Chapter 14
Hey! Guys, I may not be able to get a new chapter of ANYTHING out for a little while, school has me swamped right now, and between that and chorus rehearsal, and the fact that I've come down with something, I'm going to be operating a little slow for the next few weeks, I'll try to keep up, though. Okay, enough with my problems, onto the story!
~**************~
Lina opened her eyes and found that she was no longer at the place she had fallen to sleep. She was in a dark room, with a sliding glass door and a single bed. She looked around, unsure and slightly, though she would never admit it, afraid. She glanced down and noticed for the first time she wasn't in her t-shirt and shorts, but a nightgown.
"There you are, you little pest!" Lina's head shot to the side, towards the glass door. There, in the shadows, was the outline of a figure. She didn't know why, but she felt an overwhelming urge to run.
"What are you?" She called out to it. "Go away!"
The shadow figure did not comply, but instead began to move forward. Just as it was nearing her, a bright light shined out in front of it, causing it to disappear like all shadows.
Out of the light emerged a figure with long, silky black hair. She had deep-sea blue eyes and in her right hand she held a long staff with a blazing ruby. She wore an off shoulder blouse which was the color of the night, and deep blue pants. Elbow length white gloves covered her arms, and brown boots that came up to her knees covered her legs.
"It's time to wake up," The figure said, smiling softly. "It's time for you to fight,"
"Who are you?" Lina inquired, leaning forward slowly.
"That's not important now," The woman gently touched Lina's forehead with her forefinger. "Wake up, Lina,"
"Lina, Lina!" Lina woke with a start, to meet the worried eyes of Zelgadis. "Lina, are you alright?"
Lina looked stunned for a minute, and then over came her shock. "Yeah, I'm fine Zel. It was just a dream, that's all." She actually had said that to reassure her self more than him.
"I came to tell you to get some rest, guess I didn't need to." Zel gave her a slight smirk and Lina smiled back.
"You sure? I'm good for another couple of," Lina said, brightening up a little.
"Sleep." Zelgadis demanded, gently tapping Lina on the back of her head to tell her to get out of the chair. "I'll watch him."
Lina looked to the small bed they had placed Xellos on. He still had yet to awaken. It was beginning to worry her. "I thought you didn't like Fruit,"
"I don't" Zelgadis replied to her. "But what ever did this must have been powerful, I want to know what it was and whether it poses a threat to us,"
Lina smiled and turned to leave the room when Zelgadis called out her name softly.
"Yeah, Zel?" Lina turned back to him. He was looking at her, a soft and yet stern look on his face.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, sounding very serious.
Lina looked at him strangely. "About what?"
Zel gave her that you-know-what look. "Your dream,"
Lina looked at him cross. "I told you, it was just a," Lina stopped in mid-sentence when she noticed Xellos begin to stir. "Xellos!"
Both Lina and Zel crowded around the newly risen former Mazoku. He slowly opened his eyes, and then shut them almost immediately. Neither Lina nor Zel were surprised that his eyes were no longer silted. An earlier examination from Sylphiel had revealed that.
"Xellos," Lina said softly, trying to get his attention. She didn't want him noticing the sleeping eight year old at his feet. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've had twenty pounds of solid Orihalcom dropped on me-OW!" Xellos winced when Lina checked one of his bandages. "Lina, I'm not supposed to feel pain."
"I know, at least, a mazoku isn't supposed to feel pain," Lina sat back in her chair with a sigh while silently sending Zel a message. I was hoping he wouldn't ask so quickly…
I know, Lina shook her head, just as a certain seven year old came running into the room, followed by a baby dragon, Sylphiel, and then Gourry.
"GOTTCHA!" Gourry called out, diving forward. Unfortunately, he ended up tripping Sylphiel, who, by instinct, grabbed the first thing closest to her. Which just happened to be Xellos's bed sheets. As he was sliding off the bed, Andre woke up, and fireballed them all, with the exception of Lina, Zel, and Jasmine, who had put up a shield. Andre then slipped off the bed and onto Xellos, sleeping once more.
"Uh, help?" Xellos asked not sure what to do. As Lina lifted Andre from Xellos, he took a good look around. "Okay, I know Sylphiel, Zel-kun, Gourry, and you Lina-chan, but who are the children?"
Lina smiled and nodded towards the dragon. "That's Spitfire, we call her Fi, though. And the other two are Jasmine, the one over there, and Andre, this little burden."
Lina handed Andre to Sylphiel, and then turned towards Jasmine. "Okay, you little rascal, I have to talk to Xellos, so scat!" She tousled Jasmine's hair and then turned to Zel, who followed to make sure no destruction would come. After they had left, Lina turned back to Xellos. "Okay, first off, Xellos, you're not a Mazoku anymore."
"Well, I figured that out when I couldn't teleport."
"When did you find that out?" Lina asked, helping him back into the bed.
"When I tried to teleport away."
"Away from what?" Lina asked, leaning forward slightly. "Xellos, away from what?"
"Zelas," Xellos said, with an almost pained look in his eyes.
Lina was about to ask him about Zelas, when Luna jumped through the window. She was bleeding and had a lot of damage.
"Luna!" Both Lina and Xellos chorused. Luna looked up and winced slightly.
"Lina, Xellos, what in the name of L-sama are you doing here?" She asked. Just as Xellos was about to answer, Lina cut him off.
"Luna! What happened?" Lina asked, rushing to her sister's side.
"There is not time to explain. Come with me!" Luna grabbed Lina by her wrist and took off down the hallway. A few minutes later, Sylphiel, Gourry, and Zelgadis came running in with the kids. Jasmine clung to Zelgadis desperately. Andre wiggled out of Sylphiel's hold and climbed onto the bed, and then grabbed Xellos's arm.
"Papa," She whimpered, obviously scared. "What's going on?"
"Papa?" Xellos asked, his head shot up when he heard a cry.
Sylphiel and Gourry were holding jasmine back as Zelgadis began to run back out the door.
"No! Papa! Don't go!" Jasmine shouted, tears streaming down her face. Sylphiel pulled her close and gently rocked her until she calmed.
Gourry looked up at Zel, a very serious look in his eyes. "Zel, Sylphiel and I will work to get reinforcements, be careful!" Zel nodded and ran out the door. Andre looked over at he crying friends and detached herself from Xellos. She gently gave her friend a warm and gentle hug. Jasmine immediately clung to Andre, shivering slightly.
"Andy, I'm scared!" She whispered through her sobs.
"I know, Jassy. I know," Andre whispered back, just as the house began to shake.