Zelgadis galloped through the night. When the horse could take no more the chimera dismounted and ran on foot. His destination, Mist Valley, lay only miles away, and he wasn't about to slow down.
He came to an abrupt stop the moment he crested the next hill, and his jaw fell open.
"How the hell and I supposed to find a patch of flowers in that?!" he screamed.
The valley had been aptly named. Bellow Zelgadis stretched miles and miles of rolling fog so thick even his eyes couldn't pierce it. With a ragged sigh Zelgadis set his chin and walked boldly into the unknown. For hours he stumbled around, cursing his luck and promising revenge to no one in particular.
Without warning Zelgadis stopped...
...because he had slammed head first into a wall.
"Oww." groaned Zelgadis as he picked himself up. "What is this doing here?" Feeling his way around he came to a door. With no other options he knocked.
There was a long pause. Finally a small voice from within called, "Just, just a minute."
The door creaked open and a small child poked her head out. "Yes? Who is... Oh my god! It's a monster! Don't kill me!" the door slammed shut in Zelgadis's face.
With a resigned sigh he forced open the door...
...only to be struck full in the face with a frying pan.
"Oww." groaned Zelgadis as he picked himself up for the second time. Before the little girl could smack him with the frying pan again he caught her by the wrist and lifted her off of the ground.
"I am not going to hurt you." he assured. "I just need a little information."
"But your a monster!" she shrieked.
"If I was a monster I would have eaten you by now." Zelgadis reasoned.
"I...suppose." said the girl, relaxing a bit.
"Good. Now I'm going to put you down, but if you hit me with that frying pan again you're getting tied up." threatened the chimera.
"'Kay!" the girl smiled. When Zelgadis had set her down she offered her little hand. "I'm Kally. Pleased to meat you."
"Then why did you hit me with the frying pan." muttered Zelgadis. Without taking her hand he said, "I am Zelgadis Greywerd. Where are your parents."
Kally frowned. "Their gone. I've been by myself for a long time."
"I'm sor... that's quite impressive, Kally." Zelgadis caught himself. "Do you, perhaps know your way around this valley?"
"Kinda, why?" responded Kally.
"I have a friend who is very sick. She needs a certain type of flower that only grows here. Do you know where there are any flowers, Kally?" asked Zelgadis.
"Yeah!" Kally clapped her hands, "My parents used to take me to this place where there wasn't any fog. It's really pretty!" she frowned. "But we can't go there any more."
"Why not?!" cried Zelgadis.
"Cause there's a monster there!" her eyes began to tear up, "It killed my parents!"
Zelgadis kneeled next to the little girl. "Kally, listen to me. I need to find these flowers. My friend needs them, and I will do whatever I can to get them."
"But it'll eat us!" Kally cried.
"No it won't." promised Zelgadis. "I'll take care of the monster. It won't eat either of us."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"'Kay!"
Zelgadis and Kally waked quickly through the fog. Kally chatted away and Zelgadis, well Zelgadis just kind of stood there.
Suddenly Kally stopped.
"What is it, Kally?" Zelgadis asked.
"We're here." she whispered back. "Only a few more feet."
Zelgadis pulled out his sword and stepped forward. The fog ended and in it's place was the most beautiful field Zelgadis had ever seen. Kally gripped his leg, shaking.
"I don't see any monster." said Zelgadis. "Maybe it left."
"Maybe not." came a deep voice from all around them. "I've been waiting for you, Zelgadis."
The fog that they had just passed through began to ripple. Within seconds it had formed into a solid brick wall. In fact every thing around them was changing. The field that had only seconds early been so beautiful became barren. A bubbling black liquid oozed from every crack in the ground. In the blink of an eye the ooze molded itself into the shape of a man.
"I have been waiting for you for some time, Zelgadis Greywerd." the creature bubbled.
"What are you?" asked Zelgadis.
"I am the master of this valley. You have come for a certain flower to cure your friend, Amelia, am I correct?"
Zelgadis stared at the creature in amazement. He hadn't told anyone besides Kally about his purpose.
"I am correct. I always am." it chuckled.
"Who are you?!" Zelgadis cried, his sword at ready.
"I have no name. Nor do I need one. All you need to know is that I am under orders to kill you." his arms begin to change into long, curved blades. "I am most sorry about this."
"I thought you were master of this valley!" Zelgadis chided as he began to circle his opponent.
"I am. But I'm not foolish enough to disobey orders from Him."
"From who?" Zelgadis asked, attempting to pry as much information as he could from the strange being.
"You won't live to find out!" the creature lunged at Zelgadis, slashing his face with several blows before Zelgadis rolled to the side.
Zelgadis screamed, holding his bleeding face. Laughing the creature moved in for the kill.
"I really thought you'd be more of a challenge than..." it began.
"Elmikia Lance!" screamed the chimera, sending the creature flying across the barren soil.
Zelgadis leapt upon the fallen monster before it had a chance to collect itself. With unmatched fury he tore into the creature, and with a his final blow severed the head from it's body.
"To easy." Zelgadis smirked as he wiped the creatures entrails off on the ground.
"You know what they say about something being to good to be true, don't you?" the creature's voice startled Zelgadis from his boasting.
The monster had totally reformed, without any sign of injury.
"Care to try it again?" it mocked.
The two battled for hours. Zelgadis had thrown everything he had at the creature, and still it came on. Bleeding from multiple wounds and suffering from severe fatigue it seemed only a matter of time before the battle was lost.
"It seems a shame to kill you. You've put up such a valiant fight. But orders are orders." the creature chatted while Zelgadis vainly attempted yet another spell.
"Shut up!" screamed the chimera.
"That's rather rude." said the monster as it bit deeply into Zelgadis's leg.
"Must...get...out." Zelgadis thought to himself bitterly. The battle was lost already.
Zelgadis noticed something in the distance as he decapitated the thing for what must have been the hundredth time. Kally, some ways away, was waving a bundle of white flowers in the air.
"The flowers!" cried Zelgadis joyously. Before the creature could react he had taken to the air.
"No!" it screamed.
As fast as he could Zelgadis swooped upon the girl and carried her into the air.
"Damn it! No!" the creature cried.
The creature sat brooding in the mist. Behind it Kally's house lie in ruins.
"How could I lose to that freak?" it asked itself aloud.
"I would like to know the same thing." an echoing voice came from nowhere and everywhere all at once. A pare of crimson eyes appeared in front of the creature.
"Master!" the creature flung himself to the ground.
"You have failed me." the entity said without emotion.
"Forgive me, Lord! I was not prepared for the creature to take flight!" it whimpered.
"I do not tolerate failure."
(At that same time)
Zelgadis and Kally sat on the ridge outside of Mist Valley. The flowers sat safely in Zelgadis's pouch.
Kally turned to Zelgadis. "Hey. Where am I supposed to go?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Zelgadis returned.
"Well, I can't go back home. He'll kill me. You know a village or something I could go to near by? If you just point the way I'll be fine by myself."
Zelgadis stared at her for a few moments. Finally, "Do you want to come back with me to Sairune?"
"Sairune?" she asked.
"Yes. A bright young girl like yourself shouldn't be live alone, and I owe you one."
Kally laughed and moved closer to Zelgadis. "It's cold." she commented.
Zelgadis smiled and offered his cloak.
"Look at that." Zelgadis pointed at the Mist Valley. "The fog's starting to clear."
At that instant an blood chilling scream filled the air, then there was silence.