Disclaimer

nikka-chi: Maybe I can own Lina-san...

Lina: Oh, hell no.

nikka-chi: Awwh, why not?

Lina: Because the infamous Lina Inverse doesn't belong to anyone! Haven't you seen my show?

Zelgadiss: Your show?

Lina: Yeah, my show. I'm always the first one to appear in the opening song.

Zelgadiss: Since when did that make you the owner?

Lina: Just shut up.

nikka-chi: Err, nevermind. On with they story! :D

"What is that smell?" Lina asked, scrunching her nose in disgust. The passageway proved to be a murky and damp place, obviously a previous sewer of sorts. The steps made strange noises and the lights flickered constantly, which didn't help the nervousness rising to her throat.

"I don't want to know." Zelgadiss answered, cringing as his hair pulled an abnormally large cobweb from one of the lantern posts.

Lina sighed, slouching as she trudged down the stone steps. They had only been walking for a couple of minutes and she was already bored, and not to mention hungry. How had she ever gotten into this stupid mess? It had all started as soon as she had found the lance, and she hadn't even touched it yet.

'Yet' was the keyword here. Things would get even worse when pretty soon, and she sure as hell wasn't looking forward to it. Why should she be? As soon as she had it in her hands, she was as good as dead.

"Lina-san, we should stop here." Xelloss cautioned, taking a sudden halt.

Lina stopped as well, cocking her head to him. "Why? We're right in the middle of this damn thing, there's no turning back now."

"Lina," Zelgadiss started, still trying to pry the cobweb from his hair, "I think he's right. Look."

She frowned, but did as he said, turning her head to squint into the dim light. A shadow stood a couple dozen feet away, it's darkened figure poised on one of the lower steps. Whoever it was didn't make any move towards them, or to retreat. "Who the hell is that?"

"I don't know, why don't we go down there and shake his hand?" Zel answered, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Well, excuse me Mr. smartass." Lina spat, rolling her eyes. Trying to focus she turned away again. "So what do we do? If we go back those guards will have us in a second, but if we go down who knows what this guy'll do."

"Lina-san, it's not like you couldn't take him." Xelloss put in, giving her a smile.

She thought about that for a moment before smiling smugly, crossing her arms in confidence. "Yeah...yeah you're right! I can take that punkass-hey! He's gone!" She blinked into the light, gawking at the vacancy that was once inhabited by the mysterious figure.

"That was certainly a short visit." Xelloss mused almost cheerily, starting down the stairs again.

Lina frowned at him, resising the urge to grab him by his neck and throw him down the stairs. He knew something, damn him, and he knew that she knew that he knew!

Sighing in self-defeat, she decided to let it go for now. Taking a second to calm down she started down the stairs with Zel just behind her, their shadows dancing in the dimmed lights.

It wasn't long before they hit solid ground...and a dead end. The stairs hadn't taken them anywhere! Just to a big circle-shaped tile platform! Where could that man have dissapeared to if it was a dead end? Damn.

Lina slammed her fist into the wall in frustration, revealing a sizeable crack once she removed it. "How could it be a dead end? There was a guy down here just five seconds ago!"

Xelloss ignored her, assessing the situation. The stairs had decended into a sphere-like platform of which there was no sign of an exit. There were lanterns outlining the walls, but besides that it was empty. It was blatantly obvious that this was not a dead end, it was only made to look that way.

"So what do we do now? Just blow up the wall and see where it takes us?"

Lina shook her head. "Nah, the walls would cave in."

"It's nice to see you back on your feet, Ms. Lina."

All heads turned to the stairway, on which the dark figure from earlier now stood with his cloak shadowing his face, but that didn't stop Lina from vaguely recognizing his voice. Still not sure of who he was, she turned to face him fully. "Can we help you?"

"No, but I can help you. Pull that lantern behind you, but blow it out first, you'll burn yourself."

Lina turned to follow his instructions, but took stopped to give him a cautious eye. "Why should we listen to you?"

"What other choice do you have, little girl?"

She frowned at his pet name, but figured that his reasoning was reasonable enough for her tastes, and did just as he said. His method proved to be sucessful for as soon as the lantern was pulled it was revealed that it was indeed a secret lever, and a part of the stone walls had opened to reveal another passage way.

"The west wing is through that passageway, follow the hall you enter into till you reach the huge double doors, that is where he is."

"How do you know we aren't just humble travelers?"

"It's best you aren't, for your purpose not only here in this little kingdom but for the rest of the world is great. I wish you luck Lina Inverse, you'll need whatever you can get."

Before any of them could blink he was gone, leaving them all to ponder on his wise words. Lina turned to Xelloss, her face in a frown of concentration. "I feel like we've met him before..."

"I think we have, Lina-san."

"Where?"

Xelloss only chuckled, ignoring her question and instead leading the way into the newly-discovered passageway.

"H-Hey, wait damn it! Tell me! You know who he is don't you?! Don't ignore me Xelloss! I'll kick your stupid mazoku ass!"

--