1 THE GIFT OF THE MAZOUKU -- A SLAYERS STORY

Chapter 1 -- Zelgadiss Receives The Call

2 Anger is one of the sinews of the soul - Thomas Fuller

The sunset reflected off the pale pebbles that marred the surface of Zelgadiss's face, splattering gold flecks upon the soft green surfaces. He ran a hand through the lavender wires, which served as hairs, pushing a wayward strand to the side. No one heard the tiny tinkling sound of the wires brushing together. How could they? The clash of dishes, knives and forks, the shouts, screams, and gnashing of teeth coming from the central table drowned out the noises of all the other patrons. Zelgadiss smiled slightly and took another sip of tea.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves, don't you agree, Zelgadiss? "` said a smiling man in priest's garb.

His smile faded as Zelgadiss turned his face to the window, away from the form that had suddenly appeared beside him.

`` Go away, Xelloss."

`` MY, my, that wasn't a very polite greeting." Xelloss leaned closer to the stone-boy, smiling cat-like, `` And here I came all this way to see you." Xelloss paused to examine the stone-boy's face.

Now Zelgadiss turned toward his guest, his face an expressionless mask, thinking, `` I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he angers me with his tricks and teasing. `` To Xelloss he said, `` Sorry, I didn't want to be bothered right now. After an entire day with that bunch (nodding to the noisy table), I felt entitled to a moment alone. (Getting up) Excuse me, Xelloss, I'm going to my room and I don't want your company now. "

Xelloss pushed his chair back to give the annoyed Chimera room to pass. But before Zelgadiss had slipped by, a gloved hand gripped his shoulder, silky purple hair swept against his rocky face, and with a voice as smooth as velvet, Xelloss whispered into his shard-covered ear, ``Zelgadissssssssssss..."``

``Zelgadiss, wake up! " Said a deep gravelly voice, " `Scuse me sir, but we're closin` up now. Here, let me daughter show you up to your room. Clare! Clare, get Mr. Graywords a light so he won't be break`n his leg on those stairs! `` The kind innkeeper kept up a patter of instructions while Zelgadiss regained awareness and composure.

He couldn't shake the memory of that dream. The more he thought about it, the more he believed it was more of an external communication than an emotional release, ``That dream again, only more real this time. I could smell the food. Why am I dreaming of Lina & CO. now? It's been six months since we separated, but I haven't been totally alone. 'Uncle' Clyde and Clare have known me since I was a child. They've been more family than my actual relations have. They accept my appearance. I haven't needed a mask or worn a hood to hide myself around here. So why these dreams? Why do they end the same with Xelloss trying to tell me something?"

"Zelgadiss, I'll carry your tea. I know you can handle lighting the way better than I.`` Clare smiled warmly at the stone-boy.

She remembered him like most people do when they last met as kids, worlds apart, and he had changed, a lot. He had been a proud, angry, and skinny fifteen-year-old who could do the most amazing magic and ignored all stupid, boring girls. She had been smugly pleased to hear about some accident that kept him hidden at home.

"That was, what, seven years ago now? she thought to herself, "My Gods look at what he's had to overcome to return here. When I look into those eyes, his blue demon eyes, I still see the pride, but such pain and sadness. I will not let him guess how much he frightens me. I'm sure he sees that a lot. We were once playmates, so perhaps a friend is something I can be and that he needs now."

Zelgadiss uncrossed his legs and lowered them to the floor from the window ledge. His chair, which had been propped precariously back against the corner wall, dropped heavily onto all four legs.

He stood, sighing, "Fine, thank you, Clare." Then he whispered a spell, ``LIGHTING``, which sent a glowing ball of light raising up the stairway.

Their fingers touched, the hard shaman-boy's and the gentle country girl's. A brief contact of finger tips as Clare reached for the tea mug and he released his grip. She cringed inwardly, thinking stone hands! to herself and their eyes locked.

Zelgadiss gazed fondly at the pretty girl who was only a few years younger than he was. Her long wavy brown hair was clasped attractively off her face where doe-eyed she stared back. "She hides her revulsion well," he thought. He was unsure what to say next, so he nodded to the stairs and said aloud, "It's okay. I can walk and carry a teacup at the same time. You do not need to follow me. Goodnight, Clare."

He could feel her wince at his harsh words. "Why do I always push people away? Why don't I want anyone close to me?" He shook his head and climbed up the stairs to his room.

"I guess you haven't changed at all! You're still that stuck-up little boy from the castle. Heart of stone, face of stone, you deserve what you got!" Clare spat the last words, then flung her hands over her mouth and tears brimmed her eyelids and spilled over, down her cheeks. " Gods, Zelgadiss, I didn't mean that! Please, forgive me! I'm so stupid sometimes, remember?"

Zelgadiss paused at his door, "Goodnight, Clare. Don't worry, I'm just an asshole. It's not your fault." Then he entered his room and closed the door, shut out the world, shut off the hurt.

Until that outburst, it hadn't been too bad returning home, Zelgadiss thought. Some family still resided at the ancestral castle, but he had not felt comfortable to return or visit where the horror of his life began. Too many memories, all bad, presented themselves. The worst being Rezo.. As the blind Red Priest, Rezo was beloved by throughout the land for his kindly acts of healing. But as both Zelgadiss's great-grandfather and grandfather, Rezo was the evil corruption that transformed the innocent, trusting shaman-in-training into the powerful Chimera shaman called Zelgadiss. Merging demon and rock golem into the soul of a human made Zelgadiss more powerful than he'd ever dreamed possible, just what he'd wanted, but at such a price! Pain..

Zelgadiss drifted off to sleep comforting himself with thoughts about Clyde's warm inn. "Clyde and Clare. Yes, Clare, I did notice you long ago. I was always showing off trying to impress you back then. Well I impress you now, don't I? Now you can hardly look me in the eye without screaming, but you did. Ah, Gods, how I hate myself sometimes."

"Feeling sorry for yourself again, Zelgadiss?"

"Xelloss?! What are you doing here? I can't see you (am I really awake? Zelgadiss wondered in his waking-sleeping state) WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"My, my, you are confused. Listen, I have something important to tell you. Find Amelia."

"What are you talking about you tricky Monster? Is something the matter with Amelia, some kind of trouble? What are you up to XELLOSS ?!"

"Now Zel-chan, you know that. that's . a secret!"

"XELLOSS!!!", screamed the now awake Chimera, then he jumped out of bed. Tears of frustration fell from his eyes, tears that instantly crystallized and dropped tink, tink, tinkling to the hardwood floor. Zelgadiss's breath came in ragged pants, his heart thumped as adrenaline coursed through his veins in anticipation of an attack. But there was no one, no other sound.

"I'm going mad. Great, the only part of me worth anything and now I'm losing even that! Another dream, but this time there was a clear message: find Amelia. Okay, the princess is only a couple days' journey away. I can go, check on her, be sure nothing's up, in a week or so. I want to finish helping Clyde fix the wall.but I've got to stop these dreams, find a cure.Oh Gods! What do I do next? Okay, I'll go first thing in the morning. IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, XELLOSS?! Now stay out of my dreams tonight! Ahhhhrgh! Now I'm clearing plans with that Mazouku idiot ! I am mad!"

But Zelgadiss did fall asleep, a dreamless sleep that ended when the first rays of morning sun licked his face with its warmth. He wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and thanked his host. Then he strode up to Clare and spoke, "Clare, sorry about last night. I let my problems get to me. Here, take these." And he dropped a handful of teardrop shaped crystals into her out-reached hand, closed her hand in his, and gave it a little squeeze.

Zelgadiss released her hand, stepped off the porch, and then answered the call of the road, again.

"Just come back, sometime." Clare whispered, as he rounded a turn and was lost to sight.