The Sorcerer's Folly
Part 3
By: Ashe Rhyder
"WHAT?!" Lina, Amelia and Gourry cried out as one, causing Zelgadis to wince and Xellos to frown.
"This is not the best place to discuss this," the violet haired trickster gestured to the stairs that led to the inn section of the building. "I doubt Zelgadis even wishes me to discuss this with you."
"Damn right I don’t!" Zelgadis growled and struggled to get to his feet.
"Sit down!" Lina ordered.
"But--?" The blue-eyed youth glanced back at the red-headed girl, pain clearly written on his statement. Lina’s crimson gaze narrowed, and the shaman knew not to press his luck.
"Sit down, Xellos." Lina pointed to a chair. "We’ll discuss this here and now."
"As I said before, Zelgadis isn’t sick, he’s dying." Xellos sat down, folding his hands and ignoring the chimera’s pleading look. "It’s common knowledge that while most chimeras are easily created and not exactly easy to kill, they have limited life spans." Zelgadis’ shoulders sagged underneath Lina’s hands.
"Yeah? So?" Gourry blinked.
"Well, Zelgadis here happens to be a chimera." The Mazoku motioned to the slumped youth. "Despite the fact that he is part human and part demon, a chimera is only designed to function for a limited period of time. All chimeras, when their time runs out, will shut down. It appears that Zelgadis is simply shutting down."
"Zelgadis-san is not a machine or a mindless drone!" Amelia shouted. "He shouldn’t just shut down! He’s a living being, a person, with thoughts and feelings!"
"True, true, but he’s still wearing out." Xellos shrugged. "All living creatures do, you know. Unfortunately, chimeras have shorter life spans than normal people."
"That’s enough." Zelgadis’ voice was soft but strained. He looked up at the people he called ‘friends’ with a sad smile, and tears welled up in his endless blue eyes.
"Zelgadis?" Lina grabbed his hand. "Why didn’t you tell us?"
"I..." the young man paused. "I didn’t want to... worry you guys. I wanted our remaining time together to be just the same as it always was. I didn’t want you all to act differently..."
‘Well, well, well, Zel-kun,’ Xellos whispered telepathically. ‘Aren’t we the corny one today. All that sentimental melodrama...’
‘Shut up, fruitcake,’ Zelgadis snarled in reply. ‘You’ve done me a service for telling them what you did, but if you tell them any more, I will destroy you. No matter what means it requires.’
‘Easy now, Zelgadis.’ The trickster chuckled. ‘I’m on your side.’
‘I meant what I said.’ The shaman seethed. ‘I don’t want them to act any differently just because I’m dying. You didn’t have to tell them anything. I could easily have written it off as childhood complications coming back, or catching a cold from wandering around in all that snow. But no, you just had to tell them that my ‘expiration date’ was rolling around.’
‘You would do well to remember who you’re dealing with, Zelgadis.’
‘I know who I'm dealing with. But I mean it. Stay out of this, Xellos. Please.’
"Zel? You okay?" Lina asked, shaking him gently. The chimera opened his eyes and looked up at her, just having realized his eyes had been closed.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Just... tired." He glared at Xellos, who shrugged and looked amused. The trickster priest’s amethyst gaze slipped open slightly to meet the shaman’s sapphire stare.
"C’mon, let’s get you into bed." The sorceress sighed and tugged on his arm.
"What? No, it’s still afternoon," he protested. "What do you think going to bed now would accomplish?"
"Amelia, Gourry and I will be going to Kokoro no Yami in the morning." Lina told him and saw his eyes widen ever so slightly. "If you want to come with us, you’re going to need all the energy you can get, so… Bed. Now."
Zelgadis opened his mouth to object, but he saw the deep sadness in her eyes, and his resolve faded. He sighed and climbed to his feet.
"Very well," he relented. "As you wish."
"Amelia, Gourry, see if you guys can’t scrounge up anymore information on that castle." Lina called over her shoulder as she led the chimera away. "I’m going to take care of Zel."
Though the young princess loudly complained about it being unjust for Lina to be the one to take care of Zelgadis, she and the other two men did as they were bid.
"Lina…" Zelgadis murmured as she helped him up the stairs. "I meant what I said. I don’t want you all to treat me like I’m dying."
"We can’t just forget it, Zel." She stared at him intently, sorrow drowning her ruby-red eyes. "It’s not that simple."
"I just wanted the last few days to be like they always were," he said quietly. "Was that so wrong? I didn’t want this—" he gestured to his heart "— to interfere with us. I guess it’s too late for that, though."
"Zelgadis…" A thoughtful look crossed her face. "Last night, when you collapsed, you said that the Heart of Darkness would destroy you. What did you mean?"
"I said that?" His statement was one of confusion.
"Yeah," she nodded. "You said, ‘I’m going to die. This adventure will kill me. The Heart of Darkness will destroy me.’ I’ll assume that since you don’t remember saying that, you don’t know what it means."
"I think, because I certainly knew that I wasn’t going to outlive this adventure, that I pushed that painful knowledge to the back of my mind." Zelgadis paused at the top of the stairs, trying to ignore the growing pain in his chest. "Maybe when I… collapsed… this information filtered through my subconscious."
"But why bring up Kokoro no Yami?"
"Knowing you, I knew you would want to visit the castle as soon as you could. Xellos’ story was too intriguing. I knew, on a subconscious level, that this would be my last adventure with you. I guess I was afraid I’d die while at the castle, if you needed me…" The chimera opened the door and stumbled into the room, pulling himself along the wall for balance.
"Are you in pain?" Lina asked, regarding his now expressionless face.
"No, just tired." He replied, and collapsed on the bed.
"Zel…" She sat down in the chair closest to him .. "What do you think of dreams?" The shaman opened one of his burning blue eyes and stared at her a moment.
"Dreams…" he sighed. ""I haven’t had a good dream in years."
"Not just good dreams, I mean dreams about… people." Both of their faces went red.
"L-L-Lina, I’m not the kind of person you should ask that—"
"Not like that, hentai!" She glared at him. "I mean, dreams where you’re someone else. Someone you don’t like being."
Zelgadis was silent for a long time, then he sighed audibly.
"I have that dream all the time," he whispered, then went to sleep.
Lina watched his slow, rhythmic breathing for a while before she, too, succumbed to sleep.
She found herself in the castle’s temple, once more gazing at the captured sorcerer who stood helpless at the pillar.
"Rynia!" He gasped as she stepped towards him.
"Why do you call me Rynia?" She asked, clasping her hands in front of her.
"Because you are the one with eyes of ruby." He murmured.
"Many girls have ruby eyes these days. It’s not as uncommon as you think." She told him.
"But Rynia, I can see your soul." The very edges of his lips tugged upwards in the barest of smiles. "I’ve been with you in every incarnation, watching over you. Every lifetime but this one. I haven’t been there this time, have I? And it was because you don’t need me anymore." He winced as a heart beat echoed through the temple.
"Zeruphim…" She took another step towards him and locked here eyes onto his dark sapphire gaze.
"I don’t have much time left," he admitted quietly, as if it were a tremendous secret. "My time with you is almost gone. Soon I won’t even be able to watch over you anymore." A single tear ran down his face.
"You…" Lina felt her heart move in pity.
"I spent so long watching you grow up." He smiled weakly. "I watched you learn to open your heart so that your fire would never be extinguished. I saw you give your smile to so many others… You have a beautiful smile, Rynia."
"That’s not my name," she objected, causing his smile to grow.
"I know," he murmured gently. "I have guarded you through twelve other lifetimes. I will never forget any of your names. Lina…"
A chill ran down her spine as he strained to lift his hand towards her. His snow white skin was touched with the barest hints of blue, a sure sign that he was dying.
"I can’t be her." Lina stepped backwards, causing him to grimace again. "I can’t be that person who you want me to be."
"On the contrary." Another beat thundered in the room as she suddenly found herself standing a mere hair’s breadth away from him. "You have become everything I ever dreamed of." His breath was cool and gentle against her face; his lips were mere centimeters from her ear. She recoiled in terror, and saw defeat cloud his clear blue eyes.
"Zeruphim…" she stared at him in shock. A tear rolled down his cheek as the pillar erupted in blue fire, burning away the ropes but leaving him and the sword untouched. He screamed; an agonizing sound of sorrow, anger, and pain. Then the flames died down, and he choked on his next cry.
"What do I have to do?" he begged softly. "I would do anything for you: create, destroy, suffer, or even die… Is that what you want, beloved? Is that what would please you? I can let go of my life right now, should you wish…" A third heartbeat echoed in the lonely but not empty room.
Lina stared into his azure eyes and read the familiar misery therein.
"Zeruphim, don’t!" She reached out and grabbed him, but once more he shattered under her touch. This time, however, she was forced to watch the shards of pale blue glass fall to the ground and shatter into smaller fragments.
She awoke sharply to Zelgadis’ tortured cries. Her crimson eyes shot open and quickly focused on the blue-skinned youth’s writhing form.
"Zelgadis!" She gasped, grabbing his hand and summoning her limited healing magic.
"Don’t leave me," he whimpered, gripping her hand tightly. "I don’t want to be left alone… I don’t want to face this alone…"
"I’m here, I’m with you." She promised. "You’re not alone. I swear, Zel, if I knew how to alleviate your pain, I’d do whatever it takes to heal you."
"Burning…" he muttered. "Burning up.. Can’t escape. Fire everywhere. What do you want? What will it take? Help me… Please… don’t leave me… don’t hurt me… I’ll die…"
"Wake up," she urged him. "Zelgadis, open your eyes. It’s okay. You’re safe."
"It hurts…" he moaned. "It hurts like I’m dying. Lina… Don’t let me die alone."
"Zelgadis, please, wake up," she begged him.
His dark blue eyes opened slowly, but the cerulean depths burned with fever.
"Lina, will you do me a favor?" His voice was low and cracked.
"Of course, Zelgadis." She nodded in earnest.
"Will you…" he trailed off and looked away. She tightened her grip on his hand.
"Will I what?" She watched him pale, and then she turned his head so she could look into his eyes. "Zelgadis?"
"Never mind." He closed his eyes and shifted so he lay on his side to face away from her. "It’s not important."
"It is to me," she objected.
"Just… go back to sleep, Lina." He murmured.
"Zel…"
"I’ll tell you tomorrow."
"Zelgadis…"
"I promise."
"…very well…"
Unseen by the sorceress, the chimera reopened his eyes, which glittered with a deep remorse and guilt.
‘If I live that long…’ he thought darkly, then sighed and resumed slumber.
Once again Lina dreamed she was in the temple of the Heart of Darkness, face to face with the legendary entrapped sorcerer Zeruphim.
"I wasn’t sure if you’d return," he admitted guiltily. "I was afraid I had scared you away earlier."
"Me, Lina Inverse, scared of you?" She scoffed. "Not likely."
"I’m glad you came back anyway," he nodded weakly, causing a black marble bench to rise up behind Lina so that she might sit down. She glanced warily at the chair, but ignored her suspicions and took a seat anyway.
"Why do I always end up here?" She demanded of him. "Every time I go to sleep, I dream of this place, and of you."
"That is indeed my fault." Zeruphim hung his head in shame. "As you probably already know, I am a master of all astral magic. I set up this connection with you via your dreams because I wanted to speak with you a few times using my own form… even if it is an astral manifestation." A heartbeat thundered through the temple.
"Why do you shatter every time I touch you?" She asked a little more gently.
"My power has been severely weakened over the years." He sighed. "On top of that, I am dying. My heart beats, and the sword in it is killing me." He winced again, his words emphasized by the another pounding echo.
"… I’m sorry…" She whispered. "I’m sorry you’re dying and I’m sorry you spent so long guarding someone who didn’t love you as much as you loved her."
"Don’t worry about it." He smiled weakly, but a mere second later he was coughing. A trickle of blood ran over his lips, and he touched the crimson liquid in surprise. Lina noticed a similar carmine stain forming around the hilt o f the sword that was buried in his chest.
"How can I help you?" She stood up and stepped towards him. "I can’t just sit there and watch you die; it goes against everything I believe."
Zeruphim was quiet for a long time, interrupted only by another heartbeat.
"There is nothing I would have you do to save me." He said at last. "Anything I asked of you would be… I don’t believe I have the right to…" He took a deep, slow breath, and forced himself not to cough. "Lina, I can’t allow you to try and save me. That would swing open the door of the past, and you’d be tortured by ghosts and shadows of things that should never touch you. You’re too important to me to let that happen, not when I can prevent it."
"Damn it, I want to help you!" She screamed. "Look at me." He looked up and into her crimson eyes, while she stared into his stormy gaze.
"Lina…" he breathed sadly. "You’ve become everything I dreamed of, but you never even knew I was here, watching you. My soul isn’t in the castle, you know. I was looking for you in a human body…"
"I know." Her hand hovered inches from his face, and his hand mirrored the gesture. Another pulsation rocked the temple.
"If you touch me, I may lose control of this manifestation." He warned her.
"May?" She cocked her head to the left.
"I’m pouring all my energy into it this time." He whispered. "This will be your last dream of me. I won’t trouble you again with shadows of the past."
"Zeruphim…" She swallowed her fear. "Why do I feel like I’ve known you for a long time? We’ve only met in these three dreams, but I see someone I know in your eyes."
"No…" His eyes opened wider in fear, and he turned away… right into her waiting hand. Blue fissure marks spread slowly across his skin, weaving a delicate web of cerulean on white skin.
"I know your voice." She whispered, drawing closer. "And I’ve seen your eyes before, in the face of a friend…"
"I beg of you, Lina, forget me!" He cried softly, a single tear slipping down his face. "You won’t see me again after this. It would be better…"
Scarlet blood welled up from behind the cracks in his skin, and he hissed in pain as she wiped away the tear. A fifth beat shook the temple to the very foundation, but did not effect Lina’s equilibrium.
"I love you." He told her, touching her hands gently.
"How can you? You don’t know me—"
"I know you better than you know yourself."
"I don’t know you…" She saw that the sorrow in his eyes ran all the way to the very depths of his soul when she said that.
"I’m not asking for you to love me back." He breathed, blood running down his body in tiny rivulets. "I’m not asking for anything from you. I just wanted to tell you… before I leave."
"Who were you?" She wondered aloud. "I think if I met you now, we would be great friends."
"I know we would be great friends," Zeruphim smiled weakly. "It’s a shame that I won’t be able to tell you goodbye in person. I die tomorrow at midnight. Even if you knew where I was, who I was, you’d never be able to save me. Don’t worry about me, though. Promise me you’ll live a long and happy life, okay? I don’t want you to change because you met me. Don’t let this selfish goodbye of mine break you, okay, Lina?"
"Zeruphim, I—" She choked on her sentence and allowed tears to run down her face.
"There now, don’t cry," he whispered and stroked her hair, blood dimming the fiery locks.
"I’m sorry…" Her lips barely grazed his in apology.
"I forgive you…" He sealed the kiss, even as he finally broke under the first and last romantic gesture. The glass-like figure that had once been a powerful sorcerer collapsed beneath her lips ,and she fell to her knees in the pool of his blood.
"Zeruphim…" she whimpered, tears falling unchecked. "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… Why—?"
"Lina Inverse…" An eerie, disembodied voice hissed. "Lina Inverse!"
"Who’s there?" She looked up and around sharply, but she saw no one.
"A servant of the Lord of the Valley," the voice answered. "You know me as Kokoro no Yami."
"Great, the castle is talking to me…" She sweatdropped.
"Allow me to take a form more suited to conversing with you," the castle rasped. A minute later a young man emerged from the darkness. His skin was as black as pitch, but his eyes were a deep crimson much like the glass of the windows. He bowed politely to Lina, who nodded in response.
"So you’re… the castle?" She blinked. "L-sama, I must be going insane… First a fifteen hundred-year-old sorcerer and now his talking castle?"
"I am the manifestation of all things given life or form by Zeruphim, the Lord of the Valley." Kokoro explained. "Primarily, the castle sets a foundation for all creatures and things shaped by the sorcerer’s power."
"Okay…" Lina sighed. "What do you want?"
"Please…" Kokoro closed his scarlet eyes and nearly faded back into the shadows. "…Save Zeruphim… Save my master… You’re the only one who can."
When Lina didn’t reply, the "castle" continued.
"If… no, when my master dies, so too, will be destroyed everything that his power supported. Not just this castle, but the mountains, plants, and most of the animals will be destroyed. The Lord of the valley has all living creatures save the humans connected and dependent on him. On their behalf do I ask this of you, Lina Inverse."
"I never said I wasn’t going to do it." She replied. "Zeruphim may have asked me to forget about him, but I never forget about my friends. And, despite his protests and claims to the contrary, I have looked into his eyes, and seen a friend there."
"Thank you, Lina Inverse." Kokoro no Yami opened his brilliant carmine eyes and smiled, just slightly. "I knew I was right in coming to you for help."
"Just how do I save him?" she asked. The entity blinked.
"It’s very simple." He said. "Just remove the sword."
"That’s all?! Why didn’t he do it in the first place?"
"At first, he did not because Rynia had wanted him to stay at the pillar. But as time passed, he lost his physical strength. And, should he return to his castle while the sword is still in his heart, he will die at once." An statement of sorrow crossed Kokoro no Yami’s black face. "After that, you must reunite his soul with his body."
"How am I supposed to do that?!" She yelled in exasperation. "Zeruphim’s soul could be anywhere…"
"I do not know." The ‘castle’ shook his head. "I was under the assumption that you knew where my master was… you seemed to be very familiar with him."
"How long can his body survive without his soul?" Lina appeared thoughtful.
"Three hours." Kokoro watched Lina’s jaw drop and her eyes widen in horror.
"Three hours?!" She screamed. "You expect me to be able to reunite him with his body, providing I can find him, in three hours?!"
"Without the strong magic attached to the sword or my master’s soul, time will begin to effect his physical form once more, and his fifteen hundred years will catch up to him." The entity shook his head. "Please, Lady, you are capable of saving him, and everyone in this valley."
"I said I’d do it." She pounded her fist into her palm. "Come hell or high water, I’m going to save him."
"I can see why Master fell in love with you…" Kokoro no Yami bowed his black head and faded back into the shadows from which he was birthed, even as his last words echoed in her head.
She woke once more; a quick glance out the window told her night had fallen some time ago. Amelia, Gourry, and Xellos were nowhere to be seen, although Lina heard the distant sounds of revelry in the tavern below her. She assumed that her three companions were there, partaking of the entertainment. Zelgadis lay silently in bed, barely breathing, but apparently no longer suffering from fever or nightmares.
She smiled briefly at him, but sadness overtook her like a tidal wave.
"I’m refuse to let this happen," she whispered, taking his hand. "You are my partner in crime, you know? Sure, Gourry is always around, but he doesn’t make for the most intelligent conversations. You are my plotting partner. You help me fill the holes in my plans. You are my equal. Zelgadis, you are such a good friend! Who knows what the future could possibly hold for us? I refuse to use the past tense, though. You’re not gone yet, and L-sama help me, I’m going to save you. I don’t know how… but I will."
"Lina…" Zelgadis muttered fitfully in his sleep, so she leaned closer to hear what he said. "Deathbed confessions are supposed to be made by the dying, not the survivors."
"Zel?!" She sat straight up, as rigid as a post. "You were awake? You heard all that? I didn’t mean… Er…. I wouldn’t have…"
"You wouldn’t have said all that if you knew I was awake?" He smirked slightly, mirth covering pain in his eyes.
"No! I mean, yes! I mean…" Lina let out an exasperated sigh and dropped her head into her hands. "You were easier to talk to when you were unconscious."
"Should I be moved or hurt?" He inquired with traces of a roguish smile.
"Zelgadis Greywers…"
"Lina… You’re not going to let… what’s happening to me… change you, right?" He closed his eyes and sighed. "When I’m gone, you’ll forget me, and be bright-eyed, bouncy, high-spirited Lina, right?"
"Zel, what you’re doing is asking me to forget everything." She frowned.
"No, I’m just asking you to not change." He stated. "Don’t become depressed, and don’t lose your spirit. I’d hate to know that I destroyed Lina Inverse, even though the entire Mazoku race could not."
"You’re asking me not to care!" She nearly shouted. "And like it or not, Zel, I do. Your life matters to me."
"Tomorrow, when you, Gourry, Amelia, and Xellos go to Kokoro no Yami, you’ll be going without me." He told her firmly. "I won’t make it very long if I go with you, but if I stay here, I may just survive until you get back. Then you can tell me everything that happened, and in that way I can share in one last adventure with you."
"Don’t talk like that!" She snapped, but her cry was one of panic, not anger.
"Like what?" Very slowly he opened his deep azure eyes. "Like I’m dying? I am dying, you know. You must accept it."
"No…" she whimpered uncharacteristically.
"Lina, listen to me!" He sat up straight and grabbed her tightly by the shoulders. "You must accept this. Tomorrow I may die. Forget my request that you don’t change; forget my request that you don’t mourn. Please, just accept the fact that tomorrow I may not be able to see you again. This is very important. If you let something as simple as this break your spirit, my soul will never rest in peace. You… are important to me, Lina. You wouldn’t condemn me by failing to do this, right?"
"Damn it, Zelgadis, you’re important to me, too." She said softly. "I understand that you’re dying, and I can accept it, but I don’t want to. And I don’t want to leave you. I’m going to fight it. I want you to stay alive, Zel. I want you to try and stay alive as long as you can."
"And I want you to go and have an adventure for me." His shoulders slumped as he relaxed. "Just do me a favor and stay out of that temple that Xellos was talking about. There are ancient forces at work here. Let what happened remain in the past. I have a feeling that we’d rather not deal with what ever is happening in there."
"I’m not making any promises." Lina shook her head. "I intend to clean out every bit of treasure and uncover every mystery of Kokoro no Yami. However, if we haven’t made it to the temple by sunset, we won’t go in, okay?"
"That will have to do, I suppose." He sighed and laid back in bed. "And I’ll try to stay alive until you get back. Goodnight, Lina. I hope I’ll see you in the morning."
"I hope so, too." She murmured as she watched him fall asleep.
The door behind her opened quietly.
"Lina san?" Amelia called out softly. The sorceress turned to face the princess, her statement one of utter exhaustion.
"What is it?" She exhaled sharply.
"Well, do you remember how you told me to research the castle?" The princess timidly reminded her.
"Yeah?" The red-head stood and crossed the short distance to the door. Amelia stepped back and into the hall, motioning for the older girl to follow.
"I didn’t exactly find anything on the castle…" the dark haired girl winced. "However, I did come across a book about the town’s history."
"Well?" Lina waited impatiently for the smaller girl to continue.
"Do you remember that man, the sorcerer Xellos mentioned?"
"Zeruphim?"
"Yes, well, Lina, this Zeruphim is no mere man." Amelia’s dark blue eyes were bright with fear. "He’s a monster."
