c-chan: Hi. This is my very first fanfic. Please bear with me. If you don't like my implication of coupling, please don't blame me. I like to think that everyone is entitled to their opinions, and there's no point in wasting time writing flames or insulting emails to me. I'm very sure that you'd rather be investing your time in waiting for my next fics. wink

Disclaimer: slayers, not mine. zelgadiss, not mine (unfortunately).

Despair filled him mercilessly. Zelgadiss clenched his fists hard, fighting the urge to scream out loud. His disappointment crawling to the tip of his tongue, bitter. He gritted his teeth and accidentally bit into his tongue. Blood flowed where his teeth punctured, filling his mouth with a coppery taste. Another phony place. Rumors to attract tourists, Zelgadiss thought, remembering what he had heard in the hallway while hiding behind a statue of some goddess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zelgadiss, holding a dagger with a glowing tip in one hand, walked down the long hallway. It was a gloomy gray with various statues on each side. The ceiling was vaulted with intricate design carved on its columns and dome. He stopped suddenly when his sharp ears picked up distant voices and footsteps approaching. Spotting a statue on his right, Zelgadiss quickly hid behind it and dispelled the light on his dagger.

"…the elder is going to be thrilled when he sees these figures! The number of visitors has jumped immensely. That was the greatest idea you had, Weexel!" said a voice.

"Why thank you. I knew that many dimwits would flock to our temple if rumors of us possessing a rare magic book from before the Kouma war were spread", Weexel's voice whined, Zelgadiss assumed. "Besides, it doesn't matter if all we have is a phony old book as long as we have it in a glass case and claim that an ancient rule forbids us to open it. After all, desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Right! Good job!" thundered the first voice.

Zelgadiss remained hidden as the owners of the two voices walked past the statue that concealed his presence.

Zelgadiss felt like a fool. I should have known better, he scowled. As he clenched and unclenched his fists, Zelgadiss tried to calm himself and reduce the black spots his angry eyes were seeing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moments that felt like hours passed while Zelgadiss struggled to control his anger. Suddenly, his demonic hearing picked up another pair of voices approaching him from the same direction the two men had earlier emerged from.

"I can't believe I fell for it! And all the trouble I went through to get my hands on it!" exclaimed an all too familiar voice.

"Ano.. Lina, what do we do now?" queried her partner.

"What do we do? We go find the elder of this temple and make him pay up for my wasted time!"

A fist struck the statue Zelgadiss was concealed behind. Pieces of statue flew everywhere revealing a very dusty Zelgadiss.

"Oy, Zel! What are you doing behind the statue?" Gourry, Lina's blond-haired partner, said.

Zelgadiss wordlessly looked at his friends.

"Zel! Fancy seeing you here!" Lina clapped him hard on the back, almost knocking him to the ground. "Haha! You're not pretending you don't see us, are you? Still after your cure, I see!"

Zelgadiss sighed inwardly, great…just what I need.. a short-tempered sorceress and an oblivious swordsman. "Hi Lina. Hi Gourry. Hello A-", Zelgadiss caught himself in time, his face turning a crimson red.

Thankfully, neither of his friends seemed to notice his slip of tongue.

Stupid. You left her in Seyruun. How can you expect to see her here? Shut up. What do you care if she's here or not? Zelgadiss frowned.

"Say Zel… Gourry and I are going to go shake up the elder of this temple a bit. Come with us!" With this, Lina turned and walked up the hallway. Gourry turned and grinned brightly at Zelgadiss, scratched his head and ran after the petite redhead. "Oy, Lina! Wait up!"

Zelgadiss shook his head and followed after the swordsman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 "Fireball!" Lina burst open a door to step into the room.

 A whimpering old man cowered behind a hair. "Wh-who are you? What do you w-want?"

"Crummy old man! I'll teach you about lying to the beautiful sorcery-genius Lina Inverse!"

The old man screamed when Lina picked him up by the front of his tunic and gave him the evil eye.

"Listen! You're gonna pay for the time I wasted coming down here to steal-I mean-look at your book. Now give!"

The old man's eyes darted back and forth on the three figures that just invaded his office.

"A piece of advice? I'd do what she asks if I were you, it's less painful", said the tall blond man and was instantly rewarded with a *hard* punch on the head. "Gourry!"            The old man's eye opened wide. He looked like he was making a hard decision. "I-I don't have money! But our temple has a treasure!"

"Treasure?" Lina's eyes lit up.

"Well, it-it's a room at the lowest level of the temple where a form of old knowledge is sealed!"

Zelgadiss scoffed. "If it's so great, why haven't you guys done anything about it?" He asked suspiciously.

"We tried, but none of our magic's strong enough."

Old knowledge... maybe it'll provide me a clue to a cure! Zelgadiss thought. "Where is this room of yours, old man?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moments later, they found themselves before a rather ordinary looking door sealed with magic carvings of runes. Gourry and Zelgadiss tried to force it open, but it wouldn't budge.

"I guess that calls for the power of the great sorceress Lina!" Lina exclaimed shamelessly.

Zelgadiss just sighed and said, "Let's hope you don't embarrass yourself." Lina glared at him and growled menacingly. "Shut up."

"Well…here goes. Unmoving doors, by my magic powers, open yourselves to me!" Lina chanted the spell.

The door glowed brightly and slowly opened with a slow creak. Soft warm light emanated by a burning torch in Gourry's hand flooded the space before them. Shadows flickered, seemingly dancing to the music of the silence. Empty.

Zelgadiss was not just slightly annoyed. He was fuming. Refusing to believe his eyes, he nudged Lina aside and stepped into the room, if it may be called a room. His eyes had not deceived him; the tiny space sealed off by the door was indeed empty. There was not one single object. Yet, Zelgadiss sensed an awareness, an entity he could not identify.

"Lina! Gourry!" he exclaimed, "do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Gourry scratched his chin. Lina's face betrayed her confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Human…a barely audible whisper said.

"That!" Zelgadiss urged, "hear that?"

Lina cocked her head to one side and concentrated. Nothing. Just the silent, controlled breathing of her friends. "No, I don't hear anything."

Zelgadiss frowned. Am I losing it? Then the voice came again, this time inside his mind, clearer and slightly above a whisper.

You… who call yourself Zelgadiss…Surprised, Zelgadiss staggered back and lost his balance.

"Zel!" Lina and Gourry rushed over only to be stopped by a raised hand and a faint headshake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Why do you disturb my rest, human?

            Who are you? …What are you?

            Instinctively, the chimera closed his eyes to help him concentrate better.

            Who or what I am is of no importance. Only my knowledge, ancient beyond time, is of relevance. At least to you.

            Knowledge?

            Yes, human. Is that not why you sought and woke me? The voice said with a hint of irritation. Speak, what is it that you wish?

            I-I wish for a cure!

            A cure? Oh? And why is that?

            Why? To be rid of this monstrosity, this hideous stone hide that plagues me! To be human, once again! To live as I deserve!

            Are you not human, Zelgadiss?

            Human?! Zelgadiss thought bitterly. What is so human about my blue skin and wiry hair?

            Are you so vain that you cannot see past the surface? Is your concept of humanity so shallow and superficial?

            What are you saying?! Zelgadiss' mind whirled, angered by such accusation. He jumped as a warm tingling sensation invaded his head, searching and probing for memories.

            What are you doing? Stop! You have no right!

            This Xellos, this one whom you call Mazoku… does not look human to you?

            He does. But he's not. He's of the Monster race! Zelgadiss snapped irritably.

            I see…He is a monster… he has the looks of a human, does he not?

            This last comment stunned the chimera. Something rang true in those words.

            This curse has filled me with nothing but anger and hatred. I wish to be rid of it! I'm a chimera of human, demon, and golem. I need to be rid of the demon in me!

            Hate, you say? What of this one? Do you not feel strongly for her?

            An image formed in the chimera's mind. Beautiful raven black hair framing a petite face only to be outshone by a pair of angel eyes that sparkled even in the dark. A slender nose gave way to a delicate yet sensuous mouth. The face of a smiling angel, full of innocence and trust. Zelgadiss closed his eyes even tighter, overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia. Amelia, my angel…

            What of her? She's just another trabelling companion. What I feel for her is merely comradeship, nothing more. He argued weakly.

            Well, well…Let's relive some of those precious memories of yours, shall we? The voice said amusedly.

            Zelgadiss gasped as flashes of old memories surged through his mind's eye. He tried to bring his hands up to his head, but he was paralyzed by all the emotions that accompanied the past. Buried feelings were suddenly unlocked.

            He remembered…the times he was mad at her not for getting in the way or saving him but for risking her life to preserve his…the warm tingling sensation that surfaced as a crimson blush across his cheeks every time they were close together…the feeling of belonging every time they synchronized an attack…the anger he had felt toward Saygram when he injured her…his protectiveness over her when Gaav sneak-attacked her…but most of all, the heart-wrenching anguish he felt when he cradled her limp body to his heart as her life slowly ebbed away. Even then she gently reassured him that she was ok. The joy! The happiness when he woke up after L-sama destroyed Hellmaster Phibrizzo and found his Amelia back to life!

            Zelgadiss gasped as each bottled emotion burst through the confines of his defenses and coursed through him.

            Zelgadiss, it is not what the mind thinks, but how the heart feels that makes you human. You're a monster if and only if you allow yourself to become one. And from your memories you're as human as they can be. A hint of humor crept into the voice. Don't let your mind tell you otherwise…

As for your cure…sleep now, Zelgadiss Greywers, and wake up to a new life.

            Wait! Who--? Zelgadiss was not given a chance to finish his question when his mind abruptly slided to slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~          

Meanwhile, Lina and Gourry were worried when Zelgadiss staggered and fell. He seemed to be in some kind of trance.

Lina shook him forcefully, "crap! He's gone into a trance!" She turned to Gourry and exclaimed.

"What should we do then, Lina?"

"Well, not much. It's not good to jerk someone out of one. He'll have an attack."

"I guess we'll just have to sit here and wait then."

"Guess so…"

Zelgadiss' breath slowly evened out and took up a steady rhythm as if he were sleeping. Lina reached out to shake him awake but Gourry stopped her.

"Let him. He probably needs it." Surprised by Gourry's action, she shrugged.

"Might as well."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zelgadiss woke up refreshed in the dimly lit room. Lina and Gourry were sleeping across the room, her head on Gourry's chest, an arm draped across his stomach, while Gourry had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Both were snoring.

Zelgadiss smiled his characteristic half-smile, aware of the imminent fight that will ensue once the two woke up, or rather of Lina beating Gourry up. Sighing at the prospect of having to wake them up, he lifted his hand to run it through his hair and stopped short.

Huh? He dumbly stared at his hand. He had been expecting the usual chimera skin, but instead a peach colored hand greeted him. Quickly, he unsheathed his sword to examine his reflection on the blade. What he saw almost made him faint. He was normal again! Or almost…Although his hair was back to its silky brown and his skin was normal again, his eyes still remained the cobalt clue they were while he was still a chimera. But he didn't care! He was cured!

"Zel!" Lina and Gourry had already woken up to the sound of his unsheathing sword.

As predicted, Lina yelled "Gourry! How could you take advantage of an innocent girl like me?" "What advantage? It's not like you have breasts or anything!" Certainly, that earned him the beating of his life as Lina proceeded to pound him on the head, repeatedly.

The former chimera cleared his throat to attract Lina and Gourry's attention.

"Zel! Congratulations! What happened?" Lina and Gourry bombarded him with questions, already forgetting their previous dispute.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure if I'll ever understand truly", Zelgadiss said as he recounted his encounter.

"Hmm…", Lina said thoughtfully. "I wonder why I didn't hear the voice."

"I have a possible reason. I'm a shamanistic magic user, while you're a black magic sorceress. Perhaps my powers were more attuned to the power of the earth… after all, this is the Temple of the mother earth goddess."

"Maybe…Anyway, so what are you going to do now?"

"I bet he's gonna go to Seyruun!" exclaimed a happy Gourry.

"How did you know?!" Zelgadiss said. He blushed after realizing he had just admitted to Gourry's statement.

"Well, there's someone waiting for you there, no?" Lina winked knowingly.

Gourry placed a finger on the side of his face, looking as clueless as ever. "Who?"

Gourry will always be Gourry…Lina and Zelgadiss sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zelgadiss couldn't wait to part ways with his two friends. He wanted to get to Seyruun as soon as possible. He was relieved when they finally said their good-byes. Lina, ready to head off for another treasure hunt, and Gourry…well, Gourry ready to go wherever Lina went.

No longer covering his face with a mask or his hair with the hood of his cloak, Zelgadiss took off in the direction of Seyruun with light-hearted steps. His heart (and mind) on a certain angel-eyed Seyruun princess.

It is not what the mind thinks, but how the heart feels that makes you human.

Notes from c-chan: And my fic is done. One thing I need to point out: I'm such a melancholic person, I can't bear sad or tragic endings, so Zel simply had to have his cure (even if my logic forbids so). Please R&R!