The Status Quo

Chapter Nine: Blood

The world around a small oak was shrouded in night. Two figures lay against the trunk, a small boy and a middle aged woman. A full moon shone proudly in the sky, its light basking all things in a surreal glow. The two were wrapped in a small tattered red blanket that the woman wrapped securely around the boy. He turned to look at her through pale yellow eyes, his purple hair shimmering in the moonlight. She gazed back at him, her blue eyes reflecting the pure light of the moon.

A kind of haze filled this world, the woman spoke but her words seemed muddled. Her face looked as though she were trying desperately to hold back tears. The boy gazed up at her still, responding with a single word... hai

The woman let out a shuddering cry enveloping the child in a hug, tears fell freely from her eyes. The child embraced her back trying to be as comforting as he could, tadashi...

In the darkness of an instant the scene changed, a scream shattered the night, IKITE!

"Ahhh!" Xellos awoke with a start

He sat up on a bed breathing heavily. He stared around the room panicked for a few moments before settling down enough to think properly again. He still breathed heavily for a moment, "heh...hehhh...why am I dreaming this again?" his eyes were tightly shut as he tried to drive back the memory that still blazed in his mind. He shook his head swiftly, "where am I...?" he fell back down on the pillow, he held a hand to his head that still throbbed slightly.

It was then that he noticed the many blood stains that adorned his normally white gloves. A combination smile/growl surfaced on his face, "oh right...that" how could that have happened...

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Xellos stared out into the clear afternoon, a young man stood before them. One of many breezes blew through the hills of this endless field. The cool tendrils of moving air ruffled his short ice blue hair, billowing his equally blue cloak. Lord Dynast Grauchera, Lord of the North, Lord of Ice and Snow stood before them on an adjacent hill.

Xellos's eyes narrowed, "how can you believe what you're saying?"

"I can believe it because it is true... you and Zellas are responsible for the kidnapping of the ancient dragon..."

"you keep saying that, but you haven't yet offered us any proof..."

Dynast walked closer toward them, "It is obvious, you have already gained unfettered access to Lady Deep Sea Dolphin, and now you will likely receive such a privilege in the realm of the dragons under the guise of this search... it is a plan only Zellas could concoct..."

Xellos almost facefauted, "you have really been cooped up in the snow too long Lord Dynast..." he took a step back grabbing Filia's hand. Feeling his hand on hers she turned looking at him questioningly.

"I would love to play with you more Lord Dynast, but time is of the essence..."

Xellos stood jovially next to Filia as Dynast stood a few yards away... "sayonara" he waved lightly with his free hand...

Birds sang in some far off tree, the sun remained shining in the cloudless sky, and Xellos and Filia remained standing exactly where they were.

"are?" Xellos's expression went blank as he tried again concentrating harder, but nothing happened...

"What's wrong?"

"I can't..."

"you didn't think I would come to gather information if you could just run away"

Xellos looked down at Dynast who stood below them a confident smile on his face, "I have been preparing for this moment..." All around them large crystals of ice appeared, some held glowing runes within them that radiated fantastic power, "with these in place you will be unable to escape, now..."

Dynast appeared next to them, "tell me the whereabouts of the ancient dragon..."

Xellos glared at the mazoku lord standing before him. He glanced over at Filia whose hand he still held.

Filia felt a light squeeze on her hand, she turned from Dynast to look at Xellos. She saw him smile jovially for a moment before she felt herself being thrust to the side. She screamed landing a short distance away. "Xellos!" she turned to see a battle beginning before her...

A flash of light erupted from Xellos as he shot forth a wave of red energy at Dynast who merely held out his hand. A light blue aura surrounded him which completely blocked the blast. In an instant Dynast was bearing down on Xellos his sword clashing against his staff. The two forced against each other gritting against the ground, "I want to know Xellos... don't force me to do the unreasonable, even I can't communicate with the dead..."

"yare..yare.." Xellos voice strained under the force of the sword that pressed against his staff, "It doesn't have to go that far... I only need a warm breeze" his jovial nature continued to persist as he pushed with all his strength forcing Dynast to jump back from the swing.

Dynast stared calmly at his adversary, "In which case I will be forced to use more forceful measures..."

Filia stood watching the fight her heart pounding, I swear if he dies this time I'm going to kill him!

She could feel the energy in the air, Xellos emitted a malicious warm glow, while Dynast hid the majority of his chilling aura. Filia stared at him as she tried to order her thoughts as to what was really going on... There's no way Xellos is behind this... of this she was sure...but then again...

Filia was startled when she noticed Dynast's gaze on her. Xellos seemed to follow his line of sight.

His eyes widened, "Dame!" but it was too late...

Dynast appeared in front of Filia she couldn't move, her body temporarily frozen. He grabbed her by the neck lifting her from the ground, all that could be heard was her gasping for air.

Xellos appeared above him raising his staff high he brought it down as hard as he could...

The staff cut into Dynast's hand as he held it at bay, a bright flash of blue aura and Xellos was repulsed back. He fell to the ground a few yards away.

Filia struggled to remove his hand from her neck. Dynast continued to hold her as his concentration returned to her, his cold gray eyes staring into her own.

I..I...can't..breathe...going...to pass out. The darkness was gathering on the edges of her vision, she was at the very point before collapsing. She barely felt the breeze as the hand loosened on her neck and she was cast to the side like a doll. The contact with the ground snapped her back into reality as she greedily gulped down air.

Xellos stood as he witnessed Filia being thrown to the ground. His head bowed slightly his hair began to wave upward as if caught up in a breeze.

Dynast turned to see a bright aura surround him, his head shot up...

"EienVualFier!"

The bright aura around him burst into flame, it shot forward toward Dynast clearing the distance between them in an instant. Xellos smirked as he watched Dynast engulfed in flames. He appeared next to Filia...

She lay still breathing heavily, Xellos helped her to her feet. "That won't hold him for long, we should escape while we can" his jovial voice returned as he slung an arm over his shoulder. They had barely walked a few paces before they witnessed a sword piercing the flames. In an instant a swirl of blue aura flash froze the flames, steam shrouded the field.

The two struggled onward through the cloud as it rose around them. Xellos stopped suddenly kneeling down to the ground, his staff clattered to the ground. Filia turned to him as he clutched his sides, "Xellos! What's wrong?"

He turned to her frantically, "Get away!"

He pushed her away as the last of the steam thinned from the field. She collapsed to the ground a short distance away. She turned in time to see his entire body become completely locked in ice up to his head.

"Xellos!" she clasped her hands to her chest, "Val..Xen..Zi...Rel..Shi...Va...ahhhhahaha!" electricity shot through her body as the cold chill of ice forming from the tips of her toes upward consumed her senses. She screamed out in pain as she was frozen in place up to her head . A few yards away a blue magic symbol dissipated around Dynast. He raised a hand before him as the ice blocks of Xellos and Filia rose from the ground, floating a few feet above the ground. They faced his cold gray expression that was now tinged with the slightest hint of a smile...

Xellos glared at Dynast his features exuding all the dark emotion he could muster. Dynast stared back, "It must be so aggravating for you Xellos, to be able to do so much alone and yet be held back by the presence of this golden dragon..."

Xellos smirked, "that doesn't mean I can't break out of this ice easily..." the same red aura flared around him, he grit his teeth struggling against the ice...

"nani?" the ice glowed with his aura, flaring in the same red as his and only seeming to get stronger.

"I thought you would particularly enjoy my imprisonment, it is able to absorb your aura as if it were an extension of your body, which means no matter the type of spell you choose it will merely be absorbed..." he turned to Filia, "The ice that covers you is also quite special, it reacts whenever the Words of the Gods are spoken, as you may have already noticed..."

He walked to a spot a dozen yards away in between Xellos and Filia as they both attempted to break free of their icy bonds. "Now..."

He raised his hand a moment snapping his fingers together. A large spike of ice formed above him, it glowed with the same deadly blue aura. "The choice is very simple, one of you can tell me what I wish to know, or one of you can die..."

"We already told you we don't know where Val is! We are trying to find him!" Filia blurted out as she managed to force a small shaving of ice from her covering.

"I have told you that I do not believe you capable of his kidnapping, however you will serve my purposes well..." the large spike pointed directly at Filia as she stared down what could very well be her death at any moment.

"How about it Xellos? I don't know about the wolves of your home, but the ones under my control would rather die than see their mates harmed.. what will it be?"

Xellos glared at him, "I would rather..."

Filia glanced one eye over to him, What?! What are you going to do!? Please I don't want to die! I don't want to never see Val again!

Her eyes were tightly shut as tears welled in them...

"I would rather find Val, even if I died..."

Filia's eyes shot open as she stared at him staring at her, for that moment time seemed to stop...

Lord Dynast stood before Filia, "nareba... sayonara" his hand shot forward... the spike flew through the air straight toward Filia...

She watched death flying toward her, it spun rapidly and in the instant of that one moment her entire life seemed to flow before her. Points in time from long ago to the very recent... she saw herself enjoying her time with her son. The times when Xellos was there, the times he wasn't and she wished he was, the times when she wished he wasn't... Xellos...

A bright flash of light graced her vision as she turned to see Xellos glowing in a bright red aura. As the last feet of distance was being crossed, at the last moment of the near infinite instance in time between one's beginning and one's end, the ice surrounding Xellos shattered as he burst from it. He appeared in front of Filia, her entire vision encompassed by his form.

A moment before impact a flash of white light contacted the ice, it shattered into many pieces. The largest of them slammed through Xellos's right arm, it deflected from there breaking a large chunk from Filia's ice enclosure.

The moment was now over... Xellos fell to the ground before Filia. She managed to break one arm free, staring down at his limp form.

"Xellos!" she stared back at Dynast, "Kisama!" she grit her teeth in anger, however she was puzzled by his expression. It showed complete surprise and shock as he stared at the ground beneath her. She saw Xellos lying in a pool of... blood, his arm had been severed almost completely. He struggled to get up, sitting he stared at his blood soaked glove in shock...

"Xellos!" Filia screamed, breaking further from the ice, "Vir...Za...Il...aahahahahaggg" the electricity ran through her, "Van....Tir...ZZZZil...Allllllt" the electricity struck her stronger, it ran through her, it was so painful..."Quere!"

A bright flash of light emanated from her, it completely covered both of them, and in an instant they were gone...

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Xellos stirred from his thoughts as he felt something brush against his leg. He took a close look through the dim light of the room to see that Filia was laying against the bed. She had moved her arm in her sleep and it now lay against his leg. Xellos appeared quietly behind her, "I'm surprised I didn't wake you up, sleepy little dragon..." he whispered with his usual jovial voice. A peek from this angle through the curtained windows revealed that it was still the late afternoon. Xellos stared down at Filia as he draped his repaired cloak over her... he took a step back watching her sleep. His hand clenched at his side as he stared down at her, he unconsciously growled as he thought of the incident with Dynast, How dare he try too hurt Filia! I'll kill him!

His eyes shot open wide, he turned and ran toward the dresser. Gazing into the mirror he sighed at the sight of his own reflection that still portrayed a demon, his eyes the same pale yellow, yokata, I'm still me...

He held out his hand and in an instant his staff appeared before him. He grasped it as he walked through the door, leaving the sparse gray room behind and a sleeping Filia to sleep. Walking down a hallway he quickly reached a set of stairs leading to the ground level of the inn. He had walked down them only halfway before he noticed a figure in the kitchen. He sighed as he remembered their arrival in this place, and the owner of the bright orange hair that shined in the waning light of the sun...

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

A deserted street of some town sat in the stillness of the early afternoon light. The wind picked up for a moment whipping the tall grasses and bushes of the area into a frenzy. The wind subsided as a flash of bright light filled the area, two figures appearing at the zenith of its intensity. The light fades to nothing as two bodies fall to the ground...

Filia was first to stand shakily finding her balance once more. Xellos lay as his wound continued to freely pour blood, covering much of his normally pristine clothing. She helped him to his feet as they began to walk forward into this small town.

"arigato...Fi-chan...this shouldn't...hurt so much..." this is too embarrassing...

Filia didn't say anything as they walked, she merely gazed at him nervously... Mazoku don't bleed... How is this possible!?

A few yards down the road a villager appeared atop a hill walking the opposite direction down the hill.

"Excuse me! We need help!" Filia screamed as Xellos suddenly buckled coughing. A small trickle of blood forming from the side of his mouth. It became apparent that a piece of the shard had slammed into his chest as well...

The man ran over toward them as quickly as he could, "what is the problem?" he took one quick look at Xellos before it became clear. His voice became panicky, "I'm sorry, but I don't know any healing magic, or any other sort of medical treatment for that matter..."

"Is there a doctor nearby?"

The man shook his head, "No, I'm terribly sorry, but we are a small town and our doctor is busy treating patients elsewhere..."

Filia looked around frantically, "then what should we do!"

The man looked at the ground for a moment, "there is one other option, however..."

"What is it? We'll do anything!"

The man looked as if what it was was the last thing he wanted to say, "I wouldn't recommend it, but seeing the desperation your in you could try the Demon Lady staying at the inn a short way down the road..."

"alright then! Thank you!"

The two ran as fast as they could down the road. The building of the inn already becoming visible to them. It was a small two story house of sorts, with a patio, and an expansive garden in the front. The two limped through the dusty entrance to the garden. They walked forward until a person working in the garden became visible. They were only a few yards away from her now.

"excuse me!" Filia called out to the girl who turned her head to see them.

"we're looking for the...the...De..." specifically for the moment where too people meet after a long time apart time stopped. The kneeled figure before her was the grubby pant and tunic wearing, hair double braided, gloved weed pulling identical version of Lina Inverse.

"Filia?" she dropped the weeds she was holding standing for a better look, "Filia! It's been awhile!" she moved closer before fully recognizing the person whose arm was slung around Filia. Her demeanor changed quickly, "And Xellos... what are you two doing together?" she folded her in front of her practically glaring at the mazoku.

"ahaha, forgive me for not waving, but I seem to be bleeding quite a bit for some reason..."

Lina looked unphased, "so? It's not like it's going to kill you, but then again..."

Filia stepped forward, "Lina, can you heal Xellos?"

Lina couldn't help but stare into those pleadingly sincere eyes, she sighed, "sure, but I'm not doing it for him... come on"

They walked through the open door of the inn, down a hallway and up the stairs. An elderly woman called after them, "Lina-san try not to get blood all over the carpet!"

"hai obasan, I'll try!"

They reached room number 3 down the short hallway from the stairs. Lina pulled out a key from a pocket of her shabby pants sliding it into the lock. The door swung open revealing a very depressing room. It's walls and ceiling were painted entirely gray, while the floor was carpeted in a kind of dark brown. The curtain was pulled down all the way allowing for very little light to enter.

"this was my room for a little while..." Lina stepped aside allowing them to enter. Filia lay Xellos on the bed as Lina closed the door behind them.

She rubbed her hands together kneeling down next to the bed, "now then, lets get started..." she smiled evilly at Xellos who lay there in an obvious amount of pain...

She lay her hands next to the large sever in his right arm, "Recovery!" a flash of white light emitted from her hands covering that entire portion of his body. The reaction was immediate, Xellos's back arched as he screamed in violent pain.

Lina stared sadistically at Xellos as he writhed in agony a few moments before Filia tackled her to the ground.

"Lina what are you doing! You said you were going to help him not kill him!" Lina stared back at her in indecision, a kind of rage and pain evident in her eyes...

Filia stared into them for only a moment before recoiling away as she sat on the floor. Lina sat up patting some dust away from her back, "I know, I know, it's just a joke! Because I haven't seen old Xel in such a long time, ne Xellos?"

He looked up at them a slight smile still lingering on his face, "hai hai Lina-san whatever you say..."

She and Filia kneeled once more next too the mazoku, "now then..." a moment of apprehension passed, "how do you heal a mazoku?"

Filia facefaulted, "I thought you said you could heal him!"

Lina held a hand to her chin, "I'm sure I can, I just don't know how..."

"Well how does that help us!"

"Pain, Sadness, Anger, Hatred" Xellos interjected from the bed, the bleeding had ceased moments ago,

"ehhh?" Sadness, Anger, Hatred? What does that...

"Ahha!" Filia concluded clapping her hand with her fist, she faced Lina.

"Forgive me for this Lina, but it's the only way..."

"What? What are younahhahaha" Filia grasped Lina's cheeks and summarily began pulling them apart, "it's the only way!"

"na nan ana nana anannannan! Nonly wwway my ass!" Lina grabbed her back in the same fashion forcing them to their feet,

"Stwwwop bein' so diificult Lina!"

"Dwiificult! Whhhossee graabbin mwi mooouth lika fouur year old! You tea lovin fwreeak!"

"nwanntato! Twat'ss low! You town destroying Bakemono!"

"Nah! Thwat wwas sulf dufense!"

They continued to parry back and forth across the room like children. They passed the bed, Xellos's injuries seemed to almost instantly heal. They go around the room once passing by the bed again, Xellos sits up. They pass once more, "ahh, I think I'm better now... actually"

"hwuh?" by this time Lina and Filia had almost completely forgotten the purpose for their actions. Filia was busily forcing a more diminutive Lina to the ground by the cheek. They both let go when Xellos reminded them, they merely stood around sheepishly. "hahha I have to hand it too you, that was perhaps the fastest recovery from a Dynast attack I've ever had..."

More standing around embarrassedly, "wait... did you say Dynast? As in Lord Dynast?!"

"un" Xellos and Filia nodded at the same time, "we had kind of an encounter, but I feel much better now, all that is left is to...."

Xellos had just started getting out of the bed, one foot rested on the ground. He stopped talking suddenly, his eyes seemed to suddenly loose focus...

"Xellos? Something wrong?"

"ah..ahah" his limbs shook for a moment before he fell limply on the bed, his eyes completely shut...

"Xellos!" Filia ran to him on the bed. She looked around frantically, "what's wrong with him now!"

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Xellos couldn't help but sigh a further time as he made his descent down the final portion of the stairs. He quietly entered the kitchen, watching the still petite sorcerous wash the dishes. It seemed so incredibly out of place, Lina Inverse, Bandit Killer, Dragon Spooker, Sorcerous Extraordinaire, doing housework... it was unfathomable. At any rate the tapping of his staff against the hardwood flooring hadn't gone unnoticed by said sorcerous, who continued to wash the dishes nonchalantly.

"so... where's Gourry-san?"

"Out doing what he does best, lumber jacking." It's the only thing a good swordsman can do these days...

"oh..." An uncomfortable moment or two passed, the sun moved steadily across the ever darkening sky...

"What about Zelgadis-san?

"Enjoying his newfound humanity with the princess... and their newfound love for each other probably right about now..." But perhaps many many more times today...

"oh..." Another moment passes, Lina finishes another dish placing it firmly on a rack to dry.

"And how is everything going?"

"EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE!" Lina attempts an all to unconvincing cheery voice,

"oh alright then..." Xellos walks a few paces away from the kitchen... Crash!

He turns to see a soapy dish in many pieces on the floor, Lina is standing next to it her fists clenched. She takes a step forward...

"Nothing is fine! Nothing at all is fine! And it's all thanks to you Xellos! If an order that you can never break is what it was then I might have accepted it, but!" her hands clench tighter..."but..."

A tear fell down her cheek, which she viciously wiped away, "Filia's been telling me all about what you did for her... you defied an order from Lord Beastmaster to save her... why not for me?"

Lina stared pleadingly at Xellos who stared back at her, a hand behind his head, "honestly, I didn't know it would end up like it did, I thought it would just be another crazy misadventure that never went anywere... hahahhaha..."

"hahahahah MY ASS! You knew exactly what we were getting into!" Lina stomped angrily back to her broken dish... "actually..."

She turned at his voice, "actually... I felt as if I had to lead you in that direction, as if fate were guiding me in that direction..."

His voice... I've never heard his voice sound so serious... OR HIS EXCUSE SO STUPID!

"aho! You think I would actually believe that!" she bapped him squarely on the head.

"no, but it was worth making you feel slightly better, at least your not sad anymore..."

"huh?" He's right... How can I be sad because of this idiot...

Lina suddenly smiled, "It seems you and Filia have come some way to get here... in more ways than one..."

"heh?"

"oh we talked for quite some time, and she had nothing but a glowing report of you..."

"really? That is something of a change..."

"although I have a feeling she may have still been a little upset..."

"why? You didn't tell her about..."

"no... although I was greatly tempted too, I morelike showed her the result before our chat... I think it unhinged her a little..."

Xellos stared blankly for a moment, "umm, Lina-san about back there... were you..."

She lifted her hand up, the pieces of plate rose into the air. In an instant the plate was perfectly restored and back into the soapy water...

"serious? Maybe..." a devilish glint appeared in her firey red eyes,

"ah..."

She suddenly waved her hands dismissively, "don't worry, I was just blowing off some steam back there, I feel much better now, however..."

Her features looked utterly serious, "I don't think I'll ever forgive you for what happened..."
Chibi Lina, "I MEAN WERE STAYING AT THIS INN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID! DOING HOUSEWORK BECAUSE ALL THE BANDITS MOVED AWAY AS WE SLOWLY AWAIT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BUT NOT EVEN I KNOW WHAT IS!" she breathed heavily as she stared into her pile of dishes, "I'm sorry Lina, but all mazoku know not to answer that question... it's something that we are forbidden to discuss..."

Lina stared at Xellos his features were almost solemn as he sat on an empty table in the back of the kitchen, "so you know something..."

He shook his head, "nothing that would help you, or make you feel any easier about what's coming..."

"I don't wanna accept that..."

"but unfortunately you have to... Lina-san" the jovial voice returned as he got up from his seat on the table, "I'm going to go see how Fi-chan's doing, so..."

"I'll be here then, wallowing in my own misery..."

"alright then..." he disappeared from the bottom of the stairs, Lina couldn't help but smile..."aho"

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Filia's eyes slowly opened in unison to her dimly lit surroundings... she pulled herself from the bed gazing around sleepily. The cloak still wrapped around her slid off as she moved about, "are? I must have fallen asleep..." she rubbed her eyes trying to wake up. Yawning a few times she gazed at the empty bed before her, it looked so inviting, she sat on it a moment staring blankly at the door that stood closed before her...

She felt the warmth of the cloak around her, she pulled it snugly around her feeling its silky softness against her. She lay back on the bed her mind caught in thoughts of the day behind her...

"This bed..." she felt the warmth that still radiated from it, "Xellos... where did you go?" Perhaps to see Lina...?

She shivered slightly the memory of Lina's revelation to her just hours before still fresh...

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

"Xellos!" Filia ran to him on the bed. She looked around frantically, "what's wrong with him now!"

"Don't worry about it Filia, it's not like a mazoku like Xellos is worth so much worry..." Lina stared coldly at the form before them, "but Lina-san... "she stood from where she crouched next to the bed her hand shaking...

Lina turned away toward the door, "I have to finish some work outside, so I'll see you later..."

"Why are you like this all of a sudden!"

Lina turned from the door, she could only stare at the dragon before her. "I'm worried about Xellos alright! So many things... so many things have happened I don't fully understand!"

Tears began to well in her eyes, "Val was kidnapped from me and throughout all this time Xellos has been there for me... I used to think I knew what Mazoku were like... but now I don't know anymore, nothing seems to make sense!"

"Mazoku aren't supposed to bleed, Mazoku aren't supposed to sleep, Mazoku aren't supposed to love! But..." she fell to her knees her hands covering her tears stained face. Lina took a step forward holding out a comforting hand... "what happened to you Lina!"

The red headed sorcerous recoiled slightly as Filia rounded on her... "You never used to treat anyone this way! You were a selfish, obnoxious, demure, small breasted, little sorcerous who blew up everything, but you were never this uncaringly mean, what happened Lina?!"

Throughout her tirade Lina's head remained bowed, an almost feral smile just peeking from the shadow of her hair. "alot has happened here too..."

Lina walked a few slow paces forward, "alot has happened lately that you might not understand, that I may never understand, however..."

A reddish aura surrounded the sorcerous as she approached, Filia could sense an unmistakable feeling in the back of her neck...

"Lina? Nani..." It can't be...
Her petite form was now only a few inches away her aura becoming more unmistakable as it came closer. Her head shot up looking deeply into Filia's dark blue eyes. She tried desperately to hold back a scream as she fell back to the ground. Lina gazed down at her through a perfect set of pale red eyes, a single jagged magenta line resembling a claw mark adorned each cheek. Her hair seemed to writhe with energy, it flowed upward unbraiding itself until it was again a cascade of reddish orange that fell around her shoulders.

"oh Filia, it is certain that so much has changed..."

Filia stared back at her in a kind of horror, but in an instant the marks disappeared and she was once again staring at a person she considered a friend.

Lina smiled back at her, "but don't worry, it hasn't affected my personality in any way..." she appeared at the door, "we'll talk about it later, and don't worry about Xellos, I'm sure he has much to dream about..." Filia could do nothing but sit in shock....

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

She had talked with Lina in length and that had lessened her anxiety about it, but it was still shocking, to think that Lina was... this whole time a...

"ohayo Fi-chan..." a voice rang from the doorway, Filia looked up to see the unmistakable features of Xellos, "ohayo to you too..." she couldn't help but smile getting up from where she sat on the bed. She handed the cloak back to Xellos who took it with a nod,

"did you have a good nap?"

"un" she nodded for a moment before walking over to the window pulling the shutter. The light of the near evening sun shone through the dusty window, "konbonwa more like it though..."

"hai..." Xellos walked over next to her near the window,

"Xellos..."

"hai?"

"I wanted to thank you for earlier... for saving me from Dynast..." she spoke through the window,

"Don't mention it, I suppose I should thank you as well for teleporting us out of there..." honestly, I don't know why we didn't think of that earlier...

Filia nodded before turning back to the window, "do you think Dynast will try again?" with that crazy theory of his, honestly...

"I don't think we will see Dynast again for some time now..."

"what makes you so sure?" Filia turned from the window as Xellos sat down on the bed, "because Dynast is a person that likes to be sure about every conceivable detail before he acts, I'm actually surprised he attacked us based on the little information he had, after the display that we gave him today he will probably be pondering it for another thousand years..."

"you really think so?" Filia couldn't help but smile, but then an unconscious frown appeared within her.... "Xellos... "

"eh? What?"

"oh nothing nevermind..."

They stood for a moment in silence, Xellos got up from the bed his face appearing in the mirror. "mazoku aren't supposed to bleed are they?"

"no they aren't..."

"mazoku don't need to sleep do they?"

"no they don't..."

"mazoku aren't supposed to..."

Filia stopped herself just in time, the next question would have been very uncomfortable... "but your special aren't you Xellos?"

"I suppose I am..." the mazoku looked away from the mirror and directly at Filia, "by the way I heard you have an interesting chat with Lina-san, anything I should know about?"

"eh? No! Nothing special...hahahahahahaheh"

Another silence filled the room, "shall we go then?"

Filia turned to look at Xellos from the bed, "un" she answered her mind deeply in thought, there were some parts of their encounter with Dynast that she didn't yet understand, however there was plenty of time in the world to answer those questions. They couldn't waste anymore time sitting around....

They had reached the landing of the stairs before Lina caught their movement, "you two leaving already?"

"hai, we have a mission to continue..."

"oh... alright then, I'll walk you to the door, because Xellos is so moronic he'd probably have it hit him on the way out..." she walked past them in perfect fauxworry

"I should have known you'd see through my scheme Lina-san"

She had walked a few paces ahead of them reaching for the screen door. It swung open of its own accord, or rather was pushed open by a very familiar blond haired man.

"ah, Gourry, Okaeri!" Lina in cute mode.

Indeed the same swordsman that both Filia and Xellos had known for quite some time stood in the doorway. He still wore a sword around his waist, but it must surely be nothing in comparison to the sword of light. His long blond hair still lay around his not too bright head, and he still wore a light blue tunic and pants, it would seem not much has changed...

"tadaima Lina, Richard-sempai gave me a bonus today!" Gourry held out the large bag of coins proudly,

"hontoni! That means...that means... we can finally...finally pay off our debts! Woohoo! LUCKY!"

Lina and Gourry began hopping around screaming 'lucky' and 'happy endings' and soforth at the top of their lungs, it was quite embarrassing.

Then at that moment the most surprising scene that had ever been witnessed in the annals of Slayers History, or perhaps the most expected, whichever... happened.

Gourry wrapped his arms around Lina and, both blushing, kissed in front of 'everyone' standing there at that moment in time...

"ahem" Filia felt the need to interject, the two summarily pulled apart blushing intensely, "It seems things have changed here too..." Xellos enjoyed making jovial remarks that would make others feel just a little more uncomfortable,

A glowing red Lina pointed to her finger, "hey this ring entitles me to certain inalienable rights ok!?"

"what!? Engagement ring!" Upon closer inspection her ring finger was adorned with a simple gold band... "so that means..."

"sonotori..." at that moment Lina's voice filled with the same superior tone that Dynast usually wore, it was scary...

Filia sighed with envy, "that's so wonderful, I wish I was getting married... but more importantly we have to go!"

"you can still go? Even after all this?" Xellos was more than semi-interested in examining this newly budding relationship, "just let me ask one question before we go..."

"alright fine..." Filia tapped her foot impatiently on the floor,

"honestly Gourry, did you knock her up?"

"eh? Knock her up... well we did..." beat red turns redder, Lina knocks Gourry, and Filia drags a maced Xellos out the door, "nice to see you again Lina, Gourry, we should do it more often..."

"gooodddbyeyee Lina-san soshte Gourry-san"

"bye bye! Achooo!" Lina waved back before attempting to stifle a sneeze,

"cold?" Gourry looked at her concerned, Lina looked back, "I'm sure it's nothing, I'm fine..."

Two familiar figures stood in the shadows, invisible to all that would try to sense them... "so for you? How does it start..." Xefia stood next to her companion, they were only a few yards away from their quarry... Maven gazed down the road at the orange haired woman and the blond swordsman, "for me? For her... it starts with a cold..."

"Achooo!" Lina walks back into the house with Gourry, "are you sure your alright?"

Lina looked back at him through a handkerchief, "I'm fine thanks for asking..."

Xefia stared worriedly at her friend, "will you be able to take it? Just standing and watching it happen?"

Maven shrugged, "no, that's why I don't intend to keep watching, besides nothing we can do for them now... here at least" she walks a few feet into a small grove of trees, "come on we're going home..."

"hai..." the ancient dragon Xefia looked back one more time at the inn from where she knew from this moment on terrible things were going to spring, "sayonara Lina-san" she disappeared after Maven in the dark.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

A torch flickered in the dimly lit cavern of the spacious throne room. Lord Beastmaster sat in her spacious throne, tapping her foot incessantly against the stone floor, "where the hell is Kusetsu?"

The patter of clawed feet against the stone floor could be heard clearly as something ran swiftly through the corridors and tunnels of the mountain. Zellas stood as the sound came closer and eventually reached her chamber. Snowy came ambling through her chamber skidding to a halt before her...

"ah Snowy, I have been expecting you..."

Snowy bowed low her entire body to the floor, tail between her legs, "hai, my master"

"I expect an explanation as to why you interfered in my operation more importantly, how you were able to do this, but most importantly..."

Zellas's feral smile widened, "what relation you are to Xellos..."

"ehhhh!" the young wolf lifted her whole body from the ground in shock... "whaaa what do you mean Beastmaster-sama..."

Silence hung about the room as Zellas's eyes bore into an increasingly uncomfortable wolf pup.

"umm, I was searching around for Xellos... because I wanted to be sure he had truly betrayed us..."

She looked up at her master who merely nodded still smirking, her eyes never leaving the slightly trembling pup, "and I felt Kusetsu in the area so I thought he might know something... from his vantage point I was able to see where they were..."

"They?" Zellas began tapping her foot against the floor her voice full of curiosity...

"Xellos and...the golden dragon" Snowy couldn't hold back the snarl in her voice

"oh? Both of them... well that's fairly suggestive"

"no it's not!"

Zellas's smile widened, "you sound angry... what about them together upsets you so?"

Snowy found herself at a loss, Why did I get so angry? Is it because you like Xellos? No! I don't like Xellos I can't! I just... I just want to be with him, and...

Zellas waited patiently, her back leaning against her throne, "I don't know why I was so angry... I just saw them together like they were before, and... I wanted her dead so badly so..."

"so?"

"so... that he can come home and... we can be together again and... things can be like they were..." she trembled like a small child, she felt so uncomfortable talking about this, her face was flushed and the world seemed to feel wrong...

Zellas stared down at the pup that half lay half stood before her, her eyes gazed with all the predatory nature of a hawk in flight beside the torches of her chamber.

"I think it is time this facade of yours is put to rest, Snowy-chan" With a wave of her hand the wolf before her transformed into a human girl dressed in a white shirt and pants. The long white hair that covered her body now framed her fear laden face, her pale red eyes stared into the powerful Lord of all Beasts that stood before her...

"I have one further question for you Snowy-chan, how does it feel when you are around Xellos?"

She stood shakily on her now two feet, "I...I...I feel..." warmth, happiness, contentment, pain, uncertainty, doubt, fear...

She clutched the pendant around her neck, she felt warmth and reassurance flow through her, "I feel warm...so very warm"

"is that so?"

It was then that she began to sweat, "warm, I feel so warm, too warm!" she fell to the ground clutching her chest. Zellas stared as she breathed heavily on the ground a bright red aura seemed to surround her. Its burning red light covering her body lifting her into the air. With a flick of her clawed hand the little girl's white clothes ripped to shreds falling in a heap to the floor. The blazing red light emanated from the very jewel that hung from her neck. With another snap of her fingers the strand around her neck broke, the bottom part of the thread and the glowing jewel fell with a clank to the floor.

Snowy fell in a heap to the floor on top of her now shredded clothing. Zellas picked up the crystal teardrop that still blazed its red aura.

A shimmering sound outside the throne room hailed the return of Kusetsu who ran through the chamber his head bowed, "I'm sorry master I was unable to find Snowy, I am prepared to accept any punishment you would..."

He lifted his head in time to witness the scene before him, Snowy lay naked on a pile of shredded clothing and his master sat hunched over a small glowing jewel.

"oh..."

He stood staring uncomfortably at the scene finding his eyes wandering to Snowy's exposed...

He was thrust from his thoughts as he felt something smash against his head. The small jewel fell into his hand, he stared at Beastmaster as she stood over the young girl's body covering her in her spare cloak. "it would seem that your corpse is on the move Kusetsu, please be more accurate in your reporting in the future..."

Kusetsu stared down at the small glowing jewel, it felt hot in his hands nearly burning him. He looked from it to his master, "hai, my master..." He felt the energy radiating from the jewel and knew it instinctively to be Xellos's. Once he felt that the mazoku's location became clear... he disappeared into the dark...

Zellas stared down at the body of Snowy, she had slipped into unconsciousness. She sighed placing her hand over her forehead feeling the same heat radiating through it, "I wonder what you were thinking, Xellos... in creating that jewel" in a flash of darkness the form of Snowy and the garment she was covered in disappeared from the room...

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Chapter Nine: Blood end

wow! This was about the longest chapter yet... I have to say that a lot happened in this particular installment, some of which I had to rewrite a few times... I would hope that some of it would meet your approval if not all...

In any case this portion kind leads into what is a temporary gray area for me, I should be able to piece all of it together however it may take slightly longer than some of the others I've done. I hope you enjoy it as readers and especially as reviewers whose comments and criticisms are my life blood (or so to speak)

Next Up! Chapter Ten: Waste of Time or Meeting May Be The Sweetest Sorrow...