Chapter 4 – Zelgadis Signs the Contract
"Well Lina?" Zelgadis sipped his tea, leaning back on his chair. He and Amelia had found Lina and Goury stuffing their faces at a different, well thought of, local restaurant. He was surprised when Lina had stopped her eating in order to look over the contract that Glenar Tochiro had given him. She had been studying it carefully for the past ten minutes.
Lina hmm'd to herself, flipping back to a previous page. Finally she set the paper on the table. "Well it's a basic sorcerer's contract. The conditions are that you remain in the town to assist on the research, and he provides food and shelter for you unless you choose otherwise. Beyond that, there's stuff about what kind of research is permitted to occur on your actual person, mostly this includes skin and hair samples, and bans anything life-threatening until both researcher and subject feel they have conclusive data to make any sort of physical transformation."
Zelgadis nodded. He'd read it several times himself. The main reason he'd given it to Lina was to see what she thought of it.
"As far as I can tell, this seems to be a fair contract; and a safety conscious one, at that." She handed it back to him and picked up a breaded turkey leg that she'd already swiped from Goury once. "If Amelia is willing to foot the bill then I'd say go for it."
"But to be stuck in this town for a year or more? And what makes you think that this child knows what he's doing?" Even against his arguments, Zelgadis knew he would probably end up signing the contract. Lina was right; this was a very good chance to get his body back to normal.
"Look Zel, I've been asking around town and everyone has nothing but good things to say about that kid. The only weird thing is that they talk as if he'd been around and doing this for years."
"He talks like that himself," Zegadis touched his chin thoughtfully, "I suppose he could have an extended life span similar to Rezo…" But Rezo had grown into adulthood before ever learning such advanced magics. There had to be some reason why a child knew so much about such a taboo form of magic. He definitely couldn't take the kid at face value, that's for sure.
Lina just shrugged, "Who knows? Either way I still say you try it."
Zelgadis sighed, "Did you see anything in there about what will occur if I break the contract?" He'd looked himself but had found nothing within the pages.
Lina shook her head, "Nothing. I suppose if you break it, then that just means that all research will end. As long as you stay in the town and Amelia pays for the supplies then I assume it will continue." Lina looked up towards the door, "Speaking of Amelia," she smiled watching the high-strung princess walk into the building.
Amelia looked down as she crossed the room to her friends. She should be happy that her father had agreed to fund the research, but something about all this had her stomach in knots. It was probably that she liked Mister Zelgadis the way he was. She shook off the thought, patted her cheeks, and smiled in the last few steps to the table. "Daddy say's its fine."
Lina looked up surprised. "How'd you get a message to Phil that fast?"
"Actually it was Mister Glenar. He pointed me to one of the sorcerers working at the hospital who knew how to do a communication spell." Amelia scratched her cheek thinking about it, "actually Daddy was kind of surprised when the spell just popped up in front of him."
Lina's smile grew wider and more mischievous. "Sounds like a handy spell. Tell ya what Zel, now that you've got the money issue sorted out, I think Goury and I will head up to the mansion with you so you can give Glen the good news." Goury looked up from his plate of noodles when he heard his name.
Zelgadis rolled his eyes, "You're only coming so you can ask about that spell." Lina shrugged but didn't deny it. Whatever, the reason didn't really matter anyway. This was probably the last time he was going to see them all for a long while. When they'd reached the town, they'd already been on their way to find a ship to take them back towards Seyruun. Amelia had to get home and it wasn't like Lina to hang around one town for too long. "Fine," he sighed getting to his feet.
The group paid their bill and started the long walk uphill to the mansion.
XXX
"So have you made your decision?" Glenar asked when they found him in the main room of the hospital. He was using a healing spell on a woman's arm, which looked to have been transmuted with some sort of lizard. Slowly, under the restoring light, a number of bent and broken scales returned to their proper places. The woman smiled as the pain subsided.
Zelgadis watched, without answering. That healing spell looked like it had been tailored specifically to repair those scales. Not a drop of magic was wasted. The boy's skills were highly advanced.
Once the woman was fully patched up, she thanked Glenar and left to speak with the nurses. Glenar hopped off the high stool and motioned for Zelgadis to follow him. "It's not that I can't give you more time to think about it," he said, "but what you're asking of me could take years from both our lives. The sooner we get started the better."
Zelgadis looked over where Lina, Goury, and Amelia were talking with one of the hospital sorcerers, "I just have one more question for you." The two of them continued walking out the back doors to the courtyard. Glenar stretched his arms over his head, then smiled, waiting for the question. Zelgadis felt hesitant to continue because the answer was meaningless to his decision. He'd still sign that contract before the day was over. "How much of this town has been turned into chimeras?"
"Contrary to how it seems, not even twenty percent of the people here are chimeras. I only take on emergency cases. Considering your opinion on the subject my guess is you've only noticed the number of people with augmentations, rather than the number without them." Glenar turned back and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'm not using them to further my research. I'm researching to further their lives."
"How old are you?"
Glenar laughed, "I thought you only had one question." He shrugged and shook his head, "Unfortunately I'll have to leave that one unanswered. For now anyway." His grey sorcerers coat floated in the breeze behind him. "Do you have an answer?"
Zelgadis sighed, "Alright then, Tochiro, I'm in."
Glenar smiled, "Great. I just need to add one more condition to the research."
"And what would that be?" Zelgadis asked, his eyes narrowing.
Glenar reached out his hand to Zelgadis. The child was barely half his height and held his arm straight to make a handshake easier. "If we're going to be working together for a long time, you should call me Glen." Zelgadis smiled and returned the handshake.
"Lina calls me Zel. You can also if you'd like."
Glen smiled brightly. He gripped Zelgadis' hand tightly and pulled him around back towards the door. Zeldadis found himself dragged all the way to a fresh copy of the contract. Once Lina had finished learning her newest spell, the group headed back to the in for a night of laughing and drinking.
XXX
Amelia stared, sadly, at the ground. Beside her, Lina excitedly discussed her plans for the next month with Zelgadis; something about checking out an ancient ruin she'd heard about from some of the townspeople. The group was waiting for Amelia's ship up the coast. If all went well, and the royal caravan was waiting for her when she reached the next port, she'd be back home within the week. And it's not like she wouldn't be able to speak with Zelgadis, after she'd practiced the communication spell a few times. So why did she feel so uneasy?
"Earth to Amelia! The captain said you're boarding now."
Amelia snapped to attention as Lina's hand waved in her face. "Huh?... Oh… Right." She picked up the small bag filled with documents from Glenar, to be given to the palace accountants. "Goodbye everyone," she said with a smile on her face, "I hope we'll all meet again real soon."
Zelgadis and Goury smiled, nodding. Lina laughed and pat Amelia on the head, "Of course we will. Before you know it we'll be coming back to save Zel here from the boredom of research." Amelia giggled and agreed. Zelgadis turned his head away to hide a blush.
They stuck around the dock until Amelia's ship had vanished from sight. The moment it crested the horizon Lina nudged Goury. "Well, I guess that's our cue. See you later Zel. Let's go Goury."
"Yeah." Goury waved at Zelgadis, as Lina took off running. "Good luck with the research stuff." He smiled then took off after Lina. Zelgadis chuckled to himself. Those two never changed. They were always in a hurry to their next adventure.
With nothing better to do he headed back to the mansion. Hina greeted him at the gate and showed him to the spare room, separated from the live-in worker's rooms, which had been cleaned for his use.
It was a small but comfortable room. A nightstand with a sorcerer's crystal lamp stood beside the bed which was covered with a simple scrap-fabric quilt. The desk was positioned under the window to best take advantage of the daylight. In the corner stood a wardrobe which, upon further inspection, he found had a key hanging from its lock. Not that he really had any valuables to keep there. Everything he had could be carried easily.
"We've got the basics here," Hina said. "But if there's anything else you need feel free to let me know." Zelgadis nodded. "Everyone who's not a patient picks up after themselves, and the bath is at the north annex. Women bathe at 9, Men at 10. And don't try sneaking in when the women are in there, I'll knock your block off." She spoke teasingly
Zelgadis blushed, and cleared his throat, brushing off the last comment. "This room should be fine thank you."
"No problem. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about the hospital or the town." Hina turned to leave but Zelgadis called her back.
"Actually," he said, "I do have one question. I don't mean to sound rude but could you tell me why you chose to become a chimera?" He knew his question could be hurtful. At least to him it sounded completely insensitive, but Hina simply smiled.
"I contracted some disease that ate away at my skin. Sorcerers would heal me but then it would come back. Doctors couldn't find a way to cure me. It was so painful." She clutched the fabric of her skirt as if reliving the agony. After a moment it passed and she relaxed again into a smile. "Then Master Tochiro came to my family and said he knew of an animal that was resistant to the illness I had. He told me he could change my skin to be that of the animal and the disease would go away."
"And? Did it work?"
Hina nodded. "Sure I may look different, but I can finally live again. My family worried I couldn't find a husband or work looking like this but the Master gave me a job, and I've even found a boyfriend in this wonderful town. Becoming a chimera is the best thing that could have happened to me."
Zegadis pondered this. He knew there were ups and downs to such a change, but for her to be completely grateful? Well… hers sounds like a special case, with that disease. I highly doubt that everyone else feels the same. He thought, trying to convince himself. "Alright. Thank you, that's the only question I have for now.
Hina smiled and excused herself. Zelgadis sat down at the desk staring out the window. It was a nice view; the port spread below the mansion like a picture in a frame. With the warm sun on his face, Zelgadis quickly found himself nodding off.
A/N: Hey guys! sorry I took so long with this chapter. Stuff's been busy. I'm going on a bit of a writing tare, returning to old stories, working on half-finished chapters. I'm having a lot of fun as this school semester comes to a close. I hope things are going well for you all, and really hope you enjoyed the chapter. Hopefully a new one will be done before long but I wouldn't count on it. I won't be quitting this story though. I like the idea too much to give up on it, so there will definitely be more chapters, even if it takes some time.
Thanks for reading! Review and let me know what you thought of it!
