Xellos
Summary
Xellos identifies himself as the Trickster Priest, a title that accurately reflects his tendency to deceive or cheat to achieve his goals. He maintains that he never lies outright, insisting that his clues always contain at least a fraction of the truth. He frequently plays pranks to observe the reactions of those around him or manipulates others into doing his work simply because he has the power to do so. His well-known catchphrase is "Sore wa himitsu desu," which translates to "That is a secret." Although he possesses immense power, he favors subtlety and manipulation over violence, yet he becomes a ruthless opponent when forced into combat. In the novels, the Slayers group generally despises his presence, whereas in the anime, he is viewed as a more tolerable nuisance. Within the anime adaptation, Xellos and Lina share a mutual respect; he appears to enjoy the chaos she causes and follows her for amusement, even without orders. In the novels, however, he maintains a more distant demeanor around her, seeming troubled that Lina can see the bigger picture and is not easily tricked, unlike other humans he has encountered.
