The Dark Stone Prophecy The Dark Stone Prophecy
Chapter 6
Fiasco! - Naga attempts Diplomacy!

Author's Interlude:

Before anything else I feel I should apologise. Apologise for the fact that this chapter has been a long time coming.
But the thing is, this fic is turning out to be a much difficult task than I first believed. Thus, it has not been easy in trying to knock out this chapter. Thus, this latest instalment may come across as being quite slow. But this chapter exists to add some depth and characterisation.

So, after a month's wait, this may come out as a disappointment but rest assured that the next chapter will be more action-based. I swear!

In the meantime, enjoy this chapter and bear in mind how difficult it was for me, the author to write it.

And then what happened?

It seems I've carved myself an attentive audience. An audience that won't let me go until I've finished this story good and proper.

I've certainly put my foot in it now.....

Ha! Just kidding! If my willing audience is eager for more then more you all shall have!

It's just as well that I have such undivided attention. Stories last a lifetime and will only die if no one is around to pass them on to future generations. So I hope you're listening carefully so you can pass this story on to your children.

If you do have children that is.

Ha! Gotcha again!

But then again, perhaps it is best that I do pass this story onto you all for my memory is fading day by day. And I would like to recount these events of Saillune whilst I can still recall them.

No matter how horrific those events were.

Yes, not all stories have happy endings. But even they must be told so the unfortunate pitfalls described can never be repeated.

And yes there are happy endings but they don't come without a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

After all, life wasn't meant to be easy.....

Nevertheless, all the players had gathered in Saillune. Players that would shape the city's destiny forever. The evil warlord Thyruss was slowly and cleverly utilising his plan to overthrow Crown Prince Philionel. In his way stood five obstacles: Amelia, Naga, Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis. Five unwitting but still quite dangerous obstacles. But Thyruss was one step ahead of the game: his spies were everywhere, watching everything and letting nothing escape their vigilant gaze. Plus, he had the Trickster Priest, Xelloss Metallium, in an alliance. But little did he know, the mazoku had plans of his own......

What was about to happen was going to rock the foundations of the Saillune government and leave no one of the players untouched - not even the newly discovered romantics of Sylphiel and Aldebrand.

But at the present time, Philionel wasn't worried about any kind of threat to his kingdom.

Instead, he had other things, of greater importance, to be concerned about…..

However, at that moment at Thyruss' citadel, a certain mind was rattling along with schemes most insidious………

In the early hours of the morning, as the first rays of sunshine came creeping over the horizon, Xelloss Metallium strode out of Thyruss' fortress. He strode out into the cold early morning air, heading for the stone circle.

Thyruss had told him about this place the night before. He described it as a flat circle of grass where a group of stone obelisks stand. The warlord also said it was the place where he found the prophecy.

Slowly the mazoku made his way to his destination, his senses on the alert, waiting for any signs of any one following him. Even though no one was awake in this early stage of the day, he couldn't really afford to take any chances.

Indeed, Xelloss simply couldn't allow having his allies catch on to his true intentions.

But the truth is Xel wanted some answers. There was something about Thyruss' overblown confidence that made the Trickster Priest curious. Thus, if the warlord was so sure of himself then Xelloss had to see the source of the warlord's confidence with his own eyes.

However, it was the mention of the word 'prophecy' that had Xelloss intrigued. Centuries of experience told him that prophecy is a dangerous word. Prophecies were the words of deities – spoken through disciples referred to as 'Oracles'. People will always come from miles to hear the words of Oracles to find out what destiny has in store for them.

At the thought of this, the Trickster Priest allowed himself an amused grin. He never believed in that nonsense – He always saw the people who paid Oracles were those who were too lazy to make their own destiny - and thus relied on their gods to build one for them.

But then again, seeing one's plans come apart in the name of prophecy is always amusing……

Eventually, Xelloss arrived to his destination: A flat surface upon the mountain which was filled up with green grass. It was within this circle that stood a group of seven obelisks of uneven size and arranged in a circular fashion.

But even Xel could see that this was an unnatural formation: All the rock from the mountain was confined to the outside of the circle and was nowhere in amongst the blades of grass. Plus the obelisks were made from an unusual black stone – the type that the mazoku had never seen before.

Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, the Trickster Priest immediately advanced to the great stone obelisk that stood at the head of the circle. This is what he had come to see. This was the one thing that made Thyruss convinced of certain victory.

Xelloss knelt down to examine the dark stone. This must be the Dark Stone that Thyruss also mentioned last night……

Henceforth, if this rock was of such importance, then it would explain why the warlord thought victory was within easy reach. Opening his eyes, Xelloss searched for a clue, a sign that would explain Thyruss' confidence. And hopefully reveal what he was truly up to.

It didn't take him long to find such answers.

There, craved into the face of the obelisk, was a set of words. Words that looked like they had been carved there from a long-forgotten age:

And the day will come
When fire shall rain from the skies
A powerful, unstoppable force shall come
And the thirst for revenge shall rise
The age of the weak would then be done
And their deluded followers shall be swept away along with their lies

The Trickster Priest stepped back, fascinated by what he had just read.

It was plain to see that Thyruss was taking this prophecy quite seriously. But what were these words trying to describe? The fall of Saillune? Or some other sinister event?

Having roamed this earth for well over a thousand years, Xelloss had certainly had his fair share of prophecies. Indeed, they all came true no matter what. Whether it be through acts of accident or intention, no one could escape the fate that destiny had prepared them. No matter how ambiguous prophecies may seem, they are something truly not to be taken lightly.

So was it inevitable that Saillune must collapse? Thyruss seems quite obsessed with razing it to the ground.

The only question is why…..

Xel sighed, before getting to his feet. Thyruss obviously has a lot of faith in that prophecy so he must be anticipating something extraordinary. And as result, Xelloss must be on his guard.

He may have some answers but not all his questions have been answered yet...

Besides, he must be getting back now. He must get back before anyone suspects his absence.

And then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

But little did he know that he was being watched the whole time.

From a well concealed position in the rocks, Anastacia watched the mazoku with an intrigued eye. This was interesting………….

He appears to be up to something…..

Elsewhere the first rays of sunlight made their way into the city of Saillune. They came to touch the various buildings that made up the city and to announce the beginning of a new day. Throughout the city, the people of Saillune were yawning, stretching and leaving their houses to attend to the jobs and activities that demanded completion.

However, one soul in particular wasn't really greeting the day with enthusiasm.

High above the city, in the palace, a certain sorceress sensed the arrival of the sunshine - but she wasn't really handling it in a receptive manner,

"Urrrghhhhhh….."

Naga the Serpent grumbled her frustration. It was morning already and here she was suffering from the mother of all hangovers. Her head felt like it had been trampled on by a herd of wild horses.

No, not wild horses – More like being pounded by a legion of blacksmiths and their hammers!

Slowly, the sorceress opened her eyes – to a field of blurry objects. However, it didn't take long before her vision began establishing shapes.

"Huhhhhhhh?" Naga murmured, her speech slurred. "What the hell…….?"

The first thing she noticed was that she was lying on a bed in a room that she (although vaguely) recognised as being part of the Saillune palace.

She rolled over and noticed the sunlight come streaming in through the window. This prompted the sorceress to screw up her eyes in disgust.

"Who the hell left those curtains open…..?"

It didn't, however, take her long to work out who did…

"Oh yeah" she mumbled. "I forget to close them after last night….."

But it was at this thought that Naga paused. Exactly what happened last night? Considering her current state, she must have had a wild time. Yet, her mind wasn't really functioning well at this point in time. Thus fragments of events and memories came drifting in and out of her mind. None of them really made any sense however and only confused Naga's mind even more.

But as her senses came into gear, she picked up on something – an awful stench! It reeked out from underneath her nose and invaded her mind – which wasn't in the state of welcoming any sudden interruptions whatsoever.

The smell certainly wasn't a pleasant one – it was a mixture of wine and gravy.

Then it hit her.

She was still wearing her dining gown from last night – meaning, what happened last night was anything but dull.

The sorceress slowly raised her hand and gently nursed her head with the palm of her hand. What the hell happened last night? All she could recollect in her mind was a mess of scrambled images – mostly involving food, wine, father, wine, laughter, wine, being dragged to her room by Amelia, wine, throwing up, wine, and yet more wine.

Gradually however, pieces of memories slowly came to light. Each came after the other and helped the sorceress reconstruct an image of what happened last night.

She was attending a dinner - It was to celebrate her homecoming to Saillune – as well as giving Daddy an opportune moment to announce her as his successor.

Man, the wine she drunk was certainly a strong vintage…..

Suddenly it was the thought of succession that hit her hard: Being the eldest of the Saillune offspring, it was her duty to succeed her father.

Naga frowned and got off her bed. She then headed over to the window and stared out at the morning sun.

The principality of Saillune stretched out before her. It certainly was an extraordinary sight to see the how large a kingdom it was – And there were strong signs that the kingdom was prosperous and self-sufficient.

Taking up the reigns of command for a place like this certainly seemed like a good deal. So why wasn't Naga falling head over heels at such a prospect?

Truth be told, being in such a position of command meant one thing:

Responsibly

The sorceress blinked. Such a nasty word that. And it was for this reason that she usually kept all thoughts of it in the dark recesses of her mind. She never really found the concept at all that appealing – primarily because such a concept was built upon a foundation of restriction.

Ever since the untimely murder of her mother, Naga fled her home city and took up a life on the road ever since. Although it's not the best way to live a life, it certainly made for one that was attractive and exciting: Opportunities to see the world, No one to tell her what to do and doing what she wants in the way she feels is best. Better still, as she was always moving, no one could really place any blame or responsibility upon her shoulders. This is what attracted her travelling companion Lina Inverse and eventuated into many adventures (even if Lina wasn't the most agreeable of company).

Thus, whilst the prospect of succeeding Philionel was tempting enough, it also meant giving up the life she had grown to love. This means no more wanderings, beating up bandits, gorging her way through one restaurant after another and blowing up various buildings that were stupid enough to stand in her way.

In way, Naga kind of envied Lina: The redhead was free to live her own life the way she chose and didn't have to worry about what anyone else thought. She could carry on the adventurous life she's always led and not have anyone criticise her or try to persuade her to change. Better still, she had a constant companion in Gourry Gabriev who shared the same interests.

But still, being shouldered with responsibility is hardly an appealing prospect. She would now be required to make decisions on the kingdom, look after the people who call Saillune home and become a paragon of goodness and purity.

And Naga has never ever once fulfilled such criteria.

Naga sighed and turned away from the window. She then began pacing her way, in a circular fashion, across the floor of the room.

(Well – not exactly pacing, more like stumbling in a disorientated manner)

What made the situation even more absurd was that this topic was brought up just when she had arrived back at Saillune for the first time in years. In the space of under twenty hours, Naga had been reunited with her father, whom she hadn't seen in so long, AND been announced as his successor. If anything, Daddy was moving things along too quickly……..

And anyone think that finding a successor would be more important than recovering a long-lost daughter.

Naga paused in her contemplation and her face hardened…..

….When suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

The sorceress blinked, now broken out of her reverie.

"Yes?" she said, her speech slurred from the events last night

"Your highness?" a voice said from the other side of the door. "Crown Prince Philionel asks for your presence in the drawing room. He has some business to discuss. Please dress appropriately."

"Sure" the sorceress replied. "I'll be there shortly"

"Very good milady"

Naga heard the sound of the servant's feet heading off down the hallway. Once she was convinced he was gone, she sighed heavily.

She didn't like the sound of this. Business? This sounds out of her league. If anything, it sounds as if Phil as something planned…..

But no matter: Ultimately, she is, at the present time, being dragged into something against her will. If anything, she must put her foot down. If Daddy has plans for her then she must voice her disgust for such an idea. Even though there is the strong chance that he may disagree, she must at least voice her thoughts. After all, she must take control before all of it is lost forever.

There is no way in hell she is ever going to adjust to the idea of succession – and Daddy must know of this declaration whether he likes it or not.

Naga folded her arms firmly and nodded – before a throbbing pain came cruising through her brain and caused her to raise her hand in retaliation.

Curse that wine she drank last night……

Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, another soul was awakening from sleep.

Zelgadis' eyes slowly opened, as the grip of sleep loosened. He could sense the rays of sunlight traversing across his face – the beginning of a new day.

He paused as his brain slowly clunked into order. Slowly, he spread his gaze across the room around him.

The room was an utter mess: One of the window panes was smashed; there were scorch marks across the carpet and small pieces of debris everywhere.

Zel blinked – then he remembered. There was an assassin here last night.

Grumbling with early morning fatigue, the chimera tried to motivate his body into proper movements.

But this task that would've been made easier - had it not been for a certain monarchical burden that lay in his arms.

Zelgadis sighed. Amelia was still asleep – and thus, she kept him confined to the chair.

Okay so yes it was a nice idea to let Amelia spend the night in his company but it didn't mean anything about what would happen should they wake up at different times.

He gazed in a ponderous manner at Amelia. Whilst he himself was more used to waking up at crack of dawn and continue moving forward to his destiny, Amelia's perhaps more used to fulfilling her duties as a princess. But what duties could she do as a princess? Thus, it was more likely that she slept in most days on the most comfortable of beds whilst Phil handled all problems and administrative duties in Saillune.

Zel mentally cursed. He really hated being stuck in a stagnant position whilst there were things waiting to be done.

But in any case, it looks like he's stuck here – until, of course, Amelia wakes up.

Not that it mattered anyway…..

The chimera certainly felt the heat of the princess' body alongside his own. He could also feel her heart beat and her breathing pattern. But the most important thing is that she managed to this close when no one else would've dared. She had the gall to touch him and, indeed, spend the night in the security of his arms. And all because she didn't want to him know that he was alone.

At this thought, the chimera allowed himself a small smile. It was the simple thought of knowing that you are adored that inspires the warmest of feelings.

Interestingly enough, being in this position adds a new slant to the doubts he had pondered on over the longevity of the relationship with Amelia. Although he never noticed before, he can certainly see a problem in that his behaviour of steadfast determination creates conflict with Amelia's personality. Sure they think the same way – they'd approach a problem by thinking out the best way to bring it down rather than adopting Lina's solution in blowing up everything that's dumb enough to stand in the way – but they have a different aspect on the world around them. Zel is quite prepared to go to whatever lengths to get rid of his accursed chimera body whilst Amelia still handles her adventures with Lina and Gourry with both bewilderment and childlike enthusiasm.

It was at this thought that Zel's eyes shifted from the sleeping princess. He then slowly raised his hand up off Amelia and up into his quizzical gaze.

His brow furrowed at the familiar sight. But this time it was different: Whilst the sight of his hand still inflicted with his reviled blue chimera skin inspired him to keep going and never give up, this time it triggered something leaning towards consideration. Zelgadis' facial expression didn't, for once, get angry, instead it grew restrained in contemplative reflection.

How long will it take? How much longer must he go before his touch isn't of stone but real human flesh? How much longer must he endure being perceived as a freak before being acknowledged as the human he really is?

These were all questions that had always haunted him but this time it as different. From such familiarity, a new question had crept into his train of thought:

What is he going to do once his body is cured?

Zelgadis' face hardened. This was something that had never crossed his mind before. But it was enough to halt him in his tracks.

Everyone has a particular talent and they use this as a basis to make a living out of life. But with Zel, once Rezo inflicted him with this chimera form, nothing else mattered. What quickly become important was finding a cure no matter what the cost – and everything else therefore became disregarded, albeit rapidly, as a lesser priority.

But what will he do once his old human form has been restored?

It seems obvious that he would return to Amelia's side and spend the rest of his days with her. But doing what? Destiny demands that she reign as princess of Saillune (and like all destiny's, this one seems near impossible to back out of). However, unlike Amelia, Zel had no formal training as a member of a royal family.

But, like Amelia, he always appeared to be at his happiest when he was seeing the world and having adventures…….

What had he been doing all this time he has spent trying to find a cure? He had been exploring the globe, reading up on anything he could find and killing people.

At the thought of this, Zelgadis' facial features hardened.

Killing people. That's one thing he has certainly been good at. He certainly had years of experience to build up this 'talent'. And it came from his desire to be strong. There's no denying it: Zel has killed so many in his determination to regain his human form. Sure most of them were evil people but there was also the blood of innocents in amongst the numbers of the dead.

And he killed them all primarily for his own self-advancement. A self advancement that was triggered for a wish to be strong.

Is that all that's he's good for? Being a murderer?

If that is the case then he truly is a monster both inside and out………..

At that moment, the chimera's thoughts were interrupted by the sound off Amelia waking up.

Immediately, those enormous blue eyes fluttered open – It didn't take long before the owner of those eyes realised that she was in the presence of the chimera.

"Hey you" she said gently, smiling a small smile.

"Good morning" the chimera replied, softly.

"You know something?" she said. "I never thought I would be able to wake up one morning right next to you."

Immediately, Zelgadis' face broke out into an immense blush and, as if right on cue, Amelia softly chuckled to herself.

However, it didn't take long for Zel to think up a snappy comeback:

"Since when did you become so dirty minded?"

Now it was Amelia's turn to blush.

Upon seeing her reaction, the chimera softly chuckled to himself.

"Just kidding" he grinned.

The princess didn't reply – instead she sighed.

"You're mean!" she exclaimed and playfully punched him in the chest.

The only problem was Amelia forgot that Zel still had a flesh of stone. Thus, when her fist hit the chimera, her face screwed up into an expression of utter pain.

Seconds later, Amelia was out of the chair and on her feet. She stood with her back to Zel and jumped from one foot to the other, her hand waving in pain and her face speaking volumes of the value of the impact had on her physique.

The chimera sighed. Although stunned by Amelia's sudden burst of action, he remained seated.

He lowered his gaze. Well, once again his accursed stone skin has proved to be socially problematic. Only now not has it prevented him getting close to the people that he cares about, it has also caused injury to the one he loves.

The chimera could feel his hand mould into a fist.

"Curse you Rezo" he murmured (but not for the first time).

Meanwhile, the princess slowly stopped waving her hand. Her facial expression gradually returned to normal and she regained her composure.

The chimera raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry" he said gently.

"Oh my" she grinned awkwardly. "I had no idea that your skin was so hard!"

What do you expect? I'm one third rock golem Zel thought bitterly.

Amelia then turned back to the chair and knelt down beside the chimera.

"I know" she said, empathetically. "It wasn't your fault."

Yes it is the chimera thought.

Then it occurred to her.

"Hey" Amelia said. "I didn't know you were able to think up that good a comeback"

"Oh?"

"In fact" the princess went on, as she reached out and laid her hand gently on the chimera's own, "I must admit that you've changed."

"You think so?" Zel inquired.

"Yes" Amelia nodded. "Ever since we first met I thought you were a real monster…."

Upon hearing this, the chimera's gaze hardened.

Quickly, the princess picked up on her mistake.

"Sorry, sorry!" she said quickly. "Wrong choice of words!"

But in spite of her selection of words, she continued:

"When I first saw you I……wasn't quite sure what to make of you. But now…"

She hesitated, unsure how to put the next part.

"Yes?" Zel replied, prompting her to continue. He was well aware that she had something that was important and thus worth saying.

"…but now….." Amelia went on. "…but now I can see that, in spite of appearances, you really have a human heart underneath."

Amelia bit her lip and her facial expression grew irritable. Well, that was a stupid thing to say. Okay, so maybe it is a good thing to be honest about one's feelings but why oh why must they come out in the most corniest lines ever conceived?!

But if Zel shared the same thoughts, he certainly didn't show it. Instead he leant forward and brought his face within one inch of her own.

"There is no shame in saying what you think" he said gently.

The princess blinked.

"I never thought you'd be one to say such a thing" she said.

Suddenly, Amelia grinned. "I guess my presence must be doing some good!"

The chimera sighed again – only this time, it was in amused resignation.

"Say" she then asked. "How about we both go for some breakfast?"

He blinked before nodding his consent.

Lina strode out of her bedroom to greet the morning. She entered the adjoining lounge, stretched her muscles and grinned. Having emerged from the hours of sleep she managed to reap, she looked well refreshed and happy.

The first thing she noticed was the morning sun that crept through the window.

The second thing she noticed was that the sun in question illuminated the fact that the lounge itself was still a mess following the scuffle last night. The carpet was scorched; there was broken glass everywhere and pieces of timber that had obviously come from the ceiling. But the sorceress didn't look too bothered. Making a mess like this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.....

Especially if one lived the life she did!

Besides, Phil has an army of servants and they can easily take care of this mess – it is, after all, what they are paid to do!

The next thing she noticed was that the armchair, the one situated in front of the fireplace, was empty.

Lina's gaze hardened. If her memory served her correctly, Zelgadis and Amelia spent the better part of the night both in that chair. Thus it was a curiosity as to why the chair in question would be vacant.

Obviously, they must've gotten up early. But to do what.....?

Suddenly, Lina's thoughts were interrupted - by the sound of someone yawning.

The sorceress flicked her head around to see Sylphiel coming though the doorway, her hand waving in front of her mouth.

Lina blinked – at Sylphiel's calm nature. She seemed oblivious to the signs of the struggle that occurred last night – And this was strange considering that said signs were blindingly obvious.

But now that she thought about it, a lot of mayhem took place last night but Syl didn't really play a large role in it. In fact, Lina was certain she never left her room when the assassin was here.

BUT HOW THE HELL CAN SOMEONE…..

The Shrine maiden then caught sight of Lina and grinned.

"Oh, good morning Lina!" she smiled. "Sleep well?"

The sorceress' gaze hardened.

"Morning Sylphiel" she said slowly.

Just then, Syl noticed the mess in the room.

"Oh my" she said. "What happened here?"

Immediately, Lina fell over backwards.

"You must be joking….." she murmured in exasperation.

Quickly, she got to her feet and brought her face up close to Sylphiel's.

"Tell me" Lina said her voice dangerously soft. "When did you got to bed last night?"

"I went before you did" the Shrine Maiden replied, somewhat astonished by Lina's sudden change in behaviour.

"So you would've been asleep by the time I got there right?"

"Yes…."

"So did you hear anything unusual last night?"

"Errmmmm…….No?"

"WHAT?!"

"Well Lina, I……"

"Come on!" the sorceress yelled. "Tell me you would've heard an explosion or a sight of some sort right?"

"Well Lina," Syl replied. "The truth is……."

"Yes?"

"I have always been a sound sleeper!"

Upon hearing this, Lina, for a second time that morning, fell over backwards.

"Yeah, I can sleep for so long" Syl; grinned. "And have nothing interrupt it at all!"

"Well that would explain a lot" Lina muttered as she got to her feet.

Then again, however, considering that Sylphiel wasn't one for an adventurous lifestyle, should she really be surprised?

"But tell me" the sorceress went on as she got to her feet, "Did you ever notice something strange when you got up this morning?"

"Strange?" Sylphiel replied. "In what way?"

"You know, like the smell of burnt wood? Did you notice the way the walls were horribly burnt? Or the way some of sheets seemed somewhat black?"

"Well, not really….."

Lina opened her mouth and was about to unleash a tsunami of profanities….

….When the lounge room echoed with the excruciating noise that was Gourry yawning. Lina and Sylphiel blinked as the swordsman entered the room, stretching his muscles from sleep and making enough noise to wake the dead!

Gourry, then noticed the girls and grinned

"Morning, Lina!" he greeted. "Morning Syl"

"Hey Gourry" the sorceress replied.

"And good morning to you too" the shrine maiden smiled.

"Sleep well?" he said conversationally.

"Yeah" Lina shrugged.

"Like a log!" Syl said – to which Lina slapped her forehead in exasperation.

The swordsman blinked at the sorceress before shrugging.

"Hey, Lina" he then inquired, his facial features hardened. "Did you ever find out who that guy who attacked us last night was?"

The sorceress paused, before delivering her answer.

But the answer was interrupted by Sylphiel.

"An attacker was here?!" she exclaimed. "In this room?!"

Lina sighed in exasperation.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you all along" she softly snarled through gritted teeth.

Gourry blinked at the Shrine Maiden. "Didn't you know?!"

Acting quickly, Lina leant over in the swordsman's direction.

"She had slept through the entire thing!"

He blinked before fixing the Shrine Maiden with the most bewildered of facial expressions.

"How could you have slept through that?!" Gourry inquired - To which this made the sorceress slap her forehead in disbelief.

Syl didn't answer, instead she, with a voice that was tainted with a mixture of fear and urgency, asked: "And did he try to kill you?!"

"I thought that's what all attackers did" Lina replied bluntly.

The Shrine Maiden didn't respond – instead she fell over backwards. Her head then hit the floor with a loud thud.

Lina and Gourry exchanged glances – Syl had fainted.

"That sounded sore" The sorceress murmured.

"Wow, she's completely out cold!" the swordsman observed.

"How could she have she have not noticed that guy breaking in last night?" he then asked for a second time that morning.

"She was asleep" Lina answered

Gourry pondered on this before shrugging his shoulders.

"Makes sense" he concluded.

He then cleared his throat before continuing: "That man who broke in – who do you think he was?"

The sorceress blinked. Immediately, her facial expression hardened.

"I can't say" she said eventually. "But what we know so far is that he was an assassin."

"You think so?"

"I don't need to think Gourry. I know"

The swordsman blinked. This seemed like unfamiliar territory for his minuscule brain to traverse into…..

Regardless, the sorceress continued: "He had the right look about him with his many weapons attached to his belt. And considering that he went to the effort of finding us in this place, he obviously wanted to get us when we were asleep.

The sorceress' face then broke out into a crafty grin.

"Come on, since when has an assassin ever not resorted to such familiar tactics?!"

Gourry blinked.

"But.....who would want to kill you Lina?"

"Lot's of people" The sorceress replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The swordsman blinked - before wisely choosing to change the subject.

"So how about we grab some breakfast?"

"Excellent suggestion!" Lina beamed. "I bet Phil has a marvellous meal already prepared for us!"

"You think so?"

"Hey I know these rich people - They live large!"

"But what if he doesn't?"

"Well, I guess we go raid his kitchen then!" Lina chuckled

The two adventurers both headed for the door.

They were both already in the hallway when Gourry stopped.

"Hey wait!" he said.

Lina turned, a quizzical expression on her face.

"What's up?"

"What about Sylphiel?" the swordsman inquired, jerking his thumb back into the room. There, the Shrine maiden still lay on the floor. She was still passed out from the bombshell of a revelation that had recently hit her.

"Do you think she's all right?"

"Ah, of course!" Lina grinned.

"But we can't leave her like this!"

"Look Gourry – I know Syl. She'll be all right. Trust me!"

"But…."

Lina sighed her impatience and grabbed the swordsman by the front of his collar. She then brought his face up close to her own and started growling through gritted teeth:

"We shouldn't be standing here arguing when there's food waiting!"

Gourry didn't reply. Instead his lips blundered their way into forming an awkward smile.

But the smile, no matter how blundered, was enough to satisfy Lina. She nodded and let go of the swordsman.

Suddenly, she grinned in mischievous fashion.

"Race you downstairs!" she said.

Really?" Gourry replied. "Well in that case, there's no way I'm going to let you start breakfast without me!"

And with much giggling from the pair of them, the two adventurers shot off down the stairs.

At that moment, in the palace dining room, Zelgadis and Amelia found themselves occupied – with breakfast.

Of course, having been in the company of Lina Inverse for so long, both were quite content to locate the food and cram it into their mouth as soon as possible.

(You can never ever lose such acquired instincts)

Of course, seeing Amelia going for the food with such abandon caused the chimera to raise an eyebrow.

"You know" the princess said. "I'm so surprised those people down in the kitchen are able to turn consistently marvellous stuff such as this!"

"Really?" the chimera said. "We only arrived here yesterday"

"True" she said. "But considering they've been working around the clock since then, I'm surprised that they are able to keep producing such wonderful food!"

"I am too" Zel said. "I just hope that they don't try anything silly…."

"Silly?" the princess inquired. "Like what?"

"Like an open revolt perhaps….."
"Oh I doubt that would happen!" Amelia replied brightly. "I know all those who work for Daddy are well paid! Despite the work load, I doubt they'd be one to complain about the amount of pay."

"Are you so sure?"

"Of course!" Amelia retorted. "And knowing Daddy, if the palace employees tried to attack him, he would crush in one might blow, like THUS!"

Unfortunately, the princess had, in that instance, got too carried away with the moment and brought her fist down on the dining table.

But she brought it down with so much force – So much, in fact, that she consequently sent a piece of toast, sporting a freshly-spread portion of jam, flying into the air.

And into the face of Zelgadis.

A stunned silence ensued- before Amelia burst into peals of laughter.

The chimera slowly pulled the piece of toast off his face and cast it aside. He then fixed Amelia with a disapproving glare.

"That's not very funny" he said slowly.

"Sorry!" Amelia managed to say between her laughter. "I'm so sorry"

Zel didn't reply. Instead he grabbed a nearby napkin and proceeded to wipe his face clean of all the jam.

"Come on" the princess grinned. "Surely you would've seen the funny side of being hit by a flying piece of toast!"

Amelia sighed. He just doesn't have a single funny bone in his entire body.

Then she shrugged. Maybe that turned to stone as well…..

Zel then caught sight of her lips morph into a smile.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing" Amelia replied.

And with that she grabbed another piece of toast and rammed the whole thing into her mouth. Sideways.

"You know" Zel said casually. "A princess isn't supposed to act like that"

"Huh?" Amelia said.

"I thought members of royalty were supposed to have more dignified table manners than that"

"What are you talking about? Your manners aren't much better"

"True, but I'm not a member of royalty"

The princess sighed.

"You just don't want to succeed your father don't you?" Zel said empathetically.

"Absolutely not" Amelia sighed.

"You're still determined to forsake your royal position in favour of leading a life of adventure, hrm?"

"Of course!" the princess said. "I love spending time with you, Lina and Gourry! We get to do so much together and we get to see the world! When we're all together we do the type of stuff that I will never experience in Saillune!"

"So let me get this straight" the chimera said. "You find a life of adventure is a more genuine calling than being a princess?"

"Absolutely!"

"Even if it means giving your status?"

"What difference should that make?"

"Being pursued by both the law and the most insidious of monsters?" Zel shot back.

Upon hearing this, Amelia suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

Seeing that he now had the princess' undivided attention, the chimera continued:

"Surviving on an inconsistent cash flow? Living with starvation? Being threatened by anyone and anything? Perceived as nothing more than common criminals? Hanging around disreputable folk? That's hardly the stuff that any self-respecting princess would dare do."

"You're telling me" Amelia said softly.

Zel leaned forward.

"Are you sure you want to give up your title for a life on the road with Lina, Gourry and myself?" he asked, his voice now soft and empathetic. "This doesn't seem like an easy decision to make"

"To be honest" she replied. "One thing that an adventurous life has going for it is that I don't have to worry about making tough decision like this"

"Well, I've no complaints about what I do because I know where I'm going" Zelgadis said firmly.

"Even if it means shutting off everything else around you?" Amelia retorted.

A grim silence ensued.

"What?" Zel replied, stunned by the princess' comeback.

"I know you want to find a cure…" she said

Zel nodded, thus prompting her to continue.

"…….But do you think that finding a cure is of such a greater priority that you can't stand to be with anyone else?"

The chimera blinked.

"What?"

"Zel" she said gently with her eyes growing pained, "Don't you want to make some friends? Or do you think they are merely an obstacle in your quest?"

Where is she going with is? Zelgadis thought.

"I am not a monster" Zel said solemnly.

"Then you could do a lot more than acting like one!"

"But…"

"Honestly Zel, you think you can…."

But Amelia never got to finish her sentence. For into the dining room strode, in a typically noisy fashion, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev. Both looked wide awake and ready for some food.

"Gooooood morning!" Lina beamed. "How are we feeling this morning?"

"Hi Lina!" Amelia grinned, all thought of Zelgadis now forgotten. "Sleep well?"

"Well apart from the various sounds of fighting, having one's sleep interrupted to cast a fireball, assassins bursting in on us in the middle of the night, and trying to kill us, I had a good sleep"

"Well….err…" Amelia stammered, with a sheepish grin on her face. "I suppose that's….good to…hear…"

"Hey Lina look!" Gourry said, nodding towards the table. "Some one has already set up our breakfast for us!

"Alllll riiiiight!!!!" the sorceress grinned.

And without any further hesitation, she sprinted for the table and proceeded to devour all the edibles that lay before her. Gourry followed.

"There's just no stopping you isn't there, Lina?" Zel observed.

"Oh come!" Lina said, her mouth already full with slices of toast. "It was just lying there – so it seemed pointless to leave it there!"

"So" Gourry said his mouth also full. "What were you both discussing when we came in?"

Zel and Amelia exchanged uneasy glances – both were uncertain as to whether Lina and Gourry would appreciate to hear what they were debating.

Thinking quickly, the chimera cleared his throat.

"We were discussing what we were going to do next"

"Really?" Gourry said

"What is there to do?" Lina inquired. "We're all honoured guests here in Saillune so we're pretty much got it made!"

"You think so?" the swordsman replied.

"Sure!" the sorceress grinned. "We'll just stay here until……"

"We hear about a nefarious evil that needs defeating?" Amelia interrupted.

"Some bounty hunters come looking for us?" Gourry asked.

"We manage to get Saillune blown off the face of the earth?" Zel muttered.

Lina blinked – before she felt the unmistakable feeling of her eyebrow twitching.

"I WAS SAYING…." she shouted.

Immediately her companions feel silent – thus allowing Lina to continue:

"…before I was RUDELY interrupted….'

(to this, her companions adopted facial expressions of innocence – But Lina carried on with her diatribe regardless)

"…that we should rest before heading off!"

"Heading off?' Gourry asked. "Where to?"

Lina blinked – she wasn't expecting this. But her brain worked quickly to produce an answer.

"To wherever the road may take us, of course!" she said with an awkward smile. "It's happened before – Adventures always end up finding us!"

"That's a rather unusual way to go about life" Zel said, casting an eye at Amelia.

"Well, it's worked before, Zelly boy!" Lina retorted. "And I don't see it ever failing us, even now!"

Suddenly, the smile disappeared from her face and her expression grew more serious.

"Amelia" the sorceress said gently. "Does Phil know about the assassin last night?"

The princes blinked.

"Well" she said slowly. "I haven't had the chance to tell him this morning."

"In that case, do you think it's a good move to tell him of the incident?"

Amelia paused, unsure of how to answer.

Zel cleared his throat: "Considering that Phil has dealt with assassins before, it may be wise to inform him that his status and his family is being threatened. That way, he can take action to prevent the loss of life"

"But right now" Gourry argued, "he seems so happy that Amelia and Naga have returned."

"Exactly" Lina said firmly. "Thus the last he wants to know is that someone may want the members of the Saillune house dead."

This thought was indeed alarming – so much so, a grim silence ensued….

…But this silence was eventually broken by the arrival of Sylphiel. She entered the room with a big smile on her face.

"Good morning everyone!" she beamed.

"Hello!" Amelia smiled. "How are you this morning?"

"Well I feel great!" the shrine maiden said as she strode up the table. "I've had the best sleep I have ever had in a long time!"

And to this, Lina's face fell flat onto the table (Not that anyone noticed). By now, Syl had moved to stand beside the princess.

"The funny thing is" Syl went on "I have this rather large bump on my head and I'm trying to figure out how it got there!"

But had the Shrine maiden turned around at that point, she would've seen the sorceress rising up from her seat with a murderous look in her eyes.

Fortunately for Syl, however, Gourry recognised those signs in Lina and acted quickly: he grabbed the redhead by holding her arms within his own.

"You want another bump on the head?" the sorceress was snarling. "Well there's plenty more where that came from! I have…."

"Calm down Lina!" the swordsman exclaimed. "It's too early in the morning for this!"

Just then, Syl turned around –thus prompting Lina and Gourry to immediately cease their actions.

"You know" she said "I was going to ask……"

Immediately, her speech trailed off – for her eyes had picked up something at the door of the dining room.

"You!' she exclaimed. And without a further ado, she paced her way to the door, leaving her friends blinking.

"She was going ask you?" Gourry inquired, looking at Lina. "Ask you what?"

Lina sighed – before she joined everyone else in seeing what had suddenly picked up Sylphiel's interest.

It was Aldebrand.

He had just entered the room without attracting much interest but, thanks to Sylphiel, now had all eyes of everyone upon him.

Eyes that blazed with distrust.

Sylphiel then headed over to the mercenary and grabbed his hand.

"Aldebrand!" she beamed. "Good morning!"

"And good morning to you too" he replied.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm well"

Zel leaned over to Lina.

"Who invited him?" he muttered.

"Don't look at me" the sorceress shot back.

"Hush!" Amelia said. "Don't say things like that!"

"Why not?' the sorceress retorted.

"Because now might a good opportunity to get to know him, right?"

"Why are you so keen to give him a chance?" Zel growled.

"Well at least I'm putting in more effort than you are!"

"Bah!" the chimera retorted. "This is futile"

"Dammit, Gourry!" Lina said. "Can't you try and take some sense into Amelia?"

But the swordsman wasn't listening. Instead, he was on his feet and striding over to the mercenary and the Shrine maiden.

"Aldebrand!" Gourry grinned. "I just want to thank you for saving my life last night!"

The mercenary blinked.

"Why….thank you….."

"No really!" the swordsman went on. "I owe you one!"

Back at the table, Lina, Zel and Amelia blinked.

"I don't believe it" the chimera said. "They're bonding!"

"That is so cool!" the princess grinned.

"How can you say something like that?!" the sorceress said in exasperation.

"At least Gourry is trying to become friends!" Amelia retorted.

Lina sighed.

After breakfast, Lina, Gourry, Zel and Amelia all congregated in one of the many corridors of the palace.

"So!" the sorceress grinned, addressing her comrades. "Do the rest of you have any plans for the day?"

"Not really" Amelia replied.

"Well you do you want" the red head grinned. "Because I'm keen to explore the many other culinary delights that Saillune has to offer!"

"Sounds good to me!" Gourry added.

"Aren't we behaving somewhat rashly here?" Zel argued.

The other three didn't reply – instead they all blinked.

"In case you've forgotten" Zel argued. "An assassin broke into this palace and tried to kill us all!"

"So?" Lina snapped, obviously annoyed at the thought of being delayed from food.

"Thus, someone wants us dead! Meaning, we are obviously in a position of danger here!"

"Wait a minute here" Lain said, raising her hand. "Are you saying that we should be on our guard in the event that another assassin should strike?"

"Exactly"

"Do you really think that someone wants us dead that much?" Gourry inquired.

"It's happened before" Zel said dryly.

"Really?" Gourry blinked diminutively. "Since when?"

Immediately, all three fell over backwards.

"Don't tell me" Lina snarled as she got to her feet "that all those years travelling with me didn't result in anything!" Lina snarled.

But, fortunately for Gourry, Amelia cleared her throat.

"What concerns me" the princess said. "Is that if we being threatened by someone, it won't take them long to work out where we are."

Upon hearing this Zel blinked – and Lina looked up from smacking Gourry across the face.

"And in that sense" the chimera said "the longer we stay here in Saillune, the more likely we will be found by assassins…."

And with this statement, a silence hung between them all……

…….Before Crown Prince Philionel strode up. And he seemed as cheerful as ever. He didn't show any sings of having been worn down by the previous evening and his grin was as wide as ever.

"Good morning!" he beamed. "How are we all feeling today?"

"Just fine Phil" Lina said, all thoughts of assassins immediately forgotten.

"Yeah, same here!" Gourry added.

"Good morning Daddy!" Amelia said, her face breaking into a smile.

Then she noticed something.

"Hey, you're wearing your best clothes!" she noted. "Are you going somewhere today?"

"Exactly!" Phil beamed. "I just came by to tell you all that I'm going to be out all day!"

"Really?" Gourry inquired.

"Yes," Philionel nodded. "So until I get back, you are still my guests and you are free to do whatever you want in Saillune."

Upon hearing this, Zel and Amelia leaned in closer together.

"Daddy's leaving Saillune…." She began

"And leaving Lina and Gourry to do as they please?" Zel finished. "Saillune is doomed!"

"He certainly has confidence in us!" Amelia whispered hopefully.

"I'm just wondering as to whether he should be leaving Saillune considering the recent chain of events" Zel replied softly.

"So" Lina said conversationally. "Where are you going off to?"

"Well" Phil answered. "Considering that Gracia is set to succeed me, I thought it appropriate that she be taught the ways of royalty!"

"WHAT?!" the four adventurers all exclaimed at once.

But Phil continued: "So today, I'm taking her to attend a meeting with representatives of Saillune's various trading partners. That way, we should settle a dispute that has been raging amongst everyone involved!"

Gourry, Lina and Zel all exchanged astonished glances.

"Daddy" Amelia inquired. "Just how is Gracia taking such a proposition?"

As if on cue, Naga the Serpent stumbled down the hallway. She was wearing a fancy frock that looked expensive – typical of the Saillune wardrobe. And she was also wearing some fancy jewellery and footwear.

But unfortunately for Naga, she had never worn high heels in her life.

And ever since she had arrived here at Saillune, she had little time to get used to them.

The raven-haired sorceress went stumbling across the carpet, from on end to the other before finally winding up into a wall. Her fingers scrapped down the way as the sorceress slid down from the wall and onto the floor.

Her companions looked shocked but Phil didn't look too bothered.

"Gracia!" Amelia exclaimed as she ran over and knelt down beside her sister. "Are you all right?"

"I'm…just…..fine" the sorceress managed to mumble.

"Yes" Philionel said, somehow oblivious to the ruckus Naga was creating. "I want to take Gracia along to this meeting so she can pick up a few pointers as to how a kingdom is run and how to make important decisions!"

"Phil" Gourry asked. "Are…are you sure …er…..Gracia is the right person for the job?"

"Well, she is my eldest!" Phil grinned. "And royal tradition insists that the eldest succeed their parents!"

Amelia and Naga exchanged glances. But even the younger sister could see the frustration and dissatisfaction in the eyes of her older sister.

"Gracia, do you really want to do this?" Amelia whispered.

"Absolutely not!" the sorceress whispered back.

The princess blinked. That's the type of thing that she herself would say…..

"But anyway" Phil said. "We must be going. We have quite a lot to get through today and we must leave immediately so we can make this meeting"

And with that he held his elbow to his daughter.

Naga, with help from Amelia, struggled to her feet and linked up her arm with her father's.

And with that, they headed off down the corridor and out of sight.

As Naga struggled her way through the nightmare that was wearing high heels.

Seconds after Philionel and Naga had left, Lina Inverse suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.

"Naga's learning all about the ways of being a princess?!" she said. "That'll be the day!"

Neither Gourry nor Zel replied. Instead they exchanged equally bewildered looks.

"Oh man" Lina went on. "If Naga is going to succeed Philionel then Saillune is doomed! I'm so glad I'm not part of this royal family!"

Amelia didn't say anything. She didn't appreciate what Lina was saying - But it was plainly obvious that the sorceress was speaking without thinking.

But what she was saying chilled the princess to the bone….

Meanwhile, many miles from the chaos in the Saillune palace, Thyruss was brooding in his fortress.

And he wasn't happy.

He had just received word that Innokenti had failed in his attempt to get rid of Lina Inverse and her companions. And the assassin was gone for good.....

Thyruss cursed under his breath. Masterminding a revolution with only a handful of combatants wasn't an easy task. Thus, he had to hold on to whatever he had at any cost. He wasn't in any kind of position to lose them!

There's no telling how much of a setback the loss of Innokenti would create!

What made the situation even worse is that he now had a good idea as to how dangerous Lina Inverse truly was. If she was powerful enough to bring about the end of Innokenti, truly a master of assassins, then Thyruss must proceed with his invasion plan at a much slower pace - and with the most careful of steps.....

But this wasn't good for his plan - he was now restricted to operating at a much slower rate then he originally planned! Worse still, losing Innokenti's elite assassination skills meant he would have to fight harder in his revolution and to achieve his goal!

Indeed, it seems he's greatly underestimated the danger that Lina Inverse posed. A mistake that's now proving to be quite fatal.....

Just then Thyruss' thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. He looked up to see Valentina enter the room.

The warlord grinned at his love - But no amount of mouth movements could conceal the frustration that blazed in his eyes.

Valentina smiled seductively at Thyruss before crossing the floor and placing a loving arm on his shoulder.

"Any news?" she inquired, in a sexy tone of voice.

"Innokenti's dead" the warlord replied bluntly.

The woman stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked in disbelief.

"What....what are you talking about?" she demanded. "That's impossible!"

"I only wish it were." The warlord sighed. "But what this means is that we're now facing a setback! I needed Innokenti! He was the only one who had the skills to remove any key threats!"

"Obviously, we should now take a cautious approach." she reasoned. "This Lina Inverse could be a greater threat than we first realised."

Thyruss didn't reply. Instead he just slammed his hands onto the desk and shook his head. The loss of Innokenti was indeed a cruel blow to his part.

Upon seeing her beloved in such a way, Valentina smiled a sly smile. She then crossed the floor and laid a gentle hand upon his back.

"Oh come now" she purred. "Why should such a sorceress pose as such a problem? What use is sorcery against your strength of arms?"

Thyruss blinked.

"If anything" The woman whispered. "I believe you can do it."

The warlord grinned a wolfish grin, as hope began pumping through his veins.

"Yes" he grinned. "Yes! We must continue with our revolution! We must make sure the loss of Innokenti must not be vain! What is important is that while we suffer losses, we must not give up! I am going to see this through to the end!"

The woman smiled, at her lover's invigorated determination. Yes, this is the way it should be....

"Valentina?" Thyruss said. "We must proceed to the next phase of our plan. I think it's time we summoned one of our agents in Saillune....."

Then, in hushed tones, he began to explain his plan.....

But little did the warlord know, was that his plan was being delivered to another set of ears.....

Had the warlord bothered to check, he would've found Xelloss hiding underneath the table. The Trickster Priest had been there ever since Valentina came into the room and he had been listening to Thyruss' intentions with undivided attention.

Xel opened his eyes. The more he heard of this information, the more it was proving to be of vital importance. So much so, he must take action.....

Back at the palace, Zelgadis and Amelia both made their way back to the guest quarters.

"Do you think Lina and Gourry will be all right?" he said.

"I just feel sorry for the owners of all the taverns they're heading to!" she replied.

"Didn't they go through from one end of Saillune to the other yesterday?"

"I guess they must be going over the places they missed!" Amelia chuckled.

Zel smiled briefly at this comment but then his face grew serious.

"You don't suppose that any assassins will try to attack them during the day?" he asked.

"It's possible" Amelia replied. "But I doubt that Lina is the type of person who takes adversity lying down!"

"You certainly have a lot faith in her."

"Absolutely!" she grinned.

By now, the duo had reached their destination: The confederation of rooms the adventurers had been given for temporal residence. They both entered…

…only to be confronted with the mess from the night before

The two adventurers exchanged glances. Now that the morning was well into maturity, this was the first time either of them had really noticed the full extent of the mess that the assassin caused.

"Oh my" Amelia said. "Daddy isn't going to like this…."

"It wasn't you fault" Zel reassured, as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Besides, this can be repaired, right?"

Amelia raised her hand to touch the chimera's.

"True" she said. "I'll get some servants onto it."

"Anyway," she went on. "Whoever that guy was, he certainly put up a good fight"

"You seem surprised." The chimera noted, as he withdrew his hand.

"Huh?"

"Come now, how many assassins have come looking for you and your father?"

Upon hearing this, Amelia's facial expression grew grim.

"Yes, but they were all try-hards. None of them were nothing like that guy who burst in on us, last night."

"Obviously he must be a professional" Zelgadis said, as he paused, and stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Think about it" he went on. "If that guy was more of a challenge then any other assassin whom you've previously faced then he must be acting on an extraordinary rate of efficiency. And, judging by his movements, he acted as if he had done this type of thing many times before."

"You think so?" Amelia blinked, astonished by the chimera's assessment.

Zel nodded.

"But what worries me" he said. "Is that if he was a professional, then someone must've paid him to get of us.

"The only question is who...."

"Maybe he was after Lina?" the princess suggested.

"It's possible." Zel said. "But then again, our man knew exactly where to go. So, whoever paid that assassin....."

"....must be residing somewhere in Saillune." Amelia finished.

"Therefore we must remain on our guard...."

A long and painful silence followed - Much to Amelia's frustration. She didn't like these silences. And neither did she enjoy discussions that descend into a morbid tone.

She then turned to face the chimera, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and leant in until both their bodies were touching. To this, Zelgadis' face went as bright as a ripe tomato.

"No matter what happens" she said gently. "You'll protect me, right?"

Considering the amount of situations that Amelia keeps thrusting him into, one would think Zel would've gotten used to it by now. But, it would seem that nothing could eradicate the embarrassment that Zelgadis had for this type of situations. Eventually, he swallowed:

"Count.... on it" he said. "I've no intention of....losing you....yet"

Amelia giggled at the awkwardness of his response. But at least the answer provided was a satisfactory one.

"Hey, I never thought I'd hear you say those words" she said. "You must be getting more comfortable with situations like this."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely…"

"Well in that case, can you do one little thing for me?"

"Sure!" Amelia grinned. "What?"

"Don't mention this to the others"

The princess blinked before chuckling softly.

"Don't worry" she said gently. "I won't."

Then, she leaned up off the chimera and cleared her throat:

"So what are you going to do today?"

"Huh?" Zel replied, unsurprisingly taken aback.

"I don't know about you" Amelia grinned. "But I think I might go and visit Konstantin again"

At the mention of the craftsman, Zelgadis' face hardened.

"Whatever suits you."

However, it didn't take long for Amelia to hit on what Zel was thinking.

"Do you really distrust him that much?

"Dammit Zel, if you keep up such an attitude, you'll never get anywhere! If you keep mistrusting nearly everyone you meet, you'll never have anyone to call a friend!"

Zel said nothing.

The princess sighed.

"Well can't you at least give him a chance?" she said in exasperation.

Zel folded his arms and his facial features solidified.

Amelia shook her head at the chimera's steadfast defiance. But in spite of his attitude, she locked him within a stern gaze.

"Well, no matter. Regardless of what you may think, I'm going. With or without you."

Zelgadis blinked.

"You're leaving the palace?" he said in alarm. "Even when there's someone running around who wants us dead?"

"Why should that be a problem?"

"If you leave the palace, you'll be putting yourself at risk!"

"Why should that be your concern?"

Zel hesitated with his answer. But even as he did so, another large blush made it's way across his face.

"...I....I just don't want any harm to come of you"

"Don't worry!" the princess smiled. "I'll be fine!"

"Never underestimate the power of Justice!"

And with a chuckle, she left the room.

This, in turn, left Zel alone with his thoughts. Eventually he shrugged and began considering his options as to what to do next.

But it wasn't long before he received a visitor.

"I just knew I'd find you here."

Immediately, the chimera froze. His gaze hardened and his muscles began twitching.

Slowly, he turned to face the speaker, but he already knew who it was. After all, he could spot that voice a mile away.

Even if it was a voice he didn't really want to hear.

"Xelloss" the chimera growled.

"The one and only!" the mazoku grinned. He was leaning against the wall, with his arms folded and his staff (also leaning against the wall) in easy reach.

"What do you want?"

"I was wondering: Are you, in any way, curious about that assassin who struck last night?"

Zel stopped dead in his tracks.

"How....how do you know about that?"

"That's a secret!" Xelloss grinned, opening one eye in a wink and waggling his finger.

Zel growled his frustration. He should've known.....

Hey, wait a minute…..

"Hold on…." The chimera started. "….How long have you been standing there?"

"I've only just arrived" mazoku said as his grin faded and his other eye opened. "Why?"

Zelgadis' eyes hardened.

"Did you see anything….suspicious?"

"What?"

"Anything out of the ordinary? Something you wouldn't expect to see?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well in that case, you didn't" Zel said. "Thank L-sama for that!"

Upon hearing this, Xel closed his eyes and grinned an evil grin.

"Now that you mention it" he said. "Now I AM curious as to what happened here!"

"WHAT?!?" Zel shouted, his facial expression alarmed and his brain immediately registering a state of panic.

"So" the mazoku chuckled, amused as to what he'd done. "Care to tell me what happened?"

"HUH?!"

"Come on, you can't back out now! You brought it up!"

"Trust me" Zel said, his voice betraying his urgency to maintain secrecy. "You DON'T want to know!"

"What if I do?"

Sensibly, Zelgadis turned away from the mazoku.

"Go away Xelloss" the chimera snarled. "I don't have time for your nonsense!"

"What's the matter?" the Trickster Priest retorted. "Don't you want to know about the great disaster that's coming to Saillune?"

Zel paused. Slowly he turned around.

"What great disaster?"

Naga felt ridiculous.

Her feet felt tight, crammed and sore. Her legs felt restricted and under extreme difficulty to make any type of movement. And her arms were no better off. She felt confined, unable to move as easily as she was used to and utterly embarrassed.

Jeez, wearing some extravagant frock for last night's dinner was bad enough. But to wear another expensive outfit the next day was simply too much! None of these stupid outfits had the flexibility that her familiar leather offered and were a nightmare to move in.

Honestly, she's faced many obstacles in her time: Feckless employers, legions of mazoku, armies of dragons, family feuds of the absurd kind, an enchanted mirror that contained a power too horrible to comprehend and even a mad scientist who dared clone her ten times!

But none of them were anything like suffering through the hell that was this!

The raven-haired sorceress was making her way through the hallway of a rather plush looking mansion accompanied by her father, Philionel. However, considering Naga was having lots of difficulty with this outfit, such a journey wasn't easy. She hadn't worn high heels, or such restricting clothes, before – and she hadn't been given much time to get used to them either. Consequently, the journey to this point hadn't exactly been pleasurable. Sure most of it was spent in a wagon heading from Saillune but even when that was spent in these accursed clothes, it wasn't exactly a comfortable experience

Man, this idea of succeeding her father just keeps getting worse by the minute….

Phil, on the other hand, had the widest grin on his face. Any one could see that he was proud of his daughter - even if it made him oblivious to how much her clothes were causing her so much ill-comfort.

"Just think Gracia" the Crown prince was saying. "You're next in line! You're a princess!"

Naga raised an eyebrow. Princess? Hey, did she like the sounds of this!

"And when I die" Phil went on. "You shall be my successor and you will be the ruler of Saillune!"

The sorceress didn't reply. Instead she was fantasising about the prospects of being in charge of Saillune. She would be a princess! She would have a magnificent pad! She would be living in royalty! She would have loads of money and countless underlings ready to attend to her every whim!

Any shock from being appointed Phil's successor had now gone. What mattered was that she was going to be living it easy from now on!

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all!

For some reason she had a strange feeling that she didn't feel this way earlier this morning….

Oh, who cares?! She's going to a princess!

And besides, hangovers suck!

"And this is why" Philionel continued. "I'm taking you to meet some visitors to Saillune. They are all dignitaries from various aristocratic circles who have come to this palace on missions of diplomacy."

Instantly, Naga's fantasy came to a grinding halt. She turned to face her father with a puzzled expression.

"Dignitaries?" she inquired. "Diplomacy?"

"Exactly" Phil replied with a nod. "You see, Saillune is currently facing some difficulties with it's trading partners and this has resulted in a dispute amongst the trading merchants that journey through Saillune every day. Thus, Saillune is facing certain disaster with it's trade routes in disarray. Henceforth, we are going to meet some representatives from the key factions in this fiasco so we negotiate to bring an end to it."

"Hold on" Naga said. "We're going to settle this problem through negotiations?!"

Being of a mercenary nature, this was something new to Naga: Her experience from consistently being on the road has taught her that there was only one way to settle a dispute:

Getting paid to blow something off the face of the earth!

"Of course!" Philionel grinned. "Such skills are vital when it comes to ruling a kingdom! It isn't just living it rich you know! There's real work involved. And it's important that you know what to do so I know the future of Saillune is in good hands."

Phil chuckled at this. But the raven-haired sorceress didn't share such sentiments. Her expression grew increasingly worried. Not just living rich?

There's WORK involved?!?!?

It was there and then that Naga's idea of being a princess fell to the floor and shattered to a thousand pieces. All of a sudden the idea of being in charge of Saillune didn't sound so crash hot.

It's amazing just how high one's hopes can climb before they come plummeting down in spectacular fashion.

Just then, the two members of the Saillune ruling family arrived to their destination: the door that led to the palace drawing room.

The Crown prince turned to his daughter. "Are you ready?"

Naga drew a deep breath before nodding.

Satisfied with this response, Phil pushed open the door....

....to reveal a table. The table was made from an expensive wood finish that had been polished to make it shine and it came with five matching chairs.

And also in the room were three men. Three men who stood in a line, awaiting the Crown prince and whom were dressed in expensive clothes and bore arrogant expressions - obvious signs that these guys were in positions that commanded respect.

The first one was short and fat. He had a mop of brown hair and a fanciful moustache. He was bloated in appearance and his eyes flashed with greed.

The second was tall, thin and clean shaven. His black hair was cropped short and his eyes were dark to match. He also bore a piercing gaze that reeked of both shiftiness and menace.

The third had handsome features set in amongst a well-trimmed goatee. Unlike the other two, this one had a more kindly expression. He seemed more so the receptive kind.

Now that these three dignitaries were all in Philionel's presence, they bowed, acknowledging his authority. They also cast an inquisitive gaze at Naga.

The raven-haired sorceress' expression hardened. She could feel their gaze upon her. And she knew exactly what they were thinking of her - even though they had only just met:

Contempt.

Man, this succession job seems more difficult than what she first thought.....

"Welcome gentlemen!" Phil grinned. "And may I present my daughter, Gracia, whom I have invited to this talk as a guest and an observer."

Without bothering to wait for a response, the Crown Prince immediately set about introducing Naga to each of the guests in turn.

"This" he said, of the first one. "Is Sir Boris. He is here representing the Merchants Guild in a discussion over trade relations in Saillune."

"Pleasure" replied the fat man - in a greeting that was anything but enthusiastic.

"Merchant's Guild eh?" Naga grinned. "I heard you make a lot of money!"

"That's right"

"Ah!" the sorceress chuckled. "Then that might explain this!"

And before anyone could stop her, she shot her finger out and prodded the merchant's stomach.

Unfortunately for Naga her instincts, built out of mercenary habits and being a consistent traveller, had taken control of this rather unfamiliar situation. Indeed, such habits are not adequate in matters of diplomacy!

Philionel, along with the other guests, blinked in astonishment at Naga's unorthodox behaviour. But Phil immediately took control. After all, he owned in a position of command and one where he consistently faced countless assassins every day - Thus he could sense trouble as soon as he saw it.

Acting quickly, and eager to retain the good name of Saillune, Phil quickly bustled Naga away from Sir Gordon and to the next guest: the tall man with the piercing gaze.

"And this," Phil said. "Is Sir Marius. He is from the neighbouring kingdom of Viruk - a key trading partner with Saillune."

"Pleasure aim shawl" Marius replied, his voice bearing a very rich accent.

Naga didn't reply. Instead she unleashed her trademark laugh:

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

This, in turn sent shock waves of astonishment through the dignitaries - Sir Marius in particular.

"Did I say something fun-knee?" he inquired.

But this only made the sorceress laugh more - only now more loudly than before.

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Unfortunately, Naga had little experience dealing with aristocratic types. Therefore, she found it difficult to take Sir Marius' accent seriously.

Shaken by his daughter's behaviour, but still maintaining a cool head Phil took action. He quickly introduced Naga to the third and final dignitary.

"And this is Sir Valmir, a representative from the neighbouring kingdom of Karis"

He then pulled the sorceress closer to issue a rather urgent whisper:

"And try to maintain a more friendly atmosphere okay?!"

Naga nodded, before returning to face Sir Valmir.

"Aha!" she grinned, indicating to his beard. "I see you've got a rabbit attached to your face! Don't worry, a razor will take care of it easily!"

Upon hearing Naga's latest blunder, Philionel slapped his forehead. How is it possible that this meeting could go so wrong?!

Thankfully, Sir Boris came to the Crown prince's rescue:

"Your highness?" he inquired. "So far, we haven't uttered a word in relation to settle this trading dispute. Instead we've suffered from your daughter's behaviour."

"You're right." Philionel said. Quickly he took control:

"Gentlemen?" he said, in a commanding voice. "Shall we get down to business?"

The dignitaries all nodded in consent. Then all three of them, along with Naga and Phil all took their seat at the table.

"Right" Phil said. "Shall we begin? I for one would like to see this meeting take place, so we can all put an end to this dispute and reassume trade to Saillune."

"Hear, Hear!" Sir Marius proclaimed.

But sadly, Naga still couldn't take his accent seriously: "OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Phil sighed. This was going to be one long meeting.....

The chimera fixed the mazoku with an accusing glare.

"Are you sure about that?"

Xelloss nodded.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Only if you want Philionel and Amelia overthrown."

Zel paused. Early that morning, he had reached the conclusion that someone in Saillune wanted them dead. But there was also the matter of who this person was. Or what he, or she, wanted.

Considering the odd politics of Saillune, it was easy to determine that some wanted to get rid of Philionel. Indeed, Phil's position was one which attracted its fair share of usurpers. Henceforth there were a considerable number of factions who wanted to get rid of the Champion of Justice. Thus, what the Trickster Priest told him was reason enough to keep on one's guard. But what the mazoku didn't tell him who was behind this operation.

But with no concept of the intentions of this mystery someone, there was no telling if it was Philionel's position that was sought after here.

Thus, Zel had reason enough to maintain his suspicions.

Besides, since when has anything reliable emerged from Xelloss' mouth?!

"Your story is interesting" he said slowly. "But I see, as yet, no reason as to why I should believe it. Firstly, I need some concrete evidence....."

"Evidence!?" Xelloss retorted, opening his eyes. "What evidence do you need?! Do you honestly think that assassin that visited you last night was coincidental?!"

The chimera raised an eyebrow.

"And even if your story had a grain of truth in it," he argued, "it doesn't explain how you managed to know about it."

"That's a secret!" Xelloss grinned, closing one of his eyes in a wink.

"As always" Zel shot back.

"And what's more," he continued, "your story is made even more ambiguous in the fact that you just told me what's going to happen. You haven't given any names or motivations."

"So?"

"How would I know I'm not being led into a blind alley? For all I know, I could end up attacking, and ruining, something beneficial!"

"Has that ever happened before?" Xelloss said, in a playful tone.

"Yes" Zel replied bluntly.

"Do you consider explosions and the destruction of several buildings beneficial?" the mazoku said, his tone of voice now in an accusing format.

"Only to the advancement of science"

The mazoku sighed.

"Do you honestly think that that visitation from that assassin last night was coincidental?"

"Weirder things have happened." The chimera retorted.

The mazoku sighed again.

"Believe what you want"

And with that he vanished, leaving Zelgadis standing alone in the ruined room.

Elsewhere in the palace, Sylphiel resided in her room, her mind wrapped up in a spellbound nature.

She lay on her bed, in her distinctive clothes with her arms outstretched and her eyes staring at the ceiling.

Since arriving at Saillune, things had certainly been progressing at an astonishing rate. It was mind-boggling in the fact that her life had changed so much in such a small space of time. The events that she had been pulled into were certainly a far cry from the life she had known. But then again, this life was one she was dragged into and forced into adapting to. Indeed, what else can one do when one's home city and one's father is taken away?

But still, this change of lifestyle also triggered changes to Sylphiel's character. Why, who would've thought that the Shrine Maiden would end up defeating the greater mazoku Damenamecus?

However for such a change, Lina would, naturally, have a lot to do with it.

Ironically, when they first met, Sylphiel, having never set foot outside of her home city, originally detested the ideal of adventuring. But these changes seem to be pushing her in such a direction. Indeed, with her childhood home gone forever, Sylphiel was now left with nothing. This, in turn left her searching for an empty destiny.

The Shrine maiden's gaze then travelled from the ceiling before settling on the other occupant in the room.

Aldebrand.

He sat on the foot of the bed, still in his distinctive mercenary clothes, and with his back to Sylphiel. His contemplation betrayed by his facial expression.

The Shrine maiden blinked. What was he thinking?

While we're at it, who was this man called Aldebrand?

They had first met when he saved her from a tavern brawl. Why? Was he really what he told her: 'a sucker for a pretty face'? Or was there some other purpose?

Of course, having her life saved like that was certainly a noble act and worthy of her adoration - But then again, she also used the same excuse in her pursuit of Gourry.

And look where that got her.

Henceforth, how could she be so sure that this hero-worship behaviour was heading her in the right direction? Was it safe to play by such an ideal that she had relied on previously? Or was she dooming herself?

Regardless, he seemed a nice guy from the outset. He certainly exhibited some generous and noble behaviour. And he seemed quite interested in her.

Was this the path of true love?

Has her luck finally taken a turn for the better?

Meanwhile, Aldebrand's mind was also pondering on the events that had occurred since he'd saved the Shrine Maiden from that tavern brawl.

Why did he have to go and do a thing like that? Of course, it seemed the natural thing to do. Besides, if he hadn't intervened, Sylphiel would've been brutally bashed by those thugs.

But such intervention only came from his mercenary instincts: Having spent so long drinking and womanising in countless taverns, it was therefore unsurprising that he should become 'a sucker for a pretty face.' And he must admit, the more time he spent with the Syl, the greater his feelings had grown for her. Being of such a warrior nature, there was something in her gentle spirit that he found contrasting.

And interesting.

But, by falling for Sylphiel, Aldebrand was only setting himself up for trouble. Her presence was clouding his priorities as a mercenary. Consequently, he was spending more time with her when he should be obtaining information for his employer:

The warlord Thyruss.

What made the situation even more dangerous was that Sylphiel was in league with Lina Inverse. Although lacking in his spying mission, Aldebrand still managed to keep abreast with the developments from Thyruss' citadel through secret meetings with carrier pigeons and informants. And recently, the warlord had been frustrated with someone called Lina Inverse. Someone who had quite a reputation behind her. Someone who was powerful enough to kill the ruthless assassin Innotenti.

Someone who fitted the exact description of Sylphiel's red-headed friend.

Matter's were not helped that Lina and Sylphiel were friends of one Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune: A member of the exact Saillune ruling house that Thyruss sought to bring down.

Of course, this placed Aldebrand in a position of indecision. It's only a matter of time before his dealings with Thyruss are exposed. This, in turn, will bring an abrupt end to his relationship with Sylphiel and no doubt Lina will extract vengeance in her own way - indeed, anyone who can defeat Innotenti isn't someone whom Aldebrand would want to get on their bad side.

On the other hand, it was only a matter of time before Lina and her friends catch wind of Thyruss' plot and move to stop him. This, in turn, presents the mercenary with the option of turning his back on Thyruss and joining Sylphiel's cause. But, being of such mercenary nature, why should he care who, or what, he should fight for? If he turns his back on Thyruss, then he misses out on an enormous, and indeed worthwhile, pay chest.

Suddenly, Aldebrand's thoughts were brought back to earth with the sound of Syl's voice:

"What's on your mind?"

The mercenary slowly turned his head around to see the Shrine Maiden staring back at him from her prostrate position.

"Hrmmm?"

"You look like you were a million miles away." Sylphiel said gently.

"Oh......It was nothing"

The Syl's brow furrowed.

"Oh really?"

"I mean it" the mercenary replied.

"No, something is on your mind." Sylphiel said. She rose up off the bed and came down to rest on her knees alongside the mercenary. She then placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"....I.....I....." Aldebrand hesitated.

The shrine maiden blinked.

"I'm worried about your friend Lina" he blurted out.

"Ah, is that what's bothering you?" Syl said. "I can understand your concern."

To this, Aldebrand raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Don't worry about it." she went on. "I know Lina and she is a good judge of character. Sure she is well known as a bandit killer and her destructive capabilities, but she can be a real nice person.

"Just give it time, okay?"

Aldebrand opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Who's there?" the mercenary inquired.

A reply coming from the mouth of a servant, rang out from the other side of the door.

"I have a message here for someone called Aldebrand....."

"Now this looks interesting"

Amelia picked up a small puppet that was fashioned into the likeness of a werewolf. The puppet was carved into a crouching position, but it's legs and arms looked considerably strong. It's mouth was open, revealing rows and rows of sharp teeth and it's eyes blazed with ferocity. The puppet was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand but the amount of intricate detail that had gone into it's construction was astonishing.

"Impressed are you?" Konstantin inquired.

"As ever"

Suddenly, the puppet started to move. It got up off it's knees and began prowling around on Amelia's palm. Then it raised it's head and began emitting a soft howl.

This, in turn, made the Champion of Justice chuckle in amusement.

"Ah" Konstantin beamed. "I made that this morning."

"This morning?" the princess echoed, her eyes wide in surprise. "Wow!"

"Why thank you....Amelia" the craftsman said.

"Ah!" she smiled.

"Say" the puppet-maker said. "What on earth happened to your chimera friend?"

Amelia fell silent and her grin slowly evaporated. She could still remember what happened yesterday when she had managed to persuade Zel to come and visit this puppet store. But such a venture proved to be an unwise move.

"....He.....He refused to come here" she said slowly.

"Shame" Konstantin mused. "I thought he was an interesting character.

"Even if he seemed somewhat crabby....."

"I'm afraid he is a lot like that." Amelia sighed. "You may think his chimera form is fascinating but he hates it. A lot."

Amelia paused. She was thankful that Zel wasn't here. He wouldn't appreciate such talk about his curse - whether it be idle or not. But Amelia had known Konstantin for a long time - long enough to know that he was a good man and one of the trustworthy type.

"You know," Konstantin said, "I can tell that he certainly means a lot to you."

Amelia sighed happily.

"And isn't that the truth."

"Have you been together for a long time, eh?"

"Oh, but of course." Amelia smiled sweetly. "We met some years ago. We've remained close friends ever since. Believe you me, he is a nice guy and certainly has a noble and kind heart"

"Really?" Konstantin chuckled. "He seems like a morose bastard to me!"

She blinked, taken aback by the craftsman's comment.

That is until he began chuckling. Amelia sighed, when she realised he'd really been joking.

"I know he can be miserable" the princess declared firmly. "But I have tried excessively to cheer him up and to see things from a more positive light."

"And I'm glad he has someone like you to do it for him." the puppet-maker beamed.

"Did tell you" she said, changing the subject. "My long lost sister, Gracia, has finally returned to Saillune?"

"Ah yes" Konstantin grinned. "I've already heard. It's the talk of the town!

"I bet your father was delighted."

"You don't know the half of it!" the princess laughed.

"So, has Gracia managed to settle in well?"

To this, Amelia bit her lip. This was one question she wasn't too keen on answering......

Eventually she relented:

"Let's just say, she's having a bit of trouble adjusting back to the life of royalty....."

Konstantin shrugged.

"Mind you" the princess went on, "I'm concerned for my friend Sylphiel."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"She's been seeing this guy. She certainly attached to him and they've been a doing a lot of stuff together.

"Is that a problem?" the craftsman said. "That sounds like a close romance to me."

"Yeah I know that. And I think it's a good thing that Sylphiel has found someone.

"But he seems .....somewhat....creepy. Henceforth, everyone is suspicious of him.

"I think his name is..... Aldebrand."

At the mention of this name, the craftsman's eyes hardened.

Just then, Amelia's eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall and she let out a cry of alarm.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed. "I gotta go meet up with Lina! Sorry Konstantin, but I have to go."

"That's all right" the puppet maker nodded. "Thanks for passing by. Come back soon!"

"Goodbye!" Amelia grinned.

And with that, she turned and headed out the door, leaving the door chimes dancing in her wake.

Minutes later, the chime on the door rang again. The craftsman raised an eyebrow. Could this be another visitor?

The visitor wasn't someone whom Konstantin was expecting. It was a man of tall stature who sported a black goatee and a battle hardened appearance. It was a man who fixed the puppet-maker with a devilish grin and an accusing gaze.

Worse still, it was a man whom Konstantin recognised.

And it was someone whom he had hoped never to hear from again.

"Aldebrand."

"Hello Konstantin" the mercenary grinned, as he strode across to the counter. "I'm so glad to see you're still here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I figured you would've picked up on Valentina's message by now."

"What are you talking about?" Konstantin asked, already feeling his skin grow cold.

"Oh come now" Aldebrand said. "You can't hide from the truth forever you know......"

And with that he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper - to which he began to read aloud:

"Gentlemen. Due to Innotenti's untimely departure, we are now advancing the schedule further than anticipated. We are now in a position where we will instigate phase two. Konstantin will strike at the University tonight while Aldebrand will make immediate reports on any developments to the Saillune populace."

The craftsman paused, his expression solemn.

Aldebrand grinned.

"We're moving ahead with the plan. Thyruss' revolution is going to be taking place much sooner than expected. In other words, I certainly would hate to be you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me." the mercenary growled. "I know who your last customer was. I saw her race out the door on my way here. And even an idiot knows who she is: She's Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune!"

"So?" the craftsman said.

"So?!?" the mercenary exploded. "It seems a fairly ridiculous idea that you should be friends with the enemy!"

"You can talk!" Konstantin shot back. "You're seeing one of Lina Inverse's friends!"

Aldebrand blinked.

"Yeah that's right. I know all about you and Sylphiel."

The mercenary stopped, all too aware that his secret wasn't a secret any more. Quickly, he brought up one desperate excuse:

"Yeah.... well .......what Thyruss doesn't know can't hurt him!"

Konstantin didn't pay any attention. Instead he shook his head.

"It would seem, that we are both in the same boat." Konstantin said slowly. "We are now both in friendly ties with the enemy. And considering the tasks, we've been assigned to, we're now in a position where whatever we do, we will ultimately wind up betraying one or the other. Our friends or our employer."

Aldebrand remained silent as the puppet maker continued:

"Knowing you, I guess you won't betray Thyruss. You'll just rely on your mercenary ways and go where the pay chest is at it's largest."

"True" Aldebrand said softly and headed for the door.

But before he disappeared into the street, he turned and grinned at the craftsman.

"And knowing you, you'll probably keep following Thyruss as well. After all, friendship holds a lesser priority than revenge....."

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