“She did,” Xellos replied, though not as genki as he usually was. “She means it. I screw up, and I’m punished. I have to stay here until she tells me otherwise or if something happens.”

“Like what?”

“End of the world, or she finds Zel.”

“Well, that’s you problem, I guess.”

“Hey, Lina, we got mail!” Gourry said, waving the letters in the air.
 
 

* * * * *
 
 

“Gotcha!” Zelas screamed. Chimeras were harder to find than she thought. She slammed Zelgadis against a large tree.

A light flashed from the ring he wore on his finger, and then vanished, lasting no longer that a glint of sunlight.

“I am not going to tolerate dragon’s filth running into my general’s arms for safety!” she screamed, her grip on his arms tightening, crushing his stone skin.

“And yet, it’s not your place to decide who your General runs off with.” She turned around, shocked at seeing Xellos standing less than a foot from her. “Isn’t that what kept you safe when you fought our lord for the affections of Lei Magnus?”

“Xellos, I told you to stay there.”

He bowed to her and then gently pulled Zelgadis from her grasp.

“Indeed you did. I would have stayed in that inn until it fell down, and then stayed in that spot even longer if you had left me there. However, this ring I gave him is real. I’m allowed to drop everything for a short while and rescue him, if the rings says he’s in danger. I’ll be at the inn if you need me.”

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t bother staying there anymore. If I need you, I’ll come and find you.”

He bowed again and disappeared.

“At least he doesn’t know,” she said, stretching her leg as fur flowed over it in a wave. Her dress disappeared and her face became a long orange snout. “I think I need a break too,” said the fox, who used to be a lady.
 
 

* * * * *
 
 

“Special delivery!” Xellos chimed, as he reappeared at the inn as Lina and Gourry were going through late wedding cards and early presents.

“Hey, you’re you again!” Gourry said.

“Zel!” Lina said. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

“Wolf,” Xellos said.

“Huh?”

“Hey, it’s from Martina!” Gourry said.

“I thought she absolutely promised to come to the wedding. She kept saying so when she helped with the arrangements.”

“She did?” Gourry asked slicing the letter with a dagger.

“Well, you weren’t there. You were off fighting with Zangulus. Let me see. Ha?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, for starters I’ve never known anyone to actually write ‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!’ in a letter, let along start one with it.”

“Is that all?” Xellos asked.

“Not really. I wonder what a ‘ReallyreallynastyMazokuambushdestroyeverythingdisasterplan’ is”

“I’m confused,” Gourry said.

“I’M confused,” Zelgadis said, as the waitress refilled Lina’s cup with coffee and he pretended it was his.

“I’m confused,” Xellos said. If Mazoku are doing to a kingdom, I’d be notified.”

“What’s the letter say?” Zel asked.

“Um, ‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

There’s a couple of big scary Mazoku people-things they were talking and I was just walking though, and it’s not my fault, really, and they mention were planning some sort of ReallyreallynastyMazokuambushdestroyeverythingdisasterplan and I don’t know what it is, but they don’t like white magic and they said something about Seyruun and Zefilia and were saying lots and lots of scary things and I don’t wanna be eaten or anything and Zangy can’t kill anything, so we’ getting everyone out of here and we’re leaving in a month.

‘You can meet us at Marine’s View in a month if you want to leave with us.’

‘PS I’m scared!’”

“So what’s going on?” Gourry asked.

“She wouldn’t hoax us, so that’s out of the question,” Lina said.

“It can’t be real, though,” Xellos said. “I wasn’t informed of any plan.”

“You’re often not informed of the plan, or at least not the full part of it,” Zel said.

“You do have a point.”

“Well, I’ve had it up to HERE with Mazoku messing things up and killing and destroying the world and getting involved,” Lina said. I’m going to get married, and no one’s going to mess with it.”

“My sword won’t kill big monsters without a bunch of spells. And big monsters aren’t that big,” Gourry said.

“I’d say it would be safer for Zel to go with you. And me too. Being Zelas’s General could come in handy for you.”

“Just don’t cause any trouble, Xellos.”

“Who? Me?”