Before reading this, re-read Chapter 15 and Chapter 61 to get the reference :)
PART FIFTY-SIX - THE SHADOW OF MY KIN
Link figured this horde of shadows would be just like any other shadow. Sophia could get through to them since she didn't fear them. Hell, the villagers out there were fighting back because of that.
And so Link figured that if he banished every trace of fear in him, he'll come back to the other side in one piece.
Only this wasn't a normal horde. Louis has something special to them, something that he could use only once otherwise he'd have done it plenty of times. It surely would've made this fight shorter.
Everything went black around him, the wind screamed in his ears. Link got his arms up, pushing back a massive pressure that slammed into him like a wall. The world seemed to have vanished, leaving him alone in this empty place.
Link didn't know if he was still conscious or not but everything seemed so still then. Nothing. No whispers. He couldn't even hear his own breath.
Then he saw light as the world came up to him, changing into a familiar place. Desmera was gone and he found himself in a small, pitiful home. The Sword wasn't with him. Instead, hanging on his hip was a small bronze sword instead. He didn't wear his tunic, but a haggard robe with patches of clothes stitching the holes.
He knew he was in a small cottage. If he looked outside, he'd see they were on top of a small hill, secluded from the rest of the world. A black hill. It was always black. No other colors existed.
He glanced down at his hands. Small, scarred. He touched his hair. Long, dry, smelly. He should cut it. Having long hair was too much work.
The small room trapped him in oily stained walls with paint peeling and cracking. No furniture occupied the spaces to make it feel somewhat of a home. Nothing adorned the walls either. Ironic to call it a living room, as there was nothing here living. There were only mattresses here, as hard as stone, and a small fire pit in the other room.
No colors shined through, only a dull, dismal grey. He had always thought the occasional rain had washed them off, leaving streaks of black behind. Along with the abandonment of colors were the questions. So many questions. What was that statue outside in the woods? Why do they have to train so hard? Why can't they leave this retched place?
The person who knew the answers sat on the ground at the corner, her blade glinting in the dim light of her lantern. Though the room was filthy with even her face having some stains of mud, her sword will always, always be glinting. They'll probably spend more money oiling and maintaining it rather than buying themselves some clothes.
One knee was up while the other leg rested flat on the ground, sword resting at the side. It was always ready. It was always sharp. Only a wise person would know not to approach her from behind. She once killed a man for that.
When the woman looked up, his breath stilled. How long had it been? Twelve years? Thirteen? At long last he remembered her face. Long nose, broken twice, gash at her cheek, dirt-blond hair falling at either side of her face while the rest bunched up into a bun.
And that pure blue eyes, piercing. Winter itself seemed warmer than those eyes.
In some way, the air itself chilled around her. "Look at you now," she said softly. Her voice was always soft, almost like a whisper. The woman stared ahead, not bothering to look at him. Then she closed her eyes. "You've finally killed me. How does it feel?"
Link quivered, his heart nearly lurching out his rips. He couldn't speak. He couldn't breath.
No emotions passed through her face. "Somehow, I knew," she said, eyes closed. "Somehow, I knew…my own son would turn against me."
The little boy lost the strength in his legs and fell, sitting back. Even then she was far bigger than him, the biggest thing in his life. Somehow she could make a Lynel seem a puppy.
"And after everything I've done for you." She opened her eyes, blue eyes staring up ahead. "Keeping you fed and clothed. Keeping you safe and warm. You…don't know what I've done for you, do you? I suppose you wouldn't. Perhaps the fault is with me."
Link swallowed, wishing he could scurry away and hide himself in the floorboards.
This isn't real. This can't be real. She's dead.
The woman turned to him sharply and Link flinched back, crying as he threw his arms up. She didn't attack him or moved, though that look in her eyes could be enough to kill him. "What's not real?" she asked, voice soft but an edge to it. "Are you saying you haven't snuck into my room to kill me? Are you saying that's not real? Who was it that killed me?"
Then she stood up and Link crawled back weakly, whimpering, so frightened out of his mind that he kept choking for air. This felt far too real. The rancid smell from the cottage tickled his nose. The floorboards beneath him were rough, nails sticking out glinted.
His back met the wall and from there, he shrunk. Fear drying his mouth.
"I've always told you to keep your guard up," she said, and one side of her lip curved up humorlessly. "And I failed at my own code. I've lowered my guard to you. To you alone. I should've known you'd get desperate. Seems you've found another way to beat me that wasn't in the sparing ground."
She went down on one knee, and Link quivered, scratching at the wall as if trying to make himself a hole to get out. The woman didn't hurt him. She didn't bring her sword and rightfully plunged it into his belly. Instead, her scarred hand touched his head.
It was worse than a slap.
"You slit my throat while I slept," she whispered, a voice hard like iron. "That wasn't enough for you it seemed, since you kept hitting me with your dagger. Over and over. My bones were crushed. My face marred beyond recognition."
Link squeezed his eyes shut, crying. Katie. Silas. Someone please. Someone.
"Look at me."
Link shook his head.
"Look at me."
He opened his eyes, bracing himself and nearly screamed upon seeing her face. Indeed, it was beyond recognition. Cheeks opened wide with a dagger to show the teeth from the inside. Several were missing. Only one eye survived while the other was caved in shut. Her lips were split down, the upper part had the worst. Blood ran like rivulets, from her gutted eyes and nose, down to her lips and chin. It dripped, spotting the dry wood.
This is how he remembered her. This face. The last thing he saw.
"This is what you did to me," the woman said. Her hand gently stroking his head and later touched his cheek. "You've won."
Link couldn't speak. He tried but his mouth was so dry, so numb. Terror paralyzed his mind.
"You should be proud of yourself. Look at you. You've managed to escape this terrible place in one piece." She chuckled softly. Blood ran down from her cheek like tears. "Or, I suppose your body survived in one piece. Your mind…how much of my death haunted you? Do you still think about me?"
"I'm sorry."
The woman paused, blinking with her remaining eye as if she didn't expect that.
"I'm sorry," Link cried out in a small, boyish voice. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry. I'm—" He choked off when she glared at him. Now that glare. That glare could shut anyone up.
"Do you regret killing me?" she hissed, blood spitting out her mouth. "After you've trained for it? Do you not remember what I've promised you?"
Link didn't want to remember. He wanted to scream.
The woman sighed, disappointed. Somehow that was much worse than her anger. "I suppose I shouldn't expect much. Do you truly regret it?"
Link nodded, weeping.
The woman stared at him but he couldn't hold her gaze. It froze him on the spot. Eventually, she handed him something. A dagger.
"Prove it to me," she whispered. "Prove it."
Link stared at it. A short dagger, leathered grip. Wait, where did she get this?
"Use it," she said calmly. Blood continued to drip from her cheek. Drip. Drip. Drip. "You are sorry, aren't you?"
Link hesitated, hands sweaty, but he did raise it up.
"On your neck. You'll bleed out. It'll be painful."
He stopped, terrified.
"Oh, it won't be anything like you did to me," she said simply, touching her face then rubbing the blood between two fingers. "Though you do deserve it. A simple stab at the throat."
Link.
"You've always been so weak. Perhaps now you can show some bravado."
Link! What are you doing?!
Link raised his dagger towards his throat. His hand wouldn't stop trembling.
"I wish I had killed you," his mother said, eyes hateful. "I wish I had. The trouble I'd have saved."
LINK! LINK!
She smiled coldly at him. "Still weak? Still afraid?"
Link gritted his eyes, closing his eyes shut. Then, his hand dropped and the dagger clanged on the floorboard. Seeing that, the woman sighed. "Then why?"
Why? Why did I do it?
He didn't know. He never knew but there was something he wanted. A hidden wish, one he didn't dare voice out. As a child, he never knew what he wanted. He thought he wanted to see the world, to leave this awful place.
But that hadn't always been the truth? He knew what he had wanted then. The woman paused as his small hand reached out to her. The cottage around them began to fade as if held on by straw.
The woman stared at him, as she began to fade as well.
"I wanted…to stand by you," Link whispered and his hand reached for the sky instead. He blinked, as he found himself back on the town square, with the repugnant smell of blood.
A bright light fluttered over his face, terror smothering her orb. "Link, get up!"
He could barely make sense of this world. She was close, yet her voice was so far away. Right near him was his hunting dagger, shining, inviting. He could still hear her disappointment.
But why?
Someone loomed over him. Once hunched and weak, Louis stood with broad shoulders, a massive built that shook with a delightful burst of laughter. "People of Desmera! I give you your hero!" He kicked Link and something in Link broke. "Hyrule's light!"
Link smashed into a broken stall, rolling over timbers and wood chips. Blood ran thickly through his mouth. He felt too numb to feel any of it though. Stuck in a half-daze, he only saw her face. The ruined one. Already he forgot how she really looked like.
Katie cried faintly but he didn't give a toss about it. He was just…tired. Tired of fighting, tired of this world. Was this what he killed his mother for? Was this what he had dreamed of as a child? It seemed so pathetic, such a waste.
There were eyes around him, everywhere. He felt their stares, their disgust. The story of his life. No matter what he did or where he went, he seemed to always be attracting an audience.
Mists flowed rambunctiously. The ground felt cold and gritty against his cheek. Someone pushed him over on his back so all would see his face. "Darkness is made to sniff every ray of light on this land! Your hero is dead! Your land is dead! Your kingdom, your king, princess, Goddesses! They're all dead!"
Louis's voice bellowed through Link's mind, a swinging log that shattered through his skull. He closed his eyes. He just…couldn't move. He didn't want to. How could he? He killed her in her sleep rather than beating her in a fair combat. Honestly, he never thought of how easy it had been. That woman could take out a hundred men like Banard single-handedly. A weapon in the form of a Hylain, a tempest to behold.
And I killed her…I killed her. I don't even remember how I did it. I don't remember…
He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the worthless Hylain in the world.
I wanted…to stand by her…
If only he had told her that. Rather than train and avoid one another, they could've come up to an understanding. He just…didn't want to kill his mother. Was that really weakness? He didn't even know anymore.
"Link!"
Link's eyes snapped open. Weakly, he turned his head and saw someone familiar with dark hair and intense grey eyes. For a moment, the name wouldn't come to him, and he only thought of how short the guy was.
Wait…Silas?
"What is wrong with you?!" Silas shouted, beating at the dome. "Why won't you fight back?!"
Panic coursed through the villagers. Uncertainty. Anxiety. Trepidation. An entire feast for Louis. The mists on the ground—which had looked as if they've been trimmed moments ago—were long lashes now, brushing on his cheek the same way his mother had done to him.
"Hero," the king mocked, kicking Link once more. It wasn't powerful this time. No, Louis wanted him to keep breathing. "This is the hero meant to save Hyrule? Really?"
Link rolled and stopped, still not able to feel his own skin. His soul seemed so close to just dump this useless body and sink down to hell.
"Link, get up!" Silas screamed. "Please!"
Link would've closed his eyes if not for the beaming light of the Master Sword nearby. Dammit. While his mind wanted to shut down, his body moved out on its own, too well trained to rest.
Louis, nonchalantly, stomped down on Link's hand. The non-sword one thankfully, and the bones in there snapped like twigs.
Now Link felt the pain. The blood in his mouth, his rips in agony, the explosive headache. He screamed, at the white pain in his hand. Everything was too fuzzy. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Katie, a ball of light cutting through his vision.
Hero, will you save us?
The Master Sword was right there. Right there.
Hero, will you doom us?
Link wheezed and gasped when a large boot pressed down on his chest, pinning him there. The man grinned down at him then up at the pale faces of the people. "You might as well give up, girl. You'll ruin those pretty nails."
Someone screamed insults at him. Link could make out blood coating over where Sophia tried to make a dent into the dome. It was until Grey held her back.
"Son of a bitch!" Sophia struggled and a few guards joined to calm her down.
"You should've stopped while you were ahead," Louis sneered. "You think you can defeat fear itself? Tell me, can you ever stop fearing for your lives? Can you ever stop being afraid?"
The boot pressed down harder. Link coughed, blood dripping down his chin.
"Your hero is no match for me," Louis continued, his grin broadening. "My power never wavers. It exists in each and every single one of you. You cannot be rid of it!"
"Link, please get up!" Silas begged.
Link gritted his teeth, his good hand weakly grabbing at Louis's boot to get it off him, but it was like trying to move a boulder.
The king favored him a smile. "I could've let you go, had I known how much you loath the Goddess. I will break you. I will start with cracking every bone in you. Let people see their Chosen One."
He finally took off his boot. Link took in a deep, heavy breath, speckles of dots danced over his eyes. He felt the warmth of Katie, and tried to get up. He ended up falling, pain blistering.
Louis chortled.
Need the sword.
It will give him power. He could feel it already. The holy blade glowed, almost eagerly for him. His fingers itched to grasp the hilt, to feel that power humming through his veins. It had lent him strength before, against the brutal battle against Mathilda.
Suddenly, dark and insidious thoughts flooded through his mind, tearing his resolve. Mists shackled him from there, appearing like ribbons over his fingers, then curving around them like tiny snakes.
I don't want to do this, he realized. Just lie down and let the mists take him away. Louis was obviously the king and far more superior—
Link growled, shaking his head and tore his hand away from the ribbons. Each time he pressed against the influence, it shoved back. He lost his gang, his dog, everything.
"All of this fight, for this piece of fabric." Louis held up the red tunic. The vibrant clothing was freshly clean somehow, as if it came straight from the laundry. "I could've given this to you. What a shame. All of your efforts were wasted!"
Link blinked. Oh yeah. The tunic.
Had he really forgotten about it? Didn't he come into this town and worked himself to get it?
Link winced at the pain in his chest, coughing. Turning, he could see Silas standing in front of his people, his eyes pleading.
This is so pointless!
Why bother?
Just bow down!
Weak!
Pathetic!
I want to do this, Link realized, as the other voices kept throwing their insults. It was hard to distinguished which one belonged to him, but this is one thing he knew for certain.
And he hated to ponder on things.
He could hear people crying around him, a tempestuous chant spoken with hundreds of voices.
"Shadow Slayer!" they shouted. "Shadow Slayer!"
Louis grunted, sounding surprised. "Stop that."
A chorus, an insuperable wave, every survivor spoke their tune, shouting it in the top of their voices. Link could barely hear himself think. "Sha-dow Slay-er! Sha-dow Slay-er!"
Link clenched his teeth, wishing he could hide his face. What the hell is wrong with these people? They should be laughing at him, for how pathetic he looked.
"Stop that!" Louis bellowed, eyes beaming. "You will all perish!"
Link could've said the same thing. They hoped for something he didn't have. They expected too much, knew him too little. And yet, hearing their voices silenced some of the ones in his head. It was an irritating thing, like having someone overly complement you just to get you to do something. Annoying, but in the end, you just grumble and do it.
Link groaned, finally picking himself up. A loud shout followed that.
Louis wasn't pleased by it. Mists crawled from the lumps at the end of his arms. "Well then," he said tersely, "let us see how long you'll last."
Link's frustration was ineffable. All the work he'd done to get Louis weaken and now the bastard's belly was all filled up. At least he couldn't summon any of his shadows, which meant he really did use them all in that final blow.
Link rubbed his chest, cringing. Yup, broken ribs in there. His back burned from when he slammed into that wall. That bruise will make him stiff in the morning, if he lived through this. Pain flared in his non-dominate hand. This wasn't looking good for him. Even Louis shook his head.
"Ah, hero." Louis tusked. "I am tempted to spare you. You would've been a great asset to my army, but alas, you have proven to be far too much of a nuisance." He glared at Link hatefully and Link thought with some amusement that if he did die by this bastard, it wouldn't bother him too much, knowing the trouble he caused him.
Louis noticed the cheeky smile and snarled. "Oh, don't worry. I'll repay you back for entertaining me. I haven't heard you scream yet."
Link took in a deep breath, then turned to the side and spat out something red. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, eyeing the amused king.
"The worst kind of pain," Louis said, "comes from within. You don't seem too bothered with broken ribs and a twisted hand, so how about I start killing off your friends one by one? How about you hear them scream?" He grinned maliciously. "Shall I take the little fairy first?"
Katie whimpered when black mists tickled over her from beneath, like teasing fingers.
"Or shall I kill your little bastard instead?" Louis said genially, grinning over at Silas. "Oh that would be good. You can hear him scream!"
Silas wasn't bothered with Louis. He stared at Link, more determined than ever. He seemed so much different than the amicable and chatty man Link knew. Silas had looked up to him with adulation and worship, but he's changed since then. He knew Link a little better than some random bastard who was good with a sword.
Save us, Silas begged, eyes broken with despair. Save us, Link.
Link may not be a hero but he chose to accept Desmera's call.
And words and days, he planned on holding onto it.
Katie went by his side, the rising mists fell beneath her. He reached over and picked his sword. A blade this size should be too heavy for him in this state, but the sword lightened itself for him. Power glowed through the steel, shinning. He gasped as he came out wide awake, pain abating for a moment.
"Link, chew on some herbs," Katie whispered. "It might help."
Herbs were far from a potion but they do have their effects. He chewed a mouthful of nightshade, which he made sure to hide it deep within his inventory so a certain addict couldn't sniff if it out.
Nightshade helps in numbing the pain, but too much of it could numb the mind. Without water, he felt it scratching on his throat. There wasn't much of it left, but it did make it easier to draw air through cracked ribs.
Louis chuckled, but it sounded forced. "You think I fear you?"
Weak!
Pathetic!
He will kill you!
Link cringed but he did smile. "You are afraid of me," he said, crackling. "Good. When I get my hands—" He cut off, feeling as if someone had wrung their hands around his throat.
Voices exploded in his mind, silencing the world around him. Louis didn't attack him outright. Link could see him standing there, sweating, as he focused every single of his might into this one last stand.
Link leaned against his sword, crying out. Dammit, he couldn't hear Katie speak to him anymore. It hurts so bad. He'd been cornered before once, against monsters, against bandits and angry villagers, but now he was trapped in his own mind.
Why remember the bad things? Sophia had once asked him. What about the good things?
Link held his head. I don't want to. I don't want to. I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER!
His ears rung. He felt something warm slipping on his fingers. The pressure pounded in his head, like someone had tied a rope around it.
Link squeezed his eyes shut when he felt another wave smash through him. This one brought all sorts of memories back.
We waited for you! The voice belonged to Ilia, her brimming eyes crisp clear in his mind. We waited and you never came! You left us!
Link fell down on one knee.
Bastard! Monster! Yeah, that's what you are! Ruto snapped. I hate you! This is all your fault!
"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Link screamed. "Shut up!"
You'd let us die here! Silas screamed. You monster!
"Please," Link cried. "S-stop! Stop it…"
It didn't matter if he shut his eyes and covered his eyes. They were everywhere and all in the voices of everyone he had ever come to know and care for. They hated him. They all hated him. He killed them. Every single one of them.
He thought of Agnes. That dog had never ever bitten him, that dog never barked at him angrily. She was the purest thing in his life. Though he tried sending her away, at one point he tried to kill her, she kept coming back…
And now he'll never see her again.
"I can't do this," he whispered, staring ahead to see a world so distant from him. People were nothing more than dots now. He could see his sword. It used to be so close to him but…it seemed so far now, on the other side of the ocean.
A small voice seemed to speak to him, so faint that he nearly ignored it if not for how strange it was. Please, fight, Master.
"I can't," he said, cringing as another wave of crippling despair washed through him, threating to squish him like a bug. Every horror dredged up from the very cracks of his mind. His mother, his father, his friends, his dog—
Master, get up.
Link held his head, shouting out. "Leave me alone!"
Master, please. His power is killing you.
Link could feel it happening. It was growing so hard to breath, even keeping his eyes opened was an effort. "I don't want to remember!"
Why?
"It hurts. It always hurts."
Does it hurt now than it does before?
Link stopped, looking up. He couldn't see Katie or anyone, as if he was alone in this world. Had he died? Why was the pain still here?
I…am incapable of emotional comfort, the voice said. What was that voice? But the pain soothes with the flow of time.
You must remember, Master. Remember first before you fight.
"Remember," Link muttered, raising his head. So quiet, as if he stood on the cliff at the end of the world. "Remember what? I can't…"
The smell of Ilia's pie.
Link blinked. It smelled so lovely, as if he was here with her. There were voices too. "…Guys?"
The smell of oil, Hank's work. The smell of tea and flowers. Then came the sounds too.
Not all memories are buried beneath anguish and pain, the voice whispered. Not all…so remember.
Link squeezed his eyes shut. "I can't…"
Only this once. Bear your memories for this moment alone. There is a probability of 54% of victory if you follow this strategy.
Link had no idea what the hell that was supposed to mean but…he knew he what he had to do. This battle, Louis—he had to fight it in a different way, a way he'd been intentionally avoiding.
He made his decision.
Reaching out, he found his sword wasn't too far from him and used it to stand back up. The world seemed to come back to him in a flash, the smell first. Blood, mud, dust, and whiff of cold air. The feel of sweat against his face and tears too.
If he intended to fight Louis, if he intended to win, then he needed to do what Sophia had done.
Remember.
It was buried in so deep that he was almost convinced they would be impossible to find. Like diving for a small piece of rock. Diving into the unknown, submerged into thick blackness with the light fading away. It became difficult to distinguish where was up or down, or whether he was going the right way or not.
Remember.
Then he saw it. A glint at first. A promise. Then a sparkle and then the light began to overcome him. For once, the memories flowed through undisturbed.
Louis reappeared further away. "You look white in the face," he teased. "Reminds me of when you've gone through the mirrors. Remember that?"
Link thought of Hank. They called him Handy Hank. That little weasel was always up to something heinous, completely obsessive over his intentions. Oh, he kept messing things up. How many times did that little shit set the place on fire?
He can be too quick to judge, too quick to act. The thing with Hank was that he always seemed like he had something to prove. Too truculent and defensive over his invention, they were the only accomplishments he had to show. He can be annoying sometimes, but he was Link's favorite drinking buddy.
"Everything that you ever know is dead," Louis spat. "Along with your miserable mutt!"
Every group have their smart guy. For them, it was Genius Gus. With red hair, scar under his hair and lanky statue, Gus always chose brains over brawns. You'll find the bastard reclining back in the couch, a book at hand, while everyone else was busy getting their hands dirty.
Despite that, Gus organized the heists, scammed any fool that was worth the trouble, and became the provider for the group. He could be callous at times, even rash but Link could always count on him to come up with a plan.
Arrow after arrow struck by, and Link dealt with each every one of them. Louis surged with power, mists boiling off his form. "You'll never see your dog again!"
Link thought of the very first friend he'd ever made: Dyer. Even now, Dyer stood taller than him, a brawny guy who'd been nervously religious. Now Dyer was a special case. He wasn't mean-spirited like the rest of them. He didn't need to put effort to be good. It comes naturally to him. He might be a little dense to the head, a little soft in contrast to his built, but Link counted on him the most.
An arrow zipped past his head, but Link knew the trick. He changed his grip, whirling to catch it behind him, then he turned when another tried to take him in the chest. Louis kept on rambling, but his words were nonsensical this time.
When he first met Ilia, she was in the mud, crying to herself. Seeing her like that reminded him of himself. He'd been all alone before Agnes, before anyone. Maybe that was why he tried to cheer her up. The others gave him a strange look for it but for Link, it had come to him naturally.
Link met Louis's eyes. The king's eyes hardened.
Then there was Andie, his sweet Anny who tried too hard to be like him. Link found him just as he had found Ilia, but the kid was actually enjoying himself. For Andie, he represented everything that Link wasn't. Kind, joyful, innocent. Maybe that was why Link loved him so much. He didn't grow up hard and rough but surrounded by those who cared for him.
Link took out the last arrow, stepping forth.
"You think you can stop me?!" Louis snapped. "You think this will be enough?"
Link took another step and Louis took one back. Someone was out of tricks.
"If you surrender now, I'll give you this." A bunch of mists puffed up, lifting the tunic. "But come any closer—"
Link kept on walking, thinking of not only his gang but also Ruto. Bits of memories of her resurfaced. Their times at the Giant Fist's, him training her, teasing her. Then their stand in the Water Temple, the struggles, the pain. There had been good moments there, despite all their squabbles.
Link took in a deep breath and turned to see Silas standing with his people, standing tall. He'd kidnapped the guy just to get a drink out of him. Though his intention had been wicked, he'll admit that it was a fun time for him too. Bursting into his office was also amusing. Silas never judged him too harshly, didn't he? He'd been so kind to Link even when Link hadn't done much to deserve it.
Link staggered as a pressure suddenly smashed on top of him, like a mountain on his back. He stumbled, tripped and fell to one knee, gasping at the flood of pain wrecked through him. Link squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his jaw.
Remember. Remember.
But what was there to remember? Dammit, he couldn't feel anything. He was…starting to slip…
"Link! Link!" Katie cried out, her light shined out at the end of the tunnel. He blinked back, staring at her orb swirled with pink and white. "Link, please stand up! Come on!"
He didn't get up though, not for a moment. She…was still here, wasn't she? After all their fights, after knowing the dreadful truth, she still stayed with him. He didn't ask and he never needed to ask.
"Thank you," Link whispered.
"What? I can't hear you."
"I said I'm fine," he growled. "Sheesh, you think I can't handle it?"
"Wha—hey, I'm trying to help you! Louis wants to kill you!"
Link grinned and he couldn't help but laugh as he stood back up, drinking in that startled look from the king. "Well then, let him try! I'm not going nowhere till I bury that bastard!"
A growl rippled in Louis as he brought his arm up. In response, Link broke into a run, the sword lending him stamina. The bites of pain from his ribs faltered his steps, but it didn't stop him.
Mists sprouted from the ground like trees, immediately suffocating the air. People cried, as the entire vicinity of the dome became turbid, wind howling.
The sword beamed dazzlingly, warding off the mists away, giving Link a small circle of free space. The brightness gave the mists luminance. Even with the light provided to him, Louis was nowhere to be found. There were faces drawn into the air, faces that Link strongly dismissed as his imagination.
"L-Link," Katie whimpered, trembling.
"I'm here," he said lowly, eyeing the strange figures meant to distract him. There were thousands of faces, amorphous as they were outlined.
"He really is getting desperate," she whispered.
"Yeah." Link cringed when he felt weariness bring him down. The sword could only help him in so much. His eyes scanned around rapidly, but found only mists. He sighed. "I still remember them."
"Who?"
"My gang…all of them. I can't forget about them, except for that jerk Quill." He forced himself to remember them, to just remember how he felt about them. "I made them steal. I made them like that. I just left them again…I made them think they murdered a man."
Katie spoke softly, "You care about them, don't you?"
He could feel the memories already deteriorating; it became difficult to even recall their faces. Stubbornly, Link concentrated, refusing to let Louis take it from him. If he wanted to forget, then he'll very well do it on his own.
"It's okay to care about people," she said gently. The mists were tattered ribbons, undulating in the air. "It's okay to remember them."
Link gripped his sword. "I don't like it."
"It's okay if it hurts, Link. It shows that you care about them. You really want to forget all the fun times you had together?"
A new memory sparked. His first day in Hatino, staying over the tree house his gang built themselves. Hank fussed over his invention like an overbearing mother, Ilia strolled out to pick apples. Gus prepared Andie for the town, Link and Dyer fixed up the fence. A day like that…well, it was a day to be alive. He'd been surrounded by people who loved and respected him. While he knew it wouldn't last forever, he did make the most out of it.
A tempest of emotions knotted in his chest. "I don't…want to forget the good times," he finally said.
And as he thought more of his gang, he smiled fondly. In the middle of the mists where Louis lurked about, Link thought of the halcyon days. There had been no worry, no consternation. Homeless and penniless, dirty and uncouth, these children stuck together through thick and thin, through the rain and through the fights.
He never meant to be their leader. He still didn't know how that happened. As he thought about it now, he hadn't done anything to deserve that role. No inspiring speeches, no responsibilities, nothing. He only took the reins for something big. The role of leadership had fallen to Ilia much earlier than she thought. It was her that snapped at them to clean up the place, it was her making the food, it was her breaking up the fights.
Link hated remembering but…there were good crumbs here and there worth thinking about.
Boots scraped behind him. He turned in time to jerk back from Louis's leg. The king managed to slam his arm on Link's face. While the attack wasn't nearly as bone shattering as before, it sent Link stars. Link spun from the hit, and used the momentum to whirl his sword around. Louis didn't vanish like before, but stumbled. The holy blade made a nice line through the mists.
The king seethed at him right before he faded away in the mist. Link cursed, searching around. There were still faces with mocking looks around him, making the whole experience incredibly vexing.
Then Link saw a figure near him, and attacked. His blade slashed through the place where neck met head, but the figure melted to mists. An alarm went off in his head.
A trap!
"Link, behind you!"
Link turned and took a strong knee in the gut. He gasped, stumbling back aimlessly and fell to the ground. He nearly didn't move in time when Louis tried to kick him.
For someone who lost two hands, the king was full of ecstatic energy. "I could've given you the tunic," Louis said, his voice thick with exhaustion.
Link felt winded in the same way. It was a strenuous work, battling both inner and outer forces. The mists moved in waves at first, but Katie whispered to him that they were moving towards Louis as well, like water drawn to a whirlpool. Link tried to corner the king but Louis's speed surprised him. There was an extra jump in the way the king moved. He got away from the blade, stepping into Link's circle to slam his forehead against his.
Black speckles exploded in Link's eyes. He fell flat on his back. Louis pressed one foot on the wrist to keep the blade down, and the other on Link's chest. Up close, Link was shocked to see Louis was nothing more than a Hylian. His eyes had turned brown, the wrinkles showed his age as a middle-aged man with natural dark skin and dark hair.
"If I die," Louis growled, "I will take you down with me." He pressed harder down on the broken rips. Link coughed, blood trickling down his mouth.
"You leave him alone, stupid dummy!" Katie shouted, slamming herself on his head. Louis hissed, trying to bat her away like a fly.
In that moment, it gave Link enough time to pull out a fire arrow and ram it into Louis's eye. Blood bubbled as the flesh steamed. Louis stumbled back, his arms useless against the arrow. Link could've delivered the final blow if not for the agonizing burn within him. The nightshade was fading. Shit.
"I will kill you," Louis uttered, the arrow still stuck deep in his eye. More mists flowed into him, increasing his power.
Link could figure out why Louis created this incessant mist in the first place. It might sound reckless to throw around your power like that but there was a special reason to it. Louis wanted the show to be private. The curtains were down; leaving the audience uncertain, fearful. He was squeezing them out for everything they're worth.
Holy hell, this guy does not give up.
"Why fight me?" Louis demanded, his voice raspy. Blood ran heavily down his face. Just a man now. Hell, he was nearly shorter than Link, none of that imposing and insuperable built. "Don't you hate the Goddesses?"
Link scowled. "I'm starting to hate you even more, you crazy shit."
"Have it your way then, hero," Louis gritted. The mists at both his sides started changing. "Know that you could've been much more than what you are now."
Something fired. Link barely had the time to block the arrow, and then another one showed. It got to his shoulder, just above the skin, making a thin cut right on the tunic. Though it missed him, its closeness haunted him, making him shudder.
"You can never hide from darkness, hero," Louis said softly. "It will always hurt Hylains, you especially. You are Corrupted. Forever."
Forever. Link knew already. It didn't matter how many times he drank himself to inebriation. It didn't matter how hard he worked. The past will always feel like it was yesterday. It trailed behind him, a gravestone tied to his back. He will never forget. Never.
That infuriated him as ever. Before Louis could think of firing his arrow, Link slashed his sword, nearly catching him at the neck. Frightened, weakened, the king backed off.
"It does hurt," Katie insisted, sharpening her glow. "It will always hurt, but it won't be the only thing you'll ever feel."
He closed his eyes. He could still see them, his gang, his dog with them. He wished it more than anything just to see them one last time.
Link straightened out, wiping his cheeks. He might not ever see them again, but he will never ever let anything taint their memories. That's all Louis's arrows could do to him. They bring back the pain, the hurt, the misery. Even now, the images of them started to falter and waver, like old photographs dipped in boiling water. Was this what Sophia went through? Every day of her life?
Louis got over his shock, and more of the mists were absorbing into him, possibly to make an attack that would surely meet its mark.
Link didn't give him the chance. He lunged at Louis, deceptively twitching his body to the left. The man fired the wrong way as Link turned just in time, bringing his sword at the man's shoulder, cutting through the cloth, breaking into the skin and burning the flesh underneath.
Louis screamed. He staggered backwards, in a half run, half stumble. His figure outlined in the mist. What was left of that large, dominating king was nothing more than a kneeling, whimpering man.
"I could give you this," the man uttered weakly, pleading. "It-it's yours. P-please—"
"It is mine," Link said sharply. He can't see anything through this now that more mists rose up. Turning to Katie, he nodded. "Do it."
She did it. For a brief minute, panic flooded his mind when he saw the symbol brightening on his wrist. Fate branded onto him like a cow in a farm. As if he were a plague, the mists backed away from him to reveal Louis crouching down, useless lumps for hands holding at his bleeding side.
Louis gaped as the mist, his source of power, backed away from him. "No! Please, I can't die! I'll do anything!"
Link ran to the king, mists reclining with every step. His sword thrust outward. Louis tried to bring forth the mists, to melt himself with it, but Link knew where he is. His sword guided him through it.
"What's going on?!"
"Goddesses protect us!"
"Is the hero winning?"
"Did the Shadow King fall?"
Sophia hissed at them to knock it off. The questions served to agitate people. Grey was by her side, his hands on her shoulder to stop her from further damaging her knuckles. He already wrapped her hands in bandages, and had to change them twice since she kept fighting against the dome.
Up ahead was nothing but smoke imperviously held behind by the dome. No matter how hard she looked, she could see absolutely nothing. Link and Katie were in there. They might need her help.
"Don't," Grey said with firm eyes. "You can't get in there. You've already tried."
"I have to try again!" she insisted, but was held back.
Her twin stood at the dome of the dome, his hands rested on it. Out of everyone here, aside from Sophia, he was the only one with the courage to get close. Sophia shrugged Grey off, but didn't go for the dome impetuously. She took her brother's side, noting the discomfiture in them.
"Hey."
He turned to her. She did remember that he took a potion, but Din help them, was his face ever this pale?
"He may not win this," Silas whispered. "I-I want to believe, I do, but…" He turned to face the endless sea of mist, his expression carefully guarded to keep up appearance.
Louis had nearly bested Link, she remembered, and then he made this, a whole dome filled with smoke. Could Link and Katie breath in there? Were they well? She nearly brought these questions to her brother, until she realized he must be tortured over them as well.
There were no more shadows anymore. What did it mean? Goodness, what is going on in there?
Silas hugged himself, shivering. Sophia put an arm over his shoulder, bringing him close. "It'll be okay," she whispered. "I'll protect everyone."
"You can't do it yourself," he said lowly.
"I'll try anyways."
They stood a few moments like this, staring at the strange, yet oddly satisfying patterns of the strands of mists. They swirled into thin, artistic curls, like from a heavy exhaled breath of smoke from a piper.
Sophia blinked when something bright touched her face. They've been submerged into darkness for so long that her eyes have been long adjusted to it. People behind them spoke in loud whispers and some pointed at the sky. There were many exclamations of surprise and shock. She expected to see the same abyss, but found it to be the light shade of purple.
A contrast of colors pushed away the blackness and lighting up the mountains. Fine red lines glowed over the cliffs, beaming and stinging her eyes. It pushed their shadows, real shadows, back into long, narrowed shapes.
"Dawn," Silas whispered.
The air changed dramatically. Light rose up from the bloodstained cobbles, traveling up to the buildings. The sky, once a dark canvas, was splattered with vibrant paints that hurt the eyes.
The familiar heat returned, the favorite topic everyone loved to complain about. The wind, natural and gentle, blew on the land. Her wanderlust craved for the smell of the wild, to feel the grass on her skin, to feel the sharp of splinters when she climbs up to the highest peak in the forest.
Silas's eyes widened. "Sophia, look!"
The mists melted into the ground. Silas's hands, which pressed on the dome, were shoved past it when the wall disappeared. Grey had his sword ready just in case, and Sophia kept herself in front of her brother since something was breaking out from the disappearing mists.
People.
"KYLE!" A woman cried, shoving her way out from the crowd to run to the square. The little boy stumbled, dazed, as she lifted him up, breaking in tears. The dense mist were banished from the town, revealing more of the villagers.
"The hunters," Grey uttered.
There were dozens of them, all in tears and filth. The sun, a beautiful blessed sight, rose from the horizon. It formed a red halo around a figure in green who leaned against his sword. Battered, bloodied, he somehow stayed up on his feet.
People cheered for the figure, chanting his new title. "Shadow Slayer! Shadow Slayer!"
Sophia exchanged excited looks with her brother before running off for Link. She managed to reach him in time before he could slip to the ground.
"You're okay," she told him, the smile hurting her cheeks.
Katie glowed like the sun, dancing over their head. "We did it!"
Link grunted, getting on his feet. His expression went grim when he acknowledged the black flakes littered on the ground. The wind picked up at them, the speckles fluttering away. "He was a monster," Link said. "He turned into flakes."
It took a moment for Sophia to remember. Her heart ached. Uncle…
She closed her eyes. "At least…he's not suffering anymore." She opened her eyes, wondering if the sun was real or not. It felt like ages since she had seen it. She turned to Link and hugged him.
"Whoa," Link said.
"Thank you, Link." She pulled away. "Thank you so much."
It was a touching moment until he said: "Can I get a kiss?"
"Link!" Katie snapped.
"If you weren't hurt, I'd have slapped you," Sophia told him flatly.
He chuckled, wincing a little at his chest. Then his smile dropped as he cursed out loud.
Katie was horrified. "Oh no, the tunic!"
A large tear ruined the perfectly piece of fabric, running halfway down the chest. Link cursed again. "Dammit, did he think it could protect him?"
"We'll try to fix it," Katie said, glowing genially. "Come on, we're alive and well! That should be more than enough!"
Sophia blinked, since the words sounded familiar, and then remembered that they were hers. She smiled. "Yeah, we're alive."
Link still wasn't happy about it. He sulkily glanced over to where people in hunter's attire reunited with their loved ones. "So all well that ends well, huh? Everybody gets their happy ending except for me?"
"Link," Katie warned.
"Alright, alright, but at least its over, right?"
Someone screamed. The joy in the air perished like a candle in the wind. From where they stood, they saw people making a crowd around something. Somehow Sophia was frightened. Link demanded for an explanation, but she left him behind, panic making her stomach clench.
"Get back! Give him air!" Grey shouted at the officious crowd.
Sophia shoved her way through the rings of guards that stood over someone who lay on the ground. There was blood, lots of it, gurgling out from his mouth. Sitting next to him was a man with a green sash across his torso inspecting Silas, turning her brother to the side so that he wouldn't choke on the blood.
Sophia gave out a strangled cry, falling at her brother's side. "Silas!" she screamed. "Silas!"
He spat out blood, looking over at her with sorrowful eyes. His lips moved but words didn't come out. Then his eyes closed, and he lay there, comatose.
"Do something for him!" she screamed at the apothecary.
The man paled. "I…I can't. His illness—how long has he gone without his medication?"
"What's going on over here?" Katie demanded with Link shoving their way through. Her color turned pink. "Silas!"
Sophia held her twin's hand. It was cold. Tears spilled out from her eyes, splashing on his face. She couldn't even speak anymore. Don't die. Please don't leave me alone. I can't be alone.
She sobbed so deeply, watching her other half die before her eyes. His chest was barely moving, blood continued to seep from his mouth.
Father, Uncle, brother…
I'm all alone.
"I should've protected you," she wailed, brushing her thump over his cheek. He would've looked more peaceful without so much blood all over him. "I should've—" She lowered her head, shaking.
Grey looked despaired himself, turning away. The crowd was silent. She wished they would go away. She wished they would leave them alone.
Link was on the ground at Silas's other side. "We can give him something!" he shouted, digging into his pouch. With a growl, he flipped it over to show several empty bottles, one of them cracked as it hit the ground. "Something! Give him an elixir!"
Katie suddenly gasped, her color brightened up so abruptly that everyone turned to her. "We can still save him!"
The apothecary shook his head solemnly. "He only has a few minutes at least."
"Link, the horn! Dinraal's horn!"
Link brought it out quickly. The horn was as big as his hand, brown, looked more like a large twig twisted.
The apothecary's eyes widened. "This horn—"
"Dinraal, the legendary dragon! His body parts could make an elixir so powerful it can bring someone back!"
The apothecary stammered, "Th-the dragon? The Dinraal? But where—how—"
"You said we have only minutes!" Katie shouted, fluttering up and down. "We can still save him, so get off your bum and move it!"
Sophia wiped her cheek as the apothecary barked out for materials he needed. People clustered over to Silas, rolling him to a board to carry him off. Sophia stopped as she saw a guard came running to them, reporting that there were people entering Desmera through the east.
The captain's tired face looked horrified. "An invasion?"
Link shook his head after a moment. "No, not an invasion," he said, a smile coming to him. "Son of a bitch did it. I forgot about him."
"Who is it?"
"Your help. The one you guys were waiting for since the beginning."
Something was approaching from the distant. Sophia squinted her eyes, and saw what they were. Horses. Several of them, dozens of them, all galloping up the streets of Desmera. Someone at the front led them to the town square. From his robe to his sharp eyes, the man sparked familiarity.
"Hugo!" Katie cried. "You're alive!"
The detective jumped off his horse before the animal came to a full stop. The name rung in Sophia's head. She did know someone by that name, but the memory was heavily covered in webs. The villagers around them were stunned as the horses came to a stop, carrying people from different villages. Desmera had been sequestered from the world for so long, even before Louis began his invasion on the town.
"We saw the dome from the outside and have been trying to get in," Hugo explained, explaining how him and his group planned to stay over the night before returning back to the village, thinking that Desmera wouldn't have lasted. He nodded to his people who began to unload the packages they tied to their horses. "I have brought men with me to answer Lord Silas's call." He nodded to the captain. "We will help you."
Grey looked too shocked to speak. The old man then smiled, a tired, relieved smile that made him look younger. She even saw his eyes go misty. Sophia turned back to where her brother was being carried off to a near building. Several other apothecaries from Hugo's party all pitched in as well, along with Katie as well.
Sophia's head started to spin. By now the sky had brightened to blue, the clouds were out, the head becoming muggy. "What…what is happening?" she muttered to Link.
Link was quiet for a moment, leaning heavily on his sword. The sunlight gleaned at his blood. "What's happening here is pretty obvious, sweetheart." He straightened up, the effort caused him pain but he didn't seem to mind it much. He smiled, a first true smile she ever saw on his face. He looked at the people, newly made warriors, some wailing with sorrow but others crying and laughing. "We've won."