Chapter Three is up! The first part of the chapter is a flashback from Thila's past, which is why the text is italicized. You get to know a lot more about her during this.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Slayers... sigh T.T

Chapter 3: Nightmare

She found herself in an underwater palace, surrounded by whirlpools. Sighing, she walked down the hallway to her mistress's throne room. Once inside, she kneeled down in front of her. "You called for me, mistress?" she said, head bowed.

"Yes Thila, I'm afraid I have some disturbing news. Please stand up," her mistress commanded.

Thila stood and looked at her mistress. She had flowing blue hair tied up into a ball with seaweed on both sides of her head, and wore a light blue, strapless bikini top. She wore a long, flowing light blue skirt around her waist, and had strings of small pearls crisscrossing her bare skin. Blue eyes on a perfect heart-shaped face stared at Thila. "I'm afraid that your brother has been spying on us, Thila," her mistress said.

Barely hiding her shock, Thila said, "With all due respect mistress, that is impossible as I have a telepathic link to him, and we can access each other's minds. I have not detected anything out of the ordinary."

"Unfortunately, it seems that the facts show otherwise," her mistress said with a sigh. "Your brother has been observed going to a tavern in dragon territory. My associates have reported that he talks with the dragons there. Thila, your mission is to kill him. He is dangerous and loose with his tongue around dragons."

Thila's smile disappeared as she regarded her mistress with cold eyes. Barely keeping her emotions at bay, she asked, "Why can't one of your other associates kill him?"

Her mistress smiled a cold smile. "He will be expecting that. What he will not be expecting is being killed by his own sister."

Thila bowed, knowing that she could not refuse a direct order from her mistress. "It shall be done," she said.

Suddenly Thila found herself watching helplessly, arms pinned behind her back as her brother was attacked by another monster. "NO! Please, he's innocent! He hasn't betrayed anybody!" she screamed. It was true. He had saved some dragons on a mission, and had been invited to their weekly tavern parties, no strings attached. Her brother had told Thila all of this when she was released by her captor to see him once more. He then had died in her arms, turning into black miasma and disappearing forever. Knowing she had disobeyed a direct order from her master, since she had refused to kill her brother, she shuddered at the thought of the punishment she would receive.

Thila then found herself on the ground, with dark miasma flowing from a huge gap in her own body, staring up at her mistress. "As punishment for disobeying me," her mistress scolded, "you are relieved of duty as my servant, and will be forever marked as a traitor to your race. Now, get your half-breed filth out of my mansion!" Her mistress waved her hand and Thila transported to the side of a deserted road.

As she lay there in severe pain, life slowly fading from her body, she heard a sound that sounded like the jingle of metal. It came closer, and then more rapidly until it was right next to her. A man's face stared down at her through closed eyes with flowing red robes. He spoke. "I am Rezo the Red Priest. I can heal you if you wish it." Thila used most of her strength to nod her head. "Good. Now, you are half demon, half monster, correct?" Rezo asked. Again she nodded her head. "Then in order for me to heal you, Thila, you must sacrifice a part of whichever half you choose."

Thila thought about this carefully and then made up her mind. "Demon," she whispered.

"Your demon half it is, then," Rezo said. "This might feel a little uncomfortable," he warned and raised his staff. "Once this happens it cannot be reversed. Do you still want me to do this?"

"Yes," Thila croaked out.

"When you wake up, you will be half monster, one-fourth demon and one-fourth human," the priest said. Raising his staff over her wound, he started chanting. Her body was slowly lifted up, and she became surrounded in light. She felt her body change and screamed in pain as she was hit with a beam of pure light...

"AHHHH!" Thila woke up, drenched in cold sweat. "Damn! That dream again!" she said, putting her hand to her scar. Why did that dream come up, why now? She thought as she sat up. Judging by the position of the moon outside her window, it was almost midnight. Well, I won't be able to get any more sleep now. Thila sighed and got up, rubbing her scar as she stood. She went over to her weapons rack and selected weaponry that would work against monsters. Her enchanted daggers went into her boots, and her bow and quiver went on her back. Her demon sword, Sol, went around her waist and she fastened her special cloak in place. It was just like her normal one, but it protected her from any weapon, as well as some magical spells. Satisfied, she went downstairs to find Xellos.

He was lying down on the couch, and sat up as she came in. "Well, well, couldn't sleep, Thila?" he questioned.

"Nope, bad dream," she answered. "We might as well get going, seeing as I won't be able to sleep anymore," she said with a sigh.

"It was that bad?" Xellos asked.

"You have no idea, Xellos." She came and sat next to him, pulling out a map. "Anyway, where's Gaav?" she asked the priest.

"Truth be told, I don't really know," Xellos said, scratching his head. Thila fell over in disbelief.

"What? You mean you don't even know where he is right now? Great Cepheid, the monster race really has gotten dumber," she exclaimed.

"At least we aren't dumber than Gourry, we've only gotten lazy. There's a difference, you know."

"Whatever that means," Thila said shrugging.

"Well Thila, we do have an appointment with my mistress, and she doesn't like to be kept waiting!" Xellos said cheerfully, changing the subject. "Besides, if I know my mistress, then she already knows where Gaav is!"

"Alright then, let's just get this over with. Lead the way, Xellos!" Thila commanded. The unlikely pair phased onto a place that Thila hoped would not be a nightmare: Wolf Pack Island.

Thila's story was really fun to think up! Oh yeah, I have a picture of Thila and Xellos, *holds up picture* so if you want me to send you a copy, please e-mail me. Don't spam me! Also, please review!

Xellos: *phases in and steals picture*

Me: Hey! Give that back!

Xellos: No. *levitates higher*

Me: Give it to me, or else.

Xellos: Or else what? *sticks tounge out*

Me: Next chapter I will have you get eaten by a giant chicken!

Xellos: O.o' You wouldn't!

Me: I have chapter 4 right here! *holds up paper*

Xellos: Fine, ruin my fun! *gives back picture and phases out*