Thank you very much to all my reviewers especially Amaterasu whose comments were very informative, I hope that this fic continues to rank highly with you as it reaches its climactic conclusion... or is it?

The Status Quo

Chapter Three: Outcome! Blood and Loss

Zellas, the great and powerful Master of all Beasts, quietly awaited the deadline she herself had set. Her foot tapped slightly against the rock floor. To Xellos its gentle clanging seemed to get louder and louder counting down each second that passed drawing ever closer toward a pivotal moment. The sky over their mountainous home, which was plagued by almost constant storms seemed to clear on this day. As if heaven itself was crying out for this heinous act to cease.

He stood at attention in front of her as she had instructed him to so many hours ago. He gazed around from his master's serene seemingly bored features, to Snowy as she pranced merrily about on all fours counting out the hours left until that "Golden Dragon bitch was going to die" in a jovial manner, to his own features in a mirror that hung to the left of the cave from where he was. They showed what he wanted the world to see at this moment, a handsome Mazoku of slightly smallish build that remained without the ability to express any kind of emotion, his pale yellow eyes were a testament to this nature.

The hours slowly ticked by until the final moment had elapsed and Lord Beastmaster halted her relentless tapping. She unfolded her arms as she stood from her throne, her full brown cloak parted to reveal that she was carrying two swords with her. The short Dragon Slaying Remure, and the broad Demon Slaying Voirlendi.

Xellos noticed her movement assuming the position he had become accustomed to after so many centuries under her. She approached his bowed form stopping just before him, "stand Xellos"

He did as he was told meeting her merciless gaze. Snowy stood next to her joyfully wagging her tail. "Do you know what you are to do today, Xellos?"

"hai, my master"

"good" her smile shifted to a smirk as she answered, "I trust you will put your heart into it... or perhaps I should say leave none of your heart in it" she finished with a deadly chuckle

"hai, my master" he bowed slightly before turning to leave

He heard a bark behind him of 'wait!' as he excited Zellas's chamber, he turned to see Snowy's swift padding strides behind him. She looked highly agitated, "Xellos...umm...when you get back I have something important I want to tell you, so I'll wait till you get back, ok?"

Xellos leaned down and patted her on her pure white wolfish head, "alright Snowy when I get back" his voice was its classic Xellos self a slight smile on his face. Snowy was so filled with joy at this moment that she almost ran into a wall as she bolted back to her room, "I'll be able to tell him! And since that Dragon will be dead we can be together for eternity!" she yelped with joy.

Xellos's features quickly changed as he walked away from the wolf he considered a little sister, they were now serious. He walked a few more feat before slowly phasing from the dark caves through the astral plane.

Zellas still stood within her chamber, she waited until both Snowy and Xellos had gone before speaking, "Na, Ra, Ku, come out" three Mazoku appeared from the shadows of her chamber. They kneeled before her, "hai, my master" they replied in unison.

"I have ordered Xellos to slay the Golden Dragon, you have been following him for some time and know the one in which I speak?"

"hai my master"

"Be sure that he completes his mission, if he should fail or choose to fail, kill him"

The three looked surprised for a moment sharing apprehensive looks at their assignment. "Hai my master!" they responded louder so to mask their own fear. "good..." Zellas's wicked smile returned as she watched her minions revert to the shadows and then disappear to the astral plane. Zellas sat in her throne pulling another cigarette from her person, lighting it easily with a scrap of her aura. She took a long drag on it casually blowing the smoke into the air, "It's all up to you now Xellos" It's all up to you...

Filia stood in her full priestess gown accompanied by all the flair and circumstance, her hair tied up in an ornamental fashion. The sun had reached its zenith in the sky, it was now noon. "If I'm going to die, at least I'm going to die looking good" the words came confidently from her as she stood on the same road she and Xellos had walked through just one day ago. "This feels so strange" she thought as she stood feeling the breeze blow past her, "At least it's a nice day" she couldn't help but laugh at her own wry humor at this point.

It was then that she noticed a figure walking toward her his purple hair and staff were instantly recognizable. His jovial features were the first thing she noted, she couldn't help but smile too, "Hey Xellos! Nice day to kill me isn't it?" I should at least not give him a meal out of this...

"Yes, it is a very nice day Filia" he responded equally as jovially, he stopped a few yards away from her. Xellos looked around, "So where's Val?"

Filia couldn't help but get flustered at his mentioning of her son, "Not like I would tell you, but he is in a very safe place"

Xellos opened his eyes, "that's good" an awkward moment followed, "I don't want it to be too easy to finish this" he concluded smiling as he brought his staff to the fore, "I wish you hadn't put your hair up it's so much better down"

"You don't deserve my best"

"it makes me sad to hear that"

Xellos put his staff down lowering his head for a few seconds his aura flared around him, his staff glowed darkly. He raised his head looking directly into her eyes, "Goodbye, I hope the world to come is less cruel"

He phased so that he was directly in front of her raising his staff high, Filia couldn't stand to watch her final moments so she closed her eyes...

She felt the cutting force blow through her, past her. Blood rolled down her, she fell to the ground staring through her closed eyes.

"Filia..." she could hear Xellos speak in a serious voice

"what?"

"Filia..you can open your eyes now"

"And see what?! You killing me, my life disappearing, my never being able to see Val grow up!"

She broke her reverie as she felt herself being lifted to her feet. She opened her eyes to see Xellos standing in front of her holding her arm. She could feel blood on her back and turned to see a Mazoku cut clean in half behind her. She turned back to see Xellos's smiling face, "Xellos?" was all she could question weakly. "Oh don't look so shocked, Fi-chan" And that goes for you (readers) too...

Filia felt a strange mix of confusion and joy. "Xellos, what's going on?!"

"I'll explain later" he replied as he began to drag her forward down the road, he let go as she began running with him. A large ax wielding Mazoku appeared a ways down the road, "Xellos what did you do to Na?" he stood in the middle of the road blocking their way, "sorry Ra, I'm afraid you will no longer be able to phonetically spell 'hell' anymore" his jovial voice returned at that moment, "Damn you Xellos!" the Mazoku raised his ax high over his head, but Xellos was faster. Simply raising his hand out in front of him Xellos cast out his dark aura that had suddenly flared up around him. Ra was completely obliterated in the blast. Filia was astounded at the power that was coming from Xellos, "but then again he was responsible for the death of an entire Golden Dragon clan many years ago" she reminded herself before continuing to follow him down the road into town. Ku was watching from a distant vantage point in the air above, deciding that discretion was more important than family ties.

Filia and Xellos reached the crossroads in the center of town where all roads met, a beautiful figure stood there clad in a brown cloak waiting for them. Xellos stopped immediately holding out his arm so that Filia would do the same. Filia watched the figure before her feeling a great fear well within her at the mere sense of her aura. Xellos stood his ground while staring into her gray eyes, her predatory smile which lingered even now. "Well, Xellos I never thought you would go this far to betray me" her voice remained pleasant not a trace of threat

He put his hand behind his head laughing nervously for a short period as he always did when he feared angering her. He stopped after a few seconds before answering, "I'm just trying to maintain the status quo, Lord Beastmaster" was what he said.

"Honestly Xellos do you really love this dragon so much that you would sacrifice all that I have given you?" her question achieved a different reaction from both members involved.

Filia reacted by hesitantly looking at Xellos, his features had become instantly serious. "Xellos? In love with me?" was all she could think as the blush reached her entire face. Xellos faced his master, his eyes open all traces of joviality gone, "I...actually" he stammered slightly, "yes?, yes?" was all Filia could think. She suddenly felt his hand entwine itself in hers. "I..." it was as if he was struggling to get the words out...

Suddenly his eyes closed and his head cocked to the side, "Sore wa himitsu desu!" was all he said as he and Filia were engulfed in darkness and disappeared. Zellas smiled looking for a moment at the place where they had been, before disappearing herself.

For Filia it was one of the strangest experiences in her life, it felt like flying through an endless darkness with no way up or down. It felt suffocating as if she was being squeezed on all sides by some invisible force. She could do nothing but squeeze tighter the hand which held her on course. The darkness lifted all around her as they reappeared in the physical world, she felt weak and consequently fell to the grass. "Are you alright Filia?" she heard Xellos ask his voice held some concern in it. "Oh I'm just fine" she said standing up before continuing, "I come to a road where you say your going to kill me and then you don't, then I am running with you and you kill another Mazoku, and then we meet the Lord of all Beasts right in the middle of a cozy little town I like very much, my life is just fine!" she exclaimed in frustration rounding on Xellos, "what the hell is going on?!"

Xellos was taken aback, "I said I would tell you all about it later" he began to run down a dusty path, "Now is later!" she screamed at him, "don't you think its more important we get to Val before Lord Beastmaster does?"

Filia was taken aback, "oh right" she had been so wrapped up in the events she had lost track of the rest. "Don't worry about Val I got him to a very safe place at the edge of town" she responded confidently

Xellos looked relieved, "that's good, so that would mean he's in a shrine surrounded by Demon wards and white magic glyphs"

Filia turned her head down a little, Xellos began to look a little worried, "please tell me you at least put in an Astral Ward?"

She looked a little in the other direction, Xellos sighed, "I hope that you didn't just give him to a friend to hang onto for awhile"

"well its not like you gave me a lot of time!" she retorted

"well, I hope she isn't a really good friend" Xellos commented angering Filia, but worrying her moreso. "Did I do the right thing?" raced through her mind, "Of course I did there was not enough time to do anything else" Or was there?...

"So where is this place exactly?" Xellos's voice broke her mental indecision. She examined the surroundings, "we should almost be there now, its a cabin over that next hill"

Xellos looked shocked and slightly irritated, "This close? Why didn't you just teleport somewhere where he might have some protection like with Lina or in Saillune?" he berated her but he was also berating himself, "I didn't give her enough time, but with master..ehr...Lord Beastmaster watching my every move I couldn't risk it" I should have done something more...

The house appeared as they crested a large hill to see it tucked away in a valley. It lessened their collective fear and apprehension to see that it was unharmed. They reached the front only to stare through the open door and find the inside wrecked, "MERRI!" Filia screamed as she saw her body lying in a pool of blood on the ground of the kitchen, "Filia wait!" Xellos screamed trying to stop her, but it was too late she had already entered the house. Xellos shook his head as he entered the house behind her, she had kneeled down and was cradling the body of her dear friend. Merri's eyes opened slightly, Filia's face light up, She was still alive!

"Don't worry Merri, I'll heal you better than new" she began a healing spell before Merri stopped her, "Filia, it's...too late...I h...aave to...tell you" her voice became lower, "they took...Val..they took...him..and I...I couldn't...stop them"

"who took him?" Filia said urgently tears welling in her eyes, but it was too late. Merri let out one more shuddering breath and fell limp into her hands. "Merri? Merri! MERRI!" she screamed as she shook the body of her friend. Xellos stared at her as the tears began to flow unchecked from her. He leaned down putting his arm around her as she leaned into his chest for support as she cried all that she could...

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Chapter Three: Outcome! Blood and Loss

Sorry for the shortness of this one, If I were to go on this chapter would likely never end... but don't worry I should be able to update soon :)

Well there it is, there Filia is alive and now Val is gone, but who took him? And what is the secret that still lies deep within Xellos? and most importantly, Why did Zellas want Val so badly?

Next up! Chapter Four: Toward The Sea We Go!