Chapter 20
"Looks like we have company," one guard muttered. A grin swept across his face. "Finally, some action." Eril looked worriedly at the approaching stranger. The rest of the party stayed behind a reasonable distance. Something felt wrong...
"And look too, they have a horse with them. Which just reminds me of how hungry I am," another laughed. A string of saliva was already clinging from his chin.
"They look like trouble. We probably shouldn't bother them," Eril chipped in. The two stared at him before roaring with laughter. Eril then gasped as he recognized Link. Yes, those eyes, that scent. It was undeniably the one who savaged his kin Serp. "Look, it's him! The one Vonndrake wants." He thrust a finger at the boy. The other guards stopped their laughing and turned their attention to them.
"You're worried over a human boy?" one mocked. "Why, he looks barely nineteen. He shouldn't be too much trouble." Eril held out his hand.
"No, you're mistaken; he's not a Hylian–" Too late. By the time he realized Link had bared down on them within a matter of seconds, unsheathed his sword and taken a swipe almost impossible to track. All three guards turned.
"You missed," the guard to the left said. Link straightened up and glowered at him.
"Did I?" he asked. Before the guard could respond he suddenly coughed out a thick cloud of blood. The others watched in silent horror as an ever widening line of red appeared on his neck. His head slid sideways, allowing a gruesome fountain of blood to erupt as his body flopped forwards. Beads of sweat clung to Eril's skin.
"Dirty little bastard," he cursed. "You'll pay for this." Link didn't wait for him to make a move. Already he was running forwards, sword held out to deliver the fatal blow.
"Oh no you don't" the remaining guard snarled, about to counter. "That trick won't work on us twice." He struck out, yet Link easily jumped backwards, then slashed down. Another spray of blood and the guard's arm was falling freely to the ground. A scream tore out of his throat.
"Did you think I was stupid enough to try that twice? You must be an even bigger idiot than I thought," Link growled. His grip on the sword's handle tightened. "Don't interfere." Link left the werewolf crying in pain and instead stalked to Eril.
"Don't look at me like that," Eril whined, starting to step backwards. "I wasn't the one who set them on you, honestly." Link kept on approaching.
"Aren't you going to finish off what you started?" Link asked, now stopping. "Or are you too afraid? I think I smell piss on you." Eril snarled, half angered, half petrified. He was afraid, but he wasn't going to admit that to him anytime soon. Besides, he was assured he could easily take Link on. The other two were stupid, had their guard down. If he fought...he would win. No doubt about it. And so he thought.
"I have nothing to fear," Eril snapped, finally getting some courage. "You're just a mere pup, an inexperienced little–" He stopped, suddenly unable to talk. Link had his sword embedded in his gut. "How...when did you?"
"You talk too much," Link muttered, and kicked Eril down. "Lecturing me to death is not a literal meaning." He placed his foot onto the man's throat, throttling the life out of him. It didn't take long for his eyes to start bulging from his head. His face was now a dark crimson, his veins clearly visible beneath the skin.
"Tell...me something...did you, did you..." Link stared down at his bloodshot eyes.
"Kill him?" he whispered. Eril locked eyes with him. "Yeah, I did." More pressured was applied, and Link felt Eril's trachea crack beneath his foot. The werewolf trembled fitfully, and then went limp. A moment Link stared down at the now dead being before turning away.
"Link, I can't believe you took down three werewolves all by yourself," Malon said once she and the others had gotten to his side. "You're okay, right?"
"Yes, but I still have Vonndrake to take care of, and possibly more of his blind followers inside," Link explained.
"But I don't get it. If Vonndrake wants you so badly, why bother putting guards in the way?" Xanath asked a little confused. "You would think he would just let you stroll in or something."
"It's because he wants assurance that Link is the one he needs. Rather than let the path free, he would put ever stronger werewolves in the way, just to make sure," Dante said.
"Or he's trying to tire Link," Malon said quietly. Everyone turned to her. "If you think about it, if Link tries to oppose him then it would be easier to get rid of a tired person than someone who is fully energized." Link clenched his teeth. Sooner or later he was going to meet up with more werewolves, and he knew he couldn't evade every single one of them for long. It would be easier to run away, but that would mean he would be betraying the land, betraying the princess. Even as he thought of her, her scent was wafting up his nostrils.
"What?" Link's head snapped towards the camp, his eyes shuddering. That couldn't be possible. From this distance, her scent should be faint, barely detectable. But now her scent was stronger than ever.
"What's the matter? Is someone coming?" Xanath asked. Link ignored him and took off without them, getting closer and closer. Was it a mistake? Were his senses playing up on him or something? Another waft and Link halted, his legs daring to buckle beneath him. 'What is this?' Link agonized, feeling sick. 'I killed her...I killed her a long time ago...so why do I smell her now? This shouldn't be?' Link pressed on forwards, his heart hammering in his chest. Why did he smell both Zelda and Nisih?
"You look terrible," someone muttered. Link looked in the general direction and stared into the icy gaze of a white werewolf.
His eyes weren't lying to him. Before him stood a pure white werewolf.
"How long has it been since you killed me?" the wolf growled, now stalking to his side. "How long has your heart ached for me?" Link stared, unable to form words. This, this couldn't be real, this had to be a dream...only that...
He was awake...
"Nisih," he said, and fell onto his knees. His hair fell forwards, concealing his face. The wolf padded forwards and nudged his face.
"Do you know how long I have been longing for you? How many nights I have cried your name, and felt the pain of death over and over?" Nisih whispered, pressing her muzzle against his neck. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right this instant?" Link's arms were trembling. "Should I damn you to the same fate that you sent me into?"
"Nisih, I–" Link suddenly embraced the wolf, and pulled her into him. His head was nestled into her shoulder. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I killed you. I should have never laid a finger on you." The wolf's eyes widened with surprise. "Ever since you died, I've been hurting. I've been so alone. You were always there even when I hated you, despised your presence. But now...without you..." Link's grasp tightened.
"Why should I accept your apology," Nisih said, closing her eyes. "You who killed me for the sake of that bitch of a princess..." Link said nothing. The wolf gave a long, drown out sigh."And for all the trouble you went through in saving her, somehow you managed to get her caught. Take better care of Zelda for me." He withdrew from her a little.
"Zelda?" Link questioned. At that moment a dark form separated from the white wolf, now stood before him. Nisih, in all her dead glory. Her eyes were the only things that stayed the same. Link got to his feet, his gaze planted at the squirming wolf below him. "What did she do to deserve this?" He was about to voice his anger but Nisih spoke before he could.
"I helped her escape, nothing more than that," Nisih muttered. "But…" she paused, staring straight at Link. "She had to know the pain you went through, the pain of becoming a beast without control." Link stared back. He didn't argue, didn't object. Everyone, especially Zelda, thought it was him being too weak to control the bestial impulses. How sorely wrong they were. To deny the beast was like denying the need to eat. It would only get worse and worst; one's mind will only focus on that aspect until satisfaction was gained.
"Hey," Nisih said, bringing him back from thought, "I don't have much time left in this life. And before I go, I have something to give you." She walked so close to him that she could feel his breath washing down her face. "In order to defeat my father, you need to be truly awakened." Link naturally was going to ask how. But he didn't get the chance to when Nisih's lips suddenly pressed against his. Link's eyes widened. Something deep within him erupted; his blood suddenly began to burn. More so the wolf was stirring. It was wanting, no, demanding to be let out. And Link nearly did so if Nisih hadn't withdrawn.
"I…always wanted to do that," she whispered, smiling. "With you being awakened now, you have the strength to defeat my father. But, it doesn't guarantee your victory." Another smile and Nisih began to fade.
"What, what did you do to me?" Link asked. "I feel so strange." A somewhat dismayed look crossed the girl's face. She had to tell him, for his own sake.
"I got rid of what little humanity you had left. Because a werewolf that isn't true to his nature is a danger to himself and others. Your humanity is not needed, not now, not ever," Nisih muttered, growing more faded by the second. "And when you killed me, you destroyed all hope of getting a cure. I am the only one who could remove my own blood, but without my body and with it sitting in the guts of lost monsters..." she turned away, and disappeared from his sight. "I'm sorry."
A low whine from below brought Link's attention to the white wolf. She was still there, whimpering in helpless pain…and fear. Link knelt down and placed a hand on the wolf's head.
"The pain will abate soon," he said quietly. "You'll have to wait a while though before you can change back. Forcing it now could kill you." The wolf's eyes narrowed and a slight snarl curled on her lips.
/You've lost everything now…/ Zelda growled. /Why would you betray me like this? After all you've gone through…all the pain and trails I had to put up with, and your intolerable behaviour...this is how you thank me/ Link locked eyes with her, unfaltering.
"It was gone already—"
/Shut your lying mouth Link. I'm sick of hearing your excuses. You're such a miserable being/ the wolf snapped before Link could argue. /As far as I am concerned, from the very moment you turned wolf and tasted blood, you were hooked. I should have listened to the council members…I should have ended your life. Because with your humanity gone, what is stopping you from killing us? You're nothing more than a beast/ Link shook his head slowly, and turned his back to her.
"You hate me don't you? Hate what I have become and hate my decision to stick with it. Or am I lying?" he muttered. The wolf simply snarled. His gaze saddened. "We should have seen it from the beginning…that there was no cure. Luckily for you your state is only for this time…" Zelda had enough. The rage and hurt within was far too much for her to deal with. To have him tear away her trust, and deny himself to that bitch Nisih…
Zelda jumped at him, going straight for the back of his neck.
NOTE: Oh noes, Zelda's lost it. (laughs to herself) Again I must apologise to my readers. Frankly I haven't been motivated nor interested enough to continue the story. But I thought it very unfair if I left it unfinished for those who do enjoy it. / So yeah, I will make the effort.
