The attack came out of nowhere. They barely had enough time for Shyphiel to cast a protection spell, before they were attacked. Luckily none of them were hurt, or at least that's what they thought.
"Where's Lina?" Zel's panicked voice echoed the others as they looked around. Finally they saw her, being attacked by several lower demons, leaving her no chance to attack back.
Just as they got ready to drop the protection and attack, Xellos' angry cry carried across the battlefield.
"You sorry excuses for demons. You have deliberately disobeyed my protection order on the mortal Lina Inverse. For this you shall die!" Xellos swung his staff and a bright light covered the lower demons, killing them all.
Xellos and the others all rushed towards their fallen leader.
"It won't work." Lina said this softly, as Shyphiel and Amelia were about to cast a healing spell.
"What? Why? I don't believe that it will not work. I refuse to believe it." Zel said this again and again as if to change the hopeless situation by his will for her to live.
"I am so sorry, Zel. I never meant to lie to you. I really wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. It seems that all I ever was to the ones I loved is a disappointment." A silent tear streaked down her face.
"Lina, you have never been a disappointment to me. If anything you have been an inspiration. Because of you I have learned to love, and I am loved by you and the people you have introduced me to. You taught me to be strong when things look impossible, and to accept my body for the way that it is. Don't worry about us, Lina, we'll be fine, and the two of us... Well we'll always have the afterlife." Zel tried in vain to keep his own tears from falling.
"There is one way." Xellos spoke in a quiet tone, immediately causing the rest of the group to go silent.
"You can't mean..." Amelia looked up at the Trickster Priest in surprise.
"I could make her a mazuka. She would live; she would be more powerful. A little more short tempered at times, but she will be alive in a matter of speaking, so you can live out your lives together." Xellos refused to look at the young couple as her said this, afraid that if he opened his eyes they would see the pain it caused him not to be the one she chose.
"Why would you do this for me, Xellos?" Sighing softly, Xellos opened his eyes and looked at both Lina and Zel.
"You're a good man in there, Xellos. Under all that demon there is a bit of human still in you." Zel said this softly, that only Xellos and Lina could hear him.
"Would you hate me, Zel?" Lina looked up at him with dying eyes that begged for his approval of what Xellos was offering.
"You're not actually considering this are you Miss Lina? Mr. Zelgadis talk her out of it." Amelia looked from her mentor to her first love trying to get them to see reason. Desperation filled her voice.
"I can't do that Amelia. Do what you feel is right, Lina. I love you so much, nothing you could ever do would make me hate you." Zel sat on the ground next to her, and took her in his arms, cradling her like a baby. Slowly Xellos picked up Lina's Sword from the ground.
"This might hurt for a moment, Lina. Please forgive me." Lina nodded and closed her eyes. She felt Zel kiss her forehead, and she grabbed his hand, waiting. Her sharp intake of breath could be heard throughout the group, as the cold metal pierced her chest, causing her yellow overtop to turn a bright red. Xellos looked as if he was about to cry as he chanted over her dead body.
After a moment, Lina's eyes fluttered open, and they got the conformation that they needed to see if it had worked. Her bright round, innocent eyes were now the split pupils of the mazuka, with a hint of dark seduction in them.
Suddenly Lina's body started to convulse.
"What's happening to her?" Shyphiel asked this. Her voice frantic with fear. Xellos' next words did nothing to comfort the group.
"I don't know..." Xellos ran his staff over Lina's body to try and determine what was wrong.
"It's Zel."
"What do you mean it's me?" Zel's eyes glittered with a mixture of worry for Lina, and anger towards Xellos.
"Something about the golem part of you is causing an allergic type reaction in her."
When Xellos said this, Zel silently handed her over to Gourry and stood up. As soon as he was a few feet away from her she stopped convulsing.
Seeing this, Zel turned to Xellos.
"I am already part mazuka. Can you make me a full mazuka? Hopefully that will push out whatever part of the golem that is doing this to her." Zel heard a collective gasp from the others that were standing behind him.
"I thought you hated my kind." Xellos' cheerful voice was making Zel even angrier.
"I do, but I would do anything to be with Lina. Even if it means becoming like you. As long as I have her, I'll be ok." Zel looked into Xellos' once again opened eyes.
"I don't know if I will ever understand human emotions totally ever again."
"Does that mean that you will do it?"
"I will."
"Zel.... You can't. This is a sacrifice that I can't, no won't let you make." Lina jumped out of Gourry's arms and ran towards him, but when she got within a foot or two of him, her body started to jerk again.
"That is why I have to do this, Lina." The were both quiet for a moment contemplating what was going to happen to him.
"I'll need a stronger sword, if I am going to do this." Zel nodded and turned to Gourry.
"Gourry, can I..." Gourry nodded and handed his Light Sword over to him.
"It will only take a moment, Zel-kun."
Zelgadis closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he heard the light sword extended its blade. He hardly felt a thing as the sword entered his chest. It felt warm and almost comforting, as if he was falling asleep. When he opened his eyes again, he saw it in the others eyes that it had worked.
"Zel, are you ok?" Lina cautiously walked up to him, and when no ill effects occurred, she threw herself into his arms.
"I'm fine." He couldn't care less about anything other than the bundle of energy in his arms.
"Mr. Zelgadis...."
"What is it, Amelia?" Zel asked her this, his eyes never leaving Lina's face.
"Your skin...is skin..." Amelia's cryptic statement caused everyone to look at Zel.
"I'm cured, Lina."
"It never mattered to me. Al that mattered was your happiness, now I am twice as happy. I have you and you have your cure." Some of Zel's shyness seemed to have melted away as he bent his head, and gave Lina an earth shaking kiss.
"Marry me, Lina." Zel got down on one knee, and fished a ring out of his pocket that he had been saving for the right moment. Both of them blushed a little as they heard the collective 'awwww' from the other three. Xellos was nowhere to be seen.
"It has always been yes." Unshed tears of happiness glistened in her eyes.
"We'll leave you two alone for a little while. It's good to have you back, Lina." Shyphiel said this and ushered the other two away.
When the others were out of earshot they began to speak.but not out loud. Their new mazuka powers gave them the ability to speak telepathically.
Do you feel that?
Yes, I thought maybe I was imagining things. They grinned a little at each other.
"Xellos, we know you are here." The two decided t voice their knowledge in the direction they felt Xellos' presence.
"It usually takes newborn mazuka's years to learn what you two have in a few minutes. Then again you two never were normal humans. Being part mazuka from birth, and creaion...."
"We just wanted to say thank you." Zel stuck out his sword arm. Extending the hand of almost friendship. Cautiously, Xellos accepted his gesture of peace. Lina looked at their hands clasped, and smiled a bright smile.
"I would do anything to make her smile. Take care of her, Zel." After saying that, he threw one last look at Lina as he dropped his hand, and phased out.
"Well that was...." Lina's voice trailed off.
"Yes, it was." The two stood embracing. Her face against his chest, his chin on top of her head, their arms tightly around the other. They stood that way for a long time. Each one pondering life, death, and the sacrifices they had made.
I know I put Xellos through a lost, but he is such a good plot device. Trust me I'll make it up to him later....If I don't he might hurt me..... ;)