"What do you mean, he's a monster?" Lina blinked. Her memory of his soft voice and gentle touch clashed with Amelia's statement.
"Come with me." Amelia lead her to a room across the hall, where she opened an aging, dusty scroll and lit a candle to illuminate it.
"What's this?" The red-head grumbled in her frustration.
"This is a record of the earliest history of this town." The princess explained. "It's not the original, but it's an exact copy, written about one hundred years ago. It vividly describes certain events in which Zeruphim was involved... but they're not pretty."
"Well, either read aloud, or step aside and let me read it." Lina growled.
"About fourteen hundred years ago, when the town was still young but prosperous, the area was attacked by a brutal warlord called Jakal the Crusher." Amelia cleared her throat. "Jakal had heard that these lands were rich and fruitful, and that there was no king and no army to protect them. Jakal swept down on the valley from the east, and conquered towns and villages with no resistance. Finally he came to the valley itself. The villagers met his army with pitchforks and slings. Their only advantages were the five mountains that slowed down Jakal's army. One of the villagers was sent to Kokoro no Yami to alert Zeruphim, called then Lord of the Valley, to the problem. No one knows what went on up on top the mountain, but Zeruphim came down. What's next written was copied from a first hand account taken by a wandering scribe at the scene of the battle..."
"Keep reading, or let me have it." Lina frowned.
" 'And he walked, nay, he glided down the path. At his side ran the boy the villagers sent up the dark mountain to that black castle justly called the Heart of Darkness. Long silver hair flowed like a curtain of molten metal from his head, and his blue eyes, though intense in color, lacked the true luster of life. His flesh appeared to be as smooth as perfect marble, but was as white as the snow found only atop the mountains. He had the hands of a true ruler, though as far as any of his people knew, he possessed no noble blood. It was a strange phenomenon that their ruler, whom they claim to have lived under for almost one hundred years, looked no older than a boy of nineteen or twenty. When questioned about this oddity, some people said that this was due to his deep connection with the valley itself; that he was as immortal as the mountains and air. Other said that because his heart was unmoved by everything, it just stopped working all together, and Zeruphim's powerful magic was the only thing keeping him alive. Yet more gave some odd combination of the two theories. Some said he was immortal. Others said he was a ghost. There were people who even thought he was a god.' " Amelia paused to take a deep breath. Lina was silent.
In her mind, she was remembering the silver haired man who vanished from her dreams not an hour earlier. His gentle, cool touch still lingered on her skin, despite the fact that their entire meeting had taken place on the astral plane. She recalled the legendary sorcerer's soft voice calling out to her, speaking gently. Worst of all, his burning blue eyes still seared her thoughts, watching her with a deep ingrained sorrow. This was Zeruphim? The sorcerer who was so unmoving, so apathetic, that his physical heart had ceased to beat?
"Lina-san?" Amelia looked at the red-head dubiously, wondering if she was still paying attention.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, go on." Lina waved for her to continue, and glared when the princess hesitated.
" 'No matter what the people said he was, he was there. The Lord of the Valley stood amidst his people for what could have been the first time in one hundred years, for they marveled at his presence. He was not dressed in armor, but merely a white ensemble of pants and a high collared jacket with light blue trim at the throat, wrists, and heels. A thin azure stripe ran down the center of his chest, disappearing where the shirt was confined by a belt, and then splitting as his jacket tails flared about his hips. His white boots touched the ground at last, even as the army of the Crusher poured over the mountainside. His eyes narrowed as he watched the invaders; this slight movement was all that implied his displeasure.
" 'Jakal the Crusher was a huge, hulking brute dressed in rough clothes and stolen bits of armor. Nearly one hundred small chunks of armor made up his defensive plate, each part from one of his personally defeated enemies. His army consisted of five thousand berserkers, monster creatures, and men. The warlord's army vastly outnumbered the valley people, but they were not afraid. The presence of their sorcerer Lord seemed to give these people the strength and courage to defend their homeland.
" 'Yet Zeruphim waved them back, saying, "I shall handle this. Do not get in my way." Then he walked alone to the front and met Jakal one on one.
" ' "Who are you?" Jakal demanded in a loud, booming voice.
" ' "I am Zeruphim, the Lord of the Valley and Master of Kokoro no Yami." Zeruphim answered. "Who are you and why have you disturbed the peace of my people?"
" ' "Oh, so you're the great and powerful Lord of the Valley?" Jakal taunted. "You're merely a child! A scrawny boy with no armor and no weapon is no ruler for such a land. I, Jakal the Crusher, shall rule this valley with an iron grip, the way it was meant to be!"
" 'Jakal attempted to backhand the frail-appearing sorcerer, but through some feat of magic, the silver-haired mage vanished and reappeared behind the warlord.
" ' "You are not worth to rule what I have created," Zeruphim stated with a lack of arrogance. "You will make foolish choices and squander my valley's riches on your war games. You will send my people to die. You will destroy all I have created. I will not allow it."
" ' "Try and stop me!" Jakal turned and lashed out again, once more hitting only open air.
" ' "I will." Zeruphim's cold blue eyes narrowed. "I will protect my creations and my people. Such is the will of the Guardian of the Valley."
" ' "Die you pesky runt!" Jakal slammed a massive fist ground-ward, a move which should have crushed the sorcerer. The resulting dust cloud hid both the Lord of the Valley and the Warlord from view. For a long silent moment, both sides held their breath in anticipation.
" ' "Is that your entire army?" Zeruphim's voice cut through the obscured air.
" ' "How did you - ?" Jakal soon saw, as did everyone, that his attack missed. The silver haired mage once more stood behind the Crusher; he had not even broken a sweat, although his opponent was already panting.
" ' "Is that your entire army?" Zeruphim repeated.
" ' "It is," Jakal admitted proudly. "Five thousand of the world's strongest - "
" 'Zeruphim interrupted the Crusher by gesturing at the army which awaited orders. His hand snapped into a different position, and a mere second later a wave of white hot fire engulfed the warlord's army. In an instant the pyre was gone, not even leaving ashes in it's wake. This in itself was a miracle, but on top of that, not a single blade of grass appeared to be as much as singed.
" ' "What the - ?" Jakal's awe and shock rendered him speechless for a moment.
" ' "Now for you..." Zeruphim held his hands before him, both with only the first two fingers extended. Strange words passed his lips, even as the Crusher overcame his surprise and charged the slender sorcerer. The people became afraid when their protector made no movement to dodge; they feared he would be destroyed there and leave them to Jakal's mercy.
" ' "Die!" Jakal screamed, swinging a massive broadsword at the spell caster.
" ' "Swallow." Zeruphim stated simply, gesturing upwards with his palm facing the sky. There was a great trembling in the ground as the earth around Jakal rose up suddenly in the form of gaping, jagged jaws which snapped shut around the warlord. With the resounding crack of bones snapping the massive mandibles closed and were drawn back into the ground.
" 'Silence reigned through the people though Jakal's short cry of pain - uttered before the mouth-creature returned to the earth - echoed in the air.
" ' "Take a day of rest." Zeruphim calmly told the villagers. "The crops will take care of themselves today. The earth needs to rest."
" 'And then, lifting his body on magic winds, the sorcerer flew back to his black castle, leaving his people befuddled, but safe.' " Amelia nearly collapsed in relief that the story was over.
"What was the point?" Lina muttered, quietly at first, then louder to Amelia. "Why was that written? If Zeruphim truly was a monster, he would have let Jakal take his land and destroy his people. He protected them; it would have been war..."
"Lina-san, he blew up an entire army with a single spell!" Amelia cried. "It wasn't even a Dragon Slave! Five thousand beings, too completely burned away that there wasn't even a handful of ashes left, and he didn't even scorch the grass!"
"He had an incredible amount of skill..." Lina murmured. "Almost as if the elements and he were of one mind, and one will."
"Lina-san, do you really think it's safe to go to Kokoro no Yami tomorrow?" The princess whimpered. "If the sorcerer really did exist, and he did fall under a vengeance demon's influence..."
"Even if we did come across Zeruphim's body, there wouldn't be anything to worry about." Lina shook her head. "His soul is still out searching for Rynia..." The red head trailed off, grief suddenly flooding her eyes with tears.
"What's wrong?" The younger girl asked. "What aren't you telling me?"
"I... I don't know if I can tell you." The sorceress admitted. "I'm having a hard time believing it myself, it sounds so far fetched and weird... You'll think I'm crazy."
"Then tell me." Xellos' rich tenor voice called out from the doorway. Lina and Amelia turned to gape at him, both startled by his silent entrance. "After all, aren't I the great secret keeper?"
Lina hesitated, then nodded at Amelia to leave. The small princess departed reluctantly. Xellos crossed the distance between himself and the sorceress in long, purposeful strides. He sat down on the bed and crossed his legs under his lithe body, leaning forward with an expression of interest.
"So, tell me what it is that you cannot tell Amelia-chan," he faintly purred. Lina fixed him with a glare.
"Stop teasing me, fruitcake." She fumed. "This is serious."
"Lina-chan, I assure you that I am as serious about this as you are." He opened his amethyst- shard eyes.
"Okay... here goes..." Lina began to pace in front of him, her face a mask of anger and frustration. "I've been having... dreams. Not those kind so get any hentai thoughts out of your head right now."
Xellos' mouth snapped shut, but he still smirked.
"What kind of dreams are they, then?" He inquired.
"It's all your fault," she grumbled. "If you hadn't told that damn story of yours last night, these visions probably wouldn't have happened."
"Why, Rynia, I have no idea what you're talking about." Xellos feigned innocence. "I certainly am not to blame for anything that happened, now or then."
"Well, I..." Lina trailed off and ceased pacing. "What did you call me?"
"Relax, Lina-chan." The trickster smiled. "I already knew."
"You... what?" The red-head stiffened, but tremors ran up and down her spine. The Mazoku vanished from the bed and appeared behind her. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from moving.
"I know that you were once Rynia, beloved of the sorcerer Zeruphim, who reigned over this valley one thousand years ago." He whispered harshly in hear ear. "It is the reason you cam here. Your soul knew Zeruphim, as it knows that very soon, the Lord of the Valley will cease to be. That dark knowledge has been locked away for so very long but now it stirs, because Zeruphim's death will bring an end to your story. Did you know, Lina-chan, that the story will end tomorrow?"
"He told me it would." She tensed and felt him do the same out of surprise.
"What?" Xellos released her and took a step back.
"Zeruphim told me he would die tomorrow night at midnight." She turned to face him, locking her scarlet eyes with his.
"You spoke with him?" He sounded eager. "How, when - ? The dreams!" Realization dawned on the trickster's face for an instant before he recollected his composure. "He spoke to you through your dreams in order to say goodbye."
"I want to help him," Lina frowned. "For whatever I did in the past, I must atone. He seems as remorseful as they come."
"The past should stay in the past, Lina-chan." Xellos warned her. "We are meddling with ancient forces here. No one knows how old Zeruphim was when he took over the valley. He may easily be as old as the mountains themselves. You may not be ready to deal with these upcoming shadows..."
"What do you know, fruitcake!?" The red head snapped and slugged him in the gut. "I've taken down Mazoku Lords and hosted the Lord of Nightmares herself! My body can handle anything - "
"What about your mind?" His violet eyes regarded her calmly. "I did not say you were helpless or by any means weak, Lina. However, you are human, and even humans who host the Lord of Nightmares have their limits. Shadows of the past are meant to stay in the past. Zeruphim probably only meant to close the door and end the story when he contacted you..." The trickster trailed off as he noticed Lina looking at him funny. "What?"
"Zeruphim... he said almost the exact same thing." She grabbed him by the chin and examined his eyes, much to his discomfort.
"Lina-chan?" The Mazoku sweat-dropped.
"No... It's not you..." She sighed.
"Of course it's not me." Xellos smoothed out his cloak. "I was out killing the Golds when all that occurred. Besides, no wandering soul could possibly possess a Mazoku, no matter how powerful it may be or how strong its will."
"Do all Mazoku know the tale of the Sorcerer's Folly as well as you do, or are you just a special case?" Lina gave him a dirty look.
"That," he smirked.
"... Is a secret. Yeah, yeah, I know." She slumped.
"What do you intend to do about Zeruphim, Lina-chan?" His hands wandered to her shoulders, but a quick punch to the face cured his wayward hands.
"We're going to save him, of course." Lina scowled. "This whole valley will fall apart if he dies."
"How do you come to that conclusion?" He scratched the back of his head closing his eyes so they once more curved with his smile. "Did Zeruphim tell you that, too?"
"No..." the red-head shook her head.
"Then who?"
"That is a secret!" She taunted. He sweat-dropped, then stood and headed for the door.
"Maa, I'll leave you to your planning, then." He stepped out, then glanced back over his shoulder. "And Lina-chan..."
"Yeah?"
"Watch your back when you go to Kokoro no Yami." His deep amethyst eyes opened again as the smile faded from his face. "The shadows of the past are capable of untold havoc, and vengeance demons enjoy overkill."
"And you don't?" She fixed him with a skeptic look. He smiled in reply and vanished.
"Oyasumi, Rynia-chan..." his voice echoed hauntingly.
Elsewhere, a black-clad figure manifested from the shadows of a black room. Soft black hair framed around an ebony-skinned face, gently framing wide crimson eyes. The living shadow walked forward towards a tall white pillar.. A deep frown etched itself onto the jet black face as the being studied the tall body pinned to the milky marble.
"Where are you, Master?" The entity asked, kneeling before the white garbed form. "I cannot sense you, I cannot protect you. You guided me, gave me a purpose and a physical body. You were my father and brother, but you never allow me to repay you. I have found her for you, Master. Maybe she can save you from this wretched demon of vengeance that feeds off your suffering."
Only the silence replied to the boy who waited in the darkness.
"Master, for the sake of everything you created, I will not let you die." He said purposefully. "You raised me to be the guardian of the valley for all time. Now, defending the valley means saving you. I know you wanted to obey Rynia's wish and remain pinned to the pillar, but you will die if you do, and so will everything else in the valley that has been touched by your power. Master..."
The youth reached out to try and touch the sword that impaled his Lord's white chest, but blue lightning struck him down. The boy recoiled, wary of the burns he received, a fierce scowl carved onto his inky face.
"Damn it!" He roared, anguish and sorrow choking the sound. "That girl's hatred keeps me from helping you. Even know, after she has died, and lost her memory of her anger..."
Kokoro no Yami threw his human form at his master's feet, sobbing without the benefit of tears.
"I swear I will get help," he vowed. "I swear it, father."
That said, the young man's body melted back into the darkness from which he came.
For a moment, the great black chamber remained empty, save for the slow, dull pounding of what could have been a human heart. The silver haired figure that hung bound from the column certainly did not move; his physical manifestation was frozen in place by magic.
Then, right beside the enchanted sorcerer, space warped itself with tinges of time in order to allow the entrance of an impossibly tall green-skinned creature. The newly arrived Mazoku grinned at Zeruphim's motionless body, revealing its jagged fangs. The slim, stick-like arms reached out to touch the ensorcelled man, but lightning snapped at the vengeance demon too.
"Very soon, your time will be up." The demon snarled, narrowing all six of its eyes. "Then your power will be mine, and I will have my own revenge..." Ignoring the magic blasts, the Mazoku grabbed a strand of the sorcerer's silver hair.
"Leave my Master alone!" The voice of the Heart of Darkness echoed through the chamber as the dark youth manifested.
"Oh, yes. And once I have Zeruphim's power, you will be mine to command as well." The demon chuckled. Kokoro no Yami blanched and looked stricken but quickly clenched his hands in rage.
"That will never happen," the castle's soul trembled with the force of his contained anger. "Lina Inverse will save him. You cannot beat her, demon! She has Rynia-sama's stubborn will to back her!"
"The Lina Inverse, bane of the Living?" The emerald-skinned monstrosity looked interested, greatly startling the boy. "The Dramatta, the Bandit Killer?"
"Er... yes..." The young man began to wish he hadn't told the ill-intending spirit about his rescue plans. "That's the one."
The Mazoku laughed aloud.
"She will never set Zeruphim free!" It declared. "Your love sick master's soul is dying as we speak. He will be gone before she even reaches the valley!"
"She is already here!" Kokoro cried in frustration. "She will destroy you and save my master - "
"Not even Rynia the Bitch could save your master." The demon sneered.
"DON'T CALL HER THAT!" Blasts of white energy shot forth from various points in the room, but all were deflected by the demon's shield.
"But isn't it true?" The six-eyed creature purred. "She treated your master like dirt and trampled on his heart. She refused to acknowledge or accept his love and threw it in his face. She tried to kill him multiple times! And now she has left him to suffer for one thousand years, always able to see her, but never able to touch her."
"You're wrong." Kokoro said coldly, stepping back.. "My master saw that she had a beautiful soul. He's been waiting for her to mature."
"You are a fool." The Mazoku snorted.
"Maybe." Kokoro no Yami's blood red eyes narrowed. "But I am still free."
"For now." The demon cautioned him.
"Maybe." The youth admitted. "But I can still fight!" His ebony-crowned head snapped back as he screamed and filled the chamber with white light, pure astral power bombarding the demon. The vengeful monster was hard pressed to keep its shields up, especially while it was opening a dimensional rift. Kokoro's body fell to the ground and began to become one with the stone that had spawned him as the light faded; his energy was gone. He had foolishly spent the majority of his power in a futile effort.
"I will protect this valley." Kokoro's crimson eyes focused on the escaping Mazoku. "And I will save my father."
"Zelgadis?" Gourry knocked on the door to the chimera's room, then shrugged and entered when he received no answer. The rock-skinned youth lay with his back to the door, facing the window. "You awake?"
"I am now." The weakened young man sighed, then rolled over so that he faced the blond. "What do you want?"
"Are you feeling all right?" Gourry asked , pulling up a chair and plopping down in it. "You've been acting kind of weird these last few days."
"Gourry, I'm dying." Zelgadis sighed in frustration. "My body is shutting down. It happens to all chimeras. I wasn't designed to function in this body for more than a certain length of time. My time is up, so I'm dying."
"But... golems don't die, right?" The swordsman blinked. "Neither do Mazoku - "
"Golems have an expiration date, even though whether they're living beings or not is debatable." Zelgadis shook his head. "They can be created to last for a long time, but they'll shut down eventually."
"You're not a machine." The blond protested.
"Astounding deduction." The chimera deadpanned.
"Oi, Zel, I'm trying to be serious here."
"I'm sorry, Gourry. You were saying?"
"You're acting different. You mellowed out."
"I what?" The shaman sat up and fixed his friend with a glare.
"You mellowed out." Gourry insisted. "You were a lot more relaxed when Xellos told us you were dying. I thought you'd rip his head off for sure. You obviously didn't want him to tell us. But you didn't. You got kind of depressed and a little, well, mushy..."
"Mushy?!" The chimera looked slightly upset.
" 'I just wanted these last days to be the same as they always were; I didn't want you guys to change' ?" The blond quoted with a skeptical look. "C'mon, Zel!"
"Okay, okay, so I was a little mushy." Zelgadis sighed and fell back on the bed, covering his eyes with his hand. "Give me a break. By this time tomorrow, I'll be dead. I'm allowed to be sentimental."
"Hey, it's your reputation, not mine." The swordsman put his hands up in defense.
"What reputation?" The lavender-haired man snorted. "Ten years from now, you'll be a living legend: The Swordsman of Light who saved the world time and again at the side of Lina Inverse. If, through some fluke, anyone remembers me, it will either be as: that weird, blue-skinned freak who always wore white and occasionally kicked around with Lina, or: the nameless, mystical, heartless swordsman who was seen once or twice with the Chaos Child. No one will remember me, Gourry. It doesn't matter if I go a little soft in my last hours."
"We'll remember you." Gourry frowned. "I'm going to name my first born son after you."
"Do you think you'll even remember my name long enough for that to happen?" Zelgadis asked.
"Well, I'll sure as hell remember to tell Sylphiel when I propose to her." The blond stated determinedly. "She'll remember after that."
"Eh?!" The chimera's eyes shot open.
"Just as soon as we get back from Kokoro no Yami, I'm going to head to Neo-Sairaag and ask Sylphiel to marry me." The swordsman nodded proudly.
"...Congratulations." The shaman sighed. "I know you two will be very happy with each - " Zelgadis froze in the middle of his sentence, his eyes opened wide and glazed over with a panic that seemed to be embedded in the icy shards of sapphire that were his eyes.
"Zel? Hey, are you okay?" Gourry inquired, confused by the sudden halt in the male bonding session. The rock-skinned man's mouth moved, but no words passed his lips as he began to shiver uncontrollably.
Outside, the mountains quaked under the power that was expended by the distant castle. Each great peak threw boulders at their feet, framing the valley but not actually infringing on the town's borders.
"Zelgadis!" Gourry shouted, grabbing the chimera by the arms and shaking him roughly. "Zelgadis!"
Amelia, Lina, and Xellos burst into the room, drawn by the blond's frantic cries.
"What is it?" The princess cried.
"Is it Zel?" The sorceress demanded.
"Has Rock-head given up the ghost?" Xellos pouted.
"He's not breathing!" Gourry shouted, shoving heavily on the motionless chimera's chest.
"Zelgadis!" Lina flew to his side, ready to assist in anyway she could.
"I... I'm okay..." Zelgadis blinked, slowly coming to and breathing deeply.
"L-sama, Zel, don't worry us like that!" Lina snapped.
"Sorry," he glanced away. "It was a temporary relapse. I couldn't help it."
"Well, try not to do it again." The red head sighed. "I'll die of worry."
Instantly his stormy eyes were upon her, searching for the depth of her sincerity.
"Don't say that." He chastised her. "I'll worry to death."
Bitter silence filled the room as the thought of Zelgadis' impending demise weighed heavily on them.
"You all should get plenty of rest, if you want to make it to Kokoro no Yami bright and early tomorrow." Xellos chided his mortal companions, shooing Amelia and Gourry out the door and quickly closing it behind them. "I'll leave the two of you alone for a while." Smirking, the trickster vanished as well.
"So..." Lina trailed off, but when he made no motion to help the conversation, she continued. "What about that thing you were going to ask me last night?'
"Thing?" Zelgadis made a face of confusion. "What thing? Don't remember asking about anything."
"Last night you woke up and asked me for a favor." She insisted. "You were about to ask me to do something, then you changed your mind. You promised you would tell me tonight"
"Oh." A faint blush crept across his cerulean cheeks. "That thing."
"Yeah." She gave him a sly glance. "That thing."
"Well, I..." The chimera shut his mouth, then opened it again. "Lina, would you..."
"Would I what?" The petite red-head had a distinct feeling of deja vous.
"Could you... could you smile at me?"
There was a pregnant pause between them while his sincerity drowned aqua eyes locked with her slightly befuddled crimson gaze.
"Just a smile?" She blinked.
"Just a smile." He nodded.
"I'm really not in a smiling mood right now, Zelgadis."
"I understand." He exhaled slowly. "I just want to see you happy before I... leave..."
His statement caused a deep frown to cross her face.
"I want to be able to give you a genuine smile, Zel." She gripped his hand. "I value you far too much to just paste a fake smile on to fulfill a request of yours. I'll tell you what; stay around until tomorrow night, and I will give you the best smile I'll ever give anyone."
Zelgadis chuckled.
"Strange how you keep finding ways to keep me alive through sheer-will power, ne?" He murmured. "I'll do my best."
"I couldn't ask for anything more." A haunting pang flashed through her mind as she recalled Zeruphim, causing her to sigh.
"Something wrong?" The chimera asked.
"Nah. Just go back to sleep, Zel."
"Zelgadis' deep azure eyes closed, but he did not sleep again that night.
When morning came, Zelgadis waved his friends off from the window of his room. They stood before the inn, ready to head out. He leaned against the window sill, an expression of longing and sorrow on his face. They did their best not to notice his pallor, or how he seemed to have lost an unhealthy amount of weight.
He sighed as the finally left, feeling a great sorrow press heavily on his heart as he prayed it wouldn't be the last time that he ever saw them.
"Well, well, well..." A shadow fell over him, causing him to jump in surprise. "Do you really think that will do any good?" Zelgadis' eyes opened in fear...