Chapter eighteen: Golem 1/3
When Lina and the others came out the other end of the dimensional fold they found themselves on a wooden structure that appeared to be a dock. Behind them was the Demon Sea and in front was something they weren't expecting. It was a beautiful island, covered with palm trees, exotic plants, and animals. Like a tropical rain forest, only smaller. And beyond the vegetation were huge mountains that seemed to touch the clouds. "What a pretty place," said Amelia who was awe struck at the beauty of the island. "This can't be Wolfpac Island," said Naga, "it's too…too…" "Nice?" said a voice that seemed to come from every direction. "Xellos!?" said Lina. "Quit playing around and show yourself." "Very well," said Xellos, and sure enough, he materialized in front of the group. Naga and Alexandria jumped back. "HOLY CRAP!" shouted Naga. "You scared the hell out of me!" "Same here," added Alexandria.
"Oh, forgive me," said Xellos, "for that was not my intention at all. I only came here to welcome you to the island. You arrived much sooner than was expected." Xellos looked around the group. "Where's the ship?" he asked. "We hit a little snag," said Lina. "The ship was nearly capsized by a bunch of Ettenmar Ice. I think Lord Dynast Grausherra doesn't want us to get close to that galleon." "You don't say…" said Xellos who seemed unalarmed. "Hey, Xellos," said Gourry.
"Yes, Gourry?"
"Why is this island so nice?"
"Monsters aren't all evil and darkness. We have soft sides as well. Lord Beastmaster, for instance, enjoys the sight of dense jungle vegetation while she sips a martini, or chugs a gallon and a half of pure saké."
"Cut the small talk, Xellos," said Lina, butting into the conversation. "Standing on this dock all day isn't going to make my change purse and fatter. We would like to see Lord Beastmaster as soon as possible." Lina gave Xellos a stern look. Nothing was spoken for a few seconds. "Indeed," said Xellos. "Follow me then." Xellos began to walk towards the island. The others followed at a steady pace and made sure not to fall behind or get in front of Xellos. Alexandria was at the back and didn't want to be anywhere near Xellos. I can't believe these people would socialize with a monster, thought Alexandria. They're nothing but liars.
Xellos led them through the dense jungle for about an hour and a half. It was getting very dark in the forest. Amelia looked through the trees as she walked behind Gourry and thought she saw eyes staring at her. And not all the eyes were animal eyes. Some resembled insects and spiders far larger than the size she was used to. One pair of eyes that she saw glowed bright red. Terrified, Amelia looked forward and nowhere else for the rest of the hike.
It was pitch black now, and there was no light except for the glowing eyes that lurked in the jungle. Aww hell…thought Lina, how far are we going to walk? I can hardly see Xellos. I'd better cast a lighting spell. "Light which burns beyond crimson flame…" muttered Lina, under her breath. Almost simultaneously, Xellos tapped the bottom of his staff on the jungle ground and the jewel on the top of it shined bright red, lighting up the forest for several meters. "Gee, thanks," said Lina. "What is that jewel on your staff, anyway?" Not slowing down his pace, nor stopping, Xellos replied. "It is a heart of a Golden Dragon," he said, "it shines with the color of life." "Blood?" asked Lina. "Yes," answered Xellos. "The heart of a Golden Dragon is so powerful that can shine for all eternity and never stop without certain spells." They continued to march through the jungle, guided by Xellos's light until they reached the foot of the mountains.
"OH MY GOD!?!" shouted Lina when she finally cleared the jungle and got her first up-close view of the mountains. That night, the moon shined bright in the sky, giving off enough light to make the mountains glow. From where they were several hours ago, the mountains looked like they reached the clouds. Now, in the light of the moon, they looked as if they pierced the heavens. When everyone else was clear of the dense jungle, they hardly had time to marvel at the spectacle that was the Mountains of Wolfpac. "Hurry up!" cried Xellos, "we shouldn't keep Lord Beastmaster waiting any longer than we have to." Tired and hungry, the gang moved on and followed Xellos into a large cave in the mountainside.
The cave seemed to go on forever. After an hour of walking, Lina made a stand. "That does it," she said, "I refuse to move until we eat." Everyone nodded their heads to that. "Lord Beastmaster has scheduled a banquet for all of you before you have to meet her," said Xellos. "The faster you move, the sooner you get to eat." Everyone stopped complaining and began to trudge deeper into the cave. Another hour later they came upon two huge doors. In between the two doors was a small circle. "Welcome to the Doors of Lord Beastmaster's lair," said Xellos. "They're so big," said Amelia. "They're not that big," said Alexandria. "The ones at in the Cave of Laurien were a lot bigger." "The Cave of Laurien?" said Naga. "That cave is supposed to be filled with some of the most powerful orcs in the inner world. How did you ever make it out of their alive?" "I wasn't alone," replied Alexandria, "Chris was with me." At the mention of the name "Chris," Xellos quickly looked at Alexandria. Alexandria began to tear up, again. So that's the girl, thought Xellos. She could be of some use to us later.
"Hey, Xellos!" shouted Lina, "open the door so we could eat." "Food, Food," chanted Gourry. "Whatever you say," said Xellos. He placed his staff in the center of the circle and began to chant in a language that none of the others could understand:
"Annon edro, edhellenas beth lammen! Lasto feninas, nogothrim hi!"
The circle vanished, and the doors began to open. When the opening was big enough, Lina ran inside. "FOOD, FOOD, FOO…" she screamed, but soon silenced at the sight of an empty room. "Hey, Xellos," said Lina, "what gives? You said there'd be food." Xellos smiled. "Of course there's food," said Xellos, "just not here." "We don't have to walk anymore, do we?" asked Gourry. "Not at all," answered Xellos. "Everyone just gather around me and you'll be eating within moments.
Slowly, the gang did as they were told and gathered around Xellos. "Now," said Xellos, "we should walk down in that direction for three more hours until we reach the a flight of stairs that leads to the top of the mountain." Everyone's jaws dropped. "After we climb those stairs to the top," continued Xellos, "we will climb down the mountain side until we reach the entrance to the dining room. Then it's a two day walk to the table." There was an uncomfortable silence when Xellos finished his instructions. "Just kidding," he added, and tapped the bottom of his staff on the ground three times.
All of them were engulfed in a white light. It was a new experience for them all. They could look directly into the light and not need to squint. When the light vanished, they were in a large dining room which looked like the kind you'd see in the most richest palace, and in front was a large table covered with a large amount of food. And sitting in one of the chairs on the left side of the table was someone Lina, Gourry, and Amelia knew all too well.
"Zelgadis!?!" shouted Lina.
"Zel?" said Gourry.
"Mister Zelgadis?" said Amelia
Zelgadis smiled. "So you've finally made it," he said, smiling. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
When Lina and the others came out the other end of the dimensional fold they found themselves on a wooden structure that appeared to be a dock. Behind them was the Demon Sea and in front was something they weren't expecting. It was a beautiful island, covered with palm trees, exotic plants, and animals. Like a tropical rain forest, only smaller. And beyond the vegetation were huge mountains that seemed to touch the clouds. "What a pretty place," said Amelia who was awe struck at the beauty of the island. "This can't be Wolfpac Island," said Naga, "it's too…too…" "Nice?" said a voice that seemed to come from every direction. "Xellos!?" said Lina. "Quit playing around and show yourself." "Very well," said Xellos, and sure enough, he materialized in front of the group. Naga and Alexandria jumped back. "HOLY CRAP!" shouted Naga. "You scared the hell out of me!" "Same here," added Alexandria.
"Oh, forgive me," said Xellos, "for that was not my intention at all. I only came here to welcome you to the island. You arrived much sooner than was expected." Xellos looked around the group. "Where's the ship?" he asked. "We hit a little snag," said Lina. "The ship was nearly capsized by a bunch of Ettenmar Ice. I think Lord Dynast Grausherra doesn't want us to get close to that galleon." "You don't say…" said Xellos who seemed unalarmed. "Hey, Xellos," said Gourry.
"Yes, Gourry?"
"Why is this island so nice?"
"Monsters aren't all evil and darkness. We have soft sides as well. Lord Beastmaster, for instance, enjoys the sight of dense jungle vegetation while she sips a martini, or chugs a gallon and a half of pure saké."
"Cut the small talk, Xellos," said Lina, butting into the conversation. "Standing on this dock all day isn't going to make my change purse and fatter. We would like to see Lord Beastmaster as soon as possible." Lina gave Xellos a stern look. Nothing was spoken for a few seconds. "Indeed," said Xellos. "Follow me then." Xellos began to walk towards the island. The others followed at a steady pace and made sure not to fall behind or get in front of Xellos. Alexandria was at the back and didn't want to be anywhere near Xellos. I can't believe these people would socialize with a monster, thought Alexandria. They're nothing but liars.
Xellos led them through the dense jungle for about an hour and a half. It was getting very dark in the forest. Amelia looked through the trees as she walked behind Gourry and thought she saw eyes staring at her. And not all the eyes were animal eyes. Some resembled insects and spiders far larger than the size she was used to. One pair of eyes that she saw glowed bright red. Terrified, Amelia looked forward and nowhere else for the rest of the hike.
It was pitch black now, and there was no light except for the glowing eyes that lurked in the jungle. Aww hell…thought Lina, how far are we going to walk? I can hardly see Xellos. I'd better cast a lighting spell. "Light which burns beyond crimson flame…" muttered Lina, under her breath. Almost simultaneously, Xellos tapped the bottom of his staff on the jungle ground and the jewel on the top of it shined bright red, lighting up the forest for several meters. "Gee, thanks," said Lina. "What is that jewel on your staff, anyway?" Not slowing down his pace, nor stopping, Xellos replied. "It is a heart of a Golden Dragon," he said, "it shines with the color of life." "Blood?" asked Lina. "Yes," answered Xellos. "The heart of a Golden Dragon is so powerful that can shine for all eternity and never stop without certain spells." They continued to march through the jungle, guided by Xellos's light until they reached the foot of the mountains.
"OH MY GOD!?!" shouted Lina when she finally cleared the jungle and got her first up-close view of the mountains. That night, the moon shined bright in the sky, giving off enough light to make the mountains glow. From where they were several hours ago, the mountains looked like they reached the clouds. Now, in the light of the moon, they looked as if they pierced the heavens. When everyone else was clear of the dense jungle, they hardly had time to marvel at the spectacle that was the Mountains of Wolfpac. "Hurry up!" cried Xellos, "we shouldn't keep Lord Beastmaster waiting any longer than we have to." Tired and hungry, the gang moved on and followed Xellos into a large cave in the mountainside.
The cave seemed to go on forever. After an hour of walking, Lina made a stand. "That does it," she said, "I refuse to move until we eat." Everyone nodded their heads to that. "Lord Beastmaster has scheduled a banquet for all of you before you have to meet her," said Xellos. "The faster you move, the sooner you get to eat." Everyone stopped complaining and began to trudge deeper into the cave. Another hour later they came upon two huge doors. In between the two doors was a small circle. "Welcome to the Doors of Lord Beastmaster's lair," said Xellos. "They're so big," said Amelia. "They're not that big," said Alexandria. "The ones at in the Cave of Laurien were a lot bigger." "The Cave of Laurien?" said Naga. "That cave is supposed to be filled with some of the most powerful orcs in the inner world. How did you ever make it out of their alive?" "I wasn't alone," replied Alexandria, "Chris was with me." At the mention of the name "Chris," Xellos quickly looked at Alexandria. Alexandria began to tear up, again. So that's the girl, thought Xellos. She could be of some use to us later.
"Hey, Xellos!" shouted Lina, "open the door so we could eat." "Food, Food," chanted Gourry. "Whatever you say," said Xellos. He placed his staff in the center of the circle and began to chant in a language that none of the others could understand:
"Annon edro, edhellenas beth lammen! Lasto feninas, nogothrim hi!"
The circle vanished, and the doors began to open. When the opening was big enough, Lina ran inside. "FOOD, FOOD, FOO…" she screamed, but soon silenced at the sight of an empty room. "Hey, Xellos," said Lina, "what gives? You said there'd be food." Xellos smiled. "Of course there's food," said Xellos, "just not here." "We don't have to walk anymore, do we?" asked Gourry. "Not at all," answered Xellos. "Everyone just gather around me and you'll be eating within moments.
Slowly, the gang did as they were told and gathered around Xellos. "Now," said Xellos, "we should walk down in that direction for three more hours until we reach the a flight of stairs that leads to the top of the mountain." Everyone's jaws dropped. "After we climb those stairs to the top," continued Xellos, "we will climb down the mountain side until we reach the entrance to the dining room. Then it's a two day walk to the table." There was an uncomfortable silence when Xellos finished his instructions. "Just kidding," he added, and tapped the bottom of his staff on the ground three times.
All of them were engulfed in a white light. It was a new experience for them all. They could look directly into the light and not need to squint. When the light vanished, they were in a large dining room which looked like the kind you'd see in the most richest palace, and in front was a large table covered with a large amount of food. And sitting in one of the chairs on the left side of the table was someone Lina, Gourry, and Amelia knew all too well.
"Zelgadis!?!" shouted Lina.
"Zel?" said Gourry.
"Mister Zelgadis?" said Amelia
Zelgadis smiled. "So you've finally made it," he said, smiling. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"