A/N: Mmm…two reviews huh? Well, not a bad start- considering my lack of faith in my writing at the moment…--shakes head determinedly—Well, I'll try my best. Tell me how it is on the receiving end, if you please. -
Oh, replies to reviews- might as well get a head start.
Winged Knight: Yup yup, Liona's up and about- what, you think I'd actually kill off the daughter I had my once favorite couple spawn? Bah, such rubbish. As to Zelgadis' curse spreading…--evil glint—well, you should be able to guess, if not be told, in this chapter. - --wonders innocently—I'm setting it deep? Really? Well…humans are humans- we expect more than is actually there…as may be the case with Sylphiel. - Thx for the review!
Masaki1: OoX There's another Sylphiel MC history fanfic? Ooh please tell me- I want to read it! (for dear ol' Curiosity's sake) Thx for your review, hope I get you hooked! XP (though, don't be surprised if you're disappointed)
Disclaimer: Ahh…to be back in fanfiction…and disclaimers…--takes deep breath—I do not own Slayers. -
Ch. 2: Hah It Worked! Eh? Oh No!
The sky seemed to be clearing as Sylphiel paused at a bluff overlooking Seyruun's capital. The recent rains undoubtedly slowed the festivities, but if Seyruun's people were as determined as their Queen, they would only work overtime to get it punctually prepared.
It had been a week since her encounter with Liona. Though she had met virtually no opposition on her return trip, the distance between her location and Seyruun was still far enough to not permit a hasty journey. During that time, Sylphiel had contemplated the pouches, performed analysis magic on the pills, and had deemed them not only safe, but containing a large probability of being very beneficial. This Liona knew her medicines well, though Sylphiel herself knew not the textbook nature of this cure. She wondered how Zelgadis-san would react, after so many years of futile searching.
By high noon, she had bypassed both the city gates and the castle gates. With an acquaintance like Lina Inverse, no veteran would soon forget any of the Queen's close friends. The new guards were even trained to recognize and allow them to pass. Thus so, what would have been a three hour paper-signing ordeal became three seconds of stating one's name. Zelgadis was notified, seeing that he was the only one permitted to speak with the Queen, as she had locked herself in her royal chambers, refusing to meet the people since the incident.
He met her as she approached the throne room; he was still obviously a chimera, though he was now adorned in the royal robes that were fit to be seen associated with the Queen. It didn't matter that he was a dear friend of the Queen; the people needed a tangible hope that the Queen would marry- another reason to celebrate. The Queen had already spent nearly ten years ruling alone, though she had help from her advisors. As much as they loved her…anyone who knew her and saw her knew that she wished for more…for more companionship.
"Sylphiel!" The normally grim chimera forced a smile despite the circumstances. "You're back already? Did you receive any news?"
The priestess smiled gently. Times were tough for him, taking care of the Queen, while consulting her as to matters of the people, and relaying them to the people who could carry out her wishes. He was practically in the role of King already; all that was left was a wedding and coronation. Amelia had already asked once, before she was crowned Queen, if Zelgadis would stay by her side as King. He had confessed his love then, but said the people would not take kindly to a chimera for a King. As her tears overflowed, he wiped them away and promised to take up her offer when he had been cured, if only she would wait. She did. She had. She still was.
"Yes, very good news actually. May I please see Amelia-sama now? Of course, you should be there to hear this as well."
Zelgadis paused, saw the appeased glint in her eyes, the excited flush in her cheeks, the confident curve of her smile, and nodded. He walked past Sylphiel and told her to follow him. In the many years that he had searched, his hope had waned severely, but Sylphiel…there was something about her now that gave him hope. Could it be? After all these years? No. He would not get his hopes up. High hopes only ended in a more gruesome failure. Still…Hope had a mind of its own; he could not squish it out of his system entirely.
Zelgadis' stone knuckles tapped on the surface of the door. The door in itself was grandiose in appearance, befitting of a well-loved, proportionately modest Queen. There was a rustling, and a timid voice crossed the wooden barrier. "Who…who is it?"
"Amelia, it's me. Sylphiel's with me, too. She says she has some good news for us. Can we come in?"
More rustling ensued after a hesitating silence. The pattering of footfalls could be heard, and the door clicked unlocked before opening; Amelia was opening the door while hiding behind it. Used to this behavior by now, Zelgadis slid through the break in the entrance, and Sylphiel followed suit. Once they were safely through, the door was shut and locked again. Sylphiel took a deep breath, and turned to look at her Queen. If her breath had not been held, she might have found it much harder to fight down a gasp of surprise.
The once vivacious justice-loving girl had been subdued by weeks of entrapment in her own home. Her beautiful raven tresses were tightened into a slightly bleached mess of silvery violet. Her once pale but healthy skin had turned an astonishing slate blue. And her eyes…felt like a pair of endless depths of darkness, though a shimmer of hope now flickered midst it. With one hand closed over a fist, touching her chin as her hope filtered through more, she asked, "It's been a while, how are you Sylphiel-san?"
Sylphiel murmured, "It might be best if you sat down for this." As sleep-seeking shadows traced her eyes, she made a shaky nod. Zelgadis led her over to a pair of divans facing each other. While they shared one, Sylphiel sat across, for better eye contact. Taking a deep breath, she told of her encounter. At the first mention of Liona, both of their eyes widened, in shocked disbelief. They had known what Liona was capable of, far better than Sylphiel. But to have her simply hand over a cure, when no consequences were revealed at the same time? Something had to be up.
As Amelia was passed the pills however, her eyes widened still more. Awestruck, she told them, "These…tablets. They're, they're made from medicine outside the barrier, and mixed with pure holy magic (well, pure as opposed to holy and white magic, for instance). Holy magic lost since the Kouma War…Incredible!"
Zelgadis nodded. He turned to Sylphiel. They had listened to her story- it was time for questioning. "She didn't ask for anything in return? Are you sure?"
Sylphiel nodded. "By my guess, considering how long you were a chimera, she was probably thinking that the adaptation back to full human form would be enough. After all, being a chimera boosts your speed and magic ability, does it not? Then you have the other pills to return to a chimera, if you feel that you no longer wish for a completely human form."
He scoffed at that. "Why wouldn't I want to be human again? I've spent my whole life searching for the cure, disregarding anything else. As a human, I can marry Amelia, finally."
Amelia smiled wanly, but it soon faded. "I never cared what you looked like Zelgadis-san. I don't care what I look like, really, either. But…you should know…I don't think the people could handle a chimeric Queen with an illegitimate child. But…with you as a chimera…I know my kingdom will be safe. I feel it."
Zelgadis clasped Amelia's hands in his and locked eyes with her. "I will protect you, our child, and all of Seyruun just as well when I'm human Amelia. I swear I will."
Amelia looked down, and Sylphiel sensed her unease. She, too, knew that something wouldn't turn out as expected. Regardless, the Queen lifted her head, presenting a smile befitting of their beloved ruler. "Well, with the reversal tablets, there's no harm in trying, right?"
Her husband-to-be nodded with excitement. "I'll get some water to wash it down with…"
"No need to get up. Here you are." They looked across the way to see that Sylphiel had already gotten up and was now setting down a tray with three filled glasses on the coffee table.
Wordlessly, they all picked up a pill in one hand, and a glass in the other. Sylphiel had the green pill, while both of her friends held a white pill. As one, they dropped it into their saliva ridden traps, and gulped it down with a swig of purified water.
The effects were only delayed by a moment's notice, enough to set down their glasses and blink. All began to glow with an aura matching that of their pills' color. Sylphiel felt a rushing sense of ease and strength, as if she had just taken a long dip in a hot spring and slept for three days. Amelia felt like a burden was being lifted from every inch of her body, and a healthy hue returned to her cheeks. For Zelgadis, the process was only a second or two longer, and a bit harder to cope with, but it seemed to have worked. When they looked back at him, they were as surprised to see Zelgadis human as Sylphiel was to see Amelia a chimera.
As a stirring wind faded, Zelgadis' lofty coffee-shaded hair descended around his stone-cleared face, his eyes widened to that of an average human's rather than a part demon's. His skin was only slightly darker than Amelia's, but it was a pleasant tan. He was just as handsome as his chimera form, but with a lighter presence of being.
He couldn't help but stare at his hands in wonder, though no one held it against him for doing so. It had been over twenty-five years. Eventually, he looked up to see Amelia and Sylphiel smiling at him. With a gulp, he whispered, "I'm…I'm really human again?"
Both broadened their smiles and nodded. Mutely aware of the water, they stood for a breathtaking bear hug. When Zelgadis went to lift them both into the air in his happiness, he noticed it, and had to end the lift prematurely. A shocked look on his face, he returned to staring at his hands. Knowing the problem, Sylphiel murmured, "Well, demons and golems are a bit stronger than most humans…as far as physical and magical powers go. You just need to get used to it."
Suddenly out of sorts, Zelgadis ran to the window and opened it. With rushed panic, he released a Rah Tilt. At least…he tried to. The spirit magic dissipated into the air just a few feet away. With a growl, he tried a Flare Lance. It came out the size of a single Flare Arrow, that weakened and fell. Hope gone with the wind, he slumped down against the wall. He was human again, all right. A human as weak as he was before Rezo cursed him, and as magically defunct as Lina during her 'time of the month'. Was it really worth it, even as easy as the cure had been?
Both girls sensed his loss of vigor and moved slowly towards him. Now Amelia held Zelgadis' hands, his perfect human hands, and told him. "You've learned it all before. You've used it for a long time. This will pass quickly, I just know it."
Zelgadis smiled wanly at her attempts, and gripped her hands with his to show he knew. With a sigh, he remarked to the ceiling, "Well, an experiment has been started- might as well finish it. In the mean time…I think we should keep these pills in a safe place, right?"
Amelia nodded. "I'll have them secured in the royal vault. But just in case…for emergencies…we should probably store some at our sides as well, in case we're ambushed or something of that nature."
Her companions acquiesced to her suggestion. Sylphiel put in her two cents now. "Zelgadis-san…if it bothers you, why not train in the royal magic arena? It's most likely unused right now, and there are orihalcon targets there to practice with. I'm sure a little time could mend your weakened state easily. That'd be alright, wouldn't it Amelia-sama?"
Again, Amelia nodded once. "Of course it is. Zelgadis, would you like to?"
Zelgadis let out a hearty laugh then. The girls waited until his mirth subsided before hearing the reason. "Without having to search for my cure, half my days have been suddenly freed up. Yes, I think I will train some. Amelia? Sylphiel? What are you going to do?"
Amelia answered first, her smile still bright. "I think it's time I hold a conference with all of my officials; they must have been worried- and all that paper work to do as well. I'll go from there."
"I think I'll go into town and purchase some magical provisions. Three safeguard pouches to hold pills for one. May I take the original pouches with me? Their regeneration power…I may be able to learn how to duplicate it."
With confident, red blood flowing in his veins, Zelgadis stood, as did Amelia and Sylphiel. "We'll meet up again at dinner then, I suppose?"
They nodded in affirmation, shared their smile and the same gleeful look in their eyes, and departed towards the door. Sylphiel went towards her own chambers, to soak in her private tub that would soon be filled with soothing hot water. Zelgadis left to travel down towards the dungeon, parting at the fork that distinguished the prisons from the arena. As for Amelia, she eased the door shut a few moments after their departing goodbyes, and set about to refurnish her image.
At dinner, most everyone awaited the Queen in the private dining hall. Just past an hour after the serving moment came upon them, the Queen burst into the room, out of breath and strands of hair coming loose from her braid- she had grown it out to be just like Naga's, her sister's.
"Zelgadis-san, Sylphiel-san! There's trouble! Big trouble! Lina's…Lina is…"
She trailed off then, and fell forward as if in a faint.
A/N: - I know I know…I'm evil aren't I? If not for doing something more to Lina, then for ending it here. Oh well. It's my story :P Please review- I'll return next week! -