I don't own Slayers. Also, a reminder: this is an Alternate Universe so the positions and roles of the gods and such aren't going to be the same to the Slayers Universe.

=Chapter XIII=

Gourry opened his eyes and sighed. He felt comfortable for once, and stretched languidly in the bed. He tried to move his arms over his head, but found them stuck. Tilting his head to the side, he tried to look down and see why his arms wouldn't budge.

"You're awake?"

Gourry's eyes flew up and he saw the smiling face of a lady with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was grinning dangerously at him and holding a mace in her hands. "I'm afraid if I say yes, you'll hit me," he replied tiredly.

The woman nodded and set the mace down. "Gourry Gabrieve, I presume. You were partners with Lina?"

"Lina?" He screwed up his face in thought. "Could you describe her?"

The lady sighed. "Short girl?" Gourry shook his head. "Short tempered?" Gourry once again, shook his head. "Gluttonous thing?" Nope. "Smart and sarcastic?" Nuh-uh. "Flat-chested individual?"

Light shone in Gourry's eyes. "Yea, I remember her. Where is she? I was supposed to meet her last week, I think?"

The blonde lady looked behind her and nodded. Gourry followed her gaze and saw a woman with long purple hair and green eyes. "He should have slight amnesia with the amount of mind control that Rezo had on him…he shouldn't even be awake," the green eyed woman said.

"Thanks, Syphiel. Can you handle this while I go and inform the Prince?"

"Of course, Lady Filia."

Filia returned to looking at Gourry. "Mr. Gabrieve, you are here, in Seyruun. I wish for you to take a slight nap and Syphiel will try and help you recall your memories. I believe you have forgotten some things over the past few weeks and maybe she can help you boost them."

Gourry nodded. "Sure, if you think I forgot something."

"I think you forgot several things," Filia muttered and left.

Syphiel moved forward, taking Filia's place. "Hello," she said timidly. She waited until she felt at ease. Gourry was breathing softly, watching her curiously. "Now, Mr. Gabrieve, can you please close your eyes and rest while I perform a charm on you?"

"What type of charm?" he asked as he shut his eyes. Syphiel placed her fingers on his temples.

"Just a memory charm. You don't need to worry."

And, as Syphiel shut her eyes, memories of what Gourry had gone through melded into her mind.

She opened her eyes abruptly, pulling her hands off as if burned by the hottest of flames, and stared at him, shocked. He, in the meantime, was sleeping like a baby. Syphiel grimaced and stood up, ready to find Filia.

===

Filia walked out of Phil's office in deep thought when she saw Syphiel rush up toward her. "Syphiel? What happened?" Syphiel looked pale and angered; this was not like the girl at all, and Filia felt a sudden sense of dread. "What did you see?"

"Miss Filia, I'm sorry, but you have to see this."

Filia nodded and led Syphiel into an empty room. She sat on a desk as Syphiel stood in front of her. Syphiel placed her hands on Filia's temples and shut her eyes. "This'll hurt for a bit," Syphiel muttered.

And it did. Filia felt a sharp sting through her temples and immediately passed out.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the middle of a forest, staring at a spring with a stick in her hands. She was fishing. "What?"

"Miss. Filia," it was Syphiel's voice echoing from the sky. "You are here as Mr. Gabrieve. Everything you say and do was done by him."

Filia nodded in understanding and continued to sit and fish. Suddenly, she let go of the stick and scratched…herself…himself?…"Egh," she thought. She then continued to fish.

"Well, Syphiel, that was enlightening."

"No, Miss Filia, just wait."

Within a few seconds, her ears, extra sensitive, heard something move slightly. She had stood then, moving to the lake and staring at the surface. Several figures were behind her, including Rezo and Luna.

"I'm sorry," she heard Gourry speak from her own mouth. "I don't have enough food for all of you."

"No need," said Rezo as he took a step closer. "We only have use for your body."

Gourry/Filia grinned as he/she turned around. His/Her hand slipped into his pocket were he pulled out a hilt. "Sorry, Mister, but I don't swing that way." With that, he/she screamed, "LIGHT COME FORTH" and sure enough, a blade that shone of light seared through the hilt. He/She swung at Rezo, but Rezo was too fast. He cast a wind spell and blew Gourry/Filia away.

Gourry/Filia stood up, shakily, and readied himself for another attack. Rezo grinned easily and the people behind him started fanning out. With all the skills of a sword master, Gourry/Filia stepped forward, swinging his blade with great strength. To Filia, it felt like a dance, the rhythmic movements were perfect in it's precision and people around him fell left and right. Finally, they stood in front of Luna.

Luna stared at them distastefully. "You're not worthy of her."

Gourry/Filia stared at her in curiosity. "Lady, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not surprised," was Luna's retort as she readied herself. She darted forward with unusual speed and snuck beneath his swinging blade. Gathering her energy in her hand, she touched the tip of Gourry/Filia's forehead with her index finger and it was all over. A sharp pain grew from where Luna touched them. It quickly diffused into their veins and flowed down their body, into their feet. He/She stumbled once, then fell to their knees, then to the ground, but they were still wide awake. They couldn't see anything anymore, but could hear and feel as a pair of hands took him/her by the wrist and dragged him/her into the river.

"Now what, Rezo," asked Luna.

"Now, Luna, we drape an illusion spell over his eyes. This one is strong, agile, and most importantly, well known. Everyone in this forsaken planet knows him as a guardian…" Rezo paused in thought, "a savior, if you will. They trust him."

"So," Filia could almost see Luna's eyebrow quirk up, "you're saying he can get into places that we can't?"

"A good spy, if you ask me," replied a new voice.

Filia froze. That voice…it made her angry inside…there was only person that was capable of doing that. XELLOSS! She cried in her mind.

"And one that Lina Inverse will have trouble with, given their history as partners," Xelloss continued. "Psychological torture."

There was another pause, that Filia didn't like. She wondered what they were up to, but couldn't see. Suddenly, a feeling of being trapped inside an unconscious husk, not being able to do anything or to see anything, erupted in her body. She didn't know if those feelings that welled up inside of her was her own feelings or what Gourry felt as he lay there. Filia suddenly felt sorry for the large blonde man.

"Well, we must prepare for Dark Star's arrival," Rezo murmured.

"Dark Star?" Xelloss asked.

There was a slight gasp, and a soft whistling sound followed by a thump. Someone was thrown into a tree and Filia had a pretty good idea that it was Xelloss. She could feel his particular heat -- how she could tell it was his heat, she had no idea -- next to her.

"I only tolerated you because you gave us information about Prince Phil and his plans. You're probably giving him information of our objectives as well…" When Xelloss didn't reply, Rezo continued. "I know you, trickster priest; you will do anything just to save your own hide even telling of my most secretive strategies."

"How easily you see through me," Xelloss remarked. "Just like your grandson."

Another pregnant silence and then a swish of clothing. Rezo left.

===

Filia was awake and staring into Syphiel's green eyes. "They want to release Dark Star…They want to obliterate this world, Ms. Filia."

Filia could only stare blankly at Syphiel and say, "I need to see Xelloss."

===

Wasn't he surprised to see the blonde woman inside his quarters? He had been nursing an eye since he had made a slight comment to the young Seyruun girl and the thief and hadn't expected anyone to go and find him, yet here she was, Filia Ul Copt. She, like usual, had that extreme hatred in her eyes as she glared at him. He hadn't told her how much he had liked seeing that fire, that hate. It gave him a morbid thrill…

"Come to give me a sponge bath?"

Filia, in her no nonsense attitude, rushed toward him, grabbed his collar, and pulled him forward until their noses touched. "Quit the shit, bastard. Tell me what Rezo is up to." Xelloss opened his mouth to reply, but Filia cut him off. "And if you say 'It's a secret,' so help me L-Sama you will loose your manhood!"

Xelloss raised an eyebrow at her words, but lost his lazy grin. Instead he stared at her, almost amused. "What makes you think I know anything?"

Filia sighed and let him go. She paced the room slowly before she finally said, "Because, you're more calculating than the rest of us…because you've seen more of the horrors of life and don't live an idealistic life that I do. You know the whys and hows and that's what I'm here to find out."

Xelloss quickly lost his amusement and stared at her seriously. This was the first time in her life that she had ever seen him look like that. "What do you know?"

"Rezo is resurrecting Dark Star."

Xelloss was rendered speechless for a second. He then regained his composure, but very slowly. "Well, that's only part of it."

When he didn't continue, Filia grew exasperated. "Well? What do you mean only part of it?"

Xelloss hesitated. Everything inside of him told him to keep it a secret, but in order for him to get the most out of this situation, he would have to talk. "He wants to destroy Dark Star."

"With what? Dark Star is a God!"

"Tch, dear Filia. Dark Star is only one of the Gods…he is a dark God of another realm that runs parallel to ours. You know the truths. We have parallel worlds that line with our world, each ruled by two lower Gods, one light, the other dark. Ruling over these lower Gods is the creator."

"Yes, I know. Lord of Nightmares gave birth to the lower Gods and can therefore rule over them…defeat them if necessary. I know these fables. I was told them when I was a child."

Xelloss lost any humor in his face and stared at Filia with such an intensity that she almost shrank away. "They aren't fables." Xelloss then took a deep breath and started once again. "Anyway, you are partly correct. The Lord of Nightmares can destroy her children if she enters into a host who is stronger than what we believe; however to maintain a balance, she must appoint a new god in the destroyed god's place."

"Rezo."

Xelloss nodded. "Yup. Rezo wants that job."

Filia's eyes bleared slightly. "Why?"

"Why do anything, Filia dear?" Xelloss stood and walked over to Filia who stared at him worried. He could see the comprehension in her eyes now. The fire had long since burned away to be replaced by weary wisdom. "He wanted to obtain power." He placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him. He savored that dark look in her eyes.

"But, how can he get the Lord of Nightmares to kill Dark Star. There's no one with enough power to call the Lord of Nightmares into their body--"

"That's where you're wrong."

Filia turned around as the door was flung open. Zelgadis stood on the outside, his hand grabbing his stomach as he forced himself not to scowl.

Immediately, Filia went to Zelgadis' side and brought him to Xelloss' bed. "You're still hurt," she muttered as she made him sit. She examined him with a critical eye, seeing only a few bruises now. His body must heal quickly, she thought to herself. "You shouldn't be here. Why aren't you asleep."

Zelgadis leaned against the pillows of Xelloss' bed and sighed. "I did, until I heard that Gourry guy start to snore in the other room. It practically shook the walls."

Xelloss interrupted before they could continue the small talk. "You were saying that Filia was wrong?" Filia opened her mouth to say something but Xelloss held up his hand to stop her. "Wait, let me just dwell on that thought. It makes me happy inside."

Filia kicked Xelloss' shin and smirked as he cried out in pain.

"Anyway, Zelgadis, what were you saying?"

Zelgadis watched the two with amused eyes for a few seconds before it flickered back into grief. Then, he said, "There's one person on this plane that can call the Lord of Nightmares into her body."

Xelloss face became blank, not revealing his thoughts at all. Filia was the one who voiced the question that hung in the air. "Who?"

Zelgadis frowned slightly. "It's the weapon we've been searching for. That secretive weapon that everyone's been searching for, is Lina Inverse."

Filia's eyes grew more troubled as she tired to figure out if it was all a lie. She had known Zelgadis for a long time (ever since she had worked with Rezo and Zelgadis for a brief moment in her life but quickly quit when she found out about how deep their animosity toward each other was. She had also been witness to the paintings that Rezo made as he used magic to tie Lina's memories and something else that she couldn't decipher into the art work). Zelgadis would never lie about something like this.

"In order for the Lord of Nightmares to enter a body, the person needs strong magic, but Lina has none." Filia mused out loud. "But, the artwork…whenever Lina would touch it…what I witnessed at the party…" She turned to Zelgadis with wide eyes. "Rezo tied her magic into the artwork."

"Yeah," Zelgadis replied. "And if she touches the last painting, Lina has the ability to call the Lord of Nightmares."

"That could kill her!"

"I know."

"So, we must keep her from touching the last painting, shouldn't we?" Filia asked the two men. Both of them looked at nothing in particular. "Well?"

Xelloss looked uncomfortable as he said, "That's not necessarily the right choice."

"What?!"

"Well, this is entirely hypothetical, but if Lina touches the last painting, she'll get all her power back, right? She has the ability to call the Lord of Nightmares, but she doesn't have to…she can also use that power to defeat Rezo or anything that causes the world grief if she gains her magic back. On the other hand, if she does call the Lord of Nightmares she might be able to defeat Dark Star -- or let him run loose if she fails. If she wins, there's a possibility that Rezo would make a better god than Dark Star. Then again, he could annihilate anything he chooses, but he'd be gone from our realm…" Xelloss grinned and as an after thought he said, "He could also, with that much power, try to take over other realms and gain more and more power till he rivals the Lord of Nightmares herself. More possibilities come to mind…"

"Well," Filia asked, "what is the best answer?"

Zelgadis sighed and covered his head with his arm. "No such thing exists. Whatever we do, we're still taking a large chance…and there's an equally large consequence that we have to deal with after."

Filia tried again, then stopped when she met Xelloss' eyes. "And there's the truth that you sought after. Is it everything you ever wanted to know?"

Filia turned away, feeling the stirring of depression in her stomach. She now knew why Zelgadis seemed so miserable all the time. She could also see why Xelloss appeared to be happy all the time: he either enjoyed the evil, or the knowledge of everything had made him crazy. There were a few more possibilities, but Filia didn't want to think about them.

In the end, there was only one person to make the decision about her life, and she wasn't even here to hear any of this. They'd have to inform her sooner or later, but for now, they all just wanted to rest.

"Great," murmured Xelloss with a sour grin as he sat at the edge of his bed. "The fate of the world lies in the hands of a flat-chested, greedy, sarcastic, little wench."