AN: Just a note for those familiar with the novels, I am harping on the idea that Lina is an unreliable narrator and running with it, especially for the first half of the book.
Gourry walked into his rather shoddy room and closed the door behind him. He'd already dressed and prepared for bed but he wasn't quite ready to go to sleep yet. The impulse to prepare was strong within him. But how do you prepare to fight such powerful beings as Mazoku?
His skills with a sword were as strong as they could get. He moved as swiftly and as nimbly as a human could and his technique was in fine form. But mentally he was suffering. From his own doubts about being able to take on enemies as powerful as the ones they were facing. From his own insecurities about whether he could actually protect Lina and make a difference in the world. From his own recriminations about how he'd not done enough to protect her from Zuma and the beetle and how from now on he would have to do better!
He felt the need to find a mentor, someone to help him figure this out. But it wasn't exactly as though people specializing in how to use the Sword of Light to slay Mazoku were hiding on a mountain top somewhere waiting to be found.
He walked over to his sack and opened it. One by one he pulled out his few possessions. There was the whetstone he used to sharpen his blade along with some soap and his toothbrush. A few changes of clothes and some supplies for when he needed to camp. And then beneath that were his sentimental items. A set of wedding bracelets with a green emerald on them that belonged to his grandparents. Of all of the things to grab as he rushed to leave the Elmekian Empire he marveled that this was one of the things that he remembered to take with him.
But the other was what he was looking for. He reached in and felt the cool smoothness of the stone that Master Janawes had gifted him with when he came of age. Gourry pulled it out and looked at it. Carved on the stone were the words, "Breathe. Observe. Trust."
Breathe.
It had been one of the first things he'd learned when he was training to be a swordsman. Something that Gunther had never had much use for. But Master Janawes had insisted that beathing exercises were fundamental. And Gourry had found he was right. Somehow it helped him keep his head during battle, not to mention while navigating the treacherous familial interactions that marked his homelife. Yet once he left Elmekia he stopped focusing on it. Sure, he'd remember to watch his breathing during a battle, but he was no longer in the daily practice of it.
Back home it had helped to cope with the pain and stress of being raised in such a traumatic environment. Could breathing help him now?
He sat on the bed and relaxed as he placed his hands on his knees. And then he took a deep breath in and started to count. And then he exhaled, forcing the air from his belly as he made sure to expel all of the stress and fear out of his body with it. He inhaled again and then exhaled, and repeated.
The tension in his shoulders started to dissipate as a heady, tingling feeling took over, traveling from his head downward. He'd missed the sensation, as well as the lightening that came with the breathing. He continued to inhale and exhaled as he stared at the wall that separated his room from Lina's. A thin inn wall, one where he could easily hear something if she was in distress, he reminded himself. But admittedly he would feel better if it wasn't there.
Or are you just wanting an excuse to share a room? And then a bed. And then…?
He took another long, deep breath and slowly released it. Yes, he had desires. One of those was to protect Lina and keep her safe. And given the fact that there were still powerful beings out there, that desire was strong. Yes, other desires were more carnal. But just because they were there did not mean that the former desire wasn't genuine or pure. And given what had happened in Saillune, he had good reasons to be alert at night, a time when he should be resting.
He finished his breathing exercises and stretched and then got beneath the bed covers. He took a moment to listen and was assured by the sounds of a scratchy quill. Lina was either journaling or budgeting. She was safe. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing once more and managed to drift off to sleep.
A cry from Lina's room roused him. He jumped out of bed and kept his ears open. But there were no indications that there was anyone in the room with her. He walked over to the wall and put his ear to it. She was breathing rapidly but after a moment it slowed down. Most likely she'd had a nightmare. Given everything she'd been through he would have been more surprised if she wasn't having nightmares. He thought about bringing her a glass of water and keeping her company for a bit, taking some time to help her feel a little bit better. But he also didn't want to intrude and had a feeling that if she realized he knew she would be embarrassed.
Her bed creaked as she got out of it and he could hear her shuffling around in her room a bit, followed by the sound of the door opening. He silently put on his boots and got up to follow her. By the time he made it downstairs Lina was seated at one of the tables and had already drawn the attention of the cook. "We're not open for another hour."
"Oh, don't mind me," Lina said with one of her sweetest smiles, "Though if it wouldn't trouble you too much I would like a cup of tea."
Gourry walked over to the table and sat down beside her as the cook said, "I'll bring a kettle."
"Thanks!" Lina said as she turned to him, "Couldn't sleep either?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay." He said, deciding to be honest.
"I'm fine," she said quickly, "Just anxious to get to Dils quickly."
"Hmm." He said as the cook brought out a tea pot and some cups. Lina started to fix a cup and handed it to him. By now they knew how the other preferred their drinks. "Thanks."
He took a sip of tea as she prepared her own cup before he asked, "So why Dils?"
"Well it's where the Claire Bible was rumored to have appeared. And it's where I found the details of the spell I used to construct the Giga Slave. So if powerful people are after me and I need a new spell to stop them it seems like the best place to look." She explained.
"That makes sense." He said. "So it sounds like you've been there before. What's it like?"
"Nice enough to get me hooked on traveling," she said, "I take it you've never been?"
"I seldom go that far north." He said.
"That you can remember." She said with a smirk.
"Well, yeah, I guess I might have been and forgot!" he said with a smile, "So was the food any good?"
"Oh I'm going to have to take you to the Dils Lanternside Café!" she exclaimed as she launched into an explanation about how phenomenal the food there was.
Amelia was more fun to travel with than Sylphiel. As this was her first time out of the palace she felt as though it was some great adventure and everything that Gourry took for granted about traveling was new and exhilarating to her. And the exhilaration was a nice antidote to the fear and anxiety that could have taken hold given the situation. The memories that had resurfaced about the crimes his family had committed receded under the memories of what it was like to cross the border out of the Elmekian Empire and to see his first green fields, and he didn't think he would have had those latter memories if not for Amelia's zest for life. And it made traveling seem new again. Even the things that were inconvenient, like having to use the bathroom on the trail or walking through a spider web, seemed exciting to her.
Amelia also knew how to throw a joke and take one. She simply fit in better. And there was also no awkward feelings of guilt for not being able to return romantic feelings or the loss of her hometown. Just the weight of the responsibility that came with her position and concerns of what they would tell Phil if a hair on her head was harmed.
They made good progress that day. Gourry wasn't sure how well a princess would adjust to life on the road but she seemed to be made of sterner stuff. They reached the inn just as the sun was getting low in the sky and enjoyed a pleasant meal. Once again Gourry's room was beside Lina's and he remembered his breathing exercises. Once he was finished he took a moment to listen once more. Tonight he heard the rustle of a page turn. She must have been reading. Satisfied that all was well he extinguished the lantern and went to sleep.
Gourry woke again to the sound of Lina crying out in her sleep. He turned and listened for whether she would try to go back to sleep or go down to the kitchen again and found himself hoping for the latter. It meant he would get some time to talk with her alone before the day started. Soon he heard her get up and dressed and he smiled as he got out of his own bed and reached for his boots. Only this time he heard her open the window to her room and his brain exploded. She wouldn't really go bandit hunting!? Now! With everything going on!
But she was. He walked to the window and saw her levitating down. Of all of the irresponsible…
He flew down the stairs and raced to catch up with her. She was far enough away that he could just barely see her in the distance. "Lina!" he cried.
"Shh!" she said, but fortunately she stopped and turned to face him, "Not so loud!"
"Lina," he said as he caught up with her.
"Coming to hunt bandits with me?" she asked with one of her trademark cutesy smiles.
"Are you crazy!? With all of the demons out after us. Why?"
"Because I have some things to work out." Lina said.
He grabbed her arm, "Come back to the inn, we'll work them out there."
"I don't want to!" she shot back as she pulled away from him.
He held on tight, "I'm your guardian. I can't let you…"
"If I wanted to be overparented I would have stayed at home!" she said as she yanked her arm free.
"And I don't want to watch as some sadistic thing tries to torture you to death again!" Gourry shot back, and at that she froze as she stared at the ground and wrapped her arms around herself. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to feel all of the anger and frustration. And then he exhaled all of it out as he said softly, "Can you promise me that if you go out tonight that won't happen again?"
She looked over at the inn and took a deep breath. For a moment he was guarded, wondering if she was trying to lull him into a false sense of security. "You can't let the past haunt you like that." She said.
"You're right," he said. "And this current situation isn't nicely wrapped up in the past."
"Fine," she said as she started to walk back to the inn, "I doubt they're going to hang out with some bandits just to get to me though. You worry too much."
"Perhaps," he said, trying not to argue now that he was getting what he wanted. But a different sort of worries started to plague him. What if, after all of this was over, she decided she didn't like his overly careful ways and decide to leave?
Before he could get too caught up in it though he glanced up at the inn and saw Amelia watching them from the window. And a strange, wild thought ran through his mind that she was spying on them. He shook his head. He was being ridiculous plain and simple. After all, what reason would Amelia have to spy on them?
Mazenda was too beautiful to be believed, and that caused the alarm bells to ring in his mind. Given how rough the area was her features were too pristine. She looked as though she'd never seen a day in the sun and her white dress was too pure to be believed. Yet here she was, the obvious leader of this ragtag group of bandits, spotless and without a trace of dirt on her shoes.
Something about it itched at the back of his mind but before he could give it much thought she attacked Lina! Gourry moved to defend but before he could get far Mazenda left, leaving him confused. It hadn't seemed as though she had hurt Lina. "Are you okay?" he asked as he rushed to Lina and then he stopped as his foot hit something, "Huh?"
He reached down to pick up a needle on the ground as Lina went pale, as though she was realizing something that he was still in the dark on. "Let me try something. Lighting!"
But no ball of glorious light appeared between her hands. Gourry felt his stomach turn as he wondered if it meant that Mazenda had somehow taken away her magic. But surely that wasn't it! Surely such a thing wasn't possible! Surely…
Lina sank to the ground and screamed. And that was all of the confirmation he needed that his fears were correct. Lina had lost her magic.
Gourry's stomach was in knots as they made their way to the restaurant. Now would be the perfect time for whoever wanted Lina dead to attack. Was this part of a larger plot to get her defenseless so she would be an easier target? That had been the only reason Zelgadis had been able to abduct her afterall. What if someone else was wising up to the fact that she would be easier to kill without her magic?
The restaurant came into view, and for a wild moment Gourry wondered if they would find whoever wanted her dead inside and ready to fight. He inhaled as his palms became sweaty and he wiped them on his pants as he focused on keeping his senses open. If there was any danger he could not sense it.
His heart raced as Lina put her hand on the door and pushed it open. Inside was just your typical restaurant. It should have been comforting but Gourry couldn't let his guard down even as he tried his best to appear unfazed. Lina's eyes were still wide and tear filled and her shoulders were so rigid that he could see that tension that flooded through them. He couldn't burden her with his worries. Once again the man with the long, black hair was right.
Amelia hummed cheerily, seemingly clueless as they sat down. Gourry had to admit he was getting a bit irritated with her. There was a difference between radiating calm and being cheerful under the circumstances. But they needed her magic. Gourry tried to focus on that as they put their orders in.
Once that was done Gourry decided it was time to assess the damage and come up with a plan. "So, you really can't use magic?" Gourry said softly.
"Seems that way," Amelia cut in, her voice too upbeat, and Gourry noticed a vein throb in Lina's forehead. "Nothing we can do about it I guess. The question is what to do next."
"Well true. Lina without her magic is…" Gourry said as he hesitated. Lina was decent with a sword, but only decent. It would hardly cut it if the Mazoku race was after her. Heck, Zelgadis had been able to overpower her rather easily without her magic. But if Gourry was going to be brutally honest about her abilities as a fighter without magic he was also going to risk kicking her when she was already down.
"Rather useless. Her sword skills just won't cut it." Amelia said with a smile.
"I wouldn't go that far," Gourry said as he winced as he noticed that Lina had grasped the edge of the table, "She's still going to boss us around even if she is powerless."
"She's going to need her smarts because she's so tiny she's just not going to be able to hold her own in a fist fight."
"Well that is her weakness as a fighter." Gourry said softly as he noticed the steam rising off Lina.
"Shut up!" Lina yelled as she stood up, and Gourry recoiled as he saw that she was struggling to hold back tears, "How can you say all of that crap like I'm not even here listening?"
Gourry felt a bit chagrined. She had a point. It was a conversation they needed to have but they could have been a bit more tactful. "I mean," he looked at Amelia for help. Usually he would try to do something funny to distract her. But that didn't seem to be the right thing to do in this case. But he had to do something to help her feel better!
"We're just giving an honest assessment of the situation." Amelia said.
"Honest assessment?" Lina said as she moved closer to Amelia, "Honest assessment that without my magic I'm just some useless, weak…"
She grabbed Amelia and pulled her fist back, "Do you wanna see how weak I am?"
"Lina!" Gourry said as he put a hand on her shoulder, desperate to stop her before she assaulted a royal princess and made an enemy of an ally that they desperately needed, "Come on, hurting Amelia won't prove anything. Look, is there a way to get your magic back?"
That seemed to reach her. Lina let go of Amelia and took a step back as she stared at the table, "Taking down Mazenda should do it."
"That settles it." Amelia said, "We just go and kill her, right? I mean, no need to hold back. She clearly works with the bad guys which makes her a bad guy too."
Gourry bit his lip and watched Lina and thought again about Mazenda's perfections. And for some reason he thought of Kanzel, who appeared human but wasn't. What if there were other demons out there who could appear to be human? But then how would he know for sure? It was probably stupid though. He thought about asking but he didn't want to discourage Lina.
"But how do we know where she is?" he asked instead.
"She said she was in Mayin. Weren't you paying attention?"
I was more focused on your safety than her words, he thought, but he shrugged cluelessly anyway as they decided to go to Mayin.
Gourry had thought that he had been angry when Lina had snuck out of the inn to hunt bandits. But that was nothing compared to the rage flowing through him now like a red river as he prepared to face Vedul. They shouldn't be in this position, plain and simple. But Amelia had exposed their position and endangered them all, and at a time when they were far from full strength.
It had been a few days ago that they had learned that Mazenda had likely been part of a local cult in the area. More alarmingly, it was known as the Cult of Shabranigdu. While scouting the area for information they managed to find where they would be meeting. And it was when they were spying on the meeting that Amelia, enraged by their dogma, hurled a Burst Rondo into their camp.
They were obviously in no position to fight. They had only planned to observe not confront. And even then Amelia had wanted to stand her ground and take the cult down there and then that night because it wouldn't be just to flee from such an enemy! It had taken everything ounce of control Gourry possessed to not yell at her. How do you even talk to someone with such a rigid worldview and who was so detached from reality?
Fortunately Lina's powers of persuasion helped her to convince Amelia that running away was compatible with justice and they fled. They spent the night running through the woods but by morning someone very skilled had caught up with them.
Breathe. Observe.
Gourry took a deep breath and opened his senses. No, it wasn't just one skilled person. It was three! He considered his options for a moment and felt the panic rise within him. How could he defend a magic-less Lina from three enemies as skilled as this and protect himself? Amelia was not used to all nighters and was dead on her feet! A solution did present itself, but it wasn't something Gourry wanted to do.
Breathe. As he exhaled the panic became more manageable even as the lizardman, Vedul, explained that their mission was indeed to kill them. Take the first step and the rest will follow. And that first step was taking out the needle to remove the blade from the Sword of Light. He was not going to make the same mistake that he did when the beetle came after Lina. As he readied his sword the second step materialized. Warn his friends. "Be care Lina! Amelia! There's three of them. Don't let your guard down."
Their enemies seemed impressed that Gourry had been able to detect Grouz, and there was something about the situation that was foreign. Gourry was certain he'd never encountered this before, which meant he would have to take some time to learn how they fought, how to defend, how to kill. Time he wouldn't have if he also had to defend Lina.
Breathe, he reminded himself to pull back the rising panic. Separating from Lina was the last thing he wanted to do, especially when she was so defenseless. But part of being a good swordsman was knowing your limits. And he had reached his. He let go of the breath, along with his pride. He would have to trust that if he gave her time to flee she would be okay, "Lina, listen carefully. Take Amelia and get out of here. I'll hold them off."
Lina looked at him in panic, which made it even harder to stay firm as she asked, "Wait, Gourry, where is this coming from?"
"With enemies like these…you can't use magic and Amelia is exhausted. I can make it out alive on my own, at least, but…"
He hoped she would understand. She was pragmatic and battleworn after all. But the enemy was preparing to attack and needed all of his attention. "Light come forth!"
Amelia hit Vedul with a plethora of Flare Arrows, but despite the fact that several hit him he was unharmed and charged for Gourry, completely unimpeded! Gourry was still ready for him and slashed at him but, just like with Amelia's Flare Arrows, what should have happened didn't! Gourry was the one who ended up being cut.
Gourry was confused. How had that happened. Observe!
"His shadow, Master Gourry!" Amelia called, filling in the missing piece of what had happened. Vedul's shadow had attacked him! And while Gourry had instinctively defended against it, the cost was being hit by Vedul's sword. His breastplate was ruined and was now more of a liability than a help.
It was proof that his observations had been spot on. Lina was resourceful, even without her magic. And with Amelia hopefully she would be able to survive until they could catch up again. And the simple cold hard fact was that if they stayed together he would not be able to get all three of them through this alive. Splitting up was the only chance they had.
Vedul attacked again, and this time Gourry sliced through his sword, taking down a weapon at least. But to disarm him he allowed Vedul to punch him in the gut. The pain shot through him, more intense than he had been expecting. He'd tried to roll with it but the lizardman was strong, and he felt a cracking. He hadn't thought Vedul had got his ribs but…
"Lina! Amelia! Get going already!" he said as he ignored the pain that shot through his lungs. Much as he didn't want to split up he was also anxious for them to get away safely. But then he tasted the coppery taste of blood. Did Lina see it?
"But you're hurt!" Lina protested.
"I just cut my lip, I'm fine!" He could still fight. His lip had been cut. But he left out the part that it was a bit more serious than that. He was scared she wouldn't leave if she knew and he definitely needed to finish this as fast as possible. "Now go!"
Lina and Amelia seemed to talk for an agonizing minute but finally Lina said, "We're going!"
There was relief. He was certain he could keep Vedul, Gilfa and Grouz occupied long enough to allow Lina and Amelia to get away. And once they were safe he could lose them and buy himself time to meet up with Lina and Amelia again. He had to trust. Both in the fact that he was skilled enough to do this and that they would meet again.
But there was also anger that he had to do this, that he had to take this risk! And that anger fueled his fight.
Breathe. Observe. Trust what his instincts were telling him even when it made little sense. Afterall who would have thought that a shadow could attack? Gilfa got some hits in through Vedul's shadow. And Grouz? He was tougher than Gourry feared and it was difficult to make a successful attack. Worse, he learned the hard way that Grouz had a tail when he hit him with it.
If his ribs had survived Vedul's punch that was no longer the case now.
The sun started to stream through the canopy, and Gourry was starting to feel secure that he had given Lina and Amelia enough of a head start. And then he was able to slip off into the woods, which fortunately were dense and thick and easy to hide in. But they were also easy to get lost in.
Gourry did his best to stay oriented in a place where precious little sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of the forest. It made it difficult to tell where the sun was, something he would need when he tried to get back to the road. Going off trail was dangerous and deadly. One thing Gourry learned quickly when he left the Elmekian Empire was to respect the woods. While it could offer shelter it could also turn deadly if you were unprepared. And he was unprepared.
He hadn't taken much in the ways of supplies with him when they had left the inn because he never could have foreseen being separated from Lina and Amelia. Carrying a lot of items quickly got bulky and could impact him on the battlefield after all. But now that he was here it seemed like a costly miscalculation. He had no tent or bedroll. He only had the clothes on his back and, if he couldn't make it to a town by nightfall, could freeze if he stopped moving to sleep. And given that he'd been on the run all night he desperately needed sleep! He wasn't even sure if he had the bandages he would need to patch him up with. He'd grown too reliant on healing spells.
Breathe. He ignored the pain the rippled through his chest and focused on getting in the air that he needed. And then he exhaled. Observe. Aside from the forest animals he was the only one there. He was exhausted and aching and he couldn't keep going like this. He leaned against the closest tree and sat down. He took off the remnants of his armor and winced as he glanced down at his chest. His shirt was ripped and blood soaked. Bruises peaked from underneath the remnants of his shirt. This was not good.
He took a moment to ground himself. And then he reached into his pocket. He had at least put a few bandages there. He ignored the pain as best he could as he removed his shirt and tried to mop off the blood with it. He had some cuts on his chest. Nothing too deep that would require stitches but given his current situation they weakened him more than they should have.
He sat up and cursed how hard it was to bandage yourself, especially when his every movement created blinding pain. He used up the bandages and put the shirt back on. It was better than nothing. Then he crashed against the tree. He needed to find shelter but he was too light headed to get up. But staying there wouldn't be good. He didn't even have a blanket and with the blood loss and chilly night air he did not want to know what exposure would do to him. He was woefully unprepared for a camping trip!
Still, it wouldn't hurt to take a few minutes to rest. But that was when the loneliness found him, followed closely by worry. Was Lina okay? If he knew that by enduring all of this he would see her again, safe, then it would be worth it. He would have to trust that he would see her again. One step at a time. But first he just had to close his eyes for a moment.
He woke with a start. No light filtered through the trees and he was freezing and achy. He wrapped his arms around himself as he shivered, the movement aggravating his ribs. What time was it? How long had he been asleep? How far away was the closest town?
He had to get up. He managed to get to his feet and he took a moment to lean against a tree for balance. Once he was sure he would keep his footing he started walking back down the direction he was fairly sure he had come. If he could get back to the main trail he was sure that he would be fine. And moving at least would keep him warm. Anger at Amelia fueled him. Hope that he would see Lina again guided him.
How would Lina react when they were reunited? Would she be happy to see him? Would she run to hug him even? He remembered the feel of her in his arms. But during all of those times she had been hurt or injured. What would it be like to wrap his arms around her when she was well and happy to see him? Would she tell him that she missed him, that she realized that it was him she missed and not the Sword of Light? That he mattered to her?
What if she kissed him? Thoughts of her kissing him were so exciting that it drowned out the pain he was feeling and kept him warm as he tried to imagine what it would be like to kiss her. And from there to move onto more intimate acts. His fantasies sustained him as he found the road. Given how late it was it was blissfully empty. He looked at the stars to try to orient himself but he was too dizzy. He had to get to some shelter and get ahold of some better medical care (not to mention get some food!) and he picked a direction and hoped it would take him where he needed.
He focused on the road and keeping his footing. He tried not to think about the time that was passing. What would Lina think when he stumbled into town in this state? Would she work herself into a state as she ordered Amelia to perform a healing spell? Would she hold his hand and assure him that he was cared for? Was there lights up ahead?
He blinked as he looked ahead. Yes, there were! He was finally almost to a town. Surely if he just kept walking for a few more minutes…
But sight can be cruelly deceptive at times. It seemed that he walked and he walked and they never got any closer. Was he seeing things? Or was his perspective off? But as it was his feet were so heavy and it was getting harder to breath. The energy was leaving his body. Not even his anger at Amelia could charge it anymore. When was the last time he'd eaten? He was spent! Surely if he rested for a moment he could store up energy for the final push. He laid down by a tree and closed his eyes…
"Are you okay, Mister?"
Gourry opened his eyes and saw two boys illuminated by what light filtered through the trees. He tried to speak but his throat was too dry. He reached for his canteen as he looked at the two boys in front of him. They could not have been older than thirteen and looked similar enough that it was easy to conclude that they were brothers. "It's been a bit rough." He admitted once his thirst was somewhat quenched. "How far away is your village?"
"Not far. Though perhaps we should get Mom." The older one said, and Gourry's stomach clenched in anxiety. If this village was in the grip of a cult then the people within it could be enemies. "She's the town healer."
Gourry relaxed a little. "I have money."
"Go get Mom, Quinn." The older one said, "I'll take care of him."
"Right." Quinn said as he ran off.
"Is it alright if I have a look?" the older one asked, "My mom is teaching me."
"Go ahead." Gourry said.
"I'm called Ernest." He said.
"I'm Gourry." He said, and then he panicked for a moment as he wondered if the members of the cult knew his name. But Ernest showed no sign of recognition as he gingerly examined him.
"It looks like you have some broken ribs." Ernest said, and Gourry hoped that he wouldn't ask questions.
"Yeah, I suspected as much." Gourry said.
"I can do a spell to help."
"Please!"
Ernest chanted and Gourry felt the familiar warmth grip his body. As the physical pain receded a mental one took its place as he thought of Lina and how he enjoyed these moments after a battle where she would heal him. He hoped she was alright!
As Ernest was finishing his spell Gourry started to notice the presence of two people coming up the path. Soon he could make out Quinn with a middle aged woman who radiated a maternal warmth that reminded him of Grandmother. "Good work, buddy." She said to Ernest as she observed how his wounds were healing. "We're still going to need to take him home. He looks a bit weak from exposure and we need to get him on some herbs to prevent infection."
"No," Gourry said, "I need to find my friends."
He tried to stand up but was overwhelmed with dizziness. The woman and Ernest held tight to him. For a wild moment he wondered if they were with the cult and had poisoned him somehow, though he also knew that what he'd gone through would take some time to recover, even if he didn't like it.
"You will find them another day." The woman said, "Right now you need to focus on yourself."
"I just need a good meal," Gourry said, still hoping that he could recover quickly and start looking for Lina. "I'm sorry to impose like this…"
"Saving a life is no imposition. I'm Demetra." She said, "And I won't ask you any questions so long as you don't ask me any questions."
She said it so pointedly that Gourry understood at some level that she was referring to the trouble that he was in. Gourry relaxed a little, "Agreed."
"You can stay in my home while you are recovering. You will mind your manners and be a proper example to my boys or I will turn you out."
"I understand." He said.
Demetra lived in a well maintained cottage on the outskirts of a small village. When she opened the door the smell of stew cooking over the fire greeted him and his stomach growled. He was so famished! But they led him away from the delicious smell and to a part of the house that was filled with bottles of potions and where dried herbs hung from the rafters. There was curtain partitioning part of the room away from the rest of the house and Demetra pulled it back to reveal a bed and indicated that Gourry get in. "Have you a change of clothes?" she asked.
He looked down at the pathetic remains of his shirt. "I'm afraid not."
"Ernest, see if one of your father's shirts will do. You can wear it while I launder and mend your clothes."
"Right," Ernest said as he ran off into the house.
"Thanks," Gourry said. "Your husband won't mind?"
"He passed away when the plague came through the area." She said sadly, "He'd just be happy to know he can help people after he's gone. Go and sit down while I make up a potion." She said.
Gourry did, torn between the warring desires to eat and sleep. Ernest returned with a long night shirt and pulled the curtain around the bed. "I'll help you get changed." He said.
"Thanks," Gourry said.
"Whoa, what happened to your sword?" he asked as he saw the bladeless hilt.
A moment of fear struck Gourry. He must have left the blade on the forest floor where the fight broke out. "It broke in battle."
"Do you want me to throw the hilt away?"
"No," Gourry said as he got out of the torn remnants of his shirt and wondered just how Demetra would mend it, "The hilt was passed down in my family. I can get a new blade."
He suddenly swayed and Ernest held out a hand to steady him, "Go sit down, Mr. Gourry. I'll get you some food."
"Right," Gourry said as he did. He put the clean night shirt over himself and lamented the fact that he needed a bath and was dirtying the linen. Still, he kicked off his boots and put them with the remains of his armor.
"The potion is ready when you are." Demetra said from beyond the curtain.
"Along with some food." Ernest said.
"I'm ready." Gourry said as he got into bed and pulled the blankets up around him.
Demetra pulled the curtain back and smiled kindly as she held a steaming cup of tea. A memory rose of Grandmother sitting by his bedside while he was sick. Demetra's hair was darker, but her face lined with care that evoked an emotion he'd not felt in so long, one of being nurtured.
Ernest put a bowl of stew on the bedside table as Demetra put a gentle hand on his back as she helped him up while he drank the tea and then helped ease him back onto the bed. "You get some rest now, dearie."
He smiled. That sounded like something Grandmother would say. There was the sound of a curtain being drawn followed by Demetra saying, "Ernest, Quinn, go play outside and not disturb our patient."
He scarfed down the stew without taking the time to really savor it. It took the edge off his hunger enough that a wave of sleepiness hit him. He sat the bowl aside and laid back on the pillows and closed his eyes. I hope Lina has found a safe place to land. He thought as he drifted off to sleep.
Once more he dreamt about sitting on the porch of the white cottage watching the sunset with Lina. By now this was hardly unusual, only this time a deeper intimacy pervaded the dream. She was cuddled up next to him, his arm wrapped around her protectively, and his whole body feverish with desire as she whispered sweet things in his ear, things he had yearned to hear from her. About how much she cared. About how deeply she wanted to be with him. As she spoke her hand moved beneath his shirt, trailing fire with her fingers as she found his deepest desires and brought them to the surface with promises to fulfill them.
A hot flame of desire rushed through him as the scene changed and they were suddenly in the bedroom with stuffed white pillows and sheets. Lina pushed him on the bed, her robes opening to give him a view of places he'd only imagined as she climbed on top of him and kissed him so intensely that his toes burned with want as he wrapped his arms around her to crush her to him. A rush of love flooded his brain, drowning his thoughts so that all he could do was feel. The desire! The pleasure! The fire!
Just as it was about to peak the sound of a slamming door reverberated through his dream, and he shot up in bed. The shock of the abrupt transition left him disoriented for a moment as he looked around wildly as he heard Demetra call her boys in for dinner. He took a deep breath and laid back on the bed as he wondered miserably why she couldn't have waited five minutes. His body still ached with desire. Or was it fever?
He took a deep breath and brought the covers around himself. He wondered how Lina was doing and whether she was safe as the sounds of kids racing into the house to wash up reverberated. If he wasn't so worried about her he might have taken the time to enjoy the hominess of the evening.
Demetra drew the curtain back as she walked in with a tray. "Do you feel up for a bite?"
He had a strange worry that she'd known what he was dreaming about. It sounded preposterous but since meeting Lina he has been exposed to many impossible things. Still if she found him disgusting she masked it well. "Yeah." He said as he reached for the food.
She sat the tray by his bedside and took a moment to place her hand on his forehead. "It appears as though you caught a fever. You'll need a few days of rest."
"I don't have a few days." Gourry said as he shoveled the food into his mouth, "I have to meet up with my friend."
Demetra smiled, "I know you're anxious to be back with her, but you'll be more likely to hurt yourself in the state you're in."
"How do you know my friend's a woman?" Gourry asked as he set his food down as the fear that news of their attack on the Cult of Shabranigdu had reached the village.
"You were calling her name in your sleep." Demetra explained as Gourry blushed. "Now eat up and rest up. You will he on the road again soon to see Lina."
She walked away and Gourry looked at the bowl of stew. The sounds of a family gathering around a table to eat broke through as Demetra and her boys talked about their day. A happy family. So such a thing did exist. Well if horrendous beings such as Mazoku did at least pleasant families like these did too, something to make the agony that was world saving worth it.
As he finished his dinner fatigue overtook him. Much as he hated to admit it, the mere act of sitting up to eat had worn him out. And when he was done he sank back into the bed. The dream pulled him in once more only this time he sat on the bed watching as Lina got dressed, her stomach round and expecting. And suddenly a wave of anxiety rose through him, propelling him from the dream and into wakefulness.
It was dark. He was fairly sure that everyone was asleep. He turned to stare at the blackness of the wall as the remnants of the dream clung to him. He was still tired and feverish but he had been sleeping so much that he wasn't ready to do it again. And the dream made no sense. Sure, as a kid he'd always expected to have a family of his own one day. But when he had been forced to assume responsibility for the Sword of Light he'd come to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to. Not without passing the family curse on at least.
It had been one reason he'd been drawn to Lina. He could protect the sword and share his life with someone. But having a family with her would upend all of that.
Still, he thought, it's not as though I can say we're living a life free of responsibilities. Heavy ones.
The door slammed, and Gourry opened his eyes blearily. He was sweaty and still a bit achy but no longer warm. No, this was the sweaty that happened when a fever broke!
But before he could think about it too much the curtain opened and Demetra peaked in, looking anxious, "We have to get you in the cellar."
"What?"
"I'm sorry to have to do this, but they're looking for you." She said.
He grabbed the Sword of Light as he wondered if she was putting him in the cellar to protect him or lock him in there until she could get help. "I should probably just go." He said.
"It's way too crowded right now. The base of an evil cult was destroyed and everyone is on alert right now. If you try to leave now you will be seen."
"Did they say who destroyed it?" he asked.
"They're blaming a group of travelers. Two girls and a group of strange men."
Gourry relaxed a little. That likely meant Lina was okay. "Come on, my brother will likely be here any minute and if he sees you here there will be trouble."
Gourry looked at her. She seemed sympathetic. But was it genuine or was he just comparing her too much to Grandmother? Still, it wasn't as though he had a lot of options. He couldn't go running around dressed only in a nightshirt.
He grabbed his stuff and she opened a door in the kitchen floor and sent him down. "Go and have a bit to eat of whatever you find down there." She said.
The door closed, and Gourry suddenly wished for Lina and her ability to make a light spell. If there was a lantern or candle he couldn't find it. And it was so dark.
Above him he could hear Demetra making the bed and busying herself about the house. After a moment the door burst open, "Demetra!" a masculine voice boomed.
"Hade." She said evenly, "What brings you here?"
"Well everyone is looking for those heathens who destroyed the temple. Several people said they saw you and the boys bring in an injured man in a few days ago."
"I did." Demetra said. "He left last night."
"Demetra," he said with a sigh, "Why would you do that? Don't you understand…"
"I understand being a healer. And as a healer I help whoever needs it, regardless of what they believe or who they worship." She replied evenly.
"They're not one of us! They're actively working to destroy us and you're helping them!" Hade exclaimed. "I can't protect you if you keep doing stuff like this!"
"I saved a life, nothing more."
"His life wasn't worth saving! Demetra, don't you understand? Don't you see how this looks?"
"Hade, if I worried about how I looked I'd never leave the house anymore!" Demetra replied coolly.
"Demetra you can't go helping the enemy."
"He was just a traveler." Demetra replied.
"You foolish woman!" He roared, and for a moment Gourry worried that he would strike her when the door opened again.
"Mom?" Ernest asked.
"There will be a reckoning Demetra." Hade said as he backed away. "You might want to think carefully for the sake of your boys about which side of it you're on."
Hade walked out to the door yanked it open and then he slammed it behind him. Demetra collapsed into a chair as her boys gathered round her, "Are you okay?" Quinn asked.
"I'm fine." She said, "Though the sooner this cursed cult is brought down the better."
"Why is Uncle so mad?" Quinn asked.
"I don't know. He's scared maybe. Those who haven't bought into their empty promises then are terrified of the people who have. So no one speaks up and everyone bends over backwards to stay out of view." She explained.
"Why don't we speak out then?" Ernest asked.
"Because there are better ways to undermine them." Demetra said, "Ways that won't get you hurt!"
Gourry took a deep breath and climbed up the stairs and knocked. A few moments later Demetra pulled the door up. "I can't trouble you any longer." He said. "You've already taken enough risk and been paid poorly for all your help."
"I'd do it again." Demetra said as they looked at each other with the knowledge that they were genuine allies in this, "There's a right and there's a wrong, even if the rest of the town has lost their minds about it. Helping you was the right thing to do. I still think you should stay another night."
"I'll take it easy on the road." He said, "Are my clothes ready?"
"Yes," she said as she went to her basket and handed them to him. He noted that she had somehow managed to piece together his mess of a shirt and patch it up. She'd even gotten the blood out, even if it was a bit faded.
"Thank you." He said.
"Here, take this soap and water, give yourself a sponge bath before you leave." She said as she handed the supplies to him. "Right now there's too many people about town. I'll have Ernest keep an eye out and he'll let us know when it's died down."
"Right," Gourry said as he went behind the curtain to bathe and to change. His hair needed a good washing but that would have to wait.
When he came out it was with a bag of coins in his hand. He put it in Demetra's hands, "For all you've done."
"The best way you can repay me is by destroying this wretched cult!" She said.
"That wasn't what we set to do, but they picked a fight with Lina and we didn't have the option of declining. So now we're in deep." Gourry said. "Don't worry though. Lina and I have taken on bigger enemies and won. Just like we'll do with the Cult of Shabranigdu."
Gourry suddenly sensed someone approach but didn't become too anxious as he sensed no malice. A few minutes later Ernest walked in and closed the door behind him. "A group of people have left to scout the woods. There are still people looking out in town," Ernest said.
"We can create a distraction." Quinn said as his eyes lit up, "I can cast a Flare Arrow on the priest's haybale. And we can blame the people they're looking for."
"I can't ask you to…"
"Right now it's getting risky just to harbor you." Demetra said. "At least this way we'd get it over with."
"Sorry," Gourry said.
"Don't be. Quinn, do it." Demetra said as Quinn ran out of the house. "There's rumors that they plan to attack Saillune. If you're needing a place to start you might head over there."
Hopefully Lina knows this as well. He thought. "Thank you."
And for once a plan worked flawlessly. As soon as the cries of "fire" started to ring through the town he slide out of the house and slipped into the woods without being seen. He took a deep breath and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Now he could find Lina.
He'd been able to circle back to where the confrontation with Vedul had happened to find the blade to his sword. But he hadn't been able to risk going back to the inn he had been staying at with Lina and Amelia. A quick bit of scouting let him know that people were looking for them and told him that Lina and Amelia were no longer staying there. He would just have to hope that they had taken his stuff with them when they left.
He traveled a bit and fortunately the next town was big enough for him to blend in. He was able to buy some rations and even found a blacksmith to repair his armor. He scouted the area for any sign of Lina and Amelia while he waited but came up empty. Once he'd retrieved his armor he decided that he would have to risk staying in an inn. He didn't have his camping gear and he wasn't impressed by what he was able to find in the area. The inn was dingy and small but it served its function and kept him safe and allowed him time to think. About Mazenda and her otherworldly beauty. And his thoughts always returned to Kanzel and how well he had blended in as a human, hiding the evil that lurked beneath. He also thought about Demetra and her sons and hoped that they were left alone.
But mostly he worried about Lina and hoped that she was okay as he moved on to fantasies about what would happen when they were reunited. Sometimes he would imagine her coming up to him with a shy smile as she casually let him know how worried she'd been. Other times he'd imagine her losing all constraint and running into his arms and throwing herself at him. The variety of ways that they could reunite enticed him The variety of ways that they could reunite enticed him and helped to drown out his fears that she might be dead.
But there were signs that she was alive and well. The trail of forest destruction he found was one. Rumors he'd hear that there was still an active search for their party was another. He kept moving towards Saillune, guided by trust that this was the best way to see her again.
Finally late one morning he found evidence of a scuffle on a trail, including a set of footprints that looked like Lina's. Nerves gripped him. Would he find Lina there? Would she be okay?
As he got closer a town came into view as sounds of fighting drifted his way. And then his heart raced as he recognized Lina's voice, casting a spell! That she was casting a spell heartened him. She must have gotten her magic back. Amelia was also there as well and, if he was not mistaken, Zelgadis must have joined the party! But there was also another masculine voice that Gourry couldn't place. It certainly wasn't Lantz.
He sped up and rushed to town and wasted little time in drawing the Sword of Light. And finally they came into view. He took just a moment to glance at Lina, to assure himself that she was okay before he focused on the person who was most in danger: Zelgadis. His broadsword had been cleaved in two and a werebeast was ready to launch a fatal attack as he turned to run. There was no way Lina could finish her chant in time.
They never saw him coming. Gourry sliced through the battleaxe one was carrying and through the werebeast who was about to attack Zel, who had fallen to the ground but was otherwise unharmed as he looked at him with a mixture of relief and embarrassment.
"You sure took your time getting here." Zelgadis said with an awkward smile, and Gourry wondered if he was still mad about the incident with Copy Rezo.
"I like to make a big entrance every now and then." Gourry said as he stole a glance at Lina, who was smiling a little. But it was no time for the reunion he had long craved. There was still a fight to win. "Let's go!"
Gourry took out the remaining werebeasts including one who was wearing Zanaffar armor who gave them information about where the new base was. And then, the situation secure, he walked over to Lina and patted her head as he told her how worried he'd been about her. Patting her head was about as much as he would risk until he'd felt out where she was emotionally. But the feel of her hair beneath his hand was soft and cold and he wanted to feel more! Would she give him a hug? Tell him how happy she was that he was okay?
Suddenly there was a dull pain in his jaw and after a moment of surprise he realized she'd hit him with an uppercut. His stomach sank even if there was something familiar in the disappointment. Only with his mother he at least understood why she was upset with him. At the moment he couldn't understand why Lina would be mad! "What did I do?"
"What do you think, dammit, where have you been?" she asked as her eyes welled with tears and her face turned red.
"Where else? Looking for you and Amelia!"
It was the truth. But it was not the whole truth. But he didn't want to worry her with how injured he'd been.
"Ohhhh really?" she asked as she drew closer to him, not buying his story for an instant. As always her bullshit meter was sharp and given that she had been on the run from the cult for the past week she likely wasn't in the trusting mood. But it was disheartening that she didn't trust him. "It would be one thing if you showed up where we got separated or in Mayin but what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"
"Oh that!" Gourry said as he clapped his hands together. There was no point in trying to explain, so he retreated to playing the fool. It was always good for getting him out of trouble while growing up. "Mayin! I knew I was forgetting something."
She hit him with a slipper, "How'd you manage to get lost on a straight road? Do you have any idea what you put me through worrying about you?"
Well, I was hoping you were worried about me. He thought as he was suddenly very aware of the fact that Zelgadis, Amelia and the strange man were watching. But I was hoping you'd express it differently. Still, playing the fool hadn't worked, but Gourry had another trick up his sleeve, "Hey wait."
"Don't try to make excuses!"
"No, not that. Where did you get a slipper?"
"My pocket!" she yelled.
"Why do you have a slipper in your pocket?" he asked.
"I thought something like this might happen so I swiped them from an inn awhile back." She said.
"You thought what might happen?" he asked.
"Hey Lina, we don't have time for a lover's quarrel." Amelia cut in.
"A what?" Lina asked as she blushed crimson as she turned to Amelia. And as Gourry took in her reaction he wasn't sure what to think. Part of him hoped that she did have feelings for him that scared her that she wasn't sure how to express. But what if she had only been worried about him because he had the Sword of Light and for the protection he offered and the romantic undertones that the others read into it angered her because it wasn't her reality?
Either way they got her mind off her anger and on finding the cult's base. But if he was honest he wasn't really paying attention as the group talked to the strange young man dressed as a priest. The disappointment that their reunion hadn't been more affectionate was strong. Breathe. But at least Lina was okay. That was what mattered. He wasn't doing this for the hugs.
But damn, a hug would be nice.
Now that he knew that Lina was okay the anger he felt towards Amelia evaporated. She was still new to life outside of the palace after all and they all had their learning curves. Zelgadis, it seemed, had also let go of any anger he had at Gourry for giving Copy Rezo another chance. It was good to keep in mind that they all made mistakes and deserved forgiveness for them.
It was so good to settle into an inn with Lina and the others that evening, to no longer be alone. After her initial outburst she had calmed down and returned to her usual chatty self as she filled him in on everything that had happened while he was gone and fortunately did not ask any further questions about where he'd been. After dinner he'd gone up to his room with the peace of mind that came from knowing that the person he cared most for was fine. And he tried to not focus on the hurt that came from how spectacularly bad their reunion had gone. And he tried to not focus on the hurt that came from how spectacularly bad their reunion had gone. He cared about her so much and the thought that his feelings were unrequited was both painful and familiar. That's what he was used to. His own parents had never much cared for him after all. Only Grandmother had.
He got into his room and took off his armor and sighed. He'd been too scared to ask if they had kept his stuff and he was in desperate need of a toothbrush and a change of clothes. Before he could think too much on it he heard Lina approach his room and knock. "Come in."
Lina walked in, holding his stuff, "I thought you might want this."
"You kept it." He said with a smile as he reached for his bag. Relief raced through him. It may not have been for reasons he desired but the fact that she kept track of his stuff showed that she did care, "It didn't slow you down too much, did it?"
"It was heavy." She admitted, "You didn't weigh it down with rocks or anything?"
"You mean you didn't snoop through them?" He asked as he sat it beside his bed and opened it up as she studied him.
"Would I…Gourry! What happened to your shirt?" she asked as she drew closer to him.
"Huh?" he said as he started getting out his night things.
"Now that your armor is off I can see the stitches." She said as she reached a hand out as though to touch him but then stopped abruptly as her voice rose in alarm, "How badly were you hurt?"
Gourry put his hand on his chest. Demetra has made it wearable again but it was also obvious that it had been worked over. It was no longer a brilliant shade of sky blue and the black thread she'd used to piece it back together stood out like a sore looked at her, at the genuine horror on her face and for a moment his heart lurched. Do you feel the same for me as I feel for you? He wondered as confusion settled into his bones. Her behavior was so hard to read!
The impulse rose to be honest. But the advice the man with the long, black hair had given him held him back. She had enough on her plate, she didn't need to worry about him. Especially since he'd made it out okay. "My shirt was a bit worse for the wear. It's okay now. Though we do need to go shopping I suppose."
She looked at him searchingly. Damn, she made it hard to dismiss this! Maybe he should tell her that he had been injured and sick and had to be nursed back to health. Lift his shirt up and show her the scars. Let her touch them even! And then…
Bed her and leave her with her regrets the next morning. Just like Gunther. "Shopping." She said as a strange look flashed across her face, "Expenses do add up I guess. But we certainly can't have you walking around in tatters."
Gourry frowned. When they'd left Saillune it had been with a considerable nest egg. Enough to cushion them for some time. Before he could ask about it she said, "Well I think we're all exhausted."
"Sleep well Lina."
"You too, Gourry." she said, and then she paused as she smiled sheepishly, "It is good to have you back. Just don't worry me like that again."
Before he could think to grab her hand and make a move she had left. Perhaps it was better that she had. With the inconsistent signals she gave he could easily have destroyed their relationship if he had. Playing it safe seemed like the best option, even if it left him unfulfilled.
Breathe. Lina is okay. And that is all that matters.
Living up to a legacy was hard. This was supposed to be his big moment to shine, to show he was worthy of the Sword of Light and the best parts of his family history. Only it didn't work that way. The Zanaffar was too fast. At one point the Zanaffar was going to stomp on him like the beetle had done with Lina. And that was when Gourry forgot his training as his patience wore out. He'd hesitated with the beetle and it had nearly killed Lina. He had to finish the Zanaffar, and quick!
"Out of my way!" he yelled as he charged and batted away the tentacles. But lazer breath appeared from their ends, burning him so that, once more, he had to sit out from the sidelines and watch as Lina worked her magic. It would have been fine, but…
His heart was in his throat as he watched as Lina jumped onto the Zanaffar and used a spell he'd never seen her use before. It created a blade of darkness between her hands that she used to cut into its back. And then his stomach clenched as she stuck her hands in the hole and started chanting! "Fireball!"
As soon as she released the spell Zanaffar collapsed, dead. And then Lina started screaming. "Levitation!" Amelia cried as she flew up to join her on top of the corpse of the Zanaffar as gooseflesh broke out on Gourry's skin once more. Just how badly had Lina been hurt bringing him down?
Zelgadis cast his own levitation to join Amelia, and both of them had to hold Lina steady as they brought her down beside him, and finally he saw what was wrong. Her arms below the elbow was burned, the skin was clear gone in some places, and several of her fingers were missing.
Amelia started casting a Resurrection spell as Lina took a deep breath and struggled to ground herself, but the tears kept coming. Gourry struggled with an impulse to find some way to comfort her. It wasn't as if he could hold her hand in the state they were in! He settled for putting a hand on her knee instead and between that and the healing spell her tears gradually dried and her hands were restored. Gourry watched as Lina examined her healed hands, so pristine and new and uncovered by her gloves as Amelia started a healing spell on his thigh.
"Hey Lina, how'd you beat that thing?"
"Oh that?" she asked, "I had a spell that cut a hole in the beast's back, and then I placed my hands in and cast a Fireball. Burnt the beast from the inside out."
Gourry scowled, "But wasn't that very dangerous?"
"Oh, super!" Amelia said in her cheery manner, "Both of Lina's hands were…"
"Don't remind me." Lina snapped.
If Gourry was honest, though, he was frustrated with himself for not doing better to protect her from having to take such drastic measures. It seemed he was still on this sharp learning curve. No wonder he couldn't win Lina's affections! As he replayed the fight with the Zanaffar and tried to figure out where he could have been more effective the others were talking. Something about finding a bible and keeping hope.
"All done Master Gourry." Amelia said as Lina stood up.
"Thanks," he said as he glanced at his pants. It definitely looked as though he would need to update his wardrobe.
Lina held out a hand to him, "Come on up you big lug."
He smiled a little as he took it and stood up, "So you're not mad that I left you to save the day?" he asked.
She looked at him, "Well I was hoping to avoid using those methods, but this Zanaffar was smarter than the one your ancestor fought."
"Huh?" he said.
"This Zanaffar had merged with Klotz and others who knew that your ancestor slew a previous Zanaffar with the Sword of Light." Lina explained, "So it knew not to take its eyes off you and to hit you hard. I don't think anyone could have held it off better than you did."
Gourry smiled a little as he felt a bit better. Maybe, as always, he was just too hard on himself. He chanced putting a hand on her head and she looked up and smiled at him as he said, "Thank you for telling me."
AN: In the novels, Gourry and Amelias' reactions to Lina losing her magic are just too callous to be believed. And the tone is so different from the fourth novel, especially with all the near assassination attempts. So I played with the unreliable narrator idea with Lina hard here in a way that I hope would make it understandable that Lina would want to misrepresent. And I keep saying I'm going to find a way to make these things shorter and thought that this book would be easy since Gourry is gone for half of it but…
So the next chapter is going to be long. It's going to be so damn long! It's be longer than all of the other updates combined! There.