Lina watched him, then shook her head. "You're different Xelloss.... It's too weird."
He looked up then smiled slightly, looking more like his old self. "Yes. I suppose it is. I guess I've gotten used to it."
Amelia sat down next to him and picked Val up in her arms, playing with him. "Xelloss-san, does this mean that you're a pursuer of justice and truth now that you're not a mazoku?"
He sweatdropped with the others in the room. "Ano... I... guess you could uh, say that..."
Her eyes got wide and happy. "I always knew that you would be changed to the side of justice! This is wonderful!" She threw her arms around him, and gave him a tight hug, which ordinarily would have killed him from overwhelming happiness before, but he managed to make a semi-gracious look and take it in good stride.
The others simply sighed in exasperation, and threw up their arms. Why fight it. "Anyone feel like dinner?" Lina said, which quickly got them all headed downstairs without problem. They ordered the usual meal fit for an army, and set about devouring it, even Xelloss joined in, though not as wolf-like as the others. After the meal, they leaned back all stuffed, and content. However, someone approached the table warily and cleared his throat, tapping Xelloss on the shoulder lightly. "Ano... excuse me sir... um, I was asked to tell you that the lady you seek may be outside of town... and quite wounded...."
Xelloss' eyes shot open in anger and terror at once and he jumped to his feet, snatching the guy by the collar and shouting in his face. "Where is she!"
The man pointed shakily towards the north. "Ou...t side of town.... Uh... by the forest path..."
It was as if a whirlwind had taken control of him. He was sprinting out the door faster than they could blink, even leaving Val behind at the table with the rest of them. They glanced at each other, then nodded and started after him running to catch up, but they had long lost him as he sprinted faster ahead of them. However, they soon enough found their way to the outskirts, and sure enough, a small group of people were gathered around something very large...... and they could hear shouts from others as someone elbowed their way through. They didn't have to think twice to determine what was going on.... They knew....
"Amelia! Zel!" Lina cried as she ran forward quickly with them close behind towards the fallen golden dragon. They shoved their way through the people and rushed to Xelloss' side, as he clutched Filia's head in his arms and was crying heavily, each sob shaking his body as he cried her name over and over again. They didn't spare time in putting their hands up to heal her, all of them combining their strength as one, but her bulk was far too much for them to handle..... and her injuries were critically serious. They tried hard, and Lina muttered low under her breath. "If only Sylphiel were here..."
Xelloss seemed to know that they couldn't do enough in time, and he screamed in anger and pain at the skies, as an enormous energy seemed to build up around him all at once. His rage and pain spurred it, and they gaped in shock as his form began to glow, and shimmer in the strange light that surrounded him. Then from his back, huge black feathered wings, one looking damaged, exploded outwards and the energy pulsated more and became nearly blinding. By now, they were too shocked to speak, and had stopped their magic to stare at him, absolutely taken aback. Then there was a bright explosion of light that radiated from him in waves and surrounded Filia's body like tendrils of light, and then were drawn into her, absorbing into her skin, and making her glow brightly. Then..... before their eyes, the wounds began to heal over, heal and knit from the inside and seal over as if there were none. They gaped more as this happened, and Lina was staring at Xelloss with a curious but still shocked look as she shaded her eyes from him.
Then it was over..... the light faded from him and from her, and he slumped over her neck, weakly, gasping and shaking a bit, his wings limp against his back and quivering with the effort it had taken him. The group stood uncertainly for a moment, then jerked into action as they saw him slump forward unconscious over her. Amelia rushed to his side, and tried to pick him up, but wasn't strong enough to, and so she just examined him. "He's just exhausted..." She said quietly. "I can't find any injury on him."
Just then, there was a soft moan, and Filia's eyes quivered once, then slid open. Lina ran over to her side as she slowly lifted her large head, making Xelloss who was draped over her neck slide to the ground in a heap. She blinked around slightly confused. Wha..
Lina held a hand up. "Filia, are you ok?"
The dragon lady must have sensed the worry in her voice, for she glanced around and then saw Xelloss on the ground. Xelloss! Her mental voice practically screamed, and she was changing back to her human form before any could protest, and kneeling by him with a fearful worried glance on her face. "Xelloss!!!" She shook him and cradled his limp form in her arms, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.
Amelia knelt by her. "I think he's ok... He used all his energy healing you."
Lina joined them and nodded solemnly. "He saved your life Filia.... We three together were trying to heal you, but it wouldn't have been enough......"
She looked up with tearful blue eyes and then back down at him with a soft smile before kissing his forehead gently and brushing some hair out of his face. "I see.... Thank you...."
The crowd was standing around, looking worried and confused, and Gourry came up behind them with Zel not far behind. "Uh, maybe we should find somewhere else to talk?" He suggested.
They nodded among themselves, and agreed. "Right..." Lina said standing. "We're obviously not safe around here with what's happened..... let's go." She started walking into the woods, and the others followed her, with Filia carrying Xelloss in her arms with Gourry's help.
They walked a fair distance before deciding they were safe enough, and decided to stop and camp for the night. They risked a fire and sat about it as the sky began to darken and looked at each other silently. Xelloss was still unconscious, and rather pale to boot, lying down with Filia's cloak over him for warmth. Finally, Lina sighed. "Ok, so what exactly is going on here Filia...... there's more than Xelloss told us....."
Filia looked up slowly. "What did he tell you?"
"All he said is, and I quote," Lina said crisply. "If they managed to catch us, we'll both be killed" She sighed. "Why? I though it was because he's not mazoku any more... but that's obviously not all of it.... Why are you involved here?"
Filia looked down slightly embarrassed. "Well.... Since I'm a traitor... to the golds anyway, and since I was hiding them.... That's why."
Lina frowned. "So... they know that Val's an ancient, and they know Xel's vulnerable.... But there's one more thing..." She said glaring over at Xel's figure.
Zelgadiss finished for her. "Why does he have wings, and how can he cast such a powerful healing spell if he's not mazoku any more."
Filia looked from one to the other, then sighed. "Then he didn't tell you that part..."
"What part?" Zel said irritably as Lina and the others watched her.
She looked up at them. "Didn't you wonder how he could be alive now if he was no longer a mazoku?"
Lina shrugged. "I assumed he was human before or his master made him human."
Filia shook her head. "No.... not human."
They stared at her, then slowly the realizations began to dawn on their faces, except Gourry, and Amelia took a small breath. "Oh my... you mean Xelloss-san is...?"
Filia nodded slowly. "The golds don't know, they just want him dead. But if they found out, all the more reason to get rid of him and Val.... The last two Ancient dragons....." Her gaze fell to them, since Val was sleeping on Xelloss' chest. "Val knows somehow.... There's a bond between them, and he loves Xelloss even though he's too young to understand. And I think Xelloss feels similarly, he cares deeply for Val." She sighed. "It.... Is hard to believe, I know. But....." Her gaze softened. "He is a different person than before..... he really is."
There was complete silence for a while, the crackling of the flames the only sound in the darkness besides that of the evening crickets. Finally, Lina sighed. "Well... now that's something I never expected...."
Amelia stared at her hands rather uncertainly. "So.... Xelloss-san is a dragon? Like Valgarv-san?"
Filia nodded, gently brushing a hand over his forehead, with a tender look on her face. "Yes... that is exactly it Amelia..."
They obviously didn't know quite what to think of all this, and it was solved by Gourry reappearing out of nowhere with some rabbit. "How bout dinner!"
They ate their dinner, ravenously of course, then settled down to discuss what they were going to do, which ended up just where they'd started, and they decided that the best thing to do was to just sleep on it and see what the morning brought. Filia curled up next to Xelloss and Val, and the others settled down while Gourry sat first watch.
Several hours had passed already, when something moving brought his attention to Xelloss, who was stirring slightly. Before long, he opened his eyes, and looked around slightly disoriented, then pushed himself halfway up to his elbows, noting that Filia and Val were there with him, and looking relieved.
"Feeling better?" Gourry asked drawing Xel's attention.
He smiled slightly and nodded, then managed to separate himself from Filia and drape the cloak over her and Val, then make his way over to where Gourry was, sitting by the flames next to the swordsman. "Still weak, but now that she's all right, I'm fine."
Gourry nodded slightly, his eyes staring into the flames rather absently. "You really care for her don't you?"
Xelloss nodded solemnly, reaching up and examining his still injured wing. "Yes.... More than anything."
Gourry nodded slightly at that, seeming to understand for some odd reason. "Can I ask you a question Xelloss?" The purple haired man nodded solemnly, looking up at the taller blond man. "What are you going to do now?"
Xelloss sighed and let his hands fall in his lap. "I don't know..... It's obvious that they'll be searching for us once again.... They won't stop until they find us."
Gourry nodded slightly. "So, you'll keep running and hiding?"
Xelloss was silent for a long time, then looked up at him with knowing eyes. "Of course not. The best way to face your problems, is to confront them directly."
Gourry glanced at him curiously, his blue eyes slightly inquisitive. "Why do you say that? Aren't you the one who hides secrets and misleads people?"
"Hmm.. well I'm not the only one." He stated plainly.
Gourry blinked once, then smiled and turned back to the fire. "Yeah, well...." He shook his head. "I didn't think you knew."
Xelloss glanced up at him. "Just as you figured out I was mazoku before the others, I figured you out long ago." He stared back at the flames himself. "Though I am puzzled as to why you'd hide something like this. There's no real reason, but of course you must have one."
Gourry chuckled. "Yeah, course I do."
"So, care to share? Or is it to remain a secret?"
Gourry was silent for some time, then slowly brought out the sword of light and let the hilt fall off, holding the hilt in his hand. "It's mostly because of this."
Xelloss had a pained look suddenly, which he hid quickly. "I see."
Gourry didn't miss much however. "What's wrong?"
Xelloss bit his lip. "Well... you surely must know why I'm a bit.... Nervous around the light weapons."
"Oh yes, I'm sorry..." Gourry apologized quickly. "I can understand your position."
Xelloss was silent for a while, then glanced at the weapon in Gourry's lap. "Tell me.... Why are they after them so much? Why must someone posses all of them? Why drive their people to do acts of which they wouldn't ordinarily do? I never really understood it, even as a mazoku."
Gourry frowned. "I'm not sure. There must be some hidden power to possessing them all..... And that's enough to make me continue this. I don't want it ending up in the wrong hands."
Xelloss nodded solemnly. "I see.... You're a noble warrior then."
Gourry smirked and nudged him on the shoulder. "I'm nothing. Just a swordsman. You, my ancient friend, have seen much more, and are far older and more experienced than I."
"A fact I'm not entirely proud of."
"You should be. You have to be proud of something."
Xelloss glanced at him surprised, then smiled. "I see.... Yes, of course, you're right." He smiled and closed his eyes. "Well I am proud of what I am. I wouldn't wish to be anything else, especially after what I've been through." He chuckled. "I've lived as a mazoku who pretended to be human while he never knew he was ryuzoku. I think I've experienced every flavor of life."
Gourry laughed out loud. "Yeah, sorta ironic, but you've got a lot ahead of you after all. It ain't over yet."
"Yes.... So true, so true."
They let the silence encompass them, and the firelight lit small sparks from the flames into the night sky, to blend with the twinkling stars above.