Chapter 7
Not all scars show, not all wounds heal
Sometimes you can't always see
The pain someone feels...
The next day everyone was up bright and early. Lina was feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep. The sun was shining. The weather was clear. The temperature was comfortable. Zelgadis saw no reason not to take advantage of this good fortune so he suggested they leave as soon as possible. Lina agreed. Of course, they couldn't depart without saying goodbye to everyone.
Personally, Lina had never liked goodbyes. She found them depressing, which was one of the reasons why she had abruptly disappeared from Saillune fifty years ago without saying a word to her friends. Saying goodbye to someone made her feel like they never expected to see each other ever again. The possibility she might be dead within two months wasn't helping either. But when Iris met her outside wearing the cutest little puppy-dog eyes she had ever seen Lina knew there was no way she could leave without giving Lazlore's daughter a great big hug.
"Auntie Lina, you're going to come back, right?" Iris asked once Lina put her down. "You're gonna get better so you can come back and play with me some more?"
Lina smoothed back a stray lock of blond hair from the little girl's face. "You better believe it!"
Iris suddenly wrapped her arms around Lina's leg. "You promise? You promise not to die?" Tears welled in the little girl's eyes. "Don't die, Auntie Lina! Please? I don't want you to die. Promise you'll get better and come back! You have to!"
"I promise."
"Pinky promise?"
Lina smiled and knelt so they were eye to eye. "I'll do something even better." She released the clasp on one of the Demon Blood Talismans encircling her wrists. "This is very important to me. I want you to take care of it until I get back. Okay? Can you do that for me?"
Iris cupped the bracelet to her chest. She looked at the bracelet. She looked at Lina. She beamed. "Okay, Auntie Lina! I'll take the bestest care of it! And when you come back you'll see what a good job I did and wish you had left all of them for me to take care of!"
She laughed. "Good, but don't let your dad see it. If he does he may try to steal it so he can study it. Then we'll never get it back."
Iris giggled and hid the talisman behind her back.
"You know, I'm standing right behind you," Lazlore cleared his throat.
"Really? It can be so hard to tell sometimes." Lina stood. "You were always such a quiet boy. You would lock yourself up in your room and never come out. Hardly ever talked to anyone, especially girls."
"That's because I was studying."
Lina's smile turned mischievous. "Is that what they called it? I heard doing it too much could make a boy go blind. Is that why you wear glasses?"
Lazlore's face went red. His mouth opened and closed several times as if he were trying to decide on a proper retort. Finally, he sighed, "Forget it, Lina. I'm not going to trade wits with you. You'll bankrupt me."
She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm only teasing you because you are a close friend."
"I know." He smiled. "Trust me. I know."
They shared a hug.
"Get better quickly."
She flashed him a wide smile. "Don't worry about me. You better have my reefler ready! As soon as I'm healed I'll be back to get it."
"Oh, it'll be ready. Just make sure you're here to pick it up." He leaned in closer, giving her a playful nudge in the ribs. "You and Zelgadis take care of each other, okay?"
Her lips twisted in a lopsided frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Take it how ever you like," Lazlore laughed, then leaned in, keeping his voice low. "For once in your life don't be stubborn. Don't try to be a hero or act tough when you don't need to. Accept the help your friends offer. True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost."
Lina glanced over at Zelgadis. He and Delly were talking quietly amongst themselves. Lina smiled softly. Lazlore's words settled comfortably in her head. There were places Zelgadis probably wanted to be; yet here he was trying to save her life instead. "You're starting to sound like Rune, you know that?"
He smiled. His cerulean eyes pulsed mischievously. "I'll take that as a compliment."
She moved on to Delly. They, too, shared a hug. Then the elf pressed a small pouch into her hands.
"Take this."
"What is it?"
"A mixture of herbs," Delly explained. "Brew it into a tea in the morning, then once again at night. It should help keep your energy up."
"Thank you."
"It is no trouble. While you and Zelgadis visit the Oracle I will search for Master Rune." At Lina's troubled expression she leaned in close and whispered, "Amends must be made between you, else the wounds shall never truly heal. I shall inform Master Rune of the situation. You may return to his tower when you are prepared."
"That may not be for some time."
"I understand, as I am certain Master Rune will."
Lina nodded, silently praying Delly was right. She turned to Zelgadis. "Ready to go?"
"Oi, Zelgadis!" Lazlore approached the chimera with a rolled up bundle. "It's not a good idea to travel without a proper weapon, and since I'm still repairing yours, I thought I would loan you one of mine." He unwrapped the cloth bundle to reveal a magnificent sword.
Zelgadis accepted the sword, unsheathing it. It was a beautifully crafted weapon with a golden double-headed dragon serving as the cross guard and the white blade was blindingly bright in the light. He gave it a few practice swings. The balance was perfect.
"I like it," he smiled. "It's magnificent. Does it have a name?"
Lazlore puffed up his chest in pride. "I call her Reason."
The chimera gave him a puzzled look. "Bit of an odd name for a sword, isn't it?"
Delly giggled. It was pure birdsong. "It is a fitting name, I believe. The sword will serve you well." She smiled at Zelgadis. "May Reason win all of your battles."
The first few days of the journey went well. The weather remained favorable. The roads were clear. Lina was given a reprieve from her seizures. They made good time. By the beginning of the fourth day, things started to sour. A light drizzle invaded the countryside, turning many of the dirt roads to mud and slowly travel.
The seizures made a return, often at the most unexpected and inappropriate times. While hopping from stone to stone to cross a river Lina's legs abruptly gave out. She tumbled into the raging waters. If Zelgadis hadn't managed to fish her out at the last second with the help of a Ray Wing she would have surely drowned.
There were days when Lina had trouble breathing. Feeling like she was sucking air through a straw was not Lina's idea of fun, especially since it forced her to rest so often. And they were just walking! Physically, it was frustrating. Mentally, it was even worse. The sorceress remembered the many extraordinary feats she had been capable of only a few weeks ago—battling it out with bandits, searching for treasure, going for a swim in a river, standing on top of a tall boulder! Now she had to be extremely careful or couldn't do those things at all!
Then there had been the most terrifying night of all. Lina suddenly woke up in the middle of the night to find she couldn't breath. She had collapsed a few feet from her tent while scrambling to find Zelgadis. Had the chimera not been nearby on watch he wouldn't have reached her in time. Normally they slept in separate tents. After that night, they began to share a single one with a blanket hung up in the middle to act as a 'privacy curtain.'
When they were within a day of reaching the Oracle things began to look up again. The weather cleared again and Lina's seizures retreated for a time. Occasionally she still grew short of breath.
"Maybe we should slow down," Zelgadis suggested as Lina paused to lean up against a tree. Not for the first time that day he noticed she was breathing rather heavily. "The Oracle is just over that next mountain," he pointed off in the distance. "We should reach her by tomorrow."
"Then that's all the more reason we should hurry. Besides, I'm fine," she replied dismissively, even offering a tired smile.
He wasn't buying the act. Lina was either too stubborn or proud to admit she wasn't feeling well today—probably a little of both. He waited fifteen minutes, then reworded his suggestion in a way that would better appeal to her pride.
"Why don't we stop for lunch? We've been making good time. There is a river up ahead." He shrugged. "Maybe we can catch some fish."
"That sounds good."
They set up a small camp near the river. Lina started a fire and then rolled out a large blanket for a quick nap. Zelgadis set to work catching fish. With the handy fishing spell Lina had taught him it was easy work. The fish were practically jumping out of the river into his lap!
When he judged he had enough fish to satisfy even Lina's monstrous appetite he set to work gutting and cleaning them. He stuck each one on a stick he had stripped the bark from to cook over the fire. Lastly, he hung his well-worn coffee pot over the fire.
"You would make a good little wife."
Zelgadis paused in his work to look up at Lina who was lying on her side, watching him through one open eye.
"…If you were a girl," Lina added before she burst out laughing. "You should have seen the look on your face! It was priceless!"
"I'll remember that the next time you want someone to cook for you."
"Oh, don't be that way, Zel," she snickered. She rolled onto her back, stretching out like a cat. Zelgadis looked away before he got the urge to start staring. "It's such a nice day. Too bad we can't enjoy it more."
Zelgadis handed her a fish before taking one for himself. "We should reach the Oracle by midday tomorrow."
Lina sat up and began nibbling on the fish. She looked lost in thought. When her eyes flicked up to him their eyes met for a brief moment. She quickly shifted her gaze down to the ground. A second later her eyes came up again to meet his. Then she looked away.
"What's wrong? Did I grow a second head?"
"Say, Zel, after this is all over—once I'm healed, I mean," a slight blush colored her face, "would you like to keep traveling together? If you don't already have other plans, that is."
He smiled. "Well, it has been fun. I—" His head snapped up suddenly. He unfolded his legs, standing with smooth grace. Lina seemed to sense it too, a strange disturbance, like the air had suddenly become sickly sweet and gooey. "I think I'm going to have a look." He gazed out across the forest. "Will you be all right if I leave you alone for a few minutes?"
Lina made a face. "I'm not made out of glass. I'm won't shatter if I fall over."
"Fine. Fine," he smiled, drawing his sword. "If anything moves and it's not me, feel free to fireball it."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Like you need to tell me that."
Once Zelgadis had disappeared into the forest Lina turned to face the new presence she sensed.
"You can come out now," she called. "I know you're there."
"Impressive," a disembodied voice that sounded as many at once said.
"Not really," she said matter-of-factly. "You show up on the astral plane like a candle in a dark room. At least you were bright enough to summon a horde of lesser demons to draw my partner away." Lina searched about for the owner of the voice. Not surprising, she didn't see anyone. She made sure she stood proud and tall. It wouldn't do to have her opponent think she was afraid. "Why don't you come out and show yourself?" Her dialog wasn't very original, but it fit the situation.
"As you command," the owner of the voice replied in mock laughter and phased in.
Lina narrowed her eyes at the creature. Its hulking frame was at least seven feet tall—eight, if you included the two horns growing out of his head. Chitin-like armor stretched across its torso and arms, covering powerful muscles. It leered at her with beady yellow eyes.
"A Mazoku," she observed. "And an amateur at that. A more experienced one would have been smart enough to hide his true strength."
"A cheeky brat, ain't you?"
Lina wore a smile that would have made Xellos proud. She clasped her hands behind her back in preparation for a spell. "You haven't seen anything yet! FIREBALL!"
The spell flew with unerring accuracy towards its intended target. The Mazoku made no attempt to dodge or defend against the spell. He didn't even teleport away. The moment before it would have struck a tiny portal appeared. Her fireball disappeared into its depths.
"Where did—"
The protective wards woven with silver thread in her cape suddenly flared white hot in warning. Lina moved but not quick enough to avoid her own fireball as it hit her from behind. The explosion tossed her through the air. Luckily, the wards held. She was spared the worst of the damage. She rolled as she hit the ground and came up in a crouch.
Lina frowned, more at herself than at the Mazoku. She should have expected that!
"You have power over dimensions." She recalled a prior battle decades ago with another Mazoku, Kanzeil, who shared the same ability. His ability to shift at will between the physical and astral planes had made him a particularly difficult adversary. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to resort to the same measures in order to end this battle. Her system wouldn't be able to handle the stress. "You pulled my fireball into your portal and redirected it back at me."
"Didn't like that, did you?" the Mazoku grinned. "I'm certain you won't like this either." Summoning a second portal, he reached deep inside.
Lina barely had time to wonder what he was doing before she saw the connecting portal open in front of her. His hand reached through, shoving an orb of volatile energy against her stomach. The explosion was deafening. Once again the sorceress found herself flying uncontrollably through the air. Her wards strained under the spell. They prevented they attack from killing her, but with the powerful explosion so close she felt like a horse had kicked her in the gut. She was sure one rib was cracked, maybe even two. She fought to catch her breath between bouts of retching in the grass.
"Forgive me," the Mazoku laughed, obviously enjoying her pain. "I forgot to mention that I tend to break the things I play with."
Damn it! This was annoying! When she faced Kanzeil it was alongside friends and she had been at full health. This Mazoku was worse. Not only could he teleport, but he could also warp space to throw her spells back at her! Once he was through with her he would probably go after Zelgadis. Lina frowned. She wasn't going to allow that to happen. She had to finish this quickly, no matter the cost.
Lina gazed back at the forest Zelgadis had disappeared into. She hoped he could forgive her for what she was about to do.
"Lord of the Darkness and the Four Worlds, I beseech thyself; by all of the power you possess, grant the heavens' wrath to my hand; unleash the power of the dark, freezing nothingness; by our power, our combined might, let us walk as one along the path of destruction…"
The Mazoku watched her, surprise clearly evident on his ugly face. "Summoning power from the Golden Lord? There shouldn't be any humans left capable of doing that. We saw to that a thousand years ago."
Decades ago Lina would have needed the amplifying effect of the Demon Blood Talismans to cast this spell, but as the years passed so, too, had Lina's knowledge and powers. The talismans were no longer a requirement.
Writhing tendrils of darkness gathered in Lina's hands. All her concentration went into reshaping the spell. She wouldn't be using a blade this time. No, she needed something much more versatile. Something she could attack from a distance with…
"Who are you?" the Mazoku demanded.
The darkness slithered out of her hands, curving and elongating itself in the shape of a memory, one of the legendary weapons, the Bow of Light, Galvera.
Against Kanzeil, Lina had used the Ragna Blade to cut through the dimensional wall. With no place to retreat, the Mazoku had been left exposed. One clean cut had brought the battle to an end.
This attack wouldn't be nearly so delicate.
Lina leveled the bow at the Mazoku and drew an arrow forge of darkness baptized in the golden coils of the abyss.
Her opponent phased away.
Lina released her attack.
The blast of Nightmare Energy tore through the dimensional wall like paper. A rift opened as borders between realities frayed. The Mazoku screamed as his essence was ripped from astral space back to the physical realm.
Lina found him in the bushes. It wasn't difficult. She just followed the sounds of his screams. The Mazoku had been hit hard by the spell. One arm, half his torso, and everything below was gone. Too weak to teleport, he was slowly dragging himself back towards the rift with his remaining arm. The rift was already mending itself. He wouldn't reach it before it closed.
She stepped in front of him and took aim for a second shot.
He glared hatefully at her. "How can you be a Chaos Mage? They're all supposed to be dead!"
Lina didn't know or care what a Chaos Mage was. She had to keep Zelgadis safe. That was all that mattered. She fired another blast of Nightmare Energy, and the Mazoku ceased to be.
"Victory!" Lia smiled tiredly, collapsing to the ground. The power of the Nightmare Energy scattered like a flock of birds taking flight. She tried to stand but only made it to her knees before the world began to spin. "Damn it. I knew that wasn't a good idea." Not like she had a choice, though. She hated to think what using the spell had done to her system this time.
Still, she couldn't help but feel a measure of pride at what she had done. All that remained of the Mazoku was a large crater. She had defeated the Mazoku on her own! Against Kanziel it had taken Lina and all of her friends everything they had to kill him.
"And to think, I thought I was getting weak because I was sick!" Lina chuckled as she lay back against the ground exhausted. Once they reached the Oracle everything would be fine. She would be good as new. She just…needed a tiny…nap…first…
Three dark elves and a human—all female—watched the scene draw to a conclusion in the crystal ball. The Mazoku they had summoned was defeated, reduced beyond ashes.
"The woman, she yet lives," one of the dark elves cried.
"Not for long," the human, Rin, replied.
The second dark elf smiled. "We shall bring her in, yes? When she passes from this world her spirit can be contained. Interrogated."
"That will not be necessary."
"She spoke the Chaos Words! Is she not one of these Chaos Mages you seek?"
Rin shook her head. "A true Chaos Mage would not be so weak or stupid. She does not completely understand the power she controls. Do you see what it has done to her? She has doomed herself!"
"We do not have the time. Her companion rapidly approaches."
"It is only a male," the third dark elf spoke up. "What can he possibly do?"
Rin yanked a knife from the priestess's belt scabbard before she could so much as blink. The dark elves froze. Rin pressed the point to the dark elf's chest. "It is hard to miss when you are this close, dearie. It does not matter whether you are male or female." She abruptly turned to the others. "Come. We determined she was not a Chaos Mage. Let us be off. We have other business to attend to."
Zelgadis shook the gore from Reason. All around him lay the slowly evaporating bodies of lesser demons. Lesser demons! What were they doing out in the middle of nowhere? The nearest town was over a day away. And he seriously doubted they came to enjoy the view of the forest. There were really only two things out here: Lina and…
Lina!
The trip back to camp was little more than a blur in his mind. His focus was Lina, not that he doubted she couldn't handle a horde of lesser demons on her own. Lesser demons didn't have enough power to manifest in the physical realm on their own. They had to be summoned. Now the question was, who summoned them and where was the summoner?
When Zelgadis arrived back at camp his heart skipped a beat. There was Lina lying on the ground next to a giant crater. The signs of battle were all around them, but the area seemed clear. He lifted Lina's limp form in his arms. She wasn't breathing!
"Don't you dare die on me!" he screamed. "Not after coming this far! Don't you dare!"
Lina didn't respond.
Zelgadis forced himself to calm. Panicking was the worst thing he could do right now. If he didn't keep a level head he wouldn't be able to help Lina. She would die without his help.
He laid her across the ground. His hands busied themselves. One tilted her head back; the other pinched her nose shut. His lips met hers. He blew a breath of air into her lungs. A few seconds passed. He did it again.
Lina gasped a sudden, desperate breath, then another. And another. It raised his hopes, but the moment was fleeting. Even as he watched, each successive breath she drew was shallower than the last.
She was dying.
Frustrated, Zelgadis slammed his fist into the ground. What could he do? The normal procedures weren't working. He didn't know how to counteract the effects of Nightmare Energy. He quickly searched his memory. There had to be something. He had learned many wondrous things—things other mages couldn't even dream of. He needed a heavy duty healing spell…
Gaia Rebirth!
The cost was extraordinarily high. He and Lina could die in the process, but it wasn't as if they had much of a choice. Her death was guaranteed if he did nothing. It was worth the risk.
Zelgadis stood and drew Reason. The unique ring of enchanted steel filled the air. His stone-like skin was impervious to normal blades, but the spell-infused edge of Reason would cut it easily enough. He opened a gash along his wrist, just deep enough to reach the vein. As the blood began to flow he cast the sword aside.
Time to begin the spell.
He chanted the words of power, casting his wrist out at the end of each mantra. Blood rained to the ground, but it did not idle. Each drop moved as if alive, animated by the magic. It gathered around Lina, forging a magic circle.
"Earth is my body, Fire is my blood
Wind of my breath, Water of my life
Our souls, hard yet firm,
Our names, reaching the gods,
Mother Earth, so as I pray,
May one of us stand under heaven,
Gaia Rebirth!"
All the correct spirits were gathered. The elements were in their place. Drawing her gently into his arms, Zelgadis released himself into the torrent of the spell. He sought the calm within, felt the pull as his life force was siphoned away, a part of him sacrificed to make her whole. HE felt the searing pain seep through him. Lina's pain. Pain of the ailment as it slowly ate away at her body. Pain of the doubts that constantly plagued her and her life, her body, her mind. A pain that began knife sharp and had only grown sharper over the years. A pain that refused to be forgotten.
Zelgadis steeled his resolve. He stood as a rock, a stable foundation amidst a torrent of hurt into Lina's soul. He transfused the strength of his life into hers. In return, he accepted her pain, relieved her of much of the suffering she had endured over the years.
Lina's breathing grew stronger, evening out. The color returned to her face. His life force flowed into her, rekindling the spark that would give her the will to live again. Her muscles went slack as he lowered her to the ground. She would rest for a time, lost in a peaceful slumber.
He smiled. The spell had worked! Even now, he could feel the warmth of the magic within him fading until it was gone. His wound was healed, the flesh knitting itself together so smoothly not even the faintest trace of a scar could be seen. Zelgadis removed his hands, and brushed the fiery locks back from her face. She briefly stirred, but did not wake. He stood to retrieve Reason, returning the sword to her sheath at his side.
And then he toppled over onto his face.
When Zelgadis next awoke it was night. He was in his sleeping bag inside a tent. The flap was tied open to let in the light of the campfire. Lina was sitting beside him curled up in her own mess of blankets. Surprisingly, she was awake and staring into the fire.
He tried to sit up and found he was stiff all over.
The rustle of blankets drew Lina's attention. "Zel!"
"Hi." He managed to push himself up despite the protests of his body.
"Don't over exert yourself! You need rest."
"I'll be fine."
Lina gave him a stern look. She reached over, plucking a wire-like hair—and drawing a painful wince from him. He wasn't all together shocked to see that the hair was stark white. From the moment he began casting the healing spell he knew there was the chance it would severely drain his life force, if it didn't outright kill him.
"Okay, maybe I do need some rest," he admitted.
"And you need to eat."
At the mention of food Zelgadis realized he wasn't hungry. He was absolutely starving! "How long have I been out?" he asked as he watched Lina step outside.
She dug a bowl and a few other things out of her pack. She filled it from a pot hanging over the fire. "This would be the third night you've been asleep."
"We haven't moved?"
Lina looked at him as if he was stupid. "Do you know how much you weigh? I'm not going to try to lug you around. Besides, you're the only one that knows where the Oracle can be found."
"Oh, yea."
Lina shoved the bowl and several slices of bread into his hands. "Here. Eat."
He didn't argue.
Five bowls and an entire loaf of bread later he was feeling much better. The moment he set the bowl aside Lina scooped it up. She went outside the tent and quickly began gathering other dishes that needed washing.
Zelgadis moved to help her.
Lina cast a glare as he drew near. "I may be sick, Zel, but I'm not helpless. I can do the dishes."
"It's not that. I just thought I would help with some of the chores."
"You should rest some more," Lina suggested. "You've been watching over me the entire trip. I'll take care of the dishes." Her tone made it clear this would not be a debate.
Zelgadis went back into the tent but didn't sleep. He waited.
A half hour later the tent flap rustled as Lina poked her head in. She frowned when she saw he was still awake. "Didn't I tell you to get some sleep?"
"Maybe in a bit," he replied. "I think I want to stay awake for a little while. You've been watching over me for three days. Have you gotten much rest?" He wasn't comfortable with the idea he had held them up. Lina was living on a time limit.
"Enough."
"How are you feeling?" He was almost afraid to ask.
She sat down in her cocoon of blankets, hugging her knees to her chest. "Honestly, this is the best I've felt in a long time. I haven't had any seizures. I can breathe without difficulty. There is no pain." She finally looked at him. "What did you do?"
"I just used a healing spell I learned." He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad it worked."
Lina's eyes narrowed at him. "A healing spell?"
"Yes."
"Zel, I was dying. Hell, I was probably dead! Healing spells do not bring the dead back to life! And they most certainly do not turn your hair white!"
"The spell will if it's Gaia Rebirth."
Her jaw suddenly trembled. "You used what spell?"
"Gaia Rebirth. It's a high-level healing spell—" The rest of the explanation was lost as Lina pounced on him. The next thing Zelgadis knew, Lina had grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt and lifted him up off the ground. His feet were dangling in the air!
"You used Gaia Rebirth on me!?" she screamed in his face.
Zelgadis found he could do little more than nod. He didn't dare turn away. An overwhelmingly ferocious aura radiated from the sorceress. Every muscle, every honed instinct in his body warned him to flee, to get away. There was danger here. A force that was powerful, deadly, and quickly rising to the killing edge.
Lina gave him a hard shake. "What the hell is wrong with you!?" she screamed even louder. "Are you insane? Why did you attempt such a dangerous spell? You could have died!"
"Well, I'm sorry," he replied dryly. A part of Zelgadis deep inside began to feel agitated with her attitude. She was acting like he had made a mistake saving her life. "I didn't have much of a choice. Would you rather I have stood aside and let you die?"
His words seemed to snap her out of her rage. Lina blinked as if coming awake from a dream. Her eyes darted everywhere, struggling to take in what was going on. When she realized what she was doing she instantly dropped Zelgadis. He collapsed bonelessly to the ground.
Lina retreated to her pile of blankets, once again hugging her knees to her chest. She stared into the fire.
Zelgadis sat up without a word. He watched Lina and waited. It was some time before she finally turned to face him. The look she wore broke his heart. He could see tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Zel," she mumbled, her voice a hoarse whisper.
"It's okay. That just wasn't the reaction I was expecting after saving someone's life."
"I know." She wiped away the tears on her arm and sniffed.
"Want to talk?"
"Why did you save me, Zel?"
"What kind of a question is that?"
"Please, Zel."
"Because you're my friend," he replied in an absolute tone.
She stared at him for a moment before resting her head against her knees. "The Lina you know is a monster." A veil of shadow fell over her eyes. She sniffed. "Couldn't you have just let me die?"
"And why would you want to die?"
"Maybe I deserve to die."
"If you believe that, then why did you agree to go on this journey? The Oracle is less than a day away!" He recognized the look in her eyes now. It was madness. Pure madness. The kind of madness that slowly wore away at a person's mind until they were so consumed by it they could never see anything else. He was all too familiar with it. Long ago, that same madness had threatened to consume him. Only the lifeline of his friends had kept him from succumbing to that trap.
"Because…" Lina whispered, trembling. "Because…"
He waited patiently.
Lina's face twitched and strained. The emotional wall she was struggling to keep up cracked a little more, but the last crack proved one too many. The wall shattered. Lina broke down with a heart-racking sob. "I don't really want to die."
Zelgadis rushed over to her side, cradling her in his arms. This was insane! What was going on with her? "Lina, what happened to you? What made you like this?"
She sniffed and wiped her nose off on her sleeve. "I…I suppose you deserve to know the truth. You did save my life."
"I'm just worried for you. You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to."
"Yes, I do. You think I'm a good person when I'm not."
"What could you have possibly done to make yourself believe such a lie?"
It was a long moment before she answered. He felt her trembling in his arms. "I tried to kill my mentor." She gazed up at him like a frightened child. "Do you understand? I almost killed Rune."
