Disclaimer

nikka-chi: Alright, even if I don't own any of you all of you have to play nice since this is my story. Got it?

Lina: Like I'd listen to a pip squeak like you.

nikka-chi: Oh, so then you do want more lemony chapters Lina? That's a surprise, I didn't take you for that sort of girl.

Lina: 'blushes' W-What?! No!

nikka-chi: Then be nice. T-T

Lina: Whatever you say! Just no more lemons!

nikka-chi: No more lemons? Ha! When did I say there wouldn't be anymore of them? :3

Lina: ...

"Pretty fancy ain't it?" Lina asked in admiration, her mouth agape in amazement at the golden glory of the hall's golden columns and floors. "But why is this the only place in the palace we've seen that doesn't look like it's from a haunted house?"

"It means that that guy was right, and whoever is at the end of this hallway is the one we're looking for."

Lina didn't answer, too busy running the tips of her fingers over the gold-glazed walls as they walked slowly past. Xelloss took the lead, even his false face unreadable. He wasn't really ever the talkative type, but that stupid goofy smile on his face wasn't even there anymore. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Do you think Hiyo is alright?" Lina asked, attempting to probe some sort of social communication from him. Instead Zelgadiss answered, only accomplishing the easy task of pissing her off.

"What do you care? It was your idea to leave her there."

"Oh yeah, like you wouldn't be whining right now if you were still hauling her ass around everywhere."

He had nothing to say to that.

"Alright then." Lina concluded, taking charge yet again.

Although Zelgadiss had taken her mind off of Xelloss for that short time, her mind was right back there again. He was more of a curse than anything else, even when he wasn't talking she was annoyed at him. Or was it that she was worried about him?

Oh hell...

That was definitely not it. It couldn't be it. Oh god, please don't let that be it.

This had to be Hiyo's fault. After what she had said to her, what else would she think about? This is probably what she wanted to happen...like reverse psychology.

"Lina-san?"

A voice interrupted her thoughts, a voice she immediately recognized. Blinking she lifted her head up to realize that they had come to a stop at two enormous double doors, and that both Zel and Xelloss were giving her strange looks. "Are you ok Lina?" It was Zelgadiss this time, his brow creased with worry.

"Err, yeah. I'm fine, fine. What's wrong with you two?"

"Well, I thought that you might be worried about..."

"What? Oh, right. Of course not, I can take this guy no problem."

"You aren't even a little scared Lina-san? If you can't handle him with your normal magic then you'll have to use the spear."

"But if I can handle him, then I can take his spear away and combine it with mine. Everybody's happy."

"There still isn't any way I can convince you to leave, is there?" Zelgadiss questioned, his question serious but his voice soft.

"Afraid not."

"Guess there isn't any point arguing it anymore then. Ready?"

Lina laughed, stepping forward to stand before the doors, and performed a swift roundhouse kick. They burst open with a smack as the hit the walls on either sides, and Lina smirked. "Ready? I was born ready."

OoO

"Who dares enter my throne room unannounced?" A booming voice called, the speaker only a shadow seated atop his golden throne.

Lina stepped through the doorway and into the light, her sarcasm at the ready. "Pizza delivery."

"Guards! Seize them! They are the intruders!" He was standing now, his face visible in the bright sunlight through the glass above them. His hair was a deep gray, his eyes creased and wrinkled from old age, and there was an unusually large scar running down his face from his eyebrow to his chin.

The eyes that glared down at them were an astonishing blue, their aquatic depths making them impossible to miss against his fair complexion and dark hair. It was startling to see such an angry man with such beautiful eyes that were wrinkled from years of joyous laughter.

There was no joy in his face now, twisted into an unrelenting hatred of all things. Was this what she would look like sometime soon?

Raising her palm, she easily blasted off the dozen or so guards that came thundering out of nowhere with a practiced 'Fireball!'.

"Now your highness, this is no way to greet your guests." Lina taunted, examining her slightly charred glove.

"I will greet my 'guests' any way I please." The king retorted, his voice oozing arrogance.

"Cocky bastard, aren't you?" She responded, ending with a little laugh.

"What is it that you seek here, young sorceress?" Another voice sounded, his voice as smooth as it was menacing.

"I'm sure it's nothing you can give me." Lina answered, tilting her body the side a bit so that she could identify the new arrival.

The man stepped out from behind the throne, his face uplifted into an ironic little smile. His hair was long and brown, pulled back into a band at the back of his neck, only his bangs lay perfectly on his forehead. The clothes he wore suggested royalty, but he bore no resemblance to the king, and the guards all poised around the room made no move to bow their heads to him.

He was cute, yes, but annoying. The sides of his mouth were upturned in an ironic little smile, and his eyes laughed down at her as if she were some kind of peasant. Pfft, asshole.

"How cute. You're here to take the lance then, aren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"I didn't. You just told me."

Lina opened her mouth to retort, but the man silenced her with his upraised hand, "Now Ms. Lina Inverse, what do you intend to do now that you're finally here? It's obvious that you are the one who retrieved the piece of the Heilege Lance from the Kouyoko Mountains, and that you are here to put an end to the chaos that my humble leader has been causing, but just how do you intend to stop him?"

She opened her mouth again, only to be cut off for a second time. "Will you use your spear? Or will you stare into the face of what you will become and run away, scared of your own future?"

"I am not scared." Lina countered, finally managing to get at least a couple of words in between.

"You aren't? Then go on, take it from him." He waved his hand nonchalantly towards the king, who lifted up the spear, as if teasing her. Lina rolled up her sleeves, her nostrils flaring and her eyes going wild. "Alright buddy, I think it's hightime you and your damn king get your asses kicked nice and hard."

Zelgadiss stepped forward to rest his hand on Lina's shoulder, finally cutting in. "Lina I think you should calm down for a second, these guys don't look like they're playing around."

"Do I look like I'm playing around? No. So get your goddamn hands off me."

He did as she commanded, lifting his hands in a mock surrender. "Fine. Get yourself killed."

Xelloss chuckled, taking a backwards step before lifting himself into the air. He hovered for a moment before turning to teleport, but Lina's voice stopped him. "Running away, Xelloss?"

He half-turned his body towards her, his face upturned into a grin. Her back was still facing him, but her head was just barely shifted to the side enough so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye. "Running away? Of course not. I'm merely going out for a walk, Lina-san." His voice was soft, but she didn't buy into it.

"Don't pussyfoot Xelloss, I know exactly what you're doing. So just leave, go on. Get the hell out. I can handle these dickweeds." Giving him an arrogant upturn of her nose she fully-turned her face away.

"Come now, Lina-san, I have orders not to interfere. I'd never leave you alone if it were of my own free will, but unfortunately it's not."

"Bullshit." She spat, still not bothering to give him even a backwards glance.

Xelloss chuckled, shrugging. "Believe what you want, but there is so much you just can't see Lina-san. I wish you luck!" Then he was gone, leaving Lina feeling a bit betrayed, and maybe even a little hurt. His words confused her, but her own feelings drove her even deeper into the bottomless pit of nothingness.

Stepping forward, she was pulled back by Zel's arm yet again. He was holding out the spear, and she gave him a startled look. "Xelloss really isn't that bad of a guy, afterall." He gave her a little smile and a shrug, and she found herself smiling too. "I'm really sorry about this, Zel."

"Yeah, I know. I'll try everything I can to get the spear back from you, Lina. I promise."

Just before her fingers wrapped themselves around the shaft of the spear, she whispered with what seemed to be her whole heart, "I know you will..."

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