A/N: Hello Fans! Long time no read, eh? Sorry for this being delay - i've said this a lot. But chrsitmas time is busy for most people and the lack of inspiration is also a problem. But i'm still here and writing strong, yet slow. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Read and Review. Also, Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Enjoy!
Riyougi
Chapter 29
Link pasted through the blue curtains to the male's bathroom, after taking a moment outside to ready himself. Lee's last words, though slightly drunk when he said them, had made Link question his decision to follow after the Chief Builder. He had to reassure himself that it was nothing more than just mere words that held no hidden meaning, except that the hot spring would be beautiful in some way.
Passing through the curtains, Link was greeted with a short hallway, just big enough for two people to fit in. Lee was waiting for the warrior at the other end of the hallway, where he was lending against a support beam. As soon as Link had entered the hall, Lee turned his head and pushed off from the beam.
'Ah, my friend has just arrived,' Lee said, speaking to someone over his shoulder. Link wondered to whom Lee was talking to, but couldn't see who it was from the entrance. Link walked the small hallway till he met up with Lee at the other end. 'What took you so long? Daydreaming again?' Lee asked, as Link approached him.
'Yeah, something like that' Link replied.
'Okay, fair enough… now we're ready to enter the baths' Lee said, turning around to face the other direction.
'All right then, Master Lee, is there anything you'll like to buy before going inside the baths?' came an unknown voice in response to what Lee had just said.
Hearing this voice, Link shifted out to the side of Lee and faced the direction the voice came from. Doing this, he was able to see a man sitting behind a desk, in the corner of the room, next to door with another blue curtain drawn across. The man, from what Link could see, had a bold, clean and shinny head with a thick and clearly defined moustache that covered his upper lip, as the only bit of hair on the man's face. The man's eyes were a deep brown, but they were almost hard to see because of the man's eyelids that looked like he had them half closed. The man appeared to be a very cheerful person by the way he wore a bright and bubbly smile on his face. Link wasn't sure if that was the normal business policy for them to smile at customers or if it was just something natural for the man. It didn't matter much to Link, but it was good to see such a cheerful expression – be it for the customer or just his natural behaviour.
'Hmm, I think just the usual stuff for me and my friend' Lee responded to the man, as he and Link drew in closer to the desk. 'Time seems to be flying, and I don't want to stay up too late. I got to work the early shift on that new building down south tomorrow, so just the basic for me'
'Okay then, Master Lee,' the man said, handing Lee a seemly small bucket. Inside the bucket, Link could see just three items; a towel, soap and a scrubbing brush. Link stared at each item and wonder what he was going to use them for. If we are just heading into the hot spring, then why do we need these? He wondered, as Lee backed away from the desk.
'Link, that reminds me,' Lee said, turning back to face Link. 'I'll be heading out early tomorrow, so I won't be able to give you a proper farewell. I hope you don't mind'
'Oh… no, that's okay. You got something important to do, I understand'
'Oh, thanks… but I do have something I need to talk to you about before this night is through'
'Like what?'
'I'll tell you later… just get your stuff together'
With that, Lee turned about and walked away from the desk. Link watched Lee from the corner of his eyes, but was directed back to the man behind the desk as he began to speak to Link.
'And what about you, sir?' the man asked, turning to Link. 'Do you want the same, or do you want something more?' Link looked at him for a moment, and then just shrugged his shoulders.
'I'll take the same' he answered.
The man nodded and handed Link a similar bucket. Handing the buckets to them, the man offered a bowed as the two exited through the door beside the desk. Link, just catching a glimpse of the man's bow, returned back to the room and returned the kindness with his own bow, before pasting through the door again.
Through this door, Link entered a similar sized room as the one he had just exited; expect this room had no desk in the corner. This room had four change rooms to his right and tall, thin cupboards to his left. The room was lit dimly and its only source of light was from a single torch that hung overhead in the centre of the ceiling. Link couldn't see exactly why the torch was giving off such poor light, but he could just see the small flame flickering in the dish it hung in. Judging by the weak flame, it looked like the wood or the fuel in the dish that was meant to keep the fire going had nearly been reduced to ash, leaving the flame with nothing more to burn. Link wanted to restore the flame's strength, but he had no more Deku sticks to give and no way to get it into the dish properly, even if he did.
Lee made his way to one of the open change rooms and closed the curtain behind him as he entered.
'This is just like before, Link!' Lee shouted from within the change room. 'Just disrobe and put the towel around your waist'
Again with the being almost naked part…
Link heeded Lee's words and made his way to an open change room. Upon entering the change room, he closed the curtain behind him, and, as Lee had told him, disrobed and placed the towel that was in his bucket around his waist. As he did, he wondered why he was wearing a towel, when they were going into the hot spring. Link recalled that the brochure had mention that no clothes of any kind were allowed in the hot spring, expect that a towel could be worn from the baths to the hot spring – but not in the hot spring. He tried to understand the reasons, but knew the best way to understand anything was to experience it.
Tying a knot in the towel to secure it to his waist, Link was ready for the next phase, and hopefully, the last one for tonight. Link spun around, grabbed both his robe and bucket and opened up the curtain. Opening the curtain, Link saw Lee was already out. The Chief Builder was standing before an open cupboard, where he placed his robe inside. Lee then closed the door and then took note of the number written upon the cupboard door, before turning around and seeing Link standing in the middle of the room.
Lee was about to say something to the Hylian warrior, until his eyes fell upon Link's bandaged arm.
'What the… Your arm…'
His eyes widen in surprise, but quickly narrowed as he drew in for a closer examination. Link wanted to retreat and explain to Lee at a distance what was wrong with his arm, but there was not enough space in this room to allow such distance, or much of a distance. Link stood firm where he was and just allowed Lee to examine his arm – hoping greatly that Lee wouldn't see anything. Link was however thankful that the room was still dim, allowing Lee weak visibility of his arm.
'What happen to your arm?' Lee asked, as he studied the extensive use of bandages to wrap up the arm. 'Did you get into a fight or something? Judging by how many bandages you used on this arm, it must have be some wound!'
Link didn't reply, but began thinking up something to say. To his dismay, Link knew that he was again going to lie. He didn't want to, but he just didn't want to frighten anyone. Link thought hard for a moment, then, decided to tell Lee only the half-truth – an edited version of what really happened.
'It truly was a difficult battle' Link mumbled heavily, recalling the intense battle he had with Nightmare and Soul Edge. 'Difficult indeed… sometimes, I don't even fully understand how I survived. That demon of a man… I'll never forget that battle, nor will I underestimate his powers again!'
'Demon… powers?' Lee repeated, as he stared up at Link.
'Sorry, it's just an expression'
'A most powerful expression; you must have quiet the hatred towards the guy'
'You have no idea…'
Lee, now holding Link's bandaged arm in his hands, studied the arm more intently, using his fingers to probe through the fabric. Link started to worry at how hard Lee was examining his arm. The bandages hid all of the demonic skin from sight, so he wasn't worried about anyone seeing the horrid skin, but Lee was now pressing into the bandages. If his fingers were to probe the right areas, Lee may feel the toughness of the skin, or worst, the new bone alignment. Link knew that his arm had somehow recovered most of its natural form, but it was still affected with Soul Edge's dark powers and still held some of its demonic appearance.
'Ouch, Link… did you get burned or something?' Lee asked suddenly, with great concern in his voice.
Lee had studied Link's entire arm, from fingers to shoulder, and notice from a gap in the bandages where it wrapped about the warrior's chest, some exposed flesh. Link peered down at his own chest, and to his dismay, saw what Lee had seen. Where the bandages had stopped on the left side of his chest, a bit of the demonic skin was still visible. It had spread from his arm and had taken a bit of the left side of his body with it. Link's heart nearly stopped with fright, but because Lee had only recognized it as a burn in the dim light and not as the demonic skin as Link saw it, he was able to relax slightly. Lee had provided the Hylain warrior with an alibi.
I said I wasn't going to do this… but sometimes you have to… right?
'I told you the battle was difficult, and that I had a great hatred towards the man who did this to me. This is just a sample of what that demon did to me!' Link explained, applying an angry growl and a deep hollow tone to his explanation. At first, it was an act to make his story more believable, but as he continued to speak, it came out naturally and not forced.
'He brunt your whole arm?'
'The whole arm…'
Lee eyes shot open briefly in surprise as he let Link's arm drop. He backed away for the warrior slightly and stared Link in the eye. Link could tell the man was concern for Link's safety. Link guessed it was because he made it sound like he was going back to seek revenge for his arm. In truth, he was. He began his journey with the sole reason of defeating Soul Edge - it was only after that battle, that he wanted revenge more than ever. Nightmare and Soul Edge will pay for what they have done to me. But not just for me, they will pay for all those souls they have trapped and enslaved. The innocent lives they kill in order to restore that cursed blade! They will pay!
Lee's eyes continued to express great concern for the warrior, but then, they suddenly changed – they soften, and then narrowed. Lee turned his head and gaze to the floor, as he began thinking deeply. Link could sense that something important had just registered to the man's mind - but what it was, the Hyalin could not tell. Link noticed that, as the man continued to think long and hard, Lee was mumbling something under his breath and kept moving his index finger about in the air, as though he was counting or something.
After a few seconds, Lee paused suddenly. He shot a glare over at Link as he stood normally. Lee faced Link with a slightly harden face then normal. His usual cheerful and energized face was no longer there. It was now serious and deep with thoughts.
'This man you battled… did you two recently cross path?' Lee asked.
Link wasn't sure he wanted to answer. The expression Lee was giving him was kind of frightening. It was almost angry, yet it somehow balanced out with the concern the man had expressed just before. But the question itself had no really implication, so he had no problem in answering.
'Yes, our paths have crossed recently'
'I see,' Lee said, holding his chin in his hand and folding the other arm about his chest. 'So, what happened to your arm…the burns… is it a fresh wound or an old wound?'
Link glanced at his demonic arm quickly before peering back at Lee.
'…Fairly fresh I suppose' he said, with an unsure tone. Something didn't feel right about Lee's tone and choice of questions. It was like Lee knew something, but didn't want to say what it was until he had more information.
'I see…' Lee exhaled, dropping his hands to his side. Judging by his face, it looked like what Link had just answered had confirmed Lee's thoughts. Link was now nervous. Something wasn't feeling right. Lee, now having dropped his arms by his side, walked over towards Link till they were almost face-to-face. 'Would it be a fresh wound from, let's say… yesterday evening… in a village beyond the forest?'
Link suddenly paused. His breath became shallow and his whole body tensed up. Link became the statue that Lee always referred to him as, whenever he felt Link's shoulders. The warrior had gone silent, and his eyes now filled with guilt and fright, instead of their usual calm.
Lee knows!
The memories of his battle with Soul Edge and Nightmare surfaced clearly to mind. Everything flooded him at once; the battle, Mitsurugi being controlled by Soul Edge, and even the eradication of the town itself. Link, feeling the heat of his memories, wonder how Lee had stumbled upon what had happen in the town. Link had only met Lee today, but they were always together, so there was no way Lee could have found out for himself.
He knows? But how… how did he find out? Did someone tell him? Did he figure it out on his own?
'Judging from your reaction, I take it that my words are true then' Lee said, with a firm voice. His eyes narrowed and his breath became short and heavy. 'You were there… weren't you? At that town the other day, before it was turned asunder?'
Link didn't reply. The words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat as soon as he wanted to speak them. Reading deep into Lee's eyes, Link could tell that the man before he was hiding some painful emotions. Link could hear screams of friends echoing forth from those eyes. It made it harder for Link to speak.
'…Yes, I… was. I was there' Link sighed, turning his eyes away from the man before him. Guilt festered within his mind and began eating at his stomach, as he recalled the scene of the battle. The screams of the murdered victims echoed loudly to his mind. 'I was there… both before and after it was destroyed'
'And you said… NOTHING?!' Lee shouted. 'People died there and you felt like not telling anyone about it? Don't you think that the people in that town had loved ones or friends elsewhere, that might want to know what happen to them? I mean, you just walked into this town and said nothing about what happened to that town. You acted as if nothing had happened at all!'
Link said nothing. He just kept his eyes cast on the floor. Guilt was beginning to eat more of his being that it got to the point of being painful.
'How do you think I felt, or how about the others in this town felt when we found out that our friends and or families had been wiped out?!'
'…I'm sorry…'
'Sorry, about what?' Lee said, his voice rising into a yell. 'Are you sorry that we had to hear this from mere rumours or because you chose not to say anything?'
'I'm sorry… for not being able to save them' Link said, lifting his eyes slightly up to Lee's. 'That and for not speaking when I should have. That night has pained me more than I care to express. Those poor souls… I felt like I was responsible for their deaths… in part… but still'
Lee, who was on the verge of lashing out at the warrior, saw the guilt and sadness that now appeared on Link's face. He saw how hurt Link was at just the mere recollection of the memories. Lee had to exhale heavily a few times before he got his emotions under control. He knew that what had happen to that town wasn't Link's fault, but because Link had said nothing about it, it made Lee angry.
My friends… all died there! Lee thought angrily and, at the same time, sadly, as his friend's face appeared in his mind. You said nothing to no one! Why? WHY! Why… didn't you tell us?
After calming his anger and emotions, and cleared his friend's faces from his mind, he approached Link and placed a seemly friendly hand on Link's shoulder. Link stared at the hand as though he didn't deserve it, before looking back at Lee. Lee offered a weak smile in an attempt to make Link feel a little better, but didn't know it if would work. He tried none the less only because what he was going to say next would make Link uneasier.
'Would you tell me… what happened exactly that night?'
Link hesitated before answering him. The memories, though already surfacing to his mind, were not easy to bear. The flames of the town, the smell of blood and death he saw existed in memories - but though they only existed in his memories, he could still smell and feel it in real life.
'How… much do you know already?' Link asked.
'Well… not anything exact,' Lee mumbled, as he straightened up and scratched his head. 'I mean, there's what I know and heard from the rumours,'
'Rumours? Can you really believe rumours?'
'Well, not all the time do I believe them… but the group of people who told us, claimed they are survivors from the village'
Survivors! Oh thank the goddess… some people lived! How that eases my soul… Link thought peacefully as a small smile appeared on saddened face. The memories of that night seemed less painful, now that he knew some people had survived. But still, there was the fact that innocent lives were lost. Though some had escape – which made Link happy to know, what about those that didn't make it out?
'People claiming to be survivors gives their story some credibility… and then, there is what we saw that day' Lee muttered quietly, as though he was confused about it.
'What you saw? You saw what happened?'
'Not exactly… but yeah, we saw something. On that day, everything seemed to be going normal, just a regular day in a busy town. That is, until the skies grew dark and then that ominous scream ripped through the air…'
That was me… I was the one screaming …Nightmare was trying to pour more darkness into me…
'The whole town came to a stand still at the mere sound of that scream. It was frightening – even the strongest men in our town quivered in fear. Everyone wondered what was going on, but no one was daring enough to find out. After the screaming stopped, things then began to calm down. But then, just as we had gathered our wits, we saw these strange lights rise up to the skies!'
'Strange lights?'
'It hard to explain them, but they appeared as flames; expect was one was blue and the other was a blood red! Seeing such things scared us, but for some reason, we all had mixed emotions. Some of the townspeople became enraged and violent, while others had some wonderful moment of bliss, where they were calm and brave.'
Our auras; Nightmare's and mine's! That's what those strange lights were…
'Anything else?' Link asked, seeing as Lee had paused briefly. Lee nodded; he had just stopped to recall the moments afterwards.
'After the lights faded away, we began to hear a great battle take place,' Lee said, resting his back against a nearby wall. 'We heard the sounds of clashing metal and even felt some of the strike rumble through the ground. It felt like giants or even the gods themselves were fighting within that town… I mean that as an expression – it felt that way. …And then…'
Lee went silent. His mouth hung open, but then began to slowly close. He sighed heavily and started to chuckle to himself. Lee raised his hands to his face and slapped himself softly, as if to wake him self up, before dragging his hands behind his head.
'And then… what?' Link asked, curiously.
'…I-I'm not too sure how… to explain it' Lee mumbled, his eyes staring intently at the floor. 'You might think I'm crazy… I think I am crazy, or I was then when it happened. I'm not even sure I believe it myself, to tell you the truth…' Lee trailed off into his mumbling; his words were too soft and not even constructed properly to understand. After a few seconds, he stopped talking. He remained still and motionless. Link knew that the Chief Builder was recalling those memories to the surface of his mind, as Link had done before, though with some difficulty.
A minute passed, when Lee finally began to move again. He straightened himself from his slump position against the wall and slightly pushed off to stand on his own. From here, Lee lifted his head to the ceiling where the single light still burned – though now, it was weaker. Lee could see the flames flicker over the dish that concealed the flame from view. Link was watching Lee intently, but soon set his gaze upon the torch as Lee had. Both were fixed on the tiny flickers of light that appeared above the dish.
'It was made of that… of fire, I mean,' Lee mumbled, his voice sounding shallow and almost lifeless. 'I was working on the rooftop of the blacksmith's workshop when everything began to happen. I saw everything much clearer than anyone else – no one had the view I had… I was the only one to see it'
'What did you see, Lee?'
Lee hesitated. He didn't want to speak about the bizarre image he had seen that night, but he soon found himself saying more.
'It appeared like a ghost from over the forest, and it glowed with such an unnatural light. Eerie it was… something you only see in your nightmares, something not of this world. At first I didn't know what it was, until I slipped slightly and saw it on an angle. Even then, I was so baffled by the mere sight of the flames that I didn't even notice that it resembled some kind of… huge fiery eye!'
Hearing this, Link's eyes shot wide open.
The eye… Soul Edge's eye! It appeared before me, when I was trying to recuse Mitsurugi from the debris of the town… before it erased the whole place into nothingness!
'Ha-ha-ha' Lee began chuckling as he tore himself away from the torch. 'Oh, you must think I am crazy to have said something like that!' he began to chuckle more, but it was forced and weak. Lee knew he wasn't covering up properly, but he didn't know what else to do or say after saying that. 'Please don't tell anyone else… I don't want to be known as a crazy old fool… I swear I wasn't drinking, but even still, who would believe such a thing…'
'I would… and I do believe you' Link answered, placing a hand on Lee's shoulder before he got out of reach. Lee stood still upon feeling Link's hand on his shoulder. 'Don't forget… I said I was there. Both before the town's destructions and afterwards… I saw it too'
Lee spun around and sieged Link by his shoulders. The man's eyes were filled with questions and also with fear. Fear of the unknown or was it fear of the answers – Link couldn't tell.
'You saw it too? The fiery eye! I wasn't crazy or hallucinating it, was I?'
'No, you weren't'
Lee wanted to smile to be thankful he wasn't loosing his marbles, but now, knowing it wasn't all just some hallucination, he wanted to know what exactly it was.
Lee was about to ask Link about it, but Link jumped in before Lee could form the words in his throat.
'Could we please speak about this elsewhere' Link said, shifting his eyes steadily about the small room. 'This is something that should be said in a more secure area. We both don't want others knowing, so this is not a good time to be discussing it… don't you agree?'
Lee said nothing, but nodded in agreement. Lee let go of Link's shoulder and then motioned towards the curtain behind them.
'The baths are through here, and beyond that is the hot spring,' Lee indicated as both he and Link walked towards the curtain to the baths. 'Depending on how crowded it is in the hot spring, we may be able to talk there… if not, then we make for our rooms afterwards. Is that ok?'
'We'll see'
.
.
Link and Lee past through the blue curtain and entered into the white marble room of the male's bathroom. It was just as the picture in the brochure has shown, just without the men. There were three rows of marble walls running vertical from the entrance all the way to the back of the room. There were countless stools stationed before mirrors attached to the marbles walls that stood about stomach height. The room was almost empty with only fifteen other men in that room. Steam seemed to hang in the air, but it was quickly disappearing as the room was cooling, as the night grew stronger. This room was well lit than the previous room. Three huge torches hung down from the ceiling in silver dishes, just like in the room before, between each row. The flames of each torch were burning brighter and higher than he had ever seen. Link wonder was making them burn so brightly, until his nose began smelling something odd and almost sickening. Amongst the steam, Link could something burning along side the wood that was in the dishes, something foul and heavy to his nose. Link had to rub his nose slightly to erase the smell from his nostrils.
The pair examined the room carefully and searched for a place that was distance from the other men in the room, if they decided to talk there. They soon found a good spot in the middle row, near the opposite wall that lead towards the hot spring that appeared to be nicely spaced from anyone. Lee lead and Link followed shortly behind. Link was luckily the room was almost empty. From what he had read in the brochure, the baths were almost always packed. He would have felt very uncomfortable washing himself with other men near him. It would have been very uncomfortable, but at that moment, because of what he and Lee had just talked about, even if the room was packed, his mind wouldn't have cared – it was already concentrating on their discussion and of the battle of the past night. But, as it was, there were only a few men there. They had spaced themselves out as Lee and Link had done, but the pair stayed near each other to be able to communicate if they decide to talk – they sat on the same wall but on either side from each other.
But they didn't speak. The two just sat and cleaned themselves without muttering a word. Link, at times, wanted to ask questions about what he was meant to be doing, but said nothing and just scrubbed his skin clean with the brush and soap provided in the bucket. Link then filled his bucket with warm water from the tap built into the wall next to each mirror and then poured the water upon his head and body.
Link did this a number of times. It was quickly becoming a routine. He scrubbed off the layer of dead skin with the brush, and then lathered himself with the soap, before filling his bucket with water and then pouring it upon his head. A few times, he was worried that the bandages were going to come lose because of the water, but the knots he had tied held strong and the bandages did not buckle.
'Link,' Lee called out softly to the warrior. 'Let's head into the hot spring… we might be able to get a good spot in the spring if its not too filled'
Link nodded to himself be saying, 'fine, let's go'
Link grabbed one last bucket of water and poured it over his head to rid his body of the soap he had just applied to his skin. Link shook some water from his golden hair, but left the rest as it was. He would have a chance to dry off later. Before standing, Link made sure the towel and the knot was still tight and secure to his waist before moving off after Lee.
The pair stepped out of the row on the end wall and headed for the double door that stood in the corner of the room. This entrance had an actual door instead of the curtains that they have seen inside the bathhouse. But this door wasn't made entirely of wood, but rather more of some kind of paper. The only bits of wood that were on this door, was more as a frame to attach the paper to. Link wondered why the people choose such an unsecured substance for a door, when it looked like it could be easily broken into.
Lee slid open the double doors gently and revealed the newly built hot spring. Steam and heat from the hot spring rose to meet the pair's face before the night's cold go even rush in.
As the steam dissipated, Link and Lee were able to take a glimpse at the Bathhouse's new hot spring. The area before the door, where Link and Lee stood, and surrounding the actual hot spring itself was made up of stone slabs, with pebbles in between the gaps. Behind the spring, there stood a variety of plants and trees that, to Link's eyes, didn't seem real. They seemed stiff and somehow lifeless to him. It gave the hot spring a natural appearance, for a man-made spring. There were some chairs set up off to the left of the spring, where the customers could relax, in the brighter parts of the day, set out on a small section of grass. The hot spring itself had a barrier made of rocks the circled the spring - again giving it a more natural appeal. The spring appeared to be oval in shape, but a bamboo wall divided the spring in half, so he couldn't exactly tell if the spring was indeed oval in shape. Link wondered why such a wall was placed in a hot spring; but before he could ask Lee, his ears could hear the voices of many women on the other side.
'Well, it's emptier than I would have thought…' Lee said, staring at the nearly empty hot spring. He approached the edge of the hot spring, and without being noticeable, stared briefly at the few occupants in the hot spring. 'This will do, don't you reckon? I guess most of the rush for the hot spring is in the day time'
Link also stared briefly at the people already in the hot spring before staring at a nice corner next to the water fountain, where the hot spring's water actually flowed. It came out in a chute that was dug into a slight hill rise behind the bathhouse – it was the only natural part of the hot spring.
'This will do I guess… but over there, next to the water chute' Link indicated, as he pointed to the corner he had spotted. 'The water should drown out our voices when we talk'
Lee stared over to where Link had pointed. The area was a nice concealed place, hidden by the water flowing from the natural water chute. It was located in the corner where the bamboo wall stood, that divided the men and the women from each other. The sound of the flowing water was loud enough, and with the other people talking amongst themselves, on either side of the wall, nobody would hear them talk.
'Good choice, Link' Lee agreed, turning his head to look back at Link. 'Just be warned, that be the hottest part of the hot spring. Let's be careful we don't get cooked in there'
Link glanced over to the area he had chosen and notice what Lee meant. The water near the chute was clouded and giving off more steam and heat than the water further from it. Link couldn't guess how hot it was, but he could imagine it was going to make his skin glow red.
'Doesn't matter,' Link muttered, glancing back to Lee, 'it's the perfect spot, and the only spot here that can drown out our words. I don't want anyone to hear'
'Why? Why don't you want others to hear?' Lee inquired, as to Link's choice of being secretive. 'I mean, this matter we speak of, should involve the whole committee… I, by all right should take you too them right now, but I want to hear for myself first. That town that was destroyed was not only a neighbour, but we had friends there that we cared about! Give me one reason why I shouldn't take you the committee members and…'
'Because what I'm about to say is painful and I don't want anyone, but you – who is dragging this out of me, to hear the details' Link whispered. 'Beside… the events that took place in that town are more difficult to simply express in words…'
'How so do you mean?'
'Wait till we are in that corner and I shall explain everything in full to you'
Leaving it at that, Link began to move towards the corner he had picked out. As he did, he noticed that Lee hesitated slightly before following after him. Link could tell that Lee had something more to say, but he didn't let Lee have his chance to say it. Link was keen to have their discussion in a place where no one could hear them. The thoughts of that night were painful already and the very details were just as upsetting; he rather not have anyone else hearing his words, just in case they got upset or emotional.
Link approached the man-made rock barrier that surrounded the hot spring, which gave it a sort of natural looking appearance, and stepped into the warm water. As his leg sank into the water's depths, Link felt his body suddenly overcome with intense heat. The water of the hot spring, even though it was outside, was still extremely hot. The night's cold air did nothing to cool the water, nor did it even make it the slightest bit colder.
It took Link a while to adapt to the hot spring's boiling water, before he ventured further. As Lee had mention to Link, the water got incredibility hotter the closer he got to the water's chute. The water that was being diverted from somewhere inside the slight hill rise, must have been extremely close to some kind of heat source to be able to stay at such hot temperatures. The heat was turning Link's skin a slight red, but he kept moving onwards. The corner, despite being the hottest part of the hot spring, was still the best place to have their conversation.
Soon, the water was near their knee height, just where their towels ended. The etiquette of the hot spring was no clothing was allowed; not even a towel. Link found the idea strange but respected it none the less. Link grasped the towel where he had tied the knot and, in a graceful and swift move, pulled the towel from his waist, whilst sinking his lower half into the water. Submerging his lower half quickly into the hot water, without it warming up properly began to hurt and boil his skin. Link hid the sting of heat behind his normal calm face and just continued to walk forward with towel above his head.
'Ow… this water is really hot!' Lee whined from behind his teeth. 'Feels like I'm a lobster or some fish that was caught and is about to be cook and served on a plate. Can't we find another place to talk, that isn't so damn hot?'
'Just bare with it' Link mumbled, 'we're almost there.'
Soon enough, Link and Lee had made it to their corner. The area had a slight rise that was hidden under the water that acted as a seat or a set of stairs for people to walk in or out from. Link sat himself on this rise, just to the point where the water still covered his lower half. Lee, on the other hand, was quick to jump out of the hot spring, because the heat was now too much for him to handle. Lee wrapped up his towel about his waist and, after a while, submerged his leg in the water, as a means to keep warm from the cold.
'Alright Link,' Lee said, looking at the warrior before him. 'We're here… in our secretive corner. Care to talk now?'
Link said nothing at first, as he was studying his chosen area. The corner was, as Link had first predicted, an ideal place for their conversation. The water chute and the hot water that sprang from it concealed the two perfectly, with added help from the rising steam. The sound of the splashing water drowned out and muted most of the sounds around them, and the people already in the pool, talking amongst themselves, drew their attention away from the two men.
The spot was perfect.
'Alright Lee…' Link said, turning his full attention to the Chief Builder. 'Where should I start?'
'Start at the beginning of course. It's a good place than any to start. What I know is only what the rumours tell me,' Lee said, leaning in closer to Link. The man's face became serious as he spoke to Link. 'I want to know the truth'
Link slowly leaned back, resting his back on one of the steps, as he contemplated what he was going to say. Lee wanted to know the truth, and Link was, with a slightly twisted arm (persuaded to talk), was going to give it to him. The Hyalin warrior held quiet for a minute longer, collecting his thoughts and choosing his words carefully, before he spoke.
'I came to Japan about three or so days ago, in search of that cursed blade, Soul Edge…'
Link began his tale at his arrival in Japan and continued from there to the point where he and Nightmare had begun their battle atop the hill that overlooked the grassy field and village. Mentioning Nightmare's name caused a spark of fear to flash over Lee's face, and, as Link began to describe the beast and what had happen between them, caused the fear to grow. Link didn't see himself much as a storyteller, but as he watched Lee's face and the change of expressions over the course of his small tale, Link discovered that he had some ability to captivate people in his tale. Up to this point, everything he said was with as little detail as possible, expect at his fight with Mitsurugi where he did go into detail. Lee didn't need to know the exact details, until the village was involved. It was at this point that Link dove into the extreme and raw details of what had happened within that village.
It was at this point that Lee became more focus and intent on listening to everything that Link had to say. Lee was so interested and so enthral in Link's words that he sank back into the hot spring, despite the water's boiling temperatures.
'Every time that brute attack me or swung his blade at me, caused a release of unstable energy from Soul Edge… his reckless actions and that energy combined was what began destroying the town… it was all aimed at me, but instead of hitting its target… innocent lives where lost instead…'
As Link conveyed his tale as this point, the memories began to react in his mind. He began reliving the battle with Nightmare and Soul Edge, as he spoke. As the memories played in his mind, Link was depicting them Lee, who listened and watched intently. Link was so lost in his storytelling and in reliving those memories, that his body subconsciously began acting out what he saw. When he saw himself block an attack, his left arm acted it out with the same blocking motion. It didn't register that he was even doing this until the action was perform out.
Are you trying to draw attention to yourself, Link? Link asked himself, when he finally took notice of what he was doing as he retold his tale of that night. Link paused for a moment to compose him self and to grasp the reality around him, before continuing with his tale.
After a bit more of the storytelling and a few more re-enactment from his memories, Link arrived at the point where the events of that night confused even him. Link describe this part as his 'defeat' or his 'failing' due to him losing consciousness, but then told Lee that what happen beyond that point, he could not remember actually doing anything that followed afterwards, and simply said he only knew what he did from what his memories showed him. Link tried his best to describe what he meant, but ended up confusing himself as well as Lee.
Lee, from this point, had to focus really hard to understand what Link was saying. He understood what was happening, as Link was describing it, but it was the concept that was not making sense.
Having the memories of doing something, but to not actually remember doing it… does that make sense? Lee asked himself as he continued to listen to Link. All this… it all sounds… crazy! Just like that eye I saw… but he saw it too… but it couldn't be real… could it?
Link was now nearing the end. He conveyed everything that happened within that town between him, Nightmare and Soul Edge, but when he got to the part of the massive fiery eye, there was nothing more to say. Link didn't need to say more. Lee, having the view from atop of the blacksmith shop, had seen what had taken place; the forming of the giant eye, the build up of unstable energies and then the violent release of energy that rain down from the clouds.
'And…that's it' finished Link with a soft long sigh, easing his back gently on the step.
'What? That's it?' Lee said sourly, as he blinked blankly upon hearing Link end his story like that.
'Yep… that's it. You saw what happened next. What more can I tell you?'
'What more? You have left it wide open!' Lee shouted, sounding excited and so enthral in the tale that he wanted to hear more of it. 'What happened to Mitsurugi? How did you survive the explosion if you two were caught in the blast radius? Come on… you go to be kidding if that's it. Tell me how it ends'
Link wanted to laugh that he had captivated Lee so deeply in his tale, but he could only smile weakly. Link lifted his face up to the glowing heavens and sighed heavily as the final bit of the memories played out. Link said nothing, but just the memory play out.
'I'm sorry, Lee' Link heard himself say, with a soft and lifeless tone, 'there's nothing more to tell you. That's how it ends'
'That's how it ends, does it? Not a very truthful storyteller are we, warrior?'
A sudden blast of wind swept across the hot spring as an unknown voice echo overhead. Link felt a strange sensation become him as the wind swept over him. The sensation was difficult to place, but he felt a strange energy moving along the wind that unknowingly swept into the hot spring, despite the bamboo wall deflecting any and most of the air. As the wind past over him and the hot spring, Link, almost on reflex, knew something was amiss. The area, though everything was the same, was different. The area didn't appear to be different in any way, but it felt different. Everything was radiating a strange aura that was not of this world; even the water was giving off this strange aura.
Link didn't know how to explain what was going on, but none the less, he got out of the spring, tied the towel around his waist and, with nothing but his hands skill, prowled about the area. Something in the air was giving off a hostile presence, but the problem was, it was all around him. He couldn't tell from where or from whom it was coming from.
'What is going on here? Something's wrong. Lee I need you -' Link began to warn Lee to stay alert, but as the warrior peered over to where the Chief Builder was, Link suddenly paused.
Lee was exactly where he was when the strange wind had swept over the area, in exactly the same position with the exact same expression of annoyance that he had on his face when Link had told him there was nothing more to his tale. Lee was still and motionless; frozen in time as it was. In matter of fact, everyone was. Link stared around at the other people in the hot spring and also saw that they too were still and frozen. No one, but him, was able to move freely. It was not just the people that had become frozen, but everything else had stopped. The water that flowed from the chute was paused in the air, and even the steam had become frozen in its rise into the night sky. The seemly unreal plants in the background became more apparent that they weren't real, as they appeared stiffer than normal.
'What is going on here?' Link asked, as he began staring around at the unnatural, yet familiar scene of the hot spring. 'Why has everything stopped? Who or what is doing this?'
'Someone who wishes you to continue your journey for the cursed blade' came this unknown, yet familiar sounding voice.
The voice seemed to echo off everything in this strange, frozen hot spring, but with Link's ears, he was able to heard it to it source. Link spun around lifted his head up slightly to a figure shrouded in shadow that it almost blended in with the night sky it floated in. Locking eyes on this figure, Link recognized it instantly.
'It's you! You're that ethereal shadow that appeared back in the field!'
'Glad to see you memories still work'
