*looks over reviews with reading glasses, a smug look plastered on my face*
SYM: Yo, it's good to know that I've fixed most, if not all, of the problems with my fic. As that is the case, I shall commence with the third chapter, which might be the ending...I'm not quite sure yet with this fic, but it's more than likely I'll write a fourth chapter as an epilogue.
Xelloss: *reads script* Geez, I really am more laid back in this fic...how droll.
Filia: *fumes* Really now, do I have to be so friendly with this lowly piece of garbage?!
SYM: *smacks both with script* Look you two, yuir both getting paid pretty nicely for this shtick, so I suggest you both stop complaining!! *gets Godzilla sized*
*Xelloss and Filia "harrumph," then stalk back onto the stage*
SYM: *massaging temple* Okies people....here's my usual disclaimers and such...
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers in any way...it belongs to the lucky @#$%% at Central Park Media, Software Sculptors, Hajime Kanzaka, EG Films, and TV Tokyo. If I did own even a fraction of what Slayers makes, I'd already be swimming in my own personal pool of Jell-O..............................*starts practicing swimming around*
Author's Note[a/n]: Well, it's been a slightly long journey getting to this chapter...school work and my personal life keep getting in the way. That, and also my computer hogging sister is always on my damn PC. Not to mention the revisions that had to be done on the other two chapters to appease the angry readers...I do admit that I was pretty off on many accounts in the Slayers world, but I was right on two things that some of you hardcore fans neglected to look at:
1.) For one thing, I was right about two pieces of Shabranigdo being reborn. Now, before some of you go off on a hissy fit, remember the Slayers video games? Especially the first one, Slayers Royal? In the game, you meet up with an elf named Lark, who is searching for his sister......who's name escapes me XD In any case, his sister had a piece of Shabranigdo inside of her, but it was, thankfully, stopped from being resurrected, courtesy of Lina Inverse. Although that doesn't count as two, I'm sure some of you haven't even looked up the Slayers novels on the internet, where a second piece of Shabranigdo was discovered inside of a man named Luke. After the Hellmaster Phibrizzo incident, Lina and Gourry met up with two mercenaries, Luke and Millina. After several incidents (including Millina's death), Luke went mad and his hatred fueled the dark lord Shabranigdo enough to be resurrected into this world.
Lina was successful in killing Luke/Shabranigdo, crushing her own Demon's Blood Talismans in her mouth and reciting incantations to call upon power from the four dark lords of each world. In any case, don't hound me about incomplete knowledge when it comes to Slayers on certain accounts....I am proud of my vast knowledge in Slayers spells and world history, and I am sorry about neglecting some of the more obvious things in the Slayers world. So, lessee here...one piece was resurrected in Rei Magnus and sealed away in the valleys of the North; one was resurrected inside the priest Rezo; and one was resurrected inside of the man Luke. That makes three ^^
2.) The other thing that seemed to tick people off is the notion that Xelloss cannot love. While I do agree that Xelloss isn't truly evil by nature (in some respects), he also isn't really capable of falling in love with just about anyone. Before you hound me again, I'd like to point you to a link: this wonderfully written ranting section, my friend Diane explains the pretty obvious reasons why Xelloss cannot love someone....hell, even you hardcore fans should know this by now. Remember, Monsters (or Mazoku) are, essentially, negative energy personified as "living" beings. Monsters absolutely abhor such things as love or kindness. Xelloss might "fake" love to find out information for his master, but if he ever actually fell in love it would most likely kill him (Amelia sings her songs of happiness and light at Xelloss for a reason people!). Also, remember the symbolic nature of Gods, Monsters, and Humans in Slayers: Gods are the absolute good in the Slayers world; Monsters are the absolute evil; and humans exist in-between this light and darkness. Think of these three as personifications of Freud's personality theory: the Gods are the superego; the Monsters are the id; and the humans are the ego.
And please don't argue with me on Monsters and Xelloss not being evil...the creator himself has made this very clear in his novels, as well as in the anime. Lord knows how Xelloss was having a gay old time practically impaling Valgaav's arm with his cane, and who's to say Phibrizzo wasn't happy as hell when he sentenced the entire universe to destructive chaos at the hands of Lina's out-of-control Giga Slave. Think before you flame, people.
Putting these rants aside, I'd like to say that I hope you enjoy the fic...as many of the ambiguous points brought up in the other two are somewhat explained here. There is definitely going to be one more fic after this...To tie things up and all. And before we get on to the fic, I just wanted to thank Ukchana for helping me out; for Diane for supporting me with a wealth of information; Tallulah, who's wonderful advice is, hopefully, steering me in the right direction on how to write fics; and to Saturn-hime, for being the biggest dumbass friend a guy could ask for XDDD
This fic is for you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws party*
P.S: *By the way, don't you all think Filia's antique shop has such a cute name? Heee...pardon my shameless plug XD*
**************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***************************
*Twenty Three Hours Prior to Zelgadiss Reaching Filia's Antique Shop*
Zelgadiss had that funny feeling all day – right down to his rock-covered, swollen feet – that he would be expecting some unwelcome pest to show up just as he traveled through the Desert of Destruction in search of the town of Miranda.
The landscape seemed to stretch out to eternity, mocking even Zelgadiss' firm resolve to find his cure. None of the area's harsh climates or earthy obstructions caused the silver-haired chimera to forfeit his journey to Miranda – the mining town prosperous with its archive of rare artifacts and mysterious gems and stones. Rumor has it that when combined and mixed well, certain stones found in the mines are capable of purifying and restoring a man to perfect health, making them feel 5 or even ten years younger.
'It may be a long shot,' the chimera thought, ruffling bits of sand and dirt out of his hair, 'but it's the only piece of information I've come across for five months that just might cure me.'
Thinking back, Zelgadiss also remembered hearing a rumor that a certain "Goddess of Destruction" was traveling the land, gripping bandits and sorcerers alike once again with fear and despair.
The winds slightly picked up, causing the chimera to shelter his vision from the stinging sand. His nostrils flared, picking up a crusty, earthy smell from the air.
Becoming more and more irritated, Zelgadiss thrust his free hand in front of him, summoning the wind in the area around him to his hand. As he finished the incantation, he couldn't help but notice a shape out of the corner of his eyes. Not wanting to distract himself from the spell, the shaman thrust both hands in front of him, shutting his eyes tightly to maintain his concentration.
"Windy Shield!!" he yelled, a small bubble of air covering his entire body from the surrounding area. The fast winds merely bounced off the bubble's surface, or added on to the bubble's field of range, causing it to grow slightly bigger as the minutes ticked on.
"Ohhhh?" an obnoxious voice called. "I thought the steadfast Zelgadiss didn't waste his time using spells as a convenience..."
Zelgadiss didn't even have to look to know the body that belonged to that atrocious voice. "Xelloss," the chimera ground out, annoyed that the Mazoku still had the nerve to show his face around him.
"Still searching for that idealistic 'cure' of yours? Well, you won't find it in that mining town up ahead." The priest thrust his cane in the direction of the village to make his point, unfazed by the harsh climate of the desert sands and winds.
"And why should I believe your word? You certainly haven't told us anything relevant when we needed it in the past." Zelgadiss crossed his arms tightly inside the bubble, his conviction wavering ever so slightly by Xelloss' words.
The Mazoku sensed this, smiling to himself, despite the circumstances. 'Just like old times,' the priest thought. 'Sending the stoic shaman out to that mining town just might get me what I'm looking for...'
"Whether you believe me or not is all up to you," the priest replied, "but there is still something interesting out there...something worth going to the village for..."
With that, the Mazoku disappeared via sub-space, leaving the chimera more doubtful than before. The chimera glanced through the bubble over the horizon, seeing that the winds slowed down considerably, allowing him to peak over the horizon and see the aforementioned mining town. He cast his eyes down at the ground, thinking intently, his eyes and ears twitching ever so often.
After several minutes, Zelgadiss cast his head back up, taking slow steps to the town than his long strides before. And through the sand, the earth, the air, and the winds, a small, empty canister jingled softly to his steps. And yet, the sound of that pink bracelet – with its blue ornaments and plain appearance – didn't bother him in the slightest.
As the jingling continued, his pace quickened to reach the cliff surrounding the village. Perhaps there was something there worth looking for after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Present Time, After Zelgadiss' Arrival*
Filia hurriedly prepared some herbal tea in the kitchen, trying to hurry as quickly as she could. Who knew how long it would take to get those awful stains out of her carpeting?! And all the dust Zelgadiss trudged in earlier...she knew it was going to be one of the those days for her old broom and dust bin. Years of clumsy handling with vases – thanks to certain, nameless demi-humans – had worn the poor cleaning supplies down.
Filia prayed silently that the chimera and the Mazoku didn't reduce her living room to ash. She knew that Zelgadiss probably had better restraint after all these years, but her doubts got the better of her as she balanced two trays on the counter for the tea.
Casting a worried glance at the parlor door, Filia sighed as she reached inside the cupboard above her to retrieve some cookies for her guests.
The Golden Dragon set the jar full of cookies on the counter, absentmindedly nibbling on one to ease her rattled nerves.
It wasn't so much Xelloss that bothered her......but of any unnecessary attention brought with the Mazoku's presence that troubled her. Over the years, the duty of having to raise Val into a fine dragon remained her number one priority, and so thoughts regarding that mischievous Mazoku remained in the back of her mind.
Cracking off a sizeable chunk of her cookie, Filia reminded herself of her growing suspicion of Xelloss making a visit at some point in Val's life. While she didn't know the reasons why, she knew it was most likely to report back some information to his master, Greater Beast Zelas Metallium.
A loud crack rang throughout the kitchen, and Filia, embarrassed with her lack of dignity, noticed she'd gotten crumbs all over her dress. She lightly brushed the tiny crumbs away, flushed and thankful no one had seen her lack of self-control.
Brushing that little incident aside, the Golden Dragon abruptly turned around when the tea kettle sounded, anxious to get back to her "guests" before any possible collateral damage ensued.
She poured the tea lightly into two matching porcelain cups, setting the plate of cookies at the center of the tray and in between the two tea cups. The Golden Dragon heaved in a deep breath, then daintily strode back into the living room. Before she reached the swinging door adjourning to the kitchen and the living room, a small, unnoticeable chunk of cookie fell off the tray and onto the spotless kitchen floor.
Filia's feet missed the cookie by mere centimeters, leaving it unharmed and virtually unknown. And yet, a small crack lay fragmented into the tasty trinket's center, eventually giving the small wedges more leeway to break the cookie into pieces as the day rolled by.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Five Minutes Before Filia Returned With the Tea*
Zelgadiss had certainly become a more patient man after the tribulations that occurred twenty years ago; he needed to resolve his firm belief that there was something that was capable of curing him out there. If anything happened that proved otherwise - that all his years of searching were all in vain – then he grimly decided on a final alternative: his death.
If, finally, after all these years the chimera discovered that there really wasn't anything out there that could cure him of his "condition," it would be as if Rezo had gotten the final laugh.
Chuckling gloomily to himself, Zelgadiss thought, "And what a cruel joke it was, Rezo. A freak of society; a monster wearing men's clothing; an appearance so repulsive I can't get close to anyone...Surely not even that girl would think of me in the same way now..." He paused in hi train of thought, unwittingly grasping one of the blue amulets hooked onto the canister around his hips. As Zelgadiss unknowingly continued his ministrations, Xelloss only looked on in feigned interest, eating up some of Zelgadiss' dark emotions.
As he had said before, Xelloss' plans on traveling to this barren town were purely secretive, as always. It was for his master's own interest that he travel to the town, observing and recording whatever information she had instructed him to find and gather. And while he was currently busy filing information he deemed useful to his master, he couldn't help but seem somewhat intrigued by Zelgadiss' plight.
Had Xelloss lied about something "interesting" lying within this rock- ridden town? In Xelloss' eyes, certainly not.
Of course, Xelloss held different perspectives than most people.
Deciding to break Zelgadiss out of his reverie, the Mazoku asked innocently, "So, Zelgadiss...how is that little princess in Seyruun doing now?" Irking Zelgadiss' patience was certainly more fun than sitting and drinking in his negative emotions; that was just tiring after too long.
The chimera's ears twitched slightly, his body stiffening at hearing that girl being mentioned. "I wouldn't know..." he ground out, a little venom in his voice.
"Ohhhhhhhh? And here I thought you two would've tied some sort of knot by now. I mean, if I recall correctly, she was rather smitten with you."
Zelgadiss tried regaining his calm composure from before. He remembered what Lina always lectured him about when it came to patience – try counting in your head or don't make a damn deal about it at all. Heh, Lina giving lessons in patience...
Pushing that matter aside, Zelgadiss turned the tables on Xelloss, saying, "So? Why were you so surprised when I came into Filia's shop not ten minutes ago. You knew I was coming here...and you knew I would go and see Filia about the town's minerals. What's your game, Xelloss?"
Wagging his finger playfully at the irate chimera, Xelloss responded matter- of-factly, "Why, my dear friend, you should know by now that that is a secret."
Turning the tables back on Zelgadiss' useless retort, the violet haired priest chided, "Besides, you didn't answer my question: what happened to our dear little 'Hero of Justice,' Amelia?"
Knowing he was losing the battle, Zelgadiss just sighed deeply, dropping the cerulean amulets from his rough hands. The two blue balls had cracked and gotten rougher over the years, which suited his rock hard hands perfectly.
"After the Dark Star incident, I considered going back to Seyruun with Amelia for a little bit. I was very...embarrassed about the whole situation. All that royalty really didn't suit me for the six weeks I stayed there."
"Oh? Six weeks? Why such a long stay?" Xelloss' interest piqued, if only a little.
"Seyruun is known as the White Magic Capital, so I was certain I could find something to cure me in the hundreds of libraries scattered throughout the kingdom. Amelia even lent to me the wisest clerics of Seyruun to help search as well, eventually coming along to help me herself when I didn't turn anything up. She was so kind to me, and vouched for my heroics to any peasant or nobleman who doubted me by my...appearance.
Because of this kindness, it drove me away as well. I...I started getting used to living in Seyruun, used to talking with Amelia and following her around when "Justice" was at stake. Even her father, prince Phil, grew on me. He may have smothered me by his presence at first, but I grew fond of him over time. "
Zelgadiss heaved another sigh. "I left after over a month, saying it was time I traveled to other countries to learn what I could about anything that could heal me. Amelia was sad at first, but she merely smiled and told me to take care on my journeys. To remember her, she gave me her two blue bracelets,"Zelgadiss held them out for Xelloss to look at, "and told me to uphold Justice whenever evil was afoot." The chimera stowed the jewels back onto his canister, looking at them fondly for a moment.
"But you haven't answered my question, Zelgadiss," Xelloss pressed. "What was the real reason why you left Seyruun?"
Zelgadiss' eyes sunk, the memory crushing him like a weight. "I was afraid I'd get too used to it there...that living there might cause me to actually want to stay. I can't have that. I'd be too much of a burden on Amelia if I did stay. Besides, would she ever really want me with the way I look?"
Xelloss shrugged. "When it comes to platonic relationships, I'm afraid I'm not the one to talk to. Perhaps you should try the dragon with the tea and cookies?"
Zelgadiss' gaze fell on the gaping dragon standing in the doorway, her eyes shining with glee at Zelgadiss' unspoken confession. Lina's Fire Balls were known to be brilliantly hued deep crimson, but Zelgadiss was quite positive his face couldn't get any redder.
Standing up and chuckling to himself, Xelloss tore open a portal to subspace with his cane, stepping through the fabric until only a portion was sticking out. "Well, this is so long for now. I'm sure we'll meet up again soon...Enjoy your stay Zelgadiss."
Realization dawning on him, Zelgadiss growled angrily, losing whatever self- control he had up until that point. Powering up a Val Flare, the chimera screamed, "XELLOSS!! You knew this would happen, didn't you?!"
Xelloss merely laughed heartily at the chimera's situation, disappearing behind the veil of the cut space. Zelgadiss, however, didn't seem to notice, as the spell kept powering up to ridiculous proportions. A large weight that landed on his head brought him back to reality, the spell disappearing into a small flash of sparks.
With all his strength, Zelgadiss turned around to face a very perturbed dragon, her mace digging deeply into his stone scalp. Removing her mace after she deemed him to be of a reasonable mind, Filia fixed her gaze sternly on the chimera, making him wince from his lack of self-control.
"No destructive tendencies are allowed in this shop. I wouldn't want my little Val to be exposed to that sort of again, hmm?"
Zelgadiss nodded however he could under the black mace. The heavy thing was, under the current circumstances, very persuasive.
Lifting the mace and slipping it back under her dress with great ease, Filia set the tray she had been expertly balancing onto the dining table. The dragon pulled out the chair across from Zelgadiss where Xelloss had been not too long ago, making sure her dress wouldn't be ruffled as she gracefully sat down.
The dragon stretched her arm out in a fluid movement, politely addressing that Zelgadiss sit down with her. The chimera sat down slowly, a little winded from Filia's mace attack – though he'd never personally admit to it. What with whatever pride he still valued, and all.
Filia poured the herbal tea into the two cups, again addressing him to take his cup and set it on the plate she'd set out for him. She offered him a cookie, but the chimera politely declined.
Taking a single sip from her tea, Filia finally stared at Zelgadiss with a scrutinizing glare, of which the chimera stiffened a little, worried she'd berate him for almost blowing away half her living room. This changed however, as her glare transformed into a gentle smile, causing Zelgadiss some great confusion.
"Now then," Filia started, "why don't you tell me all about what's happened."
Hesitant at first, Zelgadiss chatted with Filia for the remainder of the afternoon, relieved to finally regale the feelings he'd hidden and locked away for so long; to tell someone of the hits and misses he'd made throughout his journeys. A deep friendship sparked that night, one of mutual intelligence and uncertainty, of hardships and good times.
Zelgadiss was certain his premonition of the day was correct. It was, to be fair, quite long and grating, but it's always at the end of the day when the promise of a new day breaks through the lonely nights. Zelgadiss knew it was corny, but after this night, he was certain that that phrase rung true.
It had certainly been a long day.
***************************************************************************
A/N: Whew!!!!! That was a long chappie to write. Took me about almost a month. School work, me sister, and work in general prevented that, but the third chapter is finally here. Just so you know, this is not an ending. There will be another chapter that ties up why Filia and Zelgadiss have been acting so strangely, as well as what happens with the – currently off- screen – adventurers Lina, Naga, and especially Amelia. And what of Xelloss, Sylphiel and Gourry as well? What's going on with them? All shall be revealed, in the next exciting chapter.
PS: Diana, hope you don't hate me fer referencing yuir Mazoku article. It was just so good and poignant, so I included a link as well.
PPS: Give me some feedback on any possible couplings. I'd be happy to consider some for the final chapter, but there are no guarantees I will use them or agree with them. However, any personal suggestions are welcome ^^
Leave some reviews, peeps^^ That's what keeps me energy going...that and some ramen noodles too.
SYM: Yo, it's good to know that I've fixed most, if not all, of the problems with my fic. As that is the case, I shall commence with the third chapter, which might be the ending...I'm not quite sure yet with this fic, but it's more than likely I'll write a fourth chapter as an epilogue.
Xelloss: *reads script* Geez, I really am more laid back in this fic...how droll.
Filia: *fumes* Really now, do I have to be so friendly with this lowly piece of garbage?!
SYM: *smacks both with script* Look you two, yuir both getting paid pretty nicely for this shtick, so I suggest you both stop complaining!! *gets Godzilla sized*
*Xelloss and Filia "harrumph," then stalk back onto the stage*
SYM: *massaging temple* Okies people....here's my usual disclaimers and such...
Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers in any way...it belongs to the lucky @#$%% at Central Park Media, Software Sculptors, Hajime Kanzaka, EG Films, and TV Tokyo. If I did own even a fraction of what Slayers makes, I'd already be swimming in my own personal pool of Jell-O..............................*starts practicing swimming around*
Author's Note[a/n]: Well, it's been a slightly long journey getting to this chapter...school work and my personal life keep getting in the way. That, and also my computer hogging sister is always on my damn PC. Not to mention the revisions that had to be done on the other two chapters to appease the angry readers...I do admit that I was pretty off on many accounts in the Slayers world, but I was right on two things that some of you hardcore fans neglected to look at:
1.) For one thing, I was right about two pieces of Shabranigdo being reborn. Now, before some of you go off on a hissy fit, remember the Slayers video games? Especially the first one, Slayers Royal? In the game, you meet up with an elf named Lark, who is searching for his sister......who's name escapes me XD In any case, his sister had a piece of Shabranigdo inside of her, but it was, thankfully, stopped from being resurrected, courtesy of Lina Inverse. Although that doesn't count as two, I'm sure some of you haven't even looked up the Slayers novels on the internet, where a second piece of Shabranigdo was discovered inside of a man named Luke. After the Hellmaster Phibrizzo incident, Lina and Gourry met up with two mercenaries, Luke and Millina. After several incidents (including Millina's death), Luke went mad and his hatred fueled the dark lord Shabranigdo enough to be resurrected into this world.
Lina was successful in killing Luke/Shabranigdo, crushing her own Demon's Blood Talismans in her mouth and reciting incantations to call upon power from the four dark lords of each world. In any case, don't hound me about incomplete knowledge when it comes to Slayers on certain accounts....I am proud of my vast knowledge in Slayers spells and world history, and I am sorry about neglecting some of the more obvious things in the Slayers world. So, lessee here...one piece was resurrected in Rei Magnus and sealed away in the valleys of the North; one was resurrected inside the priest Rezo; and one was resurrected inside of the man Luke. That makes three ^^
2.) The other thing that seemed to tick people off is the notion that Xelloss cannot love. While I do agree that Xelloss isn't truly evil by nature (in some respects), he also isn't really capable of falling in love with just about anyone. Before you hound me again, I'd like to point you to a link: this wonderfully written ranting section, my friend Diane explains the pretty obvious reasons why Xelloss cannot love someone....hell, even you hardcore fans should know this by now. Remember, Monsters (or Mazoku) are, essentially, negative energy personified as "living" beings. Monsters absolutely abhor such things as love or kindness. Xelloss might "fake" love to find out information for his master, but if he ever actually fell in love it would most likely kill him (Amelia sings her songs of happiness and light at Xelloss for a reason people!). Also, remember the symbolic nature of Gods, Monsters, and Humans in Slayers: Gods are the absolute good in the Slayers world; Monsters are the absolute evil; and humans exist in-between this light and darkness. Think of these three as personifications of Freud's personality theory: the Gods are the superego; the Monsters are the id; and the humans are the ego.
And please don't argue with me on Monsters and Xelloss not being evil...the creator himself has made this very clear in his novels, as well as in the anime. Lord knows how Xelloss was having a gay old time practically impaling Valgaav's arm with his cane, and who's to say Phibrizzo wasn't happy as hell when he sentenced the entire universe to destructive chaos at the hands of Lina's out-of-control Giga Slave. Think before you flame, people.
Putting these rants aside, I'd like to say that I hope you enjoy the fic...as many of the ambiguous points brought up in the other two are somewhat explained here. There is definitely going to be one more fic after this...To tie things up and all. And before we get on to the fic, I just wanted to thank Ukchana for helping me out; for Diane for supporting me with a wealth of information; Tallulah, who's wonderful advice is, hopefully, steering me in the right direction on how to write fics; and to Saturn-hime, for being the biggest dumbass friend a guy could ask for XDDD
This fic is for you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws party*
P.S: *By the way, don't you all think Filia's antique shop has such a cute name? Heee...pardon my shameless plug XD*
**************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***************************
*Twenty Three Hours Prior to Zelgadiss Reaching Filia's Antique Shop*
Zelgadiss had that funny feeling all day – right down to his rock-covered, swollen feet – that he would be expecting some unwelcome pest to show up just as he traveled through the Desert of Destruction in search of the town of Miranda.
The landscape seemed to stretch out to eternity, mocking even Zelgadiss' firm resolve to find his cure. None of the area's harsh climates or earthy obstructions caused the silver-haired chimera to forfeit his journey to Miranda – the mining town prosperous with its archive of rare artifacts and mysterious gems and stones. Rumor has it that when combined and mixed well, certain stones found in the mines are capable of purifying and restoring a man to perfect health, making them feel 5 or even ten years younger.
'It may be a long shot,' the chimera thought, ruffling bits of sand and dirt out of his hair, 'but it's the only piece of information I've come across for five months that just might cure me.'
Thinking back, Zelgadiss also remembered hearing a rumor that a certain "Goddess of Destruction" was traveling the land, gripping bandits and sorcerers alike once again with fear and despair.
The winds slightly picked up, causing the chimera to shelter his vision from the stinging sand. His nostrils flared, picking up a crusty, earthy smell from the air.
Becoming more and more irritated, Zelgadiss thrust his free hand in front of him, summoning the wind in the area around him to his hand. As he finished the incantation, he couldn't help but notice a shape out of the corner of his eyes. Not wanting to distract himself from the spell, the shaman thrust both hands in front of him, shutting his eyes tightly to maintain his concentration.
"Windy Shield!!" he yelled, a small bubble of air covering his entire body from the surrounding area. The fast winds merely bounced off the bubble's surface, or added on to the bubble's field of range, causing it to grow slightly bigger as the minutes ticked on.
"Ohhhh?" an obnoxious voice called. "I thought the steadfast Zelgadiss didn't waste his time using spells as a convenience..."
Zelgadiss didn't even have to look to know the body that belonged to that atrocious voice. "Xelloss," the chimera ground out, annoyed that the Mazoku still had the nerve to show his face around him.
"Still searching for that idealistic 'cure' of yours? Well, you won't find it in that mining town up ahead." The priest thrust his cane in the direction of the village to make his point, unfazed by the harsh climate of the desert sands and winds.
"And why should I believe your word? You certainly haven't told us anything relevant when we needed it in the past." Zelgadiss crossed his arms tightly inside the bubble, his conviction wavering ever so slightly by Xelloss' words.
The Mazoku sensed this, smiling to himself, despite the circumstances. 'Just like old times,' the priest thought. 'Sending the stoic shaman out to that mining town just might get me what I'm looking for...'
"Whether you believe me or not is all up to you," the priest replied, "but there is still something interesting out there...something worth going to the village for..."
With that, the Mazoku disappeared via sub-space, leaving the chimera more doubtful than before. The chimera glanced through the bubble over the horizon, seeing that the winds slowed down considerably, allowing him to peak over the horizon and see the aforementioned mining town. He cast his eyes down at the ground, thinking intently, his eyes and ears twitching ever so often.
After several minutes, Zelgadiss cast his head back up, taking slow steps to the town than his long strides before. And through the sand, the earth, the air, and the winds, a small, empty canister jingled softly to his steps. And yet, the sound of that pink bracelet – with its blue ornaments and plain appearance – didn't bother him in the slightest.
As the jingling continued, his pace quickened to reach the cliff surrounding the village. Perhaps there was something there worth looking for after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*************************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Present Time, After Zelgadiss' Arrival*
Filia hurriedly prepared some herbal tea in the kitchen, trying to hurry as quickly as she could. Who knew how long it would take to get those awful stains out of her carpeting?! And all the dust Zelgadiss trudged in earlier...she knew it was going to be one of the those days for her old broom and dust bin. Years of clumsy handling with vases – thanks to certain, nameless demi-humans – had worn the poor cleaning supplies down.
Filia prayed silently that the chimera and the Mazoku didn't reduce her living room to ash. She knew that Zelgadiss probably had better restraint after all these years, but her doubts got the better of her as she balanced two trays on the counter for the tea.
Casting a worried glance at the parlor door, Filia sighed as she reached inside the cupboard above her to retrieve some cookies for her guests.
The Golden Dragon set the jar full of cookies on the counter, absentmindedly nibbling on one to ease her rattled nerves.
It wasn't so much Xelloss that bothered her......but of any unnecessary attention brought with the Mazoku's presence that troubled her. Over the years, the duty of having to raise Val into a fine dragon remained her number one priority, and so thoughts regarding that mischievous Mazoku remained in the back of her mind.
Cracking off a sizeable chunk of her cookie, Filia reminded herself of her growing suspicion of Xelloss making a visit at some point in Val's life. While she didn't know the reasons why, she knew it was most likely to report back some information to his master, Greater Beast Zelas Metallium.
A loud crack rang throughout the kitchen, and Filia, embarrassed with her lack of dignity, noticed she'd gotten crumbs all over her dress. She lightly brushed the tiny crumbs away, flushed and thankful no one had seen her lack of self-control.
Brushing that little incident aside, the Golden Dragon abruptly turned around when the tea kettle sounded, anxious to get back to her "guests" before any possible collateral damage ensued.
She poured the tea lightly into two matching porcelain cups, setting the plate of cookies at the center of the tray and in between the two tea cups. The Golden Dragon heaved in a deep breath, then daintily strode back into the living room. Before she reached the swinging door adjourning to the kitchen and the living room, a small, unnoticeable chunk of cookie fell off the tray and onto the spotless kitchen floor.
Filia's feet missed the cookie by mere centimeters, leaving it unharmed and virtually unknown. And yet, a small crack lay fragmented into the tasty trinket's center, eventually giving the small wedges more leeway to break the cookie into pieces as the day rolled by.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Five Minutes Before Filia Returned With the Tea*
Zelgadiss had certainly become a more patient man after the tribulations that occurred twenty years ago; he needed to resolve his firm belief that there was something that was capable of curing him out there. If anything happened that proved otherwise - that all his years of searching were all in vain – then he grimly decided on a final alternative: his death.
If, finally, after all these years the chimera discovered that there really wasn't anything out there that could cure him of his "condition," it would be as if Rezo had gotten the final laugh.
Chuckling gloomily to himself, Zelgadiss thought, "And what a cruel joke it was, Rezo. A freak of society; a monster wearing men's clothing; an appearance so repulsive I can't get close to anyone...Surely not even that girl would think of me in the same way now..." He paused in hi train of thought, unwittingly grasping one of the blue amulets hooked onto the canister around his hips. As Zelgadiss unknowingly continued his ministrations, Xelloss only looked on in feigned interest, eating up some of Zelgadiss' dark emotions.
As he had said before, Xelloss' plans on traveling to this barren town were purely secretive, as always. It was for his master's own interest that he travel to the town, observing and recording whatever information she had instructed him to find and gather. And while he was currently busy filing information he deemed useful to his master, he couldn't help but seem somewhat intrigued by Zelgadiss' plight.
Had Xelloss lied about something "interesting" lying within this rock- ridden town? In Xelloss' eyes, certainly not.
Of course, Xelloss held different perspectives than most people.
Deciding to break Zelgadiss out of his reverie, the Mazoku asked innocently, "So, Zelgadiss...how is that little princess in Seyruun doing now?" Irking Zelgadiss' patience was certainly more fun than sitting and drinking in his negative emotions; that was just tiring after too long.
The chimera's ears twitched slightly, his body stiffening at hearing that girl being mentioned. "I wouldn't know..." he ground out, a little venom in his voice.
"Ohhhhhhhh? And here I thought you two would've tied some sort of knot by now. I mean, if I recall correctly, she was rather smitten with you."
Zelgadiss tried regaining his calm composure from before. He remembered what Lina always lectured him about when it came to patience – try counting in your head or don't make a damn deal about it at all. Heh, Lina giving lessons in patience...
Pushing that matter aside, Zelgadiss turned the tables on Xelloss, saying, "So? Why were you so surprised when I came into Filia's shop not ten minutes ago. You knew I was coming here...and you knew I would go and see Filia about the town's minerals. What's your game, Xelloss?"
Wagging his finger playfully at the irate chimera, Xelloss responded matter- of-factly, "Why, my dear friend, you should know by now that that is a secret."
Turning the tables back on Zelgadiss' useless retort, the violet haired priest chided, "Besides, you didn't answer my question: what happened to our dear little 'Hero of Justice,' Amelia?"
Knowing he was losing the battle, Zelgadiss just sighed deeply, dropping the cerulean amulets from his rough hands. The two blue balls had cracked and gotten rougher over the years, which suited his rock hard hands perfectly.
"After the Dark Star incident, I considered going back to Seyruun with Amelia for a little bit. I was very...embarrassed about the whole situation. All that royalty really didn't suit me for the six weeks I stayed there."
"Oh? Six weeks? Why such a long stay?" Xelloss' interest piqued, if only a little.
"Seyruun is known as the White Magic Capital, so I was certain I could find something to cure me in the hundreds of libraries scattered throughout the kingdom. Amelia even lent to me the wisest clerics of Seyruun to help search as well, eventually coming along to help me herself when I didn't turn anything up. She was so kind to me, and vouched for my heroics to any peasant or nobleman who doubted me by my...appearance.
Because of this kindness, it drove me away as well. I...I started getting used to living in Seyruun, used to talking with Amelia and following her around when "Justice" was at stake. Even her father, prince Phil, grew on me. He may have smothered me by his presence at first, but I grew fond of him over time. "
Zelgadiss heaved another sigh. "I left after over a month, saying it was time I traveled to other countries to learn what I could about anything that could heal me. Amelia was sad at first, but she merely smiled and told me to take care on my journeys. To remember her, she gave me her two blue bracelets,"Zelgadiss held them out for Xelloss to look at, "and told me to uphold Justice whenever evil was afoot." The chimera stowed the jewels back onto his canister, looking at them fondly for a moment.
"But you haven't answered my question, Zelgadiss," Xelloss pressed. "What was the real reason why you left Seyruun?"
Zelgadiss' eyes sunk, the memory crushing him like a weight. "I was afraid I'd get too used to it there...that living there might cause me to actually want to stay. I can't have that. I'd be too much of a burden on Amelia if I did stay. Besides, would she ever really want me with the way I look?"
Xelloss shrugged. "When it comes to platonic relationships, I'm afraid I'm not the one to talk to. Perhaps you should try the dragon with the tea and cookies?"
Zelgadiss' gaze fell on the gaping dragon standing in the doorway, her eyes shining with glee at Zelgadiss' unspoken confession. Lina's Fire Balls were known to be brilliantly hued deep crimson, but Zelgadiss was quite positive his face couldn't get any redder.
Standing up and chuckling to himself, Xelloss tore open a portal to subspace with his cane, stepping through the fabric until only a portion was sticking out. "Well, this is so long for now. I'm sure we'll meet up again soon...Enjoy your stay Zelgadiss."
Realization dawning on him, Zelgadiss growled angrily, losing whatever self- control he had up until that point. Powering up a Val Flare, the chimera screamed, "XELLOSS!! You knew this would happen, didn't you?!"
Xelloss merely laughed heartily at the chimera's situation, disappearing behind the veil of the cut space. Zelgadiss, however, didn't seem to notice, as the spell kept powering up to ridiculous proportions. A large weight that landed on his head brought him back to reality, the spell disappearing into a small flash of sparks.
With all his strength, Zelgadiss turned around to face a very perturbed dragon, her mace digging deeply into his stone scalp. Removing her mace after she deemed him to be of a reasonable mind, Filia fixed her gaze sternly on the chimera, making him wince from his lack of self-control.
"No destructive tendencies are allowed in this shop. I wouldn't want my little Val to be exposed to that sort of again, hmm?"
Zelgadiss nodded however he could under the black mace. The heavy thing was, under the current circumstances, very persuasive.
Lifting the mace and slipping it back under her dress with great ease, Filia set the tray she had been expertly balancing onto the dining table. The dragon pulled out the chair across from Zelgadiss where Xelloss had been not too long ago, making sure her dress wouldn't be ruffled as she gracefully sat down.
The dragon stretched her arm out in a fluid movement, politely addressing that Zelgadiss sit down with her. The chimera sat down slowly, a little winded from Filia's mace attack – though he'd never personally admit to it. What with whatever pride he still valued, and all.
Filia poured the herbal tea into the two cups, again addressing him to take his cup and set it on the plate she'd set out for him. She offered him a cookie, but the chimera politely declined.
Taking a single sip from her tea, Filia finally stared at Zelgadiss with a scrutinizing glare, of which the chimera stiffened a little, worried she'd berate him for almost blowing away half her living room. This changed however, as her glare transformed into a gentle smile, causing Zelgadiss some great confusion.
"Now then," Filia started, "why don't you tell me all about what's happened."
Hesitant at first, Zelgadiss chatted with Filia for the remainder of the afternoon, relieved to finally regale the feelings he'd hidden and locked away for so long; to tell someone of the hits and misses he'd made throughout his journeys. A deep friendship sparked that night, one of mutual intelligence and uncertainty, of hardships and good times.
Zelgadiss was certain his premonition of the day was correct. It was, to be fair, quite long and grating, but it's always at the end of the day when the promise of a new day breaks through the lonely nights. Zelgadiss knew it was corny, but after this night, he was certain that that phrase rung true.
It had certainly been a long day.
***************************************************************************
A/N: Whew!!!!! That was a long chappie to write. Took me about almost a month. School work, me sister, and work in general prevented that, but the third chapter is finally here. Just so you know, this is not an ending. There will be another chapter that ties up why Filia and Zelgadiss have been acting so strangely, as well as what happens with the – currently off- screen – adventurers Lina, Naga, and especially Amelia. And what of Xelloss, Sylphiel and Gourry as well? What's going on with them? All shall be revealed, in the next exciting chapter.
PS: Diana, hope you don't hate me fer referencing yuir Mazoku article. It was just so good and poignant, so I included a link as well.
PPS: Give me some feedback on any possible couplings. I'd be happy to consider some for the final chapter, but there are no guarantees I will use them or agree with them. However, any personal suggestions are welcome ^^
Leave some reviews, peeps^^ That's what keeps me energy going...that and some ramen noodles too.