Marie

Written by: Rina-chan

Zelgadiss looked back from inside the carriage. Amelia was standing by the door to the entrance of the main palace of Saillune.

“Are you sure you don’t need us?” Lina asked him.

Zel was interrupted as he turned to Lina. “No. I’d like to go alone.” He said.

“If that’s what you want,” Amelia replied.

Gourry smiled at Zel. “When you return, tell us about Rezo’s Mansion, okay?” he asked. Zelgadiss smiled. “Sure.” He replied. Then, he turned to the coachman. “Let’s go.” He commanded. And the carriage went off.

Amelia sighed. “I’m worried about Zelgadiss-sama…” she told them.

“Well be thankful that he agreed to take the carriage instead of just plainly walking.” Gourry told her.

“But…mazoku are lurking around that area…” Amelia reasoned.

Lina frowned. “That’s why we follow.” She told them.

Gourry scratched his head. “What? Are you going to pursue that plan?” he asked. Lina smiled at him. “Of course!” she replied cheerfully.

“You mean we’re also going to Rezo’s abandoned mansion?” Amelia asked.

Lina began walking to the gate. “Uh-huh…but we do it by foot.” She told them.

Amelia sighed. “It’s going to be a long journey…” she thought as she and Gourry followed Lina.

Zelgadiss had a stopover at Sailarg at a local teahouse. “I’d better drink the last tea of my life…” he thought. But, before he entered the teahouse, he ordered the coachman to return to Saillune and leave him there because the carriage will be having a hard time entering the forest.

As Zelgadiss entered, he tried not to mind the people staring up at him as he walked past them. “Stupid people…why? Never seen a man like me before?! Ugh…who am I kidding…” he thought. When he was seated, he ordered Jasmine Tea.

As he was waiting for his order, he was careful not to look around the place, but a beautiful young lady staring at him from the table a little far from his place caught his attention. Zel frowned at the girl but the girl smiled gently at him.

Zel blushed and looked away. “She’s crazy. She’s probably smiling because she thinks I look funny…” he thought. But then, he turned to look at her again, but she wasn’t there anymore. He remembered her features: she looked a little like him but she was different; she was human.

He was confused. “Where did she go?” he asked himself.

Lina, Gourry and Amelia were still heading towards Sailarg’s city proper. They already met up with Zel’s carriage and Amelia asked the coachman about Zel’s whereabouts.

As they continued their way to Sailarg, Lina was looking around. “Gee… I smell trouble.” She told them.

“I never knew that you were such a great animal to be able to smell trouble!” Gourry said.

“Shut up, knucklehead! I’m serious! Like mazoku lurking around!” she told him.

“Come to think of it, look at the forest nearby. It looks darker than the last time we’ve been here!” Amelia told them.

Lina & Gourry turned towards the forest.

“You think we should meet up with Zelgadiss?” Gourry asked.

“No. Knowing him, he’d ditch us. He doesn’t even know that we’re following him.” Lina told him.

When Zelgadiss had finally finished his tea, he stood up and went off, heading to the streets going to the forest. As he going straight ahead to the trail in the forest, he thought he heard a lady’s voice calling his name.

Zelgadiss…

Zelgadiss stopped in his track. “What the…” he thought in surprise. He looked around.

Zelgadiss…

He frowned and continued to walk. “Maybe I should’ve just chosen Oolong Tea.” He thought.

Finally, got past the thick bushes and trees and got a good view of the abandoned mansion. He gazed at it as if it is an insect. He studied it for a moment, recalling the things that happened there, most of it from his childhood.

Then, he started walking towards the old, abandoned mansion. But he stopped by the gate that was already covered with vines. He held the bars tightly and shook the gate gently. He scanned the gate but realized that he couldn’t open it anymore for the vines had already held it in place. His frown deepened as he decided to just fly across it, and he did. He landed on the front porch and looked back at the gate, then out there, scanning the place to see if anyone saw him. He was having this strange feeling that someone was up on his tail. He faced the big, brass door before him and held the cold, rusty doorknob and twisted it, opening the door. The big door made a creaking sound as he did so. He stepped inside and gazed at the whole place. It looked so dusty and the smell of old wood filled his nose.

Zelgadiss closed the door and began walking towards the stairs heading to the second floor. As he held the handrail, memories returned to him clearly…

Zelgadiss was running up the stairs, hurrying up to his room.

“Zel, don’t run! You might hurt yourself!” Rezo called from downstairs.

But Zel didn’t even bother to listen… until he slipped and fell off the stairs and landed on bottom of the stairs. “OW!” he yelled in pain.

“You naughty boy! You see what I told you?!” Rezo told him.

Zel sat up, rubbing his behind. “That hurt…” he muttered. Rezo approached him and knelt down, helping him. “Next time, obey.” Rezo replied.

The little boy looked up at his grandpa. “You’re not mad?” he asked.

Rezo smiled at him gently. “Grandpa’s not mad. But let us learn from our mistakes, okay?” he asked.

Zel smiled. “Okay, grandpa!” he replied…

He shook the memory off his head as he continued to climb up the stairs. “Stupid… he’s a bad man…” he said aloud.

Then, he stopped on his tracks when he heard an explosion coming from outside. He looked back up at the window near the ceiling by the front door. “What was that?” he thought.

Then, he thought that he sensed someone walk past him by the stairs. He turned back to his current position. “Huh…” he said.

But there was no one there, so he continued his way up until he reached the second floor. He looked down and studied the place. He didn’t even notice the smile forming on his lips as recalled more memories from his childhood. He looked away and went on, beginning to explore the place.

But then, the main door slowly opened but only the cool wind from outside entered.

The first room he entered was his own bedroom. He stepped in but his feet against the dusty carpet made the dust go up. He sneezed. “Ugh! How horrible!” he said as he tried not to mind the dust as he made his way to the window.

But, he stopped on his tracks when he heard a lady’s voice from the door. “Zelgadiss,”

He spun around quickly to the door and was surprised to see the lady there again. It was the girl he saw in the teahouse. “Hey, you’re the one in the teahouse!” Zel told her.

The girl smiled. “Oh? How can you be so sure?” she asked.

“How did you know my name?” he asked.

The girl approached him. She’s wearing this long, white gown, which made her look like as if she’s floating, and her feet’s not touching the ground. The dust didn’t even rise up. Staring at her made him shiver. “I have known you ever since before you were born.” She told him.

“Oh, so that makes you know Rezo?” he asked.

“Smart boy! He really did a great job raising you, Zelgadiss.” She told him as she came closer. Zel compared his height to her. She was a little taller than him. That made him frown. “Who are you anyway?” he asked.

“My name’s Marie.” She told him.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

“I’ve been here for a long time.” She replied, turning and walking away.

“No, I mean…” he began.

“What have you come here for?” she asked.

He was silenced. Then, she turned to him again. “I asked you a question. You should answer, Zelgadiss.” She told her.

“Stop talking to me like you’re superior. Are you a servant here?” he demanded in a harsh tone.

“How dare you mistake me for a servant!” she said in a high tone as she walked to him again. “You should respect ladies, you know!” she told him.

“Wha?!” was all he could say.

Marie smiled at him. “Be thankful that you’re lucky enough to have a girl who likes you even though you have mistreated her several times!” she told him with a mocking smile.

Zel frowned and gave her a confused look. “What girl?” he asked.

“The Princess of Saillune, if I’m not mistaken.” She said.

Zelgadiss felt like bursting. “AMELIA?!”

Marie giggled. “Anyway, back to my question, why did you come here?” she asked.

But Zelgadiss wasn’t able to answer. He fainted.

Marie watched him as he landed with a thud on the dusty, carpeted floor. The dust rose up again. Marie covered her nose. “Ooh… I thought you were a strong man!” she said as she got his cape and dragged him all the way to the bed.

When she had managed to pull him up the bed, she turned to the window and walked there, taking a look outside.

The view was calm and pleasant. It made her smile, but the fog forming outside made her smile fade away. “Mazoku…” she muttered.

“We’re lost…” Amelia confirmed.

“I told you, we should’ve gone to the other road!” Lina said.

“Haha! You were the one who wanted to take this route!” Gourry said sarcastically. “Will the two of you stop it?! Let’s just go back to Sailarg and go find a decent place to sleep. It’s already 5:30 pm and the sun is already beginning to set.” Amelia said.

“And how are we going to find our way back to Sailarg?” Gourry asked.

Lina face-faulted. Amelia sulked.

Zel opened his eyes and sat up. To his dismay, he saw Marie again. She was holding a tray of food and placing it on top of the bedside table. “Oh, you’re still here…” he told her.

“What do you want me to do? Leave you here?” she asked.

Zel frowned at her. “What’s with the food?” he asked.

“Oh, you might’ve fainted easily because you have low blood sugar.” She said.

“No thanks…I was supposing that the Jasmine Tea I had awhile ago was my last food intake in my life.” He said.

“What’s that shit all about?! Stop thinking of your own death! You’re not gonna die unless it’s really your time.” She told him.

Zelgadiss stared at the food: Fillet Mignon.

“Where the hell did you get the ingredients?” he asked.

“Oh, it’s in the refrigerator in the kitchen. You fainted at about 4:30, and it’s already 7:30. You were out for about 3 hours. You should be famished by now.” She replied.

“Are you sure this is edible?” he asked.

Marie flashed him a silly look. “As if I have the guts to feed you spoiled food?” she asked. Zelgadiss began to eat. Marie sat down on the chair by the bed. “Why did you come back here?” she asked.

“I just thought that maybe one of Rezo’s books might have the cure for my curse.” He explained. Marie smiled. “Good decision to come back here, Zelgadiss. I think your grandpa really has the good book for you.” She told him reassuringly.

“How would you know that?” he asked.

“I’ve explored this place before. I have read his works and his books. I’ve observed him.” She replied. “Believe me.” She told him seriously.

Zelgadiss frowned. “Okay, I’ll begin searching tonight.” He told her.

Marie said. “Good idea, for I may not be here tomorrow anymore.” She said.

“How come?” he asked.

“I have to go and leave this place. Actually, I should be going today but I am hiding from them. Soon, they’d find out that I’m here. They’ll take me, but I don’t want to go with them.” She told him.

“Who’re the ‘them’?” he asked.

“Tell me when you’re finished eating, okay?” she asked, ignoring the question. Zel didn’t bother to ask anymore for he thought that she might be a little uncomfortable about it.

After eating, Zelgadiss went out of his bedroom with Marie following behind him. They headed for the library and after searching for the right book, he had finally found the solution for his curse.

“Problem is, how am I going to cast this?” he said aloud.

“Any problem? Ask me.” She told him.

Zel turned to her. “As if you have magic to be able to cast this?” he asked.

Marie bonked his head with her fist. “Don’t you underestimate ladies again!” she scolded. For a change, it was Zel who felt the pain, not her. “Man, you’re strong!” he said.

Marie stood up. “I know how to cast that spell. I’ve studied it. But in return, you have to keep them away from me until I have gone, okay?” she asked.

“Who’s the ‘them’, anyway?” he asked.

“Oh, you know…those big spirit-eaters that belong to the Mazoku. I’m not meant to go with them, you see.” She said as she raised a hand at him and began to utter an incantation in another language unfamiliar to him.

Zel stared up at her with awe as he felt her strong power taking effect on him…until finally, she stopped and put down her hand. She smiled at him. Zel stood up. “Are you this powerful?!” he asked in amazement.

She giggled. “Not really! But believe me, that was a simple spell I learned from Rezo when I was younger.” She told him.

Zel blinked. “How are you related to me?” he asked.

She looked at him with a smiling expression. “I don’t know. Why don’t you figure it out for yourself.” She told him as she walked away. “All I can tell you is that, I once lived here.” She said.

Zel’s eyes grew wide. “What the…” he began. He decided to go after her and once he did, he grabbed her hand and it surprised him because it felt cold.

“You cannot be Elis, right?” he asked.

Marie faced him again. “Zelgadiss, Zelgadiss, Zelgadiss… your grandpa really forbade you to enter that room…” she said.

Zelgadiss frowned. “What do you know about the room?” he asked. “The locked bedroom in the third floor near the attic. Rezo didn’t want me to enter that. What’s in it?” he asked.

Marie smiled. “It’s time for me to go. My job here is done.” She told him as her hand slowly slipped away from his. She took a step backward. “Just remember, you are a free soul. However, do not abuse that freedom the way that I did.” She told him.

Zel watched as she exited the Library. He shivered. “Hey, wait a minute!” he ran after her but when he got out of the library, Marie wasn’t there anymore. He frowned. “Where the hell did she go?” he asked aloud.

Then, he looked towards the hall leading to the third floor.

Just remember, you are a free soul… however, do not abuse that freedom the way I did…

The thought made him think. “What did she mean by that? Who is she?” he asked himself. Then, he decided to head for the third floor, and enter the forbidden bedroom.

“Rezo’s dead anyway… what can go wrong?” he asked himself as he was climbing up the stairs. When he stepped foot on the third floor, the hall looked so dark, so he cast touched the wall, his hands trying to find the way to the switch. When he found it, he switched it on and soon, the whole area was lighted. “Hey, this was my house. I can explore it… besides, no one’s here anymore but me…it’s not like I believe in ghosts?!” he told himself as he walked along the hall. On the walls hung portraits of family members… who are all dead except for him. He saw his portrait and studied its normal features of a human. Zel smiled when he remembered what Marie told him about Amelia. But then, he remembered that he wasn’t even able to say thank you to her. “She knew how to cure me… but who is she?” he asked aloud. Then, he turned to the area beside his portrait. It was blank. There was supposed to be a portrait there but it was missing. He frowned. “Wonder whose picture is supposed to be hung there…” he thought. Then, he shrugged as he headed towards the locked up room that Rezo had told him not to go into.

He got his hands on the rusty doorknob. The doorknob was cold and he tried to twist it to open the door but it was locked. He frowned, feeling impatient. So, he stepped back and raised his hand to the door. “Fireball!” he cried, casting the spell and blowing up the locked door.

Soon, it was open but obviously, he ruined the door. Then, he entered the room and opened the light; looking around the place, he figured that it was a girl’s room: Pink curtains, floral wallpaper that’s already chipping and tearing out, a girly dressing table, purple carpet that’s filled with dust and the canopy bed with the pink curtain.

He noticed that the windows were boarded up.

Zelgadiss walked to the closets and opened them up, moths flew out. There were several lovely dresses, hats, shoes and bags. He examined the whole closet and saw some warrior gear, ladies’ armor, spell books, weaponry and swords. “Hmm… the person who occupied this room must be a sorceress-warrior,” he decided. He looked at one corner of it and found some old photos. He picked up the old photos and studied them, going over them one by one. It was Marie. What caught his attention was the photo of Marie when she was pregnant and when she was a little girl and she was seated on Rezo’s lap. He frowned as he shivered. Then, he let go of the photos and saw a big portrait, about the size of those in the hall. It was Marie’s portrait. He felt weird all of a sudden as he shut the closet again.

Then, he turned to the bed and noticed that there’s someone lying down on it behind the curtains.

Due to curiosity, he walked to the bed and pushed aside the curtains. To his surprise, he saw a girl there… it was Marie. She looked pale and her lips were bluish. Zelgadiss’ eyes grew wide. “Oh my god…” he managed to say.

He studied her and touched her face gently as he knelt down by the bed. “What the hell…” he muttered. Then, he turned to the bedside table and saw a diary. Zel got it and opened it up, reading the last page.

I’m came back here even if I didn’t want to. But I needed shelter so that my baby would be born safely. My father was happy to see me again, but I am not sure if I’m glad to see him. I know that I won’t live to see my baby grow up, but I hope that when I’m not here anymore, dad would take care of it and raise it up to be a decent person. However, I can sense that he’s really obsessed in looking for a way to see; to cure his blindness. This may be my last entry. I think I’ll be giving birth in the next few days. I hope it’s a boy… if it’s a boy, I’ll name him Zelgadiss… it’s such a lovely name, right? Anyway, I just wish that he would not end up doing the same mistake that I did. I should’ve obeyed my father and not ended up like this: pathetic and alone. Well, stop the world; I’m off…---Marie Graywords.

Zel’s eyes grew wide as he let go of the diary. He looked at the dead body that’s been preserved by a magic spell that Rezo had cast upon her when she died. “She’s…she’s…” he stammered, moving away and standing up. He ran out of the room, heading out of the house. “She’s my mother!” he thought in alarm.

Lina, Gourry and Amelia were walking towards the forest again after having dinner. They stopped in their tracks when they saw a strange man run past them from the forest.

“Hey…that guy looked like Zelgadiss…” Gourry realized.

Amelia’s eyes grew wide when she remembered why Zel wanted to go back to Rezo’s mansion.

To find my cure…

She smiled and looked back at the man. “Zelgadiss-san!” she called.

Zel stopped in his tracks and turned to his friends. “Wh…what are you guys doing here?” he asked.

“We followed you for there are mazoku lurking around and you might need some help.” Lina explained with a silly smile.

“Are you okay? Looks like you’ve seen a ghost or something.” Amelia asked with a concerned look in her eyes.

Zel took a deep breath, then released it. He looked at them. “I sure need some help…” he told them.

The 3 blinked.

Why? Mazoku are chasing you?” Gourry asked.

“No… I haven’t encountered any mazoku. But I need help with the house. Um…it seems that, Rezo was crazy enough to leave the body of his dead daughter preserved in a locked up room…I gotta get her a good funeral service.” Zel explained with a gentle smile.

After the funeral and burial days later, Zelgadiss went back with Amelia to Saillune.

“Zelgadiss-san, I’m glad that you found your cure!” she told him.

Zel smiled. “Thanks to my mother… she helped me.” He told her.

“But, Zelgadiss-sama… how did that happen?” she asked.

“Oh, she was just guiding me along the way. I wouldn’t say it was a ghost… but it can be a ghost…nah, forget it.” He explained, a confused look on his face.

Then, he looked at her, a slight blush on his face. “Amelia, don’t call me Zelgadiss-san or Zelgadiss-sama anymore.” He told her.

Amelia blinked.

He smiled.

She smiled at him too. “Sure thing, Zel…” she replied.