1 THE GIFT OF THE MAZOUKU -- A SLAYERS STORY
2 Chapter 3 - Interlude1
Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. I should have called it something you somehow haven't to deserve - Robert Frost
Filia Ul Copt's "Mace & Vase" shop was closing for the day. Jillas (Kitsune) and Gravos (beastman) closed and locked the front door then climbed the steep stairs to theirs rooms above.
Filia sighed, "What would I have done without their help? And to imagine we were enemies less than a year ago.and the "man" that brought us together is about to join us again."
Filia pushed loose strands of her long blonde braid behind her ear. She rested her free hand protectively on the baby bassinet and gazed fondly at the contents; the incubus of the last of the Ancient Dragons. Filia was guilt-ridden when she learned that her race of Golden Dragons was responsible for the total destruction of the Ancients. Only a young dragon named Val survived.
His evil fate was sealed when the renegade monster Gaav found him. Instead of killing him as his natural enemy, Gaav saw the young Val as a kindred soul, one hated by his own face, and offered him a chance to survive, as a monster, though, and as his loyal retainer. Val felt that that wouldn't be so bad, not compared to death, and so allowed the Demon Dragon King Gaav to murder him, then resurrect him as the half-monster/half- dragon Valgaav.
None other than the Lord of Nightmares gifted the egg to Filia after the fall of Valgaav and DARKSTAR. Valgaav's life and death was a tragedy played out to a traumatic end when Darkstar was destroyed and then, reborn an egg floating from the heavens into the Golden Dragon's grateful hands. By caring for this egg, Filia hoped for redemption from her race's evils.
"The egg is full-sized now and the pulsations are coming more frequently now. I'd say he's due to hatch any day now. The invitations were mailed last week, but who knows how many actually found their addresses? Amelia, Martina, and Sylphiel live in palaces, but Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadiss? Who knows? Well, we'll soon find out, won't we Val-chan?"
Filia closed her beautiful blue eyes and smiled down at the glowing orb. The egg was now pearly black and weighed over 20 pounds. She gave it a loving pat, then moved off to her own room. The room connected to the business by a short hallway. It was a large, mostly empty room; large enough to accommodate Filia in her much bigger Dragon form. She rarely transformed now. She was no longer a priestess of her Dragon God, the Fire Dragon King. She wished to merely blend in. She had traded in her splendid robes for a plain blue dress and gold-toned merchant's apron then opened her own store. Jillas and Gravos, once servants who worshipped Valgaav, were now Filia's devoted employees. Together they lead quiet, contented lives helping one another deal with a painful loss and prepare for the exciting rebirth soon to come.
After bathing and changing into her simple white frock, Filia turned back the bed quilts and sank into the straw mattress. "Aha, at last to rest my weary feet."
"Filia! How good of you to invite me!"
"Xelloss? Xelloss! You namagomi Mazouku! I did not invite you. I wouldn't even if I knew how to find you, which I would NEVER want to know! Now get out of my dream!"
"My, my. Filia! What a temper you have tonight. You must learn to control your temper to be a good mother, neh?"
"Grrrrrr."
"Besides, You did invite me. I have an invitation right here." Xelloss holds up a card for Filia to see.
"Huh? Where did you get that? I threw that into the garbage. But it figures, raw garbage in the garbage."
"I want no favors from a monster like you. Especially you! The monster that murdered hundreds of my people with no regrets!"
"Oh my, Filia. Not that old grudge again.However, I do think you will want this favor, Golden Dragon."
"What do you want in return, Trickster Priest of Garbage? You don't do favors for expecting nothing in return. Hold On! Not Valgaav! You'll not take him away from me. He's mine to care for. You'll never get him. NEVER!"
"Filia, Filia, calm down, Golden Dragon. I don't want Valgaav (just now). But I'll tell you what I will do if you ask me nicely (or pound me senseless with your mace)."
"Go away! Leave me to dream in peace. I want no favors from a filthy Mazouku!"
"Very well then."
"Then, w-what, Xelloss?"
"Oh? So it's 'Xelloss' now, hum? Does that mean you are asking nicely?"
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Why? Well you know, Filia-dear, I really can't tell.that's a secret!"
"Ha!" Filia screeched and fell thrashing to the floor. " I'm not even safe from that monster in my sleep. Why am I dreaming about him? If I don't get some sleep, how will I take care of a baby dragon and run a business and open my new teahouse? Okay, Xelloss, I give up this time and this time only. Do you hear me? You can come. Now leave me to sleep in peace." Filia rolled over her mace on the floor and fell into a deep undisturbed sleep.
"Oh, of course I'm coming. But that wasn't the favor.Well, well, I guess you'll just have to wait and find out. Do you like surprises, Dragon? I do! Hummm, that's funny. This invitation was addressed to Miss Amelia. Was that wrong of me to keep it? Oh well, sleep well Dragon."
2 Chapter 3 - Interlude1
Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. I should have called it something you somehow haven't to deserve - Robert Frost
Filia Ul Copt's "Mace & Vase" shop was closing for the day. Jillas (Kitsune) and Gravos (beastman) closed and locked the front door then climbed the steep stairs to theirs rooms above.
Filia sighed, "What would I have done without their help? And to imagine we were enemies less than a year ago.and the "man" that brought us together is about to join us again."
Filia pushed loose strands of her long blonde braid behind her ear. She rested her free hand protectively on the baby bassinet and gazed fondly at the contents; the incubus of the last of the Ancient Dragons. Filia was guilt-ridden when she learned that her race of Golden Dragons was responsible for the total destruction of the Ancients. Only a young dragon named Val survived.
His evil fate was sealed when the renegade monster Gaav found him. Instead of killing him as his natural enemy, Gaav saw the young Val as a kindred soul, one hated by his own face, and offered him a chance to survive, as a monster, though, and as his loyal retainer. Val felt that that wouldn't be so bad, not compared to death, and so allowed the Demon Dragon King Gaav to murder him, then resurrect him as the half-monster/half- dragon Valgaav.
None other than the Lord of Nightmares gifted the egg to Filia after the fall of Valgaav and DARKSTAR. Valgaav's life and death was a tragedy played out to a traumatic end when Darkstar was destroyed and then, reborn an egg floating from the heavens into the Golden Dragon's grateful hands. By caring for this egg, Filia hoped for redemption from her race's evils.
"The egg is full-sized now and the pulsations are coming more frequently now. I'd say he's due to hatch any day now. The invitations were mailed last week, but who knows how many actually found their addresses? Amelia, Martina, and Sylphiel live in palaces, but Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadiss? Who knows? Well, we'll soon find out, won't we Val-chan?"
Filia closed her beautiful blue eyes and smiled down at the glowing orb. The egg was now pearly black and weighed over 20 pounds. She gave it a loving pat, then moved off to her own room. The room connected to the business by a short hallway. It was a large, mostly empty room; large enough to accommodate Filia in her much bigger Dragon form. She rarely transformed now. She was no longer a priestess of her Dragon God, the Fire Dragon King. She wished to merely blend in. She had traded in her splendid robes for a plain blue dress and gold-toned merchant's apron then opened her own store. Jillas and Gravos, once servants who worshipped Valgaav, were now Filia's devoted employees. Together they lead quiet, contented lives helping one another deal with a painful loss and prepare for the exciting rebirth soon to come.
After bathing and changing into her simple white frock, Filia turned back the bed quilts and sank into the straw mattress. "Aha, at last to rest my weary feet."
"Filia! How good of you to invite me!"
"Xelloss? Xelloss! You namagomi Mazouku! I did not invite you. I wouldn't even if I knew how to find you, which I would NEVER want to know! Now get out of my dream!"
"My, my. Filia! What a temper you have tonight. You must learn to control your temper to be a good mother, neh?"
"Grrrrrr."
"Besides, You did invite me. I have an invitation right here." Xelloss holds up a card for Filia to see.
"Huh? Where did you get that? I threw that into the garbage. But it figures, raw garbage in the garbage."
"I want no favors from a monster like you. Especially you! The monster that murdered hundreds of my people with no regrets!"
"Oh my, Filia. Not that old grudge again.However, I do think you will want this favor, Golden Dragon."
"What do you want in return, Trickster Priest of Garbage? You don't do favors for expecting nothing in return. Hold On! Not Valgaav! You'll not take him away from me. He's mine to care for. You'll never get him. NEVER!"
"Filia, Filia, calm down, Golden Dragon. I don't want Valgaav (just now). But I'll tell you what I will do if you ask me nicely (or pound me senseless with your mace)."
"Go away! Leave me to dream in peace. I want no favors from a filthy Mazouku!"
"Very well then."
"Then, w-what, Xelloss?"
"Oh? So it's 'Xelloss' now, hum? Does that mean you are asking nicely?"
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Why? Well you know, Filia-dear, I really can't tell.that's a secret!"
"Ha!" Filia screeched and fell thrashing to the floor. " I'm not even safe from that monster in my sleep. Why am I dreaming about him? If I don't get some sleep, how will I take care of a baby dragon and run a business and open my new teahouse? Okay, Xelloss, I give up this time and this time only. Do you hear me? You can come. Now leave me to sleep in peace." Filia rolled over her mace on the floor and fell into a deep undisturbed sleep.
"Oh, of course I'm coming. But that wasn't the favor.Well, well, I guess you'll just have to wait and find out. Do you like surprises, Dragon? I do! Hummm, that's funny. This invitation was addressed to Miss Amelia. Was that wrong of me to keep it? Oh well, sleep well Dragon."
