Slayers is the property of Kadokawa Shoten.
GOURRY: Gourry Gabriev here! It's my turn to do the introduction….since Zelgadis took
off…and Sylphiel went with him….and Amelia followed them…..and Lina's in the
bathroom…. Anyway! Lina and I are on the road to Dorosland! But…I think she might be
sick… She's been acting funny lately…
LINA: Gourry? Why are you looking at that woman over there?
GOURRY: Um…No reason… See what I mean? To make matters worse, I think we're
being followed. Yareyare…We just can't seem to catch a break!
Faces: After!
Part 5
Ambushed!
More Villains?!
"I can't believe they'd go and do this!" Lina remarked as she read the letter again.
"First Zelgadis decides to run off, and you just KNOW that Sylphiel took off after him, and
now Amelia too!?" She looked across the table at the blonde swordsman. "I'm surprised
YOU'RE still here!"
Gourry paused, his forkful of pancakes only an inch from his mouth. "Why would I
go?" he asked in puzzlement.
Lina sighed. "Dammit, I never did talk to Amelia. I guess she's going to find out
the hard way." She looked up and saw Gourry open his mouth for a question. "And don't
ask! I don't wanna talk about it right now!" Gourry closed his mouth again. "I guess we'll
just meet them in Dorosland and fireball them when they get there…"
"Cheer up, Lina!" Gourry cried. "It'll be just like old times!"
The redhead blinked and actually chuckled at this. "Yeah, I guess you're right.
We've been a group for so long, I almost forgot that you and I used to travel alone." She
looked up at him and smiled. It had been ages ago, and a lot had changed since then.
She reached out suddenly and snagged three of his hotcakes off his plate, ramming
them into her mouth and chewing quickly before the hapless swordsman was even aware
that a large part of his breakfast was missing!
"Hey!" Gourry cried.
But not EVERYTHING…
What amazed Lina Inverse that morning wasn't the sudden disappearance of her
friends, or that it rained suddenly as they were leaving Atlas City; it was the silence that
suddenly seemed to fall over them. She suddenly found herself without Amelia's bubbly
speeches or Zelgadis' sighs, or Sylphiel's almost maternal reminders.
It was just her and Gourry.
Her and Gourry…
Alone…
On the road…
Her and Gourry…
(Yeah, I get it!) she shouted at her mind. (I'm all alone with Gourry! Thanks for
the reminder!)
(Well, I was only trying to help…)
She looked over at the mercenary. So much had happened between them over the
last few years, it was hard to believe.
(How many times have I come close to losing you?) she thought.
She blinked and grit her teeth.
(CUT THAT OUT!!) she ordered her brain. (Okay, yes, I admit it, Gourry and I
are close…) She sighed. They WERE close, closer than anyone she'd ever known.
(Dammit! Why are THESE thoughts coming up all of a sudden!?)
(Heh…Must be Spring…)
She looked up at him again. Maybe she should…
(What?! Huh?! What?!) she asked the "stupid" part of her brain.
(Well…It's just that this might be the only time you have alone together for a very
long time, and if you WERE to say something to him about…)
She blinked as a tiny Xellos appeared on her left shoulder. "Now, now, Lina chan.
Surely you aren't…FALLING…for Mister Gourry now, are you?"
A tiny Filia appeared on her right shoulder. "Can it, namagomi! I think it's sweet!"
"You would," Xellos commented in a mumble.
"Miss Lina's feelings for Mister Gourry are good and pure!" Filia cried. She
suddenly pointed her mace at Xellos. "And don't you dare try to pollute it with your lustful
filth!"
"Oh my!" Xellos cried. "Filia san said 'lustful!'" He grinned. "I think the world
may be coming to an end!"
The tiny Filia blushed, but rallied. "My vocabulary is not the issue here! What is
the issue is how Miss Lina feels about Mister Gourry!"
"And I say she should say something!" Xellos countered.
"And I say…" She stopped and blinked. "The same thing…"
Both tiny people blinked. Filia scratched her head. "God damn," she muttered in
amazement.
Lina sighed. Filia and Xellos, even if just in her mind, agreeing on something…
The world was definitely coming to an end…
The town of Namor rested between Atlas and Dorosland, and made a perfect
stopping off point for the night. The town wasn't much, but it did sport one thing that
Gourry was thankful for the next morning.
A weapons shop.
"I'm going to see if this magic shop has anything worth my time," Lina told him,
chucking a thumb at the store behind her.
He nodded. "I need to get my sword sharpened anyway and see about getting a new
whetstone."
The redhead nodded and turned, heading into the mystic's shop. Gourry stood there
for a moment, lost in thought. Lina had been acting…odd lately, ever since they left Atlas
City. She was looking at him a lot, and…
He gasped as he realized it.
She hadn't smacked him with a slipper in two days!
The swordsman rubbed his chin in contemplation. There was definitely something
wrong with the woman calling herself Lina Inverse…
In Gourry-like fashion, he shrugged it off a moment later and went into the weapons
shop. Swords and spears of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. The merchant behind the
counter was yawning as a man in front of him spoke, gesturing wildly with his sword.
"So then, I took down three of them with a mighty swing from Razor Blade!" the
youth announced. "But then the sorceress harlots started using their magic, and I…
"Look, kid," the merchant said, "All I asked was 'what do you want?' Now
then…for the LAST time…What do you want?"
"Oh," the boy said sheepishly. "I'd like the strap on my sheathe repaired." He put
the scabbard on the counter.
"Fine, three goldpieces," the merchant told him. He looked up at Gourry and
nodded in greeting. "Be with you in a minute, sir."
"That's no problem," Gourry said with a wave. "I have time."
The merchant went into the back, leaving the two swordsmen alone in the shop.
The youth looked over at Gourry. Gourry looked back. Finally, one of them dared to break
the silence.
"I like swords," the youth announced.
Gourry blinked and smiled. "Really? Me too."
The youth responded by putting his blade on the counter. "This is Razor Blade!
The sword I used to defeat a slew of evil copii sorceresses!"
Gourry drew his own blade and rested it next to Razor Blade. "Heh, this is mine.
It doesn't have a name or anything yet. I just got it recently."
"Hey, that's nice!" the youth said in admiration. "May I?"
"Yeah, sure," the mercenary offered. The boy picked up the sword and made a
few slashes in the air.
The merchant returned a second later and placed the repaired scabbard on the
countertop. Jeffrey returned Gourry's sword to him and paid the bill.
"So what brings you out here?" Gourry asked.
"Oh, well we're looking for a sorceress named…"
Before he could finish, a dark-haired woman stuck her head through the door.
"JEFFREY! We're leaving! Get a move on!"
The boy jumped. "Um…Yes, Ma'am!" he called back. The angry woman's head
disappeared. He turned back to Gourry and rolled his eyes. "Sorceresses…"
"Yeah, tell me about it," the blonde replied with a nod. "It was nice meeting
you…er…Jeffrey?"
"Yeah, you too!" the boy called back, running towards the door.
Gourry smiled and turned back to the shopkeep. He quickly explained that he
wanted the blade on his sword sharpened and asked about a whetstone. The merchant
nodded and took his sword into the back. The mercenary settled himself in to wait.
He was admiring a set of daggers behind the counter when the shop's doorbell
clanged, announcing the arrival of a new customer. He didn't bother turning until that
customer was at the counter, standing next to him. Looking to his left, he blinked in
surprise.
A rather attractive woman stood there, leaning on the countertop. She was tall, just
a bit shorter than he was, with long, brown hair that reached down to the small of her back,
tied in a tight ponytail. She wore a set of tight, leather armor that, while adequately
covering and protecting her, left very little to the imagination and showed anyone who
bothered to look that the woman was rather well endowed. Gourry found himself staring at
her.
She seemed to sense his stare and turned to him. Her aquamarine eyes gave him a
once over before allowing her to smile. "Hi there," she said, turning around and casually
resting her back against the counter.
"H..hi," he said.
She sensed his nervousness, and her smile widened. "Long cruise, sailor?" she
asked, stretching, arching her back.
Gourry gulped. "Um…What?"
"You look like you haven't seen a woman in months," she commented. "Or do you
just stare at EVERY woman like that?"
"Oh! Sorry!" he said sheepishly.
She winked and turned back to the counter. "Hey!" she called out. "I'm kind of in
a hurry!"
"I'm busy," the merchant called out.
"Oh, go ahead and take care of her first," Gourry called. "She's in a hurry."
"And they say chivalry is dead," the woman remarked, smiling at him. The
shopkeep came out of the back and asked what she wanted. The woman drew a wicked-
looking dagger and placed it on the counter in front of her. "The hilt was damaged in a
little scuffle I had not long ago. I need it repaired."
"Two day job," the merchant remarked, examining the weapon.
"Shit," the woman muttered. "Fine." She dug into her pouch. "How much?"
The merchant named his price, and she met the deposit, placing several gold coins
on the table. She turned and started for the door.
"Nice meeting you, blondie," she called over her shoulder at Gourry.
"Um…Nice meeting you too," he replied.
"Hey, lady!" the merchant called. "I need a name so I know who this belongs to!"
The woman opened the door and stopped, turning to him. "Greysword," she told
him. She turned and started out, almost bumping into Lina as she went. "Excuse me," she
said quickly, staring at Lina.
Lina blinked. "Something wrong?" she asked, a little defensively.
"No," the woman told her. "Just thought I knew you for a second." With that, she
continued outside. Lina shrugged and started toward the counter.
"Did you see the rack on that one?" the merchant asked Gourry, still staring at the
door.
Gourry only nodded.
"What about that ass?"
"No, I missed it!" the blonde told him sarcastically.
"Damn, why can't more girls like HER come in here?"
"What's going on?" Lina asked, blinking, stepping up to the counter.
"Bah!" the merchant cried, waving Lina away. The redhead only blinked.
"C'mon, Gourry, this town's magic shop only had cheap, bootleg crystals. Let's get
going."
"O…kay," he replied, still staring at the door.
"Hey, kid," the merchant said, placing his sword and a new whetstone on the
counter. "I know she was hot, but come on…reel your tongue back in."
"HUH?!" Gourry cried, blinking in confusion.
Lina stood by and fumed.
The woman lingered by the door for a few moments more, listening as the redhead
berated the blond man inside. It didn't take long for the mercenary to cry her name in an
effort to get her to stop.
"Ack! Ow! Hey! Lina! Quit!"
"Thank you, blondie," the woman muttered before starting down the road.
"Oi, Lina? Lina? What's wrong?"
Marching out ahead of him, Lina didn't even bother to turn to Gourry. She just
continued to stalk out in front of him, fuming.
"C'mon, Lina! You've been acting weird all day! Now all of a sudden, you're
acting like you're mad at me or something!"
"It's nothing," she bit out, continuing to march.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, of course not," she replied bitterly. "Since when is ogling some sword-toting
harlot wrong?" The sarcasm dripped from her lips like drool from a dragon's jowls.
"Then why are you mad?" he asked, totally missing her subtle hint. "Oh!" he
cried. "I get it! It's that time of the month!"
"FIREBALL!!!"
The explosion could be seen from a mile away even if one WASN'T looking for it.
Greysword lowered the fieldglasses and nodded at the cloud of black smoke rising
from forest up ahead. "And I thought this was going to be hard."
"Don't get arrogant," a voice from her right warned her. She turned and found a
man in red robes phase into reality next to her. "Underestimate either of them, and you
won't draw breath long enough to regret it."
"What are you doing here?" she asked, peering through the glasses again. "I
thought you were further north checking out another lead."
He cleared his throat in annoyance and muttered something she couldn't make out.
Something about, "Damn shadows…"
"If you're here to help," she said casually, "You can do it by doing the talking. You
got that creepy, respectable thing going for you."
"Very well. What kind of support do we have?"
"Four berserkers," she told him.
He chuckled. "Arrogance indeed."
"Let's get on with it," she said, tossing the fieldglasses to him. He caught them
easily and vanished.
Gourry stood blinking in shock. The ground around him was charred black except
for the tiny space he was standing on. "Um…"
Lina growled and turned away again. "Dammit, I forgot," she hissed. "That sword
of yours blocks offensive magic…"
"Wow…I guess that'll come in handy," he said, scratching his head. "Huh, Lina?"
he chuckled.
She didn't laugh.
"Come on, yogurt brain," she muttered. "Let's go."
Gourry watched her walk away and frowned. "Lina," he whispered.
(What's wrong with her?) he thought.
"Well, isn't it obvious!?" a tiny Amelia asked, suddenly appearing on his shoulder.
She posed and pointed at him. "You've broken her brittle, black, crusted heart!"
"I did?" he asked in amazement.
"Bah! Forget her!" a tiny Zelgadis told him from the other shoulder. "Why would
you want a girl who blasts you, whacks you, beats on you, and kicks your ass at every
opportunity? Let's go back to that village and get some pie!"
"Ooooh! Pie!" the tiny Amelia cried in delight.
"Wait a second!" Gourry interrupted. "What do you mean 'broke her heart?'"
"Do you think they have blueberry?" tiny Amelia asked. "I really like blueberry!"
"Now, I've never liked blueberry," Zelgadis told her. "Always had that funny
aftertaste…"
"But cherry has that tang…"
"Excuse me!" Gourry cried at them. They looked up at him in annoyance. He
lowered his head. "Apple," he admitted.
"That's what we thought," they both said. They disappeared in a flash.
"Hey, wait!" he cried. "What was that bit about Lina?! Dammit, subconscious!
Don't abandon me now! You're the only part of my mind that still works!"
He sighed when the hallucinations didn't reappear. Now what was he supposed to
do?
Well, first, he'd have to catch up to Lina. He'd deal with the rest later.
He started down the road at a run.
Lina grit her teeth as she walked. The very SECOND she gets it into her fool head
to say something to Gourry, something about how she thought she was almost pretty sure
she felt, she had to come in and see him demonstrating a trait his gender was notorious for;
ogling a woman with BREASTS THAT WERE BIGGER THAN HERS!!!!
Is that all men thought about? Breasts and food! Breasts and food!
(Well forget it! Deal's off! If he wants to be my protector, fine! He's my friend,
fine! But it's never going to be more than that! Never! He's…He's…HE'S A YOGURT-
FOR-BRAINS!!!)
"Lina Inverse."
She stopped cold and looked up, kicking herself for not being more attentive to the
world around her. Standing directly in her path was a man in red robes. She tossed off her
surprise and grinned, immediately attaining a care-free facade.
"Lina!"
She turned slightly and saw Gourry running up from behind. He saw the man in
front of her and slid to a stop, his hand going to his sword.
"Lina?" he asked seriously.
She turned back to the crimson man. "Are you going to stand there all day, blocking
the road or what?" she asked.
"Lina Inverse, you have a piece of information I require."
"The address of a good tailor?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. "Red robes
went out with Rezo," she commented snidely.
The man gave her a half-smile, but otherwise ignored the comment. "I'm willing to
pay for the information I require."
This, of course, immediately set off the merchant's blood in her. She crossed her
arms over her chest and smiled. "I'm listening."
He pulled a small bag from his robes and tossed it to her feet. "ONE hundred
goldpieces," he said, emphasizing the amount for some reason she wasn't aware of.
"What's the question?" she asked.
"Where might I find Zelgadis Greywords?" he asked.
"Why?"
"That is none of your concern," the man told her. Lina heard rustling in the bushes
on either side of the road. Her eyes darted to the left, and she could make out the green
skin of a berserker standing nearby.
Gourry, watching the exchange in front of him, turned as he heard a familiar voice
call out, "Hey, blondie!" He turned and found the same woman from the sword shop
standing behind them, a katana held casually in her right hand.
Lina heard the call and grit her teeth. She banished the thought from her mind and
turned back to the man in red.
"Well?" he asked. "Do we have a deal or not?"
She reached down and picked up the sack of gold.
"Lina!" Gourry cried.
With a short toss, she threw the gold back at him. The sack landed at his feet, the
gold clinking within. He arched an eyebrow at her.
"You obviously don't know me very well," she told him quietly. "Not well at all if
you think I'd sell out one of my friends to a Red Priest wannabe, his harlot, and his pet
berserkers."
"Lina!" Gourry called out again, this time with a relieved grin.
"Tell you where Zelgadis is?" she asked. "That's an insult!" Her red eyes seemed
to flash in anger. "An unforgivable insult."
The man in red smiled. "Then we'll do this the hard way." He held out his hand.
"FLARE LANCE!"
Lina jumped to her left as the magnified Flare Arrow struck the ground she had
been standing on. "FIIIIIRE…." She paused as a berserker's sword went whipping
towards her face and ducked. "BALL!" she cried, aiming at the scaly warrior. An
explosion and a scream later, the berserker was gone.
She turned, intent on dealing with the man in red, but couldn't see him. Instinct
screamed at her, and she looked up. He was floating directly above her.
"FLARE ARROW!" she cried.
"FREEZE ARROW!" she heard him shout. The spells deflected one another,
causing them to detonate out of range. Before she could prepare a new spell, the other
three berserkers were on her.
Gourry was rushing to Lina's defense when the woman, Greysword, leapt out in
front of him, her katana raised.
"I don't want to hurt you," he told her seriously, drawing his sword.
She smiled. "Don't worry. You won't." She cried out suddenly and aimed a thrust
at his head. Gourry parried quickly and stepped back for more room. The woman made
two more expert slashes that he just barely avoided, and Gourry took stock of his situation.
The woman was no amateur. He could tell by the look in her eyes. They were
cold…
For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of Zelgadis. His eyes had looked the
same way when they had fought.
She gave him no more time for reflection. She struck, aiming blow after blow at
him.
(Damn! She's too fast!) Their swords rang out together. Gourry had the strength,
but she never gave him a chance to use it. Her agility and speed had him blocking new
attacks from several different directions, almost at once.
He heard two more explosions. Lina was in trouble. He growled and went on the
offensive, swinging his sword outward to give him some space. The woman backflipped
for more room. Gourry stepped forward to press his advantage but found the woman's
boot flying at his face.
Gourry staggered back from the force of the kick.
"Gourry!" Lina cried, seeing him stagger backwards. She turned to the remaining
berserkers and the man in red. They knew her name: it was time to see if they knew this…
"Darkness beyond twilight…" she began.
Apparently they did, because the second she said it, the berserkers dropped their
swords and took off running. The man in red growled.
"FLAAAARE…"
Gourry saw the man in red aiming a spell at Lina as she chanted. The
swordswoman made a rush at him. He grit his teeth and parried quickly, throwing his body
against the woman and ramming her with his shoulder. The woman cried out and hit the
dirt. He ran for Lina.
"Crimson beyond the blood that flows…Buried in the flow of time…In thy great
name…"
"ARROW!"
"LINA!"
He threw himself between them just as the man's magic attack flew from his hand.
Gourry's sword glowed faintly as the Flare Arrow struck his chest, dissipating by the
sword's magic properties. The man in red arched an eyebrow.
"…I pledge myself to darkness…Let all the fools who stand in our way be
destroyed…by the power you and I possess!"
"Ah, shit!" the woman cried, throwing herself behind a nearby boulder.
The crimson man gasped. "ASTRAL PHA…"
"DRAGON SLAVE!!!"
The storm of fire exploded from Lina's hands, detonating practically on top of
them. Gourry quickly grabbed the redhead and held her, shielding her from the blast with
his body.
The trees for almost a quarter of a mile around them were knocked to the ground by
the force of the blast, the heat charring the bark on their trunks. To be caught this close to a
Dragon Slave was certain death…
Unless you had a sword that made you immune to its effects…
Or were hiding behind whoever held said sword…
Or happened to be hiding behind a rock at the time…
Or had managed to phase into the astral plane just before it went off…
Much like the man who suddenly appeared in front of Lina now.
Lina grit her teeth in rage at the man. A second later, the swordswoman leapt to
Lina's right, bringing her sword into the en guarde position. Gourry was at the young
sorceress' side in a flash, his own sword up.
"If you're quite done," the man in red said, sounding rather bored.
"Okay," Lina said, "So you're good."
"Zelgadis Greywords," was the man's reply. "We want him."
"He's not for sale," Lina bit back.
"Lina," Gourry whispered seriously. "The woman's pretty good."
"So's the sorcerer," she whispered back. "I think we have to use the Ultimate
Technique…"
Gourry blinked. "And that is?"
Lina took a step forward, raised her arms into the air grandly, closed her eyes…
Then turned left and ran like hell!
"Ack! Lina!" Gourry cried, running after her.
"They're…running away," Greysword muttered, her eye twitching.
"So I've noticed," the man in red remarked. He disappeared a moment later.
Greysword took the hint and began her own pursuit.
"Lina! You could at least warn me when you're going to do that!" Gourry yelled at
her as he ran.
"We need a plan!" she yelled back. "And I wasn't going to come up with one
while he's shooting at me!"
"Any ideas?!" he asked.
A Flare Arrow striking a nearby tree reminded them that they were not alone.
(One's dependent on magic, the other a sword,) she thought. (They're perfect
matches for me and Gourry…THAT'S IT!)
"Gourry! We're going to split up!"
"What?!"
"We're going to take them one on one!" she shouted back.
"That didn't work!" he cried alarmed.
"This time it will!" she assured him. She was starting to get tired. It was reaching
the sink or swim moment. "I'M going to take the woman on, and YOU'RE going to take the
sorcerer!"
"She'll fillet you, and he'll barbecue me!"
She growled. A tree nearby turned to ice. "Think, doofus!" she yelled at him.
"Your sword makes his magic useless, and she can't get to me if I fireball her from a mile
away!"
"Oooooh…" he commented.
"Ooooh," she agreed with a nod. "If we get separated, we'll meet in Dorosland!
Got it?!"
"Right!" Gourry told her with a grin.
Lina turned suddenly and pointed at the woman running behind them. "FLARE
ARROW!" The fire shaft streaked toward the swordswoman, who dived to her right to
avoid it.
Gourry, meanwhile, leapt up at the floating sorcerer and swung with his sword.
The crimson man darted back.
"FIREBALL!" The ball of fire struck Gourry dead on, exploding in a cloud of
smoke. The swordsman, however, wasn't so much as singed as he jumped through the
black cloud and swung again.
Greysword leapt at Lina and made two horizontal slashes, forcing the sorceress to
backpedal frantically. So far, this plan wasn't working very well for her. She took another
jump back into the tree line to safety, only to find the swordswoman leaping after her.
Lina cried out and surprise and ran as Greysword swung her katana, slicing through
the trunk of an elm tree. The tree fell over, nearly hitting the sorceress. "FREEZE
ARROW!"
Greysword ducked behind a tree just before the ice arrow would have struck her.
Not giving Lina any time to recover, she rushed the redhead again, counting on her natural
speed and agility to win the fight before the sorceress could ready another spell.
Lina ducked and took off further into the forest, looking for any advantage to use
against the woman. Gourry seemed to be holding his own with the sorcerer. He'd be all
right.
The man in red dodged another swing and floated a few more feet away from his
opponent. "FLARE BIT!"
Once again, Gourry's sword glowed faintly as the magic attack dissipated against
his chest.
"An enchanted sword," the man remarked. "Would that be the famous Sword of
Light by any chance?"
Gourry smiled. "No. This is its successor." He flew at the sorcerer, who ducked
and dodged every attack thrown at him. He flew a little higher, trying to think of some way
to get past the swordsman's protective field.
An idea occurred to him. He floated backwards. "And your name?" he asked,
trying to distract the warrior.
"Gourry Gabriev," was the reply. "Lina's guardian." He took a few steps toward
the sorcerer. "And you?"
The crimson man smiled tightly. He was almost ready. "Zero." With a sudden
movement, he flung out his hand! "FREEZE BRID!" A blue beam flew from his fingertips
and struck the ground at Gourry's feet, exploding in a giant ice crystal!
"What the…" Gourry cried.
"FREEZE BRID! FREEZE BRID!" Two more blue beams struck the ground on
either side of Gourry, the ice crystals that grew as a result surrounded him, freezing their
way up his legs. Since the ice was the end result of the spell and not the spell itself,
Gourry's sword was useless against it.
He cried out against the bitter cold. He was encased up to his thighs now. He
raised the sword over his head, preparing to break the ice crystal with it.
Before he could, however, Zero landed directly in front of him and slapped his
palm to the ground. "BEPHIS BRING!"
The ground under Gourry's feet opened up beneath him, and he fell with a cry. He
hit the bottom of the artificial shaft thirty feet below. The back of his head struck a rock…
And he saw no more.
"FIREBALL!"
The ball of fire detonated where Greysword had been standing only a second
before. Lina panted in exhaustion. She couldn't keep doing this. The Dragon Slave had
already drained her, and this woman's speed was forcing her to either keep moving or die.
They were already quite a distance from the road where she had left Gourry. She
could hear rushing water nearby. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the forest was
coming to an end…
With a ravine…
"Oh great," Lina muttered. It now appeared that her brilliant plan to get more
room to fight in also happened to be the swordswoman's brilliant plan to trap her against
the edge of the cliff. "Great, Lina," she mumbled. "Real slick…"
Greysword landed not far away, her sword pointed downward. She took a step
towards Lina.
The sorceress examined her options. She looked over her shoulder and saw that
she was now standing at the edge of the cliff. She could see the water of the river raging a
hundred feet below.
(I could try the Ragna Blade, but she's so close that if I missed, she'd have me,) she
thought. She smiled. (Looks like it's time to up and fly away.)
"Zelgadis Greywords," the swordswoman called out seriously. "I want his
location. Now."
"Why?" Lina called as a plan entered her head; something Sylphiel had told her.
"You've lost, Lina Inverse," Greysword told her, taking another step toward the
sorceress. "Tell me where he is."
Lina said nothing.
"Please," Greysword asked quietly. Lina blinked. She didn't sound like she was
demanding any longer.
More like she was begging.
"Why do you want Zelgadis?" Lina asked, simultaneously readying a fireball.
The woman said nothing.
"Then I can't give him to you."
Greysword took another step forward. She was only four or five meters from Lina
now. "I'm not giving you a choice."
Lina smiled dangerously. "Neither am I. FIREBALL!"
Greysword brought up her katana, anticipating an attack, but it never came. Lina
hurled the fireball down at the ground between them! It detonated in a fiery explosion,
causing a huge crack to form along the edge of the cliff. The part Lina was standing on
shattered and began to fall into the ravine.
The swordswoman cried out and lashed out with her hand, grabbing the edge of the
cliff, catching herself before she could fall.
Lina, on the other hand, let herself fall. She smiled and waved. So much for that!
"LEVITA…"
*WHACK!*
The chunk of rock seemed to have come from nowhere. Where ever it had come
from was not important. What was important was that it struck Lina in the side of the head,
knocking her out before she could finish her Levitation spell.
Out cold and helpless, Lina Inverse plummeted into the ravine and into the freezing
water below.
To Be Continued…
GOURRY: Gourry Gabriev here! It's my turn to do the introduction….since Zelgadis took
off…and Sylphiel went with him….and Amelia followed them…..and Lina's in the
bathroom…. Anyway! Lina and I are on the road to Dorosland! But…I think she might be
sick… She's been acting funny lately…
LINA: Gourry? Why are you looking at that woman over there?
GOURRY: Um…No reason… See what I mean? To make matters worse, I think we're
being followed. Yareyare…We just can't seem to catch a break!
Faces: After!
Part 5
Ambushed!
More Villains?!
"I can't believe they'd go and do this!" Lina remarked as she read the letter again.
"First Zelgadis decides to run off, and you just KNOW that Sylphiel took off after him, and
now Amelia too!?" She looked across the table at the blonde swordsman. "I'm surprised
YOU'RE still here!"
Gourry paused, his forkful of pancakes only an inch from his mouth. "Why would I
go?" he asked in puzzlement.
Lina sighed. "Dammit, I never did talk to Amelia. I guess she's going to find out
the hard way." She looked up and saw Gourry open his mouth for a question. "And don't
ask! I don't wanna talk about it right now!" Gourry closed his mouth again. "I guess we'll
just meet them in Dorosland and fireball them when they get there…"
"Cheer up, Lina!" Gourry cried. "It'll be just like old times!"
The redhead blinked and actually chuckled at this. "Yeah, I guess you're right.
We've been a group for so long, I almost forgot that you and I used to travel alone." She
looked up at him and smiled. It had been ages ago, and a lot had changed since then.
She reached out suddenly and snagged three of his hotcakes off his plate, ramming
them into her mouth and chewing quickly before the hapless swordsman was even aware
that a large part of his breakfast was missing!
"Hey!" Gourry cried.
But not EVERYTHING…
What amazed Lina Inverse that morning wasn't the sudden disappearance of her
friends, or that it rained suddenly as they were leaving Atlas City; it was the silence that
suddenly seemed to fall over them. She suddenly found herself without Amelia's bubbly
speeches or Zelgadis' sighs, or Sylphiel's almost maternal reminders.
It was just her and Gourry.
Her and Gourry…
Alone…
On the road…
Her and Gourry…
(Yeah, I get it!) she shouted at her mind. (I'm all alone with Gourry! Thanks for
the reminder!)
(Well, I was only trying to help…)
She looked over at the mercenary. So much had happened between them over the
last few years, it was hard to believe.
(How many times have I come close to losing you?) she thought.
She blinked and grit her teeth.
(CUT THAT OUT!!) she ordered her brain. (Okay, yes, I admit it, Gourry and I
are close…) She sighed. They WERE close, closer than anyone she'd ever known.
(Dammit! Why are THESE thoughts coming up all of a sudden!?)
(Heh…Must be Spring…)
She looked up at him again. Maybe she should…
(What?! Huh?! What?!) she asked the "stupid" part of her brain.
(Well…It's just that this might be the only time you have alone together for a very
long time, and if you WERE to say something to him about…)
She blinked as a tiny Xellos appeared on her left shoulder. "Now, now, Lina chan.
Surely you aren't…FALLING…for Mister Gourry now, are you?"
A tiny Filia appeared on her right shoulder. "Can it, namagomi! I think it's sweet!"
"You would," Xellos commented in a mumble.
"Miss Lina's feelings for Mister Gourry are good and pure!" Filia cried. She
suddenly pointed her mace at Xellos. "And don't you dare try to pollute it with your lustful
filth!"
"Oh my!" Xellos cried. "Filia san said 'lustful!'" He grinned. "I think the world
may be coming to an end!"
The tiny Filia blushed, but rallied. "My vocabulary is not the issue here! What is
the issue is how Miss Lina feels about Mister Gourry!"
"And I say she should say something!" Xellos countered.
"And I say…" She stopped and blinked. "The same thing…"
Both tiny people blinked. Filia scratched her head. "God damn," she muttered in
amazement.
Lina sighed. Filia and Xellos, even if just in her mind, agreeing on something…
The world was definitely coming to an end…
The town of Namor rested between Atlas and Dorosland, and made a perfect
stopping off point for the night. The town wasn't much, but it did sport one thing that
Gourry was thankful for the next morning.
A weapons shop.
"I'm going to see if this magic shop has anything worth my time," Lina told him,
chucking a thumb at the store behind her.
He nodded. "I need to get my sword sharpened anyway and see about getting a new
whetstone."
The redhead nodded and turned, heading into the mystic's shop. Gourry stood there
for a moment, lost in thought. Lina had been acting…odd lately, ever since they left Atlas
City. She was looking at him a lot, and…
He gasped as he realized it.
She hadn't smacked him with a slipper in two days!
The swordsman rubbed his chin in contemplation. There was definitely something
wrong with the woman calling herself Lina Inverse…
In Gourry-like fashion, he shrugged it off a moment later and went into the weapons
shop. Swords and spears of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. The merchant behind the
counter was yawning as a man in front of him spoke, gesturing wildly with his sword.
"So then, I took down three of them with a mighty swing from Razor Blade!" the
youth announced. "But then the sorceress harlots started using their magic, and I…
"Look, kid," the merchant said, "All I asked was 'what do you want?' Now
then…for the LAST time…What do you want?"
"Oh," the boy said sheepishly. "I'd like the strap on my sheathe repaired." He put
the scabbard on the counter.
"Fine, three goldpieces," the merchant told him. He looked up at Gourry and
nodded in greeting. "Be with you in a minute, sir."
"That's no problem," Gourry said with a wave. "I have time."
The merchant went into the back, leaving the two swordsmen alone in the shop.
The youth looked over at Gourry. Gourry looked back. Finally, one of them dared to break
the silence.
"I like swords," the youth announced.
Gourry blinked and smiled. "Really? Me too."
The youth responded by putting his blade on the counter. "This is Razor Blade!
The sword I used to defeat a slew of evil copii sorceresses!"
Gourry drew his own blade and rested it next to Razor Blade. "Heh, this is mine.
It doesn't have a name or anything yet. I just got it recently."
"Hey, that's nice!" the youth said in admiration. "May I?"
"Yeah, sure," the mercenary offered. The boy picked up the sword and made a
few slashes in the air.
The merchant returned a second later and placed the repaired scabbard on the
countertop. Jeffrey returned Gourry's sword to him and paid the bill.
"So what brings you out here?" Gourry asked.
"Oh, well we're looking for a sorceress named…"
Before he could finish, a dark-haired woman stuck her head through the door.
"JEFFREY! We're leaving! Get a move on!"
The boy jumped. "Um…Yes, Ma'am!" he called back. The angry woman's head
disappeared. He turned back to Gourry and rolled his eyes. "Sorceresses…"
"Yeah, tell me about it," the blonde replied with a nod. "It was nice meeting
you…er…Jeffrey?"
"Yeah, you too!" the boy called back, running towards the door.
Gourry smiled and turned back to the shopkeep. He quickly explained that he
wanted the blade on his sword sharpened and asked about a whetstone. The merchant
nodded and took his sword into the back. The mercenary settled himself in to wait.
He was admiring a set of daggers behind the counter when the shop's doorbell
clanged, announcing the arrival of a new customer. He didn't bother turning until that
customer was at the counter, standing next to him. Looking to his left, he blinked in
surprise.
A rather attractive woman stood there, leaning on the countertop. She was tall, just
a bit shorter than he was, with long, brown hair that reached down to the small of her back,
tied in a tight ponytail. She wore a set of tight, leather armor that, while adequately
covering and protecting her, left very little to the imagination and showed anyone who
bothered to look that the woman was rather well endowed. Gourry found himself staring at
her.
She seemed to sense his stare and turned to him. Her aquamarine eyes gave him a
once over before allowing her to smile. "Hi there," she said, turning around and casually
resting her back against the counter.
"H..hi," he said.
She sensed his nervousness, and her smile widened. "Long cruise, sailor?" she
asked, stretching, arching her back.
Gourry gulped. "Um…What?"
"You look like you haven't seen a woman in months," she commented. "Or do you
just stare at EVERY woman like that?"
"Oh! Sorry!" he said sheepishly.
She winked and turned back to the counter. "Hey!" she called out. "I'm kind of in
a hurry!"
"I'm busy," the merchant called out.
"Oh, go ahead and take care of her first," Gourry called. "She's in a hurry."
"And they say chivalry is dead," the woman remarked, smiling at him. The
shopkeep came out of the back and asked what she wanted. The woman drew a wicked-
looking dagger and placed it on the counter in front of her. "The hilt was damaged in a
little scuffle I had not long ago. I need it repaired."
"Two day job," the merchant remarked, examining the weapon.
"Shit," the woman muttered. "Fine." She dug into her pouch. "How much?"
The merchant named his price, and she met the deposit, placing several gold coins
on the table. She turned and started for the door.
"Nice meeting you, blondie," she called over her shoulder at Gourry.
"Um…Nice meeting you too," he replied.
"Hey, lady!" the merchant called. "I need a name so I know who this belongs to!"
The woman opened the door and stopped, turning to him. "Greysword," she told
him. She turned and started out, almost bumping into Lina as she went. "Excuse me," she
said quickly, staring at Lina.
Lina blinked. "Something wrong?" she asked, a little defensively.
"No," the woman told her. "Just thought I knew you for a second." With that, she
continued outside. Lina shrugged and started toward the counter.
"Did you see the rack on that one?" the merchant asked Gourry, still staring at the
door.
Gourry only nodded.
"What about that ass?"
"No, I missed it!" the blonde told him sarcastically.
"Damn, why can't more girls like HER come in here?"
"What's going on?" Lina asked, blinking, stepping up to the counter.
"Bah!" the merchant cried, waving Lina away. The redhead only blinked.
"C'mon, Gourry, this town's magic shop only had cheap, bootleg crystals. Let's get
going."
"O…kay," he replied, still staring at the door.
"Hey, kid," the merchant said, placing his sword and a new whetstone on the
counter. "I know she was hot, but come on…reel your tongue back in."
"HUH?!" Gourry cried, blinking in confusion.
Lina stood by and fumed.
The woman lingered by the door for a few moments more, listening as the redhead
berated the blond man inside. It didn't take long for the mercenary to cry her name in an
effort to get her to stop.
"Ack! Ow! Hey! Lina! Quit!"
"Thank you, blondie," the woman muttered before starting down the road.
"Oi, Lina? Lina? What's wrong?"
Marching out ahead of him, Lina didn't even bother to turn to Gourry. She just
continued to stalk out in front of him, fuming.
"C'mon, Lina! You've been acting weird all day! Now all of a sudden, you're
acting like you're mad at me or something!"
"It's nothing," she bit out, continuing to march.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, of course not," she replied bitterly. "Since when is ogling some sword-toting
harlot wrong?" The sarcasm dripped from her lips like drool from a dragon's jowls.
"Then why are you mad?" he asked, totally missing her subtle hint. "Oh!" he
cried. "I get it! It's that time of the month!"
"FIREBALL!!!"
The explosion could be seen from a mile away even if one WASN'T looking for it.
Greysword lowered the fieldglasses and nodded at the cloud of black smoke rising
from forest up ahead. "And I thought this was going to be hard."
"Don't get arrogant," a voice from her right warned her. She turned and found a
man in red robes phase into reality next to her. "Underestimate either of them, and you
won't draw breath long enough to regret it."
"What are you doing here?" she asked, peering through the glasses again. "I
thought you were further north checking out another lead."
He cleared his throat in annoyance and muttered something she couldn't make out.
Something about, "Damn shadows…"
"If you're here to help," she said casually, "You can do it by doing the talking. You
got that creepy, respectable thing going for you."
"Very well. What kind of support do we have?"
"Four berserkers," she told him.
He chuckled. "Arrogance indeed."
"Let's get on with it," she said, tossing the fieldglasses to him. He caught them
easily and vanished.
Gourry stood blinking in shock. The ground around him was charred black except
for the tiny space he was standing on. "Um…"
Lina growled and turned away again. "Dammit, I forgot," she hissed. "That sword
of yours blocks offensive magic…"
"Wow…I guess that'll come in handy," he said, scratching his head. "Huh, Lina?"
he chuckled.
She didn't laugh.
"Come on, yogurt brain," she muttered. "Let's go."
Gourry watched her walk away and frowned. "Lina," he whispered.
(What's wrong with her?) he thought.
"Well, isn't it obvious!?" a tiny Amelia asked, suddenly appearing on his shoulder.
She posed and pointed at him. "You've broken her brittle, black, crusted heart!"
"I did?" he asked in amazement.
"Bah! Forget her!" a tiny Zelgadis told him from the other shoulder. "Why would
you want a girl who blasts you, whacks you, beats on you, and kicks your ass at every
opportunity? Let's go back to that village and get some pie!"
"Ooooh! Pie!" the tiny Amelia cried in delight.
"Wait a second!" Gourry interrupted. "What do you mean 'broke her heart?'"
"Do you think they have blueberry?" tiny Amelia asked. "I really like blueberry!"
"Now, I've never liked blueberry," Zelgadis told her. "Always had that funny
aftertaste…"
"But cherry has that tang…"
"Excuse me!" Gourry cried at them. They looked up at him in annoyance. He
lowered his head. "Apple," he admitted.
"That's what we thought," they both said. They disappeared in a flash.
"Hey, wait!" he cried. "What was that bit about Lina?! Dammit, subconscious!
Don't abandon me now! You're the only part of my mind that still works!"
He sighed when the hallucinations didn't reappear. Now what was he supposed to
do?
Well, first, he'd have to catch up to Lina. He'd deal with the rest later.
He started down the road at a run.
Lina grit her teeth as she walked. The very SECOND she gets it into her fool head
to say something to Gourry, something about how she thought she was almost pretty sure
she felt, she had to come in and see him demonstrating a trait his gender was notorious for;
ogling a woman with BREASTS THAT WERE BIGGER THAN HERS!!!!
Is that all men thought about? Breasts and food! Breasts and food!
(Well forget it! Deal's off! If he wants to be my protector, fine! He's my friend,
fine! But it's never going to be more than that! Never! He's…He's…HE'S A YOGURT-
FOR-BRAINS!!!)
"Lina Inverse."
She stopped cold and looked up, kicking herself for not being more attentive to the
world around her. Standing directly in her path was a man in red robes. She tossed off her
surprise and grinned, immediately attaining a care-free facade.
"Lina!"
She turned slightly and saw Gourry running up from behind. He saw the man in
front of her and slid to a stop, his hand going to his sword.
"Lina?" he asked seriously.
She turned back to the crimson man. "Are you going to stand there all day, blocking
the road or what?" she asked.
"Lina Inverse, you have a piece of information I require."
"The address of a good tailor?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. "Red robes
went out with Rezo," she commented snidely.
The man gave her a half-smile, but otherwise ignored the comment. "I'm willing to
pay for the information I require."
This, of course, immediately set off the merchant's blood in her. She crossed her
arms over her chest and smiled. "I'm listening."
He pulled a small bag from his robes and tossed it to her feet. "ONE hundred
goldpieces," he said, emphasizing the amount for some reason she wasn't aware of.
"What's the question?" she asked.
"Where might I find Zelgadis Greywords?" he asked.
"Why?"
"That is none of your concern," the man told her. Lina heard rustling in the bushes
on either side of the road. Her eyes darted to the left, and she could make out the green
skin of a berserker standing nearby.
Gourry, watching the exchange in front of him, turned as he heard a familiar voice
call out, "Hey, blondie!" He turned and found the same woman from the sword shop
standing behind them, a katana held casually in her right hand.
Lina heard the call and grit her teeth. She banished the thought from her mind and
turned back to the man in red.
"Well?" he asked. "Do we have a deal or not?"
She reached down and picked up the sack of gold.
"Lina!" Gourry cried.
With a short toss, she threw the gold back at him. The sack landed at his feet, the
gold clinking within. He arched an eyebrow at her.
"You obviously don't know me very well," she told him quietly. "Not well at all if
you think I'd sell out one of my friends to a Red Priest wannabe, his harlot, and his pet
berserkers."
"Lina!" Gourry called out again, this time with a relieved grin.
"Tell you where Zelgadis is?" she asked. "That's an insult!" Her red eyes seemed
to flash in anger. "An unforgivable insult."
The man in red smiled. "Then we'll do this the hard way." He held out his hand.
"FLARE LANCE!"
Lina jumped to her left as the magnified Flare Arrow struck the ground she had
been standing on. "FIIIIIRE…." She paused as a berserker's sword went whipping
towards her face and ducked. "BALL!" she cried, aiming at the scaly warrior. An
explosion and a scream later, the berserker was gone.
She turned, intent on dealing with the man in red, but couldn't see him. Instinct
screamed at her, and she looked up. He was floating directly above her.
"FLARE ARROW!" she cried.
"FREEZE ARROW!" she heard him shout. The spells deflected one another,
causing them to detonate out of range. Before she could prepare a new spell, the other
three berserkers were on her.
Gourry was rushing to Lina's defense when the woman, Greysword, leapt out in
front of him, her katana raised.
"I don't want to hurt you," he told her seriously, drawing his sword.
She smiled. "Don't worry. You won't." She cried out suddenly and aimed a thrust
at his head. Gourry parried quickly and stepped back for more room. The woman made
two more expert slashes that he just barely avoided, and Gourry took stock of his situation.
The woman was no amateur. He could tell by the look in her eyes. They were
cold…
For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of Zelgadis. His eyes had looked the
same way when they had fought.
She gave him no more time for reflection. She struck, aiming blow after blow at
him.
(Damn! She's too fast!) Their swords rang out together. Gourry had the strength,
but she never gave him a chance to use it. Her agility and speed had him blocking new
attacks from several different directions, almost at once.
He heard two more explosions. Lina was in trouble. He growled and went on the
offensive, swinging his sword outward to give him some space. The woman backflipped
for more room. Gourry stepped forward to press his advantage but found the woman's
boot flying at his face.
Gourry staggered back from the force of the kick.
"Gourry!" Lina cried, seeing him stagger backwards. She turned to the remaining
berserkers and the man in red. They knew her name: it was time to see if they knew this…
"Darkness beyond twilight…" she began.
Apparently they did, because the second she said it, the berserkers dropped their
swords and took off running. The man in red growled.
"FLAAAARE…"
Gourry saw the man in red aiming a spell at Lina as she chanted. The
swordswoman made a rush at him. He grit his teeth and parried quickly, throwing his body
against the woman and ramming her with his shoulder. The woman cried out and hit the
dirt. He ran for Lina.
"Crimson beyond the blood that flows…Buried in the flow of time…In thy great
name…"
"ARROW!"
"LINA!"
He threw himself between them just as the man's magic attack flew from his hand.
Gourry's sword glowed faintly as the Flare Arrow struck his chest, dissipating by the
sword's magic properties. The man in red arched an eyebrow.
"…I pledge myself to darkness…Let all the fools who stand in our way be
destroyed…by the power you and I possess!"
"Ah, shit!" the woman cried, throwing herself behind a nearby boulder.
The crimson man gasped. "ASTRAL PHA…"
"DRAGON SLAVE!!!"
The storm of fire exploded from Lina's hands, detonating practically on top of
them. Gourry quickly grabbed the redhead and held her, shielding her from the blast with
his body.
The trees for almost a quarter of a mile around them were knocked to the ground by
the force of the blast, the heat charring the bark on their trunks. To be caught this close to a
Dragon Slave was certain death…
Unless you had a sword that made you immune to its effects…
Or were hiding behind whoever held said sword…
Or happened to be hiding behind a rock at the time…
Or had managed to phase into the astral plane just before it went off…
Much like the man who suddenly appeared in front of Lina now.
Lina grit her teeth in rage at the man. A second later, the swordswoman leapt to
Lina's right, bringing her sword into the en guarde position. Gourry was at the young
sorceress' side in a flash, his own sword up.
"If you're quite done," the man in red said, sounding rather bored.
"Okay," Lina said, "So you're good."
"Zelgadis Greywords," was the man's reply. "We want him."
"He's not for sale," Lina bit back.
"Lina," Gourry whispered seriously. "The woman's pretty good."
"So's the sorcerer," she whispered back. "I think we have to use the Ultimate
Technique…"
Gourry blinked. "And that is?"
Lina took a step forward, raised her arms into the air grandly, closed her eyes…
Then turned left and ran like hell!
"Ack! Lina!" Gourry cried, running after her.
"They're…running away," Greysword muttered, her eye twitching.
"So I've noticed," the man in red remarked. He disappeared a moment later.
Greysword took the hint and began her own pursuit.
"Lina! You could at least warn me when you're going to do that!" Gourry yelled at
her as he ran.
"We need a plan!" she yelled back. "And I wasn't going to come up with one
while he's shooting at me!"
"Any ideas?!" he asked.
A Flare Arrow striking a nearby tree reminded them that they were not alone.
(One's dependent on magic, the other a sword,) she thought. (They're perfect
matches for me and Gourry…THAT'S IT!)
"Gourry! We're going to split up!"
"What?!"
"We're going to take them one on one!" she shouted back.
"That didn't work!" he cried alarmed.
"This time it will!" she assured him. She was starting to get tired. It was reaching
the sink or swim moment. "I'M going to take the woman on, and YOU'RE going to take the
sorcerer!"
"She'll fillet you, and he'll barbecue me!"
She growled. A tree nearby turned to ice. "Think, doofus!" she yelled at him.
"Your sword makes his magic useless, and she can't get to me if I fireball her from a mile
away!"
"Oooooh…" he commented.
"Ooooh," she agreed with a nod. "If we get separated, we'll meet in Dorosland!
Got it?!"
"Right!" Gourry told her with a grin.
Lina turned suddenly and pointed at the woman running behind them. "FLARE
ARROW!" The fire shaft streaked toward the swordswoman, who dived to her right to
avoid it.
Gourry, meanwhile, leapt up at the floating sorcerer and swung with his sword.
The crimson man darted back.
"FIREBALL!" The ball of fire struck Gourry dead on, exploding in a cloud of
smoke. The swordsman, however, wasn't so much as singed as he jumped through the
black cloud and swung again.
Greysword leapt at Lina and made two horizontal slashes, forcing the sorceress to
backpedal frantically. So far, this plan wasn't working very well for her. She took another
jump back into the tree line to safety, only to find the swordswoman leaping after her.
Lina cried out and surprise and ran as Greysword swung her katana, slicing through
the trunk of an elm tree. The tree fell over, nearly hitting the sorceress. "FREEZE
ARROW!"
Greysword ducked behind a tree just before the ice arrow would have struck her.
Not giving Lina any time to recover, she rushed the redhead again, counting on her natural
speed and agility to win the fight before the sorceress could ready another spell.
Lina ducked and took off further into the forest, looking for any advantage to use
against the woman. Gourry seemed to be holding his own with the sorcerer. He'd be all
right.
The man in red dodged another swing and floated a few more feet away from his
opponent. "FLARE BIT!"
Once again, Gourry's sword glowed faintly as the magic attack dissipated against
his chest.
"An enchanted sword," the man remarked. "Would that be the famous Sword of
Light by any chance?"
Gourry smiled. "No. This is its successor." He flew at the sorcerer, who ducked
and dodged every attack thrown at him. He flew a little higher, trying to think of some way
to get past the swordsman's protective field.
An idea occurred to him. He floated backwards. "And your name?" he asked,
trying to distract the warrior.
"Gourry Gabriev," was the reply. "Lina's guardian." He took a few steps toward
the sorcerer. "And you?"
The crimson man smiled tightly. He was almost ready. "Zero." With a sudden
movement, he flung out his hand! "FREEZE BRID!" A blue beam flew from his fingertips
and struck the ground at Gourry's feet, exploding in a giant ice crystal!
"What the…" Gourry cried.
"FREEZE BRID! FREEZE BRID!" Two more blue beams struck the ground on
either side of Gourry, the ice crystals that grew as a result surrounded him, freezing their
way up his legs. Since the ice was the end result of the spell and not the spell itself,
Gourry's sword was useless against it.
He cried out against the bitter cold. He was encased up to his thighs now. He
raised the sword over his head, preparing to break the ice crystal with it.
Before he could, however, Zero landed directly in front of him and slapped his
palm to the ground. "BEPHIS BRING!"
The ground under Gourry's feet opened up beneath him, and he fell with a cry. He
hit the bottom of the artificial shaft thirty feet below. The back of his head struck a rock…
And he saw no more.
"FIREBALL!"
The ball of fire detonated where Greysword had been standing only a second
before. Lina panted in exhaustion. She couldn't keep doing this. The Dragon Slave had
already drained her, and this woman's speed was forcing her to either keep moving or die.
They were already quite a distance from the road where she had left Gourry. She
could hear rushing water nearby. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the forest was
coming to an end…
With a ravine…
"Oh great," Lina muttered. It now appeared that her brilliant plan to get more
room to fight in also happened to be the swordswoman's brilliant plan to trap her against
the edge of the cliff. "Great, Lina," she mumbled. "Real slick…"
Greysword landed not far away, her sword pointed downward. She took a step
towards Lina.
The sorceress examined her options. She looked over her shoulder and saw that
she was now standing at the edge of the cliff. She could see the water of the river raging a
hundred feet below.
(I could try the Ragna Blade, but she's so close that if I missed, she'd have me,) she
thought. She smiled. (Looks like it's time to up and fly away.)
"Zelgadis Greywords," the swordswoman called out seriously. "I want his
location. Now."
"Why?" Lina called as a plan entered her head; something Sylphiel had told her.
"You've lost, Lina Inverse," Greysword told her, taking another step toward the
sorceress. "Tell me where he is."
Lina said nothing.
"Please," Greysword asked quietly. Lina blinked. She didn't sound like she was
demanding any longer.
More like she was begging.
"Why do you want Zelgadis?" Lina asked, simultaneously readying a fireball.
The woman said nothing.
"Then I can't give him to you."
Greysword took another step forward. She was only four or five meters from Lina
now. "I'm not giving you a choice."
Lina smiled dangerously. "Neither am I. FIREBALL!"
Greysword brought up her katana, anticipating an attack, but it never came. Lina
hurled the fireball down at the ground between them! It detonated in a fiery explosion,
causing a huge crack to form along the edge of the cliff. The part Lina was standing on
shattered and began to fall into the ravine.
The swordswoman cried out and lashed out with her hand, grabbing the edge of the
cliff, catching herself before she could fall.
Lina, on the other hand, let herself fall. She smiled and waved. So much for that!
"LEVITA…"
*WHACK!*
The chunk of rock seemed to have come from nowhere. Where ever it had come
from was not important. What was important was that it struck Lina in the side of the head,
knocking her out before she could finish her Levitation spell.
Out cold and helpless, Lina Inverse plummeted into the ravine and into the freezing
water below.
To Be Continued…