Chapter 5: The Twisting of Fate
The strange new magician who attached himself to their group introduced as Xellos. Trying to get any further information out of him, however, was met with frustration, as Xellos seemed to be a master of skillfully avoiding the answers to any and all questions directed at him, while still managing to lay his mocking commentary liberally. It didn't help that he seemed to enjoy Lina's more physical expressions of frustration and anger. The day was drawing to a close, and Lina and Zelgadis decided to prepare camp for the evening, since Xellos didn't seem to mean them any harm more than the occasional annoyance.
Lina took care of setting up a small site in a clearing near the road and tending to Sylphiel, while Zelgadis and Xellos set themselves to the task of burying the dead. Twilight spread her dusky cloak across the land, and soon the odd companions found themselves seated together by the campfire, sharing a small meal of bread, cheese and dried meat with some thinned wine.
Lina nibbled at her bread sparingly. Travel rations weren't the tastiest of foods, and besides that, her stomach had begun to knot up again after her rocky reunion with Zelgadis. They hadn't had a chance to speak with each other privately after the attack, and Xellos certainly wasn't making the atmosphere any better with his barbed quips. She took another a quick swallow from the wineskin, which she had been sampling frequently. It settled her stomach somewhat and gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling all over. Apparently the mixture of red wine and water was a common traveller's repast in this world, but Lina wasn't about to let her companions know that in her homeland she wasn't considered old enough to drink. As she let the bittersweet taste wash down her throat, she wondered whether or not the comforting warmness she was feeling might be a cause for some concern, but carelessly brushed the thought aside.
Sneaking a glance at Zelgadis, she noticed that he was looking at her. As soon as their eyes met, however, he studiously avoided her gaze and went back to eating his own meal. Sighing, she turned her attention to Sylphiel, who was busy throwing more twigs into the fire. The near-death experience had been rather hard on the healer, who still hadn't completely recovered her colour. Finally, Lina's eyes landed on Xellos. She guessed he was staring into the fire, but she couldn't be sure. The strange man hadn't opened his eyes once for the entire time they had been together. She found herself staring at his expressionless face, frozen in his mocking half-smile, and wondering what colour his eyes might be if he did actually open them.
Xellos turned from the fire to face Lina, his smile widening. She started, realizing that he had somehow 'seen' her gaze. "My, my, Lina dear, am I really that interesting?" he teased.
"Yes, actually, you are, pervert." She heard Zelgadis' annoyed intake of breath, but decided to ignore the chimera and pressed forward. Ignoring Xellos' grin, she spoke quickly before he could make any sort of suggestive joke. "I'm interested in knowing where exactly you came from."
Xellos pursed his lips and shook his head at her slightly. "Oh, Lina dear, you disappoint me! And here I thought you might actually want to ask me something interesting. What the colour of my eyes were, perhaps?"
Lina suppressed a shudder and glared at Xellos. "Why won't you answer my question? You've been talking circles around us all day. You're sharing our camp and eating our food here. I think we have a right to know who you are!"
Xellos chuckled and sat back, laying his staff across his knees. "Well, if you insist, Lina. I came from the south side of the forest, the fifth tree on the left from your carriage, though technically speaking you could say I came out of a fold in the fabric of space itself—"
"STOP IT!" Lina yelled at him, her eyebrow twitching as she formed a fist. Seeing the hopeful expression on Xellos' face, she forced her hand to unclench and gritted her teeth. "I meant before then. Where did you come from before then?"
Xellos put his chin on his palm and seemed to study Lina. "My, Lina dear, I'm surprised you don't know!" Lina refused to take the bait, staring the purple-haired magician down. Finally he sighed. "Well, I guess I'll have to tell you, then, if you're really so determined to find out."
Finally, we're getting somewhere! thought Lina as she leaned forward.
"I came from a small town to the south of Sairoon. You see, I had a mother, Lina dear. Do you know about those? Sometimes this funny thing happens when a woman and a man fall in love. They end up getting married and having children, and—"
Lina's eyebrow twitched. Scratch that thought. "I KNOW ABOUT THE BIRDS AND THE BEES, XELLOS!" she yelled, standing up. "Arg! You're so annoying, why can't I get a straight answer out of you?"
"Lina… if he doesn't want to tell us, there's nothing we can do," interjected Sylphiel softly. "There's no use getting upset about it."
"Like hell!" said Lina, the warm feeling spreading to her toes. "I've just about had enough of this guy and his stupid jokes! I don't care if he likes it," she said, smacking her fist into her hand and cracking her knuckles. "I'm going to wipe that stupid smile off of his face."
"Why Lina! You flatter me!" came Xellos' reply, as he stretched his arms out invitingly.
Zelgadis emitted a low growl, but Lina didn't hear him as a vein popped in her forehead. "That's it! INVERSE RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX!" she screamed, flying at him with a wrestling move. There was a cry and a grunt, and in the ensuing scuffle that followed, Zelgadis and Sylphiel both sat back and rolled their eyes.
Suddenly the sound of ripping cloth was heard, and the cloud of dust settled. Lina's voice rose to a high squeak. "Oh no!" said Lina, almost afraid to confirm what she was seeing.
"Liiina dear! Let me go!" came Xellos' whine.
"I don't believe it! Guys, come over here and take a look at this!" she said.
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow at Sylphiel, but shrugging, they both stood up and walked over to Lina, where she was holding a bit of ripped sleeve away from Xellos' elbow. There, pulsing dully in the firelight, was a character symbol.
"Jester!" Sylphiel read with a note of shock. Zelgadis groaned.
"I can't believe this pervert is one of Cephied's finest!" Lina said in disgust, standing up and letting go of Xellos, resulting in a disappointed grunt. But once again, with unnatural speed, the magician was back on his feet, dusting himself off.
"Really, Lina, that was quite rude, ripping my shirt like that. If you wanted me to take it off, you just could have asked." He gave her a mischievous smile, and was rewarded with a solid knock to the head from Zelgadis.
"Thanks, Zel." Lina said, flashing him a brief smile before turning her attention back to the once-again horizontal magician. "So why exactly couldn't you just tell us in the first place that you were a warrior of Cephied? I mean, geez! We weren't even looking for you this time!"
Xellos stood up once more, rubbing his head. "Well, I could have told you right away, but it was so much more interesting this way, wasn't it?" he said, smiling.
"Interesting?" Lina fumed, her eyebrow twitching.
Sylphiel sighed and guided Lina back down to her seat by the fire. "Please, this arguing will get us nowhere," she said, motioning for Xellos and Zelgadis to join them. Xellos sat down promptly with a smile, while Zelgadis reluctantly seated himself on the far side of the fire, watching the purple-haired magician warily.
"Obviously, some greater force than what we can control is at work here," Sylphiel began softly. Clearing her throat, she gestured slightly at Xellos. "The Celestial Warriors are being drawn to the Priestess as we speak."
Lina shook her head furiously. "But I'm not looking for them! I'm not here to summon Cephied, I already told you that!" she said emphatically.
"Lina, I don't think that decision is up to you anymore. You came back, and now it seems like fate is taking us through her natural course," Sylphiel said softly.
Zelgadis finally spoke, glancing at Lina for the first time. "Sylph may be right, Lina… if the pervert here isn't proof enough of that, the attack today was. Obviously the Emperor of Elmekia considers you a threat, if he sent assassins after you so quickly."
Sylphiel let out a gasp. "That's right! We have to get back to Gourry right away and report this! Spies, in Sairoon's own royal court! He might be in danger!"
Lina put her forehead in her hands and groaned. "HE might be in danger? What about me? I'm the one they just tried to assassinate!"
"You can thank me for saving you from that anytime," Xellos added, smiling.
"SHUT UP!" said Zelgadis and Lina in unison, causing him to grin happily.
Sylphiel blushed and murmured an apology to Lina, and then turned to Xellos. She gifted him with the full force of her genuine maidenly smile. With a delicate blush staining her cheeks, she bowed slightly to Xellos. "You saved both the Priestess of Cephied and myself, honourable Warrior. I believe you truly are a good person, and you have my deepest thanks, from the bottom of my heart." With that, she bowed again slightly and gave Xellos another warm smile.
To Lina's surprise, Sylphiel's attention seemed to have the opposite affect on Xellos that it normally provoked out of men. He turned a strange shade of green and began to choke.
"O-okay! You're welcome! Just stop it!" he spat out.
Sylphiel touched her cheek with a confused look. "Stop what, Xellos? Oh my! Are you hurt?" she said with a note of concern, reaching out to feel Xellos' forehead.
He writhed uncomfortably and turned a little greener. "FINE! Just stop DOING that!"
"Doing what? Oh dear, maybe you should lie down, Xellos, you look quite ill!" Sylphiel said, her concern growing. "I wouldn't want you to aggravate any injuries you might have! Here, let me prepare you some wine-"
"NO!" Xellos stood up suddenly. "I'll be back later! I can't take it anymore! She's… she's too powerful!" With a choking noise, he put his hand over his mouth and quickly disappeared into a crackling black void.
With a sigh, Sylphiel turned back to the others, confusion written on her face. "Was it something I said?" she asked innocently.
Lina and Zelgadis stared at her for a moment, and then slowly a smile broke across Zelgadis' face. "I don't know, Sylphiel… but whatever it was, keep on doing it!"
Lina laughed in agreement with Zelgadis, and as he smiled at her, for the first time that evening their eyes met without the usual tension. She sighed slightly, regretting that she had to ruin the moment, but what Sylphiel had pointed out earlier bothered her. "Listen, Filia said I wasn't meant to summon Cephied. I don't exactly feel like going against the advice of the wisest woman in the world. So I don't care if all of Cephied's warriors come popping out of the woodwork. Finding Amelia is my first concern."
Sylphiel sighed and threw more twigs onto the fire, sending sparks up into the night air. "We've been travelling all day, Lina, and no one in the Kingdom seems to have seen or heard of your friend. I haven't sensed anything like her presence in the last month, and I'm sensitive to those kinds of changes."
Zelgadis stared thoughtfully into the fire. "Maybe that just means she didn't land in Sairoon this time," he said.
Lina brightened at this news. "Then I just have to cross the border and search in another country, you mean!" she said.
Zelgadis stood up quickly, the smile dropping from his face. "Absolutely not, Lina! You saw what happened today! The other three kingdoms know by now of your status as the Priestess of Cephied. You're a threat to every other kingdom, a walking target! If you leave the country, you'll be killed… if you're lucky!" he said.
"Summoning Cephied might be the only option to find your friend," Sylphiel added. "We should get back to Sairoon as soon as we can."
"But—" Lina started.
"No buts, Lina!" Zelgadis said, interrupting her. "We're not going to find Amelia by charging blindly into a hostile border!"
Lina decided against arguing with them further, seeing that they were in agreement on the matter. With a resigned sigh, she nodded at the two. "Fine, fine. So we go back to Sairoon tomorrow morning, and report to Gourry."
Sylphiel smiled at Lina thankfully. Standing up, she left to prepare her bedroll. Zelgadis, however, remained by the fire staring at Lina intently. Finally she looked up.
"What?" she asked him irritably.
"Lina… you know this is for the best. I promise, we'll do everything we can to find Amelia."
"For the best, huh? You sound like my father." She stared back into the fire moodily. "Don't worry, you and Sylphiel won. I'll go back with you to Sairoon. But don't think I'm happy about it!" she said, refusing to meet his eyes.
Zelgadis lingered by the fire a moment longer, then with a sigh got up and left to assist Sylphiel. Lina looked up to watch his retreating form as he left the fireside. I'm sorry, Zel, she thought. I hate lying to you. But I won't be used, not even by Fate herself! I'm going to do whatever it takes to find Amelia, whether you and the other Celestial Warriors like it or not. With that in mind, she stood up and turned to join the others.
- x - x - x -
It was a crisp autumn night, and the stars overhead sparkled in the startlingly clear air overhead. Lina was reluctant to leave the comfort of the camp, but she knew she had to act soon if she didn't want to return to Sairoon with the others. Moving as silently as she could, she slid out of her bedroll.
Gathering her boots, she tiptoed over to the dying embers of the fire and sat on a log. Quietly, she pulled them on and began to lace the shoes.
"Going somewhere?" a quiet voice asked behind her. Lina flinched, then continued to lace up her boots without looking around.
"Not that it's any of your business," she said, "but I couldn't sleep."
"It's a dangerous time right now. You shouldn't wander off on your own."
Lina pushed her hair out of her face and began to work on the laces of her other boot. "Oh, so I'm not even allowed to take a walk anymore without your permission? Is that it?"
"Lina…" Zelgadis sighed, watching Lina as she worked on her boots. Her face was hidden by her long bangs, which kept falling in front of her. "I didn't mean it that way."
Satisfied, Lina stood up and stretched. "If you're so concerned, why don't you come with me?" she said, and without pausing turned towards the direction of the road and marched into the forest.
He stared after her for a moment, and then followed her into the darkness.
- x - x - x -
They emerged by the side of the road and walked parallel to it for a while in silence. Eventually Lina broke the silence.
"I don't recognize any of the constellations here," she said. "They're all different."
Zelgadis looked up at the sky next to her. He pointed out a particularly bright collection of stars. "That's Cephied," he said, "Sairoon's patron god. If you squint and use your imagination, it looks a little bit like a phoenix."
Lina studied the collection of stars he had gestured at. "No it doesn't," she said as she gazed upwards. "That's okay, it's like that on my world too. Seeing the constellations is always one part fact and nine parts imagination," she said. Looking up again, she asked "Where are the other constellations?"
Zelgadis searched the sky for a moment. "You can't see Dark Star or Vorfeed at this time of year," he said. "But Shabranigdu is just coming up over the horizon, there. You should see more of his constellation in the next month or so," he added.
Lina nodded slightly. "Which is you?"
Zelgadis stopped, then smiled. Pointing to one of the brighter stars amidst Cephied's grouping, he said "That one's the Chimera."
"The one to the west?" she asked.
"No, it's actually on the northern tip," he said, pointing.
She smiled as she looked at him. "It stands out from the others," she said simply.
Zelgadis said nothing for a moment. Then, "Lina… I'm sorry." He sighed. "What I said to you earlier today, I shouldn't have done that."
She turned away from him and wrapped her arms around herself, as if she were cold. He isn't making this easy, she thought to herself. Suddenly, Lina wanted Zelgadis to be very far away from her right then. She told herself it was just because she wanted to begin her search, but a part of her knew it was more because she was afraid to hear what he might say, under the bright autumn sky that night. So, pushing down the looming feeling of anxiety that was welling up inside of her, "Don't worry about it, Zel. I understand. You're just trying to protect your Priestess." She stiffened a little with the last sentence, but continued. "We're still friends. So don't go around acting all silent and moody about it! I'm not mad," she said.
Zelgadis started next to her.
"Okay, maybe I am a little mad still. But it'll pass!" she said quickly.
"Lina—" he began.
"Listen, I don't want to talk about it!" she said more emphatically. The anxiety swelled and threatened to come spilling out of her mouth then, and in fear she resorted to guerrilla tactics. "Look, Zel, you're making it really hard to do what I wanted to do right now. And that's have a little time alone to cool off, look at the stars, and visit the little lady's tree! It's… you know… THAT time of the month…"
The mention of feminine biological workings brought about the reaction she had hoped for in Zelgadis, who instantly flushed and began to stammer.
"Oh, stop it. Go on back to camp and be embarrassed about it, I'll follow you as soon as I'm done with my business here," Lina said, trying to sound irate. "Don't wait up, and if I find you've stuck around to 'protect' me… I'll teach you firsthand about PMS!" she warned.
"PMS?" Zelgadis asked, confused. Then he backpedaled quickly. "Never mind! I don't want to know a thing! Sorry… I didn't mean to intrude." He pointed back in the direction they came. "The camp is that way." Pausing, he looked at her again, his eyes indecipherable in the starlight. "We'll talk tomorrow?" he asked uncertainly.
Lina blushed and nodded at him. "Okay, shoo, just go go go!" she said, hopping from one foot to the next for effect. Zelgadis turned bright red and mumbled something under his breath before crashing back into the undergrowth hurriedly. Lina stifled a giggle as she listened to his retreat. I shouldn't have done that, she thought afterwards. I'm sorry Zel… but I don't need complications in my life right now!
Looking up at the sky, she marked the constellations he had pointed out and compared them with the road. "So that way's north, to Elmekia, huh?" she said softly to herself. Taking a deep breath, she started down the road at a quick pace. At least I'll know he's watching over me in some way, she thought to herself, glancing at the bright star twinkling in the sky overhead.
As she moved around a bend in the road, a slight crackling appeared where she had stood moments before. Amethyst eyes narrowed after her passage. "And just where are you off to, Lina, my dear?" Xellos said, as a smile crept over his face. With another crackle of black energy, he was gone.
- x - x - x -
Lina woke up sometime in the afternoon, a particularly hard jolt knocking her head against a wooden beam. "Uhh," she moaned, sitting up and rubbing her back. "I feel terrible," she mumbled to herself, rubbing her eyes and looking around blearily. The straw-filled wagon she had managed to sneak onto earlier in the morning had made good time. At least that's what she hoped, because she didn't recognize any of the surrounding landscape. Stretching, she stifled another yawn and looked at the midday sky. I hope the others aren't too upset with me… she thought guiltily.
"I see you're awake, kid," a rough voice said, interrupting her thoughts.
Lina jumped, and then turned around slowly, gulping nervously. The farmer driving the cart looked over his shoulder and flashed her a brief smile. "Uh… I'm really sorry about this, sir! I can explain—" she fumbled.
Rolling laughter met her. "No need, kid. You looked so cute lying there, it would've been a crime to wake you up. Where're you headed?"
Lina put on her cutest cute face and hoped that the farmer wasn't some sort of mentally ill pervert who liked young girls. "I'm just trying to get to the Elmekian border," she said pitifully. "My mother and I were travelling there, but we were separated by some bandits," she added tearfully.
The farmer gave her a pitying look. "I figured as much," he told her. "Those damn highwaymen are everywhere these days. Even takin' your clothes and leavin' you in yer underwear like that," he said, looking at her jeans.
Lina felt her face reddening. Underwear? she thought, looking down at her jeans. Don't give it away, Lina! she chided herself quickly, and nodded at the farmer shyly.
"You're in luck, we're almost there. Tell you what, why don't you stop by my farm before you head out to the border. It's rough there, and my wife should be able to prepare you a meal and give you somethin' to wear."
Lina sniffled and wiped at her eye dramatically. "Oh, thank you, sir, thank you!" she said, doing her best to imitate Sylphiel's mannerisms. The relief in her voice was genuine, however. "I'm so sorry to trouble you like this…" Right then her stomach gave a loud grumble, unsatisfied from the travel rations she had nibbled at the previous evening. "… but I guess I could use a little something to eat," she said with a glint in her eye.
The farmer eyed her over his shoulder, wondering why a cold shiver suddenly passed through him as she said this.
- x - x - x -
"The border's that way! Just go, please!"
Lina beamed at her benefactors, wearing the new robe they had given her. "Thanks so much for everything, you've both been too kind!" she said cheerfully.
The farmer's wife muttered sourly in agreement as she watched the deceptively tiny girl turn towards the road. "She nearly ate the entire winter provisions!" she whispered fiercely to her husband.
"I know, but the poor thing lost her mother and was half-naked when I found her on the cart," the farmer answered, sweatdropping.
"I still think she's a demon in disguise!" the wife said, watching Lina warily. "No human can eat that much food!"
Lina suddenly turned around and came back towards the house, waving.
"Cephied protect us, she's coming back for seconds!" the wife gasped in horror, then fainted. The farmer gulped nervously and put on a weak smile.
"If you want any more food, miss, we're fresh out…"
"Oh, thanks for offering," Lina chimed cheerily, rubbing her stomach, "But I think this should last till I reach the gates. I really appreciate it!" She raised an eyebrow suspiciously as the farmer heaved a sigh of relief. "I just wanted to ask you to deliver a message in case someone stops by looking for me," she said.
"You have friends? Do they all eat like you?" the farmer said in horror.
Lina's eye twitched. "Listen, do you want to take this message or not? If we spend too much time talking about it, I might get hungry again," she threatened. The farmer shook his head wildly, and she smiled at him, reverting back to what she came to call 'Sylphiel-mode.' "You'll know if my friends come looking for me. One's a woman with unearthly beauty and the other is a guy with blue skin and metallic hair. Oh yeah, you might see a pervert, too, but it's best to just ignore him. You can't miss them."
The farmer's wife woke up in time to hear this and moaned "I knew it, she's a demon spirit come to haunt us, and now she's calling her friends!" Lina glared at her and the poor woman promptly passed out again.
"Just tell them I've gone to Elmekia, and not to try and stop me, please. Tell them I know what I'm doing." The farmer nodded in bafflement, and with a smile and wave, she skipped back towards the border gate, which was in sight some miles down the winding road.
"Demon girl," he echoed after her, and turned to re-enter the farmhouse. Seeing the stacked piles of empty dishes on the table inside, he backed away and his eyes rolled up as he joined his wife on the floor.
- x - x - x -
Zelgadis came thundering down the road on one of his horses. He felt his anger boiling as he considered the events of the previous evening. Lina hadn't come back to the camp after all, and neither had Xellos, and at first he had suspected that the magician had been involved in some foul play. But Sylphiel had reminded him of Cephied's sign, and it was only then that he realized what Lina's intent might have been during their conversation about the constellations that night. Immediately he had charged Sylphiel to return and report to Gourry, and had taken off down the road to Elmekia.
Damn that girl! he thought to himself. She doesn't have any sense of self-preservation at all! Privately, he wondered if it his harsh greeting might have contributed to her need to commit subterfuge. Still, he was furious, and when he found her, he was going to kiss her like he had meant to the first time they met.
Zelgadis nearly fell off of his horse. WHOA! Where did that thought come from? he asked himself suddenly. "Zelgadis, you idiot, now's not the time to be thinking of things like that!" he told himself angrily, and tried to concentrate on the path before him. He spotted a small farmhouse to the side of the road, and hurriedly spurred his horse on towards it.
- x - x - x -
The farmer's wife wiped her hands on her apron, satisfied that she had finally managed to clean up the mess left by the demon girl earlier that morning. The sound of thundering hooves made her look up and squint into the distance. What she saw caused her to emit a cry of terror and go running into the house. Her husband rushed out of the barn just in time to see Zelgadis pull up his horse in front of the house.
The farmwife returned out of the house brandishing a pitchfork at Zelgadis. "The larder's empty, and I'll be damned if we'll let you have a cow!" she screamed at him.
Zelgadis raised his eyebrow, but as he was in a hurry, simply asked them "Have you seen a short red-haired girl come through here recently? Temper like a demon, appetite like a horse?" Lina would kill me if she heard that, he thought to himself nervously.
The farmer nodded quickly, his face pale with fear. "She went that way," he said, pointing towards the gate. "Said she knew what she was doin', an' not to try an' stop her." He didn't have any time to say anything else, however, because Zelgadis had already wheeled his horse around and was galloping towards the border gate.
- x - x - x -
Lina was hot and tired by the time she reached the border gate. But she had made good time, and the sun was still high in the sky as she approached the waiting line of horses, peasants, and wagons lined up to pass through the gate. As she searched for an opportunity to slip through, she was thankful that the farmer's wife had been able to lend her a robe that hid most of her strange, foreign clothing. Spying an opportunity within a particularly thick crowd of merchants, she dove into the center and ducked down, trying pass through.
The group shuffled forward, and a sense of elation filled Lina. I did it! I made it through! she thought to herself.
"Stop!" came the stern commanding voice of one of the guards.
Damn! She thought. Maybe they don't mean me… Pulling the hood of her robe up a little higher, she continued walking.
"I said, STOP!" came the voice again, followed by the clack of metal. Lina froze, and glanced over her shoulder slowly. As she feared, one of the guards was standing there, pointing his lance at her. "Papers!" he ordered brusquely.
Sighing, Lina turned around completely and pulled her hood down. Going into 'Sylphiel-mode' she turned watery eyes on the guard and said "Please, sir, I'm just trying to find my mother—"
"That's nice. Papers!" he said, motioning with his spear at her.
Lina sighed in exasperation. "Fine, fine, just hang on a minute," she said, digging through her robe. At least I came prepared this time, she thought to herself, triumphantly drawing out her passport and handing it to the guard, who looked at it in confusion.
"What is this?" he asked, turning it upside down and sideways.
"Hey! Watch how you handle that thing, it's hard to come by!" Lina said angrily, snatching it out of his hands. Opening it up to the front, she pointed to the photo of herself and said "There. See? These are the travel papers from my land. You probably can't read it, but this text here says I'm a very important person. I came a long way to get here, too, and the journey was hard, so you should be nice to me!"
The guard boggled at the passport, rubbing at the holograms and sniffing at the picture suspiciously. "Sorcery!" he said, awed, and looked at Lina with a new respect.
"Umm... yeah, that's right. I'm a powerful sorceress, so let me through!" she said. The guard handed her back her passport quickly.
"Wait right there," he said. "Someone of your importance deserves an escort!"
Lina's eyes bulged. "An escort?" Laughing nervously, she shook her head wildly. "No, no, believe me, I can take care of myself! I don't need an escort!" But it was too late. The guard had already turned and waved a signal towards the back of the gate. Oh no, Lina thought with a sinking feeling.
"So, we have a sorceress here, do we?" came an amused voice. Lina looked up at the source, a tall man mounted on a huge black warhorse. The man was clad completely in red robes, and his eyes seemed to be sealed closed, much like Xellos'. He, however, didn't wear the trickster's mischievous smile. "I see," he said, seeming to look her over despite his blindness. He nodded at the guard, who grabbed Lina roughly and began to push her up onto the man's huge warhorse.
As he grabbed her arm, Lina shrunk back. "I'm afraid there's been some kind of mistake!" she panicked.
"I don't think so," the man told her, a half-smile grazing his lips briefly as he pulled her up. "I think I'll escort you to the Emperor of Elmekia personally," he said, wheeling his horse around.
"Wait! Stop!" Lina struggled, but the man held her in an iron grip. Suddenly, a cry went up from the guards at the front of the gate.
"General Rezo! There's someone strange approaching the gate!" The guard didn't have time to say any more as the crowds lined up to enter Elmekia scattered haphazardly. The scream of a horse rang out, and as Lina craned her neck around to see the commotion, she saw Zelgadis draw his sword and leap off of the horse.
"Lina!" he said, spotting her instantly. With a growl, he launched himself at the guards who were rushing at them. "Get out of my way!" he yelled, gripping his sword and taking a swing at the nearest guard.
Rezo, as Lina assumed her "escort" was named, remained silent, watching the chimera fight with interest. Lina turned her attention to the battle, and indeed, it was a beautiful sight to behold.
The guards were well trained, but Zelgadis was simply better. He ducked and twirled his sword around, moving like water around the guards' spear thrusts. He feinted and parried, finally throwing the hilt of his sword at one guard's head, knocking him out, and opting to use his bare hands instead.
Lina felt her mouth dropping open as she watched him fight. She had seen Zelgadis take out bandits before, but against the border guards his skill truly shined through. He sprung to his hands and twisted around, landing a solid kick on one the guards, rolled into a battle crouch, and sent the last of the guards flying with two quick punches. Finally, he swept his way forward towards Rezo and stood before the horse.
"Lina!" he said, his voice level. "What are you doing on that horse? Get down here right now."
Two hands extended in front of Lina, and began to clap slowly. Twisting and looking up, she saw Rezo was smiling. "Excellent performance, boy!" he said to Zelgadis, his arms clamping down on Lina with their iron grip again as she tried to slide off the horse.
Zelgadis grimaced angrily. "Listen, buddy, I don't know who you are, but if you don't want to join your friends back there," he said, pointing at one of the unconscious guards behind him, "you'll let the girl down from the horse. Now."
Rezo smiled condescendingly at Zelgadis. "I don't think so." Then he murmured a low incantation.
Zelgadis shrugged. "It's your grave," he said, and moved to leap at them. Or at least, that's what he tried. Blue lightning arced through the air, and Zelgadis' arms froze. He tried to move his feet, but they felt leaden, as if they were welded to the ground. "What … did … you … do?" He managed to grit out, struggling against the spell.
"I'm sure you're intelligent enough to figure it out," Rezo said, laughing shortly. Then he wheeled the horse around and set off towards the capital at a gallop, leaving Zelgadis behind to stare at them in frustration.
Damn! I've got to break this spell! Zelgadis thought to himself as he struggled uselessly against the energy. The character symbol on his forehead blazed to life with red energy, but the lightning around him rose and sputtered with equal energy the more he struggled. No good… I'm going to electrocute myself before I burst out of these magical chains, Zelgadis thought with frustration.
"My my, seems like you have a little problem, Zelly-boy!" came a familiar voice. A black rip appeared in front of him, and Xellos stepped out from it. "That's quite a spell that mage put on you," he mused, poking at Zelgadis' arm and drawing back as the lightning flickered out at him.
"Xellos! Just … get … me … out!" Zelgadis said, glowering.
The magician sighed dramatically and said, "I feel so misused, being ordered around like this. Whatever happened to 'Hello, Xellos! Nice to see you, Xellos! How's the weather, Xellos?'" He shook his head sadly.
"XELLOS!" came the agonized grunt.
Xellos smiled and waved at Zelgadis. "Relax, my friend, I just needed a few moments to figure where the power points of this sealing spell were. I have them now." Stepping back, he brandished his long staff and spun it around quickly. Drawing in a deep breath, the air around Xellos flickered momentarily. He exhaled with a loud woosh, thrusting his staff forward as he did so. A surge of dark energy swept through from behind him, like a wave breaking on a shore. It smashed through the electrical bonds holding Zelgadis, scattering the lightning in every direction.
Zelgadis rubbed his wrists painfully, and then stared at Xellos in irritation.
"What, no thanks? You servants of Cephied are an ungrateful bunch," Xellos noted, smiling mockingly.
"Thanks, pervert. Here, you can have one on the house." Zelgadis said, making a fist and knocking Xellos over the head with it.
"Ow! Thank you!" Xellos replied, smiling happily as he rubbed his temples.
Zelgadis looked down the path of the gate, where Rezo had sprinted away with Lina, but there was no sign of them. "Come on, Xellos, we've got to get to the Lina before that guy presents her to the Emperor of Elmekia. She'll be a sitting duck!"
Xellos raised his hand, the smile dropping from his face. "Wait, Zelgadis. The one who has Lina, his name is Rezo the Red Sage. He's a sorcerer of some skill, famous in magical circles I frequent. They've probably already teleported to the castle, and will have defenses up everywhere. We can't just charge in."
Zelgadis groaned in frustration. "Well, you're our resident magical expert. What do you suggest then?"
Xellos' smile returned once more. "I'll try to shield us for as long as I can. But you'd better leave the horse behind and travel with me," he said, offering a hand.
"Allright, Xellos, but one false move and I'll never hit you again," Zelgadis warned him.
Xellos pouted and made a face. "You're so cruel to me, Zelly-boy. I promise to be on my best behaviour!" he said. And with that, he pulled Zelgadis with him into a crackling black void.
- x - x - x -
Lina swallowed, trying to formulate a plan as Rezo hustled her off of the horse and into the huge palace that stood before her. The man was obviously a magician of some skill, considering everything she had just seen. Her belief was confirmed as Rezo ushered her into a magnificently decorated courtroom and pushed her to her knees.
Murmurs rose up from the surrounding court at their sudden entrance, and Lina heard the voice of what she assumed was the Emperor of Elmekia speak up.
"Rezo, my most honoured sage. What sort of foolishness have you brought in today?"
Lina spared a glance up and choked. The Emperor was a lot older than Gourry, and seemed to enjoy the luxuries of his position. He was bedecked in costly silks, which must have cost a small fortune, considering how corpulent he was. She quickly looked down again to hide her grimace.
"Why, your Imperial Majesty, I come bearing to you a gift. A foreign girl, one who I suspect comes from a place further than any of the four kingdoms," said Rezo, with a slight bow.
The emperor studied Lina disinterestedly. "She doesn't look like a foreigner, Rezo. Could you be mistaken? She looks more like some farmer's young whelp. Give her to the concubines, she can work as a serving girl until she reaches a more useful age," he said.
Lina's brow twitched. She stood up and pointed a finger at the Emperor. "Hey, who are you calling a whelp? I am a foreigner, and I can prove it!" she said, removing the robe she had borrowed from the farmer.
A gasp rose up through the court. "B-brazen girl! How dare you strip before the Emperor without his permission!" came a cry from one of the advisors, as Rezo forced her to her knees again.
"IT'S NOT UNDERWEAR!" Lina yelled, struggling against Rezo's grip.
"Your majesty, if I may," came Rezo's calm voice behind her. "I believe the girl is speaking the truth. Look more closely, her attire is quite unusual for our typical dress. She knows nothing of ways, and she carries strange objects never seen in any of the four kingdoms."
The emperor sat up in his throne. "You mean…"
Rezo nodded. "Yes. I believe she is one of the legendary Priestesses, come to this world to summon the Beast God and grant three wishes."
The emperor's laughter rang out through the court. "You're serious! Finally, I will be able to smash Sairoon and the Gabriev line, once and for all!" he said, pounding his meaty fist on the throne.
Lina gulped nervously. Going from Priestess of Cephied to Priestess of Shabranigdu was not exactly what she had in mind when she came to Elmekia. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, she thought to herself, and decided to go along with the plan.
"That's right," she said. "I'm from another world, and I've come to help you summon your beast god, Shabranigdu, and save Elmekia from its enemies!" She started as the emperor began to laugh even more gleefully. Frowning, she pushed on. "But before I agree to do that, I have to ask you about a friend I've been looking for—" she continued.
Rezo's voice interrupted her. "I believe we know what your intentions are, Priestess," he said, and a shiver passed through her at the way he said "priestess." He gestured to one of the guards with a command. "Bring our honoured guest here, I believe there is something that might interest her."
Lina's breath caught. This was completely unlike the royal court of Sairoon. After Gourry had declared her to be the Priestess of Cephied, everyone had become suddenly deferential and respectful. Here, she felt more and more strongly that she was being mocked. As the curtains parted, she soon realized why.
"Lina… you came back?" whispered a small voice.
Lina's eyes widened as she looked up. "Amelia!" she cried, staring the dark-haired girl in shock.
