Zelgadis agreed to wait at the main entrance while Xellos popped out for a second to inform Xellas-sama of their whereabouts and intentions. Standing facing the lichen covered rocks that marked the entrance to the castle-cavern, Zelgadis found himself thinking of the chimera that was inside. Did this creature have any idea what had happened to him? Was he even aware of what he was? Did this creature, this Valerian, as the peasant man had called him, have any notion of the things that he had been forced to do by the wizard?

Thinking back to the time when he himself had been overpowered by the will of his grandfather, Rezzo the Red Priest, Zelgadis hoped it was otherwise for this chimera. Zelgadis had been totally aware of what Rezzo made him do to his new friends. He had fought the control, but was not strong enough to break from the more experienced magic user. He still had nightmares about losing control of his body.

~ Strange ~, Zelgadis thought, ~ that the two of us should be so very different, and yet still be considered chimera. Three races in one body. Brow Daemon, Golem, Human. Elf, Black Dragon, Mazoku. What will he look like? Scales in place of my stones? Will I even survive this? He has a lot of power if his bloodline is any clear indication. The key to his defeat is surely the old wizard. But how to get through the chimera, to him? I don’t want to hurt the chimera if I can help it. Surely this is none of his doing. But . . . what if it is? What if he is only believed to be enslaved? If he is evil, he will have to die. Then again, I have heard the same said of the mazoku race ~.

Sighing in frustration at the logic of his heart turning his head inside out, Zelgadis turned his eyes to the sky and waited for Xellos to return.

A few moments later, Xellos appeared. The mazoku did not appear disturbed at the thought of going into the castle-cavern, so Zelgadis figured that Xellas-sama had nothing new to say. Standing side by side, mazoku and chimera strode into the shadowed entrance of the cavern. Neither hesitated, neither looked back.

***

Colanthus lay sprawled across his work table, vials shattered and liquid dripping over the surface, onto the floor. Sobbing wretchedly, he appeared as a two year old child at the end of a long, exhausting temper-tantrum. The stench in the air was of rotten flesh and acrid vomit. Blue-gray vapor slithered in the air. Screaming, Colanthus grabbed the edge of his stone work table and wrenched it harshly, toppling the smooth surface to its side, spilling parchments, vials, and books to the floor. Solid glass shattered and shattered glass scattered across the cavern floor. Undead and unliving creatures fled the vicinity. Colanthus screamed again, this time in agony from the shoulder he had violently torn out of socket. The broken wizard threw himself to the floor on top of shattered glass, unfeeling, uncaring. He continued to yell at the floor for hours until pain finally called him to rest.

Silent through it all, the shadow sat in its crevice. It’s dead eyes watched everything, saw nothing. Would not have cared even if it could.

***

"Didn’t we pass this statue an hour ago?" Xellos pondered quietly. The sharp ears of Zelgadis seized the words quickly in the silence.

"How am I supposed to know? You are the one that knows where to go. Don’t you?" Zelgadis had never been the most patient man in the world, especially if he thought it should have been done by now. Rolling his eyes behind their shut lids, Xellos said a mental prayer to Xellas-sama. Shaking his head softly, Xellos ignored Zelgadis and took another look around the area. Things had pretty much been as Xellas-sama had described to him, save for the exceptional decay that had occurred to the castle/cavern. It seems that the wizard brought decay to everything he touched. Xellos did not have high expectations of the chimera they were hoping to find. He assumed that he had a dangerous adversary, if the chimera was utilized properly. He didn’t think that would be the case. Xellos had a plan, Xellas-sama had agreed that it may work. For Zelgadis’ sake, and the sake of the unfortunate chimera, Xellos hoped he would be successful.

***

"Zelgadis, why do you want to find this supposed chimera so badly?" Xellos asked the question gently, truly curious, needing to know. Zelgadis blew gently at the steam that hovered over his coffee. The two were sitting alone in their room. They were traveling to Seirune with Lina and Gourry on the invitation of Amelia. Zelgadis was more than unhappy with the thought of traveling to Amelia’s. He was angry, truth be told. He fully intended to disappear the night before they would reach Seirune, leaving Lina and Gourry behind to fulfill some imagined obligation of invitation.

[Truth be known, Lina and Gourry were just traveling to Seirune for the free food the Princess had promised them.]

[[Truth be told, Amelia had only promised Lina and Gourry free food to make sure they would come. And, she had only invited them so that she would be sure Zelgadis would come. Lina had a way of twisting people’s arms especially hard when food was involved.]]

Xellos waited patiently while the chimera gathered his thoughts. The room was too warm for a fire. Xellos studied his lover’s face while waiting. He had never understood why Zelgadis had wanted to be returned to a human body, especially since he was so incredibly exotic, so beautiful. Xellos had strange ideas of beauty, but he had never been able to think of a living creature as ‘beautiful’ until he met the surly chimera. Living things were far too fragile, far to short lived. Xellos could see the decay they wore like a set of clothes. Even the most newborn babe smelled of decay to a mazoku.

Zelgadis sipped his coffee for a moment longer, set the cup down on its saucer, set the cup on the table. Sat back. He was delaying as much as possible. Xellos wondered why.

"I’m not entirely sure." The chimera started. He did not look at Xellos, focusing instead on the dark liquid that remained in his cup as if he could glean an answer from it. Shifting softly in his chair, Zelgadis wished that he could explain this feeling to his lover. It was almost a yearning, a pull that grew ever stronger with the continued rumors. A desire to be with another who understood. Someone . . . "Someone of my own kind." He whispered. "I’ve never seen another chimera. I’ve never even heard of another until these rumors came to us. I’d never dared hope that there would be another. That someone else could . . ." He paused a moment, trying to order his thoughts. Realizing that the chaos would not be tamed, he decided to pour the contents of his head and his heart, onto the table for the waiting mazoku. "Until I met you, I never thought to hope for a close relationship with anyone. Love was as impossible as a cure. The cure was everything to me, to be normal. To be normal, so that I could be loved. I just wanted . . . I don’t know. But now . . . I often wondered if there was anyone else out there like me. Someone who would understand my pain. I used to have dreams of being with someone. No one specific. Just someone like me. And there was no pain in these dreams. No loneliness. . . Half the time I spent searching for a cure, I was searching for the possibility of other chimera’s as well." Zelgadis turned towards Xellos, taking the mazoku’s hands in his own and holding them tightly.

Xellos sat quietly, waiting for Zelgadis to stop shaking. The tremors were slight, but the mazoku could feel them. Xellos watched behind closed eyes as Zelgadis pulled their entwined hands to his lips, kissing the mazoku’s fingers. After a few silent minutes, Zelgadis looked Xellos in the face and continued.

"I never really ever gave up hope on either a cure or another chimera. There was some part of me that was determined to find either one or the other. Maybe both, but that’s too much to ask. The cure became my life, so far as everyone could tell. But it was never about the cure. It was about being accepted, being able to be wanted and loved. That was a part of a normal life, something I thought I could never have looking like this. Gourry made me realize that I did not need to look normal to be accepted. His friendship has been invaluable to me. And you. . ." here the chimera stopped, for only a moment. "You gave me love. And I love you. I never thought that was possible. You showed me more Xellos. More than I ever thought I would deserve. More than I ever thought I could have. And now . . ." Zelgadis drew in a deep breath, forced himself to relax. "Now there may be someone else who needs to see this. To know that it can happen. That it can be accepted and loved. To know that it is not alone in the world. That knowledge would have eased so much of my own pain Xellos. Do you see that . . ? That this is a chance for me to help another where I . . . To end the pain of another’s loneliness. Another chimera, Xellos. I have to go. And I want you there with me. I need you there with me. But I will go alone if that’s what I have to do." Zelgadis glared at Xellos, hardly even aware that he was doing it.

Xellos finished feeding of the intense pain the chimera was emitting, and smiled. Opening his violet eyes, he brought their still entwined hands to his lips, and kissed Zelgadis’ fingers. Xellos pulled his chair closer to his mate and rested his head on Zelgadis’ left shoulder. "You know I am going with you. There should be no doubt in your heart of that." Xellos rolled his head to look up into Zelgadis’ eyes, mischief clear. "A little annoyance maybe. Anger, yes. Irritation? Okay. Lust? Definitely." Zelgadis looked down and the mazoku and snarled. Neither took it seriously. "But doubt? Never doubt me Zelgadis. I may be the Priest-General of Beastmaster Xellas, but even she will not come between us. She knows that I would die before letting anything happen to you. Apparently," Xellos placed a hand on Zelgadis’ inner thigh "She has a use for me."

Xellos laughed as Zelgadis tried, unsuccessfully, to remove his hands from the chimera’s warm thighs.

And stomach.

And chest.

And hips.

And . . .

***

"Alright. I see. I mistook this statue for that statue last time. Now I know where we are." Xellos puffed a little at the foul, stagnant air. His breath blew a portion of his bang up, making Zelgadis smirk a little. The mazoku was as unhappy with the stench as he was. They had been underground for a few hours now, constantly descending, even when they took the wrong path. Somehow, when they managed to get turned back around, doubling over their trail, they still seemed to descend. Both men were puzzled, neither questioned. Drow elves were remarkable tunnelers, and the wizard could have cast any number of spells on the place in his youth.

"When do you think we’ll reach the bottom of this garbage can? And what can we expect to find there?" Zelgadis ran his hands over the slimy walls. He was pained to see such beauty under the dirt. That it had fallen into such decay was a loss that should never have occurred. The carvings his hand uncovered were incredibly intricate and delicate. Someone had obviously spent a long period of time on every detail. Frowning, Zelgadis forced himself to look away and follow Xellos further down into the reeking underground castle.

"What else? A chimera and a mad wizard. Desperately in need of being put out of his misery." Xellos reply was matter of fact. Zelgadis knew there was something else pressing on the mazoku’s mind.

"Which one, Xellos? The wizard? Or the chimera?"

Xellos did not answer.

The silence became as foul to Zelgadis as the rotting air. He was forced to endure both as he followed the mazoku down the winding path, confident he could never find his way out now, without Xellos.