(A Word: It was pointed out by one reader that the basilisk reportedly turned people to stone with its gaze, and did not stun or kill outright. While there are conflicting sources, the author would like to note that the chimera of traditional mythology is a creature that is part goat, part lion, part eagle, and part scorpion. Let's just call it poetic license or suspension of disbelief and get on with the story, shall we?)
The Road to Recovery
by Sharlene
Chapter Two
The basilisk poked its head out of the sand where it lay buried. It was still young, barely weaned from his mother, but it was already a good enough hunter to spot the sound of prey. As the noise drew closer, it leapt out of concealment to rake his intended dinner with his deadly gaze.
Normally at this point, an animal that he was stalking would have attempted to run. The one time in the past he had stalked two legged prey, it had screamed and dropped to the ground before he had even had the chance to focus his gaze enough to stun the creature.
This time, however, there was no scream. Instead, the sound was a voice saying, "I can't believe you would prefer that swill the Zephilians call a dark roast over a good cup of Sairaag's Blue River blend."
The basilisk shook its head in confusion, then turned to glare at the other figure. It didn't scream, either. "My DEAR Mister Zelgadis, next you'll be saying you put flavored creams in your coffee! I should have known a grumpy chimera like you wouldn't appreciate _real_ coffee."
The basilisk opened his mouth to roar, only to be stepped on, hard. "Flavoring in coffee is an abomination, I agree, but I stand by the assertion that the Zephilians don't serve coffee, they serve slightly diluted mud."
Shaking itself all over, the basilisk moved his jaw. Several tooth fragments fell out, and his little reptilian heart seethed with rage. He jumped to his feet, spines flaring out from his neck as he prepared to do battle.
Xellos planted his staff and leaned on it, oblivious to the infuriated creature pinned by it. "I think it goes without saying that I disagree. Zephilian coffee has a full body and richness to it that only true coffee connoisseurs can appreciate. It's second only to the coffee from Xoana in the list of the best coffee the world has to offer."
Zel stopped and glanced at Xellos. "Did you just say you think Xoana coffee is the best in the world?"
Xellos nodded and shifted his weight, repinning the basilisk that had almost managed to wiggle out from under his staff. "There's something about the soil there that makes it perfect for growing great coffee. I suppose _you_ don't like it at all."
The chimera laughed. "Actually, I was just shocked that we actually have something in common." He turned away and started walking again.
After a moment or two, Xellos shrugged and started walking after him. The basilisk stayed behind, vowing to stay away from two-legged prey forever after.
Days passed. Xellos and Zelgadis bickered over a wide range of topics, including plays, wines, novels, regional cheeses, philosophy, whether Lina and Gourry were shy or just stupid, politics, and the definition of a true gourmet. Both would rather be tortured than admit it, but they enjoyed the discussions heartily.
It was during a discussion on the intricacies of late Magnus-era art forms that Xellos collapsed. Zelgadis sighed heavily. "This is no time for jokes, Xellos. We've been making good time, but we still can't afford to delay."
Xellos coughed, a small trickle of something black coming out of his mouth. "I'll be fine in a minute. Keep going."
Zelgadis took a good look at the mazoku. If it was a human, he would be administering first aid and planning how to get to a hospital. Since it was a mazoku, he could only assume that the greenish tinge and the seeming weakness were an act. "Fine."
For half an hour he walked, expecting to hear his companion's grating voice any minute. The further he went, the more he wondered if perhaps there actually was something wrong with the fruitcake. He sat down and took a long drink from his canteen, debating whether to go back or not. Finally, he decided that he'd rather have Xellos laugh at successfully tricking him into worrying than take a chance that there was something actually wrong.
Xellos was lying on the sand, a pathetic heap of black cloth, in the same place he had collapsed. Zelgadis's heart sank as he realized there was something gravely wrong that was completely beyond his knowledge, or ability to cure. Flipping the mazoku over none too gently, he knelt beside his companion and slapped his face. "Hey. Wake up. Wake up you stupid mocha-lover."
One of Xellos's eyes cracked open, blearily trying to focus on Zelgadis. "You take that back, Mister Raspberry Liqueur."
Zelgadis smirked. "You just haven't tasted a good one yet, otherwise you'd agree with me on that." With a bit more care, he helped Xellos to a seated position. "So what's the matter with you?"
Xellos's lips formed a hard line, a grim expression the chimera had never seen him wear before. "Nothing that finishing your quest won't cure."
"Terribly insensitive of you to slow me down, then." Zelgadis watched as the trickster priest tried to stand. After several attempts, he managed to get upright while clutching to his staff for dear life. "I suppose this is the part where you heroically rescue me and we share a touching moment?"
Zelgadis snorted and watched as Xellos crumpled, falling to his hands and knees on the ground.. "No, this is the part where I prove I'm stupid and gullible."
"And disagreeably cynical, don't forget that." Xellos tried to sound like his normal self, but broke off in a fit of coughing that left him seeing black spots dancing in the air in front of him.
"I would think a mazoku would appreciate cynicism." Zelgadis hefted Xellos into a fireman's carry, grunting slightly at the weight.
"Even mazoku can get bored. To put it in human terms, you've had me on a steady diet of weak gruel." Xellos made a face a squirmed, trying feebly to get down. "It's nourishment, but it has no spice to it, no flavor."
"Stop wriggling or start walking." Xellos complied and Zelgadis trudged forward, his speed considerably hampered by the weight of his cargo. "And give me that stupid stick before I trip on it."
The staff fell to the ground and Zelgadis dumped his passenger after it, convinced it had been deliberate. One look at Xellos told him he'd been mistaken. The mazoku was still and pale as a corpse. "Shit." Whatever was wrong, there was no way Xellos was faking. Zel's brain worked feverishly, trying to come up with options.
Finally, he lifted the other man, arranging the limp form over his back and shoulders in a way that wouldn't impede his walking. He picked up the staff and leaned on it a moment before taking a deep breath and exhaling on a sigh. "You said I'd been feeding you gruel, so let's see if other food snaps you out of this." He started out again, using the staff as a walking stick. "I had a brother once, you know. He's the reason I'm a chimera."
One foot, then the other, over and over again. Feel the pain and grief but don't think about it. "Billy was born with a club foot, you see. He was smart and funny and brave, but I knew that all he wanted out of life was to be able to run and jump like all the other boys. I wasn't always a good brother, although I wish I had been." Zelgadis swallowed against the lump in his throat as he ripped open wounds long hidden in the dark corners of memory.
"Then Rezo came and said he'd cure Billy's foot if I went with him to be his assistant. My father didn't want me to go, since I was the heir, and my mother didn't want me to go because she didn't think it was appropriate for a blind bachelor to raise her son." Zel felt his lips twist into a sneer. "But I knew better, or thought I did. I wanted the education Rezo could give me almost as much as I wanted Billy's foot to be cured, so I packed my things and left in the middle of the night."
Zelgadis paused for a moment to take a deep breath and scan the desert ahead. He thought he saw a glimpse of something green in the distance and shifted his course slightly to angle towards it. "That bastard commended me on my maturity, if you can believe it. My overblown ego was flattered at being treated like an adult, and I was happy to stay at the inn while he went to tell my parents where I was."
"Then he came back and told me that he hadn't been able to cure Billy, that I would need to become strong so I could help him do it." There was a sound of stone scraping and Zel looked down to see his hand was bloodless from being held in a tight fist. He concentrated on relaxing his hand as he continued, "So I did everything I could to become strong. I worked from sunup to sundown on training physically and magically, and stayed up half the night studying so I could be strong enough, worthy enough, so that my brother would get what he deserved. Billy deserved a chance to run wild through the forest, whooping like a beserker, to dance with a pretty girl..."
The spot of green grew bigger, revealing itself to be a scrubby stand of palm trees surrounding a mud hole. Not the most luxurious oasis ever, but as a place to rest, it was a godsend. He felt a burst of hope and started taking longer strides towards his goal.
"What happened?" The voice was weak and hoarse, but distinctly Xellos.
Zelgadis took a deep breath. "Rezo turned me into a chimera to make me strong. Two days later, he showed me a letter that said that Billy had burned to death in a house fire." He laughed, a harsh and bitter sound that was uncomfortably close to a sob. "He couldn't run, and I hadn't been there to build him a new wheeled chair. He died because I failed him, because I wasn't there to save him, and because I hadn't done well enough to please Rezo."
Xellos sniffed. "It must be awful having the entire world depend on your every action." A small, weak chuckle escaped the mazoku. "I have mentioned your ego problems before, haven't I?"
"You talk big for a man so weak that he has to be carried." Zelgadis reached the shade under the trees and unceremoniously deposited his burden on the ground. "I need some sleep. Try not to die before I wake up."
(Ah, the hour challenge. I highly recommend it as a writer's block fighter. Hopefully I'll be writing more of this before next month's hour challenge, since I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. Oh, and Drez! If you read this, I keep trying to reply to your lovely emails, but my mail bounces. Your wonderful and encouraging email is what sparked my latest fit of writing, and I'd like to thank you profusely.)
The Road to Recovery
by Sharlene
Chapter Two
The basilisk poked its head out of the sand where it lay buried. It was still young, barely weaned from his mother, but it was already a good enough hunter to spot the sound of prey. As the noise drew closer, it leapt out of concealment to rake his intended dinner with his deadly gaze.
Normally at this point, an animal that he was stalking would have attempted to run. The one time in the past he had stalked two legged prey, it had screamed and dropped to the ground before he had even had the chance to focus his gaze enough to stun the creature.
This time, however, there was no scream. Instead, the sound was a voice saying, "I can't believe you would prefer that swill the Zephilians call a dark roast over a good cup of Sairaag's Blue River blend."
The basilisk shook its head in confusion, then turned to glare at the other figure. It didn't scream, either. "My DEAR Mister Zelgadis, next you'll be saying you put flavored creams in your coffee! I should have known a grumpy chimera like you wouldn't appreciate _real_ coffee."
The basilisk opened his mouth to roar, only to be stepped on, hard. "Flavoring in coffee is an abomination, I agree, but I stand by the assertion that the Zephilians don't serve coffee, they serve slightly diluted mud."
Shaking itself all over, the basilisk moved his jaw. Several tooth fragments fell out, and his little reptilian heart seethed with rage. He jumped to his feet, spines flaring out from his neck as he prepared to do battle.
Xellos planted his staff and leaned on it, oblivious to the infuriated creature pinned by it. "I think it goes without saying that I disagree. Zephilian coffee has a full body and richness to it that only true coffee connoisseurs can appreciate. It's second only to the coffee from Xoana in the list of the best coffee the world has to offer."
Zel stopped and glanced at Xellos. "Did you just say you think Xoana coffee is the best in the world?"
Xellos nodded and shifted his weight, repinning the basilisk that had almost managed to wiggle out from under his staff. "There's something about the soil there that makes it perfect for growing great coffee. I suppose _you_ don't like it at all."
The chimera laughed. "Actually, I was just shocked that we actually have something in common." He turned away and started walking again.
After a moment or two, Xellos shrugged and started walking after him. The basilisk stayed behind, vowing to stay away from two-legged prey forever after.
Days passed. Xellos and Zelgadis bickered over a wide range of topics, including plays, wines, novels, regional cheeses, philosophy, whether Lina and Gourry were shy or just stupid, politics, and the definition of a true gourmet. Both would rather be tortured than admit it, but they enjoyed the discussions heartily.
It was during a discussion on the intricacies of late Magnus-era art forms that Xellos collapsed. Zelgadis sighed heavily. "This is no time for jokes, Xellos. We've been making good time, but we still can't afford to delay."
Xellos coughed, a small trickle of something black coming out of his mouth. "I'll be fine in a minute. Keep going."
Zelgadis took a good look at the mazoku. If it was a human, he would be administering first aid and planning how to get to a hospital. Since it was a mazoku, he could only assume that the greenish tinge and the seeming weakness were an act. "Fine."
For half an hour he walked, expecting to hear his companion's grating voice any minute. The further he went, the more he wondered if perhaps there actually was something wrong with the fruitcake. He sat down and took a long drink from his canteen, debating whether to go back or not. Finally, he decided that he'd rather have Xellos laugh at successfully tricking him into worrying than take a chance that there was something actually wrong.
Xellos was lying on the sand, a pathetic heap of black cloth, in the same place he had collapsed. Zelgadis's heart sank as he realized there was something gravely wrong that was completely beyond his knowledge, or ability to cure. Flipping the mazoku over none too gently, he knelt beside his companion and slapped his face. "Hey. Wake up. Wake up you stupid mocha-lover."
One of Xellos's eyes cracked open, blearily trying to focus on Zelgadis. "You take that back, Mister Raspberry Liqueur."
Zelgadis smirked. "You just haven't tasted a good one yet, otherwise you'd agree with me on that." With a bit more care, he helped Xellos to a seated position. "So what's the matter with you?"
Xellos's lips formed a hard line, a grim expression the chimera had never seen him wear before. "Nothing that finishing your quest won't cure."
"Terribly insensitive of you to slow me down, then." Zelgadis watched as the trickster priest tried to stand. After several attempts, he managed to get upright while clutching to his staff for dear life. "I suppose this is the part where you heroically rescue me and we share a touching moment?"
Zelgadis snorted and watched as Xellos crumpled, falling to his hands and knees on the ground.. "No, this is the part where I prove I'm stupid and gullible."
"And disagreeably cynical, don't forget that." Xellos tried to sound like his normal self, but broke off in a fit of coughing that left him seeing black spots dancing in the air in front of him.
"I would think a mazoku would appreciate cynicism." Zelgadis hefted Xellos into a fireman's carry, grunting slightly at the weight.
"Even mazoku can get bored. To put it in human terms, you've had me on a steady diet of weak gruel." Xellos made a face a squirmed, trying feebly to get down. "It's nourishment, but it has no spice to it, no flavor."
"Stop wriggling or start walking." Xellos complied and Zelgadis trudged forward, his speed considerably hampered by the weight of his cargo. "And give me that stupid stick before I trip on it."
The staff fell to the ground and Zelgadis dumped his passenger after it, convinced it had been deliberate. One look at Xellos told him he'd been mistaken. The mazoku was still and pale as a corpse. "Shit." Whatever was wrong, there was no way Xellos was faking. Zel's brain worked feverishly, trying to come up with options.
Finally, he lifted the other man, arranging the limp form over his back and shoulders in a way that wouldn't impede his walking. He picked up the staff and leaned on it a moment before taking a deep breath and exhaling on a sigh. "You said I'd been feeding you gruel, so let's see if other food snaps you out of this." He started out again, using the staff as a walking stick. "I had a brother once, you know. He's the reason I'm a chimera."
One foot, then the other, over and over again. Feel the pain and grief but don't think about it. "Billy was born with a club foot, you see. He was smart and funny and brave, but I knew that all he wanted out of life was to be able to run and jump like all the other boys. I wasn't always a good brother, although I wish I had been." Zelgadis swallowed against the lump in his throat as he ripped open wounds long hidden in the dark corners of memory.
"Then Rezo came and said he'd cure Billy's foot if I went with him to be his assistant. My father didn't want me to go, since I was the heir, and my mother didn't want me to go because she didn't think it was appropriate for a blind bachelor to raise her son." Zel felt his lips twist into a sneer. "But I knew better, or thought I did. I wanted the education Rezo could give me almost as much as I wanted Billy's foot to be cured, so I packed my things and left in the middle of the night."
Zelgadis paused for a moment to take a deep breath and scan the desert ahead. He thought he saw a glimpse of something green in the distance and shifted his course slightly to angle towards it. "That bastard commended me on my maturity, if you can believe it. My overblown ego was flattered at being treated like an adult, and I was happy to stay at the inn while he went to tell my parents where I was."
"Then he came back and told me that he hadn't been able to cure Billy, that I would need to become strong so I could help him do it." There was a sound of stone scraping and Zel looked down to see his hand was bloodless from being held in a tight fist. He concentrated on relaxing his hand as he continued, "So I did everything I could to become strong. I worked from sunup to sundown on training physically and magically, and stayed up half the night studying so I could be strong enough, worthy enough, so that my brother would get what he deserved. Billy deserved a chance to run wild through the forest, whooping like a beserker, to dance with a pretty girl..."
The spot of green grew bigger, revealing itself to be a scrubby stand of palm trees surrounding a mud hole. Not the most luxurious oasis ever, but as a place to rest, it was a godsend. He felt a burst of hope and started taking longer strides towards his goal.
"What happened?" The voice was weak and hoarse, but distinctly Xellos.
Zelgadis took a deep breath. "Rezo turned me into a chimera to make me strong. Two days later, he showed me a letter that said that Billy had burned to death in a house fire." He laughed, a harsh and bitter sound that was uncomfortably close to a sob. "He couldn't run, and I hadn't been there to build him a new wheeled chair. He died because I failed him, because I wasn't there to save him, and because I hadn't done well enough to please Rezo."
Xellos sniffed. "It must be awful having the entire world depend on your every action." A small, weak chuckle escaped the mazoku. "I have mentioned your ego problems before, haven't I?"
"You talk big for a man so weak that he has to be carried." Zelgadis reached the shade under the trees and unceremoniously deposited his burden on the ground. "I need some sleep. Try not to die before I wake up."
(Ah, the hour challenge. I highly recommend it as a writer's block fighter. Hopefully I'll be writing more of this before next month's hour challenge, since I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. Oh, and Drez! If you read this, I keep trying to reply to your lovely emails, but my mail bounces. Your wonderful and encouraging email is what sparked my latest fit of writing, and I'd like to thank you profusely.)