Dani: Finally; Is probably what you're all saying about now. Yes, it's the fourth chapter. Once again I would like to apologize for this chapter being so late. Time's hectic around here!
Xelloss: Zzzz...Z_Z
Dani: ....Hurry, before he wakes, READ!
"How does our guest fair?"
Zelas Metallium, Grater Beast Master to those of the Mazoku realm; sitting calmly and looking distant upon her glimmering throne. She asked sternly, never turning to face her general priest who made his way towards the mistress, the heel of his boots clicking against the marble floors, echoing dully throughout the silent throne room.
"She is still resting, Mistress. Perhaps I wore her out."
Xelloss smirked widely, resting against his wooden staff. Zelas rolled her eye's at the gloating Mazoku. Xelloss noticed his masters silent behavior, noting how distant she had been after their session with the princess. Bowing down before her feet, Xelloss decided to ask her directly.
"Zelas-Sama, what troubles you?"
He asked, wearily, looking concerned. Zelas ran a slender hand through her elegantly hung hair, sighing softly.
"It would seem as if Lina and her companions have eliminated my troops in Saillune."
The Mazoku priest pursed his lips and readjusted his jaw side to side. This would definitely cause trouble with his masters plans. Not good, not good at all. Disruption to Zelas-Sama's well thought out plans usually resulted her in quite a foul mood. In which Xelloss did not want to witness. Zelas continued running thoughts through her mind, tracing the tip of her finger across her lips, and speaking softly, more to herself then to her companion.
"Miss Inverse is causing more trouble then I had expected,"
She quickly lifted from her throne; Xelloss rising and clearing the way; making her way towards an enchanted mirror, framed with gold that glittered and reflected from the flickering candles embedded throughout the chamber. With a few delicate waves of her wrist, the mirror's reflection wavered, leaving a window. The image was that of the past. Exhibiting Lina's previous work with the magically amplified Dragon Slave. Zelas winced her eye's for a moment at the scene before her, clearly deeply in thought once more.
" - she might have caused damaged to the armor."
Xelloss silently sauntered behind his master, opening his lavender set eyes and peering out over her pale shoulder. He sighed inwardly taking note of the damage Lina's magic had caused to kingdom and Zelas-Sama's plans.
"Mistress..."
Xelloss began before being cut off.
"By L-Sama..."
"Mistress?"
Xelloss questioned at the women, who only answered by glancing more intently at the mirror before her, playing the image over again. Her reddened lip's curled into a very satisfied smile as she turned her back to the mirror, facing her questioning trickster priest, idly twirling her wrist, making the image in the mirror fade off into the clear reflection.
"Take note, my dear,"
She placed her hand on her dainty hip, waving the other one, conjuring up a cigarette between her fingers, drawing near her lip's, she inhaled once, and blew out the misty smoke as she spoke in a deep drone.
" - we're having a change of plans, prepare to visit our dear friends in Saillune. Oh yes, and go pay dear Amelia a visit, she shall be coming with us..."
Xelloss nodded, bowing slightly then phasing from view, several questions flooding through his deceptive mind.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."
Lina mumbled, nearly incoherently, to herself. Her body was worn and limp across the cot she lay upon. Her body was as tattered as her garments, which in place, Zelgadis had placed his cape over her tiny figure, upholding her dignity. Zelgadis sat on the edge of one of the fallen pieces of the ceiling ruble that he and Gourry had decided to rest in after finding Lina's unconscious body. Rubbing is sore neck, he took in the oxygen from the musty air, letting it out through clenched teeth in a deep sigh.
Gourry sat near Lina's side, clenching his sword in one hand, his other balled tightly into a fist. His eyebrow twitched as he watched Lina respond and flinch to the pain her body was, before going still once again. Gourry hung his head in despair, his blonde mass of hair falling over his chiseled face and broad shoulders. In some way he felt this was his fault. He had failed to protect Lina once again, and he was regretting it to every extreme as he watched her fallen figure.
Zelgadis stood, resting his heavy hand upon the sulking sword mans shoulder.
"Gourry, this isn't your fault, you know that."
"I know, but I felt I could have prevented this."
He sighed, returning his sorrowful gaze to the object of his desire. Zel removed his hand and crossed his arm's over his chest, still weak himself from his previous battle of will power, holding the magic barrier over the kingdom of Saillune.
"Lina...s-she'll be OK, right, Zel?"
There was a long silence as Gourry's blue eye's focused on the facial expressions of the chimera. Zel wasn't exactly sure how to answer, he didn't positively know the absolute answer, truthfully. She could have been more effected by the overexertion then he thought. His lip's parted to begin explaining the depth of Lina's injury, and why he couldn't heal her, when instead someone beat him to it.
"Yes, Gourry, she will."
Gourry, suddenly startled, turned his attention to the fierce voice directed near the entrance of the opening Zelgadis had made to gain entrance into the damaged chamber room of Saillune. A tall being stepped forward, supported slightly by the maiden who gladly offered her shoulder to lean on.
"Phil!"
Both Zel and Gourry exclaimed. The giant of a man limped towards the group and sat himself down on the dusty ground, smiling of a sort. The maiden that had gotten the prince to the location of the rest, emerged from the shadows as well and quickly ran towards Gourry, pressing herself tightly against his chest, with a quiet sob.
"Gourry dear..."
Gourry rested his eyelids, letting his arms cradle the emotionally tattered priestess, who depended on him so for his strength at this time of war. Though he knew of her feelings, (Despite what the others think,) he knew they were not returned, for his own feelings were infatuated around another. His shaky hand caressed through her long raven hair as tears began to slide down her flushed cheeks, embarrassed by her sudden burst of emotional drama.
"Sylphiel..."
Zelgadis smiled slightly to himself, glancing down at the floor, thanking to whatever gods that were listening for the safety of the shrine maiden and Phil. And just how in L-Sama's name did she get to be in Saillune in this hectic times? It was definitely not safe, then again, it wasn't safe pretty much anywhere lately. Zelgadis' content feeling faded when he glanced back at Prince Phil, who's eye's were glossy and red. The chimera's jaw tightened as he thought about how to break the news of his daughter's, Amelia's, death, and how he would react. He already lost his first born daughter, and his wife. Now, the kingdom he had worked so hard for to keep peace and justice alive within the stone tiers, and his daughter... His daughter who devoted her life to following her father's foot steps, the path of love and light. To end like this. Zelgadis clenched his eye's shut tightly and let out a shuddering gasp.
"Thank the high one's, everyone is all right! I imagine Lina is resting, I thought I was done for...after seeing that red glow...I nearly was until Miss. Sylphiel here found me, her white magic is like that I have never seen..."
Despite the pain Zelgadis knew he was hiding, he hid it with a superficial grin and a face of relief. Totally ignoring the fact his kingdom and people were all nearly eliminated.
"I knew Lina and you others would come to fight for the side of justice! Now, where is my daughter? I've been worried sick."
Gourry's features turned soft as he rose his head from the top of Sylphiel's hair, gazing towards the giant, eager to see his beloved child. Sylphiel took notice of the sudden change of mood and took the moment to catch her tear's, apologizing, then pulling from Gourry's embrace. She then left his side to let the men talk, and join Lina's side, examining her conditioning in which she thought would be simple enough to heal. And with that, began. Gently clasping her gloved hands over Lina's chilly hand, she closed her eye's as a warm misty white light flooded over Lina's figure.
"Mr. Gourry, Mr. Zelga-?"
Phil looked back at both of their expressions, fear coursing through his giant body. Zelgadis couldn't even face him, his eye's continued to be locked on the floor, while Gourry's eye's shifted uncomfortably. Before either could speak in the awkward moment of silence, Prince Phil put two and two together, pressing his hands over his face and shuddering out his words.
"She's gone...Isn't she?"
In the background, Sylphiel was heard gasping, as she listened in on the conversation. She continued healing, hanging her head slightly and praying for Amelia's soul. Another innocent lost to the misguided. She let a few tears continue their journey down her slender face.
"Miss. Amelia..."
"My little Amelia...she's gone..."
Zelgadis clenched his fist, but continued to stare down, his eye's distant. Gourry felt tears stinging his eye's as reality set in to the grief stricken father.
"Yes..."
Zelgadis said finally. The room resumed the silence, all quiet and still except for the soft sobs escaping from the Prince, and the gentle hum from the touch of the maiden.
Within countless chamber's of the Greater Beast Masters home on Wolf Pack Island, was Amelia, who was stirring to consciousness. Her eye's blinked lazily as the dull glow from a single lit candle came into view. She was aware of the slight pain between her leg's, which awakened her senses and caused the reality of what had happened earlier to expose their tender shameful memories. Amelia balled herself up on the bed and gently rocked herself, the bile rising to the back of her throat, swallowing back tears painfully, her stomach turning as the unbearable thoughts of the monster invading her once perfectly content and pure body.
That wasn't for him. That wasn't for Xelloss. It was supposed to be for someone special, it was supposed to be for... HIM. She said it over and over in her mind. 'Him' came out softly and with emotion, tears did not spill this time as she thought of Zelgadis. 'Him.' She seemed to be all cried out about now. Something was different now, though. God's she was hungry. The pain she had experienced wasn't as sharp and intense, but now...eerily comforting and...needed. What happened? She had passed out during the Mazoku's fun. How could she have fallen so gullible, trusted Zelas? How could she put her people's future in her hands...er...claws, more like it? Amelia cradled her arms over her lean belly as it growled at her, warning her to feed herself soon. But there was another hunger that was etched in her body, clawing at the back of her conscious.
"My, my, I do believe that was your stomach, either that or you're in a foul mood, Princess..."
Xelloss' familiar mocking tone rang in her ears, enlightening a sudden rage in Amelia, She clenched her hands tightly in the sheet's, trembling. She tried not to do anything rash, in her predicament, there was nothing she could do to harm him. Especially in Zelas' own palace. If she was going to get revenge and successfully rescue her people, (That is if they were still alive...) she would need all her strength to do it. Xelloss was a very powerful being, Amelia herself knew she was no match for him. Which only made her angrier. Being helpless was not one of Amelia's specialties. Xelloss loomed over her, floating in mid air, gazing down cheerfully at her, savoring her rage.
"Princ - "
"Go away."
Amelia said calmly, yet stern. Xelloss chuckled, disappearing from view, then reappearing beside her. Amelia, disgusted at his site, quickly pulled away from the bed and sprang to her feet, wincing at the pain that burned between her shaky legs. Xelloss coolly looked at her, rubbing his hand across the bed.
"You'll learn to enjoy that feeling."
He said softly. Amelia cringed, fighting back the tears of frustration.
"You monster - "
"Hush now, you're no better than me."
Amelia gasped, gazing at him with rage in her eye's. She clenched her fists tightly, feeling her fingernails dig into her palm.
"How do you figure that?!"
"Well, for one thing, you put the sake of your people in a Mazoku Lord's control. Willingly, I might add."
Xelloss continued his cool stare. Amelia shivered, clenching her fist's tighter, causing her palms to redden and bleed.
"Who knows what she'll do. By the way, princess, you need me."
"Need YOU?!"
"Yes, little one, me. You see, devoting yourself to a Mazoku means certain circumstances."
"What do you mean?"
Amelia's belly tightened as she asked, the feeling coursing through her body weren't her own, she would never think such harm to another as she did now for Xelloss. The rage, uncontrollable hunger for pain, it was almost unbearable. Clenching her fist's was the only thing she could do to keep from lunging at his jesting figure, and releasing her fury on him. Xelloss giggled and said in a tongue in cheek gesture:
"What you're feeling, what flows through your veins, is no longer human." Amelia fell to her knee's, cradling her arm's about her shaking body, edging back against the stone walls of her chamber. She gasped and shook her head, clawing her hands over her sides.
"N-No, you're lying!"
Xelloss swung his feet over the bed and leaned on his elbows; resting against his knees. He peered closely at her through closed eye's. Contradicting as that may be... A slight pout formed at his pale lips.
"Would I lie? After our session,"
He said mockingly, smiling brightly suddenly.
"Draining you completely, then...well...killed you."
Amelia flinched in disgust as he leaned forward, brushing his finger over her left breast through the night gown. He pulled away and slit his eye's open slightly.
"Look at the scar yourself."
She reluctantly pulled her eye's away from his cold coy look and slipped her hand underneath the night gown, the Mazoku Lord must have conjured it up last night after their session. Her fingers started investigating over her warm flesh, searching out some sort of significant mark proving Xelloss' theory. Amelia stopped dead and went cold as her fingers found a small puckered scar over her the top of her breast. A small dagger must have inflicted the wound; pierced straight through the heart. Amelia hung her head slightly, her raven locks sweeping over her face.
Xelloss put his hand atop her crown of black locks, keeping a straight face and explaining her position as of now.
"Zelas-Sama resurrected you as a Mazoku, you belong to her now. Just as I do. In return, you shall be granted the power in which you need to start anew."
Amelia felt her stomach twist in every other direction, growing sick and eerily pale.
"N-No...this not what we talked about, this is not what I wanted..."
Xelloss slowly began stroking his hand through her hair, in a comforting manner.
"Did you not want the ability to bring sanctuary to the world?"
"Y-Yes, but - "
"To be able to do that you need power, you don't just hand strength out like that, there is always a price, my dear, Zelas-Sama granted that power to you, and you in return belong to her, to do as she pleases. You got what you asked for."
"No, you tricked me..."
Amelia gazed dizzily down at her knee's. She was completely in a world of her own at this point. It was all way too much now. So fast, it has happened all so fast. She was a monster now, just like him. Oh god's... Xelloss held her chin in his hands and softly brought her dizzy gaze to his own.
"You need me, with out Ms. Zelas and I, you will die a death far more worse than a mere humans."
"What's there left to live for...?"
Xelloss smiled, cocking his eyebrow slightly.
"There's still justice to bring to the world, Amelia. Besides, Lina and the others are counting on you not to give up. And if you let Zelas-Sama have her way, your dear friends will be no more. We don't want that do we? Zelgadis-San would be truly disappointed if you left thing's like that and just gave up. It's not like you, princess."
"Stop it..."
Amelia flinched and pulled away from his hand, leaning her head against her shoulder and looking quite distant. Xelloss examined her figure for a moment, then stood.
"You're weak, you need to feed."
Amelia stayed silent, only moving to blink her eye's lazily.
"Do not refuse me, princess. If you don't learn to accustom yourself to our lifestyle, we will force you."
His tone was fierce and chilled Amelia to the bone. Xelloss gathered his staff and gazed down at her.
"Get dressed, we're visiting what's left of your home town, Princess, perhaps we'll get to see your companions!"
Xelloss said in his usual cheery tone. Changing attitudes at the drop of a hat was something Xelloss was known for. He bowed slightly and phased from the distressed princess' view. Amelia stayed put for several moments, not thinking, simply rocking herself in a comforting manner. There was no way of going through this. She was a monster now. A monster. After all she had fought for with her father, a monster! She hugged herself tightly suddenly thinking of her father, Was he alive? And what of the others? Her kingdom...she had to know. She had to survive for them. She wouldn't give up. Even in this situation she wouldn't give up. She would find a way to become what she once was. With that last strand of hope, she could pull it off. She wasn't fully Mazoku. As long as she could grip on to her old exhibitions, she would be OK. She sighed softly, standing slowly with the help of leaning against the wall, she made her way to the dresser, picking out a garment from inside and spreading it against the bed.
"Lina, Daddy, I'm coming..."
"How's Phil?"
Lina appeared beside Zelgadis, slipping on her mended gloves; clad in her newly repaired clothing. Zelgadis looked up at her unusually dull red eye's with a slight smile of relief. Sylphiel was one hell of a healer. Her power never seized to amaze him.
"He's better. I don't expect him to recover anytime soon - "
"He lost his entire family, Zel. As crazy as we all think Phil is, his family was his reason for his antics with justice, all those crazy speeches and poses, heh, it was because of them. He wanted to protect her so much, let her live in a world with justice. I don't blame him."
Even Lina was surprise by her words, Zel nodded gazing down at the floor. Lina kneeled down and rested her head against his rocky shoulder, her fiery orange hair framing her pale face. Everything felt so hollow inside now. As annoying Lina thought Amelia was at times, she was her fri - ...her best friend. She never disappointed her. Never. Sure, she was a bit of a crazy girl now and then, but she was always there for the group. And they held a special relationship that the others didn't even know. A bit of a girly girly friendship. Lina smiled slightly, a flood of tears brimming her eye's as she thought how different things were going to be without her. She loved bringing up the others when things got troublesome. Though she didn't always seem it, she appreciated it. It was going to be hard, but they would continue, and stop whoever was responsible for this masquerade of death. And devote that victory to Amelia.
"I'm going to miss her..."
Zel smiled slightly, resting his hand against her small shoulder for a moment.
"Me too, Lina."
"What are you doing here, Sylphiel? Your Uncle's house isn't very close to Saillune."
Gourry asked softly, sweeping his fingers over the smooth replaced blade embedded in the hilt of his sword. Making eye contact at the sheepish maiden.
"I knew you and Miss. Lina would be here. Attack's are all over, not yet at my Uncles village, but I knew you would be in Saillune. I thought perhaps I could be of some help...I knew people would be injured, and well, being a white magic practitioner...I could help, which is silly since Saillune is the White Capitol and - "
"I'm glad you came."
Gourry responded, smiling slightly, keeping his eye's on the blade. Sylphiel squirmed in her seat on the rock and blushed profusely.
"Thank you, Gourry dear..."
"This way I know you're safe! Even though protecting Lina didn't do her much good..."
Gourry gazed down at his feet, his eye's shimmering. Sylphiel immediately noticed the sulking sword mans change in mood. Envy surpassed then guilt, then compassion. She reached out to encircle his arm when a sudden light distracted them both.
Gourry gasped as the familiar princess came into view, escorted by Xelloss at her side. Sylphiel and Gourry rose from their look out post and headed towards them. Amelia gazed lovingly at them both. How could she tell them what she was now, they would...they would hate her... Right now she had no time to talk and explain. She had a mission she had to for fill for Zelas. She agreed to as long as she got a brief glimpse of her friends.. To make sure they were safe. Zelas obliged. She still couldn't transport herself like Xelloss, he seemed to jump dimensions like it was nothing. She was a novice and still very weak. Xelloss tugged on her arm slightly, whispering into the cuff of her ear.
"We're done here..."
"No wait, Amelia!"
Amelia nodded, gazing one last time upon her friends running towards her with a look of relief and confusion. The emotions were so confusing to her. She sighed when neither her father, Lina or Zelgadis were there as well. She offered Xelloss her hand as he clasped it tightly, winking towards Gourry as he transported them out of sight, leaving one immensely confused Gourry, and a stunned priestess.
"Amelia-Chan..."
Part 5 | Fanfiction