Chapter eight: A Midsummer night's perv
Naga leered at Lina. Lina leered back. Both of their eyes were locked onto each other in what appeared to be an ordinary staring contest, but it was something much more. Amelia and Gourry looked at the two of them, not knowing what was about to happen. Beads of sweat rolled down Lina's face, even more were rolling down Naga's. Suddenly, a small ball of light began to glow in between the two of their eyes and was getting bigger. "What the heck is that?" asked Gourry. "It appears to be some sort of lighting spell," replied Amelia.
The ball of light grew bigger and bigger. Soon it was nearly the size their heads. Then, almost instantaneously, the ball stopped growing and moved closer to Naga. Naga's eyes slowly began to close. Beads of sweat were sliding into her eyes. The ball got closer and closer, and then, it changed directions. Naga's eyes opened wider and the ball moved towards Lina. It was now Lina's turn to squint. Unlike what happened to Naga, the ball of light didn't change directions. It moved so close to Lina's face that it was practically touching her nose. Lina's eyes grew wide and then closed. The ball of light disappeared.
"AHH!! My eyes!!" shouted Lina as she rubbed her eyes vigorously. "That was a cheap shot, Naga." "Look who's talking," said Naga who was also rubbing her eyes. Not knowing what had just happened, Amelia and Gourry just stood there. Once Lina's eyes began to focus again she looked around to see if there were any problems. She saw two blurry figures, but couldn't make out what they were. Very slowly the blur went away and she saw Gourry and Amelia. "What the heck are you doing standing there?" asked Lina. "Go get some firewood." She turned to Naga. "And you, you cheater, you marinate the meat. I'm going to take a bath."
As she walked along the Mering Stream, Lina couldn't get rid of the feeling like she was being watched. Something's not right, she thought. There are no sounds coming from the forest. Just as she thought that, the forest boomed with life. Birds began to sing, crickets chirped, and frogs crocked. Must've been my imagination. Lina walked a little further until she came upon a drop-off in the stream. This looks like a good spot to soak.
Lina quickly undressed, placing all of her clothes in a neat pile on the ground. Here we go. Lina tested the water with her right foot. It was ice cold. Ain't no way I'm going to bathe in water that cold. Lina held out her hands and began to cast a fireball. "Source of all power. Crimson fire burning bright. Let thy power gather within my hand….FIRE BA…..AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Out of nowhere, an unknown force pushed Lina. She fell into the water and screamed.
"COLD!!!! Cold water! COLD WATER!!!" She reached for ground, but stopped when she saw a tan colored shoe. What the hell? thought Lina. She slowly looked up. Dark colored pants, cloth rapped around the waste, yellowish colored shirt, dark cape… When she finally reached the face she knew exactly who it was. "XELLOS!?!" shouted Lina. "Why hello there, Lina," said Xellos. "Long time no see."
"Who the heck do you think you are, pushing me in like that?" asked Lina, who was filled with rage. "It was all in fun, really," replied Xellos, putting one hand behind his head. "If I wasn't naked and cold I'd blast you back to the nether world," said Lina. "Why are you here, anyway?" "I'm her to give you some advice that will help you on your trip," he replied. "Seventy Miles North, in that direction…" Xellos pointed down the stream to his left. "…is the port of Morannon." "I know that," said Lina, "we were planing on heading that direction and taking a ship to the island of Orphen and then rent a boat to get to Ark."
"That path would sound logical," said Xellos, "but the waters between Ark and Orphen are swarming with sea serpents and things far worse than any ogre you'll see on land." This piece of information changed Lina's thinking quite a bit. If we won't be able to reach Ark, then how will we get the treasure? "However," said Xellos, holding his finger up in that way he does so very often, "there is an alternate route that is much safer and much shorter." Shorter? Safer? "Thirty-six miles north-west of here is the harbor town of Linhir. From there you should take a boat to Wolfpac Island. I'll be waiting for you there." Lina couldn't comprehend what Xellos had just said. "Hold on a minute," said Lina, no longer noticing the coldness of the water, "you want us to take a boat to Wolfpac Island? Are you insane? If Lord Beastmaster finds out that we're on her island she'll kill us." "On the contrary," said Xellos, "this was her plan to begin with." "What?" asked Lina. "Why would she help us?" "Because of what you're after," replied Xellos.
Because of what I'm after? What's he talking about. "The gold that you're after belongs to Deep-Sea Dolphin," said Xellos. "And that's why she wants to help us?" asked Lina. "You'll find out more when you reach Wolfpac Island. So, until we meet again…" Xellos opened a dimensional fold and stepped inside. "…this is good-bye." The fold closed behind him. "Hey, Xellos!" shouted Lina, "wait!" She was too late. Xellos was already gone. Why does he always do that? Might as well wash up while I'm in…!!!!!!!!! The coldness of the water suddenly came back and Lina let out a loud scream. "COLD WATER!!!!!!!"
Naga leered at Lina. Lina leered back. Both of their eyes were locked onto each other in what appeared to be an ordinary staring contest, but it was something much more. Amelia and Gourry looked at the two of them, not knowing what was about to happen. Beads of sweat rolled down Lina's face, even more were rolling down Naga's. Suddenly, a small ball of light began to glow in between the two of their eyes and was getting bigger. "What the heck is that?" asked Gourry. "It appears to be some sort of lighting spell," replied Amelia.
The ball of light grew bigger and bigger. Soon it was nearly the size their heads. Then, almost instantaneously, the ball stopped growing and moved closer to Naga. Naga's eyes slowly began to close. Beads of sweat were sliding into her eyes. The ball got closer and closer, and then, it changed directions. Naga's eyes opened wider and the ball moved towards Lina. It was now Lina's turn to squint. Unlike what happened to Naga, the ball of light didn't change directions. It moved so close to Lina's face that it was practically touching her nose. Lina's eyes grew wide and then closed. The ball of light disappeared.
"AHH!! My eyes!!" shouted Lina as she rubbed her eyes vigorously. "That was a cheap shot, Naga." "Look who's talking," said Naga who was also rubbing her eyes. Not knowing what had just happened, Amelia and Gourry just stood there. Once Lina's eyes began to focus again she looked around to see if there were any problems. She saw two blurry figures, but couldn't make out what they were. Very slowly the blur went away and she saw Gourry and Amelia. "What the heck are you doing standing there?" asked Lina. "Go get some firewood." She turned to Naga. "And you, you cheater, you marinate the meat. I'm going to take a bath."
As she walked along the Mering Stream, Lina couldn't get rid of the feeling like she was being watched. Something's not right, she thought. There are no sounds coming from the forest. Just as she thought that, the forest boomed with life. Birds began to sing, crickets chirped, and frogs crocked. Must've been my imagination. Lina walked a little further until she came upon a drop-off in the stream. This looks like a good spot to soak.
Lina quickly undressed, placing all of her clothes in a neat pile on the ground. Here we go. Lina tested the water with her right foot. It was ice cold. Ain't no way I'm going to bathe in water that cold. Lina held out her hands and began to cast a fireball. "Source of all power. Crimson fire burning bright. Let thy power gather within my hand….FIRE BA…..AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Out of nowhere, an unknown force pushed Lina. She fell into the water and screamed.
"COLD!!!! Cold water! COLD WATER!!!" She reached for ground, but stopped when she saw a tan colored shoe. What the hell? thought Lina. She slowly looked up. Dark colored pants, cloth rapped around the waste, yellowish colored shirt, dark cape… When she finally reached the face she knew exactly who it was. "XELLOS!?!" shouted Lina. "Why hello there, Lina," said Xellos. "Long time no see."
"Who the heck do you think you are, pushing me in like that?" asked Lina, who was filled with rage. "It was all in fun, really," replied Xellos, putting one hand behind his head. "If I wasn't naked and cold I'd blast you back to the nether world," said Lina. "Why are you here, anyway?" "I'm her to give you some advice that will help you on your trip," he replied. "Seventy Miles North, in that direction…" Xellos pointed down the stream to his left. "…is the port of Morannon." "I know that," said Lina, "we were planing on heading that direction and taking a ship to the island of Orphen and then rent a boat to get to Ark."
"That path would sound logical," said Xellos, "but the waters between Ark and Orphen are swarming with sea serpents and things far worse than any ogre you'll see on land." This piece of information changed Lina's thinking quite a bit. If we won't be able to reach Ark, then how will we get the treasure? "However," said Xellos, holding his finger up in that way he does so very often, "there is an alternate route that is much safer and much shorter." Shorter? Safer? "Thirty-six miles north-west of here is the harbor town of Linhir. From there you should take a boat to Wolfpac Island. I'll be waiting for you there." Lina couldn't comprehend what Xellos had just said. "Hold on a minute," said Lina, no longer noticing the coldness of the water, "you want us to take a boat to Wolfpac Island? Are you insane? If Lord Beastmaster finds out that we're on her island she'll kill us." "On the contrary," said Xellos, "this was her plan to begin with." "What?" asked Lina. "Why would she help us?" "Because of what you're after," replied Xellos.
Because of what I'm after? What's he talking about. "The gold that you're after belongs to Deep-Sea Dolphin," said Xellos. "And that's why she wants to help us?" asked Lina. "You'll find out more when you reach Wolfpac Island. So, until we meet again…" Xellos opened a dimensional fold and stepped inside. "…this is good-bye." The fold closed behind him. "Hey, Xellos!" shouted Lina, "wait!" She was too late. Xellos was already gone. Why does he always do that? Might as well wash up while I'm in…!!!!!!!!! The coldness of the water suddenly came back and Lina let out a loud scream. "COLD WATER!!!!!!!"