Author's Notes: I make a note of it never to leave a project unfinished, so I will finish this. You must be patient because I can't write ten pages a day and have it be up to my standards. If someone would review I would appreciate it greatly. I don't own Legend of Zelda, or any other private properties I may mention. The character Nil Chavez is mine, so if you feel so enthralled with him to do something or other with him, tell me first. Oh, and please enjoy reading this.
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The Legend of Zelda: Divine Intervention Part Eight: What Did I Tell You About Licking Stamps?
Quincy007
She didn't have time to register what she did as painful because she lost consciousness almost as soon as she twisted the arrow. The world was fading to black, but there was a ray of light in the darkness
As she approached it, she saw that it was a doorway. The door was hanging open, slowly knocking on the side of the building in the faint wind. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Nayru walked out.
She gasped at the sudden brightness. It was eight o'clock—in the morning and the sun was rising right into her eyes. She turned her head and got her bearings.
She had walked out of a door into the Hyrule Castle Town Market. The usual amount of hustle and bustle was present, if not amplified. Children were running in the streets, a couple was near the fountain, oblivious to the rest of the world. Adults, mostly middle-aged women, were crowded around the little kiosks that merchants had set up. It was so busy and colorful; Nayru wondered how on earth she was going to find Chavez in his little world.
As she walked, she couldn't help but be fascinated by the depth into these characters; they were all carrying on conversations and doing their own thing. For a dream, it was certainly expansive. Like the Koholint island Link experienced a few years ago.
Was this the power of near death? It was almost indescribably powerful. Stuffing the useless thought aside, Nayru continued on her one-person search for Hyrule's biggest pain in the ass since Ganondorf.
She thought for a minute and decided to ask one of the townsfolk if they knew where Nil was.
She tapped a person on the shoulder and he turned around.
"What?"
"Do you know where I could find Nil Chavez?"
"Ah, don't say that name! That man is death incarnate. If you're looking for him you're on your own."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You're on your own. Go away."
She tried again with a different person, but everyone said the same thing, verbatim. If Nil's mind did create this world, then was he the one feeding this garbage to these…images? Maybe his mind wasn't as healed as she thought it was.
Approaching the area of the Happy Mask Shop she saw what could only be Nil Chavez, standing straight with a smile on his face. His hair was a little longer, and the scar was missing, but those pale blue eyes sparkled with something she recognized instantly, determination.
As he walked slowly walked around the people gave him a wide berth. Was that what he had to deal with everyday? His gaze checked from left to right slowly. Was he looking for a villain? He didn't have his sword or shield on so she assumed it wasn't that. Walking closer still she opened her mouth to speak to him when…
"Uncle Nil!" A young female voice yelled
From the crowd of people a girl about eight or nine appeared. Long blonde hair and brown eyes which for some reason struck Nayru as odd. You almost never hear of blondes with brown eyes, it always blonde hair blue eyes, or green eyes. Hrm…oh well, she had blue hair so she wasn't about to say anything.
She ran up to Nil and jumped into his open arms. With little or no effort he picked up the child. With a lazy smile he asked, "So, did you find what your mother sent us out here for?"
"Nope!"
"Oh really? Well, what did you find?"
"A man is selling treasure maps! Can we get one? You always say that real men don't settle down and run around adventuring till their knees are ground into powder."
"You can remember the things I say to your mother when you're asleep, but not the last two Kings of Hyrule? I think we need to talk about priorities, eh?"
"Priori—what?"
"The order in which you go about things. Its just a big word I like to use to make myself feel smarter."
"But you are smart!"
"My boss doesn't seem to think so."
"Well, you should quit then."
"Yea, that helps. I'll just run away from my problems."
"Nil, you never run! You always fight, right to bitter end!"
"I'm not so big into bitter ends Ayane. A few to many you see." Nil set the girl down and began to dig through his pockets.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine. Now…what did Laura send us for? I seemed to have misplaced the list."
"Tea leaves. Some of that burn salve—"
"Speaking of which, how on earth does she go through it so fast?"
"I dunno. She also said to buy a treasure map and take your niece on an adventure."
"Oh she did? Why don't we ask her when we get back?"
The girl frowned, "How come you never take me on adventures Uncle Nil?"
"Because I stopped adventuring after a little to much hospitality from the King. Anyway, let's go and talk someone into selling me some tea leaves."
She followed them as best she could, stealth was one thing she never really thought about as a Goddess, so she was unsure when Nil looked back several times in her direction. Either he didn't recognize her, which would make the rest of the plan difficult, or he was putting meeting her off for a while.
When they walked into the potion shop she stayed near the back, pretending to be really interested in a Poe. As Nil tried to remember what potency of burn salve his sister used, Nayru began to think about her timetable. Unlike Din, she wasn't going to set a time limit, as her ten-minute jaunt into Hyrule is coming close to spanning a week. Besides, she knew that all plans change especially when you put a lot of planning into them.
She did have an outline. First step involved finding Nil…done. Second step involved convincing him that this was all a dream and that he should try to fight the Yoneven. Finally she would die. Step two seemed to be the real wrench in the works.
Nil and his niece walked into a normal house on the street. Noting that it wasn't the house Nil lived in when she first found him, Nayru leaned against the wall across the street, waiting.
* In the real world…
It was an awkward position for all the parties involved. Nil was still lying comatose on the ground, with Din pressing her palm to Nil's forehead. Din's other hand was similarly placed on Nayru's head. It wouldn't have been so weird if hadn't been for Nayru falling forward instead of backwards as planned. Ganondorf had reached out to steady the grievously injured woman, ultimately succeeding by grabbing her around the waist, so while one foot was behind Din, he had stepped over her shoulder with the other. If Din leaned back her head would hit his groin.
Ganondorf's right arm was currently scratching his head. He couldn't move that arm much for risk of A) unbalancing their precarious situation and B) touching Din.
Farore and Link were kind of busy keeping curious onlookers away, if to many people got near the mandala their energies would screw up the aura they had working.
Zelda was in a meditative state on the opposite end of the mandala that looked like a huge circle with every geometric figure imaginable from triangles to double dodecagons in it. She was channeling the power of the Triforce of Wisdom into Nayru's body to keep it barely alive. Ganondorf wondered if they could get a refund on that red potion.
{Left foot, red.}
'What?'
{Say it, the Goddess will get it.}
"Left foot, red" Ganondorf said
Din chuckled. "A little early for Twister jokes don't you think?"
"Hey, Majora told me to say it, I don't have a clue as to what is going on here."
"It's an omnipotent thing, don't worry about it. Though I am worried as to how Majora knew about it."
{Well, when you are dead and never really had a soul to damn, you kind of get to do what you want in hell; I just chose to observe the future.}
"He says a little bird told him."
"Right."
Ganondorf sighed, "Boy! Could you give us a hand here?"
Link turned around and started laughing.
"I hate him. I thought it was just because he was the destined hero, but I hate his personality too."
"Well, tough. I happen to like him a lot."
* Nilville
After about five minutes of patiently waiting, Nayru gave up on Nil leaving that house anytime soon. It would have been easier to talk sense into him alone, but this will just have to do.
She walked up to the door and rapped on it three times. She crossed her arms, waiting for the door to open.
How should I approach him? Logically or emotionally? Logically would probably yield better results, but if I can get him worked up over it maybe he'll react faster…
Her thoughts were cut short when the door swung open and a woman about twenty-eight was glaring at her.
Her first impression was not a pleasant one. The woman was a whole head taller than her, her hair dark brown and piercing blue eyes. She was attractive enough, though she did nothing to accentuate it; she was dressed casually in a blouse and long skirt. Of course, Nayru wasn't about to comment, she was wearing pants and a tunic.
"What?" she asked bluntly making no attempts to hide the annoyance in her voice.
"I'm looking for Nil."
"For Din's sake…" the woman shook her head, "You've been standing out there for five minutes—ever since Nil got here. I have to wonder what it is you want from him. Why are you following him? He doesn't… owe you anything does he?"
"Excuse me?"
"You know…a little fun on the side? I mean, its not like he's dating anybody. He has to get his jollies somewhere."
It finally clicked in Nayru's head. "No! Hell no! Why? Do I look like…?" Nayru looked down at herself, examining her clothes.
"You look fine, now come inside before someone thinks you're a…bible salesman or something."
"Thanks. I'm Nayru."
"Nayru? Some people…why didn't they just name you God?" She rolled her eyes and called out, "Nil, a Goddess is here to see you!"
After a few seconds of nothing the woman looked back at Nayru, "Sorry about this, he's probably in the back with Ayane. Nil! Stop corrupting my only child and get in here!"
Her face turned sour and she yelled again, "It's a girl!"
Nil appeared from the back of the house with an eyebrow raised in confusion "Eh? Laura what are you…Nayru?"
"Hi."
He smiled and ran up to Nayru, pulling her into a big hug. Arching his back, he picked her off the ground. "What a surprise! Its great to see you! You look great!"
His enthusiasm was shocking and all of Nayru's plans to talk him into leaving were crushed in her utter confusion.
When he finally released her—which he did reluctantly, Laura Chavez asked, "So you do know this girl?"
"What a thing to ask, do I know her…you only meet the love of your life once you know."
Nayru's eyes got wide for a second before she recovered. She wasn't concerned with the world, or the Triforce because all she could think was He loves me?
* Kakariko
Once Link got over the sheer hilarity of the situation long enough to help them things were somewhat better. Ganondorf was still a little embarrassed to speak, but at least Din seemed to be in the same situation.
"…"
"…"
{Alright, I got a joke that will break the ice no matter how thick.}
'Shoot'
{A man goes to a whorehouse with a serious need to get laid. He runs up to the mistress and says, "I need to get laid, Now."}
{The mistress looks at her rooms, and tells him that all the girls are busy. He tells her again how desperately he needs some. The man points to a woman in the corner who was unattended. "What about her?" he asks.}
{The mistress tells him that he doesn't want her, that's Sandpaper Marge. The man doesn't care, he throws down so much money that the mistress would be stupid to pass it up, so she finds the man and Marge a room. As they're going at it, she asks him how it is, he replies, "Pretty rough."}
{She excuses herself and goes to the bathroom. She comes back and they go at it again. She asks how it is and he says that it's much better and how she did it. She smiles and says, "I picked the scabs and let the puss run."}
Din was thinking of various unimportant things, mostly what she was going to do once she got back to the heavens when Ganondorf suddenly gagged and said, "Good god that's disgusting! I think I'm gonna be sick! Oh…my…ugh."
"What is it now?"
"I heard something that I wish I had never heard. I won't tell you because you will wish I hadn't."
"…Well?"
"What?"
"What is it?"
"I just told you don't want to know and you want to know it? You won't like it."
"I think I can handle a disgusting joke."
Ganondorf told her the joke.
"Eww, that's disgusting. I can't believe you told me that you cad."
He sighed and wondered why even bothered.
* Nilville
They were sitting at a table in Laura Chavez's house pretending to enjoy a cup of tea. The tea, however, was just a cover so they had an excuse not to talk to each other. If there was one thing that Nayru couldn't stand was awkward silences. She looked at both of them and tried to think of something to say to break the ice. I could always tell them the Sandpaper Marge joke…eh…better not.
Apparently, Laura had had enough of the silence. She looked at Nil, "So, when is the wedding?"
Nayru gagged on her tea and Nil's eyes got wide. In one breath she asked, "ExcusemeIbegyourpardon?"
"I was just curious as to when you two were going to get married, I mean you don't let a man like my brother get away, right?"
Nayru was at a loss for words. Death must ruin her quick wit. She felt herself blush and try stammer something out when Laura laughed. "Oh, the look on your face is priceless! Of course I don't expect him to ask for at least another week. At least." She glared at Nil.
Nil was scowling, but he started to chuckle, "Knock it off Larua, she doesn't know when you're joking. You scared her half to death, and then you'll never marry me off."
The older woman smiled and waved her hand dismissively, "Sorry about that…wait, no I'm not. I thought it was funny. That's right."
"You have a weird sense of humor. Do you enjoy stopping my heart?"
"Its not my fault if you take everything I say seriously. Especially if you've known Nil for any length of time, personally, I'm surprised I haven't run into you yet, where are you from?"
"The south-upper eastern-west side of downtown Hyrule Castle Town."
Laura smiled and raised her teacup, "Touche."
Nil was pointing in different directions of the room as if he was locating that part of town in his mind… "Are you sure? With directions like that it sounds like the unsavory part of town."
Nayru shrugged, "I said I was from there, I didn't say that is where I lived and/or worked."
Laura smiled, "You're a clever one. And shame on me for thinking my brother would like a slow witted airhead."
"You thought I was an airhead?"
"Nil just didn't seem capable of wooing anybody semi-inteligent. I guess I was wrong."
Nil stared idly at his tea. "See what I have to put up with?"
"An incredibly beautiful and smart sister who is nice enough to let you eat and sleep under her roof?" Laura chuckled to herself. Then, in an obvious subject change to prevent a retort from Nil, "Where did you two meet?"
Nil cut off Nayru's answer, "I met her while she was coming back from the market a week ago. She lives at the castle. She's part of Princess Zelda's court."
"So that's were you've been all this week. But I thought you weren't allowed in the castle."
As Nil shrugged her question away with some feeble excuse, Nayru realized that he was making it up as he went along, but the world had changed to make it fit. Someone having that kind of unconscious power startled her, but she wasn't about to run away screaming yet.
"Mom!" Ayane cried out from the back of the house.
"I'm coming Ayane!" Laura called back. She looked at Nayru and sighed, "Don't leave just yet, I won't have the last thing you hear before you leave be Nil's horrible attempts at conversation."
Nayru watched her walk off into house. "She is certainly full of levity."
"She's like that. She can't take a thing seriously most of the time. Though, I think she is always laughing so she doesn't have time to cry."
"What do you mean?"
"Ayane's father, damn his soul to the hell in which he deserves, got close to Laura, they got married and she had his child. Then he disappears one day, only to be found in the jail six months later for three counts of murder, theft, and rape. He was later publicly executed by beheading. It hurt her a lot, but she changed her name back and tried to start back over."
Nayru was astonished that something like that had happened to the woman. Yet, the way she kept on going was almost moving. "How long ago was that?"
Nil looked off into the room Laura had gone to, "Ayane's about nine years old, so nine years ago. I was thirteen. If I had been a legal adult I would have challenged him to a duel over my sister's honor. His death would have been very long."
"I see…" Nayru sat in silent contemplation for several minutes. Nothing ever went right for the Chavez family did it? "What about your parents?"
"They're dead."
Before she could give in to her morbid curiosity, Nayru felt a powerful pulling force. It seemed to rip at her very essence. She gave a short yelp as she watched her body fade and lose opacity. The teacup fell through her transparent fingers and she just looked at Nil in astonishment.
"What's going on?" he asked, getting up from his chair.
"They're losing the signal!"
* Meanwhile in Kakariko…
It had been going so well. Nobody was asking annoying questions or bothering them. In fact, most of the people just walked on by—staying very far away from them. The air stank of spell casting and most people knew when to not get involved.
Then an ignorant guard showed up, demanding to know what was going on, "I don't care how many times you saved the world, the rules are rules! There are to be no unauthorized assemblies of any kind in Kakariko village without the approval of the Constable!"
Farore and Link grimaced as the hotheaded guard stomped his foot and put his hand on his sword. Farore tried to explain.
"You see, it really isn't an assembly, this is an emergency situation. We wouldn't be here unless we had to be."
The guard looked past Farore and suddenly he growled, "And who is that giant over there? He looks familiar—in a bad way. Are you protecting a bunch of criminals?"
"No! Of course not! Link?" Farore passed the 'ball' to Link.
"That's…uh…Ganjora! He's…a…traveling sorcerer…of sorts. Very big in the life saving/afterworld magics."
The guard pushed his way past them, and Link put his hand on The Master Sword, with the intent of stopping the man from interrupting the channeling process, but he walked out of range.
"Link, go talk to the constable and make him understand our situation. We'll take care of this."
Link nodded and ran off.
"You! Ganjora!" The guard shouted.
Ganondorf turned to look at the man. "What do you want? I'm busy here."
"Can't you move this mess somewhere else?"
Ganondorf sighed. He hated other people. "This mandala was set up with this location's aura in mind. If I change its location we'd risk not only her life" he pointed to Nayru, "But also his, hers, and maybe even hers." He pointed to Nil, Din and Zelda. "The metaphysics of 'Inbetween' magic is complicated and frustrating. Don't make me put up a warding spell, it will just drain my resources and keep us here longer."
The guard looked at the black marks charred into the ground. Before Ganondorf knew what had happened, he had scratched at it with his sword, disrupting the magical flow. The entire design began to glow green and pulse rapidly. With damage like that, they would lose the flow of energy and Nayru would finish dieing.
"You fool!" Ganondorf shouted, pushing the man back and quickly doing the math to fix this grievous error.
Din's eyes suddenly opened, "We're losing her! Ganondorf, what the hell did you do?"
"Its not me! Some little punk guard decided to be tough! Now I have to fix the mandala!" He shouted and began to start drawing on the ground again. He could bypass that link if he just rewrote the energy dissipation loop without interrupting the power flow…
The interesting thing about spells and magic that required mandalas and other designs to be carved into the ground or made of special ingredients was that they were usually required to properly flow the extreme energies in use. So if the design was ruined or damaged it would begin to let that energy out in less than pleasant manners. And Ganondorf was about to add another loop to the spell without stopping the flow. That was like playing with explosives near fire.
The guard got back up, "Ganondorf?" He immediately drew his sword and charged.
Farore, with the power bracelet, picked the guard up and tossed him over the crowd watching the little drama. "And stay gone! I can't stand people who act before thinking."
While it wasn't required that the design be symmetrical, it would help to have a decent overflow area for the magic, so with that in mind, Ganondorf was burning a new path on both sides simultaneously. The thin lines were slow in coming and aiming at two different spots was difficult.
When the two new paths were complete the green glow faded and everybody breathed a sigh of relief. Even the people who had no idea what was going on knew that when something starts to glow green and people yell, it's a bad thing.
Din smiled, "I got the link again, but it's weaker this time. Maybe three, four hours at best."
Majora suddenly broke in on Ganondorf's thoughts, {Uh…Ganondorf? Did you feel that ominous sinking feeling?}
* Nilville—Home of Laura Chavez.
Nayru sighed in relief as she felt herself resettle in Nil's world. She warily stood up, patting her sides and chest, as if checking for holes. "That was really scary."
Nil nodded and sat back, "I'll say. What happened?"
Nayru sighed and started for the door, "I need some fresh air, I'll explain as we walk."
"Laura wanted us to stay. She won't be long…"
"We'll be back."
"…Yea. We will, won't we?"
They began to walk eastward towards the Temple of Time in relative silence. Nayru was very frustrated because now she had to be inventive in a really creative way or all hell was going to break loose.
"So, what happened to you?" Nil asked. Nayru sighed and began to wonder if his persistence was really such a good trait.
"I had an accident with a transportation spell this morning, and I'm still suffering from the side affects." Not a bad lie if I do say so myself. She mentally patted herself on the back.
"What went wrong?"
"The dematerialization flux capacitor cracked the dilithium crystal interface causing a chain reaction that ruined the spell and left me with little bouts of insubstantial-ness."
Nil crossed his arms and looked back at the castle, "Why do you do this to yourself?"
"It had worked in the…inanimate trials." Nayru defended, though she thought it was silly defending a lie.
"It still doesn't make a lot of sense to make a transportation spell when Farore's Wind works just fine for you."
Oh, he's just being protective. Nayru relaxed a little. He wasn't interrogating her, nor did he disbelieve her, he just didn't want her getting hurt. "The same reason I do most of the things I do Nil, the joy of creating something."
They had just entered the grounds of the temple when Nayru decided to get down to business. "Why did you lie to your sister about where we met?"
"Why uh…I don't know what you mean."
"You know I'm not a member of Princess Zelda's court."
"It seemed close enough, besides what would you have me tell her? That you're actually a sorceress who fights for stuff mentioned in prophesies? Laura would assume I was lying."
"You do know where we actually met don't you? In the town square during the dark of night. You had just fallen onto the—"
"No! That hasn't happened yet!" Nil backed away and his eyes grew weary as his admission sank in. He looked up at the Temple and shook his head.
Nayru took a step away from Nil and looked up at Death Mountain in the distance. She didn't want to do this, but it seems like she had no choice. "Then you do know."
"No, not all of it. I don't know why this happening. What's going on here Nayru?"
"None of this is really happening. We are currently in a dream world called the 'Inbetween' where the soul rests before making the trip to the afterlife. A demonic creature commonly called the Yoneven sent you here. This is all a manufacture of your mind and its perception of the world around it. I'm here to bring you back."
"How did you get here?"
"Din is channeling my spirit to your 'Inbetween' with Zelda acting as my lifeline."
Nil didn't say a word. He just sat down on the steps and looked at his hands. After a few seconds of silence, he closed his eyes.
"Nil?"
She was worried about him. Though he appeared to be taking the news well, he was probably very confused right now.
Slowly he looked at the sky, "This is everything I've ever wanted: to live an uneventful life. I can do that here."
"Not very long. The Yoneven is slowly sucking your life force out of you. You will die within ten hours."
Nil turned his head to look at the town. "Peace for ten hours is better than the life I have back there."
"Why?"
"In Hyrule, all I have going for me is a dead end job, a broken house, and right now this…thing…here…that I'm doing now. The whole Triforce-follow-you-around-thing."
"You'd just leave all of us to deal with the mess once you died? That's not what the Nil I know would do."
"What makes you think I'm the Nil you know?"
"You can't change who you are Nil Chavez. You will always be a honorable, stand up guy."
"So? I go back and do my part to save the world. Then what do I have? Absolutely nothing!"
Nayru sighed, he was being difficult on purpose and it was aggravating. What was so special about his fantasy life here? "Why don't you want to leave here Nil?"
"Here I have a family, you didn't meet them for very long, but Laura and Ayane are great people to be around, they give me hope. They are still the only ones who believe in me that my name isn't an omen of death or that I'm not just another dishonored knight who the King pitied rather than killed. Here no one cringes when I walk by because they are to busy thinking about who I was in the past compared to what I am now."
She nodded and put her arm across Nil's shoulders, "You like not being judged by people, and not having them wonder what kind of person you are. But you know, isn't it enough that you understand who you are now?"
"Who I am now? What should that matter, no one else understands me. It's like being the only person who gets the joke. Heh…joke. That's me in a nutshell, one big joke."
"I haven't known you for very long Nil, but I try to understand you. You are an intelligent person, that's why you get angry when you don't understand. You hate being treated like an outsider, that's why you get angry with us when we say that 'it isn't important.' You are brave and are trying again to adhere to a code of honor in a world that's losing its ethics. Around the time I first met you, you were calling yourself an alcoholic, a gambler, a lecher, cynical, moronic, a big mouth with severe left wing opinions, and having to find a reason to live every morning. I can understand why you wouldn't want to go back to that, but you are only that way because you thought that was what everybody expected of you."
"Hmph. I suppose. But still, if my life is what I make of it, why do horrible things happen to me?"
The Goddess smiled, "Because the bad things make us appreciate the good. And I'm going to let you in on a little secret Nil. There is a finite amount of happiness in the world so when someone becomes really happy, others must suffer, but also when others suffer you become happier. That way, it is balanced."
"That is really screwed up. Why does happiness have to come from the suffering of others?"
"The theory is that whenever things get going too good for someone they'll take a fall, and be humbled and realize just how insignificant they really are. Its supposed to keep people from becoming arrogant and lazy."
"It doesn't work."
"It seemed like the thing to do at the time."
"So, just how am I going to be paid back for all the pain and suffering I've experienced while on this trip?" Nil said, looking at Nayru.
"Any number of things could happen before the end of this adventure that could make you happy. Money, power, and there's always…" she trailed off and looked over at a bush. "Isn't that a nice shrubbery?"
"Actually, yes. Isn't it nice how they have that second—" Nil interrupted himself and asked, "there's always what Nayru?"
She didn't turn to face him, but she did whisper her response. "Us."
The 'us' in that last sentence lead Nil to believe she was talking about him and her. In all reality, he had originally thought that Nayru was another mind created character that he could interact with. Had he known it was really her, he might have handled the situation differently. He wasn't sure when he felt that his feelings towards Nayru were anything less than platonic. However, now that the words had been spoken he had to be upright and honest about them.
"Us…" He sighed, "Nayru, can I be frank?"
"Can I be Barbara?"
Despite himself, Nil smiled and then shook his head slowly. He began to say something else when he saw a dark cloud trailing up from Hyrule Castle town.
"No. Not again!" Nil looked at the sun. "Its early?"
"What?" Nayru asked as Nil got up and ran off into the town. She followed him quickly, "Nil! What's wrong?"
She figured it out when he stopped in front of his sister's house and it was burning quickly. The fire brigade was already dumping buckets of water onto it. As soon as Nil heard a scream from inside, he ran into the building. She watched for a few seconds before following him.
The fire had spread quicker than seemed reasonable, but that didn't stop Nil, who was walking into the blaze. Ceiling pillars fell and embers were everywhere. They flickered in the air and sent little ripples of minute pain when they touched skin. The table was nothing but smoldering ashes, as if it had been the start of the blaze, but Nayru noted that everything looked like it had been the start of the blaze, as if the entire building had suddenly spontaneously combusted.
A teakettle exploded and Nil cringed, but he was otherwise fine. He called out to Ayane, but he got no answer. He seemed to slow down at that point and appeared to be consulting his memory.
Nevertheless, Nil charged forward leaping over the burning support that had fell to the ground already. He saw a door and he hesitated. He looked down a hallway then back at the door. He raised his foot to kick it.
He was no firefighter. In fact that profession hadn't been quite perfected yet. Hylains didn't understand a lot about fire. How it acted like a living thing. How it needed to breath. Most importantly, Nil did not know about back drafts. The fire in the room he has just kicked the door open to had just about killed itself due to lack of oxygen. It had been getting a little from the cracks in the door, but when the door opened all that air rushed into the room reigniting the blaze and sending the fire out of the room.
Strangely enough, the sudden explosive force did not kill him. He barely felt singed. That was when he saw that he had been pushed aside by Nayru, who redirected the flame using a shield of transparent energy.
Nil touched the side of his face and noticed he was bleeding. He pulled out a small piece of ceramic, shook his head and fell into the world of unconscious.
Nayru levitated Nil using her magic and looked into the room. There was nobody in it. A quick search of the house revealed nothing. Nobody was in the building. She walked slowly out of the building, now carrying Nil. As soon as she was clear she whistled 'The Song of Storms' and made it rain. As the water did its job, she scanned the crowd for Laura or Ayane. But they were just gone.
She looked down at Nil and was amazed as he actually aged before her. His hair shortened and his cut turned into a deep scar.
"They're gone because you think they are. You just can't stop hurting yourself can you?"
The heat was unbearable. He could barely look out of his eyes the smoke and embers hurt them so. Yet he forced himself to keep them open. He heard Ayane scream and that meant she was still alive
He coughed harshly, wiped the tears from his eyes, and spit out some blood and metal fragments. His skin was blistering from the heat. "Ayane!" He called.
"Uncle Nil! Help!"
"Where are you?"
"Mom's room!"
He immediately ran for the door at the far end of the hallway. He pushed it open, burning the fingertips of his hand. Ayane was trapped under some pieces of the wall that had fallen. Luckily, she had his Hylian shield on her back, Laura had been mending the straps and Ayane must have grabbed it. He grabbed a hold of it and pulled her out of the rubble.
He picked her up and put the shield on his left arm. He began to carry her out when she pointed to a door, "Mom's in there!"
Nil set her down behind him and charged the door with his shield-laden arm. The door burst open and the back draft consumed him, luckily his shield was protecting his face. The blast of the fire however, caught Ayane and the rest of him. As he was pushed through the weakened front wall, and landed on the sidewalk, shield on arm, bleeding from a severe facial wound, and alone. He faintly heard some people curse his name because Nil Chavez kills his family just by merely existing.
He stared at the sky and asked "Why?" He asked it louder and louder until he was screaming, with one fist raised at the heavens.
His eyes were closed, but he wasn't hot, nor was he severely bleeding. He opened his eyes and saw that he was laying in the square, a cold rag on his head. "Nayru?"
Startled, she let go of his hand. "Are you alright?"
He sat up and looked at the smoldering building. He hid his face in his hands and cried. Nayru was worried. Not because it didn't seem in character for Nil to be crying—after all he just re-experienced a traumatic event he was entitled to a breakdown. She was worried because this was the even that lead Nil to the faithless, self destructive ball devoid of self respect he was when she met him. She was worried it might undo all the good that had been done already.
"…You saved me…why?"
"Do I need a reason?"
"I'd like one."
"I don't like watching people die." She suggested.
"This isn't real."
"If you die my soul gets thrown into limbo."
"Zelda is your lifeline."
"I was hoping for a fat reward?"
"You aren't that greedy."
"Well, try to follow this line of reasoning."
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her as she pressed her lips to his. After a second, Nil responded by hugging her tightly to him and returning the kiss.
They continued the kiss for as long as their breath held. Finally, she pulled back, her arms still wrapped around him, "Nil, I love you."
He smiled, it wasn't a very big smile, but it was something. "Well, this warm tingling I feel in my chest could be love…" At her surprised expression he chuckled, "don't look at me like that, I know I love you too."
"Jerk." Nayru laughed happily and pulled Nil into a tight hug again.
"Din is going to be so angry…" Nil said softly.
She shook her head and slowly pulled away. "Nil. There's something I need to tell you. About Din, Farore, and me. Its important."
"What?" Nil furrowed his brow as if thinking of possibilities.
"We aren't secret sorceresses. We assumed these human forms when we descended from the heavens to get the Triforce back. Nil…we three are the goddesses of legend."
Nil blinked once, taking it all in. Suddenly, it came together…
She frowned, and Nil felt a little bad for bringing it about. "Don't let my beliefs influence yours, I'm Nil Chavez. You are?"
"Nayru."
He blinked, "No last name?"
She gave a weak smile, "No."
"Din."
"Oh. Like the fire?"
She smiled, "Yes. Exactly like the fire."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Din."
"I sense a power in you. Do you have the Triforce? I sense its power radiating off of you."
"So if a Goddess came down and talked to you, you'd believe what she had to say?"
[Think about it, extremely powerful, exotic looks—face it even blue hair doesn't happen all that often, all knowing about that the Triforce, close association with Link and the Princess, Ganondorf recognized them even though he's been dead a while.]
He scowled. 'What are you trying to say?' he thought
[Hello! They aren't human!]
[You aren't whom she wanted to bear the Triforce.]
"Damn you! Grow up a little! There are things about this you couldn't understand! Stop acting like a…a…"
He looked at her. His pale blue eyes gave him a very disturbed look, "Human?
"Yea. If you had to use a word to describe them, what would you pick?"
Nil smiled, "Beginning the deep thought just a little early are we? Ah, no matter. I'd just as soon say…one word huh…heavenly."
"Good choice."
"And with the Goddesses not even in the heavens I don't have anyone to talk to anymore…"
"Oh my Goddess." Nil breathed.
He had heard maniacal laughs before, even one from the self proclaimed King of Evil Ganondorf himself. This one knocked all those other ones dead. It was loud and it echoed just right so as to make it last way longer than necessary. Ranged in a rich bass voice, it sent a shiver down Nil's spine.
"Hylians…the most disgusting things ever allowed to carry the Triforce. So weak and frail in mind, body, and conviction nothing is more repulsive to me—except that white stuff that forms on your lips when you're really thirsty. You know what I'm talking about? Now that's disgusting."
Nayru scowled as tall figure wrapped in black robes bumped and excused itself as it moved through the large crowd of people. It towered over the people by at least three feet—making it at least eight to nine feet tall. You couldn't tell what kind of build it had as the robes disfigured it. Nil had to crane his neck to look into the hood of the robe. "Wow. You are taller than Ganondorf. What are you 8' 10", 9 feet?"
"Eight feet eleven and three quarter inches to be precise." The figure said slowly. It grinned, and Nil finally noticed that it had no face, just a shadow in the shape of a head.
Nil turned to Nayru, "The representation of the Yoneven in my mind?"
"Why are you asking a Goddess for clarification on a demonic creature? Am I not good enough to answer questions—and I don't mean good as in force of Good I meant worthy—and no. I'm not the Yoneven, and this is what I have always looked like. You have nothing to do with it."
"Most of the time you people just try to kill me, not stop to answer questions."
"It is still trying to kill you, aren't you listening? I'm not the Yoneven."
"Oh. Well, then who are you? I'm Nil Chavez, though you probably know that." He held out his hand.
The towering creature shook Nil's hand. It was wearing blackened steel gauntlets, "Yes, I did, but since you were polite enough to introduce yourself I shall reciprocate. My name is Ulairë Attëa keeper of Dol Guldor."
"Sounds familiar."
Attëa shrugged, "The author is probably stealing names from somewhere again."
Nayru rolled her eyes, "Dol Guldor is the second highest Gate of the Underworld. Making Attëa a Demon first class."
"Oh." Nil looked at his hand "strong grip…" he murmured before looking up to its empty face, "May I remind you that I am not responsible for any and all injuries that you may and probably will incur during this fight and any permanent damage to my brain will be billed to your office."
"I'll keep an eye out for an invoice then." The demon pulled its fist back and Nil noted that if it had a face it probably would have been smiling. It punched him in the face.
He hit his back and skidded along the tiled ground with an audible groan. Attëa drew a sword from somewhere in its robes. The sword was as long as Nil was tall, serrated, and split into a double blade at the end. All in all it was very nasty looking blade. Nil let his head hit the ground again.
"Surrender the Triforce to me or I shall tear you apart looking for it!"
Nil stood up warily, "But I know that if you get the Triforce of Power you will try to kill everyone."
Attëa stopped advancing to put the sword on its shoulder. It seemed to contemplate his words before shrugging. "Huh…maybe…maybe…" It said quietly. Then without further ado it charged Nil.
"Eeek!" He yelped and dived out of the way, the sword tearing up some ground.
Nayru looked at him quizzically, "Eeek?"
"A little help here would be appreciated." Nil dodged the blade again and sucker-punched Attëa in the gut, but his hand hit armor. He backed away from the creature.
"What do you want me to—duck!"
Nil threw himself to the ground and the sword of the creature whipped overhead. Nil kicked back, taking the legs out from under it. It toppled to the side. Nayru kicked the sword away from its armored hand. As Attëa began to stand up, Nayru kicked it across the face. It fell onto its back spread eagle.
Nil was already grabbing her hand, "Let's go go go!"
They ran off as quickly as their feet would carry them, leaving a crowd of confused people who didn't really exist and a very annoyed Demon. With a groan it sat up, cricked its 'neck' once and picked up its sword. "Aw, for Din's sake, Bob. They ran away."
I don't care.
"Figures. No one cares about my problems. Its always 'Attëa, damn this guy; or Attëa, bring me my lunch; What about me? Don't I have dreams and goals too?" Attëa sighed. It slung the sword on its shoulder and spoke to the crowd, "Okay people, nothing to see here! Move on! You, wait. Where does that road lead?"
"The…castle."
"Thanks." Attëa started walking. "I was better off dead."
They ran for the castle. As they were running Nil was planning, "I thought that the Triforce creatures were created by the Triforce, that guy is outta Hell itself! What's up with that?"
"Maybe you weren't listening to it earlier, but Attëa isn't the Yoneven. It's a Demon First Class, the highest order of demons. Its here for the Triforce—in addition to the Yoneven sucking the life force out of you."
"How on Hylia did it get in my comatose acid trip?"
"Bob probably sent it here, after all, its not like it's hard or anything. I mean, look, they got me here."
"But you aren't dead."
Nayru didn't respond to his comment, she just picked up her pace until they stopped at the bend in the road to the castle.
Nil began to climb some vines on a nearby wall, "Not to sound presumptuous or anything, but can't you just smite him?"
Nayru followed Nil on the path and over the Castle gate. "No. We aren't even in the real world, let alone the heavens! In the simplest terms, we're in a subdimension that allows your brain to regurgitate its happiest moments in a sick kind of rosary."
Nil skidded to a stop on the archway. "Waitaminute. My happiest moments? Are you on drugs girl?" Nil pointed to smoldering fire back in town. "That is something I would cut off my…" Nil looked at his body for a few seconds, "arm I guess…to never experience that again!"
"Or if you like pain and suffering, it probably brings up your worst nightmares. Or something else equally creepy." Nayru amended.
He raised an eyebrow. "That's you, me, Attëa, and the Yoneven are all in my brain's little creation? That's four, presuming the Yoneven is indeed here, in a place built for one! Isn't that unhealthy?"
Nayru stopped thinking about Attëa for a minute, despite the fact that he was obviously walking towards them with its sword on its shoulder like a fishing pole grumbling about having to chase down some seven stupid triangles.
"I hope not. Where are we going anyway?"
I hope not…criminy…the castle, I need a sharp pointy thing."
"A sword?"
"That'll work too. C'mon, we'll sneak in using the secret passage on the left side. Then we'll get to armory and load up. Maybe the guards will kill Attëa for us."
They heard a high pitched scream from the gate. Followed by several hacking and flesh tearing sounds.
Nil pulled on Nayru's arm. "C'mon!"
Attëa's sword was buried in the ground with Attëa leaning on its hilt. "…and she says to the man, 'I picked the scabs and let the puss run'."
The guard on the other side laughed heartily. "Let the puss run, that's rich…hoo-boy…ha. Well, I'm normally not supposed to do this, but why don't you come in, find that guy you're looking for, and you won't need to tell anyone about my buddy in the closet over there, leaking out his bodily fluids."
Okay, but my friend…get help. Please. For the love Nayru, please."
The guard opened the gate and Attëa waved as it walked by. It immediately made a b-line for the castle. "Nil…Attëa's coming for ya!"
Chuckling to himself, Attëa entered the castle via the main gate after asking directions to the castle armory.
He opened the door to the armory with his foot, "You're nothing if not predictable Mr. Chavez."
"Oh yea? Predict this!"
Nil appeared from behind somehow—probably clinging to the ceiling—and ran his sword through Attëa's head.
More correctly, he would have, if every inch of the blade that entered Attëa's head didn't melt into a blackish ooze.
Nil retracted his arm and stared at the grip of the sword he was holding. "What is it with me and breaking swords?"
"Bum luck I guess." Attëa said in a consoling voice. "Now, be a dear and give me the Triforce. What pieces you have anyway."
"Right…how would I do that?"
"Hrmmm…I don't know…Bob?"
How would I know? I didn't make'em.
Attëa shook his head and looked at Nil "Sorry. I guess this means I'll have to kill you."
"Can't I just hold them in escrow for you? You can pick them up later."
"Don't think me a fool just because I'm really tall and evil, Mr. Chavez."
"Your height had nothing to do with it."
Attëa looked at Nil suspiciously, "What are you stalling for?"
"Nayru. She's supposed to go find some archers and they were going to turn you into a pincushion."
"And the only reason you tell me this is because…they're standing behind me aren't they?"
"Yes."
Attëa turned around and saw Nayru with a bow and four more archers. He also saw that their quivers were full. "Crap."
Attëa grabbed Nil across the chest and tried to use him as a Hylian shield, "I have a hostage!"
Nayru realeased her arrow and it went right through Attëa's hand and into Nil's shoulder.
Attëa swore several times before breaking the shaft of the arrow and dropping Nil.
"Any other stupid Evil villain ploys you wish to try?"
"You shot him!"
"Yea."
"Don't you like him?"
"Yes. A lot."
Attëa looked down at Nil, "Dude, believe me, Sadomasochism is not all its cracked up to be."
Attëa covered its face as another volley of arrows was slung at him. With a few hisses of pain and several "Ow!"s , he retreated.
Nil stood up gritting his teeth. "You shot me!"
"I'm sorry. But it was the fastest way to resolve the situation." Nayru looked at the arrow for a moment "This is going to hurt."
She didn't wait for a witty response. She pushed the arrow through the rest of his body, causing very acute pain. Nil's face contorted but he didn't say anything for a few more seconds.
"You know, I'd never shoot you." Nil pointed with his right arm.
"You aren't an archer." She poked the wound again, placing some cloth over it.
Nil picked up another sword lying on the ground in the armory. "I really don't think that's the point Nayru. That hurt. Last time you shot me it hurt too. Granted more so last time, but still…"
She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "You aren't really upset are you?"
"Just to say that I wouldn't do that to you. I don't like pain. Arrows hurt and…no, I guess not…now where did Attëa go?"
One of the archers pointed down a hallway. "That way."
"Thanks."
Nil pointed down the hall, "That a way then?"
"Hold on a second, I need to get a sword."
She grabbed a short sword from the armory and then began to walk down the hall. Nil followed her quickly.
They entered a high ceiling-ed hallway that was carved out of shiny white marble. Deep red drapes and tapestries covered the walls that didn't have intricately scrolled pillars right next to them. Two guards in red armor lay unconscious at the end of the hall.
"Look at this huge waste of space. This room could be used for something an awful lot more useful than a long walk to ensure we know how rich the king is."
"I think you just have something against the king."
"Well, I was the only one on the guard to see through the evil wizard's plot, and for my deductive brilliance, I was stripped of my title and thrown into the dungeon for over a year until Link resolved the mess. Is that any reason at all for me to not like the man?"
"Well…yes. But that was what five years ago? Talk about holding a grudge."
"Ask me why he why wouldn't he restore your knighthood?"
"I don't know, why?"
"Because that would mean admitting he was wrong and acknowledging the fact that he was dumb enough to have the wool pulled over his eyes."
"You haven't gotten your knighthood back because the King was trying to save face?"
"As far as I can tell."
Nil looked at the two guards laying unconscious on the ground. They appeared to have been hit with the flat edge of a sword. Probably Attëa's.
"I wonder why he went to the throne room?"
Nayru's response was cut off by a deep scream from inside the room, "Help me!"
Nil drew his sword and charged in, with Nayru close behind.
Instead of the normal white and blue decorated room that the throne room usually was, it was a dirty and broken down room with lots of shadows. The throne itself had been removed completely.
Attëa was collapsed against the southern wall, right below a huge impact crater, presumably where it had hit the wall. It was groaning and appeared very dazed. What was left of its sword was in five pieces scattered across the room.
Attëa's attacker was a huge feral cat, if feral cats were as black as a starless moonless night. Nil couldn't tell if it was fur or skin because it just seemed to absorb light. It had huge black sickle shaped claws on its paws. Even its gleaming fangs were ebony. It had pale gold eyes and a snarl that stopped Nil dead in his tracks. The final touch was a golden crown on its head, denoting it as the current King of Hyrule.
It roared ferociously and looked at Nil intently. He didn't even need a pulsing Triforce mark on his hand to tell him that what this was.
"Mr. Yon E. Ven, I presume?"
The cat creature adjusted its crown and grinned.
"Was that a yes?"
Attëa and Nayru shrugged, "Sure."
"Let's end this. There's nothing for me here anymore."
He approached it slowly, his sword held tightly in one hand.
"Nil, you can't kill that by yourself! Its as big as a horse!"
Attëa coughed, "And as strong as an ox. No, make that two oxes and a angry badger."