Chapter 61

All Resources

(A) “The letter’s from Miss Fillia, what’s it say?” Amelia asked in excitement while wriggling her way forward and even further between Gourry and Zelgadis who were also leaning over Lina with interest.

“It basically says that she’s found out some very important information and needs to speak to me as soon as possible, but we need to talk in person due to the sensitivity of the subject matter…” Lina answered with a slight frown. “There’s also the location of where she’s currently staying as well as directions on how to get there.”

(Z) “Well judging from your reaction just now, you haven’t heard from Fillia in quite some time… so why would she be contacting you now all the sudden Lina?” Zelgadis asked. “Do you think her sending this letter is somehow related with this whole monster cloning mess?”

“Could be… I mean, whenever we just sort of find ourselves all gravitating together again it’s never a coincidence.” The redhead mused while handing the letter to the chimera. “It’s always to save the world from some imminent threat or another… the main question I have at this point is whether we’re dealing with one steadily growing cataclysm or two separate ones now.” She added while leaning back in her chair and flinging up her hands with a resigned gesture.

“This is definitely her handwriting…” The mystical swordsman said as he looked the letter over himself with Gourry gazing over his shoulder.

(S) “Uhm… who is this… Miss Fillia, how do you all know her…?” Sylphiel asked.

(L) “She’s the last golden dragon priestess of the Fire Dragon King who came to us a couple of years ago with a prophesy and helped us defeat The dark lord Dark Star from the Overworld, who was fused with Bolfied the God of the Overworld… who was later fused with Valgaav an ancient dragon who’s people were betrayed by the golden dragons that worshiped the Fire Dragon King and blah, blah, blah… it’s a long story.” The sorcery genius explained with a shrug.

“O-oh…. I… suppose it is…” The shrine maiden managed to reply to the landslide of information.

(A) “Yeah, that was a pretty complicated situation where it was really hard to tell who the actual bad guys were sometimes…” The Seyruun princess added.

(K) “Well history lessons and moral grey areas on an epic scale aside, what are we going to do now?” Katibree asked while stretching in her own chair. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take to find a lead with the copy deal, and now we’ve got another apparently urgent matter to attend to that may or may not be related in a completely different location…”

(A) “Do you think that maybe we should… split up into two groups or something Miss Lina…?” The cerulean eyed princess offered. “That way some of us could go see what Miss Fillia wants and the rest could continue the monster cloning investigation…”

“…While that wouldn’t be so risky at this point and allot more convenient, I don’t think that’d be the best idea Amelia.” The sorcery genius glanced over at the younger girl to reply. “The problem is that if we split up, there’s no telling how far away the members of the team carrying on the investigation will have to go to find a lead or how long it will take to find it, provided they even do find one at all…”

Katibree merely rolled her lavender colored eyes at this statement, but remained silent.

(Z) “That’s right, and during that period of time the potential number of copies will be increasing by the day, not to mention the fact that there’s no way to tell when this Soshurn is planning his next ambush.” Zelgadis added before handing the letter back to Lina and taking his seat at the table once more with Gourry doing the same.

(S) “Ok, well… if we’re going to stay together as a group… it’s one option or the other…” Sylphiel mused. “So which one are we going to do…?”

“As far as I’m concerned Sylphiel, that’s a no brainer… Our best lead on anything right now is Fillia, because up until this point all we’ve been doing is taking shots in the dark really, and on top of that she’s one more potential ally to have with us once it decides to hit the fan again.”

(G) “Ok, so we’re going to go see Fillia now, right Lina?” The blonde warrior asked.

“It’s looking that way Gourry.”

“So where are we supposed to meet her?”

“Honestly I’m not sure exactly…” The sorceress replied while looking over the letter once more. “She didn’t give the name of the location… just the coordinates and general directions to it. But from what I can tell, it’s located somewhere near or on the outskirts of the Kataart Mountains…”

The ex-assassin went over her mental map of the region a moment before standing up abruptly with a deep sigh to curious glances all around. It’s like once someone’s come to this continent, they’re sucked into one endless circle it’s so unexplored…just different areas of the same places over and over again…She thought to herself with irritation. “I’m going to grab the horses from the library.” She added audibly before leaving without another word as the rest of the gang stared after her.

(Z) “…What’s up with elf?” Zelgadis finally asked after a moment of unsure silence.

“She’s never cared for civilization much; my guess is she’s going a little stir-crazy…” Lina answered as the food was finally brought to the table.

“Hum… I guess I could see that, elves are usually more nature orientated from what I understand…” The chimera mused. “And speaking of elves… I’ve never heard of a type with blue skin before… just what race of elf is Katibree exactly Lina?”

“For one thing, she’s only half elf… and as far as what kind, you’d have to ask her that yourself; if anyone would understand the want for privacy due to trust issues, it’s you Zel.” The redhead replied while spearing a huge piece of meatloaf before the plate had even been placed completely in front of her.

“Well said Lina, well said.” The mystical swordsman conceded with a smirk before taking another sip of wine, dropping the subject all together for now.

(S) “So if we’ve got another destination that we need to travel to now… are we going to try and get some travel time in this evening or just head out in the morning?” Sylphiel raised her voice slightly to ask over a certain swordsman savant’s noisy eating.

“I’d say chances are that Fillia’s been trying to get in touch with me for a pretty long time if she resorted to the method that she did to find me…” The sorcery genius said surprisingly well around a mouthful of now unidentifiable food. “So I’d say the best thing to do would be to take the rest of the day off to relax and then set a breakneck pace for the coordinates she indicated in the letter tomorrow. How’s that sound?” She added while placing an elbow on the table and propping up her head with it.

“Sounds good to me… to be honest all of that horseback riding has been pretty rough…” The shrine maiden replied before trailing off with a blush.

(G) “Yeah, earlier today she said that if she had to ride much longer she was afraid her butt might fall off!” Gourry clarified with a laugh.

The raven girl merely blushed more profusely at this causing the gang to erupt into a variety of chuckles and giggles.

(Z) “Anyway, I wouldn’t mind some down time myself… keeping track of you guys and staying out of sight was pretty rough work; it didn’t help that you were all on horseback either.” Zelgadis replied after the laughter had died down.

Lina merely sweat-dropped with lowered eyelids at this statement, producing a nonchalant shrug in response from the mystical warrior before turning her attention to Amelia for her input.

“Staying the night is fine by me, but can I make a request Miss Lina?” The cerulean eyed princess asked.

“Sure, what’s up Amelia?” The sorcery genius asked lightly.

“Well, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind getting one less inn room tonight so that we could… share one…?” The Seyruun princess asked somewhat bashfully, causing a certain mystical swordsman to raise an eyebrow in interest and drawing the attention of the rest of the table as well.

“Wh-ah… you want to share a room with me…?” The redhead sputtered, taken aback by the abruptness of the request. “We don’t have to cut corners right now, I mean…It’s not like we’re hard up for money or anything- -“

“Oh I know Miss Lina, it’s just that we still haven’t had much time to catch up and I think a sleep over just like old times would be fun!” Amelia explained hopefully. “I mean, there’s no use paying for an extra room if we don’t need it right?”

I don’t know, I’d kinda gotten used to doing just that on a regular basis honestly… The sorceress thought to herself while rubbing the back of her neck with a smile and a sweat-drop. “Eh heh, I guess it couldn’t hurt to have a mini girl’s night to catch up some more, we never got around to it during the brief stay in Seyruun anyway.” She finally agreed. “But no staying up too late or we’ll be the living dead in the morning and we all know how much Sylphiel hates zombies…” She added jokingly.

“Agreed!” Amelia giggled.

(L) “Hey did you want to come too Sylphiel…?”

“Uhm… well actually, I’ve been doing allot of thinking lately since the incident in the canyon… and I think it’d be better for me to just do some studying tonight…” The shrine maiden replied quietly. “Everyone else has such strong offense that I really think I should work on mine some more with the current situation…”

(Z) “Wow Sylphiel, I never knew you were such a trooper…” Zelgadis teased good-naturedly. “Way to take the initiative, I’m impressed.”

“It’s nothing really…” The raven haired girl replied in embarrassment.

(L) “I think you’ve made allot of improvement but oh well, whatever you feel is necessary Syl.” Lina said with a stretch as she stood from the table. “Hey Amelia, can you do me a favor and rent the rooms we’ll need here and have the last few orders of food sent up and divided between all of them? I want to take one last look around town before it gets too dark…”

“Sure thing Miss Lina!’ The cerulean eyed princess chirped. “The largest portions go to our room and Mr. Gourry’s right?”

“Do you even need to ask?” The redhead asked with a trademark Lina Inverse wink before heading to the door of the establishment with a rustle of her cape.

Once the sorcery genius had made her way outside and took in her surroundings briefly, she slowly took to the air with a Levitation spell to scan the rooftops and soon enough she spied what she was looking for. “Ray wing!”

“Hey...” Lina said after finally touching down next to the ex-assassin who was sitting on a rooftop overlooking a small forested area several blocks away from the place they’d chosen to stay the night at.

“Hey.” The half drow answered more coolly than she had intended. “The horses are tied up in front of the inn with the others now.” She added more quietly.

The younger girl’s brow furrowed slightly at this. “That’s all well and good but…what’s the deal with you just storming out in the middle of dinner like that..?”

“Why don’t we just drop this before it even begins Red?” The half elf replied matter of factly.

“Look Kat if you have something to say, then say it.” The sorceress said while willing the older girl to make eye contact with her. “You had something to say at dinner didn’t you, so why didn’t you just speak up instead of leaving and sulking about it?”

“I wasn’t sulking.” Katibree retorted indignantly.

“Well if you weren’t then, you are now so spit it out ‘cause I’m not ‘dropping it’.”

“Look just let it go for once - -“

“Out with it already, Kat.” The redhead interjected impatiently.

The ex-assassin stood abruptly and turned to the redhead at this. “Fine. The reason I didn’t ‘speak up’ during the meeting at dinner after you got your letter, was because I don’t agree with your decision, and it would have been disrespectful for me to undermine you in front of your friends.”

“……..You mean the decision to stick together and head to Fillia’s location together?” Lina finally asked with some confusion.

“What other recent discussion was there?” The half elf asked dryly.

“What other decision was there to make?” The younger girl retorted in surprise.

“What do you mean what other decision - - use your resources!” The mostly platinum haired warrior finally blurted in frustration.

“Resources?” The sorcery genius asked, genuinely lost at this point.

“What, now that we’ve slept together and you have your proverbial newly tamed half drow, descendant of the Chosen of Shabranigdo / ex-assassin / secret trophy girlfriend… I’m just a pretty face?”

“W-what no I- -” Lina stammered at a loss for words.

“Did you forget that I’ve spent over half my life scouting and gathering intel?”

“Well, no but - -“

“But what?” The half elf interrupted while glaring at her, her luminous eyes flashing angrily. “Explain to me why it makes any sense at all to just drop one lead for another when you’ve got someone in the group that specializes in investigating things just like this undetected that can easily gather and bring back info while you and the rest of the group take care of other things.”

“Ok, ok… I know that you’re good at what you do, but it’s just too…” The sorceress managed before simply trailing off at the expression on the larger girl’s face.

“Too dangerous right?” The ex-assassin deadpanned.

“…Yeah.” The younger girl finally admitted.

“I don’t want any special treatment, Lina.”

“What are you talking about, Kat…? I don’t give you any special treatment.”

“Bull, we all have roles and specialties. When a huge attack is coming at us and Nels Rada steps up front with a barrier spell because she has the strongest defensive capabilities of the group, you don’t grab her by the arm and say: ‘No Sylphiel, it’s too dangerous.’ When Gabriev goes charging into a group of enemies to cover you while you do your thing, you don’t say: ‘No Gourry, it’s too risky - -‘

“That’s not the same as completely leaving the group and going off on your own Katibree.” The sorcery genius argued.

“…So you’re telling me that if Greywords decided to leave and do some scouting on his own and get back with everyone later, you’d be just as opposed to the idea as you are to the idea of me doing it…?” The older girl clarified heatedly.

Lina merely averted her ruby colored gaze in silence at this. “No…probably not.” She finally answered quietly.

“That’s exactly my point.”

The sorcery genius closed her eyes and sighed deeply to clear her thoughts at this. “Look Kat, I know you’ve been getting edgy the past few days… but besides you getting a bad case of the wanderlust and taking it out on me because it’s making you cranky…” She began before trailing off to reopen her eyes and look directly at the half drow. “I know there’s more to it, so what else is going on?”

The ex-assassin thought she could almost feel herself physically deflate at this observation. Damn it… “I’m… I’m sorry about… blowing up like that… that’s why I really didn’t want to talk about this until I cooled off some at least…” She tried to explain while running her fingers through her mostly platinum colored locks. “It’s just that I feel like… there’re too may distractions and not enough actions being taken for the situation at hand… I mean, I’m starting to feel like I’m trapped in this… merry-go-round of happy go luckiness and carefree glee where no one takes anything seriously enough and because of that, we never follow anything through because as soon as something else shiny is waved in front of our faces we head in another direction completely.

“I’m following you here but believe me, there’s a method to our madness; it’s not like this is the only time we’ve faced a crisis so things are just business as usual for us for the most part.” The redhead replied with a shrug.

“How is skipping around and taking shots in the dark while waiting to be attacked with a smile even remotely business related? Today was a joke; it was closer to a recreational romp than an investigation…” The half elf continued while beginning to pace back and forth in agitation, the setting sun in the background highlighting her silhouette.

“Just try and relax ok, Hun?”

“How can I, I don’t even have a decent outlet anymore, there’s been no time for me to seriously train in forever.” The older girl replied before turning away and walking toward the middle of the roof. “And on top of that, I can still feel myself changing day by day… so I have no idea of what I’m capable now and I hate not being at 100 percent or at least knowing what my new 100 percent is…”

“Just do me a favor and slow down a second Kat…” Lina attempted again while following after her.

“And I like everyone on the team and all, but there’s been no solitude, no peace… no place or time at all for me to focus on that in weeks. It was ok when it was just us but, I’m losing my mind here Lina - -“ The rest of the mostly platinum haired warrior's continued rant was cut short as the redhead caught up to her and grabbed the larger girl by the arm, spinning her around and pulling her in for a deep kiss.

“Hey we’re already at our psychotic episode quota for this month ok?” The redhead said teasingly but gently after pulling away slightly and placing her forehead against the half elf’s own lowered forehead.

“…What can I say, I’m an over-achiever.” Katibree couldn’t help but joke back after a short silence between the two.

“Yeah, I know you are.” The sorcery genius laughed quietly before growing more serious as she pulled the rest of the way away from the older girl. “But seriously, it honestly didn’t dawn on me to send you out for reconnaissance, and even if it had, I wouldn’t have had a clue that not doing so would have upset you this much.”

“Oh come on, just think about it…” The ex-assassin replied

“What?” The sorceress asked.

“Ok I’ll give you an example: you’re in a group being led by someone else…”

“Yeah…?”

“And you all come to this door with this massive magical seal on it…”

“Ok…”

“And the leader’s like: ‘This seal can only be broken by someone with unfounded magical prowess, looks like we’ll have to find another way in…’ And just leads the group away afterwards.”

The sorcery genius merely closed her eyes and folded her arms while stress-marking silently at this.

“You’d be just fine with that?” The mostly platinum haired warrior persisted wryly, although the smaller girl’s reaction said it all.

“Hell no, I’d be wonderin’ just who the heck this guy thinks he’s got in his party!” Lina huffed as if the insult had truly been directed at her by this imaginary party leader.

“Good, then it looks like we’re on the same page now, although the example was a bit exaggerated in comparison.

“…Yeah, I guess we are.” The younger girl admitted while averting her eyes with a rustle of her crimson colored mane as she thought. I know I’ve been pretty edgy since the canyon incident… If it hadn’t happened would I have considered this option automatically because I wasn’t feeling as protective of her and more willing to take risks? I mean stopping and thinking about the situation logically, covering all bases possible would be the best option for the team overall… and putting all personal feeling aside… She continued to herself mentally before trailing off to size up the half drow objectively. Katibree’s by far the best suited for the job. It makes sense, but I still don’t like it… “Alright.” The sorceress finally decided.

“So am I cleared to go then?” Katibree asked.

“… ‘Cleared to go’?” Lina repeated in amusement. “You’ve already proven your point and you’re still asking for permission?”

The ex-assassin blushed slightly at this. “Girlfriend or not, you’re still the boss… I’m just here for support.” She said while rubbing the back of her neck. “Believe it or not, people looking to you as leader isn’t some funny coincidence.”

“As strongly as you feel about this, you’re telling me that if I still decided against this you wouldn’t just go anyway?” The redhead couldn’t help but reiterate.

The mostly platinum haired warrior could only smile and shrug at this. “Do you really take the influence you have over your comrades so lightly?” She asked. “You really are a natural.”

The sorcery genius merely blinked at this statement a moment before sighing and scratching the back of her head. “Yeah well… I never asked for any of this. Anyway here, if you’ve ever memorized a map, memorize this one.” She said opening the letter Fillia had sent to her and handing the older girl the map portion of it.

“That’s easy enough.”

“Alright, and did you want to take anyone as backup?”

“I know you’d prefer it, but it’d honestly make gaining intel more risky.”

“How so?”

“Let's see...we’ve got the Princess and her uncontrollable urges to make justice speeches which she’s liable to haul off with at any inopportune time, most likely behind enemy lines when she’s seen some wrong being committed.” The half elf began while counting with her fingers as Lina rolled her ruby colored eyes.

“There’s Nels Rada and her morals: ‘Oh, Miss Katibree… you’re not going to stab that man in the back are you…?’” She continued to explain as the sorceress smacked herself on the forehead while squeezing her eyes shut.

(L) “Yeah, she probably wouldn’t be the best partner for you either.”

“Then there’s Gabriev, I give him the hand signal to go right from across the way… and he cups his hands and proceeds to shout that he forgot what that signal means at the top of his lungs, conveniently alerting everyone in the area to our whereabouts…”

“Ok, ok… well what about Zelgadis…?” The younger girl offered while rubbing a temple.

“I’ve known Greywords even less time than I’ve known Princess Seyruun and I honestly wouldn’t feel comfortable working with him alone at this point.” The half drow explained. “He was hired to kill me after all.”

I could definitely see the trust issue there… The redhead thought to herself with a sweat-drop. And I can’t go; Fillia wants to see me specifically… “I guess this has to be a solo mission regardless of how I feel about it then.” She finally conceded.

The half elf nodded at this before handing the smaller girl back the map portion of the letter. “And besides, this way there won’t be any distractions so I’ll have the chance to get some training in as well.”

Lina stared at the moon motionlessly with her crimson tresses trailing out and past her face, blowing with the cool evening breeze for what seemed like forever before finally speaking again. “You’ve got two weeks and two days… One week for intel, one week to head back, and a two day grace period to make up for the difference in distance between Zoanna and the Kataart mountains.”

“Understood.”

“But if the moon is where it is now on that 16th night and you still haven’t returned…” The redhead continued before trailing off to push some hair out of her face and behind her ear while turning her head to look at the older girl directly, the ghostly light of the moon glinting off of her ruby colored orbs chillingly. “I stop being a leader, and become the girlfriend that’s hell bent on finding the most important person in her life at all costs.”

“Don’t make that face, it won’t come to that.” Katibree said while wrapping her arms around the sorceress.

“Just be sure to tell me ‘you told me so’ once you’re back to me in one piece.” The redhead replied quietly before leaning in for a lingering kiss.

“Do you honestly think you’d have to remind me to rub it in when it comes to getting the better of you?” The half elf asked afterwards with a grin.

Lina managed a sad little smile at this while reluctantly detangling herself from the older girl’s embrace before giving her chest a half hearted shove. “Just… just go before I change my mind will ya?” She practically whispered.

At this, the ex-assassin backed toward the edge of the roof with a carefree grin that didn’t reflect the twinges of reluctance tugging at the strings of her heart. A couple of weeks away from each other is worth it if I can get some type of legitimate heads up on this situation and form a definite route to resolution for it…“Don’t worry about anything in the travel packs; I like to travel light on missions like this.”

“Not that light if you’re going to be testing out your newest powers.” The redhead replied while reaching back and underneath her cape.

“Good idea, thanks.” The mostly platinum haired replied while catching a still sheathed Twinkle by the hilt. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“If you find anything at all you’d better make a note of it and get back to the meeting point, no heroics Katibree!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it Red!”

With this the half drow merely winked and back flipped off of the side of the roof, disappearing into the night.

Should I really have let her go…?

Chapter 62

Seyruun Family Lineage

After having made it back to the inn and getting her room key from the desk clerk, Lina made her way up the stairs and to her room in a state of emotional drudgery, unlocked her door and unceremoniously flung it open. “A-Am-Amelia…?” She stammered in surprise. After that whole thing with Kat I totally forgot she asked to share a room tonight…

“Yes, you….. silly… Miss Lina…” The cerulean eyed girl managed with some serious effort, swaying a bit from her seat on the bed and nearly spilling the bottle of wine on the floor next to her while lifting a leg to regain her balance. “We talked about the slep over earlier remember…? Jeez… Mr… Gourry’s memry mus be… washin' off on you…”

And what’s with the slinky nightgown anyway…? “…………I pretty sure you meant ‘wearing or rubbing’ off just now… anyway, Amelia would you mind explaining to me why you’re currently completely wasted…?” The sorceress replied while still standing in the doorway with a sweat-drop.

“Not wasted, jush alittle….” Amelia replied before trailing off to find the words she was looking for. “Some… tipsy…” She finally finished cheerfully.

“A little… some tipsy.” The sorcery genius deadpanned while closing the door behind her before walking over to the younger girl. “Amelia, that’s not even a coherent sentence - -” Was all she got out before the princess reached up and grabbed a hold of the pointed collar of her cloak and began to dangle her upper bodyweight from each edge, affectively choking the older sorceress while giggling.

The redhead raised a white gloved hand while stress-marking at this… “….De… Cleary!” She choked out while slapping the Seyruun Princess on the forehead with very intentional force, causing the younger girl to squeal with pain and fall backwards on the bed with her legs spread eagled.

“That… really huuurt…!” The princess partially propped herself up and whined while clutching her forehead with her free hand as the older sorceress averted her eyes from the aforementioned ‘spread eagle’ with some discomfort.

“Yeah, well it serves ya right for attacking me in a drunken stupor.” Lina replied while removing her abused cloak.

“I wasn’t trying to, I was… well I’m not sure what I was trying to do anymore, but I’m sure it wasn’t attack you…” Amelia pouted while still nursing her forehead.

“Call me crazy Amelia, but I have the tendency to regard any action that involves cutting off my air flow as being extremely undesirable at the very least…” The older sorceress replied while removing her shoulder guards with a little smile.

“Opps, sorry about that…” The cerulean eyed girl replied sheepishly while sitting the rest of the way up in bed. “Everything was kind of a blur up until just now.

“I’ll bet, and speaking of that… what’s the deal with you deciding to hit the bottle all the sudden anyway?” The sorcery genius asked in genuine interest while pulling off her gloves and tossing them wherever they may land.

“I don’t know, I was bringing up your stuff and when I set down your bag I saw the mini bar and…” Amelia trailed off while pressing her index fingers together somewhat nervously for a moment before speaking once more. “Well, I’ve had allot on my mind lately and I always hear about people drinking their troubles away so I figured I’d give it a try…?” She finished hopefully.

What else has she heard about alcohol I wonder? Lina thought to herself while examining the younger sorceress somewhat skeptically. “Drinking doesn’t make your troubles go away Amelia, it just makes you forget about them temporarily but they’re still there in the morning.” She finally said while removing her boots before flopping on the bed belly down.

The Seyruun princess giggled at this. “I know that much, but I thought it would be fun to forget about them for just one night at least you know?”

“Yeah, I guess I’ve had times like that.” This whole situation has me feeling a little… uncomfortable but she’s just the same Amelia I’ve known for years, there shouldn’t be any reason for me to be so nervous, should there? “So what’s got you all wound up anyway?”

“Allot of things really, but I mean… not all of its bad.” The younger sorceress replied while scooting around on the bed so that she was facing Lina from her now cross legged sitting position. “There’s the thing with Daddy and the Kingdom that’s pretty stressful, I mean… since my older sister Gracia still hasn’t shown up yet after all these years, I’m still the next successor to the throne and I’m just not sure if I’ll be able to live up to Daddy’s expectations…”

“I think worrying about that is a waste of energy honestly Amelia.” Lina reassured the younger girl. “He’s already as proud of you as a father can be of a daughter as it is.” This is the same old Amelia, the only one who’s changed is me… well minus the drinking… that’s definitely a new one.

“You really think so…?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, you know that.” And besides if I can’t relax and have a good time around one of my best friends, it’s a pretty sad day in the life of Lina Inverse - -

“That means allot coming from you Miss Lina!” Amelia squealed happily while giving the sorcery genius a hug from above.

“Come on don’t get so excited Amelia, all I did was answer a question you asked!” The redhead laughed while squirming to get out of the awkwardly angled bear hug.

“Sorry about that, I guess I’m still a little tipsy…” The Seyruun princess giggled as she released the hug but remained on the older girl’s back. “But I thought De Cleary was supposed to get rid of all the effects of the alcohol…?”

“Yeah it’s supposed to, I guess I casted the modified version without thinking about it…”

“Modified version…?”

“It was a request - - just never mind…” Lina replied with a sigh. “Anyway, what else has been on your mind?”

“Uhm well… there’s the thing with Mr. Zelgadis…” The cerulean eyed girl began slowly while picking herself up off of Lina’s back and reaching for the already cracked bottle of white wine on the bedroom floor and putting it to her lips to drink from the bottle.

“Hey, gimmie that ya lush…” The sorcery genius said while propping herself up and taking the bottle from the younger girl. “No wonder you were already two sheets to the wind when I got here.” She added while scooting off the bed to get 2 wineglasses and a tray to set them on. “If you’re going to drink, at least learn ta pace yourself, the glasses aren’t just a formality ya know.”

“Pace myself huh?” Amelia asked with a grin.

“That’s right.” The redhead replied while pouring wine into first one glass and then the other in even portions. “Anyway, what were you saying about Zel just now?”

“Oh, about that…” The younger sorceress began while lifting her wineglass to her lips. “It’s just that, I’m not sure what I should do anymore…” She said before downing the entire contents of the glass in seconds.

So much for her pacing herself… Lina thought with lowered eyelids while refilling the younger girl’s glass upon request. “Do about what?” She asked before taking a sip from her own glass.

“There are a couple of things that I really didn’t start thinking about until just lately actually, like what am I going to do if Mr. Zelgadis does finally decide to return my affections?” The princess explained with an anxious tone creeping into her voice.

“Wh-ah - - Amelia you’ve been barking up that tree for years, why would you just suddenly start worrying about this now!?” The older sorceress balked. “Do you not like him anymore or something?”

“No that’s not it Miss Lina… I definitely still love Mr. Zelgadis, but things have gotten more complicated as I’ve gotten older…” Amelia replied quietly.

“I’m not sure I follow you Amelia, get to the point already.” The redhead prodded.

“The thing is, it’s starting to look more and more like I’ll be the next successor to the throne, and I know that Daddy will never remarry… and I have one uncle left, but because of the string of tragedies his family was lost and he’s too old to start a new one…w-which leaves me to carry on the Seyruun name…” The princess explained before downing another glass.

“And chimeras are sterile.” Lina finished for her quietly while pouring herself another glass of wine.

“Yeah…” Amelia affirmed sadly.

“So is it Phil who’s pressuring you to consider giving up on the idea of being with Zel?”

The cerulean eyed girl blushed vividly at this. “Ah, actually… D-Daddy came up with another idea should Mr. Zelgadis not find his cure and decide to accept my affections anyway ultimately becoming King…”

The sorcery genius raised a single crimson eyebrow at this but remained silent.

“That’s… a-actually kind of why I wanted to talk to you in private tonight.” The flustered princess managed to continue.

“What… was Philionel’s idea… exactly…?” Lina asked slowly while shifting uncomfortably on the bed.

“Well, Daddy suggested that I… ask for your help in continuing the Seyruun family name…”

“My ‘help’… and just how exactly am I supposed to ‘help’ you do that Amelia?” The redhead asked even though she was pretty sure at this point that she didn’t want to know anymore.

“J-just hear me out, please Miss Lina?” Amelia asked while cautiously monitoring the redhead’s legendary hair-trigger temper as she spoke. “This… isn’t easy for me to finally say, but it isn’t just Mr. Zelgadis that I’m in love with…”

“What, are you talking about Amelia?” The sorcery genius managed in what she hoped was her best get-to-the-point-you’re-boring-me voice while her heart slowly rose and began to pound in her throat. She can’t be about to say what I think she’s about to say…

“What, what I’m trying to say is… I’m in love with you too Miss Lina, I… I always have been but I never had the nerve to say - -“

“Hold it, hold it, HOLD it!” Lina interjected forcefully while standing abruptly from the bed. “Where is this coming from all of the sud - - what the hell does what you just said have to do with any of the other stuff you were just talking about anyway?? How the hell is suddenly confessing your ‘love’ to me after all these damn years going to help you… and apparently Zelgadis at all??”

“Miss Lina… please let me explain - -“ The younger sorceress tried meekly.

“Explain what, how you’re planning to complicate things even more than they already are in my life…?”

“Complicate things even more in your life…? But, I… I thought that you said that you weren’t… interested in Mr. Gourry anymore s - -“

“I’m not.”

“Well…I’m sorry if… I mean if you’re not that way I understand…”

“…What would it matter if I was Amelia…?” The redhead finally replied quietly after walking over to a wall and placing a raised arm on it before placing her forehead against the arm with her eyes closed.

“…Will you just hear me out this time?”

“….I’m listening.”

“I… shouldn’t have brought my personal feelings into this not knowing where you stood… it just kind of came out and I’m sorry that I upset you Miss Lina, but the request itself really is for the good of Seyruun and you’re the only person I could imagine asking.”

“Amelia… I am at the edge… of my patience.” The older girl prodded not so gently with her eyes still closed.

“Fine, I’ll just come out and say it.” The Seyruun princess said with a determine expression on her face. “Lina Inverse, will you be the sire of my children?”

Lina opened her ruby colored eyes and shifted her head to look directly at the younger sorceress with an unreadable expression on her face at this. “Sire your…?” Was all the she managed before doubling over with laughter. “Chil…dren…! Hah… hahahahaha… what version… of the birds… and bees… has Phil been teach - - teaching… you?!” She managed in between unchecked bursts of laughing fits while rolling on the floor and clutching her stomach. “You really… had me there for a second!”

“But… I’m serious Miss Lina…” The Seyruun princess tried again with a forlorn expression on her face.

“How can you be Amelia?” The older sorceress asked while still attempting to stifle her laughter. “We’ve bathed together countless times and you have to have realized at some point that I totally have the wrong plumb - -“

“There is a way Miss Lina, how do you think the Village of Women that we went to all those years ago still thrives?” The cerulean eyed girl interjected.

“The Village of Women?” The redhead asked sarcastically while standing once more and returning to her previous position against the wall. “You mean the village of men pretending to be women?”

“What I’m trying to say is… men may have infiltrated the village over time, but it originally didn’t start out that way.”

“Ok, ok whatever… I’m still not seeing how this has anything to do with me somehow gaining the ability to impregnate you and help you carry on the Seyruun family lineage.”

“Well how did a village that was originally all women thrive for centuries when even making contact with or interacting with a man in anyway was forbidden?”

“You got me.” Lina answered dryly while nuzzling her arm with her forehead, causing her headband to slide back and forth slightly.

“Daddy had research done and it turns out they developed a spell and ritual…”

“To become a guy?” The sorcery genius interjected. “Even if that were somehow possible and the person the spell is casted on was originally a girl, doesn’t that still pretty much defeat the point Amelia?”

“Well it doesn’t technically turn a girl into a guy so much as… um well you only grow…”

“A wang.” The older sorceress finished for her shamelessly.

“Y-yes, but the rest stays feminine and… it’s temporary… I don’t know all the details, but I know it works…”

The older girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly a this. “Is… everything you just said the reason why you asked to share a room with me tonight?” She asked with her eyes still closed. “The reason for you wearing what’s practically lingerie and the deal with the alcohol?”

“Well… yes… and no….” Amelia replied tentatively as she slowly rose from the bed and made her way over to the redhead. “It’s something I’d like you to consider doing for me sometime in the distant future…” She continued as she closed the distance between herself and Lina before trailing a finger down the side of her arm causing the older girl to stifle a shiver. “But… I was thinking that maybe tonight we could… give it a try without the spell?”

A sudden heat in Lina’s loins caused her breath to catch in her throat at the unexpected feel of the younger sorceress’s own warm breath on her neck. “……A…Amelia I can’t.” She managed, finally fluttering her eyes open to find herself face to face with her.

“…You can’t, or you won’t Miss Lina?” The princess asked while narrowing her brilliant cerulean colored eyes slightly to scrutinize the older girl’s facial expressions.

“…What’s that supposed to mean?” The redhead asked while shrugging herself off the wall and walking away to put some distance between herself and Amelia and hopefully allow her body temperature and heart rate to return to normal.

“There’s a difference, ‘can’t’ means there’s something keeping you from doing what you want to, ‘won’t’ means you don’t want to.”

“Come on Amelia, don’t be so literal.” Lina said while rubbing the side of her neck to try and get it to stop tingling.

“What is it then?” The younger sorceress blurted, suddenly on the verge of tears. “Is it that after all this time you still view me as a child just like Mr. Zelgadis, or do you just find me so repulsive that you can’t bring yourself to…?”

“N-no I…. Amelia it’s not like that, it’s very obvious that you’ve grown up and I-I don’t think you’re repulsive at all…” The sorcery genius struggled to explain.

“If you don’t think I’m unattractive then you want to at least right…?” The cerulean eyed princess inquired while closing the distance between them once more with a flush on her face partially due to alcohol and partially due to her arousal and frustration.

“I… I…ah… look, it’s not that simple ok?” The sorcery genius virtually squeaked while backing away from her awkwardly, tripping and falling backwards on the bed.

“I did mean what I said earlier, but if I’m going to eventually spend the rest of my life with Mr. Zelgadis… I at least want you to be the person I have my first kiss with…” Amelia continued while crawling over Lina until they were once again face to face with the younger sorceress’s dark hair spilling down into the redhead’s face. “And maybe even my first time…” She leaned down to her ear to add huskily.

“Nhuun…huh…” Was all the older sorceress managed to oddly moan / laugh, her voice cracking in nervousness at the feel of the younger girl’s lips brushing her skin. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshi- -damnIT! “……No Amelia you really, really don’t understand that I absolutely, positively cannotdothis.” She blurted in one breath while pushing the younger girl off to the side of her and sitting up as her heart continued to race in her throat. “I…I’m sorry.” She added barely audibly while averting her ruby colored gaze apologetically.

The room was silent for several minutes afterwards before the cerulean eyed girl spoke once again, this time with her face pressed into the mattress. “You did give up on Mr. Gourry because you met someone else didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did.” Lina admitted quietly.

“In love?”

“………Hopelessly.” The redhead finally admitted to Amelia as well as herself after a deep sigh.

The younger sorceress was quiet after that, still facedown on the mattress with her shoulders trembling slightly a she sobbed.

“Look Amelia, if it’d been a couple of years ago…” The sorcery genius tried to console before trailing off as she realized that her longtime best friend was not sobbing but in fact stifling laughter. “Wh-Hawh…. Was………Was that all just to get me to…. Oh you little - - !”

The rest of what the flabbergasted redhead said was then drowned out by the sound of the Seyruun princess’s released torrent of unchecked laughter as she rolled around on the bed clutching her stomach. “I……. knew it…..I knew….it!!” She shouted / squealed in between fits of hilarity.

“Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows…!” Lina began haggardly.

Amelia cut off her laughter in true alarm at this incantation. “Miss Lina, a Dragon Slave’ll destroy the whole town!”

“Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows, I pledge myself to conquer, all the foes who stand - -!”

“Miss Lina please don’t…!” The princess pleaded while tackling the older sorceress who was now struggling angrily. “Everything I said before is true, I promise!” She couldn’t help but admit and at this admission the redhead stopped struggling and merely looked at her. “Honestly every bit of it was true…” She added while letting the older sorceress up.

Lina sat up and just glared.

“Please don’t be mad… I figured it’d be… a win / win situation…”

“And just how so?”

“Well the way I saw it was… tonight I was either going to get you to come clean and tell me the truth or… if there was really nothing that you were hiding, it’d turn out to be a pretty interesting night…” Amelia explained with a pronounced blush.

“………A win / win, huh?”

“That’s right, a win / win!” The cerulean eyed girl agreed cheerfully.

“Digger Bolt.” The sorcery genius casted, promptly and thoroughly electrocuting her long time best friend. “Yeah, maybe for you.” She said before dropping backward on the bed with a relieved shaky sigh as a certain blackened princess dropped from the bed to the floor with a thump followed by the sounds of static crackling. “Well at least we’ve come to an understanding eh?”

“Wahoo…. Mmmroger that… Miss Li-na.” Amelia managed from the floor.

“Good.”

“H-ey… Miss Lina…?”

“Yeah Amelia?”

“So…. who is it anyway?”

“DIL - -!“

“NevermindIdon’twanttoknowanymore!”

“BRAND!”

“Aiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeee!”

"J-just like... old times..." The Seyruun princess laughed as twin waterfalls streamed down her face and the sounds of running footsteps and alarmed voices could be heard approaching from outside their door.

Chapter 63

Glimpses of Future and Past

(Z) “So much for having a nice relaxing night before we head to the coordinates that Fillia provided us with.” Zelgadis grumbled while arranging his sleeping bag. “Leave it to you and Lina to start drinking and get us kicked not only out of the inn, but escorted out of town altogether by Martina herself.”

(A) “Sorry, I guess we did get a little carried away…” The Seyruun princess admitted while wincing at the scolding.

(G) “Yeah, and even after all of that, Lina still had the nerve to demand her money back for the rooms.” Gourry added while setting up the campfire with a sweat-drop.

(S) “Well… to Miss Lina’s credit, she did only ask to be refunded for the rooms that weren’t destroyed…” Sylphiel offered.

(A) “Even with all of that, I can understand being kicked out of the inn, but it was pretty mean of Miss Martina to insist we leave town I still say.”

(Z) “After what happened to her original kingdom I’d say it makes perfect sense, Lina’s the queen of collateral damage after all, and New Zoanna’s not nearly as large as original Zoanna was.” And speaking of preventing collateral damage… “Hey, did anyone see where Lina went, or the elf for that matter?”

(A) “Uhm Miss Lina headed out into the woods a little while ago… but now that I think about it, I haven’t seen Miss Katibree since she suddenly left in the middle of dinner…”

(Z) “Come to think of it, neither have I…”

(S) “Oh, do you think we left her behind on accident?”

(G) “I wouldn’t worry about that!” The swordsman savant laughed. “Katibree’ll find us if she needs to, I’ve seen it before.”

(Z) “Humph.” The mystical swordsman grunted as he stood.

(A) “Where are you headed Mr. Zelgadis?”

“To see what Lina’s got up her sleeve of course.” Was all the chimera said as he headed off into the brush.

“Up her sleeve…?” The cerulean eyed girl repeated as she watched the mystical swordsman disappear into the forest.

Much further into the woods, Lina sat cross-legged on a large boulder in the middle of a brook with her eyes closed and her hands cupped loosely in front of her. I think I get it now… why Amelia, Zelgadis, and now even Sylphiel are able to cast it and I never have been able to… There was always that expression that Zel and Amelia had on their faces in the middle of the full incantation that I never understood until now…No, I think I understood the linier concept of it, I just wasn’t able to fully grasp it…She continued while opening her ruby colored eyes and standing slowly to gaze up at the night sky. How could I have if I didn’t have anything to relate it to? Those expressions that I always caught a glimpse of while they casted the Ra Tilt was them finding and focusing on their…………… “Serenity...” She finished audibly with a note of wonderment in her voice. I always thought that was the anchor for the spell, but I could never get it to work so I kept second guessing myself.

At this, the sorcery genius held out a white gloved hand palm up and studied it as a soft bluish light began to emanate from it. I was never able to cast it before because I only had an idealized concept of it… She trailed off her train of thought once more to fully focus on the spell composition, first reflexively furrowing her eyebrows before catching herself and correcting her center by relaxing. I guess some people just need the real thing. The redhead finished with a little smile as it all clicked and the palm sized ball of light flared outwards causing her hair and cape to rustle wildly while the surrounding water in the brook began to twist and swirl as the growing energy from the spell enveloped the area. “Ra…” She began quietly while slowly extending her palm forward with that same little smile on her face. “Tilt!” She finished as a huge blast of white and blue light shot out and erupted into a pillar of brilliance that lit the surrounding foliage.

Any further contemplation was interrupted by the sound of quiet clapping that caused Lina to turn her head in the direction of the source of the applause with surprise.

(Z) “Bravo, looks like you were finally able to get it.” Zelgadis complimented as he clapped. “I suppose that means you don’t thrive completely on chaos after all.” He added with a smirk and a shrug.

“Yeah, looks that way.” The redhead agreed quietly while using a Levitation spell to float from the boulder back to the bank of the brook in a seamless motion.

The mystical swordsman sobered at this unexpectedly subdued response and studied the sorceress more closely at this. Even after all these years I still haven’t managed to figure her out; She can be so selfish, destructive, reckless and stupid… but at times like this, she almost looks… majestic… makes no sense at all… “Either way, how were you finally able to cast it after all this time?”

“I guess you could say that I did some… soul searching.” Lina replied with a faraway look in her ruby colored eyes.

“Fair enough.” The chimera conceded with a smile. “So I’m curious…what concept did the world renowned sorceress Lina Inverse finally come up with to serve as a suitable spiritual anchor?”

“…It’s not something I came up with or even something I actively sought, I couldn’t have… because it didn’t always exist.” The sorcery genius answered truthfully while sitting down and producing her spell book from a travel pouch to search for a specific page.

“Ok now I’m officially worried.” Zelgadis said.

“And why’s that?” The redhead asked while finally finding and completing the long unfinished concept for the spell within.

“Because what you said just now actually made sense...” The chimera replied while crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby tree, trying once again to reevaluate the young prodigy. “I never thought you to be the philosophical type Lina, I’m honestly surprised.”

“Yeah well, it’s not something I’m real big on, but it has it’s purposes.” The sorcery genius replied off handedly while re-securing her book of spell concepts with various custom security and protection incantations before sliding it back into a travel pouch and standing once more. “Anyway, I highly doubt you left camp specifically to check on my progress with ‘finding myself’… so what did you want to ask me Zelgadis?” She added pointedly while placing a hand on her hip.

The mystical swordsman couldn’t help but chuckle at this. “Alright, I was wondering what you were up to; as observant as you are you have to have noticed that the elf never came back after leaving dinner, and she isn’t with us now…”

“You guys mine as well come out and listen to this too.” Lina called to the other party members hiding and eavesdropping in the surrounding shrubs. “I sent Kat on a reconnaissance mission to try and gain some more information about the situation with the clones while we go and talk to Fillia.”

(S) “But Miss Lina, didn’t you say that it was too risky for us to split up right now?” The raven haired girl asked while unsteadily making her way out of the brush.

“Yeah I did, but she said she wanted to do it.” The redhead replied with a shrug.

(Z) But when did they get the time to discuss - - “Oh I get it, you two planned this ahead of time.” The chimera mistakenly deducted. “I’ve always known that you’re quite the tactician Lina, but this is elaborate even for you.”

Lina raised a single crimson colored eyebrow at this but remained silent.

(G) “Hum, what’s he talking about Lina?”

(A) “What do you mean by that Mr. Zelgadis?” Amelia asked while picking some leaves out of her hair.

“Isn’t it obvious? She used all the chaotic events today to set up for Katibree slipping away unnoticed incase we were being monitored.”

(G) “How would making noise make it easier to sneak away?” The swordsman savant asked.

“Well, if anyone was searching the area for us, the antics from earlier today would have drawn their immediate attention; and if they’d happened to have been listening in on the meeting somehow… chances are they wouldn’t think twice about the elf leaving to get the horses directly after Lina made the decision that it was too dangerous to split up.”

(A) “I guess that makes sense… attacking Miss Katibree on her own at that point would be pretty pointless because the fight would just bring the rest of us and there’s even more reinforcements now than the last time they ambushed, so they’d probably just ignore her because they were expecting her to return anyway…”

“Exactly.”

“Good plan Miss Lina!”

Sometimes I think you analyze things just a little too much Zel… Lina thought to herself with a little smirk. “Yeah close enough… anyway, if you don’t mind I’ll catch up with you guys a little bit later.”

“-O-oh you’re going off on your own again Miss Lina?” The princess asked in disappointment.

“Yeah, I’ve got some more things that I’ve been meaning to work on.”

(S) “Well please don’t wander too far Miss Lina…”

“Don’t worry Sylphiel, I’m a big girl… I can take care of myself.” The sorcery genius replied as she walked off with a little parting wave over the shoulder.

(A) Is Miss Lina still mad at me about earlier tonight or something? The princess worried to herself.

(S) “Don’t you think Miss Lina’s been acting rather strangely lately?” The raven haired girl asked with some concern.

(G) “I’m sure she’s ok, it’s probably just that time of the month again or something.” The swordsman savant replied dismissively.

(Z) “A brilliant deduction as always Gourry, but I just watched her fire off the strongest spell in shamanism without any aide amplification wise, and that’s not something that even Lina can do during ‘that time of the month’.” Zelgadis replied while still staring after the sorcery genius.

(S) “The Ra Tilt?”

(A) “She finally learned to cast it?!” Amelia blurted.

“Yeah, that’s what she was just out here working on before you guys saw the flash of light and showed up… it had to have been hard work to finally learn to cast it after all this time; if I didn’t know any better I’d say she’s actually maturing and starting to take things seriously for once.”

(A) “Wow if she keeps this whole maturing thing up, the next thing you know she’ll start losing interest in fighting over food and hording money!” Amelia joked as she, Zelgadis, and Sylphiel made their way back to camp while laughing amongst themselves.

(G) Lina’s…maturing…? The blonde warrior repeated to himself, the thought causing him to feel strangely unsettled.

Still further into the forest, Lina lounged on a large tree branch twirling a throwing dagger in between her fingers while staring off into the distance at nothing in particular. Gods I’m not even the least bit tired, my mind’s been running in circles. First Kat leaving, and then that whole crazy deal with Amelia coming on to me like that… Kat hasn’t even been gone half a day yet, but after that whole incident with Amelia… I miss her even more… emotions are so stupid sometimes…

Before I could at least relax with magic, but after that interruption by everyone, I can’t seem to focus on anything anymore - - Her thoughts were suddenly cut off by the sound of a twig breaking nearby and she glanced down to scan the surrounding area. “…Oh, hey Gourry.” She said while sliding the small dagger into one of her concealed pockets

“Hey…!” The swordsman savant called up somewhat unsurely. “Uh, you feel like some company?”

“Yeah, why not… it’s not like I’m getting anything done anyway.” The redhead replied lightly while jumping down from the tree. “What’s up big guy?”

“Nothing much I guess… I was just wondering if… if you were feeling ok?”

“Yeah, I’m doing alright… I was just trying to come up with some new stuff for future fights.” Lina explained while taking a seat at the bottom of the tree.

“Like what?” Gourry asked as he sat down beside her.

“Well for one thing, magical fusion.”

“Magical fusion?”

“Yeah, I got sidetracked before I had a chance to really study or experiment with it back when we were dealing with the whole Valgaav / Darkstar crisis.” The sorcery genius explained while stretching. “I mean, I know that unholy and holy magic fusion is pretty much only good for canceling other types of magic out; but I’m talking fusion of magic that aren’t complete opposites.” She continued while holding a hand up to the night sky and studying it silhouette. “I mean if I could figure out a way to fuse… say a Dragon Slave and a Ra Tilt… can you imagine how devastating the effect could be Gourry…? Gourry…?” She tried again after a moment of no response.

“Hum…? Oh sorry, I guess I spaced out again…” The blonde swordsman laughed while rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you ask me something Lina?”

“No… I guess I was asking someone else.” The redhead replied with a quiet sigh.

“What? Someone else? But there’s no one else here Lina… I think you’ve finally cracked up for good this time!” Gourry joked.

“Who’s cracked up?!” Lina shot back while catching the swordsman savant in a headlock.

After a brief struggle, Gourry managed to slip his head out of the hold and pulled down an eyelid at the fiery redhead before running off.

“You take that back or I’ll knock that jellyfish outta your cranium and teach ya the fear that is coherent thought!” The sorcery genius shouted while chasing after him.

“Gotta catch me first!” The swordsman savant teased while shoving aside bushes as he ran.

After romping through the forest a couple of minutes, the blonde warrior came upon a clearing and skid to a halt as he came to a large lake.

“Hey, what’s up?” The redhead asked as she jogged up beside him before coming to a stop.

“What’s that….?” Gourry asked while looking up at the sky in awe as countless streaks of light shot across the twinkling darkness.

“…I’d say shooting stars… but I’ve never seen so many at once so I’m not sure…” Lina replied in fascination.

The two watched the meteor shower for several moments before the blonde warrior was the first to break the silence. “Hey Lina…?” He asked while still staring up at the heavens.

“Yeah, Gourry?”

“……..Where…where do you see yourself in five years?”

Lina looked away from the light show to study the blonde warrior’s profile at this. That's the same thing that Sylphiel asked him earlier today... did he understand what she meant...? “In five years…? I honestly couldn’t tell you anymore Gourry… You’ve never been one to do anything but take things day by day, so why are you asking a question like that all of the sudden?” She asked, the image of the countless meteors shooting by in the heavens reflected in her ruby colored eyes.

“I-I don’t know, I just feel like things have been changing lately- -“ Gourry stammered while first reflexively looking at the redhead before hurriedly averting his eyes to avoid being pulled into the sorceress’s nearly hypnotic gaze and inevitably losing what he was trying to say. “I mean we’ll still be together right…?”

“…Come on Gourry, even you’re not that dense; of course we’ll always be friends!” The redhead replied while slapping him on the shoulder cheerfully. “I can’t believe you’d even feel the need to ask that! Anyway, what do you say we head to camp eh, I think I might actually be able to get to sleep after that little run!” She added as the light show came to an end.

“Yeah… be with you in a few Lina!” The blonde warrior called crestfallenly as the young prodigy jogged off.

After the sorcery genius was well out of sight, the swordsman savant slowly produced a gold ring with intricate carvings on it from his pocket and looked at it. Always be friends still huh Lina…? He thought to himself with a sad little smile. And here I thought the moment was perfect… He continued to himself while slipping the band back into his pocket and kicking a stone into the lake in dejection. I’m starting to wonder if the time will ever be right…

Meanwhile several hours later at a seedy joint in an undisclosed location, a group of unsavory men crowded around a table while drinking, jeering, and gambling in the early hours of the morning.

“So Jamel, you still doin’ that gig you was bragin’ about?” A bearded guy with a mohawk asked while throwing down some silver pieces on the table. “Raise ya five Vargas.” He added with a ragged grin fit to frighten young children.

“Yeah it’s a sweet deal too, all I gotta do is keep the supply coming and it’s 50 silver a delivery.” The young man with blue shoulder length hair replied as he sat at the table while looking at his cards.

“That’s the weird guy that’ll take anyone that no one will come looking for that you can mange to kidnap right?” Vargas, a shaggy haired blonde leaned in to ask in a conspiratorial tone.

“That’s the guy.” Jamel replied before taking a swig of mead.

“Well, what the hell does he do with em’ all…?

“I don’t know… the guy’s some kind of scientist or whatever, I just get the goods and collect my payday no questions asked the way he likes it aight?” He answered while throwing more coin on the table. “Raise ya a gold Vargas…”

“Aight, aight - - wait a gold…?” The blonde bandit balked. “Eh fuck you guys, I fold… can’t afford this shit!” The kid laughed.

“What’s a matter Vargas, too rich for ya?” The thug with the mohawk chuckled while toasting with Jamel.

“Hell yeah an you can’t afford it neither Keno so quit your frontin…” Vargas teased while standing and trying to peek at the older bandits cards.

“Ain’t gotta be able to afford it if I got the winning hand.” Keno replied while promptly wracking Vargas in the crotch with a backhand causing him to crumple to the floor in agony as the rest of the table roared with laughter.

Just then a barmaid walked up to the table and placed a fresh tankard of ale in front of Jamel. “Compliments of the lady in the back sir.” The girl said while nodding in the direction of the buyer of the drink before hurrying off while the blue haired man craned his neck to scan the tenants of the establishment and soon enough picked out a woman in a fancy shawl sitting at a table in a well shadowed corner.

“It looks like a classy woman can just smell when a man is on the up and up.” The blue haired ruffian boasted as he stood from the table with a smirk and adjusted his collar before heading over with his drink.

“A girl like that wants to talk ta you, yeah right.” Keno scoffed after taking a shot of whiskey.

“Hey Jamel!” Vargas replied while picking himself up off the floor while still chuckling and nursing his sucker punched manhood. “When a bull drops a load in the pasture and someone goes over and sprinkles diamonds on it, what’s it still smell like…?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Jamel laughed back, never bothering to turn around. Just sit back and watch me work the magic boys.

Once Jamel got to the table he was able to get a closer look at the woman, she had flawless caramel colored skin and long flowing black hair only partially visible under her shawl. “It’s not all that conventional for the lady to buy the drinks, but I’m all for equal opportunity.”

“Well ah always did like a man with an open mind…” The woman replied in a velvety voice with a twinge of an accent that the young man liked but didn’t recognize. The name’s Shanteve, pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

“Shanteve eh? Likewise, the name’s Jamel.” The blue haired bandit replied surprisingly cordially while taking her black gloved hand and kissing it before taking a seat across from her. “So what’s a classy lady like yourself doing in a dump like this?”

“Ah must admit that this isn’t my idea of a perfect establishment in which to relax, but after years of traveling from town to town…. a girl tends to get used to accepting what the current area has to offer for… entertainment ah suppose you could say.” The brown skinned woman replied, her red painted lips curling into a seductive little smirk.

“A gypsy huh?” Jamel mused with a hand on his chin.

“Well not in the traditional sense, Ah do wander and sell my wares… but Ahm a loner where as a true gypsy is family and clan oriented.” The mysterious woman answered while slowly tracing a finger around the rim of her wine glass.

“Alright, so you’re looking for a good time and you picked me to show it to ya then.” The blue haired ruffian deducted with a smirk of his own.

“It seems as if A’ve hit the jackpot… It’s a rarity to find one as handsome as you that has brains as well…” The gypsy replied while standing from the table in a fluid motion. “Why don’t you say we get a little better acquainted upstairs.” She added while leading Jamel in the direction of the stairs as his buddies jeered and cheered behind him.

“I hope you like it rough…” The blue haired bandit said once they were upstairs while pulling off his shirt with a grin as he heard the door being shut quietly behind him.

“Oh, Ah I love it as rough as you want it.” Shanteve replied huskily as she walked up to him and placed a hand on either bare shoulder, a cat with the cream expression on her face. “But that doesn’t mean that you’re gonna like it…” She added, her lavender colored eyes flashing dangerously.

“…Wha - -?” Jamel tried to ask in confusion before the woman suddenly tightened her grip on his shoulders and held them down for more leverage as she delivered a vicious knee lift to the groin.”

The mysterious woman backed up a few steps and watched with satisfaction as the thug’s eyes widened in surprise and he dropped to the ground writhing in indescribable agony while clutching his crotch.

“Fuckin…bitch! Who… are… you…?” Jamel finally managed to wheeze.

“Now, now… should you really concern yourself with that?” The woman replied while removing both the shawl and the black wig she’d been wearing simultaneously, revealing two pointed and decidedly not caramel colored ears as she untied and shook out her mostly platinum colored mane, the previously restrained hair spilling down and around her shoulders and back. “You did say you wanted it rough… did you not?” She asked with a wry smile while unzipping her robes to reveal her assassin’s outfit underneath.

“I guess it really doesn’t matter anyway…” The blue haired bandit growled while picking himself up off the floor with the strain of the effort showing in he face.” “Cause a dead cunt doesn’t have a need for a name!” He roared before charging her clumsily while brandishing a dagger.

Katibree merely shrugged with a smile before dropping down and off to the side at the last minute, using her feet to catch the man’s own feet causing him to pitch forward and slam his face against the edge of a dresser and drop back down to the floor while wailing as he clutched his newly bloody mess of a nose.”

“Broke my fugin nose you bitch!”

“It’s too bad that you’re posse downstairs can’t hear all the fun we’re having up here with all the noise they’re making in celebration of your impromptu fuck, huh Casanova…?”

“You can suck my cock…” The man spat while scooting backwards slightly, still nursing his nose.

“Since the inevitable reference to your ‘glorious meat’ has been brought up, what do you say we make a deal?” The ex-assassin replied smoothly while flipping out a slicer as she approached him. “You answer the questions I want you to answer… and I’ll let you keep it attached to the rest of you.”

“You’re… full of shit.” Jamel replied before promptly being kicked square in the face and unceremoniously dragged over to a chair.

“I’m on quite the time constraint here ‘Jamel’, and that makes me a very busy girl…” The mostly platinum haired warrior explained while tying the partially conscious man’s restraints. “Now we can do this the quick easy way, or I can go downstairs, butcher each and every one of your buddies down there, and then drag you off to someplace to do this real nice and slow with no one else saying a Godsdamned thing because you and your gang are piece of shit burdens on this society and they’d be more than happy to be rid of you.” She continued matter of factly while crouching to talk to him at eye level.

The blue haired bandit spit blood in her face at this.

Katibree stood and calmly wiped her face with a malicious smile in response. “Now not only are you wasting my time Jamel…” She said while ripping off a piece of bed sheet and roughly gagging him with it before hovering her slicer over one of his bound hands. “You’re testing my patience as well!” She finished, chopping off his pinky finger with her emphasis on the word ‘patience’.

The half drow then took a moment to wipe off her blade as the man screamed into his gag while staring in horror at his spurting stump of a finger. “I already told you Jamel, I can make this as rough as you want it, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to like it.”

The half elf wiped the face paint off as the blue haired ruffian’s screams died down to whimpers and then walked over and removed the gag while locking eyes with him expressionlessly. “I’m certain you’ve had a little time to think about my proposal now Jamel, and if I do say so myself I believe we’ve come to an understanding of sorts… have we not?” She asked with a fluid twirl of her newly gleaming slicer.

The man stifled a whimper and nodded vigorously at this.

“That’s good Jamel, now talk.”

“Wh-what do you want to know just tell me what you want to know!” Jamel fought through the pain to ask thinly while looking back into those deadly lavender orbs as if paralyzed.

“My guess is you were planning to have your fun with your unwitting, drifter gypsy with no attachments that nobody would notice missing, and then bag her up and haul her off to this scientist you’ve been working for lately… Does that sound about right my new brigand buddy?”

“B-but how… no I’d never - -“ Was all the blue haired man managed to stammer before Katibree held up a pointer finger and waggled it back and forth with a knowing smirk.

“These ears of mine aren’t just for show Jamel, they hear things you wouldn’t believe… but my anatomy aside, the next lie that leaves your lips is going to attract that good ol’ gag from earlier while you inexplicably lose another appendage… so choose your next words wisely.” The mostly platinum haired warrior advised in a light tone reserved for talking about things like the weather or plans for dinner.

The brigand swallowed dryly as his eyes drifted first to Murakami, then to his stump of a finger, before following the now slowing dribble of blood still pooling on the floor and finally rising his eyes back up to reluctantly meet with Katibree’s once more.

“Yeah… that was the plan.” He finally admitted, reflexively blinking an eye as a particularly fat bead of the sweat now covering his forehead rolled down into it.

“Are you sure he’s a scientist?”

“Y-yeah… I’m pretty sure… h-he normally wears a lab coat and calls the product ‘specimens’.”

“You mean the victims.” The half elf clarified while narrowing her lavender colored eyes slightly.

“Yeah, victims whatever you say!” The bandit agreed hurriedly.

“Where is he located?”

“I don’t have a clue about any of that lady…”

Katibree stared at him a long time in silence at this.

“I-I’m serious here, I’m not fuckin’ wit you or anything, I really don’t know where he takes the prod – er victims honest!” Jamel finally blurted while still having the dignity left to at least struggle to retain control of his bowels.

“What does he do with the victims, why does he need so many?”

“I don’t know, he doesn’t tell me none of that… I just deliver and he pays me…”

The half drow stood abruptly at this and snatched up the gag as Jamel began to plead until the whining was cut off by the gag being jammed in his mouth and roughly tied once again.

“You’re pissing me off Jamel, what idiot does a job for someone without doing at least some type of research or looking into the person requesting their skills in some way, shape, or form…?” She growled before leaning over and slicing off another finger and taking the time to watch the brigand scream into the gag until he'd quieted down again. “Now stop wasting my time and tell me what the fuck I want to know, or I’m skipping the wriggling things on your hands and going straight for the one between your legs.” She added while bringing Murakami down in a lightening fast chopping motion and sticking it in the chair so close to the bandit’s manhood that it actually cut trough his pants.

“Mffay! Mffay! Afl fel fu efrinfin af fo!” He whimpered through the gag as the check on his bladder was promptly forgotten and a dark spot began to form and grow on the front of his newly ventilated pants.

“I’m sorry Jamel, I couldn’t hear you over the sound of you pissing yourself.” Katibree said while loosening the gag and snatching it off. “Would you mind repeating that please?”

“I said, I’ll tell you everything… I know…” The blue haired ruffian repeated in between stifled broken sobs. “Just don’t cut my shit off ok…?” He added miserably.

“I’m listening.” The ex-assassin replied coolly while leaning over the blue haired man once again.

“Ok, ok… like I said before I don’t know where his lab or whatever is… but I’m due to meet up with him in a few days.” Jamel explained as quickly as he could. “He doesn’t care what victims I can find for him or what condition they’re in as long as they’re… alive… he… he specified that. He normally requests like 10 a month, sometimes less or more…”

“Where are you meeting him?”

“In the abandoned mill on the Westside of town at midnight sharp… if I’m even a minute late he leaves right away so you could probably tail him that way if you want or deal with him or whatever…”

“What’s his name?”

“He goes by professor ‘Miracle’ but that ain’t his real name I’m sure...”

“How do you get in touch with him?”

“He leaves these instructions under an old poster of one of those illegal topless joints in the pisser at this place… I don’t know anymore I swear…!”

“I see…” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied while standing upright slowly.

“So you’ll let me go now right…?” Jamel asked / whined.

“Let you go?” The half drow asked. “A girl like myself has to have principles, Jamel.”

“Principles?” The brigand asked fearfully.

“That’s right, like your principles for instance include kidnapping innocent people and handing them over to a lunatic with no questions asked to fill your pockets.” Katibree explained while taking a seat on the bed, drawing and giving Chiba a flip in the air before catching it again. “And the reason you do this is because it’s easy pickings and you’re too much of a limp dick to provide your employer with seasoned criminals instead… and that’s because… if word of that got around… your ‘boys’ would slit your throat in your sleep.”

The ex-assassin stood with a sigh and looked long and hard at the cowering brigand at this. “Do you think that maybe Professor Miracle does something like this with his ‘specimens’ maybe? He sure does go through allot of them…” She mused while tapping her blade against her chin thoughtfully.

“I don’t know…” Jamel whispered with his head down.

“That was more of a rhetorical question my brigand friend… but it’s not like you’d have stopped if you’d known, 50 silver a pop is damn good money.” The half drow replied quietly. “Which leads me to my principles.”

The blue haired thug looked up, his eyes widening in newly realized horror at this statement.

“One of those being the overwhelming urge to permanently remove just one more shit stain from the world’s underwear whenever I possibly can.”

Author's Notes:

this chapter's a little darker than usual... kinda showing Katibree falling back into her old habits to get done what needs to be done and maybe going a 'tiny bit' overboard. call it foreshadowing if you'd like. either way, hope you all enjoyed it, more to come soon.

Chapter 64

A New Sky

Two days later, Lina and company came to the coordinates that Fillia had provided and looked around in silence a long moment before anyone spoke.

This particular area of the Kataart Mountains flattened out into a plateau before sloping sharply in the center and forming a wide open area resembling a canyon which the gang was currently standing within the outskirts of.

(A) “Uhm Miss Lina… are you sure this is where the coordinates that Miss Fillia sent leads to…?” Amelia asked slowly.

“Of course I am.” The redhead replied while stifling a shiver with her arms pressed to her body underneath the wool cloak she was wearing as she scanned the area critically with her ruby colored gaze.

“But… I don’t see anything here…” The cerulean girl said almost forlornly.

(G) “I could’ve told you that before we climbed all the way down here.” Gourry said with a sweat-drop.

(S) “Why would Miss Fillia give us directions to the middle of nowhere?” Sylphiel asked as a steam vent spurted several yards away from deep beneath the snow covered rock.

(Z) “Regardless of the reason, that was definitely her handwriting in the letter.” Zelgadis replied as he scanned the tops of the canyon area suspiciously with a unconscious hand on the hilt of his sword.

(L) “This is the place; you all saw the coordinates yourselves…” The sorcery genius turned to reiterate before trailing off as she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.

(Z) “What is it Lina?” The chimera asked.

The sorceress merely squinted wordlessly at the place she thought she’d seen something and began to slowly walk toward the area with a hand outstretched.

(S) “Did you see something Miss Lina?” The raven girl asked while huddling under her own cloak.

“Yeah… I think so…” Lina finally replied as she finally stopped and studied the air in the area until it wavered slightly. “Now I know so.” She added with a smirk while touching the area with a pointer finger and watching the air ripple when she pulled it away.

(Z) “…A huge cloak of concealment spell?” The mystical swordsman asked in surprise.

“You got it Zel, but it’s the barrier underneath that’s the problem.” The redhead answered wryly.

(S) “Who or what would have the power to maintain something like this for even a few minutes?” Sylphiel asked in wonderment as she walked up to touch it as well.

(G) “A barrier…?” Gourry asked while scratching his head. “Oh, you mean like what you guys put up to block attacks and stuff?”

(A) “That’s right Mr. Gourry… but a whole lot bigger than anything any of us have ever casted.” The princess replied while squinting as well to try and get a better idea of just how big the barrier actually was.

(Z) “Ok, well standing here and gawking at it isn’t going to do any good… If Fillia’s somewhere in there, how are we supposed to come up with the firepower it takes to get to her Lina?” Zelgadis asked with a hand on his hip.

“Zel, you can say I have a short fuse and even give me a hard time about me maybe being a little short in stature… But one thing I’m never short on is firepower.” The fiery redhead replied with a trademark Lina Inverse wink.

The chimera couldn’t help but chuckle at this before sobering. “If you’re talking about a Dragon Slave, even if it did work…. Which I doubt it would, wouldn’t that pretty much defeat the purpose?”

“I don’t think a Dragon Slave would work either… and like you said, it would defeat the purpose… I’m trying to get to Fillia to speak with her, not fry her alive.” Lina replied while cracking her knuckles.

“What did you have in mind?”

“You remember the multiple barriers that the ancient and golden dragons had in place around the last weapon of light a few years ago during that Dark Star mess?”

“Oh yeah…” The mystical swordsman mused with a hand on his chin. “But with a barrier this massive, a slice from your Ragna Blade would most likely close up before we could utilize it.

“I could see that.” Lina agreed “…What would you say is the most likely way that this barrier is being maintained?” She asked after a moment of thought.

“The most likely…?’ Zelgadis repeated while folding his arms. “A group effort probably, several mages around a magic circle collaborating on it to keep the spell going. If someone or something is around powerful enough to do this on it’s own, I doubt it would need to hide.”

“This would mean that there would be a focal point that all the magical energy is converging at.” The redhead deducted.

“Right, which in that scenario would be at the top center of the barrier.” The chimera added off handedly while doing some calculations in his head. “……..You’re looking to disrupt and short out the barrier with your Ragna Blade by attacking the focal point that all the mages are using to sync huh?”

The sorcery genius gave him a strange little smile at this. “Thanks Zel, I needed that.”

“Needed what?” The mystical swordsman asked in confusion.

“Hey guys, do me a favor and start following the edges of the barrier with your hands would ya?” Lina asked the rest of the gang before casting a levitation spell, effectively ignoring his question.

(S) “You got it Miss Lina!”

(A) “You can count on us!”

(G) “Aye aye Captain!”

“Just spread out around it so we can get a better idea of the size of it!” Lina elaborated before turning her ruby colored gaze back to the chimera as she hovered. “You care ta come get some fresh air with me?” She added with a grin.

“… Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Zelgadis finally joked back with a little shrug before taking to the air as well, finally having decided to take the odd comment from before in stride as just another one of Lina’s many eccentricities.

It took the two quite awhile to get to the top of the massive barrier which turned out to be several stories high, and they flew still several feet higher before stopping to hover and monitor the progress of the trio beneath them.

Down below the girls had decided to leave Gourry where he was to use him as a marker so they could follow the circumference of the barrier around in opposite directions until they were as close as they could gauge from being directly across from one another.

(Z) “So what do you think we’ll find inside Lina?” The mystical swordsman asked.

“At this point, I’m honestly not sure what to think Zel.” Lina admitted. “If Fillia was expecting me, you’d think she’d come up with some other type of welcome mat.”

“Well she did basically summons you for lack of a better word, maybe this is another one of her little tests…?” The chimera offered.

“Maybe, but this is all pretty elaborate; and you’d think that by now she knows what I’m capable of.” The sorcery genius replied with a shrug. “Either way, that type of barrier is meant to keep things out, not in; so that leads me to believe that she isn’t being held against her will in there at least.”

“I’m inclined to believe that as well, but we have to get inside to be absolutely sure.”

“Exactly.”

Just then the shrine maiden duo shouted and waved from their respective positions around the barrier signaling that they were in place.

(L) “Whatever’s in there could easily be the size of a pretty big castle it looks like.” Lina said with a little whistle. “Focal point Zel?” She added while returning Amelia’s continued waving with a little wave of her own just to appease the younger sorceress.

“Already on it.” Zelgadis replied while producing a couple of tools that he always carried with him to take a few quick scaled down measurements of the deceptively transparent dome.

A few minutes later the mystical swordsman grunted in approval. “Alright follow me.”

After the two made it to the center of the barrier Zelgadis pointed straight down. “Using the traditional circle formation to boost a spell would send all the energy to the middle, and it would radiate upward collectively syncing at the focal point there before being dispersed outward to form the barrier, so that’s where you’ll need to attack.”

“Piece of cake, I just need you to give me a hand for a sec.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hey I may be Lina Inverse, but even I can’t maintain a levitation spell and chant the Ragna Blade at the same time.”

“Oh… uh, right.” The chimera replied while floating closer to the redhead unsurely.

“Just hold me by the waist, I need room to move my arms with this one… I could swear the sword gets bigger every time I cast the spell.” “Lords of darkness of the 3 worlds, the unholy covenant rekindled, grant me all the power you possess.” She casted quietly to invoke her talismans.

“Uhm…” Zelgadis faltered after he was behind the sorceress, unsure of where the safest spot on her lithe waist would be to place his hands.

“Come on already Zel, it’s freezing up here!” Lina griped with a roll of her eyes. “How are ya ever gonna put the moves on your little princess if you get all flustered about doing something as simple as this…?” She added in exasperation while reaching back and slapping the chimera’s hands firmly around her waist as he proceeded to turn beat red.

W-when did Lina get a figure…? The mystical swordsman thought in surprise at the unexpectedly feminine feel of the sorceress’s body through the fabric of her mage outfit. “L-like you know anything about that anyway.” He finally managed to retort.

“I know enough to know that you’re an absolute wreck around girls.” The sorceress teased.

“Am not.” Zelgadis argued indignantly.

“You are when they’re a girl you like.” Lina replied with a knowing grin and lowered eyelids.

“…Now look, put a cork in it unless you care to be dropped mid incantation!” The chimera replied in embarrassment.

“Just let me go on ‘Power that can smash even the souls of the gods’ ok?” The redhead replied while stifling a giggle.

“Fine, let’s just hurry up and get this over with…” The chimera conceded with a grumble while holding the redhead out a bit further away from himself with a returning blush.

“Lord of dreams that terrify, sword of cold and darkness…” The sorcery genius began while still grinning. “Free yourself from the heavens bonds. Become one with my power, one body, and let us walk the path of destruction together!” She continued, growing serious and adding an authoritative pitch to her words. “Power that can smash even the souls of the gods…!” She exclaimed as she was released by Zelgadis and went whizzing down toward the center of the barrier head first, bolts of black and golden energy crackling between her closed fists as the huge 2 handed energy sword of chaos continued to form. “Ragnaaaa… Blade!”

(Z) “Oh crap.” The mystical swordsman said as he remembered something just before Lina connected with the barrier. “Once the focal point is disrupted, all that channeled energy…

(L) …is going to need somewhere to go… Lina realized as well just as the Ragna Blade first clashed with and then finally pierced the barrier. Whoops.

The resulting explosive release of magical energy sent the five party members hurtling in all directions, jettisoning them to various locations of the mountain range.

(L) “Hawh!” The sorcery genius exclaimed as she was unceremoniously propelled headfirst into a snow bank from much further up than she ever cared to be freefall wise. Gods I couldn’t even slow myself down with a Ray Wing, if it hadn’t been for that Wind Barrier I casted right before impact… She thought while clawing her way back to the surface and spitting out a mouthful of snow. I might have bit it for good… “Well that definitely gave me a new healthy respect for darts, who the hell wants to do that for a living…?” She added while standing and attempting to jiggle the invasive snow out of her sorceress’s attire before faltering and looking up with an reflexive squeak at an approaching rumbling that was rapidly increasing in intensity and volume.

(G) “Mmmmrph mmmmph!” Gourry exclaimed before finally managing to yank his head out of the snow over a mile away from Lina’s landing area. “Man, what happened…? Where is everybody - -?” Was all the swordsman savant managed before a certain rumbling noise caught his attention as well and he looked in the direction it was coming from inquisitively.

(S) “Uhmmm…” Sylphiel moaned quietly with the back of a hand to her forehead while dropping her own barrier spell and slowly standing in the trench that it had dug where she’d gone sliding across the terrain with in the protection spells bubble. “Where… where am I…?” She asked disorientedly before an approaching rumbling caught her fuzzy attention.

(Z) “Da…mu……….. Bras!” Zelgadis casted, blasting several feet of snow off of him with a fiery burst. “Damn it, I can’t believe I overlooked something that important!” He growled to himself while brushing off his gear after climbing out of his self created snow cave. “The stupidity has to be rubbing off or something - -“ The rest of the chimera’s complaining was interrupted by the sound of what he found decidedly more disconcerting.

(A) “That was scary…!” Amelia whined while hanging out of a snow bank with swirls in her pupils. “For some reason I don’t think that Miss Lina and Mr. Zelgadis thought that all the way through…” She added while dislodging herself from the mound of snow and promptly losing her balance, slipping down it butt first and crashing at the bottom. “What’s that noise anyway…?” The princess wondered while nursing her abused posterior as she looked up in the direction of the rumbling. “It almost sounds like an…”

(All) “AVALANCHE!!” The gang shouted simultaneously from their respective positions around the mountain range, their haggard voices echoing comedicly.

Forty-five minutes later…

Lina slowly opened her eyes and saw a blurry face hovering above her. She blinked them a few times and they slowly focused to make out a woman with blue eyes, blonde hair and a very familiar looking headdress... “Oh… heya Fillia!” She said cheerfully while sitting up in bed.

“Lina Inverse, is that all you have to say for yourself after the stunt you just pulled?!” The golden dragon priestess exclaimed crossly.

“Uh, stunt… you mean the deal with the cloaked barrier?”

“What else would I be talking about; do you have any clue where you are??”

“No… that was going to be my next question actually…” Lina laughed while rubbing the back of her neck.

“You are currently at a special temple in a secret location where priestesses come to meditate and practice to further their studies and eventually become High Priestesses!”

“Alright already, just calm down would ya Fillia?” The redhead said while stifling a giggle. “Your temper’s as bad as ever…”

“I have a good reason to be angry, do you realize that thanks to you this holy temple is half buried in snow from that avalanche!?”

“What’s a little snow… it’ll… melt eventually right…?”

The blonde haired girl merely glared at her at this.

“Oh come on Fillia, how was I supposed to know there was some sacred temple or whatever under the barrier?” Lina tried again. “All I knew was that this was the place that the coordinates led to and I just figured the cloaked barrier was another one of your weird tests or something…”

“Oh I can’t believe you; you’re as irresponsible as ever!”

“Look, if you were expecting me anyway why didn’t you just come out and invite me in? What was the deal with that stupid barrier anyway if it wasn’t a test?” The redhead replied while standing with a stretch and a sigh.

“…I didn’t see you guys arrive because I was with the rest of the temple witnessing a transition to high priestess ceremony.” The golden dragon priestess managed to calm down enough to explain. “When such high concentrations of followers of Cepheid gather, the cloaked barrier is just an extra precaution taken during this time...” Fillia finished while rubbing a temple.

“Eh heh, did you say… followers of Cepheid?” The sorcery genius replied with a sweat-drop while beginning to look a bit blue in the face. Luna’s going to kill me…!

“Well tell Luna… I can get rid of the snow easy if it’s really that big of a deal…” She tried while waving her hand dismissively.

“Miss Luna isn’t here and I’m sure the local priestesses would agree that you’ve done… quite more than enough already Miss Lina…” The golden dragon said.

Oh thank the gods…! “Fine, fine, forget I even mentioned it.” Lina replied while looking over at a window currently eclipsed by snow. “Anyway, where are the others?”

“A group was sent out to investigate the cause of the disturbances after the avalanche and we found you, Mr. Gourry, Mr. Zelgadis, Miss Amelia and a girl I didn’t recognize in different locations around the surrounding area, you being the furthest away…did we get everyone?”

“You wouldn’t recognize Sylphiel because you two have never had a chance to meet until now; and yeah… that’s everyone that came here with me.” The redhead affirmed with a slight rustle of her crimson colored mane.

“I see, well princess Amelia and Miss… Sylphiel are here, but Mr. Gourry and Zelgadis were transported to a different location near by; no men are allowed here.”

“What…why?”

“This is a sacred temple where shrine maidens study their trade Miss Lina, in order to complete the training there must be no distractions so that the priestesses can concentrate on staying pure of soul, mind, and body.”

“Staying pure of soul, mind, and body… what the heck does that have ta do with men not being allowed - - Oooooh… hah-huh, I get it… they’re being kept isolated so there’s no chance of them fornicat - -“

“Miss Lina!” Fillia hissed in mortification.

“What, tell me I didn’t hit the nail right on the head!” The sorceress laughed. “But seriously Fillia, the guys are harmless; Zelgadis is too self conscious to try anything with anyone, and even if Gourry were to get it into his head to try something….. I doubt he’d be smart enough to even figure out where to stick it in honestly...”

“…Miss Lina, why don’t we just drop the subject where it stands and leave it at the fact that rules are rules?” Fillia finally replied quietly with a blush.

“Have it your way.” The redhead agreed with a flip of her hair followed by a little shrug. “So what’s this ‘sensitive matter’ that you called me all the way out here to discuss anyway?”

“Well, it’s about a prophesy that was brought to my attention that I believe may concern you.”

“A prophesy…” Lina mused with her arms folded. “Is this by chance the same prophesy that my sister mentioned to me several months ago?”

“Miss Luna has already informed you about it?” The golden dragon asked in genuine surprise.

“Kinda… she really only mentioned it existed, but she couldn’t divulge anymore details at that time.” The sorceress replied slowly. “She seemed allot more high-strung than usual too, almost to the point of being paranoid now that I think back about it.”

“I suppose that would make a great deal of sense actually.” The dragon priestess replied quietly while pouring a cup of tea. “Because of her position as the representative of The Flare Dragon Cepheid she’s expected to adhere to a strict set of rules and codes, one of those being to only discuss confidential matters like this with other high ranking members of the temple of Cepheid such as elders and the like.”

“Alright, so who brought the prophesy to your attention then?”

“Miss Luna.” Fillia answered simply.

“W-when did you become a follower of Cepheid?” Lina balked. “What, you figured one Dragon god is as good as another to worship..?”

The golden dragon priestess giggled at this. “No Miss Lina, don’t be silly! I am an outside source that Miss Luna is authorized to consult in detail with as I’ve been entrusted to help decipher past foretellings, one of the few exceptions to the rule.”

“Well that means you’re bound to the same code as Luna is then right?”

“That’s just the thing; regardless of what you believe, your sister does worry about you and because of that it seems she’s found a loophole for your benefit.” Fillia said as a smile came to her face the more and more the Cepheid Knight’s unspoken plan dawned on her.

“Loophole?”

“That’s right.” The blonde girl replied before taking a sip of tea. “With me being a freelance outside source, I’m held to a considerably less strict code…”

“So… you’re saying that Luna came to you with this prophesy knowing that we were old comrades… and left you with the information predicting that you’d contact and warn me as soon as you could…?” Lina deducted in disbelief.

“It seems you aren’t the only natural born tactician in the family after all Miss Lina.” The golden dragon priestess affirmed wryly. “Tea?” She added while holding out the kettle cheerfully.

Meanwhile in another location…

Katibree was training vigorously, straining to keep herself levitating several feet off the ground for what was close to a good 20 minutes as she went through her typical blade wielding routine that she’d already started earlier this morning. She had long since stripped down to wearing only her chest wraps, a rare luxury now that Lina usually insisted that she didn’t don them, and her black pants, which where unfastened and hung loosely around her hips for the sake of further ventilation.

The half drow had made significant progress, but any extended use of her improved innate levitation ability was still extremely taxing and as she swung Murakami, her concentration slipped causing her to drop in altitude sporadically before catching herself once more.

Come on, just 10 more minutes…She urged herself with a determined furrow in her brow.

Suddenly the ex-assassin sensed something and charged a blade, twisting her body and flinging it in the direction of the presence with a lightening fast motion.

(X) “My, you’re as perceptive as ever it seems Katibree!” Xellos said cheerfully while materializing directly underneath the still glowing slicer now embedded in the tree behind him. “And it certainly seems that your gifts are developing nicely as well!”

The mostly platinum haired warrior narrowed her lavender colored eyes at this before relinquishing her concentration and dropping the rest of the way to the ground, landing in a crouch. “What do you want, Xellos.” She stated more than asked.

“Come now, there’s no need to go directly to that tone my blue skinned friend!” The mysterious priest replied with a smile as he waved a pointer finger with his eyes closed. “I mean you no harm you see, I’ve merely come to make a proposition.” He added while walking over and helping himself to the convenience of the campfire, preparing himself some tea.

“If you only came to make a proposition, why have you been shadowing me at a distance since I’ve been on the road alone?” Katibree asked dryly from her still crouched position several yards away from the Mazoku.

“How terribly embarrassing!” Xellos said with a cackle. “Would you believe me if I said I’d become smitten with your beauty?” He tried while rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Surely you jest.” The half elf deadpanned.

“Very well, while that may not be the case, you still are a very interesting young woman Miss Katibree, and half dark elf at that.” The mysterious priest explained with a grin. “For a Mazoku like me that specializes in mortal psychology, it’s simply not in me to pass up an opportunity to observe what makes you ‘tick’.” It would seem that she’s found a way to detect me even in my improved cloaked form as well… The question is, is this something she’s trained herself to do consciously, or does this mean that she’s becoming more connected with the astral plane itself…?

The half drow scoffed and stood slowly at this. “I seriously doubt that Zellas sent you out in the field to conduct a scientific study on half drow psychology.”

“Oh we Mazoku have always been interested in human nature, particularly the darker side of it.” Xellos replied while opening a violet colored eye slightly to peer over at a bag containing the head of a certain unfortunate brigand by the name of Jamel. “I did notice that your astral body has been accumulating a few new… dark spots as you’ve been traveling alone.” He continued as Katibree glared at him silently. “I would suspect that one of those more pronounced stains is from your run in with that Jamel fellow, but don’t you think taking a trophy was a bit mu - -“

“Is there a point to any of this; if you know this much already then you also know there’s a price on his head.” The mostly platinum haired warrior interjected impatiently. “Look, if your ‘proposal’ has anything to do with me joining the monster race, you can save your breath or whatever it is that you Mazoku use to speak in the material realm.”

“No, no, not at all… your devotion to Lina is quite literally… ‘painfully apparent’ at this point; just being within the general vicinity of you two at times is nearly unbearable.” Xellos replied with a sweat-drop while holding out his hands in a warding gesture. “We wouldn’t even considering making you that offer as Lord Beast Master prefers not to waste time on something that’s pointless.” Pointless at least in your current state…He added silently.

“And just what makes you think that this ‘other’ proposal of yours will be accepted?”

“Why, because accepting it will help both you and Lina achieve your goals of course.”

What is he up to…? “…Just spill it Xellos.” Katibree said with a sigh.

“You see, I wish for you to meet with someone I’ve found that has the information you require to get the proverbial ball rolling.”

“As in finding… Soshurn’s operation and shutting it down…?” The ex-assassin asked suspiciously.

“Correct.”

“And why would you want to do that? How do I know you’re not working with him and setting up some type of elaborate trap?”

“Come now my fair half elven friend, even us Mazoku have rules that need to be followed.” The mysterious priest replied while pouring himself another cup of tea as he levitated by the campfire leisurely. “Just stop and think about it, if monster cloning was an accepted means of gaining power, every major Mazoku would be doing it and the world would be overrun and destroyed because of the massive disruption in balance.”

“Isn’t that the monster races’ ultimate objective anyway?”

“Your fiery significant other has taught you well, and that is indeed the case; but not by such means that would disgrace us and cheapen the victory.” Xellos answered cheerfully.

“If that’s the case, then why don’t you just stop him yourself?”

“Ahhh this is where things start to get tricky for me you see! Soshurn may be breaking the rules, but he’s still a monster and there’s always the chance that he may be working for another Mazoku general that has also lost sight of our true goal.”

“So have Zellas deal with the general then.”

“There in lays the root of the problem.” The priest replied with a sigh. “Subsequently caused by Lina Inverse mind you.” He added off handedly with a little cackle.

“And just how is dissention in your ranks Red’s fault?” Katibree asked doubtfully.

“Fighting amongst high ranking monsters was fairly common and no problem at all not even five years ago actually. What’s Lina’s fault is the fact that we as a race simply can’t afford to do it anymore.” Xellos explained matter of factly.

“…And why’s that?”

“Let’s just say, your girlfriend has a knack for taking out high ranking Mazoku.” Xellos replied, opening his eyes completely and looking at the half drow as he said it.

“That’s right… Hell Master, Gaav, his subordinate Val Gaav, and even a fragment of Shabranigdo were either killed or ruined so that they can’t return in the span of just a few years.” The mostly platinum haired warrior mused. “Beings that have been around for several millennia gone in what is probably a blink of an eye to you monsters…”

The mysterious priest remained silent and drank his tea as he listened. Huuum…this is always the problem when it comes to manipulating people as sharp as she is with bits of the truth I suppose, it seems that Lina’s given her a much more in depth history lesson than I imagined and she’s turning that into ammunition. Oh well, I suppose there’s always the more obvious tactic to get her off track again…

“This basically means that your chain of command has been depleted too quickly for you to recover, so you can’t afford to step on any toes at this time and risk starting a battle that has the potential to pit general against general again.” The ex-assassin deducted. “Am I getting warm Xellos?”

The implied threat to a loved one tactic always seems to work well. Xellos thought to himself before replying with a shrug.“Yes, it’s a wonder that Lord Beast Master hasn’t given the order to eliminate her ye - -“

At this Katibree was suddenly in front of Xellos with Chiba glowing angry red mere inches from his throat.

“My, did I say something that offended you?” The mysterious priest asked lightly while watching with interest as his cup separated diagonally before sliding apart and falling to the forest floor with a clink and a splash of tea, having cleanly been cut in half.

“You offended me by insulting my intelligence with your races’ self important boasting.” The half drow replied coolly. “You just gave me the reason the official order hasn’t been given to bring down the axe on Lina.” She continued while calling Murakami to herself, causing the priest to wince involuntarily with discomfort. “You’re afraid that you can’t, because if you can’t and you lose to her again… your deadlock with the gods is at an end in their favor.”

But when that loved one is Lina Inverse, and you’re dealing with someone with a mindset like Katibree Do’Urden’s… A bit more finesse tends to be required. Xellos finished mentally as he slowly stood, his facial expression never changing from the pleasant one he normally wore.

Although the half elf’s last words had managed to get under his skin more than he cared to admit, he simply produced a folded sheet of paper from a pocket with a smirk. “My, how unsightly to show such arrogance when I’m the only reason you’ll be able to return to your dear Lina not empty handed. You did mention to your brigand friend Jamel that you were on quite the time constraint did you not, and here you were without a single lead before I showed up…” He continued while dangling the piece of paper in front of her. “And I know how much you’d hate to disappoint the love of your life. But I do wonder, what do you think that Lina would have felt if she’d had a chance to get a glimpse of your little relapse with Mr. Jamel my little half elven pawn?” He asked as Katibree snatched the paper out of his hand with a growl.

“Would she feel deep disappointment in her reformed little ex-assassin, or maybe a much more primitive emotion that I’m sure would tear you apart from the inside if you ever managed to invoke it in her… like fear perhaps? Either way, enjoy your fairytale while you can.” He finished while fading away, his mocking laughter lingering even after he was no longer in sight.

Katibree stood there frozen, assaulted by a multitude of emotions struggling for control as the gleefully sinister laughter finally faded. Xellos’s parting words pierced her like daggers through the heart and tasted like bile in the back of her throat. She dropped to her hands and knees as the effects of her rigorous training seemed to kick in all at once, leaving her completely exhausted and merely helplessly staring at the forest floor beneath her.

Is…is Xellos right…? Am I reverting? Is it just a matter of time…? The half drow wondered to herself in growing distress while unsheathing Twinkle which had been strapped to her back. And if so, how far will I revert…? She continued while staring at the sword. Could I ever really get to the point where…Red is frightened of me or… “Felt… she couldn’t trust me…anymore…?” The ex-assassin finished audibly while clutching the hilt of Twinkle so hard her hand began to bleed.

...Mother… Father…why…why did you leave me? How am I supposed to know what to do? What is this sword really for…? I never cared about my destiny before or…what I wanted to do with my life…I…I never wanted guidance before…never needed it before… She exclaimed mentally while choking back a sob.

Couldn’t you have at least let me know whether this blade will help me shape my chosen destiny… “Or just… give me a little bit of borrowed time…?” She whispered while leaning back and looking up at the sky with tears pooling in her luminous eyes, Twinkle laid in her lap and Murakami and Chiba on the ground on either side of her. I...I just don’t want to be alone in the dark anymore. The half elf finished forlornly before suddenly remembering something that made as if she were seeing the sky again for the first time.

Flashback...

(L) “Hey Kat…?” Lina asked while laying on her back in the grass with her head propped against a tree as she shucked a stalk of sugarcane.

“Yeah Red?” Katibree replied while leaning her back against the same tree with her hands clasped behind her head.

“Have you always traveled alone?” The redhead asked while looking over at the older girl.

“Well yes except for the few times that I was sent on collaborative missions with other guild mates.” The half elf replied while watching a cloud drifting lazily by in the nearly clear sky.

“That’s it?” The younger girl asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, that’s it.” The ex-assassin replied with a stretch.

“Didn’t… you ever get lonely?” The sorcery genius asked while snapping a section of the sugarcane off and handing it to the older girl.

“Lonely…? Is that supposed to happen when you’re used to not having company?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked while studying the piece of cane doubtfully.

Lina couldn’t help but giggle at this response. “Well, I wouldn’t know for sure… but I guess not.” She replied while watching the half elf investigating the stalk in amusement. “Just try it, I did this all the time as a kid… it’s good! Look, like this.” She added while giving the proper instructions on how to partake of sugarcane.

Katibree studied the stalk a bit more before tentatively placing the stalk between her teeth on the side of her mouth like demonstrated. “Huh, it’s actually sweet.”

“Duh, it’s called sugar cane…!” The sorceress teased while crossing her ruby colored eyes at the larger girl to make a comedic face.

The ex-assassin couldn’t help but laugh quietly at this before reaching over and pulling down the smaller girl’s trademark headband in retaliation. “….So you get lonely by yourself out on the road then…?”

“Yeah, all the time if there’s no one with me… it really sucks too.” The younger girl replied around the piece of cane between her teeth, never bothering to lift her headband back over her eyes surprisingly.

“Well, what do you do to cope then?” The mostly platinum haired warrior removed her own stalk of sugarcane from her teeth to ask.

“Oh, that’s easy!” Lina replied while lifting a side of her headband up to reveal one of her ruby colored eyes with a grin before adjusting it back in it’s proper place on her forehead. “You see the sky…?”

“Of course I do.” Katibree replied with some confusion.

“Well, whenever I’m feeling lost or alone….I just look up and remember that all the people I care about are under the same sky as I am. That always seems to make everything at least a little bit better for me.” The sorcery genius replied while placing her own hands behind her head with a content sigh.

“I really don’t get the big pick-me-up there, but I’ll take your word for it.” The ex-assassin finally replied with a shrug before turning her attention once again back to the sky.

After several moments of staring up at the clouds later, Katibree spoke once more.

“Hey, Lina…?”

“Yeah, Kat?”

“Don’t you think we should get headed back on the road to Zephilia soon?”

“Relax, we’re ahead of schedule…”

“Red, we’re nearly a month behind schedule.” The half elf deadpanned.

“Ok… maybe we are, but there’s no way for the Eternal Queen to know that.” The sorcery genius countered while looking over with a dazzling smile while flashing a victory sign.

“…You’re impossible.”

“Yep, impossibly irresistible!”

“……………Just wake me up when you’re done goofing off will you?” The mostly platinum haired warrior said while stifling a laugh before pulling her hood down over her eyes for a nap.

Fin Flashback

“Under the same sky huh…?” Katibree asked while blinking her tears away as she stood and continued to gaze up at the new sky. “I suppose everything does seem just a bit better now after all…” Even if this all does just turn out to be a fairytale, Red…it’ll be our fairytale.

Back at the sacred temple in the Kataart mountains….

(F) “Miss Lina, are you still out here…?” Fillia asked as she opened the door to the roof of the temple.

“Yeah…” Lina replied as she gazed into the sky with a far off look in her eyes.

“Aren’t you cold up here?” The golden dragon priestess inquired as she walked up beside the sorceress. “Miss Lina…?” She persisted upon receiving no further response from her. “Miss Lina.” She tried again with a snap of her fingers, effectively jerking the redhead out of her thoughts.

“Oh, sorry Fillia… I guess I kinda had my head in the clouds.” The sorcery genius turned and finally replied with a laugh.

“Apparently so… anyway, Miss Amelia and Miss Sylphiel have already gone on ahead... but if I remember correctly, it was you complaining about the cold and begging for me to show you the natural underground hot springs.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll met you guys down there soon!” Lina replied sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck. “….Just give me a few more minutes ok?” She added more quietly before leaning her arms over the edge of the railing and turning her ruby colored gaze to the skies once more.

“….Suit yourself then Miss Lina...” The golden dragon priestess replied unsurely before turning to head back inside. She’s acting so strangely that I’d suggest she go back to the healing ward for another checkup but… I treated her personally, not to mention the fact that she was just fine up until a few minutes ago…Humph, and I thought her unpredictable mood swings were odd before…

Miss Luna did mention something about her seeming to be maturing in some way, I’m still not so sure.

Chapter 65

The Informant

A day and a half later, Katibree left a patrol outpost and headed into a bustling town with a significantly stouter coin purse. Although professor ‘Miracle’ had turned out to be a no show, the payout for the gruesome souvenir that Jamel had provided was at least some compensation for the wasted effort of following a bogus lead.

I don’t like this at all, but Xellos did have a point…I’m running out of time. The half drow thought to herself with a sigh. After sifting through all the head game bullshit, the reasons that he gave for helping us out seem to be legitimate enough, but it still pisses me off. She griped to herself as she reflexively pulled up her white and cerulean accented hood while headed for the thick of a crowd in the middle of a festival, the designated meeting area for Xellos’s chosen informant. Playing right along with his plans and doing the monster races’ dirty work for them while he sits back and laughs pulling the strings…! Urgh it’s so humiliating I could die, and on top of that I know there’s got to be some other type of catch… Just then she caught sight of a woman that fit the description she was given leaning against a post near one of the food stands. The woman appeared to be quite tall and was draped from head to toe in what seemed to be some type of traditional cultural garb in the colors of white and royal purple with gold trim. Only her cream colored face, a single lock of dark hair, and her ice blue eyes were visible.

(K) “When will all the pieces fall in place?” The ex-assassin asked as earlier instructed in the note.

“Quite soon in the great jigsaw of fate.” The dark haired beauty replied dutifully.

“Alright, enough with the cryptic riddles… let’s just get this over with.” Katibree said while gesturing toward a table for them to sit at.

“That’s just fine by me.” The informant replied as she took a seat at the table with what could be seen of her long legs crossed.

“Ok, tell me what you know.”

“Uh, uh, uhn that not the way I do things, I wasn’t born yesterday you know.” The woman chided while waggling a pointer finger. “If I gave you all the information now, there’s no telling if you’ll just leave without paying afterwards.”

The half elf sighed deeply at this. “Look I don’t have time for this, you’re Xellos’s informant are you not?”

“Xellos….? I’ve heard of no such person.”

“You’ve never heard of - - then how did you know to meet me here and answer the secret question the way you did?”

“Oh, a nice priest I happened to meet on the road brought me here and said that if I waited long enough, someone would ask me that question and that the payout would be quite handsome.” The striking woman replied casually.

The mostly platinum haired warrior was speechless. A…nice priest.

“Now then, lets discuss my fee; my services don’t come cheap.”

“Wait a minute, you just agreed to go with a complete stranger because he said you’d make allot of money.” The ex-assassin repeated in disbelief.

“Well naturally.”

“If this I some sort of joke, I am not amused.” Katibree said as she slowly stood to leave.

“You’re looking for a place where experiments are carried out on demons correct…?” The informant asked coyly.

“You know of such a place?” The half drow stopped to asked from her half standing position.

“Of course I do.” The woman affirmed curtly.

“………. Then why didn’t you say that to begin with…?” The mostly platinum haired warrior asked in growing exasperation.

“You never asked.” The dark hair beauty replied simply.

“Alright… well now I’m asking, what did you see?” Katibree reiterated with a roll of her lavender colored eyes.

“Well now we’re getting somewhere; what I propose is, I tell you what I saw but not the location that I saw it at.”

“What good is that going to do me?”

“It’ll let you know that the information that I have is what you’re looking for.”

“Fair enough, and if what you know turns out to be the information I need….?” The half elf conceded while finally taking her seat once more.

“Then I’ll lead you to it naturally, the terms are that you are to provide me with room and board along the way and a fee of 150 gold upon arrival at the destination.”

“Room and board and a 150 gold payment at the end to seal the deal?” The ex-assassin asked doubtfully. With a fee that outrageous Xellos had to have filled her in at least some about my current situation… “Before I agree to anything I need to know what you saw first, how did you happen upon whatever it is you saw to begin with?”

“Well I’m a traveling mage you see, and because of that I’m constantly scouting out new secluded places to work on my newer spells and experiments.” The dark haired beauty explained while pushing the single exposed lock of hair back and behind an ear. “I noticed traffic going in and out of a cave one day that should have been deserted, and I went to check it out.”

“And what did you see?”

“Something I shouldn’t have I’m sure.” The informant replied with a forced looking smile. “There were a great deal of large glass tubes and inside of them were… what looked like… souls… high density souls at various levels of development which really shouldn’t be possible, I mean how would a living soul exist outside a body? Anyway the worst part was that all of them were horribly tainted, any human with a soul that black wouldn’t even technically be human… And then as I was looking around, it gradually dawned on me as to exactly what it was I was looking at…” She explained while rubbing the side of her arm and averting her ice blue eyes uneasily.

“Mazoku in various stages of development.”

The woman nodded wordlessly at this with a grim expression on her face.

“Did you see anyone working on or around the tubes?”

“No I didn’t, but I didn’t stay there very long either you understand… A group of odd looking people left, I snuck in and snuck back out.”

“And you can definitely lead me back to this place?” The ex-assassin asked while leaning forward with interest despite herself. This has got to be the place…

“Without a doubt.”

“How many days travel?”

“A couple of weeks if we hurry.”

“You expect me to pay your room and board for 2 entire weeks with the 150 gold fee on top of that??” Katibree balked in disbelief.

“Humph, you did say you were on a ‘time constraint’ did you not?” The informant asked coyly?” I don’t see where you have much choice in the matter, take it or leave it.” She added while leaning forward expectantly.

“The half elf leaned back and folded her arms with a slight scowl at this. “I didn’t say that, but I’m sure your ‘nice priest’ friend informed you of it quite gleefully.” She does have a point, but I don’t have 2 weeks to work with… Damn, no matter how badly I’d love to turn down this deal and spit in Xellos’s face, it just wouldn’t be logical at this point because there’s just no telling if I’ll find another lead in time. And even if I did I’d just be working harder to ultimately end up helping him anyway. Urgh, Lina’s going to kill me for agreeing to any of this regardless… “Alright, but we add one more stipulation to the deal.”

“Oh?”

“I can’t go straight there because I need to report back to my group first, so the stipulation is, you come back with me to get them for no charge and once you’re actually guiding us all back to this place, the room and board kicks in from there.”

“Huuumm… buy me dinner and drinks tonight and I accept.”

“……..You’re… really pushing it lady.” Katibree said with a growing stress-mark.

“So do we have a deal then?” The dark haired vixen asked while pulling back her cloak and flipping out her long dark hair before shaking it, causing it to loosen and cascade down and around her shoulder and back, nearly reaching the floor.

“I like to think of it more as… a rape at knife point.”

The informant raised an eyebrow at this. “How so…?”

“I’m disgusted with the situation… but it’s better than the alternative.”

“You are… a very peculiar person Miss….?”

Katibree, Katibree Do’Urden. And may I know the name of my unwanted bed partner as well?”

The woman abruptly stood and placed her hands on her hips with a dazzling smile at this. “I am Naga, Naga the White Serpent, the most beautiful and most powerful rival of - -“

“Blah, blah, blah… the name was more than enough Miss Serpent, the only time I care to hear anyone’s full title is if they’re challenging me to a duel.”

“…How terribly rude!” Naga huffed before remembering something and smiling once more. “Oh well I suppose I can forgive you…. So shall we get on with the rape at knife point then Miss Katibree?”

“I didn’t think you’d take to the idea so easily.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied with an eyebrow of her own slightly raised.

“Well I’d say that in this case the knife point would be equal… to you being out of options you care for other than agreeing to my terms.” Naga explained with a shrug.

“Well…. basically yes.” The half drow agreed carefully.

“Then wouldn’t that count as being consensual?” The ice sorceress asked while waving a finger.

“You’re asking me if being held at knife point while being taken advantage of counts as consensual sex.” Katibree deadpanned.

“Well, you could always struggle and be killed instead right?”

“Well yes, put self preservation has a tendency to kick in there.”

“So in the name of self preservation which would be the success of your mission, you’ve complied completely and are offering no resistance to the person that has you at knife point which would be me….”

“And the sex equates to… you leading me to where I need to go for a fee…” The half elf finished for her in bemusment. That’s so twisted it almost makes sense…

“Mum hum that’s right!” The dark haired vixen agreed cheerfully.

“Well….wouldn’t… that make you a prostitute of sorts then Miss Serpent?”

“Hum, I suppose that all depends on the way you look at it…” The dark haired beauty mused. “Either way the way I see things, if you’re going to just lay back and take it without resisting… you mine as well try and enjoy it!”

Upon seeing the dumbfounded expression on the ex-assassin’s face in response to that comment, Naga reared back her head and laughed…. “Ooooooooh, hooo, hooo, hooo, hooo, ooooooooooh, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo….!”

And on queue, tables and chairs all around were over turned and people began to scream and moan as they cleared the area that the hideous sound emanated from.

“Oh my… gods…!” Katibree exclaimed as she dropped to her knees while holding her sensitive ears. “Stop laughing, for the love of the Lord of Nightmares… stop laughing if that’s even what that sound is!” She added while wincing in agony as the shrill sound shreded through her eardrums.

The dark haired beauty complied at the half elf’s protests and looked down at her with a grin. “On our knees are we? You’re really getting into this whole consensual thing it seems! Oooooooh, hooo - -“ She began to laugh again before Katibree's hand was suddenly clamped firmly over her mouth.

“Now look if you’re a sorceress, chances are you like to eat; new rule, the more you laugh the less you eat for free, do you understand?” The half drow said before slowly removing it.

“…Fine… you don’t have to get so cranky about it.” The dark haired beauty replied with a chuckle. “Oh waiter, I’d like to order one of everything on your menu and 4 tankards of ale! Oh, did you want anything?” She added without skipping a beat.

“How thoughtful of you to offer to purchase me something with my own coin.” The half elf deadpanned.

“Yes well it is always good to be generous wouldn’t you say?”

Katibree sweat-dropped at this statement with lowered eyelids before finally responding “……… look let’s just get this over with and get to an inn, we leave first thing tomorrow.”

“Oh, you mean like noon?” The Naga asked as she received her first heaping plate of food and dug in wholeheartedly.

“No I was thinking more along the lines of dawn actually.” The ex-assassin replied dryly while sitting down and leaning back in her chair as she watched the dark haired vixen eat with decidedly more manners than a certain redhead, but with no less enthusiasm.

“Hum… I guess it can’t be helped.” Naga said with a shrug before taking a bite of dinner roll and washing it down with several swallows of ale. “Here, you should try and relax some… it’s no good being so intense all the time.” She added while sliding a tankard across the table to the mostly platinum haired warrior with a smirk.

“Humph.” Was Katibree’s only reply before lifting the tankard to her lips for a swallow.

“I’m guessing from looking at you that you’re half elf, but what type of elf is your elf half?” Naga inquired pleasantly while cutting herself a piece of veal.

“The none of your business type.” The half drow murmured into her tankard with a roll of her lavender colored eyes.

“Oh come now, if we’re going to be working together we mine as well try and get along don’t you think?”

“I’ll pass.”

“You could get to like me if you tried I’m sure, everyone else does.”

“Doubtful.”

“Fine, have it your way but you can’t say that I never tried to be civil.” Naga replied somewhat defensively. “Another plate of the crab cakes please.” She added to a passing waiter, feeling instantly better.

“And just how is taking advantage of someone when they’re in need civil?”

“You know, it’s extremely uncouth to bring up things from the past like that.” The dark haired vixen replied hurriedly while dabbing at either corner of her mouth daintily.

“You’re doing it right now…” The ex-assassin deadpanned while leaning forward.

“I offered to get you something didn’t I?” The ice sorceress chirped.

“Yes… with…. my money…” The mostly platinum haired warrior answered in disbelief.

“Yes well, a girl as beautiful as myself can’t be bothered with every small detail.”

“And would you care to explain just how exactly the difference between your money and my money is a ‘small detail’?” The half drow leaned even further forward to ask with a mixture of annoyance and bemusement.

“Why that’s easy, it’s only natural for friends to share, so why should money be any different?”

“Fr- When the hell did we ever become friends?!” Katibree balked with her voice cracking to a slightly higher pitch. “We just met like 20 minutes ago!” The gall of this woman is insufferable!

“Yes I do have a tendency to make friends quickly with my charismatic personality and unrivaled beauty...”

“…Ok let me illuminate because there’s obviously been some type of misunderstanding here…., we are in no way, shape, or form friends!” The half elf clarified while making a loose repetitious cutting gesture across her throat with a stress-mark to further rebuff the idea.

“There’s no need to raise your voice, now you’re just being mean.” Naga pouted.

“And you’re being amazingly impossible!” What is this chick’s deal?

“That’s because everything about Naga the White Serpent is always amazing! Ooooooh hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, ooooooooooh - -“

The half elf stood abruptly, bumping the table violently and startling the ice sorceress into temporary silence. “That… is… IT. Not a copper of food or drink more, let’s go.” She fumed as the people that had returned to the general area of the two continued to stare and murmur.

“Don’t be ridiculous my half elven friend, there’s still food left on the table.”

Katibree swiped an arm across the table violently at this, knocking countless plates and other dishes along with their contents onto the floor while glaring at the ice sorceress. “Well now there isn’t so let’s go if you expect to be paid at the end of what’s most likely going to be a complete and total nightmare of a journey.” She added much more calmly than she felt.

“What a horrendous waste of food…” Naga said while looking down at the mess in dejection.

“Now Ms. Serpent.” Katibree reiterated while tossing enough coin to pay for the food and damage to the dishes on the now bare table before turning to leave. “Regardless of how much sleep you manage to get tonight, we still leave at dawn.”

“Humph fine, but you certainly didn’t have to go about things so unpleasantly.” Naga finally conceded in a hurt tone after giving the ruined food one last longing look before following the still seething half drow in the direction of the closest inn.

The next morning…

Naga awoke groggily to a insistent knocking on her inn room door, she’d stayed up until the early hours of the morning drinking and coming up with new golem concepts… and so turned over and promptly fell back asleep.

“Miss Serpent is nearly dawn, we need to get going.” Katibree called through the door before groaning in annoyance at the unmistakable sound of bed sheets being slightly disturbed followed by the sound of soft renewed snoring. “Why me…?” She grumbled as she slid a lock pick out from underneath her tongue and quickly picked the lock with a sigh. As soon as the door was unlocked she forcefully swung it open and allowed it to bang against the wall behind it loudly, causing Naga to start awake and sit up in bed.

“It is customary to knock you know.” The dark haired vixen said crossly while rubbing her eyes.

“What the hell do you think I’ve been do……….ing....” The ex-assassin trailed off stupidly. Holy fucking titties. She couldn’t help but deadpan mentally. This woman is going to start Red on her breast complex all over again… I just know it. She added to herself while gawking in disbelief.

“The least you could do is apologize for the intrusion instead of standing there gaping like some fish.” The ice sorceress replied with a stretch.

“Would you please just put some clothing on…?” The half drow asked while hurriedly averting her eyes after realizing that she’d been blatantly staring.

“Hey, don’t get cross with me when you’re the one that came barging in.” The dark haired vixen answered from the bed while covering her mouth and stifling a yawn.

“That was an accident - - well it was on purpose because you wouldn’t answer the door… and you’re still not making the slightest attempt to cover up Miss Serpent.”

“Oh, is it making you uncomfortable?” Naga asked coyly while reaching for a brush. “That’s quite strange because I seem to remember you taking quite the eyeful when you first came in.”

“That was shock, believe me.” The mostly platinum haired warrior replied while still averting her eyes. “I didn’t know that it was humanly possible for breasts to grow to that size… And besides if I had been staring out of admiration as you suggested, it wouldn’t matter….I’m more involved in a relationship that you could ever possibly imagine.”

The dark haired vixen stopped and cocked her head to the side slightly a moment before finally shrugging and resuming her grooming. “Well if we need to get on the road already I’ll need to freshen up and - -“

“You’ve got six minutes or your would be free breakfast is forfeit starting now.” Katibree interjected disinterestedly. “Meet you downstairs.” She added before shutting the door on Naga’s complaints and the sounds of the ice sorceress hurriedly getting ready.

Four and a half minutes later the dark haired vixen had made her way down the stairs and sat down at the table while giving the half elf a flustered look. “I hope you’re happy, I didn’t even have time to properly brush my teeth.” She complained.

“I’m sure your mouth’s still fairly sterilized from all the alcohol you consumed - -“ Was all Katibree managed before she stopped talking all together and merely stared at the larger girl’s new revealing leather outfit.

“Oh waiter, over here!” Naga called with a hand gesture before turning her attention back to the half elf once more. “Is something the matter?” She asked.

“…….. What in the world are you wearing?”

“Why my regular outfit of course, the getup from last night was merely what the note the nice priest gave to me instructed me to wear.” The ice sorceress replied curtly before turning to the waiter that had just walked up and was now staring at her outfit as well. “I’d like one of these, and these, and two of these…” She began to list from the menu.

“What do you think we’re about to do?” The half drow asked in bemusment. “We’re traveling on the road…. Not… heading to some brothel….”

“A brothel…? Oh, no I’d never be involved in that type of business.”

The waiter blinked a few times at this statement. “Yeh sure coulda fooled me lady…” He finally said.

(K) The mostly platinum haired warrior turned her attention to the man at this before lifting a single mostly platinum eyebrow. “Seeing as I don’t see how our conversation is any of your business…shouldn’t you concentrate on your job, like how I’d like my eggs scrambled with cheese with a medium rare steak on the side and a glass of orange juice?” She stated dryly.

“Y-yes madam, my apologies.” The waiter replied before ducking his head and hurrying away while writing.

The dark haired beauty stared at the half elf with a smirk for a long time afterwards.

“What?” Katibree finally stop drinking her water to ask.

“Oooh, hoo, hoo…I’m thinking you may just be a little sweet on Naga the White Serpent after all.” The ice sorceress teased.

“Hardly.” The ex-assassin replied before turning her attention back to her water. “I haven’t even known you an entire day yet, and you’re already by far the most obnoxious person I’ve ever met Ms. Serpent.”

“Well I suppose I shall take that as your version of a compliment.” The dark haired beauty replied, not missing a beat.

“You would.” The half drow said with a resigned sigh.

Author's notes: sorry about the wait people, man life has been crazy lately and i haven't had a chance to write in forever, but don't worry i've got another chapter that's longer and nearly finished on the way. will most likely be done and put out tonight or the following day. till then thanks for putting up with my slacking muse and take care!