DISCLAIMER: … I do not own the Slayers or any quotes I have listed at the top of the chapters…

Only one more chapter left!

Enjoy!

Special Thanks To:

Mistress DragonFlame : It isn't really a spell, more like a curse, at least that's what I got from the books anyway. No apparent Chaos Words involved. I'll amend it if I find any. Besides, heh, we both know Slayers: Dedicated is far worse, eh? (nn)

Ukchana : Heh, no worries, everything will be fine! (n-)

Chapter Fourteen

'Cause I see you lying next to me…
With words I thought I'd never speak…

Awake and unafraid…

Asleep or dead…

I am not afraid to keep on living…
I am not afraid to walk this world alone …

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven…
Nothing you can say can stop me going home…

Nothing you can say can stop me going home…

-"Famous Last Words" My Chemical Romance

All he could think was one blow wouldn't be enough to kill him.

He had a split second to move but he knew where to go.

Filia gasped as Xelloss appeared in front of her, absorbing the curse.

"Xelloss!" She asked in stunned horror. "But why?"

Xelloss grinned, shaking the power from himself with a flick of his staff.

"Well it wasn't that noble." He replied sheepishly, turning his glaring and reproachful eyes back on Dynast. "I can't be affected by that sort of spell."

Dynast smiled coldly rising from his chair. "Oh Xelloss. I gave you a chance, a perfectly good opportunity to put this behind us. But your lust for revenge was just too strong."

He arched a brow sadly. "I'm disappointed in you. You were always so logical, not ruled by passion like the rest of us."

"Not at all." Xelloss replied easily, trying to determine where the first strike would come from. "It's just there is so little I feel passionate about!"

Dynast laughed. "Yes. Well Zelas was..."

"I would stop there if I were you." Xelloss stated softly, his entire being resonating with rage. "You have no right to ever, ever speak as though she mattered the same to both of us."

Dynast swallowed, pulling on a cool smirk as he took a wary step back. "Alright Xelloss, tell me monster, what did it mean to have Zelas as a master? Cause I assure you, I was already under the opinion that I did."

Xelloss pursed his lips tightly, looking aside. "It meant she cared for me, more than anyone else I suppose although I can't really be certain. Luna was pretty high up there."

Dynast blinked. He wondered who this "Luna" was exactly.

Xelloss glared at him darkly. "But it's more than that. If she was truly your master you never would have been able to kill her! You would have cared too much!"

Dynast smiled sadly, looking out into the barren and icy wasteland before appraising Xelloss with a pained and knowing look.

"Don't you see, Xelloss?" He asked softly, shaking his head slowly. "I couldn't even kill her! She turned me down! Me! The highest ranking mazoku left to us. I should have punished her, forced her into submission. Reminded her of her duties as a Mazoku Lord."

He pounded his fists on the window sill and glared resolutely out the window. "But I couldn't carry out any sort of punishment. She had... weakened me..."

He looked back to Xelloss his gaze still icy, refusing to break.

But Xelloss could see the fractures.

"So I gave her an ultimatum." He sighed, turning back to the throne room and resting heavily against the window sill. "Join or die, heh, but in then end..."

"I couldn't even bring myself to kill her, Xelloss..." He whispered the ice finally shattering as he looked pleadingly into Xelloss' conflicted amethyst gaze. "I'm a hallow shell of what I used to be, and it's all her fault. But I can't punish her for it!"

He glared at Xelloss venomously. "So tell me, from your perspective, your little bit of reasoning back there. The only real difference between us is Zelas cares about you! You, and not me!"

Xelloss smiled softly, his tiny, painfully bemused smirk widening into a grin.

He couldn't help it, he had to laugh. Had to laugh at all of this.

He didn't need to kill Dynast to get revenge, the perfect revenge was already in his possession, he just been too furious to see it.

He had Lord Beastmaster's concern, a place in her mind that was looked fondly upon.

And what did Dynast have?

An ice sculpture, one he had to try and give some fantasy of life by conquering it.

She had taken everything from him, it was true, and she had given him nothing.

Dynast stared in silent rage as the mazoku calmed himself.

"Sorry about that." He stated cheerily, arching a finger. "Was just having a moment of poetic realization, but I'm back now!"

Xelloss then knelt with a swift bow. "Lord Dynast, if it pleases you, I have a proposal that should make us both very happy."

Dynast arched a brow, unable to keep from smiling right along with him.

"Go on." He allowed with a gracious wave of his hand.

"I have determined you are right..." Xelloss began. ...In a fashion... "And so I have this offer to give you."

He motioned Filia over to him and she joined his side, casting him a befuddled look.

He looked pointedly at the floor and then cracked an eye at her pointedly.

Filia glared at the spot as though it were quicksand and crossed her arms, shaking her head with an indignant glare.

Xelloss sighed, grabbed her ankle, and pulled her to the floor.

Filia gave huff of indignation and tried to get back up, but Xelloss kept his hand firmly on her ankle.

"In exchange for the freedom of myself and Filia." He began. "I will give you Lord Beastmaster's statue."

"Ah, but you see Xelloss." Dynast murmured calmly, stroking his chin. "I've already captured you, so I could just kill you both, and go claim Zelas for myself now."

"Yes!" Xelloss agreed cracking an eye. "But this way, we'd owe you in the future, so long as the favor doesn't go against Lord Beastmaster's final orders to me!"

"And what might those be, Xelloss?" Dynast asked coolly.

Xelloss grinned arched a finger. "Hm, sore wa himitsu desu! You know better Lord Dynast."

Dynast smirked, crossing his arms calmly. "Such undying loyalty. You know what, I agree, Xelloss."

Xelloss grinned, releasing Filia's ankle and rising to his feet. "Excellent! Then to Wolfpack Island!"

Filia stared at him calmly, unsure of what he was doing exactly but she had no choice.

This was his battle; it was over when he wanted it to be.

O O O

The wolves growled at the Ice Lord's approach and Xelloss grinned giving them a tsk-ing gesture with his finger.

One of the larger wolves gave a snort of disapproval but led the others away from the trio.

Xelloss swallowed, approaching the area he had sworn to himself that he'd seal off forever.

Filia watched him apprehensively, she wasn't sure where he was going with this but she knew better by now than to doubt that he had a plan.

Xelloss always had a plan, and they were all just pawns in it.

She hoped she was a higher ranked pawn.

Xelloss froze, he hadn't been expecting this.

"The... ice..." He whispered in awe, a grin cracking out across his features his eyes opening in delight. "It's melting! Well! That is..."

Dynast's expression matched and then he gave out a throaty chuckle. "Of course it is! Don't you see Xelloss?"

"Hm?" Xelloss asked fixing him with a questioning grin.

"Ah yes." Dynast murmured turning back to the melting ice. "You couldn't know, could you."

He smiled coolly, appraising Xelloss with a knowing eye. "I made Zerra from the same sword I used on Zelas. That makes the sword's power Zerra's power..."

"And with Zerra defeated!" Xelloss summed up, his eyes narrowing and his grin widening as he glanced back at the melting casket. "The spell is broken! Oh my, I never even considered this!"

"I told you, you couldn't possibly have known." Dynast repeated, shaking his head in amazement. "Still, I can't believe it hadn't crossed my mind. Even in death Zelas managed to distract me."

Xelloss' grin widened at that and he arched a finger, giving Dynast a little wave. "Ah! But she really wasn't dead, now was she?"

Dynast rolled his eyes and the pair turned back to the magnificent sight before them, the whole fight and its lesson meaningless now that their mistress had been returned to them.

The wolves came out with a howl and gathered round.

Xelloss paid them no mind, his eyes fixed on his mistress as he waited.

Filia took in the scene around her and gave a small smile.

Calmly, the dragoness closed her eyes, lifting her hands.

"Anna-ku rahzu lamku so." She began softly and Xelloss cast her a small smile.

"What's she doing?" Dynast asked suspiciously.

"Showing me how much she cares." Xelloss replied easily, turning back to Zeals, waiting to see what the outcome of Filia's spell would be.

"Izu-pe ku naomu!" She added, completing the chaos words.

"You trust her?" Dynast asked, arching a brow at the thought.

"She's still here isn't she?" Xelloss replied, arching a brow of his own in return.

The dragoness' eyes opened wide and she released the power. "FLAME BREATH!!!"

A golden seal encased the melting tomb of ice and the trio watched as it settled against it, sending small explosions throughout its hull.

It shattered and turned to slush, falling away to the ground and disappearing into the grass.

Zelas being a Mazoku Lord remained unaffected, the touch of the Holy Magic as well as the breeze against her soaked form did however rouse her into consciousness and quietly she opened her eyes.

Calmly she appraised each of them before her, her gaze settling on the gold.

"You must be Filia." She stated calmly, enjoying the amusement radiating from her servant, the shock from the dragoness, and the hurt from Dynast. He was sad that she had overlooked him as always.

He needn't worry; she'd have plenty to say to him soon, but for now.

She arched a brow at the dragoness and she fumbled, seeming to fight with herself, finally she gave a little curtsy.

"Erm... Lord Beastmaster." She greeted, unsure if she should be greeting a Mazoku Lord or not.

Zelas and Xelloss smirked and she turned her matching grin on his. "So Xelloss, tell me, how did this all go down?"

"Xelloss undid my spell, Zelas. That's all." Dynast cut in, both to save Xelloss from having to inform his Mistress that he had attempted to use her as a bargaining chip, and to steal away her attention. "And I must say, I missed you."

Zelas smiled with a lazy stretch. "Of course you did, Darling. We'll discuss this later. I'm off to see Luna, Xelloss..."

She smiled at him, tilting her head pointedly. "Say goodbye to your little friend while I'm gone. I have work for you to get started on. I'm feeling a tad antsy as it were."

"Hai, Mistress." He replied with a swooping bow.

Zelas smiled gracefully and pulled out a cigarette, disappearing before she had even lit it.

Xelloss figured she'd smoke probably three times as many today, making up for all that lost time as it were.

"She's just always going to do this to me, isn't she?" Dynast asked unsure whether to pout or smile.

"Oh my, yes!" Xelloss replied easily arching a finger. "But she does it to me too, you know. And Luna as well. But I suppose you should really look at it this way..."

He grinned pointedly. "As far as Lord Beastmaster's concerned, you're lucky she spends time with you at all!"

Dynast stopped, letting out a throaty chuckle, ending it momentarily with a cool smirk.

"I suppose you're right about that, Xelloss.' He murmured, running the thought over in his head appreciatively. "Third place is better than nothing."

"I'd say it's more like a three-way tie for second really!" Xelloss interjected, grinning wide and arching a finger. "With Lord Beastmaster ranking herself in first of course!"

Dynast shook his head. "Rightfully so. Rightfully so."

"Naturally!" Xelloss agreed pleasantly, both picturing Zelas licking her lips at her own reflection with a sweatdrop.

It scared them that they could actually see her doing that.

"Well." Dynast stated causally. "I'm gonna go. I need to go find a Priest, or a General... or something."

"Maybe a Harold!" Xelloss offered cheerily and Dynast paused running the thought over.

"Yes..." He murmured stroking his chin. "A Harold, I've never had one of those. Maybe even a human, I could always upgrade them ever few years or so. Torture the old ones when I get done..."

"Of course!" Xelloss agreed easily, enjoying the little shudder Filia gave at this.

"Hm, you really are just like her, Xelloss." Dynast stated thoughtfully, cracking a little smile at him. "I think I like you a little more now."

"I'm still not that keen on you, Lord Dynast!" Xelloss replied merrily and Dynast let out a bark of laughter.

"See you soon, Xelloss." He replied, disappearing with a pop.

"I hope not." Xelloss replied coolly turning back to Filia.

"So, Miss Filia." He stated calmly grabbing her hands in his, listening to her heart race. "It is now time for me to be more honest with you than I'd like."

Filia blinked, not sure she liked where this was going.

"Lord Beastmaster comes first." He stated calmly, gazing into her with both eyes to make certain she was absorbing this. "Always has. You distract me, a bit more than I'd like sometimes, but you'll never even begin to compare to her."

Filia blinked softly, looking aside. "Xelloss... how does that change anything?"

Xelloss smiled tightly, stroking her cheek sadly. "I... I can't afford to be distracted right now. And I must say, it's not wise to keep you around when you have that power."

Filia glared at him.

"Coward." She hissed, turning away darkly. "Fine. Send me home."

Xelloss smiled tightly, his mask now back up and in place. "That was the idea. Good bye Miss Filia! Perhaps we'll meet again!"

Filia snorted as he sent her away within a bubble of his power.

He heard her mutter something as she floated away outside the barrier where she would be allowed to teleport home.

He pretended he didn't hear, just as he pretended not to hear her break into sobs, genki smile in place.

But once she was gone, the smile dropped and he grimaced; the truth of those whispered words echoing in his mind.

... Stupid namagomi mazoku...

Oh don't worry! You all know I'm a sucker for happy ending ... (nn) Next Update on 01/02/08