Zelgadis finished off his breakfast and went out of his room. In the hallway he looked to the door next to his. Somewhere in the back of his mind an image of Lina was there going through that door. But it was extremely fuzzy. But then this hallway looks like just any other hallway in any other inn we've been at. She's had rooms next to mine many times before.
Even though he dismissed the image of Lina using the door Zelgadis tried the knob. It wasn't locked. Inside the room looked like a typical inn room. Perfectly made bed, dressers, closet, table and chairs. And with no signs of anyway sleeping there the night before.
Downstairs Zelgadis found Gourry still eating and Amelia drinking hot cocoa.
"Good morning Mister Zelgadis! Are you feeling better?" Amelia greeted Zelgadis.
"I'm fine." Zelgadis half mumbled as he joined them at the table.
Gourry briefly looked up from his food, "Nice clothes," and then went right back to eating.
Mrs. Knight came in with more food and placed it on the table in front of Gourry.
"Well you all eat up dears. I'm going to go check on my daughter right now."
"Isn't this place so nice?" Amelia gushed shortly after Mrs. Knight had left.
"Yes I suppose it is..." Zelgadis said suspiciously. Why hasn't Amelia said anything about Lina yet? She'd normally get very worried.
"According to Mrs. Knight tomorrow is this towns' annual winter celebration." Amelia took another sip of her cocoa.
"What sort of celebration?" Gourry asked through his breakfast. "Is there lots of food?"
"Yes there's food. As well as singing, dancing, and gifts. And it's a six day celebration that ends with the lasts day with fireworks and large feast where everyone exchanges gifts."
"Which day is it of the celebration?" Zelgadis asked. I have this strange feeling she's going to say that tomorrow is the last day.
"Today is the second to last day. The last day of the celebration is tomorrow." Amelia said grinning.
Zelgadis narrowed his eyes. How did I know that? "Amelia where's Lina?"
Amelia's smile left her face. "I don't know. Mrs. Knight said that there were only three of us. Miss Lina probably went on and got to those caves she was looking for. She'll probably get here tomorrow."
"You're not worried that she could still be out there freezing to death?"
"Miss Lina is a champion of justice, she wouldn't let a little snow stop her!" Amelia grinned.
Zelgadis sweatdropped. "What makes you so sure that she continued on?"
"I was the first to collapse. And when I fell I saw Miss Lina still walking. I'm sure she made it to safety. Good is always triumphant over evil!" Amelia flashed a victory sign.
"Gourry what about you? What can you remember?"
Gourry stopped eating for a moment to think. "Umm... I can't remember." Gourry smiled dumbly.
"Gourry it's important. Think, try real hard to remember what happened during that trek." Zelgadis coaxed.
Gourry bit his tongue in deep thought. He was very silent for a few minutes while he tried very hard to remember what he could of that snowy evening. "I was tired, cold and hungry. You were in front of me and Lina was in front of you." Gourry paused for another few minutes. "I remember still seeing you two walking before I passed out."
Zelgadis frowned. He himself couldn't remember a single thing from that trek at all. From the moment the icy winds started to really hallow his mind was blank.
"What about you Mister Zelgadis?"
"I can't remember a thing. Most of the trek is blank in my mind." Zelgadis frowned again. This isn't right I know it isn't.
Lina glared at the clock in front of her. She felt a strange magic essence coming from it. Chances are that's the anchor to the spell. Lina tried to free herself of her binds but the knots of the ropes here very tight. Instead of loosening the ropes all she did was dig cuts into her hands.
Her captor had disappeared shortly after she had awoken. She had no idea where he had gone but she wasn't about to waste time trying to figure it out she was going to try to escape if she could. But she couldn't. Lina wanted to scream in frustration but the gag on her mouth prevented her from getting out any more then a little mumble.
The smell of freshly cooked food wafted into the room Lina was being held captive in. It made her stomach growled wildly. I'm so hungry! I want food. Lina thought miserably.
The door creaked behind her and she heard the sounds of footsteps on the old wood stairs. The smell of food got closer with each footstep closer.
Lina cranked her neck to see what was behind her. It was her captor holding what looked to be a large tray.
"I'm sorry to leave you like that but I figured you might be quite hungry. I've seen how much you eat." The man pulled a table right in front of her and placed the tray of food right under her face. He cut the gag covering her mouth.
"Who are you and why have you kidnapped me?!" Lina demanded loudly startling the man.
"Kidnapped? I didn't kidnap you." The man stuttered out.
"Really? You mean knocked someone out, dragging them and then tying them against their will isn't kidnapping?! Then tell me what is!!!" Lina screamed out.
The man jumped back in fright. Lina was a very frightening person when she was angry. "I'm sorry but I couldn't let you interfere with my plans." The man apologized to Lina.
"And what plans would that be?! Why have you trapped all these people for?!" Lina demanded.
"I'm just buying time. Once I've succeeded everything can turn to normal."
"Succeeded with what?! What evil plan do you have planned for these people?!"
"Nothing. Now eat your breakfast, it's going to get cold." Her captor left her again.
Lina tried to concentrate on getting her ropes loose but the smell of the food right underneath her face made her have trouble thinking of anything else but her hunger.
After a but of wrestling with herself Lina finally decided to eat. Though she couldn't do it in a very lady like manner. But not like Lina really cared that much. Who is this guy and what the heck is he doing this for? Well at least I know whose behind all this. But I can't do anything tied up here! Damnit Zel where are you?!?!
Zelgadis spent most of his day helping the townspeople search for Lina. Something nagged at him in the back of his head about where Lina should be but he couldn't quite get a good grasp on it. Somehow he knew that she should be in the town. But according to the townspeople no other people came into the town except the three of them. And it wasn't a very large town and they didn't get visitors much. So if someone came into town they all knew about it.
It was strange as they searched around the outside of the town. When Zelgadis and the others had made their way to Wislinn the weather had been very cold and very harsh.
But when they searched for Lina it was mild, cool but still mild. And considering how bad the weather is because of the barrier around the town it was extremely odd that the weather would be that calm.
Zelgadis had tried to ask some of the townspeople about the barrier around the town and they just looked at him like he was nuts. They had no idea what he was talking about. They did admit that weather could be bad at winter around Wislinn but it was never that bad all the time. Nor where the summers, springs and autumns as bad as he described.
During the search the townspeople led Zelgadis to where they had originally found them. Whatever tracks that the four of them had made that night were long since covered by blankets of snow.
They searched and searched but they did not find Lina or any trace of Lina.
Lina sat in the chair she was tied to with nothing else to do but stare at the room she was in. She had tried to yell and scream at the beginning but it seemed that there was a sound barrier in the room that prevented sound from escaping.
The room around her looked very much like a sorcerer's lab. There where many vials and beakers full of strange liquids, books and scrolls were scattered everywhere and there were several crystals, orbs and candles laid out on the many tables in the room. A large magic square had been painted on the floor and the constant waves of magic power from the numerous spells centered in the room made Lina dizzy.
Her captor whom she finally found out was named Ethan had returned briefly with lunch for her. After she had finished eating he had put her gag on and then left again. He returned hours later and went to work completely ignoring Lina.
From her observations Lina could figure out that Ethan seemed to be trying to make some kind of magic potion, but Lina for the life of her couldn't figure out the purpose of the potion and what it was supposed to do. But she had decided that unless he was planning on poisoning the water supply or making a potion to make himself powerful or immortal that Ethan's motives were not as evil as she had first thought. If he was planning something very terrible it would just make sense for him to just kill me. I'm the only one that knows about the time barrier so if he just got rid of me he could continue with no problems. Keeping me alive is just stupid. I could end up escaping. Ropes may be effective tools to keep someone trapped but they eventually fray. And they are only as good as the knots they were tied with. Either he's really over confident that I wont escape or he really doesn't want to hurt me. Lina frowned at that thought. She really didn't know what was going on.
Lina continued to try and loosen the ropes but the knots refused to give. Instead they dug deeper into her wrists. Either Ethan is really good at tying knots or he's got a spell of some sort casted on the knots to keep them from budging. I wouldn't be surprised if it was magic. This guy sure uses a lot. And if it is then this pointless.
After giving up on the ropes Lina went back to what she was doing earlier, counting various objects in the room. Not the most stimulating past time.
The door slammed open and down came a frustrated looking Ethan carrying a tray of food presumable for Lina for dinner.
He stomped down the stairs and nearly threw the tray in front of Lina. He pulled down her gag but said nothing to her. Instead Ethan ignored her and went back to his work.
Lina was going to comment on Ethan's current state of frustration but considering that she was captive, she was tied up and he didn't look all that happy, pissing him off further wouldn't be such a good idea. Lina just ate her food as silently as she could watching Ethan very carefully.
Ethan tried to concentrate on the work in front of him but his anger got the best of him and he threw the vial in his hand against the wall.
"Not having a good day?" Lina half joked.
"No matter what I do it never works." Ethan said in a daze more to himself then to Lina.
"What never works?" Lina asked.
Ethan blinked then looked over to Lina. "What?"
"What never works?"
"Oh...um... Nothing..." He trailed off.
"That potion you made. It wasn't for you was it? Otherwise you would have used it right after you made it. So it was for someone else wasn't it?" Lina prompt him.
Ethan didn't say anything he just sat there staring out into space.
"Am I right?"
"Angel." Ethan mumbled in an almost inaudible whisper.
"What?"
"Angel Knight." He said this time a little louder.
"The inn keeper's daughter?"
Ethan didn't directly answer Lina. He just looked off in a daze like his mind wasn't there in his body. "I was only seven when I first say Angel. I was helping my mother with an errand. Angel white in the face, as if she was made of snow. She was so angelic, really true to her name. And she was very sweet and kind. I know at the age of seven most boys don't like girls, but it was like love at first sight. Angel didn't have any friends. She had been sick with a rare illness from birth. It made her body weak but it never dampened her spirit. She always had the biggest and brightest smiles. Always happy, always cheerful even though she was sick. I asked her to marry me when she was sixteen. She said yes and we were engaged to be married. We were going to get married this coming spring. But on the morning of the last day of our winter festival she was no longer on this mortal coil. She had died in her sleep the night before. Her parents tried to calm me telling me she was in a better place and not feeling anymore pain. But I wouldn't listen. I was too angry to hear any of their words. It wasn't fair, Angel had been robbed of a life and it was ended so short. It wasn't right! So I cursed that day so that it would never come ever again..." Ethan trailed off once more.
"So you made the time loop to try and save her?" Lina asked in a quiet voice. The whole time she had been trying to figure out the reason to the time loop she had thought it had been for evil purposes. She had not suspected it was a reason like this.
"If Angel is cured the town will return to a normal flow of time. The barriers will disappear. But and night she remains as she is now the same day repeats. This is the only room that isn't affected. When I had first started up this loop I only intended it to go on for a couple of days, weeks at most. Just to buy me enough time to find a means to cure Angel. But this illness is too complex. And no matter how hard I try nothing works. I don't even know how long I've been repeating the same day for. I lost track in all my madness to try and find a cure." Ethan broke down crying. "I just want my Angel, I want to be with her I want her to be happy and healthy."
"But the spell is breaking down isn't it?"
Ethan tried to regain his composure. "Yes it is. The townspeople haven't figured it out yet but it will be soon."
"Their actions are starting to differ."
Ethan nodded.
"There's too much pressure on the spell and when everyone becomes aware of the loop it's going to break down completely."
Ethan was very quite.
"And Angel will die."
"I can't let her die." Ethan said defiantly.
"But you're letting her die every night."
He didn't say anything, he just looked at her confused.
"If Angel isn't cured the day repeats right? And if Angel died in her sleep then she must have died before the loops ends and starts up again. So every time you fail you kill her and bring her back to life just to die again. She's going through an endless cycle of death doomed to suffer. Constant suffering that only ends when she finally has release but then is brought back to suffer again. Is that really fair to her?"
"Oh my gods what have I done?" Ethan sunk inwards with his tears freely flowing down his cheeks. "I love her so much but I'm putting her though so much pain. I'm a selfish monster." He broke down into gut wrenching sobs.
"You said that you wanted her to be happy and healthy, there's nothing selfish about that."
"But I'm putting her through so much misery."
"So what are you going to do about it?" Lina asked in a strict tone.
"I should let her go but I can't... I can't live without her."
"Untie me." Lina commanded.
"Pardon?"
"I said untie me. Untie me and I'll help you."
Hours later Zelgadis went back to the inn. The townspeople had deemed it too dark to do any more searching. Unless Lina made it to the caves outside Wislinn she was more likely dead. Logic dictated this but Zelgadis was more then certain that she was still alive.
On the way back to the inn he passed by the town square which had a large clock in a small tower in the middle. Zelgadis briefly gazed at the clock and didn't think much of it. But then a strange force seemed to pull Zelgadis' face back to gaze at the direction of the clock. Something about that clock seemed vaguely familiar to him.
Without him even realizing what he was doing he was suddenly inside the tower and ascending the stairs. He reached the top and went on the balcony that over looked the town with the clock face just a foot above him.
He gazed out to the sight in front of him. He could see the people below singing and the snow falling from above. The trees just outside the town were dusted with snow, a sight just like out of a snow globe.
This strung a cord of memory within Zelgadis. What is this strange feeling?
Back at the inn Zelgadis went back to his room. Strange conflicting thoughts filled his head making sleep an almost impossible thing. But we went to his bed anyway. He laid there with his head on his pillow thinking and knowing something was wrong. Thoughts and memories laid in far reaches of his brain that he desperately wanted to grasp.
Zelgadis woke up to the feel of someone's hand on his forehead. "What...?" Zelgadis mumbled.
"I'm sorry dear I didn't mean to wake you up." A middle aged woman stood before him with an apologetic smile.
"What's going on?" Zelgadis asked suspiciously. I was fine yesterday so why would she check on me again today?
"I'm sorry again! I should explain." The woman put the tray of food down in front of Zelgadis before she started. "My name is Meredith Knight and you are in the Wislinn Inn an inn that my husband Harris and I own. From the name of the place you can get that this town you are in is Wislinn. Some of the townspeople found you and your friends collapse unconscious out in the snow outside of the town. They brought you all here because I have the room. And I must say I was so worried when they brought you and your friends here! You were all so blue and frozen. You seemed to be the worst of them. Are you feeling better?" Mrs. Knight asked with a concerned look on her face.
Zelgadis blinked in shock. What's going on she said this yesterday... And that's the same food as yesterday too. "I am I suppose. Where's my friends?" Zelgadis tested. Let's see if she answer's the same.
"That blond fellow named Gourry came down as I was making breakfast and that polite friend of yours named Amelia came down just after Gourry as I was about to bring her up some food. Which reminds me I'm sorry about your clothing dear, they are still very wet. I've got them drying over the fire. I'll get them to you as soon as they are dry."
It was as if a light bulb lit up in his brain. Zelgadis realized what was going on. He remembered. The time loop! We're stuck in a time loop! And Lina and I were investigating it. Wait a minute, Lina! She was taken into that building by force. I was going to check it out but the loop started up again and I ended up back here.
"Now you eat up, I'll be downstairs if you need me." Mrs. Knight said after Zelgadis didn't say anything. She gave him a smile before leaving him to his breakfast.
Zelgadis quickly ate his breakfast and went to leave right away until he noticed that he was still in his pajamas. Damn. And Mrs. Knight said my clothes were still drying. I'll have to wait.
Leaving as soon as possible Zelgadis rushed out into the town square in search of that building Lina and him had been investigating. Only the problem was though he could remember some of the events from the previous loops, his memory was still fuzzy.
After a bit of searching Zelgadis found what he was looking for. He rushed over to the door was about to break it down when it opened with Lina standing in the doorway.
"It's about time you got here." Lina said in an unimpressed tone before dragging Zelgadis down the stairs.
"What's going on?" Zelgadis asked looking around the room. It was a room very cluttered with magic related items. Looks like someone's magic lab. He looked over at Lina whom was still dragging him and noticed her hands. "Lina your wrists, they are all cut and bruised."
Lina looked down at her hands. "Oops, forgot to heal those. Oh well do it later. Anyway first of all this is Ethan." Lina introduced Zelgadis to Ethan. "He's Mrs. Knight's future son-in-law. He's also the one that's causing this time loop."
Zelgadis tensed. "The same person that kidnapped you?" His voice was dark.
Ethan lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry about that."
Zelgadis lowered his eyes at him and Lina just rolled her eyes.
"Okay so here's why the loop is going on." Lina started before explaining the whole situation to Zelgadis into too much detail as she normally does.
"Alright... So what have you figured out about the illness?" Zelgadis went to look over what Ethan and Lina had been working on.
"Well this isn't my area of expertise so this is a little on the difficult side. If I was stronger in white magic I might be able to do something."
"Ethan doesn't your town have any priests or priestess?"
Ethan shook his head. "Not many people can caste magic in this town. I'm the most gifted and I specialize in time magic and minor spells in other areas. But I don't think a simple curing spell would be enough to help Angel. The potions I've made up neutralized the effects of the illness for a little while but it didn't cure her."
"How do you know if it didn't?"
"If I can manage to cure her the spell would drop immediately. It's triggered that way. So even if I manage to ease her pain for a little while the spell wont lift itself unless she is completely cured."
"Well I guess we should get a fresh sample and see what we can do from there."
Lina, Ethan and Zelgadis spent the whole day working on the cure for Angel. They started that morning and went in straight into the night, only taking breaks to eat. But it was starting to get late.
"Perhaps you two should go back to the inn and we'll pick this up tomorrow. The barriers will last out for at least another loop. Because I know you must be tired Lina. We did an all-nighter last night and I don't think sleeping in that chair was very comfortable the night before that."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Just go." Ethan insisted.
The two nodded their head and Lina and Zelgadis left to go back to the inn.
"Wait a minute we can't go in there!" Zelgadis exclaimed.
"Why not?"
"They think you aren't here. When the loop started up again and you weren't here you weren't outside for the townspeople to drag in. They think it was only me, Gourry and Amelia. If you pop up there will be lots of explaining to do. And it's still not going to make sense no matter how well you explain it. And I don't think you want to cause panic telling them the truth. It might further degrade the loop."
"So then what do you want me to do?" Lina frowned.
"We'll have to sneak you in."
With some clever amounts of dodging and hiding Lina and Zelgadis managed to get back to his room unseen.
"So I guess I should go back to my room."
"But it's not your room Lina."
Lina mentally cursed. "And I can't go there just in case Mr. or Mrs. Knight goes in. So what the hell am I going to do, sleep here?!"
"You could." Zelgadis said quietly.
"What?"
"Sleep here. You could take the bed and I'll take the floor. It's just going to repeat itself again and you'll end up in the other room anyway." Zelgadis suggested.
"I'm not going to take the bed. It's your room."
"And you didn't get much sleep. I don't need as much sleep as you. And besides I'll keep watch just in case anyone decides to check up on me. I'll just stay up till midnight so that way I wont even need to sleep. The loop will just start itself up again."
Lina looked at Zelgadis suspiciously. "How do I know you wont try anything while I sleep."
"What the heck are you suggesting?!" Zelgadis exclaimed with his face going red. "I'd never do anything!"
Lina didn't say anything she just went into the bed staring at Zelgadis the whole time.
To return the favor Zelgadis stared at Lina. Even after she closed her eyes.
Lina tried to sleep but she was having trouble. She was thinking too much about Angel and Ethan. It's a strange tragic love story. I wonder if I'll ever find someone who'd care about me that much to stop time itself. Lina mentally sighed. She opened her eyes. "I can't sleep with you doing that!" Lina glared at Zelgadis.
"I'm not doing anything." Zelgadis said from his chair.
"You're staring at me!"
"What you've never had a guy stare at you before?" Zelgadis said without thinking. He blushed once he realized what it sounded like.
"Yes I have. Just stop it okay." Lina stammered out.
The next morning Lina woke up in other room and noticed this when you she looked around. She waited for a moment but nothing happened. Where's Mrs. Knight? She got up and checked outside her door and down the hall. Mrs. Knight was nowhere in sight. Lina checked the clock in her room and noted something interesting. She was up almost a half hour earlier then she the other loops.
She quickly got dressed and went over to Zelgadis' room. As expected he was sleeping in bed. Heard something a little different from the other times. Zelgadis was mumbling in his sleep. He had said he was having a nice dream the other times. Lina walked over to him and put her ear near his mouth. She couldn't make out much of what he was saying except one word. Lina. And he smiled when he said it.
Lina blinked. No I had to have heard that wrong. He's not dreaming about me... is he? Lina stood there trying to debate on what to do.
Zelgadis slowly drifted out of her slumber and opened his eyes. He wasn't surprised to see Lina looming over him. "Good morning. Why's you face red?"
Lina jumped back in surprise almost tripping herself. "Gah! Don't do that!"
"Sorry. I'll try to wake up more quietly next time." Zelgadis muttered sarcastically.
"We should get going soon." Lina declared ignoring Zelgadis' remark. I'll have to ask him about that dream another time.
After hours of testing and re-testing liquids and potions in Ethan's lab, Lina Zelgadis and Ethan came up with what could be a cure. The only problem was that it was a slow action potion. It might not work in time provided it even works at all. But time was running out.
Mrs. Knight had shown signs of confusion when she saw Lina that morning. Like as if there was something wrong with Lina being there in the inn. And Mrs. Knight wasn't the only one, others in the town started to get confused and were acting out of their normal routine. And what was worse was that pockets of the towns were experiencing fluctuations in time flow. Some places the time stopped for a period of time and then would skip to the current place in time, others would speed up then stop.
The spell was crumbling and crumbling fast. This would be their only chance. They didn't have any more time to make anything else nor the materials.
"We'd best take this over to Angel now. But we don't know if it will work." Ethan gave a depressive sigh.
"Don't even think about that. Let's just take it over to her and face what comes when it comes." Lina half ordered.
It was a very silent walk back to the inn. They only made one stop, and that was at a flower shop so that Ethan could buy some roses for Angel.
Up inside the inn on the third floor in a room at the end of the hall was Angel's room. Angel laid in her bed very still and very tired. Her face was very pale and she looked tired and worn down. But her face lit up with a weak smile when the three of them came in.
"Ethan! I'm so happy to see you. Are those roses?"
"Yes I got them for you." Ethan gingerly placed the roses in Angel's hands.
"Thank you, they're beautiful." Angel breathed in their flowery sent. "Are those people with you two of the four travelers brought into town that my mother told me about?" Angel looked over at Lina and Zelgadis.
"Yes. This is Lina and Zelgadis. They helped me make something that might cure you."
Angel's eyes sparkled. "Really?"
"Yes."
"Thank you so much." She warmly smiled at them all.
"You're welcome. Anyway I guess we should leave you two alone."
Ethan nodded and Lina and Zelgadis left.
Ethan gave the potion to Angel. She took it with her weak hands and drank it all even though it tasted bad.
"What's wrong Ethan? You look so sad."
"Nothing Angel." Ethan tried to smile for her but the smile looked very sad.
"I'm dying aren't I?" Angel asked quietly.
Ethan blink in surprise at her directness. "Angel you're not -- "
"No! Don't lie to me! Tell me the truth, please. I knew I was going to die sooner then most people my age. So tell me."
"If this potion doesn't work then you'll die tonight." Ethan's voice was devoid of emotion.
"How do you know this?"
"Because you did die. We found the last day of the winter festival dead in your bed. You had died the night before. And then I changed time."
"You did what?"
"I made a barrier around this town and set time back one day. And this day has been repeating itself over and over since then."
"For how long?" Suddenly Angel started to feel dizzy.
"I don't know, I lost track."
"Why would you do this?"
"I needed to buy time to save you. Only now the barrier is crumbling. It probably wont last another night."
Angel sighed. "Ethan why would you do this? You shouldn't have condemned this whole town just for my sake. It's not right. It's makes me sad."
"Angel I know it was selfish of me but I could let things stay the way they were. You deserve a happy healthy life. It was right that you didn't have that." Ethan lowered his head in shame.
"I love you Ethan, very much." Angel put her hand on Ethan's head. "Are you going to stay with me?"
"Yes, till the end." Ethan took her hand in his.
Lina gave out a depressive sigh. She was glad that this was all going to be over soon, but she didn't like what could or would happen. It wasn't fair that Ethan and Angel had to be put through this but fate is fate. Ethan was foolish to try and change Angel's fate but at the same time Lina hoped he succeeded.
"So what do you want to do now Lina?" Zelgadis asked as they left the inn.
"I don't know..."
"Don't you want to go and eat? Isn't that what you normally want to do?"
"I guess I'm just not hungry right now."
For the most part of the day Ethan spent at Angel's bedside and Lina and Zelgadis took in the winter events of the festival.
Lina and Zelgadis tried to take their minds off the sad damper to this winter day but it was very difficult. But they did their best anyway.
They sat at one of the cafés drinking cocoa watching the people pass by and the snowfall. It was a very calm beautiful day. Except for all the panic going on.
Rumors started to fly about demons and monsters reeking havoc on the town. Some people even came to them accusing them of causing the problems with the time. But luckily it was never more then two people at a time and no big mobs have come after them yet.
"It's going to be a relief when this is all over." Lina took a sip of her drink.
"What you don't like living through a day that eternally repeats?" Zelgadis half joked.
Lina just glared at him. "And have the same damn breakfast every morning? No thank you."
"But Lina I thought you liked the food Mrs. Knight made."
Lina glared at him again.
Zelgadis silently chuckled.
Lina was tempted too to either hit him or fireball his ass. But then a better idea came to mind. "Say Zel... you told me every morning I woke you up from a very nice dream. What exactly was that dream about?" Lina teased.
"I um..." Zelgadis' face went completely red. "I can't remember..." Zelgadis stammered out.
"Really? Then why are you blushing so hard?" Lina poked him in the side.
"I'm not blushing!"
"Yes you are you're beet red! You look like a tomato!" Lina giggled.
"I'm not blushing! It's just cold out that's all!"
"Or really? Did it just get colder when I asked you about your dream? Because your face wasn't red before! Unless you do remember your dream. What could you be dreaming about that make you blush so hard?" Lina got into a fit of giggles. But then a thought dawned on her. And then she started to blush as hard as he was.
"What? What are you blushing for?"
"Never mind! Forget I even asked!" Lina said in a very fast voice.
The two were very silent for a little while.
"So what do you want to do now?" Lina asked after awhile.
Many hours later despite all the weird happens with portions of the town, many of the townspeople joined together in the town square around the clock to wait till it turned midnight. For some people this was the hour to mark the final day of the festival, others this was a symbol of a new start. Besides the exchanging of gifts there was one other tradition on the beginning of the last day. When the clock struck midnight couples kissed each other for good luck in love and their relationship. It was also a time for single people to come together and begin new relationships. To kiss someone at midnight on this night was a way of conveying your love and devotion to them.
Amongst the crowd of people Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia stood out in the town square watching the clock. It was only mere moments away from midnight.
"Isn't this exciting!" Amelia declared all pink in the face from the cold.
"Yeah more free food and gifts too!" Gourry grinned with thoughts of delicious treats dancing in his head.
"No Mister Gourry! That's not what I meant!"
Neither Lina nor Zelgadis commented. Both of them were too absorbed with watching the hands turn on the clock. Both of them what might or would come.
"Ten!"
Either the loop ends or lasts one more night.
"Nine!"
Or Angel lives or dies.
"Eight!"
Both Lina and Zelgadis watched and waited.
"Seven!"
"Seriously Mister Gourry giving is more important then receiving." Amelia scolded Gourry.
"Eating is more important!"
"Six!"
"Giving!"
"Five!"
"Eating!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
Lina and Zelgadis held their breath.
The clock struck midnight.
And everyone cheered, but the loop didn't repeat.
As couples kissed Lina and Zelgadis looked around while Gourry and Amelia still argued.
Both Lina and Zelgadis were looking around to see if they could see Ethan. He had promised to come out to the town square after midnight if the day didn't repeat. But they didn't see him. Which could mean one of three things he hadn't got there yet, he was already there and they couldn't see him or Angel had died and he was too pain stricken to leave her side.
"Zel do you see him?"
Zelgadis shook his head. But then something caught his eye. A person waved at them. He focused his eyes on the person and noticed that it was Ethan and he wasn't alone. "There Lina!" Zelgadis pointed.
It was Ethan and he was with Angel, she was sitting in a wheel chair smiling.
"It worked!" Lina screamed. She and Zelgadis hugged each other in joy. Until they realized what they were doing and they quickly jumped back from each other. They blushed slightly but they then noticed what all the other couples were doing around them and blushed even harder.
The next day everyone exchanged gifts with exceptions of Gourry, Lina, Amelia and Zelgadis, being travelers just coming through they didn't buy anything. Mrs. Knight had prepared a nice large breakfast for herself, her husband and Angel, Lina and the others, Ethan and his parents. Angel seemed to be doing a lot better. She was still a little weak but she was slowly starting to get her strength back.
The potion had worked around 11:39 pm the pervious night. And not a moment too soon. Ethan felt the barrier go down right after Angel went into some strange spasms of pain. He had thought she had died but then she calmed down and all of a sudden she felt much better. Ethan had checked over Angel just to safe deemed her to be back onto the road of recovery.
The mayor had declared to everyone in the town that the pervious days events had been caused by monsters that had kept the town captive in a time loop for a very long time. The reason why he had come to that conclusion was because both Lina and Zelgadis had went to the mayor and told him that monsters had kept the town captive and they came to Wislinn to save the town. The mayor had wanted to congratulate them publicly in front of the town telling them of their good deeds. But Lina and Zelgadis refused. They requested that the mayor not say who stopped the monsters. Basically because neither Amelia or Gourry knew of this and would more likely ruin the story otherwise.
After all the gift giving everyone went to do their separate things. Amelia helped Mrs. Knight with cleaning, Gourry was taking a nap, Mr. Knight was talking with Ethan's parents, both Angel and Ethan were spending some quality time alone and Zelgadis was off sitting by himself thinking of things while drinking some coffee. Lina was wandering around and went over to bug Zelgadis.
"Well we did it." Lina declared sitting down next to him.
"Yes we did." Zelgadis said quietly while contently sipping his coffee.
"So what are you going to give me as a gift?" Lina asked sweetly.
Zelgadis nearly spat out his drink. "What?"
"It's part of the festival Zel."
"I don't have anything for you and you don't have anything for me either."
Lina frowned. "You could get me something."
"I don't think so."
"Well what if I get you something, then would you get me a gift?"
Zelgadis looked at her suspiciously. "You giving me something? I find that highly unlikely."
"But would you?"
"I suppose..."
"Okay then." Lina grinned but didn't do anything.
Zelgadis just watched her. "Well?"
"Okay fine." Lina fished in her cloak and brought out an old worn book. "Here you go."
"What's this?"
"I bought it off Ethan yesterday before you showed up. The stuff in this town is pretty old and Ethan has a pretty good selection of magic items. He said if there were anything that would help you get your cure, this book would be it."
Zelgadis just blinked. Too many times had he gotten his hopes up and he couldn't help but wonder.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Where's my gift?" Lina asked giving him a mischievous cat like grin.
Zelgadis thought very hard. "Alright I've got something. Close your eyes."
It was Lina's time to look at him suspiciously. "Why?"
"Do you want your gift or not?"
"Fine, fine." Lina closed her eyes and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"Are you giving me my gift or not?!" Lina demanded just as Zelgadis kissed her.
As soon as Lina realized what was going on the kiss was over and Zelgadis had run off.
"ZEL!!!!"
The End.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!