*Here's the next chapter. As always, I do not own Legend of Zelda or Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji.*
Keeping a Promise
Link was exhausted. A day spent working? He would much rather rest. However, he couldn't afford such a luxury. Even then, he had things he needed to do. He needed to get to the clock tower. Perhaps, if he hurried, he could still make it in time. He had to.
With no other thought, Link changed back into his usual clothes and strapped his sword to his back. He grabbed his hat and quickly left the mansion. Or, he would have if he hadn't been stopped at the door.
"Just where do you think you're going?" asked Ciel.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Link asked the boy, his hand hovering inches from the front door.
Ciel replied, "I'm not a child. I'll go to bed when I feel like it."
Link sighed. Ciel was such a child sometimes. He opened the door and said to the young earl, "I'm leaving. I can't stay here any longer."
"Yet Sebastian is not back yet."
Link turned back to Ciel. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Ciel stated simply, "You are taking his place. What am I to do without a butler?"
"The agreement was one day and that day is over." replied Link. "I know how to get back to Hyrule and I'm not waiting any longer. You can manage on your own until he returns." With that, he left, shutting the doors behind him. Outside, he started walking. He knew where he needed to go and he was fairly certain he remembered how to get there. It'd be a while, though. He only hoped he'd make it on time.
A couple hours later, he was at the base of the clock tower. It was quiet and dark when he entered. He didn't dare light a candle, concerned someone would see. He climbed the stairs, his steps slow as his ears strained for any sound. He climbed ever higher. Strange, the clock tower didn't look to be all that high. Why were there so many stairs?
Link was just exhausted. He'd been busy the better part of the day and then had walked miles to get to the clock tower and had already climbed many stairs, yet he could see no end. Apart from that, he had no idea where the portal would take him once he activated it. For all he knew, he could end up on Snowpeak or in Gerudo Desert - neither of which were exactly close to the castle. And then what? Him simply being there wouldn't solve anything. He'd have to find a way to stop Shadow and, tired as he was, it would be nearly impossible.
He needed some rest. Perhaps just a few minutes of rest before continuing on. Ordinarily, it might have sounded like a bad idea, but already his every step took enormous effort and he found he was using the wall to help support and guide him up the stairs. So, he sat down on the stairs, leaning against the wall. Just a few minutes...
It was dark. It was unusually dark. There was always some sort of light, why was it so dark?
Off to his left, he heard someone gasp. He turned toward the sound, but saw nothing. A moment later, a familiar voice asked, "Link? Why are you here?" She sounded so far away.
Puzzled, Link asked aloud, "You can see me?"
"Well, of course I can. This isn't the first time you've come to me this way. Why? Is something wrong?"
Zelda. He easily knew her voice, but he was still confused. He looked down at himself, but still saw nothing. He answered softly, "I don't know. I can't see. It's as if something is interfering…" He trailed off. What was he talking about? That didn't make any sense. In his spectral form, very little could really affect him. Really, the only thing he could think of that could -
His trail of thought was interrupted. "Stubborn as always, I see." Link knew that voice as well. It wasn't one he wanted to hear though.
Sounding even further away, Zelda said, "You don't have much time, Link. I don't know what to do. I don't know what will happen. Please…"
Link responded quickly, "I'm coming, princess. I'll find a way to stop this. They will not win."
"We've already won, Link," said the male voice, closer and louder.
In an instant, Link was somewhere else and he was winded. He could also see again, though all that filled his vision was the ceiling of what he believed to be the throne room. Sitting up slowly, he wondered aloud, "What happened?"
"A little dense, are you? You were trying to see that princess of yours, but I wanted you here," said Shadow.
Link managed to get to his feet. He must have tried to be in two places at once - or rather, three since his physical body was still...well, he still didn't quite know where exactly. Wary, he asked, "Why?"
Shadow smirked. "What do you think? We've won. Even if you do find some way of getting back, it won't change anything."
Link curled his fingers into a fist and growled back, "Believe what you want. It'll just make it that much sweeter when I return and send you back where you belong."
Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Well, now that I wouldn't have expected from you." With a small shrug, he said, "Threats don't suit you, hero. You're no where near intimidating enough."
"There's still time," said Link.
Shadow replied, shaking his head, "That you're here means you've passed out somewhere. You won't make it in time. Just give up. Accept that you've lost."
Link shook his head and left the throne room and moved through the castle. He needed to wake up. If he could do that, then there was still time. He was so close. He just needed to -
"Link? You're still here?"
Link froze and looked around him. He hadn't entirely been paying attention to where he'd been walking and had walked into the room in which Zelda was being kept. Through the wall, no less. He turned to Zelda. "Yes...I just need to find a way to wake up."
Zelda took a few steps toward him. "Maybe I can help." She paused, clearly thinking. "Close your eyes. Think about where your physical body is right now. What is around you? What do you feel? What do you hear?"
Link did just that. He was on the stairs in the clock tower. He'd stopped just to take a short nap, the steps beneath him and wall on his left. It was cold, dark and quiet. Wait, no...Not quiet. He could hear someone calling his name. It sounded so far away, but still...he knew that voice and it could only come from that other world…
He wasn't alone in the clock tower.
*This seemed like a decent place to end the chapter. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. Until next time.*
