Briseria is a country known for its grapes. If its name ever came up in a conversation, and it sometimes did, one would always have to mention, "I heard the grapes are very fine in Briseria." or "Have you tasted the ripe grapes of Briseria?" There was not a country in the known world whose fruits could rival the plump, sweet, dark purple grapes of Briseria.
Except maybe Zefilia.
When harvest time came, there was always a big celebration around the corner. The annual winemaking festivities were followed by the consumption of various ales, giant sausages and cream pies. There were contests of skill and strength of all kinds. From the simple log tossing and hammer swinging to the incredibly competitive, full contact, aggressive, annual basket weaving contest.
Suffice to say, harvest time meant lots of partying, lots of wine (as a result of lots of squashed grapes) and lots of food. And that was exactly what Lina Inverse was counting on. Infamous sorceress, practitioner of the black-arts, "someone even a dragon wouldn't mess with", and fan of really big dinners, Lina Inverse settled down to her twelfth helping pork chops and sautéed onions covered in a creamy Briserian sauce.
It was the closest she could get to home cooked cuisine without actually going home to Zefilia. She hadn't been home in years and decided it was better that way. There were too many problems at home that reminded her why she left in the first place. Lina put those dark thoughts back into the recesses of her mind, going back to her dinner.
"Mmmm... oishii!" she squealed in ravenous delight. She clutched her weapons tightly—fork in one hand, knife in the other. She attacked, mercilessly.
The murmur of the restaurant's patrons was at a minimum tonight. There were no rowdy drinking songs, no gawky performers on stage, no dancing girls. The lack of entertainment from the restaurant's part left it at poor business for the night. It didn't bother Lina Inverse at all. The more food left for her, which was all she could think of.
She sliced at her pork chops, cutting off a small piece. Smothering it in sauce, she popped it into her mouth, chewing quickly while her delicate hands searched for another bit of onion.
The light overhead dimmed as a shadow cast itself over her dining table. Lina looked up to find a tall, dark haired woman standing before her. The woman's cape was pretty much all the clothing she wore, besides the bikini top that barely covered her ample bosom. And ample it was. Between them lay a small skull ornament that sort of set the tone for the entire outfit. She was definitely going for the "less is more" philosophy of clothing.
"There you are, Lina Inverse!" declared the familiar voice. "Did you think you could escape me and hide in this restaurant and eat while I—that looks delicious! Waiter!" She called snapping her fingers and taking an uninvited seat opposite to Lina. A young man in a red vest and bow-tie appeared. "I'll have what she's having and you can put it on her bill."
"Naga you freeloading, ungrateful person!" chided Lina. "When are you going to start paying for you own meals?!"
"If I recall, Lina, you're the one who ran out on lunch this morning."
"Did I?" Lina feigned innocence, laughing weakly with one hand behind her head. "I got lost finding the washroom!"
Naga laughed her trademark, ear-piercing laugh. "Oohohohoho! Lina Inverse! When will you admit that you cannot fool your greatest rival, Naga the White Serpent! Oohohoho!"
"Oho-ho-ho!" Lina mocked in response. "When will you admit that you're really, really cheap?"
Naga raised her fork in contention of the point when another figured overshadowed their table. Both looking up, they were greeted by an out of breath girl. She looked young, with wavy brown hair and garbed in a gray traveler's cloak.
The girl struggled to regain her breath. "Finally!" she said between inhales, "I've found you!"
Lina and Naga froze. "Ahaha, whatever you think we've done, I'm sure it's a misunderstanding," Lina started her regular routine. Responsibility avoidance was one of her trademarks. Besides blowing up things. Actually, she realized later that the two went hand in hand, sort of.
The girl shook her hand while gasping for air. "No, I need help."
Naga poured a glass of water for the girl. "Ne, don't start ordering more food, I don't think we can afford it," Lina whispered quickly.
"I've been searching for the famous sorceress," started the girl. Lina's attention perked up. "The legends of the powerful mistress of the black arts." Lina smiled. "Only she can help me in this most dangerous task. For I am looking for the one and only — "
"Lina Inverse!" Lina finished for the girl, standing with one leg on the table, outstretched finger in the air. Her pose was triumphant.
"Yes, that's right!" agreed the girl yet a look of confusion spread across her face. "But who are you?"
It was Lina's turn to look confused. "Weren't you paying attention? I'm Lina Inverse?"
"No you're not," contested the girl. She pulled out a piece of parchment. "Ano, where is it? Ah! Here it is! 'Lina Inverse'. See?"
Lina took one glimpse at the portrait and fell onto her seat. It was a picture of Naga. She had one of her infamous smirks on her face. The ones that said, 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful and powerful and literally half-naked'.
Grabbing the woman by the front of her cloak violently, she screamed, "How could you mistake this goldfish feces for me?!"
Naga felt it was time for another of her famous laughs. It had been a while since she had said anything and subconsciously she knew it got people's attention. It also made most people run in terror. "Oohohoho," she began. "Lina, Lina, Lina. It's obviously that my immense beauty has preceded your reputation."
"That's 'my reputation precedes me'" corrected Lina in an annoyed growl.
"And that people all over the world," Naga continued without paying any attention, "are beginning to recognize me for what I truly am."
The girl nodded vigorously during Naga's impromptu speech. "So, will you help me, Lina Inverse?"
"BUT I'M LINA INVERSE!"
"No need to become jealous," said Naga.
"Who is this person?" the girl pointed to Lina.
"Just my sidekick. You can ignore her."
Lina pointed her finger, readying a spell. Naga grinned slyly. "You're not going to destroy the whole restaurant again, are you?"
Instead of her usual loud yell of the mantra, she whispered softly, "Fireball." A tiny ball of flames hurled from her finger, scorching Naga to a crisp. Naga blinked in disbelief. So did the girl.
"My name is Delia," introduced the girl. "I've been searching for the famous Lina Inverse to help my family."
Lina continued chewing her thirteenth plate of pork chops while listening to Delia's plea. Naga had a bored expression on her face as her gloved fingers drummed on the table.
"My family owns a small piece of land not far from this village. We're farmers, you see, and we pay our tax from the sale of crops. But this year, our crops have turned out poorly and we can't afford the taxes. The local magistrate has seized our land and plans to give them away. He's holding a horse racing tournament and whoever claims victory claims our land." Her face was downcast and she tried to hide the tears running down her cheek. "Our family has no hope of winning back our land and we'll be forced out. Please, you must help me?"
Naga glanced at Lina, giving her usual expression of skepticism. "I dunno," she started, "I don't really want to haul another bag of vegetables — "
Delia noticed the pause and caught on immediately. "Every entry," she added quickly, "has to make a small racing fee. The winner also gets the purse along with our land. You can have the purse if you win back our land."
"Okay, we'll do it!" agreed Lina instantly. She didn't like doing favours for free, but when money was concerned, what was a little effort worth?
"Oh!" cried the girl, tears of joy flowing now, "thank you!" She turned to a surprised Naga. "You're so lucky to have a willing sidekick, Lina Inverse!" Lina planted her face in her hands.
The trip to Delia's village took place immediately after they persuaded her to pay for dessert. It was impolite, as Lina Inverse pointed out, for a person to seek help and not pay for their dinner. However, since she was going to get the purse for the horse race, she insisted on dessert only. Delia looked to Naga for reassurance, still mistaking her for Lina Inverse. Even Naga wasn't that stupid to pass up a free meal and nodded with a smile. The girl was only too happy to please her idol.
Delia's village, Mysteria, was mere leagues from Briseria's main town and the trip only took a few hours walking. For Lina Inverse, it could have taken an eternity.
Ye Olde Webster's Dictionairy describes eternity as follow: Eternity (e-tur-ni-tee); an infinitely long period of time; consider the local magick-store, where you have a basketful full of mystical items. None of the items have a price rune on them. There are fifteen mages ahead of you, all with full baskets. It is the check-out novice's first day on the job and he speaks only the ancient Mazoku-tongue. The item-indexing tome has mysteriously been cast under an ensorcelled, white-magic barrier. Subtract the time it takes to cast a light spell and you have eternity.
"Why is your village called Mysteria?" asked Naga, breaking the silence of the boring trip. "What's so mysterious about it?"
Delia fidgeted noticeably and clearly did not want to say.
"Why can't you tell me?" Naga poked. "Is it a secret?" She reared back her head, one hand resting casually on her hip. "Oohohohoho! There is no secret in the world that cannot be kept from Naga the White Serpent!" (Her hand really provided support as her head movements tended to imbalance her centre of gravity)
The girl clearly wrestled with herself. Torn between revealing the nature of her village's name and satisfying the curiosity of her idol, "Lina Inverse". The real Lina listened with interest as well but wouldn't admit it.
It would definitely pass the time.
"Uh," started Delia hesitantly, "you see, er, our village is named 'Mysteria' because — "
"Because an ancient mist rolls in every five years and the boundaries between time and realities is shattered?" Lina added tentatively.
Delia shook her head.
"Because a secret elven relic is buried in the hillside and those who would unearth it would possess great strength and power?" Naga attempted.
Lina whispered into her ear, "Ne, Naga, we've already been to a place like that."
"I know, Lina-san, but you never know when it might pop up again!"
Delia shook her head once more.
"Well, what is it then?!" Naga asked, impatience growing in her voice.
The girl reached into her cloak and pulled out a small brown pouch. Loosening the drawstrings, she reached deep into the bag. They peered on tiptoes, Lina expecting a magical ball used for viewing events to come, while Naga expected a jewel-encrusted ornament found only in deep, dangerous dungeons.
It was not a magical ball used for viewing future events.
It was not a jewel-encrusted ornament.
It was a cucumber.
"Ano, it's a cucumber," Naga said, poking it with her finger.
"It looks like a cucumber but it's really a radish!" responded Delia. "That's why our village is called 'Mysteria'. It's very mysterious."
Lina was thoroughly confused. "Because your radishes look like cucumbers?" Delia nodded her head. "Give me that!" Lina barked in an annoyed voiced, snatching the green vegetable from Delia's hands. She took a big bite out of it, chewed for a few moments before swallowing.
"Well?" asked Naga wanting a final verdict.
Lina Inverse put on her infamous sidelong glance and reported in low voice, "If it looks like a cucumber and tastes like a cucumber, might it actually be a cucumber?!"
"But the salesman who sold us the seeds said they were radishes!" protested Delia.
"And you believe him?" asked Lina incredulously. "Then again," tilting her head at Naga, "you actually think she's Lina Inverse."
"I still think it's mysterious," Delia repeated.
"How much farther to your village?" Lina asked.
Naga pointed to the pouch. "Do you have any oranges in that bag?"
"Here," Delia said, pulling out a pear.
Mysteria stood on the western edge of Briseria's borders. It was a large village that could have passed for a town. Briseria had specific rules about what could be considered a town and what was a village. A village was a hamlet with any sort religious centre and a town was a village that had a town hall.
Currently, Mysteria lacked a town hall, an official one anyway. Biweekly, meetings were held in the fur-trapper's lodge and issues of "town" politics were discussed. However, turnout was poor at best, as no one had a real interest in that sort of business. To make matters worse, a very distinct and musky odor emanated from attendees after every meeting.
Briseria ran a feudal-type system of land government. Land was distributed to farmers who had to pay a small tax back to the government. In exchange, they received protection from the finest cavalry and foot-patrols around. Farmers did not own their land but were free to do whatever they liked with it. All that mattered was the government receive proper payment each quarter.
Delia's father, Armet, couldn't produce that tax in nearly six months. The growing season had been terrible but most farmers scraped by on what they could produce. Armet wasn't so lucky. Consequently, the government stepped in and scooped up their farm.
The house on her father's land was small, square and simple. It had three bedrooms; one for Delia, one for her father and her mother and the third for her younger brother Bil.
Armet was stout man but in good health. He sat by the fireplace, smoking his pipe as Delia introduced Lina Inverse and Naga.
"This is Lina Inverse, papa," Delia pointed to Naga, "and her sidekick—ano, I never got your name?" she asked Lina.
"I'm Lina Inverse!" Lina shouted in utter annoyance. "LI-NA IN- VERSE!!"
Armet cleared his throat. "You'll have to excuse her," he apologized, "she's not very good with faces. I'm honoured, Lina Inverse, that you would help me."
"As long as I paid in the end, I don't mind," grumped Lina, slightly disinterested with the niceties.
"You'll have to excuse my friend," interrupted Naga in symmetry with Armet's apology. "She's a clumsy girl and not trained well in any sort of social graces."
Lina nudged her in the stomach. "At least I don't mooch meals off others, ne?" She turned back to Armet. "So why did you want me to help you win this horse race?" She flipped back her fire-orange hair and grinned. "You must have heard about great magical powers."
"If you ask me," Naga said, "you're no match for my riding-prowess, Lina Inverse."
"'Riding prowess'?" Lina mocked. "Any horse would run at the sight of someone with your frightful fashion sense!"
"Actually," Armet said, "I needed someone small. An underdeveloped girl like yourself."
Lina Inversed turned bright red, fuming. Had it been any other personal insult, she would have blasted the offender without hesitation. There was only one thing that could turn Lina Inverse into a defunct sorceress. And that was her chest size. Naga's hideous screech only added salt to the wound. "Oohohohoho! I like him already."
He looked into the bowl of water with great discomfort. The glittering reflection upon the surface revealed two figures walking from a small house in the countryside. One was a tall, purple-haired woman dressed in a skimpy bikini-outfit, while the other was short, with flame- orange hair. There was no mistaking it, he realized, it was indeed Lina Inverse.
How? How was it possible that the famous bandit-killer and all- around enemy to all things come to Mysteria? She had obviously stumbled upon his whereabouts, he surmised. Waving a hand over the pool, the image flickered and faded away.
"What is she doing here?" he asked, a strong emphasis on 'she'.
Three large men stood before him. They played the traditional role of goons and dressed for the role. Daggers stuck out from boot tops and belts, and chains were wrapped around arms and waists. "The news is that Armet hired her for the race, tomorrow," one goon spoke up.
"Nonsense!" he cried. "It's all a convenient story. I know why she's here. She's come to stop my plans. See to it she doesn't survive the night."
The goons beat a fierce fist to their chests, nodded, and left. Flames danced on the walls of the small room, which he called his 'hideout'. He frowned and spoke, "I won't let you interfere with my plans, Lina Inverse."
The night sky had always had a certain mystery for man. The large yellow-white moon that dominated the black sky dotted with the sparkle of stars. It was the appearance of the moon and stars that separated day from night. The human race had lived on that constant for centuries.
Lina Inverse, however, had a more accurate way of telling time. Her stomach made a deep rumbling sound, indicating it was dinnertime. There was a slight fallacy to her method of keeping time. It seemed dinnertime came quite often. To deal with that, Lina developed a categorization of stomach rumblings to separate dinnertime rumblings from lunchtime rumblings to late-night-fishball-snack rumblings. It was a quite refined and detailed system.
Tonight, her stomach rumbled a 'dinner-time-chicken-and-bread- please' rumble.
"Could your stomach be any louder?" complained Naga. "I don't think the Lord of Nightmares can hear you."
"Quiet Naga," Lina retorted. "I'm hungry and it's time for dinner."
They were just on their way to Mysteria's town square, after leaving Delia's home. The poor girl had no food or room to offer them. Lina found that rather disappointing, as room and board was a usual supplemental fee for her services. But in this case she understood. She'd make up for it double the next time.
Naga broke the momentary blissful silence, much to Lina's dismay. "Ne, Lina. There's been something bothering me."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Back at Delia's house, her father was going to show you the horse you were to ride but you refused."
"Horses are all the same," Lina said casually. "Get on one, race it to the finish line, done deal."
Naga gave her a critical look. "You've never ridden a horse before, have you?"
Mt. Lina erupted. "WHAT?" She laughed weakly. "Of course I've ridden a horse before, what makes you think such a stupid thing."
"You acted so casually and hastily about the whole idea," Naga pointed out. "And I've never seen you ride a horse. What makes you think you can race one?"
Lina's eyebrows furrowed. "I told you Naga, there's nothing to it. Besides, what do you know of horses anyway?"
"Oohoho," Naga laughed shortly (thankfully to Lina's ears). "My noble upbringing has given me experience with horses of all breeds. You would do well to take some of my advice, Lina Inverse."
Instead the orange-haired sorceress guffawed. "'Noble upbringing'?" she repeated. "What? Are you like the princess of Sailoon or something?"
Naga the White Serpent said nothing.
The two had reached the town of Mysteria. Small brownish-white buildings were lined up neatly in a very disorganized manner. Some streets were narrower than others were and not very well lit. It was such a street that Lina and Naga found themselves being followed.
"We're being followed," Naga whispered quietly without bothering to look down or back. Instead she looked straight ahead.
Lina acted unaware as well. Their capes rustled silently in the night breeze. "I know," she confirmed. "Let's turn down that alley to the right."
They did so without quickening their pace. A few moments later six large men followed after and entered the alley.
The street was poorly lit to begin with and the alley was darker still. However, in the darkness they found a small, cloaked figure facing to the wall of the dead end. She turned to face the men who had been tailing her.
"Hey!" Lina said gruffly, "who are you people?"
One of the men spoke up, their leader presumably. "So you're the one Armet hired to race tomorrow. But we're onto your true plans." He shook his head in an irritated manner.
"Eh? My 'true plans'?" Lina asked confusedly.
"Yeah, you can't play dumb with us!" another man said. He had a rather goofy look on his face.
Lina grinned. "You guys look dumb enough already. Say, are you guys bandits?"
"We'll be asking the questions around here!" the leader said angrily.
"I'll take that as a yes, then." She shook her head, trying to hide a smile. "I guess it's only fair to tell you of my secret weapon."
The goons were taken aback. "Your secret weapon?"
"He never told us she had a secret weapon."
"Is she bluffing?"
"Quiet idiots!" the leader ordered. "Let me do the talking." He turned to the young sorceress. "Alright, what's this secret weapon of yours?" He beat a fist into his palm.
"If that's how you want it," she declared, "then here it comes!" Raising two hands to her mouth, she called out: "Naga!"
The piercing laughter of her companion filled the narrow alley. The man clutched their ears and turned back to see who was causing such a deafening noise. The purple haired, dark cloaked woman floated gently from the rooftops flanking the alley. The dull glow of Raywing encompassed her body. She let the spell go a few inches above the ground, causing her chest to heave noticeably as she landed.
The men were absolutely mesmerized by Naga's entrance (and her body). One was slowly drooling. Another was on the verge of a nosebleed.
A red light from behind them suddenly caught the corner of their eyes. Turning back in unison, they discovered Lina Inverse had reared back her hands, a glowing ball of fire slowly forming between her palms.
"Alright, in we go," Lina guided a drunken Naga through the door of their room. The local inn had only one vacancy left and Lina had no desire to sleep outside, as was their usual case on the road. Towns meant inns and inns meant warm beds and hot food. Unfortunately, it also meant lots of ale. Naga's face was a healthy red complexion from all the alcohol she consumed over the course of dinner. And that usually lasted three or four times over a normal meal. She wore a silly smile and her eyes wandered about her sockets aimlessly.
"Whoops!" Naga yelped as she tripped over her steps and onto one of the beds.
Lina Inverse picked herself off the floor and gave the purple-haired sorceress an angry glare. "Why do you always have to drink so much?" she demanded to know.
Naga lay facedown on the bed. She tried turning herself over, which only resulted in returning her facedown again. She made a puzzled look, not sure what was the problem her. She turned herself over again, hoping to get it right this time. Instead she fell onto the floor. Lina buried her face in one hand, shaking her head. Naga clambered up to the mattress and heaved herself back on.
"Oh Lina, Lina, Lina," she finally responded in a mothering tone. "You really should lighten up. You're so stiff sometimes!"
"I am not stiff!" contested Lina as she undid the clasps to her black cloak. She stretched out a yawn before falling back onto her own bed, mere feet away from Naga's. She pillowed her neck on her hands and stared up at the ceiling.
Naga sat up, cross-legged. "Sure you are! When was the last time you went out with a guy?"
"Went out?" Lina repeated incredulously. She made a noise. "Guys aren't so interesting anymore. I'm not a naïve little girl."
"You're avoiding the question," Naga said soberly.
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"I said I'm not!"
"So when was the last time?"
"Oh, all right!" Lina growled in annoyance. She really didn't want to answer the question, it put her on the spot but she figured that Naga was drunk anyway. "I've never been out with a guy."
Leaning closer, Naga made a face. "You've never been out with a guy?"
"No, never, okay?" she confirmed in a hushed tone.
"I see."
Lina lay back down on the bed, glad that she had satisfied her nosy friend. Naga, however, rocked back and forth impatiently before asking, "So you never think about guys?"
"I dunno," Lina answered without a commotion.
"You ever dream about the 'Knight in shining armour'?"
Lina Inverse laughed. "You've got to be kidding me! That beat-out cliché? Naga, you and I both know that the only ones we can really depend on is ourselves. Right?"
Naga shook her head vigorously in agreement. "Still..." she started.
"When I was young," Lina began one of stories, which was a rarity, but Naga listened anyway, "there was this boy who always followed me around. I forgot his name. I think he liked me or something. He was goofy kind of kid, not like the other boys his age. One day, a bunch of older kids were picking on me."
"You let them?" Naga interrupted.
"I was a kid!" Lina protested. "Don't interrupt now. Anyway, so this kid decides that it was his honour to come and rescue me. Big mistake that was. He received two bruised ribs and a black eye."
"They beat him up?"
"No, I beat him up."
"What?"
"Yep! That was for demanding that they not, 'beat up on his girlfriend' I never did get my reputation back that day. So you see, Naga, that whole charade with the damsel-in-distress doesn't work. It's all nonsense." She waved off her hand girlishly. "Boys, please." She heard a faint snoring. "Naga? Naga? Hey are you listening to me?!" She looked over to find her druken ally curled up and fast asleep.
Lina Inverse awoke to her internal alarm set to "sausages, two strips of bacon and three eggs". She was dreaming about soaring through the sky, which was not uncommon by itself because she had the raywing spell, but what was really odd was the fact she wasn't using any magic. She had ridden upon a great white stallion with a fiery mane, its hooves galloped soundlessly through the calm air.
Stretching, she rubbed her eyes and sat up on the mattress. The sun crept in through the gaps on the shutters. It looked like a good day to be racing. She was supposed to meet Delia and Armet in the Town Square before midday. Lina was eager to win the purse. From what she understood by last night's altercation, competition was high and that meant lots of money. Lina Inverse loved money. And food—Her two favorite things in the world.
The sound of Naga's snoring caught her ear. The sorceress slept facedown and backwards with her feet at the headboard. Her cloak was tossed carelessly onto the floor; she must have taken it off during the night, Lina thought.
"Naga, wake up!" called Lina.
No response.
"Naga!" she said again, more forcefully and louder.
"Uh?" groaned Naga, eyes refusing to open.
"Wake up!"
Her eyes finally opened and the brilliant light of the room struck her hungover state. She shut them just as quick, rubbing them with one hand. "I feel terrible."
"That's because you drank too much again," chided Lina. "Hurry up and get ready. We have a race to win today."
"Leave me alone," Naga muttered, managing to roll over and pull the blankets over her face.
"I think it's time for Lina Inverse hangover remedy number one," Lina grinned. "FLAME ARROW!"
Naga leapt off the bed and snapped to attention before Lina could release her magical energy. "Oh, I feel much better now!"
Lina Inverse had never been in a horse race before. She had frequented them once in a while in her past as a means to make money. That was before she became adept at her spells and simply blasted bandits for money. But that was sitting on the sidelines, watching.
She had never participated in a horse race. And Naga was right, she knew absolutely nothing about horses in detail. Horse riding was something Lina Inverse never had time for nor did it make any impact in her daily life. What was so big about riding a horse anyway? Sure they went fast and far but she liked a mode of transportation that didn't have a mind of its own. It was trouble enough to feed herself but a horse as well?
However, to admit Naga was right and Lina was wrong was one of those taboo areas. She'd rather croak a frog song while sitting on her head.
Armet and Delia had met them moments earlier and had escorted them to the racing grounds just outside the village. A wooden spectator's box had been constructed for the event and already every seat was filled. The course was really on a outlying farm and the barn's stable was where the horses were kept. As Lina was taken to her horse, she noticed a few familiar faces.
The ragtag band of goons who attacked them last night huddled together, supported by clutches and wrapped in bandages. They gave Lina a menacing glare but, because of their injuries, that was all they could do. Lina pulled down an eyelid and stuck her tongue at them. That's when she noticed the other jockeys.
The first word that registered in her mind was muscular. She shook her head mentally. No, huge was more like it. There were seven of them, incredibly well built (an understatement) clad only in briefs and chest harnesses so as to maximize muscle visibility. They positioned themselves before the injured group of goons who were now grinning wickedly.
One of the jockeys approached Lina's group, and with a emphatic flex of his biceps, growled in an accented voice, "Little girly is going to race with us?" He let back a mighty laugh. "Me, strong like bull."
"Him," Lina whispered to Naga, "smart like bull."
Naga had a worried look on her face. Rare as it was but Lina caught it immediately. "What's wrong?"
"I don't like this Lina," she said with a frown. "You're aware that you cannot ride a horse and use your magic at the same time. They'll pummel you."
"WHAT?" she cried in disbelief. Then, she covered quickly, "Hahaha..of course Naga! You think I'm stupid? I know that!" She tried to hide her own worry.
"It's precisely why I chose you," Armet spoke. "Your incredibly small size will let you ride faster than those brutes."
"Ne, you don't have to emphasize on the size," Lina mumbled.
"Anyway, here we are," announced Armet, standing before the stall where their horse stayed.
Her jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
Lina didn't know much about horses but she knew enough from looking at other horses. The horse presented before her was a light gray mare, a bit on the skinny side. Her head was low and eyes held a sleepy look.
"Ahahaha," Lina laughed casually, composing herself. "Um... she looks nice."
Naga did not agree. She took the mare's head in her gloved hands and did an inspection. She checked the teeth and looked straight into the horse's eyes. She checked all four legs, joints and the two front hoofs. As she did, she made noises.
"Tell me, Armet-san, this is a farm horse, isn't it?"
"Why yes, she's been extremely helpful on the fields."
Naga pulled Lina Inverse aside. "Are you sure you want to do this? That horse isn't in top racing form. I doubt it could even hold a trot for ten minutes!"
"I'll be fine Naga! Sheesh, you worry so much! Do you doubt my abilities?"
"Yes."
Lina made a face. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
The racers were all gathered at the starting line. The spectators' box was filled with sounds of cheering and yelling. Various men were holding papers, egging their chosen horse on. Apparently there was a bit of wagering on the sidelines, Lina knew.
She was exhausted. It had taken her three tries to get on the horse, which didn't have a name so Lina called her 'Lucky'. Three times, Lina attempted to mount Lucky, but because of her short stature, had found it difficult. She had gritted her teeth each time to Naga's obnoxious laughter before casting a raywing spell and landing on the horse.
Then, there was the problem of getting Lucky to the starting gate. Lina had begun yanking on the reins, trying to coax Lucky toward the gate. She wouldn't move. Frustrated, Lina kicked her ribs that had sent Lucky racing the opposite direction. Lina had held on for dear life, half flying through the air, yelling all the while. Fortunately, a patch of grass had caught Lucky's eyes and she had stopped to eat.
Finally, after a full fifteen minutes of coaxing and patience, they led Lucky, with Lina still mounted atop, to the starting gate.
Lina Inverse tensed as the gate official readied the wooden gate to be opened. She snuck a sideways glance at her competitors. Not only were they huge, but their horses seemed to match. The stallions and roans were nearly twice Lucky's size and probably more in strength. She gulped. Can't back out now, she told herself resignedly.
The gate flew open and the horses were off. A tremendous cloud of dust covered the air as the horses pounded the dirt track. The spectators' yells were at its loudest now, urging their favorite horse to the finish line. As the smoke cleared, a pokey Lucky, mounted by Lina Inverse trotted out of the starting gate.
"HEY!" she shouted at Lucky. "MOVE!! C'MON!"
Lucky looked back with a sneer. At least, that's what Lina thought she saw.
"Don't look at me like that! GO!" She kicked Lucky's ribs hard.
The gray mare took off with a jolt. Once again, Lina held the reins as her body lifted itself off the mount. "Whooaaaa!" she screamed, the mare racing hard. Lina grabbed a fistful of mane and sat back down on the mount. She gripped the horse's neck and held tightly, body low and close.
It was luck, Lina supposed, that they closed in on the few riders at the rear of the pack. The huge muscular jockeys grunted as they whipped their large horses. Seeing Lina, they began grabbing at her.
"Hey! This isn't a contact sport!"
One jockey took a swing at her. Thankfully, her small size made it hard for him to get her.
They pulled away abruptly. Lina sighed, until she saw why. Lucky was heading right for the rail.
She pulled hard on the reins. "Turn you stupid horse!!" Instead, Lucky halted, flinging the sorceress off. She landed on her butt with a thud. "Oww.."
Her eyes widened. One of the riders she had passed was heading right for her. She was going to get trampled on. Stunned and unsure what to do, she froze.
Lina felt herself being picked up just as the rider's horse stomped on her position seconds before. The horse flung its rider over the rail and into some bushes. Lina looked up and saw that it was Naga holding her in a raywing bubble.
"Naga! Thanks!"
"Lina, Lina, Lina," she said with disappointment. "Let me race." It wasn't an offer. Naga dumped Lina onto the ground before mounting the rider's large horse expertly. With a yell, she sped off in chase of the others.
Lina staggered back to the spectators' stand. "How heroic!" Delia said in greeting.
Lina waved her off. "It was nothing, really."
"Lina Inverse saves your life and not only that, risks her own by continuing the race for you!" She was talking about Naga again.
"That's it!" Lina roared, snapping. "I've had it! I'm Lina Inverse!" She poked at herself. "ME! Lina Inverse! I refuse to be mistaken for that poorly dressed, crazy laughing, two bit sorceress Naga!" She gathered her magical power in a fit of rage. "DIL BRAND!" and released it on poor Delia, sending her flying into the air.
Amidst the shouting of the crowd, the burning heat on her ears, Lina Inverse heard a clap. She turned to see who it was that dared mock her.
"So, your true nature of chaos and destruction surface, Lina Inverse," said a mysterious figure in a dark cloak.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Don't play dumb with me! I know why you're here! You're here to stop me!"
"Huh?" He pulled off his cloak, revealing a frightening figure. "I won't let you, Lina Inverse. DIE!"
At first, what Lina saw was a small man, barely her height. She was about to smirk and let fly a smart remark when the man began to change. He grew, limbs elongating until he was much taller. His sinewy skin changed to a dark red and his face became distorted in an monstrous fashion. His eyes narrowed, becoming a bright orange while his teeth were replaced with sharp fangs.
Lina Inverse knew what he was. Mazoku. "Hey, I think you just got uglier."
The cheering from the box turned to terrified screams as the Mazoku demon fired a blast of black energy at Lina Inverse. She jumped out of the way, narrowly missing it. Calling forth her own energy, she flung several fireballs, all of which were absorbed by a shield.
"Mysteria was to be mine!" he screeched.
"What?" Lina screamed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I was quietly massing their fortune, taking control of the townspeople until they would become my pawns. But your presence ruined everything!"
"Are you nuts?" she asked realizing the obvious answer. "I just came here to win a horse race and collect some money!"
"That's my money!" He released another blast, blowing up the spectators' box.
"I don't believe this! I come here to do one simple favour and now I'm suddenly fighting a Mazoku demon! Talk about luck!" She dodged another blast before launching a 'Blast Ash' attack, which had no effect.
"Puny human. I'll crush you, worm." He reared back his demonic head and unleashed unholy fire on the sorceress.
Meanwhile, Naga was nearing the finish line. She had woven her way in and out of the riders, overtaking them one by one. They tried to grab her like they did to Lina, but Naga was too skilled. She pulled riders off their horses as they reached for her, making her task so much easier.
There was one rider ahead of her, smarter than the others. He kept focus on the race, paying no attention to Naga. Her horse was exhausted and she didn't think she could catch up.
Just as he was about to cross the finish line and claim victory, a dark spot appeared above him. A high pitched scream and a large body slammed into the rider, knocking him off the saddle. Naga passed the slowing horse and took the victory.
"Thanks Delia!" she shot back.
"No problem Lina-san," said a crumpled heap on the ground.
However, Naga's delight soon turned to horror as she saw the battle raging at the finish line. The specatators' box was a pile of splinters while a tall, skinny demon was attacking Lina Inverse with a breath of fire. She saw Lina raise a weak shield of white magic. It protected her from the deadly flames but the impact threw her against some trees.
Naga dismounted and cast her own attack. "Freeze Arrow!" she yelled and a beam of magical ice sprung from her hands.
The arrow collided into the demon's back, encasing his red body in ice. He broke free with a scream of rage and turned to see who was attacking. "Digger Volt!" she cast another spell. To her surprise, a shield diffused the electrical bolts.
"Lina's friend, isn't it? I'll crush you too!" The Mazoku demon fired several blasts at Naga but she managed to evade them. She raced to Lina's position.
"What's going on here?" she asked Lina who was rubbing her head.
"How the hell would I know? This crazy demon appeared out of nowhere and started attacking me!"
Naga sighed. "We'll have to destroy it now that we know it's here."
Lina nodded gravely. "Too bad that shield is so strong."
"It's only protecting the front, you know," said the purple-haired sorceress.
An idea was quickly forming in Lina's mind. She smiled. "Naga! That's it! You're amazing!"
"Huh?"
"Naga, cover me!"
"Understood." Naga cast a barrage of black magic spells. She didn't care what they were as long as they got his attention.
The Mazoku saw Lina back away beyond his vision. Only Naga was in sight and concentrating her attacks on him. "Where are you running to, Lina Inverse?" he hissed. "Coward! I'll deal with your friend first!"
Lina Inverse raced behind the shattered spectators' box where she couldn't be seen. If Naga was correct, and making some assumptions, she hoped her plan would work. And even if it did, she still faced the chance of serious injury, perhaps death.
She shook her head. That Mazoku demon couldn't be allowed to live. She didn't know how she had stumbled across this one. She wasn't exactly looking for demons. Yet she knew that as one of the greatest magic users around, she had a responsibility to destroy the foul beast. Otherwise it would begin attacking innocent and helpless people.
Lina cast a raywing bubble around herself. She rose gracefully into the air, a bluish tinge outlining her slender body. Above the wooden wreck of the stands, she saw the red demon assailing Naga. Her friend was holding out, but just barely. Naga had erected her own shield, a better one than Lina's she noticed. Apparently Naga had some white magic powers too. She suspected as much.
A good fifty feet above the ground, Lina was uncertain her plan would work. But she had to try. She had never done this sort of maneuver before but she thought it was the best. Damn it hell, she thought. Stop being afraid and just do it!
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the torrents in her mind. She cleared a path and sought the centre of her being, the source of her powers. She had to weather the storm and call forth the most powerful spell she knew.
Naga's shield was nearly spent, protecting her from the onslaught of unholy fire reeked upon by the Mazoku demon. He was enraged that her white-magic barrier could withstand his attacks for so long. But it wasn't that powerful.
Then, a shining beacon appeared above them. Lina Inverse, shrouded in a nimbus of blue and red light, floated high in the sky. She was wrapped in a raywing bubble, eyes closed in concentration to cast a spell. Then, Naga heard those infamous words.
"Darkness from twilight, crimson from blood that flows..." Lina chanted in a distant voice. Dragu-Slave! Naga gasped inwardly. The Mazoku demon stopped his attacks, noticing Lina Inverse from behind. He turned and watched curiously.
"Buried in the flow of time..." Naga looked around frantically. She had to escape before Lina released the destructive ball of black energy. The red demon narrowed his eyelids, realizing Lina's plan. "You fool!" he shrieked, pouring all his dark energy into the shield protecting him. It flared a dark purple, forming a disc that protected his front side.
Lina Inverse ignored all that was happening and continued the mantra. "In thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness!"
A ball of red flames burst from the demon's hands, directed towards Lina. Naga threw a magical shield around her. Although the distance was great, her handle on white magic was considerable enough and the shield held. Realizing all she could do was done, Naga scrambled to the horse that miraculously had not fled the battle and raced off.
Lina had felt the blast of the fireball approach her and she also felt a shield erect itself before her. She let herself a small grin. She knew deep down, that in a pinch she could always rely on Naga. "Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess!"
She raised her hands high above her head, letting a ball of dark energy form. She felt her magical energies climax. Her eyes opened with a flutter and saw the demonic target presented before her on the ground, all of his magical energy put into a stronger barrier. It was time.
"DRAGU SLAVE!" With a mighty roar, she released the destructive ball at the Mazoku. The demon smiled evilly as it flew at him, knowing full well his shield would hold. Lina Inverse knew that too. Which was why she didn't throw the spell directly at him. She threw it behind him.
The ball erupted behind the Mazoku where his shield was not protecting it. The ball expanded, consuming all in its path. The demon roared as magical energy tore into his body. All his energy was spent erecting a shield and he had none left to resist the destructive force or escape. His sinewy skin was ripped to shreds before being burnt up into nothing.
The expanding Dragu-Slave filled the entire race area, extending both outwards and upwards. Lina knew she had to get away or she would be caught in her own blast. She rose higher but not fast enough. The energies impacted behind her, dissipating the white magic shield, destroying the raywing bubble. She began to fall.
Lina's body spiraled to the ground. She was exhausted and unable to cast another spell. The Dragu-Slave took everything out of her. She was lucky the blast didn't get her. "Now I'll just break my neck on impact," she mused darkly.
The ground was all smoky, a result from the explosion. Just as she was about to impact, a blur raced through the smoke and she felt something break her fall.
And then, Lina opened her eyes. Was she dead? She blinked. No, she was alive. Amazing. She sat up and looked around. The entire area was a smoldering mess. The crater left behind by Lina's spell was outlined by trees surrounding the once racing grounds. Underneath her body, someone made a groaning noise. She grabbed something soft.
"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted yet was muffled. "Don't grab me there!"
Lina jumped off Naga in a split second. "N-Naga!" she pointed in disbelief. "You broke my fall?" In the distance she saw the horse wandering around, looking for grass.
Naga got up and dusted the dirt off her cape. "Well, I couldn't call myself 'your greatest rival' if you were dead, now could I?"
"Err.. thanks," Lina said, "I think."
The sun was starting to begin set in the late afternoon. A small group of townspeople had gathered near the ruins of the farm-race track to survey the destruction that Lina Inverse had wrought. Amoung them was Armet.
"That was quite a display, Lina-san," Armet remarked soberly.
"Lina Inverse!" Naga chided. "What exactly were you thinking?"
"Well, it was really simple," she began. "You told me his shield was only protecting his front. From that, I made a few assumptions. First I assumed that this Mazoku wasn't as powerful as the one on Mypross Island and that a Dragu-Slave by itself could destroy it. Second, I was anticipating he would pour all his energy into a shield to block my spell, making it all the more effective to hit him in the rear. The only problem was, I couldn't do that on the ground. I needed a good angle and so I flew into the air. I hoped I could outrun my own blast, knowing I was going to cast it so close.. It was risky, yes, but it worked, ne?"
"Hai, I'll give you that much, Lina Inverse," muttered Naga.
"What I wanna know is," Lina began ranting, "how the hell we got involved in all this? I came here to win a horse race! When the hell did Mazoku demons suddenly become a factor? Y'know, if he had just kept himself low, we probably would have never discovered him. Why in L-sama's name did he attack us?"
"Maybe he was a stupid demon. Joylock said he was an eccentric demon. So why can't there be dumb ones too?"
Lina chewed on Naga's response. "Nah, paranoid is more like it. I guess we'll be g - " Lina let out an oomph as someone came from behind and squeezed her tightly.
"Oh thank you!" cried Delia, hugging the small sorceress. "You've saved us from that horrible monster!" Then she hugged Naga. "And thank you for winning back our land Lina Inverse-san!"
Lina made a face. Naga whispered, "Ne, I'm getting tired of being called you."
"Just 'Dil Brand' her. That's what I did."
"I noticed," she observed dryly.
Armet conveniently removed his over-emotional daughter from Naga's person. "Yes, thank you. You won the horse race and we have our land back."
"Oohohoho!" Naga's laughed resounded. "I'm glad my expertise in horse riding paid off."
"And, as per our agreement," Armet added, "your reward for helping us. The winner's purse from the other contestants." He held a fairly large sack.
Lina grabbed the bag and opened it up. Inside, hundreds of gold coins glittered. The starry glitter remained in her eyes as she looked up. "There must be a thousand here! LUCKY!!!" She made a victory sign.
"One thousand, four hundred to be exact," Armet said. "Each contestant paid two hundred gold to enter the race."
"LUCKY! LUCKY! LUCKY!" Lina kept shouting with glee.
A stout, bearded man walked up and snatched the sack away from her.
"HEY!" she yelled at him. "That's mine!"
"One thousand, four hundred gold," repeated the man. "Just enough to cover the damage to my farm you flat-chest, wreckless, MANIAC!"
"FLAT CHESTED?!" screamed Lina in pure rage. "DIL BRAND!" she cast the spell into the earth underneath the farmer. He was rocketed into the air along with a few pounds of dirt and rock. The bag of gold fell back to the ground, the farmer landed a few yards away. Lina picked up the bag quickly and looked around. She laughed weakly. "Hehee.. err.. guess I overdid it again."
Armet shook his head in disappointment, hand hiding his face. Delia observed in confusion and the rest of the townspeople looked pretty upset.
"Naga!" she yelled suddenly, "RUN!"
Lina slumped to the ground, exhausted. She was wheezing and panting hard, sweat rolling down her face. "N - Naga," she breathed heavily. "Did we, ah, ah, lose them, ah, ah, yet?"
Naga, the White Serpent bent over as she tried to catch her breath. In the distance they saw the farmer and a group of townspeople running after them with torches and pitchforks. "Come back with my money!" the farmer yelled.
"No," she answered disappointedly.
"Keep running Naga!" Lina told her. The two figures raced down the road with a small group of angry men in pursuit. And as the sun sank low behind the mountains beyond the horizon, and the bag of gold that Lina gripped tightly felt heavier and heavier with each step, Lina realized that, truly, no good deed ever goes unpunished.
But at least she'd have a good dinner.