Zelgadis was loosing his patience. Around 2 hours had passed since Xellos had disappeared with Sylpheel's body without a word of what he was going to do besides helping her.
Ha! Xellos helping someone, I can't believe that until I see it for myself!
He was getting a funny feeling that something unexpected was going to happened.
Gods!! Where was Amelia when you needed her for once!? If she had been here she would have been able to take care of Sylpheel's injuries and we wouldn't be here waiting for that bastard to show up and tell us what is going on!!
Zelgadis held Lina closer to him, she had been crying nonstop, and was probably blaming herself for what had happened to the priestess. She was as worried as he was about their friend in Xellos' hands, who knew what that trickster would do to her, even if he did really help her as he had told them.
Zel looked over at Gourry. The swordsman had not moved from the place Sylpheel's body had laid, he was staring into nothingness. Zelgadis guessed that he was still in shock and maybe as well as Lina blaming himself for not protecting the priestess. But it wasn't their fault! It was all his! If he had reacted sooner nothing of this would have happened!
Damn it Xellos! Where are you?!
From the shadows of the forest trees Sylpheel watched her friends. A malicious grin crossed her features as she felt their emotions. They were exquisite! All their fear, their worry, their anger.... incredible, they made her feel so good.
It seemed that Xellos noticed it, "As Mazoku you'll feed on what you are just feeling.You can still eat normal food as before, but your main source will be the darker emotions of the humans or dragons." she heard Xellos voice next to her."Come!" he extended a hand for her to hold on and disappeared with her.
Zelgadis was the first to notice their presence. He watched unbelievingly the priestess smiling at him... that smile .... just like Xellos. Damn! What did that fruitcake do to her?
"Hello minna-san!" she said not looking at Zel but Gourry.
Her voice just the same. Impossible! She had been dead!?I saw it myself!?
Lina turned around in Zel's embrace at the sound of Sylpheel's voice. Her eyes were all red from crying, she blinked unbelievingly as she saw them.
Gourry on the other hand finally reacted and as he saw the priestess smiling he ran towards her and held her against him, wishing that she would not disappear at his touch. And she didn't. Instead she put her arms around him holding him close to her.
She had always wished that he would hold her and whisper her name in her ear just like he did now all her live. And to think that to finally get it she had to die first. Wasn't life full of irony? Yes! Life was unfair, but it could sometimes be so sweet.
Somehow she was disappointed, she had dreamed of him very often, but now that he was embracing her it wasn't like she had expected it too be... it was lame..... Ah, well, I can change that pretty soon...
By the time Gourry let go of her, Lina and Zelgadis were standing next to them looking stunned. Sylpheel didn't enjoy the emotions that came from them, they had turned into relief. No, she certainly didn't like it, but they didn't know the best yet. She smiled at them. No, they didn't!
And she definitely was going to enjoy their reaction when they knew the truth.