I'm sorry this took so long I've had it written out for a while but my computer wouldn't allow me to post it for some odd reason. ::kicks the comp:: but anyways now it's out and I plan on putting the chapter after this out pretty quickly, too. For anyone who read this awhile ago, here's a little recap of events..

Lina and Gourry had went off on a side adventure by themselves while the rest of the group headed off to Siphon (which I've decided is near Atlas City, just cause I feel like it). Well, when they finally meet up again a Sylphiel and Gourry both attempt to kill Lina because they were controlled by a cursed dagger at the time. After Amelia manages to save the day (with a bit of injury to her 'ittle-bitty head), Lina ends up examining the dagger and passing out with the words "Get me away from here". That's where the story left off. Now without further ado. ('cept for a disclaimer) I present you more amusement. Well, um, kinda at least.

Disclaimer: JEESE why won't you get it through your thick skulls I DON'T own Slayers! I never have and never will ::tears well up:: so stop being cruel and rubbing it in my face!

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Later that night the group is sitting around a rather large fire. Sylphiel to Lina's right and Gourry on the other side while Amelia and Zel sit across the fire from them both. Ever since her collapse Amelia had been hovering over Lina like a mother hen, so, Zelgadis decided to separate the two before someone ended up on the wrong end of a Burst Rondo.

"Alright now that we're all fed and warm, will you finally tell us what happened?" Zel asks impatiently.

"Alright, the spell placed on that dagger is one known as the Delis Cense." Lina says quietly. "and the ward placed on it had had a trigger mechanism that when broken it pulls whoever did the breaking into the Delis Cense."

"Well, what does it do, and why does that make you so nervous?" Zel once again speaks and he raises an eyebrow inquiringly.

"You mean you've never heard of a Delis Cense?" Lina's eyes widen, her voice suggest incredulousness. "I figured given your time with Rezo you would have at least heard of it. Though really I think this even surpasses his will to see."

"Is it really that bad, Miss Lina?" Amelia asks leaning forward questioningly.

"Yes, Amelia, it is." Lina seems to fall into a sort of daze for a second. After a second however she snaps out of it shaking her head vigorously to clear it of something.

"How can that be?" Sylphiel finally speaks up her small voice carrying the question to every ear.

"The power to make that spell comes from the torture and eventual death of at least fifteen children." she pauses briefly at the horrified looks thrown her way. "Only that source of dark magic would result in a Delis Cense." the words are said so quietly as to barely be audible in normal conversation however in the silence that had descended every negative intone rang clearly into the flickering night air.

"but Miss Lina isn't that what you draw your power from? I mean, those are dark forces." Sylphiel asked innocently sitting just a few feet from Lina's side.

Lina's eyes narrow and her face is perfectly still as she reaches forward one hand and....

!SLAP!

"Don't ever suggest such a thing again, understood?" she leans forward menacingly her eyes burning daemon red in the firelight. When Sylphiel nods wordlessly a red hand imprinted across the white mages face, she continues. "My power may be drawn from dark forces but I would NEVER draw that form of black magic. I've seen people use it before." looking down she seems fascinated with a small weed imbedded into the dirt. Finally, after a long pause in which everyone seems almost afraid to speak she looks up red eyes turning darker and, some would say, haunted. "anyone who can sink to that level is truly evil, pure and simple."

"You've actually seen it?" Zel asks. "I don't believe that. It can't be to common a practice."

"Yes, I've seen it Zelgadis... you want proof?" without waiting for an answer she stands and marches around the fire to his side and both turn for a second into the shadows until only their silhouettes are visible.

"LINA!" Zelgadis gasps his voice choked beyond any we've heard before.

"So, Zelgadis," she starts in her voice dangerously low. "do you believe me now?"

"I didn't- Lina, how could I- I'm sorry." He falls silent and she stands moving back in front of the fire her step angry and her face set.

"Now if everyone's done with our little discussion, I'm going to bed. Goodnight!" Turning she marches off towards the newly set up tents.

"Lina?" Gourry whispers softly. He'd never seen her like this, never since they'd known her had any of our group seen her so... disturbed.

"Mister Zelgadis," Amelia looks up inquiringly. "Is something wrong with Miss Lina?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Zel starts. "but it is not my place to discuss it. Oh, and I think it would be preferable if you just let the subject drop. Don't try and pry it out of her, it's bad enough without us dragging things out."

"If Lina's in trouble I have a right to know!" Gourry speaks up suddenly startling the rest sitting around the campfire.

"Well, that may be true but the information will have to come from Lina herself." Zel closes his mouth finally and standing he makes his way slowly towards the guy's tent. Pausing he seems to think something over.

"I think we need to set up watch." Zel turns before entering and speaks, after a long silence. "I'll take the first. Sylphiel, I'm sorry but you can't take a shift."

"I understand," she says quietly.

"I'll take second." Gourry raises his hand.

"Okay, Amelia will you take third." Zel asks.

"Sure, Mister Zelgadis but what about-" Amelia stands and moves around the fire towards the tent stopping as she speaks.

"Lina?" Zel finishes for her his eyes gleaming. "I believe it would be better if we just left her alone for awhile.

"Oh, ok." turning she moved into the tent. That left three remaining so Gourry and Sylphiel took their leave both going to they're respective tents.

"What a night." Zelgadis sighs before situating himself down for a long watch.

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Something was wrong, she could feel it. Everything in her body was straining against something. They held her tight by the waist, wrists, even her ankles seemed to be chained down.

"What's going on here? Where am I?" she speaks out loud possibly for comfort. Her head turns from side to side but still all is darkness. Then she feels it. A force seems to be pulling at her. The women lifts from the pallet slowly and moves with an easy grace from the tent. Yet even as she passes in front of the light of the fire no sign of the outside shines through. Zelgadis, Gourry one must be there she knew.

"ZEL, GOURRY, AMELIA, SYLPHIEL, SOMEONE STOP ME!" She tries to shout into the dark but nothing seems to come out. 'Why can't I speak?!' she thinks on the edge of panic. 'Calm down, Lina come on you're gonna be ok just think for a second. There's gotta be a way out of this.' Thinking for a long time it comes to her... she must be asleep. It all made sense the moving without conscious effort, not being able to speak aloud every sign pointed to that. 'My eyes must be closed." she thinks 'that's why I can't see anything.'

"Fine then I know exactly what to do!" Lina smiles in her sleep. "WAKE UP!!!" She shrieks attempting to wake her self up. Knowing that probably won't do it she wracks her brain for a spell. 'I know I've heard of one...' however her train of thought is cut off by the first sight she'd seen all night. She'd moved through the forest never knowing what had drawn her and now it became obvious, she'd been heading for the dagger.

'Great I've got to wake up now or I may not. Stupid spell, why can't I think of it?' if she could right now Lina Inverse would be beating her own head in frustration. Every second she moved closer, ten feet then five. 'I have to wake up.' four feet, three feet, two feet she stopped. 'DAMNIT WAKE UP!!' she shrieks and her hand glides forward, fingers reaching for the hilt.

"Meow!" the sound startles her into doing what she'd been trying to for the last several minutes and her hand pulled back. "MEOW!!!" the sound becomes impatient.

The sound finally breaks through Lina's last vestiges of sleep and her eyes fly open. Falling to her knees she glances around her until she spots the maker of the well timed noise.

"meow?" the tiny black kitten looks up tilting it's head ever so slightly to the side. Golden eyes stare out at her with an intensity suggesting intelligence.

'Does it know? No, that's impossible it's just a cat.' Lina sighs and holds out a hand to the kitten. "Hello there."

The kitten races up under her hand and begins rubbing her long soft fur up and down Lina's arm. Of course the little critter is purring like a motor boat.

"I owe ya, Kit." she smiles. Glancing up at the dagger she shakes her head. "I think it's time to head back to camp. So, I'll see ya." Turning she starts to move down the path to camp, leaving the kitten staring after her a mournful look in it's pretty eyes. After several minutes of trekking through the almost pitch black forest she hears a faint noise behind her and spins around expecting anything from bandits to magical beings, instead (of course) she finds the same cute little black kitten.

"So you're gonna follow me, eh?" Lina smiles and leans down to it holding out her arms. "You might as well get a ride then." When the kitten climbs up onto her shoulder she finally starts walking again. "but go around expecting this kind of treatment all the time got it!" her voice takes on a hard tone, "I'm nobodies chauffeur."

"Meow, meow." is the only answer she gets and the cat and women continue to move quietly through the night.

After another two or three minutes the light of the ever present campfire comes into view. Sitting in front of it wide awake is our dear Gourry.

'He was wide awake and he just let me walk on past, what kind of guard is he anyways.' Lina thinks angrily to herself.

Sneaking up behind him she leans down and smacks him soundly across the head. "Some protector you are!"

"Ouch! Lina what was that for..." Gourry rubs his head hard.

"For letting me walk right on past without even bothering to stop me!!" Lina goes on to mutter about stupid swordsman jelly fish.

"But Lina, I've only been on watch for a little while and I didn't see you go by then." Gourry sits for a second. "Hey, wait, where did you go?" At this Lina's look suddenly becomes very apprehensive.

"That's not important Gourry, what's important is that someone very dangerous is nearby." She glances into the trees surrounding their camp. "Go wake up Zel, I'll get Amelia and Sylphiel. We have to get out of here, NOW!" Turning kitten completely forgotten on her shoulder she races into the tent while Gourry does as she bids.

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Listen, I hope you all will give me as many reviews as possible. ::smiles winningly:: I really, really love them. The truth is, however, that I'll just be grateful if you leave one word. just to know someone is reading this. So, thank you. and if you want more on the Delis Cense see my spell book first chapter. That will hopefully explain it all.

Oh and by the way I know the writing in this isn't best quality but this is a style I use when I want something truly light. Really though this will get a little serious at times I don't want it to become something overly dark therefore using lighter writing is the best way I know how to keep it humorous. It will probably transform a bit as I go on writing but try not too much. Well, just to let you know ::winks::