Amelia yawned while laying her bed pretending to sleep. She had been in her nice warm and comfy bed for hours now feeling very tired but not able to sleep. No she promised Lina that she would stay up as long as she possibly could in order to get a glimpse of this mystery creature that has been putting up these dream barriers. Amelia was mentally cursing even agreeing to this at all. Not only was she really wanting to sleep very badly, she was also bored out of her mind. She had been lying there for hours doing absolutely nothing. It wasn't as if she could take a book and start to read or do something else to pass the time, she had to pretend that she was sleeping.
What was making this the hardest thing off all was that Amelia had to keep her eyes partially closed. There was very little stopping her from closing her eyes completely and just doze off.
Maybe if I just close my eyes for a few minutes I'll be okay. It's not like I'm going to fall asleep or anything. I'll be able to stay awake. Amelia assured herself that before she closed her eyes and drifted right off into sleep.
In Sylphiel's room Sylphiel was awake thinking rather then sleeping. She wasn't having as much trouble as Amelia was because she wasn't even really tried herself. Sylphiel thinking about when she first been summoned to come to this little town to try and help out Zelgadis. She had been traveling in hopes to completely forget about Gourry. For so long Gourry had been stuck in her mind and she decided that had to finally forget about him and officially get on with her life. So Sylphiel had decided to try and do a little traveling on her own to see if that would help. And luck have it she just happens to travel into a town where she gets the message about Lina and the others needing her help.
A part of Sylphiel reminded her that going to help them was retreating back to what she trying to avoid. Going back to thinking about Gourry and thinking about how she still felt about him. Sylphiel had no idea if she even had the slightest chance with him. He had made it quite clear in the past that thought a lot of Lina, but whether or not he truly had feelings for her was another thing.
So Sylphiel was almost hesitant to not go for that reason. Would she really want to go through all that again only to be disappointed again? But then another part of Sylphiel reminded her that she was asked to help because of Zelgadis. So with that in mind she left very quickly. But now she was left contemplating on where she stood at this point and where she should go from here?
Sylphiel was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice the thing that had entered her room. Once she noticed that she wasn't alone her room Sylphiel immediately tensed up. She calmed herself down and tried to peer over to where the thing was and to her surprise she didn't see anything. There was nothing standing there in front of her. But Sylphiel was very aware that there was something in there with her. She could clearly hear it very well. And she could even see some of the stones it was placing on the floor of her room around her bed.
Sylphiel strained her ears as the invisible entity placed stones. She could hear only very faint whispering that she couldn't make out at all.
Immediately after all the stones where placed there was a blinding flash of light. Sylphiel blinked involuntarily. She would have gotten up quickly to go and wake Lina and tell her what just happened if she had not gotten this sudden wave of sleepiness that made her fall to sleep right away.
The creature almost chuckled as it left Sylphiel's room. It was very aware that Sylphiel was awake and trying to get a chance to view the person that had been putting up those dream barriers. But the creature knew that Sylphiel wasn't going to be able to see anything. So that's why it wasn't afraid, nor was it afraid to repeat the same thing with Amelia. Of course if it hadn't put that sleeping spell on Sylphiel then the creature might have been a little worried. Because if Sylphiel was still awake she could have gone and woke up Lina and then Lina might have gone into Amelia's room while the creature was still putting up the barrier in her room and realize what exactly it was.
So that's why the creature was being cautious. It still wasn't sure if Lina would be able to see it. Chances are she wouldn't, but the creature didn't want to take any chances.
It crept quietly into Amelia's room. The creature was aware that Amelia would be doing the same thing as Sylphiel had done. Pretend to be asleep so that she might be able to get a quick glimpse of the creature. But as the creature crept closer to the bed it almost chuckled out loud. Instead of pretending to sleep, Amelia really was sleeping. Guess she couldn't stay awake that long. The creature mentally mused. It had figured that it would be easier if it waited a few hours rather then go in right away.
The creature put the stones around Amelia's bed and chanted the dream barrier spell very quietly under it's breath. The same flash of light lit the room and all was taken care of so the creature left the Sailune princess' room and headed back to where he had Xellos stashed away.
The next morning Lina woke up from a very peaceful sleep. She stretched and marveled about the day outside of her window. It was a very clear day out with the sunshine pouring down on her and birds were singing. It was close to the afternoon and Lina figured that she was probably one of the last people awake in the inn. Then something hit her. Neither Sylphiel nor Amelia had come to her last night. And they were supposed to go and wake her up if they saw anything.
Lina grumbled as she stormed off down the hall heading straight for Amelia's room. Lina glared at the sight that was before her. There lay Amelia peacefully sleeping in her bed without a care in the world. She walked right up to Amelia and first gently shook the slumbering princess. Amelia only mumbled in return still in the midst of her slumber. Lina evilly grinned right before she took a very deep breath.
"WAKE UP!!!!!" Lina screamed at the top of her lungs.
Amelia screamed and almost jumping out of her bed. "AHHHHHH!!! What the?!"
"Good morning Amelia, did you sleep well?" Lina said in a fake and sickeningly sweet tone of voice.
"Um yes... Is there something wrong Miss Lina? Did you sleep well?" Amelia asked in a very sheepish voice.
"Yes I did sleep well, that's the problem! You and Sylphiel were supposed to come see me once that thing came into your rooms and put new dream barriers! But I didn't get anyone coming and seeing me at all! So would you like to explain exactly why that is?! Hmm?!"
At this point Amelia dared to look down on the floor around her bed. Just like the previous morning there lay small round smooth stones surrounding her bed in a perfect circle. "I'm sorry Miss Lina! I didn't mean to fall asleep, honestly! I just closed my eyes for a second and I guess I must have fallen asleep right after that."
"You guess?!" Lina bonked Amelia on the head. "Oh well there's nothing we can do about this now. I guess I'd better go find out Sylphiel's reason." Lina sighed and left for Sylphiel's room leaving Amelia alone rubbing the now tender spot on her head.
Once Lina went into Sylphiel's room she again was greeted with the sight of someone sleeping. There like Amelia, Sylphiel slept on her bed. Lina was going to go over to Sylphiel and give her similar treatment as she had given Amelia when she felt the residual magic essence that lingered after a spell.
Someone purposely put Sylphiel to sleep with a sleep spell. Lina walked right over to Sylphiel and dispelled the sleep spell that had been put on her.
Immediately Sylphiel's eyes started to flutter and she woke up with a start. "I have to go see Miss Lina!"
"Good know that there's still people I can count on to get jobs done." Lina said with a chuckle.
"Miss Lina? What are you doing in my room? And what time is it?"
"It's morning, or nearly afternoon I guess."
"Afternoon? That thing must have put me to sleep once it finished the barrier."
Lina's ear's perked up. "What thing? So you saw it?"
"Well not exactly."
"What do you mean not exactly?! Did you or didn't you see it?!"
"This is what happened. I heard the thing come in my room, but when I looked I couldn't see anything. There was nothing visible in front of me at all. But I could see the stones being placed on the ground, I just couldn't see him putting down the stones."
"Him?" Lina prompted.
"Well I didn't see who it was doing it because I believe that he had a invisibility spell or something but I know it was a he."
"How?"
"When he was placing the stones down I hear him whisper things under his breath presumably the words for the incantation of the dream barrier. Though I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying I know for sure that it was a guy speaking."
Lina flopped down on Sylphiel's bed. Invisible huh? Great... But then if he's invisible then what did Zel see? "What else happened after that?"
"There was this big flash of light and then the creature was gone. I was going to get up and wake you when I suddenly felt this wave of sleepiness and I must have fallen asleep after that."
"Oh well I'm hungry let's go get some food!"
Once Lina, Sylphiel and Amelia got downstairs they noticed that Zelgadis was already up and had already finished his breakfast.
"Well looks like you are getting back into your early morning routine." Lina commented as she took a seat next to him.
"Yeah I guess." Zelgadis said in a strange voice giving her a weird look.
If Lina had not been as hungry as she was then maybe she would noticed that but instead she grabbed a menu and started ranting off her order for the waitress.
"I think I'll go back to my room for now till you guys are ready later to go the library." Zelgadis said while getting up and pushed his chair.
"Yeah whatever, see you later." Lina said in a rushed manor and went straight back into her large breakfast order that still hadn't finished reading out.
Zelgadis smiled evilly as he walked away from the three girls. On his way out of the restaurant area he passed Xellos who was just coming in. Immediately once the two of them passed by each other they paused giving each other glares. Then both looked away and continued walking in their different directions.