It was yet early in the evening, but the sun was already threatening to
disappear behind the buildings on the far edge of town.  From the window to
her bedchamber, Lady Erika looked out over the city of Saillune.  A light
breeze drifted past, carrying the scents and sounds of the grocers' market.  
The smells of mostly-fresh fruit from the north mixing with fish from the
west competed for the attention of the senses with the shouts and cries of
merchants all trying to sell off the last of their wares before calling it
a night.  From outside the window, three stories below, the notes of a
busker singing an old provincial folk song floated upward.  Erika smiled
lightly, something of contentment and longing on her lips.

This was how it should be, she thought. Calm, at ease, and most of all,
peaceful.  This is how is was, she remembered.  Her smile turned.  It would
not do to let herself be swayed by the cry of her blood.  Vengeance was
demanded, but the target had to remain clear.  This city was not
responsible, and neither was its people.

A new sound met her ears, the tap of a footstep landing on the tiled floor.  
Since she had not heard the opening of the door, Erika could conclude who
had paid her a visit.

A voice spoke to her from the crystal ball in the cented of the room.  "I
have had difficulty contacting you.  You have not been responding to my 
queries."

Lady Erika's fingers tightened slightly on the windowsill.  She continued
looking out her window.  "I have been busy with other affairs.  It would
not have been prudent to answer."  And truthfully, she had been.  Between
attending to guild matters and trying to move the pieces into place to
arrange the downfall of the Royal Family, she almost hadn't had time to
track down the item requested by the Mazoku lord.

"Very well.  If nothing else, I am understanding.  Do you have the item 
that was requested?"

Stepping back from the window, Erika reached into a small pouch concealed
in her robes and gently shook the contents out into her palm.  She studied
it before holding it to the side.  Noisy footsteps clattered across the 
floor and Erika's stomach tighetened as she felt moist breath on her neck.

"Excellent," the voice spoke.  "You may give it to my servant.  He will 
bring it to me."  The Mazoku reached out a scaly hand and took the item 
from her hand.  "Is there anything else I can do for you?  Perhaps some 
assistance in your search for a particular item."  Erika could hear the 
knowing smirk.

"Do you know where I can find Lugandi's bell?" Erika asked.

"Maaaaaaaaaybe."

Erika frowned slightly.  "Can you tell me where to find it?" she requested.

She was met with silence.

Erika facepalmed.  "Okay.  I apologize.  Could you *please* tell me where 
to find it?"

"Much better!  I could even deliver the item the item to you, if you so
desired. It will cost you, of course."

Erika narrowed her eyes.  "That will not be necessary.  Your kind have
nothing to do with this particular tale of woe."  She turned around and 
walked over to the table in the center of the room.  "I just need
information."

Deep Sea Dolphin laughed.  "I always did like you, Erika.  I will tell you 
this much.  Your man Torr is looking in the wrong place.  He must go into
foothills of the mountains to the far north.  The city of Levar may hold
some clues."

Frowning, Erika rubbed her chin.  "To the north?  Very well.  I thank you,
My Lady."

"Will that be all?"

"Well, I must admit a certain amount of curiosity.  Why did you need a 
chocolate bar from Saillune, made in Zefilia on the seventeenth of last 
month, and containing two walnuts, two almonds, and one raisin?  I can't 
quite divine why," Erika said.  Normally, she would be more reserved, but 
she had gone to an absurd amount of trouble for something seemingly so 
trivial.

"Well, I could also ask why you are seeking the Silent Bell.  Do you think 
it will help you in your mission?  I do not think it does what you think it 
does."

"That's... that's inconceivable!"

Erika could hear the raised eyebrow. "Oh?" came the voice.  "That word
again.  I hear it so often... Can you be so sure of yourself?"

"I researched it at length.  Suffice it to say, I do know what the Bell
will do and how it will work," Erika snapped.  Immediately she regretted
having lost her temper.  

"Well, then you don't have anything to worry about.  And to answer your 
question... We *are* talking about chocolate.  You don't question 
chocolate."  The orb went dim, and the Mazoku servant bowed deeply before 
vanishing.  Erika rolled her eyes and sat down at her desk.

Calming herself, Erika set about the task of writing a letter to the Mayor 
of Tichen.  She had to accept his invitation to some annual festivity or
another.  Personally, she had no desire to go to Tichen, but there were
people in the city that were useful to have as allies whom she'd not spoken
to in a while.

There was a knocking at the door.

"Come in," Erika called.

A timid woman cautiously opened the door and entered.  A single strand of
red hair peeked out from under her hat.  "Um," she said.

"Yes, what is it, Aria?" Erika asked.  She set down her quill and shook out 
her fingers.

"Um."

"Yes, yes... get on with it."

"Um, My Lady, I just wanted to remind you that the carriage will be
arriving in an hour's time, and that your belongings should be ready by
then," the maid said.  She walked across the room and opened the closet.

"The carriage?" Erika asked, a look of puzzlement crossing her face.  "I
thought we weren't leaving until tomorrow afternoon."

"No, My Lady."  Aria started setting out Erika's traveling clothes.  "It is
a two day trip to Ralteague, and the tailor is going to need at least a day 
to work on your gown."

"I thought the costume ball was next Tuesday.  The festival in Tichen is in
two days, is it not?"

"Oh no, My Lady.  The dog grooming contest was last Thursday."

Erika looked down at the letter she had been writing.  

"Oh, bugger."

- = - 

Improfanfic presents... 

                           Slayers Glorious!
          Chapter 23: Discord!  Things and Somesuch Occur!!
                           By Ravi Duvvuri
                        Started by Todd Harper

- = -

Morning arrived yet again, as it tends to do.  The sun peeked in through
the window and tickled Naga's eyes, rousing her from slumber.  Sitting up
in the bed, she blearily looked around the room.  

Mariposa was just starting to stir herself.  Getehl was sitting on his cot,
which had been placed on the other side of a screen.  From the sounds
coming from behind it, he was sharpening his sword.  Actinaea was nowhere
to be seen.

Naga yawned and stretched lazily.  She gently nudged Mari and spoke softly
to wake her up.

"OH-HOHOHOHOHO!  Rise and shine, Mari-chan!"

Getehl's sword hit the floor with a loud clatter.  Mari sat bolt upright,
her eyes darting about the room before she realized it was just Naga being
overly enthusastic.  "Mou... Naga-san, do you have to be so loud?"

"Now, now, Mari-chan... It is a glorious morning!  We should rise and
embrace the day!"  Naga leapt out of bed and ripped off her nightgown,
revealing her customary costume beneath.

Mari grumbled as she slid out of bed and pulled her clothes out of her
travel pack.  "Ne, Getehl-san?"

Getehl waved from behind the screen.  "I'm not budging."

"Thanks."  Mari slowly undressed and pulled on her Guild attire.  "Okay,
I'm done."

"Good, now let's grab breakfast.  I'm starved," Getehl said, gesturing
toward the door.

- = - 

The carriage glided smoothly across the deeply rutted road.  Quality
construction and a gentle touch of ensorcelment made for a ride
uninterrupted by too many bumps and shakes.  

Lady Erika glanced out the window at the rising sun.  She turned to her
maid.  "What time do we stop for breakfast?" she asked.

Aria slid open a small door behind her and spoke briefly with one of the
coach hands.  She turned back to Erika.  "The next town is only a mile
away, but if you would like a quality meal, it will be another half hour."

Erika pondered that for a short while before nodded.  "I suppose I should
get ahold of Torr now, then," she muttered to herself.  "Best to get him on 
the right path before he gets started for the day, wouldn't you agree?"

Aria merely nodded.

- = -

Actinaea scowled as Naga, Mari, and Getehl joined her at the table.  

"What's the matter, Actinaea-san?" Mari asked.  She looked at the bare
table before her.  "Aren't you hungry?"

"No," Actinaea replied.  "The service in this hovel is terrible.  I have
been waiting for nearly twenty minutes and still no one has seen to my
needs.  I can understand that they are busy, but this is too much!"

"Well, I can see how they would overlook one such as you, my dear 
Praetor!" Naga laughed.  "Waiter!" she called out.  "We desire service!"

Nearly immediately, a tall man appeared next to the table, a small tray
held in front of him. 

"See how it is done, Acti-chan?  Now, boy... what is your specialty?"

"The only thing on the menu," the man said "is DEATH!"  

The four adventurers turned as one to take a closer look at their waiter.
There was something strangely familiar about the look in his eyes and the 
toothpick he was rolling across his lower lip.  He let the tray drop.
There was most definately something familar about the pair of crossbows
hanging from his belt.

"You!" Naga cried.

"You!" Getehl exclaimed.

"You!" Actinaea grunted.

"Ano, who *are* you?" Mari asked.

"When you meet the lord of the underworld, be sure to tell him you never
met a man who so singularly personified the spirit of death as the man who 
sent you to him," the stranger said.  He reached down and unbuckled the 
crossbows.  Leveling them at the group, he smirked.  "Getehl, I believe 
Don Pardo would like to have a word with you, personally.  I'm sorry, but 
you ladies will have to die now."  He cocked the hammers.

He took a step back, accidentally bumping into a bar maid.  Scowling, he
turned and shouted at her.  "Watch it, you clumsy cow!"  He turned back to
look Naga in the eyes.  "Now where was I?  Oh yes, I was about to-- URK!"

"Urk?" Actinaea asked.

"Urk," the man repeated, before pitching forward and landing facefirst on
the table.  A butter knife was conspicuously sticking up into the air.

Again, as one the group turned to stare at the tavern's waitstaff.

The barmaid turned away and picked up her tray off the next table over.
Turning back to the group, she grinned.  "It's the quickest way to a man's 
heart, you know?" she said as she smiled at Actinaea.  "Right through the 
back."

Getehl's stammering interrupted the collective sweatdropping.  "L-l-Luanni?"

Luanni blinked as she caught sight of her old friend.  "Getehl?"

"Oh-hohohoho!" Naga whooped.  "Well that was a good deal of fuss over
nothing!"  She narrowed her eyes at Luanni.  "Weren't you part of a
traveling dance troupe?"

Luanni set her tray down in the middle of the table.  Frowning slightly,
she yanked up on the assassin's hair and pulled him up off the table,
dropping him to the floor.  She pulled up a chair and sat down before
looking back at Naga.  "Well, after you all left us, we were in a bit of a 
pickle.  We were attacked by bandits, and lost almost all of our dancers."

Getehl gasped softly.  "How did you manage not to be taken?  I mean, you
were easily the pret--"  He cut himself off after catching Actinaea glaring
at him.

Blushing lightly, Luanni chuckled.  "No, no... they didn't kidnap anyone.
The bandits were there looking for you, Naga."

Naga blinked.  "Of course they were!  Obviously, my beauty stuck them so,
that they could think of nothing else!"

Actinaea grumbled.  "Well, there certainly were stricken.  With what,
remains the question."

"Ano... so what happened to them?" Mari asked, fingering the scarf tied in
her hair.  "The other dancers, that is."

"They sort of chased off after the bandits.  We never saw them again."

"Poor girls," Getehl murmured.  He looked up at Luanni's ribald laughter.

"Poor bandits is more like it."  She winked at Getehl.  "You know what they
say.  Hell and scorned women and all that."  She gestured at the tray in
front of her.  "Go ahead, eat.  It's on me."  Picking up a roll, she
nibbled at it before continuing.  "Anyway, after that, Harus couldn't keep
things afloat.  He's taking a break from transporting dancers.  I think
he's raising sheep in Zefielia now."

"And you?" Actinaea asked.  She was eying the dancing girl with only barely
hidden distrust in her eyes.  "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd take a brief break, too.  I'm working my way back west.
There was a gig in Saillune that didn't pan out.  There's a new wave of
moralism sweeping the city.  Seems dancing is a bit taboo."  Luanni
shrugged.  "I'd like to go home, too.  So I wait tables, and dance every
other night.  I almost have enough money saved up."

Naga slammed back a cup of coffee and reached to pour herself another one.
"Well, it is certainly good to see an old friend again!"  She clapped
Luanni on the back.

"So where are we going?"

"We?" Mari asked, blinking.  "Are you joining us?"

"Of course I am!  You think it was just random chance that we met here?
This is fate!"  She hugged Getehl tightly.  "I should have known it when we
met earlier.  You don't always get second chances.  So, wherever you go,
I'm going."

"You can let go now."  Actinaea looked Luanni in the eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"  Luanni let go of Getehl and sat back in her chair,
embarrassed.  "Are you okay?"

"Um.  Yeah."  Getehl readjusted his hat.  "This isn't just a trip, Luanni.
It's going to be dangerous."

Luanni huffed.  "I can take care of myself, thank you very much.  Or have
you forgotten?"  She kicked viciously at the body on the floor.

"ow."

"Oh, sorry!" she apologized, looking down under the table.  She turned back 
to Getehl, and then the others.  "I'm coming, whether you like it or not."

Getehl looked from Luanni to Actinaea, and back to Luanni again.  He
decided right then that it would be better to be elsewhere very quickly.

"Naga!" he exclaimed, grabbing at the White Serpent's arm.  Unfortunately,
her hand was holding a cup of hot coffee at the moment.  Even more
unfortunately, Getehl didn't notice.  "We've got to... go get supplies!
Yes, that's it!"  He tugged Naga to her feet.  "We'll be back shortly!"  He
waved quickly and scurried out the door, dragging the still-surprised Naga
behind him.

"Um, that was unexpected," Luanni said, still looking toward the door.  
"So now what do we do?"

Actinaea grumbled and took a vicious bite from a piece of bacon. 

"We eat."

- = - 

The sun beat down upon the deserted road.  Two people, one tall and one
short, rode along it.  The breeze was blowing from the east, but it
didn't provide as much relief from the heat as it could, since it was a
warm one.

"Where are we going?" the short (and female) one whined.

"North," the tall (and male) person answered.

"When can we rest?" 

"When we get to the next town."

"Didn't we just pass through there yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Why are we going back?"

Torr stopped in his tracks and slowly stretched his neck from side to side.

"Because your employer and my associate uncovered information that we were
looking in the wrong place."

"Oh.  Okay."

They continued on for a while in silence, the hoofbeats of their horses the
only sound to be heard.

"Are we there yet?"

Torr sighed.

- = -

Mari picked at the food in her plate.  Getehl and Naga had left a half hour
ago, to somewhere.  She wished they'd waited for the others to finish
eating first, so they could have all gone.  Mari wiggled her foot under the
table, looking at the hole in the toe of her shoe.  Maybe there would be
enough time to get it repaired before they started after Torr again.

Luanni had to wait on other tables earlier, but the morning rush had ended,
and she had returned, with more food.  She and Actinaea were making small
talk to one another.  Mari knew that Actinaea wasn't happy to see Luanni,
but there wasn't really any way she could tell her teacher what she had 
seen that night back in the Plains of Mipliss.

Mari suddently felt a warmth in her pocket, something she hadn't felt in a 
while.  A pulsing warmth.  Her eyes widened in shock.  It was the crystal.
That meant that Lady Erika was trying to contact her again.

Mari wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement.  Why would Erika be trying to get
ahold of her?  She had disobeyed, she had failed.  Maybe Erika was going to
make her a deal?  Maybe she would...  Mari abandoned that line of thought.
There was no way she could betray Naga again, not even for her parents'
sake.  

But still, it couldn't hurt to at least hear what Lady Erika had to say.
Mari mumbled an excuse and left the table, slipping out the back door into
the alleyway.

- = - 

Getehl stopped in front of a fruit vendor, ignoring Naga's protestations.
He smiled at the merchant.  Bending over, he started studying the apples.  

"Will you stop and listen to me?" Naga demanded.  "You made me spill coffee
all over myself!  You dragged me out of there!  Away from breakfast!"  She
narrowed her eyes at the mercenary at that last, and most grave, offense.  

Getehl looked up from the barrel of apples and shrugged at Naga.  "Sorry,"
he said plainly.  He turned back to the fruit and handed a dozen of them to
the merchant.

"Oh-hohoho!  Do you think you will get away with just a shrug and an
apology?" Naga asked.  Getehl selected some pears and handed those to the
fruit seller before turning back to Naga.

"No, I didn't."  He gulped.  "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Naga nodded.  Getehl gulped again.

"Mono.  Volt."

- = - 

Mari ducked down against the wall of the inn.  She was in the deserted side
alley.  Glancing from side to side, she confirmed that no one was in sight.
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the small ball of crystal.

Surely enough, it was glowing with an urgent light.  Closing her hands
around it, she concentrated, trying to focus her thoughts on the
connection.  Slowly, through the mists of inky blackness, a hazy figure
became visible.  

It was not dressed, however, in the elaborate cloak of a Guild mage, but in
a rather simple outfit.  The hair was shorter, as well, but still the same
fiery red.  As the face came into focus, Mari gasped.

"Mother?!"  She very nearly dropped the crystal ball.

"Mariposa!  It's so wonderful to see your face.  I'm glad you're all
right."  The volume faded in and out, as though the caster was having
difficulty maintaining the spell.

"Mother, are you okay?  I..." Mari started, but trailed off.

"I know," Aria said.  "I know, dear.  I can't keep this up long.  Lady
Erika is distracted with her bath and breakfast at the moment.  I just
wanted to talk to you, to let you know that your father and I are alive."

"Where are you?  We'll come for you right away!" Mari cried out, tears
flowing freely down her face.  

"No, Mariposa," her mother told her, sadness in her voice.  "We are
okay.  We aren't in any danger.  But you will be, if you try to come
after us.  I'm with Lady Erika, and she is not pleased with you."

"B-b-but..." Mari stammered.

Aria shook her head.  "No buts.  You have a far more important task
ahead of you, Mari-chan.  It's dangerous, but it needs to be done.
Your father and I wanted to protect you from this, to keep you
sheltered.  It didn't work out that way."

Mari wiped her eyes and nodded dumbly.  

"We... are different.  Your father, myself, you... and also Lady
Erika.  We have the blood of ancients within us, dragons from long
ago."

Mari nearly dropped the crystal ball again.  "I'm a dragon?"

"No, dear.  We are part dragon.  The favor of the ancient ones gave us
certain gifts... And that angered some of the people they lived among.
Angered them and scared them.  The Royal Family of Saillune was among
them, and they had the power to do something about it.  So they lead a
charge against our people, and very nearly killed all of them.  We
were forced into hiding and scattered across the land.

"This was long, long ago, but we have never forgotten what happened to
us.  Hatred has burned in the hearts of our kind for centuries.  And
now, there is a movement to seek revenge.  Lady Erika has slowly been
working her way to gain power and influence, and soon she plans to
wipe out the Prince of Saillune and his family.

"We never wanted a part of this.  We disagreed with the elders, and so
we fled to Singe with you.  We tried to protect you from the
knowledge, so you could have a normal childhood.  But it didn't work."

Mari shook her head.  "I think I understand, but... I don't
understand."

"I know, dear.  It doesn't make sense.  But you have an important
task.  You have to stop Lady Erika.  I don't know what it is supposed
to do, but you have to destroy the Bell.  You have to find it first,
and destroy it."

"How can I do that?"

"I heard Erika telling Torr where the Bell might be.  I'm going to help 
you.  I've been saving up for something like this... I've only got one shot 
at making this work.  Do you trust me?"

Mari nodded.  "Of course I do."

"Good.  I love you, Daughter,"  Her mother's image faded out, then
snapped back into clarity.

"I love you, too."  Mari choked back the tears which were threatening
to overwhelm her again.  "I... I miss you."

Aria smiled sadly and nodded.  "I am sorry about this Mari-chan."

Mari's eyes widened as a bright light flared out from the crystal in
her hands.

- = - 

Actinaea stood at the top of the stairway.  Luanni was at the bottom,
just about to come up.

"She wasn't in the room," Actinaea told the dancer.  The look in
Luanni's eyes confirmed that she'd expected that.

"She wasn't in the bath, either.  Where could she have gone?" Luanni
fretted. 

"I don't know.  I didn't notice when she left..."  The Praetor sighed.
"I should have been paying more attention."  She quickly descended the
stairs.  "I can't wait for Naga and Getehl to return.  Mariposa is
*my* responsibility."

Luanni nodded and followed her.  She stopped at the counter and spoke
with the innkeeper briefly.  Turning back to Actinaea, she sighed.
"The owner says he saw her heading out the back door about fifteen
or twenty minutes ago.  Let's go!"

Actinaea nodded.  "Thanks," she said, and lead the way out through the
back, which oddly enough was on the side of the building.  She flinched as 
she was assailed by the smell of garbage and refuse.  Luanni bumped into her 
back, causing her to shake her head and push past it all.

The alley led to the left and the right.  To the right was a dead end,
where the inn ran up against a general goods store.  Which meant Mari
had to have gone to the left...

And sure enough, there she was, leaned against the damp wall and
looking into a glassy orb.  Actinaea swore loudly as she rushed over
toward her student.  She was cursing herself for letting herself go
easy on the girl, and not being more suspiscious after she had
betrayed them earlier.  Apparently, it hadn't been a one-time only
thing, and Mariposa was still in contact with the enemy.

"Mariposa Manin Fehlmeier, you drop that right this instant," she
shouted.  She broke into a dead run, Luanni right behind her.  She
caught a sideways glance at the dancer, and saw confusion on her face.
Which made sense, since Luanni had no idea that Mari was a traitor.

"I don't think she can hear you!" Luanni called out after Actinaea.

They were five feet away from Mari when the crystal began to shine
with a fierce intensity, blinding all of them.  The light grew blue,
and then swept outward, bathing all of them in warmth.

Actinaea felt the still warm air swirl around her, only to be replaced
by a cold wind.  Raindrops splattered across her arm.  Blinking, she
tried to work the light out of her eyes.

Gradually, her sight came back to her, and she looked around her to
see Mari and Luanni doing the same.  They were standing atop a low
grassy hill, and all around them were fields and grassy knolls.  A
paved path ran along the botttom of the hill, off into the distance.
Far off on the horizon, to the northeast, the rocky tips of a distant
mountain range were barely visible.

Actinaea turned and looked at Mari.  "What have you done to us now?"
She flinched when she saw the tears pouring down her student's face
and the look of grief.  "Mari-chan?"

"I.. don't know, Actinaea-sensei."  She sniffled and pulled her hood up 
over her hair.  " I really don't know.  My mother said we had to destroy 
the Bell and that she was going to help us and I don't know what happened.  
I didn't *do* anything..." 

Luanni looked around.  "I don't think we're in Saillune any more."
She tugged at her sleeves, futilely trying to block out the cold.
"But it's gonna rain hard, looking at those clouds.  I don't think we
want to be caught outside."  She stepped forward and hugged Mari
tightly.  "We can talk later, okay?" she said in a soothing voice.
She glanced worriedly at Actinaea.

Actinaea tore her gaze away from Mariposa long enough to nod.  She
hugged Mari as well, and then looked at the mountains on the horizon.
"I know where we are."  She sighed loudly.  "I thought I'd left this
place behind."

"Where are we, Actinaea-sensei?" Mari asked.

"Kalmaart.  The central midlands, it looks like.  I grew up around here."
She shrugged and started down the hill.  "Well, let's going.  Standing out 
here doesn't do us any good.  Let's find a town.  I'm not sure exactly
where we are, just yet."

- = - 

Naga and Getehl trudged slowly back to the Inn, encumbered by the morning's
purchases.  Actually, Getehl was carrying most of the goods.  Naga was just
carrying a small back of dried goods.

"How did you manage to convince me to buy all of this... fruit?" Naga
demanded wearily?

"Because you're a good sport?"  Getehl brought one of the bags up to his 
mouth and pulled an apple out with his teeth.  Flicking the stem upward, he
caught the apple in his mouth sideways and proceeded to devour it,
skillfully working around the core.  He spit the core out to the side.

Naga grumbled and turned her gaze forward.  Her eyes widened as they fell
upon a very familiar head of hair.  She nearly dropped her bag as she
elbowed Getehl in the side.  "Look!"

Getehl managed to keep from dropping his own packages and followed Naga's 
finger.  Torr and Lilen were up ahead, riding through town.

"OH-HOHOHOHOHO!" Naga cried out, pushing through the crowds as she ran
toward Torr.  "Stop right there!"

Getehl cantered after Naga easily as the crowds melted back from the
strangely-dressed strangely-laughing woman.  Torr and Lilen drew to a stop 
and turned their steeds to watch Naga.

"What is it, Naga?" Torr asked.

She pointed at the large bell strapped to the back of Lilen's horse.  
"I want it.  And you will give it to me.  Now."

Torr raised an eyebrow.  "I knew I had that effect on women, but even the 
almighty White Serpent, herself?  I must say, I am impressed with myself."

Naga crossed her arms and glared at Torr.  "Very funny.  You know what I 
mean.  The Bell.  Hand it over."

"Oh, this?" Torr asked.  He shrugged expansively.  "It's yours.  My gift."  
He reached over behind Lilen and unfastened the bell.  giving it a push, he 
let it drop to the ground with a large clang.  He turned back to Naga with 
a wrysmile.  "Oh dear, was that a ring I heard?  Come, Lilen. Let us be 
going."  He kicked his horses sides lightly, guiding it to carry him from 
the scene.

Naga scowled.  So he was trying to distract her with a fake, was he?  "Get
back here, Torr!" she called out.  "ICICLE LANCE!"

The frozen spear of ice rocketed from Naga's hand toward Torr, only to be
deflected aside at the last second by some unseen barrier.  The pale girl 
riding beside him ducked as the bolt whizzed over her head and crashed into 
into a cooking ware stall, scattering pots and pans with a loud clatter.

Torr raised an eyebrow and lowered his outstretched hand.  He smiled widely
before kicking his horse's side and breaking into a gallop, Lilen
following. Naga stared at his retreating back.

Getehl held Naga's shoulder back before she could rush after Torr.  "Let's
get the others," he said, pointing back at the inn.  Naga nodded slowly.

As they passed the alley, Actinaea's voice came out from it, distorted by 
the echoes and reverberations.  Naga and Getehl turned and watched as a 
bright flash swallowed Actinaea, Mari, and Luanni, and faded away, leaving 
nothing.

"Oh boy," Getehl muttered.

Naga nodded in agreement.

FIN (Chapter 23)

- = - 

AUTHOR'S NOTES
[or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and... Oh, Screw it]

I wrestled with this chapter.  I had no idea how to continue the story, as
it was been left completely open, and I work poorly when I don't have
something to work with.  I also wanted to address something I'd heard
people grumbling about, namely that the story is supposedly nearing its
end, since apparently, the story will be over the moment the Bell enters
Saillune.  Which is a laughable notion, but I've heard too many poeople say
something to that effect.

It should be obvious by now that the Bell may not do what Erika intends it
to.  Then again, it might.  Lugandi's artifacts are funny like that, ne?
It'd also be ironic if it turns out that DSD is lying to Erika, too... 

In any case, the party seems to have picked up a new member.  Of course,
it was also promptly split in two.  I chose the parties so that there would
be critical characters in both groups, so that neither is ignored and seen 
as being written out of the story.  And as for Luanni?  Well, she's showed
up before.  Check Chapter 8 for a bit more about her.  She's not entirely
useless, either, as she seems to be handy with daggers, knifes, and other
small blades.  

Thanks to Phoebe and Avatar for encouragement, and to Robin and Todd for 
giving it a quick lookover. 

Merry meet again. ^_^

-Ravi
duvvuri@uiuc.edu