Chapter 4: Diamonds are Forever

"Here's to the monster slayers, Naga and Leo!" Bill cheered as he raised a frothy mug. The rest of the townsfolk cheered and raised their drinks with him. When Earndale returned with word of the Nightcrawler's death, the whole town was quick to celebrate, except for Matilda whose store was wrecked in the previous battle. The woman was quickly pacified by the stacks of gold the foreman passed to her for her trouble.

A big bonfire was lit up in the middle of the town square, and Naga and Leodin were seated at the table of honor and given plenty of free alcohol and food. Leodin was a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, but Naga was eating it up, along with a big juicy roast and a tall lager. The sorceress let out a loud sigh after taking a very long swig.

"Ohohohoho! Thank you, thank you, you're too kind," Naga said with a grin as more alcohol was passed to her. She gave Leodin a little nudge with her elbow. "Come on, enjoy yourself. We just took down a gross monster and everyone loves us. Most places I end up saving run me out of town."

"I wonder why," Leodin said dryly as he glanced over at the store her golem had demolished. He slurped his drink and sighed in the same manner. "Meh, slaying monsters is no big deal. Just another day in the life of a warrior."

"No need for modesty," Naga playfully chided. "Go ahead and make the most of this party. No one's going to judge you if you act like a drunken fool this one night." Leodin gave her a shrug and gulped down the rest of his mug, slamming the empty container on the wooden table.

"Fine. Bring me another!" The blond shouted. The townsfolk whooped and hollered as they got the heroes some more drink and roast. Whether it was from the booze or just all the attention, a blush came over Leodin's face along with a faint smile as he unconsciously ran his thumb over the long fang hanging from his neck.

"Ohohoh!" That's the spirit!" Naga put her arm around the bashful Leodin, her face equally flush. "Play us a song! Strike up the band!" The local musicians were quick to get an impromptu jam session going. The partygoers all started dancing to the upbeat tune, and Naga was feeling the groove as she grabbed Leodin by the arm and pulled him along to join in.

"Whoa, hey, I don't-" Leodin tried to protest.

"Shut up and dance with me." Naga retorted as she held his hand and started moving to the music. Leodin merely sighed and relented as he tried his best in his semi-drunken haze to move along with her, his face turning ever redder. Naga gave him a wide grin. "Hey not bad, you must be a natural."

"Just shut up and dance," Leodin replied. "At least I won't look so stupid if you're dancing too…"

The two danced and ate and drank and partied until they passed out. Thankfully the miners were nice enough to carry them both to a room at the inn, placing them both down on the same bed where they slept soundly until morning…until Leodin awoke with his hair soaked in Naga's drool…


Leodin covered his face with his arm as he lay down on the floor of the wagon, shielding his eyes from the blinding sun. Naga was standing atop a crate, arms crossed and smiling to herself as she gazed down the road. The wagon was carrying precious minerals from Emerald Falls. Bill had agreed to give them a lift back to Berylberg, a major convenience that saved a lot of travel time for the two.

Naga squinted and shaded her eyes as she spotted Berylberg out in the distance. "Hey, get up lazy," She said as she stepped down and nudged Leodin in the side with her foot. "We're here."

Leodin grunted as he sat up and looked towards the town. He sighed with relief as he placed a hand on the leather pouch containing his diamonds. "Alright, let's get this done," said the blond warrior.

Bill dropped them off before continuing on to make the deliveries the Nightcrawler had delayed. Naga and Leodin headed straight for the magic emporium. Inside, Gloriel was polishing a lens at her desk. She looked up with a surprised smile.

"Oh, you two, you're back," Gloriel said as she set the lens down. "How was Emerald Falls?"

"It's a nice town. We slayed a monster that was terrorizing the mines," Leodin replied, trying to downplay the events and eager to get his caster gems made. "I got those diamonds…"

"Ohoho, you should have seen it!" Naga exclaimed. "A horrifying beast preying on the innocent, vanquished by me, Naga the Serpent, with assistance from my sidekick."

"Ooh, tell me!" Gloriel said as she grinned and listened.

"Don't encourage her…" Leodin groaned.

"We trapped it in a ring of fire, and I unleashed my golem on it," Naga explained. "They exchanged blows and the creature retreated back into the mines. We pursued it and burned it to the bone only for another monster to rise from the ashes."

"Fascinating…" Gloriel whispered, entranced.

"But with some quick thinking, I froze it solid and ended the threat once and for all! Ohohoho!" Naga laughed with her hands on her hips.

"WE killed it…" Leodin corrected, but he knew neither of them were really listening to him. "Anyway, I got those diamonds, and I'm ready to make those caster gems."

"Ah, alright," Gloriel replied as she turned her attention to the young blond man. "Let me see them, if you don't mind." Leodin took the diamonds from his pouch and handed them both to Gloriel. She switched her glasses to a higher-powered lens and examined each one. "Hmmm, these are great specimens, more than perfect for caster gems. So, have you thought of what kind of magic you want to imbue?"

"I have," Leodin said with a nod. "I've been stuck underground enough times to realize I need to be able to manipulate rock and stone if I want to dig my way in or out of somewhere. I want earth magic."

"Not a bad choice," Gloriel said with a nod. "Okie then. I'll just need to carve them first so they can fit the sockets, and then we can imbue them in the kiln."

"Do you need one of my gems?" Leodin asked.

"Nah, I already got the measurements when I looked at it before," She said with a dismissive wave of her hand and a tap to her glasses. "I'm good like that."

"And how much would all this cost?" Naga asked curiously.

"Weeellll, for the carving service and use of the kiln…" Gloriel began to calculate in her head. "I'll just charge you one hundred and fifty gold since I like the cut of your jib." Leodin winced and frowned in dismay.

"Okay, that's…fine…" Leodin sighed and ran his fingers through his golden brown quills. "That'll still leave me with three hundred and fifty gold pieces…"

"Uh, excuse me, lackey…" Naga said in an uncharacteristically soft, cold voice. Leodin turned to see the sorceress gazing at him with an icy, piercing glare that sent a chill down his spine. "I believe you already spent all your share on the diamonds…"

"Huh? My share…" Leodin wondered what she meant, and then it dawned on him as Naga leaned in close.

"We split a thousand gold. You had five hundred. Did you think all that money was for you alone? Such hubris…"

Leodin's eyes grew wide. He had been so absorbed in his personal mission that he never considered Naga's take. Now all he had was the meager sum he had saved up before. Gloriel quietly glanced between them, trying to hide her excited grin as she waited to see what drama would unfold. Leodin's normally stoic expression was filled with panic.

"Uh, um, uhhh…" Leodin's eyes darted left and right, trying not to make contact with the drilling gaze from Naga's crystal blue irises. "Uhhhhhh, wait! The egg!" The warrior took his bag and fished around inside before pulling out the jewel-encrusted egg and holding it out to Gloriel. "How much is this worth?"

"Lesse," Gloriel flicked a lens over her glasses and examined the egg. She let out a long whistle. "Now that's at least five hundred gold."

"Aha! I'm back in the green!" Leodin smirked smugly at Naga, who merely rolled her eyes.

"Again, you forget," Naga chided with a wag of her finger. "The egg was given to both of us, so I have joint custody. Did you think you could just sell it off without consulting your mistress? The audacity."

"The nerve." Gloriel tutted.

"Don't humor her!" Leodin growled in frustration. "Fine damn it, if I give you full "custody" of the egg, will you give me two hundred and fifty gold?"

"Mmm…very well," Naga nodded to him as she produced the money from the pouch hidden in her cape. She halved her share of the money and they made the exchange. Naga cooed as she rubbed the glittering ornament. "Come to Mommy. I'm so sorry your papa just gave you up like that."

"Yeah, a real deadbeat," Gloriel chided while holding back a snicker. Leodin audibly groaned.

"So I'll have a hundred left over…great. I guess that'll last me a little while…" Leodin huffed, feeling disappointed that he was five hundred gold pieces shorter than he thought, but at least he would not be dead broke.

"Don't forget my fee," Naga said as she pocketed the egg. "I hope you weren't expecting me to imbue your gems for free. The services of a sorceress of my caliber don't come lightly."

Leodin let out a noise that was somewhere between the hiss of an angry hedgehog and a squeaky door hinge. He turned to the sorceress slowly, jaw clenched. "How…much…?"

"Two hundred gold pieces."

"Oh screw you!" Leodin blurted and pointed at her accusingly. "You know I don't have that much!"

"Then I guess you'll owe me! Ohohohohoho!" Naga laughed at his dismay.

"I think I'd rather go broke and homeless than owe you…"

"Oh, since you're so pitiful, and since you are my underling, I suppose I can make you a deal," Naga said as she proudly crossed her arms under her chest. "You only need to pay me fifty in gold. Satisfied?"

"I'll take it," Leodin said in exasperation. "Just stop jerking me around already."

Gloriel let out a little snort at his phrasing, but Leodin paid her no mind. He divided out his gold, paying one hundred and fifty to Gloriel and fifty to Naga.

"I'll have the gems carved by this afternoon," Gloriel said as she prepared her tools. "Come back around three or so and we'll imbue these babies."

"Sounds like a great time to have lunch then," Naga said as she grabbed Leodin by the wrist and turned to leave. "Come on, let's go to the Purple Posy. I'm sure they'll treat us to another fine meal."

"Hey, watch it," Leodin grunted as the sorceress dragged him along. Gloriel waved goodbye before taking the diamonds and getting to work carving them into the right shape to slot into the axe handles.

Naga and Leodin passed through the markets on their way to the tavern. There were countless stalls set up selling all kinds of items from fresh fruits to pottery and tools. Leodin spotted a stall selling candy in all sorts of shapes and colors. Berylberg really did seem to be quite the thriving community. More of a small city than a big town.

After several minutes, the two arrived in front of the Purple Posy Inn and Tavern. Parked on the street to the side was a long, ornate carriage plated in gold, silver, and jewels. It was so opulently decorated that the reflections were nearly blinding.

"My my, seems our friends have quite the guest," Naga mused with a small smile of intrigue.

"Uhg, I hope it's not Pugmutr again," Leodin grumbled as they walked through the entrance to the concierge. "Rich idiots are the worst…"

As if on cue, Naga and Leodin were greeted by the sight of two well-dressed individuals in the main lobby. They were with the innkeeper Agnes, whom they recognized.

One was the portly woman in heavy makeup from the other day, Josephine. Alongside her was a young man dressed in a white tunic with gold embroidery. He had forest green hair, cut short and with an impressive set of sideburns. What was not so impressive was the rest of him, as he had a small and rather scrawny physique under his tunic, but he seemed to have an amiable demeanor about him.

Josephine was holding up the silver and opal brooch that had been stolen by Pugmutr's greebles, a large toothy smile on her broad face. "Oh, thank goodness it's back! I don't know what we would have done," she said. "Thank you so much."

"Well, don't thank us," Agnes replied with a polite smile. "Thank those two over there." She pointed at Naga and Leodin. Josephine and the skinny young man looked over at them and reacted with surprise, though mostly because of Naga.

"Miss Naga, it's you!" The young man said cheerfully. "It's been a while!"

"Her?" Josephine was a little taken aback. "Well, of all people…"

"Hm?" Leodin arched an eyebrow. "Naga, what-"

"Ohohoho!" Naga suddenly burst into her usual haughty laugh. "Yes, if it isn't Josephine Mailstar and her beloved son Jeffrey! What a coincidence! Ohohoho!"

Leodin gazed at Naga suspiciously. Her laugh seemed just a little too forced…

"So you were the one who got back all that treasure and my mom's brooch?" Asked the green-haired young man, Jeffrey.

"Her and Mister Leodin," Agnes added. Josephine turned her gaze towards the blond warrior, who gave her a small wave but a stoic expression. Josephine gave him a look that he could not tell was disgust or intrigue.

"I see," said the rich lady. "We'll, ah, thank you for recovering our priceless family heirloom."

"And I heard that they just came back from saving Emerald Falls from a monster," Agnes continued. "They're really making a name for themselves in these parts."

"Yes, it's true," Naga proclaimed proudly. "Just another day for the great Naga the Serpent and her loyal follower."

"Oh, we should invite them, shouldn't we?" Jeffrey asked as he turned to his mother. "It'd be swell to have two great heroes attend! As thanks for getting your brooch back, and for Miss Naga's help all those years ago."

"What did you do?" Leodin whispered as he leaned in towards Naga.

"Later," Naga whispered back between clenched teeth.

"N-now Jeffrey, it's such short notice," Josephine began to say. "We have to consider the seating and the food…"

"Food?" Naga and Leodin asked in unison, their attention caught.

"Please?" Jeffrey pleaded, his hands clasped. "It's the most important day of my life and I want it to be the best! My friends should be there."

Josephine looked into her son's big, puppy dog eyes and gave a sigh of resignation. "Oh, I could never say no to such an angelic face…Miss Naga, Mister Leodin, you are hereby invited to-"

"Ohoho! Yes, I gladly accept your invitation!" Naga immediately cut Josephine off.

"Invited to what, exactly?" Leodin asked.

"My wedding, of course," Jeffrey answered with a grin. "I'm getting married to the beautiful Paula Blackthorn."

"You're getting married?!" Naga exclaimed incredulously. "OHohoho! The woman who would marry Jeffrey must be a real-" The sorceress faltered when she saw Josephine giving her an ominous death glare from behind her oblivious son. "A…a really lucky woman, hehe…"

"Yes, the luckiest to have earned my sweet Jeffrey's attention," Josephine said with subtly contained fury. "We're holding the wedding right here in Berylberg at the cathedral. Why don't you come by for the rehearsal today at four o'clock?"

"Will there be food?" Leodin asked bluntly. A blood vessel in Josephine's temple pulsed as she kept her smile.

"There will be some light catering for the rehearsal, yes," Josephine answered.

"Then I'm in," Leodin answered.

"I suppose I can spare some time to grace you with my presence," Naga said.

"That's great, we'll see you there," Jeffrey said with his ever-present smile.

"Yes, very good. Come along now Jeffrey," Josephine said as she gently guided her son towards the door. "We need to get the brooch somewhere safe…"

Naga watched the two leave and let out a sigh of relief she had been holding in. "That could have gone worse…"

"Thanks again for getting that brooch back," Agnes said. "The Mailstars are influential guests and we really don't want Josephine giving us bad reviews. So, are you here for a room?"

"We just came for some lunch while we wait," Leodin replied. "I'm getting some caster gems made at the magic emporium."

"Oh, where Gloriel works? She's a funny one," Agnes smiled. "We'll, whether it's a room or a meal, you two are getting a lifetime discount here at the Purple Posy."

"Ohoho, alright then, let's eat!" Naga quickly dashed into the tavern with Leodin following behind. They got their table and ordered their food. Naga got herself some generous portions while Leodin tried to keep his meal frugal, discount or not.

"Here you go," Jethro said as he set their plates on the table. It was their favorite dish with extra sides and plenty to drink. "Try not to wolf it all down at once."

"Hey, where are the greebles?" Naga asked before taking a bite of steak. "I haven't seen them anywhere."

"Oh, they're mostly helping me in the kitchen," Jethro answered. "Agnes and I thought it would be better to introduce them to the guests slowly. Don't want to scare them, especially after all the stealing."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Leodin said thoughtfully and drank some cider.

"Well, enjoy you two. Hope you stay another night," Jethro said before taking his leave back to the kitchen.

"So, Naga…what's the deal with you and those two?" Leodin asked as he turned to the sorceress. Naga coughed and sipped her tea before clearing her throat.

"A while back, Josephine hired Lina and me to help her son Jeffrey "become a real man," Naga said, making finger quotes at the last part. She glanced around nervously before continuing in a low whisper. "The whole thing was a complete farce. He was supposed to take down some actors pretending to be bandits, but then we ended up fighting real bandits and of course, Lina had to mess everything up."

"Wait, you worked with Lina?" Leodin asked between bites. "I thought you were enemies?"

"Lina is my rival, Leodin," Naga replied with a shake of her head and a wag of her finger. "There's a difference, please pay attention. Anyway, one thing led to another and it turned out Jeffrey's dad was some kind of warlord or something."

"Okay, so why are you acting all nervous?" Leodin asked. "It's…weird, seeing you like this."

Naga frowned and huffed at her traveling companion. "If you must know, Josephine is very, very protective of her little Jeffrey, and she really doesn't like it when anyone says or does anything mean to him…"

"Pfft, is that all?" Leodin asked with a wry smirk. "I wouldn't think the great Naga would be scared of some fat, rich idiot throwing a tantrum because someone wasn't nice to her little-" Leodin was cut off when Naga shoved a bread roll into his mouth a glared daggers.

"That rich idiot is a monster," Naga hissed at him as he let out a muffled curse. Leodin was silenced when Naga leaned forward to look him dead in the eye. "You won't see her coming but utter a single bad opinion about sweet Jeffrey and she will drop her hammer on you like thunder."

Leodin managed to swallow the roll and gasped for air. "Seriously? A hammer?" Leodin leaned back in his seat and let out a groan. "Whatever, it's not like I've got anything mean to say about the guy anyway. If he's getting us a free meal, he's alright in my book."

"Yes, I suppose that's good enough," Naga said as she and Leodin continued eating.

As they were finishing up their food, there was a glint in Naga's eye as she spotted one last little sausage on Leodin's plate. She waited for Leodin to take a swig of his drink and raised her fork, but before she could make a move, Leodin quickly stabbed the sausage with his own utensil, shaking the table on impact.

"Don't…"

Naga blinked as she looked from the piece of meat up to Leodin. He was glaring at her coldly from behind his mug before he set it down. She let out a dismissive laugh.

"Oh please, it's just one little scrap of food," Naga said blithely but internally wondering how he had known what she was up to. "Nothing to be so serious about."

"One little scrap can make all the difference between starving or making it to the next day," Leodin replied sternly as he lifted the fork. Naga watched as he stared at the sausage stuck at the end, his hand trembling slightly before putting it into his mouth and chewing. She pouted and shrugged.

"I wouldn't know, I've never had to worry about starving," Naga said before downing the rest of her drink. "Food always seems to find its way to my mouth. I've never fallen so low that I couldn't get a meal."

"Hmph, yeah, I guess you wouldn't," Leodin said bitterly before wiping his mouth with a napkin. He left his payment for the food on the table and made to leave without so much as a glance back. "I'll see you at the emporium. I'm gonna explore a bit."

"What was that for?" Naga asked as she placed her napkin on the table. Naga frowned as she watched him go, displeased at being brushed off so rudely. She needed to remember to admonish him for his impolite attitude. And here I thought he knew better than to abandon a lady on her own…"

Leodin was certainly an odd one in her mind, being chivalrous and sacrificing one moment and then rude and harsh the next. It was as though he could not decide what he wanted to be. He could be blunt and clear, or he could be vague like he was now. In any case, he did not need to storm off over some food. At least Lina would have had the decency to stay and fight over it…

Naga sighed as she paid for her order and exited the tavern. She saw no sign of Leodin anywhere outside, however. The sorceress furrowed her brow, perturbed at being left on her own once more.

"So much for chivalry…"


Leodin leaned against the side of Gloriel's Magical Emporium, tapping his finger impatiently as he waited for Naga. He had taken a long walk around town, partly to see what it had to offer but mostly to get some alone time, something he'd sorely been lacking for nearly a week now.

Naga was vexing to be sure, and by far the clingiest person he had met. Most polite people were put off by Leodin's appearance and tended to keep him at arm's length, while plenty of impolite people would try to start something with him. To put it plainly, a lot of people did not seem to like him at first glance. The shadowed eyes, scruffy jawline, and facial scars did not help.

Leodin really did exude the sort of rough, antisocial air of a bandit or roguish mercenary, but without the size or bulk to be entirely intimidating. He could feel the revulsion in Josephine's eyes when she looked at him and Naga, the kind of look that those of high-status reserve for the low born…at least Jeffrey was nice…

When it came to Naga though, he still could not wrap his head around her. She was like a kid in a grown woman's body, so carefree, or maybe just careless. Naga certainly liked to act so smug and superior, and yet, it never quite felt like she was looking down on him either. The sorceress certainly was not scared of him, and she did not seem all that bothered even when he was at his grouchiest. It was not as though she was nice to him either, though, was she? Leodin could not tell just how sincere she was when it came to anything. How much was an act? Was she just genuinely weird?

"Ohoho," came Naga's laugh, snapping Leodin to attention as she approached. "You're lucky I still decided to show up after you so thoughtlessly left me alone at the tavern."

Leodin winced a bit at her words. Again, with the way she acted, he was not sure how offended she actually was. "Sorry, I needed time to cool off," he said softly without making eye contact. "Let's go do this."

Naga smirked as Leodin quickly turned away from her and they entered the building. Back at the desk, they saw Gloriel adding some finishing polish to one of the caster gems. It was shaped mostly like the ones in Leodin's axe handles, but completely clear instead of red, and seemed just a bit more reflective.

"Ah, just in time," Gloriel said as she rotated the lenses away from her glasses. "If you're ready, we can take them to the kiln."

"We're ready," Leodin said with a nod.

"Yes, show us this magic kiln, I'm very curious," Naga chimed.

Gloriel motioned for them to follow. She led them to another room, one with brick walls. Inside it was lined with desks, tools strewn about, and in the middle was what looked like a huge sphere made of stone, separated into halves at the middle with a hinge at the back and a pair of brass handlebars at the front.

"Yep, this here is the kiln," Gloriel said as she walked over to the sphere, grabbed the handlebars, and with a heave opened it up. "One heavy-duty piece of work I tell ya what."

It was hollow inside save for a bowl upon a pedestal placing it in the center of the sphere. Naga and Leodin stepped in for a closer look and saw the inside walls of the sphere were covered in sigils carved into the stone.

"Huh, there's something familiar about this…" Leodin wondered aloud, but he could not put his finger on what it was the kiln reminded him of.

"Hmm, it actually reminds me of the core of a giant golem I was in," Naga mused, earning a glance from the other two. "But that's a story for another day."

"Yeah, tell me later," Leodin said. "So the gems go in the middle?"

"Correct," Gloriel nodded and placed the caster gems into the bowl in the center of the sphere. "Now stand back or you might lose a finger." Naga and Leodin moved away as Gloriel closed the kiln with a loud thud.

"And so what must I do?" Naga asked.

"Quite simple," Gloriel gestured to the bars. "Grab these two handles and concentrate on the kind of magic you want to imbue the gems with."

"Like this?" Naga asked as she grabbed the handlebars. Gloriel nodded in confirmation.

"Gather the magical energy and let it flow through you and into the kiln."

Naga closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Leodin watched her with anticipation as the air around her began to shimmer. His eyes grew wide when he noticed the pale, golden light shining through the seams of the kiln and the sound of its bricks all vibrating with power. The sorceress then let out a small gasp as her knees buckled. Leodin was quick to catch her, one arm around her waist and his other hand at her shoulder to keep Naga on her feet.

"Whoa, you okay?" The warrior asked. Naga gave him a nod and took another deep breath as she steadied herself against him. The light and the vibrations subsided from the kiln.

"Just a bit winded, that took a lot out of me," Naga replied as she stood up straight and gave him a smug smirk. "But I think you'll find the gems' power more than sufficient."

Gloriel opened up the kiln, and a hot mist wafted from within. The sigils within were glowing with the same pale yellow color, and at the center were the caster gems, a shining gold hue with electric blue lines streaking through them.

The magical engineer took a pair of tongs and lifted the bowl from the kiln. She carried it over to a trough filled with cold water and dipped it in. The gems hissed and steam rose from the surface. She held it there for a moment before pulling the bowl out. Gloriel poured the excess water out and put the bowl on the nearby desk.

"And there you have it," Gloriel said with a grin and a gesture. "Go ahead, touch 'em."

Naga and Leodin each took one of the caster gems and examined them closely. Leodin was surprised at how cool to the touch it was, but also by the facets cut into the gems.

"Hey, these have…edges on them," Leodin observed. "My fire gems are smooth."

"I know, don't worry, they'll function just as well," Gloriel began to explain. "I figured if you needed to switch gems quickly and couldn't see them, you could tell by touch."

"Ooh, smart." Naga quipped. Leodin nodded in approval.

"Okay…can we test them out?" The blond asked.

"Rrrright this way," Gloriel said and began to lead them over to the practice range. As they moved, Leodin gave Naga a slight poke in the arm. The sorceress turned to him with a quizzical look.

"Hey uh...thanks," Leodin said. "Maybe now I won't have to worry about being stuck underground anymore. You sure you're okay?"

Naga blinked at him a moment before giving him a sheepish grin. "Yes, I'm alright," the dark-haired beauty said as she gave him his other caster gem. "Pleasure doing business."

He took the gem and replaced the fire gems in his axe handles with the newly imbued ones as they reached the practice range. There was the training dummy from before standing in the middle, ready to take a beating.

"Have at it," Gloriel said as she leaned against the wall. "Just don't go overboard."

"Alright, stand back and listen in awe to the mighty roar of the earth!" The blond warrior proclaimed with a triumphant grin.

Leodin stepped up and brandished his axes. He summoned the power of the gems, feeling them flow through the handles and up into the axe heads. The warrior raised his right axe, took aim, and swung it downward, unleashing the magical energy at the ground below the dummy…

…a mighty gust of wind blew out from the axe, knocking the dummy right out of its post.

Leodin stood in position, motionless, staring silently. Naga's cape billowed and Gloriel cocked her head to the side. The blond narrowed his eyes at his axe blade, then slowly turned his head to look at Naga and Gloriel, his joints creaking audibly.

"...uh, hey," Leodin began to say, his tone flat. "This…this isn't earth magic…"

"Ooooohoho!" Naga burst into her laugh, the back of her hand over her mouth. "Of course not, it's air shamanism, that should be obvious."

"Air?!" Leodin growled, his anger quickly rising as he turned around, teeth bared. "What am I supposed to do with air, muss up some bandit's hair?! I asked you for earth!"

"Then you should have paid me two hundred gold like I originally asked!" Naga declared haughtily. "You think I don't know what you're up to? You wanted earth magic so you could dig your own tunnels without me. Your plan was to get the power of earth shamanism and then ditch me!"

"What?!" Leodin shouted in bewilderment. "That's, I, I didn't think that!"

"Don't try to deny it!" Naga shouted back and pointed. Gloriel just kept her mouth shut and soaked in the drama. "You've seen my mastery over earth and thought you could do it without me, well tough luck! So if you want to escape from an underground ruin or mine, then you had better stick with me, Naga the Serpent! Oohohoho!"

"Naga, imbue these gems with earth magic right now!" The blond shouted.

"Ehh, not possible," Gloreil chimed in. "Once imbued, it's irreversible. Those gems are permanently air gems."

Leodin's face turned red as he glared furiously at the laughing sorceress. He felt humiliated, embarrassed, and bamboozled. It was enough to make his blood boil. "Naga, you unbelievable, inexcusable, overgrown…I"

"Oh hush, you got your caster gems, didn't you?" Naga said with a roll of her eyes. "Air is a perfectly viable element. Use your imagination for once. Honestly, you should be grateful I did you this service for such a meager down payment. You really are spoiled, aren't you?"

Something in Leodin snapped at Naga's last sentence. "Shut up! I. Am NOT. SPOILED!" He raised both axes and for a moment the two women were suddenly on their guard as they expected the worst from Leodin. The warrior let out a loud primal scream and swung his axes, only he wasn't aiming for Naga. He spun back around and his strike was aimed at the fallen dummy, only it was not a gust of wind which came from the weapons. Instead, the room shook as a clap of thunder blasted through the air, and arcs of lightning shot out from the glowing blades.

The dummy was shocked by the electricity and went flying into the air once more. Leodin was taken out of his moment of rage, glancing between his axes and the training dummy. "Wait…wait, what?"

"Air includes thunder and lightning," Gloriel explained. "In case you were worried it wouldn't pack a punch. And Naga is right, wind itself can be just as useful as any other element. You can use it for flight spells, for one."

"See?" Naga said as she crossed her arms. "Perfectly good caster gems. You're welcome."

"I'm not thanking you," Leodin scoffed, though he did think that the lightning was very impressive. "I guess I just have to make the best of this." He holstered his axes and let out a long sigh. "Thank you though, Gloriel. If I find any more diamonds, I'll be sure to bring them to you."

"Oh, my pleasure," Gloriel said with a small smirk. "You two are my favorite customers. Come back soon now." The engineer waved goodbye as Leodin and Naga exited her shop. The nearby clock tower chimed as the sun began to sink down towards the horizon line.

"Are you coming to the wedding rehearsal?" Naga asked. "Because I certainly am, or are you still upset?"

"Of course I'm going," Leodin answered as he began walking off down the street. "I'm not passing up a free meal, no matter how much I dislike the company."

"Hmph, yes, that we can agree on," Naga replied with a strained smile that just barely masked her own tumultuous feelings. Why did he have to be nice to her right after she imbued the gems?

Leodin led the way towards the cathedral where the wedding was to be held. He had scouted it out earlier during his alone time while exploring. It was tall with two steeples and a massive, round stained glass window in the center of the building.

A crowd of well-dressed guests had gathered outside in the courtyard for the rehearsal. At the top of the steps leading to the cathedral was an altar where a priest stood with a thick book. He was a withered old man as one would expect, but he already looked more pleasant than the last one they had encountered.

Naga spotted Jeffrey amongst the crowd with his mother Josephine hovering close by. With her was a tall man with long blond hair, dressed in similar garb to Jeffrey. He was sipping on a very full glass of wine and looked particularly bemused by everything.

Just off to the side were two women, a taller, older one with short brown hair held by a gold headband and wearing a dark green dress. The other was a younger woman with dark blue hair tied back in a low ponytail wearing a bright yellow dress. They each smiled as they chatted with the guests, but also had cold, piercing eyes which seemed to undermine their outward friendliness.

What really caught the adventurers' attention though was the long buffet table set up at the side of the courtyard. Without another word, the two made a beeline for the catering. There were large bowls of prawns, glasses of champagne, and both cheese AND chocolate fondue fountains among many assorted snacks. Leodin's mouth watered.

"It's all so fancy…" Whispered the blond.

"You're really that impressed? Ha," Naga scoffed as she was already filling up a plate. "This is paltry compared to the delicacies I've tasted."

"Whatever, food is food," Leodin replied dismissively as he did not even bother with a plate and began pulling prawns off the bowl and into his mouth.

"Uhg, how uncouth…" Naga chided. The guests watching them felt the same and frowned with disapproval.

"Like I care what anyone thinks of my manners," Leodin said with his mouth half full of prawns. He swallowed and let out a sigh. "Hm, tastes like crayfish."

"You made it," Jeffrey said as he walked over to the two, not at all bothered by the bit of cocktail sauce at the corner of Leodin's mouth. "You're just in time, the rehearsal is about to start."

"Attention everyone," Josephine called out as she stood in front of the cathedral. "Thank you all for coming to the rehearsal. I'm just so…happy that my sweet boy Jeffrey has found such a…lovely young woman to spend the rest of his life with, Miss Paula Blackthorn."

Josephine gestured to the girl with blue hair. The guests all clapped and Paula gave a curtsy and a smile. Leodin raised an eyebrow as he studied Josephine's face and listened to her tone. Her smile seemed a bit forced, and her voice ever so slightly strained. He did not think much of it however as he continued to chew on a brisket.

"I'm so happy to be here," Paula said. "When Jeffrey saved me from those bandits, I knew we were destined to be together."

Naga nearly choked on the eclair she was having when she heard that. Jeffrey saved her? Unbelievable! That is what she would have blurted out if not for her full mouth and the death glare Jeffrey's mother was giving her. Leodin gave her a smack on the back to help clear her throat, and Naga took in a deep, loud breath. The guests all glared at the two a moment before turning their attention back.

"Yes, Jeffrey was so brave when he rushed to our aid," the older woman beside Paula spoke. "If it wasn't for him, I shudder to think what would have happened to my daughter."

"Well, without further ado," Josephine called out and clapped her hands together. "Everyone take their places please!"

The guests all began to assemble, forming rows with a gap down the middle. At the top of the steps with the priest stood Jeffrey and the tall man with long hair. Paula walked to the opposite side of the courtyard while her mother went to stand opposite Jeffrey by the altar. Naga and Leodin watched from the buffet table, unsure of where they should be.

"You two," Josephine's voice came from behind, surprising the two adventurers. She had appeared suddenly and without warning, sending chills down their spines. "You can stand over here…"

The large woman lifted the two of them up by the collars effortlessly as if they were kittens. She carried them off towards the furthest side of the courtyard, beneath a tree, and set them both down. Naga and Leodin were too stunned to put up any kind of resistance.

"Now you two just stay here and watch quietly," Josephine said with a threatening tone. "We want everything to go smoothly, even if it is just a rehearsal…" Josephine walked up to the top of the steps to stand with her son, leaving Naga and Leodin sweating nervously.

"...okay…I believe you…" Leodin whispered to Naga. "I don't want to mess with her…"

The rehearsal went on without a hitch…mostly. Paula made her way down the aisle towards the altar where Jeffrey awaited. They exchanged vows, and Josephine handed Jeffrey the opal brooch to pin on Paula's dress. As the young man tried to open the pin, however, he could not help but fumble.

"Yowch!" Jeffrey yelped as he pricked his finger. The guests collectively winced. He nearly dropped the brooch, but Paula was quick and caught it.

"Oh Jeffrey," Paula said with a soft smile. "Here…" With her delicate hands, Paula helped guide Jeffrey and pinned the brooch to her dress. All the while their mothers watched. Josephine looked ready to burst into tears, while Paula's mother seemed to have an oddly smug and satisfied smirk on her face. The tall man with long blond hair just stared with a blank expression, his inner thoughts unreadable.

"I pronounce you man and wife…almost." Said the priest as he shut his book. The guests all clapped and cheered as Jeffrey and Paula stood hand in hand, gazing warmly into each other's eyes.

"Well that's good enough," Josephine said. "Everyone, please enjoy the buffet for the rest of the evening and we'll see you in a few days for the real wedding."

With that, the guests began chatting and milling about once more and the two adventurers went straight back to the buffet table.

"Oh, Miss Naga!" Jeffrey called out. The sorceress looked up to see Jeffrey approaching and pulling along the tall blond man, who looked none too pleased. "Miss Naga, you remember my dad? Say hi Daddy!"

"...hello…you." Jeffrey's father greeted them with a venomous glare. Naga furrowed her brow as she tried to recall his face.

"Mmm, I'm sorry, have we met?"

"Yes, we did, several years ago," the man replied. "You turned my best man against me, broke into my castle, and…" he glanced over at Josephine, who waved back at him with a frightening grin. "...reunited me with my…beloved family."

"Ohhhh, Goldias right?" Naga clapped her hands together. "Now I remember! You look different without your magic armor! Ohohoho, so what have you been up to?"

"I've been on house arrest ever since you and Lina Inverse disrupted my operation," Goldias said. "The kingdom didn't take kindly to my deeds."

"But thankfully they let him stay with me and Mommy instead of locking him up," Jeffrey chimed in. "The courts were really merciful after Mommy convinced them."

"Yes…merciful…" Goldias hissed. Naga and Leodin smiled nervously. He grabbed a nearby champagne glass and quickly downed it in one go. "Ah, excuse me, Jeffrey, I think I see Galda." With that, Jeffrey's father quickly left. His son merely smiled, still clueless.

"It sure is nice having Dad and Uncle Galda around," Jeffrey said as he turned to Naga and Leodin. "And my family's just getting bigger with Paula and Cally joining the Mailstars too."

"Did you say, Cally?" Naga asked curiously.

"Yeah, that's Paula's mom," Jeffrey answered. Naga rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she glanced over at Cally across the courtyard. The older woman had a fan in one hand covering the bottom half of her face.

"What is it?" Leodin asked.

"I swear I've heard that name before…" Naga said. She wracked her brain but soon gave up with a sigh. "Nope, can't remember!" Leodin sighed and gave a shrug before turning back to the younger man.

"Anyway…thanks for inviting us, Jeffrey," Leodin said with a nod and a small smile. "You seem like a pretty nice guy…I'm, uh, happy for you and Paula."

"My pleasure," Jeffrey nodded with a pleasant smile. "Enjoy the food. Good to see you again Miss Naga." He then walked off to chat with some of the other guests. Naga narrowed her eyes as Jeffrey went.

"He seems…different…" The sorceress observed. "He's still skinny but…I don't know, somehow less…pathetic…"

"What was that?"

Naga felt shivers down her spine when she heard Josephine behind her. With a yelp, the tall sorceress dashed off to the other end of the buffet table and hid herself behind a fondue fountain. Leodin watched her go, then slowly turned to see Josephine smiling sweetly at him…or as sweetly as a face like hers could.

"Mister Leodin, was it?" Josephine asked with her hands clasped together. "Could I have a word with you?"

Meanwhile, Naga caught her breath and let out a long sigh. "Oh gods, my heart nearly leapt from my breast…"

"Ah, excuse me," came a voice. Naga looked to her side to see Paula standing there with a plate of strawberries and an annoyed expression. "Could you move? I'd like to dip these in that if you don't mind."

"Oh, the bride-to-be," Naga said with a smirk and a flip of her hair. "Well, Jeffrey is a lucky man isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Paula said as she moved around Naga, who had not budged for her. "I take it you're an… acquaintance of his?"

"Something like that, you could say," Naga replied as she too took a plate of strawberries. "A while back I did some work for his mother. She wanted me to help Jeffrey become a real man."

"What?!" Paula was shocked, nearly speechless at Naga's words.

"That's right, I was hired to help him take down some bandits so he would be inducted into the royal guard," Naga continued. "But things didn't quite turn out so well."

"I see…" Paula felt relieved to know Naga did not mean what she thought she meant. "Well, Jeffrey's courage alone certainly would make him worthy of the position…"

"But he's still not in the royal guard, is he?" Naga asked with a knowing smirk. She quickly glanced at Josephine to see she was talking with Leodin and made a mental note to find out what exactly it was they were discussing. The sorceress leaned in and whispered to Paula. "Be honest now, what really happened? Everyone knows Jeffrey couldn't defeat a snail, let alone a bunch of bandits.'

"Aahhhahah, whatever do you mean?" Paula asked with nervous laughter. "It's just like we said, my mother and I were attacked by bandits and Jeffrey swooped in and saved us. He really is a brave, strong warrior… OhIthinkIhearmymothercallingbye!" Paula took her plate and dashed off to join Cally. Naga watched her suspiciously as the two seemed to exchange words. Something fishy was going on and Naga wanted to know what…

"My boy Jeffrey likes you, and you said those kind words to him," Josephine said in earnest to the blond warrior. "Mister Leodin, for Jeffrey's sake, I'd like to hire you, to do some…investigating…"

"Hire me?" Leodin asked. "I'm listening…"

Josephine brought Leodin over to a small table away from the buffet, beneath a tree where they had a little more privacy to speak. "Truth is…I don't trust that girl OR her mother…" The woman whispered. "I've heard rumors about Cally, how she's had several husbands over the years, all wealthy nobles who each met an untimely end…" Josephine scowled and clenched her fists. "And not just her, but her daughters as well. Each noble family they marry into seems to just collapse in a matter of years if not months."

"And you think that's what's going to happen to yours?" Leodin asked. Josephine nodded. "Why not just stop the wedding then? Jeffrey seems to listen to you."

"Oh, I would, but." Josephine bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. "I couldn't possibly bear to break my sweet Jeffrey's heart…not without proof. I've just never seen him so happy, but to think he's being taken advantage of by some…some… gold-digging black widow…!"

The woman took a deep breath to compose herself. "But that's where you come in. None of the spies I've hired have gotten close to Cally or Paula, not yet. I'm afraid you're my last hope, Mister Leodin."

"What about Naga?" Leodin pointed his thumb back at the sorceress, who was busy at the buffet. "You hired her before."

"No, not her," Josephine said with a glare. "She has said many awful things about Jeffrey and I do not trust such a woman of ill repute. Please, will you help me?"

Leodin leaned back and gently tugged at the short, thick strands of his facial hair as he considered the proposal. He took one last look at Naga, now downing more champagne, then turned back to Josephine.

'Alright…How much are you willing to pay?"


"So what were you and Josephine talking about?" Naga asked as she and Leodin strolled down the street and back to the Purple Posy. Night had fallen, and the street lights were lit up by illumination spells cast by local mages.

"Uh, she was just talking about Jeffrey," Leodin answered, a hand resting on the head of his holstered axe. "She liked what I said to Jeffrey and went on and on about him. Wouldn't shut up."

"Oh really," Naga said with a dry tone. "Then I suppose you need not worry about incurring her wrath then, will you?"

The two of them entered the inn and Agnes was there at the front desk, smiling as though she had been expecting them.

"Hello again you two," Agnes said sweetly. "Same room as before?"

"Ohoho, yes my dear innkeeper," Naga proclaimed as she produced some gold. "Same as before."

"Actually…" Leodin held up a hand to interrupt, then produced a stack of his own gold, placing it on the table. "I'll be getting my own room for tonight,"

"Huh?" Naga blinked in confusion. She eyed the gold suspiciously.

"Oh, are you sure?" Agnes asked with some concern. "You're alright with leaving your…friend alone for the night?"

"We can take care of ourselves," Leodin replied flatly. "It's been a long day, and right now I'm ready for a nice, long…quiet nap."

"As you wish…" Agnes said as she produced two different room keys.

"Thank you, Agnes," Leodin said as he took the key and gave the innkeeper a nod. "See you in the morning." He turned to leave and gave Agnes a slight wave. Naga watched Leodin go, a frown on her face that only grew larger before she took her own key from Agnes and stormed after Leodin.

"I thought someone was tight on money. What changed, hmmm?" Naga asked when she caught up with the blond. "Not so frugal anymore?"

"I shared a room with you because you were tight on money," Leodin replied without looking back. "Besides, I still have some money saved, even if I don't have as much as I did a few days ago, AND these kind people are giving us lifetime discounts anyway. So yes, I can afford my own room." They came to his room number and he unlocked the door.

"Perhaps, but as partners, we really must be looking out for one another in case of assassins or nocturnal creatures or-" Naga began to say as Leodin entered his room. She was about to follow him in when he turned and placed his hand on the door frame, blocking the sorceress.

"Look, you'll be fine, alright?" Leodin said in a clearly annoyed tone. "We've spent literally every night together since we teamed up. I think we're both due for some privacy. It's a partnership, not a friendship. Goodnight Naga."

The blond warrior shut the door before Naaga could get another word in. The tall woman stood there a moment, fuming to herself before letting out a huff and leaving for her own room.

"Fine, be that way," Naga muttered. "Keep all your little secrets to yourself, little man…" She went to her room and slammed the door shut. The sorceress prepared for bed, brushing her teeth and combing her hair all the while thinking angry thoughts about Leodin and wondering why she was having them in the first place. Even Lina never bothered her this much when she tried to blow her up with a fireball…

In his room, Leodin let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, he was all by himself in sweet, comforting, quiet seclusion. The warrior went about getting ready for bed, with nothing to distract him. He was able to shed all his armor and clothes save for his undergarments before sliding under the bed sheets. The big, soft mattress, with nice cool pillows, all to himself, so comforting as he nestled under the covers and closed his eyes to sleep…

…a sleep which took forever to come, as he could not stop thinking about Naga, wondering if he had really upset her and if he should even care how she felt after what she had done with his gems that day…


Author's Note

Well, this took much longer to write than expected. I've recently begun a new job and have had to find the time to continue writing, mostly on my long commutes. Truth be told, I had intended this to be longer, but I realized how long it already was, so I decided to split it into two parts in order to give the later parts more time to breathe and give the characters more time to develop.

I'm betting most of you remember Jeffrey from the OVA Book of Spells, but some of you may not remember Cally and Paula. They are from episode 15 of the first season of the Slayers anime.