Author's Notes: Yay!!! I finally get to merge the two side stories! I thank all the wonderful readers for helping me continue this story!! By the way, when Zelgadiss speaks, he has the first voice actor from the beginning of the original series. I like the mystic Zel better than the confident one ^^;

Of Black Chains and Scarlet Letters

Link 5

Valgaav felt the girl approaching as he saw the dimensional rift open. The girl had the same hair an aura of that girl in his dream. More anger started to run through his veins as the girl approached. She was dressed in a black cloak and magenta clothing. Her cape was caught on a branch and this allowed him to get a better look. His golden eyes looked at her with anger and knowledge that he was unable to understand.

Lina couldn't believe the sight she saw. This man was bringing back strange memories of darkness and light and they were all jumbled up as they appeared. As her cape snagged onto a branch, she realized her clothing had changed. 'I so wish this was a dream…. Who is this guy and why do I feel like I know him…' She could feel the anger coming from the man as the cape was unhooked and she continued forward. "Excuse me," she asked a little timidly, "Do you happen to know where this place is? I seem to have gotten lost and…" Her voice kept trailing off as he continued to stare at her.

'Why do I feel such hatred towards someone so beautiful' His mind rattled with visions of darkness and screams. Valgaav growled and ran a hand through his hair, only to feel a large horn at the top. This caused a very painful vision to arise.

A tall man with long red hair plunged a sword into his chest. He screamed in agony as the light faded from the world. Then it all came rushing back to him and he felt something growing from his forehead. His eyes opened again he saw more patterns and colors than he could ever think existed. "You shall be called Valgaav!" The man above him said as the sand swirled around them.

This vision caused some blood to leak from Valgaav's forehead and stomach as he placed Zelgadiss on the ground next to him. Lina just watched as Valgaav went into a trance and then came out of it, bleeding.

Suddenly, there was a light above them that flashed. Zelgadiss awoke and was also blinded by the brief light. It faded slowly and left the three people changed forever. More of Lina's clothing changed into that of a medieval sorceress, Valgaav's clothes were completely different and he only had a blue half shirt and beige pants, and Zelgadiss was wearing a white cloak. Aside from clothing, Zelgadiss's skin was blue and stones were imbedded into it.

Zelgadiss looked at his hands and a tear ran down his cheek. "I remember this… I remember this hell…. DAMN YOU REZO!!!" He slammed the ground with his fist and the rock started to crack a little. Looking up slowly, he saw Lina standing close to the rock. "L…Lina?" His eyes were hopeful that he had not gone insane as these memories returned.

Lina had been staring at Zelgadiss and Valgaav the whole time. All her visions and interests in magic had come together in the brief blast of light. She remembered everything she had done in this life and the last. It was very overwhelming and she had to lean against the rock. "Zel… I…" Her voice was soft and she was afraid to speak. Her life before had been fun but always had the undertone of a heavy price. 'This was not what I wanted… I wanted to be a normal girl…'

Valgaav still felt completely clueless. His vision had done nothing for him but to remember how he became the way he was and the deeds he did. 'I am not that Valgaav… I don't destroy like he did… That Valgaav died…. He died….' Val wrapped his arms around himself and started to shake. His past deeds came back to him but he couldn't remember why he had done them. "Why… why did I try to kill you.. Zel…," he muttered quietly.

Zelgadiss heard him with his demonic skills and moved over to him. He put a hand on his shoulder. "It is somewhat unclear to me as well. Do you remember anything at all?" Lina and Zel awaited his answer and were shocked when he suddenly phazed away.

+++

Xellos chuckled to himself as he opened his slitted eyes in the darkness. He had phazed Valgaav to a dimensional pocket where he would be safe. "It's not time for you to remember yet, my dear Valgaav," he said before phazing himself out of the pocket. This whole plan revolved around Valgaav and he needed to keep control of him until the time was right. 'We'll make him a complete monster…. Then all his newfound kindness will be gone…'

+++

Lina and Zelgadiss were left staring at the empty space where Valgaav had been. "Do you have any idea why we got out memories back?" Lina was starting to get really pissed off.

"How should I know! You think we would deserve a decent lifetime and I would be able to live without.. this… this… curse…damn you Rezo..." His eyes were filled with tears and rage as he cast a fireball upon a tree.

"Aqua create!" Lina cast the water spell upon the tree. "Calm down Zel! The first thing we need to do is find out why we got our memories back! Then we can blow up things! Ok?" She was trying to sound calm and perky for fear that Zelgadiss would go completely berserk

Zelgadiss turned to her slowly and the rage drained out of his eyes. He let out a long sigh. "I guess you're right. But what about Valgaav?" His voice sounded extremely worried and Lina just quirked an eyebrow.

"What about Valgaav? Why should we care as long as he doesn't try to destroy existence again?!" She said in an annoyed tone before starting to walk off. "And I'm hungry so we should go find some food before I starve out here!"

"Lina!" Zelgadiss yelled as he grabbed onto her arm. "Valgaav is different now though… We were good friends up until now and I wonder if… maybe this life could have changed him a little." Zelgadiss's eyes rose to the sky slowly and showed he was very concerned.

Lina bonked him on the head and wrenched her arm back from him. "Changed?! Do you remember how much of a psychopath that guy was! He probably forgot all about it when he got his memories back!"

"Then why was he shaking and asking why he tried to kill me? Just because we got all of our memories back doesn't mean he did!" Zelgadiss's eyes narrowed as he glared at Lina.

She shivered for a moment. "I guess… maybe you could be right… Tell ya what… Let's go get some food and then we can talk it over. Ok?" Lina put on her best 'cute look' and then started to walk away.

Zelgadiss ran a hand through his hair. "Why do I even bother?"

Just as the two magic users left the forest, Xellos phazed in and smirked. 'To tell her or not to tell her…. That is the secret!'