Hey , at the beginning I want to say that English isn't my mother tongue and that is my first fanfic written in English, so be ready for errors. I wouldn't write it without a support of Relm Wanderer. (once again thanks for everything ^^)
Winter holidays are an extremely important event almost for everybody. During this period, people spend time with their relatives, they can slow down for a moment and appreciate another side of live. However, for everyone who would like to spend the holidays in a certain small town, situated in a beautiful, but forgotten valley, this period would be truly exceptional. There was a legend in Lyventer according to which, a snow falling during winter holidays' eve was said to acquire a magical property of purification of souls. In that day, always before twilight, the crystal-pure powder began falling. Only after it the ceremony of renewal of the contract with Ayhayleen, a legendary priestess of Ceiphied, who had rescued the town from the attack of hordes of demons several hundreds years earlier, could take place. The concluding of a new pact ensured the continued protection of the settlement. However, children who weren't polite were told, that Ayhayleen would get angry and wouldn't send her the gift. And as a result, the demons would destroy the forgotten by the rest of the continent capital of the white magic …
"Miss Lina, this place is amazing!" Screamed overenthusiastic Amelia Will Tesla Seyrun looking around like crazy. Lyventer being local capital of white magic, was a place in which you could find a lot of temples. Certainly, adepts of white magic were feeling in that city as if they were at home. Therefore, since the company of Lina Inverse consisted of two white mages, the master of black magic couldn't have chosen another place to stay. Although the second user of white magic, Sylphiel Nels Rada, was also happy to be there, she acted calmer than her friend. Her attention got a powerful building constructed in marble, which turned out to be a library.
"The library of Anerians! I have always dreamed of visiting this place." She sighed quietly. Having heard those words, the masked swordsman, Zelgadis Greywords, who had so far remained silent, brightened up.
"Anerians? You mean those Anerians?" He asked, but before anybody could respond, he speeded up and went towards the library. Lina surprised immediately called out for him:
"Zel! Where are you going?" She asked in a serious tone. This question made the chimera stop.
"If you haven't noticed I'm going to the library." He replied brusquely.
"Now? Can't you wait until we find a place to stay" She asked before stopping before him.
"I'm not going to waste time. I'll find you later." He answered before passing Lina, going towards the majestic building. Lina was ready to yell after him in order to give him a piece of her mind, but she felt a hand of Gourry on her shoulder.
"Lina, leave him alone. You know he can be sometimes almost as stubborn as you." The blond said with unusual for him an intelligent expression on his face. The red pupils narrowed.
"Almost as stubborn as me"? What do you mean?" Lina asked in a dangerous tone.
"Well … you're terribly stubborn yourself and …" The swordsman wasn't able to complete the sentence because of a loud scream, preceding the eruption.
"FIRE BALL!"
Zelgadis was going towards the library when he heard an explosion of Lina's Fire Ball. "She will never change, won't she?" – he sighed and pressed the knob of the large engraved gates. It turned out that the first door led to a huge courtyard, which was a really lively place. There was a marble pavement in the middle. Of course it led to the main entry to the library. On both sides of the road readers could find various elixirs, souvenirs and even some food. Zelgadis rushed towards the entrance. He didn't halt even for a short moment. Even screams of shopkeepers advertising their items weren't persuasive enough to make him stop. So it wasn't strange that he went further, when he heard a quiet hoarse.
"Beware young man, because today you can lose what is the most important to you." After a while he halted, turned and faced the stranger. Nearby there was a short, hunched old lady with mad squint, which wasn't a feature of seriousness. Zelgadis looked at her in a contemptuous way, snorted and went away.
"What an idiot." Lina angrily mumbled as she ate another portion of chicken. Gourry traditionally wolfed down his food as well as parts of Lina's meal, taking the advantage of the fact, that sorceress was in a contemplative mood. The mental absence of Lina was noticed by Sylphiel, who looked at her friend with concern.
"I'm done!" Amelia screamed as soon as she swallowed a sip of juice. "Miss Lina, is it true that this town is covered by snow throughout a second half year?" She directed her question towards the master of black magic, waking her from pensiveness. A flash appeared in red irises and the sorceress began her lecture.
"Yes. The fact that Lyventer is located in the valley surrounded by mountains, is a reason for the existence of only two seasons. The most interesting fact is that winter always begins exactly in winter holidays' eve and lasts exactly 183 days. Many wizards from various guilds wanted to explain it in a scientific way, but they have never succeeded. The only explanation is a legend of Lyventer."
"A legend of Lyventer?" Overenthusiastic Amelia asked. This time Sylphiel was a person who half answered her question.
"Does this legend include the story of Ayhayleen?" The healer interjected. Lina nodded with a smile.
"Yes, it's natural you've heard of her.."
"What do you mean?" The princess asked surprised.
"A long time ago there was an extremely powerful priestess of Celphied –Ayhayleen. She travelled all over the world establishing schools of white magic, which were origins of a group of famous healers and priestesses. One of those schools was set up in Sairaag." Lina answered.
"But what does it have in common with the legend of Lyventer?" The adept of white magic asked further. Lina joined her hands and leaned her chin against them and continued.
"Well … Together with the creation of the legend of Lyventer the legend of Ayhayleen ends. A few hundred years ago Lyventer was attacked by the horde of powerful demons who didn't like the growth of power of the human priestess. The town would had been destroyed, had it not been for a sacrifice of Ayhayleen, who created a barrier, which was so powerful that all Mazoku died at the very same moment. Unfortunately, the use of such a powerful spell had its price and the priestess died. It happened exactly in the winter holidays' eve. According to the legend in this day, year by year, shortly after twilight, a crystal-pure snow begins falling, renewing a barrier. In the gesture of gratitude, main priestesses from main temple perform a dance …"
"And wasn't there any single year when snow didn't fall?" Amelia continued.
"No, there wasn't." A completely new voice answered. Three girls (yeah Gourry fell asleep ^^) turned their heads and looked in direction from which the voice came. It turned out it belonged to the wife of their innkeeper, a short, chubby woman with characteristic green eyes.
"Never?" The princess asked once again.
"Please, join us." The healer from Sairaag proposed. The woman smiled and took her place putting on the table a dish filled with delicious-looking cookies.
"I was about to bring you a dessert." When Lina and Gourry, who suddenly woke up, heard those words, started wolfing down the cakes.
"Thank you." Sylphiel said feeling slightly embarrassed with her companions.
"It's absolutely no problem, my dear." The woman smiled again warmly, after which she looked at Amelia and responded to earlier asked question.
"I've lived in this town since my birth and I don't remember the situation, in which there wasn't any snow in 24th of December.
"Hm … and what would happen if snow wouldn't start falling?"
Hearing those words the wife of innkeeper frown.
"According to the legend the barrier wouldn't be renewed. And as a result, Lyventer would meet its end. " She finished in a serious tone, but a moment later her face brightened. "But this version is introduced only to rude children. Such a thing isn't possible."
"So you always begin celebration when snow starts falling? " Asked Sylphiel.
"Exactly." The woman nodded.
"I hope it'll begin as soon as possible, I'm hungry." Gourry interjected.
Zelgadis had overturned a next page and smirked. It was highly possible that he had finally found his cure. It was true that it took a couple of hours to get this information, but he didn't regret the lost time. The library of Anerians was the only place where seeker would be able to find this piece of information. He knew the legend of Lyventer very well, but he could not get rid of the impression that this legend had some hidden story within itself. The story about which the town people were reluctant to talk. Naturally a beautiful fairy tale was more appealing for travellers rather than its brutal details. Nobody before had asked those questions: why did Ayhayleen appear in this area and why did Lyventer become the target of an attack of Mazoku? Very few people knew that only in a library belonging to this family, a seeker could find the missing piece of information. After all, only clannish libraries contained precisely described histories of all their members . Oh yes, very few people knew that the legendary priestess originated from Anerian's family. However, Zelgadis preferred not to think that he owes this piece of information his hated grandfather.
Ayhayleen Anerian from Lyventer had a sister, Larissa. However, the younger daughter of Anerian's didn't want to follow her beloved by parents sister. She had chosen a completely different way, despite inborn gift of white magic, she turned to the darkest area of black magic. She made a pact with a high-ranked demon. She offered her body and power, however, she gained in return a thing she couldn't achieve alone – the death of her sister. She knew she wouldn't be able to defeat her in fair battle, however, she knew the greatest weakness of her enemy, a selfless love for human beings. She ordered a horde of demons to attack her own family and as she expected, Ayhayleen gave her life in order to save Lyventer. After these events Larissa met a terrible fate. She was cursed with immortal body, over which she didn't have any control. As a hybrid of human and Mazoku she tried to overcome the holy barrier, for which her sister had given her life. Despaired parents, after a loss of their only daughters in spite of the opposition of the town people, tried to bring back one of their children and left the town to work on the undoing the transformation.
"The road to the laboratory of Anerians will appear each 24th of December." – the chimera read aloud. Ruthless swordman closed the book and smirked.
"Amelia, either you speed up or I leave you here! I want to visit the library before they close it!" Annoyed sorceress yelled at the princess, who behaved like a small child running from one shop to another. Both girls "accidentally" separated from Gourry and Sylphiel because of princess, who made a resolution to help Gourry fall in love with the healer from Sairaag. Of course, the entire action was preceded with asking Lina whether she really feels nothing to the blond swordsman. Only when Lina treated Amelia with Dragon Slave, princess did believe her and ploted this extremely "clever" plan. As a result, the master of black magic was forced to be alone with overactive princess, which was her only worry. She came to the conclusion that Gourry is for her an annoying, stupid and stealing food, but in its own way reliable brother a long time ago. She was convinced that the man had similar feelings for her.
"I'm done, miss Lina! I have already tried everything I wanted!" Aadept of the white magic ran towards Lina, but suddenly someone run into the princess, who by force of momentum bumped into the master of black magic. As a result, the sorceress painfully struck the ground.
"Damn it! Amelia, what are you doing?!" She growled trying to get up.
"I'm so sorry, miss Lina, but someone run into me." She defended herself massaging sore parts of her body. Above her there was a boy in age of 10.
"I'msosorryIdidn'twantedIwasinhurry … " The terrified boy began quickly mumbling some apology. Amelia immediately acknowledged a repentance of the boy and replied with a smile.
"It's nothing. But be careful next time."
"It is nothing?! HE ALMOST KILLED US!" Lina growled. The sorceress was really pissed off. The boy became even more frightened and hid himself behind Amelia. The princess tried to calm down the redhead.
"He didn't do this on purpose, miss Lina. Today is winter holidays' eve…" The user of white magic spoke as calm as she could.
"So what?!" Lina screamed with the urge to outright killing in the eyes. However, this time she studied boys appearance and there was something that riveted her attention. It was a likeness of his eyes to the warm green irises of their innkeeper.
"Aren't you related to Mrs. Kievy by chance?"
"Yes, I am her son …" He stumbled.
"Ok... Your mom cooks so well, that for the sake of her I'll let you go."
"Miss Lina, you are so compassionate today! I have always believed in goodness in your heart!" Screamed Amelia doing one of her justice pose. Lina commented it with a single phrase:
"Fire Ball." After it she asked the boy. "And why were you in such hurry?"
"Actually I'm going home. Today my brother'll return!" The boy said in joyful voice, trying not to look at the ash that was temporarily Amelia's form. Lina looked at the boy in surprise. Mrs Kievy told them, she had only one son.
"Do you know where will he come from?" She asked silently.
"I don't know. Half a year ago, he got lost in the mountains." The boy saddened for a moment, but soon his smile returned when he said his next sentence. "But today, he'll be back for sure. Snow falling in winter holidays eve can make wonders happen, so if it falls today, Ryuki will return!" He spoke with such excitement, that although Lina could have guessed the truth, she didn't have the heart to tell the boy about it.
"So we need to prepare for his arrival. We can come back together. And what's your name? I am Lina." She smiled. The child was surprised at first but he quickly replied with his sincere childish smile.
"Yes! I'm Hyoji." And they went together in direction of the inn completely forgetting about the pile of ash.
"Miss Lina! Please don't leave me …"
Sylphiel was somewhat surprised by the situation she found herself in. The thing of which earlier she could only dream about had happened. She walked with Gourry alone along a romantic street. There was a lot of pairs around them. Colorful lights decorated the various stalls. It was true that they were speaking primarily about eating, sure it wasn't a romantic subject, but the healer was surprised how it was easy to chat with him. Usually there was miss Lina next to them, who always focused entire attention of the blond. Sylphiel tried not to show it, but sometimes it was difficult not to feel small jealousy towards redhead who easily found contact with each member of their small group. She noticed an unsophisticated excuse, because of which Lina and Amelia separated from them, but the healer was really grateful to them for this moment of happiness. She observed as Gourry calmed some child, who lost its ice creams. She smiled to herself and once again she fell in love with the blond. It was true that the master of sword was slightly slow-witted, but there was so much goodness and selflessness in him, which compensated his cluelessness. The user of white magic sighed quietly. Everyone knew about her love apart from the object her feelings, but she wasn't worried. It was enough to her that the blond was happy. At the beginning she was sure that he found happiness alongside miss Lina, but this expedition gave her another idea. Two friends still behaved as typical siblings, and now even the master of black magic agreed for their solitary stroll through. Previously she had the impression that redhead sorceress silently tried to minimize her contact with Gourry. And now it was otherwise. And this fact allowed her to dream about the master of the sword. She was so lot in thoughts she didn't notice, when they approached to a large scene, where there was some festival.
"I want to welcome everybody in dance contest! Our prize is … MAIN DISH OF LYVENTER COUSINE!" Those words were appealing enough to attract Gourry.
"Sylphiel, we have to win it !" The swordsman turn in his companion.
"Buut what do you mean, Gourry dear? " The healer asked confused.
"Come on Sylphiel! Let's do it!" Said the blond with a charming smile, then he took hand of blushing, longhaired beauty.
"But I don't know how to dance…" She stumbled.
"Don't worry. Everything will be all right." He smiled assuredly. Sylphiel looked in his blue eyes full of determination and had soon no doubts.
"All right." She replied with her the most beautiful smile. However, she was too confused to notice that Gourry was also blushing.
As soon as Lina, Amelia and Hyoji returned to the hotel, Mrs. Kievy welcomed them.
"Here you are, Hyoji, I've already been thinking that something has happened to you." The woman hugged her alleged only son.
"Everything is all right, we bumped into each other nearby the library." Lina interjected.
"Ouch thank you very much. And I've almost forgotten, your friend came, but has already paid me for room. He said he would leave today. " The woman said. Lina looked shocked for a moment, but she regained her composure immediately and asked, however, without using happy tone she used a while ago.
"So he is still in his room, yes?"
"I believe, he is."
"Thank you." She answered and went upstairs.
Zelgadis was sitting at his desk in his hotel room and arranged collected materials. He had just finished when he heard a loud knocking.
"Come in." He said, perfectly knowing whose face he would see. Lina came in slowly. She wasn't smiling, she was very serious.
"I've heard you have already paid for your room." She stated.
"True." He replied shortly.
"It's funny, because it seems to me that innkeepers are usually paid after the end of the visit."
"Oh yes, they are... Therefore, I've already paid for it." He replied with irony visible in his voice.
"You want to tell me that you really are such an egoist, that you're leaving today just because of some fucking trail, not taking into account anybody's opinion?" She told with venom.
"You have formulated this pefectly. I don't have nothing more to add except that I joined this expedition for some purpose. At the moment, our goals differ, as well as our roads." He responded calmly.
"And that's everything you have to say? And of course you don't care that today is a day which we'd like to spend with you. Did something like this appear in your mind?!" The sorceress, who at the beginning of the talk was relatively calm, began lose self-control.
"Somehow you'll survive." He shrugged his shoulders. At this point, the sorceress completely lost control.
"Somehow you'll survive"?! Can't you once in your lifetime think about others?!" She slammed her hands on his desk.
"And those are words of a completely selfless person." He smirked. "Forgive me Lina, but I won't dance as you play. This is the thing which annoys you the most, isn't it?"
"No, the most annoying is that you're insensitive, inward-looking, egoistic idiot." She strained through her teeth.
"I at least don't force anyone to anything." He replied equally brusquely. Lina wanted to tell him off, but she suppressed the urge. She waited in silence until Zelgadis took everything and was ready to leave and asked quietly:
"Are we truly so unimportant to you?" She asked the question in the plural, but the truth was, she wanted to formulate it completely differently. She didn't look at him, but she heard that this question made him stop.
"It isn't like this. We simply have different priorities." He answered in somewhat softer tone.
"Go to hell with your priorities." She answered quietly. Zelgadis said nothing. He pressed the knob and closed doors with a bang. . He was unaware that the sorceress slowly slide down on the floor and felt strange mix of fury and sadness because of a reason, which she only began to understand.