Shadow Redemption

Shadow Redemption

Chapter 1: Party! A New Goal

The city of Rana lay beside the ocean, a bright port for ships traveling between the northern mountain towns and the southern islands. The seacoast was covered with white, shining sand, interrupted now and then by docks and the frequent ship. Large and small boats dove in and out of the harbor from sun-up until dusk, bringing in Rana's chief staple: fish.

Summer was greatly welcomed by the entire city; the warm weather brought the migrating fish from the east. Following the schools were families of whales and dolphins, and every year a festival was held in honor of their arrival. The citizens believed that the air-breathers were their distant, fish-eating cousins. The town would spend nearly a week decorating, preparing food, and arranging games. Circuses, minstrels, and other entertainers would often make long journeys in the spring to join in the festivities.

"This is so cool," Amelia breathed, staring in wide-eyes delight at the preparations being made. Several children ran past her, laughing and carrying wooden sea animals. "Everyone is so happy."

"They do this every year," Lina explained. "They spend days, sometimes weeks, getting ready for this one big party." She grinned, rolling up her sleeves. "I plan to thoroughly enjoy myself!"

Gourry glanced down at his friend. "Have you been here before?"

"Of course!" Lina looked vaguely surprised at the question. "My family used to come every summer." She smiled wistfully at the memory. "My hometown isn't far from here."

"Your hometown?" Sylphiel asked.

Amelia jumped up and down several times. "Lina-san, we should go visit your family! I wan to meet them."

The sorceress winced. "No, actually, you don't."

"Are you embarrassed, Lina?" Tanith asked.

"No!" she quickly denied, glaring over her shoulder at the Ruumin. She had to keep reminding herself of their companion. "They're just….Never mind! Let's go find some food."

Tanith smiled, letting the subject drop. She had been traveling with this group for nearly three weeks, ever since they had joined up to find the five Sacred Arms of the Harbinger Mages. It had been a long, tiring journey, and she was looking forward to resting at an inn for as long as Lina wanted to party. Tanith slid a hand under her headband, rubbing absently at her ear.

"A pain, isn't it?"

Tanith started a bit, facing the man beside her. He was always so silent, it was easy to forget her was even there sometimes. "What is?" she asked, not sure what he was referring to.

Zelgadis watched her from under his hood. He pointed to the hand at her ear. "Having to hide like that." He faced forward, straightening his mask. "I hate it," he growled.

Tanith sighed, clasping her hands behind her. She tried to make her voice as cheerful as possible. "I don't mind. I'm used to it."

"At least you don't have to wear a mask."

She had no reply for him

"There's the inn!" Amelia announced excitedly. "Should we get rooms of eat first?"

"Eat," Lina and Gourry answered at the same time.

"We didn't stop for lunch," Sylphiel added.

Amelia grinned, scanning the restaurants nearby. "Well, there's fish, lobster, clam…."

"Aaarrgghh!" Lina abruptly interrupted. "I forgot! This place is all seafood!"

Gourry turned to her, suddenly distressed. "There's no chicken? Or roast beef?" Lina nodded sadly, and the two mourned together.

"You should try the eel," Tanith suggested. "It tastes just like chicken if you get it fried."

"Everything tastes like chicken when it's fried," Amelia pointed out.

"Nothing beats the real thing," Lina protested.

"I heard that eel is very good for your skin," Sylphiel said.

"Where the hell did you get that from?"

The priestess winced. "That's what I've heard…."

"Jeez," Lina sighed, glaring at Sylphiel.

Amelia rescued her friend, leaning close to whisper in the sorceress's ear. "I've heard eel is good for 'development,' Lina-san."

Tanith tried to contain her laughter as Lina quickly went board straight. "Well, what are we waiting for!" she shouted, hitting Gourry with a wave of red hair as she hurried down the street.

The next three days were spent resting, eating, and exploring the city as the time of the celebration drew near. The group stayed together for most of the time, save for a sudden errand Tanith had to perform one evening. When she met the rest just before sunset there was much shouting and cursing heard from the restaurant's back corner. Townspeople watched curiously as a red-headed sorcer5ess chased a taller, blond girl around the city, the latter apologizing meekly.

In the harbor, a fisherman was coming in late, rowing his small boat easily with his catch. Out of the corner of his eye the sun sparked off of some floating object. He paused, trying to identify several metal-like items. For a moment he thought to go after them, but the current suddenly dragged them out to sea. With a shrug, he continued on to shore.

"So, tell me again where you're dragging us, Sylphiel?" Lina crossed her arms, staring at the black head in from of her. The group was traveling through a deserted ally on the edge of the city. Far behind them the crashing of the waves mingled with the sounds of the townspeople's final preparations; the celebration would be that night.

But that morning, Sylphiel had awakened everyone early, insisting they get dressed and follow her. She told them only that she had something she wanted to show them. Lina hated to be kept in the dark.

"It's not much further," the priestess assured. "And trust me; it's worth it."

"We'll see," Lina muttered. She yawned loudly.

Sylphiel led them around a corner and onto a sandy path. Ahead of them was the forest. As they passed through the trees a large, run-down mansion rose to meet them. The windows were dark, covered by thick curtains. The house looked as though it had once been painted a light gray, but years of ocean storms had dulled it to a slightly greenish color. A soft wind stirred the branches, and the house groaned.

"It's creepy…" Amelia complained.

"What is this?" Lina asked.

Sylphiel finally faced the group just before the stairs. "There's this lady who lives here. Her name is Maggie Kallis."

Lina stuck her hands on her hips. "And this means what?"

The priestess smiled. "Maggie-san's family are all historans. They learn everything they can about every kind of magic." She straightened as her friends became interested. "She told me she has some books going back several hundred years."

"And she'll let us see them?" Amelia wanted to know.

Sylphiel nodded. "I met her yesterday at the market. She said she'd let us look around if we'd talk to her a bit, maybe help add to her collection." She looked hopefully at Lina.

"Well well, we'll see what we can do." The red-head winked, moving up the creaking stairs to the door. "If she's got anything I haven't seen, then we'll talk."

Maggie answered the door quickly, smiling brightly when she saw Sylphiel. She welcomed each of them, eyes shining. "I don't often get visitors," she explained. Her voice was kind but strong, expression slightly mischievous. "I'd love to know what you think of my collection, being sorcerers yourselves."

"We can't wait either," Lina assured. "I hope to be very impressed."

Maggie's eyes sparkled. I hope so, too."

The room Maggie took them to was huge, a giant basement settle far beneath her house. The older lady explained, all while leaning of Sylphiel's support, that she could no longer visit her library as often as she used to. "I'm just too old," she laughed. The group followed her down a long flight of stairs in to the hall. Bookcases lined every wall and created tiny allies and corners all along the room. It was very dusty with little ventilation. Maggie said that was to keep the old texts from disintegrating or growing mold.

Tanith wandered down the isles of shelves, gazing with wonder at the number of books. The others had quickly become lost. Sylphiel and Gourry went to a small room near the stairs with Maggie to talk; the dusty documents held no interest for them. Amelia, Lina, and Zelgadis went off on their own, each hoping to find a piece of unknown information.

To her great surprise, Tanith had noticed several books dedicated to the five Elementals. She was tempted to look, but decided it would be useless--her form of magic was vastly different than what the human's of the mainland used. And there was something about Maggie herself that seemed almost familiar, but the Mage couldn't quite reach the answer.

She turned a corner to find Amelia kneeling on the floor, surrounded by several thick volumes. The Ruumin smiled, leaning over her should. "Wha'cha got?"

Amelia jumped, having not heard the girl's approach. She grinned sheepishly before displaying the binding. "'History of Great Sorcerers,'" she read. "It's pretty cool. It talks about several of the Wise Men, and those bad guys you mentioned before--Jalannya Kaika and Luvika." She gazed up at her friend. "What's 'jalannya?' It's written really funny, like it's not a real word."

"It's not," Tanith affirmed. "It's Ruumin."

The princess's eyes widened. "Your language? What does it mean?"

"It means 'King' or 'Lord,'" she explained, sitting beside the girl. "We only use it to refer to the Dragon Kings; Kaika gave himself the title."

"So he wasn't a king?"

"Hardly."

Amelia considered her words, eyes drifting back to the book. "Hey!" she abruptly shouted, pointing at the text. "Here's something about Lina-san!"

Tanith leaned closer. There was a page devoted entirely to Lina Inverse. Oddly, half of the writing was faded with age, the rest looking more recent. "'A powerful sorceress,'" she read aloud from the older writings, "'Lina Inverse is a very mysterious girl who has only once appeared in out history. Five hundred years ago the southern island of Mipross was attacked by a Mazoku.'"

"Isn't that the island you and Lina talked about when we first met?" Amelia interrupted.

"Yes, it is." Tanith wasn't sure if she would be amused or troubled that the story had been recorded. She read aloud the tale of Lina's adventures on the island, from her meeting with the Great Sage Rowdy to the final defeat of Joyrock at the elves' festival.

"'After the event, Lina Inverse disappeared,'" she read from the end. "'There is no record of any other great feats or of her death. For more information on the people of Mipross, see "elves." Also see "Rowdy" for more information of the Swordsman of Light. Date: 4600.'" Tanith paused, sharing an amazed look with Amelia.

The princess took up reading the new addition. "'Lina Inverse reappeared in the year 4996 when a bandit horde was supposedly wiped out by her hand. Since then there have been numerous sightings and rumors about the sorceress. Conclusions: There have been two Lina Invereses, or Lina Inverse is over five hundred years old.'"

"WHAT?!?"

Both girls jumped as the red-head suddenly appeared before them, falling back against the book shelves in surprise. She snagged the text out of the princess's hands. "L-L-Lina-san! Don't scare us like that!" Amelia scolded.

Lina wasn't paying attention. "Damn it, I hate that rumor. It's nearly as bad as that 'dragon spooker' thing."

Tanith cocked her head. "What 'dragon spooker' thing?"

Lina flinched, quickly shutting the book. "Nothing nothing! Don't worry about it. It's nothing at all!" As Tanith and Amelia giggled over her reaction, another figure approached from behind the shelves.

Zelgadis paused, having not sensed their presence; he'd been too engrossed in his own book. He watched as Amelia teased her mentor, eyes eventually drifting to heir blond companion. It's still strange…seeing her here, he thought. At least we're not afraid of each other anymore.

When Tanith and Zelgadis had first met, they had not trusted each other at all. Both had felt a strong sense of danger towards the other for nearly half of their journey. Tanith managed to explain during their week long trip back to Rana that the reason for their discomfort was only instinct; elves and demons were natural enemies. Not only that, but both species had strong astral energies. Each picked up on the other's uneasiness, making their own feelings worse. The wary emotions had bounced back and forth, magnifying the other's response. According to Tanith--and this she had told him privately--when the chimera had let go of his fear to comfort her during a tough time, he had upset the chain.

And it's a good thing, too. Another few day and I might have tried to kill her myself.

Zelgadis shook himself from his thoughts, attention returning to the present. Right, I wanted to as them about this book. "Hey."

Lina glanced up, glad to end the teasing. "Hey Zel! Find anything good?" she added eagerly.

"Maybe." He approached the girls, Tanith and Amelia standing as he did. "I found this--" he indicated the book "--and wanted to know what you could make of it."

Lina snatched the text away, glancing at the title. Abruptly her face fell, excitement replaced with an unreadable expression. "'Construction and Creation Through Magic,'" she read softly. "By Shadow Priest Alorin Duskwalker." Lina shook her head. "You don't want any of this stuff, Zel. It's Shadow magic."

"What's Shadow magic?" Amelia asked before the chimera could comment. "I've never heard of it."

"It's some weird cult, isn't it?" Zelgadis took the book back, glancing between the cover and Lina's disturbed expression. "Something off of the Shamanism side?"

The red-head nodded carefully. "They're not well know, but I was warned about them in the Guild. Nothing specific, just that they're a bunch of religious nuts that should be avoided." Suddenly Lina looked up past the princess's head. "Tanith? What's wrong?" Zelgadis and Amelia face the Mage, mirroring the sorceress's concern.

Tanith had pressed herself up against the bookshelf, staring blankly at the stone floor. With trembling slowness she touched a hand to her forehead. The other clutched the wood behind her until the three winced in sympathy. Her voice was low and fearful. "I've hear of them," she whispered. "The Shadow Priests…."

Lina and the others crowded closer to her. Zelgadis placed a hand next to her on the shelf as the red-head spoke. "You know about them?"

Tanith shook her head. "Not the Priest--not specifically--but their magic."

The sorceress nodded careful agreement. "They don't like the scientific methods of chimera making, right? And they really study things like golems and control spells, too."

"Yes." Tanith's eyes cleared, and she faced the others. "They have five main spells--mind control, golem formation, chimera making with a spell, creating Constructs, and…." She paused, racking her memories for her long-ago teachings. "Shadow Redemption."

"What are Constructs?" Amelia questioned.

"Better chimeras," Lina answered.

"Sort of," Tanith corrected, wincing at the angry look on Zelgadis's face. He takes it all so personally. "Chimera's are one species that have had others added to them."

Amelia considered this. "So, like Zelgadis-san was human, and he had the golem and demon parts added?"

Tanith nodded. "That's right. Constructs are creatures that have always been that way. It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle; the sorcerer takes bits and pieces of different animals and sticks them all together."

"Like Kraias," Lina added.

"Exactly."

The group paused a moment to recall their latest enemy: Kraias, half as big as a dragon, made of five different animals. Tanith had managed to wound him, breaking the nearly impenetrable skin, allowing Lina to cast a fatal Dragon Slave.

Amelia nodded. "Then what's Shadow Redemption?"

"A counter-spell," Tanith replied, growing detached again, her voice taking on the tone of someone reciting. "It is considered one of the greatest achievements of any sorcerer--though hardly anyone knows about it--and it is the Shadow Priests' most powerful spell. Shadow Redemption is the ultimate counter-spell. There is virtually nothing this spell can't undo. It takes a lot of energy, and most sorcerers can't perform it outside of one of their temples." Tanith shuddered and fell silent.

Zelgadis froze, staring at the Ruumin. For a moment he thought his ears had played a trick on him, but then Lina asked, "Really? Like undo the effects of healing and stuff?"

"Yes," Tanith answered, oblivious to the sorcerer. "From what I've heard."

Zelgadis crossed the distance between himself and Tanith in less than a heartbeat. Uncaring of his actions, he grabbed the girl's cape, pulling her closer. Tanith gave a startle yelp while Lina and Amelia looked on with confusion. The sorcerer's eyes were wide, expression hard but strangely eager. "Can it undo other things?" he asked harshly. "Can it reverse the making of a chimera?"

Tanith struggled at first, then stopped as he spoke. For several long, strained moments the two only stared at each other. All at once Tanith saw the hope in her friend's eyes, realizing what he was asking for. "You mean, will it make you human?"

He didn't reply except to nod. Lina and Amelia watched anxiously.

He really wants to know, she thought to herself. He wants so badly to be human; Lina told me he was looking for a way before the Copy Rezo thing. How can I not tell him?

"Yes," she answered softly. "If performed correctly, Shadow Redemption may be able to undo the effects of the chimera process."

Zelgadis stared at her for several more seconds before letting her go, expression frozen with emotions the other didn't recognize. Inside, he was shaking. After all this time…all the searching…I can be human again. He felt like laughing, shouting, and crying at the same time, all his hopes and dreams suddenly within his reach.

"Good luck finding the spell, young man."

The group turned, surprised to see Maggie with Gourry and Sylphiel watching them. Zelgadis took two steps towards the woman, his light emotions wavering. "What do you mean?"

"I don't have the incantation," she stated plainly, "of the details of the spell, and I doubt you'll be able to find it."

"Wait a moment, Maggie-san," Lina interjected, glancing quickly at her friend. "Can you tell us who does, or even where it is?"

The old woman shrugged, hands clasped behind her. "That particular spell, Shadow Redemption, is rumored to have three hiding places. It's in the "Astral Shadow's Good of Rites,' a text passed down among their leading Priests, something called the 'Lightless Sun,' and in the mind of their current leader."

"Who is that?" Zelgadis asked desperately. Finally, finally he'd found a clue. There was a spell that could free him from his curse. But the look the old woman was giving his was doubtful, and his spirits slowly fell. "Do you even know?"

Maggie sighed and looked at the rest of the group. All of them were casting the chimera sympathetic glances--especially the blonde girl--and turning to her hopefully. Relenting, she made a gesture and requested, "Come with me." They followed her obediently to the room she, Sylphiel, and Gourry had recently left. With a grimace of pain for her aging joints, she lowered herself into one of the four chairs. Zelgadis too the one beside her, ignoring everything but her. Lina and Amelia plunked down into the other two as Sylphiel prepared tea for all of them at the tiny stove in the corner. Gourry stood behind the red-head, while Tanith confined herself to the wall near the door.

There's something about her--

But the old sorceress didn't get the chance to explore her thoughts before the chimera questioned their change of locations. She focused on him, hoping to convey all her uneasiness on the subject she was about to bring up. "I'm going to tell you about the Shadow Priests," she stated, then took a deep breath.

"About two thousand years ago, a group of Shamanists started their own following based on worship of the Sun and Moon. The Priests focused on the powers of the Spirit and made it into their own type called Shadow. The founders detested science and sought a way to create chimeras and the like without using it."

"But why develop their own religion if they only wanted to do that?" Sylphiel asked, taking a stance beside Gourry. "Shamanist can still follow the Dragon Gods."

"Ah, now here is the part that worries the Guild." Maggie nodded to the priestess. "You see, the Priests didn't like the idea that their powers came from anywhere but themselves. They believe in the sovereignty of man and mind." She leaned forward to impart the importance of her words to them. "All their spells and ideals revolve around their own power and the gaining of more."

"But that's not so terrible," Lina interrupted. "Forgive me for saying, but everyone likes more power, Maggie-san."

The old sorceress shook her head. "It's not just power the crave, Lina-san. It's power over people. That control spell they use--Marionette--has varying degrees of command over the puppet." Zelgadis winced at her words, remembering all too well--or rather, not--his own experience as being such a "puppet." "All their spells," Maggie continued, "work to gain more personal power. Golem, the chimera spell Dark Life--both are used to make stronger, smarter subjects that are easier to control. Night's Creation, the spell for making a Construct--it's all for more weapons, more power. And then there's Shadow Redemption." She fixed Zelgadis with a hard stare. "They guard that spell very well, young one. The only version you'd even have a hope of finding would be the Lightless Sun, and only because it's been lost for decades. But no one knows exactly what it is," she added before the chimera could speak.

"But couldn't I just ask one of the Priests?" he insisted.

Maggie shook her head. "Haven't you been listening to anything I've said? They are tricky, manipulating people. Even if you found someone to cast the spell on you--if--then you can bet there'll be some strings attacked, if you'll forgive the pun. They simply do not do anything that won't satisfy their own desires."

Zelgadis sat back in his chair, his annoyed expression hiding dejection. Beside his, Lina lifted her head from her won deep thoughts. "You know a lot about this stuff," she said bluntly. "How?"

Maggie overlooked her rudeness. "You see, long ago, a small Shamanist group began a following of the Five Elements. After I passed through the Sorcerer's Guild, I joined that group and became a priestess."

"That's it."

Maggie paused, surprised as the blond girl left the wall and approached her, face bright with surprise and understanding. "Excuse me?"

"That's why you seem familiar to me." Tanith moved to the other side of the table, ignoring the curious looks her friends were giving her. She knelt slowly beside the woman. Maggie was taken aback by the almost desperate look in her eyes. "Do you recognize me?" Tanith asked softly. With quick movements she freed her pointed ears. "Do you know me?"

Now Maggie truly Looked at the girl. "By the stars…." She felt her own face twisting into one of shocked respect. "Child…you're one of them, aren't you?"

Lina finally picked up on what was happening. "You're from the same cult!"

"Now the same," Maggie corrected gently, taking Tanith's hands in her own. "My group wasn't formed until after the War of Shabranigdu's Resurrection. But we knew of you, little one." She smiled down on the Mage. "It is I who should kneel before you."

Tanith blushed. "I'm hardly deserving," she objected.

Something about her tone….Maggie gathered up her aging powers to Look on the Mage again. But if she is here, then where are…?

Zelgadis watched the two, wondering exactly what was happening between them. Tanith's expression was more open than at any other time he could remember. And the instant Maggie had recognized her….

They share something. The have a common bond. The thought sent a feeling up his spine that wasn't a stranger to him, yet this time seemed different. It took him a moment to recognize it, and the realization startled him.

I'm jealous. But of what? It's not like they're….It can't be.

But no, it was jealousy. He was jealous of the spark of trust in Tanith's eyes. His fingers twitched, wanting to be the ones she clung to for comfort. The shy smile, the faint blush that gave color to her forever-pale cheeks--

Stop being a fool. But he couldn't turn away, wishing there were some what that he could have all her attention.

If he hadn't been watching the two so carefully, he'd have missed it. Maggie's eyes suddenly widened, splashed with horror, sorrow, and concern, all at once. One old, trembling hand moved to rest softly on the Mage's head. "By the Spirits…little one, you--"

That small, suffering smile pulled at Tanith's lips, one Zelgadis had seen many times before. "It's in the past, Priestess." Her gaze darted to the rest of the group. "Please, finish your story."

Maggie nodded, worries plainly bared, but she pushed them aside as she faced the waiting listeners. Tanith remained at her feet, much to Zelgadis's continued irritation. "Well," Maggie continued, gaining back the group's attention. "To make a long story short, the Astral Elements and Astral Shadows didn't get along too well. Or at all, really. For the past few hundred years, we've been involved in a sort of war. Not too much bloodshed among the higher-ups--it was the young, head-strong ones who took it so seriously. Unfortunately, no one remembers exactly what started the whole mess, but it's continued until recently."

Amelia cocked her head. "Recently?"

"Yes. About ten years ago, a man named Rylarith became the new leader. They refer to themselves as the Lightless Sons, by the way. And that's 'Son' as in child, where the thing that holds the Shadow Redemption clue is 'Sun' like in the sky." She rubbed a weary hand over the bridge of her nose. "When he took charge, the battles began to die off. He never encouraged them--heaven only knows why--but nobody was going to egg him on, so we started to let up as well."

"Is he still in charge?" Zelgadis wanted to know.

"No. Rylarith died two years ago. I don't know who has taken his place, but there hasn't been a peep out of the Shadow Priests since." Her expression was troubled. "In fact, they almost seem to have gone into hiding, and that scares me more than anything."

"I agree," Lina spoke up. "It sound too suspicious. However--" She raised a finger to the older woman. "--we would still like to get our hands on that spell. Priests or no, it's important to us." She cast a significant look at Zelgadis, one he didn't see.

Maggie sighed. She looked down at Tanith. "And what of you, Lady Mage?" she asked softly.

Her gaze was steady and sure. "These people helped me recover the Sacred Arms." Maggie blinked in surprise. "I owe them for that. But now that you've told me about the Astral Shadows, I don't think I can ignore them." She turned her eyes to the floor. "I have…almost a premonition about them. I want to make sure things are right here."

Zelgadis breathed a mental sigh of relief, then wondered at the reaction. He was truly glad that Tanith would continue her journey with them. For some reason, he didn't want her to leave--

"The I will give you this clue, the only bit of information we've gotten from the Priests about the Lightless Sun." She turned to address them all. "'The name "Lightless Sun" covers and protects the spell like glass over a painting.' It's not much, I know, but those Priests can be damned peculiar. My suggestion to you would be to head for Mabran--they had a temple there years ago, I believe. Check with the merchants here and there, and I'm sure you'll find clues." Finally she smiled. "I wish you luck, younglings. If you don't mind, all this talk has made me a bit tired."

"Shall we help you back upstairs?" Tanith offered.

"Please. I'm sorry for being a bad hostess," she apologized. "But I'm due for my nap."

The group reluctantly left the library, helping Maggie back up the winding stairs. The priestess walked them to the door, wishing them luck once again on their search. Tanith was the last one to leave. Maggie smiled in an almost motherly fashion at the Ruumin. "Take care of yourself, Lady Mage. Be well."

Tanith returned the gesture. "And you, Priestess Maggie. Thank you for your help."

The group returned about an hour before sunset to find the town in an uproar; the summer celebration was in full swing. People ran through the streets, some in costume, some carrying food or prizes, all laughing. One man wasn't looking and collided with Zelgadis. He stared at the chimera, who had forgotten to replace his hood. After a tense moment the man clapped the startled sorcerer on the back. "Great mask! I gotta get me one of those!" Chuckling to himself, he went on his way. Lina smiled and elbowed her friend in the side. Zelgadis only snorted.

"Lina-san?" Amelia spoke up, eyes shining with a plea. "Can we have fun tonight and not talk about bad stuff?"

The red-head laughed. "Of course, Amelia! Personally, I intend to find the food ally. I'm starving!"

"Yah! Food!" the princess cheered.

Zelgadis shook his head, turning away. "I'll see you later."

Lina glared. "You'd better not be going off to pout, or we'll follow you."

"I'll be fine."

"I'm going off, too," Tanith announced.

The chimera glanced at her sharply, still edgy after that afternoons discoveries and his own strange emotional trip. "I don't need a baby-sitter."

Tanith stuck her hands on her hips. "I wasn't offering to be," she replied haughtily. "I want to go back to the inn--these big crowds are a bit too noisy for my country ears."

"Fine." Zelgadis marched away, annoyed and a bit disappointed. "Do what you want."

Tanith and Lina shared a sigh. "See ya at the inn," the latter called, leading the others down the street. Amelia and Sylphiel waved before being lost in the crowd.

Shadow Redemption

Chapter 2: Run! The Helpful Citizens of Mabran

"Okay. We've got one book, one we-don't-know, and one possibly evil group of Priests." Lina leaned back in her chair, ignoring the bustling of the dinner-time parties, absently rubbing her full stomach. Around the table the girls were watching her intently, Gourry was finishing his drink, and Zelgadis stared at the table, arms crossed. He hadn't spoken much lately, but Lina had already caught him trying to sneak off twice since the night before. Her friend was desperate--obsessively so--to find Shadow Redemption. She had only managed to keep him in Rana by pointing out that Tanith was the only one who would know their possible enemy. To this he reluctantly agreed.

"If he is evil," Amelia spoke up. "Then he will have to be punished!"

"Before he can hurt anyone," Sylphiel added.

Zelgadis ground his teeth, muttering just loud enough for the others to hear. "You shouldn't get involved." He refused to raise his eyes. "This is my own problem. You all should stay out of this."

"Not a chance," Lina informed, waving his words off with a hand. "Besides, I want this spell too, ya know."

"Not at bad as me," he countered softly.

Finally Tanith entered the conversation, much to the red-head's relief. Lina hadn't wanted to ask--it was below her, after all, to admit one of her short-comings--but the Ruumin seemed to be the only one Zelgadis seriously listened to. And that fact was almost as annoying as his overall stubbornness.

"We have to be careful of the Priest, whether he's 'evil' or not," Tanith put in. She leaned forward with her elbows on the table, one hand idly playing with a lock of white-blond hair. "And their sudden 'disappearance' worries me."

"What do you mean?" Sylphiel asked, looking ready to panic. "Is he going to try to resurrect the Dark Lord?"

"No, no, of course not," Tanith quickly assured. She smiled, a gesture that surprised the group slightly. "They wouldn't degrade themselves like that. The believe in their own power, remember?"

Amelia cocked her head. "They sound stuck-up."

"They are, a bit." The Mage laced her fingers together, resting her chin against her knuckles. "I started to remember more of my lessons last night. When I was little, my teachers read us some Shadow magic spells and told us about the Priests."

"You know the spells?" Zelgadis wanted to know, looking up.

"No," she answered quickly, eyes hard and serious. "If I heard someone saying it, I could tell what it was. I don't know the actual words or the rituals."

"Rituals?" Amelia scratched her head in puzzlement. "Magic doesn't use rituals, does it?"

"Of course!" Lina responded loudly. "What do you think chanting the spells is?" She calmed herself, taking up her teacher's tone. "But--according to what they told us in the Guild--Shadow Priest like the preparation and the flashy stuff, so they made a bunch of rituals to feel more special."

"Also," Tanith continued, "Shadow magic needs a lot of energy, since all their spells are pretty powerful. And when they use Marionette, for example, the person or animal being controlled also needs to be asleep or unconscious, as well as being mentally weak at the time."

Zelgadis flinched just barely at her words. He knew what it was like to have such a spell used on him--he'd lived through it. The time after his transformation, laying in the woods at Rezo's feet…and then in the Red Priest's tower….It was the worst feeling in the world, being used like that. I almost killed them all back then, he remembered. Even though it was a weak spell Rezo used, I couldn't fight it at all. If it wasn't for Lina….He crushed the thought. It doesn't matter now; Rezo's dead, the spell is broken. It's over.

"Hey," Amelia suddenly spoke up. "Didn't Zelgadis-san once have that spell on him?"

"Stupid!" Lina leaned across the table, quickly bashing the girl on the head. She glanced at the chimera and found his expression strained. "Why don't you ever think before you--"

Zelgadis refused to look up. "It's okay, Lina. Rezo didn't use Marionette anyway, and he's dead now," he repeated his thoughts aloud. "You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Of course we don't have to worry, Zel!" Lina returned to her seat. "Who said anything about being worried? No one's worried." She grinned at the group. "Right, guys?" Amelia and Sylphiel nodded, enthusiastically speaking their agreement. Gourry blinked, unsure of the question.

But then Lina looked at Tanith. The Ruumin was watching the chimera from under her long bangs. Her expression was one of worry mixed with something else, something the sorceress couldn't place. For a moment she thought it was fear, that wariness the two had always held towards the other. But it wasn't the same look, and the idea was therefore dismissed.

Before she could come up with an answer Tanith visibly shook herself, returning from her thoughts. "There's one other thing you should know," she spoke. Just a bit to loudly, Lina thought. "About the Priests."

"What's that?" Amelia immediately asked, eager to get away from her verbal slip-up.

Tanith smiled, her humor apparently returning. "The Priests are very conceited. The have the power to control just about anything, even a weak Mazoku or Dragon."

"Would, would the head Priest…" Sylphiel started meekly. "Would the Shadow Priest be stronger than R-Rezo was?"

Tanith sighed, scratching her ear as the group waited for an answer. "In some ways, yes." She had to be truthful. "He--or she--could create as many creatures as they wanted, like what the Golem King did. He could even make an army of chimeras or Constructs, all loyal to him." She shrugged. "A Shadow Priest on his own probably wouldn't be able to beat a Rezo who's in perfect conditioned, not unless they've gone through the Guild and everything. However, with whatever followers to wear his opponent down, his powers would be the stronger of the two."

"So we have to be careful," Lina summed up. Don't let our guard down, keep our energy up, and work together." She cast a pointed look at Zelgadis. He ignored her.

"A Shadow Priest has one disadvantage," Tanith added, her smile returning. "They are incredibly vain and extremely proud. They created rituals for their spells just to seem more sophisticated than the other followings. Scarring their ego could be as hurtful as a sword strike."

"Ha! Then this should be a piece of cake!" Lina leapt from her chair, fists in the air. "Such vanity is always a weakness!"

"But Lina-san," Amelia spoke up. "You act the same way when you're insulted."

"Amelia…."

"Anyway," Zelgadis interrupted, saving the princess from a very painful punishment. "I want to leave tomorrow." He finally raised his head, glaring at each of his friends in turn. "Whether you come or not is up to you."

"I'm going, that's for sure," Lina replied easily, smiling and calm despite his hard gaze. "Someone's gotta keep you outta trouble."

"I'm going, too," Amelia stated.

Sylphiel nodded. "Me, too."

Gourry blinked. "Going where?"

Everyone turned to Tanith, wondering what her choice would be. She stared at the table for several moments. "I'll come," she finally said. " I already said I owed you guys. And if we are going to be meeting a Priest, I have to be there."

"Personally," Lina said loudly, "I have no intention of meeting the Priest, whoever he is, at this point in time." She winked. "I'll be perfectly happy with just finding the spell."

Zelgadis stood. "Fine. I'll see you in the morning." Then he left.

The others shared a glance, sighing deeply. "I guess we'd better go to bed," Sylphiel suggested softly.

"Yeah." Amelia pushed away from the table. "Zelgadis-san will probably wake up really early." She paused, glancing down at the Ruumin--she was lost in thought again. "Are you coming up, Tanith-san?"

"Yes, of course." Tanith offered the princess a smile. She, Lina, and Gourry stood as well, the group following the chimera up the stairs of the inn.

The kingdom of Mabran consisted only of its capital, but even at that it rivaled the sizes of Atlas City and Seiluun. Tanith walked in a bit of a haze, unaccustomed to the sounds, smells, and people of a major city. At first she had tried to take everything in, but she was quickly overwhelmed. Settling for focusing on the ground and following Lina, she managed to ignore most of the noise. She rubbed one of her pinned ears.

Zelgadis was suddenly besides her, peering at her from under his hood and over his mask. Tanith quickly dropped her hand, remembering it was harder--not to mention more annoying--for the chimera to hide himself. She felt a brief pang of sympathy for him.

"They bothering you?" He was referring to her ears.

"No, it's not that." She gestured to the surrounding street and its travelers. "It's the noise."

His eyes narrowed a bit, but she could tell it was because he was smiling beneath his coverings. The expression puzzled her--it was the first time she had seen him as something other that indifferent or angry. "You'll get used to it," he assured, facing forward again. "I grew up in a small town. I felt the same when I moved."

Tanith smiled as well, grateful for their first real pleasant exchange. "Thanks. I'm sure you're right--"

She froze, held motionless to the dirt road. Her vision blurred and made her dizzy. It passed a moment later, leaving her nauseous and unnerved.

People were staring at her. All the people on the street suddenly seemed to turn and stare at her. It only took a second before they were back to their own business, but the cold glares remained imprinted in her mind.

"Tanith? What is it?"

She shook herself, hurrying to rejoin Zelgadis. The others had stopped as well, and now all of them were facing her except Lina. Tanith pulled her short white cape tighter about her shoulders as a chill seeped into her stomach and refused to leave. "I…just got a weird feeling." She glanced about the shops and homes, half expecting the citizens to turn on her again. "Something doesn't seem right here."

"I feel it, too," Lina suddenly agreed. Amelia, Sylphiel, and Zelgadis inspected their surroundings for themselves, then shared a shrug as they came up with nothing. "It's nothing definite," the red-head answered before they could ask. "Just…a chill. Anyway, we'd better get down to business. I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to."

Tanith nodded but didn't speak, edging closer to Zelgadis. The chimera cast her a concerned look, but didn't get the chance to voice his worries.

"It's still early," Lina was saying, "So we can start searching right now. We'll split into three groups and search the city. Amelia, I want you and Tanith to go to the palace. Use whatever diplomatic princess thing you can."

Amelia was surprised. "You don't want to go to the palace, Lina-san?" She thought the sorceress would jump at the chance to get into a place that would most likely have lots of treasure.

"Nope." She winked. "Sylphiel and I are going to the local temples, the Guild if they have one, and the sorcerer hang-outs."

Gourry moved closer. "What about me?"

"You're going with Zel," Lina replied immediately. "I don't think you'll be able to convince a king or priest to give anything important to you, so you're going to cover the streets."

"Thanks for the confidence," Zelgadis muttered.

"You know I'm right, so don't argue."

"I know, I know." He sighed, adjusting his hood. "We'll meet at dinner?"

Lina nodded and pointed to an inn. "At that place over there--the Star Sleeper." She grinned, dragging the priestess down the street. "See you all later! Good luck!"

Gourry walked with his hands behind his head, gaze moving easily from one scene to the next; a child playing with a dog, two girls talking, a man selling bread. He smiled, enjoying the sounds and smells, especially the aroma coming from the baker's cart. He didn't understand what all the earlier fuss had been about. "So, what are we doing again?"

Zelgadis sighed. "You've asked that four times already," he muttered, thoroughly annoyed. Why did Lina have to stick him with me? Why? "We're looking for anything that has to do with the Lightless Sun."

"What's that?"

Why do I bother? The two continued down the street, one listening and looking for possible candidates to speak to, the other indifferent. Zelgadis finally chose three young women, all wearing glasses. He hoped as he approached that they wouldn't notice his…peculiar features. "Pardon me, ladies."

They turned, squinting at him curiously. One--the apparent "leader" of the group--looked him up and down, an act that made the chimera very uncomfortable. She had dark black hair and brown eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked. Her voice was surprisingly deep and sharp.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if I might ask you something?" He thought it best to be as polite as possible. It was difficult; he wasn't used to it.

The hard gazes became suddenly interested, the smaller two edging closer behind the first. The one on the right was a brunette, hair tied in a tight bun. Her counterpart was a red-head and wore a yellow scarf; her hair was obviously died. "What sort of thing?" the former asked coyly.

Zelgadis felt a twinge of misgiving but answered anyway. "It's a very rare item."

The two burst into giggles, startling the sorcerer. They were quickly hushed by their smiling elder. "A rare item? Not many people come to Mabran looking for items, my friend. And you think one of us might posses such a thing?"

What's that supposed to mean? The chimera swallow, glancing back at his blond companion. Gourry shrugged. "Well, um, I was hoping…"

All three giggled. "The poor man is confused." The eldest grinned. "Don't you worry. We know what you really want."

Now he was not only confused, but a bit frightened as well. "Um, I'm not sure--"

"Oh, don't worry. We are." The eldest adjusted her glasses. "All right, we'll 'help you find' this 'item' that you both need so desperately. But I'll warn you," she added with a wink, "You may get more than you can handle from the three of us."

The brunette woman suddenly popped out, latching onto Gourry's arm before either man could react. "I want the blond one!" she exclaimed.

The swordsman sputtered a protest as the red-head followed the younger's example. "Now, now," she said slyly. "There's enough of him to share."

Zelgadis realized at that moment that they were in very serious trouble.

"L-ladies, please," he stuttered, raising his hands as if to fend off the approaching eldest. "I think we have a misunderstanding."

"Oh no," the black-haired one assured, following the chimera as he began to retreat. "We understand very well." She grinned. "People only come to Mabran for one reason, and single guys wandering the streets are obviously looking for some…company."

"N-no, really." Zelgadis glanced left and right, desperate to find an escape. Somewhere to his left Gourry was trying without success to dislodge the clinging pair. "We really are looking for an item." He gulped, suddenly finding himself trapped against the wall of a building.

She loomed over the sorcerer, eyes flashing behind her glasses. "Sure you are. You don't need to make up excuses. We know you got rejected from the Lady, and we're perfectly happy with such handsome leftovers."

"Zelgadis, help me!" Gourry wailed in the background, arms helplessly pinned by the brunette and red-head.

"I've got my own problems," the chimera muttered, wincing at the expression on this captor's face What is with these people? Who is this "Lady?" They can't really mean that everyone comes here for…. "Please, miss," he tried one last time. "We're looking for a magic item--a spell."

The dark-haired girl paused. "A spell?"

"Yes, a spell." Zelgadis managed to straighten a bit, wishing she would back up and allow him some space to breathe. "The item is called the Lightless Sun. We've come from Rana, searching for it."

Her expression grew thoughtful as she considered his words. The other two approached, dragging a very distressed Gourry with them. They waited quietly for their elder to speak. "Then, you haven't been to see the Lady?"

"I don't even know who this 'Lady' is," he confessed. "I only want to find this item."

"So…you were leading us on?"

Zelgadis panicked at the angry expressions on all three faces. "No! No, I didn't mean--" Before he could utter another word of excuse or apology he was hit with a large, blunt object.

"Heathen! Lecher!" The woman swung her giant purse again, catching him in the side of the head. Through the attack he could see Gourry receiving much the same from the other two. "Pervert! Dirty old men!"

"Gourry, run!" Zelgadis yelled, fleeing quickly. The women continued to curse and scream, several of the nearby townspeople casting harsh looks as they passed.

"Where are we going?" Gourry asked, ducking as a purse flew past his head.

Zelgadis stumbled, having not moved fast enough to dodge another of the flying bags. "Does it matter? Let's just get outta here!"

And they did.

Lina and Sylphiel approached the mansion slowly, both feeling hints of agitation but only one showing it. Mabran turned out to be a completely unnerving place. There was no Sorcerer's Guild--which made Lina uneasy--and no holy temples of any kind--which made Sylphiel uneasy. There were several sorcerers around, but the looks they gave the two girls caused them to be on their way as quickly as possible. The few sorceresses they encountered wanted little to do with them, saying only that "the Lady" might be able to help them. Equally disappointing was that the Lightless Sun was as big a mystery as it had been at the beginning of the journey.

And now this place, the home of the mysterious "Lady." It was a huge black mansion, and Lina noted uneasily that it vaguely resembled a temple of some sort.

"This sorceress is supposed to have gone through the Guild," Lina informed the priestess as she knocked on the door. "I'll do the talking on this one."

The two had been switching off the job of asking the people they met about the spell. Sylphiel was tired; she'd had the hardest time trying to answer questions when it appeared that Lina's "reputation" would only hinder their search.

The large wooden doors parted, revealing a tall man in a tuxedo. Both girls nearly fell down the steps at the sight of him.

He was beautiful.

He couldn't have been much older than twenty or twenty-two. His hair was sandy, falling just to his shoulders in a very neat wave. Longish bangs hung impishly into his inviting silver eyes. He wasn't muscular, but in no way was he gangly. He was the image of a prince, standing tall with a soft, kind smile on his perfectly shaped lips.

The man bowed deeply, and his eyes flashed. "Welcome." His voice wasn't too deep, but it wasn't high either. It flowed like a calm stream, his tone sincere, as if he was truly grateful to the arrival of the two girls. "My name is Jaylin. May I help you?"

Lina kept her mouth shut for several moments, knowing if she tried to speak something very embarrassing would come out. Behind her, Sylphiel sputtered helplessly, completely overcome by the man's charm.

Jaylin blinked, not at all disturbed by their expressions. "May I help you?" he repeated.

"Y-yes," Lina finally managed to answer. She bit the inside of her cheek, the pain bringing back her senses. Good thing he's not a prince, or I'd--he'd--be in real trouble. A mental image formed in her mind's eye, one so strong it nearly brought a blush to her face. Lina quickly repressed her thoughts, focusing on her mission. "We're here to see the sorceress Grayle."

Jaylin bowed. "Follow me, please."

Anywhere you want. "Are you a…friend of Grayle?" Lina asked aloud as they entered the main hall. It was brightly lit with several huge chandeliers, made of some kind of crystal and hanging from the ceiling. There were doors all along the walkway, most of them closed. One, however, was open to a gigantic dinning room, a dozen or so servants scuttling around the equally impressive table.

They were all beautiful men.

"I am one of my Lady's personal servants," Jaylin answered easily, pausing to allow the two girls time to stare at those in the dinning room. He smiled as they turned to him with dazed expressions. "Grayle-sama likes 'nice' looking things," he explained.

"I suppose so," was all Lina could think to say.

Jaylin led them to the end of the hall and a tall set of double doors. There he asked them to wait while he went ahead to announce their presence. While he was gone, Lina and Sylphiel held a quick conference. "What do you think?" the sorceress asked.

Sylphiel gazed longingly back towards the open dinning room door. "I always wondered why Sairaag never had any handsome men. After Gourry-sama, that is," she added.

"Not even that jelly-brain would fit in here," Lina said quietly. She scratched her head. "What kind of person could get all these men working for her like this?"

The priestess shrugged. "She must be very beautiful."

"Or controlling them."

Sylphiel blinked in surprise. "Controlled?" She considered the thought. "Jaylin-san seems very nice, though," she finally said, sounding a bit doubtful.

"Maybe. But then, the whole damned town seems to be loony, so who knows." Lina sighed. "Too bad Tanith's not here; she could use her Truth Sight--or whatever the hell it is to--check these guys out."

Before Sylphiel could think of a reply, Jaylin returned. He bowed deeply, flashing another knee-melting smile. "This way, please."

He led them into a throne room.

At least, that was Lina's first thought as they passed through the doors. Beautiful glass lamps lined the circular room, the obsidian floor and walls reflecting the light. There were no windows, but the ceiling was a giant dome skylight. It was painted black except for hundreds of tiny spots, giving it the look of a night sky. Lina could even recognize several constellations.

"Welcome to my home," a strong voice echoed across the room. "Please come forward."

Lina marched confidently to the far side of the immense chamber, Sylphiel trailing behind her. The sorceress was pretty impressed; the house was more splendid than some palaces she had been in. She enjoyed the sound of her booted footsteps on the expensive floor.

Grayle was well known throughout the city as "the Lady," the most powerful sorceress in residence. Equally well know were her lavish ways. Lina had to agree with the townspeople as she finally got her first look at the sorceress.

She lay sprawled, stomach down, on several large, feather cushions, along with two more impossibly beautiful, dark-garbed men. Her nearly black midnight blue outfit--surprisingly--wasn't as revealing as Lina had feared it would be. It was, however, covered with so many sequins and glitter that she resembled her skylight. Her short hair was white, a startling contrast to the dark surroundings. She smiled.

"I think I know who you are," she said with true pleasure at their arrival, "But why don't you introduce yourselves anyway?"

Lina immediately tore her eyes from the two men, summoning all her pride and confidence. "My name is Lina Inverse." She refrained from adding the "sorcery genius" part; there was no need to be that proud. "And this is Sylphiel Nels Rada, a priestess from Sairaag."

Grayle nodded. "I thought it was you." She looked the two over, taking a sip from a half-full wine glass. "How can I help you?"

"We're looking for an item," Lina stated, glad to get straight to the point. "It has to do with Shadow magic."

Grayle raised a white eyebrow. "Shadow magic?"

Lina grinned. "Yes, Shadow. It's called the Lightless Sun."

"The Lightless Sun…" the sorceress pondered. She watched Sylphiel fidget for a moment, carefully hiding her expression. "Were you sent by the Guild?"

Now that's a strange question. Lina wondered what the best answer would be. Finally, she settled for the truth. "I have studied through the Guild, as you probably already know, but I'm not actively working them. I hate being cooped up," she added with a sour face.

Grayle nodded her understanding. "Why do you seek it then?"

"That's our secret." I hope she has a sense of humor.

To the red-head's relief, Grayle laughed. "Very well then," she chuckled. "If that is the case, then there is only one reason you'd be looking for it." She lowered her voice confidentially. "You want the counter spell, Shadow Redemption."

"Maybe."

Another laugh. "I understand, and I'm sorry I do not have hit." Grayle shifted, changing positions on the cushions so she now sat facing the two girls. "It is a very rare spell."

Lina didn't allow her disappointment to show. "So we've heard."

"Is there anything you can tell us about it?" Sylphiel asked.

"Well, let's see…." Grayle took another sip from her glass, considering the two very carefully. Then she smiled. "You're lucky," she informed them. "I'll be honest with you. I began to study the ways of the Astral Shadows a few years ago. I'm not in any official training as of yet, but there may be a few things I could tell you."

Lina crossed her arms. "And that would be?"

Grayle stood, handing her cup to one of the men. "Follow me."

The sorceress showed Lina and Sylphiel to a small door off the main room, mostly hidden by a dark curtain. She unlocked the passage, ushering them inside. "I met one of the Priests two years ago," she explained, leading them down a dark hall. Candles dimly lit the way. "Him and one of his trainees. They were beautiful boys," reflected wistfully. "A pity he had to leave."

Lina bit her tongue to keep from asking what that had to do with anything. Patience. Just be patient. She's the best lead you've had all day.

"Anyway, he taught me a bit about their religion, their history." The hallway abruptly widened into a small room. Grayle stepped aside, allowing the two to enter. "He told me about this."

The room was circular, painted all in black. The ceiling was a smaller version of the one in the main hall. It was empty except for a dark cushion on the floor and a huge wall hanging that flattened the wall directly across from the entry. An eight foot tall circle stood away from the black marble. Behind it must have been dozens of candles, for a flickering light shone around the edges and provided illumination for the whole room.

"The Lightless Sun," Grayle announced grandly, pleased by the surprise on her guests faces. "Better known as the solar eclipse, it is the symbol of the Astral Shadows."

Lina nodded in understanding. "The moon's shadow cast on the earth." She raised an eyebrow at the sorceress. "Clever."

"I though so."

Sylphiel faced their hostess. "But Grayle-san, what does this have to do with the spell?"

"There is supposedly an image of the Lightless Sun that contains the spell." Grayle actually looked a bit disappointed. "The only problem is that just about every Priest-hopeful has at least one image of the eclipse. The Shadow Temples, of course, are covered with them. The name 'Lightless Sun' is very popular, so finding the correct image that holds the spell is next to impossible. There is nothing else I know but that, and the item has been lost for centuries."

"The Priest might not have wanted to mention it," Lina pointed out.

"That could be true as well. I am not in formal training yet, after all."

"Well, thank you for your help." Lina turned to leave. "We must be going now."

Grayle smiled, her good spirit returning. "Would you at least like to stay for dinner?" she asked. "I don't get too many sorceresses to talk to."

"No thanks." Lina began to push Sylphiel down the hall, anxious to leave before the thought of all those beautiful men got to her. The priestess was already protesting weakly. "We really must be going."

"I could tell you more about Shadow magic," Grayle offered, almost sounding desperate.

That desperation was what finally convinced Lina that she not only couldn't stay, she shouldn't. All Tanith's and Maggie's warnings about the Shadow Priests came back to her, as well as the strange feeling the entire city had given her. With another quick "no thank you," she moved quickly down the dark hall and out into the main chamber.

She ran straight into the entire male staff.

"You don't have to leave so soon," one stated politely.

"At least stay for dinner," another put in.

Several more voices spoke their own protests. Lina tried to push past them, but she soon found herself surrounded by nearly thirty incredibly handsome men.

Grayle immerged from behind the dark curtain, laughing at the pair's expressions. "You can't leave now. We haven't had guest for such a long time." She lowered herself gracefully to her throne. "Besides, I think you should hear me out. Being a Shadow Priestess has some great benefits. Isn't that right, boys?"

"Back off," Lina growled as some of the men edged closer.

"Grayle-sama, we shouldn't be rude."

To Grayle's surprise as much as Lina's, Jaylin stepped out from the group of men. Where many of the others had a dull, blank gaze that gave Lina reason to believe that they were being controlled, the silver-eyed man had no such look. "As you know, not everyone is cut out to be a Priest."

The woman considered his words very carefully, slowly transferring her gaze between the man and Lina. The red-head put on her best "don't push me" expression and waited.

"Fine," Grayle finally agreed. "Forgive me, Lina-san, for my rude insistence. One sometimes gets caught up in the idea of recruiting. I'm sure you understand."

"Sure, whatever." Lina kept her fists carefully trained at her sides, glaring at the dark-clad sorceress until the wall of men split to allow her passage. "A pleasure meeting you," she muttered, stalking out of the circle.

"Thank you for your help," Sylphiel added meekly, quickly following her friend.

Lina met Jaylin's gaze as she left, not sure what she was looking for. His eyes were calm, but she could detect something beneath that mask. He didn't have the look of a trapped slave, or even one of a discontented servant. If anything, he was accepting of his place. No, the look was one of complete control, but as Lina turned away, she recognized the faintest sign of loneliness.

"What a day," Lina sighed, leaning back in her chair. With one hand she scooped up the last leg of chicken, devouring it quickly.

Beside her, Sylphiel nodded her agreement. "I can't believe she almost forced us to stay there."

"They weren't real men, anyway," the sorceress comforted, drinking from her large mug.

"True." The priestess nibbled on a piece of bread. "They weren't anything like princes."

Just then the door of the inn was thrown open, startling the customers nearest it. Two figures stalked into the common room, heads lowered and paces quick. The innkeeper looked as if he were going to stop them, then decided staying behind the bar would be safer.

Lina glanced up calmly as they approached her table. "What took ya so long?"

Zelgadis and Gourry fell heavily into their chairs, the former moaning softly. "Don't ask," he advised, massaging the bridge of his nose. "The people here are crazy."

The swordsman waved a waitress over, requested an order that made the girl wince, then turned to his friends. "How did you guys do?"

"I'll have to agree with Zel's statement; the people here are all crazy." Lina crossed her arms, focused on the chimera. "But we did find out that the Lightless Sun is the symbol for the Priests. It's the solar eclipse."

"'The Lightless Sun covers and protects the spell like glass over a painting,'" Zelgadis quoted. He glanced as his friends. "Any clues as to what Maggie-san said?"

Lina considered. "The moon covers the sun during an eclipse." She shrugged. "That's all I can think of."

Zelgadis nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. Where'd you get this from?"

"Grayle."

"That the 'Lady' everybody kept talking about?"

"Yeah." Lina forced the memory of the servant from her head before she could blush. "She's a Shadow Priest hopeful. Nearly gave us trouble, and she's damned guy crazy."

"Just like everybody else in this town." Zelgadis rubbed the back of his head. "And most of them have items they don't mind throwing away." He sighed as Gourry's food arrived, Sylphiel sharing what she could steal.

After several silent moments--save Gourry's chewing and gulping--Zelgadis looked up again. "Where's Tanith and Amelia?"

"Don't know," the sorceress admitted. "They haven't come back yet."

That worried him. "It's getting dark out. They should've been back by now."

Lina waved his apprehensions aside. "They can take care of themselves." She grinned. "And we would've heard the explosions if they were in trouble."

"I suppose you're right." But Zelgadis couldn't shake his uneasy feeling. The entire city was mad as far as he was concerned. After their first encounter and another just after, Zelgadis and Gourry had avoided the female population. The men, on the other hand, were quite cold and even rude to the pair. Except for that one…guy…but I'm not going to think about that one. He shuddered at the memory, then forced it from his mind.

But if the men of the city treated women the same way the women had treated him….

Just when he was about to suggest the group go looking for their missing members, the girls in question burst through the door. They ran straight to the table, perfectly fine except for being a bit winded. Zelgadis breathed a mental sigh of relief.

"Lina-san, Zelgadis-san! We've found something!" Amelia exclaimed excitedly, bouncing up and down.

Lina grinned. "Great! Sit down and tell us."

Tanith, to their surprise, shook her head and responded, "We can't."

The sorceress was puzzled. "Why not?"

The Ruumin held up a hand as she regained her breath. Her discomfort hadn't faded. "Because we have to go to the palace."

Sylphiel choked on the meat she had been eating. "The p-palace?"

"Why?" Lina asked.

Amelia was practically ready to explode with elation, the complete opposite of her blond companion. "The King knows about the Lightless Sun! He wants us to come to the palace!"

Lina slowly stood, dusting off her cape, earlier worries forgotten. She grinned and winked. "Far be it for me to refuse a request for my presence by a member of royalty." She tossed a small bag of coins on the table, indicating for the others to follow as she exited the inn. "Shall we?"

Shadow Redemption

Chapter 3: Sleep! A Night in Comfort?

King Shyres was actually more of a prince, crowned the previous year after the death of his father. He was a thin, nervous man, barely twenty-five years old. Despite his discomfort with the large group, he welcomed them graciously.

"Princess Amelia." He smiled, bowing slightly as the girl lead the others into the throne room. He'd been waiting along the western wall, talking with someone who left as the group entered. "These are your friends, I presume?"

"They are," she answered, surprisingly regal upon entering the palace. She gave a small bow before introducing the others. Amelia and Tanith--with Lina and the other's consent--had decided to introduce their group as part of either the princess's or the sorceress's entourage. It would free the others from having to do anything more than bow, and they wouldn't be as suspicious in case the King turned out to be as 'strange' as his subjects. "This is Lina Inverse, my traveling companion, and her bodyguard Gourry Gabriev." The swordsman made a fairly successful attempt at a courtly bow. "Priestess Sylphiel Nels Rada, and my bodyguard, Zelgadis Graywords." Amelia blushed a bit at the last, but managed to continue. "And you remember Lady Tanith, my personal attendant."

"Yes, of course." Shyres inclined his head a bit, and Tanith bowed in return. "So, you are Lina Inverse," the King continued a bit more loudly. He gave her a more formal greeting, smiling lightly. "I have heard a great deal about you."

Lina immediately straightened, pleased at the momentary surprise on the King's face when she didn't show her respect. "Most of it's true," she replied instead, nose turned up. "And as much as I'd like to discuss my many achievements, I am on a mission."

Shyres nodded. "Yes, the Shadow Priests' spell." He smiled. "I hope I will be able to help you."

"Don't you have it, King Shyres?" Sylphiel asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure." He shrugged. "Just before my father died, he told me of several of the treasures he had collected during his life. He kept them all in one of the towers. I've never been up there," he added. "But he was very fond of strange, rare items."

"Shyres-san has offered to let us look through his stuff," Amelia spoke up. "Provided we not steal anything." She gave a pointed stare at Lina.

"Of course, of course," the red-head quickly assured. "All I'm interested in is the spell."

"Can we go up now?" Zelgadis asked, anxious to find what they wanted and leave; the uneasy feelings from before hadn't left.

For a moment Shyres looked a bit disturbed, but he quickly hid it. "Are you really in that big of a hurry, Amelia-san?" he asked, putting his full attention on the princess. "Surely you can stay and talk a bit. You may even stay the night, if you wish," he added when she looked to speak. "I'm sure our beds are better than those of the inn."

"Um, well…." She looked to Lina for help.

"We're really in a bit of a hurry," the sorceress responded, casting a quick glance at Zelgadis; he looked ready to tear through a mountain to get searching. "Really, we'd just like to look around and go."

The King appeared to be thinking hard, growing more nervous with every word. A moment after Lina finished he seemed to gather his wits. "Are you sure? The tower has no lights and would be best seen in the morning. Also, you will be able to have breakfast with me."

"With you?" Sylphiel's face reflected the surprise they all felt.

Shyres smiled broadly. "Of course. It's not every day one is visited by a princess and a famous sorceress. Please." He bowed deeply. "Accept this offer and be my honored guests."

Lina sighed. The King obviously had his heart set on serving them, and who was she to argue? She looked at the other members of her group, silently asking for their opinions.

Amelia and Sylphiel's faces glowed with only slightly reluctant excitement. Gourry, as usual, wasn't paying attention--he was focused on some armor against the wall. Tanith shrugged, indifferent.

And Zelgadis looked ready to kill her if she didn't say no.

"All right, Shyres-san," Lina relented, enjoying grimly the expression on the chimera's face. "We'll stay as long as you promise us a grand feast."

"Oh, it will be," he assured, bowing again.

"Wonderful." She waved a hand as if to dismiss him. "Will you show us to our rooms, then? We're quite exhausted after our long travels."

"Of course." He started to lead them across the hall. "This way, please."

As soon as they were moving, Zelgadis approached the red-head. "Lina," he hissed, not bothering to hide his displeasure. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us a free breakfast," she responded, not meeting his gaze. "We haven't had a job or met any bandits for a while, and we're short on funds. Besides," she nodded to indicate the King, "He may not let us just up and leave with the spell."

"If he has it," Zelgadis muttered angrily. He hated it when she was right.

"If," she agreed as they mounted the stairs to the upper floors. "And if not, then we'll at least get some meals out of it."

Shyres showed each of them to their own rooms at the far end of the palace. "There are less people down here," he explained. "No one will bother you."

Even Lina had to admit that the chambers were impressive, each one lavishly decorated with large, warm looking beds and an adjoining bathing room. The King promised they could sleep as long as they wanted; breakfast would wait for them. Then he left.

The group parted a bit uneasily; everyone had different feelings about their host. Amelia and Sylphiel just believed he was shy and his reasons were sound, and Lina had to agree with them. Gourry, of course, didn't even remember that their host had been the King. Zelgadis was sullen almost to the point of pouting, but he didn't express the dark premonitions he was getting. Tanith remained quiet, though her eyes were a bit wary.

Lina dismissed the two as jumping at shadows and instructed them all to enjoy their night of comfort in the palace.

Lina awoke with the feeling that something was very, very wrong. With eyes still closed, she tried to discover the source of her discomfort.

She was no longer in her palace room; the bed was much smaller than she remembered--barely long enough to support her. From what she could feel of the blankets, she could tell they were something less than satin. For a moment the sorceress panicked, but she quickly calmed when she realized her outfit was still in tact.

When Lina finally deemed it safe enough to look around, she confirmed the change of scenery; the room seemed more like a cell than a palace suite. There were no windows and a single iron door. The walls were bare stone, and the only furniture was the bed. "What the--shit!" Lina swore as she tried to sit up and found she was unable to.

She was chained to the iron-framed bed.

"That little shit," she hissed, struggling in her bonds. "When I get my hands on that rat of a king, I swear I'll rip his lying--"

She was interrupted by the creaking of rusty hinges. The door slowly opened, revealing a small, sharp featured man. "Who are you?"

The man refused to enter, fingers twisting in his black robe. "I am the King's Chief Priest." His voice was as hard as the stone walls.

"Well, Priest," Lina spat. "You'd better tell that king of yours that if he doesn't let me out he won't have a kingdom to rule!"

He winced barely at her volume, but quickly recovered. "You can't do anything, Lina Inverse," he replied strongly. "You can't escape from here."

"Watch me." The sorceress muttered several quick words, a fireball forming in her hands.

"I'd stop if I were you."

Lina snorted. "Good thing you're not me." But as soon as the flame touched the metal of her bonds, the iron grew unbearably hot and forced her to stop. "What the--"

"They have a spell on them," the priest explained, still hiding I the doorway. "If you try to burn or break them in any way, they'll melt your skin off." The sorceress growled as he continued. "And if you try anything bigger, you'll just bring the whole castle down on you."

"What's going on?" Lina demanded, ceasing her struggles. "Why have you done this?"

He cocked his head. "Didn't you know? You have a bounty on your heads."

Lina groaned. "That was months ago, and it's already been cleared up."

"This is a new one, just put on recently. On you and the princess." The priest grinned. "Besides, you're looking for the secrets of Shadow magic." His smile grew dark. "We can't have that now, can we?"

Great, he's one of them. Should have known. The whole damned city probably is, too. The sorceress turned her head away, thoroughly disgusted and very angry. Just wait. I'll Dragon Slave this measly excuse for a kingdom into dust. Let them put a bounty on me then. Once I get Gourry and--

Damn! "Where are Amelia and the others?" she demanded, suddenly afraid for their safety.

The priest's grin widened. "They're safe, for now. Provided you don't try anything stupid," he added, chuckling faintly. "You bring the castle down, you bring it down on their heads.

Gourry, Amelia…. "Bastard," she hissed.

He shrugged. "Just doing my holy duty, sorceress." He began to retreat, closing the door behind him. "May the Spirits have mercy on you." The door creaked shut.

"Yeah, right."

:…Tanith….:

She moaned softly, for some reason having a hard time trying to wake.

:…Tanith…get up….:

"Tanith?"

The palace of Mabran, she remembered. Her mind felt strangely slow and unwilling to let go of slumber so easily.

"Tanith? Are you awake?"

:You have to get up.:

Her body was stiff and sore, neck cracking as she tried to move. Two voices? Who would be in my room? A sharp, painful cramp ran through her arm, jolting her mind back into awareness.

She was laying on her side, the stone floor chilling her bare arms and legs. The room was completely black. When she tried to raise a hand to create a light spell, she couldn't; they were bound behind her against some hard objects. "What…?"

"Finally," a harsh voice grumbled, directly behind her and very close. "Are you okay?"

"Zelgadis?" What is he doing here? Where are we? She tried again to move, but her hands and feet were bound so tight her blood could barely circulate. "I'm tied up," she murmured, still unable to think clearly.

The man behind her sighed in annoyance. "Yes, I know." The objects she was bound to moved. "We're tied together."

The haze finally cleared, her senses kicking in. Zelgadis was laying behind her, wrists and ankles fastened to hers. They were in a small room--their voices echoed just barely--and there were no windows. We've been captured, she forced herself to realize calmly. The King has betrayed us and was somehow able to knock both of us out long enough to tie us up. Damn it.

"They somehow got a sleep spell on us," Zelgadis answered her unasked question. "I woke up just before you did."

Tanith twisted her wrists, wincing as cold metal bit into her skin. "Chains," she muttered, already working on an escape. "I don't suppose you could break these?"

"I could." He shifted. "But I'd probably break your arms in the process."

She sighed, thinking of another solution. "How about melting them?"

"If our clothes didn't catch, the metal would burn us." A short bark of laughter escaped from his nose. "I do have skin, you know."

Tanith slumped against the floor, not wanting to comment. They were both annoyed and would only argue, but she was hurt by his tone. The last thing I need is a fight, though. "So what do you think we should do?"

It was several moments before he replied. "I can't think of anything right now," he admitted reluctantly. "But I doubt Lina and the others would miss the fact that we're gone."

"Unless they've been captured, too."

"And even if they were, they wouldn't be in this same position."

"You think Lina will get out?"

"She's gotten out of worse."

Tanith had to agree. Lina had been through worse. There had been worse times than this. Much worse. All she had to do was wait; for rescue, for an idea to come, either to her or her fellow captive. "I guess we wait," she said aloud, knowing he would somehow understand her meaning. He did, and she could feel the gentle brush of his hair as he nodded.

An hour passed, slowly and silently. They didn't talk--there were no ideas to share. They didn't move accept when trying to relieve muscle cramps. The hardest part of the ordeal was the way they were bound--there wasn't much in the way of breathing space. Zelgadis's wrists were crossed with Tanith's over his, so that one of their hands were palm to palm, the other two knuckle to knuckle. Tanith held her fingers clenched into fists to keep from encountering his hand or back.

The closeness was unnerving. Tanith hadn't been around people for years, not since she had left home. The chimera had managed to set some space between them, but the strain on her back and arms was becoming unbearable. Also, part of her was still unsure about feelings towards her travel companion, was still unsure if they could ever even begin to really trust each other.

But as an hour came and went, the pain settled into a dull ache, and her thoughts shifted. She could feel his cape move as he shifted, for part of it lay across her arm, and the distance between them was not that great. Whenever his head moved, she felt his hair brush against her head--it wasn't as wiry as it looked. The skin of his fingers, that which wasn't covered by his glove, was warm and smooth. It's been so long since I've been this close to anyone, she recalled sadly. Not since…back then. Back then, even though we were only kids, touch was so important. I miss them….

A terrible pain rose in her chest. It felt as though a hand had clamped around her heart, and the sensation quickly spread throughout her entire body. Her muscles complained as she tensed.

Stop it! It's not the same--he's not them. He wouldn't understand. He wouldn't….

But did it really matter whether he did or not? He hadn't understood why she had run after the battle with Leshimier all those weeks ago. Even then he had come after her, had offered his comfort without asking what he was giving it for. Since then he had always been in her shadow, watching her in a way that made Tanith wonder if the look was really one of fear and distrust….

The relationship she had shared with…the others…was gone forever. But did that mean she couldn't find even a bit of that comfort again, even if it wasn't the same?

He doesn't know what you went through, that nagging, doubtful part of her mind argued insistently. He wouldn't understand what it was like for you. Besides, if he knew--knew everything--he wouldn't care if he broke your arms to get out. He doesn't know the kind of pain that I caused.

But there was that old control bond, the one that even now she could sense. Surely he know suffering, maybe even caused his own share of it, having been controlled by the Red Priest. And this body….He must be as lonely as she, not being able to have the same closeness that she also wanted…needed….

You're pathetic, looking for comfort in the form of a demon. Born in fire and clothed in night, remember? Isn't that what you've always been taught? What you've always believed?

But Zelgadis was as much a human as he was a demon, and the closest she had found to another Ruumin. All demons couldn't be bad, just as all Shamanists or Black magic users weren't. And he had fought against Shabranigdu, when demons were among his children. Surely such an act was worthy to gain some of her trust….

You'll only be hurt, or end up cursing him as well. Just like you did to the others--you'll send him to his death--

No. No, that couldn't be right. He had nothing to do with any of it. Tanith was surprised by her own protectiveness of him. Could she really care that much without knowing anything about him?

You're just feeling things because you're lonely. That's all. It's just--

Tanith cut off her own thoughts. She did have a feeling, but it wasn't from her loneliness. It was…a connection, the sense that maybe her would understand her, would accept her and all her faults. Maybe they didn't have to be enemies….

Then she realized her hand had opened on it's own, and her palm was pressed tightly against his, her fingers brushing ever so slightly against his own soft skin.

When Zelgadis had awoken, the first thing he had thought was that he had been right; "something" was very wrong, and "something" had happened. The second thought had been to wonder about the strange, pine-like scent in the room. It had puzzled him for several minutes, drowning out the realizations of where he was.

Discovering the source of the scent had quickly obsessed him, making the twin facts of "captured" and "tied up" not as important as they should have been. It smelled of pine and spring rain--

Can rain have a smell?

--and flowers. And as he concentrated on it, it seemed to change and grow. His senses became muddled, confused, for his nose was telling him things that weren't possible. There was water moving--not like rain, more like a stream--and gentle breezes. It was as though every natural, beautiful thing in the world had been caught up in that scent and presented before him. Spring, summer--

Can seasons have a smell?

--the fall and the winter, all invading his mind in a jumble that nearly caused him to pass out again.

Then there was a moan, a shifting of movement, and the world had come back to him. The scent died, fading into the darkness of the room. That was when he'd realized exactly what had happened.

Betrayed. Captured. Trapped.

"Tanith?"

They had to get out of there, had to escape and find the others. He'd tried the chains binding him to the Mage--no good, not without hurting her.

"Tanith? Are you awake?"

She'd shifted, arms brushing against his. That was when he realized his head was laying on some of her hair: the source of the pine scent.

Now they lay in silence, not speaking, trying their best to stay away from the other. But it was a painful strain, a strain that soon became more than a physical frustration.

Why did they have to tie us together?

He liked her. He could barely admit it, but it was there. It was ridiculous; they'd only known each other for what, a month? Most of that time they had hated the other, and he had been particularly cold to her.

But now, sitting alone in their dark prison, he found he wanted to make amends. They shared a kinship, neither being human, and they were both haunted by some past mistake--

Her eyes, so much like mine, so hurt.

--that they just couldn't forgive. He recognized the mask she wore as easily as he held his own. And, somehow, he knew she could see his just as easily.

She moved, trying to rotate her shoulders. She bumped against him, her fist momentarily pressing into his back. Then she settled, the muscles in her wrists still tense with the cramps he too was trying to ignore.

Zelgadis cursed himself for being so fascinated by her. But she was beautiful, smart, and so, so determined.

Determined, just like me.

And he was still human, even if his looks said differently. No demon skin or golem stone could change the fact that he was nineteen, that he had become a chimera before he had ever had a chance to be a normal, human man….

Why am I thinking about this now? We need to escape…even if I can't thing of anything but her, we have to get out of here.

But still he didn't move, didn't try to clear his thoughts. Instead he just listened; to her, her breathing, the sound her neck made when she tried to relieve the kinks from sleeping on a stone floor. And she was so warm, her closeness alone helping to dispel most of the rooms chill.

Gods, I'm pathetic.

Tanith abruptly went rigid, the fist in his palm clenching so hard it made his own hand ache in sympathy. A small sound escaped from somewhere in her throat, and Zelgadis imagined that perhaps she hadn't realized she'd made it. Concern flooded his mind, blocking out his disturbing feelings. For a moment he wanted to speak, but she relaxed before he had the chance.

Silence again. Zelgadis held his breath to see if she would move or even speak.

Nothing.

You're crazy, he told himself, feeling suddenly disgusted. She's probably wondering why you haven't found a way out yet. And here you are, living in a foolish fantasy. He firmed up his wall, burying his emotions in the back of his mind. Now was the time to think, to plan. They couldn't just wait for Lina to come and save them. She wouldn't want you anyway, not like this. Maybe--and that's maybe--when you find the spell and become human, then she might. For now, worry about getting out.

Then her hand opened, her fingers pressing almost hesitantly against his. Despite how small an action it was, it froze his heart in less than a second.

A moment of silence passed, and Zelgadis slowly realized that she was as surprised as he was. Then the quiet became an awkward one; now what was going to happen? Think of something! his mind screamed, so loud he thought she might have heard it. But he didn't know what to say.

Does it matter? Anything to make the silence stop.

"Tanith?"

"Yes?" Her voice was small, but it echoed loudly in the enclosed room.

"Are…are you okay?"

Oh, that was brilliant.

She was quiet, and Zelgadis silently cursed himself some more. Why didn't you just ask about the weather? he chided himself sarcastically.

"Actually…."

He paused. "Yes?"

She sighed, and he felt her shake her head. "Nothing. Never mind."

Zelgadis pondered this for several moments. Finally, he gathered his courage, edging closer to her. Forcing his hand not to tremble, he slowly laced his fingers with hers. With one final shift, their shoulders were touching. He turned his head, leaning against her slightly. "Don't worry," he told her softly, putting as much assurance into his voice as possible. "We'll get out of here. I'll think of something, or Lina will come."

Tanith considered this silently for a long time, nervousness dancing along his spine as he waited for a response. At last she sighed, relaxing against him. He felt some of her tenseness fade, their bodies were so close. Her head tilted back, and her voice was soft with gratitude. "Thank you, Zelgadis. I know we will, and I'll try hard to think, too."

He smiled, even though she couldn't see it. I know."

The silence that followed was no longer uncomfortable. Both captives thought hard about how to reverse their situation, each hoping to come up with an idea on how to save their new friend.