Prologue: Xellos's little secret

Xellos, the trickster priest, was indulging in a guilty pleasure. He had snuck away from his Master while she was occupied, found a comfortable tree in a secluded location, and was deeply engrossed in an ancient manuscript. In fact, he was so deeply engrossed that he never noticed the summons from his master ringing across the astral plane, or the fact that he had been gone for most of the afternoon.

He was happily humming to himself as he flipped the last page. Suddenly, the book was gone, and the world went swirly. He blinked the dirt out of his eyes, and looked up into the very unhappy face of his master. She was standing on his chest, and looking unhappily at the book in her hand.

"What is THIS?" she asked, shaking the book at him. "And why were you reading it so intently you ignored ME?" She bounced lightly on his chest to remind him she was not pleased, ignoring the fact that his corporeal body didn't really need air.

"Well, I was just ... doing a little research." He struggled to get his brain working. What reason would his master accept for reading ancient children's literature. If she ever found out about his hobby, she'd never let him live it down.

Zelas Mettalium hid the grin at her Priest's lie. She thought that maybe forcing him to act on his excuse would be amusing... maybe that annoying dragon girl....

"Very well." She said, floating off his chest. "I look forward to seeing your plan come to completion. You have one week, but make sure that if it doesn't work, no one suspects anything. And make sure the dragon has a chance... a very tiny one, but a real one, none the less. More sporting that way."

She tossed the book down beside her priest, laughing as she teleported away. "And Xellos, make it amusing to watch... then maybe I won't punish you for lying to me."

Xellos sighed in relief, and picked up his book.

"Well, at least I get to be the Goblin King... and it'll be amusing to make Filia try to get her... ward... back. Maybe I can make some of the lesser monsters act out the goblin parts..."