Chapter 4: Careful What You Wish For
Tears, hot and salty, mingled with the steam and water, coursing down with painful regularity on my bare skin. I lay in the shower, curled in a ball, smallest possible target against a world that had proven time and again to be malicious. "You fucking moron!" I whimpered, unable to muster the energy to shout. I wanted to, though. I wanted to scream, to yell, to punish someone for the fucking injustice that had just taken place. How was I supposed to go back to living a normal life now? Bryant was gone, swallowed into the abyss that was Hyrule. Which meant not only was I alone, but I would have to explain his absence to the cops. Everyone knew we were an item...
Outside, in the den, Bryant's phone began to ring. I ignored it. I didn't want to talk to anyone anyway.
And then suddenly, I had it. If killing myself had sent me there once... Maybe it would again. I began searching through Bryant's things, looking for a razor. Only, it didn't take me long to realize that while, yes, it MIGHT work, if it didn't, I'd be fucked. Royally. And Bryant would still be trapped in Hyrule. Or wherever he was.
Wiping away the remaining tears, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I needed to help him. I needed to find a way back to Hyrule, and bring him back. But how? It wasn't as though I had any conveniently magical wardrobes handy. And since the last path I'd taken was closed to me now, as far as I knew, I'd need to find some other way.
But why not the way Bryant got in? I'd only used the Oracles once, to my knowledge, back in the Palace, but why shouldn't they work on Earth as well? Besides, what did I have to lose?
I got dressed quickly, and dashed out into the living room. The book lay discarded on the floor, feigning innocence. Skirting around it, as though it were a poisonous snake, I ran into the kitchen and grabbed three of the left over birthday candles. Red, blue, and green. I didn't know whether I really needed them, but I figured a little ceremony never hurt anyone.
In the other room, the phone began to ring again. Growling in disgust, I vaulted the couch and grabbed it. "I haven't got time for this. Call back later." And I slammed the phone back on the cradle. If I was lucky, I wouldn't BE here later, so it didn't matter. And it wasn't exactly a lie, either. So, that was all okay. Obviously, whoever was on the other line thought it was important, because the phone began to ring again. "I HAVEN'T got the time for this!" I screamed into the phone, and pulled the cord from the wall. Panting, I realized what I had just done, and flushed. Good thing no one was around to see it.
After I'd set up the candles around the book, I flicked my lighter. Once, twice, three times, and everything was ready. Now, for the ceremony. I suppose the words didn't really matter, but... It would help my concentration, and I needed every bit I could get.
"In my time of need, I call on the Three" It was kind of lame, sure, but whatever. Beggars and choosers, right?
"I invoke the Power of the Oracles!"
"The Oracle of Wisdom, Guardian of the Past!" My tattoo began to glow, and the blue candle flickered out. Strangely, there was an itch in the back of my skull, a sense of being watched... Coming from the hallway outside.
"The Oracle of Power, Guardian of the Present!" The triangular brand on my hand began to shimmer, and the red candle extinguished. All the while, the presence got closer. There was a knock on the door of the apartment. Not now... I don't have time for this...
"The Oracle of Courage, Guardian of the Future!" And the scars began to shine, and out went the green candle. It occurred to me, rather belatedly, that I was parodying the words I'd heard in my head when Bryant had disappeared. It seemed appropriate, after all.
"Colt!" Someone shouted, muffled through the door. "Colt, what are you doing?" The voice was familiar, but I was too far along in the spell to stop now, without catastrophic side effects.
"I demand your power!" The book's pages fluttered in an imaginary wind. Whatever I was doing, it was working. The pounding on the door grew more insistent, and the voice called my name, it's familiarity taunting me from behind a screen of desperation.
"Send me to Hyrule!" Faster and faster, louder, and more insistent. There was a crash, but I couldn't turn my head. The Oracles' power had taken control.
"Colt... No! I know what you're doing, but you can't... You CAN'T!"
"Grant me the Power to rescue those I love!" As before, the lights went out, and the triforce etched itself on the floor. Not hesitating, I started forward, the final words of the spell leaping to my lips. The figure launched itself at me, grabbing onto my leg, and trying to restrain me. But between the spell's compulsion, and my desire, I dragged myself onward.
"I command you!" The light enveloped me, and before the world tore asunder, I realized two things. One, I had taken my unwanted guest with me.
And two... It was Riley.
Author's Note: Yay for Random Character Insertion. Except, I've decided this story is going to be similar to Star Ocean, Second Story. Two points of view, two stories. For the other half, see the new story, Legend of Zelda: Fountain of Destiny
