In Dreams  

By Jessica

            Lives. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Each one winking down on the earth, tantalizing us with their unreachable possibilities. The black void which is night is unable to smother the pinpricks of light which signals their presence. So they just blink happily down at the earth, constantly reminding us that they never forget...

            “You really think so, Lina?” Gourry asked, staring up at the night sky in awe.

            “That’s what Big Sis told me,” she replied, smiling wistfully.

            “Wow,” Amelia murmured, “that’s really cool, Lina.”

            Zelgadis nodded his agreement and looked over at the young sorceress. The firelight flickered off her hair, making the flaming orange hair appear as if it was really part of the fire. She had a strange, peaceful and serious expression on her face that might have been described as serene. Of course, anyone who knew her would never use the word serene and Lina in the same sentence.

            “It’s an interesting prospect thinking that the stars each signify one life,” Zel said.

            “It a wonderful analogy,” Filia commented, her eyes reflecting the starlight as she thought of Lina’s description, “Even if it isn’t true, I like it.”

            “You WOULD like such a fanciful possibility, Filia,” Xelloss’s disembodied voice taunted the dragon priestess.

            “Are you implying that it’s not true?” Lina asked, cutting Filia off before a word war was started between dragon and demon.

            “Believe what you wish, Lina,” Xelloss replied. It was rather eerie how he managed to find the shadows where he could hide, even when the fire was roaring contentedly in the night. He couldn’t be more than a few feet away, yet Lina couldn’t see him. “Luna’s description is indeed a good analogy, even if it isn’t true in the literal sense.”

            Lina squinted and finally located the mazoku sitting between Gourry and Amelia. He looked oddly serious--his customary smile nowhere to be seen on his face. His eyes were open, but the firelight did little to make them visible in the night.

            “You okay, Xelloss?” Lina asked cautiously, “You sound a little... I don’t know, down.”

            “He’s a mazoku, Lina,” Filia cut in haughtily, “ALL of those demons are down. They’re either angry or depressed all the time. It’s what makes them what they are.”

            “Come now, Filia,” Xelloss baited the hook, “if that was the case, then all dragons would be happy and peaceful all the time. I have it on good authority that YOU have a respectable temper. What does that say about you?”

            Filia sputtered indignantly and turned up her nose at Xelloss. He smirked and glanced back at Lina. She was beginning to regret she had ever asked.

            “I’m fine, Lina,” he said, sounding a bit surprised, “But ah... thank you for asking... I guess...”

            “You’ve never had anyone ask you how you were feeling before, have you, Xelloss?” Lina realized.

            Xelloss’s toothy smile glinted in the firelight. He chuckled and shook his head. Lina looked closely and was surprised to see his eyes slide open to consider her.

            “No one thinks to ask a man who is always smiling,” he said. “Go back to your stories about the stars, Lina. It’s fairly enjoyable to listen to such tales.”

            Lina hesitated, wondering if their mazoku travel companion was up to something. Deciding it didn’t really matter, she grinned and continued to enthrall the small group.

            Blood flowing. Lots of it. Pouring over the ragged landscape like small rivers. For some absurd reason, Filia was reminded of something she had once read. ‘And the land shall be rich, flowing with milk and honey.’ It was from a book written by someone from the far west. There, no one believed in multiple Gods or Mazoku. It was considered heresy to do so. A crime punishable by jail time or even death.

            But this grisly scene was far from the hopeful prophesy of the westerners’ bible. Instead of milk, there was blood. Instead of honey, there were dead creatures of all kinds--mostly dragons.

            Filia stared with horror on the scene. Dragons littered the ground, starting with one at her feet. She looked down at the creature and drew back in terror. It’s eyes were open, glassy with the glaze of death. His--it was definitely a he--mouth hung open, a tongue hanging out limply. Blood dripped from the tongue in correspondence with her pounding heart.

            She turned away in revulsion, only to find herself face-to-face with an equally repulsive sight. Unable to hold back any longer, Filia screamed. She screamed as loud and as long as she could. She closed her eyes, but a thin eyelid was not enough to block it out. She continued to scream.

            Something was wrong. He could feel it. Something outside of him and something inside. A dragon swooped low over his head, the wind pummeling his body. He threw up his arms to protect himself from the weak onslaught and turned. Without thinking, he blew the dragon away.

            A fine, red mist floated around him. It should have filled him with satisfaction at seeing his enemies fall. So simple. But something was wrong. He felt a dread, growing inside him, threatening to take over. Squashing it quickly, he turned and glared at a dragon diving toward him. The magnificent creature screamed and plummeted to the ground. Xelloss felt sick.

            Another dragon flew over him, but did not attack. Instead, it dropped something from its claws. Xelloss watched as the object hit the ground, bouncing slightly from impact before coming to a rest. In an instant, he was next to the thing, looking at it through slitted, violet eyes.

            “No,” he gasped, drawing back in horror.

            It was a huge wolf. Dead. It’s body nothing more than a ravaged shell of what it once used to be. It was the remains of his Lord and master, Zelas Metallium. Xelloss threw himself down on the dead creature, pulling it toward his body. His hands wrenched down on the wolf’s fur as he shuddered against the huge creature, an action that would have hurt the wolf had it been alive. His anguished tears ran down his face and splattered against the coarse hair of the wolf. He let out an grievous howl.

            “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

            A loud wail rose through the campsite, waking everyone. Amelia jerked awake and shot to her feet, nearly falling on Filia. The distraught dragon priestess stopped screaming and doubled over, gagging. She let out a wounded cry.

            “Oh, Lord Cephied!” she panted, “How horrible!”

            “Miss Filia!” Amelia exclaimed worriedly, “What’s wrong?!”

            “Amelia!” Filia finally saw the concerned girl. Not thinking, she threw herself into the girl’s arms and let out a soft sob. “It was awful. Dead. Everywhere!”

            “You had a nightmare?” Amelia asked sympathetically. She hugged Filia kindly and stroked her hair. “It’s okay. It was just a dream. Everything is all right now.”

            Filia cried uncontrollably into Amelia’s shoulder. She tried to block out the gruesome images of the dream. After a few minutes of Amelia’s comforting murmurs, she fell limp and pulled away. She wiped at her eyes daintily and smiled at Amelia.

            “Thank you, Amelia,” she said sincerely.

            “Are you okay?” the young princess asked, her eyes wide and worried.

            “I feel better,” she said, again, truthful. “Thanks.”

            Lina barreled out of her tent when she heard the terrible scream, not paying attention to the fact that she was wearing only her pink pajamas. She was met by Zelgadis as she ran toward the source of the cry. He too was wearing nothing more than a pair of green pajamas. He carried his sword and stopped in front of Lina.

            “What was that?” Lina demanded.

            “I don’t know,” Zel shrugged, looking around. “I thought it sounded like Filia.”

            “Where’s Gourry?”

            “Still sleeping in the tent,” Zel snorted, “a herd of wild horses running through here wouldn’t wake HIM.”

            “Point taken,” Lina nodded, “Let’s check-”

            A second cry cut her off before she could finish her sentence, and she frowned in confusion. It wasn’t the same one as before--not to mention a lot softer. Zelgadis looked up in time to hear a third, more startled yelp, and see a dark figure fall from the branch above him.

            With a pronounced ‘thud’ and a soft grunt, the figure hit the ground. Lina and Zelgadis stared at him with wide eyes and open mouths.

            “Xelloss?” Lina blurted out.

            Groaning softly, Xelloss pushed himself to his hands and knees and climbed to his feet. He brushed himself off and wiped at his face. Lina and Zel, not believing that the mazoku priest had suddenly grown clumsy enough to fall out of a tree, just stared at him.

            “... Are you okay?” Lina asked. “That was quite a fall.”

            Xelloss turned his head toward her, his bangs covering his eyes. An extraordinarily false smile worked its way to lips.

            “Terribly clumsy of me, wasn’t it?” he murmured unevenly.

            Lina caught Zelgadis’s wide eyes past Xelloss’s shoulder. He had heard it too--a slight waver. A dip in his voice, like he was struggling not to cry.

            “You’ve never fallen out of a tree before, Xelloss,” Lina said hesitantly, “Is something wrong?”

            “No,” he said quickly. He cleared his throat, “Nothing. Excuse me. I’ve got to check on something.”

            “Check on what?”

            “Nothing you need to worry about,” Xelloss replied before phasing out. Lina found herself once again face-to-face with Zelgadis. They just stared at each other blankly.

            “What the hell do you suppose that was all about?” Lina wondered.

            “I’ve never seen him so agitated before,” Zel agreed.

            “He fell out of that tree,” Lina commented, shading her eyes to look up at the branch against the rising morning sun. “He NEVER falls out of trees.”

            “He sounded like he was going to cry,” Zel added, “His voice nearly broke.”

            Lina looked back at Zel. Xelloss’s clumsiness, his lack of control--those weren’t the things that really stood out in her mind.

            “He told me I didn’t have to worry about what he was going to check on,” she said.

            “So?” Zel didn’t see it.

            “He usually says ‘that is a secret,’ Zel!” Lina exclaimed. “He was so distracted that he forgot his trademark motto. He’s never done that before.”

            “You’re right,” Zel looked up at the tree out of reflex rather than expecting to see anything. He looked at Lina again. “Perhaps we should check on Filia now.”

            The house was dark--nothing unusual there. The house was always dark. Xelloss ran from room to room, not thinking, just acting. In this home of darkness, the huge mansion, he could teleport easily from room to room. But, as already mentioned, Xelloss wasn’t thinking, just acting. He ran around frantically, looking everywhere as he made his way to the main foyer.

            “Xelloss!”

            He whirled, nearly falling over as he halted his forward momentum. He faced a stunning, shapely woman with long, blond hair. Gold bracelets clinked lightly on ankles attached to perfect, thin legs. The woman took a drag on her cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke casually.

            “Lord Beastmaster!” he gasped, dropping to one knee immediately out of habit.

            “Xelloss, what are you doing?” Her voice was low and sultry. Dangerous. But not so when addressing her priest and general. She sounded more curious and even worried. “You should be with Lina and her little followers.”

            “I-” he cut off, realizing he didn’t know what to say. Tell her he’d had a nightmare? Tell her he had to come, just to make sure she was okay? It seemed so ridiculous now. Everything was fine. No reason to worry. Just a bad dream. His violet eyes darted back and forth in confusion, searching the floor for a reason, an excuse... anything to explain his actions.

            Before he said anything, he felt Zelas’s hands on his arm, pulling him to his feet. He kept his eyes shadowed, not wanting her to see the uncertainty he knew she could feel. Arms around him, holding him close.

            “Tell me what’s wrong, Xelloss,” Zelas suggested, her voice surprisingly gentle. “Something is wrong.”

            Xelloss sobbed into her shoulder, and she held him closer.

            “Promise you won’t die, mother,” he whispered, “Promise.”

            “Is that what you’re worried about?” she asked, surprised. “You’ve never concerned yourself with such concerns before. Why start now?”

            “Please...” he begged, gripping her soft robes in his hands and pulling her as close as was physically possible without being intrusive. Zelas stroked his hair uncertainly, wondering what would cause her most prominent servant--‘son’--to lose control so completely. She shook her head in wonder.

            “Xelloss, you know what it takes to kill me,” she said patiently, “I won’t die.”

            Xelloss heaved a ragged sigh and shuddered in her arms. Zelas gripped his arms and pulled him away so she could look at him. Although she could feel almost everything Xelloss was feeling, she found that eye-to-eye contact was the best way to speak directly to a troubled follower. It took her a moment to get Xelloss to look at her, but when he finally did, she saw his dark, violet eyes were wide and frightened--frightened for her safety. She smiled her dark smile.

            “I won’t die, Xelloss,” she said. “Now what brought this on so suddenly?”

            He explained his dream to her and everything until he found her in the mansion--not even leaving out the part about falling from the tree. She listened with interest until he finished. When he was done, she nodded in understanding.

            “Everyone has nightmares, Xelloss,” she said, “Even mazoku.”

            “I’ve never had one with such vivid detail,” he replied worriedly.

            “Go back to your task,” she said firmly, “You know the drill. Something drastic happens, you tell me. If the nightmare repeats itself, let me know. Until then, don’t worry. It’s only natural to react to such a dream with fear. But for now, ignore it.”

            “Yes, ma’am,” he said, bowing respectfully.

            “Run along, little one,” she ordered with a wave of her hand and a giggle, “Everything will be okay.”

            Xelloss smiled and bowed deeply. He phased out and teleported away.

            The day was not going well. Filia was acting strangely, and Xelloss still hadn’t returned. Amelia had told them about Filia’s nightmare, but even the young princess didn’t know why the dragon priestess was still acting so distant and aloof. Lina didn’t like it.

            “Well, hello there!” came an overly cheerful voice.

            Lina glared at Xelloss, who quickly backed off. He shuffled after her as she walked, looking at her back curiously.

            “My, Lina,” he said with false brightness, “You seem a bit grumpy this morning.”

            “Where have you been?” Lina demanded, “And if you tell me it’s a secret, I swear to L-sama I will blast you into the next dimension.”

            “I don’t need your help in getting to other dimensions, Lina,” he quipped, “But I appreciate the offer.”

            “Stop sidetracking, Xelloss!” she growled, “Where were you?”

            Sobbing on my Lord’s shoulder over a bad dream.

            “Taking care of some personal business, Lina,” he said with careful words, “Key word there being ‘personal.’”

            “Will it affect me or my friends?” she prompted.

            “No.”

            “Then I guess I don’t really care,” she said dismissively, “Now go away. I’m having a bad day.”

            “I can see that,” Xelloss muttered. He pulled away from Lina, letting the girl wallow in her irritation. He had long ago lost his desire for Lina’s negative emotions, having grown fond of the fiery sorceress. Now FILIA’s anger was much better!

            “Talk to me and die, mazoku,” Filia growled, sensing him before he said a word.

            “Suit yourself,” Xelloss shrugged. He didn’t feel like fighting right now anyway. It would be easier just to travel in silence and plan his next moves.

            And so, the group traveled in virtual silence the rest of the day. Any attempts at conversation were parried by a swift blow from either Lina, Filia, or Xelloss. They made good time and actually arrived to spend the night in a town rather than camp out in the woods. It was a nice change, and the group fully intended to take complete advantage of it.

            The girls hit the springs. Lina and Amelia both sank into the warm waters gratefully, expressions of bliss on their faces. Filia slid into the spring as well and fully enjoyed the warmth. She sighed happily and closed her eyes.

            Blood. Death. Kin.

            Filia’s eyes snapped open, and she stood quickly. Amelia and Lina stared at her.

            “Is something wrong, Miss Filia?” Amelia asked worriedly.

            “No,” Filia said too quickly, “I’m just uh... tired. I don’t want to fall asleep here in the water. I think I’ll turn in early.”

            Amelia and Lina just watched her leave. Then, accepting her reply, they relaxed and felt themselves unwind from the troublesome day.

            Filia wrapped her towel around herself and walked back into the inn. She shook her head at herself.

            <<What is wrong with you, Filia?>> she scolded herself, <<Getting so upset over a little dream. Now you just stop it and concentrate on your mission.>>

            She looked up to see Gourry, Zelgadis and Xelloss walking her direction. Gourry was wearing nothing but a towel himself, and Zelgadis had modestly pulled on a robe. Xelloss was fully dressed and seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts. Filia flushed a deep crimson as the men spotted her, wishing she had her clothes on. But Gourry just waved cheerfully and greeted her. Zelgadis nodded politely. And Xelloss--his was the strangest reaction--didn’t say anything. Indeed, he didn’t even seem to notice her presence. Filia watched them as they disappeared down the hall before turning to continue to her room.

            “Odd,” she murmured. “Is he up to something?”

            Deciding she had enough to worry about, Filia put all thoughts of Xelloss aside and concentrated on clearing her mind. She put her pajamas on and laid down in her bed, her mace tucked under one arm like a stuffed animal. Call it a security blanket. Filia just felt safer with it near her. Closing her eyes from exhaustion, she dozed off immediately.

            Zelgadis and Gourry sighed in unison as they relaxed in the waters. Xelloss sat in a nearby chair, not paying attention to them. Gourry, blissfully unaware of anything, just closed his eyes and allowed his already thought-free mind to relax. Zelgadis, a little more in tune with his surroundings, watched the mazoku priest discreetly. It wasn’t like he was worried about the mazoku--far from it. He was worried about himself! He liked stability and the safety that he felt with it. Xelloss’s behavior was far from the norm, and that left Zel feeling jumpy and tense.

            Xelloss’s eyes were open and blank, staring at the trees overhead. It was kind of creepy. Zel lowered himself further into the water and kept an eye on the priest.

            Feeling someone watching him, Xelloss turned his eyes slowly. His gaze landed on Zelgadis, who made himself very busy washing up. A cruel smile played across his lips as he recognized the anxiety the young chimera man felt. Not thinking, he let his eyes fall shut and crossed his arms comfortably over his chest.

            Blood-covered wolf. Gone. Dead.

            He tensed and opened his eyes again. Xelloss stood quickly to keep himself alert.

            <<Stop it!>> he ordered himself, <<Just a dream. Beastmaster said it was just a dream. Don’t worry about her. She can take care of herself.>>

            “Hey, Xelloss,” Gourry called cheerfully from the spring, “why don’t you join us? You look a little tense.”

            “That’s quite all right, Gourry,” Xelloss replied, sweatdropping a bit, “I think I’ll let you two enjoy yourselves here. I’ll be in my room.”

            He teleported quickly to his room and looked around suspiciously. Nothing there. He huddled on his bed, not certain how to deal with the ranging emotions of uncertainty and fear. He didn’t want to sleep--didn’t really NEED to sleep. So he just sat there, staring out the window at the dark street.

            Filia woke with a start that night, sitting straight up in bed. She hugged herself tightly in an effort not to cry. She had her own room this night. Lina and Amelia shared the other room. So she was alone. And she didn’t want to go running into the next room for comfort from Amelia.

            A quick glance over at her bedside clock told her it was late, but too early to get up. If she didn’t get more sleep, she would be exhausted the next day. But she didn’t want to sleep if she was going to have another nightmare. It would leave her feeling just as drained as if she didn’t sleep at all.

            “Get a grip on yourself, Filia,” she whispered to herself. “You’re being such baby. Stop this now!”

            Having steeled herself against any possible horrors that came with closing her eyes, she laid back down and huddled closer to her mace. Sighing softly, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep again.

            Two rooms down, a few hours later, Xelloss opened his own eyes with a gasp. He leapt off his bed and stood uncertainly in the middle of the room.

            <<Asleep!>> he thought in stunned realization, <<I fell asleep! Why? And more importantly, how?>>

            As a mazoku, he didn’t need as much sleep as humans or even dragons. Falling asleep without realizing it usually occurs when overexhaustion takes over and forces the sleeper into dream world. Xelloss hadn’t really been tired, and yet ‘dream world’ was precisely where he had been. The nightmare had come again, different in most parts, but similar.

            <<I should tell Lord Beastmaster>> he thought absently, considering the bed where he had so unknowingly fallen asleep.

            But he didn’t leave. It wasn’t his place to bother Zelas Metallium with his bad dreams. She had more important things to worry about--like where she was going to get her brand of cigarettes once she ran out. Nightmares just weren’t on a top level of priorities. He wouldn’t tell Zelas. Not yet.

            Glancing at his bedside clock, he saw that it was late enough to justify getting up. The diner below the inn would be open. Picking up his staff, he left his room and went down to the diner and ordered a cup of coffee.

            That day was even worse than the one before. Lina’s mood took a plunge, and everyone else just stayed away from her. It was surprising--even to the young soreceress herself--how much her mood was affected by those around her, even Filia and Xelloss. She noticed the convenient lack of constant bickering between the two and was upset by it. She thought she would enjoy a few quiet days of no fighting, but she realized that in its consistency, the arguments had grown to be the norm. She didn’t like it when the norm suddenly turned irregular and changed.

            So, Lina walked by herself, shunning anyone who tried to come near her. She looked at Filia and sorted through a few things in her mind.

            <<Overly quiet and mopey>> she thought, <<She won’t carry out normal conversations with anyone--even Amelia. She hasn’t fought with Xelloss, not even pausing to glare at him. It started when she had that nightmare, although nightmares have never stopped her before. Why is she acting so strangely?!>>

            When she finished frustrating over Filia, she looked at Xelloss. His eyes were closed, as usual, but his expression was serious. He hadn’t smiled much in the past day. Even Gourry noticed how distracted he seemed.

            <<Started at the same time Filia started acting so weird>> she mused, <<No taunts to the dragon priestess--not even when the boys passed her in the hall last night, and she was wearing nothing but a towel. THAT’s strangeness for you. It started when he fell out of that tree. Could he just be that embarrassed? No... Xelloss can make a complete fool out of himself and not be embarrassed in the slightest. Aaargh! They’re BOTH acting so strangely. It’s going to drive me insane!>>

            Fortunately, it was getting late, and they decided to set up camp in the next clearing they found. Before darkness fell, they had a fire going and the tents set up. This time, Lina and Amelia were sharing a tent--decided by a persistent Filia. That was just fine with Lina. She didn’t want to be anywhere near the touchy dragon. As usual, Gourry and Zelgadis shared a tent. Xelloss never slept in tents--preferred to spend his nights L-sama knows where.

            As they ate dinner that night, things were almost feeling like normal. Filia and Xelloss turned their noses up at each other, and the rest of the group conversed happily while they ate. Well, after they ate.

            “So, Filia,” Lina said after swallowing some water. “You going to tell us what our next destination is? I mean, we’ve been walking for days, but we still have no idea where it is that we’re going.”

            “That’s because Filia doesn’t KNOW where we’re going,” Xelloss said dryly.

            “Shut up, Xelloss,” Filia growled, “Lina, I DON’T know where we’re going. I’m just pointing out possible routes. We travel until YOU feel we’ve reached where we should be.”

            “Oh,” Lina sighed, “okay.”

            “You seem to be of such little use on this trip, Filia,” Xelloss mocked her, “Why are you here again?”

            “You good-for-nothing mazoku!” she shot back, “When have YOU ever helped?”

            “I’ve saved Lina and her friends--not to mention you--several times on this journey,” he snapped, “If not for me, you’d have died long ago.”

            “Namagomi!”

            Twitch.

            “Stooping to name-calling, Filia?”

            “Anything to get you to leave me alone!”

            “I’ll leave when I FEEL like leaving!”

            Lina and the others winced as the voices rose. It only took a few seconds for the dragon and mazoku’s argument to escalate to a shouting match. They were both getting angry, even the imperturbable Xelloss. Filia’s eyes glowed an angry red, fire shooting up behind her. Xelloss’s violet eyes glittered furiously, and a shimmery purple-black aura swirled around him as they glared at each other.

            “Then at least shut up!” Filia shouted.

            “Why should I be quiet if you can keep shooting your mouth off?” Xelloss demanded.

            “Because I’m helping save the world! You’re doing this for your own personal benefit!”

            “Hah!” Xelloss sneered at her, “And saving the world isn’t to your benefit? I hate to remind you, Filia dear. But if the world ends, so do I. If saving myself means saving the world, I-”

            “Evil-”

            “Selfish-”

            “Rotten-”

            “Ugly-”

            “Namagomi!”

            “Lizard!”

            They practically growled at each other, staring the other one down. Lina, Zel, Amelia and Gourry had long since retreated, wondering when things would start to explode. So much for a normal, peaceful night.

            “LIZARD!” Filia screeched, “LIZARD?! Why you... SLEEP!”

            Xelloss staggered back in surprise as the spell hit him. He crumpled to the ground, sleeping. Filia stood over him, fuming. A dark smile tilted up her lips. <<Gotcha!>>

            “Um... Filia?” Amelia said hesitantly, “Perhaps now would be a good time for all of us to go to bed.”

            “Fine,” the dragon priestess snapped. She stalked off to her tent and disappeared.

            Amelia looked back at her traveling companions and shrugged. Zel smiled. Gourry looked confused. And Lina just shook her head and pulled on her hair in frustration.

            “I’m never going to survive this trip,” she moaned.

            “I’ll take the first watch,” Zelgadis said, “I’m not tired anyway.”

            “Sure,” Lina sighed, “‘Night guys.”

            “Goodnight, Lina,” Gourry smiled. “Goodnight, Amelia.”

            “Good night, Mr. Gourry.”

            Lina volunteered to take the second watch. She pushed another piece of wood into the fire and basked in the warmth it radiated. Glancing over a few feet, she saw Xelloss still curled up on the ground, sleeping restlessly. She was a little surprised that the sleep spell even worked on him. He would be mad when he woke up, she knew. Oh well. For now, she just wondered why he was having such trouble sleeping--even with the spell. Whenever used on herself, Lina found that she slept solidly through the night, not even aware of dreaming.

            Xelloss let out a soft whimper and curled into a tighter ball. Lina wondered if he was used to sleeping. She hadn’t ever seen him sleep before. Did mazoku even need sleep? She didn’t know.

            Suddenly, he jerked and sat up. Lina hopped back, not wanting him to see her until he got that startled expression off his face. Xelloss scrambled to his feet, panting heavily. His eyes snapped over to Lina, sensing her presence. Lina just stared up at him with wide eyes.

            “Um... good evening?” she asked hesitantly.

            “Is it?” he asked in return. He sighed and sank back down to his knees. He shivered a bit and hugged himself. “I’m going to kill her.”

            “Please, Xelloss,” Lina crawled over to him and shook her head, realizing how dangerous that threat might be. “Calm down.”

            He snorted impatiently.

            “Calm down?” he looked at her with dangerous violet eyes. Lina let her gaze harden and meet his. After a moment, he closed his eyes and looked away. He mumbled under his breath, “Right.”

            “No killing Filia,” Lina added.

            “Can I hurt her?”

            “NO!”

            “Drat.”

            Lina giggled and shook her head at him. He just shivered again and pulled his arms more tightly across his chest.

            “You cold?” Lina asked in surprise.

            He shook his head and hunched forward.

            “Fine,” he whispered, “I’m fine.”

            Lina didn’t like the way he was shutting her out. It wasn’t his usual, carefree method--‘that’s a secret’ and all that jargon. He was closing into himself. It was just too weird for her to see him like this. If it had been Filia--that seemed more possible.

            “Something is wrong, Xelloss,” she pressed, “What’s wrong?”

            He flared out angrily, his black energy swirling out toward Lina. Stumbling back in shock, Lina watched him with horror. But he caught himself in time and jerked the power back into himself. He glared down at her.

            “I SAID, I’m fine!” he snapped.

            Lina watched with amazement as the black, crackling energy that had been moving toward her swirled around him, transforming him. His body shrank, then expanded. Fur rustled in to replace his clothes, and sharp, deadly claws replaced his hands and feet. Dangerous-looking fangs gleamed in the moonlight. Glowing, violet eyes peered at the fire from behind a large muzzle. Before Lina was the largest wolf she had ever seen. It--Xelloss, she told herself, it’s Xelloss--loped past her into the woods. A minute after he disappeared into the shadows, she heard a long, forlorn howl.

            Lina shivered and moved closer to the fire. She couldn’t wait to finish this quest.

            Lina startled awake the next morning to find that the fire had gone out. She scolded herself for letting herself fall asleep and started to get up. But it was then that she realized she was still warm. And she was having difficulty moving. Frowning, she lifted her hand and felt coarse fur brush against her arm.

            FUR?

            Looking up, Lina suddenly found herself staring at a huge paw with viscous-looking claws. She gasped and jerked her head away--and hit something else. A soft snort and a growl alerted her to what it was. A huge animal was wrapped around her.

            “Oh, my God,” she whispered.

            Then, the wolf rolled away. Lina scrambled to her feet and backed away, preparing to defend herself against the wild animal. Not thinking twice, she slammed out a quick spell.

            “FIREBALL!” she declared. The flame spouted forward from her hands toward the dangerous animal. And dissipated harmlessly against a black, transparent barrier. The wolf sat back, it’s small eyes shadowed by thick, shaggy fur. A tongue lolled out of its mouth, and Lina heard familiar laughter in her head.

            Oh my, Lina. Have you forgotten so quickly? What would you do if that had hit me?

            “Xelloss?” she stared incredulously at the wolf. It licked its nose in an almost adorable movement, then tilted its head at her and lifted its nose so she could see its eyes. Violet.

            You were expecting Gourry?

            “But you- you-” she stammered and kept a close eye on the creature. She glowered suddenly, “What were you doing?”

            You let the fire go out.

            “That doesn’t explain-”

            You were cold.

            Lina blinked and then frowned. She shook her head.

            “I can’t believe I’m talking to a wolf,” she muttered.

            If possible, the wolf appeared indignant. Xelloss growled playfully.

            Is it so odd? You’ve spoken to dragons. Why not a wolf?

            “But, I’ve never thought of wolves as...” she trailed off and looked at him. He just panted at her. He barked at her.

            Does it make you uncomfortable?

            “Not really,” she admitted, “It’s just... weird.”

            “Lina, who are you talking to?” Amelia asked curiously, crawling out of her tent.

            The young princess let out a startled yelp and practically leapt into Lina’s arms.

            “A wolf!” she cried.

            Lina pushed Amelia away and scowled at her.

            “It’s Xelloss, Amelia,” she explained.

            “Mr. Xelloss?” Amelia looked back at the wolf. Xelloss--the wolf--just panted with his tongue hanging out lazily. His violet eyes caught Amelia’s attention. “Wow!”

            Xelloss’s eyes caught on something behind the two girls. He let out a hair-raising growl and allowed his fur to bristle.

            “How did this wolf get into our camp?” Filia yelped. “Lina! Kill it!”

            “I can’t, Filia,” Lina smirked. “Besides, he wasn’t causing any trouble until you came out.”

            A feral snarl escaped Xelloss’s throat, and he got to all four feet. He bared his teeth at the frightened dragon priestess and growled dangerously.

            “Why can’t you kill it?” Filia asked. She pulled out her mace and wielded it furiously.

            Xelloss snarled again and pranced out of range. He barked at Filia.

            “What’s going on?” Zelgadis and Gourry were out now, watching the scene play out with surprise. “What’s this wolf doing in our camp?”

            “Want me to dispose of it, Lina?” Gourry asked, pulling out his sword.

            “Good luck trying,” Lina laughed. “He’s still mad at Filia for placing that sleeping spell on him last night.”

            “Sleeping spell?” Filia stammered.

            “Xelloss?” Zel realized. They stared at the angry wolf in shock.

            As if to prove his anger, Xelloss sat back back on his haunches and howled. Filia dropped her mace in surprise and staggered back. The wolf snarled in satisfaction and sat down normally. If possible, a smirk crossed his wolf features.

            If Lina hadn’t requested I refrain from doing so, I would have torn you apart, Filia.

            Filia gasped and groped for her mace as Xelloss’s furious voice echoed in her head.

            Don’t bother. I won’t hurt you. Try another stunt like last night, though, and even Lina won’t be able to stop me from killing you.

            With that, Xelloss stood and loped into the woods. A moment later, he reappeared--in human form--in a dark flash. He smirked at the group.

            “Well,” he said with false cheer, “Let’s eat, shall we?”

            Blood. Sticky, flowing, congealing. Sick. She felt so sick. Laughter taunted her, echoing through the desert valley.

            She turned and stared. Black cloak, purple hair, blowing in the wind. Shadowed eyes. It was death. She was staring into the face of death. The same death which had taken the lives of so many others.

            Laughing again.

            He lifted his hand and pointed at her with one long finger. Filia watched with horror as his chin rose and his eyes became unshadowed. She stared straight into a pair of empty, violet eyes. The violet faded and was replaced by black, swirling chaos. A smile.

            She screamed.

            Dragons. Countless golden dragons, swooping, taunting, hurting him. He staggered back against the barrage of wings, battering him down. A single dragon landed before him, holding something bloody in its jaws. He watched, horrified as the figure dropped to the ground with a thud. The dragon transformed to human form.

            Blond hair. Pink ribbons and dress. Startling blue eyes. She smirked at him, daring him to try anything. He stared at her, then down at the dead wolf.

            Xelloss let out an anguished howl and fell.

            “What the hell is going on?”

            It had been almost a week since Filia and Xelloss had started acting so strangely. And it was steadily getting worse. Now, the two were sleeping restlessly in the middle of the afternoon. The group had taken a break to eat lunch, and the dragon and mazoku had both promptly dropped into sleep. Lina and her friends were baffled.

            “Why can’t they just sleep at night like normal people?” she demanded, stalking across the meadow toward Xelloss and Filia. Zelgadis and Amelia took the task of waking Filia while Lina and Gourry tried to wake Xelloss.

            “Filia,” Amelia murmured, shaking the pretty priestess. “Filia, wake up.”

            Filia snorted in a very un-ladylike sound. Her eyes flew open, and she sat straight up. Her eyes flashed furiously.

            “XELLOSS!”

            Gourry and Lina fell back as Xelloss suddenly woke with a violent crackle of energy. He growled angrily and climbed to his feet. He met Filia’s raging eyes with his own impassive ones.

            “Xelloss, I’ll KILL you!” Filia screamed.

            “Hey!” Lina yelped, jumping toward Xelloss and grabbing his arm. Gourry grabbed his other arm. Amelia and Zelgadis did the same with Filia. “Stop this!”

            “Let go!” Filia howled. She let out a primal scream and flung the two humans away from her. Not thinking twice, she reverted into dragon form.

            Lina and Gourry went flying as electricity crackled through them. Xelloss launched himself from the ground and let loose with a bolt of deadly black energy. The humans took cover. They had to stop this battle, but they weren’t sure how.

            “You killed them all, you murderer!” Filia shouted.

            Xelloss let out a malicious growl and attacked again. The battle raged on for several minutes until it was clear that Xelloss would win. He was the stronger of the two, and his rage was equal to Filia’s. It was nearing an end. Xelloss held out his hands in a final effort to kill Filia. Filia hit him with all she had--but his fury was so intense he barely felt it. The energy blasted outward.

            “NO!”

            Lina and her friends watched with morbid fascination as black tendrils of energy suddenly wrapped around Xelloss’s attack and pulled it back. The same tendrils wrapped themselves around Xelloss and pulled him back as well.

            Filia hit the ground, injured but alive. Lina, Zel, Gourry, and Amelia ran to her and struggled to hold her down while she fought to get free.

            Xelloss struggled against the black tendrils as he was dragged to the ground. Warm arms wrapped around him, holding him in place. He screamed with rage and twisted in the grip.

            “XELLOSS, STOP!”

            “FILIA, THAT’S ENOUGH!”

            They froze. Filia glowed a glamorous gold and transformed back to her human self as she regained control of her emotions. Amelia held her in her arms, soothing the sobbing priestess. Xelloss stopped struggling and fell limp in the unknown person’s arms. He turned and looked up into the person’s face.

            “Lord Beastmaster,” he whispered hoarsely. He shrank against her like a child in his mother’s arms, and she just stroked his hair and cradled him. In a dark flash, bringing Xelloss with her, she teleported to the others in the clearing.

            “Lina Inverse,” the woman said authoritatively. “I apologize for this mess. I did not realize how severe the situation had become.”

            “Beastmaster Zelas!” Lina realized. “What do you mean?”

            “Xelloss came to me awhile ago in a panic,” she explained. “I dismissed his worry as nothing more than a bad dream.”

            “Like Miss Filia’s nightmares?” Amelia asked.

            “That wouldn’t be the time when Xelloss fell out of the tree, would it?” Zelgadis wondered.

            “The same,” Zelas nodded, “But as time passed, the dreams grew more frequent and severe. Xelloss did not tell me about them after the first one.”

            The mazoku priest shuddered and let out a soft sob. Zelas spared a glance down at him and pulled him closer. Looking back at Lina, she smiled apologetically.

            “It would not do for Xelloss to kill the priestess of the Fire Dragon King,” she said, “so I had to interfere. Now, you must find the source of these dreams.”

            “Uh... the source?” Lina repeated intelligently.

            “Only an outside source could force such nightmares onto them,” Zelas nodded, “You must find the source and destroy it before they can no longer distinguish dreams from reality. This display was nothing. Should they lose complete control--especially Xelloss--they will destroy everything that gets in their way. Filia will die, make no mistake about that. Xelloss is strong and will kill her. But he will then not hesitate to kill you and your friends and anyone else who has the misfortune to be in his path.”

            “He’s that strong?” Lina said in wonderment. “But you can stop him.”

            “Only to an extent,” Zelas smiled ruefully, “He has the potential to overpower even me should his rage escalate that high. Keep them awake. Do not let them out of your sight until you have destroyed this menace.”

            “... Sure,” Lina nodded, “Thanks for your help.”

            Zelas smiled and nodded.

            “Don’t get used to it,” her smile grew malevolent, “I’m a mazoku. I don’t often help mortals like this.”

            Amelia looked up at Lina over Filia’s head. The dragon priestess had fallen silent.

            “I think she fainted, Miss Lina,” she said worriedly.

            “Wake her,” Zelas advised. “And, although I hate to do this, I will prevent Xelloss from causing too much harm for now.”

            Xelloss pulled back as Zelas dropped her arms. The mazoku priest dropped to one knee and bowed his head in resignation. Zelas touched his head and shook her own with sadness.

            “Sorry, Xelloss,” she murmured, “You know it’s for the best.”

            He remained silent, eyes open and blank. Tears still ran down his face, but he had stopped shivering so visibly. Soft, black energy surged from Beastmaster and into her servant. As Lina had seen before, Xelloss transformed before their eyes into a huge wolf. Once in wolf form, he sat back and looked up at Zelas, a high whine raising in his throat.

            “You’ll be released in time, Xelloss dear,” Zelas said sadly. “Take care.”

            She disappeared.

            “Um... Xelloss?” Lina asked hesitantly.

            Yes, Lina?

            “You okay now?”

            Not really. But I do feel better, thank you.

            “Good,” Lina smiled and looked at Filia. “Let’s get her up and about and we can find out what the hell is going on!”

            “What do you MEAN, you don’t allow pets?!”

            The inn keeper fairly trembled before the bellowing sorceress. Lina glowered at the poor man, but somehow, the man held his ground. He glanced uneasily at the wolf by Lina’s side who just offered a growl of irritation.

            Want me to maul him, Lina?

            “NO!” Lina swatted at Xelloss’s ears and glowered at him. “You’ll behave yourself!”

            “Are you talking to the wolf?” the inn keeper asked hesitantly.

            “Yes,” Lina snapped, “You got a problem with that?”

            “N-no,” the poor man fell back. “Please, miss. I don’t want any trouble.”

            “Then let us in,” Zelgadis said irately.

            “I cannot allow that animal in here.”

            ANIMAL!

            “Calm down, Mr. Xelloss,” Amelia said gently, reaching forward to pat his head, “He doesn’t know any better.”

            Dirty, rotten, no good...

            “Xelloss,” Lina warned, “I know you’re upset about all this...” she turned to the inn keeper again with her sweetest smile. “Listen. He’s got some health problems and we’ve got to keep him nearby, so if you wouldn’t mind making a teensy weensy exception...”

            You make it sound like I’ve got the plague, Lina.

            Xelloss yelped as a hand closed around the scruff of his neck and jerked him up. Lina offered her best smile and wrapped her arm tightly around Xelloss’s furry neck, squeezing him in a tight hug.

            “As you can see,” she said, “I love my puppy very much, and it just won’t do to leave him outside tonight.”

            Choking... me...

            “I’m really sorry...” the inn keeper started.

            Lina dropped her grip on Xelloss, who shook himself briskly to recover. Her smile turned devious.

            “Of course, I could just disregard your wishes and come in anyway,” she said smoothly, “I will bring my ‘pet’ with me and let him tear everything apart as he wishes... Xelloss!”

            The mazoku/wolf offered a feral snarl and bristled his fur, arching his back for effect. His tail swished back and forth in the air, belying his nonthreatening threat.

            Can I attack now? Can I? Can I? Can I?

            “If this man won’t let us through, you can do whatever damage you want, Xelloss,” she assured him. She turned her gaze on the terrified inn keeper and smiled darkly. “He’ll hold back if I tell him to-”

            Aw...

            “But if you don’t let us in...” Lina smirked.

            The inn keeper stepped aside quickly and wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief.

            “Please!” he gestured toward the tables, “Have a seat. Order something from the menu. Drinks on the house!”

            Drat. I was looking forward to a little mayhem.

            “Not this time, Xelloss,” Zelgadis snickered.

            Shove it.

            Filia joined Zel’s snicker with her own giggle and smirked down at the wolf as she walked inside. The hair on Xelloss’s back bristled with irritation, and he barely held back a snarl of contempt.

            “Serves you right, Xellos,” she said haughtily, “You almost killed me, you slimy bastard.”

            Lizard lips.

            “Sticks and stones, dear Xelloss,” Filia said with a feigned yawn.

            How about claws and teeth?

            “Mr. Xelloss!” Amelia gasped in alarm.

            “Xelloss, shut up,” Lina sighed, “And Filia, stop taunting him. You’re as much to blame as he is.”

            Filia snorted impatiently and turned her nose up and crossed her arms. Lina buried her face in her hands, moaning ‘why me?’

            “Can we order now, Lina?” Gourry asked.

            “Of course,” Lina grinned, her mind on matters of food now. “Waiter!”

            That night was hell on everyone. The group switched off, taking turns keeping Xelloss and Filia awake. By morning, Filia was a zombie. Xelloss, needing less sleep than Filia, was fully alert and more cheerful than he had been for over a week. He pranced around the diner, despite the inn keeper’s protests.

            “He’s not harming anyone,” Lina said in excuse.

            “If he bites someone, I’ll be ruined!” the poor man wailed.

            I don’t bite! I’m not a primitive!

            “Xelloss won’t bite,” Amelia assured the man. “He just wants to play.”

            Throw me a frisbee! I’m feeling frisky!

            “Shove a sock in it, Xelloss,” Filia grumbled.

            Bite me! Pause. Oh! I made a funny!

            Amelia giggled and tossed a meatball up in the air. The playful wolf leapt up and snapped at it, swallowing it before he hit the ground. A little boy nearby squealed in delight and approached Amelia.

            “Is your pet safe?” he asked curiously. “Can I play with him?”

            “Xelloss?” Zelgadis snorted, “Safe?”

            I want to play! I won’t hurt him! Please, Lina?

            “Sure. Fine,” Lina waved him away. “Whatever keeps him happy. Just don’t let him fall asleep, little boy.”

            “Why not?”

            “Trust me.”

            “Oh... okay!”

            The boy ran toward Xelloss, who just nudged at him happily with his muzzle. The child giggled merrily and ran out the door, wolf close at his heels. The group of travelers watched them disappear out the door before turning back to face each other.

            “Finally,” Zel sighed.

            “I think Mr. Xelloss is kind of cute as a wolf,” Amelia said, “He certainly seems happier.”

            “Just don’t forget that he’s still a mazoku,” Lina said softly.

            “A wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Zel added, “So to speak.”

            “Xelloss IS a wolf,” Gourry pointed out densely.

            The group sweatdropped and dismissed him. Filia leaned forward and grabbed the front of Lina’s shirt.

            “I don’t know how much of this I can handle, Lina,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. Her eyes filled up with tears--partly from exhaustion. “I can’t stay awake forever.”

            “Come on, Filia,” Lina patted her hand and smiled nervously, “We’ll take care of this. We’ll find who or whatever is doing this to you and Xelloss, and you can sleep all day if you want.”

            “I want to sleep now!” she snapped.

            “Waiter!” Zelgadis called, “Coffee! Lot’s of it.”

            “I’ll be buzzed for the day!” Filia gasped.

            “Anything’s better than what you started yesterday,” Zel said.

            Filia leaned back in her chair and folded her arms tightly across her chest, pouting. Lina dismissed her and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

            “First, we need to find out who is doing this,” she said, “Then, we’ll decide the how and what to do about it.”

            “Sounds like a good plan to me,” Gourry smiled.

            “Only one problem,” Zel pointed out, “How do we know who is doing it?”

            “Maybe that nice woman from yesterday knows,” Amelia suggested.

            Lina facefaulted and pulled at her hair.

            “‘NICE WOMAN’?!” she shrieked. “That was Zelas Metallium, Amelia! Mazoku lord of the beasts! She won’t tell us anything!”

            “Besides,” Zel said casually, “She didn’t say anything that suggested she knew any more than we did.”

            “Other than the fact that she knew about the dreams,” Lina added.

            “Other than that,” Zel admitted.

            “Well,” Lina said thoughtfully, “I suppose we start at square one. We search for anything suspicious in the-”

            LINA!

            Lina fell out of her chair at the volume of the mental voice in her head. She held her ears and groaned, although it did little to help against a voice coming from inside of her.

            “Are you okay, Miss Lina?” Amelia asked worriedly.

            “Owww,” Lina moaned.

            Violent snarling could be heard through the open front door, and they looked up in surprise.

            “Something must be wrong!” Lina realized intelligently. She and her friends ran outside to find a rather frightening scene.

            Floating about six feet above the ground was a humanlike figure. It had no outstanding features except for the fact that it was completely black. As Lina looked at it, she thought the black, chaotic swirls looked familiar.

            <<Of COURSE!>> she recalled, smacking her fist in her open palm, <<It’s the same stuff that was swirling through Xelloss when he was wounded that time in place of blood. Apparently this guy doesn’t bother to hide it under a more pleasant exterior.>>

            That’s right, Lina.

            Xelloss’s voice echoed in her head, and her attention was drawn to the wolf on the ground. He let out a hair-raising growl and stood protectively in front of the young boy who had so innocently asked to play with him.

            It’s another mazoku.

            “You JERK!” Lina yelled, “You were scanning my thoughts!”

            Call it my method of keeping track of you. I wanted to know if you had decided to grace me with your presence, oh dazzling sorceress.

            “Sarcasm does not become you, Xelloss,” Lina said, deadpan.

            Never mind that. I can’t take this guy on like I am now. And Filia is too tired to be of any use.

            “Leave this to me,” she smiled deviously, pushing up imaginary sleeves. “You just worry about keeping that little boy safe.”

            Whatever you say, Lina.

            A dark purple aura surrounded the wolf, and he rapidly transformed. A cape fluttered around him, and the human-form Xelloss stood up. He smiled down at the stunned little boy.

            “Time to get you out of here,” he said, scooping up the child. He looked over his shoulder as he leapt out of the way. “This is your show, Lina! Good luck!”

            Lina gaped after Xelloss for a second before something hit her, and she rolled across the stone street. She scambled to her knees and saw Gourry doing the same. Where she had been standing was a small, charred crater.

            “Thanks, Gourry!” she grinned at him.

            “No problem, Lina,” he returned her smile and held out his sword. “My metal sword won’t do much against a mazoku.”

            “Like Xelloss said,” Lina held out her hands, “This is my show. FIREBALL!”

            The fireball never touched the mazoku, and the dark thing laughed, its voice deep. The laugh had a strange, echoing quality--as if it were in the bottom of a well.

            “I did not come to kill you yet, Lina Inverse,” the mazoku said, “I only came to check up on my work. It appears as though you figured it out.”

            “YOU’RE causing those nightmares?” Filia asked, “Why, I oughtta-”

            “Hold back, Filia,” Zelgadis grabbed the angry priestess’s arm to restrain her. “Even a golden dragon is no match for a powerful mazoku. If this guy has anywhere near Xelloss’s power, you’ll be killed!”

            She deflated and sagged to the ground.

            “You’re right,” she murmured, “I’m useless.”

            “Relax, Miss Filia!” Amelia patted her shoulder, “We’ll take care of this! ELMEKIA LANCE!”

            The spell hit the mazoku, but he forced it back with a grunt.

            “HAH!” he pointed down at Lina, “Useless! I don’t need to kill you, Lina. The dragon and mazoku will do that for me. Have a nice day!”

            Lina let her spell dissipate in her hands when the mazoku phased out. She sighed and looked over at Filia. The poor dragon priestess was crying again. This time, Zelgadis was unfortunate enough to be the shoulder she found. He stood there awkwardly as her tears dampened his shirt and patted her back stiffly. His facial expression made it clear what he would never say out loud: ‘Help me.’ Lina let him deal with Filia and turned to look around. On cue, Xelloss and the boy came out of the shadows from between two buildings--the mazoku priest still in human form.

            “Very well fought, Lina,” he praised.

            “Xelloss!” Lina gaped at him, “But you were- Beastmaster-”

            “Oh, you mean when Lord Beastmaster turned me into a wolf?” he smiled at her. He looked at the boy, who was staring at him in awe, and set him down. He lightly pushed the child forward. “You’d best be on your way.”

            The boy scampered off, looking over his shoulder frequently. Xelloss turned back to Lina.

            “That was a type of power seal,” he explained. “I don’t have to remain in wolf form, but I’m considerably less powerful either way. As a wolf, I have little access to my mazoku power, but no less than I have now.”

            “I’m not following you,” Lina shook her head.

            Xelloss sighed and lifted his hands. Lina stared at them blankly and looked at him.

            “So?”

            He looked at his hands and smiled.

            “Oops,” he chuckled with mild embarrassment, “My bad. Here, let me fix this so you can see it.”

            Something glittered in his hands--or more specifically, around his wrists. He held up his hands again, and Lina saw the chain.

            “Manacles?” she asked.

            “Magic-sealing manacles to be specific,” he replied. “In this form, I have almost complete access to my power. But with these,” he shook the chain lightly and scowled at it, “I’m practically helpless. As a wolf, these disappear, but I have the same, pathetic access to my power. My only advantage there is that I have built-in defense.”

            “Your teeth and claws.”

            Xelloss clapped his hands together merrily and smirked.

            “Give the girl a cookie!” he exclaimed. “And, just so you don’t get too accustomed to this...”

            Lina gasped and jumped back as he glowed and reverted back into a wolf.

            It’s so much more comfortable to be able to move my limbs.

            In demonstration, he arched his furry back and stretched. He sat down in front of her and let his tongue loll out of his mouth lazily. A great, shaggy tail swooshed back and forth on the ground.

            I believe we have a mazoku to find.

            “Uh... Right.”

            “Okay, here’s the deal,” Lina jabbed her finger at Filia, “You sleep. We wake you every half hour--sooner if there are signs of you dreaming, got it?”

            “Fair enough,” Filia sighed with relief. “Thank you, Lina.”

            She picked up a pillow and flopped onto the ground less than ten feet away from the fire. Amelia followed her, given the fun-filled task of waking her every half hour. Gourry looked down at her as he walked to the fire.

            “Boy!” he exclaimed, sitting down next to Lina. “She must have been really tired!”

            “Yes, Gourry,” Zel said sarcastically, “Thirty-nine hours without sleep will do that to a person.”

            Should I call in the jackals? They might find her to be a rather tasty feast.

            That came from the wolf curled into a tight ball by the fire. He lifted his head and growled playfully.

            “Watch it, Xelloss,” Lina warned, “Don’t wake her. She’ll strangle you.”

            I’d like to see her try.

            “She might decide to transform back into a dragon and step on you,” Zel pointed out.

            Point taken.

            “Do you think you would mind changing back into your normal form for awhile?” Lina requested. “It’s rather disconcerting to talk to someone who doesn’t give a verbal response.”

            You wouldn’t last two minutes on Wolf Pack Island.

            “Just change!”

            A moment later, Xelloss sat back on the ground and crossed his legs in front of him ‘indian style.’ He folded his hands and let them sit in his lap, offering a particularly fake smile.

            “Anything you say, Lina,” he said, his voice dripping with venom.

            “Watch it, Xelloss,” Zelgadis warned, “As you are, I could easily destroy you with a Ra Tilt.”

            Xelloss smiled widely.

            “Of course,” he said, feigning graciousness. He looked back at Lina, his face serious. “Sorry.”

            “I realize you’re a bit stressed, Xelloss,” Lina forgave him quickly, “But can you at least try to be civil?”

            “I’ll keep the insults to a minimum,” was all he would promise.

            “Geeze, Xelloss,” Gourry blurted, “You’re awfully cranky today.”

            Xelloss gritted his teeth, trying VERY hard not to get irritated by Gourry’s never-ending supply of cheerful stupidity. Lina reached for Gourry to pull him back. Even as weak as Xelloss presently was, he could still do some serious damage.

            “Xelloss...” Lina warned.

            “Ask your questions and leave me be, Lina,” he snapped.

            “Okay...” Lina let Gourry sit back down, “First question is: what the hell are you so uptight about? You’re never this openly hostile!”

            Xelloss smiled tightly and held up his hands. He jerked them apart, only to have them halt at shoulder’s width. They could hear the sound of chains rattling. His eyes opened, and his smile became a grim line.

            “Do you have to ASK, Lina?” he inquired softly, “My powers are almost completely sealed, I don’t even have full range of motion unless in wolf form, and I’m having a more and more difficult time staying awake. Now, if that won’t make a person a bit irritable, I don’t know what will.”

            Lina sighed and shook her head.

            “How long can you usually last without sleeping?”

            “Anywhere from days to years,” he replied, “It depends on how much energy I expel in a given period.”

            “And you expelled a lot of energy yesterday when you fought with Filia,” Zelgadis said.

            “Not as much as you’d think,” Xelloss smirked.

            “That’s scary,” Lina commented, “Anyway, if you’re struggling to stay awake, then either that mazoku is increasing the power of his spell, or we’re getting closer to him.”

            “It’s likely a combination of the two,” Xelloss suggested, “The mazoku we’re dealing with is called Nightmare, or the Dream King. Call him a rogue demon--he doesn’t work directly under any stronger mazoku. He doesn’t bother to create more than a haphazard human form because he simply does not deal directly with humans. He haunts them by dream-walking.”

            “Dream-walking,” Lina echoed, “Isn’t that dangerous?”

            Gourry blinked in confusion. Had Lina seen him, she would have slapped a hand over his mouth and told him to shut up. But she didn’t see him.

            “What’s dream-walking?” he asked.

            Lina facefaulted and pounced on Gourry.

            “Do I have to explain EVERYTHING?” she demanded. “Put in short, simple words, dream-walking is when a human, mazoku, or dragon invades someone elses dreams. Through dreams, this person can supposedly manipulate what’s happening in the dreamer’s mind or even speak to the dreamer.”

            “No supposition, Lina,” Xelloss corrected, “Fact. Nightmare can invade just about any person’s mind and manipulate the dreams to turn out as he wishes. As in Filia’s case as well as my own, he’s utilizing our memories and turning them against us.”

            “From what Filia said, she’s constantly dreaming of the war of the monster’s fall,” Lina mused, “placing you in her dreams to turn her completely against you.”

            “As if she didn’t hate me enough as it is,” Xelloss complained.

            “And what about you?” Zel asked, studying the mazoku priest for a reaction, “You never told us about your dreams.”

            Xelloss stiffened and looked down into his lap. He shook his head vehemently.

            “My dreams do not matter,” he growled, “What matters is that we stop them.”

            “And that they must have Filia in them,” Zel added. “Or you wouldn’t have responded to her anger as you did.”

            “That’s right!” Lina watched the mazoku closely. “Filia MUST have been in your dreams in order for you to get so angry with her.”

            Angry power crackled around Xelloss as Lina pressed the point. But abruptly, the shackles around his wrists appeared and crackled even more prominently. Gold energy flared up around Xelloss’s hands and up his arms a short distance. But it was enough. His shoulders sagged, and he let his head drop forward. Purple hair swooshed forward to obscure his face, and the energy assault ceased. Lina, Zel and Gourry just watched him uncertainly.

            “Nightmare will be using something to amplify his power,” Xelloss continued, his voice low and flat, “That object will be somewhere in his palace, always near him. Destroy that, and he won’t be able to manipulate either Filia’s or my dreams. Free of that...”

            “We’re free to destroy him,” Lina smirked.

            “Don’t be too certain, Lina,” Xelloss lifted his head and stared at her through dark, violet eyes, “He’s strong. He is not to be underestimated. He doesn’t have to be in the dream world to destroy you.”

            “Right,” Lina nodded. “And Xelloss?”

            “What?”

            “Either change back into a wolf or stop acting so weird,” she said, shivering slightly, “You’re creeping me out.”

            He chuckled and nodded.

            “Sure,” he acquiesced. In seconds, he returned to wolf-form. He curled up near the fire and closed his eyes.

            I’m going to sleep now. Wake me in fifteen minutes.

            “You got it,” Gourry said cheerfully.

            The palace. They finally reached it. It had taken them hours to locate it once they had reached the general vicinity. It was not really that big, actually. No larger than a mansion. Certainly not large enough to classify as a palace. At least, that was Lina’s opinion. She didn’t really care, though. As long as she could get in and destroy this menace.

            “Filia?” Lina whispered.

            “Hmm? Oh!” Filia hopped forward, blinking rapidly, “I’m awake!”

            “You’re staying out here,” Lina ordered.

            “Fair enough,” she flopped down in exhaustion.

            “And Xelloss?”

            Yes, Lina?

            “You stay out here as well.”

            Whatever you say, Lina.

            “Don’t take that tone of mental voice with me!” she snapped.

            Sorry.

            “Amelia, Zel and Gourry are with me,” Lina pointed at the building, “Let’s go!”

            Filia and Xelloss watched them leave before settling back to relax. A moment later, Filia was snoring soundly on the ground. Xelloss looked down at her and heaved a wolf sigh. He nudged her lightly with his nose and even snapped at her hair a bit, tugging at it.

            Filia slept on.

            <<Oh, well>> Xelloss thought, though still worried, <<Might as well keep her from freezing to death. Lina wouldn’t like that.>>

            He curled his great, furry body around the sleeping dragon priestess and laid his head down in the dead grass. It was only a few moments before his own eyes drooped shut, and he slept.

            “There are so many rooms!” Amelia whined softly.

            “Looking for something?”

            Lina and Co. whirled as one to face the threat. They glared at Nightmare. He floated above them and laughed. Lina caught something out of the corner of her eye as she stared at him.

            “Oh, my God!” she gasped.

            “What is it, Lina?” Gourry asked.

            “LOOK!”

            She pointed. A dark, bluish orb bounced around inside the demon. Lina realized with no small amount of horror what this meant.

            “The object he’s using to amplify his powers is IN him!” she said, “The only way to destroy it would be to destroy HIM!”

            “Can you do it?” Zelgadis asked.

            “I don’t know!” Lina was on the verge of panic. “Something about what Xelloss said...”

            “Without your dragon and mazoku companions, you’re a dead girl, Lina Inverse,” the mazoku boomed.

            “WHO ARE YOU CALLING GIRL?!”

            “Flat-chested wimp!”

            “WHY YOU-”

            “I’ll kill your powerful friends first...”

            Lina screamed with rage and frustration as the mazoku phased out and teleported away. Zelgadis grabbed her before she could attack the empty air.

            “We left Xelloss and Filia outside!” he shouted.

            “Shit!!” Lina bolted for the exit, followed closely by Zel, Amelia, and a rather bewildered (as always) Gourry.

            Wings. Pounding, flapping, beating. Hurting him. Make them stop.

            Dream-walking­.

            A golden dragon streaked over his head and lands in front of him. He opens his palm to destroy it until he sees what’s in its claws.

            Not real.

            LORD BEASTMASTER!! He watched as the dragon transforms into a human form. But something is not right.

            Dreams... see through the disguise.

            What had started out being gold and beautiful turned black and malicious. Black chaos swirled around him, assaulting his mind and body. Zelas was still there. Dead and bleeding. Why did it hurt so much to see her like that? He was a mazoku. He wasn’t supposed to care...

            An anguished howl ripped through his throat, and he threw himself at the black... thing. It disappeared, and the world exploded.

            Xelloss woke with a wolf-like snort. (Considering he was a wolf, that wasn’t too surprising.) He jerked his head up and looked to see something black streaking across the meadow toward them. Looking down, he saw that Filia was still sleeping. An overwhelming sense of rage and hatred settled in his chest as he watched her, and he pushed himself away, wondering why he had even bothered.

            His mind shrieked at him, telling him he was wrong, even as the mazoku descended on them. Letting out a pained yelp, he smashed back into a tree. Filia flew past him and hit a large boulder. She fell and did not move.

            Letting out an angry snarl, Xelloss looked up at the mazoku dream lord. His hate-filled mind supplied him with an answer--this mazoku killed Lord Beastmaster. It had happened. Dream had become reality. He would kill this thing before him.

            “Still awake?” Nightmare taunted him, “Impressive. But I can defeat your Lord Beastmaster, and I can defeat you.”

            Even as dark energy assaulted his being, he shifted back to his human form and stood straight. Nightmare fell back as power surged out of him, slamming against the attack.

            “No good, Xelloss,” Nightmare laughed, “I know about your power seal. How long do you think you can last?”

            Xelloss screamed with unbridled rage, “DIE!!”

            Gold and black-purple energy swirled around him, fighting for control. Xelloss opened his eyes, and they glowed a furious blue-purple. Letting out another feral shout, dark power exploded around him, concentrating around his arms. The sound of chains tearing apart, link by link, echoed across the meadow. And Xelloss flung his arms out--he was free of the manacles.

            “I can still defeat you!” Nightmare declared, “You’re not as strong as I!”

            “SHUT UP!” Xelloss roared, “JUST. SHUT. UP!!!”

            Black energy surged toward Filia, and Xelloss was there to stop it. He caught it--halted it in midair with his palm. His gloved hand closed around the dark energy like it was a physical thing he could hold.

            “It’s not her fault,” he said, a dark smile playing across his lips, “It’s YOURS!”

            He flung the attack back at Nightmare, then amplified it with his own energy. Nightmare staggered from the blow but didn’t fall. He laughed at Xelloss’s efforts and shook off the attack.

            “Nice try,” he said smugly, “But it’s still not good enough.”

            Xelloss smiled. If evil could be given a physical form, it would have been that smile. He let his head dip forward, his bangs obscuring his eyes in shadow. Nightmare attacked again, sending out his strongest powers.

            And it came screeching (figuratively) to a halt before Xelloss’s outstretched hand. Xelloss giggled insanely.

            “Not good enough, Nightmare,” he mimicked, his voice several pitches too high. He absorbed the power into his hands.

            Nightmare gasped and backed away.

            “How... is that possible?”

            “Time to die, traitor,” Xelloss giggled.

            Purple-black power, almost solid from the pure strength behind it, surged outward from Xelloss. Nightmare screamed.

            “NOOO!!”

            And he exploded. Xelloss’s cloak flapped behind him, and he giggled again as the wind blew back against him. Behind him, Filia woke with a gasp and looked around quickly. Lina and her friends ran across the meadow toward them.

            “Xelloss!” Lina shouted, “Has Nightmare come yet?”

            A tree in front of them exploded in flame.

            “What the hell!” Zel shouted as the group was flung back into the grass. Filia stared on with awe. More trees suffered the same fate, and Xelloss just grew darker with intensified anger. He had killed Nightmare, but the pain from the dream/reality was still very real. He wanted it to end, was willing to kill everything in sight until it did. A family of birds fell from a tree, smothered to death.

            “Uh oh,” Lina understated as they watched Xelloss. His hair whipped around his face, revealing insanely furious, violet eyes.

            Filia launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around Xelloss’s waist, effectively pausing the insane assault. She knelt behind him, hugging him to her, pressing her face into his back.

            “Xelloss, stop this!” she pleaded, “You’ll hurt Lina or Zelgadis. And Gourry and Amelia! You don’t want to kill them!”

            “Who cares?” Xelloss shouted back, lowering his arms to struggle with the other set of arms around his waist. “Nothing matters now!”

            “Why not?” Filia demanded, refusing to let go. “God damn it, Xelloss! If you kill me, you’ll kill yourself! Just answer the question.”

            “She’s gone!” he whispered, hugging himself. “Gone. Dead.”

            “Who?” Filia grunted, fighting with the black energy that crackled around her, “Who’s dead, Xelloss?”

            “My lord,” he sobbed, “My master.”

            He dropped to his knees, still hugging himself tightly and shivering. Hunching forward, he whimpered softly, tears falling. Filia adjusted her arms to wrap around him.

            “It was just a dream, Xelloss,” she told him, “It wasn’t real.”

            “Gone,” he insisted.

            “A dream,” she repeated firmly, “You just killed Nightmare, the one who created the dreams. He’s gone. Beastmaster is still very much alive.”

            Xelloss shuddered and sobbed. Filia, acting on instinct, pulled him close and rocked him gently. Lina, Zel, Gourry, and Amelia finally forced their way past the burning trees and ran to them. Needless to say, they were shocked. Filia held Xelloss, who was sobbing openly. They stood there, dumbfounded, until the mazoku’s sobs slowed and stopped.

            Filia looked down and smiled gently. Xelloss was asleep. She looked up and saw Lina and her friends gaping down at them.

            “I think we should make camp here for tonight,” she suggested.

            After making sure Xelloss wouldn’t wake for awhile, Filia settled down for her own, day-long nap. She had surprised herself with the way she handled Xelloss--even when he was prepared to destroy everything in sight. What had shocked her was his emotional response. She had always toyed with the idea that mazoku didn’t have feelings--didn’t feel the sorrow and grief like everyone else did. Obviously, she was mistaken. Xelloss had been willing to destroy the world if it meant ending his pain over the loss of his master. Talk about loyal.

            Filia pushed all these thoughts from her head and promptly fell asleep, not even bothering to move from where she had fallen, holding Xelloss. Amelia giggled at the scene and ran back to her companions.

            “Miss Filia’s sleeping now, too,” Amelia said, coming to sit by the fire. Courtesy of Xelloss, they had found plenty of very dry firewood.

            “Good,” Lina sighed and folded her arms behind her head, “I need a break.”

            “It’s kind of nice not to have to worry about that mazoku nightmare guy,” Gourry added.

            “Yes,” Zelgadis nodded and sipped at a cup of coffee. “Xelloss pretty much took care of that one for us.”

            “Which kind of irritates me,” Lina said, “I mean, I’M the heroine here! What does he mean by taking my job like that? Is he really so selfish?”

            Amelia sweatdropped and patted Lina’s shoulder.

            “Maybe Nightmare really WAS too strong for you to handle,” she suggested.

            “If that was the case, then Xelloss shouldn’t have been able to take him on either,” Lina pointed out. “Beastmaster Zelas probably isn’t strong enough to take that guy on, and Xelloss is weaker than she is. Isn’t he?”

            “Supposedly,” Zel agreed, “But she DID say he could overpower her if he was mad enough.”

            “HER, not Nightmare,” Lina pointed out the flaw in his reasoning. Zel just shook his head and shrugged.

            “Whatever.”

            “You suppose he’s going to be mad when he wakes up?” Gourry asked.

            “You know, that’s a good question,” Lina replied.

            “REALLY?” Gourry grinned.

            He then hit the ground, twitching after a solid blow from Lina. Lina sighed and shook her head.

            “You complement the guy once, and it goes to his head,” Zel commented.

            “We should be prepared if Xelloss decides to go off on another rampage,” Lina suggested, “He may not fall so easily without exhaustion to bring him down.”

            “Perhaps I can help with that.”

            Lina fell off the log she had been sitting on and stared up at Zelas Metallium in shock.

            “Zelas!” she gasped.

            “That’s one thing I like about you humans,” Zelas smirked. She held her cigarette holder to her lips and took a drag, then let the smoke waft up into the night air. “You don’t try to patronize me with titles.”

            “Why didn’t you show up earlier?” Zelgadis demanded.

            “Yeah!” Amelia jumped up indignantly, “Like before Mr. Xelloss started to destroy everything in sight. He might have killed all of us!”

            “But he didn’t,” Zelas said smugly, “Besides, if I had shown up then, I might have made it worse. He might have dismissed me as another trick or a hallucination.”

            “Mazoku hallucinate?” Amelia asked curiously.

            “The crazy ones do,” Zelas giggled. “Xelloss has already expelled his desire to destroy. Now that Nightmare’s spell is broken, he should wake feeling better. He’ll be drained--emotionally, that is. But he won’t show it. The mask will return, and he’ll be the same Xelloss you’ve known and loved.”

            “Perhaps love is too strong a word,” Zel grunted.

            Zelas smirked.

            “Nevermind that,” Lina shook her head, “Will he know that you’re alive?”

            “He’ll check to make sure,” Zelas replied, “That’s why I’m here.”

            “Good,” Lina sighed, “So, you’re not here to destroy us all?”

            “Nope,” Zelas grinned down at her, “It wouldn’t do to kill the people who are supposed to save the world. I would be signing my own death certificate.”

            “Good,” Lina smirked, “Then you can stay awake and keep watch until Xelloss gets up. I’m going to sleep.”

            Lina stalked off to her tent, trailed closely by Amelia. Zel and Gourry gave their fair share of suspicious looks at Zelas before following suit and going to bed. Zelas just smirked and sat back to watch the fire.

            Zelas Metallium looked down at the golden dragon holding her favorite mazoku follower with a satisfied smirk. The two were still sleeping soundly, neither aware of anything around them. She tapped the ashes from the end of her cigarette onto the ground and giggled.

            “Oh, if Lord Shaburinigdo could see you now, Xelloss,” she sighed, “He would say the world has ended and crawl back to his hiding spot.”

            Crouching down by them, Zelas touched Xelloss’s hair and smiled.

            “I’m here, Xelloss, ‘son’,” she said softly.

            Xelloss shifted slightly and smiled in his sleep.

            “I know,” he mumbled.

            Zelas grinned and stood again. She turned and walked away, phasing out slowly--very dramatic--as she did. When she was completely gone, Xelloss shifted again and opened his eyes. His smile faded. Looking down--well, from his perspective, it was down--he eyed the arms clasped gently around him. A very familiar bracelet decorated the wrist of one of those arms.

            “FILIA!”

            Filia yelped and woke up. She saw the source of the furious cry and pulled back quickly.

            “Xelloss!” she gasped, “You’re awake!”

            “What in L-sama’s name did you think you were doing?!” he demanded, jumping to his feet and turning to face her with an angry scowl.

            “I stopped you from killing everything in sight,” she reminded him, “You’re welcome.”

            His scowl deepened.

            “What’s with holding me while I’m unconscious!” he growled. “You-”

            “Held you while you cried on my shoulder,” she finished. “YOU’RE the one who fell asleep. I was tired, too. I probably fell asleep before I could move away.”

            Xelloss glared at her. His hands clenched tightly into fists in front of him. Filia smirked as a flush of embarrassment settled across his cheeks.

            “Cried?” he demanded, “On your SHOULDER?”

            “That’s right, Xelloss,” Filia laughed. “I never knew you were such a softie.”

            “SOFTIE!” he growled, “You twisted lizard!”

            “LIZARD!” she scowled back at him. “You Namagomi!”

            “If you ever do that to me again-”

            “I’ll smash your stupid little smile into-”

            “You irritating-”

            “Annoying-”

            “Reptilian-”

            Filia grabbed Xelloss’s arm and smacked her hand over his mouth, surprising him before he could finish his insult. She smirked at him.

            “Listen, Namagomi,” she murmured, “I think I deserve a little more credit. After all, how many dragons do you know who would risk their lives to save you as I did?”

            He stared at her with wide eyes. Filia pulled her hand away from his mouth and giggled.

            “You really are a tricky bastard,” she told him. “After everything you’ve done, too...”

            “What-?” he frowned at her. What was she talking about? He pulled back, but she had a solid grip on both of his arms now. She smirked at him.

            “I happen to know you spent most of your energy last night,” she taunted, “So you can’t break away, can you?”

            He lowered his chin so a shadow fell over his eyes. He smirked at her.

            “You’re a sadistic little bitch, aren’t you?” he muttered.

            Filia laughed and pulled him forward. Xelloss’s eyes snapped open in shock as she pressed her lips to his. When she let go, he reeled backward, gasping. Filia giggled at his disconcertion and smiled triumphantly.

            “You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to try that!” she claimed.

            Xelloss lost his balance and fell back on his butt. Filia laughed yet again. He just stared at her, his mouth open but nothing coming out.

            “Don’t get used to it, Xelloss,” she said haughtily, “I’m still feeling the trauma of those horrible nightmares. I’m sure by tomorrow I’ll be back to hating you again.”

            Xelloss opened his mouth, then closed it again. After several attempts, he managed to speak.

            “Oh m-my,” he stammered.

            “That had to be the most intelligent thing you’ve said in the past few minutes,” she claimed. “So? You going to comment? Namagomi?”

            Twitch. Xelloss climbed to his feet and smirked at her.

            “What would you have me say?” he asked, “Oh, gee! Filia kissed me! Wow!”

            “That’s not your style,” she replied.

            Fireworks! Music! Dancing! Stars!

            That’s how Filia felt when Xelloss leaned forward and kissed her again. She melted against him and returned the passionate kiss. After a moment, she opened her eyes and gazed into slitted violet ones. Xelloss smiled against her lips and trembled from holding his giggle back.

            “Sleep,” he mumbled.

            Filia sagged down in his arms and snored softly into his shoulder. He chuckled and shook his head at her.

            “Perhaps when you wake, you’ll come to your senses,” he told her sleeping form. “Mazoku/dragon pairings just do not work.”

            “Wow, Xelloss,” Lina’s voice behind him startled him, and he looked over his shoulder at her, still holding Filia. Lina smirked. “I never knew you and Filia had a thing going.”

            He smiled.

            “Neither did I,” he replied. He lowered Filia to the ground and turned to fully face the young sorceress. “I’ll just write it off as post-traumatic stress.”

            “That was a dirty trick you played on her,” Lina looked down at the sleeping girl, “placing a sleep spell on her...” Lina’s smile turned devious, “In mid-kiss!”

            Xelloss frowned.

            “Lina...”

            “Amelia will just moon over this!” Lina laughed, “You’ll never hear the end of it!”

            “Lina!” Xelloss complained. “You wouldn’t tell her, would you?”

            “I can’t speak for Gourry or Zelgadis,” she claimed.

            “LINA!!”

            She burst out laughing and bolted away as Xelloss chased after her. Lina slipped between Zel and Gourry as they came out of their tent. Xelloss skidded to a halt in front of the two young men. They glared at him.

            “What are you doing, Xelloss?” Zel asked dangerously.

            “Oh, nothing!” Xelloss fell back and scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment. He turned away and looked down at Filia. He smiled. In the tent, Lina startled as she heard a voice in her head.  

           I can make your life miserable, Lina Inverse. Keep that in mind.

            Lina burst out laughing again.

            “Xelloss and Filia, sitting in a tree!” she chanted the old singsong.

            Xelloss clenched his fists and growled in irritation.

            “Grrrrrr!” he turned and tried to push past Zel and Gourry. “LINA!”

            “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” she finished loudly.

            “LINA, YOU LITTLE BRAT!” Xelloss bellowed.

            Zelgadis and Gourry joined Lina’s laughter. Amelia, on cue, came darting out of her tent and latched onto Xelloss. She grinned up at him.

            “Ooooo!” she squealed happily, “You and Filia are a couple now? Can I help plan the wedding? Are there going to be little ones? I know just the place you can make your home together!”

            Xelloss fainted.

            “Oh dear,” Amelia looked down at the senseless mazoku on the ground. “I guess he’s so happy he didn’t know what to do.”

            Zel and Gourry fell over in hysterics. Along with Lina, they agreed NEVER to let Xelloss OR Filia forget this.

            I can make your life miserable, Lina Inverse. Keep that in mind.

            Lina burst out laughing again.

            “Xelloss and Filia, sitting in a tree!” she chanted the old singsong.

            Xelloss clenched his fists and growled in irritation.

            “Grrrrrr!” he turned and tried to push past Zel and Gourry. “LINA!”

            “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” she finished loudly.

            “LINA, YOU LITTLE BRAT!” Xelloss bellowed.

            Zelgadis and Gourry joined Lina’s laughter. Amelia, on cue, came darting out of her tent and latched onto Xelloss. She grinned up at him.

            “Ooooo!” she squealed happily, “You and Filia are a couple now? Can I help plan the wedding? Are there going to be little ones? I know just the place you can make your home together!”

            Xelloss fainted.

            “Oh dear,” Amelia looked down at the senseless mazoku on the ground. “I guess he’s so happy he didn’t know what to do.”

            Zel and Gourry fell over in hysterics. Along with Lina, they agreed NEVER to let Xelloss OR Filia forget this.

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