"Gack!" Gourry choked.
Zelgadiss didn't even turn away from the campfire to look. It was almost becoming a nightly tradition.
"Lina!" Gourry sputtered, clawing the tightening noose around his neck. "Let go of my sword!"
Lina pouted, holding on to the sheathed Sword of Light which was connected to the string around Gourry's neck. "I just wanted to look at it."
"Like hell you did!"
"Come on, let me have it! This sword is a historical item that should be shared with all of today's generation."
"You just want to sell it and collect the money!" Gourry yanked his sword from Lina's hands.
Zelgadiss tuned out the argument. It would end like it always did, Gourry would fall asleep with his precious sword wrapped in his arms, and Lina would return to her bedroll to pout and figure out how to separate the swordsman and his sword tomorrow.
As the only one who didn't need sleep, Zelgadiss always held the night watch. He would have taken it anyway. Neither Lina or Gourry could sense a Mazoku if it approached, nor would either be able to deal with it. They surely didn't wake up when he did dispatch their visitors of the night. Plus there was the added bonus, or torture depending on how you saw it, of watching Lina sleep.
If she knew what he was doing, she would likely Fireball him, and that would be if she was in a generous mood. But that was the key wasn't it? What Zel expected was the Lina he knew, the person the girl before him always insisted she wasn't. When they traveled during the day, when she wasn't busy trying to get Gourry's sword, she would be asking for stories about the Lina he knew. But for some reason, Zelgadiss couldn't stop thinking that she was his Lina.
He distantly noted the bickering had died, meaning that the two had finally gone to sleep. Zel pulled out a small item that fit in the palm of his hand. As he had done countless times before, he ran his fingers over the metal etchings, over the smooth dull deep red gem.
"What is that?"
Zel blinked as Lina plopped down to sit next to him. "Nothing."
"Liar. You've pulled that out several times. Seeing as you don't carry much with you, I'm betting it has some sort of importance."
"The only importance you see in anything is the monetary value."
"Hey!" Lina protested indignantly.
Zel chuckled then stopped at Lina's studying gaze. "What?"
Lina shrugged and stretched her arms above her head. "I've never seen you laugh. Or even smile for that matter. Now Xelloss, he smiles way too much. You two are really different, except in keeping secrets."
"I'm nothing like that fruitcake," Zel growled, putting away the item in his hand.
"Hey, you still haven't told me what that is!" Lina made a grab for the item, falling onto Zel as he tried to keep the item away from her.
"It's none of your-Watch your hands!" Zel blushed as one of Lina's grabbing hands fell on an inappropriate area.
"Got it!" Lina snatched Zel's precious item from him and danced away. She held the metal inlaid gem in the firelight. "Looks like some talisman though the straps are broken. From the make of the straps, it must have been a very powerful force to break them."
She tipped the gem so the firelight could dance on it. There was another small spark from within the gem. "And there's something inscribed in...no under the gem. It looks like...Dark Star's symbol?!" Lina nearly dropped the talisman.
"Is this...is this one of the Demonblood Talismans?"
"Yes," Zel replied coolly, reclaiming the talisman and hiding it away again.
"How did you get that? Do you have the rest? Can I buy them?" Lina asked in a rush.
"You don't need to know. No. I'm not selling it."
"Oh come on! There's got to be a great story behind this if you only have one. I mean, those belonged to Lina Inverse! How did you get even one away from her?"
"And you, as her number one fan, want to know everything about your namesake."
"Naturally." Lina sat down on her bedroll across the fire from Zel. "So start."
"..." Zel closed his eyes, a scream echoing in his mind, the words ripped away before they could form any meaning.
"Lina!"
Zel stared at the sorceress floating in a sphere of seals, cupping a glowing orb in her outstretched hands. Over eleven years ago, they came here, searching for the Clair Bible but only Lina had been allowed to see it. Standing now in the fragile dimensional bubble that held the knowledge of the defeated Water Dragon God, Zel understood why.
This place didn't really exist, a place where the fabric of reality was torn open by the climatic battle of Shaburadingo and the Water Dragon God over a thousand years ago. By all rights, it should have collapsed eleven years ago when Gaav and Aqua fought in it but Lina being Lina had found a way in and without the aid of a Golden Dragon. But just what the hell was she doing here?!
"Lina!" Zel yelled again, trying to break her out of whatever trance the orb held her in. Even in this place between neither here or there, he could hear the explosions from the clash of the Ruby Eye pieces. "Lei and the Destroyer are getting too close! We have to get out of here! This dimensional pocket is going to collapse!"
Lina opened her eyes slowly, like waking out of a dream. "...zel? I'm sorry. I - "
The world seemed to tear apart in a soundless roar, the Clair Bible in Lina's hand bursting into blindingly intensity. Zelgadiss was thrown to the ground as the dimensional pocket ripped open into the nothingness that began to suck everything toward it.
His fingers dug into the rock that kept him from being pulled in. However, he held even more tightly with his other hand to Lina's arm. They were on the edge of the vortex in which lay the nothingness that was the domain of the Lord of Nightmare.
"Lina..."
Zel's hand slowly slipped down Lina's arm.
Lina tried to say something but her words were ripped away into the void.
"I won't...let go..."
He gripped tightly around her wrist where one of the four Demonblood talismans was strapped. The pull of the vortex grew even stronger, almost pulling out his arm. But he would sooner let go of the rock than her.
Zel felt something give. The Demonblood talisman straps snapped.
"LINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
A log in the campfire popped, sending sparks up into the cool night darkness.
Lina shifted her legs uncomfortably. She had steadily grown colder while he told the story but that was probably because of the night air.
"And then?" she asked after he fell silent for several minutes. Zel didn't seem to notice her, lost again in his own thoughts. "What happened?"
"Happened? Xelloss grabbed me and teleported us away. The vortex overloaded when Lei and the Destroyer fought too near to it and exploded," he said dully.
"And Lina?"
"..."
"Okay, wrong question to ask," Lina sighed, scratching her nose. Ye gods, he was slipping into another depression. Now how to cheer him up or at least get him thinking about something else. "I've been wondering. Why do you still walk around as a chimera when you can create any kind of form you want? Like your human form."
Zel arched an eyebrow. "What, no more 'You're an impostor whose convinced himself that he's the real Zelgadiss?'"
Lina laughed weakly. Actually, she still thought he was an impostor but as long as he was convinced he was Zelgadiss Graywords, Lina thought she should make the best of it. In fact, she didn't even think of him as a Mazoku Lord most of the time. Getting too comfortable around Mazokus, she chided herself.
"I guess I don't treat you any different from Xelloss," Lina grinned. She grinned even wider at Zelgadiss's expression of disgust at being put next to the fruitcake again. "Except that I don't hit you or put you in a headlock as often."
"Thank the Lord for small favors."
Lina stuck out her tongue and threw a rock at him. Zel just tipped his head aside to let it fly by into the darkness behind him. A malicious presence touched his awareness.
"Another midnight visitor?"
Zel looked back at Lina, all traces of joking gone. "You know about them?"
Lina nodded. "Sometimes when I wake up, you aren't here. But I sense your power from somewhere nearby." Lina shivered at the memory of the dark power.
"You'd better get to sleep now," Zel said getting up. "Tomorrow we should reach Merilyth, or so you say."
"I'm staying up. I still have questions to ask."
"Don't you ever run out?"
"My teachers certainly didn't think so. This won't take long will it?"
"Usually not," Zelgadiss shrugged. "But since they've no doubt figured out our heading, there will likely be a large welcoming party tonight."
"You sure you don't want any help?"
Zel looked at her but her offer was sincere.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He shook his head as he left the campsite, easily passing through the wards he set. Why would she want to help him?
Lina stumbled as she cracked a huge yawn.
"What's wrong with you?" Gourry asked. "Not enough sleep last night? Don't tell me you were suffering from growing pains?"
Zelgadiss paused to look at the scenery as Lina proceeded to beat the swordsman into a blue spot on the ground. Nature itself hadn't changed much since the last time he was on the surface but many of the cities had changed. For example, he had never heard of this Merilyth where, from what Lina said was, Xelloss currently resided. He wondered why the fruitcake chose to live there instead of resettling on Wolf Pack Island.
"Feel refreshed?" Zel asked as Lina stomped by. He received a growl in reply. Then he looked at the blue and yellow pretzel. "Don't you ever learn?"
"You know, I think I can roll like this. Hey Zel can you give me a push?"
Zel shook his head and untangled Gourry Gabriev the Third. They'd make better time with Gourry on both of his feet.
"Lina, don't go too far ahead," Zel warned.
Lina growled and sat down on a rock. She didn't move even when Zel finished sorting out the knot she had tied Gourry into. Zel tapped her on the shoulder.
All that was heard was a soft even breathing.
Gourry peeked at her face. "She's asleep."
"Outstanding deduction."
Zel wasn't surprised that she fell asleep on them. He had been right last night that there would be a lot of Mazoku waiting for him. It had taken him until about an hour before sunrise before he returned to camp. There he found Lina nodding off, not having slept for the entire night.
"So...who's going to wake her up?"
"No one. She needs the sleep," Zel replied, carefully picking up the sleeping girl.
Gourry took several steps back. "Lina is not going to like that."
"No, she won't." Zel continued down the trade road.
Gourry scratched his head and shrugged. "Better you than me anyway."
Val sighed.
"Wondering if Lina is alright?" Filia asked, looking up from the pot she was examining.
"Well aren't you worried? You know how she is. How do you know she won't kill that Gourry guy for his sword?"
"Val, the Lina I knew, even though she was quite callous with her friends, would never intentionally kill one of them."
"But don't you and Xelloss think this Lina is a reincarnation?"
"What else do you think she is?" Xelloss asked, appearing right next to the Ancient Dragon, nearly giving him a heart attack.
Val tried to still his frantic heart. "How many times have I asked you to - "
"Use the door. 34,234 times."
"Really?"
"No. I just made that up."
Val cracked a wet dish towel at the loony Mazoku.
"Hey, Filia," Xelloss said, reappearing behind Filia. "Don't you teach your son any manners?"
"You mean any manners that you haven't tried to undermine?" Filia snapped.
For fun and personal pleasure, Xelloss draped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her golden hair. Filia turned so red, steam was coming out of her ears.
"Er, um, Mom?" Val said weakly. "Remember the truce..."
Xelloss, not over with his fun yet, gave her a quick peck on the cheek. She froze in shock.
"Hello, Filia? Anyone home?" Xelloss waved a hand in front of her eyes. No reaction.
"Are you done tempting fate yet?" Val turned back to dishes he was up to his elbows in.
"Nope. How about a bet?"
"On what?"
"Whether Lina-chan is a reincarnation or not."
"Just how can you prove that?"
Xelloss shook a finger at Val. "That would be part of the challenge."
"You cheat."
"I won't."
"When Lei Magnus turns over a new leaf and becomes the patron of love."
Xelloss thought about that. It would be rather fun... but utterly besides the point. "Since we're soon going to have the entire gang back in town, how about if all four of us have to agree that evidence points to Lina-chan being a reincarnation?"
He must be pretty damn sure if he thought that he could Zelgadiss to agree with him, Val thought.
"What are we betting?" Val asked.
"It's just a friendly little wager. How about 20 silvers?"
Val knew that Xelloss could easily survive such a paltry loss. He was just keeping it low for Val.
"40 silvers," Val countered. "And I'm betting that not only is Lina not a reincarnation but that she's the original Lina."
Xelloss opened his eyes to look at the dragon. "Are you serious? No wait, silly question, you usually are. You're just setting yourself up for a fall aren't you?"
Val just smiled and returned to cleaning the dishes.
"Aren't you?"
Val hummed to himself.
"You're just trying to rile me."
Val rubbed a particularly hard to remove piece of dirt.
"There is something you're not telling me."
Val picked up a new dish.
"I taught you too well," Xelloss grumbled, not liking being kept out of a secret.
"Xe...Xe...," Filia stammered coming out of her stupor.
"Oh boy," Val muttered.
"Oh just look at the time," Xelloss said looking at his coat watch. "I do believe the stick-in-the-mud, or would that be rock, is arriving. I think I'll go greet him. Be a dear and get tea ready, hm?"
Filia threw a pot at the vanishing Mazoku. Val dried his hands and went to get the broom and dustpan.
"Lina, young girls shouldn't say such things," Gourry reprimanded.
"Go to hell, Gourry," Lina snapped and continued the tirade of insults aimed at Zelgadiss.
When she woke up in his arms, she turned bright red and landed a right hook on his jaw. Then she followed with several Fireballs before calming down enough to remember that normal spells don't effect Mazoku. At that point she was ready to Dragu Slabu his butt to Merilyth and beyond before Zelgadiss reminded her of their deal. So instead she's been swearing in ten dead languages.
"Your mother is a Mazoku, you bastard!"
"Actually, she is but I was conceived after the marriage," Zel said calmly. He didn't usually mention that little known fact but the shock value alone should be worth it.
Lina's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. That certainly shut her up if only for awhile.
"Brother!" Xelloss appeared in the middle of the road within visible distance of the city. His arms were held out wide. "Long time no see."
Zelgadiss let him see his fist first before reacquainting his fellow Mazoku Lord with Mother Earth.
"And I love you too," Xelloss mumbled with dirt in his mouth. "That's all you're going to do? And here I - "
Lina kicked Xelloss right where it hurts the most. He tipped over with a high pitch gasp. Zelgadiss and Gourry backed several steps out of Lina's kicking range. She grabbed the loon and shook him.
"What was your crazy idea for sending me to Sairaag? I'm now on the Mazoku hit list!" she screamed, shaking Xelloss hard enough that if he had been human, his neck would have snapped. However, since he was a Mazoku, Lina didn't bother holding back.
Gourry scratched his head. "Who's that?"
A cloud of dust rose from the three people who crashed to the ground. Lina was the first to recover.
"Idiot!" she cried, driving it in with her fist. "That's your employer! A gods-be-damn Mazoku! A twisted, conniving, lying - "
"Actually I never have," Xelloss interjected.
" - perverted, no wait that would be Zelgadiss - "
Xelloss turned an arched eyebrow toward his 'brother'. "Really? I never knew you had it in you. Of course being celibate for the last half millennia - "
Zelgadiss blasted a hole through Xelloss and turned to Lina. "I thought you got over that."
"That was before I woke up and found you carrying me!"
Xelloss sat up and watched the sparks fly between the two. Yes, having him meet Lina-chan was a very good idea. Zelgadiss was showing more life than he did total over the past centuries.
Gourry moved an arm in and out of the hole in Xelloss's torso.
"It's so nice to see you again," Filia smiled over tea.
Zelgadiss sipped his mug. "Likewise. Val has certainly matured over the years."
"He doesn't seem mature at all to me," Lina cut in, coming out of the kitchen with a plateload of food.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Val grumbled behind a towering pile of food he was carrying for Lina. "Where exactly do you pack away all of this food?"
Lina winked and tapped her head. "Hey, it takes a lot to keep a genius like me running. The food is brain fuel."
"It certainly doesn't help you grow," Gourry added. He received a metal plate in the face for his troubles.
"It certainly doesn't help his brain," Xelloss said, appearing in Gourry's now vacant chair.
"Can't you - " Val started.
"Use the door," Lina, Filia, and Xelloss completed in chorus.
"I take it this happens often," Zelgadiss murmured over his mug.
Gourry sat up on the floor rubbing his face. "You know, I have this feeling that I'm forgetting something..."
"Gabriev!!"
A sword swung down toward the simpleton.
Gourry blocked with the metal plate and looked over it at his attacker. "Hey there, Zangulus!"
"You sniveling coward," Zangulus gritted between this teeth. "How dare you run out on our duel!"
Zangulus swung his Howling Sword again at his blond opponent.
"Watch it, that was a little clo-oooose!" Gourry fell over the balcony railing avoiding one of Zangulus's swings.
"Running away?" Zangulus sneered leaping down into the street.
"No way," Gourry grinned, bringing out his own magical blade.
"They're at it again," Xelloss noted calmly sipping his tea. Sounds of swords clashing and buildings breaking echoed through the streets.
"You still haven't gotten his sword yet have you?" Val teased Lina and avoided a kick in the shins.
Zelgadiss twitched. "Was that..."
"Reincarnation," Xelloss filled in promptly. "You didn't really think that was the Zangulus we knew."
"I'm not sure what I think anymore."
"Ne, Xelloss," Lina said, polishing off another plate. "Why is he so convinced that he's Zelgadiss Graywords?"
"Eh?"
"Didn't you already drop the idea that I'm an impostor?"
"Just because I don't say it, doesn't mean I still don't believe in it."
"Why would you think he's a fake?" Filia asked.
"But the only story of Zelgadiss after the second war was that he was killed by a Mazoku who assumed his name and appearance."
"I've been wondering how that rumor started," Zel muttered, glaring at the former Trickster Priest. "Xelloss..."
"Who me?" Xelloss asked innocently. "You think I - "
Zelgadiss ran a sword through Xelloss's ears. "You started it didn't you."
"Do you mind not doing that?" Lina gagged.
Xelloss glomped onto Lina. "Ohhh, you're concerned about me."
Lina and Zelgadiss hit him at the same time.
"I'm trying to eat here!"
"Don't you dare touch her fruitcake!"
"I can take care of myself!" Lina snapped at Zelgadiss.
"Don't mind him," Xelloss said cheerfully, removing Zelgadiss's sword and sticking it back in through his forehead. "He's just possessive, hates my guts, and a worrywart. In other words, he's the real McCoy."
"Like I'm suppose to believe you."
"I don't like to agree with rubbish but he's right. Lina, that is Zelgadiss," Filia added.
"Always has been to my knowledge," Val nodded and ruffled Lina's hair. "You just don't like being wrong."
Lina swatted away Val's hand and glared at him. She didn't think for one instant that Filia and Val were lying.
"So why then is he a Mazoku Lord?" Lina pointed a half-eaten drumstick at the one and only Zelgadiss.
"Family business?" Xelloss suggested.
"Even if he was a half-Mazoku as he claims, that doesn't mean he automatically becomes a Mazoku Lord."
"So you told her? You never told our Lina that."
Zelgadiss shrugged.
"Anyway, both he and his mother were more or less loyal to Lei and Lei needed some new servants that he could trust after the war. So he and I were promoted."
"And just who was his mother?"
"Why, Zelas of course."
Lina, Filia, and Val fell to the floor. Xelloss blinked.
"You didn't tell her that part I take it."
"I didn't ever tell anyone that part."
"You're the son of the Greater Beast?" Lina shrieked.
"You're related to that?!" Filia pointed at Xelloss who finally removed the sword from his head.
"Ladies, quiet," Val advised as people in the street looked up at the commotion.
"Yes and no," Zel answered their questions and punched Xelloss in the face when he tried to hug him again.
"You're so mean," Xelloss whimpered. "Won't even let your big brother give you a hug."
"We are not related."
Xelloss pouted for a minute before brightening. "Change of subject," he announced, clapping his hands together. "Ne, Lina-chan. I never did do that employee history interview with you did I?"
Val knew where this was going.
"Like you don't already know everything about me?"
"Nope, I don't."
Xelloss received several looks of disbelief. "Come, come, I'm not omniscient. Let's start at the very beginning. Actually that reminds me of a song - "
"Back on topic," Val reminded.
"Where were you born?"
"I don't know," Lina shrugged, cutting up a steak.
"When were you born?"
"I don't know. I'm guessing about twenty-one years ago."
"Who are your parents?"
"Don't know."
"Any siblings?"
"Don't know."
Xelloss studied the ceiling, if only to avoid Val's knowing smirk. That smug Ancient Dragon must have talked with Lina before.
"When did you first learn magic?"
"Six years ago."
A-ha! Xelloss smirked at Val. The first Lina had learned magic centuries ago.
"Who was your teacher?"
"I only knew her as Grandma."
"And how did you meet her?"
"She found me and took care of me."
"When and where?"
"Just what are you up to?" Lina glared at Xelloss.
"It's alright," Val reassured her. "He and I have a little bet going. You can tell him all the things you told me."
Damn. So Val already did know about Lina's past. And something he knew convinced him that he was going to win this bet. Well, Xelloss was determined to have the last laugh.
"Fine, the townspeople found me by the riverside completely ripped up. They brought me to Grandma and she took care of me."
"Where is this town?"
"...Tornel."
Xelloss frowned, trying to place the town. "Tornel? Wasn't that town razed by Mazoku five years ago?"
Silence.
Zelgadiss bopped the purple hair Mazoku over the head. "You're insensitive."
"You're the one who likes being a cold-hearted bastard."
"Filia can I borrow your mace?" Lina asked.
Filia handed over the weapon and watched Lina whacked both of the Mazoku Lords into the roof. "You know it doesn't hurt them. Not really."
Lina handed the mace back. "Yeah but it also means I don't have to hold back."
"Filia has more of a follow through I think," Xelloss commented, snapping his jaw into place.
"I was wondering why you chose to stay in a human city," Zelgadiss muttered. "Should have figured it was because she - "
Xelloss smashed his cane over Zelgadiss's head before he could complete his sentence. "Now then, Lina-chan, what can you tell us about before you learned magic?"
"Nothing."
"Oh come now, it's not like I'd do anything harmful with the information."
Zelgadiss snorted in disbelief.
"Nothing, as in I don't know anything."
Zelgadiss, leaning on one hand, looked at Lina. "What do you mean you don't know anything?"
"I woke up six years ago with amnesia okay?"
Xelloss gave Val an accusing glare. So that's where he got that idea.
"Why are you suddenly so interested in my past?" Lina asked, pointing a fork in between Xelloss's eyes.
"Well...aren't you?"
"This has something to do with the bet you have with Val isn't it?" Lina grabbed Xelloss in a headlock. "So spill it."
"But it's so nice here," Xelloss cooed, referring to his proximity to Lina's chest.
"PERVERT!!"
Xelloss crashed through the table with the aid of both Lina's and Zel's fists and Filia's mace. Then Lina hit Zel.
"I told you not to interfere!"
"If you had only acted more like this five hundred years ago," Xelloss mused in the wreckage of the table.
Val sighed and went to get a new one.
"Stop beating up the chimera," Xelloss smiled, pulling Lina off of Zel. "He's just jealous that it wasn't him."
Zel blushed a lovely shade of rose red.
"Why Lina, what are you blushing for?" Xelloss grinned, looking closely at the sorceress. "Have you fallen for my devilishly handsome yet cold-hearted little brother?"
"Stop calling me your brother!"
"Can it fruitcake!"
"Were things this violent before?" Val asked, sweatdropping. Lina and Zel were beating Xelloss into an unidentifiable mess. Gourry and Zangulus were still dueling in the street amidst quite a bit of property damage.
Lina hugged the sack of gold tightly. "Ah, money."
Zelgadiss was torn between being amused at Xelloss's pained expression when he handed over Lina's gold or being jealous of the bag of money. Wait a minute, he reminded himself, this isn't your Lina. But a part of him just wouldn't believe that.
"So now what are you going to do?"
Zelgadiss fell out of this thoughts. "Why do you ask?"
Lina held the precious gold in her lap. "Well, we got to Merilyth in one piece. What are you going to do now?"
"You can always move in with me," Xelloss suggested brightly.
Zel snorted at the idea.
"And why do you want to know?" Val teased Lina. "Unless he has something you want."
Lina tossed her head. "He has a Demonblood Talisman!"
"Greedy as always." Val rapped Lina on the head with his knuckles as he cleared her dishes.
"So you're still holding on to that," Xelloss noted. "If he only has one, what good will it do for you? You need all four for the magic amplification to work."
"Filia could use her divination magic to seek out the other three."
"Lina-chan," Xelloss cast a look at Zelgadiss's pained expression. "The other three were on Lina when she was pulled into the Lord of Nightmare's dimension."
"But you got the Sword of Light back from there after Hellmaster's destruction."
"Yes but that was because She gave it back to me to give back to Gourry."
"So how do you know She hasn't done the same with the talismans? After all, it isn't like She needs them."
"Furthermore, the talisman that Zelgadiss has is dead so - "
Lina's ears perked. "Dead? What do you mean by that?"
Xelloss folded his hands together as he leaned back in his chair to explain. "The Demonblood Talismans were created to be linked together. They will only work when used together. Whatever bond Lei Magnus created between them, it made the talismans 'alive' when they were all on the same world. If separated beyond that, they would 'die'. That is different than just being separated, in which they are only 'asleep'."
"So how can you tell the difference?"
"Not very easily. There is this small spark of power that shines in the gem when they are alive, smaller when they are asleep, but gone when they die. As I saw five hundred years ago, there was no spark in the talisman Zelgadiss holds."
Lina tapped a finger on her chin. "But...I did see a spark in that talisman."
"WHAT?"
Zel whipped out his treasure. There in the center of the gem, small but burning steadily, was a spark of power. Zel stared trembling at the talisman in his hand.
"How long has it been like that?" Xelloss demanded.
Lina shrugged. "I only saw the talisman for the first time last night."
"I...don't know," Zelgadiss said slowly. "You never told me about that spark."
Xelloss scratched his head nervously. "Because you never asked? Never thought that it was important. Why would the talismans be all back in this world now?"
"Who cares?" Lina interrupted, grabbing the talisman and dropping it into Filia's lap. "Can you tell where the others are?"
Filia glanced worriedly at Zelgadiss but he waved her to continue. Closing her eyes, she slowed her breathing to a even slow rhythm. After her mind cleared, she formed the image of the talisman in her mind, letting it float in the darkness, collecting whatever strings it may from the real world. First two strands formed, steady and bright against the darkness. Then slowly, three more flickered unsteadily into view. Taking one of the faint strands, she strengthened it with her own magic, following it to its destination. At the end, she briefly caught sight of a city and a hexagram before the strand broke.
Filia's eyes snapped open.
"Mother are you alright?" Val asked, his golden eyes filled with concern.
Filia nodded, feeling the beginning a migraine. "It took more power than I thought to trace one of the strands but - "
"But you found one!" Lina exclaimed excitedly and then calmed down, seeing how weak the divination had made her friend.
"One of the talismans is in New Saillune."
"Xenophobia city," Lina muttered, chewing on her lip. "They're not going to just let us go in and turn over every cobblestone and brick to find it."
"Us?"
"Of course. You're going to be sponsoring this expedition and Gourry is still under your employ right Xelloss? He'll be coming along."
"For his sword?" Val quipped. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go along. I feel like stretching my wings."
"Figuratively speaking of course," he hastily added to placate his mother's glare.
Xelloss waited for Zelgadiss to say something but when he didn't, the former Trickster Priest pulled out a wrapped object.
"Speaking of employ, as you'll be heading toward New Saillune anyway, why don't you deliver this to the royal family?"
Lina took the object. "The Star of Justice Scepter?"
"Getting on the good side of the current rulers would be useful and just might help to open the city gates to the rest of the world."
"Alright. So where's my money?"
"Lina-chan," Xelloss groaned. "Don't you have enough money for now?"
"Okay, okay," Lina grinned. She just loved riling Xelloss. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Val. You'd better spend the rest of today getting your gear together. See ya!"
Lina jumped off of the balcony.
"You'd better tell Gourry about this!" Xelloss called after her as she ran toward the ruckus that marked where Gourry and Zangulus were continuing their duel.
"Dill Brando!"
A portion of the town erupted into the air.
Xelloss shook his head. "The mayor is going to want a lot of money this time to overlook the destruction."
He looked back at Zelgadiss who was holding the talisman that Filia returned to him.
"Hello?" Xelloss snapped his fingers before Zel's vacant eyes. "Are you there?"
"Hmph, this is the gratitude I get for breaking you out of that self-imposed exile."
"No one asked you to," Zel replied coolly.
"Why didn't you say anything earlier? Aren't you going to go with her?" Xelloss asked, examining a glass of wine that appeared in his hand.
"Is there a reason I should?"
"Be a man already and confess that you're worried at least."
"Something I wouldn't be if you hadn't sent her purposely to Sairaag to meet me."
"You think I would do that?"
"You already did. She almost got killed by a Mazoku there!"
"Yes but that was a chance I had to take. You forced my hand you know. I was expecting you to show up earlier and interfere with some of the other crazy things I sent her to do. But since you wouldn't go to meet her, I had to send her to meet you. Besides, isn't it better now? Now you'll have to stay with her to make sure she doesn't get killed."
"You're so damn sure of yourself aren't you?"
Filia silently watched the two Mazoku Lords bicker. Who would have thought of this scene centuries ago? Two Mazoku Lords sitting in a tea shop run by a Gold Dragon in the middle of a human city. She placed a hand over Zel's.
"Zelgadiss. You've been torturing yourself about...what happened to Lina long enough. Don't you think?"
"Isn't that what we do? Torture ourselves for the sheer hell of it?" Xelloss asked, keeping most of the bitterness and jealousy from his voice.
Zelgadiss looked up slowly to the two others. "Do you think...What do you think she is..."
Filia squeezed Zelgadiss's hand. "A second chance."
Zelgadiss sighed and vanished.
"Do you think he'll follow her?"
Xelloss was silent.
"Did you hear me?" Filia asked annoyed, looking at the uncharacteristically silent Mazoku.
"Oh sure, you're nice to him," Xelloss muttered.
"Huh?"
"Nothing," Xelloss snapped. "You'd better help your son get ready. Ceipheid knows he'll need it."
He vanished, leaving behind a confused Filia. What was he so angry about? And why did he swear by the Dragon God instead of Lei?