The Forest of Silence was, well, silent. Almost as if the entire other-world held its breath, waiting for something to happen. Something bad. Every last creature stiffened, sensing the tension. Everyone except one and her strange guide trampling through the lush undergrowth.
Presia paled. "You'd better come in."
Quite some distance away, out of earshot, a redhead was shouting at a white floppy eared creature. "I thought you knew where we were going! We've been walking 'round in circles!" The creature hopped around, apparently not understanding the fustration in his companion's voice. "Listen up, you hyperactive little blob!" The redhead had him by the ears and bore her burning gaze into his. "Pull that act off again and you're lunch!"
That certainly caught its attention. A serious of panicky gestures assured her that he was very much frightened. Not a bad thing , the sorceress smiled slightly. Something growled. And it wasn't her.
She turned slowly and her smile widened. This was no young lady locked in some nice, comfortable tower till Cephiro's Princess decided to kidnap her for the part of Messiah in their Legend. She had seen and fought many more times than the dozen monsters rambling towards her. True, then she had help, but now she had more power. The staff Presia the Maker had loaned her was certainly a master piece, much more substential than the more oranate one she had scavaged from Clef after winning a duel. It was time to put it through a pratical test.
The creatures were a good challenge, slightly stronger than she expected, but not indestructable. Already three had succombed to her four enhanced fireballs. Most of her other spells have also gotten stronger. More of the plant-like things were coming. Perhaps if she try the Dragon Slave? Would it work in a different world? She wondered. Only one way to find out! She gathered her powers.
"Darker than Twilight,
Redder than Blood that flows,
Lost in the Mists of Time
In thy great Name
I pledge myself to Darkness
By the Power that you and I possess
Destroy the fools that dare defy us!
Dragon Slave!!!"
A moment of silence. Nothing happened. Then, the next wave attacked. Oh well. She shrugged and went back to the elemental magics. A Fireball here, a couple of Flare Arrows there, some ice in between to cool down the atmosphere and most of this lot were slaughtered too. One survivor caught her off guard, but not long enough. Strange to say, the Flare Arrow only burnt the corpse split neatly in half down the center.
That only confirmed the suspicion that she was being followed. Checking that there were no more giant carnivorous plants around, she peered up into the trees. "All right now, show yourself!"
The person that dropped in front of her was not someone she expected to see. She was about to fling herself into his arms when she noticed that the sword by his side was not the Sword of Light and remembered how Clef had looked exactly like a kid-version of Zel. Instead, she waited.
"I'm Ferio," He started with a frown. "What in the world are you doing here! It's not safe anymore!"
"Lina Inverse," She replied coolly, still a little disappointed at how things turned out. "And I might ask you the same!" A retort rose and was caught at the tip of Ferio's tongue. He turned away, fuming silently while Lina watched the sunlight play across his long blonde hair and wondered how two people from two different worlds can look so similar.
"So, erm, what brings you here?" The voice was certainly similar enough.
"I'm looking for the Legendary Spring," She replied, turning her attentions to the conversation. "For the Legendary Mineral." His eyes grew hostile and Lina belatedly remembered Presia telling her of Zagato, the one who holds the Princess prisoner and enemy to all. Perhaps Ferio was one of his.
"No one but an other-worlder can attempt it, you should know that." The tone was a cold one she had never heard Gourry use on her before. Something in his eyes made all the pieces fall in place.
"Then what are you doing here, then?" She asked slyly. He swallowed and shifted his feet. "Looking for the Mineral, too, I imagine." He nodded and looked away again. "Um, I'm the Messiah."
"You?!" She blushed, wishing he'd stop staring. She hasn't exactly come to terms with that herself. "But... that means you're going to get the key... ..."
"I guess. Now, look, I need to get going if I want to find my friends and study this place... ..."
"I'll go with you." He declared. She stopped dead in her tracks. It was exactly the same as with back home, when she'd first met Gourry. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. She had thought she'd came to terms with that ages ago when she'd first landed in some out of way village on this Cephiro. No , She pushed the memory away. There's no profit in moping around like that. The sooner she get on the sooner she finishes and find the others. Yes , And there was the magic of this land to study, too! No time for sentiments!
"All right then, come along, Gou... Ferio!"