As the smoke cleared, the trio looked up. The spell had done its job and the surrounding area was gone. Lina was happy that the nasty bandit was gone and she could get on with traveling to the town. Gourry didn't have a clue but if Lina was happy then he must not be in trouble. Zel on the other hand had different plans. Just before the DS had hit the bandit he though he saw a flash deep in the forest.
"Lina why don't you and Gourry keep on heading to the village. I want to check something out."
"What's wrong Zelgadis?" Lina asked.
"Oh nothing probably but I want to check something out."
"Okay see you later." She said with a sidelong glance.
"Bye." and Zel walked into the woods alone.
Michael groaned looking up, he found himself in his cave.
"How did I get here?" He asked to himself.
Michael tried to check himself out but found he couldn't move. He was more tired then he ever was before.
"Maybe if I just rest for a little while. I can get up in a little bit." With only enough energy to make sure his staff was still in his hand. Michael lapsed into unconsciousness.
Zel on the other hand was running. He had seen where that glow had come from. If he was right, then something big was going on. Jumping a small stream and two logs he came to a clearing.
"This could be it. It's deep enough in the forest." Looking around he spotted a cave in between a tree and a fallen log. Going over to it he readied his sword. Whatever was in there he wanted to be prepared for it. Walking in he found the traces of someone living in there. Going deeper he spotted what he was looking for. Cautiously he bent down to check the prone form.
"Still breathing, Now my strange fellow, why don't you reveal yourself to me." Looking into his eyes he found them a deep blue, almost black. His hair was a light brown as well but his face was so familiar.
"Damnit it has to be him. Either way he is in bad shape. I have to get him to help quickly." Maneuvering so he could place the poor fellow on his back, Zel stood and prepared to leave. Just before he did the man spoke.
"Huh" Zel questioned.
"Staff."
"Staff?" Looking around he spotted the branch the man was talking about. Picking it up Zel said. "Don't worry I have it and your safe."
Then going out of the cave Zel began to run to is friends.
Three hours later
"I wonder where Zel is. He should have been here by now." Lina said to space.
"I don't know Lina, but are you going to eat that chicken?" Asked Gourry
"YES" then she grabbed it and ripped into it with her teeth.
Suddenly the door slammed open and in walked Zel. Looking around he spotted Lina and walked over to her where she and Gourry were eating. Settling the figure on his back into another position, he was breathing hard but he managed to get out between gasps for air a question.
"Lina which rooms belong to us?" he panted
Lina looked up and saw the expression on his face. Soundlessly she stood and ran up the stairs with Zel. Opening a door, she moved over to the candle and lit it. She looked over at her shoulder and saw that Zel had put a stranger on her bed. Going up for a closer look she discovered it was the bandit from the road.
"Zel what the hell! Why did you bring that trash in here?" She yelled
Instead of answering he sat down in a chair and wiped his forehead.
"Lina take a good look at him and tell me if he reminds of anyone we know?"
Still upset, but willing to for Zel, she looked closer at the bandit. Nothing looked familiar to her and she said as much.
"Lina come with me. I need your strength."
"What for, where are we going?"
"I am going to do a astral scan and see if I can discover who he is."
"Why?"
"Please Lina just help me."
Nodding at the strange request Lina sat down facing the window. Zel took the mans head in his hands and prepared to scan. Lina taking hold of his leg began to feed him power.
"Here we go Lina." Then taking her with him they entered the man's mind.
What is this place Zel?
We are inside his mind
This is so weird.
Lina quiet I need to work
Moving slowly deeper into the bandit's mind Zel came upon a strange shell.
I thought as much. Lina this is where you and I part ways.
What do you mean Zel?
I mean that I am kicking you out of this guy's head. Right now!
And Lina found herself back in her own body.
"Zelgadis what the hell are you doing in there."
Zelgadis meanwhile was doing something he had never tried before. Remove a mental block. Taking a deep breath he went in search of the weak spot he knew was there.
It has to be here, it has to be. Continuing to scan he finally found what he was looking for. Well here goes. Taking out his mental dagger he cut open the mental block.
For a minute nothing happened, the next minute was when all hell broke loose. Zel was not only thrown out of Xelloss mind but was thrown out of the room and into the street, he tried to land, but instead ended up rolling until he stopped in a ditch, out cold. Xelloss screamed in pain at the block being removed then was silent. Lina watched all this going on and was immediately trying to control the situation. Gourry came running up the stairs shouting questions about what was going on.
"Gourry I don't know what is going on but Zel was just thrown out the window. I have to stay here. You go and bring Zel back right now understand?"
Gourry nodded and headed back out the door. Lina went to the bandit's head and found his hair had changed to purple and his eyes were the same.
"Xelloss, what are you doing here. What is going on?"
As she asked him and thin air cause that is all that answered her, she could hear Gourry coming up the stairs. From the sound of things it sounded like he was carrying something very heavy
"Lina I have Zelgadis where do you want him?"
"In the chair."
Being careful he put Zel into the chair. Lina went over to see if she could do anything. Before she could Zel groaned and opened his eyes.
"What happened? Did it work?"
"Zel are you okay? What was all that about?"
"Lina not now. How is Xelloss?'
"Asleep. I cast a healing spell that, hopefully, will work on him. Either way there is nothing more you can do so go to bed. Gourry take him and place him in your room, make sure he goes right to sleep and watch over him to make sure he does.'
"Lina I'll be fine..."
"Gourry take him. Zel get some rest. I will watch Xelloss tonight."
Sighing in defeat Zelgadis accepted Gourry's help. Soon he was sleeping heavily with no chance of waking until late in the day tomorrow.
Lina meanwhile prepare to watch over the prone form of Xelloss.
Lina watched over Xelloss through the night. Xelloss meanwhile tossed and turned, he was still in pain and he was having a hard time dealing with it.
"Why? Why is this happening? I'm a Mazuko, I should be able to take all this plus more."
Oh no Xelloss I made you I can break you. If I want you to feel pain then you will feel it.
Xelloss screamed again at the memory of what his master had done to him. Lina who had been half dozing was awake in an instant. She stepped over to his side trying to calm him down.
"Xelloss calm down. It's all right! You're among friends. Please Xelloss listen to me." Lina said trying to get through to him.
"Lina? How did you get to the island?" he asked delirious then fell silent.
"Lina what's going on? I heard someone screaming!" Gourry asked her, his sword drawn.
"It's Xelloss he woke up briefly. Where is Zel?"
"He's still asleep, never even heard him." Gourry replied sheathing his sword.
"Damnit something is going on and I don't know what it is!" Lina yelled under her breath.
"Is they're anything I could do Lina?"
"No Gourry why don't you back and keep an eye on Zel."
"Alright goodnight." Walking out of the room, he closed the door and went back to his own room.
Lina returned to her seat and watched Xelloss for the rest of the night.
What happened? Where am I now? Oh please don't let the pain return I can't handle any more right now. Xelloss was beginning to panic.
"Xelloss calm down. It's all right! You're among friends. Please Xelloss listen to me."
Lina is that you? How did you get here? Are you sure it's okay? I'm going to trust you on this, that everything is okay. Sighing Xelloss went back into a deeper sleep.
The next morning Lina rose and checked on Xelloss, Finding him still asleep she quietly left the room. Walking over to Gourry's room she found Gourry on the floor asleep and Zel curled up in the bed. Smiling she left and went down stairs.
"Oh I'm so hungry." Going up to the restaurant portion of the inn she ordered enough food for 12 people and asked that it be brought up to her room. The waitress agreed and said it would be up in a little while. Going back to her room, she moved the table around so it would not be in the way of her keeping an eye on Xelloss (and pigging out).
"Well Xelloss, I hope your comfortable. Zel knows something about what's going on. But as far as he is concerned he's dead to the world." Sitting beside him Lina opened his eyes and found them to be narrowed into tiny slits. Studying them a little longer she became lost in thought.
"I wonder what is going on inside his mind. What happened to him."
Suddenly there was a noise at the door. Startled Lina broke eye contact with him and went to go open it. Seeing it was the food she had ordered she moved aside to let them place it all on the table.
"Thank you." Lina said.
"You're welcome." The waitress returned and quickly left the room."
"Well time to eat. Yeah!" and Lina dug in.
Will the pain go away? I'm so tired of it. But Lina said it was okay. If she says it okay then maybe it is. Oh I am just in so much trouble. He moaned to himself.
Zel woke up slowly. He had a massive headache and he couldn't remember how he got it. He was sore all over and as he moved he winced.
"What the?" Reaching down he felt his left ankle. Reaching down and feeling it, he gasped at the pain. Looking at it, he found it swollen to about three times its normal size.
"How in the world did a I sprain my ankle. Oh Gods it hurts." Laying back in the bed, he didn't move at all. Instead he tried to think about what had caused him all this pain.
"Xelloss, he was the one!" Now wide-awake he tried to get up. He was able to sit up but he couldn't get much farther until the dizziness passed. Finally after what seemed like hours to him, he was able to master it and using the wall and his sword as a crutch he hobbled over to the door.
"Oh man, if it wasn't so important to get to Xelloss I would just stay in bed." Wincing as his ankle touched the floor, he opened the door. Across the hallway (about 4 feet) was Lina's room. He sighed at the great distance and began his way across it.
"Jeez, he had better be able to answer my questions for all the effort I'm putting out." Grunting he made it to the wall and leaned against it for a moment.
Almost there. He reached over to open the door when it suddenly opened on it's own. Thrown off balance Zelgadis landed square on his foot (the sprained one) cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Lina and Gourry looked down on the fallen Chimera. Gourry immediately reached down to try and help him up.
"Zel what do you think you're doing?" Exclaimed Lina.
Instead of answering Zelgadis groaned and excepted Gourry's helping hand.
"Lina not now! How's Xelloss?" He asked
Gourry swung one of Zel's arms around his shoulders and half supported him half carried him into Lina's room.
"Never mind Xelloss. What's wrong with you?" She asked carrying his sword in with her
"Some how I sprained my ankle. I can't remember much from yesterday."
"I'll tell you what happened. You and I did some sort of mind walk. Then you kicked my out. There was big explosion, Xelloss screamed and you were blown out the window. Did I leave anything out?"
Zelgadis despite his pain was grinning at her.
"Lina, no I would say that about covers it. So how is Xelloss?"
"I'm not sure in the middle of the night he woke up and screamed. I was able to calm him down and he hasn't woken up since."
Zel scowled at this information. Trying to figure out what was going on. He could feel the astral imbalance in Xelloss still, it wasn't as pronounced at it was yesterday but it was still there.
"Zel, Xelloss can wait! Let me look at your foot. I want to see how bad it is." Lina knelt down and as gently as she could pick up his foot. She heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up to see Zel's eyes tightly shut in pain. Casting her strongest healing spell on it. She was only able to bring the swelling down some (damn time of the month starting).
"Well Zel, looks like it is going to take a while for this to heal. It's sprained badly."
"I figured as much but I don't think we will be going anywhere for a while anyways." He said looking at the sleeping form of Xelloss.
"True, listen I'll get some bandages and ice packs to help with the swelling. Gourry go out and see if you can make a couple of crutches for Zel."
"Ah, okay Lina." Gourry went out and started on the task assigned him.
"Zel, just stay here and don't move!"
"Okay but..."
"No buts, sit, stay!" She commanded pointing to him and the chair he was sitting in. Then Lina followed Gourry out the door.
Zel looked over to where Xelloss was laying. He studied his face and could see lines in it caused from stress.
"Well Xelloss, I would try another scan but not with me in this condition. Lina can't do it cause she is not proficient in shamanism. So I guess your secrets are safe for now."
"Zel I'm coming in. You had better still be sitting there." She called, wrath in her voice if he wasn't.
"Don't worry Lina. I haven't moved at all." This is going to be one long headache from here on out.