Chapter 5
Pursuing Evil
Later, the dawn had passed through and the morning sun was well and truly climbing to it's post to fulfill it's destiny of radiating light to the world. It was at this point in time that Amelia went with Zel back to the campsite. She was quite shaken by her nightmare and leant on the chimera for support. A support that Zel was only too willing to provide. He certainly didn't like to see the princess as upset as this.....
When they both finally arrived at the campsite, they were greeted with the sight of Lina and Gourry. They were both wide awake and eying the pair with suspicion.
"Ah! There you are." Gourry said.
"Where have you two been?" Lina demanded. "We woke up to find your tent empty! We were wondering where you had got to...."
Zel gently set Amelia down on a fallen log as the sorceress and the swordsman looked imploringly at the princess for answers.
"...I...I....had a nightmare...." Amelia said softly.
Lina blinked. Amelia had a nightmare.....? Was that it.....?
Wait a minute, she certainly looks like hell. Did she really have such a horrific nightmare?
Or was there something more?
"I see" Lina said. "And what was Zel doing keeping you company?!"
Suddenly both Zel and Amelia broke out into a pair of bright red blushes. Lina grinned a grin that was at once both teasing and triumphant.
"I see!" the sorceress chuckled. "You've been getting it on behind our backs!"
Suddenly Zelgadis' eyes turned angry.
"Silence!" he snarled. "This is no time for jokes! Can't you see Amelia's in a state of distress?!!?"
"Yeah sure" Lina grinned. "There you go Zel, always defending your princess!!!!"
And with these words, Zel's blush grew even redder.
"Oh come on Zel." Lina cowered. "You think I wouldn't notice things like this! I know you and Amelia are an item!"
Zel snorted in disgust.
"Oh what's the matter?" Lina laughed. "You two look so cute together!!!"
That was the last straw. Zel scowled in fury and stormed off over to his tent. Despite that intimate moment he'd just shared with Amelia, Nothing will ever change his uncomfortable attitude towards all things romantic.
Amelia giggled at Lina's teasing. It was this laughter that helped her forget the horrors of her nightmare. It was this laughter that made her feel better. It was this laughter that calmed her mind.
"Oh Lina" Amelia grinned. "Why do you have to be so cruel?'
"Hey, I just gotta be me!"
And with that the sorceress sat down alongside Amelia.
"So you know?" Amelia asked.
"How could I not know?" Lina grinned. "It was fairly darn obvious"
Amelia blinked.
"No it wasn't!" she argued. How could Lina be so perceptive?!
"Ah, I was just kidding!" Lina laughed. "Damn, you two go so ballistic!!"
Then, Lina's face turned to face Amelia directly, all laugh lines evaporating.
"But seriously kid." Lina said. "I'm happy for you both. I'm so glad that you stuck by your feelings for him through thick and thin. And hey, your presence is certainly working up some change to his behaviour. You'll do well together."
Amelia's face burst into an enormous smile.
"Thank you Lina."
"Uh Lina? Amelia?"
The two girls turned to face a very baffled looking Gourry rubbing the back of his head.
"Can you explain what's going on here?!?!"
After breakfast, the foursome continued on their way to Sairaag. The trip itself was fairly, and quite unusually, quiet. There were little bandit gangs to clobber and no such obstacles on the road to the adventurer's destination.
Yet this final leg of the journey was plagued with one hazard that made travelling difficult: Amelia. Her coughing spasms were growing frequent and more violent with each passing fit. She constantly lagged behind Lina, Gourry and Zel. Eventually Zel, in a rare act of kindness, lent his shoulder for Amelia to lean on. This way, he helped her to complete the journey to Sairaag.
Despite some sniggering from Lina and Gourry at the chimera's devotion.
In the late afternoon, the four all reached their goal.
And there was Sairaag. Rising above the landscape like an enormous beacon of stone and plaster. It was indeed amazing that the residents of Sairaag had managed to rebuild their home since Lina's last visit. And in such a short space of time too. Such a feat of engineering such as this would've taken at least ten or maybe twelve years. But all this was done in three? Incredible! Amazing! Astounding!
Needless to say, the four adventurers were impressed. They all gazed up at the rebuilt Sairaag in awe-struck wonder.
"This is Sairaag?!" Zel gasped in disbelief. "Unbelievable!"
"It's certainly changed since I was last here." Amelia whispered.
"This is not how I remember it." Gourry said in his typical diminutive fashion.
"You know Gourry?" Lina said. "I think I'm gonna agree with you just this once."
Yet it didn't take long for the sorceress to break out of her enchantment for the rebuilt Sairaag. Who cares about this place?! Its still Sairaag! And since when has she ever been so concerned about property development anyway?!
What matters that if Sairaag is well and truly rebuilt, then that must mean that somewhere in that city is a restruant with her name written all over it!
"Okay then!" she said brightly. "How about we go find some food?"
Gourry blinked out of his trance, before moulding his mouth into an enormous grin.
"Right behind ya, Lina!"
And with that the two friends sped off towards Sairaag, in pursuit of a comfortable inn and whatever food it has on offer!
Zelgadis didn't rush off as fast however. Instead, his primary concern was with Amelia. She was now looking a lot worse for wear. Her face was beginning to lose it's colour, her eyes were growing heavy and she wasn't exactly a picture of health.
Zel's eyes hardened. This wasn't good. What on earth was going on here?! Ever since she was liberated from the mad alchemist, Amelia's health had gone downhill. She seemed to be struck down with a plague or something....
But one things for certain: Something had indeed happened at the alchemist's laboratory. Something horrendous no doubt....
"Amelia?" Zel asked. "Are you all right?"
"Zelgadis...." the princess moaned softly. "I don't feel so good...."
Suddenly Amelia's eyelids caved in over her pupils. With her face pale and her body in a somewhat weakened state, Amelia toppled forward and into the arms of an indeed astonished Zelgadis.
She'd fainted.
Zel gently laid Amelia down on the bed. She was still out cold. The chimera then took a step back away from the bed. Why would Amelia pass out like that? Why would she loss consciousness in such an abrupt way? What the hell DID happen in that alchemist's laboratory?!
Who can truly understand evil in all of it's shapes and guises?
Zel sighed before leaving Amelia. He closed the door behind him and headed downstairs to join Lina and Gourry. But his journey downstairs wasn't a peaceful one. His mind was in turmoil. A million thoughts of guilt and self-punishment ran riot within his brain.
Amelia was no doubt plagued by an evil force. An evil force that was creating a peculiar destruction upon her psyche and that could not be seen, detected or traced back to it's source.
An evil force that he was powerless to prevent.
Zel mentally cursed himself. Everything had gone downhill ever since Amelia got kidnapped and taken to that lunatic alchemist's tower. What was worse was that he allowed her to be abducted like that! Where was he when she was abducted? Fast asleep! He was slumbering while she was stolen right from under his nose - an act that he could've easily prevented.
And now she was beset by an evil force that he can't fight.
And all because he wasn't around when she needed him most.....
Zelgadis' hand moulded into a fist. He was such a FOOL! Why would he allow something like that to happen to the princess?!?!
But one thing's for certain, he would track down the bastard who did this to Amelia and make him pay.
In blood.
By this time Zel had reached the dining room of the inn. Now, he scanned the room trying to locate Lina and Gourry.
He didn't have too much difficulty finding them.
There they were, sitting at a table going for a whole heap of food with great gusto. Knowing their eating habits, how could one not pick them out of the crowded room of diners?
Zel casually picked his way through the crowd and approached his friends. Lina looked up and saw him.
"Hiya Zel!" she grinned.
"Lina. Gourry" Zel answered, as he sat himself down at the table.
Suddenly he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
He could feel many pairs of eyes gazing upon him. Gazing at him as if he was some sort of freak. Staring at him and his freakish appearance. Staring at him and boring their accusing gaze right into his soul....
Zel shot these onlookers an evil glare. A glare that certainly made the patrons in the inn turn away rather hurriedly.
The chimera sighed in contempt. The day he finds his cure is the day he doesn't suffer the agony of being perceived as a monster.
And when that day comes, he's going to seize it like no other....
"How's Amelia?" Gourry inquired, thus bringing Zel's thoughts back down to Earth.
"She's still out cold" the chimera replied.
"Do you know why she passed out?" Lina asked.
"No" Zel answered. "But I'm determined to find out...."
"Lina" he went on, urgency radiating in his voice. "Do you know if anything happened when you were in that alchemist's laboratory?"
"I can't say that I do." Lina answered. "By the time I showed up, Amelia was certainly giving Diol a seeing to!"
Gourry blinked. "Diol?"
"That's the name of the alchemist who kidnapped Amelia" Lina said, in an attempt to enlighten the swordsman.
Surprisingly this attempt worked, as Gourry nodded.
"Are you sure you don't know what happened to Amelia?" Zel asked the sorceress.
"Of course I'm sure." Lina sighed.
Gourry blinked. "Hey, why are you so concerned Zel?"
Suddenly Lina's eyes grew with suspicion and evil. Zel's eyes widened. Ut-oh.....
"Gee, Zel" Lina grinned evilly. "I didn't know you cared about Amelia that much!"
Zel blinked in horror before shrinking back in his chair, his face moulding into an expression of disgust. How he hated this romance crap....
"Oh come on!" Lina grinned. "It's not a bad thing! It's actually quite a good thing!"
Zel snorted.
The sorceress laid a reassuring hand on the chimera's shoulder.
"Zeeel. I think it's sweet that you're so concerned for Amelia and..... Why are you blushing like that?"
It was true. Zel was growing quite embarrassed by Lina's teasing and the fact that she was aware of his feelings for the princess. An embarrassment that was beginning to show. Even Gourry was sniggering at Zel's uncomfortable position.
Nevertheless, he must take steps to save face.....
"I'm certain that Amelia's poor health is the work of some evil force."
At the mention of the words 'evil force' Lina's smile vanished from her face. If what Zel was proposing was true then there's something bizarre happening here. Even Gourry raised an eyebrow.
"You think so?" the swordsman inquired.
The chimera nodded.
"Ever since we had the run in with that Diol fellow, Amelia's health has certainly gone downhill. Worse still, she told me was being haunted by this peculiar dream of a woodsman hacking wood in the middle of a forest."
The sorceress and the swordsman both blinked.
"A dream huh?" Gourry said.
"It must have quite an impact on her." Zel said. "She could recall it quite vividly and seemed quite distressed by it all."
"And you think this is the work of Diol?" Lina said.
"Rubbish!" she laughed. "I've met Diol before and I seriously doubt that he could pull something like that off!"
Zel said nothing.
"Look Zel", Lina went on "As far as I know, Diol is only concerned with alchemy and the creation of life-forms. If you think that Amelia's health is his work, then I seriously doubt he could work up something like that!"
"Well if Diol didn't harm Amelia" Gourry said. "Then who did?"
A silence ensued.
"Well" Lina said eventually, "Firstly, Amelia has been recently suffering from coughing fits right? This could be the work of a magic user. I have heard of a such of a spell that makes people cough in such a terrible way. Secondly, if Amelia is freaked out by this dream then this certainly is the work of a spell of the mind-influencing kind."
Zel and Gourry blinked.
"Seems to me" Lina went on, "We are indeed dealing with a great force. A great force of extraordinary power....."
"You do have a point there...." Zel said softly.
Then the chimera related the story of how he tracked Amelia's kidnapper to Diol's tower and how he found a second set of tracks heading for the tower - a set of tracks that couldn't have been made by any human whatsoever.
Lina blinked in astonishment at Zel's story.
"It seems" she said. "We are dealing with an interloper of some kind...."
"So what's happening to Amelia is definitely not the work of Diol?" Gourry asked.
Suddenly the table was struck with the full force of Lina's head crashing down upon it. Damn it , she thought as she had done so many times before, how could he be so brain dead that he misses the so blatantly obvious?!?!?
"You know....." Zel mused.
Lina raised her head. "What? Did you just have an idea?"
"What I'm thinking" Zel explained. "Is that if Diol has an interest in the creation of life-forms then he would know how the human body would operate."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning he could be responsible for Amelia's coughing fits."
Lina's expression then grew thoughtful.
"That could be possible....." She murmured. "When I arrived at his tower, Amelia certainly seemed quite pissed off with him....."
"But then again" she grinned. "I seriously doubt Diol could cook up something like that! He's only interested in creating hideous monstrosities! I don't think he could come up with something that elaborate!"
"Well in that case" Zel said. "I guess that leaves our interloper...."
Another silence ensued.
"What worries me" Zel said eevntually, "Is that things have been going downhill ever since we left Dakeyras."
Lina blinked. That was an interesting theory - And an indeed alarming on considering Dakeyras was threatened by a murderer.....
"Say" Gourry said, with urgency evident in his voice. "Do you reckon that this interloper could be Isabella?"
Lina slapped her forehead in disbelief.
"Gourry, you numbskull, she's DEAD! You killed her yourself!"
Gourry blinked.
"Oh yeah....."
"Furthermore" Zel added. "I think it's quite unlikely she will rise from the dead to bother us even further."
"Well in that case" Gourry said. "If this person who harmed Amelia isn't Diol and it isn't Isabella then who was it?"
Chapter 6
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