Chapter 1
Kenda, New York
June 1st 2002
Rain spattered against the window of Filia's apartment as she added the melted chocolate to her cake mix, swaying back and forth to the poppy eighties music coming from her stereo. Hair pulled up into a high ponytail, she reminisced about a decade that had been highly enjoyable to her, and wondered . . .
It had been five days since Xellos had interrupted her Saturday off, and she was certain his absence had been a good thing.
But the silence around the apartment, without Xellos or Val there, seemed stifling. Thunder rattled in time with the song, and Filia tried hard to not be lonely.
It wasn't easy. The blonde turned away from the window and set the bowl down on the kitchen counter, then leaned her arms against the Formica and sighed. A high pony-tail could only do so much.
Glumly, she considered her social life. Being ancient around so many humans was difficult. She couldn't truly discuss reality with them, only Valgaav or Xellos. She didn't want to worry her son with her own anxieties, so that left only the Mazoku as a sounding board.
The fact that she would seem to never age in comparison with the human doctors kept her from making intimate friends where she worked at the hospital; the fear that someone might one day find out that she wasn't human warred with the dread that she would have to once again watch a close companion die. It was difficult enough working in the critical care ward; she used holy magic whenever she could get away with it, but it wasn't always enough. No matter how much she tried to distance herself from her patients, each death was still a crushing blow to her heart. If it wasn't for Valgaav and Xellos . . .
Shaking her head, Filia straightened and grabbed the mixing bowl again, determined to be happy. She had a son, a beautiful, intelligent young man; wonderful reason to keep on living.
Inevitably, her solitude was shattered.
"Looks good," Xellos smiled as he popped in, elbow on the counter right next to her. "Sorry I'm late, sweetheart, I had a meeting with the other state reps."
With a sigh, the dragoness continued stirring the batter, unphased by his appearance by now. "You're back again already?" Damn Mazoku, she growled to herself, just when I get relaxed he shows up. I still haven't forgiven him for that stunt . . . She ignored the part of her that felt relieved at the presence of another immortal.
She glanced at him, and his deep orchid-colored eyes beamed back at her.
"Filia," he began, standing up straight, "I have something to tell you-"
"Please, Xellos," she snorted as she poured the batter into the oiled cake pans, "don't start. It's quite possible that everything you told me before was true, but it's just as likely a lie. More than likely."
"But, darling-" he began to laugh nervously, yet she interrupted again.
"Xellos, stop!" She shoved the cakes into the oven and slammed the door. "Little lies are one thing, but that was too much! Just for a joke, no less!"
Before she could walk away, he grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and peered into her eyes intensely, features suddenly cold. "Filia, I am deadly serious when I say that it is ALL true. I came here to apologize for last time."
He released her and she pulled her mace from the nearby counter, furious at his audacity. "I don't believe you, Xellos."
"Why would I lie?" he demanded, desperation replacing resolve within his violet eyes. "What would I get from that?"
She frowned and stalked to the tea kettle, rubbing at her wrist where he'd held her and tossing her ponytail like an angry horse. "I don't know, Xellos, I'm not a monster." Carefully curbing her strength, she filled the kettle and set it on a burner.
"I need your help, Filia," Xellos said, following to stand close behind her. "Please," he whispered, and his breath fell against her skin, tingly and hot. "I never lied to you before. I may have kept things from you, I may have insinuated to convince others of untruths, but I never outright lied."
His breath was warm on her neck, and she shivered in her sweater, clutching the mace tighter. "I . . . I must admit I can't recall you lying, no."
"Filia," the voice in her ear almost cracked, and she looked back, startled, "it's worse than I had previously thought." His violet gaze actually looked afraid, something she had never imagined she would witness. "Two Mazoku Lords who each owned a piece of the philosopher stone were killed this week."
"What?" Despite herself, Filia turned to stand close to him, mace still held in her hand. "By . . . this Telgai Monster?"
"Telgaln," he corrected, gazing down with desperate eyes. "Both Hellmaster Dolphin and Dynast had kept their fragments in display cases. Telgaln attacked without warning and used his piece to keep them from ever having even a chance of fighting back. They should have listened to me, but they didn't. Now he has all three."
Filia gasped as he took her free hand in his and brought it to his chest. "Filia, please," he begged, "help me to find the last of the stone fragments. I can't do it alone, and you're the only one I can trust."
She pulled her eyes from his intense gaze. "But, but I have the hospital, I can't leave . . ." So many patients who need me . . . who without me wouldn't survive . . .
"You'd have to leave soon, anyway, wouldn't you?" he squeezed her hand. "You've worked there for ten years already. How much longer before they notice that you aren't aging?"
Filia sighed and looked at their clasped hands. He's so warm and vibrant. It's hard to believe he lives for destruction. His argument was slowly winning, and she hated it fiercely. "What about Valgaav, Xellos? He's still working on his Physics doctorate."
Xellos sighed too. "Bring him with us. We need all the help we can get. Anyway, he already has five, right?"
"But this one's in Physics!" she announced, "the others aren't!"
"What's more important, Filia?!" Xellos shouted, throwing her hand down and turning away. "His doctorate or the whole world?"
Filia gasped, the words a mirage of a distant memory, but her reply was interrupted by the whistling kettle. "I . . ." she said to his turned back, "I'll make us some tea."
"Thank you," he murmured.
(-(-o-)-)
Xellos looked across the table at the lovely blonde dragoness and sighed. I don't think I've ever felt so dour before. Her depression and worry don't even feel nice. They're like sandpaper instead of wine.
"Filia . . ." he began, one hand on his tea cup and the other gesturing, "The world is in grave danger. If I could find other monsters who don't think I'm insane for trying this, I'd recruit them too."
The hopelessness he could feel from her finally became clear on her face, and he offered his hand for her to hold this time.
"But Xellos," she began, thankfully grasping his hand across the table, "how are we supposed to find the fragments? Even if the three of us are searching, what good can we do?"
"Anything is better than nothing," he grimly replied and squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I won't let him get away with this. Think, Filia. If he accomplishes his goal, think of all that you and Valgaav with miss out on!" He peered at her demandingly. "You'll never get to see Val get married and have children, to live happily on his own, without help from you. And if you finally decide to stop following me around the world to curb my malevolence," he smiled fondly, "you might get to fall in love and get married too."
Filia flushed, mouth agape. "I . . ." She frowned and pulled her hand away. "There aren't many dragons left, Xellos," she said, lowering her blonde head. "And how many do you think would want to marry someone who disowned her own people?"
Expression darkening, he shot to his feet and snapped, "You didn't disown them!" She curled in on herself as his voice rose further. "You refused to be a party to their foolishness so you absconded your title as priestess. That's hardly abandoning the race!"
Suddenly, the front door swung open and a young man with spiky teal hair let himself in. "Hi, Mom. Fighting again? Hey, Xellos."
Xellos relaxed and sighed, giving an honest smile to the reborn dragon from where he stood. "Hello, Valgaav. I haven't seen you in a few weeks."
Filia stood and crossed her arms. "You should knock, Val! I've told you billions of times before-"
Young Valgaav grinned and walked up to hug his mother. "I know, Mom. But you two were so loud I knew I wouldn't find anyone in a compromising position!" he joked, phasing out before she could smack him, then reappearing beside the standing Mazoku.
Filia turned to glare at the two chuckling men. "Valgaav, you've been spending far too much time around Xellos."
The young man's eyes twinkled as he returned to Filia's side. "Then you shouldn't invite him over so much," his deep voice teased.
"Valgaav!" Filia sputtered. "How can you say that? You know that Mazoku won't leave me be."
With another grin, Val joined them at the table. "Well, then, why doesn't the Ryuuzoku chase him away?"
Xellos decided the teasing had gone far enough. "Valgaav," he chastened and strolled up to Filia. "It's true, I have appeared a few times more than Filia would like."
"A few?" she snarled, glaring up at him.
The Mazoku smiled down at her and shook his head. "You're the one who decided you had to follow me around to curb my activities."
Filia went back to her tea angrily, and her son laughed. "Mom, you two are so funny."
Xellos returned to the table as well and watched Valgaav pour himself tea. "So, Valgaav. How is your FIFTH doctorate coming?"
The aqua-haired teen flushed and drank from his cup. "Fine. School takes up most of my money, but I still really enjoy it."
Shaking his head once more, Xellos sipped his tea. "You know I would always give you money for your education if you asked."
The young dragon nodded, eyes on his cup. "Thanks, Xel."
So proud, Xellos told himself in the uncertain silence that followed, smiling and glad despite the unfortunate nature of his visit. Just like his mother. Neither would take hand-outs, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration for their persistence. It was a trait rare for humans, but even more rare in dragons. Far easier to keep a stiff upper lip when there had been thousands of them . . . but a lone two dragons, living amongst humans, should by all rights be worn down by the passage of time, and take any respite, albeit grudgingly, that someone might give them. Even so, they both continued to work jobs amongst the humans, some quite menial in Xellos' mind, and refused to 'cheat' the easily manipulated financial system that was in place.
Whereas Xellos, himself, was not attached to any such compunctions. Still, it made him chuckle to watch them toil away, and warmed an odd part of him to see the simple pride and dignity they held because of it. Dragons. Who thought I would ever find something admirable about them?
(-(-o-)-)
Filia glared into her tea, not caring that such uncomfortable quiet had fallen over the table. "You shouldn't invite him over so much," her inner monologue mimicked Val mockingly. What is Valgaav insinuating this time? He's always trying to hook me up with Xellos. Doesn't he understand that this very Mazoku killed thousands of dragons in the War of the Monsters Fall?
"Ahem," Xellos' serious voice interrupted her thoughts. "Filia, dear, don't you think there's something we should tell young Valgaav about?"
Valgaav perked up and grinned. "I knew it! You two are getting married, right?"
THUNK.
Mazoku and Ryuuzoku crawled back onto their chairs and glared at the youth. "NO!"
"Anyway," Xellos continued, face flushed, "It's very important. Something horrendous has happened, Valgaav. And we need your help."
"We?" Val's brows rose as he glanced to his blushing mother. "Mom, you seem pretty quiet. I thought you hated monsters. You know, killers of dragons, evil creatures of darkness, etcetera. Now you're helping one?"
Filia sighed slowly. "Valgaav, I know you don't understand my feelings. I realize that in a war, there are casualties. That is how you view it. But it's far worse!" Her head rose, eyes burrowing into Xellos' uncomfortable form. "The Mazoku enjoy killing and torturing people! It's their nature!"
"I know that." The young dragon peered into his tea, low voice contemplative. "I've been watching the activity of the monsters outside of this city. The rate of accidents resulting in death is twenty percent higher outside of Kenda. No one's noticed it before because no one bothered to check."
The boy raised his head to look at the two elders gazing at him. "You keep the other Mazoku from moving onto your turf, Xellos. But you don't cause death and destruction. Instead, you maneuver and manipulate people and get your enjoyment from their mental anguish, fear and rage."
Xellos stared at him, then blinked. "Val . . . you're far more perceptive than I ever realized."
The aquamarine-haired boy shrugged. "I've taken fifty years of college, Xellos. I must have retained something."
—
Filia gulped her tea and glared at her son. "But, Valgaav. What are you saying, exactly?"
"I'm saying," he continued, "That Xellos isn't the worst Mazoku ever born. And there's a larger amount than you'd think of monsters who are the same as Xellos. They don't get pleasure from death as much as others."
Xellos scratched the back of his head with embarrassment. "Actually," he admitted to Filia, "I haven't killed for enjoyment in a really long time." He gave her a wide-eyed hopeful look, but she just glowered back.
"Anyway, sorry for the tangent," Valgaav said. "But I'm really hungry. Do you think we could eat something?"
"Oh!" Filia stood and headed to the 'fridge. "Sure, Valgaav. You come over so rarely-"
"He's here more than I am," Xellos muttered.
"—I should be a better hostess!"
Valgaav leaned over to whisper to Xellos, "So, when ARE you two going to hook up?"
Xellos glared at the young man. "Val," he spoke just as softly, "I DID kill thousands of dragons."
"So. That was war."
"And I enjoyed it, Valgaav," Xellos stared into the young dragon's eyes. "That's what I am, you said it yourself."
Val looked down, then met Xellos' violet gaze. "Then just don't do it anymore."
Filia returned before a speechless Xellos could find words. "Um, I made a sandwich for you, Valgaav," she said worriedly. "I hope you like it."
"Mom!" Valgaav laughed, "you know what I like. Stop fussing."
The dragoness sat down, eyes tired. "Okay," she muttered.
The Ancient Dragon munched contentedly on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, though Xellos knew he'd probably rather have some pizza. "You're stressed out about whatever Xellos was talking about, aren't you. About what's horrible enough to make you help him."
His mother nodded.
Xellos shook his head. Her worry was making him nauseous, strangely enough. What's wrong with me? Her anger fills me with power, but this . . . "It's going to be all right, Filia," he told her. "With Valgaav's help, I'm sure we can do this."
"So," Val muttered around the sandwich, "Watur we doin'?"
Xellos smiled darkly. "We're saving the world. For a boy of your intellect, that should be a piece of cake."
Filia shot upright, chair crashing to the floor. "Oh no! My CAKE!"
(-(-o-)-)
Later that evening, Filia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. "Xellos must be telling the truth. It's hard to believe, but . . ."
IS it so hard to believe? a part of her asked deep inside. Maybe Valgaav is right. Xellos never really lied. The other Monsters were always worse. Maybe Xellos did get better after the years . . .
"What am I thinking?!" Filia sat up in bed. "Mazoku can't just be reformed like convicts! That's ridiculous!"
—
Halfway in the astral plane, Xellos watched, invisible and soundless, from the corner of the room. "Oh, Filia," he sighed. "You have the strangest ideas. Monsters are monsters, but they're individuals, too. We're not all pure evil, we're just spawned from the power of chaos."
Filia lay back down in bed and closed her eyes. "Val looks up to Xellos too much," she murmured. "He doesn't seem to understand how dangerous Xellos can be. He could kill both of us easily if Zelas ordered him too."
"I would never do that," Xellos countered, leaning against the wall. "You two are more useful alive. I'd just have to convince Lord Zelas of that fact." He crossed his arms and beamed.
"But," Filia continued, unaware, "for some reason he hasn't. Probably to use us." She laughed nervously and rolled onto her side, unknowingly towards Xellos. "It's not possible that he keeps us alive because he cares about us. Is it?"
Xellos gave her a crooked half-smile. "What would you do if you found out I DID care about you two?" he asked softly, crouching down to look into her eyes.
A feeling of power was followed by a familiar deep voice. "I thought so."
Turning with surprise, Xellos chuckled and stood. "Valgaav. You HAVE been spending too much time with me."
"You know, this could be considered stalking and sexual harassment," Valgaav's golden eyes narrowed. Then he laughed and put his hands on his hips. "But somehow I doubt I could prove it to the cops."
Face reddening, Xellos loosened his tie and held up a hand. "Hey, what are you suggesting, Val my boy?"
Valgaav shook his head and tisked with a smile. "Nothing. We'll be leaving tomorrow, right?"
"Right . . ." Xellos agreed, grateful for the topic change.
"So you'd better get some sleep. Oh," the teal-haired youth added before he turned away, "by the way. If I catch you watching Mother while she's unclothed or otherwise . . . vulnerable, I will tell her, and we won't help you anymore." His eyes burned into Xellos' own. "I'll keep her from you, at any cost."
"So," Xellos sighed softly. "You have realized what I truly am?"
"I always knew," the young dragon countered quietly. "Monsters do what they have to . . . they do their jobs. Who knows when you Mazoku will decide to destroy the earth for yourselves?"
"Hmm," Xellos' violet eyes never left the dragon's. "you are correct. No one really knows when Shabranigdo will choose to return this planet to its original form."
"A form of spatial matter, a collapsed sun and its decimated satellites. Perhaps even a black hole." Val crouched down near his sleeping mother. "How boring."
"There are other worlds, Valgaav."
"Yet," the turquoise-haired dragon continued, "you would eventually destroy those as well. And what would you have then? A universe of nothing but fading waste, dying systems. What fun is that?"
"Well . . ." Xellos frowned. "I . . . I've never really experienced it, so I . . . I'm not really sure."
Val grinned and traced patterns on the floor with his finger. "Living in the present, as always, Xellos. Eh?"
Xellos peered at him and crouched down as well. "How can one so young know me so well?"
Valgaav shrugged, a discomforted look nicking his features. "Sometimes I feel things . . . Like intuition. When that happens, I feel absolutely certain of whatever idea comes to me. And I've never been wrong so far."
Slowly releasing a breath, Xellos faked a smile and stood. "Well, then, we're going to have an interesting journey, aren't we?"
"Leaving so soon?" the teen smirked.
"I need rest too," Xellos announced. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. Goodnight."
The monster gave a final glance to sleeping Filia, then vanished.
