Lina sank into the big comfy bed with a sigh. The ball had been a drag. Gourry, the poor guy he was, had mistaken it for a costume ball and had come dressed as a jellyfish. But he was blissfully ignorant of the difference, as he pointed out to Lina when he said, "Golly! Everyone's dressed like princesses and princes and business men at a cocktail party! They're not very original, are they, Lina?"
Lina rolled over. And saw Xelos' smiley face above her.
"Yaaaah!!!" she screamed, jumping away from him. Waiting for her heart to stop pounding she gasped, "Don't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Cause I'm gonna die of heart attacks if you do!"
"Hmm. I see your point."
"Anyway, what do you want?" she asked, turning to look at him and stifling the urge to jump when she found his face inches away from hers.
He smiled. "Well, you asked me to tell you what was going on, and I figured it'd be better to do that after you'd relaxed some." He settled down on her bed, lying on his stomach and resting his chin in his hands. His eyes were on her.
"So tell me already and then get the heck out!"
Xelos smiled.
Lina didn't know the meaning of that smile. It didn't look like the evil ones he had on occasionally, but it wasn't that happy moron look either.
If she'd been just a bit more into cheesy romance novels she would have been able to describe it as sensual, but alas, she didn't and therefore couldn't.
Lina-chan, would you like me to recite 'The Prophecy' to you? Yes? The here it is in full:
'A final test
The End of Everything
The Beginning of Everything
She who is Chosen
By Dragon Rights
Cold and cruel
Humanity lost
By Mazoku Desires
Warm and true
Body, mind and soul
By the Lord of Nightmares
Chaotic usual
Wishes unknown
Chosen unawares
She who does not know
Black and white magic
To prevent the Deaths of all
Three races unwilling
Protected by one
On a journey wrought with pain
On Angel's Wings
From Angel's Eggs
Across space and time
to Nightmare halls
Breaking the Door
Barriers down
Trickster Priest
Falling swiftly
Caves of gold
Shattering glass
Wings of Silver
Defeating twelve
Savior of All
Defeated by twelve
Destroyer of all
Silver Wings
Shattered to bits
Journey's end in joy
The final test
On the Dark Maiden's Eve
All is decided
Of Life and Death'."
He waited for Lina to mull it over in her brain. Which took a while, considering everything that was mentioned in 'The Prophecy.'
"Angel's wings from Angel's Eggs? I know I've heard about something like that before..." Lina scrunched her face up in concentration. "Angel's eggs... angel's eggs..." She looked at Xelos, who was waiting patiently, chin comfortably in hand. "Not much of that babble you just gave me makes any sense."
"Actually, a great deal does, but..." Xelos said softly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Lina bit her lip. "'The Prophecy's a bit open-ended, isn't it?"
Xelos thought about it for a moment. "But either way you get a happy ending."
"It said the journey would end happily. The quest may not." Lina said darkly. "Now, why can't I remember about those Angel's Eggs?"
Xelos pouted. "Ne, Lina-chan, you're ignoring me."
Lina didn't spare him a glance. She waved her hand at him absentmindedly. "Shoo! Me thinking now. Go do some evil stuff."
Xelos perked up. "Whatever you say..." He pulled himself up smoothly and nibbled gently on her earlobe.
Donk
Xelos didn't flinch, though he bet that when he finally tended to his head it'd be throbbing madly. "Ne, Lina-chan... why don't we do something not quite evil...but close enough?"
Lina's eyes shot wide open. "F-F-FIREBALL!!!"(Readers, please note that the author has no intention of using despicable words that also begin with 'f'.)
Owchie.
"Well, seeing how you're more cold tonight than hot, we'll continue some other time, ne?" Xelos winked at her and faded away, leaving bits of ash from his clothes on her bedcovers. Lina stared wide-eyed at the spot where the trickster priest previously was. "Someone tell me that didn't happen." she said in a small voice.
Now, while she didn't read cheesy romance novels, Lina had overheard enough girl talk sessions to realise what hanky-panky Xelos was likely to be up to the next time he appeared in her room. Which meant she either had to find a warding spell that would keep him out, or discourage him with more spells.
Unfortunately, knowing him, he'd eventually get bored with letting her hit him and use hypnotism or something.
Lina crawled into her bed, suddenly more tired and feeling more aged.
Maybe I should just kill him. she thought darkly. Then her orders from Ceipheed echoed themselves in her head. "All right! All right!" she groaned into her pillow. But how am I supposed to trust someone like him? Especially when he's not up to any good...as usual.
Xelos was sitting in a tree outside Lina's window. He tsked. A beautiful opportunity had been wasted because Lina-chan didn't know proper bedroom decorum. Oh well. He'd take her slowly, in bits. Or maybe he should charge her in one night...He mused about that for a while, then stopped that line of thinking, his face settling into a cutely puzzled expression.
"Angel's eggs...come to think of it, that does ring a bell." He pouted. "Lina-chan was so interested in them, she didn't appreciate my attentions."
Zel's face suddenly popped into his mind. 'What does Lina need?' Xelos pictured him asking.
Good question. What does Lina-chan need? Xelos crossed his arms and pondered that one. Then he hit upon a tactic. Personally, I think she needs to get laid more often, but she's not likely to stand for that. So, I'll go for almost the next best thing! He grinned.
Morning broke into a glorious song that woke up Lina.
Actually, it was the crow that had decided to caw right outside her window, but she really didn't care. She had toasted crow as a small appetizer and went down to eat breakfast.
Amelia was there. "Lina, what's our next move?"
Lina stopped mid-bite. "Angel's eggs."
Amelia stared blankly. "Huh?"
"We need to get Angel's eggs." Lina threw her hands up in the air. "But I can't seem to remember what the heck they are!"
"Ne, Lina-chan, want some help?" Xelos said over her shoulder.
I will not flinch I will not budge I won't move... Lina chanted it like a mantra. "Xelos, buzz off."
Xelos pretended to be wounded. "Aye, ye cut me to the quick, lass! Thy humble servant was merely bringing tidings of interest pertaining to thine noble quest!" He paused dramatically.
Lina took this chance to stab him with her fork. "You've not only been hanging around Gourry too long, you've also picked up Amelia's speech habits."
"He has?" Amelia asked. "Does that mean he'll start talking about love, justice, and hope?" She brightened. "Xelos, you may be Mazoku, but you aren't bad! Let us journey onwards, for glory and justice..." The group tuned her out.
Zel sighed. "What I wouldn't give for nice, mature, quiet female company..."
Xelos grinned at him, breaking out of the dramatic mode. "I know of several nice girls I could introduce..."
Zel eyed him warily. "Your definition of 'nice' leaves me hesitant to accept the offer."
Xelos chuckled in response. The he bent down towards Lina again. "Ne, Lina-chan, are you sure you've heard of Angel's eggs before?"
"Yes! I'm positive! It had something to do with a different kind of magic."
Zel looked interested. "You mean like white and black magic, and shamanism?"
"Yeah. Something like that...but I don't remember anything else about it!"
Xelos looked thoughtful. "Angel's eggs and magic..." Suddenly his face lit up with a grand smile. "I know! I've got one in my stores!"
"WHAT?" Lina yelped in surprise.
"Want me to take you there?"
Lina stared at him. "Not after the trick you pulled off yesterday. You can bring it here."
Zel raised his eyebrows. Amelia didn't catch the implied content of the comment, since she was still on a roll.
"Here? You want me to go by myself?" He pouted. "Then I won't go." his voice was the tone sulky kids used on their parents when trying to get out of eating peas.
"Then where else am I supposed to find an Angel's Egg?"
"You come with me, or no egg."
Lina looked hard at him. "Any funny business and you're dead."
"Wait, you're going with him? To where?" Amelia put in.
"Can I come too?" Gourry asked.
"No." Xelos replied, smiling. "I'm taking Lina to my pocket dimension. No one else is invited."
Zel glowered at him. "You'd better bring her right back."
Xelos smiled cheerfully. "But of course! Ne, Lina-chan, when you're done eating we can go."
Xelos took Lina to an area outdoors.
Murmuring a few incantations he created an opening that swirled with blue and green energy.
"That... doesn't look like it's very stable." Lina noted.
"Of course not. It's the passageway to my pocket dimension. Now, shall we?"
Lina swallowed. Going alone into Xelos' own turf somehow didn't seem like such a good idea, but what choice did she have? She let him tug her into the swirling vortex.
Lina's mind was stretched to and beyond the limits. A brief flash of insight showed her 'The Prophecy's words and images to match up.
After they emerged from the tunnel of energy Lina stumbled.
"You're just not used to travel by warping time and space. You'll adjust quickly."
"Time and space...that boulder...was your door, right?"
Xelos smiled blankly at her. "Yes." Then the implications hit him as well. "My, that 'Prophecy' is very specific in parts, ne?"
"Then I am supposed to get the Angel's egg from you." Lina frowned.
Xelos pulled Lina along. "This way, if my memory is correct."
It was a comfy pocket dimension, as Lina had to admit, looking around. Soft chairs, books, magical trinkets of all sorts, display cases holding bizarre things. Well, comfy as Xelos would have it.
It was rather disconcerting to see herself walking on nothing. All the objects seemed to have gravitational orientations of their own.
Finally they arrived at a pedestal that held a spiral column of purple twine which a white oval object hovered over. The whole thing was encased in a sparkling force-field.
Xelos frowned slightly. "Odd."
"What? This isn't it?"
"No. This is it, but..." Xelos shrugged. The spells around the pedestal worried him. He couldn't remember the exact purpose of the Angel Egg exactly, but he'd barred it with pretty severe protection spells. They weren't meant to protect it from those who would steal it and use it. From the spells around it and the intensity Xelos would've guessed that when he'd acquired the object he must had merely wanted to collect it, never to use it.
Which he never did.
He collected things, but he usually used them, to an extent. Even test them a bit.
This Egg was unused.
Oh well...Lina-chan needs the power that comes with this...and frankly I'm curious as to what it does, because my memory doesn't seem to recall what it does. Must be something I collected a very long time ago. "Lina-chan, please stand back. This won't take too long."
Carefully, spell by spell, he took down the protections he'd set up around the small white oblong sphere hovering so delicately above the pedestal. With each spell a sense of growing unease grew within him. There were too many spells for it to have been a mere precaution.
What by L-sama could possibly be so dangerous about this Egg that he'd never wanted himself to use it?
He paused, starting to doubt.
"Xelos, will you hurry up? This is taking too long." Lina whined.
Xelos broke off his line of thought. I want to please her. But this Egg worries me...Oh well, first things first, or else she'll kill me. With his usual smirk in place he continued breaking down the shields.
When he was done he wiped a bit of sweat off his brow. Now how do you go about using it?
"Xelos, can I take it now?"
"Wait a moment. Here, hold it." He placed the small object in Lina's hand.
She stared at it. "How do I use it?"
"It's not a focus for power. So..." Xelos turned back to the pedestal and thought a moment. Then he decided to cast a quick memory spell on himself. "You...swallow it."
Lina perked up. "It's food and power? Neat!" She popped it into her mouth without a second's hesitation-
-just as Xelos also remembered why he'd taken so much care to keep himself from taking the Angel Egg. "Lina, matte!" he whirled around urgently.
Too late. His stomach sank, a queer sensation he hadn't felt in a long time.
Lina stared at him. "What?"
Then -pain-
She clutched her sides and gasped.
Pain.
Pain.
Her mind started blacking out.
Danger. Angel Egg. The loss of self... her mind whispered dizzily before she slumped unconscious, almost hitting the ground.
Xelos caught Lina, cursing himself and Fate while he was at it.
Now I remember why I never planned to use that thing! He glanced worriedly at the sorceress in his arms. This is definitely not good.