Ok this story will be my third on this site. For some reason I had this long drawn out Xellos/Filia story in my head. And it wouldn't go away until I started writing it. At first I thought it was just going to be a one shot. But I guess the story had other ideas. I figured it was going to be to long to post all at once so I have divided it up into chapters.
There are several points in this story that I am going for. The struggle between light and darkness. How easily the dark can corrupt the light. And how hard it is for the light to stay away from the darkness. Because of certain scenes and vivid dreams I am going to rate this story M. While it doesn't have all the blood and gore of a real M story and not much sex or sexual situation like real M story I'm still rating it that just to be safe.
Disclaimer: Just like my other stories I do not own Slayers. I am just using the characters like puppets to weave my story. And as always please do not sue me for all I have is this computer, my large anime collection, and a guitar.
As always please read and review. Please no flames, but constructed criticism is more then welcomed.
And that is enough of me talking/typing, on with the story!
Falling Star (a slayers story) chapter 2: The Protector Appears
The horrid nightmares continued for the next few days as Filia began to lose more and more sleep. Filia was unable to figure out what was happening to her. She had never had dreams like these before. Hellish visions of pain, death, destruction, and chaos. There had to be something to them, some reason she was having them. The answer, at least one she thought up, came to her one day when a certain purpled hair priestly figure showed up.
Walking into the shop as always Xellos was expecting to find Filia or Jillas managing the front. To his surprise he scans an empty room. A noise from the back room catches his ear. Stepping into the back room he spots Filia slumps over the dining table lightly sleeping. She was wearing her robe as her golden hair fell like a curtain hiding her face. Xellos just smiles at her sleeping form,'I wonder what she would do if I was here when she awakens?' he thinks taking a seat close to Filia sleeping body.
Resting his staff to the side he simply waits. His wait did not last long as Filia began to slightly move in her slumber. Leaning in he wonder to himself about what she is dreaming. Suddenly Filia jumps up screaming as Xellos falls back and out of his chair. Xellos for all his calm demeanor is in total shock at the events happening before him.
Filia hugs herself a fear in her eyes Xellos has never seen before. Franticly searching the room Filia barely notices Xellos sitting on the floor. "Xellos? What are you doing here?" she asks her appearance finally hitting Xellos. Dark circles ring her now spark less eyes. Her face looks almost like a shade or specter. Clearly she was losing sleep at an alarming rate.
"I was in the area and thought to stop by," he says picking himself off the floor,"Filia you look awful. It hasn't been that long since our last meeting. What has happened to you?" Filia Just stares at him a blank look in her eyes. "Xellos your here," she says lost in her own thoughts. He nods,"Yes I am Filia. Now will you answer my question about what has happened to you," he says brushing himself off.
"Xellos your here," she says again taking a step towards him. Xellos just stands there waiting to see what she does next. Suddenly Filia jumps tackling Xellos to the ground once more,"XELLOS, your the one who did this to me!" she yells at him sitting atop him. Xellos, now very speechless, look up at her both shock and confusion painted across his face.
Filia grabs his collar lowering herself to him,"Stop the nightmares," she hisses. Xellos shakes off his shock as he grabs Filia rolling to pin her to the floor. "What the hell are you talking about woman!?" he shouts causing Filia to shake with fear.
Tears burst from her eyes as she begins to cry. Xellos releases her only to sit beside her body. Slowly Filia curls up into a ball as she cries in front of Xellos. The stress of all that has been happening to her finally breaking her self control.
Later, after Filia puts her emotions in check, she sits with Xellos at the table sipping on some freshly brewed tea. "So you want to go over what just happened a few minutes ago," Xellos says still very out of his element. "I'm sorry for my behavior before," Filia says slightly shaking from her own actions,"I have been under a large amount of stress as of late. I haven't been sleeping properly either."
"And that gives you the right to attack me," Xellos says seeing if he can gain anything more from her. Filia lowers her head even more,'Why do I feel like this even towards him,' she thinks trying to calm her emotions. "No...I truly am sorry...," Filia says pausing not very sure she wanted to say the last part. "If there's... anything I can... do to make amends," she finishes hoping beyond hope he laughs at her attempt over any other choice.
To her dismay Xellos just smile his usual devilish smile,"I'll think about it." Filia just looks away images of her downfall playing through her head. "So, care to tell me what got you up at night?" Xellos asks actually sounding concerned. Normally Filia would just brush it off as him trying something. But this time she found his concern touching.
Yes others have asked her if she was ok, but for some reason his asking moved her ever so slightly. After a moment of silence Filia speaks her voice quivering ever so slightly,"I have these nightmares." Xellos says nothing as he patiently waits for Filia to continue.
"They plague me with visions of pain and death," she says close to tears,"people getting hurt and dying. I'm in them too." At that Xellos' interest is peaked,"You say your in them. What is it you do in the dreams?" he asks still trying to sound concerned. Filia just sits there taking a deep breath.
"At first I was the one being hurt. But as they grew in intensity I was the one hurting others," she says a single tear shed from the memory of her last dream. "So there that bad," Xellos says hiding his pleasure. Filia just nods her head fearing the tears that would fall if she tried to speak.
Xellos sits there barely able to contain his joy. 'So she's at her weakest moment right now,' Xellos thinks to himself planning on taking full advantage of the situation. "Is there anything I can do to help," he says working his own magic of deception. Normally Filia would see right through his ploy, but Filia was far from her normal self right now.
A small smile appears on her face lightening her appearance. "Thank you Xellos for your kindness," Filia says laying her hand on his,"I'm just happy to talk to some one about my problems who will not judge me by them." Xellos feels a light shock at her actions. 'Something doesn't feel right about this,' he thinks planning to look into it later.
"Well Filia I must be going on my way," Xellos says standing. Filia looks to him a sadness washing over her,"If you must. But please do come again soon," she says walking him to the shop door. Then she did something that even Xellos had a hard time controlling himself.
Filia hugs him whispering a quiet thanks. Xellos just nods quickly pulling away and phasing away. Filia just turns back towards the kitchen unaware of her strange behavior or the small smile she still had on her face.
Again Filia wakes bathed in sweat from yet another nightmare. This one hit hard as she plays through it over and over. It was of Filia hurting the ones close to her. She remembers standing over the dead Gravos and holding the dying Jillas. Their blood floods the floor as splashes of it covers Filia.
Chocking the life from him Filia lets loose an evil laugh that could easily match Xellos' own. Suddenly she hears small foot steps coming down the hall. Walking into the scene of chaos the young Val screams in terror as Filia drops the now dead Jillas.
Dashing to him she pins him down slowly tormenting him for the fun of it. Cutting him with her claws one nail at a time bring pleasure to her. Finally as she was about to finish him off she wakes from her horrible vision. Quietly crying Filia sits holding her head desperately trying to find a way to end her nightmares.
Finally getting up she walks to the kitchen to find something to drink. Stopping at the door way Filia spots Jillas sitting at the table eating a midnight snack. He feels the presence of some one else in the room and looks up to her.
"I'm sorry Lady Filia did I wake you?" Jillas asks some what ashamed. "No Jillas I was just up to get something to drink," she says her frustrations reaching their limits. He nods going back to his snack. Filia Grabs a cup from the cabinet then turns to the water pitcher. Picking it up she feels no weight in it.
Finally her anger from all the previous nightmares breaks through. She throws the pitcher at the wall breaking it to pieces. Jillas jumps at the sudden rage coming from Filia. "Lady Filia are you alright," he says standing and walking to her side. She spins around slapping him a hatred in her eyes.
Jillas crumples to the ground from the hit. Filia snaps out of her rage as tears flow from her at what she had just done. Dropping to her knees she wraps her arms around Jillas crying her apology.
Filia was afraid this would happen. Her nightmares are coming true slowly and painfully. She starts hurting some one close to her. Jillas just happened to be the first one. She had to do something fast before she seriously hurt a loved one.
After the encounter with Jillas that night Filia's had become withdrawn from the world. She would stay in her room only leaving it to use the bathroom and eat something. Soon she begins to loose her appetite as she sleeps less and less. Her once shining golden hair is now dull and unkempt. Her radiant blue eyes hold no glow as she looks out into the world.
She appears to be looking at something in a far off land almost all of the time now. The once proud appearance of her human form begins to look pale and gaunt. Even Val feels fear when near her for to long. The only thing that pulls her from her haunting mood is the now daily visit from Xellos. The purple haired mazoku is very interested in Filia's slow fall.
He had always wanted to see her fall from her high pedestal. The only problem was he had always thought he would be the one to make her fall. Even after five weeks of searching he has found nothing on who or what is causing Filia's nightmares.
He had made a decision that if anyone would cause her fall into the dark it would be him. So like every day before for the last two weeks he stopped by the shop. Walking in he thought it just another day. Spotting Jillas at the counter he waves,"Hello fox. Is Filia still in her room," he says not really asking. Jillas leers at him but nods his response.
True he hated the monster but for reason beyond him his visits seem to help Lady Filia. So he would hold his tongue and accept his presence as a good thing. Xellos just smiles,"Then I'll be on my way," he says walking to the back. Taking the familiar path to her room Xellos stops just at her door. Never one for knocking he walks right in.
Looking over the room he spots Filia laying on her bed. Motionless she appears to be sleeping. Xellos was not surprised at her look as he moved to her bed side. He slowly watched as she started to lose her appearance. Still beautiful in human standards she was almost a shell of her former beauty.
Xellos takes a seat beside her just as her eyes open. Looking up at him Filia smiles at his presence. "Xellos you came," she says a sudden joy in her voice,"I was beginning to think you had had enough of me." Sitting up she places a hand on his,"Xellos your the only one who understands me now."
"Well Filia I am the closest one to you right now," he says his usual playful look on his face. Filia rests her body against him feeling at peace. "Why?" she asks eyes closed gripping his hand. Xellos tilts his head,"Why what Filia?" he asks not really sure what she means.
Filia just nestles closer to him,"Why do I hurt people I love?" "I believe the nightmares are the things causing you to hurt people," Xellos says matter of factly. Filia sits up turning to him with desperation in her once bright blue eyes.
"Xellos I don't want to hurt anyone near me anymore," she says tears forming in her eyes,"I've already hurt Jillas and other around town for no reason then they were there. And Val wont even stay near me for more then a minute for fear of me." The swelling tears break through falling down worn lines on her face. "Xellos I can't take it anymore," she says between sobs,"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. Please Xellos take me away from here, away from everyone that I could hurt."
Xellos is surprised at her pleading. She was never one to ask for anything like this. Smiling Xellos nods,"If that is your wish then I will take you away from it all," he says pulling her to him. Taking her in his arms he stands holding her like a newborn.
His touch was gentle and caring as Filia rests her head on his chest. "Yes I want you to take care of me," she says clinging to him for protection. With that Xellos phases out taking Filia to some far off destination.
Authors notes: well this is the second chapter of my story. Did it explain some of your questions? Did it leave you with even more?. Were the characters to OOC or did I get it just right? Please any comment or suggestions would be more then welcomed. Thats all for now, see ya in the next chapter of Falling Star.