Zelgadis stared blankly into his coffee cup, his steel-blue eyes showing no emotion whatsoever. He had killed, again, and it made him queasy. More so than usual. The Vice Freeze... that surely couldn't have been the fatal blow.
No. he reminded himself. You killed him with your own two hands. He had been shocked at how thoroughly the spell had frozen the little man. Still, he never remembered Vice Freeze turning the body completely into ice before. He would have to be more careful in the future.
The other two had escaped during the confusion and chaos after the ice spell. They would need to capture one of them alive for interrogation since the third wouldn't be in any position to talk again. He mulled over the data he had assessed during the battle.
First there was the short, and now deceased, mage. All of the little man's bulk had been fat, so he was probably from a noble ancestry. That would explain the extensive and potentially fatal offensive black magic, and why the dwarf-like sorcerer was so... unsuited... for physical combat. Money couldn't buy happiness, but it sure as hell could buy a lot of power.
Then there was that black-haired woman who seemed to be as well trained with the blade as Gourry. Her speed was nearly a match, if not a direct counter, to the blonde's strength. What's more, her movements did not hold the pose or pattern of any one technique. He had counted at least seven attacks from different styles. Somehow, he had a gut feeling that she was going to be a problem.
Last was the blonde mage. He was pretty fast, too; able to draw blood and disable while Lina was on her second spell. Pulling out Disfang in the beginning of the match was bad enough, but he had a feeling that the shadow serpent could have easily taken out the sorceress. For all her power, Lina wasn't anywhere near as fast as their newest opponents.
Then he realized someone was talking to him.
"What?" He looked up, startled.
"I said," Lina gave him a Look, "what was with you earlier today?"
"What do you mean?" His metallic gaze caught hers, but reflected nothing.
"That Vice Freeze you cast." She narrowed her eyes. "It froze him to the core. Literally." Zelgadis turned away, eyes clouded with confusion.
"I don't know," he murmured.
"And what about that 'Isa' thing, what is it?" she demanded.
"I don't know."
"Figures."
"Wait."
"Huh?"
"Do you remember what it said about the Runic spells?"
"Yeah..."
"Wasn't Isa - "
" - One of those Runes?"
"... It doesn't make any sense."
"Are you sure you don't have any Runestones?"
"I think I would have remembered picking up any objects of power."
"Well, empty out your pocket dimension, just in case."
"WHAT?!" Zelgadis leapt to his feet, eyes wide.
"You heard me." Lina tapped her foot impatiently. "Empty out your pocket dimension." The cerulean eyed chimera continued to gape at her as if she had asked him to rip out his heart and wear it on his belt.
"I-I-I... but-but-but..." he stammered, backing up a step.
"What, you've got something in there you don't want me to see?" She gave him a sly glance, and his face reddened slightly.
"N-n-no..." To his embarrassment, he watched her hands sneak out to grab his cloak.
"Then empty it out already." She pouted as he jerked back.
"Here?" His gaze darted over the room; most patrons of the restaurant inn combo had decided to ignore them ages ago.
"Hmm...I guess you're right." She admitted, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "To the bedroom!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him up the stairs, all the while chewing herself out for how bad the phrase had sounded.
An hour later...
Lina scowled at the size of the pile of Zelgadis' belongings, which was at least her height and three times as wide. A good two thirds of the heap was comprised of an assortment of weapons, ranging from a lead filled bo to a kusari-gama. A small sweat drop rolled down the side of Lina's head as the umpteenth dagger flew by her head.
"Zel..." She whined, and the chimera glared at her darkly.
"You told me to empty out my pocket dimension." He deadpanned. "That's exactly what I'm doing." He resumed his excavation, and Lina sighed in frustration.
"There was a crash as something hit the floor, something that either broke on impact or was comprised of multiple parts. Both Lina and Zelgadis halted to see what it was, and nearly fell over in surprise. Twenty-five bone-white tiles lay upon the floor each one bearing a carmine carved symbol, save for the last, which was blank. Ever character reflected like molten gold at a certain angle.
"What the hell?" Lina knelt down to pick up one of the stones, oblivious to their building energy.
"Don't touch it!" Zelgadis dashed forward and grabbed her, then hit the floor as lightning exploded from the mystical stones. The rock-skinned youth shielded the red-head with his body, but the silent electricity did not touch him. Still, he waited until it was finished be fore he moved aside.
"What was that?" She gasped.
"Imprinting spell." He glared at the offending disks. "To keep them from being stolen or used by the wrong person. I don't think the spell effects inanimate objects; that's why they didn't react when I... acquired them."
"Zel..." Lina's brilliant red eyes shone with grim concentration. "We have to talk."