CHAPTER FOUR: DEEP SEA

Shilfiell had awoken to the sound of birds chirping the next day. She opened her eyes and found herself in a cave. She sat up and gazed around, thinking where Xelloss is. "Xelloss?" she asked.

Then, she stopped when she saw him, asleep next to her, breathing lightly.

She stared at his face… "He looks nice when he’s asleep…but when he’s awake…" she stopped her thoughts when he stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up and closed them again in his everlasting smile. "So you’re awake…Guess you were tired yesterday that’s why you only woke up this morning and didn’t even bother to eat your dinner." He told her. Shilfiell remembered what happened the other day and she looked away. "Xel-kun, don’t ever do that again… you really scared me to death." She told him solemnly.

Xelloss opened his eyes. "I…" he began, not knowing what to say.

Shilfiell raised a hand to him. "Don’t promise anything if you’ll just do it all over again. The most painful thing I know that can happen to promises is when they are broken and shattered into pieces, because you counted on that person and had faith in him and then he’ll repay you with broken promises…" she explained. "Yet, promises are made to be broken too, ne, Shilfiell-chan?" Xelloss continued. Shilfiell stood up. "That’s what it’s about… it can kill you." She told him in gritted teeth. Xel stared at her and looked away. "I’m sorry…" he answered shyly.

Shilfiell frowned. "Let’s go." She said. Xelloss didn’t say another word and just followed her out of the cave and to the road ahead of them, leading to another main road by the countryside.

* * *

As they were walking down that big path, they came to the end where one road leads to 2 directions. "Which way?" he asked.

Shilfiell brought out her scepter and made it stand up on the ground. She sat down before it and raised her hands over it. She closed her eyes and began to chant some ancient words.

Xelloss listened to her voice as she cast the spell, sweet and low. He found it soothing and made him smile.

Then she opened her eyes and the scepter fell to the right. She got it and stood up again. "To the right." She declared. And they began walking again going to the path to the right.

Xelloss couldn’t stand the silence anymore so he spoke up, "Hey, are you hungry? It’s still 10 km to the nearest town. I can teleport ourselves there." He told her.

Shilfiell ignored him.

Xelloss frowned. "I think it’s just disrespectful to ignore the one talking to you." He said. "And I think that it’s fair that you ignore him if he ignored your feelings when you were afraid and crying in vain." Shilfiell shot back.

Xelloss fell silent. He felt so sheepish in front of her. "Filia wasn’t like that… if she was, how come I never cared? And Lina-chan? If she became mad because of me deceiving her and her friends, how come I didn’t mind it at all?! Why is Shilfiell getting into my nerves? Why is she haunting my dreams?!" he thought nervously. Then, Shilfiell uttered a curse under her breath. She thought that Xelloss didn’t hear it but he did. "Dammit! Now she’s pissed…" he told himself. He opened his eyes. "No, Xelloss, don’t let her win over you. She’s just a human… a human girl and you’re a demon… kill her.. kill her… kill her now!!!…" His eyes grew wide. "No! I can’t do it! If I do it, Xelas will shave me bald and skin me alive! She might even feed me to Dolphin’s sharks!" he thought, feeling very afraid all of a sudden. He was looking nervous and when Shilfiell glanced at him from the corner of her eye, she noticed that he was so restless and acting strangely beyond weird. Then, Xelloss tripped and fell face-first, but before Shilfiell could look at him completely, he got up and pretended to be okay. He flashed her his smile and said, "Hi, Shilfiell! Good day!" he was grinning like a silly kid.

Shilfiell ignored him and rolled her eyes.

Then, they felt a strong presence within the same area. They stopped walking at once. Shilfiell took a step back. "What the hell…" Xelloss said. He looked around and opend his eyes. "Who’s there…" Shilfiell whispered. Xelloss began to recognize the intensity of the energy level. "Dolphin-sama…" he muttered. He looked behind him and there was the Deep Sea standing there, smiling at him.

Shilfiell turned around and saw him too. "Who…" she said in surprise.

"I see, Xelloss, you’re travelling… leaving Xelas behind…" Dolphin told him.

"I don’t care if you lay a finger on my master but don’t torture her again." Xelloss said.

"But the problem is, she killed my favorite shark! I’ve taken care of that shark since it was a baby when its mom died! I’ll get my revenge by killing you, Xelloss!!!" Dolphin said angrily.

Xelloss and Shilfiell felt like dying. "Just because she killed your favorite shark?!" they asked in unison.

Dolphin smiled. "Lame reason but I must…" he gathered a flareball in his hands.

Xelloss pushed Shilfiell aside. "Let me handle this…" he told Shilfiell. "You’re not gonna let me help you!?" she asked. "He’s pretty strong. I don’t want you to get hurt." He answered with concern on his face.

Xelloss raised his staff and attacked Dolphin. When they collided, there was a big explosion. Shilfiell covered her face. When it was over, she saw that the ground had a big hole. Her eyes grew wide in terror. "Xelloss!!!" she screamed.

She ran to the hole and saw Xelloss lying on his stomach in the center of the hole. She wanted to go down there but then she remembered the enemy. She looked up. "Where’s Dolphin?" she asked. Then, he appeared behind her. She turned around to face him. "you…" she began.

"Well, young lady, what can you do?" he asked. Shilfiell frowned and tried to calm down.

"Xelloss is 1,012 years old but he hasn’t learned anything in that lifespan. He’s nothing but a stupid mazoku, still innocent of several things. Xelas did a very good job raising him to be a spoiled brat unable to take care of himself. Very irresponsible…" he told Shilfiell. Shilfiell was surprised. "1,012?!" she asked, surprised. Dolphin smiled at her. "Now, are you to interfere?" he asked.

Shilfiell pushed him aside and she ran to a place a bit far from the hole. Dolphin followed her with his gaze. Shilfiell got her scepter and it glowed, while she prayed, "Water Dragon Queen… help me…" she said softly.

"So, you’re a priestess of Aqua? She’s not my enemy but I still know her…" Dolphin told her. "I don’t care!" she cried. Dolphin grinned. "Don’t you know that I am a leader of darkness? Aren’t you afraid of me?" he asked, trying to scare her out of this. "I don’t care if you are Shabranigudo or Dark Star or whoever powerful demon, but one thing I’m sure of is that I cannot turn back and let my fear overcome me!" she said. He laughed at Shilfiell. "Sorry, young lady, I cannot fight you at this moment. Aren’t you the weakling who traveled with Lina Inverse?" he said mockingly. Shilfiell felt so insulted. She bit her lip.

From below, Xelloss heard everything. He wanted to go up there and strangle Dolphin for calling Shilfiell by such an ugly name and kill him and offer him to his master, but he couldn’t get up. Soon, he lost consciousness.

Dolphin teleported. "Till then!" he echoed.

Shilfiell ignored his exit. Shilfiell remembered Xelloss and she ran to the hole again. She flew down and went to Xelloss, unconscious and not moving.

"Xelloss…" she began. She let him face her and saw that he was badly wounded. She slumped him on her back, not minding how heavy he was and she levitated to safe ground above. She put him down carefully and she felt a bit of panic when she saw blood leaking out of his mouth. She tried to control her emotions but she began to cry. She immediately cast a cure spell upon him, concentrating very hard. "Xelloss… please don’t die… I won’t let you go…" she whispered gently in a trembling hand. She stopped and studied him. She held his wrist and felt his pulse. Her tears became a river when she counted the beats. Then, to her surprise, a familiar woman appeared before them. "Xel…Xelas Metallium…" she said.

Xelas looked down at Xelloss and she knelt down beside Shilfiell. Xelas looked at Xelloss and she knelt down beside Shilfiell. "I’ve used the strongest cure spell I know but it isn’t working…" Shilfiell explained.

Xelas placed her hands over her minion. "Cast it again… this time with me. Dolphin’s power is stronger that’s why your didn’t work that well." She told Shilfiell gently as she closed her eyes.

"Yes…" Shilfiell agreed. She cast it again, this time with the Beast Master.

After 30 minutes, they stopped casting the spell. Shilfiell checked his pulse and it was already okay. She smiled. "Thank God…" she whispered happily. Xelas smiled at Shilfiell. "You know, I’m happy to know that Xelloss is travelling with you." She told her.

Shilfiell’s smile faded. "Xelas-san, why are you concerned with your minion so much? I mean… isn’t it that the other mazoku, when their minions are in trouble, they just don’t care?" she asked.

Xelas’ smile faded and she began to stroke Xelloss’ purple hair. "Promise that you won’t tell anyone, that he means so much to me, because… because…" she looked straight into Shilfiell’s eyes. "He is of my own blood… I created him…no I didn’t…" she continued.

Shilfiell blinked. "He’s your clone?" she asked.

Xelas almost fainted. "No! He’s my son!" she answered directly.

Shilfiell was surprised. "Really?" she asked. Then, Xelas stood up. "I gotta go." She said, and teleported.

Shilfiell turned to Xelloss. She smiled at him. Then, she stood up and went to the hole. "He wouldn’t be waking up for some time…" she said to herself. Then, she noticed a piece of paper in the middle of the hole. "What’s that?" she asked curiously. Then, she levitated going there and got it. She flew up again and when she came to Xelloss again, she read it aloud. "Love Poem for a Priestess?" she asked. She read it silently carefully. "I wonder who wrote this…it’s so beautiful…" she said with a smile. She blushed and read again. "And it’s so romantic…" she continued. She folded it and hid it.

When she turned to the road, there was a man passing by with a wagon filled with hay. She waved at the man. "Sir! Sir!" she yelled.

The man turned to her. "Yes, young lady? Some trouble?" he asked, stopping to look at her. Shilfiell took Xelloss to her back again and walked carefully to the man. "Sir, may we have a lift to the city? My friend here needs some immediate help. He needs a safe place to rest. He’s got several injuries and he couldn’t go on anymore." She explained. "Why, sure, young lady! You may ride at the back I’m also heading for the city." The man answered. He approached Shilfiell, helping her with Xelloss. "How much do I need to pay you, sir?" she asked. "Nah, no need to pay me. With a beautiful young lady like you, my day is complete! Plus, you need the money for your friend, young lady." He told her with a smile. Shilfiell smiled and blushed a little. "Thank you so much, sir!!!" she said cheerfully.