| Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers including but hardly limited to its characters of Xellos, Zelas, and Filia. The plot, though not the basic one, as I'm sure it has been used time and time again, does belong to me, however. As does the character of Wolf. Relations original characters and setting have with characters and settings accurately created by the Slayers crew are simply the author's need to write speaking out in full force. And after all, folks, it is fiction. |
| Notice: Permission is given to those webmasters who wish to post this fic on their sites, however, you must e-mail me first, as currently only fanfiction.net has permission to post this fic. Simply send an e-mail to fyrescribe@yahoo.com that clearly states your URL and I will gladly give you consent to post. |
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| Authors Notes: Since
I tend to write by the chapter, I'll put some more notes at the end of
this chapter, however, before you start reading, there are some things
you should know. While containing some Xellos/Filia content, this fic
focuses on Zelas Metallium. As a character that is never fleshed out in
the series, she is open to interpretation. While you may view
differently, this is how I choose to view her. I also believe firmly in
the fact that mazoku can indeed experience positive emotions. This is a
romance fic, after all. Also, I should make it clear, if you have a
problem with a character from a series and an original character paired
together (though I still make the plea that you stick around for this
one), then you'd probably do best not to continue reading.
- FyreScribe 6.14.01 |
It was rather cold the night Zelas Metallium received the oncoming slaughter of bad news. She stepped out of the large cave on Wolfpack Island wearing a low-cut shirt patched with thin fur along with a pair of tight-fitting pants and boots, a rather safe gamble when venturing about her domain, as the weather was usually of a tolerable warmth. That night, however, a chilling breeze washed over the island from the east. Instinct told her it was not just coincidence.
Merely the vague sense that something had filled the void behind her was enough to make the Beast Master turn. Her gaze locked upon a man with purple hair that fell to rest just above his shoulders.
"Not in your hunting attire, Ju-ou-sama?" He observed.
She looked him over once. She had never been one for wasting her time on rhetorical questions, nor had she ever attempted to fill in detail when it was not needed. Too much time would be wasted.
"What brings you back so soon, Xellos?"
Son, she could be tempted to call him at times. Biologically, he was hardly her heir. She had created him as her general and priest, age giving a voice of reason to her stubborn nature. As far as she knew, there was no way a mazoku could become 'pregnant', as the humans called it. It simply wasn't possible. Perhaps a downcast upon things, but then again, who needed such frivolities when you could simply create a being the exact way you wanted it to be? Humans had no such liberties. They often times had to settle for whatever became of their child.
"Well..."
He was stalling for time, she noticed with what seemed to be a bit of irritance, though it could have been a distinct
boredom at the situation. The shadows seemed to play with her expression in a way that it was almost impossible to tell. Only the edge in her voice gave away her true feelings toward the subject.
"Get on with it, Xellos. I haven't got all day."
"Ju-ou-sama, you remember sending me to fetch the infant Valteria?"
"Don't ask me questions you already know the answer to..."
Xellos noticed with a bit of nervousness that the Beast Master's tail was swishing in a rather impatient manner. She was not in her mazoku form at the moment, but even in her seemingly human appearance, even with her powers as a Dark Lord, there were things she couldn't conceal. The mistress of secrets, as some had been known to call her, kept always in the outward human form a bushy gray tail that often times conveyed more emotion than her expression, along with pointed ears, much like those of an elf, but with distinct animal qualities.
"I'm afraid I could not get him away from the Golden Dragon Priestess, Ju-ou-sama."
"We already went over what to do if she would not allow you to take him."
"Yes, but..."
"But what? My instructions were clear, Xellos. What is this hesitance? You've never been hesitant to carry out any of my orders before."
"That is because the outcome of those orders did not matter to me, Ju-ou-sama."
"What are you saying?"
She knew very well what he was saying. The abrupt coldness that found its way into her scrutinizing gaze. The way her lip was curled up in nearly a snarl, displaying the two fangs that protruded the rest of her teeth. The unruly manipulation of her tail as it swished back and forth, much in the manner of a cat, though the tail was clearly wolf.
Something, some petty sense, was holding him back from killing the Priestess. She knew what it was, or at least what he probably thought it was. His 'feelings' toward her. She had seen it over the past few months. Perhaps, she reasoned, she had known it all along. She was never one to believe that a mazoku was completely incapable of positive feeling, but toward a dragon!
"I cannot kill her."
"That, son," she said with an awkward sort of tinge, as if at this moment, he were not of her creation, "is not the wisest thing you have ever said to me."
"You told me to inform you when I had difficulties with any mission..."
"I also told you to kill that dragon woman, and so long as I am alive, you will kill her! Either that, or I will do it myself!" She nearly snarled.
"You can't, Ju-ou-sama. I can't, because... I love her."
Zelas' mouth remained open in surprise. She knew it to be true, but the words, they had just never been there. Love. A despicable word in her mind. Experience had taught her that. Her anger flared, so much so that she felt her nails dig into her palms. She would have been rightfully angry just out of protection. She would never wish such a plague upon him as had been set upon herself once before, but a dragon!
"You.... what?"
"You heard me very well, Ju-ou-sama."
"Xellos, I suggest you rethink what you just told me. Perhaps it can be forgotten..." Her fists were balled, teeth clenched together, her tail at a stiff stand-still.
"I have rethought it. It makes no sense, I know. Mazoku are incapable of such emotions, I know. But I have no other way to explain it, Ju-ou-sama. I can't kill her. I couldn't bring myself to do it."
For a long time there was silence, though words still seemed to pass between the two. Silent threats, thought-out pleas, anger from both sides. Finally Zelas broke the silence.
"This may sound rather parental to you, Xellos, but as a Dark Lord, I forbid it!"
"What if this is the first step toward peace for the ryuzoku and the mazoku? Do you really want to spend all of your life fighting some never-ending battle?"
"Wh...where is this coming from?! You are mazoku! You were made to kill! You were created with a hatred toward all ryuzoku, and now you're telling me you love one of them?"
"You are taking..."
"Go away, Xellos."
There was something in the way she said it that made him back up. She was past the point of glaring, past the point of argument. Now there was to be a silence in which she expected him to make the right decision.
"Did you not hear me? I said go away! I don't wish your death, Xellos, but if you don't leave right now, you will give me no choice."
He cast a grim frown in her general direction. "No matter what you say, Ju-ou-sama, my mind is made up." He said calmly before disappearing just as suddenly as he had arrived.
Zelas stared blankly at the spot where he had stood, and for the longest time, it seemed as if she had just ceased to function. What had happened was completely unorthodox. She was a Dark Lord! How could she let something of this magnitude occur? She should have killed the dragon woman ages ago and then killed her general-priest should he offer even a breath of protest.
But there was something that kept her from doing so. She would invariably be alone once again. It would only be a matter of time before the two remaining Dark Lords pounced upon her weaknesses, exploiting them to their fullest. Let him do whatever he wished, she reasoned, as long as it didn't interfere with his duty to her. Otherwise...
But even that was an empty threat. There was some sort of a bond between them, or at least on Zelas' half, that she felt could not be broken. He was her son. Maybe not in blood, but always in spirit. And even now, he was exemplifying her stubborn nature by making the same mistakes she had made.
"Let him fall for the same trap." She thought aloud. "He can learn from his mistakes just as I learned from mine."
| Author's Notes (cont): Well, there you have it. The first chapter. The characterization of Xellos is horrible, I know, and I'm very sorry. However, he's not the main focus in this story, as I'm sure you've gathered by now. In the next chapter I plan on introducing that oh so dreaded 'original character'. Trust me, I'll try to make it as painless as possible. You may even learn to like him, eh? And if all else fails, I can resort to the fact that I am not the only person to have been bold enough to write a Zelas pairing. To the authors of How Terim Met Zelas, a humble bow from me. You broke into the field, and I must say I was impressed. To all who have yet to read that fic, it can be found at Darkness Rising (darknessrising.com) along with lots of other wonderful fics. There's even a sub-section just for Zelas. So, until next time, please, do a pitiful author a favor by leaving some comments? |
| Coming in Chapter Two: Zelas' bad-luck streak continues with a few words from L-sama, graciously followed by a meeting between Dark Lords, along with the mazoku's newest recruit, a half mazoku, half human named Wolf. Perhaps she should have stayed in bed that morning, eh? |