-Chapter 14-

Flittering shadows played across the face of the weary maiden while she woke from a deep slumber. It had been a few days since she'd been brought captive to Wolf Pack Island. Xellos had not come to see her since that one time and she cursed his name a thousand times for treating her this way. It wasn't enough that he had the gall to mock her but he didn't give her clothes either. She looked back and remembered how he transported himself out of the cell only to return a few minutes later with a scrap of material that he called a blanket. He tossed it to her, and when she opened her mouth to complain he turned from her to leave, not before telling her that she was lucky to receive even that. Her face scrunched in a scowl at the memory.

So here she still was, in her dungeon cell with only a torn and weathered blanket wrapped around her to keep warm. Not to mention decent. She made a sound of displeasure in the back of her throat. The blanket's material was course and each time she wrapped it tighter to keep the cold out, the rough material scraped her delicate skin, leaving it red and irritated. Still she needed some protection, being in the dank dampness of the cell for so long was starting to take its toll on her already exhausted body. She was still in a bad condition from her fall and this atmosphere wasn't helping her to get any better. A cold was beginning to make its presence known and that was the last thing she needed at this point.

She let out a sneeze and began to shiver. At this rate she would never be able to recover enough of her powers to heal herself.

That wasn't all of her worries though as her stomach let out a protest of its own. She couldn't even remember the last time she ate. Of course she wasn't denied food that is if you could call what they gave her actual food. Filia looked over towards the door to the cell and sure enough it was there. Every day when she woke up it would be sitting there waiting for her to consume it, but she wasn't sure if it was edible or not. It was a stew of some kind, murky green in color, with some type of white substance floating in it. She didn't know what it was and couldn't ask whoever brought it for they always came while she was asleep and left it. At first Filia refused to eat the foul-smelling concoction, for thoughts of evil mazoku poisoning defenseless dragons for their own amusement ran through her mind, and she sure enough wouldn't eat it if it were Xellos who made it. But even dragons need to eat at some point or another and soon hunger won its war with Filia. When the desire for food became too unbearable she greedily ate it, although it tasted as worse as it looked. She felt the need to throw up but tried to keep it all down so her body could get what little nutrients, if any, it provided. A little of her strength returned but she was still too weak for any attempts of escape.

She sighed and stared at the ceiling and wondered how long it would be before she went mad. One time when she went into town for supplies she overheard people talking about how there was a recent cave in and someone was trapped in there for days, only when they were freed everyone found out that the person went insane from being without human contact for so long. Filia couldn't help but wonder if that was going to happen to her as well.

She curled up on the stack of hay that had now become her bed with the retched blanket lying on top of her. She gave a sigh and was amazed at how loud it seemed. She still wasn't used to how the silence of the cell amplified every noise she made. She moved about restlessly for a minute and ended up on her back and absentmindedly twirled a few strands of her hair, a bad habit she had when she was a child. Apparently she wasn't going to fall asleep this time and was a bit miffed at that because sleep had become the only way to pass her time.

While she was awake her thoughts ran free and they always ended up to her jumping to conclusions. She was starting to believe that Val would never come for her; perhaps he didn't even know she was gone to begin with. Tears stung Filia's eyes as she thought of Val and how happy he was now that he was free of her. He might come back if only to retrieve his things but he probably wouldn't even bother to check up on her. Thoughts like those were causing Filia to gradually fall into a deep state of depression. Sleep was only a temporary escape but even sleep had become a way to torment her. It would always be a deep slumber but not a peaceful one. As she started to fall asleep her dreams began. In her dreams Filia saw overwhelming visions of despair and chaos, but most of all death. Images such as the Golden massacre and even the Ancient genocide plagued her. She wasn't there when both events happened but she heard enough stories to visualize them. Flames erupted around each of her visions in a blinding heat, the screams, the blood; it was all too much. Then she would see the events that revolved around Dark Star, the prophecy, Xellos torturing Valgarv, Valgarv forcing her to summon Dark Star, the deaths of the Golden dragons and the Supreme Elder. But the one thing she kept seeing over and over again was what haunted her even then, a young Valgarv sitting in the snow, crying as the dead bodies of his family surrounded him. She would then wake up, clutching at her heart, with beads of sweat sliding down the side of her face as she stared at the ceiling from where she laid.

She tried not to but failed to keep her wails of despair inside any longer. 'Ceipheed be kind, kill me now.' She thought as she cried.

Her sobs were interrupted as the door to her cell opened.


-Elsewhere-


Cold moonlight washed over his body as he watched the last of the fire's embers die out. He wasn't really looking at the fire, mainly staring in its direction, so he did not pay it any mind. After a few more moments of staring off into space, Val shook his head to clear himself of his thoughts. They were still nowhere close to Wolf Pack Island but lately Val started to have this overwhelming feeling that something was coming. Each day as they pressed on the feeling became more intense. A sigh escaped his parted lips. Yes, something was coming and it felt that it had to do with his past. He felt himself become weary at the thought of it. What Val didn't know was that something wasn't coming; he was going to it.

Before the next morning's light, they started to press on once again. The trees were becoming more dense and thick as they got off the main roads. Jillas stumbled once or twice from the uneven ground, but Gravos was there to help him straighten himself out before he fell. After what seemed to be hours, they suddenly came out from the shadows of the trees and before them now lay a range of treacherous mountains. The trio strained their eyes at the growing mountains as they went closer. Val felt something unusual about these mountains. Something lay hidden in them.

As they got to the base Jillas looked up at the mountains, his eyes shiny with the joy of recognition. "Boss am I seeing things?"
Gravos had the same wonder in his eyes. "If you are then so am I Jillas."

Val looked at them perplexed. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

Both of them turned to look at him, their faces nostalgic. "This was once our home Master Val, yours too."

Val looked at them in disbelief. "How? I've never been here in my li…" he trailed off as realization came to him. Yes he had never been here, in this life at least. He looked at the mountains now with the same wonder. "This was home?" he asked more to himself than to the two beside him.

Gravos placed a clawed hand on his shoulder. "Yes it was, a long time ago. This is home or what's left of it anyway."

Finally Val had found a link to his past. Perhaps here he could find some of the answers he was seeking.

"Well come on let's go take a look." Val said. Gravos and Jillas were more than happy to agree.


-Back at Wolf Pack Island-


Filia turned towards the door, shielding her eyes from the pouring light that she was now unused to. A person's silhouette that was in the doorway, now crept toward her. On instinct Filia moved away as they came closer. Unbeknownst to her she was clenching and unclenching the blanket in apprehension. The figure was now in front of her crouching down to be eye level with her. She looked up at her visitor's face and gasped as she recognized whom it was.

"Ailah!" she shouted. The surprise she felt was almost enough to make her heart stop. Her mind filled with fear. Here she was vulnerable and weak and now alone with someone who almost killed her. This was unsuspected and she was uncertain of what to do. In her state she could not fight Ailah but Ailah herself didn't seemed to be bothered in the slightest. She just merely watched Filia as she searching for a way out of her predicament.

Slowly, Ailah lifted her hand to gently touch Filia's tangled dirty hair. She twirled it around her fingers studying the color and texture of it. Filia instantly became uncomfortable but she sensed there was no ill intent. What she wasn't expecting however was when Ailah threw herself into Filia's arms. The force from it almost flung Filia backwards. Filia shook off her initial shock to look down at the young girl who was now holding her like a child would hold their mother. Filia blushed as Ailah nuzzled her neck, but she was quickly shoved away.

Ailah sat upright with a hurt look on her face, tears slowly formed in her eyes. Filia wondered why the sudden affection and emotion was present in the girl.

A noise came from the door and Filia was broken from her thoughts to see Xellos in the doorway. She scowled at him but then looked at Ailah in puzzlement as the girl threw herself in Xellos's arms the same she did with Filia. This was even more perplexing but she did assume that Xellos took her as a lover. What was bothering her was the open display of emotions she possessed. Mazoku did not do such things right? But Filia remembered that she not a mazoku, so what was she? Filia didn't realize she asked the question aloud.

Xellos gave one of his trademark smiles. "I'd be delighted to tell you Miss Filia."


To be continued…



A/N: Gomen for being late with this chapter, it was supposed to be out a couple weeks ago but I've been on vacation visiting family so I haven't had the time to update or write. I promise this will be the last of the "filler" chapters. Lots of things are going to happen next chapter. Such as, you'll finally find out the truth about Ailah. At long last huh? I hope her story won't be confusing. I already gave a hint from the way she acted around Filia just now, if anyone would like to guess. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, I'm glad you put up with my procrastination. Lina Inverse the Dramata, my friend, do not fear. I shall finish this fic! To answer your questions, yes eventually, most likely sooner than later, Val will meet up with Lina and they'll team up together to fight Xellos, but he's actually going to rediscover his powers in the next chapter. I had a hard time trying to think of a way for it to happen so I hope it'll be believable. Thank you to AMC for sticking up for me! Oh yes, Destined Dragons is still alive but people should submit things if I'm to update as much as I have. Just a suggestion though. ^_^