Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers. Whoever says otherwise is a lying whore! Slayers belongs to Kadokawa Shoten.

Faces: Finale

Chapter 7

Risk Takers and Heart Breakers



Filia took a deep breath and savored the salty smell of the sea air. After their long travels, they had finally made it to the southern shore of the continent. Standing on a rocky hill encumbered with short trees and brush, the dragon took in the sight of the blue ocean below. Looking south, she thought she could almost see Wolfpack Island itself.

The sky was blue and clear. Sea gulls cawed in the distance, though none could be immediately seen. She stretched and basked in the sunlight, just listening to the crashing waves.

Turning away from the sight, she started back towards their campsite. Xellos was staring towards the south. Filia considered looking into his mind to see what he was thinking about, but could sense that they were thoughts that he alone could have. Instead, she sent him an encouraging mental smile.

"The final stretch," he said.

She nodded. "What do we do now?"

The rogue Mazoku knelt down and carved a little map in the sand with his finger, creating a sea, a shore and an island out of rocks. "There are three options now," he told her. "We can fly straight to Wolfpack and hope that the way is not watched."

"That's not very likely, though, is it?" she asked.

"No," he muttered. "Even in times of relative peace we usually had SOME kind of watcher present." He drew a half circle in the sand, around the island. "Another option is go to the nearest port, hire a boat and take a long circular route AROUND the island, coming to Wolfpack from the south. That way may be less guarded."

"That would take months!" she cried.

"Yes," he nodded.

"What about the third way?"

"Hmmmm," he intoned. "That might work, but..." He broke off as he looked up. Quickly grabbing Filia, he dragged her under a nearby tree and quickly lay on top of her.

Filia felt her Peak rise again and touched Xellos' face, but the demon pulled her hand away and motioned her to remain quiet. Blinking, she thought a question at him.

//A Watcher,// he thought to her.

Filia looked up out at the ocean. She couldn't see anything except a little white cloud lazily moving in their direction, down the shore from the north.

//I don't see anything,// she thought at him.

//The cloud,// he replied.

She almost laughed out loud. //Xellos, you're being paranoid. Not even a storm cloud, either. Just a wisp in the sky.//

//Then why is it moving against the wind?// he asked her.

Filia blinked and looked up at the cloud. He was right. The wind was blowing out of the south, yet the cloud approached from the north. It was getting closer now.

//Pull your tail into the shade, Filia chan,// he cautioned. //Don't let his shadow touch you.//

Filia did as he told her, pulling the pink bow on her tail out of the light and into the shade, nearer to his leg.

She watched as the cloud's shadow passed within three feet of them. It seemed to stop suddenly and pause, as if waiting for something. Then, changing direction, it moved away again, out to sea.

//What is it?// she thought in a whisper.

//His name is Vispus,// Xellos told her. //They say when the worlds were created, a piece of the Dark Lord, Death Fog, broke away and became trapped in this world. Now he serves as a Watcher for Xelas.//

//A cloud?// she asked in disbelief. //But...what could a cloud do?//

She heard him grunt in her mind. //For one thing, he warned us about your people's attempted attack on Wolfpack Island during the war. How did the golden dragons think I knew to be there? Your people flew right by him without giving him a passing thought.//

Filia mulled on this thought for awhile. //Your people ARE fallible,// she said at last. Xellos sent her a questioning thought. //We...We always feared that somehow..the Mazoku were more clairvoyant..or that just knew what we were thinking..//

//Not really, Filia chan,// he told her. //We just look at things differently.// They watched as the cloud moved farther away. //Regardless, it is as I feared. The Wolves' Channel is being watched.//

"What do we do now?" Filia asked him out loud.

Xellos thought for a moment. "We go south."



Jinnar looked into the crystal ball and smiled. "Yes, Xellos," he said. "Go south. Go to Dralladan and meet your doom! BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHA! HAHA! HAA..."

The door swung open a second later with a loud creak and in came Amara, her arms overloaded with packages. "Honey! I'm home!" she announced.

Jinnar grit his teeth in rage. Now that Her Majesty had seen his dragon prisoner, he had to keep up the pretense lest someone ask what happened to her after Jinnar brutally murdered her. Even so, some insults were simply insufferable.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!" he screamed at her. Amara paid him no mind and carried the packages into the other room. "Look," he growled, "We're stuck with one another for awhile, okay? But don't lose perspective. You're still my prisoner!"

Amara poked her head out of the other room and blushed. "Oh..my..Are we going to play escaped prisoner and the warden's wife?"

"WHERE WOULD YOU EVER GET AN IDEA LIKE THAT?!" he screamed.

"Should I start?" Amara asked, pulling Whip Chan from under her short skirt.

"NO!"

Before the conversation could turn violent, someone cleared their throat. Looking toward the door, Jinnar looked down and found a black and white housecat sitting there.

"Don't let me interrupt," Callisto said.

"No interruption at all!" Jinnar scoffed.

"Good," Callisto went on. "Her Majesty wants an update on where we stand on the Seyruun issue."

Jinnar waved the idea aside. "I have Mazoku working on it."

"Who, Jinnar?" the cat insisted. "So far, we've seen no progress reports from you or these Mazoku you talk about." As he talked, he kept looking at Amara.

"You'll get your reports in due time," Jinnar growled.

Callisto continued to stare at Amara. "I expect so," he warned. Finally he looked at Jinnar. "Where do I know your mate from, Jinnar? She looks familiar to me." He arched a feline eyebrow.

Jinnar started. "Um..She's one of Deep Sea Dolp."

Callisto shook his head. "No, she's not. I know all of Dolphin's maids. She's not one of them." He looked crossly at the General Priest. "What's going on, Jinnar?"

Jinnar puffed out his chest. "Since when does the General Priest of Wolfpack Island answer to other Mazoku?!"

"Since always," Callisto pointed out smugly. "I'm the personal aide to Her Majesty, and I speak with her voice. Now, Lord Jinnar," he said, spitting out the title, "You will tell me what ambitious, sneaky, overly-complicated plan you're playing with right now.Or in HER name AND mine, I'll have your staff."

Jinnar took a breath. "You haven't the authority," he spat back.

"Now, now, Jinny chan," Amara said, stepping between the two, coming to Jinnar's "rescue." Jinnar turned dead white. She turned to Callisto. "Please, Lord Callisto, you mustn't blame him. He's only trying to protect me."

Jinnar started to shake.

"From what?" Callisto asked.

"Well, you see, Jinny chan feels it's not the right time to reveal myself and our wondrous plan to unite my race and his!" She smiled broadly.

Callisto looked at her and blinked. "Your race and his," he repeated. "And that race would be."

Jinnar dived for Amara, but the dragon maiden danced out of the way as she announced. "Why, the Ryuuzoku, of course!"

"I see," Callisto said quietly. He turned to Jinnar, who was standing up after his miscalculated dive. "Lord Jinnar," he began, "Am I correct in thinking that you deliberately brought this dragon here?"

"Um.Something like that?" Jinnar replied.

"Of course," the cat breathed. "I see." He suddenly turned and bolted for the door, screaming the ancient Mazoku alarm. "AWAKE! AWAKE! FEAR! FIRE! FOES! AWAKE!"

Jinnar growled and disappeared, reappearing in the hallway behind Callisto.

"A DRAGON! A DRAGON OF THE SOUTHLANDS HAS COME! AWAKE!"

Jinnar's staff appeared in his hand. With a growl, he lunged forward and brought it down on the back of Callisto's head. The cat fell silent. Looking back and forth over his shoulder, the General Priest picked up the Mazoku and brought him back into his chambers.

Amara gasped at the sight, but Jinnar quickly took control of the situation.

"He would have betrayed our.." He grit his teeth and managed to get the word out. "..love.to the others. I had to..For you." He sniffled and let a tear fall.

Amara's eyes went starry.

"I cannot believe she's actually buying into this," Jinnar muttered to himself. He took Amara's hands and looked into her eyes. "We must move quickly now, understand?"

Amara nodded. "Yes.Yes, of course..my mate."

Jinnar felt his stomach lurch at the words. The thought of mating with this dragon disgusted him to no end. Turning his mind away from it, he called out.

"IFFY! IFFY! GET OVER HERE!"

In a flash of darkness, Iffy appeared. Her normal uniform was replaced by a short plad skirt and a white blouse. She wore a pair of glasses and knee- high stockings with buckled shoes. A folder and two books were in her arms.

"Yes, Lord God General Priest Jinnar Sir?" she asked.

Jinnar and Amara blinked at her outfit. "What are you doing dressed like that?" he asked.

Iffy smiled. "Well, you know the tuition assistance rate for active duty Mazoku just went up to one hundred percent, so I started taking classes in my off duty time!"

Jinnar shook with rage. "Iffy..I would like nothing better right now than to tell you how stupid you are..and how idiotic that idea is..But I can't right now.I have a bigger problem."

"Oh?"

Jinnar straightened and put on his imperial air. "Iffy, I want you to take Callisto to the edge of our territory and dump him into the sea!"

Iffy looked at Jinnar..

Then looked at Amara.

Then down at Callisto.

Then back to Jinnar..

Then to Amara.

Then down to Callisto again..

She took a breath and, "Wh."

"JUST DO IT!!!!"

She saluted smartly. "Ten-four, good buddy! I got your back, yo!" With that, she picked up the cat and disappeared with him.

Jinnar growled. One day.one day he was going to kill that girl.



Rain came on them suddenly, drenching them both before they found shelter under an old stone bridge overrun with vines and undergrowth. Thunder cracked overhead as the rain came down in sheets. Filia shivered and snuggled closer to Xellos. If he were a dragon male, she might have found warmth, but his body had no temperature at all, and she had to make do with the thought of warmth.

A little stream ran under the bridge nearby, swelling with the coming onslaught of the rain storm. She shivered and tried to think of something to keep her mind off the cold.

"Xellos," she began quietly. "What's it like? Wolfpack Island?"

"Cold," he told her simply. "Dark. To the extent where only Mazoku could feel comfortable there."

"Were you born there?"

He nodded, and she sighed. Xellos had become so somber lately, so morose. It was like he knew something she didn't and didn't want to worry her. But that wasn't all that bothered her lately. She had a question on her mind, and it gnawed on her. Maybe he could pick up on it and that was what was bothering him. She put it out of her mind for the moment.

"I wonder how the others are," she said.

He almost chuckled. "I'm sure Miss Naga is taking care of them. She's not really as bad as she likes people to think she is."

She smiled at that. Filia found herself missing the woman. "Do you think we'll ever see them again?" she asked.

Xellos looked down at her but didn't answer.

"I didn't think so," she said.

"Even we can't see the future, Filia chan," he replied.

"Do you love me?"

He stared at her in shock. "What?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes so she stared at the stream. "Xellos...I..I know what you said, but maybe...I just thought..."

"Filia chan," he whispered.

"Couldn't you just say it?" she choked out in frustration. "I know that Mazoku can't feel it, but..."

He said nothing for a long moment, then, "You'd have me say it and not mean it?"

She didn't reply.

"Filia," he said quietly. "I can't feel that...So I can't say it..." Filia felt tears welling up. "But...if I could...I'd want to say it to you. And if I did, I'd mean it."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't even ask."

"I do know this," he said. "I know you've changed me." She looked up at him. "I..I can't take pleasure in your despair...Not anymore."

She reached out to touch his face, but suddenly stopped as she heard something. Splashing footsteps were approaching. They shot to their feet, and Xellos pulled her into the shadows.

"Over here!" they heard a voice call out. "I found shelter!"

Xellos raised his staff and prepared to strike.

A young woman with black hair entered the tunnel. She was dressed as a traveler and carried a short sword on her hip. Filia blinked in surprised as she noted something just on the edge of perception about this woman.

Before she could speak, Xellos struck, reaching out, he wrapped his arms around the girl, his staff pressing into her throat and pulled her back. The girl cried out and began to struggle.

"NO! DON'T!" Filia screamed. "SHE'S A DRAGON!"

Xellos released her in shock. The girl turned and kicked him between the legs. Xellos grunted in surprise and felt no pain from the attack.

"You BUTT!" the girl screamed. Her hand went to her throat and massaged it.

Filia held her hands out, trying to look peaceful. "We're sorry, young one," she said in a soothing tone. "We didn't know if you were a Mazoku or not."

The girl, who appeared no older than seventeen in human years, and looked at them suspiciously. "You're a dragon," she noted, looking at Filia.

"Yes," Filia assured her. "This is my..friend." she finished uneasily, motioning to Xellos. "My name is Filia."

Xellos looked at her and stared in surprise for a moment. Filia turned red under the stare. She had no idea why she just said that, but something compelled her to keep her relationship with him hidden for the moment. As a priestess of a Shinzoku who gave clairvoyance and precognizant thought, she had learned to trust such feelings. Even so, the hurt thoughts from Xellos, quickly hidden though they were, clutched at her.

"And who the fuck are you?" the dragon asked, turning to Xellos. "I can't tell what you are."

"He's.." Filia began, but broke off suddenly. Mentioning the name of Xellos to a dragon would guarantee a quick and bloody fight.

"Zelgadis," Xellos said quickly, with a bow. "I'm a traveling sorcerer, and the young lady here," he motioned to Filia, "Is my...friend."

Filia winced at that last part. "And what's your name?"

The dragon still seemed a little suspicious. "Birdianna Ul Darazzen," she replied.

"You're a black dragon," Xellos remarked.

"No shit," Birdianna bit back, taking a hold of a lock of her raven hair and showing it to him. She turned back to Filia. "Most people just call me Birdy."

"Birdy? Are you okay?" a voice called from the end of the tunnel.

The dragon girl turned and called back. "Yeah! I'm fine! Bring the others!"

"There are more of you?" Xellos asked quickly.

"We're pilgrims," Birdy told him coolly.

Before too long, four other people joined them. Filia knew from the look of them that they were all dragons. One of them approached and stood before them, a black dragon with jet black hair that ran down to her waist. She had a patch over her left eye, and the right one was a cold blue. She wore a light leather jerkin with bare arms and blue trousers. A light sword hung from her hip, the handle dirty and stained with blood and experience. She gave them both a stare for a moment before speaking.

"I'm Mira Ul Rajerra," she said simply. "Who are you and where are you from?"

"I'm Filia Ul Copt," Filia said with a short curtsy, "A golden dragon and friend of Milgazia of Kataart."

"I've never heard of a clan called Ul Copt," Mira said quietly.

"I'm from the south," Filia replied. "From beyond where the Mazoku barrier once stood."

"I see," Mira said. "And you?" she asked, turning to Xellos. "You're a higher being, but different."

"He's a...purple dragon!" Filia interjected.

"Purple dragon?" Xellos asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Also from the south."

"Strange days indeed are upon us to find two dragons from beyond the Mazoku barrier here," Mira said, cracking a smile for the first time. "May I ask what brings you here?"

"First, I would ask you why there are five dragons here," Filia replied.

"You're the strangers here," Mira argued.

"We're a mile from the Wolves' Channel," Filia replied sternly. "We're ALL strangers here."

Mira smiled. "True." She turned and gestured to the other dragons around her. "We're travelling south on a scouting mission."

"So close to Wolfpack Island?" Xellos asked.

"Well...we're not going THAT far south," Mira said with a smile.

"You're going to Dralladan," Xellos said suddenly.

Mira looked at him in surprise. "I wasn't aware that the ancient citadel was known to the dragons beyond the barrier."

"News travels far in times of war," Xellos told her. "And if you are going to Dralladan, I'd caution you against it."

"What's Dralladan?" Filia asked, feeling out of the loop.

Mira eyed them both for a moment before smiling again. "Let's discuss it over something to eat. I don't know about the rest of my people, but I'm starved."



Jinnar rubbed his temples and swore a sacred oath before Lord Ruby Eye right there and then.

"Lord Ruby Eye," he said quietly, "I hereby swear that before I die and meet you in the great void beyond the end of the world, I will kill, as many times as I possibly can, Amara Ul Copt."

The oath came as one of Evil Princess Amara's pet projects was about to come to pass. The first ever Grand Army of Wolfpack Island spouses' call.

Since taking, totally on her own initiative though it may be, the mantle of mate of the General Priest, Amara had begun to use her influence to make sweeping changes on the island. Jinnar, still stuck between the rock (keep Amara's identity secret) and the hard place (keeping Amara from revealing the fact that Callisto was probably sinking to the bottom of the ocean by now), had no choice but to go along with it for now. Which is how it came to be that close to fifty Mazoku mates of members of his own army were assembled before him in a theater Amara had ordered built by the Wolfpack Army Corp of Astral Engineers.

Standing off to the side of the stage, Amara smiled and gave him a victory sign with her fingers.

"Ugh," Jinnar growled. "Okay!" he announced. "Let's get this over with! Who's first?!"

One Mazoku female, a purple-skinned, fanged creature with snakes for hair raised her hand. She stood up as Iffy approached with a microphone and offered the end to her. "Yes, my name is Eriztis, and I have a complaint about the hours my mate works."

Jinnar frowned and made a rolling motion with his hand as if to say, "Get to the fucking point."

"Well," Eriztis went on, gathering steam, "I don't think he should be forced to work a twenty hour day! And he's been telling me how it's all the fault of the General Priest and that if HE were General Priest, things would be different!"

"I see," Jinnar said with a smile. He held up a pad and pen. "And what is your mate's name?"

"Jadus."

"Well, I'll look right into that!" Jinnar assured her. He made a note on his pad: (HAVE JADUS STRIPPED OF RANK, PUBLICALLY HUMILIATED, AND MURDERED.) Underlining this twice, he smiled. Perhaps the dragon witch was onto something with this. "Next!"



Though the wood was wet, the group managed to get a small fire going under the bridge. Warming themselves, more introductions were made.

Sitting on Mira's right was a golden dragon woman dressed not unlike Filia. From what she could tell, she was a priestess just like her, but of the Water Dragon King. She introduced herself as Sethra Ul Lavode and the two got along immediately. She had a pleasant personality, but seemed fussy and overprotective when it came to Birdy and the black dragon sitting to her right, Willzaren Ul Zuita.

Most of the group called him Will, except for Sethra who used everyone's full name. It turned out that Will and Birdy were cousins and grew up together, the two only being a year apart in age. Like the others, he wore a short sword and was dressed for a journey. He seemed enthusiastic and excitable given how many questions he was asking Xellos, who sat on his right, about the purple dragons and what it was like in the southlands. Filia smiled and turned back to the man sitting on her own right.

Taloon Ul Reecian was a red dragon, evident by his short, but fiery orange hair. He seemed about Mira's age, perhaps a little younger, and unlike the others, he was dressed more flamboyantly. The red dragons were known for their pomp and circumstance, second perhaps only to the golden dragons. But where the golden dragons wore their pomp and ceremony like a religious robe, the red dragons wore it like a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, adding a sense of extravagance to it. As such, Taloon wore a bright crimson cape and velvet vest, studded with rhinestones. A jeweled necklace hung around his neck and a long broadsword rested on his hip. His cape fluttered behind him as if in a breeze, yet the wind wasn't blowing. It was this that Filia was asking him about.

Taloon smirked. "It's just a little magic," he explained. "For effect."

Filia sweatdropped. "I see."

They all ate from their own supplies and talked for awhile about meaningless things before Mira finally brought them back to business.

"You still haven't told us what you're doing out here," Mira told Filia, ignoring Xellos for the moment.

"A dragon's business can't be her own?" Filia asked.

Mira paused for a moment before replying. "There's a reason I ask," she said quietly. "Tell me..have you seen any other dragons in this area?"

Filia and Xellos shook their heads. "Just you," Filia told her. "And we're more than surprised at that. So why are YOU out here?"

Mira looked as if she didn't want to say anything, but Birdy took the decision away from her. "We're going to Dralladan," she said seriously.

"I keep hearing that name, but I still don't know what it means!" Filia said in frustration.

"It's a citadel," Xellos said quietly. Filia turned to him and saw him stare into the fire as he spoke. "An ancient dragon city on the shores directly across from Wolfpack Island." He looked up at Mira. "It's a graveyard."

"That's what I told them," Mira said quietly. "When they first asked me to go."

"I don't understand," Filia confessed. "If it's a dragon city."

"Was a dragon city," Mira told her. "It was razed during the war. Nothing lives there now."

"Except for Drazah and the others!" Will interjected.

"Who's Drazah?" Xellos asked.

"Our cousin," Birdy explained. "He and a few of the others went to Dralladan to recolonize it."

"Why in Ruby Eye's name would they do that?" Xellos asked Mira.

Mira shook her head and looked at Birdy and Will. "The younger generation don't understand the kinds of perils we went through, Zelgadis," she said. She looked at him. "You fought in the war, didn't you? I can see it in your eyes."

Xellos, knowing that the best place to hide was in plain sight, only nodded.

"For a thousand years we told our children that the Mazoku were stronger than us, that they couldn't be defeated and that the only thing to do was to leave them be and hope they wouldn't notice us. With the Flare Dragon gone and the Water Dragon King dead, we are diminished. Then, our worst fears in regard to our children came."

"What?" Filia asked quietly. "More Mazoku?"

Mira looked at her, piercing her with her one eye. "Hope, Miss Filia. Lina Inverse killed Gaav and Phibrizzo...Just as our children were growing old enough to question what we were telling them."

"And in their youthful exuberance, they decided that your generation was wrong and their's was right," Xellos concluded for her. "And so, as young often do, they did a stupid thing."

Mira glared at him. "Yes. My nephew took a group of young dragons, and with the promise of the glory of Dralladan restored, they left. We haven't heard from them since."

"And this was all they could spare to rescue them?" Filia asked in astonishment.

"The dragon clans are still wary of a new war with the Mazoku," Mira explained. "As such, they will not mount a real expedition to save them, not so close to Wolfpack Island."



Night had fallen, replacing the rain, and the group had pitched tents for the night. Filia and Xellos, keeping up the pretense of being friends, erected two different tents to spend the night in. At least for awhile.

Filia turned as he appeared in her tent and leapt on him as soon as he was opaque enough to be physically there.

"Good evening, my FRIEND," Xellos said with a mixture of amusement and sarcasm as he lay beneath the dragon.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Filia exclaimed, clutching him. "I just thought..."

Xellos nodded. "I agree," he said, cutting her off.

Filia blinked in surprise. "You do?"

He nodded and raised a finger as if to make a point. "Cross-marriage isn't something dragons do, is it? Even among other dragons. If we were to tell them even the parts of the truth we can, it would raise too many other questions."

Filia sighed in relief. "Then you're not angry?"

"Aside from being labeled a purple dragon, no, I'm not angry." He arched an eyebrow at her. "But what's with all the looks you were throwing that red dragon?"

Filia felt anger growing in her. "What about the staring at that black dragon?!" she countered. She mimicked Mira's deeper voice and said. "'I can see it your eyes.'" She fluttered her own for effect and went back to staring at him.

Xellos put his arms over his chest and feigned unconcern, something hard to do in a horizontal position with a dragon lying on top of him. "Just talk with someone I can relate to."

"Hmmph! Then why don't you go relate with HER tonight!?" she growled.

He smiled. "Why don't I?"

Filia's blood boiled, and she slapped him across the face. They stared at each other for a hard minute before Filia ended the argument herself.

"Take me."



It was several hours later when Filia came to. Her eyes fluttered open, and she yawned. It was different this time, like every time. She was lying on her side, the tan canvas of her tent facing her. Rain drops pelted against it and she could see rivulets of water streaming down the side as the moonlight shone through the material.

Yes, it was different this time. She could feel it somehow. She felt content, as if the Peak had abated. It was a warm glow now, not the urgent fire that coursed through her every waking moment.

She decided not to give it another thought. She was happy, and that's all that was necessary, right?

Her thoughts went back to the conversation she had with Xellos under the bridge. Logically, she understood what he had said. Asking him to say he loved her was like asking her to say she wasn't a dragon.

Still, it would be nice to hear him say it.

She decided that it would be better to drop the subject for now and go back to thinking about a quest she COULD accomplish. Saving her sister. She wondered what kind of horrible things she was enduring.



On Wolfpack Island, some poor soul was screaming in anguish.

"WWWWHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYY????!!!" it screamed. "PLEASE!!! I JUST WANT MY LIFE BACK!!!"

Iffy stood outside Lord Jinnar's room, newly redecorated in pink and purple by Evil Princess Amara. "Gee, I haven't heard Lord God General Priest Jinnar Sir so upset in centuries!"



Rolling over, she found Xellos lying next to her. Mazoku really didn't sleep, she knew. It was more like his attention was diverted inward as he let his strength renew. Which was just a fancy way of saying he was asleep.

She leaned up and rested herself on her elbow, staring down at him with sad eyes. "I love you, you know," she whispered. Xellos made no sign that he had heard. "And I can't even tell you that to your face without weakening you or making you sick."

He didn't budge an inch.

"My father hated your kind," she whispered quietly. "Hated you with a purity I've never even seen in faith. But he was wrong. Or...at least..not completely right about you. I think I realized that when you got sick, when Xelas turned you away..because you wouldn't hurt me... I think I realized that when..you took my hand and mumbled my name in your sleep."

She continued to stare at him.

"I don't know what's going to happen," she whispered. "All I know is that I don't want to come that close to losing you ever again." She wiped her eyes quickly. "So...I guess...like you...I'll never say those words to you..But I wish to Cepheid I could."

She leaned down again and rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes and falling back into a restful slumber. A few moments later, the demon's hand moved up and rested on her head, softly stroking her hair.

"I know," he said.