ZelgadisXReader-Beauty and the beast pt.1

Zelgadis swung his sword at the wooden mannequin one last time, his sword digging into it's wooden chest deeply before pulling it out and stabbing his blade into the soft soil beneath his feet.He plopped down against a boulder, resting his elbows against his knees, he bent over to catch his breath.

"Finally taking a break?"  

Zelgadis's head shot up and he turned around, immediately locking eyes with his sparring partner as well as best friend; ______. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Yeah.."he sighs. You smirk and skip on a few rocks over to him.

"Bout time! You've been swinging that sword around all day!"you giggled, as you stood behind him. Zelgadis chuckled in embarrassment and scratched the back of his head.

"Yes well..I want to become strong, you know that ______."he tells you. You roll your eyes and fold your arms across your chest.

"Yeah, yeah I know but how much stronger Zel? You're already the strongest swordsman in the village. What could possibly be stronger than that?"you ask. Zelgadis shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the ground.

"I..I just have to become stronger..to uh..protect something.." You jump down off the rock and stand in front of him.

"And just what is it that needs so much protection?"you implore with a raised eyebrow. Zelgadis looked at you then patted the top of your head.

"Don't you worry about that.."he says."Just know that it's something precious to me.." You blush slightly and pout.

"Aw..you never tell me anything anymore.."you say, grabbing his hand. Zelgadis chuckled and pulled his sword out of the ground.

"Yeah, yeah..come on..lets go.It's pretty late"he says, placing his hand on your shoulder. You nod and yawn.

"Alright.."You yawn as  the two of you walk back to the village and  to your homes.

~~~3:00am~~

Zelgadis grabbed his sword and slipped it into it's sheath. Quietly, he opened the door to his house and ran out. Being as quiet as he could, he skipped off into the woods,back to his training spot.

"I must keep training. I have to become even stronger than I am now. I have to be able to protect _______.."he says to himself as he starts to swing his sword at the training target once more. However, Zelgadis  suddenly heard rustling behind him, causing him to stop his training and look around.

"Who's there?"he calls.

"You wish to become stronger?"a man asks as he steps out in front of Zelgadis. The male's eyes widen and his sword drops at his side.

"You're Rezo..the red priest.."he says.The man, known as Rezo, nodded.

"Yes my child...and I... couldn't help but hear your last statement. Forgive me but though I may be blind, my hearing is extremely well."he says.

"You heard....what I said?"Zelgadis asks. Rezo nods.

"Yes..something about a girl named _______. You wish to become stronger to protect her?"Rezo asks. Zelgadis blushed slightly and nodded.

"Y-yes..All I want is to be strong enough to protect ______. She's really important to me.."he mumbles.Rezo smirks and grips his staff tightly.

"Well..I can grant you your wish. I could make you really powerful. Strong enough to protect _____ and more.."he says. Zelgadis's eyes widen.

"R-really? You could make me stronger?"

Rezo nods.

"Yes..I shall transform you into the most powerful swordsman there is."The priest smirks,raising his staff above Zelgadis, who simply nodded. Rezo's smirk grew as he  began chanting a spell.S oon,Zelgadis' body began to glow and sting. The younger male  screamed as his body began to give into the sensation of being on fire off. He looked down at his hands;his skin began to change color from pale to a light blue.

"W-whats happening to me?!"Zelgadis cried.

"Why...you're transforming my child.."Rezo replies. Zelgadis fell to his knees as the spell began to stop. He looked at his now light blue hands. Panicked, Zelgadis ran to the nearest stream and took a look at his reflection.H e screamed when he saw himself. All over his skin were rocks. His skin was now hard like a rock as well as the color of light blue. His hair was now as sharp as barb wire.

"What the hell did you do to me? I'm a monster!"Zelgadis roared. Rezo chuckled and stood behind Zelgadis.

"No, I granted your wish. I've given you the body of a stone golem merged with a Brau demon. A powerful creation just like you wished."he says. Zelgadis stood up and turned to Rezo.

"This isn't at all what I wanted!" Rezo chuckled and stepped back into the shadows.

"You asked for enough power to protect _____ and that's what I have given you.."he says.

"Wait !Come back! Change me back! "Zelgadis shouted into the darkness but there was only silence to answer him."Damn it!"
~~

You slept soundly in your bed, dreaming sweet dreams until a scream pierced through the night and awoke you. Startled, you sat up quickly in your bed and looked out your window.

"What was that?"you mumble to yourself as you wipe your eyes and stare out at the quite village you and Zelgadis resided in. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until you heard the scream again. Your eyes widen at the sound.

"That sounds like Zelgadis! He's in trouble!"you quickly grab your bedside sword and hop out your bedroom window, landing on your feet.Shortly after, you take off through the village and into the woods where the scream was coming from.

You ran through the dark woods, getting few scratches on your legs and arms by some stray brush.

"Zelgadis! Are you out here?"you call. Zelgadis's head shot up and he turned away,s eeing a familiar figure emerge from the darkness of the woods to where he sat by a calming stream.

"______?"he stands up and turns to you.

"Zelgadis..Is that you?"you ask, pulling away a tree branch that obstructed your vision the person that stood by the stream. Zelgadis looked away from you as you approached him."Zelgadis!"you ran over to him.

"_____ don't! Don't come near me.."Zelgadis says sternly making you stop in your tracks. You stare at him.

"Z-Zelgadis what's wrong?"you ask.

"Just don't come any closer to me ______! Something..horrible has happened.."

You step closer to him.

"What do you mean? What happened? Are you hurt? I heard you screaming!" Zelgadis looked at his hand then at you.

"I'm not the same ______..."he says.You roll your eyes and walk over to him.

"Oh Zel..stop kidding around."you say, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"______ stop! Don't look a me!"he screams, pulling away.

"Why not? What's the matter with you?"

You grab Zelgadis's shirt and turn him around to you."What is it-"You start to ask, however you stopped short at the sight before you. Your eyes widen in shock at the sight of Zelgadis's face.H e stared at you for a moment.

"_____?"he says but you pull away from him and scream, stepping back to cover your mouth.

"Z-Zel..what happened to you?" you ask. Zelgadis looks down and away from you.

"I..I just wanted power.."he says.

"That again?! I told you...You were strong enough! But you still wanted more? Now look at you..you're a-"

"Just say it! I'm a monster, right?! I got greedy! I just wanted to be strong enough to protect -"Zelgadis  stopped in mid sentence when he saw tears form in your eyes."W-Why are you crying?"he asks,stepping closer to you. You just shook your head and took a step back.

"You just wanted power.You turned yourself..into..that. Zelgadis you're such an idiot!"you yell,r unning away from him.

"______ wait!" Zelgadis called after you.

"Just stay away from me!"you shout back.Zelgadis's eyes widen and he fell to his knees. All he could do was watch your figure disappear through the darkness and leave him alone.
~~

"Hey Zel !Wake up!"Lina shouted.Zelgadis jumped and looked around, he was back with his three friends Lina, Gourry, and Amelia.

"Oh..it was a dream.."Zelgadis says quietly.

"Mr.Zelgadis are alright? You seemed to be calling for somebody in your sleep."Amelia asks him. Zelgadis looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah..It was just little dream."he says, standing up. Lina stood up as well and stretched.

"Alright then! Well setting all dreams aside lets get a move on!"she cheered. Zelgadis nodded his head and looked away.

"That dream again..even now it continues to haunt me..."