The Price of Self

Chapter: 6

The Lost Lab

Here is another chapter. I hope you all enjoy...and let's see some more reviews. I can't tell how well I'm doing our how much everyone likes the fic if only one person reviews every so often. BTW: Thanks Kaz for reviewing on chapter 4 and I hoped you liked chapter 5.

Author's Note: I'm messing around with the idea of spells that Rezo might have made to help him when it came to his curse. That being said I'm using that to explain where Zelgadis learned these spells.

Zel walked at his normal pace as he followed the pull of the direction spell that was locked into the jewel in his hand. 'To think I'm using all these spells that Rezo originally created,' Zel thought as he continued to walk.

After about thirty minutes he came to an area where the pull of the spell became much stronger. Zel reached out his hand and felt the rough rock hewn of some kind of natural wall. He reach out with his staff and poked on the other side. The light knock announced that there was another wall on his other side. Finally, Zelgadis reached up with his staff and heard the same knock giving him his answer. "Seems I'm in a cave. So far so good...I remembered this lab but didn't remember were it was until I read the journal I have with me," Zel said to himself as he continued towards the rear of the cave.

Zel reached his target after a few minutes and stood in front of the back wall. He stood for a second before he held out his hand and pressed it to the wall. Zel began to concentrate before trying to open the secret door that was supposed to be there.

Lina had been able to locate Zel after a few moments of looking around. 'Lucky for me tracks stand out when your camping in a ghost town,' she thought sarcastically as she looked into the opening of the cave.

She slowly entered the cave and tried not to make any noise. After a few feet she saw Zel standing at the back of the cave. Lina stood extremely still as she watched him raise his hand and begin the concentrate. After a moment she heard Zelgadis say, "Hear me. Door hidden behind stone, unlock your knowledge to me, Zelgadis Greywords. The blood that flows through my veins is that of Rezo so open to my demand."

Lina watched as the back of the cave cracked an then swung open. Torches lit down the hidden hall as Zel began to march down the hall without stalling. Lina slowly moved forward and followed Zel at a safe distance from Zel. As Lina entered the hall the doors slammed shut causing he to let out a small squeak of surprise. Lina place a hand over her mouth and held her breathe as Zelgadis turned around and listened. She began to turn red as she watched Zel bend down and find a small stone on the floor. He then tossed it in her direction. But, luckily for Lina, his aim was slightly off and the stone connected with the back wall before hitting the ground. After a moment Zel turned around and continued walking. Lina slowly let her breath out as she began to breathe again. After a moment of catching her breath Lina began to slowly follow Zelgadis again. 'Apparently Rezo had a lab here as well...I guess Zel figures that if any place has the answer then Rezo's lab would,' Lina thought to herself as she continued to follow Zel down the hall.

Zel slowly navigated the twist and turns of the library area of Rezo's lab. He could use all of the books but he was going to need some help with the process. As he continued through the rows of books he thought, 'I hope that he is still here and hasn't broken the spells that keep him here.'

After about twenty minutes Zel came to a pair of large double doors. He smiled as he thought, 'This is it,' before pushing the doors open.

Zel walked into the room while slowly and lightly tapping his foot on the ground. After a few moments he found a part of the floor that sounded much different then the rest. "This is the spot now to begin."

Zel held out his arms and began the summoning spell that he remembered from a time long ago. "Creature hidden in blackness. Agent of shadows, Maurus mazuko of the night appear before me!"

Zelgadis felt a large wind blow through the room and felt a power enter. After a moment the air calmed and he heard a hiss before a almost reptilian voice asked, "Who dares awaken me from my sleep?"

"Zelgadis Greywords, grandson of Rezo," Zelgadis replied as he turned towards the voice and waited for the mazuko's reply.

"Master Zelgadis, it has been a long time since I have seen you," the mazuko bowed respectfully before continuing, "You have changed a lot what service do you wish of me?"

Zelgadis smirked, glad that the spells had not worn off, before he replied, "I need you to gather all of the books Rezo had on curing blindness. My eyes have been cursed and I seek to reverse that."

"As you wish Master Zelgadis," the mazuko paused as he noticed the form at the door before asking, "Where you expecting a guest or should I dispose of her?"

Zelgadis tensed before he turned towards the door and saying, "No, I'll deal with this just retrieve the books I need."

Lina had watched as Zel stood in the center of a large magic circle. She watched as Zel held out his arms and began to chant the summoning spell. Lina gasped lightly as she saw the mazuko appear. The creature was black skinned, looking like a patch of midnight that had been animated, and had long, sliver hair. It's red eyes scanned over the room before it focused in on Zelgadis. It hissed as it extended its black clawed fingers out and asked, "Who dares awaken me from my sleep?"

Lina continued to look on as Zel and the mazuko conversed in the room. The creature was humanoid in form but its eyes and other features gave it away. His mouth was full of sharp fangs instead of the normal teeth. The silver hair flowed down his back and almost touch the ground with its length. It was at that moment that the creature looked straight at her and asked, "Where you expecting a guest or should I dispose of her?"

Lina gulped slightly when she saw Zel almost physically bristle at the mazuko's words. He turned towards her before commanding the mazuko to retrieve the books and leave them be. After the mazuko bowed and disappeared Zel sighed before he asked, "May I ask what do you think you are doing?"

Lina almost bristled at the tone before coming back, "I could ask you the same thing. Here we are in the middle of a ghost town and you go wandering off in the middle of the night!"

Zel's brows furrowed as he faced Lina's direction and replied, "I'm finding the first cure I need. After I'm finished there I can resume my hunt for the cure to my body."

Lina looked at Zel for a moment before moving forward slowly. She stopped just in front of Zel before she said, "Zel don't do this to yourself. I understand that this is hard for you and you want to be rid of this curse as fast a possible. But, don't let it drive you away from us," before she reached up to hold his face in her hands.

Zelgadis tensed slightly before he turned from Lina and replied, "I do not want to burden you. I was the one who was cursed and I will fix the problem. I appreciate what you have done for me but I can carry on from here. You can go on your way now."

Lina gritted her teeth and was about to yell when Maurus reappeared with a stack of books and announced, "I have the books you wished Master Zelgadis."

"Good," Zel replied as he turned toward the mazuko, "Now I can begin to research what I need."

Lina watched as Zel sat down and opened one of the books. She cocked an eyebrow before she asked, "How are you going to read that if you can't see?"

Zel turned his head slightly before he replied, "The same way Rezo did," before he cast the reading spell again.

Lina watched in amazement as Zel cast a spell she had never seen before. After finishing Zel's index finger began to glow slightly and he ran it along the page. Lina listened in shock as Zel read back what was in the book just by running his finger over the text. "Well, I guess I was wrong there," Lina replied as she walked over to the stack of books and began to read.

Zel turned towards the sound of Lina sitting down and asked, "What exactly are you doing?"

"I'm reading. There's no law against that and who knows I might pick up some useful things from Rezo's collection," Lina replied while sticking out her tongue in a childish manner.

Zel sighed before asking, "And, what about Gourry? If he wakes up and we're not there then he'll go looking for us and get lost."

Lina sighed before closing her book and saying, "Your right I'll go get the big lug and then come back."

Right as Lina was about to walk out of the summoning room's double doors she was stopped by Maurus blocking her way. She was about to protest before he spoke, "May I ask you name?"

Lina cocked an eyebrow before saying, "Lina...Lina Inverse."

Maurus smiled before saying, "Yes, Lord Rezo had mentioned you. You were quite the up and comer last I heard. Do not bother yourself Lady Inverse. I will go and fetch your companion and you can continue your work."

Lina smiled as she nodded and turned around to head back the the stack of books. Maurus phased out as he thought, 'Master Zelgadis may be proud just like his grandfather, but even his grandfather needed a consort.'

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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