Conclusion

Xellos opened his eyes when someone entered his room.

"Xellos? How do you feel?" Filia asked, her voice soft.

"It's still hurts, but I feel a little better, Filia-chan." Xellos replied, as the dragon maiden sat down at his bedside. The best healers the Dragon Rider kingdom had to offer had tended to Xellos' wounds, and he was slowly on his way to recovery because of the attention his wounds had received. For a few moments, neither of them knew what to say, then Xellos looked at Filia, lavender eyes questioning.

"Filia-chan?" Xellos asked.

"Yes, Xellos?" Filia replied.

"Whatever became of Shiroi? Did he get out of the fortress? Or did he die there?" Xellos asked, showing uncharacteristic concern for the elf.

"He survived. In fact, he's better than just all right." Filia said, turning and looking when a man wearing white robes walked in.

"Shiroi?!" Xellos yelped. Shiroi nodded.

"This was my secret, Xellos. I am the White Priest, Shiroi. Three years ago, I traveled extensively; I wanted to find out if there were still elves on the other continents. When I arrived on Alacrast after I had investigated Lodoss and Marmo, I wandered Alacrast for a while. Then, almost two years ago, an elf child came with an urgent message from the forest Callista was from. The clan leader had fallen ill and needed a healer. The problem was, was the fact that the nearest healer lived in Kanon. Since they had heard many tales concerning Rezo, they thought I was capable of the same kind of magic. I went to the elf town, healed the leader, and settled down there. Then Tern attacked. He leveled the forest. I did what I could to ward him off, but, for some reason, my powers were extremely weak and all I could do was shield a few others and myself. Then, just as the strain was becoming too great, I lost consciousness. The next thing I knew was that I was in a dungeon, my powers were next to nonexistent, and the entire elf village was gone. It was in that childish form that you first met me, Xellos." Shiroi said, as Xellos took all the information in.

"How are the others doing?" Xellos asked.

"All of the warriors are expected to make a complete recovery. The healers and sorcerers that had accompanied you to Alacrast are resting. Needless to say, you will all be going home alive." Shiroi said, quietly.

"Shiroi, would you mind stepping out of the room for a moment? I need to talk to Xellos alone." Filia said, after giving Xellos an almost warm look.

"Certainly." Shiroi said, then was gone.

"He's almost as bad about teleporting as you usually are." Filia said, laughing when she heard Rain let out a yell in one of the rooms below.

"Do tell. So, why do you want to talk to me alone, Filia-chan? Is there a special reason?" Xellos asked, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"Do you really want to know?" Filia asked, leaning in so that she was a few inches from Xellos' face.

"H-hai…………" Xellos said, almost afraid she would whip out her trusty mace again.

"Sore wa himitsu desu!" Filia said, cheerfully.

"Filia-chan!!! That wasn't…………..?!?!?" Xellos was cut off when Filia suddenly kissed him, right on the lips. Xellos was so startled that he sat frozen for a few seconds, then relaxed and wrapped his arms around Filia's shoulders.

"This feels………………..right, somehow. I wonder………………" Xellos thought, amidst the swirling emotions that clouded his brain.

"I have the feeling that this will work." Filia thought, not knowing that Xellos' thoughts were running along the same lines. Unknown to them, an invisible figure watched as the two finally came to the same conclusion about their feelings.

"He'll be all right. He has her to take care of him now. Strange how fate does that, isn't it?" Zelas Mettallium thought, as she watched the two part from their first kiss and stare dazedly into one another's eyes. With that thought in mind, Zelas departed, satisfied that Xellos was going to be all right.

~Owari~