TRUCE?  

By Jessica

            Darkness. Nothing more than pure, inky blackness. It was a horrible thing for most to experience, let alone a golden dragon. Accustomed to colors and light, Filia couldn’t see a thing. And that worried her, considering. Well, considering the one who was with her in this darkness.

            The cave had completely collapsed only moments before, leaving Filia trapped inside. Of course, she wasn’t too worried about escaping. Lina and her friends would get her out. But then again, if Lina and Gourry got hungry--they may just take a break to eat. So when the escape from this cave came was a mystery to her.

            Then there was the issue about her companion in the cave. He had arrived at the very last minute, but their arguing--although Filia would never admit to it being partly HER fault--got in the way of their escape.

            <<He probably teleported out of here without me>> Filia thought bitterly. <<Stupid, good-for-nothing mazoku>>

            Still... she looked around.

            “Xelloss?” she called out softly. “Namagomi?”

            She heard a soft groan and light coughing from behind her and whirled around--and promptly tripped over something.

            “Eck!” Xelloss complained as she flopped onto his stomach. “Get off me, you overweight dragon!”

            “OVERWEIGHT!” Filia barely kept her voice below an indignant shout, “Why you little-”

            “Please?”

            “Oh,” Filia blinked in surprise. She realized she hadn’t moved, being to preoccupied with her irritation. So she pushed off, purposely shoving her palm down into his stomach as she did.

            “Ow,” Xelloss whined, “Filia, that wasn’t nice!”

            “You’re the one who called me overweight,” she said snobbishly.

            “You called me Namagomi!” he shot back. “Are we still in the cave?”

            “Yes, silly mazoku, we are!” she huffed, “And why aren’t you leaving anyway? You can teleport.”

            “I know that,” he grumbled, “But the whole reason we came to this cave in the FIRST place was because of the magic Lina sensed. Some magic--it’s making it difficult for me to do anything. Not to mention that those rocks falling sliced right through me. I hope you’re happy. I come in here to rescue your sorry dragon ass and now I’ve got a gash the size of Gaav’s hair through me.”

            “Masochistic mazoku slime,” she sneered, “You’re probably enjoying it!”

            “There’s nothing to be enjoyed about extreme bodily harm, Filia,” he snapped, “And I suppose you’re perfectly unharmed?”

            “Fine.”

            “And Lina’s out there trying to get us out?” he wondered, “I hope.”

            “What do you mean HOPE?” Filia reached out blindly and latched onto his cloak. She shook him violently.

            “Ghh! Stop it!” he pushed her away. “Lina doesn’t know I can’t just teleport us out of here. And she doesn’t know if we’re even still alive. I hope she tries anyway because if I have to stay in this cave with you much longer I’ll kill you!”

            “eeep,” Filia jumped away, her blue--yet blind--eyes wide. “You-you-you... you wouldn’t, would you?”

            Xelloss grunted softly, and Filia could hear him shifting slightly on the gravelly, rock-littered ground. She knew his eyesight was much more suited to the darkness than her own and wondered if he could still see, even though there was absolutely no light. She suspected he couldn’t.

            “No, Filia,” he said finally, “I won’t kill you.”

            That surprised her. She wondered why not and asked as much.

            “Because Lina threatened to use her Laguna blade on me if I don’t bring you out alive,” he replied.

            “Aaaahh!” she shrieked, “You stupid Namagomi!”

            “Keep your voice down!” he snapped, “You want to cause another cave-in?”

            “Um, no,” she peeped.

            “Good,” he sighed, “Now please keep quiet. I’m in pain, and it takes concentration to heal this kind of wound.”

            Filia sat back and kept quiet. She didn’t want Xelloss to ‘accidentally forget’ all about Lina’s threat and kill her anyway. He would. He would have no qualms with just snapping his fingers and destroying her. What a mess. She thought back to how this mess had started...

            “Lina, either wait until you’re done eating or stop eating now,” Zelgadis growled, growing impatient with Lina’s attempts to speak while she was stuffing food into her mouth. “Either way, don’t talk with food in your mouth!”

            “Please, Lina,” Filia pleaded, “My allowance is pathetically small. Keep this up and we won’t have any money left for the rest of the trip.”

            Lina smirked at her and swallowed her food.

            “Don’t worry, Filia,” she said smugly, “Your pocketbook can relax. XELLOSS is paying for this!”

            The trickster priest, who--up until that moment--had been so peacefully drinking his coffee, looked up in surprise.

            “Me?” he asked curiously. “But Lina-”

            “No buts,” she cut him off, “If you’re going to continue to travel with us, you’ve got to cough up some cash.”

            “Lina!” Xelloss whined, “I never use any of the accommodations, let alone eat anything! Why should I have to pay?”

            “Just pay the bill, Xelloss,” she snapped.

            Grumbling all the way, he pulled out a small bag of coins and gave it to the head waiter. Oh well. Unlike the pathetic priestess of the Fire Dragon King, he had access to plenty of money.

            “ANYWAY,” Lina said, swallowing the last of her drink, “I was GOING to say that I found an interesting cave a few miles from here. It’s got some strange magical properties that I want to explore.”

            Zelgadis perked up a bit.

            “A magical cave?” he asked.

            “Sounds fascinating,” Filia muttered.

            “So, Xelloss,” Lina glanced at the purple-haired man, “You paid the bill?”

            “Yes, Lina,” he sighed.

            “Great!” she grinned and stood, “Let’s go!”

            An hour later, they found themselves by the base of a  huge cliff, towering over a river. Lina directed them to a cave and boldly walked inside. Amelia and Gourry followed cheerfully while Filia nervously trailed after them. Zelgadis paused by the entrance and glanced over his shoulder at Xelloss, who was lagging behind.

            “You coming?” he asked coldly.

            Xelloss studied the entrance and shook his head slowly.

            “I think I’ll wait outside,” he said, his voice a bit more serious than usual.

            Zelgadis eyed him suspiciously but walked in anyway. He had a nagging feeling about this. If XELLOSS wouldn’t come in, perhaps it would not be the wisest thing for them to do either. Still, he should warn Lina.

            Xelloss waited outside the cave, perched on a rock. To fight off boredom--for

L-sama’s sake, they’d been in there for almost two minutes! When were they going to come out?!--he pulled a book out of nothingness and leaned back to read.

            He made it through half the book before he looked up again. No one had come out. Pulling a fancy pocket watch out of his cape, he discovered they had been gone almost five minutes now. When were they coming back?! He finished the rest of his book and looked up again. No one. Nine minutes and counting.

            Although he’d never admit it, Xelloss began to worry. Ten minutes in that cave. Too long. And in THAT cave, no less.

            “Nope,” he said to himself adamantly, “I’m not going in. Wild gargoyles could not force me to go in there.”

            A loud rumble and a shriek. Xelloss jumped off the rock and ran to the entrance of the cave. He hesitated at the opening, peering in cautiously.

            “Lina?” he called.

            Like a herd of so many elephants, Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis came running out, plowing straight over the mazoku priest. Xelloss picked himself up off the ground and brushed off his cape. He eyed a snag in the material with mild irritation. Then, he forgot about the snag when he found a pair of hands gripping the front of his cloak and shaking him violently.

            “L-Li-na-a!” he stammered, “W-what’s wr-o-on-g?!”

            Lina stopped shaking him and glared into his closed eyes.

            “Filia is still in there!” she exclaimed, “You’ve got to go get her!”

            “Me?” he smiled and brushed her hands away. “You MUST be joking.”

            “You’re a powerful mazoku!” she screamed, “Surely you can brave something as simple as a little cave-in!”

            “I’m sure Filia is just fine,” he smirked. “She’s a dragon. Those rocks won’t penetrate her tough hide.”

            “Mr. Xelloss!” Amelia started-

            “Oh, no,” Xelloss groaned.

            “Just because you and Filia don’t get along,” she said, pointing toward the sky dramatically and posing, “doesn’t mean you should let her die in there! In the name of justice and good, you have a moral obligation to go save her!”

            “In the name of my own personal safety, I’m staying out here,” Xelloss shot back.

            “Xelloss!” Lina shrieked, “If you don’t go in there and come back out with Filia alive, L-sama help me... I’ll never let you travel with us again.”

            “Like you can control that, Lina,” he smirked.

            He opened his eyes in surprise when her talismans began to glow. She smiled darkly.

            “Lord of the dreams that terrify...” she chanted. “Sword of cold and darkness...”

            Xelloss backed away, his violet eyes wide in shock.

            “L-lina!” he gasped, “What are you doing?”

            “Free yourself from the heaven’s bonds!” she shouted, “Become one with my power, one with my body and let us walk the path of destruction together!”

            “Lina!” Xelloss tripped over a small boulder as he backed away and fell on his backside. He stared up at the young sorceress with horror as he shoved himself away from the rock and scrambled to his feet. “Lina, stop this!”

            “Power that can smash even the souls of the gods!” she screamed.

            “I’m GOING!” he shouted desperately, “For L-sama’s sake, Lina! STOP!”

            She smiled and let the spell dissipate in her hands. Xelloss glared at her through narrowed eyes.

            “That’s playing dirty, Lina!” he complained.

            “Don’t bother coming back if she’s not alive, Xelloss,” Lina replied sweetly.

            He teleported into the cave. Unable to teleport once he was inside, he ran to the back, searching around desperately for the stupid dragon who had caused all this. A large rock fell near him, slicing across his arm. He yelped in pain and grabbed his arm with surprise.

            “That... shouldn’t have happened!” he gasped, looking down at his arm. Black, swirling chaos that was his essence flowed through the gash. It wasn’t bad, but it would take awhile to heal. He looked up, ducking as another rock fell toward him, and spotted blond hair. “Filia!”

            “Stupid Namagomi!” she shouted as she picked her way through the rubble toward him, “What are YOU doing in here?”

            “I’m here to take you out, lizard lips!” he called back, holding his hand out to her. She looked up at him from several feet below, having fallen into a small pit. Her blue eyes flashed angrily.

            “I’m not coming with you, you monster!” she shouted, “You can just take that hand and leave!”

            Xelloss was tempted, but he recalled what Lina had said and stretched his arm out again. He opened his violet eyes to meet her glare.

            “Like it or not,” he shouted, “You’ve got to get out, and I can help you!”

            Filia grumbled in complaint and reached up. As she clasped onto his hand, Xelloss grunted and pulled her up. But before Filia was over the edge, she let out a piercing scream and pulled back. Caught by surprise, Xelloss tumbled forward into the pit after her. Something struck him as he fell, and hot streaks of pain shot through his back up to his shoulders and down his legs again. Before he blacked out, he thought <<stupid dragon... somehow, this is all her fault!>>

            Filia sighed to herself and looked around, forgetting for the moment that she couldn’t see anything. She heard a soft snicker from Xelloss and stiffened in irritation.

            “What’s so funny?” she asked.

            “You’re as blind as a bat,” he predicted.

            “And how is that amusing?” she demanded. So much for her theory that he couldn’t see in the darkness either.

            “You ARE a priestess of the Fire Dragon King,” he said challengingly, “Why don’t you just cast a lighting spell?”

            She opened her mouth to reply but then realized he was right. She had completely forgotten about that. <<A lighting spell>> she thought, bemused, <<Xelloss’s idiocy must be rubbing off if I forgot something so simple as that>> She grinned in the darkness and held out her hands.

            “Lighting!” she proclaimed.

            Xelloss ducked and covered his sensitive eyes as the light shocked them. Filia fought with her own shock as she saw the damage. The typically smiling and cheerful mazoku priest had backed himself into a corner, using the rock to pull himself into a sitting position. It appeared as if something had ripped through him, leaving him with a gaping gash stretching from his left shoulder down through his stomach. And he didn’t look too happy about it. Now squinting in the light, he tilted his head toward her and glared.

            “A warning would have been nice,” he growled.

            “... What the hell happened to you?” she gasped.

            “What does it look like?” he snapped. Apparently the injury was making him more irritable than his usual imperturbable attitude--perhaps that, and prolonged exposure to Filia. “When you pulled me down into this hole, the rock that fell conveniently missed you and hit me instead. Thank you so VERY much, Filia.”

            “Serves you right, Namagomi,” she said, a little less venom in her voice than usual. She was trying to push away her feelings of sympathy, reminding herself that this was XELLOSS before her, not a normal person. He could deal with a little pain after all the trouble he caused them. But still... he seemed to be having difficulty regenerating.

            “Having trouble, Namagomi?” Filia asked with a smirk.

            Xelloss, now fairly accustomed to the light, looked at her through narrowed violet eyes. A sarcastic smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

            “Why NO, Filia dear,” he said with false sweetness, “I do this for sport!”

            He grimaced and glanced down at the damage.

            “You may consider me a sick man, Filia,” he muttered, “but I draw the line at self mutilation.”

            She flushed slightly at the defensive comment. If Xelloss was defending himself so vehemently, he had to be too distracted to keep up the facade of always being happy. It was disturbing to say the least. She hated the happy Xelloss less.

            “Do you uh... need some help?” she asked hesitantly.

            His eyes snapped up to her suspiciously.

            “Why?”

            “Well...” she flushed to a red that anime artists have taken years to perfect, “That looks rather... painful... and I just thought... Icouldhelpyouhealyourself.”

            Xelloss smirked at her discomfort and closed his eyes--much to Filia’s relief. She just found it too creepy when the mazoku opened his eyes. They were always so evil looking, even when he didn’t have any malicious intent.

            “I really don’t care to have you heal me with your ancient white magic spells,” he replied.

            “I know more than just white magic!” she claimed indignantly.

            “Really?” he taunted, “A dragon priestess? What ELSE do you know? Besides lighting that is.”

            Filia fumed inside. Her hand went for her mace, ready to smash this irritating mazoku to the next world. But Xelloss, who hadn’t really been watching her, said something that halted the nasty weapon in mid-air.

            “Any help you could offer--OTHER than your white magic spells--would be useful,” he said seriously.

            <<HELP?>> she thought incredulously, <<Xelloss is openly asking for HELP?>> She thought she had heard everything (from her travels with Lina, that is), but she NEVER thought she’d hear Xelloss ask her for help. <<Don’t be hasty>> she chastised herself, <<he never actually asked. He just left the option open-ended. That’s different.>>

            Filia moved forward cautiously and touched Xelloss’s uninjured shoulder. He startled and looked at her. A slow smile spread across his face, then he glanced down as something caught his eye.

            “Come to pound me into the wall with your dear mace?” he asked curiously.

            “I was tempted,” she shot back, “Come here.”

            Violet eyes opened wide with caution.

            “Excuse me?”

            “Listen, Namagomi,” she growled, starting to get irritated again. She forced her hatred down, “Xelloss. If you want me to help, you’ve got to come away from that wall. The magic from these rocks is interfering with anything you or I might do.”

            “You don’t really think I can move like this, do you?” he said uneasily.

            Filia heaved an impatient sigh and reached out to grab his cloak. Xelloss yelped in surprise as she dragged him away from the wall and set him in the center of the pit. It became quite obvious that he could barely hold himself up, despite his determination not to show his pain. Feeling like a mother with a reckless ten-year-old, Filia helped him sit up. She glared into his worried amethyst eyes. She found herself grinning. Here she was, alone with her most hated enemy--who was conveniently injured and helpless--and she was going to HELP him. Any other time, she would have claimed she would take advantage of this to kill him. But, he did get into this mess because of her, and she owed it to him to leave him alone. <<Of course>> she thought with a derisive snort, <<he could be a little more friendly himself.>>

            “I can’t heal this, Xelloss,” she explained, “Being a mazoku, you’d probably just reject any healing spells I tried.”

            “You got THAT one right,” he said with a wry grin.

            “But I can ease the pain,” she continued. “You’ll be tired and weak-”

            “Too late,” he commented dryly.

            “And you’ll still feel the draining effects of the injury,” she concluded, “since you can’t heal yourself properly until you’re out of this cave.”

            “If MY magic isn’t working properly, why does YOUR magic work?” he complained.

            Filia smirked.

            “Lina discovered that herself,” she said, “None of her black magic spells worked in here. Not even something as small as a fireball. But spells that are Shamanistic or white magic work just fine.”

            “Remind me never to come back here,” Xelloss commented off-hand, “Something tells me I’d be at a distinct disadvantage.”

            Filia giggled, surprising herself. She wrapped her arm around Xelloss’s back and pressed her other palm against his chest. She frowned as she felt Xelloss tense under her hand, no doubt thinking she was going to send a pulse of strong white magic funneling through his body. But Lina wouldn’t like that, she knew, so she refrained from hurting the little slime ball. Instead, her hand glowed deep gold--a spell that wasn’t black magic, but nor was it purely white. In truth, she had no idea of its origins. The power flowed into Xelloss, and she felt the mazoku relax against her. He sighed softly as she took her hand away.

            “Thank you, Filia,” he murmured, his eyes falling closed again. This time, it was in an expression of peaceful relaxation. Filia watched him, and for some reason, never put him down. She felt comfortable with this strange mazoku in her arms despite her avowed hatred toward him. Perhaps it was his helplessness and lack of ability to harm her right now, or perhaps it was something different...

            Filia shoved that thought from her mind, shaking her head furiously. This was XELLOSS she was thinking about! Sworn enemy of her race! Killer of hundreds of thousands of golden dragons! He hated her as well. His attitude and constant insults reminded her of that.

            <<But he DID come in here to rescue me>> she thought.

            <<Only because Lina threatened him with the Laguna blade!>> she fought with herself.

            <<He’s being so nice now>>

            <<He can’t help it! He needs to be nice in order to coerce me into helping him!>>

            <<He looks so sweet like that>>

            Where did THAT one come from?

            <<He’s a regular wolf in sheep’s clothing, that’s for sure>>

            While Filia continued to argue with herself, Xelloss shifted uncomfortably in her arms. Her grip around him was continuously tightening. It was beginning to get intolerable. He opened his eyes slightly to look at her and was mildly surprised at her gritted teeth and clamped-shut eyes. A small gasp escaped him as her hand suddenly squeezed down on his injured left shoulder.

            “Filia...” he murmured.

            “Xelloss!” the dragon priestess’s eyes snapped open, and she looked down at him. His face was twisted in a grimace of pain. “What’s wrong?”

            “You’re...” he groaned softly, “hurting me.”

            She realized what she was doing and quickly let go. A dark flush settled across her cheeks, and she apologized quickly.

            “Sorry, Namagomi,” she mumbled.

            Xelloss twitched at the nickname.

            “Would you mind not calling me that?” he asked hesitantly.

            Filia scowled, and Xelloss jumped to fill something in.

            “Humor me while I’m injured,” he added.

            Filia smirked and shrugged.

            “Why not?” she said, the superiority in her voice almost unbearable, “I suppose I could afford you that. I am, after all, a priestess of the Fire Dragon King. As a dragon myself, I am peaceful and loving. Kindness towards others--even mazoku--is in my heart. So-”

            “A simple yes or no would have sufficed,” Xelloss interrupted before she could continue her speech that was beginning to sound vaguely like something Amelia would say--minus all the jargon about justice. Xelloss thought he might just be sick. Fortunately, he didn’t eat anything, and he really didn’t have a stomach--not in the human sense. So he couldn’t do anything except feel a bit nauseated.

            Filia blushed.

            “Of course,” she replied, “Na- ah, Xelloss. We really should see if we can find a way out of here. Lina hasn’t arrived yet, and she may be having difficulty getting in.”

            “You really expect me to try to climb out of this hell hole?” he asked skeptically. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a little out of sorts at the moment.”

            Filia smirked, realizing his helplessness in the situation. She patted his good shoulder and giggled.

            “Silly mazoku,” she said, barely able to hold her glee back, “You’ll have to rely on ME to get you out!”

            “That’s very comforting.”

            Filia slipped her free hand--her other still around his back--under his knees and lifted him easily. Being a golden dragon, she was stronger than the usual human--let alone a woman. Xelloss squeaked in alarm and opened his eyes wide.

            “F-f-filia!” he stammered, squirming in her arms, “What are you doing?”

            “I’m going to get us out of here!” she laughed, “What do you think?”

            “You’re going to CARRY me?!” he asked incredulously.

            Filia laughed again, unable to get past the irony of the situation. She was going to save herself AND Xelloss, who had been sent to save her in the first place. Not only that, she was going to carry him out--an act that would utterly humiliate the mazoku priest. He stared at her with wide eyes.

            “You’re enjoying this!” he complained.

            “Very much so,” she replied haughtily. “Now stop squirming. I have work to do.”

            “I can’t believe this,” he grumbled, “I’ll never live this down.”

            “Nope.”

            “You’re cruel.”

            “Yep.”

            About ten minutes later, Filia found the best way to climb the side of the pit and decided to try it. She considered her dress skeptically, not to mention her claimed ‘charge’ as she thought about scaling the wall. Xelloss smirked at her, realizing her problem.

            “You COULD put me down and change clothes,” he pointed out, “Your body is merely one of thousands you could use anyway. It should be an easy task for you to change clothes.”

            “Don’t tell me what to do!” she snapped, “I can change clothes.”

            She set him on the ground and looked up at the wall. From his position on the rock floor, Xelloss folded his good arm behind his head and looked up as well. He smirked as he pictured Filia fumbling around on the rocks. A small giggle choked up into his throat as he saw her falling... Ahh. How nice.

            When he looked over at Filia, she had already exchanged her dress for a pair of pants and a shirt similar to the ones Lina wore. Being rather dark in the pit--even with the lighting spell--he couldn’t make out the colors. He suspected it was still that horrid shade of pink. Of all colors she could use, she had to wear pink! Yuck.

            “Time to get going!” she claimed, reaching down for him again. Xelloss pulled away and smirked at her.

            “You really think you can climb up there while you’re holding me?” he scoffed, “Come now. I thought you were smarter than that, Filia.”

            “For your information,” she looked down her nose at him, “I have already taken that into account. I’ll carry you on my back while I climb up.”

            “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he groaned, even as she helped him sit up again. “I swear, Filia, if you ever tell anyone about this, you’ll regret it!”

            “I wouldn’t DREAM of telling anyone,” she replied brazenly. “I’ll just hang it over your head until we part ways.”

            Xelloss scowled at the top of her head. She was bent over, fiddling with something. He didn’t realize what she was doing until it was too late. He yanked his hands back in horror.

            “FILIA!”

            “Keep your voice down, Xelloss,” she mocked him, “You’ll cause another cave-in.”

            “But Filia!” he whined, dropping his voice back to its normal volume, “This is unnecessary.”

            Filia admired her handiwork. Xelloss’s wrists were securely bound with her hair tie. She grinned deviously.

            “If I let you just hold on, you’d be liable to choke me to death,” she explained rationally, “This way, I don’t have to worry about this.”

            Xelloss didn’t care about her logic. He was fuming with the indignity of her action.

            “I think you’re just taking advantage of this situation,” he grumbled as she pulled his arms over her head and around her neck. She stood, lifting him from the ground. Xelloss was grateful for the numbing spell she had placed on him. This was going to hurt later. He closed his eyes, willing her not to fall while he was with her. A fall would most definitely result in him hitting the ground first and Filia crushing him later--pain from both directions. Instead of looking up or down, he just kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut and buried his face in long, blond hair.

            “So help me, Filia,” he grumbled into her back, “If you fall-”

            “I won’t fall,” she said confidently, “I’m making good progress already.”

            “Laguna blade or not,” he muttered, “I’m NEVER going after you again!”

            “Fair enough,” Filia laughed. “I’ll tell Lina you’re too chicken to go on anymore crazy ventures like this.”

            “You’ve got a mean streak that would rival any mazoku’s,” Xelloss whined.

            Filia laughed again and continued up. Xelloss heard her grunt softly as she flopped over the top and rested there. He cleared his throat in effort to gain her attention.

            “Filia?” he murmured uncomfortably, “I’m sure you’re tired, but I’m a tad bit uncomfortable with laying here on your back. If it’s not too much trouble...”

            She giggled and lifted his arms from around her neck. He sighed with relief and rolled off her to the ground. He tugged impatiently at the band around his wrists and poked Filia relentlessly until she gave in and finally untied him.

            While they rested for the moment, Filia looked around. She recognized the surrounding area--despite the rubble. They weren’t that far from the entrance of the cave, but she suspected the rubble locking them in was a bit more extensive than the few rocks scattered about here. Still, better to be at the entrance than by this pit.

            “Time to get going, Xelloss,” she said abruptly.

            “Damn,” he muttered, “And I was hoping we could spend eternity here together.”

            “You’d be dead in a week,” she replied. “If your injuries didn’t kill you, I would. Let’s go.”

            “Whatever you say, Filia dear,” he replied with forced sweetness.

            She lifted him again and moved forward, careful not to trip on the rubble. In a few minutes, they reached the entrance, which was indeed blocked by a ton of rock. It would take hours to clear it away.

            “Doesn’t look promising, does it?” Xelloss said softly, looking up at the rocky wall.

            “If I could climb up a rock wall with you on my back, I can deal with this,” she replied.

            “You have my support,” he smirked, waving a little white flag that read ‘Go Filia!’ on it. Apparently, simple illusion spells were not affected by the cave. Filia giggled and gently set him near a large boulder. Xelloss leaned against it, crossing his legs in a leisurely manner, and watched Filia. She proceeded to pull rocks away from the entrance--wisely starting at the top to avoid creating a rock-avalanche that could bury her and Xelloss. And it wasn’t long until she had cleared enough to see some light through. She put her mouth to the small opening and shouted. Pausing for a minute in her shouts, she turned and placed her ear to the opening.

            “FILIA!!”

            She flopped to the floor, holding her sensitive ear. Lina’s voice still rang loudly in her ears.

            “ARE YOU OKAY?!” Lina shouted.

            Filia smiled gleefully and jumped to the opening again.

            “First,” she said through the hole, “Stop shouting, Lina. I can hear you just fine.”

            “Sorry.”

            “I’m fine,” Filia explained. “Lina, please get me out of here. I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

            “Odd how you fail to mention me in all this,” Xelloss quipped.

            “Is that Xelloss?” Lina’s displaced voice asked.

            Xelloss smiled and opened his mouth to call out happily. But Filia just waved her hand at him dismissively and moved back to the opening. Xelloss grunted as a golden mist formed around him, then consolidated above him before returning to Filia to be reabsorbed into her. He crumpled to the floor as the pain flared up and glared at her back. Filia had called back her numbing spell.

            “Filia!” he moaned, “That was un-called for!”

            “Deal with it, Namagomi!” she shot back. “Lina! Do you think you could just blast this wall away?”

            “It might hit you!” Lina exclaimed in concern, “Xelloss is there?”

            “Then I’ll just have to make sure I’m not in the way!” Filia said cheerfully, ignoring Lina’s question. “I’ll shout when we’re ready.”

            She turned and smirked down at Xelloss, who was sitting with his back pressed into the boulder, his face twisted in agony. One eye slid open to glare at her.

            “Don’t you DARE leave me in the path of whatever Lina does,” he growled irately. “Recall that I have friends in high places.”

            “Never crossed my mind,” she said haughtily.

            “Oh, I’m sure,” he replied dryly.

            Filia picked him up and carried him over to the side of the cave, as far out of the way of any possible debris projectories. Setting Xelloss with his back to the wall, she crouched in front of him, her back toward the entrance before shouting to Lina. Out of annoyance from Xelloss’s whining, Filia replaced the numbing spell on him. He relaxed considerably in her arms, relief evident on his face.

            “Okay!” Lina called back, “Here we go!”

            It was actually Zelgadis who blew out the opening.

            “Daug WIND!” he shouted.

            Rock exploded inward, bombarding everything in its path. Filia instinctively ducked forward, shielding Xelloss and herself with her cape and body from the worst of the barrage. He ducked as well and threw up a weak protection barrier--not an entirely black magic spell. While Filia unthinkingly protected the trickster priest from harm, he protected her from getting hit by any large, flying rocks. Many of the tiny stones punched right through his barrier, but they just shredded at Filia’s cape. It was minor damage that could easily be repaired.

            The wind died down, leaving them in a settling cloud of dust. Filia straightened as she realized everything was okay, and heard frantic shouting.

            “... Filia! Xelloss! Get out of there! The cave is collapsing!”

            Not thinking twice, Filia scooped Xelloss off the ground and dashed out into the fresh air. No sooner did they reach the outside, then the cave entrance collapsed. Dust flew. Rocks crushed against each other with interesting sound effects. All in all, it was a very dramatic moment.

            But no one noticed the cave collapsing. Their attention was focused on Filia, who was holding an unconscious Xelloss. Mouths were gaped, eyes were wide, and the intelligent response to this scene was:

            “...”

            Filia looked down and was surprised to find Xelloss completely out. She wondered when it had happened before deciding she didn’t really care. Shaking him lightly, she watched as a single violet eye slid open.

            “Welcome back, Namagomi,” she smirked.

            Both eyes flew open as he realized they were surrounded by Lina and her friends.

            “It looks like you two have been getting along a little better,” Amelia commented softly.

            Filia dropped her arms away from Xelloss and let him fall. He yelped in surprise, then remembered he could teleport now that he was free of the cave. He did so, and landed safely on the ground, several feet away.

            Now he was able to heal himself more quickly and ease his own pain--WITHOUT Filia’s help, he was pleased to note. He crouched on the ground and glared at them through one squinted eye.

            “Filia!” he gasped, feigning shock, “What do you mean by taking advantage of me while I’m injured?”

            Filia blushed an angry red and clenched her hands in tight fists.

            “You little-”

            “Never mind,” Xelloss interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand. He reached out and grabbed his staff, which he had left by his original seating place before being forced into the cave. “I don’t really want to know. And Lina-”

            “... What?” she asked, dumbfounded.

            “The next time Filia gets herself into trouble,” he glowered at her, “You can go after her yourself!”

            “You were saying?” Zelgadis murmured to Amelia. The young princess sweatdropped.

            “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Xelloss concluded, “I’ll be recovering. If you need me, tough.”

            He flashed out of the clearing, leaving behind a very irate Filia and confused everyone else. Gourry looked at Filia, who was on the verge of transforming back to dragon form. He smiled brightly.

            “Does this mean you two are a couple now?”

            “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”

            Filia smashed Gourry into the next kingdom with her mace.

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