Author's note

I wanted to finish this fic before Christmas, so there can be a lot of errors since English isn't my mother tongue and I was in hurry, but I wanted to write something as a present for every LZ fan, especially for Eugene Chung, who is my endless inspiration :) . I have no idea if it's a good story, but I still want to wish all of you Merry Christmas!

Exactly at that moment he saw a long, red strand of hair among countless faces of merchants and clients arguing about the price of goods. He knew it was her. Only her hair glistened in the sun in such way. Without hesitation he grabbed her forearm. As always, she reacted instinctively, calling upon a scarlet ball of fire reflecting in her red irises. When their eyes met, a look of shock and disbelief appeared on her face. Another moment passed, and a sphere of fire disappeared.

'Zel?'

He didn't wait till her blubbering started to make sense. Not even trying to listen to her he took her hand and pulled her behind him. The central plaza in such dangerous city as San Zaes wasn't a suitable place for a conversation.

From the very beginning he didn't believe that Lina Inverse had died during an attack of some average terrorists. But despite his common sense he still experienced moments of doubts when in his mind appeared those irrational thoughts she was gone. That someone somehow managed to extinguish a blaze of life of this crazy girl who so easily became a part of his world. And when he thought that during their last meeting they only slung mud at each other he was overwhelmed with… No, he even didn't want to remember the state he was in. He got a lesson and he was going to draw conclusions from it.

After 20 minutes of relatively quick march Zelgadis opened the door of a simply furnished room in Arabei, a local inn where for appropriate price every guest could remain anonymous. The room had one extra advantage: one jump through a window was enough to leave boundaries of San Zaes, which attracted Lina's attention as soon as she entered the lodging.

'Clever.' She muttered, looking at an enormous forest which could be seen through the window.

'That's right.' He answered in a dangerously calm tone, leaning against the door and looking directly in her eyes. 'So, did you have fun? Is that such a wonderful thing when you fake your own death and completely disappear?'

Lina turned around and leaned against a windowsill folding her arms.

'The last time we saw each other you didn't seem to care about such details.' She responded coldly.

'Stop it.' The mage hissed. This one sentence was everything he needed to release his fury, earlier held in check. 'You knew, I was in Aberdell's temple, which can be reached within one hour on foot and you even didn't try to let me know you are all right.' He took a few steps forward and soon he was standing right in front of the redhead and glaring at her. 'Did you want to take back at me? Or maybe the great Lina Inverse found something like that not worthy of her time?'

After hearing those words her gaze softened. Guilty conscience took place of stubbornness and coldness.

'Zel, it wasn't like that…'

The man looked at her expectantly.

'So, what was it like?'

Lina sighed heavily and started to ruffle her bangs.

'Everything started so inconspicuously… After you behaved like a total jerk, I went to see Dellan's Festival, as we originally planned. And imagine that at one moment I was enjoying a taste of a lovely roasted pork and literally second later I heard a scream behind my back. I turned around and saw nine hooded people who surrounded some old man. Only after I heard an incantation, I realized that those people had created the summoning circle.' For a moment she remained silent and she bit her lower lip. 'It took them just a moment to emit enormous amount of energy which immediately filled the whole vicinity."

The young woman absorbed by her own story didn't notice that on Zelgadis' face appeared expression of even greater restlessness.

'I barely managed to cast the protection spell…' The red-head continued. Her eyes became foggy, as pictures of not so distant past flooded her mind. 'People were dropping like flies, but then I didn't pay attention to it. My whole attention attracted this summoned creature. I saw only its back… It was in size of a human and it wore a golden robe. On its face must have been some kind of mask, because I saw this creature standing before this old man and taking something off his head. I have no idea what this old man saw, but his face expressed sheer terror. And a moment later he died… ' She shook her head as if she wanted to chase away this unpleasant memory. 'I threw a Fire Ball in their direction, what must have speeded up destruction of the summoning circle. Later the creature disappeared and one of those hooded people turned around and told me I would have paid for it… Later he casted some spell, but I easily bounce it back with a simple air barrier.' She paused to take a deep breath and continued her story. 'After it one of those people fell on the ground and his companions not having paid attention to him disappeared. Of course, there was a havoc, there were many injured people, for few of them it was too late despite a very fast arrival of healers. Before arrival of security authorities I wanted to check this attacker who was left behind. As I had expected this man was dead, but what surprised me was the fact he was smiling… And that his dead body all of sudden disappeared… Next to him I found some magical trace, so I didn't wait for anything and I rushed in that direction. Only when I was in the middle of my journey I heard about my death.' She shook her head. 'I don't know how those idiots drew such conclusions…'

'Supposedly you've been seen as one of attackers threw some spell in your direction because of which you've disappeared.' Zelgadis interrupted her.

Lina frowned.

'I disappeared? I told you that only one spell flew in my direction and I protected myself without any problem.'

'Show me your right wrist.' The man ordered her.

'What for?' The young woman asked a bit confused.

Zelgadis didn't answer her. He caught her hand and in one swift motion he pulled her glove. The astonished sorceress observed him silently, but she allowed him to examine her wrist.

'It isn't here.' He muttered under his breath, softly brushing the inside of her hand with his fingertips.

Lina slightly blushing withdrawn her hand and put her glove on.

'Could you explain what's wrong with my wrist?' She asked a bit irritated.

Zelgadis clearly relieved once again looked at her.

'If that spell worked as it should have, a small symbol of nine-armed star would appear on your wrist. The spell activates in contact with a skin, so even the simplest barrier can nullify it. Your using of the wind barrier mixed with the spell could have caused some kind of mirage, because of which those witnesses could have thought you had disappeared. Especially if you left the town so quickly.'

'How do you know it?' Lina asked immediately looking right in his eyes. 'Have you ever met those people?'

'First of all, tell me why did you come to San Zaes?'

'This creature… emitted an aura similar to the Lord on Nightmares. If someone uses such magic not knowing what he or she deals with…' In her red eyes appeared a dangerous glint. 'I want to find out how does it work and based on what I'm going to find out I'll take a proper action.'

'And by the way expand a range of your spells?' He asked smirking, but he quickly added in more serious tone. 'All right, I can understand that because of a fading magical echo you couldn't have come to me in person, but it doesn't change the fact you should have sent me some message.'

'You know Zel, in that situation I had other fish to fry… '

'You should have messaged me, Lina.' He glared at her.

'And not so long ago you called me an annoying not reckoning with anybody despot…' She replied slightly offended.

'Which you proved to be right once again by not giving a shit about other person's feelings .'

'Shall I remind you who was left by whom in Delloween?'

'I got the impression you didn't want to spend your time with "an insensitive jerk with a meaningless obsession" any longer. But I admit, I made a mistake, which won't happen again.' He added firmly. 'Actually, I should have predicted, that you with this talent of yours to get into problems would land in San Zaes…'

'So you knew it from the beginning. That someone like that hides in this city.' The sorceress interrupted him. An anger in her voice slowly started to fade away.

'Indeed.' Zelgadis nodded slightly. 'I'm in possession of all information you are looking for. I'll share it with you only under one condition: you'll leave with me San Zaes today and you'll stop looking for those people.'

Lina was silent for a while pondering his words.

'And if I refuse?'

'I'll move you out and I won't tell you a thing.'

The corners of her lips rose slightly.

'It sounds like a challenge, you know it?'

He gave her a stern look.

'I think you know rules of this city. And even you wouldn't like to bring attention of San Zaes' authorities.'

San Zaes was a city where everybody had to abide its laws. Outsiders could do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't affect the day plan of local people determined by the Temple. However if anyone crossed this invisible border, he disappeared in unknown circumstances.

'Are you telling me to leave it alone? The city in which people play with chaos magic?'

'Yes, Lina. There are forces in the world which should be left alone. And one of those is the thing hidden in San Zaes.'

For a long time there was a silence.

'Agreed.' She replied finally. ' But… ' She stepped forward, stopping right before him. 'You'll answer my question.'

'If we set off at the moment.' The mage answered quickly.

'Deal.'

Zelgadis, look closely.

Despite the passage of many years he still had memories coming from the times when he was still a young teenager who could do almost everything to make himself stronger. He rarely spoke about the times, between his transformation and realizing that the it was only an experiment of the mad mage, when he used to travel with the Red Priest, which was the source of his broad knowledge. And as usual, when in his mind appeared thoughts, that perhaps in such peculiar way Rezo tried to educate his only grandchild, he categorically denied it calling it absurd and meaningless. The only thing this old man cared for was finding a way to cure his eyes, so every attempt at teaching him something could be caused only by the willingness to create an even more dangerous weapon. Nevertheless, he was never able to forget one sunny autumn day finished with a cool, even icy, evening.

In this world exist many types of magic and often those which are thought to be the least threatening are in fact the most dangerous.

That was the day when Zelgadis found out how big could be the power sealed in human emotions.

After few weeks of hopeless searching he found out that the thing Rezo desired was to be found on north of the country. Even if it wasn't good news he was still happy he had finally been able to leave gloomy swamp areas of Vaasmer. This place didn't have a good influence on him. His nightmares started to get worse, which deepened his lousy mood. He just had to report the Red Priest and he would be able leave this hateful vicinity. According to instructions of one of the five sages he went towards a nearby glade being an appointed meeting place. Before he reached his destination he had seen a person who surely wasn't his grandfather. Zelgadis without much thinking hid himself behind a nearby tree and started to watch closely this unexpected newcomer.

The stranger was a short man with a beard and a prominent chin and belly wearing a long majestic robe. Only after few seconds Zelgadis recognized a local blacksmith, who had helped him choose a proper horse few days earlier. But what was the man doing in place where he, Zelgadis, was going to meet with Rezo? And why was he dressed like some kind of noble, which he clearly wasn't? Before he started to ponder answers for those questions, he saw a new person whose face was covered by a hood.

'Hello, Elmer.' The silence was broken by a low feminine voice.

'Sani, is that you? You… are alive? How… how… is that possible?' The man looked as if he had seen a ghost.

'I am alive yet. But it won't last any longer.'

'What are you talking about?'

'I've waited for this day through all long 10 years.'

'What day?'

'The day of your death.'

The area was filled by a loud laugh of the man.

'My death? Sani you weren't able to kill me ten years ago and you still won't be able to do it.'

'You are right, I won't. I am not able to punish you on my own in such a way you would understand what have you truly done to me. You don't deserve a normal death, Elmer, and I'm not able to keep on living knowing you wouldn't be punished. That's why I've been preparing for this day long ten years during which you could enjoy your life built on my misery.' Her voice was calm, but the words she uttered made the man turn white.

'What the hell are you talking about?' He asked for the second time.

'About this.' The woman made a slight hand motion and moment later the blacksmith was surrounded by eight extra newcomers wearing long black robes.

Nine people created the summoning circle and started a sinister incantation. The man only stood watching closely with frightened eyes how out of nowhere appear contours of a new creature.

The enormity of this magical presence made Zelgadis break in a cold sweat. The boy wasn't able to move an inch. He could only observe how a figure clad in a long golden robe was materializing.

'Zelgadis, look closely.' All of sudden he heard a calm voice of the Red Priest.

'What's that?' Zelgadis mumbled as he observed how the creature took off some kind of mask and directing itself towards the blacksmith.

'That's the personification of human hatred.'

'What..?' Before the boy finished the sentence, he heard a terrifying scream of the craftsman. Seconds passed and the shout didn't stop. Only after a long time, that seemed to last whole eternity, there was a silence. The hooded woman's lips escaped a strange noise. Zelgadis couldn't tell whether it was laugh or cry, after which she fell on the ground.

The young warrior regained his composure when the masked creature disappeared in the glow of a blinding light. Other people were nowhere to be found and when he wanted to rush to the hooded woman's side he heard the voice of his grandfather.

'You cannot help her anymore, Zelgadis.'

Sani's body started to emit a strange golden light and disappeared.

'What's happened? What's going on in here?' The boy stammered. He didn't understand what had just happened before his eyes.

'People's emotion are a powerful force, Zelgadis. And what you've just seen was a result of its darkest side. If you start to hate someone so much you would be willing to sacrifice your life for vengeance, you can try to summon this creature.'

'Summon… something like that?'

'Yes. This creature appears very rarely. It doesn't have a name, it doesn't have a master. It arrives only on call of a person who sacrifices ten years of her or his life to learn the summoning ritual. But the price you have to pay to summon this creature is your life.'

'And all of this happens only to kill someone?'

'Not only. This creature is said to bring unspoken suffering on its prey making the person repay his debts to the summoner.'

'But it still doesn't make any sense. In that way everybody would be able to kill anybody.'

'Not every man can know the ritual's secrets. Only few who pass tests of Order of Avengers in San Zaes. Besides do you really think it's so easy to sacrifice you life for vengeance? Can you imagine you hate someone so much you would sacrifice for this one single moment your future, dreams and hopes?'

The boy, looking overwhelmed by the newfound information, looked reproachfully in the blind eyes of the Red Priest.

'Why are you telling me this?'

'I want you to be aware that in world exist many types of magic and often those which are thought to be the least threatening are in fact the most dangerous. At the very same time those apparently the most dangerous ones sometimes decide our safety. The magic sealed within San Zaes was created by the darkest side of human's soul. Do you think that something like that should be annihilated or should exist and serve the darkest human desires? Does a man who starts to ignore a dark side of his soul really becomes better?'

'For the price of one's life one can summon a creature that mete out punishment, and kill the object of one's vengeance?' Lina asked incredulously. 'A being that draws its power from the Lord of Nightmares?'

'Exactly.' Zelgadis replied taking a sip of wine. He had a hard almost completely sleep-deprived week. And if the reason of that insomnia was finally sitting next to him, he decided to let himself relax a bit. 'This last fact I figured out after I saw Lord of Nightmares taking control of your body after the fight with Phibrizzo. She told us she would throw your body to the Sea of Chaos to compensate for her lost energy. The body of summoner always disappears, so it would explain everything.'

'Something like that is hidden in San Zaes?' Lina didn't hide the shock that was associated with learning the truth about the Order of Avengers. Agreeing to the Zelgadis' proposal and immediately heading for the Tanzan, the nearest neighboring town, she decided to reliably use the right to ask millions of questions, even those she normally avoided, focusing on the Red Priest. 'And Rezo knew about it and he didn't try to explore this magic?'

'Yes. And that's why I expect you won't pursuit it anymore.'

The sorceress did not answer for a moment. She sat deeper in a comfortable chair and took a sip from her glass.

'The magic allowing one person to kill any other person. It shouldn't be like that. Such magic shouldn't exist.'

'This place is protected by powerful forces, Lina. If what Rezo told me is truth, whole humanity is responsible for its existence. The darker side of it, to be precise. Are you really able to eliminate the darkest part of soul of every man?' The mage started to rotate the liquid in his glass. 'Some things must be left in peace.'

The young woman once again was silent while pondering those information.

'I guess you are right.' She said finally. 'I have one question left. What would have happen if the spell had left the sign of nine-armed star on my wrist?'

Zelgadis slightly frowned.

'You would have been marked as an enemy of the Order. Thanks to spell they would always know where you are, and if they decided you're a threat to them, they would eliminate you.'

On girl's face appeared a look of surprise, which was quickly superseded by a dangerous smile.'

'If they tried they would see who they are dealing with.' The sorceress said defiantly after which she yawned loudly. 'Okay, Zel, I'm going to sleep.' She raised her glass to her lips and finished off its contents.

The mage didn't react when she put the glass down on the table and stood up. Only when the redhead walked over to him, slightly leaning against the back of the seat, he looked into her eyes and put down his own glass. In her red irises as always there were blazing two good-natures fires that became one of the constant elements of his life.

'Thank you for looking for me.' She said softly, gently stroking his lips. 'And I'm sorry that I didn't give you a sign of life.' She pressed her lips to his lips once again, this time for a little longer. 'Sleep well.' She smiled, and began to withdraw. His hand quickly wrapped around her waist and gently but firmly pulled her to him. Lina quickly understood his unspoken request and hugged him, laying her head on his shoulder. Only now, when she was so close it finally dawned on him that she was really alive ... that she was all right.

He knew very well what hatred and seeking revenge is, but had never thought of using the ritual of San Zaes. He often wondered why Rezo had decided to share this knowledge with him. The most often he assumed that the Red Priest wanted in this way to make sure that this ritual wouldn't be used against him. Sometimes, on the other hand, he thought his grandfather wanted him to realize what is the hatred's price and how much one can lose when giving in to it.