Amelia: "Wow Mr. Zelgadis, there's a lot of dramatic tension between us, don't you think?"
Zelgadis: "Amelia . . . you tried to poison me in the last chapter. I'm more frightened than dramatic right now."
Amelia: "B-but . . . I was just trying to make you stay . . . I haven't seen you for a whole year!"
Zelgadis: "Yes, but that doesn't excuse-"
Amelia: "A whole FREAKING YEAR, YOU SON OF A BI-"
(Silence)
Amelia: " . . . sorry, I usually think that last part in silent frustration . . ."
Zelgadis: "Uhhhhhh . . ."
"Thanks again, Xellos." Shifting in her chair, Lina poured tea for the demon.
"For what?" his eyes narrowed in confusion as he took the cup from her.
Shrugging, the sorceress poured another cup for her swordsman companion. "Sword of Light, helping me hash some of my ideas, just stuff."
The priest took a sip, "It helped us both. I owe you just as much." Setting the cup down, he smiled at his two friends. "It took us quite a while to reach this point, didn't it?"
Nodding, Lina poured herself a third cup. "Yeah, it's kinda weird. None of us are really different . . . but there's still the feeling that something's . . . not the same."
Blinking slowly, Xellos looked back and forth between the short redhead and the tall blonde. "I don't know . . . I certainly feel different. When we first met I completely believed what I had always been told. That the only thing the monster race wants is to destroy everything, that destruction is what we were created for." His purple hair shimmered as he shook his head. "I can't believe that anymore. I've seen too much. The Lord of Nightmares . . . she didn't agree with Phibrizzo . . . she even looked regretful when she destroyed him."
Slowly, Lina swallowed the honeyed liquid. "I wish I could remember what happened . . . But you're right . . . if the greatest Dark Lord was regretful of destroying something she created . . . I donno . . ." Laying her elbows on the table, the girl rested her head in her hands.
"I think," The dark priest said softly. "she destroyed him, not because he tried to hurt her, she didn't have to try to block his strongest attack, I think . . . she was trying to destroy as little as possible. She didn't even take action against him until he attacked her. When Phibrizzo asked whether the monster race was created for destruction . . . she looked angry and sad . . . almost . . . hurt by the idea."
Silence fell across the oak table. After a few seconds Lina gave a quiet laugh and shook her head. "Come on, guys. We gotta get to work. If we start on this again we'll be here all night."
"Did you see that guy the princess was following?" A tall brunette poured another cup of coffee, trying to remember to not drink from the same pot twice.
"Yeah, he was cute, weird skin color though. Bit short for me. But still, our princess has taste." Grimacing, the slightly shorter blonde drank from her own cup.
"Tell me about it." Grinning wickedly around the mug, the lady-in-waiting tapped her fingers on the table. "He's got a great butt, don't you think, Mary?"
"Mmmm . . . I was more looking at the arms and shoulders. I like the swordsmen types." Sticking out her tongue, Mary poured out the cup. "I hate this, why do we have to test all these different coffee's again?"
Laughing, the brunette pulled another two pots off the stove. "Well . . . from what I can tell, there's a very good reason."
The blonde turned slightly green at the sight of more of the black poison. "What's that?"
An evil gleam shone in taller maid's eye. "Well, they say the way into a man's pants is through his stomach."
Coffee spewed out onto the counter. "W-who says that?!" Picking up a towel, the blonde glared at Sarah. "You're terrible. And who says that?"
"You know," the brunette murmured, "them."
"Well," Lina took another sip from her tea, "that leaves us with only a few options. Since the original Claire Bible, and the next best thing were both blasted apart by Gaav, the only thing on that front is incomplete manuscripts, and we all know how pointless that is."
Smiling broadly, Xellos raised a finger, "Quite right Lina, our next best bet is any information Rezo might've left behind. Zelgadis has, no doubt, searched each of his properties, but there might be something there that only a monster would see, since Rezo was under the direct influence of Lord Ruby Eyes."
Eyes wide, Gourry sat quietly between the two, trying to follow the conversation; unfortunately none of the names or places were familiar to him. His gaze snapped back to Lina as she spoke again.
"Yeah, but that leaves me with only one question: why are you helping with this Xellos?" She folded her hands and looked over the table at him. "I know that you'd want to help me and Gourry with anything, but you need permission, don't you?"
Taking a long draw from his tea, Xellos opened his eyes slightly. "To tell the truth Lina, my orders do come from higher up." Setting his cup down, he took a breath before continuing. "I requested to be able to resolve the situation in any way I saw fit. That request was granted. Fortunately, the only Dark Lord who knows how close we've gotten over the past year . . . is my mistress."
Tracing his fingers over the engraving on the table, the priest gave his friends the last thing they expected: the truth. "The Dark Lords are worried that Zelgadis will blame them for his current condition, since it was Shrabranigdo and not Rezo who turned him into a chimera. They're afraid he'll go on a monster killing spree. Collectively, they asked me to resolve this problem as quickly as possible."
Surprised, the small sorceress asked, "Wouldn't that mean killing him? Isn't that the quickest way?"
Closing his hand into a fist, Xellos leaned onto the table, an oppressive feeling surrounding him. Sadness? Shaking his head to clear the sensation away, he continued. "Normally, yes. However I had a talk with Mistress Zelas before I left on the mission and we came up with a slightly different set of orders. We agreed that if the monster race was responsible for the death of Zelgadis Greywords, we would still suffer a rampage, but one that was far more dangerous and deadly than Zelgadis could perpetrate."
"What do you mean, Xellos?" Gourry asked, sapphire eyes blinking innocently.
Leaning back in his seat, Xellos smiled darkly, "In short, the monster race is frightened of Lina Inverse."
A loud choking noise broke the serious atmosphere of the room, laughing uproariously, Lina replied, "Oh come on Xellos, you've told us a lot of jokes over the last year, but this one is just ridiculous!"
Raising a hand, Gourry broke in, "Actually Lina, it makes a lot of sense. From what Xellos told us afterwards, we know that, as far as the monster race can tell, you killed Gaav and Phibrizo, now, strategically speaking, that means, since both of them were obviously stronger than the other remaining Dark Lords, that you're the most powerful being on the face of the . . ." he faltered when his two friends stared at him in complete shock. "What?"
"Xellos," the nearly invincible sorceress whimpered, "I'm scared . . ."
Just as quiet the demon priest replied, "Me too, Lina . . ."
Slowly, they both began to edge away.
"Is this coffee better, Mr. Zelgadis?" The princess asked as the chimera sipped cautiously from the mug.
Nodding, he replied curtly, "Much." Taking another gulp, he set the mug down on the table between their chairs. "Amelia . . . why are you here?"
The tea cup that the shrine maiden was about to drink from nearly slipped out of her grasp at the blunt question. Laughing nervously, the tiny girl stuttered out a reply, "W-well, Mr. Zelgadis, e-everyone asks themselves that question from time to time . . . right?" Setting down the rattling tea cup, she avoided his annoyed expression. "People ask a lot of questions like that. Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Who do I lis-"
The loud sound of Zelgadis' mug slamming into the table snapped her from the babbling. A few seconds went by, where the only sound was the echoing rattle from the tea cup and saucer. Cautiously lifting her eyes, the young princess withered under his gaze. "Sorry."
Sighing, the chimera leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. "Why are you here?" His voice, dour normally, was ice to Amelia's ears.
"I volunteered to . . . be your guard." She whispered.
"Why?" The word was like a knife, sharp and cutting. Why is he doing this? Is he just trying to push me away? Clearing her throat to buy herself some time, Amelia considered her next words carefully. "Well . . . you're my friend, and I'm the most qualified." Her cheerfulness sounded forced, even to her own ears.
"Right." His biting reply leapt onto the end of her sentence. "I know that you're the most likely to last long enough against me to be able to call the others, and that you haven't seen me in a year, so you have the ability to compare what you saw then," he raised his right hand out to one side, "to what you see now." Raising the other, he let them hang in the air. "You'll notice my behavioral changes more than anyone else."
Clenching his hands, he lowered them to lay on the armrests. "However . . . you and I know that there's another reason why you're doing this." Inwardly he cringed at what he knew he had to do to protect her from him. No one deserves to have to watch me change into a demon. If I make her, and everyone else, hate me, they won't have to be around when it happens.
"W-what do you mean Mr. Zelgadis?" Pulling her legs into the chair, the tiny girl tittered nervously, hoping that he wasn't going to bring up what she was thinking he was going to.
Steeling himself, Zelgadis forced his eyes to harden. I never wanted to be a monster, but . . . here I am. There aren't very many things more monstrous than hurting someone who only wants to help you.
Leaning forward, the blue skinned man whispered to her. "Your, how do I put it . . . feelings about me. That's why you really wanted to baby-sit me, isn't it? So that you'd have an excuse to follow me everywhere I went. The same as any flea-bitten mongrel would follow a free hand out."
The princess sat there, stunned and shaken to her core. H-he . . . doesn't . . .
Clenching the armrests tightly, Zelgadis kept himself from taking the cruel words back. I truly am a monster.
He, doesn't . . . love me. The words broke over her, tearing and ripping at her mind. Dimly, she felt her muscles tighten, almost as if they weren't a part of her at all. He doesn't even like me. Now, as if that thought had returned her, she could feel everything again. Her cramping muscles, an aching jaw, and a flood of tears. The sensations of her entire body being wracked by pain flooded her. Shakily, she stood, not really understanding what she was doing, the slip of a girl turned and lurched for the door.
Behind her, still sitting, Zelgadis watched her actions as calmly as he could. He'd expected, almost hoped for, ranting, babbling, professions of undying love, But not this, not this . . . retreating, this flight from me.
Watching from his place in the chair, the chimera gazed at her fleeing back, his mouth twisted into a bitter smile as a thought struck him. She's probably the only girl alive who would've wanted to be with a freak like me. The slamming door caused a gruff snort to escape from his lips. Who knows, if she hadn't been royalty, I might've given it a chance. But it never would've worked in any case. Sighing he let his eyes close under their great weight. "No one could love me, no matter my form. I'm not just a monster on the outside anymore."
Zelgadis felt the weariness of the past few weeks begin to catch up with him. Maybe I should sleep before I lea-
"ZELGADIS GREYWORDS," Lina's harsh voice sounded through the door, accompanied by loud banging, "YOUR ASS IS GRASS!!"
Outside in the long hallway, Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, Defender of Justice and Righter of Wrongs, stood sobbing into the shoulder of Beast Master Xellos. Cautiously, the demon reached a hand around to pat her gently. "There, there . . ." he said haltingly. "I'm sure it was just Zelgadis trying to push you away . . ."
The shock at being the one she'd run to was starting to fade. I am the one she's spoken to the most since the battle with Dabradigdo. Glancing down at the tiny girl, his eyes opened into narrow slits. I owe her a great deal . . . the pieces of the puzzle started to fall together with her help . . .
"Zel, what the HELL is wrong with you?!" Slamming her fist into the door again, Lina Inverse railed at the chimera turned jackass. "Huh?" She yelled sarcastically, "I can't hear you in there Zel! Why don't you come out in the open so we can all hear you?!"
Clutching tighter to the demon's cloak, Amelia's cries grew louder with each reminder, from Lina, of what had happened. In a tortured voice, the girl wept, "H-he told me I w-was, I was a . . . a m-m-mongrel . . ."
Dimly, Xellos felt his hand tighten as he struggled to suppress his sudden, angry urge. I can't believe he did that . . . but he just wants to protect his friends . . . he's trying to-
"That tears it stone-boy!" The petite red head growled as she grasped the door handle, arms straining. "Yer comin' outta that room in a box!" Jumping back from the obstacle between her and her target, she pulled a hand back, red light growing in her palm, "DAMU BRAS!"
The blast expanded outwards, throwing smoke and debris down the hallway. As the dust cleared, the dark haired girl pulled herself away from the comforting presence of the demon. No matter what, I'm not going to let him see me crying.
Xellos let the girl pull back without a word. She's afraid . . . and . . . I think . . . He lowered his gaze, hiding his confused expression, I think, I'm sad for her.
Out of the cloud of smoke came a hurled mass of blue stone, followed quickly by the shrill voice of the Bandit Killer. "Come on Zelly . . . there's someone you should talk to." Zelgadis' flight was cut short by a bronze sculpture of Crown Prince Philionel's head on the opposite wall.
Disentangling himself from the relief, the young chimera dropped to the floor. "Lina!" he growled. "What the hell is your problem?!" Staggering to his feet, he lowered his head into his hand. "You don't have any right to judge my behavior." He shouted, keeping his hand up to hide his face. If this doesn't make them dump me, nothing will.
When he heard Zelgadis' words, Xellos decided that it was time for him to step into this fight. A blur of motion and he was next to his sorceress friend, whispering into her ear. "Don't let him succeed in driving you away. He has every intention of making enemies of everyone if he thinks it would save lives."
Keeping her glare fixed on the traitorous chimera, Lina growled back at the priest, "Yeah, but there's a big difference between driving me away and what he said to Amelia." Out of the corner of his eye, Xellos saw his friend's hands clench tightly.
Softly a door opened from the nearby stairwell, revealing a staggering Gourry, laden with various vials, bottles, plants, and books. A quick glance around the room told the swordsman that nothing was out of the ordinary, so he lurched his way over to Lina's side, yelling to let her know that he'd returned. "Hey, Lina!" He called as he shifted his left leg to better balance a book and beaker that was resting there. "I got all the stuff you wanted! Are we going to do the "wall ritual" now?"
Twitching at the phrase "wall ritual", Lina Inverse, slowly turned to face her idiot protector. "Wall ritual?" A vein appeared in her forehead as her stress level approached critical mass. Forcing a slow, albeit ragged, breath through her system, Lina corrected the moron. "Sealing ritual, Gourry. We're doing a sealing ritual . . ."
"Ohhhhhhh . . ." The blonde closed his eyes, then opened them, while looking upwards. "Sorry, a ceiling ritual. But Lina," he asked seriously, "there's a major flaw in this plan of yours."
Surprised, the redhead smiled, the deceitful chimera momentarily forgotten. Has he figured out that we can't do a permanent sealing, only a temporary measure? Clapping her hands together she called back to him. "You're right Gourry, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. We just have to do our best."
Conviction flooded the strong features of the swordsman. "Don't worry Lina, we'll get through it. Even if all the blood does rush to our heads, I know we'll succeed."
Smile falling the sorceress glanced over at Xellos. What's he grinning about? Turning her eyes back to Gourry she narrowed her eyes, a curious look on her face. "Rushing blood?"
Setting down his burden, the swordsman smiled broadly at his tiny friend. "Yeah from sitting upside down on the ceiling." He pointed up for emphasis, Boy, he thought, Lina just doesn't get it sometimes . . .
A number of long seconds went by as the redhead's mind worked to unravel exactly what was going on. "The . . . ceiling?"
"Yeah, for the ritual!" Gourry twisted to crack his back, relieving the pain he felt.
" . . ."
"Lina, what's wrong?" Jogging up to her, he placed his hand on her head. "Hmmm . . . you don't feel warm. You don't feel sick, do?"
Softly, the dark priest teleported back to the princess. "Amelia," he whispered quietly, "when the blast happens, be sure to stay behind me."
"Blast?!" the tiny shrine maiden whispered back.
Leaping up to grab the blonde's neck, Lina howled at the top of her lungs, "Sealing not ceiling, you MORON!!"
Gasping for breath, the swordsman managed to squeak out, "B-but that's what I said!"
The hallway fell deathly quiet as the small redhead stopped all motion. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gourry raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Maybe if we try levitating, that might work . . . what do you think Lina?"
Standing on his chest, the young girl remained shock still, staring into his eyes.
"Lina?" Gourry asked as he waved a hand in front of her face.
Silence was the only thing that emerged from her mouth.
"Hmmmm . . . you know . . . I have this strange feeling of deja-"
"FIREBALL!!"
Stepping out of the smoke cloud, Lina Inverse dusted her hands off. "Ahhh . . ." she sighed happily, "I feel sooo much better now!" Jogging happily over to Zelgadis, she gleefully reached down and began to drag him, slowly, by his collar. "Here ya go, Xel. One annoying egomaniac with a dash of sadism, ready for torture!"
Chuckling, Xellos held up his hand to stop her, "Thanks, but no thank you Lina, that's not really my 'thing' anymore." Sliding his arm around the tiny princess, the purple haired man propelled her forward. "But here's someone who'd love the opportunity, right, Amelia?"
"Huh?" the princess, still recovering from her emotional ordeal, stared wide eyed at the priest. "Torture?! Mr. Xellos, why in Cepheid's name would I want to torture anyone?!"
Waggling a finger at her, Xellos split his mouth into a grin and, ignoring the growing expression of hatred on Zelgadis' face, and whispered loudly to Amelia. "Why, Princess, wouldn't you just love to spend some time alone with 'Mr. Zelgadis'? Especially when it involves whips, chains and leather . . ."