As the group pressed southwards towards the distant town of Zarev, it soon became obvious to all that Lina really didn't need to eat or drink. Lina had decided that she would continue with the guise that she was wearing the 'leotard' for its toughness, but did put on a replica of the outfit that she wore when she was travelling with Naga on over it. About four days into their journey, Lina bought a large hay-cart from a down on his luck farmer and pushed it into the Shadow Realm and cast some spells on it. She also removed the Demon Blood Talismans and placed them in a bag and onto the hay-cart. Every so often, much to the uneasiness of those watching, Lina would stick her head through a shadow and check to see if the cart was still following along.
'I now have a better way of carrying treasure from bandit gangs or lost ruins,' Lina thought, while rubbing her hands together. 'I don't think I could have enchanted the cart, before this change.'
On the fifth night, Lina sneaked away from the inn that the group was staying to follow an urging. As she walked, she felt someone trailing her. Lina readied some magical energy and saw a likely place for a confrontation. She quickly ran into a clearing and just before she got to the other side, she turned around and held out her hand.
"Amelia?!" Lina called.
The princess of Seyruun looked at Lina reproachfully. "Miss Lina, you sacred me when you did that."
"I scared you? You were sneaking along behind me and I almost shot you with a spell."
Amelia shifted a bit and replied, "Well,... I guess. At any rate, you were going to go bandit hunting weren't you?"
'How'd she guess?' Lina thought with a grimace. "You aren't going to try and stop me, are you?"
"No, Miss Lina. I intend to help you," Amelia said cheerfully.
'Well, I guess she should...what am I thinking?' Lina thought, as she blinked.
Amelia looked at Lina in concern. "Are you all right?"
Lina scratched her head. "Um. Yes. I think so. I just had an odd thought. All right Amelia, you can come. We need to get some funds for our trip."
"Money? Don't think of it in those terms, think of it as exterminating evil."
'At least she has the right attitude, if a bit too enthusiastic. Arrgh!' Lina thought and started pounding on her head. 'What is wrong with me?'
Shaking her head clear, Lina asked, "Amelia, do you know how much money we have spent on this trip? We're going to need money to survive."
Amelia really looked at Lina. "Miss Lina, are you sure you're all right? I mean is your chimera form...."
Lina bit her lower lip. "That's probably it. Let's take care of these bandits fast and then get back to the others."
Lina and Amelia proceeded to decimate the bandit group, although they did leave most of the group alive but unconscious. Lina quickly stowed the money on the cart in the Shadow Realm. As the two girls walked back towards town, Lina cast a glance southward.
"Zarev. I need to know what's going down there," Lina muttered. "Crazy old man."
"Miss Lina there's something out there," Amelia said.
Lina looked up and gave a weary sigh, as she saw a man dressed entirely in black.
"I thought I had seen the last of you Zuuma," Lina said.
"That's Zuuma?" Amelia asked in shock.
Zuuma said, "Prepare yourself Lina Inverse."
"I'm not in the mood," Lina declared, and spread her arms wide.
Tendrils of shadows launched themselves from the shadows of tress and quickly bound the assassin. Lina felt a strange tingle, as the shadows encapsulated Zuuma.
In a very soft voice, Lina said, "Amelia? Run."
Lina and Amelia took off running away from the bound assassin. Amelia was curious as to why Lina was running from someone she had bound so easily.
"Miss Lina, why are we running?" Amelia huffed.
"I'll explain when we're back in town," Lina said calmly. "I'm not sure if I can do anything, but I know that the Sword of Light can."
Back in the forest a glow surrounded Zuuma and the shadow tendrils snapped, freeing the assassin. He glared in the direction that Lina and Amelia ran.
"How did you do that?" Zumma asked. "What caused you to run?"
Up in a tree, Xellos was wondering the same thing. He gave a slight chuckle and watched as Zuuma left.
"My Miss Lina, you seem to have some other purpose in mind than the Claire Bible. I wonder what... Oh! I get it. You need to know why. Whoever turned you into a chimera has caused you to turn away and to disrupt the plans of both Lord Gaav and Lord Hellmaster. I guess I should follow along and keep to Hellmaster's plans regarding you."
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(Posted Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:20)
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