It hadn't snowed yet, but the days were becoming short enough that Zelgadis knew it was coming. A black mood fell over him as he walked along the road, not wanting to deal with the snow. It would force him into more towns than he wanted, keeping him there longer if a blizzard hit. After what happened with Xellos, he didn't want to be in towns as much as he could. Xellos had tried to kill him, he knew that much, and if he was in a town when the fight finally happened…

Why hadn't Xellos killed him? Or why hadn't he even started the fight? He appeared before him, burning the book in his hands (which, was probably a good thing. Rezo's stupid cures hadn't even been that outlandish, and Zelgadis was certain whoever wrote that book was just making it up as he went along), and pointed his staff at him. Zelgadis knew he had been ready to kill him, and only the knowledge they were in a town that could be caught up in the crossfire had made Zelgadis hesitate in casting the Ra Tilt.

But then Xellos had looked surprised and teleported away. Had the Greater Beast told him to stay his hand?

Did they have plans for him? Plans that meant he had to be left alive?

Oh, he was going to beat it out of Xellos when he saw him next. No one used him as a pawn. Not anymore.

The temperature suddenly dropped, making Zelgadis's eyes narrow as he looked up at the sky. Yes, those were dark clouds rolling in. It wasn't cold enough that it would snow yet, but the cold rain that fell wouldn't be comfortable either. He sighed, knowing he'd have to either make it to the next town quickly, or find shelter very soon.

When a loud crack sounded above him, he decided to find shelter. Thunderstorms were not good weather to travel in. Thankfully, he could easily find a small cave. It smelled terrible, but he could easily see the back of the cave and saw no animals had made their homes there. Zelgadis started to make camp there just as the rain fell, wind blowing so the rain splattered inside. He sighed, moving his camp to the back of the cave. Well, he wasn't building a fire anytime soon.

Before, when he had been human, he remembered loving the feel of rain against his skin. A child, splashing in puddles with no inhibitions, no clue what awaited him. Now, he couldn't even feel the drops, just how his stone cooled by the rain. Zelgadis sat against the back of the cave, almost glaring at the storm as lightning flashed. Once upon a time, he would have been careless enough to play in that.

Now, he just watched the rain fall.

And closed his eyes, enjoying the last thing he could about rain: the sound.

In due time, his stomach growled slightly. Since Xellos had burned Lei Magnus's book, he hadn't felt hungry. He should have, he reflected. He'd only have something non-alcoholic to drink, usually coffee or tea, deigning to leave for his room when a fight almost always broke out, and the tension was so high he would rather leave before they noticed the monster sitting among them. But now… Zelgadis reached for his pack, rummaging for the bit of jerky he knew he had. Ever since the last time, he made sure he had something to eat on him.

The rain wasn't letting up. A part of him started to worry that the road would be flooded when it passed. Lastalia was the last town he had seen, over a week ago. If the road to Sapstrath was flooded and he was finally getting hungry again, he probably couldn't wait that long. He always could Raywing his way to Sapstrath, hoping he could land far enough away to not frighten the residents. Some small towns didn't see magic users that often, and with his unnatural appearance…

Puddles were forming at the mouth of the cave. Zelgadis sighed, watching the rain fall, and how the puddles weren't disturbed as drops fell onto them-

Alarm ran through him as he stood suddenly, holding his sword. Water didn't act that way.

He had just cast Astral Vine on his sword right when the puddles coalesced, forming a humanoid figure. It was ice blue, as sexless as it was nude, and with only eye shaped depressions in its otherwise featureless face. Zelgadis grit his teeth, waiting.

It was a Mazoku. It had to be.

The Mazoku stared at him for a moment, lightning wreathing its silhouette in white. Slowly, it raised a hand. Icicles started for form around it, pointed at him.

Immediately, Zelagdis dropped a hand from his sword, cupping it as fire magic formed. "Fireball!"

The spell splashed across the Mazoku, not harming it in the least as it melted the icicles around it. Zelgadis took that time to rush at it, his Astral Vine enhanced sword slicing upward. The Mazoku dodged, forcing Zelgadis out into the rain. Thankfully, his hair didn't hinder him, the wire strands remaining where they were. But now he couldn't find the Mazoku. He turned, all his senses alert. Where-

At the last second, he dodged a barrage of icicles. The Mazoku formed quickly around the falling rain, watching him. Without waiting, Zelgadis cast an Elemkia Lance, launching it directly it. With a howl, the Mazoku dissolved back into rain, and he turned again, waiting.

Something grew inside him, wanting out. His free hand twitched, wanting to cast a spell right now. Something… strong. Terrible.

He turned suddenly as he felt the Mazoku presence behind him, magic forming automatically around his hand. What it was, he didn't know. He didn't know what he was casting, only that the Mazoku suddenly backed away, almost frightened.

When he threw the magic at the Mazoku, the black and red coloured ball hit it squarely in the chest. It screamed, the magic consuming it in a thought. Zelgadis panted as he watched it die, then looked at his hand in shock. What had he just cast?

And why did it feel like the power was pulled from within himself?

Suddenly, he turned, feeling another presence. The power inside him built again-

And the presence disappeared.

Had he been spied on that entire time?

Zelgadis sighed, going back to the cave, drenched. He was getting just a little tired of the Mazoku machinations around him and not being able to tell what was going on.

Now he was starving. He closed his eyes, exhaling sharply-

Then… something filled the air. It almost felt like shock, fear, despair- Zelgadis tilted his head back as he stood in the middle of the cave, overtaken by the feeling. A soft moan escaped his throat as it pressed against him, making him shiver.

Something snapped-

And Zelgadis dropped to his hands and knees, panting.

What was that?

Surprisingly, when he reached Sapstrath, Zelgadis wasn't hungry anymore. Or maybe he was too tired to care, having stayed awake after the Mazoku attack. Once the rain stopped, he headed back on the road, thankful it hadn't flooded. The river that flowed under the bridge had swelled rather high, but it hadn't flooded it. Almost.

The air in Sapstrath was oddly sober. Zelgadis watched as a black clad woman walked to a house with her hands full of food, and blinked as he heard soft sobbing as the door opened. He turned, noticing a nearby merchant exiting his shop, locking the door firmly. "Excuse me," he started, his voice muffled by the mask over his face. "Is there something wrong here?"

The merchant rubbed his face, sighing. "Traveller? Best be moving on."

Zelgadis blinked. There had been no malice there, only weariness and sorrow. Before he could ask, the door to the house opened again, a small family exiting, the child crying openly.

"Just lost a beloved woman," the merchant rumbled on. "She was caught in the storm and drowned. Shoulda told Lailah not to leave last night… we didn't need medicine that bad…

Last night… Zelgadis shook his head. "I'm sorry for your loss," he finally said.

"Everything's closed today," the merchant told him. "Best move on, lad."

Zelgadis nodded, turning to leave.

Last night… during the storm…

A Mazoku attack, that strange feeling that took him, and now a drowned woman. They couldn't be connected… could they?

No. That was ridiculous.

But… Zelgadis looked up at the rising sun.

Where was Xellos?