Hello All,

Thank you so much for all the support! I hope you all are enjoying the story. I also want to thank my beta Kelly. She helped me a lot with this chapter! She has been a miracle and I would not be able to do this without her.

Also please let me know how you are liking the story. Thanks again. :)

Chapter 7

Lina, Gourry, and Amelia sat quietly around the table. Amelia had her nose in one of the journals she'd packed away. She desperately searched for anything that might help Mr. Zelgadis, and wanted to be ready with good news when he got back. However, she also worried about Lina, who hadn't stopped watching the door since Amelia sat down. Gourry didn't seem to notice the tension coming off the other two as he was stuffing his face. He probably should have realized something was off since he wasn't fighting Lina for the table full of food like usual.

Lina kept staring at the door and tapping her foot anxiously. She didn't like problems that couldn't be solved with a Fireball or a Dragon Slave. She wanted Zel to see himself the way his friends did: a wise wizard, who could be grumpy, but also lovable and loyal. He was a great friend. She knew he had a lot of bad experiences with strangers and felt more comfortable hiding. Why did she push him? She hoped this didn't turn out too badly and Zel would come back soon.

"Mr. Zelgadis said he would be back. You don't have to worry. He's never lied to me about that." Amelia said, staring over the book at Lina.

Lina quickly made eye contact with Amelia, but returned to her vigil on the door. "Yeah, eventually we'll all join up again. But if that lady shews him away...will he actually come back here or will we have to hunt him down in the woods? I wanted this to happen where he would have back up if needed. Not out somewhere by himself."

"Nothing bad will happen. You and Mr. Zelgadis will see." Amelia returned to her studying of the journal.

"I could go look for him. It is getting dark. I know I've been known to get lost when I'm wandering a strange town for the first time." Gourry offered with a smile. He was unsure what the girls were talking about. Zelgadis had been known to wander on his own lots of the time, and they always met back up. But if his friend was actually in trouble, he wanted to be there to help.

"That might not be a bad idea. We could go look for him. Maybe get him to come back?" Lina said as she stood up. Gourry grabbed the scabbard he'd set against the wall behind him. As they moved to the door, it opened on its own. The service lady walked through the door while Zelgadis held it for her. She went past Lina and Gourry with a tip of her head to acknowledge them.

"Were you heading somewhere?" Zel asked Lina and Gourry.

"Just about to go look for you. We were getting worried. How are we going to make a plan without our plan guy?" Lina said.

The three of them walked back to the table where Amelia was still sitting. Amelia looked up and smiled at Mr. Zelgadis. She noted that, unlike this morning, he didn't have his mask over his face. Just the hood over his wire hair.

Zel smiled back at Amelia. Seeing that she had one of the journals in her hand, he decided to sit next to her and join her in going through the pile.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE FOOD?" Lina cried. It was only now that Lina noticed it had all been eaten, and very little of it was eaten by her. She grabbed Gourry by his collar and started to shake him as Fayanna came over with a cup of tea and a sweet cake. She set it in front of Zelgadis.

"Thank you, Fayanna." he said, and looked up at her with a smile. She smiled back at him, and Lina stopped shaking Gourry.

"Could I have another order of everything?" Lina said.

"Sure." said Fayanna. As she turned to leave, she placed a hand on Zel's shoulder. "Do you need anything?"

Zel tensed a little at the touch, but relaxed at her question. "No, I am good. Thank you."

Zelgadis did know the little exchange was being watched with interest by his friends. Lina was happy it worked out the way it did. She thought Zel needed friendliness in his life. It was him against the world for so long.

"So, what's the plan from here? Have you found anything, Amelia?" Lina said. She thought the group should start figuring out what to do next.

"No, there's nothing so far in this journal. It appears to be a physician's daily notes on treatments and patients." Amelia said. "The treatments don't seem to be anything out of the ordinary."

"That's okay, Amelia." Zelgadis answered. "We still have a lot of journals to go through. Also, I found a historian's office in town, but they were closed. I'm going to stop by there tomorrow to see if I can find which lake matches this map."

"Great. So tonight we can rest up and check into some of the journals." Lina said. "Then tomorrow, it's off to the Office in town for a more accurate map."

Just as she finished speaking, more food arrived for the table. The planning was done. Now Lina and Gourry were free to fight over more food. Amelia and Zel went back to reading. Amelia ate from the plate closest to her, while Zel stopped every once in awhile to drink tea and have a bite of cake.

Zelgadis was in the same room he was in last night. He laid on his back, staring out the same window, with the same view of the moon. But today, he didn't feel so empty or so lonely. The human race had surprised him today. Not only Fayanna, but Lina and all his friends. He never would have guessed his friends would help him with research. Whenever they were out exploring, his mission was usually put on the back burner for the other's goals. Sure, Amelia had spent time with him in the libraries, but she would get bored at some point and leave.

After everyone finished eating, they'd all turned to the journals, even Gourry. Surprisingly, Lina didn't seem that bored. They made it through about half the journals. Gourry tried but he'd fallen asleep on a journal he was only part way through. None of them had the heart to take away his pillow, so the rest of the book was left unread.

They still hadn't found any answers despite the extra help. Amelia saw a few new white magic healing spells she was excited to try, but there were no explanations of the mysterious fall mentioned in the tablet. Maybe it was just another daydream. Never anything but the ghost of hope for Zel. Once again, he'd come up with an empty hand.

He rolled over and used his left arm as a pillow. There'd been hunts before where he came up wanting, but he knew he'd keep looking for answers. That's what he did. He wouldn't give up on hope or into desperation like Rezo. Zel had promised himself and Amelia if he ever started to think that way, he would stop the search. He'd rather give up than let anything allow him to justify hurting others to help himself.

He stretched out and reached into the bag next to his bed. Pulling out the cup from earlier, Zel set it on the side table next to him. The blue seemed to gleam in the moonlight. Today was a good day. Today helped him start believing in a new idea. Maybe being different could give you a unique perspective. It could find beauty where others see none, and treasure in things that others would abandon. He turned the cup so that crack was facing him.

"I've got to get some sleep," Zel whispered to himself. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift to the quiet walk with Fayanna earlier. When was the last time he'd walked through a village without feeling like he needed to check for enemies over each shoulder? Or the last time he'd felt truly welcomed by a stranger? He hadn't needed Lina to intimidate or Amelia to vouch for him. Zel was unsure where to go from here. He didn't relate to people well after years spent hiding, but for some reason, Fayanna didn't seem to mind.

She even gave me cake. Maybe some people aren't all bad. Could I possibly be making this into a mountain when it's only a molehill? He smiled ruefully at his thoughts, and drifted off to sleep.

The next thing he knew, Zel was sitting on a side of a grass hill and watching children play in the valley below. He'd been waiting while Rezo tended to injured villagers. Rezo had asked Zelgadis to wait outside the town limits, since bandits with golem helpers were the cause of all the townspeople's recent run of bad luck.

"Wouldn't want them to think the monsters came back when they see you!" Rezo said with a laugh as he patted the side of Zel's face.

Zel leaned into the warmth of Rezo's hand. Rezo was the only person who still touched him after he'd been transformed. He would never say it out loud, but he missed the hugs and handshakes from villagers he'd helped. He missed the small everyday kindnesses he was never shown now. But it was worth it to be strong and worthy of being with Rezo.

"I understand," he said, and looked up to try to make eye contact. Zel hoped for a smile of reassurance, but Rezo moved away without so much as a glance.

Zel didn't want Rezo to go alone. Whenever the Red Priest left, there was a sinking feeling he wouldn't come back. Each time felt like it would finally be the time Zel was abandoned for good. "Please be careful…if you need anything..."

"Put your mask on now and wait here. I won't be long.", Rezo called back without turning around.

So, Zelgadis did the only thing he knew how to do. He sat and waited for Rezo to come back to him again. Two days passed, but Zel stayed put, because he was faithful to his friend. When it started getting dark, the children Zel was watching ran back to the village for dinner and sleep. It was time for Zel to find a place to curl up for another night.

He'd settled down, as comfortably as one could in a tree, when the world came to a halt. A loud yell shattered the silence. Zel startled, and held his breath when he realized the sound came from directly beneath him.

"Come on! We have to find it! The Priest Rezo said he left a pet demon to protect the town in his absence. It must be around here somewhere..." A man's voice pierced his eardrums and his heart. It wasn't Rezo's return after all.

"DEMON!", called another voice, this one deep and booming. The men couldn't be looking for him, right? Rezo said he'd come back and continue on together like always. Zel's heart pounded so loud he was sure the townspeople could hear it. Somewhere deep down inside, he knew he was the only person who'd fit the demon description. Zel stifled a cry as he slowly reached up and touched the side of his face. With his eyes squeezed shut, he could almost feel the residual warmth from Rezo's hand.

Another sudden yell from below. "Hey, there it is! Up in the tree!"

Zel snapped out of the memory and back to cold reality.

"Did Rezo say anything about it having a name? Why doesn't it answer? Here, demon! Come down! I'm talking to you!" The villager looked up expectantly. When Zel didn't respond, the man started waving his arms and making a sound used to call a farm animal.

Zel's already fractured heart broke completely in the silence after the noise. His experiences with people after the change had taught him a cruel lesson: he deserved to be laughed at or left behind like he was nothing in their eyes. He knew there would be no kindness shown to anything labeled a demon. The only solution was to close himself off. He would become the unfeeling monster they all assumed he was.

A voice came through that haunted him since Zel was cursed with this body. He could only assume it was the voice of his demon 3rd who enjoyed torturing him. It must feed off of his negative emotions.

Oh, really? Since when does an unfeeling monster travel with a group of people? The tree and the villagers dissolved, and images of Lina and Gourry appeared in their place. You know they'll leave you too. Why would they stay? Foolish Zelgadis. Do you actually believe these are your friends? He saw Lina and Gourry turn their backs to him and fade away as they walked out of sight. Do you honestly think you can be loved the way you are? An image of Amelia appeared in their place. Her sunny smile was like a balm to Zel until she also turned her back to him. He watched her leave without even a second glance as the voice chuckled. My goodness. A princess? What do you think this is, a fairy tale? How many of those have a happy ending for a princess and a monster, hmm?

Zel tried to close his already closed eyes even tighter as he spoke back to the voice inside his head. "No, you're wrong! They do care. They've proven they are my friends. They would never leave me behind!"

Right. Because this exact scenario has never happened before. Rezo was more than your friend. You considered him your family. Rezo changed you forever and cast you aside like you were nothing but garbage to him. As useless as all of the journals you've found.

Zel wanted to plug his ears, but there was no escaping the sound of his own worst fears.

Honestly, how far do you think these people are willing to travel on such a hopeless journey? None of your so-called friends are here because of you. Lina is solely after treasure and she'll get distracted by the quest once again. Gourry only followed after her, and he cares more about food and finding adventure than anything you have to say. Your precious, wonderful Princess Amelia thought life in her castle was boring. You're nothing more than a distraction until she realizes this journey is pointless and decides to resume her proper duties. You'll be such a disappointment. Each of them will forget you in time. They all have lives to go back to, and what do you have, Zelgadis? The exact same thing you started with. Nothing. No hope. No answers. No reason to continue on like this. You already know how this ends. Stone has no feeling. The voice began to chant and cackle. The bell tolls for Zel! The bell tolls for Zel! The bell tolls for Zel!

Zelgadis fell out of bed with a thud. The maniacal laughter inside his head faded from shouts to whispers to silence. He looked around for a long minute, unsure where he was, or why he was there. When he realized he was alone, he stood up. He pulled the blanket around him for warmth and closed his eyes, taking a few deep, slow breaths. When he opened them again, he noticed the blue cup he'd so admired had shattered into pieces on the floor. Carefully, he picked each of the shards up and placed them in the wastebin. Zel didn't cry often, but a few tears may have escaped in the dark of the room.

Once a treasure's outlived its usefulness, it gets abandoned...sounds familiar, doesn't it? A last echo of the demon's voice from his nightmare.

Zelgadis shook his head to clear it. In direct defiance of the demon, he took the pieces of the now useless cup and wrapped them tightly in a cloth, tying the ends together to form a bundle. It went into his bag along with the journals and his small collection of worldly possessions.

Somewhat satisfied, Zel climbed back into the hotel bed. He thought about nothing but problems already solved, and eventually drifted off into a blessedly dreamless sleep.