1
The Jungle of Semora
The sun rose silently above the lush rainforest that was the country of Dalmar. Enclosed beneath the canopy of this large forest was one of the most mysterious countries in the world. It was a beautiful country, glittering green for as far as the eye could see, but it also had many secrets. Many tourists go missing while visiting this country every year; it happens so much that it's now considered a common occurrence.
No one knew what had happened to these people. Some said that they were killed by packs of vicious lesser demons. Because of this rumor, many people journeyed to the country every year, some hoping to see a lesser demon and others hoping to test their fighting skills against one. What brought Lina Inverse here was something completely different.
Lina was 25 years old now she was now taller and more developed. She wore her fiery red hair down over a black headband and had large, luminous red eyes. She had tight black pants, a red shirt, and knee high boots. On her hands where long, black gloves and around each wrist she wore a silver bracelet with a ruby embedded in the middle. She had a plain black cape with shoulder guards and a short sword on her hip.
Lina looked down on the forest from her camp on a nearby mountain. It was quiet, but it was also very early. She would be at the Temple of Belaros by nightfall if she made good time, and then she would find the answers she was seeking. The Temple of Belaros was an ancient stone structure, dating back from before the War of the Gods. Inside it was the largest library in the world, filled with books older than the rainforest that now hid them.
About a month ago, Lina had found a strange tablet in the ruins of an ancient temple. It was a stone tablet the size of a book, divided vertically by a line. On the left of the line was writing from some strange, forgotten race. On the right there was a picture of a dog-like beast with sharp teeth, long, sharp talons, and the horns of a ram. This was a picture of a Lesser Demon.
The intriguing part of this tablet was the jewel embedded in its center. It was an octagonal jewel that shone eerie liquid amber. Lina de-camped and started into the great forest. It was dark inside, like twilight. The canopy was so thick that it blocked out most of the sun's light. The ground was soft, with ferns, wheat, and all sorts of different plants growing beside the path. At about noon, Lina decided to take a break.
She rounded a corner in the path and started down a hill into the first clearing she had seen for hours. Lina was now wadding in a waist deep sea of wheat, their pale stalks swaying to and fore in the wind.
Feeling that it was time for a break, Lina put down her bag and sat down on a nearby log. "Whew!" She said wiping her forehead with her wrist. "I could sure use a drink." The young sorceress reached into her backpack and pulled out an empty decanter. Placing her hand over the top of the decanter, Lina chanted a spell. "AQUA CREATE!" Her hand glowed a faint blue and, when she removed her hand, the decanter was full of fresh, clear water. She drank down the water and replaced the decanter in her bag.
As Lina was standing up, she was knocked back down by what felt like an earthquake. The field exploded in a rain of soil and fire as something burst forth. A large beast ascended from the crater in the center of the field. It was tall, at least the height of two men. Its man-like body was covered in coarse, black hair and it possessed razor sharp talons on its hands and feet. Its head was shaped like a canine, with row after row of gleaming white teeth, burning red eyes, and the horns of a ram.
"A Lesser Demon!" Lina breathed.
The ground rumbled again and three more demons exploded from the ground. The deformed beasts roared with rage, a blood curdling, sickening roar, and charged at Lina. As if unconcerned, Lina held out her hand and started to chant: "Oh, source of all power. Light which burns beyond a crimson flame. Let thy power gather in my hand." Lina's hand glowed a pale red and a ball of crimson fire appeared in the palm of her hand. As she continued to chant, the ball grew in size until it was at least three feet in diameter. "FIRE-BALL!" She yelled as she threw the ball at the charging demons.
The lesser demons ran blindly at Lina, not noticing, or not caring about, her spell. When the demons where upon the fireball, Lina spoke one word. "BREAK!" The ball of fire exploded, engulfing the four demons in a towering inferno. When the smoke cleared, nothing was left but ash.
"So I guess the rumors about roaming packs of demons were true after all." Lina mused as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Just as Lina started to walk again, she felt another rumble. This one was so powerful that she had to grab hold of a tree to stay on two feet. "Uh-oh." She sighed. The field exploded in a hideous roar as Lesser Demon after Lesser Demon burst out of the ground. With that, Lina started to run.
Lina sprinted out of the field as fast as her legs could carry her. She was now being perused by a horde of Lesser Demons. The burst up from the ground left and right as she ran toward the next clearing. "I only have to make it to that clearing, then I'm home free." She panted and pushed on.
About forty feet ahead of her, at the edge of the next clearing, another Lesser Demon burst up from the ground. "Dammit!" she swore as she ran towards the demon. The young sorceress held up her hand, closed her eyes, and chanted a spell. "BLAST ASH!" Lina screamed as the huge beast started towards her.
A black bolt of lightning streaked out from her palm and struck the demon in the chest. The grotesque beast howled in pain as it turned into a tower of ash. Lina covered her face with her arm and charged through the spire of ash and through to the clearing...that ended in a cliff.
"Yes!" Lina cheered as she leapt off the cliff and into the air. "REIWING!" she chanted as she fell. She felt winds gushing all around her, attacking her from all sides. Lina rose from the chasm like a phoenix reborn, her spell's gray aura propelling up, clear of the seemingly bottomless canyon
The Demons, however, where not so lucky. They where so hot on her heals that they didn't see the cliff until it was too late. Like Lemmings, the herd of Lesser Demons poured off the cliff and into the gorge like an unholy waterfall. A seething, writhing mass of distorted beasts.
With a victorious cheer, Lina landed on the other side of the canyon and casually began walking down a trail she had landed by. Lina didn't get ten feet before something else happened to her. As she rounded a corner in the path, the earth beneath her feet exploded and the young sorceress was flung into the forest. She hit a tree and limply slumped to the ground.
Groggily, she looked up to see another Lesser Demon materialize into view from a cloud of dust. The creature slowly started to walk towards her; she didn't know weather or not it was being cautious or intimidating, but she didn't care. Lina raised her hand, chanting another spell. "Source of all power, crimson f-f---fuck!" she swore, she couldn't remember the incantation. Again she tried, but the words wouldn't come to her, lost in a haze of pain and fear.
Lina drew her short sword and struggled to stand. "I'm not giving up without a fight, damn you!" she yelled at the beast. She managed to get on one knee, but she could go no farther. Lina collapsed, she was losing consciousness fast.
She looked up to see the demon bearing down on her, preparing to claim her as its meal. The Lesser Demon raised its taloned hand, laughing a cruel, distorted laugh. Lina closed her eyes and waited for death to claim her.
"Light-Blade!" a voice echoed through the forest so loud that Lina was shocked back to her senses. From nowhere, a blonde haired figure descended, shrouded in the forest's darkness. In his hands he held a sword, its long, metallic blade glittering silver in the sunlight. Its blade suddenly burst into a white fire as the figure thrust it downward towards the Lesser Demon.
The stranger swung his blade vertically and a spire of white fire flew the attacking beast. For Lina, time seemed to slow down. The Lesser Demon shrieked in agony as the typhoon of fire passed through it. Its body glowed white and then disintegrated, its ashes carried away by the gentle wind.
"Gourry?" Lina tried to say, but she couldn't speak. The stranger landed on the ground and the fire consuming his sword's blade died down revealing a regular sword. The stranger sheathed his weapon and turned around. He was tall and well built, a faint scar could be seen on his face, below his left eye. His hair was blonde, cut straight around hid head in the bowl style all the young warriors were using these days, save the waist long braid of hair. He wore a black shirt, gray pants, and a blue jacket. It wasn't Gourry.
"Looks like you could use some help." The newcomer said softly, extending his hand. Lina's head was swimming; she couldn't focus her eyes to see or her mind to think. Finally, not knowing what to do, Lina Inverse blacked out.
The Jungle of Semora
The sun rose silently above the lush rainforest that was the country of Dalmar. Enclosed beneath the canopy of this large forest was one of the most mysterious countries in the world. It was a beautiful country, glittering green for as far as the eye could see, but it also had many secrets. Many tourists go missing while visiting this country every year; it happens so much that it's now considered a common occurrence.
No one knew what had happened to these people. Some said that they were killed by packs of vicious lesser demons. Because of this rumor, many people journeyed to the country every year, some hoping to see a lesser demon and others hoping to test their fighting skills against one. What brought Lina Inverse here was something completely different.
Lina was 25 years old now she was now taller and more developed. She wore her fiery red hair down over a black headband and had large, luminous red eyes. She had tight black pants, a red shirt, and knee high boots. On her hands where long, black gloves and around each wrist she wore a silver bracelet with a ruby embedded in the middle. She had a plain black cape with shoulder guards and a short sword on her hip.
Lina looked down on the forest from her camp on a nearby mountain. It was quiet, but it was also very early. She would be at the Temple of Belaros by nightfall if she made good time, and then she would find the answers she was seeking. The Temple of Belaros was an ancient stone structure, dating back from before the War of the Gods. Inside it was the largest library in the world, filled with books older than the rainforest that now hid them.
About a month ago, Lina had found a strange tablet in the ruins of an ancient temple. It was a stone tablet the size of a book, divided vertically by a line. On the left of the line was writing from some strange, forgotten race. On the right there was a picture of a dog-like beast with sharp teeth, long, sharp talons, and the horns of a ram. This was a picture of a Lesser Demon.
The intriguing part of this tablet was the jewel embedded in its center. It was an octagonal jewel that shone eerie liquid amber. Lina de-camped and started into the great forest. It was dark inside, like twilight. The canopy was so thick that it blocked out most of the sun's light. The ground was soft, with ferns, wheat, and all sorts of different plants growing beside the path. At about noon, Lina decided to take a break.
She rounded a corner in the path and started down a hill into the first clearing she had seen for hours. Lina was now wadding in a waist deep sea of wheat, their pale stalks swaying to and fore in the wind.
Feeling that it was time for a break, Lina put down her bag and sat down on a nearby log. "Whew!" She said wiping her forehead with her wrist. "I could sure use a drink." The young sorceress reached into her backpack and pulled out an empty decanter. Placing her hand over the top of the decanter, Lina chanted a spell. "AQUA CREATE!" Her hand glowed a faint blue and, when she removed her hand, the decanter was full of fresh, clear water. She drank down the water and replaced the decanter in her bag.
As Lina was standing up, she was knocked back down by what felt like an earthquake. The field exploded in a rain of soil and fire as something burst forth. A large beast ascended from the crater in the center of the field. It was tall, at least the height of two men. Its man-like body was covered in coarse, black hair and it possessed razor sharp talons on its hands and feet. Its head was shaped like a canine, with row after row of gleaming white teeth, burning red eyes, and the horns of a ram.
"A Lesser Demon!" Lina breathed.
The ground rumbled again and three more demons exploded from the ground. The deformed beasts roared with rage, a blood curdling, sickening roar, and charged at Lina. As if unconcerned, Lina held out her hand and started to chant: "Oh, source of all power. Light which burns beyond a crimson flame. Let thy power gather in my hand." Lina's hand glowed a pale red and a ball of crimson fire appeared in the palm of her hand. As she continued to chant, the ball grew in size until it was at least three feet in diameter. "FIRE-BALL!" She yelled as she threw the ball at the charging demons.
The lesser demons ran blindly at Lina, not noticing, or not caring about, her spell. When the demons where upon the fireball, Lina spoke one word. "BREAK!" The ball of fire exploded, engulfing the four demons in a towering inferno. When the smoke cleared, nothing was left but ash.
"So I guess the rumors about roaming packs of demons were true after all." Lina mused as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Just as Lina started to walk again, she felt another rumble. This one was so powerful that she had to grab hold of a tree to stay on two feet. "Uh-oh." She sighed. The field exploded in a hideous roar as Lesser Demon after Lesser Demon burst out of the ground. With that, Lina started to run.
Lina sprinted out of the field as fast as her legs could carry her. She was now being perused by a horde of Lesser Demons. The burst up from the ground left and right as she ran toward the next clearing. "I only have to make it to that clearing, then I'm home free." She panted and pushed on.
About forty feet ahead of her, at the edge of the next clearing, another Lesser Demon burst up from the ground. "Dammit!" she swore as she ran towards the demon. The young sorceress held up her hand, closed her eyes, and chanted a spell. "BLAST ASH!" Lina screamed as the huge beast started towards her.
A black bolt of lightning streaked out from her palm and struck the demon in the chest. The grotesque beast howled in pain as it turned into a tower of ash. Lina covered her face with her arm and charged through the spire of ash and through to the clearing...that ended in a cliff.
"Yes!" Lina cheered as she leapt off the cliff and into the air. "REIWING!" she chanted as she fell. She felt winds gushing all around her, attacking her from all sides. Lina rose from the chasm like a phoenix reborn, her spell's gray aura propelling up, clear of the seemingly bottomless canyon
The Demons, however, where not so lucky. They where so hot on her heals that they didn't see the cliff until it was too late. Like Lemmings, the herd of Lesser Demons poured off the cliff and into the gorge like an unholy waterfall. A seething, writhing mass of distorted beasts.
With a victorious cheer, Lina landed on the other side of the canyon and casually began walking down a trail she had landed by. Lina didn't get ten feet before something else happened to her. As she rounded a corner in the path, the earth beneath her feet exploded and the young sorceress was flung into the forest. She hit a tree and limply slumped to the ground.
Groggily, she looked up to see another Lesser Demon materialize into view from a cloud of dust. The creature slowly started to walk towards her; she didn't know weather or not it was being cautious or intimidating, but she didn't care. Lina raised her hand, chanting another spell. "Source of all power, crimson f-f---fuck!" she swore, she couldn't remember the incantation. Again she tried, but the words wouldn't come to her, lost in a haze of pain and fear.
Lina drew her short sword and struggled to stand. "I'm not giving up without a fight, damn you!" she yelled at the beast. She managed to get on one knee, but she could go no farther. Lina collapsed, she was losing consciousness fast.
She looked up to see the demon bearing down on her, preparing to claim her as its meal. The Lesser Demon raised its taloned hand, laughing a cruel, distorted laugh. Lina closed her eyes and waited for death to claim her.
"Light-Blade!" a voice echoed through the forest so loud that Lina was shocked back to her senses. From nowhere, a blonde haired figure descended, shrouded in the forest's darkness. In his hands he held a sword, its long, metallic blade glittering silver in the sunlight. Its blade suddenly burst into a white fire as the figure thrust it downward towards the Lesser Demon.
The stranger swung his blade vertically and a spire of white fire flew the attacking beast. For Lina, time seemed to slow down. The Lesser Demon shrieked in agony as the typhoon of fire passed through it. Its body glowed white and then disintegrated, its ashes carried away by the gentle wind.
"Gourry?" Lina tried to say, but she couldn't speak. The stranger landed on the ground and the fire consuming his sword's blade died down revealing a regular sword. The stranger sheathed his weapon and turned around. He was tall and well built, a faint scar could be seen on his face, below his left eye. His hair was blonde, cut straight around hid head in the bowl style all the young warriors were using these days, save the waist long braid of hair. He wore a black shirt, gray pants, and a blue jacket. It wasn't Gourry.
"Looks like you could use some help." The newcomer said softly, extending his hand. Lina's head was swimming; she couldn't focus her eyes to see or her mind to think. Finally, not knowing what to do, Lina Inverse blacked out.