Lina woke up slowly. It felt sooo good being able to sleep in. Snuggling a little deeper into the covers she thought about all the events that had happened. Okay L-sama was Zel's adoptive mother. She could handle that, it was weird, but she could handle it. Beastmaster for some reason wanted Xelloss dead. Now why would she want that? He always served her faithfully. His loyalty was unquestioned when it came to her. And lastly why was Xelloss thinking his name was Michael? She had seen him and talked to him as both Xelloss and Michael. It was very eerie that she could be talking to two different people and yet they were the same.
"Wait Zelgadis! He did something and Xelloss woke up! He knows more then what he is telling us, and I think it's time to have a little talk with him alone!" Regrettably she crawled out of the bed covers and dressed in her clothes. Heading for Zel's door she thought about what she was going to ask. Opening it she looked and found it to be empty. "Now where is he?" Going out again, she searched the other rooms. She found or rather heard Gourry snoring loudly so she knew he was around. Walking over to Xelloss room she found that to be empty as well. "Okay now where are they?" Lina walked down the hall and began looking in all the doors she could find. While doing so she found that the house of L-sama was very grand. Rich tapestries hung from the walls; paintings of unknown artist were placed in pleasing locations. Also there were tables with vases holding various plants in them. "She knows how to live well (well she is a god so she would live well don't you think?) Now to find the wayward one's. (Meaning Zel and Xelloss)" Continuing down the halls she looked and could find no one. She was about to give up when she heard voices coming form behind a wall.
"Finally found them!" Turning the corner, she prepared to open the door that wasn't there. "What the hell? Hey you guys let me in!" Lina could here voices murmuring but not taking any notice of her. Finally losing her cool at all the problems that she couldn't seem to solve. She started to lob fireballs at the wall.
"Do you hear something Zel?"
"Yeah I think its Lina out there. From the sound of it she isn't to happy about being locked out."
"Well she will just have to stay unhappy. Besides she really can't do anything with me here." Grinning evilly the two continued their work.
Laid out before them was Michael. He was sleeping quietly and didn't show signs of waking up soon. Zelgadis and his Mother were getting ready to do a session on him. They wanted to find out what was going on in his head. He had agreed reluctantly, but felt that it might help him find out about himself.
"Well Zelgadis, you ready? You're the one taking the most risk."
"Yeah but pull me out in an hour. Sooner if anything starts to happen."
"You know I will. Good luck dear."
"Thanks." Leaning back into his chair he closed his eyes. Breathing deeply, He sent himself into a deep trance, then entered Michael's mind.
Jeez, what a mess. This has got to be Xelloss mind. Now just where is his personally Moving quickly he scanned the sleeping mind. Where could Xelloss be? Who is this Michael? Where did he come from? Continuing his search he wondered from one area of Michael mind to another. Looking hard he found a small niche that looked to be of some importance. Maybe this is it going a little deeper Zelgadis, discovered something he thought he never would.
"Well little one you are mine now." Said Zellas, looking at the young man before her. He was tall for being only 15 but he had proven himself to her. She had asked that he kill an entire town in one night. Not only had he done so but also he had bathed in their blood and laughed with joy when he saw how weak they were against them. Now the Beastmaster was coming to claim his as her own.
"You, young Michael have proven yourself to me. Come forth and listen."
Michael stepped forth.
"You wished to become a Mazoku and my servant. In order to become so, I will kill you and resurrect you. I will turn you into what I want you to become. But in order to do so I will have to give you a familiar. It will be the focus of your powers. Ultimately it will be loyal to YOU. Do not lose it, for without it you won't last long. Are you still willing to do this? This will be your only chance to say no."
"Yes Mistress mine. I am willing to still serve you."
"Then step forth and become one of us!" Materializing a long wooden staff, she plunged it into his heart. He did not scream or cry out; instead he just smiled, as he fell to the ground. Zellas Metallium cast the resurrect spell and a new Mazuko was born.
"From this day forth your name is Xelloss. This staff is bound to you with your own lifeblood. You are my priest and general. You have all the power of both stations and when necessary you can call on me. You are my killing machine and I want to see you in action now.
Xelloss bowed to his new master and asked her. "How do you wish to see me in action Master?"
"Have you ever heard of a race called the Ryozuko?" Smiling they both faded out.
Oh shit! No wonder he doesn't know about Xelloss. That wasn't his real name? But now where is Xelloss? Zelgadis began to search but felt a strong pull on his own mind. Taking that as the signal it was, Zel returned to his own body.
"Zel? Son? Are you there? You okay? Come on wake up."
As he came to, from his trance, Zelgadis could feel a great weight settle on his shoulders. Blinking his eyes slowly he tried to focus on the faces before him. Groaning he opened his eyes fully and tried to work out the kinks that comes with sitting to long in one position.
"Zel, honey come on, just a little more."
"Mother, is that you?"
"Yeah, now how are you feeling? Okay?"
Zel looked at her and in a voice loaded with weariness he sighed. "Yes just very tired. But that can't be helped, How's Michael?"
"He was twitching a bit when you first started but settled down quickly. Did you learn anything?"
"Yeah how Michael became Xelloss." Zelgadis began to get up out of the chair he was sitting in but lost his balance. He slowly crumpled to the floor as his legs gave out from under him.
"Zelgadis, easy son you're exhausted." She stated helping him to stand. "Why don't you get some sleep. If you want I can just deposit you in your room."
"Thanks but let's get out of here first."
"Sure."
Zelgadis tried again to stand but once again collapsed onto the floor. L-sama chuckling a bit, but still worried took one of his arms and gently picked him up. She helped him out of the room and both stopped as they saw a little pyro-soceress standing ready with a fireball.
"Where have you been. I've been worried sick!" (So of course she has a fireball standing ready to use on her friends.) L-sama had other ideas, with just a look the fireball was out and if Lina tried another one in her presence Lina would learn how it feels to be a used matchstick.
Zel noticed this; somehow, he is pretty out of it still. To avoid a bigger confrontation began speaking to her.
"Sorry Lina, but we had important work that needed to be done." Sliding into a chair he leaned his head back against the wall.
With a worried look in her eyes, Lina reached over to see if she could help him out any. "Zel you okay, Why are you so tired looking?"
"Lina, Zel really needs his rest and..."
"It's alright. I can explain now. Probably be better since I might forget later." Sighing he closed his eyes and began to recited what he had learned.
"Damn so that is how he became a Mazuko."
"Yeah. Umm Lina just to warn you, when we leave Mothers house, which won't be for a while. Mother won't let us remember anything we just learned about his past. These are his memories and they have to stay that way. Mother is allowing us to know for now because we are trying to help him out. Do you understand?" He looked at her with his intense blue eyes.
Nodding, Lina looked back at him then broke away to ask a question. "So just how long are we going to be here?"
"As long as necessary to find out what or where Xelloss has been going when Michael comes out."
"Zel what do you think, should we tell Michael what you found?"
Zel thought about it then nodded no. "No I don't think we should. Lina you said that whenever you asked Xelloss a question about what was going on he would freak out. Did he do anything else?"
"Yeah he would blink out."
"Well I'm not really sure Michael will be able to handle it. But listen you can talk about it amongst yourselves, right now I am going to bed." Pushing himself up he began to walk to his room.
"Zel you want me to...?" His mother started to ask him, but he interrupted her before, she could finish.
"No actually I'm feeling stronger. I think if I walk it will help me to straighten a few things." Then he rounded the corner, hand on the wall to keep him steady.
Zellas sat in her reception room and seethed. Xelloss had been torn from her grasp. She had him, one more second and he would have been dead. Then that blasted chimera had yelled for Mama.
"If, no when I see him again I will kill him as well." Her eyes were the color of a dark pool filled with death. Her fangs glistened and hungered for Xelloss blood.
"He took my one chance for extreme...!" she clawed at her chair, reducing the arm to nothing but wood splinters.
"Then he had the gall to double team me with of all people...! And when he's done he goes and...!" Zellas was livid and until Xelloss was dead by her own claws she would not be satisfied.
Xelloss swam in a pool of nothingness. He could barely feel himself but what he could didn't feel good. "Lina helped me. Would she help me again?" Xelloss closed his eyes, or tried to, he really couldn't tell if they were open or not.
"Zelgadis, he was helping me, why? He doesn't even like me. Truth be told, I don't like him too much either. But would I help HIM out?" Sighing Xelloss let his mind wonder for a while. What drew his attention was a soft red glow coming from about him.
"What's that?" Reaching up with a hand he tried to grab it. It phased though his hand but still hovered above him.
"My staff, what's it doing here?" he tried to grasp it again and still was unable to.
"Just my luck, I feel like shit and my stupid staff decides to play games with me." His staff immediately winked out.
"HEY WAIT!" But it was too late, the staff was gone, and Xelloss was alone again.
Michael was enjoying the feeling of not having to provide for himself. He could sleep in, eat as much as he wanted and go to bed early. Life was great and he didn't want it to stop.
Gourry and Lina wondered around the domain of the Lord of Nightmares. They didn't have much else to do. They did enjoy the kitchen and all it had to offer. Gourry liked the huge training hall; L-sama had built for Zel. Lina liked looking in the library at all the old histories she could find.
Zelgadis was enjoying only two things while staying with his mother. Sleeping and relaxing in the pool (a.k.a. the sea of chaos). When after a session with Michael he would come to the pool and relax or just go to bed because he was so tired. Then he would only discuss what he found with is mother.
L-sama meanwhile enjoyed having her son home. She knew he had to live his own life but she really wished he would come and visit her more, She knew he knew that all he had to do was call out for her and she would bring him here.
"Oh well at least I do see some interesting things happening to him while he was here. He is also a bit more relaxed and open. What is strange is why he is helping Xelloss. I know he doesn't like him. Zelgadis you are a strange one. You don't like to be among people but you will do your damnedest to protect them." Smiling she went back to painting she was working on featuring two special people.
Zellas stood and walked out to where her pack waited. Decision made she went out to hunt down her chosen prey.
Chapter 7 | Fanfiction