Zelgadis arrived in Atlas not all that long after Erisa and Siori had left,
of course, they had gone out the north exit while he came in from the west.
As he walked down the streets with his hood pulled low over his face, he
noticed the wanted posters, "They raised the price.." he muttered to
himself after glancing toward the poster and moving on towards Lina's shop.
A crash and scream caught his attention, the voice sounded like Lina's, and it wasn't her typical enraged fireball scream. He whipped his cloak aside and moved into a run, dodging past people on his way, his hood falling back. Another explosion racked the city as Zelgadis rounded the corner and had to throw an arm up to protect his eyes from the airborne dirt and debris. "Gourry!" Lina yelled from somewhere- up the street a ways. She was being bundled away by a group of men who seemed impervious to her spells. One of them reached over and hit the back of her head with the hilt of his dagger, effectively silencing her. In all, there were four men, dressed head to toe in black suits, something like the Ninjas that Zelgadis had only heard about.
He drew his sword and leapt to the roof of a nearby building, running along the eves until he had moved ahead of the group. Dropping down into the street again, he landed efficiently and without a word, he attacked. The fight lasted for only a few moments and Zelgadis managed to cut down one of the attackers before Gourry arrived but the one clutching Lina to his chest held a dagger to her throat suggestively.
The three remaining men in black grouped close together before turning and running down the street. "Lina-" Gourry started to go after, but Zelgadis grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"We can't get them now," he said calmly, sheathing his sword. "We'll have to find out where they're going."
The aging blonde turned toward his friend, blue eyes wide and worried, "But that could be anywhere!" Zelgadis nodded toward the barely surviving attacker that still lay on the ground. "Right!" Gourry immediately understood.
*****
"So Siori stopped by your shop," Zelgadis stated quietly, sipping his coffee. They were in a tavern, a pot of coffee on the table between them. Gourry nodded, "Damn," he muttered, "I suppose I'll have to talk to her later." He set the cup aside and watched as Gourry refilled it immediately, even if the Chimera had only taken a sip from it.
"You're gonna help me get her back?" the swordsman asked, looking hopefully at Zelgadis's face.
The previous nod was returned. "She is my friend. Besides, Emperor Diroz is involved in this."
Gourry's eyes watered and he clutched his hands together, "I heard that he collects exotic women!! What will he do to Lina?" Zelgadis shifted uneasily, aware of the eyes on him and Gourry, knowing that Gourry needed comforting, but he just didn't know how to do that sort of thing, so he just sipped his coffee, even if it tasted terrible and was more grounds than anything.
*****
Siori stalked along down the road, Erisa trailing behind. To the Stone Princess's great relief, her sister WASN'T talking, which was a blessing from above in her opinion, considering the terrible hangover she was still suffering from.
Erisa had said she COULD cure the headache, but she wasn't going to. This statement pissed off the Chimera girl even further. Here she was letting Erisa travel with her and the girl wouldn't even show a bit of kindness. Well, Siori reflected, perhaps it was deserved, she hadn't been that helpful when it came to Erisa's problems, but...
But but but. That was always how it was, Siori fumed and kicked at a rock in the road. She had gone this long doing her own thing, not thinking about other people's feelings and certainly getting her own way, NOW was not a time when she felt like changing her ways. Blaming herself for things was just too much trouble when other people presented themselves to be blamed. It was ALL Zelgadis's fault. If he hadn't left Siori would never have turned out the way she was. And if it wasn't Zelgadis's fault, it was her mother's. If she hadn't died, Zelgadis wouldn't have left. Damn them all.
Siori kicked another rock and it skittered down the dusty road before coming to a stop. Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed toward her and a cart careened past, bouncing recklessly over the rocky road and threatening to overturn, the poor horse pulling it was already sweating and the man driving it onward wasn't taking any pity on it.
"Siori! They had Mrs. Lina!" Erisa suddenly exclaimed, pointing.
Stone Princess clutched her head, "Damn it! do you have to SHOUT like that ALL the fricken time?!" Of course, she overlooked the fact that she was shouting. "So what if they have Lina. She can take care of herself."
Erisa glowered deeply, "If she COULD, then why was she unconscious?! And YOU SHOUT MORE THAN I DO!" she screamed the last part, moving close to Siori so that she could get the full blast of it.
Siori collapsed to her rear in the dust, glaring- or more like squinting- up at her sister. "And what the hell do you think I'm going to do about it?"
"Help her?" Erisa replied, folding her arms on her chest and frowning right back.
She would have laughed, except that would hurt, so she snorted, "You seem to have forgotten that I don't 'help' people except to early graves."
"Then maybe it's time you changed your ways? Come on, they're getting away."
Erisa turned and started down the road but soon realized that Siori wasn't following. She didn't stop, not even looking back. Finally, Stone Princess got to her feet, dusting her rear off. "I could let her go alone..." she said softly to herself, watching as Erisa's pace faltered slightly then she moved on again. "And normally I'd say good riddens." She took a breath and sighed, "I've lost my mind," she stated and jogged after her sister.
*****
Diroz smiled vaguely as he gazed at the three pictures he held in his hand where he lounged in the pillows piled on the dais in his harem room, all his exotic beauties flocking around him, though they hated him with their very souls they could do nothing but fawn over him. Every one of the women wore jewels and filmy dresses, and collars with a mind controlling spell set into the gem that was at the center of every collar. They could never remove the collars, they'd been welded on by magic, nor could they break the spell, being simply too weak to do so.
One of the pictures he held was of an older woman, bright red hair salted with white though the cocky smile and spark in her cerulean eyes was still sixteen. She was a bit older than he liked, but he had to keep his end of the deal if he was to get what he wanted.
So he would steal this Lina Inverse and get the princesses of Seyruun. Even if the Mazoku hadn't said why he wanted Mrs. Lina it was certainly a fine deal. Diroz's smile stretched a little to the left, showing his teeth. Yes, these two princesses would be a fine addition to his harem, as well as the army. Too bad they would never be able to give him bodily pleasures, being made of stone as they were. It would do though. They would seal his hold over the region of old Seyruun, just as his capturing the queen of Zona had sealed that region's fate.
The mint haired queen resided in his harem too, her husband having been banished to menial tasks elsewhere in the castle, his magic sword now in the armory. "Martina," he called, thinking of her brought on a bout of lust that would only be properly satisfied in one way. She slinked to her feet where she had been lounging not that far away. "Dance for me," he said.
She smiled slyly at him, one shoulder lifting near her beautiful face. "Of course, Lord," she said and moved slowly, her jewelry chiming with every step.
*****
A crash and scream caught his attention, the voice sounded like Lina's, and it wasn't her typical enraged fireball scream. He whipped his cloak aside and moved into a run, dodging past people on his way, his hood falling back. Another explosion racked the city as Zelgadis rounded the corner and had to throw an arm up to protect his eyes from the airborne dirt and debris. "Gourry!" Lina yelled from somewhere- up the street a ways. She was being bundled away by a group of men who seemed impervious to her spells. One of them reached over and hit the back of her head with the hilt of his dagger, effectively silencing her. In all, there were four men, dressed head to toe in black suits, something like the Ninjas that Zelgadis had only heard about.
He drew his sword and leapt to the roof of a nearby building, running along the eves until he had moved ahead of the group. Dropping down into the street again, he landed efficiently and without a word, he attacked. The fight lasted for only a few moments and Zelgadis managed to cut down one of the attackers before Gourry arrived but the one clutching Lina to his chest held a dagger to her throat suggestively.
The three remaining men in black grouped close together before turning and running down the street. "Lina-" Gourry started to go after, but Zelgadis grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"We can't get them now," he said calmly, sheathing his sword. "We'll have to find out where they're going."
The aging blonde turned toward his friend, blue eyes wide and worried, "But that could be anywhere!" Zelgadis nodded toward the barely surviving attacker that still lay on the ground. "Right!" Gourry immediately understood.
*****
"So Siori stopped by your shop," Zelgadis stated quietly, sipping his coffee. They were in a tavern, a pot of coffee on the table between them. Gourry nodded, "Damn," he muttered, "I suppose I'll have to talk to her later." He set the cup aside and watched as Gourry refilled it immediately, even if the Chimera had only taken a sip from it.
"You're gonna help me get her back?" the swordsman asked, looking hopefully at Zelgadis's face.
The previous nod was returned. "She is my friend. Besides, Emperor Diroz is involved in this."
Gourry's eyes watered and he clutched his hands together, "I heard that he collects exotic women!! What will he do to Lina?" Zelgadis shifted uneasily, aware of the eyes on him and Gourry, knowing that Gourry needed comforting, but he just didn't know how to do that sort of thing, so he just sipped his coffee, even if it tasted terrible and was more grounds than anything.
*****
Siori stalked along down the road, Erisa trailing behind. To the Stone Princess's great relief, her sister WASN'T talking, which was a blessing from above in her opinion, considering the terrible hangover she was still suffering from.
Erisa had said she COULD cure the headache, but she wasn't going to. This statement pissed off the Chimera girl even further. Here she was letting Erisa travel with her and the girl wouldn't even show a bit of kindness. Well, Siori reflected, perhaps it was deserved, she hadn't been that helpful when it came to Erisa's problems, but...
But but but. That was always how it was, Siori fumed and kicked at a rock in the road. She had gone this long doing her own thing, not thinking about other people's feelings and certainly getting her own way, NOW was not a time when she felt like changing her ways. Blaming herself for things was just too much trouble when other people presented themselves to be blamed. It was ALL Zelgadis's fault. If he hadn't left Siori would never have turned out the way she was. And if it wasn't Zelgadis's fault, it was her mother's. If she hadn't died, Zelgadis wouldn't have left. Damn them all.
Siori kicked another rock and it skittered down the dusty road before coming to a stop. Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed toward her and a cart careened past, bouncing recklessly over the rocky road and threatening to overturn, the poor horse pulling it was already sweating and the man driving it onward wasn't taking any pity on it.
"Siori! They had Mrs. Lina!" Erisa suddenly exclaimed, pointing.
Stone Princess clutched her head, "Damn it! do you have to SHOUT like that ALL the fricken time?!" Of course, she overlooked the fact that she was shouting. "So what if they have Lina. She can take care of herself."
Erisa glowered deeply, "If she COULD, then why was she unconscious?! And YOU SHOUT MORE THAN I DO!" she screamed the last part, moving close to Siori so that she could get the full blast of it.
Siori collapsed to her rear in the dust, glaring- or more like squinting- up at her sister. "And what the hell do you think I'm going to do about it?"
"Help her?" Erisa replied, folding her arms on her chest and frowning right back.
She would have laughed, except that would hurt, so she snorted, "You seem to have forgotten that I don't 'help' people except to early graves."
"Then maybe it's time you changed your ways? Come on, they're getting away."
Erisa turned and started down the road but soon realized that Siori wasn't following. She didn't stop, not even looking back. Finally, Stone Princess got to her feet, dusting her rear off. "I could let her go alone..." she said softly to herself, watching as Erisa's pace faltered slightly then she moved on again. "And normally I'd say good riddens." She took a breath and sighed, "I've lost my mind," she stated and jogged after her sister.
*****
Diroz smiled vaguely as he gazed at the three pictures he held in his hand where he lounged in the pillows piled on the dais in his harem room, all his exotic beauties flocking around him, though they hated him with their very souls they could do nothing but fawn over him. Every one of the women wore jewels and filmy dresses, and collars with a mind controlling spell set into the gem that was at the center of every collar. They could never remove the collars, they'd been welded on by magic, nor could they break the spell, being simply too weak to do so.
One of the pictures he held was of an older woman, bright red hair salted with white though the cocky smile and spark in her cerulean eyes was still sixteen. She was a bit older than he liked, but he had to keep his end of the deal if he was to get what he wanted.
So he would steal this Lina Inverse and get the princesses of Seyruun. Even if the Mazoku hadn't said why he wanted Mrs. Lina it was certainly a fine deal. Diroz's smile stretched a little to the left, showing his teeth. Yes, these two princesses would be a fine addition to his harem, as well as the army. Too bad they would never be able to give him bodily pleasures, being made of stone as they were. It would do though. They would seal his hold over the region of old Seyruun, just as his capturing the queen of Zona had sealed that region's fate.
The mint haired queen resided in his harem too, her husband having been banished to menial tasks elsewhere in the castle, his magic sword now in the armory. "Martina," he called, thinking of her brought on a bout of lust that would only be properly satisfied in one way. She slinked to her feet where she had been lounging not that far away. "Dance for me," he said.
She smiled slyly at him, one shoulder lifting near her beautiful face. "Of course, Lord," she said and moved slowly, her jewelry chiming with every step.
*****