The Dark Lord weaved her sultry scarlet gaze over the young dragon she grasped. Currently the mistress of the island was cleaning the reincarnated lizard with the downy hide of a white stag. The Ancient hissed passionately at the Beastmaster as she wiped the skin across his small snout; ignoring his seething protests. The coal coloured lizard opened its minute jaws and clamped his fangs against the female mazoku's finger; wriggly his head fiercely to the right, to rip his oppressor's limb to shreds.
Juu-ou-sama laughed heartily as she wiggled the finger that was embedded in the lizard's mouth. "Hmmm, he'll make a fine mazoku with this attitude, but alas I don't think he cares for me much." she chuckled merrily as she pried her finger from his tightening jaws.
The dragon blinked and growled at the woman as he looked around his new environment; his senses flared as he frantically searched for the faces that he sensed when he was dormant in his egg. The dragon trembled slightly as it gazed at the savage wolves that were littered all over the ground, then back at the woman that displeased him greatly and then a man with shoulder length purple hair. The Ancient tilted his head to the side. Although he yearned to witness a figure with a mane of pure spun gold that cascaded past her shoulders the man with the lavender hair was a bit more familiar.
"I think he likes you, my dearest wolf, you always did have a way with children." the Beastmaster mused as she allowed the youth to claw from her hands and yip adoringly up at Xellos. The monster smiled softly as he cupped his hand around the small scaly frame of the dragon. "Oh, what a lovely sight, after a day or two we shall broach his ascension into our little pack." She purred as she searched for a cigarette.
The trickster priest balked as he looked down at the curious lizard. "She'll turn him into a mazoku so soon that definitely won't due. I think I must buy some time. The ascension is too anon.......and I owe her, at least I can protect Val for the time being." he thought as his mind calculated up an ultimatum to delay the ascension as long as possible. Xellos smiled and opened one mischievous amethyst eye at his master, "My Lord Juu-ou-sama, would it be wise to undergo the young Valgarv's coming into a mazoku so early?" the priest questioned.
The Beastmaster raised a silver eyebrow and warily eyed her servant as she blew a minute oval smoke ring at him, "It is best to leave that verdict to me my cunning wolf, but you have aided me in the ways of judgement so persuade me. Tell me why I should wait," she ordered as a feral grin snaked upon her painted lips.
The lavender haired monster bowed gracefully and gently placed Valgarv to sit on his basket and peer intrudingly up at the adults. "Well, I propose that we patiently wait until the young Ancient Dragon becomes of age. It would be wise to first give him proper training in all the types of magic and use his dragon heritage to its full potential and then align him into our mazoku lineage. After all I think one of the reason's Valgarv was such a worthy opponent was not only because his new mazoku powers he inherited from Garv but he was probably strong when he was full dragon as well," the mazoku persuaded as Beastmaster cocked her head to the side and grinned.
"An excellent rebuttal my little wolf, and I think I may take you up on the offer." she began as Xellos hid his smirk, "But I would rather prefer to enhance his aging my own way." she explained as she took another puff from her cigarette, "Dragons do age so slowly," she said scornfully, "That I think it would be best if we fed the child Noctenna flowers that could increase his growth, I doubt the drug will damage his body and if it does we'll expose of him and begin a new experiment." she beamed a predatory smile at Xellos.
The priest nodded his head and smiled, "Hai, an excellent and well thought plan, Juu-ou-sama." he praised as the almond coloured woman shifted her gaze to rest on the sitting dragon.
Her red eyes widening with excitement as she brushed her pink tongue against the side of her lips, "Now, on to next of business I've been wondering what to call the young lad, any suggestions my dear wolf since he seems to like you best." she laughed as she stretched her shoulders; her chest revealing a silhouette view of her breasts.
"Val," he responded, "I'd prefer if we allow his name to remain as Val." he breathed as the mistress of the chambers smiled a fanged grin and nodded her head in approval; silver tresses shadowing her face.
"Val it is then,"
Jillas and Gravos sat casually in the front seats of the rickety brown wagon, as the ogre cracked his black reigns to get the two large feathery birds to pick up their pace and break into a small jog. The rising ominous orb of yellow and orange rose from within the clouds as the light shimmered of the raw material that lay shakily in the back of the cart; the more sensitive materials were covered with a blue quilted blanket.
"Ahhh," Jillas yawned his eyes looking a little puffy as both his arms and tail stretched in the heat of the new dawn. The red fox turned to the lizard steering the wagon and grinned sheepishly. "I never thought it would take so long just to get some supplies, but at least we got all the stuff on Onee-san's list." the fox said with another small yawn as the birds began to slow down as they approached their home.
"Heh, I dun rememba' seein' ten pounds of gunpowder on that list, Jillas." Gravos mumbled as he lightened his hold on the reigns and the feathery animals stopped at their destination point. The lizard jumped from his seat and landed on the ground. "As long as you dun, upset Filia-sama by blowin' somethin up I won't say a word." he began as Jillas hopped of the wagon, brushing past the two large birds.
"Great to be home, you don't think Val-sama hatched from his egg when we were gone do you?" the fox inquired as the ogre paused from removing the supplies from the cart to give a shrug. The rouge fox blinked and went to place his gloved on threshold knob only to stop and suppress a shudder while he wrinkled his nose from a pungent scent. The scent reminded him of the time when Filia accidentally sliced an area on her hand when she was creating an axe blade."Gravos forget the cargo and get over here!" the fox yelled as he barged into the desolate house.
Jillas cringed as he stepped into the sickly silent house, not a single whisper was heard as he walked deeper into his home, heading into the sitting room. The fox's head spun as he neared the area and then his burgundy pupils' shrunk as his heart thumped madly in his furry chest. His scarlet snout wrinkled as his hands that rested at his side clenched in disbelief. Gravos came barging in his normal eye closed.
"Wats' so important you gettin' all snippy fer?" he questioned as his red eye shimmered. He opened his normal one; the carefree smile slipped from his face as he staggered back in horror. "Blood." he breathed as his eyes lingered at the puddle of red liquid that shimmered beside the coffee table. Gravos found he was unable to breathe as he stiffly dragged his dazed face towards the sniffling creature beside him.
"Gravos....it's....it's....Onee-san!" he cried digging his gloved hands into his furry scalp as large tears escaped from his normal and bandaged eyes.
The lizard man growled and clenched his face as he grabbed the fox by the collar of his orange shirt and hefted him up so he was looking him in the face. "Pull yerself together, yer nose must be blocked it can't be....it's impossible," he hissed as the distressed dog continued to weep, "Quit cryin' it might belong ta someone else...a person in need that Filia-sama tried to heal…..yeah. There probably upstairs," he reasoned as he tried to swallow the large lump in his throat.
"I...I'll go see if she's there." Jillas sniffled as his eyes flickered into a more dazed stare. He knew his nose wasn't blocked or giving him any false leads although he was praying to all the Gods that it was.
"Keep an eye out fer' Val-sama's egg, I dun see it anywhere." The lizard man stated as he headed towards a closet taking out a small mace. Not quite as large or heavy as Filia's but it would do. "Ah'll just check the workshop ta see if she's down there." he whispered as he clumsily made his way out of sight.
Jillas madly blinked back the tears in his eyes as he saw the same mass of blood staining his sister's bed. He quickly ran to the mattress and sniffed the liquid; it felt as if his ribcage contracted. "Onee-san.....," he cried as his nose twitched spastically, "That scent, it smells like that mazoku,….. Xellos Metallium and....Val-sama!" he bellowed his tears ceased as he snarled; his fur getting more electrified with each pulsating second. "Jillas," a cracking voice called, "Filia-sama...she's not here is she....Jillas..."
"It was him! It was him who did this to Onee-san and stole Val-sama's egg!" the fox howled as he rushed up towards his companion. Jillas' frown deepened as the ogre gave him a perplexed look slowly mouthing the word who. "Xellos Metallium that's who, that mazoku scum, it was him, Gravos. His scent is all over this room, the sitting room and kitchen and he had Val-sama with him." he growled clenching his fists together.
Gravos fought back a grimace as he thought over the situation; one thing didn't add up where were Filia-sama's body and the egg? The creature frowned and warily eyed the fox, "Jillas, I want you to go and find Lina Inverse. She might know what's going on and Filia-sama usually said that, that mazoku," he spat, "Usually hung around with them, perhaps they could tell us what's going on." he finished with a low tone.
The fox looked at him with an empty look, "What could they possibly do?" he muttered as the larger beastman lead him shakily downstairs towards the kitchen away from the bedroom that had the concentrated scent of their dear friend.
"Jillas....just go would you....they should be here for this!" he barked his voice a lot more sharper like cold steel, "I'll clean up this place and try to find her...her.....," he trailed off unable to finish the sentence.
His eyes downcast, "Alright, I'll go." the fox whispered as he turned on his heel and sauntered to the closest closet to the door; he removed his tapered cloak that Filia helped mend and his latest model of his twin shotguns. "Gravos, I shall return with Lina Inverse in a few days." the beast replied as he hastily bustled out the front door setting his mind to find the flat-chested sorceress, pushing reality, disbelief, pain and sorrow aside.
"Over here! Over here!" squealed the high pitched voice of a young male child as he lead the irritated mass of villagers deeper into the lush forest. "Just into the next valley and you'll see it." the boy replied as he dashed deeper into the bushes pushing a strand of beige locks out of his face.
"Rin, are you sure that you saw a dragon in these woods or are you just playing wolf cause if you are your rear will be tanned red for five seasons." his father cursed as he and his fellow townsfolk followed the boy into the woods cautious of every step.
"I swear it Otou-sama a giant dragon it's scales made entirely out of gold but it was all covered in blood seems as dead as a dormouse." he said giving his father a Cheshire grin only to be rewarded with a scowl. "Trust me Otou-sama I'm not out playin' wolf today." he chirped.
The man turned his head to the left were the village's high priest walked. He gave an apologetic smile, "Forgive me Houshi-sama, if my boy played us all for fools just to look for some dragon beast." he muttered as he bashfully rubbed the scarred bridge of his nose.
The high priest tranquilly shook his head and gave a small bow; steady moonbeams reflected off his white garbs. "No need, for not too long ago I sensed a great presence that was losing its connection to this world as it passed away. So I believe your child may be telling the truth." he spoke in a soft voice as the boy hopped up and down on his bare feet madly waving his arms.
"There! There it is!" the boy screeched as the priest and villagers came in for a closer look. They all narrowed their eyes and raised their torches as they saw the shadows crawl away from the large silhouette figure. The humans gasped in fear as they saw the behemoth of the beast covered in gold scales, its stationed long tail curved like an S in the grass as if it were a snake ready to strike and with a large ghastly hole that shot through the left side of its chest; the grass around the creature was stained a rich scarlet. The boy nodded his head and pointed to the deceased lizard, "See I told ya there was a dragon here." he bragged as he began to walk forward only to be wrenched back painfully by his father.
"Don't go any closer to it, Rin. Who knows how that thing died, maybe we should just stay away from it." he hissed as he turned to the priest for approval but only to see him with closed eyes thinking in deep concentration over the scene.
"But, Seto-han look at thing." a burly man with a frizzy dark moustache breathed. "Its scales are made out of gold. If we strip it the economy for the village will definitely greaten. There'd be no harm from taking the scales it'll just rot the earth anyway if it stays." he reasoned as a few of the people nodded their heads at his idea inching closer to the dragon.
"Your mad, leave the creature be what if it died there for a reason. A disease perhaps, Derrick, all of you come to yer senses." Seto said turning his heated gaze to his fellow townsfolk. "We should just back up and leave." he whispered clutching his son's shoulder tighter as a few nodded their heads and began to back away.
"Yer daft, Seto to leave such a prize." hissed a person as a verbal war consumed the group of people as they savagely debated the solution of what to do with the creature. The priest's pale white face marred in irritation as his serene watery blue eyes snapped open and calmly glared at the crowd.
"Minna-san, please listen." he announced as he grabbed every ear's attention. "It would be best for us to not remove any part of the dragon. Nor, should we allow it to rest here without interference from ourselves. To prevent a rise of ryuuzoku mononoke we must bury the body and conduct a proper burial then build a shrine honouring the great beast to protect our village and forest. When it is over none shall come to this area for it will be donned a sacred ground." he finished with a hard voice ignoring the few mumbles. "Now everyone please get your shovels and wood."
"Eah! That should do it Houshi-sama!" an adolescent male with a blue mane called to the priest as he patted the freshly covered earth. All night every male hand helped lower the creature into its grave and cover it with soil.
The priest smiled softly and gave a small bow of appreciation, "Thank you, minna-san," he responded as he stepped to the front of the dug up earth. The Houshi took a tight grip onto the small brown pouch that rested on his hip. He opened the small satchel and dug his hand into its content taking out small grains of salt and tossed carefully onto the grave. "My staff please." he commanded as a villager clumsily ran up to him and brought him his golden staff crafted with red feather at the peak and three hoops that symbolised; Knowledge, Love and Courage. The priest took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he muttered a few words purifying the body of the grave and the area. "May you rest in peace and be cleansed of all the sorrow that you harboured before you passed on, great beast."
"Ahhh, but how in the world am I supposed to find Lina Inverse?!" Jillas cried in a shrill voice as he hopped off the dingy looking large flightless bird and peered curiously around the town square of a small city. "I've been travelling for four days now and I haven't seen a clue of her...ehh." he said with a blink as a small blue piece of paper flew up and hit him on the snout.
"Tairo's All you Can Eat Buffet....eat until you explode." the beast man read as he tore his eyes away from the parchment and thought. "Lina Inverse would probably..." Jillas was interrupted with numerous shattering screams in front of him. His dog-like ears twitched as he listened intently to the abnormal commotion.
"Run! Run, the enemy to all who live is attempting to cast the Dragon Slave! Get out of the restaurant now she says she wants it all!" villagers screeched as they sped away from the taboo position.
The fox sweatdropped and allowed a brief smile to etch itself on his snout as he leisurely hopped onto his bird and sauntered off in the direction; his cloak billowing in the wind.
"Hmph, I don't think you can really say that Amelia. You, Zel and Gourry really didn't try to stop me from doing it and you know as well as I we need food to help us regain our strength we've been fighting bandits for days, now." Lina stated as chomped her teeth into a stray chicken leg.
A man in light tan garbs with wiry cobalt hair scoffed slightly and tightened his grip on his blanch mug. "And whose fault is it we befell upon numerous bandit gangs from every direction as far as the eye can see." Zelgadis muttered in an accusing voice as the girl stiffened and gave an innocent shrug.
"Its Lina fault, right?" a man with long golden hair questioned as he tried to pry a large chunk of steak away from the growling sorceress with his fork.
"Listen if it weren't for me we wouldn't have gotten a lead to whe...." Lina released her hold on her eating utensil which caused Gourry and his prize to go tumbling to the floor in a heap. The small chested girl and her troupe squinted at the cloaked new comer. "Jillas...long time no see...what are you doing here?" she inquired quickly grabbing some of her plates and pulling them closer to her chest.
"Lina Inverse, finally I found you. I...." the fox chocked on his heart clenching words realizing his mission was half completed and he'd have to explain the tragic reasons of his arrival. "Onee-san....Onee-san is....." he bit his tongue as he slurred his words together tears leaked down his face as the group of misfits gave him a perplexed look. "Onee-san!" he wailed as he ran into, much to her surprise Lina's arms.
"Oi, Jillas what's going on?" she growled as a red flush grew very apparent on her cheekbones as he continued to sob shakily into her shirt. The princess of Saillune and the chimera removed themselves from their seats and even Gourry managed to cease his violent chewing on his meat and peer curiously at the creature as they walked over to the wailing fox and distressed sorceress.
"I wonder what's wrong with, Jillas-san do you think something happened to Filia-san or Valgarv's egg." Amelia pondered as she tapped her chin titling her head slightly a few degrees. The blonde guardian sighed deductively.
"Anou," he said timidly, "Whose Filia again?" he asked grateful that the fox was still attached to Lina so he wouldn't be pounded repetitively in the head by her fist. The chimera sighed and thought of the best way to describe the Golden dragon to the forgetful swordsman.
"To sum her personality up into a few words that even you Gourry should understand would be: The dragon that drank a lot of tea and carried around a BIG mace." Zelgaids finished as Gourry cringed slightly rubbing his head making a small sound in recognition as they turned back to the serious Lina.
The petite sorceress shook the howling fox off her small frame as she grabbed him by his shoulders and pushed him away, "Calm down you crazy fox!" she growled as she gave him a small shake. Jillas twitched his dripping nose and began to ease out of his hysteria; his breathes coming in short pants. "Good," she smiled but it was strained as she worriedly eyed the beastman, "Now what happened to Filia?" she said very slowly so it would register into his mind. The others began to crowd around and eyed the creature.
The beast wiped away his tears and focused his gaze to look at his jittery feet. He took a deep breathe and steadied his voice, "We believe that Onee-san is dead." he whispered as his stomach did flip flops so much that it made him want to wretch.
Lina's eyes widened in astonishment as she felt her knees get weak, "What did you say....?" she breathed as her mind continuously replayed his words but he must be wrong. He must be telling some joke.
Amelia sunk to the floor sluggishly and began to shiver, "Filia-san is..." she couldn't continue as the trembling princess gazed up at the fox with big doe eyes.
Zelgadis merely narrowed his eyes at Jillas and stared at him incredulously. "Are you positive that Filia is..." he stopped at the final word as if he tasted something wretchedly bitter.
Gourry blinked and hastily looked over to the quaking fiery haired maiden as he wheeled his gaze over to the red fox. "She can't be dead, can she Lina?" he asked as the beastman solemnly nodded his head.
"When me and Gravos returned home after an errand we came in the house and saw to large pools of blood in the sitting room and her bedroom. The blood had the same scent of Onee-san," he muttered as he continued to stare mindlessly at the floor, ".....although we never did find her body losing that much amount of blood even for a dragon would be impossible to sustain life" he finished as he jumped back slightly finding a raging Lina staring him hard in the eye.
"Who? Who the hell did it, Jillas?!" she thundered as her teeth clenched and her fist rolled into two tight balls of fury. The fox growled and looked in her in the eye with equal pure rage.
"I can't believe you're asking who did it. Isn't it obvious Lina Inverse," he spat in a grand voice mocking her name, "That mazoku....that Namagomi Mazoku was the one that killed Onee-san and to top it off he stole Val-sama's egg." the beast man hissed his tail writhing with anger that it lashed the hardwood floor with a thump.
The woman gasped and stepped back slightly her stomach churning, "Xellos? Xellos was the one...are you sure?" she inquired disbelief was very apparent in her voice which caused the fox to snarl and bare his teeth.
"Of course I'm sure....do you think I'd make all this up? That...that bastard mazoku was the one who killed Filia, his scent was all over the house and I smelt it on Onee-san's BLOOD!" he roared as he pivoted his body so he was giving the troupe the back of his cloak. "I honestly don't care if you believe me or not but I was sent to inform you and humbly ask if you'd come with me to sort this all out." he sniffed as he slowly trudged out the restaurant.
Lina gulped and found herself having a hard time regaining her breathe. She blinked back the tears welling in the corner of her eyes as she felt a warm comforting pressure on her small shoulder. She shifted her head and saw Gourry with a small smile. "Lina, we should go....for her sake." he said as he removed his hand and stepped back. The girl stiffly nodded her head.
"Yes, let's go." she mumbled as she waved her hand motioning for the others to follow in a woeful silence as they sluggishly traced the fox's trail out the door.
After arriving to Filia's house Lina-tachi briskly bombarded Jillas and Gravos with questions and inspected the house although the stains of Filia's blood were gone they could still see a scarlet tint on her carpet and bed sheets. When that was completed they spent days searching for the body except for the two assistants who already accepted their friend's fate and were beginning to plan the day of Filia's funeral.
The clouds were dark and silent as six dear friends and a few villagers gathered around a small marker of a golden dragon. They gazed patiently at the large mace littered with various flowers that were embedded in the ground at the stump of a large oak tree in Gold's garden. As the priest gave his final blessing Lina snuck her red gaze to side where the shadows were the darkest and frowned. "Huh," she breathed as someone tapped her shoulder. It was Zelgadis.
"Lina the ceremony is over we can head back inside." he spoke in a soft voice as he motioned his head to the others who where walking in.
The girl shook her head as she felt the tiniest trickle of water land on her cheekbone. "I'll come in shortly I'd just like to stay out here for a few seconds." she said as the chimera nodded his head and sauntered off leaving the sorceress and another alone. Lina ignored the approaching footsteps as she felt a looming shadow envelope her. She wrinkled her nose and gritted her teeth, "What the hell are you doing?" she hissed as the stranger smiled and shifted the bouquet of white and violet lilies.
"Yare, yare Lina did you really think I'd be as shrewd enough to miss this you should know better," a cheerful voice chastised. Xellos bent down not minding the increase of rain that splattered on his face as he placed the bouquet at the base of the weapon. "Out of all the flowers I was the one who brought her favourite, white and violet lilies who'd have thought, ne?" he joked.
The woman could feel the words of the Ragna Blade just on the tip of her tongue but she bit them back as she gave him a cool glare. "Why are you here, Xellos? After what you did how dare you drag your gomi hide here." she snarled as the mazoku stood up and gave her a grin.
"Gomi? Ara, you seem to be taking a delightful page out of Filia-san's book. Really Lina-san I may have killed the dragon but I had no harbour of hate for the girl. I came here to humbly respect her death." he explained as Lina couldn't figure out if he was being sincere or if he was just spewing feigning bull out of his mouth.
The sorceress shifted her body to face his closed eye visage. "Then why did you kill her?" she questioned in a high shrill voice. Lina felt her hands positioning to perform the Dragon Slave but to her difficulty she held her arms to her side.
Xellos smiled and gave her a wink as he tasted the sweet flavour of rage emitting off her. He could feel the heat of her anger as her emotions prepped her to cast a powerful spell but her mind cautiously held her back. "Orders are orders unfortunately. If Juu-ou-sama wished her dead I happily complied and did the job." he told as if he were talking to a small incompetent child. There was a bit of silence after that as Lina digested the information. The demon began to back up and gave a small wave, "Well Lina-san it's been fun but I should be..." he was cut off.
"Where's the egg Xellos? Where is Valgarv's egg?" she asked as she crossed her arms stubbornly against her chest and rewarded him with a crossed look.
"Xellos raised a purple eyebrow and smirked, "Thee egg.....well Sore wa himitsu desu, but even saying that Lina-san I think you already know, well farewell." he called as he vanished leaving the girl to ponder silently in the rain. The sorceress ran her fingers through her wet hair as she heard Amelia called her in before she got sick.
"Coming!" she yelled as she jogged towards the house; thick mud splattering on her white boots. "Just what do Xellos and his master have in store for that egg? What the hell is all this about and was it truly worth Filia's death?" she asked herself as she took a quick glimpse at the marker as the rain trickled off every flower breaking the petals except for one bouquet that was perfectly dry and looked beautiful even in this depressing weather. "White and violet lilies, huh?" she whispered as she ran into the house.
Author's Note:Well there's the second chapter, however its not the revised form but I've decided to post that later when I recieve it from my beta reader. So what did you guys think of Filia's funeral and Xellos' appearance? I pretty sure most of you are guessing if Filia might come back or stay dead as a doornail and you see in the next chapter which I've already finished and will be posting sooner or later. Please read and review I want to hear your comments and suggestions to make my story even better.
