Chapter Selection

(K) I know that Lina’s probably back there stuffing her face and cursing my name right now for just taking off like that, but what was I supposed to do…? Katibree brooded to herself as she made her way down the vibrantly colored corridors of the castle briskly in search of a place to blow off some steam. Soon enough she spotted an area in the courtyard with a small training area and headed for it.

Upon arriving, she stopped in front of a battered wooden training post with her eyes closed and centered herself before finally taking a combat stance and continuing her train of thought. The last thing that she needs to do is even consider getting involved with someone as screwed up as me… There still so much that she doesn’t know.

And then there’s the fact that my mind has been going nonstop lately…So many strange thoughts and emotions… I really have no idea how to deal with them, and it’s not like I can just turn them off or ignore them - - “Ah, fuck.” The ex-assassin swore in frustration before leaping in the air and wracking the post with a heavy spin-kick, shaking it violently and knocking splinters from it. The only thing that I can really think to do to diffuse this whole mess is to just leave and save us both allot of pain and grief, but there’s no way that I can just abandon her and leave to deal with this myself, she’s already way too involved - -

(?) “Something irking you Mistress Do’Urden…?” A voice filled with good humor asked.

The half elf stopped in mid punch to glance over her shoulder at the sound of the voice. “I was wondering how long were going to hover about in the darkness over there, Gheyahsayl.” She replied.

“Oh come now, you make it sound as if I were eavesdropping my dear girl!” The King laughed as he made his way over to the training ground area.

“If there’d been a conversation for you to eavesdrop on, I’m sure you would have been.” Katibree said dryly, before turning back to the post and assaulting it with a flurry of striking attacks.

The jovial man merely clasped his hands together and giggled at this, before removing his gem encrusted crown and bowing deeply in mock apology. “Oh yes, you do have me there… I always have been the nosy type!” “So, why don’t you humor my hubris and tell me where your little missus is?” He asked with an exaggerated flip of his blonde hair.

The half elf stopped her routine once again to give the King an annoyed look. “Gods Ruben, do you really think you could flame any harder…?” “And Lina and I are not… an ‘item’ if that’s what you’re getting at.” She added with a roll of her lavender colored eyes before giving the wooden post a particularly vicious palm strike.

“Hum… is that so…?” “But, she really did seem particularly distressed when I referred to you as ‘Mistress’ she did.” He mused while casting a levitation spell and lighting on the top of the post that Katibree was currently trying to use. “Could it be that you failed to mention that ‘Mistress’ is actually your proper title as you are indeed a female whom has achieved the rank of Master assassin in your affiliation…?”

The ex-assassin groaned in exasperation and walked over to another training post before answering. “Look, it’s not like that…” “It just pisses her off when I keep things from her is all.” “And besides, the only reason you even bother to call me by my proper title is because you think it sounds kinky…” She replied while spinning and giving the new post a forearm smash, the sound of her metal bracer striking the wooden post ringing out harshly in the quiet of the courtyard.

Ruben grinned knowingly at this statement and promptly levitated over to the newest post and sat on it, swinging his legs back and forth carelessly. “Oh, come now Katibree… or should I say ‘Kat’, she’s even got a pet name for you!” “And on top of that, I’ve seen the way you two look at each other…” He added with a coy wink.

“…Gheyahsayl, get off the pole...” The ex-assassin sighed.

“I simply cannot my dear; I’ve a natural affinity for them!” The King chirped back happily.

The mostly platinum haired warrior could help but crack a smile at this. “Whatever, either way… since you’re out here annoying me… why don’t we get some business out of the way?” She finally replied while stifling a laugh.

“Uh, uh, uhhhh…!” “You know my policy well, Mistress Do’Urden!” “Pleasure before business…” Ruben practically purred. “I require all of the juicy bits about you and this delightful little firecracker you’ve brought to my Kingdom!”

Katibree gritted her teeth at this. “There are no juicy details to tell.” She finally replied shortly.

“Come now, it’s obvious that there’s something going on with that little show of tenderness in the throne room earlier today...” Gheyahsayl mock pouted. “How do you feel about her?” He added cheerfully.

“That was just to keep her from totaling your throne room, she’s got a temper you wouldn’t believe - - Is this really necessary, Gheyahsayl…?” The half elf asked in annoyance. This guy always manages to drag things out of me that I don’t care to talk about, it’s infuriating…He’s almost as bad as Red is about it…

“Most certainly, I decree it!” The King said while gesturing on the training post flamboyantly before jumping down to the ground. “Seriously, I can tell that you have changed quite a bit… and I’m betting it’s her doing.” He added more solemnly. “I even got you to laugh, which wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance in hell of happening when we first met all those years ago.” “Your eyes were always so cold bef- -“

“Enough with the dramatic shit already, Ruben.” Katibree interrupted while sitting down abruptly. “Look, I’m not sure how I feel about her ok… all I know is… I’m feeling allot of things that I’ve never felt before and… I’m not sure I like it.” She finally managed while averting her lavender eyes and rubbing the back of her neck uneasily.

“King Gheyahsayl exploded into uproarious laughter at this. “Oh, now I see!” “You’re starting to feel disconcerted because you’re beginning to realize that you’re finally up against something that you can’t beat, kill, or control and you’re thinking about tucking tail and running like a scalded dog!” “It’s not in you to love and leave this one like all the others huh??” He practically roared while falling backwards and clapping his hands and feet together enthusiastically.

Katibree’s lavender eyes widened in shock a moment and she just stared at the exuberantly gesturing man blankly a long moment as he acted out his theatrics. “I-I…It’s not like that, I just…!” She sputtered with her voice cracking slightly. Is he… right? Is that what I’ve been worried about? I mean do I… Am I in- -

“So that’s it is it?” Trying to come to terms with your affections for the little firepot…?” Ruben asked with a much too pleased look on his face, effectively interrupting and seemingly intruding into the half elf’s thoughts.

“…!” “Look, I’ve entertained your little game long enough Gheyahsayl, now let’s get down to business.” The ex-assassin finally said crossly.

“Fine, fine… What do you need…?” The King asked dejectedly.

“We’re looking for a device that’s capable of opening a portal to an alternate dimension, the Overworld specifically.” Katibree explained while stifling a grateful sigh due to the fact that the King had conceded to let up on the previous topic of discussion so easily.

Gheyahsayl laid back on the rust colored titles of the training area nonchalantly and folded his hands behind his head while he thought a moment before finally speaking once more.

“Yes, we have one of those… I don’t think it’ll do you and the little lady any good though.” He said with a sigh. “From what I understand, a sufficient energy source was never found for it to draw from in order for it to operate it properly, and on top of that, the portal that it’s designed to open is very minuscule… more of a test just to see if it could be created at all if anything… certainly nothing a human being could fit through.”

“Well can you convert magical energy to run it?” The half elf asked.

“Sure, but a magic source was never found powerful enough to properly operate it either.” Ruben explained while sitting up with a curious expression on his face. “Do you think that you have one…?”

“Huh, I believe I might have just the person.” Katibree said with a smirk. “Can you have it ready by tomorrow?” She asked as she stood.

“No problem, I’ll have the device and the researchers working on it standing by when you’re ready for them…” Well the only person she arrived with was - - So she’s a sorceress…? I thought that little sparkplug might have looked familiar even though she was in mercenary gear…Wait a moment…the description is about right…! We’ve got ourselves an honest to goodness celebrityThe King exclaimed to himself giddily while clasping his hands together with stars in his eyes.

“Ruben…?” “Are you… alright over there…?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked unsurely.

“Hum… oh yes, Mistress Do’Urden…” “And I must say that you’ve done pretty well for yourself…” Gheyahsayl added more to himself than to Katibree.

“Excuse me…?” The half elf asked.

“I understand that she must be in disguise for a reason, you’re secret’s safe with me…” The King said with a winning smile. “Either way if I were you and I was running, I’d most certainly be running in the opposite direction that you just appeared to be.” “It takes a pretty extraordinary lady to break through all the barriers and complexes that you had up and apparently still have to some extent.” He finished with a laugh.

The ex-assassin merely gave him the middle finger at this before turning and walking off. “Go screw yourself Ruben.” She added with a chuckle while heading back in the direction of the quarters area of the castle. I have no clue what I’m going to say once I get back there… I guess I’ll just ‘wing it’.

Last disclaimer folks: graphic sex scene ahead! if this will offend you or you are underage... stop reading NOW! if you're good to go, let the Yuri commence and enjoy!

Moments later, the mostly platinum haired warrior had made her way back to the room but merely stood there at the closed door a long moment with her forehead resting on it. I guess it’s time I told her… She thought to herself with a deep sigh before steeling her resolve and opening a massive door and stepping through.

The half elf’s thoughts of resolve and any other thoughts for that matter, virtually disintegrated at the unexpected sight of Lina in all her nude, glistening glory, stepping out of the grandiose bathtub across from her.

The redhead looked up at the sound of the door opening. “Oh heya Kat, back already?” She asked in surprise before noticing the expression on the older girl’s face with a small smirk. I’m pretty sure that the color that her face is right now probably isn’t from the rigors of her training session…Everything is starting to make so much more sense now… She thought to herself in amusement while leisurely reaching for a towel. “You mind shutting that door by the way…?” “The guys here my not be interested in seeing what I’ve got, but the girls on the other hand…” She said before trailing off with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Anyway, the tub’ll be ready in a couple minutes if you want to take a bath; it refills itself and keeps the water heated afterwards, pretty handy actually…”

“Uhm uh - - yeah, thanks…sorry about the door.” Katibree stammered as she closed it awkwardly.

“So, what’s up?” “It’s only been like 45 minutes and you normally train for hours.” The sorcery genius continued while reaching for a complimentary silken bathrobe after she’d finished toweling off. “Hunger get the best of you after all?”

“I ran into Gheyahsayl, actually… Or more like, he ran into me.” The half elf explained as she removed and folded her cloak unsteadily. “Everything is set up for tomorrow now, so we don’t need to bother with the audience again.” I saw that little smile of hers just now… She added to herself in bemusement. She may be pretty naïve, but she’s far from stupid and a very quick study at that…Gods know what was going through her mind while I was gone, but it’s apparent that she’s figured more than one or two things out… Humph, taking her dear sweet time drying herself off and all that…

That’s fine, two can play that game.

(L) “The King…?” “So what’s the deal with him anyway, it’s obvious you two know each other already somehow…” Lina said while tying the straps on her bathrobe.

“It’s kind of odd how we met actually…” Katibree began to explain while removing her weapons and boots before hopping on the bed as she waited for the tub to refill. “This entire Kingdom is considered a type of haven where people can come and live this ‘lifestyle’ without having to worry about what others will think of them.” “So royalty and the like will travel here from all over the world just for a few days of freedom from the prying eyes of the public.”

“You mean, powerful and influential people who are ‘that way’, but don’t what their peers or whatever to know because their afraid it’ll affect their social status.” The sorcery genius deducted as she made her way over to the grandiose bed as well.

“That’s right.” The half elf affirmed.

That certainly explains where Gheyahsayl gets all of its connections from… “Ok, so how do you fit into all of this then Kat?” Lina asked while turning toward the ex-assassin and propping herself up on an elbow.

“Well, when I was younger and still moving up through the ranks of my guild, I was assigned to lesser tasks like scouting and delivering secret messages.” Katibree replied. “Sometimes important people would use the services of my guild to send messages to this Kingdom regarding arrangements for a visit or event, and it was always a preference for the person running the message to be… of the Gheyahsayl… persuasion…” She continued to explain.

The redhead couldn’t help but giggle at this. “So that’s how you met him…” She finally replied.

“Yeah, the first time I delivered a message for him he just took a liking to me for some reason, and started requesting me specifically to deliver things for him whenever I was available to do it.” The half elf said as she rolled off of the bed and removed her vest revealing the chest wraps underneath it. “He even started charting my progress as I moved up through the ranks and began to ‘summons’ me here to throw parties for me whenever I got promoted…” She continued with a roll of her lavender colored eyes as she began to unbraid her hair while looking in a mirror.

“Well that was nice of him to do!” The sorcery genius said while stretching lazily.

“Annoying is more like it.” Katibree finally replied nonchalantly as she removed her pants revealing what had to be the skimpiest pair of black panties that Lina had ever seen. “That little rump-ranger has never been anything but trouble for me from the day we first met.” She added with a sigh as she headed over to the huge bathtub in the tiled area, loosening her chest wraps as she went.

The redhead indeed had some type of reply in mind, but it eluded her as the older girl’s chest wraps fell to the ground and the aforementioned black thongs followed suit. Uh… heh, heh… uhm, ya know… I was… actually kinda expecting her to leave the rest of that on until after she got in like she normally does when she has to bathe around me… Jeez…and I’d just managed to calm down some too…

The half elf took the younger girl’s abrupt silence as an indication that her counter-tease had worked and that an impending and sudden change in topic was eminent… and she’d be right.

“So… Kat?” Lina began while staring up at the ceiling and fidgeting shyly.

“Yes, Lina?” Katibree replied as she lowered herself into the steaming water with a content sigh.

“Well, uh… I mean, what… what type of girls are you into…?” The sorceress finally managed to get out while blushing profusely.

“What type…?” “Well, I don’t have a specific type that I like really.” The half elf replied before dunking her head underwater to wet her mostly platinum colored mane.

“Oh come on, there at least have to be some things that you like a little better than others…” The sorcery genius persisted while scooting back on the bed and placing her hands behind her neck. “I mean, do you like tall ones or short ones better, brunettes or blondes…?” “Girls with… big breasts or little ones…?” She added in barely a whisper.

The ex-assassin couldn’t help but laugh at this. “It all depends on the girl; all those things you mentioned can be good traits in my book, Lina.”

Damn, now I wish I’d said that last part louder! The redhead griped to herself dejectedly. I’m not even sure if she heard it…I mean, she said they were nice before… but she was really hammered and there’s no guarantee that she even remembers saying it…Or even really meant it... Well I’m kinda of scared of what she’s going to say, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to go the rest of my life without ever knowing. Here goes…She finally decided while taking a deep breath to steel herself for the worse.

“Hey Katibree… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a long time now…” Lina began tentatively.

“Hum, and what’s that?” Katibree asked with interest as she lathered a leg. What’d she get all serious about all of the sudden…?

“Ah, well… do you remember that day when you got shot and we had to get you to the nearest town to get the wound treated…?” The redhead asked quietly.

“How could I forget?” The half elf answered with a smirk. “It’s not everyday that you get to watch your own boobs help with surgery prep.”

“Yeah, I guess not…!” Lina laughed before trailing off. “But… speaking of that, do you… remember what we were talking about later on that night?” She added tentatively.

“Some of it… that concoction the medicine lady gave me to drink was pretty strong, so the night was kind of a blur after it kicked in.” The mostly platinum haired warrior mused. “Why do you ask?”

“Uhm, well there was something you said that I wanted to ask you about…” The redhead said embarrassedly.

“Something I said…?” The half elf asked while raising a mostly platinum eyebrow inquisitively.

“Yeah, I know it’s going to sound kind of silly but…” “I just wanted to know if you meant it…” Lina tried again before trailing off once more, unable to bring herself to continue.

“Oh this again, there’s nothing wrong with the size of your chest Lina.” Katibree replied matter of factly while rinsing herself off. “The only reason that hearsay about them being small even started was because you were like 12 years old and traveling with a chick with double D’s at the time.” She said while getting out of the tub and beginning to towel herself off. “It’s only natural that people would assume that you were older than you actually were because of your magical prowess.”

“Y-you really think so…?” The redhead asked while averting her ruby colored eyes in embarrassment once more. “I mean, you’re just not saying that to be nice?” I really want to believe her, but how can so many other people be wrong…? I’ve heard it for so long… “I mean, I suppose that does make sense…” “But they really haven’t grown much since those days either.”

“Look if you’re really so worried about it, then start trouncing around your side of the barrier in your new merc outfit for a bit…” “I’m sure that people would start changing their tunes pretty quickly…” The half elf joked as she rummaged around in their travel pack for a brush.

“Yeah, I’m sure that’d turn a couple of heads huh?” The sorceress giggled.

“Might even get a couple of proposals out of it.” Katibree replied with a wink before sitting down on the bed to begin brushing her hair.

At this Lina’s giggles erupted into all out laughter. “Yeah, that’ll be the day!” She always did know how to cheer me up… “Hey can I do it?” She suddenly asked.

“Do what?” The ex-assassin asked.

The redhead merely rolled her ruby colored eyes at this. “Just gimmie the brush and turn around all ready?” She said with a you-know-what-I-mean look on her face.

The half elf just smiled and handed her the brush. “So, how long have you been itching to do this?” She asked wryly while turning around on the bed.

“I don’t know, for a while now I guess.” Lina replied while folding her legs underneath herself before scooting closer to the larger girl. Probably since that day we fell asleep on the grass together… She added to herself with a soft expression on her face as her thoughts brought her back to that day. “I mean, your hair is really pretty and… well, you never really do anything with it other than braid it one way.” She explained as she began to run the brush down the length of the mostly platinum colored mane.

“I didn’t realize that I was neglecting it so.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied sarcastically.

“You talk too much, you know that..?” The redhead said quietly. “Just sit back and relax for once already.”

“Jeez, you’re so demanding sometimes… Alright, alright…” Katibree said with a sigh as she leaned back slightly. I’ve never had anyone do this for me before, but I do have to admit that it feels really good. She thought to herself while closing her eyes to enjoy the sensation of the smaller girl brushing and occasionally running her fingers through her hair before freezing at the sudden feel of Lina’s warm breath on the base of her neck followed by the sensation of her lips lightly brushing against it.

(K) Ok…wasn’t quite expecting that… The half elf thought to herself flusteredly as the sorceress behind her continued the exploration of her neck with her soft lips, beginning to vary and deepen the kisses with the passion that was growing with in her. This attention elicited a throaty moan from Katibree who found herself tilting her head to expose her neck further and give the younger girl easier access while reaching up to cup the back of the redhead’s own neck with a hand. Gods, I’ve wanted this so bad… but I’ve got to stop this before it goes any further… The half elf thought to herself conflictedly as Lina leaned further forward and began to slowly kiss and suck on the side of her neck.

“Wait, wait Red…” Katibree breathed while pulling away from the sorceress reluctantly.

“I-I’m sorry… I just …” The redhead began to stammer embarrassedly.

“Don’t be, you haven’t done anything wrong…” The ex-assassin laughed before leaning further back and sliding her body forward before lowering herself and placing her head in the younger girl’s lap to look up at her. Did everything right actually… She added to herself in bemusement. “I just… I just want to be sure that you know what you’re doing.”

“Well, no… not really… I’ve never done anything like this before.” The sorcery genius replied nervously.

“I know that much, Red...” The half elf replied with a warm smile. “What I meant was… I mean, you do understand that if we keep doing what we were just doing, it’s only going to escalate from there…?”

“Yeah, I was starting to figure as much…” Lina said while blushing slightly.

“So you know this is going to change everything, if anything happens tonight?” Katibree reiterated.

Lina simply nodded in response.

“And you’re really sure you want to - -“

“I don’t think I’ve ever been as sure about anything else in my life, Kat.” The redhead replied while sliding the mostly platinum haired warrior’s head off of her lap before laying on her stomach and propping herself up with her arms so that her face was just above the larger girl’s.

The half elf closed her lavender eyes and took a moment to relish the feel of Lina’s crimson mane streaming down the side of her face with a sigh before gaining the courage to speak once more. “If that’s the case… then there’s a couple of things that you should know, but I’m not sure how too - -“

“Then don’t...” Lina said huskily before leaning the rest of the way down and interrupting any further protests with an inverted kiss on the lips. “I already told you… that you talk… too much….” She said in between steadily lengthening kisses before finally allowing the last one to linger on the ex-assassin’s lips. The larger girl returned the kisses first tentatively and then more urgently as her growing passion finally completely overrode her reservations. The two stayed that way for a long moment just losing themselves in the varied sensations of the long awaited kiss as their lips quested and explored one another.

Suddenly Lina broke away shyly. “Eh heh, umm…” She began.

“Hum?”

“I totally just slipped you the tongue…” The redhead finished with a nervous giggle.

“You totally did… you sure you haven’t done this kinda stuff before…?” The half elf teased while reaching up and brushing a lock of crimson hair behind the younger girl’s ear before tracing a hand down the side of her face.

“Positive.” (1) The sorceress said while turning her face into the half elf’s hand with a giggle and nuzzling it slightly. “But, I am a quick learner… and I seem to remember you liking this before…” She added naughtily as she leaned down once again and kissed Katibree on the lips before slowly making her way back down to her neck with a trail of kisses, causing an approving noise to escape from the older girl’s throat as she reached up to embrace the smaller girl’s head, entangling her fingers in her crimson colored mane.

As Lina lavished the half elf’s neck with yet more attention, she moved a hand to one of the larger girls ears and traced a finger from the bottom of the earlobe, around the outer ridge of it, and finally up to the hyper sensitive pointed tip before giving it a playful little flick that tugged a surprised gasp of pleasure from the larger girl.

(K) “I see you finally figured out the deal with my ears…” Katibree chuckled.

“Mumm hum…” The redhead murmured into the hollow of the half elf’s neck before continuing her leisurely trail of kisses even further down the ex-assassin’s body until she came to the point where the loosely tied silk robe’s neckline began it’s concealment of the treasures underneath it.

The sorceress so badly wanted to touch what was underneath, but her nerve was beginning to waver and she merely hovered just above the thin material of the ex-assassin’s barely covered breasts flusteredly, unsure of what to do next.

The mostly platinum haired warrior took this as her cue and reached for one of the redhead’s now slightly trembling hands and placed it on her chest with an amused but gentle expression on her face. “It’s alright.”

Lina drew in a deep shaky breath at the feel of the firm but soft mound through the silky material of the robe. I was starting to think that this whole thing was just some wild dream, but this is definitely the real thing …She thought to herself as the real gravity of the situation began to sink in. I have no idea what I’m doing, but there’s no way I’m chickening out, I’d hate myself in the morning… or probably even sooner than that as turned on as I am right now…After a moment or so more of struggling with herself, she glanced down at the half elf shyly. “…No holds barred tonight at all then…?”

“That means I get to play too then right?” Katibree asked coyly.

Lina balked at this. “…You weren’t playing before?”

“Not by a long shot.” The ex-assassin laughed quietly.

The sorcery genius’s ears began to redden at the implications of what this might meant. “A-alright… let’s see what you’ve got then.”

“You sure…?”

“I…I trust you Kat, I’m not worried.”

The half elf smiled at this before bringing the redhead in for another kiss while reaching back and sliding a hand along her side with one hand and caressing the back of her neck with the other as their tongues quested for one another with increasing urgency. She then slid the hand on the younger girl’s side underneath her and cupped a firm breast, first rubbing it and then beginning to knead it gently causing the smaller girl’s breath to catch in her throat as the nipple began to firm and the thrill of sensations coursing through her body intensified.

Katibree broke off the kiss with a playful bite to Lina’s lower lip before turning her attentions to the younger girl’s neck while her free hand released the strap on the redhead’s bathrobe with a quick tug and the other slipped under the now open robe to get better acquainted with the cream colored skin underneath.

Lina, who’d practically been incapacitated from the volley of new sensations up until this point, was snapped out of her lusty haze by the feel of skin on skin contact, (well at least to the point of regaining coherent conscious thought anyway) and she slowly pulled away and sat upright. “Hold up a sec…” She said while letting the now open bathrobe slip slowly down to the point where her bare shoulders where visible, before letting it drop down completely to give the half elf a full frontal view of her lithe torso while averting her ruby colored eyes somewhat self-consciously.

Katibree, who was still lying on her back and looking up at the sorceress, merely smiled at this sight. “Yep, just as stunning as ever, even from this angle...” She said wryly.

“Heh, just comemere…” Lina said while stifling a laugh.

“If you insist…” The half elf sighed in mock exasperation as she rolled over and got up.

“Are redheads… always this demanding?” She teased as she began kissing the younger girl’s breasts while guiding her backwards on the bed and removing her own bathrobe as she went.

“Ida know... You tell m - -“ Was all sorceress managed before the rest of her reply turned into a lavish moan at the feel of the ex-assassin’s lips closing around her rose colored nipple which began hardening nearly immediately. “Ohh..!” She gasped as the larger girl first circled the nipple with her tongue, before gently grazing the sides of it with her teeth. Any attempts at trying to retain at least some of her composure forgotten, the redhead simply fell the rest of the way back onto the plush bed while embracing the half elf and burying her face in her mostly platinum colored mane. The older girl then used her other hand to tease the twin nipple, massaging it between her fore and middle fingers gently before pinching and rolling it between her thumb and forefinger eliciting a small squeal from the redhead.

After a moment more of enduring the ex-assassin’s assorted breast-play, Lina who was already breathing fairly heavily, finally worked up the will to speak coherently once more. “Kat… I don’t think I’m going to be able to…!” Was all she managed before stifling a moan pleasure as a particularly forceful contraction within her blindsided her with a chain reaction of maddening sensations centered in her womanhood. L-sama, I feel like I’m about to explode…The sorceress thought to herself headily while staving off the urge to reach for her aching nether regions once more.

Katibree looked up at the redhead with a knowing smirk. “Alight.” She simply replied before beginning to slowly kiss her way down to the sorceress stomach and still even further, finally stopping at the top of a very familiar tuff of ‘carrot’ colored hair and resting her chin there to look up at the younger girl with a cat-with-the cream expression on her face while wriggling her eyebrows, her luminous lavender colored eyes twinkling playfully.

Lina threw her head back and laughed at this before finally locking eyes with the ex-assassin once more with a lazy smirk playing across her lips. “Would ya stop asking permission already…? She finally replied quietly to the unvoiced question.

With that, the half elf slid her chin down until it just barely grazed the top of the smaller girl’s mound causing her hips to buck slightly before brushing her lips against first one inner thigh and then the other eliciting an anticipatory gasp from the redhead and then leisurely ran her tongue along the outer swollen petals of the younger girl’s love.

“Gods that feels good, Kat…” Lina breathed before gasping and arching her back reflexively as the larger girl licked the center of her engorged love from bottom to top and then began to trace rapid circles around her most sensitive spot with her deft tongue as the sorceresses’ breaths began to come in sporadic and ragged gasps.

“K-Kat… wait a second…!” The redhead suddenly breathed while grabbing a handful of the older girl’s mostly platinum colored mane and pulling her back up to eye level while breathing heavily.

“Something wrong…?” The half elf asked.

“N…no I just - - Since when did you become such a messy eater Kat…?” The sorceress couldn’t help but tease after getting a better look at the larger girl’s face.

“You yanked me up here just to ask me that…?” Katibree asked wryly.

“No actually… I just…well it’s just that, I’m not sure what’s about to happen… But, I want you up here when it does…” Lina tried to explain.

“Well that’s fine but… I’m not exactly a guy Lina…”

“I know that… but I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Lina replied while pulling the half elf closer.

The ex-assassin wordlessly shifted her leg and placed a thigh in between the redhead’s legs before pressing it firmly against her slick mound. “How’s that…?”

“!...That works…!” The sorcery genius replied with a gasp.

“You wanna take it from here then…?”

“…Sure.” The sorceress breathed before raising her hips and rubbing herself against the larger girl’s thigh experimentally and shuddering involuntarily at the sensation the action produced. She then positioned one of her own legs between the half elf’s own thighs and began to slowly grind herself against the other girl rhythmically. As the passion within the sorcery genius rose to new heights, she tightened her thighs around the larger girl’s thighs and began to pump her hips more quickly while burying her face into the ex-assassin’s neck and digging her nails into her back as her breathing began to come in ragged gasps once more.

Katibree gasped and opened her eyes at the feel of the redhead’s nails digging into her back only to notice a yellowish glow emanating from around… “Lina?”

The half elf pulled away from the sorceress slightly in amazement as the redhead’s ruby colored eyes began to roll into the back of her head and her body went rigid as she cried out and her world went white. Suddenly the entire room was bathed in a blinding flash of golden light. The flash of light left an after effect of countless glowing particles circling in the air which then came together before converging on Katibree and sending her over the edge as well.

All the air was forced out of the mostly platinum haired warrior’s lungs and all she could do was gasp soundlessly as she assaulted with the most intense pre-climax of her life. The feeling stayed that way for what seemed to the half elf like forever and she thought she would go mad from the sheer intensity of it. Just as she began to feel her to feel her sanity slipping, there was a loud boom similar to the sound of air rushing in to fill a suddenly empty space in reality followed by a shock wave, and suddenly the floodgates released, the unknown force that was holding her back finally allowing the half elf to finish her orgasm. She climaxed violently with a strangled whimper before simply passing out on top of the already unconscious redhead, leaving nothing but the labored but slowing breathing of the two exhausted girls as the only sounds left in the stillness of the room.

Authors notes:

(1.) Lina’s first kiss actually took place at the end of Slayers NEXT, but as far as I know she still doesn't remember it, so I choose not to incorporate that into my Fic. (sorry cannon lovers! ;)

Chapter 43

Lina awoke the next morning, opening her ruby colored eyes groggily and blinking them a few times in an attempt to clear her vision before gradually becoming aware of the weight of a certain half elf’s head nestled on her still very bare chest. …I-I can’t believe all of that actually happened last night…She thought to herself while staring up at the ceiling in bemusement as the past nights events came back to her in a flood of images and filling her with a whirlwind of emotions. It was all so- - I mean, I never imagined that sex would be anything like that… the way that she touched me… everything felt so…The sorceress trailed of her thoughts to steal a quick glance down at the still sleeping ex-assassin shyly. …Right. She finally finished with a blush as her recollections of the past nights events triggered a now all too familiar stirring in her loins once again.

And then there was that amazingly intense feeling at the end, it just kept going and going and just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, it stopped and then…I’m pretty sure I passed out after that…but, what was that…? And on top of that, how could one person cause another person to feel something like that? The redhead continued to herself flusteredly while looking down at the sleeping half elf once again. Kat’s still asleep…I wonder if the same thing happened to her - - “And… what the hell happened to the room..?” She suddenly blurted audibly while finally noticing the lengthy, zigzagging cracks in the plaster lining the lengths of every wall in the room they where in. 

Katibree stirred at the sorceress’s out burst with a small groan before nuzzling her face further into her impromptu ‘pillows’. “What was that?” She murmured before looking up at the smaller girl sleepily.                                                                                     

“Oh, I didn’t mean to wake you…” “Good morning though…” Lina said while averting her ruby colored eyes in slight embarrassment at the situation. 

“Morning lover girl.” The ex-assassin replied with a teasingly suggestive tone to her voice causing the redhead to blush vividly. “Now what was this about a room…?” She added afterwards. 

“…Just look at it, it’s totally thrashed… w-what the hell happened last-night, I mean…we didn’t do this… did we?” The sorceress asked while surveying the damage once more. “The pictures and shelves are off the walls and everything…” 

“I didn’t think that I was imagining that last-night…” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied as she turned her head to look at the state of the abused room herself. “Wow, what a mess…” 

“Imagining what?” Lina asked unsurely. 

“The glowing deal and then the shockwave afterwards.” Katibree said while rolling off of the redhead and sitting up before stretching with a leisurely catlike yawn. 

“Oh, that deal…” The redhead replied absently while watching the larger girl’s chest as she stretched - - “Wait a second, what glowing and shockwave deal??” She blurted after shaking herself out of her ‘blue haze’ moment. 

“Right before you came, you started glowing yellow… well I guess it was closer to a goldish color…” The half elf explained while stifling a yawn. “You don’t remember any of it?” 

“Not a thing, I was kinda preoccupied at the time - - wait a sec… ‘Came’…?” 

“Yeah, the big happy feeling at the end.” Katibree replied with a laugh. “Coming, orgasaming, climaxing, getting off… it’s all different names for the same thing.” She continued while getting up to wash her face. 

“And that happens every time?” Lina asked in amazement. 

“Well, I’ve never experienced anything even remotely close to the mind-blowing one that I had last night before, but if it’s done right then yes, it can happen every time… The only thing that I’m not sure of is whether it would be to the same extent…” If it is going to be like that every time, I’m not sure that I’d be able to handle it… She added to herself in bemusement. 

“Huh, I can have as many as I want…?” “That’s good to know…” The redhead mused to herself approvingly. 

The half elf merely stopped washing her face and turned to raise a mostly platinum colored eyebrow in amusement at the redhead with this statement. 

“Uhm, heh eh… I totally said that out loud didn’t I…?” She asked while flushing slightly. 

“Totally.” 

Whoops… Lina thought to herself sheepishly before clearing her throat.  “Anyway, we’re getting off track here.” She continued in her best no nonsense voice. “You said I started glowing right before I ‘got off’ - - Gods that sounded dirty…” The sorcery genius interrupted with a giggle. “Anyway, what happened after that?” She finished while placing her arms behind her head and looking up at the ceiling once more. I can’t believe that we’re having this conversation as naked as the day we were born, I mean… sure it’s distracting sometimes- -Ok allot of the time, but at the same time it feels like the most natural thing in the world, but is it really…? I mean, are two girls really supposed to do this…? At a time like this I know that Amelia would strike some cheesy justice pose and tell me, “Miss Lina, just follow your heart!” but how am I supposed to tell - - 

“Lina…?” Katibree said, effectively snapping the redhead out of her thoughts. “Did you hear anything I just said?” 

“Ah………erm, not a word!” The sorcery genius finally said with a laugh while sitting up on the bed and rubbing the back of her neck.

The mostly platinum haired warrior could only sweat-drop at this before going about the task of gathering bathing supplies. “Anyway, whatever happened last evening was certainly out of the norm… well at least for a non-sorceress.”

 Lina mulled this over in her head some before speaking once more. “Well my Mom’s a sorceress, I mean… she isn’t practicing anymore, but she’s still capable of using magic…” “I’d think I would’ve noticed my parent’s bedroom just ‘miraculously’ getting wrecked every so often as a kid even if I didn’t know why it was happening…”

 “Maybe it’s some weird girl on girl sorceress deal then…?” Katibree offered while climbing into the grandiose bathtub and lowering herself into the steaming water.

 “I doubt that…” “I mean, shrine maiden training temples are girls only, and they have to stay in those things training for years sometimes…” “I’m sure at least someone has decided to get it on in there at one time or another, but I’ve still never heard of any incident happening at any temple that fits what you just described.” The redhead replied while rolling off the bed and heading toward the bath.

 “Nice try, Red.” The half elf chuckled. 

“What…?” 

“You’re so not getting in here with me.” 

“Hawh - - What, we can ‘get it on’ now, but I still can’t take a bath with you??” Lina balked. 

“Look Lina, your mind has been in the gutter from the moment you woke up this morning, I can smell that as clear as day, and if you get in here with me, we aren’t going to get anything accomplished that we need to do today.” Katibree replied matter of factly while reaching for a luffa-pad. 

“Awww come on, Kat… I’ll be good, I pwromise…” The redhead purred cutely. 

“Absolutely not…!” The mostly platinum haired warrior said with a good-natured laugh. “Get in after I’m done… Don’t you have a communication spell ritual you have to prepare for anyway?” She added while giving the pouting redhead a coy wink. 

“You suck.” 

“Only when asked nicely.” 

“….!” “Who’s mind’s in the gutter now?!” The sorceress shot back. 

“Just start getting the stuff for the ritual together already!” Katibree said with a giggle. 

‘Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Lina huffed while heading over to their travel pack. 

********** Later on that day… ***********

(?) “Ok young lady, all we need to do now is hook you up to these transmitters running to the power cells of the device.” A tall elderly researcher explained while hooking numerous strange gadgets to Lina’s hands and then placing a larger one on her head as Katibree and the King looked on. 

(L) “No problem.” The sorceress replied. “But how does this thing work exactly…?” “Can it store energy, or does it need a constant power source in order to keep running?” She added while giving the sizeable mechanical device a once-over. Depending on how complicated of a process powering this thing up may be, there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to keep it running and cast the communication spell at the same time. 

(R) “In theory, the contraption begins to store excess energy on it’s own once it’s up to it’s proper working capacity.” The researcher explained. “It only needs a massive boost of energy for it’s initial start up from what I understand, and then a considerable amount less to start up as well as charge and run it after that.” He continued. 

(L) “Well if that’s the case, just tell me what I need to do then.” Lina replied confidently. 

(R) “…Very well, all you need to do is begin to build and channel your magical energy as if you were about to cast a spell without actually casting it, do you know how to do that yet young lady…?” The elderly man asked in a tone that was reserved for an inexperienced mage that needed to be coddled. 

The sorcery genius rolled her ruby colored eyes and shot Katibree a ‘this-guy-can’t-be-for-real’ look as King Gheyahsayl grimaced in mortification before she turned her attention back to the elderly man with an annoyed look. “Just tell me how much.” She finally said after taking a deep breath to keep her temper in check. 

“Excuse me…?” The researcher asked in surprise. 

“Just tell me how much power I’m at least approximately supposed to channel into this thing.” Lina reiterated impatiently. 

“Well all of it, any other mage that we’ve had attempt this has only gotten the meter up to a little less than ¼ of the starting energy requirement just cutting loose…” The old man explained. “There was no reason for them to try and limit their magical output…” 

(L) The sorceress merely grinned while cracking her knuckles at this. “So just cut loose huh…?” “If you say so - -!” 

(K) “Hold it Lina.” Katibree interrupted while taking a step forward. “The mages that you had attempt this before, were any of them from inside of the old magical barrier?” She asked the researcher pointedly. 

(R) “Well, we’ve managed to acquire a few practicing sorcerers to come help us test it from there… yes.” The researcher replied somewhat haughtily. 

(K) The ex-assassin turned to Lina at this “And how much would you say that it takes you to cast… say a Dragon Slave, Red?” She asked.

(L) “I don’t know… depending on the day, I’d say 4 or 5 percent.” The redhead mused. “Sometimes less than that though.” 

(R) T-the Dragon Slave…?! I thought that spell was only a legend! This little girl is capable of unleashing something of that magnitude?? Impossible… The elderly researcher thought to himself in disbelief. 

(K) “Alright, well why don’t we go with 20 percent for now.” The mostly platinum haired warrior said. “I’ll… be outside.” She added while flushing slightly and heading for the door as the King looked after her curiously. 

(L) “20 percent it is.” Lina said while closing her eyes and concentrating to begin channeling her magical energy into the machine. 

Both King Gheyahsayl and the researcher’s eyes widened in shock as the energy meter for the device jumped to more than 50 percent as a multicolored vortex of magical energy began to swirl about the room. 

(R) “T-the device is a little past ½ of starting capacity!” The man shouted to the half elf standing outside the door. What is she…?? 

“Tell her to try 38 percent then.” Katibree called back disinterestedly. 

(L) “I heard her.” Lina said while kicking her energy output up another notch effortlessly. 

(KG) “99 percent Do’Urden.” The King called back while bracing himself against the torrent of magical energy enveloping the room. 

(K) At this rate 39 percent may actually overdo it…and on top of that, the old man said that the machine begins to automatically store a charge with any excess energy once it powers up. The ex-assassin mused to herself. He also said it takes considerably less to start it up and charge it once it’s started up for the first time so… “Have her kick it up half a notch to 38 ½ until the device starts up, and then power down right away.” 

(KG) The King, who was currently shielding his face from the flying research papers and other miscellaneous things swirling about the room called out to Lina. “She says half a notch more and then power down, little sister!” 

“That’s no fun.” The redhead groaned before giving the device just a bit more and powering down once it started up with a loud roar. 

(R) “I-incredible!” The elderly man stammered while looking at the charge gage in slack jawed amazement. “There’s already enough charge for the device to run for months….! I-if she hadn’t powered down when she did…!” 

(L) “Heh, heh, victory!” Lina exclaimed while attempting to flash a victory sign but being unable to do it properly due to being hindered by the wires and various gadgets that were attached to her. “Can I take this junk off of me now?” She added in annoyance. 

(R) “C-certainly…” The man managed before heading over to help the redhead remove the contraptions unsteadily. 

Just then, Katibree re-entered the room carrying a bagful of spell components that Lina had gathered for the communication spell ritual and handed it to the younger girl with a smirk. “Piece of cake?” She asked wryly. 

“Piece of cake!” Lina affirmed with a grin. “Did ya wanna stay and watch the ritual, Kat?” She added while rummaging through the small bag. 

“I’m going to have to pass on that, Red.” “I owe the King a little chat for this favor so I mine as well get it out of the way now.” The ex-assassin replied with a sigh. 

“A ‘chat’?” The sorcery genius asked while looking up from the component bag inquisitively. 

“Yeah, he won’t take a payment like money or anything else material wise from me in exchange for his help, he wants information as compensation instead…” “He’s always been that way.” The half elf explained. 

“Well, that doesn’t seem so bad.” 

“Humph, you wouldn’t be so sure if you knew the type of information he normally wants.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied as she turned to leave with a chuckling King Gheyahsayl. 

The sorceress merely stared after them at this statement before finally turning her attention to setting up the ritual components with a shrug. “Set it for the Overworld and fire it up when you’re ready pops!” She called to the elderly researcher. 

The older man sputtered indignantly at this. “My name is not pops, my name is Professor Cevilia!” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever grandpa, just fire it up already!” Lina replied with a giggle. 

“Bah, of all the insolent - -“ The professor complained as he began to manipulate various gages and dials on the machine. 

Outside, Katibree and King Gheyahsayl walked side by side down the various multicolored hallways of the elaborate castle as they talked. 

(KG) “So… I heard that the room that was provided for you and the little firepot to stay in last night wasn’t in the best condition when the personal entered it to tidy up…” Ruben began coyly. “I never took you for much of the partying type; well at least you never seemed to care much for any of the parties that I’ve thrown… Yet, I got a report that you two made quite the ruckus last evening. 

“It wasn’t like that.” The half elf said with a roll of her lavender eyes. 

“So it wasn’t a party then…?” “I mean, I would make some tasteless joke about her liking it rough, but yesterday you implied that the two of you weren’t intimately involved…” 

The ex-assassin simply continued to walk wordlessly at this. 

“Or… has that changed since last night?” The King asked while studying the half elf’s profile carefully with a knowing smile beginning to form on his face. “Oh my Mistress Do’Urden, I do believe you’re blushing!” He finally exclaimed while clapping his hands exuberantly. 

The mostly platinum haired warrior continued to walk wordlessly while gritting her teeth at this. 

“If that’s the case, now that you’ve gone and popped the proverbial ‘cherry’, what are you going to do next…?” The jovial man persisted. “I think a proposal would be fantastic, I’d be more than happy to handle all of the wedding arrangements and - - 

“DON’T be ridiculous Gheyahsayl.” Katibree finally snapped in irritation before smoothing out her mostly platinum colored mane with a sigh. “Look, I’m not sure what I’m going to do; I shouldn’t have let it happen in the first place.” 

“Are you saying that for your sake or hers?” Ruben asked insightfully. 

“….I’m….I’m honestly not sure anymore.” The half elf replied while looking up at the sky with her luminous lavender eyes. 

“You haven’t told her about your lineage yet, have you…?”  The King asked solemnly. 

“Don’t talk as if you could possibly understand, Ruben.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied quietly. “I thought all of it was just bullshit before, that my appearance was just some stupid coincidence that certain people made a big deal about on this side of the barrier because of a ridiculous legend from some children’s story book…” “But now…” 

“Now, after being exposed to all of the things that you initially thought were just myths and legends during your stay in the inner barrier, one example being the legend Lina Inverse herself… You’re not so sure anymore.” Gheyahsayl finished for her. 

“Yeah, that’s some of it…” Katibree replied. But I’ve been changing too, gaining all of these strange abilities that I never had before and strengthening the abilities I already had that were weak and unreliable at best before this journey started… And still what’s even more disturbing - - 

(?) “Finally found you two!” “You two done with your little ‘chat’ yet?” Lina called from a distance while Ray Winging down to them from an opening leading to a courtyard nearby. 

(K) “Hey Red, decided to cast discretion to the wind and take a cruise around the Kingdom eh?” The half elf teased. 

(L) “Yeah, I guess I went a little overboard, but I didn’t leave the castle grounds at least, it just feels so good finally having a chance to cut loose with my powers again!” The redhead said with a laugh. “I mean, I already have my sorceress’s getup on anyway right?” 

(KG) “Well I’d imagine it’s been pretty taxing for an up and coming Great Sage such as yourself to repress your true nature for any significant length of time, either way it’s truly a pleasure to have had a chance to meet you my dear.” Ruben said with a royal bow. 

“Huh?” The redhead asked before looking at Katibree dubiously. “’Discretion’ eh Kat…?” She finally added while lowering her eyelids. 

(K) “Hey, don’t look at me Red!” The ex-assassin said with a chuckle. “He figured it out all on his own!” “Anyway, were you able to get in touch with the Overworlder?” 

“Kinda… I know the message reached Sirius because I was able to complete the ritual and incantation without a misfire, but he hasn’t responded yet.” The sorceress replied. “But the way I see it, after the battle with Darkstar he was able to create his own portal to get back to the Overworld, so I figure he can just do the same to get back here with the Sword of Light when he has the chance to.” 

(K) “Alright that’s all well and good, but how is he supposed to find us once he shows up?” Katibree asked. 

“If I know Sirius, he’ll show up right on time.” “Besides, I’ve got a back-up plan until he does!” Lina said with a trademark Lina Inverse wink.

“A back-up plan… for Gabriev...?” 

“That’s right, you should be able to charge up other weapons besides your own correct…?” The sorcery genius asked coyly. “Although your blades are extremely well crafted and made of superior quality materials, I don’t sense anything out of the ordinary about them, they’re not made of much of anything out of the norm from what I can tell.” 

“Huh, I never thought about that…” Katibree mused. 

“What would ya do without me, I’m so great I astound myself sometimes - - “Ouch, ouch, ow, ow, ow…OW..!” Lina squealed as the mostly platinum haired warrior placed her in a headlock and began to drag her away. 

“Enough with the ego stroking already.” The half elf said lightly as she continued to lead the struggling redhead away unceremoniously. “Thanks for the hospitality Gheyahsayl, but it’s time we took our leave.” She called back. 

“Completely understandable, best of fortune in your journeys dear sisters!” The King laughed with a deep bow. “Be sure to visit again soon!” He called after them while waving energetically. 

A little later on, the two girls eventually made their way off of the castle grounds and into the brilliantly colored city. 

(L) “So, it’s obvious that King Gheyahsayl is clued in on allot more than he lets on, huh?” Lina asked while rubbing her neck absently as they walked. 

“You don’t even know the half of it.” Katibree replied distractedly. 

The redhead gave a deep sigh before replying back. “Ok, I know that tone of voice so spill it already.” 

The ex-assassin merely smirked at this. “Fine, but why don’t we talk over dinner?” 

“Oh you know I’ve got no objections to that!” The sorcery genius practically gushed. “I’m always up for a good meal!” 

“Heh, you don’t have to tell me that!” “How about the eatery over there… I’ve heard they specialize in serving this new dish called ‘jambalaya’.” The half elf suggested. 

“Count me in!”  The sorcery genius exclaimed while already running in the direction of the restaurant with the larger girl behind jogging to catch up with her. 

(L) “Hey, this place is actually pretty homey.” Lina said as they were seated by a pretty brunette waitress. 

“Yeah well that’s kind of the theme of this Kingdom, to try and make everyone feel as comfortable and welcome as possible that visits or lives here.” Katibree replied. 

“That’s a pretty cool theme to have…” “More places should definitely incorporate it.” The sorceress replied while she looked over the menu. 

After a few moments of silence between the two, the redhead had finally had enough. “Howwwn, enough already!!” “Just tell me what you’re all down in the dumps about ok, Katibree?” “It kills me when you get this way.” 

The half elf closed her lavender eyes and took a deep breath before finally replying. “It’s something that I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time… I just… I wasn’t - - 

(?) “My, my, if it isn’t my favorite sorcery genius!” A strange man who had chin length purple hair and was dressed in a priest’s uniform suddenly exclaimed. “I’ve been looking for you all over Lina, and here I’ve finally found you!” He continued as he approached the table that the two were sitting at while smiling with his eyes closed and leaning his staff against a nearby wall before inviting himself to sit down at their table. “It’s been far too long, how have you been Lina??” 

(L) “X-Xellos…!?” Lina sputtered before finally managing to regain her composure. “What are you doing here…?” “Stirring up some trouble or another I’ll bet…” She added while lowering her eyelids at the mysterious priest suspiciously. 

“Oh goodness no, dear Lina, we are friends are we not…?” “I merely came here to congratulate you is all!” Xellos replied cheerfully. 

C-congratulate me…?” The sorcery genius balked. “Congratulate me on what exactly Xellos…?” The sorceress added crossly. 

“On what else my old friend, your long awaited transcendence to womanhood of course!” The mysterious priest replied wryly. 

At this, Lina gaped at the priest suddenly incapable of coherent speech as Katibree sized him up silently while he casually ordered a cup of tea.

Chapter 44

(L) Tran…transcendence to… womanhood?” Lina finally managed to ask. There’s no possible way that he could know… is there…? Just… what exactly are you… talking about Xellos…? She asked carefully while stifling the urge to glance over at Katibree.

 “Come now Lina, there’s no need to feign ignorance!” Xellos replied cheerfully. “If anything, I’d say that the little display that you two put on last night was extremely boast-worthy, everyone with any real connection to the astral plane at all most likely sensed or at least felt it happen in one shape or form!” 

“E…every…one connected to… the astral plane.” The redhead stammered in disbelief. 

“Oh my, yes!” The mysterious priest said before taking a sip of his tea the waitress had just brought to him before continuing. “You see, while I imagine that the disturbance caused here by your union was minimal at best, the effect that it had on the astral plane was especially devastating, even to the point of the positive energy being released and amplified actually temporarily incapacitating some of the lesser Monsters.” 

The sorceress merely clunked her forehead on the wooden table and began to groan miserably into it at this. “Entire… astral plane…!” 

(K) “So any Mazoku that cares to do it, can pinpoint our exact location now.” The half elf said quietly. 

“Well, no…” “The only reason I was able to find Lina is because I’m very familiar with her energy signature and was able to track it back to the general area of the incident you see.” Xellos replied around a bite of coffee cake. “However the trail soon went cold and I still had to search for you both manually from there.” 

(L) “…can’t believe… this is happening… to me…!” The sorcery genius continued into the table with that familiar haggard and broken tone she so often used when complaining. 

(K) “But it is possible.” The mostly platinum haired warrior said. 

“Huuumm… well, theoretically I suppose.” The priest mused. “But the whole commotion on the planes was caused by Lina temporarily merging astral bodies with you and causing some type of reaction that in turn caused a backlash from what I understand…” “So just because of the fact that your energy signature is so similar to that of a Mazoku, it would more than likely throw off any Monsters that may have recognized Lina’s signature and tried to track it.” He added while opening a purple eye slightly. 

(K) “…..” 

(L) …Katibree has an energy signature similar to that of a Monster’s…? Lina thought to herself while raising her head up from the table slightly and doing her best to try and read the half elf’s facial expression. 

Xellos merely cackled gleefully at the sudden uncomfortable silence before turning his attention to Lina once more. “And speaking of that Lina, I must say that you’ve certainly acquired a taste for the exotic!” “Although it’s apparent that your friend here is of mixed blood, she is still a descendant of a race of elves that I thought long ago eradicated during The Resurrection War, I’m certain of it!”  

“The… Resurrection War that took place over 100 years ago…?” Lina asked carefully. 

“One and the same Lina!” The mysterious priest affirmed. “Some time before The War, there was a race of elves known as Synergy elves that were known for their ability to absorb the surrounding magic near them, and over a period of time begin to gain powers and abilities based on the type of magical energy that they were exposed too.” 

“Now several hundred years before the actual Resurrection War, a Mazoku priestess told of the prophecy of Lord Shabranigdo’s reawakening and gave specific instructions to prepare an army for the Dark Lord’s return with the aid of these visions.” Xellos explained while pouring himself another cup of tea. 

“The orders were to raid the Synergy elf villages of their young who had yet to fully develop their innate abilities, and locked them away while exposing them to the purest form of Lord Ruby Eyes’ essence that could be found in hopes of turning them to our cause - -“ 

Katibree pushed back her chair and stood abruptly at this. 

“K-Kat…?” Lina asked while beginning to stand as well with a worried expression on her face. 

“I’ll be fine, go ahead and stay… you need to hear this Lina.” The ex-assassin said expressionlessly. “I just don’t care to.” “I’m going to the pub.” She added while walking off as the redhead stared after her conflictedly. 

“Oh my… It seems that something I’ve said has struck a nerve…” The priest said while peering over his cup of tea after the half elf as well. “Did you want to go after her Lina…?” 

That wouldn’t do any good right now, she’s pretty upset and that means she’s going to want to be alone for awhile… and besides she did say that I needed to hear this…The sorcery genius thought to herself while turning around with a heavy sigh to face Xellos once more. “I’m listening.” She finally said after sitting back down. 

“Very well…” “Now as I was saying before, these young elves were exposed to Lord Ruby Eye’s essence in an effort to corrupt them, but much to the Monster Race’s disappointment, only a very small percentage of the elves exposed produced the desired results…” “The majority of them seemed to have some innate ability, a gene we believe, that made them completely immune to the treatment.” Xellos continued to explain. 

“However, the few that did take to the process became extremely powerful, being able to do things such as call upon The Dark Lord’s crimson blades at will, they were incredibly cruel and these ‘Chosen of Lord Ruby Eyes’ where groomed and trained for combat as generals to command The Dark Lord’s armies and encouraged to multiply over the centuries for the coming war.” 

(L) Crimson Blades… Is that Kat’s been using this whole time…? “And… they all looked like Katibree does…?” Lina asked. 

“Well she is of mixed blood, but the similarities are there yes…” The mysterious priest replied while lounging back in his chair. “The extreme amount of raw essence that the first descendants of ‘The Chosen’ where exposed to caused their hair to change in color, ranging from stark white to a steelish color, and their skin always ranged between ebony and midnight blue, but the most impressive change was their eyes which where always a glowing ruby color much like The Dark Lord’s own eyes.” 

“This fearsome appearance is what gave people who encountered them the idea to call them Corrupt elves or Dark elves, but the proper name for them is actually Drow elves.” “Even after centuries of generations, these traits held true except for a few exceptions…” 

“Exceptions?” The sorceress reiterated. 

“Yes Lina, here is where things get really interesting…” Xellos said while leaning forward conspiratorially. “Sometimes the recessive trait that the Monster Race had so carefully weeded out would reassert itself in some of the Drow children that were born later although it was exceedingly rare...” 

“…The corruption immunity gene.” Lina finished for him. 

“As perceptive as always Lina!” The priest exclaimed before continuing. “These children had all of the same physical traits as the other Drow except for their eyes for some reason, the eyes that these children possessed always ranged from deep purple to a lavender color…” 

Kat’s eyes are lavender…The redhead thought to herself. “So… these ‘Drow’ with the recessive gene… they weren’t inherently evil then?” She finally asked. 

“My, ‘evil’ is such a strong word Lina!” Xellos said with a laugh. 

“Just answer the question Xellos.” The sorcery genius said with a calm but dangerous tone to her voice. 

The mysterious priest sobered somewhat at Lina’s tone and continued with his story. “Because of the recessive trait repressing the essence from spreading through them, these exceptions where unable to draw upon Ruby Eye’s power although it still lay dormant within them.” “At the same time these particular Dark elves seemed to naturally make up for that by developing phenomenal speed, reflexes, and unsurpassed combat prowess…” 

Even if it remained dormant, that should still mean that it can be passed on to future generations…Lina mused to herself. “I understand all of that Xellos, I’ve witnessed it myself, all I want to know is whether the dormant corruption affected their personalities at all.” 

“No, in fact after one of these essence immune Drow left the underground city in disgust at his races’ ‘practices’, he eventually took it upon himself to return and begin the eradication of them all.” “After that occurrence, orders came down that all babies born with the recessive trait be killed at birth.” 

(L) “But wait a second Xellos; didn’t you say that Corrupt elves born with the recessive gene weren’t able to draw from Shabranigdo’s powers…?” The sorceress suddenly asked. 

“I believe I did say that, Lina.” Xellos said with a strange smirk. “However, your new companion appears to be only half Drow, and from your reaction just now it appears that she’s capable of accessing the best of both worlds…” “She seems to have the superior speed and combat prowess of a Drow with the ressesive trait, but it seems that at the same time her human half has found a way to tap into Lord Shabranigdo’s dormant power… and as far as I know… humans have no such immunity.” The mysterious priest finished somewhat evasively. 

Lina’s ruby colored eyes widened at what the implications of this meant. So does that mean that the more that she taps into and uses her powers…? I-I guess this is what she’s been so worried about, but why has she kept it from me all of this time…?  “Alright Xellos, if you say that these Dark elves were wiped out over a century ago, how can Katibree even be one of their descendants?” 

“I suppose it’s possible that a few of them could have slipped by without drawing our attention…” The mysterious priest mused. “Either way, elves have been known to live for well over a thousand years, so if one has survived, he or she most likely would still be quite capable of having an offspring between then and now if not more.” 

If pure blooded elves can live for over a thousand years…how long does a half elf live …? The redhead wondered to herself. “Ok, I can see that making sense…” “But, what I don’t see making sense is you suddenly going through all of this trouble to track me down after so long just to ‘congratulate’ me.” “Beastmaster doesn’t give out vacation days and she wouldn’t have sent you here just for something that trivial, so what’s the real reason that you’re here Xellos?” 

The priest *sweat-dropped* at this. “Well, there is one other thing…” He began. 

“I’m listening.” 

“Well as you already know, anyone with any significant connection to the astral plane at least felt the disturbance that you and your companion caused with your ‘union’ - -“ 

“Yeah, yeah Xellos, we’ve already been over this, would ya just get to the point?” Lina interrupted while blushing and covering her face with a sigh. 

“Yes well, while lesser Mazoku may have only felt it, and may or may not have been able to identify it as you; the higher end Monsters such as The Dark Lord’s generals and their lessers such as myself also experienced some brief sounds and images from the encounter - -“ 

“YOU could SEE and HEAR it TOO??!” The sorceress exclaimed at the top of her lungs while jumping up from the table and slamming her hands down on it, drawing the attention of the few occupants in the eatery. “This is a … this is absolute nightmare…Mmmhurphmmphmm…!” She groaned haggardly while beginning to sink down to the floor in despair.” 

“Why yes Lina, and there’s a type of pool that has been going around betting on how exactly you two did the deed!” Xellos explained wryly. “You see, everyone could see that your half Drow friend was on top, and that you two were both thourghly enjoying yourselves…”

“Argh uh haaun, nooo, nooo, no… nahhhmmmphurph…!” Lina continued from the floor of the resturant. 

“But since no one was able to catch a glimpse of what was going on beneath the two of you, we’ve taken to betting on it…” The priest continued while raising a finger cheerfully. “You see, Blue Dolphin seems to think that you were utilizing some type of spell or device that would serve as a phallus for one of you…” “While Beastmaster is certain that you two were somehow using your hands to pleasure yourselves from that position, but we were simply unable to see that from the angle we had of the event…” He continued. 

The redhead began to slowly pull herself off of the floor with crocodile tears in her ruby colored eyes and a face as red as her hair at this. “…Isn’t happening to ME…!” She hissed to herself. 

“However I myself am almost certain that it wasn’t anything as complicated as that, you see…” The mysterious priest continued to explain cheerfully. “I believe that you and your companion were merely using your legs to pleasure one another mutually - -“ 

Just then Katibree, who was at the pub across the square, looked up as a sudden fiery flash of light reflected off of her glass of brandy and a large explosion shook the surrounding area. “Shouldn’t be surprised I suppose…” She sighed while tossing some change on the distracted barkeep’s counter and downing the remaining contents of her glass before standing from the bar and weaving her way through the sea of hurriedly exiting and clamoring customers of the establishment. 

Soon enough she’d made her way into the square and spied a large growing crowd of people standing around and gawking and murmuring at a large smoking hole that used to be one of the eatery’s walls. As she made her way closer, it became more and more apparent that it wasn’t so much the missing wall that the spectators were staring at, as it was the spectacle inside that the missing wall was revealing. 

The half Drow pushed her way through the crowd and made her way to the still ranting sorceress who was currently stomping on a chard, smoking, and twitching Xellos while waving and gesturing with her arms angrily in the midst of the still partially burning timbers of the eatery. 

The mostly platinum haired warrior folded her arms and stepped through the makeshift door while calmly surveying the damage and making a quick estimate of what It’d probably cost to pay to fix the damage a moment before finally speaking. “So… what’s this all about?” She asked the still ranting sorcery genius although not really expecting any real type of reply just yet. 

“…Perverts spying on an innocent maiden like that…!” The redhead continued to rant through clenched teeth at the priest that she now had in a camel clutch. 

“Well, it’s not like we were doing it intentionally Lina…!” Xellos replied while looking back at her with a grimace. 

“That’s still no excuse to take bets on it afterwards, Xellos!” The sorceress exclaimed angrily while placing him in a sharpshooter and wrenching back to further emphasize her words as she yanked. 

Katibree lifted a mostly platinum colored eyebrow at this. “The Mazoku are making bets on…?” She trailed off, not even needing to finish what she was asking. 

Lina stood up flusteredly at this. “Yeah, the bastards got to watch and hear the whole thing!” She replied while lowering her head and clenching her fists. 

(X) “Well not the entire thing actually… The priest said while lifting his head to look up at her.  “We only got to see and hear the events that occured at the exact moment of - -“ The rest of what Xellos was about to say was abruptly cut off by the redhead’s boot connecting with the back of his head and grinding his face into what was left the wooden floor of the eatery. 

“Shut UP, Xellos…” The sorcery genius said through gritted teeth. 

(K) “Huh, they sure got one hell of a show…” The half Drow mused to herself wistfully. 

(X) “Indeed!” The mysterious priest piped up while straining to lift his head with the weight of the redhead’s boot still planted firmly against the back of it. “It was rather uncomfortable for us physically, but it was truly an impressive sight to - -“ Was all he managed before Lina reintroduced his face with the floor with another shove of her boot. 

“I said SHUT UP!” The redhead exclaimed. “And how can you be so calm about this whole deal Katibree??” “We’re probably the talk of the entire astral plane right now!” She added angrily. 

(X) “Oh my yes, most of us haven’t had anything this interesting to discuss for centuries…” Came Xellos’ cheerful but muffled reply from beneath the sorceress’s boot. 

(K) “Well it’s not like there’s anything we can do about it now…” The ex-assassin replied while placing her hands behind her head as Lina promptly began stomping on Xellos once more while working on a fresh rant. 

(L) “Sure there is, I’ll make them forget that they ever saw or heard about it…!” The redhead exclaimed haggardly. 

(K) “Come on Lina you know that isn’t possible, but we are drawing an even larger crowd by the moment and we really should get going...” The half Drow said while walking over and placing Lina in a restraining wrestling hold of her own. 

“Oh no, I’m no where near done with him yet!” The sorceress exclaimed as Katibree began to drag her away from a thorally pummeled Xellos. 

(K) “It was… interesting to finally meet you after hearing all the stories Xellos.” The ex-assassin said briskly while exiting out of the impromptu door of the eatery with a still wildly gesturing Lina Inverse under the crook of her arm. 

(X) “Likewise, Miss Katibree…” The priest replied while sitting up and rubbing the top of his head with a slight wince.” Interesting, they seem to counter balance and even one another out… He mused to himself. 

(?) “H-hey, what are you going to do about the damages to my restaurant!?” The owner of the establishment shouted as the two made their way through the still gawking crowd of people. 

(K) “The nice ‘man’ in the priest’s outfit has graciously offered to pay for all of your expenses good Sir.” The half Drow replied casually as she continued to walk with the still struggling sorcery genius. 

(X) “H-hey…?” Xellos managed while still sitting on the floor of the ruined eatery before looking up at the towering figure of the glowering restaurant owner now standing over him with a nervous cackle. 

(L) “You know Xellos is just going to weasel his way out of paying for the damages for that place, don’t you Kat…?” Lina asked after the two of them made their way back to the dock to wait for the ship to take them back to the mainland. 

“I figured as much, but we weaseled our way out of it as well…” Katibree sighed while leaning back against a large crate next to the smaller girl. “That was really more of an insult to injury thing than anything else.” She added with a nonchalant shrug. “Ruben will most likely end up footing the bill anyway.” 

“You and The King are really close huh?’ The redhead asked quietly. 

“Not really, he’s just really generous when he’s being amused. “The half Drow replied. “That little ruckus back there is just a little pocket change out of his nearly bottomless little man-purse, but it’ll give him something to gossip about to entertain himself with later on, that’ll be more than enough payment for him.” 

“He’s a pretty weird guy…” 

“Um hum.” 

After a minute or so of silence between the two of them, Lina turned to the side and scooted forward until she was able to lay her head on the side of the mostly platinum haired warrior’s thigh comfortably, before clasping her hands behind her head and merely staring up at the sky wordlessly. 

Katibree looked down at the redhead unsurely a moment before finally breaking the silence. “So… Xellos, he told you… everything right…?” 

“Well, I’m sure there’s something that he wasn’t telling me, but yeah.” The sorceress replied while closing her ruby colored eyes. 

“And… and you still don’t care…?” The half Drow balked. 

“Why should I, Kat…?” “You’re still you, I don’t care about what some dusty old stories about your heritage say.” The sorcery genius replied never bothering to open her eyes. “I just wish that you’d trusted me enough to tell me yourself instead of having to hear it from Xellos.” 

“I tried to, really I did Red… it’s just that…” Katibree began before trailing off and averting her lavender colored gaze from the smaller girl. 

“I understand it’s hard for you Kat…” Lina said quietly. “And there are probably some things that Xellos told me about that you don’t even know yourself, but I’d prefer to talk about all of that a little later if you don’t mind...” 

“Isn’t that last bit supposed to be one of my lines?” The ex-assassin said while looking down wryly. “’Later’ implies having the ‘patience’ to wait for later… since when did you learn any of that?” She teased. 

“I guess… you’re rubbing off on me…” The redhead replied in amusement before drifting off to sleep.” 

“Humph, I guess so…” The half Drow said quietly while brushing aside a crimson lock of the younger girl’s hair. I think you’ve been rubbing off on me too. She added to herself with a warm smile. 

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location…

(?) “I’ve returned with news Lord Beastmaster!” Xellos called cheerfully as he made his way into the room. 

(B) “What have you found out Xellos?” A tall blonde woman holding a long thin cigarette holder with a cigarette burning lazily at the end of it asked. 

“Well, the girl you’re interested in most certainly a descendant of Lord Ruby Eye’s chosen… but I’m not sure if she will be of any use to us Mistress.” The mysterious priest began to explain. 

“She carries the immunity then?” Beastmaster asked. 

“That’s the interesting part you see!”  Xellos replied. “Her Drow half does, but her human half should have no such immunity and so she has the capabilities of both types although they are watered down…” “But even so, for some reason it appears that she has been actively using The Dark Lord’s gifts, yet using them seems to be having no affect on her…” 

(B) Do not underestimate the potency of adding a human element to an equation, Xellos…” Beastmaster said. “We’ve made that mistake time and time with Lina Inverse.” “The very thing that makes humans so dangerous is their unpredictability and the fact that their life spans are so short.” “Because of this, they have the tendency to improve their craft in leaps and bounds because they naturally try harder to make up for the limited amount of time that they have to spend in this world.” 

“Yes, I see your point, even if she is only half Drow, and she’ll still live longer than a normal human by several hundred years most likely… her lifespan will still be considerably shorter than a full blooded elf…” The priest mused.  “That being the case, the human ‘X-factor’ may actually give her the chance to increase in power expedentaily, possibly even exceeding the power of her ancestors…” 

The blonde woman nodded at this before taking another drag of her cigarette. 

“However, Lord Beast Master… there is still the fact that Lord Ruby Eye’s influence appears to have no affect on her although she has access to his gifts…” Xellos continued. “At this rate, even if your theory about the human X-factor proves to be true… at best, all that we will have at the end of this is another powerful potential enemy.” 

 “The human half of her should have no such immunity as you said before, so there must be something repressing the esscence from taking hold and spreading. Beastmaster deducted. “Something that is keeping The Dark Lord’s influence from accumulating and turning her to our cause.” “I want you to do some more scouting and try and locate and dispose of this… item, trinket or whatever it may be…” 

“Understood, Lord Beast Master…” “And what of… Lina Inverse, it’s certain that she’ll become involved if she gets wind of any of this.” “Should I perhaps attempt to… drive them away from each other somehow…?” 

Beastmaster Metallium merely smiled at this. “Leave her be for now, she is serving her purpose, Drow elves were created from Synergy elves after all…” “It’s anyone’s guess as to what type of interesting abilities the half breed will develop being in constant contact with magical energy as powerful as Lina Inverse’s, but a power boost like that will be all the more welcome once we convert her to the ways of The Mazoku.”

 “I see…” Xellos said with a cackle before fading off into the darkness to leave Lord Beastmaster once again to her thoughts and plans.

Chapter 45

(K) “Lina…” “Red…” Katibree called as she shook the sleeping sorceress’s shoulder slightly. “Lina wake up, the ships’ here - -“ Just then, the approaching vessel blared its docking horns with an ear shattering blast.

“AHHHHHHHRRRGGHHH!!!” The startled redhead exclaimed, somehow managing to go from lying on her back in a dead sleep, to leaping 5 ft in the air while flailing her arms comedicly.

“Have a good nap?” The ex-assassin teased as the younger girl stood there clutching her chest and breathing heavily.

“Very…funny…!” Lina breathed in reply. “You coulda at least warned me ya know.”

“What do you think I was trying to do?” The half drow laughed while watching the off ramp of the ship lower.

“Yeah, well maybe you should of tried harder… does the horn really have ta be that loud?” The redhead complained.

“Well, the purpose of the horn is to alert the occupants of the Kingdom whenever the ship is docking.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied as she stood and hefted their travel pack over her shoulder with a smile.

“The ‘fresh batch of wierdos approaching’ alarm huh?” Lina joked as they made their way to the boarding ramp.

“Something like that.” Katibree chuckled.

“Alright, well anyway… I guess now is as good of a time as any to tell you what Xellos said.” The sorcery genius said has they made their way onto the ship and found a fairly secluded area to sit and talk.

The ex-assassin nodded grimly at this before sitting down and leaning up against a bulkhead.

“But… before that, let me see your blades…” The redhead said with a triumphant smirk.

“What... why?” The half drow asked while unfastening her sheathed blades from her belt.

“I got this idea for a spell awhile ago, and I just figured out how to perfect it.” Lina said happily.

“A spell… just now?” Katibree asked while handing the smaller girl her weapons. “Don’t you ever stop thinking about magic?” She added with a laugh.

“Every once in a while…” Lina replied wryly while unsheathing the half moon shaped blades and placing them on the deck and removing her white gloves afterwards.

“So what type of spell is it?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked while clasping her hands behind her head.

“Well, I got the idea for it while you were fighting that Hydra out on the open seas…” Lina said as she closed her eyes and began to concentrate while holding her hands over the weapons. “I think I’ll call the spell… ‘Ethereal Link’. “It should be able to return your blades to you, but I’m not sure of the exact range that the spell will work at.”

“Ethereal Link, huh?” “So something that Xellos told you gave you the idea of how to complete the spell?” The ex-assassin mused.

“Yeah… I mean, I already knew the basic mechanics of it already… but I just couldn’t figure out a way to really make the spell stick until just now.” The redhead explained while frowning in concentration as the blades began to glow a blueish color. “The spell the way it was originally would have only worked within a few feet of you, which pretty much defeats the purpose.”

“Ok, what did you just come up with then?” The half drow asked with interest.

“All I have to do is imbue the blades with the essence of something that you have a positive connection with… and meld that in with the spell.” The sorcery genius replied with a small gasp as she imbued the blades.

(L) “Doing that will definitely increase the potency of the spell… but the over all potential range of the spell is actually based on a combination of the strength of the essence being imbued, and the strength of the users’ connection to that essence.” Lina continued.

“Heh, that’s interesting… alright, how do I use it then?” Katibree asked.

“I think I’ll make the trigger phrase… ‘Return to Me’. Lina replied as she finished the spell, causing the weapons to glow a golden color briefly before returning to normal. “Go ahead and try it.” She added with a grin.

”Uhm… alright…” “Return to me…?” The mostly platinum haired warrior said unsurely. After a long awkward moment she spoke again. “…Nothing happened.”

“Jeez Kat you’re hopeless… say it with some feeling!” The sorceress giggled.

“What, you expect me to jump up and strike some ridiculous justice pose like you say your friend Princess Amelia does and shout it??” The ex-assassin laughed. “So, not doing that!”

“No, no, nothing like that…... but that’d be absolutely hilarious!” The redhead laughed. “You have to make an emotional connection with the essence in the blades and then call them to you.” She added with a giggle.

“And just how am I supposed to do that?” Katibree balked.

“I’m really going to have to teach you some more about magic Kat…” Lina sighed. “Most magic is fueled by emotions to a certain extent, so when you put what you’re feeling behind the spell, it makes it that much stronger...” She explained before trailing off.

“I’m listening.” The ex-assassin said with a nod.

“The spell that I imbued in your weapons relies on strong positive emotions to form the connection or ‘link’ in order to trigger it.” The sorcery genius continued. “The reason I set it up that way is so that enemies won’t be able to use it, but that’s besides the point…”

“All you have to do is call up a memory that means allot to you to make the connection, and then say the trigger phrase.”

“Just a memory huh…?” The mostly platinum haired warrior mused to herself before finally closing her lavender colored eyes and concentrating.

After a short moment the half drow took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Return to Me.” She finally said.

The blades originally sitting in front of Lina flickered briefly, before disappearing and returning in the older girls hands. “Now that’s impressive.”

“Of course it is!” The redhead replied boastfully. “Did you expect anything less when dealing with the beautiful, great, and powerful sorcery genius Lina Inver - - Ow, ow, ow, ow…” She finished after promptly being put in a headlock by Katibree.

“You are great Red, a great pain in the ass!” Katibree teased as she held on to the struggling redhead. “If your head gets any bigger, you’re going to capsize the ship so cut it out already!”

The two girls wrestled on the deck of the ship a bit until they’d finally gotten it out of their systems with Lina eventually getting the better of Katibree in the match before finally deciding to get back down to business.

(L) “Ok…” Lina breathed while catching her breath. “Back to the ancestry thing…” “How much about it do you already know?”

“Not much actually…” “I heard a little of what your Mazoku friend told me before I left… but other than that, all I really know is that I’m descended from an evil race of elves that nearly helped destroy the world…” The half drow mused.

(K) “When I was younger, some old woman who saw me on the street started flipping out and screaming things about me being of a cursed people and the apocalypse coming…” She continued.

“I’d already noticed that I was much different from anyone else that I’d ever met, and the old woman kind of freaked me out, so I decided to try and look into what she was ranting about, but all I found were legends and lore, children’s stories really…” “At least that’s what I thought at the time.”

(K) “Either way, all I really found out was that the elves that I resemble were evil creatures that lead Shabranigdo’s onslaught in some war that happened 1000 years ago.” She finished.

(L) “Well, that’s basically correct Kat, but it wasn’t 1000 years ago…” Lina replied. “It was a little over 100 years ago, and it was called ‘The Resurrection War’, when the Dark Lord Shabranigdo was once again reborn.”

(K) “This guy sure is resilient.”

“Tell me about it, he just keeps coming back.” The sorceress said. “Anyway, from what Xellos told me, the dark elf half of you has some type of trait that represses Shabranigdo’s influence and keeps his essence from corrupting you.”

“If that’s the case, then I shouldn’t have anything to worry about right?” Katibree asked.

“Well, that’s just the thing…” The redhead replied quietly. “You’re half human as well, and I think that part of you is allowing you to access Shabranigdo’s powers that would otherwise be dormant, and humans have no such immunity to corruption.”

“Then just tell me which powers that I need to avoid using.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied simply.

“It’s not that easy Kat.” The sorceress said with a sigh. “As far as I can tell… the only power that ties directly to Shabranigdo’s essence is the ability that you use the most… the Crimson Blades.” “I really should have caught it earlier because it’s an actual spell, but I didn’t because you don’t have to cast it… you can just do it at will.”

“There’s a spell that can be casted that charges up weapons the same way that I do?” The ex-assassin asked.

“Not exactly, that’s another thing that threw me off…” Lina explained. “There are spells like ‘Astral Vine’ that actually imbue physical weapons with magic, but the Crimson Blade spell itself forms a sword of pure energy without the need of a weapon to energize… kind of like a red sword of light without the hilt.”

“But I actually charge my blades up with the spell.” Katibree finished for her.

“That’s right.” The redhead replied with a nod.

“Well, what am I supposed to do then…?” “My regular blades barely have an effect on Lesser Demons, let alone full fledged Mazoku.” The half drow mused. “If I stopped charging them, I’d basically be in the same boat as Gabriev until he gets back Gorunova.”

“Yeah, I know…” The sorceress replied thoughtfully. “Well, you haven’t noticed anything strange when you use them have you?”

“What, like evil impulses and dark brooding thoughts…?” The ex-assassin chuckled.

“I’m being serious here Kat.” Lina said quietly.

“Aren’t you the one always telling me to lighten up…?” The larger girl continued to joke.

“Come on, yes or no?” The redhead reiterated while giving the half drow a no nonsense look.

Katibree sobered at this and thought a moment before replying. “No I haven’t noticed anything while using the charged blades specifically, but… I do feel… different, like I’m changing somehow.” She tried to explain with a sigh “It’s really hard to describe it.”

“Huh, well there’s probably no real way to tell whether that’s a good or bad thing yet…” Lina mused. “I mean, what you’re feeling could just be your innate racial abilities finally starting to develop enough to kick in after being exposed to so much powerful magic for so long…”

“Right, the ‘Synergy Elf’ thing…” The ex-assassin said with a roll of her lavender eyes.

“Yeah, it would only make sense that you’d only start feeling changes just now… there’s hardly any powerful magic at all where you grew up.” The redhead said while leaning back against the bulkhead and clasping her hands behind her neck as well. “It’s possible that all you’re feeling is your body getting a late start on doing what it was originally designed to do.” At least I hope that’s the case. She added to herself worriedly.

“I suppose so, but this is all still allot to try and swallow.” Katibree replied while picking up her blades and walking over to the railing with a far off expression in her eyes.

“Yeah it is…” Lina agreed. “Uhm, Kat… what are you doing?”

The mostly platinum haired warrior gave her a strange smile at this. “What else, I’m testing the strength of the essence imbued in these blades and how strong of a positive link I have to it!”

“Y-you’re gonna do what…?” Lina balked. “We haven’t even tested the approximate range that those return at yet - - Hawh!” …S-she actually fricking threw them! The redhead exclaimed to herself in disbelief while shielding her ruby colored eyes with a hand as she watched the blades whiz toward the now setting sun. “Wooow… that was really stupid Kat…” She finally said in bemusement. “You threw them so far that they disappeared on the horizon before they even hit the water…”

“Yeah, that was a pretty good throw…” Katibree replied wistfully. “Hell, they may even still be going.”

“Well, are you gonna try and call them back or what…?” The sorcery genius asked after a long moment.

“In a minute or two, yeah.” The half drow said while leaning on the railing with serene look on her face.

“Do you have any idea how far away we’re going to be from your weapons in a minute or two…?” The redhead couldn’t help but ask.

“Probably a good mile or so… the skipper’s hauling some serious ass today for some reason.” The ex-assassin replied while closing her eyes to enjoy a nice sea breeze that rustled their hair slightly.

Lina studied the older girl’s face to try and make some sense of what was going through her head before finally giving up with a scratch of her crimson mane. “10 minutes for good measure?” She finally asked quietly after a long moment.

Katibree opened her eyes and smiled at this. “Sounds like a plan.”

(K) “So think they’ve made it to the bottom of the ocean yet…?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked several minutes later.

“I don’t know…the ocean’s pretty deep, but maybe.” The redhead replied as a school of flying fish glided by. “So why exactly are you doing this again?”

“I told you, it’s just a test…” The half drow answered with that same strange smile on her face.

“This one hell of a test Kat… tossing your blades into the ocean is pretty drastic.” Lina said. “Just… what exactly is it that you’re trying to ‘test’ here Katibree…?” She added as the answer began to dawn on her.

“You put some of your essence in the blades right, a little piece of your soul?” Katibree asked.

“Yeah… that’s right.” The younger girl replied quietly.

“And the range that the spell will work at depends on the strength of that essence and how powerful a connection I have with that essence…” The ex-assassin began to explain with that same strange smile on her face.

“It’s been over 10 minutes Kat…” The redhead said with a slight blush.

“Moment of truth?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked wryly.

“Moment of truth.” The sorcery genius affirmed with a nod.

With that, the older girl placed her hands out in front of her, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. “Return to Me.” She whispered.

A moment later a faint golden glow glimmered in her hands and the half moon shaped blades flickered briefly and then fully materialized.

(K) “They’re even still wet!” Katibree laughed quietly. “That’s one pretty impressive ‘link’ huh, Red?” She added sentimentally.

“…Yeah… it really is.” Lina replied while averting her ruby colored gaze and scooting closer to the half drow so that their arms were touching shyly.

“You about ready to head down to ‘the rack of doom’?” The larger girl asked after a few moments of silence between the two.

“Not yet…” The redhead giggled before leaning her head on the larger girl’s shoulder. “The stars are almost out.”

“Alright.”

“Hey, Kat?”

“Yes, Red?”

“What… what memory did you use when you called your blades back to you?” The sorceress asked with another blush.

“You’re already blushing, so I’m not even going to dignify that one with an answer.” The ex-assassin chuckled.

Lina couldn’t help but laugh at this. “Isn’t that… gonna be kind of distracting to reminisce about in the heat of battle Kat…?”

“I’m sure I’ll live.” Katibree replied with a wry smirk. “Either that, or die a very distracted but happy half elf.”

“Uhm… I’ve been thinking…” Lina began more solemnly after getting the giggles out of her system.

“Well, I know that whole ‘deal’ just happened in Gheyahsayl… and I know you wanted me to take some more time to really think about everything but…” The redhead managed before trailing off shyly.

Katibree turned her head to look down at the younger girl who was still resting her head on her shoulder expectantly at this, the light of the twinkling stars reflecting in her luminous eyes hauntingly.

“…But, I’ve thought about it allot since then, and I think I’m ready to make it official…” The sorceress continued while looking up at the older girl before standing upright and taking one of her hands with her own. “Katibree… will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?” She finally managed with a blush.

“Whew, so formal…!” The ex-assassin said with a grin.

“Cut it with the sarcasm already, we’re supposed to be having a moment here…” Lina said while lowering her eyelids.

Katibree laughed at this before tightening her hand around the younger girl’s hand gently. “I thought you’d never ask.” She finally answered.

“Seal the deal with kiss?” The redhead asked.

“With this many people around?” The ex-assassin asked in amusement. “Aren’t we getting bold.”

“Yeah well, finding out that the entire astral plane watched you get off for the first time kinda has that affect on a girl.” Lina deadpanned.

“The union of ‘The Enemy of All Who Live’ and the ‘Ancestral Spawn of Shabranigdo’.” Katibree mused “… L-sama, what is your world coming to?” She exclaimed while shaking her head and gesturing with her hands dramatically.

“Just shut up and gimmie a kiss already…” The sorcery genius said with a giggle.

“Alright, but just remember that privacy curtains in our rack don’t actually give much privacy when we head to bed later…” The half drow joked while moving in for a kiss.

“I’ll try and remember that” Lina replied wryly before meeting the larger girl halfway.