A Request to be Fulfilled
Xelloss knelt on one knee next to Lina, who lay on the dusty, smoking battlefield. Lina had defeated the last piece of Shabrinigdo, leaving most of the area in ruins, smoke coming from the ravaged, burned soil. A brilliant achievement to destroy such a powerful monster, but...
...she would not be able to celebrate afterwards.
"How's Gourry?" Lina asked, her voice soft and toneless from fatigue.
"Shilfiell-san is healing him." Xelloss replied, looking at Lina's pale face. The moonlight graced her face and luminated her completely, making her somewhat of a fallen angel...
"And Amelia?" Lina asked.
"She's also being healed," Xelloss replied. *Unfortunately*, he thought secretly.
"Will she die?" Lina asked, her spirit too low to show concern. Amelia took quite a blow to the stomach by Shabrinigdo's claw.
"I think that question should be for you, ne?" Xelloss looked her, his eyes still in closed-crescents. "You don't look very good...Shall I get Shilfiell-san to come here?"
"... ..." Lina opened her eyes, turned her eyes to the Priest/General. Her red eyes were like polished rubies.
Their gazes locked for a moment.
"It really hurts....the pain..." Lina remarked.
"I imagine it does...that was quite a blast that you survived." Xelloss continued to keep his gaze on her.
"You know as well as I do that...that...I may not..." Lina closed her eyes again. She couldn't finish her sentence.
"I know." Xelloss said, keeping her from wasting the last of her energy.
"... ..." silent tears slid down Lina's cheeks.
Xelloss felt pain and sorrow coming from Lina. He was pleasured by such negative feelings, but...at the moment, his pleasure felt empty...not satisfying...
"There are no more pieces of Shabrinigdo anymore, right?" Lina asked, her voice soft and slightly cracked. The tears streams glistened in the moonlight.
"There are no pieces that I know of anymore." Xelloss answered.
"Good...is Filia okay? I almost forgot about her..." Lina's voice was getting more tired.
"Dragons don't die too easily. I'm sure she's fine---I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing." Xelloss remarked. That crack managed grace a smile on Lina's face.
"...I wish Zel was here..." Lina murmured, her smile slowly disappeared. Xelloss looked at her.
"...what if he's dying somewhere while he was looking for that stupid cure..?" Lina asked.
"I'm sure he's not. He's too stubborn to die and his obsession to find his cure is too strong to let him die just anywhere," Xelloss remarked assuringly for her.
"...yeah..." Lina eyes opened slightly, her long eyelashes cast thin shadows on her face.
"Xelloss-sama!!" Shilfiell called. "Please bring Lina-san here! I must heal her right away!!" the distressed woman just finished healing her precious Gourry.
"Now I'll have to carry you, Lina-chan. No fireballs, ne?" Xelloss joked as he picked Lina up. His arm under her knees and around her shoulders. Her head rested against his chest.
Lina smiled, her eyes still open slightly.
"It's been fun, Xelloss." Lina murmured.
"Hmm?" Xelloss looked at Lina, her remark caused him to walk slower.
"You're not such a..bad guy...or demon..." Lina replied.
Lina's eyes looked as if she were day-dreaming. Xelloss started to get more worried than he already was.
"You guys made..the whole trip fun...for me..." Lina said, a small grateful smile graced her face.
"Now, now, Lina-chan...Stop talking like its your last hour," Xelloss said.
"I have much less than that...Find Zelgadiss," Lina murmured. Xelloss noted that Lina used Zelgadiss instead of 'Zel'. "Find Zelgadiss...okay?"
"For what?" Xelloss asked curiously.
"Xelloss-sama, hurry!!" Shilfiell exclaimed.
Xelloss was about to take a quick jog toward Shilfiell who was kneeling next to Amelia and healing her small wounds, but Lina shook her head.
"No..no, it's too late!" Lina whispered harshly. "Put me down! Put me down right now!" Lina demanded.
Xelloss knelt on one knee again, setting Lina down, but he let Lina lean against him, supporting her head with one hand.
"Tell him...that I..learned a lot..from him...and..that I've always accepted him..as he is now..." Lina said softly, her breathing getting thinner. "..he was...always a.. real..friend to me..."
Xelloss noticed that Lina was squeezing his hand. Xelloss opened his amethyst eyes, locking onto Lina's ruby eyes. Their fingers softly entwined together.
Even if he was a mazoku, Xelloss still had some human suspensibilities within him, Lina thought.
"..I'm kinda afraid..." Lina murmured, a single tear slipped down her cheek.
"Of what?" Xelloss asked.
"... ..." Lina didn't answer him for a while. She closed her eyes.
"...I was never the nicest woman...I didn't do the greatest things...I think I may go down to Hell." Lina murmured.
"...well...I heard it was awfully warm down there. You never did like the cold." Xelloss said cheerfully, but his smile instantly broke from his face.
Lina let out a weak laugh, "I'll put in a good word for you if I go down there."
Xelloss chuckled. Lina squeezed his hand a bit tighter...Xelloss held her hand. It was so fragile...like glass...
"You know, it's really annoying..." Lina murmured as she leaned her head against Xelloss's chest. He was warm...comfortably warm...
"What is?" Xelloss asked.
"...that I had to ask you to fulfill my death wish." Lina breathed. Her grip loosened, yet Xelloss continued to hold hers.
Xelloss blinked. He then slightly smiled. Lina was always Lina until the very end...
Shilfiell ran over to Xelloss and Lina.
"What's wrong with you, Xelloss-sama?!" Shilfiell exasperated. Her gentleness was overrun with stress and worry now.
Xelloss didn't say anything. He just silently held Lina's hand.
"Lina-san, don't worry! I'll save you!" Shilfiell knelt by Lina and put her hand on top of Lina's forehead. "Open your eyes, Lina-san!"
"... ..." Lina was silent...chalky pale...
All the color left Lina's face...she looked so delicate and frail...like a porcelain doll made of thin glass despite her fiery nature...
Xelloss pressed his lips to Lina's forehead softly. Shilfiell looked at what the mazoku did with wide-eyes. It was as if Xelloss thought Lina-san was dead!!
...then a thought struck the priestess like a bolt of thunder.
"Lina-san..?" Shilfiell's eyes grew extremely worried.
"... ..." deathly silence. She would never speak again.
Shilfiell realized what happened...she couldn't deny it any longer....
Lina Inverse's earthly bonds had..broken..like threads to a marionette.
"LINA-SAN!!!!"
Zelgadiss walked into an icy temple. His cloak was covered in ice and frost. He was in the North Pole.
"The manuscript MUST be around here..." Zelgadiss thought as he shook his cloak, clumps of snow fell to the floor.
Zelgadiss walked deeper and deeper into the temple, his lighting spell floated in his hand.
"Tell him...tell him, Amelia..." Gourry murmured painfully.
"Gourry-sama, you need to rest!" Shilfiell pushed his shoulders back onto the bed.
Gourry fell back in exhaustion, his deep wounds taking a toll on his body.
Amelia wiped the tears from her eyes with her right hand. Her left arm was wrapped in a sling because it was brutally broken.
"From the Astral Plane
Let my image take shape" Amelia murmured the incantation, her eyes closed.
"VISION!" Amelia snapped open her eyes.
Zelgadiss stopped dead in his tracks. He saw a translucent image of Amelia floating in front of him...
"Amelia?" Zelgadiss blinked.
"Zelgadiss-san," Amelia's voice softly echoed. "I'm glad to see you are okay."
"Why are you contacting me? Is something wrong?" Zelgadiss asked.
"... ..." Amelia nodded her head.
Zelgadiss looked at Amelia's broken arm and many cuts and wounds on her body. Her clothes were dirty and ripped.
"Lina-san...she's...oh, she's---Zelgadiss-san! Behind you!!" Amelia gasped.
Zelgadiss whipped out his sword and spun away, seeing someone in the shadows...
"I'll take it from here, Amelia-san." Xelloss stepped out from the shadows. With the wave of his staff, Amelia's image broke away.
"What are you doing here?" Zelgadiss demanded, his sword ready to be used.
"Put that sword away, Zelgadiss-san," Xelloss said. "It's useless in Deep Sea Dolphin's temple."
"Deep Sea Dolphin?" Zelgadiss looked around the frozen, icy temple.
"Her Priest and General protected this temple...however, they were killed during the War of the Monsters' Fall. So this once beautiful temple of water turned to ice...quite a shame..."
"Anyway," Xelloss said carelessly. "You're quite lucky that she lives in the Demons' Sea---she's be quite unpleasant to fight with at the moment." Xelloss replied as he sat down.
He pointed his staff in front of him and made a small fire. Xelloss then embedded the tip of his staff into the icy ground, letting it stick upright from the ground.
"Why?" Zelgadiss asked. "When was the 'great' Xelloss afraid?" he said sarcastically.
"Well....being in Deep Sea Dolphin's territory...only a fraction of my magic remains...you see, she and I aren't exactly..friends..." Xelloss said cheerfully as he sat by the fire. "So she cast a spell that if I came into HER territory, my magic is drained."
Zelgadiss was amused. Someone else hated Xelloss---he loved to hear that kind of business.
"Why did you get rid of Amelia?" Zelgadiss asked. *What was she about to tell me?*
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" Xelloss said ever-so helpfully.
Zelgadiss walked over and slightly lifted Xelloss up by the neck.
"Yare, yare...this is no way to treat someone who is about to tell you what the late Lina Inverse's last words were." Xelloss remarked, his eyes opened and pierced Zelgadiss's soul just as Xelloss's words had also pierced his heart.
Zelgadiss's grip loosened. Xelloss plopped back into his sitting position. He motioned Zelgadiss to sit down by him.
"It's cold in here, ne? Sit down." Xelloss gestured.
Zelgadiss, too stunned, sat down across from Xelloss.
"Lina...dead?" Zelgadiss murmured, his eyes stared into the fire. "Are you lying to me, mazoku?" Zelgadiss glared.
"I have no need to joke about this." Xelloss said seriously.
Xelloss sensed internal turmoil within Zelgadiss's heart.
"Lina...she's dead..?" Zelgadiss murmured with disbelief, yet in his heart he knew it must have been true...
"Well, yes. THAT'S the bad news. The good news is that she was successful in destroying Shabrinigdo." Xelloss remarked.
"...how could she..die?" Zelgadiss closed his eyes.
Xelloss couldn't help but take pleasure in Zelgadiss's vulnerable state of disbelief, regret and grief. Suddenly Zelgadiss snapped his eyes toward Xelloss.
"Why are YOU telling me this?" Zelgadiss narrowed his eyes. "Why would you enter Deep Sea Dolphin's temple vulnerable? Mazoku don't particularly like to be weak."
"Oh, you're so observant, Zelgadiss-kun." Xelloss remarked.
"Answer me." Zelgadiss's eyes were sharper and more serious than they usually are.
"Well, I'm only here because Lina requested me to find you," Xelloss replied. "And the least I could do for my favorite fiery sorceress is to fulfill her last wish."
*Lina thought of ME during her last moments...?* Zelgadiss thought, his heart wrenched.
"She said she learned a lot from you. She said she accepted you as a chimera, not caring if you turned back into a human. She believes that you were always a true friend to her." Xelloss said, his eyes were open, his amethyst eyes burned into Zelgadiss's deep blue eyes.
Zelgadiss looked at Xelloss over the crackling fire.
"Do you find something wrong, Xelloss?" Zelgadiss asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Well, I was just wondering---if you were a true friend, where were YOU when she needed you most during the dire situation that led to her death?" Xelloss asked, opening his eyes.
This provoked Zelgadiss to stand up and unsheathe his sword in a split second. Xelloss had also stood up and easily pulled his staff from the ground. They stood across from each other, the fire between them.
"You don't want to tempt me to kill you," Zelgadiss growled. "Because I would make sure that you die in slow, excrutiating pain."
"Even though I only have a fraction of my powers here, I am STILL more powerful than you, my dear chimera." Xelloss retorted, a cruel, hard smile upon his face.
Zelgadiss rage flared beyond great heights and he swung his sword down toward Xelloss's head.
Zelgadiss's sword and Xelloss's staff collided, the sound echoed down the icy walls.
"Do you think you can hurt me with that child's toy?" Xelloss asked mockingly as he pushed more force against Zelgadiss's sword.
"Do you think you can hurt me with a stick of wood?" Zelgadiss retorted as he pushed more force against Xelloss's staff.
The two broke off their parry, glaring at each other. They circled each other, the fire still between them.
"I was more of a friend to Lina than you ever were, you damned mazoku." Zelgadiss said in a low voice, full of hate and anger.
"So it seemed, but I'm not the one who left her, now was I?" Xelloss glared.
Their weapons clashed again, the fire swayed. They broke off and circled each other again.
"What did YOU do to help Lina from dying?!" Zelgadiss snapped. "You're nothing but a coward!"
"I cannot fight against Shabrinigdo, I was ordered not to---and Shabrinigdo is one of the many threads that hold my essence together! And now since he is dead, my powers are a fraction less.You see, I could have killed Lina if I wanted to. " Xelloss glared. *But I didn't...I wouldn't...*
Xelloss was the first to offend and Zelgadiss lunged forward, their weapons were caught in a deadlock once again.
"There's something that bothers you more than me," Zelgadiss said, glaring into Xelloss's eyes. "I can see it."
"What bothers me most---is how stupid you are!" Xelloss snapped, though he was lying.
Zelgadiss glared.
"You and your silly cure, you'll never find it." Xelloss said.
Zelgadiss tensed, hate boiled within him. He broke off from Xelloss and stood in a stance. He clearly wanted to fight for real now.
Xelloss acknowledged this and stood in his own stance.
"You'll never win." Xelloss said in a low voice, his cheerful fascade long gone.
"Nor will you." Zelgadiss said, his voice dangerous.
The two lunged toward each other, the fire burned out from their clashing auras.
Zelgadiss pushed himself in a sitting postion, leaning against the wall. His breathing was hard and fatigued. Xelloss pushed himself up on one knee, grasping his staff for support.
The outcome of the battle was unclear. They were both alive and exhausted.
"Humans can be such selfish creatures," Xelloss said spitefully.
Zelgadiss looked at Xelloss. Xelloss's eyes were distant.
"That priestess Shilfiell first wanted to save 'dear' Gourry before she wanted to save Lina. Gourry was useless in the battle. He is nothing without the sword of light...he just made it harder for Lina. He just got in the way. If he died...perhaps Lina would still be alive now." Xelloss murmured with a twisted frown and angered eyes.
"Is that what's bothering you most?" Zelgadiss looked at him pensively.
Xelloss didn't say answer.
*That IS what bothers him most...* Zelgadiss thought, looking at Xelloss as he closed his amethyst eyes once again...
"You were Lina's favorite," Xelloss remarked with a soft sigh as he forced himself to stand upright. "perhaps she loved you more than a friend."
"Ha..." Zelgadiss felt bitter. "No, I wasn't the one. Neither was Gourry. Unfortunately, you were."
Xelloss arched his eyebrow.
"She let you get away with things that no one else could," Zelgadiss stood up. "That's one of the many reasons why I hate you."
"She was spiritually closer to you than anyone else though." Xelloss crossed his arms.
"...I suppose we'll never know who Lina cared for in that way." Zelgadiss murmured, as he thought of the other reasons Lina could have loved Xelloss.
"Actually, after careful observations...I think I know who Lina cared for now..." Xelloss looked at Zelgadiss.
"Hmph. And who is that?" Zelgadiss crossed his arms, waiting to hear the mazoku's conclusion which would most likely be intentionally unaccurate.
Xelloss walked over and placed a hand on Zelgadiss's shoulder.
"Now...that..is a secret!" Xelloss replied and teleported both himself and Zelgadiss out of Deep Sea Dolphin's temple. Luckily, his teleportation powers still were able from the Astral Planes.
Zelgadiss fell onto a grassy ground and found himself in front of a town...
"This town is called Irasas," Xelloss was standing next to him. "It's very scientific. The highest technology in both science and magic."
"Why did you bring me here?" Zelgadiss demanded.
Xelloss continued, "Irasas is on an island that is not mapped. Very secret to other humans. Elves, demons and faeries lives here---some human folk as well. They are all intelligent and are doing scientific research."
Zelgadiss stood up, looking at Xelloss who looked into the town. The town was quite busy with people bustling here and there...
"...as I said before, Zelgadiss-kun, you'll never be able to find your cure----you'll have to discover it," Xelloss slightly opened his eyes and looked at Zelgadiss. "And you're quite intelligent yourself, being Rezo's grandson I have the notion that you are."
"Why are you doing this for me?" Zelgadiss looked into the town, feeling an uprise in his spirits.
"Well...that is a..secret!" Xelloss replied.
Zelgadiss glared at the mazoku...but...
"Thanks." Zelgadiss mumbled awkwardly.
Xelloss just smiled as usual.
"Greetings," a young woman walked toward the chimera and Trickster Priest. She had light violet hair that reached her waist and she was dressed in a lavender dress cut to mid-thigh with a white lab coat on her shoulders. Silver-rimmed spectacles sat on the bridge of her nose.
"Why, hello, Iriseena-san." Xelloss greeted.
"A guest of yours, Xelloss-san?" Iriseena looked at Zelgadiss with her light amber eyes.
"Why, this kawaii guy here is my VERY best friend!" Xelloss replied, hoping to make Zelgadiss sick with nausea.
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes as he stepped away from the mazoku. He slightly turned his face away from the woman. She was quite attractive...and he was a monster...
"Hi there," Iriseena held out her delicate hand politely. "My name is Iriseena Mel Chante," she introduced herself. "And you are...?"
"Zelgadiss. Zelgadiss Graywords." Zelgadiss replied, hesitating to shake the woman's hand. He held out his hand, shook her hand and immediately pulled his hand back.
Iriseena smiled, "I'm sure you want to research knowledge and use my laboratory for personal reasons. Come, I'll make sure you're at home here."
Zelgadiss looked around, seeing that Xelloss was gone...
"Xelloss-san always disappears. He had quite a busy agenda." Iriseena remarked.
Zelgadiss followed her, fascinated by the town, seeing so many different people of different ethnics. Zelgadiss stopped when Iriseena turned around and faced him.
"You don't need your sword here. No one is going to harm you," Iriseena remarked. She then pulled down Zelgadiss mask and pushed back his hood. "And you don't need to cover yourself like that here either." she smiled gently.
His silver hair gleamed in the sun and his deep blue eyes looked depthless.
Zelgadiss scowled, turning his head away, "I look like a monster."
"...when I first saw you, I thought much differently." Iriseena remarked.
Zelgadiss looked at her. She was shorter than him, only coming up to his chin.
"I'm a chimera---how can you think I look different from a monster?" Zelgadiss asked.
"I thought you were quite attractive, actually." Iriseena murmured. She quickly turned away, a pinkish color tinted her cheeks.
Zelgadiss slightly blushed, but quickly shook it off.
"Please come along, Zelgadiss-san." Iriseena said.
Zelgadiss walked into a room that had a bed, desk, mirror, dresser, and a large window with a balcony.
"This will be your room. I hope you find it comfortable." Iriseena said.
"Thank you." Zelgadiss said with gratitude, looking out the window. He saw the ocean. It was quite evident that he WAS on an island.
"A friend of Xelloss Metallium is always welcome," Iriseena remarked. "he discovered many things that helped science and people."
"What?" Zelgadiss faced her. "Xelloss? Helped people?" he blinked incredulously.
"As you will find here, Zelgadiss-san," Iriseena said. "People are all different. It doesn't matter what race they are from, they all have special ablities that they keep secret. And secrets are Xelloss's favorite marks."
Zelgadiss looked out the window. In some ways, he knew Xelloss wasn't all THAT bad...
"Come by my office when you are ready and I'll show you your laboratory." Iriseena closed the door silently.
Zelgadiss opened the window, letting in the fresh breeze.
"What are you doing here, Xelloss?" Zelgadiss knew that Xelloss was sitting at the desk. He had phased in just as Iriseena closed the door.
"How do you like everything so far, Zelgadiss-kun?" Xelloss asked. He was quite amazed that Zelgadiss could sense his aura like that.
"I think this place will do." Zelgadiss replied.
Zelgadiss saw Xelloss throw something on his bed. It was Lina's demonsblood talismans...
"I'll let you keep those. I have no need for them---and its a nice little reminder of Lina. I doubt you'll be able to visit her grave any time soon since you're quite a long way from it." Xelloss said.
"... ..." Zelgadiss looked at the talismans...memories flooded his head...
"Lina thought that she would go down to Hell--she was afraid of it." Xelloss said.
"Lina's the last person in the group to go down to Hell," Zelgadiss remarked. *She was too good of a person to go to Hell--even if she wasn't a peacemaker.* "If anyone's going down to Hell--it's me---and definitely you."
A sweat-drop rolled down Xelloss's head, "How comforting."
Xelloss suddenly sensed fathomless pain coming from Zelgadiss.
"If her death pains you so much, you could always commit suicide, you know." Xelloss remarked.
Zelgadiss looked at himself in the mirror and then looked away. He looked out at the ocean.
"I'm going to become human, live my life to the given lifespan of my human limitations and then when I die, Lina will be able to look at me without a frown," Zelgadiss said, a breeze brushed his bangs away from his face. "I know she'd Dragon Slave me if I do anything stupid like commit suicide."
"Oh, so true." Xelloss remarked.
Silence.
"...I'm really going to miss her," Zelgadiss murmured. Xelloss slightly opened his eyes, then closed them again.
Xelloss couldn't help but have the exact same thought as Zelgadiss.
"And you know what really gets to me?" Zelgadiss mumbled.
"What's that?" Xelloss asked.
"That I'm sharing my thoughts with you----now get out of my room."
~~The End~~
**Hope you liked it---and yes, this was a pointless story...^_^; Hope I didn't bore ya too much! Please review! Ja ne!**
Xelloss knelt on one knee next to Lina, who lay on the dusty, smoking battlefield. Lina had defeated the last piece of Shabrinigdo, leaving most of the area in ruins, smoke coming from the ravaged, burned soil. A brilliant achievement to destroy such a powerful monster, but...
...she would not be able to celebrate afterwards.
"How's Gourry?" Lina asked, her voice soft and toneless from fatigue.
"Shilfiell-san is healing him." Xelloss replied, looking at Lina's pale face. The moonlight graced her face and luminated her completely, making her somewhat of a fallen angel...
"And Amelia?" Lina asked.
"She's also being healed," Xelloss replied. *Unfortunately*, he thought secretly.
"Will she die?" Lina asked, her spirit too low to show concern. Amelia took quite a blow to the stomach by Shabrinigdo's claw.
"I think that question should be for you, ne?" Xelloss looked her, his eyes still in closed-crescents. "You don't look very good...Shall I get Shilfiell-san to come here?"
"... ..." Lina opened her eyes, turned her eyes to the Priest/General. Her red eyes were like polished rubies.
Their gazes locked for a moment.
"It really hurts....the pain..." Lina remarked.
"I imagine it does...that was quite a blast that you survived." Xelloss continued to keep his gaze on her.
"You know as well as I do that...that...I may not..." Lina closed her eyes again. She couldn't finish her sentence.
"I know." Xelloss said, keeping her from wasting the last of her energy.
"... ..." silent tears slid down Lina's cheeks.
Xelloss felt pain and sorrow coming from Lina. He was pleasured by such negative feelings, but...at the moment, his pleasure felt empty...not satisfying...
"There are no more pieces of Shabrinigdo anymore, right?" Lina asked, her voice soft and slightly cracked. The tears streams glistened in the moonlight.
"There are no pieces that I know of anymore." Xelloss answered.
"Good...is Filia okay? I almost forgot about her..." Lina's voice was getting more tired.
"Dragons don't die too easily. I'm sure she's fine---I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing." Xelloss remarked. That crack managed grace a smile on Lina's face.
"...I wish Zel was here..." Lina murmured, her smile slowly disappeared. Xelloss looked at her.
"...what if he's dying somewhere while he was looking for that stupid cure..?" Lina asked.
"I'm sure he's not. He's too stubborn to die and his obsession to find his cure is too strong to let him die just anywhere," Xelloss remarked assuringly for her.
"...yeah..." Lina eyes opened slightly, her long eyelashes cast thin shadows on her face.
"Xelloss-sama!!" Shilfiell called. "Please bring Lina-san here! I must heal her right away!!" the distressed woman just finished healing her precious Gourry.
"Now I'll have to carry you, Lina-chan. No fireballs, ne?" Xelloss joked as he picked Lina up. His arm under her knees and around her shoulders. Her head rested against his chest.
Lina smiled, her eyes still open slightly.
"It's been fun, Xelloss." Lina murmured.
"Hmm?" Xelloss looked at Lina, her remark caused him to walk slower.
"You're not such a..bad guy...or demon..." Lina replied.
Lina's eyes looked as if she were day-dreaming. Xelloss started to get more worried than he already was.
"You guys made..the whole trip fun...for me..." Lina said, a small grateful smile graced her face.
"Now, now, Lina-chan...Stop talking like its your last hour," Xelloss said.
"I have much less than that...Find Zelgadiss," Lina murmured. Xelloss noted that Lina used Zelgadiss instead of 'Zel'. "Find Zelgadiss...okay?"
"For what?" Xelloss asked curiously.
"Xelloss-sama, hurry!!" Shilfiell exclaimed.
Xelloss was about to take a quick jog toward Shilfiell who was kneeling next to Amelia and healing her small wounds, but Lina shook her head.
"No..no, it's too late!" Lina whispered harshly. "Put me down! Put me down right now!" Lina demanded.
Xelloss knelt on one knee again, setting Lina down, but he let Lina lean against him, supporting her head with one hand.
"Tell him...that I..learned a lot..from him...and..that I've always accepted him..as he is now..." Lina said softly, her breathing getting thinner. "..he was...always a.. real..friend to me..."
Xelloss noticed that Lina was squeezing his hand. Xelloss opened his amethyst eyes, locking onto Lina's ruby eyes. Their fingers softly entwined together.
Even if he was a mazoku, Xelloss still had some human suspensibilities within him, Lina thought.
"..I'm kinda afraid..." Lina murmured, a single tear slipped down her cheek.
"Of what?" Xelloss asked.
"... ..." Lina didn't answer him for a while. She closed her eyes.
"...I was never the nicest woman...I didn't do the greatest things...I think I may go down to Hell." Lina murmured.
"...well...I heard it was awfully warm down there. You never did like the cold." Xelloss said cheerfully, but his smile instantly broke from his face.
Lina let out a weak laugh, "I'll put in a good word for you if I go down there."
Xelloss chuckled. Lina squeezed his hand a bit tighter...Xelloss held her hand. It was so fragile...like glass...
"You know, it's really annoying..." Lina murmured as she leaned her head against Xelloss's chest. He was warm...comfortably warm...
"What is?" Xelloss asked.
"...that I had to ask you to fulfill my death wish." Lina breathed. Her grip loosened, yet Xelloss continued to hold hers.
Xelloss blinked. He then slightly smiled. Lina was always Lina until the very end...
Shilfiell ran over to Xelloss and Lina.
"What's wrong with you, Xelloss-sama?!" Shilfiell exasperated. Her gentleness was overrun with stress and worry now.
Xelloss didn't say anything. He just silently held Lina's hand.
"Lina-san, don't worry! I'll save you!" Shilfiell knelt by Lina and put her hand on top of Lina's forehead. "Open your eyes, Lina-san!"
"... ..." Lina was silent...chalky pale...
All the color left Lina's face...she looked so delicate and frail...like a porcelain doll made of thin glass despite her fiery nature...
Xelloss pressed his lips to Lina's forehead softly. Shilfiell looked at what the mazoku did with wide-eyes. It was as if Xelloss thought Lina-san was dead!!
...then a thought struck the priestess like a bolt of thunder.
"Lina-san..?" Shilfiell's eyes grew extremely worried.
"... ..." deathly silence. She would never speak again.
Shilfiell realized what happened...she couldn't deny it any longer....
Lina Inverse's earthly bonds had..broken..like threads to a marionette.
"LINA-SAN!!!!"
Zelgadiss walked into an icy temple. His cloak was covered in ice and frost. He was in the North Pole.
"The manuscript MUST be around here..." Zelgadiss thought as he shook his cloak, clumps of snow fell to the floor.
Zelgadiss walked deeper and deeper into the temple, his lighting spell floated in his hand.
"Tell him...tell him, Amelia..." Gourry murmured painfully.
"Gourry-sama, you need to rest!" Shilfiell pushed his shoulders back onto the bed.
Gourry fell back in exhaustion, his deep wounds taking a toll on his body.
Amelia wiped the tears from her eyes with her right hand. Her left arm was wrapped in a sling because it was brutally broken.
"From the Astral Plane
Let my image take shape" Amelia murmured the incantation, her eyes closed.
"VISION!" Amelia snapped open her eyes.
Zelgadiss stopped dead in his tracks. He saw a translucent image of Amelia floating in front of him...
"Amelia?" Zelgadiss blinked.
"Zelgadiss-san," Amelia's voice softly echoed. "I'm glad to see you are okay."
"Why are you contacting me? Is something wrong?" Zelgadiss asked.
"... ..." Amelia nodded her head.
Zelgadiss looked at Amelia's broken arm and many cuts and wounds on her body. Her clothes were dirty and ripped.
"Lina-san...she's...oh, she's---Zelgadiss-san! Behind you!!" Amelia gasped.
Zelgadiss whipped out his sword and spun away, seeing someone in the shadows...
"I'll take it from here, Amelia-san." Xelloss stepped out from the shadows. With the wave of his staff, Amelia's image broke away.
"What are you doing here?" Zelgadiss demanded, his sword ready to be used.
"Put that sword away, Zelgadiss-san," Xelloss said. "It's useless in Deep Sea Dolphin's temple."
"Deep Sea Dolphin?" Zelgadiss looked around the frozen, icy temple.
"Her Priest and General protected this temple...however, they were killed during the War of the Monsters' Fall. So this once beautiful temple of water turned to ice...quite a shame..."
"Anyway," Xelloss said carelessly. "You're quite lucky that she lives in the Demons' Sea---she's be quite unpleasant to fight with at the moment." Xelloss replied as he sat down.
He pointed his staff in front of him and made a small fire. Xelloss then embedded the tip of his staff into the icy ground, letting it stick upright from the ground.
"Why?" Zelgadiss asked. "When was the 'great' Xelloss afraid?" he said sarcastically.
"Well....being in Deep Sea Dolphin's territory...only a fraction of my magic remains...you see, she and I aren't exactly..friends..." Xelloss said cheerfully as he sat by the fire. "So she cast a spell that if I came into HER territory, my magic is drained."
Zelgadiss was amused. Someone else hated Xelloss---he loved to hear that kind of business.
"Why did you get rid of Amelia?" Zelgadiss asked. *What was she about to tell me?*
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" Xelloss said ever-so helpfully.
Zelgadiss walked over and slightly lifted Xelloss up by the neck.
"Yare, yare...this is no way to treat someone who is about to tell you what the late Lina Inverse's last words were." Xelloss remarked, his eyes opened and pierced Zelgadiss's soul just as Xelloss's words had also pierced his heart.
Zelgadiss's grip loosened. Xelloss plopped back into his sitting position. He motioned Zelgadiss to sit down by him.
"It's cold in here, ne? Sit down." Xelloss gestured.
Zelgadiss, too stunned, sat down across from Xelloss.
"Lina...dead?" Zelgadiss murmured, his eyes stared into the fire. "Are you lying to me, mazoku?" Zelgadiss glared.
"I have no need to joke about this." Xelloss said seriously.
Xelloss sensed internal turmoil within Zelgadiss's heart.
"Lina...she's dead..?" Zelgadiss murmured with disbelief, yet in his heart he knew it must have been true...
"Well, yes. THAT'S the bad news. The good news is that she was successful in destroying Shabrinigdo." Xelloss remarked.
"...how could she..die?" Zelgadiss closed his eyes.
Xelloss couldn't help but take pleasure in Zelgadiss's vulnerable state of disbelief, regret and grief. Suddenly Zelgadiss snapped his eyes toward Xelloss.
"Why are YOU telling me this?" Zelgadiss narrowed his eyes. "Why would you enter Deep Sea Dolphin's temple vulnerable? Mazoku don't particularly like to be weak."
"Oh, you're so observant, Zelgadiss-kun." Xelloss remarked.
"Answer me." Zelgadiss's eyes were sharper and more serious than they usually are.
"Well, I'm only here because Lina requested me to find you," Xelloss replied. "And the least I could do for my favorite fiery sorceress is to fulfill her last wish."
*Lina thought of ME during her last moments...?* Zelgadiss thought, his heart wrenched.
"She said she learned a lot from you. She said she accepted you as a chimera, not caring if you turned back into a human. She believes that you were always a true friend to her." Xelloss said, his eyes were open, his amethyst eyes burned into Zelgadiss's deep blue eyes.
Zelgadiss looked at Xelloss over the crackling fire.
"Do you find something wrong, Xelloss?" Zelgadiss asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Well, I was just wondering---if you were a true friend, where were YOU when she needed you most during the dire situation that led to her death?" Xelloss asked, opening his eyes.
This provoked Zelgadiss to stand up and unsheathe his sword in a split second. Xelloss had also stood up and easily pulled his staff from the ground. They stood across from each other, the fire between them.
"You don't want to tempt me to kill you," Zelgadiss growled. "Because I would make sure that you die in slow, excrutiating pain."
"Even though I only have a fraction of my powers here, I am STILL more powerful than you, my dear chimera." Xelloss retorted, a cruel, hard smile upon his face.
Zelgadiss rage flared beyond great heights and he swung his sword down toward Xelloss's head.
Zelgadiss's sword and Xelloss's staff collided, the sound echoed down the icy walls.
"Do you think you can hurt me with that child's toy?" Xelloss asked mockingly as he pushed more force against Zelgadiss's sword.
"Do you think you can hurt me with a stick of wood?" Zelgadiss retorted as he pushed more force against Xelloss's staff.
The two broke off their parry, glaring at each other. They circled each other, the fire still between them.
"I was more of a friend to Lina than you ever were, you damned mazoku." Zelgadiss said in a low voice, full of hate and anger.
"So it seemed, but I'm not the one who left her, now was I?" Xelloss glared.
Their weapons clashed again, the fire swayed. They broke off and circled each other again.
"What did YOU do to help Lina from dying?!" Zelgadiss snapped. "You're nothing but a coward!"
"I cannot fight against Shabrinigdo, I was ordered not to---and Shabrinigdo is one of the many threads that hold my essence together! And now since he is dead, my powers are a fraction less.You see, I could have killed Lina if I wanted to. " Xelloss glared. *But I didn't...I wouldn't...*
Xelloss was the first to offend and Zelgadiss lunged forward, their weapons were caught in a deadlock once again.
"There's something that bothers you more than me," Zelgadiss said, glaring into Xelloss's eyes. "I can see it."
"What bothers me most---is how stupid you are!" Xelloss snapped, though he was lying.
Zelgadiss glared.
"You and your silly cure, you'll never find it." Xelloss said.
Zelgadiss tensed, hate boiled within him. He broke off from Xelloss and stood in a stance. He clearly wanted to fight for real now.
Xelloss acknowledged this and stood in his own stance.
"You'll never win." Xelloss said in a low voice, his cheerful fascade long gone.
"Nor will you." Zelgadiss said, his voice dangerous.
The two lunged toward each other, the fire burned out from their clashing auras.
Zelgadiss pushed himself in a sitting postion, leaning against the wall. His breathing was hard and fatigued. Xelloss pushed himself up on one knee, grasping his staff for support.
The outcome of the battle was unclear. They were both alive and exhausted.
"Humans can be such selfish creatures," Xelloss said spitefully.
Zelgadiss looked at Xelloss. Xelloss's eyes were distant.
"That priestess Shilfiell first wanted to save 'dear' Gourry before she wanted to save Lina. Gourry was useless in the battle. He is nothing without the sword of light...he just made it harder for Lina. He just got in the way. If he died...perhaps Lina would still be alive now." Xelloss murmured with a twisted frown and angered eyes.
"Is that what's bothering you most?" Zelgadiss looked at him pensively.
Xelloss didn't say answer.
*That IS what bothers him most...* Zelgadiss thought, looking at Xelloss as he closed his amethyst eyes once again...
"You were Lina's favorite," Xelloss remarked with a soft sigh as he forced himself to stand upright. "perhaps she loved you more than a friend."
"Ha..." Zelgadiss felt bitter. "No, I wasn't the one. Neither was Gourry. Unfortunately, you were."
Xelloss arched his eyebrow.
"She let you get away with things that no one else could," Zelgadiss stood up. "That's one of the many reasons why I hate you."
"She was spiritually closer to you than anyone else though." Xelloss crossed his arms.
"...I suppose we'll never know who Lina cared for in that way." Zelgadiss murmured, as he thought of the other reasons Lina could have loved Xelloss.
"Actually, after careful observations...I think I know who Lina cared for now..." Xelloss looked at Zelgadiss.
"Hmph. And who is that?" Zelgadiss crossed his arms, waiting to hear the mazoku's conclusion which would most likely be intentionally unaccurate.
Xelloss walked over and placed a hand on Zelgadiss's shoulder.
"Now...that..is a secret!" Xelloss replied and teleported both himself and Zelgadiss out of Deep Sea Dolphin's temple. Luckily, his teleportation powers still were able from the Astral Planes.
Zelgadiss fell onto a grassy ground and found himself in front of a town...
"This town is called Irasas," Xelloss was standing next to him. "It's very scientific. The highest technology in both science and magic."
"Why did you bring me here?" Zelgadiss demanded.
Xelloss continued, "Irasas is on an island that is not mapped. Very secret to other humans. Elves, demons and faeries lives here---some human folk as well. They are all intelligent and are doing scientific research."
Zelgadiss stood up, looking at Xelloss who looked into the town. The town was quite busy with people bustling here and there...
"...as I said before, Zelgadiss-kun, you'll never be able to find your cure----you'll have to discover it," Xelloss slightly opened his eyes and looked at Zelgadiss. "And you're quite intelligent yourself, being Rezo's grandson I have the notion that you are."
"Why are you doing this for me?" Zelgadiss looked into the town, feeling an uprise in his spirits.
"Well...that is a..secret!" Xelloss replied.
Zelgadiss glared at the mazoku...but...
"Thanks." Zelgadiss mumbled awkwardly.
Xelloss just smiled as usual.
"Greetings," a young woman walked toward the chimera and Trickster Priest. She had light violet hair that reached her waist and she was dressed in a lavender dress cut to mid-thigh with a white lab coat on her shoulders. Silver-rimmed spectacles sat on the bridge of her nose.
"Why, hello, Iriseena-san." Xelloss greeted.
"A guest of yours, Xelloss-san?" Iriseena looked at Zelgadiss with her light amber eyes.
"Why, this kawaii guy here is my VERY best friend!" Xelloss replied, hoping to make Zelgadiss sick with nausea.
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes as he stepped away from the mazoku. He slightly turned his face away from the woman. She was quite attractive...and he was a monster...
"Hi there," Iriseena held out her delicate hand politely. "My name is Iriseena Mel Chante," she introduced herself. "And you are...?"
"Zelgadiss. Zelgadiss Graywords." Zelgadiss replied, hesitating to shake the woman's hand. He held out his hand, shook her hand and immediately pulled his hand back.
Iriseena smiled, "I'm sure you want to research knowledge and use my laboratory for personal reasons. Come, I'll make sure you're at home here."
Zelgadiss looked around, seeing that Xelloss was gone...
"Xelloss-san always disappears. He had quite a busy agenda." Iriseena remarked.
Zelgadiss followed her, fascinated by the town, seeing so many different people of different ethnics. Zelgadiss stopped when Iriseena turned around and faced him.
"You don't need your sword here. No one is going to harm you," Iriseena remarked. She then pulled down Zelgadiss mask and pushed back his hood. "And you don't need to cover yourself like that here either." she smiled gently.
His silver hair gleamed in the sun and his deep blue eyes looked depthless.
Zelgadiss scowled, turning his head away, "I look like a monster."
"...when I first saw you, I thought much differently." Iriseena remarked.
Zelgadiss looked at her. She was shorter than him, only coming up to his chin.
"I'm a chimera---how can you think I look different from a monster?" Zelgadiss asked.
"I thought you were quite attractive, actually." Iriseena murmured. She quickly turned away, a pinkish color tinted her cheeks.
Zelgadiss slightly blushed, but quickly shook it off.
"Please come along, Zelgadiss-san." Iriseena said.
Zelgadiss walked into a room that had a bed, desk, mirror, dresser, and a large window with a balcony.
"This will be your room. I hope you find it comfortable." Iriseena said.
"Thank you." Zelgadiss said with gratitude, looking out the window. He saw the ocean. It was quite evident that he WAS on an island.
"A friend of Xelloss Metallium is always welcome," Iriseena remarked. "he discovered many things that helped science and people."
"What?" Zelgadiss faced her. "Xelloss? Helped people?" he blinked incredulously.
"As you will find here, Zelgadiss-san," Iriseena said. "People are all different. It doesn't matter what race they are from, they all have special ablities that they keep secret. And secrets are Xelloss's favorite marks."
Zelgadiss looked out the window. In some ways, he knew Xelloss wasn't all THAT bad...
"Come by my office when you are ready and I'll show you your laboratory." Iriseena closed the door silently.
Zelgadiss opened the window, letting in the fresh breeze.
"What are you doing here, Xelloss?" Zelgadiss knew that Xelloss was sitting at the desk. He had phased in just as Iriseena closed the door.
"How do you like everything so far, Zelgadiss-kun?" Xelloss asked. He was quite amazed that Zelgadiss could sense his aura like that.
"I think this place will do." Zelgadiss replied.
Zelgadiss saw Xelloss throw something on his bed. It was Lina's demonsblood talismans...
"I'll let you keep those. I have no need for them---and its a nice little reminder of Lina. I doubt you'll be able to visit her grave any time soon since you're quite a long way from it." Xelloss said.
"... ..." Zelgadiss looked at the talismans...memories flooded his head...
"Lina thought that she would go down to Hell--she was afraid of it." Xelloss said.
"Lina's the last person in the group to go down to Hell," Zelgadiss remarked. *She was too good of a person to go to Hell--even if she wasn't a peacemaker.* "If anyone's going down to Hell--it's me---and definitely you."
A sweat-drop rolled down Xelloss's head, "How comforting."
Xelloss suddenly sensed fathomless pain coming from Zelgadiss.
"If her death pains you so much, you could always commit suicide, you know." Xelloss remarked.
Zelgadiss looked at himself in the mirror and then looked away. He looked out at the ocean.
"I'm going to become human, live my life to the given lifespan of my human limitations and then when I die, Lina will be able to look at me without a frown," Zelgadiss said, a breeze brushed his bangs away from his face. "I know she'd Dragon Slave me if I do anything stupid like commit suicide."
"Oh, so true." Xelloss remarked.
Silence.
"...I'm really going to miss her," Zelgadiss murmured. Xelloss slightly opened his eyes, then closed them again.
Xelloss couldn't help but have the exact same thought as Zelgadiss.
"And you know what really gets to me?" Zelgadiss mumbled.
"What's that?" Xelloss asked.
"That I'm sharing my thoughts with you----now get out of my room."
~~The End~~
**Hope you liked it---and yes, this was a pointless story...^_^; Hope I didn't bore ya too much! Please review! Ja ne!**