Another disappointment. The old keep was nothing more than rubble and a crumbling foundation. No leads, no books, nothing. Zelgadis ended up sitting near the shore where he could look out at the waves as they crashed in. His head hurt and he was tired in a way that had nothing to do with physical weariness. He sat there watching the water for the rest of the day, then set up his camp and his fire for the night. He ate a small dinner and then lay down and hoped for a dreamless sleep.

The next day, the shaman packed up again sullenly. He decided he'd continue to the next city, Xellos would be able to find him without trouble, there was no point in waiting for him. Zel let out a small sigh as he realized he'd actually been waiting for the mazoku. Maybe his lack of success was driving him mad, he thought as he walked.

“Well, well, well . . .”

Zelgadis stopped in his tracks, jerking his head up to the sudden voice. There in front of him stood the Beast Master, frowning at the chimera. “Jouou-sama,” he gasped with a mix of terror and respect.

“Yes,” the woman purred. “And I have a question for you, grey priest. Do you know where Xellos is?”

Zel blinked slightly, glancing around as if looking for the purple-haired man. “No, I don't,” he answered honestly. He had no idea where Lina was at the moment so he didn't know where the trickster had gone to find her.

“Hmm, neither do I,” the woman said and her frown grew darker. “And that shouldn't be possible.”

Zelgadis swallowed, his pulse ratcheting up as the danger increased. But . . . that meant it must have worked. The spell, they were able to do it . . .

Xellas let out an angry growl and took a step forward. “You aren't surprised about this. What did you do!!”

She didn't give him a chance to answer. Zelgadis cried out and leapt to the side, barely dodging a large attack of energy. “I didn't do anything!” he shouted, hurriedly drawing his sword and casting Astral Vine as he rolled back to his feet. He hadn't been the one to find the spell, he hadn't been the one to cast it . . . but it didn't seem Xellas had any desire to listen to such technicalities.

The mazoku faded out of sight and Zel spun before she reappeared, throwing his sword arm out in a wide arcing swing. The blonde did appear behind him, jerking back as she was forced to dodge the strike. This only seemed to anger her more and she snapped, “How dare you!” before suddenly lashing out.

Her slap caught Zel on the jaw, interrupting the spell he was trying to cast and sending him staggering. He shuddered a bit to think what an actual punch would have done, vision wavering as he tried to focus on his attacker. Zel's eyes widened when she wasn't there and he spun in a tight circle again to try and find the threat.

He still didn't see the blow coming. Something hit him hard in the back of the head and as he stumbled forward Xellas was suddenly there to catch him. One hand closed on his arm, keeping the sword at bay, while the other found the chimera's neck, holding him immobile and close to her angry face. “You knew what would happen if you interfered. I warned you, I even bribed you, but you're too stubborn!”

Zel's eyes narrowed, fear giving way to his own anger. She was referring to his cure, but she'd never given him anything! That hadn't been bribery, it was thinly veiled torture! She never intended to give him anything at all, he realized, it was just her sick attempt at control! With a scream of rage he struck out and the woman was forced to release him to dodge the close range fireball. But Zelgadis was angry again, quickly darting after her.

A bit of surprise registered on the blonde's face, but then she just growled again. “Fool,” she bit out as she dodged. Then she swung her arm out, catching Zelgadis hard in the side of the head. The shaman was flung back slightly and hit the ground hard, his sword skittering far out of reach. A moment later he screamed, caught squarely in the blonde's next attack. The spell faded and Zel groaned weakly; he coughed and tasted blood. He tried to get up, but his arms were shaking, his entire body suddenly weak with the pain.

Glaring down angrily, Xellas raised a hand towards him. “You knew the consequences,” she growled and power coalesced in her palm. “I do not think you realize: I know everything about you now. I know exactly how to cause you pain and I know how to keep you alive for more.” Zelgadis cringed back, but he couldn't avoid any attack.

With no warning, Xellos suddenly stood between them. His back was to the fallen chimera, his staff held defensively across his body between him and the blonde attacker. His voice was firm as he said, “I will not allow you to kill him, my mistress.”

The Beast Master's eyes widened in outrage. “You believe you could stop me?!”

Xellos lowered his chin, glare darkening as he watched her. “Yes. I think I have a very good chance.” He moved slowly, pointing the gem of his staff towards the woman in a threatening gesture. “I do not want to, but I will if I must.”

For a few moments the woman didn't move. Slowly she lowered her hand and as she did Xellos lowered his staff as well. The tension in the air faded and the blonde cocked her head at the other. “What do you want?”

“Many things,” Xellos answered with a small smile. “And to serve you.”

Slowly her gaze shifted to Zelgadis again, the shaman still on the ground, watching with wide eyes. The Beast Master frowned slightly and took a step towards him. Xellos immediately shifted between them, raising his staff again. The blonde stopped, then suddenly laughed. She summoned a cigarette and focused on Xellos, utterly calm once more. “I do have something I need you to do for me.”

“Almost anything,” Xellos answered without hesitation. He smiled again, back to his usual cheery self as well as he strode right up to the woman. He looked back at Zelgadis, but then both of them disappeared and the chimera was left alone.

-o-o-o-o-o-

It took Zelgadis a while just to get to his feet again. The pain from Xellas' attack lingered and it made if difficult to move. Physically he was largely all right and the long walk back to the previous city gave him time to get used to his injuries, but the pain still lingered. He went to the inn they'd stayed in before and got another room. Then he went to the small restaurant next door, chose a table, and waited.

When his legs finally stopped hurting, Zel got up to get himself a meal. As he moved back to his table, suddenly the second chair was filled. Xellos smiled at the chimera, eyes slit open for just a moment to watch him.

The shaman blinked, hesitating before he retook his previous place. He set his food aside, no longer hungry. “Is she going to kill me?” he asked, honestly nervous. He supposed his only real chance then was to find Lina and start traveling with her and Gourry again.

Xellos shook his head though. “I do not think so. She most definitely was going to, but she was just angry. I believe you'll be fine now.”

Zel sighed slightly, not able to deny that was a relief. He looked up though to find Xellos watching him with open eyes. “What?”

“If she does come to you, if she offers to let you out of your contract again, you must accept. I don't think she will, but if she does.”

Zelgadis frowned. A lot could be done in one hour, including just a drawn-out execution . . . But he remembered what she said, the words refusing to leave him. I know everything about you now. “She could cure me.”

It wasn't a question and Xellos nodded his agreement. “But you made her very, very angry. If she comes to you again, she will kill you, or worse.”

The chimera clenched his eyes shut and a tear streaked down to his mask. But of course Xellos was right and there was no point in getting his cure if he would just be killed in the process. He rubbed his eyes slightly, voice tight, but determined. “If she knows how to do it, that means it can be done.”

“There is always hope, Zel-kun.”

Zel swallowed, taking a moment to gather himself before turning to the priest again. “You said the spell was only temporary. Does that mean you're bound to her again?”

“Yes, already,” Xellos said with no regret at all. “Lina still has the written copy, if there's ever need of it again. I believe it was originally meant for mazoku to be able to attack and overthrow their masters . . . terribly nasty business.”

Zel shook his head slightly. “But that's not what you wanted.”

“No, I used it as a chance to freely renegotiate terms.” He stopped and the chimera growled. He was about to ask more when Xellos continued unprompted, only irritating the other further. “Xellas-sama agreed to allow me to return to Ashfeld freely. I don't actually want to, I just want to be able to. She is allowing me to search some, to find the things I want. I am not supposed to look for a more permanent spell, but one never knows what may turn up in one's quest.”

His smile grew wider, open eyes fixed on the shaman. “And we agreed that I will decide how I act about you. She cannot force me to harm you and she knows I will defend you, even over her orders. That is part of why I don't think she will do anything to hurt you.”

Zelgadis swallowed, feeling the blush rising on his cheeks. “That seems like a lot that she gave you. What does she get in return?”

“My continued service and devotion,” the priest said without pause. “And the knowledge that even without being 'bound', I would do almost anything for her. I wield rather significant power on my own, that kind of loyalty is quite valuable.”

And that loyalty had just been extended to him as well, Zel realized. He smiled some at the mazoku, finally starting to relax. “So really, your contract with her hasn't changed.”

Xellos laughed at this. “My contract with my mistress changes all the time! Especially when it comes to Ashfeld.”

Zel shook his head a bit, confused once more. “What do you mean?”

For a moment there was a devilish glint in Xellos' eye, but then he seemed to take pity on the chimera and explained. “When I first agreed to work for Xellas-sama, she forbade me from returning to the town. Riye was traveling though, so I intervened. My orders were changed to avoid anyone from Ashfeld as well as the town itself. But Riye's temple, her knowledge, her diaries . . . they were dangerous to more than just my mistress.”

“Is that when you burned the town?”

“You know about that too? Your mysterious 'they' certainly have a lot of stories.” There was something threatening in his tone that was very dangerous, but after only a slight pause it was gone and he continued. “I was ordered to destroy the temple and the village . . . but Xellas-sama said nothing about the people. I made sure there wasn't a single building left, but only the terribly infirm were unable to escape.”

Zelgadis didn't comment on the casual killing of the sick and old. Instead he muttered, “She must have been furious.”

Xellos laughed, “No, no, she was quite amused, I've always been fairly good about technicalities and that is a valuable skill as far as my mistress is concerned. What made her angry was when I went back during the plague. She allowed me to disobey her-”

“She allowed you to disobey?” Zel coudn't help but ask. This time Xellos just looked at him though, clearly amused and offering no explanation. After a moment Zel growled, “Mazoku,” as if that explained it and motioned for him to continue.

“My mistress allowed me to disobey, but I also knew what it would bring. Powerful mazoku magic touching a doomed town? They didn't waste away to nothing, but they became a target for monsters and monster hunters alike. And I was still ordered to stay away and avoid the people.”

“I have a feeling that didn't stop you,” Zelgadis said dryly.

“Very good with technicalities,” the mazoku laughed. “It was summer, and the mountains received a lot of rain that year. There may have been magic involved even!”

He said this happily and Zelgadis rolled his eyes, 'may have', sure. “When the town was destroyed a century ago.”

Xellos nodded. “It was actually rather difficult to ensure the group of hunters I was tracking was in the path. And after that, I was also ordered to keep at least twenty miles away from Ashfeld at all times.” He paused, eyes opening once more. “And then you came along and . . . now I can go back if I wanted.”

“You can do anything you want,” Zelgadis said with both happiness and envy.

“Mmmm.” Xellos' eyes opened a bit more, still fixed on the chimera. “That is largely true.” Zel's pulse quickened, he couldn't help blushing again under that gaze. “I am finally able to search for the things I want,” the priest said and leaned close.

“Are you going to tell me what that is?”

Xellos gave the chimera a look that made one of his desires extremely clear. After a pause however, he said, “I want many things. And you and I are looking for the same thing now.”

The chimera blinked, mouth still open in surprise. “My-” he whispered in shock after a moment, but then Xellos moved again, leaning forward and catching that surprised mouth in a deep kiss.

-o-o-o-End-o-o-o-