kitsuneonna: Thank you so much for the review. Really appreciate it! As for my having my son… it was nothing like this! I actually had a very easy birthing (though still no pleasure cruise let me tell you! Lol) I'm so pleased you liked that Sylphiel bit! I'm hoping to make chapter 12 a bit like that – I mean detail wise. I'm still trying to get back into my writing again so it still seems very simplistic. Hope you still like it and will stick with me for a little while yet! Thanx again!

Kristall: Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. I know this chapter doesn't clear much up, but I wanted to get it in there. I had actually wanted to put in with chapter 10, but I didn't have enough that it seemed right. Chapter 12 will be up next week, and I'm hoping ot make it much better than these last couple of chapters. Until then… thanks for taking the time to review, it's nice to hear from readers!

Kaeru Shisho: Thankies for the kind words! Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint too badly… if it does, I hope to make up for it next chapter. Keep up the writing, k? hehehe, thanks for taken the time to read mine! I'm trying to keep a regular posting so that I don't just drop off into the obscure world of RL again…. Till next time…

Now, for chapter 11….

- - - - - -

"Xelloss!"

The priest turned to glance behind him briefly, acknowledging the presence of his mistress though he did not dare turn his back on his opponents to bow.

"Xelloss, return," Zellas ordered, appearing alongside her most valued minion. When Xelloss stared at her in shock, she snarled something incomprehensible and gave him a shove, making him vanish. Turning her attention to those who'd encircled her priest moments before, she smiled – a look not unlike Lina's smirk before a battle.

Xelloss reappeared in a room where Akkari was arranging food on a table, his face solemn though his movements were brisk. The teal-tressed king paused and glanced up at the priest, relief immediately washing over his young features. "Thank L-sama you're here! We were worried you wouldn't make it back in … time."

The way the youth's words had trailed off, as if he'd realised what he'd said, caused dread to blossom within the Mazoku's breast. "Why not?" he demanded, all traces of his normally cheery demeanor absent as his eyes bored into Akkari's. Akkari merely jerked his head towards the closed door behind which Lina strained. Then it hit him; the dark feeling he'd been having since he'd arrived wasn't entirely his own. Deep sorrow and fear were wafting from not only the King but from behind the door. Lina!

Xelloss rushed into the room, distantly noting the two women jump at his unexpected entry, and hesitated. Amelia ran past him into Akkari's open arms, tears trailing down her round cheeks as the midwife frowned and shook her head sadly, her hand tucking a towel more firmly around the bundle in her arms. Trying to assimilate the magnitude of the scene around him, the Mazoku turned his gaze to the chimera by the bed. Zelgadis had his back turned to the room though he still held one of Lina's hands carefully within his stone grasp. His head was bowed and his shoulders were slumped though they shuddered slightly.

"Lina?" he breathed, moving quickly around to the other side of the bed. He couldn't discern all the emotions that seemed to be welling up within him, but for the first time in several years, he felt fear claw at his being. "Lina?"

"You're… late," the sorceress whispered raggedly, too spent to say much more as ruby eyes slowly opened to take in the priest.

"Why … ?" he began, too stunned to properly formulate his thoughts into words. Turning panicked eyes to the midwife, he demanded, "Why isn't she healed?"

"Too late," Lina answered as the midwife turned away. Weakly she grasped at Xelloss' gloved hand, smiling faintly. "It's too late."

Pain clouded Xelloss' senses. Glancing up, he caught Zelgadis' gaze and his chest constricted when the youth shook his head sadly. "No one here can heal her now," he said softly, his voice strained. "She's bled too much for us to do anything. She's… dying, Xelloss."

"No," Xelloss muttered, his eyes dropping to lina's exhausted face once more, his hand coming up to carefully brush his thumb over her cheek like he had only hours before.

"What was that?" Akkari asked from the foot of the bed, his arms still wrapped around the sobbing Amelia.

"I said no," the priest answered, his voice stronger. Determination settled into his features as he brushed his lovers cheek once more. "This will not be the way."

"You can't change it…" the midwife put in.

"Xelloss, no," Lina said softly. She clutched the gloved hand around hers but she barely had the strength to raise her hand let alone keep the Mazoku at her side.

"I told you I will be with you whenever…however I can, and I intend to keep my word!"

"Xelloss!" the redhead called as Xelloss vanished, her hand closing around air. "No…"

- - - -

Zellas glanced next to her when her minion appeared at her side in the audience hall on Wolf Pack Isle. The debate she held with the remaining Mazoku hierarchy fell into silence when she noticed him seething with barely controlled emotions despite that he bowed respectfully to her. She'd been expecting the cheerful news of a grandchild, or at least the closest she could come to having one, not this raw rage that seemed to lash out from Xelloss in an almost tangible aura.

"What news?"

"The child is dead and the sorceress lay nearly so," Xelloss answered loudly, making sure the Mazoku gathered around heard him clearly. He ignored the gloating sneers and triumphant smirks that appeared at the news, trying to keep his attention solely on his mistress.

She took the news with a mere nod before turning to her audience, "Then this is over. Leave me." After the other Mazoku had dispersed, their dealings with the keeper of the Inverse girl at an end with her death, Zellas turned again to Xelloss. "Tell."

"It's as I said," the priest answered in an even tone. "Lina lies dying and the child was dead when I arrived."

"Go. I know what you seek to do, and you have my blessing."

"Thank you," Xelloss said quietly as he bowed deeply before disappearing once again.

The blonde lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke above her as she grasped her flute of wine from the table before her. Taking a deep draught before closing her eyes, a thoughtfully sad expression appeared on her face as she addressed the empty room around her, "Good-bye, my son."

- - - -

Filia screeched when she was suddenly gripped tightly by the arm and yanked through the astral plane to an unfamiliar room where Sylphiel and Gourry stood, appearing as confused as she felt. "Xelloss!" she yelled, rounding on her now recognised assailant. "What in Ceiphied's name do you think you're doing?!"

"Heal her," the amethyst eyed priest ordered, pointing to the door to the side. "Give me time."

"What? Time? Heal who?" Filia demanded, but Xelloss was already gone. Amelia suddenly appeared in the doorway, beckoning. "What is it?"

"Miss Lina…"

- - - -

Well, that's all for tonight… I'm beat! I'll make chapter 12 longer, I promise! I plan to do a bit of detailing in that chapter… sorry to keep you waiting. But don't give up on me yet! Comments, crit, or suggestions are welcomed. Till next chapter,

Ishychan