Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer here, I wish I owned Slayers and everything with it, but I don't. If I was making money off this, I'd be rich...but I'm not. I'm just a poor college student with too much free time.
Revamped chapter 4! Things finally get back to a more standard story format, along with actually moving toward a plot again. Before anyone rants about extreme ooc on Zel, please wait until the next chapter, which will offer some explanation. Please don't complain about the L/Z bias, or anything else I put a warning in the story description for. As always, C&C is welcome...hope you enjoy!
Chapter 4: Seeking the Wind
Twisting, the thin curve of silver flowed between delicate arches of bronze. Fragile loops and arcs intertwined with one another, turning what had been an unruly tangle of metal into a graceful flow of water. To the common man its shape might resemble a writhing snake, or possibly some random pattern - the type currently popular in most jewelry. If someone with a solid knowledge in magic were to lay eyes on it, they might automatically try comparing it to one of a dozen or more magical forms, many used for some of the more complicated spells they might know of. Only she knew the truth. After all, she'd been the last to lay eyes on that book of lost spells, to memorize the ancient knowledge contained in the fading pages, all before letting a fire claim the information a final time.
It seemed more like something he would do - would have done. That was the past though, an old example of how their group might have been. Time had changed them, both for better and worse, depending on the person. In her case, time had hardened her, added to the experience she'd already gained. In some ways she'd grown into a woman similar to her sister; someone of steel and sorcery…with power to burn, but possessing the iron will needed to control it.
Would he even recognize her if they were to cross paths again? Oh, physically she was the same; maybe there was a mature cast to her features, an extra wisdom or understanding in her gaze…but she was still petite, still fire and energy and defiance. She was less destructive, in the sense that she yelled rather than immediately flinging spells about, but it was enough of a change that more than one rumor marked her dead and gone. She still had a love of food; but her pace had slowed some, even if the quantity had stayed the same.
'A new Lina for a different world. Seven years is enough time to turn even large events into memory, then into half-truths and myths. People are quick to forget, and I wasn't about to miss the chance to change my image a bit, improve myself without being hounded by others. Besides, the death rumors have cut down on attacks against me.'
Letting a light smirk cross her face, she hid the rest of her amusement behind countless mental and magical shields. People didn't need to know what she might be thinking about, and she wasn't going to take the chance that some passing mage might catch wind of her mood, notice what she held in her hands. No sense tipping them off to just how important the twisted metal she had really was.
'You thought you were so clever back then, leaving no trace behind. No note covered in your neat handwriting, no scrap of clothing torn from your cloak after a fight. No maps or footprints; not even a stray hair that might have pointed out the direction you took. So many precautions that were just an instinctive part of who you were…all meant to keep me, or anyone else, from possibly following you.'
She let her memories of that night surface, the mental playback turning her smirk into a more familiar smile of achievement. Lost in her thoughts, it didn't seem as important to hide her reaction from others. She'd been in this town long enough that they knew who she was, what she was capable of…even if she didn't look the type at first glance.
'Yes, I'm sure you were certain you'd foiled me, foiled any attempt at following you. There was just one thing you forgot, one detail you didn't count on. I'm Lina Inverse…and I never give up, no matter the odds. You should have known I would search for new spells, learn things no one else would think I could. I may not have started out with the intention of finding you, but I learned how in spite of that. A bit of metal, a spark of magic; both blended together into a specific shape, worn after saying a spell long buried. I can find you anywhere now…and all your little tricks and abilities won't stop me.'
Lina paused then, realizing how obsessive she was starting to sound. Then again, she had reason to obsess a bit, to find Zelgadis quickly. The others hadn't accompanied her on every leg of her journey, into some of the more troublesome ruins. They hadn't stopped in the same towns, heard the rumors circulating there.
'A stone-skinned Mazoku was seen attacking various towns, slaughtering everyone in his path. He was rumored to have assassinated several key nobles, even a king. I don't want to believe Zel is capable of that…but I know he has the potential, that almost blind dedication of his, of Rezo's, toward finding a cure. Without the rest of us to anchor him, maybe he changed on us. Or maybe someone simply found another of Rezo's old labs; is controlling a different chimera…or worse, him. I shouldn't jump to conclusions though, it's just as likely the rumor was completely wrong. Look at what they've said about me over the years!'
A necklace, finely crafted, flashed briefly in the sun as she held it up. The silver and bronze were of the highest quality, but a spark of magic on her part kept both looking dim to the untrained eye. She hadn't gone through so much trouble, just to have the thing stolen by some common thief with a love for shiny objects. No, this necklace - or more specifically, the pendent attached to it - held a pretty shape, but nothing that would reflect its true worth. Only when looked at with magical eyesight would it reveal the true beauty in the metal, the blinding colors of powerful magic. Such was the drawback to the old, powerful spells…they tended to call attention to themselves.
"You'd better be worth the trouble. Bad enough that I have every sorcerer I run across following me around like a lost child, but if one more supposedly wise mage 'offers' to become my partner…I won't be help responsible for the carnage. I may be calmer than I used to be, but everyone has their limits." Lina muttered to herself, sliding the thin chain around her neck and fastening the clasp. Once properly set, she happily let the metal slide under her shirt, safely out of sight.
"I don't blame you for hiding that thing, Lina. I still don't understand why you've dragged us halfway across the continent for that puny necklace. I thought you were having some remote master craft you the finest piece of jewelry in history…instead you end up drooling over a pathetic bit of rust." Amelia remarked, turning away from the shop window she'd been eyeing to stare over Lina's shoulder.
Lina bristled at the snide comment, but held her tongue. If the last seven years had changed her, they'd altered Amelia even more. The princess had started to grow out of her justice phase, instead taking a more narcissistic and hedonistic approach to life. Though it was far from the first time she'd made such a comparison, she still couldn't help noticing how similar the princess was to Naga, even more so with her new attitude. It didn't help that Amelia had filled out even more over the years, gaining a fair bit of height as well.
Luckily, at least in regards to the continued health of the princess, traveling with Naga had taught Lina to put up with that type of personality. To her credit, she was far kinder to Amelia than she'd ever been to her former partner.
When Amelia, with her usual sense of horrible timing, began to laugh - an all-to-eerie echo of The White Serpent's painful, soul-wrenching wail - Lina's temper finally snapped.
"That's it, I'm sick of this! Amelia, I haven't taught you one spell in how many years now, if ever, and yet you're still following me around. Instead of the hero-worship and justice speeches - which were bad enough, in my opinion - I'm forced to walk around with a younger version of the very same - and extremely annoying, I might add - partner I left ages ago! Didn't our group disband five years ago? Didn't I tell you all not to follow me when we accidentally met up a year later? I've told Gourry that I'm not some kid in need of protection, I've told Sylphiel that I'm not some saint out to save the world, and I've told you that I'm not some court magician that will do what you like, teach you any spell you might want to use in your warped cause for 'justice'! Why are any of you even here? Can't you just leave already?!"
The outburst caught Amelia off-guard, though she quickly recovered. Her gaze snapped to meet Lina's, eyes torn between fury and hurt. Where once the old Amelia would have cried immediately, would have called Lina mean or unjust, the Amelia standing before her attempted to be stronger, colder…to strike back.
"How dare you! You're always getting angry at anyone that might try speaking against your opinion, try standing up to you." She paused, and Lina braced for the follow-up. "I bet that's why Zelgadis left us! First you chased him off in the dead of night, and now you're trying to drive off the rest of us. Lina, you need to grow up and finally realize that you aren't always right!"
Before Lina could vent her fury at such comments, Sylphiel stepped between the two, her soft voice interrupting. "Please, Miss Amelia…you shouldn't talk that way about Miss Lina! You shouldn't be making fun of something with such obvious sentimental value to her."
Lina winced reflexively at the word 'sentimental'. Everything she did these days seemed to hold some deeper meaning in Sylphiel's eyes. It was as if the priestess were searching for some sign that Lina was truly happy with her life, as if she were still guilty for marrying Gourry several years earlier. It didn't matter that Lina had told her a hundred times, a thousand, that she was fine with their marriage. To someone as gentle as Sylphiel, she wouldn't be truly at peace until she was absolutely positive of Lina's feelings.
"And you, Miss Lina!" She continued, oblivious to Lina's growing frown. "You should know better than to get so angry over something that small! Saying such cruel things to Amelia…shouting about how you want us all to go…"
Lina found herself mentally counting to ten. When she'd reached 200 in less than a minute, it was obvious that she'd had enough. Sure, she'd changed herself over the years, learned to handle herself better. A small part of her noted how similar her dislike of some things had come to mirror that of a certain chimera, the rest of her was just surprised at how sick and tired she was of people in general…and her traveling companions specifically.
Hadn't she dealt with enough all ready? Had Zelgadis felt this tired, this bogged down by all the pointless little idiocies of the others, of people as a whole? Maybe she needed to try traveling alone for a while, break away from the rest. After all, hadn't they chosen to travel with her? What right did they have to treat her like some tag-along addition, dictate and decide her actions? She was capable of handling things on her own…and maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.
"Shut up…" She mumbled, eyes shifting to lock Sylphiel in place.
"W-what?" Came the stammered response, any previous conversation effectively ended.
"I said be quiet." Lina clarified, her voice darkening a notch, strengthening just a bit. "I want you both to be silent. I didn't realize that was such a difficult request."
Her reply came in the form of two mouths falling open, one in angry shock, the other in mute surprise.
Amelia recovered first, drawing in breath, with what was most likely a sharp retort on her lips. Before she could utter a sound, Lina stopped her with the same look she'd once used to stare down more than one high-level Mazoku.
"I'm sick of your whining, your speeches. Most of all, I'm tired of your theatrics. I may look younger than you now, but that doesn't mean I really am some kid you can push around on a whim. I'm not your servant, and I'm not your keeper. You asked to travel with me, not the other way around. If I upset your delicate sensitivities that much, then by all means, leave. Head back to your little castle, your perfect little kingdom."
A very furious Amelia let her mouth shut with an audible snap. Two narrowed eyes opened wide, the flames of anger giving way to pooling tears.
"And you!" Lina turned her attention to Sylphiel, startling the woman. "I'm tired of your doting! I don't care if you spend the rest of your life with that jellyfish, Gourry. I don't mind that the two of you are married. Stop trying to understand me, to read into things that just aren't there. I'm a free woman…and I'm happy with that. I have the right to feel any emotion I damn well choose to, to say whatever I do or don't want to say! If you don't approve of that, then go back to your lover and leave me behind."
Lina took a quick breath then, continuing before the flustered woman could interrupt. "You asked to follow me. You wanted to help me, to understand me. The first I don't need and the second is beyond your reach." She softened her voice a bit then, but made it clear that she was still upset. "I know you mean well, but you're better off not knowing some things, never being hurt by them. Learning the Dragon Slave is one thing…understanding the heart of someone who has wielded and created such chaos is another."
Another set of eyes widened, though the tears flowed freely. A loud sob finally escaped the woman as she turned away. Still crying, Sylphiel stumbled off in one direction, running as fast as her blurry vision allowed. Lina was certain that Gourry would want to say some unkind things to her about it later, assuming he could remember them, but at the moment she didn't really care.
A minute or so later, Amelia finally chose between further sharp comments, or giving in to her tears. Crying far louder than Sylphiel had, the princess followed the older woman's retreat back to their inn.
"It's about time you told those two the truth. I see they've gotten worse since I left." A voice commented smoothly, following the words up with a light chuckle.
Lina whirled to face the familiar voice, her mind furious, her heart joyous. A million words fought for the right to go first, while countless thoughts raced through her head, each demanding immediate attention. Both lost all importance once her eyes actually focused on him.
Zel wasn't the same man that had left so many years ago. His hair, once a lavender that had managed to look light despite it's sharp nature, felt darker somehow; a deep purple that seemed shadowy-sharp despite how feather-soft it might appear at first glance. His gaze, at one time a bright sapphire that had held a constant spark of intelligence and emotion, had become nothing more than a cold, lifeless shroud. Back then his lips had always twisted into a shy smile, usually when he thought no one would notice…but now that same smile held a cruel edge that chilled her. Clothing aside, nothing of the man before her held the mark of her Zel.
No, she couldn't afford to think of him as Zel anymore. The man before her, who had turned a long ago voice of quiet wisdom and soft compliments harsh and cold, was Zelgadis. He felt like a stranger, like the man he'd tried to be when capturing her for Rezo a lifetime ago. Actually, she wasn't sure she could really consider him even that. Judging by the quick response to her summoning spell, either he'd already been in town, or her suspicions of him being a Mazoku were confirmed.
Oblivious to her train of thought, he continued. "Why so surprised, Lina? If anything, I should be the shocked one. I never expected you to learn such a spell…let alone use it on me of all people. I should probably be flattered at the attention."
"You aren't Zel." The words came our sharper than she'd planned, and she didn't miss his slight wince at her tone.
"No…I suppose I'm not the same Zelgadis you once knew." He almost managed to sound regretful, but the moment passed when his tone turned smug. "If anything, I'd say I'm an improvement. I found my cure, along with my real place in this world. You wouldn't understand Lina, can't understand yet. You're still blindly searching…trying to find that one missing piece that I once looked for."
He smiled, a gesture that would have touched her heart years earlier. Now it only sickened her.
"I should really be thanking you, you know. Your spell saved me the trouble of tracking down your little group." He paused, looking around. "Though it seems you did too good a job chasing the others off for the moment. I was certain they would have wandered back by now."
Instantly she was hit by an overwhelming bout of suspicion. "Why do you care? Aren't you the one that left, the one that used to hate how Amelia hung on you, how Sylphiel fluttered about?"
Almost lazily he strolled up to her, leaning close as if to confess a secret to her alone. "Well you see, it's like this…I've been sent to 'deal' with someone who has become rather troublesome." He pulled back then, giving her a measuring look, as if waiting for her to realize something.
When her eyes widened in growing horror, her moth opening slightly, silently…he favored her with a dark smirk. Almost absently her hand drifted to the fabric covering her necklace. The emotional side of her wanted to rip the cursed thing from her neck, smash the flowing metal against the ground. Her heart screamed at her to destroy the thing, as if that would somehow banish the man…no, the monster that stood before her.
"I really must thank you for summoning me, Lina. You've always been the smart one, the strong one. After accomplishing so much in your life, are you up for another challenge?" He levitated a bit, still smiling down at her. "After all the time you spent searching, all these years of chasing the wind…you've finally managed to catch it. I have to wonder though…now that you've found me, what will you do with me?"
