The streets of Yar Nadrak were filled with people of all kinds, including those not fully human like Zelgadis. The Nadrak citizens seemed to go about their daily life much the same as citizens of any other city, except that the social hierarchy was much, much different. Most of the women dressed rather scantily, and although they were property, they had more social freedom than they would in other places. Nadrak women select their owners, and if the chosen one doesn't live up to her expectations, she can always fall back on her daggers to persuade him to sell her to somebody she likes better - and she gets half of her sale price every time.
Zelgadis surveyed the area warily. "Sol, what are we doing out here? Marron told us that Gallan will probably be at his tavern tonight. There's no need for us to go explore the city".
"Aw, come on, Zel. This is a good learning experience and another little adventure I can write about in my stories. Besides, I wanna look up some of my old friends from the last time I was here".
Zel sighed. "Fine, whatever. I really don't like this place...and would you stop walking like that?!"
"Like what?" Solanna asked, strutting rather proudly and swinging her shoulders back and forth. "Oh...that. Sorry, just getting into character. This is how Nadrak women act".
"Well, don't. People are staring at you," he told her.
"So? You jealous or something?" she teased.
Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "I've got a question," he began, changing the subject. "It's about your cousin and Marron..."
"What about them?"
"I hate to ask this, but...can they be trusted?"
She raised her eyebrows at him. "Of course they can. We are related, after all".
"Yeah, but they just seem so...weird".
Solanna laughed. "Ah, they've always been like that. Believe me, I traveled with Talmara for a long time. Once, before the two of them got married, I had to go on this adventure with the both of them...it was interesting, to say the least."
"Aha!" a shrill voice cried from behind them. "At last I have found you, 'Lanna of Nadrak!" The pair turned to see a tall, turquoise-haired girl wearing a skintight, verdant-colored outfit and a nasty expression.
Solanna's smile faded from her lips as soon as she saw the girl. "Oh, no...not her," she mumbled under her breath.
The girl laughed triumphantly. "It is I, Adrina, your greatest rival! You cannot escape a challenge now, my friend!" She briefly glanced over at Zelgadis. "New owner? He's cute. But now I must challenge you! A contest!"
Solanna sighed. "Look, Adrina, I've already beaten you every time you've challenged me. Do you really want to face defeat again?"
Adrina waggled her forefinger. "Ah, but it has been an entire year since we last competed! My dancing skill has grown since then, and I imagine you have become weak and feeble! Accept my challenge, 'Lanna!"
"No, Adrina. Don't ask me again," she told the raving girl and turned on her heel, dragging Zelgadis with her.
"Aha!" Adrina yelled after her. "Then I am still champion! OHOHOHOHOHO!!"
"What's her problem?" Zelgadis asked, ignoring Adrina's incessant laughter.
"Oh, don't worry about her. Have you ever heard of the sorceress Naga? Naga the White Serpent? Well, she happens to be Adrina's idol..."
The Anointed One breathed in and out slowly, struggling to contain his young anger at his minions for failing to complete the task he sent them out to do. Three times he had sent his minions out to kill Zelgadis Greywers and Solanna Chamier, and three times they had failed. And according to the minions that did survive, Spike and Druscilla had not even lifted a hand to help them. The boy balled up his fists and spoke slowly, carefully, "I want those two sorcerers to die. Die, you hear? They are a hindrance to our prophecy. Spike, Druscilla. I want to attack again, when they leave Yar Nadrak. Attack alone, and take no others with you. I trust you will finish the job. Dismissed".
The two vampires bowed respectfully and left the room, snarling. Spike kicked a rock angrily and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Who does that kid think he is, bossing me around like that? I can't stand bloody taking orders from him!"
Druscilla patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It's all right, Spike dear. Soon, we won't have to take orders from him anymore. Now, I suppose we should find some place outside of Yar Nadrak to hide. We wouldn't want them leaving without us now, would we".
He nodded in affirmation. "Yes. And let's have a little fun with them this time, pet".
"And so you see, that's why we need your help." Zelgadis looked expectantly across the table, waiting for an answer.
Gallan the thief sipped his tankard of ale slowly as he considered what the boy had just told him. Gallan was an older man, in his late sixties, and had been on many adventures in his lifetime. One of these adventures had even taken him into the hidden city of Sairiis to search for the Orb, but he'd had to turn back at the last minute because he'd gotten ill. The old man was shrewd and rather miserly, although he'd begun to relax in the past few years, and spent most of his time drinking, stealing, and ogling women. Gallan scratched his stubbled chin thoughtfully. "Well. Mebbe I might, young 'un. Mebbe I might. If," he added, grinning wickedly, "you can git yo' gel thar to do a lil' dancin' fo' us. I hear she's one o' th' best, that thar 'Lanna".
"Absolutely not." Her reply was firm and rather curt.
"No dancin', and you'll git no infermashun from me, gel," the old man informed her.
Zelgadis was worried that the old man was losing interest in them. "Come on, 'Lanna. We really need this bit of information. How bad can it be?"
"Bad," she snapped back at him. "Very bad".
"Please, Sol...er, I mean 'Lanna. Think of the stories you'll get to write about Sairiis when we reach it. Think of all the books you'll create. Please? Do it for your writing, if nothing else".
"Okay, okay, that's enough. Jeez. I'll do it," she finally agreed, standing and smoothing out her hair. "Marron! I need a beat, please".
Marron stood on a chair and waved his hands for everyone to be silent. "We have a special treat tonight," he announced. "I'm sure you've all heard of th' lovely 'Lanna. She has agreed to grace us all with a dance." Numerous cheers and applause followed this statement. Marron clapped his hands together in a simple repeated pattern. "That's th' beat, men," he told them. "Don't lose it."
Solanna took a deep breath as she strode to the front of the room, and the onlookers began her compelling beat. Her face grew intent, and the dance began. The audience was immediately captured, awestruck with admiration. Her dance began slowly and indolently, quickening every few beats until her feet seemed to almost flicker as she whirled around the room.
Zelgadis gulped and tried not to watch. Yet again, Solanna had surprised him with a new 'talent'. The dance was decidedly embarrassing, and he had to agree that Nadrak dancing definitely lived up to the rumors spread about it. Zel blushed as Solanna completed a series of rather vivacious movements, bringing cheers from the male audience. She owned the room, and was definitely showing it. This was a side of her Zelgadis had never seen before.
He heard soft laughter behind him. "It's too bad, isn't it?"
Zelgadis whirled around and came face-to-face with the Trickster Priest himself. "Xelloss, you namagomi," he hissed. "What are you doing here?"
Xelloss sighed mockingly. "It's just too bad, isn't it, Zel-kun? Such a lively, talented young girl, and she's too far out of your reach for you to realize it."
"What are you talking about?"
Xelloss grinned wickedly. "Doesn't it make you crazy, Zel-kun? She's such a prize! All that beautiful soft skin, and you can't even touch it."
Zelgadis took a swing at the Mazoku, knocking him out of his chair. "Bastard," he cursed.
The Mazoku just laughed. "Poor Zel-kun. What kind of girl would want a rock, anyway?" Zelgadis swung again in blind rage, missing this time. Xelloss giggled in delight. "And you can't even touch her..." With that, he disappeared in a fit of amusement. Zelgadis glared intensely at his vanishing form.
Solanna slowed her dance and placed her hands on her daggers, concluding with an outrageously sensual strut that turned every man in the room into a puddle on the floor. The cheers that followed were deafening.
The pair left Yar Nadrak that night, having gathered the needed information. Solanna walked with her nose upturned, her expression menacing and her fists clenched. She seemed intensely angry. Zelgadis figured this was just her way of dealing with her performance at Marron's tavern, but he wasn't sure. "Sol?"
"My mother is rolling over in her grave," she growled. "I promised myself I'd never do that again."
"What, you don't like the attention?" Zel joked lightly.
"No...it's not about the attention. It's just that...it's embarrassing. And it's not even real dance. There's no music, no emotion...well, there's an emotion, but not the kind I'm talking about. Do you know what I mean? Dance should tell a story; it should weave and flow together to give a meaning to the audience. It should speak to them. Nadrak dancing is sorta missing all that. And besides," she added quietly, "I didn't want you to see me like that..."
"Oh." Zel was dumbfounded. "I...uh, didn't really like it either. All those other guys were staring and drooling all over you, and I just felt like smashing them into the ground for being so...so...uh..." There was a very awkward silence.
A musical laugh echoed throughout the area, interrupting that silence. Two familiar leather-clad vampires materialized in front of them, smirking. Zelgadis reached for his sword, but was stopped by a motion from the female vampire. "Ah, ah," she said, waggling her forefinger at him. "We prefer to fight using magic, not those primitive weapons. Right, Spike dear?"
"Of course, Dru," the male answered.
"Magic?" Solanna raised an eyebrow at them, her eyes turning their signature purple color as she started chanting a spell. "Well then, if magic's what you want, then magic's what you're gonna get. Burst...Rondo!!"
Druscilla sniffed disdainfully and cast a protection spell to block the fireball. "You'll have to do better than that to defeat us, little girl. Blam Blazer!!" Solanna yelped and leaped clear of the attack, putting some distance between herself and the two vampires.
Spike smiled briefly, baring his sharp white fangs before turning to his partner. "I'll take the girl, pet. You can have this other one". She nodded in reply and turned her attentions to Zelgadis, while Spike advanced upon Solanna. "Now then, little girl, it seems that I'm up against you. Not a problem".
"Yeah, well, you should be afraid. Very afraid." Solanna eyed him for a moment before striking. "Mega Brand!!" Spike dodged the attack...almost. He winced as the flame sliced through his left arm, taking off a huge chunk of flesh. Solanna folded her arms across her chest. "See? You shouldn't have underestimated me".
The vampire smirked. "You're right. I did let my guard down. But that won't happen again. Fireball!!" Solanna turned to flee the attack, too late. The fireball struck her with its full force, charring her skin, hair, and clothing. She dropped to the ground, gasping in pain.
Meanwhile, Zelgadis was diligently fighting Druscilla. She was an even match for him, and was able to cancel out every spell he threw at her with another spell. She was obviously taught by a master sorcerer. Zelgadis wiped the sweat from his brow. "Flare Arrow!!"
"Freeze Arrow!!" she countered, laughing musically and taking the whole battle in jest. "This is fun, don't you think so, Chimera-san?"
"Fun is hardly the word for it," he retorted through clenched teeth, glancing over his shoulder at Solanna. She was putting up a good fight, but looked rather scorched to him. He turned back to Druscilla. "Why are you attacking us? What did we ever do to offend you vampires?"
"Oh, nothing," she answered nonchalantly, examining her fingernails. "We just can't let you get the Orb."
Zelgadis blinked. "The Orb? Xanthalin's Orb? Is that what you're after?" He contemplated the idea for a moment, blocking the fireballs Druscilla was throwing at him. "What can the Orb do for you? Besides increasing your power. Unless that's what you're after...power." His words were interrupted by an ear-piercing, blood-curdling scream. He turned around just in time to see a Laguna Blade rip right through Solanna's abdomen. "Sol, no!!" She fell to her knees, eyes wide in disbelief as she felt her own blood seeping through her clothes, staining them. Zelgadis glared at Druscilla. "That was cruel. Sending the stronger one up against her like that." He folded his hands together and began to chant. "Source Of All Souls, Which Dwells In The Eternal And The Infinite...Everlasting Flame Of Blue. All Power Hidden Deep Within, Be Called Forth Here And Now..."
Druscilla's eyes opened wide and she leaped behind the safety of a large tree, recognizing the spell he was casting. But to her disbelief, Zelgadis turned away and pointed the attack at Spike. "RA TILT!!!" The full force of the spell drove Spike into the trees behind him, splintering them and sending him crashing to the ground. Druscilla screamed in horror and teleported to her lover's side, using the Ray Wing spell to escape to a safer place.
Zelgadis was already kneeling at Solanna's side, quickly assessing the damage. She was still very much alive and in pain, hunched over on the ground and clutching her stomach, blood seeping through her fingers. Her skin was charred in various places, as was the ends of her hair and clothing. Zel removed her cloak to see the full extent of her injuries and paled. "Aw, Sol..." Zelgadis mentally ran through his list of healing spells, looking for one that might help her.
"He got me, Zel..." she managed to say, wincing in pain. "I couldn't get away..."
"Shh...it's okay..." Zel held his hands over her, a white power emanating from them. "I'm casting a healing spell now...everything will be all right." He noticed that the bleeding had already stopped, but her internal injuries would take awhile to heal. He pulled Solanna into a sitting position and leaned her against a large rock nearby, and sat down next to her. "The healing spell is going to take all night, Sol. I fixed it so that the spell will put you to sleep within the next few minutes. It will hurt less that way." He sighed and leaned his head back against the rock. Solanna was trembling, her eyes a little teary as the new spell started to take hold. She turned painfully and climbed into her companion's lap, laying her head against his chest. He blinked in surprise. "What..."
"I tried to fight him," Solanna mumbled, curling up like a child in his lap. "I wasn't strong enough...no matter what I did..." Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were filled with pain. "No matter what..." Her words were randomly spoken, a result of the abuse she'd taken.
Zelgadis stroked her copper hair, pulling it away from her face. "It'll be all right, Sol. Everything will be fine". He hesitated for a moment, then placed his arms around her shivering body in an attempt to comfort her.
She closed her eyes and smiled a little. "You're warm...not like a rock at all..." she murmured absentmindedly, snuggling closer. Her voice grew quieter and quieter. "It's nice to be here...like this..." she whispered, sleep falling upon her. "Just because...because...I love you..."
Blink. Blink. Nani?!! Alas, Solanna had already fallen into the spell-induced sleep. Zelgadis's heart was racing. Did she just say what I think she said? She couldn't have! But she had, she had said the three words he had deep down been wishing she would say. He refused to admit it, but he had hoped all along that she would come to care for him...as he always had cared for her. Zelgadis looked down upon the sleeping girl in his lap and felt himself fill with an overwhelming sense of contentment, one that he'd rarely ever felt before. This new feeling shocked him more than anything else, for he'd always envisioned himself to be the rational, unfeeling type. Zelgadis leaned his head back against the rock and drifted off to sleep, now completely unsure of his relationship with Solanna.
Zelgadis dreamed of clouds, of clouds with little sorcerers on them who waved around mystical orbs and created universes with them. He also dreamed of Nadrak dancing, and of beating all the men in the taverns senseless for looking at Solanna. And he dreamed of the forest in the morning, with the sunlight peeking through the trees and chipmunks scurrying in the grass, while birds drank from the dew that had collected on the leaves. And footsteps. Approaching him loudly.
Zelgadis's ears twitched. Dreamtime and reality were not supposed to be the same. He heard the footsteps again. One, two, three people approaching. He stirred, waking from his contented sleep, opened his eyes, and looked up into the face of an angry red-haired sorceress.
Drip, drip, drip. The sound of a bubbling brook overpowered the crunching of leaves made by four pairs of boots walking through them. The owners of these boots were silent, solemn, except for the occasional cheerful outburst made by the younger, dark-haired girl. The older three walked along quietly, the blond swordsman and the sorceress in the front, searching for the source of the bubbling sound; and the chimera behind, carrying a sleeping copper-haired girl in his arms. The healing spell had not yet worn off of her, even though her body had fully recovered from the previous night's wounds.
"Aha!" the red-haired sorceress cried triumphantly, parting a few tree branches in front of her. A large pool of water lay before the group, fed by the warm current of a strong nearby brook. "Once again, my great sense of direction has led us to a source of water." She stuck a finger in the brook. "Hmm...it's rather warm..."
Gourry and Amelia were already drinking from the brook. "I feel alive again!" the little princess exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. "And ready for the pursuit of justice!!"
Zelgadis rolled his eyes. Here we go again, he thought as Amelia began on one of her lengthy justice speeches. But from the expressions on Lina and Gourry's faces, it didn't look like she'd finish that speech. He felt the girl in his arms stirr a little, and looked down at her previously sleeping form. "Sol?"
She blinked a few times and looked around before her eyes locked onto Zel's face. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she realized he was holding her in his arms. "Oh...Zel...I, uh, you can put me down now." Her feet now firmly resting on the ground, she glanced around at the others, recognition dawning upon her. "Sugoi! You're...you're Lina Inverse, Gourry Gabriev, and Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon! You guys are legends!"
Lina forgot all about the current situation. "You know who I am? Does that mean I'm famous?" she asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling.
"Sure does! You're Lina the Bandit Killer, the sorceress who has screwed over the Mazoku countless times and has made her way into countless myths! I've read all about your adventures." Solanna pulled a piece of parchment from her cloak and scribbled furiously on it. "A great new chapter in my story! The two heroes meet up with a legendary sorceress!"
Lina sweatdropped as the copper-haired girl flopped onto the ground, off on a writing tangent. "Is she for real, or what?"
Twitch, twitch. The Anointed One's face was impassive, his eyes dark and foreboding, and his eyebrow developing a nasty twitch. This was the fourth or fifth time an attack on the two sorcerers had failed. The boy glared at his minions. "So what's your excuse this time?"
Druscilla glanced at her now fully-recovered partner, then back at the young boy. "Our adversaries were very strong, and we apologize for failing in our task. However, the two you sent us to kill do have some information we could use. They know a shortcut into the hidden city." She paused dramatically as the boy suddenly grew interested in what she had to say. "Consequently, we decided that it would be best if we let them do all the work for us. We can follow them into the city and then deal with them there."
The Anointed One leaned back in his oversized throne, thinking. "Yes," he finally said. "A good plan. I'm glad I thought of it." He stared commandingly at the two vampires. "Now it's officially an order. You will follow the two sorcerers to Sairiis, and dispose of them there".
Lina sighed happily and folded her arms behind her head, leaning against a large boulder. She was bathing in the pool of water with Amelia and Solanna, having discovered that the pool was fed by a warm current. Gourry and Zelgadis had gone off to buy food from a nearby village, and to give the girls time to bathe. Lina closed her eyes, feeling the warm water caress her aching body, and smiled. She lazily opened one eye and glanced at her companions. Amelia was happily splashing in the middle of the pool, talking softly to herself and giggling at the little minnows that swam around her legs. Solanna was leaning against a rock on the other side of the pool, looking up at the clouds and smiling to herself. Lina remembered how she'd looked when they first came across her, asleep in Zelgadis's arms. She had been badly burned and her clothes had hung on her like charred rags. Lina also recalled how surprised everyone had been to see the two of them in such a close position. Zelgadis claimed that they were just friends, but it was obvious that something else was going on. "Hey, Solanna," Lina called.
The young scribe blinked and looked over at the red-haired sorceress in surprise. "Eh?" She seemed a little displaced, somehow.
"You okay? You seem a little...quiet."
Solanna sighed. "I'm...okay, I guess. It's nothing, really." She glanced up at the clouds again, then down at their reflection in the water. "It's nothing...I think..."
Lina swam over to where she was and sat next to her. "Hey," she said softly, not quite sure how to pursue this topic. "I think I know...I think I understand. It's him, isn't it." Her eyes softened as she saw Solanna's eyes widen, knowing full well what the girl was going through. "Hey...uh...don't worry about it. Everything will be okay, all right? Everything always works out."
Solanna blinked in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"
Lina laughed nervously, making sure Amelia could not hear the conversation. "Sorry, I'm not very good at this reassurance thing. Maybe I should just be blunt about it. Okay, you like Zel, right?" She took the girl's shocked look to mean yes. "And you don't know what to do about it, am I right? Well, I just wanted to tell you not to worry. I've known Zel for a long time, and it's pretty easy to tell what he's feeling."
Solanna was silent for a moment, then she turned and looked Lina directly in the eye. "Why are you so concerned about this? I always thought you frowned up on mushy topics and the like. This is very out-of-character."
Lina shrugged. "Yeah, well...I've been friends with Zel for a long time now, and I guess I just want him to be happy. He needs people around him to keep him from getting depressed, and I know we all can't run around saving the world together forever. It would just be good to know that he'll always have someone to keep him company." Solanna's eyes softened, and the two girls smiled at each other comprehendingly, cementing a kind of friendship in that one moment. It was in that same moment that they didn't hear the approaching footsteps.
Zelgadis and Gourry pushed aside some tree branches, lugging bags of food and thinking that the girls would be long finished with their baths. Gourry wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand as the two entered the clearing where the pool of water was located. "These bags are heavy," he griped, glancing around. His mouth suddenly dropped open in shock.
"Oh, stop complaining," Zelgadis told him, dropping the bags and turning towards the pool. He suddenly noticed why Gourry's mouth was hanging open; spotting Lina, Solanna, and Amelia in the pool; and catching quite an eyeful.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!" the three girls screamed in unison. "Digger Bolt!!"
"Elmekia Lance!!"
"Burst Rondo!!"
The boys immediately regretted returning from the village so soon.