YES! WE DID IT! CHAPTER FOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUR! …Ahem. Anyway, the plot is set (points to random guy with "Plot" written on his shirt), the masks are distributed (Phibrizzo walks in, tossing masks to reviewers happily), and my homework's done. SO, I can work in peace. So—(cheesy grin)—on with the fic!
Disclaimer: …yeah.
Chapter 4: Voices
Phibrizzo smiled at the four young travelers he was eying through his "Soul-Seeker": a orb something like a crystal ball, but instead of seeing into the future, it searched out whoever Phibrizzo wanted. It was blood red, like the room where it was contained. Lina cautiously entered the room, bearing a tea tray and some cakes. "H-here, sir." She stammered, mentally slapping herself. She was NEVER this polite to anyone! Hellmaster grinned, turning to face the young sorceress. "Well, hello, darling wife." He chuckled, patting her butt as she passed him. Lina growled low in her throat, and nearly flung the tray at him in her rage. "May I remind you, dear husband, that nobody ever touches my butt. Ever." she snarled, setting the tray down with a clatter. Still smiling, Phibrizzo launched himself upon her, fingering her delicate face with something resembling Don Juan. "My dearest Lina, I promise not to touch you there again—if you don't wish it." Lina made a face, and tried to pry her master off, but was unable to. Finally, Phibrizzo let her go, and she ran down the halls of the Temple, tears coursing down her face for her weakness.
Meanwhile, Hellmaster Phibrizzo was chuckling at his future wife's stubbornness. "She'll look marvelous on our wedding day…one month from now. I'll even have some attendees. Hmm, I wonder if Zelgadis will even be strong enough to put on some spats when he gets here?" he mused. Shrugging, the Mazoku entered into the room where his wife would stay. It was light blue, with a loveseat in one corner, and a large king-sized bed/four-poster in the other. There was a diamond-covered wardrobe on the left-hand side, with several beautiful dresses inside, and matching shoes and accessories. There was a red wardrobe right beside it, with Phibrizzo's clothes inside. Turning to his right with a smirk, the Hellmaster viewed the wax dummy of Lina in a gorgeous wedding dress with a jaunty eye. It was pure white, with a flowing veil, and white lace and ribbons all over it. Next to it (of course) was Phibrizzo's bridal suit. He had stolen it from a tailor shop in Sailuune, and, since he had worn something similar to the suit when he went in, nobody noticed him walking out of the dressing room with different clothes. The suit was dark blue, with black lace at the throat and cuffs. Grinning childishly at the attire, he walked out of the room, humming a speeded-up version of the Wedding March.
Lina awoke to find herself in her cell, ironically painted pink just to annoy her by Phibrizzo. How she got there, she had no idea. Rubbing her eyes, the sorceress glared at the anti-magic bracelets and earring the Hellmaster had placed on her. They were gold, with ancient spells placed on them. They jangled when she walked, a merry sound for something so depressing. Without her magic, not only would her chores get done slightly faster (such as levitating to clean the chandelier, for instance), but she could not blast Phibrizzo to pieced for making passes at her. "$# him…" Lina muttered to thin air. With a final, despairing sigh, the sorceress-turned-slave slumped down on her cot, her head in her hands. "Won't anyone come…?"
Meanwhile, on a road miles and miles away from Hellmaster's Temple…
Xellos sniffed the air eagerly, up in an elm tree. "Hey, guys!" he called down. "Mushroom fields at 12 o' clock!" Amelia looked up from her makeshift map. "Yay! Food at last!" she squeaked, and roused the other two travelers. Naga and Zelgadis had practically pig-piled on top of each other. The Chimera's leg was flopped lazily on Naga's stomach, while his hands were laid on her face, one on top of the other. "Uuungh. A-A-Ameeeeeliaaa…" Zelgadis gave a long yawn and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Whazzup? Found a path at la-a-ast?" Naga's huge yawn made the Chimera jump about three feet into the air. "N-Naga? What was I…?" he stammered, clasping his hands over his mouth. "My God…" Amelia began laughing outrageously at the looks on Zelgadis and Naga's faces. "Ahaha, oh, this is priceless! Hey Xel! XEL! Come down here and look at this!" she yelled up at Xellos, tears coursing down her cheeks from merriment. Clapping his hands sharply to get some feeling back into them, Zelgadis leaped up, and marched ahead, calling over his shoulder "C'mon everyone, we have several hours before sunset! We have to refill our packs as soon as possible!"
Back at Hellmaster's Temple…
Lina stared angrily at the mirror in front of her. It used to look as bright as the sun, but now it was hardly even visible from all the rust it had obtained. Walking up to it, the sorceress muttered "If only Dad was here. He'd know…what I could do." Suddenly, a voice ran through the dungeon, singing oddly:
Lost little girl,
So young! So frightened!
Yearning for some kindness!
The voice seemed familiar, but Lina couldn't place where she'd heard it before. She began singing plaintively:
Who's is that voice?
That sound, so entrancing?
Why are you familiar?
The voice answered back:
Young one, please hear me!
Keep being strong, and wait!
A handsome young man is riding towards you!
Never give up, Lina!
With a whoosh, the voice faded away into the distance, leaving Lina alone once more. However, soon after the voice left, she leaped to her feet with a smile, skipped to the door, and rushed outside, beginning to wonder if her cell (or life) was as bad as she'd thought.
R&R! Finally the Internet's back up! YAAAY! I must hurry and post this chapter now, before it goes out again! Bye! And remember, R&R! I'll give you…uh, nothing… O.o