CH5
Blast and double damn! Lina HATED rain. And worst of all, she had to be IN it. At least Zelgadis was nice enough to give her his cloak because it had a hood and he couldn't exactly catch a cold. She was still quite soggy though, and it put her in a foul mood.
Scowling at the rain, it took her a moment to realize that there were lights ahead, dimly seen though the pouring rain, but lights meant shelter, shelter more than likely meant people, and people meant FOOD! "Zel!" she shouted, reaching out of the somewhat long cloak to pull on his sleeve. "There's light ahead!" He pulled himself out of his dour thoughts and blinked in the direction his companion pointed. "Maybe they'll let us in!" With that, she began running, her feet landing in puddles and splashing mud up her pants and across the end of Zel's cloak. With a sigh, the chimera followed her, what else WAS there to do? He wanted his cloak back, after all.
The lights turned out to be lanterns glowing though the windows of a house. It was odd that a farm house would have their shutters open in the current weather, but Zelgadis soon realized that the windows contained hazy glass.
Lina dashed straight up the steps and onto the porch where she was about to bang on the door with her fist and demand to be let in. She fell into the house instead. A tall woman with light blue hair tied in a braid had opened the door, her body clad in armor of black with silver trim. "Welcome, Lina Inverse," the woman stated, "My master has been waiting for you."
Slowly, Lina got off her face and pushed her soaking hair back, Zelgadis coming to stand behind her, his eyes narrowed slightly on the woman. "Please.. come in," a different voice said. This voice was that of a man's, calm, somewhat breathy, as if he didn't feel like taking the energy to really put his heart into speaking. Lina straightened, pushing her shoulders back and marched into the house.
It wasn't big, simply one room, the only light being the lantern that sat on the window sill. Zelgadis finally realized.. that was not glass, but ice. His eyes snapped back towards the somewhat shadowed corner in which a man dressed in black robes and cloak sprawled nonchalantly in a chair. There was another chair in the room, set in the center to be exact. In all, it was cold, hardly the thing Lina had wanted when being saved from pouring rain.
Lifting icy colored eyes, the man who looked to be perhaps twenty lifted one hand to brush his black hair back from his face, he smiled, though even that was icy. "A pleasure, Dramatta," he stated, "Please, have a seat."
Lina scowled, "I think I'll stand," she stated, folding her arms on her chest. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
The man nodded slightly, "As you wish," he replied. A moment passed, and the man spoke again, "You have likely figured out who I am by now, so there is no need for that. I came because I have a proposition to make with you."
The sorceress tipped her head to the side, looking vaguely coy. "What makes you think I'd WANT to make a deal with you?"
The woman's hand went to her sword, but her master lifted a hand, she relaxed and leaned back against the door. "For self preservation. You're not stupid... which is exactly the mistake Gaav and Phibrizzo made in dealing with you. Simply because you'd been defeated once did not mean you would allow them to do so again." Slowly, he sat forward in the chair, resting his arms on his knees. "My deal is thus- you don't bother me or my people, we wont bother you. Simple? You have my word, Dramatta."
"That's no promise that other Mazoku won't bother me though," Lina stated somewhat casually.
The man nodded once more, "Indeed it is not, but I have no control over those who do not look to me as master. By accepting, you will at least have one less enemy. Though I will not join your side should a battle ensue."
Flipping a hand, Lina placed her fists on her hips, "I wasn't expecting that. Alright, Dynast. You've got a deal. Just tell your people to not get in my way."
Another smile came to the man's pale lips and he stood, "Seeing as how I've delayed you in your travel, my general will take you to the next town." With that, he left. The air in the room seemed less crowded. The woman, however remained.
The air rippled, seemed to rip, then reformed, the two found themselves standing in front of an inn, one that happened to be called Two Springs Inn. "ALRIGHT!" Lina shouted and dashed inside, Zelgadis following. He had a nervous feeling about what had just happened.. one could never really trust Mazoku as much as they'd like you to.
***
"Dear brother.." a lazy haze of cigarette smoke floated up from deep red lips, "Playing with her?"
"Spying again, Zelas?" Dynast's icy eyes narrowed as he glided forward, ascending the steps that lead to his throne- in which the beastmaster lounged. "It would do you good to learn manners."
Zelas heaved a breath, the tight fabric of her deep red dress stretching a moment, "Perhaps... But why now?"
He paused, gazing at her, "For the same reason that forced me to contact her."
The beastmaster's eyes narrowed and she sat up in the stone throne of Dynast. "And what reason was that?"
Leaning forward, Dynast took hold of the woman's delicate chin, a smirk painting his lips, "You play with her, Zelas... you play, but she will reawaken, and you will be burned. Remember the destruction of before, when she rebelled against us? When many of our race turned against the true meaning of the war.." His hand slowly tipped her face back, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Yes, you remember. As do I. And I will not be on the wrong side of her power."
"She may yet turn on you," Zelas hissed between clenched teeth, her hand coming up to grip Dynast's wrist and dig her nails into the flesh.
Dynast drew back, still smirking, "Ah, but just as Gaav changed, she has changed. She will keep her promise with me so long as I keep my part. Go ahead and play with her Zelas, but your foolish games may wake the demon inside... she knows who Xelloss belongs to. She won't hesitate."
The air shredded and Zelas disappeared, a look of displeasure on her beautiful face. Dynast gave a breathy laugh and reclaimed his place on his throne. "It is done.. now all there is to do is watch."
***
Blast and double damn! Lina HATED rain. And worst of all, she had to be IN it. At least Zelgadis was nice enough to give her his cloak because it had a hood and he couldn't exactly catch a cold. She was still quite soggy though, and it put her in a foul mood.
Scowling at the rain, it took her a moment to realize that there were lights ahead, dimly seen though the pouring rain, but lights meant shelter, shelter more than likely meant people, and people meant FOOD! "Zel!" she shouted, reaching out of the somewhat long cloak to pull on his sleeve. "There's light ahead!" He pulled himself out of his dour thoughts and blinked in the direction his companion pointed. "Maybe they'll let us in!" With that, she began running, her feet landing in puddles and splashing mud up her pants and across the end of Zel's cloak. With a sigh, the chimera followed her, what else WAS there to do? He wanted his cloak back, after all.
The lights turned out to be lanterns glowing though the windows of a house. It was odd that a farm house would have their shutters open in the current weather, but Zelgadis soon realized that the windows contained hazy glass.
Lina dashed straight up the steps and onto the porch where she was about to bang on the door with her fist and demand to be let in. She fell into the house instead. A tall woman with light blue hair tied in a braid had opened the door, her body clad in armor of black with silver trim. "Welcome, Lina Inverse," the woman stated, "My master has been waiting for you."
Slowly, Lina got off her face and pushed her soaking hair back, Zelgadis coming to stand behind her, his eyes narrowed slightly on the woman. "Please.. come in," a different voice said. This voice was that of a man's, calm, somewhat breathy, as if he didn't feel like taking the energy to really put his heart into speaking. Lina straightened, pushing her shoulders back and marched into the house.
It wasn't big, simply one room, the only light being the lantern that sat on the window sill. Zelgadis finally realized.. that was not glass, but ice. His eyes snapped back towards the somewhat shadowed corner in which a man dressed in black robes and cloak sprawled nonchalantly in a chair. There was another chair in the room, set in the center to be exact. In all, it was cold, hardly the thing Lina had wanted when being saved from pouring rain.
Lifting icy colored eyes, the man who looked to be perhaps twenty lifted one hand to brush his black hair back from his face, he smiled, though even that was icy. "A pleasure, Dramatta," he stated, "Please, have a seat."
Lina scowled, "I think I'll stand," she stated, folding her arms on her chest. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
The man nodded slightly, "As you wish," he replied. A moment passed, and the man spoke again, "You have likely figured out who I am by now, so there is no need for that. I came because I have a proposition to make with you."
The sorceress tipped her head to the side, looking vaguely coy. "What makes you think I'd WANT to make a deal with you?"
The woman's hand went to her sword, but her master lifted a hand, she relaxed and leaned back against the door. "For self preservation. You're not stupid... which is exactly the mistake Gaav and Phibrizzo made in dealing with you. Simply because you'd been defeated once did not mean you would allow them to do so again." Slowly, he sat forward in the chair, resting his arms on his knees. "My deal is thus- you don't bother me or my people, we wont bother you. Simple? You have my word, Dramatta."
"That's no promise that other Mazoku won't bother me though," Lina stated somewhat casually.
The man nodded once more, "Indeed it is not, but I have no control over those who do not look to me as master. By accepting, you will at least have one less enemy. Though I will not join your side should a battle ensue."
Flipping a hand, Lina placed her fists on her hips, "I wasn't expecting that. Alright, Dynast. You've got a deal. Just tell your people to not get in my way."
Another smile came to the man's pale lips and he stood, "Seeing as how I've delayed you in your travel, my general will take you to the next town." With that, he left. The air in the room seemed less crowded. The woman, however remained.
The air rippled, seemed to rip, then reformed, the two found themselves standing in front of an inn, one that happened to be called Two Springs Inn. "ALRIGHT!" Lina shouted and dashed inside, Zelgadis following. He had a nervous feeling about what had just happened.. one could never really trust Mazoku as much as they'd like you to.
***
"Dear brother.." a lazy haze of cigarette smoke floated up from deep red lips, "Playing with her?"
"Spying again, Zelas?" Dynast's icy eyes narrowed as he glided forward, ascending the steps that lead to his throne- in which the beastmaster lounged. "It would do you good to learn manners."
Zelas heaved a breath, the tight fabric of her deep red dress stretching a moment, "Perhaps... But why now?"
He paused, gazing at her, "For the same reason that forced me to contact her."
The beastmaster's eyes narrowed and she sat up in the stone throne of Dynast. "And what reason was that?"
Leaning forward, Dynast took hold of the woman's delicate chin, a smirk painting his lips, "You play with her, Zelas... you play, but she will reawaken, and you will be burned. Remember the destruction of before, when she rebelled against us? When many of our race turned against the true meaning of the war.." His hand slowly tipped her face back, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Yes, you remember. As do I. And I will not be on the wrong side of her power."
"She may yet turn on you," Zelas hissed between clenched teeth, her hand coming up to grip Dynast's wrist and dig her nails into the flesh.
Dynast drew back, still smirking, "Ah, but just as Gaav changed, she has changed. She will keep her promise with me so long as I keep my part. Go ahead and play with her Zelas, but your foolish games may wake the demon inside... she knows who Xelloss belongs to. She won't hesitate."
The air shredded and Zelas disappeared, a look of displeasure on her beautiful face. Dynast gave a breathy laugh and reclaimed his place on his throne. "It is done.. now all there is to do is watch."
***