The moments that paused in the uneasy silence turned Firia's blood to ice in her veins. No matter how she looked at it, she could no longer see Xellos Metallium as a cold-blooded killer. He had killed many Gold Dragons, but the race was on a slow rebound... And his sacrafice for Koi... He diliberately left his emotion exposed when he sent that Call, and he knew it. It would have been so much easier for him to have just run away, teleport to a safe place, or erradicate the entire area.

But he didn't.

He had stood his ground with the weakest of his attacks to buy time for her and Koi. He had been wounded heavily just so that he wouldn't let anything happen to Koi. The murderer of a Dragon race wouldn't have risked his life for a human child and a Dragon Priestess unless he had some alterior motive... or feeling.

"Xellos!" She yelled into the aftermath of the destruction, cradling the child to her. "Xellos, don't you dare leave us! Ya hear me? Koi needs you! I... I need you, too..." Tears welled up in her cerulean eyes as she realized that she cared about him.

His sacrafice was noble, that had earned her respect.

His concern over Koi was paternal, that got him a look over in a new light.

His kindness to them both when they were together... what had that done?

"Damn it... I think I'm in love with a Mazoku..." She sniffled.

"And exactly why (wheeze)(cough) is that (pant) a damnable action(gag)(choke)?" Xellos staggered into their clearing, his clothing sliced up in hundreds of places, and blood staining most of his body. His tussled violet hair clung together from the drying ichor, and his right eye was swollen shut because of it.

"Xellos!" She cried, rushing to him. "Daijobu ka? Are you going to be okay?" She cast healing spells on him, several at one time, and assisted him in lying down.

"I'll be fine." He replied with a pale shadow of his Trickster's smirk. "Just as soon as I can get a drink."

Firia made no malicious comment as she brought a wineskin to him, much to his surprise.

"Here," she offered. "It's probably not very good, I made it myself." She blushed when he replied;

"If you made it, I'm sure it's heavenly."

With the healing magic rejuvinating his mauled flesh, and the wine quenching his thirst, Xellos was soon able to sit up. When he did, he clasped both of her hands in his and looked her straight in the eyes. The glint in his slit-pupil gaze demanded the truth.

"Why?" He asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why did you help me? You hate me; have always hated me. Why would you go out of your way to heal me?" He already knew the answer; did she?

"Because, namagomi," she answered with a slight smile, "I'm in love with you."

The two leaned forward, about to kiss, when Koi's voice shattered the moment.

"Ano, Firia-chan, Xellos-chan, I found my parents." The child cleared his throat, standing seriously with his hands together behind his back. "I'll be going now, okay? Thanks for helping me." He gave them a brief smile, then vanished. Not like a teleport; the boy unfolded a pair of angelic wings that glowed pure white, and disappeared into the illumination. As they watched in stunned awe as the remnants of the light disipated, a child's giggle echoed through the forest.