Lina glared at Zelgadis as she tried to wake him. Nothing she did seem to stir the sleeping chimera. She would have thought he was dead if didn't see his chest rise and lower with the rhythm of his breathing. But she wasn't aware of the invisible Zelgadis that had slumped off and started whimpering in the corner.
"Zelgadis what the hell is wrong with you? Damnit I've never had this much trouble trying to get you up before. Or are you awake and just playing dead? Ha! Well I can see you breathing so just quit it you are starting to worry me!" Lina tried one more hard shake but he didn't wake. The invisible Zelgadis on the other hand had heard what she had said and dared to go near 'his body'. And there he saw himself sleeping very soundlessly, but alive. In some way this gave Zelgadis a bit of comfort. When his hand went through Lina and he had seen himself laying on a bed when he was standing over it, he had first thought that he was dead. So he was a bit relieved but now he was more confused then ever. Lina frowned, the only other thing she could think of doing was pouring water over his head but she didn't think that if he'd wake up that he'd appreciate it very much. Oh who cares if he's bothered or not! It's his fault anyway for not waking up in the first place! Invisible Zelgadis stared at her wide-eyed as she dumped a whole pitcher of cold ice water on his sleeping form. But to both were surprised when the sleeping chimera didn't even budge. At this point Lina was very worried.
"Well I don't know what the hell is going on here but I'm going to get someone, this can't be natural not even for a chimera." Lina headed towards the door with much haste and Zelgadis quickly followed. Down the stairs to where everyone was eating earlier, just like it was before. Zelgadis shuddered, he thought that he had been dreaming when he appeared in his room, but it wasn't a dream before. He just somehow shifted back to his room.
"Guys there is something terribly wrong with Zelgadis."
"What's wrong with him Miss Lina?" Amelia's eye's were as wide as saucers and had her hands clenched.
"I can't wake him up. Not one bit at all. He's in this deep sleep that he doesn't want to come out of nor I doubt anyone would be able to get him out of."
"So what if you can't wake him up? No one can wake me up and there's nothing wrong with me." Gourry dumbly smiled. Lina was very tempted to strike him in some matter but she refrained.
"Yeah but Gourry that's the way you sleep. And you are human. Zel's a chimera with more sensitive hearing. And he's also a light sleeper on top of that so I should really have to problem waking him up."
"Then what's wrong?"
"I can't wake him up! I've tried yelling in his ears, shaking him, stealing his sheets, and I even poured water over his head! But he didn't wake. Meaning there is something wrong. And I wouldn't be surprised if it was a magic spell of some sort." Lina shot a look at Xellos.
He faked looking hurt, "Oh no Miss Lina you don't think that I would have done something like this, now do you?" He tried to look all innocent a cute and Lina just smacked him on the head.
"Of course this is something you would do! You always torment Zelgadis! So Xellos if you are responsible for this then release the spell and wake him up!" Lina grabbed him by the collar and brought him close so that she could stare him straight in the eyes. Lina's ruby eyes burned like to balls of fire. And they did burn because Xellos ended up having part of his cloak catch fire.
"Miss Lina, as interesting and how much I wish that I had done this, I can assure that I have nothing to do with this nor did I any magic or any means to cause this to happen."
"Good. Now all of you guys come with me and help to figure out a way to wake Zelgadis up.
A few days later they were no better then when they had started. No matter what they did Zelgadis refused to wake. They were getting desperate but they still had an ace up their sleeve. They had managed to get in contact with Sylphiel and she was due to arrive in town very soon. While the invisible, non-physical body Zelgadis wallowed deeper and deeper in depression. Though the others were hopeful that Sylphiel might be able to help Zelgadis himself wasn't so sure. Even if they could get him to wake up what would happen to him? He didn't even know if that sleeping body was him or not.
"What about trying to locate him on the astral plane?"
"I've already tried that. He's fine." Xellos himself was confused. From what he could sense and see there was absolutely nothing wrong with Zelgadis. And there didn't seem to be any traces of magic anywhere.
Lina grumbled and put her head down. She like everyone else was a mess. None of them were sleeping well or eating much and they were all tired and stumped on the whole situation.
"Hello is anybody there?" Sylphiel knocked on the door that the inn keep had told her that Zelgadis and the others were.
"Oh Miss Sylphiel thank Cepheid that you are here! Can you do something for poor Mister Zelgadis?" Amelia clung to the shrine maiden. Sylphiel stroked her hair sympathetically with concern.
"I don't Amelia but just let me take a look." Sylphiel walked over to where Zelgadis was sleeping. The chimera was in a deep sleep with absolutely no expression on his face. He didn't appear to be dreaming, but he wasn't moving at all like a normal sleeping person. Was just still and quiet, not one sound coming from him. "What were you guys doing the day before you found him like this?"
"We had just gone to a library and got some books. Then we came to the inn to eat and get some rooms for the night."
"Did any of you hear anything odd that night?"
"No and we already went and asked everyone else in the building if they had. But everything was fine, it was a normal night just like any other."
The invisible Zelgadis tried to remember what had happened that night. I remember getting those books and eating with everyone else. And I also remember going to my room, but what did I do after that?
Sylphiel pulled out a crystal pendulum and chanted some words softly under her breath while swinging it over Zel's head. A strange aura of light surrounded her. Her eyes were closed and she was deep in concentration when all of a sudden she let out a small cry and was thrown across the room against the wall by some unknown force.
"Sylphiel are you all right?"
"Yes I'll be fine but something like that has never happened before." Gourry helped her up and she tucked a few strands of hair with a shaky hand.
"What were you trying to do?"
"I was trying to sense what was going on in his mind but it was all dark and empty like a void and repelled me with some strong force."
"Zel's mind repelled you?"
"No not Zel's mind. I can't explain it but it was the mind of the body but the person we know as Zelgadis." Sylphiel sat down on a nearby chair shivering. When did it get so cold?
"What do you mean not Zel's mind?! That doesn't make any sense!" Lina yelled. Though Sylphiel was shivering Lina was burning. All of a sudden the room seemed very hot to her.
"I really don't know. But I do know that whatever it is, is breaking down."
Lina was going to question that too but she didn't have a chance. As soon as Sylphiel had spoken everyone closed their eyes in pain. It was like when a harsh light is shined in your eyes and you close them involuntary. But there wasn't any light, more the opposite. Darkness swept the room. Even the spirit like Zelgadis was forced to close his eyes in pain. When they all managed to open their eyes they saw that the chimera that had been sleeping in the bed had vanished.