Protector

Chapter: 3

Ties of Fate


Lina Inverse, Gourry Gaberiv, and Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon sat around a table at the inn they were staying. As the barmaids cautiously carried away the large mound of plates the group had just used as the occupants of the table began to talk. "Well, that's another bandit gang cleaned out," announced Lina.

"Yeah, we got a pretty good haul this time," Gourry added.

Amelia smiled at her friends and then turned to Lina and asked, "So what are we doing next Miss Lina?"

Lina looked at Amelia and lost a bit of her enthusiasm. She really didn't know what she wanted to do next. It had been on a whim that Gourry and her met up with Amelia. But, when they did she had a small idea that if they cause some ruckus that the mopey chimera would come out of hiding. Lina sighed slightly and said, "I...I really don't know Amelia. I mainly attacked that bandit camp to see if Zel would show up. He is usually the last to show and I guess I'd just like the group back together again."

"Don't worry Lina. I'm sure Zel's just...What's wrong Amelia," Gourry asked as he saw worry in Amelia's eyes.

It's just that Mr. Zelgadis went out into the desert of destruction and hasn't been seen in months," Amelia said shakily, not willing to meet Lina's gaze.

"He what!!" Lina sputtered as she glared at Amelia, "You just let him walk into the desert of destruction!"

Amelia cringed away but stated, "I tried...I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen. He left in the middle of the night and we never saw him again."

Lina sat back down in her chair with a sigh and replied, "Yeah, that sounds like him," while thinking, 'Stupid fool's going to get himself killed. If it hasn't already happened.'


Outside the inn Zelgadis stood looking in a window from an angle as not to be spotted. 'Lina's angry but yet at the same time saddened,' Zel thought as he watched her. At the same time he gritted his teeth as he felt Lina's emotions satisfying he new found palette for emotions. 'Oh well, time to begin the act,' Zel's body emitted a small dark glow and then changed into the form his wished. His body held slightly tanned and a bit taller. He formed wavy blonde hair that came down to his neck and his eyes changed to a stunning hazel green. His face became boarder and aged slightly with a small mustache giving him that look of a man at the age of thirty. "Let the show begin," Zel said to himself in his now bass voice.


Lina and the group turned and looked as a man walked into the door and looked around. He was dressed in a black cloak, clasped with an onyx pendent, with blood red tunic and black pants. The black hilted sword clattered at his side as he walked towards the bar. His wavy, golden locks swayed lightly as he walked forward. He leaned on the bar, never turning his back to the room, and waited for the bartender to notice him. "What can I do for ya'," asked the bartender in a jovial manner.

"Yes, have you seen this man," the blonde stranger asked as he held up a picture, his deep bass voice carrying over the din of noise.

"No, sir. I would've remembered someone like that," the bartender shook his head and said as he gestured to Lina and company's table, "They might know something. They're a bit of the traveling sort."

"Thanks. Oh yes, and have an ale brought to me," the man tossed the bartender a gold coin for the ale and his troubles as he walked towards the table.

"Miss Lina," Amelia slightly wined, "He's coming this way."

"I know Amelia but we might as well see what he wants," Lina reassured the princess.

The man stopped at the table and waited for Lina to turn before asking, "Mind if I have a seat?"

"Go ahead," Lina replied, sounding a little uninterested.

The man sat down and eyed each person before speaking, "I hear you three are travelers. Mat I ask your name?"

"I'm Gourry Gabriev," Gourry introduced himself.

"Ah yes, the swordsman of light," the stranger replied.

'He knows of us,' Lina was put slightly on edge by his remark. 'Hardly anyone know Gourry by name. They usually know him as Lina Inverse's sidekick,' Lina was brought out of he musings by the stranger asking, "And, who might you be little lady?"

Amelia blushed slightly, 'You know for a rouge looking guy he does have good manners,' before answering, "I'm Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon, shining star and hammer of justice."

"Oh, forgive my ignorance, I should've known when I saw you, your majesty," the stranger lightly kissed Amelia's hand.

Amelia blushed three shades of red before stuttering out, "That's...that's ok."

The stranger smiled and turned to see the red-head with a cocky grin on her face. "May I ask your name Miss," he asked humbly.

"Sure, but your not wooing me like Amelia over there," Lina motioned at the blushing princess before saying, "I'm Lina Inverse."

To everyone's surprise the stranger didn't facefault, sweatdrop, or cower away. In fact, he didn't even flinch, he just looked at her before extending his hand and said, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I've heard some things about you, but never thought I would ever meet you."

To say Lina was a little caught off guard was an understatement. She could barely process the information enough to shake his hand. 'Who is this guy? He didn't panic, or call one of my nicknames, or anything,' Lina's mind squawked. "And who might you be," Lina asked as she shook hands.

The stranger released Lina's hand and replied, "My name is Durzan. And, it seems I have found the lead I have been looking for."

"And, just what are you looking for," Lina asked while secretly preparing a flare arrow under the table.

Durzan smiled as he pulled out the picture, 'Hehe, Lina's already on edge. Must be playing my role well,' Durzan thought. "Have you seen your traveling companion Zelgadis Greywords recently," asked Durzan as he presented a small bounty poster with Zelgadis' picture on it.

Lina almost fell over backwards. She grabbed the poster and shouted at it, "Zel, what the hell have you done now," as if it were Zelgadis himself.

After Lina thought for a moment, she lowered the poster to glare at Durzan, and said, "Wait a minute...Last time this happened Gourry and I were framed. There aren't any bounties on us are there, bounty hunter," Lina asked with venom practically dripping off her words.

"Very astute of you. Yes, I am a bounty hunter, and no there are no bounties on you. Just Zelgadis," Durzan answered after drinking some of his ale.

"What makes you think we would betray Zel to his death," Lina shot back heatedly.

"No, no, no you've got it all wrong," Durzan shook his finger slightly, "He is wanted alive. I'm just to find him and bring him to my employer."

"And who's your employer," Lina asked while raising an eyebrow.

"That I can't say," Durzan replied and then was struck with how eerie that statement was, 'That's the same thing I said when I wanted to buy the statue from her. I hope she doesn't see through.'

Lina looked at him and shook her head slightly to relieve herself of the feeling of Deja vu. "Well, if you can't say then we won't tell you anything," Lina shot back while again feeling a bit of Deja vu from her own statement.

"If that's how you want to be. I can just follow his trail," Durzan replied.

"How do you plan on that mister big shot," Lina asked sarcastically.

"Like this," Durzan answered as he laid a onyx arrow on the table.

He then began to mumble some thing as the onyx glowed. Soon the onyx left the table and floated in mid-air as it spun. It began to spin faster until it suddenly stopped, pointing northwest. "You see, this like item can follow anyone's aura. Just say the magic words and who you want to find and it will lead you to them," Durzan said, a triumphant smile on his face.

Lina glared at the bounty hunter before slamming a fist on the table and saying, "Alright, but if your going after Zel then I'm coming with you."

"Suit yourself. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get my rest to start off tomorrow and I would suggest you three get your sleep as well," Durzan said as he made his way upstairs to the room he had purchased earlier, 'So far so go,' he thought as he entered the room.

As the other three followed explain Lina made her way towards her room while thinking, 'Zel please be ok.'


In a clearing in a forest in the middle of nowhere a lone figure kicked at a stone. 'Damnit, I'm too late someone beat me to it,' thought Illianna as she searched about the at one time bandit camp. As she survived the scene she soon found a small bit of flame red hair. "Now let's see who has red hair and does this much damage to bandit camps," Illianna asked the air around her teasingly.

'Illianna, what are you doing,' came Vladimir's voice into the back of her mind.

'Cleaning up after Lina, that's what I'm doing. She beat me to the item," Illianna telepathically replied.

'Good, now Zelgadis will protect both her and the item until the time is right. Return to base,' Vladimir gave the order to her.

'I you wish my lord,' Illianna said and then though, 'You'd better not slip up on this one Zel,' before teleporting away.


Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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