Zelgadis stared at the ancient spirit that resided in the tome of magic. Mere moments ago, the creature had informed him that there was indeed a cure to his curse... and a few seconds after that, it had bound his friends tightly and gagged their mouths. The cost of the cure was high, and almost cliche, when he thought about it.
"Become human?" The spirit had laughed. "Well, yes, of course there's a way to do it. But do you really want to know how? The price is very high."
"Tell me," he had tensed up, expecting some kind of bargin with mazoku.
"Very well." It had shrugged. "To become human, you must kill your friends and bathe in their blood."
"WHAT?!" Lina, Gourry, and Amelia, who had been quietly standing in the background up until this point, all facefaulted.
"Oh, dear, it looks like they're not going to be cooperative..." The shade pouted, and at that point, captured them.
Now, the chimera's wide eyes were still frozen on the spectre that offered him a cure. He hadn't moved since the dark prophecy had been uttered, not to blink or breathe. Lina was raging at him through her bonds, Gourry was confused, and Amelia was bawling. Not surprising, really.
Finally, he let out the breath he had been holding, and took two small steps towards his one-time companions. All three became still at once, fearing the betrayal that seemed iminent as they gazed up on his cool blue eyes. His gaze sweapt over them, as if trying to capture them in memory for eternity before he would wipe them out.
"I'm sorry," he said, turning his back on them and kneeling before the spirit, "but their lives are not mine to give. I cannot take them. I will not take them."