Chapter One

A buzzing sound roamed around the field watching the picnickers, yes! SHE was there with one her friends, the former swordsman of light. The wings slowed as the being reflected on how much that she had heard about her. While watching the fire haired girl turning and screaming at her partner and seeing how he backed off, a memory of Zelas with her wolf pack surfaced. The girl had the potential.

“Hey Gourry, I got a lead about another sword,” taking advantage of the pause Lina grabbed the last bun and took a large bite.

“Really, what was it?” Gourry looked at her hopefully then added suspiciously, “You didn’t just tell me that to get the last of the food did you?”

“Naw, timed it right though, didn’t I?” Lina continued, “There actually were rumours of two swords, one was the Chaos sword, which after our last adventure even I wouldn’t touch, and the second was the Dragon sword.”

Slipping into teacher mode, Lina explained, knowing that if it had to do with weapons Gourry wouldn’t need a second explanation (anything else though, Oy). “The Dragon sword was created during the monster wars by the dragons to kill monsters, the dragon using it was overwhelmed and the sword was never recovered from the battle field; it was thought to be a myth. However, an old letter was found placing the battle near Sayruin. The Library there should have some more information in the archives now that we know what to look for.”

As the two partners took off down the road, the winged girl watched them go out of sight, then with a loop that was surprisingly graceful for her pudgy, oops, her full figure, she followed behind them.

“Here we are Gourry, Sayruin City, Home of the best restaurants and the widest selection of, ugh, white magic shops around.”

“Yep, we better get a move on. By the way Gourry, do you notice any area that would be a good strategic area for a battle between monsters and dragons?”

“Well, depends who was attacking, a good defensive area would be the side of the mountain. The terrain would force the attacking force between the foothills and limit where they could attack, almost herding them into place. If I were setting up an ambush, that narrow pass would be perfect. However, keeping in mind the nature of the two forces, I wouldn’t be surprised if they just went head to head over the plains. Monsters and dragons do tend to be overconfident in a fight.”

“Wait you’re not going to finish off all the food at the palace before I get there!” Lina shouted as she took off behind him. “Last time you only left me a sausage!”

Amelia was sitting down at her desk staring though the paperwork that was piled up on top of it. At first it was fun, helping daddy run the country, her sense of justice still made the court matters interesting but there was a limit on how much even her perkiness could take when it came to chicken raising permits and ditch digging contracts. She sat up straighter as she heard the thud of boots running down the corridor. A white-faced guardsman fell into her office gasping a warning.

“Who’s here, is it an attack?” Amelia quickly searched her memory for any hiccups in the various treaty negotiations.

“No her, the dragon spooker, the bandit killer, the enemy of all who live!” The guardsman wheezed, a panicked look in his eyes.

“Lina’s here, great bring her and whoever is with her to the dining room. I’ll meet them there. Just tell the cook to double, no triple the amount we served last time they were here or we’ll have fireballs for desert again.” Amelia’s smile turned into a grin, an excuse to get away from th... no a chance to fight for justice, they just had to be on a new quest. She smoothed her dress and hurried out the room.

After Amelia left, a disappointed sigh wafted softly from the corner of the room. She wasn’t one, the winged being thought to herself. Such a nice girl and she would have a role to play but it wasn’t her. She was just too orderly to be one of the ones. The being consoled herself with the knowledge that the other one should be drawn to Lina’s company. There should be two, one would be lonely, she knew that well enough, three too much to hope for.

“Amelia, there seems to be a few more manuscripts than last time,” Lina looked sharply at the blushing sorceress, then grinned. “Is there some reason you set everyone on manuscript quests and doubled the library staff? Maybe something to do with our friend Zel?”

“A sorceress in the quest for justice must have knowledge!” Amelia jumped on a chair. “The pursuit of Justice takes not only a pure heart and a strong mind but also knowledge. Only that way can wrongs be righted. The wrongs done to Mr. Zelgadis must be put right, a true lover of Justice such as yourself Miss Lina must see that.”

Lina hid a grin. “And if she finds a cure Zel will be here as fast as he can get here,” she thought to herself. “If there’s a cure out there Amelia will find it.”

“I don’t think your Librarians really appreciate you jumping around like that,” Lina glanced toward an elderly man who was glaring pointedly at them.

“You know Gourry. He’s not really into the library thing. He was talking to one of your guardsman last night and they were going to do some sparring today. What have you heard from Zel and the rest?” Lina asked.

“Mr. Zelgadis was last seen in a ruined castle to the north, he hasn’t written though. Miss Filia is still working in her pottery shop. I received a letter from her saying she was expecting a hatching any day now. Oh right, Miss Martina sent a trade delegation here last week, it seems like Mr. Zangalus has really put her kingdom on track..”

“About time, at least I don’t have to worry about running into her on the road. She’s almost as annoying as Naga was.”

“Before your time. Put it this way, Xellos’s secrets weren’t as bad as Naga’s laugh. Grown men would hide under their beds cowering at the sound of her laugh.” Lina shuddered. “Let’s see what your librarian has found for me, so we can get to lunch before Gourry eats it all.”

“But Miss Lina, we just had breakfast a half-hour ago...” Amelia’s voice trailed off as she remembered past travels. She shook her head ruefully and led Lina to the Head librarian’s office.

Meanwhile, Gourry was sparring with the Captain of the guard while the rest of the guard was watching in awe. The clash of weapons reverberated through the courtyard as Gourry easily parried each of the Captain’s attacks. No one noticed a pair of eyes watching the match through the battlements, a pair of eyes that judged and evaluated on a tougher level than any of the fighters below.

A sword flew though the air as Gourry’s opponent was disarmed. “You won my lad, you’re damn good,” the captain exclaimed in good humour. “I can see how even the likes of the dragon spooker would keep you around.”

“It’s not a good idea to call her that,” Gourry warned. “She has a temper, why the other day she fireballed me just for asking when she was going to fill out, I mean, can’t she tell she’s flat whenever she takes a bath?”

“Really? Lina gets mad a lot.” Gourry shrugged. “You get used to being fireballed. I really don’t mind too much anymore, but I really feel useless without a good sword though, she tends to tangle with some pretty nasty types. All I can do is watch her back.” He grinned and added, “Her back is generally the safest place to be, anything in front of her tends to disappear.”

“Lina and I are searching for a sword that was lost on an old battlefield during the monster wars; if we can find it I’ll be able to do a lot more if we come up against monsters. She’s searching for information in the library right now.” Gourry scratched his head. “I think she said it was nearby.”

The Captain thought for a second, “Do you mean a battle between the gold dragons and the monsters? When we were younger my brother and I found the skeleton of a dragon in the mountain cliffs near some cave entrances. Great-Grand da used to tell us stories of a battle there. I think I could show you where it is on a map though.”

The watcher settled down on the battlement. It was about time to talk to Lina and she had an idea that the black sorceress was not going to react well to her words at all. This was going to take a lot of tact, not the being’s strongest point. “Think of it as a trick,” she told herself. “You’re really good at those.” Maybe if she helped Lina get the Dragon Sword for her friend first that would put her on Lina’s good side and make the news a little easier for Lina to take. It would also give her a chance to evaluate Lina’s other companions as they showed up; Lina attracted such strange people.

Convincing Lina that the Chaos Sword needed to be brought into play was going to be a problem; the other little items were going to be even worse. The being hugged herself as she started to giggle; as serious as this all was, it was going to be so much fun. It had been too long since she had really played.

Amelia, Lina and Gourry sat at the table; the harried staff ran around trying in vain to replace empty plates with full ones as soon as they were emptied. The palace staff had a reputation to maintain and they were going to make sure that no one got in the way of their quest to be the best staff in the kingdom (Amelia’s attitudes did tend to rub off after prolonged exposure).

“No luck in the Library yet, Gourry, but we’re trying,” Lina informed the swordsman as she grabbed another piece of meat. “Did find some info about the knights diamond.” Lina became starry eyed. “It’s a huge rock that legend says once belonged to a mysterious priestess, it has the ability to amplify magic talismans. Imagine the knight’s diamond combined with the talismans I got from Xellos could triple my firepower? Imagine a dragon slave with that power.”

“Talking about Xellos, has anyone seen him around ...”Lina broke off as she caught a glimpse of someone materialising in the corner of the room. “Get out in the open you fruitcake before I fireball you into the next century.”


	Jeniam's spot on the web \| home Chapter One \| Chapter Two \| Chapter Three \| Chapter Four \| Chapter Five \| Chapter Six \| Chapter Seven \| Chapter Eight \| Chapter Nine Chapter One The quest begins- A new sword for Gourry! A buzzing sound roamed around the field watching the picnickers, yes! SHE was there with one her friends, the former swordsman of light. The wings slowed as the being reflected on how much that she had heard about her. While watching the fire haired girl turning and screaming at her partner and seeing how he backed off, a memory of Zelas with her wolf pack surfaced. The girl had the potential. “L-Sama, please let my search be closer to completion, please let her be one of the ones I am searching for.” *** “Hey Gourry, I got a lead about another sword,” taking advantage of the pause Lina grabbed the last bun and took a large bite. “Really, what was it?” Gourry looked at her hopefully then added suspiciously, “You didn’t just tell me that to get the last of the food did you?” “Naw, timed it right though, didn’t I?” Lina continued, “There actually were rumours of two swords, one was the Chaos sword, which after our last adventure even I wouldn’t touch, and the second was the Dragon sword.” “Dragon sword, never heard of it.” Slipping into teacher mode, Lina explained, knowing that if it had to do with weapons Gourry wouldn’t need a second explanation (anything else though, Oy). “The Dragon sword was created during the monster wars by the dragons to kill monsters, the dragon using it was overwhelmed and the sword was never recovered from the battle field; it was thought to be a myth. However, an old letter was found placing the battle near Sayruin. The Library there should have some more information in the archives now that we know what to look for.” “Fantastic Lina! What are you waiting for? We can visit Amelia at the same time and maybe get some news about Zel.” As the two partners took off down the road, the winged girl watched them go out of sight, then with a loop that was surprisingly graceful for her pudgy, oops, her full figure, she followed behind them. “Here we are Gourry, Sayruin City, Home of the best restaurants and the widest selection of, ugh, white magic shops around.” “Remember the meals at the palace, it’s almost lunch time,” Gourry smiled at Lina. “Yep, we better get a move on. By the way Gourry, do you notice any area that would be a good strategic area for a battle between monsters and dragons?” “Well, depends who was attacking, a good defensive area would be the side of the mountain. The terrain would force the attacking force between the foothills and limit where they could attack, almost herding them into place. If I were setting up an ambush, that narrow pass would be perfect. However, keeping in mind the nature of the two forces, I wouldn’t be surprised if they just went head to head over the plains. Monsters and dragons do tend to be overconfident in a fight.” Lina smiled, how could he be so smart when it came to tactics and such a jellyfish when it came to real life? “Hey Lina, I’m hungry, hurry up!” Gourry shouted as he stared to run down the path. “Wait you’re not going to finish off all the food at the palace before I get there!” Lina shouted as she took off behind him. “Last time you only left me a sausage!” As they ran down the path a giggle came from the bushes. ************************************************************* Amelia was sitting down at her desk staring though the paperwork that was piled up on top of it. At first it was fun, helping daddy run the country, her sense of justice still made the court matters interesting but there was a limit on how much even her perkiness could take when it came to chicken raising permits and ditch digging contracts. She sat up straighter as she heard the thud of boots running down the corridor. A white-faced guardsman fell into her office gasping a warning. “She’s here, she’s here!” “Who’s here, is it an attack?” Amelia quickly searched her memory for any hiccups in the various treaty negotiations. “No her, the dragon spooker, the bandit killer, the enemy of all who live!” The guardsman wheezed, a panicked look in his eyes. “Lina’s here, great bring her and whoever is with her to the dining room. I’ll meet them there. Just tell the cook to double, no triple the amount we served last time they were here or we’ll have fireballs for desert again.” Amelia’s smile turned into a grin, an excuse to get away from th... no a chance to fight for justice, they just had to be on a new quest. She smoothed her dress and hurried out the room. After Amelia left, a disappointed sigh wafted softly from the corner of the room. She wasn’t one, the winged being thought to herself. Such a nice girl and she would have a role to play but it wasn’t her. She was just too orderly to be one of the ones. The being consoled herself with the knowledge that the other one should be drawn to Lina’s company. There should be two, one would be lonely, she knew that well enough, three too much to hope for. *********************************************************************** “Amelia, there seems to be a few more manuscripts than last time,” Lina looked sharply at the blushing sorceress, then grinned. “Is there some reason you set everyone on manuscript quests and doubled the library staff? Maybe something to do with our friend Zel?” “A sorceress in the quest for justice must have knowledge!” Amelia jumped on a chair. “The pursuit of Justice takes not only a pure heart and a strong mind but also knowledge. Only that way can wrongs be righted. The wrongs done to Mr. Zelgadis must be put right, a true lover of Justice such as yourself Miss Lina must see that.” Lina hid a grin. “And if she finds a cure Zel will be here as fast as he can get here,” she thought to herself. “If there’s a cure out there Amelia will find it.” “I don’t think your Librarians really appreciate you jumping around like that,” Lina glanced toward an elderly man who was glaring pointedly at them. “Oh, they’re used to me,” the princess climbed down from her chair. “Where is Mr. Gourry?” “You know Gourry. He’s not really into the library thing. He was talking to one of your guardsman last night and they were going to do some sparring today. What have you heard from Zel and the rest?” Lina asked. “Mr. Zelgadis was last seen in a ruined castle to the north, he hasn’t written though. Miss Filia is still working in her pottery shop. I received a letter from her saying she was expecting a hatching any day now. Oh right, Miss Martina sent a trade delegation here last week, it seems like Mr. Zangalus has really put her kingdom on track..” “About time, at least I don’t have to worry about running into her on the road. She’s almost as annoying as Naga was.” “Naga?” Amelia queried. “Before your time. Put it this way, Xellos’s secrets weren’t as bad as Naga’s laugh. Grown men would hide under their beds cowering at the sound of her laugh.” Lina shuddered. “Let’s see what your librarian has found for me, so we can get to lunch before Gourry eats it all.” “But Miss Lina, we just had breakfast a half-hour ago...” Amelia’s voice trailed off as she remembered past travels. She shook her head ruefully and led Lina to the Head librarian’s office. Meanwhile, Gourry was sparring with the Captain of the guard while the rest of the guard was watching in awe. The clash of weapons reverberated through the courtyard as Gourry easily parried each of the Captain’s attacks. No one noticed a pair of eyes watching the match through the battlements, a pair of eyes that judged and evaluated on a tougher level than any of the fighters below. A sword flew though the air as Gourry’s opponent was disarmed. “You won my lad, you’re damn good,” the captain exclaimed in good humour. “I can see how even the likes of the dragon spooker would keep you around.” “It’s not a good idea to call her that,” Gourry warned. “She has a temper, why the other day she fireballed me just for asking when she was going to fill out, I mean, can’t she tell she’s flat whenever she takes a bath?” The other man sweatdropped. “Women tend to be a bit sensitive about their looks,” he informed Gourry. “Really? Lina gets mad a lot.” Gourry shrugged. “You get used to being fireballed. I really don’t mind too much anymore, but I really feel useless without a good sword though, she tends to tangle with some pretty nasty types. All I can do is watch her back.” He grinned and added, “Her back is generally the safest place to be, anything in front of her tends to disappear.” The Captain gulped audibly, “I had heard that. Why are you here anyway?” “Lina and I are searching for a sword that was lost on an old battlefield during the monster wars; if we can find it I’ll be able to do a lot more if we come up against monsters. She’s searching for information in the library right now.” Gourry scratched his head. “I think she said it was nearby.” The Captain thought for a second, “Do you mean a battle between the gold dragons and the monsters? When we were younger my brother and I found the skeleton of a dragon in the mountain cliffs near some cave entrances. Great-Grand da used to tell us stories of a battle there. I think I could show you where it is on a map though.” “Better if you show Lina, I tend to forget stuff like that.” Gourry sighed, “Then its fireball time again.” The watcher settled down on the battlement. It was about time to talk to Lina and she had an idea that the black sorceress was not going to react well to her words at all. This was going to take a lot of tact, not the being’s strongest point. “Think of it as a trick,” she told herself. “You’re really good at those.” Maybe if she helped Lina get the Dragon Sword for her friend first that would put her on Lina’s good side and make the news a little easier for Lina to take. It would also give her a chance to evaluate Lina’s other companions as they showed up; Lina attracted such strange people. Convincing Lina that the Chaos Sword needed to be brought into play was going to be a problem; the other little items were going to be even worse. The being hugged herself as she started to giggle; as serious as this all was, it was going to be so much fun. It had been too long since she had really played. Amelia, Lina and Gourry sat at the table; the harried staff ran around trying in vain to replace empty plates with full ones as soon as they were emptied. The palace staff had a reputation to maintain and they were going to make sure that no one got in the way of their quest to be the best staff in the kingdom (Amelia’s attitudes did tend to rub off after prolonged exposure). “No luck in the Library yet, Gourry, but we’re trying,” Lina informed the swordsman as she grabbed another piece of meat. “Did find some info about the knights diamond.” Lina became starry eyed. “It’s a huge rock that legend says once belonged to a mysterious priestess, it has the ability to amplify magic talismans. Imagine the knight’s diamond combined with the talismans I got from Xellos could triple my firepower? Imagine a dragon slave with that power.” Amelia and Gourry gave terrified looks to each other and sweatdropped, “We’d prefer not.” “Talking about Xellos, has anyone seen him around ...”Lina broke off as she caught a glimpse of someone materialising in the corner of the room. “Get out in the open you fruitcake before I fireball you into the next century.” NextChapter Two