Last Rites of Atonement
by Capella A. Morningside
Summary: A retelling of the events that took place at the end of The Minish Cap. AU, spoilers, rather angsty. Complete.
You trained yourself well for this. From the moment you stopped my ceremony you had that determination in your eyes, ready to save your precious princess from the terrible sorcerer. There was experience in every parry, thrust, defense, dodge, after all, what else does the grandson of a smith have to do for fun?
But you didn't expect... this.
When you struck the gigantic monster with your final blow, driving the sacred sword deep into the side of the huge pupil, all your expectations crumbled. The creature gave an agonizing cry, screaming inhumanly in a mixture of rage, despair and pain, but as the light grew it faded into my own, very real, voice. Your eyes were wide, jaw slackened, and even Ezlo peeked around your head and I saw your expressions become the same.
I only saw it all for a moment before my eyes squeezed shut in pain.
You'd slain many of those monsters I set free. I imagine you got used to their death-calls, ranging from piercing shrieks, to low-pitched groans of defeat, and sometimes, silence. I pitied you almost, if for nothing else then for the horror in your eyes when you heard the terrible screams of a creature so much more human, more of this world than any monster you'd dispatched.
The ugly form around me had felt like an unpleasant shell, and when that golden sword came through it one last time, I felt it all shatter. Your sword was still embedded in my side when I opened my eyes, looking directly into yours, but in shock you quickly withdrew that stinging metal from me, the only thing holding me in my weak stand. I collapsed, the very action knocking the wind out of me as I hit the stone.
"By the Goddesses..." Ezlo mutters, no doubt that befuddled look on his features that he always had when encountering something he (amazingly, or so he would think) didn't know anything about.
Just when I started to wonder exactly what the puddle I was lying amidst consisted of, I felt your warm, gentle hands on my shoulders, trying to perform the tedious task of turning me over onto my back without further injuring me. As if I could feasibly be injured any further, my body so broken that every muscle screamed to my brain in torture, and as if you hadn't caused every single one of them.
You must excuse me for being so bitter.
"Link, Link! Be careful, don't move him too quickly..." Concern from my old master. Since when did that happen, Ezlo? I thought he wanted nothing more than to see me as I am now...
A terrible sensation, like my mind is being torn in half, and all was darkness.
As I find myself on my back, prying my blood-caked eyes open, I wonder at first if I have gone blind, but come to the conclusion at last that I am staring at the sky just before the dawning of the sun. The little arena I created for my final encounter with you, the great hero, has vanished in recognition of my defeat...
I feel... different. Something is missing...
The blasted cap. How did it come off? It lay just a few paces from me.
Then again, that didn't matter.
"Vaati?" I hear your voice calling. "Vaati, can you hear me?" Chatter in the background, from what I can make of it, my master seems to be explaining the situation to someone. That 'someone' is in my blurry line of vision a few seconds later, none other than that Princess.
I attempt to respond, but the world around me spins, pain rushing over me in waves and crashing as if on a seashore. I close my eyes and feel my heart sink, like a child caught stealing drops of nectar from a neighbor's flowers and a thousand revelations hit me at once.
Firstly, images running through my mind... my life. All laid out before me, all my crimes being played out again and again in my head. My life, flashing before my eyes, this is what they tell me happens when one is dying... and here comes the second truth... I'm dying. And then they combine, to make the third.
I'm dying, with all these horrible sins to my name.
I jerk involuntarily. Must have been another surprise, you seem to think I was long gone, I hear your gasp. First the princess, then you, call my name again, questioning, pensive.
My soul yet remains with you, but my thoughts currently are not. I'm lost in my own guilt right now. All I smell is death, it's unclear to me whether I'm hallucinating my memories or I can already smell my pending demise... maybe it's both. I would open my eyes too see but I'm sure you're astonished now, as I feel salty tears streaking down my cheeks and stinging my open wounds. Cursing my master. Using his spell to grow to human size, and terrorize the world of men. The daily-weakening cries of those I imprisoned through using the King as my puppet... they all died of beatings, starvation or dehydration, one after another.
I'd always been entranced and fascinated by power. Truly, only the purest of us all are not. Tell me, what would you do, if all your fears, cares, inhibitions and regard for anyone else but yourself were all just tossed behind, into a trash heap?
That was the beauty of that cap. It wasn't anything too impressive, really, to someone who really knew how it worked. It granted its user a great amount of power, but many artifacts have that capability. Ezlo wasn't the type to be unoriginal, either, so he added in something extra. To spare the technical speak and make it short, it was a disinhibitor. The wearer would have no fear, no hindrances.
I open my eyes again, and you're hovering nearly right over me, face etched with concern. I see that my old master's curse has broken as well, but he's still there, kneeling on the other side of me. Forcing my lips to part, I attempt words, only to feel Ezlo's hand on my shoulder.
"Save your strength, Vaati."
For what, is my desired reply. He either doesn't understand, or simply doesn't want to understand.
Instead of speaking now, I re-learn the motions and joints of my aching hand, testing it, moving my fingers tenderly and my wrist in small circles. Then, pressing it into the wet stone beside me, testing various amounts of weight on the more-than-likely broken limb. As expected, I hear cries of shock and protests from you and the other two as I pull myself to a sit, gritting my teeth to keep from crying out in pain to make the worry worse.
The tone of everyone's voices change when my bloodied fingers curl around the crimson cap.
Ezlo is calling out to me, trying to sound calm but firm at the same time as he always does... did, when scolding me, and the Princess looks to be on the verge of tears.
I'm no stranger to this cold, cruel sensation against my throat. You're holding that blade you love so much against my throat, your eyes not reflecting pride in your actions. Don't you understand that death does not scare those who are dying already?
I have a wish. I'm afraid to try to make it real myself.
Feebly, I pick up the cap from the ground, the steel against my skin pressing ever-so-slightly harder in a warning gesture from you. My eyes lock with yours, agony shooting through my limbs as I struggle to stay up and push the despised thing at Ezlo.
As soon as that accursed object leaves my grasp for the last time, you relax the sword. Dizziness and pain take over my senses again and I crumble back to the spot where I had lain before, feeling unusually heavy. I lose my ability to move, and start channeling the rest of the energy I feel toward a final effort to speak.
Two words.
"I'm sorry."
Then, I believe, everyone understands. You remain quiet, reassuring me with a pat to the back of my hand and a youthful smile that you forgave it before I ever asked.
The Princess dons the hat, an overwhelming light fills the air as her wishes to restore her kingdom are granted...
And I am lifeless before the light fades.