Chapter 9 Glimpse of Fate

"Link!"

That was the last thing he heard before passing out. He could remember glimpses, almost like close pictures that he had no idea meant. But everything was blurred out by a dark force pushing him deeper into a void.

Everything was on fire, screams ripped through the air as stood there upon a platform. The sight before was horrifying.

It was massacre.

Absolute bloodshed. Amber filled the charcoal black sky, as smoke rose up from building were lit on fire. The aroma of ashes lingered around him as the heat sucked out any water in the air before it could reach him. It was like he was inside of an oven, and people were the dish set and the main course. Ablaze while others screamed or fled away like rats. Families were destroyed before him, children, babies. They all yelled out for help, pleading for anyone to help them as their world was coming down upon them.

Suddenly the platform Link was standing on shifted. He snapped his head down to find he was standing upon was shining, it was mountains of gold. It reached all the way out of his sight, it seemed like it never ended. Creeping up, inch by inch the higher and higher to his legs as struggled to climb out, it was like the quicksand back in Gerudo desert. Link's eyes caught movement behind him before the gold rumbled loudly in his ears. Giant blood red scales filled his vision before he was met with demonic amber eyes as the beast smirked grinned devilishly.

"What do we have here? A filthy mutt prowling around my mountain. Trying to steal my gold!" It screeched at him with large lungs. His blood vibrated from the loudness as the voice. He remained silent as he the eyes looked down upon his, waiting for an answer. The beast grew angry at his disobedience to answer his questions.

"Answer when spoken to, mutt!" It commanded harshly. Sharp like teeth that were like rows blades beared at him, demanding for him to submit in fear. He didn't flinch an inch as they neared him, actually bearing his own teeth, that somehow sharpened as well.

"Such a courageous Hero I see. You need to be broken before your presented to your master then. No matter it won't take long. Well then Hero, watch as your friends die before you."

His heat stopped as he watched Fili upon a tower being raised by a dark figure, the dwarf screamed in agony as a sword ripped out of his chest before he was thrown to the ground. His lifeless body laid on the icy stone ground as he stared in the scene.

"Fili!" The piercing scream on the top of his lungs hurt his throat, as sight of his deceased corpse of the dwarf laid there.

Next scene only teared at his bleeding pained soul. Kili fought viciously against his opponent, but he stood no chance against the strong grip holding him down upon it's knee. Link struggled against the gold coins that grew around him, as if he could go and stop this-this nightmare!

The dwarf gasped as he was stabbed through his heart, warm brown eyes searching his before they finally closed shut forever. The searing black hole filled inside of his chest now grew larger and larger by the second.

"Stop! Please stop!" Link clenched his eyes shut, not willing to see anything else. A unknown force retched them back open for him to see Thorin laying on the ground as he held up his sword to block another from piercing him as his attacker stood tall above him, but soon he is overpowered as the blade sinks into his chest. Gasping his final breath of life as it soon faded away from his body.

"I said stop!" Link snarled viciously. He refused to believe in these lies, they weren't real!

"Why do you even bother protecting them, when they will always leave you in the mud like everyone else?" The scaled rapscallion rumbled from behind him as he circled his prey.

"You will never understand beast, as of you could know the meaning to know if you know the real meaning of real sanity." Link spat out as he glared holes into the him.

"Hmmm, I suppose not. I have no useless needs such as yourself, this useless feeling of love. Look at you how weak you are, foolish creature that's idiotic enough to actually risk your life for weaklings, it makes me sick. Maybe if I just get rid of them if you hold them so dearly to your heart, then maybe you will do something useful." Suddenly Bilbo appeared on the next scene, the monstrous beast lumbered over to the frightened hobbit like a ferocious lion ready to kill it's fallen pray. Breathing heavily as the flames turned to life in the back of its throat. The flames rocketed towards the hobbit as he stood paralyzed by fear.

"Nooooo!"Suddenly a piercing pain exploded in his back spreading through his stomach. A shining blade soaked in blood appeared, his blood. He felt the hot bath as someone leaned close in chuckling. He froze as he his eyes connected with the ruby wild growling eyes. It was a mirrored face of himself as he saw only in his nightmares.

Link's eyes shot open, as he now laid drenched in sweat in a bed. He was now in a strange room, one that he has never seen before. Suddenly he felt the firm hands that gripped his arm firmly, they yelled his name loudly as he only took a second to breath. In a flash his instincts kicked in, his hands gripped the front of the person's clothes as if he was prepared to throw them across the room with the little strength he had. He froze the second he saw scared, and frightened, yet warm brown eyes staring into his.

"K-Kili?" Link managed to say out between deep pants. Searching over the dwarf for any signs of an illusion, eyes lingering in the center of his chest for the fatal wound from his nightmare.

"As much as I hate to ask, will you let go of me?" Kili asked amusingly. Link hesitantly let go of the dwarf's clothes before his hand feel limply into his lap, eye's remaining on his chest. The dwarf's playful expression soon turned into a look of concern. With boldness he grasped both of Link's shoulders, shaking him out of his trance to meet his eyes.

"You were screaming bloody murder, what in Mahal were you dreaming of?" Kili asked worriedly, he just stared at the dwarf as he debated with himself what he just dreamt of.

"...nightmares...again. Is the company safe?" Link asked switching topics.

"You can't even spend a minute to think about yourself while you screamed like you were being ripped to pieces. This is why I never see you sleep. And here I thought you were just afraid of sleeping in the dark." Kili muttered jokingly trying to brightened up the mood. Link's ears twitched at the comment before he focused back on his nightmare. He hadn't yet notice his shaking, until the dwarf pointed it out before him. The set of hands still didn't loosen their grip on him, until he was lying fully back on the bed.

Suddenly he realized there was no pain, but only soreness from his body, he just felt drained. Then he took a notice in the familiar set of clothes, clothes he hasn't worn since the day, checking for wounds surprisingly none at all.

"Your lucky they were able to save you with that weird vo-doo magic." Kili informed him. Of course this was the work of a potion, too bad he didn't have a green potion right now.

"Hylian magic." Link added.

"Whatever... So these are your scars?" Link looked down to see his shirt has ridden up to flash some of his old scars upon his hip and stomach. The skin was lighter in those areas, the same with the few scars upon his bare arms. He liked to cover these up the chance he could, too many harsh memories at the sight of them.

"Can I see one?" The question caught him off guard, and before he could register what he was saying he spoke.

"I guess." He mentally at himself, those puppy dog eyes seemed to give the dwarf power over him somehow. Kili's hands traveled to his arm, causing him to flinch slightly again at the touch. His hands the ghosted over the soft tissue on his arm,before they trailed along the scar. The deep mark dipped lower into his skin, where some skin and muscle door have been, before it dived down all the way to the other side of his upper arm. He was surprised how gentle his touch that he could barely feel them, that was until he felt them on the soft side of his arm. I laugh managed to escape his lips before he could catch it. Kili snapped his head up as he heard the alien noise come from the hylian.

"What does it tickle?" Kili joked, unaware of his effects on the hylian.

"..." Link turned and scratched the back of his head with his other hand. Realization hit the dwarf as he studied the hylian's reaction, his smile grew larger in seconds.

"It does!" He exclaimed. Link retched his arm out of the dwarf's hold before he could continue to tickle him. Quickly he brought the bed sheet up to cover himself.

"Try it again and maybe I'll let the next Orc take a little bit off the top." Link warned.

"And maybe I'll leave you in the rage of my uncle." Kili reminded him. Which one was worse, Thorin or an Orc?

"... You win this round." He muttered defeatedly. Kili laughed loudly before patting his shoulder, this time he hadn't flinched at all.

"But the war has just begun." Link added before grinning as the dwarf's smile turn into a nervous one.

"Do I get a prize?" The dwarf asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm scared to ask what you want." Link said eyeing at the cheerful dwarf.

"Can I see your hair?" Kili asked happily. Link gawked at him for a moment before answering.

"What's up with you and touching things? You creep." The question was really needed to be asked. The dwarves seemed to have some obsession in hair, and prying into other people's business. Luckily they weren't all that hard on him.

"Hey!" Link's focus wandered to his golden hair. It hasn't been cut in mouths and already it was grown to almost to his shoulders.

"I need to cut this soon." He muttered brushing his hands through his hair.

"Don't do that!" Kili suddenly shouted catching him by surprise.

"But what if I'm in battle and my hair is grabbed and I can't move, or it catches on fire?" This could be a reasonable debate.

"So I can braid it?" Maybe not.

"Isn't that a little girly?" Link asked. Kili looked a little angry before answering.

"For dwarves your hair is a sign of honor, and respect. Each braid holds a different meaning, including the beads. Cutting it of shows that you have no honor or respect, this should never be done." Kili explained. Link then remembered his short conversation with the Ori as he taught him writing lessons.

"I remember now, but only family, lovers, and very close friends are permitted to do that. Am I right?" Link reminded looking back to the dwarf in question. Kili chuckled rubbing the back of good neck nervously.

"Kili you know why we can't-" Link was suddenly cut off.

"Please!" The puppy dog returned again! Link narrowed good eyes before sighing.

"You're not going to stop until you win, are you?...Fine I won't cut it." Kili cheered rising up to his feet in victory, raising his first in the air. The dwarf then moved his hands towards the hylian's hair before Link caught his wrists, preventing him from moving at all.

"Hey, I thought you said you let me?" Kili asked confused as he tried to reach the hair.

"I never said when." Link reminded struggling with the dwarf's strong power when compared to his sore state. Even if he didn't show it, he was amused by the face the dwarf made.

"That's not fair!" The dwarf huffed, they continued to battle with their strengths, oblivious to the doors that opened up.

"It seems like you two are having fun." The paused from their match to see Fili, Oin, and Balin in the doorway. Link's eyes widen as he saw another person from his past. She wore the same dark clothes, and skirt added with a purple apron that had the same design as last time. The same unique red hair style tied back up. She held her hands on her hips, same smug look plastered on her face.

"See your in high spirits, boy."

Sorry this chapter is so short. I'm having trouble updating on time so I'm going to have to shorten chapters. I have to say I loved the humor in this chapter a lot. But next few chapters will be important and explain so much. Thanks for reviewing and following.

Bye!