-Destined Dragons-

Prologue: "The Truth Hurts"

At Valgaav's hidden base in the caves, Xellos is raging a battle against him after he refuses to join the Mozaku's side. Filia steps out enraged that Xellos has betrayed them and confused about Valgaav. "Ahh, isn't it the Golden Dragon herself? The Great Fire God Priestess Filia!" Xellos smirked mockingly putting her on the spotlight. Valgaav glared at Xellos angrily. "Why, she's one of THEM, one of those Golden Dragons that slaughtered your race!" Xellos went on. "What? But I…I didn't…" Filia stuttered disliking the pain she read in Valgaav's eyes even though he was supposedly the enemy. "Don't you DARE smug her with your spat! When you, mozaku's, helped in the destruction and killed BOTH races of dragons, and YOU helped with Lord Gaav's death! The only person that ever cared about me in the world! I could have been left to die and yet he gave me another chance! You bastards don't deserve to live for what you've done! So don't be chastising her!" Valgaav stood in fury.

Xellos pulled out his staff with a dark smirk and blocked Valgaav's blast. "I've defeated hundreds of your kind, and I could easily kill you!" Xellos laughed psychotically. "Valgaav!" Filia found herself shouting in fear for him. Valgaav ignored her worried cry and continued battling Xellos, but he seemed too quick for him. "Dammit, I can't even hit him!" Valgaav thought angrily. Suddenly, Xellos slammed Valgaav to the ground and smashed an energy blast into his back. "Ahhhg!" Valgaav gave a painful cry. "Stop it!" Filia screeched in horror. Xellos only smiled wickedly as he jabbed the end of his staff into Valgaav's dragon arm, over and over he continued to stab him. "STOP IT!" Filia screamed almost to tears. She rushed over and used a beam of light to push Xellos back. "I won't allow this to continue!" She cried. Xellos only laughed, "Why, are you defending him?" He asked emphasizing the word defending. "Maybe I am! But I shall not let you hurt him! You monster!" She cried trying to stall time.

"If I only I could have mastered healing…I could help Valgaav! Wait…what am I thinking? I don't even know him! But no, Xellos is the enemy, not Valgaav…" She thought to herself. "What do you…think you're…doing?" Valgaav grumbled. "Ohh!" Filia turned to him and knelt beside him. She placed her hand gently on his forehead pushing away his bangs. Valgaav stared confused into her eyes when suddenly he sensed Xellos charging an energy blast. "Get back!" He pushed her aside causing Xellos's unexpected blast to miss. He shot off the ground in a sudden boost of energy and pulled his black wings out, "Fight me! She's not your concern!" Valgaav cried. "Could it be that you are defending her as well?" Xellos raised an eyebrow. "Shut up and fight me!" Valgaav lit up in an aura of energy. "Oh…" Filia stepped back. Suddenly, an earthquake rippled in the cave from the fighting and the rocks from above fell to where Filia was. Xellos teleported catching her and flew above Valgaav dropping her over him.

"Ahh! What are you DOING?" Filia cried. Valgaav moved out of the way and used a psychically charged wave to slow Filia's fall and have her land on her feet. "I said to fight ME!" Valgaav cried now infuriated. "What do you care?" Xellos asked while evasively battling him. "Filia!" Lina and Gourry showed up. "Get out of here!" Valgaav said quietly to Filia. "What?" Filia chimed up. "Come on Filia!" Lina cried. "Oh…right!" Filia nodded. Amelia and Zelgadis cast a blinding spell and Filia teleported them all from the crumbling base. "Valgaav…" Filia thought to herself when they were on the other side of the caves. "Yes! We're out of there!" Lina cried. "Finally!" Gourry agreed. "I know, to celebrate, let's go grab something to eat!" Lina said. "Yeah!" Amelia agreed. "You guys go ahead…I'll catch up later," Filia replied. "Are you sure?" Zelgadis asked. "Yeah," Filia nodded with a smile. "Ok! Let's head out then!" Lina said. "Yeah!" Gourry cried. When the foursome disappeared in the distance, Filia teleported back to the base. "Valgaav!" She cried searching the crumbling caves. "We have to get out of here!" Jillis the fox was shouting. "Leave me…" Valgaav was heard saying. "Never!" Jillis refused. "I said to LEAVE!" Valgaav shouted furiously. "But…master!" Jillis began. "GO!" Valgaav shot a warning blast by Jillis.

"Ok!" He ran off with tears welding in his eyes. "Jillis must really care for Valgaav…" Filia thought. "Xellos! Where are you?" Valgaav shouted. "Well, I guess we'll have to continue our battle elsewhere, this base is a goner" Xellos laughed. "We shall fight to the death HERE!" Valgaav cried. "Oh but why? It's too dreary here!" Xellos replied. "Don't mock me!" Valgaav shouted. "Heh…well seems like we have a visitor," Xellos glanced back. "I told Jillis to leave, dammit…" Valgaav thought angrily. Xellos shot a blast in the cave wall revealing Filia. "Ahh!" She jumped. "It's…her!" Valgaav thought in shock. "Well, well, well! What are you still doing here? Worried?" Xellos chuckled. "I told you before Xellos, I won't allow you to continue this battle!" Filia cried. "Stay out of this dragon girl!" Valgaav cried. Suddenly, the cave collapsed in between Xellos and Valgaav. "Well I guess it's over," Xellos said, "For now anyway," before he teleported away. "Valgaav!" Filia cried.

She teleported behind the rocks and found him unconscious beneath one. "Oh no!" She cried. Filia pulled the rock off of him and lifted him on her shoulders. "Felis tei'ous!" She commanded. Suddenly, her orb began to glow and she teleported to the other side. "Valgaav!" She felt him wake. "What is going ON?" He growled jumping off of her. "Why did you interfere?" Valgaav demanded. "I…I wasn't…I didn't want…you to die," Filia replied. "And why?" Valgaav asked. "Be, because! I didn't want you to die…believing the Golden Dragons were guilty…well maybe we are, but I need to know the truth!" Filia explained. "You are a young dragon?" Valgaav asked. "I was born during the Great War, I didn't know the premises…the elder told me lies…" Filia felt tears welding in her eyes. "So you believe me?" Valgaav asked.

Filia nodded, "The proof is clear, and I'd never accuse you of such a thing…but I never thought my elder would allow such a terrible thing to occur!" Filia shook her head, "So…I give you this, my word…I shall repent for my people's sins…please, I give up my claim as head priestess…as long as you will forgive at least me…" Filia replied. "Why forgive you? You had nothing to do with it…and besides, it is none of your concern! GO home little girl," Valgaav growled. "I shall not! Not until…I find out more!" Filia shook her head. "And how do you plan to find out more?" Valgaav demanded. "By…staying at your side, just for a while…I want to help you!" Filia replied.

"HELP me? I don't need YOUR help! I don't need any help! Just let me be!" Valgaav growled. But before he could teleport, Filia had grabbed onto his arm, "Valgaav…I swear, I won't give up…I'm going to help you! I want you to know, that there will always be people that care…and I'm one of them!" She shook her head. Suddenly, the base exploding took Valgaav's focus off of the pestering Filia. "Dammit…" Valgaav cursed. "Master! Oh master Valgaav! You're alive!" Jillis came running with tears of joy carrying the four weapons in his arms. "Ah! You have them!" Valgaav's eyes lit up. He shook Filia off his arm. "Yes master," Jillis nodded. "Good…" Valgaav chuckled. "You knew you were going to live?" Jillis asked. "I knew that Xellos would go cowering off, just like all Mozaku," Valgaav frowned. "Why do you want to summon Darkstar?" Filia asked with concern. Valgaav ignored her, "Jillis, take care of this…girl" He said. "What do you mean?" Jillis asked. Valgaav took the weapons and disappeared. "No!" Filia cried.

"What's going on?" Jillis wondered. "Where did he go?" Filia demanded grabbing Jillis by the collar. "W, what?" He asked. "Where did Valgaav GO!" She repeated. "He, he went…to place the keys in the castle," Jillis stuttered. "Castle?" Filia let go of Jillis. "That's right…the Castle in the sky, on the floating peninsula surrounded by mirrors…it's where his actual base lies…he had to have a cover base in case the Mozaku were on his trail, only I and the ogre know of the castle…but since Lord Valgaav seems to trust you, I told you" Jillis said. "Trust me?" Filia blinked. "Well, he hasn't killed you yet…nor did he order me to kill you, which I find odd," Jillis explained. "That's…right," Filia thought. She looked up into the grey sky, "Why? Why didn't you kill me?" She wondered. Suddenly, rain began to fall. "Ahh, I hate water!" Jillis fidgeted. "Jillis, where is this castle located?" Filia asked. "Uhh…well, I'm not exactly sure, I've never BEEN to the castle," Jillis laughed. "Dammit!" Filia growled. She then transformed into a dragon, "I'll look for him on my OWN!" She shouted. "Good luck," Jillis mumbled and scurried for cover.