CHAPTER 4

Strange World, Strange People

“I travel with Miss Lina Inverse and her companions” he replied.

“Then why didn’t I see you in the forest?” she asked.

He looked at her carefully before saying, “Now that’s a secret.”

Copper was about to comment on how stupid that sounded when she suddenly saw Lina and the others at a table. She finally realized that this wasn’t a house, it was an inn.

She was about to walk over to them until she saw Xellos looking at her up and down.

“What are you staring at?!”

“Oh nothing,” he replied taking his eyes off of her, “I just figured out why they call you Copper. Your skin resembles the metal very well, only lighter.”

O.K. so it’s true that my skin is lighter than most Black people, do to the fact that one of my ancestor was an Native American. But I don’t understand why everyone is making such a big deal about it!!!

All of a sudden she heard Lina call her from the table and when she turned back around the Priest was gone.

God, this people are weird!!!

“Who were you talking to?” Lina asked as Copper finally got to the table.

“Oh, just this strange guy. He said his name was Xellos and that he was traveling with y’all. He sorta gives me the creeps.”

“He doesn’t travel with us,” Zelgadiss said coldly, “he follows us around.”

“So you don’t like him either?”

“You don’t the half of it!” Gourry said though big bites of food.

Zelgadiss slowly turned to the table and drank a slip of what looked like was coffee. He really wasn’t in a talkative mode.

And I guess you don't like me either. Copper thought.

After that the group resumed concentrating on their food. They had heard enough about annoying Xellos and knew that he would “pop up” later on. But Amelia was still a little bit curious.

“Did he say anything else to you?” she asked.

“No, he just made a stupid remark about my skin, saying it was the color of copper. He acts like he’s never seen a person with dark skin before.”

Lina and Gourry were fighting over a chicken leg when Gourry said, “I’ve never seen one either” then thought for a second and added, “except for you.”

“Me neither” confessed Amelia.

“You already heard my opinion” said Zelgadiss.

“What about you?” Copper said turning to Lina, “Have you at least seen someone that looks like me?”

“Sorry but no. I’ve been all over the place and not once have I ever seen human with skin any darker than my own.”

Copper mouth almost hit the floor. She is the only person in the entire world with dark skin! Now she not only felt lost and alone but now she felt different. She was almost close to tears when Amelia unexpectedly said, “I think you’re cool! And besides Mr. Zelgadiss is way more different than you are. And he takes it just fine, right Mr. Zelgadiss?”

Zelgadiss glanced at her angrily and left the table.

“What did I say?” Amelia asked confused.

“Come on” he said at the door, “If we are going to help her we might as well get going now.”

“Right!” Lina said.

She had won the fight for the chicken and had gulped it down happily. She was now ready to start an adventure, so were the others. But for Copper it didn’t seem that easy.

What did I get myself into?!

They had been walking for about four hours, which seemed like three days to Copper, and they finally stopped to rest. To Copper the forest seemed like something from one of her books, but she really wasn’t very interested in that. But she was thinking about what would happen if she never got home and if there was actually a way to get home. Before all this she had prayed to God that one day she would be by herself, away from her brothers and sister, away from her cousin which she thought shouldn’t have been in her home in the first place. But now she saw that her wish had come true and missed them all so much, especially her mom.

“What’s the matter, Miss Copper?” Amelia asked.

“Nothing, I was just thinking about my family. What if I never see them again?”

“Oh don’t worry!” said Lina, “There’s always hope. So lets eat already!”

Lina had just cooked some fish she caught and it smelled delicious! Lina couldn’t wait to eat it. Neither could the others. But Copper had never eaten fresh-caught fish before, she didn’t even like fish.

“Uh, no thanks, Lina. I think I’ll skip it.” Copper said.

“You won’t be able to eat anything right now anyway.”

Copper turned around to find Xellos sitting close next to her.

“He’s right,” Lina said as she stared to stand. The rest stood up with her.

“What are you talking about?” Copper asked.

But before she could ask anything else Lina screamed, “Fireball!”

Her target were the same creepy villains that attacked them earlier.

Big ugly TROLLS!!

Copper could see that they were surrounded and that there were more trolls than before. But she didn’t see that the trolls were the real ones in danger: they had interrupted Lina meal!

CHAPTER 5

Everyone’s Talent?

Copper was ready and was going to attack the trolls but when she was running towards them she heard Zelgadiss say, “Shield!”

She hit the force field hard and landed on the ground even harder!

“What’s the big idea!? I thought we’re suppose to fight back!” Copper screamed in pain.

“Lina can handle this,” Zelgadiss said calmly.

All of a sudden Lina started to chant a spell. She was so angry that she knew she would cause some serious damage!

Darkness beyond darkness, Crimson beyond blood that flows, buried in the stream of time is where your power grows, I pledge myself to conquer all the foes that stand before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand, let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess. DRAGON SLAVE!!

“So that’s a Dragon Slave!” Copper said to herself.

The impact of the Dragon Slave was the biggest explosion Copper had ever seen! It almost broke Zelgadiss’s shield that surrounded the group. When the smoke cleared all was left was a satisfied Lina and burnt fish and troll on the ground. When Lina saw what she did to the fish she broke into tears!

“Ah MAN!!!!!!!!!”

Frankly Copper wasn’t really concerned about the fish, unlike the others who were screaming at Lina for creating the untimely cremation of their only food for that night while Xellos watched in amusement. What she was concerned about was the damage Lina’s Dragon Slave did to the area! All the trees that were once there were gone or still burning into ashes.

God, If I ever get home, please don’t let any these people (especially Lina) get stuck in my world!!! For the mercy of all the people who might want to use that power in the army!!!

“Come on Copper, we’re going to an Inn,” Zel said.

“Hey Zelgadiss, um.. tell me everything you know about Magic!”

“What?”

Copper had just caught up with the group who were running fast down the road in their search for food.

“I said, tell me about magic Zelgadiss! You all have talents that are beyond imagination and I want to know everything!!”

Zelgadiss remained silent until they reached the town. He wouldn’t even look at her.

This is too strange for me to understand! Zel thought, I know that she has powers, but she acts like this so new to her. I don’t even know if I should trust her. And in the world is Xellos doing here?!

While walking Zelgadiss started to remember the first time he had seen the strange girl in the bubble. He hadn’t noticed her at first as Kalisbar challenged him in a duel. But as he was preparing to fight he saw a glimmering through the trees and thought the light an object was taking shape. He couldn’t watch any longer for Kalisbar had already started to swing his sword! Zelgadiss continuously kept getting distracted by the bubble because each time he looked it changed. First there was nothing then an image a young girl stared to appear. She seemed to be watching the battle very closely. But suddenly another thing broke his concentration, at the same his and Kalisbar’s mask got slashed off and they saw each other’s faces. He was caught off guard and was Fire Balled. But Zel got him ( at least he thought) with a Rai Tilt.

After that was over he saw that the bubble was still there and so was the girl. He couldn’t figure out if she could see him or not. He was going to touch bubble when Lina and Amelia unexpectedly called him and he went to tell them what he saw but when he returned she had fallen out of the bubble before his eyes!

I know I got myself into something dangerous and crazy ,Zel thought to himself, I just don’t know how I did it! Again!

“Come on!! Zelgadiss answer me!” Copper whined as they went into the Inn, “I gotta know what I dealing with here!!”

Maybe I overestimated her, he thought ignoring her pleads.

Copper was still bugging Zel by the time they all had booked rooms and sat at a table to order dinner. Zelgadiss wasn’t ignoring her intentionally, but he still couldn’t figure out if he could trust her or not. But Copper had enough!

“Listen!” she said through gritted teeth. Even through she was only as tall as Lina she was able to pull Zel by the collar and lower his face to hers.

“I need to learn all I can about this world and magic--it maybe the only way for me to figure out how to get home!”

Then slowly letting go of him and she sank in a chair and whispered,

“I just want to go home; I miss my family, especially my mama.”

Everyone had already ordered and were now watching them from their seats.

“Hey she kinda acts Lina, doesn’t she?” said Gourry.

“You know her determination to get home is just as strong as yours to get a cure.” Xelloss concluded.

“He’s right, Zel,” Lina said placing a hand on his shoulder, “If you had a chance to get at a least a clue to finding your cure you would do anything to get it. Wouldn’t you?”

“All right, I’ll do it” Zel finally said.

“Great!” she said happily, “We’ll all help. And then we can find out what the Goddess Rainbow Queen has to do with this mess.”

“Goddess who?”

“Don’t you listen to anything, Gourry?!” Lina cried in anger.

“Miss Lina you know he doesn’t” Amelia sighed.

“Oh, just ignore him, and let get on with this.”

“Thanks Zelgadiss,” Copper said in satisfaction.

I’m finally getting somewhere! And nobody’s gonna stop me now!

CHAPTER 6

The Waiting Enemy

Somewhere near the Astral Plane.......

“You haven’t done what I asked, Kalisbar. You were just suppose to kill a simple child. But it doesn’t seem like you can that.”

“I will not fail you again, Master”

“Better pray that you don’t. And to make sure of that, I want you to take one of my slaves, he’ll make a very good puppet.”

“Yes, thank you, Master”

_______________________________

“Wow, this stuff is amazing!!” Copper said in astonishment.

She had been listening to her new found friends’ incredible stories about magic and the things of their world. They told her about their adventures and they sounded like one of her story books!

“Yeah well the world needed to be saved and Lina Inverse was on the job!”

“But Lina,” Gourry said confused, “I thought you said you did it for the reward,”

With that Lina high-kicked him in the mouth.

“Shut up, Jellyfish Brains!!”

Xelloss had moved over to a corner table away from the group. He had been thinking very hard about why he was there in the first place. Even though it gave him great pleasure to be with his favorite humans again, he didn’t know what his mission was. Yet it has happened before; but this time it just felt different.

What does all this have to do with this child anyway?, he thought to himself, And where does the Goddess fit in to this? Unless......

“Hey, Xelloss!” Copper called from the group’s table, “Are you really a monster?”

Xelloss surprisingly lost his train of thought.

“Why yes, I am a monster. And a very powerful one, if I do say so myself.”

“Then you are the perfect person who can teach my how to use magic”

“TEACH YOU!” Xelloss said in shock.

The group had got their food and was about to eat until they heard Copper’s unusual request.

“That’s right!” she announced more to herself than to the others.

“O.K.” Xelloss said simply, “But if you really are Copperfeather you should know magic already, since you are a god....or should I say goddess?”

“Goddess? What do you---”

But before Copper could ask a young boy burst into the inn! He tried to catch his breath but he felt like his lungs were about to explode!

“Help me!” he gasped, “Please bandits attacked me and stole my horse and money!”

“Don’t worry!” Amelia said jumping on the table, “I, Amelia Champion of Justice, will help you!!”

“But Amelia! We don’t know where the bandits are.” Lina said pulling the hyper girl off of the table.

“She’s right,” Zel agreed, “All we can do is get you something to eat and maybe get you a room for the night.”

“What! More mouths to feed?!” Lina cried.

“But Lina, you already eat for ten!”

“Shut up, Gourry!”

This time she hit him over the head with a chair!

“Thank you” the boy said pulling up a chair. He looked pretty beat-up.

“So what’s your name?” asked Lina. She placed a big chunk if meat in her mouth and started to chew noisily. Gourry did the same.

“Naitael. Naitael Cuperalli. I came from a small village off of Sailoon.”

“Sailoon? I’m the princess of Sailoon!” Amelia shouted happily.

“Princess! You’re a princess?!” Copper and Naitael asked in unison.

“Oh! I guess I forgot to tell you that,” Amelia said kind of embarrassed.

“Come on guys lets get to bed” Lina said getting up from the table.

“Hey wait a minute!” Copper cried looking at the empty table, “Where did the food go?!”

“Lina and Gourry ate it all” Zel said following Lina to the stairs.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get to eat on this world!”

__________________________________

It was so cold! And dark. And lonely. But Copper was not alone.

She could feel somebody behind her, but every time she turned around there was no one there. Until she heard his voice.......

“Hello Princess”

“Who are you?! What do you want?!”

Suddenly a person stepped in from the shadows. The same twisted face, the same evil smile.

“You poor little child. You still don’t remember me, do you?”

“Yeah, I remember you! You’re the jerk who tried to kill me!”

“Oh my, you don’t remember me. Oh well, all the more easier to kill you. Sweet dreams Princess”

Kalisbar disappear though the shadows leaving Copper to awake in beads of sweat and another headache.

Copperfeather, Goddess, magical being, and now Princess?!

What is going on?!

_____________________________________

A hooded stranger stood in an alley covered by the shadows as Kalisbar appear before him.

“I’ll will do your bidding now, my Lord.”

“Good. Now go!”