Stalky. Skinny. Young. Little power. Xellos listed off the adjective to describe his opponent. Figures they would put the monster in first. They didn't even give him a chance to watch what abilities were legal and which weren't. I should be able to take him, no problem... even if I'm limited to physical attacks only.

His opponent was a golden dragon of about the same age as Filia named Maltrin. He took a fearsome stance, looking ready to pounce any second. Razor claws dug through the dirt under his hands and feet. The dragon's long tail swayed in the air, brandishing a large set of spikes. His overall appearance would normally have been enough to scare most people out of their minds. Your average human would have been cowering in fear from such a blood thirsty look.

Xellos, however, showed no concern what so ever. After all, Xellos wasn't a normal human. He wasn't even mortal. Sure the dragon might be able to kill him, it the beast got lucky. However, the rules clearly stated that kill one's opponent was not allowed so Xellos had little fear of the young dragon even trying.

Besides, deep down, despite the young his vicious appearance, the dragon was terrified of the monster before him. The monster, on the other hand, was savoring this tasty meal. It wasn't just him, either. All of the dragons in the room were frightened of him. Each one was radiating various negative emotions that gave him strength.

"Go Xellos! Knock his block off!" Xaina cried from the stands.

She and the rest of the slayers were sitting in a cleared out spot in the stands of the arena... cleared out because the other dragons were too afraid of Lina - Dragon Spooker - Inverse and this bizarre monster child sitting on her shoulders. Xellos sighed internally, grateful that Beastmaster had extended his leash enough so that she wouldn't be dragged in to the fight as well. He didn't even want to think how her untrained abilities might decide to surface in a real battle.

Xellos waved, wearing his usual confident smile.

The bell sounded.

The dragon took off. He barred his teeth as he made an all out charge, looking like he was simply going to bite the monster in half. A small burst of courage radiated off the dragon. Xellos smiled. He thinks he can win, does he? Maltrin sped closer and closer... Xellos was gone!?!

He skidded to a haunt, eyes frantically searching for his opponent. Xellos was no where in sight. The dragon scratched his head. Had the monster left? Well, if Xellos had decided to flee the arena then he forfeit.

Maltrin grinned proudly. Of course that stupid monster fled. He was obviously afraid of the dragon's mighty powers. Really, what had those elders been so afraid of? The mighty 'Dragon Slayer' Xellos wasn't near as tough as they made him out to be. In fact, he was quite the coward if he ran away that quickly.

The dragon paused in his thoughts as he heard the crowd shouting something. Xellos... up? What are they...

Klunk! The dragon was struck hard on the back of the head at the base of his spine. He was out cold before he even smashed into the ground. Xellos proudly floated down from his place in the air and landed on the unconscious dragon. The crowd became dead silent.

A few seconds later, Xaina was heard cheering for him. Her voice was quickly drowned out by a chorus of boos from the dragons. Xellos just smiled and bowed. That was actually kind of fun, he concluded.

He teleported back over to Xaina as the unconscious dragon was dragged off the field.

"That was fast!" Xaina stated as she floated over to him.

"Disturbingly so," Lina added.

"This is so barbaric," Amelia sighed.

Xellos smiled. "Of course it is. They're dragons. Dragons are barbaric. I would have thought you knew that by now."

The child's cat ears twitched as she started to pick up the hushed voices of some of the dragon spectators. She frowned as she began to sort out individual voices and phrases. "I don't think they're happy about you winning," Xaina stated as she looked around the arena.

"Of course not," her teacher responded. "Dragons and monsters are bitter enemies. They hate seeing us win."

"Which doesn't explain why you're doing any of this," the chimera next to Amelia growled.

"That is a secret."

Purple eyes gazed up at Xellos curiously. "Does this have anything to do with what you an' Beastmaster were..."

Xellos clamped a hand over her mouth. "Yes, and shut up about it or you don't get to watch," he hissed in her ear so no one else would hear. Her ears drooped as she pouted. He removed his hand as his trade mark smile was once again plastered on his face. "Good Xaina. Later you can have some cat nip."

She gave him a quizzical glare. "Why would I want cat nip?"

"Why not? You are part cat."

"I thought I was part monster."

"You are. You're also part cat."

"But mommy was a human; not a cat."

"You look part cat so you must be part cat."

"Then why do I have wings?" She flapped her wings to demonstrate.

"There are winged cats."

"Um, alright... but I still don't want any cat nip."

"Really, than what do you want?"

The child stopped to ponder this. "Mmmmm... how about... Ah! A staff! Like yours! ... Or the one Wraithand's making!"

Xellos peeked open one eye in genuine confusion. The others all glanced at Xaina curiously. "Wraithand's making a staff?" Xellos queried.

One of her purple gloved hands was clamped over her mouth as she flushed with embarrassment. She pulled the hand away and smiled innocently. "Uh, well, um, that was suppose to be a secret. Don't tell him I said anything."

"What kind of staff?"

"A really pretty one that's black. He showed it to me but told me not to tell anyone... not until it was done. Please don't tell."

Xellos nodded but made a note to look in to it later.

*****

Fidget fidget. Jingle. Stare. Fidget. Jingle jingle. Dang it! Why couldn't she hold still?

Filia let out a deep sigh as she stared at her human self in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson. The color bled down the front of her neck and continued on under her dress, showing clearly from her dragon form now.

Her dress was white and plain, made of light fabric that breathed easily, letting the breeze coming in through the windows cool her off. A beaded belt with bells along the bottom was fastened around her waist giving the dress a little form to it, though not overly so. Over her feet were a pair of white slippers with dragons embroidered on them with golden thread. The normally straight blonde hair had been curled, then pulled back and up with several gaudy copper hair pins. Her hair sparkled from the little jewels and bells everywhere in it.

The purpose of the dress, as she had been told, was not to show off the female's body, but rather to show off her purity. That was why they made it white and put bells on it to make her sing. That was what her mother had told her when she was a child and watched a bonding ceremony.

Jingle. Filia sighed as the bells sounded off with every movement. To make you sing with every step, she repeated in her mind. When she was little, Filia had thought it sounded beautiful. Now she found it annoying.

Am I really doing what's best? she asked herself for the hundredth time in the past few hours. I... Yes... I think? I don't want to be alone forever...

... forever...

But? she questioned when her thoughts hesitated.

But... but what about Val? His people were slaughtered once before. What's to stop my mate from trying to completely finish the job?

What makes you so certain he would care? Val is the only one, after all. Even if he does take a mate when he's older, his blood will become diluted over the generations and disappear anyway... IF he took a mate. There really would be little point in harming him... not much incentive to be nice, but no reason to harm him...

... Anything else?

Well... there's... there's... my shop! Yes, my shop! I wont give it up! If he wants to be my mate he'll have to come live with me at my shop. If he has a problem with that then... well... then that's his problem, not mine...

Except he's my mate, so he would have to listen to me. Males may be the head of the house hold, but he's still becoming part of her family. She decides where they live. He'd probably come pretty willingly... might complain a little, but probably not much...

What about the prophecy?

What about it?

I can't just leave it like this, can I? I mean, Lina... Lina would...

The dragon woman let out a deep sigh as she stared at herself in the mirror. Lina can take care of herself without my help. She's been doing it for what, five years now? No, six... six whole years... And she faced down some of the worst creatures alive before I came along... like the Demon Dragon King and Hellmaster. I... I just helped with the last one... a little...

Filia folded her arms together and rested them on the desk. She laid her chin down and moaned.

But... but...

"But what?" she asked herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See, I got another chapter done. And in November, too. I apologize for it not being sooner. I had it mostly written out about two weeks ago, but then scrapped it and completely redid it. I didn't like the way the battle went the first time I wrote it so I went back and changed it.

I still plotting out the battles and actually have a question for people. Do you guys want to see Melgasia fight or should I make him a judge? I have ideas for both and was just curious what people thought they would like better.

One last thing before I go. I would like to apologize for my ranting last time. I was having a bad week and getting a review that implied I wasn't going to post just made it worse. I am not abandoning this fic. I just haven't had the time or motivation to write it since it has been two years since I last saw Slayers. I don't mind constructive criticism (which I'm getting lots of for my Inuyasha fic now) since it actually helps me write better. However, asking if I meant '...in 2004' is constructive. I am sorry for not post much for this. I know it is frustrating. I hate when authors do that too. I am sorry and I am trying to get back in to a Slayers mode. I will be planning some of it out over my Thanksgiving break as well as working on another "birds" scene.

Well, that is all. Again, sorry for not posting much. I will try to have two in December, but I only definitely have one done after finals are over. Till then.