Epilogue: Denuo

We were on the road again. Lina and Gourry were busily chatting about the next town we were headed to; behind them, Sylphiel was taking in the surroundings with interest.

Zelgadis and I were silent as we lagged behind the group. He had a pensive look, as usual, but I couldn't help feeling that he was sneaking glances at me every now and then. Strange, since he usually wasn't like that... the way he was acting, it was as though he was expecting something to happen to me at any moment.

Maybe he's just edgy after the whole Sairaag thing. I was the first to get... killed, after all...

And that reminded me of a question that had been nagging at me; what had happened, anyway? I couldn't remember anything between the time I blacked out and the time I woke up... but something must have happened. A feeling, deep within my soul, kept telling me that there was something important...

Maybe that's how Miss Lina and Mr. Gourry feel too.

Hmm. I wonder...

"Mr. Zelgadis?"

"Huh? Wha?" He jumped slightly, startled. There was a streak of pink across his cheeks that made me wonder what he'd been thinking about.

"Do you... did something happen? Back at Sairaag, when all of us were... you know..."

He seemed perplexed by the question. "What do you mean?"

"Um... never mind. It's ok." I sped up a bit, walking ahead to Sylphiel and proceeding to engage her in light conversation. Soon we were laughing together at a memory of a silly adventure, and the question I'd been pondering about didn't seem so important anymore.

It's probably nothing, anyway. Maybe my imagination's just working overtime.

-&-

I watched her silently, wondering.

Something happened... I don't know what, but it feels important, somehow.

She felt it too, didn't she? I think all of us did. Even Martina and Zangulus.

But what could it have been?

"Mr. Zelgadis! C'mon, you're gonna be left behind!" Amelia cried out happily, waving at me from the top of a hill. I blinked and noticed how far I was from the rest of the group.

"Coming," I replied, walking briskly towards them.

Well, whatever it is, we'll know about it someday. If it's important.

And there was a voice inside me that said 'someday' would not be far off.

-&-

Twin bracelets glinted in the sun, and, unbeknownst to the adventurers, seemed to glow faintly scarlet, illuminating a white band of skin emblazoned on the wearer's wrists...

End (Part One)

End Notes: Aaaah!! It's over!! cries My first completed series ever...but there's still two more instalments to go, so technically it ain't done TT I enjoyed writing this fic, and for the first time, I have successfully pulled off a semi-introspective Slayers fic.

Muse: It's the only semi-introspective fic you've done. And there was more conversation than introspection.

--;; Ok, fine. I hope you've enjoyed this piece, and look out for part 2 of the Crimson Thread Trilogy! Yeah! Whoo! But before that, check out the side-fic posted up along with this epilogue. Yeah. Jaaa....

Readers: -grab Sano and drag him back- Aren't you forgetting something?!

Ahahahahaha!! You see, I'm afraid that due to the evil constraints of REAL LIFE and examinations (this being my last year in high school), I was unable the write out the opinions I promised andwillreservethemfortheendofthetrilogysobyee!!! -runs away-

Side Note: The real name of Amelia's mother has been deliberately left ambiguous. This is to avoid turning her into another original character. I find her a very interesting person, something like my own mom. She's scary in a nice way.

Special Thanks: To Sunoko, my excellent beta-reader who was nice enough to fix all my grammatical mistakes and plot holes before this was submitted to the Switchboard FF Contest. You rock! Hope to work with you again in the next part of the trilogy!

To all my faithful readers who put up with my short chapters and sporadic ending; thank you all for sticking this far with the Excellent Adventures of Zel & Amelia In Limbo! You rock too! J. Rhaye, Ichiban Victory, The Narrator, Deep Sea Dolphin, Earth Star, Phizzy-chan, Sunoko, Winged Dancer (if you're still reading ;;)... thank you all!

And let it be known, by the way, that though I may not review, I've been faithfully following all of your own fics.

-Sano