Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ The Slayers: Mirror ❯ Chapter 5

Slayers: Mirror Five

"Fireball charge!" Lina cried, a single explosion throwing the stunned guards backwards right through the splintered front door.

"What happened to sneaking in?" Naga asked, the black haired warrior running in beside Lina, her sword drawn and ready.

"So I got a little carried away," Lina admitted with a grin. The redhead looked around them curiously as they hurried down the badly constructed hall, odd noises off in the distance. "Do you hear fighting?" she asked.

The sounds of a battle were not that far off, and quickly growing louder as they ran on. "Yes, I do," Naga smiled slightly, "what say we help?"

"Sounds good to me," Lina grinned, "let's go!"

They ran down the hall and finally entered into a larger central chamber where a pitched battle was going on. In the middle of a mob of the bandits a short, black haired young woman fought on valiantly against long odds! She was garbed all in white, shining with an odd sort of purity even as she delivered punishing blows to her enemies.

"Amelia?" Lina blinked in surprise.

Amelia turned at the sound of a familiar voice in such a strange place, her eyes lighting up as she saw Lina standing there. She turned slightly to see Naga standing there beside her and her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. "You?" she murmured softly.

"There's time for reunions later," Naga growled. The tall warrior scanned the mob, already badly disorganized by their battle with the oddly familiar looking young woman. Without another word she raised her sword and charged right at the larger group, sword gleaming even as Lina moved over to back up Amelia.

"Who is that?" Amelia asked Lina weakly.

"She's right, introductions can wait," Lina said, casting a hastily chanted spell into the band of bandits. "You still remember how to fight, right?"

"Justice fist!" Amelia struck, sending criminals flying.

The men tried to simply overwhelm the silently fighting Naga, but she simply burst free. The sword gleamed as she cut them down smoothly, with such a graceful but dangerous skill. Occasionally she would cast a 'Freeze Arrow' but mostly strength and sword won the battle.

Alone each one of the three was a formidable opponent, and all together the three were very nearly unstoppable. It wasn't long before the bandits were unconscious in piles and they gathered together to compare notes.

"How did you get here?" Lina asked curiously as she went around looting the larger money pouches of the bandit leaders.

"I let myself get captured by some of the slavers," Amelia held up wrists still held by shining manacles, the chain that should have connected them dangling loose in two pieces, "it seemed the best way of finding where they were based."

"Zelgadis must have loved that," Lina noted, thinking of the enchanted young man who was known to have a fondness for Amelia.

"I didn't tell him what I planned to do," Amelia admitted just a bit sheepishly. At Lina's look she added, "He would have tried to talk me out of it."

"Better have a really good story for him when you get home," Lina advised.

"You may be right," Amelia nodded. She looked at the two of them and tapped a manacle, "Could one of you ...?"

"Hold still," Naga commanded and swung her sword once, smoothly. The manacles clinked slightly, then fell to the ground, cut free.

"Thank you," Amelia rubbed at her wrists as she looked up at Naga, her expression oddly thoughtful. "Have we met?"

"Not that I know of," she answered, "I'm Naga."

"It's very nice to meet you," Amelia bowed slightly as she introduced herself, adding, "I'm an old companion of Lina's." She looked over at the sorceress in question, "So what do we do now?"

"These the leaders of the bandits?" Lina asked curiously.

"Yes," Amelia nodded. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked the mob of fallen fighters over, "They were negotiating about whom to sell me to."

"Whoever bought you would likely regret it," Lina smirked.

Before Amelia could shoot back a comment Naga broke in, "So if we go out having defeated the bandit leader, the others will give up?"

"Or possibly flee," Amelia mused. "I'd prefer to bring them all to justice now, but..."

Lina frowned watching both Naga and Amelia seriously considering that idea. "Might be a bit more practical to deal with what we can," she reminded them quickly.

"Lina has a point," Naga conceded. She smiled slightly, "And we can take comfort in knowing that we've broken the back of this bandit army." Naga suddenly frowned and asked, "Were there any other slaves?"

"Help me free them," Amelia walked to where a heavily barred door stood. She tugged at the massive lock, "Could you?" The sword was simply a flash of silver, and the lock dropped to the floor in pieces. "Thank you," Amelia pulled the heavy doors open.

The ragged captives poured out, crying out their thanks as well as rushing to the fallen enemy to deliver a few well placed kicks. "My kind of people," Lina noted. She looked over at Amelia, "Did these guys have much treasure accumulated?"

Amelia frowned, but said, "Not really, Lina. They seemed to ship much of their profits away to a patron of some sort."

Lina sighed, bouncing a now much heavier money pouch, filled with gold rifled from the villainous band. "Well, this isn't bad," she shrugged.

Naga checked on their unconscious foes even as she slid her sword away. "I think I have an idea on how to announce who won this fight and strike terror in the hearts of our foes," she rubbed her hands together with a dangerous smile.

"I don't think I like that look on her face," Lina noted, "Let's get the captives out of here."

"Right," Amelia agreed as she helped herd the people up the hallway. The floor shook under them as they ran outside to see the bandit town in complete bedlam. They turned back to look at the building and froze in surprise.

The statue towered over the rough city, it's subject caught almost perfectly in the stone. Lina's cape flowed over her, the stance and expression on her face clearly victorious. She was beautiful and dangerous, almost like a goddess of magic.

"The stone elemental spell," Lina blinked as she gazed up at her image in shock, "she's gotten a lot better at that over the years."

Amelia also gazed up in shock and awe. Quietly she asked, "How long have you known this Naga, anyway?"

"This version, a few weeks," Lina said, completely ignoring the fleeing bandits as she shook her head in admiration, "it's been a few years since I saw the original."

"The original?" Amelia blinked.

"A while back I partnered with a sorceress named Naga the White Serpent," Lina looked over at Amelia to explain, "and on one of our adventures we were duplicated magically. Our duplicates wandered off, and I thought they were probably killed." She shrugged, "No such luck. My twin stuck me with Naga there, and we've been traveling together ever since."

The smoke and rubble where the outer walls of the building once stood shifted and Naga stride out, her leather shirt and pants dusty, but she had a triumphant look on her face. "So," she said as she reached them, "did I get your good side, Lina?"

"You realize what this is going to do to my reputation?" Lina nodded to the massive statue that towered over the city. A dangerous grin, "I love it."

"I thought you would," Naga nodded. She looked around them at the now largely deserted city, "Looks like it did it's job."

"Lady Naga?" Amelia stepped forward to take her hand.

"Yes?" Naga blinked. She looked worried suddenly, "You aren't going to say you love me or something, are you?"

Lina didn't muffle her laughter, ignoring the glare she got from Amelia. "No, why do you ask?" she looked honestly confused.

"Never mind, long story," Naga blinked. She tilted her head, "What did you want to ask?"

"What is your full name or lineage?" Amelia looked up to meet her eyes, "I suspect that we may well be related."

There was a long beat of silence, then both Lina and Naga blurted, "What?!"

To be continued...