A.N.: Ugh. We have to register for this important thing online and since a bajillion (okay, more like several hundred) people are trying to go on the same webpage at once, it's super slow for me to do what I have to do for school. Bad for me, but good for you, because it means I'll be writing this story in the meanwhile. Dang it, I hope it's better tomorrow (but readers like you would probably be crossing fingers for the system to break down again so I'll be forced to write more).

Chapter 14: Dreaming

Hyrule was his. Without Link to stop him, taking over the region had been incredibly easy. Vaati took his time, gradually sending a stream of monsters to the east one day, and then to the west the next. Dethl was ecstatic and giggled constantly, and Vaati occasionally let the shadow wreak havoc wherever it wanted to.

Time was difficult to gauge in Dethl's world. Vaati couldn't tell if it had only taken a few days or if several months had already passed. He decided at least a month must have passed – how else would he have found the time to design and establish some of the best dungeons he had ever created? Not that he had any use for them since the Hero of Time was missing, but it was something of a tradition and he couldn't take over Hyrule without creating dungeons. He made one of them full of spiders in dedication to the arachnophobic hero.

"Master Vaati, this is magnificent! The way you have made this world is what we have always dreamed to have." Dethl appeared next to Vaati, the grin still stuck on its face. Vaati was in Hyrule castle's throne room, watching with half-interest the region's most beautiful maidens perform a dance. The mage waved the shadow away as he was beginning to tire of Dethl's constant bubbly voice.

"Leave me, Dethl. Go terrorize the gorons if there are any left."

"With pleasure, master Vaati! We will do as you wish."

The sorcerer sighed as the shadow disappeared. He was supposed to be happy; he had achieved his lifelong goal. He held god status in this world, as everything he put to mind came true. Vaati had married Princess Zelda even, in a flight of fancy. Ha, that had been…interesting. Dethl had been able to make the personalities of the people in this world so real that Vaati couldn't tell the difference between Dethl's Zelda and the Zelda back on the other world. The princess had screamed and blasted him with white magic the moment he had appeared.

"My dear Zelda, I want you to go back to your room now," Vaati drawled as the maidens finished their dance.

The princess, who was standing next to the mage, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes my love."

Blast it. Even the princess was beginning to bore him. Vaati had wished the princess to be older (Dethl's princess was around Link's age) and that she be completely intrigued by him. His wish came true, and it had been so easy that they had married the day after they met. It was too easy. Vaati needed a distraction.

"We can be your jester, if you like."

The mage jumped as Dethl materialized in front of him. He growled. "I thought I told you to go to Death Mountain."

The shadow giggled. "Yes, but the gorons have all but disappeared. We think we overdid it the last time."

"Well, go create another goron population on Death Mountain to obliterate. I don't care what you do, just leave me."

Dethl kept its grin. "Of course, master Vaati. We just assumed you were quite…bored." It laughed as it disappeared.

Vaati made sure Dethl was gone before he stood up and made his way to the courtyard. He was beginning to think that he had been wrong about what he had wanted. It was the process of getting to the goal that had thrilled him, and now that it was so bloody easy to achieve his goals everything had lost its glow.

He walked slowly to the place where he had once took part in the Picori Festival, where he had first met an incarnation of Link. He chuckled. That day was fun. He snapped his fingers and a festival sprung up around the castle, just like at the Picori Festival hundreds of years ago. Vaati shook his head and the festivities disappeared. Frightfully similar as it was, it just wasn't the same. The sorcerer looked to the sky and decided to visit a place he had always felt at home.

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"You time traveled," Medli said disbelievingly.

Link threw his hands up in the air. "See? That's why I didn't want to tell you. I knew you wouldn't believe me!"

The girl smiled. "It is unbelievable. But maybe with you it's possible."

"Yeah. Hero of Time? The weirdest things happen to me," Link grumbled. "So, am I different from my other me?"

"A little, but not too much. Um, actually, I didn't really get to know the other you." Medli watched the sun beginning to set on the horizon. The two didn't admit it, but they were becoming anxious about the absence of the mage who had been gone since noon. They had tried to avoid mentioning Vaati throughout the course of their conversation. Medli looked down at her feet. "It's getting late. Um, if you want, we can find you a room to stay in at the village."

The temperature was becoming cooler as the day was coming to an end, and the sharp wind bit at their ears. Link pulled his tunic as close to him as possible and snuggled his hat over his ears to stay warm. "I'm staying here. You should go, Medli. I'm responsible for him, and you shouldn't be forced to sit it out with me."

"But you might catch a cold."

"I'm staying. You should go." The answer was definitive, and Medli saw there was no point in arguing. She nodded without saying a word and flew off back towards the base of the mountain. Once she had left, Valoo stirred again.

"O hero. I commend your determination, but I am afraid of the reason why the sorcerer hasn't returned yet. If he should not return by the time the sun rises, you must assume he will never return."

Link huddled into a ball and stared out across the blood red sea. He would stay up the entire night if he had to.

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Vaati stood with his eyes closed at the Palace of Winds. He was at the top of the palace where he had fought different Links multiple times. Vaati pondered over his current world. A Hyrule without the Hero of Time - that's not Hyrule at all. Perhaps he could finish what he had meant to do all these years right here, in this perfect world. He had everything he could ever want. Why should he forfeit this dream to wake up to one where he had no magic, where everything was below the ocean, and where he would have a goddess awful time succeeding in finding ultimate power? Should I?

Vaati opened his eyes and wished. A battle-hardened boy with the garb of the Hero of Time appeared before him, the Master Sword in hand. It was the Link that he had met before their misadventure had occurred, the only difference being that he held the Master Sword instead of the Four Sword. Vaati transformed into a dark eye and leathery wings extended as he prepared for the fight. Let's end this for good, boy.

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Link felt something nudge his shoulders and he took a peek from under his hat he had jammed over his face to keep away the cold. He saw two red eyes. "Vaati?"

Medli laughed. "No, silly. I came back. Here, wear this and take this blanket." She passed them to Link who took them gratefully. Night had fallen, and the top of the mountain was becoming unbearably cold. Medli sat next to Link and snuggled inside her own blanket.

"You don't have to stay with me," Link began.

"No, no. I want to. Don't worry about me Link."

After a while, Link managed to say one word. "Thanks."

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Pathetic, Vaati thought a little sadly as the Hero of Time struggled to stand up. The boy was beaten badly, and his breath came out in ragged gasps. The Master Sword clattered to the ground, but the boy never expressed a look of defeat. Bleeding and battered, Link steadied himself and took out a bow. Why do you continue, you fool? The hero shot an arrow towards the floating eye but it burst into flames before it reached its target. I should end this. I should. Just one stoning spell and it'll be over. I would have legitimately defeated Link and my mind would be put to rest. The eye squinted in a glare and the pupils flashed crimson to start a spell. The boy tensed, expecting the finishing blow, but it never came.

Finally, Vaati wished Link away and the broken boy disappeared. The eye twitched and reverted back to Hylian, and Vaati kicked himself for his act of cowardice. He couldn't fathom why he couldn't do it, and he put his hands to his face to agonize over what had happened. What's wrong with me?

"Master Vaati! We couldn't find you at Hyrule Castle! Is something the matter?"

The sorcerer scowled as Dethl appeared again. He was beginning to see the shadow as a nuisance. "What do you want now?"

"We want more, master Vaati. We want more darkness, yes." The shadow bobbed up and down in the air. "Master could do a better job, we think. We will help in any way we can."

Something that had been bothering Vaati at the back of his mind pushed its way past all the turmoil and popped up with a blaring warning. He narrowed his eyes at the shadow who was still grinning. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Oh, just a good guess," Dethl giggled.

Vaati became alert. Dethl, he realized, might have the ability to read his mind. The shadow always knew where to find him, knew of his history, knew his name - practically knew everything about him, in fact.

"And that, master Vaati, was a very good guess. We knew you were clever the moment we saw you," Dethl said amiably. "Come now, master Vaati. Don't be so bitter. We can work together to make this world more perfect. We hold you in high regard for your evilness." A hint of sarcasm was present, but it was too subtle to catch clearly. Vaati gritted his teeth when he heard Dethl confirm his suspicions. The last thing he wanted was someone who knew him inside out.

"No. I am leaving." He had made up his mind. This place wasn't where he should be, and he had a feeling he wouldn't miss what he was going to leave behind. He looked at his hands and concentrated until he could see the binding runes again, and then cleared his mind until the Palace of Winds and all of Hyrule disappeared into the void once more. Dethl cocked its head.

"Why? You were doing such a good job. The best master we've had in a while for sure."

"I'm leaving," Vaati repeated flatly, and then walked in a small circle wondering how he was going to make this last wish come true.

Dethl saw this and cackled. "We're sorry, but that isn't an option, master Vaati. We will follow all your orders except for that one. Now let us continue what we were doing." Vaati snarled and swiped at the shadow, but Dethl warped behind him and giggled. "We make such a great team, master Vaati! Stay with us."

"Last time someone said that I told them I would kill them," the mage hissed. He felt like punching Dethyl so its annoying grin would go away.

"We know that, master Vaati, you said that to Link. Master can't hide anything from us," the shadow wagged a finger in front of the sorcerer. "And master shouldn't try to be funny." This last statement was spoken with malice, and the shadow's act was temporarily dropped. Vaati cautiously pulled out his Wind Waker as Dethl edged closer. "This is the last chance we're going to give you. Will master agree to stay?" The mage held up a finger in a rude gesture. Dethl grinned. "Such a shame, Vaati. You were such a perfect master, so evil like us. Perhaps we can make you see some sense to stay and see the greatness our world has to offer. There will be a slight change, however." The surroundings flickered and they were back at the Palace of Winds. "This time, you, Vaati, will be calling us master."

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bleu-blizzard: No problem! I'm always willing to explain if things get confusing. ;)

Reily96: There's a manga?! O.o (goes to find one). Ah, the fun ends for Vaati :P

Peka the Corsair: Um, too late, I guess? :P. Medli knows what she's doing :)

Rune Caster: (singsong voice) It's as real as you and me! This chappie's title says it all ;)

Kindra Mckleen: Yay! Thanks! And welcome to this story.

Diablo1123: Link's Awakening was all right. It was the first one I played :). You don't really need it to understand what's going on in the story, so don't worry too much about it. But. Go play WW! You're missing out on one of the greatest games ever!

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