Chap 11 - Final Decisions
Xaina lay in her bed awake in her pajamas as she thought about what was coming. It was still light out, but the sun would be going down soon. Xellos had left her to sleep for the rest of the afternoon when they got back. The girl had slept a little, but now she was wide awake. She rolled on to her other side and noticed the bracelet sitting there. She reached out and grabbed it, looking closely at it. He never did tell me what spell he put on it, she recalled. She shook it, making the bell ring. It was a soft sound. Kind of nice, Xaina thought.
"I originally made that for your tail when you were a baby," a familiar voice explained.
Xaina jumped, dropping it. It made no sound as it bounced on the bed sheet. "Stop doing that!" she yelled.
"Sorry," Xellos apologized as he reached over her and picked it up. He sat on the bed beside her and looked it over, or pretended to anyway. "It only rings when you want it to." The girl sat up. She was clutching Booie. "You don't go very far without that toy, do you." She shook her head. "Should spell that."
"Speaking of spells, what did you put on the bracelet?"
"Tracking spell of my own design. That way, I could find you where ever you went. Your mother wouldn't let you have it, though. She said she didn't want you having anything to do with the monster race, even if you did favor that side of yourself."
"Is that when you put the suppression spells on me?"
He nodded. "I thought it'd be best if she intended on raising you to be human."
"Why did you look over me when I was a baby?" she asked frankly.
Xellos sighed. "Long story, really. I'll explain when you're a little older. For now, let's just say I owed a debt to someone."
"And I'm part of the repayment?"
"Something like that." He ruffled a little of her hair. "Enough with that. Are you well rested now?"
She shrugged and smoothed out her hair. "I guess. Why?"
A big grin spread across his face. "Because, you have more training to do."
"Great," she sarcastically sighed.
Xellos just grinned innocently and scooped her up in his arms. "Now, let's see...what do we need to do first...?"
"Get dressed," she interrupted. "And a bath would be good."
"Ah, yes a change in clothing would probably be best...unless you would like to train in your pajamas. It's fine with me if you do."
"It's not with me. My clothes should be in...my...bag...where is it?" she demanded when she noticed that her things were nowhere in sight.
"I put them away while you were sleeping," the trickster happily explained. He walked over to the closet and pushed open the door. If Xaina had been expecting anything, it was not what she saw; the walk in closet was full of all sorts of clothes. There was everything from a little pink dress to a dozen cloaks and a plain white blouse. There was several different pairs of shoes that were all as widely varied as the clothes.
"Let me guess, you did this while I was sleeping too," the girl blurted out skeptically.
Xellos continued to smile and nodded. "Yep. Made it all out myself..."
"Liar!" a voice retorted. Xellos leaned back so both he and Xaina could see the speaker: a lesser monster. The monster leaning in the doorway to the hall was the cook Lord Beastmaster kept. She was the average height of a human woman with long dark green hair that went all the way down her back. She looked almost human except for a pair of elf-ish ears and a set of furry clawed paws instead of hands and feet. She gave Xellos a coy smile as her sable eyes bore into him. "You did not." Xellos frowned. "He doesn't know the first thing about little girl clothes. Everyone else designed and made them." She pushed some of the long hair behind one of her ears. "Isn't that right, Xellos."
Xellos glared at Murkivra. "Don't you have a dinner to make or something?"
The lesser monster shrugged. "Already done. It just needs to cook for another two hours. In the mean time, I thought I might come meet our newest resident." She smiled at the small girl. "Hello Xaina. Sleep well, or did that bungler wake you up?"
"No, I was already up, thank you. You're Murkivra, right?" Xaina asked.
"Yes, that's me. Sorry I didn't come by to say hi earlier, but I've been really busy. Wraithand's having one of THOSE days and he needed someone to listen to his complaints. Everyone else was smart enough to avoid him, so I was stuck doing it. Are you adjusting well here?" The girl shrugged. "Well, I hope you like it. It can be very nice, especially when the weather is good, like it's been for the past few days."
"We DO have some training to get to," Xellos interrupted, "So, unless you have something important to do here..."
"I should leave? Yes, yes, I thought you'd say that. No, I don't having anything important to do, i just thought you might like help taking care of her since I..."
"I don't need your help," he cut her off.
"Uh-huh, are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Fine, fine," she shrugged. "But if you decide you do, you know where to find me. By the way, she shoulder was her face before she gets dressed so she doesn't get water all over her clothes." With that said, Murkivra turned and left, closing the door behind her.
He watched her leave and didn't avert his gaze until after he was certain the lesser monster was gone. Then he looked down at Xaina and the little bits of sleep crystals that clung in the corner of her eyes. "Hmph. I hate it when she's right."
He carried her in to the washroom and found a pitcher of warm water already sitting on the sink. Murkivra had planned ahead for this. He poured some in a basin and let her take care of that herself while he headed back to the closet to figure out what she should wear. He personally thought the little black shorts and high cut stomach tank top (suggested by Lord Beastmaster) would be good, but he wasn't sure if she'd like them. She had never showed off that much skin at once before...
"What are they made out of?" Xaina asked. He glanced over his shoulder and found her rubbing her hand over some of the fabric.
"Astral cloth," he replied. "They'll cling to you at all times and conform to fit what ever size you are. Most monsters have clothes made out of it. They don't rip or brake under normal circumstances, and you can make them disappear much easier then normal clothes, so most prefer it. It basically becomes part of your very being if you want it to."
"Are yours made from it?"
"Of course," he smiled. "I designed mine myself." He came across a blue dress Wraithand had insisted be there.
"How do you make them?"
"Very carefully. Murkivra made most of it, though other monsters helped a little."
"How many other monsters live here?"
Xellos thought about this for a moment, then shrugged. "Not sure. Never really counted. Most of them don't stay here for long and some are never seen much."
"Why are some not seen?"
"You sure are curious, aren't you?" he teased as he looked at a blouse and pant set he had designed. He pulled them out. He held them up and turned back to the girl. "What do you think of this, Xaina?"
Xaina had pulled down a strange outfit and was holding it against herself. It was a lose fitting body suit with puff sleeves and pant legs, a black belt and a pull over drape of sturdy white and black fabric. The drape was long and hung down the front and back, ending in a rounded bottom. The sides were only connected at the top over the shoulders but the rest hung loosely. The sides of it ended just as they came over the shoulder blade. It had a hole in the top for her head to fit through with a caller that had a small bell on it. All along the sides, up the shoulders, and around the base of the caller were strips of black fabric following the seams. Down the front of the pull over was a strange pattern of black shapes connected to a line of black that attached to the strip on the rounded bottom. The wrists and ankles had purple cuffs on them with little silver bells on them. He didn't recognize it at all and had no idea where it came from.
"I like this!" she exclaimed with glee.
"You do?" Xaina nodded vigorously. She reached for the buttons on her night shirt. "I'll just give you a little privacy then..."
"Kay." He walked just outside of the closet, closing the door slightly. A moment later, she walked out half dressed with her small wings she had just sprouted only a few hours ago tangled in the fabric. "Um, could you help? I'm stuck," she asked sheepishly.
The older monster kneeled down and untangled her wings, putting them through the holes on the back meant for them. With that done, she skipped back inside and hocked the belt on. Then she grabbed the pull over and slipped her head through the hole. There was a spot in the back that was narrow and fit snugly between her wings. There was a floor length mirror on the inside of the door that she looked herself over with. She loved the outfit. She turned to the side and saw the small wings that looked like they would fit nicely on Booie's back. The fingers were lined with black fur while the webbing was made of white skin. She flapped them. How odd, she thought. They look so...so...odd...
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a pair of purple boots. She toddled over to them and dropped on the her bottom. She pulled them on and was surprised at how well they fit. Then she remembered what Xellos had said about all the clothing fitting to her size perfectly.
When she came back out, she found Xellos marching the little dolls around the room, not paying any attention. He really does need his own set, she mused. She shook, making all the bells ring to get his attention. He glanced up and smiled. She was wearing the boots he had come up with.
"What do you think?" she asked as she gave a quick pirouette.
Xellos smiled. "You look very nice...but you're missing something."
"What?"
He walked over and snagged the end of her tail. She watched him with great curiosity. He picked up the bracelet again and slipped it on to her tail. It fit perfectly to the shape of her tail. "There. Now it's perfect." She shook her tail, making the bell ring softly.
*****
Xaina was exhausted from the training. They had spent the last day doing nothing but make sure she could do all sorts of little teleporting spells. She was getting quite good at moving things, but preferred to teleport herself; she was far better at moving herself then anything else. She was getting really good at hide and seek too, since now she knew how to just teleport back to safe. This is something that annoyed Xellos (she was getting good at reading emotions too). They often had many games involving the dolls. What Xellos' fascination with them was, she couldn't even begin to guess. It all tired her out though. He had kept her up until the evening that day before so she would adjust to the time change a little, but she still felt worn and out of energy.
She was now lying in bed, too tired to even sleep. She sighed into Booie and closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep. It wasn't working. She cleared her mind... ... ... Nope, still awake. She groaned and rolled out of bed, deciding a glass of water might help her just a little bit. She dragged herself into the bathroom, pulling Booie along with her and poured a small cup full from the pitcher sitting in the basin for washing her face in the morning. She gulped in down and set the cup back on the counter, trudging her way back to bed and the elusive hope of sleep.
The girl stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes rested on the bed. Lying at the foot of it was a large black wolf. Its keen golden eyes watched her. There was a small brown spot on the nose of the creature. Syrin, the girl remembered. She was the alpha female of Lord Beastmaster's pack. Syrin rest her head on her paws, but her eyes never left the girl.
"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly. The wolf sighed, but said nothing, not that Xaina had been expecting her to. She was more then aware that even though these wolves were bigger then normal, they were not sentient. "I never said you were welcome here, ya know." Syrin seemed to ignore the girl. Getting a bit impatient, and feeling even more sleep deprived, the girl crossed the room and crawled back into bed. "I don't mind if you stay, just let me sleep, alright?" When the wolf didn't respond, the girl laid back down, trying to fall asleep...
*****
Xellos appeared in the girl's room, hovering just above the bed. Syrin glanced up, sniffed the air, paused, and sighed, laying her head back down to rest. He gave her a weary grin, wondering why she was here. He shrugged. Doesn't really matter, I guess. He turned his attention to the sleeping child.
"You had better be ready for what they will try to do," he whispered in a scolding tone. "I didn't spend all this time guarding you to watch them rip you apart now. I wont forgive you," he ended in a tease. He knew the consequences would be much worse for both him and Xaina if the others tried to kill her as Lord Vereus had. If he failed... He let his mind trail off at the thought. He didn't even want to finish it. He knew he wouldn't be living for much longer if something got out of hand and somehow dying wasn't high on Xellos' list of things to do in the near future, if at all.
There was more going on then he knew, he was sure. Lord Beastmaster knew, but she wasn't giving him even the slightest of hints as to what was really going on. Makes it so much harder when she does that, he bitterly thought. The other lords know, though. They must. There's no other reason why they would be after her if they didn't know something important. But she usually gives me some hints... He sighed, a bit frustrated with the whole situation.
"What I wouldn't give for you to be a baby again. You were so much easier to look after...never going anywhere...no powers...you're more trouble then you're worth sometimes." The girl sighed in her sleep, muttering something. He frowned and pulled the blankets up high over her body, then disappeared.
*****
Xaina nearly leaped out of bed as her violet eyes opened, drawing her out of sleep. The dolls were surrounding her again. Their little beaty black eyes all stared at her. Xellos was floating at the foot of the bed, his usual closed eyed grin watching her. Maybe getting him a set would be a bad idea, she thought. I'll never get use to waking up to that...or him.
"Well, well, look who's finely awake," he teased. He had his staff with him this morning, she noted. Usually he left it behind when she was getting up in the morning.
Xaina moaned. She didn't want to be up yet. "Please make them go away. Can't I sleep just a little longer?"
"No, Ôfraid not. However, there is a nice, steaming hot bath waiting for you, courtesy of Murkivra."
"Kay," she groaned and flopped back down in the bed, pulling the covers over her head. She curled up in a ball, trying to get warm enough to settle back to sleep. There was a soft whooshing sound as the sheets were suddenly ripped off of the bed. The girl was suddenly assaulted with a blast of cold morning air. "Ahh! Don't! Give Ôum back!"
"So you can go back to sleep again?"
"Yes!"
Xellos frowned. "Well, at least you're honest about it." He shrugged and dropped the blankets on the floor. He floated over to her and hung in the air just above the small girl. He flashed her his evil smile. "Xaina, if you don't get up, I'll make you get up, and you don't want to know what I'll do."
Xaina unfolded herself and flopped onto her back, looking up at him. "Actually, I'm rather curious what you'd do. You can't hurt me Ôcause that'll make Lord Beastmaster angry, and I don't think she's a nice person when she's angry. Am I right?"
He frowned again. "No she's not and I'll sick the dolls on you if you don't." The girl smiled mischievously and folded her arms together. "Fine, have it your way." He motioned for the dolls to get up (since he'd knocked them over when he was pulling the sheets off) and marched them all around her. "You sure?" She continued to smile and didn't budge an inch. He sighed and all the dolls leaped for her...and fell onto the bare bed. He watched, amazed at how fast she had teleported out of the way. Xaina's bubbly giggle could be heard from the washroom door. He turned sharply and smiled. "There she is! Get Ôer!" All the dolls pushed themselves up and marched (or in the case of the one with the broken leg, hopped) stiffly in her direction. The girl slammed the door shut, locking them out. Simple doors would hold Xellos back, though. He teleported in the room in front of the girl who had her back pressed up against the door. "Are you ready to wash up now?"
"Fine," she sighed. She skipped over to the bathing pool. It was square, tiled with ivory white squares, black triangles, purple diamonds, and a line of gold just above where the water line rested. It could fit six or seven grownups rather comfortably, she noted. The water looked to be at least four feet deep, which was taller the she was. She stuck one bare toe into the steaming water; it was a little warm, but that was only because her toes were cold. Deciding it was alright, it pulled off her pajamas and walked down the steps. It was hot at first and she edged in slowly. Once she was fully in, sitting on the lowest step so her chin rested just above the water, she sighed contentedly. She closed her eyes, wishing she could sleep here.
"Nice?"
"Yep," she chirped. Something plopped into the water in front of her. She opened her eyes and spied a white piece of cloth slowly sinking in to the water. Right next to her face, Xellos held out a bar of ivory soup.
"Good, wash up. I want you to be squeaking clean..."
"Squeaking?" she asked, giving him a curious look.
"Murkivra said that's the only way I'll know if you're clean," he happily replied.
"Oh...I don't think she meant that literally."
"All the same, do try and squeak," he quipped.
*****
Xaina stacked the blocks up, making another castle. Xellos had been gone when she came out of her bath, leaving no notice as to where he had gone. At first, she had figured he would be back in a moment. When he didn't come back, she started to think maybe he wanted her to go find him...but wouldn't he have said something if he had wanted that? She couldn't really complain; she hadn't exactly been looking forward to more training today. It was tiring, to say the least. He had insisted that was only because she wasn't use to it, but she still didn't want to do more.
Placing the last block to make the wall of her tiny structure, she sighed. She picked up a few of the wooden dolls Xellos had so kindly left behind for her and began placing them all around, inside and out, the castle to make it look like people wondering around. Her feline like ears twitched now and again as she could hear something going on outside. She had known something was going on, but she wasn't sure of what. She had looked out her window, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. They day was sort of foggy, yet warm in an uncomfortable way. She was glad not to be out in the muggy heat, but her curiosity demanded that she see what was going on. She grabbed Booie next to her and smashed down the blocks and people, delighting in watching it fall. She had never had blocks before, though she was putting them on her list of things she'd like. She had started the list when Lord Beastmaster had said she could have anything she wanted that would make her feel more at home here over Lunch the day before. Little wooden dolls like Val's were on the top of her list of things to have.
Her ears twitched again as she picked up the sounds of laughter outside. She leaped to her feet and scampered to the window seat. Pressing her face up against the glass, she searched for some sign of anyone there, but saw no one. This was getting boring. She had to know what was going on. She had to see.
"See something interesting?"
She jumped, flipping around to face the man behind her. Her heart was racing. Her blood ran hot. "Stop that! Stop it, stop it, stopitstopitstopit, STOP IT! I hate when you do that!" she screeched.
Xellos just shrugged and smiled. "I'd think you would be use to that by now..."
"I don't want to get use to it! I want you to stop!"
"Fine fine," he sighed. "I'll try."
"Don't try! Do! Now where have you been!?! I've been waiting her all morning for you to come back!"
"I didn't realize you were my mother now," he retorted, letting the smile fade.
"I'm not, and I feel sorry for her having a child like you anyway."
He shot her a bitter glare. "As a matter of fact, I don't have a mother."
"Then where did you come from?"
"Lord Beastmaster created me."
"Oh..."
"Are you ready to go?"
"Go? Go where?" she asked.
"You'll see..."
*****
Dolphin and Zelas glared at each other from across the round patio table. They both smiled, pretending to be pleasant to each other. It was a game they played well. Dynest and Vereus just sat there listening to the ladies occasionally exchange pointless small talk. Each of the lords had a personal lesser monster with them standing a few feet back from the table. Dynest had a plain, bird-like man. Vereus had a strange monster draped in a black cloak; its gender was anyone's guess. Dolphin's servant was a blue fish woman she probably kept more as a pet then anything else. Zelas had chosen Wraithand to stay near by her. His shadowy form floated just above the ground. To most, he reminded people of the shadow of a legless person wearing a raged cloak. Murkivra stood near by as well to serve drinks to the "guests".
Dolphin took a sip of her wine. "It's quite a good year, isn't it?" she commented dryly.
"I only keep the best," Zelas bragged.
"Yes, well, I have had better, though this is certainly nice."
Zelas twitched slightly. She never like being insulted in her own home. "That's because I only save the best bottles for truly special occasions... such as after I aided in the defeat of Darkstar."
"More like you're little servant boy aided..."
"As he was ordered to," Zelas interrupted. Dynest and Vereus exchanged glances at the petty argument.
"That still doesn't mean you did anything..."
"I'm sure this is probably fascinating and all," Dynest interrupted, "But can we get to the point of why we're here?"
"Where's the girl!" Vereus snapped, slamming one of his human fists on the table. Somehow, his hot tempered personality didn't at all fit the handsome, young, blond human he had taken the form of.
"Yes yes, I'll get to that in a minute," the lord of beasts waved off. "Murkivra, bring out something to eat."
"Yes master," the green haired monster said with a bow and walked back inside.
"And what did you pull her out of?" Dolphin teased when Murkivra had gone.
"A village burned down by dragons. She was rather eager to become a monster, actually. I hadn't intended on keeping her, but she's been far too valuable to let go... not that I would expect you to understand that... given, ya know..."
Dolphin glared evilly as Murkivra reappeared at the door carrying a tray of various hors d'oeuvre. She set it on the table and hastily backed off. Dolphin grunted. "Well, I guess she's better then picking up a traitor..."
"Enough!" Dynest roared. "Can we forget the petty bickering for a just one hour!?!" Both woman folded their arms together and turned up their noses definitely. "I want the girl!"
"Well, you can't have her," Zelas snorted.
"She's right," Dolphin agreed. "If anything, she should go to me."
"Not a chance!" Zelas roared.
"She should be put to death," Vereus calmly stated, taking a sip of his wine. "It's the only way to prevent it from happening."
"You don't know that," the lord of beasts retorted. "I'm the one who has a copy of it..."
"And you could easily be lying to us," Dolphin pointed out.
"What could I possible gain from lying to you?"
"Power over the others," Dynest remarked.
A huge argument soon erupted from three of the monsters. Their voices rang high and clear for all the hear. Several of the lesser monsters exchanged nervous glances. None of the particularly wanted to die that day. Murkivra took another cautious step back. She had no experience as a fighter like the others. Vereus, all the while, sat quietly listening to the other monster lords argue amongst themselves about possession of the girl. He took one of the pastries appetizers and popped it in his mouth.
Vereus coughed, getting the attention of the others. "I must say, Zelas, you have quite a remarkable chief here. These little chocolate things are simple divine. I may have to steal her some time."
"She's not for taking, buying, or borrowing," the hostess remarked hastily. "None of my servants are."
"Really? Then why was Phabrizzo using your precious little general- priest before he was destroyed?" Dolphin asked in a sinister tone.
Zelas glared at her. "Because I owed him a favor and he had right to ask for anything he wanted. He didn't have any servants of his own after all."
The women glared for several long minutes as everyone was quite again. Vereus took another pastry. He seemed to rather enjoy them. He glanced at Murkivra and winked. The green hair woman simply looked away. The blond took another sip of his wine.
"I want the child," Dynest stated, breaking the silence.
"What a shame, because she'll be mine," Dolphin quipped.
"Over my dead body," Zelas growled.
"You know that can be arranged," Dynest grinned.
Vereus set his glass down calmly. "Now, now, we are all servants of Shabranigdu here. This type of mindless bickering will get us nowhere. There are other ways to decide who shall get to claim her and as he wishes with the girl." Everyone turned their gaze to the serene lord, suddenly curious about his purposely. He smiled, looking the picture of innocent beauty. "We all simply battle each other and who ever is left standing claims the girl and everything else within the others' possessions." All the lords glared at him. None of them found this even the slightest bit amusing, let alone a good idea.
"Leave it to you to come up with as stupid an idea as that!" Dynest remarked. "You'd do anything to lay your grubby hands on my secrets."
"Oh please," Dolphin sighed. "No one wants your damned secrets! You don't even have any secrets!"
Dynest leaped to his feet, slamming his fists on the table. Outraged and insulted, he began powering a spell. All the other three monsters pushed back nervously. The lesser monsters' blood ran cold. They all exchanged worried looks.
Murkivra even felt goose bumps boil up her arms. Fearing the worst and getting a sudden bit of boldness, the green haired lesser monster stepped, forward, fumbling for words. "Uh...wait...can't...no...well, um..." All the lords suddenly stared in her direction. Dynest squelched his spell as he glared at the weaker creature who had somehow found the courage to speak up. "Yes, uh, hi. Now, um...well, I maybe just..ah...be a servant and all...but, yeah, I was just think that, um...well...couldn't you just...oh, say...uh...ask her what she wants...if...um...that alright?" The other monsters seemed rather dumb founded by the suggestion. All of the stared at her. Feeling extremely self conscious, Murkivra blushed a deep crimson. "Yeah, see," she hastily continued, "I figured that since she is, well, ya know, the one you're all fighting over, then maybe she should, I guess, have a say in what happens to her, because she's um, not exactly a normal monster and all...ya know?" She bowed her head, looking away to hide her fear, and stepped back. She could shake the strange sinking feeling she had in the pit of her stomach.
"Well, that hardly seems fair," Vereus stated, breaking the long, awkward silence that had hung far too long in the air. "She would already be bias towards here."
"What do you care? You're just going to kill her anyway," Zelas grunted.
"That's besides the point!"
"He's right though," Dolphin agreed. "She would automatically say here because it's all she's seen."
"I highly doubt that," Murkivra snorted in a tone far louder then she had expected to. She quickly turned several new shades of red.
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Zelas demanded.
The cook was silent for a moment as she collected herself. "Actually, she is not all that found of this place. It rather frightens Xaina, and..."
"Xaina?" Dynest interjected.
"Th-that's the girl's name. She isn't all that fond of this place, as I said and all, and she even tried to escape..." All the lords chuckled at this, except Zelas, who seemed rather annoyed with her servant. "But, well, she isn't exactly developed very far in her powers, so she didn't get far, and...I...well I just....that is...I..."
Vereus waved an amused hand at her. "Yes, yes. We get your rather jumbled point. Very well, I see no reason we shouldn't entertain this idea.
*****
"Who wants to see me?" Xaina demanded as Xellos literally pushed her down one of the halls.
"Several monster lords..." Xellos started.
"Several MEAN monster lords who want to take you away and torture you for their own amusement," Murkivra had interrupted. The girl's worried look now changed into horror and she scrambled to get away. Xellos, however, had a firm hold of the girl's tail.
"Why did you do that?" he inquired with a bitter tone in his voice.
Murkivra shrugged. "Just telling her the truth. You ARE the one who told me that honesty is the best policy..."
"WHEN it gets me what I want," he retorted. "And this is NOT what I want."
"You do want her to stay here, don't you?" He nodded. "Well, I just giving her a few subtle hints that she might just be happier here."
"Oh, yes, subtle indeed." He gave her a disapproving glare, to which she only smiled innocently back. He bent down to the terrified girl and forced her to face him. "Now Xaina, look; if you don't go out and speak to them, then they wont give you a chance to stay..."
"Is this why you were training me!?" she snapped, obviously hurt that he had told her nothing about this.
"Yes and no," he replied honestly. "We wanted you prepared enough that you could do something to get away if the other lords tried anything, but you need to be trained anyway so you powers don't get out of control. Xaina, your not a lesser monsters like Murkivra. You're a very powerful one...even more so then me. Once you develop your abilities, you will be as strong as all the people you're about to meet, which is why they all want you. They want to have control over you when you grow up."
"Even you?"
Xellos thought about this for a moment. "I guess so. I haven't really thought about it. Like I said before, you are part of my payment of a dept. I have to make sure that you learn to use your powers and don't let any of the other monster lords control you."
Murkivra raised a questioning eye brow. This was new to her. "A debt? And to whom do you owe this?"
"That's a secret," he teased, much to the cook's displeasure. "Now, Xaina, I need you to go out there and be good. I wont let anything happen to you. I promise." He flicked his wrist and Booie appeared in his hand. "You can even take Booie with you."
"I think I'd rather prefer Lina," she replied.
Xellos chuckled. "I don't think they would like that idea, and let's not get into how Lina would react." He handed her the toy and took one of her hands, forcibly directing her in the direction of where the lords were sitting outside.
"I think Lina would rather like the idea," The girl commented, still pulling back a bit, though not quite as hard.
"Not if she knew I would be around most of the time just to make sure you didn't lose control of those powers I'm letting you have."
"You're not letting me have anything!" she retorted. "I had Ôum before; you just made Ôum hard to use."
Xellos chuckled. "Sometimes I think you are too smart for anyone's own good." Xaina raised a curious eyebrow. "No one can get the better of you easily."
"Oh."
"Then that's all the better for her," Murkivra remarked. She reached down and scooped the child up in her arms. "Isn't it?" She twiddled her fingers against the girl's stomach getting an audible laugh from the child. "See, she agrees with me. Now don't be nervous, sweet. Just be honest, listen carefully, and say what ever is on your mind..."
"Uh...that may not be the best of ideas," Xellos interrupted. "You don't want to offend any of them..."
"Oh pish posh," the lesser monster dismissed. "They're all just bluffing out there. I've been watching them since them got here and all they've done is hiss and spit, but nothin' more. Relax, Xellos. She'll be fine just being herself."
Xellos grumbled something but didn't press the point. Murkivra was not someone you could argue with and win in most cases. Murkivra tickled the child a few more times to be sure that she was at least somewhat relaxed when she went to see all those lords.
The smile that had been on Xaina's face suddenly faded as she saw out through the set of huge glass doors Lord Beastmaster with three strange people. One was a young, handsome blond that she instantly distrusted. The second man was a dark haired brunette with a sour look on his face. The third was a blue haired woman with sharp dark eyes. Beastmaster was edgy and dressed in her usual revealing, low cut dress and was sipping a glass of wine. Xaina went stiff all over. She wrapped her arms rather tightly around Murkivra's neck, grabbing hold of the cloth of the lesser monster's shirt in a death grip. Murkivra frowned but carried the child out the doors. Xellos followed close behind, refusing to go far from the girl. Murkivra carefully pried the child from her clothes and set her on the ground, backing away. Xaina's heart raced and her mind went blank. She stared in half horror, knowing what each of them were underneath those lovely shells of people. When the dark haired man reached down touch her, Xaina dashed for the door. She didn't get far, however. Xellos grabbed her and scooped her up in his arms. She struggled desperately to get away, but the trickster had a firm grip on her. He carried her over to the table and set her on top of it. The trays were hastily removed by Murkivra and set elsewhere so that the child could stand there.
"This is it?" the dark haired man griped.
"Yes," Beastmaster responded. "This is her."
The blond took a sip of his wine, watching, with great interest, the frightened girl struggle to get away.
"A bit small, isn't she?" the blue hair woman asked no one in particular. She reached out one slender finger and poked the girl in the stomach. Xaina let out a rather pathetic whimper and snuggled against Xellos' hands. He was still holding her in the center of the table and wouldn't let her go. "Pathetic too."
"She's just a baby," Beastmaster commented. "She's growing much the same way any human does. That is how she was meant to."
The dark haired man leaned in to scrutinize Xaina. She covered her eyes with Booie, begging any god that would listen to take her away from there. She didn't trust them. She didn't like them. She just wanted to go back to her room and play with her blocks and Booie, who she still clung to with both hands. She was poked again but this time in the side. She didn't make a sound, just buried herself against Xellos' hands as much as she could. She began to curl up in a ball with her wings pulled over her shoulders and her tail coiled up around her feet. | "I do have to agree with Dolphin; she is a bit cowardly. Or is this perhaps some sort of ploy to keep her?" the dark haired man demanded.
"Not at all," Beastmaster replied. There was a hint of concern in her voice. "Xaina, dear, please do stop that. It's really not helping us any." Xaina didn't budge, though she did psychically shake when Beastmaster brushed some of the black hair out of Xaina's face. The woman glanced at Xellos impatiently.
Xellos shot Murkivra an evil glare as he pulled Xaina close to him. "It's alright, Xaina," he whispered to her. "No one is going to hurt you. I promise. There's no need to be so frightened. He gently pulled the toy down from her eyes and made her look into his own open eyes. "I gave you my word that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I never break my word." He pulled her up so she was standing, though weakly and forced her back in to the center of the table. When he was certain she wouldn't run, he back off a few steps.
Her wings tensed over her shoulders and her tail twined around one leg. All the fur on her tail and wing fingers had puffed out. She clutched the toy for dear life. Each of the lords stared at her which only made her fear worse. She began to study her fingers just to get her mind off of them, but it didn't help any. She felt so helpless and stiff.
"What's her name?" the woman they had called Dolphin demanded.
"Xaina," Beastmaster supplied. She was poked again by the dark haired man. "Would you stop that, Dynest?"
"Not much to look at, is she? I hope this isn't her monster form. Doesn't have much flesh on her, does she," Dynest commented. He grunted out a laugh. "Not feeding her?"
"I do to!" Murkivra snapped. She clapped a hand over her mouth and turned beat red. All the lords looked at her disapprovingly.
"I see your servants have yet to learn their place," Dolphin sneered.
Beastmaster glared back. "At least my servants still have..."
"Oh great," the blond muttered. "We're back here again." Both woman gave him deadly looks, though he seemed to ignore them. "Ladies, if you wouldn't mind, can we save the pointless bickering for later. I do believe we have more important matters before us right now." He gestured towards the girl. He smiled at her and gave a wink. "Hello Xaina. My name is Vereus." He held out a hand, offering to shake. Xaina hesitated but started to reach out.
"He's the one who wants to kill you," Zelas remarked coldly when she saw the girl about to accept his offer friendship. Xaina jumped back, nearly falling off the table, yelping "Eahh!" as she did so. The Lord of Beasts placed a hand behind the girl to keep her from falling off. "Would you like something to eat, Xaina?" Xaina glanced over at Zelas, slightly disturbed. She wasn't the least bit hungry, and she was sure if she ate, she wouldn't keep it down. Beastmaster, however, just smiled and snapped her fingers. Murkivra hastily set the tray with all the sweet pastries on the table. Xaina didn't move; she was rooted to the spot. "While go on," Beastmaster encouraged. "They're quite good." Xaina hesitated, but stepped over to it and picked out a small chocolate covered strawberry. She took a cautious bite and received an approving smile from Zelas. "That's a good girl. See, she eats just fine."
Munching on the strawberry suddenly gave Xaina something to do to ease her tension. She sat carefully in the middle of the table and listened to the chatter going on about her, feeling a little less scared and a little more curious. When she finished with one strawberry, she picked out a second one.
"Alright, s she does," Dynest retorted. "That doesn't change the fact the she's still half starved."
"Well, that's hardly my fault..." Zelas tried to argue.
"It was YOUR servant who was watching over her and suppose to be keeping her safe..." Dolphin chimed in.
"Which I was not aware of. He had never mentioned anything about her to me."
"Oh, so then you don't keep an eye on what your servants do in their time? Even I know what my servants are doing, especially my priests and generals. They never would have kept such a secret from me..."
"He wasn't allowed to say anything," Xaina interrupted. All of the monsters stared at her. A little juice was dripping down on her chin. Xellos waved a hand so that a napkin appeared in front of the girl. She took it and wiped off her chin, but that only spread the juice further on her face.
"Oh, and why not?" Vereus snorted.
"He said he wouldn't to the person who told him to look over me," she happily replied.
Zelas glared at her priest/general. "What person?" she hissed.
"Someone more powerful then all of you and I wasn't about to say no to her," Xellos replied. "I will explain, but I think it would be best for her not to hear what I would have to say." He raised a questioning eyebrow and all the monster seemed to fluster a bit. Xaina had no idea who he was talking about, but they certainly seemed to. "And with all fairness, I did keep my word to her. I never told anyone about her; you all just figured it out on your own."
Dolphin snorted while the two men seemed rather displeased with this new turn in their plans.
"Seems then you can't kill her," Dynest grunted to Vereus, who only sneered.
"Well, then I purpose that I train her," Dolphin stated. Everyone glared at her, silently demanding a reason. "I have trained far more monsters then anyone here..."
"But not any like her," Zelas reminded her.
"Oh, and I suppose you have?" Vereus hissed.
"No, but I have," Xellos responded. The lords glanced at him. "I trained Murkivra there, along with several other humans that have been turned in to monsters. I've already begun training her."
"To do what?" Dynest demanded.
"She can call things to her, as well as teleport and make objects move with her will..."
"Oh, how impressive," Dolphin sighed sarcastically.
"In just two days," Xellos added. This caught the lords' attention. Zelas smiled contentedly like a cat who has just caught a bird. Xaina, if you would...?"
"Wou' wha'?" she asked with a third strawberry half in her mouth.
"Would demonstrate one of your powers."
"Which one?" Mentally she wished he would say teleport so she could get out of there, though she was enjoying the treats.
"Why don't you bring a few of the dolls here," the purple haired trickster suggested.
Xaina sighed and set down her strawberry. "You just want to play with them," she commented as she called out to the dolls and made them come to her. It took a little effort, but she made them move. They appeared over her head and dropped down, clanging on the table.
"She needs improvement," Dynest commented.
"Yes, well, that isn't exactly her strongest ability..." Xellos tried to explain.
"Then what is?" Vereus demanded.
"Teleporting..."
"And what about her specialty?" Dolphin interrupted.
"Well, I don't exactly know that yet..."
"Why not?" Dynest snapped.
"Because she's only had her powers for two days," Zelas responded, taking some of the pressure off her servant, much to his relief. "She hasn't had much time to get use to them yet. They're not even at full capacity..."
"What?" the other three lords cried.
"Her powers haven't fully developed back yet and they will get stronger as she grows older," Xellos supplied. He didn't like the way the three were staring at him.
There was a long silence in the area. Not a bird sang, nor did any trees dare rustle. The breezes didn't even dare to stir up. Xaina stopped eating and watched them. Her eyes darted from monster to monster, interested in what they might be thinking. Her fear from before had been mostly, but not entirely, forgotten.
"Well, I think we know who her teacher should be, much as I hate to admit it," Vereus stated, breaking the silence. He looked down at the girl. "Tell me, Xaina, do you like this servant of Zelas'?"
Xaina shrugged. "I guess so. He's not quite so bad once you get to know him."
"And Zelas, you are happy with her?"
"Uh...ok. Sure, why not?" Xaina replied, not quite sure just what the question had been just that she'd been asked it.
"And you like this island?"
"Yeah. It's not so bad when the sun is out."
The monsters all chuckled at her response. "Well, then, if she likes it here, then she should stay until she has fully developed her powers..."
"Oh, I have a better idea," Dolphin interrupted, smiling evilly at Xellos. "A way for her to learn and never be far from her teacher at the same time..."[pic][pic]-[pic][pic]--ÿÿ
Xaina lay in her bed awake in her pajamas as she thought about what was coming. It was still light out, but the sun would be going down soon. Xellos had left her to sleep for the rest of the afternoon when they got back. The girl had slept a little, but now she was wide awake. She rolled on to her other side and noticed the bracelet sitting there. She reached out and grabbed it, looking closely at it. He never did tell me what spell he put on it, she recalled. She shook it, making the bell ring. It was a soft sound. Kind of nice, Xaina thought.
"I originally made that for your tail when you were a baby," a familiar voice explained.
Xaina jumped, dropping it. It made no sound as it bounced on the bed sheet. "Stop doing that!" she yelled.
"Sorry," Xellos apologized as he reached over her and picked it up. He sat on the bed beside her and looked it over, or pretended to anyway. "It only rings when you want it to." The girl sat up. She was clutching Booie. "You don't go very far without that toy, do you." She shook her head. "Should spell that."
"Speaking of spells, what did you put on the bracelet?"
"Tracking spell of my own design. That way, I could find you where ever you went. Your mother wouldn't let you have it, though. She said she didn't want you having anything to do with the monster race, even if you did favor that side of yourself."
"Is that when you put the suppression spells on me?"
He nodded. "I thought it'd be best if she intended on raising you to be human."
"Why did you look over me when I was a baby?" she asked frankly.
Xellos sighed. "Long story, really. I'll explain when you're a little older. For now, let's just say I owed a debt to someone."
"And I'm part of the repayment?"
"Something like that." He ruffled a little of her hair. "Enough with that. Are you well rested now?"
She shrugged and smoothed out her hair. "I guess. Why?"
A big grin spread across his face. "Because, you have more training to do."
"Great," she sarcastically sighed.
Xellos just grinned innocently and scooped her up in his arms. "Now, let's see...what do we need to do first...?"
"Get dressed," she interrupted. "And a bath would be good."
"Ah, yes a change in clothing would probably be best...unless you would like to train in your pajamas. It's fine with me if you do."
"It's not with me. My clothes should be in...my...bag...where is it?" she demanded when she noticed that her things were nowhere in sight.
"I put them away while you were sleeping," the trickster happily explained. He walked over to the closet and pushed open the door. If Xaina had been expecting anything, it was not what she saw; the walk in closet was full of all sorts of clothes. There was everything from a little pink dress to a dozen cloaks and a plain white blouse. There was several different pairs of shoes that were all as widely varied as the clothes.
"Let me guess, you did this while I was sleeping too," the girl blurted out skeptically.
Xellos continued to smile and nodded. "Yep. Made it all out myself..."
"Liar!" a voice retorted. Xellos leaned back so both he and Xaina could see the speaker: a lesser monster. The monster leaning in the doorway to the hall was the cook Lord Beastmaster kept. She was the average height of a human woman with long dark green hair that went all the way down her back. She looked almost human except for a pair of elf-ish ears and a set of furry clawed paws instead of hands and feet. She gave Xellos a coy smile as her sable eyes bore into him. "You did not." Xellos frowned. "He doesn't know the first thing about little girl clothes. Everyone else designed and made them." She pushed some of the long hair behind one of her ears. "Isn't that right, Xellos."
Xellos glared at Murkivra. "Don't you have a dinner to make or something?"
The lesser monster shrugged. "Already done. It just needs to cook for another two hours. In the mean time, I thought I might come meet our newest resident." She smiled at the small girl. "Hello Xaina. Sleep well, or did that bungler wake you up?"
"No, I was already up, thank you. You're Murkivra, right?" Xaina asked.
"Yes, that's me. Sorry I didn't come by to say hi earlier, but I've been really busy. Wraithand's having one of THOSE days and he needed someone to listen to his complaints. Everyone else was smart enough to avoid him, so I was stuck doing it. Are you adjusting well here?" The girl shrugged. "Well, I hope you like it. It can be very nice, especially when the weather is good, like it's been for the past few days."
"We DO have some training to get to," Xellos interrupted, "So, unless you have something important to do here..."
"I should leave? Yes, yes, I thought you'd say that. No, I don't having anything important to do, i just thought you might like help taking care of her since I..."
"I don't need your help," he cut her off.
"Uh-huh, are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Fine, fine," she shrugged. "But if you decide you do, you know where to find me. By the way, she shoulder was her face before she gets dressed so she doesn't get water all over her clothes." With that said, Murkivra turned and left, closing the door behind her.
He watched her leave and didn't avert his gaze until after he was certain the lesser monster was gone. Then he looked down at Xaina and the little bits of sleep crystals that clung in the corner of her eyes. "Hmph. I hate it when she's right."
He carried her in to the washroom and found a pitcher of warm water already sitting on the sink. Murkivra had planned ahead for this. He poured some in a basin and let her take care of that herself while he headed back to the closet to figure out what she should wear. He personally thought the little black shorts and high cut stomach tank top (suggested by Lord Beastmaster) would be good, but he wasn't sure if she'd like them. She had never showed off that much skin at once before...
"What are they made out of?" Xaina asked. He glanced over his shoulder and found her rubbing her hand over some of the fabric.
"Astral cloth," he replied. "They'll cling to you at all times and conform to fit what ever size you are. Most monsters have clothes made out of it. They don't rip or brake under normal circumstances, and you can make them disappear much easier then normal clothes, so most prefer it. It basically becomes part of your very being if you want it to."
"Are yours made from it?"
"Of course," he smiled. "I designed mine myself." He came across a blue dress Wraithand had insisted be there.
"How do you make them?"
"Very carefully. Murkivra made most of it, though other monsters helped a little."
"How many other monsters live here?"
Xellos thought about this for a moment, then shrugged. "Not sure. Never really counted. Most of them don't stay here for long and some are never seen much."
"Why are some not seen?"
"You sure are curious, aren't you?" he teased as he looked at a blouse and pant set he had designed. He pulled them out. He held them up and turned back to the girl. "What do you think of this, Xaina?"
Xaina had pulled down a strange outfit and was holding it against herself. It was a lose fitting body suit with puff sleeves and pant legs, a black belt and a pull over drape of sturdy white and black fabric. The drape was long and hung down the front and back, ending in a rounded bottom. The sides were only connected at the top over the shoulders but the rest hung loosely. The sides of it ended just as they came over the shoulder blade. It had a hole in the top for her head to fit through with a caller that had a small bell on it. All along the sides, up the shoulders, and around the base of the caller were strips of black fabric following the seams. Down the front of the pull over was a strange pattern of black shapes connected to a line of black that attached to the strip on the rounded bottom. The wrists and ankles had purple cuffs on them with little silver bells on them. He didn't recognize it at all and had no idea where it came from.
"I like this!" she exclaimed with glee.
"You do?" Xaina nodded vigorously. She reached for the buttons on her night shirt. "I'll just give you a little privacy then..."
"Kay." He walked just outside of the closet, closing the door slightly. A moment later, she walked out half dressed with her small wings she had just sprouted only a few hours ago tangled in the fabric. "Um, could you help? I'm stuck," she asked sheepishly.
The older monster kneeled down and untangled her wings, putting them through the holes on the back meant for them. With that done, she skipped back inside and hocked the belt on. Then she grabbed the pull over and slipped her head through the hole. There was a spot in the back that was narrow and fit snugly between her wings. There was a floor length mirror on the inside of the door that she looked herself over with. She loved the outfit. She turned to the side and saw the small wings that looked like they would fit nicely on Booie's back. The fingers were lined with black fur while the webbing was made of white skin. She flapped them. How odd, she thought. They look so...so...odd...
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a pair of purple boots. She toddled over to them and dropped on the her bottom. She pulled them on and was surprised at how well they fit. Then she remembered what Xellos had said about all the clothing fitting to her size perfectly.
When she came back out, she found Xellos marching the little dolls around the room, not paying any attention. He really does need his own set, she mused. She shook, making all the bells ring to get his attention. He glanced up and smiled. She was wearing the boots he had come up with.
"What do you think?" she asked as she gave a quick pirouette.
Xellos smiled. "You look very nice...but you're missing something."
"What?"
He walked over and snagged the end of her tail. She watched him with great curiosity. He picked up the bracelet again and slipped it on to her tail. It fit perfectly to the shape of her tail. "There. Now it's perfect." She shook her tail, making the bell ring softly.
*****
Xaina was exhausted from the training. They had spent the last day doing nothing but make sure she could do all sorts of little teleporting spells. She was getting quite good at moving things, but preferred to teleport herself; she was far better at moving herself then anything else. She was getting really good at hide and seek too, since now she knew how to just teleport back to safe. This is something that annoyed Xellos (she was getting good at reading emotions too). They often had many games involving the dolls. What Xellos' fascination with them was, she couldn't even begin to guess. It all tired her out though. He had kept her up until the evening that day before so she would adjust to the time change a little, but she still felt worn and out of energy.
She was now lying in bed, too tired to even sleep. She sighed into Booie and closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep. It wasn't working. She cleared her mind... ... ... Nope, still awake. She groaned and rolled out of bed, deciding a glass of water might help her just a little bit. She dragged herself into the bathroom, pulling Booie along with her and poured a small cup full from the pitcher sitting in the basin for washing her face in the morning. She gulped in down and set the cup back on the counter, trudging her way back to bed and the elusive hope of sleep.
The girl stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes rested on the bed. Lying at the foot of it was a large black wolf. Its keen golden eyes watched her. There was a small brown spot on the nose of the creature. Syrin, the girl remembered. She was the alpha female of Lord Beastmaster's pack. Syrin rest her head on her paws, but her eyes never left the girl.
"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly. The wolf sighed, but said nothing, not that Xaina had been expecting her to. She was more then aware that even though these wolves were bigger then normal, they were not sentient. "I never said you were welcome here, ya know." Syrin seemed to ignore the girl. Getting a bit impatient, and feeling even more sleep deprived, the girl crossed the room and crawled back into bed. "I don't mind if you stay, just let me sleep, alright?" When the wolf didn't respond, the girl laid back down, trying to fall asleep...
*****
Xellos appeared in the girl's room, hovering just above the bed. Syrin glanced up, sniffed the air, paused, and sighed, laying her head back down to rest. He gave her a weary grin, wondering why she was here. He shrugged. Doesn't really matter, I guess. He turned his attention to the sleeping child.
"You had better be ready for what they will try to do," he whispered in a scolding tone. "I didn't spend all this time guarding you to watch them rip you apart now. I wont forgive you," he ended in a tease. He knew the consequences would be much worse for both him and Xaina if the others tried to kill her as Lord Vereus had. If he failed... He let his mind trail off at the thought. He didn't even want to finish it. He knew he wouldn't be living for much longer if something got out of hand and somehow dying wasn't high on Xellos' list of things to do in the near future, if at all.
There was more going on then he knew, he was sure. Lord Beastmaster knew, but she wasn't giving him even the slightest of hints as to what was really going on. Makes it so much harder when she does that, he bitterly thought. The other lords know, though. They must. There's no other reason why they would be after her if they didn't know something important. But she usually gives me some hints... He sighed, a bit frustrated with the whole situation.
"What I wouldn't give for you to be a baby again. You were so much easier to look after...never going anywhere...no powers...you're more trouble then you're worth sometimes." The girl sighed in her sleep, muttering something. He frowned and pulled the blankets up high over her body, then disappeared.
*****
Xaina nearly leaped out of bed as her violet eyes opened, drawing her out of sleep. The dolls were surrounding her again. Their little beaty black eyes all stared at her. Xellos was floating at the foot of the bed, his usual closed eyed grin watching her. Maybe getting him a set would be a bad idea, she thought. I'll never get use to waking up to that...or him.
"Well, well, look who's finely awake," he teased. He had his staff with him this morning, she noted. Usually he left it behind when she was getting up in the morning.
Xaina moaned. She didn't want to be up yet. "Please make them go away. Can't I sleep just a little longer?"
"No, Ôfraid not. However, there is a nice, steaming hot bath waiting for you, courtesy of Murkivra."
"Kay," she groaned and flopped back down in the bed, pulling the covers over her head. She curled up in a ball, trying to get warm enough to settle back to sleep. There was a soft whooshing sound as the sheets were suddenly ripped off of the bed. The girl was suddenly assaulted with a blast of cold morning air. "Ahh! Don't! Give Ôum back!"
"So you can go back to sleep again?"
"Yes!"
Xellos frowned. "Well, at least you're honest about it." He shrugged and dropped the blankets on the floor. He floated over to her and hung in the air just above the small girl. He flashed her his evil smile. "Xaina, if you don't get up, I'll make you get up, and you don't want to know what I'll do."
Xaina unfolded herself and flopped onto her back, looking up at him. "Actually, I'm rather curious what you'd do. You can't hurt me Ôcause that'll make Lord Beastmaster angry, and I don't think she's a nice person when she's angry. Am I right?"
He frowned again. "No she's not and I'll sick the dolls on you if you don't." The girl smiled mischievously and folded her arms together. "Fine, have it your way." He motioned for the dolls to get up (since he'd knocked them over when he was pulling the sheets off) and marched them all around her. "You sure?" She continued to smile and didn't budge an inch. He sighed and all the dolls leaped for her...and fell onto the bare bed. He watched, amazed at how fast she had teleported out of the way. Xaina's bubbly giggle could be heard from the washroom door. He turned sharply and smiled. "There she is! Get Ôer!" All the dolls pushed themselves up and marched (or in the case of the one with the broken leg, hopped) stiffly in her direction. The girl slammed the door shut, locking them out. Simple doors would hold Xellos back, though. He teleported in the room in front of the girl who had her back pressed up against the door. "Are you ready to wash up now?"
"Fine," she sighed. She skipped over to the bathing pool. It was square, tiled with ivory white squares, black triangles, purple diamonds, and a line of gold just above where the water line rested. It could fit six or seven grownups rather comfortably, she noted. The water looked to be at least four feet deep, which was taller the she was. She stuck one bare toe into the steaming water; it was a little warm, but that was only because her toes were cold. Deciding it was alright, it pulled off her pajamas and walked down the steps. It was hot at first and she edged in slowly. Once she was fully in, sitting on the lowest step so her chin rested just above the water, she sighed contentedly. She closed her eyes, wishing she could sleep here.
"Nice?"
"Yep," she chirped. Something plopped into the water in front of her. She opened her eyes and spied a white piece of cloth slowly sinking in to the water. Right next to her face, Xellos held out a bar of ivory soup.
"Good, wash up. I want you to be squeaking clean..."
"Squeaking?" she asked, giving him a curious look.
"Murkivra said that's the only way I'll know if you're clean," he happily replied.
"Oh...I don't think she meant that literally."
"All the same, do try and squeak," he quipped.
*****
Xaina stacked the blocks up, making another castle. Xellos had been gone when she came out of her bath, leaving no notice as to where he had gone. At first, she had figured he would be back in a moment. When he didn't come back, she started to think maybe he wanted her to go find him...but wouldn't he have said something if he had wanted that? She couldn't really complain; she hadn't exactly been looking forward to more training today. It was tiring, to say the least. He had insisted that was only because she wasn't use to it, but she still didn't want to do more.
Placing the last block to make the wall of her tiny structure, she sighed. She picked up a few of the wooden dolls Xellos had so kindly left behind for her and began placing them all around, inside and out, the castle to make it look like people wondering around. Her feline like ears twitched now and again as she could hear something going on outside. She had known something was going on, but she wasn't sure of what. She had looked out her window, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. They day was sort of foggy, yet warm in an uncomfortable way. She was glad not to be out in the muggy heat, but her curiosity demanded that she see what was going on. She grabbed Booie next to her and smashed down the blocks and people, delighting in watching it fall. She had never had blocks before, though she was putting them on her list of things she'd like. She had started the list when Lord Beastmaster had said she could have anything she wanted that would make her feel more at home here over Lunch the day before. Little wooden dolls like Val's were on the top of her list of things to have.
Her ears twitched again as she picked up the sounds of laughter outside. She leaped to her feet and scampered to the window seat. Pressing her face up against the glass, she searched for some sign of anyone there, but saw no one. This was getting boring. She had to know what was going on. She had to see.
"See something interesting?"
She jumped, flipping around to face the man behind her. Her heart was racing. Her blood ran hot. "Stop that! Stop it, stop it, stopitstopitstopit, STOP IT! I hate when you do that!" she screeched.
Xellos just shrugged and smiled. "I'd think you would be use to that by now..."
"I don't want to get use to it! I want you to stop!"
"Fine fine," he sighed. "I'll try."
"Don't try! Do! Now where have you been!?! I've been waiting her all morning for you to come back!"
"I didn't realize you were my mother now," he retorted, letting the smile fade.
"I'm not, and I feel sorry for her having a child like you anyway."
He shot her a bitter glare. "As a matter of fact, I don't have a mother."
"Then where did you come from?"
"Lord Beastmaster created me."
"Oh..."
"Are you ready to go?"
"Go? Go where?" she asked.
"You'll see..."
*****
Dolphin and Zelas glared at each other from across the round patio table. They both smiled, pretending to be pleasant to each other. It was a game they played well. Dynest and Vereus just sat there listening to the ladies occasionally exchange pointless small talk. Each of the lords had a personal lesser monster with them standing a few feet back from the table. Dynest had a plain, bird-like man. Vereus had a strange monster draped in a black cloak; its gender was anyone's guess. Dolphin's servant was a blue fish woman she probably kept more as a pet then anything else. Zelas had chosen Wraithand to stay near by her. His shadowy form floated just above the ground. To most, he reminded people of the shadow of a legless person wearing a raged cloak. Murkivra stood near by as well to serve drinks to the "guests".
Dolphin took a sip of her wine. "It's quite a good year, isn't it?" she commented dryly.
"I only keep the best," Zelas bragged.
"Yes, well, I have had better, though this is certainly nice."
Zelas twitched slightly. She never like being insulted in her own home. "That's because I only save the best bottles for truly special occasions... such as after I aided in the defeat of Darkstar."
"More like you're little servant boy aided..."
"As he was ordered to," Zelas interrupted. Dynest and Vereus exchanged glances at the petty argument.
"That still doesn't mean you did anything..."
"I'm sure this is probably fascinating and all," Dynest interrupted, "But can we get to the point of why we're here?"
"Where's the girl!" Vereus snapped, slamming one of his human fists on the table. Somehow, his hot tempered personality didn't at all fit the handsome, young, blond human he had taken the form of.
"Yes yes, I'll get to that in a minute," the lord of beasts waved off. "Murkivra, bring out something to eat."
"Yes master," the green haired monster said with a bow and walked back inside.
"And what did you pull her out of?" Dolphin teased when Murkivra had gone.
"A village burned down by dragons. She was rather eager to become a monster, actually. I hadn't intended on keeping her, but she's been far too valuable to let go... not that I would expect you to understand that... given, ya know..."
Dolphin glared evilly as Murkivra reappeared at the door carrying a tray of various hors d'oeuvre. She set it on the table and hastily backed off. Dolphin grunted. "Well, I guess she's better then picking up a traitor..."
"Enough!" Dynest roared. "Can we forget the petty bickering for a just one hour!?!" Both woman folded their arms together and turned up their noses definitely. "I want the girl!"
"Well, you can't have her," Zelas snorted.
"She's right," Dolphin agreed. "If anything, she should go to me."
"Not a chance!" Zelas roared.
"She should be put to death," Vereus calmly stated, taking a sip of his wine. "It's the only way to prevent it from happening."
"You don't know that," the lord of beasts retorted. "I'm the one who has a copy of it..."
"And you could easily be lying to us," Dolphin pointed out.
"What could I possible gain from lying to you?"
"Power over the others," Dynest remarked.
A huge argument soon erupted from three of the monsters. Their voices rang high and clear for all the hear. Several of the lesser monsters exchanged nervous glances. None of the particularly wanted to die that day. Murkivra took another cautious step back. She had no experience as a fighter like the others. Vereus, all the while, sat quietly listening to the other monster lords argue amongst themselves about possession of the girl. He took one of the pastries appetizers and popped it in his mouth.
Vereus coughed, getting the attention of the others. "I must say, Zelas, you have quite a remarkable chief here. These little chocolate things are simple divine. I may have to steal her some time."
"She's not for taking, buying, or borrowing," the hostess remarked hastily. "None of my servants are."
"Really? Then why was Phabrizzo using your precious little general- priest before he was destroyed?" Dolphin asked in a sinister tone.
Zelas glared at her. "Because I owed him a favor and he had right to ask for anything he wanted. He didn't have any servants of his own after all."
The women glared for several long minutes as everyone was quite again. Vereus took another pastry. He seemed to rather enjoy them. He glanced at Murkivra and winked. The green hair woman simply looked away. The blond took another sip of his wine.
"I want the child," Dynest stated, breaking the silence.
"What a shame, because she'll be mine," Dolphin quipped.
"Over my dead body," Zelas growled.
"You know that can be arranged," Dynest grinned.
Vereus set his glass down calmly. "Now, now, we are all servants of Shabranigdu here. This type of mindless bickering will get us nowhere. There are other ways to decide who shall get to claim her and as he wishes with the girl." Everyone turned their gaze to the serene lord, suddenly curious about his purposely. He smiled, looking the picture of innocent beauty. "We all simply battle each other and who ever is left standing claims the girl and everything else within the others' possessions." All the lords glared at him. None of them found this even the slightest bit amusing, let alone a good idea.
"Leave it to you to come up with as stupid an idea as that!" Dynest remarked. "You'd do anything to lay your grubby hands on my secrets."
"Oh please," Dolphin sighed. "No one wants your damned secrets! You don't even have any secrets!"
Dynest leaped to his feet, slamming his fists on the table. Outraged and insulted, he began powering a spell. All the other three monsters pushed back nervously. The lesser monsters' blood ran cold. They all exchanged worried looks.
Murkivra even felt goose bumps boil up her arms. Fearing the worst and getting a sudden bit of boldness, the green haired lesser monster stepped, forward, fumbling for words. "Uh...wait...can't...no...well, um..." All the lords suddenly stared in her direction. Dynest squelched his spell as he glared at the weaker creature who had somehow found the courage to speak up. "Yes, uh, hi. Now, um...well, I maybe just..ah...be a servant and all...but, yeah, I was just think that, um...well...couldn't you just...oh, say...uh...ask her what she wants...if...um...that alright?" The other monsters seemed rather dumb founded by the suggestion. All of the stared at her. Feeling extremely self conscious, Murkivra blushed a deep crimson. "Yeah, see," she hastily continued, "I figured that since she is, well, ya know, the one you're all fighting over, then maybe she should, I guess, have a say in what happens to her, because she's um, not exactly a normal monster and all...ya know?" She bowed her head, looking away to hide her fear, and stepped back. She could shake the strange sinking feeling she had in the pit of her stomach.
"Well, that hardly seems fair," Vereus stated, breaking the long, awkward silence that had hung far too long in the air. "She would already be bias towards here."
"What do you care? You're just going to kill her anyway," Zelas grunted.
"That's besides the point!"
"He's right though," Dolphin agreed. "She would automatically say here because it's all she's seen."
"I highly doubt that," Murkivra snorted in a tone far louder then she had expected to. She quickly turned several new shades of red.
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Zelas demanded.
The cook was silent for a moment as she collected herself. "Actually, she is not all that found of this place. It rather frightens Xaina, and..."
"Xaina?" Dynest interjected.
"Th-that's the girl's name. She isn't all that fond of this place, as I said and all, and she even tried to escape..." All the lords chuckled at this, except Zelas, who seemed rather annoyed with her servant. "But, well, she isn't exactly developed very far in her powers, so she didn't get far, and...I...well I just....that is...I..."
Vereus waved an amused hand at her. "Yes, yes. We get your rather jumbled point. Very well, I see no reason we shouldn't entertain this idea.
*****
"Who wants to see me?" Xaina demanded as Xellos literally pushed her down one of the halls.
"Several monster lords..." Xellos started.
"Several MEAN monster lords who want to take you away and torture you for their own amusement," Murkivra had interrupted. The girl's worried look now changed into horror and she scrambled to get away. Xellos, however, had a firm hold of the girl's tail.
"Why did you do that?" he inquired with a bitter tone in his voice.
Murkivra shrugged. "Just telling her the truth. You ARE the one who told me that honesty is the best policy..."
"WHEN it gets me what I want," he retorted. "And this is NOT what I want."
"You do want her to stay here, don't you?" He nodded. "Well, I just giving her a few subtle hints that she might just be happier here."
"Oh, yes, subtle indeed." He gave her a disapproving glare, to which she only smiled innocently back. He bent down to the terrified girl and forced her to face him. "Now Xaina, look; if you don't go out and speak to them, then they wont give you a chance to stay..."
"Is this why you were training me!?" she snapped, obviously hurt that he had told her nothing about this.
"Yes and no," he replied honestly. "We wanted you prepared enough that you could do something to get away if the other lords tried anything, but you need to be trained anyway so you powers don't get out of control. Xaina, your not a lesser monsters like Murkivra. You're a very powerful one...even more so then me. Once you develop your abilities, you will be as strong as all the people you're about to meet, which is why they all want you. They want to have control over you when you grow up."
"Even you?"
Xellos thought about this for a moment. "I guess so. I haven't really thought about it. Like I said before, you are part of my payment of a dept. I have to make sure that you learn to use your powers and don't let any of the other monster lords control you."
Murkivra raised a questioning eye brow. This was new to her. "A debt? And to whom do you owe this?"
"That's a secret," he teased, much to the cook's displeasure. "Now, Xaina, I need you to go out there and be good. I wont let anything happen to you. I promise." He flicked his wrist and Booie appeared in his hand. "You can even take Booie with you."
"I think I'd rather prefer Lina," she replied.
Xellos chuckled. "I don't think they would like that idea, and let's not get into how Lina would react." He handed her the toy and took one of her hands, forcibly directing her in the direction of where the lords were sitting outside.
"I think Lina would rather like the idea," The girl commented, still pulling back a bit, though not quite as hard.
"Not if she knew I would be around most of the time just to make sure you didn't lose control of those powers I'm letting you have."
"You're not letting me have anything!" she retorted. "I had Ôum before; you just made Ôum hard to use."
Xellos chuckled. "Sometimes I think you are too smart for anyone's own good." Xaina raised a curious eyebrow. "No one can get the better of you easily."
"Oh."
"Then that's all the better for her," Murkivra remarked. She reached down and scooped the child up in her arms. "Isn't it?" She twiddled her fingers against the girl's stomach getting an audible laugh from the child. "See, she agrees with me. Now don't be nervous, sweet. Just be honest, listen carefully, and say what ever is on your mind..."
"Uh...that may not be the best of ideas," Xellos interrupted. "You don't want to offend any of them..."
"Oh pish posh," the lesser monster dismissed. "They're all just bluffing out there. I've been watching them since them got here and all they've done is hiss and spit, but nothin' more. Relax, Xellos. She'll be fine just being herself."
Xellos grumbled something but didn't press the point. Murkivra was not someone you could argue with and win in most cases. Murkivra tickled the child a few more times to be sure that she was at least somewhat relaxed when she went to see all those lords.
The smile that had been on Xaina's face suddenly faded as she saw out through the set of huge glass doors Lord Beastmaster with three strange people. One was a young, handsome blond that she instantly distrusted. The second man was a dark haired brunette with a sour look on his face. The third was a blue haired woman with sharp dark eyes. Beastmaster was edgy and dressed in her usual revealing, low cut dress and was sipping a glass of wine. Xaina went stiff all over. She wrapped her arms rather tightly around Murkivra's neck, grabbing hold of the cloth of the lesser monster's shirt in a death grip. Murkivra frowned but carried the child out the doors. Xellos followed close behind, refusing to go far from the girl. Murkivra carefully pried the child from her clothes and set her on the ground, backing away. Xaina's heart raced and her mind went blank. She stared in half horror, knowing what each of them were underneath those lovely shells of people. When the dark haired man reached down touch her, Xaina dashed for the door. She didn't get far, however. Xellos grabbed her and scooped her up in his arms. She struggled desperately to get away, but the trickster had a firm grip on her. He carried her over to the table and set her on top of it. The trays were hastily removed by Murkivra and set elsewhere so that the child could stand there.
"This is it?" the dark haired man griped.
"Yes," Beastmaster responded. "This is her."
The blond took a sip of his wine, watching, with great interest, the frightened girl struggle to get away.
"A bit small, isn't she?" the blue hair woman asked no one in particular. She reached out one slender finger and poked the girl in the stomach. Xaina let out a rather pathetic whimper and snuggled against Xellos' hands. He was still holding her in the center of the table and wouldn't let her go. "Pathetic too."
"She's just a baby," Beastmaster commented. "She's growing much the same way any human does. That is how she was meant to."
The dark haired man leaned in to scrutinize Xaina. She covered her eyes with Booie, begging any god that would listen to take her away from there. She didn't trust them. She didn't like them. She just wanted to go back to her room and play with her blocks and Booie, who she still clung to with both hands. She was poked again but this time in the side. She didn't make a sound, just buried herself against Xellos' hands as much as she could. She began to curl up in a ball with her wings pulled over her shoulders and her tail coiled up around her feet. | "I do have to agree with Dolphin; she is a bit cowardly. Or is this perhaps some sort of ploy to keep her?" the dark haired man demanded.
"Not at all," Beastmaster replied. There was a hint of concern in her voice. "Xaina, dear, please do stop that. It's really not helping us any." Xaina didn't budge, though she did psychically shake when Beastmaster brushed some of the black hair out of Xaina's face. The woman glanced at Xellos impatiently.
Xellos shot Murkivra an evil glare as he pulled Xaina close to him. "It's alright, Xaina," he whispered to her. "No one is going to hurt you. I promise. There's no need to be so frightened. He gently pulled the toy down from her eyes and made her look into his own open eyes. "I gave you my word that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I never break my word." He pulled her up so she was standing, though weakly and forced her back in to the center of the table. When he was certain she wouldn't run, he back off a few steps.
Her wings tensed over her shoulders and her tail twined around one leg. All the fur on her tail and wing fingers had puffed out. She clutched the toy for dear life. Each of the lords stared at her which only made her fear worse. She began to study her fingers just to get her mind off of them, but it didn't help any. She felt so helpless and stiff.
"What's her name?" the woman they had called Dolphin demanded.
"Xaina," Beastmaster supplied. She was poked again by the dark haired man. "Would you stop that, Dynest?"
"Not much to look at, is she? I hope this isn't her monster form. Doesn't have much flesh on her, does she," Dynest commented. He grunted out a laugh. "Not feeding her?"
"I do to!" Murkivra snapped. She clapped a hand over her mouth and turned beat red. All the lords looked at her disapprovingly.
"I see your servants have yet to learn their place," Dolphin sneered.
Beastmaster glared back. "At least my servants still have..."
"Oh great," the blond muttered. "We're back here again." Both woman gave him deadly looks, though he seemed to ignore them. "Ladies, if you wouldn't mind, can we save the pointless bickering for later. I do believe we have more important matters before us right now." He gestured towards the girl. He smiled at her and gave a wink. "Hello Xaina. My name is Vereus." He held out a hand, offering to shake. Xaina hesitated but started to reach out.
"He's the one who wants to kill you," Zelas remarked coldly when she saw the girl about to accept his offer friendship. Xaina jumped back, nearly falling off the table, yelping "Eahh!" as she did so. The Lord of Beasts placed a hand behind the girl to keep her from falling off. "Would you like something to eat, Xaina?" Xaina glanced over at Zelas, slightly disturbed. She wasn't the least bit hungry, and she was sure if she ate, she wouldn't keep it down. Beastmaster, however, just smiled and snapped her fingers. Murkivra hastily set the tray with all the sweet pastries on the table. Xaina didn't move; she was rooted to the spot. "While go on," Beastmaster encouraged. "They're quite good." Xaina hesitated, but stepped over to it and picked out a small chocolate covered strawberry. She took a cautious bite and received an approving smile from Zelas. "That's a good girl. See, she eats just fine."
Munching on the strawberry suddenly gave Xaina something to do to ease her tension. She sat carefully in the middle of the table and listened to the chatter going on about her, feeling a little less scared and a little more curious. When she finished with one strawberry, she picked out a second one.
"Alright, s she does," Dynest retorted. "That doesn't change the fact the she's still half starved."
"Well, that's hardly my fault..." Zelas tried to argue.
"It was YOUR servant who was watching over her and suppose to be keeping her safe..." Dolphin chimed in.
"Which I was not aware of. He had never mentioned anything about her to me."
"Oh, so then you don't keep an eye on what your servants do in their time? Even I know what my servants are doing, especially my priests and generals. They never would have kept such a secret from me..."
"He wasn't allowed to say anything," Xaina interrupted. All of the monsters stared at her. A little juice was dripping down on her chin. Xellos waved a hand so that a napkin appeared in front of the girl. She took it and wiped off her chin, but that only spread the juice further on her face.
"Oh, and why not?" Vereus snorted.
"He said he wouldn't to the person who told him to look over me," she happily replied.
Zelas glared at her priest/general. "What person?" she hissed.
"Someone more powerful then all of you and I wasn't about to say no to her," Xellos replied. "I will explain, but I think it would be best for her not to hear what I would have to say." He raised a questioning eyebrow and all the monster seemed to fluster a bit. Xaina had no idea who he was talking about, but they certainly seemed to. "And with all fairness, I did keep my word to her. I never told anyone about her; you all just figured it out on your own."
Dolphin snorted while the two men seemed rather displeased with this new turn in their plans.
"Seems then you can't kill her," Dynest grunted to Vereus, who only sneered.
"Well, then I purpose that I train her," Dolphin stated. Everyone glared at her, silently demanding a reason. "I have trained far more monsters then anyone here..."
"But not any like her," Zelas reminded her.
"Oh, and I suppose you have?" Vereus hissed.
"No, but I have," Xellos responded. The lords glanced at him. "I trained Murkivra there, along with several other humans that have been turned in to monsters. I've already begun training her."
"To do what?" Dynest demanded.
"She can call things to her, as well as teleport and make objects move with her will..."
"Oh, how impressive," Dolphin sighed sarcastically.
"In just two days," Xellos added. This caught the lords' attention. Zelas smiled contentedly like a cat who has just caught a bird. Xaina, if you would...?"
"Wou' wha'?" she asked with a third strawberry half in her mouth.
"Would demonstrate one of your powers."
"Which one?" Mentally she wished he would say teleport so she could get out of there, though she was enjoying the treats.
"Why don't you bring a few of the dolls here," the purple haired trickster suggested.
Xaina sighed and set down her strawberry. "You just want to play with them," she commented as she called out to the dolls and made them come to her. It took a little effort, but she made them move. They appeared over her head and dropped down, clanging on the table.
"She needs improvement," Dynest commented.
"Yes, well, that isn't exactly her strongest ability..." Xellos tried to explain.
"Then what is?" Vereus demanded.
"Teleporting..."
"And what about her specialty?" Dolphin interrupted.
"Well, I don't exactly know that yet..."
"Why not?" Dynest snapped.
"Because she's only had her powers for two days," Zelas responded, taking some of the pressure off her servant, much to his relief. "She hasn't had much time to get use to them yet. They're not even at full capacity..."
"What?" the other three lords cried.
"Her powers haven't fully developed back yet and they will get stronger as she grows older," Xellos supplied. He didn't like the way the three were staring at him.
There was a long silence in the area. Not a bird sang, nor did any trees dare rustle. The breezes didn't even dare to stir up. Xaina stopped eating and watched them. Her eyes darted from monster to monster, interested in what they might be thinking. Her fear from before had been mostly, but not entirely, forgotten.
"Well, I think we know who her teacher should be, much as I hate to admit it," Vereus stated, breaking the silence. He looked down at the girl. "Tell me, Xaina, do you like this servant of Zelas'?"
Xaina shrugged. "I guess so. He's not quite so bad once you get to know him."
"And Zelas, you are happy with her?"
"Uh...ok. Sure, why not?" Xaina replied, not quite sure just what the question had been just that she'd been asked it.
"And you like this island?"
"Yeah. It's not so bad when the sun is out."
The monsters all chuckled at her response. "Well, then, if she likes it here, then she should stay until she has fully developed her powers..."
"Oh, I have a better idea," Dolphin interrupted, smiling evilly at Xellos. "A way for her to learn and never be far from her teacher at the same time..."[pic][pic]-[pic][pic]--ÿÿ