An eerie silence fell over the table. Elda looked between them and sighed inwardly. She knew that it was her half soul that was preventing him from returning to his own home. At the same time, she remembered that she too, would never be returning to her home. And that saddened her. But outside of her own thoughts, the conversation picked up again.

Lina: Can't return to your home?

Xellos: Yes, and it also looks like things are going to become quite dangerous for me and anyone traveling with me as well.

Zelgadis: How Dangerous?

Xellos: Oh, not anything you haven't been through before.

Amelia: Meaning?

Xellos: Ah... ahem. You know, trolls, berzerkers maybe....

Gourry: Huh? What's going on?

Lina: *bonks Gourry on the head* You Moron, Xellos can't go home and we're going to be attacked because of it!

Gourry: Oooohhhhh....

Zelgadis: Well, since it's an inevitability, we may as well not worry about it. Lets just go to bed.

Lina: Sounds like a plan to me!

Amelia: I am pretty beat.

Gourry: Well, if you say so.*shrug*

Xellos: Elda, why don't you get a room, too?

Elda: Alright... I guess.

That night they all settled into their beds to rest. The evening closed quietly -- little did they know, however, that the night was just beginning. Elda awoke suddenly and blinked a few times. A strange feeling came over her and she teleported around the grounds of the inn until finally she found Xellos laying on the roof of the building, looking up at the sky. She plopped down next to him and startled him out of whatever thoughts he had been caught up in.

Xellos: Hmmm? What brings you here, Ms. Elda?

Elda: I was going to ask you the same thing. Why are you up here and not in a room?

Xellos: I like it out here better, of course!*grin*

Elda: I see; so they're coming for you, then.

Xellos: Quite.

Elda: And the others?

Xellos: It's just trolls, they'll be fine.

Elda: Do you know who sent them?

Xellos: Without question. *smile*

Elda: Who is it?

Xellos: To put it simply: Mother.

Elda: Mother? *blink blink*

Xellos: Yes. The Mazoku who created me. Seems she already knows about this half soul that Scry cursed me with and she's trying to dispose of me.

Elda: But...

Xellos: I know, Trolls aren't going to do it. She's just using them to bait me back to her so she can destroy me herself. She is, after all, one of the few beings here that is more powerful than I am. But you didn't hear that from me! *grin*

Elda: *gasp!* ThenŠ that meansŠ you're not allŠ evil anymore?

Xellos: Now that... is a secret *patented finger wave*

Elda: *facefaults* I should have expected that. *sigh*

Just then they were rocked by an explosion from below; they both instinctively took off into the air before the roof colapsed in underneath them.

Elda: They must have arrived while we were talking.

Xellos: Quite! That was a typical Lina fireball if I've ever seen one!

Elda: Well, lets help, then!

Xellos: Of course, and before they get out here, too. I have a reputation to uphold!

The two of them landed in the town square where the Trolls were busy, beginning to surround the inn. Elda acted quickly, flinging a beam of light from her hand right through the center of the horde, getting their attention. They all turned and looked and then she and Xellos waved and smiled, then they took off in the direction of the wilderness outside of town. Recognizing their designated target immediately the Trolls began to turn around and follow them, sending messages in the form of grunts to the trolls left inside the inn to follow suit. The rest of the human group left inside was slightly confused, and they also got suited up and followed the retreating trolls out the door.

Zelgadis: What's going on here!? This isn't like Trolls at all!

Lina: No kidding!

Zelgadis: Where do you suppose they're going?

Lina: I have no idea, but we're not going to find out by standing around here talking about it.

Amelia: I completely agree. In the name of Justice, we must-

Lina: Well, lets go.

Zelgadis: Right.

Amelia: But-

Gourry: Hey, wait for me!!

Amelia: *sighs* I didn't even get to finish my speech. Oh well. Hey, wait up, guys!

They all ran out of the inn just in time to see the Trolls retreating into the wilderness. They ran after them, and Lina used a lighting spell so they could see where they were going. Meanwhile, up ahead, Elda and Xellos were cutting down Trolls left and right, but despite the fact that killing them was as easy as a hand blast, they couldn't help but notice that there were quite a lot of them. Elda briefly thought she could hear Xellos swear under his breath.

Xellos: Well, this is annoying, isn't it?

Elda: *nods* It's taking too long to kill them this way, and we can't use anything really powerful because your human friends will be here any minute.

Xellos: Then there's only one thing to do, right? *grin*

Elda: Huh? What thing is that?

Xellos: Why, we leave silly, and let them handle it.

Elda: But-

Xellos: Really; they'll be fine. I insist.

And with that, Xellos grabbed Elda's wrist and teleported out of there with her. They reappeared on the outskirts of Seiryuun. Elda blinked a few times in surprise.

Elda: Where are we?

Xellos: Why, we're in Seiryuun, of course.

Elda: Well, what are we doing here?

Xellos: Seiryuun has many, many book stores and libraries. I'm sure there's bound to be something there that will help me deal with myŠ little problem.

Elda: *eyes widen a little in fear* You mean, you're going to...

Xellos: Yes, that's right. I'm going to seal up Mother. *smile*

Elda: *blinks in surprise* Really? I though you were going to try and...

Xellos: What? Get rid of the half soul? To tell the truth. I was originally. But... now I think I've grown attached to it. However, I can't have Mother chasing me all over creation attempting to kill me, and well, I can't kill her either! *big grin* So you see my predicament.

Elda: Oh, I see, so you're going to seal her away, because then you won't have to kill her, and she won't be trying to kill you!

Xellos: Exactly!

Elda: It'll take forever for us to search all those libraries and books stores, though.

Xellos: Ermm... yes. *depressed sweatdrop*

Meanwhile...

Lina: *pant pant* I,can't, believe he, left us here to fight all those trolls...

Zelgadis: Well, I can. *humph* Typical of Xelloss.

Amelia: I wonder why Ms. Elda is traveling with himŠ

Gourry: Yeahh...

Zelgadis: Hah, he's probably blackmailing her or something.

Lina: She didn't seem to be too unhappy with him to me. I think something else is going on. But how do we find out just where he went...

Voice: Excuse me, Lina, are you looking for someone?

The four of them turned at the familiar voice and were rewarded with seeing Silfiel standing there looking at them expectantly.

Gourry: Silfiel!

Silfiel: Hello, Gourry Dear.

Lina: Silfiel, what are you doing here?

Silfiel: Well, I was looking for you guys, cause I realized I never got to travel with you the last time we were together. Do you need any help?

Lina: Actually yes! We need to find someone.

Silfiel: Oh? who?

Lina: His name is Xelloss.

Silfiel: Alright then, I'll use a locater spell.

Lina: Great!

Zelgadis: Ahem, ladies, do you mind if we find some civilization first so we aren't attacked by any more of these things?

Lina and Silfiel: Right.

And with that, they headed off to the next town. Heading straight for the inn, they got a back in the dinning area to set up for the casting of the locater spell.

Lina: Now Silfiel, you're not going to do your little trick where you knock the priestess staff over again, are you?

Silfiel; Ms. Lina!... If you're going to make fun of my methods, I don't think I can help you.

Lina: ButŠ that's not even a-

Silfiel: *giggles* Just kidding, Lina!

Lina: Silfiel, that's not funny.

Silfiel took out a Large Crystal ball and a stand. She also took out a cloth with a Magic Circle printed on it. Laying the Cloth flat on the table she placed the stand in the center of the circle and the Crystal Ball she placed on the stand. Silfiel placed her hands over the Crystal ball and began to chant quietly. The Crystal ball glowed, but then the glow faded out. Silfiel turned to the others to explain what was going on.

Silfiel: There, the spell is all set up; now we just need something that belonged to him so that we can track of him.

Lina: Something that...Ugh! We don't HAVE anything of his!

Amelia: Wait, we might have something!

Amelia rummages through her travel bag and takes out a hair brush, holding it up for all to see.

Lina: I think Amelia's lost it.

Zelgadis: Amelia, isn't that YOUR hairbrush?

Amelia: Yes! But when we had to sneak into Famiel, Martina borrowed it to brush Xelloss' hair.

Zelgadis: Ah, I see, so some of Xelloss' hairs may still be stuck in the brush!

Lina: Silfiel, will hairs work?

Silfiel: I think so, they were once on the personage of the person we're trying to find.

Gourry: Huh? What's going on? Why do you need hair? Will mine work?

Lina didn't even bother explaining to Gourry, she just put his head in a headlock and told him to shut up and watch.

Lina and Amelia went through the brush and scored a single strand of purple-ish hair leftover from their adventure in Famiel, handed it to Silfiel. She laid it on top of the Crystal ball and began to concentrate. The hair became straight and stiff and took on a glow that was bright at one end and dim at the other. It began to spin around slowly, after swinging back and forth a few times, it finally came to a stop with the glowing end pointing northwest. Lina took out the map to see if she could figure out where northwest Xelloss might be. Zelgadis leaned over her shoulder and looked at the map as well.

Zelgadis: Well, it looks like the only area in the northwest that Xelloss would be even remotely interested in would be Seiryuun, but what he could want there I have no idea.

Lina: Unless you think he's still looking a Clair Bible Manuscript.

Zelgadis: Well, there is that, but I didn't think he had anymore use for it.

Lina: Who knows, but I know one thing.

Amelia: What's that?

Lina: We're going to Seiryuun!

Amelia: YAY!! I get to see my DADDY!!!!

Zelgadis: Do we gotta?

Lina: I'm afraid so. Besides, we have to find out why that angel is hanging around Xelloss. And if she's doing it against her will like you think, Zel, then we have to save her. But first....

Zelgadis: Oh no...

Lina: Ohhhh yess...Waiter! We're ready to order!!

Gourry: Alright! I thought we were NEVER gonna eat!!!

Amelia: Not again...

Silfiel: Oh my....

Back in SeiryuunŠ

Elda: *sigh*

Xelloss: Hmmm....

Elda: This is the 10th one! How many libraries can there BE in one city, anyway?

Xelloss: In a city this size...there could be hundreds.

Elda falls over out of sheer exaustion.

Xelloss: Elda?

Elda: Yes?

Xelloss: You've been at this for a day now. Don't angels need rest?

Elda: Actually, yes. I was hoping you wouldn't notice.

Xelloss: *smiles* You go rest then. I don't think she'd be brazen enough to send monsters into Seiryuun, and if she does, they'll be weakened, so they won't be a problem for me.

Elda: Well, I suppose you're right. I'll go rest up and start searching with you again in the morning.

Elda headed back to the inn in the darkness of night. The inn keeper was happy to see her, saying thankfully that he had been beginning to think that something had happened to her. He inquired about her friend and she told him that he'd just done some research and she was not worried about him. She headed up to her room and took out a brush; as she brushed her hair before bed, she looked down at the cloak next to her and realized that Xelloss had never asked for it back, and she got a small idea and stored it away in her brain till morning. She put on some pajamas and went to sleep. Later that night she awoke with a start, feeling a presence that was both familiar, and now, somehow foreign. Getting out of bed, she opened the window and half-floated out and down to the cobbled street below. Looking up, she saw a familiar looking pillar of light coming down in a nearby courtyard. She headed straight for it -- overjoyed, yet somehow, very afraid. The closer she got, the stronger the feeling became. Her wings appeared, as did her halo, and then she arrived. Standing in the light, in front of a fountain, was a tall, white haired man who also has a halo and wings. His eyes were both gold, and he glowed with a soft light. He looks somber, and slightly upset. Elda stopped before him, and he looked her over with a displeased expression.

Elda: Uriel, what are you doing here?

Uriel: What am I? One of my lesser angels is sent down to do cheritable works for a year to earn her name, and the next thing I know, she disappears off our trackers, and then the Angels at central control tell me she can't come back! Now I want to know what's going on lesser Angel, and I want to know NOW.

Elda: Well, see, while I was still disoriented from my arrival a human scry captured me.

Uriel: You were captured by a Human...

Elda: Yes and uhmmmŠ see, he removed half my soul.

Uriel: WHAT!? Where is he!?

Elda: Oh, he's already been destroyed.

Uriel: How? Lesser, you didn't...

Elda: What!? No! Of course not! See, there was this Mazoku there...

Uriel: A Mazoku?

Elda: Yes, and the scry gave him half my soul.

Uriel: So Half your soul was destroyed.

Elda: No actually, it intregrated into the Mazoku and, in fact, wasn't swallowed up at all.

Uriel: HUH!?

Elda: Anyway, when he did that, he weakened the restraints holding the monster in place and he broke loose and destroyed the scry.

Uriel: I see. Well, there isn't anything to be done about that, then. We'll just have to wait until your soul regenerates.

Elda: *looks at the ground embarrassedly* Well, it's, a little more complicated than that.

Uriel: Oh? How?

Elda: Well, I stayed with the Mazoku, 'cause I knew being near the lost half would help me regenerate my soul more quickly, but we were attacked by another Mazoku and... well, the Mazoku was going to kill him, kill, the one I'm traveling with, so I jumped in the way.

Uriel: How could you put yourself in danger for a Mazoku!? That was very irresponsible, Lesser Angel.

Elda: But... He, HE SAVED MY LIFE SIR!

Uriel: He saved your life!? A Mazoku, saved, your life?

Elda: Yes, sir, I was dying from the wounds I had taken for him. And he, he saved me, by giving me some of his power.

Uriel: So then... you aren't pure anymore. I had wondered why you seemed dimmer than I last remembered. That means, we have, only one course of action.

Elda: Huh? Course? what course?

Uriel: You'll have to be cleansed.

Elda: Cleansed... no... no, I don't want to be cleansed! I that happens... I... I'll..

Uriel: You'll forget all of this. All of these unhappy events will be gone from your mind forever.

Elda: No...