Title: The Hunt
Author: Glamourcat
Date: 5/12/01
Author's Notes: The Hunter Jade Aero, The God Thenmia, the Dracorn Ferocity, Crallen, and the Priest Belan are my own original creations as is the location of the city-state Jade is from. Everyone else belongs to the owners of the Slayers Series. This story takes place a few months after "And Her Measurements Are."
Summary: Gourry and his companions once again encounter Jade Aero, unfortunately for Amelia, this turns into a dire hunt.
The diminutive red haired woman stopped and sniffed the air of the city carefully. Her tall blonde male companion stopped and did the same.
"Gee Gourry, do you smell that?" Lina Inverse, self-proclaimed greatest sorceress in the whole world, asked.
"Yes, I definitely do." Gourry answered. "If my nose does not deceive me, that smells distinctly like."
"BARBECUED VENISON RIBS!" The two shouted in unison, trying to push the other out of the way in order to track down the source of that delicious smell first.
"Get back! They're mine!" Lina shoved him.
"No way, Lina! Those ribs were meant for me!" Gourry pushed back, pulling on Lina's hair in effort to get around her.
"I thought I recognized those voices!" A perky young woman's voice called to them through the crowd in the street.
"Huh?" Gourry and Lina froze, mid-shove, and looked behind them.
A young teenaged girl with short, bushy black hair, dressed all in white with pink and green accents stood behind them, waving wildly. A taller man dressed in off-white with purple hair and a sword buckled to his side stood behind her.
"Hey! Amelia, Zelgadis!" Gourry let go of Lina's hair, dropping her flat on her face. "What brings you two here?"
"I was looking for a cure and she decided I shouldn't go alone." Zelgadis sounded just a touch bitter about his young chaperone.
"Oh, come now, Mr. Zelgadis! You know what a great team we made hunting out truth and justice on our way here to the righteous city-state of Thenmis!" Amelia struck a pose with one hand in the air shaping the "Victory V."
Lina stood up, calmly brushed herself off, and hit Gourry on the head. Walking past the tall swordsman she joined Amelia and Zelgadis.
"So, Zel, you think there might be a cure for you here?" Lina asked.
"Yes, I do." Zelgadis looked around him for a moment. "Do you think we could go somewhere to talk? We seem to have attracted an audience."
"Oh, right." Lina blinked as she cast her gaze around her. A small crowd of townspeople had stopped what they were doing to stare at the strangers.
"Come on. I smelt some absolutely divine barbecue venison ribs coming from that inn over there." Lina pointed to the establishment. "We can eat and talk there."
Zel shrugged and followed Lina with Gourry and Amelia trailing behind.
Once comfortably ensconced at a table and served their food Lina got down to her questioning, in-between bites of course. "So what kind of cure do you think is in a back-water like this?"
"There's an artifact called the Scepter of Thenmia that's supposed to grant one wish to its barer. I was hoping to learn more about it and its nature." Zel answered. "And speaking of back-waters? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Lina knew about the Scepter too and wanted to see if she couldn't get it for herself." Gourry answered brightly.
"Jellyfish brain." Lina elbowed Gourry in the head.
"I see." Zelgadis rubbed his chin, looking at Lina cautiously. "Well, I doubt you're going to have much more luck then I did."
"What do you mean Zel?" Lina asked.
"We went to the Temple of Thenmia where the scepter is supposed to be housed but got turned back by the temple's priests." Amelia said.
"So? Why didn't you just blast your way in?" The redhead demanded.
"Miss Lina! That would be wrong." Amelia protested. "I could never be party to something that destroyed a beautiful temple dedicated to a god of good."
"Thenmia's hardly a God of goodness. He's just the God of the Hunt." Zelgadis told her in a condescending tone. "Thenmia tends to stay neutral unless something is done to offend him personally, only then will he take sides. And that could be the side of evil just as readily as the side of good."
"Huh?" Amelia blinked at him, blankly staring.
"Nevermind." Zel sighed, "Anyway, the temple is guarded by not just the regular priests but Priest-Mages as well. One on one I could have taken any of them, but with so many."
"Had you outnumbered huh?" Lina said sympathetically. "Well, maybe now that I'm here."
Lina never got a chance to finish that sentence.
"SHE'S HERE! SHE'S BACK! THE CHOSEN OF THENMIA!" A voice cried out from just outside the inn.
"What? The Chosen's come home?" The waiter dropped his platter and ran outside, followed by every native in the place.
"The who?" Lina asked. "What's all the fuss about?"
"Oh, put me down! This really isn't necessary, I swear, I can walk!" A woman's plaintive voice said from the street. "Really, I'd rather be on the ground!"
"Hey! I know that voice." Gourry stood up, knocking his chair over. "That's Jade Aero, The Hunter!"
He ran outside to gape with the rest of the crowd.
"Jade Aero? You mean you got to meet The Hunter?" Zelgadis' eyes went wide and he ran after Gourry.
"I don't get it. Who's the hunter?" Amelia asked.
"Some bounty hunter." Lina answered offhandedly as if this personage was no big deal.
"Let's go see her then." Amelia grabbed Lina and ran out of the inn as well.
Outside people packed shoulder-to-shoulder hoping to catch a glimpse of this person lined the street on either side.
"There she is!" Lina pointed her out to Amelia.
Really there was no reason to point. A woman, average in height, dressed in blue-green pants with a burnished orange tunic, a green poncho that had the emblem of a yellow evergreen tree, and a pair of orange-brown boots was being carried on the shoulders of two priestly figures, dressed in orange and green robes with that same yellow tree emblem on it. This woman was blonde with green eyes and carried a bow on her back and a quiver of arrows strapped to one thigh. She was also protesting being carried every step of the way.
"Hmmm.I had no idea that she was so important here. These people act like she's some sort of celebrity or something. Maybe I can use that." Lina thought before clearing her throat and stepping into the path of the two priestly men, waving one hand in the air. "Hey! Jade! Good to see you again!"
The two men carrying her stopped. Jade blinked in confusion.
"It's me. Lina Inverse! We met a couple months back when you captured some bandits that were attacking me and my friend." Lina expanded.
Jade continued to stare at her with complete incomprehension. "I'm sorry. But I really don't remember you."
"You caught the Wolf Paw Gang when they attacked me, remember?" Lina said, the air in her ego suddenly being deflated by Jade's unrecognition.
"No, I'm sorry, I don't. But then again, I catch a lot of bandits." Jade answered, trying to be pleasant to this strange little woman.
"Do you remember me? I was with Lina at the time." Gourry stepped from the crowd with Zelgadis right behind him.
"Gourry Gabriev! The famed swordsman and sworn bodyguard of the weak and helpless who is also the holder of Gorn Nova, the Sword of Light!" Jade defiantly remembered him, and for some reason she blushed. "I didn't realize that was you when I interfered and brought the Wolf Paw Gang in."
"That's okay! It was a pleasure getting to see a real professional at work."
"Um, High Priestess, do you know these people?" One of the men holding her up said.
"Oh! Um. I'll vouch for Gourry Gabriev's character, but I don't know any of the others really." Jade answered, "And could you please put me down now?"
"Absolutely out of the question Chosen One." The other man said. "We should get back to the Temple, High Priest Belan must be anxious to see you by now. Will your friends be coming with you?"
"Of course we are!" Lina said grabbing her friends and lining them up behind her.
"Um." Jade looked almost ready to contest Lina's assertion but Gourry's smile at her changed her mind. "Let's just go home, and will you please put me down?"
"Nonsense, Ultimate Hunter. We wouldn't hear of it." One of the priests said as they resumed walking through the cheering crowds with Lina and crew close on their heels.
Lina and her crew were led to the exact center of town, back to the Temple of Thenmia. The Temple of Thenmia, dedicated to the God of the Hunt, was a massive structure, standing close to three stories tall and spreading out over three-square blocks of ground it was surrounded by the buildings of the town. It had no visible grounds or gardens. Golden in color, the group could tell it was made out of huge quarried blocks, and much resembled a stepped pyramid.
The front of the giant temple had an iron gate guarded by two more priests in the same green and orange robes of the ones carrying Jade. When the two put Jade down on her feet in front of the gate, the two men guarding it stepped aside.
"Finally! I swear, all this pomp isn't needed." Jade told them, "I absolutely hate being hoisted through the air like I'm a piece of luggage."
"Forgive us, Chosen. We're just trying to show our respect." One of them answered.
"Then show your respect by listening to my wishes, friend." She spoke gently, laying a hand on his arm. Turning away from her escort she confronted the guards, "May your course be swift, brothers. Do I have free passage here?"
"Of course, Ultimate Hunter, you always do.but, your companions?" One of the sentries didn't quite know what to make of them.
"I can vouch for this man's character." Jade motioned to Gourry. "He is the keeper of the Sword of Light."
"And I can vouch for my friends!" Gourry piped up, the sun in his voice. "This is Lina, and that's Zelgadis, and this is Amelia-she's the Princess of Seyruun!"
"Really?" Jade narrowed her eyes and studied Amelia. "Now that you mention it, I have seen her before with the Crown Prince the last time I was in Seyruun to collect a bounty."
"Then that settles it, the friends of The Chosen One are permitted into the sacred temple of Thenmia." The sentry unlocked the gate and swung the door open.
"Follow me." Jade found herself pressed into the unlikely role of host. She entered the torch lit corridor with only the companions following. The other priests remained outside.
Their footsteps echoed in the eerie hallway, which was devoid of any and all decoration. Finally, the passage opened up into a vast amphitheatre. They stood on a balcony overlooking a small forest in the middle of the temple.
"Wow. It's so beautiful." Amelia clasped her hands together and stared out at the treetops, starry eyed.
Jade smiled at the younger woman, "If you've seen one forest you've seen them all. But you're right; this is one of the most beautiful. Thenmia himself blesses this small wood with eternal life and health. It is the place where he communes with those he chooses for his personal servants."
"Hey, speaking of personal servants and being chosen," Lina broached the subject. "Why were all those people going nuts when they saw you? And those men kept calling you by so many different titles. What was up with that?"
"She is The Hunter, my dear. With that title comes all others and the responsibility such titles shoulder." A new voice, belonging to an elderly man joined them.
The group turned to the left to see a man whose hair and beard had gone quite white with age. He wore robes that were solid green with orange sleeves and carried a walking stick.
"Belan!" Jade cried out and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. The sudden emotional outburst from this previously cold figure took Lina by surprise.
"Ah, daughter of my heart. It does me good to see you again. You've been gone far to long." Belan returned her embrace.
They pulled apart, and she held onto his hands. "It's only been five years. Not that long really."
Before he could answer Zelgadis politely cleared his throat to remind Jade that they were there.
"Oh, Belan. I'd like you to meet someone." Jade linked her arm through the old man's. "This is Gourry Gabriev, the swordsman who possesses the sword of light."
"Hi there!" Gourry said brightly.
"Most welcome young man." Belan said.
"And this young lady says she's the Princess Amelia of Seyruun." Jade motioned to the black haired girl.
"Pleased to meet you most honored sir." Amelia dipped in a small court curtsey.
"And the other two?" Belan prompted.
"I have no idea who they are." Jade said.
Lina fell over in disbelief that Jade had forgotten her again.
"I'm called Zelgadis." The mystic swordsman introduced himself.
"And I'm Lina Inverse!" Lina stood back up and presented herself. "I'm sure you must have heard of me."
Jade stopped and thought for a while. "Nope."
"Ah, I think I have, you're the Dragon Spooker, right? The sorceress so repulsive that dragons run from you rather then fight!" Belan said.
Lina fell over again.
"Well, shall we take your friends somewhere to talk and so we can catch up on things, my heart daughter?" Belan said.
"Of course." Jade said. "Follow me please."
She turned, still walking arm-in-arm with the old man and led the companions to a large room with a table and chairs set up for dining.
Priests in training, dressed entirely in dark orange, served them food and drink.
After Lina and Gourry ate an alarming amount of food, the small woman resumed her questioning.
"So, you never answered my question before. Who are you really, and why do you have all those titles. You're obviously someone important around here, but you're not nobility-I've seen the King and Queen of Thenmis."
"Well, to understand that you have to understand how and why this state exists." Jade took a sip of water and continued. "In the time after the war of the monster's fall, even though the war was officially over, there was still bad blood and hefty grudges between various members of the monster, dragon, and god races. My God Thenmia, the God of the Hunt knew that there were refugees from this war that fled here to the mortal plan. He knew that these refugees shouldn't be allowed to remain here least they gain control over the mortal populations and start wars here."
"That would have been devastating." Zelgadis said. "The land went through enough as it was and it still took centuries for earth to recover."
"Exactly," Belan took up the tale. "Thenmia knew that while he couldn't track down these beings in exile himself, because that would be a violation of a treaty he signed with the Monster race. So he chose an avatar, a person who embodied the traits of the hunter that he was himself, and enhanced that mortal's own natural skills making the man an unbeatable tracker."
"And so that avatar Thenmia created tracked down all those who fled from the battlefields of the war of the monster's fall and punished them." Jade said, "And it did not matter whose side the cowards had been on, all were brought in."
"Every hundred years or so, Thenmia would choose a new person to be his avatar. This person is always known as The Ultimate Hunter. Though to people outside the city-state of Thenmis that title just got shortened to The Hunter." Belan picked up. "For a while we went through a dry period I guess you could call it. We haven't had an Ultimate Hunter in almost 300 years, that is before Jade was chosen."
The group of travelers looked back to Jade with a new look in their eyes. Lina and Zelgadis were re-evaluating her, Amelia had gone goggled eyed at the prospect of knowing someone God-touched, and Gourry-well, Gourry had pulled another copy of Jade's biography out and was comparing her pin-up with the real thing.
"What the?" Jade recognized the book. "HOW DARE YOU! I thought I burned that!"
"He bought another one a few towns back." Lina said casually.
Jade stood, unslung her bow, pulled a fire arrow out of her quiver, lit it, and aimed at Gourry. Zelgadis wisely ducked under the table, being the one sitting on Gourry's other side.
Jade let the arrow fly and it hit the cover of Gourry's book with a solid thunk, and in a second the book was engulfed in flames.
"Aw, that was my second copy." Gourry moped.
"Well make sure it's your last." Jade growled. "I swear when I catch the idiot who wrote that."
Zelgadis crawled back out from under the table. "Forgive me but I would like to ask you a few more questions."
"I'll answer what I can." Jade said, swinging the bow back over her shoulder and sitting back down.
"I'll be honest, I came here looking for the Scepter of Thenmia. What do you know about it? Does it really have the power to grant one wish?"
"The Scepter?" Jade seemed surprised, "That old thing? It's extremely dangerous. Thenmia imbued it with the ability to grant the wish for The Final Hunt."
"Final Hunt?" Lina repeated.
"Stop and think about it for a minute." Jade said calmly.
"You don't mean.death?" Lina whispered. "The wish it grants is death?"
Jade said nothing, just looked down at her glass. "It's been in my care since Thenmia chose me as his avatar. I won't even bring it into cities with me when I enter them. I can't take the risk of it falling into the wrong hands. Most people don't know what it can really do; they have a confused view of its power."
"Something happened not too long ago that almost drove this temple to split its people in two and all because of the Scepter." Belan said.
"When was this?" Jade asked, worried.
"About two years ago. Do you remember Crallen?"
She shuddered.
"I see that you do. We caught him trying to get into the enchanted wood." Belan told her.
"Was he mad? I'm the only one who can enter the wood to commune with Thenmia-and that's only because he continues to want me as his avatar!" Jade was astonished.
"He was most certainly mad. Crallen convinced himself that the Scepter was hidden in the wood and he was determined to get it-and the wish for himself." Belan explained, "We banished him. Haven't seen hide or hair of him since."
"May I ask you a question?" Jade said to Zelgadis.
"Of course."
"Why did you want the Scepter?"
He blushed and looked down at his coffee cup. "I was hoping it could grant me a wish and turn my body back into a normal human's body."
"It's just as well I didn't bring it with me this time. The temptation to use the Scepter is great. It's been god-touched, and it's only Thenmia's will that keeps me from miss-using it." Jade said. "If I had it with me, none of you would be able to resist it. You'd be trying to take it and use it-with unexpected and defiantly undesired effects."
"Where is it now?" Belan asked.
"I left it on my steed, out in the forest."
"Are you sure it's such a good idea to leave it out there like that? Just tied to your horse?"
"I wouldn't really call her a horse. And trust me, Belan, it's in the safest hands.hooves.it could be." Jade said, looking directly at the old man.
"Well, we've talked and eaten and no doubt the sun's gone down by now." Belan said. "You must be tired. We will offer you hospitality for the night. Jade they are your guests, would you please show them to proper rooms?"
"Of course, Belan." She stood and motioned to the door. "This way."
Belan stood as well. And walked to the door ahead of the younger folk, leaning heavily on his walking stick. Jade's eyes narrowed as she followed him out of the room with her gaze.
The Hunter put Gourry and Zelgadis into one room, next to her own, and Lina and Amelia in the room on the other side of hers. Custom dictated that since they were her guests, she must be available to them to see to their comfort.
She settled into her own room, and snuggled down into the covers of the first real bed she'd slept in for months. But, the Hunter couldn't sleep. She lay, staring at the ceiling. Jade hated playing hostess but still couldn't really figure out how she'd wound up in this spot in the first place. And there was something wrong with Belan. She didn't realize how much he'd aged in five years. She was concerned for the man who'd raised her after her parents gave her to the temple for training. She wondered.
Her train of thought derailed as sleep found her.
The next morning Jade yawned, stretched, put her robe on over her nightgown and went to check on her guests. After the dinner she'd feed them last night she was worried about having enough food for breakfast.
The blonde woman was about to knock on Lina and Amelia's door when it was flung open.
"SHE'S GONE!" Lina came flying out of the room, knocking Jade to the ground.
"HEY! YOU STUPID COW!" Jade shouted, rubbing her sore rear from where she landed. "Who's gone? And why don't you watch where you're going?"
"Oh, Jade, I'm sorry. It's just that Amelia's missing!" Lina said.
"She might have just gone back to the dining room for something to eat you know." Jade said bitterly, still nursing her bruises from the floor.
"Not likely. I found this!" Lina brandished a piece of paper.
Before Jade could take the paper from her the boys tumbled sleepily from their room into the hallway, still dressed in their pajamas.
"What's all the racket.out.here?" Gourry rubbed his eyes to chase away the last vestiges of sleep and froze in place. "Wow. What a beautiful dream!"
"Huh?" Lina followed his gaze and realized he was staring at Jade's low- cut and high-hemmed nightie, her robe having fallen open when Lina pushed her.
Lina looked back to the guys to see Zelgadis to see him staring at her own body, dressed in a similar skimpy nightgown. "What a horrible nightmare."
"You pervert!" Jade and Lina shouted, joining forces just this once. Jade covered herself with her robe and stood up.
"Now what is all this about, Lina?" The Hunter spoke sternly to the other woman, trying to ignore the bright red blush spreading across her cheeks.
"I woke up this morning and Amelia was gone!" Lina explained. "In her place was this note!"
The sorceress turned the slip of paper over to her host.
"If you want the princess back, you'll have to supply a princely ransom. Bring the Scepter of Thenmia to the cities' ruins today at noon." Jade read. She flipped the paper over and then back again, "There's no signature."
"Amelia's been kidnapped?" Zelgadis said, "Who'd want her? Uh.I mean, how awful!"
"We've got to find out who took her and get her back." Lina shouted. "Right Gourry?"
Lina had been striking a heroic pose, but when no answer came from her swordsman partner she turned back to him. "Gourry? Hey! What's wrong with you squid for brains?"
Gourry was still standing frozen; eyes goggled, staring in Jade's direction. The Hunter blushed deeper then before and retreated into her bedroom saying that she was going to change into her clothes.
Zelgadis waved his hand in front of his friend's unmoving face a few times before giving up and just taking him by the collar. Zel dragged the bigger man back into their room.
"We're getting dressed too, we can't go after Amelia in our nightclothes." He told Lina, who scampered back into her own room to change.
When the companions knocked on Jade's door, after they'd changed into their traveling clothes, they found no answer.
Lina tentatively opened the door, mindful of what happened to Gourry the last time he saw the Hunter in her nightclothes. She peaked around the corner of the door only to be surprised.
"Hey! It's empty. There's no one here, and all her stuff's gone. The bow and the quiver and everything!" Lina exclaimed.
"Your friend was Hunter's guest, and kidnapped while in her care." An old voice spoke behind them. "Therefore the Hunter felt it was her responsibility to track down the person involved. She's already left, no doubt hot on the trail."
"High Priest Belan!" Lina turned to face the man. "Did she say anything about where she was going?"
"Who knows where the hunt takes her? Rest assured though, no matter what trail or method of travel the villain took, Jade Aero is right behind, dogging the blackard's steps." Belan said before turning away from them, "There is food in the dining room you were in last night. Help yourselves."
"Excuse me," Zelgadis stopped the old man from walking away. "But the ransom note said to meet in the city's ruins. Where in Thenmis are these ruins?"
"Oh those, they're not in the city. The original city of Thenmis was straight northwest of here up in the mountains," Belan said. "Thenmis is an ancient city, the original was destroyed during the War of the Monster's Fall, and this city was built here in the foothills afterward."
"Thank you sir." Zelgadis said. Belan eyed him thoughtfully, nodded, and then left them to their own means.
"So do you think we should try to track Jade or should we set right out to the ruins?" Gourry asked.
"Hmmm.I'm not all sure that we could catch up to Jade now. She is supposed to be the Ultimate Hunter, and she's a god's avatar besides." Zelgadis rubbed his chin as he speculated. "Eventually, whatever trail she's following is going to have to lead her to the ruins anyway since that's where the kidnapper said he'd make the trade for the Scepter."
"Right," Lina slammed her fist into her other palm. "Then it's settled. We'll go to the ruins. Right after breakfast!"
"Lina!" Zel exclaimed.
"Well, look at it this way, Jade might catch this guy, rescue Amelia and be back before we leave. Or we can eat a good breakfast and have the strength to fight this guy at the ruins of the old city at noon, and we're defiantly going to have to fight, since we don't have the scepter and we don't even know where to being looking for it." Lina shrugged.
Zelgadis sighed. "Fine then."
"I don't know. Do you think that we should be leaving Jade and Amelia out there by themselves?" Gourry asked.
"They can take care of themselves pretty well I think." Lina reassured him, "And even if Amelia's tied up she should be able to manage some sort of spell to make things uncomfortable for her captor."
Gourry sighed but followed her and Zelgadis to the dining room.
Ten minutes before noon found the three tired, dusty, and thirsty as they entered the ruin of the old city of Thenmis. Tall buildings, much like the pyramid in the center of the new town crumbled where they once towered. The golden-yellow blocks of marble cracked and worn down from the ravages of a long ago battle were everywhere. They marched along the rubble-strewn roads until they reached what must have been the center of town once. The remains of a statue of what must have been a tall man wearing a stag's antler hood and wolf skin clothing adorned the middle of the city's square.
"Thenmia." Lina stood and stared up at the worn down statue in silent wonder. The figure was missing the arms but from the stance it was clear that he'd once been drawing back a massive longbow, similar to the one Jade now carried. The quiver was also missing from the statue's back, Lina could see the carved lines that were intended to look like the straps for it.
"That's Jade's God?" Gourry asked, looking up at the statue's still surprisingly inspiring form.
"Yeah. Thenmia, God of the Hunt, he who loves pursuit and the thrill of the chase and who honors all who fall to him and treats their spirits with the utmost respect." Lina said, quoting some obscure text.
"Yes, and I do believe that you will be seeing him shortly." A familiar voice rang out from behind and above them.
The three whirled to see an old man in orange and green robes standing on the ridge above them.
"High Priest Belan?" Lina exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"Why, ransoming your friend of course." Belan told them. "I have her right here."
He picked up a small bundle next to him.
"Amelia!" Lina cried. The princess was bound and gagged with what looked to be some form of magical roping.
"I don't get it?" Zel said. "Why? You know that only Jade has the Scepter. We can't ransom anything!"
"True, but having the three of you as my captives as well, will make certain that Jade hands over the Scepter." Belan explained, "The God of the Hunt can forgive one causality during the chase but not four. She dare not risk his anger at losing four guests of her house."
"Gee, isn't that such a lovely sentiment?" Lina was at her sarcastic best. "Let me guess, you made up all that stuff about that other guy, what was his name?"
"Crallen." Belan supplied helpfully, amused at her reasoning.
"Right, you made up all that stuff about Crallen, knowing that Jade probably would believe you because she didn't like the guy anyway. So we'd blame him for this." Lina continued. "What I don't get it why reveal yourself now? If you can magically hold Amelia, and you must have put a strong sleep spell on me to have taken her without me knowing, then why not face us in an illusion of this Crallen guy's body so we'd be sure to think he's the bad guy?"
"There's no point. As an avatar of Thenmia, I can smell the true scent through any illusion the High Priest could cast." Jade's voice rang out from behind Lina and her friends.
They turned to see Jade standing, perched on top of the shoulder of her god's statue, bow drawn, string back, and a heavy armor-piercing arrow loaded.
"Jade! When did you get here?" Gourry asked, thrilled to see her.
"I've been here." Jade said. "Lina asked half the questions I wanted to, now you're going to answer mine."
"Why do you want the scepter so badly? You know what it means-what the Final Hunt is!"
"Do you realize just who you're talking to?" Belan raged. "I have been a faithful servant of Thenmia for over 150 years? I have used the magic of the Priests to extend my own life for all this time!"
Belan roared in full voice now, "I was the best of the best all those years ago! I should have been the chosen one! And then, after all these years of waiting, to have lost the position to someone else, unbearable! My years of faithful serving only to be denied again, and for a homely little slip of a girl, unforgivable!"
Jade never once wavered in her aim of the arrow. "I'm sorry you felt that way. I'm sorry I never realized that the man who raised me did so out of spite, and not love. I cannot change Thenmia's choice, but I can give you a reprieve if you left Amelia go. I shall not give you a chance beyond this one."
"Never, I want the Scepter! I want the Final Hunt! I will hunt Thenmia himself and make him pay for overlooking me." Belan was nearly inarticulate with his own rage. His words choked out of his throat.
Jade had no answer; she let her arrow fly.
It would have hit her mark dead in the forehead, if Belan hadn't repelled it with a magical shield.
Lina and her friends took that as their cue. Zel leapt after Belan charging his energy in his hand. Belan threw the gagged Amelia off the roof the building he was on. Gourry dove to catch her before she hit.
"Stone-Spiker!" Zel cast his spell into the ground. Huge stone spirals rose from the grounds, causing the earth to quake. Belan was cast from his perch. The Priest halted his fall with a levitation spell while casting out several fire arrows. Zel deflected them with a shield, keeping Gourry and Amelia safe as the swordsman tired to undo the magical bindings her restraints.
Lina cast a flare arrow at the Priest-Mage, only to have it meet a spell arrow of his own and bounce off each other.
"Damn! He's strong for an old man!" Lina cursed.
"Lina, I can't get the bindings off Amelia." Gourry called.
"Zel help him! I'll take care of this old fool." Lina ordered.
"Right!" Zel started working on a releasing spell while Gourry guarded the two.
Lina cast a fireball at Belan, which didn't touch him but did break the shielding he had around him.
Suddenly, Belan's forehead sprouted feathers.
"Huh?" Lina pulled her next attack back in surprise.
Jade stood behind her, still on the statue's shoulder. She lowered her bow and jumped down. Silently she walked to where Belan's body feel with her arrow embedded so far into his skull it stuck out the other side of his head. Kneeling besides his corpse, she closed his eyelids and broke the arrow in the front and back.
"Your friend should be fine now. Killing him should have broken his spell." Jade said softly.
"The bonds faded as soon as you hit him." Amelia said her voice subdued.
"I figured sooner or later he'd get so distracted fighting off your magical attacks that he'd forget to defend himself from non-magical ones." Jade said, almost too coldly.
Gourry placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you going to be all right? I mean that was the guy who raised you right? This must be really hard."
"To find out that the man you grew up loving and looking to for support and advice hated you the whole time? Not too hard." Jade turned and walked away from him, bitterness leaking in her voice.
"You just gonna leave the body?" Zel asked.
"You got a problem with that?" The hunter replied, walking towards the road out of the remnants of the old city.
Zel shrugged and he, Lina, and Amelia followed the other woman out of the ancient Thenmis.
At the edge of the new city of Thenmis, the bustling active city-state, Jade Aero halted her procession.
"This is where we say good-bye." Jade told them. "I am extremely sorry that you got caught up in all this."
She apologized to each one in turn, starting with Amelia.
"I'm not going back into the city. Take this," She handed a patch of fabric to Gourry, "It's my personal symbol and seal. It'll grant you free passage, your room and board will be taken care of while you stay here."
"But where are you going?" Gourry asked.
"It's clear that my first and most important duty right now is to make sure the Scepter of Thenmia is more secure and that it will never fall into the wrong hands." Jade answered, "It must fade from the memories of mortals so that something like this can never happen again."
She smiled weakly at him, nodded a good-bye to his friends and walked towards the forests in the south.
"Wow." Gourry whispered.
"That's as good a reaction to all of this as any." Zelgadis looked at Gourry, with speculation. So did Amelia.
"Well! She's only getting farther away, and I never did get to finish those ribs, so what do you say we have a platter of them on the Hunter?" Lina suggested unsuccessfully trying to pull the seal from Gourry's hand.
"I think that's good idea!" Gourry said, practically lifting Lina off the ground as he waved the seal in the air. "But, how are you gonna pay for your food?"
"With that seal she gave us! You fish brain!" Lina responded as she let Gourry drag her back into the city. Amelia and Zel had no choice but to sigh and follow.
"Funny thing, I do believe she gave it to me so that I could have free room and board, and now that I think about it, she only vouched for my character to the other priests, and she couldn't even remember you!" Gourry thought out loud.
As Jade entered the forest she sent out a mental summons. Within seconds she heard the steal-shod hooves of almost a ton and a half of dracorn trotting up to her. Jade Aero stood still, waiting for the massive beast to reach her.
"So, you went and had fun without me again?" The dracorn mare thought to her rider.
"I'm sorry, Ferocity. It really was supposed to be just a quiet visit home." Jade stroked the neck of her mare more to comfort herself then to quiet the steed. Ferocity being a dracorn, a half-dragon, half unicorn crossbred, didn't need much in the way of comforting. No sane being, mortal, supernatural or otherwise, ever challenged a beast that had the body of a winged unicorn and a dragon's hide and horns-not to mention flaming breath and the magical properties of both parent species. Jade and Ferocity shared a mental link as part of the odd partnership they'd struck up years before.
"Next time, you don't leave me behind. I don't care if I scare the locals. I'm staying with you." Ferocity maintained.
"We'll see about that. I can't very well go into a town to collect a bounty if they're all only going to hide in fear of you." Jade half- grinned.
"Do you want to talk about Belan?" Ferocity asked gently, feeling out her rider's mood. She knew Jade tended to wall herself up inside, not letting anyone close.
"No."
"Then how about that tall blonde with the long sword?" The mare teased, trying to pull Jade out of that blue funk.
"That's the most tilted statement I think I've ever heard!" Jade was shocked. "I'm just glad there are no small children around."
"Ah, then you do like him!"
"I do not!" Jade lapsed into the mental speech.
"You must! You avoided my question, and why else did you by his biography after you met him when you took in the Wolf Paw Gang? You must have been impressed with him to ask around, find out who he was, and by his biography- complete with pin-up." Ferocity was merciless in her teasing.
"Did you know that he had another copy of my biography?" Jade tried unsuccessfully to change the topic.
"Complete with pin-up?"
"Why yes, but."
The mare snickered; small shoots of flame escaping her nostrils. Jade shook her head and swung up into the saddle. Reining the dracorn around, Jade nudged Ferocity in the sides. The winged steed dutifully trotted in the direction her rider pointed her in.
"So who do you think is writing those things anyway?" The charger asked.
"I have not a clue." Jade stopped to consider something. "Perhaps we should make that anonymous author our next hunt?"
"Perhaps." Ferocity pretended to consider it. "Or perhaps we could turn around and hunt down that tall blonde?"
"Keep your nose out of it, horseface."
"You only call me that cause you love me."
"Don't make me hurt you."
The dracorn laughed, breathing fire on a few small, unsuspecting bushes.
Author: Glamourcat
Date: 5/12/01
Author's Notes: The Hunter Jade Aero, The God Thenmia, the Dracorn Ferocity, Crallen, and the Priest Belan are my own original creations as is the location of the city-state Jade is from. Everyone else belongs to the owners of the Slayers Series. This story takes place a few months after "And Her Measurements Are."
Summary: Gourry and his companions once again encounter Jade Aero, unfortunately for Amelia, this turns into a dire hunt.
The diminutive red haired woman stopped and sniffed the air of the city carefully. Her tall blonde male companion stopped and did the same.
"Gee Gourry, do you smell that?" Lina Inverse, self-proclaimed greatest sorceress in the whole world, asked.
"Yes, I definitely do." Gourry answered. "If my nose does not deceive me, that smells distinctly like."
"BARBECUED VENISON RIBS!" The two shouted in unison, trying to push the other out of the way in order to track down the source of that delicious smell first.
"Get back! They're mine!" Lina shoved him.
"No way, Lina! Those ribs were meant for me!" Gourry pushed back, pulling on Lina's hair in effort to get around her.
"I thought I recognized those voices!" A perky young woman's voice called to them through the crowd in the street.
"Huh?" Gourry and Lina froze, mid-shove, and looked behind them.
A young teenaged girl with short, bushy black hair, dressed all in white with pink and green accents stood behind them, waving wildly. A taller man dressed in off-white with purple hair and a sword buckled to his side stood behind her.
"Hey! Amelia, Zelgadis!" Gourry let go of Lina's hair, dropping her flat on her face. "What brings you two here?"
"I was looking for a cure and she decided I shouldn't go alone." Zelgadis sounded just a touch bitter about his young chaperone.
"Oh, come now, Mr. Zelgadis! You know what a great team we made hunting out truth and justice on our way here to the righteous city-state of Thenmis!" Amelia struck a pose with one hand in the air shaping the "Victory V."
Lina stood up, calmly brushed herself off, and hit Gourry on the head. Walking past the tall swordsman she joined Amelia and Zelgadis.
"So, Zel, you think there might be a cure for you here?" Lina asked.
"Yes, I do." Zelgadis looked around him for a moment. "Do you think we could go somewhere to talk? We seem to have attracted an audience."
"Oh, right." Lina blinked as she cast her gaze around her. A small crowd of townspeople had stopped what they were doing to stare at the strangers.
"Come on. I smelt some absolutely divine barbecue venison ribs coming from that inn over there." Lina pointed to the establishment. "We can eat and talk there."
Zel shrugged and followed Lina with Gourry and Amelia trailing behind.
Once comfortably ensconced at a table and served their food Lina got down to her questioning, in-between bites of course. "So what kind of cure do you think is in a back-water like this?"
"There's an artifact called the Scepter of Thenmia that's supposed to grant one wish to its barer. I was hoping to learn more about it and its nature." Zel answered. "And speaking of back-waters? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Lina knew about the Scepter too and wanted to see if she couldn't get it for herself." Gourry answered brightly.
"Jellyfish brain." Lina elbowed Gourry in the head.
"I see." Zelgadis rubbed his chin, looking at Lina cautiously. "Well, I doubt you're going to have much more luck then I did."
"What do you mean Zel?" Lina asked.
"We went to the Temple of Thenmia where the scepter is supposed to be housed but got turned back by the temple's priests." Amelia said.
"So? Why didn't you just blast your way in?" The redhead demanded.
"Miss Lina! That would be wrong." Amelia protested. "I could never be party to something that destroyed a beautiful temple dedicated to a god of good."
"Thenmia's hardly a God of goodness. He's just the God of the Hunt." Zelgadis told her in a condescending tone. "Thenmia tends to stay neutral unless something is done to offend him personally, only then will he take sides. And that could be the side of evil just as readily as the side of good."
"Huh?" Amelia blinked at him, blankly staring.
"Nevermind." Zel sighed, "Anyway, the temple is guarded by not just the regular priests but Priest-Mages as well. One on one I could have taken any of them, but with so many."
"Had you outnumbered huh?" Lina said sympathetically. "Well, maybe now that I'm here."
Lina never got a chance to finish that sentence.
"SHE'S HERE! SHE'S BACK! THE CHOSEN OF THENMIA!" A voice cried out from just outside the inn.
"What? The Chosen's come home?" The waiter dropped his platter and ran outside, followed by every native in the place.
"The who?" Lina asked. "What's all the fuss about?"
"Oh, put me down! This really isn't necessary, I swear, I can walk!" A woman's plaintive voice said from the street. "Really, I'd rather be on the ground!"
"Hey! I know that voice." Gourry stood up, knocking his chair over. "That's Jade Aero, The Hunter!"
He ran outside to gape with the rest of the crowd.
"Jade Aero? You mean you got to meet The Hunter?" Zelgadis' eyes went wide and he ran after Gourry.
"I don't get it. Who's the hunter?" Amelia asked.
"Some bounty hunter." Lina answered offhandedly as if this personage was no big deal.
"Let's go see her then." Amelia grabbed Lina and ran out of the inn as well.
Outside people packed shoulder-to-shoulder hoping to catch a glimpse of this person lined the street on either side.
"There she is!" Lina pointed her out to Amelia.
Really there was no reason to point. A woman, average in height, dressed in blue-green pants with a burnished orange tunic, a green poncho that had the emblem of a yellow evergreen tree, and a pair of orange-brown boots was being carried on the shoulders of two priestly figures, dressed in orange and green robes with that same yellow tree emblem on it. This woman was blonde with green eyes and carried a bow on her back and a quiver of arrows strapped to one thigh. She was also protesting being carried every step of the way.
"Hmmm.I had no idea that she was so important here. These people act like she's some sort of celebrity or something. Maybe I can use that." Lina thought before clearing her throat and stepping into the path of the two priestly men, waving one hand in the air. "Hey! Jade! Good to see you again!"
The two men carrying her stopped. Jade blinked in confusion.
"It's me. Lina Inverse! We met a couple months back when you captured some bandits that were attacking me and my friend." Lina expanded.
Jade continued to stare at her with complete incomprehension. "I'm sorry. But I really don't remember you."
"You caught the Wolf Paw Gang when they attacked me, remember?" Lina said, the air in her ego suddenly being deflated by Jade's unrecognition.
"No, I'm sorry, I don't. But then again, I catch a lot of bandits." Jade answered, trying to be pleasant to this strange little woman.
"Do you remember me? I was with Lina at the time." Gourry stepped from the crowd with Zelgadis right behind him.
"Gourry Gabriev! The famed swordsman and sworn bodyguard of the weak and helpless who is also the holder of Gorn Nova, the Sword of Light!" Jade defiantly remembered him, and for some reason she blushed. "I didn't realize that was you when I interfered and brought the Wolf Paw Gang in."
"That's okay! It was a pleasure getting to see a real professional at work."
"Um, High Priestess, do you know these people?" One of the men holding her up said.
"Oh! Um. I'll vouch for Gourry Gabriev's character, but I don't know any of the others really." Jade answered, "And could you please put me down now?"
"Absolutely out of the question Chosen One." The other man said. "We should get back to the Temple, High Priest Belan must be anxious to see you by now. Will your friends be coming with you?"
"Of course we are!" Lina said grabbing her friends and lining them up behind her.
"Um." Jade looked almost ready to contest Lina's assertion but Gourry's smile at her changed her mind. "Let's just go home, and will you please put me down?"
"Nonsense, Ultimate Hunter. We wouldn't hear of it." One of the priests said as they resumed walking through the cheering crowds with Lina and crew close on their heels.
Lina and her crew were led to the exact center of town, back to the Temple of Thenmia. The Temple of Thenmia, dedicated to the God of the Hunt, was a massive structure, standing close to three stories tall and spreading out over three-square blocks of ground it was surrounded by the buildings of the town. It had no visible grounds or gardens. Golden in color, the group could tell it was made out of huge quarried blocks, and much resembled a stepped pyramid.
The front of the giant temple had an iron gate guarded by two more priests in the same green and orange robes of the ones carrying Jade. When the two put Jade down on her feet in front of the gate, the two men guarding it stepped aside.
"Finally! I swear, all this pomp isn't needed." Jade told them, "I absolutely hate being hoisted through the air like I'm a piece of luggage."
"Forgive us, Chosen. We're just trying to show our respect." One of them answered.
"Then show your respect by listening to my wishes, friend." She spoke gently, laying a hand on his arm. Turning away from her escort she confronted the guards, "May your course be swift, brothers. Do I have free passage here?"
"Of course, Ultimate Hunter, you always do.but, your companions?" One of the sentries didn't quite know what to make of them.
"I can vouch for this man's character." Jade motioned to Gourry. "He is the keeper of the Sword of Light."
"And I can vouch for my friends!" Gourry piped up, the sun in his voice. "This is Lina, and that's Zelgadis, and this is Amelia-she's the Princess of Seyruun!"
"Really?" Jade narrowed her eyes and studied Amelia. "Now that you mention it, I have seen her before with the Crown Prince the last time I was in Seyruun to collect a bounty."
"Then that settles it, the friends of The Chosen One are permitted into the sacred temple of Thenmia." The sentry unlocked the gate and swung the door open.
"Follow me." Jade found herself pressed into the unlikely role of host. She entered the torch lit corridor with only the companions following. The other priests remained outside.
Their footsteps echoed in the eerie hallway, which was devoid of any and all decoration. Finally, the passage opened up into a vast amphitheatre. They stood on a balcony overlooking a small forest in the middle of the temple.
"Wow. It's so beautiful." Amelia clasped her hands together and stared out at the treetops, starry eyed.
Jade smiled at the younger woman, "If you've seen one forest you've seen them all. But you're right; this is one of the most beautiful. Thenmia himself blesses this small wood with eternal life and health. It is the place where he communes with those he chooses for his personal servants."
"Hey, speaking of personal servants and being chosen," Lina broached the subject. "Why were all those people going nuts when they saw you? And those men kept calling you by so many different titles. What was up with that?"
"She is The Hunter, my dear. With that title comes all others and the responsibility such titles shoulder." A new voice, belonging to an elderly man joined them.
The group turned to the left to see a man whose hair and beard had gone quite white with age. He wore robes that were solid green with orange sleeves and carried a walking stick.
"Belan!" Jade cried out and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. The sudden emotional outburst from this previously cold figure took Lina by surprise.
"Ah, daughter of my heart. It does me good to see you again. You've been gone far to long." Belan returned her embrace.
They pulled apart, and she held onto his hands. "It's only been five years. Not that long really."
Before he could answer Zelgadis politely cleared his throat to remind Jade that they were there.
"Oh, Belan. I'd like you to meet someone." Jade linked her arm through the old man's. "This is Gourry Gabriev, the swordsman who possesses the sword of light."
"Hi there!" Gourry said brightly.
"Most welcome young man." Belan said.
"And this young lady says she's the Princess Amelia of Seyruun." Jade motioned to the black haired girl.
"Pleased to meet you most honored sir." Amelia dipped in a small court curtsey.
"And the other two?" Belan prompted.
"I have no idea who they are." Jade said.
Lina fell over in disbelief that Jade had forgotten her again.
"I'm called Zelgadis." The mystic swordsman introduced himself.
"And I'm Lina Inverse!" Lina stood back up and presented herself. "I'm sure you must have heard of me."
Jade stopped and thought for a while. "Nope."
"Ah, I think I have, you're the Dragon Spooker, right? The sorceress so repulsive that dragons run from you rather then fight!" Belan said.
Lina fell over again.
"Well, shall we take your friends somewhere to talk and so we can catch up on things, my heart daughter?" Belan said.
"Of course." Jade said. "Follow me please."
She turned, still walking arm-in-arm with the old man and led the companions to a large room with a table and chairs set up for dining.
Priests in training, dressed entirely in dark orange, served them food and drink.
After Lina and Gourry ate an alarming amount of food, the small woman resumed her questioning.
"So, you never answered my question before. Who are you really, and why do you have all those titles. You're obviously someone important around here, but you're not nobility-I've seen the King and Queen of Thenmis."
"Well, to understand that you have to understand how and why this state exists." Jade took a sip of water and continued. "In the time after the war of the monster's fall, even though the war was officially over, there was still bad blood and hefty grudges between various members of the monster, dragon, and god races. My God Thenmia, the God of the Hunt knew that there were refugees from this war that fled here to the mortal plan. He knew that these refugees shouldn't be allowed to remain here least they gain control over the mortal populations and start wars here."
"That would have been devastating." Zelgadis said. "The land went through enough as it was and it still took centuries for earth to recover."
"Exactly," Belan took up the tale. "Thenmia knew that while he couldn't track down these beings in exile himself, because that would be a violation of a treaty he signed with the Monster race. So he chose an avatar, a person who embodied the traits of the hunter that he was himself, and enhanced that mortal's own natural skills making the man an unbeatable tracker."
"And so that avatar Thenmia created tracked down all those who fled from the battlefields of the war of the monster's fall and punished them." Jade said, "And it did not matter whose side the cowards had been on, all were brought in."
"Every hundred years or so, Thenmia would choose a new person to be his avatar. This person is always known as The Ultimate Hunter. Though to people outside the city-state of Thenmis that title just got shortened to The Hunter." Belan picked up. "For a while we went through a dry period I guess you could call it. We haven't had an Ultimate Hunter in almost 300 years, that is before Jade was chosen."
The group of travelers looked back to Jade with a new look in their eyes. Lina and Zelgadis were re-evaluating her, Amelia had gone goggled eyed at the prospect of knowing someone God-touched, and Gourry-well, Gourry had pulled another copy of Jade's biography out and was comparing her pin-up with the real thing.
"What the?" Jade recognized the book. "HOW DARE YOU! I thought I burned that!"
"He bought another one a few towns back." Lina said casually.
Jade stood, unslung her bow, pulled a fire arrow out of her quiver, lit it, and aimed at Gourry. Zelgadis wisely ducked under the table, being the one sitting on Gourry's other side.
Jade let the arrow fly and it hit the cover of Gourry's book with a solid thunk, and in a second the book was engulfed in flames.
"Aw, that was my second copy." Gourry moped.
"Well make sure it's your last." Jade growled. "I swear when I catch the idiot who wrote that."
Zelgadis crawled back out from under the table. "Forgive me but I would like to ask you a few more questions."
"I'll answer what I can." Jade said, swinging the bow back over her shoulder and sitting back down.
"I'll be honest, I came here looking for the Scepter of Thenmia. What do you know about it? Does it really have the power to grant one wish?"
"The Scepter?" Jade seemed surprised, "That old thing? It's extremely dangerous. Thenmia imbued it with the ability to grant the wish for The Final Hunt."
"Final Hunt?" Lina repeated.
"Stop and think about it for a minute." Jade said calmly.
"You don't mean.death?" Lina whispered. "The wish it grants is death?"
Jade said nothing, just looked down at her glass. "It's been in my care since Thenmia chose me as his avatar. I won't even bring it into cities with me when I enter them. I can't take the risk of it falling into the wrong hands. Most people don't know what it can really do; they have a confused view of its power."
"Something happened not too long ago that almost drove this temple to split its people in two and all because of the Scepter." Belan said.
"When was this?" Jade asked, worried.
"About two years ago. Do you remember Crallen?"
She shuddered.
"I see that you do. We caught him trying to get into the enchanted wood." Belan told her.
"Was he mad? I'm the only one who can enter the wood to commune with Thenmia-and that's only because he continues to want me as his avatar!" Jade was astonished.
"He was most certainly mad. Crallen convinced himself that the Scepter was hidden in the wood and he was determined to get it-and the wish for himself." Belan explained, "We banished him. Haven't seen hide or hair of him since."
"May I ask you a question?" Jade said to Zelgadis.
"Of course."
"Why did you want the Scepter?"
He blushed and looked down at his coffee cup. "I was hoping it could grant me a wish and turn my body back into a normal human's body."
"It's just as well I didn't bring it with me this time. The temptation to use the Scepter is great. It's been god-touched, and it's only Thenmia's will that keeps me from miss-using it." Jade said. "If I had it with me, none of you would be able to resist it. You'd be trying to take it and use it-with unexpected and defiantly undesired effects."
"Where is it now?" Belan asked.
"I left it on my steed, out in the forest."
"Are you sure it's such a good idea to leave it out there like that? Just tied to your horse?"
"I wouldn't really call her a horse. And trust me, Belan, it's in the safest hands.hooves.it could be." Jade said, looking directly at the old man.
"Well, we've talked and eaten and no doubt the sun's gone down by now." Belan said. "You must be tired. We will offer you hospitality for the night. Jade they are your guests, would you please show them to proper rooms?"
"Of course, Belan." She stood and motioned to the door. "This way."
Belan stood as well. And walked to the door ahead of the younger folk, leaning heavily on his walking stick. Jade's eyes narrowed as she followed him out of the room with her gaze.
The Hunter put Gourry and Zelgadis into one room, next to her own, and Lina and Amelia in the room on the other side of hers. Custom dictated that since they were her guests, she must be available to them to see to their comfort.
She settled into her own room, and snuggled down into the covers of the first real bed she'd slept in for months. But, the Hunter couldn't sleep. She lay, staring at the ceiling. Jade hated playing hostess but still couldn't really figure out how she'd wound up in this spot in the first place. And there was something wrong with Belan. She didn't realize how much he'd aged in five years. She was concerned for the man who'd raised her after her parents gave her to the temple for training. She wondered.
Her train of thought derailed as sleep found her.
The next morning Jade yawned, stretched, put her robe on over her nightgown and went to check on her guests. After the dinner she'd feed them last night she was worried about having enough food for breakfast.
The blonde woman was about to knock on Lina and Amelia's door when it was flung open.
"SHE'S GONE!" Lina came flying out of the room, knocking Jade to the ground.
"HEY! YOU STUPID COW!" Jade shouted, rubbing her sore rear from where she landed. "Who's gone? And why don't you watch where you're going?"
"Oh, Jade, I'm sorry. It's just that Amelia's missing!" Lina said.
"She might have just gone back to the dining room for something to eat you know." Jade said bitterly, still nursing her bruises from the floor.
"Not likely. I found this!" Lina brandished a piece of paper.
Before Jade could take the paper from her the boys tumbled sleepily from their room into the hallway, still dressed in their pajamas.
"What's all the racket.out.here?" Gourry rubbed his eyes to chase away the last vestiges of sleep and froze in place. "Wow. What a beautiful dream!"
"Huh?" Lina followed his gaze and realized he was staring at Jade's low- cut and high-hemmed nightie, her robe having fallen open when Lina pushed her.
Lina looked back to the guys to see Zelgadis to see him staring at her own body, dressed in a similar skimpy nightgown. "What a horrible nightmare."
"You pervert!" Jade and Lina shouted, joining forces just this once. Jade covered herself with her robe and stood up.
"Now what is all this about, Lina?" The Hunter spoke sternly to the other woman, trying to ignore the bright red blush spreading across her cheeks.
"I woke up this morning and Amelia was gone!" Lina explained. "In her place was this note!"
The sorceress turned the slip of paper over to her host.
"If you want the princess back, you'll have to supply a princely ransom. Bring the Scepter of Thenmia to the cities' ruins today at noon." Jade read. She flipped the paper over and then back again, "There's no signature."
"Amelia's been kidnapped?" Zelgadis said, "Who'd want her? Uh.I mean, how awful!"
"We've got to find out who took her and get her back." Lina shouted. "Right Gourry?"
Lina had been striking a heroic pose, but when no answer came from her swordsman partner she turned back to him. "Gourry? Hey! What's wrong with you squid for brains?"
Gourry was still standing frozen; eyes goggled, staring in Jade's direction. The Hunter blushed deeper then before and retreated into her bedroom saying that she was going to change into her clothes.
Zelgadis waved his hand in front of his friend's unmoving face a few times before giving up and just taking him by the collar. Zel dragged the bigger man back into their room.
"We're getting dressed too, we can't go after Amelia in our nightclothes." He told Lina, who scampered back into her own room to change.
When the companions knocked on Jade's door, after they'd changed into their traveling clothes, they found no answer.
Lina tentatively opened the door, mindful of what happened to Gourry the last time he saw the Hunter in her nightclothes. She peaked around the corner of the door only to be surprised.
"Hey! It's empty. There's no one here, and all her stuff's gone. The bow and the quiver and everything!" Lina exclaimed.
"Your friend was Hunter's guest, and kidnapped while in her care." An old voice spoke behind them. "Therefore the Hunter felt it was her responsibility to track down the person involved. She's already left, no doubt hot on the trail."
"High Priest Belan!" Lina turned to face the man. "Did she say anything about where she was going?"
"Who knows where the hunt takes her? Rest assured though, no matter what trail or method of travel the villain took, Jade Aero is right behind, dogging the blackard's steps." Belan said before turning away from them, "There is food in the dining room you were in last night. Help yourselves."
"Excuse me," Zelgadis stopped the old man from walking away. "But the ransom note said to meet in the city's ruins. Where in Thenmis are these ruins?"
"Oh those, they're not in the city. The original city of Thenmis was straight northwest of here up in the mountains," Belan said. "Thenmis is an ancient city, the original was destroyed during the War of the Monster's Fall, and this city was built here in the foothills afterward."
"Thank you sir." Zelgadis said. Belan eyed him thoughtfully, nodded, and then left them to their own means.
"So do you think we should try to track Jade or should we set right out to the ruins?" Gourry asked.
"Hmmm.I'm not all sure that we could catch up to Jade now. She is supposed to be the Ultimate Hunter, and she's a god's avatar besides." Zelgadis rubbed his chin as he speculated. "Eventually, whatever trail she's following is going to have to lead her to the ruins anyway since that's where the kidnapper said he'd make the trade for the Scepter."
"Right," Lina slammed her fist into her other palm. "Then it's settled. We'll go to the ruins. Right after breakfast!"
"Lina!" Zel exclaimed.
"Well, look at it this way, Jade might catch this guy, rescue Amelia and be back before we leave. Or we can eat a good breakfast and have the strength to fight this guy at the ruins of the old city at noon, and we're defiantly going to have to fight, since we don't have the scepter and we don't even know where to being looking for it." Lina shrugged.
Zelgadis sighed. "Fine then."
"I don't know. Do you think that we should be leaving Jade and Amelia out there by themselves?" Gourry asked.
"They can take care of themselves pretty well I think." Lina reassured him, "And even if Amelia's tied up she should be able to manage some sort of spell to make things uncomfortable for her captor."
Gourry sighed but followed her and Zelgadis to the dining room.
Ten minutes before noon found the three tired, dusty, and thirsty as they entered the ruin of the old city of Thenmis. Tall buildings, much like the pyramid in the center of the new town crumbled where they once towered. The golden-yellow blocks of marble cracked and worn down from the ravages of a long ago battle were everywhere. They marched along the rubble-strewn roads until they reached what must have been the center of town once. The remains of a statue of what must have been a tall man wearing a stag's antler hood and wolf skin clothing adorned the middle of the city's square.
"Thenmia." Lina stood and stared up at the worn down statue in silent wonder. The figure was missing the arms but from the stance it was clear that he'd once been drawing back a massive longbow, similar to the one Jade now carried. The quiver was also missing from the statue's back, Lina could see the carved lines that were intended to look like the straps for it.
"That's Jade's God?" Gourry asked, looking up at the statue's still surprisingly inspiring form.
"Yeah. Thenmia, God of the Hunt, he who loves pursuit and the thrill of the chase and who honors all who fall to him and treats their spirits with the utmost respect." Lina said, quoting some obscure text.
"Yes, and I do believe that you will be seeing him shortly." A familiar voice rang out from behind and above them.
The three whirled to see an old man in orange and green robes standing on the ridge above them.
"High Priest Belan?" Lina exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"Why, ransoming your friend of course." Belan told them. "I have her right here."
He picked up a small bundle next to him.
"Amelia!" Lina cried. The princess was bound and gagged with what looked to be some form of magical roping.
"I don't get it?" Zel said. "Why? You know that only Jade has the Scepter. We can't ransom anything!"
"True, but having the three of you as my captives as well, will make certain that Jade hands over the Scepter." Belan explained, "The God of the Hunt can forgive one causality during the chase but not four. She dare not risk his anger at losing four guests of her house."
"Gee, isn't that such a lovely sentiment?" Lina was at her sarcastic best. "Let me guess, you made up all that stuff about that other guy, what was his name?"
"Crallen." Belan supplied helpfully, amused at her reasoning.
"Right, you made up all that stuff about Crallen, knowing that Jade probably would believe you because she didn't like the guy anyway. So we'd blame him for this." Lina continued. "What I don't get it why reveal yourself now? If you can magically hold Amelia, and you must have put a strong sleep spell on me to have taken her without me knowing, then why not face us in an illusion of this Crallen guy's body so we'd be sure to think he's the bad guy?"
"There's no point. As an avatar of Thenmia, I can smell the true scent through any illusion the High Priest could cast." Jade's voice rang out from behind Lina and her friends.
They turned to see Jade standing, perched on top of the shoulder of her god's statue, bow drawn, string back, and a heavy armor-piercing arrow loaded.
"Jade! When did you get here?" Gourry asked, thrilled to see her.
"I've been here." Jade said. "Lina asked half the questions I wanted to, now you're going to answer mine."
"Why do you want the scepter so badly? You know what it means-what the Final Hunt is!"
"Do you realize just who you're talking to?" Belan raged. "I have been a faithful servant of Thenmia for over 150 years? I have used the magic of the Priests to extend my own life for all this time!"
Belan roared in full voice now, "I was the best of the best all those years ago! I should have been the chosen one! And then, after all these years of waiting, to have lost the position to someone else, unbearable! My years of faithful serving only to be denied again, and for a homely little slip of a girl, unforgivable!"
Jade never once wavered in her aim of the arrow. "I'm sorry you felt that way. I'm sorry I never realized that the man who raised me did so out of spite, and not love. I cannot change Thenmia's choice, but I can give you a reprieve if you left Amelia go. I shall not give you a chance beyond this one."
"Never, I want the Scepter! I want the Final Hunt! I will hunt Thenmia himself and make him pay for overlooking me." Belan was nearly inarticulate with his own rage. His words choked out of his throat.
Jade had no answer; she let her arrow fly.
It would have hit her mark dead in the forehead, if Belan hadn't repelled it with a magical shield.
Lina and her friends took that as their cue. Zel leapt after Belan charging his energy in his hand. Belan threw the gagged Amelia off the roof the building he was on. Gourry dove to catch her before she hit.
"Stone-Spiker!" Zel cast his spell into the ground. Huge stone spirals rose from the grounds, causing the earth to quake. Belan was cast from his perch. The Priest halted his fall with a levitation spell while casting out several fire arrows. Zel deflected them with a shield, keeping Gourry and Amelia safe as the swordsman tired to undo the magical bindings her restraints.
Lina cast a flare arrow at the Priest-Mage, only to have it meet a spell arrow of his own and bounce off each other.
"Damn! He's strong for an old man!" Lina cursed.
"Lina, I can't get the bindings off Amelia." Gourry called.
"Zel help him! I'll take care of this old fool." Lina ordered.
"Right!" Zel started working on a releasing spell while Gourry guarded the two.
Lina cast a fireball at Belan, which didn't touch him but did break the shielding he had around him.
Suddenly, Belan's forehead sprouted feathers.
"Huh?" Lina pulled her next attack back in surprise.
Jade stood behind her, still on the statue's shoulder. She lowered her bow and jumped down. Silently she walked to where Belan's body feel with her arrow embedded so far into his skull it stuck out the other side of his head. Kneeling besides his corpse, she closed his eyelids and broke the arrow in the front and back.
"Your friend should be fine now. Killing him should have broken his spell." Jade said softly.
"The bonds faded as soon as you hit him." Amelia said her voice subdued.
"I figured sooner or later he'd get so distracted fighting off your magical attacks that he'd forget to defend himself from non-magical ones." Jade said, almost too coldly.
Gourry placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you going to be all right? I mean that was the guy who raised you right? This must be really hard."
"To find out that the man you grew up loving and looking to for support and advice hated you the whole time? Not too hard." Jade turned and walked away from him, bitterness leaking in her voice.
"You just gonna leave the body?" Zel asked.
"You got a problem with that?" The hunter replied, walking towards the road out of the remnants of the old city.
Zel shrugged and he, Lina, and Amelia followed the other woman out of the ancient Thenmis.
At the edge of the new city of Thenmis, the bustling active city-state, Jade Aero halted her procession.
"This is where we say good-bye." Jade told them. "I am extremely sorry that you got caught up in all this."
She apologized to each one in turn, starting with Amelia.
"I'm not going back into the city. Take this," She handed a patch of fabric to Gourry, "It's my personal symbol and seal. It'll grant you free passage, your room and board will be taken care of while you stay here."
"But where are you going?" Gourry asked.
"It's clear that my first and most important duty right now is to make sure the Scepter of Thenmia is more secure and that it will never fall into the wrong hands." Jade answered, "It must fade from the memories of mortals so that something like this can never happen again."
She smiled weakly at him, nodded a good-bye to his friends and walked towards the forests in the south.
"Wow." Gourry whispered.
"That's as good a reaction to all of this as any." Zelgadis looked at Gourry, with speculation. So did Amelia.
"Well! She's only getting farther away, and I never did get to finish those ribs, so what do you say we have a platter of them on the Hunter?" Lina suggested unsuccessfully trying to pull the seal from Gourry's hand.
"I think that's good idea!" Gourry said, practically lifting Lina off the ground as he waved the seal in the air. "But, how are you gonna pay for your food?"
"With that seal she gave us! You fish brain!" Lina responded as she let Gourry drag her back into the city. Amelia and Zel had no choice but to sigh and follow.
"Funny thing, I do believe she gave it to me so that I could have free room and board, and now that I think about it, she only vouched for my character to the other priests, and she couldn't even remember you!" Gourry thought out loud.
As Jade entered the forest she sent out a mental summons. Within seconds she heard the steal-shod hooves of almost a ton and a half of dracorn trotting up to her. Jade Aero stood still, waiting for the massive beast to reach her.
"So, you went and had fun without me again?" The dracorn mare thought to her rider.
"I'm sorry, Ferocity. It really was supposed to be just a quiet visit home." Jade stroked the neck of her mare more to comfort herself then to quiet the steed. Ferocity being a dracorn, a half-dragon, half unicorn crossbred, didn't need much in the way of comforting. No sane being, mortal, supernatural or otherwise, ever challenged a beast that had the body of a winged unicorn and a dragon's hide and horns-not to mention flaming breath and the magical properties of both parent species. Jade and Ferocity shared a mental link as part of the odd partnership they'd struck up years before.
"Next time, you don't leave me behind. I don't care if I scare the locals. I'm staying with you." Ferocity maintained.
"We'll see about that. I can't very well go into a town to collect a bounty if they're all only going to hide in fear of you." Jade half- grinned.
"Do you want to talk about Belan?" Ferocity asked gently, feeling out her rider's mood. She knew Jade tended to wall herself up inside, not letting anyone close.
"No."
"Then how about that tall blonde with the long sword?" The mare teased, trying to pull Jade out of that blue funk.
"That's the most tilted statement I think I've ever heard!" Jade was shocked. "I'm just glad there are no small children around."
"Ah, then you do like him!"
"I do not!" Jade lapsed into the mental speech.
"You must! You avoided my question, and why else did you by his biography after you met him when you took in the Wolf Paw Gang? You must have been impressed with him to ask around, find out who he was, and by his biography- complete with pin-up." Ferocity was merciless in her teasing.
"Did you know that he had another copy of my biography?" Jade tried unsuccessfully to change the topic.
"Complete with pin-up?"
"Why yes, but."
The mare snickered; small shoots of flame escaping her nostrils. Jade shook her head and swung up into the saddle. Reining the dracorn around, Jade nudged Ferocity in the sides. The winged steed dutifully trotted in the direction her rider pointed her in.
"So who do you think is writing those things anyway?" The charger asked.
"I have not a clue." Jade stopped to consider something. "Perhaps we should make that anonymous author our next hunt?"
"Perhaps." Ferocity pretended to consider it. "Or perhaps we could turn around and hunt down that tall blonde?"
"Keep your nose out of it, horseface."
"You only call me that cause you love me."
"Don't make me hurt you."
The dracorn laughed, breathing fire on a few small, unsuspecting bushes.