An Odd Feeling

Part Thirty-five

By Relm

Amelia and Sylphiel gasped, Gourry just stared with a blank stare and Mr. Hender frowned.

"Miss Lina's in danger! Oh no we have to do something about this!" Amelia stated in horror.

"What do you mean Mister Xellos?" Mr. Hender asked ignoring Amelia's outburst. "She's with Zelgadis, why would she be in danger?"

Xellos didn't answer Mr. Hender. Instead he examined the door. "He's put a barrier up. I can't break it unless I'm inside." Xellos phased out of the hallway and phased back right into the hallway. "Damnit! I can't get in!" Xellos punched the wall in frustration.

"Mister Xellos what is going on?"

Again Xellos refused to answer. He didn't even seem to hear them, his was racing with thoughts. "The sword! He doesn't know!" Xellos grinned before phasing out again, but this time he didn't reappear.

...

Zelgadis eyed the sword in Lina's hands. 'Is that the real one? It was stolen but perhaps he got it back.' He didn't question Lina on the sword he just got up to pace around the room making it seem as if he was looking for another book to read. "Lina do you really think it's possible?"

"What Zel?" Lina didn't looked up from her book.

"To stop the demon without harming whoever it possesses?" Zelgadis picked a random book from a shelf without looking at it.

"I'd like to hope so."

"But if it isn't?"

Lina frowned. "Then we might be left with no choice."

"If it came down to it you could kill him. It is within your capabilities." Zelgadis eyed Lina closely.

She grimaced. If it came down to a fight with Xellos, there was no way Lina could do it. Not without her magic. "I could." Lina said in a not so confident voice.

Zelgadis grinned out of Lina's view.

...

Xellos phased back to where the sword was hidden. It wasn't hidden in a dimensional pocket like before, it was actually hidden in the basement laboratory of Mr. Hender's library, in a box near the machine that "gave" Zelgadis life. The sword felt exhilarating to have in his hands.

Having the power from his acquired body and the power of the sword at his fingertips had a numbing sensation on his thoughts. His mind became muddled with thoughts of strength and power. The allure to use this power to dominate all was very strong.

Xellos shook his head. 'No what am I thinking? I don't want power. What a weak mind I must have to be swept away so easily. I have to do what I plan to do. I don't have much time left.' Xellos phased off with sword in hand.

...

Zelgadis forced his dark smile from his lips. "Lina I wanted to talk to you about something."

Lina didn't look up. "What?"

"Well it's been so strange since I woke up out of that machine. I haven't remembered a single thing and nothing seems familiar. Only…"

Lina looked over to meet his gaze. "Only what?"

"Only recently I've been feeling this strange feeling." Zelgadis stepped closer to Lina.

Lina blinked her eyes rapidly. 'He's not..?'

"And you're the center of it Lina." He leaned in closer.

Lina's face burned a bright crimson. 'What the..?' She was too shocked to react.

...

Xellos re-emerged in the hallway where Sylphiel, Gourry, Amelia and Mr. Hender stood very confused. "Mr. Hender what have you got so far about exercising a demon using the sword of light?"

"Hey that's my sword! How come you have it?" Gourry looked at him confusedly. He wasn't too happy about Lina taking his sword but the idea of Xellos with it made him shiver.

"Long story Gourry, I've give it back to you once I'm done. Now Mr. Hender?" Xellos looked over to Mr. Hender.

"Well I've got a few things." Mr. Hender said slowly. He was very well aware that this could very well be Zelgadis' ex-demon part possessing Xellos and causing this little ploy just to get the information he wants from Mr. Hender. But then again Mr. Hender doubted that the demon would be this smart to think of something like this. And what Xellos said about a barrier preventing anyone from getting in the room is true. There was a definite magic barrier surrounding the room. But still Mr. Hender was cautious. "Come with me and I'll show you." Mr. Hender motioned for Xellos to follow him.

Gourry, Sylphiel and Amelia stayed in the hall still trying to find ways to get into the room.

...

In another room not too far away where the disaster was happening was where Mr. Hender had most of his books that he had been looking through. He showed Xellos what he had. "It isn't much I don't really know what can really be done about the demon. I don't have the resources to do any of these things. And I don't even know if they are really possible or they would even work in our situation." Mr. Hender handed Xellos a few of the books.

Xellos picked up the books and sped read them. "Perhaps for a normal human this would be impossible, but for a monster it might just work."

...

The kiss was forced and cold. There was no passion or emotion to it at all. It was a kiss full of rage but not in a good way. It was angry and full of revulsion. Lina was in too much shock to react so she neither kissed him back nor pushed him away.

Zelgadis grinned evilly.

Lina felt a sudden rush a pain exploding in her stomach as she went flying backwards breaking the chair and table. When she finally realized what had happened she was up against the wall with the wind knocked out of her and her stomach burning in pain.

"Was that as good for you as it was for me?" Zelgadis laughed mockingly. "I thought I'd give him something that he wanted before I made his life a living hell." Zelgadis stalked closer to her.

Lina's eyes lit up with fear.

"I'm sorry dear did I hit you too hard? I just could stand it any longer. The thought that he had wanted to do that for so long makes me want to rip my guts out. Or his." He darkly laughed. "What's wrong Lina? Normally you'd be up and ready to beat the crap out of me, don't tell me I hit you that hard. Of course maybe it's because it's that time of the month is it?"

Lina didn't answer.

"I thought so. The timing couldn't be more perfect. I've been waiting a long time for this Lina Inverse. After all the years of having him use me and control me, I'm finally going to get the chance to have my vengeance. Starting with you." He laughed again, roaring like a mad man.

"We were wrong, we thought it was Xellos, but the whole time it was you." Lina's was voice was soft and forced with pain.

"Ironic isn't it? I had control Zelgadis almost right from the start after he got out of that machine. To think that he could just cast me aside after using me all this time just makes me madder." Zelgadis or Gar's eyes glowed a dark crimson.

...

"It's him isn't it?" Mr. Hender asked voicing his fear.

"Yes Gar, Zelgadis' old counterpart has control over him. And now Lina is in great danger."

"But how are you going to get in Mister Xellos? You already tried to teleport in and it didn't work."

"It's a barrier that works against monsters but what about little blue creatures?" A small smile graced Xellos' lips.

"Popo? He might be able to. But even so if he can get in he wont be able to get you in there. He can only teleport as long as nothing is touching him."

"I just need him to mess up the barrier a bit. Where is he?"