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Hibernal Heart
For all disclaimers/warnings, please see the first chapter. AN at end of chapter.
===== part 3: reflections
[Despair] [Misunderstood]
[Reflections] [Dreamscape]
[Violence] [Severance]
[Discovery] [Destiny]
Gourry and Lina were back at the place where they had found Zelgadis.
Both were scouting the area, hoping to be able to get some clue about
the group of Mazoku that had attacked the shaman. But neither had any
luck so far.
Lina sighed, "I just don't get it." She flopped down on a nearby rock,
looking quite willing to Dragu Slave the next person she saw. "Really,
I don't get it. We know they were here. We saw what they did to Zel. So
why can't we find them?"
"I don't know, Lina." Gourry sat down next to the redhead. He was
equally frustrated, though the reasons were somewhat different. In any
case, he didn't feel like playing the 'dumb as dirt' sidekick right
then. "Maybe they're using some kind of magic to hide?"
"Even if they were, I'd be able to sense it," she replied. "There's no
magic anywhere near here. It's like they just disappeared."
That was a thought. "Can they?" Gourry asked.
"Can they what?"
"Can they just disappear?"
Another sighed. "No, they can't just disappear."
"But we can't find them." Gourry said, pointing out the painfully obvious.
"I know that!" The sorceress pulled at her hair. It wasn't so much that the statement was
obvious, as it seemed to remind them of a pending failure if the
situation didn't change in their favour soon. "How about telling me
something I don't know?"
That request proved to be easy. "Well, did you know Xelloss was standing right behind you?"
Lina looked over her shoulder, and was greeted by the familiar cheesy
smile. A shriek and a fireball were the Trickster Priest's reward.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Xelloss was one of the last people Lina wanted to see right now. "What is it this time, Xelloss?"
Charcoaled, Xelloss brushed himself off, grin planted firmly in place.
"If you really must know, I'm after the same thing you are."
To get the bastards responsible for hurting Zel? I find that hard to believe. Gourry kept his thoughts to himself. He wasn't feeling particularly friendly towards any Mazoku, including Xelloss.
"You're after the same thing we are, huh?" The sarcasm dripped and
pooled from Lina's mouth. "Why doesn't that make me feel better?"
Xelloss walked over to them. "Now, now, Lina. It's not good to have a
bunch of rogue Mazoku around killing the locals, you know."
"And you expect me to believe that you're doing this out of concern for the townspeople?"
Here it comes. Gourry took an uneasy step back.
"That... is a secret."
"Fireball!"
That looked painful, Gourry thought, watching as the priest fell over. And extra crispy to boot.
The ill-famed Trickster Priest recovered quickly, his smile never wavering. "Nice shot, Lina."
Lina's shoulders slumped heavily, the normally hyper teen feeling years
older. "Look, Xelloss. We don't have time for this. Those Mazoku
hurt--someone we know, and we want to make sure they don't get another
chance. So why don't you go back to whatever you were doing and let us
get back to work." Not that things ever went so easy. Lina guessed as
much when she saw the familiar finger wag. Oh, to bite that finger off and chew, she thought.
"Now, now, Lina. I'm actually here to help." Xelloss said this as though it were the most obvious reason in the world.
"Help? You?" Hands settled firmly on hips as Line fired a glare at Xelloss. "Fine, do you know where these Mazoku are?"
"No--but wait!" Xelloss held up a hand before Lina could toast him
again. "I can help you find them. It's easy enough. All Mazoku can find
each other when they really need to. It's not that difficult."
Lina considered this, then gave Xelloss another hard look. "Okay, fine. But if I even think you pulling one of your tricks again, I'll Dragu Slave you back to the Lord of Nightmares, got it?"
"Yes, of course. I am curious, however, as to what could prompt you into hunting down a bunch of Mazoku? Did the townspeople hire you? I hope they got insurance."
Gourry watched impassively as the priest was roasted again, well-done
this time. While he didn't mind watching the Mazoku suffer, he had a
promise to keep. Besides, Gourry didn't think it would be a good idea
to tell Xelloss the exact reasons why they were out there. Unfortunately, he didn't have a say in the matter.
"For your information," Lina scolded, "these particular Mazoku hurt
Zelgadis. We want to find them and make sure they don't hurt anyone
else like that."
"I see, I see." Xelloss' eternal smile faltered just a little. Lina
didn't notice, but Gourry did. "That's very noble of you, Lina. Of
course, I'll help in any way I can. I'm at your service." Xelloss gave
a slight bow to Lina, who only snorted.
"Whatever." Lina flipped her hair out of her face. "Okay, Xelloss, you can start by telling us where these Mazoku are hiding."
"Well, you see, I can't detect the precise location; I'm
too far away. But I can find them as I get closer. As for where they
are--" Xelloss points to a nearby mountain. "I believe we can start our
search there."
"Alright! Finally we have something to work with. Let's
go, Gourry!" Lina stomped off with her usual headstrong, 'do first,
think later' attitude. Gourry waited until she was far enough ahead,
then directed cool eyes on Xelloss. The Mazoku gave him a curious smile
in return.
"Something you wish to say, Gourry?"
"Actually, yes." Gone was the bumbling, good-natured Gourry everyone
knew. In his place was a man who had no qualms about killing to protect
what was his. He advanced on Xelloss, who was still smiling, yet on
this rare occasion found himself hard pressed not to back up or flinch.
"I do have something to say, Xelloss." Gourry murmured, stopping a few
feet away from the trickster. "A secret, since you like them so much."
"Oh?" Xelloss had little trouble convincing himself that he had not felt an echo of dread tickle at him. "What secret do you hide, Gourry?"
Gourry walked closer, forcing the trickster against a tree. The dark
energy radiating off of Gourry was like nothing Xelloss had felt
before. If he thought about it, Xelloss might have admitted that the
faint sensation he was experiencing could almost, almost be fear.
"My secret, Xelloss? It's nothing, really. Only that I am going to kill
the Mazoku responsible." With a swift motion, Xelloss found himself
pinned against the tree, the Sword of Light held against his neck. One
wrong move, and he'd be without his head.
"Now, Gourry, you shouldn't play around with the Sword of Light like
this--" Xelloss' words were cut of as he felt the heat pressed to his
skin.
The look in the blonde's eyes neared glacial intensity as they locked onto dark priest. "One, I'm not playing. Two, I will kill them. Three, if I find out you had anything to do with what happened to Zelgadis, I will kill you too. That's my secret."
The smile faltered again, replaced by a look Gourry had seen before,
but he wasn't sure where. Xelloss opened his violet eyes, staring
directly at Gourry.
"You and I have the same goal. And unless I miss my guess, we have the
same reason as well. But you can keep your secret. I had nothing to do
with this attack. Everyone has a limit, Gourry, everyone." Something in
Xelloss' voice told Gourry that the Mazoku who attacked Zelgadis had
crossed even the trickster's lines. Gourry almost felt sorry for them,
but the memory of Zel crying out in his sleep quickly fixed that.
"Gourry."
Gourry removed his weapon from Xelloss' neck, the light winking out. "I'll believe you, for now."
That infuriating grin found it's way back on the Trickster Priest's
face. "Well, that's certainly good for my head, yes? But if you plan on
a little demon hunting, then we'd better hurry up before Lina comes
back and fries us both. Not that it isn't a pleasant experience. I
wonder if I can scare her into another one?" With a wave, Xelloss
phased out of view. Gourry glanced at the empty spot before he shrugged
it off, turning away to follow the direction Lina headed off in. As he
walked, Gourry thought about what he'd seen in Xelloss' face. It was a
familiar look; the swordsman knew he'd seen it before. A look that
spoke of something hidden, of pain, fear. He knew he'd seen it before,
but where?
Up ahead, Xelloss was the unfortunate, at least to a normal person's
mind, victim of a Burst Rondo, knocking him into a small pond. He
recovered easily enough to float alongside Lina, still smiling as
always.
It wasn't until he passed the same pond himself that Gourry realised where he'd seen that look from.
Leaning over the edge, Gourry saw the exact same expression on his own face.
Does this mean--could Xelloss... about Zelgadis?
While it might help Xelloss' claim to innocence, Gourry wasn't sure he liked this revelation any better.
=====
Ahriman watched his followers prepare themselves. He didn't have the
heart to tell them they weren't going to kill anything this time.
Actually, he didn't have a heart, period. He needed them in order to
get his chimera back, and telling them this might cause some dissension.
And if they did a good job, there was always the townspeople.
"You're thoughts are wide open, Ahri."
Ahriman froze. Only one person was able to sneak up on him in his own
domain. Only one person he feared more than the Beastmaster or even
Shabranigdo himself. Only one person he ever truly loathe/loved, as
much as a Mazoku can love someone at any rate. Ahriman turned slowly,
already aware of what he'd see.
"Greetings, Lord Mo`re."
Mo`re Xiuh stood a few steps away, a serene smile gracing his lips. His
beauty was more suitable for an angel instead of a demon. Raven-black
hair pale skin set off pale skin. A thin, small nose and full lips
completed his loveliness. His tall, slender build was a stark contrast
to his incredible, if rarely seen, strength. Azure coloured robes hid
an equally beautiful body that Ahriman was all too familiar with.
"You're going on another hunt so soon, Ahri. Are you sure that is wise?"
Even in Mo`re's soft tones, Ahriman knew a veiled order when he heard
one. Normally, Ahriman wouldn't dream of going against Mo`re. Simply
put, he didn't have enough power to take on the Indrani (1) and
survive. Still, this was different.
"Lord Mo`re, this will be no ordinary hunt."
"Of course it won't."
Damn his black soul, he knew. Of course he knew, Mo`re knew everything.
With his luck, Mo`re knew the reason for this particular hunt as well.
Mo`re sat down in Ahriman's seat. His smile was warm and inviting, which Ahriman knew to be only a surface package.
"If you insist on going on this hunt, might I make a suggestion, Ahri?"
Ahriman's face twisted into a gross parody of a grin. "Of course, my
lord.. Far be it from me to turn down anything from one who has given
such sage advice in the past."
Mo`re only chuckled at the intended sarcasm. So long as you do what I say, then your snide remarks hold no meaning for me.
Mo`re leaned back, teal eyes tracing slowly over Ahriman's form. "You
should leave your foot soldiers behind on this hunt. It will be better
for you to go alone."
That was not what Ahriman expected to hear. He believed in
safety in numbers. Not to mention, he could keep an eye on his 'less
than loyal' followers. Going alone made him unduly vulnerable, and left
his position open to attack.
"Lord Mo`re, surely I will need their help to--"
"Acquire your prey? Not in this case. He is more or less free for the
taking. His only protection at the moment is an ill-trained shrine
maiden. She is hardly a threat, so long as you don't kill her."
Don't kill? That didn't sound right. "I don't understand, my lord. If she is his protector--"
Mo`re waved a dismissive hand. "Like I said, she is ill-train. But she
does have very powerful allies, as well as an entire kingdom behind
her. If you destroy her, the results could be unpleasant for you."
Ahriman sighed. He didn't like the thought of leaving anyone alive,
especially anyone with a bond to his chimera. But Mo`re had a point,
and he doubted the Indrani would bail him out if he did kill the girl.
So she would live, lucky her.
"Very well. And just what will my followers be doing in the mean time?"
Mo`re fashioned a brush from nowhere and began running it through his hair. "They will be dying, of course."
"WHAT?!"
"Lower your voice, Ahriman," he scolded. "I have perfect hearing, and I don't think you want the others to hear this."
Scowling, Ahriman did as he was told. "I do not understand. Why are my followers to die?"
An air of regal boredom fell around Mo`re, who appeared more interested
with his hair than the conversation at hand. "For one, they are only
following you because they believe you are a great power. Mazoku are
typically a blood thirsty, power-hungry group. If any of them find out
where your true power and allegiance lie, they'd try and kill you
hoping to take your place and gain my favour. Two, they are merely
cannon fodder. You can replace them easily enough. If you'd like, I can
create a new batch for you, with far more loyal followers for you to
command."
Ahriman frowned. Accepting any favours would only put him further under
Mo`re's control. He hated this servitude; Ahriman would prefer being an
equal, if not Mo`re's master. He could think of many ways to make the
beautiful Indrani scream. Still, there were worse things than following
the creature responsible for the battle between Ceiphied and
Shabranigdo.
"What else?"
Mo`re continued brushing his ebony locks. "Three, their deaths will
provide you with the cover you will need to accomplish your errand."
"Really?" The Mazoku wasn't quite convinced of that. "How so?"
A faint sigh answered him. "You haven't been listening, Ahri. Remember
the shaman girl? I said she has some very powerful allies. It would
stand to reason, considering who she is protecting, that these allies
are hunting for your group even as we speak."
Ahriman certainly had not counted on that, having assumed the chimera
was alone. "But if this is so, shouldn't we prepare for an attack?"
If Mo`re heard him, he didn't act like it. "I sense three of them. One
is a powerful black-magic user. One is an extremely strong Mazoku.
Could be related to Zelas, since I feel her hand in its aura. The third
is something altogether different. I can't put my finger on it. It's
aura is great, as is its force. It will kill most of the others on its
own. It has the power to kill you, and will do so if you are here."
Those were words Ahriman did not like this at all. A mage, a Mazoku, and some--thing--he
didn't even know about that could kill him. While the mage and the
Mazoku were no problem, the third... Ahriman hated variables,
especially dangerous ones. He glanced at Mo`re, waiting for him to go
on.
"However, if you were to depart now, these three will be busy making
short work of the fools you lead. They will believe they have
eliminated those responsible for the original attack, leaving you free to retrieve your quarry. By the time they realise the truth, you will be far removed from their range."
As much as he detested it, Ahriman had to admit it was a sound plan.
"Very well, my lord. I will hunt now, by your leave." Ahriman didn't
wait for a response, intending to capture his prey quickly. He took a
step, but was halted by the invisible force of Mo`re's power.
"When you have appropriated the chimera, you will bring him to me. I
wish to see if there is any validity to your theory myself."
Damn him. Still, Ahriman felt confident that his chimera would merely
be given the most cursory of glances by Mo`re. Then, the blue skinned
beauty would be all his.
The magic holding Ahriman faded. With a hasty bow, the Mazoku made a
quick exit. Mo`re waited until Ahriman was gone before a much darker
smile arose on his lips.
"Bring Zelgadis to me, Ahriman, and the servitude you despise so much will finally come to an end."
tbc
=====
1. Indrani is a Hindu goddess who at one point personified jealousy and
evil intent. In the story, I'm using it as a title (i.e. lord, king,
czar, etc).
Apologies for the purple prose, which this fic is no doubt drowning in.
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