"This story is screwed." - Another insane rambling from the trickster priestess
I do not mean to character bash in this story.
It's just part of the plot. Please don't flame me.
"Leave me alone, Amelia," said Zelgadiss coldly, prying himself free from the princess's grasp.
She clutched tighter. "Oh...Zelgadiss." She cooed "We were made for each other." Zelgadiss looked down at her. "Yeah, for horror stories." he said sarcastically. " Will you kindly let go of my arm, Amelia?" Amelia released his arm reluctantly and gave him a mournful look, making Zel cringe.
"Why do you pretend to not love me?" she asked him, her blue eyes brimming with tears.
Zelgadiss refrained from smacking her "Because I don't." he said flatly. He threw his hands up in the air. "I'm not in love with you! I don't even like you that way! You're a friend! A f-r-i-e-n-d. Got it?If you keep pestering me you won't even be that!" With that, he stalked away, leaving Amelia to ponder his words.
Zelgadiss approached the campsite and the first thing he saw was Lina. The flame-tressed sorceress was fishing in the river with Sylphiel. Sylphiel was cooking all the fish that Lina caught. Lina - Now there's a girl who can help get Amelia out of my head. Unknown by Lina's other companions, Zelgadiss was deeply in love with her. He had just realized it one day-he had felt it before, but until then he didn't realize what it was. He planned to tell Lina how he felt and ask her out, but then one day a stranger joined the group, and he felt the same way about Lina, and shyness wasn't an issue for him, as with Zelgadiss.
The stranger would even go to such lengths as to kiss Lina, right in front of everybody.
Boy, did my blood sure boil then.
He hadn't liked Xelloss from the beginning. Zel found that the purple haired priest only got in the way, making life miserable for all of them. Xelloss had even made it his duty to tease the chimera whenever he possibly could. But flirting with the girl he loved was the one thing that Zelgadiss couldn't handle. Every time Zel saw the mazoku priest, he wanted to wrap his hands around Xelloss's neck, and strangle him. Zelgadiss vowed that he would be the one, only he would have Lina.
No one else.
No one.
For some reason, he reminded himself of Amelia.
"Hi, Lina." Said Zelgadiss cheerfully, stepping into the clearing. Lina looked up at him and smiled warmly.
"Hey Zel, "she replied. "Where've you been?" "Just out for a walk. I needed some fresh air. Where are Gourry and Sylphiel?" "Oh, they went to get some more firewood." Good. She's alone.
Zelgadiss sat down next to her on the rock. "You where gone quite a while for just taking a walk" said Lina casually, casting her line. Zelgadiss blushed. "I was thinking." Lina turned to look at him. "Oh? About what?" "You." It was Lina's turn to blush. Something tugged her line. She gripped the rod and began to reel it in. "I understand about the fresh air bit. I need to be alone sometimes to get out the stress in my system." She chuckled. "Why do you think I have such a bad temper?" Zel grinned. "Being around Xelloss would do that to anybody." He sat back and gazed into her eyes. Just another thing to add to the list of things I like about her. He didn't see ruby colored eyes very often, and he couldn't take his eyes off Lina's since he had met her.
Zelgadiss heard the faint sound of Gourry's voice in the distance, but it was too far away for him to hear what he was saying. They're coming back this way. If I'm ever going to tell her, it's now or never.
"Um...Lina? Can I tell you something? Something personal?" Lina smiled gently, still tugging the rod.
"Sure Zel. What's up?" Zelgadiss swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "Well, ever since..."
"Konnichi wa, Lina-san, Zelgadiss-san!"
He was suddenly cut off rudely by a new voice. Both him and Lina turned to see who was interrupting their private moment together.
Xelloss.
Bastard. He knows exactly what I'm doing.
"What do you want, trickster?" growled Zelgadiss, glaring at the mazoku priest. Xelloss smiled cheerfully."Why, I came to see my Lina-chan, of course." Your Lina? Who said she was yours? I was here first, you know.
Lina stood up. " If you don't mind, Xelloss, Zelgadiss and I were having a private conversation." She said rather coldly. Xelloss swooped down in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Actually, I do mind." Then he kissed her deeply, much to Lina's shock and Zelgadiss's anger. Lina shoved a gaav flare into his abdomen, making him back away from her. "Watch It." she said, her tone cold.
Xelloss hovered in mid-air, opening one eye to look at them. He smirked. "I was afraid that you would react like this, Lina-chan." He said smoothly, his voice sickeningly sweet. "Knowing how close you and stone-boy are getting. He's just competition, you know." His tone turned serious. "Competition that must be eliminated."
Amelia appeared then. She had changed. A lot. She wore a full body cat suit, black in color. Her hair was long, and she wore it in a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. She didn't look fourteen, but rather, twenty-two or twenty-three. Her amulets that she always wore still took their rightful places on her costume.
"Hiya" she said cheerfully, her amethyst colored eyes sparkling. Xelloss smiled. "But since we are all so found of the chimera, I have found somebody to take him off our hands." Amelia grinned, her dark eyes on Zelgadiss. "I have a back up plan." said Xelloss calmly. "You see, Amelia and I have the same little problem, so we worked out an agreement. I would remove her competition, and she would remove mine."
Lina shook her head, obviously confused. "Wait a sec, let me get this straight... That is Amelia?" she looked at the girl blankly.
"Yes"
Zelgadiss stepped in front of Lina and stared directly at Xelloss. "You sad, sadistic little freak of nature." Xelloss opened his eyes and looked down at the chimera. His expression gave Zel the creeps.
"Get away from Lina."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
Xelloss smiled and teleported to where Lina was standing, snatching her up in his arms. Zel let out a cry of surprise. Lina screamed and struggled in vain to free herself from the mazoku priest's grasp. Xelloss only clutched the angry sorceress tighter.
"Lina!" Zelgadiss screamed, trying to move towards his lover. His feet refused to cooperate. He glanced behind him and saw the formal justice freak standing there, a sick, gloating smile plastered on her face. Her sword pierced the ground where his shadow lay. "Bitch." said Zelgadiss coldly, glaring at the evil princess of Sailoon. Amelia reached out and struck him with the back of her hand, actually causing him to bleed. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "You're one to call me names, Mr. Zelgadiss." She said angrily. "For ages, I've tried to win your heart, but you've only had eyes for Lina. You liked her all along. I never had a chance, did I?" She smiled, a dark and sinister look crossing her face. "If anyone is the bitch here, it would be your Lina." She smiled smoothly and wrapped her arms around him. "But now that she's out of the way..." Zelgadiss punched her in the jaw, almost breaking it. He then cast a lighting spell and broke free of Amelia's hold on him and turned to Lina.
And he didn't like what he saw.
Xelloss had Lina pinned against a tree and was attempting to kiss her neck. Lina was screaming and clawing at him, fighting desperately to break free. She had no intentions of making love to Xelloss. Xelloss, on the other hand, had other plans, and pinned her down harder.
"Xelloss!" Amelia's voice. "STOP HIM!"
Zelgadiss approached Xelloss while his back was still turned and grabbed him by the hair. He wrenched the mazoku priest away from Lina and threw him to the ground.
"I said 'Stay away from Lina', bastard." he growled.
Zelgadiss turned towards the frightened Lina. "Go find Gourry and Sylphiel" he said softly. "Quickly." Lina nodded and ran off towards the woods.
Lina kept running and she didn't stop, although she kept glancing back to see if they were following her, and hesitating on the fact that Zelgadiss was back there, with them. Was he okay? Could he manage without her?
Lina's blood pounded in her ears. "Oh gods..." she panted, her boots thudding softly on the ground.
What were they doing to him now? Is he hurt? Is Amelia forcing herself on him?
Is Xelloss dissecting him, killing him slowly, bit by bit, drop by bloody drop?
Lina tried not to think about it and continued her search for Gourry. She considered calling out his name, but she didn't want to give her whereabouts away, incase Xelloss had come after her.
"Damn."
She didn't notice the branch until it was too late. She smashed into it at full force and went down hard.
She saw bright colors. She saw stars. She saw a certain mazoku priest, smiling down at her softly.
Then she saw blackness.
Zelgadiss groaned and opened his eyes. He tried to move his arms, but found that they were bound behind him and that he shouldn't waste his strength. His head hurt like hell.
Amelia sat crouched in front of him, her amethyst eyes burning into him.
"Ohayo, Zelgadiss-sama!" she chirped, lifting his chin with her little finger. She smacked him suddenly, the impact nearly causing him whiplash. "Don't go back to sleep Mr. Zelgadiss." She said softly. "Xelloss and Lina will be back any minute."
Lina? Damn it!
Zelgadiss glared at Amelia. "Why are you doing this?" he asked her, staring into her once friendly eyes.
"Why? You know very well why, Mr. Zelgadiss." Amelia exclaimed. "I was in love with you from the very beginning. But you never loved me...I fought for your attention in vain. You left me no choice."She reached out and slapped him across the face, smiling wickedly.
Zelgadiss glared at her. "Bitch."
"I'm not the bitch here. If any ones the bitch...Its Lina." Amelia smiled again."But... Now that she's out of the way..." Amelia grabbed him collar and pulled him close, kissing him deeply.
Lina groaned and opened her eyes. Her head throbbed. "Ugh..." She tried to move, but her arms wouldn't budge. She looked down. She was tied to a tree! Lina squirmed.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said a sickeningly cheerful and familiar voice.
"Xelloss? Untie me!"
"And why would I want to do that? To have my Lina-chan escape?"
"Xelloss!"
Xelloss grinned. He stepped in front of Lina and stroked her cheek. Lina shook him off. He frowned
"Don't worry about Zelgadiss." He said sweetly. "He's been taken care of."
Lina's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Amelia? She wouldn't kill him, would she?
Xelloss grinned again.
"He's just fine. Amelia's 'entertaining' him at the moment. You really should lighten up, Lina."
Lina glared at the mazoku priest. "You bastard."
He cupped her chin in his hands. "I'm not that bad. I think you could come to love me."
"As if. I don't love you. And Zelgadiss doesn't love Amelia. And Gourry doesn't love Sylphiel."
"Oh? Are you sure? He doesn't seem to mind her flirting with him."
"That's only because it's harmless. Not obsessive behavior, like Amelia with Zelgadiss. Or you."
"I think she's obsessed with him."
Lina gritted her teeth.
"Are you going to untie me? Or do I have to blow up the tree and blast you with a dragon slave?"
"I guess you have to destroy the tree. I have no intentions of releasing you."
"Have it your way."
Xelloss smiled. Lina closed her eyes and cast a fire-ball.
Nothing happened.
"Okay, what did you do?"
Xelloss smiled. "That is a secret."
Zelgadiss struggled as the former justice freak continued to paw at him.
"Stop it." He choked, wiggling out from underneath her.She smiled and bit his ear.
Suddenly a glint of light caught his eye.Amelia's knife...
Her knife! How can I get it?
Zelgadiss frowned.
No...I don't want to do that. There has to be another way to get it. But there isn't. I have to do it. Damn it!
He sighed with frustration. Sitting up, he began to kiss Amelia back.
After doing this, death would be welcome. God I hate my life.
Amelia grinned and untie his hands. He wrapped his arms around her, and moved them down to her waist, her hips, and his hand closed around the knife.
Wrenching it from her side, her stood up suddenly and shoved the knife deep into her stomach.
Amelia cried out and clutched at the wound. "Damn you." She whispered, keeling over.
Zelgadiss smiled. "You already did."
Lina growled and kicked Xelloss in the leg. She cast a fireball and managed to free herself from her binds.
"Hmm...must have been a temporary curse."
Lina fire-balled the mazoku one more time before he could stop her and took off.
Now to find Zelgadiss.
Suddenly a figure staggered from the bushes.
"Xelloss! Stop him!"
Zelgadiss charged out of another bush and grabbed Lina's arm.
"Zelgadiss? How...?"
"I'll explain later. RAY WING!"
Xelloss growled and teleported to their position. " I think you have something that belongs to me, Stone boy."
"I think not."
Zelgadiss cast a light spell and thrust it in Xelloss' face. Xelloss cringed and covered his eyes. When he opened them, they were gone.
"Damn..."
"Are you alright, Lina?"
Yes, I'm fine..."
"No really, did he...do anything to you...?"
"He tried...but no."
"Good."
"What happened to Amelia?"
"She came onto the wrong man."
"What happened?"
"She got desperate...untied me...and I got hold her knife."
Lina smiled at her chimera friend. "She deserved it."
Xelloss punched the tree.
"Amelia, what the hell happened back there?"
I don't know, Mr. Xelloss." she whined
"One moment he was kissing me, the next he had a knife and got me with it."
Xelloss stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"He tricked you..."he said more calmly "Maybe we can turn the tables on them..."
"You have an idea?"
"I do."
"Good, lets hear it."
Zelgadiss hovered over an old abandoned city. "They won't find us here." He told Lina.
She nodded in agreement and they set down on the road. "Where are we, anyway?" she asked, looking around at the old, crumbling buildings.
"Zonia. No ones lived here for almost two thousand years"
"What happened?"
"I'm not too sure. Some say the Beast Master Zellas Metallium came and attacked the city in attempts to find the high priestess." He paused.
"Go on..."
"Well, the story says that the priestess revealed herself before the Beast Master and battled her. Zellas was defeated, and fled the city, but late came back with her minions and destroyed it."
Lina bit her lip "No survivors?"
"Well...everyone died, but the priestess' body was never discovered. They say she was unhurt by the attack and left to seek revenge on Zellas."
"Was Xelloss part of this attack?"
"I don't think so...Xelloss is around one thousand years old, but this event occurred over two thousand years ago." Zelgadiss sighed. "I bet the priestess would have kicked his ass too."
"Sounds like it. Hey, is that a fountain?" Lina ran ahead of Zel and stopped at a large statue. "Zel! Come! Water!"
Zelgadiss chuckled and ran over to where Lina stood. He gathered some of the liquid in his hands and sampled it.
"Its safe."
Lina bent down over the railing and drank hungrily
Zelgadiss looked up into the sky.
Xelloss, you bastard.
Lina glanced up at the preoccupied shaman. "Hey...what's up?"
"What? Oh...nothing..."
"It's not nothing...something's up."
"It's nothing...really."
"Whatever."
Xelloss teleported over the run-down city and scanned it with his violet eyes. "They're here." He told Amelia. "Hiding, no doubt."
"Cowards."
"They'll will know fear by the time we're done with them."
"I love the way you're sadistic mind works."
Xelloss chuckled. "Why thank you, Amelia."
Amelia frowned. "I can see them."
"I should've poisoned the water when I had the chance."
"You've been here before?"
"My mother brought me here a number of times. It's her favorite place to be.
No ones lived here for two thousand years."
Xelloss grinned. "Let's go have some fun...shall we?"
Amelia grinned brightly. "Let's do it."
"Zelgadiss? Are you okay?" asked Lina, tugging on his arm.
"Why do you keep asking me that?"
"I'm worried about you, Zel." She said softly, looking up at him.
"You don't need to be. I can take care of myself."
"Are you sure about that?" interrupted a new voice, making them both jump.
"Xelloss!"
"In the flesh."
"How did you find us here?"
"Tsk...Tsk...Tsk...Every one knows that Zellas destroyed this place. Didn't it occur to you that I would know where it is? She brings me here often."
Damn...
Amelia smiled brightly. "And now I know where it is so I can visit it as often as I like too!"
Lina sweat dropped. "I see being a mazoku hasn't changed you much."
Amelia frowned. "It has too. I cannot believe how I could protect the laws of...ugh...Justice!" She made a face. "How disgusting!"
Lina smirked. "Believe it, princess."
Xelloss took a step towards them
Zelgadiss drew his sword. "Back off. Leave us alone."
Xelloss smiled "No..."
"RA TILT!"
Xelloss smirked and called up a shield.
"That's not going to work." He said smugly, wagging his finger.
He teleported away and re-appeared behind Lina. Drawing his dagger, he brought it close to her throat. "Don't move...," he warned, pressing the metal against her flesh. Lina gripped at his arm. "Let me go..." she whimpered.
"I think you already know my answer, Lina-chan."
"Xelloss! Please!" she cried.
"Since you said please..." he let go of her and thrust the tiny sorceress towards Amelia. Amelia smirked and grabbed Lina's hair. Lina cried out in pain as Amelia yanked it with all her strength.
"Stop It." said Zelgadiss, taking a step towards them. Xelloss blocked his path. "I would stay where you are...unless you want to see your precious Lina...injured." Zelgadiss clenched his teeth together. He reached for his sword. Xelloss smiled and teleported behind Zelgadiss. He snatched the sword from the shocked chimera's hand and resumed his previous position.
"I warned you..." said Xelloss gently. He pointed the sword at Zelgadiss.
"Let her go."
"How many times must I answer? No, I'm not releasing her."
"Let her go...NOW."
"You didn't say please."
"PLEASE, Xelloss. Let her go!"
Xelloss grinned broadly. "If you insist." He snapped his finger and Amelia tossed the frightened Lina to Xelloss. Smirking, He literally threw her at Zelgadiss. Zelgadiss caught hold of her and held her close. She was shaking.
"Are you alright?"
"I've been better."
Xelloss smiled. "Awww...how sweet." He said, in a sickeningly sweet tone. Amelia giggled. She drew her sword and pointed it at Lina and Zelgadiss. She gestured to the crumbling building behind them. "Get in...NOW!"
Not wasting any time, Lina and Zel quickly entered the dark structure.
Xelloss grinned evilly. "This is the remains of the infamous temple of Zonia, which was destroyed by my mother over two thousand years ago."
"You're mother was a bitch." said Lina sarcastically.
"She was, and still is. But I love her that way. She wouldn't be the same person."
"And the bad news is...?"
Xelloss frowned. "Don't talk about her that way." He said coldly, almost glaring at her with his violet eyes.
A soft spot?
Zelgadiss glared at the mazoku. "Well, what do you expect? She wiped out this entire town for revenge against one girl. Expect for people to hate her."
"They deserved to die. If they wanted to live, they should've left when they had they chance."
"People should be safe in their own homes. And people hate you for the same reason. You destroyed the entire ryozoku race for no reason. It took you long enough to kill the last one."
"That's enough, Mr. Zelgadiss," said Amelia, cutting in.
"What did Firia ever do to you anyway?" said Lina, her voice shaking. Firia's death was still painful for her.
"You know very well what she did." He was referring to the fact of her trying to stop him from killing of the other dragons, and trying to kill Zellas.
"But why not kill us all then? Amelia helped her. Gourry helped her. Zelgadiss helped her. I helped her. Even Sylphiel helped her."
"She was the catalyst. If I removed her, you wouldn't interfere anymore. You don't really care about dragons. But they were her life."
"Maybe I didn't care about dragons," said Lina angrily, her eyes brimming with tears. "But I cared about her."
"That was your own mistake."
Lina struck out and punched Xelloss in the face, actually knocking him over. She began beating at him furiously, screaming with anger.
Amelia shoved her dagger into Lina's shadow, freezing her in her position.
Xelloss stood up and dabbed at the cut on his face. He drew his own sword and brought it to Lina's throat.
"Try that again, and I'll rip out your throat."
"Go to hell..."
"Shut up, Lina." said Amelia, backing towards the door. Xelloss followed.
"I'm afraid we have some other business to attend to." He said sweetly, turning to the door. He cast a fireball on the roof of the building, causing the door to be blocked.
"HEY!" cried Lina, struggling to move from her holds.
Xelloss chuckled. "Try getting out of this one, Lina-chan."
"XELLOSS! I'll have your head for this!" shouted Zelgadiss furiously
"Not if you're already dead." replied Xelloss coolly.
Amelia cast a flare-arrow and thrust it at the building where Lina and Zelgadiss were held prisoner.
"LINA!" screamed Zelgadiss, attempting to protect her from the blast.
Amelia laughed insanely outside.
"AMELIA!" screamed Lina. "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOUR FATHER! I HOPE SAILOON BURNS DOWN!" Amelia giggled. "So do I..."
Amelia cast a dragon slave at the building, causing it to explode. Both mazoku smiled as they listen to the cries coming from inside.
"Wheee...that was fun." She told Xelloss, watching the small decrepit building burn down. "It was..." agreed Xelloss, turning his back to the building. " But if only they had accepted what was coming to them...then we wouldn't of had to kill them."
"Ah well...sacrifices must be made." She said sadly, gazing at the sunset.
"Why don't we go see how Sylphiel is doing with Gourry, hmm...?"
"Good Idea."
The two-mazoku teleported away from Zonia, where the remains of the building still smoldered.
Sylphiel smiled as Amelia and Xelloss approached her. "Hello." She said, smiling warmly. "How did it go?"
"Not good..." replied Amelia. "We had to kill them, they wouldn't cooperate."
"But that was still fun, ne?" said Xelloss, smiling. Killing Zelgadiss had brought him pleasure, as killing Lina had done for Amelia.
"I had the same problem. Gourry wouldn't even touch me. He kept trying to escape."
"What did you do?"
"I cut his throat out."
"Good girl."
"Well, what now?"
"Lets go see if we can find Martina and Zangulus. If we're lucky, we might even see Firia and Valgarv."
"I thought you killed her."
"That's what Lina thought."
"You have good taste, Xelloss."
"I know."
The three-mazoku teleported away, only leaving death and their foot prints behind.
Lina G: Well...that was creepy.
Lina: yes...why did I die?
Lina G: Because I was feeling morbid, foolish one.
Lina:.....
Xelloss: You killed my Lina-chan!
Zelgadiss: YOUR Lina-chan?
Lina G: Tsk...Tsk...Tsk...
Lina: Okay, that's enough, I'm outta here.
Amelia: You're NOT Leaving with MY Zelly!
Lina: Who said he was yours?
Amelia: I did, stupid
Zelgadiss: Do I get a say in this?
Xelloss: no.
Lina G: Hmmm....well, I'm leaving now...It's three in the morning and I have to get up in four hours.
Xelloss: ha ha
Lina G: can it, fruitcake.
Xelloss:...
Lina: Well, I'm leaving.
Zelgadiss: Ja ne!
Xelloss: bai bai
Amelia: yes! Freedom!
Lina G: good riddance.