I got a few kind private words, and if people will forgive the 
formatting problems here is the fourth installment of Slayers Inhetitance.

******

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

�A Green-Eyed Monster! Is This What Being a Girl Is Like?�

by Michael Hopcroft

�Anya Inverse here! My family and I are trying to help a girl escape 
from her Mazoku father, but you knew that already. Anyway, now we�ve met 
this family of dragons out in the country; old friends of the family. I 
went off into the woods to be alone, but the young men of the house sort 
of followed me and, well, let�s just say things got complicated. Not 
that we actually did anything, but if that Mazoku hadn�t interrupted us 
� What am I saying? The boy�s a brat, a scoundrel, and a�. I couldn�t 
possibly be attracted to him! Never! Not in a million years! Do we 
really have to talk about this right now?�

�We�re lost.� Anya said as she made her way through the woods, Valgaav 
trailing behind her.

�We are not lost.� He said, with something approaching a smirk. �We just 
got a little disoriented while we were fighting that Mazoku. Must be a 
residual effect of its magic.�

�In other words, we�re lost. If we�re not back soon, what will our 
parents think?� Anya had a sudden inspiration. �No! They couldn�t 
possibly think � Valgaav! You�re doing this deliberately just to get me 
in trouble!�

�Our parents won�t think anything except we got lost in the woods. 
Besides, I�d be in even more trouble than you would. MY mother is a 
former shrine maiden. Your mother probably wouldn�t even mind if you had 
a little fling, but when Filia thinks I�m involved with a girl I never 
hear the end of it.�

�Then this has happened before?�

�Only once. I learned my lesson.�

�Evidently not well enough or you wouldn�t be getting girls lost in the 
woods.�

Suddenly a horn could be heard in the distance. �Anya, is that somebody 
looking for us?� Valgaav asked.

�This is your neck of the woods, not mine.�

A man and a woman appeared behind a clump of trees. They were in green 
hunting gear, and carried longbows slung around their backs. Anya 
immediately noticed that both of them were incredibly handsome and 
gorgeous, respectively. �Ahoy, travelers!� the man said. �You look lost!�

The woman smirked at him. �Obviously, these young people only want us to 
THINK they�re lost�.�

Anya bristled. �Don�t joke around like that! And who are you anyway?�

�My name is Gorvald,� said the man, and this is �Kressida. We�re 
rangers, as if you couldn�t tell by our garb.�

Valgaav�s eye�s narrowed. �Rangers, eh? Didn't know there were any about 
in these parts.�

Kressida smiled guiltily. �We try to keep a low profile. You must be 
Valgaav from the inn, right? I�ve seen you around these woods before � 
who was that girl you were with then?�

Anya stamped her foot. �That does it! I�m going back to the inn by 
myself! You can take all the grief from your mother you want!�

�Are you sure you know the way?� Gorvald said.

�I�ll find it. I�ll see you back at the inn, you brat!� Anya stalked 
off, visibly upset.

Gorvald shrugged his shoulders. �I�d better go after her. She won�t know 
her way at all.�

Kressida nodded. �Fine, I�ll take care of the boy.�

Valgaav stammered. �No, that�s okay. I can get Anya home. No problem.�

�I think it�d be better if you two didn�t come home together,� said 
Kressida, following it up with a sexy wink.

Valgaav was stunned. God, he thought, this woman was gorgeous. But Anya 
needed him�.

�The girl will be fine.� Kressida said. �Let�s get you home.�

�Stupid dragon! Stupid rangers! Stupid bloody woods! I ought to clear my 
way with some fireballs!� Anya was in the midst of a full-blooded 
tempter tantrum.

A booming voice behind her said �That�s not the way back to the Mace and 
Teapot.� Anya turned her head and saw that Gorvald was following her. 
The first through that crossed her mind was that this was a real hunk; 
even more muscular than her father and with a finely-chiseled face and a 
very, very strong chin. His shaved head completed the appearance. 
�Clearly you don�t know these woods.�

Anya thought for a moment. �Wait a moment � how did you know I was 
staying at the Mace and Teapot?�

Gorvald thought for a moment. �Valgaav told me? That doesn�t matter. The 
mace and teapot is the best inn in these parts, and it seems natural 
that�s where you�d stay.�

�Is that so? Well, we�ll see if that�s true when we�re all back together 
at the inn.�

Gorvald grinned. �Then you�ll accept my help?�

Anya shrugged. �Why not? Can�t be any worse than being led around the 
nose by that stupid dragon.�

Gorvald walked over to her and took out a strange device that looked 
almost but not quite like a compass. �This way.� He said. �If you follow 
me we�ll get back to the inn in half an hour.�

Anya stopped for a moment. �Wait a minute. I changed my mind. The four 
of us should really go together.�

�Kressida will get him home, no problem.�

The two walked through the woods for a few minutes. �So,� Anya asked, 
�You and Kressida � you a couple?�

�We�re partners, if that�s what you mean. You could say we�re working 
towards a common goal. What about you and the dragon, as you call him?�

�We just met.� *But that didn�t stop him from coming on to you back 
there*, Anya thought. *Honestly, what was he thinking?*

�Then he�s a fast worker. Here in the woods, people are pretty free with 
their emotions. They tend to let their hair down and relax a bit. They 
say there�s some sort of aura to the place.�

�Come to think of it,� Anya said, �I�m sensing some sort of aura right 
now. It�s strange and unfamiliar, yet�.�

�Welcoming?� Gorvald asked. �The woods are like that. Some couples who 
go into the woods choose never to leave. Whole families have sprouted up 
in these forests.�

�Then we�d better get the loving hell out of here. I have a job to do.�

*So do I*, thought Gorvald, *so do I�..*

Kressida smiled the smile of a predator that had caught some especially 
luscious prey. �Say, you look like a nice, strong young man.� She said 
to Valgaav. �What say before we go back to your inn we have a little fun?�

�My mother would skin me alive if you�re suggesting what I think you�re 
suggesting.� Said Valgaav.

Kressida licked her lips. �She�ll never have to know. Just a little 
tumble? The girl will be grateful for it if you know what you�re doing 
when you finally get her.� Kressida began to undo her top.

Valgaav shouted �Absolutely not! I was raised with better morals than 
that! So don�t take that off!�

�You don�t understand, my boy, you don�t have a choice. You�ll never 
find the girl again, and you�ll never get out without me. The price of 
my help is your virtue.�

Valgaav snorted. �Then you�ve just priced yourself out of the market, 
lady. All I need to do is find a forty-foot clearing � ANY forty-foot 
clearing � and I�m out of here. And if I can�t find a clearing I�ll make 
one.�

�Then we�ll have to this the hard way,� Kressida, said, leaping at 
Valgaav before he could react. She landed on top of him and pinned him 
to the ground.

�That�s not possible!� Valgaav said.

�Believe it, Gorgeous.�

�Nobody�s that fast, unless � MAZOKU!�

�You know what they say, boy � when attacked, just lie back and enjoy 
it!� Kressida�s clothes began to melt into her skin, which changed color 
to bright red. �Your girlfriend can�t help you now, boy! Enjoy your 
final moments on this Earth!�

Valgaav managed to free a hand. �I think you�ll find I have a few 
surprises myself, devil lady.� He reached up his hand to touch 
Kressida�s hair, and pull her head closer to his own.

�Oh? You�ve decided to give in?�

Valgaav silently opened his mouth. Kressida smiled wickedly � then 
blanched as she saw the light forming in the back of his throat. An 
instant later a beam of shining, white light pierced through her head 
and into the sky above. Valgaav hurled the inert body off of him and stood.

*I�d better get out of here,* he thought. *That won�t stop her for long, 
and if she�s a Mazoku then so is Gorvald. Meaning Anya�s in danger!* 
with his breath weapon, Valgaav cleared enough space for him to turn 
into a dragon. Then he hurled himself into the air to look for Anya.

Anya was surprised to see her mother running through the woods to meet 
them. �Anya!� she said. �Are you all right?�

�I�m fine. I just got lost in the woods. This ranger helped me out.�

Filia ran up behind Lina. �Where�s Valgaav? I saw his light deep in the 
woods!�

Anya stomped her foot. �I don�t know or care! Why don�t you guys look up 
in the sky? Maybe he�ll fly home.�

�Anya,� Lina said inquiringly, �Did you two quarrel?�

�That�s really none of anyone�s business, Mom.�

�ANYA! Don�t remember we�re on the run from the Mazoku? We need all the 
allies we can get! We can�t afford to antagonize Valgaav! And what did 
you do in there anyway?�

�Nothing! Nothing happened! Honest! Why don�t you believe me, Mother?�

�Because you�re sixteen, that�s why! You�re not in full control of 
yourself.�

Filia turned her attention to Gorvald. �Thank you for helping this 
girl,� she said, �but what about my son? Is he all right?�

�He�ll be fine.� Gorvald chuckled. �With Kressida�s help, he�s certain 
to find his way.�

Anya�s eyes narrowed. �Kressida? I can�t believe I left him alone with 
Kressida!�

�Kressida is a skilled woods woman. He�ll be fine. We�re only about half 
a mile from your inn. Well, I guess I�ll be on my way�� Gorvald turned 
to leave.

�No, stay.� Filia said. �At least have dinner with us. It�s the least I 
could do.�

Gorvald smiled. �Sure, why not? I�m sure it�ll be a change from trail fare.�

Valgaav scanned the scene from the air. He wished he could speak Common 
in his dragon form. He swooped down and landed in front of the inn, 
changing back to human before the rest of the group could arrive. He 
only had to wait, and then he could confront Gorvald.

Very soon, the four people came over the horizon. �Man, am I glad to see 
the inn! I can�t wait to taste the dinner Titania�s prepared for us!� 
Lina said.

Anya stopped. �Valgaav! How did you get back so quick? Did that ranger 
woman �help� you?�

�I got out on my own, thanks very much. And you! Gorvald! You go away 
now or face my ---�

�VALGAAV!� cried Filia. �Not one more word! You are in SO MUCH TROUBLE, 
YOUNG MAN! How many times do I have to pull you out of messes like this?�

�Mother, you don�t understand! That man isn�t what he looks like!�

�I DON�T WANT TO HEAR ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU FOR THE REST OF THE 
NIGHT!� cried Filia. �And if you approach our guest that way one more 
time, I�ll throw you out of my house! I didn�t raise my foster-son to be 
a letch! Now get inside and go to your room! You�re not getting ANY SUPPER!�

Anya tapped Filia on the shoulder. �Isn�t that a bit much, ma�am? 
Nothing really happened between us, you know.�

Lina grabbed Anya by the arm and pulled her into the inn. �And YOU, 
young lady, YOU have a LOT of explaining to do!�

Gorvald waited while everyone else went back into the inn ion various 
states of emotional disarray. He concentrated for a moment. A moment 
later Kressida, back in her human form, was beside him.

�The general is going to scold you, Kuria.� He said softly. �You were 
supposed to kill him by nightfall, isn�t that what you promised Xellos?�

�He caught me off guard, Gorian, that�s all. It won�t happen again. But 
look how well it�s working out. Just a few hours ago they were a 
cohesive team, now they�re at each other�s throats. This will make your 
job all the easier.�

�I suggest you drop the Kressida disguise and take another form. That 
way the dragon won�t suspect you when you suddenly reappear at the 
doorstep.�

�Then I�m still on this job?�

Gorian smiled. �Of course. Can�t send you back to Xellos a failure, now 
can I?�
�Compassion is not a Mazoku trait, you know.�

�I know, but you�re extremely useful. Remain useful and you have a 
bright future in the business. Lose your utility and you�re dead. That�s 
the way of the Mazoku.�

Kuria laughed. �Their discord will be a feast! And I just can�t wait to 
hear their dying screams!�

TO BE CONTINUED��.





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