Chapter Nine - In Your Room
A Song by Depeche Mode
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Centered Italics – Lyrics
Black – Any Narrative
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It was twelve o'clock.
It was time for Dynast to take off his mask and show Lina what he really was. Lina wasn't sure if she wanted to see him as anyone other than Zelgadis. Zelgadis was familiar, and he cared for her. She wasn't sure if she would be able to face the man she had met in the tavern. She studied the outline of his face. It was still Zelgadis' face - a face she was certain she did not imagine. Zelgadis had to be a real person and not someone created only to fool her for Dynast's purposes or pleasure. Finally, she made herself look at his eyes. They were blue with the faintest brush of green – perfect aqua. That was the person she depended on – not the demon Dynast Grasucherra!
"Please don't change," she begged quietly. "I like the chimera."
He turned his back to her and she saw that already the tips of his hair were beginning to turn down and disappear into tangled black hair, cut short. Even his build was changing. Zelgadis was not especially tall; he was light and agile, which wasn't anything like the man in front of her now. He was taller, with snow-white pale skin, and as he turned himself towards her she saw that he had the grey eyes of polished silver.
In your room
Where time stands still
Or moves at your will
Will you let the morning come soon
Or will you leave me lying here
In your favourite darkness
Your favourite half-light
Your favourite consciousness
Your favourite slave
"Don't be afraid," Dynast said. "It's just the moon."
His arms caught her around her waist from behind as she went move away from the window. The view overlooked the wasteland of snow to the south.
Only moments before, she had come out of the bath and her flesh was steaming. Before she went in he gave her a white nightgown as well as the furs she was wearing now. She trembled in his arms, feeling fear in the strength of them. The moon was suspended low in the sky and cast powerful shadows onto the two of them making her quiver more.
"It's just my arm," he said, trying to ease her apprehension.
She could feel his breath close and his lips brushing her ear. His words echoed in her head and she couldn't will them away. She felt completely trapped. She didn't have a spell to cast to force him away from her; it made her feel very diminutive – like she couldn't do anything. It couldn't have been she who slew the dark lord Shabranigdo. It had to have been someone else. She sighed in his arms. She used to be more confident.
"Just let go," he whispered.
He was twisting locks of her hair between his fingers.
Her eyes reflected fear in the foreign light.
His kiss was more demanding.
And she was really afraid . . .
In your room
Where souls disappear
Only you exist here
Will you lead me to your armchair
Or leave me lying here
Your favourite innocence
Your favourite prize
Your favourite smile
Your favourite slave
Zelgadis crept through a window on the second floor. The latch was not locked. The castle was very quiet, and it was very large. His flesh cracked with the cold. Inside was not any warmer than outside – perhaps the drafts came stronger inside than the wind outside. He tried door after door searching for Lina. Every movement was pain, as his body was so cold, but that didn't matter, not when Lina was in trouble like this. He couldn't think of himself – only her.
The feelings he had for her were splinting against him as he searched. He was still fighting the idea that he should care for any person this much, not to mention her. All those times he had suffered jealousy because of her preference for another man. It was hard to believe the man he had envied had thrown her away. Zelgadis owed that his own feelings were pure white, as he would have supported the man of Lina's choice regardless of his feelings. He despised admitting he had ever felt such responsibility for one person he never had a chance to win for himself.
He cast his eyes down.
Zelgadis would never be any woman's choice. Any woman who might accept him would do so by deciding that his appearance did not matter much. That was not good enough for him. He desired so much more than that. He wanted her love for him to include his face, his body, himself – love could not be complete otherwise. Love like that was not possible for him; no one could ever feel that way about him.
He was beginning to panic much more as he had explored an entire wing of the castle and not found her. Perhaps he was already too late, but he knew that Lina had not cast the Giga Slave. That was for certain; the glaciers and ice caps were unharmed by the mass destruction that a Giga Slave could inflict. At least she had not put her own life in danger.
Finally, he came to one door. He thought he heard something going on inside the room. He listened for a moment, before he was certain that he had indeed heard Lina's voice.
His heart seemed to leap up in his chest, and he threw open the door.
Lina was by the window. Her head was held low and her hands were drawn up to her mouth, almost as though she were praying. When he entered, she looked up at him, her face grave and white. Her eyes . . . Lina had never looked at him like that with those eyes. Something must have changed drastically since he had last seen her for her to look at him with eyes like that.
Zel mentally cursed. What had that demon done using his appearance?
She said two words very quietly, and very clearly. "Go away."
He closed the door behind him with a steady hand, as he saw no one else in the room. "I won't leave without you Lina," Zel said as he came towards her.
"Dynast," she said quietly. "You aren't Zel, and it sickens me that you would still think that you could fool me with his eyes. You think all that time you deceived me with that façade would endear you to me? You knew I wouldn't travel with you when you met me in the tavern that night." Suddenly, she met his eyes with hers, and she seemed to choke on her words. ". . . and now you've trapped me here."
Zelgadis examined her face intently, what was she saying?
"Don't look at me like that! You're not Zelgadis!"
"What are you saying Lina?" Zel asked. "I am Zelgadis. I fought with a man who looked exactly like me in the castle at Xoanan. He beat me," Zel admitted, blushing slightly. "I followed you as soon as I could, but . . ."
Lina scowled at him.
"There's nothing I could say to you that would make you believe that I really am myself, is there?" he spat in exasperation.
"I don't know that the real Zelgadis would come this far for me," she responded.
She stood in the clear rouge light in front of him. He wasn't sure what to say to her. He didn't know what happened. Her face didn't look well; she was too pale, and the glow to her face was gone. The moon created a soft halo over her head, and for the first time, Zel considered how beautiful she had become.
It was then that he noticed the necklace around her neck. "Where did you get that?" he asked.
"Dynast . . . you . . . gave it to me . . . a long time ago," she said.
"Why are you wearing it Lina? Take it off immediately!"
"It won't change anything," a calm voice said from the doorway.
I'm hanging on your words
Living on your breath
Feeling with your skin
Will I always be here
"It's just an ordinary diamond," Dynast said calmly, carrying his long sword, and coming towards Zel threateningly.
Zel drew his sword. "Fine then. It's an ordinary diamond. Why give Lina such a treasure?"
"I don't have to tell you that," he said coming down on Zel – blade first. "Come on Zel. Please make it interesting for me. I'd hate to kill you in front of the girl without at least a decent fight."
Zel shrugged, parrying the blow. "Well, you beat me before. There's no reason to suppose I'll be able to beat you now."
"Huh?" Dynast mused. "So, why did you come here if you didn't think you were going to be able to conquer me?"
"Because," Zelgadis said, his aqua eyes shining wickedly in the half-light. "I don't have to beat you to win."
"So, you're just here to rescue her. Very interesting Zelgadis," Dynast said, rushing him with another swing. "Then you must have a plan. What's your plan?"
"I'm afraid it was just as you said," Zel admitted. "Source of all souls which dwell in eternal and infinite. Everlasting flame of blue, let the power hidden in my soul be called from the infinite. RA-TILT!"
The blue light came at Zel's opponent with a rush, but did nothing. In fact, it didn't look like it did any damage at all.
"Damn it," Zel said, taking one jump to land beside Lina. He grabbed her hand.
"That sort of magic is really too weak to threaten me. Do you really want this match to be a repeat of the last one?" Dynast said, lowering his sword a little, and standing taller as if to display his strength.
"I'm sorry Lina," Zel said. "I think the only way we're going to have a chance is if we run for it, but you have to believe that I'm Zelgadis before we go. Do you believe it's really me?"
Lina glanced at Dynast before nodding stoutly.
Zel broke the window behind her with his elbow and threw the pair of them through it. He caught her in his arms and landed on the crisp snow outside with a thud!
"HURRY!" Zel and Lina both screamed at each other as they ran frantically away from the castle.
"He's going to cast something big," Zel said, as he suddenly picked Lina up off her feet. "You can't run worth a damn."
Dynast stood at the window. The wind was rustling his hair . . . "They won't get away," he said darkly with mazoku bloodlust bright behind his grey eyes.
In your room
Your burning eyes
Cause flames to arise
Will you let the fire die down soon
Or will I always be here
Your favourite passion
Your favourite game
Your favourite mirror
Your favourite slave
Dynast blinked hard. Zelgadis and Lina were up again running, although Zel was not carrying her anymore. Dynast had sent a vicious ice spell towards them. Zel thumped Lina down on the ground in front of him and took the brunt of the spell on his back as there had not been time to cast a defensive spell. Those last two thirds of the chimera's identity definitely showed their worth just then. An ice attack was something his stone golem and demon self could easily shrug off, even if it hurt. Then, if he had underestimated his opponent - he would have to try something more drastic. He didn't want to let go of his precious scheming so easily.
He turned to leave the room.
"Please excuse the interruption," the priest from before said, suddenly appearing in the room. "I am sorry to be interjecting like this, but your actions required immediate attention."
"So?"
"You go too far Dynast," a voice said from just outside the door. "I asked you not to interfere with that girl. I said that I was interested in her and you specifically sought her out and made plans of your own regarding her. It has made me most displeased."
"Please come in, Hellmaster," Dynast said, realizing what must be done, and bringing himself to do it.
"I really don't like to issue out punishments for Shabranigdo, but you, my dearest friend, have overstepped your authority."
"I understand," Dynast said.
He bowed himself, realizing what would happen now that Phibrizzo had come. There would most certainly be consequences for his actions. It didn't matter – it could never matter less what Phibrizzo had in mind for a punishment. He knew at last what he wanted, what he thirsted for and died for.
She would burn a hole in the universe.
I'm hanging on your words
living on your breath
feeling with your skin
Will I always be here?
Will I always be here where it is very clear what is black and what is white?
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Author's notes: Thank-you very much to everyone who reviewed. I really love comments!