Hiyaz! Okay, this chapter is slightly (cough) messed up, but that's ok. For some reason I'm being a really dark writer, and it's kind of a weird experience, but that's okay. I hope you'll like it, I worked really hard (cough cough) on this!



Chapter 14

I scrambled to my feet, trying to make out the flitting shapes around me. My first reaction was that this was a dream…then I remembered in Hyrule, this probably happened to lots of people every night. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck. Instinctively I reached up and felt there, even as the first waves of drowsiness swept over me. I pulled a sharp object out, and before I collapsed again into sleep, I recognized- even in the dark-that it was a dart.

The second time I woke up, I decided to pretend I was still asleep. Peering through almost closed eyes, I realized I was lying beneath a tree, seemingly in Hyrule field. The gray sky signaled only a few minutes until dawn. All this seemed very familiar, but I wasn't sure from where. I opened my eyes a little, and I saw two familiar shapes sitting near me. I sat up suddenly. Link looked over.

"Awake?" Malon looked over at me too, smiling. I shook my head, trying to remember what happened. Seeing my bewildered look, Link started to explain.

"Sorry about shooting you in the neck, you looked like a stalchild in the night." He said sheepishly. I looked at him, shocked.

"You were the one who shot me? How dare you!" I said laughingly.

"Really, Link, stalchildren are skeletons!" Malon joined in my laughter.

"What are stal-thingys?" I asked, stopping my laughter.

"Exactly what I said, skeletons. I'm just not sure what of." Malon explained.

"Probably some primitive form of Hylian," Link mused. Suddenly I recognized where this had all happened before. Before I could say anything, three skullkids leaped down from the tree. Immediately, one stabbed Malon in the stomach, exactly as it had in the dream. She screamed, holding her stomach, as red life spilled to the ground. Another slit Link's throat almost in passing as it came towards me. A sound, one hardly distinguishable through the grief and shock, ripped from my throat. It was happening to quickly to be true-

Mother-

It couldn't be true-

Father-

The knife was coming at my face-

Malon-

Too fast to be true-

Link-

No…

All this went through my mind in a blink, as I saw the knife hurtling towards my face. Before I could even react, it went spinning out of the Skullkid's hand. Still clutching her bleeding stomach, Malon used her body to pin the Skullkid to the ground, too weak to do anything else. I stared in disbelief.

"Evalyn-the other two-" She gasped out. Before she could say anything else, my sword was in my hand. To say I was mad was an understatement. The small creature fitted a blow dart to it's lips, but pretty soon it no longer had a head to go with the rest of it's body. The second one was smarter. It snuck up behind me, and flung it's arms around my neck, trying to strangle me. Without thinking I flung myself to the ground on my back, making it's arms loosen. I ripped it off, anger coursing through my veins. I stood up, and soon made the second skullkid join it's companion in death. As I went over to Malon, I saw she had taken the knife from her stomach and stabbed the skullkid underneath her with it. Through my tears I helped her up. Blood still oozed from her stomach, but not as strong.

"Link probably has some sort of healing potion on him," She gasped out, supported by my arm. I stared at her. She didn't know yet. She must have seen something in my look.

"No…no, it's not true!" She cried in disbelief, then saw his still form on the ground. She collapsed next to it, with me soon following her example. The tears poured unchecked from my eyes as we clung to each other in our grief. It had been the same with my parents-I hadn't known how much they meant to me until it was too late. Tatl was hovering over him, making little hiccuping sounds. I had almost forgotten she was there.

"It can't be…after all we've been through…" Malon sobbed.

"Link, no! Not you too! This can't be true! Don't leave us now, not when we have a quest to take care of! You're…you're my best friend, and I need you!" I choked through my tears. Suddenly, Link stirred.

"Nice to know you care…" He mumbled, sitting up. I fell back in shock. Malon sat frozen, mouth dropped open.

"Link…you…but how…" I spluttered. There wasn't a mark anywhere that could have been a knife wound.

"That's the thing about fairies…you can carry them around in bottles, and if you die they can bring you back to life…" He said noncommittally. My first reaction was immense relief. Then I remembered what I had said.

"Evalyn, I didn't know you cared so much." Link said, smiling his now familiar mischievous grin.

"How dare you! You little faker, I should have known!" I said, half angry half relieved.

"Hey, hey, what happened to 'Don't leave us now'? Don't you want me alive?" Link asked, holding up his hands. "Hey, did you do that?" He added, seeing the three skullkids on the ground, which were all quickly disappearing, as was the style in Hyrule. Then the events of the last few minutes flooded back to me, and a feeling like none I had ever experienced overwhelmed me.

"Oh my god…" I murmured, feeling like the worst person in the world. I had killed…

"Evalyn, it's okay…" Link started. I shivered, not from fear or cold but from disgust. Trying to think of anything but what had happened, I remembered about Malon.

"I'll be okay, but Malon's hurt," I managed to say.

"It's nothing really, just a scratch…" She said dismissively. "Besides, Evalyn, you're the one I'm worried about." Link stood up and helped Malon to her feet, then did the same for me.

"I…I think I'll be okay, I just have to get used to this…I mean, what's a sword for other then killing? We have to get you to a doctor." I said, trying a smile.

"Yes, we do, I only had the one fairy on me, unfortunately." Link added. I threw one of Malon's arms around my shoulders, and Link took the other. Then with our other arms we created a kind of seat for her, and in that way carried her all the way to Kakariko Village.



Phew! He wasn't really dead! Poor Evalyn, I'm being so mean to everyone…but that's okay. Please r+r!