A Cornerstone Collapsed
"Zel?" called Lina, "Zel, where are you?"
His head glided slowly up from behind a shelf of books, and his eyes were sparkling.
"Zel?" Lina said, tilting her head nervously.
"I.." he said in a hushed and awed voice, "I found it."
"Mr. Zelgadis?" Amelia said, running up, out of breath, "What is it?" she said, confused, as he lifted a tattered tome.
"The only remaining copy.." he said.
"You found it?" Gourry shouted, "The last copy of 'Trollian Follies'?"
"No, you idiot!" Lina shouted, elbowing him on the top of the head, "The very last copy of 'Restorative Brewes and Status Returning Spells.' It went out of print centuries ago, and it's the only book with the spell to return components missing."
Zel nodded, eyes still fixed on the ragged and torn book, "Intrinsic Completion." he mumbled, stating the name of the spell, "It was written long before the book, and used to return lost limbs and organs. I-." He paused, his throat closing. This seemed to be the end of his hellish journey.
"Zel." Lina said, walking quickly over to him, and placing a hand on his shoulder, "You're almost there. Now.. Don't do anything stupid."
Zel turned, the tears quickly clearing up. He fixed her with an irritable gaze, "Like what?"
"Like take this too quickly." Lina said, "I know you've been waiting so long for this, but I think we should take our time, copy it down. test it somehow!" she said.
Zel averted his gaze, "I've waited long enough, Lina. You have to understand this." He said.
Amelia and Gourry joined Lina, "We understand." Amelia said, "But.." she left the conjunction hanging in the air.
Zel shook his head, "I can't.. you don't understand." He said, shaking his head, "I have to do it, just as soon as I can. Because I know.. something will happen. And I just can't risk that." He said, gathering up the book.
Lina frowned. Something, to her, wasn't right. But she couldn't change that.
Zel walked up the steps to the second basement of the large library. He roughly knocked the books off of a large table, and then hoisted himself upon it. He opened the book, and scanned the pages until he once again found the spell.
He clutched the book to his chest, and looked up to the sky, "God in the endless darkness, Keeper of the holy heavens, hear me and believe. I have suffered long and hard, I have kept my promises. I have never, ever made myself cry. Please. Let this be the one. So that I can be normal again. Human again. So that I don't have to endure the dirty stares any more, or the women who grab their children out of the way as I pass, or those who run at the sight of me. Please, Lord, I can't stand it any longer. I never want to see that again. I don't want anyone to be afraid to merely look at me. Let this be the one.. that sets me free." He said, and then he ended his makeshift prayer, as the other three ran up the stairs.
"Zel. I don't have a good feeling about this." Lina said, holding her hands up.
Amelia nodded, "Mr. Zelgadis, those old spells sometimes lose their potency." She said.
Zel shook his head, "I can't wait any longer. I know.." he paused, "I know this is not like me. But I've been patient enough. I don't want your pity, and I don't need your help. All I need is for you to believe in me."
Gourry looked doubtful, "But Zelgadis.."
"No buts." Zel said, "I've already waited too long." He lifted his arms, and Lina and Amelia felt the winds shift on the astral plane, as he called the magic to him. Mages for miles around felt the magic deplete, as it moved towards a more forceful will.
When Zel's eyes opened, they were glowing. He opened his mouth and in a deep voice said, "Golden Goddess of all life, for thy sake is this being done. Forceful will of your servant, remakes this body anew. By the silver moon that glows, and the golden sun that shines, take this body, and return it to the state in which you created it. Mold this spirit, and take the life of this creature into your hands." there was a pause, and the room grew intensely warm. A goldeny blue light began to shine from Zel. Lina's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away.
Zel smiled grimly, and shouted, "INTRINSIC COMPLETION!" throwing his arms to his sides.
The next sound that the rest heard was a shout of agony, as every piece of Zelgadis was ripped apart.
When the light faded, the others opened their eyes to a grisly sight. Blood had spattered over all of the walls, and Zel lie in the middle, unconscious.
Amelia burst into tears and ran forward, stopping just before Zelgadis, "Miss Lina." she said, her voice hollow, "He.. he's human." Her hands shook, as she reached forward.
Lina ran up, stopping her, "No, Amelia, we don't know." but she trailed off, as Zel shifted.
He opened one eye, "Amelia." he said slowly, "Lina."
Lina frowned, "Zel. a-are you all right?" she asked cautiously.
Zel laughed a little, the laugh quickly disintegrating into a cough, "Oh. of.. of course." He said.
"That's our Zel.." Gourry said, "Nothing can take him down." He smiled good naturedly, but stopped short as he reached Lina and Amelia, and finally got a good look at Zel. His face fell.
"Gourry." Zel said, "What's wrong.."
Gourry swallowed the lump in his throat, "Nothing." he said, "Lina, Amelia. can I speak to you?"
Lina and Amelia looked up at him, puzzled, but then nodded.
He took them aside, "Lina, something's wrong." He said.
"What do you mean?" Lina asked skeptically.
"He's not the same."
Amelia exploded, "Of course not, Mr. Gourry, he's human now!"
"No!" Gourry said, showing uncharacteristic vehemence, "You two. He was at such an angle that you couldn't see, but. but." he trailed off, "Just come here.." he said.
He walked them around the room, and as they rounded Zel's body, Amelia gasped.
Lina paled, bringing her hands to her lips, "Oh, Zel.." she said, tears welling up.
"Lina." Zel said, his eyes focusing weakly, "What?" he said faintly.
"Zel.. You.. You're not.." Lina stopped, her voice closing up.
Zel attempted to turn his head. For some reason his body was at such an angle that he couldn't see his arms or legs. This was just as well, because they were no longer there. Where his legs and arms once were, there were now ragged stumps, slowly seeping blood.
Gourry paused, "Zel, there's not enough of you." he said.
Zel attempted to understand, "Oh." He said. There wasn't enough blood in his body for him to be able to think straight, and that which was there was quickly leaving him.
Amelia collapsed to the ground, in shock. This was. this was. this was just like the way her mother died.
Zel finally realized what was wrong. He was dying.
Lina bent down to Zel's face, looking him in his eyes, "Zel.. The spell must not have been complete.. Something was missing. And instead of filling in where the human was taken out of you, it just removed all the non human parts."
Zel weakly nodded.
Lina's throat closed, and the next words came out in a squeak, "There wasn't.. there just wasn't. wasn't enough human left in you to make a whole body." She said.
"So then. so..." Zel's voice was fading, "So I'm going to...die.?" he asked.
Lina closed her eyes and looked away, unable to confirm it.
Rising, Amelia roughly pushed her away, "Zelgadis-san. You. I."
"Amelia?" Zel said, his voice as faint as a breeze, "I wish I could see you." he said, frowning. His eyes were out of focus, unable to see anything any longer.
Amelia pressed her hand to his cold cheek, "I love you." she said.
"Sou." Zel said faintly, and his lips curved up just so, "I knew." he said. His eyes closed, "I told them to do this." he said in a weak wheeze, "I asked them to. set me free.." As those words sailed out of his mouth, no breath went back in.
Amelia drew her hand away as she felt the life leave what was left of his body.
Putting her arms around Amelia, Lina stared without comprehending at Zel's broken body.
Tenderly, Gourry lifted the bloodstained cloak that was half wrapped around Zel. He wrapped it around him, and lifted Zel up, eyes closed in a face that was a mask of pain, "Come on Zel.. it's time to go." He said.
Teeth clenched, Zel rolled to his feet from his bed. Shocked, he pressed his hand to his face, surprised to feel a burst of relief when his ears detected the clack of stone on stone. He stood, looking over to the window, where the curtains glowed golden with the onset of dawn.
"Zel?" called Lina, "Zel, where are you?"
His head glided slowly up from behind a shelf of books, and his eyes were sparkling.
"Zel?" Lina said, tilting her head nervously.
"I.." he said in a hushed and awed voice, "I found it."
"Mr. Zelgadis?" Amelia said, running up, out of breath, "What is it?" she said, confused, as he lifted a tattered tome.
"The only remaining copy.." he said.
"You found it?" Gourry shouted, "The last copy of 'Trollian Follies'?"
"No, you idiot!" Lina shouted, elbowing him on the top of the head, "The very last copy of 'Restorative Brewes and Status Returning Spells.' It went out of print centuries ago, and it's the only book with the spell to return components missing."
Zel nodded, eyes still fixed on the ragged and torn book, "Intrinsic Completion." he mumbled, stating the name of the spell, "It was written long before the book, and used to return lost limbs and organs. I-." He paused, his throat closing. This seemed to be the end of his hellish journey.
"Zel." Lina said, walking quickly over to him, and placing a hand on his shoulder, "You're almost there. Now.. Don't do anything stupid."
Zel turned, the tears quickly clearing up. He fixed her with an irritable gaze, "Like what?"
"Like take this too quickly." Lina said, "I know you've been waiting so long for this, but I think we should take our time, copy it down. test it somehow!" she said.
Zel averted his gaze, "I've waited long enough, Lina. You have to understand this." He said.
Amelia and Gourry joined Lina, "We understand." Amelia said, "But.." she left the conjunction hanging in the air.
Zel shook his head, "I can't.. you don't understand." He said, shaking his head, "I have to do it, just as soon as I can. Because I know.. something will happen. And I just can't risk that." He said, gathering up the book.
Lina frowned. Something, to her, wasn't right. But she couldn't change that.
Zel walked up the steps to the second basement of the large library. He roughly knocked the books off of a large table, and then hoisted himself upon it. He opened the book, and scanned the pages until he once again found the spell.
He clutched the book to his chest, and looked up to the sky, "God in the endless darkness, Keeper of the holy heavens, hear me and believe. I have suffered long and hard, I have kept my promises. I have never, ever made myself cry. Please. Let this be the one. So that I can be normal again. Human again. So that I don't have to endure the dirty stares any more, or the women who grab their children out of the way as I pass, or those who run at the sight of me. Please, Lord, I can't stand it any longer. I never want to see that again. I don't want anyone to be afraid to merely look at me. Let this be the one.. that sets me free." He said, and then he ended his makeshift prayer, as the other three ran up the stairs.
"Zel. I don't have a good feeling about this." Lina said, holding her hands up.
Amelia nodded, "Mr. Zelgadis, those old spells sometimes lose their potency." She said.
Zel shook his head, "I can't wait any longer. I know.." he paused, "I know this is not like me. But I've been patient enough. I don't want your pity, and I don't need your help. All I need is for you to believe in me."
Gourry looked doubtful, "But Zelgadis.."
"No buts." Zel said, "I've already waited too long." He lifted his arms, and Lina and Amelia felt the winds shift on the astral plane, as he called the magic to him. Mages for miles around felt the magic deplete, as it moved towards a more forceful will.
When Zel's eyes opened, they were glowing. He opened his mouth and in a deep voice said, "Golden Goddess of all life, for thy sake is this being done. Forceful will of your servant, remakes this body anew. By the silver moon that glows, and the golden sun that shines, take this body, and return it to the state in which you created it. Mold this spirit, and take the life of this creature into your hands." there was a pause, and the room grew intensely warm. A goldeny blue light began to shine from Zel. Lina's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away.
Zel smiled grimly, and shouted, "INTRINSIC COMPLETION!" throwing his arms to his sides.
The next sound that the rest heard was a shout of agony, as every piece of Zelgadis was ripped apart.
When the light faded, the others opened their eyes to a grisly sight. Blood had spattered over all of the walls, and Zel lie in the middle, unconscious.
Amelia burst into tears and ran forward, stopping just before Zelgadis, "Miss Lina." she said, her voice hollow, "He.. he's human." Her hands shook, as she reached forward.
Lina ran up, stopping her, "No, Amelia, we don't know." but she trailed off, as Zel shifted.
He opened one eye, "Amelia." he said slowly, "Lina."
Lina frowned, "Zel. a-are you all right?" she asked cautiously.
Zel laughed a little, the laugh quickly disintegrating into a cough, "Oh. of.. of course." He said.
"That's our Zel.." Gourry said, "Nothing can take him down." He smiled good naturedly, but stopped short as he reached Lina and Amelia, and finally got a good look at Zel. His face fell.
"Gourry." Zel said, "What's wrong.."
Gourry swallowed the lump in his throat, "Nothing." he said, "Lina, Amelia. can I speak to you?"
Lina and Amelia looked up at him, puzzled, but then nodded.
He took them aside, "Lina, something's wrong." He said.
"What do you mean?" Lina asked skeptically.
"He's not the same."
Amelia exploded, "Of course not, Mr. Gourry, he's human now!"
"No!" Gourry said, showing uncharacteristic vehemence, "You two. He was at such an angle that you couldn't see, but. but." he trailed off, "Just come here.." he said.
He walked them around the room, and as they rounded Zel's body, Amelia gasped.
Lina paled, bringing her hands to her lips, "Oh, Zel.." she said, tears welling up.
"Lina." Zel said, his eyes focusing weakly, "What?" he said faintly.
"Zel.. You.. You're not.." Lina stopped, her voice closing up.
Zel attempted to turn his head. For some reason his body was at such an angle that he couldn't see his arms or legs. This was just as well, because they were no longer there. Where his legs and arms once were, there were now ragged stumps, slowly seeping blood.
Gourry paused, "Zel, there's not enough of you." he said.
Zel attempted to understand, "Oh." He said. There wasn't enough blood in his body for him to be able to think straight, and that which was there was quickly leaving him.
Amelia collapsed to the ground, in shock. This was. this was. this was just like the way her mother died.
Zel finally realized what was wrong. He was dying.
Lina bent down to Zel's face, looking him in his eyes, "Zel.. The spell must not have been complete.. Something was missing. And instead of filling in where the human was taken out of you, it just removed all the non human parts."
Zel weakly nodded.
Lina's throat closed, and the next words came out in a squeak, "There wasn't.. there just wasn't. wasn't enough human left in you to make a whole body." She said.
"So then. so..." Zel's voice was fading, "So I'm going to...die.?" he asked.
Lina closed her eyes and looked away, unable to confirm it.
Rising, Amelia roughly pushed her away, "Zelgadis-san. You. I."
"Amelia?" Zel said, his voice as faint as a breeze, "I wish I could see you." he said, frowning. His eyes were out of focus, unable to see anything any longer.
Amelia pressed her hand to his cold cheek, "I love you." she said.
"Sou." Zel said faintly, and his lips curved up just so, "I knew." he said. His eyes closed, "I told them to do this." he said in a weak wheeze, "I asked them to. set me free.." As those words sailed out of his mouth, no breath went back in.
Amelia drew her hand away as she felt the life leave what was left of his body.
Putting her arms around Amelia, Lina stared without comprehending at Zel's broken body.
Tenderly, Gourry lifted the bloodstained cloak that was half wrapped around Zel. He wrapped it around him, and lifted Zel up, eyes closed in a face that was a mask of pain, "Come on Zel.. it's time to go." He said.
Teeth clenched, Zel rolled to his feet from his bed. Shocked, he pressed his hand to his face, surprised to feel a burst of relief when his ears detected the clack of stone on stone. He stood, looking over to the window, where the curtains glowed golden with the onset of dawn.
