"Zelgadis....." A voice called. Cool, smooth.
"eh?" The young chimera awoke from his slumber as the voice repeated his name.
"zelgadis...." This time quieter.
"What is it?" He asked, growing irritated.
"I have your cure..." The voice flowed.
Greywers stiffened. My Cure! "Who..or WHAT are you and what do you wish of me?"
"To help you help me. Follow the wind..."
"Eh? What win~~~" A breeze whirled by him. His enhanced senses followed it outside of the inn. Slealthily, Zelgadis leapt down, the only evidence of his landing, a few crushed pieces of grass.
"follow the wind..."
Zelgadis briskly walked after the air current as it blew away.
Lina Inverse woke with a loud, gaping yawn. As her vision cleared, she focused on Amelia staring at her face, worry evident in the Princess's eyes.
"Zelgadis-san is missing!!!" She wailed, causing Inverse to wince. "We have to find him!!! He may be in danger, as his friends it is our sworn duty as guardians of~"
"URUSAI!!!!" Lina roared, knocking the princess back. Then, she blinked. "Eh, Zel's missing?" Her look switched from one of confusion to one of annoyance. I bet he thinks he can just ditch us and look for the Clair Bible on his own. Ha, not while I'm around Mr. Greywers. We'll find you, like we always do. The Slayers should never seperate! She laughed triumphantly, scaring the Seiruun princess. Her stomach retaliated to her laughter by growling. "But, first I gotta eat!" She hopped out of bed to get dressed.
Zelgadis stood at the water's edge. His body had been caught in a magic trap. kuso... I can't move. Whoever did this is powerful. He noted as strange animals came up and tried to claw or bite 'sensitive' parts of his body. They only succeeded in injuring themselves. From the look of those creatures, whoever made this trap wanted all tresspassers to do a slow painful death. He grinned evilly. Guess they didn't expect someone like me to show up. But, who could cause such a spell. I can't move at all, save for blinking, and that takes alot of my strength. The chimera pondered. Mazoku!!! But why? He didn't have time to think about the ubject much more as the ocean suddenly parted and a woman clad in a dry dress stepped out. Her hair was about as blue as the water itself. She smiled serenely to him.
"We finally meet, Zelgadis Greywers." The spell on him suddenly faded.
Rather than attack this woman, Zelgdais played it calm. This woman 'mazoku' created the spell that had caught him, parted the sea and knew who he was. He was in no position to be the aggressor. "Who are you?" He asked tersely.
"I am the one who called you." She tilted her head and looked at him, as if sizing him up for something. Zelgadis slightly fidgeted under her stare. "My name is Deep Sea Dolphin."
Zelgadis eyes widened. I was summoned by a Greater Lord Mazoku!?!? Why me?!
The woman grinned. "Simple. You hate Xelloss. I hate Xelas. I want you to become my General and Preist."
"Don't you already have one?" Zelgadis asked, thinking all dark lords had them.
She shook her head. "Ever since Xelloss tricked me, i have not been able to. He was granted Xelas's power to alter my mind. I just recently regained my sanity. It was a GAME to them! A GAME!!!" She roared, causing the chimera to take a step back. Her hair covered her eyes as an evil grin spread across her lips. "I am the wisest of the Dark Lords in science. I can cure you."
Zelgadis restrained himself from hugging the woman. That would have been awkward. "... at what cost?"
"You become my preist and general. That is all."
Zelgadis weighed this in his mind. A cure for his freedom. What about the slayers....
"How important are they to you, truly?" She cooed.
I saved their lives and vice versa. But this, is power and my cure. His eyes narrowed. "I will become a Mazoku, no?"
"You shall be like Garv was after being killed. Your main form is human, however you can change physical forms. In addition...you will be able to enter the astral realm. In case you are summoned."
Zelgadis nodded. "And if I refuse?"
"Well, I cannot make you join me, but I can stack the deck." She grinned evilly.
"I understand. Let's begin." He stepped towards her.
"Remove your shirt." Zelgadis did so. (JK casts a barrier to protect the story from rabid fangrrls/boyz)
The dark lord held a short sword up that glowed a navy blue. "You shall take my name, Preist and General of Deap Sea Dolphin!" She stabbed him through the the chest. Zelgadis tensed then screamed as the mazoku energy flowed into his body.
Zelgadis slowly came to terms with the pain, finally managing to be able to see again as a new pain ripped through him. "AHHHHH!!" His stone skin began to crack, as he convulsed in Dolphin's arms. She held him up as the fragments dropped off his body, revealing normal 'human' colored skin. Zelgadis passed out as the last of his stone skin fell from his body. The dark lord chuckled.
"Rest now, Sai Dolphin. You are going to need it." And with that, she carried him back into the ocean, into their home.
"We have found no trace of Zelgadis-san for three months now, Lina-san...where do you think he is?"
"I don't know." The sorceress hmphed. "But we WILL find him." Lina growled. She knew Zel could keep a low profile, but this was crazy. Three months and just one clue. Some old guy saw a blue man walking towards the west ocean, what does that do to help...dammit Zel!! She spoke the last of her thoughts and ruffled her hair. "When I find you, you're gonna pay for making us run around like this." She vowed.
Xelloss appeared, floating over them. "Oi, Lina-san! How's everything?" He asked cheerfully as always.
"Go away....I'm not in the mood." She grumbled, without looking up or slowing down.
Xelloss floated down and walked beside Lina, grinning. "And what ARE you in the mood for today?"
Lina stopped, elbowed the mazuko hard in the ribs and started walking again.
"ita......" Xelloss mumbled wekliy.
Amelia walked up to him and helped him up. "Gomenasai, Xelloss-san, but Zelgadis-san has been missing for three months and she's quite worried."
"Ara? he's missing?" Xelloss stood and looked around. "I wonder where stone-boy is?" He pondered aloud.
Amelia decked him in the nose. "You take that back about Zelgadis-san! Eh...Lina-san, Gourry-san matte!!!" She ran to catch up with them as Xelloss tapped his chin thoughtfully.
Where are you, Zelgadis? He grinned and vanished.
A man stood in a throneroom. He was a handsome, comely lad. Long, teal hair cascading down his face. His left eye was blocked by his hair. He wore basic round brown boots, navy blue slacks, and a white sleeveless tunic. This was covered by a large navy blue cloak, which hung limply from his shoulders. Holding his cloak together, were three sky blue round gems, with simple silver casing. {These were the dark lords tears} The young man himself was lean, with a thin muscle build. He seemed almost lanky. Almost being the key word. His body showed the finesse and grace of a small cat on the hunt, or even in fleeing mode. His eyes were a deep blue and slitted in the center. His facial expression was a grin taht showed his pointy fangs. On his hip was a sword with a blue gem on the hilt. He just radiated the element water it seemed. This man was Sai Dolphin. Preist and General to Deep Sea Dolphin. He was formerly known Zelgadis Greywers, grandson to The Red Priest, Slayer.
Sai Dolphin nodded his head. After being fed tons upon tons of information on his master and abilities, he felt like he was going to die of boredom. "Dolphin-sama, may I please go feed?" He asked, hopefully. She nodded her head. "You are free until I summon you for a mission." He bowed and phased out. Dolphin chuckled. "So it begins, onechan. So it begins."
The slayers walked into a town that semed to be in a panic. As a man ran by, Lina grabbed him by the collar and yanked him to her. "What's going on?"
"Young man, the village is under attack by some man. He walked into the town center and began firing magic spells at our buildings. Please help us.."
Lina's eyebrow twitched. "Y..young man?" She punched the man skyward. "Baka!!!!" She stomped towards the center of the townm the other two folloewed.
Sai laughed outloud. This town was such a east. So many women and children and even men's fear was enjoyable. He was full already, he was now gaining surplus. He stopped and saw Lina walking towards him. He smiled and stopped. "Oi. What is it you want?"
"For you to stop." She grinned. "Or am I gonna hafta make you."
Sai shrugged. "Whatever you say." He leapt off without another word.
"N..nani?! No boom boom!" Lina pouted as the thing leapt away without a word.
As the young mazoku leapt away, Xelloss watched with his ever-preasant smile. He vanished and appeared before Sai as the newly appointed presit/general leapt into the forest. "And just who might you be?" He asked, smiling. "I am~"
"Xelloss Metallium, preist and general to Xelas, the beastmaster. Guardian of one Lina Inverse." Sai replied cooly. He stood at full height, yetradiated no animosity, yet.
Xelloss tapped his chin. My reputation precedes me. "My my, how well informed you are, seeing as you know of me, could I perhaps trouble you for your name?"
"My name?" The young man grinned and vanished. Xelloss's eyes opened as he reappeared his elbow smashed in the Mazoku's gut. His breath was released in a whoosh of air. The sudden attack and it's strength sent him flying into a tree, effectively cracking the aged wood. "I am Sai...huh?" THe young man looked up, as if listening to someone, then he smiled. "Understood. Be seeing you, namagomi." With that, Sai vanished as Xelloss slowly stood, his hair shadowing his dark eyes.
"Yes you will, Sai." He grinned evilly and teleported to Wolf Pack Island.
THe throneroom was heavily decorated. One oddity was the walls were littered with various mantles. This and of itself was not odd, what was strange was the chosen heads. They were of former rulers, hunters, and mages. This was the throneroom of a hunter. The Greater Beastmaster Xelas Metallium was sipping wine from a galss, daintily. Her current form that of a lovely young woman. Her eyes betrayed her from as the gleamed with power and rarely shown anger. "You lost?"
The purple haired mazoku stiffened at the statement. When was the last time, he had truly been defeated? Over 300 years ago... "Not exactly lose, he just hit me and left." He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. He immediately found an interest with the floor at his Mistress's stern gaze.
"You lost." This time it was a statement. She took another sipped and closed her eyes. "And who was it?"
"idunno.." He mumbled.
"What was that?" She opened her eyes.
"I do not know, mistress. His name is Sai, and he is a mazoku. But since he used no magic powers I could not decipher (sp?) his lord. He did wear blue though, but that could be Dolphin." He smiled slightly at a memory. Just a small shock of power can do the best things. "Or Dynast.." He hoped it wasn't him, Dynast still was an enigma, even to him. This new mazoku reminded him far too much of Dynast for his own comfort.
Xelas grinned. "Dolphin indeed. We truly are at a loss for who this Sai's lord is. Your assignemnt is to find out about him. Understood."
Xelloss bowed. "I live to serve." He smiled and vanished.
Xelas sighed and massaged her left temple. Normal mazoku don't just have the power to hurt her Xelloss so easily. Hell, not even second in commands can do it. Whoever this is, they need to be made clear the heirarchy around here.
Xelloss appeared in a tree and sighed. He was worried. This was not supposed to happen. Not only did this mazoku manage to injure him, no matter how breifly, but he also knew Xelloss's agenda. Who are you, Sai? He hmmed, thoughtfully.
Sai stood in front of his lord, smiling calmly. "You summoned?"
"First of all, what are you doing, getting into a conflict with Xelloss this soon? Your powers may be near even, but his experience far outweighs yours."
"He stopped me. I simply dealt with him in a way that would give him the least information." He replied smoothly, with a small grin.
Dolphin's eyebrow twitched. "Are you getting smart-assed with me?" She asked, dangerously.
Sai stiffened. "Iie, Dolphin-sama."
She smiled cutely. "Good. Now, as I was saying...oh yes, secondly, you know that Rezo was the wise man of this age?" He nodded tensely. "Well, I want the works of previous wise men. Quil the blue preistess, Vaxo the black mage, Parn the green preist, and Luna the white mage."
Sai's eyes widened. The knowledge of the previous wise men. Those were thought to be gone forever. "How am I to obtain them?"
Dolphin grinned. "Who does L-sama favor?"
"Ah so." He nodded, his smile returned. It seems he better make acquantinces with miss Inverse again. Only question, how to do it. Well, she is always searching for power, so, I just have to find the proper bait. He vanished.
Inverse and gang. (Gourry and Amelia.) currently were seated at the table, eating an average lunch. (no, i am not going to make joke of their eating habits, they reflect mines far too much. ^_^) Xelloss appeared and sat in the seat where normally Zelgadis would sit.
"Konnichiwa minna-san!" He smiled cheerfully. Noone stopped, but Gourry gave a muffled oi. I see, missing her Zelgadis has not dampered the princess's eating habits. He thought with small giggle.
By the group, a pair of men were conversing. They were both fighter-mages, but not that proficient in their style. "Yes, I am telling you. The swords of life and death are there!"
The second man whapped his companion on the head. "Sh...ok ok. I believe you, but how do WE get them?!"
"Well, we go there after leaving here. Our combined skills should get us through, if barely."
"Yes, and I get the sword of death. Black magic is my forte." He smirked and snapped his fingers. "After all, the Magic Bandit Gang needs to be strong."
"Like I'd want it anyway, man. You know one needs to be a healer. I have no problem being that." He smiled. "Let's pay and get out of here." He waved a barmaid over and handed her three silver coins. With that, the two got up and walked out.
As they exited, Inverse finished her meal and stood. "Bandits, eh? Well then, let's see how special these swords are." She walked off, followed by Gourry and Amelia. The latter trying to slow the sorceress down so she would pay. Xelloss smiled, dropped a bag of coins and walked after the trio, humming gayly.
The two men had stopped and were rummaging through a sack of treasure they had just robbed from royal escort. They were couting the gold when suddenly the heard a scratching on the ground. "Eh?" The first blinked and looked up to see Lina Inverse drawing a circle around them. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" She stopped and smiled. "Dill Brando!" The spell ignited sending the two skyward. Their treasure had been protected by a raywing cast by Ameria. "Yahoo, treasure!" Lina dived in, tossing things that weren't valuable enough away and keeping the other things near her.
Amelia sighed. "Eh?" A map fluttered onto her face from the sky. She examined it. "Li. lina-san! Come look!"
"nani?" She turned and saw the map. "Ah ha!" She ran up and snatched it. "The swords of life and death. Said to contain a soul of a mazoku and ryuzoku. Oh,the power.." She grinned and read more. "Ike!" She walked off in a westward direction. Xelloss stayed back, examining the other treasures.
"Hm..." He picked up a coin and flipped it, catching it and stood and vanished to catch up with the group.
Sai chuckled and paid the two. The map was genuine, but the weapons had been destroyed long ago. This was too easy. Get Lina to come to him. Make her an offer, and see where L-sama took us. One problem though, Xelloss. Sai cursed. How would he deal with him. That would come later. Right now, he had to get ready for a meeting.
Lina cursed...for the umpteenth time today. This damn cavern had so many traps set it wasn't funny. A bottomless pit here, a snake pit there. At least it wasn't slugs..ew Lina paled and shivered visibly.
Gourry noticed and poked her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" She sped up.
As the group walked through a chasm, it widened into a large room, with a light in the middle of the sky. "Miss Inverse?" A familiar voice spoke.
"Who are you?" She asked. Gourry and Amelia tensed for attack, but Lina remained relaxed, a cocky grin on her face. Xelloss remained in the shadows, having noticed who this was. Lina and company's faces lit up w/ recognition, when they saw it was the mazoku from the village.
Sai... He smiled.
Sai grinned. "Simply a messenger. Come on into the light, Xelloss." The power of the light orb increased and Xelloss still remained in a self-created shadow.
"Good day, Sai." He stepped out, smiling dangerously. Sai's expression did not change as he felt Xelloss prying into his aura, attempting to find out more about him.
"Well, what's the message?" Lina asked impatiently, waving the princess into silence before she could go into a justice speech.
Sai deftly put up a basic shamanist barrier that kept the 'feelers' at bay, without revealing his mistress. His expression betrayed no concentraition, then again, neither did Xelloss for that matter. "I am under orders of my master to simply tell you, the works of the former wise men are in workable condition. Their labs and scrolls are on this continent, as were the Red Preists.." Sai bit his tongue to remove the bitter hiss that still followed that name.
All four pair's of eyes lit up with something the minute he said it. Xelloss's with shock, Amelia's with admiration, and Lina's with ambition. Gourry well.....ok three pairs of eyes did. He scratched his chin. "Uh...Lina? Who's this Red Preist guy?" He asked.
Lina smashed him on the head, and quickly was in Sai's face. "Wherewherewherewherewhere!"
Sai leaned back, his eyes closed. "I do not know."
"What?!" Lina facefaulted. She quickly recovered. "Well that means we have to just find it ourselves! Lets go!" She stomped off with Amelia and Gourry. Leaving the two mazoku together, sweatdropping.
"As ambitious as the rumors say, ne?" Sai smiled to Xelloss.
"Indeed." Xelloss smiled back, then held up his cane.
Sai raised an eyebrow. "You truly wish to fight?"
Xelloss responded by sending a number of spikes after Sai, who vanished as they converged on him. Sai appeared behind Xelloss, taking a swipe with his blade at the mazoku's body. Xelloss caught him off guard by horse-kicking the other in the chin. As Sai stumbled back into the normal world, Xelloss fired a blast of black magic into his body. Sai flew back, but before he hit the wall, vanished and appeared at the other side of the cave, grinning, his short torn slighty. "Guess that's a yes!" he fired a whip of blue magic at Xelloss, who easily sidestepped, only to recieve a butt to the side of the skull, by Sai's hilt. Sai began chanting quickly and quietly. He stopped with a smirk. "We'll meet again. Dragu Slavu." He vanished as Xelloss's eyes widened at the oncoming explosion.
"k..kuso...." Could be heard if you were inside.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!" Was heard far away.
"Lina-san, what was that?" Amelia asked.
Lina didn't look back. "Who cares? Onward!" And they continued on their quest, oblivious of all the subplots forming under them.