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Kitsune Lina
Private Plans The man appeared to be a humble monk, merely a minor follower of what was apparently a young cult. The thick robes hid a wicked knife and the much-scarred form of a common thug. His scowling face could be mistaken for reticence considering his garb, but a closer look saw that it was more like boredom and restrained anger.
Over the last two days more and more of these thinnly vieled thugs were joining the temples numbers. So far most of them had been kept in out of the way tasks that made them hard to find, much less observe.
That is, they would have been hard to find if something like them hadn't been suspected already. As the cloaked thug doled out stew to the seemingly unending line of beggars and the poor, at least one of the bedraggled was casting his glance surreptitiously about the small complex.
Like the camouflaged thug, under his outer garments was a fighter's body. This man was a professional soldier, however. Even in such a peaceful kingdom as Sailoon one such soldier was more than equal to three or four of the thugs he had seen so far.
The Temple of She with a Thousand Young was building up military forces, and quickly. They were planning something for the prince's wedding day, and probably the festival. The disguised guardsman nodded his thanks to the grumbling thug, who was making a credible attempt at sounding like a charitable, if silent, worker of good deeds. Then the man handed his bowl quietly to another of the throng and walked off to make his report.
Across the way a third party that could, alone, defeat all of them and more besides, arched one eyebrow, barely visible under a deep baige hood. "Hmm," Xellos leaned back against the wall of the old cathedral he had decided to perch on. He would rather have stayed behind with Lina to help her with the twins, but he was the only one of them that could teleport. So he had to stay until the other mazoku finally showed his hand.
The fact that the other scout was Zelgadis did not ease matters. The two had spent the first hour staring each other down before they finally got to the business of getting a sense for the lay of the land. The chimera was watching Regin's temple at the moment, and Xellos was taking the time to think about the mazoku's actions.
They had heard that Prince Philoniel was planning on going through with the wedding as soon as "Lady R'Lyeh" arrived in town. There was going to be a large public festival involved. Regin's followers were supposed to be present in strength to bring relief to the hunger pains of the needy. Xellos smiled at that description, but all in all it sounded like a day of incredibly bright and sunny emotions, not something most mazoku would want to be involved with.
"Unless," Xellos's back straightened as he realized something. "Perhaps you could have actually brought the Old Ones here after all." He smiled viciously, then stood up and vanished, reappearing in the back corner of a tavern. Sitting down in the table nearest him was the rather sullen chimera.
"You're late," Zelgadis noted. "Where've you been?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu," Xellos smiled, he loved doing that to them. Zelgadis glared at him
"Xellos," the chimera growled.
"I know how Regin is going to open the gate to the Old Ones," Xellos said. "But they're not here yet."
"How?"
"Mazoku magic, I can handle it," Xellos assured him. Zelgadis narrowed his eyes and glared and the mazoku, who merely smiled back. "And what did you find out, might I ask?"
"Prince Philoniel is not as unaware of the situation as he seems," Zelgadis answered. "His guardsmen are watching Reginald's men, and a number of Martina's bandits have entered town as well."
"Whatever is going to happen is going to happen soon," Xellos nodded. "Perhaps I should return to my perch."
"One thing Xellos," the mazoku turned to face the chmera, curious. "I don't like you."
"This is hardly a news flash."
"Let me finish, I don't like you, but Lina is a friend. Don't try to take Xelas on by yourself." Xellos's eyes narrowed as he appraised the chimera. Then his face returned to its normal cheerful expression and he laughed.
"Xelas isn't going to be a problem," he assured the chimera. "Not a problem in the least." The mazoku laughed quietly before vanishing away.
"He's up to something," Zelgadis grumbled, hoping that it wouldn't be something they would have to worry about soon. It would be stupid to take on Xelas now, the mazoku had to know that. Regin and Martina rode at the front of the column, about one third of her ladyship's bandit forces, all dressed as monks. The thugs were unhappily armed with easily hidden knives and innocent looking quarterstaves. Still it was enough for what they had planned. By the end of the day Martina would come into power, Regin had promised this to her many times over.
As they topped the hill the city below came into view, a glittering gem sitting at the bottom of the downslope. The City of Justice, Martina's lip curled derisively, the name was more than moderately hypocritical. While the so-called rulers of the land did have the best interests in mind, so often their decrees pietered out after being filtered through layers upon layers of bureaucracy. Still it was one of the most respected kingdoms on the continent, and it was a fitting place for Martina to regain her lost status. After all wasn't that Saillon brat that brought the damned Lina Inverse down on her? Yes, Amelia's kingdom would be Martina's seat of power.
"You have been studying I assume," Master Reginald asked her.
"Of course," Martina answered. "Though I still think your exercises are rather silly."
"You will not think so after the ritual."
"You mean the wedding to my one true love?" Martina asked.
"That is one way to put it," Reginald answered monotonously. "You will be sure to taunt the prince before you kill him?"
"I wonder how he'll take the truth," Martina pondered the coming bloodshed. "I've taken care of Lina, now it is Sailoon's turn! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Regin arched an eyebrow and then whipped to stare at one of the buildings along Sailoon's skyline. For just a moment he thought there was something there, and then nothing. Emotion never showed much on the staid face of the seemingly plain mazoku, but he was scared. All five of them were alive and together. He wouldn't let Regin know it, but that had been the true reason that he refused to chase them to Inverse's shelter.
The end was coming now, for victory or defeat, but he was no longer so certain of his victory. The mazoku glanced irritably to his left, and spotted a large raven sitting on a tree. If he didn't no better, he could have sworn the beast was laughing at him. Xellos appeared again in front of the chimera.
"They're coming," the mazoku said simply.
"Why are we waiting here then?"
"Zelgadis, you're a third demon, correct," the mazoku asked. Zelgadis arched an eyebrow.
"You know that," he confirmed. 'What game are you playing Xellos?'
"At some point you'll see a stream of energy running somewhere," Xellos told him. "Only you and I will see it out of us."
"Because we're the only ones with mazoku blood," Zelgadis said calmly. "And what am I to do about this energy stream?"
"You've seen the amulet Lina wears?" he asked.
"I recall that it used to hang about your neck."
"That's the one," Xellos said smiling. "Well, keep an eye on it. It won't be long after the energy stream appears, that amulet will start to crack. When you see that I want you to cast a Ra Tilt into the energy stream, and don't tell Lina about this."
"I need a reason, Xellos."
"Its a matter of my family's..." he paused, considering the word and the part of him that was still human after all those centuries enjoyed the sound of it. "Yes...my family...it is important to their survival."
"Why, what are you up to?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu," Xellos answered cheerfully, ignoring Zelgadis's growl. "Remember, when you see the amulet crack cast the spell, don't wait or you might have serious problems." Then the annoying mazoku vanished.
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