Chapter Twenty-Seven - Link Returns
"Link!" Zelda shouted, rushing to Link, who had just stumbled into the castle. "Someone! Help!"
Within seconds, three guards and the doctor surrounded her. Link stood slowly and looked sadly at Zelda.
"I'm... sorry..." he said before collapsing to the ground.
-
"Ugh, where am I?" Link asked, trying to sit up. He fell back onto the bed as pain coursed through him.
"You're awake," Zelda said.
"It takes a bit more than a scratch to keep me down," he responded, sitting up again.
"What happened out there?"
"I really don't want to talk about it..."
"Was it that bad?"
"No, but..."
"But what?"
"I went too far, Zelda."
"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, walking over to him.
"I almost killed him. I ran him through with my sword. If he wasn't invincible, he would be lying dead out there."
"You tried your best."
"That's not what's wrong! I got mad and tried to kill him. I ran him through the throat! What if I get mad again like that? Who would I end up killing the next time?"
"You're not a killer."
"Yes I am! I took my sword and I cut open his throat! That would kill a normal person no exceptions!"
"He's not a normal person."
"So? That doesn't mean that I might not do the same to anyone else when provoked!"
"What got you that mad?"
"I, I can't say..."
Zelda nodded. "Don't worry. Whatever it was, I doubt it will happen again."
"But what if it does?"
"Then I'll be there to stop you."
Link moved a bit, and almost collapsed once more from the searing pain that rushed through his body. He fell back with a gasp as the pain tripled, then vanished.
"Link!"
"I'm... fine. Just... gimmie a sec."
"There's something that's preventing your blood from clotting. It's slowing the healing to a crawl. It will heal, but you'll have a bad scar."
"A reminder of what my anger leads to. The proof that even the Hero of Time has an evil side."
"Don't think like that."
"How am I supposed to think, Zelda?"
"I don't know, just not how you're thinking now! That Dark Link did something to you."
Link sighed. "I'll be fine, just give me some time."
Zelda nodded. "Just tell me if you need anything."
-
If he hadn't said that I couldn't kill him, would I have done it? I don't think I would, but I don't know... I know I'm not a killer, but could exceptions be made for those who are invincible?
Ignoring the immense pain that was telling him to stay down, Link stood up and walked to the door. Using most of his strength to open it, he stumbled out of the room, only to run into Zelda, who was on her way back to check up on him.
"Link, you shouldn't be up in your condition."
"I've been injured worse than this before."
"So? This time you're not healing as well."
"I don't care. I'm not stopping because of some cut."
"Stopping? What are you planning on doing?"
"Eating."
Zelda smiled. The Link she knew was back.
-
Dark Link walked into the Gerudo Fortress. After shouting at some guards for trying to arrest him, he entered a large building that was obviously important to the Gerudos.
"Ah, just the clone I wanted to see," Ganon commented as Dark Link came into view.
"I'm not a clone, I'm a shadow."
"Like I care? Just tell me how you're coming along."
Dark Link nodded. "Let's just say that the Hero of Time isn't quite so much the hero."
"So, the little twerp is taken care of. Now, continue where you left off."
"Sir?" Dark Link asked, surprised.
"You heard me. In his state, he can't be too hard to kill."
"He's injured."
"Which should make your job a whole lot easier."
"You want me to kill him while he's hurt?"
"Did I stutter?" Ganon asked, slightly aggravated.
"I may be evil, manipulative, and a monster, but I have enough honor to know it's not a fair fight if he's injured!"
Ganon sighed. "You and your honor. Fine. Give him time to heal, then follow up on your threats. Until then, you can help on my grand plan."
Dark Link nodded, an evil smirk spreading across his face. "Works for me."
-
"Link, you sure you're okay?" Saria asked.
Link nodded. "Besides the excruciating pain, I'm fine."
Zelda rolled her eyes as she sat down. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"Yup! Impossible to defeat, impossible to keep down, impossible to feed, the list goes on!"
"Here's one for you: impossible to deal with."
Link merely stuck his tongue out at Saria.
"Do you want your face to freeze like that? What would you do then, huh?"
"I'd have an interesting time eating food."
Saria sighed and stood up. "Well, I'd best be off now that you're okay."
Link froze. "No!"
"What?"
"Please, stay here for a few days."
Both Saria and Zelda stared at Link. "You're sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, but please, stay for a few days."
Saria nodded. "If you insist."
