A/N: Insert usual disclaimer stuff here. This is the sequel to Penance and Pursuit of Merit.
Again, I went back and chopped this fic up into chapters. If you want to read the thing straight through, with no chapter divisions, just head on over to my site, Because I chopped it up, some of the chapter transitions may be strange. Sorry about that.
Reviews are always welcome and encouraged!
Filia was in the kitchen, brewing tea, when Val rushed in, panting and wide-eyed. "What is it?" she asked, nearly dropping the kettle.
"Miss Lina," the boy said, and Filia set the kettle down, rushing past the child and into the parlor. She gasped as she saw Lina curled over herself, teeth bared and sweating.
"Lina!" she cried, dropping to her knees in front of the woman and looking into her face.
"Sorry," Lina grated. "I tried to hold it off, but I think it's coming now."
Filia paled. "We have to get you upstairs," she said, putting a shoulder in Lina's armpit and hauling her to her feet.
"This is awful," Lina growled, panting and gripping her stomach.
"I'm so sorry," Filia said, at a loss. Her people didn't give birth like humans did, and so she really had no idea what to do. "You should have told me sooner."
"I didn't want to. I didn't want to worry you," Lina panted, grunting with pain.
"Val!" Filia cried. "Turn down the covers!"
Val raced into the room and threw aside the covers on the bed of the guestroom, watching anxiously as Filia laid Lina down. "Mama, is she dying?"
"No, honey, she's just having the baby," Filia said quickly. "Now run into town and see if you can find the midwife, okay?"
"Midwife?"
"Misses Karey," Filia said. "Tell her that Mama's friend is having her baby."
"Okay," Val said, and dashed out of the room.
Filia clenched her teeth and peeled Lina's clothing off of her, noticing for the first time the ring she wore around her neck. It was a dull gold in color, hanging off of a chain that looked like orihalcon. Lina screamed in pain and the ring flared with light. The ring was enchanted! Filia stared at it, fascinated, when Lina screamed again. There would be time to wonder about the ring later. Right now Lina needed her. "Hold on," she urged her friend, glad she had been heating water for tea. "I'll get some water and towels and be right back."
Lina groaned and fell back onto the pillows, sweating profusely. "I'll get the bastard for this," she growled.
Filia wondered once again who the father was, then dashed from the room, returning a few moments later with the basin of water and several towels. "Everything will be just fine," Filia said, smoothing the hair off of Lina's sweaty forehead.
"Like hell it will!" Lina snapped, baring her teeth. "You've never been through this!"
Filia paled, putting her fingers to her mouth. "Well, no, but," she stammered.
"Then shut up!" Lina screeched, letting out another cry of pain.
"You need to start pushing!" Filia said, wiping Lina's face with a damp cloth.
"Trust me, I'm trying," Lina grunted, closing her eyes and gasping.
It continued like that for another several hours, and Filia was getting worried. The town was a good two hours away for Val, even if he ran at top speed. He still didn't know how to teleport, and she didn't think him transorming and flying into town was a good idea. Still, he should have been on his way back by now. She gave Lina a new cloth to bite down on and swabbed her face once again, lips pursed with concern. Lina sobbed and screamed as she pushed, breathing ragged. Suddenly the winds outside rose and she heard a voice cutting through the air, its tones clear and strong. "Lina!" the voice bellowed, and Filia's heart leapt into her throat. She whipped around to stare at Lina, whose eyes had snapped wide open.
"No!" Lina said. "Oh, please, no!"
Filia draped the cloth over the chair and looked out the window, knowing who she would see and not wanting to believe it. Her eyes widened in shock, her jaw dropping as Xellos strode towards the house, his amethyst eyes burning with an unidentifiable emotion. "Lina!" he shouted. "Are you all right?"
"Go away!" Lina screamed, tears rolling down her face. "I don't want you here!"
"Lina!" Xellos roared, the winds around the house picking up speed.
Filia gasped as she saw something hanging out the front of his shirt, glowing like a miniature sun. Suddenly she saw her own shadow cast against the wall, and when she turned she saw Lina's ring glowing as well. Her eyes went even wider as realization broke over her like a tornado, jumbling everything inside her head. "Xellos is the father?" she breathed, stunned.
"Yes!" Lina moaned. "Oh please, Filia, don't let him in! Do whatever you have to to keep him away!"
Filia looked outside at the approaching Monster, his hair blowing every which way in the wind he was creating. She realized the wind was caused by his gathering of power, and she quickly chanted a spell, casting a barrier around her entire house.
"Filia?" Xellos said, attempting to come nearer and thwarted by the barrier. His sharp features twisted in a scowl as he placed a hand against the barrier. His amethyst eyes met Filia's frightened blue ones and he snarled. "Let me in! I have to see Lina!" he shouted, pounding his fist against the barrier.
"I can't!" Filia said, trying to ignore Lina's screams and keep up the barrier. "She doesn't want to see you!"
"Let me in!" he howled, and she staggered backwards as he began to unleash spells. She grunted and shut her eyes, pouring everything she could into the spell. Xellos pursed his lips and lashed out, dark energy crackling around the perimeter of her house. Trees were uprooted and went flying past the window, dirt and dust swirling in the thick air.
"Go away!" Lina shrieked, sobbing as she pushed again.
"No!" Xellos cried, and Filia quailed as she saw a look of stark desperation pass over his face. "I won't! What's happening?"
"He doesn't know she was pregnant," Filia whispered to herself as she braced against his onslaught. Xellos shouted his frustration and pummeled her barrier with spells she didn't even know existed, and soon she began to break down. She had never realized how strong he was, not in all the time they had traveled together during their bout with Darkstar.
"Please, Xellos!" Lina wailed, her hair sticking to her forehead as her body was wracked by another contraction.
"Lina!" Xellos replied, reaching out a hand, when suddenly a large, dark form appeared behind him. It looked vaguely like a wolf, and seemed to be more like a spot where light never had existed rather than a shadow. The blackness pounced upon Xellos and he fought it madly, bringing his staff up in front of him and pushing against it. It clawed at him, tearing his cloak and knocking him over, and still he struggled. "No!" he shouted. "Lina!" The black thing grew to tremendous size and covered him, and all Filia could see were his gloved hands, flailing and clutching at the dirt as he was dragged away. He screamed and she saw a brief glimpse of his eyes, wide in desperation and terror. The blackness then surrounded him and vanished, leaving nothing but clawed soil behind. The wind died down and Filia collapsed, exhausted from trying to hold the barrier for so long. What was it, and why had it taken Xellos? Was the Monster dead? Why had he come for Lina?
A thousand more questions raced through Filia's head and she turned to Lina, who was still laboring away. She rose and staggered to the bedside, trembling as she wiped Lina's forehead with the cloth. "Are you all right?" she asked gently.
"Xellos," Lina murmured, and Filia could tell that her tears weren't only from the pain of labor.
"Not much longer," Filia said, trying to reassure her friend, when she heard the front door open. "Hold on," she said to Lina, racing into the front room.
Val bounded into her arms, face alarmed. "Mama, what happened outside?" he asked.
Filia looked up and saw the midwife. "Nothing, honey. Why don't you go outside and start to clean up while we take care of Miss Lina?'
Val reluctantly let go of her and went to the door. "Okay," he said, and was gone.
"This way," Filia said to the woman, and led her to Lina.
Filia watched anxiously for another hour until Lina screeched in a final push, and the baby slid into the world. Lina groaned and fell back on to the pillows, gasping for air. The midwife busily cleaned the child, a girl, and handed her back to Lina. Filia felt tears roll down her face as Lina took the girl into her arms, closing her eyes. Filia went to Lina and gently laid her hands upon her skin. "Recovery," she said softly, and Lina sighed as her body was repaired.
"Thank you," Filia said to the midwife, handing her some coins. "Stop by my shop anytime and pick out a nice vase for yourself."
The woman nodded and left the room after a few congratulatory words. "She's beautiful," Filia murmured as she watched Lina run her fingers through the baby's thick, purple hair.
"She looks all squished," Lina said. "I thought babies were supposed to be cute."
"I don't think any species looks cute right after being born," Filia said, watching as the baby stirred on Lina's bare chest. The ring around Lina's neck had gone ominously dark, and Filia wondered what enchantment had been put upon it.
Lina closed her eyes and pressed her nose to the crown of the baby's head, tears silently rolling down her face. Filia leaned forward, putting a hand on Lina's arm. "Are you all right?" she asked gently.
"I don't want her," Lina whispered. "I want to put him behind me, but she looks just like him."
"Xellos, you mean."
"Who else?"
Filia gently took the child from Lina's arms and pulled the covers up over the exhausted woman's body. She rocked the child gently, fingering the silky, dark tufts of hair on the baby's head. "Is she human?" Filia asked softly, looking down into the infant's face.
"Yeah, I think so."
"How is that possible? I mean, if Xellos is the father. . .And how did you two, er, he didn't force you, did he?"
"He never laid a violent hand on me, ever. He never even raised his voice," Lina muttered. "It's a long story."
"Are you going anywhere?" Filia asked, drawing up a chair.
Lina laughed, the sound bitter. "Roughly two years ago, Amelia nearly died from a curse. We all gathered to help her and she was cured. Then some of Deep Sea Dolphin's people attacked us, a general and a priestess. I tricked Xellos into helping us, then used his spell to my own ends. The Dark Lords punished him by turning him into a human being. I found him lying in a ditch, half-dead. He wanted to die, actually. He couldn't take being human. Anyway, I was looking for some old books, and his knowledge of the ancient world was helpful, so we travelled together for nearly a year. Then he got turned back into a Monster, and I haven't seen him since."
"And you two were lovers," Filia whispered, looking down at the product of that union.
"In short, yeah, but I could never be with a Monster, and his duties apparently didn't allow it, anyway."
"I'm sorry," Filia said, bowing her head. "It must have been very painful."
"Too late now," Lina said, looking at the ceiling. "But I have to move on and put him behind me."
"Did you love him?"
Lina was silent for a long time. "I don't know," she finally answered. "I don't think I could ever choose."
Filia listened to what Lina left unsaid. "Between him and Gourry," she stated.
"Ah," Lina replied.
Filia sighed and looked down at the baby, conflicting emotions roiling within her. "What are you going to name her?"
"I'm not going to. No point in getting attached. I can't take her with me."
"What? Why not?"
Lina exhaled and sat up a little on her pillows. "I have to leave it all in the past. I'm going to start over and do things the way I probably should have in the first place."
"What am I supposed to do with her?" Filia asked, alarm growing.
Lina shrugged. "Whatever you want. Keep her, put her up for adoption."
"But she's your child! Doesn't it bother you at all to leave her behind?"
Lina turned moist eyes on Filia. "Of course it does!" she said, voice raw. "It kills me! But what else can I do? She can never know her father, and I didn't want to give birth to her. What sort of life is that? I know myself, Filia, and I know that she'd make me bitter. Neither of us would ever be happy."
"Well, you're going back to Gourry, aren't you?"
Lina raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."
"He'd raise the baby as his own, I just know it! He loves you with all his heart, and he would love anything that was a part of you, too!"
Lina shook her head. "I know he would, but I couldn't deal with that. Besides, he'd feel betrayed if he knew I had children with another man when I wouldn't have kids with him. I know he'd accept it in time, but I wouldn't want to hurt him like that. No, he'll never know about Xellos, and neither will anyone else."
"But, Lina-"
"Promise me you'll take this secret to your grave, Filia," Lina said, ruby eyes intense. "Promise."
"Lina, I'm not sure if-"
"Promise!"
Filia pursed her lips and looked down at the baby, who was beginning to squirm. "Very well. I promise."
Lina leaned back on the pillows. "Thanks," she murmured, closing her eyes.
"I think she needs to eat," Filia said, handing the baby to Lina.
Lina's lip curled in distaste, but put the child to her breast. "You'll have to find a wetnurse for her once I leave."
"All right," Filia said.
Lina watched her daughter feed for a little while, then glanced at Filia. "Was he really here, or did I imagine it?"
Filia swallowed. "No, he came for you. He was going to do whatever it took to get to you. It's been a long time since I was that frightened. The only thing I saw in his eyes was desperation."
Lina nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. "What happened?"
"Something took him."
"Took him? Xellos?"
"Yes. It was large and black, more like a hole than a shadow. It wrapped itself around him and he tried to fight it, but he lost and they both vanished."
"It must have been pretty damn strong to just cart him off like that."
"I think it was," Filia agreed. After a while the infant was done feeding and Filia gently took her from Lina. "Get some rest," she said, and shut the door behind her.
