The next day saw three cargo ships sail in from the North. Irena rose early and slipped a note into her shop window, Closed for Incoming Shipments. Not only did she expect some interesting items on the ships, but she knew the captain of this particular mini-fleet well, and could glean news of the North from him.
Over hot tea in the cheap sailors inn by the docks, she grilled him for information as his crew offloaded crates.
�Well, lemme see,� Captain Janus said. �Sairuun got its harbor through treaty with the Kingdom of Zoana. Seems the Queen of Zoana and the Crown Princess of Sairuun are quite the pair.�
Irena rolled her eyes but kept her comments to herself.
�Zoana crown has another heir. New princess. Named her Lina. So now we got a Prince Vrumatin and Princess Lina. Rumor has it the new princess was named for the Dramatta, of all people!� He laughed himself at the thought, not noticing Irena�s shocked reaction. �Princess Amelia is God-mother to the new babe. Hmm, what else? Republic of Sairaag is rebuilding nicely. Nearby Duke tried to annex the lands, but Sairuun supported it. They say Zefilia�s grapes are recovering so well from last year�s blight that the wines from this year will get near three times the price!�
�Great for them. Now if you could only get me a case�.�
�Next trip, Irena, I promise. Now, Elmekia has been a bit quiet. There was talk that the Emperor had been assassinated, but as word is he appeared at a gathering in Zefilia, I guess that�s a lie.� Captain Janus went on for a while, but it wasn�t until he wound down a bit that he got to more interesting news. �That Lina Inverse was supposedly spotted near Sairaag, traveling alone. Folks say that a town was blowed up and three bandit gangs applied to a Ceipheed temple for protection. High Priestess Syphiel of Sairaag gave it to them, but they gotta start on as Temple guards under her husband.�
�Who�s she married to?� Irena asked sharply.
�Eh? Dunno. Some ex-mercenary, but they say he�d been the Swordsman of Light. Not that anyone can say if he carries the sword or not. Mazoku attacks are way down in that area, though. Few more beastmen ships docking up there too. Sairuun gives �em sanctuary.�
Then the second mate came in, to let them know that Irena�s goods were loaded on a mule cart. Irena bade farewell to the captian, paid him his fees, and headed back for the shop. She�d gotten quite a bit, in goods and gossip. Back at the shop, she paused and seemed to stare at nothing. So, Sylphiel got him. Good. And Amelia was well and successful. Irena sighed. She�d known that disappearing would be best for all concerned.
Zel had risen with the sun. The inn did have a laundry, but as he had only one pair of trous and two shirts, he�d better come up with something else to wear first. He�d hit the street to see a major bustle at the harbor. Three ships unloaded crate after crate of goods. Hmm, mental note: see the harbormaster about passage north. He checked the Curio Shop only to see a sign -- Closed for Incoming Shipments. Maybe later.
Finding a simple dry goods store, he went about getting a third set of clothing. In about an hour, he left the store wearing brown trousers, a new cream shirt, this one with a high collar that opened on the side, and a green sleeveless tunic over everything. He left the new shirt unbuttoned a bit, enjoying the breeze, and the tunic unlaced. His twin belts hung over his hips, supporting his sword. He hurried back to the inn with his bundle of old clothes to get them washed.
The Curio Shop was still closed. He thought he could see the keeper inside, checking boxes. Well, he was stuck in Dungurra for at least one more day, so he could wait. He wandered out of the town to the east, just looking around, and generally enjoying being normal. Not too far down the road, he found a graveyard. Spearing the sky in the middle of the field stood a large stone obelisk. Curious, Zel wandered through the field to stand before it.
Magic symbols carved at eyelevel marred the fine stone surface. He smiled a bit at them, for they had no meaning in any magical tradition he knew, not even divine. And he�d recently learned quite a bit of divine magic. He recalled the story from last night about the sorceress who�d died. This must be the monument. Apparently, the town of Dungurra had a short memory, and a shorter attention span, for moss clambered up the sides of the stone, and weeds grew tall around the base. Clearly, no one took care of the heroine�s grave.
He knelt down to push aside the weeds, to read the inscription on the obelisk. He wondered if he�d recognize the name.
Zel froze, his breath caught in his throat at what his eyes could barely make sense of:
Here Lies Sorceress Extrordinaire Lina Inverse
Who Died While Destroying the Demon Xellos
And Saved the Town of Dungurra With Her Sacrifice.
Inanely, all he could think for a moment was �They misspelled Xelloss.�
Two miles away in Dungurra, Irena shot to her feet and looked around. Ghost at her back, indeed, as Jenny would say. On the Demon Peninsula, they�d say someone �stepped on her grave.�
One corner of Zel�s mind observed that a disadvantage of being human again was that he could cry again. Expressionless except for the tears running down his face, he reread the inscription again. Years ago he had been called Zelgadis Graywords. Years ago he�d wandered the world in the company of Amelia, Princess of Sairuun, Gourry Gabriev, and the powerful sorceress Lina Inverse. For the last six years, he�d searched for a cure to his cursed form, claiming the reason was his horrible visage. In truth, his reasons were far more emotional. He couldn�t bear to allow himself to declare his passion for Lina Inverse until he could face her as a human man. That goal was met, and for her he�d gone by �Zel�, her nickname for him. For the Earth Dragon King he�d changed his surname, but she had to know him, should she hear of him. And now, his hopes, his dreams were destroyed. If Xelloss wasn�t already gone, Zel could have hunted the Mazoku down himself and killed him.
�No.� Zel whispered to himself. �No. This can NOT be.� Cutting off his tears, he had a mad idea. If it were true, his life was over. Even success in his quest could not replace the loss of Lina. But if it were some falsehood, some trick, then he would hunt for Lina, find her, beg her for her hand. Standing back, he raised his hands and began his spell. The tattoos on his arms glowed as he called on Earth.
�Earth below me, flesh of this world, reveal your secrets to me!� Like waves, the dirt over the grave moved back, and the Earth itself pushed a stone coffin to the surface. The name Lina Inverse was carved into the lid. Zel stood a moment, staring into it. If he opened this coffin and saw her there, he�d fall on his own sword. If not, his purpose was renewed. Calling the strength of the Earth to his limbs, he lifted the lid and set it aside.
Nothing. Not even dust lay in the coffin. Even had she died four years before, her remains would be clear. A sudden mental image of that lithe form stilled, that glowing hair dulled, those eyes closed forever, made him shudder. Yet his fears were unfounded, for the stone sarcophagus was as empty as the day it was made. Feeling the iron bands around his heart loosen, Zel lifted the lid back into place. Raising a hand, he cast �Earth below me, be disturbed no more. Resume your sleep.� The coffin sank, soil reformed, and even the grass and weeds resumed their places. He stared a moment longer at the monument, then turned back to the town. The magic shop owner must know. They always did. He�d get to see that woman if he had to break the door down.
Irena finished up the last of her inventory and pricing. Good stuff here. Some of the weapons were prime pieces. A couple of cheap enchantments, and she�d make a fine profit. She looked out the windows of the shop. The sun already began to sink for the day. It wasn�t worth opening. Tomorrow would be busy, and the day after another ship came in from the North. Looked like she�d have a good week after all.
Chapter Seven:
Zel peered into the windows of the shop. He couldn�t see anyone moving in there. She didn�t even open today? He grew angry as he wondered what to do. He needed to talk to her! He needed to know the whole story, the true story. Only a priest, a mage, or a magic-shop-keeper would know, and he was certain that the town priest wasn�t a magic user, there was no mage, and this woman wasn�t anywhere to be found!
He was just considering using a Ray Wing to check the upstairs when a sound drew his attention. Looking down to the harbor, he saw something which would terrify any normal person living by the sea.
The sound grew into a thunderous roar as an enormous tidal wave raced into Dungurra�s harbor.
It towered over the ships and docks, and the sloping shore where stood the town. Just as it seemed about to crash down, drowning the now screaming and terrified denizens of Dungurra, a giant form seemed to emerge from the wave. Man-shaped, standing in the foaming waters of the bay, its featureless face seemed to scan the town. A dark tear appeared in that watery visage, and a voice like the howl of a hurricane emerged. �Come to me, Dragon Knight! Face me, puny warrior of a weak, miserable God!�
Zel Stonewords rushed to the corner, but stopped before he was spotted by the demon. It never did to look like one was unprepared for a Mazoku. Lina had taught him that. Capeless, and normal-looking, he stood and summoned the power of Earth to him. That caught the monster�s attention.
�Ha! Now, mortal, be destroyed! My Master will not suffer you to live!� The monster reached out, its arm elongating as its giant hand came closer and closer to Zel.
The roar alerted Irena to danger. The charge of evil power rippled through the astral plane, and Irena instantly ran for the window. Her view was only that of Hill Street, but she heard the monster�s challenge to the Dragon Knight as she flung open the panes. She saw the figure of the handsome stranger lodging at the Poor Monk race for the corner, the stop and compose himself. She felt the power growing around him, divine and mortal at the same time. But the aura was unmistakeable!
�Zelgadis.� Her heart leapt, her muscles tightened. He lived! He lived, and stood beneath her, on her own street, in this nowhere town! And he faced a demon!! She heard the demon threaten him. After this, she HAD to know how Zel managed to piss of a minion of Deep Sea Dolphin.
Flinging her leg over the ledge, she cried �Levitation!� and floated down to the street just as the demon struck.
As the hand came down to flatten him, Zel cried �Desert Wind!� The spell wrapped him in hot, dry winds, evaporating the water fist as it struck. Steam billowed all around him, the outer edges forcing water away. The giant arm was severed, but it reformed as it withdrew.
�Clever! But you cannot stand against me!�
Rather than be defensive, Zel wrapped himself in a Ray Wing and flew toward the monster, taking his attack out over the harbor. He was weaker when not standing on land, he knew, but he wasn�t too concerned. The power of the Earth Dragon King sang in his blood.
The Mazoku dodged, and laughed. �You cannot win on water, Earth Dragon Knight!�
Sneering, Zel responded, �Even the ocean has an earthen floor! Earth below me, submit to my will! Vlave Howl!� His added strength sent the spell deep into the ocean floor. Subterranean faults cracked, and the tidal wave sank into the water, rolling and boiling as it met deep ocean lava flows. The underwater chasm sucked the water down, and as more water rushed in, the sea leveled. Zel touched down on a stone pier as the sea demon seemed to dwindle. Still it came on.
Soaked from a quick steaming, Irena raced down the hill to the harbor. She saw the tidal wave sink, felt the power of Zelgadis�s spell. What had happened to him? He was human again, he had more power than ever before! Was he really a Dragon Knight now? That would make him as powerful as she had been, maybe more so, maybe as powerful as Luna!
The sea demon tried to envelop him, to drown him. Zel almost shook his head at its stupidity. He cast another Ray Wing around himself. The demon tried to crush the spell around him, trapping him. And yet, it might work. Zel had to pay attention to the spell, keeping it up as the evil power pressed in. Soon he realized he�d fallen for a simple ploy. If he tried anything else, the Ray Wing would collapse and he�d be crushed. Even if he didn�t, he�d have to keep the spell up forcibly, and eventually he would tire. He tried to work his way out of the demon form, but he couldn�t.
Irena saw the trap. Geez, Zel, what were you thinking? Summoning skills dormant for years, she cast �Flare Arrow!� The shamanist spell imbedded into the demon form. The monster roared, and the blank face turned to her. A pseudopod of water slapped at her, but she dodged easily. �That all you got?� she taunted, her old fire coming back to her. �Not in MY town, buddy!� she cried. �FIREBALL!�
The fireball erupted on the water demon like a pot boiling over, but on an enormous scale. Townspeople ran for cover, either screaming in fear, or amazed at the sudden change that had come over quiet, self-possessed Irena Versein. At least she was still calling it �her town�!
A weak spot! Zel forced his way out of the demon�s form, landing rather hard on the pier. He saw the shopkeeper woman dancing out of the way of another slap from the demon. �Get back! You�ll be killed!� he yelled to her. She glanced his way only a moment, then dodged again.
�Well, do something, hot shot!� she yelled back. She sounded so familiar�
�Elmekia Lance! Elmekia Flare!� he cast, riddling the Mazoko with astral attacks. It shuddered, but started directing its attacks to the town. Zel knew people would start dying soon. He jumped to a patch of dirt, the nearest natural earth, drew his sword, and began his spell.
What the heck is he doing?!? Irena thought. She knew she had to let it be his show. The recognition and reckoning would come later.
�Power of Earth! Sustaining and supporting, god who nourishes and provides! Give me the power of your mighty mountains and deep valleys! Wrap my blade with your strength! Earth Vine!� A green aura leapt up around Zel as he raised his blade. Green light ran up it, and a wind that smelled like summer whipped his hair up and around his head. Leaping into the air, he aimed straight towards the demon.
Like an Astral Vine, only better! Irena nearly applauded.
Zel impaled the demon on his sword. He only forgot one tiny detail - earthpower and waterpower are nearly as inimical as fire and water. The explosion resulting from the release of those powers sent water raining over Dungurra. The deluge soaked the town. Roofs leaked. Basements flooded instantly. Streets turned into rushing rivers as the water rushed down to the sea. Zel himself was blown far up the slope and landed hard, on his back, in some trees. Had anyone asked, he�d have sworn that every bone in his body broke. As it was, he was unconscious by the time he hit the actual ground.
Chapter Eight:
The babble of voices around her couldn't distract Irena. The townsfolk wailed at the waterdamage done, as homes flooded and the ships in the harbor were nearly scuttled by the deluge. But Irena had only one thought as she wrapped a fast Levitation around herself and flew up Main Street -- Zelgadis!
Just past the edge of town, she noted some birds swooping about, crying in agitation. He must have fallen around here, she decided. Into the trees she plunged. In only a few minutes she found him, unconscious and battered, lying amongst some bushes. From the amount of bracken and broken branches around him, she judged that he'd had a rough landing.
Carefully, she checked his pulse. How exciting, to touch warm skin where once there was only cold stone. It occurred to her that she'd never before had to check to make sure Zelgadis still lived. He always handled himself. Well, except for that time in front of Hellmaster, but that was a unique situation..... Ah, yes, heartbeat was steady and strong. She ran her hands over his arms and legs to make sure nothing was broken. In that, she did find a broken leg, a fractured arm, his left shoulder completely dislocated, and there might be broken ribs. Blinking a little at her own rusty skills, she cast healing spells. Irena was surprised at how fast the healing worked. Opening her senses a little, she learned something very, very interesting. As her healing spell moved through him, earth energy followed, completing a healing which would normally have been rudimentary at best. Zelgadis might even wake up.
But no, even when she stopped and watched the earth energy finish the job, his eyes remained closed. Irena had to wonder if he'd figured out that he just can't take the beatings anymore. Fool, to give up that sort of protection! And yet, the man who laid before seemed as different as the Zelgadis she remembered as any total stranger. Very little about him looked the same. His hair was darker, nearly brown, with only a hint of the purple she knew. Certainly the tanned and weathered skin differed from blue stone by miles. Even his face seemed squarer, more masculine, and his ears were perfectly normal. It never occurred to her that his old nearly-elfin prettiness might have been the result of his chimeric state.
Shaking her head at herself, she cast a Levitation around him and headed back towards town. She'd leave him at the Poor Monk, and go home. Maybe this wasn't Zelgadis after all. Maybe this was a copy. Maybe her nostalgic fantasies of yesterday had warped her mind.
And maybe, she couldn't go back to being Lina Inverse, anyway.
Back at the Poor Monk, her entrance with the floating body of Dungurra's newest hero caused an immense stir. Bert quickly led her to Zelgadis's room, with Jenny hustling along behind.
"I've healed him, but he's still out. Probably you should just let him wake up on his own," Irena stated flatly.
"At least he lives!" exclaimed Bert fervently.
"And you!" butt in Jenny. "Never a hint that you had the magic." She started shaking her finger in Irena's face. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
Irena's face had no expression. "Magic never brought me any good." she said. As she turned to leave, Bert called out after her.
"Should we let you know when he wakes?"
Irena didn't answer.
From his seat beneath the waters of the harbor, a single malevolent presence nodded to itself. So, the rumor was true. Lina Inverse, the destroyer of the Mazoku, was indeed hidden in Dungurra, not dead of her wounds. How it longed to laugh, if it could. She'd given herself away in battling the water demon and healing the Dragon Knight. And now, it could sweep away both enemies in one stroke. The being known only as Shark headed back out to sea to report to its mistress.
Chapter Nine:
I feel like complete shit.
That was Zel Stonewords' first thought upon waking. Still, he wasn't nearly as hurt as he'd thought he'd be. Someone must have healed him. The Earth would do its part, but only if guided.
The shopkeeper woman. He remembered her assistance during the battle with the water demon. Her magic and her voice had seemed so familliar. Suddenly galvanized, he rose from the bed. How he came to be in his room at the Poor Monk Inn didn't even concern him. Girding his sword and flinging his cloak over his shoulders, he hurried down the stairs.
Many people were in the inn's common room. As he made his entrance, voices rose up, asking how he felt, congratulating him and thanking him for saving the town. He shrugged off their words, muttering that if he hadn't of come, neither would have the demon. He accosted Bert by the counter.
"The shopkeeper... um, Irena! She brought me back, right?"
Bert nodded in surprise.
Armed with that information, Zel headed out of the inn. Across the street, the Curio Shop was dark, even the upstairs windows. But Zel marched right up to the door and pounded on it.
"Come down!" he yelled. "I must speak with you!"
Irena watch him leave the inn and cross the street. All evening she'd waited by her window. She knew that as soon as he woke, either Bert or Jenny would tell him who'd brought him back. From the shadows, she saw him approach the store, and heard the blows against her door. Stepping away from the window as he yelled, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Brown hair. Brown eyes. A simple skirt, blouse, and bodice. Her past self was dead. The man she'd secretly loved was dead. This person below was not who he seemed, despite the name written in Bert's log book, which she'd peeked at. This was a curse, a horrible trick. Self-convinced, and self-deluded, she took her time going down the stairs.
Zel stopped pounding when he spotted movement in the shop. He knew a curious audience peered from the inn behind him. He waited as she calmly came to the door and unlocked it.
"Come in." she said.
As the door closed behind him, the room fell into nearly total darkness. The shades were drawn, and she made no movement to turn on a light.
A silence stretched between them. Finally, Zel spoke first. "You fought, you helped me. Then you healed me and brought me to the inn. Why?"
The woman's voice was steady. "I helped because it seemed necessary. I healed because you needed it. I bought you back because, well, I couldn't very well leave you in the woods, now could I?" That last had a touch of exasperation to it.
Blinking, Zel thought it had been a very long time, but he seemed to know the voice. "Your name." he demanded.
"Irena Versein."
He shook his head in denial. "Lighting!" The green-white glow lit the room. The woman stood nearly ten feet away, her back against the counter. Zel took in the color of her hair and eyes, the very demure outfit. Her eyes flashed at him. She was not pleased at the lighting.
She's hiding something, he thought. Quickly, he cast, "Flow Break!" But just as fast, she countered. "Burst Flare!"
Momentarily blinded, Zel didn't see the effect of the Flow Break. As he dropped the arm he'd instinctively raised, he saw she held a perfectly controlled Fireball in her hands.
Voice shaking in anger, she snarled "Get. Out. Of. My. Shop."
Smiling a little at the proof-positive before him, Zel responded, "No. I won't."
Infuriated, Irena began yelling. "I don't care who you are! I don't care what you think! I want you to GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE!!" She flung the Fireball at him.
Zel simply held out his hand and let a wave of divine magic flow out from his palm, dissipating the Fireball. Irena stared at him. "No one can do that."
"I can. Now. Am I really so changed.... Lina?"
Her breath caught in her throat. "How?"
He smiled again. "Noone controls a fireball like you."
"Who....?"
Zel blinked. "Don't you recognize me? Lina! It's me - Zelgadis!"
She shook her head. "No! NO! Zelgadis is dead! He went into the desert! Xelloss killed him, so I killed Xelloss!" Her carefully contructed world of denial shattered.
Zel crossed the room and grabbed her shoulders. "Lina, Lina!" Brown hair, brown eyes, but this was still the amazing, powerful, fascinating woman he knew. And he could see she was about to become hysterical. Daring greatly, he slapped her.
She froze for one brief instant, then her fist came around like lightning.
Rubbing his jaw, Zelgadis looked up at her from the floor. "Well, OK, you can still punch as good as you used to. And if it makes you feel any better, it hurts more now. And you'll note your hand isn't broken, for once!"
Lina -- Irena no longer -- stared at him, then burst out laughing. She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him. Her hug nearly cracked his ribs so recently healed. "Zel! Zelgadis! You're alive, you're cured, you're here!" She planted a kiss right on his lips.
Zel's blood sang at her touch, but as soon as Lina realized she was kissing him, she leapt five feet away and turned bright red. Yet she couldn't stay away from him. She grabbed his arm, yanked him to his feet, and hugged him again.
"Where have you been? When did you find your cure? Where did you go? Where was your cure? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU LET ME KNOW YOU WERE OK?!?"
Prying her arms off him, Zel took both her hands in his. "I'll tell you everything! I swear! But you have to tell me what you're doing here. Why are you hiding, Lina?"
Serious again, Lina sighed and said, "You better come upstairs. This will be kind of a long story."
Chapter Ten:
Cups of tea in hand, the two settled into Lina's couch in her small apartment over the shop. Grinning impishly, Lina reached out and brushed the ubiquitous lock of hair away from Zel's eyes. He flushed at her touch, and ducked his head.
"Well? You start," Lina said.
"Talk about long stories. OK, well, I went into the Desert, what, seven years ago?" She nodded. "I didn't find anything. I just went south. Tried the temple of the Fire Dragon King. They were, um, LESS than helpful." Zel flashed her a smile, remembering the damage they'd caused there. "Eventually south became west. I've walked all the way around our world, I guess. In the Far West I found the Temple of the Earth Dragon King." Setting down his cup, he turned back his sleeves to show her the tattoos on his forearms. "They did help. They called on the God himself. I cut a deal."
Lina's eyebrows nearly hit her hairline. "I take it that's the short-short version?"
Zel nodded. "There's too much for one night. Anyway, in exchange for my human form, I had to accept part of the Earth Dragon King into my soul. Now, I'm .... well, not entirely human still, but enough. I'm also 'on call', as they put it. Should I be contacted by one of the templars, or the Ceipheed Knight" -- Zel noted Lina's shiver -- " I have to do what they say. But other than that, I can go on with my life. And, um, the most important thing seemed to be getting home and getting in touch with you, um, and everyone." Zel took up his tea again. "Now you."
Lina sighed. "About two years after you left, Xelloss came. He pestered and pestered us, me and Gourry. Finally, he started hinting that he had a secret I might want to know. I just blew him off, sure he just wanted attention. Gourry and I decided to come south. Xelloss followed." Lina's voice became flatter. "He found us here, and announced that the Mazoku decided I was too dangerous to live. He said -" She swallowed, "- he said that I shouldn't mind dying, since then I'd finally see you again. He told me he'd killed you for sniffing around Hellmaster's citadel."
Zel blinked. "Xelloss didn't seem to mind my sinking it into the sands!"
"WHAT?!?"
Zel waved it away. "Another long story. You go on."
Lina glared a moment. With a shrug, she continued, "So I went a bit ballistic at that. I guess I was careless too. I mean, if you were dead, then I had nothing to lose, right?" Zel blinked at that, but she didn't notice. "So I took him on. Gourry helped as much as he could, but in the end, I wasted Xelloss with a Ragna Blade, but the backlash of a higher-up like him really blasted the place. I guess Gourry couldn't find me. When I woke up, I healed myself and came into town. I heard that I was dead! Well, I guess I didn't want to ruin everyone's expectations, since they were calling me a hero and all. So the townspeople sent Gourry home, and gave me a monument, and I went on my merry way. Spent some time wandering, studying, wasting bandits and monsters. Eventually, I got tired. I mean," she shuddered, "I didn't have anyone left anyway, so being me didn't really seem to have any point. I settled here. After all, I'm buried here."
Zel waited a moment, then took one of Lina's hands. Her story had shaken him; to think that she'd fought Xelloss over HIM! But that meant.... that she...... "I think.... I think we both know something, that, um, maybe we don't really have to go into tonight." His eyes met hers. "Lets just be glad we're together, here, and go from there, OK?"
Lina stood. "Hang on a minute." She darted into the bedroom. Zel heard her moving about in there, muttering. He tried NOT to imagine anything. A few minutes later, she reappeared, standing in the doorway.
"Lina...."
The illusion had been dispersed. She'd rubbed the dye-remover through her hair, restoring it's natural red. She still held the brown-stained towel in her left hand. And on her right hand gleamed her most treasured possession.
She dropped the towel and returned to the couch. She held out her hand to him.
Zel's jaw dropped a bit. "Is that my...?"
Lina nodded.
Zel looked into her eyes a moment, then drew her hand up and gently kissed it. He let go, and they just smiled at each other. Sighing, Lina picked up her tea and leaned back. They settled in, shoulders just touching, sipping their tea and exchanging happy glances.
A pale hand, nails painted blue, waved over the crystal, sending rippling currents flowing. The blue-haired woman, pale and translucent as a drowned corpse, nodded to herself. Nearby, Shark waited, then asked, "My lady, should I go back to observe?"
Another nod.
With a flip of his tail, Shark was gone. Another pass of the hand over the crystal, and the figure of a blonde woman clad in white appeared in its wavering surface.
Like the hissing of retreating surf, a voice whispered, "Beastmaster........"
TO BE CONTINUED........?
Back to Semper Slayers