Poison Chapter 3

Author: Tsutsuji Title: Poison

Poison

Chapter
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Title: Poison (ch. 3 of ??)
Author: Tsutsuji
Date written: June 20-28, 2005
Fandom: Slayers
Rating: PG13 - T (safe for teenagers, at least for now)
Pairings: Zelgadis/Xelloss
Original characters: no
Type: yaoi/slash, adventure
Warnings: hurt/comfort, angst
Status: in progress.
Spoilers: no
Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright to these characters and I'm making no profit from this fic and intend no copyright infringement.
Summary: Zelgadis has questions. Xelloss has - answers? Not likely! Evasions, distractions, and maybe a few actual hints, but no answers. So it's on to the fabled Valley of Shimeria!
Notes: Thanks for the reviews!! Slayers fandom lives! As always, please point out any errors of Slayers fact or other problems.
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Poison, chapter 3
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Zelgadis didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until he woke up to find Xelloss kissing him on the lips.
Shock held him still for a moment. He was amazed that he was being kissed in the first place, and even more surprised that it was Xelloss who was kissing him. He stared at half-closed, slitted eyes, trying to make sense of it, but his brain wouldn't respond. Most shocking of all was the intensity of the sensation, this pressure of surprisingly soft lips pressed firmly onto his. A few parts of his stone body were still sensitive to touch, but he hadn't realized how much his mouth was one of them.
When the firm tip of a tongue prodded his lips he finally reacted. With a grunt of alarm, he tried to jerk away, only to find Xelloss' hand tight at the back of his neck. He felt Xelloss' lips curve into a smile as he struggled for a second or two. Anger flared inside him, followed quickly by fear. He began to panic, trapped by the unyielding strength in the Mazoku's grip, when Xelloss suddenly released him. He fell back onto the stone floor with a sharp curse. Xelloss sat back on the floor cross-legged and smiled.
"Damn it, Xelloss!" he sputtered. He felt his face go red with rage and embarrassment as he sat up and glared at the laughing priest. "What the hell was that for?"
"Curiosity," Xelloss said cheerfully. "*Your* breakfast is ready as well," he added with a wave of his hand toward the small fire he'd built on the pavestones of the chamber. There was the usual pot of coffee among the coals, along with the dried meat and fruit that made up Zel's regular traveling breakfast.
Zelgadis took a deep breath, willing his heart to stop racing and his confused feelings to settle. Anger at Xelloss was all too familiar, but that rush of fear was something new. Other feelings had been nudged awake by that kiss as well, though - feelings he'd prefer to ignore for his own comfort, to say nothing of hiding them from Xelloss.
After a few deep breaths his head began to clear, and then he remembered all that had happened the night before. He glanced quickly at Xelloss, who was busy with the campfire. He looked as healthy as ever, and as annoyingly cheerful as he could be. But Zel noticed that Xelloss kept his head lowered as he poured them each a cup of coffee, hiding most of his face. He studied what he could see more closely. He didn't know if Mazoku could blush, but there was certainly more color in Xelloss' cheeks than there had been the night before.
Trying to use the welcome cup of coffee as a distraction, he settled by the fire and tried to collect his thoughts. Xelloss didn't look directly at him, but he had a feeling of being watched out of the corner of those slitted eyes. Watched - or sensed. After a few sips, his head became clear enough to figure out why Xelloss had kissed him. He felt an odd flicker of disappointment when he realized the true reason, but a new spike of anger quickly buried that emotion.
"Feeling better now?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Xelloss faced him with his head cocked so his hair fell over his eyes. "Hmm?" he said innocently, as if he didn't understand the reason for the question.
"If you want my anger," Zel said quietly, "you don't need to resort to such drastic measures. I can give you plenty of that without half trying."
Slowly, Xelloss raised his head and looked directly at him with his inhuman eyes. Zelgadis glared back at him, trying to ignore the way that stare made his heart pound. Finally Xelloss inclined his head slightly with a small smile, as if to acknowledge Zel's words. Then he turned his attention back to his coffee.
Zelgadis glared at him a few seconds longer, then gave up and concentrated on his own breakfast. He ate in silence, too unsettled to start asking the questions swirling in his mind.
"You did an excellent job taking care of that squadron of men who attacked us, Zelgadis-san," Xelloss said casually. "Very efficient. There wasn't even much left of their weapons."
Zelgadis shrugged. The reminder of what he'd done to nearly fifty men made him uncomfortable.
"I thought you were asleep," he said lightly. "But then, I didn't know Mazoku ever really slept."
"Why shouldn't we?" Xelloss asked. "As a matter of fact, there's probably quite a lot you don't know about us," he added.
"I often wish I didn't know as much as I do," Zelgadis muttered.
Xelloss made a show of being hurt by this comment, but he quickly recovered his cheerful expression. Zel watched him eat and drink - or go through the motions of eating and drinking, as he always did.
"How badly did they hurt you?" he asked. He decided he might as well be blunt about it, for all the good it would do.
Sure enough, Xelloss merely looked surprised. "Oh, did you think I was hurt? It's so kind of you to worry about me, Zelgadis-san!"
"You collapsed! You were passed out like a drunken sailor when I dragged you in here last night!"
"Oh?" Xelloss held his arms out to either side, cup in one hand and a chunk of dried meat in the other. His staff lay across his knees, and his clothing appeared as clean and fresh as if he'd just retrieved it from the laundry. "I'm fine, as you can see."
Zel stared, searching for sign of an injury he didn't really expect to see. All he did notice was that Xelloss looked perfectly healthy, and disturbingly fit. In fact, he had to draw his eyes away from staring. He forced his mind to return to the questions at hand. Had Xelloss really been faking it last night? If so, why?
"You left me to deal with those men on my own," he accused Xelloss. "Why?"
"I knew you could handle the lot of them with no trouble," Xelloss said smoothly. "As you did."
Zelgadis guessed at the reason, but he said nothing. He didn't remember feeling rage when he'd released his spell, only cold determination to stop their mad attack, as if the demon part of him had cast the spell. But whatever he'd felt, Xelloss must have enjoyed it immensely. Perhaps he also felt it would be beneath him to use his own powers on mere mortal men. But Zelgadis also remembered their mindless, grinning faces, and wondered if they had been mere mortals.
"Who were those men?" he asked. "You know something about them, don't you?"
Xelloss shrugged. "Well, it's not so hard to guess, is it? The people of this valley have been plagued by all kinds of monsters - werewolves, vampires, bandits, ogres, and the like, for many years. Some of them have found their own ways to deal with the problem, like those villagers who were so unfriendly to you. You might say they made use of local talent, in that case. Other towns have the means to hire mercenaries and demon-hunters. Talented fighters, but terribly single-minded, I'm afraid. It's natural that they should patrol this area. This isn't called the Haunted Ridge for no reason, you know!"
"I didn't know it was called that," Zelgadis said suspiciously. But even as he said it, he recalled seeing the name on a map somewhere. It made sense that this old fortress would give the area a name like that.
"That's why most pilgrims to Shimeria take the longer way around to the north or far to the south just so they can avoid these hills, even though it adds weeks to the journey," Xelloss continued.
Zelgadis remembered those longer routes on the maps he'd studied as well. He also remembered wondering why there weren't more travelers on this road. He would have asked about it in the villages he'd passed through, if anyone had ever been willing to speak to him. But if it was true that they'd all been attacked frequently by monsters, their suspicion of him made more sense. He almost felt sorry for them - but not very sorry. He was well out of their territory; there was no point in looking back now.
"Speaking of Shimeria, what has all this got to do with the reason you're going there?" he asked.
There was the briefest pause. For a moment, Zelgadis was certain his blunt question had finally caught Xelloss off guard. But then Xelloss gave him another of those innocent smiles.
"Just as I said before, I don't know exactly what I'm looking for in Shimeria," he said. "I'm not even certain it will be there at all."
"Then why don't you look somewhere else and leave me to search in peace!" Zelgadis snapped.
"Hm... Well, I suppose I could do that," Xelloss said, cocking his head. He seemed to seriously consider this for about three seconds. "But Shimeria is so close! We're no more than a few days away from the Shrine itself, I believe. As long as I've come this far..." he shrugged.
Zelgadis took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why had he even bothered to try getting any useful information out of Xelloss? He'd be better off looking somewhere else for his cure, he thought, rather than be caught up in any more of Xelloss' schemes. But just as Xelloss said, Shimeria was too close to back off now.
Finished with breakfast, he stood and paced a short way across the chamber, stopping to gaze out through the broken walls. He looked away from the hill they'd climbed the night before, searching for the place where the road must pass by the fortress.
It was not much after dawn, with a fresh wind blowing broken clouds up from the valley below. The wind moaned and whistled through the broken stones, giving the place a ghostly feeling even in the daylight. But as far as he could tell, there were no ghosts roaming the fortress. There was no one else at all, except the two of them.
He could feel Xelloss watching him again. Irritated, he decided to try one more time to get any information out of the trickster, knowing it was probably useless.
"Why didn't you just vanish last night like you usually do when there's trouble?" he asked over his shoulder.
"I thought you might need my help dealing with those fighters, Zelgadis-san!" Xelloss answered.
"A moment ago you said that you knew I could deal with them on my own," Zel said. He turned around to face Xelloss with a smirk, only to find the trickster priest standing right next to him.
"Of course, I knew you could!" Xelloss answered quickly. He actually looked embarrassed to be caught in a contradiction. Zel became convinced that he could indeed blush at will. "But, just in case," Xelloss added with an innocent smile. He took a step closer.
Zelgadis suddenly realized they were standing inches apart. A soft smirk and the sly look on Xelloss' face reminded him of the way he'd awoken. With a flush of warmth in his face, he remembered the pressure of those lips on his.
"Forget it!" he growled, turning away quickly.
He knew perfectly well what Xelloss was doing. The problem was, it was working. The memory of that kiss flustered him much more than he wanted to admit. He didn't stand a chance of getting answers to his questions now, especially since he could hardly remember what the questions were with Xelloss standing so close and staring at him like that. The only way he was going to find out what was going on was to continue the journey and see what happened. At any rate, he was going to Shimeria to find his cure, no matter what Xelloss was up to.
"Let's just get on our way, then," Zelgadis growled. "If you're rested enough, that is?"
"Yes, certainly! Thank you!" Xelloss answered brightly.
Zelgadis left him to pack up while he took a look at the road ahead. A minute later, Xelloss stood beside him at what had once been the front gate of the fortress. The road disappeared into trees down the hill to their right, the way they'd come. To the left, it dove down into a cleft in the rock, the narrow Shimeria Pass. With no further discussion, Zel shouldered the pack that Xelloss handed him and started down that road.
The road followed a small stream down between high stone cliff walls. After an hour of walking down the steep path, they emerged from the cleft in the rock to see the Plain of Shimeria spread out far below them. From this distance, seen through the hazy air, it looked like a checkerboard of green and brown patches. Three dark lines wandered across it to join into one thick line far off to the right: the Three Rivers of Shimeria. Not far across the plain the line of the middle river made a deep loop, and inside the loop something glittered in the sun.
"That must be the Shrine City itself," Xelloss said. "I've heard there are towers made of pure crystal, and the whole city is said to sparkle like a jewel in the midst of a desert."
"You were right," Zelgadis said, "It's only a few days away."
They lost sight of the plain when the road dropped into forest again, and nearly lost sight of the road itself after that. It was not as well made on this side of the ridge, and Zelgadis guessed it was hardly used at all these days. During the long day's walk, he levitated over many fallen trees and broken bridges, and slid on his butt down a muddy slope once when a log rolled out from under his feet. Xelloss wisely stifled his laughter. Zelgadis wished he'd simply flown over the forest to the edge of the plain, but he hadn't expected the downhill trip to be more difficult than the climb up the other side had been.
They continued long after dark this time; Zelgadis hoped to reach the bottom of the slope before they stopped for the night. They didn't talk much. Xelloss seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts. Zelgadis was only concerned with getting down to the plain and welcomed the silence. They saw no other signs of human life at all, and that suited Zelgadis as well.
Several times during the long hike, Zelgadis glanced over at Xelloss after feeling that prickle in his skin from being watched. Instead of trying to hide it, the trickster priest only smiled slowly before looking away. Zelgadis decided he didn't want to know what Xelloss was thinking. It was probably just one more attempt to get some emotional reaction he could enjoy. Zelgadis tried not to give him the satisfaction, but his irritation grew. He was more aware of Xelloss' presence than ever. He tried very hard not to think about that kiss.
They finally stopped to camp when the forest became so thick and dark that Zelgadis could hardly even see Xelloss beside him, even with his unnatural sight. Once they stopped, Zelgadis discovered he was wearier than he'd expected, and after a quick meal, he soon fell asleep in a bed of dry pine needles. He tried to keep his eyes open long enough to see if Xelloss was going to sleep as well, but his last glimpse was of the dark, familiar silhouette sitting upright by the dying campfire.
This time, when he woke up at dawn, Xelloss wasn't in sight. But the campfire had been stirred to life and coffee was ready. While he was taking his first sip, Xelloss appeared, looking as cheerful as ever. Zelgadis regarded him suspiciously.
"We're nearly there!" Xelloss said as he plopped to the ground and sat cross-legged across from him. "This forest ends soon, and then it's just a short drop down onto the plain. I thought you'd be pleased to know!"
Zelgadis was glad to hear it, but uncomfortable with Xelloss' cheerful attitude.
"Just what do you plan to do once we get there?" he asked.
"Ah, well!" Xelloss shrugged. "I can't say for certain, of course. We'll see when we reach the plain, won't we!"
Zelgadis shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Just don't get in my way or try to keep me from getting to the Shrine," he said. Then another thought occurred to him. He glared at Xelloss so fiercely that the priest actually looked startled. "And, if your plan is to destroy The Shrine of Shimeria for some reason, I don't even care - just as long as I get what I need there first!"
"Oh, my! I don't know if it will come to that!" Xelloss said, as if the thought of such destruction had never occurred to him before. "Well, the Shrine is another day or two away, anyway. Perhaps, in that time, we will both find exactly what we need!"
Zelgadis snorted. He didn't want to ask what Xelloss could possibly need in the Valley of Shimeria.
They were on their way again quickly, and as Xelloss had said, they soon emerged from the woods onto a short, scrubby slope. All that remained of the road were a few paving stones overgrown with long grass, but the way before them was plain to see.
The stream they had been following joined a larger one at the bottom of the short slope, where the road crossed a bridge and then joined several others. A market town had grown up around this crossroads. Beyond that, their path became a wide highway leading almost straight across the plain. From the hillside where they stood, Zelgadis could see the second river glinting in the sun as it curved around a low hill in the distance. The road crossed that river by a wide stone bridge before entering the glittering city on the hill. A wall circled the hill, but it was pierced by many gates where other roads wound up to it from all directions.
"There it is indeed, the fabled Shrine of Shimeria," Xelloss said. He didn't exactly sound awed at the sight of it.
As he looked more closely, Zelgadis saw that even at this early time of day, all the roads were filled with traffic. Horses, carts, wagons, and pilgrims on foot came up the roads from the north and south that met at the bridge below. The market town was already full of the sounds of hawkers selling their wares, buyers haggling, and horses and donkeys braying. Travelers streamed along the high road, a steady stream of them both going toward the shrine and coming away from it.
"My, my, quite a busy place, isn't it?" Xelloss said, following his gaze.
"I didn't expect so many people," Zelgadis murmured. He felt a familiar discomfort, and reached for his scarf and hood. He hadn't bothered to wear them since he'd been traveling with Xelloss.
"I've heard that Shimer's popularity as a healer has grown a great deal recently," Xelloss said. "More people come here to be cured every day. Even the relics blessed at the shrine have great powers, or so people say. They're very much in demand these days and are being traded all across the land. They're quite highly prized by bandits, which surely proves their value!"
Zelgadis snorted, but it was true that bandits always knew what was hot on the market. It didn't mean the relics had real powers, though; only that many people believed they did.
"If the relics alone truly hold such powers of healing, Zelgadis, perhaps you can find your cure without even entering the shrine city itself," Xelloss suggested.
Staring across the plain, Zelgadis had half a mind to Ray-Wing himself across the valley, avoiding the crowds on the roads at least. But Xelloss' words made him reconsider. The market town was a mere ten-minute walk from where they stood.
"Anyway," Xelloss went on cheerfully, starting down the slope. "Everyone who comes here is afflicted with some horrible illness or curse. You'll just be part of the regular crowd in a place like this!"
Zelgadis hadn't considered that. He took another look at the traffic on the main road to the Shrine. Could all those people headed for the city on the hill be seeking cures for conditions as horrible as his? And more importantly, all those leaving - had they all found what they sought?
Zelgadis had been disappointed too many times to let hope rise too far in his heart. With a grim smile, he reminded himself that if something sounded too good to be true, it usually was. He'd soon find out, he thought, as he pulled his hood down over his face.
Xelloss had gone ahead of him but waited at the bridge. He'd been staring ahead down the road, but he turned and watched Zelgadis approach. His smile was even more unsettling than usual.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" Zelgadis asked sharply.
The smile seemed to drop away from Xelloss' face like a veil. "Pardon me, Zelgadis-san," he said. "I only wanted to remember you as you are. In case you really do find your cure here, that is, and become merely human again."
Xelloss turned away quickly and led the way across the bridge. Zelgadis stared after him a moment before following. This close to Shimeria and his goal, he no longer cared what Xelloss was up to, as long as it didn't get in his way. He wasn't going to let himself get distracted by the trickster now.
The steady stream of people coming up to the crossroads hardly spared a glance for two strange travelers coming down from the hills. One apple-cheeked farmwoman gave them a friendly wave as she drove her laden donkey onto the bridge. Zelgadis could only stare after her in surprise. Xelloss had paused again just before stepping out onto the main highway.
"Look there," Xelloss said, pointing down the main street of the marketplace. Halfway down the street Zel saw a shop that was larger than the rest. A sign hung over the door with an design that looked at first glance like an ornamental pitchfork. Three wavy blue lines met and entwined at the top, while at the end of each of the lines there was a loop shaped like a drop of water.
"The sign of the Three Rivers, the emblem of the birthplace of Shimer," Xelloss explained. "Most likely, that means the merchant sells the much sought-after relics of Shimer. As good a place to start your search as any other, I guess! Or would you rather look for a place to eat lunch first?"
"Who do you think I am, Lina Inverse?" Zelgadis said as he brushed past Xelloss and headed for the shop.
"Certainly not!" Xelloss laughed. He followed close behind as they stepped out into the Valley of Shimeria.
(to be continued...)
Next: Zelgadis finds out why Mazoku don't often visit the valley of Shimeria, and gets - a makeover?! Can the relics of Shimer really cure a chimera? Is Xelloss really planning to convert to a new religion? Is anything R or X rated ever really going to happen in this story? (If you know me, you know the answer to one of those questions already...)

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