"Okay explain to me why we are here again?"
"We are supposed to meet this guy at the Temple of Raag because he might have a lead on how to find the fabled book of the Taei, which is supposed to have every magic spell known to existence in it."
"I know that but why are we HERE?" Lina motioned around in the many rooms of the Temple of Silliness. It's true that they were following a lead to find the book of long dead race of Taei. Zelgadis had found this lead and was certain if the legends were true that he could find a cure to make him normal again. The only problem was that in order to go to the Temple of Raag they had to past the tests of the Temple of Silliness, a place that Xellos in his past had visited often.
"You know why."
"But Zelgadis I want to hear it again. Are you really sure about this? How do you know that this isn't just another wild goose chase?"
"I don't know... But there is a slight chance that it could be true. I mean no ones really been to the Temple of Raag in like a hundred years."
"Yeah I know why..." Lina grumbled commented while trying to hit a ball into a basket with her hands and feet tied up, laying on the floor and covered in pink goo. Since Lina, Gourry, Xellos, Amelia, Zelgadis, and Sylphiel had got to the Temple of Silliness they've had to stand on their hands on a slimy floor, make paintings using finger paint while not using their hands, have a mud wrestling competition, (Lina won the girls competition, while Zel won the guys. They then had to mud wrestle against each other wearing just swimsuits. Guess who one? ^-^) a food fight, swim in jello, stomp grapes, (hmm noticing a theme yet? Heh heh...) and now this. The question was what else is next?
"Argh! Missed again! Is one of us ever going to get a ball in there?! Damnit all we need is just one!"
"Just keep trying Miss Lina! In the name of truth and justice I'm sure one of us will get it in real soon!"
2 hours latter...
"WHY CAN'T WE DO THIS???!!!!"
"I'm so tired and I'm sick of pink goo..."
"Maybe I should get it in then?"
"What are you talking about Xellos?! Have you been able to get that ball in this whole TIME?!!!"
"In a manner of speaking..."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU DO IT EARLIER?!?!?!?!"
"That's a secret!"
"WHY YOU!!!"
"Miss Lina please calm down. Mister Xellos could you please just that ball into the basket?"
"As you wish Miss Sylphiel."
And he did what he said. Lina and Zelgadis were furious, but Sylphiel and Amelia managed to stop them. Gourry was no help though. He had fallen asleep in the goo a long time ago.
After they all cleaned up (They had already had 6 bathes before hand that day.) they approached the head priest of the temple. They were tired of all the stupid tests and they weren't going to take it anymore.
"Okay enough with the jokes! We just want permission to enter the Temple of Raag!"
"You've passed 7 tasks right?"
"Yeah so?"
"7 tasks means 7 messes and 7 bathes! 777 The lucky number! You can go now!"
"So that was what we had to do in the first place?"
"Yes of course." The priest gives them a note with a special seal on it, all the while smiling like an idiot. It made them all wonder if the guy had any screws loose in the head.
"Um, thanks I think."
"Come back any time!" The priest yelled at them as they left the temple.
"I'm so tired! How about we go to an inn, eat and sleep, and head for the temple in the morning?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Uhhhhh fooooooood."
"I guess we could use the rest."
"Normally I'd protest and want to go right now but I'm too hungry and tired to care."
No one even bothered to ask Xellos what he thought and just went to the inn. At dinner Gourry got most of the food because Amelia and Lina didn't have the energy to stop him. Everyone went to his or her separate rooms to get some well disserved rest.
When morning came the first one up was Lina surprisingly. She kept having weird dreams out goo, mud, paint and other messy things. They formed monsters that were chasing Lina trying to eat her. Needless to say she was quite disturbed by it. Figuring that since she was up first she could get a head start on breakfast, Lina went downstairs and ordered almost two times as much as she normally eats. (What can you expect, after all the messy activities from yesterday who wouldn't be hungry?) Diving into her food Lina was joined by Zelgadis who also had strange dreams.
"I'd like to order what she's having."
"Hmp - Zel are you sure you can eat that much?" Lina said with food in her mouth.
"Believe me after yesterday, I could eat what you eat times 4!"
"Yeah sure you could, but at least it's good seeing you eating more than just the bare minimum. So how long do you think we have till they get up?"
"Don't know it's a little early for them, hell it's a little early for you. Why are you up anyway?"
"Trust me, if you had the dreams I was having then you'd understand." "If it has to do anything with goo then I do."
"Oh."
"So how much did you order anyway?"
Lina gave him a rough estimate on how much food would be coming his way. Zel went bug eyed.
"Well if I can't eat it all I could just give it to you or save it for Gourry."
"Heh, heh don't think your stomach could handle it, huh Zel?" Lina smiled mischievously and playfully punched Zelgadis on the arm. As a way of getting back at her for that comment he stole three sausages and a piece of toast from Lina.
"Hey! Great now do I have to worry about you snatching my food as well as Gourry?"
"The only reason Gourry takes your food is because you take his."
"Huh, what do I do?"
Lina and Zelgadis looked up to see Gourry standing quite confused.
"Nothing Gourry, just come sit down and get something to eat."
After a while everyone dribbled downstairs and had their breakfast and soon they were on their way over to the temple of Raag. The only thing was that they were lost.
"I think we should go this way!"
"No we should go this way!" Both Lina and Zelgadis were having an argument. Both of them were too stubborn to admit that they were lost and both insisted they knew where to go.
"You're wrong! That way would take us in a circle!"
"No yours would!"
Meanwhile everyone else was ignoring them and sitting down eating lunch.
"I don't understand why Miss Lina and Mister Zelgadis just can't admit that we are lost."
"Ah but Amelia we aren't lost." Xellos said with a smile.
"We aren't? But we have been going around in circles for hours now!"
"The definition of lost is not knowing were you are correct? Well I know definitely were we are, and how to get to the temple of Raag from here."
"How long have you known?"
"The whole time. I could even teleport us there too."
"Then why didn't you say anything earlier?!"
"What and interfere with their little chat?" Xellos said pointing at Lina and Zel who in their argument were in oblivious to their companions talking about them.
"Hmm... I suppose you are right. But after we finish eating could you teleport us there?"
"As you wish Amelia."
"I don't care Zelgadis! I know where to go!"
"Um excuse me, Miss Lina, Mister Zelgadis? Would you guys please sit down and join us? We're having lunch."
"You have been eating without me?!"
"Well you were too busy with your argument to notice..." Sylphiel said quietly trying not to piss off Lina, but it didn't matter though. She had already dived into the food.
Zelgadis just rolled his eyes and sat down with a scowl on his face.
With their food polished off Lina and Zelgadis were going to continue their argument when Xellos teleported them to the temple entrance.
"What the? Xellos! You've been able to do that the whole time?!"
"Yes."
"Why the hell didn't you just say anything earlier you fruitcake?!"
"My, my what mean language. At least we are here. Shall we go in?" Lina grumbled some things under her breath and headed up to the temple and knocked on its old wooden door. A very small frail looking old man answered the door.
"My we have guests! How ever did you find this place?"
"That doesn't matter. We have a note here that gives up permission to enter your temple."
"Permission? How odd... I don't ever recall ever having guests need permission from an outside source to enter the temple..."
"Wait a minute are you saying that we didn't have to go through as those dumb tasks at the temple of silliness?!"
"Temple of what? My word, who ever told you that you had to do that?" All eyes landed on Xellos. Angry eyes, evil angry eyes, murderous evil angry eyes.
From inside the temple screams and shouts could be heard, drawing most of people in the temple out to see what was going on. Not much could be seen though, a blur of moving bodies and a dust cloud concealing the brawl. Then it ended leaving the purple haired monster laying on the ground thoroughly beaten.
"Lina!" A youth cried throwing himself into Lina's arms. Lina staggered and fell over.
"Ouch! Hey kid what's the meaning-oh my god Gavin! I can't believe it's you!" Lina cried out giving the boy a great big hug.
"Um Miss Lina who is that?"
"Oh this is my little brother Gavin! Gavin this is Amelia, Sylphiel, Gourry and Zelgadis. Oh and that 'thing' over there is Xellos." Lina told Gavin as he got up. Gavin looked from each of Lina's companions to the next. And they stared back. Gavin was about Amelia's height and age with blue-green eyes and hair.
"You two don't even look related!"
Lina just shrugged and turned her attention back to Gavin. "So Gavin what are you doing here? I'm surprised that Mom and Dad actually let you leave home."
"Well Grandma kinda had a hand in that... I'm here to learn more about time magic."
"Time magic? Why? Are you going to become a time mage?"
"I am already one in a sense. But the temple of Raag has the most information about time magic and it's usages. But why are you guys here?" Gavin asked Lina as they walked all walked through the old temple.
"You see Mr. Personalilty over there? Zelgadis is cursed with a chimera form that he wants to be rid off so we came to see if we can get our hands on the book of the Taei."
"Taei? The ancient long dead race of light? Wow, I've been here for two months and I've only heard rumors about that book."
Lina frowned. She figured that finding the temple might be hard but she knew that if they got to the temple that getting the book even to look at might be impossible.
"Well we were told that someone in the temple could help us about it."
"That would be me." A voice spoke from behind. The group turned their heads to see the same frail man that had answered the door. "So you must be the travelers then seeking out a chimera's cure. How interesting that you are his older sister. What is your name?"
"Lina, Lina Inverse." Lina waited for the usual reaction but the man only smiled.
"Lina hmm? That name does suit you very well. But excuse me I'm being rude. I am Maldrin and I run this temple. You wish to see the book of the Taei, correct?" Maldrin motioned at them to follow him. He led them into a vast library with odd markings scribed onto the floor.
"Yes that's right. Would you be willing to lend it to us?"
"I am sorry dear, I cannot. The book mustn't leave this temple."
"But how about if we just look at it while we are in the temple?"
"Well off course you can do that. It's the knowledge of the book that matters to you all after all. But with such an old and important book I am not permitted to let just anyone read it."
"But you just said that we could read it!"
"Yes I did say that didn't I?" Maldrin mused for a moment with his thoughts occupying him. He looked over to Lina and company to find them all cross, well except Xellos. "You want me to continue don't I? Alright those who wish to read the book must pass three tests." The group shuddered at the sound of the word 'test'.
"What sort of tests do you want us to do?"
"What you must do is travel through a portal and travel to an alternate dimension. Once in this dimension you must do a desired task. What this task might be, you will not know till after it is done nor will anyone tell you. Once you have done this task you will be brought back here and have to go through another portal and do the same thing. In all you have to travel to three different dimensions, all different possibilities of what could be, and complete three tasks."
"And how the hell are we supposed to know what we have to do?!"
"You wont know and I can't tell you. But I will give you a hint, seek out the alternate versions of yourselves. They can help. After you complete the task a portal will appear and bring you back here."
"So we go in, do a task come back and do that again twice and you let us read the book?"
"Yes but I must warn you, once you come back through the portal and are back in the temple you will not remember any of the events that took place in the alternate dimension." Maldrin went to a large group of bottles and took out a few items to cast the portal spell. "Do you still wish to see the book? Are you willing to go through the dimension?"
"What happens if some of us die?"
"Then you are all brought back here, alive and unharmed. You would have failed that task and would have to go again. There is no limit on how many times you go you just must complete three tasks. So I ask again, you are you sure you want to go?"
They exchanged glances with each other but it wasn't as if they would be doing anything really dangerous.
"Yeah we'll go."
"Can I go as well?" Gavin asked both Lina and Maldrin.
"I have no objections, this experience might be good for you even if you wont be able to remember it. And you might be able to help them a bit. Unless your sister doesn't mind."
"I don't know... no can get hurt right?"
"Yes that is correct."
"Okay then Gavin you can come along. Go get your stuff and get ready and come back here."
Gavin rushed off to his room while Maldrin prepared the spell. Gavin came back clad in dark blue, green and purple with a cape and sword attached to his belt.
"Alright if you will stand back I'll start the spell." Everyone backed off a bit from Maldrin as started conjuring up energy for the spell chanting words from an ancient language. Three dark swirly portals appeared in the library.
"Why is there three right now?"
"Once you have completed the task the portal will disappear once you are back. So which one do you wish to try first?"
They all looked at each other and between the three portals.
"Might as well just start with the first one." Lina pointed to the one closest to them. And in that portal they went, the first world they would visit and the first task they would need to complete...