Nocturnal Insight
By DragonTeenager
The Slayers Vault- http://www.purple-gizmo.com/zelink14/
Chapter 4
So hungry . . .
"Thief!"
"Come back here, you little beast!"
He ignored the enraged voices calling after him. He had to concentrate . . . concentrate on keeping his speed even and constant. The weight of the large, scrumptious bundle in his mouth was very awkward, and threatening to throw him off balance. If he made even the slightest mistake, he'd either drop the bundle or trip and fall, and they'd catch him. At the moment, the first possibility sounded just as dreadful as the second.
His heart raced in unison with his legs. Keep going! You have to lose them!
Something minuscule suddenly struck his back. It stung, but lucky for him, he didn't falter for a second. He continued to run at the same speed.
Something he'd wished not to see suddenly came about. A barrage of the same minuscule objects, small pebbles, showered the ground all around him.
"Get 'im!" a voice cried mercilessly from behind him. Again a pebble struck him, but on the flank this time. It stung too much as he tried desperately to continue running on it, and the weight in his mouth was pulling him down.
He tripped. As he made impact with the ground and came to a halt, panting, he heard the voices fast approaching. He knew that any minute his pursuers would be upon him, and what they would do he knew not . . .
**********************************
CAW! CAW!
Zelgadis' eyes shot open. His body ached terribly. The setting he'd expected to see from before was gone. Light shone down threw the treetops in golden sheets coated with dew as the sweet sound of singing birds came to his ears.
Had it been . . . only a dream?
CAW! CAW! CAW!
The harsh calls of the crows overhead made him jump. But suddenly, he realized that, instead of on the bark and wood of a tree branch, his feet were planted on soil, grass, and dew. How had he gotten down here?
He looked up to see the smiling faces of three young, curious crows, peering at him with interest.
CAW! CAW!
Stupid birds, Zelgadis grumbled. Painfully he got to his feet and stumbled off at his own pace.
**********************************
Zelgadis really was hungry.
It's no wonder I had that dream, he thought, trying to ignore the emptiness in his stomach. But besides his hunger there was still another problem: what was he going to do under the circumstances?
Only one answer came to mind. The town. He knew there was that small town nearby, no doubt where his companions went.
But . . . could he really search for them and confront them as he was?
NO. Lina would surely cook me alive if she recognized me!
Zelgadis peered into the clear water rushing by at his feet. The strange feline eyes that peered back gave even him the creeps.
Leaning down to drink, he formulated a plan - or rather tried to with anything that came to mind. But all that played in his head was his desire for food, and how he could crave it.
From a distance off an annoying clamor suddenly made his ears prick. Paying no heed to it, he continued to drink.
The sounds and voices of busy, grubby, obnoxious men traveling through the forest gradually grew louder until he could hear the topics of conversation being thrown out. Plunderings . . . food . . . drinks . . . women . . . treasure . . .
Wait a minute. Treasure?
The feeling of dread came again. He knew that sound. He knew exactly what it was.
Bandits.
The merry gang was headed his way.
Emerging through the trees were all manner of men - fat ones, skinny ones, muscular ones, hairy ones, dirty ones, tall ones, and short ones. As they marched in his path, Zelgadis knew it was too late to escape. He'd have to hope that they wouldn't see him and try to slip away when they had gone.
It was inevitable. One small, skinny man, one of the quieter bandits it seemed, had glanced over and discovered his presence.
"Oy!" he spoke to some of his fellow bandits. "Look ovuh'dere!"
"Whaddya want, Slim?" a taller, thicker one warned, but upon seeing the cat he paused. "Well, look a' dat! Hey, Boss! Look a' what Slim found us!"
A rougher looking man of enormous stature and thick muscle emerged from apparently nowhere. The large knife-like weapon hanging from his belt made Zelgadis nervous. "What?" he boomed in a seemingly angry tone.
"Look!" the one called Slim exclaimed meekly, pointing over at the feline.
"What?" the large man protested in a rage; he lashed out his enormous hand for the collar of Slim's shirt, and gripped it roughly. "I've no time fer nonsense! You're lucky I'm not in d'mood to punish you!"
"No, no, B-boss! I 'ad no intention of wast'n yer time! I thought, maybe - we been travelin' for a while an . . . thought we could 'ave some fun?"
The leader glared at him, then threw him back onto his behind, where he then scrambled backward to avoid becoming a victim of his anger again.
"No matter . . ." he dismissed. "I like kitsies." The grin on his face was less than comforting, and his bandit gang chuckled with relief at their boss' sudden positive change in mood. The leader suddenly took a few steps closer to the tensing cat and knelt down as if trying to be friendly.
"Nice kitsie . . ." he crooned, but in his husky voice it sounded completely bogus.
Yeah, right! Zelgadis thought surely. I know better than that! He reflexively lowered his ears and let out a threatening growl.
"Ooh! The frisky type, I see! Just like me!" The bandits chuckled again. The leader shuffled closer and reached out a hand.
He was much too close for comfort.
Zelgadis stepped backward with an even deeper growl and a hiss of warning.
The leader scowled with his hand still outstretched. "Why so defensive? I ain't gonna hurt'cha or anyt'ing."
Zelgadis didn't shudder at his response.
The man suddenly grew impatient, and thrust out his hand for the cat's neck. Zelgadis dodged and, in defense, latched onto the threatening hand with his teeth and claws, and kicked his back feet.
He cried out more so in rage than in pain. "Get offa me, you lit'l beast!" He ripped the cat from his throbbing hand and flung him to the ground. He landed on his feet even in his sheer surprise.
"GET IT!" the man shouted at his gang, having completely lost control of his temper. "KILL THAT LIT'L MONSTER!"
"Bu - but Boss, it's justa ca-"
"You dare question my authority?!" he roared in the opposer's face. "Kill it now!!"
Zelgadis knew he'd outlived his welcome, and made a run for it at the sight of the first bandit drawing his weapon.
He could hear the men pursuing him, along with their weapons, their shouting, and their cackling.
"Get 'im!" he heard, triggering a sense of deja vu as he heard the objects being hurled at him. The unfortunate difference from "last time" was that not only were they throwing rocks and debris, but also daggers and knives.
As he raced through the brush, a rocky hillside nearly as steep as a cliff opened up over at his side. Zelgadis knew just by looking down that it would not be a pleasant escape route. He had to find some other way.
He continued running, but then noticed that the bandits seemed to be falling behind.
Or - no, wait. Were they giving up?
Zelgadis, never having trusted bandits, continued to race. Would they really be burned out so quickly? Were they actually giving up? He couldn't be sure. As far as he was concerned, it could be a trap.
He was suddenly confirmed correct as a small, bloodthirsty group of the bandit directly in front of him totally caught him by surprise.
"Ha!" one laughed, bringing forward his blade with little skill. At Zelgadis' slow reaction, he had no time to react accordingly. The blade sliced harshly into his right foreleg.
The pain was too great to continue running. It was too much to even attempt to ignore. He had to escape quickly, otherwise the bandits would surely kill him. Zelgadis knew he only had one chance to survive.
He clenched his eyes, and jumped over the cliff.
Nothing seemed real. Even as he plummeted down the rocky hillside and landed roughly on every side of his small body, none of it seemed real. And it was all happening so fast, and yet time seemed to have stopped . . .
Eventually the plummeting ended. The sound of rushing air and tumbling stones ceased. Along with even breathing, again came the throbbing pain in his bones and the powerful stinging of his fresh wound.
He felt like he was paralyzed.
The slice on his right foreleg had been bashed and bruised so badly that blood began rushing out in streams. If this continued for too much longer, he'd surely bleed to death.
His eyes began to grow heavy.
No! It can't end like this! - can it? I can't . . . I have to . . .
The forest around him began to melt away.
No . . .
It all went black.
**********************************
"Hmm . . . awake, I see?"
Zelgadis blinked in the attempt to clarify his vision. All he could see was darkness. What had happened? He knew he hadn't been here before - this single-roomed run-down looking cabin? Had he not been up in the forest?
How did I get here?
"Mrao . . . ?"
A scrawny, average-sized man knelt down before him. He wore a pleased smile on his face. "It's about time you came to. You were out for a majority of the day! I was beginning to worry that you'd never wake up." He suddenly chuckled. "I had to keep a close eye on old Bhart over there," he said with a gesture, "as he was gett'n curious."
Zelgadis looked over in the direction of the gesture. Across the room he saw a considerably large, long-haired old dog laying on the floor boards as if it were his throne. He hardly flinched at the sound of his own name.
Zelgadis drew his attention back to the man when he heard him chuckle again. In a softer voice he added, "Don't you worry 'bout 'im. He's much too old for chasin'."
That was apparent by the looks of the old beast. He must've had a very long, involved life.
As the man stood up and made his way to the counter top, Zelgadis seized the moment and attempted to stand. He crumpled back onto the tattered old blanket he'd been laid on at the first sting of pain. His leg still stung, but unlike before it was neatly wrapped up in a white cloth. Much to his disappointment, a bit of redness had managed to bleed through.
"I wouldn't advise trying to walk on that leg a'your's yet. You bashed yourself up pretty good. It'll take some time to heal, I think."
Not if I could administer a healing spell, Zelgadis grumbled in his mind. If only I could use my magic!
If I could use my magic, I wouldn't even be in this situation!
He was suddenly pulled out of himself by a delicious scent. From what he could tell, it was coming from the counter top. His mouth began to water at the thought of what it could be, and his stomach began to beg.
Snapping himself out of it, he figured that the man was dishing up dinner for himself. Surely he doesn't plan on eating right in front of me? How insensitive.
Zelgadis promptly laughed at his own irony.
He was surprised at being proved wrong when the man placed a small, steaming portion of beef and potato stew on the floor in front of him. The scent of it wafted up into his nostrils, tempting him to eat.
Zelgadis looked questioningly up at the man.
Sensing his glance, the man spoke. "Oh . . . well, you may not particularly appreciate the vegetables in that, but I'm sure the meat'll sustain ya."
This is for me, Zelgadis thought with surprise and awe. Almost immediately upon this revelation, he dragged himself closer to the dish to eat. As he indulged himself in his unlikely meal, he hardly noticed the man serve the dog, and only then dish some up for himself.
It was absolutely delicious! Although, he was so hungry, anything would've seemed tasty to him at the moment. Either way, he didn't care. He completely cleaned the dish, and much to the man's surprise, he had eaten the vegetables, as well.
"Huh. An omnivorous cat. Imagine that. You must've been really hungry!"
The cat meowed his thanks.
"Well, now! That's the first healthy sound I've heard out of you all day! I'd say that food perked you up. You're looking much better."
Zelgadis settled himself back onto the tattered blanket carefully as to not jostled his wounded foreleg. To think - this man would voluntarily care for a cat. What was the point? Likely it's just a burden for this man by the looks of this cabin. He must be very poor.
These thoughts boggled his mind to the point that he began feeling very drowsy.
When I wake up, he thought, I'll try to find the others.
But . . . then what?
**********************************
Zelgadis awoke earlier than he'd expected. His skin felt clammy and his fur matted and wet.
What is that?
At first sight of the huge dog sleeping beside him, he knew exactly what it was.
Ick! That dog slimed me in my sleep! Ugh, this is disgusting . . . He stood up on his three legs, discouraging the use of his injured fourth, and attempted to shake the slobber off, but he thought better of it when he began falling off balance. Hobbling over to a pile of crates and thick books to reach the window, he realized that the man was nowhere to be found. Besides that, the window was ajar, which he assumed may have been left that way on purpose, much to his luck.
The cool evening air brushed his whiskers as he stood on the window sill. By the brilliant colors in the sky, Zelgadis could guess that it was just about sunset. He jumped down as carefully as he could to the forest floor, making sure to keep his injured foreleg from making impact with the earth.
Ee-YUCK! How am I going to get this off? Even if I was a real cat, using my tongue would definitely be out of the question!
A thought suddenly buzzed through his mind.
The stream. Of course!
Zelgadis ran as fast as he was able in the direction he thought the stream might be.
**********************************
I guess I must've made a wrong turn, he sweatdropped.
**********************************
Even though in general cats normally despise getting wet, it felt wonderful to Zelgadis. He felt much better knowing that the canine saliva all over his backside was being washed away by the stream. When he was sure all of it was out, he climbed out of the water and shook himself dry.
Well, for the most part, anyway.
Fur ball, he though humorously at the visual in his head.
Zelgadis glanced at the stream again. It had occurred to him earlier on his journey here that a stream ran through the town they'd originally left from before they'd gotten into this mess. He remembered that stream, for it ran in the direction into the forest he and his companions were going to travel later that night . . .
Just maybe . . . if I follow along the edge of this stream against the current, I'll find that town. And if I'm at all lucky, Lina and the others will be there for a second night.
The last part of the thought disheartened him. A second night . . . That's not likely, unless they were waiting for something.
Zelgadis began following the stream, hoping for once that he'd he be wrong, and also that he'd last long enough to reach it.
**********************************
The edge of the town, much to his relief, lay ahead. By this time the sun had already set, and the sky was beginning to darken more quickly than before. Now he hoped Lina, Gourry, and Amelia would still be there.
"Waah! a kitty!" a high-pitched voice cried with excitement. Before he had time to react, Zelgadis was embraced in a head lock - or rather that's what it felt like - by a little blonde girl of probably about six years old.
"Aww! It's so cute! I wish I could keep you!" she cooed in only a slightly softer voice.
Zelgadis squeaked. The combination of her grip and his body weight was utterly choking him, and she seemed totally oblivious.
I don't have time for this! he growled angrily, desperate for air. He began squirming and struggling in protest, and soon enough she's lost her grip (and her composure) and he was free. He dashed a short distance away.
"You're mean!" she whined, sticking out her tongue at him. Immediately she turned about and raced for home. It was most likely her bedtime by now.
That's it, he thought, graciously taking in the sweet air. From now on, I'm avoiding the street.
**********************************
It was getting dark. The moon hadn't yet come out, and shadows riddled the alley ways. That made it perfect for sneaking around.
Zelgadis was searching for either of two places: the restaurant or the inn. His friends would likely be at one of the two if they were still here. But he was so much smaller now, and everything looked so different.
After much sneaking and searching he finally saw the lights of the inn. By this time people would be settling in their beds. Hardly anyone traveled by moonlight.
Well, Zelgadis thought, changing his mind, unless, of course, they're as crazy as Lina.
He hobbled clumsily among the shadows along the edge of the inn. How could he get inside? Surely he couldn't just walk in the front door. He'd have to find another way in.
He grinned when he looked up the side of the building and saw a window wide open and a dark interior. It was up there, but that didn't mean he couldn't climb; unfortunately, though, all there was to climb were the numerous trees that had been planted here.
At the base of the closest tree to the window, he looked up.
This is going to be a long climb . . .
**********************************
Zelgadis caught his breath on a branch. His muscles ached, and his injured foreleg was paining him, but he was relying on them to get him up the tree. It would've been much easier if his leg wasn't so sore.
Of course, it would be easier still if he had actually been able to slip through the front door. But being a cat, it was much too risky.
It felt as an eternity as he reached another branch. Looking back down, he knew that there was no turning back at this point, and if he slipped . . .
No, let's not think of that.
The window was near - well, as near as about five more branches worth of climbing; but that was much less than with he'd begun. The only problem now was that as he continued ascending higher up the tree, the branches began looking thinner and more frail. He had to be extra careful now.
But, he wondered as he reached the next branch, will it be unable to sustain my weight?
He promptly received his answer.
Snap!
He and the branch began to tumble. He had to snag onto another and save himself!
In a desperate reflex, he retracted his claws for an incoming branch. His momentum was too great for his claws to remain snagged, and it tugged his muscles too hard, especially those on his right foreleg. Down he went again. Having been slowed down he was able to snag another branch, despite the pain, and stay. He frantically heaved himself up the side of the branch with the aid of his back legs and righted.
Zelgadis had no idea how much of a commotion he'd made. It felt as if his heart was beating in his throat, and he was trying to force it back down into his chest where it belonged. As he tried to catch his breath, he knew he couldn't try that stunt again.
He was stranded.
His muscles suddenly began throbbing from the stress they'd just undergone. Zelgadis could barely move without causing more pain to himself.
A familiar sound suddenly came to his ears. It sounded like a voice. Had it come from down on the street? No, it sounded much too close. Then, from where had it come?
"It's you again?" he heard a female voice say with surprise. He recognized it right away, but he didn't bother to look up to see Amelia levitating before him.
He meowed pitifully in reply.
"You poor thing! What happened to you?" Amelia suddenly noticed the white bandages on his right foreleg, and the red stain that had recently grown redder and wider than before.
"That looks really bad! Let me help you!" she exclaimed, floating in closer to pick him up.
He didn't care this time. He just wanted out of this tree, out of this town, and especially out of this body. Pain, also, had completely overshadowed him. He just didn't care anymore. He was perfectly willing to be carried away from the branch to her room.
**********************************
Zelgadis flinched as the bandages were peeled away from his wound. He hadn't at all seen it until now, and it looked awful. He could tell by the look on Amelia's face that she agreed completely.
"Hold still, now. This won't take long . . ."
"Mrao."
He watched the wound close up right before his eyes, and it was very relieving. Not only mentally, but also physically; he could easily tell the difference between a stinging pain and an aching one.
After a moment, she seemed satisfied. "That should do it! How does it feel?"
He meowed in reply, and jumped up onto a nearby desk.
He was unexpectedly greeted by another cat. He hissed in a reflex, then paused as he realized that it was only his reflection. Himself.
He hissed again and looked away.
"Well, that's no way to treat yourself," she commented with an upraised eyebrow.
He grumbled to himself as his tail twitched irritably.
"You should get some rest. It'll make you feel a lot better," she said as she climbed under the bed covers. "Feel free to stay in here tonight. I don't mind." She settled herself into the bed, and closed with, "Well, good night, Neko-chan!"
Zelgadis looked about the room, and noticed that Amelia had left the window open. Jumping down from the desk he made his way over to the window sill to look outside.
He could see the whole town from here. If any kind of trouble arose, he'd be able to spot it right away. For example, if that cloaked wizard came back . . .
For the first time in hours now rid of the burdening pain, he realized just how tired he was. Knowing he'd soon fall asleep, he let his mind wander.
**********************************
Hours had passed. The quiet tranquility of the forest had been interrupted by roars that sounded one after another.
**********************************
Zelgadis burst awake to the sound of burning and the smell of smoke. Right outside of the window he witnessed several pillars of smoke billowing out from burning buildings.
What happened?!
Down in the streets he suddenly saw and heard what the problem was.
Lesser demons.
They were romping about, spurting balls of flame at anything that moved. It seemed by now that mostly everyone had retreated. That is, everyone who had noticed.
Zelgadis rushed over the bed and jumped up next to Amelia's pillow. She was still asleep. He nudged he shoulders with his paws roughly and meowed repeatedly. She awoke immediately.
"Huh? What is it?" she sleepily asked no one in particular. She instantly knew something wasn't right. Throwing off the bed sheets, she raced to the window and halted as she saw the burning state of the town. "Oh, my gosh!"
A lesser demon down on the street had seen her up in the window. Amelia gasped as she saw a ball of flame heading right for her.
"Balus Wall!"
The flames did all but penetrate the shield. Wasting no time, Amelia ran over to the door and threw it open. "I have to get Lina-san!"
Zelgadis took the opportunity to rush out of the open door after her.
**********************************
It wasn't long before Lina, Gourry, and Amelia appeared outside on the street. Zelgadis, too, emerged, but he kept a low profile as to not get uselessly caught in a battle. A pack of four lesser demons saw the three humans, and with their glowing blood-red eyes to lead them, they lunged straight for them.
"Light come forth!" Gourry cried with the sword hilt in hand. Out came the blade of light and immediately punctured one of the creatures, causing it to deteriorate in an instant.
"Icicle Lance!" Lina was next. Two of the beasts snarled as they were struck frozen solid.
The last beast closed in on its prey, ready to loose the thick fires burning it its throat.
Gourry gave it no chance.
More lesser demons galloped by, but they hardly noticed the three. They were too far away.
"This is bad!" Amelia stated. "How many could there be?"
"Looks like we'll have to go find out," Lina replied calmly. "Let's go!"
"That isn't necessary. Look!"
Gourry was right. Up ahead a whole swarm of lesser demons, as they terrorized the remaining townsfolk, were heading straight for them.
"Augh!" Lina groaned. "This is going to take forever! And a can't use my Dragon Slave . . ." She paused as an idea came to her head. "Yeah . . . hey, let's give it a shot! Demona Crystal!" A bright blue beam shot out from her hands, crystallizing everything that lay in its path: demons, pets, buildings, and all. Many of the townsfolk had been lucky enough, and quick enough, to dive out of the way and escape being crystallized.
"Lina!" Amelia and Gourry fumed.
Lina rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Eh heh heh . . . oops. Well, I got 'em, right?" She looked over at the long trail of crystal in the streets to avoid their eye contact. "Well, scratch that idea."
The exterminating continued. Gourry slashed with the Sword of Light while Lina and Amelia cast a barrage of Shamanist spells; however, no matter how many they destroyed, several more emerged to take their places. The amount of them hardly wavered.
"We can't do this forever! Where are they coming from?!"
"The forest, no doubt. Where that conjurer may be . . ."
Fire burned in Amelia's eyes as if she were prepared to give one of her infamous justice speeches. "We have to stop him!"
"Well, Amelia," Lina interrupted, "if you believe that you can get to him past all these demons, then by all means be my guest!"
Amelia quieted.
As the demons closed in, they found themselves completely surrounded.
"Crap," Lina stated for nothing else to say.
**********************************
The fur on Zelgadis' back bristled as the lesser demon drew closer. The red glint in its eyes sent shivers down his spine. Any second, he knew, it would make a lunge for him, and he'd be ready.
With a snarl, just as he'd expected, it lunged forward with its claws outstretched to catch him. With a bound the cat leaped from its head, startling it, and landed on the ground behind its long, thin tail. Unfortunately, all he could do was run.
As he ran, a thought plagued him. If he'd been in his chimera form, that lesser demon would've been toast by now. Having to run away made him feel completely helpless.
I hate this!!
**********************************
Gourry was beginning to tire. He'd already slashed and vanquished numerous amounts of lesser demons, and he knew he couldn't take much more, but he just couldn't give up. He'd sooner die than surrender.
It seemed that every lesser demon in town was suddenly upon them, as if their whole purpose in being summoned was to destroy them specifically.
For every minute that passed fewer and fewer lesser demons were exterminated due to the party's fatigue. Not only were each of them taking on more than their share, but it was also still the middle of the night. It felt as if they hadn't had a decent night's sleep for days.
"Lina-san, what do we do?" Amelia breathed.
Lina looked about. It was apparent that the number of lesser demons had lessened, but there were still too many more. This must be the last of them, she though with slight reassurance, but upon seeing Gourry's state, she knew he couldn't take anymore.
If we can escape to the forest, then I could easily end this fight with a single casting.
The only way out was up.
Grabbing Gourry and Amelia by their arms, she cried out, "Levitation!"
Zelgadis emerged from around the rubble of a fallen building just in time to see his friends lift from the street. He knew, just as well as they did, that the only way out was up; he had to catch up to them before they floated too high to reach. He quickened his run to a sprint. The lesser demons, however furious they were that their prey was trying to escape, went after the cat as a last resort. Zelgadis took on the risk of being burned or slashed as he jumped from demon to demon, until he was finally both close and high enough reach his friends.
Gourry's heart skipped a beat at a sudden weight on his foot. Had a lesser demon actually grabbed a hold of him?
"Aah! What's -!!" He cut himself short when he saw a small, desperate cat clinging to his boot. "A . . . cat?"
Lina and Amelia had been startled by Gourry's sudden outburst, and looked down to see the same.
"What is -?! It . . . a cat?"
Lina's eyes burned with anger upon recognition. "What? You again?!"
"Neko-chan!"
"Huh?"
Just as the lesser demons prepared to attack, they stopped. The atmosphere about them suddenly shifted to abnormal darkness that seemed to swallow them up and destroy them one by one.
"Wha - what's going on?!"
Some of the creatures began to retreat, but they couldn't escape. Their snarls and roars filled the air until the last of them was destroyed.
The town was suddenly quiet and peaceful again. The only sound heard was the sounds of the crackling, dying fires all about the town.
"What . . . just happened?" Amelia asked.
Lina shook her head slowly in reply, showing she had no idea.
Suddenly a voice came from seemingly nowhere and startled the four of them.
"Iyaa, it's so nice to see you again, Lina-san!"
From a dark, funnel-shaped mist not far in front of them emerged a smiling figure clothed in black.
"Xellos?!"
"Xellos, what are you doing here?" Lina demanded with astonishment evident in her voice.
"Is this how you always greet your friends?" Xellos frowned. "You were in a pinch there, were you not?"
"Um, well . . ." she trailed off in a mumble while alighting back onto the street.
The cat jumped from Gourry's boot as soon as it was close enough to reach the ground safely, and to avoid being stomped on.
Lina averted her attention elsewhere. "So, Amelia," she cocked her eyebrows, "what's with the cat? You sound like you know something."
"I don't know! It just keeps showing up! Just last night I found it stranded in -"
As she continued explaining, Xellos held his chin in his fingers, eyeing the cat with interest. The cat glared right back defensively.
"Hmm . . . Could it be?"
Lina, Gourry, and Amelia ceased talking at his remark. The cat flinched.
"What is it, Xellos-san?"
Xellos sat up with a wide, amused grin on his face. "My, my!" he laughed. "What a predicament you've gotten yourself into, Zelgadis-san!"
Everyone including Zelgadis froze.
"Di . . . Did you just say . . . 'Zelgadis'?" Lina asked in disbelief. "You're joking right?"
"Oh, no, not at all! Zelgadis-san is indeed this small cat you see before you," He confirmed. "Oh? You mean you hadn't known?" He rubbed the back of his head in shock. "Iyaa! What an interesting twist of fate!"
Gourry bent down to pick up the cat and held it in front of himself. "Zelgadis? That's really you?"
Zelgadis replied with a muffled meow.
"I still can't believe it . . . This is what that wizard did to you? And to think," she laughed, "all along it was you I was attacking with those Flare Arrows!" Her voice suddenly lost its humorous tone. "Never do that again."
"Lina-san!" Amelia broke in. "He was just trying to help!" Dismissing the topic she pulled down on Gourry's arm to take a look at Zelgadis. "Hmm . . . well, in a way I can see the resemblance . . ."
Zelgadis grumbled to himself.
"Poor Zelgadis-san . . . don't worry! Justice won't allow this to be left alone!"
"Sure, of course," Lina stated. "But Justice can wait till tomorrow. I still need my beauty sleep!"
Amelia was actually perfectly happy to oblige.
"Well," Lina said with a yawn, "we can sort this all out further in the morning. Gourry, you take Zelgadis to sleep in your room. That is, if the inn is still in one piece . . .
"Just remember - tomorrow, we go wizard-hunting!"
By DragonTeenager
The Slayers Vault- http://www.purple-gizmo.com/zelink14/
Chapter 4
So hungry . . .
"Thief!"
"Come back here, you little beast!"
He ignored the enraged voices calling after him. He had to concentrate . . . concentrate on keeping his speed even and constant. The weight of the large, scrumptious bundle in his mouth was very awkward, and threatening to throw him off balance. If he made even the slightest mistake, he'd either drop the bundle or trip and fall, and they'd catch him. At the moment, the first possibility sounded just as dreadful as the second.
His heart raced in unison with his legs. Keep going! You have to lose them!
Something minuscule suddenly struck his back. It stung, but lucky for him, he didn't falter for a second. He continued to run at the same speed.
Something he'd wished not to see suddenly came about. A barrage of the same minuscule objects, small pebbles, showered the ground all around him.
"Get 'im!" a voice cried mercilessly from behind him. Again a pebble struck him, but on the flank this time. It stung too much as he tried desperately to continue running on it, and the weight in his mouth was pulling him down.
He tripped. As he made impact with the ground and came to a halt, panting, he heard the voices fast approaching. He knew that any minute his pursuers would be upon him, and what they would do he knew not . . .
**********************************
CAW! CAW!
Zelgadis' eyes shot open. His body ached terribly. The setting he'd expected to see from before was gone. Light shone down threw the treetops in golden sheets coated with dew as the sweet sound of singing birds came to his ears.
Had it been . . . only a dream?
CAW! CAW! CAW!
The harsh calls of the crows overhead made him jump. But suddenly, he realized that, instead of on the bark and wood of a tree branch, his feet were planted on soil, grass, and dew. How had he gotten down here?
He looked up to see the smiling faces of three young, curious crows, peering at him with interest.
CAW! CAW!
Stupid birds, Zelgadis grumbled. Painfully he got to his feet and stumbled off at his own pace.
**********************************
Zelgadis really was hungry.
It's no wonder I had that dream, he thought, trying to ignore the emptiness in his stomach. But besides his hunger there was still another problem: what was he going to do under the circumstances?
Only one answer came to mind. The town. He knew there was that small town nearby, no doubt where his companions went.
But . . . could he really search for them and confront them as he was?
NO. Lina would surely cook me alive if she recognized me!
Zelgadis peered into the clear water rushing by at his feet. The strange feline eyes that peered back gave even him the creeps.
Leaning down to drink, he formulated a plan - or rather tried to with anything that came to mind. But all that played in his head was his desire for food, and how he could crave it.
From a distance off an annoying clamor suddenly made his ears prick. Paying no heed to it, he continued to drink.
The sounds and voices of busy, grubby, obnoxious men traveling through the forest gradually grew louder until he could hear the topics of conversation being thrown out. Plunderings . . . food . . . drinks . . . women . . . treasure . . .
Wait a minute. Treasure?
The feeling of dread came again. He knew that sound. He knew exactly what it was.
Bandits.
The merry gang was headed his way.
Emerging through the trees were all manner of men - fat ones, skinny ones, muscular ones, hairy ones, dirty ones, tall ones, and short ones. As they marched in his path, Zelgadis knew it was too late to escape. He'd have to hope that they wouldn't see him and try to slip away when they had gone.
It was inevitable. One small, skinny man, one of the quieter bandits it seemed, had glanced over and discovered his presence.
"Oy!" he spoke to some of his fellow bandits. "Look ovuh'dere!"
"Whaddya want, Slim?" a taller, thicker one warned, but upon seeing the cat he paused. "Well, look a' dat! Hey, Boss! Look a' what Slim found us!"
A rougher looking man of enormous stature and thick muscle emerged from apparently nowhere. The large knife-like weapon hanging from his belt made Zelgadis nervous. "What?" he boomed in a seemingly angry tone.
"Look!" the one called Slim exclaimed meekly, pointing over at the feline.
"What?" the large man protested in a rage; he lashed out his enormous hand for the collar of Slim's shirt, and gripped it roughly. "I've no time fer nonsense! You're lucky I'm not in d'mood to punish you!"
"No, no, B-boss! I 'ad no intention of wast'n yer time! I thought, maybe - we been travelin' for a while an . . . thought we could 'ave some fun?"
The leader glared at him, then threw him back onto his behind, where he then scrambled backward to avoid becoming a victim of his anger again.
"No matter . . ." he dismissed. "I like kitsies." The grin on his face was less than comforting, and his bandit gang chuckled with relief at their boss' sudden positive change in mood. The leader suddenly took a few steps closer to the tensing cat and knelt down as if trying to be friendly.
"Nice kitsie . . ." he crooned, but in his husky voice it sounded completely bogus.
Yeah, right! Zelgadis thought surely. I know better than that! He reflexively lowered his ears and let out a threatening growl.
"Ooh! The frisky type, I see! Just like me!" The bandits chuckled again. The leader shuffled closer and reached out a hand.
He was much too close for comfort.
Zelgadis stepped backward with an even deeper growl and a hiss of warning.
The leader scowled with his hand still outstretched. "Why so defensive? I ain't gonna hurt'cha or anyt'ing."
Zelgadis didn't shudder at his response.
The man suddenly grew impatient, and thrust out his hand for the cat's neck. Zelgadis dodged and, in defense, latched onto the threatening hand with his teeth and claws, and kicked his back feet.
He cried out more so in rage than in pain. "Get offa me, you lit'l beast!" He ripped the cat from his throbbing hand and flung him to the ground. He landed on his feet even in his sheer surprise.
"GET IT!" the man shouted at his gang, having completely lost control of his temper. "KILL THAT LIT'L MONSTER!"
"Bu - but Boss, it's justa ca-"
"You dare question my authority?!" he roared in the opposer's face. "Kill it now!!"
Zelgadis knew he'd outlived his welcome, and made a run for it at the sight of the first bandit drawing his weapon.
He could hear the men pursuing him, along with their weapons, their shouting, and their cackling.
"Get 'im!" he heard, triggering a sense of deja vu as he heard the objects being hurled at him. The unfortunate difference from "last time" was that not only were they throwing rocks and debris, but also daggers and knives.
As he raced through the brush, a rocky hillside nearly as steep as a cliff opened up over at his side. Zelgadis knew just by looking down that it would not be a pleasant escape route. He had to find some other way.
He continued running, but then noticed that the bandits seemed to be falling behind.
Or - no, wait. Were they giving up?
Zelgadis, never having trusted bandits, continued to race. Would they really be burned out so quickly? Were they actually giving up? He couldn't be sure. As far as he was concerned, it could be a trap.
He was suddenly confirmed correct as a small, bloodthirsty group of the bandit directly in front of him totally caught him by surprise.
"Ha!" one laughed, bringing forward his blade with little skill. At Zelgadis' slow reaction, he had no time to react accordingly. The blade sliced harshly into his right foreleg.
The pain was too great to continue running. It was too much to even attempt to ignore. He had to escape quickly, otherwise the bandits would surely kill him. Zelgadis knew he only had one chance to survive.
He clenched his eyes, and jumped over the cliff.
Nothing seemed real. Even as he plummeted down the rocky hillside and landed roughly on every side of his small body, none of it seemed real. And it was all happening so fast, and yet time seemed to have stopped . . .
Eventually the plummeting ended. The sound of rushing air and tumbling stones ceased. Along with even breathing, again came the throbbing pain in his bones and the powerful stinging of his fresh wound.
He felt like he was paralyzed.
The slice on his right foreleg had been bashed and bruised so badly that blood began rushing out in streams. If this continued for too much longer, he'd surely bleed to death.
His eyes began to grow heavy.
No! It can't end like this! - can it? I can't . . . I have to . . .
The forest around him began to melt away.
No . . .
It all went black.
**********************************
"Hmm . . . awake, I see?"
Zelgadis blinked in the attempt to clarify his vision. All he could see was darkness. What had happened? He knew he hadn't been here before - this single-roomed run-down looking cabin? Had he not been up in the forest?
How did I get here?
"Mrao . . . ?"
A scrawny, average-sized man knelt down before him. He wore a pleased smile on his face. "It's about time you came to. You were out for a majority of the day! I was beginning to worry that you'd never wake up." He suddenly chuckled. "I had to keep a close eye on old Bhart over there," he said with a gesture, "as he was gett'n curious."
Zelgadis looked over in the direction of the gesture. Across the room he saw a considerably large, long-haired old dog laying on the floor boards as if it were his throne. He hardly flinched at the sound of his own name.
Zelgadis drew his attention back to the man when he heard him chuckle again. In a softer voice he added, "Don't you worry 'bout 'im. He's much too old for chasin'."
That was apparent by the looks of the old beast. He must've had a very long, involved life.
As the man stood up and made his way to the counter top, Zelgadis seized the moment and attempted to stand. He crumpled back onto the tattered old blanket he'd been laid on at the first sting of pain. His leg still stung, but unlike before it was neatly wrapped up in a white cloth. Much to his disappointment, a bit of redness had managed to bleed through.
"I wouldn't advise trying to walk on that leg a'your's yet. You bashed yourself up pretty good. It'll take some time to heal, I think."
Not if I could administer a healing spell, Zelgadis grumbled in his mind. If only I could use my magic!
If I could use my magic, I wouldn't even be in this situation!
He was suddenly pulled out of himself by a delicious scent. From what he could tell, it was coming from the counter top. His mouth began to water at the thought of what it could be, and his stomach began to beg.
Snapping himself out of it, he figured that the man was dishing up dinner for himself. Surely he doesn't plan on eating right in front of me? How insensitive.
Zelgadis promptly laughed at his own irony.
He was surprised at being proved wrong when the man placed a small, steaming portion of beef and potato stew on the floor in front of him. The scent of it wafted up into his nostrils, tempting him to eat.
Zelgadis looked questioningly up at the man.
Sensing his glance, the man spoke. "Oh . . . well, you may not particularly appreciate the vegetables in that, but I'm sure the meat'll sustain ya."
This is for me, Zelgadis thought with surprise and awe. Almost immediately upon this revelation, he dragged himself closer to the dish to eat. As he indulged himself in his unlikely meal, he hardly noticed the man serve the dog, and only then dish some up for himself.
It was absolutely delicious! Although, he was so hungry, anything would've seemed tasty to him at the moment. Either way, he didn't care. He completely cleaned the dish, and much to the man's surprise, he had eaten the vegetables, as well.
"Huh. An omnivorous cat. Imagine that. You must've been really hungry!"
The cat meowed his thanks.
"Well, now! That's the first healthy sound I've heard out of you all day! I'd say that food perked you up. You're looking much better."
Zelgadis settled himself back onto the tattered blanket carefully as to not jostled his wounded foreleg. To think - this man would voluntarily care for a cat. What was the point? Likely it's just a burden for this man by the looks of this cabin. He must be very poor.
These thoughts boggled his mind to the point that he began feeling very drowsy.
When I wake up, he thought, I'll try to find the others.
But . . . then what?
**********************************
Zelgadis awoke earlier than he'd expected. His skin felt clammy and his fur matted and wet.
What is that?
At first sight of the huge dog sleeping beside him, he knew exactly what it was.
Ick! That dog slimed me in my sleep! Ugh, this is disgusting . . . He stood up on his three legs, discouraging the use of his injured fourth, and attempted to shake the slobber off, but he thought better of it when he began falling off balance. Hobbling over to a pile of crates and thick books to reach the window, he realized that the man was nowhere to be found. Besides that, the window was ajar, which he assumed may have been left that way on purpose, much to his luck.
The cool evening air brushed his whiskers as he stood on the window sill. By the brilliant colors in the sky, Zelgadis could guess that it was just about sunset. He jumped down as carefully as he could to the forest floor, making sure to keep his injured foreleg from making impact with the earth.
Ee-YUCK! How am I going to get this off? Even if I was a real cat, using my tongue would definitely be out of the question!
A thought suddenly buzzed through his mind.
The stream. Of course!
Zelgadis ran as fast as he was able in the direction he thought the stream might be.
**********************************
I guess I must've made a wrong turn, he sweatdropped.
**********************************
Even though in general cats normally despise getting wet, it felt wonderful to Zelgadis. He felt much better knowing that the canine saliva all over his backside was being washed away by the stream. When he was sure all of it was out, he climbed out of the water and shook himself dry.
Well, for the most part, anyway.
Fur ball, he though humorously at the visual in his head.
Zelgadis glanced at the stream again. It had occurred to him earlier on his journey here that a stream ran through the town they'd originally left from before they'd gotten into this mess. He remembered that stream, for it ran in the direction into the forest he and his companions were going to travel later that night . . .
Just maybe . . . if I follow along the edge of this stream against the current, I'll find that town. And if I'm at all lucky, Lina and the others will be there for a second night.
The last part of the thought disheartened him. A second night . . . That's not likely, unless they were waiting for something.
Zelgadis began following the stream, hoping for once that he'd he be wrong, and also that he'd last long enough to reach it.
**********************************
The edge of the town, much to his relief, lay ahead. By this time the sun had already set, and the sky was beginning to darken more quickly than before. Now he hoped Lina, Gourry, and Amelia would still be there.
"Waah! a kitty!" a high-pitched voice cried with excitement. Before he had time to react, Zelgadis was embraced in a head lock - or rather that's what it felt like - by a little blonde girl of probably about six years old.
"Aww! It's so cute! I wish I could keep you!" she cooed in only a slightly softer voice.
Zelgadis squeaked. The combination of her grip and his body weight was utterly choking him, and she seemed totally oblivious.
I don't have time for this! he growled angrily, desperate for air. He began squirming and struggling in protest, and soon enough she's lost her grip (and her composure) and he was free. He dashed a short distance away.
"You're mean!" she whined, sticking out her tongue at him. Immediately she turned about and raced for home. It was most likely her bedtime by now.
That's it, he thought, graciously taking in the sweet air. From now on, I'm avoiding the street.
**********************************
It was getting dark. The moon hadn't yet come out, and shadows riddled the alley ways. That made it perfect for sneaking around.
Zelgadis was searching for either of two places: the restaurant or the inn. His friends would likely be at one of the two if they were still here. But he was so much smaller now, and everything looked so different.
After much sneaking and searching he finally saw the lights of the inn. By this time people would be settling in their beds. Hardly anyone traveled by moonlight.
Well, Zelgadis thought, changing his mind, unless, of course, they're as crazy as Lina.
He hobbled clumsily among the shadows along the edge of the inn. How could he get inside? Surely he couldn't just walk in the front door. He'd have to find another way in.
He grinned when he looked up the side of the building and saw a window wide open and a dark interior. It was up there, but that didn't mean he couldn't climb; unfortunately, though, all there was to climb were the numerous trees that had been planted here.
At the base of the closest tree to the window, he looked up.
This is going to be a long climb . . .
**********************************
Zelgadis caught his breath on a branch. His muscles ached, and his injured foreleg was paining him, but he was relying on them to get him up the tree. It would've been much easier if his leg wasn't so sore.
Of course, it would be easier still if he had actually been able to slip through the front door. But being a cat, it was much too risky.
It felt as an eternity as he reached another branch. Looking back down, he knew that there was no turning back at this point, and if he slipped . . .
No, let's not think of that.
The window was near - well, as near as about five more branches worth of climbing; but that was much less than with he'd begun. The only problem now was that as he continued ascending higher up the tree, the branches began looking thinner and more frail. He had to be extra careful now.
But, he wondered as he reached the next branch, will it be unable to sustain my weight?
He promptly received his answer.
Snap!
He and the branch began to tumble. He had to snag onto another and save himself!
In a desperate reflex, he retracted his claws for an incoming branch. His momentum was too great for his claws to remain snagged, and it tugged his muscles too hard, especially those on his right foreleg. Down he went again. Having been slowed down he was able to snag another branch, despite the pain, and stay. He frantically heaved himself up the side of the branch with the aid of his back legs and righted.
Zelgadis had no idea how much of a commotion he'd made. It felt as if his heart was beating in his throat, and he was trying to force it back down into his chest where it belonged. As he tried to catch his breath, he knew he couldn't try that stunt again.
He was stranded.
His muscles suddenly began throbbing from the stress they'd just undergone. Zelgadis could barely move without causing more pain to himself.
A familiar sound suddenly came to his ears. It sounded like a voice. Had it come from down on the street? No, it sounded much too close. Then, from where had it come?
"It's you again?" he heard a female voice say with surprise. He recognized it right away, but he didn't bother to look up to see Amelia levitating before him.
He meowed pitifully in reply.
"You poor thing! What happened to you?" Amelia suddenly noticed the white bandages on his right foreleg, and the red stain that had recently grown redder and wider than before.
"That looks really bad! Let me help you!" she exclaimed, floating in closer to pick him up.
He didn't care this time. He just wanted out of this tree, out of this town, and especially out of this body. Pain, also, had completely overshadowed him. He just didn't care anymore. He was perfectly willing to be carried away from the branch to her room.
**********************************
Zelgadis flinched as the bandages were peeled away from his wound. He hadn't at all seen it until now, and it looked awful. He could tell by the look on Amelia's face that she agreed completely.
"Hold still, now. This won't take long . . ."
"Mrao."
He watched the wound close up right before his eyes, and it was very relieving. Not only mentally, but also physically; he could easily tell the difference between a stinging pain and an aching one.
After a moment, she seemed satisfied. "That should do it! How does it feel?"
He meowed in reply, and jumped up onto a nearby desk.
He was unexpectedly greeted by another cat. He hissed in a reflex, then paused as he realized that it was only his reflection. Himself.
He hissed again and looked away.
"Well, that's no way to treat yourself," she commented with an upraised eyebrow.
He grumbled to himself as his tail twitched irritably.
"You should get some rest. It'll make you feel a lot better," she said as she climbed under the bed covers. "Feel free to stay in here tonight. I don't mind." She settled herself into the bed, and closed with, "Well, good night, Neko-chan!"
Zelgadis looked about the room, and noticed that Amelia had left the window open. Jumping down from the desk he made his way over to the window sill to look outside.
He could see the whole town from here. If any kind of trouble arose, he'd be able to spot it right away. For example, if that cloaked wizard came back . . .
For the first time in hours now rid of the burdening pain, he realized just how tired he was. Knowing he'd soon fall asleep, he let his mind wander.
**********************************
Hours had passed. The quiet tranquility of the forest had been interrupted by roars that sounded one after another.
**********************************
Zelgadis burst awake to the sound of burning and the smell of smoke. Right outside of the window he witnessed several pillars of smoke billowing out from burning buildings.
What happened?!
Down in the streets he suddenly saw and heard what the problem was.
Lesser demons.
They were romping about, spurting balls of flame at anything that moved. It seemed by now that mostly everyone had retreated. That is, everyone who had noticed.
Zelgadis rushed over the bed and jumped up next to Amelia's pillow. She was still asleep. He nudged he shoulders with his paws roughly and meowed repeatedly. She awoke immediately.
"Huh? What is it?" she sleepily asked no one in particular. She instantly knew something wasn't right. Throwing off the bed sheets, she raced to the window and halted as she saw the burning state of the town. "Oh, my gosh!"
A lesser demon down on the street had seen her up in the window. Amelia gasped as she saw a ball of flame heading right for her.
"Balus Wall!"
The flames did all but penetrate the shield. Wasting no time, Amelia ran over to the door and threw it open. "I have to get Lina-san!"
Zelgadis took the opportunity to rush out of the open door after her.
**********************************
It wasn't long before Lina, Gourry, and Amelia appeared outside on the street. Zelgadis, too, emerged, but he kept a low profile as to not get uselessly caught in a battle. A pack of four lesser demons saw the three humans, and with their glowing blood-red eyes to lead them, they lunged straight for them.
"Light come forth!" Gourry cried with the sword hilt in hand. Out came the blade of light and immediately punctured one of the creatures, causing it to deteriorate in an instant.
"Icicle Lance!" Lina was next. Two of the beasts snarled as they were struck frozen solid.
The last beast closed in on its prey, ready to loose the thick fires burning it its throat.
Gourry gave it no chance.
More lesser demons galloped by, but they hardly noticed the three. They were too far away.
"This is bad!" Amelia stated. "How many could there be?"
"Looks like we'll have to go find out," Lina replied calmly. "Let's go!"
"That isn't necessary. Look!"
Gourry was right. Up ahead a whole swarm of lesser demons, as they terrorized the remaining townsfolk, were heading straight for them.
"Augh!" Lina groaned. "This is going to take forever! And a can't use my Dragon Slave . . ." She paused as an idea came to her head. "Yeah . . . hey, let's give it a shot! Demona Crystal!" A bright blue beam shot out from her hands, crystallizing everything that lay in its path: demons, pets, buildings, and all. Many of the townsfolk had been lucky enough, and quick enough, to dive out of the way and escape being crystallized.
"Lina!" Amelia and Gourry fumed.
Lina rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Eh heh heh . . . oops. Well, I got 'em, right?" She looked over at the long trail of crystal in the streets to avoid their eye contact. "Well, scratch that idea."
The exterminating continued. Gourry slashed with the Sword of Light while Lina and Amelia cast a barrage of Shamanist spells; however, no matter how many they destroyed, several more emerged to take their places. The amount of them hardly wavered.
"We can't do this forever! Where are they coming from?!"
"The forest, no doubt. Where that conjurer may be . . ."
Fire burned in Amelia's eyes as if she were prepared to give one of her infamous justice speeches. "We have to stop him!"
"Well, Amelia," Lina interrupted, "if you believe that you can get to him past all these demons, then by all means be my guest!"
Amelia quieted.
As the demons closed in, they found themselves completely surrounded.
"Crap," Lina stated for nothing else to say.
**********************************
The fur on Zelgadis' back bristled as the lesser demon drew closer. The red glint in its eyes sent shivers down his spine. Any second, he knew, it would make a lunge for him, and he'd be ready.
With a snarl, just as he'd expected, it lunged forward with its claws outstretched to catch him. With a bound the cat leaped from its head, startling it, and landed on the ground behind its long, thin tail. Unfortunately, all he could do was run.
As he ran, a thought plagued him. If he'd been in his chimera form, that lesser demon would've been toast by now. Having to run away made him feel completely helpless.
I hate this!!
**********************************
Gourry was beginning to tire. He'd already slashed and vanquished numerous amounts of lesser demons, and he knew he couldn't take much more, but he just couldn't give up. He'd sooner die than surrender.
It seemed that every lesser demon in town was suddenly upon them, as if their whole purpose in being summoned was to destroy them specifically.
For every minute that passed fewer and fewer lesser demons were exterminated due to the party's fatigue. Not only were each of them taking on more than their share, but it was also still the middle of the night. It felt as if they hadn't had a decent night's sleep for days.
"Lina-san, what do we do?" Amelia breathed.
Lina looked about. It was apparent that the number of lesser demons had lessened, but there were still too many more. This must be the last of them, she though with slight reassurance, but upon seeing Gourry's state, she knew he couldn't take anymore.
If we can escape to the forest, then I could easily end this fight with a single casting.
The only way out was up.
Grabbing Gourry and Amelia by their arms, she cried out, "Levitation!"
Zelgadis emerged from around the rubble of a fallen building just in time to see his friends lift from the street. He knew, just as well as they did, that the only way out was up; he had to catch up to them before they floated too high to reach. He quickened his run to a sprint. The lesser demons, however furious they were that their prey was trying to escape, went after the cat as a last resort. Zelgadis took on the risk of being burned or slashed as he jumped from demon to demon, until he was finally both close and high enough reach his friends.
Gourry's heart skipped a beat at a sudden weight on his foot. Had a lesser demon actually grabbed a hold of him?
"Aah! What's -!!" He cut himself short when he saw a small, desperate cat clinging to his boot. "A . . . cat?"
Lina and Amelia had been startled by Gourry's sudden outburst, and looked down to see the same.
"What is -?! It . . . a cat?"
Lina's eyes burned with anger upon recognition. "What? You again?!"
"Neko-chan!"
"Huh?"
Just as the lesser demons prepared to attack, they stopped. The atmosphere about them suddenly shifted to abnormal darkness that seemed to swallow them up and destroy them one by one.
"Wha - what's going on?!"
Some of the creatures began to retreat, but they couldn't escape. Their snarls and roars filled the air until the last of them was destroyed.
The town was suddenly quiet and peaceful again. The only sound heard was the sounds of the crackling, dying fires all about the town.
"What . . . just happened?" Amelia asked.
Lina shook her head slowly in reply, showing she had no idea.
Suddenly a voice came from seemingly nowhere and startled the four of them.
"Iyaa, it's so nice to see you again, Lina-san!"
From a dark, funnel-shaped mist not far in front of them emerged a smiling figure clothed in black.
"Xellos?!"
"Xellos, what are you doing here?" Lina demanded with astonishment evident in her voice.
"Is this how you always greet your friends?" Xellos frowned. "You were in a pinch there, were you not?"
"Um, well . . ." she trailed off in a mumble while alighting back onto the street.
The cat jumped from Gourry's boot as soon as it was close enough to reach the ground safely, and to avoid being stomped on.
Lina averted her attention elsewhere. "So, Amelia," she cocked her eyebrows, "what's with the cat? You sound like you know something."
"I don't know! It just keeps showing up! Just last night I found it stranded in -"
As she continued explaining, Xellos held his chin in his fingers, eyeing the cat with interest. The cat glared right back defensively.
"Hmm . . . Could it be?"
Lina, Gourry, and Amelia ceased talking at his remark. The cat flinched.
"What is it, Xellos-san?"
Xellos sat up with a wide, amused grin on his face. "My, my!" he laughed. "What a predicament you've gotten yourself into, Zelgadis-san!"
Everyone including Zelgadis froze.
"Di . . . Did you just say . . . 'Zelgadis'?" Lina asked in disbelief. "You're joking right?"
"Oh, no, not at all! Zelgadis-san is indeed this small cat you see before you," He confirmed. "Oh? You mean you hadn't known?" He rubbed the back of his head in shock. "Iyaa! What an interesting twist of fate!"
Gourry bent down to pick up the cat and held it in front of himself. "Zelgadis? That's really you?"
Zelgadis replied with a muffled meow.
"I still can't believe it . . . This is what that wizard did to you? And to think," she laughed, "all along it was you I was attacking with those Flare Arrows!" Her voice suddenly lost its humorous tone. "Never do that again."
"Lina-san!" Amelia broke in. "He was just trying to help!" Dismissing the topic she pulled down on Gourry's arm to take a look at Zelgadis. "Hmm . . . well, in a way I can see the resemblance . . ."
Zelgadis grumbled to himself.
"Poor Zelgadis-san . . . don't worry! Justice won't allow this to be left alone!"
"Sure, of course," Lina stated. "But Justice can wait till tomorrow. I still need my beauty sleep!"
Amelia was actually perfectly happy to oblige.
"Well," Lina said with a yawn, "we can sort this all out further in the morning. Gourry, you take Zelgadis to sleep in your room. That is, if the inn is still in one piece . . .
"Just remember - tomorrow, we go wizard-hunting!"