A/N: I'm sorry that it's been so long, I really am, so you guys can rant and rave at me if you like. Anyway, I don't own The Slayers in any way, shape or form.
Claire awoke to find herself staring at the green, leafy canopy of the trees above, her head resting on something warm.
"Oh, Miss Claire, you're awake," Xellos, his voice as cheerful as ever, said from above her, the thing her head was resting on his lap.
"What happened?" She asked, sitting up gingerly, feeling rather worn out for some reason. She remembered the trolls coming at her…then nothing.
"You fell when you tried to get away from the trolls," Xellos replied, standing and helping her to her feet. "I believe you hit your head on a rock when you did so." Well, her head did hurt…but why did it feel like she was missing something important.
"Did you save me?" She asked, looking around the burned out section of forest the fight had taken place in. The priest nodded.
"Yes, and not a moment too soon." He touched her shoulder gently. "Are you feeling alright, Miss Claire?"
"I think so," she murmured softly, rubbing her temples briefly. "Thank you, for saving me."
"Oh, think nothing of it." She missed the wicked grin that came to his face briefly before it was quickly replaced by a more innocent façade. "We should probably get going before more of them decide to come."
0o0o0o0o0
Lina, currently seated on a bed in her room at yet another inn, looked over the crystal they had procured for Zelgadis and Amelia for their wedding present. It looked unremarkable, at least in any way that would make it magical, so why had it been locked away in some ancient ruin guarded by a black dragon? Turning it over in her hands, the sorceress pondered over it in silence, Gourry currently downstairs getting them both some breakfast.
"What makes you so special?" She asked it quietly, deciding to give it a once over with a minor scrying spell. It revealed little, other than to confirm that it was rather ordinary despite its beauty. She'd be tempted to keep it if it wasn't going to be their gift to Zel and Amelia. The door opened behind her, Gourry carrying a large tray inside, kicking the door shut.
"Hey, sorry but I could only carry so…is something wrong?" He asked, seeing how intently she was examining the crystal. "Is it cracked or something?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing." She set it down carefully, smiling in reassurance. "Oh, that smells good." This earned her a smile from the blond swordsman.
"I was saying that I could only carry so much up those stairs," he went on as if nothing was wrong, which he didn't think there was. "I can always go down for more if you'd like."
"No, this is fine," she replied, taking a plate and digging in. "So, how did you know what language that was?" Her question nearly caused him to choke. "Did you'd think I'd forget?" He sighed.
"No, I didn't…I just recognized the symbols, okay?" He poked at his food. "My dad had all these different books in his library, most of which were all gibberish to me, but one time I asked him what they were about and he told me that they were very old manuscripts written in old elfish." He pouted slightly. "Is it really so surprising for me to do something intelligent?"
"Yes," Lina deadpanned, causing Gourry to hang his head. "I mean, come on, you're always such a jellyfish most of the time."
"That's cruel Lina," he moaned, pouting pitifully. "I'm not a total idiot, you know." She only shrugged, not in the least bothered by his piteous display.
"Well what did you expect when you go and spout something off like that? I mean, honestly." She frowned slightly, curious. "All the books that were gibberish were written in it?" He nodded glumly. "Why would your dad have books like that?"
"How should I know?" He asked in turn, starting to eat as well. "I never asked much about them, he always seemed so busy." Lina took a sip of tea, thinking.
"Hmm, well, I guess it doesn't matter at this point." She resumed eating, eyeing the crystal every once in awhile. "Hey, Gourry…does that crystal seem strange to you at all?"
"Huh?" He looked over at it, frowning slightly at it as he thought it over. "No, just looks like a pretty rock to me." Lina sighed.
"That's kind of my point." This earned her a puzzled look. "It's so…normal. Why would it be placed behind so many traps and a dragon guardian if it was just another crystal?"
"Because…it's someone's lucky rock?" His suggestion had her staring at him blankly. Yeesh, he was dumb sometimes…okay, most of the time.
"Or there's more to it than meets the eye…I'm going to have to examine it more closely on the road to Seyruun."
0o0o0o0o0
Claire groaned, her feet killing her. "Ugh, how much farther?" She moaned, the priest seeming to be having no such difficulties as sore feet.
"We should reach Seyruun by tomorrow afternoon at the latest," he replied cheerfully, Claire wanting nothing more than to throttle him in that moment. "Not to worry, Miss Claire, we'll get there." His smile still present, Xellos marched along as if he hadn't a care in the world…and how she hated him for it. There was something decidedly off about him, though she had couldn't figure out what, other than his eerie, non-stop cheerfulness. If she had to guess, Claire would say he wasn't telling her everything…but, then again, they had only just met, so why should he? Xellos, meanwhile, was currently in the middle of trying to solve the riddle that was Claire. How had she survived the blast that had destroyed the keep? What was that crimson light that had struck such a familiar cord in him? And, of course, just who was she really? As he thought about this, the mazoku pondered over his orders from the Greater Beast herself. She had left very little in the way for interpretation, stating quite clearly that he was to retrieve the item in question and come back with it…or not at all. But how was he supposed to do that now? He had no idea what had happened to it, after all, and the only possible clue to its fate lying with a girl who didn't even remember her original name. If he could get her to remember it would go a long way to solving most of his problems…but how? He knew next to nothing regarding the curing of amnesia, after all. The only reason he knew so much about human anatomy in the first place was because he wanted to know how to more effectively torture and kill them, extracting as much pain and fear from them as possible in the process…but the subject of the workings of the human mind on a biological level were lost on him. Certainly he could manipulate, seduce or dominate a human being as easily as breathing, save for certain exceptions that shall remain nameless, but this was something new to him altogether. He could honestly say he had never once considered having to deal with a human suffering from amnesia in his long life as a mazoku, at least not in how to cure it.
"Mr. Xellos?" Claire asked timidly, drawing him out of his reverie. He just now realized that he had been just about scowling he had been so deep in thought, the general-priest quickly donning his mask again.
"Something wrong, Miss Claire?" He asked, doing his absolutely best to sound concerned about her. He was acting the part of a human priest, after all, and they were well known for, Lord of Nightmares forbid, kindness and selflessness. Ugh, such a terrible batch of emotions went with those two characteristics, the very thought making him feel ill. Still, he kept up his mask from centuries of practice, despite whatever thoughts were passing through his twisted mind.
"Oh, uh, nothing," the girl murmured shyly, looking away. Oh, dear, could she be starting to become infatuated with him? No, it was far too soon for that. They had barely known each other a day, after all. Perhaps she didn't trust him, which was very reasonable for the same reason she couldn't be becoming infatuated.
"Please, Miss Claire, if something bothering you then I would like to help in any way I can." There, something nice and pious for her to chew on, to let her believe he had her best interests in mind. Blech.
"Well, I'd like to know more about you, if you wouldn't mind telling me." Ah, so it was that she didn't trust him. A good dose of mistrust kept one alive longer, after all. What to tell her, though?
"Me? Well, I hail from farther north, having trained in a monastery in the mountains there." He was currently winging it, but so far it sounded perfectly credible. "It is tradition among my order for our members to go on a pilgrimage, to learn more of the outside world and help those in need of aid."
"What god do you follow?" She asked, sounding interested. She was buying it, hook, line and sinker. How he loved it when things went smoothly and according to plan, no matter how last minute said plan was.
"The dragon god Cepheid, the most powerful force of good that is known to us mortals." The lie was bitter on his tongue, the mazoku sending a silent apology to Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, and of course Greater Beast Zelas Metallium herself, for spouting such a blasphemy. "He was the one that sealed away Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, lord of the mazoku."
"The what?" Her puzzled question left him feeling both amused and annoyed. He understood that she had amnesia, but to not remember the mazoku…well, it was time to enlighten her. He smiled, doing his best to put on an air of polite indulgence.
"The mazoku are a race of evil, powerful beings, spawned long ago from Shabranigdo, the most powerful of their kind. They can vary greatly in shape and form, and the strongest among them can take human shape to disguise themselves." He paused, letting this sink in. "Under Shabranigdo are the five lords he created to serve him, named thus: Zelas the Greater Beast, Demon Dragon King Gaav, Deep Sea Dolphin, Hellmaster Phibrizo and Dynast Grausherra." His smile turned briefly cruel, which she failed to notice because she was trying to take this all in. "Gaav and Phibrizo, however, are currently deceased."
"Wow…are they really all that evil?" She asked innocently, to which he smiled kindly, or that's what it looked like.
"Well, all my knowledge on the subject comes from the illuminated texts kept by my order, since I've never actually met a mazoku in person." He looked thoughtful. "But, I would say so, if what is written is to be believed."
"I see," she murmured, growing quiet and thoughtful. He barely suppressed a grin, seeing the cogs of her thought processes turning already. Perhaps he could convince her that his race was merely misunderstood, that Cepheid was actually a tyrant of some sort. Perhaps, but not likely. He could always convince her he was a standout among his kind, a good mazoku…that was, unfortunately, also unlikely. But, since he was unlikely to run into anyone he knew, that wasn't likely to be a problem.
0o0o0o0o0
Lina sneezed, rubbing her nose in irritation. Someone must have been talking about her again…how annoying. Gourry walked beside her, cheerfully plodding along like he hadn't a care in the world. She barely suppressed a sigh, knowing in her heart she cared about the big lug; but that it was unlikely he saw her as anything other than a friend/sister figure. How depressing.
"Hey, yogurt brain." His gaze turning to her signaled that she had his attention. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Lina, what is it?" His innocent inquiry had her blushing for some unfathomable reason.
"Well…I was wondering," she began, feeling slightly nervous, "how you feel about me." He blinked, frowning slightly.
"How I feel about you?" He echoed, causing her to nod. "Well, I don't know…we've been together for a few years now and, well, I care about you." She perked up a bit, then.
"Really?" She asked, earning a nod.
"Well, of course, you're one of my closest friends." That statement had her self esteem plummeting dangerously.
"Oh," she murmured, eyes turning to the ground in front of her feet. "I see." Gourry sensed her sudden swing in mood, frowning in concern.
"Hey, is something wrong?" He asked, worried about her now. Was it something he'd said?
"No, Gourry, nothing's wrong." Her lie was smooth as silk. "I'm just a little tired." A plausible excuse, since they had been walking all day. She had developed a little, but she still didn't possess an exactly mature figure. What man would be interested in someone that would make them feel like they were robbing the cradle? Suddenly, her attention was diverted to something that just might give her a vent for her new sense of self deprecation. The path in front and behind them was suddenly blocked by a bunch of ugly, smelly, unshaven brutes with various weapons and red slash marks on their left biceps.
"Halt and pay da toll," one of the men in front of them growled out, exposing some nasty teeth.
"Toll?" Gourry echoed, scratching his head. "I don't remember a toll ever being here." Lina sighed in exasperation.
"That's because there never has been, you jellyfish," she informed him with exaggerated patience. "These idiots have picked the wrong day to screw with Lina Inverse." All the bandits went pale at the same time.
"L-Lina Inverse?" One behind them yelped, sounding afraid, causing the petite red head to break out a feral grin. "Holy shit, its Lina the bandit killer!"
"That's me!" She cried, fire gathering around her hands. "Too bad you're only realizing that now, you dumb schmucks!" A malicious gleam came to her eyes as she readied her spell. "FIREBALL!!!" The group in front went up in flames, screaming in agony in terror. Gourry let out an appreciative whistle.
"Glad I'm not on her bad side."