Slayers: Chaos

Chaos 31

Slayers: Chaos

Episode 031: Combined! To Be As One

Amelia walked inside Zelas' palace following the torches of blue lights that lit up down the elegant hallways, arm in arm with the two Zelgadis'. She entered the throne room, the large heavy doors opening for them by themselves. A heavy aura floated around the throne where Zelas sat on the royal chair with Celo and Vrumugun standing left and right of her. This was the original Vrumugun, who had been present at Zangulus and Martina's wedding and remained with them to rebuild Zoana afterwards. He was usually at Zoana, but had journeyed to Wolf Pack Island at Zelas' summoning, as he was told she had a job for him to perform that would require the knowledge he had gained from working with Eris years prior.

Amelia tried not to show her surprise at finding Vrumugun there, it shouldn't be surprising given his connections with Zoana. She let go of the two Zelgadis and stepped forward towards the monster lord. The merman levitated attentively and the beast was strangely calm. "Lord Beast Master," Amelia spoke bravely and daringly, yet with diplomatic respect. "I, Amelia Will Tesla Seyruun, humbly ask you to return Zelgadis' mind to normal and if possible, cleanse him as much as you can of his chimera condition, as I know that is his wish."

"Very well," Zelas agreed easily, which left Amelia dumbstruck. "Believe it or not this result was not intentional. I thought that having Dolphin assist me would make things easier, but tearing a chimera apart is still quite difficult. Magic and its branch of alchemy requires understanding. Talismans, spells and rituals can be used to bypass such an understanding to an extent and the same can be said for raw power. However, it is only a cheap shortcut in the end and when the intended result is particularly complex, the process might not give the wanted outcome. We're reaching into the darkness, trying to grab something that we know as a whole concept, but we know not what its components may be."

Zelas continued thoughtfully. "If there was a way to record accurate knowledge of every tiny piece that composes the body, down to a level that is so small that the naked eye of a human cannot perceive it, perhaps separating a chimera into its original components wouldn't be such a hassle. It is the use of magical shortcuts to make up for that lack of super advanced understanding that involves the subject's mind and causes side effects, such as this, with the extra energy needed to compensate the process."

"Oh..." Amelia quietly voiced. "Then you really had no ill will towards Zelgadis, this outcome was an accident? Separating a chimera, knowing how the body works down to the last detail... Not even the best alchemists and physicians of our time have that kind of knowledge; it remains as if yet to be discovered. The monsters have no physical bodies, so they would have little reasons or means to do research of their own. This knowledge, the knowledge needed to conduct this alchemic process without those shortcuts, it hasn't been developed yet." Even so, after hearing such an explanation, Amelia was filled with hope. "But it could be," she asserted. "Decades ago the use of herbs to heal was something that was still being developed. What we know as the present day medicine was a far away dream back then. Maybe some day we'll advance enough to understand the workings of the body down to the last detail. We'll know why blood flows and all the twists and turns air takes within our bodies every time we breathe."

"Yet it will take a long time. It may be something I will see but you won't." Zelas pointed out, glad to communicate the pessimistic news.

"Yes," Amelia admitted with a frown. "We'll just have to make due with what we have for the time being. Parting the pieces of a chimera is hard because all the elements that make up a living being are jumbled together and difficult to identify, but putting the pieces together without having to worry about the small elements, simply uniting everything, isn't so hard, right?"