Title: Slayers Gateway: Discovery

By: Slayersgrl (slayersgrl@yahoo.com)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Slayers… just borrowing them…

A/N: This is the first in a trilogy I'm working on. Only the first part, Discovery, is done so far… Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lina was rapidly falling through the darkness. She knew she should be scared, but some reason, she wasn't. She then abruptly came to a stop and hovered in the air.

"Ok… That was fun and all, but I think I'd like to go now," she said to the emptiness around her.

Then a figure materialized in front of her. It was the woman Xellos had met.

"Who are you?" Lina asked. She was tired of being in the dark, literally, about what's been going on.

"I am the guardian of this temple. The protector of the four winds. The keeper of the gateway."

"Wait! The gateway? Didn't that book say something about…"

"Yes," the woman interrupted. "The book contains the answers to your questions."

"WHAT?!" Lina fell over. "And I gave it to Adara?!"

The woman sweatdropped. "Such hostility! Perhaps you are only a child… like the others…" She paused, realizing that she now had Lina's attention. "Maybe I shouldn't show you…" Her voice trailed off.

Lina's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Huh? Show me what?!"

She didn't respond right away. Then woman turned and looked directly at Lina. She had a sad look in her eyes. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you… It's not going to be what you want to see."

Then the darkness disappeared in an explosion of light.

Amelia and Adara smiled innocently at the ash covered chimera standing before them. "Sorrry!" they said in unison.

"Whatever… let's just get out of here." Zel turned to leave when the room was filled with a bright light. "What now?" he muttered.

When the light dimmed, the three found themselves in a courtyard. "Great! Now who knows where we are!" As Zel turned around, he found himself face to face with a smiling mysterious priest.

"Ahhh!" Zel screamed in surprise as he fell over. He then quickly stood back up and tried to regain his composure. "What do you want?" he asked. Then to himself he thought, "I was hoping he had gotten lost in here somewhere…"

"My my. You three seem to have been having some fun without me." Amelia was still soaking wet and Zelgadis was still slightly crispy. "Oh well. At least I did get to have an interesting… encounter… with our lovely host."

"What?" Zel grabbed Xellos' collar. "Tell me what you know! And I don't have time for your stupid games!"

"Well, if you would put me down… Thank you!" Xellos dusted himself off. "Now then, as I was saying…" He looked around the courtyard. "We seem to be missing a few people."

Zel clenched his fists angrily. "Dammit! Don't change the subject!"

"But Mr. Zelgadis…" Amelia interrupted. "He's right. Lina and Gourry aren't here."

Just then, they all heard someone screaming. "It sounds like it's coming from above us." Amelia said. Then they all looked up and saw something falling rapidly towards where they now stood. In fact, it appeared to heading straight to where Adara was.

The fire sorceress calmly watched as the object approached her. Then at the last second, she stepped to the side and let it impact with the ground.

The object turned out to be one disoriented Gourry. "Ow," was all he said as he climbed up out of the small crater made from the impact.

"Mr. Gourry! You're okay!" Amelia exclaimed as she ran up to him.

"Where's Lina?" he asked. Gourry quickly looked around for her, with one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Adara looked at Gourry strangely. "What do you mean? She's not here… I thought she was with you." Then she looked at Xellos. "Of course, I thought he was with you too."

Gourry paused for second. "Wait, you can all see me?"

"Yes, Gourry. We can see you. You are standing right in front of us." Zel said.

"Maybe you're not okay…" Amelia added. "I think you hit your head too hard on that fall."

Xellos stepped forward. "Why don't you tell us exactly what happened."

"Well, I was in this room. And then this voice was talking to me. Then there was this bright light and I was in a field. Lina was there… but she couldn't see me or hear me. Then we heard this noise… and there was an earthquake… and…uh… she…" Gourry didn't know how to say the last part.

"And? … Where's Lina now?" Adara asked when he didn't continue.

"She's…" he started, but then he was interrupted by a voice behind him.

"Right here."

Gourry quickly turned around and saw Lina standing there unharmed. "Lina! You're okay!" he exclaimed as he ran up and embraced her.

Lina blushed. "Of course I'm okay Gourry! It takes more than that to kill Lina Inverse."

"Well, it's great that you're in one piece and all… but now what are we going to do now?" Zel interrupted.

Luckily, no one had to think of a plan because the woman suddenly appeared before them.

"W…who's that?" Amelia asked. "She's so creepy!"

Adara quickly clamped a head over the other girl's mouth. "Amelia! Don't make her angry!"

Amelia just nodded her head as she stared at the woman with wide eyes.

"Don't be frightened. I won't hurt you."

Lina then asked, "You wouldn't happen to have a name would you? I mean, something we could call you…"

"A name?" She thought for a moment. "I would have no use for a name. But I suppose I can be called the Gatekeeper."

"Well, if you're a gatekeeper, where are your gates?" Zel asked as he gestured to the surrounding area. There was nothing that even resembled gates.

She just laughed in response. "Well, I believe they are in your possession."

"Oh! Yes, now it makes sense." Xellos thought out loud. "Those items we found…"

At the mention of the items, Zel pulled out the rolled up map and Adara pulled out the old book and the gold key.

"I don't think this will do us much good anymore." Zel said, referring to the map. "I guess it was only to guide us here."

"Well, there's still these." Adara held up the book and key.

Lina remembered something. "Oh! The book! Let me see it Adara!" Without waiting for her response, Lina grabbed the book and began flipping through the pages.

"Hey! I wasn't done with that yet!"

Lina ignored the girl and kept turning the pages. Then she stopped. "This has to be it!"

"What? What?" Adara asked as she tried to get a glimpse at the book. "Come on! I wanna see it too!" Finally, she was able to see what page Lina was on. "But that's the really old part!" she whined.

"You mean you can't read it!" Lina threw down the book in frustration. "This is just great!"

The woman, who had been watching them this whole time, suddenly held up her staff. The jewel began to glow brightly. Then the book opened and the pages began to turn themselves. Finally it stopped back on the page Lina was originally on. "Why don't you try to read it?"

"Me?" Lina was confused, but figured she had nothing to lose. So, she picked up the book. "But… wait…" She was at a loss for words. Now she could read the whole page perfectly.

"Lina?  What is it?" Gourry asked.

"It's… a spell." Then Lina shut the book. "Alright, let's give this a try."

Adara quickly grabbed the book from Lina and opened it up. "How can you tell what it says?" All Adara saw was the pages filled with an ancient language.

"Sometimes it's better not to ask." Zel mumbled.

Lina took a few steps forward. "Ok, here goes. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck Miss Lina!" Amelia said as she gave her a victory symbol.

Then Lina closed her eyes and began to concentrate on casting the spell. A soft breeze began to blow through the courtyard.

Everyone else, except for the Gatekeeper, quickly ran for cover. Just in case something 'accidentally' blew up…

Now the wind was stronger, rustling tree branches and picking up dust. A small whirlwind of air had surrounded Lina. Then she opened her eyes and held her hands in front of her. Quietly, she began the spell.

"Four winds of time and space"

Now the whirlwind surrounding Lina gained strength. In fact, it lifted her several feet off the ground.

"Infinite source shining for the abyss

I call forth your power here and now"

Dark clouds now obscured the clear night sky. The high winds blew the clouds in a circle above the courtyard.

"Together we can open the gateway

To the familiar and the unknown…"

Lina paused and then raised her voice.

"Destiny's Gate!"

As the spell was now completed, a quick flash of light filled the courtyard. When everyone was able to see again, they saw a large golden door in front of Lina. Then the winds abruptly stopped, dropping Lina to the ground and leaving the area in an eerie silence.

Gourry immediately ran up to Lina. "Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her up.

"I'm okay. I just don't think I'll be casting that spell for a little while…"

Then the woman stepped in front of the door. "You have all earned your entrance to the gateway. But first, you must make a choice. I cannot tell you what you'll find if you choose to go through the doorway. You can take a chance and find out for yourself. Or… you can turn back now and go home. You must choose wisely because this is the only chance you'll get."

There was silence again as everyone thought about their decision. Lina was the first to decide.

"Well, we've come this far. I'm going!"

"Then I'm going to!" Gourry said. He smiled at Lina. "After all, I am your guardian." With that, he patted Lina on the head.

Lina ignored him and turned to the others. "So, what about the rest of you?"

"I'm going Miss Lina! There could be evil and injustice waiting for us, but with the swift hammer of justice, we will triumph in the end!"

Zel sweatdropped at Amelia's speech. Then he sighed. "What have I got to lose. Maybe I'll finally be able to find a cure."

"That's the spirit Zel!" Lina smiled as she patted him on the back.

"I'll go!" Adara said. Then she glanced nervously at Lina. "I mean… if you don't mind…"

Lina smiled even more. "Sure you can come Adara. The more the merrier, right?"

Adara smiled back happily.

Then everyone turned to Xellos. He thought about it for a moment and then smiled. "You don't honestly think I'd miss out on something like this, do you?"

"Ok, it's all settled then! Let's go!" Lina then turned to Adara. "Can I have the key now?"

She gripped it defensively. "What? Why do you get it!"

"Well, unless you want to go first…" Zel whispered to her.

Adara quickly shook her head no and handed the key to Lina.

Lina held her breath as she stepped up the door. She put the key in the lock and turned it. The door then swung open revealing only a bright light. Lina closed her eyes and stepped through, anxiously thinking about where they were going to end up…

~*~ The End ~*~

For now…