Chapter 13
"Blood oath"
Kirei's eyes took on the shade of gleaming steel as he made a grotesque gesture with his hand, pointing toward a dark alleyway just to his right. Zelgadis furrowed his brow in confusion, for, at first glance, all he could see was a narrow street ending in a high wall, its deep and numerous cracks telling a grim tale of war. The remaining walls of the neighbouring buildings shrouded the entire scene in cool shade.
Lina raised a suspicious eyebrow at Kirei.
"You failed to mention that the witch, besides being a witch, is also invisible," the redhead remarked sarcastically.
"Ah..." Kirei rolled his eyes in irritation, then, without further explanation, stepped forward and struck his foot against a solid wooden hatch in the ground, which they hadn't noticed before because it was almost completely covered in sand. The hatch resembled an entrance to the sewers.
"Oh..." Lina muttered, giving the hidden trapdoor a scrutinising look. "You're not seriously suggesting that we have to go down there, are you? I'm not exactly keen on spending time in a place like that."
"We've already explained to you that Silva... is not our enemy," Maya said calmly, approaching the hatch.
With a practiced motion, she rolled up the sleeves of her outfit and grasped the lid, intending to lift it. Suddenly, plumes of dust billowed into the air. Maya immediately jumped back from the hatch, her eyes scanning the area in alarm.
A moment later, the hatch slammed against the ground with a resounding bang, flung open as if triggered by an unseen explosion. The entire group instinctively backed away.
An impenetrable darkness lay before them, yawning from the depths of the open entrance, and from within it, a faint voice echoed:
"Only one," a female voice, unfamiliar and cold, echoed from the gaping, dark hole.
The group exchanged quick glances. Without hesitation, Zelgadis held out his hand, and within moments, a bright ball of light flickered to life in his palm, summoned by the Lighting spell. Carefully, he leaned over the opening, illuminating the darkness below. There was no lader - only a dim, ominous corridor about two metres down, stretching in both directions before disappearing back into the shadows. He turned back to his companions.
"It's too dangerous to go in alone," Daiki said seriously.
"Didn't you just say that the witch is harmless?" Lina shot back, causing Daiki to grimace slightly and press his lips together in silence.
"I'll go," Lina declared confidently.
Zel had already opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say a word, Gourry stepped in front of Lina and placed his large hands firmly on her shoulders.
"As your bodyguard, I cannot allow this," Gourry said firmly, his expression hardening.
Lina pressed her lips together, unsure how to react. Meanwhile, Zelgadis exhaled in relief. He had known from the start that it had to be him, so he took advantage of Lina's moment of hesitation and spoke quickly:
"I'll go," he said, stepping towards the hatch. "If I'm not back by sunset, follow after me."
Inwardly, he recalled his earlier conversation with Nirali, who had told him that the witch Silva was actually named Acedia and was one of the demons. Zelgadis wasn't sure whether Kirei's group knew this fact. Nirali herself claimed they probably didn't.
Well, remembering Tamaki's story about how he had approached the witch with a request and agreed to an equivalent exchange to make amends for the mistake he had made towards Kirei, Zel was inclined to believe that at least that boy wasn't fully aware of whom he was dealing with. Zelgadis hadn't known Tamaki for long, nor particularly well, but well enough to recognise the redhead's deep-seated hatred for demons. If Tamaki had known the truth, he would never have sought out Acedia - of that, Zel was certain.
However, he couldn't be sure about the others. As for Maya… he wasn't sure. After all, she had admitted that she had been gifted with the memory of the Divine Lord - so was it even possible to hide such an important fact from her?
Anyway, Zelgadis had no intention of bringing up the matter - there was no need for further arguments. The most important thing was that he and his friends knew what they were getting into. What could he expect? He could only hope that Acedia, whoever she truly was, would be able to restore their magical powers. Without them, they were not only defenceless in this world but also unable to return to their pillar.
As he watched Amelia's condition worsen, Zelgadis knew that the time they had left was slipping away. They had to hurry. Yes. That was the most important thing - to save Amelia and the others from this hell.
Zelgadis tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and moved slowly toward the entrance—only to be stopped by Amelia's gaze. Her blue eyes were fixed on him intently, yet she said nothing. Their knowledge of Acedia's true nature gave the four of them a certain advantage, and it seemed Amelia understood that it was best not to squander it with loud protests. Zelgadis met her gaze in silent understanding and allowed a small smile to creep across his face, pleased that the princess was part of their quiet conspiracy.
When Zelgadis had first met Nirali in this pillar, he had gained knowledge he had no right to possess. It reassured him that his friends weren't prying, weren't asking unnecessary questions. Questions he couldn't answer anyway, not if he wanted to protect the Twin Blades and Nirali herself.
"Zelgadis, remember that the witch will only agree to an exchange," Tamaki said, patting him on the shoulder and snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Don't agree to just anything, Zel. Remember, we'll find a way," Lina added quickly. Zelgadis just nodded slightly before heading for the entrance.
The corridor he walked through seemed endless, each of his steps echoing loudly in the silence. Without the Lighting spell illuminating his path, he would have been plunged into complete darkness. The entire tunnel was about two metres high, winding forward in gentle curves. There were no forks in the path, which struck Zelgadis as odd. He tightened his grip on the hilt of what he now knew to be a legendary sword, and suddenly a realisation struck him - this place looked familiar.
For a moment, he searched through the memories stored in his mind, until he finally remembered where he had been before - where he had gone in his dream...
A small face with crimson eyes flashed before his vision, and a cold shiver ran down his spine. Could it be? Could it be that he had met Acedia before? He wasn't at all surprised when, in response to his unspoken question, the same black wrought-iron gate from his dream appeared in the distance. Anticipating whom he was about to meet, he stepped through without hesitation.
"I've been waiting for you. I thought you'd never come," a melodious voice, tinged with amusement, suddenly spoke.
The same words had greeted him in his dream. Tense, his hand still on the hilt of his sword, Zelgadis stood tall, his head held high, waiting in the darkness for a fate even he could not predict.
Zelgadis stood surrounded by a thick layer of darkness, with only the light of his spell illuminating the nearby contours. A faint, sweet scent of flowers lingered in the cool air, and just like in his dream, roses surrounded him - whole gardens of them.
"Shall I shed some light on the situation?" the unfamiliar voice spoke again, and Zelgadis gritted his teeth as he realised he was hearing the exact same words as in his earlier half-dream.
He wasn't surprised when a small girl with fiery hair and crimson eyes appeared before him, snapping her fingers to illuminate a section of the underground gardens. Incidentally, the demon who had attacked them earlier in the street had the same eye colour. For a moment, a strange thought crossed Zelgadis's mind - Lina had eyes of the same shade - but with an absurdly inappropriate smile, he quickly dismissed the association and fixed his focused gaze on Acedia.
"So, you're really here..." she said with feigned surprise.
"You can drop the act; I've heard those lines before," he shot back, certain that Acedia hadn't appeared in his dreams by chance and was merely playing out a scene with him. Clearly, she had somehow managed to peer into his thoughts...
Acedia twisted her face into something that was clearly meant to resemble a smile.
"I've been watching you closely, Zelgadis. I wasn't sure you'd actually make it this far," she said with a shrug before slowly approaching him. "Who would have thought that the lovely Nirali would turn out to be so helpful?"
The way she said it sent an unpleasant shiver down Zelgadis's spine.
"Nirali..."
He was about to say something along the lines of "Leave her out of this, it's none of her business," but he quickly realised there was no point. Acedia had admitted to watching everything from the very beginning. He bit his lip in silence and waited. He wondered if Acedia knew about the Twin Blade he carried. Almost unconsciously, his hand moved toward the sword.
"I know why you're here, Mr Greywords."
Zelgadis flinched slightly at the sound of his surname. The illusion of anonymity he had enjoyed within the Fifth Pillar shattered before his eyes. Acedia knew. The question was - how much?
"This whole matter... with the Key's appearance, or if you prefer, Amelia—" she deliberately emphasised her name "—has taken a rather ugly turn, Mr Greywords. I'm not pleased with how things have unfolded..." she murmured indifferently as she strolled past him, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.
Zelgadis turned quickly, fixing her with a wary gaze. He could feel every muscle in his body tensing with unease.
"What do you mean?" he finally asked.
Pulled from her thoughts, the demoness gave him a surprised look before smiling again.
"It's very simple, Mr Greywords," she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "You already know the history of our world well enough. You know that I am a demon, a part of the Dark Lord who once ruled this pillar," she began, running her fingers through her hair again as her eyes wandered absently around the room. "However, as you know, I am not the only demon... To clear up any doubts you may have - yes, five of us were born, the same number as the Divine Priests."
After a brief pause, she turned her eyes to Zelgadis, her voice taking on the sharpness of an icy razor.
"I will tell you where to find my siblings, Mr Greywords. And you... will kill them."
Zelgadis exhaled sharply, as if an invisible force had just struck him in the stomach. What? What the hell was the point of demons trying to kill each other?! And then it hit him. He understood. Stunned, he absentmindedly wiped a sweaty hand across his forehead.
"You want to kill them to gain power? Is that it?" he asked quietly.
"You have not disappointed me, Mr Greywords. You are just as clever as I thought you were."
The sharpness in Acedia's tone had faded, but her words still made Zelgadis' stomach twist painfully.
"Equivalent exchange, Mr Greywords. I will restore your powers and those of your companions in exchange for power of my own. The power to rule the Fifth Pillar, of course. You needn't worry, I have no ambitions of conquering other worlds, nor even traveling to them," she explained calmly, while he found himself shaking his head involuntarily.
He hadn't expected this. Not at all!
"I don't know..." he began slowly, feeling control of the situation slip away.
"Oh, let's not be so fussy. Besides, to be perfectly honest, you don't have much of a choice. Unlike my siblings, I have no interest in destroying this world. Secondly, without my help, you'll never find my siblings, while they're already breathing down your necks. It's only a matter of time before Amelia..." She trailed off, giving him an emotionless look.
She didn't need to finish. Zelgadis already knew how this story would end. He, Lina, Gourry, and probably even the Divine Priests would eventually be caught off guard by the demons and killed if they didn't regain their powers in time, while Amelia would become the key to opening a passage between dimensions. Their only hope was the Mother of Nightmares' Tear, hidden somewhere within the Fifth Pillar. Unfortunately... they had no idea where to look. If they could get their powers back, maybe the Tear wouldn't even be necessary.
"You think you'll be able to find the Mother of Nightmares' Tear, don't you?" She chuckled softly. "A foolish dream, Mr Greywords. No one knows where it is. It's been sought after for years, and there's no proof it even exists."
Zelgadis stood in silence, trying to piece everything together in his mind. Acedia would restore their powers and reveal the whereabouts of the demons. What more could they ask for? In return, they would have to help eliminate the demons - not exactly a terrible deal. The catch was that one demon would be left alive - Acedia.
But Acedia shouldn't be much of a threat. Once the other four were dead, there would still be the Divine Priests. So what could a single demon do against five?
The gears in Zelgadis' mind were turning at full speed. Yet, no matter how many times he analysed the situation, he couldn't find a catch in this deal. Could it be that Acedia had offered him something that was actually less favourable to her? His intuition urged him to be cautious, but desperation pushed him towards risky decisions.
"What's the catch?" he finally asked, though he doubted he would get the truth.
"A catch? Mr Greywords, what do you take me for?" She shook her head with feigned indignation. "There is no catch. I will restore your powers and reveal the whereabouts of my siblings. In return, each of the demons is to be killed, and once you leave this room, you will tell everyone that you did what had to be done - you killed the demon, me, right after regaining your power and learning my identity. When it's all over, I wish to be the sole ruler of the Fifth Pillar, reigning in peace. Power in exchange for power, exposing demons in exchange for hiding a demon - an equal exchange."
Did he even have a choice? Considering the consequences of refusal, Zelgadis knew he wasn't just risking his own life - Amelia's was at stake above all. He couldn't let that happen.
"Agreed," he said at last. "I will tell everyone that after making a deal with you, I discovered you were a demon and that I killed you. Once our powers are restored, I'll help eliminate the remaining four demons, and you'll be free to live in peace in the Fifth Pillar, which you will allow us to leave." He finished slowly.
"We will make a blood pact, in which breaking one's word or deception by either party will result in death," she declared, watching him closely.
"Agreed," he said quietly, full of apprehension.
He sincerely hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
Acedia silently walked toward him and took his hand firmly. She whispered unfamiliar words under her breath - most likely an incantation. A moment later, an unpleasant tingling sensation ran through his entire arm.
"I, Acedia," she began, "swear upon my blood to open a tunnel between dimensions, through which Zelgadis Greywords, Lina Inverse, and Amelia Saillune will regain their magical powers, and Sir Gourry Gabriev's sword will regain its light. The tunnel between dimensions will be used solely for the transfer of power. I also swear to reveal to Zelgadis Greywords the whereabouts of all remaining demons within the Fifth Pillar."
As she finished, crimson threads of veins emerged from her wrist and hovered over Zelgadis' own.
"Zelgadis Greywords, do you accept my oath?"
"Yes," he replied uncertainly, and the frozen veins drove into his wrist. Acedia gave him an expectant look - he understood it was his turn to swear.
"I, Zelgadis Greywords, swear to conceal Acedia's identity by telling everyone that I killed her during this meeting. Once I have regained my powers, I also swear to help eliminate the remaining four demons."
"I accept your oath," Acedia finished before Zelgadis could add anything else. The same threads of veins slithered back into her arm.
"The blood pact is sealed. Power in exchange for power, revelation in exchange for concealment. The law of equivalent exchange."
Acedia released his hand and met his gaze with satisfaction.
"I'm glad we have a deal, Mr Greywords. Now, let's move on to the next part of our agreement." Acedia's eyes gleamed in the dim light.
"What do you mean?" the mage asked, confused.
"Equivalent exchange, Mr Greywords..."
As Zelgadis made his way through the dark, damp tunnel towards the exit, he was covered in blood. It clung to his skin uncomfortably, like armour meant to protect him from the lie he had just told. Blue sparks flickered between his fingers, their warmth soothing against his cold skin. His power had returned, and he could feel its silent vibrations pulsing beneath his flesh. One step closer to home. And yet, if someone had told him ten days ago...
If someone had told him that he would be leaving a meeting with a demon, that he would be forced to make a pact, that the Fifth Pillar even existed - Zelgadis would have called them mad. And yet, it had all become painfully real.
He felt like he was leaving a part of himself behind, the gaping wound in his chest widening no matter how hard he tried to suppress it. The web of intrigue they had become entangled in dragged him from one side of the barricade to the other. At times, he felt like a helpless banner, tossed about by the winds of circumstance.
At least now he had a plan. He had agreed to Acedia's deal, and thanks to that, they had regained their magic. He had also learned where to find the remaining four demons. If the Divine Priests grew stronger, he would have a real chance of killing the demons himself - something he had sworn to do during the oath. It was in his best interest to help find the Tear of the Mother of Nightmares. After all, Zelgadis didn't think he could kill the demons alone. Once again, he had to be selfish and play his own game.
But a familiar, quiet voice in the back of his mind whispered that this wasn't just about fulfilling the oath - it was about something more. Something of his own choosing.
"Zelgadis!"
The sudden call made him lift his head to see the faces of his friends leaning over the opening above him. The sky behind them had turned a deep grey, heralding the arrival of night.
"It worked!" Gourry shouted in joy, but as the light of his sword illuminated Zelgadis' face, he fell silent.
"Zel!" Lina didn't hesitate. She immediately reached out to pull her friend up. "What happened? Did something go wrong?" Her piercing gaze bore into him.
"Remember..." he repeated in his mind. "This is your game."
"It was Silva..." Zelgadis gasped, immediately adopting the stance of someone exhausted from battle. "I think she hurt my shoulder," he added, pressing a hand to his bloodstained shirt.
"She attacked you?!" Tamaki asked in shock.
"Silva was a demon..." he admitted after a moment of silence, exchanging glances with Lina, Amelia, and Gourry. "We learned about it earlier from one of the rebel groups I met when the Undead dragged me away. We didn't want to tell you because I wasn't sure if the information was reliable, and this journey was our only chance to find some clues..."
Swallowing the bitterness of the lie he had just told, Zelgadis looked at those gathered. Well, he was convincing even his own friends. After all, Lina and the others didn't know exactly where he'd gotten the information from; all they knew was that he'd returned with them after the Undead attack and had supposedly found it in the library of the ruined mansion where he'd been transported by some mysterious magic.
"Well, it was true. Silva, or rather Acedia, was a demon. Unfortunately, she wasn't as friendly as they said..." Zelgadis summarised.
"What do you mean, what happened?" Lina asked, eager for more details.
Apparently, this information alone was enough to silence the Divine Priests, at least for a moment.
"We made a deal, Lina," Zelgadis began quietly. "She agreed to restore our powers, but in return, she wanted Amelia. I couldn't let her do that, she was a demon! So I tricked her and caught her off guard during the oath..." he said coolly. "I killed her. The remaining four demons are in the Manor of Death..." he finished quietly, looking at Kirei. He expected that mentioning that place would bring back memories of pulling Amelia from there.
"For all the gods, Zel..." Lina whispered, covering her mouth with her hand as if afraid to finish the question, but Zelgadis clearly read her concern.
"I don't think it will affect the deal," Zelgadis said. "I had no choice! I couldn't accept her terms. You said we could work something out, I had to try, and fortunately, I think it worked..." he finished with a small smile on his face, waiting for confirmation. He could feel himself starting to hate himself even more, but his face played the perfect part.
Gourry snorted in amusement.
"Zelgadis, we should have known you'd pull something like this," he declared, raising his Sword of Light proudly and grinning broadly.
"So she was a demon... And there are four more?" Maya began quietly, eyeing Zelgadis coldly, trying to read him. He felt like trembling under her gaze, but he remained unfazed, a slight smile on his face as if the task had been well done. "You must have some powerful abilities, considering you managed to kill a demon all by yourself," she said sceptically, and Zelgadis silently thanked the gods for the ability to use his recovered magic to manipulate his aura so that Maya could no longer read his lie.
"As I said, it was all down to the element of surprise," he sighed theatrically in relief.
"Well, congratulations, your magic must be really powerful," Kirei said, interrupting Maya.
Zelgadis had the feeling that Rei believed his story right away, but maybe he was just grateful that Zelgadis hadn't handed Amelia over and had done what was necessary.
"Can we go home now?" Gourry asked hesitantly. Amelia looked at him in surprise.
"But you promised to help find the Tear of the Mother of Nightmares!" she quickly reminded him, looking at Zelgadis.
Perhaps Amelia longed to return to a safe world, but there were no illusions – the Fifth Pillar was just as important to her, and it held everything she loved and knew. It's no wonder she wanted to help.
"We'll find the Tear and then we'll get out of here, okay?" Lina said challengingly to Maya's group.
"According to the agreement," the priestess replied coldly.
"Great, but does anyone have any idea where to look for it?"
Zelgadis, on the other hand, was glad that no one pushed the subject of Acedia any further. He had obviously been convincing enough. Why wouldn't he have been? He was excellent at hiding his own feelings, especially the guilt associated with the lie, but he knew it was for the best. This was his game. His burden.
"In the darkness..." Lillya murmured softly, still supported by Daiki, as she stared at her feet.
Zelgadis lokked at her, but her long hair falling over her face prevented him from reading anything.
"Down below..." Amelia continued softly, looking at the black-haired girl with understanding, and Zelgadis understood almost immediately.
The entire city they were in was suspended by huge chains, and as Zelgadis suspected, it was somehow held in the air by magic. He hadn't considered what the darkness around the hanging city might be hiding. With some trepidation, he looked towards the dark horizon.
"We'll leave at dawn," Maya finally decided.
Zelgadis silently thanked her for the news, exhaustion weighing on his eyelids after the day and all they had learned. He felt he needed to sleep on it, to put it all together in peace and quiet. He felt the burning hole in his chest grow larger with each passing moment, and for a moment, he even feared that others might see it.
"We can spend the night in this house," Daiki said, already leading Lillya toward the nearest two-storey building.
Zelgadis followed, listening to the muffled conversations of the others. Kirei was arguing with Tamaki about how right he was not to trust the witch. Lina was talking quietly with Amelia, and Zelgadis had no way of knowing that they were discussing their earlier argument during the demon attack. Nor could he know the weight Lina was carrying from the words she had spoken. Daiki whispered something to Lillya, and she even smiled slightly. Gourry tended to his sword contentedly. Only Maya walked in silence, giving him a suspicious look now and then. Well, Zelgadis was so tired that he decided not to worry about it, at least not for the moment.
The house they were going to spend the night in was in pretty decent shape, considering the other circumstances they were dealing with. Upon entering, they were greeted by a small living room with a kitchen at the far end. In the centre of the room was a dusty table, surrounded by soft seating, the colour of which was difficult to discern beneath the layer of dust. A narrow wooden staircase led to the upper floor, where three bedrooms awaited them, with rather large beds that had been hastily left behind. At the end of the upstairs corridor was another door, probably leading to the bathhouse, but now there was no illusion that such a place could still function. Most of the cupboards and furniture in the house had been destroyed, probably as a result of looting, but the less valuable items still lay forgotten in the corners.
"Someone should keep watch during the night," Gourry said matter-of-factly.
"There's no need for that. I'll seal the building so that everyone can rest in peace," Kirei replied, his voice also tinged with tiredness. The white-haired man silently placed his hands on the front door, and from his fingers, a glowing barrier shot out, encircling all the walls. For a moment, it lit up the entire interior before plunging it back into darkness.
"Not bad," Lina nodded in approval.
Tired, Zelgadis sat down on one of the broken chairs and watched the quiet activity around him. Meanwhile, the others were dividing up the sleeping arrangements. Maya decided that, since there were more of them, they would take two rooms upstairs. Daiki, due to Lillya's exhaustion, would take a room with her in case he had to look after her during the night. Maya, Tamaki, and Kirei would take the room next door. Kirei was about to suggest that Amelia stay with them as well, but before he could mention it, she simply shook her head slightly. Only now did Zelgadis notice a certain awkwardness between them. It seemed strange that Amelia had refused. After all, they had always shared the same room, and Kirei had always taken care of her. Had something changed after what had happened recently? Zelgadis was too tired to tell whether he liked it. In fact, something inside him had become indifferent to everything around him. It was better that way, as he needed to remain effective and calm, he told himself. Well, it seemed that the last room had been assigned to the four of them. It wasn't until the group of priests had disappeared upstairs that Zelgadis realised his companions hadn't moved. The small living room was filled with tension.
"Zelgadis," Lina began firmly, "you are covered in blood."
Only then did Zelgadis realise that he was still covered in a sticky layer of blood, and that his soaked clothes clung uncomfortably to his rough skin, accentuating its imperfections. The way Lina had addressed him was, to say the least, disconcerting. Did they suspect? Zel looked up in sudden confusion, unsure whether it was the blood or his friend's tone.
"We trust you, Zelgadis," Gourry reassured him, gently putting his arm around Lina and leading her towards the stairs. Amelia gave him one last worried look before following them.
Zelgadis waited a moment before getting up from the chair, glad to be left alone. As quietly as possible, he made his way to the bathhouse on the upper floor, closing the heavy door behind him. He used his magic to fill one of the abandoned basins with water and silently removed his bloodstained cloak and shirt. After a moment, he took off his shoes as well, standing barefoot on the cold floor. Of course, he could mend them, clean them with magic, but that wouldn't wash away or fix his lie. Sure, putting on new clothes wouldn't fix it either, but Zelgadis felt that such a small gesture would give him some measure of relief.
Slowly, he began to wash the dried blood from his body. Since he had made the right decision, he shouldn't feel this way. He shouldn't feel this huge, gaping hole inside him. It was as if someone had irretrievably torn a piece of his soul away. Weary, he dropped to his knees and covered his face with his hands. If only Zelgadis could cry... But instead, a silent sob shook his body. In all its brutality, the reality of the decision he had made hit him.
"Zel?" came a soft knock at the door.
Zelgadis instinctively wiped his dry eyes. The softened blood ran down his bare shoulders as he knelt in the middle of the room. Around him, next to the basin of cold water, were a few household items, all covered in dirt and dust, of course. Zelgadis didn't want Amelia to see him like this.
"Zel? Are you all right?" she asked again. "I'm worried about you..." she added more quietly, so softly that Zelgadis almost didn't hear it.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. Should he lie to her again? Nothing was right, after all. Or was he just feeling sorry for himself? He knew this would happen. He was prepared for it! And yet, a part of him remained in those damp, rose-filled tunnels. Zelgadis heard something moving on the other side of the door, and after a moment of silence, there was movement again.
"Zelgadis, if you don't answer me right now, I swear I'll open the door, no matter what you're doing in there!" Amelia shouted, her voice a mixture of determination and fear.
But he still sat there, as if someone had turned him to stone, which – ironically – he partly was. Cold shivers ran down his frozen back.
After a long moment of silence, Zelgadis watched in slow motion as the door handle slowly turned. He could only raise his head in anticipation as Amelia's fragile form appeared in the doorway. He saw fear in her eyes as she looked at him.
"Zel..." She approached cautiously and knelt beside him, tentatively touching his shoulder. He flinched slightly as his cold skin met her warm hand. Their eyes met in silent sorrow. "Zel... what happened?" she asked softly.
He stared at her for a long time in silence. He realised how pathetic he must look in her eyes now – the one who had promised to protect her. Half-naked, covered in blood, lying on the dirty, cold floor, the one who never liked having his chimera body looked at either.
Amelia probably didn't want to ask any more questions. Carefully, she reached for the damp cloth draped over the basin of cool water and, wetting it, brought it hesitantly to his collarbone. She looked at him expectantly and, noticing no protest, began to slowly and gently wipe the blood from his skin. Now they were both kneeling in it. Zelgadis felt the damp cloth gently wrap around his aching muscles, reaching the burning hole inside him and soothing it with the cool water. His stiff body began to relax under her soothing touch, and the tension from earlier events began to melt away in relief. Amelia's face was so close he could count the freckles on her cheeks, and her eyes were full of concern.
"I'm sorry..." he finally murmured softly.
The girl lifted her focused gaze to him and silently touched his face, wiping away the blood. Zelgadis expected scorn for showing such weakness, but it seemed he would not receive it.
As Amelia gently wiped his temples, Zelgadis took her hand without hesitation. The remnants of water from the squeezed cloth dripped down his wrist. Carefully, he pulled Amelia closer. Their eyes, full of fear, met for a moment in silent understanding before he brought his cold lips close to her face. After a moment's hesitation, he closed his eyes and planted a shy kiss on her lips. In his mind, all thoughts suddenly faded away, as if there were no other moment in the world but this one. To his surprise, Amelia did not push him away, and her warm lips responded to his tentative kiss. Gently, he slid his wet hand into her hair and pulled her closer.
Amelia filled the painful void inside him, and for that one moment, Zelgadis didn't care about staying grounded. For this one moment, he wanted to feel her. With Amelia so close to him for the first time, nothing else mattered, and all his sadness melted away, vanished as if it had never existed - as if Amelia had just pulled the dead part of his soul out of the darkness of the tunnel where he had left it and revived it. He pulled her closer and felt her small arms tighten around his neck. His lips ached for more. Zelgadis involuntarily thought of all the years they had spent together, and all the years they had lost. Because of him. He desperately wished he could bring back that time, as if, in this desperate kiss, he could seal his feelings and bury them there, in the hands of the one he loved.
This was their farewell.