They spent the next two years travelling from town to town, letting Zillas learn new spells whenever possible and also teaching her about the world in general. By the time she was fifteen, she had mastered the Ra-Tilt and was learning the Dragon Slave – unfortunately she was having…trouble with it. Namely every time she tried to cast it, she ended up blowing Silvira or Gorian twenty feet into the air! Granted that they was fine and, like all Mazoku, enjoyed the pain, but Zillas still apologised numerous times since she felt so bad.
"Besides," Gorian kept on saying, "the blast isn't that big since you're still learning to control it. The spell doesn't hurt too much."
Zillas always sighed – she personally thought that she'd NEVER master the Dragon Slave spell. However, she refused to give up and continued to study the spell.
*-*-*-*-*
Zillas woke up one night to the sound of Gorian and Silvira talking. She lay perfectly still so that they would not realize that she was awake, and began to listen closely.
"She's getting stronger," Silvira said. "Although the fact that she can cast the Ra-Tilt without being harmed is truly impressive."
She saw Gorian nod. "Yes, it is, " he said. "It also shows that her human side is the dominant side of her…personality."
"Do you think that it could cause problems?" Silvira asked.
"Well…I don't know," Gorian replied. "It would be a shame if Lord Gaav had to kill her because she was disloyal."
Silvira looked long and hard at her companion, and asked, "What are you hiding, Gorian?"
Gorian looked at her sharply. "Nothing," he snapped. "Why would I need to hide anything from you?"
Silvira blinked, a knowing smile spreading across her lips. "I get it," she said. "Not that I blame you, she's growing up fast, and is rather attractive…"
Gorian flinched. "W-what are you talking about?" he asked. "She's a child, a fifteen-year-old child!"
Zillas tensed and held her breath – were they talking about her? Did Gorian…care about her? But, it was impossible for Mazoku to truly care about somebody, right? Positive emotions were like poison to them – slowly killing a Mazoku from the inside. From what Gorian had told her, it was a slow and painful way for a Mazoku to die.
Yet, Gorian had just about admitted that he cared about her, Zillas, the halfling daughter of the most powerful Mazoku under the five Dark Lords.
She silently teleported away – she needed time alone to think.
*-*-*-*
Silvira and Gorian were nearing a state of panic – Zillas had vanished!
"Do you think she heard us talking last night?" Silvira asked.
"What? You mean she might have–" Gorian started, but stopped mid-sentence. "She must have overheard your questions about how I…feel about her. She's probably afraid, nobody besides her mother has ever been a friend to her like we have!"
"And nobody has found her attractive, either," Silvira said, looking at her friend. "She's young, Gorian, and doesn't understand…"
He turned to her, glared at her with such intensity that she flinched. "Don't you think I know that?!" he yelled. "All right! I love her, OK!?! I've loved her since I first saw her! But she's too young, too innocent! I can't spoil her innocence!"
He paused. "My task is to teach her," he said slowly. "After that, Gaav will most likely send me to spy on Deep Sea Dolphin, and I'll probably never see her again…"
Silvira was taken aback by his outburst – she hadn't actually expected him to be so…passionate about it.
"Gorian…" she said. "…You fell in love with a thirteen-year-old?'
That ruined the moment – Gorian stared at her in shock and simply fell over, hard, onto the ground.
"What'd I say??"
Author's notes: Is it possible for a Mazoku to love? Apparently it is… Ah, well… Where is Zillas? Is she OK? I'd tell you, but… Sore wa himitsu desu! [/I]