Seeing Truth

X

X

X

Chapter 29: Murder

X

X

X

If I had known Ryuichi had been waiting for me I would have never entered my room. I didn't need this right now. I already had enough things to deal with, so why did he have to come now?

My breathing came out short, and my hands were already cramped from holding the sword, and we hadn't even begun to fight just yet. I shuffled around a bit, trying desperately to think of a good first blow. And once I had, it was already too late. Ryuichi was trying to cut me in two, and I just barely missed the slice of his blade. I backed away quickly then made a thrust for his abdomen. He blocked before swinging for me once again. I ducked under, praying my head was still intact. My hands shook in my nervousness, but once the blade of my katana made contact with his- I realized that if I wanted to live through this I was going to have to suck it up; words of wisdom from a person that jumps at the stupidest things.

I hardly had time to parry as Ryuichi's katana came down on me once again. I tumbled to the ground and rolled over as his blade cut through the skin on my arm. I winced in pain, but held back from a whimper. I stood up quickly, ignoring the sudden rush of blood to my head. Instantly, and without warning, I began slashing away with my katana. Ryuichi blocked every time, and after five minutes of no comeback I realized I was being fooled. I had been tiring myself the entire time while he just blocked! I grew irritated, growling in frustration as I backed away. There was no chance of me winning this fight, and I needed help fast. Forget the promise I made! I thought angrily before launching myself toward the door. I ducked under Ryuichi's blade, over the piled up rug, and right into the wooden door. I grasped the doorknob with shaky hands, trying to open the damn thing. My fingers slipped, and I realized that the door was locked, always had been locked. I beat on the door, calling anyone- everyone to help me.

"I didn't come here to play games, Jade." Ryuichi spoke from behind me. I turned around, my eyes narrowed.

"Then you should have never come to Hyrule." I retorted.

Ryuichi laughed coldly, " What a way to put it, Jade. But, if I want the fourth Triforce piece I'll have to get passed you now won't I?"

"That's right." I replied, raising my katana.

"I usually don't break promises, but I'm sad to say I have to this time." He said as he stepped forward.

"Too afraid?" I muttered.

"No, but I think you are." He leered.

I furrowed my eyebrows angrily, "I'm not letting you get away."

"I know, and I haven't decided on letting you get away, either." I cocked my head slightly before I comprehended exactly what he was saying. Before I could get away, Ryuichi had me be my throat, and I was gasping for breath once more. I could feel the current of air as the door swung open behind me. Before I knew it I was in another dark room. From the corner of my eye I noticed a small patch of light where a small candle burned, and where a blonde had fallen asleep.

The little air supply I had was receding too quickly, and I soon found my vision was blurrier as I grew lightheaded. I was too close to unconsciousness to recognize the cold floor underneath me. The black oblivion of unconsciousness was all too familiar as it enveloped me, but soon enough I began to hear the sound of my name being called. It was faint at first, but it grew closer and stronger. I wanted to shut them up, but how could I when I was near oblivion? Someone picked me up- I could feel that much. Whoever it was, they were warm and their voice was smooth and reassuring.

I tried as hard as I could to open my eyes. The first try was terrible; the dim light was enough to blind me, but I didn't give up just yet. The second try wasn't so bad. I made out a dark, blurry figure towering over me; in a way it looked familiar. I tried again, and this time the voices and the sounds made more sense. The figure above me had brown hair and dark hazel eyes, and his voice was soothing over the sound of metal clashing together… metal…metal? My God! I passed out again! I snapped my head to see what was going on, but I was moving. I needed to see, but Kado was blocking my view. I didn't have much time to think of his arms around me as I struggled to get out of his grip.

"Jade, calm down. It's just me!" Kado whispered fiercely as he held me tighter to his chest.

"I have to help them!" I exclaimed, trying to writhe away. Yea, and fall face flat on the ground, my subconscious muttered in the back of my head.

"It'll be fine, Jade. Please…" he began again.

"No!" I felt myself being dropped on something soft- Link's bed.

"Jade! Please!" Kado tried to hold me down, but I wasn't letting them handle this all by themselves, again.

"I'm sorry, Kado." I said as I kicked him away and rolled off the bed.

"Jade!" his voice was just a muffle as I ran after the fight apparently being held in Link's temporary living room. All the furniture had been turned over, and every scrap of fabric had been torn. If it hadn't been for Kado's arm wrapping around my waist I would have been dead. He pulled me to the floor just as Ryuichi's blade cut through the air where my head had just been.

"Are you alright?" he whispered next to me.

"Yeah." I muttered as we backed away. I fought the urge to jump in and help Link, but after realization hit that I had no weapon I couldn't do much. I hadn't heard a single footstep with my pounding headache as Kenny bounded in with his katana.

"What's going on?" he asked as he rushed to our side.

"Ryuichi wants all the Triforce pieces." I said quickly before adding in the last part, "He has the last Triforce piece." Kenny nodded before heading toward the direction of the fight.

"Usually guards come in by this time." I said to Kado, baffled.

"He's holding them back." He acknowledged as he stood up. I glanced at him, perplexed, but shrugged it off completely when I realized what he was doing.

"Where are you going?" I asked, gripping his sleeve.

"I need to help them, Jade." He answered, unsheathing his sword, "Stay here. I'll be back. I promise." I grumbled as he ran off to join the fight. I wanted so badly to help them, and I was just so afraid to leave then come back to find the three people I most cared about dead, and Ryuichi gone with the all the Triforce pieces. I gripped my stomach at the thought.

I shook my head then stood up. I had to help, and I wasn't letting Ryuichi get away. I stumbled toward the doorway while at the same time resisting the urge to glance their direction. I was one step away from leaving the room when a loud thump stopped me in the middle of my tracks. I snapped my head their direction: three fought- Kenny, Ryuichi, and Kado. Where was Link? My eyes searched desperately for the Kokiri. I found him seconds later; he was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. His head lolled to the side, and my heart raced. I rushed across the room, my legs shaking.

"Link!" I called just as my knees made contact with the stone floor. His eyes opened slowly, and I grabbed his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jade." He muttered, his voice weak.

That wasn't good enough. I growled in frustration, "Where are the damn guards!" Before I could curse a little more while trying to keep Link in conscious mode I heard a yelp behind me. My head snapped to their direction once more confirming that now Kado was the only one fighting Ryuichi.

"Kado!" I whispered after realizing I didn't want to catch his attention. I stood up ready to run after them, but Link stopped me, grabbing me by my arm. "I have to help him, Link."

Link shook his head before trying to sit up, "It's too dangerous."

"I'm sick of all of you thinking I can't fend for myself. Someone we all care about is out there, and none of you can help him but me." I said, pleadingly. Link watched me slowly, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. I heard a grunt from behind me, and we both watched as Kado fell to the floor. Blood seeped from a wound in his side. I turned to Link; his expression was soft. His hand dropped from my arm, and I smiled for a fleeting second before grabbing his sword and rushing toward Kado.

"Leave him alone, Ryuichi!" I cried as I stepped in front of Kado.

"You, again?" Ryuichi muttered, swinging his katana around.

"Yeah. It's me, again." I seethed, holding Link's sword as if it, too, was a katana.

Ryuichi stepped forward in a blur, tossing me aside. A scream passed my lips as I fell only a few feet away. I watched in horror as he stepped toward Kado. He raised his katana slowly, and everything after seemed to happen so suddenly. I grabbed Link's sword, it's hilt unfamiliar in my raw grasp. The edge of Ryuichi's blade gleamed dangerously as I stumbled over my feet to stand. I saw Kado watch helplessly as he tried to back away, one hand supporting him, and the other running red with blood from his wound. I jumped in front of him quickly, falling to the ground at Ryuichi's feet just as his blade plunged toward Kado's chest. But it was too late. Link's sword penetrated Ryuichi's abdomen. I let go of the hilt, my hands shaking as he backed away. He stared at me, eyes wide, expressionless. He tumbled to the floor and I backed away, not sure of what to do. His chest heaved as he reached for the hilt.

"Ryuichi!" a familiar voice called as footsteps rushed passed me. Kenny kneeled next to his brother, his hands on the hilt of Link's sword. I turned away quickly as the sickening sound of the blade being pulled out reached my ears. I could Ryuichi's gasping breaths as he tried to whisper words to his sibling.

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, and I hastily turned to Kado. I breathed through my clenched teeth as I pulled away the remains of his shirt. The blade had cut deeply through Kado's side. Blood seeped through endlessly and I quickly grabbed the remainders of his shirt. Balling it up, I then pressed it to the wound while trying to avoid the thoughts of what I had just done.

"Jade?" Kado breathed. I glanced at him, "Jade, listen to me." He gasped, his chest heaving as I accidentally put too much pressure on his wound.

"Sorry…" I muttered, keeping my gaze to the once white cloth. A bloodied hand stopped me, and I turned to Kado, confusion etched my face, or was it worry? Guilt?

"You did what you had to… We all knew what had to be done." He whispered before his head slowly dropped to the ground, his eyes closing. He was unconscious. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn't need to see to know that soldiers filed in. They surrounded us, blocking my view of Kenny and of Link then moving closer in on us, and just like last time- they pulled us apart, blocking my view of him. Just like with Kenny, and back in the market. I was lost again. I didn't know what to do. I didn't struggle, I didn't scream; I just waited- waited for them to put me away, or lock me in my room. But no. This time they sat me on the bed, giving me water while someone examined my wounds. I ignored them, though. I stared straight ahead, unblinking as they carried the injured away. How could I think of anything else when I had just killed someone? I murdered someone- no, not just someone; I murdered Ryuichi- Kenny's brother.

It was when I saw the pool of blood on the floor, staining the rug and the stone that I finally gave way to unconsciousness.

XxxxXxxxX

The next morning, I hadn't planned much. I was in my room, in my bed, and under the covers. I had refused to get up when the maids had tried to wake me. They gave up with a huff and left me to wallow in my own misery, but of course without opening the curtains of all the windows and the balcony door to let in all that disturbing light and wind. Birds began chirping approximately after the maids left and I swear, if those birds weren't so far away they would have to face the dark blue fabric of my pillows! But, unfortunately, all I could do was use those pillows as earmuffs for the next three hours. It would have gone to four hadn't a knock been heard at my door.

"Who is it?" I called, my voice muffled.

"It's Kenny." Oh, no… I hadn't planned on talking to him today. How could I face him after what I had done?

"…Come in…" The door creaked open, but I did nothing to greet the visitor.

"Jade?" I heard Kenny call my name as he walked over to the bed.

"Yeah?" I answered back, my voice muffled.

"Can we talk?" the mattress fell slightly to the side, and I assumed he was now sitting right next to me.

"We already are, aren't we?" I muttered.

"I know you feel bad about last night." He hadn't heard me, or maybe he just ignored it. He continued after he realized I wasn't going to say anything, "But please, don't. He got what he deserved." I finally lifted the pillow away from my head, and watched him from the corner of my eye.

"Don't feel bad?" I repeated, "I just… killed someone, and you're telling me not to feel bad." He sighed before playing absentmindedly with the cloth wrapped around my wounded arm.

"Listen: I know it's hard to deal with, but it was going to happen anyway. If you hadn't k-… done what you did, then Kado would be dead- we'd all be dead, and their entire world would be ruined." He tried to explain. I rested my head on the pillow, facing the other direction to face the window. The light breezes calmed me down, as if urging me to go outside.

"It is hard to deal with…" I muttered, closing my eyes.

"Please. Come down later. Use the door down the hallway. Take a left and you'll find us in the courtyard. Okay?" he asked as he stood up.

"I'll see." I replied.

The door opened and closed and I decided the only way to deal with this was to go back to the only place that was actually comforting to me. Unconsciousness. Unfortunately, it wouldn't take me away. I needed fresh air this time. I needed the beach.

X

X

X

Chapter 29 up and running. The last two chapters will come by in the next two weeks, so please stick around to read the very hopefully- suspenseful ending. :D

And again I want to thank you all for reviewing my last chapter. You guys know who you are. : ) And since a few of you figured out my question I updated this sooner! Yay! Lol. So, go ahead and review, peeps: )