Author's Note: Isn't it amazing?! I haven't updated this story in FOREVER!!! ^__^ Even though this story doesn't get reviews, I'm going to continue writing it. Just like all my other ignored stories!! Here's the second chapter in this new adventure! I hope you enjoy this story, even if it's a bit strange in parts.
Please review and enjoy!
~Lordess
Airia heaved a deep sigh. She pulled the saddle upon the black stallion and fitted it comfortably on the horse's back. The long muzzle stretched itself around and pushed gently against Airia's shoulder as she buckled the leather saddle tightly around his belly. The purple haired sorceress gave a small laugh and pushed the horse's head aside playfully. In return, the stallion nipped at her sleeve.
It was early the next morning. The sun had barely stretched itself over the tall mountains in the east, filling the town with a pleasant glow. The trees swayed with a soft breeze that swept through the air at a slow, yet refreshing pace. Just another beautiful, and utterly boring morning in the town.
Airia was relieved that she'd be leaving it at last.
For most of her life, she had lived here, training under many skills from her 'papa'. Each and every day was the same, quiet and peaceful. Her father had often gone out with his own duties, but she was forced to stay home. And now she was finally allowed to go on her own. She smiled at the thought.
The stallion nipped at the edge of her sleeve, tugging it lightly to bring the sorceress back to the real world. She let another long sigh escape her lips, smiling and petting the horse's black head. "Well," she said jovially. "I guess it's time to go..."
Airia placed one foot in the stirrup, taking the front and back of the saddle into her hands. She paused as a noise filled her ears. Frowning curiously, she pulled her foot back out and walked towards the stable's pen. Squinting her eyes, she gazed into the forests beyond the grassy area to get a good look at whatever was causing the commotion.
She nearly toppled over at what she saw.
"V-... Ve-.... Vendir Boys..." she breathed, not believing what she was seeing. The Vendir Boys has obviously come back for more and weren't alone either. Marching in a slouched stance next to the whooping and cheering skinnies was an ogre.
Airia had only three fears in her life. These three things were the only three that made her cower in terror. These three things alone made her shiver and curl up under the covers of her bed; Mazoku, Ryuzoku... and ogres.
She gave a short yelp and scrambled away from the gate and towards her waiting stallion. She took a hold of the saddle again, nearly knocking off her secured possessions in the process. With her heart beating at a pace immeasurable, she scrambled to put her foot in the stirrup, cussing under her breath the entire time.
She glanced up several times, nervousness rising as the ogre and Vendir Boys grew closer. With an aggravated sigh, Airia pushed herself up to get into the saddle. The horse, however, wasn't prepared for this. Nor was it prepared for the gunshot coming from the Vendir Boys that whizzed on the railing next to the horse. In result, the black stallion reared and bolted forward. Airia's grip failed while the horse was on it's hind legs and she was dropped rather painfully to the ground.
"Kuuuusooo!!!" she screamed, picking herself off the ground and running after the horse. "GET BACK HERE!!!"
The horse didn't heed, however got slowed down anyway in a narrow passage of gates allowing Airia to catch up. The sorceress, seeing the passage was too narrow for her to get on the horse, jump onto the railing and jogged with the horse far enough till she could jump onto it's back.
Bad luck just seemed to follow her as another gunshot was fired, scaring the horse again and it jolted forth again. The sorceress' foot hit the saddle, but slid and Airia landed harshly in the saddle on her stomach. She grumbled and held on for dear life as the horse raced across the streets of the town. "Iiiitaaaaaiii..."
The sorceress blinked as she whizzed past her father. He watched her speed off, tilting his head to one side at her odd position on the stallion. Giving a nervous laugh, she waved to him shyly and thanked L-sama that he was there to stop the Vendir Boys and their ogre while she made her get-away.
That left one problem...
Stopping the horse.
Episode 2: Seryuun! News of the Assassin!
Lina wasn't very happy.
First, breakfast was missed. Breakfast at the inn wouldn't be served for a few hours. All stores and restaurants were closed as well for the morning. True the bakery was open, but would Zelgaddis let them stop to eat? Nooooo...
Second, the trio had awaked, by Zelgaddis' request, before dawn. Seryuun was a good, yet long, day away and should they get an early start, they would reach the gates before they closed and wouldn't have to spend the night on the cold ground. This Lina sympathized with. She would be more than happy to spend a night in the palace over the rough terrain between this town and there. But that cut into a few activities she cherished dearly... like sleeping... and eating...
Third, breakfast was missed, and Lina was hungry...
Fourth, Zelgaddis had gone into a complete mood of depression and thought. He barely said a word for conversation. And when she spoke to him, all he replied with was a mere 'sure', 'hmmm', or 'not a chance'. The morning had progressed without a full sentence formed by his mouth. It was rather irritating considering her only other choice in conversation was with a man who valued food over knowledge and, in result, had the brains of a jellyfish.
Fifth, breakfast was missed, and Lina got cranky when no food came...
Sixth, Gourry hadn't been able to sleep and was little more than a walking snore-machine that had to be awakened every five seconds, or else left to trip or get whacked by a low branch.
Seventh, breakfast was missed and Lina wanted food...
Eighth, no bandits hoards to raid and Lina was low on money.
Ninth, Lina was going to kill someone if she didn't get her usual nine course breakfast...
So no one that morning was very happy as they trudged along the beaten and worn path to Seryuun. Lina had taken the lead, slouching as she walked at a miserable pace forward. Gourry paced behind her, his new sword resting on his shoulder, occasionally falling a bit as his wrist went weak as he drifted to sleep. Zelgaddis took the rear, one hand crossed over his chest, the other hand resting on his chin as he thought of the events that took place the previous days.
And the trio trudged on, with the only noises being snoring, one word answers, and complaints (the latter of course, coming from Lina).
"We should have stopped for breakfast..."
"Drop it, Lina. We have to get to Seryuun by early evening. Then you can have all the food you want."
'Wow...' the red haired sorceress' mind marveled. 'A full sentence. Two even.'
Faintly, the young girl noticed a soft rapid beat from behind them. She stopped, listening to the noise closely, trying to pick it out. Gourry nearly fell over her, too sleepy to pull himself to a sudden stop. "Do you hear that?" Lina asked curiously. Zelgaddis paused his own pace to listen to the sound he barely noticed in his deep thought.
"It sounds like..." he started, letting his superior hearing identify the noise for him. "Hoofbeats... a horse."
Airia yelped as her body was slammed against the saddle yet again as the horse landed from jumping the town's fence. She was still rather stuck riding the stallion on her stomach. Her hands gripped the sides tightly, her eyes watching the saddle and the horse's stride. Desperately she tried to find a pattern to the jingling of the stirrup her foot failed to hook.
Giving up on that idea, she tried to find rhythm enough to push herself up. She pushed herself up, throwing out her legs to throw them over. However, one of her boots smacked into something hard, throwing off much of her balance, leaving her dangling from the side of the horse.
She looked back curiously, ignoring the tingling pain in her foot that had been swung to the opposite side of the horse. "Kuuuusooo..." she whispered as she saw the red haired sorceress knocked on the ground with the familiar blonde one and chimera. She watched nervously as the sorceress stood up, enraged and prepping some sort of spell.
"Faia-BAAAAALL!"
The infamous fire spell sped toward the purple haired sorceress. Airia gave a short shriek and rushed to get into the saddle, able to pull herself out harms way, but still dangling. She glanced back once more to see another fireball speeding forward. Using her current position, she grabbed the reigns and pulled the horse sideways. The fire spell nicked the stallion's hindquarters and it reared once again.
"IIIIIITAAAAAI!!!!"
Lucky for Airia, there was a nice rock jutting out of the road to cushion her fall. The sorceress groaned as she lay in the dirt, face buried into the ground and a painful throbbing in her side began. She felt a nibble at her hair and looked up exasperated to see the horse's face hovering above hers. "...You...like to see me in pain... don't you...?"
The horse gave a soft whiney, moving his head up and down some. Airia grumbled and pushed it's muzzle away from her as she let her face fall back to the ground. The purple haired sorceress forgot the reason why the horse had reared and she had fallen however... She was reminded as a strong hand grabbed the back of her cloak and half pulled, half pushed her to her feet.
A nervous laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at the red haired sorceress. "Konninchiwa... O'genki desuka...?" she said nervously. The shorter grabbed the taller by the collar and yanked her down to eye level.
Airia added another thing to her 'fear' list.
'Well,' the purple haired sorceress decided mentally. 'Time to get out of another mess.' "Gee, that's a *nasty* looking red mark on your cheek! If you want I can-"
"I'm gonna kill you..." Lina's voice was flat, dangerous, and deadly.
"Gomen nasai! It was an accident! I swear! You see I was-"
"Do you know who I am..?"
"...Lina...?"
"Inverse..."
Lina Inverse... Lina Inverse... Airia had heard that name before. Ever so slowly, the long since rusted wheels in the elder's mind began to turn. "Ooooh... Lina Inverse!" she said, smiling brightly. "I remember where I've heard your name before! You're Luna's-"
"WHAT?! LUNA?! WHERE?!"
Airia nearly fell over as she was released from death's grip and the young red haired sorceress vanished before her. The elder sorceress blinked, following the trail of dust that led to where Lina had run to. "Oooh... That's riiiight. Lina's afraid of Luna," she muttered under her breath. She watched as Gourry jogged over towards where the red haired one had disappeared to.
"Oi! Lina! Where'd you go?"
"GO AWAY GOURRY! YOU'LL GIVE AWAY MY HIDING SPOT!"
Airia let a mischievous smirk cross her lips as she yelled to Lina. "To who?" she called. "LUNA?"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Airia laughed. "Oh I could learn to enjoy that..." she said under her breath as she turned to go find her horse. She was stopped by the figure that had been standing behind her. A nervous smile crossed her face. "Konninchiwa Zelgaddis-san... O'genki desuka?"
The chimera ignored the question asked, counting with one of his own. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, his voice flat with deeply rooted rage. His blue eyes narrowed as they locked onto her purple ones.
Airia frowned, crossing her arms defiantly. "I have as much right to be here as you do..." she muttered through her teeth. She tried to move around him but was caught by his hand grasping her arm in a painfully tight hold. She barely even flinched as she turned to him, returning his glare. "An assignment for my Papa's work..." she said, answering his question. She ripped her arm away from his grasp and moved to the waiting stallion who stood, flicking it's ears back and forth curiously.
Zelgaddis' scowl deepened. "Who are you looking for...?"
"None of your business..."
"Who are you looking for...?!" The question deepened with anger. Airia placed one foot in the stirrup before swinging herself over and sitting herself comfortably in the saddle. She looked at the chimera with an expressionless face, her eyes watching him calmly.
"I can guarantee that it isn't one of your two friends over there," she replied, motioning her head towards the still shouting Lina and the confused Gourry. "But other than that, I can say nothing." The purple haired sorceress nudged the black horse softly and it trotted forward at an easy pace, past the angry chimera.
Zelgaddis gave a deep growl that echoed in the back of his throat. Airia was dangerous, he knew. Whomever she was looking for lie on a path of danger now. He swore to find out who that person was and make sure Airia could not get to them. He'd kill her if he had to...
Stiffly he began walking after her and towards the sorceress and swordsman.
"Why Lina Inverse!" the purple haired one mocked, smiling up at Lina as her horse slowed to a stop near the tree she hid in. "The stories I hear about your infamous deeds must be exaggerated. No one like that would hide in a tree."
The red haired sorceress scowled at Airia. "URASAI!"
"You can come down now, she's no where around..."
"Then where is she?!"
"...I presume at her job..."
Slowly and awkwardly, Lina lowered herself from the tree. Gourry blinked his confusion at the entire situation, not understanding why his companion had gotten so afraid. In the same manner that she descended form the tree, the sorceress moved over to Airia. The elder sorceress still sat smiling in silent mockery.
"I'm going to kill you..." the red head said flatly. A twinge of fear passed through Airia, but the smile never faded.
"Not if I can get to Luna first..." she whispered.
A shiver shot through Lina and she walked with ridged movements down the beaten path. Gourry followed, Zelgaddis staying a ways away from Airia as he also followed. Airia kicked her horse gently again and started at an easy walk.
"So where are you headed, Airia was it...?" Lina asked, figuring it best to start some conversation to forget the previous topic.
"Airia Metian," she said, proudly. She felt a tingle in her stomach and searched for some food in her pack. "And for now I'm headed to Seryuun." She pulled out a nice sized biscuit and smiled at it in anticipation.
She didn't know how Lina got it from her, but the next thing she knew she was biting on her fingers instead of the piece of bread. "Great!" Lina said jovially, happy that she had some food to munch on. She devoured it in one bite, licking her fingertips. "That means you can travel with us!" Airia blinked, pulling her fingers from her mouth and blinking at them more as her horse walked forward.
"That's... wonderful..."
"So do you have any more biscuits?"
By the look in Lina's eye, Airia knew that she'd be in even more trouble with the famous and infamous sorceress if given food was not provided. Defeated, she pulled a few more items of provisions for the red head to munch on and forget her anger.
~*~
"So Seryuun is your goal for today, but where's your final destination?"
"I can't exactly tell you."
"Alright, so what are you traveling for?"
"Something related to my papa's work."
"Can you be more specific?"
"I'm afraid not."
"How long will you be traveling for?"
"I'm not exactly sure."
"..."
Through some extensive inquire, Lina had found that Airia was just about as hard to deal with as a certain Mazoku priest. The elder sorceress had been careful not to use the saying 'sore wa himitsu desu' (too afraid about that Dragu Slave) but had been evading questions in her own, 'I can't tell you' sort of way. So through the hours and hours of traveling and snacking and breaks, Lina had learned close to nothing about this Airia Metian.
The sun had begun to vanish behind the extensive valley, setting the sky on fire with it's array of colors. Clouds floated through the sky, tinted with pinks and purples. The eastern sky had begun to darken with dark blues and shades of purple. Night was almost upon the traveling group.
Zelgaddis had said nothing to Airia, sinking deeper into a gorge of thoughts both angered and worried. Gourry had added little note, making a dimwitted comment every now and then to try and understand the conversation. So in essence, it was a very dull day, and that meant Lina wasn't enjoying herself. That and Airia's provisions had run out by early afternoon and the young sorceress' stomach had began growling soon afterward.
It seemed the stressed and tense atmosphere would never leave until the gates of Seryuun were within their sites. Lina seemed the most ecstatic at this and gave a scream of pure delight, running forward at speeds quite out of the ordinary for a human. And while she ran forward, her shrill voice screamed something along the lines of "FOOOOODFOODFOODFOODFOOD!!!"
Gourry and Zelgaddis were used to this behavior. Airia's horse, which was quite frazzled already, was not, and when Lina shot past, it stopped suddenly, causing the elder sorceress' body to lurch forward uncomfortably. And when the dimwitted swordsman bolted past as well, shouting something along the same lines, the stallion reared and Airia was sent flying to the ground for the third time that day.
The purple haired female grumbled into the dirt, cursing her father for letting her take such an easily frightened horse. Her grumbling paused as she heard and felt Zelgaddis pass her, barely even acknowledging the girl as he stepped over her.
"Thanks for helping me up..." the sorceress said sarcastically as she pushed herself from the ground. She rolled her eyes as he sent a glare back her way before continuing on his way to the city before them. This job of hers was not going to be easy.
~*~
"NAAAAANIIIII?!"
The anger in Lina's voice was unmistakable. Zelgaddis, Gourry and Airia all winced simultaneously as they watched Lina grab the restaurant's owner by the collar. "What do you mean you can't serve us!?"
The owner of the large restaurant began to ramble incoherently, stuttering and skipping many words in the process. The red haired sorceress' anger rose, pulling the tall man's collar down further till her face was inches above his. Fury flickered clearly in her eyes. "Try explaining that again," she said through gritted teeth. "This time make it understandable and short. Otherwise..." She raised her free hand to show the sparking fireball that twisted between her fingertips.
The owner gave a gulp before daring to reply. "Amelia-hime said-"
"AMELIA!" Lina shouted, her fists growing tight around the man's shirt, her eyes slinking away. "Of COURSE. SHE'S responsible for this."
"Ano... Lina..." Gourry scratched his chin lightly, feeling somewhat sorry for the man in the sorceress' deadly grip. "Shouldn't you let him finish?"
Lina's heated gaze fell upon the swordsman. He gave a gulp, forcing down the lump in his throat. Taking advantage of the moment of silence, the restaurant owner quickly finished his sentence. "Amelia-hime said to send you and your companions to the palace, for she would have a feast ready for you upon your arrival."
"Hontoni?!"
The owner blinked at Lina's sudden personality change. The fire in her eyes had quickly converted to happiness within a record breaking .02 seconds. He nodded. "Hai..." With that pleasant note, the owner was dropped onto the dusty ground and left to crawl away.
"YOSH!" the sorceress shouted, spinning on her heels to face her companions once more. "You heard the man! ON TO THE PALACE! We can't let Amelia wait!"
Zelgaddis gave a long sigh and Gourry blinked. Lina's smile seemed unbreakable as she turned to the third party member. "Airia, you of course can come along-" The sorceress trailed off as she noticed she was talking to an empty spot where the purple haired one had formerly stood. She blinked a few times, twisting her head around curiously until she found the other sorceress slinking off with her horse as quietly as she could.
Now Airia had thought she was going to make it away from the group at last and be on her own. Her dreams and content feeling were shattered as she felt something jerk her cape backwards. She gagged and grabbed the clasp, barely able to prevent the cloak from choking her as she fell back. She winced as her back hit the ground, followed by her head. "ITIA!"
She rubbed her head a moment before opening her eyes to be greeted by Lina's red ones. The smaller sorceress had her blissful appearance on as she looked down at the other. "Where do you think you're going, Airia! You're coming with us! How often is it that you get to meet royalty and dine at their table?"
"Well actually," Airia began. "I'm really bad with fancy dinners and-GEH!" Her hand flew up to the clasp again as Lina began dragging her by her cape. Airia struggled to undo the clasp, but found it stuck and had to settle with squeezing the cape around her shoulders to prevent suffocation. She glared up at the other. "Lina, this is like taking me hostage!"
"With the Palace of Seryuun as a prison, who could complain?"
Airia raised her hand, but it went unseen by the other sorceress.
The horse followed it's master obediently (still being held by the reins, but keeping an unforced pace). Gourry smiled at the prospect of both food and being reunited with a friend. Zelgaddis paused, frowned at Airia before following himself.
As much as Airia pleaded, no one dared take on the small red-head sorceress to free the elder from death's grasp. She was able to at least get one woman's attention long enough to get her name out and a name in return. 'Legata' she had said, the blond haired woman smiling and waving to Airia as the poor girl was dragged off.
It didn't take long to get to the palace. Once before the gates, Lina dropped the edge of Airia's cape and the purple haired girl tumbled backwards, smacking her head on the cobblestone road. She whimpered and rubbed the back of her head, muttering curses in a tongue no one could understand.
A servant met them at the gates and quickly allowed them passage to the courtyard. The group moved at a quick enough pace forward, Airia trying to trail behind as much as possible. The chimera kept a constant watch on her, making sure to be ready incase she attempted something.
"OI! AMELIA-CHAN!" Lina called, halting her progress as they were greeted by the young princess. The raven haired youth smiled as she greeted her guests, her long pink dress trailing behind her a bit as she walked.
"Konbanwa Lina-san! Gourry-san!" she said, giving a small nod of the head to each of them. She smiled to Zelgaddis. "Arigatou for bringing them here, Zelgaddis-san!" The chimera gave his nod of thank you back and the princess' eyes continued till they fell upon the newest member of the group. She blinked curiously. "Eto... Who are you?"
Airia forced a smile as she met Amelia's gaze. "Leaving," she said simply before starting to walk away. She yelped as Lina's arm locked itself around her neck, restricting her movement greatly. She gagged at the tight hold the young sorceress hand.
"This is Airia Metian!" the red haired sorceress explained. "She's sold us a new sword for Gourry and we met her again on the road here!"
Amelia gave a nervous smile, a small giggle to go with it. "Eh... It's nice to meet you, Airia-san," she started. "I am Amelia, Princess of Seryuun."
Airia would have gladly replied with something respectable and kind, but found difficult to find the air to breath in Lina's death grip. She gave a noise that sounded more like a choked whimper and forced a smile onto her face.
Amelia flagged one of the servants down to take the horse to the stables before smiling once again to Lina and company. "Then shall we go inside for a bite to eat?" she asked. The magic words were said and the red haired sorceress dropped Airia and headed happily after Amelia, the two men following close behind.
Airia whined, seeing her horse being led away from her. It made her feel very stuck in her position. She stood, brushing the dirt off of her white clothing and started slowly after the group. What would a little dinner hurt?
~*~
Once at the dinner table, the consummation of the feast began. The sorceress and her swordsman companion barely gave themselves time to breath, concentrating more on inhaling their food then the air around them. Zelgaddis calmly sipped out of his cup, immune to the disgusting eating habits of his comrades. Amelia was much the same, eating the food before her slowly, but keeping a constant eye on the two hungry travelers.
Airia had never seen such sights in her life. Her face contorted slightly as she watched the two, finally loosing her will to eat and pushing her plate away. The contents were quickly wiped off and consumed by the twin food vacuums.
Finding a break in her gorging of the food, Lina took a moment to turn to Amelia. "So what exactly did you call us here for?" he asked, swallowing the piece of chicken she had been chewing on. Amelia smiled, setting down her fork, pleased that she would finally be able to get a word in.
"The thing is, Lina-san, that I need your help concerning some matters," the princess began, smoothing her dress to try and relieve some of her jitters. She paused, her eyes turning to the purple haired one sipping at her drink.
The red haired sorceress smiled, seeing Amelia's nervousness and said, "Don't worry about Airia! She's a sorceress too!" she explained. "She's no harm! She might even be able to help!"
The corners of Zelgaddis' mouth twitched with his disagreement, but he said nothing and continued sipping at his tea. Airia gave a small groan, muttering to Lina under her breath, "Why are you dragging me into this?"
The red haired sorceress ignored the question and motioned for the princess to continue. Amelia took a deep breath before speaking again. "A few weeks ago, contact with the temple in the northwest of the city broke and strange dark auras started flowing through it," Amelia explained, her face growing serious with her worry. "No one could go in and no one knew what happened to those on the inside.
"About a week ago, the palace received a letter from whomever was in the temple. It was a threat saying that an assassin was in the city and that he would kill his target unless someone would come to the temple and beat him before then.
"Father grew really worried, and then I ran into Zelgaddis-san and I sent him to get you because I knew that you would be able to handle it!"
Lina looked at the princess skeptically. "I'm not the first one you came to, am I?" she asked flatly. Amelia gave a false smile.
"O-of course you are, Lina-san!" she mustered. "You're the most powerful person I know!"
"..."
Amelia sunk in her seat. "Everyone else we sent disappeared," she muttered truthfully. Lina's mouth twitched slightly and she leaned back in her seat.
"So you got me to come here and asked me to go on a suicide mission?" she asked, frowning with thought. Amelia shook her head.
"Iie, Lina-san! I wouldn't send you on a mission if I knew you couldn't do it!" she urged. "I am going to go with you to help as well!"
"But who is the target...?" Gourry asked offhandedly. Amelia faltered.
"We don't know..." she muttered with a sheepish grin.
"So you don't know who this guy is going to kill?!" the red haired sorceress asked, leaning forward with skeptical eyes. Amelia tried to muster some strength into her voice again.
"It doesn't matter! Someone's life is in danger!" she pleaded. "Even if it's not someone of high rank or anything, this assassin must be faced and brought to justice!"
Airia's hand flew to cover her mouth as she sneezed.
"Bless you," Amelia muttered and Airia's eyes squeezed shut as she sneezed again.
"Bless you." And again.
"Bless you." And again.
Lina gave an irritated sigh. "Bless you a million times!" she yelled to the purple haired sorceress. Airia groaned, clamping her nose shut between two fingers and standing from her chair.
"Excuse me for a moment," she muttered, slipping out of the dinning room and into the hall. Once the doors closed, a parade of sneezes was heard through the door, disappearing down the hall. Lina's eye twitched slightly and Amelia gave a half-hearted laugh.
After a moment to recover, Lina turned her gaze back to the Amelia. "I have one last question before I tell you my decision," she stated, a glint shinning in her eye. The princess gave a nod, waiting the question. Lina let a smirk slip into place. "How much are you planning to pay?"
~*~
Airia gave a disgusted sigh, still recovering from the attack of sneezes from earlier. She hadn't heard any of the rest of the conversation, aside from the fact that she was being dragged to the temple the next morning to take care of the assassin. She wasn't sure why this red-haired sorceress had agreed to it, though something hinted at the prospect of a reward.
All Airia knew was that she *wasn't* going to be dragged into a temple to fight some assassin she knew nothing about. She was worried if she might know the assassin, or worse, the assassin would know her. She couldn't have her carefully laid plans jeopardized by some silly side quest.
After the group had finished their conversing, some servants had led the group to their rooms for the night. Airia was very thankful that she had a room all to herself, somewhat distanced from the others. It seemed to make life a little easier for her.
Her windows were left open, letting in the cool night air as she sorted through her things. She was planning on sneaking out in a few hours, while everyone was asleep. That would allow her to get a good distance from the group and get re-aligned with her assignment. After all, she was supposed to be following Zelgaddis, not traveling with him.
Her bags had been brought up from the stables and she was making sure everything was still in them. Things seemed in order, and so she reached into her back, producing some black cloth, setting it aside.
With the quick proficiency she had been trained to have, she changed out of the white traveling clothes she had and into the black ones that fit snuggly over her skinny body. She wrapped the black around her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head. She shoved the white clothing into the bag, tying it shut and tossing it next to the window for quick access when she would leave.
A long sigh escaped her lips as she reattached her belt and sword to her hips, preparing for a wait till she thought it was safe.
That wait never came as Airia felt a familiar presence near her. Her body tensed as she turned to the window, gazing at the apparent peaceful night. Slowly, she eased herself towards the window, eyes darting about for the figure she expected to see.
She only caught a glimpse of him as he darted from view once he had come into her line of sight. With a curse, Airia ran to her pack, pulling the bow and quiver of arrows from it's holding place and running onto the balcony.
She only took a moment to swing the quiver of arrows over her head and shoulders before climbing onto the railing and using it as a ladder to the roof. She paused, looking about nervously as she pulled an arrow from it's resting place and prepared it on her bow.
The figure darted past her and Airia released the arrow after him, missing him by quite a distance. Cursing, she chased him on the expanse of the palace roofs, pulling forth another arrow and resting it in it's place.
No matter how fast she ran or how dead on her shots were, the figure seemed to elude her. She could have sworn she saw a smirk on the face of the figure she pursued, but she couldn't be sure. She scowled, realizing the figure was leading her in the same circle about the area, toying with her. As if the figure realized her discovery, he stopped, turning to face her and allowing her to see the smirk on his face.
"KUSO!" she screamed, releasing another arrow towards him. In a movement that seemed to fast for the eye, the figure caught the arrow within his hand, stopping it before it reached his heart. The smirk widened, as did Airia's eyes. "Impossible," she muttered, freezing in her place as she looked at him. One of the shingles beneath her feet slid, causing her to loose her balance.
A scream of surprise escaped her lips as she tumbled down the roof, the bow falling from her grasp. She frantically tried to stop her roll to the edge, but found it impossible and sucked in a deep breath as her body slipped off the roof. Her eyes clamped themselves shut, preparing herself for the pain of impact, even the pain of death. A breath hitched in her throat and she opened her eyes again as she felt a hand grab her arm and redirect her fall.
Instead of falling many stories to the garden below, she had been redirected to one of the balconies. Instead of hitting the ground many feet below, she hit the doors of the window only a few feet from her. Her life had been saved by the figure she had just been trying to kill.
Airia couldn't really register much of these thoughts as the glass windows shattered with her impact and she rolled into the room. She stopped herself in a kneeling position and her hand immediately went to her sword. The figure was gone again, any trace of his presence disappearing and Airia a moment to think of her rescue.
A moment was all she was allowed before she realized that she wasn't alone in the room. She swung her sword free and swung it towards the other. She stopped, her sword a mere inch from the other's neck and the previously sleeping figure stared up at her with wide, startled eyes.
"Airia!" Zelgaddis chocked, partially exposing the awakening anger inside him. The purple haired sorceress froze again, realizing how terrible this must look to him. She contemplated her options, finding none of them close to what she wanted.
She heard voices from down the hall and cursed under her breath. She jumped back from the chimera and ran to the balcony and vaulted from it to the roof again. Zelgaddis stood from the bed he lay in, his hand rubbing his neck idly, still feeling the cold, dark aura the black blade sword had been emitting. His eyes narrowed darkly and he barely noted as his door was swung open and his three companions entered.
All three pairs of eyes saw the broken glass scattered across the floor, and it was Gourry who asked, "What happened?"
"Airia," was the chimera's simple reply.
"Airia-san?" Amelia asked, taking a few steps closer to the stone-skinned swordsman. "Why would Airia attack you?"
"Because she's an assassin," Zelgaddis muttered. "And I think she's out to kill me."
~*~
The morning came, and still few questions had been answered. Airia had fled, her things abandoned. There wasn't much to find in her pack, nothing that would even hint at her occupation as an assassin, just some clothes and a few small weapons. They did find a diary, but it was new and hadn't even been written in, aside from her name on the front page.
"Now why would Airia be out to kill you?" the short tempered sorceress asked, her short temper beginning to show itself. She paced the room impatiently, waiting for her questions to be answered.
"Airia and I knew each other from a long time ago," he answered, slightly evading the question. "A few bad events happened and then her and her father disappeared. I moved to live with another part of the family after that, and I think she's come back to finish the job."
"That doesn't answer my question!" Lina cried, her fingers going up to her head to grip it tightly in her frustration.
"And Airia's father is an assassin too?" Amelia asked, no longer dressed in her fancy attire, but her old traveling clothes. She bit her thumb in thought. "Is it possible that they are connected with the assassin that's here in Seyruun?"
"I wouldn't doubt it," Zelgaddis muttered darkly.
Gourry, not holding much opinion in the matter with his lack of understanding it, sat up a bit, frowning curiously. "Wouldn't we find out if we just went to the temple and asked this other assassin?" he suggested. Lina nodded grimly.
"I think that's just what we're going to have to do," she mused in reply.
~*~
Once before the temple, much of the initial confidence was lost. The dark aura that the group felt by just standing on the steps before the large building was enough to send thousands of shivers along the group's spines. Even Gourry in his stupor was reconsidering the opt to venture inside.
Lina's eyebrow twitched slightly, freeing herself of one last shake before forcing confidence back into her mind. She took a deep breath. "Well, let's go then!" she announced. A few moments of silence passed before Zelgaddis muttered.
"We'll aren't you going to start going, Lina?"
Lina gave a nervous laugh and pulled the blonde haired swordsman and the chimera before her and pushed them ahead. "Gentlemen first!" she cried, shoving them ahead before taking a steady pace behind with Amelia.
Once through the large doors and into the high-ceiling hallway, the pace slowed a bit. Gourry and Zelgaddis' hands rested near their swords and the two women let their energy flow high, preparing to cast a spell at the slightest sound or movement.
The candles were all unlit, leaving little light to see. Lina took the chance to take the lead and cast a light spell, the light in her hands illuminating the surroundings as they ventured deeper through the elegant halls.
Nothing was there to greet them, as it seemed, only silence and more dark hallways. The tension was easing slightly, but it was making Lina a bit anxious for something to happen. Once before the main prayer room doors, the red haired sorceress turned to Amelia with a frown. "Where's this assassin supposed to be?!" she yelled.
Something that sounded light glass shattered and all eyes turned toward the wall to the left of the doors. Gourry stood with a nervous smile, looking down at the glass item he had just dropped to the floor. Lina gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head, moving to the doors and pushing them open.
The person she saw was the last person she expected to see and, as a matter of fact, the last person she *wanted* to see. Her jaw dropped as the figure turned to them with his infamous smirk.
"Minna-san! What a surprise!"
"XELLOSS?!"
Amelia blinked. "Xelloss-san?" she repeated, seeing that the purple haired mazoku stood before them, his staff in hand. "What are you doing here?"
Gourry's expression mimicked Amelia's rather closely in curiosity. "Are you the assassin?" he asked. Amelia gave a humoring smile to the blonde swordsman, her finger tapping her chin lightly.
"What are you doing here, mazoku?!" Zelgaddis snapped with slight exasperation, his hand dropping from it's grip on his sword.
"A holy temple being overrun by an unholy aura was an interesting little venture," he mused, walking from the room to join them outside the room. "Do you think I could pass up investigating it?" The priest paused, his mouth twisting into a curious frown. "Though it seems that the aura is gone now."
Lina blinked, pausing to realize that the purple haired mazoku was right. "Ne..." she mused, blinking more. "It is gone."
Xelloss' face turned to the shattered glass pieces on the floor and moved over to them, frowning just as curiously. "It would appear that this is the reason for the dark aura," he mused, one of the peices floating up to land in his palm at his bidding.
Lina tilted her head, blinking again. "You mean Gourry's accident prone nature came in handy for once?" she asked skeptically. Gourry blinked a moment, taking in the idea, before smiling, realizing he had done good. She moved over to the priest and inspected one of the pieces for herself. "Do you know what these are?"
"Hai," the mazoku answered.
"What is it?"
The smirk flashed back into place. "Sore wa himitsu desu."
Xelloss gave a small yelp of surprise as the sorceress decked him with her fist. He rubbed his head, giving a hurt expression. "Ne, that was uncalled for."
The chimera had made his way over by now, and was inspecting the pieces. "It looks like something that I once saw in Rezo's books," he muttered, turning over a few of them between his fingers. "It looks like it was a gateway key."
Lina eyed the mazoku. "Is that correct, Xelloss?"
Xelloss forced a smile. "H-hai," he muttered.
"Then why is it here?" the red haired sorceress demanded. Xelloss' smile appeared to be even more forced as the short sorceress attempted to intimidate him.
"It appears that it was set up to make this door a gateway to another part of the world," he mused. "Beyond that, I don't know. I just barely arrived her myself."
"Meaning that if we had walked through that door before Gourry had broken it, we would have been sent to another part of the world?" Amelia inquired, piecing the information together. She gave a small gasp. "That's why no one returned!"
"So what about the assassin?!" Lina asked, enraged.
"Obviously this was just a distraction for something else," Zelgaddis mused, standing once again. "Or a set up to attract someone's attention."
Lina groaned, rubbing her temples a bit. "Greeeeaaaat..." she moaned. "This *is* one of those days..."
Author's Note: that's all for now. I need to think of what is going to happen in the next chapter... amazing that I have so many ideas for this story, but even I don't know what's going to happen next... ^_^ please review!
Please review and enjoy!
~Lordess
Airia heaved a deep sigh. She pulled the saddle upon the black stallion and fitted it comfortably on the horse's back. The long muzzle stretched itself around and pushed gently against Airia's shoulder as she buckled the leather saddle tightly around his belly. The purple haired sorceress gave a small laugh and pushed the horse's head aside playfully. In return, the stallion nipped at her sleeve.
It was early the next morning. The sun had barely stretched itself over the tall mountains in the east, filling the town with a pleasant glow. The trees swayed with a soft breeze that swept through the air at a slow, yet refreshing pace. Just another beautiful, and utterly boring morning in the town.
Airia was relieved that she'd be leaving it at last.
For most of her life, she had lived here, training under many skills from her 'papa'. Each and every day was the same, quiet and peaceful. Her father had often gone out with his own duties, but she was forced to stay home. And now she was finally allowed to go on her own. She smiled at the thought.
The stallion nipped at the edge of her sleeve, tugging it lightly to bring the sorceress back to the real world. She let another long sigh escape her lips, smiling and petting the horse's black head. "Well," she said jovially. "I guess it's time to go..."
Airia placed one foot in the stirrup, taking the front and back of the saddle into her hands. She paused as a noise filled her ears. Frowning curiously, she pulled her foot back out and walked towards the stable's pen. Squinting her eyes, she gazed into the forests beyond the grassy area to get a good look at whatever was causing the commotion.
She nearly toppled over at what she saw.
"V-... Ve-.... Vendir Boys..." she breathed, not believing what she was seeing. The Vendir Boys has obviously come back for more and weren't alone either. Marching in a slouched stance next to the whooping and cheering skinnies was an ogre.
Airia had only three fears in her life. These three things were the only three that made her cower in terror. These three things alone made her shiver and curl up under the covers of her bed; Mazoku, Ryuzoku... and ogres.
She gave a short yelp and scrambled away from the gate and towards her waiting stallion. She took a hold of the saddle again, nearly knocking off her secured possessions in the process. With her heart beating at a pace immeasurable, she scrambled to put her foot in the stirrup, cussing under her breath the entire time.
She glanced up several times, nervousness rising as the ogre and Vendir Boys grew closer. With an aggravated sigh, Airia pushed herself up to get into the saddle. The horse, however, wasn't prepared for this. Nor was it prepared for the gunshot coming from the Vendir Boys that whizzed on the railing next to the horse. In result, the black stallion reared and bolted forward. Airia's grip failed while the horse was on it's hind legs and she was dropped rather painfully to the ground.
"Kuuuusooo!!!" she screamed, picking herself off the ground and running after the horse. "GET BACK HERE!!!"
The horse didn't heed, however got slowed down anyway in a narrow passage of gates allowing Airia to catch up. The sorceress, seeing the passage was too narrow for her to get on the horse, jump onto the railing and jogged with the horse far enough till she could jump onto it's back.
Bad luck just seemed to follow her as another gunshot was fired, scaring the horse again and it jolted forth again. The sorceress' foot hit the saddle, but slid and Airia landed harshly in the saddle on her stomach. She grumbled and held on for dear life as the horse raced across the streets of the town. "Iiiitaaaaaiii..."
The sorceress blinked as she whizzed past her father. He watched her speed off, tilting his head to one side at her odd position on the stallion. Giving a nervous laugh, she waved to him shyly and thanked L-sama that he was there to stop the Vendir Boys and their ogre while she made her get-away.
That left one problem...
Stopping the horse.
Episode 2: Seryuun! News of the Assassin!
Lina wasn't very happy.
First, breakfast was missed. Breakfast at the inn wouldn't be served for a few hours. All stores and restaurants were closed as well for the morning. True the bakery was open, but would Zelgaddis let them stop to eat? Nooooo...
Second, the trio had awaked, by Zelgaddis' request, before dawn. Seryuun was a good, yet long, day away and should they get an early start, they would reach the gates before they closed and wouldn't have to spend the night on the cold ground. This Lina sympathized with. She would be more than happy to spend a night in the palace over the rough terrain between this town and there. But that cut into a few activities she cherished dearly... like sleeping... and eating...
Third, breakfast was missed, and Lina was hungry...
Fourth, Zelgaddis had gone into a complete mood of depression and thought. He barely said a word for conversation. And when she spoke to him, all he replied with was a mere 'sure', 'hmmm', or 'not a chance'. The morning had progressed without a full sentence formed by his mouth. It was rather irritating considering her only other choice in conversation was with a man who valued food over knowledge and, in result, had the brains of a jellyfish.
Fifth, breakfast was missed, and Lina got cranky when no food came...
Sixth, Gourry hadn't been able to sleep and was little more than a walking snore-machine that had to be awakened every five seconds, or else left to trip or get whacked by a low branch.
Seventh, breakfast was missed and Lina wanted food...
Eighth, no bandits hoards to raid and Lina was low on money.
Ninth, Lina was going to kill someone if she didn't get her usual nine course breakfast...
So no one that morning was very happy as they trudged along the beaten and worn path to Seryuun. Lina had taken the lead, slouching as she walked at a miserable pace forward. Gourry paced behind her, his new sword resting on his shoulder, occasionally falling a bit as his wrist went weak as he drifted to sleep. Zelgaddis took the rear, one hand crossed over his chest, the other hand resting on his chin as he thought of the events that took place the previous days.
And the trio trudged on, with the only noises being snoring, one word answers, and complaints (the latter of course, coming from Lina).
"We should have stopped for breakfast..."
"Drop it, Lina. We have to get to Seryuun by early evening. Then you can have all the food you want."
'Wow...' the red haired sorceress' mind marveled. 'A full sentence. Two even.'
Faintly, the young girl noticed a soft rapid beat from behind them. She stopped, listening to the noise closely, trying to pick it out. Gourry nearly fell over her, too sleepy to pull himself to a sudden stop. "Do you hear that?" Lina asked curiously. Zelgaddis paused his own pace to listen to the sound he barely noticed in his deep thought.
"It sounds like..." he started, letting his superior hearing identify the noise for him. "Hoofbeats... a horse."
Airia yelped as her body was slammed against the saddle yet again as the horse landed from jumping the town's fence. She was still rather stuck riding the stallion on her stomach. Her hands gripped the sides tightly, her eyes watching the saddle and the horse's stride. Desperately she tried to find a pattern to the jingling of the stirrup her foot failed to hook.
Giving up on that idea, she tried to find rhythm enough to push herself up. She pushed herself up, throwing out her legs to throw them over. However, one of her boots smacked into something hard, throwing off much of her balance, leaving her dangling from the side of the horse.
She looked back curiously, ignoring the tingling pain in her foot that had been swung to the opposite side of the horse. "Kuuuusooo..." she whispered as she saw the red haired sorceress knocked on the ground with the familiar blonde one and chimera. She watched nervously as the sorceress stood up, enraged and prepping some sort of spell.
"Faia-BAAAAALL!"
The infamous fire spell sped toward the purple haired sorceress. Airia gave a short shriek and rushed to get into the saddle, able to pull herself out harms way, but still dangling. She glanced back once more to see another fireball speeding forward. Using her current position, she grabbed the reigns and pulled the horse sideways. The fire spell nicked the stallion's hindquarters and it reared once again.
"IIIIIITAAAAAI!!!!"
Lucky for Airia, there was a nice rock jutting out of the road to cushion her fall. The sorceress groaned as she lay in the dirt, face buried into the ground and a painful throbbing in her side began. She felt a nibble at her hair and looked up exasperated to see the horse's face hovering above hers. "...You...like to see me in pain... don't you...?"
The horse gave a soft whiney, moving his head up and down some. Airia grumbled and pushed it's muzzle away from her as she let her face fall back to the ground. The purple haired sorceress forgot the reason why the horse had reared and she had fallen however... She was reminded as a strong hand grabbed the back of her cloak and half pulled, half pushed her to her feet.
A nervous laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at the red haired sorceress. "Konninchiwa... O'genki desuka...?" she said nervously. The shorter grabbed the taller by the collar and yanked her down to eye level.
Airia added another thing to her 'fear' list.
'Well,' the purple haired sorceress decided mentally. 'Time to get out of another mess.' "Gee, that's a *nasty* looking red mark on your cheek! If you want I can-"
"I'm gonna kill you..." Lina's voice was flat, dangerous, and deadly.
"Gomen nasai! It was an accident! I swear! You see I was-"
"Do you know who I am..?"
"...Lina...?"
"Inverse..."
Lina Inverse... Lina Inverse... Airia had heard that name before. Ever so slowly, the long since rusted wheels in the elder's mind began to turn. "Ooooh... Lina Inverse!" she said, smiling brightly. "I remember where I've heard your name before! You're Luna's-"
"WHAT?! LUNA?! WHERE?!"
Airia nearly fell over as she was released from death's grip and the young red haired sorceress vanished before her. The elder sorceress blinked, following the trail of dust that led to where Lina had run to. "Oooh... That's riiiight. Lina's afraid of Luna," she muttered under her breath. She watched as Gourry jogged over towards where the red haired one had disappeared to.
"Oi! Lina! Where'd you go?"
"GO AWAY GOURRY! YOU'LL GIVE AWAY MY HIDING SPOT!"
Airia let a mischievous smirk cross her lips as she yelled to Lina. "To who?" she called. "LUNA?"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Airia laughed. "Oh I could learn to enjoy that..." she said under her breath as she turned to go find her horse. She was stopped by the figure that had been standing behind her. A nervous smile crossed her face. "Konninchiwa Zelgaddis-san... O'genki desuka?"
The chimera ignored the question asked, counting with one of his own. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, his voice flat with deeply rooted rage. His blue eyes narrowed as they locked onto her purple ones.
Airia frowned, crossing her arms defiantly. "I have as much right to be here as you do..." she muttered through her teeth. She tried to move around him but was caught by his hand grasping her arm in a painfully tight hold. She barely even flinched as she turned to him, returning his glare. "An assignment for my Papa's work..." she said, answering his question. She ripped her arm away from his grasp and moved to the waiting stallion who stood, flicking it's ears back and forth curiously.
Zelgaddis' scowl deepened. "Who are you looking for...?"
"None of your business..."
"Who are you looking for...?!" The question deepened with anger. Airia placed one foot in the stirrup before swinging herself over and sitting herself comfortably in the saddle. She looked at the chimera with an expressionless face, her eyes watching him calmly.
"I can guarantee that it isn't one of your two friends over there," she replied, motioning her head towards the still shouting Lina and the confused Gourry. "But other than that, I can say nothing." The purple haired sorceress nudged the black horse softly and it trotted forward at an easy pace, past the angry chimera.
Zelgaddis gave a deep growl that echoed in the back of his throat. Airia was dangerous, he knew. Whomever she was looking for lie on a path of danger now. He swore to find out who that person was and make sure Airia could not get to them. He'd kill her if he had to...
Stiffly he began walking after her and towards the sorceress and swordsman.
"Why Lina Inverse!" the purple haired one mocked, smiling up at Lina as her horse slowed to a stop near the tree she hid in. "The stories I hear about your infamous deeds must be exaggerated. No one like that would hide in a tree."
The red haired sorceress scowled at Airia. "URASAI!"
"You can come down now, she's no where around..."
"Then where is she?!"
"...I presume at her job..."
Slowly and awkwardly, Lina lowered herself from the tree. Gourry blinked his confusion at the entire situation, not understanding why his companion had gotten so afraid. In the same manner that she descended form the tree, the sorceress moved over to Airia. The elder sorceress still sat smiling in silent mockery.
"I'm going to kill you..." the red head said flatly. A twinge of fear passed through Airia, but the smile never faded.
"Not if I can get to Luna first..." she whispered.
A shiver shot through Lina and she walked with ridged movements down the beaten path. Gourry followed, Zelgaddis staying a ways away from Airia as he also followed. Airia kicked her horse gently again and started at an easy walk.
"So where are you headed, Airia was it...?" Lina asked, figuring it best to start some conversation to forget the previous topic.
"Airia Metian," she said, proudly. She felt a tingle in her stomach and searched for some food in her pack. "And for now I'm headed to Seryuun." She pulled out a nice sized biscuit and smiled at it in anticipation.
She didn't know how Lina got it from her, but the next thing she knew she was biting on her fingers instead of the piece of bread. "Great!" Lina said jovially, happy that she had some food to munch on. She devoured it in one bite, licking her fingertips. "That means you can travel with us!" Airia blinked, pulling her fingers from her mouth and blinking at them more as her horse walked forward.
"That's... wonderful..."
"So do you have any more biscuits?"
By the look in Lina's eye, Airia knew that she'd be in even more trouble with the famous and infamous sorceress if given food was not provided. Defeated, she pulled a few more items of provisions for the red head to munch on and forget her anger.
~*~
"So Seryuun is your goal for today, but where's your final destination?"
"I can't exactly tell you."
"Alright, so what are you traveling for?"
"Something related to my papa's work."
"Can you be more specific?"
"I'm afraid not."
"How long will you be traveling for?"
"I'm not exactly sure."
"..."
Through some extensive inquire, Lina had found that Airia was just about as hard to deal with as a certain Mazoku priest. The elder sorceress had been careful not to use the saying 'sore wa himitsu desu' (too afraid about that Dragu Slave) but had been evading questions in her own, 'I can't tell you' sort of way. So through the hours and hours of traveling and snacking and breaks, Lina had learned close to nothing about this Airia Metian.
The sun had begun to vanish behind the extensive valley, setting the sky on fire with it's array of colors. Clouds floated through the sky, tinted with pinks and purples. The eastern sky had begun to darken with dark blues and shades of purple. Night was almost upon the traveling group.
Zelgaddis had said nothing to Airia, sinking deeper into a gorge of thoughts both angered and worried. Gourry had added little note, making a dimwitted comment every now and then to try and understand the conversation. So in essence, it was a very dull day, and that meant Lina wasn't enjoying herself. That and Airia's provisions had run out by early afternoon and the young sorceress' stomach had began growling soon afterward.
It seemed the stressed and tense atmosphere would never leave until the gates of Seryuun were within their sites. Lina seemed the most ecstatic at this and gave a scream of pure delight, running forward at speeds quite out of the ordinary for a human. And while she ran forward, her shrill voice screamed something along the lines of "FOOOOODFOODFOODFOODFOOD!!!"
Gourry and Zelgaddis were used to this behavior. Airia's horse, which was quite frazzled already, was not, and when Lina shot past, it stopped suddenly, causing the elder sorceress' body to lurch forward uncomfortably. And when the dimwitted swordsman bolted past as well, shouting something along the same lines, the stallion reared and Airia was sent flying to the ground for the third time that day.
The purple haired female grumbled into the dirt, cursing her father for letting her take such an easily frightened horse. Her grumbling paused as she heard and felt Zelgaddis pass her, barely even acknowledging the girl as he stepped over her.
"Thanks for helping me up..." the sorceress said sarcastically as she pushed herself from the ground. She rolled her eyes as he sent a glare back her way before continuing on his way to the city before them. This job of hers was not going to be easy.
~*~
"NAAAAANIIIII?!"
The anger in Lina's voice was unmistakable. Zelgaddis, Gourry and Airia all winced simultaneously as they watched Lina grab the restaurant's owner by the collar. "What do you mean you can't serve us!?"
The owner of the large restaurant began to ramble incoherently, stuttering and skipping many words in the process. The red haired sorceress' anger rose, pulling the tall man's collar down further till her face was inches above his. Fury flickered clearly in her eyes. "Try explaining that again," she said through gritted teeth. "This time make it understandable and short. Otherwise..." She raised her free hand to show the sparking fireball that twisted between her fingertips.
The owner gave a gulp before daring to reply. "Amelia-hime said-"
"AMELIA!" Lina shouted, her fists growing tight around the man's shirt, her eyes slinking away. "Of COURSE. SHE'S responsible for this."
"Ano... Lina..." Gourry scratched his chin lightly, feeling somewhat sorry for the man in the sorceress' deadly grip. "Shouldn't you let him finish?"
Lina's heated gaze fell upon the swordsman. He gave a gulp, forcing down the lump in his throat. Taking advantage of the moment of silence, the restaurant owner quickly finished his sentence. "Amelia-hime said to send you and your companions to the palace, for she would have a feast ready for you upon your arrival."
"Hontoni?!"
The owner blinked at Lina's sudden personality change. The fire in her eyes had quickly converted to happiness within a record breaking .02 seconds. He nodded. "Hai..." With that pleasant note, the owner was dropped onto the dusty ground and left to crawl away.
"YOSH!" the sorceress shouted, spinning on her heels to face her companions once more. "You heard the man! ON TO THE PALACE! We can't let Amelia wait!"
Zelgaddis gave a long sigh and Gourry blinked. Lina's smile seemed unbreakable as she turned to the third party member. "Airia, you of course can come along-" The sorceress trailed off as she noticed she was talking to an empty spot where the purple haired one had formerly stood. She blinked a few times, twisting her head around curiously until she found the other sorceress slinking off with her horse as quietly as she could.
Now Airia had thought she was going to make it away from the group at last and be on her own. Her dreams and content feeling were shattered as she felt something jerk her cape backwards. She gagged and grabbed the clasp, barely able to prevent the cloak from choking her as she fell back. She winced as her back hit the ground, followed by her head. "ITIA!"
She rubbed her head a moment before opening her eyes to be greeted by Lina's red ones. The smaller sorceress had her blissful appearance on as she looked down at the other. "Where do you think you're going, Airia! You're coming with us! How often is it that you get to meet royalty and dine at their table?"
"Well actually," Airia began. "I'm really bad with fancy dinners and-GEH!" Her hand flew up to the clasp again as Lina began dragging her by her cape. Airia struggled to undo the clasp, but found it stuck and had to settle with squeezing the cape around her shoulders to prevent suffocation. She glared up at the other. "Lina, this is like taking me hostage!"
"With the Palace of Seryuun as a prison, who could complain?"
Airia raised her hand, but it went unseen by the other sorceress.
The horse followed it's master obediently (still being held by the reins, but keeping an unforced pace). Gourry smiled at the prospect of both food and being reunited with a friend. Zelgaddis paused, frowned at Airia before following himself.
As much as Airia pleaded, no one dared take on the small red-head sorceress to free the elder from death's grasp. She was able to at least get one woman's attention long enough to get her name out and a name in return. 'Legata' she had said, the blond haired woman smiling and waving to Airia as the poor girl was dragged off.
It didn't take long to get to the palace. Once before the gates, Lina dropped the edge of Airia's cape and the purple haired girl tumbled backwards, smacking her head on the cobblestone road. She whimpered and rubbed the back of her head, muttering curses in a tongue no one could understand.
A servant met them at the gates and quickly allowed them passage to the courtyard. The group moved at a quick enough pace forward, Airia trying to trail behind as much as possible. The chimera kept a constant watch on her, making sure to be ready incase she attempted something.
"OI! AMELIA-CHAN!" Lina called, halting her progress as they were greeted by the young princess. The raven haired youth smiled as she greeted her guests, her long pink dress trailing behind her a bit as she walked.
"Konbanwa Lina-san! Gourry-san!" she said, giving a small nod of the head to each of them. She smiled to Zelgaddis. "Arigatou for bringing them here, Zelgaddis-san!" The chimera gave his nod of thank you back and the princess' eyes continued till they fell upon the newest member of the group. She blinked curiously. "Eto... Who are you?"
Airia forced a smile as she met Amelia's gaze. "Leaving," she said simply before starting to walk away. She yelped as Lina's arm locked itself around her neck, restricting her movement greatly. She gagged at the tight hold the young sorceress hand.
"This is Airia Metian!" the red haired sorceress explained. "She's sold us a new sword for Gourry and we met her again on the road here!"
Amelia gave a nervous smile, a small giggle to go with it. "Eh... It's nice to meet you, Airia-san," she started. "I am Amelia, Princess of Seryuun."
Airia would have gladly replied with something respectable and kind, but found difficult to find the air to breath in Lina's death grip. She gave a noise that sounded more like a choked whimper and forced a smile onto her face.
Amelia flagged one of the servants down to take the horse to the stables before smiling once again to Lina and company. "Then shall we go inside for a bite to eat?" she asked. The magic words were said and the red haired sorceress dropped Airia and headed happily after Amelia, the two men following close behind.
Airia whined, seeing her horse being led away from her. It made her feel very stuck in her position. She stood, brushing the dirt off of her white clothing and started slowly after the group. What would a little dinner hurt?
~*~
Once at the dinner table, the consummation of the feast began. The sorceress and her swordsman companion barely gave themselves time to breath, concentrating more on inhaling their food then the air around them. Zelgaddis calmly sipped out of his cup, immune to the disgusting eating habits of his comrades. Amelia was much the same, eating the food before her slowly, but keeping a constant eye on the two hungry travelers.
Airia had never seen such sights in her life. Her face contorted slightly as she watched the two, finally loosing her will to eat and pushing her plate away. The contents were quickly wiped off and consumed by the twin food vacuums.
Finding a break in her gorging of the food, Lina took a moment to turn to Amelia. "So what exactly did you call us here for?" he asked, swallowing the piece of chicken she had been chewing on. Amelia smiled, setting down her fork, pleased that she would finally be able to get a word in.
"The thing is, Lina-san, that I need your help concerning some matters," the princess began, smoothing her dress to try and relieve some of her jitters. She paused, her eyes turning to the purple haired one sipping at her drink.
The red haired sorceress smiled, seeing Amelia's nervousness and said, "Don't worry about Airia! She's a sorceress too!" she explained. "She's no harm! She might even be able to help!"
The corners of Zelgaddis' mouth twitched with his disagreement, but he said nothing and continued sipping at his tea. Airia gave a small groan, muttering to Lina under her breath, "Why are you dragging me into this?"
The red haired sorceress ignored the question and motioned for the princess to continue. Amelia took a deep breath before speaking again. "A few weeks ago, contact with the temple in the northwest of the city broke and strange dark auras started flowing through it," Amelia explained, her face growing serious with her worry. "No one could go in and no one knew what happened to those on the inside.
"About a week ago, the palace received a letter from whomever was in the temple. It was a threat saying that an assassin was in the city and that he would kill his target unless someone would come to the temple and beat him before then.
"Father grew really worried, and then I ran into Zelgaddis-san and I sent him to get you because I knew that you would be able to handle it!"
Lina looked at the princess skeptically. "I'm not the first one you came to, am I?" she asked flatly. Amelia gave a false smile.
"O-of course you are, Lina-san!" she mustered. "You're the most powerful person I know!"
"..."
Amelia sunk in her seat. "Everyone else we sent disappeared," she muttered truthfully. Lina's mouth twitched slightly and she leaned back in her seat.
"So you got me to come here and asked me to go on a suicide mission?" she asked, frowning with thought. Amelia shook her head.
"Iie, Lina-san! I wouldn't send you on a mission if I knew you couldn't do it!" she urged. "I am going to go with you to help as well!"
"But who is the target...?" Gourry asked offhandedly. Amelia faltered.
"We don't know..." she muttered with a sheepish grin.
"So you don't know who this guy is going to kill?!" the red haired sorceress asked, leaning forward with skeptical eyes. Amelia tried to muster some strength into her voice again.
"It doesn't matter! Someone's life is in danger!" she pleaded. "Even if it's not someone of high rank or anything, this assassin must be faced and brought to justice!"
Airia's hand flew to cover her mouth as she sneezed.
"Bless you," Amelia muttered and Airia's eyes squeezed shut as she sneezed again.
"Bless you." And again.
"Bless you." And again.
Lina gave an irritated sigh. "Bless you a million times!" she yelled to the purple haired sorceress. Airia groaned, clamping her nose shut between two fingers and standing from her chair.
"Excuse me for a moment," she muttered, slipping out of the dinning room and into the hall. Once the doors closed, a parade of sneezes was heard through the door, disappearing down the hall. Lina's eye twitched slightly and Amelia gave a half-hearted laugh.
After a moment to recover, Lina turned her gaze back to the Amelia. "I have one last question before I tell you my decision," she stated, a glint shinning in her eye. The princess gave a nod, waiting the question. Lina let a smirk slip into place. "How much are you planning to pay?"
~*~
Airia gave a disgusted sigh, still recovering from the attack of sneezes from earlier. She hadn't heard any of the rest of the conversation, aside from the fact that she was being dragged to the temple the next morning to take care of the assassin. She wasn't sure why this red-haired sorceress had agreed to it, though something hinted at the prospect of a reward.
All Airia knew was that she *wasn't* going to be dragged into a temple to fight some assassin she knew nothing about. She was worried if she might know the assassin, or worse, the assassin would know her. She couldn't have her carefully laid plans jeopardized by some silly side quest.
After the group had finished their conversing, some servants had led the group to their rooms for the night. Airia was very thankful that she had a room all to herself, somewhat distanced from the others. It seemed to make life a little easier for her.
Her windows were left open, letting in the cool night air as she sorted through her things. She was planning on sneaking out in a few hours, while everyone was asleep. That would allow her to get a good distance from the group and get re-aligned with her assignment. After all, she was supposed to be following Zelgaddis, not traveling with him.
Her bags had been brought up from the stables and she was making sure everything was still in them. Things seemed in order, and so she reached into her back, producing some black cloth, setting it aside.
With the quick proficiency she had been trained to have, she changed out of the white traveling clothes she had and into the black ones that fit snuggly over her skinny body. She wrapped the black around her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head. She shoved the white clothing into the bag, tying it shut and tossing it next to the window for quick access when she would leave.
A long sigh escaped her lips as she reattached her belt and sword to her hips, preparing for a wait till she thought it was safe.
That wait never came as Airia felt a familiar presence near her. Her body tensed as she turned to the window, gazing at the apparent peaceful night. Slowly, she eased herself towards the window, eyes darting about for the figure she expected to see.
She only caught a glimpse of him as he darted from view once he had come into her line of sight. With a curse, Airia ran to her pack, pulling the bow and quiver of arrows from it's holding place and running onto the balcony.
She only took a moment to swing the quiver of arrows over her head and shoulders before climbing onto the railing and using it as a ladder to the roof. She paused, looking about nervously as she pulled an arrow from it's resting place and prepared it on her bow.
The figure darted past her and Airia released the arrow after him, missing him by quite a distance. Cursing, she chased him on the expanse of the palace roofs, pulling forth another arrow and resting it in it's place.
No matter how fast she ran or how dead on her shots were, the figure seemed to elude her. She could have sworn she saw a smirk on the face of the figure she pursued, but she couldn't be sure. She scowled, realizing the figure was leading her in the same circle about the area, toying with her. As if the figure realized her discovery, he stopped, turning to face her and allowing her to see the smirk on his face.
"KUSO!" she screamed, releasing another arrow towards him. In a movement that seemed to fast for the eye, the figure caught the arrow within his hand, stopping it before it reached his heart. The smirk widened, as did Airia's eyes. "Impossible," she muttered, freezing in her place as she looked at him. One of the shingles beneath her feet slid, causing her to loose her balance.
A scream of surprise escaped her lips as she tumbled down the roof, the bow falling from her grasp. She frantically tried to stop her roll to the edge, but found it impossible and sucked in a deep breath as her body slipped off the roof. Her eyes clamped themselves shut, preparing herself for the pain of impact, even the pain of death. A breath hitched in her throat and she opened her eyes again as she felt a hand grab her arm and redirect her fall.
Instead of falling many stories to the garden below, she had been redirected to one of the balconies. Instead of hitting the ground many feet below, she hit the doors of the window only a few feet from her. Her life had been saved by the figure she had just been trying to kill.
Airia couldn't really register much of these thoughts as the glass windows shattered with her impact and she rolled into the room. She stopped herself in a kneeling position and her hand immediately went to her sword. The figure was gone again, any trace of his presence disappearing and Airia a moment to think of her rescue.
A moment was all she was allowed before she realized that she wasn't alone in the room. She swung her sword free and swung it towards the other. She stopped, her sword a mere inch from the other's neck and the previously sleeping figure stared up at her with wide, startled eyes.
"Airia!" Zelgaddis chocked, partially exposing the awakening anger inside him. The purple haired sorceress froze again, realizing how terrible this must look to him. She contemplated her options, finding none of them close to what she wanted.
She heard voices from down the hall and cursed under her breath. She jumped back from the chimera and ran to the balcony and vaulted from it to the roof again. Zelgaddis stood from the bed he lay in, his hand rubbing his neck idly, still feeling the cold, dark aura the black blade sword had been emitting. His eyes narrowed darkly and he barely noted as his door was swung open and his three companions entered.
All three pairs of eyes saw the broken glass scattered across the floor, and it was Gourry who asked, "What happened?"
"Airia," was the chimera's simple reply.
"Airia-san?" Amelia asked, taking a few steps closer to the stone-skinned swordsman. "Why would Airia attack you?"
"Because she's an assassin," Zelgaddis muttered. "And I think she's out to kill me."
~*~
The morning came, and still few questions had been answered. Airia had fled, her things abandoned. There wasn't much to find in her pack, nothing that would even hint at her occupation as an assassin, just some clothes and a few small weapons. They did find a diary, but it was new and hadn't even been written in, aside from her name on the front page.
"Now why would Airia be out to kill you?" the short tempered sorceress asked, her short temper beginning to show itself. She paced the room impatiently, waiting for her questions to be answered.
"Airia and I knew each other from a long time ago," he answered, slightly evading the question. "A few bad events happened and then her and her father disappeared. I moved to live with another part of the family after that, and I think she's come back to finish the job."
"That doesn't answer my question!" Lina cried, her fingers going up to her head to grip it tightly in her frustration.
"And Airia's father is an assassin too?" Amelia asked, no longer dressed in her fancy attire, but her old traveling clothes. She bit her thumb in thought. "Is it possible that they are connected with the assassin that's here in Seyruun?"
"I wouldn't doubt it," Zelgaddis muttered darkly.
Gourry, not holding much opinion in the matter with his lack of understanding it, sat up a bit, frowning curiously. "Wouldn't we find out if we just went to the temple and asked this other assassin?" he suggested. Lina nodded grimly.
"I think that's just what we're going to have to do," she mused in reply.
~*~
Once before the temple, much of the initial confidence was lost. The dark aura that the group felt by just standing on the steps before the large building was enough to send thousands of shivers along the group's spines. Even Gourry in his stupor was reconsidering the opt to venture inside.
Lina's eyebrow twitched slightly, freeing herself of one last shake before forcing confidence back into her mind. She took a deep breath. "Well, let's go then!" she announced. A few moments of silence passed before Zelgaddis muttered.
"We'll aren't you going to start going, Lina?"
Lina gave a nervous laugh and pulled the blonde haired swordsman and the chimera before her and pushed them ahead. "Gentlemen first!" she cried, shoving them ahead before taking a steady pace behind with Amelia.
Once through the large doors and into the high-ceiling hallway, the pace slowed a bit. Gourry and Zelgaddis' hands rested near their swords and the two women let their energy flow high, preparing to cast a spell at the slightest sound or movement.
The candles were all unlit, leaving little light to see. Lina took the chance to take the lead and cast a light spell, the light in her hands illuminating the surroundings as they ventured deeper through the elegant halls.
Nothing was there to greet them, as it seemed, only silence and more dark hallways. The tension was easing slightly, but it was making Lina a bit anxious for something to happen. Once before the main prayer room doors, the red haired sorceress turned to Amelia with a frown. "Where's this assassin supposed to be?!" she yelled.
Something that sounded light glass shattered and all eyes turned toward the wall to the left of the doors. Gourry stood with a nervous smile, looking down at the glass item he had just dropped to the floor. Lina gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head, moving to the doors and pushing them open.
The person she saw was the last person she expected to see and, as a matter of fact, the last person she *wanted* to see. Her jaw dropped as the figure turned to them with his infamous smirk.
"Minna-san! What a surprise!"
"XELLOSS?!"
Amelia blinked. "Xelloss-san?" she repeated, seeing that the purple haired mazoku stood before them, his staff in hand. "What are you doing here?"
Gourry's expression mimicked Amelia's rather closely in curiosity. "Are you the assassin?" he asked. Amelia gave a humoring smile to the blonde swordsman, her finger tapping her chin lightly.
"What are you doing here, mazoku?!" Zelgaddis snapped with slight exasperation, his hand dropping from it's grip on his sword.
"A holy temple being overrun by an unholy aura was an interesting little venture," he mused, walking from the room to join them outside the room. "Do you think I could pass up investigating it?" The priest paused, his mouth twisting into a curious frown. "Though it seems that the aura is gone now."
Lina blinked, pausing to realize that the purple haired mazoku was right. "Ne..." she mused, blinking more. "It is gone."
Xelloss' face turned to the shattered glass pieces on the floor and moved over to them, frowning just as curiously. "It would appear that this is the reason for the dark aura," he mused, one of the peices floating up to land in his palm at his bidding.
Lina tilted her head, blinking again. "You mean Gourry's accident prone nature came in handy for once?" she asked skeptically. Gourry blinked a moment, taking in the idea, before smiling, realizing he had done good. She moved over to the priest and inspected one of the pieces for herself. "Do you know what these are?"
"Hai," the mazoku answered.
"What is it?"
The smirk flashed back into place. "Sore wa himitsu desu."
Xelloss gave a small yelp of surprise as the sorceress decked him with her fist. He rubbed his head, giving a hurt expression. "Ne, that was uncalled for."
The chimera had made his way over by now, and was inspecting the pieces. "It looks like something that I once saw in Rezo's books," he muttered, turning over a few of them between his fingers. "It looks like it was a gateway key."
Lina eyed the mazoku. "Is that correct, Xelloss?"
Xelloss forced a smile. "H-hai," he muttered.
"Then why is it here?" the red haired sorceress demanded. Xelloss' smile appeared to be even more forced as the short sorceress attempted to intimidate him.
"It appears that it was set up to make this door a gateway to another part of the world," he mused. "Beyond that, I don't know. I just barely arrived her myself."
"Meaning that if we had walked through that door before Gourry had broken it, we would have been sent to another part of the world?" Amelia inquired, piecing the information together. She gave a small gasp. "That's why no one returned!"
"So what about the assassin?!" Lina asked, enraged.
"Obviously this was just a distraction for something else," Zelgaddis mused, standing once again. "Or a set up to attract someone's attention."
Lina groaned, rubbing her temples a bit. "Greeeeaaaat..." she moaned. "This *is* one of those days..."
Author's Note: that's all for now. I need to think of what is going to happen in the next chapter... amazing that I have so many ideas for this story, but even I don't know what's going to happen next... ^_^ please review!
