Chapter 1

Lina Inverse, Sorceress Supreme, Bandit Killer, and mother of three wandered out of the small town. 'That bunch of kids was rather nice, though that little girl was annoying. She reminded me of me when I was young.' Lina softly chuckled. 'Someday I'll tell the whole story.' Lina had been wandering from village to village for five years now and she'd only been telling people of her four great world-saving adventures. Only a brief mention of her life after she married, that was her way. 'Gourry was nice, but... something was missing.' She frowned, remembering her husband. 'We always seemed to be siblings rather than husband and wife. Always fighting, tending to pick on each other. It's a miracle our sons were born, considering how little we acted like we loved each other.' All three of her sons had been disappointing, choosing to be farmers rather than adventurers. They were sweet boys, taking after their father. Her third grandchild had been born three months before Gourry's death and five months before her departure.

It was a relief to be on the road again. This was where she belonged, ransacking bandits for money and generally saving the world. Zel would have liked this, she thought, He always liked traveling. She stopped. 'Why did I think of him? He's been dead for thirty years. Sheesh, has it been that long? Doesn't seem like it. I still miss him though. It's been so long since I've had an intelligent talk with someone. Sometimes I wish I hadn't turned down his proposal,' she winced. Zelgadiss had told her how he loved her about a week before that failed mission. They had found a dungeon and were searching for treasure when a mazoku popped in out of nowhere and fired a blast at her. Zel was the only one fast enough to move in front of her and he didn't have the time to put up a shield. 'At least I hope it was because he didn't have time and not because he didn't bother... Stop that Lina. I don't want to get into that cycle again. Zel choose to fling himself in front of me, whether or not he did it because he couldn't live without me doesn't matter.'

Lina turned a corner on the road and noticed a bandit hideout nearby. It wasn't very well hidden, but it didn't seem to need to be. The entrance was small and well protected and it seemed to be the only way in. 'Oooo! Target practice!' Lina brightened. She hadn't been running into too many bandits nowadays, something, or someone, was discouraging them. She started towards the hideout, then stopped. 'Maybe I should drop this illusion. I mean, it's been twenty years since I put it on to hide my youth.' Her gray hair changed to blazing red and the wrinkles around her eyes disappeared. Gourry wouldn't have understood why he aged and she didn't. 'He wouldn't have liked the fact that my Nightmare magic makes me almost immortal. No wonder it rarely shows up.' Now a young girl looking about 15, Lina wandered up to the gate.

"Hi!," she said to the gate guards, "Give me all your treasure and I'll let you live!" The gate guards stared at her for a moment and started to laugh. "What can a little girl like you do?!," a guard said, smiling confidently. "This!," Lina said and cast a fireball that incinerated all the guards. She headed into the hideout, toasting bandits left and right. Grabbing a random bandit, she demanded to know where the boss was. The bandit pointed a shaking hand at a door in the side of the cliff. She went to the door and blasted it open. Treasure glittered, covering the floor. A man stood there, hood concealing his face and a staff in hand. A familiar staff. "Xelloss!? What are you doing here?!" Lina stared at the priest as he quickly removed his hood and looked at her. "Lina?! What are YOU doing here?! I thought it was- I mean, I thought you were happily married to Gourry!"

"Gourry's dead, I'm adventuring, and why are you running a bandit gang?!"

"It's a long story. You see I'm-"

"Dad! I've found you!" A voice rang through the room and Lina turned to see a young girl standing in the doorway. Her violet hair was about shoulder length and her bangs almost reached her eyes. She wore a simple burgundy outfit and cloak and had a sword on her hips. Wandering into the room, she glared at Xelloss. "Dad, you could have told me you would have a guest today. It was really boring just dealing with the few bandits left after she attacked!" The girl pointed at Lina, who was standing there, eye twitching.

"Dad? You have a kid? When did THAT happen?" Lina glared at Xelloss.

"About 16 years ago," he responded, "Lina, this is my daughter Xelona. Xelona, this is your Aunt Lina."

"O.K., so you have a teenaged daughter named Xelona and- Wait a second. Aunt Lina? That means that she's... and you and sis..." Lina fainted.

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Author's note

Confusing, ne? Don't worry, things will be explained. The Slayers don't belong to me. Try to ignore the evil things I do with them.