What hurt the worst was, why hadn't anyone realised it? And now that the cat was out of the bag, as it were, who knew if the mazoku would attack? Was the end of the world at last at hand? So the decission was made for Lina to leave on her search quickly. But where to go? There was little written about the south pole in the Seirunian archives, and nothing about a power that lived there. The situation looked hopeless, should Lina go, or would it be a trap?
It was at this time that fate brought another visitor to the Queen of Seirune seeking for magical answers. It caused a stir when it was announced that a young woman, holding a dragon's egg, had appeared at the gate begging for help from the Queen. After some hemming and hawing, Naga decided it was her day to see people and got ready to meet the visitor. Who knew what help the gods might send? So, with Lina and Zel hidden to one side, Queen Gracia ascended the throne and bid the girl enter.
A young woman, she looked about 16, tall, beautiful, with long flowing blonde hair, wearing a pink and white dress, entered. In her hands she carried a basket and in the basket there was a soft glow, the glow of a dragon's egg. She hadn't made it to the Queen to even begin her audience when both Zelgadiss and Lina recognised her. "Filia?" they both cried. The young dragon maid, for the woman was indeed she, turned with a start and after staring for a second said, tentatively "Miss Lina? Mr. Zelgadiss?"
"Oh? YOu know this woman?" asked the Queen from her throne, feeling a bit upstaged. Lina came forward and bowed. "I beg your pardon Your Majesty!" she said. "I knew this woman years ago, no, decades ago, when Zelgadiss, Filia, and I, plus a few others, Amilia included, defeated the demon Darkstar from the Overworld. I was startled to see her is all. May I present to Your Majesty the former shrine maiden of the Fire Dragon King, Filia ul Copt."
"Former shrine... wait, you are a dragon then? A Golden Dragon by the looks of things?" said a bewildered Queen Gracia. Filia dropped to her knees and said "I am indeed Your Majesty, and I come to you needing help. It is a matter of life or death! Oh please hear me Your Highness!" "Proceed, please." said Naga, quite unsure where this was going to go.
"I was a shrine maiden as Miss Lina said." Filia began. "But a time came when I realised that the Golden Dragons of the Fire Dragon King had commited a great evil against against the race of dragons called the Ancient Dragons! We killed them! Out of fear! It was a shameful act that I wish I could purge." Filia sniffled for a minute then got ahold of herself.
Lina was amazed that Filia could carry such hurt and guilt for what happened before she was born. Had she always been so sensitive? Well, but Lina had been so young when she last saw Filia, maybe she missed somethings...
Filia continued "But that is ancient history, except for this." She held out the egg. "It takes a hundred human years for a dragon's egg to hatch. This egg was formed, as Miss Lina can attest, only a couple of decades ago, after we defeated Darkstar, and along with him, the last member of the ancient dragons, one Valgaav by name. He alone survived our destruction, and became intent on destroying the world. He was destroyed in the end, but as he fell, some power made him into this egg, as if to give him another chance. I was honoured to become his mother by accepting the egg.
"Now, alas, the ancient hates have caught up and I find myself unable to protect him! Golden Dragons of the other clans have heard of his existence and seek his life, because they fear him. The problem was that Valgaav was once in league with the mazoku lord Demon Dragon Gaav and had taken in some of his power. Now the others of my kind fear he will be corrupt when he hatches, and want to renew the attemp to destroy all things, and in truth, mazoku have come to try and take the egg from me, which has only confirmed their fears.
"To them, not to me. I believe Valgaav is not a danger and have defended him as best I can. But alas! The attacks are more powerful of late. My shop, where in I sought to have a quiet life to allow me to attend to this egg, has been attacked and destroyed, my craftsmen have been scattered I know not where, and I am assaulted! I knew not where to go for help, but then I remembered Seirune was strong with protective power, and so I have come to you for aid. You are my only hope, Your Majesty. Oh! Please help me!"
By the time she was done Filia was shivering uncontrollably. Lina hugged the distraught dragon girl and looked to Naga to hear what the Queen might say. Naga was silent for a long time as she tried to decide what to do. Finally she said "Well, my Lady, you may certainly stay here for what it is worth. But we know not what help we can truely give. Still we shall think on it. Meanwhile, you must be famished, please, join us at lunch?" Lina was perplexed at why Naga would take this line with Filia, but the young woman accepted. Naga bid her servants prepare a room for Filia and let her stay at the palace. After Filia was led off, she turned to Lina and said "You be there too, if we know nothing of this other power the dragons may not have forgotten. And you know we can't defend her easily with magic, not now that we know what we do." Lina nodded, Naga was right, whether Lina liked it or not, Filia might know something. "Zel should be there too." she said. Naga nodded. "Try and keep me out." said Zel with a smile.
The lunch was ready soon, a simple affair, with a lot of emphasis on the queen's favourite, seafood. Fortunately, the others liked it too and so they set to with a will. At first they made small talk, but it was evident that Filia was, to some extent putting up a brave front to her own troubles.
Lina decided to get to the point. "Filia, we need to talk, okay? I know a lot has happened since we saw you last, but, well, I have a task I have to do and it seems to be pointing toward me going to the south pole and finding a power that is there. Do you know anything about this?" "Yea," interjected Zel "Our information is based on what we have been told by the mazoku, sorry, and we may need to go, but we are trying to decide if it's a trap or something real."
Filia turned wide eyes to Lina and after a period of silence quavered "All I have heard is that the dragons believe there is a power at the pole which is beyond that of the gods and the mazoku. Perhaps it is a link to the Golden Lord herself, but I don't know. If the power is there, and it is that powerful, it is likely only Ceiphied himself would have approached it." She paused and looked down in thought, then looked back to Lina and added "Well, all I can say is I don't think it is mazoku in origin, but I wouldn't put it beyond them to use it as a bait. But why in the name of all that is holy do you have to go there?"
Lina sighed and explained to Filia what she had found. And how. Filia seemed to be in a state of shock afterwards as she tried to take it all in. She held her hands to her head with a look of horror on her face. "The Supreme Elder, he never could understand why humans looked to the Mazoku for power. He never could solve the puzzle of why you'd make such an "exchange". That was his word! I always thought he meant the oath of immortality and he never explained differently. Oh gods, now I wonder if he didn't mean this! And didn't realise you didn't know! The path of the dragons through history is different than the path of humans, we never got involved, we didn't know! I'm sorry!"
"Eh?" said Lina. "You mean you dragons had an idea and didn't say anything? How could you not get it?" she ended, getting rather hot under the collar. "Easy Lina..." said Zel soothingly. "There is a lot we don't know ourselves, including a lot about dragons. Maybe they knew, and maybe they didn't. The thing is that we know now and have to do something. It isn't Filia's fault." Lina allowed herself to be calmed then turned to Naga and said "Well, Naga, it seems that the only answer to this mystery is at the pole. I'm going. Will you help me?" "Of course." sighed the Queen. "I don't want to go to hell, and I also hope you can find a way to rescue my mother and father, and poor Amilia."
"Miss Amilia?" asked Filia quietly. "She has passed away." said Zel quietly. "And as a user of black as well as white magic she's pledged herself. As have we all." Filia wept a bit. "She was so nice..." Something seemed to firm up in her and she looked to the others. "I'm going to help! I'm coming with you, if I can find a place to keep Valgaav safe. My going with you may throw the pursuers off of his trail, and I might get an answer too. And as a dragon I might be able to give you an advantage if the mazoku are up to something."
"Err well, Filia, what can we do?" asked Naga. "I don't think anyone will use magic around here for a long time now, and I don't know where to keep your egg if they can't." They all thought for a long time.
Zel looked up, and in a puzzled voice asked "Filia, you said only Ceiphied might have approached this place of power? Do you know of any place we might access the wisdom of Ceiphied from?" Filia looked at Zel, a bit surprised, then glanced over to Lina. "Miss Lina?" she asked. The others looked over at Lina, puzzled.
Lina sat there shivering. "Y-yeah, she might be able to help..." was her reply. Naga cocked a questioning eye but Zel nodded as he got it. "Your older sister is a Knight of Ceiphied isn't she?" he asked. Lina nodded, and gulped. Naga's eyebrow went higher. "They don't get along that well..." was Zel's reply.
"All that time we were together, and you never mentioned you had a sister, Lina!" said the Queen. She quickly added "Not that I'm in any position to talk..."
Lina replied, uncertaintly in her voice "Well, I'm sure that by now there is so much water under the bridge she will be happy to see me, it's just I never quite got over the fright she gave me as a child, not that I didn't deserve it, he, he. And if anyone can guard Filia's egg it will be her. Yes, that's where we go next, you are right. To Zefielia, and Luna."
