Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ The Slayers: Reward ❯ Sairaag! The Tinder City ( Chapter 12 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Lord Archive 
Lina and crew hide out in Sairaag while going through the books they... 'acquired.'
Anime/Manga: Slayers Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Drama / Fantasy / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.09.2002 | Pages: 5 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 757 | Status: Completed
Lina and crew hide out in Sairaag while going through the books they... 'acquired.'
Anime/Manga: Slayers Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Drama / Fantasy / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.09.2002 | Pages: 5 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 757 | Status: Completed
The Slayers: Reward
Chapter 12: Sairaag! The Tinder City
By: Lord Archive
The Slayers belong to Hajime Kanazaka, Rui Araizumi, TV Tokyo, SOFTX, Software Sculptures Ltd., and many others. I do not own them. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them as quickly as I can since Lina and Gourry are eating away bank account.
Lime Warning: The reason why this warning is here is very evident in this chapter. Sexual comments WILL be made in this part, but no sexual acts directly described.
-------------------*
"Welcome to Sairaag, the Tinder City, I'm Kribore," greeted a young man of average looks at the border of the city.
"Having your city blown up twice in a couple years time isn't something to be proud of," Lina commented dryly.
"Isn't it supposed to be the HOLY city?" Amelia questioned.
"Without the Holy Tree, we can't quite call this the Holy City, now can we?" Kribore nervously laughed. "Our only claim to fame now is this is where Fibrizo was ruined."
Gourry shrugged. "He's got a point."
Kribore nodded. "Now will this be a short visit, or maybe you'd like some more permanent lodgings?"
"Are any of Rezo's homes intact?" Zelgadis questioned.
"The mayor had the southern most one repaired and is using that as his home," Kribore replied. "Why do you ask?"
Zelgadis didn't reply.
"We're just here for a short visit, so just point us toward the inn," Lina said.
"Very well, but first I have to warn you, any use of magic within Sairaag is against the law and is punishable by death," Kribore stated. "By the way, may I ask your names?"
Lina laughed nervously. "I'm, ah, Lala Gabriev, and this is my husband, Gourreth."
Gourry blinked, opened his mouth and then yelped as Lina stomped on his foot.
"I'm Lulu... Lia, yeah Lulu Lia," Amelia chirped.
"Ravven Del Woods," Ravven bowed slightly.
"Zelgadis Graywords," Zelgadis stated simply.
Kribore's eyes widened. "Zelgadis?! Servant of Rezo and companion of Lina Inverse?"
Zelgadis growled but nodded.
Kribore stiffened and pointed down the street. "The inn is that way. Remember ANY magic use is against the law. Hope you enjoy your SHORT stay."
Lina lead her group in the direction Kribore pointed.
Kribore waved them away nervously, then dashed into his house. A moment later he dragged his wife away from Sairaag while carrying a hastily packed suitcase.
-------------------*
Gourry sat at the inn's dining area, poking at some food.
"Guess even you have some limit to you bottomless pit," Ravven commented.
Gourry let out a long sighed.
"What's with him?" a waitress asked.
"The honeymoon just ended for him. His wife is more interested in some books she found, than him," Ravven explained.
"She must be nuts to choose books over a man like him," the waitress remarked.
Ravven held a hand to his chest, acting hurt. "But what about lonely old me? I have no woman to even call my own."
The waitress hadn't paid much attention to Ravven but now looked closely at him and then scowled darkly in recognition. "Well, I'll be sure to have my sister come here with your daughter, Mr. Ravven Del Woods."
Ravven squirmed. "Who would this lady be, and how can you be sure that the girl is my daughter?"
"Like you would remember Natalia," the waitress shot back.
"Natalia..." Ravven paused. "Lovely brown hair and gray eyes, and VERY experienced in the bedroom."
The waitress rolled her eyes. "Wish I could say you were lying about that." She huffed and walked off.
"So... you have a kid," Gourry mentioned.
Ravven shrugged. "Maybe. Probably have a few children by now."
"How can you be like that? Wasn't there ever someone special in you life?" Gourry asked.
Ravven shook his head. "Thanks to Dad, love is fleeting for me. Lust is all I can hold on to."
Gourry shrugged. "Your sword was your father's right?"
Ravven looked a little nervous. "Yeah."
"Well, at least you're not a bastard like your father was." Gourry stood up. "Care for a sparring match?"
Ravven just let out a short laugh. "You're an odd one, Mr. Gabriev. Let's see how I stand up to your sword arm."
-------------------*
Lina set aside one tablet she acquired and was about to move onto the next when she heard the sounds of weapons clashing. She peered out her window to see Gourry giving Ravven a sword lesson. There was no other way to refer to it as Gourry dwarfed Ravven's skill immensely.
Lina went back to her studies. It didn't take her long to finish reading over all the ones she had taken that had to deal with chimeras. Of the ones she read, only Rezo's legacy had anything to do with Zelgadis. However, that one had more to do with the Demon Beast Zanafar. It was more of a piece to the puzzle than the full solution. Maybe Zelgadis could figure out some more useful information from it.
Lina then skimmed over the other tablets she had stolen. She paused over one dealing with potion making. While she didn't particularly like the work of creating potions because of the ease with which potions can become ruined, this one had something Lina really could use, mana restoration. With this potion she could recoup her ability to cast spells during battle. If it was strong enough she could cast Laguna Blade more than once.
Lina jumped when her bedroom door slammed open with Zelgadis holding an open book.
"LINA! I think I found it!" Zelgadis cried out.
"No need to yell. Sheesh." Lina stiffly stood open. "Let me see it."
Zelgadis handed over the book, and Lina immediately plopped on the floor to look it over. She ignored the presence of Zelgadis and Amelia looking over her shoulder.
"Need the power of two, who must be either unintelligent or willing, and siphon their powers into the third vessel...." Lina muttered. "Combining magics of spirit, body and summoning."
"Body?" Amelia chirped.
"Elven magic to alter ones' form," Lina replied. "It's very difficult to master."
"Do you know any?" Zelgadis questioned.
"A little," Lina answered.
Amelia blinked. "How would you know Elven magic?"
Lina didn't reply as she continued to read. Finally, with a sigh, she closed the book and set it on the floor.
"Well?" Zelgadis pressed.
"I can't cure you," Lina told him flatly.
Zelgadis crashed to the floor, both in shock and despair. "Why not?"
Amelia pouted.
"The book describes nicely how to make a chimera like you, however it doesn't explain how to unmake one," Lina explained. "I could probably remove the stone golem from you with a little more research, but the mazoku part will be tricky. We need the mazoku who gave you your power and get him to willingly remove it."
Zelgadis could only stare in shock.
"Why don't we try to find the mazoku who gave Zelgadis his powers?" Amelia suggested.
"Zel, do you remember anyone else with Rezo when he changed you?" Lina asked.
Zelgadis shook his head. "No."
"So, it's probably Shabranigdo," Lina surmised.
"What?!" Amelia cried out.
Zelgadis punched his hand through the floor. "This is NOT fair! I finally have a cure and I can't use it!"
"I wouldn't say that, Zel," Lina retorted. "With enough research on this process, it should be possible to undo your curse. It'll just take time."
Amelia pouted. "But we don't have much time left."
Lina shrugged. "Sorry, but that's all I can offer for now."
-------------------*
Zander growled in disgust as he tracked down one of his missing Claire Bible Manuscripts. However, it wasn't Lina and her friends that he found, but some old priest.
"What happened to him?" the mazoku librarian questioned.
"Some bandits tried to rob him, but fortunately a mage scared them off and brought him here," explained a dark-haired young priestess of Ciephied.
"Who was this 'mage?'" Zander asked.
The priestess shrugged. "I don't know. I can hardly remember what he looks like." She paused. "Which is strange. Normally I'm good with faces."
Zander muttered a few words and waved his hand over her face. He frowned seeing the girl's memory wasn't blocked, but erased. He then tried to detect if any spell was on the old priest, and found a powerful sleep spell.
Zander then turned back to the confused priestess. "What did this priest have on him?"
"Just a strange book and a necklace. We'll be holding those until he wakes up," the priestess informed him.
Zander's frown deepened. Where had Lina and the others gone? He couldn't sense them or his manuscripts anywhere. There were a few places in this area she could hide, plus she might be skilled enough to hide all the manuscripts' presence from him. She had been able to block his search for the Giga Slav after all.
"I'll be back when he wakes," Zander told the priestess before walking out of the Ciephied temple. There was no way he was going to wait inside such a wretched place.
-------------------*
A strong foreboding gripped her. She had felt this a few times before. When it happened, a great amount of destruction followed. Most notably was when her home town was destroyed twice.
Syphiel had no place to call home in Sairaag anymore. So she had no choice but use the inn. She arrived past midnight and was surprised the kitchen was still open. She was filled with mixed emotion when she heard the cook complain about a group of adventurers that had eaten nearly forty plates of food each save for their 'pet golem.' That meant Lina, Gourry and the others were in town, which was good because she did want to see them again. However, every time they went to Sairaag, the town seemed to get destroyed.
Syphiel respectfully only had a light snack of two plates for herself before going to bed. There was no need to wear the cook down anymore. Though she'd probably have to have a big breakfast come morning. Being able to cast high level spells tended to come at the price of having to eat a LOT. Yet somehow Syphiel managed to polish the two plates in less than five minutes and look like she had eaten it daintily.
Syphiel heard noises coming from the rooms down the hall. She blushed realizing what some of those noises were. A passing thought of Gourry went through her mind. She held her cheeks and shook her head. "I shouldn't think such things!"
Then something caught Syphiel's attention. She could hear Lina's strained voice echoing from a room, apparently chanting to the mazoku lords. She wondered if Lina would break the law to cast a spell. Syphiel sighed, realizing Lina wouldn't have any qualms about breaking such a law.
Syphiel approached Lina's room cautiously, hoping to figure out what Lina was really up to. If it was a spell, she'd have to stop it for Lina's sake. She reached for the door knob.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you," someone warned.
Syphiel nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around quickly. "A MAZOKU?!" she screamed recognizing him from when Fibrizo was destroyed.
Xellos pouted. "There's no need to advertise that."
Syphiel swallowed. The mazoku may not be as powerful as Fibrizo, but he wasn't a threat to take lightly either. And the only spell she had to deal with him would cause her to blow up Sairaag herself.
"What's going on?" Lina questioned.
"Look, Lina! It's Syphiel!" Gourry said cheerfully.
Syphiel turned to look at them only in time to see Lina violently jerk Gourry back into the room. From what the priestess could see, neither of them were wearing clothes. Further down the hall she could see Zelgadis and Amelia peeking out another door, and similarly appeared to be in a state of undress. At the end of the hall as guy and a girl she didn't know.
"What's going on, Xellos?" Ravven questioned.
"Just an old friend of Gourry's showing up. Nothing to worry about," Xellos replied.
"Oh," Ravven retreated into his room with Natalia.
"Hi, Ms. Syphiel," Amelia greeted, blushing deeply. "We'll talk in the morning."
"Yeah, ah, hi, Syphiel," Zelgadis greeted before closing the door to his room.
"Talk to you in the morning, Syphiel. And, Xellos, you better be here tomorrow as well. I need to talk to you," Lina added.
"As you wish," Xellos replied.
"Goodnight," Lina told them.
"Goodnight," Gourry added from inside the room.
"Have fun screwing like rabbits," Xellos chirped.
Lina's door opened only long enough for an end table to fly out of it to smack Xellos in the face.
Syphiel still hadn't budged since she saw Lina and Gourry. "W-what's going on?" Syphiel stuttered her question.
Xellos smiled. "Well, it's a long romantic story. Normally I'd hate explain those, but telling you would make for a good snack."
"I need something to drink," Syphiel muttered daintily. "Something strong."
Xellos blinked. The girl looked like a saint, and even acted like one. Yet there was a delicious darkness to her as well. This might be a fun night.
-------------------*
Syphiel groaned as she woke up. She blearily looked up and saw a vaguely muscular body hovering over her. "Ung," she voiced.
"Are you all right?" Gourry questioned.
Syphiel shook her head.
"Sleeping beauty is awake," Xellos clipped. "Here drink this hangover cure."
The smell of alcohol assaulted her senses, but somehow cleared them as well as she took the drink.
"Why did you get drunk?" Gourry questioned with concern.
Syphiel remained silent.
"Some things are best left a secret," Xellos smirked.
Syphiel looked at Xellos in surprise, the mazoku knew why she got drunk and yet didn't use that knowledge to inflict pain.
Gourry shrugged. "Just don't make a habit of getting drunk."
"I won't," Syphiel replied.
"Well, I'm off to see what Lina has to say. I'll leave Syphiel to you, Gourry." Xellos left the room.
Syphiel sighed. She thankfully could remember all that happened last night. Otherwise, she might have been worried that she had lost her maidenhood to Xellos of all... beings. She had consoled a girl as a shrine maiden over a similar situation where the girl had drunkenly slept with someone after losing their love to someone else.
"Did Xellos tell you?" Gourry questioned.
"About your marriage to Lina? That Amelia is trying marry Zelgadis and find his cure?" Syphiel returned.
Gourry nodded. "That and Ravven tagging along."
Syphiel nodded. "He told me everything. Well, almost everything. He kept half explaining things and when I tried to get a clearer answer he'd reply, 'That's a secret.'"
Gourry smirked. "That's Xellos for you. He loves keeping secrets."
Syphiel wished Xellos had kept more secrets last night.
-------------------*
"Hello, everyone," Xellos greeted. "What did you want to talk about?"
"How is Ms. Syphiel?" Amelia questioned.
"She's fine. Just working off a hangover now," Xellos replied. He looked over at Lina. "Don't worry about her trying anything with Gourry. She has accepted the situation admirably. She didn't even try to seduce me last night."
"I doubt she would do anything with a mazoku, no matter how desperate and drunk she gets," Lina shot back. "Anyway, what's the word about Zander?"
"Wild-goose chase," Xellos answered. "I took the liberty of placing a manuscript, that had nothing to do with chimera, on Towermere and put him to sleep for a week conveniently with a sleep spell."
"How did you get through his magic resistance?" Lina questioned.
"Simple. I took off his necklace. That is the source of his resistance," Xellos replied.
"The necklace?" Amelia questioned. She then groaned. "I should've remembered that! His cathedral has the Necklace of Vallas. It's supposed to be locked inside the Flare Cathedral for safe keeping."
"So, the mage who created 'Vallas Wall' also created a protection amulet," Lina surmised.
"Actually Dynast kind of made it," Amelia corrected. "Dynast trapped Vallas's soul inside the necklace. It has offered protection against magic to Flare Cathedral for centuries."
"What if Zander takes the necklace?" Zelgadis questioned. "He'd be unstoppable."
"I bet he can't use it," Lina interjected. "If a mazoku could use it, it would've never fallen into human hands and Xellos would've kept it."
Xellos pouted. "I'm not a thief, Lina."
"Whatever." Lina shrugged. "So, we've got a few days left before we can expect to see Zander and Towermere, huh?"
Xellos nodded.
"Best to prepare for them." Lina sighed. "Just one more thing, Xellos. I figured out how to make a chimera like Zelgadis, but the reverse is proving tricky. Do you know of a means to pull out mazoku energies?"
Xellos grinned. "Just call upon a higher mazoku to pull it out of him. Oh, wait. Shabranigdo was used and Lord of Nightmares is a bit too... capricious." He shrugged. "You'll need to find something that drains mazoku's powers. Good luck finding something strong enough to do the job."
"You knew that all along, didn't you?" Zelgadis growled angrily.
"Now that is a secret." Xellos disappeared in a swirl of black clouds.
Zelgadis let out a bestial scream of frustration.
-------------------*
Xellos's Notes:
If you wish to spy on Amelia's first time with Zelgadis, check out Archive's 'Dreams! And Harsh Reality!' which takes place shortly after the final scene of this chapter.
I'd like to thank Michael Chase and Troy Thomas for their quick replies in pre-reading this.
Oh, as for Reward being 'abandoned,' as one of Archive's reviewers commented, for this series not being updated in months, you should really check some of the lag time between some of Archive's other ficts. At least he's not as bad as some writers who go for years between chapters of their 'active' stories.
(Xellos walks off into the distance on a long and winding road.)
Chapter 12: Sairaag! The Tinder City
By: Lord Archive
The Slayers belong to Hajime Kanazaka, Rui Araizumi, TV Tokyo, SOFTX, Software Sculptures Ltd., and many others. I do not own them. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them as quickly as I can since Lina and Gourry are eating away bank account.
Lime Warning: The reason why this warning is here is very evident in this chapter. Sexual comments WILL be made in this part, but no sexual acts directly described.
-------------------*
"Welcome to Sairaag, the Tinder City, I'm Kribore," greeted a young man of average looks at the border of the city.
"Having your city blown up twice in a couple years time isn't something to be proud of," Lina commented dryly.
"Isn't it supposed to be the HOLY city?" Amelia questioned.
"Without the Holy Tree, we can't quite call this the Holy City, now can we?" Kribore nervously laughed. "Our only claim to fame now is this is where Fibrizo was ruined."
Gourry shrugged. "He's got a point."
Kribore nodded. "Now will this be a short visit, or maybe you'd like some more permanent lodgings?"
"Are any of Rezo's homes intact?" Zelgadis questioned.
"The mayor had the southern most one repaired and is using that as his home," Kribore replied. "Why do you ask?"
Zelgadis didn't reply.
"We're just here for a short visit, so just point us toward the inn," Lina said.
"Very well, but first I have to warn you, any use of magic within Sairaag is against the law and is punishable by death," Kribore stated. "By the way, may I ask your names?"
Lina laughed nervously. "I'm, ah, Lala Gabriev, and this is my husband, Gourreth."
Gourry blinked, opened his mouth and then yelped as Lina stomped on his foot.
"I'm Lulu... Lia, yeah Lulu Lia," Amelia chirped.
"Ravven Del Woods," Ravven bowed slightly.
"Zelgadis Graywords," Zelgadis stated simply.
Kribore's eyes widened. "Zelgadis?! Servant of Rezo and companion of Lina Inverse?"
Zelgadis growled but nodded.
Kribore stiffened and pointed down the street. "The inn is that way. Remember ANY magic use is against the law. Hope you enjoy your SHORT stay."
Lina lead her group in the direction Kribore pointed.
Kribore waved them away nervously, then dashed into his house. A moment later he dragged his wife away from Sairaag while carrying a hastily packed suitcase.
-------------------*
Gourry sat at the inn's dining area, poking at some food.
"Guess even you have some limit to you bottomless pit," Ravven commented.
Gourry let out a long sighed.
"What's with him?" a waitress asked.
"The honeymoon just ended for him. His wife is more interested in some books she found, than him," Ravven explained.
"She must be nuts to choose books over a man like him," the waitress remarked.
Ravven held a hand to his chest, acting hurt. "But what about lonely old me? I have no woman to even call my own."
The waitress hadn't paid much attention to Ravven but now looked closely at him and then scowled darkly in recognition. "Well, I'll be sure to have my sister come here with your daughter, Mr. Ravven Del Woods."
Ravven squirmed. "Who would this lady be, and how can you be sure that the girl is my daughter?"
"Like you would remember Natalia," the waitress shot back.
"Natalia..." Ravven paused. "Lovely brown hair and gray eyes, and VERY experienced in the bedroom."
The waitress rolled her eyes. "Wish I could say you were lying about that." She huffed and walked off.
"So... you have a kid," Gourry mentioned.
Ravven shrugged. "Maybe. Probably have a few children by now."
"How can you be like that? Wasn't there ever someone special in you life?" Gourry asked.
Ravven shook his head. "Thanks to Dad, love is fleeting for me. Lust is all I can hold on to."
Gourry shrugged. "Your sword was your father's right?"
Ravven looked a little nervous. "Yeah."
"Well, at least you're not a bastard like your father was." Gourry stood up. "Care for a sparring match?"
Ravven just let out a short laugh. "You're an odd one, Mr. Gabriev. Let's see how I stand up to your sword arm."
-------------------*
Lina set aside one tablet she acquired and was about to move onto the next when she heard the sounds of weapons clashing. She peered out her window to see Gourry giving Ravven a sword lesson. There was no other way to refer to it as Gourry dwarfed Ravven's skill immensely.
Lina went back to her studies. It didn't take her long to finish reading over all the ones she had taken that had to deal with chimeras. Of the ones she read, only Rezo's legacy had anything to do with Zelgadis. However, that one had more to do with the Demon Beast Zanafar. It was more of a piece to the puzzle than the full solution. Maybe Zelgadis could figure out some more useful information from it.
Lina then skimmed over the other tablets she had stolen. She paused over one dealing with potion making. While she didn't particularly like the work of creating potions because of the ease with which potions can become ruined, this one had something Lina really could use, mana restoration. With this potion she could recoup her ability to cast spells during battle. If it was strong enough she could cast Laguna Blade more than once.
Lina jumped when her bedroom door slammed open with Zelgadis holding an open book.
"LINA! I think I found it!" Zelgadis cried out.
"No need to yell. Sheesh." Lina stiffly stood open. "Let me see it."
Zelgadis handed over the book, and Lina immediately plopped on the floor to look it over. She ignored the presence of Zelgadis and Amelia looking over her shoulder.
"Need the power of two, who must be either unintelligent or willing, and siphon their powers into the third vessel...." Lina muttered. "Combining magics of spirit, body and summoning."
"Body?" Amelia chirped.
"Elven magic to alter ones' form," Lina replied. "It's very difficult to master."
"Do you know any?" Zelgadis questioned.
"A little," Lina answered.
Amelia blinked. "How would you know Elven magic?"
Lina didn't reply as she continued to read. Finally, with a sigh, she closed the book and set it on the floor.
"Well?" Zelgadis pressed.
"I can't cure you," Lina told him flatly.
Zelgadis crashed to the floor, both in shock and despair. "Why not?"
Amelia pouted.
"The book describes nicely how to make a chimera like you, however it doesn't explain how to unmake one," Lina explained. "I could probably remove the stone golem from you with a little more research, but the mazoku part will be tricky. We need the mazoku who gave you your power and get him to willingly remove it."
Zelgadis could only stare in shock.
"Why don't we try to find the mazoku who gave Zelgadis his powers?" Amelia suggested.
"Zel, do you remember anyone else with Rezo when he changed you?" Lina asked.
Zelgadis shook his head. "No."
"So, it's probably Shabranigdo," Lina surmised.
"What?!" Amelia cried out.
Zelgadis punched his hand through the floor. "This is NOT fair! I finally have a cure and I can't use it!"
"I wouldn't say that, Zel," Lina retorted. "With enough research on this process, it should be possible to undo your curse. It'll just take time."
Amelia pouted. "But we don't have much time left."
Lina shrugged. "Sorry, but that's all I can offer for now."
-------------------*
Zander growled in disgust as he tracked down one of his missing Claire Bible Manuscripts. However, it wasn't Lina and her friends that he found, but some old priest.
"What happened to him?" the mazoku librarian questioned.
"Some bandits tried to rob him, but fortunately a mage scared them off and brought him here," explained a dark-haired young priestess of Ciephied.
"Who was this 'mage?'" Zander asked.
The priestess shrugged. "I don't know. I can hardly remember what he looks like." She paused. "Which is strange. Normally I'm good with faces."
Zander muttered a few words and waved his hand over her face. He frowned seeing the girl's memory wasn't blocked, but erased. He then tried to detect if any spell was on the old priest, and found a powerful sleep spell.
Zander then turned back to the confused priestess. "What did this priest have on him?"
"Just a strange book and a necklace. We'll be holding those until he wakes up," the priestess informed him.
Zander's frown deepened. Where had Lina and the others gone? He couldn't sense them or his manuscripts anywhere. There were a few places in this area she could hide, plus she might be skilled enough to hide all the manuscripts' presence from him. She had been able to block his search for the Giga Slav after all.
"I'll be back when he wakes," Zander told the priestess before walking out of the Ciephied temple. There was no way he was going to wait inside such a wretched place.
-------------------*
A strong foreboding gripped her. She had felt this a few times before. When it happened, a great amount of destruction followed. Most notably was when her home town was destroyed twice.
Syphiel had no place to call home in Sairaag anymore. So she had no choice but use the inn. She arrived past midnight and was surprised the kitchen was still open. She was filled with mixed emotion when she heard the cook complain about a group of adventurers that had eaten nearly forty plates of food each save for their 'pet golem.' That meant Lina, Gourry and the others were in town, which was good because she did want to see them again. However, every time they went to Sairaag, the town seemed to get destroyed.
Syphiel respectfully only had a light snack of two plates for herself before going to bed. There was no need to wear the cook down anymore. Though she'd probably have to have a big breakfast come morning. Being able to cast high level spells tended to come at the price of having to eat a LOT. Yet somehow Syphiel managed to polish the two plates in less than five minutes and look like she had eaten it daintily.
Syphiel heard noises coming from the rooms down the hall. She blushed realizing what some of those noises were. A passing thought of Gourry went through her mind. She held her cheeks and shook her head. "I shouldn't think such things!"
Then something caught Syphiel's attention. She could hear Lina's strained voice echoing from a room, apparently chanting to the mazoku lords. She wondered if Lina would break the law to cast a spell. Syphiel sighed, realizing Lina wouldn't have any qualms about breaking such a law.
Syphiel approached Lina's room cautiously, hoping to figure out what Lina was really up to. If it was a spell, she'd have to stop it for Lina's sake. She reached for the door knob.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you," someone warned.
Syphiel nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around quickly. "A MAZOKU?!" she screamed recognizing him from when Fibrizo was destroyed.
Xellos pouted. "There's no need to advertise that."
Syphiel swallowed. The mazoku may not be as powerful as Fibrizo, but he wasn't a threat to take lightly either. And the only spell she had to deal with him would cause her to blow up Sairaag herself.
"What's going on?" Lina questioned.
"Look, Lina! It's Syphiel!" Gourry said cheerfully.
Syphiel turned to look at them only in time to see Lina violently jerk Gourry back into the room. From what the priestess could see, neither of them were wearing clothes. Further down the hall she could see Zelgadis and Amelia peeking out another door, and similarly appeared to be in a state of undress. At the end of the hall as guy and a girl she didn't know.
"What's going on, Xellos?" Ravven questioned.
"Just an old friend of Gourry's showing up. Nothing to worry about," Xellos replied.
"Oh," Ravven retreated into his room with Natalia.
"Hi, Ms. Syphiel," Amelia greeted, blushing deeply. "We'll talk in the morning."
"Yeah, ah, hi, Syphiel," Zelgadis greeted before closing the door to his room.
"Talk to you in the morning, Syphiel. And, Xellos, you better be here tomorrow as well. I need to talk to you," Lina added.
"As you wish," Xellos replied.
"Goodnight," Lina told them.
"Goodnight," Gourry added from inside the room.
"Have fun screwing like rabbits," Xellos chirped.
Lina's door opened only long enough for an end table to fly out of it to smack Xellos in the face.
Syphiel still hadn't budged since she saw Lina and Gourry. "W-what's going on?" Syphiel stuttered her question.
Xellos smiled. "Well, it's a long romantic story. Normally I'd hate explain those, but telling you would make for a good snack."
"I need something to drink," Syphiel muttered daintily. "Something strong."
Xellos blinked. The girl looked like a saint, and even acted like one. Yet there was a delicious darkness to her as well. This might be a fun night.
-------------------*
Syphiel groaned as she woke up. She blearily looked up and saw a vaguely muscular body hovering over her. "Ung," she voiced.
"Are you all right?" Gourry questioned.
Syphiel shook her head.
"Sleeping beauty is awake," Xellos clipped. "Here drink this hangover cure."
The smell of alcohol assaulted her senses, but somehow cleared them as well as she took the drink.
"Why did you get drunk?" Gourry questioned with concern.
Syphiel remained silent.
"Some things are best left a secret," Xellos smirked.
Syphiel looked at Xellos in surprise, the mazoku knew why she got drunk and yet didn't use that knowledge to inflict pain.
Gourry shrugged. "Just don't make a habit of getting drunk."
"I won't," Syphiel replied.
"Well, I'm off to see what Lina has to say. I'll leave Syphiel to you, Gourry." Xellos left the room.
Syphiel sighed. She thankfully could remember all that happened last night. Otherwise, she might have been worried that she had lost her maidenhood to Xellos of all... beings. She had consoled a girl as a shrine maiden over a similar situation where the girl had drunkenly slept with someone after losing their love to someone else.
"Did Xellos tell you?" Gourry questioned.
"About your marriage to Lina? That Amelia is trying marry Zelgadis and find his cure?" Syphiel returned.
Gourry nodded. "That and Ravven tagging along."
Syphiel nodded. "He told me everything. Well, almost everything. He kept half explaining things and when I tried to get a clearer answer he'd reply, 'That's a secret.'"
Gourry smirked. "That's Xellos for you. He loves keeping secrets."
Syphiel wished Xellos had kept more secrets last night.
-------------------*
"Hello, everyone," Xellos greeted. "What did you want to talk about?"
"How is Ms. Syphiel?" Amelia questioned.
"She's fine. Just working off a hangover now," Xellos replied. He looked over at Lina. "Don't worry about her trying anything with Gourry. She has accepted the situation admirably. She didn't even try to seduce me last night."
"I doubt she would do anything with a mazoku, no matter how desperate and drunk she gets," Lina shot back. "Anyway, what's the word about Zander?"
"Wild-goose chase," Xellos answered. "I took the liberty of placing a manuscript, that had nothing to do with chimera, on Towermere and put him to sleep for a week conveniently with a sleep spell."
"How did you get through his magic resistance?" Lina questioned.
"Simple. I took off his necklace. That is the source of his resistance," Xellos replied.
"The necklace?" Amelia questioned. She then groaned. "I should've remembered that! His cathedral has the Necklace of Vallas. It's supposed to be locked inside the Flare Cathedral for safe keeping."
"So, the mage who created 'Vallas Wall' also created a protection amulet," Lina surmised.
"Actually Dynast kind of made it," Amelia corrected. "Dynast trapped Vallas's soul inside the necklace. It has offered protection against magic to Flare Cathedral for centuries."
"What if Zander takes the necklace?" Zelgadis questioned. "He'd be unstoppable."
"I bet he can't use it," Lina interjected. "If a mazoku could use it, it would've never fallen into human hands and Xellos would've kept it."
Xellos pouted. "I'm not a thief, Lina."
"Whatever." Lina shrugged. "So, we've got a few days left before we can expect to see Zander and Towermere, huh?"
Xellos nodded.
"Best to prepare for them." Lina sighed. "Just one more thing, Xellos. I figured out how to make a chimera like Zelgadis, but the reverse is proving tricky. Do you know of a means to pull out mazoku energies?"
Xellos grinned. "Just call upon a higher mazoku to pull it out of him. Oh, wait. Shabranigdo was used and Lord of Nightmares is a bit too... capricious." He shrugged. "You'll need to find something that drains mazoku's powers. Good luck finding something strong enough to do the job."
"You knew that all along, didn't you?" Zelgadis growled angrily.
"Now that is a secret." Xellos disappeared in a swirl of black clouds.
Zelgadis let out a bestial scream of frustration.
-------------------*
Xellos's Notes:
If you wish to spy on Amelia's first time with Zelgadis, check out Archive's 'Dreams! And Harsh Reality!' which takes place shortly after the final scene of this chapter.
I'd like to thank Michael Chase and Troy Thomas for their quick replies in pre-reading this.
Oh, as for Reward being 'abandoned,' as one of Archive's reviewers commented, for this series not being updated in months, you should really check some of the lag time between some of Archive's other ficts. At least he's not as bad as some writers who go for years between chapters of their 'active' stories.
(Xellos walks off into the distance on a long and winding road.)