Chapter Eight – Silvira…and Zillas' dark side? Shown at last?

The light hurt her eyes, it felt as if she had been in total darkness forever, but Zillas came out of the depths of unconsciousness and sat up and looked around her. She was lying on a bed in a sparse bedroom – the only other items in the room were a small, spherical rug and a makeup table complete with vanity tools.

Zillas jumped out of bed and found her boots on the ground, neatly put up against the foot of the bed. She put them on and found her gloves on the makeup table; she put them on as well and went downstairs. She stopped when she heard not one, but two, voices – one male and one female. She recognised the male voice as Gorian's, but she didn't recognise the female voice.

She crept down the stairs and saw Gorian sitting with a woman. This woman had long auburn hair and dark blue eyes. She was wearing black robes, black boots, and gloves. She noticed Zillas and smiled.

"You're awake," she said. "Hi, my name is Silvira. Gorian brought you here because you wore yourself out by teleporting too far for your age."

Zillas stood there dumbly. "Um, hi," she said. "How long was I out for?"

"A day," Gorian said, looking at Zillas and smiling. "You really shouldn't have tried to teleport so far so soon."

Zillas glared at him, and then looked at Silvira, noting that her eyes weren't human – they were Mazoku eyes.

So she's a Mazoku? Well, that's comforting… she thought. "Nice to meet you, Silvira," she said out loud. "Are…you also a servant of Gaav?"

Silvira nodded. "Yes," she replied. "Gorian tells me that you're the daughter of the General-Priest of Zelas Metallium. Is that true?"

Zillas nodded, wondering just why Silvira's eyes went wide at the confirmation. "What?" she asked. "Why is that so surprising?"

Silvira exchanged glances with Gorian. Normally, if a human is born with Mazoku blood in them, whoever the child's father (or mother) is loyal to would automatically become the child's master or mistress, but Zillas was different, somehow…

But still, why does Zelas care about her? She's just one child! Xellos probably has children born of human women all of the world…

Then it hit her – Zelas wanted Zillas because she was half-human! The human side of her would be able to withstand assaults of positive emotions while the Mazoku side would fuel her strength, speed, and magick!

So that's why Gaav wants her, she thought. She would indeed make a powerful soldier… But will she remain loyal? That, and she's so young and has so much to learn…

She came out of her musing in time to catch Zillas' question about the library. "Hmm? Oh, yes, the library. It should be open by now. Do you want to read up on some magick spells?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Zillas replied cheerfully. "Can we?"

Gorian laughed. "Sure, Zillas, sure."

She grinned happily.

*-*-*-*-*

Zillas poured over the various spell books for the rest of the day. She jotted down the incantations to the various spells and showed them to Gorian excitedly.

"Neat, huh?" she said, showing him the incantation for the Ra-Tilt. He blinked at the scroll – could she master the ultimate anti-evil Shamanistic spell? If she did, then that would prove that her human side was the dominant side.

And that could prove problematic in the future – she might rebel against Gaav, and then she would have to die…

Gorian shook his head. No use thinking about what might happen in the future, what was important was the present, and teaching Zillas what it meant to be part Mazoku…

Zillas quickly gathered up her scrolls and put the books back on the shelf (Gorian put the books from the higher shelves up – Zillas couldn't reach those ones and she hadn't yet discovered her natural ability to levitate) and turned to Gorian.

"Ready to go?" she asked, grinning. "'Cause I think that guy in the white robe wants us to leave…"

Gorian turned around sharply. "Oh great," he said under his breath. "A Priest of Ceiphied. He probably knows that we're Mazoku – well, that I'm Mazoku."

Zillas tensed – she remembered all too well the uneasy feeling she felt when she was in that shrine with the elder. She might only be part Mazoku, but that would be enough. Unless she dealt with this 'priest' herself…

"Hold these," she said, tossing her scrolls to Gorian and stepping past him. "Hey, you!"

The priest glanced down at her, and stared in shock at her eyes. His eyes narrowed.

"What is it, monster?" he asked, his hand going into the depths of his robes. He pulled out a small, glowing dagger.

Zillas smirked. "Really!" she said, feigning irritation, "you'd think that a Priest of the mighty Ceiphied would know better than to pull a knife on the daughter of Xellos Metallium!"

Gorian was completely taken aback. What the hell was she doing, trying to get them both killed?! ALL Ceiphied Priests or Priestesses knew who Xellos was! If word got out that he had children…

The priest was also shocked. "D-daughter?!" he said. "That monster has a child!?"

Zillas faded from sight and reappeared next to the priest. Her hand was clasped around his arm in seconds, the bones of his forearm shattering moments later. She pulled him down painfully (for him, anyway) and looked him in the eye, a darkness in her eyes.

"Run." That said, she tossed him aside with terrible ease, not even glancing back at him when he caused an entire row of bookshelves to fall down in a domino effect.

Gorian would have found it hilarious…if Zillas' aura weren't so dark…so deadly.

However, her aura returned to normal moments after the priest got up and ran. She walked to Gorian, picked up her scrolls (he had dropped them in his shock), and looked up at him sweetly.

"Ready to leave?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

Gorian blinked down at her and belatedly wondered just what the hell just happened.

Author's notes: ^_^_^_^ Comments are welcome! Flames are also welcome, but they have to constructive flames!