The last thing Lina remembered was the defeated look in the eyes of the Angel of Vengeance as it had released its hold on its golden aura. The explosion that had followed must have knocked her unconscious, because when she opened her eyes, she didn't know where she was.
"Hmm?" Lazily, her ruby-hued eyes fluttered open. Her vision focused slowly. Xellos' worried amethyst gaze stared back at her.
"You've regained consciousness," he smiled openly. "I'm glad." Lina felt a blush stain her cheeks.
"Where... are we?" she asked, sitting up slowly due to the pain in her head. "What happened? The last thing I recall is hitting Zel - ... the Angel..."
"We're on Wolf Pack Island." He replied. "We're safe here. It's okay, Lina, it's over now."
"What about Zel?" She asked with an urgency that pained him.
"I don't know what's going on with Zelgadis." The trickster admitted. "The Angel is no longer on the rampage, but the body hasn't changed. I don't know what the Runes did to him..."
"Where is he?" She demanded.
"Currently, he's in some kind of amber-gold cocoon, protected by Asa, Isa, and Purisaz. My master is trying to break it as we speak, but so far..." Xellos shook his head.
"Take me to him."
Mere moments later they stood before the doors of the Beast Master's throne room. Lina took the time to follow the doors from the base to the top with her eyes, impassively noticing that they were over 50 feet tall.
"Wait here." Xellos pushed open the doors gently, gesturing with his gloved hand. Lina nodded in response.
An explosion quickly followed.
"Gods damn it!" The Beast Master hissed, throwing her cigarette to the ground as the smoke from the explosion cleared. The orange and yellow casket stood unaffected by her temper tantrum.
"Master?" Xellos bowed, his eyes shadowed.
"Xellos, good." She sighed, lighting a fresh cigarette. "I'll take it that the girl's awake?"
"Yes, master." He replied. "She's waiting outside."
"Bring her in." She commanded. Xellos nodded, and led the sorceress in to the chamber.
"Where's Zel?" The red-head scowled. Zelas matched her scowl, and pointed to the case.
"You want to try?" The Beast Master offered as Lina ran over to it. "Be my guest."
"Zelgadis!" Lina placed her hand up to the surface of the amber-gold material. Three Runes flared to life over his shoulders and heart; one a straight line, one a line with a 'v' on its side connected to the middle by the open end, and the third a line with two small, 'v' like angles added to the upper right hand side.
It's the girl. Isa, the line, pulsed when it 'spoke'
Wyrd said not to let anyone through. Purisaz, the thorn-like one, replied.
But she wields Nightmare! Asa, the last one, objected.
Let her pass. When this Rune spoke, no symbol became bright. She has defeated us. And it is obvious she cares about the condition of our Caster.
"Damn right I do," She grumbled. Asa, Isa, and Purisaz hesitated, but pulled back the casket. The minute the heavy cover was lifted, Zelgadis' eyes flew open and he sat up, taking fresh air deep into his lungs.
"GAH!" The ex-chimera cried, shoulders heaving. "What a nightmare!"
"Zelgadis?" Lina sighed in relief, throwing her arms around him. Xellos scowled, but remained silent.
"Lina? What are... What are you doing?!" The former Angel of Vengeance blushed brightly.
"Damn it, Zel, never, ever do that to me again," She murmured. "I'll Dragon Slave your ass to the moon, you jerk."
"What?" He blinked, awkwardly returning her embrace. Xellos growled.
"Never mind, just don't leave. Don't go off on your own anymore."
"Lina..."
"Promise me, Zelgadis."
"Lina, what the hell is going on?" he pushed her back, but stopped short to stare at the human texture of his marble skin. "What... is this?"
My Caster, we are sorry. The mysterious blank Rune Wyrd addressed him. We used you much in the same way we were used, and we were wrong. As our penance, we give you these gifts; a human appearance that is stronger and faster than the one given to you prior, eternal youth, and all the defensive properties of Runic magic. To negate the risk of corruption again, we leave your attack power untouched. Now, beloved Caster, we return to our place beyond the Seas of Chaos to seal the Angel of Vengeance forever.
"What the Hell?" Zelgadis realized, as Wyrd was speaking, that time had ground to a halt. "Wyrd, what's going on?"
Use our gifts to protect the girl. The invisible Rune told him. That is what Runes were created for, after all. Protect her, body and heart.
"I don't understand, what happened?!" The once-chimera demanded. Golden light filled his eyes, playing memories of the Angel of Vengeance and its actions in his mind. When the luminescence faded, time resumed flow, leaving Zelgadis with bloody memories for answers. He looked down at his hands and let go a horrified cry as he felt the warmth of the Runes he had grown so accustomed to disappear forever.
"Those things I did..." He gasped. "So awful!"
"Zel, please, promise me you won't leave me!" Lina begged him.
Don't you dare hurt her again, Xellos growled telepathically. Zelgadis glanced at the Trickster, who was no longer smiling. A tear rolled away from the Mazoku's eye, leaving its salty trail as the only memorial to its existence.
"I promise, Lina," he whispered. I've got all the time in the world to atone.