Lina and Naga were walking through the courtyard in Seyruun. It had been a long day for the two of them. Naga had finally come back to her home, and Lina finally found out that Naga was a princess. She hardly spoke to Naga, because they were supposed to be friends, and Naga hadn't told her about her past. She couldn't worry about that sort of thing now, because after hours of talking, Lina, Gourry and Naga were to accompany Amelia into the portal.
"Naga, how did you go from being a princess to being like me?" Lina asked her, "Why would you want my life.."
Naga stopped walking and looked at her, "Lina, I had to live in this palace...but the whole royal family idea just didn't appeal to me. I like to have adventures..I like to make money my way...and I can't handle the pain of being here. Hey Lina?"
"Yeah?"
"I know that this is a touchy subject for you...but have you talked to your sister?"
The blood drained from Lina's face. "The only thing I have heard from her was a letter.."
Naga knew better than to keep asking, so she just kept walking. They talked about things that had happened since they parted ways. Lina found out that Naga learned more magic, and Naga learned that Lina was much more powerful a sorceress than she ever imagined. They walked into the town, and went to a restaurant. Walking in the door, they could see people dropping their silverware as they saw Naga. The two girls sat at a table, and Lina shouted, "Waiter, we need fifteen chicken dinners each, full course, NOW!!!" The people in the room with them heard her shout, and some of them got up and left. One of the waiters brought them some drinks, and Lina and Naga settled down to wait for their dinner.
Xellos was still following Lina, and was now ready to make his presence known. He started to walk into the restaurant, when he received a telepathic message, "Xellos..I have a new mission for you." rang the voice in his head, the voice of his master, Zelas Metallium. "You must go with Lina through the portal."
"Lord Metallium, have you any idea where that portal goes?" he asked in his mind.
"Not in the least..but I sense strange things coming from it since it was opened. Things that if not stopped, are powerful enough to destroy the humans and monsters alike. As the last remaining dark lord of Shabranigdo, I cannot allow that to happen."
Xellos grimaced at that thought, "You realise that while we are gone...we cannot keep contact," he told her, "You will have to come through the portal as well if you need me..."
"You are my most trusted advisor and general, Xellos, I have total faith that you will know what to do without me. Be careful, Xellos, and I hope to see you upon your return." With that, the voice was gone, and their telepathic conversation was over. Xellos continued into the restaurant.
Lina was on her ninth plate of food when she saw him. She spit her food out and screamed, "XELLOS!! WHAT IN THE NINE HELLS ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Naga was so startled by her outburst, that she fell out of her chair and to the floor.
"Ms. Lina! It's so nice to see you again!" he cheerfully said, walking up to them, "Who is your friend?"
"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Naga cackled, rising from the floor, "I am Naga the Serpent, Lina's business partner, and her first and foremost rival! I'm also known as Gracia."
Xellos' mouth dropped, "The princess who vanished from Seyruun so many years ago?"
"The one and only," she replied.
Lina had enough of the chit chat, and slammed her fist down upon the table. "Xellos, no offense, but what do you want? Every time you come around, there is some high level monster wanting to kill me or have me destroy the world."
"Oh, no, it's nothing like that this time. I've been sent by my master, Zelas Metallium, to come with you and your friends through the portal. Consider it a precautionary step," he explained.
Lina was confused, "Precautionary? What do you mean?"
"Now that is a secret!"
"YOU DAMNED MONSTER!!!"
"He's a monster?????" asked Naga, in total shock that Lina would associate with such a being. "DEMONA...."
"Wait, Naga don't!!" Lina tried to stop her but it was too late.
"CRYSTAL!!" Naga cast the spell, which Xellos dodged with ease. The spell struck a table and it was transformed into a crystal of ice.
"Your name is Naga, correct?" He asked her.
"That's right!"
"Naga," Lina started, "We don't need to attack him, he is here to help us out, I think...you are here to help us out aren't you, Xellos?"
He smiled and said, "That is also a secret! It would however be to both of our advantages to work together, we both know what the other can do." Lina thought about this point and agreed with him. Xellos was after all, one of the most powerful monsters in the monster race, almost as powerful as HellMaster and Gaav were, and was just below Zelas Metallium in rank. "It's settled then!" he shouted, after he and Lina talked for an hour, watching Naga drink. It was getting very late when Lina suggested to her that she go and talk to Amelia. Naga left, and Xellos and Lina were left alone.
"So, Xellos, have you heard from Firia lately? I know you two sort of had a thing going the last time I saw you." Lina asked him.
His face turned eight shades of red, and he answered, "Lina, you know better. I wiped out most of her family 1018 years ago, remember? Anyway, let us talk about more important matters."
"Are you finally going to stop telling me, 'that's a secret', about what your boss wants you here for?"
"Well, no. What I was going to tell you is that, once we go through that portal, Gourry will have to leave his Sword of Light at the entrance. If he does not, the portal will close, and your human magics will not work. His sword has the power to keep the portal open, and keep your powers from fading."
Lina dropped her face to the table, "You mean to tell me that if that thing closes, I will be magicless again??"
"Well, we don't exactly know, but I know that there are strong forces on the other side of that thing, and we can't take any chances that your powers will be cut off, we could be going to another land here on our planet, or to another planet entirely," he tried to explain to you.
"I guess we will have to cross that path when we come to it..." she mumbled. "Let's get to the palace...you may be a monster, but I'm sure you need some rest too. Lina left a few gold coins on the table, amidst the many empty plates, and she and Xellos left to the palace.