Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness Within ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Part II :: Sheik

I dropped down into the temple protected by the Zora people to look for Link. He'd delayed far longer than he should have and I was getting worried. I couldn't find him anywhere, and I was getting more anxious with every step into the watery sanctuary.

After several chambers of exploration, I found myself in a misty, featureless expanse. A good two inches of water lay mirror-like covering the ground. I took a step forward, squinting into the fog, squelching with each step as my shoes soaked through. I could hear laughter in the distance, but where it was coming from remained unclear.

Except...

I knew that voice. That was Link's voice. But it wasn't. It was...malevolent; cruel. I used the sound as a sort of chilling radar, for I had nothing else to go by.

Suddenly, the mists parted before me. And the scene before my eyes took my breath away. Lying on the ground half-dead and bleeding from more wounds than I'd ever seen on a single person's body was none other than the Hero of Time. Crouched over him, laughing cruelly and murmuring what could only be terrible things in his ear was a sort of dark, twisted replica of the Hero. I stared, mouth hanging open in abject horror at the picture before me. Both figures were completely nude, and I could only imagine what horrific things the evil creature had done to the Hero...had done to my friend. Something snapped inside me, and I snarled. "Get AWAY from him," came the animalistic demand. I was scarcely aware that it had come from my own throat.

The dark creature's head snapped up, crimson eyes boring into my own as his lip curled back in a sneer. "Ah...the inestimable bard of mystery. Your timing, as always, is immaculate." He got to his feet, droplets of water and blood draining from his olive skin.

I scowled at him. "You screwed around with the wrong man," I growled, readying the little needle-like daggers I kept in mass supply. If I had anything to say about it, the bastard wasn't leaving here alive.

"Oh, I think I...screwed...around with exactly the right man," he said, a sound that was vaguely purr-like in his voice. He reached down and retrieved the twisted, blackened version of the Master Sword from where it had been point-down in the ground, holding the bonds that kept Link's bloodied wrists tied. "And I just can't have anyone interfering, I'm sure you understand." And with that, he launched himself at me, sword swinging.

I dodged lightning-quick out from under the blow; he might have known every move Link would make, but I was not his twin. He didn't know me. Rolling back up onto my feet, I hurled a dozen of the little needle-knives at him, smirking in satisfaction when at least half of them pierced his skin. A snarled curse ripped itself from his throat and I allowed myself a wider smile. Landing cat-like on my feet, I unwound the chain from my waist that I could use as a rather efficient weapon, and wound the end of it around my hand, swinging the other end of it in an almost mocking fashion in lazy circles from my other hand. "Aren't you done yet?" I asked. "If you don't leave now, I'm gonna wrap this around your neck and squeeze it till you pop."

The crimson eyes seemed to be sizing me up, and I didn't so much as blink as my own ruby eyes stared dead-serious right at him. I wasn't bluffing. I wanted him dead in so many ways. For hurting Link. For even TOUCHING Link.

Finally, the figure straightened, stooping down to gather his tunic and boots. "He's had enough for now, anyway...it's no fun if he dies before I'm done with him."

And with a swirl of darkness and a chilling laugh left behind to float on the mists, he was gone.

I recoiled the chain around my waist and scrambled over to Link's side, dropping to my knees in something akin to panic. "Goddesses, Link...what did he do to you..." My eyes darted over his poor, beaten body, and for a moment, my heart started to race in fear. It was a long moment before I shook myself out of the panic that had settled in and lifted him as gently as possible into my arms, using the power of my race and station to teleport us away from that goddesses-awful place...I could come back for his things later. Right now, the most important thing was helping him recover...no matter what it took.

********

I had a small hut beside Lake Hylia, but my gut instinct told me that the lake would be the first place that mad shadow would look for us, so I took Link instead to the home of Impa, Sheikah Sage of Shadow, in Kakariko Village. I knew he'd be safe there. I knew the villagers, and I knew they would guard and protect him with their lives. I also knew that they wouldn't share the information of his coming with anyone if I asked them not to; the people of Kakariko were used to guarding secrets. I stumbled into the house still carrying him, and took the battered Hero of Time straight to the large wooden tub in the house's rear so that I could clean his wounds and dress them as best I could.

I certainly wasn't going to let anyone else do it.

It was a long, difficult process, but finally I was satisfied with his bandaging. I changed into dry clothes for myself, and, once Link was dressed and safely tucked away in a bed in a room I specifically ordered to be kept quiet and peaceful, I headed for the door. "Watch him," I directed a young woman, one of the home's caretakers. "See to his needs if he awakens."

She nodded, her big brown eyes full of concern for the Legendary Hero. "Will he recover?"

I nodded, casting her a reassuring smile - one that conveyed more confidence than I felt - before lifting the mask that covered the lower half of my face. "He will. He's the Hero of Time...he'll be fine. Just care for him until I return, please?" She nodded, bowing slightly to me - out of respect, I guessed - and moved on silent feet into the room to keep watch until I returned.

I left the house to gather Link's possessions from the Water Temple, where I'd seen them strewn about with the shredded remnants of his tunic, the fury flaring in me again when I saw that his blood still hung crimson in the little pool of water on the room's floor. I wanted to wring the neck of that shade and watch his life drain from his body. I wanted to be there when his last breath rattled from his throat, and I wanted to dance on his grave. NO one hurt Link.

Not without answering to me.

********

I'd gotten in and out of the Water Temple with little to no obstruction from the creatures that inhabited its depths, and had stored Link's things once more in Epona's saddlebags while the chestnut mare watched me in placid curiosity. I think she knew I was a friend to her rider, and trusted me. I tied her to the hitching post in the Kakariko common area near Impa's former home and returned to the house, escusing the young lady who had watched over him faithfully since my departure, and sank down into the chair beside the bed, my eyes coming to rest on the sleeping face of the Hero of Time. Not for the first time, I was struck by how young he seemed despite his age. There was a youth and innocence in his features that had made me trust him the first time I saw him. Living in the harsh, cold world Hyrule had become since the beginning of Ganondorf's rule had made it hard for me to trust; a man couldn't be sure who was enemy and who was friend these days, but I knew the moment I saw the earnest blue eyes and the Master Sword in his hand that the Hero of Time was genuine...that he was the most real thing in my world.

And I'd clung to that belief...the hope that, with a little help, he might indeed be able to free our Princess from whatever prison or exile she suffered, and bring down the horrible tyrant destroying our beautiful land. And something more than that...I cared for him. He'd become the only real friend that I'd had through this stretch of lonely hell, and I would be forever grateful for it.

I was torn rather abruptly from my musings when he stirred, brow furrowing in his sleep. He made a noise somewhere between a groan and a growl, and his head turned first to one side, then the other. Nightmares...I'd witnessed him experiencing them before, watching from a distance as he slept near some campfire during his lonely journey, keeping watch over him for his sake, knowing what kind of ambush could come in the nights in this bleak countryside. But this one...it seemed worse, somehow, more real, more of a night terror. And suddenly I knew he was reliving the experiences, the torture he'd suffered at the hands of that dark, twisted monster in the Water Temple.

I shot from my chair, dropping to my knees at his bedside, and put one hand on his shoulder. "It's all right," I soothed, "you're safe. You're among friends now." I wasn't certain if he could even hear me through the frightful images of, well, the Goddesses only knew what he was seeing, but I had to do something, say something, to try and help. It killed me inside to see my friend...my only friend...suffer such monstrous treatment. I couldn't do anything but murmur what I hoped were calming words to him, hoping that somewhere in his dream he heard me and took comfort. I brushed a strand of the usually-shining golden hair from his face, brought near to tears myself by his suffering.

After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, his fearful movements and whimpers subsided and he slipped back into what I hoped was a more restful slumber. I hauled myself back up into the chair, my head sinking into one hand. I sat like that for long, silent minutes, casting a prayer to our Goddesses that they'd ease his suffering, take away his pain...and maybe, by doing so, take away my own as well.

********

Long hours later would find me still in that chair beside his bed. I had only left once, and that was at the request of the brown-eyed young woman, who insisted that I not do injury to myself by ignoring my own needs. She had prepared a brief meal, and begged me to eat. Finally I acquiesced, and she took up vigilant watch over the recovering Hero.

I finished quickly and returned to my post, watching him through the chill Hylian night.

It was just after dawn when he awoke.

I was half-asleep myself, and it was a moment before I realized that he was looking at me. I sat up straight and waited for a moment before speaking. "You're awake," I said, once again reaffirming my wonderful grasp on the obvious.

That slip wasn't lost on him, and he cracked a tired grin, hauling himself upright. The white tunic I'd found for him hid most of the bandaging, except what showed through on his chest where the tunic was slightly open. "You shouldn't be," he retorted hoarsely. "You look like hell," he said.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "That's funny," I remarked. "Real funny coming from someone who looks like death warmed over."

He tried to laugh, but wound up coughing raggedly for several long, agonized moments. Finally, he took a deep, shuddering breath. "You...how did you get me out of there?"

"It wasn't easy," I replied. "You weigh a ton."

"And you're a featherweight," came the automatic throw-back. His eyes went serious, the deep sky color lacking a great deal of the shine I'd come to be so used to, a sight that caused me physical pain. "Thank you," he murmured softly, eyes closing again. For a moment I thought he'd drifted back to sleep sitting up, but he spoke again. "He..."

I was fairly certain I knew what had taken place in that chamber in the Water Temple. There was no questioning it. Not with the way I'd found them. And I knew by the depth and number of the wounds on my friend's body that he hadn't gone willingly. "Don't. You don't have to say it. I know...and I promise I'll make him pay for it."

His eyes went distant, the tortured soul inside peeking out. "I couldn't stop him," he whispered. "It was like he knew every move I was going to make before I did. And the pain..."

I moved immediately to his side. "I told you that you didn't have to say it," I mumbled around the lump in my throat. I ached for him, wanted so desperately to ease the wounds inside like I'd done with the surface wounds, but I didn't know how. "You don't even have to think about it."

One bandaged hand came up to cover his face. "I can't help it. Everything keeps playing over and over in my head. He was terrifying..." and it was almost amazing how hard he was shaking.

I sighed, each word he spoke a dagger in my heart. I wrapped one arm carefully, hesitantly around his shoulders and drew him in against my own chest. I wasn't sure how he'd react after such recent torture, but he crumpled against me, weeping like a broken-hearted child. I held my best friend as tightly as possible, rocking gently and murmuring words of reassurance, though my own voice was choked. I tried my damnedest to keep my own tears from falling, and yet fall they did.

I'd never cried before. Never shed a tear even though I might be dying inside. Keep a strong front, I'd always been taught. No matter what you're feeling, you don't show it. But now...as I watched my friend, my brother, my confidant come apart at the seams, I couldn't keep them from dropping into his hair, staining my own clothing even as his tears dropped hot against my skin as they soaked through my clothing.

I stayed with him, his grief finally allowed to run its course, and held on as tightly as possible, sending an apology to the Goddesses and Princess Zelda, and a silent plea to them to forgive us...Link's quest would have to wait. His recovery, body and soul, was a hundred times more important. And I would stand by him for as long as that recovery took.