*Part Three: The Beginning*
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"It's not right." Astraea was pacing back and forth in front of the Hierarchy. "You made the rules. Eliese broke them, she went behind your backs and she claims to love the Mazoku. That is no way for a Power to behave."
"You are suggesting we send your best friend to Purgatory." The head of the Hierarchy, Gabriel, stated.
"I am not suggesting it. I'm telling you to do it." Astraea was angry. Very angry.
"We will summon Eliese." The Archangel decided. But Eliese never appeared. The council, composed of seven angels -two Thrones, two Dominions (AN: Thrones and Dominions regulate angelic duties), two powers and the Archangel Gabriel- stared silently at Astraea as they waited.
An angel finally stepped into the circle, but it was Malachi, the Messenger. Gabriel looked at him. "What news have you? Where is Eliese?" He asked sternly. "She will not come, Your Grace. Eliese has shed her wings for the demon. She is human once again." Malachi spoke. Astraea turned very red. Gabriel sighed. "Then there is nothing to be done. Both are mortal and free to do as they please. Council dismissed."
The Angel of Justice was fuming as she stalked away fro the Council. Eliese had made a fool of her for the last time. Justice had not been served because of the Hierarchy's slow acceptance of her case.
Xellos awoke to the sunlight spilling through the window and onto the bed where he lay. He glanced about him. The room was small and dingy, but comfortable. How, he wondered, did I get here? Then, Oh yes! The angels...angels...Eliese! She was curled up next to him, her blond hair falling in her face. He touched her cheek. It was cold. He drew in his breath. Was she dead? He pulled her into his arms, tears in his eyes. She'd chosen to be mortal for him, wretch that he was.
"...Xellos."
He looked up. Zelgadiss was in the doorway. The two young men looked at one another for a moment. Then Xellos burst into tears. He buried his face in Eliese's hair, tears falling from his lashes and into her soft tresses. "She's dead, Zelgadiss..." His voice was muffled, "She's cold...She's dead." The only thing he feared more than being mortal was losing Eliese.
A frown crossed the Chimera's face. He bent over the two with the intent of examining her. She was indeed very pale, but he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest. "She's not dead, Xellos. She's still breathing." He said quietly. The two looked at one another again. "I'm scared for her." Xellos said softly, "I am afraid. I love her so. Do you understand? I'm afraid because I love her."
"I understand."
"You don't. You say you do, but you don't. She is the only thing I have. Without Eliese, I have nothing..."
"..." Zelgadiss could think of nothing to say.
"...She said if God sent his angels, everything would be all right. But where...where do we go from here? I don't know what to do. I've never been this confused before, Zel." Another uncomfortable silence. Zelgadiss knew how to handle many things, but not this. Xellos looked back at his beloved. He had her encircled protectively in his arms and his eyes glittered like twin amethysts due to the remnants of his tears.
"Maybe..." The Chimera began slowly, "...Maybe I don't understand love...Maybe what you feel is beyond my hardened heart..."
"Oh, no, Zel." The priest glanced up, " You know. You love Amelia. It is yourself you do not love. What I feel -and what you feel- towards some one else is different than what you do not feel for yourself." The Chimera and the ex-demon continued to look at one another as Zelgadiss turned the statement over in his mind. The latter of the two, however, looked away when Eliese began to stir.
"...Xellos..." She mumbled, "...Xel..."
"I'm here." He said softly, "I've got you." He planted a kiss on her forehead and she smiled slightly. She weakly raised her gray eyes to his face. He gazed back down upon her, a happy and relieved look on his face. Her eyes closed for a moment. Then she turned her pale face to Zelgadiss. "...I forgive you..."
"What?"
"I...I know you feel...that it is your fault...because you told...I forgive you for that...you need to know...It wasn't your fault..." Then her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep in Xellos' arms once more.
Zelgadiss had retained his normal unemotional façade, but as Xellos peered at him, he was aware of something in the other's eyes. "You can't fight the tears that aren't coming." The priest tells him, "And in a moment of truth there are lies. It was your fault, Zel. But it was my fault, too, and Eliese's"
"I didn't mean to..."
"No one ever means to do things like this. But we do them anyway. God help us all for the things we have done." He laid Eliese across the bed, stood up and stretched. Silently, he crossed the room to the window.
Zelgadiss bent over the girl, his hands spread over her. He was healing her, giving her back her strength, which is what he'd intended to do all along.
Suddenly, she began screaming and jerking around. "I won't! I won't! There is a God! Life is wonderful!!!" Xellos turned white. He rushed over to the side of the bed. "Oh, Eliese..." He muttered, "Don't do this, Eliese." Zelgadiss looked at him questioningly. "She's reliving the first time she died." The ex-demon said softly, "When the Mazoku killed her."
"What?" the other man's voice was a deadly whisper.
"She was eighteen. She believed in God. Wouldn't renounce her faith. They killed her."
"Were you..."
"Was I her murderer? No. Would she love me, had I done that?"
The Chimera sighed. "I suppose not."
'Xellos!" She screamed, "XELLOS!!!"
"If she is reliving her past, and you were not responsible for her death, why is she screaming for you? You weren't there."
"I was there," the young man said quietly, "As her mortal lover."
The Chimera's mouth dropped open. He hadn't expected that, but yes, it made sense. That was why they'd broken a rule. That was why the Mazoku had been able to love. But there was one thing that didn't make sense, one thing that didn't fit. Why had Xellos become a demon?
"I lost the belief." The priest's voice was a low deadpan, "She'd trusted God. He allowed her to die like that. I was angry at everything. The anger consumed me. I became hatred." It was if he read Zelgadiss' mind, "I didn't die. I allowed the very beings I hated to kill me. I let Zelas have my soul."
"Xellos..." Eliese was awake then, sobbing into the pillow, "...I saw it all again. I felt it...I...I..." She couldn't go on, she was crying too hard. He pulled her into his arms, as he couldn't do when she had died. "You're safe, I am here and I love you, El-Chan." She smiled, wiped her eyes. "Why do you love me, Xellos?" He grinned. His finger wagged as he spoke, "Sore wa himitsu desu." He kissed her nose and she giggled.
Zelgadiss was amazed at the change that came over Eliese. There was a difference in her laughter, there was a softness in he eyes. She kissed the ex-demon and rested her head on his shoulder.
The group left the inn several days later. Eliese was a brand new person, very much like Xellos was. She was always smiling, her eyes always sparkling. Xellos had reverted to his old self, becoming once more the same annoying fruitcake he'd always been. The priest, however, after finding his good side, had changed slightly. He no longer played his pranks out of evil desires, but rather, out of a good-natured personality.
They trooped along to Saillune, all six of them together. They received a warm welcome upon reaching the kingdom. Prince Philionel greeted them readily, scooping his daughter into his arms. He shook hands with each of her three friends in turn, then looked at the young man and woman that hung back a little. The man whispered something to the girl and she blushed and nodded.
"Begging your pardon, Sire, but we'll be going now." Xellos said cheerfully.
Amelia's face fell. "You're leaving? What are you going to do, Mr. Xellos?"
Xellos opened his mouth to answer, but Eliese cut him off. "We're going to start a life for ourselves. This is only the beginning, you know." She said happily. Lina shook her head as the two of them scooted off together. I don't even want to know what he was thinking. I hate that man," She smiled, "And yet..."
*****************
"It's not right." Astraea was pacing back and forth in front of the Hierarchy. "You made the rules. Eliese broke them, she went behind your backs and she claims to love the Mazoku. That is no way for a Power to behave."
"You are suggesting we send your best friend to Purgatory." The head of the Hierarchy, Gabriel, stated.
"I am not suggesting it. I'm telling you to do it." Astraea was angry. Very angry.
"We will summon Eliese." The Archangel decided. But Eliese never appeared. The council, composed of seven angels -two Thrones, two Dominions (AN: Thrones and Dominions regulate angelic duties), two powers and the Archangel Gabriel- stared silently at Astraea as they waited.
An angel finally stepped into the circle, but it was Malachi, the Messenger. Gabriel looked at him. "What news have you? Where is Eliese?" He asked sternly. "She will not come, Your Grace. Eliese has shed her wings for the demon. She is human once again." Malachi spoke. Astraea turned very red. Gabriel sighed. "Then there is nothing to be done. Both are mortal and free to do as they please. Council dismissed."
The Angel of Justice was fuming as she stalked away fro the Council. Eliese had made a fool of her for the last time. Justice had not been served because of the Hierarchy's slow acceptance of her case.
Xellos awoke to the sunlight spilling through the window and onto the bed where he lay. He glanced about him. The room was small and dingy, but comfortable. How, he wondered, did I get here? Then, Oh yes! The angels...angels...Eliese! She was curled up next to him, her blond hair falling in her face. He touched her cheek. It was cold. He drew in his breath. Was she dead? He pulled her into his arms, tears in his eyes. She'd chosen to be mortal for him, wretch that he was.
"...Xellos."
He looked up. Zelgadiss was in the doorway. The two young men looked at one another for a moment. Then Xellos burst into tears. He buried his face in Eliese's hair, tears falling from his lashes and into her soft tresses. "She's dead, Zelgadiss..." His voice was muffled, "She's cold...She's dead." The only thing he feared more than being mortal was losing Eliese.
A frown crossed the Chimera's face. He bent over the two with the intent of examining her. She was indeed very pale, but he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest. "She's not dead, Xellos. She's still breathing." He said quietly. The two looked at one another again. "I'm scared for her." Xellos said softly, "I am afraid. I love her so. Do you understand? I'm afraid because I love her."
"I understand."
"You don't. You say you do, but you don't. She is the only thing I have. Without Eliese, I have nothing..."
"..." Zelgadiss could think of nothing to say.
"...She said if God sent his angels, everything would be all right. But where...where do we go from here? I don't know what to do. I've never been this confused before, Zel." Another uncomfortable silence. Zelgadiss knew how to handle many things, but not this. Xellos looked back at his beloved. He had her encircled protectively in his arms and his eyes glittered like twin amethysts due to the remnants of his tears.
"Maybe..." The Chimera began slowly, "...Maybe I don't understand love...Maybe what you feel is beyond my hardened heart..."
"Oh, no, Zel." The priest glanced up, " You know. You love Amelia. It is yourself you do not love. What I feel -and what you feel- towards some one else is different than what you do not feel for yourself." The Chimera and the ex-demon continued to look at one another as Zelgadiss turned the statement over in his mind. The latter of the two, however, looked away when Eliese began to stir.
"...Xellos..." She mumbled, "...Xel..."
"I'm here." He said softly, "I've got you." He planted a kiss on her forehead and she smiled slightly. She weakly raised her gray eyes to his face. He gazed back down upon her, a happy and relieved look on his face. Her eyes closed for a moment. Then she turned her pale face to Zelgadiss. "...I forgive you..."
"What?"
"I...I know you feel...that it is your fault...because you told...I forgive you for that...you need to know...It wasn't your fault..." Then her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep in Xellos' arms once more.
Zelgadiss had retained his normal unemotional façade, but as Xellos peered at him, he was aware of something in the other's eyes. "You can't fight the tears that aren't coming." The priest tells him, "And in a moment of truth there are lies. It was your fault, Zel. But it was my fault, too, and Eliese's"
"I didn't mean to..."
"No one ever means to do things like this. But we do them anyway. God help us all for the things we have done." He laid Eliese across the bed, stood up and stretched. Silently, he crossed the room to the window.
Zelgadiss bent over the girl, his hands spread over her. He was healing her, giving her back her strength, which is what he'd intended to do all along.
Suddenly, she began screaming and jerking around. "I won't! I won't! There is a God! Life is wonderful!!!" Xellos turned white. He rushed over to the side of the bed. "Oh, Eliese..." He muttered, "Don't do this, Eliese." Zelgadiss looked at him questioningly. "She's reliving the first time she died." The ex-demon said softly, "When the Mazoku killed her."
"What?" the other man's voice was a deadly whisper.
"She was eighteen. She believed in God. Wouldn't renounce her faith. They killed her."
"Were you..."
"Was I her murderer? No. Would she love me, had I done that?"
The Chimera sighed. "I suppose not."
'Xellos!" She screamed, "XELLOS!!!"
"If she is reliving her past, and you were not responsible for her death, why is she screaming for you? You weren't there."
"I was there," the young man said quietly, "As her mortal lover."
The Chimera's mouth dropped open. He hadn't expected that, but yes, it made sense. That was why they'd broken a rule. That was why the Mazoku had been able to love. But there was one thing that didn't make sense, one thing that didn't fit. Why had Xellos become a demon?
"I lost the belief." The priest's voice was a low deadpan, "She'd trusted God. He allowed her to die like that. I was angry at everything. The anger consumed me. I became hatred." It was if he read Zelgadiss' mind, "I didn't die. I allowed the very beings I hated to kill me. I let Zelas have my soul."
"Xellos..." Eliese was awake then, sobbing into the pillow, "...I saw it all again. I felt it...I...I..." She couldn't go on, she was crying too hard. He pulled her into his arms, as he couldn't do when she had died. "You're safe, I am here and I love you, El-Chan." She smiled, wiped her eyes. "Why do you love me, Xellos?" He grinned. His finger wagged as he spoke, "Sore wa himitsu desu." He kissed her nose and she giggled.
Zelgadiss was amazed at the change that came over Eliese. There was a difference in her laughter, there was a softness in he eyes. She kissed the ex-demon and rested her head on his shoulder.
The group left the inn several days later. Eliese was a brand new person, very much like Xellos was. She was always smiling, her eyes always sparkling. Xellos had reverted to his old self, becoming once more the same annoying fruitcake he'd always been. The priest, however, after finding his good side, had changed slightly. He no longer played his pranks out of evil desires, but rather, out of a good-natured personality.
They trooped along to Saillune, all six of them together. They received a warm welcome upon reaching the kingdom. Prince Philionel greeted them readily, scooping his daughter into his arms. He shook hands with each of her three friends in turn, then looked at the young man and woman that hung back a little. The man whispered something to the girl and she blushed and nodded.
"Begging your pardon, Sire, but we'll be going now." Xellos said cheerfully.
Amelia's face fell. "You're leaving? What are you going to do, Mr. Xellos?"
Xellos opened his mouth to answer, but Eliese cut him off. "We're going to start a life for ourselves. This is only the beginning, you know." She said happily. Lina shook her head as the two of them scooted off together. I don't even want to know what he was thinking. I hate that man," She smiled, "And yet..."