Zelgadis sat in his room long after eating dinner with the others. He was staring out his window at the rainstorm outside with only a candle lit him his room for light. The wind howled and raindrops beat a hypnotic pattern on the windowpane. I wonder if this storm is going to let up at all? He sighed. Zelgadis had too many things on his mind to think about. Too many little mysteries flying about. He even wondered about the whether or not he was crazy to agree to go on this little quest of Lina's. But then there was that whole thing with the shadow creatures and the strange dreams. If they were all truly in danger then it would be better if they all stayed together, strength in numbers as it goes. And Zelgadis didn't even know if this ominous danger surrounding them was related to Lina's quest.
He closed the curtain and went and flopped down on his bed with his eyes closed. He half expected to open his eyes and find a shadow like creature looming over him. But there wasn't one there. So he rolled over to the side and blew out the candle and went to sleep.
Out in the rainstorm Kilanashradora watched from her view point of Sailune castle. She was scowling but not because she was dripping wet in the pouring rain. She was a monster after all. She didn't need to worry about things like being cold and wet. What she was scowling about was that after two attempts she hadn't been able to kill Lina and her fellow companions.
"What am I going to do? I can't do the major stuff like I want to because of that annoying fruitcake Xellos. Though I have no idea what interest he could have in a bunch of mindless mortals. What exactly could Zellas want with them?"
Xellos waited in the room adjacent to Greater Beast Zellas' main hall. He was there hoping to hear some more information about the his master's fellow monster lords.
"You may see her now." A rather small blue thing with five eyes and one hand spoke in a raspy voice as it hopped over to Xellos.
Xellos raised an eyebrow at the little creature. "Um, yes thank you." Inside Greater Beast sat at her thrown with a rather bored expression on her face. Xellos bowed at her feet and she just waved her hand to get him to stand.
"What do you want now Xellos?"
"Master I was just wondering if you knew any new information about the other monsters not under your rule?"
Zellas sighed with another tired look. She got up and got a bottle of wine to drink before she answered Xellos. "All I've been able to find out is that all of Gaav and Fibrizo's minions are running amuck on their own warped agendas. And I have no idea about Dynast and Deep Sea's minions because neither have been seen at all. Though I believe that some of their minions are conspiring with some of Gaav and Fibrizo's rogue for some purpose."
"Master I can confirm that. Kilanashradora I believe is currently plotting to kill Lina and the others along with other's including Gek whom was recently killed."
Zellas frowned. "Kilanashradora? Hmm... I wonder if she has been giving those odd powers like that annoying Gek had." She mused talking more to herself then to Xellos.
"From what I have seen I don't think so. But I don't even have the slightest clue where Gek may have gotten those powers. Thought they didn't help him that much in the end he could have very well killed me if he hadn't been fooling around." Xellos shuddered at that thought. Though Xellos had been injured before he had never felt such harsh pain before.
"Yes that was very careless of you Xellos." Zellas smiled evilly at Xellos with a dangerous smile. Xellos in return sweatdropped. "But as for the origin of those powers Gek acquired is now your job to figure out. Of course you still have to do you other duties. Now leave." Zellas took another swig from her wine completely ignoring Xellos.
"As you wish Master." Xellos phased out heading back to Sailune.
Sylphiel tossed and turned in her sleep. She was having the same nightmare that had been plaguing her sleep. And like before she woke with a start, shaking, dripping with cold sweat and with her clothes clinging to her like a second skin.
"These dreams... what do they mean?" Sylphiel frowned and got out of bed. It was very early in the morning so barely any light peered through the currents. With yesterday's rainstorm long forgotten the sky looked clear signaling blue skies for the day ahead.
To Sylphiel's surprise during the night when she had been sleeping one of the castle servants had came into her room and laid her newly cleaned clothes on a chair nearby the bed. Rather then be pleasantly surprised of what the servant had done, Sylphiel was worried. If a servant can get into my room during the night without my noticing it then whose to say that no one else can? She tried to get her mind off that disturbing thought as she got ready.
Out in the castle halls all was clam and quiet. Not another single person was walking in the halls with Sylphiel. But still she felt like she was being watched.
That morning everyone dribbled their way down to eat breakfast. Some had slept well the night before, some hadn't.
"Does anyone have any idea how we could find Kilana or get her to come to us?" Lina asked as she scarfed down a few more pancakes.
"Well the problem is we could search around the whole city and not find her at all." Zelgadis stated him himself having his ritual coffee.
"How about you Amelia? Couldn't you be able to arrange a meeting using your public influence to her to come to us?"
Before Amelia could answer Sylphiel's question Zelgadis interrupted.
"Yeah Sylphiel she probably could get Kilana to come to a meeting. The problem is that we might attract more then just her. Because Amelia would have to make a public announcement someone that might be plotting to take over Sailune could take that as an opportunity to cause some trouble. And besides we don't even know if Kilana herself is dangerous or not."
Amelia nearly choked on her food. "Mister Zelgadis you can't honestly believe that Miss Kilana would have something sinister planned do you?!"
"Of course he does Amelia. And I don't blame him either. I personally don't think that Kilana can be trusted. The timing just seemed too good to be true. Don't you think that it's a bit weird that right when we can't think of a place to start our search that Kilana offers us with this information of hers?"
"But Miss Lina why would we go through all this if it might end up being a trap?!" Amelia looked at Lina in confusion.
"Well when it comes down to t we don't have a starting point to start our search. Meaning we could literally start anywhere. And even if this ends up being a trap at least it's a place to start. And if it is a trap then we can just track down Kilana get back the dragon tear crystal." Lina grinned looking at the said crystal with a hint of greed gleaming in her eyes.
Everyone else sweatdropped and chose not to comment on it.
"But that still leaves us down to square one. How do we find Miss Kilana?"
Everyone start there at the table deep in thought. Well almost everyone. Instead of thinking Gourry was still wolfing down his breakfast much like he had been during this whole discussion instead of listening to what everyone was saying.
If Xellos had been there then maybe they could have convinced him to tell us where they could find Kilana, but even that was a shot in the dark. Would Xellos really give out information like that with no trouble at all? Very unlikely.
"You know what we have to do right?" Zelgadis finally said to Lina in conclusion.
Lina groaned. The only thing that they could do was go and search for Kilana on the Sailune streets. Let the needle in the hay stack search continue!
Kilanashradora though wasn't even in Sailune. Where was she? In the middle of an old ruins of an ancient kingdom that was very, very far away from Sailune.
"This is perfect! With the numerous different underground labyrinths and the various traps this will be the perfect place to carry out my plans! MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" She roared out with evil insane laughter that even made the little crawling bugs around her sweatdrop. "Now all I need to do is make up some fake map and give it to those hapless mortals with a few instructions. And what's even better is that I might even be able to kill while they are still on the way over here! Hee hee hee hee." Kilanashradora giggled in childish delight as she phased out heading back towards Sailune. Xellos on the other hand came out of his hiding spot from which he had been watching Kilanashradora had been planning.
"So she plans on sending Miss Lina and the rest of them here hmm...? Well that ought to prove to be... amusing." Xellos phased out himself to catch up his fellow monster.
But besides Kilanashradora and Xellos there had been yet other monster hiding in the ruins spying on both of them. He stepped out of his placed and phased back to the dark void of the amber eyed creatures. The monster snuck around making sure that he was unnoticed as he went to go and report to his master.
His master sat in his chambers that had been given to him the high elder of the dark creatures. He was waiting for his minions report.
"Master I am have come to report on Kilanashradora's progress." The minion bowed before his current master, whom was ruling over many of the rouge lower monsters.
The minions master looked down at Sevric, which was the minions name with his dark cold eyes. He pushed a lock of his dark hair out of the way before speaking. "Sevric is Kilanashradora aware that you are spying on her?"
"No master. She's still trying to carry out your orders."
The dark haired and dark eyed man almost laughed at that fact. How is that she's so clueless that she isn't even aware of people spying on her? "Is she aware that the high elder of this place sent some of his own kind to spy on her as well?"
"No master. Kilanashradora is unaware of anyone spying on her. Including Xellos."
"Xellos? So he knows of Kilanashradora's ploy then?" The dark haired man mused in thought. So Greater Beast Zellas is getting involved in this. How interesting.
"Yes he's been spying on her and knows exactly what she has planned for Lina and her traveling companions."
"Is Xellos aware of you spying on him as well?"
"As far as I know Xellos isn't aware of my presence. But just the same Xellos likes to toy with those assigned to watch him."
"Yes that's quite true. Well with Xellos around I don't Kilanashradora is going to succeeded then."
"It would seem so Master."
"Excelent. Good work Sevric, I want you to keep a good eye on them and continue to give me regular reports. And it is very important that the high elder or none of the amber eyed shadow creatures know about this."
"Yes Master." Sevric phased out leaving his master alone in his chambers. The dark haired man let out a depressive sigh as he stared at the face in a painting hanging on his wall.
Lina and company just got out of Sailune castle when all of a sudden Xellos of all people just popped up.
"Well good morning everyone! How are you all doing?" Xellos' voice was fake and sugary sweet just like his fake smile.
"And just where the hell have you been Xellos?!? Oh nevermind. Hey by chance do you know where we might be able to find Kilana?" Lina said in a hopefully voice, though she knew what answer she was going to get. Only before Xellos could even say anything someone spoke first.
"Why bother asking how to find me when I'm already here?" Kilana said with a playful evil smile that was hidden from them.
"Kilana! We've been looking for you!"
"Ah yes I do apologize I was busy taking care of some business. So I take it that you manage to acquire the dragon tear crystal that I was asking for?" Kilana prompted and Lina went and fished it out of her cloak.
"Yes I've got it right here. But first give us the information." Lina had a no-nonsense tone of voice.
"Alright I have a map right here that outlines the location of the key. It's in the middle of the old ruins of the Galorie Kingdom. In the ruins there's an entrance to one of the many underground labyrinths that lay underneath the old kingdom. It is said that the key is in the middle where all passages meet." Kilana handed Lina the map.
Lina scanned it over and a vein throbbed on her forehead. "This is where the key is?!?!? IT'S MORE THEN 10 DAYS TRAVEL FROM HERE AND THAT'S IF WE FLY THE WHOLE DAMNED WAY!!!!!!!!" Lina yelled.
"And your point is...?"
"You didn't say it was so far away!!!!"
"Well that's not my fault. You didn't ask me. And since I've got my crystal I think I shall be off now. I hope you all have good luck." Kilana walked off and added silently under her breath, "You're going to need it."
"Come on Miss Lina it's not too bad. At least we know where to go." Amelia tried to lighten the mood, only Lina wasn't listening.