It's been a few months! Sorry about that. Life has been one rollercoster ride after another, but I have kept my promise and here is another chapter for everyone. Please review and let me know what you think - and what you'd like to see!
Ukky
Mwafwa: I'm glad you liked it! Hope you keep reading!
Vincelia Valentine: Aw, I'm so touched that you cried at this. And the other Slayers will make an appearance, I just can't say when. I will try to write faster, but life just hasn't been with me lately. Please be patient:-)
Phabrizoe: Thank you! I do my best to keep Xellos as IC as possible. You are too kind in your praise.
Kaeru Shisho: The villian? Alive? Dead? You will find out, but not in this chapter. This is, alas, a bit more of the character developing. After this chapter things will move a bit faster, I hope. I am thrilled that you still enjoy it, and I hope this chapter pleases in some small way!
Aisha C: TEE HEE!
Grace7: Yeah, Iyzeka, what can I say. She's a weird one. You are right about Val, he is pretty logical and calm. I don't think he'll hold any grudge. And thanks for the praise, I really loved doing that balcony scene.
Legona, Mistress DragonFlame, XyoushaX: Thanks, and glad you found the scene with Iyzeka and Val funny!
Tanwen Whitefire: There's a bit more fluffiness in this chapter now! lol
jadehaku, YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko: My pleasure. :-)
Kushielle: I would love to write a novel! And nice to see you again! Alas, novels are a bit more work and right now I have a job and school to concentrate on. A movie would be awesome. Let's only hope!
Triloga, Jadehaku (again?): Thanks! Yeah, Zelas is sure naughty. Teasing Filia and making her uncomfortable. ;-p
Reiko: You presume too much if you think Iyzeka isn't a virgin! LOL. Just because she wants to make it with Val doesn't mean she's already done it. :-p But thanks for the review, I really love them!
Ladyrei, niello: Here you are, and I hope this suffices. :-)
Mythee: Xellos true form always looked more like a torando/typhoon to me. As you will see in this chapter, now that he has his game on - mostly. As for Xellos being a power freak - after a while power gets overrated. Immortals get bored, and Xellos just might decide he wants something more in his life. ;-p
Chapter 45
Above
the Ocean
June
10th, 2002
A song played out in her mind, a multitude of music soaring within her. As the water cascaded down over her pale head, droplets strung along her hair like beads and the heat seared her skin wonderfully, washing away all other sensations but the music . . . a deep, thick pounding that softly touched her along every inch of her body . . .
The elation of their success delved deeply into Filia's soul, and she bathed absently, the majority of her mind riding a cloud of relief and euphoria. To wake up, alive and whole . . . and to be out of China, and away from our horrid double-lives . . .
It felt so good to be Filia again, instead of Veria.
Eyes shut, her hands moved over her body, the tumbling waterfall of steam drenching her with every moment, and in her hazy ecstasy, something spoke to her very being. Within your shell you are protected from harm . . . without it, beware the danger of the sea of chaos, and the depths into which you may plunge . . .
The music heightened, then soared . . .
Letting the sensations linger, she slowly fluttered open her eyes, the song fading gently. The Golden Dragon shook water from her face, wiping it out of her eyes and turning her back on the faucet, letting the hot liquid splash along her back. What was that?
Azure gaze confused, she ran fingers though her hair and shook her head, water spattering. "Another prophecy?" her soprano voice echoed slightly in the tiled room.
The shower was finished with abstraction, her thoughts clouded. After drying and dressing in the white skirt and scarlet blouse, she wrapped a towel around her head and left the bathroom, blinking at the daylight spilling from the windows.
Finding Val alone this time, and dressed, she smiled distractedly, then looked around the room. "Good, you're ready."
Saffron eyes giving her a calculated look, he shook his head from where he sat on the bed, palms on his knees. "Mom. You okay?"
Glancing around the guest chambers, Filia blinked at the cool ivory walls, the impersonal rooms a blank canvas, ready to be painted upon. "I'm fine . . . just had an odd feeling, that's all." Giving him a loving smile, she walked over to where he sat before her and put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go find Zelas and Iyzeka, and maybe we can get some breakfast, then check on how Xellos is doing."
Valgaav returned her smile and bobbed his head, rising to stand before her. "Okay."
(-(-(-)-)-)
Sound was an ocean inside of him, form and figure, a billowing wail that undulated throughout every fiber of his being and filled him with peace.
There wasn't much of a body now; he could feel every molecule forming, every cell pulsating with life, but it was such a slow process . . . yet a swift one as well. A direct order, a symphony of words in a voice so familiar and kind, it shivered down a spine hardly finished being formed, and through barely recognizable cartilage surrounding the skeleton he crafted with every throbbing pulse of music.
A beat thrummed under the song, a beat that he brought his new heart alive with; a solid, strong rhythm. It filled him with purpose, so he continued, stronger with the feeling and with the new blood running over his bones in rivulets tightly controlled by his dark power.
He would be whole soon, and the song would drift further into his subconscious, along with the soft, strong voice, soprano wordless vocalizations reverberating throughout his astral form. But when he was whole, the song would be there, waiting for him . . . deep inside every nucleus of every atom within him.
Sated from the strong emotion drifting along the current of the music, he let the resonance press him onward in a euphoria of sensation and sound, a nirvana of his own making within the mysterious melody that overflowed from his spirit.
He drifted then; the blackness eagerly consumed by the light of the voice.
(-(-(-)-)-)
Valgaav teleported himself and his mother to the place where he felt Zelas' presence - but when they arrived, it was to find themselves alone.
The sun fell across them with a fiery brilliance, and they shielded their eyes against the glare, discovering themselves on a short marble staircase that stepped down into a lush, well tended lawn. They stood under a tall and broad stone archway that lead into the sunlight, the top of the entrance squared off, with both sides a chiseled column dropping down into the ground, Romanesque carvings etched along each flat side.
Below them, wrought iron tables, painted ivory, sat in the shade of tall, flowering cherry trees, designs of fish leaping from deep water worked into their surfaces. Multiple matching chairs clustered around the tables, as if waiting for guests to arrive.
In the near distance, a forest-green hedge maze took over most of the scenery, the mouth of it opening invitingly near them. From the top of the stairs, the intricate pattern of the puzzle was quite visible extending into the distance, and one could tell that the warren reached so far back that it shimmered into a haze of nothingness on the horizon. It appeared to be, essentially, a never-ending labyrinth.
As mother and son glanced around uncertainly, searching for Zelas, Filia looked down to find flowerbeds on either side of the set of steps, blooming colorfully. Curled up inside of one slept a large white and marmalade cat, its long tail wrapped around itself as it napped.
"Aw, look Val. It's a kitty," Filia purred, beaming down at the rumbling animal. "But I wonder where Zelas is. You said she would be here, but if she's in the maze, we'll never find her, even should we fly over it . . ." the blonde dropped off as her eyes rose to scan the neatly trimmed hedges. "Wow. That's just breathtaking. All of this. I don't remember this at all from last time. And it's completely different than the outside of the castle . . ."
Next to her, Valgaav shook his turquoise head, a tiny twisted smirk on his lips. "Mom, don't forget, these are all created by using magic to warp dimensional bubbles. The only way I can even find anyone here is by locking onto their astral essences and teleporting nearby, and somehow I always end up at the right place. My real question is not where Zelas is, but how does she know where she wants to be? Her entire castle is a more complicated maze than that one is," he finished, gesturing loosely at the labyrinth with an extended arm.
Frowning, the blonde glanced up at her son, her deep cerulean eyes meeting his gold and softening there. "Sounds like there can be a never-ending number of places, beautiful places she creates . . ." Her voice grew wispy and thoughtful as she took the few steps down to the lawn, her sandals sinking into the grass. "What an artist. Zelas has an amazing talent . . . how sad that she can't share it with the world."
"I guess," Val pointed out while following her and heading towards the empty chairs and tables, "that's one price for being a Mazoku. The artistry she creates is so far beyond what humans could appreciate. So even if she tried to share it with them, she'd have to introduce the medium to them first. That's rarely easy for the critics to stomach, even among humans."
The cat yawned from where it sat in the flowerbox, then slowly sat up and stretched, rearing up its large, arched back to expose each ruffled bump of spine, before shaking its white head and blinking large emerald eyes at the both of them.
"That's quite a big cat, now that I think about it," Filia mused, hand rising to rub at her chin. "Well, anyhow, maybe if we call to Zelas she'll show up?"
The cat blinked at them, and Val could swear it was giving them a thoroughly amused and sly expression, its eyes hooded, before it began to saunter through the grass. It moved past the set up tables and chairs and into the opening of the hedge maze, disappearing with a flick of its tail around a corner and vanishing from sight.
"Maybe."
(-(-(-)-)-)
They both tried calling out many times, the sun beating down heavily on them and the chirping of cicadas swelling in the growing summer heat. After fifteen minutes, Val shook his head and said, "Let's go back to the veranda, maybe we can find some water or some shade."
His mother frowned cutely, then sighed. "No, there's a fountain in the maze. We should try to find it. If we fly over it, we can set down at it and get something to drink."
Shrugging, the teen acquiesced. "Okay."
He took her hand, and they rose into the air, her shimmering azure eyes reflecting the breathtaking blue skies as she gazed up at him. "Mom?" he asked, smiling back and feeling a sense of peace at her attentions.
"I'm just so happy that we are all okay," she told him softly, eyes falling to the slowly passing maze of bushes below them. "It almost seems like a bad dream now. All of this beauty and peace around us . . . it's hard to imagine the battle as anything but a nightmare and this is the reality upon waking."
Val's features hardened and he released a long breath, as a zephyr tossed their hair, and his hand tightened over her small, delicate fingers. "Mom. This is the dream." He then gave her a sheepish, hopeful smile, his golden gaze, usually so tired, softening for her. "But we can stay within it right now, and take from it what peace we can find."
"When did you get so poetic?" she asked him ruefully, but the vein of blue in her eyes flickered wearily. "You're right."
They were silent then, heads dropping to watch the complex pattern of the labyrinth pass under them, each twist and turn as another knot in Val's stomach. I wish it didn't have to be this way. Why do I always have to bring up the truth? I should just keep my mouth shut. I always end up hurting her by breaking the truth too soon.
Just then, the fountain came into sight, the wings of water shimmering in the air as they shot up and cascaded down, droplets misting in the warm day.
They began to slow and descend, alighting near the white marble base of the pool. Releasing his mother's hand, Valgaav glanced down at her, a sidelong look with regret in his furrowed brow. "Hey, Mom . . . you never did tell me how things went with Xellos when you and he were away. Did you get to help the villagers?"
Blinking, the blonde looked up then beamed, joy enfolding upon her face like a flower opening its petals to the sun. "Yes, and it was beautiful." Her soprano voice became a quiet chime as she turned her eyes to the fountain again, blinking twice before continuing. "The children were the best part. They were so full of life, so innocent and vibrant."
Feeling her pain, the teen stepped closer and reached out, taking her hand again. "Mom. What's wrong?"
Her head dropped, chin shuddering once before she gazed up at him again, a quivering smile upon her face. "I just . . . when we were in China, I guess I realized that my biological clock is ticking. I want to have a baby, and a husband – a father for you and a sibling for you."
Wincing, Val pulled the slumping figure forward and hugged her to him. "Hey, that's understandable. I mean . . . you didn't really give birth to me, or lay me, so . . ." I'm not really yours . . .
Proving herself to be more astute than he gave her credit for, Filia looked up at him, a disapproving look crossing her features. "Val, you know better, right? You know that you are my son. I just . . . feel the need to have more children. To procreate. At my age, it's time. But you will always be my first son, my son. Val."
The sound of the water splashing sounded discordant in the silence, before Val pulled away and gave her a weak smile. "I know. I guess . . . you're really all I have. You and Xellos. If I lost you . . . if you didn't want me anymore . . ." His shoulders drooped as Filia's eyes began to mist, her mouth opening in dismay. "I'm being silly."
"No, no! It's normal to have these fears," the Golden Dragon urged him, hands rising to clasp his shoulders. "But you won't be replaced if I have another child."
Frowning thoughtfully, Val nodded, then narrowed his eyes at his mother. "Wait. You and Xellos didn't have sex, did you?"
"No!" Scandalized, she stepped back, shock and embarrassment flooding her features. "What on earth would give you that idea?"
Val watched his flushing mother and shook his head. "Well, you were talking about children. I could only wonder if you gave it a try."
"VAL!" Fury mixed with mortification on her face and her fists clenched, while he waved her off, chuckling. "Val, you are just horrible! Why, I would never, ever do that, and—"
"Good," he interrupted, a smug smirk on his face. "You should at least be married first."
"Well," Filia huffed, turning away from him, "Aren't we old-fashioned and a bit naïve?"
"Does that mean you're not planning on waiting," he asked quietly, expression solemn and an edge of insinuation in his tone that made her spin to face him again.
"Valiant Ul Copt," his mother returned furiously, "that is quite enough! It is my choice whether I have sex or not!"
A husky voice came from nowhere, making the dragoness jump and eep, "Well said, Filia, well said!" and the two turned to see Zelas strolling casually up to them, a slender cigarette-holder smoking in one hand. "Val, as her son, you have no say in whom she has affairs with."
"Right!" Filia began, then darkly blushed, "I mean, wait! We're not having an affair! Xellos and I, we," stumbling over her words, she glanced around desperately, eyes alighting on a marble bench before she flounced over to it and sat down heavily. "I'm just going to sit right here," she told them imperiously, "and ignore the two of you, you . . . debauchers."
Sharing Val's snickering, the bubblegum-haired newcomer shrugged off the insult and swaggered towards the Ancient Dragon, hips rolling under the tightly clinging ivory fabric that fell down her figure, barely leaving anything to the imagination. "So, good morrow to you. I see you discovered my gardens." Her glittering saffron eyes studied the boy with interest as she took a long drag from her cigarette.
"Um, yes." Glancing over to his mother, Val shifted uncomfortably in his jeans, then said, "We looked for you, but couldn't find you, so . . ."
"Well," the demoness sighed, "there was work to do. Always work! Or not," she looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "So, time for breakfast. Yes?" And with her wicked grin, they had vanished from the fountain, leaving it to sparkle and splash in peace.
(-(-(-)-)-)
The day past quickly, but with no sign of Iyzeka. As the sun began to set over the Mazoku castle, Val found himself on the first veranda, the balcony where Zelas had first led them to breakfast. Looking out over the rivers and forests of the island from that impossibly high height, his hands grasped the ebony wrought-iron rail as if it were his only life-line.
It should have broken by now, been crushed under his inhuman strength, but it held firm, cool to the touch like normal metal . . . and unaffected.
Without Xellos, things seemed more dull. Without Iyzeka too. Peas of the same pod. They really are alike. Val wondered if he were more dull without them, as well. He'd always felt rather dull, really. Not stupid, for he was quite bright . . . but just . . . not as interesting. Who am I kidding? I'm boring. He smirked at himself, but a bitter, disconnected feeling still remained, a sensation that made him fidget anxiously.
Eyes intent on the sun casting delicious colors across the horizon, Valgaav decided to experiment a bit. With one long exhale and inhale to calm his nerves, he opened his mouth, then spoke. "Iyzeka. If you can hear me . . . come and talk to me. Would you?" Do you think that I don't want you around? His thoughts continued suddenly, and he found himself surprised to be thinking them. Are you hiding from me now that our mission is over? Or . . . was it just a mission to you?
That thought made him distinctly uncomfortable, as if he were starting to return her feelings.
Which he wasn't. Truly.
The sound of a pebble shifting behind him caused him to spin, only to find Iyzeka standing in the shadow of the greenery-covered wall, her eyes reflecting a dim glow of the sunset. "Hi."
His frown fell in favor of reddening cheeks. "Hey, um . . . haven't seen you since you jumped on me this morning." He winced at that, then ducked his head. I'm just throwing out insults left and right today . . .
"Well," the tiny demoness took a few hesitant steps forward, "I thought you and Miss-er, Lady Filia would still be mad at me, so . . . I kept away." The closer she got, the more small she appeared, until she was only a few feet away, a petite girl able to fit under his chin neatly. Her crimson dress had to be brighter in the daylight, but as it was, the sunset through it made the transparent layers glow like embers of a slowly dying fire, mirrored in her wide gaze.
Val felt his own embers begin to burn deep within him as his eyes traveled up her long, slender legs and through the more vital areas of her body, before alighting upon her face for a miserable moment of furious blushing on his part, only to glance away. "No, I wasn't really mad. But . . . I mean, Zelas was there. I'm sure she would have kept you and Mom from . . . I donno."
She watched him watch her, a small, mischievous smile growing upon her lips, before she glanced away towards the setting sun, and the look saddened. "You really wanted me around? Even after all the trouble I caused?" The voice pitched even higher, until he began to wonder how old she truly had made her body; such a mature-appearance, but such an innocent high-soprano, such naivety in her wide green eyes for all of her attempts to molest him.
"Iyzeka," the tall young man murmured, leaning his palms, arms taunt and straight, along the rail, "you're my friend. Whatever else happens," and to this he glanced away swiftly, "that's not going to change."
She studied him instead of replying, and he looked over to find the sun setting her magenta hair ablaze with red fire. "Okay." A bright smile lit up her features before she hopped the feet between them, grabbing one of his hands to hold close to her breast and lean her head against his forearm. "Vallie."
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you don't hate me."
Guilt striking his features, Valgaav looked down at her, then took his arm away to wrap it, instead, around her small form, pulling her close. "I don't hate you. I just wish you would respect me enough to stop trying to . . . do things to me."
She nodded against him, melting into his form. "I'll try. It's just, you're so tasty . . ."
"Eh?" Startled, he blinked down at her.
"Your emotions. They are so euphoric . . . and difficult to stop. I taste your lust," her eyes, far too bright, peered at him eerily, "your fear, your embarrassment, and your shame. And you like it. You want to feel that way. I can tell. I can feel it all. How . . . how do I stop feeling that?" she pleaded with wide emerald gaze, as if she were confused herself and begging for an escape.
Taking a half a step back, his arm still around her, Val stared down at her. "I don't know."
Tears began to well in those eyes, and he felt his mouth drop open, unable to leave; unable to stay. "Vallie. Don't go." Hands raised to her mouth, she began to sob, great tears rolling down her face. "I'm sorry I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry. I wish I was. I want to stop. I don't want to hurt you. I want to make you happy. But if feeling that lust and acting on it hurts you, then I want to stop. But I don't know how. It's . . . so strong."
Torn, the dragon reached out his free hand to wipe away her tears, uncertainly bleeding from his features to show freely in his eyes. "Iyzeka. I forgive you. I know it's not easy. Even if you're different, you still react to emotions the way a demon would. You can't change what you are. You can't . . ."
She smiled up at him through tear-filled eyes, and nodded. "Thanks. But . . . I'll keep trying. I won't give up. I don't want you to not want to be my friend anymore."
Gazing down into her deep green eyes, Valgaav took her hands into his own, his expression firm. "Iyzeka. I told you. You will always be my friend. I promise. I swear."
She nodded, eyes glittering liquidly. "Demons can't lie. You will always be my friend, too Val. I would do anything to make you happy."
"I know." He pulled her close to him and patted her back. "Believe me. It really means a lot. And I'll do my best to do the same. I have to tell you though, I'm a bit spoiled. Sometimes I'm pretty selfish. Just . . . forgive me. Will you?"
"As long as you forgive me."
The Ancient Dragon smiled as he looked out across the sea of viridian foliage, dyed gold by the setting sun.
(-(-(-)-)-)
Zelas led Filia into a room draped in black and violet, colors that she knew were painfully reminiscent to the dragoness of who they were visiting. "My dear Filia . . . he is there, in the center of the room. Not finished yet. Are you sure you want to get much closer? His raw demonic power could damage your aura, even when you are not touching."
The blonde lifted those innocent eyes to her, and Zelas smiled, sipping at her ever-present glass of wine. "Zelas. I have to . . ." Looking almost confused as she broke off, Filia shook her head, long tendrils of hair dancing around her shoulders as she did so only to stare down at the large, inky vapor of evil miasma that spun steadily in place. "I have to talk to him. Maybe it will help him. Make him feel better."
Raising a skeptical eyebrow as the Golden Dragon began to slowly walk towards the true form of her most powerful creation, the demoness bent her pink head and smiled slightly into the deep mahogany of her wine. "Oh, Filia. You really don't understand. He feels fine. He's rebuilding his physical body. By now most of the astral damage should have been repaired due to the healing properties of this room."
"But," Filia murmured, coming to a halt before the ten foot wide cyclone of demonic energy, "if this is a convalescence room, why is it so . . . dark, and depressing?"
Something akin to regret surfaced over Zelas' features, before she shook her head, perfect brow furrowed sadly. "The colors change to whatever is closest to what would give the invalid peace. Right now . . . Xellos finds this peaceful. Perhaps he is wallowing in the darkness within him. Sometimes . . . I think we all feel like doing a little wallowing in our own misery."
In answer to that, Filia remained turned away, and blinked sorrowfully at the churning blackness before muttering, "Really, Xellos. Can't you brighten up the room a bit?" She gave a brilliant smile, and then, arms wrapped around herself, sat down cross-legged on the carpeting a mere foot away. "I missed you," her whispered words were surely meant to be unheard by the Hellmaster, but the Queen caught them still.
Silently, Zelas approached, to stand off to the side, watching Filia and the Beastmaster, now a slowly frothing hurricane of ichor, make their halting, careful re-introductions. It's as if they are both on uneven footing, on uncomfortable terms. How much a lack of a physical body does to the mind.
"Val was . . . worried," Filia continued, smirking shyly and flushing as her head fell. "He thought that we . . . did things. Went too far. I told him we didn't, but really, who can blame him? You certainly always gave off that impression," she chided the quiet amorph, before falling into stillness herself.
If it had not been for the emotions boiling under the surface of the little dragoness, Zelas would have felt certain that Filia had fallen asleep sitting there. But then, the dragoness began to softly weep. And a pain unlike anything she had felt from her eldest child bled from the astral form to reflect that agony.
"Xellos," Filia choked on her sobs, "we're all okay, now. Right? Please, come back. And tell me that we're alright. It feels like . . . like you really died. I know you didn't, but . . . forgive me. Forgive my attachment to physical forms. I guess I really am a ditz." Her azure eyes widened and spilled great tears. "A total fool."
The empathic torment tore into Zelas then, a shame and a torrent of guilt and self-hatred, paired with that hidden loneliness that Filia had been shutting out all day, and the demoness felt herself folding grudgingly. "Oh, Filia," she muttered, stepping forward to kneel beside her. "No, you are not a fool."
The dragoness blinked, and stared up at her in dismay. "Ze-Zelas?"
Patting Filia's shoulder a few times, before gently taking her into a one-armed embrace – she couldn't spill her wine, after all - the seated Hellmaster told her, "You are mortal. Well, practically immortal, but you are corporeal as well. You can't help your corporeal state, nor the corporeal mindset. In fact," she stared into the beautiful blue eyes, so innocent, "you may never break yourself from that way of thinking. And that's just fine." Smiling in a way she hoped was kind, the demoness chuckled at the little Gold. "Xellos understands. He misses you, too. He's hurrying to finish his body so he can return to you."
Filia stared up at her, then hugged her back. "Thank you, Lady Zelas," she moaned, and the grateful feelings of the dragoness were echoed within the dense, miniature typhoon that was Xellos.
"Of course, dear. Now, we really are going to have to discuss the book that you, Val and Xellos found," she told her, hoping to distract her from her son's non-corporeal state. "It's very fascinating. It must have some kind of magical ward on it, for it refuses to be damaged by common spells. Perhaps we should go study it?"
The seated dragoness glanced over to Xellos' whirlwind form, a torn expression crossing her long-lashed eyes. "Well . . . but Xellos really knows more than I do about these kinds of things. Shouldn't we wait for him?"
With a sigh, the demoness blinked heavily, then set down the glass to clasp her hands and stretch her arms up over her head, revealing an amount of cleavage that predictably set Filia's mouth to gaping. "My darling little Gold, do you always wait for Xellos' approval, like his little slave?"
"What!" Startled, the blonde balked, leaning back, "Absolutely not! How could you suggest such an absurd thing!"
Nonplussed, Zelas slowly stood to stare down at Filia, a smirk crossing her lips. "Silly dragon. Look at yourself. You sit here as if at his dying bedside, sobbing your eyes out over him. He cares for you dear, but he also finds this worrisome, as do I. Xellos is fine, and he will rebuild more swiftly if he doesn't have to worry about your mental wellbeing. You're a basket case," she said bluntly, stunning the dragoness further. "As your son would say: snap out of it."
And with that, the demoness began heading to the door, heels sinking slightly into the lush carpeting, leaving the Golden Dragon to stare after her. "Really, Filia. Are you coming with me, or not?"
"Um . . ." A sensation of Filia waffling between mother and son appeared, before she felt and heard the dragoness scamper after her. "Coming!"
She smiled. "Good." And as they left, the room began to brighten, reflecting a deep, pure azure that occasionally glowed a golden saffron. "See? You already made him feel better."
(-(-(-)-)-)
They rematerialized within a dark, firelit space, and Zelas smirked at Filia darkly just before Valgaav blinked into existence before them, stumbling in surprise at his sudden appearance. "Now that we are all collected," the demoness began.
"Mom," the boy started, but Filia shook her head at him.
"Hellmaster Zelas wants us to investigate the book that we found," Filia explained quickly, sighing and glancing away.
The space in which they stood was indefinable, without walls, and so black that all sense of proportion and dimension fell away to the shadows surrounding. Filia felt as if she and Valgaav stood in a place apart from any other in the universe, separate from space and time with only the lone nearby pit of fire to splash light across their faces and illuminate the glinting of their eyes to one another.
"Here," the blonde demoness spoke before them, and mother and son turned from each other to find her holding out the tome to them over the blaze. The flames licked up her arm and began to dance over the book, and Filia gasped at the sight of the bound words engulfed in fire.
"Zelas, no!" the dragoness cried, reaching out hands to snatch away the book from the conflagration, but the Mazoku merely began to laugh.
With a flick of her wrist, Zelas tossed the book into the fire, and Filia watched in amazement as the Chinese calligraphy across the cover glowed ivory light from within the depths of the inferno.
"Cool," Val breathed next to her. Filia turned to see his eyes bright and wide as they took in this incongruity, while she herself just gaped, head shaking.
With a smirking toss of her head, Zelas stuck her hands into the center of the blaze and grabbed up the tome, hissing with a pained smile as the fires slid along her hand and arm, but with no sign of damage to the porcelain skin. "Look at it. Nothing phases this thing, nor hurts it in any way. It's disgusting," she snarled, wicked fangs flashing as she spoke.
Filia gazed at the demoness in stunned silence, then blinked and shook slightly, head jarring in a spasm as she pushed aside the fear Zelas brought to her. "Um, well, there has to be some way to effect it," she commented as easily as she could muster.
"It has no magical signature," the Hellmaster informed her tightly, eyes upon the book in her hand. "What could possibly be the cause of this supremely resilient book?"
After a pause, Valgaav spoke up, his deep voice quietly hanging in the air above the crackle of the flames. "Well, it must have some magic within it, then. There has to be some way to alter it. It almost seems like this magic is a seal to protect it and perhaps cover up some purpose that we can't see. It's too bad we can't get rid of the magic without hurting the book."
Filia blinked, then rose her eyes to meet Zelas' golden ones. Get rid of it . . . negate it. The demoness nodded as if knowing what she thought, and Filia glanced away, flushing. "We could try Magical Fusion . . ."
Val quirked a green eyebrow and she found herself shying away from her son's glance. "Magical Fusion? I must admit, this is one thing I don't think I've learned about."
Zelas rescued her, though for what reason Filia would have to determine later. "Magical Fusion is white and black magiks combined, my little Valgaav," the Hellmaster smirked at him from across the flickering flames in the pit. "When done, it negates all other known forms of magic."
Watching the blaze burn now, Filia frowned, then sighed, her eyes never leaving the dancing leaves of crimson and marmalade. "We could try. Zelas?"
Shaking her head, Zelas gave her an almost sad smile. "Filia, you know . . . normally I would. But I think there is someone else who would benefit from a better working relationship with you."
Raising an incredulous brow, Filia grimaced. "Wait, what?"
The pink-haired demoness merely gave her a pointed look. Then Filia sensed another miasma springing into the air, and slumped heavily. "You want me to fuse magically with IYZEKA!"
"Yippie!" the tiny teenager leapt out of the darkness to latch onto Filia, who could only glare down at her with pointless ire.
"Quite," Zelas replied, flicking her fingers to display, appearing from nothing, a cigarette holder primed with lit cigarette. "After all, you and I have come to an understanding, it would seem, have we not?" Her sensual voice played over Filia, and paired with the heated glance she gave her, left the dragoness flushing and feeling practically dirtied by the attention.
"Now," Filia tried to pry the cheerful girl from her arm, ignoring the chortling, "listen, this is actually something we need to discuss. Iyzeka has been far too familiar with Val," she continued, and watched in annoyance as her son began to back away from the flames.
Holding up his hands, the tall boy stuttered, "Mom, hey! Do we have to discuss this now!"
She frowned at her son, then at the strange demoness clutching at her happily. "Yes. Iyzeka, let GO OF ME!"
Zelas merely stared with boredom at Filia, took a drag of her cigarette, then crossed her arms. "So she tries to have sex with him," she stated, blasé expression insinuating that she knew all along – or somehow found out. "It's hardly that bad. Iyzeka, you never used magic against him, did you?"
"No," the girl whined, almost looking offended. "I never tried to force him. I only used feminine wiles."
"Argh!" Filia yelled, frustration and the living anchor getting the better of her. "Listen, Val is a very innocent young dragon-"
"Mom!"
"-and he shouldn't need to defend himself against your daughter!" Filia yelled at Zelas, practically sputtering now. "She needs to learn self-restraint, and it's gone way too far for me to stay silent anymore!"
Suddenly enough that she jumped in surprise, Valgaav stood between her and the fire, thus blocking her view of the Hellmaster. "Mom." He glared down at her with piercing saffron eyes, and Filia blinked in shock. In the resulting silence, she found herself surprised to hear the soft sobbing of the girl next to her, who slowly released her arm and clattered to the stony ground. "Iyzeka and I already talked about that," his base voice murmured darkly. "You don't have to do this, okay?" Deep eyes widening, he appeared to leave behind the anger for a moment. "Please, just stop. You're hurting her. Don't you see that?"
The dragoness blinked as she reared back almost reflexively from his sadness and distain, pain filling her eyes. "Oh . . . I . . ." Slowly, Filia slumped, then looked down at the tiny redhead crying on the ground. "Iyzeka. I'm . . . sorry. I just . . ." Her soprano voice faded as she tried to grasp for the words to say, and fell short as quiet came over the void once more.
Iyzeka rose to her feet, red locks shimmering in the firelight. "it's okay, Lady Filia." Filia stared down at her as the girl hung her head and scuffed one toe against the ground, hands clasping behind her back. "I know I was bad. And I'm sorry. I'm going to try harder. To not hurt Val, I mean," she was quick to add.
Taking a deep breath, Filia sighed and nodded. "Okay, Iyzeka. I guess . . . we can try fusing our magiks together. And see if it cracks this book's shield."
The demoness looked up at her with a heartbreakingly hopeful yet sad expression, so reminiscent of a kicked puppy that Filia feared she was being manipulated. "Does that mean I get to be useful? I've been feeling so left out ever since we got back . . ."
Exhaling again, the dragoness rolled her eyes but reached out a hand to carefully pat the petite Mazoku on the shoulder. "Yes, you get to be useful. You're very useful, Iyzeka. And . . . you're . . . a very nice girl," she forced herself to say, wincing. "I'm just a very suspicious person."
Staring up at her with wide green eyes, Iyzeka nodded. "That makes sense."
"Oh?"
"Yes," the girl continued. "After all, your best friend is Beastmaster Xellos. He would make anyone suspicious."
Filia glared balefully at the sweetly grinning girl. "Right. Let's just get this over with. And then you can tell me why I shouldn't swat you for that!"
"It could be worse!" the girl giggled, "I could have said that being in LOVE with Beastmaster Xellos would make anyone suspicious!"
"For that, I will swat you!" Filia growled, but could only manage a half-hearted swing, her face burning. "Okay, I don't hate you, alright? Can we please drop anything to do with your brother and get on with this test?" she begged.
"Okay," the little demoness beamed. "For now."
Filia's shoulders drooped as they all grinned at her, and she wondered, not for the first time, how she had gotten caught up in all of this ridiculousness. "Okay. Right. Whatever. Moving on . . ."
