Chapter 6: The Wedding Bells Toll for Thee!

It was just before the dawn of the wedding day. On the other side of town, past the outer edge was the Golden Loom, the second major inn of Berylberg. Unlike its competitor the Purple Posy, which went for a more homey, rustic aesthetic, the Golden Loom was known for its luxury and opulence, as long as the guests had the coin.

Silently through the air in the twilight of daybreak flew a tall, caped figure carrying another. They landed on the rooftop and carefully walked towards the edge, peering over the grounds.

"Are you sure this is the right one?" Naga asked as Leodin squinted, looking out into the distance for any sign of patrolling guards. "This is where they're staying?"

"Yeah, if Jo- uh, Jeffrey is right," Leodin whispered. "The top floor with the best view of the town should be right below us." He looked at the balcony below them and saw no light coming from within. "And they're not awake yet, that's good." Leodin had wanted to avoid anything outright criminal if he could help it, but with the wedding in only a few hours, this was his last resort.

"Are you just going to eavesdrop like you did with Pugmutr?" Naga asked as she flipped her hair and popped her hip out with a smirk. "You remember how that turned out."

"I remember you blowing our cover," Leodin hissed. "This time we keep quiet, okay?"

"I'll be as silent as a dormouse," Naga said as she pulled an imaginary zipper across her lips. "But tell me, are you really just doing this because you like Jeffrey? Didn't you have some quest for revengeance you were dead set on just a week ago? You didn't seem the type to get distracted, and yet it keeps happening."

"Y-yeah, well, I can afford a day or two," Leodin replied nervously. "Romance is an extremely important matter."

"Uh huuuuuhhh…" Naga said skeptically. Leodin raised a hand to quiet her when he heard someone stir inside the room below. The two listened and could hear the sound of bed sheets being pulled and the soft thud of feet on the carpet.

"Paula, get dressed," they heard Cally say. "We have a big day ahead of us."

"Huh?" Paula said groggily. Leodin and Naga craned their necks, straining to hear them. "Oh, yes, I know…"

What followed was the sound of dressers being opened and shut. The sound of water splashing as they washed their faces, a hairbrush placed down, clothing being slipped on, and belts buckled. A few minutes later they heard the door open and shut. Naga and Leodin kept low as they peeked down through the balcony's glass door. No one was inside.

"Oh, looks like they left," Naga observed. "I suppose they're having breakfast, which reminds meeeee…" Naga suddenly pulled Leodin into a headlock, squashing his face against the side of her overly ample chest. The blond let out a surprised choke as she throttled him. "You made me miss breakfast to come help you, so you owe me for that too!"

"Stop, you're gonna get us caught," Leodin managed to gasp as he frantically tapped Naga's arm, halfway suffocating. He pried himself out of her grasp and coughed a few times before inhaling a deep breath. "If they are just eating, maybe we've got some time to search their room."

The two jumped down to the balcony and Leodin took out his hunting dagger, easily slipping between the glass doors and undoing the latch. They opened them and tip-toed into the room. Looking around, Naga quickly spotted Paula's wedding dress hanging on a privacy screen. It was whiter than snow and extravagantly decorated with lace, pearls, silver, gold, and all manner of jewels. To top it all off, it had an exceptionally long train.

"My my, how quaint," Naga giggled at the sight of the gown. Leodin furrowed his brow, unsure if she was being sarcastic or not. "Maybe just lower the neckline a tad."

"Come on, look for clues," he said and got started searching the room. Aside from the dressing area, there were two four-post beds and an adjoining bathroom with a large, round tub, all gold plated and adorned with cherubic imagery. It was not to Leodin's taste at all, and Naga was similarly not impressed.

"Honestly, these people have no sense of aesthetics," Naga sighed as she checked the drawers. "Too much gold and shine."

"Like you're one to talk…" Leodin whispered while checking the dresser. The two examined the room as best they could without putting anything out of place, but there was not a clue to be found.

"Leodin, what are we even looking for?" Naga said with exasperation as she crossed her arms. "There's nothing here but ugly clothes and even uglier furniture."

"I don't know, a letter or note or something," Leodin exclaimed, clearly frustrated. "A hidden dagger, vial of poison, you know, clues…"

The two suddenly stopped when they heard footsteps approaching. Leodin made for the balcony door but Naga stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"There's no time," she said in a hushed voice. "They'll see us."

"I know, I'm closing the door," Leodin whispered to her as he shut the glass doors and fixed the latch back in place. With that done, Leodin hurried Naga into the bathroom and pulled her out of sight and behind the door, the two huddling close against the wall. He silently pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet as the door to the room opened and Cally and Paula entered.

"Mother, I'm still hungry," Paula whined softly. "Couldn't I at least have a bit more fruit on my big day?"

"You had as much as you needed, and no more," Cally replied as she locked the door behind them. "I don't want you losing your figure."

"Mother, why does it matter now?" Paula asked with a mixture of sadness and irritation. "I'm getting married to Jeffrey, that's what you wanted right? It's what I want…"

"We have been over this Paula," Cally's voice rose as she faced her daughter. "You don't know what you want."

"I just want to be with a good man who loves me, that's all…" Paula said softly. Cally scoffed.

"I know you think you're in love, but it won't last," the old sorceress said. Naga and Leodin glanced at each other as they listened closely. "Good men either die young or just live long enough to turn into lecherous, selfish brutes…" Her tone turned bitter with an underlying fury of a woman scorned more than once.

"It doesn't have to be that way…" Paula tried to say in her most soothing voice.

"Jeffrey might seem sweet now, but it's only a matter of time until either his mother can't save him from his reckless heroics or he finally grows into another spoiled man-child," Cally continued sternly. "Paula, I have strived and suffered to give you and your sisters everything you could ever need without the pain that I have had to endure, and that includes the heartbreak. You're better off closing your heart to this boy and letting things play out as we planned."

"Mother, I won't do this to him, he doesn't deserve it!" Paula shouted with a pained cry as she stood up. "Please, just let me try to have a normal love life, let me start my own family and have my own children!"

"You're still too young to be thinking about having children," Cally was almost shouting now. "And besides, I can't stand the thought of you bearing the child of an idiotic weakling like Jeffrey Mailstar, much less me being the grandmother to it."

"Mother!" Paula was shocked into silence. In the bathroom, Naga noticed Leodin baring his teeth and clenching his fists, shaking with anger. For a moment, the tall sorceress was afraid that he would run into the bedroom and start attacking.

"Maybe you can think about children when you marry your second husband, like your sisters did. All that Jeffrey will ever be good for is his inheritance," Cally continued coldly. "You marry him, you make him spoil you while you can, and when his insipid mother finally rests in her oversized grave, you will be one step closer to having all you'll ever need for real freedom…"

There was a sound like a gasp, the quick inhalation of breath. Cally stopped and listened as the room became dead quiet. Behind the bathroom door, Naga was the one holding her hand over Leodin's mouth this time. He was trembling, so overcome with anger that he had accidentally taken a much louder breath than he had intended.

Cally turned her eyes to the bathroom door. It was only slightly ajar, and she could only see a bit of the inside, like the shiny, golden statue of a little cherub at the side of the bathtub, reflecting the surrounding light…

"Diem Wind!"

Naga and Leodin had a split second to register the words of power before a strong gust of wind blew the door open, smacking against the two of them. Naga let out a yelp of surprise while Leodin grunted in mild pain.

"Show yourself!" Cally shouted as she prepared another spell. Paula stepped back in confusion, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. Inside the bathroom, Leodin pulled out his axes from their holsters and readied himself. The room had no other exit, so there was only one way to go.

"Diem Wind!" Naga shouted as she cast the same spell from the opposite direction, This time the bathroom door was blown off its hinges and flew across the bedroom. Cally and Paula jumped to the side as the door clattered against the bed. The wedding dress fluttered in the gust, coming off its hanger and falling into Paula's arms. She looked up to see Naga and Leodin emerge from the bathroom, readying themselves.

"We heard it all!" Leodin shouted as he pointed his axe at Cally. "It's just like we thought, you were only marrying your daughter off to get the Mailstar fortune. You make me sick!" He brandished his other axe. "I'm going to tell Josephine, and she'll call off the wedding."

"So Josephine put you up to this after all, just as I thought," Naga said cheekily.

"What? How did you figure it out?" Leodin asked in surprise.

"You just told me," Naga smirked. "And I wondered where you got that extra cash for your room."

"You two…!" Cally hissed. "I suspected as much. Good thing I had a contingency… You there, the badly dressed harlot!" The old sorceress pointed to Naga. "Remember our deal…" The tall sorceress's eyes suddenly grew wide. Her stance relaxed before she began walking over to Cally and Paula.

"Naga?" Leodin asked in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Your friend and I made our own little arrangement the other day," Cally said smugly as Naga turned to face Leodin with a grin and a strange glimmer in her eyes. "She's working for me, and it seems like she's selling you out."

"You wouldn't!" Leodin shouted. The blond was quickly overcome with fear and even more rage. "Have you been leading me on this whole time?"

"Sorry Leodin," Naga said flippantly. "Cally promised me a lot more treasure than you've got, I'm afraid."

"...damn it…" Leodin growled as he raised his axes, a knot forming in his stomach. "I never should have trusted you…"

"That's enough out of you," Cally said as she raised her hands up to channel a spell. "We cannot let him reveal what he knows to the Mailstars! Bram Gash!"

"Tch!" Leodin had only a moment to roll to the side as an arrow of concentrated air was launched at him, striking the wall behind him and breaking off a large chunk of the underlying brick. "Maybe air power isn't so harmless after all… How about this then!?"

The blond swung his axes and whipped up a strong gust of wind that swirled through the room. The three women shielded themselves, giving Leodin the chance to kick the balcony door open and run outside. Quickly, he dashed to the railing and leaped off, sailing forward before falling towards the ground.

"Leodin!" Naga shouted as she ran after him. She reached the edge and looked down to see Leodin flailing his limbs to try and keep his balance.

"I really hope this works!" The warrior shouted as he aimed the back ends of his axe heads towards the ground. With all his concentration, he channeled the magical power of wind through the handles, and a moment later, two torrents of air blasted from the roaring maws of the carved orihalcon lion heads. Leodin grunted with effort as the blasts of air slowed his descent enough to let him land into a roll. Without wasting a second, Leodin sprinted off down the road towards the cathedral far off in the distance.

"Damn," Cally cursed when she saw Leodin making a run for it. "Come on, after him before he reaches. Paula, take the carriage and get to the cathedral first while we hold him off."

"But Mother-"

"Do as I say! Levitation!" Cally levitated down from the balcony towards the ground and ran after Leodin.

"Hah, he won't get away," Naga chuckled. "Ray Wing!" Naga took off from the balcony and flew off after Leodin, quickly overtaking Cally. Paula looked out at them, her heart pounding in her chest as she clutched her wedding dress.

"What am… what am I supposed to do…?" Paula asked herself. "No… not like this…!"

Leodin ran as fast and as far as he could, reaching the edge of Berylberg where the less populated part of town was before stopping to catch his breath in a shady alleyway. He slammed his fist into the nearby stone wall and cursed under his breath.

"Naga… I'll make you pay…!" The warrior seethed with teeth bared. He felt the wind blow past and he looked up to see the slender sorceress float down and land before him.

"Normally, people pay me! Ohohohoho!" Naga laughed. Leodin drew his axes once more and faced her down. "I would just give up now, mister short and scruffy. There's no way you could defeat a first-rate sorceress of my magnitude, even if you are skilled with those weapons."

"Shut it!" Leodin barked. "I should have figured a spoiled cheapskate like you would stab me in the back for money. Now get out of my way or I'll chop you down! I never should have saved you…"

Naga and Leodin glared at one another, neither willing to back down. The sorceress scoffed as she turned her nose up, then took a stance with her arms raised.

"Then I guess this is where our partnership ends…" Naga said softly as a ball of pale blue light glowed between her palms.

"Guess so…" Leodin responded as his axes crackled with lightning. They squared off, waiting to see who would make the first move. A light breeze blew through the lonely alley. A crow cried out, and Leodin struck first.

The warrior swung both axes, sending out a gust of wind. Naga shot a freeze arrow, but it was blown off course as the wind collided with it, striking the stone wall instead. The sorceress grunted as she was pushed back by the gust. It was not lethal, but she could not avoid it in such a tight space.

"Alright then, try this!" Naga yelled as she raised both hands to the sky. Leodin readied himself, unsure of what to expect. "Freeze Brid!" Another blue bolt shot from her palms, this time into the sky and clouds where it hung.

"What are you trying to pull?" Leodin demanded as he started to advance on Naga. "You're leaving yourself wide open!" He swung his axe and threw another blast of wind at Naga, this time a much more concentrated blade of air. This one Naga was able to dodge with a deft step to the side, but only just barely as it sliced off a strand of hair. Even Leodin was surprised.

"Ohoho, who's wide open?" Naga asked mockingly once she composed herself. "You have a lot to learn before you can best me in a magic battle. Maybe you should be less focused on me and more on my spells."

"Huh?" Leodin squinted in confusion. Then he heard a popping, crackling sound from above. He looked up and was shocked to see a massive chunk of ice falling down towards him, the result of Naga's previous spell. It was far too large for him to simply knock away with his axes, leaving his only option to dodge. The warrior backflipped out of the way just before the ice slammed into the spot he was standing on, shattering into a thousand pieces.

"You who crosses between sky and earth…" Naga began to chant, with her hands raised, palms facing downward. "...gently flowing water…"

"Still using ice, huh," Leodin muttered as he popped the caster gems out of his axe handles and placed them in his pouch. "Then I'll fight ice with fire…"

"...gather in my hand and give me power!" Magic currents like electricity surged from the ground and up into Naga's palms. Leodin slotted his fire gems into his axe handles just as he noticed the cold fog surrounding him.

"DEMONA CRYSTAL!"

Naga thrust her palms down and the fog below her changed to stalagmites of ice, which grew out in a wave toward Leodin. He gasped as the fog crystallized around him, trapping his legs before he could jump away. The ice grew up and surrounded him, leaving only his head and face uncovered.

"Rrg, come on!" The warrior yelled as he struggled, but he could not make even a single limb budge. "Not this again…"

"Ohohoho, now isn't this a familiar sight?" Naga asked mockingly as she approached him. She grinned and leaned in so they were face to face. "You, frozen in place, and me, free to collect my reward. Just like old times."

"Tch… no, not like old times, not this time," Leodin said as he stared Naga down defiantly from his icy prison. Naga quirked an eyebrow as she noticed Leodin's blades glowing bright orange with heat from within. "You aren't gonna freeze me that easily!"

Around Leodin's axes, the ice began to melt. Soon after, the ice around his arms turned to lukewarm water, allowing him a degree of movement. The sorceress gasped and leaned away in caution. With a growl and a roar, the blond used his heated blades to shatter the surrounding ice shell, letting the water spill out. He broke off the rest of the ice clinging to him and stepped forward, dripping wet from the neck down.

"Oh no you don't," Naga said as she stepped back and raised her hands. "Freeze Arrow!" She shot her ice bolt at Leodin, who deftly swatted it away with his weapon as he advanced. She did not have time for another clever ploy, all she could do was try to hold him off and get some distance.

Leodin dodged and deflected Naga's arrows with renewed confidence. He had learned from his past mistakes, and while he kicked himself for not simply using his axes' fire magic to free himself the first time they met, Naga's ice spells would no longer pose as much of a threat, so long as he remained armed. The warrior knew his best chance at beating the sorceress was to pressure and swarm her up close, to not give her an inch lest she cast off a more powerful spell, and right now his fury at Naga's betrayal was driving him forward.

Luckily for the sorceress, she was no slouch when it came to close-quarters combat. She weaved to the side when Leodin got in too close, and with no time for a spell, Naga struck at Leodin's head with one of her long, toned legs. Unfortunately, Leodin was no slouch either when it came to hand-to-hand combat. The blond raised his arm and blocked Naga's roundhouse kick with his tricep before hooking the back of his axe under her ankle and pushing her off balance.

Naga stumbled and fell to the street with a pained grunt. She had but a moment to get her bearings when she looked up and saw Leodin raising his axe, eyes blazing, ready to swing it down upon her… but he hesitated, as frozen as he was a minute ago in the ice, his expression changing from anger to confusion, then guilt. The moment seemed like it would last forever, until…

"Bogardic Elm!" Came a shout, and the ground beneath Leodin instantly turned into muddy quicksand.

"The hell?!" Leodin cried out as he sunk into the ground up past his knees. Naga stared in confusion, then glanced up to see Cally approaching with a satisfied look on her face.

"You won't be melting your way out of that," the old sorceress said as Leodin thrashed about, sinking up to his chest in wet dirt and slowly going deeper. "Not a bad effort, and those weapons of yours were a surprise, but not good enough, I'm afraid. Paula should be reaching the cathedral right about now…"

Jeffrey watched as the guests slowly began filling the seats. Rays of light colored by stained glass shone through the windows depicting Flare Dragon Ceifeed. The air was filled with the dull sound of low chattering. Off in the corner was a massive wedding cake made by the most talented bakers in town, three tiers of light, angelic sweetness and frosting.

Jeffrey could not help but feel nervous. It was only natural on his wedding day, though he was not quite sure why. It was more than simply butterflies in his stomach or cold feet. Something was simply off.

The wedding would not officially commence for some time, however, so Jeffrey wandered off towards a private chamber in the cathedral to get some time to himself. Along the way, he spotted his mother Josephine, who looked ready to burst with emotion.

"Oh, my sweet little angel," Josephine said as she pulled her son into a tight hug. "I almost can't bear to let you go!"

"Oh Mom, it'll be okay," Jeffrey said as he patted her reassuringly, though he could feel his joints popping from the pressure of her hug. "I'll still always be your son."

"I know, I know," Josephine said as she let him go and did her best to smile. "I just can't help but worry, that's all. But no matter what happens, Mommy will always be there to watch over you."

"You're the best, Mom," Jeffrey said as he smiled sweetly, but wearily. "I'm just gonna wait inside until it's time. Even a brave warrior like me needs to work up his nerves."

"Alright, take all the time you need to get ready…" Josephine said as Jeffrey walked off and entered the small waiting chamber. Once he was out of sight, his mother grit her teeth and clenched her fists in frustration. "Where is that unkempt axeman?! The wedding is practically happening now and he hasn't come back with anything! He must have taken his advance payment and ran off, I just know it!"

Inside the private chamber, Jeffrey let out a long sigh and sat down in one of the cushioned leather chairs. His mother could certainly be smothering sometimes, and he was beginning to tire of it…

Tap tap tap!

Jeffrey was pulled out of his thoughts by a rapping on the stained glass window. He looked to see someone on the other side, and the tapping grew more frantic. Squinting, Jeffrey finally saw who it was.

"Paula?!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he rushed to the window. He unlatched it and opened it up to reveal Paula standing there in her full wedding gown. "W-what are you doing out here?"

"There's no time, Levitation!" Paula said. She floated up and inside the room, taking her long train with her. Once in, Paula pulled Jeffrey in close, burying her face into his neck. "I can't do it…"

"Huh, do what Paula?" Jeffrey asked as he gently held her. "What are you talking about?" Paula pulled away from Jeffrey, tears in her eyes.

"Jeffrey, do you take me as your wife?" Paula asked. "Do you promise to love me forever until the end of days?"

"Paula… of course I do…"

"Then I take you as my husband," Paula said, smiling through her tears. "And I promise I'll always love you, no matter what anyone says or thinks!"

Paula leaned in and planted her lips on Jeffrey's in a forceful kiss. The young man was stunned for a few seconds before reciprocating, leaning in and holding his new wife close. After a long, magical moment, they broke the kiss and Paula wiped her tears away.

"Oh Jeffrey, I'm so sorry…"

"I'm not done yet!" Leodin growled loudly as he tried to pull himself out of the quicksand, but his efforts were in vain. He could not get a good hold with either his axe blades or his fingers.

"Yes, you are," Cally said in a bored tone as Naga got to her feet. "And unfortunately for you, I have long-term plans that I can't afford you interfering with, like getting rid of that scrawny soon-to-be son-in-law once he's served his purpose, and his cow of a mother."

"Excuse me," Naga interrupted. "Since he's trapped and won't be getting in the way of the wedding, I believe I'll take my payment now if you don't mind."

At that, Cally narrowed her eyes at Naga. "You'll be paid when he's completely out of the picture," the older woman said. She wondered how much of an effect her psychic hypnosis was actually having on Naga. There needed to be a test. "Earn your coin by killing this interloper. He won't be missed…"

"Paula, please, what happened?" Jeffrey asked as he held her cheek. "Why now? Why here?"

"Because I want to marry you on my terms," Paula said with force. "I love you Jeffrey, but my mother… she only wanted me to marry you so we could steal your inheritance."

"She what?" Jeffrey's confusion was only compounded. "But, but you…"

"Jeffrey, I love you, and I will never betray you " Paula assured him. "But my mother is becoming desperate. Jeffrey, she's going to kill you!"

"Kill me?!" Leodin shouted in disbelief as he thrashed even harder. "Krom damn it, I won't let it end like this!"

The warrior struggled with all his might to get himself out, but he sank as fast as he could climb. Hevwould never give up fighting, but it did not look like there was any way out. Leodin glanced up to see Naga approach him, her expression blank and her eyes cold as she looked down at him.

A lump formed in Leodin's throat. He fought back the tears that threatened to form in his eyes and cursed his weakness. If he had only struck when he had the chance, if only he had left her behind under the mountain… now he was going to perish by her hand, betrayed again, all because he was stupid and soft-hearted enough to trust someone, again.

Why?! Why the hell did you make the same mistake TWICE?! Because she's hot and sexy? Because you felt bad about leaving her behind?! She's dumb and annoying, greedy and gluttonous! You should have seen this coming, and now you're going to die, alone and forgotten and with nothing to your name because you didn't have the nerve or the guts to just-

"I can't do that," Naga said as she turned to Cally with her hands on her hips in defiance. Leodin stopped his struggle and stared at her, perplexed.

"What did you say to me?" Cally asked incredulously. "Kill him, you wench, or you won't see a single coin! I order you!"

"How rude," Naga tutted. "You see, this man here owes me quite a bit, like this morning's breakfast."

"...Huh?" Leodin was dumbfounded, one minute cursing his life decisions and the next not sure what to think.

"And he also owes me a tidy sum of gold for empowering his caster gems," Naga added as she turned to him with a glare. "Riiiight? And I can't have him weasel his way out of his debts using a flimsy thing like death as an excuse. No, Leodin here is going to pay me back, even if he has to work it all off as my servant, ohohohoh!"

"You have got to be joking!" Cally screeched, her rage building at Naga's tomfoolery.

"A proper lady never jokes over matters of business," Naga said. "Even if what you could pay me more than made up for what he owes, it would simply be undignified to not tie up such a loose end. Now, hold still, Leodin…"

"Naga?" Leodin asked as the sorceress turned back to him. He could not believe what he was hearing and questioned everything he thought he knew about her. Then she raised her hands and chanted a spell. "Wait, what're you-"

"Dil Brand!" Naga yelled as she thrust her hands downward. A circle of light appeared in the quicksand surrounding Leodin, and in a bright flash, a pillar of loose dirt shot up into the sky with an explosive display, sending Leodin and his axes flying upward.

"Damn it Nagaaaaaa…..!" Leodin shouted as he spun through the air. He managed to right himself mid-flight just in time to land on his feet next to Naga. "I'm alive… I'm actually alive… are you for real?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"And now you owe me for that too," Naga whispered with a smirk. They turned their attention to Cally, who glared at them with a murderous rage.

"It seems my brainwashing wasn't effective enough," Cally seethed. "Fine then, I'll just flay your minds and be done with you both!" The sorceress concentrated and the two adventurers got ready, but they were not prepared for the attack Cally threw at them.

A surge of psychic power struck Naga and Leodin both, far more potent than what Cally had used on Naga before. The two cried out and fell to their knees as their thoughts were scrambled. Painful traumas from deep within their subconscious were dredged to the surface and twisted into waking nightmares.

"What are you doing to us!?" Leodin yelled as he dropped his axes. He felt a strangling grip around his throat, then a dreadful sense of vertigo. Looking around, he saw dark figures surrounding him, looking down on him before turning their backs, but it could not be real, it simply could not…

"Aaaaaah!" Naga screamed, her shrill voice echoing as she shook her head violently from side to side. "No, no, no!" Leodin looked to Naga as she gazed down at her open palms in horror. "Don't, please…I…" A moment later, Naga fainted, falling to the side. Leodin cursed as he tried to stand up, growling in agony as he felt a searing web of pain cross his back, arms and shoulders, like his flesh being cleaved by a dull blade.

"You've got some fight in you," Cally muttered as she held her concentration. "You can't last forever though…"

"I'll last…long enough…!" Leodin declared as he clenched his fist. In that instant, he swung his arm and tossed a handful of quicksand at Cally. The sorceress was caught off guard as the fine specs of dirt struck her face. She cried out at the grainy particles in her eyes, breaking her concentration. Free from the mental torture, Leodin grabbed his axes and went to Naga.

"Hey, wake up!" The blond shouted as he lightly patted Naga's cheek. The sorceress's scream of anguish had shaken him, and the warrior wondered if Naga had suffered any lasting damage. Her eyes fluttered open and she immediately sprung to her feet.

"Ohohoho, it'll take more than your little mind tricks to lay me low!" Naga boasted. "Come on Leo, we have a wedding to crash. Ray Wing!" She grabbed Leodin by the collar and pulled him into the air, flying off toward the cathedral.

"Damn them! Levitation!" Cally shouted as she gave chase. She would not be able to do another psychic attack at full power for some time, and Naga proved to be much faster in the air. The best she could hope for was that Paula had reached Jeffrey first.

"Jeffrey, we need to get out of here," Paula pleaded. "Far away from my mother."

"I… I think you're right…" Jeffrey answered, finally realizing what he had to do. "But where will we go? Where can we go?"

"Anywhere Jeffrey," Paula said softly. "As long as we're together, we'll find our way…" The young woman gave her new husband a tight hug, and they shared one more kiss.

"Okay, I think we can sneak out the back," Jeffrey said as he began to lead Paula to the door. "Come on, if anyone sees us they might tell your mom where we went…" As Jeffrey opened the door, however, a tall figure stood in their way. Jeffrey gasped when he saw his own father standing before them, looking down at them with a serious gaze.

"D-Daddy?" Jeffrey asked, fear creeping up on him. "Did you… did you hear all that?"

"Where do you think you're going?" Goldias asked as he raised his hand towards Jeffrey. His son flinched back in fear but summoned the courage to stand in front of Paula protectively, until he saw his father's hand open, revealing the Mailstar brooch in his palm. "It's not official until you give her this, right?"

Naga and Leodin swiftly reached the cathedral and landed in the outer courtyard, taking just a moment to catch their breath.

"I do not want to go through that again…" Leodin said, trying to shake off the bad memories. The warrior was covered in mud and wet dirt and in serious need of a bath along, not to mention the scrubbing his clothes would need. He took a glance at Naga, wondering what sorts of things she had seen when their minds had been assaulted. "You, uh… you okay?"

"I'm as perfect as always," Naga replied with a smirk, like nothing had happened. "Why do you ask?"

"You were brainwashed, weren't you?" Leodin asked. "And earlier, that…mind attack Cally did, you sounded pretty bad."

"Leodin, I haven't the faintest idea what you mean," Naga said haughtily with a flip of her hair. "My brain is a steel trap. I could never be mind controlled. Maybe Cally was able to trick you into believing things that aren't real, but the great Naga isn't so easily fooled. Everything I did and said was the real deal."

Leodin narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Naga. He was not sure if she was lying or stupid, but he was too tired to argue and they were too pressed for time at the moment anyway. Either way, he was simply glad to be alive.

"Nevermind. Let's hurry up and tell Jeffrey and Josephine what Cally's up tooooooooo!" Just as Leodin was about to open the door to the cathedral, two meaty palms in silk gloves reached out to grab him by the collar and shake him violently.

"What happened?!" Josephine whispered angrily and glared at Naga. "And what is she doing here? It's almost time for the wedding!"

"Gah, wait!" Leodin tried to say as he was manhandled. "W-We found out-t what Cally is up-"

"She kidnapped him didn't she!?" Josephine's voice grew louder as she shut the door behind her. The guests inside were growing increasingly confused and restless. "That witch stole him away and now she's going to make us pay a ransom!"

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Naga asked in confusion. "Cally didn't kidnap Jeffrey."

"Then why can't I find him anywhere?!" Josephine wailed. "My little boy just up and vanished!"

"Jeffrey's gone?" Leodin asked. "Did Paula…"

"Burst Rondo!"

A volley of little balls of fire exploded around the three of them. They shielded themselves but took minimal damage from the attack. The three looked to see a furious Cally approaching them from the street.

"Where is Paula!?" Cally demanded. If the adventurers had gotten to Josephine before the wedding, then her daughter was likely in trouble.

"You tell me where my Jeffrey is!" Josephine shouted as she pulled out a large iron sledgehammer from seemingly nowhere.

"How would I know? He was supposed to be here," Cally shot back as she raised her palms to cast a spell. "Or did he get cold feet? I know my Paula wouldn't, but I don't see her, so where is she?"

"Don't lie to me, I know about your schemes, you thieving black widow!" Josephine yelled. The guests were now watching the altercation through the windows.

"And I know you'd never let your precious baby marry just anyone!" Cally hissed. Naga and Leodin both slowly inched towards the edge of the courtyard.

"I knew I never should have hired real mercenaries to stage an attack!" Josephine shouted.

"That was you?!" Cally spat. "Your stupid goons got in the way of my plan to stage a fake attack!" Cally let out a long, frustrated wail of exhaustion. "No wonder they all started fighting for real!"

"I would have just hired actors again if I knew this would happen!"

"What are they talking about…?" Naga whispered to Leodin.

"I guess they both hired different groups of mercenaries for Jeffrey to pretend defeat," Leodin tried to answer as best as he could. "But it sounds like they were rival gangs and got into a battle…maybe? I don't know, I don't think I care anymore."

"You put my Jeffrey in real danger!"

"Uh, excuse me?" A new voice came. They all turned to see a tall, grizzled man with short black hair and a scar on his face peering out the doorway to the cathedral. He held a piece of parchment in one hand.

"What is it, Galda?!" Josephine shouted. "And why aren't you looking for Jeffrey?"

"I have a note from Jeffrey," Galda said flatly. "And Paula…"

"Let me see that!" Both mothers said as they snatched the letter and began reading. "Dear Mothers, we truly love each other, but we can no longer thrive under your overbearing care. We will be husband and wife but on our own terms. We have decided to strike out on our own and start a fresh new life together, far away and free from your control. We hope you will understand. Love, Paula & Jeffrey."

There was a stunned silence for a good, long moment before Cally and Josephine both let out a harmonizing shriek.

"I can't believe this, they eloped on their very wedding day?!" Cally cried out. "Damn it all, she was never supposed to actually fall in love!"

"My sweet Jeffrey with your temptress jezebel daughter! I'll never let it happen! Goldias, Goldias come here and help me rescue Jeffrey!"

"Uh, there's more, Mrs. Josephine," Galda said as he pulled down the bottom fold of the letter. Josephine squinted.

"P.S. Don't worry Josephine, I'll be going with them to keep them safe and secure, and I'm bringing plenty of the Mailstar fortune to help them get started. Your ever faithful husband, Goldias."

Josephine's face turned bright red and all her veins popped, visible even through her heavy makeup. She tore the letter in half and gripped her hammer's handle so tight it splintered the wood.

"My husband snuck out on me too?! WaaaaAAAAGH….!" Josephine swung her hammer wildly at Cally. The old sorceress barely ducked out of the way as the hammer smashed into the door to the cathedral, knocking it clean off the heavy iron hinges and down the aisle. All the guests began shrieking with terror and running for the exits as Josephine was blasted into the altar by a fireball from Cally. The priest quickly shut his book and shuffled away with a tired sigh.

"No daughter, no money! This whole thing has been a waste of time!" Cally screamed and tossed a volley of Flare Arrows at Josephine, who deflected them with a whirl of her hammer. "Uhg, just die already!"

"Your wicked daughter took the Mailstar family brooch too, didn't she?!" Josephine yelled as she went swinging her hammer at Cally, who levitated out of the way. "I'll never accept this outrage!"

"Hm. Normally, no one could stand up to Josephine," Naga said as she watched the battle ensue.

"I guess the only thing that can beat an angry mom is another angry mom," Leodin said before he forked a piece of wedding cake and ate it. "Not that I'd know anything about that."

"Yeah…" Naga said thoughtfully before she noticed Leodin had wheeled the massive three-tiered cake over to the entrance. "Heeeeeeey…"

"Hey. Look, if I'm not getting paid with money, then I'm gonna pay myself with food," Leodin said as he took another bite. "And there's no sense letting all this cake go to waste, now is there?"

"Ohoho, you're not having it all to yourself, underling," Naga said as she took a fork of her own and began shoveling wedding cake into her mouth. "I'm still starving since we skipped breakfast!"

"Well, I'm starving too!"

The two adventurers proceeded to devour the cake while Josephine and Cally continued their battle for the next few hours or so. By the end, the cathedral was a wreck and the serving plate was clean. Naga and Leodin had long left to go back to the inn while Cally and Josephine were lying on the few benches left standing, exhausted and at a stalemate.

"Oh Jeffrey," Josephine said as she sat up and leaned on her hammer. "Why did you have to run away?"

"Maybe I should have listened to you, Paula," Cally said as she rubbed her face with one hand. Both mothers sighed, too tired to fight on.

"Maybe they're right," Josephine said sadly. "Maybe it's time our little birds left the nest and had real lives, without us…"

"Perhaps," Cally nodded thoughtfully. "They'll be fine on their own, as long as they have each other…"

"...I'm still going to kill my husband…"

Off in the distance, already miles away, Jeffrey and Paula rode in their gold-plated carriage, driven by Jeffrey's father, who was looking immensely relieved. A sign saying "Just Married" was hung at the back of the carriage as multicolored ribbons trailed behind in the wind.

The happy couple held each other and smiled warmly as they stared out at the horizon, holding the promise of a new day.

Agnes was wiping down the top of the front desk when Naga and Leodin walked in, looking tired after a long day of pointless fighting and shenanigans. They had a quick snack at the tavern, though were mostly full from eating a whole wedding cake. Agnes greeted them with a smile and a nod.

"You two look beat," she said. "And you need a bath sonny. Turning in early?"

"Yeah, it's been one of those days," Leodin said as he rubbed his neck and brushed off a bit of dirt from his fur trimmed collar.

"I just want a nice, long nap," Naga said with a yawn. "You woke me up too early, Leo."

"Alright, same rooms as before?" Agnes asked as she fetched the keys.

"Uh, well…" Leodin frowned as he felt how light his coin pouch was. He had been counting on getting paid by Josephine, but with that not happening, his options were limited.

"You know, the couple's suite is still an option," Agnes suggested with a smile. Naga's eyes glinted with hope and mischief. "And the lifetime discount stacks too."

"Oh… fine, why not…" Leodin relented. Naga covered her mouth to hide her smirk. Agnes just nodded and handed him the key.

"Okay, have fun you two," the old woman said as she waved them off. Leodin wondered what she meant until they unlocked the door to their room. The blond groaned as they were greeted by the sight of warm candlelight and a bed with red satin sheets and heart-shaped pillows with-

"Ooh, chocolates!" Naga said as she plucked the little confections from atop the pillows and gobbled them up. Leodin just sighed as he slipped his boots and armor off. He was prepared to sleep on the couch only to see Naga had already crashed there and was snoring peacefully.

"Huh… guess I'll take the bed tonight…?" Leodin shrugged, but before he went to rinse himself clean, he made sure to cover Naga up with a blanket for good measure. With the whole wedding debacle a wash, he decided Naga had the right idea and settled in for some much-needed relaxation.

As Leodin entered the wash room and closed the door behind him, Naga rolled to her side and pulled the blanket up to her chin, her murmur barely audible.

"...mmm…Mama…"

Far to the North, along a jagged cliffside, a giant of a man with one scarred eye, wearing the skin of a bear as a cape and carrying a demonic bardiche, approached the structure of a weathered but abandoned stone fortress. He rubbed his broad chin as he did a quick survey of the land.

"What do you think, Grohl?" Asked the reedy archer who approached, his slick black hair pulled into a wolf tail. "This place good?"

"Yeah…" Grohl said softly in a deep, gravelly voice as the wind began to howl and the clouds darkened. "This'll do just fine… send word out to the rest of the brigade, and our benefactor. We have ourselves a headquarters."

Naga tapped her foot impatiently by the town gate. She had slept like a log until morning and was completely refreshed, ready to continue the journey to the other side of the mountain range now that all the distractions were out of the way. She and Leodin had said their goodbyes to the kindly old couple at the Purple Posy and agreed to meet up at the gates after they were done shopping for some supplies. Leodin was taking his sweet time getting back though.

"Hmm, where is he?" Naga wondered aloud. "He better not have… ohoho, I know he wouldn't leave without me. So where could he be?"

"Hey," came a voice. Naga turned to see Leodin approaching her, one hand resting on the head of his axe and something small in the other. "Sorry for the wait…" Naga tilted her head curiously. The warrior's face looked a little flushed.

"What have you got there?" Naga asked as she pointed to Leodin's hand. It was grasping something tightly, but he was hiding it behind his wrist. The blond glanced away a moment and coughed.

"Uh, well… um… here…" Leodin avoided eye contact as he raised his hand toward Naga. In his grasp was a large lollipop, this one in the shape and image of a cute little lion with a big mane. Naga blinked in surprise and glanced between it and Leodin.

"Is this for me?" Naga asked. "But why?"

"I owe you right?" Leodin replied without looking directly at Naga. "I know you like these kinds of lollipops. Just… thanks for, you know… not killing me…"

"Ooohhhh…" Naga's eyes widened and sparkled as she stared at the candy on a stick, a wide grin slowly spreading across her face. "Leodiiiiinnnn…"

"Just take it," He said, growing embarrassed and uncomfortable by her emotional reaction. "Don't make a big deal out of it. It's just a lollipop…"

"OOOOOhohohohohoho, oooohohohohohoho!" Naga suddenly began to laugh as she snatched up the gift. She did a little twirl, her long hair and cape swirling around her before she placed her free hand on her hip, pointed the lollipop at Leodin and puffed out her chest. "The great and powerful Naga accepts your offer, humble servant!" She gave the lollipop a lick while Leodin stared at her in bemused silence. "Ooo, lemony!"

"You just had to put it that way…" Leodin's shoulders sank as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whatever… come on. I think it's time we moved on from Berylberg." He began to walk down the street and onto the dirt road that led out of town, with Naga strolling along behind him, happily lapping away at her sugary sweet candy.

The warrior was not quite sure of the real reason the sorceress had saved his life, whether she had broken free of Cally's mind control or if she had even been under mind control. For the moment, however, he would allow himself to be grateful, and to have a little more faith…

Author's Note:

And that concludes our introductory arc. I hope you've enjoyed all the new places and characters I had to create. While I did set up Leodin's major plot line, these past six chapters were mainly to establish Naga's relationship and interactions with him. I'll be tackling the main plot again, and I have some big ideas, but I may take some time to let them cook first before proceeding.

I also want to take some time to finish watching and reading all the Slayers content I can for extra research. I've been reading the new translations of the novels, and I want to eventually read Knight of Aqualord. I'll still write in the meantime, but I think this slower pace works for me.

And I've got plans for Naga and her past, even if Leodin's story is a little more front and center at the moment. I don't want my OC to hog all the character development.

P.S. For those reading this on , be sure to check out my Tumblr or the Ao3 version of this chapter for a little extra surprise.