Sentimental Reflections
Zelas had thought the standard bond between a dark lord and his or her
minion would have restrained Lina some. Just in case she was wrong, she had
placed some imperatives of a similar nature to strengthen the feelings of
loyalty. Any of the other slayers could have told Zelas one indisputable
fact. Lina liking you only meant that she would refrain from causing major
damage when she got mad.
"Juou-sama," she had meant to say 'Zelas', "My name is. Lina. Inverse."
the declaration felt hollow though. She scrunched her eyes in confusion for
a moment and began looking inward, investigating the astral signature most
wizards referred to as their "true name".
"Not any more," Zelas said pleasantly. She felt the rising anger, but it
was only a simmer right now. Really, considering the layers of magical
suggestion on the new mazoku it was amazing that she could engender even that
match rage.
"You changed my true name," she said slowly.
"You were dead by the time I reached you," she explained. "I had to
reincarnate you. I did manage to catch the soul before you lost much of your
memory."
"You, you KILLED me!!!" The wings on Xenith's back began snapping
irritably, and
"Uhh...."
"Then you rip my soul OUT of my body, take me away from my friends, and
tamper with my CORE BEING!!!" Zelas immediately inacted one of the
safeguards she had placed on Xenith, and blocked the new mazoku's power
before she could do something stupid, like casting a spell.
Not that Zelas was worried for herself, though she had given Xenith a
great deal of power, but if she might not be used to her new power level yet.
If she cast a spell in the middle of a rage it could have vastly more effect
than originally intended.
"What did you just do to me?" Xenith asked.
"If I cut all the restraints, will you behave?" Xenith's wings flipping
around in front. She sat crosslegged on the floor and sighed.
"Yes, Juouu-sama," she agreed.
"Good girl," Zelas patted her on the head. Xenith felt her power
returned, and also felt most of those artificial emotions vanish. She still
had a deep devotion and affection for the blonde dark lord that was sitting
in the chair she had collapsed in front of. "Now I'll make this quick
because Xellos will be realizing he has new a sister anytime now, and I'm not
sure I want him to know who it is yet. I didn't have you killed."
Zelas waved a hand and revealed a bedroom, with two occupants. At first
glance Xenith thought it was Zelgadis and Amelia, then she saw the scar
across the Amelia's face.
"Tes," Xenith growled
"The little sorceress is dead, Zel-kun!" she giggled as she watched
Gourry cradling Lina's body through her own scrying portal. "Those assassins
you hired to kill me really know their job well."
"Yes, dear," the shadow Zelgadis sounded bored. Then Tes looked confused
and scanned the room stopping to meet with Zelas's eyes. The dark lord cut
the effect before Tes could deternine that she wasn't imagining things.
"So you didn't kill me, you just waited for me to die?"
"Your not dead, dear, Lina is," she patted the mazoku's shoulder,
comfortingly. "You have Lina's soul, personality, and memories, but this is
your next life, and you're Xenith now."
"Can I talk to Gourry at least?" she asked Zelas, resting her head on the
dark lord's knee.
"Yes," Zelas sighed, patting the horned head softly. "But not the way
you'd like." She wasn't going to have Xenith's heart broken if she were to
discover that the swordsman hadn't really been in love with her, or vice
versa. Heart broken mazoku were quite annoying to deal with. If what Lina
and Gourry had was love, then he would love her as Xenith without having to
be told it was Lina.
"What do you mean?"
"You are to tell nobody who you were," Zelas admonished.
"But...." she lifted up her head to look at Zelas.
"Not even Xellos."
"Yes Juuou-sama," she sighed.
"Good, then I think its time to give you your first assignment," Zelas
said cheerfully. "You are going to travel with the slayers, and try to keep
Xellos and Amelia together. She is a valuable ally and contact we may need
in the future. And you will train yourself, learn about your powers and
limits."
"Hai," she responded quickly, eager to be back with friends, even with
they wouldn't know her.
Then Xellos appeared in the room.
"Juuou-sama!" he said hurriedly, merely glancing at Xenith. "I have to
report that Lina Inverse has been killed." Xellos was focusing on Zelas and
didn't notice the spike of pain running through the other mazoku.
Xenith blinked as she felt the rage pour off of Zelas Metallium, she
wondered how the dark lord could just generate that at seemingly nothing.
She obviously knew that Lina was dead, obvious to Xenith at least. Xellos
cringed at the perceived failure, however.
"Do you know who is responsible?" Zelas demanded.
"We suspect," Xellos answered. "And we are moving to investigate
already, but I felt I must report to you." The trickster priest bowed low
with a tight smile on his face.
"And come to see the new addition to our family perhaps?" Xellos glanced
at Xenith apprehensively. Xenith didn't notice, she was mentally reeling at
the intensity of the dark emotions building in the room. It was a very
pleasant sensation, and she guessed it was somewhat addictive.
"The thought crossed my mind," Xellos admitted.
"Xenith, dear," Zelas called out and the new mazoku stepped into the
light. "This is your new sister Xellos. She's going to be travelling with
you for a while."
"I don't have the time to babysit."
"Hey, I'm not baby!" the youngest mazoku protested.
"Does she even have a human form?" Xellos asked, glaring at his sister's
suddenly perked up wings.
"Yes, she just hasn't tried it yet," Zelas gestured at Xenith. "Go ahead
and take a disguise."
"But...I...." her protests were halted as Zelas entered her mind and
telepathically gave her the instructions.
~And DON'T make your human form look like your old body.~ Zelas
admonished. As her "brother" watched, she shifted into something smaller,
more compact. A lean huntress with only slightly darker skin and the same
midnight blue hair. She was still taller than Lina had been, but the wings
and other inhuman features had vanished. As for dress, the human Xenith wore
intricate leather bracers and tunics, and a short sword worn at her side.
She looked the part of a warrior woman.
"How's this?" Xenith snapped, taking her frustation out on Xellos.
"I guess we better go introduce you," Xellos sighed. "But you'd better
not get in our why."
"Why don't you stay out of my way?" Xenith retorted, while Zelas could
barely keep her laughter contained.
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