--@Aloha! It's been quite a while since I've added any chapters to this story. But anyway, school's about to start for me and that really really REALLY sucks. Ok, now referring back to the last two fics I've done: Whoops. All authors make mistakes, and those are my few of many. MANY. I have another migraine but I really needed to submit a second chapter of "A Beautiful Face." I have volleyball tryouts for my highschool's team, so wish me luck(I'LL NEED IT) by sending an email at lllrosaceaelll@yahoo.com, pwease? Anyway, ON WITH THE SHOW...@--
Disclaimer: I wish I did...*sob*
A Beautiful Face Chapter II- To Take Another
The wet grass clung like a frightened child to his pale skin as he arose from the earthen bed. His gaze had become clouded from the night's restless slumber. In his tire mind, Dampé could still feel the raging flames lick hungrily at his flesh as the blaze began engulfing his exhausted form. And now, a fire burned within him as well, toiling and twisting in its own heated dance.
As Dampé ran his parched tongue across unsmiling lips, the metallic taste of dry blood invaded his mouth. Horrifying scenes from last night's massacre fled with swift wings into his head as he lifted reluctant fingers to caress his distorted features.
Once again he felt the tender burns and skin lesions embedded as unforgettable scars from the past beneath his cold fingertips; scars he now wished for time to pass her healing hand over. But no tears would release their stubborn grasp from his eyes, not yet. Dampé still had hope that these dreadful visions were only a cruel nightmare sent by the Goddesses.
Finally, he let his starving eyes engorge themselves in the unbecoming surroundings. A hazy mist had devoured the graveyard, as an aftermath of the fiery night, only enabling a few headstones to tear through the silk-like fog. The sanctuary was at peace, much unlike the night before. Dampé oddly found this place becalming to the spirit, for there were no enemies, no spite. Those in which who had held such contempt within their hearts lived no longer, because they had already given their breath and life to the Goddesses. Oh, how he wished that the exalted Maidens would breathe their beauty and vigor through his blackened lungs! Alas, even the innocent shall burn.
A red glow had penetrated much of the azure sky of Hyrule as the remnants of the smoky haze fought to remain as part of the midday canopy overhead. The once golden land had now become encased within the eminence of a ruby sky. A rosy hue had replaced the white in the feathery clouds that lingered on the warm breeze. In the air, there was still the faint fragrance of smoke and ash. All of this beauty had shown the blindest of men that there is peace after battle. Even the bloodiest.
Dampé staggered with uncertain feet into the streets of Kakariko, burying himself beneath the many folds of frayed clothing. He was nonchalantly passed by numerous people as they flocked to the charred mass of wood that had once been the Windmill, taking no apparent notice of the cloaked horror. The elderly could only shake their heads in disappointment, knowing that the building had become another innocent victim of human ignorance and hate, the most dreaded of enemies. The young stood in awe, gawking at the destruction that had flowered its crucial petals in the village of Kakariko.
Dampé overheard one man's words prevail above the clamor of other voices.
"I believe it for the better. That damned hermit, Dampé, was a curse among us all."
"But the Windmill, look at it." A woman said.
"It can be rebuilt. Things can be rebuilt. But he will plague us no longer." The man's voice held an air of vile disgust.
There were no children to behold the unnerving display of human hatred, because a spreading epidemic had claimed many of their lives over the past couple months. Their hearty laughter no longer became the enlightening breeze that blew through Hyrule. Childhood toys lay unused on the sodden ground as dreams for the future become past disappointments. When a child dies, many things go with it as well. No family escaped that plague without losing something, be it from sight to their very own life.
And the blame of a nation lay solely on Dampé.
That which people cannot comprehend will become their worst enemy, because ignorance is a killer. It is considered a deficiency of pride, and nobody wants that. Dampé was unknown to the world of Hyrule, so inevitably, they could not trust him. Because he was an enigmatic man, Kakarikans and Hylians alike deemed him supernatural and demonic.
He had lived and maintained the Windmill, before it had been consumed by flames, rarely revealing his handsome face to the public eye. But no one disturbed him, and he had never become a nuisance to Kakariko. That was before Hyrule's plague.
Before the bitterness...
Medical knowledge in Hyrule was little and vivid, and altogether unavailable to its citizens. So every epidemic and illness was dubbed incurable as a work of witchcraft, even a sore throat or headache. And every time, it was hurriedly lay to blame on the nearest recluse. This time, it had unfortunately been Dampé. And there was no way to escape that fate.
"And so the beast shall burn." The man said, once again breaking the stillness.
The man had never had children, nor did he have the love in his heart to possess a wife. And yet, the plague had struck him as well, causing his left leg to become lame. Because he escaped the epidemic with only minor losses, his fellow Kakarikans were appalled by the fortunate outcome that such a miserable man had received from the passing sickness. Shunned by his own people, the man turned to the alternative of blaming the faultless Dampé for everybody's pain. In return, the people were too afraid to question, so they focused their anger upon the poor keeper of the Windmill. In their eyes, he had to die.
But not like this, some would say, referring to the disaster that had befallen the village. This had been a ruthless death. No one deserved that.
As Dampé heard the man's voice, a flash of recognization had flashed across his countenance as well as remembrance. He knew this man. Dampé recalled to the night before, when fire had threatened his very life. The pieces were beginning to come together of the man's face, the same man's face who had just spoke.
Burn in hell, Dampé.
His already horrific face became even more twisted as relentless anger radiated through his body. This was the man who had ruined Dampé's life forever. No longer would Dampé's face look human because of him. He was the one who had set fire to the Windmill, his home, and it was because of this man's ignorance that Dampé would never be the same.
Dampé's hood flew back in an explosion of wild rage as his face was brandished to the world. A woman screeched in terror. Issuing forth as howl like a wound beast, Dampé came barreling towards the man at full speed, knocking him down. The townsfolk leapt back, trembling for their own poor souls as Dampé threw the man about. He tore through him like a wolf, holding back nothing. Dampé had become a pitiless, cold-blooded killer. He slammed the man up against the stonewall, causing a trickle of blood to become a river of scarlet flowing from the man's mouth.
And then, in a last moment of exasperation, Dampé sent the man hurtling helplessly down the seemingly bottomless well. There was no water to break his fall.
It was empty. Nothing but hard, merciless stone.
A sickening thud echoed throughout the well into the village of Kakariko, spreading thickly over the silenced crowd. The woman screeched again, but this time, not at Dampé's face. The air grew tense with fear as the people choked on their wordless tongues. Dampé flailed about , thirsting for more blood as he stumbled closer and closer towards the group.
"See? Do you see?!" His voice scraped the air with raspy words. "That man brought it amongst himself! Do you wish the same?"
The villagers took a step back in response. No.
The slightest wind could be heard whispering as the two opposing forces stood face to face. Dampé was clearly outnumbered, but his fuming passion greatly intimidated them. As he began to breathe more quietly, his pace became slower and clumsy. His performance came to an abrupt stop.
"Y-You monster! What have you done?!" Said the woman who had screamed earlier.
Dampé squinted accusationally at the woman, frightening her with a mere glance. She was quieted immediately by her fellow Kakarikans. But the question still stood.
What had he done?
"Well then? Answer, fiend!" Another woman yelled.
He was at a loss for words as the crowd began growing braver. A block of wood was sent flying at his head, causing a small dribble of blood to blind his right eye. The people laughed. At him. A monster.
They were smiling at death.
"Why is it that what you have done is any better than what he had done?" Asked a man who was pointing at the well.
"You killed a man, Dampé. He had not." One by one, each person put in their accusatory comment.
"And where is old lady Hoja?"
The crowd stopped. Dampé's eyes widened as he thought back to the night before. An old woman had tried, no, she had saved his life during the fire. But she had died. Was that her? His heart was about to burst as he realized the truth. Dampé was responsible for not one, but two lives. He backed away from the crowd, suddenly frightened of their numbers. Dampé turned and ran towards the entrance into Hyrule Field as the villagers cursed him with derogatory terms. He stumbled down the passageway of steps, shaking his head in disbelief.
He plummeted to the ground, sick with defeat as his tears were finally released. He had killed a man. And an innocent woman had died because of him. His fists clenched around a small clump of grass, tearing it from its home.
"No, no...no it is not true...how can this be?" With head in hands, his sobs shattered the day's peaceful zest of Hyrule Field. He was a killer.
And this was not a dream.
-Rosaceae
--@Like it? Hate it? Let me KNOW! But very politely please! Aaww, poor Dampé. There will be more chapters coming, so keep up. Also, read my other stories and let me know what you think. Ack...head...hurts...Blame it on Dampé...I'm gonna go down a bottle of aspirin! ^_^Have a nice day!@--