Chapter 4


It took about an hour for all four of them (Lina, Zel, Gourry and Amelia) to calm Fillia down after Valgarv had left. She cried and cried. Lina kept trying to tell her that it wasn't her fault and then Zelgadiss would mention the Val was just being the ass hole that he was. Then Fillia would cry harder. Amelia finally suggested that Fillia show them around, to get her mind off Valgarv.

"He probably just left, to let off a bit of steam. He'll be back" Amelia comforted Fillia.

Fillia nodded and got up, "I'll show you around the castle, I guess. It's pretty big. I don't even think v-Valgarv and I have been to all the corners of this place."

The castle, that Fillia and Val had been living in since the war started, apparently really did cover the whole entire island like Zelgadiss had said. There really was no exit out or a least no exit a human could go through. Up in the towers were large landing areas and balconies that a flying animal any size could land on. Large ducts were built into the side of the towers. Most of the hallways that lead to these balconies and ducts were large enough to fit a dragon, which they probably often did. Then they would begin to get smaller as a person ventured deeper into the center of the huge castle.

Fillia showed them through giant dinning rooms and sitting rooms where they had an arrangement of different kinds of furniture, obviously built for dragons. There were a couple libraries. One large one, where there must have been over 100 000 books all organized neatly, covered with dust and cobwebs, in rows and rows of large, ceiling high book shelves. Lina had to be dragged away from that room but Zelgadiss stood like a rock and wouldn't move. He stayed behind, said he was bored of this tour and would rather stay and read.

"This hallway has just normal rooms in it." Fillia gleamed as she pointed out like the hundredth all-look-the-same hallway. "Valgarv estimated that there are over 3 hundred bedrooms here."

"Woooooooooowwwwwww" Amelia listening attentively and guaking, "this place is.. is.. it's just....what's the word?"

"Big!" Gourry suggested.

"Yeah it is big. How could anybody afford anything like this?"

"He must be loaded. Hey Fil why haven't you shown us any of the treasure rooms. There must be hundreds of them in this place." Lina elbowed Fillia, eyes going all starry at the thought of treasure.

"Well, actually. The man who lived here before. I told you about him right? His name was Lumere Tiganav"

Lina and Amelia nodded, and Gourry looked puzzled.

"Well, he -was- rich." Lina's smile got bigger. " But.. He spent his whole, entire fortune on this castle. Every cent he was spent and resulted in what you see here."

Lina's jaw dropped "What..........?"

"Yeah, apparently he was the richest man... of his time and probably the richest man ever. But his love for the dragon species made him build this sanctuary for them. From what I've heard this place was paradise for mine and Valgarvs race. But then the war broke out and the dragons couldn't come here anymore. Lumere went mad. He couldn't live alone without us, the dragons. So he killed himself. Performed a spell and blew himself up." Fillia stated bluntly, then suddenly stopped and Amelia almost ran into her. She just stood there, they had reached the end of the hallway, and she was starring at the large doors that were in front of her.

"What is it?" Amelia went up to the door.

"It doesn't feel right here." Lina said.

"That's because that's the room where Lumere killed himself." Fillia moved her head and pointed out the door.

Amelia quickly stepped away from the door, her eyes wide with fear. "N-no way.....?"


Meanwhile, in the vast library with the many books, Zelgadiss sat. Surrounded by books which had been thrown down, after not being satisfying enough for the grumpy chimera. Zelgadiss must have look through a hundred books each one more disappointing then the last one. Of course, like always, he was looking for his cure or at least something that may connect to his curse. Thinking since this castle was so old, their maybe a few useful books or spells just lying around. But unfortunately most of the books dealed with spells, curses, and cures that only dragons could use. Not a man/golem/mazoku freak like himself.

"Lina would have a blast in here" Zel grumbled out loud to nobody as he threw yet another book behind his back. Then getting to his feet he stepped over the books and started to look through the shelves. His finger skimming the spines of the books.

There was a gap between a couple books, but that was normal so Zel's finger just skipped over it. Then just out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of purple, a familiar purple, duck down. He quickly went back to the gap, shoved one hand through it and pulled a number of books right off the shelf. He stuck his head through the shelf and looked down. Nothing, nothing there but a few scattered books. He glanced right and left, nothing.

"I must be imagining things" He mumbled as he straightened himself out.

"Swoosh" suddenly a cape fluttered by the end of the shelf and disappeared. Zelgadiss leaped over the mess he had made a few moments ago and ran to the end of the shelf. He skidded to a halt and again saw the cape swoosh around another corner. Again he ran and again he saw the cape go around a corner, but this time he also saw the end of a staff. The staff confirmed his suspicions.

"XELLOSS!! I know you're here! Show yourself!" He bellowed. Nobody answered, " I know it's you, you stupid mazoku!"

"Hmmmmmmmm, really, are you sure it's me?" A familiar voice echoed through the library.

"Xelloss! Where are you?"

"Oh, now Zelgadiss. That is a secret!"

"You stupid - " He held his temper back, not wanting to give Xelloss a nice snack. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out fighting your war?" His sword out now and in front of him as he swung around trying to look for Xelloss.

"That's also a secret my dear chimera. But one thing I can tell you is that......" He paused and suddenly appeared beside Zelgadiss. Zelgadiss froze as Xelloss moved forward, staff behind his back. He leaned and whispered into Zel's ear, "Even though I enjoy very much visiting with you, I'm not here for you. At least not for business reasons." His tongue slipped inside Zel's ear and then he disappeared.


"This is the room where he...... Lumere ....?" Amelia was shaking.

"Yep! I haven't been in there yet. It's to....... ummmmm.... welll...." Fillia looked for the right word.

"Creepy, icky, disgusting, horrific?!" Amelia suggested.

"No, it's too haunted."

"It's... it's... h-haunted?"

"Hmmmmmmm" Lina stepped past the horrified Amelia and placed a hand on the door. It was ice cold and Lina pulled away. "That's why it felt so strange here. There's a spirit in there. Is it really Lumere ? I mean it could be really anything, right?"

"I'm not sure. Valgarv," Fillia paused looked like she was about to cry, " He went in one time. Said it was definitely Lumere's old room. Full of dragons and stuff. Everything was torn apart and in ashes. Probably from the spell he cast. Anyway, I think we'll pass this room. Shall we?" Fillia spun around on one heel and headed in the other direction.

Amelia quickly followed. Lina touched the door again with her index finger. It was still cold. As she walked away she was sure that she heard a moan and a creak, but when she looked back the door was still shut. She caught up with Fillia and Amelia as they continued on with their tour of the castle.


Chapter 5   |   Fanfiction