MnoM: Ya know, I'm actually NOT that a depressing person, I'm usually rather cheerful.
Xel: Of COURSE you are....e.e;
MnoM: ANYway, yet another dark fic... wee. This sort of explains Xelloss' personal hatred of dragons, as well as what he wears and the gem in his staff. Send comments, flames, etc. to Xelloss1@linainverse.net please!
Xel: ....hey wait, that's MY address...!!
MnoM:^_^; eh-heh. Go read.
Over the watery horizon, the sun creeped up, its bright rays reaching the island known as Wolf Pack. As a new day dawned, a young boy cheered and scampered outside, his long violet ponytail swinging behind him. Running to a tree, he hopped onto a swing that had been tied onto a sturdy branch, then cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Ziiiraaaaas! Come on, come push meeee!"
A young woman, with silver-violet hair and tanned skin, strode out of the door, smiling. "All right, all right," she laughed, brushing a lock of curly silver hair over her shoulder. Her violet eyes were strangly warm and soothing, despite their menacing slits and almond shape. She walked behind the swing and pulled it back. "How high do you want to go, Xelkun?"
"High! HIGH!" The young Mazoku squealed, laughing. Ziras pulled him back as far as she dared, then released him. He swung forward, laughing and kicking his legs. She smiled and continued to push him until he was satisfied, then helped him off the swing.
"There you are, little Xelloss." she took his small, pale hand in hers, walking beside him down towards the beach of the island.
"Zirachan?" he looked up at her with small amethyst eyes, that sparkled with awe and admiration for his elder sister.
"Yes, Xelkun?" she replied, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Why doesn't Mama let me call her Mama anymore? She says I have to call her Juu... JuuOw...
"JuuOuSama."
"Hai!" He chirped, nodding. "Why must I call her that?"
Ziras sighed, looking up at the orange sky. Xelloss was about 100 years old now in human years; as a Mazoku, that made him still very young. Usually that meant he wasn't old enough for responsibilty yet, since he was born and raised Mazoku instead of ressurected as one... but Xelloss was different than other Mazoku. Zelas wished to teach the young Mazoku everything she knew at an early age, because he had great potential. Ziras had been assigned to keep watch over him until he was old enough to replace her. With another sigh, she shoved the thought from her mind, deciding not to think of it.
"Zirachan?" Xelloss asked, looking concerned. "Zirachan, you okay? You don't look okay."
With a forced smile, she nodded. "I'm just fine, Xelkun, don't worry. She wants you to call her JuuOuSama because you're getting to be a big boy now. I had to stop calling her Mama at about your age, too."
"Oh." Seemingly satisfied with this answer, Xelloss looked at the water, and his eyes sparkled. "Let's play in the water!" he cried, releasing her hand and dashing towards the coast. Ziras blinks, then stumbled after him. "Xelkuuuun! No, it's cold, you'll get sick!!"
Ignoring his sister's warning, he plunged in fully clothed, paying no mind the icy cold that bit at his skin and soaked into his clothes. Ziras slapped her forehead and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Oh, the duties of a sister.. ugh."
"Mama?"
"Xelkun, I told you, you must call me JuuOuSama from now on."
Xelloss looked up from his toys on the carpet, blinking. "But why, Ma- JuuOuSama? It's really long, and Neechan said that she had to call you that too at my age, and I think Mama really does sound bettter than JuuOu-"
"HUSH now!" Zelas snapped, covering her ears since his voice got more and more whiney as he spoke. Xelloss was silent immidiately. "Listen, Xelkun, you're Mazoku," she sighed, breathing out a cloud of smoke from her cigarette. "Mazoku are very formal creatures, and therefor address their Mistresses accordingly. Okay?"
Xelloss blinked, and frowned. "But you're my Mama, not my Mistress!"
Zelas fumed for a moment, running her fingers through her silky platinum hair, and decided it was pointless to argue with a child at this age. "You'll get it when you're older."
"But I want to get it now!" he wailed, hugging a little stuffed wolf. Zelas held her head in one hand.
"Xelkun?" she said sweetly.
"Hai?"
"JuuOuSama is getting irritated. JuuOuSama happens to have a large BAT behind her chair. JuuOuSama has never been very compassionate to whiney little boys."
Xelloss' eyes widened as Zelas began to reach behind her chair, and he let out a yelp, leaping to his feet and dashing out the door. The Beastmaster chuckled, moving her empty hand out from behind the chair and taking a puff of her cigarette.
"Children are just so gullible."
After calming Xelloss down, and explaining that no, Zelas did NOT play baseball with the heads of little Mazoku, Ziras strode into her Mistress' chambers, fully garbed in her Priestess uniform. She had always been quite fond of it- the silk black cape, with the second layer on it that reached to about her elbows, the creamy yellow tunic, the fine black pants that hung loosely about her calfs, and the finely crafted staff with the two curves on the top - it was something she had put together herself. She walked to the Beastmater's chair and went down on one knee, taking her hand and kissing the top.
"You summoned me, JuuOuSama?"
"That I did, Ziras," she sighed, taking a sip of her wine. "I have some business for you."
"Tell me what I am to do, Mistress, and it will be done right away."
Zelas looked up at the ceiling of her room, eying the diamonds of the chandiler. "There is rumor that in a certain temple, information lies of the future Ressurection of Ruby Eye Shabranigdo. I want you to find out if this is true. It shouldn't take long; this is a fairly simple task. Will you perform this for me, my little Priestess?"
Ziras bowed her head down lower. "Consider it done, JuuOuSama." With that, Ziras disappeared.
From the doorway, a pair of small violet eyed blinked curiously, then darted away before they were seen.
"Oh, this is lovely..." Ziras growled to herself softly, brushing aside a spiderweb with her staff. This was one sad little temple... badly kept, filthy, and generally ugly. It looked more like a tourist trap than a temple...
Ah well, she thought with a sigh. I just need to check the info, grab it if it's here, and get back home. Glancing about carefully, Ziras leapt down from the rafters of the temple, down to the altar. Making sure no one was there, she examined the crimson orb sitting on the altar.
Well, this is it... doesn't look like any Ressurection tool to me. Oh well, I'll get it for JuuOuSama anyway, she'll know if it is or not.
Ziras picked the orb up into her hands....
And felt a pain so horrible tear through her body, that her legs gave out beneath her. She let out a howling scream, sounding both human and lupine at the same time.
"So, they actually fell for it!" A male voice laughed from a doorway. Ziras could hardly move, but managed to turn her head to the darkened doorway. Standing there was a young man with long blonde hair, wearing the robes of a Dragon Priest. He walked over to her, a wide grin on his face.
"A Mazoku actually fell for that! I have to say, I'm disappointed; I expected more from your race."
"Don't... flatter yourelf," Ziras hissed through clenched teeth, shutting her eyes tightly. It felt as if she were being torn apart from the inside..!
"Don't bother struggling, it will do you no good. That, my dear, is the Orb of Souls." The dragon walked over to her, grinning down upon her writhing body. "You see, upon touching it after it's activated, the toucher's soul is ripped from their body, drawn into the sphere to reside for eternity. It's quite painful, as you can see."
Ziras attempted to reply, but could only scream in agony, pulling herself into the fetal position.
"NOOO!"
The dragon blinked, and looked up to the door opposite him; a young Mazoku ran in, tears flowing down his face and violet ponytail swinging behind him. For a moment, he was confused; a Mazoku... crying?
"Zirachan!!" Xelloss screamed, falling down next to her and grasping her shoulder. Ziras' once sharp, caring eyes were now blank, vacant; her mouth hung slack, and her hand pawed aimlessly at the air. Xelloss grabbed her hand, pulling it to his cheek.
"Ziras, I'm here! I'm right here!" he sobbed. "It's me, Xelloss! Look at me, I'm here...!!"
For a brief moment, Ziras looked directly at him, her eyes gentle and filled with sorrow. Her lips quivered.
"Xelloss? It... hurts...."
Slowly, her hand slipped away from his cheek, and all movement stopped; her eyes stared off into the distance, all life gone from them. Xelloss stared at her in disbelief, too shocked to move... then, slowly, he rose to his feet, his eyes cold. He glared at his sister's murderer, his eyes narrowed to slits. The dragon backed up a step, eyed widening. Xelloss closed a fist, then fired a blast of dark energy through his chest.
He was dead before he hit the floor.
"So, Xelloss... what news do you bring?"
Xelloss strode into his Mistress' chambers, fully garbed in his Priest uniform.His silk black cape moved behind him, revealing the creamy yellow tunic beneath. His fine black pants hung loosely about his calfs, and he walked with a finely crafted staff that held a crimson orb in the curves of the top. He walked to the Beastmater's chair and went down on one knee, taking her hand and kissing the top. He then rose to his feet once more, his eyes shaded by purple bangs.
"It is confirmed, JuuOuSama. A piece of Ruby Eye Shabranigdo has been Resurrected, and the Dragon clan has declared war upon the Mazoku."
Zelas took in a breath of her cigarette, then breathed out a cloud of smoke. "I see... well then, I leave the situation in your hands, my priest." A slight grin curled her lips as she glanced at him. "I take it you'll enjoy a bit of revenge upon the scum?"
Slowly, he looked up to his Mistress, a cruel smirk plastered on his face, and his deep amethyst eyes shining in the dim light of the room. He lifted a gloved finger to his lips.
"Sore wa himitsu desu."