Disclaimer

I, WFCBarly, hereby proclaim that I do not own the rights to the Slayers or to the Warcraft series. The story is entirely mine though to do with how I wish. If you have any grips then place it in the reviews plz.

'Three days have passed as our group left Seyruun,' Malas thought as she layed near the campfire that Lina had made, 'I wonder what we will find when we arrive at our destination.' Twilight had just overtaken the sky up above and the stars could be seen clearly without a cloud in the sky. Malas was left alone at the camp due to her age while the others went out to find provision. To Malas, this was a nights for her mind to wander.

Chapter 3

Relaxation
The entrance of trouble

"Hey Malas can I talk to you for a second?" Lina asked as she walked over and sat on the left side of Malas by the fire.

"Sure," she said as she turned her head to face Lina, "but aren't you suppose to be on guard duty?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, I notice you and Emily are close not only to each other but also to the one named Barly," Lina said as she layed down and started to look at the stars. "Whats your connection between each other," she continued, "I mean its like theres a vast amount that you haven't told anyone." Lina turned her head towards Malas and smiled when a thought emerged from her mind, "You like him don't you?"

"What?" Malas replied as she looked up at the sky trying to find a way around Lina's question, "What do you mean by that last part?"

"Oh come on now Malas," Lina said as she winked an eye at her, "Everyone can tell you know. I mean its just obvious in the way you look at him." That last comment made Malas blush. "You said your name was Crystal Malas Chestford, right?" she talked as she turned her head back up to the sky and placed her right arm behind her head for support, "Mind of I call you Crystal?" A tear formed in Malas's eye as the name was once again brought up. With the name came an endless flood of memories.

"Please just call me Malas," she replied as she rolled over to face away from Lina, "If you promise not to tell anyone then I will tell you why I hate that name."

"I promise," Lina said as she sat up and placed her hand on Malas's left elbow, "Now tell me."

"My real name is Crystal Malas Chestford the second," Malas continued as she sat up and stared into the fire, "My mother was always called Crystal and I just can't stand hearing that name." Tears formed in Malas's eyes as she thought about her mother and how she felt safe with her around. "She died 5 years ago," with a sniff Malas tried to hold back the tears that started to flow, "She died trying to save me and my sister from a bear attack. If it wasn't for Barly..." Malas broke down crying.

"So thats why your close to Barly," Lina said as she placed her hand on Malas shoulder and stood up. "Come on lets go get your faced washed," she added as she held out her hand for Malas to take, "You look like shit when you cry."

"Okay," Malas said as she wiped the tears away and took Linas hand in hers. The two walked down towards the river they found earlier that afternoon.

"Now wash your face here," Lina said as she sat down next to the river, "I'm getting a drink." Malas started to wash her face when she saw a two figures in the distance fishing. It was Barly and Geglash.

'You've saved my life not only once but three times Barly,' Malas thought as she washed her face in the river, 'Yet you also train me in the ways of swordfighting. Just what do you stay around for?' A sound of a splash broke her concentration and made her look up only to see a salmon at the end of Geglash's fishing pole.

"Thats the seventh one you caught just today," Barly said in a huff, "and I've only caught one."

"Told you I was better at this than you were," Geglash said with a laugh while depositing the fish in the crate they took with them and picked up his jug and took a drink from it. "Ouhhhwe," he said as he set the jug down and picked up his fishing pole, "now that stuff hits the spot. Care for a bit?" Barly just shrugged and took a break to take a drink from the jug. Malas let out a giggle as she saw the face that Barly made as he took the drink. Even Lina laughed at the sight.

"Hey," Barly cried as he heard the laughter, "If your here then whos watching the camp?"

"Oh don't you worry," Lina said as she stood up and walked over to Malas, "we just took a break and came down here for something to drink. Is there a problem with that?"

"No," Barly answered and then picked up his fishing pole and continued to fish only to get splashed by water as Geglash caught another one. "Damn, leave some for me," Barly said as he let out a sigh.

"Huh," Geglash said as he stood there holding the fish in hand.

"Nevermind," Barly said in frustration and continued to fish.

"Comeon," Lina said to Malas as she started to walk back towards camp, "Lets leave the boys to their fishing." Malas quickly got up and ran to follow Linas lead.

"So there you two are," Amelia asked as she saw Lina and Malas enter the campsite, "we wondered where you want off to."

"Oh we just went down to the river to get a drink," Lina replied as she pointed with her thumb over her shoulder at the direction of the river. "So did you and Emily find enough to eat?" Lina asked as she looked around for the gathered food. Not being able to find it right away made Lina stare in suspision at the two sitting by the campfire, "Okay now where is it?"

"Oh its over there in the provisions tent that we set up," Emily said as she pointed towards the spare tent they had used.

"So thats what its for," Lina said as she sort of half laughed and half sighed, "I was beginning to wonder."

"Don't you be going in there," Amelia said as she saw Lina's hungry face. "That foods for dinner," she continued as she got up and stood in Lina's way, "I won't let you eat it all."

"I just wanted a taste," Lina said as she started to advance. "Now whats wrong with that?" she continued as she reached where Emily was sitting. Suddenly without warning, a sound of a twig snapping behind the tent was all that was needed to catch Lina's attention."Whos there?" Lina barked as she readied a flare arrow spell and aimed it behind the provisions tent. Malas slowly drew out her blade and got ready to fight. Emily and Amelia looked on as their two friends were both aiming at them with their weapons drawn.

"Wait, wait, don't shoot," a voice said from behind the tent causing both Emily and Amelia to quickly turn around.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't," Lina replied as she stood ready to attack.

"Just please don't shoot," the voice said with a hint of fear, "Hold on I'm coming out." A figure could be seen advancing from the sounds hiding place and slowly took shape.

"Jillas?" Amelia said as she recognized the fox man's outfit immediatey, "but if your here then wheres Filia?"

"She departed for Sairaag three weeks ago to help in a fight against a Mazoku," Jillas said as he walked towards the campfire, "I'm so worried."

"Hmmm...," Lina thought out load. Out of the corner of her eye she could see two figures advancing on the campfire.

"Fish is here," Geglash said with a smile of triumph as he walked into the campsite carring bunch of salmon and even a few big mouth bass.

"About time," Lina said as she took a salmon placed it on a stick and set it over the campfire. Barly just laughed.

"Huh?" Lina asked as she looked in Barly's direction.

"I was going to make fillets with all the fish, but if you want to eat your fish that way, it's just fine with me," Barly said as he took the rest of the fish from Geglash and took out a small knife. "Did you guys get the spices that I requested?" he asked as he looked at Emily and Amelia.

"There in the tent over there," Emily said as she sat next to the fire, "Along with your cooking utensils."

"Thanks," Barly said as walked over to the tent and placed the fish on a clean piece of cloth and went inside to search for what he needed. He wasn't in there for long when suddenly he came out carring 6 pans and an armload of herbs and spices.

"Barly can cook?" Amelia asked in astonishment, "How good is he?"

"You will see," Malas said as she walked towards Barly, "Care for a helping hand?"

"Sure," Barly said as he gave her a knife to help gut the fish, "Just don't cut yourself this time."

"Those two act like brother and sister everytime I look at them," Amelia said as she layed against a rock at the edge of the camp.

"They may not seem like it but they know what they are doing," Geglash said as he sat ontop of the rock Amelia was laying against.

"Owie," Malas said as she put her right index figure to her mouth and started to suck on it.

Geglash just sweatdropped at the sight, "Well most of the time anyways."

An hour passes and during that time Max, Teir, Zelgadiss and Gourry all returned from their patrol. The group just ate their meal in peace.

"I must admit," Lina said as she took her dagger and proceeded to pick her teeth while rubbing her stomach, "That was a good meal." Lina stopped what she was doing and looked towards Jillas's direction, "Now what were you saying about Filia?"

"That shes gone missing," Jillas said as he poked around at the food still on his plate.

"Missing?" Zelgadiss said while finishing off his meal, "What do you mean by missing?"

"Well like I said earlier," Jillas said as he placed his mean down, "She departed for Sairaag about three weeks ago and left me and the boss to run the shop."

"And you haven't heard from her since," Zelgadiss said as he dipped his head and placed his hand on his chin.

"Correct," Jillas said as he looked at the stone skinned man.

"Miss Lina, if what Jillas says is true then we must go and find her," Amelia said as she jumped up and pleaded with the young sorceress.

"Calm down Amelia," Lina said as she waved the hand with the knife in an up and down motion, "We'll depart for Sairaag in the morning."

"You know you sure can eat a lot," Max said in amazement as he looked over at Lina and started to stare at her stomach, "If you keep this up then in no time you will have a Boobiedo."

"A boobiedo?" Lina asked as she looked the man like he was a complete idiot. Everyone but Amelia, Zelgadiss, Jillas, and Gourry chringed in fear.

"Yeah, you know," Max started by twrilling his hand in front of his chest, "Your stomach sticks out farther than your boobies do."

"ARGH," Lina growled as she quickly shot up with fire in her eyes.

"This is going to hurt," Gourry said as him and Zelgadiss just quickly moved away.

"Um was it something I said?" Max said as he saw everyone running to hide.

"You! YOU!" Lina said out of anger making a vein stick out of her forehead. Fire could be seen burning in her eyes. "FIREBALL!"

Time seemed to stand still as Lina overlooked Max's charred body. "Ouch..." he said in pain as he layed there twitching.

"Serves you right," Lina said in anger and crossed her arms over her chest, "No one and I mean NO ONE talks about my chest size! Got it!"

"I think hes learned his leason," Teir said as he jumped down from out of the tree he was in. Tiko took off running towards the smell of cooked meat only to stop once it recognized the charred figure.

"Uhlion Namakora," a man said as he pointed his right palm towards Max's body making a glowing aura encircled him.

"Wow," Amelia said as she watched the wounds on Max's body start to quickly heal.

"What kind of spell was that?" Lina asked as she started to run her eyes over the campfire only to find a man dressed in full dark colored platemail seated uptop an armored horse in the middle of the camp. "Who are you?" she asked the figure as he turned his attention towards the young sorceress.

"I think you should stop attacking my friends," the man said as he dismounted the horse and with a quick spell the horse vanished.

"Hey were did the horse go?" Gourry asked as he ran over by the man and started to search the ground all around him.

"Would you cut that out," the man growled as he turned and faced Gourry and picked him up with one hand.

"Put him down," Lina cried out as she readied another fireball.

"Fine by me," the man said as he flicked his wrist and sent Gourry flying through the air and right into a tree on the other side of the camp denting it in by three inches.

"You okay, Mister Gourry?" Amelia said as she ran over to him to inspect the damages done to his body.

"I'm fine," Gourry said as he grit his teeth. "Lina becareful," he yelled as he started to get up only to fall to the ground holding his left side.

"I will," Lina said as she was now having a staredown between her and the man.

"Wait stop," Malas broke in as she ran in front of the man trying to protect him.

"Do you know this guy?" Lina asked as she distinguished the fireball in her hands.

"Um Hmm," Malas said with a nod of her head, "This man behind me is our friend and traveling companion, Malden."

To be continued...

Who is this Malden? Where did he come from? How did he find the camp? And why the hell did he attack Gourry? Find out next time in Chapter 4: Malden; the traveling Paladin?