Chapter 15: The Long Road Ahead

Zelgadis kicked a rock that lay in the path as he walked, his hood and mask on once again. His eyes stared at the path he was walking upon, and Amelia was walking a few feet behind him. They'd both been silent since they'd gotten up that morning, and their journey seemed more unbearable each second.

It was midday, the sun high in the beautiful clear blue sky, but neither made a single comment about how it was a beautiful day, since there was a cool breeze. Amelia looked up and took in her surroundings; trees were lined up to her right, while there were a few trees and green, rolling plains at her left. She didn't plan to talk to the chimera in front of her, and was glad that he didn't try to either. The air was fresh and sweet, and on any other day she would've noticed it, but today she was too absorbed with her thoughts.

Every now and then Zelgadis would stop walking and listen for Amelia's footsteps, just to make sure she was following. But he never turned around to look at her. And each time he stopped, Amelia would glare up at him, thinking about how she couldn't wait to get back to Saillune so that she'd never have to see him again. But something in the back of her mind argued with her. That isn't very just of me to think. He is my friend, after all, she thought to herself. Was my friend, another part of her mind corrected.

The day passed slowly, and they still hadn't said a word. They stopped as they came to a small lake, surrounded by trees. Zelgadis unpacked in a clearing not too far away from the lake. Without saying a word, Amelia took a blanket that Zelgadis had bought before they left the small town, and walked away into the trees. Zelgadis didn't even bother looking up, knowing that she wouldn't run away, and that she would be back.

He lay down on his blanket which he would use as a bed for the night, looking past up at the night sky. He felt restless, his mind going through a conflict. Amelia must hate me now…not that I care. She probably only felt pity for me, and never really a true friendship. He was mad at her, but something at the back of his mind argued with him. That he was really mad at himself for what had happened the night before. He sighed and got up, not wanting to dwell on his thoughts anymore. He'd been doing that all day.

He took off his beige cape and let it fall to the ground, and took out his sword. Sparring should help clear my mind, he thought to himself. But he knew it hadn't worked the last time he tried to clear his head by sparring, and so it wouldn't work this time either.

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Mist hovered lazily over the surface of the clear and still lake, its blue crystal water looking serene and peaceful. A few leaves that had flown off the surrounding trees were floating gently on the glass-like surface of the small lake.

Amelia sighed, taking in the rugged beauty that nature had created. For a moment, she forgot about everything that troubled her mind. The grass felt soft beneath her feet, and the scenery around her was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. There was a light breeze, and the leaves on the surrounding trees swayed as if dancing to a sweet melody the wind carried.

It looked like a painted picture; the soft glow of the moonlight reflecting and bouncing off of the still surface. She could also see stars twinkling as the dark night sky and canopy of trees above were reflected off the surface. The trees, swaying in the light breeze, surrounding the peaceful lake, along with the soft grass and tiny white flowers that were scattered here and there, were all breathtaking.

She pried her eyes off of the small lake to take a moment to look around her, making sure that she was alone, before she stripped herself of her clothing. She let her blue dress fall to her ankles before she stepped out and folded it neatly, placing it on the ground. She took the towel and wrapped it around herself, before she gingerly tested the small lake's clear blue water with her toe.

She stepped back, noticing it was too cold, and cast a small fireball. Immediately, steam rose from the surface, making the scenery she stood in even more breathtaking than before. She walked into the small lake, the spa-like water soothing as she bathed in it. This should get him out of my mind, she thought, resting her head against the edge of the bank. I don't want to think about him right now…I just want to think about father…and my home…

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"I want to be stronger!" the boy said, swinging his sword violently around, sparring by himself. His hair was a blue-lavender, trees and moss-covered rocks surrounding him as he practiced. He heard that distinct sound, almost like a chime, and immediately knew who it was.

"So, you want to be stronger?" The man with dark purple hair asked, his red robes bright against the subtle green around him. In his hand he held his staff, and with unseeing eyes he moved closer to the boy. Yes, the boy thought, a gleam of hope in his eyes. I want to be stronger!

Suddenly, the boy screamed in pain as he felt his whole being change, morph…a moment ago he'd been excited, knowing that he would be able to get stronger, but now he felt as if he'd die…

Zelgadis woke up, sweating, and his eyes looked around frantically. He sighed when he remembered where he was, the fire he had made still crackling brightly. He covered his face with his hands, thinking about his dream…no, his nightmare.

I can't believe I still have this dream, he thought, sitting by himself in the darkness. Images flashed before his mind; when he was a boy, others had picked on him, because he had been mostly quiet. His desire to be stronger grew each day, and he tried to fight back whenever he could. Zel shook his head of those images, and new ones appeared. Amelia, smiling up at him almost three years ago, and Amelia glaring at him only the night before, with…anger? Or was it hate? Probably hate, he thought to himself, sinking into a deep depression once again. As soon as I get rid of her, I'll be able to continue the search for my cure…He stopped himself, and thought back to what Amelia had said to him. "All you think about is that stupid cure of yours…"

Zelgadis sighed. Maybe she's right, he thought to himself. All I ever seem to think about is my cure. It's supposed to help me, help me with the way I feel, with the way that others feel about me. But…all it does is destroy everything…it's not helping, it's making my situation worse. Amelia is right…the cure is making me as blind as Rezo was…The thought of Rezo made him feel anger towards his great grandfather, but he sighed, realizing that he was on the same path as that man he loathed so much.

"You've been too busy with that stupid cure of yours to even notice that I considered you a friend…" Amelia's voice echoed in his mind. Maybe you're right, Amelia…maybe you're right…

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Images poured into her mind…those same images that kept coming back. No…please…stop! She screamed as those images flooded her mind…images of her mother, dead, of the blood surrounding her, of her sister, yelling and screaming and running away…the images seemed too fresh, too vivid in her mind. No…please…she begged to someone invisible. Make it stop!

But now she had new pictures form in her mind; things she had never seen before. She saw her father, in the place where her mother had been. In her mind she screamed, before more images popped into her head. Lina, Shylphiel, Gourry, Filia, Xellos…even little Val…dead…blood surrounded them in a dark chamber she had never seen before. A high, mocking laughter filled her ears. STOP IT!!! Her mind shrieked. She didn't want to see any of it…she couldn't bare to see any of it.

And then the images blurred, and were slowly replaced. She found herself looking through a whole in a dark wall, and could see the one person she hated the most…Zelgadis. But her anger immediately faded away as she saw him, helpless, on the floor, trying to crawl. And around him, she could see an ocean of his blood. She screamed his name, pounded against the wall, trying to reach him, trying to save him.

"Why?!" she sobbed, her pitiful form curled up into a ball against the cold black wall. "Why does it always happen? Why do they leave me like that…why? I don't want them to die…I don't want any of them to suffer!"

Her father's image filled her mind again, and she saw him on the floor, unmoving. She stood and tried to run, but he just got farther and farther. "DADDY!!!!" She shrieked, her knees buckling beneath her as she helplessly cried. "No father…" she whispered silently, holding herself and rocking back and forth. "You promised you wouldn't leave me…that I'd never be alone. You promised you'd always be there for me!"

She remembered her mother's funeral, when he had taken her into his arms and held her close, whispering those same words. And then she remembered the time when she had gone back to Saillune, and had thought her father was dead. She remembered the words she had said over and over again…"No! He'd never leave me! He wouldn't leave me here by myself!!" She screamed, and woke up, her eyes only seeing blue around her.

She breathed in, only to fill her mouth and lungs with more water. She struggled, her hands flailing to reach the surface. The water felt cold again, chilling her to her bones. She kicked her feet mercilessly, trying to reach the surface of the small lake. She held her breath, and felt herself weaken. Maybe I should stop fighting…she thought to herself as she vainly struggled. But those images flashed before her eyes again, and she struggled with all her might.

She broke through the glass-like surface of the small lake, and struggled to reach the bank again. She held on tightly, trying to remember what had happened. I was relaxing in the lake…and I must've fallen asleep. And then, in my nightmare, I must've kicked and moved away from the bank, and…and…I almost…drowned… The thought scared her, sent a shiver down her spine that she knew didn't come from the cold water she was in. The water's already cold…I must've been here for a while…

She got up out of the small lake, and tried to block what had happened out of her mind. That was the second time she had thought she would die since she was kidnapped…she shuddered at the thought, and didn't want to think about it anymore. She dried herself off, pulled back on her clothes, and walked back through the dense trees to the camp Zelgadis had made.

Zelgadis had gone back to sleep, not even noticing that Amelia still wasn't back before he felt his head hit the makeshift pillow he'd made for himself. Amelia looked at him, sleeping on the opposite side of the billowing fire that he had fed before he had gone back to sleep. For a moment her anger towards him wavered; he looked so peaceful and vulnerable while he slept. She found that he had made her a place to sleep while she had been gone, and felt a bit grateful, because she was completely worn out. She slipped into her makeshift bed, and pulled her brown blanket closer around her. The brown blanket seemed to give her heat and comfort, and she looked at the fire beside her before she closed her eyes. A few seconds later she was fast asleep, and in the morning when she woke up, she couldn't remember what had happened and what had almost happened the night before in the seemingly pleasant and peaceful lake a short distance away.

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*A/N: Yipes! I found this chapter to be quite odd, also! SO, what do you think about this chapter? Now, was what happened to Amelia just an accident, or not?? *cackles* Well, only I know the answer to that! Sorry if this chapter seems rushed, since it sorta was. I wanted to finish it before I go out, so that when I come back I'll have more reviews! ^^ Oh, and sorry if this chapter is short, but I had to get it done!!

Thankies to MoroTheWolfGod, Winged Dancer, KellyChan, Minimerc, destructive sorceress, Digi-riven, and Filia Metallium for reviewing! I'm gonna engrave your profiles in a mountain! *grins* Well, maybe…

And to Moro…I dunno if I'm gonna go into his past a lot. I've been thinking about it, but I'm not too sure about his past. There are a lot of rumours and stuff going around, so I don't know how much of it is real. Maybe someone can help me here…please? I just need to know about what everyone is supposed to know about his past…does that even make sense? Ah well…

Anyways, don't count on Ame forgiving Zel too soon…she's still a bit mad ^^ I love doing this to them! Anyways, read and review! Till next time…TOODLES! -Vivi