The Soul Touch Chapter 30

"I SAID THAT'S MINE!"

"I HAD IT FIRST!"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN."

The morning had begun like several others, where Lina and Gourry turned the meal table into a battle field.

"HO HO HO HO ALWAYS THE GREAT WHITE SERPANT COMES OUT ONTOP!" Naga declared as she stole the piece of meat right between them!

"GIVE THAT BACK!!!" Lina and Gourry hissed, trying to tackle Naga down.

"Can't you three keep it down?" Zelgadis grumbled, obviously having a slight hangover.

"Oh my… And I thought it could get brutal with just Gourry dear and Miss Lina…" Sylphiel sweatdropped.

Filia sighed. "I see some things haven't changed."

"It's still good to see you again, Miss Filia." Amelia said with a smile, then turned to the Cepheid Knight. "And a great pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Luna."

Luna just shrugged her shoulders. "I highly doubt Lina spoke that much of me."

Xelloss just sat quietly at the table, sipping his tea. He had walked into the room without so much as a hello to anyone as he took his seat. Lina was eying him suspiciously once in a while, then returned to eating.

"So why exactly target shrines? Just seems rather random." Zelgadis asked.

"Actually, I didn't just start attacking them. I mostly visited them as some contain ancient spells that go back over a thousand years." Luna explained, tilting her head to the side. "It's just quite a few of the spells… Sort of backfired. I had hoped I'd run into one that can help with my situation."

"That's how Luna ran into me, one of the shrines happened to be near where I've taken up shop." Filia explained. "She told me about the situation and I've given her as many locations as I can think of… I just didn't happen to be nearby when this Namagomi approached her." She jabbed her finger to Xelloss.

"Funny how your loyalties change at a whim." He replied coolly.

"SHUT UP YOU PIECE OF FLITH!" Filia snapped. "It's not right what's happening to Miss Luna, and my loyalty to Cepheid died when I saw how my people – his followers – acted."

"Then maybe you should join Lord Ruby Eye's side." Xelloss smirked, opening a single eye.

The dragon priestess drew her mace with a low growl. "I'd rather die than join up with the likes of you!"

"Alright you two, Filia get control of yourself before you turn into a dragon and waste all the food!" Lina snapped. "And Xelloss, cut it out. It's too early for your damn sarcasm."

The Mazoku closed his eyes and took another sip of his tea. "… Very well, Miss Lina." His voice was very polite as usual, but to Lina it just sounded… Off considering how much more familiar and personal he'd been talking to her lately.

"So maybe you wanted to look at Seyruun's shrine?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, and possibly Sairaag and Tarforashia." Luna answered. "Tarforashia's been cut off from the world for years, it's possible there is something in their research that may help. And I understand you all are responsible for helping restore them."

"W-well we helped…" Lina said, looking uneasy.

"Anyhow I have Cepheid under control for now so perhaps we should split into groups for this research project?" Luna suggested. "The other place I wanted to investigate you can help me with, kiddo."

Lina raised her eyebrow. "Huh?"

The Cepheid Knight smirked. "Your little useful Mazoku there knows what I'm talking about."

Xelloss opened on eye in a slight glare at her. "… And you know my Mistress forbid you to come to Wolfpack Island to look at her private library."

"Wait… You have a library on Wolfpack?" Zelgadis rose from his chair. "Why didn't you say so before you bastard?!?"

"Because it's off limits to even most of the underlings, only myself and a few higher ranks are allowed to go in there." Xelloss explained. "I know you'd love to look there for your cure but I assure you it's not there, I had the caretaker of those spell books actually look once."

"Why did you do that Mr. Xelloss?" Sylphiel asked.

"I thought it would be amusing if I held his cure over his head once, just to see what I could talk him into doing." Xelloss responded with a smug grin.

"You are the lowest…" Filia growled.

"Alright, alright we get your point but…" Lina smirked suddenly. "I'm your Soul Touch and I'm also pledged to you, that means I probably would be allowed in, right?"

Xelloss pursed his lips together. "… True. You are no longer considered a major threat by my Mistress for both being pledged and owing her a favor."

The crimson haired sorceress glared. "Wait… She's holding me to that? You two almost didn't get there in time!"

Xelloss waved his finger. "Ahhh but Miss Lina, she did save your friends. And you said you'd owe her if she came."

"Dammit…" Lina bashed her fist on the table.

"Boy Lina you sure got yourself into quite the mess ho ho ho ho…" Naga laughed, which got her a plate smashed into her face.

Lina sat back with her arms crossed. "Fine then. Xelloss and I will go to Wolfpack and check out this library." She huffed. "Amelia and Zelgadis, you two help Luna research here. Filia, you go with Gourry and Sylphiel to check out Tarforashia." She then turned to her sister. "And Sylphiel can fill you in on anything known in Sairaag as she's in charge of rebuilding there."

"What about me?" Naga pouted, rubbing her head. "Where can I go?"

'To hell maybe…?' Lina snorted in her mind. "Who said you were part of this operation Naga?" she chose to say instead.

"If my little sister is part of it, I am too!" Naga declared.

"Fiiiine…" Lina rolled her eyes. "Go to the rebuilding site of Sairaag and see what you can find, though I'm sure Sylphiel knows everything that's there it won't hurt to do a double check." She sighed, it was a waste of time but it would get that annoying woman out of her hair for a week or so… She hoped.

"Alright Miss Lina, don't worry we'll take great care of your sister!" Amelia cried.

Luna sweatdropped. "…. Like I need taking care of?"

Gourry then finally spoke after a moment. "… What are we looking for in these places again?"

Just about everyone in the room facefaulted.


"Here we are, Miss Lina." Xelloss spoke as he teleported them onto Wolfpack Island, inside a large room filled with books across the walls.

"Whhhooaa this place is enormous!" Lina exclaimed, twirling around.

"Master Xelloss, whatever brings you here?" an eerie voice called from behind. It belonged to a demon in red robes, its face covered in an orange mask in the shape of a beak. It carried a blue gem staff in its hand. The rest of its outfit resembled a priest or monk, just quite colorful with a mix of red, blue and purple.

"I've come in need of some research on the Knight of Cepheid, would you gather all the books we've collected on such?" Xelloss asked.

"It will take quite some time to do such… Lord Beast Master approves of this?" the demon asked.

"Of course Bulzome, it's part of my mission after all." Xelloss replied. "And if Vandal gives you trouble just tell him to have a chat with me." He opened his eyes in a menacing glare.

"A-as you wish Master Xelloss." The demon replied, rushing to the book shelves.

Lina raised her eyebrow. "Who's Vandal?"

"He and one other replaced Seigram after his betrayal." Xelloss explained. "Though Vandal has been demoted to dealing with duties here in the library. See there are several copies of Clair Bible manuscripts, Dragon texts, and other such. Mistress likes to keep the less… Harmful ones on hand." He shrugged. "She has me destroy the duplicates or anything extremely threatening."

"I see, geez I should take a look at some of these." Lina said, grabbing a random book and flipping through it.

"I suppose it won't hurt, perhaps you should pick out a pile and we can take them to my quarters, Miss Lina?" Xelloss asked.

'There he goes with just Miss Lina again… Not once has he tried to call me Lina-chan since he left…' Lina mentally noted, she then raised her eyebrow. "Something wrong with here?"

"Well… Not all the underlings and lower rank Mazoku are fully aware of who you are." Xelloss explained, rubbing his head. "… I just rather avoid a misunderstanding and you fall under attack in the event Mistress calls me."

"Oh, that's right they could tell I'm human right away and think I'm a threat." Lina sighed. "Alright fine." She took a large armful of books and stuffed them into his arm. "Hold these then." She waited for him to make some smugass remark with his usual cute expression like 'Of course my dear Lina-chan' as he usually did or insist on another kiss but he didn't say a word, and that just made her hiss and add more books to the pile.

The purple haired Mazoku sweatdropped. "Miss Lina, it'll take all night to read all-"

"WILL YOU STOP CALLING ME MISS LINA ALREADY?!?" Lina suddenly snapped.

Xelloss opened his eyes for a moment, then quickly grabbed her arm and teleported them into his quarters, as her shout had alerted most of the underlings around that area.

"What are you doing?!?" Lina snapped, pulling away from him and stumbling back onto the bed.

"I'd rather not start a scene that could cause you to get injured." Xelloss replied flatly. "While I know your headlocks won't cause real harm the underlings wouldn't be able to tell from the distance, they would rush in thinking you're attacking me. You must remember my rank is only below my Mistress, they must follow my orders as well unless she overrides them."

"Yeah fine…" Lina dusted off her arm. "What the hell is with you today?"

He raised an eyebrow, closing his eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You've been calling me Miss Lina this whole time and remaining completely distant…" Lina scoffed. "Not sexual harassment, no pet names, you were more personable when I only just met you."

Xelloss opened one eye. "… I thought you said you hated those things? Perhaps I'm just abiding by your wishes."

"AND YOU PICK NOW TO DO IT?!?" she snapped.

"You only put up with it as The Pledge was merely to save your life and your friends, was it not?" Xelloss replied, opening the other eye. "Only because you need my help. Once you find a way to destroy Deep Sea…"

Lina's ruby eyes went wide. "… You… YOU JACKASS YOU LISTENED IN DIDN'T YOU?!?"

Xelloss tried to control the wide smirk that wanted to cross his face. "… That is a secret, Miss Lina."

A fuse snapped in her brain as she hit him with an Astral Break, then pulled him into a vicious headlock. "YOU FRUITCAKE I'LL TEACH YOU TO EAVESDROP!"

"B-but Lina you know how I am, nobody keeps a secret from me." Xelloss chuckled lightly. "… After all, you said you're only using me until you're rid of the curse, I must admit the thought came across my mind you'd try to break the pledge… After all you detest my actions so much and you're perfectly fine with killing me over it…"

"YOU REALLY ARE A MORON YOU KNOW, SOME EXPERT MAZOKU ON HUMANS IF YOU DIDN'T FIGURE OUT I WAS LYING TO THEM." Lina snarled, letting go and kicking him while tossing a Fireball into his face. "I said all that so they wouldn't try to kill you, you ass! That and if the dragon race figures out that killing you means killing me, Cepheid's new threat they could be stupid enough to gang up on you." Her cheeks flushed red. "… It's not like I don't think you can't take care of yourself, I just don't want to test that theory nor give Luna reason to turn on you too!"

Xelloss's mouth twitched to a wide grin. "… So you do worry about me."

"OF COURSE I DO YOU FRUITCAKE!" Lina snapped. "You saved my life! And this freaking pledge isn't as bad as I thought, it's been mostly benefits for me and you're not forcing me like I thought you would for your… End of the bargain."

"Well I wouldn't want to do something to totally damage being your useful item 3 1/4." Xelloss chuckled, turning to face her with a smile as he got up.

"That's not… All…" She turned her head with a huff, crossing her arms. "You're… Kind of… Well… Like a friend." She mumbled, her cheeks burning crimson now.

The Mazoku brightened a bit at that, a huge grin on his face. "Well it's good to see you're starting to admit better your emotions, dear Lina-chan. I think it's rather touching you didn't want me to hear your little white lie." He winked at her.

Lina's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "SO YOU WEREN'T MOPING? YOU KNEW I WAS LYING?!?"

Xelloss laughed. "How naive do you think I am, Lina dearest? I've been around for a long time, I know how human behavior sometimes can be. And I didn't lie, I merely said that you had stated such. You didn't want me to hear your lie as you were worried about my feelings, I'm touched." He blew her a kiss. "At least you finally admitted to yourself you do care about me."

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!" Lina roared, leaping into air and firing a barrage of spells at him.