Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Birth Rite ❯ 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Title: Birth Rite 9/?

Author: Tsutsuji

Warnings: Yaoi. Original characters.

Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright to these characters and I'm making no profit from this fic and intend no copyright infringement.

Spell-checked and self-beta'd. Please inform me of any errors.

 

Summary: Zelgadis begins to realize that he and Xelloss have stumbled into much more than a source of information on the Lost City as they the Temple of the Golden Lord.

 

AN: Thank you for the reviews, everyone! Real Life kept me from making any progress on this for the last few months, a situation that I hope has cleared up. so that I can update this more often from now on. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the adventure!

 

 

Flashback: Shimeria, five weeks ago

 

---

 

Xelloss had often observed that a burning city made for a lovely sunset. However, even as burning cities went, the Crystal City was one of the most spectacular views he'd ever seen. Of course, this one had a special meaning for him that made it all the more beautiful.

 

He hovered high above the gate through which he and Zelgadis had entered the city only the day before. From there, he could watch the last rays of the sun slant across the Plain of Shimeria, giving a golden glow to the great cloud of smoke rising from ruins of the Great Hall. The glow of sunset and fire made a bright ribbon of the Crystal River as it wound around the hill beneath him, a golden ribbon speckled with many black dots. In fact, there were so many boats and chunks of debris floating in the water that it was almost possible for the fleeing residents to walk across from the city to the plain. All the better for them, because the bridge on the High Road was burning beautifully as well.

 

The blackest smoke rose from near the center of the hill, where the crystal towers had already fallen to sparkling dust before Xelloss and his company had arrived. The earth cracked and trembled as the entire hill began to sink into the caves beneath the ground. Steam rose from many places as well, where fire and molten stone met the crystal springs that flowed underground.

 

With pure Mazoku pleasure, Xelloss watched the streams of people pour from the crumbling gates. Most of them headed for the river, while a few hardy souls scrambled over the steep northern and southern slopes to wander off into the barren plain. Even with the bridge burning and the High Road blocked, the river and the west road were still the most popular and practical ways out of town. The smaller roads to north and south were scored with pits and fissures in the ground, and they were also watched over by the small fleet of lesser Mazoku who had followed Xelloss back here a few hours ago. Even though many of them had been powerless victims of the Curse of Shimer a short while ago, now they were making the most of their returning strength. In fact, they were starting to get a little giddy on the panic and horror of the fleeing residents.

 

Occasionally one of the lesser Mazoku would pause to salute him as it flitted by, with a bow of the head or a wave of an appendage. He acknowledged their appreciation with a grin. It was an unfortunate but pleasant necessity that he was forced to take the credit for destroying the Shrine and freeing them from the Curse. They all knew he had nearly died in the process, and their happy work of destruction and terror here was a gift to help speed his recovery as well as their own. They wouldn't even allow him to help, insisting that he had already done his part.

 

He had to grin at that. The fact was that he had done very little to bring about this destruction, but they didn't even want to know that their lives and his had been saved by a human. The humans fleeing the ruined city did not know it either, although the ones who still called themselves Followers of Shimer would forever hate a certain stone-skinned chimera nearly as much as they hated all Mazoku.

 

Resting in midair to enjoy the work of the lesser Mazoku while his strength returned, Xelloss noticed one lone figure standing on the plain to the south of the City, standing still and looking back at the ruins. Most people didn't stop to look back, and few even risked a glance over a shoulder as they ran, but this one didn't seem to be afraid at all. In fact, Xelloss sensed no fear at all in the miasma that rose from the silent watcher, but there were plenty of other strong emotions. He detected clear strands of grief, shame, and regret, plus something else more positive that puzzled him. Relief? Elation?

 

He already had a guess who he would find when he drew closer, and he wasn't surprised to see that it was a buxom woman with a wild halo of golden hair, or that she stood straight with her head held high as she stared back at the ruins.

 

Under-Assistant Shrine Keeper in Training Kemara didn't flinch or even blink when he appeared suddenly standing beside her. He stared at her face for a moment, curious about the look in her eyes as she watched the city burn. She didn't turn to look at him.

 

"One day," she said after a long moment of silence, "shortly after I arrived and began my training here, I heard a scream, a horrible sound, like nothing I'd ever heard before. It came from somewhere within the Great Hall. I was told it was nothing. Chief - " she stopped, pursed her lips, and then continued. "Zuller said I must have imagined it."

 

"Only once before?" he asked mildly, although his eyes narrowed dangerously.

 

She shook her head. "Only one scream. All the other times, there was only one."

 

A sudden blast of steam and sparks flew up into the darkening sky as another part of the Great Hall crumbled into the caverns below. Xelloss sensed a quiver of horror and disgust from her as she watched the column of smoke rise and catch the setting sun's gleam. Even though she watched the destruction of a place that had been her home, he guessed that her feelings were caused only by the sound echoing in her mind.

 

He noticed that she was turning something over in her hands. At first he thought it was one of the fake relics she had worn, but then realized she held broken pieces of a real Relic. There was the thinnest trickle of Shimer's strange, woven magic still present in the pieces. She looked down at them.

 

"Did Zelgadis-san find his cure?" she asked softly.

 

That wasn't really what she was asking, he knew.

 

"He is in the care of friends," Xelloss said. "But he is still a chimera."

 

He sensed her relief. He was glad she didn't ask how this came to be; he was still a little in wonder about it himself. Even Kemara didn't realize who had really destroyed the shrine.

 

She raised her eyes back to the burning city, and stared at it silently for a while before she spoke again.

 

"Have you killed all the Keepers?" she asked.

 

"Not yet. But we will, when we find them." He smiled, but she didn't look at him.

 

"Then you're going to kill me?"

 

He cocked his head but didn't answer for so long that she finally turned toward him. He let her see his eyes wide open, and his smile. She didn't return his smile - she looked like she might never smile again - but she didn't flinch from his inhuman gaze.

 

"Well, you see," Xelloss said slowly, "I think the Mother of All might not approve if I were to kill one of Her shrine maidens."

 

She stared at him, unblinking in spite of the smoke that rolled down the slope from the city. After a minute she looked down at the broken pieces in her hands and nodded.

 

"All Beings have their place in this world," she said.

 

Kemara turned and walked away without looking at him again, stepping over debris and across the smaller cracks in the earth, heading south as darkness fell. Xelloss stood and watched the city burn on into the night. He didn't watch her go, and he never expected to see her again.

 

---

The present, Wyndcliff village

---

 

For several seconds after Kemara welcomed them, no one spoke or even moved - except Marcus, who quietly deflated into a relieved heap on the ground. Then, slowly, hardly knowing what he was doing, Zelgadis sheathed his sword and turned to Xelloss.

 

"Have you gone mad? Doesn't this go against your orders?" he snapped. "Since when does a Mazoku care about a human's command to preserve life?"

 

"Since it comes from the authority of a shrine maiden of the Golden Lord," Xelloss answered simply.

 

"But you said - " he broke off in confusion, turning to Kemara instead. "Isn't this your grandmother's temple? You said 'The Mother of All' - how is that...?"

 

"Perhaps you know Her better as the Lord of Nightmares," Kemara suggested lightly.

 

He wasn't mistaken, then - she really did mean that Golden Lord. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xelloss' smile flicker, as if the casual mention of the name disturbed him. Kemara only looked amused, apparently by both of their reactions.

 

The fact that the temple was dedicated to the Lord of Nightmares was the only thing that made Xelloss' action make sense, and yet at the same time it didn't make any sense at all. The Demon Lord beyond all Demon Lords, the master even of Shabrinigdo - of course, Xelloss would have to answer to the command of that terrible being. But why would the ultimate lord of Mazoku issue a command to protect the life of a mere human?

 

"But if this temple is dedicated to the Lord of Nightmares, why did you stop me from killing him?" Zelgadis jerked his head over his shoulder toward Marcus without looking around. Xelloss glanced down at Marcus for a second, then back to Zel.

 

"Of course," he said very softly, so quietly that Zelgadis doubted the other two could hear him. "You really don't understand, do you, Zel-san, what happened to Phibrizo, or to Lina and Gourry - or even to Valgaav, for that matter! But don't you at least remember what Kemara said when she first mentioned her grandmother's temple back in Shimeria?"

 

Zelgadis did remember, but it still didn't make sense. Just as she'd said again a moment ago, all beings were welcome here and all life was revered. He remembered Xelloss' gesture of respect toward Kemara when she'd spoken of her grandmother's temple where even the lives of Mazoku were respected. It had surprised him then, but he'd been too distracted by other matters to give it much thought.

 

Now he remembered the only other time he'd seen a similar look of respect on Xelloss' face. The picture flashed into his mind as bright as the image on the cover of Martina's book, except that in his memory, Xelloss was not cowering in a corner but kneeling with his head bowed in priestly reverence.

 

"This is your grandmother's temple?" he asked. "Where all life is revered - even Mazoku?"

 

"Just as I said," Kemara answered, nodding. "My grandmother became High Priestess here, but she died while I was in Shimeria, so the title passed on to my mother. However, she prefers the art of gardening to the work of managing a temple, so the duties of the position have fallen to me."

 

"Then you are a High Priestess as well," Xelloss said. He sounded both pleased and impressed. "No longer either a Shrine Maiden or an Assistant Shrine Keeper in Training!"

 

"Well, at least I'm Acting High Priestess! As such, it is my honor to serve the Mother Of All," she added, with a mixture of reverence and pride.

 

"Mother of all?" Zelgadis echoed.

 

A shiver ran through him. It was hard to connect those words to the force for destruction that Hellmaster Phibrizo had intended to call upon in order to destroy the world, and yet, Phibrizo was the only one who had been destroyed. Even Lina couldn't explain how she'd survived her encounter with that terrible force, but he remembered that she didn't seem as surprised as everyone else did to find herself alive and whole again.

 

Zelgadis felt just like he often did when Xelloss was teaching him some unfathomable fact of astral magic, as if he knew and had always known this, and yet he could hardly comprehend the thought at the same time. It almost explained the strangeness of the fact that Marcus was still alive, trembling at his feet, but it still didn't quite make sense at all.

 

"Mother of All - the creator of all life," he said wonderingly. He shook his head, which did nothing to clear it. "This can't be!"

 

"But it is, Zelgadis-san," Xelloss said. "It's rather embarrassing to admit that the Golden Lord is not only the creator and master of the Mazoku but of the Gods as well - not to mention all of you humans! Lina knew this; I believe she discovered it when she encountered the original Claire Bible, although I don't know exactly what it revealed to her. I was not aware, however, that many other humans knew the truth," he added. He cocked his head and looked to Kemara.

 

"Few learn of it, fewer still accept it as the truth, and those who do also learn that their knowledge is not welcome in the world," she answered. "If there is any other temple in our world that teaches as we do, I've never heard of it. I wasn't permitted to speak of it in Shimeria, of course, but that was to be expected there! However, even the Sorcerers' Guild doesn't recognize our existence and discredits our teachings."

 

"A shame, but hardly surprising," Xelloss said. From his tone of voice, Zelgadis was not sure he really thought it was a shame at all.

 

Zelgadis didn't know what to think. He still balked at the idea that the demonic being he'd always known as Lord of Nightmares was really the creator of everything, the source of all magic - from the healing magic of a Resurrection spell to the destructive force of a Blast Bomb. He could almost believe that Kemara's followers were as deluded as Shimer's, if it wasn't for Xelloss' behavior and the astonishing things he'd seen during his adventures with Lina Inverse. The memories made his spirit quiver.

 

"Lord of the dreams that terrify," a voice began to chant softly. "Blacker than blackest night, shining like gold up on the sea of chaos!"

 

To his further astonishment, Zelgadis realized the voice came from Marcus. He and Xelloss turned to see the former Deputy Shrine Keeper standing there, with a few pages from Martina's book clutched in his hands and a look of rapture on his face. He blinked as he realized they were all staring at him.

 

"What?" he asked Xelloss anxiously. "Didn't I say that right?"

 

Xelloss eyed the sheets of paper in his hand and scattered around his feet. "So, Martina-san did reveal this in Lina's story!" he said thoughtfully.

 

"Eh?" Marcus blinked again and looked down at the shredded book, but he shook his head. "This? On, no, that wasn't from this! I was just reciting one of the passages that describes Her, you see, from the lore I've learned here at the temple."

 

Xelloss looked as surprised as Zelgadis was.

 

"Those lines come from your teachings?" Zelgadis said. "But that -" He broke off as his mind started to race again. "Those words - Lina created her spell from those words, after she heard them..."

 

He saw Xelloss' eyes open wide in a flash of alarm, and his heart leapt excitedly, knowing they must be thinking of the same thing, though with entirely different reactions, as always.

 

"Oh dear," Xelloss said fretfully. "Of course, what better place than this?"

 

"Yes, indeed," Zelgadis said, grinning. "Lina said she heard those words from a man who got them from a Claire Bible manuscript, didn't she? What better place than this to find the Claire Bible?"

 

They stared at each other a moment longer. After all he'd said this morning, Zelgadis felt badly for putting himself between Xelloss and his duty again, but he couldn't resist the chance to look for a way to return himself to normal in the most famous magical document in the world. Almost from the moment he was cursed, the Claire Bible had been his greatest hope for returning his body to normal

 

"I'm sorry, Xelloss, but it seems that we may be at cross-purposes again after all," he said, and then he turned to Kemara. "I came to Wyndcliff seeking ancient magic from the Lost City of Skye, but it never occurred to me that there might be a temple here that could have an even more important source of magical lore! If you have a Claire Bible manuscript here, I would very much like to see it!"

 

Kemara made an odd sound and bit her lip; from the look in her eyes, Zelgadis thought she must be holding back a burst of laughter over something that he'd just said. Her twinkling eyes nearly disappeared as her face scrunched in up a smile.

 

"As far as Skye is concerned, Zelgadis-san, we have every tale, legend, and local variation on the myth of the Lost City in our archives. You're certainly welcome to study them to your heart's content! The Mikoto family are great patrons of the temple; perhaps they would be willing to open their library to you as well. Of course, they will do their best to convince you that their family descended from the Sorcerers of Skye, while our chief archivist will do his equal best to convince you that it is all a pretty fairy tale!"

 

"Like Professors Herringull and Plover," Zelgadis sighed. He guessed from her tone that she found the whole endless debate simply amusing. "Yes, I know what most people believe about Skye these days. It was Herringull herself who sent me here, if you care to know." What Herringull or anyone else thought of Skye didn't matter as much to him now. "But what about the Claire Bible? Do you have a copy of it here or not?"

 

"Certainly; we have some seventy or so fragments of various lengths and depths," she said, as casually as if she was saying they served tea at dinner. "You're welcome to study them as well. However, I should mention that, like most of our lore, they're manuscripts in name only. We keep to the old ways here, including the oral tradition of the Beast Tribes of the coast. One of our lore masters can recite the passages for you. If you wish, one of our scribes can copy it down for you as well - perhaps our newest scribe-in-training can do it."

 

She smiled at Marcus, who nodded eagerly and smiled.

 

"I'd be honored to," he said.

 

Zelgadis regarded him doubtfully. It was bizarre to think of Marcus having anything to do with something as important as the Claire Bible, even if his chant a moment ago had all the sincerity that his words had lacked in Shimeria. Zelgadis was not inclined to trust him, anyway. The smiling enthusiasm of the little man still made him uncomfortable. However, there could be a bigger problem than that to worry about.

 

He turned to Xelloss again with his eyebrows raised in question. It was such a familiar topic between them that he didn't need to say a word.

 

"Well, this is rather awkward," Xelloss admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "Things have changed, of course, and it's no longer my primary duty to destroy the existing manuscript copies as it once was; and yet, if certain information is in those fragments, I would still be expected to act accordingly. However, even if that is the case, I can't really destroy a manuscript that only exists in the memory of a lore master without killing the lore master - and since I'm forbidden to kill within the temple, your Claire Bible is quite safe from me this time, Zel-san!" He sighed. "I only hope it doesn't contain the information you seek," he added quietly.

 

Zelgadis couldn't help smiling, but he felt an odd pang of regret under his excitement.. From what Xelloss had just said, this could be the best chance he'd ever had at finding what he sought. On the other hand, from the way Xelloss had said it and stood looking at him now, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to find it.

 

Bewildered by all they'd stumbled upon, Xelloss' actions, and his own mixed emotions, Zelgadis couldn't think what to say. It was Xelloss who finally turned to Kemara with a smile.

 

"We accept your welcome, and request your leave to enter the Temple, Kemara-sama, High Priestess of the Golden Lord!"

 

Kemara had begun to look a little stern again when he spoke of destroying manuscripts, but her smile returned as Xelloss bowed to her graciously.

 

"We are honored to have you here, Xelloss-sama and Zelgadis-san," she said. She turned toward the gate, but looked back over her shoulder at her gatekeeper. "Aren't we, Marcus-san?"

 

"Oh! Yes!" Marcus bobbed up from where he had stooped to gather the scattered pages of his book. He held the soggy mass of them to his chest as he jumped up and hurried over to join them at the gate. "Very much so! Believe me, I'm sure you'll find this place much more to your liking than Shimeria. There are many others here who will be truly pleased to meet you both."

"Indeed," Kemara said, half to herself. "My own brother would never have forgiven me if I let you pass by!"

 

Before Zelgadis could wonder about that, she paused under the gate and faced them.

 

"Of course, we gladly accept donations in kind from our students while they enjoy our hospitality," she said, beaming at them.

 

"Oh! Of course," Zelgadis said, embarrassed that he hadn't thought to offer anything. "We expected to pay for lodging at an inn, anyway." He reached for his purse, but Kemara held up her hand.

 

"While cash is certainly welcome as well," she said with her eyes sparkling, "our temple's stock in trade is lore. Some of our students work in the gardens or the kitchens, but we prefer to take payment in the form of stories and tales. I'm sure you both have plenty to spare of those!"

 

Zelgadis paused. It was true, he did have more stories than money, but he didn't relish the thought of sharing most of them, and certainly not of reciting them to a crowd of students or even to a lore master. He'd rather work in the gardens. Xelloss seemed happy with the idea, however.

 

"A bargain at any price, I'd say," he said cheerfully. "I imagine we can come up with a story or two for you while we're here, between the two of us!"

 

Zelgadis remembered that Xelloss could be quite an entertaining storyteller when he had a reason to be. He hoped that would satisfy their obligation enough so that he would be left alone to study.

 

"Just don't tell them any of your dragon jokes. You'll get us run out of town for certain," he muttered.

 

Kemara seemed satisfied with Xelloss' words as promise of payment. With one last smile and a slight bow, she turned and led them into the temple grounds.

 

Zelgadis sensed a change as soon as they passed under the carved gate and through the wall of evergreens, and from the look of wonder on Xelloss' face, he knew the Mazoku felt it as well. The aura of the place was as calm as any shrine of the gods, but it also was charged with some subtle yet vibrant energy. It felt familiar, and yet it was different than any other sacred ground he'd stepped onto in the past. Within the boundaries of some temples, certain kinds of magic wouldn't work while other spells might be amplified. Here, he immediately had a feeling that anything was possible - although he also had a feeling that casting a spell might have unpredictable results.

 

As they passed through the ring of dark trees, Zelgadis concentrated for a moment on the astral side. It slipped into his reach more easily than usual, as if his spirit sense was heightened by the atmosphere of the place. He could feel Xelloss' familiar dark energy strongly; it seemed to resonate with the aura of magical energy that surrounded them.

 

His curiosity and excitement grew stronger as he pulled his awareness back to normal space. Xelloss was watching him out of the corner of his eye as they walked up the path behind Kemara. The Mazoku must have noticed his brief astral exploration.

 

"It seems that there are many avenues of magical exploration open to you here, Zel-san," he said.

 

"I hardly know where to begin," Zelgadis admitted.

 

"Really? I was certain you'd head straight for the Claire Bible manuscripts. As you've said before, searching for them has become a habit with you."

 

Zelgadis didn't answer. If the manuscripts held the answer he'd sought for so long, it would make all the other inquiries useless to him - and would probably put Xelloss and the magical energy he sensed here completely out of his reach.

 

"We'll see," he said, avoiding Xelloss' gaze.

 

Beyond the trees, Kemara led them out into a sloping garden that was filled with the bronze, orange and brown of late autumn. Stretching up the hill in front of them, the garden was criss-crossed by flights of stairs and covered walkways that rambled across the slope like a climbing rose bush gone wild. Like the numerous buildings they connected, the walkways and porches all had roofs painted gold that gleamed even in the rain, making the space within the trees seem bright in spite of the dark afternoon. All of the posts and walls were painted shining black, but many also had images carved or painted on them in eye-dazzling detail like the carvings on the gate.

 

As Kemara led them up a long flight of stairs, Zelgadis looked around the grounds curiously. A number of people, beast men and beast women among them, were scattered here and there, working in the gardens, walking between the many buildings, or gathered in small groups to talk. As they climbed higher, some took notice of them and left what they were doing to head for the same building Kemara must be bringing them to. He exchanged a glance with Xelloss.

 

"I never expected all of this. I thought we came here to get away from being noticed and recognized at every turn," he muttered. In spite the fact that half the people were beast folk, he itched to cover his face and pull up his hood.

 

"Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case,'' Xelloss said. "I agree, it's awkward to be so famous, but at least the people here may know us as something other than characters in a fairy tale or destroyers of their sacred shrine. And consider the fact that we are also protected here within the sanctuary of the temple as well, if any other Soldiers of Shimer happen to be appear."

 

"You may feel you have to abide by the command of the High Priestess of the Golden Lord, Xelloss, but what makes you think they would feel obligated to do the same?" Zelgadis asked.

 

"Only that they would be fools if they didn't," Xelloss answered with a smile that gave Zelgadis a chill down his spine

 

He might have been referring only to Kemara's commanding voice and stern gaze, but remembering his last glimpse of Phibrizo, who had been the most fearsome Mazoku Lord in the world only moments before, Zelgadis thought Xelloss might mean something else entirely.

 

"Warn me if you see that I'm about to say or do anything that might offend the Lord of Nightmares, please?" he said, only half jokingly.

 

"You might begin by using a more respectful tone when you speak of Her," Xelloss suggested sharply.

 

Zelgadis realized he'd bristled like that every time the familiar title had been mentioned lately. Lina seemed to get away with it, but then, Lina got away with quite a lot that no one else would dare. He made a note to himself to avoid using that phrase quite so casually in the future, if only for Xelloss' comfort.

 

That made him wonder about something else. He remembered what Lina had said on the day they left Seyruun.

 

"Xelloss, how do you feel about being here? I mean to say, if everyone here accepts and welcomes you as a Mazoku, is that unpleasant for you or isn't it?"

 

"Ah," Xelloss said thoughtfully. He looked at the little group of smiling and curious people that had gathered front of the building they approached. Others stood on walkways nearby, leaning over the rails to get a look at them. He cocked his head as if listening to the murmur of their voices. "That's an interesting question, now that you mention it."

 

From the little smile on his lips, Zelgadis decided he couldn't be minding the attention too much. In fact, Xelloss seemed more comfortable than he did at the moment. He hoped they would all find the Mazoku so interesting that they would ignore him for once.

 

Kemara reached the first of the group ahead, a thin young man who appeared quite human except for his flat ears and lizard-like tail. She spoke to him quickly, and they both looked around in all directions, as if seeking someone in particular. The boy shrugged and gestured toward the south end of the temple grounds, and Kemara waved him off apparently to search in that direction. Then she turned back to meet him and Xelloss at the entrance to a wide verandah that stretched all across the front of a long hall.

 

"I hope you don't mind," she said apologetically. "I was hoping to wait and introduce you at dinner so you'd have a chance to settle in first, but as you can see, you've already attracted quite a bit of curiosity. I'll introduce you briefly now, and then have Marcus take you to your lodgings, if you like. Fortunately, several of our students have gone home for the winter, so several of our guest houses are available." She gave Zelgadis a quick glance up and down, with a twinkle barely visible in her smiling eyes. "The house I have in mind for you is relatively private, and has its own bath."

 

Zel blushed. He'd forgotten about his coating of mud, and wished she hadn't reminded him just before introducing them to a crowd. Xelloss tittered behind his hand.

 

"That's so very generous of you, Kemara-sama!" he said. "I take it these people already know who we are, but I have to wonder, just how much do they know about us?"

 

"Yes," Zelgadis said, trying to set his embarrassment aside. "It would be nice to know what they're expecting before we meet them face to face."

 

Kemara nodded. "Most of them have heard the tales from Shimeria, not only the official version but what Marcus and I have told them as well - which is not all that we know. Also, many of us have read Queen Martina's books as far as they've gone, but we've also speculated quite a bit on just how true her story is. Besides your own stories, people here have been interested in Lina Inverse ever since the rumor began to come around that she'd managed to destroy a portion of Lord Ruby Eye. We thought, you see, that she would need to call on a greater power to accomplish that, and there is only one power greater than his in the world!"

 

Xelloss looked impressed. "Of course, you would find Lina Inverse just as interesting as Hellmaster-sama and the rest of us did, wouldn't you?"

 

Kemara nodded but she frowned. "Actually, I was in Shimeria when those rumors were going around, so I only heard the details recently." She shook her head, as if to shake off the thought of Shimeria. "Well, the sooner we get this little welcome ceremony over with, the sooner I can get you settled in so you can begin your research," Kemara said.

 

She excused herself and went to speak to an elderly hawk man who had just emerged from the building to join the small group on the porch. Zelgadis wondered if he was the archivist she'd mentioned; a Hawk man would have reason to be skeptical about Skye, since the tribe's own legends claimed a more lofty origin. A short woman with yellow eyes and leathery black wings sprouting from her shoulders stood next to him, listening just as intently to Kemara. Her animated, cheerful face was in direct contrast to his dour expression, and quite at odds with her bat-like appearance. Kemara glanced back over her shoulder, and they both followed her gaze to look at him for a moment before nodding to Kemara.

 

Zelgadis tried not to cringe at the attention. Xelloss patted his arm reassuringly.

 

"She said something about a bath after all this, didn't she?" he said in Zel's ear. "I should help you remove all that mud and dirt, since it's all my fault you're wearing it in the first place! Perhaps if you think ahead to that it will help get this over with more easily."

 

Zelgadis thought of it - briefly - and immediately wished he hadn't. The idea of the two of them immersed in hot water, with Xelloss' hands wandering all over the stony crevices of his skin to wash the dirt off..... He groaned as quietly as he could manage.

 

"Xelloss, you - !" he muttered. Of course the damn Mazoku priest knew exactly the effect his words would have. Zel gritted his teeth and tried to distract himself by thinking of the Claire Bible instead. Unfortunately, the idea of listening to a recitation rather than holding an actual manuscript in his hands lacked a certain tangible appeal, especially compared to being skin-to-skin with Xelloss. He glared at Xelloss, who only smiled back with infuriating innocence. Rather desperately, Zel yanked his mind out of the bath again and back on to the crowd at hand.

 

He spotted Marcus, who had hurried past them and gone right over to a dark haired man wearing a black tunic and trousers. With his long nose, black eyes, and sharp, aristocratic face, the other man had a rather hawk-like appearance. He was certainly not a beast person, but he made Marcus appear even more mousy than usual by comparison. They were near enough that Zel's sharp ears caught their words as Marcus held out the ruined book.

 

"I'm sorry about your book, Kervan," he said. "But it could have been worse! They came here to kill me, you know!"

 

Zelgadis felt his brief irritation toward Xelloss flare up and focus on the little shrinekeeper instead. He scowled and stepped over to them. Kervan looked up and met his eyes with a cool gaze, but seeing Zel's face, Marcus took a nervous sidestep to put himself behind the other man's shoulder, as if he thought Kervan might protect him. Judging from Kervan's disinterested expression, Zelgadis wasn't sure that was a reasonable assumption.

 

"Actually, Marcus," Zelgadis said with an unfriendly smile, "You're not the reason I came here at all! I've come to Wyndcliff on quite a different quest, and finding you here was an accident - a happy accident, I thought, until Xelloss stopped me from killing you. Too bad; if it wasn't for that book being in my way at first, he wouldn't have had the chance."

 

Kervan's eyebrows shot up. For a moment, he stared at Zelgadis as if he couldn't believe what he'd heard. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.

 

"You see, Marcus, I've told you not to take everything so personally! It isn't all about you, you know."

 

"You mean, you aren't hunting us shrinekeepers, then?" Marcus said. He almost sounded disappointed, but then he brightened up. "Well, then, that's all right! Just a little misunderstanding, hm?"

 

Zelgadis glared at him. Kervan chuckled again, and then, to Zel's astonishment, he reached back and put his arm around Marcus' shoulder.

 

"Thank you for not killing Marcus, whatever the reason happens to have been," he said, smiling with surprising warmth. "As annoying as he is, I'm afraid my life would become too dull to imagine without him in it. A book can be replaced easily enough." He looked down at Marcus, still smiling, with a touch of fondness in his dark eyes. "Marcus is one of a kind, however -which is undoubtedly a good thing!"

 

Marcus beamed up at him, suddenly looking more confident than Zelgadis had ever seen him, in spite of the rather backhanded compliment. Now that Marcus wasn't cringing, Zelgadis realized he wasn't really much shorter than Kervan after all.

 

"Zel-san?" Xelloss had appeared at his shoulder. He eyed Marcus and his friend curiously from under his bangs. Kervan gazed back at him for a moment with an odd expression. He opened his mouth to speak when Kemara's voice drew their attention.

 

Zelgadis found himself and Xelloss standing next to her in the center of a circle of a dozen or so people, with several more near enough to hear her on the walkways nearby. She looked around at all of them with all of the dignity she'd tried so hard to maintain in Shimeria; here, it seemed to come naturally. Xelloss smiled, although he kept this head down and his eyes hidden for the moment, probably out of habit, Zelgadis thought - unless it was a gesture of respect toward all of these people who served in the temple.

 

Zelgadis had a familiar urge to sink into the floor boards and out of sight; he hated crowds, especially a crowd that was staring right at him. But this was a crowd of people who served none other than the Lord of Nightmares - the Golden Lord, he corrected himself mentally. He wondered what kind of people they must be to comprehend a Being whom even Xelloss held in awe, and what knowledge some of them might have. For once, he found himself curious enough to stare right back at them.

 

---

to be continued, as Xelloss and Zelgadis meet more of the odd residents of the Temple of the Golden Lord and begin to hear some intriguing legends of ancient magic.

 

--

 

(more AN: One of the things that held me up in this chapter was figuring out how much Zelgadis and other people know about LoN. It seems clear from both anime and books that most people - including Lina before she encountered the Claire Bible - think of Her as some kind of monstrous power, not as a creator deity. I decided to assume that Lina didn't reveal the mind-boggling truth to the others.

 

I know original characters in fanfic put some readers off; I'm a little worried about the number of OC's that I'll be introducing in the next couple of chapters. (Most of them are based on characters from other fandoms so they're not really original, anway!) Warn me if they start to become annoying. I'm going to try to keep them from running amok and stealing the stage away from Xelloss and Zelgadis!

 

Thanks for reading! Please review if you have a second, I love to know what you think of it all!)