Nothing the three traveling companions expected of Lina and Zelgadiss' return would prepare them for what would happen in the next few hell-raising minutes to follow...

"Gourry-sama?"

"Hmm?" The blond swordsman kicked at the bedpost as he lay staring at the ceiling.

"How much longer do you think Xelloss will take to return our friends to us?" Sylphiel laid her head against the mattress, feet curled under her atop a wool mat beside the bed.

"I wouldn't know Sylphiel. Xelloss takes his own time to do things." Gourry yawned. "But I do wish he'd hurry the hell up. I miss fighting Lina for the next meal." He turned his head and grinned sheepishly at the shrine maiden.

Amelia sat apart from the group next to the small fireplace, staring absently into the orange flames. "I miss Zelgadiss-san too." She planned on working up enough courage to kiss him on his return. After all, she did love the chimera and would do everything in her power to help him in his quest for a cure. She smiled and spun around in her seat to face the others. "So, lets go down to the diner and get something to eat."

Gourry sat up and yawned. "I was kind of comfortable and I don't need anything just yet... I know, why don't you go down and bring us something up? Unless you want to go with her, Sylphiel?"

The raven-haired woman stirred from a slight doze. "Huh? Oh?well...okay, what would you like me to bring you back dear Gourry?"

Amelia smiled and bit her lip. Gourry didn't feel like eating just yet? Was she hearing right? Yet it wasn't surprising, for neither of them had much of an appetite since the disappearance of their comrades.

"You be the judge, you know what I like..." He smiled at her warmly. Sylphiel returned the smile and rose with a stifled yawn. "Okay Amelia-san, lets get a little something..."

Amelia nodded and was already running out the door and down the steps. Sylphiel shook her head at the princess' eagerness and followed at her own relaxed pace, not before winking at Gourry on her way out.

Then the peace of the old inn was disturbed in a heartbeat.

Amelia had reached the bottom and had just stepped into the dining area when the room suddenly darkened. Every single candle blew out and the room tremored as if an earthquake was taking place. Shouts and shrieks of confusion and fear were heard about the room and Amelia sank to the ground, eyes wide and staring as a black rip appeared in the middle of the room and three figures materialized. Then, one by one the candles relit themselves, or more rightly, a certain mazoku snapped his fingers and they lit at his command. He waved his arms out at the disturbed occupants.

"No worries my good people, just leave calmly please." He wore his usual smile and turned to see the very shocked and grateful Amelia running at him.

"Xelloss! Oh you brought them back! Oh... oh I must give you a hug, even though you are the evil monster you are!"

Xelloss grimaced and pulled the over exuberant princess off of him. "Save your thanks; there's a slight problem; you see..."

Lina's voice shattered anyone's hearing within ten feet of her. "Slight problem! Slight problem my ass! GO to HELL Xelloss!"

That about did it for those that were left to watch in awe the scene taking place. They were exiting the building in much the same manner as spooked cattle, until not one was left and only the innkeeper was left staring, open mouthed at the whole situation.

Lina twisted Xelloss' arm behind him in a painful lock and made him bend to the floor. "Amelia! This is a matter of life and death! Zelgadiss is dying! You have to save him!" The sorceress eyes were wild with fear and Amelia felt her stomach knot up in a painful twist.

"Zelgadiss is...what?" Her mind flew into a black void momentarily and she fought to keep her consciousness.

Meanwhile Lina had let go of the miserable Xelloss and instead took hold of the princess' shoulders and shook her violently. "Amelia! Snap out of it. While you go into shock, Zelgadiss' life force is slipping away! He's dying damn it, and all you can do is blank out? Damn you, Amelia. You can't flake out!"

Amelia's eyes rolled unsteadily in her head as she tried to stop Lina from shaking her senseless. "Okay, let me go... and let's get him to the room in a hurry!"

"That's more like it!" Lina replied in haste. She hooked up one of Zelgadiss' arms over her shoulder and had Xelloss do the same. Amelia took the lead and sprinted up the steps, almost running headlong into Sylphiel.

"Amelia? What's-" She began, then cupped her hand over her mouth at the arrival of her other friends she's so missed. "Zelgadiss! Lina, what hap-"

"No time for explaining! You have to heal him!" Lina snapped out furiously. "He might already be dead!" She choked in anger. "Remember what I said I'd do to you Xelloss? Pick up the pace!"

"Hai!" the mazoku shuddered at Lina's venomous reply. She'd never sounded so fierce before not even over Phibrizo taking hostage and near death of her guardian Gourry.

With not another minute spared, Lina and company poured into the room where Gourry still lay, relaxing.

"Get off the bed Gourry!" Amelia shouted out as she kicked open the door, eyes wide with fear.

Gourry hit the floor ungracefully as he fell off the bed. "Huh? Hey!" He peered over at them from his place on the floor. "Lina your?" He frowned as he saw Zelgadiss' lifeless body being dragged in. "Zelgadiss?"

Lina said not a word to the swordsman as she helped Xelloss straighten the chimera on the bed. Biting back a sob, she moved away from the one she loved so dearly. "Amelia, Sylphiel, do your work." With that she turned and fled from the room trying to hide the tears running down her face in endless streams. She felt nothing when she tripped and went sliding down the stairs to the floor fourteen feet below.

Gourry took one last look at his chimera comrade and then pursued Lina, heart going out to her. He looked down, grievously, at the redhead's shaking, crumpled, form at the foot of the stairs. "Lina! Oh Lina-san!" He thundered down the steps and gathered the sobbing sorceress into his strong, muscular arms. "Lina, tell me what happened, please!"

"Xe-lloss did it...he-" She chocked on her tears. "... beat Zelgadiss almost to the point of death." Lina's breathing came out unevenly and broken and she felt her head growing light. She was beginning to hyperventilate as she continued to wail, clutching Gourry's tunic until her knuckles where ghostly white. "I'll kill him if he dies!" She managed to add before she passed out, head rolling back against the swordsman's arm.

Gourry's eyes glistened in hate for the mazoku. For the first time he realized just how very heartless bastards, the mazoku race, really were. "Lina-san, I'll make him pay dearly!" His features twisted in concern for the petite sorceress he held in his arms. But what held him in complete awe was the fact that Lina, Lina Inverse, Enemy of All Who Live, the Dragon Spooker, Sorcery Genius, was actually crying her eyes out. Lina never had cried before, not even a sob. Never in the whole time he'd traveled with her, and he wondered if she'd ever cried for him when the Hellmaster had taken him away.