*Disclaimers* All Slayers characters belong to Hajime Kamisaka and TV Tokyo, Ryugyoku, people of the temple, the priest, and the parents are property of mine.

Chapter 9:

"Father, Father, it is a son, mother gave birth to my younger brother." A five year-girl with wavy blond hair that reached to her knees, tanned skin and was dressed in a traditional Chinese outfit called to a man.

The man, who had deep violet/black hair, matching eyes, and white skin looked up and saw his daughter coming towards him. "Xelas, be careful when you run, and remember."

"Act like a lady." Xelas finished for him. "Father, I know. But it is so exciting, he is so cute. His name is Xelloss."

"Xelloss…. your mother has good taste Xelas." Her father smiled and ruffled her hair. "Prince, ruler… that is what your brothers name is equivalent to."

"than… what is ‘Xelas’ equivalent to?" Xelas asked sitting down next to her father. She picked up a piece of grass and put it to her mouth. As she blew into grass it came out as a happy melody.

"Xelas…. It is a name your mother gave you. I do not know what it means." Her father replied. "By the way, where did you learn that? It is very good."

"Oh, mother taught me." Xelas smiled. "Father, let us go and see Xelloss. Come, come." Xelas stood up and dragged her fathers arm.

"Xelas… slow down." Her father called to her. Xelas didn’t though, she felt as if her heart would burst with happiness. She wanted to announce to the whole world that she was a sister now. It was Xelas’s happiest day.

In a small building, with a woman who had straight blond hair, so blond it was almost white, and deep green eyes, gazed into her new born son. "Xelloss… Wo Ai Ni." She whispered.

"Mother, I brought father home!" Xelas announced entering the room, dragging her father behind her. "Can I hold Xelloss now!"

"First let your father hold him dear." Her mother smiled and handed the child to her husband. Xelas pouted and went outside.

"Are you sure it is okay? Maybe we should have let Xelas hold him." Her husband asked her looking out the door.

"Nonsense." She replied and smiled. "Xelas needs to learn that everything will not go her way. Now is as good as ever."

"But…" He was about to protest when his wife stopped him.

"Hush now dear. We don’t want are other precious jewel to wake up." She smiled and caressed Xelloss’s forehead. "my dear baby."

For a month, very peaceful and loving days past… but.

One day, as Xelas was putting away the dishes, the door to their house violently opened.

"Xelas-chan, you here?" It was one of the elders of the -Ma no Tani- Valley of Demons.

"Ye-yes. What happened." Xelas asked going over to try and support the elder. "Please, sit down."

"No, no listen. You need to take Xelloss-kun and go to the temple right out of the valley." The elder informed her.

"Wh-why?" Xelas asked scared. It was hardly ever that someone was told to go to the temple right out of the valley.

"JUST DO AS I SAY!!" The elder ordered her. Xelas felt fear in the look of the elder and at his words. "NOW!!"

Xelas walked over to the crib were Xelloss was and slowly picked him up. "It’s okay Xello-chan, it’s okay. Neesan is with you. Don’t worry." She whispered to him, caressing his hair.

"Are you ready?" the elder asked. Xelas turned around and nodded.

When Xelas got to the temple, she couldn’t believe what she saw. In the main hall of the black temple, the priest stood, with blood coming down from the sword, and on the sword was blood. Xelas saw her parents laying down on the temple floor, blood oozing out of them.

"Mother! Father!" Xelas ran over to them screaming. She was hysterical. Tears came down her eyes like a fall. Xelloss, who was still in her arms started crying as well. Xelas didn’t care, all that mattered was that her parents were dead.

"Kemono Xelas. Hand us the child." The priest ordered her. Xelas didn’t respond, instead she continued to call to her parents. "NOW!" The man grabbed the girls hand turning her to look at him. "hand me that child."

"….no……" Xelas said flatly. "Never!" She spit at the priest. Huge gasps were heard through out the temple. "….You took my parents….. YOU!" Xelas screamed, tears rolling down her eyes. "You…. Shall pay!" She screamed.

"Hand me that child!" The priest screamed slapping Xelas. Red fluid came falling down Xelas’s cheek. The priest had hidden some small knives in his hands. By this time Xelloss’s crying was louder.

"Shh, Xello-chan, be quiet." Xelas hushed her brother. "Neesan is here." That was Xelas’s last face as a child. When she looked back up at the priest, Xelas’s face than, was not a face of a five year old, and from that day, there was not another time where Xelas was a child, she knew what she had to do, and what she had to become.

"Shi-ne." The moment Xelas said that, blue-black light appeared from her hand and killed the priest. Every one in the temple held their breaths. Xelas grabbed the sword the priest had held. Her eyes sent intense daggers into the others in the temple.

A boy about ten, with red hair and deep eyes, stared at the girl. The girl was at the most five years younger than him, but she was so strong that she was able to save herself and her brother.

"Won’t last long Garv." A boy about the age of fifteen came next to his brother. He had deep black hair, and had a cold look in the eyes of his. "She can’t hold out too long. True, she has a natural talent, but it has never been worked on. I, we need that kid."

"….Sorry Graushelaa." Garv replied, a smile appearing on his face. "But…..I….. found something…… that I can ENJOY!!" Garv screamed and flame burst around him.

"Wha-!" Xelas asked out loud, not expecting anyone to answer her. She tried to locate where the fire was coming from but couldn’t. Suddenly her arm was grabbed. She turned around, and found a boy with red hair, smiling.

"come now girlie." He ordered her. Xelas whacked him with Xelloss. The boy was not happy and turned around, only to find Xelas pointing the sword at him.

"Don’t call me that you male chauvinistic pig!"

"O.. okay." Garv replied, intimidated by her. "I’m sorry okay…. What ARE we doing! Come here.. you!" He pulled her and ran for the exit. "if any of them come, just should Blast Bomb. And don’t let go of that kid!"

"Why are you ordering me around! Besides who the hell are you!!"

"I’m Garv!! Look, do you want to live or not!"

"I’m not going to die until I know what they want with Xelloss and why they killed my parents!" Xelas declared running through the woods. "I suppose you know! Garv!"

"Yeah I do! And stop acting so grown up!"

"If I want to live, which I do, than I’d have to! Especially if I’m going to fight those psychopaths!"

"You can say that again."

Xelas was starting to get tired quickly, not only was she not used to running, she had her baby brother to carry with her. "My god.. I need to work out!"

"…How old are you…..ahh?"

"Xelas, Kemono Xelas, weren’t you listening to that stupid priest?"

"I was! Graushelaa bothered me! That reminds me! That’s the one you’ve got to be careful of! Has black hair, and icy eyes!"

"I’ll remember that! And I’m five!"

"You’ve gotta be kidding!!"

"If I was, I’d be happy!" Xelas yelled back at him. "Where are we going!?"

"To the river, I’ve got a raft there."

"I’ll trust you on this one Garv!" Xelas yelled. She than noticed some people behind them. "Blast Bomb!" She shouted following Garv’s advice.

"Garv Flare!" Garv shouted adding fire to the flames Xelas already created. "They’ll be burnt to crisp, now let’s go."

In the night, through a river, on a small raft were a small girl, a baby, and a boy. "Looks like they gave up." Garv muttered.

"Why?" Xelas asked clutching Xelloss who was sleeping. "why did they kill mother and father. Why do they want Xelloss?"

"…Sleep now Xelas. You look tired." Garv advised her handing over some blankets.

"Answer me Garv." Xelas said quietly. "I need to know." Garv looked at Xelas for a second and than sighed.

"It’s a prophesy, that Xelloss would become a great warrior, but any one close to him will make him fall." Garv started. "You see, it’s been the long dream of mazoku in that valley to get china. It’s been that for ever. And that’s why they want Xelloss, killed your parents."

"That’s all? Just some stupid prophesy?" Xelas asked. "Were they going to kill me?"

"After you handed over Xelloss… yeah." Garv replied. "Sorry about that, and what happened."

"Why did you save me?" Xelas asked the question she had been wondering.

"Thought you’d entertain me. That’s why." Garv said flatly. "I was suppose to go into priest hood but got tired of it and hoped you’d entertain me."

"……Where are we going?" Xelas didn’t look up at Garv but just looked at her baby brother.

"The city of Kourinn, there, there’s this guy named Ryugyoku. If we pay him money he’ll do anything."

"I see, then where are we going?"

"…Some other country. What language other than Chinese can you speak?" Garv asked, rowing the boat.

"None." Xelas replied flatly. "None at all."

"….Well…. sleep for now." Xelas nodded at Garv’s words and took the blanket and laid down.

"…..Mother, Father…." She whispered before she fell asleep, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Three days later, Kourinn. A very enthusiastic street, stores were everywhere, and people were laughing.

"Garv… what is this?" Xelas asked, tugging on Garv’s shirt. "I’ve never seen it." She had hidden Xelloss under her cape, and her beautiful blond hair had been hidden by a hood of the cape.

"It’s a festival." Garv replied flatly. "Ryugyoku should be…" Just than, a loud voice called through out the town.

"Come and see, Come and see! This show is a must!" A boy about sixteen who had long black hair, and deep black eyes and tanned skin was calling out. "You’ve gotta see this, if not you’ll regret it!"

People came near him in awe at the boy’s courage.

"Hey boy, what’s this about, what’ll we regret?" An old man asked. The boy wagged his finger and said

"chi, Chi, Chi! You’ve got to look inside, you’re gonna see me present you guys something!" The boy than smiled broadly and took a stick with fire on it.

"See this, this fire, well watch." He threw the fire up high and caught the fire with his hand. "And I’m not even burnt. But, you see, I’m pure human as well!"

"What’s a pure human doing here than!" One person in the crowd shouted.

"I’m extending my knowledge of people." The boy bowed. "Please pay for what you just saw!" The whole crowd started to leave. "He-Hey, wait up." The boy soon ruffled his hair. "Darn it!"

"Didn’t go good again Ryugyoku?" A voice asked. The boy turned around and found.

"Garv! What are you doin’ here?" He asked and shook his hand. "My god you’ve not changed have you." He than ruffled Garv’s hair.

"He-Hey, let go!" Garv screamed and tried to pull away from Ryugyoku. But Ryugyoku won’t let him.

"You’ve finally gave up on becoming a priest and decided to join me in the show business eh?" Ryugyoku asked smiling.

"N-No." Garv replied.

"Oh, so it’s just a field trip of the temple." Ryugyoku released Garv. "I thought it was too good to be true. Well, thanks for dropping by." He than started to walk the other way.

"Wa-wait!" Xelas said catching up to him. "I, I have a favor to ask you, Ryugyoku-san." Xelas looked up into his eyes. "Please, I’ll, I’ll pay you with something."

"…yeah right? Like what little girlie?" WHACK! "What’d you do that for…..what’s this?" Ryugyoku asked grabbing a hold of the thing Xelas hit him with. "A baby…. Looks like… hmm, he’s pretty cute, and a boy.. Is this what you’ll reward me with, I can sell him for a good price.." WHAM!! Xelas hit Ryugyoku with Garv.

"You idiot! That’s my brother Xelloss! Give him to me!" She threw Garv off and took Xelloss back into her arms. With that motion, her hood fell off, exposing her long blond hair.

Ryugyoku’s face changed when he saw that. It was shock. He couldn’t believe it, but it was definitely shock.

"…Come!" Ryugyoku said grabbing a hold of Xelas. "And hurry up and hide your hair." He ordered.

Xelas tried hard to put her hair back into the hood, it was an impossible task though, in one arm she had Xelloss, and her other arm was being pulled by Ryugyoku. ‘What is going on?’ She asked Garv with her eyes. Garv just shook his head, not comprehending.

In a run down temple, Xelas, Ryugyoku, Garv and Xelloss were sitting down. Xelas was feeding Xelloss some of the food she had been given from Ryugyoku.

"So… you’re Xelas. I used to work under your father. I’m sorry to hear about what happened." Ryugyoku told her after Xelloss had fallen asleep. "To say the least, I am also sorry that I couldn’t save them, and that you had to come to me for help."

"What are you?" Xelas asked looking straight into Ryugyoku’s eyes, while brushing her prize winning hair.

"… I *was* the top priest in the demon valley." Ryugyoku replied slowly. "You see, I’m pure mazoku, and pure mazoku are strong sorcerers to begin with. So before I can recall, I’ve been in training for a priest. I left about two-years ago though. Can’t agree with those ‘extremists’" Ryugyoku added with a laugh. "Enough about me though Xelas, let’s get on with your own destiny, and Xelloss’s."

Ryugyoku stopped for a second and walked over to the statue in the temple. It was a statue of a beast with wings on it’s back. "There’s an old legend that lives between mazoku. There used to be a dark lord named ‘Ruby Eye Shablaniguduu’, under him were five high ranked mazoku. The strongest Hell Master Phiblizo, and the second was Dynast Graushelaa." Xelas drew in her breath. It was the name of the guy Garv warned her about. "Deep Sea Dalphin, Chaos Dragon Garv." Surprised Xelas turned to look at Garv, and was shocked to see that he wasn’t. "And the Beast Master Xelas Metalium." Xelas’s eyes went big with surprise and fear.

"Xelas, Xelas, XELAS!" She screamed. "You mean that, I mean, that’s my.."

"Yeah, it’s your name." Ryugyoku backed up her thought. "You were named after this mazoku. We don’t know what happened to them though." Ryugyoku shifted his gaze to the statue. "But it is only a legend." He looked at the statue of one woman as if he was in love with her. "Back to the story. Xelloss’s destiny. I suspect Garv told you a good portion of it, that he is to be a great warrior and anyone close to him will make him fall, and that’s why your parents were killed. That’s not all though. Xelloss was also the name of a priest that worked for Xelas Metalium, and was the highest ranked priest with in the mazoku. It’s said though that he fell in love with a human, and got himself killed." Ryugyoku than switched his gaze to the window and looked out at the star filled sky. "The star’s tell us a lot, from the past, and to the future. Add our powers as mazoku and we can predict reincarnations. That’s how they predicted the birth of the reincarnation of Xelas Metalium and Xelloss." He stopped and looked at Xelas. "You two are that, but the irony, is that this Xelloss in your arms now, is stronger than you." Ryugyoku laughed out sadly. "I’ll let you guys escape, don’t worry a thing about that, if you go back, you’ll get killed, and there’ll be no meaning in Xelloss being born."

"…What do you mean? What’s the meaning in Xelloss being born?" Xelas asked.

"….Before Xelloss was killed by the human he fell in love with, she made him a promise. ‘No matter how long it will take, we’ll meet again. I promise this to you.’" Ryugyoku said so and smiled. "So, Xelas, Xelloss will meet her, and live with her, happily. I’ll make that happen."

"…Shei shei." Xelas said in a calm voice.

"don’t worry." He than pointed his finger at her. "You! Now get some sleep! I’ll go get the papers to leave with Garv, you sleep." Than, he seemed to think of something and.. "What do you want your last name to be? Can’t be ‘Kemono’, what do you choose?"

"Metalium." Xelas said for sure. "Xelas Metalium and Xelloss Metalium." Ryugyoku looked at her and nodded.

"Metalium it is than…. We’ll leave now, sleep." Ryugyoku ordered her one last time. Xelas sighed and nodded.

Ryugyoku and Garv were leaving a small building with four passports in their hands.

"There we go! See Garv, this is the great thing about being in show business. Want to join me?" Ryugyoku said jokingly.

"……. Don’t know. I’ll decide after Xelas and Xelloss are safe." Garv replied, not daring to look at his friend.

"Than… it will take at the least, 18years." Ryugyoku whispered. "I should’ve made them move to a place where the marriage age is younger.."

"Huh? Ryugyoku WHAT are you talking about?" Garv asked finally looking up. His deep red hair falling out of it’s loose ponytail.

"Garv…. I’ll tell you this, since you’re also a reincarnation of the five dark lords. I told you how Chaos Dragon died right?" Garv nodded. "Remember, Dalfin and Phiblizo haven’t been reincarnated yet. But if Graushelaa finds ‘em before we do, he’ll make them side with him. Xelas.. we’ll save her, but the only way to insure THIS Xelas right now, is to be under the protection of the human that can call on our lord. A name too great to say." Ryugyoku’s eyes turned sad. "She’ll need to meet the reincarnation of the only human who can do that, the reincarnation, of ‘Lina Inverse’. If she and Xelloss will marry, the other prophesy that I can't say now may come true."

"Ryugyoku…….."

"Let’s go back Garv. We don’t want to be found." Garv nodded and the two walked down the night street.

A week later, in a port for Lay-wing-planes.

"So, here we are! Kobe of Japan! There’s an orphanage about half an hour away from the port by car. They’ll teach you guys Japanese there. There’s also a car parked outside." Ryugyoku announced, walking with Xelloss, Xelas and Garv. "Remember to be careful and Xelas, take care of Xelloss."

"I know." Xelas replied in her un-childish manner. "Trust me Ryugyoku." She smiled than. "And thanks for all the help."

"No problem. Now remember Garv, take care of those two." Ryugyoku turned to his friend. "And that I’m always looking for a partner in the show business!"

"I’ll never forget it Ryugyoku." Garv smiled and gave him the thumbs up sign. "See you." He and Xelas with Xelloss turned around and walked over to the car.

Ryugyoku looked at them for awhile and than smiled. "Become happier this time around…. Xelloss. We’ll meet again"