Chapter 7

Meeting Old and New Acquaintances

Lina's fireball was in her hand in a moment, ready to have a fight with the man whom had tried to kill her twice before. Well once... The copy didn't count. Sort of.

"What are you doing?! Is this how you thank someone who saved your life?!" he shouted at her in anger, his staff before him in an instant, ready to defend himself from her magic. Her powers were strong, he could sense that from her aura surrounding her, normal humans wouldn't have seen it but because of his astral sight he could.

Lina's mind raced. He had saved her, he was acting like he didn't know her, and he seemed to be genuinely confused. "Where am I, why am I here, and what year is it?" her mouth spurted off before her mind could cut off the last question.

Rezo raised an eyebrow, 'What YEAR is it?', what kind of question was that? He kept that thought silent for the moment, "You're here because I found you on the side of the road half dead and wounded severely, which I am curious to know HOW you got wounded like that... While I was doing the healing spell I thought it was a troll or bandit but it took far longer then it should have to heal you and although it had passed my mind at the time, there was a slight tint of dark magic within some of the worse wounds. Meaning you were in a fight with a sorcerer, possibly a low level monster, I doubt there would have been anything left had it been a powerful monster."

Lina could have let out a bitter laugh, "That's what you think." she muttered. Rezo heard this and would have asked for clarification but she spoke again before he could, "Ok, you answered why, now where."

"You're in a hotel in a little village called Terrin, near Gyria."

"I'm near the Kataart Mountains??"

"Hm, quite a way from it, but near enough." he stated. "I suppose you want to know the year?" Lina remained still for a moment before she nodded. "What year shall you have me go by? Seyrune? Zefilia?"

"Either."

"Prince Phillionel's thirty-sixth birthday has passed by four new moons ago, the Princess Amelia's eleventh birthday shall be in two moons, does that help?"

'No, because now I gotta do math.' She thought to herself as she grabbed a piece of chalk outta one of her mysterious pockets and used the floor as her paper. "Lessee, Amelia was turning seventeen in two weeks... now she's eleven, that's... six years in the past... meaning whoa, I didn't know Phillionel was forty-two." she mused softly. Rezo's face went blank as he listened to her ramble. Either she was completely insane, or, there was something going on here. He was betting on the second.

"I don't suppose it would trouble you to try and help me figure out what on earth you are talking about?" Lina turned her head to him, "And what your name is."

'Should I tell him? I don't suppose it could kill anything technically, I mean he won't be meeting me for... um... three years, I think. No, four, no wait... ok Amelia's eleven so I'm twelve, ok, I was right, three years...' she thought all this out before answering him.

"My name, is Lina. You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I was talking about."

"You'd be surprised what I'd believe. The things I have seen in my lifetime..."

"I'm sorry great priest, I can't tell you."

"How were you wounded?"

"I was being attacked by a former.... friend. Though I don't really think you could call him that."

"A dark sorcerer?"

"That's one way of putting it. Another would be saying Xellos is a Mazoku, what else could I expect?"

"Xellos?" he went silent, "The one who works under Greater Beast Master Zellas Metalium?"

She erked, "You know him?"

"I have read many books. And he happens to be in many of the dragon lore books. Mostly all I've seen is his name being mentioned, he was their main destructor in the war. He's a very powerful demon. A kind of bogeyman for the dragons. If you were fighting him, I suspect you would be dead now in normal circumstances."

"Oh... So why were you traveling?" changing subjects was a good thing right about now.

"Well I go about healing the ill and while I do I search for my own cure."

"Because of your--" her heart thumped, she could warn him about what lay behind his eyes, she could possibly stop him from. Or would Shabranigdo still slowly take over and still be reborn? If he wasn't reborn, she'd never have destroyed him, she never would have used the giga slave, and she never would have gained the fame among people, or interest in the Mazoku, meaning that there was a possibility she would never have gone through the whole Gaav scenario, meaning no Phibrizzo, Gourry would never have been kidnaped, the Lord of Nightmares never would have possessed her, and than the new world wouldn't open and she never would have been able to stop Valgaav, but than, if Gaav was still alive Val wouldn't have done...

"WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO HAVE SUCH SEVERE CONSEQUENCES?!?" she blushed as she realized she had shouted out the last part. "Oops." she smacked her hand against her forehead.

"What is it that you are so worried over?"

"If you were thrown into the past because you wanted to save some people's lives, but in the process had the chance to maybe keep something really bad from happening- Would you... Oh never mind, I can't explain it!!!"

"... I see. Well what if you and I continue this later on? I am meeting my granddaughter and grandson in law at their home, and I'll be visiting my great grandson, I have to... check up on him. But you and I could talk there perhaps."

Lina went silent, "All right." she grabbed her things and soon enough they were on their way walking, it turned out on the other side of the village there was a well to do house, and it belonged to his family. It was two stories high and about three and a half good-sized rooms wide. "Nice." she muttered. It was in good condition, and grass grew from fifty feet in front of it, up to it's steps. Some rose bushes were clumped together and there was a medium sized stable off to the left.

Rezo walked up to the house with her following behind him and he knocked on the door. After a few moments a woman opened the door dressed in a blue gingham dress that reached mid calf, it was short sleeved, and a white apron was tied around her waist. Curls of light blue hair fell to her shoulders, the rest was pulled into an up sweep. Her eyes were the color of amber and her smile lit up her face. "Grandfather!" and to Lina's surprise she leapt into his arms hugging him tightly.

Lina saddened as she watched the endearing scene. This was something very rare to witness, she was sure.

"It's been a while Melandy. How is that in law of mine? Treating you well?"

She smiled, "Oh Rendal has treated me lovingly since the day we married, I want for nothing, but another child." she added with a smile.

Rezo smiled, "Well I cannot help you with that," he said with a small laugh, "Oh," he stepped to the side to show Lina to Melandy, "I found this young lady in need of help by the roadside, and right now she is traveling with me. Her name is Lina."

"Just Lina?"

"No... I just try not to give out my last name." she said.

"Oh, well you two come in and rest, I have lemonade and fresh Snickerdoodles out of the oven." (Snickerdoodles ROCK! Yummy cookies!)

They stepped into the freshly aired house and Lina felt as if she had lived there since childhood. The curtains were blue lace with a sheer white cloth behind them, the walls were painted white, wood stairs and banister, the floor entrance was made of marble, and the smell of roses hung in the air. As they entered the cheerful sitting room she eased herself into one of the comfortable sofas.

'Wow, this isn't half bad.' she thought to herself. "You have a really good place here." She added verbally.

"Oh, why thank you." she smiled prettily and set a porcelain plate before them with two dozen cookies on it. "Eat what you will, I'll get Rendal and Zelgadis-"

Lina snorted her lemonade up her nose as the cookie she had just swallowed tried to take a different route down her esophagus. Rezo raised his eyebrows in wonder and Melandy ran over to slap her on the back to dislodge the drink and cookie from her lungs. She coughed into the napkin and felt her eyes water up due to the drink that had taken the wrong passage. Namely her nose.

"Oh dear! Is something wrong Miss Lina? Is there something wrong with the food?" she said this with a light worry, Rezo had taken a bite of it and had no such reaction, "Are you allergic?"

"N...No! Of course not! I, uhh..." she coughed, "Just swallowed wrong... thank you for your help... I'll... umm do you have a place I could...?"

"Clean up? Of course, the kitchen is through those doors, I'll be right back than if you can manage."

"Yah, I can." she stood up and nearly dashed to the kitchen. 'Mental note, NEVER inhale lemonade, unless I have congestion....' She went to the sink and pushed the brass pump up and down a few times as water started coming out. She quickly removed her gloves and put her hands under the water, then splashed her face with it.

"Towel?"

"Yeah, sure, thanks-" she blindly reached out for the towel and as it fell into her hand put it to her face, then looked up. "AHHHH!!!" she jumped up about three feet.

Before her was a boy about three inches taller then her, who looked around fifteen or sixteen. He had violet blue hair that resembled Rezo's greatly, and crystal blue eyes, full of curiousness, but a bit of amusement. His skin was pale, but unmarked, and he wore black trousers, boots, and a white peasant shirt that was tucked in loosely, it was unbuttoned from the waist up, showing his toned stomach and chest.

Lina fought valiantly to keep her mouth from dropping and her eyes from wandering down his body in appreciation.

He lightly smirked, "And you are."

She valiantly fought for her vocal chords and after a moment was able to strain out, "Lina."

"Right... and why are you in my mothers kitchen?"

"I'm... with Rezo. She said I could clean up..." Lina's mind slowly started up again, though why her heart felt like it was pounding in her throat, she had no idea. She blushed slightly and laughed, "Um- I'm just visiting. You're Zelgadis?"

He blinked but nodded, "Yes."

"Whoa, you're... you... not quite how I imagined..." she saw his eyes searching her face and felt heat on the back of her neck. "I'm gonna just go that way, excuse me!" she brushed past him and placed the towel on the counter on her way out. She opened the door and quickly walked into the sitting room. Inside of it, Melandy and her husband Rendal were chatting with Rezo. It was apparent where Zel got his looks from, his father's hair was a light purple, long, crystal blue eyes, and very handsome. She smiled sheepishly, "Hi, I just need a..." she cut off as Zelgadis entered the room too. She blushed slightly and he raised an eyebrow at her and walked over to one of the couches, his intention being to sit down. She backed up towards the entrance way, "I need fresh air I'll be right back."

When they heard the front door shut Rezo lightly laughed as Zel's father let on a smirk, "Whatever could be the matter?" he looked to his son with a knowing gaze and Zel just shrugged and took a cookie.