Running Away
"Gourry!" Lina screams as her lifelong companion struggles to breath. She clutches at him desperately as his life slowly slips away from him. Tenderly Gourry reaches for her face as the world around him begins to fade away.
"Lina, everything will be alright," Gourry says hoarsely as he struggles in her arms. "It's my time to go."
"No it isn't," Lina says, fervently shaking her head till her temples hurt. It is as if she is trying to shake and blur the reality she is faced with, but it doesn't help. The grim truth is still lying in her arms, clearly there. "I'll just apply another spell to restore your youth."
"Please Lina," Gourry says removing his hand from her cheek and gingerly taking her hand instead. "I'll always be with you Lina, but I can't live like this forever. I don't even know if I'm still alive anymore."
"Of course you are Gourry; of course you are . . . don't say that. You stup- stupi- you protector – you! Don't give up." Lina pleads with him, but Gourry shakes his head.
He doesn't want to go back to living as an animated corpse, true, he has been quite alive thanks to Lina's expertise in white and black magic, but every time Lina makes him young again his soul grows weaker and weaker.
Not only that, but when Sylphiel passed on he began to deteriorate at a faster rate. In life Sylphiel was always fighting for Gourry's heart against Lina. It wasn't until later that Sylphiel realized had she already won. After that she was able to move on and grow old, sharing a close relationship with Gourry.
Lina is not as aggressive as she once was, but she has not grown old like Gourry has. Gourry has a special place in her heart and she doesn't want to let that go.
"Please Lina," Gourry says. "I will always protect you, but I can't do it like this anymore. I'm hardly me anymore; I can't do that to you."
"Gourry- I – I just . . ." Lina begins to openly sob, something she never does.
"Promise me Lina, one thing before I go," Gourry says.
"-anything," Lina says as she gulps back her own trembling sobs. She doesn't want to face this situation; she has been avoiding it for so long.
After the swordsman whispers a magic secret in Lina's ear the best idiot swordsman who ever lived passes from this life onto the next.
Lina cannot take it. She screams out and doesn't care what her neighbors will think. She screams and doesn't stop until her voice and body give out.
Meanwhile, the next day in the new city of Seyruun, a moody chimera silently watches his great-great-grand children play in the gardens. Amelia loved this garden, Zelgadis thinks to himself as he watches with a simple smile etched into his stone skin. He hasn't changed much over the years, a few new cracks, but other than that he hasn't aged. It has been over one hundred years and the chimera looks no older than forty. The chimera never found his cure, but after he married Amelia, he had no reason to search. The moody sorcerer had found his cure through her and his friends. Amelia gave him a new reason to live.
"Grandfather?" A man in his mid-fifties enters the room coming to Zelgadis's side to gaze out the window next to him. The prince regent has dark purple hair with shades of grey beginning to appear and vibrant blue eyes like his parents and grandparents. The man is not related to Zelgadis and Amelia by blood, he merely caries the common characteristics of Seyruun. Amelia never gave birth to children, so the couple adopted many children from the orphanage. In a strange way, all of their children seem to have some resemblance to the royal couple, perhaps fate finds it funny.
"Is something wrong?" Zelgadis asks quietly, continuing to watch the children play.
"They found her," the man says, turning his full attention to the grandfather he loves and admires above all else. "One of our bordering towns has reported spotting Lina Inverse."
Zelgadis turns his full attention to his grandson, "And Gourry?"
"No . . ." he says scratching the back of his head. "She's on a rampage, attacking every bandit hideout without stop. She is leaving a fiery trial of carnage behind her."
"I see, and where was her last location?" Zelgadis asks in an attempt to keep his worry concealed.
The grandson can see it easily, but he doesn't let on and answers the question. "She was last seen in RanEast."
"I'll go find her, it would be a shame if she became a hazard to the people," Zelgadis says.
"But Aunt Lina would never hurt anyone would she?" Even for being a man in his late fifties, he still likes to refer to Lina as his beloved aunt.
"The Lina you know wouldn't," Zelgadis replies. Zelgadis gives the other man a soft smile and gently squeezes one of his shoulders, before getting ready to leave.
Before Zelgadis can leave the room his grandson pipes up again. "Will you come back?"
Zelgadis turns and eyes the grown man in royal garb curiously. "You are fully capable of running this country without me, I'm sure the nobles will be glad to be rid of me again." Zelgadis laughs, but when the other man doesn't laugh Zelgadis lets it drop.
The great-great 'so forth' Grandfather is constantly leaving, usually for diplomatic reasons or off fulfilling his duty as one of the great sages. Traveling is one of Zelgadis's favorite pastimes; he doesn't like being coped up in one place, but right now the situation is different. Technically, Zelgadis is no longer needed in Seyruun, his time has passed and he no longer holds the title of prince for the country. It's time to move on. "I'll be back to visit the family and if ever you have need of me. Right now you don't need me, but someone else does."
"I understand, but you better come back to visit!" The man laughs and points at Zelgadis, just like Amelia once had. "What would your grand children think?"
Zelgadis laughs with him offering a lighthearted goodbye as he walks into the grand hall. He is looking forward to getting out again, but he is mostly concerned about Lina's well being. It was hard enough when Amelia died for him. He can only imagine the pain that Lina is experiencing right now.
When Zelgadis finally confronts Lina, she isn't in good shape. In Zelgadis's opinion she looks just like the fiery monster he first met, without the restraint.
"Lina are you alright?" Zelgadis asks as he interrupts her current mission. A mission which will wipe out every thief, bandit, or person who resembles a thief or bandit, off the face of the planet.
"Do I look alright?" Lina asks as she blasts the last of the rubble from her view. It has been a good month of bandit killing since Gourry's death. Zelgadis found Lina weeks ago, but he let her continue on her rampage. He knows that it is part of her grieving process. Zelgadis has also been warning any local towns, cities and villages, keeping innocent bystanders out of the cross fire.
"I heard about Gourry," Zelgadis says carefully. "If you want I have some food I have a camp set up nearby."
Lina immediately wants to refuse and continue on with her own explosive party, but she knows better than to pass up a free and decent meal. After a long and unbreakable silence Lina finally answers. "Alright."
The meal is an uncomfortable one, but it is delicious. Zelgadis doesn't know what to say to Lina. Amelia would know what to do, but she isn't here. He isn't comfortable with these situations, especially with an old friend. It is different when dealing with a random citizen or acquaintance as a great sage, but Zelgadis is transparent with Lina. Kind and tender words will not work so easily.
Besides, this situation only reminds him of all the friends they have already lost. Sylphiel and Amelia to name a few. Pokota is still alive, but that is because his soul is trapped inside a stuffed toy.
Zelgadis sighs as he tries to get his thoughts back on track and address the situation at hand. Even with weeks of waiting, he still isn't ready. Some great sage he is turning out to be.
After Lina can't eat another bite, Zelgadis comes to sit beside her and gives her hug. It's something Amelia would have done and it almost feels like Amelia to Lina as he embraces her. At first Lina doesn't react, but accepts the thoughtful comfort with relief. After a couple of moments pass though, Lina remembers who is actually hugging her and hastily backs away, but only slightly.
"What was that for?" Lina says shifting uncomfortably on her seat while rubbing her left arm.
Zelgadis sighs letting his arms fall loosely at his sides. "It's Amelia's and my way of saying sorry for your loss." Zelgadis says quietly. "I'm going to miss Gourry, there was no one like him,"
Lina doesn't respond, but stares into the crackling fire in front of her.
Zelgadis finally gets a close look at Lina, she is in far worse shape than he initially observed. The fiery woman looks like a dead doll to him, with large glass eyes and stiff limbs. "I'm sure seeing you like this would break his heart," Zelgadis reflects.
"Hmmmf, well what do you know." Lina lashes out. It's not that she wants to be angry with Zelgadis, she knows that he is trying his best for her, but this last statement reminds her of Gourry's dying wish.
Zelgadis slightly narrows his eyes at the girl staring back at him. "I suppose I know nothing in comparison to what you . . ." Zelgadis wants to reprimand her, but he refrains out of consideration for her situation.
Lina doesn't appreciate the sarcasm. She can also tell that Zelgadis is thinking something demeaning and she wants to know what it is. Her thoughts are still a jumble as the grief living inside her begins to ignite once more. "At least I didn't give up on Gourry like you did with Amelia," Lina says before she has a chance to think it through.
Zelgadis will not let this slide and his brow immediately furrows with anger as an old wound in punched. He clenches his fists on his knees as reminds himself that Lina is not thinking straight. He is at a disadvantage and can't fight back against any of Lina's anger induced comments. "Lina! You were there when she died so you have no right to say such lies. You're only saying that to force me away and anger me."
"No I'm not," Lina says from her heart. An aching heart that is dealing with sins of its own. "Why didn't you save her with your magic Zel, in fact, why didn't you let me save her? Why were you so stubborn, you're-you're just like Rezo."
Like shattering glass Zelgadis's heart throbs as the words hit home. Only Lina can say this and know. Fighting the urge to stand to his feet and scream at Lina, Zelgadis settles on simply raising his voice and digging his fists deeper into his legs. "I am nothing like Rezo, and I didn't use unnatural magic on Amelia for a reason. Dam-it you know I wanted to. But I gave Amelia what she wanted because I loved her dearly and I still do!"
"Are you saying what I did with Gourry was wrong," Lina screams as she unknowingly rises to her feet and launches her face inches in front of Zelgadis.
Zelgadis in turn rises to his feet looking down on the defiant red head with as much control as he can muster. He doesn't want to give Lina a reason to run, he knows that she wants to, because he did when Amelia died. But someone was there to keep him from running. Someone was there to help him face a grim future. A future without his cure.
The people who held him in place were Lina and Gourry.
"No," Zelgadis says in a near whisper.
Lina refuses to back down, but she can't lie to Zelgadis's face either. She wants to keep her silent promise to Gourry. "Well-well, it's true!" Lina nearly screams. "It was wrong, to force him to live when his soul was little more than a burned out candle." Lina sniffs in an attempt to keep from crying. "I couldn't let him go, and in the end I couldn't save him. In fact I made it worse. I-I"
Zelgadis puts two caring hands on her shoulders, which stops Lina from finishing her disheveled thoughts and keeps her from running. "Don't blame yourself Lina, Gourry loved you more than anything, and he will never leave you. Just like Amelia will never leave me. You are not alone."
Something clicks in those simple words as Gourry's voice comes fluttering back into her mind. "Promise me Lina, one thing before I go." Gourry says once more.
Zelgadis continues. "I'm not asking you to stop grieving or forget, just don't run away. You didn't let me run away, so I won't let you either."
Abruptly Lina leans forward and latches onto Zelgadis in a crumbling hug. Even though he is made of stone, Zelgadis can feel the strain, turmoil, and relief emitting from Lina.
"Don't be like the old Zel, don't run away," Lina says in a whisper to Zelgadis's ear.
"What?" Zelgadis asks in confusion as he hugs Lina back.
"That's what Gourry told me before he died," Lina laughs as she sniffs into Zelgadis's shoulder. "He said, 'Don't be like the old Zel and run away. Face the world like you always do, you are not alone.' That's what he said."
"Hmm," Zelgadis smiles. "That's the same advice he gave me."
The two friends find an inn and continue to travel and keep each other company as Lina continues to recover. Lina eventually returns to her business and Zelgadis helps her acquire the items she needs for the magic shop. The world passes them by and it doesn't matter, because they are never alone.
The End
Authors Note: I really should have consulted the steps one goes through when grieving, but I didn't when I originally wrote this. I just based it off what I know myself. I hope it's a good read and tells a decent story. It was a challenge for me and I enjoy looking into the Slayers future.