Chapter 5
Other Voices
Zel blinked at Amelia's "surprise".
It was a small shop that was quaint in appearance yet located in a obscure part of Saillune - This store was situated at the bottom end of a whole row of buildings, at the end of a lane, that drew away from the main street - Thus it was impossible for the store to be seen by anyone travelling through the busy roads that made up Saillune.
The chimera cast a glance at the princess, who grinned with delight.
"It's still here!" she grinned. "Even when I've been away for so long!"
"What is this place Amelia?"
"This is a really cool place I found when I was little!"
"Hrmmm...." Zel replied, his voice rich in indifference.
"Come on!" Amelia said eagerly. "I have to show you this place! I've been going here for years!"
And before he could protest, the princess grabbed the chimera by his hand and pulled him into the store.
But nothing could prepare Zel for what greeted him in the shop itself.
There was little lighting within the store but there was enough to reveal to Zel what the shop was selling - and enough to make Zelgadis' eyebrow raise.
The first thing the chimera noticed was the scent of wood that came blasting through his nostrils like a hurricane. Immediately, it struck Zel that this place was the home of a craftsman of some kind.
And it didn't take him long to see what kind of craft this was.
The second thing Zel realised, was that he was surrounded. All around he could see faces. Faces of dragons, mazoku, trolls and humans alike. Faces that leered from alcoves built into the wall. Faces that grinned from the various shelves that ran up and down the store's floor. Faces that also hung from the ceiling to peer down at the chimera.
But Amelia didn't seem too bothered by this audience of twisted grins. Instead she advanced into the store, her eyes widened with wonder and her mouth moulded into one of pure delight.
However, it didn't take long for Zelgadis to come to realisation as to where Amelia had taken him: This place was the home of a puppet-maker.
The chimera blinked at the place he had stepped. Indeed this was definitely a world apart from Saillune. Intrigued, he stepped closer to examine some the items on sale.
And what he saw took his breath away.
These puppet's were carved out of wood but they had been done so in an extraordinary manner. They had been carved with such skill and such precision that the talent involved defied belief. They were so detailed and so life like.....
Indeed, Zel couldn't believe what he was seeing. What was this place? Was this another world? He had never seen puppets crafted in such a detailed way. What kind of talent would produce such a intricate construct?
His inquisitive eyes then fell on a finely craved dragon. A dragon which was fashioned into a sleeping position with it's head resting on it's front claws.....
.....a dragon which then opened it's eyes and raised it's head to meet Zel's gaze.
The chimera blinked and shook his head in disbelief. Did he just see what he thought he just saw?
He looked at the dragon again - only to see that it had returned to its sleeping position.
Zel's mind got swept up in a whirlwind, taken completely aback by what he had just seen. What was going on here? This place was certainly a world apart from the rest of Saillune. And such a place must hold it's own fair share of secrets. And suddenly, the craftsmanship of these puppets seem no longer extraordinary but suspicious.
Something very wrong is going on here.....
Just then, a booming voice brought the chimera back to earth.
"Your highness!" came the voice. "It's been a while since I saw your face!"
"Oh please Konstantin" came Amelia's voice. "Please call me Amelia"
Zel looked up to see Amelia at the other end of the store talking to a man whom stood behind the counter. But this man was nothing like Zel had seen before. he was a giant, literally bursting all over with an incredibly muscular structure. This man had arms like tree trunks and a chest that was barely covered by the shirt the man wore. The man also had a shaved head and chin accompanied by a kindly face.
Zelgadis' eyes widened at the sight of this newcomer. He had seen bandits of the muscular kind before but they paled in comparison to this giant. And now, Zel had ever the more reason to be suspicious of this place - It seems everything within this store has defied any concept of the logic he had come to be known of this place.
But then again, he's been through weirder experiences....
Just then, Amelia and the giant strode over to the chimera. Zel, instinctively, tried to hide within the many shadows that filled the store. He doesn't want to pried upon by invading glares. He doesn't want to be regarded as a freak.....
....But to no avail. Because, as long as Amelia is around, Zel has no chance hiding his chimera curse from the rest of the world!
"Zelgadis?" Amelia said. "May I introduce Konstantin. He's been the carver of these puppets and the owner of this store for years."
The giant whom was named Konstantin reached out a huge open paw in Zelgadis' direction - all accompanied with a with a warm grin.
"Pleased to meet you Zelgadis" the giant greeted in a friendly manner.
Zel raised an eyebrow. Odd - whilst the full extent of the chimera curse is full light, this guy seems unperturbed by such a fact. Indeed, he seems more eager to establish a friendship.
A feeling of warmth radiated through Zelgadis' heart. Realising this degree of acceptance was as good as any other, he grasped the giant's hand and returned the handshake.
"The pleasure is all mine" Zel grinned.
"I hear you're a friend of the princess." Konstantin said. "Any friend of Amelia is a friend of mine!"
Zel chuckled softly but uttered no further reply.
"My, my" the giant said, gazing at Zel with a curious eye. "You certainly look different. I haven't seen anything like you before. How did you manage to meet the princess?"
"We have been both travelling together for so many months" Amelia said quickly. "We met each other during our travels. It just happens that Zelgadis has been inflicted with a chimera curse so I've been helping him find a cure."
"I see" Konstantin said. "A chimera curse eh?"
"Yeah" Amelia added in a conversational manner. "One that makes him one third demon and one third stone golem as well as one third human"
As Amelia was delivering this explanation, Zel shot her with an accusing glare. What the hell was she thinking in giving away all that?! It wasn't bad enough that he had to suffer this curse from dawn to dusk, day after day, but having the whole world know about it - particularly to people whom he had just met - was another matter entirely!
But even as Amelia delivered her explanation, the craftsman listened with keen interest. As the story progressed, his eyes grew wider and his expression grew all the more fascinated.
"Well, Zelgadis" he grinned. "You certainly are an intriguing character. I have seen many amazing sights in my time but I haven't seen a amalgam of human, demon and chimera! I would be interested in hearing more about your story...."
Suddenly the triggers of alarm ignited in the chimera. Alarm that was enough to drive him onward into action without a second thought.
The chimera reached out a hand and grabbed the princess by her arm and pulled her closer towards him.
"Zel?!" Amelia protested.
Zel didn't pay attention to the princess. Instead he began to speak to Konstantin.
"We have to go now" the chimera said. "Excuse us"
And before Amelia could argue, Zel began bustling her out of the store, leaving the puppet-maker blinking in astonishment.
Meanwhile, in another part of Saillune, Sylphiel wandered through the streets in a state of utter confusion.
She was completely lost. Lina and Gourry, with Naga in tow, had all hurried off into the busy depths of Saillune. And they had left without leaving any trace to pick up on.
Of course, this left Syl all by herself. She had no idea where her friends had gone to and, as a consequence, she had got swept up in the crowds that made up the populace of Saillune. It was no use returning to the palace: Phil was busy with his plans for the evening and Zel and Amelia could be anywhere. And if that is the case then they are better off left alone.....
Nevertheless, her desperation to not be alone drove her onward. Drove her on to search for Lina and Gourry, wherever they might be.
But the problem was she had no idea where they might be. Knowing what Lina's like, she would already be going from one restaurant to the other in quick succession.
So, the only thing that Syl could do was try her luck.....
Her eyes caught sight of a nearby tavern. This seemed like the best starting point to commence her search.....
The shrine maiden stepped into the tavern....
.....only to be confronted with a scene of smoke and inquisitive faces. Face that were battle-scarred, cruel, and weren't expecting a shrine maiden to show up.
Alas for Sylphiel, this place was a warrior's tavern. And not the place for the gentle types such as herself.
"Err...." Syl blurted out with. "Wrong door...."
But before she could utter another word, a pair of great hands descended upon her and grasped her cruelly by the front of her tunic.
The startled Shrine Maiden started at the man who grabbed her. He was a muscular type with a bushy beard and a truly unfriendly expression.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" the bearded man snarled. "We've never seen a woman 'round here before!"
A man with a bald head cleared his throat. "Maybe she's one of them warrior wimmin!"
"Nah!" spoke up a third man - this one had a face that was scarred beyond belief. "She doesn't look like a warrior ta me!"
"Please!" Syl exclaimed in desperation. "Please let me go!"
Just then the bearded man let out a laugh. "Begging for you life eh?" he boomed. "Don't worry, we'll let you go - once you've given us some entertainment!"
"No!" Sylphiel shrieked, with tears swelling up in her eyes.
"Oh whattsa matta?" the bearded man mocked. "Crying won't save you now!"
In desperation and in dread of the horror that was looming, Sylphiel closed her eyes.
But why should she be bothered? She's been in worse situations such as this.
Because back then she had the reliance of a knight in shining armour.....
But where was he now? He had gone from her grasp for good - And she accepted it! But such a move however left her defenceless in the current situation.
"Gourry....." she whispered, as cruel laughter from her attackers rung throughout her eardrums.
Suddenly, in amongst the laughter, a cool, commanding voice snuck in through:
"Put her down."
Immediately, the laughter in the tavern came to a standstill. Surprised, the Shrine Maiden opened her eyes and joined all astonished gazes to the interloper.
He was a handsome man with a well-trimmed goatee and with a close-clipped haircut, along with a bronze breastplate with black leggings, a black shirt, and a distinctive red sash. His facial expression was also moulded into one of disgust.
This newcomer fixed the bearded man with a hard gaze.
"You heard me" he snarled. "What are you waiting for?"
"You wait your turn!" Scar-face bellowed.
"And mind your own business!" Baldy added
"Well I'm making it my business!" the newcomer snarled.
"Tough guy eh?" the bearded man thundered. "You're on!"
And with that, he shoved Syl aside onto the floor and drew his sword. And then he began lumbering towards the newcomer with a cruel glare.
But the newcomer didn't look too worried. Instead, he drew his own sword in a calm manner.
"So you think you're some hot shot eh?" the bearded man said. "You won't live to regret the day you set foot in here!"
And with that he charged, with his blade held high.
"Yeah, whatever" his opponent said.
And as the bearded man, charged, the newcomer bowed his head forward. The bearded man laughed sensing an easy victory.....
...until the newcomer's sword plunged it's way right through his chest and into his heart!
The bearded man gasped with astonishment - a gasp that became his last breath of life. The man toppled forward and hit the floor with a tremendous crash as the newcomer quickly dodged out of the way.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a dagger came flying through the air and into the swordsman's shoulder! With a roar of pain, the newcomer went backwards into the wall. Suddenly, Baldy and Scar-Face both charged at the swordsman. They grinned, ready to deliver vengeance for their fallen comrade.
But the newcomer had no intentions of losing this fight! Despite the pain that was cruising through his body, he pulled out the dagger out of his shoulder and threw it back! The dagger caught Baldy right between the eyes and penetrated it's way into his brain. The man died with a gargling scream. This led Scar-Face into a position where panic was more greater then extracting vengeance. Acting on pure fear, the man turned tail and fled! But the swordsman wasn't finished with him yet! Grabbing the now discarded sword from the bearded man's cold fingers, the swordsman threw the sword with all his might....
....only to catch Scar-Face as he fled. The sword went right through the man bringing his flight, and his life, to a grinding halt.
Satisfied that this battle was won, the swordsman summoned all his remaining strength to get to his feet and approach Sylphiel. No one else in the tavern dared challenge him.
The wounded swordsman knelt down beside the prostrate shrine maiden.
"All you all right?" he asked gently.
Syl looked up at her rescuer with astonished eyes. But eventually she nodded.
"Come on" the swordsman said reaching out his hand. "This is no place for you"
Using his last reserves of his strength, the swordsman helped the shrine maiden to her feet and to the door of the tavern.
Once outside, Syl turned to her rescuer. It was then she noticed his injured shoulder.
"Oh my!" she exclaimed. "You're wounded!"
"...It's... nothing" came the reply.
"No it's not!" Sylphiel argued. And with that, she began casting a healing spell.
The swordsman blinked as the shrine maiden worked her healing magic onto his shoulder. Immediately, the wound healed up completely.
"Thank you" the swordsman said.
"Oh no" Sylphiel smiled. "It should be me thanking you for helping me back there."
"Hey, it was the least I could do" the swordsman said awkwardly. "I guess I'm just a sucker for a pretty face"
The shrine maiden laughed out loud before reaching out her hand in a friendly gesture. "I'm Sylphiel"
The swordsman reached out his hand and returned the handshake.
"...Aldebrand"
Elsewhere, many miles from the hustle and bustle that made up Saillune, Thyruss brooded in his citadel. He sat at his desk, with an ink quill in hand, nutting out his plan of attack. Unfortunately, this citadel still bore signs of being neglected for countless ages - Consequently, there were numerous shadows that came filtering in through the room. Shadows that grasped the room in it's grasp and laughed in the face of what little light that came through the window.
And such an abundance of shadows provided the perfect hiding place.
Suddenly he heard a voice echo out across his chamber.
"Hello there Thyruss" the voice said.
The warlord looked up from his desk, his eyebrow raised in a suspicious manner. He cast an inquisitive glare across the room - only to be confronted with empty spaces and little furniture choked with a sea of shadows.
He hesitated - unsure what to do next. But eventually, he shrugged and returned to his work.
It was then that the voice spoke again: "How's your plan of domination coming along?"
This made Thyruss jump straight out of his chair and onto his feet.
"Where are you? What are you doing here?" the warlord thundered. This was enough to convince him that he was being made a fool of by one of his hired mercenaries. And if that is the case, then perhaps Thyruss should make an example of the bastard, telling all of the others that their employer is hardly one to be made a fool of.....
"Rest assured that I am not one of your minions." The voice replied, in a calm manner.
"Then who are you?" Thyruss roared, drawing his sword in an aggressive manner. "Show yourself!"
"Oh please" the voice mocked. "I am no threat to you"
"NO THREAT?!?!?" Thyruss bellowed. "You invade my private chambers, and now your torment me with your facelessness attitude and your words! And you say you're no threat?!?!?!"
"Of course" the voice replied bluntly, maintaining a calm attitude despite Thyruss' anger.
Thyruss opened his mouth to deliver another enraged speech.
But the voice cut him off before he could even begin: "I wish to discuss business."
This stopped Thyruss dead in his tracks. Immediately, facial expression banished all concept of fury - only to be replaced with intrigue.
"Business?" he growled softly. "What kind of business?"
"I want to offer my services to your banner in return for sanctuary."
"Oh yeah?" the warlord snarled, suspiciously. "And what kind of services to you have in mind?"
"I know you want to invade Saillune" came the reply. "But there are obstacles in your path that even you don't know about"
This made Thyruss pause. If what the voice was telling him was correct then he has just been struck with an opportunity. And any opportunity must be utilised to it's full extreme.
"How did you get in here?" he inquired.
"I merely snuck in, right under the noses of your mercenaries. In fact, you're the only in the citadel who knows I'm here"
"Well I have to admire your gall" Thyruss said. "To evade all of those homicidal lunatics is a feat in itself. And to accomplish that feat, you must have something important to tell me. So I will hear you out - But only once you've shown your face."
The voice chuckled. "Well, I guess since we're now on speaking terms, I might as well."
And with these words, the owner of the voice, stepped out from the shadows. He carried with him a staff and a grin that was twisted with mischief.
"Allow me to introduce myself" he said. "I am Xelloss Metallium....."
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