At the far end of the room one of the great pair of doors swung slowly open, hitting the wall with an ominous boom. A figure draped in black said, in a credible Lurch impersonation, "You rang." Zelas didn't move.

Seeing that the boss was Not Impressed, Xellos threw back his hood and strode the length of the hall, stopping just in front of the dais that Zelas's chair occupied. He made a sweeping bow, causing his cloak to flare out in a most dramatic way, and smiled that famous evil smile. "Greetings o great and glorious Beast Master. Your humble servant has answered you-"

"Stow it Xellos, I'm not in the mood." Said the Beast Master, still not looking at him.

Xellos opened his eyes in surprise, straightened up, and took a good look at Zelas. "And what could possibly be bothering the great Zelas Metallium?" he asked.

"Your demeanor for one." Said Zelas. "Why are you sucking up to me? What have you done now?" Xellos looked offended and was about to challenge the accusation but Zelas cut him off with a wave of her hand. "Its not important. What is important is what's been turned up in the translation of that book of prophecies I've had going."

"The prophecies of the First Priestess of Shabranigdo?"

"No, the prophecies of Sneezy the Dwarf." Said Zelas. Warning bells were going off in Xellos's head. Zelas was Not Happy.

"What's turned up?" Xellos asked, getting down to business.

Zelas studied his face for a moment, then stood, collected her butterfly net, and headed off towards a side door. "Follow me, I'll show you." The, um, thing that had been squished under Zelas's boot made a quick getaway. Zelas didn't even notice.

Xellos followed her, noting the effect her carefully constructed and now forgotten outfit had on her figure. He decided to give it one more try. "Might I mention that outfit suits you beautifully." He said.

Zelas dumped the butterfly net over him. "Later." She said.

________

In what Zelas called her Study, which was dimensional pocket away from the rest of her lair with a mahogany desk on an ornameltal rug in it, Zelas and Xellos were studying several sheets of paper spread out on the desk. Zelas had a few more pieces in her hand, and as they finished reading the ones on the desk she laid the others out. Competing with the drift of papers were several folders, a rabbit skull inkwell with an Ancient Dragon's feather as a quill, several small ornamental skeletons that had been set in various postures and then gilded, and a bird cage perched on the back of the desk. Its current occupant was a raven; Xellos wondered vaguely how long it would last. The clawed-hand-holding-a-skull sculpture and the mandrake bonsai had already been relegated to the floor.

"Here." Said Zelas, pointing. Xellos read the paragraph she indicated, and then scanned another page she shoved in his face.

"Some sort of 'Hero of Good'." He said. Zelas nodded.

"An almighty fighting machine who's definitely against us in a big way." She said.

"Haven't we had a few of those before?" asked Xellos.

Zelas shook her head. "Not like this. You're familiar with the Inverse sisters. Imagine someone with Luna's power and Lina's destructive capabilities."

Xellos swallowed, hard. Zelas nodded.

"But when's this Avatar of Good supposed to appear. We have time don't we?"

Zelas smirked, but there was no humour in it. "They're already here. You've been out of the loop, I've had various minions searching for some hint of this person, and we've found her."

"Her?" said Xellos, sagging. For some reason he always had trouble dealing with women. Guys were easy, you just got down to business and fought, but girls always managed to make things more complicated.

"And she'd not technically an Avatar of Good." Said Zelas. "I doesn't say anywhere that she'd aligned with light, just that she'll spell doom for the Mazuko."

"Wonderful. So what do we do? Bump her off?" asked Xellos.

"Tempting but no." Zelas replied. "You see, she's still rather young and has not realised her potential. And I know its dangerous, but maybe she could be turned to our advantage. The future is never written in stone."

Xellos personally thought that leaving this girl alive was dangerous, but he wasn't going to argue with the Beast Master. At least she seemed in a better mood now.

"What we need is someone to follow her, watch her, and report back for now. That way with someone always with her we can bump her off easily enough if it becomes necessary." Said Zelas.

Xellos sighed. "And you want me to do it." He said.

Xellos peered at her as though wondering whether it was time to check her into the funny farm. "Zhara and Urlich? How could I forget."

Zelas nodded. "If they could somehow be forced to work for us, they'd be perfect. Powerful, part Mazuko, but not such a large astral presence." She looked at Xellos, wondering what he thought of the idea.

Xellos shook his head vehemently. "No good. They always sided with their mother. They hate me, they wouldn't help."

"Hmm. Do you have any other kids?" Zelas asked him idly.

"No." said Xellos quickly. Too quickly.

"Xellos, is there something you're not telling me?" Zelas asked, looming over him and showing a pair of fangs.

'There's a lot I'm not telling you.' Xellos wanted to say, but he knew that'd just get him into more trouble than he already was. "Well…" he said.

"Mmm?" Said Zelas, looking even more menacing.

"…I might have one… but I don't think using that one would be a wise idea." he said, all in one breath. Never mind that if his younger son decided to take a dislike to the Mazuko Xellos reckoned they wouldn't have to worry about this girl after all. He'd do her job for her.

"Good." Zelas said, backing off. "Send a couple of minor Mazuko to fetch him/her/it."

"Him." Said Xellos dully. He gave the order then turned back to her. "What about you Zelas?"

"Hmm, what about me?" she asked, looking much happier now that she'd made a decision.

"Don't you have any children?" Xellos asked.

"Xellos, I have an entire lair full of Mazuko to worry about. Why on earth would I want kids!"

__________

Some time later, Zelas had resumed her seat in her trophy hall, though she was now dressed in a flowing dress of burgundy trimmed with black. This was serious, and Xellos had assured her that the safari outfit would not impress his son in the least. Pity, she thought, so far Xellos's offspring had proven to be extremely good looking.

Xellos perched on the edge of the dais at Zelas's feet. It was a show of power on Zelas's part, and for once Xellos agreed without argument. He figured she'd need all the help she could get. Not that he was afraid of his youngest son, it was just that he tended to be unpredictable, immovable once he'd made up his mind, and liable to lower real-estate value in a big way if he took a disliking to things. He also had no real reason to agree to work for Zelas, and had not inherited his father's sense of humour.

Once again the doors at the far end swung open, though with more ominacity this time. There stood a figure cloaked in shadows, taller than Xellos, probably as tall as Gourry, or so Xellos thought. Admittedly he hadn't seen his son since he was quite young. He'd changed since then, matured, it would seem. Well, he'd had a few thousand years to do it in.

The figure strode the length of the hall, long legs making small matter of what was normally a daunting distance. At first he appeared to be wearing a cloak and cowl, but as he drew nearer, it turned out to be his hair, black as midnight and falling to below his knees, and underneath it a light cape. The cape was black, as were his leggings and tunic, thought the edges were done in silver. His knee length boots were also black, done up with silver buttons. He came to a halt at the foot of the dais, glanced at Xellos, then looked up to meet the Beast Master's gaze. His face was ghostly white, and his eyes a surprisingly pale grey, almost silvery. He looked to be one of the strong silent types, one of the ones that speaks softly, but carries a bit stick. The four foot broadsword strapped across his back emphasised this impression.

He nodded the Zelas, then brought his arm out from under his cape, two severed heads hanging from it, their bloodied hair caught in his long slender fingers. Surprisingly his sleeves were short, leaving his forearms free. These were slim and muscular, but also looked like they'd never seen the sun. He opened his fingers and dropped the two heads onto the floor. Xellos glanced at them. They were the two messengers he'd sent. Presumably his son had not wished to come, and they had attempted to force him. Not a good idea, as they had obviously discovered.

"I do not take well to my servants being butchered." said Zelas, in a voice that should have frozen the man's blood in his veins.

"Then next time don't send such ill mannered lackeys." He said, his voice a smooth, rich baritone, the sort that was good for singing blues and love songs, though you got the impression that this guy never sang.

Zelas regarded him thoughtfully. He was obviously quite skilled to have killed her messengers so easily, and he was strong, good looking, and that voice, perfect to turn a young girl's head. Yes he'd do.

"I have a proposition for you,…" she suddenly realised that Xellos hadn't told her the man's name, and he himself hadn't said it. She hadn't introduced herself either, but then she didn't usually need to.

"Shadowfane." Said the man.

"A portentous name." Said Zelas. Not many people would call themselves Son of the Shadows.

"My mother thought it appropriate." He said.

'My, Xellos has a way with women.' Thought Zelas. "Well, Shadowfane, as I said I have a proposition for you. I believe you practice black magic, yes?"

Shadowfane nodded.

Zelas nodded to herself. "I have several long forgotten spells that I'm willing to give you in payment for a task I want done, which I think you will be perfect for."

"Indeed?" Shadowfane raised one perfect black eyebrow, but otherwise did not move.

She'd been right, Xellos's kids were good looking, but there was something strange about this one. He hadn't inherited his father's sense of humour, but maybe he had his father's tendency to go off the rails a bit. Well, they'd see what happened.

"Yes. There is a young girl, a budding mage and fighter that we have an interest in. I want you to follow her, travel with her if you must, and report back to us on what she does." Said Zelas.

"Why me?" asked Shadowfane. "Why not one of your minions." He spoke the last word with contempt, the first emotion she'd seen from him, and poked one of the bloodied heads with his toe.

"She has the potential to be quiet powerful," Said Zelas, "a simple minion would not do. She is also a Shamanist, so I can't send a Mazuko incase she decides to get rid of him."

Shadowfane smirked. He liked the idea of Ra Tilting a few Mazuko out of existence. Not that he had anything specific against the Mazuko, but he didn't exactly favour them either, and one thing he had inherited from his father was a sadistic streak a mile wide. "These spells." He said. "Powerful?"

"Very." Said Zelas. "Some rival the Dragon Slave."

Shadowfane nodded. "Very well then." He said.

Zelas smiled and handed him a scroll. "There is the start of your payment. The girl's name is Kiori Northwind, and she's in Sailune."

Shadowfane took the scroll, bowed deeply, cloak flaring and hair flying in an unearthly wind, then disappeared.

"Hmph. And you wonder why I don't have kids." Said Zelas. She looked down at the two heads on the floor. "What am I supposed to do with those?" she asked.

"I believe Shadowfane's suggestion would be to mount them alongside the rest of your trophies." Said Xellos.

"That's one strange boy you've got Xellos." Said Zelas.

"I did try to warn you." He said.

_________________