in the coach! Get out!" someone rough ordered as he pulled the door
opened. The girls practically fell out but managed to land on their
feet. "Hey, we haven't left yet, shithead." Luna said in her best no
nonsense "Waitress dealing with a rude customer" voice.
Dick Turpine, bangages still on his burns, rode foth so they could see
him. it was a different horse, the girls noted. "We were counting on you
being here, actually..." he said.
"Huh?" said Lina.
There was no warning as the rough men from the coach landed on top of
the girls. They had been distracted...
They battled furiously, but they were overwhelmed by the gang and tied
up quickly, then robbed. Excalibur was taken though not recognised, and
so was Lina's cape. And of course, their rings. If the girls had had
their full powers things might, no would, have been a lot different,
but, they didn't, so they weren't...
The coach was expertly robbed this time and everyone else was very
quickly sent on their way, if they knew what was good for them. Alas,
they did...
Dick Turpin laughed and laughed as he contemplated the two sisters now
tied up and at his mercy."Well, my pretties, who's laughing now?" he
said, brandishing his pistol. he seemed not to have found his sword...
The girls were roughly made to stand up, then marched to the bandit's
camp. "We really are pregnant you know." shouted Lina at one point as
she was stumbling along from being pushed too fast.
"Well, good, then you won't have to worry about getting that way as you
pay us back for the last time we met." replied oneof the roughs, to
which the rest of the gang laughed.
A few minuted later Lina stumbled again and something silver jangled out
of a pocket somehwere. One of the roughs snatched it up. "Well, Lummy,
some kind'a whistle, with an ugly wolf's head on it. A play toy for the
baby perhaps? Let's see how it sounds." Lina had the sense to bit her
tongue. Hateful as it was, they could use a good Mazoku about now. she
hoped the warning that help might not come right away was wrong...
The man blew hard on the whistle. Nothing much was heard. At least, by
the humans. Dick's horse suddenly reared and neighed as if in pain.
"Give me that you idiot, you're hurtung the horse." shouted the leader
as he rode to the bandit and snatched up the whistle. "Looks like a dog
whistle. Oh well, it's silver, it'll fetch a few coins." he said after
studying it. He then thrust it inot his pocket. Then he turned to Lina
and said "And I'll be sure to think of something special for you
forhifing it from me, Lina Inverse."
The bandit troop moved on and after a hard slog the exhausted girls were
finally lead into a clearing in the forest where a large well built camp
was set up. There was a fire pit in the middle, complete with all sorts
of cooking implements, and around it were trestle tables for the gang to
eat at. A couple of gang members were there already, probably part of
the home guard, and they had been preparing food to cook, and had hauled
water from somewhere. They looked up as the gang returned. "Got 'em!"
one of the men said happily.
Lina and Luna were soon kicked to the center and the harsh order was
given. "Make food and drink for all of us, and hurry up, we are hungry.
And after that, you can resume your old job, Luna inverse, and serve us.
Make sure Lina learns how to serve too..."
The sisters were wxhausted but there was no real chance of doing
snything about it so they panted their way into the center. They hauled
wood and son had a blaze going, they had to work without help to haul
heavy joints of meat onto spits that were then set to roasting before
the fire. Alarge cauldron was filled with water and set to boil full of
potatoes. Other big pots were filled with other foods and set to cook.
After that there was a demand forale and the girls had to run as best
they could with tankards of the brew to the various people at the
tables, remembering always to serve Dick Turpine first.
Luna took charge, this is what restauranting was about, and things ran
as smoothly as they could. It would have been nice if the girls had had
help, but of course, that was the idea and they were made very tired
carrying heavy plates of food around until all were full. And after that
was somedrinking, then,as the sun was setting Dick stood up and gave an
evil laugh. "Well, lads, even though they didn't make desert I'm willing
to bet we're all full enough, I think it's time they served our other
appetites now..."
There was evil agreement all around and from the leer in every eye the
girls had no doubt what that meant.
Gand Rape.
"This will teach you to be so stuck up and not respect men." said Dick
as the gang made it's way towards the girls. "I give you one choice,
surrender peacefully and do what you are told and we won't beat you,
struggle and we will."
The girls looked at each other helplessly, tears in their eyes. this was
Beastmaster all over again, but without any need for the men to be
careful as they had no plan beyind their own pleasure. They shivered.
"No, no,we should beat them."said a voice. The gang stopped and looked
around. It wasn't one of them that had spoken.
The voice went on "After all, what could be more manly than for a whole
gang of rough men to hork their way on two helpless, pregnant women?
Let's not miss the ooprtunity here!"
There was silence, then Dick Turpin spoke."What trick is this? Show
yourself, stranger, quit hiding. Who are you, and what do you want?"
"Me? Oh, I'm no one importent, just a fan of sensless violence.Pray,
don't stop on my behalf." the voice spoke. "And as for seeing me, I'm
not hiding, you just aren't looking in the right spot."
"Th-the tree!" shouted one of the roughs, pointing. There in the tree he
pointed at was the outline of a man. He moved and floated tothe earth. A
middle height male appeared, his robes were black, his face was stuck in
an idiotic smirk, and for some reason he kept his eye shut all the time.
And he held a curiously shaped staff with a red ball in the middle of
it.
"My, my, what have we here?" she said, coming forward towards the girls.
Lina and Luna were still shaking, but atleast they could dry their eyes
now. "These women are far too delicate and important to be put to such
use, what are you thinking?" the mysterious priest asked the gang.
"These girls are powerful enemies and are going to get what they
deserve, not that it's any of your business." replied Dick Turpine."And
who the hell are you anyway?" he asked.
"Me?" said the stranger. "I'm a priest."
"That's what you are." the leader said, threatening the priest with his
gun. "How about a name?"
"Vincent." said the priest, "That's a name."
"Is it yours?" the bandit leader asked.
"No." was the reply.
"Then give me yours before I shoot ewither you or one of the girls." was
the next question.
"Ah, threats! Say, didn't anyone ever tell you that those who liveby
violence die by violence?" the mysterious priest asked.
"Nope." said Dick. "Now, spill..."
"There be those who call me Xellos" replied Xellos.
"Stupid name."said the bandit.
"I heard that name before, but where?" said another bandit.
"Is it your name? What's your last name?" asked the leader.
"It is my name and I don't have a last name. It was the masculinisation
of my mommy's name actually." replied Xellos, still smirking.
"Which is?" sighed Dick, not sure he really wanted to know.
"Zellas" was the reply.
"Heard that one too, but where?" said the same anonymous bandit.
"Well, well, a mommy's boy. Is that why you keep your eyes shut all the
time?" sneered Dick.
"Oh my no. I keep them closed, because when I open them bad things
happen! Look!" said Xellos, opening his evil filled violet eyes. The
bandits all gasped and stepped back...
"What the hell?" gasped Dick as he staggered to one knee.
"Now," said Xellos, getting serious. "Where is that whistle, Lina?"
"Dicky boy took it from me." replied Lina.
"Huh? You know each other?" asked the bandit leader, looking suspicious.
"Oh, we go way back..." replied the petite mage.
Dick fished the whistle out of his pocket. "You mean this?" he asked
holding it up.
"Yep!" said Xellos as she moved inhumanly fast to snatch it from the
bandit leader's grasp. "And the rest of their stuff?" he smirked,
evilly.
"Hey! Wait!" said the highwayman waving his pistol.
"Say, does that thing even work?" asked Xellos with a sneer. Suddely he
swung his staff at Dick Turpin.
Dick shot...
The gunshot echoed for awhile,and the gang just stared. Xellos didn't
even seem to be hit. Then he stood up straight, seemed to dig his hand
into his side, and produced the lead ball he had been shot with. "Yours,
I believe?"
"Wha-wha-what are you?" gasped the bandit leader.
"I'm a Mazoku, of course, what did you think?" Xellos replied, still
smiling, and still staring at the bandits with wide open eyes. The gang
backed up a few more steps.
"These girls are important to my Mistress, Lady ZellasMetallium,
BeastMaster. It'd be a shame if anything happened to them, so, why don't
you return all their stuff and get out of my way as I take them away
from here? I might not do anything to you if you behave." said Xellos in
a no nonsense tone of voice. In almost an instant everything was
returned, including the ruby rings. Hmph!" said Lina as she put hers on.
Then they followed Xellos. As they reached the clearing he called out
"Captain."
A large grey wolf stepped into the clearing. "I have what I need, these
men are yours." he said to the wolf who seemed to understand and to
smile, wickedly. He gave a yelp and many more large wolves appeared from
the trees, jaws slavering...
"Y-you said you wouldn't hurt us!" someone yelled. Xellos called back
"I'm not. I never said anything about the wolves, though..." With that
he put an arm around the girls and flew them away.
They didn't see what happened, but from the yelling and the screaming,
and the barks and howls of the wolves and other evil sounds, they didn't
need to.
At least the roads would be safer for a while, now...
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