Chaos Ascendant

Chapter 14

When all was said and done, Aurin had gladly pronounced a celebratory festival to be held in Kuroryu. Elena had rolled her eyes and muttered something about him throwing far too many parties for her taste, but had eventually gone along with it.

Slowly, guards were lowered, and after a while, it was back to Luna, Sylphiel, and Gourry instead of the Cepheid Knight, the Protector, and the Warrior. Kira never had been the Knight of Shabranigdo herself, and Xellos and Elena were almost adept at switching to their almost-normal selves.

The only person who hadn’t relaxed by the time everyone got to Kuroryu was Lina Inverse.

Filia, Zelgadis, and Amelia were all waiting in the courtyard when the groups finally arrived, and grateful hugs were shared among a few when everyone was deemed safe. Filia burst into tears and simply refused to release Aurin until Elena gently reminded her that all of the hugging was making the Mazoku a little ill. As Filia was finally persuaded to release Aurin, Amelia’s blue eyes wandered towards the woman who might possibly be Lina, and her eyes widened when she saw the two figures who flanked her.

“Miss…” Amelia faltered. Was that Lina, or was that the Lord of Nightmares?

The voice was so familiar, but there wasn’t a trace of the normal emotion within it when the other spoke. “Let me introduce you. Amelia, Filia, Zelgadis, these are the Children of Chaos.”

The blonde woman moved forward to embrace Amelia and Filia, and to his chagrin, placed a gentle kiss on the blushing cheek of the chimera. Standing back, she smiled at the three of them. “I’m very pleased to meet you. I am Cepheid, though you may call me ‘Cece.’”

Amelia didn’t think she could be any more thunderstruck until the man walked forward, bowed curtly, and introduced himself as Shabranigdo. Cece helpfully interjected that she called him ‘Bran’ for short, and that they could as well, which earned her a dirty look from her brother.

When Amelia recovered, the two siblings from Hell were busy disagreeing over how much of a shock they had been. Cece seemed concerned that she’d overdone it, but Bran seemed certain that they were up to the challenge. After all, he should know. He’d fought them in battles.

Zelgadis decided that his head hurt.

An hour later, an impressive picnic feast was laid out in the courtyard, and people were mingling, chatting over plates laden with food. It felt as if War had never been a concern.

The black-haired princess of Sailune looked over to the almost-unreal figure who insisted on people calling her ‘Cece.’ “Um… Miss Cece? I hate to ask this… but in all of the historical accounts, you’re always referred to as… well, as a male.”

The silvery laugh echoed over the courtyard as Cece set her wine goblet to the side and smiled at Amelia. “Alas, Amelia, I discovered early on that I was more distracting than I should have been. And I have a terrible time holding even a dagger. I simply don’t have the aptitude for fighting. So the figure that you most often see referenced is truly my Warrior. He has always been a man, though the Protector has not always been a woman.”

Amelia nodded, understanding the lack of ability to use a dagger. She’d seen enough blood to never ever wish to lay hands on a weapon of any kind. As she looked off, her gaze inadvertently focused on the red-haired figure clad in gold that sat quietly on the balcony above. It sank into her thoughts that if that was indeed Miss Lina, then something was drastically wrong. There wasn’t even a plate or glass beside her, and that, Amelia knew, was completely unlike Lina Inverse.

Cece’s gaze followed Amelia’s, and the soft pink lips lost their smile, a shadow of unhappiness clouding the clear blue eyes. “She needs time. She is not the Lord of Nightmares, as you fear. But she herself isn’t certain who she is.”

Amelia sighed, and turned back to her food, picking at it for a moment before looking to Cece. “I just wish I could help. Lina’s my friend… and well… she’s like a sister to me… and I can’t stand to lose another sister…”

Cece smiled mysteriously. “Your sister is alive and well, Amelia. In fact, she’s very close to Kuroryu right now. She doesn’t know that you are here; she only knows that something she’s been looking for is here. Why don’t you go down to the South Gate and let her in?”

Amelia blinked at her in confusion. “My… sister…? Gracia…? Here? How…?”

Cece smiled to the princess. “I am Cephied.”

Amelia leapt to her feet, running for the South Gate, all thoughts of food and revelry set aside. She was going to find her sister.

Zelgadis had overheard, his chimera hearing far better than the hearing of the others he was standing near. As he watched the princess run off for the South Gate, he walked over to the woman in white and regarded her for a moment. “Thank you.”

Cece looked to the youth, tilting her head. “Why should you thank me for something I’ve done for someone else, Zelgadis?”

He looked off towards Amelia’s retreating form. “Finding her sister is something that’s very important to Amelia. Now maybe that sadness will be healed. That is reason enough.”

Pink lips curled knowingly. “Ah… I see. You care for her.” Laughter danced in her eyes as she saw the blush creep across the stone cheeks, and she stood, now-empty goblet in hand.

“I… she…” Zelgadis stammered, looking back to Cece. “She is a friend… A princess who will look somewhere other than at a horrific stone-skinned chimera.” The old familiar pain bubbled up, and he looked away, off towards a tree. “As much as I might like her, there is no place in her life for someone who looks as I do.”

A gentle finger touched his lips in a silencing gesture. “Beauty and love are more than skin deep, Zelgadis. Stop hating yourself. Your heart wishes for so many things that you deny yourself. I will give you a gift, but I will not change who and what you are.”

Even as the warmth of her touch filled him, his heart sank. She wouldn’t cure him. Cepheid herself would deny him the one thing he desired the most. He closed his eyes and felt her walk away, hanging his head in defeat.