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THE SLAVERS
Chapter Three -
To Be or Not To Be, That is…a Secret!
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Xelloss hid his eyes as he composed himself a moment. "Very well. We shall try your way, but if it doesn't work…"
"Then I try somethin' else!" Lina snorted. "Come on, we've wasted enough time here. Let's GO!"
Alas, try as they like. No spell, black, white or in-between made a waggle, wiggle, or wobble in the rift from which Miss Holly had come. Xelloss was pacing, an unusually agitated indication of his mental state. "Nothing is working."
Well, talk about the obvious! And that's all he could do…talk. He had no ready solutions. Just a few lame suggestions which Zelgadiss snorted at, "Oh really, Xelloss. Go away if that's the only specious blather you can distract us with."
After another hour, the actual work had dissipated into loud arguments and insults. Tempers were short and fresh approaches were shorter still!
"Um, we may as well go back ta camp. You can argue good enough there and it's more comfortable for the rest of us," Gourry suggested.
Val growled in agreement, "This is boooor-ing."
"We need to eat, Lina." Gourry was plaintive.
"Yeah, okay," Lina muttered resentfully then gave a resigned sigh. "Maybe so, this sure's not gettin' us anyplace." She collared Xelloss roughly. "You ain't hurtin' her, buster. Got that! We'll figure this out and you will give us the time!"
"It may not be in my best interest…" he said lamely.
"Tough. Life's not all about YOU. Grow up!" she shouted. Wrapping her arms around Holly, Lina RAY WING-ed the both of them up and away.
"I guess that means we should all follow her back," Zel muttered to Xelloss, only to find that the Mazouku had disappeared. "Gourry, Amelia!" he shouted. "Xelloss has gone after them, hurry."
Val transformed into a huge black dragon, taking Gourry on his back.
"All right, Amelia, then…RAY WING!" Zel said as he rose into the air. Amelia followed in his wake covering the short distance in a few minutes. But he needn't have rushed. When he found Lina, it was in a pastoral setting rather than a chaotic one.
Lina was seated cross-legged on the ground, books of sorcery and magic scattered around her. "Come over here, Zel, and take a look at this one. Amelia, here's one for you to scan."
To their yet unasked questions, Lina answered, "Xelloss brought them…"
Zel thought that that was very odd, having Xelloss help them—in any way! Xelloss, now where had he gone off to? A short distance away, the demon in question was sitting on a fallen log next to the young lost woman, talking. Zel nearly turned back to Lina and company, when the two stood up and began to walk slowly off—hand-in-hand. Zelgadiss decided to give them a short lead, then start following. He didn't trust Xelloss' word not to hurt the girl. He was Mazouku and had orders to kill her, no matter what assurances he'd given to Lina.
~~~
"Oh, yes, teleporting is getting much more difficult, the longer I am around you. I also feel…different. It's disturbing. The changes I feel are distracting. And I have orders to follow." Xelloss paused, a crease forming between his dark brows.
The girl nodded. She felt helpless to resolve her own plight and yet compassionate towards this strange man, her 'master'. "I'm sorry. I don't want to be such a burden, but then, I don't want to die at your hands either."
The demon opened his eyes and met hers. "The Mazouku lords think you pose a threat to our existence. No other creature can affect changes on our auras like you can and if I hesitate to act much longer, I may lose my connection to the astral plain."
"That is bad."
"Yes, very bad. You see, then I become a human man, a mortal bound to this earth with the rest of the beasts." Xelloss closed his eyes in a smile. "Hopefully, Miss Inverse will find an alternate solution soon."
Holly smiled in return. "You have a kind face, and you've been a good and undemanding master to me. I hope Lina and her friends find the answers too. I would hate for you to have my blood on your hands to ensure the continuance of your own existence."
"I've done worse," he chuckled mirthlessly. "It is my nature as a Mazouku." He sighed and looked away. "I can't seem to sit still. Would you like to take a walk?"
"You need only say the words…"
"Ah, well…I'm not commanding. I'm asking. I give you a choice, to join me or stay."
"Perhaps you mean to…" she stood as his hand clasped hers. "But I am still your slave."
This time it was his turn to respond, "Perhaps…I'm yours instead!" He added a smile and quirky tilt of his head that made her laugh softly. "It seems that I have no will power of my own any more."
"That's not true. You haven't carried out your orders to kill me. I'd say that takes some amount of self-determination."
At this point in their short walk, just far enough away from the others to have a bit of privacy, he halted. "I wish…" he said in a husky, low voice. He released the one hand he'd been leading her by, and now placed it on one of her shoulders. With his other gloved hand, he cupped her chin, raising her face to his. "But the truth is…I can't kill you because you want to live. Your life's energy pulses with your blood. It is heady stuff, I assure you. And…I have this overwhelming need to feel life through you."
She had only a moment to ponder his strange words and to make sense of them, when he tightened his grip, drawing her close. "I want to kiss you," he said in a whisper.
Was he asking her permission? She closed her eyes and waited, making no struggle to part from his clasp. His hair tickled her cheek as it feathered across it, and then his soft warm lips caressed hers. She'd done this before…in her other life…with someone…a lover, or husband perhaps? She melted into his arms, eager for his touches. Holly felt driven by some otherworldly impulse to know this man completely.
How odd a feeling-- he thought. To want this closeness to another being…and without the need to control and possess her as any other of his victims. Or… as his slave. His slave…to do with as he wished. All right then, so what was it he wished for? He need only say, tell…command her. His will was law to her! But, Xelloss felt no compunction to hold dominion over this girl. And that was …well, very odd indeed! He wanted her to want him. He wanted her to treat him as she would a man she desired above all else. He could discern the weakening, the actual breaking down of all his demon barriers! And he should be alarmed! He should be fighting this! He should be following his Mistress' orders! He should be doing… a great many things other than standing in the forest kissing this slave girl from another world and hoping she felt the need for more.
Holly was aware of the man enfolding her, his warmth leaking through to her lightweight tunic. He owned her, but his touch was gentle, hesitant even. It was as if he was unsure of his own mind. She could run. She knew it. She could flee…fly even! No, not fly. Her wings hung useless now. Surely they had once served her well, but now they were like unwelcome garments weighing her down…drowning her. What need had she of wings? Had she ever? Had she flown? Who was she…why was she here…where had she come from? Why was she here…in his arms…so warm and safe…safe from harm? Then at that moment in time she knew that this man…this Mazouku…would not harm her. He needed her. And she needed him.
Xelloss thought of a sponge. Yes, he was like a sponge, full of emptiness as a Mazouku, now filling with Holly's life essence—her soul. Hmmm, so this is what a human soul is—he breathed in her woman's scent and sighed. He soaked up her energy to overflowing. Gods! He felt alive!
~~~~
Zelgadiss stood rapt. Xelloss' face wore an expression of ecstasy unlike any Zel had seen before. So, Mazouku did feel positive emotions! The proof was there right before his eyes! Now what? Holly appeared as jubilant as he! They were dropping to the forest floor…no…Holly was pulling him down to her! Oh… Clearly, such an intimate coupling was meant to be private; and so, Zelgadiss turned and raced away, heart pounding. Seconds later, he crashed into camp, disturbing Lina.
"Zel? Dammit! Stop with the racket already!" Lina grumbled. One look at his face, however and she grew concerned for the fate of the lost girl. "What's the matter? Has something happened to Holly?" Lina asked, turning her book face down onto the ground and jumping to her feet.
"Huh?" Zel looked red-faced and bewildered. He drew a deep breath, steadied himself, then said, "Ah…errr…no. She's…occupied right now."
Lina looked at him quizzically. Zel looked upset and embarrassed simultaneously. Perhaps Holly was bathing. "And Xelloss? I could use his help translating this Mazouku gibberish that passes for a written language."
"He's…detained as well." There, Zelgadiss sighed with relief, 'nuff said.
"Eh?" Lina stepped closer towards the chimera to judge his mood better. He was definitely agitated. "Doing what? This is far more important."
"Personal business." Zel swallowed and closed his eyes. If he didn't look, Lina couldn't hurt him.
"Ah, Xelloss doesn't have any personal business." She sidled closer to Zelgadiss. "Tell me. What was he doing?"
Zelgadiss summed his strength of will, folded his arms protectively over his chest and opened his one visible eye. "He was with Holly."
"With. Holly." Lina parroted. "Of course he was with Holly. That's why you followed them, to make sure she was okay."
"And she is," Zel muttered. "…fine, that is."
"With Xelloss."
"Yes. With Xelloss."
Amelia's curiosity was sparked by the stilted dialogue she overheard. "But Mr. Zelgadiss, isn't it possible that he might kill her now that they're alone? We should hurry and stop them!" And she nearly tore off after them at that moment, had her way not been blocked by the tall dragon-boy.
Val was grinning ear to ear. "Aw, yer otta let'em in on the action, Zel."
Zel's icy stare froze the kid's smart-alecky, teenage grin in place. "Stay out of this, Val. Amelia, you stay out of this as well."
"What kind of action?" Lina demanded.
Gourry's face brightened. He got it! "They're in the woods havin' sex, right?"
Lina's face flushed with heat as the she muted a gasp, "Hn..Eh?" Seeing this, Gourry raised his arms in self-defense, ready to block one of Lina's poundings.
Amelia let out a little cry, "Whaaa…?"
"Yeah, I could tell he was crazy about her. Guess she liked him too, hey?" Gourry smiled and relaxed his guard. "That means we don't need ta worry 'bout him killin' her. Maybe she'll wanna stay, what do ya think about that, Lina? We don't need ta do all this if she's gonna stay, right?"
Lina recovered some. She looked past Gourry to Zel, hoping for his protestation—some argument. None came. Zel simply stared out into space.
Val thought it was a hoot and folded in half laughing. So, his mentor was a man after all! All right!
Zel began to open his mouth to yell at Val, when Zelgadiss' eyes rolled back in his head and gurgled. Lina shouted to Gourry, "Catch Zel!"
Zel convulsed, back arching as Gourry caught his heavy stone-covered body and lowered him carefully to the ground…
Amelia cried out in disbelief, "Oh…no!" She was about to rush to his side when she heard a gasping noise, turned and watched Lina gulp air like a blowfish before swooning. Amelia cried out, "Miss Liiinaaaa!" as Val swept in and caught the petite sorceress in his arms.
All in a fraction of a second.
What was going on?
Xelloss and the young woman who had somehow broken through his Mazouku barrier and made him desire her, were in a realm of their own. Feelings of ardor beyond anything he could have imagined days ago mixed with pure carnal lust, overwhelming his mind with sensual passions. Holly responded in kind bringing them both to the pinnacle and back.
Finally, words floated to the forefront of his mind and Xelloss whispered breathlessly, "I-I love you. It shouldn't be possible, but I do. You are the loveliest thing I've ever held and the only woman that I have made love to, honest true love."
Holly simply smiled and nuzzled his neck a moment. Then with mind-smashing suddenness, her memories returned, or some memories, too many to understand or comprehend as the order was confusing and the images too many. "Oh….My….My…mind…"
He held her trembling body, as if waiting out a storm, waiting for the onslaught to pass and quiet to return to her countenance. "Shhhh…it's all right…" he whispered the platitude with the surety that it would be so.
Her moaning let up and her eyelids fluttered open. "I remember…"
Xelloss said nothing but stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"We flew. My people flew and lived in the highest treetops. We called ourselves the Fairreen and fought at times against the Elven. No dragons…or hu-mans…or…Ma-zou-ku. I was flying, chased by a troop of thieving…slavers. Elf slave traders had attacked our outpost and I was leading a party away from the main encampment so that they might get to safety. I was screaming in terror of my life, and then I felt the hot breath of my pursuer closing in. That's when…I hit it…a barrier of some kind. The next thing I knew I had slipped past the obstacle and landed in this land with its terrible, nasty…slavers dashing upon me. Oh, Xelloss…my…master…I was…am a warrior in my land! I know the weight of a sword and shield and the pull of a bow in my arms."
Xelloss smiled down at her, as she lay nestled in his arms, settled on his lap. "You're awfully slender and soft for a mighty warrior, but if you say so…"
She blushed, "All right, my brother was the fighter, I wanted to be, satisfied?"
"Uh, huh," he muttered with a gentle kiss to her lips. "Or I could be… with another one of those lovemaking sessions." He chuckled and clasped her to his chest. "I never imagined feelings like this…" He rocked back and forth a few minutes, letting her settle the rest of her life's memories into place peacefully.
"You know, I've got the strangest sensation right now. It's as if my other body on the astral plane was fading away. I'm losing contact." Panic filled his voice. "I-I am unable to communicate with the other Mazouku!"
He stared hard into Holly's eyes as if he hoped she had the answers he needed as well. She could feel his fingers dig into her shoulders as his grip tightened and cried out, "Xelloss! Let go…you're hurting me!"
He met her eyes, wide open and alarmed. He shook his head but was unable to speak. Then a tremor ran through him and from his fingertips to her. Simultaneously the two lovers stiffened and fainted dead away, slumping onto the soft carpeting of leaves, limbs intertwined.
When Xelloss and Holly emerged from the forest, a bit dazed, they sought out the others immediately. Val and Amelia had rearranged the fallen friends closer to where Gourry had built up a fire and sat talking in low voices.
"I think someone's comin'," Val observed.
"Um…somethin's goin on with Zel here…ah…Amelia?" Gourry called, but Amelia had dashed off to greet Holly.
"Oh! Miss Holly and Mr. Xelloss!" Amelia cried out with genuine happiness. "You're okay! We were about to send out a search party. You see, Miss Lina and Mr. Zelgadiss passed out an hour ago."
"We did too," Xelloss said quietly.
"Really? You too?" Amelia guided Holly to a comfortable spot, when she noticed a change in her new friend. "M-Miss Holly! You're wings! They're gone!"
"Yes…they…shriveled and faded away when I passed out."
"And I… appear to be a mortal," Xelloss added. "With no connection to my actual astral form whatsoever."
Amelia's hands flew to cover her mouth and hold back a screech.
Gourry told them the news. "Better come here and have a look. Zel's human too, I think. At least that's the way he looks. Can't tell if Lina's any different 'till she talks."
"Oh! L-look at Mr. Zelgadiss!" Amelia touched his hair, soft brown above a nest of silvery flakes of shed outer coating. No wires. His face was no longer blue, nor did it sport protective rocky protrusions. A human flesh-toned face stared out from under a fall of rich brown hair.
"Whaaat…happened?" Zel groaned. Sitting up with aid from Amelia's helping hand, he opened his eyes, beautiful round blue, human eyes. Light weight. He noticed the immense difference in his body weight first, then the silencing of the voices in his head, the demon parts vying for control. He stared at his hands in a state of shock and rapture. "Oh…" he gasped, unable to put into words what he was feeling. Unlike his conversion into a chimera, this one had been painless. The demon and golem parts had retreated. He could detect something of them. Those hated parts had not left entirely, but had withdrawn into pinhole substances about to blink out of existence.
While he and Amelia shared exclamations, Gourry hovered over Lina as she cleared her head and opened her eyes. "Whoa, that was strange…" she moaned. Pressing her hand to her aching head, Lina could feel the pain regress rapidly, along with something else. Something dark and evil hidden within her. That it was a piece of Ruby-eyed Shabrinigdo, which Xelloss had delivered into to her-- empowering her with abilities beyond her human realm-- she was unaware. It had been his 'gift' to her, but one hidden from her consciousness by protective spell barriers. Now it was gone. "And…" she began to say, then she noticed Zel. "Oh, for the gods'sakes, ZEL! Zel, is that you?"
"I-I guess so." He was unable to talk. Just taking it all in was an overwhelming experience for the young man; it was putting him on sensory overload. His hearing acuity had been instantly reduced to average human levels, his body-weight change, the enhanced demon reflexes and magical powers were all diminished as well. It was a lot to handle all at once. It was his dream come true, wasn't it? Concern, confusion, and apprehension tempered his joy-- what had happened? Surely, Xelloss had had something to do with the changes, but what?
"Whatever undid your spell affected me as well in some way I can't comprehend exactly," Lina said. "Wow…you look so…different. Zel stand up lets get a better look at-cher." She gave him a reassuring grin and motioned to Gourry to give him a hand just in case he might faint dead away again.
Val looked around and caught Gourry's eye. "I didn't feel a thing. Did you?"
Gourry shook his head.
Amelia said, "Me neither. It must have been a selective power blast or spell. What do you think, Miss Lina?" Her question may have been directed at Lina, but her eyes never left Zelgadiss.
"Well, I'll hazard a guess and say it was an astral attack of some kind," Lina said.
"More than that," Xelloss said. "Holly has lost her uniqueness also. We've cancelled one another out, leaving just the human qualities."
"Hey, I'm still here!" Val pointed out. "And I ain't human at all."
THE SLAVERS -- end chapter 3.