Kyuuchi

Chapter One

The Missing Piece

By Takashi

Disclaimer: Neither I own Slayers nor any of the characters, the only characters I own are my own and this story. Please don't sue me, I'm poor. :P

Author's Note: If you're wonder what "Kyuuchi" means, it means "Old Friend" in Japanese. After about 4 or 5 years, I have finally made my decision and have decided to write this story, even though I feel as if I don't know that much about Slayers and I probably won't do the characters justice. TT (It's been about 3 years since I last watched it) However, I will try my best people. I will gladly accept feedback. Of course, to let you all know this is Lina/Zelgadis biased and a few other couples might be thrown in here too. This story takes place after Slayers NEXT.

The sounds of boots crunching in the snow made a path towards a closed off cave covered in rocks and fallen snow. The figure stood before the cave gave a long heavy sigh, tilting his head up, and looking at the cave that had blocked his path from getting what he was looking for: his cure. Pulling his hood back a bit, his dark blue eyes looked long and hard at the cave, pondering of what he was going to do. The snow was falling lightly onto the already white-covered forest as small gust of winds blowing by and his ivory cape swishing along the current. He extended his hand, "FIRE BALL!" he yelled, smashing away the rocks and snow. He quickly covered his face then putting down his arm he looked, seeing that his path was clear now.

Stepping into the cave, it was dark and with a light spell he walked down the path of the cave. He said it was here, he thought to himself, thinking of the Priest he had spoken to as he passed by the last town; "There is a cave out there," he told the traveler, "out in the forest, not too far from this village." The traveler's eyes narrowed, "Are you certain that it is there?" The priest nodded, "Yes, I have been out there myself, checking to see if it is there and making sure no one has stolen it—I assure you, you'll find it there." He replied nodding his head. The traveler left without a word of thanks, turning and brushing pass the people in the temple.

The travler now was at the end of his path, holding his light high above him, looking on to a chest that was on the ground that seemed unopen. He quickly rushed to it, breaking it open, praying that it would be there, something—anything! The chest opened and inside lied a rolled piece of parchment; he grabbed it, unrolling it and examined it carefully.

Colored skin, wired hair,
Skin hard as stone,
Your curse is unfair.A cure you seek,
The feeling of flesh and blood,
Will be born again.
You will be free from your imprisoned body,
Free from your pain;
This is the beginning of the game.

This is your first piece,
Listen well,
This is your missing piece of the first twelve.

Signed by the High Priest of Flemna

"Damn it!" he cursed through his teeth, crumbling the paper in his hand. Everytime I think I'm getting closer to it…I don't come close at all.Zelgadis gave a frustrated sigh, but he couldn't lose his hope here, not now. His journey was already beginning, after he had departed from his companions: Lina, Gourry, and Amelia. After the defeat of Hellmaster Phibrizo Zelgadis had left to continue his search for his cure. Though he didn't want to go to outside borders just yet, he chose to stay in to see what else he could find. The only source of information that he could find of his cure was some rumors floating about a High Priest whom knew of what he was looking for. Zelgadis had overheard a conversation while sitting down at a local pub in a small village that had concerned the High Priest.

"Deres a High Priest en a village not from from 'ere," One man had spoken to his companion. "A High Priest?" Questioned the other, looking on with curiosity.

"Yeh, a man 'ho pratic'ed in the 'ealings an' stuff—ya know, in curin' anybody who had any type o' problems that couldn't be fix'ed." The companion sitting across the table from the man nodded, "Yeah? What about him?"

Zelgadis turned his head a little over his right shoulder, listening keenly. But was he going to listen to a man who spoke like a fool?

"Dhe Priest is sorta unknown to me but I heard he's really good, takin' from what other people are sayin', sorta like what dat Rezo dah Red Priest did. Heal people an' all, but anywayz, he's startin' to do dat now. A good man, I'd say." The man leaned back in his chair.

Zelgadis rose from his seat and turned towards the table where the man and his companion sat, he gazed at him, "Where can I find this priest sir?" His voice boomed, commandenly. The man almost fell back in his seat, yelping and caught his balance. The man looked at Zelgadis, the man only gave him an odd expression, "Oi, you gave me a fright dere lad," He replied, chuckling. Zelgadis was slient, only giving him an almost angered look, "Dhe Priest isn't from 'ere, Flemna is where he's at, which I tink is only a few miles out from 'ere." He told Zelgadis, "Jus' go north of 'ere an' take a turn when you see dese pile o' trees an' you'll be a few yards away from findin' him at a Temple."

Zelgadis nodded, turning and leaving the pub. He heard the man's voice yell after him, "An' be careful in dat snow!"

The wind was picking up now but the snow continued to fall, Zelgadis' pace quicken walking through the snow making his way back towards the village. Holding the parchement in his hand he went back to the temple to find the High Priest. Stepping inside the temple, he seen the priest tending to the shrine maidens and guiding them through a process of healing spells. Zelgadis approached him, catching the priest's view; the priest turned towards him, "Ah, you've returned," he said surprisingly, looking down at Zelgadis' clenched fist, "And I see that you've found the first step!"

"What kind of foolishiness is this?" Zelgadiss snapped, holding the crumbled parchement up.

"It is merely your first missing piece towards the path of what you seek," said the priest, smiling. Zelgadis gave a low growl, crumbling the parchment in his hand tighter, "I know that! I have read what it had stated but tell me what this is all about!"

"Just look on the back," the Priest said simply, grabbing the crumbled parchment from the Chimera's hand and opened it up, revealing to Zelgadis a map. The words and few of the directions were fading; Zelgadis looked at the map gazing in awe at what he hadn't realized. "If I go out and search for all the missing pieces…will that mean I will finally seek my cure?" Zelgadis asked, looking at the High Priest.

The priest nodded slightly, "That depends if you go on the right path then you will find what you seek," he replied. "When you leave this village: go to the next destination that is located on there, there you'll run into another priest and he will point out where you need to go from there." Zelgadis nodded, turning to leave the temple.

Zelgadis set out on the snowy path again, walking through the ankle-high snow, he began to wonder if he done the right thing: could he trust the Priest's plan and go on looking for his cure? Maybe so, he thought, there was only one way to find out…

A/N: There's the first chapter of my long-awaited story, I hope you all enjoyed it and kept you in suspense. ;; Send me your thoughts and feedback please!

Next Chapter: Now that Zelgadis is getting a head start of how to find his cure, he runs into Lina and Gourry that are caught in a bind, but leave it to Zel to save the day! They travel with him to find the second piece to the Flemna Priest's map, oh what lies ahead at the next destination?