Chapter 2:
					Xellos!							Finally, some answers of the mysterious priest!
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	It was again a quiet night. A raven looked upon the night 
with hateful eyes. It saw Xellos soar across the sky. It eyed him until 
he was out of sight. Xellos was again on his way to see the person whom 
he bowed to. He down on his knee and awaited the voice. "What do 
you want?" a demanding voice asked. "Just checking in... Still no 
sign of that girl. How much longer do I have to be around Lina? Until 
we find that girl?" "Yes. I want that girl. Her power is too much just 
to have hanging around. I want her and want to know why she's so 
powerful. More than likely she'll appear again near Lina, so keep 
your eyes peeled! That is all."
	*				*				*

	He floated onto the roof. "I don't know what I should do... 
Follow her... or...  rebel? It seems like she set it up for 
Dolphin to be there to kill me... but why? I'm her best warrior... 
If I do rebel, she'll surely catch me and destroy me... I can't 
rebel... but she's planning to kill me anyway... I wish I could be... 
free. Just like Lina-san. Ah, to rebel is to be free... However, 
to rebel is to die...  There's nothing to do... I'll just have 
to stay with that damn Beastmaster! Oh well... I've been with her 
ever since I was 4,000 years old. No real problems developed until 
now. However... freedom." He suddenly shuddered as he remembered a 
monster he knew well that rebelled against the Beastmaster.
	(Author's Note: Just to let you know, this is his flash back 
for the next few paragraphs.) Dominious was a young Mazuko, in his 
young 19,000s. Black hair, blue-crystal- like eyes, about 5'6, Xellos' 
only friend when he was around 20,000 years old. Rather quiet 
and peaceful. Never really wanting anything for himself. Never 
wanted to hurt anyone... That was his first mistake. "Dominious... 
you've been looking unusually grim and pale. What's the matter?" Xellos 
asked. The boy looked at him with eyes that almost seemed to bleed 
with pain. "Xellos... You're the only friend I've ever had. Out of the 
19,142 years I've been alive, I never could have thought that... 
friends existed. But now, I know... they do, because, you're mine. When 
I came here as a 5,000 year old mazuko, I was scared out of my mind 
because the Beastmaster wrenched me away from my parents then killed 
them."
	"However, you were always there. Ever since that first day 
I was here, you were there. You taught me what to do, and how to do 
it. My friend... Am I yours?" "Yes, Doiminious. Of course you're 
my friend." "Then as my friend, please, do not speak of what I do, 
please! My life depends on it. Do you sware upon your very life... 
your Mother's fate... That you'll keep this silent?" Xellos cringed 
when he spoke of his Mother. Silently he nodded. "Okay. I plan to get 
away from the Beastmaster and be free. Be as free as a human, a dragon, 
or what you may have... I'll be free. You may join me, if you please. 
However, if I'm caught or she finds out I'm going to rebel... I don't 
know what'll happen, but I do know the results will be fatal."
	"No. I won't go with you, Dominious. But, I do wish you the very 
best of luck and happiness. My loyalty lies too deep within the 
Beastmaster. I won't speak of your rebellion. You're my friend. 
Besides, if I were to go, I'd either slow you down, or if I were caught, 
you'd be caught as well, and I can't put you in that type of danger. 
I won't ask you of your reasons. I'm sure have good reasons of such. 
Believe it or not, but Im pleased that you're are following what 
you want to do." Xellos smiled at Dominious and he smiled with him.
	Later that night Dominious left he Xellos didn't hear 
anything of him for over a week and he figured that Dominious made 
it. Another week flew by and one night the Beastmaster stormed in and 
she had Dominious. "You ungrateful son of a bitch!" she screamed, 
violently throwing Dominious at Xellos. Xellos caught him, he was 
bleeding dangerously and he was unconscience.
	Dominious..." Xellos wispered. "OMARE!!! You didn't tell 
me that that little shit left and wasn't going to come back! Xellos! 
I'm deeply dissappointed in you! Let me see that little omare 
and I'll finish him off!!!" "No. He is my friend," Xellos said 
monotoniously. "FRIEND?!!! I didn't bring you here to have friends! 
Now you give me that little shit so I can kill him, for brianwashing 
you with those stupid ideas of friends!" Xellos put Dominious behind 
him. "No. I won't let you." "N-N-NANI?!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY 
TO ME?!! Just for that I think I'll do away with YOU for that!!!" she 
screamed as she charged up and shot a beam that went into Xellos. It 
went into his mouth and struck his heart. Xellos screamed in 
infuriating pain. He grabbed at his chest trying to make the pain 
wither but it didn't. Dominious awoke and saw that Xellos was being 
tortured for HIS wrong-doing.
	"NO! NO! NO, STOP ZELAS! STOP IT NOW!!!" he screamed with 
all his might. Immediatly she stopped and turned and started striking 
Dominious. He screamed and withered at the sheer pain of it. Suddenly, 
Dominious stiffened up and everything stood still in that moment. 
Xellos looked at Dominious. He saw a small tear roll down his cheek, 
then his body fell completly limp. The Beastmaster turned and began 
walking away, but she hesitated a moment then said, "I'll let 
you live Xellos because that brat was stupid. The little omare was 
stupid enough to rebel against me and turn you into a fool who believes 
in friends. I sware Xellos, if you try his same actions, the pain 
will be a hell of lot more imense then that little kitten's scratch 
you just felt."
	(Author's Note: Back with the present...) Xellos shook off 
the chill. "No, I can't rebel. Not as long as I hold the black heart 
of a mazuko." That was the first time he ever witnessed any 
mazuko cry and he swore that he would never witness that same thing 
ever again. He watched the dawn thinking debating what he should do. The 
sun was up now and it was nearly noon by the time he came to the 
conclusion, "I'll have to stay. Freedom isn't an option... ever..." 
He heard Lina and the others leave the inn. He just teleported right 
behind them and walked quietly seven feet behind. Amelia looked 
behind her and saw Xellos. She grabbed Lina's shirt and wispered, 
"Lina-san... There's something wrong with Xellos-san."
	Lina looked behind and saw him walking slumped over. His face 
seemed shadowed and he didn't look like he normally did. It was a 
chilling sight. "Xellos... What's the matter?" He shrugged and 
said very monotoniously, "Don't bother yourself with it, Lina-san. 
Pay me no mind." Lina blinked a couple of times. He quickly looked 
up and shot her a cold glare that sent chills spiraling up 
Lina's back. Lina quickly turned around and resumed walking with the others.
	It was now obvious that both parties were in search for the 
mysterious blonde girl and Mystrivious. Night fell and the party set 
up their tents. Lina built a fire and they had dinner. After everyone 
left off to bed, Xellos ligered around the fire restlessly. Lina 
came out of her tent yawning. She looked over at Xellos and she 
noticed something clear and crystal-like fall from his face. "Xellos... 
you're not... crying, are you?" He quickly turned his head so she 
wouldn't see his tears. She walked up to him and said, "You- you 
really were crying weren't you?... Why?" He shook his and told her, 
"It's none of your buisness, even if I was. It's nothing..." 
"You wouldn't be so upset if it were nothing, Xellos. Here let me treat 
you to some cookies and we'll talk this out, okay?"
	She walked into her tent and seconds later she emerged out with 
large chocolate chip cookies. She sat down next to him and handed him a 
cookie. "A-arigatou..." he mutttered. "Now, tell me what's up, Xellos. 
Don't you dare tell me there's not because I know there is. You're 
always happy, even when I hurt you, but this is the gloomiest I have 
ever seen you. Come on, out of the seven years I've known you, I've 
only known you as happy, scared, or overly pissed, but never sad or 
upset. Come on. you can tell me."  Xellos slouched over a bit and 
started, "Lina-san. Are you my friend? Or am I just a pest? Because 
I know you're my friend." "Of course you're my friend, Xellos. Yes, from 
time to time you do annoy the hell out of me and sometimes you come 
in the room at the wrong time, but that doesn't mean I hate you or 
anything. Yes, you're my friend."
	"Then as my friend, do me a favor. Please, don't tell anyone 
about what I'm saying. Not your travel companions, not your husband and 
certainly NOT another mazuko." "Okay. I promise." "Arigatou, Lina-san. 
 There is only one thing I could ever wish for. Ever. Out of the 
24,528 years of living, only one thing I wish for. Freedom. I am a 
prisinor to what is called the Beastmaster. She has complete and 
utter control of mazuko. She can make us do whatever she sees fit. 
If someone tries to go against her will and rebel, she can destroy them 
within the blink of an eye... that is if she chooses to. Otherwise she 
may just hit you with death and let you linger in pain until you do pass. 
As long as I possess the heart of a mazuko, I shall forever be under 
her command. She took me away from my mother when I was only about 
4,000 years of age. She killed my mother... she killed her..." Xellos 
looked down and his face became shadowed. Again crystal-like 
tears fell from his face. "Xellos... I- I- I never thought that 
you... Oh, Xellos. Don't cry." 
	"You don't know how lucky you are... Lina-san. You're as free 
as a bird may fly. This is rather insulting to my race but, I envy you 
humans. You get to frolic happiliy and freely, yet you don't even have 
your own powers except for very selective sorcerers and sorceresses.
" He wiped his tears away. "Gomenusai." "It must be fustrating." "It 
is." "Well, finally there's some light on Mr. Mysterious Priest's 
past. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. What you have told me, he 
he... Sore wa... hitsumitsu desu!" "I'm a good teacher..." 
Xellos wispered smiling slightly. Lina smiled and looked at the 
untouched cookies. "Cookie?"

To My Best Friend and Brother:
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				Aqua Tenshi
					by

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				Weir Tenshi