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. That is until someone from my guild on World of Warcraft tries to stop me (gulp). insert the sound of 120 people laughing Uh-oh.

When last we left our group of traveling compains were setting down for a nice evenings rest when suddenly Jillas appeared and gave us the news that one of Lina's friends, Filia, has came up missing and then out nowhere Malden appears. Hey Malden where the hell have you been?

Chapter 4

Malden
Thetraveling Paladin?

"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."

"Malden you say," Lina said as she looked over the man in armor.

Malden just stood there looking ready to fight. A mysterious aura of an unbreakable defense could be felt around him. "Humpf," he said as he tosed his cloak behind him and turned around to face the others. "I know your out there Max," Malden said as he stared at the forest, "We have unsettled business to finish."

"Here he is, Here he is," Geglash said as he started to shove Max towards the clearing of the camp.

"Hey stop your pushing," Max said as he grinted his teeth and tried to hold his ground.

"Are you frieghtened of me?" Malden said with a laugh, "You should be as you were the one who left me to die."

"I would never do a thing like that," Max said in protest as he was taking a fighting stance.

"Anything for a pretty woman," Malden said as he withdrew his sword, "Well I didn't recognize you in that outfit. If I did then I wouldn't have healed you."

"Oh you don't mean..." Max started to say as he dipped his sword and let a memory came to mind...

memory flashback

"Hey there hunny, how about me and you go somewhere else and have some quiet time together," Max said as he placed his hand on a human female hunter's shoulder.

"But what about him?" she asked as she pointed to the Paladin down the hall fighting off four Scarlet soilders by himself.

"Oh don't worry about Malden my dearest," Max said as he started to work what he called his magic on the young huntress, "He is more than able to take care of himself."

"HEY MAX, CAN I GET A HEAL HERE!" Malden cried out as he killed the third soilder, "HEY MAX, YOU THERE?"

"Ummm...," The huntress started to say when she stopped in her tracks, "I think hes calling for your help."

"He'll be just fine now lets go get something to eat," Max said as he picked the huntress up in his arms and started to the exit. The last thing that could be heard was the lone cry from within the darkness.

"MAAAAAAXXXXXXXXX..." The cry called.

End flashback

"Oh now I remember," Max said as he started to let out a little laugh, "She was a very pretty huntress and I didn't want her to get hurt. Sorry that had to happen to you though."

"GRRRRRrrrrrrrr..." Malden growled between his teeth as the anger grew in his eyes, "Why you ungreatful son of a bitch."

"Now, now Malden," Max said as he placed his finger in the air and waved it back and forth. "I don't think you want to anger the people around me," he said as he waved his hand at the trees behind him. The only sound that came out of them were the sounds of crickets chirping.

"You mean you left him to die for the sake of a beautiful woman," Amelia said in disgust, "That is unheard of."

"Oh no not again," Zelgadiss said as he placed his head in his right hand and sighed.

"In the name of Justice, you shall be punished for the evil deeds you have committed," Amelia cryied out as she pointed a finger at Max.

"Stay out of this Amelia," Emily said as she reached up and pulled her back under cover.

"Well, well, well," Malden said as he watched the sight, "Don't tell me these are the ones you were seeking."

"Malas, back away," Lina said as she started to chant a spell.

Malas seeing this just turned tail and ran.

Darkness beyond twilight

Crimsom beyond blood that flows

Buried in the streams of time is where your power grows

Malden started to laugh at the sight that he now behold. Max, seeing Lina start to cast a spell, jumped backwards and ran for cover.

"Barly you okay?" Geglash said as he noticed Barly starting to hold his chest as if he was having chest pains.

I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand

Against the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand

"Do you really think you can hurt me with such a spell," Malden said with smile and stood straight up facing Lina and spread his arms out wide.

"Whats he doing?" Zelgadiss whispered as he watched Malden stand like he wanted the spell to hit him.

"It doesn't matter," Gourry said as he stayed hidden behind the cover of a large rock, "Lina will beat this guy like she has all others."

"Dragon Slave" Lina called out as she stretched both her hands foward and formed a hellfire ball in front of them and then with a push the ball turns into a beam and hit Malden right in the chest. Barly let out a scream of pain as the spellwas cast. Smoke filled the area but nothing more. Barly could be seen holding his chest at the edge of the camp.

"Huh," Lina said as she saw only smoke, "Wheres the explosion?"

Laughter could be heard coming from the direction Malden was standing. "Was that the best you can do?" Malden said as he waved his hand making the smoke around him disappear.

"How did you survive the dragon slave?" Lina said in a huff while getting ready for an attack by him.

"I could tell you but then I would have to kill you," Malden said with pride. "Oh why the hell not," He added as he looked over the crowd, "Its not like you can hurt me or anything."

"Are you so sure," a voice said from out of the trees off to Maldens left. Malden had just enough time to step aside as an arrow flew past him and embedded itself entirely into the ground.

"Teir," Malden growled as he started to walk towards the trees that the arrow came from. Suddenly from the other direction an arrow struck Malden in the lower back, piercing his armor. "Theres no way this armor could be damaged so easily unless..." Malden said in a low tone as he looked over the arrow that was sticking out of the front of his body. The tip of the arrow glowed a mysterious greenish blueish color. "Enchanted Thorium," Malden said as he grasped the front of the arrow and with a howl of pain, pulled it from his body.

"So that armor doesn't make you invincible after all," Lina said as she withdrew her long dagger and stood ready to fight.

"Wait, I recognized that metal," Barly said in pain as he noticed how it shined a dark color yet make a nice reflection, "Thats Dark Mithril, or as you guys call it here, Dark Orihalcon."

"How do you know that?" Zelgadiss asked as he stood up and looked at Barly with disgust on his face, "And whats this Dark Orihalcon?"

"Well to answer that first question, I am a blacksmith," Barly said as he slowly got to his feet while feeling the pain starting to get worse, "Secondly, Dark Orihalcon just like normal Orihalcon can take any spell thrown at it but unlike Orihalcon which disspells it, Dark Orihalcon absorbs it. Strengthing the bearer."

"Wow that armor must have cost a bundle," Lina said as she watched the figure get up from his kneeling position and saw the wound on his side heal with armor and all.

"Not really," Malden said as he stood upright and prepared himself for battle, "The only cost for this armor was my life."

"Your life?" Max said in horror as he looked at his long time friend that stood before him.

"Thats right, Max," Malden said as he turned his attention towards Max once again, "The life I gave up in the Scarlet Monestary that you left me at. If it wasn't for my lord who saved me then I wouldn't be here right now talking to you."

"Malden," a voice said from out of the sky, "Leave them be. I have other plans that I need to you complete."

"Yes my lordship," Malden said as he kneeled to the ground.

"Where do you think your going?" Lina said as she started to rush foward only to be propelled backwards from the force of a barrier.

Malden could be seen in the middle casting a spell of some sorts. Within minutes a steed appeared out of nowhere and Malden mounted it. "I will be back," he said as he turned his steed and started to depart, "That I promise."

"Is he gone yet?" Barly said as he braced himself up against a tree for support. The pain in his chest was still there. "Good..." Barly started to say when suddenly he collapsed to the ground.

"Barly," Malas said as she ran over to him trying to support his body, "Barly!"

Authors notes

Well folks thats it for Chapter 4. I hope you liked it. I only started to write this story on a whim a few days ago and look whats its come to. Malden is out for Max for what he did, Dark Orihalcon has been shown, and Barly fell due to a pain that appeared in his chest as Lina cast the Dragon Slave. What could that mean, Stay tuned to find out.