Episode 4: Naga the Serpent


"My it was certainly a good thing that you came here when you did Lord Val," the Lord Merchant and also the Mayer of the city chuckled.

"I apologize for the problems that were caused due to our presence here," Val replied.

"Nonsense, if you weren't here, we probably wouldn't have any city left." The Mayer laughed as he downed a glass of wine.

After the devastating fight through the port city of Tivoras that left considerable amount of damages throughout the district. Not to mention a rather peculiar crater in the heart of the former market place that still hadn't been fully explained.

Val and the gang met the Mayer of the city, who showed his appreciation for saving his city by giving each of them a rather tight bear hug. After that he invited them all back to his manor in order to give them a banquet in their honor. Lina and Gourry had no qualm about that, both being rather hungry and were stuffing down food at an amazing rate. Jedah on the other hand strangely enough stayed mostly quiet throughout most of the procession.

Putting the glass down, the Mayer remarked, "It is unfortunate of me to have to inform you that due to the attack we are behind schedule a bit."

"I understand," Val nodded. "With the attack on the city to take care of, it is expected that your resources would be stretched."

"I must say that you have an interesting group of people with you," the Mayer added gesturing to Lina and Gourry. "Those two must certainly have a rather hardy appetite," he commented as he laughed at the idea.

"Actually on our way here, they ate the pantry on the ship completely bare," Val said nonchalantly.

The Mayer gulped a bit as he loosened his collar a bit.

"Anyway, how long will this delay be?" he asked looking around at the other guest in the banquet.

"We'll be fully prepare in half a week."

"I see," Val muttered taking a glass of wine up and staring into it, "the enemy is already on to us. If we are to delay any longer, I don't even want to think of how many more lives could be lost."

"But do you really think it is the Mazoku?" the Mayer inquired absently as the waiter poured him another drink.

Tightening his grip on the glass enough to cause a crack to appear, Val growled, "It has to be. That Mazoku is involved with it, I know."

"I see," the Mayer muttered drinking his glass as he studied the Ryuzoku. "Have you told the others of where they will be going?" he said deciding to change the subject.

"Not yet," Val sighed leaning back in his chair, "I'm not sure if they are ready."

"Groups are built on a foundation of trust, if you can not trust them then how will you expect them to trust you?" the Mayer mused.

"I don't think trust is an issue," Val responded.

The was a loud crash as all heads turned toward Lina and Gourry, who were currently duking it out as they both tried to grab the largest amount of spaghetti from the plate. Forks flared in the air as they fought for supremacy.

"Then again, the group seems to have much bigger problems than trust to deal with it seems." The Mayer remarked.

Val shook his head sadly. His thoughts going back to the conversation he had with Gourry several hours earlier about Lina. He wouldn't be surprised that Lina and Gourry would get into fights if Jedah weren't here to annoy Lina instead. In fact, he wondered why he hadn't heard anything from Jedah so far during this whole banquet.

"He's been strangely quiet," Val muttered to himself.

"You mean the Graywords kid?" the Mayer inquired as Val blinked realizing that the Mayer had heard him. Looking toward Jedah, the Mayer remarked, "Was it so wise to involve another kid of the Graywords family?"

"What do you mean?" Val questioned looking toward Jedah as well.

"You probably remember what happen to the first of the sons, the one who is Jedah's older brother." The Mayer mused running his finger over top of his glass.

"Black Gate," Val remarked as his eye's narrowed. "The incident that only a selected few even among the Council have knowledge of what happen," Val stated as the Mayer nodded. "But that was the reason why you came here wasn't it? To escape from your involvement?"

"You were as much involved with it as I was." The Mayer stated.

"Touché, Christopher ul Brozzo Saillune." Val responded as Christopher's face scowled a bit at the remark. "But I will not make the same mistake that happened," he added.

"I wonder about that," Christopher muttered placing his hand together in thought. "Why did the Ryuzoku hide what happened back then?"

"I am in no position to answer your question," Val stated coldly looking back down to the glass. "It is best that we not brood upon the past, what has been done back then is long buried. It will be of no consequence to any of us," Val surmised. "Besides it will be the least of our problems should the Mazoku race ever be freed."

"Then all we can trust is that the five seals remain undiscovered," Christopher sighed. "The five seals that contain the power of each of the five Mazoku Lords."

"Without breaking those seals, the Mazoku Lords can never be fully returned." Val added as Christopher nodded solemnly.

The two just sat there as the rest of the banquet continued on, undisturbed by the dark secrets that were traded just a few moments ago. Unknown to anyone in the banquet also was that a ship was coming to dock for a special midnight delivery.

The ship came to rest by one of the piers, a long gangplank set down as the sound of sailors hustling could be heard. A man dressed in a long cloak stood hesitantly on the docks watching the workers quickly moved the large cargo crates down from the ship and into the nearby warehouse.

Lord Vista was fully aware of the nature of what they were dealing with, but the promise of the reward was a bit too much for him to refuse. He would be more than happy to get this transaction over with and get out of here. He let out a sigh of relief as the sailor signaled that the last of the cargo had been transferred.

"Great, can't stand another minute in this dank place," he muttered rubbing his news.

"Ohohohoho!"

Shivers went down Lord Vista's spine as he turned toward the passing fog as a person's silhouette appeared before him. Stepping out of the fog, the person was revealed to be a rather tall lady with long purple hair. She was dressed in a low cut dress with white fur lining along the shoulders and a rather impressive bosom.

"Who the hell are you?" Lord Vista demanded reaching for his sword.

"My aren't you a rude man," she laughed as she brush her hair aside, "my name is Naga, but you can simply call me Naga the White Serpent."

"The White Serpent?" Lord Vista gasped as his hand trembled as he pointed to her. "I heard of you, you are that Consecrated Harrier! A Bounty Hunter for the Church of Ceiphied!"

"It's not polite to point," Naga reprimanded. "And you have been involved with such bad things, Lord Vista. Dealing with the occults is going to get you punished."

Sneering, Lord Vista barked, "You are not taking me down. I won't be taken in by the like of you."

"And how do you plan on stopping me?" Naga mocked.

"I don't need to?" Lord Vista smiled.

Naga raised an eyebrow, before she leaped back as several figures came flying down from the sky slamming down before her. The skeletons slowly lifted their vacant skulls toward Naga as they started to lumber forward. Looking at the scattered pieces of armor that were tied along their skeletal bodies and the rusted weapons they held, Naga merely smirked.

"You think these mindless undead can stop me," Naga asked. "Holy Bless!" she chanted as a wave of light spread out from her.

The Skeletons cringed back against the light as it washed over them; their body started to smoke as they fell to the ground lifeless. As the spell faded away, all of the skeletons laid crumpled in pieces on the dock.

"Ohohohoh!" Naga laughed, "see how fruitless it is to try fight against me."

"It's not over yet," Lord Vista stated snapping his finger.

The bones on the ground started to tremble a bit as they all started to slowly rise up off the ground, before flying around in a little cyclones. In a blink of an eye, they all merged together to form a hideous conglomerate of bones wielding the assorted weapons.

"Oh boy," Naga muttered as the thing towered over her.

"Hahahaha! Behold the Bone Golem!" Lord Vista presented gesturing toward the undead monstrosity. "Now die, Naga!"

The Bone Golem lifted its head up in a deafening roar as it then lunged straight toward Naga with its weapons glaring.


"Ah that was satisfying," Lina smiled as they walked out of the Mayer Christopher's Manor. Val and Jedah sweatdropped as they thought about how much Lina ate. Gourry took up the rear as they started to walk down the streets. "I can't remember the last time I ever ate so much," Lina beamed.

"You better hope that you don't eat that much any time soon or your stomach is going to come out farther then your breasts," Jedah commented.

"Is not," Lina retorted bopping Jedah on the head.

"Actually he's right," Gourry mused as Val nodded.

Grabbing a fist full of hair, Lina wailed, "Would you stop it?"

At that moment, Lina's head became the unfortunate land spot for Naga as she came falling out of the sky. Gourry, Val, and Jedah all blinked as Lina was sent crashing to the ground by the falling lady from the sky.

"Whoa," Gourry remarked astonish.

"Ouchie," Naga whined rubbing her back, "that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Looking to her side to see the staring trio, Naga remarked, "You should get out here, things are going to get dangerous."

"And you are?" Val inquired.

Standing up, Naga brushed her hair back as she introduced herself, "I am Naga the White Serpent, Official Consecrated Harrier for the Church of Ceiphied. Ohohohohohoho!"

"That's a scary laugh," Jedah muttered as Gourry nodded.

"Greeting Naga, I am Val."

Naga blinked in surprise, before she remarked, "Val? You're Val the Ancient Dragon? The Legendary Val?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Any other question?" Val smiled as Naga sweatdropped a bit.

"You're pretty short." Naga pointed out.

"Oh yeah," Val remarked. "So what is the problem that is going on?" he asked looking toward the sky as he noticed a column of smoke rising up.

"Just a small little problem," Naga remarked, before there was the sound of muffling.

"Looks like Lina wants you to get off of her," Gourry remarked looking down.

"Huh?" Naga muttered noticing for the first time the person that she was standing. Stepping off, she remarked, "So this is Lina? I heard rumors from my little sister of a dangerous girl known as Lina Inverse that was a major problem in the Magic Guild."

"That's our Lina alright," Jedah beamed.

"Would you shut up!" Lina roared leaping up. "And you," she added pointing to Naga, "What was the idea of landing on me?"

"Upstart little girl isn't she?" Naga remarked to Val.

Leaning on his crutch, Val remarked, "True, but she has her uses."

"Stop ignoring me!" Lina stamped her feet down.

A massive explosion tore through the building down the street at the same moment, before everyone turned to look at the destruction. Then slowly everyone's head turned to look at Lina who was sweatdropping a bit.

"It wasn't me!" Lina cried.

"So they found me," Naga stated as the Bone Golem emerged from the wreckage of the building and advance toward them.

"What in the world?" Jedah commented.

"A Bone Golem, here?" Lina gasped as she stared at the construct, "But that's from a forbidden branch, no one is supposed to have access to creating them."

"Apparently, these people have their resources," Val muttered.

"Ohohohohoho!" Naga's laugh interrupted everyone's conversation.

"Must you always laugh like that?" Gourry asked.

"Quiet," Naga ordered as she held out her arms, "Prepare to be amazed by the awesome power of Naga the White Serpent!" Chanting the words of the spell, she said, "Mega Vu Vraimer!"

The pavement before them rumbled as it started to rise up into a huge lump towering before the group in the way of the Bone Golem. Magical energy coursed through the pile of earth as it quickly took the form of a giant armored golem. As it completely formed, the golem stretched its arm to the sky and then did a rather strange looking pose.

"Sugoi!" Jedah cried looking at the Golem.

"That Stone Golem looks a lot bigger then any I have ever seen before," Val remarked in astonishment.

"Ohohohoho! Of course, that's because this is one of Naga's original spells." She laughed as everyone sweatdropped. Turning toward her Golem, she ordered it, "Golem destroy that Bone Monstrosity!"

The Golem nodded as it stomped toward the Bone Golem and with a swift whack of its fist shattered the bones everywhere. Naga went on another laughing spree as everyone just stared at the golem in awe. Turing around toward Naga, however the golem accidentally slipped on a pile of bone and went crashing back into several buildings.

"That thing is dangerous," Gourry remarked.

Sweatdropping, Naga just remained silent as screams from the people awoken by the destruction started to flood the street.

"At this rate there isn't going to be much of the city left," Jedah commented.

"Looks that way," Lina grumbled shaking her head sadly.


Meanwhile back at the docks, Lord Vista paced around nervously as he occasionally lifted his gaze to stare at the crates. It had been awhile since the bone golem had chased after Naga and he was hoping that it wasn't destroyed. He was starting to like this job less and less as the moments went by.

"Damnit," he cursed punching the crate.

Where the hell was the contact? He hated standing around here waiting like this, when he felt like everything was going to blow up in his face at any moment now.

"Lord Vista I presume?"

Gripping for his sword again, he spun around as he found himself looking straight up at a figure dressed in a long massive black cape. Behind that person was someone else wearing a scarecrow hat and what looked to be a rug for a cape.

"Who are you?" Lord Vista demanded.

"I am Vice and my companion over there is Zangulus." Vice introduced with a smile made sure to show his rather long fangs to the guy.

Putting his back next to the crate, Lord Vista asked, "What do you want with me?"

"There is something here that we are in need of," Vice stated as he scanned around the warehouse a bit. His eyes finally landed on the crate that Lord Vista was standing against as he smiled, "Ah that is the one."

"You can't touch this stuff, do you have any idea how volatile it is?" Lord Vista cried.

"I know," Vice smiled as he lunged forward and seized Lord Vista by the neck. "I happen to know exactly how volatile it is."

"What are you?" Vista choked struggling against the grip.

"You don't want to know," Vice stated as he tightened his grip.

Vista made a final choke before his hands went limp, chuckling Vice cast him aside like some rag doll as he looked back to Zangulus. The swordsman only paid a slight glance to the dead man, before he gritted his teeth a bit.

"Death is unpleasant for you?" Vice inquired.

"NO," Zangulus snapped as he glared at Vice, "I don't care for any of this. Why are we wasting our time here for that matter?"

"Because, we are expected to bring a gift to Lina and her friends." Vice responded as he turned to the crate. "Our boss has decided a slight change in plans. Things are going to get really dangerous tonight for them."

"No, Gourry will die by my hand!" Zangulus interrupted as Vice glared at the swordsman. "I will not be settled until I can finish my duel with him."

"Don't be so hasty," Vice warned. "I'm sure that the swordsman will survive our little surprise for tonight."

Digging his hand into the wooden cover of the crate, Vice tore it off like a piece of paper as he stared at what was inside of it. A stone coffin surrounded by hay packaging, there were numerous chains around the coffin covered in strange runes. With a smirk, Vice gripped several of the chains in his hand and tore them off of the coffin.

As the last link of the chain clattered to the floor, the coffin started to shake as the lid started to open up. Dark energy started to emanate out of the coffin as Zangulus shielded his eyes from the sheer force of the emanations.

Forming out of the coffin was dark cloaked figure with bandages wrapped along his hands as the bandages trailed along the ground. A single glowing eye was visible beneath the folds of the hood as it wore a stone mask over its face.

"Welcome back Zeigram of the Mazoku." Vice smiled as Zangulus' face gritted.

"You awakened a Mazoku!" he cried in shock stepping back a bit. "That thing could kill us all!"

"Ah, it's been a long time since I tasted such fear from mortals." Zeigram chuckled silently as it appeared before Zangulus. "Is this mortal an offering for me?"

"NO," Vice remarked pulling Zeigram back. "I have another thing in mind for you. There is someone my master wants you to kill."

"Oh," Zeigram remarked facing the Vampire. "And who would that be?"

Vice muttered something so low that Zangulus couldn't make it out, but Zeigram obviously heard it clearly.

Chuckling in laughter, Zeigram stated, "My that is an interesting request. After spending all those years sealed in that blasted coffin. I think I will pay that person a visit."

Watching as Zeigram teleported off, Zangulus yelled, "What is the meaning of that? There was nothing in the contract about working with a Mazoku!"

"Patience," Vice stated as he started to walk off. "All will become clear in time."

"I expect a better sword then," Zangulus hissed as he followed after the Vampire into the night. "Remember that Gourry is mine."

"If that is what you desire." Vice shrugged. "All that is important for our boss is Lina Inverse. In fact, I'm sure that things will be getting very interesting for her very soon."


Episode 5   |   Fanfiction