Everything was spinning, oh the pain! He lay still; trying desperately to remember what he was doing face down in the sand. Nausea quickly worked its way up his throat and he vomited. In disgust, Zelgadiss rolled over onto his back, breathing hard, as the night sky spun in a strange twist above him. He collapsed on his back, waiting for his sight to return to normal. "Lina..." he muttered.

Then all the earlier day's events hit him like a hard blow in the gut.

"LINA!" He jerked up in sudden rage, then bent to his knees and cursed as sever pain racked his skull. His eyes cold, with silent ferocity overpowering the physical pain his body was suffering, he rose in one swift movement and strode a couple yards over to where he found his weapon, tossed into dried brush. He grabbed the hilt and lined up the blade to his face, shifting it slightly in the starlight. As the light danced upon the blade, a grin spread across his face. "You should have killed me." Then, face returning to a hard-set expression; he sheathed his sword in one swift motion. "Hang on Lina, I'm coming for you." Those were the last words that passed through his lips.

Hunger-wise, Lina was feeling much less worse for the wear, in her unfortunate circumstance. But now thoughts of escape occupied her mind constantly. She studied them all, watching their moves, their habits, waiting for one of them to make a mistake. Oh it was hopeless; these men weren't fools. "Damn," She hissed through her teeth. With a grunt, she flopped over to her side where she couldn't see their suspicious eyes watching her like hawks. What could she do? Zelgadiss-sama, where are you? Zelgadiss...Zelgadiss... Over and over, she repeated his name in her mind, until a restless sleep took her.

Morning came as an unwelcome guest. A light slap to her cheek woke Lina from her only escape from harsh reality. She blinked away the sleep and struggled into a sitting position. The man, Emir, took her by the arm and helped her to her feet. Nodding to the others, he led her to his horse, an elegant grey mare, with a cream mane and tail that shimmered in the morning light as silk.

Lina sighed and as yet again she was lifted onto the mount. She fought for balance as Emir settled into the saddle, and they began on the winding trail again, all the while, sticking close to the mountain range. Lina felt a trickle run down her arm and noticed a red gash. When did that happen? Must of cut it on the boulder... Her mind suddenly clicked to full alertness. That was it; every stop she'd leave a sign behind, yet what could she leave as clues without drawing too much attention? She closed her eyes and realized the only way to be inconspicuous about it was to leave behind a trail of blood or other faint signs. To keep that wound of hers fresh, and somehow hide it from the sight of Emir and the other men was all she'd need to worry about now. That and hoping Zelgadiss would pick up on her trail. The hoof prints alone wouldn't last long, not with the ever-shifting sands they trod upon.

By the time mid-day rolled along, Lina, head swimming from the heat, slumped against Emir, who suddenly brought his horse to a stop. He had decided that now would be a good time to take a short break and so went to a shaded area where a naturally concave high stone boulder rose high up about fifteen feet. Not far from it, ran a clear little stream and a few wild date palms scattered the small oasis, as well as other various fruits native to the area.

Lina felt herself being led and she stumbled along half heartedly, to where she was made to sit under the shade of a palm. Nearby, the small party gathered fresh water and prepared some tea. It seemed to Lina that the company had calmed down very much so, since they first captured her. She watched two of the men conversing, suddenly wondering what it was they were talking about.

Her attentions were yet again averted as she felt warm breath on her shoulder. Jerking her head up in surprise, she found the muzzle of a horse in her face. Then she realized that she'd been seated near the horses the whole time. Lina reached up and pet the horse lightly on the muzzle. It was the leader's horse, and so noble as well. She stood and hugged the mare around her neck. "Will you help me escape, eh?" She muttered and smiled. "What's your name?"

The grey mare grunted and shook her head as Emir came and laid his hand to the halter. He looked down at Lina with a half smile and scratched his horse behind the ears. "Sharifa..." He grinned and smoothed at tangle in the horse's mane.

Lina repeated the word. "Sar...Sharifa? That's her name?" She smiled back and stroked the mare on the muzzle. As if in reply, the mare nickered softly. Lina laughed for the first time since she could remember. Perhaps the man would let her go? In fact, she hadn't even thought about why they were holding her captive anyway. For what reason did they even come at them armed? She frowned again while thinking these things.

Emir led her back to the group and handed her a cup of hot tea. Lina mumbled a thank you and sipped it slowly. In spite of the heat, the hot tea felt refreshing.

What indeed would have caused such disruption between the foreigners and Emir and his men? If only Lina had known they were headed strait for a prized Arabian horse stud. The men who'd captured her, were only defending the territory from horse thieves and the like. For quite often, those who desired to abscond with one or more of the prized desert jewels, where caught and severely punished for their attempts. In knowing this, Lina would have cause to fear, and yet they did nothing to harm her in any way.

She would have Emir to thank. For something told him these two strange, outlandish people they'd stumbled upon, where not horse thieves, but lost souls. In spite of the fact that he and the others were, for the most part, convinced she was a mystic and Zelgadiss a terrible monster, he saw no reason to leave this woman for dead. Even if his reasoning was none other than fear of being cursed. He had made a decision to take the long way around the mountain range to the other side and leave her with a fair amount of supplies to get her to the next oasis. For horse thief, witch, or harmless mortal, he wouldn't be passing through the residence of Faris al 'Abd al-Malik. No outsiders could hope to behold these wondrous creatures, without invitation of the horse master himself.

Early afternoon found a lone figure, stooped over the vague remains of a campfire. Zelgadiss rubbed a pinch of ash between his fingers and gazed around the area. Painstakingly, he searched for anything familiar that might lead him on the right track. Then upon noticing something to his advantage perhaps, he moved over to a patch of soft earth that bore imprints of a group of horses. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he followed the prints on their path northward until they became unrecognizable in the white sand a couple yards away. He walked in circles, examining the faint footprints for the petite ones that would be Lina's. Sighing, he turned finally to a cluster of sand stone boulders. Something then caught his eye. He quickly reached out and pulled a couple of hair strands free from a dead bush. Against his gloved palm, they glinted red. Hope flashed in his eyes briefly, until he saw a stain on the unblemished white rock nearby. Bending down he inspected it for a while, a narrow smear of deep brownish red. Was it of dried blood or just a natural mark? Hard to say, but at least he knew for sure that Lina had been this way.

In a short while, he was on his way again, pausing every few yards for a lead on the path they were taking, but could only conclude they had veered off the mountain trail and into the sands once more. Zelgadiss snorted. Obviously, their plan was to give him the slip. He grinned with a strange gleam in his eyes. What fools. When he caught up with them, he'd give them hell.

Lina I swear this. If they've harmed you in anyway, I won't leave one of them alive.

Once more, night settled in. The moon was enshrouded in dark clouds, and the stars seemed so very distant and cold. Again, Lina sat away from what remained of the group of men, most of which had parted and gone back to patrol the other regions of the master's territory. She yanked at her hair, pulling loose a couple strands and weaved them into the nearby bush as best she could without bringing herself attention. This is ridiculous! Why do I bother anyway? She ideally needed to leave a possession each time. A tear of fabric, a gem, but that would be too obvious. Emir had already doctored her wound. What else could she do? Zelgadiss? Where are you? It wasn't like she was in any real danger, but she was worried to the point of illness about her chimera friend. After all, they'd beaten him and left him for dead. What if he'd never come to? What if? She bit her lip hard and pushed away all negative thoughts best she could. No, he was alive; he had to be.

Somewhere in the freezing wastelands of the Arctic:

Amidst the deathly still, mind numbing, bone chilling air, hovered a familiar figure. He lighted on a high mound of powdery, white snow and took a good look around him. In spite of the deadly cold, this man wasn't dressed for the elements. But that wouldn't matter, no indeed. For this was none other than Xelloss Metallium, and he didn't feel the cold. A smirk spread across his face as he gazed across the vast expanse of this white wonderland. In a mocking tone, and only for his own amusement, he called out. "Oi? Zelgadiss? Lina-san? Come out come out, where ever you are!" He yawned and stretched. "Well, looks like they aren't home." He tapped his chin, grinning still. Well, I can rule this place out. I don't think they were even sent here. Sure this is a harsh place to battle for your life, but death would come much swifter here and a much easier end. No, I would think the dear man Ash sent them somewhere toasty! Well, how many remote deserts are there to explore on this planet. Hmm...

Xelloss seated himself and pulled an atlas from seemingly out of nowhere and began to flip through it. "Hmm, Mojave Desert? Gobi Dessert, Sahara? My, my, where shall I start?" His thought process was shattered as his mistress reached him telepathically.

Xelloss! What progress have you made? Or are you just taking your own sweet time? Zellas Metallium inquired in a sharp tone.

I'm closing in on their location; it won't be long now, my lady... He replied, somewhat out of joint. Taking his sweet time? Hell no. Exactly what did she expect from him, when Ash, even under the worst of torture wouldn't confess their exact whereabouts?

Xelloss stood and stretched, with a yawn. "Okay, off I go. Perhaps I'll try...The Gobi-" His last few words came out in a rush as he felt hot breath down his shirt collar. He spun around and came nose to nose with a big, white, shaggy bear? A bear in this frozen wasteland? The polar bear sniffed him curiously and Xelloss made a face as the sour, fishy breath hit his nose. He pulled out a case of Altoids. "Breath mint, my good lad?"

The beast replied with a growl and bared fangs; he lifted a strong paw to strike the mazoku down, but it hit empty air, as Xelloss phased out. The polar bear fell back on his hind legs, rump in the snow. Where did that strange morsel go?