The next day proved to be rainy anyway, and Filia woke to the sound of water dripping outside of her window off the roof. She sat up and saw Val curled up on her feet in a ball, sucking his thumb. She smiled fondly to herself and stroked his hair gently, then slid out of bed and walked to the window. The rain poured down endlessly, and covered the streets in mud and puddles, making for a dreary scene. She quickly got dressed, then prepared food for them both, ate, and then packed up Val and headed towards the library to do some research on the issue that had plagued her dreams. She went into the library, and immediately headed for the ancient texts that only scholars, or those with knowledge of the dragon language, runes, and lost civilizations could read. She found the room empty, and began sifting throughout the texts, as Val sat and played with a book of his own. She pulled a few out, and began reading.... And reading.... And reading.....
She wasn't aware of the time that sped by, but she glanced over after a while to see Val fast asleep as usual, books of his spread everywhere. She glanced outside the window, and saw the rain had let up enough to show the sun setting in the western sky. "Goodness... didn't know it was so late..." She sighed and closed the book she was reading. She began putting them away, exhausted, and nowhere nearer to the clues she sought than before. She was about to pick Val up, when something caught her eye..... it was one book, but it was nearly falling apart and crumbling, in the 'discard' pile of books near the door..... the fact that it looked like touching it would break it's fragile pages wasn't what attracted her attention, it was the fact that 'Hierarchy of Ancient Ryuzoku Civilizations' was etched in faded letters on the cover. She bent down and carefully picked the book up, and brought it back to the table, carefully opening it. There was no wonder that they'd discarded it, the pages were coming out and cr5umbling at her touch. The writing was in old script, and written in runes. Human scholars wouldn't be able to translate it, and with it's condition, there was no way that it would be any use for any other than those like her.
She peered at the writing, and carefully began translating it. "Here.... Smudged.... The passages of the true history and events....ted to the history and.....ship of the....ku...." She sighed. "This is fairly bad...." She skimmed ahead to what was written beyond the first few pages, and discovered that it was actually something of a historical timeline..... it took the first events of L-sama and the Creation, then listed the start of the orders of the ryuzoku.... The ancients it seemed were the originals, then from them spawned the golds and blacks, and other dragons. She flipped forward, staring at each image drawn, each diagram, each passage with fascination..... eventually, she came to the end of the book, and found the pages at the end were bloodied, and torn.... But the last few pages were the most readable.... And when she turned a page, her blood froze completely in her veins.
Staring back at her, no doubt about it though the image was of a younger and slightly different man, was none other than an almost exact portrait of the Trickster Priest...
She stared open mouthed at him in shock. How could this be.... But then she drew up short. No, he wasn't the same person... he was different. She squinted through the layers of age and saw that the man had longer hair, and his eyes weren't slit like a mazoku's eyes, and youth was on his features. She peered at the words, but couldn't make out the name of the individual, only bits and pieces of letters. She saw the word nobility, and references to great power, but other than that.... She turned the page to read some of the diaries, and saw that it was covered in splatters of blood, and hastily written.....
I thus scribe quickly, else time is losen. Tey have attacked yet again. This time I fyre that tey shall breake. Oure palace has withstoode much damage, and thus it breaks as I spake. I write in hopes that these beecome in the hands of those seeking knowledge of the merder of our race. I feare that we shall lose. They hath teld me to run, to save the moarchy, but I canne do such a thing and abandone mine people. I shalle die here as they shalle. For kings be not greater than the common. Felle! I heare sounds of battle.... Hide this book in mine safekeepings... praythee that it be founde......
She sat back exhaling a big breath. Ancient language.... Detailing the attack of the golds it seemed..... she felt tears well up in her eyes as she thought of the incident and how horrid it must have been to see kin murdered. She felt hot tears well up, and she closed the book, seeing that it was marked for trash, and put it in her satchel, then picked Val up and made her way outside, as the sun had already set. She walked home methodically, her thoughts on the book and the information. Why did that man look so much like Xelloss? That was the thing that bothered her the most.... And worried her. Could it be that Xelloss.... No, no of course not. She shoved the thought out of her mind quickly, chiding herself for thinking about it.
She reached home and entered, then went about making dinner for the two of them, but her mind kept straying to the book. She couldn't keep her mind off of it. It was haunting, and irritating. She sighed and sat down after dinner, staring at the book as she sipped hot chocolate by the fire and pondered it over and over. Why him? Why would he be in here, if it was him.....
As if to add to the already jumbled mind that she had, she felt a cold presence from behind her, and froze. "Well, speak of the devil." She murmured to herself, then louder. "What do you want."
"Oya oya, so cold!" He stepped forward and sat down in another chair beside her. "Come come, be more hospitable." She noted that he was dressed in the same outfit as yesterday.
"You expect me to Xelloss?"
He smiled in that irritating way he always did and just smirked. "Well, I see you have your own opinions."
"Of course." She closed the book and looked across at him piercingly. "What do you want, namagomi."
He just smiled. "What makes you think I want something?"
She sighed to herself, getting tired and worn out with these games. "Come on Xelloss.... You and I both know that you wouldn't be here unless that were the case, now spit it out."
He seemed slightly surprised by her frankness, and met her eyes with his astonished slit ones. "Well..." He finally said after a long pause. "You seem to be very astute today Filia-san.."
"I've had a long day."
He watched her, then shrugged. "Very well, as you wish." He suddenly paused seeing the book in her hands. "May I ask what that is?"
She looked at him then down at the book, then sighed. "You may, I don't know if I'll tell you."
He seemed actually surprised at that, but humored her. "Very well, what is that ancient looking book you hold in your lap?"
She flinched at his words. They were so close to the truth.... She glanced down at the book and sighed. "This...." She said quietly. "Is perhaps the answer to many questions."
He raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Answers to what pray tell?"
She watched him closely, then fingered the book slightly, wondering if she should give it to him. "Well.... To history, to things that we probably don't want to know or find out."
He frowned slightly at that, and she could see his patience was being tried, but he held it back. "Such as?"
She slowly opened to the page she'd been looking at, the one with his portrait.... And looked back up at the trickster. Then silently, she handed it to him.
He took it, and peered down at it, and the expression on his face then was almost unforgettable. She'd never seen such a look of surprise, shock, and confusion that she saw on his face as he gazed at what appeared to be his clone. His fingers touched the paper slightly, as if not believing it, and then he looked up with puzzled eyes. "What is this?"
She looked at him evenly. "You tell me."
He looked back down, a strange look on his face. "I've no idea."
She sighed. "It's the book of ancient dragon hierarchies pre Kouma war." She said softly. "That was apparently the last monarch before the massacre."
He stared down at the picture again. "Ancients? As in dragons?" She nodded wordlessly. "but..." he whispered quietly.
She watched him, and saw confusion on his face. He didn't know more than she did apparently. "I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me Namagomi." But the word wasn't really harsh, more to bring him back to reality.
He looked up with some veiled expression, then back down. "I'd like to borrow this if I could..." He said quietly. "I'll return it, but if I may?"
She frowned. That text was valuable to her and her history, and it was very unique. "You won't destroy it or anything?" Why was she trusting him?
"I promise it will return to you in the same condition it is now." He said softly. "I wish to show this to my mistress."
She sighed, but nodded reserved. "OK, just you better keep you're word, or I'll introduce Mace-sama to you again multiple times."
He laughed at that and stood up, book in hand. "Hai hai, wakatta Filia-san!" And with that he vanished.
She sat there silently, not moving from her chair for some time, turning events over in her head. He didn't know any more than she did... and he was going to seek professional help, yes that was best... but then, would the Greater Beastmaster help them? Well of course, she was his master. She sighed and sat there with a hand on her chin staring at the flames vaguely. Eventually, she fell asleep where she sat.
"Mistress."
The lavender haired lady looked up rather irritated. "Xelloss? What are you doing here, I thought I told you to bother that gold and get info on the ancient."
He bowed his head in apology. "My apologies mistress, but I've found some information to which I think relates, and would interest you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" She held a hand out, and he handed her the book. She then flipped through it casually. "Hmm this is interesting. A text on the Ancients. Very nice work Xelloss." She smiled up at him.
He cleared his throat nervously. "Ano, check the last page before you comment Mistress...."
She frowned, but flipped to the last page and peered at it irritably. "What...." She paused when she saw what was there, and slammed it shut with a sharp action. "I see."
He looked up at her nervously. "What is this Mistress? What does it mean?"
She looked at him with a veiled anger visible there. "No concern of yours."
He tensed at that, and for the first time in his life, he dared to speak back to his mistress when she clearly had stopped any further talk on the issue. "I think it is Mistress."
She froze, and slowly turned to face him. "Xelloss, I do warn you that this is no issue of yours. I advise you to keep out of it.... Unless you don't know what's good for you."
Now ordinarily, he would have bowed, apologized, and that would be that. But something deep inside of him was prodding him hard..... "I.... Think that I need to know Mistress, begging your pardon."
She seemed to freeze, then turned and looked at him, though his gaze was cast down. "You want to know?" She hissed dangerously. "I warn you Xelloss."
"Please.." He murmured softly, knowing he was living it dangerous.
She closed her eyes and threw the book at him, and he managed to catch it before it fell to the ground. "Very well. I'll tell you." Suddenly the scenery shifted around them abruptly so that they were in an abandoned valley, with no grass or foliage anywhere, only rocks and dead things. "You want to know then you will know, but you shall not be my minion any further!" And with that she had his staff in her hand, and brought it against the nearest bolder, and smashed it into thousands of pieces.
He screamed as the pain hit him.... Electrifying and intense, painful through every inch of his soul and body like a wild fire loose in a forest. He felt his soul crumbling, dissolving and collapsing on itself, and then everything was bright red in front of his eyes........ and then he saw it.......