Epilogue
Zelgadis took the last amount of earth in his hands. It was this earth that he placed gently into a portion of disturbed ground in the centre of the plain.
The chimera stood up, dusted off his hands and turned to Amelia.
"That's that." he declared. "The hole's filled."
Amelia nodded.
"I hope no one finds it" she said softly. "Those villagers deserve their rest. It shouldn't be disturbed by any greedy thieves."
"I seriously doubt it" Zel answered. "I doubt any one would notice this way out here."
Amelia shrugged. "Perhaps you're right....."
Just then Amelia's eyes caught sight of something. Something disturbingly familiar. Something that was enough to make her eyes widen and her face pale.
There, standing in the middle of the plain, up in the distance was the girl. The same teenaged ghost girl that had been holding a fascination for Amelia since the beginning.
But now the ghost girl didn't look threatening at all. Instead she looked happy. Her mouth was turned at the corners and her eyes looked relieved. Relieved at the fact that the curse had been lifted. Relieved that her existence as a ghost had finally ended. Relieved at the prospects of enjoying a long-deserved rest.
Goodbye the ghost mouthed. And thank you.
The ghost raised her arm in a wave, before disappearing completely.
Amelia sighed happily.
"Amelia?" Zel inquired. "Are you all right?"
Instantaneously, Amelia jumped back to reality to see the chimera staring at her in a most peculiar way.
"Oh!" Amelia laughed. "Don't worry! It was nothing. Nothing at all!"
Zel blinked in puzzlement before eventually shrugging it off.
"Come on" he said. "I think it's time you were home."
And with that he turned away from the disturbed earth and headed in the general direction of Saillune.
The princess blinked. What was this? Why would Zel suddenly turn his back on her? Why would he just get up and walk away from her like that? Why would he, even after the events that had just transpired, head back to Saillune?
Amelia sighed. It seems that old habits truly die hard: From the look of it, he still seems keen to get rid of me and continue on his never-ending quest. It seems, that even after surviving a nightmare such as that, he'll still stop at nothing to find a cure.
Amelia couldn't believe the chimera's audacity. Jeez, the horror they'd just survived is the type of thing that would pull them together, not drive them apart. Well, so much for progress......
But is there any way I can talk him out of it......?
Amelia shrugged and hurried on after the chimera. Within moments she found herself walking alongside him.
"So" she said conversationally "What are you going to do now?"
"I guess I'll be moving onward, looking for a cure." Zel answered.
"I should've guessed....." Amelia sighed, half laughing, half-cursing.
"And I guess you're really determined to find your cure?" she added.
"Yes" Zel replied bluntly.
"As soon as possible?"
"Yes" Zel answered again, somewhat concerned as to where Amelia was going with this.
It was at this point that Amelia stopped walking. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Both the chimera and herself had been through utter hell. A living nightmare which challenged their perceptions of sanity. A landscape of restless dead souls that hounded them relentlessly. A wasteland where, by combining their talents, did she and Zel survive.
Yet, Zelgadis entered that village refusing Amelia's emotions for him. And, from the look of it, he left the village without a single change in mood. He seemed so wrapped in his quest for his cure that he shut off everything and everyone around him.
Including the one, the only one, who'd dared to love him....
The princess at this stage was overcome with emotion. Failure. Rejection. Humiliation.
She turned away as tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to see him like this.....
Dammit. Why does he have to keep acting like this?! Why doesn't he go ahead and admit to the fact that she holds feelings for him? Why doesn't he admit to the fact that he too shares these feelings as well? Can't he see where he's going? Can't he see that by being oblivious to her feelings, he was just refusing his one chance for happiness and was, as a result, walking to his own self-destruction?
At this stage, Zel had stopped walking and turned around.
She didn't answer. She continued looking downwards, refusing to make eye contact.
"Amelia?" Zel asked again, sounding closer than before.
It was there and then the princess looked up, her eyes - although bloodshot and filled with salt water - receiving Zel, now standing before her with an expression of concern.
She turned away, she couldn't look at him. How could he turn her away after everything that they had been through? How could he turn her away even when she admitted her feelings for him?
Gently, Zel reached out and, much to her surprise, placed his fingers under her chin. Then he lifted her face up, thus establishing eye contact.
Amelia blinked in surprise, when she noticed that the chimera's eyes contained a spark of emotion. An emotion that was obviously directed at her.
Then Zel leaned forwards, bringing his lips to hers.
Eventually Zel broke off the kiss and returned to staring at Amelia, his eyes sad. He knew what she was thinking......
He can't deny what had happened in that accursed village: Both himself and Amelia had grown closer. Closer than before. Closer across the borderline of friendship. Closer enough to establish a connection that was both emotionally intense and intimate.
But ultimately, she can't be seen in the company of a freak, a deformity, an icon of social hatred. She can only love a man.....
NO!!! Screamed a voice in Zelgadis' head. DON'T!!!!!!
"I'm sorry" he whispered. "I can't stay."
Amelia turned away. She broke out of Zelgadis' contact and walked off. She had only gone a few feet before she fell to her knees, bawling her eyes out. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't look at him. She just couldn't.
Zel sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out Amelia's bracelet and advanced towards the princess.
"Amelia" he said softly "I do believe this belongs to you."
Amelia looked up. When she caught sight of the bracelet, she blinked yet she said nothing. Zelgadis took Amelia's hand in his own and placed the bracelet into it.
And with that he turned to go.
Amelia looked at the bracelet then at the departing chimera. Instantly her feelings of dispair evaporated. Evaporated only to be replaced by feelings of urgency. Zel was leaving. And if she didn't do something quick he might disappear for good.
He might disappear from her reach only to be consumed by his own self-tortured state.
Better do something quick! Before this opportunity slips through her fingers! She knows he's a good person underneath! She knows he secretly holds feelings for her!
In any case he needs her to bring him to light.....
"Wait!" Amelia cried, her voice choked with emotion. "Zelgadis!"
The chimera let out a sigh. Yet he ceased his walking and turned around to once again face the princess. Might as well hear her out.....
"Before you go off hunting for a cure" the princess said. "Could you at least come back to Saillune with me? This is the first time in ages that I've seen you! We have so much catching up to do! You need to tell me all about your adventures! And I know Daddy would love to see you again."
Zel sighed for a second time before nodding.
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