If you are offended by any of the things mentioned above or are NOT 18 years of age or older, TURN BACK NOW. You have been warned... now let the good times commence!

New Revelations

Chapter Selection

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Chapter 21

It’s pretty nice having someone to talk to on the road again. Lina thought to herself as she walked along side of Katibree with her hands clasped behind her head.

I guess I’d just gotten so used to having Gourry around all the time that I’d started taking the constant company for granted…The sorceress took a moment to steal a quick glance at the half elf. She’s definitely no Gourry, but she can be pretty fun at times. I just wish that she’d loosen up more often… She barely talks about herself at all and it’s kinda hard to figure out what she all about. She reminds me of Zelgadis a little in that respect. And speaking of Gourry and the others…

“Hey Kat, I’ve been thinking…”

“What’s that, Inverse?” Katibree asked, turning her attention to the redhead as they walked.

“Well, we’ve still got about a week before we get to Zephilia to smooth this entire mess over, but afterwards… With the current situation involving all these Monsters, I think we’re going to eventually need some serious back up.” Lina explained.

“A reunion with your past traveling companions?”

“That’s right, you’ve heard of them?” the sorceress asked.

“Yeah, I’ve read up on some of them.” “There’s the Chimera, the Seyruun Princess, and the descendant of the Sword’s man of light, correct?” the half elf asked.

Just how much about me does she know exactly?

“That’s most of them, but as far as the sword of light goes, Gourry doesn’t have it anymore.” “That’s one of the reasons I’ve been debating on whether or not to bring him into this whole deal lately.” “He is a master swordsman, but without the sword of light, he won’t be of much use against pure Monsters.”

“What happened to it?” Katibree asked with interest.

“Well after that huge battle with Darkstar, Sirius took all the weapons of light back with him to the Overworld, including Gorunova.”

“Can’t you just cast a communication spell to get a hold of the Overworlder then?”

“I could if he was on this plane of existence, but he’s in another dimension completely.” “Even my powers couldn’t pull that sort of thing off across two different worlds.” Lina replied with a sigh.”

“But, you can link up with anyone in the world here to send a message?”

“It’s a really complicated process, and I’d have to know the person to be able to pinpoint them with the spell, but yeah.” “Why do you ask, Kat?” the redhead asked, wondering where the assassin was going with her train of thought.

“Well, as you know my side of the barrier is significantly more technically advanced than yours, because of the lack of powerful magic there…” “I think I’ve heard of a device that theoretically should be capable of making a link between the two worlds, but a suitable power source was never found to activate it properly…” Katibree trailed off thoughtfully, smirking at the sorceress.”

What’s she smiling about?

“You’ve got more than enough power to burn if the creator can find a way to channel it into the device, all they’d have to worry about is the damn thing overloading and exploding because you gave it too much juice.”

Lina stopped walking completely with a shocked expression on her face, before finally breaking into a torrent of laughter. “Yeah, I guess you’re right!” she giggled.

“So if this device can link to the Overworld like you say, then I can get in touch with Sirius from there.” Lina said thoughtfully while wiping an eye, after recovering from her fit of laughter.

Katibree nodded at her, and continued to walk once more.

“So you want to head to the outer barrier after Zephilia then?” Lina asked, walking more quickly to catch up with the half elf.

“It’s what I was planning to do anyway, I have something that I need to take care of there as it is.” The assassin replied.

She must be talking about her guild. That was really horrible, and I doubt anything has been done about all those bodies - -

Lina’s train of thought was rudely interrupted by the loud rumbling of her stomach.

Katibree stopped and looked at her quizzically.

The sorceress merely, placed her hand on her neck, rubbing it and laughing embarrassedly.

“Come on.” The half elf sighed, as she cut across the road and headed directly into the forest.

“Where are we going?”

“Just get a camp fire started, I’ll be back in awhile.” She eats more than anyone I’ve ever met! Katibree laughed to herself quietly. Oh well, it’s only a couple of hours before we’d stop to make camp anyway… Plus I think I have some gear stashed in this area.

“Oh alright, no problem!” Lina exclaimed, as she began to look for firewood in the clearing. Looks like she’s going to do the cooking this time! Lina thought to herself happily. I wonder what’s she’s going to bring back?

Chapter 22

“Where’d you get all of that?” Lina inquired, looking up from the large camp fire that she’d been tending. “Sure, took you a long time to get back.” She added.

“The path we’re traveling on is pretty much the same route that I took on my way from Zephilia, its camping gear that I’d stashed in the area.” Katibree explained while placing something that looked like a large metal grate on stilts over the camp fire, after setting down the two sizable sacks she’d been carrying.

That’s convenient. “So if one sack is for camping gear… then what’s the other one for?” the sorceress asked with growing interest.

The assassin merely smirked, reaching into the second sack and began placing pieces of prepared meat on the metal grate.

“Well, it was originally just a spare sack, but as much as you eat…” “I’d say it just officially became a sack for transporting game that’s been caught.” Katibree replied.

“Oh, what did you get??” Lina asked, clasping her hands together excitedly.

“A few rabbits, a boar, and a small elk, they’re already skinned and everything.” “I washed the meat off in a river nearby as well; it’s down stream of where we’ll actually be bathing.” The half elf added.

“That sounds delicious!” I know who’s cooking from now on!

“That sounds great Kat, and you know a bath sounds pretty good right now too!” “Just come and let me know when the foods done OK?” Lina said, while rummaging through the new camping equipment in search of bathing supplies before heading off in the direction of the near by lake.

It’ll be nice to do something other than just rinse off in the lake while I’m on the road for once.

“No problem.” The half elf replied absently, while flipping over a shank of elk on the makeshift grill.

I’ve never had elk or boar before… I wonder what they taste like? Lina thought to herself as she made her way through the brush, closing in on the lake ahead.

Well, I’m assuming boar will taste like pork. She thought with a giggle as she finally made it to the bank of the lake and began to undress.

The sorceress gave herself a quick once over in the reflection shown on the surface of the water before dipping a foot into the water tentatively.

“Whoa. That’s allot colder than I thought it would be!” she exclaimed, as she yanked her foot out of the water.

“This lake could definitely use some of that old’ Lina Inverse touch!” the redhead exclaimed, charging a Fireball gleefully.

“FIRE…”

Katibree, who was still cooking back at the camp site, looked up at the sound of Lina’s voice.

“…BALL!”

The assassin sprang to her feet and drew her blades with one motion as a nearby explosion shook the area.

Damn it! Where they just waiting for us to split up before they attacked? The half elf thought to herself angrily as she ran through the brush at a dead sprint, bounding off of trees and boulders as she went.

She charged her blades reflexively at the sound of another and leapt through the clearing that led to the lake at break neck speed.

As the half elf cleared the trees, her momentum continued to carry her through the air, past the bank and into a shallow area of the lake.

Katibree’s lavender eyes widened in shock as she slipped and skid on the smooth rocks lining the lake’s bottom, finally bringing herself to abrupt stop mere inches from a very naked Lina Inverse’s backside.

“Uhm… I, uh…” the half elf stammered.

Lina turned around to look as Katibree began to backtrack, loosing her balance on the smooth surface of the lake bottom and falling backwards with a *SPLASH*.

Kat…? That was graceful… What’s she doing here - - OH the Fireballs!

“Oh, heya Kat!” “I meant to warn you about that…” the redhead added, placing an arm over her breasts self consciously as an afterthought.

“I like to heat up my baths with a Fireball or two sometimes when I’m on the road.” She continued sheepishly.

Upon the partial concealment of Lina’s breasts, the assassin’s eyes reflexively wandered down the sorceresses’ lithe frame, past a very tight little stomach and directly to the next area of interest.

As red as the hair on her head… What do you know? Looks like a fuzzy little carrot down th - - What the hell am I doing?! She thought, shooting her eyes back up to Lina’s face and hoping to the God’s that Lina hadn’t picked up on what she’d just been so interested in…

“Well, at least we know that the charge on your blades works underwater now.” Lina continued teasingly.

Katibree looked down at her blades in confusion, and watched for a moment as one of them began to burn its way through some of the stones on the bottom of the lake before dispelling the charge on them.

When did I…? I’m not even drained or anything…

“Yeah, I guess they do.” She said looking back up at Lina and once again being assaulted with the sight of the redhead’s naked frame now, gorgeously highlighted by the setting sun.

Wow. She could feel the tips of her ears beginning to redden, and felt a feeling stirring in her nether regions that she hadn’t felt in quite some time.

“Ishouldgocheckonthefood.” The half elf said hurriedly before jumping up and turning to leave.

“Hey, don’t forget to come get me when it’s ready OK Kat?” Lina called after the assassin.

Did she even hear me? She didn’t even say anything back…

The half elf walked back to camp at a much quicker pace than normal. What the hell is wrong with me? I acted like a complete jackass back there. It’s not like I’ve never seen another girl naked before. She fumed to herself finally making it back to the camp sight and plopping down in front of the make shift grill agitatedly.

Katibree poked at the meat on the grill thoughtfully. I guess that’s just it… I was expecting to see a girl… not a woman…That sorceresses’ get up doesn’t do that figure of hers any justice at all…She sighed to herself as her mind conjured up an image of what she’d just seen back at the lake in vivid detail. The half elf shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the image. “Would you cut it out?” She hissed at the unmistakable throbbing between her legs, giving her womanhood an irritated swat.

I’m too old for crushes… And if I remember correctly… I’m pretty sure those are supposed to be reserved for people older than yourself anyway.

But still…I always read that she was supposed to be built like a bean pole or something… and those sure as hell weren’t some little mosquito bites on her chest either…

“Whoever started all those rumors is a fucking dumbass.” The half elf sighed audibly.

“What rumors?”

How long has she been standing there? God’s I’m losing it.

“That was a quick bath, Red.” Katibree replied, blatantly ignoring Lina’s question.

“Oh yeah, it’s just that the foods smells really delicious - -“ Did she just call me Red?

“Oh, it’s “Red” now instead of “Inverse” is it? “Why’d you pick that nickname all of the sudden?”

The assassin looked up at the sky for a moment wondering the same thing herself.

“I don’t know I just said it all of the sudden I - -“

Just then, an image of the fore mentioned fuzzy carrot of Lina’s that Katibree had been examining with so much interest earlier popped into her mind...

“I uh… I guess Lina works just fine too huh?” she said laughing nervously.

“Here, the first round of food is ready.” She added, handing the redhead a heaping plate of BBQ’d meats.

Thanks Lina said absently, still stuck on her new nickname.

It’s blatantly obvious that I’m a redhead… I doubt Kat just all of the sudden noticed that, if she’s anything she’s always observant. So why’d she come up with that nickname just now all of the sudden instead of calling me it earlier? She’s has to have gotten the idea from something that’s happened recently… Well… she was just at the lake with me… maybe something she saw there…?

Katibree looked over at the sorceress suspiciously

I thought she was hungry… why isn’t she eating? Wait I know that fucking look, she’s trying to figure out why I gave her that nickname - -

The assassin reached over and bonked the redhead over the top of her head.

“OUCH!” “HEY, what did ya do that for??!” Lina exclaimed holding her head as a few crocodile tears welded up in her eyes.

“Your food’s getting cold.” Katibree replied with a smirk.

Her figuring that sort of thing out is the last thing I need!

Chapter 23 (Ex-assassin Banter)

“So Kat, you wanna get this next set?”

“What do you mean this next set?” “I’ve gotten every set up until now, and plus there’s like thirty of them.” The assassin exclaimed to the redhead.

“Thirty-two by my count.” “Come on Kat, you could use the exercise.” Lina replied, winking at the half elf coyly.

“Don’t give me that crap.” Katibree said, stifling the urge to laugh.

“It was your idea to look inside of that ridiculous cave for “treasure” and your fault that these orcs followed us out of it.”

“And on top of that…” the half elf continued, holding out a hand to count on her fingers and stress her point. “I took out the group of trolls before this, the bandit gang before that, the bandit gang before that, and that douche bag of a mercenary that thought one of us looked at him the wrong way before that!

Katibree walked over to the redhead closing the distance herself and the sorceress, folding her arms and leaning forward slightly as Lina began to giggle uncontrollably.

She’s sooo hilarious when she’s mad!

“Not to mention the fact that someone insisted that I “take it easy” on the humans.” “So instead of just killing them and getting it over with, I had to inca–fucking–pasitate them instead…”

“Yeah, well you really need to lighten up more, Kat!” “You shouldn’t just go around slaughtering people all the time, it’s so messy and gross…” Lina, replied while patting the assassin on the shoulder cheerfully.

“And we need to work on that language of yours too.” “A lady really should go around using words like that.” The redhead added teasingly.

“I’m not a “lady” I’m an assassin.” Katibree shot back, placing her face mere inches from Lina’s.

“Ex-assassin.” Lina countered with a smirk.

The half elf jerked her head back with a comical expression on her face, before leaning forward once more. “And just who the hell decided this??! She exclaimed.

“I did, just now.” Lina replied, giving Katibree her trade mark Lina Inverse wink.

“I…un-fucking-believable..!”

“Language, Kat…” the redhead chided coyly.

The half elf glared at her a second before suddenly snatching the red gem out one of the sides of Lina’s shoulder guard and tossing it at the creeping horde of orcs.

“H-hey!” Lina exclaimed.

Katibree cocked her head to one side and continued to glare at the sorceress defiantly as the red gem hit the ground, exploding on impact and scattering the orcs temporarily.

“I hate it when you do that!” “It really sucks to make those…” Lina brooded.

“Alright, alright, come on Kat!” the redhead said as she turned and began to run.

“Zephilia is in the direction of the orcs, Red.”

“I know, I know, just come on!” Lina shouted over her shoulder.

The “ex-assassin?” merely shrugged carelessly before running after her, catching up easily.

“Ok, now what?”

“Now I do this!” Lina exclaimed, as she suddenly spun around and placed a hand on the ground as she skid to a halt.

“Hum?”

“Stone Spiker!” Lina exclaimed.

Katibree watched in fascination as a 20 foot tall stone spike rose out of the ground.

“That’s cool looking and everything but - -“

Suddenly she felt the sorceresses’ arm around her waist. “Uh, Lina..? The half elf asked nervously.

“Ray Wing!”

“Oh shi - -!”

“Language, Kat.” Lina interrupted with a strange smile on her face.

“Damn it, Inverse!”

Oh she’s back to calling me by my last name again? She must be really mad. Lina thought to herself with a laugh, as the two girls reached the top of the spike and continued to go even higher.

What’s so damn funny??

“Give us a plateau Kat!”

“What?” the ex-assassin asked looking up from her position under the crook of Lina’s arm.

Lina merely looked back at Katibree, smiling brilliantly a moment before dropping the bewildered half elf from some 30 feet or so up in the air.

Oh… FUCK…YOU too Inverse…! I’m going to get her back so bad for this..! The ex-assassin thought to herself, while whipping out and charging her blades in mid air.

As she dropped past the top of the stone spike, she crossed her arms and flung her blades at the pillar of stone, shearing off the top half and leaving a flat surface.

She’d had the chance to catch her returning weapons and fail miserably at trying to use her supposedly innate levitation ability, before she was caught in mid air by the sorceress.

“Nice catch.” Katibree said dryly, as she avoided eye contact with Lina. The half elf could feel her face beginning to burn with embarrassment and maybe a little of something else that she didn’t care to admit to herself, due to the way that Lina was carrying her now.

Maybe this is how the bride feels as the groom carries her to their honeymoon suite (minus the 30 foot drop) She thought to herself sarcastically.

“Thanks!” Lina replied sunnily, as they made their way back up to the top of the stone pillar.

“Maybe a little more warning next time?” the half elf asked the sorceress.

“Oh, you think on your toes alright.” Lina replied lightly as she landed on the top of the pillar and deposited the larger woman back on her feet surprisingly gently.

“Yeah, well my “feet” were no where near the ground.”

“Yeah, yeah…” the redhead laughed while sizing up the horde of orcs ahead of and below them, making a picture frame around them with her forefingers and thumbs.

“Ready, Kat?” “I’m gonna do this in one shot.” Lina added matter of factly.

Katibree merely nodded distractedly. Her skin was already beginning to tingle from the magical energy building within the sorceress. Red wisps of energy were already visible and were beginning to twist lazily around the redhead.

“Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows…”

This is a new one. The ex-assassin thought to herself as she observed the wisps of energy beginning to spread and twist around her feet as well.

“Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows…”

“Katibree folded her arms and studied Lina’s posturing and hand gestures, shaking her head slightly in an attempt to clear the creeping fuzziness around the edges of her mind, as the growing magical energy coursed over her skin.

“I pledge myself to conquer, all the foes who stand, before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand…” Lina continued, changing her tone of voice to a more commanding pitch as she chanted.

What’s happening to me? Katibree thought feverishly, as she fought to keep her eyes from rolling into the back of her head. I haven’t felt anything even remotely close to this except for when we first met, and the sensation… is just getting further and further from what I felt that day by the moment. It almost feels like…

Both girls were now engulfed in a red vortex of swirling energy. The magic radiating from Lina now felt like it was pulsing directly through the half elf’s body, and the sensations all soon began converging at one very sensitive point. Katibree closed her eyes and stifled a moan as her legs began to give way beneath her.

Gods…I…I think…

“Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed, by the power that you and I possess…!”

The ex-assassin half fell, and half sat down abruptly, placing one hand on her face and the other dangerously close to something else, as she struggled to control her breathing with little success and stifling yet another moan of pleasure. The energy of the spell twisted all around them and as it rose in power the intensity of the sensations within the half elf escalated as well.

Am I… am I gonna…?

Katibree gasped quietly and hunched over as the waves of ecstasy that the magical barrage was triggering, which up until this point only washed over her womanhood periodically, became stationary and focused directly on her most sensitive area with a constant buzz.

Oh, God’s I think I am…! Katibree thought to herself in disbelief.

She could only clench her teeth with a strained whimper, and try her best not to shudder too noticeably, as her eyes rolled to the back of her head from the force of her surprise climax.

“Dragon Slave!” Lina exclaimed triumphantly, extending both of her hands forward, as a large beam of red and white energy erupted from her palms. The Dragon Slave shot out toward the horde of orcs detonating directly in the center of them all. The entire area erupted into a massive red ball of destruction, incinerating everything within the radius of it, and leaving a huge smoking crater in its wake.

“So what do you think, Kat?” Lina turned beaming to where she thought the half elf would be standing.

Where’d she - - What’s she doing down there? Is she tired or something…? Maybe all those fight from before really wore her out…But she didn’t seem to be tired then…

“I think… I think, I’m going to need…a moment.” Katibree managed still coving a very flushed face with her hand, and stifling yet another moan as she experienced a sudden ripple of pleasure from an after-spasm.

“Are you alright Kat?” Lina asked with some concern, while sitting down directly next to the ex-assassin. “You look really flushed…” “Here, let me check your temperature.” She added pulling off a white glove.

“I’m fine, Lina.”

“Holy heck Kat, you’re burning up!”

“I said, I’m fine!” the half elf exclaimed, swatting Lina’s hand away before standing up somewhat unsteadily.

She met the redhead’s gaze with some serious will power for the first time since the whole fiasco and saw the hurt expression the sorceresses’ face.

She has no clue what just happened…What the hell was that all about? I don’t need this shit.

“Just… Just get me down off of this thing, OK Red?” “I’ll be just fine… I’m just not… used to being around a spell of that… “intensity” yet…”

Understatement of the fucking century. The half elf thought to herself bemusedly.

“Sure thing, Kat.”

Chapter 24

I can’t believe this crap, it’s just my luck…! Lina thought to herself miserably. She’d awoken just a few moments earlier and noticed a familiar and uncomfortable wetness between her legs and so had gotten up and walked off into the brush for some privacy to confirm her worse fears.

I’m like two days early! I thought I was finally done with all of this day changing stuff… It’s come and gone like clock work for almost two years now, so what the hell?

DAMN it, we were supposed to be near the next town by the time it started, I don’t even have any emergency feminine stuff… I was going to buy some as soon as I got to town. Either way, this temporary fix won’t last long.

I guess I’ll have to see if Kat has any…how embarrassing! Well I guess I’d have to tell her anyway considering my magic is going to be practically worthless the next few days as it is. The redhead reasoned with herself gloomily.

After making it back to camp, Lina leaned against a nearby tree watching Katibree finish cooking their breakfast over the campfire, while trying to work up the courage to ask her the question that needed to be asked. The sorceress opened her mouth, but immediately closed it back, blushing profusely. Finally deciding to delay the embarrassing conversation for a bit longer, Lina simply continued to watch the half elf, her thoughts drifting off to considerably less embarrassing subjects.

It looks like she’s already been up for hours… Sometimes I wonder if she even sleeps at all. I wonder what’s for breakfast today anyway? Looks like eggs and wild potatoes…An image of the assassin in treetops, raiding various birds’ nests came to the redhead’s mind suddenly.

No wonder the birds sound so pissed off this morning! The sorceress thought to herself with a laugh.

Katibree looked up at the sound of Lina’s laughter with a quizzical expression on her face before shaking her head with a smirk and reaching for one of the redhead’s makeshift stone plates and heaping spoonful after spoonful of food on it.

“Are you going to just stand there, or didn’t you feel like eating today?” The ex-assassin asked coyly while grabbing a piece of potato off of the plate that she was holding and popping it into her mouth before offering it to Lina.

“Oh, I’m eating, I’m eating!” Lina giggled while making her way over to take the campfire and taking the plate that the half elf was offering her.

And that’s another thing that gets me… Lina thought to herself while sitting down at the campfire. Even the rest of the gang have always had something smart to say about my table manners, or how much I eat at one time or another…But Kat hasn’t even mentioned it. I mean, I know she notices it… that obvious just from the amount of food that she cooks…

The sorceresses’ thoughts trailed off a moment as she stole a glance at the ex-assassin who was currently serving up her own plate of food. She really doesn’t eat much at all, hardly ever gets seconds…I just don’t understand why anyone would do all of that cooking and have no problem with someone else getting most of the food…

She always fixes my plate first too, it’s kinda nice but it’s definitely something that I’m not used to. Lina mused to herself silently.

Katibree looked up from what she was doing to glance over at the redhead who was merely staring at her food silently.

There she goes again… I think I’ve finally found someone who thinks as much as I do… If not more. The half elf added to herself with a chuckle. Still smirking she leaned over slightly, placing a hand in front of Lina’s face and moving it back and forth. Having gotten no response, she slowly pressed her thumb and middle finger together before snapping loudly and jolting the sorceress out of her thoughts.

Lina jumped slightly, snapping her head up from her food to the hand now in front of her face and then looked at the owner of the arm, blinking her ruby colored eyes with a look of surprise on her face.

“Is there anyway that I can get tickets to ‘Inverse World’ too?” The half elf asked teasingly.

“Oh sure Kat, but it’ll cost ya!” Lina giggled before finally digging into her food.

After a little over a minute, the redhead finished the once overflowing plate of food, sighing heavily afterwards.

The ex-assassin looked over at Lina inquisitively. That certainly wasn’t a happy or fulfilled sounding sigh…

“Something wrong, Red?” Katibree asked while grabbing and refilling the sorceresses’ plate before the inevitable request for seconds was spoken verbally.

“…Thanks Kat, and yeah there kind of is something wrong…” Lina said, trailing her words off with a blush.

“Well, what’s up then?” The half elf asked lightly as she handed Lina back her newly heaped plate.

“Uhm… well. It’s just that I’m not going to be able to cast any powerful magic for the next few days.”

“Why’s that?’ Katibree asked before turning her attention back to her own food.

“I…well… I ‘started’ today.”

“Your period?” “Yeah, I know that much Lina, but what does that have to do with your magic?”

“Well when a sorceress starts- -“ Wait a minute, what do you mean you already know??” “Do I have a spot or something - -“

“No, no, no, it’s nothing like that.” Katibree chuckled. “Let’s just say that my heritage gives me sharper senses than the average human.”

So she could smell it all along then? Hoooowwwwnnn, will the embarrassment EVER end today? Lina thought to herself while placing a hand over her face.

“Anyway, normally I plan things out to end up in or near a town when it starts, but I started two days early for some reason…” The redhead finally managed.

“Oh, that’s probably my fault.” The half elf stated before taking a drink from her water skin.

Lina lifted the hand on her face slightly at this statement to get a better look at the ex-assassin. “And how exactly would that be?”

“When females are around each other constantly, their cycles just sync with one another after an extended period of time.” Katibree explained matter of factly. “It’s a hormone thing.” She added, before taking another bite of food.

That explains allot. The sorceress thought to herself. “So when are you supposed to…?”

“I already have, but it actually started pretty late.” The half elf replied nonchalantly before finishing her breakfast.

She’s sure laid back about this whole thing… Oh well, I guess it’s not nearly as big of a deal to her because she doesn’t have any powers to lose.

If she’s already started then she must have something for me to use, so I guess there’s no time like the present to ask…

“Uh, Kat?”

“Yes Lina?”

“Well… we’re still a couple of days from the closest town, like I said before and - -“

Lina’s words were abruptly cut off as a box of feminine products bounced off of her forehead before landing in her lap.

“I thought you said you weren’t any good at beating around the bush, Lina.” The half elf teased before simply placing her hands behind her head and lying back with a smile.

“Smart ass…” Lina murmured sheepishly while stifling a laugh. “Anyway, I’m going to head down to the river.” She said after finishing her second plate of food and then rummaging around in one of the packs for bathing supplies.

The assassin merely nodded in affirmation.

The redhead was about halfway to the river before she realized that Katibree was following her dutifully.

“Uh Kat, now probably isn’t the best time for you to take me up on the offer to join me taking a bath…”

“I hadn’t planned on it.” The half elf replied briskly.

“Then why are you coming with me to the river then?” Lina asked looking over shoulder with a genuinely confused expression on her face.

“Because you said you’ve lost the ability to cast any strong magic, and if a Mazoku attacks you while you’re bathing, a regular short sword isn’t going to do you a bit of good.” Katibree replied bluntly.

“There’s no guarantee that I’d be able to make it from camp to here in time with you completely defenseless.” She added.

I guess that makes sense… “But…” The sorceress began but trailed off.

“Relax Lina, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.” “Menstruation is just proof that you’re an honest to goodness girl, it happens to the best of us.” “Besides, I’ll have my back turned and everything…”

“…I just want to be nearby incase anything happens alright?” The ex-assassin added in a gentle tone that surprised Lina nearly as much as it surprised Katibree herself.

“I…alright.” Lina finally replied as they reached the river.

The ex-assassin scanned the banks of the river with cool lavender gaze before turning her back to the redhead as she’d promised.

Lina gave the half elf one last shy glance before going about the task of removing articles of clothing in preparation for her bath.

I didn’t ask her to do this, but I have to admit that I do feel allot safer with Kat guarding me. The redhead thought to herself as she lowered herself into the frigid water with a small gasp. It’s really nice of her actually. She continued to muse to herself while she watched with displeasure as a thin trickle of blood rose to the surface of the water before dispersing and being washed down stream.

I always feel a little frayed and uptight at times like this, but I try not to let it get to me, especially when Gourry was around…I still don’t think that he really understands what I go through every month to this very day… Lina’s trailed her thoughts off momentarily after finally adjusting to the temperature of the water somewhat and began lathering her body.

It’s not just the physical discomfort of it that bothers me either… The whole thing is like a big monthly phych-out. Like a certain time every month, no matter how badly I may need to use my powers to get out of a jam, they won’t be there to use. And on top of that, since the battle with Dark Star the talismans have been sealed somehow. “I don’t even know why I wear the darned things anymore honestly…” Lina sighed to herself audibly.

Katibree began to turn at the sound of Lina’s voice, but caught herself and turned her back to the sorceress once again. “Wear what anymore?” she asked.

“Hum?” “Oh, I was just thinking about my Demon’s Blood talisman’s.” Lina explained glancing over her shoulder at the half elf.

“Demon’s Blood…Well what do they do?” The ex-assassin asked out of morbid curiosity.

“When I activate them, they can greatly amplify my magic… but they don’t work anymore.” The sorceress replied dejectedly.

“They make your magic even stronger?” Katibree asked, her lavender eyes widening at the implications of what Lina had just said.

“Yeah, and they temporarily increase my magic capacity as well as my ability to control spells more effectively too.” The redhead continued to explain.

Why in the world would she want to amplify her powers more? The half elf thought to herself uncomfortably as her mind drifted back to the past Dragon Slave incident against her will. She shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the unwelcome memories, forcing herself to continue her former train of thought.

“Well when was the last time that they worked?” Katibree asked, while doing her best to ignore the reflexive stirring of her nether regions triggered by her previous unwelcome train of thought. Jeez, I’m turned on just by the thought of a Dragon Slave now…? The half elf thought to herself, grateful to have her back turned at the moment to hide the blush heating her cheeks.

“They were sealed during the battle with Dark Star, it happened when I tried to activate them to help me control the Giga Slave.” Lina explained thoughtfully.

Giga Slave? I don’t think I even want to know about that spell just yet… “Ok, well how are they activated?”

“Oh it’s a simple enough incantation, just like casting any other spell.” The sorceress replied while stifling a shiver as she rinsed the soap off of herself.

“And the talismans are the source of the power?”

“Lina thought about the question abit before finally answering.

“Well the incantation is ‘Lords of darkness of the four worlds grant me all the power you possess,’ so I figure the talismans are just focal points for the actual sources that the power is coming from to converge on.”

“The Lords of darkness of the four worlds…” Katibree said to herself slowly while placing a hand on her chin thoughtfully.

“That’s right.” Lina affirmed as she stood and began drying herself off. I wonder where she going with this?

“So that includes Shabranigdo, the Dark Lord of this world and Dark Star from the Over world as well correct?” “So then it would only make sense that the old incantation won’t work now that Dark Star has been destroyed, but you just said that they were sealed while Dark Star was still alive…” Katibree mused.

“Yeah, it happened during the battle with him, that’s the part I don’t understand.” The redhead brooded as she began to get dressed.

The ex-assassin let the information stew abit before speaking once more.

“Hey, Lina?”

“Yeah, Kat?”

“Remember when you where telling me about that battle with a fragment of Shabranigdo you had, where that guy tried to cast the Dragon Slave against him but it didn’t work because the power of the Dragon Slave is derived from Shabranigdo himself?”

“Yeah, I remember that.”

“Well, wouldn’t the same thing apply to the talismans?” “I mean, it wouldn’t make any sense for Dark Star to grant you power to help defeat him right?”

I never thought of it that way. “That makes sense, so where are you going with this Kat?” Lina asked with growing interest as she pulled on one boot and then the other.

“I’m just saying that maybe the reason the talismans didn’t work was because one of the Dark Lords denied you their power, making the incantation to activate the talismans incorrect.” Katibree explained.

“I’m not quite following you, Kat.”

“Well there are four worlds with a Dark Lord on each of them correct?”

“That’s what I understand, yes.” Lina replied, giving the back of the half elf’s head a strange look.

“And there are also four talismans… Why not just one large one?”

“So you think that each talisman is for a different Dark Lord?” Lina asked.

“”It’s just a theory, but yes.” “So the way I see it, there’s a possibility that only one of the talismans is actually sealed…” Katibree continued before trailing off once more.

“So you’re saying that you think the reason that the talismans aren’t activating is because I’m reciting an incantation for them that’s obsolete now…!” The sorceress exclaimed. Why didn’t I think of that??

“…I mean, you modify spells all the time Lina, so why not try modifying this one to draw power from three Dark Lords instead of four?” “Then if it works, you can just get rid of the bum talisman.”

That just might actually WORK! “OH Kat, you’re the greatest!” Lina gushed, dropping the bathing supplies she had just finished gathering and giving the flustered half elf a bear hug from behind.

Jeez, she allot stronger than she looks! “OK, OK, Lina, watch the ribs already…! Katibree wheezed.

“You have NO idea how huge this is Kat, I’m SO happy!” “The redhead exclaimed giggling giddily.

“Come on Red, I can’t breathe… let go already!” The half elf said, laughing in spite of herself.

Lina relinquished her impromptu hug, still laughing. “You just made my day, I’m in a much better mood now!” “So did you want to take a bath too, or did you want to just pack up and hit the road?” The sorceress asked exuberantly.

“I took a bath earlier this morning while you were asleep, before the alarm spell dropped.” Katibree replied while nursing her sore ribs. “Let’s just go.” She added with a chuckle.

“Alright, then let’s get it on!” Lina exclaimed while snatching up the bathing supplies before running in the direction of the campsite. I can’t wait to try this out! I wonder if I can actually get it to work?? Ooooh I’m so excited! The redhead gushed to herself as she began to pack up the camping equipment.

Well isn’t she fired up all of the sudden? The ex-assassin thought to herself while blinking after the sorceress, before jogging to catch up with her.

Chapter 25

It looks like we’ll be to the next town in about an hour walking at this pace…Lina thought to herself as she looked up at the sky while stretching luxuriously. We’re a little behind schedule- - OK a week and a half behind schedule…but it’s not that big of a deal.

It’s not like there’s any way that Luna or the Eternal Queen could find out that the investigation was over almost as soon as it began, and there’s no way for them to be able to tell when to expect me back. Even I wasn’t expecting this entire deal to be solved so quickly.

And besides, I’m really not in that big of a hurry to get back home anyway… ‘I’ve been having a blast lately just being out here on the road…

The redhead turned her head toward Katibree to strike up another of their many conversations, but the words died in her throat as she took note of the ex-assassin’s subtle change in body language.

The half elf was walking with her head straight forward, but her lavender eyes where slightly narrowed and shifting back and forth from one side of the dirt path to the other, scanning the brush on either side of them from the corner of her eyes.

We’re being followed?

“How many Kat?” the sorceress whispered.”

“I can’t really tell because I can’t hear any footsteps clearly enough to count, but there are at least two because we’re being tailed from either side of the path.” Katibree whispered back.

“Well why don’t we just confront them and get it over with then?” “I can take a few bandits or whatever even without my powers.” Lina whispered back while making a dismissive gesture.

“This time I’d rather not actually, they’re moving through the brush much to skillfully to be regular thugs, and besides that, I smell gun powder.” The half elf whispered back while giving the redhead a serious glance before going back to scanning the brush for movement. It almost feels like we’re being hunted…

The sorceress continued to walk, doing her best impression of being blissfully ignorant of their current situation as her mind kicked into overdrive.

Kat’s definitely not happy with this situation, I don’t ever think I’ve seen her this reluctant to fight before, but with guns being involved I guess I can see why.

When guns were first introduced they were laughable, but now with all the advancements in technology, they’ve actually become pretty formidable. If I had my powers right now, I could just blast the surrounding area and be done with this… So what do I do…?

“They’re making their move.” The ex-assassin whispered, her eyes tracing the movement of the ambushers through the brush as they moved ahead of the two girls in an attempt to cut them off.

Lina nodded grimly in a barely noticeable motion as they continued to walk as if nothing was wrong.

Soon enough, five beast men of various types burst forth from the bushes on either side of the dirt path, several yards ahead of the sorceress and ex-assassin.

A beast man with a coyote head, most likely the leader, was the first to speak.

“Well, what do we have here, looks like two succulent little morsels on the rag…”

He knows that we’re both…but how? Kat would have definitely caught them if they’d been close enough to watch us at all…Lina thought to herself, while resisting the urge to reach for her short sword just yet.

None of them look like they are carrying guns, all I see are swords, but I know I smell gunpowder…Where’s it coming from, are they carrying explosives? Katibree mused while studying the postures of the 5 beast men jeering at them from a distance.

“Let me guess, you guys are traveling merchants that just happen to be having a sell on maxi pads.” the ex-assassin replied dryly in an attempt to stall for time. I can get a couple of them from here, but I want to find the source of that gunpowder before I make a move…

“Oh, an one O’ them is even a comedian, ain’t that just precious?” The leader of the beast men said while taking a few steps forward. “And not at all, one of us picked up your scents from down stream a day or so ago and we been tracking you ever since.” He added.

“You both smelled so fertile that we couldn’t help ourselves!” A ram headed goon behind the leader added while licking his chops.

Lina’s mind brought up the image of the trickle of her blood rising to the surface of the water before drifting downstream during her bath the other day. Now I get it, and they must have smelled Kat’s too…

The expression on the half elf’s face hadn’t changed but her eyes had become as cold as ice, the promise of death showing deep within the depths of them. Despicable scum, gunpowder be damned, I’m ending this farce now.

With that last thought, Katibree snapped her blades out their sheaths and flung them at the unsuspecting beast men, decapitating one and severing the arm of the leader of the group, who immediately fell to the ground howling.

WHOA, I guess its Showtime! The redhead exclaimed to herself as she drew her short sword hurriedly to help intercept the three enraged and charging beast men that remained. The guy’s head and the other guy’s arm just… went away! I didn’t even register that Kat had done anything until her blades went whizzing past!

Lina ran forward, locking blades with the first beast man that got to them before jumping back to square off with him.

The ex-assassin ran toward the other two beast men dropping down and into a sweep kick to get one of the beast men off of his feet. As he lost his balance, falling to the ground with a thud, the half elf continued to spin while returning to a standing position and brought her boot down on the now grounded beast man’s windpipe with her momentum, killing him instantly.

The sorceress, currently occupied nearby, staggered backwards while dodging and parrying blows from the huge Minotaur headed beast man that she was fighting. She winced as every blow that she parried sent a shock of pain, into her hands and down into her arms. He’s so damned strong, my hands and arms will go numb at this rate and I’ll end up dropping my weapon…

The redhead jumped back once more, putting distance between herself and the beast man before running and sliding between his legs while holding up her short sword. As soon as the sword connected with and sliced through some very important parts, the creature dropped to it’s knees roaring miserably until it’s cries were cut short by a two handed stroke to back of his neck by the sorceress. That did the trick, how’s Kat doing? Lina wondered to herself while turning in the direction of the sounds of the other fight.

The ex-assassin bobbed and weaved a few times to avoid the angry swings of the last standing beast man’s battle axe before catching her returning weapons.

Suddenly the leader, who had only been bleeding, wheezing, and clutching where his arm should have been up to this point, began shouting angrily.

“What the HELL is you WAITING for you IDIOT??” “Fucking SHOOTS THEM!” He bellowed angrily.

I KNEW I smelled gunpowder, shit he’s shouting at someone behind Lina! Katibree thought to herself, narrowly avoiding the last angry swing from the battleaxe of the beast man she’d just been fighting as she spun and sprinted toward the sound of rustling brush behind the redhead.

There’s another one?? Well, it looks like she’s got it covered. Lina thought to herself as she watched Katibree sprinting toward her before moving forward to engage the pursuing beast man on the half elf’s behalf.

Sure enough, one last trembling beast man emerged from the bushes aiming a six- shooter directly at the back of the sorceress and squeezing off two shots.

The ex-assassin bolted past the sorceress and cut to the right sharply before skidding to a halt and placing herself in the gunman’s line of sight before swatting aside one shot with a blade and being grazed in the shoulder with the second shot.

“Four more chances fucker.” Katibree growled menacingly as she slowly advanced on the gunman while calculating the angle that he was holding his gun at to better anticipate and deflect the next shots.

I heard gunshots; I don’t have time for this crap! Lina exclaimed to herself, before dropping down and rolling backwards and away from the beast man she was engaging.

“LIGHTING!” She shouted as she stretched out her free hand toward the advancing creature’s face, blinding it with a brilliant flash of light. As the beast howled staggering backwards and shielding its eyes, the redhead jumped to her feet and jabbed her sword, thrusting it deeply into the beast man’s stomach and twisting it viciously.

Behind the sorceress, the gunman took one shaky step back before firing the last four shots off in a panic. The ex-assassin swatted the first two pellets aside easily enough, but the last two were fired more rapidly in succession. She barely deflected the third shot and the fourth one struck her squarely in the chest, knocking the half elf backwards and off of her feet.

Lina turned her head at the sound of the last four gunshots just in time to see the half elf hit the ground with a grunt while clutching her chest, blood already beginning to pool there.

“KATIBREE hold ON!” The sorceress shouted, while struggling to release her short sword from the stomach of the fallen beast man. It’s wedged in there good; I don’t have time to get it out…! She thought to herself desperately as she looked over her shoulder again, first at the downed ex-assassin and then at the gunman scrambling to reload his six-shooter.

“DAMN it!!” Lina exclaimed audibly while giving up on freeing her sword as she turned and ran to the half elf’s side, glancing once again at the beast man who was now unsteadily loading the last lead pellet into his gun.

I can’t make it to him in time myself before he finishes loading that gun… Think Lina, THINK…

I’VE GOT IT!” The redhead exclaimed to herself triumphantly while snatching up one of Katibree blades. “Take THIS you BASTARD!” Lina shouted as she flung it directly at the gunman.

The blade struck true, embedding itself in the head of a very shocked beast man who shot the air reflexively a few times before falling over dead.

The sorceress didn’t give the creature a second glance as she turned her attention to Katibree. “Here, let me see it.” She said quietly while leaning over the half elf.

“It doesn’t look like it hit anything vital, but it looks like the slug is in there pretty deep Kat...”

The ex-assassin hissed as she tried to sit up.

“Don’t get up yet, I don’t have any experience with removing bullets, but I can at least try and cast a weak healing spell to try and stop the bleeding some until we can get to the next town and get you to an actual doctor.” Lina said while placing a gentle but restraining hand on the half elf’s shoulder.

“I can just wrap it up until we get to town, I’ll be fine.” Katibree said agitatedly. “No magic.” She added pushing the redhead’s hand off of her shoulder stubbornly.

The sorceress first glared at the half elf, and then at the wound that she was making worse by attempting to stand before whacking the larger woman over the head.

“OW, what the fuck Inverse?”

Sure, she whines about a bonk on the head loudly enough, but hardly makes a sound after being shot in the chest…The redhead thought to herself with amusement.

“Look Katibree, I know that you’re already injured, but I’ll gladly beat your ass some more if you don’t stay still and let me heal you.” Lina stated bluntly.

“What do you mean ‘some more’, that last shot I missed was a fluke…” The ex-assassin countered. You know, I wouldn’t put it past her either… I’d probably be better just do what she says for now… Katibree thought to herself while locking eyes defiantly with the sorceress.

After a decent moment of playing the now all to common stare off game, the ex-assassin merely growled and eased herself backwards onto the ground conceding defeat this time.

She so pigheaded! Lina fumed to herself as she attempted to cast a recovery spell to slow the bleeding and partially close the wound.

I told her I’d be fine, she so damned stubborn…The half elf bitched to herself. “This isn’t going to take forever is it?” She grouched at Lina audibly.

“No, now shut your trap and let me concentrate… I don’t want to close the wound too much if it’s just going to have to be opened back up to get the slug out anyway...”

After a moment or so of silence between the two, the redhead stood up, “There you go Kat, and do you think you can stand?” She asked offering her hand to the half elf.

“Of course I can.” Katibree growled through gritted teeth, determined to keep at least some of the pain that she was feeling out of her voice as she stood, while blatantly ignoring Lina’s offer to help her up.

“Let’s just go, OK?” The ex-assassin added before walking off in the direction of town and leaving Lina standing there with a slightly annoyed expression on her face.

If she re-opens that chest wound with that stupid pride of hers before we make it to a doctor, I really am going to beat her ass…Lina thought to herself while finally dropping the hand she’d offered to help the ex-assassin up with in exasperation.

She stared after Katibree a moment more while rustling her crimson mane lightly, half in bemusement and half in frustration before finally sighing in resignation and jogging after the mostly platinum haired warrior to catch up with her.

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