Chapter 1: One crazy day
It was a cloudy evening in the village of Rikido. The streets were practically empty because there was a possibility of a heavy downpour. The only people outside where the homeless, patrolling guards, and a few thieves. There was an eerie silence that was shattered by a huge, booming explosion. The sound was heard throughout the entire village. Many people rushed out of their homes to see what was going on. The people around the town's "All-You-Can-Eat" restaurant knew all to well what happened.
They all stared wide-eyed at the smoldering wreckage of the once standing eatery as a menacing figure emerged from the smoke. Its eyes blazing red like its hair. Mouth covered with grease and sauce that could easily have been mistaken for blood if this happened at some other place. They were all filled with terror as the creature turned around and began to speak.
"That's what you get for trying to throw out Lina Inverse when she's starving!" it yelled. From the smoke another figure emerged: a tall man with long, blond hair. "Hey Lina," he said, " you didn't have to be so rough." Lina turned to the tall man and gave him an angry look. " I was still eating," she said, " and they had the nerve to pull that 'I'm sorry ma'am, but it's past closing time. You'll have to come back tomorrow' line on me."
"You've been in there since they opened"
"I didn't hear you complaining, Gourry. In fact, all I could hear from you was 'Munch, Munch, BURP!!'"
They both exchanged angry looks. In the distance there was a faint sound of clanking metal that steadily rose. Lina and Gourry turned in the direction of the sound and jumped in fright. The entire village guard was rushing in their direction. Within mere seconds they were completely surrounded by armored guards. Leading the group was a middle-aged man in thick black armor.
"You criminals are under arrest for destruction of property and disturbing the peace," said the man in black armor. Lina looked at the little group of men and laughed. "Oh man," said Lina, laughing hysterically. "I thought there would be more people with a town this big." "We may small in number, but we make that up in strength," said the man in black armor. "If you don't surrender now we will have to use force."
That made Lina laugh even more. "You guys, Ha Ha, you guys are hilarious," laughed Lina. "You guys must have a lot of guts to be able to say that to me, Lina Inverse, with such calmness." At the sound of her name, all the guards, except for the one in the black armor turned tail and ran. "Gee," said Gourry, "I guess your name scares authority figures as much as dragons, and bandits."
Lina gave Gourry a hard punch on the head. "You're still under arrest," said the man in the black armor. "Does that include me?" asked Gourry. "Because I didn't blow up the place, I just watched."
"How am I supposed to know that?" said the man in black armor. "Even if you didn't blow up the place, you're still going to under arrest for disturbing the peace."
"Alright, I've had enough of this," said Lina as she gets ready to cast a spell. "Source of all power, crimson fire burning bright, let thy power gather within my hands…" Lina's hands began to glow a bright red as she brought them together. When she slowly pulled them apart there was a small red sphere in the center where the two hands met and the further she pulled her hands the larger it grew. Gourry looked at the glowing ball of fire and was immediately struck with fear. "…FIRE BALL"
Lina quickly heaved the giant ball of fire at the black armored guard who only stood there. Gourry, on the other hand, shrieked in terror and buried himself under the rubble of the building. The fireball moved at incredible speed towards the guard, but he just stood there. What an idiot, thought Lina, he's about to become toast and he doesn't even move and inch. The fireball was now two feet away from him and moving fast, and it was then that the guard made his move.
With even more incredible speed than the fireball, the guard lifted his left hand and brought it crashing down of the ball of flames. When they hit, the ball disappeared. Lina's look of smugness soon turn to surprise, then to anger. "How the heck did you do that!?" she shouted. "That was one of the best fireballs I've ever thrown. Who are you anyway?" The guard looked at her and begun to smile.
"Well, if you must know I'll tell you," said the guard. "I am Sir Hallorann, one of the Dynasty Knights of the Inner World."
Lina's face was white as snow. "S…Sir H…Hallorann?" said Lina with intense fear in her voice. "Is he famous or something?" asked Gourry from underneath the rubble. Lina was shocked. "Are you serious!?!" she yelled. "This guy is Sir Hallorann, the greatest warrior of all time. Everybody has to know who he is."
"Well I've never heard of him," said Gourry.
"I'm not even going to waste my time trying to cram even the basic of knowledge in a head as thick as yours," said Lina.
Five minutes later, they were in a jail cell. Rain was pouring outside. Gourry was sitting quietly in the corner while Lina yelled and screamed to be let out. "Let me out of here!!" she yelled. "I was framed! It was another sorceress! I'm innocent!" "It's a waste of time even trying to do that, Lina," said Gourry. "We've been in prison before and yelling never got us out."
"Hey, it doesn't hurt to try."
Just then, the silence was broken by a deafening laughter. A laughter that Lina knew all too well.
"Oooooh, ho, ho, hoo!!"
A figure walked around the corner. A figure with a huge chest, long, black hair, and wearing a very revealing bathing suit. "Naga?" said Lina with a dumbfounded look on her face. "What are you doing here?" Naga grinned. "Well, if it isn't Lina Inverse," said Naga. "Long time no s…HEY!!" Naga had been shoved by a prison guard. "This isn't a time for reunions," said the guard as he shoved Naga into the next cell and locked the door.
Lina looked at Naga and begun to laugh. "What's the matter Naga?" Lina asked mockingly, "Where you busted for showing too much skin?" Lina laughed a little harder at what she said. Naga narrowed her eyes at Lina. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny Lina," said Naga. "And what are you in here for. Where you and your 'boyfriend' busted for disturbing the peace in full view a dozen people? If you know what I mean." Lina's laughter stopped and was replaced by a low growl.
"Wow, your good," said Gourry. "That's exactly why we're in here." Lina looked at Gourry with eyes filled with anger and embarrassment. Naga, however, smiled and laughed. "Oooooh, ho, ho hoo!! You've got more guts than I thought Lina. I thought you'd be embarrassed to do something like that."
"Idiot," murmured Lina under her breath. "So, Naga," said Gourry, "what are you doing here?" "It was the strangest thing," said Naga. "I was just standing in an alleyway, talking to a man around the age of thirty-two, when all of a sudden a guard in black armor told me I was under arrest for prostitution." Lina began to laugh again.
"Who was that man you were talking to?" asked Gourry.
"Some cheap mercenary," replied Naga.
"Why would you need a mercenary?" asked Gourry.
"I need someone to assist me while I look for the Galleon of Gold," replied Naga.
Lina didn't hear much over her laughter, but one world came out as clear as a clean window: Gold. "What's this about gold?" asked Lina in an interested tone. Naga realized that she had just said too much. "Gold?" asked Naga nervously, "I didn't say anything about gold." "Yes you did," said Lina, "you said you were looking for a 'Galleon of Gold' and that you needed people to assist you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Lina gave Naga a look that said C'mon, you can't hide anything from me. "Alright, Lina," said Naga, "I guess it's useless trying to keep this hidden. There's a legend that talks about a mysterious ship that sails the seas, full of gold. They say that a bloodthirsty pirate who wanted all the gold in the world commanded the ship. For decades he'd board ships and take their treasure until the day he boarded the wrong ship…"
It was a cloudy evening in the village of Rikido. The streets were practically empty because there was a possibility of a heavy downpour. The only people outside where the homeless, patrolling guards, and a few thieves. There was an eerie silence that was shattered by a huge, booming explosion. The sound was heard throughout the entire village. Many people rushed out of their homes to see what was going on. The people around the town's "All-You-Can-Eat" restaurant knew all to well what happened.
They all stared wide-eyed at the smoldering wreckage of the once standing eatery as a menacing figure emerged from the smoke. Its eyes blazing red like its hair. Mouth covered with grease and sauce that could easily have been mistaken for blood if this happened at some other place. They were all filled with terror as the creature turned around and began to speak.
"That's what you get for trying to throw out Lina Inverse when she's starving!" it yelled. From the smoke another figure emerged: a tall man with long, blond hair. "Hey Lina," he said, " you didn't have to be so rough." Lina turned to the tall man and gave him an angry look. " I was still eating," she said, " and they had the nerve to pull that 'I'm sorry ma'am, but it's past closing time. You'll have to come back tomorrow' line on me."
"You've been in there since they opened"
"I didn't hear you complaining, Gourry. In fact, all I could hear from you was 'Munch, Munch, BURP!!'"
They both exchanged angry looks. In the distance there was a faint sound of clanking metal that steadily rose. Lina and Gourry turned in the direction of the sound and jumped in fright. The entire village guard was rushing in their direction. Within mere seconds they were completely surrounded by armored guards. Leading the group was a middle-aged man in thick black armor.
"You criminals are under arrest for destruction of property and disturbing the peace," said the man in black armor. Lina looked at the little group of men and laughed. "Oh man," said Lina, laughing hysterically. "I thought there would be more people with a town this big." "We may small in number, but we make that up in strength," said the man in black armor. "If you don't surrender now we will have to use force."
That made Lina laugh even more. "You guys, Ha Ha, you guys are hilarious," laughed Lina. "You guys must have a lot of guts to be able to say that to me, Lina Inverse, with such calmness." At the sound of her name, all the guards, except for the one in the black armor turned tail and ran. "Gee," said Gourry, "I guess your name scares authority figures as much as dragons, and bandits."
Lina gave Gourry a hard punch on the head. "You're still under arrest," said the man in the black armor. "Does that include me?" asked Gourry. "Because I didn't blow up the place, I just watched."
"How am I supposed to know that?" said the man in black armor. "Even if you didn't blow up the place, you're still going to under arrest for disturbing the peace."
"Alright, I've had enough of this," said Lina as she gets ready to cast a spell. "Source of all power, crimson fire burning bright, let thy power gather within my hands…" Lina's hands began to glow a bright red as she brought them together. When she slowly pulled them apart there was a small red sphere in the center where the two hands met and the further she pulled her hands the larger it grew. Gourry looked at the glowing ball of fire and was immediately struck with fear. "…FIRE BALL"
Lina quickly heaved the giant ball of fire at the black armored guard who only stood there. Gourry, on the other hand, shrieked in terror and buried himself under the rubble of the building. The fireball moved at incredible speed towards the guard, but he just stood there. What an idiot, thought Lina, he's about to become toast and he doesn't even move and inch. The fireball was now two feet away from him and moving fast, and it was then that the guard made his move.
With even more incredible speed than the fireball, the guard lifted his left hand and brought it crashing down of the ball of flames. When they hit, the ball disappeared. Lina's look of smugness soon turn to surprise, then to anger. "How the heck did you do that!?" she shouted. "That was one of the best fireballs I've ever thrown. Who are you anyway?" The guard looked at her and begun to smile.
"Well, if you must know I'll tell you," said the guard. "I am Sir Hallorann, one of the Dynasty Knights of the Inner World."
Lina's face was white as snow. "S…Sir H…Hallorann?" said Lina with intense fear in her voice. "Is he famous or something?" asked Gourry from underneath the rubble. Lina was shocked. "Are you serious!?!" she yelled. "This guy is Sir Hallorann, the greatest warrior of all time. Everybody has to know who he is."
"Well I've never heard of him," said Gourry.
"I'm not even going to waste my time trying to cram even the basic of knowledge in a head as thick as yours," said Lina.
Five minutes later, they were in a jail cell. Rain was pouring outside. Gourry was sitting quietly in the corner while Lina yelled and screamed to be let out. "Let me out of here!!" she yelled. "I was framed! It was another sorceress! I'm innocent!" "It's a waste of time even trying to do that, Lina," said Gourry. "We've been in prison before and yelling never got us out."
"Hey, it doesn't hurt to try."
Just then, the silence was broken by a deafening laughter. A laughter that Lina knew all too well.
"Oooooh, ho, ho, hoo!!"
A figure walked around the corner. A figure with a huge chest, long, black hair, and wearing a very revealing bathing suit. "Naga?" said Lina with a dumbfounded look on her face. "What are you doing here?" Naga grinned. "Well, if it isn't Lina Inverse," said Naga. "Long time no s…HEY!!" Naga had been shoved by a prison guard. "This isn't a time for reunions," said the guard as he shoved Naga into the next cell and locked the door.
Lina looked at Naga and begun to laugh. "What's the matter Naga?" Lina asked mockingly, "Where you busted for showing too much skin?" Lina laughed a little harder at what she said. Naga narrowed her eyes at Lina. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny Lina," said Naga. "And what are you in here for. Where you and your 'boyfriend' busted for disturbing the peace in full view a dozen people? If you know what I mean." Lina's laughter stopped and was replaced by a low growl.
"Wow, your good," said Gourry. "That's exactly why we're in here." Lina looked at Gourry with eyes filled with anger and embarrassment. Naga, however, smiled and laughed. "Oooooh, ho, ho hoo!! You've got more guts than I thought Lina. I thought you'd be embarrassed to do something like that."
"Idiot," murmured Lina under her breath. "So, Naga," said Gourry, "what are you doing here?" "It was the strangest thing," said Naga. "I was just standing in an alleyway, talking to a man around the age of thirty-two, when all of a sudden a guard in black armor told me I was under arrest for prostitution." Lina began to laugh again.
"Who was that man you were talking to?" asked Gourry.
"Some cheap mercenary," replied Naga.
"Why would you need a mercenary?" asked Gourry.
"I need someone to assist me while I look for the Galleon of Gold," replied Naga.
Lina didn't hear much over her laughter, but one world came out as clear as a clean window: Gold. "What's this about gold?" asked Lina in an interested tone. Naga realized that she had just said too much. "Gold?" asked Naga nervously, "I didn't say anything about gold." "Yes you did," said Lina, "you said you were looking for a 'Galleon of Gold' and that you needed people to assist you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Lina gave Naga a look that said C'mon, you can't hide anything from me. "Alright, Lina," said Naga, "I guess it's useless trying to keep this hidden. There's a legend that talks about a mysterious ship that sails the seas, full of gold. They say that a bloodthirsty pirate who wanted all the gold in the world commanded the ship. For decades he'd board ships and take their treasure until the day he boarded the wrong ship…"