navy = flashback
She sat alone, leaning against a tree. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her head was resting on her knees. So much had happened, she wasn't sure anymore...
The attack came so fast, they hardly even had time to escape before their home caught on fire. "Fly, Hawk, Seraya, fly and go
someplace safe," called out their father, Tanic. Together, their wings folded out of their backs and they took off. Hawk
hesitated and looked back.
"No, go Hawk, please," pleaded their mother, Merima.
"I can't leave you!" Seraya stopped too, looking back. Hawk noticed this and shook his head.
"Go, Seraya, I'll save Mother and Father."
"But..."
"Go!" Hawk chanted quickly and a gust of wind caught Seraya, sending her flying away from them, just as her family
disappeared in a large ball of energy...
She shivered and cried softly. For all she knew, they were dead... all of them.
"HAWK!! MOTHER, FATHER!!" Seraya cried out in pain not her own as she felt her family's minds for the last time. The
shock of the moment left her hovering in the air, in plain sight.
"Hey, you missed one! Get her!" She didn't notice as the bolt of energy started for
her...
"Hawk... Mother... Father..." She shivered again and cried more, pain too intense...
The bolt of energy struck the young girl and enveloped her in a ball of dark red energy. Immense pain raked over her mind and she cried out weakly, only to feel the energy squeeze in and enter her open mouth...
It had been terrible, to feel that energy inside and outside at the same time. She never knew such agony existed...
The energy inside seemed to try to tear her apart, while the same energy outside started crushing her. Eyes wide in fear and pale in pain, all she saw was white, burning hot... then nothing...
The idea that she was dead came to her, then she dismissed it. If she were dead, how could she be thinking she were dead?
The air in the forest seemed to bend, then a blue-green tear opened wide. Seraya dropped out of the tear onto the forest floor with a muffled thud, then the anomaly closed, leaving her trapped wherever she was...
Her family was dead... her friends were gone... her home was lost... and now she was lost, for she didn't even know what planet she was on. A weak whimper escaped her lips as another round of tears rolled down her cheeks, catching the notice of someone passing by.
Xelloss paused and looked around, sure he had heard something. Impossible, he thought, there's no one... It was a little shock when he noticed a human girl sitting curled up against a tree, crying her heart out. Three things came to mind immediately. One, the girl was startlingly beautiful. Long golden hair fell down her back, nearly touching the ground. Tear-filled blue eyes, which he was sure looked better dried. He also couldn't help noticing several burns her clothing had received, pale skin showing through.
The second thing the Priest noticed, and it startled him to think about it, was that he didn't sense her until he was nearly beside her. Very few could surprise him, even Zelas couldn't always sneak up on him.
The third thing, not really something he noticed about her, was that he felt his previously-human heart yearning to help her. It felt strange to the Mazoku, especially one that had lived over a millenium. Xelloss shook his head slightly and wondered who this girl was. It's like she's rather powerful, yet vulnerable.
He floated slowly towards her, his heart finally coming to a decision, a job usually reserved for his mind. Staying a respectable distance away, he called out cheerfully, "Hello there!"
The girl looked up then backed into the tree, pressing against it. "No, please, don't hurt me," she responded fearfully. Normally, such fright and pain he sensed would be encouraged, but his heart ached. Something is very strange here, pain and suffering isn't supposed to cause me to feel bad.
Xel floated closer to her then kneeled beside her, his eyes still closed. The girl trembled and curled up tighter. The priest smiled warmly and lightly kissed her cheek. "What makes you think I would, kajin?" She blushed softly and looked at him, eyes still strangely pale. "I won't hurt you."
She swallowed nervously, eyes locked on the stranger's own. Is he lying...? Doesn't seem like it, I sense I can trust him... but something feels strange. And why does he keep his eyes closed like that? They couldn't possibly be so terrible to want to hide them...
Xelloss's voice broke through her thoughts, "Do you have a name?"
"Seraya..." The priest smiled brightly.
"Mine's Xelloss, it's a definate pleasure to meet you." Seraya blushed deeper, falling into another vow of silence. After a couple moments, Xel sat down beside her, watching her intently through his eyelids. "Why are you here alone, Seraya-san?"
She sighed quietly, debating within herself on whether or not to tell the seemingly-friendly Xelloss. It'll be painful, but maybe... maybe it'll feel better after I've let this out... "Well... I don't know why, exactly... but I do remember what happened.
"It must've been yesterday afternoon, my parents, brother and I were at home." Xel shifted into a more comfortable position hovering a couple inches above the ground and listened closely, ignoring the pain that started to eminate from the girl. "Before we knew what happened, an explosion went out outside... Father told us to escape, to get away while we still could.
"We ran as fast as we could, then he told us to fly. Hawk and I started flying away, but... but he stayed behind." A tear rolled down her face as she paused a moment. Fly? This girl can fly? Xelloss knew then that she was more than she appeared to be.
"And that's... when that energy hit them... They all disappeared, and I felt their pain... then it hit me." She shivered and swallowed, memory of the energy's attack still burning in her mind. "When I... I thought I was dead, I appeared here... alone." Xel felt a strange sorrow when she mentioned "dead," and shook his head slightly, trying to clear it.
"So... you're alone here, with no place to go?" Seraya nodded slightly, a couple more warm tears rolling down her cheek. "Well, that just won't do now, will it?" He grinned and stood on the ground, offering his hand to her. She looked up, a bit surprised.
"You... you want me to go with you?" He nodded and his smile widened, if it were possible at all.
"Of course, I can't let a beautiful girl stay out here all alone." She blushed and took his hand, being helped to her feet. "And, I'm sure Juuou-sama will love the company!" Ser was about to ask who "Juuou-sama" was when she and the Mazoku disappeared.
Zelas looked up as her General Priest appeared before her and bowed, holding a human girl's hand in his own. Curiousity got to her quickly as she looked between him and his 'guest.' "Who is this, Xelloss-san?" He smiled brightly.
"Juuou-sama, this is Seraya. I found her in the forest all alone and couldn't bear to leave her there." The Beastmaster looked back at Ser, sensing a powerful white magic aura.
"Xelloss-san, are you aware of what magic she possesses?" The question was probably a waste of breath, if she could sense it, so could he.
"Hai, I am."
"And you brought her here, to be surrounded by 'evil' Mazoku?" He smiled wider and nodded. "Then my only question is 'Why'?" He winked open one eye.
"Sore wa himitsu desu." Zelas chuckled softly.
"Ah, going to pull that on me, I see. Well, may I suggest," Zelas paused to look at Seraya closer, smiling when the girl blushed under the Dark Lord's attention, "finding our guest some clothing in better shape?"
"Ah, a good idea, Juuou-sama." He smiled at Ser and they disappeared. Zelas sipped her wine, thoughtful.
What was that I sensed...
Seraya stayed with them for a couple weeks, but she was very quiet and depressed the whole time. The pain of the loss of her family was still very fresh.
Meanwhile, the Mazoku occupants of the castle were feeling very strange about their young guest. Xel had the excuse of previously being human, but Zelas had no such reason. Why do I feel like this?
Perhaps you're going soft, a second voice in her head answered.
Impossible, I'm the Beastmaster!
True, however... that girl is special. It might be in your best interest to... recruit her assistance.
She has taken a liking to Xelloss, I've noticed. It might not be too difficult... though protecting her is another matter.
Of course. A white magic source, on Wolf Pack Island?
She cannot stay forever. We shall see...
"Seraya-san?" She looked up, finding Xel had appeared in her room. Normally she would've sensed someone near, but he snuck up on her. Will this pain ever end...
"Yes...?" He smiled and sat down beside her, eyes closed.
"I've been talking with Zelas-sama, and she had the most wonderful idea." Ser passively tried to sense any emotion from him behind that statement, but his barrier was strong.
"Wha... what is is?"
"There is a small band of..." He chuckled quietly, then continued. "...friends that I'm sure you'd be much more comfortable with. Surrounded by dark energy beings like us, it must be very stressing, ne?"
Ser considered this. It is stressful... I'm surrounded by all this darkness, but... "Xel-san... would I.. still see you?" A flicker of something she couldn't recoginize in time sped across his face, then his normal smile was solid again.
"Of course you'd see me, though I have a feeling you'd be the only one happy to." Ser frowned slightly.
"Why is that?" Xel smiled wider.
"They're much more fun when they don't like me."