Chapter 17:
Slowly, with bleary eyes, the group trickled into the violet-haired couple's house at dawn the next morning for their special quest from the Lord of Nightmares Herself. The Trickster and his wife were already dressed in their usual attire, the former with bright, cheery smile on his face, which every one would have dearly loved to wipe off with a large butcher knife.
"Good morning!" Xelloss grinned.
Everyone turned simultaneously to glare at the Trickster.
The ex-mazoku blinked. "What did I say?"
Hefting her sword experimentally in the corner, Luna glanced up. "I seem to have lost my touch, Xel."
"Really? How about a duel then?"
The Knight swung her sword down viciously at a stool beside her, slicing the object neatly in half. "Tempting…but maybe later."
"If that's called losing your touch, then Filia's a radiantly beautiful lady."
The blond nurse whapped the Trickster upside the head for the remark.
Rubbing his head, Xelloss stared at the back of the furious Dragon miko as she stomped away, muttering. "Amazing how sharp people's ears get when they're insulted."
"How true." Sheathing her sword, Luna clapped her hands sharply, catching the attention of all present. "It's time. Let's go."
"I suggest teleportation," the Trickster said as he slid off his stool.
Flicking his silver bangs away from his narrowed eyes, Dynast shook his head. "I have a better idea. We walk."
"It's a long way…"
"Better than getting transported to some remote island," Amelia piped up.
"But-"
"There's no way in hell I'm trusting you, Xelloss." The gleam in Lina's fiery red eyes implied fully what would happen to a certain Trickster if he tried anything on her.
Slamming the hilt of the sword onto the table, the Knight of Ceipheed ignored the fact that the table was smashed to splinters from her act. No one else did.
"I say we teleport," she smiled maliciously. "Would anyone care to disagree with me?"
With the silence meeting her question, Luna nodded her head in satisfaction. "Excellent. Gather together please…we don't want anyone left out, do we?"
"You've got a scary sister, Lina." Squashed against his ex-partner cum companion, Gourry whispered his opinion softly into her ear.
"Really? I never noticed. How very observant of you. Remind me to thank you for this later."
Katsura nudged the blond Captain. "When she says that, I'd advise you to watch out."
* * *
The innkeeper bustled around the counter, serving tankards of beer to his customers, mumbling quietly to himself. Something bad was going to happen today, he could feel it in his bones. His eyes shifted here and there, wary of any potentially violent customers. His inn had just been rebuilt, after the last brawl the local sailors had. He couldn't even recognise the place after they were done. Should there be any more brutes entering, he was sure to request them to find a different tavern.
However, he had not accounted for this.
A man of around the age of twenty or so entered. Lean and tall, he was cloaked in a strange garb, the kind children's fantasy stories would describe as normal. The most peculiar trait of this man, were his eyes. They remained closed, but he walked with the gait of one who could see, not using the staff in his hand as a guide at all.
The innkeeper swallowed nervously as the man approached the counter.
"How may I help you, My Lord?" the innkeeper simpered.
"I require several rooms for the night."
An involuntary shudder ran through the innkeeper. The smile of the stranger's was very unnerving.
"How many, My Lord?" Retrieving a battered old book from under the counter, the innkeeper flipped it open and peered at it with his thick glasses while pulling a pen out of his pocket.
"Hm…I'd say about six."
"Six?" The innkeeper stared intently at his book. "I'm sorry, My Lord, but I only have four rooms available."
The man appeared to swear silently under his breath, but he recovered quickly. "No matter. Give us the four unoccupied ones, along with two others."
"T-Two others, My Lord? But-"
"I shall deal with it. The room numbers, if you please."
"Yes, My Lord."
* * *
Two bulky men with massive shoulders sat upon two beds, one sharpening his knife, the other flicking darts at the wall. Their tanned skins revealed them as sailors, along with their uniforms.
"Hehehe," one of them snickered. "It's a good thing that old, rickety man down there's smart enough not to ask us for the bill no more."
The one flicking darts merely nodded.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud bang, wrenching the entire thing off its hinges. The sailors gaped at the door, before looking up at the man which stood in its place, a benevolent smile on his face.
"Good evening, my friends. I suggest you pack and leave immediately. This room is now occupied."
There was hesitation for a few seconds, before the two sailors charged with a yell. Raising his staff, the man's smile widened, just as the ruby upon his staff began to glow.
One of the men halted, his eyes bulging slightly, as he fell to his knees, clawing desperately at his throat. His partner stared.
The strange man stepped forward, eyes now open, revealing a pair of amethysts which flashed as he pointed his staff, ruby first, at the second sailor. "For your information, my good man, your friend's air supply has just been cut off. I suggest you haul him and your own carcass out of here, before I decide to get violent."
Screaming, the sailor flung his darts down, grabbed his choking friend and ran out of the room.
With his jaw dropping to the floor, the innkeeper watched several more frantic sailors tumbling down the flight of stairs leading to the rooms and ran out of the inn, their faces pale as a ghost.
The strange man came down the stairs slowly, still smiling. "Not to worry, friend, the occupants of the rooms were understanding enough."
All the innkeeper could do was nod in silence.