Caranril: Sorry this chapter's so late. This week is finals and I've been studying all weekend as well as writing a term paper.
Legolas: I am so glad I'm not a muse for that sort of thing.
Caranril: I opened my email this week, and there was a crapload of reviews! I was nearly scared sless! So...
Thanks to: Art (So much quicker than typing out your entire nickname! Thanks for the load of reviews all at once. I don't think your threat on Lego-blocks worked; he's still at it. And I will be sure to put those excellent fireworks to good use. >:D), Demonwolf 98 (Hey, I've got two wolves reading my story! Hm...well, you're gonna get more!), T-bone (It's not that I watch too much Disney...okay maybe it is, but how can you forget the classics?), lvmj (Okay, I suppose that helps, so thanks for the info.), Tizami (Muwahahaha! Legolas won't like me conspiring with my readers, but I just might use your idea in my ultimate plot!)
Caranril: I will hopefully remember to explain the Master Sword thing later. I may have forgotten completely about it: .
Legolas: I don't like that Lone Antarctic Wolf person. He said I was "not-so-brilliant".
Caranril: He was telling the truth...Anyway, enjoy this chappie. It's a doozy!
The Dark Before The Dawn - Chapter 17: The Letting
Zelda glanced in the direction Link had departed. She could see nothing past the swarm of Sheikah that had gathered in response to the horn. The call had sent shivers of foreboding down her spine, and she felt that the three of them were in great danger. Except now, she'd lost sight of Mirwen too, and she was beginning to feel stifled by the mass of bodies. She slipped as inconspicuously as possible through the crowd to a private spot next to the temple wall, where she changed into Sheik.
Sheik nearly gasped at the black magic he could feel radiated from the temple. He hadn't noticed it as Zelda, but now he knew that his previous anxiousness was not without cause.
Now to find Mirwen, he thought, before something happens... He didn't know what, though.
He drew more odd looks from the crowd than he had as Zelda. He was definitely Sheikah, but wearing much different attire than the long dresses and tunics of these Dark Sheikah. His skin was also quite dark, while their's were translucent in the torchlight.
There was Mirwen, still with Thalion. He apparently found a closer spot so that he might see the happenings in the front. Sheik's hand grasped her shoulder.
"Don't turn, just act natural," he whispered. "What's going on?"
"There are three people standing on a podium which a few servants brought out. The tall man is very pale with black hair. He is holding his hands up for everyone's attention. There's also a woman with long purple hair and purple eyes and another man who is wearing a turban over his head and across his face. He may be some sort of bodyguard, I don't know."
"Brothers and sisters!" came a voice that seemed to whisper. "The time has come for another Letting! Lord Meltose yearns to be freed, but only lifeblood can break the bonds. Your debts shall be repaid when the Lord of Time regains control of all that was lost to him. The Letting this evening calls for..."
There was a pause, then a gravely voice spoke, "Four lifebloods. Giving is best, but if needed we will choose for the Lord."
"We need strong lifebloods! Who will give theirs?"
The Sheikah began to mutter about Sheik and Mirwen. The whispers were discreet, but Sheik could catch snatches of doubt and volunteering of others.
"Behold! A giver!"
The hum of the crowd grew as the shorter man pass through the Sheikah, who spread a path, and took the arm of a Sheikah man.
As he was led by, the man cried out reverently, "I know that my blood shall be one of the Breaking! Who will join me? Join in the victory of the Lord Meltose!"
Enthusiastic voices pierced the doubt of the crowd, and two more Sheikah volunteered. The leader called for more, but no one else was willing to give themself to the task at hand.
"So be it," he said quietly. "Yawner, choose one who is worthy."
A feeling of apprehensiveness washed through each Sheikah and affected Sheik and Mirwen as well. Whatever was happening, it was not good news if not everybody volunteered. The Sheikah made way for the short man, not one meeting his searching gaze. Sheik glanced back towards the cliffs, hoping Link had found what he was looking for and would be making his way back quickly...
"Hey! Get your hands off me!"
"Mirwen!" Sheik turned to see her being dragged through the crowd. She glanced back at him, hazel eyes filled with fear. Sheik reached for her, but the surrounding Sheikah pulled him back.
"She has been chosen!" "You must let her go!" "It is easier this way."
"No!" Sheik denied them. "She cannot go!"
"Brother! Peace!" a nearby Sheikah rested his hand on Sheik's chest, and Sheik felt a strange feeling wash over him and make his muscles go limp. His mind went foggy and he looked at the strange faces stupidly. His surroundings became like a dream. And he had no control.
Mirwen tried to bring the flames of the lights to her, but her breathing was panicked and her mind unfocused as she stood before the enormous crowd of Sheikah. Very possibly the entire race of Dark Sheikah. The fire also seemed to be guarding against interfering magic such as hers. She could see Sheik, but he was staring ahead with a blank expression, his ruby eyes half-lidded as if he was very tired. And she couldn't see Link anywhere. What she thought at first to be a platform was actually an altar of some sort. It lay golden and shining in the warm light. There was a trench surrounding it, which led into the temple to an end that Mirwen could not see. There were golden bands on each end, ten in total. The altar was slightly sloped, enough that a liquid could be run off into the trenches. Mirwen had a dreadful idea of what the trench would hold.
"Four for the Letting, four for the Breaking!" The pale man's voice had changed from tranquil to sinister, and Mirwen was somehow able to understand his words. "Let it begin!"
"No! No, please! I'm not who you think I am!" Mirwen struggled against the short man. He wasn't strong enough to fight her, so he shoved her roughly into a muscular guard's arms. Mirwen shrieked as he nearly overpowered her, but her wild movements prevented him from shackling her arms and legs in the bands. He jerked his head and another guard joined him, and together they were able to press her wrists and ankles into the bonds. The other three had long since been set in place, and now they stared up at the humongous statue framed by night sky. The one next to her was moving his mouth slightly, praying to his god. Mirwen struggled against gold around her wrists and ankles, but the position made her arms hurt too much to move.
Mirwen craned her head to look at Sheik. He was blinking his eyes and shaking his head. She prayed he would see her and realize her predicament.
She gasped as a guard stood over her with a knife. A deep voice began chanting in the Dark Sheikah language, and with every rise in tone, the knife lowered. Mirwen closed her eyes in focus, but instead of calling forth her powers, she found her life slipping past her eyes. From her childhood to Sheik's mischievous eyes and Link's look of disdain...the last images brought tears to her eyes, and she realized that she didn't want to die.
An pain sliced through her wrists, causing her to open her eyes in surprise. Instead of cutting her throat, the knife had cut her wrists instead. It hurt like hell, but at least she was still alive. Her warm blood flowed through her fingers and into the trench, where it mingled with the blood of the other four.
"Was that it?" she whispered to the Sheikah next to her. He didn't answer. She looked to the tall pale Sheikah. He gave her a cruel grin.
"You will be drained of your lifeblood, and it will be used to weaken Lord Meltose's bonds."
Mirwen gave him a quizzical look.
"You will die...slowly...as you bleed to death," he finished, his tone dripping with malice, his face inches from hers. He chuckled evilly, then returned to his position in front. His words echoed in her head:"...slowly...to death..." Mirwen tilted her head back and cried out for Sheik and Link.
Mirwen's cry out for him brought Sheik out of his spelled trance.
"Mirwen?" Sheik broke through the silent crowd and headed for the temple steps. Hands grabbed at him, but he quickly sliced them away with kicks and hits before any could place a spell on him.
"Mirwen!"
Guards drew long knives, but Sheik dodged the blows and kicked their legs out from under them. They fell hard, and Sheik reached the altar. His hands reached for Mirwen's bonds, but his hands were shocked by an unseen force. The shock traveled from his fingers to his shoulders and threw him back. He picked himself up with a grunt to face the pale man.
"You are not Sheikah, are you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"I am, but not a Dark Sheikah," Sheik answered. "But she is not of either race, so let her go!"
"No, but her blood holds strange power that may help in the Breaking. Her life will be of use to us."
"It's of use to me!" Sheik protested, hot tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "She can't die!"
"Oh, we all can die, but I have a feeling you already know much about death, don't you? You hold that aura about you. The aura of death. You're not supposed to be alive, are you?"
Sheik stared back at him. "What do you mean?"
"Your spirit is ancient. It should not exist in this life. Who are you?"
"I think I should be the one to ask who you are," Sheik retorted. "How do you know these things?"
He grinned wickedly. "Because I'm meant to. So, who are you?"
Link heard Mirwen's scream from below, and his heart raced in panic. He couldn't see the occurrences below very well, but he knew Mirwen wouldn't scream on just any occasion. Instead of taking the stairs one by one, he basically slid down with naught but his sturdy boots to keep him from going all the way down on his rear. He reached the bottom quickly, drew his sword, and lit the fire gem. The Sheikah parted in surprise and panic as this blond madman wielding a flaming sword forced his way into the crowd. He met a little opposition, but the flame in his eyes was just as threatening as Beleguial's. He hacked through the guards, booted them down the stairs, and turned to fight Mirwen's assailants.
He let his guard down for a second when he saw Mirwen among the three other Sheikah with blood flowing from their wrists. Daegond's words "Ware the Letting" came to mind, and he was sickeningly aware of their meaning. Then he saw Sheik talking with a man. A tall, pale man with black hair and an annoying smile that hinted at secrets beneath.
"Jeric," Link spat his name like it was filth in his mouth.
"Hero," Jeric replied, equally as nasty. "I was beginning to wonder if I would ever meet with you again. Seems Genicca's prophesies came true."
Link glanced at the purple-haired Sheikah standing away from the horrific scene. Link stared at her in shock as her features reminded very much of none other than his mother. She looked frightened, younger than he remembered.
"I never meant for any of this to happen," she whispered fearfully. "I never meant for anyone to be hurt."
"Of course not," Jeric interrupted, "but you had a part in it, so the Hero's death will be on your conscious, along with the Princess, who I assume you have found, Hero, or else you wouldn't be here."
"I found her, but she's not here," Link retorted. "I figured you out, Jeric, and I knew she'd be hurt if I brought her here."
"Well where is she?"
"Like I'm going to tell you!"
"We'll just see about that," Jeric sneered. "Genicca?"
Genicca swallowed nervously, then stepped towards Link. He saw that she was unarmed, so he made no movement against her. He should have, for she stretched her hands towards his head, and suddenly he lost control of his body. He could feel her prodding his brain with fingers, fingers of her mind. Link grunted as he pressed his will against her. Beads of sweat formed on both of their foreheads as their minds battled each other. Link found himself choking for breath as he ceased all other activities in order to focus. The Dreamweaver came to his mind and he threw himself against the memory of being trapped.
Never again, Link thought ferociously.
Genicca cried out and fell to the ground. She twitched and shivered in a cold sweat. Link's lungs sucked in their desired air. He was panting himself from the mental efforts.
"He...he's too strong!" Genicca managed to gasp.
"Impossible!" Jeric objected. "You have the most developed mental powers of all the Sheikah!"
"But it's not good enough," Link answered firmly. "She may have the strongest of all the Dark Sheikah, but there's an entire world out there. A world that you seek to destroy, but I will stand against you to save it. As I have many times in the past."
Jeric's lips curled into a sneer. "Funny you should mention the past. In the distant past, long ago forgotten, Time was mastered, and not by some puny 'Hero of Time'. Oh no. No mere mortal could control Time. Only a god."
Out of the corner of his eye, Link could see Sheik circling behind Jeric. Too late, he realized Jeric knew Sheik was there.
"No!" he warned as Sheik leapt upon the pale Dark Sheikah. Jeric thrust a narrow pole from beneath his robes directly into Sheik's torso. The strong point of the rod sliced through soft flesh like a knife. Sheik made a small grunt of pain, holding onto the black instar metal pole. He glanced down at the wound, then up into Link's frightened eyes. His mouth twitched as he gasped for air against the pain. Jeric jerked the pole and sent Sheik through the air to land on the three Sheikah and Mirwen who were helplessly bound. Sheik sighed a shuddering breath, then was still.
"Sheik no! You bastard! No!" Link screamed, lunging at Jeric with his sword. Jeric dodged the first strike, but Link twirled the sword around embedded Beleguial in his calf. Jeric yelled as blood flowed down his leg. Blood that was so dark it was nearly black. He grunted and stretched a hand towards Link. A dark force wrapped his arms tightly and drove Link into the wall. The crushing force began to squeeze the air from his lungs.
"Perhaps now that a surface Sheikah's blood has been added to the Letting, it will be sufficient enough for the Breaking. After I've added yours, of course." Jeric's hand slowly began clenching, squeezing Link tighter and tighter. His vision began to narrow, blackening around the edges, and his mind lost focus. Then he was released. He fell several feet to the ground, coughing and gasping as his ribs ached from the magical force. He managed to lift his throbbing head. Jeric was frozen in place, a nasty scowl upon his face.
"Genicca! What do you think you are doing!"
"I cannot allow you to kill him," she said shakily.
"This is treason, you know! I will kill you for this! And I will kill all those you love! Blood for the Letting!"
"I cannot allow you to kill anyone else. I'm sorry, Father."
"Father?" Link echoed.
Jeric let out a strangled yell, which was cut off. His eyes went wide, and it was clear he was suffocating. The focused look in Genicca's eyes revealed that she was telling his body to shut down. And it was beyond Jeric's control. Link took the opportunity to reach out to Sheik's immobile form. His body was cold, like it had been dead for hours rather than minutes. For Sheik was indeed dead. And from what he could tell, so was Mirwen.
"Dead?" he whispered. "Not dead...can't be dead..."
The blood from each body had slowed to a sluggish dripping. The channel of blood was nearly empty. The Letting was complete. Link felt a black hole in his gut, like Ganondorf had punched him through. His hand trembled and fell from Sheik's arm. He stared at the dull ruby eyes, wishing they'd blink. He reached up and closed the lids with two fingers, then froze as the emptiness inside turned into a flaring pain. He looked down at the black pole protruding from his chest. He choked, unable to breath. Hot breath skimmed his neck.
"You'll never win, Hero," came Jeric's voice as Link sank to his knees, then succumbed to the darkness.
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Caranril: Muwahahahahahahahaha! I'm not gonna tell you nothin'!
Legolas: Mmph!
Caranril: And Legolas is bound and gagged so he can't tell you either! The ultimate cliffhanger: is this the end, or is there more? Wait 'til next week! Oh and please review!