Disclaimer: Nullin and all the characters living in it (Duuchesney, Mayor Ruulin, ect) and the members of Amelia's entourage (Edwin) belong to me. The world and everyone else mentioned in this story (Amelia, Zelgadis, Xellos, ect) belong to Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi, Kadokawa Publishing Co. and TV Tokyo.

This story takes place after Slayers Try and was written before Slayers Revolution/Evolution-R aired in Japan. Please excuse the inconsistencies.

Nullin, The Anti-Magic City

The empire of Elmekia, situated just to the north and west of the Desert of Destruction, was furthest south from all the kingdoms in the inner world. The shamanist spells Elmekia Lance and Elmekia Flame originated here. The empire was known for housing many secrets, spells, and magical artifacts throughout its lands. So who would ever have guessed a city such as Nullin would have existed here, of all places.

Amelia inhaled the sweet forest air, and let it out in one slow breath. She rarely had the opportunity to travel this far from home, on official business anyway, and it felt so good to get out of the palace again. She practically jumped at the opportunity to go to Nullin when her father offered it to her.

She traveled with a large train of bodyguards and servants there to watch over her, the Princess of Seyruun, as she traveled. The directions they were given lead them deep into a thick forest. With no man-made trails to speak of, it made travel rather difficult. Humans were a rarity in these woods. Some of the animals and magical beasts would stop to stare in curiosity as they passed, rather than fleeing like they normally would. For Amelia, it made the experience all the more magical and enjoyable.

They had recently stopped for a break while her escorts got their bearings straight and made sure they were still headed in the right direction. She sat in a flower patch under a wild cherry tree. Away from her bodyguards, she enjoyed some time to herself. The wind blew through her shoulder-length, obsidian-black hair, and she reached her hand up to brush it out of her face. The movement brought her large, blue eyes into focus and she smiled as she gazed at the beautiful scenery around her.

It had been three long years since she'd last traveled, and she'd since grown out of her old, white sorcerer's tunic, despite her fondness for the outfit. Half a foot taller now, she'd been forced to trade it in for a dark blue shirt and leggings, covered by a sleeveless, pure white tunic with boots and a short cape to match. A thick, brown belt fitted around her slender waste, emphasizing her full, womanly figure. She'd designed the outfit herself years before when she was still traveling with Lina. She actually designed with someone else in mind, but she loved the way it looked on her. It was quite suitable for travel as well, as long as she kept it clean with her magic on a regular basis.

Of course, she wasn't just here to enjoy the sights and sounds of Elmekia's pristine forests. Reaching into the pouch she set next to her, she pulled out the letter her father had given her only a few weeks earlier.

To Prince Philionel of the Kingdom of Seyruun,

Chances are you have never heard of our small home of Nullin, lying on the very southern tip of Elmekia, and on the edge of the Desert of Destruction. We are a humble village with a dilemma, and we ask for your assistance, as the White Magic Capital of the world.

Our city is small, but is protected by powerful magical artifacts that create an anti-magic field around our home. The artifacts create fusion magic, combining the powers of black magic and white magic to create this anti-magic field. It has protected us for over 500 years from monsters, demons, and the like who cannot enter this powerful barrier. However, this barrier has to be renewed every 100 years in order to stay active.

The 100 year mark is almost up, and we have a black mage who is willing to perform the ceremony. The white mage we had picked out, however, fell ill and cannot participate. With the greatest of humility, I ask that you send a skilled white mage, your strongest if at all possible, to take his place. He or she must be at least powerful enough to cast a Resurrection spell, and it helps if the individual also specializes in white magic.

We are a poor town, but we will compensate you to the best of our ability if you would do this for us, and we promise to make sure the white mage you send will be accommodated handsomely and treated with the greatest respect.

Please accept this humble request and respond back to us as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Mayor Ruulin of Nullin

Amelia folded up the letter and held it against her breast, her face beaming with pride. After hearing about the desperate need of the people of Nullin, she'd practically begged her father to let her go. She was, after all, among the most powerful white mages in Seyruun. She was anxious to aid the good people of Nullin in their desire for protection. She was best qualified for this opportunity, even over the elders of Seyruun. She had, in fact, performed magical fusion before, using a couple of vessels from Alto and Baritone. She was the white mage of course, and her old traveling companion, Zelgadis, was the black mage.

She put the letter back in her pouch as she thought back to that particular event. Zelgadis wasn't a true black mage, so to speak. He specialized in shamanist magic, which dealt with spirits of the elements; fire, earth, air, water, and astral. He knew a lot of black magic of course, and they had successfully performed magical fusion together. She could only guess that it was either because Zelgadis knew enough black magic to make it work, or because he was part demon.

She sighed, hugging her knees to her. Strangely enough, she'd fallen in love with the cold-hearted chimera. 'Actually, more of a crush really,' she thought with a chuckle. His human body had been combined with that of a brau demon and a rock golem by an evil wizard. It gave him rock-skin that made him impervious to normal weapons as well as heightening his speed, strength and senses. He hated his body, though, and had left her to find a cure so he could become a normal human again.

She was, what, fifteen, almost sixteen, the last time she saw him. That had been three years ago, and she'd tried desperately to forget about him and move on. Now eighteen, she had plenty of suitors more than willing to woo the heir to Seyruun's throne, but she couldn't get him off her mind. No amount of flirting or courting with princes and commoners alike could compare to the adventures she'd shared with Zelgadis. The fact that she was a princess didn't matter to him. He never took advantage of her status or felt he had to treat her differently from any of her other friends. That was just the way she liked it.

The truth, however, was she could never tell just what he thought of her. He had an incredible talent for hiding his feelings and emotions from others behind a cold-as-stone, heartless expression. Sure he'd show great concern for her, particularly when she was hurt or even dying, but for all she knew it was the concerns of a friend. Nothing more. His heart was a closed door, and as much as she'd tried, she could never figure out how to open it.

She shook her head as though to shake the memory from her. 'This is no time to be thinking of him,' she thought to herself as she stood up from her spot under the tree. 'He left you a long time ago and he's probably never coming back. Forget about him and concentrate on the task at hand.'

Her entourage would be finishing and ready to head off again fairly soon. She was very close to the city and the idea of entering a town completely void of magic both fascinated and frightened her. She'd never heard of a city quite like this one before. Sure, the Temple of Marriage had an anti-magic field, but from what she'd learned about Nullin it was very different. The field there was so powerful it could cross over into the Astral Plane and prevent astral creatures from entering. Mazoku, demons, and other monsters could not enter the city without risking series injury or even death. It kept this small town safe for over 500 years.

At least, that's what little information she gathered about it through the libraries of her home. No one in Seyruun knew anything about this town, let alone the ritual, or the history of those who'd performed it. This town seemed to be in complete isolation, and only a few rare travelers even knew of its existence, let alone had been there. She'd have to find out the details when she arrived.

Her head guard approached, leading both of their horses behind him. He was a large, middle aged man that reminded her of her father, except he had blonde hair and didn't look quite so "brutish." She brushed the dirt off her clothes as she waited for him.

"We're about ready to depart again, Princess. Shall I help you mount?"

"No, Edwin-san, I'm fine," she said as she took the reigns of the white mare she'd been riding here. "I'll be with you shortly; I just have to gather up my things."

He sighed. This was a side of the princess he hated. She was a powerful mage, and more than capable of taking care of herself, but he was restless. There was something in this forest that didn't feel right, and he didn't like the idea of leaving her alone. "Princess, I…"

"I'm fine, really," she insisted. "Go back to camp and get everything ready to go. I'll be there shortly."

He bowed and strolled off, taking his own bay mare with him. She watched as he left, a little irritated at his overly protective nature. If they were ever attacked, chances were she could handle the battle better than he could. It made having bodyguards in the first place seem rather absurd. It was more for show than any actual protection. Bandits and monsters would be more likely to attack a lone girl riding alone than a full palace entourage.

A rustling behind her brought her out of her thoughts and she spun around, a spell already forming in her hands. "Who's there?" she shouted, her eyes darting back and forth.

She saw and heard nothing. Perhaps it was an animal, and she was just being paranoid. She started to relax, continuing to gather her things up and place them in a bag. She had just finished putting her pack on her horse when she glanced at the bushes, and gasped. There, between the leaves, was an eye staring back at her.

Whoever the spy was saw her too and she had to react, now! "Freeze Arrow!" she cried, as several javelins of ice flew from her hand towards the bushes. They hit the foliage, freezing its leaves instantly, but not her intended target. The spy leaped into the air and dodged her spell effortlessly.

Amelia was prepared for this possibility, and her opponent was still in the air when she cast her second spell. "Burst Rondo!" Several balls of fiery light burst forth from her hands towards the leaping target. With multiple shots, she had a good chance that at least one would hit and knock her opponent out of the sky. It seemed, however, her target was equally prepared. She heard an obviously male voice cry out "Balus Wall!" and a bright shield of light appeared in front of him. Her Burst Rondo scattered in front of him, landing harmlessly several feet away and creating a dust cloud all around her.

'So, he's a mage too.' She was not expecting him to cast a shield spell so quickly, and now she couldn't see anything. She began casting a wind spell to clear away the dust, when a shadow appeared from the dust, heading straight for her. She tried to change tactics, but it was too late. Before she could cast another spell, the intruder charged past her with inhuman speed, grabbed her from behind, and covered her mouth with his hand.

Amelia tried to scream, but couldn't. Her attacker had one arm wrapped around her middle, with her own arms pinned under it, and his other hand held onto her mouth to keep her from speaking. She struggled under his tight grip, but to no avail. Whoever held her was incredibly strong, and although he wasn't hurting her at all, his grip was unbreakable.

"Princess Amelia! We heard a noise, are you alright?"

It was Edwin, and Amelia felt her attacker's grip tighten. "Damn it," her captor cursed into her ear, as he quickly released her. Amelia immediately stumbled forward, but whirled around, ready to blast her attacker before he escaped. But she was too late, he was already gone.

"Princess! PRINCESS!" She was still staring into the bushes where her attacker had disappeared. "Princess Amelia, are you alright?"

She quickly regained her senses and turned to Edwin as he ran up to her. "I'm fine," she responded. She started to tell him she was attacked, but stopped. 'Should I tell him I was attacked?' She already knew what Edwin would do if she said anything.

"I was…practicing a few spells; giving them one last shot before we entered the city. I…I figured since I can't use them inside the field..." she shrugged.

He glared at her, but she didn't look at him. She was still looking towards the bushes. 'Who was that man, and why did he attack me?'

She hugged herself tightly, suddenly very nervous indeed. She had been among a small group who had defeated Zanaffar, Gaav, Phibrizzo, and Dark Star. Few people in this world could possibly overcome her so easily.

'Could it have been a Mazoku?' The idea made sense; she was about to reinforce a shield that was specifically meant to keep them and other monsters out, something the Race of Evil would want to stop before she reached Nullin. Yet, the hands that grabbed her, although forceful, were not brutal, as though her attacker wanted her unharmed. A Mazoku wouldn't have bothered with such precautions. Quite the opposite, they fed on negative emotions, and the more pain and fear caused the better.

She creased her brow before finally turning back to her entourage. This journey was going to prove more interesting than she first thought.

Zelgadis fled from Amelia and her troupe as quickly as possible, heading for the hills overlooking the city of Nullin. He hadn't meant to attack her like that; but she took the first shot! He'd only wanted to warn her, but he hesitated when he saw her and probably scared the living daylights out of her. He cursed and swore as he rushed to the hill top. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but now he couldn't.

He reached the peak of the cliff and looked out towards the city. Amelia's train was now headed towards the city once again. He growled to himself as his gaze moved to the spot where he knew the Duchess Army, the bandit gang of Nullin, would strike. They were only a few yards inside the border, the very edge of the anti-magic field. There, they would strike, when Amelia was most vulnerable.

They knew she was a powerful sorceress. Hell, they knew because he told them! It was his big mouth that revealed that she knew more than just harmless white magic. She was highly skilled in black and shamanist magic as well. And they knew she couldn't use her magic against them as long as she was within the shield.

"This is my fault," he cursed. "It's not like me to divulge information like that, especially information that could harm my old friends."

He should have known better. He and Duuchesney were close, very close, but that didn't mean she'd respect his old friends enough to leave them be. She was, after all, the head of a bandit gang. All she heard was an opportunity coming her way. A princess of Seyruun and her entourage, with a simple way to fully exploit a weakness in its defense.

'I wonder what Duu-chan would think if she could see me now,' he smirked to himself, lifting his hand up to look at it. He had long ago lost the gloves that use to cover them, so the blue-stone skin and black, scaly rocks that lined it were clearly visible in the sun light. He wondered how long he'd be able to hide this side of himself from the bandit-woman, and how Amelia would react when she saw the other side of him.

Thoughts of Amelia brought a growl from his throat, angry at himself and his own stupidity. There was no way he was going to let Amelia suffer because of him. He was going to have to help her. Even if it meant facing Duuchesney in combat; he had to stop her!

"That must be the anti-magic field there."

Amelia had been thinking to herself, about her attacker, and Edwin's sudden words brought her out of her thoughts with a start. She looked up, and was a bit taken back at what she saw. Indeed, she was surprised she was actually seeing the shield at all.

It reminded the princess of looking through a cloud of dry heat, shimmering and shifting constantly, but you could still see the forest path beyond. Occasionally she could see a wisp of black or red pass over it, but for the most part it was clear, just distorted. She had worried that she wouldn't know when she passed into the barrier, but it was quite clear where the field started and ended.

She didn't notice that she'd stopped to stare at the shield until Edwin spoke up again, "Princess, shall we go in then?"

She blinked, staring at her bodyguard for a minute before she remembered where she was. "Oh, of course!" she took a deep breath, bringing her old self back. "Of course! Righteousness demands that we enter the city and perform the ritual of Magical Fusion so this town can continue in safety for another 100 years!" she lifted up the letter she received from Nullin, pointing it towards the field for a dramatic effect. "And no matter the risk to our own safety, no matter the attackers and spies that may come, we must go on in the name of Justice!"

Edwin nodded, unfazed. He'd been with the Seyruun family for years now, and was accustomed to such ridiculous speeches. After all, her father was ten times worse. He gave the signal, and they prodded their horses forward, into the field.

The horses and riders ahead of them entered without incident. The field didn't seem to have any adverse effects, but then again, Amelia wasn't sure what she was expecting. If people had been living her for 500 years, then naturally there was nothing to fear. 'So why am I so nervous?' The people before her hadn't reacted to entering the shield, and with a deep breath to calm herself, she prodded her horse forward and passed through the field.

She had reassured herself that there was nothing wrong, and so she was taken off guard by the overwhelming power of the field as she passed through it. She gasped, clutching her chest reflexively. It felt as though her body was being forced deep under water, and for a moment she couldn't breathe.

Her sudden reaction did not escape notice, "Princess Amelia, what is wrong?" Edwin turned his horse around and trotted back up to the princess, whose horse had stopped soon after entering the field. Amelia looked up, and found her entire entourage looking at her, greatly concerned. She found she could breathe again, and took a deep breath before answering.

"Yes I'm fine, Edwin-san, I was just a bit overwhelmed there for a minute." She looked up at him, her face going from serious to curious. "Didn't any of you guys feel that?"

"Feel what, Princess? I felt nothing coming through here. You're the only one who seemed to react to the field at all." He furrowed his brow for a moment, "perhaps it is because you are a sorceress, and the field is reacting to your magic."

"Perhaps," she responded, though she wasn't completely sure about that. There was something seriously wrong with this field. Magical nullification of this kind was a combination of black and white magic, thus a neutralizing form of magic. She'd used it before, so she knew what it was like, but this field seemed strangely out of balance. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she had a bad feeling…

"Let's continue Edwin-san, we need to get into town as soon as possi..."

A scream from behind her made her stop, and she and Edwin spun around to see what happened. One of her servants, one of the cooking maids, had an arrow sticking out of her shoulder. The maid cried out again, and fell from her horse.

"It's an ambush!" Edwin screamed as he drew his sword. "Everybody take cover!"

The attack had begun, and Duuchesney watched with amusement as her forces quickly closed in on the royal entourage. For all her efforts, however, she couldn't pick out the princess. 'She must be plain clothed like the rest of them.' The one her arrow had hit was mostly likely a maid.

A strand of blonde hair whipped against her face and she brushed it aside with her fingers, gazing out at the battle. 'Now, how did Zelgadis describe her?' she took a closer look at the group as she tried to remember. 'Black hair, blue eyes, wears a white tunic. Short, but full figured,' she stopped and chuckled, remembering how Zel had blushed when he mentioned that last little detail. He was so cute that way. No one in this party matched that description however.

Then again, he hadn't seen her in over three years, so chances are she'd changed since then. 'Lets see, she'd most likely still have black hair, blue eyes, and a full figure,' she scanned the group, now in all-out combat. Amelia's guards were well armed and holding their own against her bandits, but she knew it wouldn't last long. The warriors in her gang were the best in the land. After all, she trained them herself.

Her eyes caught sight of one girl who stood up on her horse, and began shouting, not at the guards, but at the bandits. Sounded like she was giving some sort of speech, as though she were in a cheesy theater production. She smiled, remembering something else Zelgadis had told her. 'Found you, Princess Amelia!'

Chapter 2: The Bandit and The Princess

Filled with Bandits, Action, Revelations, and the Prerequisite Public Bath Scene!