Part VI: Can’t Fight It! An Irrevocable Destiny?!

 

            Filia stretched, cracking her back as she did so. She slowly eased out of bed, yawning. She rubbed her eyes and made her way to her window. She opened it and breathed in the fresh country air. She hummed a sweet little tune for the dandelions on her windowsill and then looked down. Little Emma was playing with Jillas as he swept the patio free of leaves. The both saw her and waved. She waved in return.

            “Good morning, Emma, Jillas!”

            “Good mornin’, Miss!”

            “Good morning, Miss Filia!”

            She giggled. “I’ll be right down to make breakfast, Jillas. Has Garbos opened up the store yet?”

            “No, ma’am. He’s still pickin’ and cleanin’ it up. He should be done by breakfast though,” Jillas shouted back up at her.

            “All right!” Filia shouted and then went back into the room. She went to the bathroom, took a brief shower, brushed out her hair and got dressed. She went to little Val’s cradle and saw him still asleep. She giggled. What a sleepy head. She picked him up carefully in her arms, so as not to wake him. Before she left her room she gave the flowers some water.

            She went from her room to the kitchen and put Val gently on the large comfy chair she had bought. She had put it in the kitchen so she could cook and read at the same time comfortably. Filia went to the large window and opened it. She hummed a small tune as she watered the lilies there and then proceeded to get to work cooking breakfast. By the time she was making the bacon, the smell of food had awakened little Val.

            Garbos and Jillas came in a little while afterwards. They had a good breakfast, Jillas telling her the news Emma had brought, Garbos giving her an update on the store. Filia helped little Val feed himself.

            Life was so peaceful and tranquil. Filia walked down the stairs to the store after breakfast. Garbos put up the ‘open’ sign and Jillas left to run the errands. Filia sighed. It seemed like Xellos and all the past terrors, annoyances and heartache seemed like a million years away…

            SWOOSH.

            Nausea suddenly rolled through Filia’s body and she quickly handed Val to Garbos as she made a break for the bathroom. All of her breakfast went heaving out of her body in one fell swoop that brought Filia to her knees.

            She moaned after she heaved up the last of her breakfast. She could taste the goose eggs and the bacon…and it was making her queasy all over again.

            “Why always and only in the mornings…?”

            Well, at least it wasn’t after every meal, she thought. It could be much worse. But shouldn’t it have stopped already? After all, it was already a little over three months…

            Filia shook her head despite the migraine slowly growing and stood up dizzily. At least her stomach was settling down again. Filia looked down at her belly and shook her head. Stupid stomach virus… “Well, time to get back to the store.”

            She wobbled unsteadily back to the main room. She heard the jingle of the chimes over the door as it opened. A customer? Or Jillas? When she entered, she looked around to see who it was. Filia froze in her spot.

            It was an older man with long blond hair, streaked with gray and white, held back in a low ponytail that hung down to his waist. His ears were human in appearance, but were slightly more pointed. He wore a familiar white robe. He seemed to sense her presence because he turned around then.

            Filia met deep amber gold eyes.

            His smile was gentle as he approached her. “You must be Filia, correct? The last Golden Dragon remaining of our brethren to the south? I heard about the tragedy there. It saddened all of us.” He placed a hand tenderly on her shoulder. “But at least you learned much and you helped stop Dark Star from destroying our world. Because of what you went through, many of us would argue who is the wisest. You are still young compared to many of us, but you are infinitely more experienced.” He sighed. “What a terrible thing for you to go through, my child.”

            Filia could only stare at him. “You are…?”

            He blinked for a moment and then gave a hoarse chuckle. “Oh, my! Listen to me, rambling on without introducing myself. You wouldn’t have a clue as to who I am, would you? Of course not! I am Celeboria, Elder of the Golden Dragons of the Kakatoe Mts. Very young in comparison to your High Priest, eh? But nevertheless, I still am the eldest in these lands that were once inside the Mazoku barrier.”

            Blink, blink. “Oh, heavens!” Filia bowed in a low curtsy despite the remnants of her queasiness.

            “Oh, please, child, do not bow! You have no reason. You are honored among the Golden Dragons of this land. Your heroic exploits with Lina Inverse and her companions are well known to us. One of our high priests, Milgusia aided them at one time, you know.” The older man smiled. “Ah, but his destiny has also unfolded. I hear his daughter is adorable and his wife breathtaking…” Celeboria shook his head. “But that is of another matter entirely, isn’t it, dear girl? We have other things to discuss.”

            Filia blinked. “We do?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, my lord, but I’m a bit confused. How did you find me? How do you know of my exploits in the Outer World and what happened with Dark Star? Do you know everything?”

            Celeboria nodded solemnly. “Yes, yes, I do.  As Elder of the Golden Dragons of the Kakatoe Mountains, where the Claire Bible resides, I’m bound to know everything. It truly saddened me what happened to our brethren to the south, but their deaths were not in vain. Tragic, but not in vain. You see, that marked the beginning of a new era for the Ryuzoku…as well as for the Mazoku.”

            “MAZOKU?!” Filia exclaimed.

            “Yes, yes, my dear. This is a new era for all races. A new time to begin. Prophecies are depicting a time of peace and balance, when the war between the Ryuzoku and the Mazoku will finally come to an end. No longer will pride corrupt either Mazoku, Ryuzoku or human. All will live in unity and in peace… Well, at least to a certain extent. It has already begun, you see. It began a few years ago with our own Milgusia, and now it continues with you. But you! You my dear are a pivot in peace!”

            Filia blinked. “I am?”

            He nodded. “Yes, yes. You and Xellos.”

            “WHAT?!”

            The old dragon was taken about by her outburst. He blinked as he saw her flushed face. “Why, yes. You and Xellos. He is not exactly well-liked by our kind, considering how many of us he killed during the War of the Monsters’ Fall, but your union with him is something to be rejoiced!”

            Tick. Tick. “‘Union’?” Filia said acidly.

            Celeboria didn’t seem to notice. “Yes, yes, dear one.” He smiled at her and put his hand on her belly. “The children are strong and mischievous. I daresay they’ll have plenty of both their father and mother.”

            Filia suddenly paled. “Children…?” she squeaked.

            The older dragon only chuckled. “Why, yes! Couldn’t you tell? The prophecies had been contradictory for the last few decades—some saying a boy child, others saying a girl child. It wasn’t until recently that we discovered it would be both! But even then, we’re not entirely sure. But that’s typical of prophecy.”

            She gripped onto a chair and gulped. Her eyes narrowed at the older dragon. Celeboria only whistled delightedly. “What prophecies are these?”

            He blinked for a moment at her and then made a sound of understanding. “Oh, that’s right! You’re not from the Kakatoe Mountains! We’ve heard so much about you, you’re practically one of our own, especially since all your family died in the Outer World. I forget you’re not originally one of us so you don’t know about these prophecies. In your half of the world, I’m sure your Elder would not have been too keen on these prophecies, so he probably ignored them and focused on others. And when the prophecy of Dark Star formed he probably put all his concentration into that. Well, we got the Dark Star prophecy as well, but we’ve had several others for decades before. About a child, sometimes male, sometimes female, that will be both of dark and light. Of Mazoku and Ryuzoku. This child will unify the races and peace shall spread. And the endless war between the races will finally come to an end.”

            Filia plopped down onto the chair she was gripping in shock. But Celeboria didn’t stop. “Those prophecies would come sporadically over the recent decades, but it wasn’t until after the Phibrizzo incident that they started coming in much more frequently. Like every other month. And after the incident with Dark Star was the first time we’d received a prophecy that said the chosen one of both dark and light would be two! Both male and female! It was an intriguing concept and we Golden Dragons of the Kakatoe Mountains have been waiting patiently for the time of peace to come. The peace between the two races has already begun, for we were told that the chosen ones to bear the children of peace would be you, heroine of the Dark Star campaign, who raises the baby Ancient Dragon out of the goodness of your heart, and the demon, Xellos. The prophecy says the one to choose the chosen ones will be a dragon of the ancient days. It was more than likely the little one that chose you both.”

            Filia just stared at Celeboria. “When Xellos and I first met, Val was Valgaav, trying to seek revenge for Lord Gaav’s death against Miss Lina, who didn’t kill Gaav to begin with. Phibrizzo did. How could he have chosen us to be the parents of the chosen ones, if he hated our guts at the time?”

            Celeboria shook his head. “He did not hate you or Xellos completely. Even you would note there was some slight affection going between the both of you. True it probably did not exist between Xellos and him, but at some level, I believe Valgaav did not truly hate Xellos. As a child, doesn’t he adore him?”

            Filia narrowed her eyes. “A little too much. But that child is partial to every Mazoku he’s met so far. Even Lord Beastmaster.”

            The older dragon nodded. “Ah, yes. Lord Beastmaster. Lovely woman, and very intelligent, I should say.”

            Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked at Celeboria. “You’ve met with Lord Beastmaster?” she asked incredulous.

            “Well, of course, dear! With who else are peace negotiations going to begin with? Shrabranigdo? Don’t be silly! Old stubborn Ruby-Eyes is still sleeping in his seal and even the Mazoku lords plan to keep it that way. Lord Beastmaster is intelligent and she, along with I, you, Xellos and perhaps your little Ancient Dragon, know the truth about the gods and the monsters. Unity begins with us. It began with Valgaav who brought you and Xellos together. It continues now with peace negotiations and gifts. And it will climax with your children, dearest Filia.”

            Filia could only stare at him, dumbfounded. “Why…? Why did you come here and tell me all this? Why have you ruined my peaceful little bubble of ignorance and happiness? I had almost forgotten about Xellos. I had almost convinced myself that I wasn’t pregnant. That it was an odd sporadic stomach virus that wouldn’t go away but was growing inside of me.”

            Celeboria wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t that a little disgusting, my dear?”

            “Yes, but at least it saved me the agony of realizing I was carrying Xellos’ child. And now I’m informed I’m not carrying one, but TWO! And they’ve been prophesized about for decades! I just wanted to live out my life normally. Run my antique and weapon shop with Jillas and Garbos, and raise little Val as my own. I didn’t want this torrid, torturous thing with Xellos!”

            The old dragon blinked. “But don’t you love him?”

            “THAT’S THE PROBLEM!!”

            Celeboria blinked. “What do you mean, dear?”

            Filia narrowed her eyes and leaned toward him. “Just because you think the entire idea is wonderful and it’s destiny and it’s been prophesized for a long time, doesn’t mean that it’s going to work! Xellos doesn’t know love. He could never feel it. The closest thing he comes to is a little bit of tenderness and lots of passion. That’s it! He doesn’t have it in him to love! He wouldn’t know it if it smacked of the face and blew his head open! Xellos can’t love!”

            Celeboria gave her a gentle smile. “But, dear one, if he has the ability to be tender and to give pleasure and have passion, then he does have the ability to love. It just has to be awakened in him.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “And you are the only one who can do that, I believe.”

            Filia shook her head. “I can’t do this. I won’t do this! I won’t put my heart and soul in danger over the possibility that Xellos may learn to love. It’s too risky. Impossibly risky. I’ve just put my life back together, Elder Celeboria. I’m not going to have it destroyed by Xellos’ chaos again.” She stood up and began to head for the stairs. Garbos handed Val to her. He was sleeping again.

            “But what about the children?”

            She turned around and gave the old Golden Dragon a smile. “When I have my babies, if I do, I’ll love them no matter what, of course. But Xellos never needs to know. I will never tell him.” Her eyes narrowed and she gave Celeboria a piercing look. “And neither will you or Beastmaster.” And with that Filia when up the stairs. She didn’t look back to see what the old dragon had done. She’d said her piece and she meant every word of it. Every last word.

            She would not drag Xellos to her by using her children. If he finds her, she wants him to be looking because he wants her, not his children.

 

*          *          *

 

            “What do you think?” Beastmaster asked as Celeboria reappeared.

            The old dragon shook his head and then shrugged. “She is just as stubborn as you said she was Lord Beastmaster. But she has already admitted, at least to herself, that she loves Xellos. It seems as if the Mazoku will have to do the rest in this case. There’s nothing more neither you nor I can do.”

            Beastmaster took a drawl from her cigarette. “I suppose so. Xellos is hardheaded though. It will take him much agony before he finally loses enough common sense to give love a try.” She smiled. “He deserves it.”

            “May I ask you just one question, Lord Beastmaster?” Celeboria said approaching her, his arms behind his back.

            She lifted an eyebrow and lifted a shoulder in a half shrug of nonchalance. “Of course, Elder. It matters not to me. What is it you would like to know?”

            Celeboria was quiet for a moment. Beastmaster met his fierce golden gaze. “Why did you decide to play matchmaker between these two?”

            Beastmaster laughed. “For the sheer amusement of it! Till now, Gaav and I had been the only Mazoku to ever fall under the prey of love, even if it wasn’t well known that we did love. Seeing Xellos falling into the same symptoms and going through the same denial I went through was too enjoyable not to expose and manipulate.” Her amuse-ment faded and she sighed. “Besides, I don’t know about you Ryuzoku, but I grow weary of the war. It is time it ended.”

            The Golden Dragon nodded. “I agree. Too many lives have been lost. It is time for the new era to arrive. Time for the war to end.”

            Beastmaster turned to him. “You do know that this will not change our natures.”

            Celeboria nodded. “Of course, of course. We are not asking the Mazoku to reform or to change, only to live in peace. No more great wars, like the War of the Monsters’ Fall. There must be a balance in the world. Mazoku and Ryuzoku help to create that balance, just like humans too, are a part of it. The only restrictions being placed in our agreement is no ‘really’ trying to destroy the world on the Mazoku nation’s part and no ‘really’ trying to save the world by the Ryuzoku. We’ll just do as we’ve always been meant to do. Just live.”

            The dark lord nodded. “Good. At least we are in agreement and understanding.”

            Celeboria smiled. Just then a group of Golden Dragon priests came in calling for Celeboria. Beastmaster watched without much interest as he was called off to the side to discuss something. She took another drawl from her cigarette as she waited.

            After a few moments, the other Golden Dragon priests scurried off with a nod from Celeboria. He turned back to her with a large grin on his face. A delicate eyebrow shot up.

            “What are you grinning about, you old coot?”

            He chuckled. “We were just going over the mechanics of the gift we’re presenting you. As a token of good will and a truce between our races.”

            Beastmaster straightened. “A gift? For me?”

            Celeboria nodded. She was stupefied for a moment. She then shook her head. “Forgive me, but I didn’t think… I should have thought of that myself. I will also have to give you a gift in honor of our truce.”

            He chuckled. “It’s not necessary, but I’m sure many of the other Golden Dragons would feel more at ease if you did.”

            She gave him a hooded look and a small smile. “Are you going to tell me what my gift is, or aren’t you?”

            Celeboria shook his head. “No, no, my dear. It is a surprise. You must be patient. We could give it to you now, but it would be incomplete and hardly satisfactory. Once it is whole we’ll present it to you.”

            Beastmaster sighed, leaning back. “I suppose I have no choice but to wait then.”

            Celeboria nodded, the smile still on his face. But after a few moments of silence the smile slowly faded and he turned to her once more.

            “Do you really think they’ll absolve their differences and consolidate?”

            Beastmaster smirked. “They may both be stubborn, but neither are total fools. Besides it’s their destiny. It is unchangeable and irrevocable. I just hope, for the sake of their children, that they clear the air between them.”

 

*          *          *

 

            Xellos felt he was about to go mad. It was almost six months since Filia vanished.

            He had run into Lina and Gourry the other day, and Lina had cursed at him and then fireballed him, saying it was long overdue. But afterwards, when he’d asked them about Filia, they hadn’t had a clue as to where she was. The last time they had seen her had been months ago in the same town.

            Then Lina had asked the dreaded question.

            Why?

            Why was he looking for Filia? Why was he even bothering?

            He hadn’t been able to stay in their presence a moment longer. The question weighed down on him like an anvil to his skull.

            Since his run-in with Lina and Gourry, he’d been floating almost aimlessly. A despair, unlike any he had ever known was creeping into his soul. He thrived on making others suffer, on bringing pain and misery, but preferably mischief, and now he was wallowing in a despair and self-pity so deep he had no idea how to swim out. And he was constantly berating himself over it. He shouldn’t be feeling this way. He was Xellos! Mysterious Priest! Dragon-killer Mazoku Wolf Trickster! He shouldn’t be like this over a woman… Let alone a Ryuzoku!

            But remembering the feel of her in his arms, her sweet responses, her eagerness, her enthusiasm, the feel of her nails and fangs on his skin… Xellos shivered. He yearned for all of that and more.

            He wanted to hold her again. To kiss her breathless. To have her cook for him. To torment and tease her. To see her get all fired up and then kiss her anger away. He wanted her to swing her mace at him and give him that lovely view of her thigh. Damn, he even wanted to see Garbos and Jillas so he could at least torment them. And he wanted to see little Val, so he could hold the giggling child in his arms again.

            He never wanted anything more.

            Again the memory of Lord Beastmaster’s words came back to haunt him. Did he love Filia? He’d been denying it everyday, and for some reason had grown more dejected and weakened. His magic was becoming weaker, his strength flimsier. He always assumed it was love itself that would weaken someone, not the denying of it. Seemed like the mere thought of love was weakening.

            “Or is it because I’m denying it?”

            A smiled twisted on Xellos’ lips. What a nice trap! Becoming weak by admitting you love, or become even weaker by denying it! What a bargain!

            Xellos stood up slowly and sighed in defeat. What else was left? He only wanted one thing. That was to see Filia again and to be with her and Val all the time. He knew what he had to do. It wasn’t like there was a puzzle to solve. But he’d avoided doing it for these last few months, only to see if there was another way. And all he did was drag out his agony. All he had to do was say he loved her. Or at least admit it to himself.

            He dusted off his clothes.

            Why did this seem so predestined?

            He wasn’t fond of it, but Fate did have its quirks and its uses. He’d twisted them to his own advantage many times. Now it seemed that even that was beyond his control. But then again, control had been slowly slipping away from him since the moment he kissed Filia.

            Heh. It was her kiss after all that would make him keel over and die.

            And there was no better way to go.

            It seemed like he was going to end up playing into Lord Beastmaster’s hand after all. Ever since the last confrontation with her months ago, she hadn’t bothered him. She’d left him to his own devices and his own self-inflicted torture. She knew there was only one door. She’d presented it to him and told him no matter how much he hated it, in order to get what he wanted he’d have to go through it.

            A Mazoku in love, eh?

            That wasn’t ironic. That was oxymoronic.

            Xellos thought back briefly to what Beastmaster had said about Mazoku and love and what made up love. He supposed he did have all those desires and feelings for Filia. He wanted to take care of her, wanted to protect her and wanted to have his way with her whenever he wanted. A Mazoku in love. This could change everything about the world.

            He remembered that Lord Beastmaster had taunted him with the thought of children. He doubted he could ever have any with Filia, their clashing natures would probably destroy any chance at fertility. But just the thought of what a child of their mating would be, brought an evil grin to his face.

            He or she could conquer the heavens and the underworld. With the powers of a Ryuzoku and a Mazoku, of both light and dark, practically a Dark Star all of its own.

            Xellos’ grin widened.

            All right. Maybe there was more to his feelings for Filia. He couldn’t put a name on it, because only one name seemed to fit. He didn’t want to use it, because it’ll probably make him weak, and probably cut his demon powers by half.

            But it was either all of his power and never being able to touch Filia’s alabaster skin again and hear her scream his name…

            Or only half of his power and an eternity of ecstasy.

            Xellos smiled to himself. If he had thought this through months ago, he’d probably be in bed with Filia by now.

            Maybe he just had to go crazy before he could figure this all out.

            He sighed and smiled at nothing and no one in particular.

            “What more can I say? It was probably destiny anyway. I guess I do love her after all,” he whispered into air.

            A brilliant light suddenly blinded him.