Seeing Truth
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Chapter 21:
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Trapped. I can't believe I'm trapped. Out of everything this was actually the worst possible thing to ever happen to me. What if Ryuichi had planned this? What if he had been lying to me the whole entire time? I whimpered from frustration and at the same time- fright. What was I going to do? I'm here all alone with no one to tell me everything is going to be fine. I am so dead. I slowly made my way back to the chair with stiff legs and sat on it. I had to think straight; I couldn't let this be the end of me. I leaned forward and stared at the flames flickering away from me and into the darkness. I slowly gazed around my surroundings. I had no choice. I had to go the only way that I thought I would never have to use again. I stood up and walked over to the closed wooden door. Maybe Kado had closed it, I tried to think reassuringly. I kneeled down next to it, then set the torchlight to lean against the wall. I tried letting it go, but it just continued to roll down to its side. So, with one hand I gripped the torchlight, and the other I grabbed the handle. I pulled as hard as I could, but it wouldn't budge. Surely the hinges would not have rusted over again in such a short time? Right...? I knew it was useless, but I couldn't give up just yet. I picked up the torchlight and walked on top of the plank. I stomped on it, but it only gave out a hollow thump in return. I slammed my foot closer towards the hinges. I thought, will it budge, now? I set the torchlight against the wall one more time and decided to try to pull the plank once more. My knuckles turned white from the strain and I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins, but I couldn't let go just yet. I let go of the torchlight and it fell to the ground, away from me. The stone darkened against the flames as it licked everything dry. I used both of my hands, now, and the hinges creaked in protest. It was going to work. I was going to make it work.
The wooden door swung open and I fell back in surprise and relief. The door rested over my foot, but I didn't care anymore. I was going to get out of here no matter what happened. I slid my foot out from under the plank and my ankle cramped. It cracked as I stretched it. I stood up anyway, ignoring the pain that shot up my legs and spine. I heard the familiar dripping of water in the dank tunnel, but it wasn't loud enough to hide the noise of a bookcase tipping over and crashing into the ground. No other followed so it must have been the first one falling into the main sitting area. I could hear other things- faint things like the clashing of swords and shrieks of pain. I seethed. Something was definitely going on. I had to do something. I kneeled down to inspect the jump down into the tunnel. It didn't seem that bad, but it smelled even worse. I slowly crawled down as I planted my feet into the walls of the tunnel. They sunk in just a little, but not as much as they had the other time. I quickly grabbed the torchlight with both of my hands before allowing my elbows to slide towards the edge of the stone ground of my imprisonment. I dropped down with as much ease as I could gather without falling completely to the muddy ground. I jogged down the tunnel fast enough to make it, but slow enough not to slip. I finally reached the wall- the dry and hardened wall? It was the truth. It was dry and rocky, but how?
It was impossible to climb the wall with a huge torchlight, so I dug it into the muddy ground. It stayed. I glimpsed at it one more time before I finally ascended. My breath became ragged as I reached the half point. I was so close. I couldn't wait to feel the cold night breezes against my face so my teeth could chatter. Yet, I felt nothing. There was no draft of wind, only the stale stench of a rotting earth. I continued to climb and it grew darker not brighter because of the moon. The small upward tunnel grew claustrophobic and I yearned for an open space or someone with me. I grabbed for another piece of rock, but it fell apart in my hand. I brought the chunk of rock closer to my face to inspect it, but then I realized it wasn't the same dirt rock that I had been climbing with, and instead it was grey. I jerked my head up. I had already reached the opening for there was no rock to climb.
I searched for the opening, but it was blocked. Someone had done this, but why? I grimaced in anger and frustration. I growled as I leaned against the tunnel and began breaking away the rocks that held me in. Small chunks of rock broke away in my hand, but nothing bigger than my fist. I scanned the opening, trying to absorb every detail before I began again. I grabbed hold of a rock in the upper right-hand corner and pulled it towards me. Smaller clusters of rocks tumbled down, but I continued to pull until I felt it give way. I threw the large rock away that was about the size of my head- not very reassuring. It made a muffled sound as it made contact with the muddy ground. The sound of crickets chirping assured me that I had actually pulled away the right rock. I breathed in the fresh night air that gave me the energy to continue. I broke away the loose rocks that blocked my way. Soon enough, there was a hole large enough for me to fit through. I gripped the dirt, rocks, and grass and heaved myself up, ignoring the pain that shot through my spine.
The dark, night sky greeted me as I gasped for breath. I could feel the small trickles of rain fall down my face as I lay down on the grass. I looked up at the clouded moon. It was the only light I had to lead me back. There were no streetlights, no car lights, no lights from 24-hour open stores, or even a single flashlight. A wolf howled in the distance, but I didn't jerk my head to the direction it came from or flinch from its piercing cry. The quarter moon finally fell into darkness from the clouds as so did I. I finally stood up with a totter, but continued down the path towards the back-way of the castle. The wolf still bawled out towards the moon as if it had lost its guide. I took one last look at the moon that peeked through the clouds before stepping inside a corridor in the castle. Ever since I was a kid I had been interested in astronomy, but nothing ever seemed to work out for me. I bought star charts, binoculars, and books, but every time I tried to look up, smog would cover the stars. It was useless. I should have never bought those telescopes. They just never seemed to work, so by the next week they were back in the store and hardly used. Piece of crap was all I could think, but what if it was me? What if I was the one who had the problem? I always was, wasn't I?
A loud shriek brought me back to reality and I broke into a sprint towards the library. It was only a few corridors away...one corridor...one corner...one door. I slammed my body against the library's doors while twisting the knob, but it wouldn't open. I tried again and again. Something was in its way. It wasn't locked, but blocked by something huge. I concentrated on one of the two doors and slammed into the door a few more times. It finally opened up a crack and peeked through. The large couch in the main area had been set in front of the doorway. I heard a bang, clashing of metal and angry cries of protest. Tired and furious I still continued to bang against the large, wooden door. It finally opened up about a foot and a half. I squeezed through with clumsiness, but made it to the other side. I practically fell down onto the couch in surrender when I noticed two familiar black-haired boys fighting against each other. No-no-no-no-no-no... I glimpsed around them quickly; the fallen bookcase, the torn up furniture, and three books stacked up on each other carelessly in between Ryuichi and Kenny. Ugh, great, I thought with a sigh. My legs were shaky as I made my way towards the siblings. This is so bad, what do I do? They continued to attack each other than block the others hit, which didn't seem to be going very well. Kenny was already banged up and Ryuichi had hardly a tear on his cloak.
Kenny noticed me from the corner of his eye, but didn't say a word. He quickly swung his blade towards Ryuichi, but his brother blocked it just in time, and, now, neither would release nor go back. Kenny glanced at me then towards the books on the back. Is he trying to tell me something...? Oh, right! Get the books! I stepped forward and leaned down to pick up the books. I scooped only two up in my haste, but finally bent back down to retrieve the other one. It was the smallest book with leather covering and golden inscriptions I could not interpret. I lost my balance and pressed my hand onto the book for support. It slid and my hand went with it towards Ryuichi's boot. I didn't look up, but I could already feel his wicked gaze on my back. He lifted his left foot and slammed his boot against my hand. I gasped for breath because there was none to breath anymore. I steadied my left leg then swung my right in front of me. It slammed into the back of Ryuichi's knees. He stumbled back from the sudden force, but without Kenny's pressure he would have stood some more. He tumbled down and I grabbed my hand back with the book. I crab-walked backwards until my back hit the end of the oak coffee table.
My hand throbbed as blood pulsed back into the veins in my fingers. I watched as the two brothers fought with each other; it looked like a play fight gone bad. Ryuichi was now over Kenny with a sharp scimitar to his neck. No! I wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Kenny struggled with one hand locked onto Ryuichi's neck and the other on his arm. I thought quickly and skimmed the dark library. My eyes lit up when they locked onto a torchlight near the door. I ran to it and slipped it out of its socket. The books in my hand tumbled down to the floor. I cursed inside my head. I looked around once more. Something flickered not too far away from Kenny's head. It was his katana. I placed the torch back then grabbed the books and ran to the sword. I bent down to pick it up as my eyes never left the two in front of me. I glanced towards Ryuichi and realized he was staring at me with a smirk on his lips. Is this all a game to you? Oh, wait, I thought miserably as I tried backing away with the heavy katana in my hand. I needed both my hands, but I couldn't at the moment. I felt hopeless. In a second, Ryuichi had lifted from cutting the throat of his brother to cutting my throat. I breathed in sharply as I stumbled down. His knee dug into my right hand- the one that was holding the katana. I could feel the books slowly slip from my injured fingers, but all I could think of was the warm liquid trickle down onto my neck. I gulped and watched Ryuichi stare down at me with a wicked smile. He wasn't going to get away with this, I thought as I looked around and finally realized something. I slowly wriggled my right leg from under my left and shoved my knee forward to collide with my target. Ryuichi doubled over and I snatched the books back from his hand. I grabbed the katana and rolled away from him. With an unbalanced grip on the katana, I readied to use it no matter what happened. I walked shakily towards Ryuichi as he stood up unsteadily. I grimaced from pain, but held it back as I saw him unsheathe a sword.
"You actually want to fight?" he asked wryly.
"After what you did? I think so..." I replied darkly. Before he could answer back or possibly make the first move to attack, voices sounded in the distance and the door began to bang open. The couch hardly moved any. I glanced the door's way, then back to where Ryuichi had been standing. I looked around frantically until a voice close to my ear froze me.
"We will finish this..." he said coldly then disappeared into the shadows as I would guess. I ran over to Kenny, the katana dragging behind me, and kneeled down. He was breathing raggedly, his eyes were closed and his lips dry and parted.
"Kenny...?" I asked softly, "Kenny, can you hear me?" His eyes slowly opened and I stared at him desperately. He tried to smile, but they pressed together in pain and his eyes shut tightly. "Are you okay?" I glanced down at him and realized that was the wrong question to ask. Blood had soaked through his shirt where a large part of it had been torn, but his neck seemed fine. I decided to try again and asked this instead, "Where are you hurt?"
"I think...my...abdomen..." the last word came out in a whisper. He must've taken health a time or another. I ripped the torn part of his shirt a little wider to inspect the large gash that now plagued his abdomen. I bit my lip and scrunched my nose. How could your own brother do this to you? I wanted to ask him so many other questions, but now was not the time. I heard the sofa slide across the stone tile with a squeak. Soldiers rushed through the now open door. I didn't look up, but I heard them come towards us and surround the area.
"I'm so sorry. I should have told you." I said as my eyes traveled back to his face.
The soldiers ordered me to do something, but I ignored them through all their useless words and only listened to Kenny. "Don't be... Actually, it should be me that should be sorry..." he said in a whisper.
"What? What for?" I asked confusedly.
"...For trapping you in that room..." my mouth sat agape as he stared at me with a small smirk forming on his lips. I felt hands grip my elbows and pull me to stand. I tried to wrestle with them, but they wouldn't let me go. Tears formed around my eyes. I couldn't actually think he would die, could I? Kenny's strong, I tried to reassure myself, but it was useless as he closed his eyes and breathed once more until my view of him was finally obscured.
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I sat on my sofa in the room, my legs hugged to my chest, and my knuckles white from the strain of wanting to let go. I was cramped up, but I wouldn't let go. Zelda was sitting next to me with a hand on my knee as she tried to reassure me that everything would be alright, but I knew it was a lie. It was my entire fault, and I wanted to break down and cry for letting this happen, but I just couldn't. I wanted to be alone, but they wouldn't allow me; they thought I would run away... Now why would they think that? Zelda said if I didn't let her stay with me than she would send in Eric, so without another word from her- I agreed.
A soft knock on the door took both of our attention. Zelda stood up slowly and walked to the door. In the doorway stood Eve; she had a solemn face, but it was as if she was trying to hide something. I watched them wearily as they whispered to each other in low voices.
"I'll be back, Jade." I nodded. Finally, I thought, but they wouldn't leave me that easily. The door closed only half way, and footsteps slowly receded. A few minutes past until the door slowly creaked open. Zelda walked in with her hand trailing behind her. It was connected with another- a familiar gauntleted hand. His face appeared in the doorway. His blue eyes locked onto mine and I quickly turned my head to look at the flames licking in the fireplace. I heard him walk over to me, but I didn't turn to look at him. Naturally, for some stupid, perfect blonde who'd be crying at the moment, would jump up and be all over him, and crying, but I wasn't stupid, crying, or even blonde- well, that part didn't matter. I flinched back when he tried to rest his hand on my shoulder. He didn't have any impact on me; I didn't need him here just because of this, but he wouldn't leave me alone.
I heard him sigh, "I'm so sorry, Jade... Please, we want to help you, but you won't tell us anything."
"You want to help me?" I snapped at him, "Then leave me alone." I craned my neck to look at him. He was tired- I could tell with his disheveled hair (no hat at the moment), and wrinkled tunic. I suddenly felt sorry for him. He bit his lip then stood up. They walked to the door, all three of them, without a word.
Link turned to me in the doorway and whispered, "I'm sorry..." He closed the door and left me in my room. I rested my forehead on my knees as warm trickles fell down my cheeks.
"I am, too." I whispered to the dark, before I cried myself to sleep.
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I woke up at the crack of dawn without realizing it until a rooster crowed in the distance. I stretched out my tired legs before standing up. My back cracked when I stretched while standing and that was when everything from last night flooded back to me. Kenny was gone- at least what I got from everyone else. They had not told me if he was doing fine or even in critical condition, and I had no control over it, but I could stop his killer, couldn't I? Or was that me?
I splashed water on my face before deciding to take a full bath instead. The warm water relaxed me as far as it could go, and by the end, I felt energized enough without food. I didn't want to wake anyone, mostly because I didn't want to talk to anyone. I threw my old clothes in the hamper, which was actually a basket, but that didn't matter. I dressed up in black pants, a black shirt with three-quarter sleeves and a black overcoat I found hung up in the armoire. I pulled my hair into two tight braids with my bangs to the side. I walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind me quietly. I felt as though I was in a hotel or something. I made my way outside into the chilly air. The guards watched me wearily, but I avoided them. I wanted to stick my hands into my pockets, but I realized I didn't have any. I mumbled something about how stupid the middle ages were, and made my way to the market.
Merchants were just beginning to set up shop, and seemed annoyed that a supposedly perfectly good customer from the castle was slipping through their fingers. Well, too bad, I have no money, I thought as I passed them and onto the fountain in the middle of the town square. I sat down and watched the colorful fish lazily swim by without a care in the world. Footsteps finally became common in the market, so I found it useless to turn around every time I thought someone was approaching me. I crossed my legs in an Indian style on the fountain and watched the fish go by on my left and the entrance to the castle on my right. Kenny's face popped into my head and I couldn't help but think of if they were to have a funeral for him. So, what if he wasn't dead? But he had to be, right? I saw him slip away right before me. I held back the tears and tried to concentrate on something else until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jerked away, but came face to face with Link.
"I'm sorry, Jade. I didn't mean to scare you." He said softly. He looked better today.
I shook my head, "No, it's okay. I'm just jumpy today." I placed my feet back onto the ground as he sat next to me.
"You look cute today." I stared at him skeptically, but he continued, "I've never seen you in braids before." I stared down at the ground without glancing at him. "I'm so sorry, Jade. I don't know what to say. It's not your fault, though. I've been through things like this before, and I know it's hard."
"How can you say that? All you have ever killed have been monsters- not friends..." I said, anger etching my voice.
"You didn't kill him. I know it's hard, but..." he trailed off.
"What?" I snapped, "He's not home anymore. I can't say he's going to a better place, because he probably doesn't believe in what you do, so how can he be anywhere, now?" He stayed silent.
"You can't say that. You don't know where he went, and I don't know either, but we have to do what he can, now, and forget the past." He said softly.
"I can't..." tears filled my eyes and I tried to blink them away, but they only continued to blur my vision. He placed a hand on mine, but I didn't flinch away.
"I have to go look for the other three pieces, soon." He said and I glanced at him in surprise.
"You found a piece already?" I asked in amazement, and he smiled. "No way."
"Really. I did. I was surprised myself." He said as if trying to change the subject without my knowing.
"So, does that mean I get to come with you?"
"What? No." he replied in bewilderment.
"What! Why not? You said yourself how fast you found it."
"But that doesn't mean that the others will be easier."
"Please, Link." I begged him, "For Kenny. So, the guy who did this to him won't get away."
He shook his head, "I don't know."
"You have to know. I don't know how Kenny is..." I stopped when I saw Link's face. "No, please, don't tell me..."
"I'm so sorry, Jade." He whispered.
"You can't let me stay here. What good will I do? I can't read Hylian, so how can I help research?" I pleaded with him. For the first time I felt like I was hanging by a thread.
"It's too dangerous. Please, don't. I looked through those books, and I found where I need to go, but I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Either way I will. I have been hurt. What's going to stop me from getting hurt any further?" His eyes traveled to my bruised hand- the one Ryuichi had stepped on last night. He inhaled deeply before letting go. He took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair.
"We have to get Zelda's permission first." My eyes lit up as he turned to look at me with a sympathetic smile.
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Well, there you go. I hope this wasn't too short, but I wanted to get it up already. Finals sucked, but I'm over it. Anyhoo, this chapter had a lot of angst- that is such a weird word- than I thought. There'll be a little more in the next chapter, but it'll lighten up soon. I hope you guys liked this chapter, which will finally begin the whole point of the story. FINALLY, yes, I know. Thank you for all the people who actually took the time to R&R my story. 4 times the amount of reviews from last chapter is the number of people on favorite's list. I wonder where everyone has gone. Hmph, ah well. As long as I have you guyz, I feel happy! Yay! Cookies for everyone! Okay, I'm off my rocker here, heh, that's a funny thing to say... no wonder I never say it! Yikes! Gotta go!