This story is marked complete, and in a way, it is. This is legitimately all I had outlined at the start. As the story grew, this original plotline turned into what is essentially the first arc of a longer adventure. The rest of that longer adventure, however, I don't have for you. It's something you can imagine on your own, if you'd like. For those who've read this far, I want to say how much I appreciate your support. I want to express my hope that the end of the story can be enjoyed, and that perhaps it will serve as inspiration for others. Thanks again for sticking with me, and I look forward to work on future endeavors.


21-

"...Zelgadis?" It was almost a whisper. He nodded gently.

"Mother."

With one arm still around Jaime, Carmen reached across and placed a hand against Zelgadis' cheek. When she spoke again, it was just barely audible.

"My gods, you've grown up."

"Yes," was the only thing he could get out. Lucan whined in response to the tension in the atmosphere and started towards them, but Lina held him back.

"You've grown so much…" Carmen repeated, her hand still against his face. "...and you… you look just like…"

"My grandfather," Zelgadis finished, finally finding his voice. "I know."

"No, I was actually going to say you look like your father."

That was unexpected, if Zelgadis' expression was any indication. He looked back and forth between Carmen and Michael, and then shook his head.

"I'm afraid that's not exactly a compliment right now."

Carmen let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob, then moved her arm to wrap around Zelgadis' shoulder and pull him into a hug. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's really you," she sniffled. "You're here. You're alive. All these years, you've been alive."

A hint of a smile passed over Zelgadis' face. Jaime had joined in the hug, snuggling in between them, and he shifted his grip to include Jaime as well. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If I'd known you were alive, I would've written. Curse or no curse, I would've at least written."

"Curse?" Carmen pulled away, looking up at him again with new eyes. Lina could hear the pain in his voice, and she knew that someone as perceptive as Carmen could hear it too. "What curse?"

"It's a long story. We need to help Dad first."

"R-right. Of course."

Lina stepped in, clearing her throat. "Alright, alright, as much as these warm fuzzies are protecting us from the Mazoku right now, they're not going to last forever. We need your help with something, Zel."

Zelgadis looked up and narrowed his eyes. "Lina. Where's Gourry?"

"Further down in the mine, organizing part of my plan. A plan I need you for."

He stood up, heaving a sigh. "For once, I'd like to spend time with you without becoming one of your 'handy items.' My father needs serious medical attention, and we don't have time to involve him in one of your schemes-"

"I'll take him back to Senagra."

The interruption came from Mrs. Morue, watching the scene with Holly still clinging to her side. Zelgadis turned to her, considering the offer for a moment.

"Who are you?"

"Lydia Morue," she answered, holding out a hand to shake. "I'm afraid that I'm part of the reason your father is in this mess. It's the least I can do to help him out. Miss Lina's plan has merit, and I would like to see it implemented, but she needs your help. Please…" She paused and glanced down at Holly. "...for the sake of all of us who've been hurt by AVA."

Zelgadis considered it for a moment and then let out a groan.

"Alright, alright. Should've known I'd be roped into one of Lina's schemes as soon as I heard her name."

Pokota flew over to land on his head. "You expected differently?"

In the meantime, Holly ran over to where Carmen and Jaime were sitting and held out a hand. "I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be Mister Michael's chaperone, but I haven't done a very good job. My mom and I will help you get him home, okay?"

"I appreciate it," Carmen replied with a smile. "But I can't go just yet. Miss Lina needs my help too. Will you watch over Jaime for me too?"

Jaime let out a whine of disapproval, but Carmen reached over to where Pickles was sitting and placed the kitten in his arms.

"I'm going to be home soon, I promise. You have to take care of your daddy, alright? Go with Holly and her mother, and make sure Daddy gets to the doctor safe and sound."

"But Nii-nii-"

"I'll take care of him in the meantime. There are monsters out here and we need to get rid of them. We'll be home once all the monsters are gone, okay?"

Lina leaned down to pat Carmen on the shoulder. "I like your confidence! You can trust us to protect you from the monsters, Jaime. Leave it to us."

"Will they be safe going back to Senagra?" Zelgadis asked. "I wouldn't want them to meet any Mazoku on their way."

"I'm actually an employee of AVA," Mrs. Morue answered. "If any show up to question me, I'll make it clear that I'm escorting trespassers off the mine property. It isn't technically a lie."

"Happy?" Lina asked.

Zelgadis grumbled something that, if she didn't know him better, could have been mistaken for disapproval. But Lina did know him better.


Lina made sure everyone knew where they were supposed to go, and left to update Gourry on the situation. She'd asked each of the others to cast a Lighting spell once they'd reached their location, and the mine workers agreed to set off the explosives once they could see all six lights. The magicians would wait for a short amount of time to allow the Mazoku to investigate, and then create the ward. It was a simple enough plan, but the mine workers were nervous about the whole deal and she was concerned that they weren't up to it. But she trusted Gourry to handle the situation- if anyone could help these guys, he could.

Once Lina disappeared back to the upper levels of the mine, Gourry turned to the others. Lucan had followed her and stayed beside Gourry, his tail wagging eagerly as he waited for some kind of attention. Gourry gave him a friendly pat on the head and looked to the others as they gathered around.

"So what now?" the youngest of the mine workers asked. "We have to wait until they all give the signal?"

"If we don't wanna end up with those monsters at our throats, then yeah," Gourry replied. "In the meantime, can you go over how these explosives work again?"

Another worker looked over at him with a frown. "I told you, it's easy. You just light the fuse and get out of the way."

"Okay, right. Light the fuse first, then get out of the way." Gourry rested his chin in one hand, nodding sagely. "I suppose it's pretty useless if you do it the other way around, hm?"

A few of the workers laughed, the younger one asking "you're joking, right?" while a few others exchanged an uneasy glance and a whispered "is he serious?" The conversation lightened the mood, though, and Gourry smiled to himself. These men were anxious and afraid, and it would be difficult to coordinate their efforts in that state. Plus, it was kind of fun to mess with people who weren't used to his absentminded antics yet.

He expected they'd have time to wait before receiving the signal and had let his guard down, so when Lucan began to bark, it jolted him to attention.

"Now here's a worker I didn't know was on our payroll," a voice rasped, sending the mine workers scrambling back. "The brother of the infamous Arthur Bedivere, yes?"

Gourry stiffened, one hand flying to the hilt of his sword. The Mazoku hadn't revealed itself, and he was tilting his head in an attempt to recognize the location of the voice. The workers were all gathered behind the boxes, keeping their distance. They seemed familiar with the voice's owner, and Gourry could sense their fear. He felt a sense of anger rising in his chest, that same rage he'd felt when confronting the Mazoku at the manor months ago. Just remembering it sent a stabbing pain through his left arm, and he shifted in discomfort. He knew the Mazoku would be able to sense his pain, and the idea that the old wound would give this Mazoku power over him only fed his anger. It was a terrible combination and probably just what the Mazoku wanted, but-

Suddenly, a small flash of light appeared on one of the ridges above them. It was due north, which meant it was Lina's spot. Lina. She was counting on him. Despite all the difficulties he'd had lately, despite her worry and their disagreements, she trusted him. Remembering that replaced his anger with a swell of affection, and he drew his sword.

"You seem confused about the situation you're in," the Mazoku spoke again, and Gourry could tell it was put off by his sudden change of heart. "You do not belong here, and I will not have you manipulating our employees."

"Shut up!" Gourry shot back. He knew Lina would have a better comeback, and was trying desperately to think of some kind of banter. He didn't necessarily need to defeat this one, he just needed to buy time until they could put their plan into action. Maybe if he played his usual routine, he could get the creature to waste time talking. "What are you doing here anyway? Don't Mazoku have better things to do than dig a big pit in the ground?"

"Oh? You haven't figured it out?" The Mazoku seemed intrigued, and Gourry had to force back a smile. "Knowing your brother, I'd expect you to be more perceptive."

"He got all the brains, I'm afraid," Gourry answered with a shrug. "If you're just going to dispose of me anyway, you won't mind telling me, right?"

"Nice try. But I know this trick."

"Trick?" Gourry tilted his head, trying to feign ignorance. "What trick-?"

Before he could finish the question, he sensed the Mazoku materialize behind him. He swung back with his sword, only to find that the Mazoku had disappeared again. Before he could locate where it had gone, a voice from a short distance away caught his attention.

"Get down!"

He noticed a light out of the corner of his eye and remembered the explosives. Forgetting the fight, he scrambled away and took cover behind a pile of rubble. The blast that followed rang in his ears and shook the ground beneath him. He was dizzy as he stood up, but the muffled commotion around him growing louder until it was a buzz of yelling and monstrous screeches. The air grew thick with the feeling of bloodlust characteristic of Mazoku- angry Mazoku at that.

Gourry hadn't expected reinforcements to appear so quickly. He looked up toward the cliffside to signal to Lina's group, but realized he didn't have to. Even in the dim light, she could tell exactly what was going on.

One by one, six points of light began to glow on the cliff sides around them. The Mazoku all paused, but they weren't fast enough to disappear from the physical plane before the whole mine was bathed in white light.

Gourry couldn't help a smile. The light felt warm, similar to a healing spell, but surrounding his whole body. The very air seemed to vibrate with positive energy, and it drowned out the screams of the Mazoku as they dissipated under the strength of the White Magic.

Then the clearing went silent. The shimmering light around them died down, and the workers opened their eyes again to look around.

"Did… did it work?"

Gourry looked north, to where Lina's light had been- and to where she was surely basking in the triumph of her plan.

"Yeah. I think it did."


Back in Senagra, the group reported their success to Mrs. Morue and Holly, who were waiting patiently outside the medical tent where Jaime and Michael were being treated. Carmen stayed with them, and Amelia encouraged Zelgadis to do so too, but he insisted on regrouping with the others first, with the excuse that he didn't want to overwhelm his father when he awoke. Besides, he said, he had come to an important realization and needed to share.

"I didn't think much of it at the time, but the plants Jaime discovered at the Botanical Institute provide the key to all of it."

"The plants with the chimera disease?" Amelia asked. "I was wondering about that. It felt like they had to be connected somehow, but I didn't know how."

Lina was sitting by the campfire a short distance away, absentmindedly giving Lucan a belly rub as she listened. "Abaddon was trying to create a human-Mazoku hybrid, weren't they?"

Zelgadis nodded. "It's possible they were trying to create a pathogen that could infect humans with some sort of mutation. Copper has antibacterial properties, so they may have been using it to control or manipulate the samples."

Gourry gasped. "Oh! I get it! Because copper kills slugs, right?"

"Mm, not quite," Lina replied, "but you're on the right track."

"Pokota and I can lead an investigation into AVA's activities," Adelaide offered. "From the records we've found, it's clear their influence went further than we first imagined. We won't stop until we have all the answers." She looked over at Pokota and nodded. "I think it's a good project to prove to your father we're a good team."

Holly perked up. "Can Mama and I help? I'm sure Mama knows a LOT about what they've been doing-"

"We don't want you to put yourself in danger," Pokota interrupted. "We may have dealt a blow to AVA, but can't be sure we've destroyed it."

"...even so…" Lydia murmured. "...I want to help. I spoke with the mine workers, and while they're going home to their families, they're worried about the repercussions of what's happened."

"Do they need bodyguarding services?" Lina chimed in, grabbing onto Gourry's arm. It was his left arm, and she felt him twinge in pain when she did so, so she gently let go. "Gourry and I can take care of that. Gotta keep busy, right?"

Gourry's smile returned and he nodded. "I was worried about them. I want to make sure they're okay."

"Two of them said they were from Seyruun," Amelia pointed out, "so we can provide support if needed.

Holly stifled a yawn and leaned against her mother's side. Adelaide laughed. "That sounds like a job for tomorrow, I think."

Pokota perked up. "What time is it anyway?"

"Time for us to get some rest," Lina answered, leaning against Lucan with a sigh. Lucan whined, but his tail was wagging the whole time, and he leaned over to lick Lina's cheek. Amelia, sitting opposite the campfire from them, stood up and brushed the dust off.

"I'll go see how Jaime and Mister Michael are doing."

"I-I'll go too," Zelgadis said, following after her. "I might as well stop avoiding them. There's nothing we can do about the plants right now, after all."

Gourry had approached Lina and sat down next to her. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to sleep well tonight."

She groaned in reply and shifted to lean against him instead of Lucan. "Carry me to bed, will you?"

He laughed and tousled her hair. "I'm the one who did all the fighting tonight and you want me to carry you?"

"Yes. I absolutely do."

There was a pause, and for a moment she wondered if she should let him rest his arm instead. But he wrapped his arms around her before she could apologize.

"I love you," he said as he scooped her up, starting back toward the tent with Lucan following at his heels. Lina sighed in relief and leaned against his chest.

"...love you too."


When Michael awoke, it took him a moment to gauge his surroundings. It was hard to see details without his glasses, but he could tell it was somewhere he wasn't familiar with. He was no longer on a proper bed, but instead was resting on a cot with a thin cushion. There was pain somewhere in his body, but he couldn't figure out where- it was more of an all-over pain. He didn't have the energy to sit up, but he could feel someone sitting next to him and glanced over. Even without his glasses, he recognized her presence, especially when she reached out and placed a hand against his forehead.

"...Carmen…" he breathed, offering a weak smile. "...you're… I mean… I'm…"

"Shh. Don't push yourself." Carmen leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Your fever has gone down, but you're still weak. You need to rest and recover."

"...where's… Jaime…?"

"His fever broke a few hours ago, so he's been resting too. I'll wake him. You stay there."

Michael closed his eyes, heaving a sigh of relief, but he wasn't satisfied until he heard Jaime's voice from the other side of the room. Within a few minutes, there was an eager little boy hovering next to Michael's cot, jumping up and down to get a better view.

"Daddy! Daddy, you're okay!" Jaime chimed, and Carmen picked him up, sitting on the side of the cot and positioning Jaime on her lap. Michael reached one hand over, interlocking his fingers with Jaime's.

"...yeah. I'm alright."

Even with his vision blurred- both by his poor eyesight and the tears stinging the edges of his eyes- he could see Carmen's smile. She leaned down and motioned toward the doorway.

"There's someone else who wants to see you too."

A man's voice stammered back from the doorway, sounding surprised by Carmen's statement. "N-no, I probably shouldn't-"

"Come on. It's alright. You're the one who saved him, after all."

Jaime pulled his hand away from Michaels so he could wave with both of his arms. "Nii-nii! Come look! Daddy's okay!"

"Yes, I see him." The man's voice spoke up again, approaching the cot. Michael looked up at him, narrowing his eyes as he tried to focus. The man was staring back at him, and his voice sounded like he was smiling. "...hey, Dad."

That was why his voice sounded familiar. It was deep, but there was a nostalgic quality to it. Michael could barely get the name out.

"...Zelgadis?"

"Yeah. It's good to see you again, Dad."

Michael closed his eyes and rested back on the pillow. "...so that's how it is. I'm dying. I'm dying and you're all… all-"

"No, no! Don't say that!" Carmen grabbed his hand again and squeezed it. "We're here. We're all alive. I know it's hard to believe, but we're all here."

Zelgadis walked around to the other side of the cot and sat on the edge across from Carmen and Jaime. "For so long, I thought you were dead. Don't go dying on me now that I've finally found you, okay?"

"...that should be my line." Michael forced a weak laugh. "If I wake up later and find this was all a fever dream, I'll be angry."

Carmen stifled a laugh herself. "To be perfectly honest, I'm wondering when I'm going to wake up. If it's all just a dream, I at least want to enjoy it."

"Mom-" Zelgadis began, but Carmen cut him off.

"Just joking," she replied, giving him a nudge. Jaime had curled up against Michael's chest, and she nudged him aside to make sure he wasn't making it hard for Michael to breathe. "This is all too crazy to be a dream. Where's Amelia?"

Amelia peeked in through the doorway. She held a sleepy kitten in her arms, Pickles nestled against her chest with tail drooping and twitching languidly. "I thought I'd give you all some space."

"Get in here." Carmen motioned her closer. "You're family too."

"...there's someone else now…?" Michael murmured, trying to get a better view of her. "Where are my glasses?"

"Broken," Zelgadis replied, "but we'll get you a replacement soon."

"I hope so. I want to see your face… to see how you've changed…"

Carmen nudged Zelgadis as she replied to Michael. "It'll be like looking in a mirror."

"...I hope not… I probably look awful right now…"

Zelgadis nudged his mother back. "That's what I said too!"

Amelia joined the group as they continued to chat, even Jaime sleepily offering his opinion. There was so much to talk about, from the events of the past few days to the years that Zelgadis had been separated from them, yet they began to talk about mundane things- like Michael's propensity to lose his glasses. It felt underwhelming after all that had happened, and yet… it seemed appropriate. For so long they hadn't had the opportunity to be a normal family, they were taking that chance as soon as they could. They had a lot to catch up on.

And they weren't going to waste a minute.