They made camp by a lake that evening. 'Dancer opted to find firewood when Zolf announced that he was going to catch dinner. Rodimus worked on starting the tinder, and Zelgadis rested against a tree.
"Oye, Zel, can I have some help?" She called. Zelgadis came over to where she was struggling with a virtual tree.
"Why'd you pick such a large log?" he asked picking up one end of it.
"I needed an excuse to talk to yo-ooph." 'Dancer grunted as the weight of the log shifted. Zelgadis said nothing but lowered his end of the log. "Thanks, doncha think it's strange that they found us so soon?" "No, not really, over there." Zelgadis pointed to a rock and the two of them moved over to it. "Huh? Zel, meaning no disrespect, but are your brains addled?" Zel set his end down on top of the rock. "Of course not." He said calmly, giving her a cold look. "I know they're not the real Zolf and Rodimus." 'Dancer put her end down on the ground. "Oh, and how's that?"
"The real Zolf and Rodimus are dead." Zelgadis brought his foot down hard and fast on the log, snapping it in half. "I saw them die." 'Dancer felt her skin crawl at the smoldering anger reflected in his eyes. She swallowed. "Er...okay, then how come we're traveling con ellos?" Zelgadis picked up the log halves. "Con ejos?" he asked. "With them." 'Dancer sighed, collecting her bundle of wood. "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." Zelgadis quoted. So they can stab you in the back? 'Dancer thought sourly.
Dinner's fare was scant in 'Dancer's opinion (only six, foot-sized trout), but despite some lingering nausea she ate with relish. Zolf and Rodimus, she noticed, ate as though they hadn't seen food in ages, polishing off their two fish before she was half way through hers. Zelgadis, she noted with some relief, was also eating, but she could see tenseness in his every move. Doesn't he know he's telegraphing his distrust? She wondered, munching on the fish tail.
"Are you finished?" Rodimus asked, pointing to her fish. 'Dancer fixed him with a hard look. "That's mine." She said, smashing Zolf's foot with her heel as he tried to steal the fish from the other side. "Mummph-hiss, THAT HURT!!!!!!!!" Screamed Zolf in her face as she swallowed the remainder whole. "Ay," 'Dancer plugged her nose, "go brush your teeth." She stood up and faced him. Zolf turned an interesting shade of purple as he screamed,"Deim Wing!"
'Dancer was knocked into the center of the lake. Sputtering she surfaced, "Why you pond-scum sucking- Zel, behind you!!!" Zelgadis turned in time to see Rodimus lunging at him with his battle ax. 'Dancer disappeared below the surface of the lake. As Zelgadis leap away from the tree he'd been leaning against, Rodimus's form wavered then melted away, revealing a very, very angry looking werewolf. As the ax bit the wood of the tree it seemed to glow. Nanoseconds later the glow transfered to the tree and the wood exploded into sawdust. "So, Dilgear, looks like you found yourself a magical weapon after all." Zelgadis said coolly, his sword gleaming in front of him.
"Heh," Dilgear smiled maliciously "If you think that's impressive, wait till see what it does against stone...This is for Noonsa!" he rushed Zelgadis.
Zelgadis parried as he cast a glance around for Zolf. Where...? A second later he heard 'Dancer's angry shout. "Let go of me you squalid sn-" The surface of the lake boiled as the two thrashed about.
Dancing out of harms way Zelgadis lept a top a boulder. "Flare...Arrow!" Dilgear just batted the bolts of magic to one side with the ax. The ax glowed as it absorbed the arrows. Zelgadis flinched mentally, he hadn't counted on that...
Pulled underwater 'Dancer fought a losing battle as the water python coiled around her and squeezed. Realizing how little air remained in her lungs she caste about in her mind for a weapon of some..ANY sort. As her sight clouded over she remembered Zelgadis's accusation that she'd worked magic through the poem. can't ...hurt...in faithful hour 'Dancer suddenly screamed as pain lanced through her body. The snake discharged electricity into her entwined body. Watching the last of her air escape she was barely aware of the next line And, winds with, swiftness along, paths
Zelgadis dodged and parried, silently cursing Dilgear. Every time he cast a spell Dilgear had used the ax absorb the spell. "You can't defeat me." smirked the werewolf, circling Zelgadis.
"Really?" Zelgadis answered lazily, watching his every move. "I seems to me that you're forgetting something." Dilgear narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.
Zelgadis's reply was lost in the howl of the wind as a waterspout developed over the lake. Like a child who ate something distasteful the lake spit something out between the two fighters. "Luz!" howled Dilgear as Zelgadis recognized 'Dancer's entwined form.
'Dancer rolled onto her stomach, coughing up great amounts on lake water and blood. The python's body taken the brunt of the shock and had loosened on impact.
"Luz, you killed Luz you witch!" Dilgear raised his ax up, intent on ending 'Dancer's misery.
"RA-TILTO!"
The blast of magic caught the ax squarely, hurling the werewolf deep into the forest, and through several trees. Dilgear stood up from the impact crater he'd made in the side of a boulder.
"That was useless!" He hollered, waving the ax above his head. The ax, though, kept on growing brighter and brighter.
"Wha-?"Dilgear, looked at the ax confused as it went supernova, causing a small mushroom cloud.
"Pheh, idiot." Zelgadis walked over to where 'Dancer was crouched. "Let's go." 'Dancer glared at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Would you PLEASE .... let me die... in peace." She croaked, her throat and lungs burning.
"You're not going to die." Zelgadis said patiently. "But you will if we're still here when he comes back." 'Dancer shut her eyes against tears. "You mean ....he's not ....dead yet?" She wailed. "Zel... that snake... broke a couple ...ribs... I can... barely breath... let alone... move."
Zelgadis looked relieved "If that's all it is...don't move." And exactly WHERE would I go? She wondered sourly as he chanted softly. The tightness in her chest loosened and she stood up gingerly, carefully stretching.
"Oye, I'm all better." She turned and smiled at him. "I don't know how you did it, but thanks!" Zelgadis nodded, "Fine, can we go now?" 'Dancer started nod when a flash of movement caught her eye. The snake's tail stretched and uncurled into the puddle of water at Zelgadis's feet. Belatedly 'Dancer remembered the python's other talent. Grabbing Zelgadis she threw him and herself beyond the wet ground. The night sky lit up again for the second time as the dying serpent put all her energy into one last charge.
"Um, 'Dancer..." 'Dancer looked down at Zelgadis, who was under her. "It's safe to get up now."
"Sorry," She rolled to her feet. Zelgadis stood and looked around. Seeing nothing else that required his destructive talents, he headed for the forest. "Oye, Zel," 'Dancer started a couple minutes later as they entered the woods.
"Yes?
"How'd you do that, with the ax and all?" Zelgadis glanced at her. "I mean, I saw it absorb that fire spell of yours." Zelgadis smiled faintly. "The ax is like a cup, it can only hold so much." "So you over filled it. Cool." 'Dancer was silent for a minute.
"Zel, can you teach me how to do that?"
"........."