As the wax, I was once a firm hard one shape. No one could change me, or so I thought. Rebellious Zeoliet. When put under the fires of hell, I melted. Becoming flexible, I conformed to the ones around me. I became shaped to the mold of my secant creator. Now, I am what I am known form. The once hard and rebellious Zeoliet dead along with that village as it burned, and Xelloss was born. My form became obedient to the one that molded me. Such is the way of all Mazoku: Slaves to themselves and to their higher master. Such is me, Xelloss, the trickster priest.

"Hello. Nice to meet you. This had to be one of the more exciting days of my life. Well, feeding day is always the more exciting part of the days. I haven't written in so long, I almost have forgotten how. Me, forgetting something? What a stupid notion of myself. I don't forget anything. Well, at lest that is what I strive for. Perfection.

"Anyhow, I guess the question would be who I am. I am Xelloss Metallium, the high priest of Zelas Metallium. I am her highest ranking Mazoku at this time. For some odd reason she hasn't found or made another one, who would be my equal as a General. I'm glad in a way. I don't have to compete for affection or praise, as others from other dark lords. Not that I look for things like this, but the fact that I will never have to know how it feels to compete. I do regret not having one on occasions. Zelas-sama is the only other intelligent being around here, not including The Pack. If she is gone, or busy, I play with the wolves or there pups. They have a kind of being about them that makes them easy to be around. I just can't have a deep conversation with any of them.

"Well, um, that's me in a nut shell. I'm sure your dieing to know how I came to be, or some deep dark secret of mine. Well, you see, I like to keep my secrets, and keep them to myself. You will have to pry hard to get them out on paper, much less out of my mouth. Even then, you will need a languagist to translate for you.

"So, that's me. Xe—"

A large wind picked up around him, ripping the paper out of his grabbed and slung it into the air.

"Aw crap..." He muttered, looking up at the drifting paper. He sighed helplessly as it flue off past his grasp and out to sea. "One would think I would start to get the idea that writing outside was a bad thing..."

He got up and gathered the fountain pin he was using, the jar of ink and paper, and started to head back inside to the fortresses that he called home for over five hundred years now. He enjoyed the seaside view it had till the wind took his writings. He shrugged it off. It wasn't like it was important or anything. He could always make another.

The point of the paper was to get some of his uptightness out of his system. In a few days, Zelas was to take him to an important meeting of the dark lords. He had never met any of the other dark lords outside of the occasional sightings of Deep Sea and Hellmaster. Deep Sea came to try to out do her younger sister, while Zelas often would spend a lot of her time spindling and plotting against her older sister. Hellmaster would come to show Zelas his many children, which Xelloss thought was scary enufe.

When he walked into the fortress, a wolf pup sat to greet him. Even the new members of the Pack where rather large. Most pups old enufe to excape the den where the size of normal wolves. This one was no different. He grasped onto the brim of his cape and started to tug him down the hall playfully. Xelloss took a hold of his black cape and lightly tugged at it.

"Come now. Give it back." His words didn't seem to make the pup want to leave him be. He smiled all the same, kneeling down a bit, petting the gray and white patched fur. "If you let go, I will race you." Emiditly, he let go of the cape and darted down the hall. Xelloss shuck his head, but with a smile, he ran off after him, purposely letting him win.

The pup stood in front of Zelas' thrown room. Xelloss knelt down and petted the pup before looking back to the large elegantly engraved doors. Even know, five hundred years after his transformation, there was still an eeriness to that room. Zelas was a very powerful person. A motion of her eyes could send the wolves hurling to his death or a motion of her hand could burn him out of existence. She was a feared woman. On other hand, she had a smile that could cold his up roaring heart. Her voice could be as gentle as the seas that lap the beaches or as angry as the waters in a mansum. All the thoughts didn't salve the fact the she wanted to see him. He hadn't done anything wrong in her eyes, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

He slowly opened the doors that lead into a very different part of the fortress. There, she sat on her thrown, smocking a long slender stick that held a cigarette at the end. Happily, she motioned for him to come in. He was reassured that she was all but angry with him. He walked in with an arched smile, concealing his eyes.

"Oh there is my genki wolf priest!" She chimed, moving from her pillow filled thrown to a small table off to the side. She motioned for Xelloss to come when he stopped. She sat at the table. Amenity she pulled two goblets made of heavy green glass out onto the table. He sat down at the other end of the small meeting table. She poured some dark yellow/orange liquid into the two and pushed one over to her priest with a smile, taking hers and drank some with ease. The vivid smell of alcohol fumed from the glass. Xelloss gently pushed it away.

"No thank you." He said in a timid voice. She pushed it back to him, but a bit more stern.

"Come now, Xelloss. Try it." She demanded. "The other lords will never let me live it down if you can't keep one glass of wine."

Xelloss looked to the glass with speculation before taking it into his hand. He took a mouth full and swallowed. It had to be the nastiest tasting thing he had ever had. It burned his thoughts going down and made his stomach churn. He looked to her with a chilling face. Even his closed eyes gave way to tears. She laughed, patting the side of his face. "You are so cute!" He didn't understand what was so cute about his pain filled face. Afishuly, he pushed away the goblet, refusing to take another sip of the poisonous drink.

It took him a moment before he could talk again, but then he did, his voice was very raspy. "That wasn't wine..." he muttered.

"Your right; it wasn't." She said with a smile. "It was liquor. A rather strong form too." She smiled to him with a bit of slyness in her golden eyes. "It takes a few times before you learn to like it."

"I don't think I want to lean how to like it." He muttered.

"You make it sound like a bad thing." She sighed, leaning back in the chair, holding the goblet in her hand, swirling it in the elegant green glass. Xelloss watched her; just glad she didn't make him finish the rest of the glass. "That isn't why I brought you here. I wanted to tell you that the meeting had been moved up a bit."

"Oh..." he looked to the glass with little amusement in his plane looking face. He felt this coming. The forces of the Ryuuzoku where rising. He could feel the ocean becoming more intolerable. Even this far out to sea, he would seen a dragon or two fly over. Zelas told him time and again to leave them be. If one fell over the island, then they would know where her fortress lay. It was safely hidden way in the middle of the forbidden sea. "How soon?"

"Tomorrow."

* * * * *

He lay there in his bed, stunned. Tomorrow it was. The day they would decide on whether or not they would go up against the building armies of Ceiphied. There was rumor going around with the lords that Lei Magus, the body chosen to hold their lord, Shabranigdo, was going to be their as well. That made him even more nervous.

Looking across the room, he saw his clothing neatly set out for the fallowing day along with his staff propped up on the wall. He smiled, looking at the orb of his staff. It was a peasant from his lady. It was given to him for his flawless duties. Inside, a single flame burned. This flame was strengthened with blood, meaning the more battles he was in, the stronger the staff would be. The staff now belonged to him and him alone. It became his pride. He never went anywhere without it, even if it was just around the corner of his room.

Soon, sleep came over his form. The dark of his room was cast away and brought back to life with flowers that scattered the floor. It seemed that they grow from the sealed cracks in the floor to make a patted landscape of muity colored flowered field. It was inviting to wake up to such beauty, instead of the bland tile floor.

Across the room sat a finger that seemed to be made from stone. It didn't move at all. He walked over to the stone, seeing the man that lay inside the elegant priest clothing. It wasn't anyone he thought he knew. Glancing around the room, he looked for answers, but the flowers gave none. Then he looked back to the stoned man, he realized the eyes where not stone, but rather sharp red rubies inlayed where the eyes where to be carved in.

Being a bit nervous of a stone man being placed in his room, he decided to leave his room to ask his lady where it came from. When he opened the door, he had to stop himself before stepping into a sea of black. The thick black acid of Mazoku blood filled the hall ways, eating away at whatever wasn't stone. He quickly stepped back and shut the door to insure that none of the black river of ooze wouldn't come flowing into his room. He looked for some other way to get out of the room. The thick blood was oozing from under the door, killing the fragile flowers around it, thrusting them into a temporally flame.

He quickly grabbed his staff and looked to the window. Before climbing out the window, he glanced to the stone man that was sitting there in his room. Mysteriously, it had vanished, leaving nothing behind but his cloke and staff. He couldn't see how such a sterdy object could leave the room without help or even in the short time his back was turned.

Disregarding his thoughts, he climbed out and landed on the grass below him. When he leaned back against the brick, there was nothing. It seemed like a void he had fallen in till he feel onto the ground of long grass. He wasn't sure what had happened or what was going on till he saw an inviting face.

"You're late." She said gently. He looked up at the green eyed beauty he had hoped to see when he lay down. He relaxed more, closing his eyes, laughing lightly.

"This is all dream." He said once his laughed subsided. She sat down next to him, stocking his purple hair, looking off into the sky, watching the dragons fly by. He quickly sat up, looking up at them. "Why are there so many?!"

"Shh..." She hushed him. "They will see you." He looked to her and smiled. She never acted like this was a dream at all. Something he loved about the rare times he would spend with her in his sleep. That made it seem all that more real. "They are searching for shelter. The ancients don't want anything to do with the war."

That made since to him. He lay down back in the soft grass, looking up at the blue and black sky. She lay there next to him. All was right in the world.

* * * * *

Dawn broke over the sky when he got up from his odd but well enjoyed sleep. It took him a moment before he remembered what was being planed for that day. Promptly, he left his bed and rushed into the bathing room that was give to him to quickly wash up. He wanted to look well for his lady and her siblings, not to michen, if the rumors where right, he would want to look his very best for his lord.

Clumsily, he hobbled out of the wash tub, desperately looking around for his towel.

"Looking for this?" Zelas held up a towel while standing the door way, not looking at all to pleased. Xelloss quickly shacked the towel and wrapped it around himself.

"Can you knock next time?" he asked politely even thought he wanted to yell out of frustration.

"I did, and obviously you didn't hear me, so I let myself in. Why didn't you do this last night?" she scowled.

"It didn't cross my mind before I headed to bed. Are we late?" He stood there, looking to ether, starting to feel the chill of the water drop off him.

"How many times have I told you that Mazoku do not need sleep." She looked into his eyes sharply. Her gold orbs always had a way of cutting right into him. "No, we aren't late, but I wanted to get there a bit early to introduce you to some of them there, but I guess we will have to wait till after the meeting for that. Now, hurry up and get ready. We will be leaving shortly." With that, she left without even letting him say a word. Feeling a bit guilty, Xelloss stood there for a moment. That moment was cut short when a soft breeze ran across his wet feet. As if that renewed his awareness of what was going on, nothing would. He quickly dried himself and dressed. With his towel, he rubbed his head to get his hair dry. He couldn't help but laugh at himself when seeing his scrabbled spiked hair in the mirror. He thought that if one day this hairstyle ever became a liked hairstyle among the people, he would die. It looked ridicules.

After he got over himself in the mirror, he brushed his hair and came to the rest of his belonging. He fasion his cape and shawl onto his shoulder and tired his boots. He eminently grabbed his staff and hurried his way to his lady. The door way before her thrown room, she stood there waiting for him. He stopped in front of her and gave her a smile. She couldn't help but let the bad mood role off her back. She took his arm and interlocked his and hers together. They set out to take on this meeting together.

She set him on the outside of the door and told him to stay. He mumbled and grumbled at her command but never openly complained. She taped his cheek and smiled as she walked into the meeting of lords. From inside, Xelloss could hear Deep Sea mock her younger sister about being late. Zelas said nothing to her for the time being. Xelloss smiled knowing Zelas would have a game on how to get back at her after the meeting was over, which meant it wouldn't be boring for the rest of the day.

He thought about the ground around him. He found it very odd that they would choose a cave to hold a meeting. Zelas had told him that they don't meet in another lord's grounds because of disagreements among the siblings and not one of them trusted each other. That was all understandable, but why a cave?

He thought about it again and some what understood. If anyone was planning on attacking them, who would think of attacking them in a place like this? Who would think of looking for five dark lords in a cave? He thought it was pretty claver of who ever thought of it.

Time must have gotten away from him while he was thinking. When he took notice, the sun had moved much farther down the sky. They where still talking rather deep in the room. He poked his head around the doorway and looked in curiosity. His ears pecked up when he heard his name machined a few times and then finally called.

"Coming, my lord." He muttered half timidly. He walked in to the room, holding his staff tightly. His lady was the first at the table. Sitting across from her was a clean cut man with white hair. Beside him was Phibrizo, the Hellmaster. Across the table from him was Deep Sea. He said nothing to dishonor her in the mist of so many more powerful lords. His gaze gall apon a man that sat between the two women. He was an abnormally tall man with blinding red hair that fall to the ground when he sat. The older man looked to Xelloss with a grin. Xelloss jumped back and quickly moved beside his lady.

"What's his problem...?" Asked the red head as his smile was wiped from his face.

"Zelas-sama, you have a very ugly brother..." he whimpered. Zelas laughed, rubbing his head.

"Dear, Xelloss. Please has some repact, okay?" He gave a little nod but refused to move anywhere close to the redhead.

"So he's the one you choose, Zelas?" Xelloss' gaze was forced to a man at the head of the table. He wasn't Mazoku, which was for sure. Xelloss became very uneasy all of a sudden. The man was human, but not any kind of human. This man had a lot of power and the power was greater then the lords in this room. He began to wonder how a human could posses such power, but somewhere deep inside him already knew. That man before him deserved all the respect her could ever dream of giving.

"Yes my lord. This is Xelloss Metallium. Xelloss this is-"She turned to look to her priest, but was surprised to see him hold his hand over his chest and bow before the man at the other end of the table. She smiled to him, proud of his display already. "This is Lei Magus' body, but inside him, and the man talking to you know, is your lord, Ruby-eyed Shabranigdo."

"What an honor to be in the presents of my lord." Xelloss said softly. The white haired man leaned over to Hellmaster and wisped a comment to his brother. Whatever it was, Hellmaster agreed with him. Xelloss tried hard not to pay any mind but to his lord in front of him. He knew if he made one false move, he could be killed just by a look from this man's eyes.

"How well behaved." The red head said bitterly. "Did you train him yourself?"

"Matter of fact, I did, Garvy-puu." She smirked to him, saying everything in a very giddy sarcasm. "Got a problem with that?" He only rolled his eyes and looked back to the man at the head of the table.

"You don't have to stay bowed." Said the man in the priest robs. Xelloss stood back up as he was commanded. He saw the man smiling to him. He didn't know how to judge that. A smile could mean that he was going to be eaten or that he was pleased. Lucky for him it was the later. "Now then, Zelas has told me so much about your progress from your not so average Mazoku-hood. You're very lucky to be living." He set his hands, folded, on the table as he leaned foreword. "Something about you tells me you are going to be with us for a very long time." Xelloss watched the man with great anxiety. He couldn't stop thinking about how powerful the man before him was. The Lord of all Mazoku, and he had the honor of standing in his presents without being killed. "Zelas and I have agreed to bust your powers in two ways. Your title now has become Xelloss Metallium, Priest and General." Xelloss gave a large grin as he looked to his lady beside him. She nodded slightly. He looked back to the man, knowing he wasn't done.

"I have been debating on who I would give these to." He set out four black orbs that where embedded into metal.

A voice in the back of young priest's mind wisped the name, "Blood Talisman," and he repeated it out loud without thought. The man looked to him again and gave him a grin with slightly narrowed eyes. "How did you know what they where called? Did Zelas tell you about them?" Xelloss quickly shock his head. He opened his mouth to explain the sensation of what he just experienced, but he didn't know how to put it in words, so he shut his mouth and looked down as he thought. The man's grin stayed. "Come here." He ordered. Xelloss looked to the man with slightly wide eyes. His feet refused to move for him as he feared the man, and feared he did something wrong.

"Go!" Zelas said in anger. She pushed him. He finally let himself move. He made sure he said away from the red head by walking around from the other side of the table. He stood before the human man with fear.

"Hold your hand out." He did as he was ordered. The priest took on of the talisman and set it into his hand. The black orb sunedly came to life and started to take on a red color. Xelloss looked to it in surprise. In his hand, he felt power serge thought him. It was different from having the power as a Mazoku. This was a power of something greater them himself. "They are made for your hands. Take them and use them wisely." The two priests came eye to eye. "I know we are going to meet many times after this, so get over your nervousness." He said at last. He turned away from Xelloss and to the rest of the group. "Dismissed."

Xelloss looked over to his lady who was smiling at him. Phibrizo stood up and patted him on the back. "Good job, boy." the dark haired man communed. First time in front of him and you impressed him."

The Redheaded man stood up and walked over to the younger priest. He looked down at him from his tall perch. "All he did was make the talisman move." Xelloss looked behind him quickly before darting behind Phibrizo. Hellmaster looked up at the tall man with a nasty demander to his face.

"Do you ever shut up?" He grumbled.

He leaned down, glaring at the shorter man. "What are you going to do about it, little brother?" he snared.

He only glared back, but he held a gold orb this time. "Don't tempt me, Lion Manned Ogre." He backed down, walked away from the two. Phibrizo turned around and handed Xelloss the three remanding talisman and patted his head. "Don't fear Garv. He's all bark with no teeth." At that, Garv turned to them with a glair. Phibrizo gave him a smile and laughed lightly.

The man that was sitting next to Phibrizo walked over to the seine to get a better look at his sister's newest creation. Xelloss waited for some type of complement, but came up with nothing. He griped the priest's face and forced him to look into his eyes. Xelloss looked up at that steal blue gray eyes. Silences filled the room for a long moment. Dynast finally smirked and let go. He turned away from the since without a word.

"Dynast, you probly scared the poor boy." Zelas stood up and walked over to Xelloss. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"No..." He clutched his gift in his arms, a bit shaken.

"You can't baby him forever, Zelas. He has to learn to defend himself. One day he might have to fight something larger then even us." Zelas looked over to her older brother with a growl. He looked to her with nearly emotionless eyes before he turned and walked away from the meeting. Zelas looked back to her general and patted his face.

"Don't let him bully you. Other then Phibrizo-oniisan, all the others are horrible." She said this, but she knew her older brother, Dynast, was right. She still had work to do on the boy. Her eyes narrowed a bit. She was going to make him fearless, even before their lord.

Late that night, Xelloss found himself sitting beside his lady on the ground beside her thrown. There where pillows littering the ground for her 'pups' to lie. All of them where soft, so Xelloss found pleaser laying on them at times. His head was laying on her arm rest as he enjoyed in her gentle strokes of her hand to his hair. Her long fingernails came though his hair in a soothing way. He loved quite moments like this.

A thought came into his mind. He didn't know whether to ask her what was on his mind. He looked up at her. She was sitting, goading in her liquor, as she did most other times, at the moment. She felt his head move and decided to put down her beverage and look down to him. Her smile faded as she saw the slight distress in her perfect priest, and now general's, face. Her hand gently gassed his cheek as she spoke quietly.

"Something bothering you, Hun?" His closed sucan in arched eyes was chough into her golden ones.

"No... I was just thinking about how you choose me to be your highest on command." He said is a soft tone. He always talked a little quitter then she did to show respect and summation.

"What a lovely thought." She said with a joyful tone. Thinking back, Xelloss couldn't completely agree with her. The way he became what he was now was far from, 'lovely.' Regardless, he couldn't say that it wasn't worth it now. He has lived longer and expressed much more then if he where human. For that, he was grateful. He also enjoyed time with his lady and doing things for her. He, at this point in his life, wouldn't have it any other way.

"Don't you think so?" He smiled to her and gave her a small nod even if there where some disagreements he knew not to voice. "Then why do you look so down? I would have guessed you hated your position beside me."

"I would never decline my place right now." He said in his defiance.

"Then what is bothering you, love?" She looked to him in question, almost as a child would look to an elder for answers. He looked away and fettling with his fingers. Wording went thought his head. He was learning, even now, that wording was everything. If worded a certain way, one could pervoc any action that the speaker wants.

"Well, I was thinking, what if another human or Mazoku was chosen in my place?" His words where delicately put together to saw a tapistery of suggestions. He hoped the words pleased her. He couldn't ask his question stair out without sparking a bit of bitterness in her. He didn't want to spoil the restful mood that was set before them.

"What a mindless though of you, Xelloss!" She laughed lightly. "You should know, by now, that no one could replace you!"

"There where many other more eligible humans then myself. I am sure there where a few that caught your eye and made you think twice." This made Zelas think for a moment before she smiled to him.

"You fought back." She answered the unasked question bluntly.

"Excuse me?" he was a bit surprised she would read though him so well. He wanted to make sure they where thinking of the same thing.

"You wanted to know why I chouse you over them. You fought back. You where incessant and untouched by the outside world, and most of all, you had the raw qualities I wanted in my priest." Her voice was cleverly stated, as where her eyes. Xelloss looked to her with a nervous laugh.

"I see... What qualities, might I ask?"

"You where mischievous, you didn't let anything get in your way when you wanted to do something bad enough and you hated the dragon that ran that joint." She smiled to him to mach his smile. She took some of his cheek in between two fingers and started to shack his head with that flab of skin. "Not to michen how cute you are! I couldn't pass you up!" He couldn't help but feel a rather large sweatdrop fall down his face. He didn't stop her from scratching out his face and forcing his face to make cuter and embarrassing face.

"I'm glawed you tank so." He managed to say between starches. Evenchly, she stopped and patted him on the face. He laughed again and rubbed his face.

"Oh, you make my life not so lonely." She took a swig of her liquor before resuming the conversation. "But I guess you probably want to, 'go to sleep.'"

"If that was okay with you..." He said carefully. He couldn't forget how mad she was this morning when he minched he had slept in.

"Of corse not. Just realize that you won't be able to sleep all the time. I might have you on night long missions." She looked down to him. He was standing in front of her kneeling on one knee and gently kissing her hand. She seemed flattered by this and gave off a small blush on her face that she never had, even when she had drank too much.

"Thank you. I will take my leave now, by your masseur." With that, he stood and walked out of the thrown room, leaving Zelas astonished.

* * * * *

Something seemed oddly familiar about the place I found myself standing this night, though it felt strangely odd as well. The ocean was lapsing at my feet. It was nice and warm, like the ides that pull in from the south on the island where I stay. The sun shown brightly on my face and filling the air around me with warmth, like the tides. This seemed like one of thoughts days I would finding a place to sleep.

I caught notice of a couple walking the beach. The man was no taller then myself with thick brown hair tied back in a ponytail. The lady was a bit shoulder then him here with long beautiful brown hair that hung to her mid back. She looked some what like the girl of my dreams from behind. I couldn't help but smile to the couple hand in hand.

Suavely, the atmosphere changed. The sky started to show sighs of rain ahead. The air started to push my short locks out of my face and behind me. I looked to my side to see how the couple was cooping. No one was there. I looked farther up the shore and saw the man kneeling on the ground. The fragrant of fear filled my nostrils. Something happened and the girl was nowhere to be seen. I could since Zelas not far from the man.

A since filled my veins along with a horrible stick of dragon. I looked back to the sky and saw the clouds I saw earlier where starting to take shapes of black and gold dragons. The red of my talisman flickered and somehow I knew what to do. My wrists where bought up to the side of my shoulders. The four talisman formed a diamond in their positioning. With Zelas-sama's help, I had decided on placing a talisman on each wrist, one around my neck and the last on my belt. Words came to my mouth without any thought.

"Shikai no yami o suberu ou Nanji no kakera no enishi ni shitagai Nanjira subete no chikara mote..." (Four kinds who rule the darkness of the four universes I implore you on your fragments I have That by all the power you posses...)

Great power started to flood my body like a storm. This was like no other power Zelas-sama has shown me before. This was the power of four lords who all lived from different worlds. One of them was the same as the man that was in the meeting earlier. Shabranigdo-sama.

The power and force around me was still not very contained or controlled. The ground under me started to rise into the sky. That was an advantage for me. Now I could see the dragons coming at me from eye level. The sun on my neck was harsh but inviting as I started to finish my cast.

A soft whisper behind me called my name, but a name I have been without for half a mulinum now. I tried not to let it distract me as I pointed my finger into the sky. Just as I prepared to let out my assault, I had to look back. I was taken by complete surprise when I saw myself standing there beside me, watching me cast this mass destruction. My brown gold eyes looked deep into my now amethyst colored ones.

"Zeoliet...Zeoliet!" cried an invisible voice behind him. His body faded away as did my consciousness. I hade changed from that being I once was many years ago. The change was good, I admitted to myself. My name... I no longer knew it.

Zeoliet... Zeolei... Xeleo...Xello... Xelloss...

It came evening that night. Xelloss was sitting at a table enjoying the kill from earlier. He had cooked it himself. Zelas was not far off. She was going to join him in a few but she had some thinking to adhere for.

The smell of roast filled the room. He was a good cook regardless of popular belief. The tinder white flakey meat lay there on a platter. One would think that it was a large fish that made this piece possible, but on the other hand it was dragon meat. It was more of the dialect part of the creacher that was rarely harvested because of it's high connotation of poison. Most poison was not effected by Mazoku because of there no digestion habits of there bodies. They ate for pleaser along.

As he sat down Zelas took note and came to sit as well. Xelloss had placed a bottle of wine there at the table for his lady. She seemed pleased about it for that was the first thing she grabbed, filled her cup and drank all done in no time at all. She pored another glass and then took intrast in the main corice.

Xelloss looked to his lady in concern before taking it his dinner. The night progressed very quietly as they ate. This was a sigh to him that she wasn't doing well. This was very out of character for her. Just as he began to ask she stopped him by speaking herself.

"He's planning something." She grubbed. Xelloss didn't have to ask what. She looked to his closed eyed and confused face and knew she needed to alaberat. "Garv isn't going to just hold off the dragons." She paused to drink another glass of wine at once. "I think he is going to try to take on the water dragon himself." Xelloss noted the light bit of worry in her voice.

"He would be a fool to do so." She agreed as she nawed on the meat. "Would he-" She nodded to him, finishing her bite.

"He loves war more then any of the other Mazoku. He would pull a stunt like this." She confirmed. "But I won't let him without knowing everything." She pushed her plate aside and looked at Xelloss firmly. Only a small smirk insured him that she wasn't angry with him. "That's where you come in." He fallowed his lady's sute by pushing his half eaten plate out of the way and setting his arms on the table.

"Oh?" he replied. She nodded, smiling even larger.

"You get to play spy and see what my brother is up to." Xelloss' face was wiped clean of his smirk. He sat back quickly and shock his head.

"I am scared to death of that man!" He just about yelled. "He's not only scary looking but powerful too!"

"Oh, hush, Xelloss." She demanded as she looked over the remanding bit of wine in the bottle. "You are being disrespectful and over reacting as well." She muttered as she poured it into her glass. The cup only filled half full. She frowned at the glass, unhappy that it turned out like that. "You have the talisman that Shabranigdo-sama gave you. Be happy and stop complaining. With that you are almost as powerful as I am meaning you probably have the same power as my brother. All you would need to do is out smart him." She chuckled as she brought the cup to her lips. "Believe me, my fighting brother isn't that hard to outsmart." And she drank.

Xelloss though over his lady's words as he slumped in the chair. He knew he didn't have a choice in the matter. He would go out and be her little fly on the wall whether or not he liked it. "Alright..."

She smirked as she slouched in the chair. Her eyes looked aimlessly around the room. Xelloss watched her glazed over and fake smile was she let the fermented grapes get to her. Normally she didn't let herself become drunk, but there where times she let the hold come off her and she would flatter off into her own world. At times like this she would sleep. He had to be careful around her, more so, then any other time for she could easily snap without thinking about it. With this in mind he slowly stood from his chair and bowed.

"I will make perpetrations to leave now then." Zelas said nothing as she lay in there chair. Seeing her like this some times brought grief to Xelloss. It wasn't normal. It didn't matter how much torment his lady put him though there would always be a tug of a strange love, like one of a mother and son, and a forever lasting loyalty between creator and creation. He hid his though in his heart and walked out of the room. There would be no sleep tonight.

The night went by with ease. He sent it looking for Garv's mountain palace. It was rare that another dark lord or there minion would trot over to another lord's fortress of palace. More of the lords had there strong differences with one other. Alliances between lords where rare unless if was Zelas and Phibrizo or Deep Sea and Dynast. Garv was not taken well with anyone because of this thick headedness and his lack to think before jumping into things. His Priest and General did much of his thinking for him. He was soon to find himself without both.

Xelloss knew well, knowing Garv already hated him dearly, that if he was chought walking close to the place he could easily be sentences to death. He tried hard not to think about that and stay on guard, for if he did he might lose his gut to be there and bale out. Instead he stayed in his perch in a tree like a cat taking it's morning lazy in the tree.

The sun was high in the sky before Xelloss realized that staying there would do him no good. He had to get in some how, but he couldn't go in looking like he did. His eyes started to wonder around at the lesser mazoku that came out hopping there was one or two that looked half way like him. Most of them where ugly and war torn from the torment of constant battle Garv put them though. He wanted nothing to do with such things.

After a while, a ranizable finger came out of the caves there. He seemed to be some kind of priest as well. His was draped in fire red that came to his ankles. His shoes where distasteful brown boots, he thought. The man over used the read theme way too much. His hair and eyes where red as well.

"Maybe some blue in there somewhere..." Xelloss thought to himself. All the other lesser mazoku where heading back inside. As they, did they would bow to the man in red. "Or even some yellow or orange, if he was going for the fire tones..." The man didn't take note to anyone of them. He only looked out over the baron mountain range. "Black boots would be good with that, but I still say the robe should be a little longer."

When the surrounding where quite again the man turned and looked directly into the tree Xelloss was in. Xelloss stiffened up a bit as he saw the flamed like man looking to him. It was a brief moment of discomfort, for the man turned away again.

The purple haired priest looked down at his wrist and eyed his newest power trip. He only smiled to him gratefully. The arched eyes with such a simple smile looked the oppitomy of instincts. With that you.... probably have the same power as my brother. What did he have to fear then, he thought to himself. The worst that man out there could be was Garv's assistant, child, ugly child at that, or priest; all in which he succeeded their power ten to twenty fold.

"I know you are up there." A strong voice came from below. Xelloss was pulled from his thoughts and forced to look back to the redhead. "You have been hiding there longer then I have been here." He went on. His gaze, though, stayed with the mountains. Xelloss came down from his perch in the tree limbs and came tords the man. That's when the man moved. His full body moved sharply to the purple haired priest with his staff drawn near and always had a spell within two word's grasp. "Don't move or I will kill you!"

Xelloss came to a stop. His face arched dramatically as he laughed lightly under blanket of sudden nervousness. "No harm meant for you, sir. I am nothing but a simple observer." The priest wasn't buying the lame excuse and Xelloss knew it quite fast, so he decided to stand down. A simple step back made the red head calm to an ease, but never let down his staff.

"You are not a servant of Garv's." He said ever so bluntly.

"You are right." Xelloss answered back in the same demeanor.

"Then you aren't welcome here." His voice rose again. His eyes seemed to flame with fiery so hot that Xelloss could feel his skin tingle with an odd sensation. "Leave!"

"I can't do that." Suddenly Xelloss felt an easy wash over him. "You see, I am on a mission." A smile that seemed innocent and devilish all at once came to his lips for the first time. "There for that can't happen."

"And what Mission might that be?" He snared.

"Well, you see..." Xelloss pushed, only his body, himself over just a little and placed a hand on his hip. The man squirmed with slight anticipation for Xelloss' reply. An eyelid opened and a purple eye was seen under it. The eye was seemed to press heart on this man's curiosity so hard that he even leaned in a little to hear Xelloss' expiation. "...that would..." Finally, putting the last touch on this fiasco, Xelloss brought a finger up but to the side of his lips and shock it lightly. "...be a secret."

At first the man didn't know what to say. That was definitely not what he expected him to say, but the emotion quickly ware out and his spell was unlashed right for the man. "You will pay for the smart mouth of yours!" He yelled. Xelloss, knowing that his actions would rub him the wrong way, had vanished. His irritated emotion was very sweet to the tong. He liked it greatly.

As the dust cleared, the priest found the spot vacant of his victim. He growled deep and rich in the back of his throat. "Come back you coward! Fight me!" He screamed. The mountains echoed his cry for war. Xelloss still wanted to play. His emotions where well beyond good to let himself just flee. He slightly rubbed the man's shoulders from behind.

"You like yelling, don't you?" Xelloss said with a large grin. The man worled around quickly to hit the annoying bug that happened to be on his plot of land, but this purple bug had other plans. Just to tick this man off even more he decided to play a trick that would taint his reputation for ages to come. Xelloss locked lips with the man. Completely stunned, the man hesitated in his attack. With this opportunity, the trickster took a hold of the fellow priest's staff and pulled it from his foe. With it done, a simple thought cast the thing into flame.

Xelloss quickly found a fist placed into his stomach. Very humbly, Xelloss moved way from the intumant position from the man while holding his stomach. He couldn't help be give out a chuckle as soon as his folded up body could move again. The other man didn't seem to amused. At the moment he was spitting to the ground in degust.

"Not bad." Xelloss said mockingly. The upset priest came with him with a fist of fire. Xelloss, being wise to his unwanted ness, quickly filed back.

"Shut Up and let me kill you!" He roared.

"Now your face matches the rest of your onsomble!" it was true. The man's face was a flush bright red color that was filled with embarrassment, and now a fervent hate for this priest he had never met before now. He said nothing more back came at Xelloss in a wave of fury.

Fury... Yes, it was a food, but not the best of the tasting. He much rather feast on the treat of frustration and irritation. The game didn't seem so fun any more. He couldn't let the news of Xelloss being here spared nor could he run and run the risk of his Lady's fortress being unveiled to her brother's eyes. He knew this man would not stop at anything to have his head. After all, he did destroy his staff. That would be the least of his worries now though. The man was more hate driven because of Xelloss steeling something the man probly never had before.

He decided to make his move. The armlets started to glow. He didn't even try to make them. The slight feeling of Shabranigdo and another lord filled the air around him. At this time Xelloss didn't realize that was going on. Blackness pulled around him but the talisman pushed away the blackness to let out there blood red color. The air grow thick around him. His advancing foe stopped just before hitting him and looked in aw. He knew his highest lord's fell even though he had never met him. This was not a very inviting feeling but he did not move. His lags seemed to lock in place to keep him from moving.

Xelloss gave the man the last hunting look. His sinister eyes, both shimming with amethyst melted into each pore, stirred to his helpless foe. A grin came over his face as the ball of energy was reliced from his staff and into the man. There was a short lived scream before the redhead was elimated into dust.

All the energy and lighting slowly faded back into the air where it came from. He stood stunned. He looked to one of his wrists in aw. The talisman where still warm, which felt nice on his skin.

The sound of feet behind him warned him that others told the brief scream. He turned to the mouth of the cave where we saw some foot solders and another man, probly the same rank as the priest, running torlds him. He smirked lightly, silently regretting that he couldn't stay, and disappeared. The front man growled and tossed his sword aside.

"Damn you, spawn of that Beast!" He yelled. He knew well who that smirking form was. Garv had just finished a chat about the talisman that he wore. He knew by the mere feel of its presents.

This priest, the one living, was very content with himself. His Mazoku stomach was filled, as was his growing ego. He sat back in his room there in the fortress with a grin. A hand held one of the red gems. He twisted it back and forth to see his warped reflection in it. A smug snicker leaked between his lips at times when he thought of how the man reacted to him toying around. Toying, yes. That would be a good way of putting it. There was no pleaser in that stolen kill then to see the man filled with embarrassment after words.

"Did you enjoy your power trip?" Xelloss' attention was dragged from the red gem to the opening of the door. He went to stand at the presents of his lady, but she motioned her hand for him to stay put. In a compromise, he sat up in his bed and strained out the few wrinkles that clacked from him laying there.

"It was fun." He admitted with a grin.

She walked over to him, tossing back her golden locks with a grin. "I am pleased that you finally grasped this aspect," Her hands lightly stocked the back of his head and straighten out his shawl as she sat down next to him. He stat prode next to him. He lived to please his lady, "...but" she did not, at all, show the grace and love he had hopped. That hand that graced his back with tenderness suddenly grasped his neck with bitter strength. His eye went wide and his whole body stiffened. He knew if he moved she would and probly could break his neck, or worse. "Don't you dear act on your own without my consent, understood?!"

There was no room for question in her voice. He gave a slow nod of his head, fearing to speak in the presents of her anger. She smirked at his fear. A treak for her, indeed. Her hand moved away from his neck, but not far. She acted like she was brushing the lint off his back. "Good boy. Just know a dragon shoulder is nothing you need me for, unless it invalives mazoku as well." Her hand rested on her shocked priest's shoulder. She was pleased with his reaction. "I am just a little upset that Garv-chan is going to be breathing down my back now."

"Forgive me. I wasn't thinking." He muttered softly. The talisman now rest in his lap. He looked down at it with a bit of regret for his actions though in the small corner of his mind he was still laughing at the outcome of her approach. He decided he had to do more things like this.

"Don't worry about it." these where surprising words that came from her mouth. Xelloss quickly whipped his head up to her in confusion. His wrinkled forehead told her to explain herself without a single sound echoing from his lips. "What is done is done. The foot kissing fool you took out will be, in no way missed, except by Garv, that is. Garv gave the priest a bit of his own power to help boot the priest. You should feel privileged to be so flexible." Xelloss felt a grin come to his lips. His eyes also closed once again to his cute arched eyes. "But..." there was always a dapper on his moods. Always an exception that meant not all his tail was covered. "With the talisman used, the whole Mazoku race will know you used them. The power is a magnet for enemies. Remember that."

She stood and headed to the door in silence. Just as she reached for the door's handle she stopped and turned back around to Xelloss who had gone back to stirring at the talisman, and thought about her words for later use. "Xelloss," She said sweetly. He looked back to her with no word, but an attentive ear. "Did you find out anything about Garv?"

Embarrassed a little, he had completely forgotten about his mission when he started to play. "Well," he thought of his observations. There where some abnormalities among the acting of the players there where he was. "The group seemed unsettled; maybe even a bit restless." She nodded a few times before turning away, logging the information in her mind.

"Don't forget dinner tonight. A lesser went hunting today and found a young dragon." A smirk curled around his lips as he nodded. With nothing left to say, she left him to think about current events. The though of young meat swarmed his mind with the piercing thought of him taking out what might be classed with him on the mazoku social scale.

Later that night he came to the table with clean clothing on and since dried hair that was nicely colmed. Staying clean and fit for anything was not an option for Xelloss, aspeshly when seeing his lady. He never wanted her to see anything less from him.

When he arrived, Zelas had already taken her set and waited for him to join her. A smile came over him as he approached her. She grinned back to him in the same manner. Both knew how achuse one another was to bit into the tinder flesh but both had the manners to wait for the other.

Just as he pulled his chair out to sit, the whole place shuttered with such force that it almost knocked him off his feet. He clamped onto the chair to steady himself. The air was filled with an unbelievable power he only knew from one place, but now it wasn't contained. This power streamed with another power that opposed it so grandly it seemed that the air fought with it's self.

The windows rattled with a trifling sound. Xelloss turned to his lady for an expiation, but she offered none. She was standing from her chair. Her chair was fallen to the floor. He had not heard her stand. He could only assume it was the sound of the windows shacking in fear. Seeing the state of his mistearus made him a bit fearful as well.

Soon a servant came running into the room. He bowed deeply to them both as he stopped a good four or five yards from them.

"Don't just stand there," Zelas barked out in frustration, "Tell us!"

"Yes, 'em!" He said in brutal nervousness. "Shabranigdo-sama decided to take his planes early, My Lady!" Zelas' eyes widen as she looked to the servant in disbelief. Xelloss didn't know what to think other then he knew well that his master lord was a Mazoku that plans thing out carefully. He would never go into anything rash without telling the other members of his force, unless...

"His hand was forced." Xelloss looked to his lady who had mumbled a few words. She started to pace regardless of the ground and glass shuttering. "That has to be why... He would have said something before hand... Unless he suspected a spy or a rebellion..."

"One of his servants came by here just a moment ago." This brought Zelas' attichen back to him. Her close servant that was to join her that evening became enthralled with the conversation and almost annoyed with the consent shuttering of the fortress, but the conflict in the air kelp him from showing it. "He told me tolled me tell you to go on with the strategy as planed." Zelas confirmed his final thoughts with a nod. The servant quickly ran out of the room. He himself did not know what was going on either. He was just repeating things that where told to him.

"You want an explanation." Zelas could feel her priest's eyes lay on her. She also didn't hear him respond, but she didn't need to. She knew the nature of her servant well and knew he expected at lest this much of him. "Shabranigdo-sama was planning on staging a war with Ceiphied. He either found the right opportunity to strike ahead of time or Ceiphied struck him."

"I see..." He responded. There was little enragement in his voice. He didn't know what else to say. How could he express the feeling of two awesome forces of that realm now fighting one another? "What should we do?"

"Each of us where given an area to subdue. Our area is a little out of the way and might be hard to find." She watched Xelloss' never changing expiation as she talked. She knew she felt very much like he did. Nervousness was a fellow emotion at this point and neither of them enjoyed the taste of it. "He chose this place to test your powers, Xelloss." That's when his face let up with surprise.

"What do you mean?" He wanted to be harsh with his tone, but he held back greatly. A lump formed hard in his throat. He regretted saying this much to her. He gold eyes of wrath seeped daggers into his. His feet took a step back in colsion as he thought about his words, and what made her in this speechless anger. He finally realized how foolish his question was. "Forgive me," his head bowed. His locks falling in front of his paled over face as his meek apology hoped to mind her anger. He realized how that she was just a stressed about this as he was. What he didn't know was she was stressed about losing him in this up coming battle.

"Are you hungry, Xelloss?" She asked simply. When he looked back up at her, she was sitting back in her chair with a glass of wine grassing her fingertips. Her eyes where closed as she began to gather herself.

"No, my lady," he answered softly. No timid ness fallowed in his voice. Rather, he looked to her in a hidden confusion. How could she think of food while the world around her shock in such violates?

"Don't question me, even in your thoughts, Xelloss." Only a slit of her eyes peeked out from under her eyelids. "Remember I created you. I know you better then you know yourself."

He didn't respond, but then again, she wasn't expecting him to either.

The night passed slowly. He stood there and waited for orders, but never asked for them. She kept drinking, and at times, she would nibble on the small bit of rich dragon meat. Xelloss refused to talk with her, knowing how stressed she was. Finally, by morning, he motioned her hand at him. It was a given, now, that she wanted to be left alone.

His as his heals turned to move to the door, her voice stopped him.

"Sleep now..." She growled, "...because we make our move tomorrow at this very time." He only nodded and walked out. It felt as if cold pitch was pored over him. there was no way he could sleep like this, and he knew well of it, so he spent the day preparing for battle. This battle, unlike the others he has participated in, would be hard and testing on all his abilities. Most of all, Zelas could not bale him out if he was stuck. He would have to rely on wit, strength, and power alone.

With the fallowing mouths...years, everything seemed to proceeded as they all feared form both sides. Ceiphied and Shabranigdo where both an even mach for each other; as where their loyal children. Death among the weaker parts of the race where made known quickly. Humans where also quick to make a choice or run for their lives. Many of them where added to the carnage that befall the land.

Xelloss was able to relaxed in the latterly of being apart of the stronger few. He was able to help Zelas plan for strategic attacks, and bath daily (for him, he had a hard time thinking with dragon's blood staining his clothing and hair).

One particular night, he was given the chance to think. Nothing came to mind more then how he wished he could sleep for the chance to see his maiden in his dreams. It had been a very long time since he had seen her. It was as if she had completely vanished from his dreams. A deep sign came to his lips as he looked to the ground. There lay one of his clocks on the floor. He was too worn out to pick up at the moment. It was stained with every race. There where some holes, even, burned by mazoku blood.

For a moment, he though he saw his room flooded with black. His feet jolted away from the floor surface, but when he looked again there was nothing... His mind wondered for a moment on the daydream. A flower growing in the mist of his floor, but for it being surrounded in, what he believed to be Mazoku blood, he did not falter. He shock his head violently to wake himself. It worked. Again, his wondering mind returned to it's reality, but it left him in thought.

"A flower that doesn't die to any poison, even one of demon blood..." He muttered in question to himself. His face wrinkled tightly in deep thought. Some things didn't make much since, while this didn't at all. It made just as much since as the robed stone figure from one of his earlier dreams.

He growled to himself, finally, and stood to her feet. "This is all getting to my head..." With that, he went to his bathroom and cleaned his face to help wake himself.

He took the soft towel next to him and started to rub his face dry when he heard the harsh swinging of his door and the racket of four lags trampling in. It was one of Zelas' pets. The young pup that enjoyed his company only a thousand years before was now full grown. He growled at Xelloss with hate in his eyes. To the untrained eye the wolven language, it would seem that Xelloss was the next meal, but his priest knew better. He lissoned beyond mere sound, but to heart and thought.

(The dragons are preparing for an attack on the mountain side.) He said with almost a hiss in hi thoughts. (Zelas wants you to take care of them before things get out of hand.)

Xelloss smirked smugly as he reached for a clean shawl in cape. "Another legion of dragons?" He said in pride, as if they didn't stand a chance agisted him. The wolf didn't see so confident in him this time. As the dark haired priest made his way out, the wolf grasped his cloak to stop him. Xelloss turned to look at him in almost a hash expiration.

(Zelas-sama told me to tell you to be careful this time...) Some of Xelloss' pride malted at the wolf's new words. (She is telling you to come back alive of she will be sure to find your carcous and eat it again.) With that being said, he let go of his cape and rubbed his lag in affection.

Concern flushed of the 'young' priest's face. This was the first occasion that Zelas told him to be careful. This time he wondered if his fears would now be realized. In the only comfort he had at the moment, he kneeled only a little to the large wolf and started to pet him.

"I will." He said with confidence he did not have. "I have to. She ordered it." In almost a spring of happiness, the wolf knocked his former playmate to the ground and started to lick him in puppy like expiration. Xelloss was left under the struggle of laughter and happy wolf drool.

* * * * *

The work of such forces lifted the very earth off the ground. Floating masses of rock helped him look better out onto what he was to work with. The wind moved swiftly about him. It was a nice refreshing feel that embraced him. The ground below him rotted with those that have died over the years, lifting a warm embrace of heat to his face. Surprisingly there was hardly a stench in the air from it. He assumed that it was partly because of the vast battles would burn away the bodies before they hard a chance to decompose.

If looked off to his right he could see the ferrous battle displayed in powerful bursts of fire, wind and any other element, or non-element for that matter, to be thought of. The battle between the two lords was so instance that it was nearly imposable to see. When he looked to his left, he saw the small fudes of battle between man and beast. Such trivial battles had no meaning to him. It was the battle straight ahead that concerned him.

Off in the distinct was the marking in the horizon. Simmering spots started to form. Xelloss knew why his lady suddenly became anxiety. There was much more then a legion of dragons. The whole race was on the hot pursuit of one massive assault, and he was chosen to stop them.

"Garv was bull-headed..." He remembered the conversation he encountered with his lady a few nights before. "He challenged the Water Dragon King and failed miserable." His thoughts was consumed by the huge mass. Could he really take them on? He didn't want to be considered bull headed, as the former lord was, be he was given an order. "Lucky for him, Shabranigdo promised him another body when this was all over. It's not to say he will do that for all of us."

'Being bullheaded is when you know you don't have the power, but still go out and fight.' Xelloss looked around for the voice that spoke to him. He didn't realize till that the voice was coming within him, or, morsupsificly, from the gems around his wrists that had made him their home. 'Trust me, mighty wolf priest, you have the power within you.' At that moment, he felt power rush throw his veins unlike any sensation he has before. It was almost so entice that he burned. Almost automatically, as if the words where born in his mouth, he began to chat the words that began to unleash his powers. A deep red mist came around him as the elements gave up their energy for the craftsmanship of his. He brought his arms up slightly till the four gems made a complete and perfect diamond shape.

He could no longer feel his own essences, the essences of the four dark lords from the four corners of the realms. His eyes opened and his mouth gave way to a gleam of evil gave birth from his mouth. For the first time he completely excepted his being as a Mazoku, and did not hold onto the heart that still held his human self.

His hand reached out to the corner of the fast approaching foe. His hand curled around will one finger remained to direct his own assault. His one and only mazoku busted with such power. Explosions busted from the front lines. His hand slowly moved across the sky to scatter the explosion to the rest of the flying army. The glorus cries of black and gold dragons began to fall as fervently as the rain. Other dragons darted away, but very few left without at lest one gift from their new greatest foe.

He chuckled as he saw one dragon flew over him. A wide smirk grasped hip lips. His eyes seemed to pears this one very fortunate dragon.

"Who are you?! What sort of Mazoku has so much power and is not a lord?!" demanded the injured dragon. Xelloss fallowed the dragon's moment. He debated playing with the dragon, but, this time, he thought he could give it a straight answer. Just this once.

"If I tell you, you tell me yours" he waited for a moment. The beast gestured in agreement. "I am Xelloss Metallium. Her lady's favored general priest and favored among even her lord." His deep eyes almost seemed the kill the beast's spirit. He began to fly off in almost a trebling fear. "Give me your name!" Xelloss yelled after him. "I might want to play with you later!" He put in at the last moment.

"Milgasia," He said in a rush. Before Xelloss had time to comment, the dragon was gone. The thing was obviously scared of him. After such a single of one finger, it was understandable.

"Milgasia, hmm?" He smirked as he looked at his hands. If one finger did all that, he could only image what his hands could do. Fathoming it was out of the question. "I'll remember that name."

He turned to his side to walk away from the battle when a sudden feeling came over him. It was almost like a fear. There was nothing in the air behind him, but he had expected there to be something. He shock his head and left it at that. It was only his imagination, nothing more.

* * * * *

Years had passed when he found himself kneeling before his lady's thrown once again. His war torn clothing where now replaced with clean ones. He had been given a name for himself. The name 'Xelloss' where whispered among what remained of the dragon race. Many Mazoku envied Xelloss' power so much that they sot after his life, but it was in vein. He could easily subdue just about any being on the edges of the unknown plaint, but he was about to find one that would forever clame what remand of his human self.

"You called me here, my lady?" He asked in all most respect. His lady had changed with the war. She began to consume herself even more with the poisons of the liver as the years went by. Her hand was never seen without some kind of smoking insterment in it. She had become more serous and less laid back. As this as all true, she never lost her cunningness, charm, wit and strength. Xelloss knew and respected this more then anyone else.

"I have an assessment for you." He lessoned carefully to her words. Having her repeat herself made her rather irritable, and this was something he avoided more then anything. "A strong cairer of Shabranigdo-sama's shards have been born and are slowly awakening in a child right outside our limits." She carried on soberly. "I want you to watch over her. There seems to be a tenchin. She can't die. I think she is the key to our lord's resurrection."

"Yes, my lady." Xelloss stood, with his instructions in mind, and left the study room. He hated to see her decaying like this. He admitted he enjoyed her company much better before the war, and hoped that though the years that she would regain herself again. He wondered if all the dark lords suffered from the scattering of not only their lord, but their father's pieces. They all might have been uniquely influenced by it. All he knew was he, as many other mazoku would be, was to seek out a way to bring down the world, or rise up his lord once again.

It wasn't only before he found him walking along grasses so green that it almost felt as if he had been there before. The fields where filled with flowers full bloom as if in eternal spring. His eyes scanned the surface. There was a cry of pain that he felt shimmering though his skin, but for some odd reason he didn't like it. It was as if it where his own pain. In a way, he was drawn to it.

He found a small form crealed up in the flowers, cringe harsh tears. "No... bring him back..." a small voice whimpered. Remorse washed over his heart. Tenderness began to warm his cold skin, and his human heart began to beat once again. He couldn't approach her, he knew. His form would scare such a small and frail finger. In quick thinking, he made himself into a child and approached her.

"Something wrong?" he asked in a soft childlike voice. A gentle and still cold hand touched her back and she jumped. "Oh no, don't be afraid." His arch eyes smiled at her, the young girl, with happiness. Her face was red with tears. His brown hair gleamed in the sunlight even though it was a mess and scattered with grass and flowers. Such sincerity came from those green eyes. They where like rare gems waiting to be found.

Most of all, there was a purity in her touch. She lunged to him and hugged the boy she had never met, who's hands where stained with blood of all races. He didn't know what to do at first, but it came, as if a natural reaction, to gently hug her in return. He consoled her as she sobbed deeply.

"He's gone... He's gone..." she repeated over and over between sobs. He rubbed the girls back, wondering why her pain seemed to be painful to him as well. Maybe it was because she was a child, no older then four or five. Maybe it was because somewhere deep down he knew she painful cries the best.

"Who's gone?" He asked softly.

"My brother... A bad man took him..." Her remorse started to settle down enough for her to talk, but it was still staggered with stifling breaths a watery orbs. "I want him back.."

"I know..." His heart suddenly broke as something in him resoled for the first time in many thousands of years.

Some time passed when the twin suns began to set in the sky. Xelloss kept looking to the girl slightly, sitting beside her. For the first time, his orders didn't matter to him. All that did was that little girl. A little girl he knew he had never met before, but he felt he knew her from somewhere. Before long he asked...

"What's your name?"

She looked to him and gave up a smile.

"Mona."