Zel sensed Khirah's presence the moment he opened his eyes. She was siting in the only chair in his room.
with her feet propped up against the bedpost. "Hey Zel, can I talk to you?" Khirah asked as the Chimera youth sat up in bed. Zel ran his hands through his silver wire like hair. And yawned. Unfortunately for him, the sheet slipped down to his waist and gave Khirah full view of his bare chest and abdomen. Khirah smiling slightly, and Zel suddenly noticed his near naked ness. He yanked his sheet up to his chin, and felt his face burn fiercely. "Don't cover up, you have a great body."
"Yeah a body of stone." Zel retorted.
"Hey Zel, this is me you're talking to. Remember, your fellow Chimera, I understand what it's like to have a stone body. I just want to ask you some questions is all." Khirah set her feet on the floor, and reached behind her and grabbed the shirt he had hug on the back of the chair. "Here, if you're so embarrassed about your hide, by all means cover yourself up." Zel hastily pulled on his shirt and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "What do you want to talk about?"
"What else, I want to know what happened to Rezo and about the resurrection of Shabrinigdo. I'm not comfortable enough to ask Lina and Amelia wasn't there, and I won't even go into Gourry. So would you please tell me about what happened there at Rezo's tower?" Zel nodded his head. He told Khirah about what had happened in the battle with Shabrinigdo, and about Kopii Rezo and Eris. He also told her about the Claire Bible and the Dark Star. All the while, his voice was emotionless and monotone. Khirah listened silently, and she never once interrupted him.
"So he became good in the end, I'm happy for him." Khirah said softly as Zelgadis' voiced trailed off. Zelgadis looked at her and his eyes narrowed in anger.
"How can you be happy for him, look at what he did to you and me!" Khirah glanced up into Zel's eyes, and saw the ghosts that had haunted her for so long, where now mirrored in his. Khirah reached out with her fingertips and gently touched Zel's face.
"This isn't who you are Zel, this is only a body, a vassal to house your spirit. I didn't figure that out until I sat there with the woman who had loved my like a daughter laying cold and dead in my arms. And I see in your face, what I once saw every single time I looked in the mirror. And look at what it cost me, the death of a true friend, a person who loved me selflessly, despite my face or body. Don't let revenge consume you until you become what I became, and now that I am older and wiser, I realize that I don't hate Rezo, I simply pity him, and I forgive him. More then likely, it was the Dark Lord who turned us into the Chimera's not Rezo, and in the end, he fought Shabrinigdo and he lost his life in the process, but he also gained my respect and forgiveness. Perhaps its time you did the same. Forgive yourself for being a child and making the mistake of trusting Shabrinigdo, forgive yourself, and prey for forgiveness from all you too have harmed in your search for your cure. That is the only thing that will stop you from becoming like me, an empty, soulless vessel." Khirah stood up and smiled at him. "Save yourself Zelgadis." Khirah whispered as she gently closed the door behind her.

The next weeks where hectic as they finally reached Seryrunne, they had to stock up on supplies, and Khirah had to be bodily held down as they went to the castle.
"I don't want to go into that monstrous city!" she cried as Zel and Gourry grabbed hold of one of her arms each and force-marched her into the city. Strangely, Amelia seemed to become more depressed the closer they came to Seryrunne. Normally she would be bubbling with excitement and have Lina wising she could fireball her into next week. But this time she was quiet and withdraw. And by the time they had reached Seryrunne, the young princess wouldn't react to anything. Her appetite had slacked off to where she was nearly eating nothing. Khirah watched this princess slowly withdrew and she knew instinctually that his wasn't her normal behavior. In her sleep, she tossed and turned and mumbled indecipherable words. Khirah sat down next to the pallet that Amelia lay on and laid her cool hand against her feverish brow. "No." Khirah breathed. She concentrated and sent herself to the Astral Plane. "Amelia!" Khirah cried as she ran across a plane of wildflowers. This was part of Amelia's mind, if she could find her anywhere, it would be here. "Amelia answer me!" Khirah shouted as she picked up her pace. This is getting my nowhere. Khirah stopped and knelt on the ground; she held her hands together forming a triangle. She held the triangle to the ground at her feet. I call upon the earth to heed my request. Khirah drew her blade and sliced her finger, her red blood welled and she traced a pentacle. And blew upon it three times.

The circle began to glow a strange blue color and a white mist rose from the ground. Khirah stood up, and the mist wrapped itself around her body. As the mist spiraled up, Khirah's hair lifted and she held her hands still in the triangle position in frond of her. Khirah levitated a few inches above the ground and her body turned to the five points of the Astral Plane.

A ball of solid energy formed in Khirah's hands and she flew trough the air. She levitated over Amelia's still body and broke the connection between her fingers and the blue ball flew at Amelia and burst through the barrier around her Astral Spirit. Khirah was caught in the backlash of the power and she was thrown back into her body.
"Khirah-san." Amelia's anxious voice broke through the haze of pain that surrounded Khirah.
"Let me help you." Khirah's eyes opened when she heard the unfamiliar male voice. She felt someone pick her up, and she was held in a strong but gentle grip. Khirah opened her eyes fully, and groaned as the bright sunlight sent lances of pain through her head. Luckily she fainted then.

Khirah woke up again and saw a strange man siting at her bedside. He was asleep, and he grasped her hand even in his sleep. Khirah tired to conjure up a Light Spell but that hurt too much so she had to manually light the candle next to he bed. The soft flickering light played across the man's face. His dark indigo hair stuck out from his head, and his pale skin was washed even paler in the candlelight. The man suddenly woke up and he stared at Khirah with silver-blue eyes
. "Khirah, do you recognize me?" The man whispered as he stared at her anxiously.
"You looked like the man I met on the Astral Plane." Khirah murmured and the man's face was transfixed with joy.
"Oh Khirah you do remember me. I was so afraid when you didn't come the next day, I. I began to realize how empty my life was before you came into it, and when you left, I felt as if my reason for living was gone. Khirah smiled and sat up, she stared into the man's eyes.
"I don't even know your name." Khirah murmured.
"It's Lashka, Lashka Del Sandrona." Lashka's eyes where so filled with love and hope, Khirah felt her heart go out to him. The man leaned forward and hugged Khirah against his chest. "I have missed you so much." Lashka murmured against Khirah's neck and his breath brushed against her ear. Khirah looked up into his eyes and their lips touched in a simple yet infinantly sweet kiss.