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ZELGADISS TORN

___________________ Part 9 _________________

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"And so would I!" The mockingly happy voice sounded over their shoulders. "And I've brought Greyzel back all cured and whole again. I think he'll know better than to let a dragon make the first move in the future." Xelloss' smile was even more unsettling considering the evil glint in his slitted eyes, which were currently boring a hole through Zelgadiss' back.

"You are interrupting a personal conversation, Mr. Xelloss! Is that is a particular Mazouku skill? Greyzel seems very good at it as well." Amelia's anger at the interruption over-rode her better judgement.

Zelgadiss tensed, hoping Xelloss was in a forgiving state of mind. Xelloss simply smiled at Amelia saying, "My apologies, princess." He looked as if he might be about to snap at Zel, however, when he tapped his finger against the side of his head and looked around him. "Ah…looks like you will have company soon."

"Oh?" Lina heard their voices and had wandered over. "Xelloss? What are you doing here and what do you want?"

"Oh, this and that," the Mazouku smiled. "Returning my General-in-training."

Narrowing her eyes, Lina asked, "Is that what you think? You think we're here to give your minion some experience?"

Before he could answer, she had him in a choke hold. "'Cause I only do this stuff if I get paid! So let's start talkin' money!" She squeezed a little harder to make her point, or so she thought. Xelloss could have easily freed himself, but didn't, seeming to play along with Lina's game.

He was turning grayish blue and making gagging noises when Zelgadiss told her to release the demon. "Can't you see he's enjoying it? Drop him and find out what he meant by company joining us soon."

"Yeah, well…" she surprisingly did as Zel asked, including the dropping part.

"Ouch!" Xelloss said wearing a hurt expression and rubbing his shoulder where it had impacted the hard ground. "Who would have thought that you'd listen to his advice?"

"Humph!" Lina crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And I should mind yours, you think?"

"You should. There's a caravan of Green Dragons heading this way. If you're lucky you might sneak up on them and terrify some information out of them." Xelloss smiled her way, opening one eye a crack.

"Why us? Why don't you just transport into their midst and make'em piss in their pants?" Lina wasn't really avoiding confrontation, she was simply too lazy to care, at the moment, enough to wring information out of anybody.

As if he'd been waiting for the opportunity, he winked cutely and answered, "That…is a secret!"

Lina hauled off to smack his face, but he had disappeared completely before her punch made contact. "Rats!" she huffed. "Gourry! Come on. You and me gotta go question some guys. Find out what's up, okay?"

"What guys, Lina?" Gourry looked around and of course saw no one but his comrades. "You talkin' to ghosts now?"

She let out an exasperated sigh.

"I'll come too, that way if there's trouble…" Zel began.

"Yeah, sure. You come along so we have someone to return for backup," Lina waved at him with her left hand, her right on his arm.

He was about to argue that he meant to fight alongside Gourry while it was she who got the help, but sighed and gave up instead. "Whatever…"

"Shouldn't I come along?" Filia asked. "I might have more luck persuading dragons to tell us something?"

"No, I don't think so. You'll just make them suspicious… Golden Dragons don't seem to be well liked or plentiful in these parts." Lina shook her head and was about to stalk off when Amelia cried out.

"I'm coming too, that way we can tell them a partial truth; that is, if the word is out that a small group of travelers is heading from Seyruun. With a princess and with Mr. Zelgadiss along as another government representative, we'll look more convincing as travelers with peaceful intentions. You…can be my…maid-assistant and Gourry the bodyguard. They might believe that and not bother us."

Zelgadiss was shaking his head, about to tell her no…too dangerous, but Lina pushed him out of the way and said, "Ya know…that makes a lotta sense. Okay, Amelia, we'll go with your plan. The faster this is done the better, eh?"

No, there was no doubt about it, Zelgadiss was feeling a bit miffed. As a chimera he had at least commanded a little respect from Lina. She couldn't actually PUSH him around, physically, but now, as a human, he was just another toy, like Gourry.

"Eh, Zel?" Lina added in a lowered voice. "It'll be your job to protect her, ya know. I'll have my hands full enough as it is!"

Zel's eyes went wide and a blush heated his face, as he sputtered some kind of unintelligible response.

"Right!" Lina barked and gave him a knowing smirk. "Glad you agree. Val! Greyzel!"

Lina gathered Val and Greyzel as well to explain the plan, adding, "You guys stay out of sight when the caravan passes by on the road. They haveta travel the road with horses. If we've any luck we'll learn something and possibly spread the word that we couldn't have been responsible for the other…mess earlier, 'kay?"

Well, luck was with someone, but not Lina. Entirely. But then, Lina always seemed to make her own brand of 'luck' in the end.

Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadiss hefted their bags and marched out onto the main road leading from Seyruun to the next city, and eventually on to Atlas City. Xelloss had been correct--not that any of them had doubted his information. Gourry with his keen eye sight was the first to spot the dust cloud. The foursome rearranged themselves Zelgadiss in front, leading Amelia and Lina, and then Gourry acting as the rear guard. It wasn't long before the convoy of dragons was in clear view, blocking their path.

Gourry trotted to the front shouting, "Hoy there! Let us pass!"

What followed was an uninteresting passage of questions and remarks aimed at frightening Lina's group. Zelgadiss, tired of the dragon's bullying finally broke down, "Listen. We've had enough of this. We've answered all your questions now it is your turn to answer a few of ours, starting with…by whose authority do you block the passage of an ambassador and the Princess of Seyruun?"

With which the leader of the Green dragon convoy confirmed the black dragon role in some evil plot, at least as far as Lina was concerned. "The Black Dragon Assemblage gives us dominion over the roads and transportation of goods and persons, whoever they may be," he answered smugly. He and his men outnumbered and out-manned, for all that they could tell, this small group of travelers, and so wished to throw their weight around a bit. "And we don't allow anyone to pass that we don't like. And we don't…like…you."

His lips curled into a smirk that made even the gentle Gourry fancy removing with the edge of his blade.

"I represent the people of Seyruun and all that is lawful and honest!" Amelia cried out. "And like us or not, we have an errand of great importance which must be completed. If we are thwarted in our endeavor, you will bring upon you the just might of the Compassionate Fist of the Righteous…"

"Gag that one," the leader shouted. "And secure them all!"

Before Lina completed her first attack, what must have been a very potent 'sleep' spell sent all four of the travelers in a heap to the ground. Zel's brain shut down holding an image of the lead dragon and sending a final message, "tricky sleep spell'.

A short distance away, Greyzel jumped from his crouching position with a hiss, "Ssssssss! They've been attacked! Ssneaky sssleeeping sspell. Beware!"

"What? You mean Lina's in trouble?" Filia gasped. "We can't just run over there and…"

But the little demon did not hear her excuses, he had already transported to the convoy. He chanted a counter-spell and instantly roused Zelgadiss, Amelia, Gourry, and Lina. Needless to say, his actions caused an uproar. A demon in the midst of the dragon party was certainly an unwelcome imposition under the best of circumstances. This was not a festive moment. Greyzel radiated bad feelings on all the planes of existence. These creatures had threatened his Zelgadiss. These creatures were nasty dragons and his Massster had given him very plain instructions: Show no mercy to the dragons. Except the golden mother and the single ancient child…no…they were special…be good to them…guard them, but to the others…death.

"Oh no! Mr. Zelgadiss! Look!" Amelia cried out, and then in a rush of words she tried desperately to stop the demon. "If he destroys them there will be no way we can travel through here unnoticed. Our cover will be blown and… with two unexplained attacks in our wake, we'll be targeted! We'll never make it to Atlas City!"

Greyzel moved into a favorable position and readied his attack. Just as Greyzel was about to destroy the enemy, he felt Zelgadiss' counter orders ringing in his head, 'No!' He froze.

Yes, Greyzel hesitated, against Xelloss' explicit orders and putting them all at risk, he stopped his attack. Then all hell broke loose. Filia with Val at her tail, flew into the commotion, blasting dragon guards every which way. Lina and Gourry cleared a wide swath in front and behind them with the combination of swords and magic. Amelia and Zel through up defenses and shouted, to no avail, for them to stop.

Then Xelloss appeared. He was not wearing his mild-mannered priest demeanor either. He was enraged. His aura dark and the air crackling with electrically charged urgency and ire. Greyzel cowered at the sight of his master. Indeed, he had reason to fear for his survival from the terrible Demon Lord.

Xelloss held him fast in a spell, eyes flashing wickedly. "You failed me again, minion of mine. A Mazouku who cannot follow orders is dangerous to his master. I hate to admit defeat, but I erred when I created you, and now you must perish."

Zelgadiss overheard Xelloss threatening to punish Greyzel. He had to do something. It wasn't his fault! He must intercede at once! "Xelloss! No! He …he…it wasn't his fault! It was…mine."

Xelloss slowly turned his head toward the young human scampering in his direction. With a flick of his wrists, he swathed an oncoming horde of dragons in an ever-tightening mist, permitting Zelgadiss a clear path. "Oh, really?"

"Y-yes…I didn't think it mattered, and at first I though you'd left it in place, purposely." Zelgadiss explained haphazardly while trying to detect a pulse in Greyzel's arm. Stupid! He never had had one before! "Is he still…?"

"He's in shock, but repairable. Go on…explain what you are talking about, human."

Zel sighed. He could hear explosions and shouts behind him, his friends fighting. He hoped he wouldn't be needed, because he was sure his life was about to end. "Our mindlink. Greyzel and I still retain our connection. It provides him with emotional stability and me with…company, I guess."

"I see." Xelloss smiled as he was awash in Zelgadiss' discharge of delectable dread. "So you were holding out on me, human."

"In a way. But…you still have a mindlink with me, don't you? You said it would go away, but I can sense its presence."

Xelloss chuckled, "I haven't used it, but I was about to if you didn't confess the nature of your link with Greyzel."

Zel's eyes widened with realization, "You…you weren't going to harm Greyzel, were you? This was just a ploy to get me to divulge our link!"

"Well, he really is useless to me as long as he is still bound to you, in any way. So, eventually I would have had to reabsorb his astral matter and...start again, I imagine. A shame, though." Xelloss smiled benignly then raised his staff. "Silence!"

The fighting came to an immediate stand still as everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The Mazouku Lord Xelloss was very powerful. Only the dust settling to the ground moved. "That's better," he smiled to Zelgadiss.

"What are you going to do to me…and Greyzel?" Zel asked looking the demon straight in the eyes.

"I consider retaining your mindlink with Greyzel to be an error on my part," Xelloss said generously. "Something I neglected to take care of during your separation. Supporting your life was more important at the time."

"Thank you," Zelgadiss said meaningfully. He dipped his head in a kind of salute to the man who could erase his atoms from the face of the planet in an eye-blink.

"Would you like to…no…I'll answer it for you—you should just allow me to cut you off now, while he's…comatose. He won't feel a thing. When he awakens he won't remember the link was ever in place, and so, will not miss it or blame you, if that's what's bothering you?" Xelloss gazed into Zel's eyes, wondering if he'd discovered all Zel's hidden concerns. He could just cut the link alone, but without Zelgadiss' consent, psychic damage could occur. He could wait and do it right. Ah, yes…that was part of it. Love, parting, guilt were all tied up in Zel's mind. "I have an idea!" Xelloss chirped.

Zel jumped at the sudden activity from the demon. "What?"

"For one last time, let me enter your mind and understand your…fears better. That way I can absolve you of all guilt and worry."

"You won't try to…" Zel growled.

"Manipulate you? Not against your will, demon's promise. You let me once do this once before and…you are happier for it-- being all human and all now, right?"

"Mostly," Zel muttered. "All right. Just for a minute. Get what you need then…get out."

"Thank you," Xelloss smiled. That was much simpler than expected. The poor boy must really want this problem over with for good. He closed his eyes and…

Zelgadiss felt the invasion immediately as Xelloss' consciousness insinuated itself into his own. "Relax…" the demon 'said'.

Yes, it had been dreadfully painful, so difficult for Zel to have had to just watch a loved one die. Zelgadiss had been helpless, unable to stop the experimentation on the poor girl. He could do nothing, back then. But now, he wanted desperately to defend Greyzel. Xelloss better understood Zelgadiss' reticence to give up on Greyzel.

"Shouldn't I?" Zel mentally screamed in anguish. "Wasn't shutting out Greyzel like condemning another friend to death?

Xelloss replied, while avoiding answering. "Ah, but then, what of Amelia? You are also falling in love with Amelia." Xelloss let a feeling of amusement enter Zel's mind, as well as something else. Zel thought it was something akin to envy…

Yes, Zelgadiss longed so much for the feeling of another person. "Tell me about it, Zelgadiss," Xelloss whispered in his mind. "Open up…"

So, Zel did. His had definitely not been a `touchy' family...that simply wasn't a manly thing to do! In fact, he could remember the last close embrace he had had! He could sense a deep hunger inside...a hunger for that feeling of validation and assurance that comes from another person sharing their physical self with him...their vulnerability, their compassion. He was unable to explain it, but there was something about a simple hug that really made him realize 'I'm not alone in this world'. For most of his life, Zelgadiss had always felt sooo alone, except for those few moments when he enjoyed a brief loving touch. It was his mother, he recalled fondly, who was always the best: she was definitely a `hugger.' But, she passed away when he was only seven years old. There were times, like this, when he missed her...

And the fond displays from the only other one whom had ever loved him… Ah, sad memories that would be best hidden away, far away deep inside. Too, late. Zelgadiss could remember the other test subject clearly now. She had loved him too, hadn't she? How he had mourned for her…gods that was painful! She'd been torn apart and turned into a chimera, but less successfully. She succumbed to the tragedy after a weak struggle, and then died. She had never come to grips with her altered condition she had been too weak to begin with and those voices…the battle of the wills inside her head, his head!

"Could anyone (including myself) really love the person I am on the inside?" Zelgadiss wondered. Now that was too awful of a question to even consider answering, unless it was the little princess. Could she? Did she? When she looked into his eyes, what did she see? "Does she see me?" he wondered aloud.

Xelloss shrugged, in his mind, "I believe she does, if I am interpreting her emotional flow and body signals properly."

Zel sighed, in his mind. "And what of Greyzel? Wouldn't releasing him to you, Xelloss, cutting him off entirely be a kind of murder? With no hope of having any will of his own? Just follow his master's will and carry out your orders for all eternity? Greyzel shared my… everything for years. He knows my darkest secrets and innermost dreams. Can I simply, coldly turn my back on him? Lose someone else who had unintentionally been forced in close association with me? Again?!"

Xelloss trembled with the realization. Zelgadiss worried that he must be like poison to the people around him! Greyzel would be another to fall to his perilous love. "Not true, human. You have had an unfortunate past, but those unfortunate incidents were more coincidental, not deaths caused directly by you. You are mortal, so was your mother and …the girl in the end. And your final act for all you humans, is to die. But Greyzel need not, Zelgadiss. You may free him."

Zel's mind was flooded with more doubts, but he was assimilating what Xelloss was saying. If he did not free Greyzel as Xelloss demanded, the little demon would be doomed. He was a Mazouku. He had to believe in his power, or be unable to wield it. He was not a person like him. Greyzel was a spiritual creation whose magical strength lay in his mind…and with Xelloss, his master. Being perpetually linked to both his master and Zelgadiss put Greyzel in a kind of purgatory state. Zelgadiss was familiar with that mind state. As a chimera, he had felt that way most of the time. Human…but not…quite…

Once again, Zelgadiss found himself torn, unable to decide what course of action to take, which way to turn. Was there a right choice to make?

(Please check the author's profile for Kaeru Shisho's new website.)

The End. Zelgadiss Torn, Part 9.