Welcome to Gaia! ::

Amelia landed first -somewhat gracefully for once- outside the tiny shop and ran to the door as the others landed behind her. Since the FireLord's temple had been destroyed, Filia was most likely here. Or at least I hope she's here... Amelia thought hesitantly.

"Miss Filia? Miss Filia, are you there??" she asked, banging on the wooden door. After the second knock, the door creaked open, as if on its own. Now a little uneasy, Amelia pulled open the door al the way and peered inside. The shop was completly empty. A half polished vase was still sitting on the counter near the back wall, probably left there by Filia. How strange...I thought for sure she'd be here... Amelia thought, stepping back out onto the street. But...if she's not here...then-

"My my, that dragon's a slippery one, isn't she?"

Amelia's eyes shot upwards towards the roof. Xellos was sitting on the shop's sign, twirling his staff absently in his hand.

"Here?" the monster asked, finishing the dragon girl's sentence. He smirked and wagged his finger at her. "I"m afraid that...is a secret." "It's about the dragons, isn't it, Mr Xellos!" Amelia shouted accusingly. Xellos blinked in surprise before leaping down from the sign, and landing directly in front of Amelia. She-for her credit-didn't flinch. "Oh. You've already figured that out, huh?" he asked, leaning in towards the princess. "I'm actually rather impressed. Though I'm sure you had help." His eyes wandered away from Amelia and locked on Yume a few feet from them. "Isn't that right, Miss Yume." he said, sounding more mocking than respectful.

Xellos chuckled at Yume's remark. "You actually think you've changed anything?" he asked. Then he opened his light purple eyes, suddenly looking more like a monster. "You've changed nothing. Everything's still going according to plan." "And what plan would that be?" Amelia asked suspiciously. "Sorry, but I can't tell you anything more. Orders, and all..." he said smiling. "Besides..." he said, turning back to Filia's empty shop. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about what's become of our dragon friend?" Amelia looked al little surprised. "You mean you don't know where she is, Mr Xellos?" she asked. "Nope."

"What?!" Amelia shouted in disbelief. "Yume, you can't! Despite his appearance, Mr Xello is still a monster! If he's involving himself in this plan, it must be evil!!" Besides...the monsters and the dragons have been at war with each other for hundreds of years. That's why Miss Filia hated Mr Xellos so much. Amelia thought to herself. Why would he plan something involving dragons....unless... "You're planning to kill off the rest." She said quietly. "That's why you're after Yume and Miss Filia!" Xellos folded his arms over his chest and glanced up thoughtfully. "Something like that...yes..." he mumbled, as if not sure himself.

Xellos huffed, a bit annoyed by the 'dark void' comment. "My opinions are of no importance here. I'm simply following orders." he said sternly. He glanced back at the shop, clearly deep in thought.

"Our missing dragon might be a the Golden Dragon ruins. If you go there, you might find out a thing or two...unless I get there first of course." he then leapt into the air, hovering above the group. "And now my friends...I shall take my leave." "Wait!! Ray Wing!" Amelia shouted as she took off after the monster. "Why would anything be at that temple?! It was destroyed by Valgaav over a year ago!" she asked, demanding an explanation. Xellos smirked. It didn't really matter to him if he got angry over this. His orders hadn't been to keep silent.

"Simple. This is the work of a dragon." he replied smugly. Amelia's sapphire eyes widened in shock, and she faltered slightly until she regained enough of her senses to stay air-borne. A dragon was on the monster's side? Xellos smirked, and then continued his escape. Confident that Amelia wouldn't do anything. He was wrong.

"Fireball!!" Amelia shouted, throwing the spherical inferno in Xello's direction. She couldn't let him leave. The spell collided with Xellos right as he vanished from sight, and the spell continued forward until it finally ran out of power. Amelia remained in the air, scanning for some sign of Xellos. She didn't realize anyone was behind her until it was too late.

Green balls of light shot out of Xello's staff, several of which struck Amelia in the back. She let out a cry of pain before losing consciousness and falling back down towards the town. Xellos sighed, displeased that he'd had to resort to drastic measures, and then vanished.

It was lucky that the merchants in the town square had thought to put up their canopies that day. Amelia's fall broke as she landed on the stretched-out fabric, and somehow managed to remain there instead of smashing head-first into the ground. She groaned softly in pain as her eyes slowly fluttered open, and then closed tightly again as she cringed in pain. "Oww..." she moaned, sitting up and rubbing where Xellos' attack had struck her. "Stupid Mr Xellos..." It annoyed her that she'd allowed Xellos to get behind her like that. Mr Zelgadis and Miss Lina are going to yell at me for this one for sure... she thought despairingly. And worst of all, I let Mr Xellos get away... Just then a loud crash sounded overhead. Amelia glanced up in time to see Yume strike down some monsters with lightning. It wounded them, but apparently not enough to kill them. Amelia got to her feet as the monsters went towards her cousin to try again. "Bomb Di Wind!!" she shouted. Large bursts of wind shot up through the monsters, killing them this time. She let out a small sigh and slumped back down onto the canopy, oblivious to the panicked whispers of the villagers below. Her body still ached from Xellos' spell, and she didn't have the strength to leap down. Somehow she knew that'd only make things worse.