Thanks to: T-bone ((blushes) yeah...I've seen Emperor's New Groove...and it's probably my most favouritist cartoon ever!) and Demonwolf98 (We're so pleased you like it. Legolas and I, I mean.)
Caranril: I have horrible news! Okay, maybe it's not so horrible, but I won't be able to update next weekend! I'm going to an acting convention and the Shakespeare festival all week. Don't miss me too much!
The Dark Before The Dawn - Chapter 15: The Dreamweaver
Sheik squinted in the bright white light. He may have good eyesight, but the quick change between light levels made him even more sensitive. He could finally make out a figure with long brown hair standing before him.
"Ah, Mirwen. Where's Link?"
Mirwen didn't answer, but instead gave him a bright smile. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before pointing into the distant white space. Almost like a mirage, a village shimmered before his eyes. He could barely make out the multiple figures that moved about, but as they drew closer, Sheik could recognize the Sheikah eye symbol that every person bore. Some of the older people wore armour, much like what Impa wore, while some of the younger ones, about his age, had the body suits with light protection. The children wore simple tunics with the eye symbol.
Mirwen grasped his right hand and smiled up at him.
"A whole village of Sheikah?" Sheik asked in wonder.
Mirwen nodded and led him inside a nearby house. Sheik glanced at the three children sitting at the table, the eldest one a boy with blond hair like his, the younger one a girl with long brown locks, and the third a baby boy with large pointy ears and a muss of brown hair on his head. Sheik glanced down at Mirwen's hand in his and noticed the silver band with a delicate gem set in it encircling her ring finger. He lifted his head to meet her eyes.
Her eyes smiled. "Welcome home."
-
Mirwen found herself running from something. She couldn't see it, but she could hear the snarling as it drew closer. She leapt over fallen trees and climbed enormous rocks, but the obstacles didn't slow her pursuer. She cried out as the brilliant white ground ended and she teetered into a rushing river. She shut her eyes against the freezing water, flailing uselessly. She couldn't swim! She had never even been submerged her entire life! Her lungs ached for air, and with the freezing water about her, she found herself giving in to desire to breath. Suddenly, two hands grasped her under her arms and lifted her from the foaming river.
Mirwen gasped as she went sailing over a waterfall. But she didn't fall. The hands held her firmly as she flew through the air. The warm air dried her quickly, and once she recovered from the shock, she gained the courage to look up. A figure clad in blue armour that sprouted eagle-like wings was bearing her into the clouds. A helmet prevented her from seeing the face of her rescuer.
The wind that whipped against her slowed. They were descending towards a castle that seemed to float in the clouds. They flew towards a large balcony and through the double glass doors. The knight alighted her upon a canopied bed that was as soft as a puppy's ears. The knight then saluted and about-faced to exit. Mirwen stared in shock as several young women entered the room with clothes, hot water, and food. They pampered her as she recovered from her icy bath, then silently exited as she explored the castle.
In the first room was a dining room, where her parents sat enjoying a quiet meal. They both greeted her with kisses and hugs before releasing her for more exploring. The next room held Link practicing with his flaming sword in the armoury. He also took a moment to talk with her. As Mirwen drew closer to the end of the hall, where huge double doors called to her, many people hugged and greeted her like they were old friends, and tears flooded her eyes.
"I'm no longer invisible," she whispered to herself. "I'm no longer hated and feared." Her hands pushed the doors forcefully, and they swung open. Standing with his back to her was a young man with short blond hair. He wore a blue tunic and leggings and blue boots. Without seeing his face, Mirwen knew he was her prince of the castle in the clouds. Her hand reached out slowly to touch his shoulder, and he swung around, his ruby eyes meeting hers.
-
Sheik stared at Mirwen in confusion. "Something's not right here," he said, more to himself than to his apparent wife.
"No, everything is just right," Mirwen responded. "Everything is just like you've always wanted."
"What I've always wanted?" Sheik stared at her in disbelief. "It can't be, because I haven't always been...male."
Mirwen stared back at him. Sheik took a deep breath and decided that now would be the best time to reveal his true identity. He chanted and motioned the magic symbols, then in a flash stood as Zelda.
The village, Mirwen, and children no longer stood before her. The bright white light remained, but instead of many people there was only one. His green hat was cocked in a debonair fashion. He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. Taken aback, Zelda just stood still as he drew nearer.
"Link?" she asked in confusion. "What's wrong with y-"
Link silenced her as he lifted her into his arms. "Nothing. It's finally right. No more professional attitude towards one another. I'm sweeping you off of your feet and carrying you to the honeymoon suite in the castle. By the way," Link set her down and pulled a ring off his finger. He handed her the engagement ring she had given him. "I won't be needing this anymore, but you will."
Zelda was taken aback as Link leaned in and kissed her, but she quickly forgot this and fell into his embrace.
Finally...she thought to herself as Link laid her down on her four-poster bed and slowly slid her dress from her slender body.
-
Link's hand brushed away his tears as he sank into the warmth of his parents' arms. Their arms held his limp body upright, supporting their son who had never known them. They stood there for lifetime, making up for the moments when he had needed them most but ended up relying upon his own courage. When they finally pulled away, Link's eyes were clear, but his face was sticky with half-dried tears. His expression held many emotions, contorted with questions that rampaged through his mind. The first thing he said wasn't what he had intended to say.
"How?"
"That's not important right now," his mother soothed him in her slight Sheikah accent. "What's important is that we're finally together."
"And nothing, not even death, can separate us now," his father finished.
"Death," Link repeated. He backed away from them. "You died in the forest," he said to his mother. "And you..." he studied his father with suspicion, "I've never heard anything about you."
"It's too late to turn back now," he said solemnly. "Stay with us, Link. We've missed you so much."
"The dead who are not touched by evil are called to by the goddesses," Link continued to muse. "So, either you two are touched by evil, you aren't dead, or I am dead along with you."
"Sorry, none of the above," his mother smiled kindly.
"Then what's the answer?"
"The answer is inside of you," his father said. He placed his hand over his heart.
Link touched his own chest in response. He could feel the beat through his flesh. "I'm not dead. But then...you must...not be real."
They both shook their heads in response. Even as Link realized that they were merely images, they began to fade.
"Wait, no! I have so many questions!" Link called out, running after them.
"Goodbye Link..." they said together.
The brilliant light disappeared. Link looked at his outstretched hand, then across at Zelda, who was standing immobile in front of him. She looked to be in a trance. Mirwen was in the same situation a few feet away.
Hm, your will is strong, a voice rumbled inside Link's head. He jumped, searching for the source.
The others don't struggle with their strongest desires. Why did you?
It was impossible to locate anything when it seemed to be all about him.
Link opened his mouth to respond.
I am called the Dreamweaver. A chuckle. There's no need for words. I can read your thoughts. And your dreams.
Link blinked in the sudden bright white light. Instead of his parents before him, he was looking at Zelda. She smiled shyly under his stare.
"Hi, Link."
As he blinked, she transformed from sweet and innocent to dark and sadistic.
"Hi, Link," she repeated, this time seductively. "Is this more to your liking? Aren't the feisty ones your favourites?"
Link stood still as she drew closer, mesmerized by the generous amount of cleavage she was displaying a few inches from him. He looked into her eyes was startled to see that they were no longer the cobalt blue of Zelda's but were dark...like Win's.
"No!" Link shouted, halting the fantasy in its tracks. He was instantly returned to the room with Zelda's and Mirwen's bodies.
Very strange indeed. I've captured many throughout the years, and you're the first to let go. Actually, you're the second. The first in this century.
Who was the first? Link thought.
Would you believe it? None other than your father.
"What!" Link said aloud.
Oh yes. Would you like to see the scenario? Without waiting for an answer, Link was transported into another dream, only instead of a bright light the area was grey, like a memory. He was in a field of daisies, much like the one Saria enjoyed in the forest. There was laughter, but it sounded muffled, distant. A man sat up in through the flowers, followed by a woman with purple hair. It was shorter than it had been when Link had first seen her, and the man's face was less worn. They were his parents, though much younger.
"I love you, Illia," he whispered to the Sheikah maiden.
"Mm," Illia responded with a kiss, "I love you too, Eiric."
Eiric stiffened. "What did you say?"
"That I love you. Is something wrong?"
"Yes." Eiric's eyes hardened. "The real Illia would never say that to me. Not in those words anyway. It's the way of the Sheikah." He stood up and threw his hands angrily toward the sky. "This isn't real! How could you do this to me?"
The vision faded, and Link was once more in the room.
It was my mistake. Sometimes the Sheikah wander into this room, though now they are quite familiar with the results, but I didn't know a century ago that they didn't express love verbally. It was forbidden for them to love. Hm, at least, for the "Dark Sheikah", as you call them. I'm afraid I don't know too much about the Sheikah on the surface except for what your friend Sheik, excuse me, Zelda knows.
A century ago? How could my father have lived a century ago?
I don't know everything. But I do know many things. Like, Zelda's secret dreams and desires. Or Mirwen's longing to be accepted and loved. Or your unrecognized wishes to see your parents. They among others are very delightful to feast upon.
Feast upon? What is it you do with their dreams?
I consume them. The mind is an extraordinary, indefinite power supply. Indefinite, that is, until they die of old age. I can feed off the dreams of the Sheikah who live here, but I can't control them or keep them in slumber. Had I completely ensnared you, I would have had enough power within a few years to break free from this earthen tomb and feast upon the dreams of the entire world. The Dreamweaver laughed evilly. Now, you will just have to die.
From the darkness above that reached to unknown heights fell a very large humanoid shape. When it stood erect, it was twice Link's height. The face was hollow, almost blackened out, and the body was wreathed in black flames.
Hm, this should suffice to kill you. Now, what would also place fear in your heart? Ah, this will do nicely. You don't have many fears, but this man will always haunt the back of your mind.
The maddening blackness swirled to form ashen features framed by long black hair. He grinned wickedly and uttered a familiar laugh.
"Hello, Hero," the Phantom Jeric said. "It has been some time, hasn't it? Did you find the Princess like you promised? Good, now I can kill you both!"
Phantom Jeric charged Link with a black sword. Link pulled Beleguial from its abode and knocked the sword away. Phantom Jeric turned and slice at Link, but his skills were far superior than the Dreamweaver's. Link swung his sword into the armoured arm of Phantom Jeric. The arm flew, severed from the shoulder, but Phantom Jeric looked at it, laughed, and the arm reattached itself.
"You'll never stop me, Hero," he crowed. "But I can stop you!"
Link fought Phantom Jeric for quite some time, but he was tiring while his enemy kept hacking at him clumsily. The slow, choppy movements were harder to counterattack than a smooth warrior's. Link's arm ached, having defeated an underground boss and many dead in less than a day. He was getting too tired to keep Phantom Jeric away from Zelda. Link parried a blow, which sent him flying to his back. He lay there, breathless, staring up into the void. Then he noticed the movement. Tendrils of some sort were swirling about, grasping what looked like bodies. As he focused even harder, Link could make out a bubbling mass of hot flesh in the centre of them. If he could find a way to destroy the Dreamweaver and rescue all those people the it had captured...
Link pressed the ice gem on Beleguial and flipped himself to his feet. Phantom Jeric was charging. With a burst of adrenaline-aided energy, Link knocked Phantom Jeric to the ground and kicked him down a path of ice made by Beleguial. He raised his sword above his head, aiming to throw it at the brain-like monster overhead. The ice flames suddenly leapt from the sword and fired upon the Dreamweaver in the shapes of blue daggers. The ice sheared through the brain tissue and struck the centre of the intelligence. Link dropped his sword and covered his ears as an inhumane shrieking entered his head. He fell and cried out as it grew worse, then lay there panting as the ice froze the entire entity into silence.
He stood shakily, his eyes meeting Mirwen's, who still had a hand stretched to the Dreamweaver. She was sweating, but she clearly had been able to control the ice very well. Link nodded his thanks, then stood with the aid of Beleguial. As the Dreamweaver had frozen, the tendrils had dropped limply, resting ever-so-slightly on the ground. Eight Sheikah were held within the loose grips. Link and Mirwen pulled the still-entranced Sheikah free and moved them a safe distance away. Phantom Jeric had disappeared, so now all that was left to do was ensure that the Dreamweaver would never ensnare another mind. Link pressed the fire gem and aimed up. The red fire resembled Beleguial as it soared into the frozen mass. There was a monstrous cracking sound, then Link sheathed Beleguial and dove into Mirwen. He rolled them both to safety as huge chunks of ice crashed to the ground, smaller pieces shearing off into harmless slivers.
Link made sure Mirwen was okay, then slowly stood. Zelda remained standing, but she moved slowly, stupidly, her eyes wide in confusion. She saw Link and Mirwen, along with several Sheikah who remained immobile on the ground. She saw the melting ice in the centre of the room and the remaining tendrils that were smoldering.
"What happened?" was all she could manage.
"We should be asking you the same thing," Mirwen said quietly.
Oh, no, Link groaned inwardly. Zelda must have mentally changed from Sheik when she was caught in her dreams. Somehow, she was able to physically change as well.
"Um, Mirwen? Well..."
"Let me tell her," Zelda said firmly. Link was surprised, for though her eyes were haunted, possibly from her dreams, she had maintained her well-practiced ease.
"Mirwen," Zelda began, "well, perhaps the best way is to show you." She motioned and chanted, and very quickly she turned into the young Sheikah man. Mirwen stared at her, a mixture of horror and awe in her expression.
"I am Sheik, but I am also Zelda." Sheik proceeded to explain to her from the time when Impa had taken him as Zelda to the Shadow Temple to receive her disguise to the strange feelings that he had been experiencing in her presence. "I-I feel something for you, Mirwen, but...it's easier for me admit this now, since I don't currently have feelings for you Link, but as Zelda...you know..."
Link swallowed hard and remained silent. Mirwen was silent as well, contained in her own thoughts. Sheik glanced between them, Mirwen avoiding his eyes while Link held his gaze. For the first time since Link had known him, Sheik averted his eyes first. Link swallowed once more and looked at the Sheikah who were now stirring from their trances. Now that he had a good look at them, some of them looked old and worn. Not ancient, but it had obviously been quite some time since they'd last seen anything with their physical eyes. When Link tried to talk to them, they stared at him blankly.
Sheik knelt beside one and began speaking the Sheikah language. The Sheikah brightened, though apparently as he continued there was a problem. After several minutes of gesturing and explaining, Sheik finally stood.
"Well?"
"Their language is rather different than the one I speak. I had some problems, but I think I got the general idea across. Those two came in here fifty years ago for some 'privacy', these three brothers eighty-two years ago to plan some mischief, this younger one six years ago because he got lost, and these two were looking for a quiet place to commit suicide. Surprisingly, they are the most recent. Nearly two years ago they found their ways here."
"Two years ago," Link mused, "when the attack on the castle and the Temples occurred."
"Yes," Sheik said in surprise. "You don't think..."
"Oh yes," Link said grimly. "They knew what was nearing and didn't want to face it. They knew they would be Jeric's servants. They knew...that Meltose was coming."
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > >
Caranril: (sings) Na-na-na na. Na-na-na na. Hey, hey,hey...goodbye!
Legolas: Why goodbye?
Caranril: Because the end is near! Muwahahaha!
Legolas: O.o Ohhhhhhhkaaaaay...
Caranril: Shut up, okay? Just shut up. Zip it.
Legolas: Whatever you say...Mistress. (zips mouth closed)
Caranril: Goody. Okay, so we're gettin' near the end here. Only one more chappie. (pauses) Ahahaha! Did I scare you? Actually, I don't know how many more chappies there are going to be, but certainly not just one! Okay, Lego-blocks, say your line.
Legolas: M mmmm! Mmm mmmm mm mm mmm mm!
Caranril: What?
Legolas: Mmm mmmm mm mm mmm mm!
Caranril: Oh right. (unzips mouth)
Legolas: Ahem. Please review.
Caranril: That's better.
Legolas: Excuse me, but you're the genius who told me to.
Caranril: Yay! I'm a genius!
Legolas: Oh, brother...