Zelgadis and Amelia sat in her room on her bed with their hands folded in their laps, staring at the floor and not speaking. Occasionally they would sneak glances at each other out of the corners of their eyes, then look away again in embarrassment. Their meeting in her mind was still fresh in their memories, each still able to taste the other’s kisses on their lips and feel the warmth of each other’s embrace. However, now that they were actually in separate bodies again, the magic wasn’t happening. Zel sighed. Amelia cleared her throat. He scratched his knee, she got up and walked over to the window, then sat down on a nearby chair. He got up, dug his hands into his pockets and headed for the door.
        "I like those clothes!" Amelia said to keep him from leaving, then blushed at how loudly she’d said something that dorky.
        He blushed and shrugged. "I borrowed them from Urlich. He’s not such a bad guy after all." Zel laughed self-consciously, then cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I’ll be going then."
        Amelia struggled to find something to say to keep him there but before she succeeded, he’d taken her silence as agreement and left. She listened to the sounds of his boots on the hall floor, then his door opening and shutting. "Well, crud. That didn’t go very well at all."
        He wouldn’t admit it, and she’d lost the nerve to bring it up when she’d finally gotten him alone, but Zelgadis wasn’t himself. Now, Amelia was an understanding sort of girl, the kind who liked to give people the benefit of the doubt and be sympathetic to their situations. Zelgadis had been through more in the past few days and survived than Amelia would’ve thought possible for one person—especially someone like Zelgadis who already had the emotional deck stacked against him. And it wasn’t like he’d ever been especially chatty about himself before all of this stuff with Xellos and the Lord of Nightmares happened, so Amelia hadn’t really expected him to pour out his soul to her. That behavior was just like the old Zelgadis, but it was this loopy sense of humor he’d developed that had the Princess worried. Ordinarily, she’d think a sense of humor was a good thing. After all, laughter was the best medicine and heaven knows Zel needed all the cheering up he could get. It was just that…well, his humor really was very like Xellos’. She couldn’t put a finger on it, really, she just knew that some things Zelgadis said reminded her very strongly of things the Trickster Priest might say. Having dealt with Xellos for nigh on three years now, Amelia could honestly say Zelgadis having some of Xellos’ genetic material in his make up wasn’t a good thing, though she had to admit it was nice seeing him amused once in a while.
        But how could she ask him about it? All he’d do was deny that his personality was any different. "Hm. I wonder if Lina’s noticed? Or Gourry." Amelia decided to ask. Unfortunately, when she got to Lina’s door, the sounds coming from within did not encourage interruption. "When did they start sleeping together?!" Amelia wondered with a red face as she scurried back to her own room. Lina and Gourry…doing it? Gulp. Amelia’s mind conjured images of her friends naked and entwined in each other’s arms. "ACK!" She shook her head to clear it and decided she needed a good, stiff cup of joe. Toward that end, she trotted downstairs in search of Zhara’s kitchen and coffee fixins.
        Whilst she puttered about in the kitchen, Ullan slunk in and asked what she was doing, startling her so badly, the coffee beans she was grinding went all over the kitchen floor. "I’m sorry!" He exclaimed with a blush and fell to his knees to help her clean up at the same time she dropped, and the two bumped heads and wound up on their butts rubbing their skulls.
        "Sorry," Amelia apologized, "I’m such a klutz. Ask Lina, she’ll tell you."
        He chuckled. "Don’t worry about it. I thought you heard me come in. Sorry to startle you, Your Highness."
        She gave him a beatific smile. "You can just call me Amelia. Everybody else does. I like it."
        They managed to collect all the beans, then Ullan filled a bowl with water to wash them in. "So, how’d your chat with Zelgadis go?" He asked her casually, then realized he probably wasn’t supposed to know about that and panicked.
        Amelia frowned. "Lina told you, didn’t she?"
        He blushed. "Uh, yeah. I’m sorry. I guess it’s none of my business."
        "That’s ok," she assured him and got a towel on which to lay out the beans, then spread them around when he finished washing them. "It went really awful. We didn’t even say anything to each other about it!"
        "He’s probably just not ready to talk about it."
        Amelia nodded. Geez, Zhara really needed to clean her floor! She could almost see her own tracks in the dust! You’d think someone as important in Marrigan as Zhara would have servants!
        Ullan spoke her mind. "Che! Look at this place! And I haven’t seen a servant since I got here! She used to practically have an army of them taking care of her house!" He sighed. "I’m gonna get a mop, Amelia. I’ll be right back."
        "Bring me a dust cloth!" She called after him. "I’ll help!"
        An hour later, Amelia and Ullan leaned against the counter, admiring the fine job they’d done making Zhara’s kitchen sparkle and shine (while still managing to brew a pot of coffee). "A kitchen should be clean," Amelia commented proudly. "After all, that’s where the food is prepared. Come to think of it, though," she scratched her head in puzzlement, "I didn’t notice any food in the pantry. Does she keep it someplace else?"
        Ullan shook his head. "She didn’t when I lived here. And she used to have servants that prepared lavish meals, too. I wonder what happened to them all."
        "Poor Zhara," Amelia sighed. "I guess she’s been really unhappy since—" she gave Ullan an embarrassed look and couldn’t finish her sentence.
        "Since what happened," he finished for her sadly. "I know. I think I would’ve been sad, too, if I’d know about her and Jessica and what she did when we got sealed. I knew about Zeris and was pretty bummed out over it. We were friends, you know."
        Amelia clenched her fist and shook it in the air. "That Lord of Nightmares! Just because she’d god, she thinks she’s—um, god."
        Both of their shoulders sagged. "Yeah."
        After an uncomfortable pause, Amelia asked: "What do you think will happen now? Is she gonna finish off Xellos, do you think?"
        "And the rest of his family, too, I guess," Ullan replied in a quiet voice. "That was her plan, according to Grandad. I’d say it was fair punishment for him almost killing all of her family, but—well, when does the killing end, Amelia?! This could just go on and on! She’ll kill us, then Zellas will decide to get revenge, then L-Sama will get revenge on her, and so on and so on till there’s nobody left! It has to stop somewhere, why not stop here? Now? With this battle?"
        This guy was a Mozuko? Amelia looked up at Zhara’s youngest son with wonder in her eyes. Well, he did tell Gourry he didn’t make a very good Mozuko, didn’t he? A grandson of Xellos Metallium who was against killing people. Cool! Amelia did her justice pose, coffee mug in one hand, other fist upraised. "You’re absolutely right, Ullan! It has to stop right now!" Then she deflated. "But how? She’s the Lord of Nightmares!"
        They sipped coffee and thought about that for a very long time. The grandfather clock in the parlor chimed six o’clock, one second ahead of the Cuckoo Clock in the kitchen, which, instead of a bird, spit out a gilded dragon with each chime. Amelia poured them more coffee, then followed Ullan to a little table in the far corner where they sat down to have a really good think. In a few minutes, they were joined by Xellos, who silently fetched himself a mug, poured coffee, then lay his head down on his arms and ignored it.
        "I’m sorry I got you all into this, Ullan," he muttered into his elbow. "I should’ve known she’d find out who was responsible and avenge herself in kind. Hell, it’s what I would do."
        Ullan tried to smile, to tell his grandfather not to beat himself up over it, but dammit Xellos deserved it. What had he been thinking, going against the Lord of Nightmares like that? It wasn’t like messing with a mere Mozuko Lord! She was god, fer cryin’ out loud! You just didn’t mess with god. He only wished there some other way to atone for Xellos’ sin, some way that wouldn’t mean killing his entire family! What if one of them offered to sire another child for her? Then she’d have that back up that Zelgadis talked about. If that was acceptable, Ullan thought he’d gladly do the deed! Anything to save his family. What if someone offered themselves in Xellos’ place? Ullan was willing to do that, too.
        He bounced these ideas off his tablemates. Amelia told him he was the noblest person she’d ever met (probably not true), but Xellos just grunted. "I killed all but one of her descendants in this world, Ullan," he told his grandson dryly, "do you honestly think she’ll bargain under those circumstances?"
        "Well," Ullan began carefully, "I’ve done a lot of work for her before, and never found her to be an unreasonable person. And think about it: She could’ve just killed us all in one fell swoop, but she didn’t do it. What if this isn’t really what she wants?"
        "She wants me dead," Xellos said flatly. "Perhaps she can be persuaded to spare the rest of you." He sighed. "I’ll try, but I doubt she’s willing to do me any favors."
        "Then I’ll do it!" Amelia crowed. "And Lina! And Zelgadis! Zel’s her descendant, right? And she seems to like Lina for some reason. We’ll talk to her for you!"
        Ullan and Xellos gaped at her. "I knew it," Xellos growled, "she is insane."
        "Hey! I’m just trying to help!"
        Xellos finally remembered he had coffee and sat up to drink it. "Thank you, Princess, but I don’t think your will carries much weight with the Lord of Nightmares. Nor does Lina’s." He took another sip and added thoughtfully: "Zelgadis, on the other hand… Hmmm…"
        Ullan and Amelia watched him think with eager eyes. "Do you think she’ll listen to Zelgadis?" Amelia prompted. "I mean, even if he has part of you in him now. I can’t believe you did that." She lifted her mug to her lips, then paused to add: "On second thought, yes I can believe you did that."
        Xellos tried to recapture a bit of his old humor when he said: "Ruined him for you, did I?" It came out all wrong, though. Not scathingly witty, just sort of dull and lifeless.
        Amelia lost her will to argue with him over it. Poor guy was really scared, and that was something the Princess never thought she’d see. "So, what do we do now?"
        Xellos sighed heavily and said into his mug: "I guess we die."

         Jaz sat in a corner booth in a little cantina on the edge of the Plain of Despair and considered the Lord of Nightmares’ offer. She could have it all back: Her power, her nature, her status. Everything Zhara had taken away. And all she had to do in return was use that power to kill Xellos and his family. Therein lay the problem for Jaz: She honestly didn’t want to kill anybody over this, not even Zhara. The fact of the matter was she understood why Zhara had changed her and why she’d taken away her memories. Zhara couldn’t bear to lose another person she loved that day but she also knew that Jaz wouldn’t be able to go on as a vampire if she was able to remember her glorious past as one of the world’s ancient powers. In her state of emotional destruction, that had been Zhara’s version of mercy. When she was able to think more clearly, Zhara had realized her mistake, which explained why she hadn’t been able to face her old friend all those years.
        More than that, though, there was still a part of Jaz who loved Zhara with all the depth and passion as Jessica had eight hundred years ago. Zhara had never returned the passion part, but that hadn’t quelled the fire in Jessica’s heart for the exotic half-dragon sorceress. Even now, the girl’s beauty caught Jaz’s breath in her throat. Now she loved Urlich, too, who had returned her passion in spades. Well, he always had been the more emotional of the twins, a perfect match for baby sister Sylph. Had the death of their son ended their relationship? She searched her memories of her time as Jaz the vampire. Yes, Zeris’ death had forced them apart. What a shame. Poor Zhara, she thought, and wished she could cry. All of the anger she’d initially felt when Beast Master restored her memories was slowly being replaced by the old love nothing had been able to kill—not Zhara’s heterosexuality, not her choosing Lei Magnus over her, not even the anguish of that day eight hundred years ago. No, she wouldn’t kill Zhara or Urlich and because of them she wouldn’t harm Zhara’s children, either. The boys were victims of a misunderstanding as much as the rest of them were, even Xellos.
        "So what did he do to you that you want his entire family dead?" She asked the Lord of Nightmares, who sipped a glass of wine across the table from her and serenely smoked a cigarette. "Is this about Saiya?"
        L-Sama paused to narrow her eyes at the vampire, then slowly set down her glass. "How do you know about her?"
        Ah. So it was about the girl. Even Lei’s affair with L-Sama couldn’t make Zhara hate the sorcerer, whom she’d called her "one true love". Huh. "Didn’t you like her having an affair with Xellos?" She asked L-Sama instead of answering the question.
        "How do you know about these things?" The Lord of Nightmares persisted. She sucked smoke and blew it out in neat little rings that floated away, disintegrating near the oak beamed ceiling. And why wasn’t Jaz angrier? She should be swearing vengeance for what had been done to her, not feeling any sympathy for Zhara!
        Jaz shrugged. "I’m old, L-Sama," she said coolly. "Only you and I really know how old. I hear things on the wind."
        "Spare me the melodrama," L-Sama sneered.
        "Ok, Zellas Metallium told me about the affair," Jaz grinned, showing her fangs. "I guess you could say a little beast told me."
        The Lord of Nightmares was not amused. "Did she tell you her servant Xellos murdered my daughter and all but one of her descendants on the orders of Shabranigdo?"
        Jaz’ jaw dropped and she struggled unsuccessfully for something to say. Xellos killed his lover? And her children? L-Sama’s half-mortal family?! Even Xellos wasn’t stupid enough to cross the Lord of Nightmares that directly. "That—no! I don’t believe—But that’s crazy!" And furthermore, why did the Lord of Nightmares breed with a human? To what end? She leaned over the table and asked: "Why did you have Saiya, anyway? Surely you knew she’d be a target?"
        "That’s my secret," L-Sama replied tartly. "The fact remains that I did, and Shabranigdo ordered her bloodline exterminated."
        "So Xellos was only following orders," Jaz mused. She sat back and chewed a fingernail. Suddenly, she smirked: "I get it. You’re taking out your revenge on Xellos since you swore to the First Ones that you wouldn’t interfere in their power struggle. So you can’t directly punish Shabranigdo any more than you can directly punish Seified—if he did something to offend you. And yet you bore Saiya." Jaz took her finger out of her mouth and pointed it at her world’s god. "You did it because Shabranigdo planted a back-up into Lei Magnus’ line, did you? Isn’t that what Zelgadis was supposed to be? That’s why you had to intervene when the boy was going to go Dark Lord on us." She chuckled as her words hit a nerve with L-Sama. "You had to get involved because Shabranigdo made a creature with the sole purpose of destroying you."
        L-Sama relaxed a little. "Perhaps. The fact remains that Xellos was the one who killed my baby and her descendants."
        "Except for the Red Priest," Jaz interjected, "but he was carrying one of the pieces of Shabranigdo in him."
        The Lord of Nightmares finished her cigarette and lit another one. She poured herself another glass of wine. "Are you saying you won’t take me up on my offer?"
        Jaz thought about it. She could say she’d finish the job for L-Sama just to get back her powers, then use them to defend Zhara’s family, but could she deceive the Lord of Nightmares? It would get her killed when the cat was out of the bag, that was for sure, then L-Sama would probably just find another way to kill Xellos and his bloodline. Maybe she’d go back on her oath to the First Ones just so she could resolve this matter, then go back to being uninvolved. It was highly unlikely Seified would stand for that if he knew—correction: If someone told him what was going on. Jaz smiled. Seified should hear about this and so should Shabranigdo, if she could find a piece of him that was able to listen. That would mean manifesting the Dark Lord and that would be bad. Waking Seified might also be bad, but this was important. L-Sama had sworn a solemn oath to them when the world was new and now she was going back on it. Ok, sure, she was doing it because Shabranigdo had tried to destroy her—self defense—but that was all over now!
        Had she really been so attached to the mortal Saiya? All of the girl’s descendants had turned out to be mortal, too, but then again, so was Zelgadis. Jaz chewed her nail again. Zelgadis Greywers, descended from both Shabranigdo and the Lord of Nightmares. No wonder she’d spared the boy. And no wonder his being Shabranigdo’s back up had hurt so much.
        "Lady," Jaz said at last, choosing her words very carefully, "I must decline your offer, though it would fulfill all of my dreams to be myself again. I won’t lift a finger against Zhara or her family—even her cretin of a father. Kill me now, if you must, but that’s my final decision."
        L-Sama frowned unhappily. She closed her eyes, trying to master her frustration and took a long drag off her cigarette. "I can’t interfere directly, Jessica. I need a tool."
        "Then let this go!" Jaz pleaded, reaching across the table to grab L-Sama’s wrist. "Your quarrel is with Shabranigo! Do with him as you did last time: Use someone like Lina Inverse to destroy each and every piece until there’s nothing left of him in this world! Don’t you think he made some kind of threat to force Xellos to dare your wrath?"
        "What could possibly be worse than angering me?" L-Sama snarled and jerked her wrist out of the vampire’s cold grip.
        "Losing his family?" It was a wild guess. Jaz had no evidence to back it up, but it seemed logical to her. No matter how cavalier his attitude toward his family had seemed to be most of the time, Jaz had sensed the Trickster’s affection for his children and, in particular, his grandchildren. As a vampire, she’d lost that ability and had only had Urlich’s rage against his son’s killer to guide her opinion of Xellos, but now, with her memories restored, she knew in her heart that the only thing that might have made Xellos cross L-Sama was a threat to his family. Hadn’t he once been human? Maybe it was that part of him that made it possible for him to feel love that intensely.
        L-Sama stared into her wine glass, watching the pinprick reflections from the chandeliers dance in the red liquid. "That doesn’t excuse what he did."
        "Your family or his, huh?" Jaz snorted. "Well, I can’t fault you for that. Who wouldn’t chose their own blood over another’s? Who cares about somebody else’s family when the lives of your own are at stake. I’d do the same in either of your places." She scratched the tabletop, adding the character for her family name to the graffiti that was already there. "Where will it end, Lady? If you interfere, where will the killing end? If you kill Xellos’ family for killing yours, Zellas Metallium will align herself with Shabranigdo against you. Then what happens?" She met L-Sama’s eyes. "I’ll tell you what happens: The world is reduced to a sea of chaos and Shabranigdo wins. Not that you care which side wins, right?" Jaz grinned. "After all, you’re not involved. But he’s the one who ordered your family killed, so I wouldn’t think you’d want him to win. Maybe I’m wrong."
        Ooh, she was good. L-Sama had almost forgotten about the power of this ancient kitsune’s words. Her people were tricksters, who could change their forms at will and convince even a Mozuko Lord of damn near anything. Their powers of persuasion were their greatest assets, but the truth could crumble their illusions like fall leaves in a child’s fist. "And to think I created this woman!" L-Sama thought sourly. It was wrong that she should be reduced to this lowly creature, just an undead without magic of any kind, save the ability to become a fox. No other forms anymore, just that one. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Lord of Nightmares toyed with the idea of restoring Jessica just for its own sake. Zhara had only changed her out of love, after all. Being selfish was just something Zhara couldn’t help, since she was Xellos’ child. And yet… if Xellos had turned on Saiya and her descendants to protect his own offspring… perhaps he wasn’t as selfish as she thought.
        L-Sama crushed out her cigarette. "What do you want me to do, Jessica?"
        Huh? Jaz blinked, not expecting such a mild response. "I don’t know. I’d say talk to Xellos, but what would you have to talk about? He killed your family. Would you accept any other payment for that crime than the deaths of his family, blood for blood?" She shook her head. "I don’t want them to die. I want the killing to stop. If it continues, then Shabranigdo has won."
        The Lord of Nightmares lit another cigarette. "You are one of the First Ones, Jessica," she said gently. "I’m listening to you and considering your wishes because you’ve always been wise—except for your love for Zhara, which I’ve never understood. Honestly, you can do better."
        "I beg to differ."
        "Whatever," L-Sama waved her cigarette around, sending a puff of smoke into Jaz’s face. "What I’m saying is this: Because it’s you, I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, I want you to return to Marrigan and tell Xellos about this conversation and that I’m coming to talk to him and his, so they should stay where they are. Expect me at Zhara’s house this time tomorrow. Make sure she has a good Sairaag Red, at least a century old, preferably more."
        Jaz nodded, not really believing what she was hearing.
        "And one other thing," L-Sama added as she downed the rest of her wine and rose. "I can’t stand to see you like this." She came around the table and touched a fingertip to Jaz’s forehead. "Welcome back, Jessica."
        The world shifted with a painful jolt, and the Lord of Nightmares was gone. Queen Jessica the First One cried out with the pain of her organs working again, of the blood forcing its way through veins that hadn’t held it in eight hundred years, of her body coming back to life. She staggered out of the cantina, only to collapse just outside the door and dry heave until she thought her stomach would come up. When it was over, Jessica had a nice crowd of curious spectators gathered around her, none of whom seemed inclined to offer to help her stand, so she did it herself. As she brushed the dirt from her dress with weak, trembling hands, she favored the gawkers with her best look of death and growled: "What’re you lookin’ at?!"
        Taking a deep breath, she worked magic for the first time since she’d sealed Zhara’s children between worlds and sent herself to Zhara’s house. Specifically, to the kitchen, since she was hungrier than she’d ever been in her life. As serendipity would have it, Xellos was in the kitchen drinking coffee with his grandson and the Princess of Seyruun. It took Xellos and Ullan a few moments to realize that she’d used magic to get there and another second or two to realize the implications of that, then Ullan jumped up out of his chair and threw his arms around her with an elated squeal.
        "You’re back!" He cried. "You’re really back! I gotta tell Mum!" With that, he tore out of the kitchen, up the stairs, down the hall and crashed into his mother’s bedroom without so much as a knock to deliver what he was sure would be happy news.
        Maybe not. "She’s—herself again?" Zhara stammered. She looked at her son with eyes that were full of fear. "Did she ask you to get me?"
        Ullan shook his head. "No. I just came here on my own. She doesn’t look mad, or anything."
        Zhara blinked. "Really? Not even a little?" She left her chair and took two steps toward the door, then stopped and turned away. "She must hate me, Ullan. Do you know what I did?"
        "Um…turned her into a vampire and took away her memories?"
        Zhara spun back around. "How--?"
        He shrugged and smiled. "Princess Amelia told me about it. We’re having coffee with Grandad." Ullan held out his hand. "C’mon, Mum. I’ll bet she wants to talk to you, too."
        After staring at his hand for a long time, Zhara finally took it and let him lead her out of the room. "Tell your uncle and Sylph. I’ll go on ahead."
        Ullan nodded happily and ran full tilt down the hall to Sylph’s room. Zhara crossed her fingers, hoping against hope that Jessica had actually forgiven her, then straightened her clothes and headed for the kitchen. Oh no! The kitchen was filthy! The whole house was filthy! Zhara’s heart pounded with the mortification of it all. Jessica had always been so particular! "Stop that!" She scolded herself. Surely Jessica had more important things on her mind than her best friend’s housekeeping! "My hair! Oh, gods, I’m a mess!" Zhara turned around and ran back to her room to change her clothes and do something about her face and hair. On the way, she collided with Sylph, Urlich and Ullan bouncing all of them into the walls. "I gotta freshen up!" Zhara apologized, then continued on her way, leaving the others to puzzle over her behavior.
         By the time Zhara finally made it to the kitchen, everyone else, even Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis were already there. Much to her astonishment, the kitchen was squeaky clean. Amelia was brewing coffee with Ullan, Beast Master hovered over them giving advice and telling them they were doing it all wrong. Zellan was trying to drag Zellas away from the stove and was being ignored. Xellos sat at the table, chatting amiably with Lina and Jessica, while Gourry and Zelgadis poked around in the pantry for food that wasn’t there. "Oh, gods, I don’t even have anything to eat!" Then she saw Jessica and time seemed to stop. She was Jessica again, just as Ullan had said, and looked just like Zhara remembered her as she stood waiting in the middle of the kitchen.
        Zhara swallowed and struggled to breathe past her throbbing heart. Jessica was magnificent, every bit the ancient queen she had always been, and it broke Zhara’s heart, for all she could do was compare the shining creature before her to the one she’d made. Jessica seemed to glimmer with her own light, her dark, curling hair a shadow that caressed her bare, pale shoulders like a cloak. A twinkling of magic, and Jessica’s familiar, regal garments and jewels appeared on her body: Green velvet and gold, studded with diamonds and pearls, a circlet of golden leaves and teardrop diamonds, gold and gems on her hands and ankles. Zhara blinked tears out of her eyes, then brushed them away with the back of her hand. All activity in the room stopped as one by one the others realized Zhara was there and watched breathlessly as the two old friends stared at each other, unmoving except for their shaking hands and the tears that streamed down their faces. Then all at once, they flew into each other’s arms and sobbed.