Ugh, I'm sooo tired! I flop down on my comfy inn bed. Gods, Xelloss is a taskmaster when it comes to teaching magic. If I'd known he was going to be like this, I wouldn't have made him follow through with what that miko said to him in the temple.
My hands actually ache from all the casting I've done today, holding them in positions for long amounts of time. He's having me totally rework how I cast, and it's driving me nuts. Sure, I can cast things without using the chaos words or the spell name, but only for things like Fireball or Lighting, or Flare Arrow. Simple spells. Xel wants me to be able to do that with everything I cast. I just don't see that happening. I'm tired, I'm sore, and I'm hungry. But I don't want to fling myself back down the stairs to eat. Huh, never thought I'd see that day coming.
The unlocking of the door and turning of the doorknob alerts me back to the world as Amelia comes in from dinner. Sometimes I really just wish we'd all get separate rooms. Maybe we should go blow up some bandits for extra cash, then spend it all at a really nice inn. Each of us with our own room. It's been a long time since I've had a room all to myself, or at least not had a room adjoining to that of another travelling companion. I could really use some time alone.
Maybe I should break off on my own. That would be an interesting change. I haven't travelled completely alone since right after my break-off from Naga. Perhaps it is time for a change of pace. Ah well, no need to worry about that yet. I still have to get Amelia home.
She slips into the bed next to mine, sitting under the covers as she brushes her hair. I think she's getting ready for bed. At this hour? It's barely past sunset! If anyone should be getting to sleep, it's me! "Hey, Amelia, getting ready for bed?"
"Sure am! We'll be in Seyruun tomorrow, and I don't want Tou-san thinking I haven't been sleeping properly, so I figured a few extra hours tonight couldn't hurt."
"Oh. Okay. I think I'll go downstairs and grab something to eat before the kitchen closes for the night."
"Alright, Lina-san. Goodnight."
"'Night." My hands protest as I use them to lever myself out of bed. I step into a pair of slippers and walk out into the hall, then down the stairs to the inn's common room.
The room is almost empty. A few drunkards sit at the bar, throwing back shots while warbling nonsense. One or two patrons sit in booths eating. In the far corner, I spot Zel. Guess old habits die hard. I walk over to him and sit down, flagging down a waitress and ordering as I do so. "Hey Zel."
"Hi. You okay? You didn't come down for dinner. Gourry was really worried."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess. And a bit sore," I rubbed my palms once more, trying to work out the dull aches.
"You want me to heal it?" he asks, stretching out one arm towards me. That's one of the nice things that have happened recently. Zel's been a lot more open since he got his cure, and most of his magic still works. But I don't think that'll be a problem, really. He just needs to practice some more, and he'll be back up to his old par soon enough.
"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, if we stop during the morning tomorrow, I'm sure Xelloss will want to train again. No use healing something that will just happen again."
"I guess so. What is he training you for, anyway? He's being more tight-lipped than usual whenever I try to bring the subject up."
Huh? Why would Xel not want the others to know what we're doing? Does he not want them to know about him? Probably wants them to underestimate his abilities now that's he's human. Typical Xelloss. "I don't think he wants me saying, really. It's nothing to worry about though, Zel, so just relax, okay?"
He sighs and sits back as the waitress comes with some of my order. Ah glorious food! "Yeah, but today you look a little more banged up than normal. Different tactics today or something?"
"Nah, just ran into some lesser demons on the way back from practice," I casually reply, biting into some rolls set down in front of me. "After all the training, I really wasn't in the best shape to just blast them away, so they got a couple of nicks in, but I'm fine."
"Lesser demons? That doesn't sound like something that would show up this close to Seyruun. Trolls, yeah, they're everywhere on this continent, but lesser demons? You don't think they were sent to attack you, were they?" Jeez, Zel, do you always have to be so suspicious of everything? Of course, I was thinking the same thing...
"I don't know. The attack looked random enough, but you're right, most demons tend to stay out of a ten mile radius from Seyruun's magic barrier, and we're gonna hit city proper by early afternoon. It's weird, but I don't think we should lose any sleep over it."
"Yeah, we can worry if it happens again," he agrees. Ooh, the main courses are here! Chowtime!
The next day, we get up bright and early to make our final trek to Seyruun. No doubt Phil will be waiting for us the instant he hears we're within the gates. Gah, I do not need one of his hugs right now. Though one from Xel wouldn't be all tha-what the hell am I thinking???? Okay, sure, when he was holding me the other day to show me the proper position for that Chaos Flare spell, it felt nice, but why am I thinking about that right now? Lina girl, you need to get a grip before something happens.
Oh, how convenient. Someone's decided to fight us. Hmm...more lesser demons. Yup, Zel noticed, too. Guess we're gonna have a nice talk about this later. We fly into action, taking them out one by one. This is too easy. I guess all this fighting does get boring when you've defeated tons of people much stronger. Ah well. Someday, I won't have to worry about fighting these things. I'll be able to settle down and leave adventuring to the kids who haven't gotten a chance to yet.
My, we dispatched those things fast, but what's this? A cloud of dust swirls, and from that dust storm comes the form of a woman. I look around at the others. Gourry's got his sword trained on her and Amelia looks like she's got a Burst Rondo ready to be released. Why do Filia and Xelloss look like they know her? Ah well, no time to worry about that now. I walk up to the smirking sorceress(?) with a smile of my own that screams 'busy dark lord slayer who has an agenda to keep.' The woman wears a form-fitting black top, which only serves to flaunt her ample chest, along with metallic silver pants that perfectly match her straight, waist-length hair. At the pit of her neck sirs a blood red pendant of something I can't make out, and a katana-like sword lays on her left hip in an ice blue sheath. The weird part is she's not wearing any shoes. Her entire wardrobe seems to compliment some part of her body. The pants her hair, the sheath her thin eyebrows, and the shirt and pendant her cold, slit-pupil eyes. Wait a minute, slit-pupil eyes - "Mazoku," I murmur, narrowing my eyes at her.
"Very good, Lina Inverse. I think you're about the third to figure that out of this bunch. Of course, I would expect you two to," she states, her eyes now directing their gaze at Xelloss and Filia. "However, only one of you would know my name."
"Whatever are you here for, Breeya-chan?" Ah, so she was referring to Xel. Why doesn't that surprise me? She doesn't seem too happy to see him. This could be bad.
"Why, just to give you a little message, Xelloss-kun. The alpha male has been hurt, and the wolves will hunt him down." Huh? L-sama, for once, I think Gourry and I are thinking alike!
"Such is the way of the pack, Bree."
Uh, Amelia, what are you doing going up to her like that? "Listen here, you vassal of evil and darkness! You will not attack my kingdom, or be faced with the Hammer of Justice! You don't have that as your intention, do you?" she narrows her eyes at the mazoku. Oh brother.
Breeya smiles and laughs. "Not unless the alpha male makes his new den there. Well, my message has been given. Ja!" Poof, gone. I hate it when Mazoku do that.
Part 7 | Fanfiction