navy = flashback
As darkness began to fall in the forest out side of Mordock, two silent figures could be seen making a small camp for the night.
"Lina, are you feeling ok? You aren't looking so good." Gourry said this to his traveling partner and best friend of the last five years. None other than the sorcery genius Lina Inverse.
"Just what every girl want's to hear, that she isn't looking good...."
"I didn't mean it like that Lina." Gourry put his hands up in self defense for whatever she was about to do to him.
"I know you didn't Gourry. I'm just tired, that's all." Lina looked up at him and made an attempt to smile.
"You are a terrible liar. You've been having the nightmare again haven't you?" Lina only nodded as tears began to well up in her ruby red eyes.
"Come here." Lina walked over to him and sat down in his lap, crying against his chest. Instinctively his arms tightened around her.
Ten minuted later the sobbing stopped, and Gourry looked down only to see Lina sleeping soundly.
"Looks like its going to be another long night." Gourry said this softly to himself as he placed Lina on her bed roll and covered her up.
At twenty-one, Lina was basically the same girl she was when he had first met her. Over the past five years, her temper had calmed some, though not by much. Her magic has gotten stronger. As far as her physical appearance went, her unruly hair now fell seductively in natural waves around her face. She had gotten taller, but not much was happening in the chest area, so for her nineteenth birthday he promised her that he would stop the teasing. In thanks she threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss.
It was with that kiss that they both realized that they were never meant to be more than friends. The kiss wasn't bad, in fact it was really good. It was just that there was no deeper emotion behind it. So with that their relationship went from simply friends and traveling companions to best friends. That was the good thing that happened on that day, but for every good thing something bad has to happen. It was that next night that the nightmares began.
Two Years Earlier
"Happy birthday, Lina." Lina was sitting alone by the lake,watching the reflection of
the moon, when a familiar voice broke her silent reverie.
"Zelgadis! You ... How?....When?....I, uh, We've missed you." Lina finally settled on
what to say as Zel started laughing, after a minute Lina joined in.
"Wait, just let me answer your questions before you throw any others at me. Yes it is
me. Amelia told me a few weeks ago when your birthday was. I just got here a few minutes
ago, and I missed ... you guys too." Smiling Lina got up from the log and tackled Zel with a
big hug.
"So...What did 'ya get me?" Her eyes shone like a child's as Zel pulled a small box out
of his pocket.
"Here it is. I hope you like it. I saw it in a magic shop a few months ago, and I
thought of you."
Lina opened the box and saw a small talisman lying among blue velvet. The silver seemed
to shine as held it up by it's chain.
"Zel, it's beautiful. What does it do?" Lina slowly raised her eyes to his.
"The symbols represent starting over new again. It is an amplifier for your healing
spells. Not that your spells are weak or anything ... well..it's just that I can't always be
there to help you cast a healing spell when you are weak...Well, you know what I mean." Zel
mumbles a little, and looked nervously at the ground.
"Zel, are you saying that you are worried about me?"
"I...I found the cure, Lina. It is a dangerous one, one that I might not make it back
alive from, but I have to try. I just wanted you to be safe while I was gone, so
if...no..when I come back, I can take you out to dinner." Zel said all of that last part so
fast, that it took Lina several minutes to digest it all.
"Zel, do you have to go? If you do, why can't we go too? Better yet, don't go. I..We
like you just the way you are. Face it I couldn't beat up on you as much if you weren't made
of stone." Lina desperately wished he would change his mind.
"I would love nothing more that to stay here with you, but this is something that I just
can't pass up." Zel looked into her eyes and prayed that she would understand.
"I understand, Zel. Just promise me that you'll come back to me." Lina tried in vain to
keep the tears from falling, only to fail miserably.
"I'm sorry, Lina, please don't cry. I am so sorry." Zel gathered her up against his
chest as she cried out all the tears she had been keeping inside.
"It's not your fault, Zelgadis. It's just been an emotionally draining day, that's all.
I am glad you have chance to be cured. Take it, Zel. Take it and when you get back, we'll
throw you the biggest party anyone has ever seen." Not wanting to leave the comfort and
safety of his arms, Lina looked up at him and gave him a tearful smile, but all he could see
were her dusky red eyes, sparkling with freshly cried tears.
"No matter how draining your day was, it is still my fault that you are crying. I told
you something that caused you stress that you didn't need." Zel took one of his hands and
gently wiped her tears away.
"When do you have to leave?" Lina closed her eyes briefly to savor the feel of his cool
stone hands upon her hot, tear streaked face.
"Early tomorrow."
"You better get some sleep then. Wake me up before you go. I wouldn't forgive you if I
didn't get to tell you goodbye." Zel looked down on her in awe. She went from weepy to
demanding in a matter of moments.
"I'll do that. You had better get some sleep too, then." With that no more words were
said as they headed back to their separate bedrolls in the camp, on opposite sides of the
campfire.
Next Morning
"Lina, wake up." Zel slowly shook the sleeping red head awake.
"Huh? Oh!" Lina shot strait up in her bedroll, and looked at Zel.
"Shhhh! The others are still sleeping." Lina nodded her head, and followed him to the
road.
"When will you be back?" Lina asked him this as she helped him pack his stuff on his
horse.
"A few months I guess. Hopefully no more than a year." The sun was starting to rise,
and the young couple looked at the road.
"I guess this means that you have to go now. The others will be up soon, and I don't
want to hear Amelia beg you to stay, while crying like an idiot." Both of them laughed,
remembering the last time Zelgadis had parted from the group. It just felt different this
time.
"Lina....I need to tell you something." Zel's voice took on a very serous tone.
"What is it?"Lina's voice wavered with worry over something she had a feeling that she
didn't want to hear.
"Lina, there is a strong chance that I might not make it back to you alive. I just want
you to know that I love you." With that he gave a very stunned Lina a soft kiss on the lips.
Slowly she blinked her eyes and smiled up at him.
"I love you too." Lina threw her arms around his neck.
After there embrace was ended, Zel gave her one last kiss before he rode off down he
road.
The rest of that day passed in blurry slow motion for Lina. It was later that night when
the nightmares started.
[Lina's Nightmare (Lina's POV)]
I am walking down a foggy corridor. The air is cold and damp. As I approach the end of
the hall, a large wooden door appears. I touch the door and it swings open revealing a room
which looks vaguely like a temple. In the middle laid two stone coffins. There is a mural
above the coffins. I walk over to it and trace the pictures. The first picture on the mural
showed the layout of the room as it was when I entered. The second showed a priest standing
over a coffin, while a man lay inside of it, the lid was then closed. The priest appeared to
be saying a prayer. In the next scene the priest re opened the lid, and nothing was left of
the man but a shell. He next coffin held the man from the first coffin, now rejuvenated.
Under the mural a warning was written. My voice wavers a little as I read it out loud.
"Goes in broken, comes out new. One slip in the chant, there is irreversible doom." I
look up in shock as I realize what all of this could mean.
I run over to the first of the coffins and cast Diem Wing to shove the massive stone top
off. Slowly I look inside only to see Zel's stone body is lying there, but he is not moving.
I touch him and he crumbles under my fingers. Half hoping, and half praying to whoever is
listening, I run over to the second coffin, and look inside. Zel is lying there. His skin is
smooth and soft to the touch. I feel for a pulse, and find one...Barely.
"Zel!! Wake up Zel!" I shake him violently, and am wiling him to wake up. As if he
heard my silent pleas, he opened his crystal blue eyes.
"Lina!" His breathing is labored as he tries to speak.
"Please don't talk. You need to save your strength." I brush the hair back from his
sweating brow as I speak to him in soothing, yet almost desperate sounding tones.
"I...Love you...Lina." Zel paused and took another deep breath "Did...it for...you."
Tears were now flowing freely down my face. "Don't cry....Found my...cure..." With that
statement, Zel took his last breath, and I scream, and scream......
[End Lina's Nightmare (End Lina's POV)]
This nightmare has continued since then, only once in a while getting a reprieve.
Present
Gourry watched her re-live her nightmare once again.
"Gods, Zel, I hope you are ok, and come back soon. She needs now more than ever." Gourry looked up at the sky and prayed that somehow Zelgadis had heard him.
Next Morning ...........