Chapter 6
„Newcomers"
The bow glided gently over the taut strings, which groaned under the pressure, creating a beautiful melody. The old wood of the instrument gleamed in the dim light with every small movement of the player. The music flowing from the slender hands seemed to fill everything, seeping into every nook, cranny and groove in the hearts of those who listened. In this wordless, yet so expressive dialogue, one could read a certain sadness - a sadness that would forever remain unspoken...
Before Zelgadis opened his eyes, the music had reached his ears, echoing through the empty corridors of the temple. It was what woke him. He slowly sat up on the bed, leaning on his elbows and listening to the notes being played.
"Violin?" he murmured in surprise.
For a long moment he was convinced that he was still dreaming, but with each new sound he began to doubt it more and more. He had never dreamed so realistically. But who would think of giving a concert in the middle of the night? Well, he had to admit, the playing was quite good... but why, for heaven's sake, at such a time?! It seemed he would have to get used to these new customs...
He fell back onto his pillow, but something wouldn't let him fall back asleep. It wasn't the high notes of the violin. He tossed and turned restlessly to the other side. Curiosity. Yes, he had to find out who the mysterious musician was.
With a sigh, he stood up and pulled on his shirt. He was irritated that he couldn't control himself, but the music seemed to keep calling him, keeping him intrigued. After fastening the last button on his shirt, he stepped quietly into the corridor, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.
The corridor stretched for several metres before leading to a winding staircase leading down to the lower floors. Zelgadis didn't have to look, just follow the music. When he reached the lower floor, he walked through another passage and stopped in front of a set of heavy, dark wooden doors. He hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to open them. Ah, curiosity! Gently, he pressed the brass handle and pushed open the heavy doors, which creaked in protest. He slipped quietly inside, hidden under the cover of night.
A tall, slim young man stood in the middle of the room. It was the same room in which they had spoken a few hours earlier. But this time, the young man looked different. Kirei's face was marked by seriousness and concentration. Even when he had been talking to them, he hadn't seemed like that. Zelgadis watched him for a long time. The boy's hand moved the bow rhythmically, producing increasingly melancholy sounds as it touched the strings. Kirei was sad. But why? Zel racked his brain, trying to guess the true reason for the boy's behaviour, when Kirei suddenly sighed and put down the instrument. He sat down on the cold floor and covered his face with his hands. Not wanting to be noticed, Zelgadis quickly slipped out of the room. He preferred not to engage him in conversation. There was nothing left for him to do but return to his own room.
Closing the door to his room, he leaned his head heavily against it and closed his eyes. He heard the music again, echoing through the building. It was the same beautiful, sad melody. Strange that it didn't wake anyone else? Or maybe it did, but they were too lazy to check? Zel didn't think about it any more. For the moment, he felt lost in the whole situation, in the place where he found himself. He was trying to make sense of it all when he unexpectedly heard a voice behind him:
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
He would recognise that voice anywhere. He turned quickly to look at his bed. It was Amelia, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, studying her intently.
She shouldn't have been there.
"You don't want to know..." She laughed darkly.
"I'm listening," he said, ignoring her earlier response.
"It's pointless. It's best if I just go. I'm glad you're OK..." she explained sheepishly, moving nervously towards the exit. Zelgadis blocked the door with his hand.
"Since you came in without asking, I think I deserve an explanation," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Amelia seriously.
Amelia sighed loudly and bit her lip.
"Well?" Zelgadis pressed.
"Well, you see, I told you it was silly because I don't really know..." she began shyly. "I guess you didn't think I'd be able to sleep after what I heard today, did you? I wandered around the temple trying to collect my thoughts. I was passing by your room when suddenly..." she stopped, turning her face away.
"Suddenly what?" he asked.
"I don't know. I just felt this sense of discomfort. You see, you left the door ajar, and as far back as I can remember, it's always been closed. No one ever comes here. I know it sounds strange. Anyway, when I looked at it, I saw something else... It was fragments of memories. I saw the door slightly open and when I walked through... there was someone dead. I was afraid something had happened to you..."
Zelgadis swallowed hard. He knew exactly what Amelia was talking about, and it wasn't his death. But how could he tell her about her father's death?
"What's wrong?" she asked suddenly, clearly aware of his reaction. "You know something, don't you? Tell me!"
"I..." At first he wanted to lie, but after a moment's thought he realised that Amelia had a right to know the truth.
"The day you disappeared from our world, your father was murdered. I think that's who you saw," he said with difficulty, bracing himself for a burst of tears, but nothing of the sort happened.
"Oh..." was all she said, and he looked at her in disbelief. She wasn't upset?
"You should have seen the look on your face," she chuckled softly. "You thought this would upset me, didn't you? Zelgadis, I don't even remember him... I know it sounds cruel, but I can't help how I feel."
"I understand," he whispered. "When I came in, you said it was beautiful. What did you mean by that?" He suddenly changed the subject, not wanting to talk about unpleasant things.
"You can hear it for yourself," Amelia replied with a smile, more relaxed now as she sat back down on the bed.
"The violin?" She nodded. "Yes, it's beautiful. But why does he have to do it at night?"
"Rei is a strange man. He's supposed to be our leader, but whenever he can, he runs away from problems. He doesn't know how to deal with them or talk about them. It's only when he plays that things are different. It's only when he's playing that he starts to deal with them, and you can hear everything he thinks about when he plays." She smiled slightly. "It's the only way he can express himself, so we've gotten used to him playing at night sometimes."
"So he plays when he's thinking about something?" Zelgadis clarified.
"In a way. Sometimes he just does it for me, for my enjoyment. It's kind of him."
"Are you two..." Zelgadis began, hesitating.
"Are you asking if we're together?" She laughed, and seeing the look on his face, added, "No, we're not. Although, I won't lie - Kirei has tried many times. But for me, he's more like a brother. I love him, but as a brother. Do you understand?"
"Sure," he replied simply, though behind that small word was all his happiness.
"And why do you ask?" she asked after a moment.
Zelgadis felt his cheeks flush, but he hoped Amelia wouldn't notice. What an idiot he was! He shouldn't be jealous. And he certainly shouldn't ask about such things.
"Zelgadis..." she began suddenly, "tell me, and be honest! Was I someone important to you?"
Her question froze him. What could he say? He couldn't just tell her the truth - yes, you loved me, but I ignored you for years? She'd hate him for it. And anyway, it wouldn't change anything. People like him didn't deserve to be loved.
Love?
At that moment, he fully realised what he felt for her. But that word - it was so frightening for him...
"I was your friend..."
Well, it wasn't a lie, at least not completely. Technically, he had only been her friend.
Amelia studied him suspiciously for a moment, then smiled warmly.
"I think you should get some sleep," he said, quickly changing the subject. He didn't want to answer any more uncomfortable questions.
"Zel..."
Zel? Well, I guess we're making progress,he thought sarcastically.
"I have a little problem..." the dark-haired girl continued.
"Problem?"
"I can't sleep alone..."
"And what does that have to do with me?" he asked quietly.
"Usually, I sleep in the room with Rei, you know, because of my nightmares and all... but tonight, he doesn't seem to be going to bed at all. I don't want to sit alone in my room or wander the cold halls... I thought maybe I could stay here if you don't mind? I don't have anywhere else to go..." Amelia finished hesitantly.
"If I don't mind?" Zelgadis repeated in disbelief. "Not at all! You can stay as long as you want."
"Thanks," she sighed in relief. "Besides, I don't really like the dark..." she added in a whisper.
Zelgadis was about to smile when a terrible wailing sounded from outside. At almost the same moment, Rei's music stopped. He looked at Amelia in alarm. Were they under attack?
"What was that?" he asked, moving to the small window and peering through the dirty panes.
"Demons," Amelia whispered, curling up on the bed.
Zelgadis looked out and saw figures lurking around the building. They looked human at first glance, but on closer inspection they looked more like walking corpses.
"What in the world is that?"
"They were people once. That's what happens to those trapped in the Manor of Death..." she explained quietly. "Now they roam the city, feeding on the blood of the innocent. But don't worry, they can't get in here - the church is sealed."
"That's a relief, but their presence isn't exactly comforting, even if they can't get in," he replied grimly.
He turned away from the window and looked at Amelia, who was huddled on his bed.
"Don't be afraid," he said, sitting next to her. "You said they couldn't get in."
"And you said their presence, even if they're just outside the window, is still not comforting..." she replied.
Zelgadis leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. He didn't want to argue. He was just about to fall asleep when he felt the weight of Amelia on his chest. Surprised, he opened his eyes and looked at her, but all she gave him was a shy smile.
"What are you doing?" he whispered.
"I'm scared..." she replied so quietly that he could barely hear her.
"Don't worry..." Hesitantly, he put his arms around her. "I'll protect you. I promise..."
(…)
The corridor seemed to go on forever. Zelgadis could have sworn he had been walking for hours. Was he going in circles? Where was he going anyway? He was beginning to lose his breath with exhaustion. Just as he decided to turn back, seeing no point in continuing, a massive wrought-iron gate emerged from the shadows. Driven by curiosity, he hurried towards it.
Moments later, his hands cautiously touched the cold metal bars. Twisted iron roses, intricately forged in black, seemed to beckon him further. Zelgadis stood on the threshold, caught between the faint light behind him and the darkness beyond. A small voice in his mind begged him not to go. But that voice... soon it was only a whisper.
Tap, tap, tap...
With each step, Zelgadis ventured deeper into the damp and cold air. He could barely see in the darkness, but it felt as if something was guiding him, pulling him along an unseen path. In the silence of the room, his heartbeat echoed like the rhythmic pounding of a hammer.
"I've been waiting for you," a melodious voice suddenly broke the silence. "I thought you'd never come."
Zelgadis whirled nervously, his eyes scanning the shadows, desperately trying to locate the source of the whisper.
"Who are you?" he shouted, but his voice quickly faded into the darkness, swallowed up by the void.
An unsettling silence pressed against him, the tension throbbing in his temples. For a moment he was ready to believe that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, when suddenly...
"Shall I shed some light on the situation?"
He heard a faint click, and in an instant a hundred red candles came to life around him. In their flickering light he saw the frail figure of a child walking towards him. It was a small girl with unnaturally burgundy hair. As she approached, Zelgadis could see her face more clearly. Large, crimson eyes stared at him with cold indifference.
"So you're really here..." she said, feigning surprise.
"Where ishere?" Zelgadis asked cautiously.
"Ah, isn't it obvious? You're in my garden - go on, look around!"
Zelgadis obediently glanced to the side, and only then did he realise what surrounded him - flowers. Roses, to be precise. Dozens of red roses! Their sweet scent invaded his senses.
"What is this place?" he asked, confused, though deep down he knew there was little hope of getting a straight answer.
"I told you. It's my garden," she said, sounding unemotional.
"And who are you?" he pressed. At this question, something flickered in the girl's previously indifferent gaze.
Suddenly she burst into laughter.
"Look, they all belong to me! Mine alone!" she yelled happily, whirling around in the midst of the roses.
Zelgadis watched in silence. An uneasy feeling grew in his chest. After a moment, the girl stopped spinning and walked towards a platform. There was a great throne on top, one he had not noticed until now.
"Everything here is mine!" she declared as she took her seat.
"Then will you please tell me who you are?" Zelgadis demanded, his patience wearing thin.
"Ah, so that's what you want to know..." she muttered with a frown.
Slowly, she stood and picked a single rose from the garden before walking back to him.
"Look..." she began quietly, holding the flower out to him. "They're all mine," she declared with a predatory smile as she offered him the rose.
Zelgadis hesitated, but held out his hand. As his fingers brushed the crimson petals, a pleasant warmth spread through him, quickly consuming his entire body. It was intoxicating, overwhelming, dragging him down. In the fading remnants of his consciousness, he saw the girl smile.
"Don't reach for what isn't yours..."
He heard her mocking laughter, and then everything went black.
When Zelgadis regained consciousness, he shot upright and realised he was back in his room. The mysterious girl was gone.
"So it was just a dream?" he exhaled in relief. But something felt wrong. His fingers still felt that strange warmth.
"Holy-!" he yelled, jumping out of bed.
Horrified, he discovered that the warmth was blood - Amelia's blood, slowly trickling from her wrists. He suddenly remembered that he had let her sleep in his room the night before.
"Amelia! Hey, wake up!" he shouted, shaking her gently but urgently.
"Mmm..." she groaned in annoyance, blinking up at him with sleepy eyes. "What's wrong?"
"You're bleeding!" he said, keeping his voice steady.
"Oh, that? Don't worry about it," she muttered indifferently, trying to fall back asleep. But Zel wouldn't let her.
"Don't worry about it?! You've lost too much blood! Get up!" he ordered firmly.
The girl opened one eye and groaned again, realising she wasn't going to win.
The bandages are downstairs, in the kitchen," she said reluctantly.
"Sorry, but I have no idea whatdownstairs in the kitchenmeans here, so we'll have to do it another way." He stood up and walked over to his coat, tearing off a large piece of cloth.
"This will have to do for now."
He sat down on the bed and examined her hand. His mind was still on the strange dream, but could it have anything to do with Amelia?
"Do you really not remember how this happened?" he asked as he bandaged her wounds.
"What happened?" she replied, and Zelgadis nodded at her hands.
"Sorry, I don't remember anything..." she replied sombrely. "You know, it's strange not to remember your own life. Sometimes I wonder if I'm still the same person. Are we only who we are because of our memories? If we lose them, are we nobody?"
Zelgadis looked at her in surprise. Why was she suddenly opening up to him like this? And what was he supposed to say?
"You'renotnobody," he replied after a moment. "But you're certainly not the same as before."
"And before? How was I?" she asked curiously.
"Well, you were sort of... impulsive." He smiled slightly as he finished wrapping her hands.
"Impulsive?" Amelia laughed out loud. "Maybe it's best I don't remember." She smiled and looked at her companion. "You know, I'm really glad I got my friend back."
Zelgadis smiled, too, though inside he felt the opposite of what Amelia had just said. He felt a great sense of loss...
Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang and Lina burst in.
"Zel! Would you get off your butt? I don't want to spend the rest of my life here!"
"Uh..." Zel cleared his throat and made a subtle gesture towards Amelia.
"Oh, Amelia!" Lina stammered, a little flustered. "What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously.
"None of your business," Zelgadis quickly interjected, pushing his friend out of the room.
Leaning against the now closed door, he let out a sigh of relief.
"That was close," he muttered.
"Is she always like that?" Amelia asked, a little concerned.
"You'll have to get used to it." He grinned. "I remember once..."
And so began a long conversation. Zelgadis told Amelia everything he could remember about their past adventures, describing the people they had met and delving into the dynamic between Lina and Gourry. Carefully, though, he avoided talking about himself.
The sun should be high in the sky by now, or at least it would be if they were anywhere else. But where they were, there was no day. There was only night - endless, cold and eerie. Yet the hours passed peacefully, as if they had somehow escaped together to another, unknown world.
"I think we should go downstairs and join the others," Amelia finally suggested.
"Yeah, Rei's probably worried about you..." he replied, forcing a pleasant tone.
"Are you jealous?" she asked suddenly, piercing him with her gaze.
"Don't flatter yourself!" he shot back, flustered, and quickly slipped out of the bedroom.
"Wait for me!" She ran after him, slamming the door behind her.
Downstairs, it was a mess. People were running back and forth, passionately discussing something. They seemed to be preparing for someone's arrival. And no doubt, this someone was important! Entering the crowded hall, Zel momentarily hoped he could retreat to his bedroom and just wait it out. He was about to turn back. But common sense prevailed. He sighed heavily. He couldn't just hide - he had to talk to Lina. They had to go home. Suddenly, a strange thought came to him. He imagined the look on Yuuki's face when she saw them again. After all, it had only been a few minutes for her.
"Zel!" Lina waved at him from the other end of the hall.
"Can you wait a moment?" Amelia asked quickly, just as he was about to take a step. He looked at her, questioning. "You know, I think I should be part of this conversation too. After all, you two say you'll take me with you... But first, I have to go to Rei," she explained and walked in the opposite direction.
He watched her go, but another call from Lina forced him to move. Slowly, he made his way through the crowded hall of the ruined temple. Snippets of various conversations reached his ears...
"...so they're coming back?"
"...I heard the commander..."
"...he's a psycho!"
"...apparently they want to kick him out..."
"Poor Tamaki..."
Tamaki? The commander? Are they talking about Kirei? Well, Zel had to admit that he didn't understand any of it.
"Where's Amelia?" Gourry asked as Zel finally reached his friends.
"She went to take care of something with the blond guy," the mage replied dryly.
"The blond guy?" Lina interjected. "Well, well, it looks like someone here doesn't like our sweet Kirei very much."
"Shut up."
"What did you just say?" she growled, narrowing her eyes.
A mocking laugh escaped from his chest. "Lina, forgive me, but without all your magic you're about as harmless as a little yapping puppy."
"What?! A PUPPY?!" She straightened up, clearly offended.
"Go on then, try me," Zelgadis continued the provocation, his mocking smile deepening.
For a moment, their eyes locked, and it looked as if Lina might actually lunge at him. But instead, she just sighed and dropped her arms helplessly.
"No, Zel. You're right... But I still don't understand why our spells aren't working," she said, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration.
"There's something wrong with my sword too," Gourry added, looking dejected.
Zelgadis was about to share his theory when a sudden knock on the temple doors silenced them all. Startled, they all looked towards the entrance. The tension was palpable. Moments passed in silence, broken only by the sound of footsteps. Kirei went to the doors and opened them carefully. A cold wind blew into the hall, followed by several figures stepping inside. Most of them looked tired and dressed in ragged clothes. Zelgadis had the eerie feeling that some strange force was entering the room with them - a kind of emptiness, draining all emotion from the room...
"Marco!" a woman standing nearby suddenly shouted.
The bowl of water she was holding fell with a crash and shattered on the ground. Ignoring the mess, she ran up to one of the men and hugged him. Soon others followed her example. Everyone was reunited with their loved ones. All except a few women who stared blankly into the distance, waiting for someone they would never see again... It was then that Zelgadis understood - the emptiness he had felt earlier.
"Not everyone makes it back..." Amelia explained quietly. Zelgadis had not even noticed her approach.
"Who are these people?" Lina asked.
"Hmm, they're like our army. They rarely come here. Most of the time they're travelling, helping other survivors and fighting the demon."
"So that's why everyone is so excited about their arrival. They're like national heroes?"
Zelgadis scanned the gathering. Mothers hugged their children, and husbands comforted their wives. For a moment, the atmosphere struck him as overly sentimental. Almost unreal. So much love in one place? They were alive, so why all the emotion? He looked away. Suddenly, he noticed Kirei still standing in the half-open door, talking to someone. After a moment, three more figures emerged from the doorway: a girl and two young men. Before Zelgadis could take a closer look, he saw Amelia running towards them.
"Tami!" she called happily, throwing herself around the neck of a tall redhead.
Tamaki? That name sounded familiar...
"Hey, little one!" the redhead laughed, spinning her around. She looked tiny next to him...
"Zel, looks like you've got some competition," Lina nudged him playfully.
"Turns out the saying about redheads being trouble is true," he remarked with a grin.
"I like redheads," Gourry said seriously, nodding to himself in agreement.
"Shut up, yellyfish!" Lina snapped at Gourry, but Zel could've sworn he saw a faint blush appear on her face. Yes, sometimes the Chimera's eyes allowed him to see what others couldn't. "Come on. It's better to keep the enemy close."
"Enemy?" Gourry asked, confused.
"Do you really think they're going to let us do whatever we want with Amelia?" Lina explained, walking towards the group of five. Zelgadis followed her.
"And who might that be?" asked the girl in the black cloak, finally noticing them.
"It's a long story..." Kirei mumbled, staring at the tips of his boots as if blaming himself for something.
"I'm Lina Inverse," the redhead introduced herself proudly and held out her hand to the stranger. The girl eyed her for a moment, then smiled warmly and accepted the handshake.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Maya," she introduced herself.
Zelgadis looked at the girl. Her large, dark eyes radiated warmth and kindness. Strands of black hair brushed against her pale cheeks. Her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"This is Gourry and Zelgadis," Lina added, shifting her gaze to the two people accompanying Maya, as if expecting them to introduce themselves as well.
"I'm Tamaki," the redhead said with a grin, shaking her hand as well.
Tamaki was incredibly tall, but what caught Zelgadis' attention was the patch the young man wore over his right eye. His other eye was a striking, vivid green.
"And you? Aren't you going to introduce yourself to the lady?" Lina turned to the last young man who had been watching the whole situation with a sour expression on his face.
"None of your business," he muttered gruffly and walked away. For a moment, Zelgadis thought he had found his match in this dimension. He smiled wryly to himself. The boy with the long black hair and even darker eyes disappeared into the crowd.
"Sorry," Maya said. "That was Daiki. Let's just say he's not very talkative..." She smiled apologetically.
"Maybe he'll get along with our Zel, right Zel, what do you think?" Lina teased mischievously. She always had a lot of fun with this kind of provocation.
Everyone burst out laughing, but Maya kept her eyes on Zelgadis. Her face was now serious and concentrated. After a moment, she looked away and smiled her typical smile.
"Rei, how about we go somewhere quiet and talk?" Maya suggested.
"Yes, I think we have a lot to tell you." Kirei quickly made his way to the stairs leading down to the lower level.
The kitchen was not a pleasant place, like every other room in the building. Zelgadis could see dirt and destruction everywhere, leaving irreversible marks, and he had begun to get used to the dimly lit. At least he didn't stand out so much with his appearance. Now he unconsciously traced his finger along the tabletop, his eyes glancing around the room. He wasn't too interested in hearing the explanations for why they were there again. Maya glanced at him from time to time, but he pretended not to notice.
"So our little Akama is really called Amelia," Tamaki summarised. "Well, that name is even nicer," he added with a carefree smile.
"And you say that in order to return to your world, you need your magical abilities?" Maya began, ignoring her friend's comment.
"Exactly," Lina confirmed. "Without them we cannot open the passage, not even with Amelia. We are counting on your help," she finished emphatically.
"Lina, how do we even know how to open this passage?" Gourry interjected.
"Not now, Gourry." She cut him off with a quick hand gesture.
"So?" she turned back to Maya.
"I'm afraid we can't help you," Maya replied.
"What do you mean you can't?" Lina exclaimed and stood up.
"We don't have wizards in our world. No one here practices magic."
"Then how are you going to fight this whole demon?" Gourry asked.
"That's the problem. If we could use spells and defend ourselves, maybe this beast wouldn't have wiped out two thirds of our population, and the rest wouldn't have to be its playthings, hiding and counting the days of their lives," Maya said bitterly, clenching her fist.
"Ah... I see you've already foreseen our deaths as well?" Tamaki sighed.
"So, what now?" Amelia asked. "Does this mean we can't go back?"
"I'm afraid not," Maya said seriously.
"As for me, all my memories are tied to this place anyway..." Amelia added gloomily.
"There's something I don't understand..." Lina started suddenly. "I can accept that no one uses magic here. Good, no one has learned it. But why can't we use our abilities? Or, to be more precise, why do we only use some of them? We can still cast a light spell."
"Good question," Maya admitted. "I'm not sure, but I think someone has created some sort of barrier here..."
"I don't think so," Lina interrupted. "In our world, it was possible to create such a barrier, and in places like this, no spells could be used. Not even the simplest ones."
"Because everything here follows the rules, of course," Tamaki sneered sarcastically.
"Hey, don't be mean!" Amelia shouted.
"Anyway, there's nothing we can do about it," Maya concluded.
"Well... Yuuki warned us that it might not be easy," Lina muttered gloomily. "But there must be a way out!"
"Maybe there is..." Tamaki began mysteriously, casting a meaningful glance at Kirei.
"You're not thinking of...?" Kirei gasped in surprise.
"And why not? She could help!"
"Everyone knows she's a crazy old woman and probably in league with the demon!"
"Do we have any other choice?"
"Uh-hum!" Lina cleared her throat sharply. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"
"Pah!" Kirei scoffed. "Tamaki has come up with a brilliant solution," he said sarcastically. "He wants to take you to Silva, the crazy old woman who left us and who, according to him, is a witch."
"Of course she's a witch!" Tamaki protested indignantly. "How else do you explain all the strange things that have happened? And how do you explain the scar on your face?" he asked sharply, causing Kirei's face to pale noticeably. "You know I'm right, you're just afraid to admit it."
Zelgadis looked at Kirei's face. It was only now that he noticed the scar that ran from the boy's forehead down to his cheek. It was a miracle that he hadn't lost an eye...
"Do what you think is best," Kirei muttered, getting up and leaving the kitchen without another word.
Maya watched her friend leave.
"You just had to, didn't you?" she asked rhetorically.
"It's not my fault that he denies the facts." Tamaki shrugged. "You know I'm right, too. So?" He turned to Lina. "Are you up for a little trip?"
"Do we really have a choice?"
"That depends." He grinned mischievously. "You could always stay here."
"That doesn't appeal to me," Lina agreed, returning her smile.
"Isn't this journey dangerous?" Amelia asked.
"Relax, child! You'll be with us. We're the best, after all." He pointed proudly at himself.
"This guy's starting to remind me of you," Gourry chuckled to Lina.
"I'm not that full of myself," she huffed, turning her head away dramatically.
"Who are you calling conceited?" Tamaki snapped, irritated.
"Hey, stop it!" Maya interrupted, laughing softly to herself. "You can argue all you want later, but let's finish what we started. To get to Silva, we have to get to the outskirts of the city, which means we have to go through it. This journey is very dangerous, so I'm going to ask you all to follow certain rules, okay?"
"Don't worry, we've dealt with worse situations," Lina reassured her.
"Maybe, but remember, you can't use your magic here."
"Ugh, you're right, I still can't get used to it..." Lina sighed.
"That's why you'll have to rely on us," Tamaki explained in an overly sweet tone.
"What do we have to do?" Zelgadis asked pragmatically.
"Don't try to play hero. You'll find out the rest in time. It'll be a good day if we only meet the Undead..."
"The Undead?" Gourry inquired.
"That's what we call those whose souls are now under the control of the demon... or rather those who no longer have souls. The demon took them to the Manour of Death, then stole their souls from their bodies. And, well, no one alive ever left that place... They became mindless puppets. That's why the demon is called the Soul Thief. Now they're ruthless, emotionless creatures. Worse, they're cunning, fast and strong... It's easy to fall for their tricks. At first, they'll act like a lost person, but if you get too close, they'll kill you, hungry for your soul... That's their only purpose. The only good thing is that they still have human bodies, so they're relatively easy to deal with.
"And what about you and the other survivors? Did the demon - or the Soul Thief, as you call him - let you live? Didn't he want your souls?"
"We managed to hide, as did the other remnants. There are places these... creatures can't reach. They're temples like this one, the temples of the Mother of Nightmares. Besides, where's the fun in killing us all at once?"
"I assume you've found ways to deal with the Undead?" Zelgadis asked.
"Yes, we have a slight advantage..." the girl replied evasively.
Zelgadis was about to ask what kind of advantage, but Maya quickly continued.
"Well, if we only encounter the Undead, we should be able to handle them. It will be worse if other nasty things show up... and you better pray that we don't run into the Soul Thief!"
"And let's hope that Amelia doesn't fall into his hands, unless we want the end of our world..." Lina muttered darkly. "With her, he could easily open the passage - he's powerful enough to do it..."
Zelgadis looked at his companions. So they had a goal. They had to find this strange woman who might be the only solution. And at the same time, he had to make sure that nothing would happen to Amelia...
"Am I going to die?" Amelia suddenly broke out, and everyone turned to her in surprise.
"Why would that happen?" Tamaki asked.
"If I'm somehow important to the demon, he'll want to capture me..." she explained, her voice shaking slightly.
"Don't worry, we won't let that happen," Gourry said reassuringly. "Lina knows what to do."
"Gourry's right," the redhead agreed. "Just leave it to us."
"Then it's settled. We will leave at dawn. I'd suggest you get some sleep," Maya advised.
"Right. Gourry, let's go." Lina got up from her chair and stretched, yawning.
"I'm dead on my feet," Gourry joined her, and in a moment they were gone.
It didn't take long for the others to follow. Tamaki and Amelia said their goodbyes and left.
"Aren't you coming?" Zelgadis asked, seeing that Maya had not even moved from her place.
"Who did this to you?" she asked suddenly, ignoring his question.
Zelgadis instantly felt angered. Why did she care how he became a Chimera? Who was she to ask such questions? And why couldn't she just treat him like a normal person?!
"I look like this by my own choice, but that shouldn't concern you," he hissed.
"Oh! No, that's not what I meant!" the girl quickly clarified.
"What then?" His anger began to subside a little.
"I meant, where is all this sadness and bitterness coming from?" she asked calmly, keeping her eyes on him.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I understand you," he replied, confused as to how she could know anything about him when she didn't really know him.
"I've never seen anyone with such a dark aura; yours is practically black!"
"You've got to be kidding!"
"I'm completely serious," she replied, unimpressed by his attitude. "I can see a person's aura, which reflects the state of their soul, their emotions... Believe me, it's a very useful ability. It is especially useful in distinguishing the Undead from the living. That way we won't be taken by surprise."
"Are you serious?" he asked. She nodded. "Oh..." he blurted out after a moment of shock.
"It's a shame you can't see your own face." This time she laughed.
"Er, yeah, right," he managed to stammer. "So, what do you see in my aura?" he asked, regaining his composure.
"Well, it's sad... It's the darkest aura I've ever seen, and believe me, that's quite unusual in this world. It turns out that even people who have had their families slaughtered carry less bitterness and negative feelings than you do... Their auras resemble a mixture of all colours, while yours is solid... Something is really tormenting you, isn't it?"
"And what, can't you tell?" he replied sarcastically.
"Is it so terrible?"
"It's none of your business," he snapped curtly. "Maybe those people you met have come to terms with their fate, but I haven't. It wasn't supposed to be like this," he finished in a dead voice, rising from his chair and clenching his fingers on the tabletop. "It wasn't meant to be," he repeated to himself as he walked away without even looking at the girl. Maya sighed loudly.
"I'm sorry..." she whispered.
Zelgadis wasn't angry. He wasn't sad or worried, but something was wrong. He felt uncomfortable. In a way, he felt exposed. As if Maya had invaded his privacy.
And did he really feel worse than all those unhappy people she had seen? She had said that for them it was more like a mixture of everything. They went into shock, but later they reconciled with what had happened to them. They forgot. But him? He was always like that. Maybe once, before he became what he was, he had some positive feelings. But now, how could he forget? All it took was one look at his own body.
"Hey, Zel!"
He looked up to see the petite figure of Lina standing by the wide open window.
"I thought you were asleep," he said, approaching her and leaning against the window frame.
"I was, but Gourry snores too loudly," she explained with a slight smile. "And you?"
"I talked to Maya..."
"And?"
"I wonder if the sky here always looks like this?" Changing the subject, he turned his gaze to the black vault above. It was shrouded in clouds of dark smoke.
"Well, since I didn't notice much difference between this morning and what I'm looking at now... Yeah, I think it's always like this. Okay, okay, maybe it's a little brighter during the day, but with all this haze you can't see much anyway. Overall, this place isn't very inviting." She winked conspiratorially.
"Lina, do you really know what we're supposed to do?" he asked directly.
"Of course! I thought it was clear. Tomorrow morning we gather our backsides and go to the old witch to learn about magic. She will miraculously restore our powers and then we go home," she finished with a smile.
"I asked if you really know what to do..." He looked at her strangely and she sighed.
"All right, Zel! I don't know, is that what you wanted to hear? I don't know why our magic isn't working, and I have no idea if visiting that witch will help. If it doesn't, we'll have to find another solution or we'll be stuck here forever. Xellos said that this world was sealed in a Book that became the gateway to it. But it wasn't easy to find. The Book was well hidden, and it turned out that only Amelia could open it and break the seals. And to be honest, I don't know anyone like her, who cares for others and is as selfless as it takes to open the Book. Anyway, we're in a difficult situation now. Amelia has become a living key to open the portal from this side, but we need the right spell that Yuuki gave me. The problem is that no one expected us to be stripped of our powers! On the other hand, if the demon gets hold of Amelia, he could easily open the gate, and then... you know what happens next. We don't know how long we can keep Amelia safe. This trip may be our only chance. We may not have another chance to come back..." she finished quietly.
"And we have no choice," the boy summarised. "It has to work..."
"There's something I'd like you to do," she said suddenly, bending down to pull something out of her boot. "Take this..." she said, pressing a small crumpled piece of paper into his palm.
"What's this?"
"It's a copy of Yuuki's spell. Just in case something happens to me..."
(…)
Amelia stood in front of the large wooden doors. She was about to reach for the handle and step inside when voices drifted through from the other side.
"Don't joke!" a woman's voice rang out.
"Lately I've been noticing that you're getting the better half. That's not fair. I want..." a man's voice replied.
"Don't be ridiculous. You agreed to this division. I'll never give them up! They're mine!" cried the woman.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot through Amelia's wrists. She doubled over and collapsed to the floor...
The girl woke with a scream in her bed. Her hands were bleeding again. Before she knew it, Kirei was already beside her, wrapping an arm around her. He didn't ask anything. Just another nightmare...