The Dolor Mortis Curse

by DragonRing

You know It is there, somewhere in your numbed head. You don't see It, you don't feel It, but you can hear Its hissing voice murmur sweet cruelties into your ear. It is strong, It is powerful, and It has only one purpose. To let you succumb to madness, and perform the final strike. A horrorstory derivated from Stephonika Kaye's novelization of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

3. Chapter 39 - Revealed Shadows

Chapter 39 – Revealed Shadows

A faint wave of wind blew over the red rocks that encircled Kakariko Village, carrying away the soft whispers of the two children sitting side-by-side on an elevated stone near the sanctuary. A breathtaking sunset dyed the lightly clouded sky in the most beautiful colours, from rose-tainted red to bright hues of orange and purple embracing the mountain and its neighbouring hills. It was quite warm in this early evening, the sun having heated the air in a rather agreeable way, not too cold, not too hot, perfect for a little walk to admire the illuminated dusk.

''Don't worry, I'm sure he's okay,'' said Colin in a futile attempt to comfort the disquieted Ilia sitting beside him. His words echoed against the rocks around them as he continued in a cheerful tone. ''You know him, he's not the one to suddenly disappear and never come back.''

Ilia sighed sadly. ''I know, Colin, that's the fourth time you tell me that. But I just can't help it. It's not his nature to leave us so suddenly without any message or warning. He would have told me if he was about to leave again, but to vanish so quickly and mysteriously … it's, well … just not his nature.''

''But he's a hero, Ilia, remember that, so he has duties beyond your imagination. I can understand if he had to go, and perhaps he didn't tell you that he left because he didn't want you to be worried about him.''

Colin watched her with a curious look, trying to guess what his friend was thinking. Ilia shook her head slowly, not satisfied at all. ''But I am worried about him, and this feeling that something is wrong, where does it come from? This is not normal, it was as if a black cloud covered his image.''

Rusl's son looked down, trying to find the right words. ''This dream you had about him is maybe just an aftermath of your lost memories, not a warning that he's in danger. On the other hand...'' He frowned as something stirred his senses. ''Now that you're saying it, I do feel something, some sort of grief, is it that?''

Ilia looked at him, recognition glistening in her eyes. ''Yes, a strange kind of sorrow over his memories. As if he would … never come back … ''

Colin gasped. ''But he will come back! I can feel it! I can–''

Something suddenly echoed around them, an odd, clanking sound becoming louder the nearer it came. Colin and Ilia cast confused looks towards the path leading out of Kakariko where the sound apparently came from.

With the setting sun shining behind it, a strange, little figure came walking into the village, followed by a large animal whose hooves resounded in the dusty earth of the street. The small silhouette held the animal's reins in one hand, the other was clapped over its right arm. It carried a very strange crown on its broad head, but what was the oddest about this creature was its colour, black and white with glowing green lines covering its legs, arms and very long ears.

The two children gasped, standing up and watching the newcomers closely. Colin moved slowly in front of Ilia, preparing himself for any attack that might come with the arriving of the suspicious pair. But Ilia widened her eyes and stretched out her arm to point at the crimson horse. '' It's Epona! She's back!''

At those words, the black figure halted, looking anxiously at the two. Then, it started to speak, its crackling, feminine voice sounding weary and powerless. ''Please … the shaman, it's urgent … he's dying …''

The children saw how the creature sank to her knees, apparently too tired to hold on her feet any longer. Ilia felt pity overcome her, and she started to run forward to help her, but Colin held her back. ''Wait, it could be a trap.'' he said and held out an arm in front of her. ''Go and get Renado, quickly!'' he ordered then, and watched Ilia running towards the houses.

Midna looked up, trying to get back on her feet. She managed to raise her upper body and stared at the little human standing fearlessly about ten meters away from her. But before she could say a word, people were coming out of a house, walking with hurried steps towards Colin. She distinguished the other children and the shaman out of the dusty air flying around the village.

''What is it, Colin?'' asked the adult before eyeing Midna and Epona mistrustfully. It was Midna who answered him.

''P-Please, you have to help him, he can't … hold on –'' her voice broke off as the deep sorrow within her choked her throat.

Renado frowned as he looked over her drooped frame, suspicious at her dark appearance. ''Whom are you speaking of, creature?'' he demanded firmly. His sight darted over to Epona but apparently didn't notice the figure lying on her back.

Midna bared her single tooth at the word he had named her, but she held her anger at bay. Now was not the time to make enemies. ''Link … he's gravely injured … ''

Ilia took a step forward. ''Link?'' she asked in terror. All the other children gasped in fright and moved closer, but Renado stopped them. ''Stay here!'' Then he turned back to face Midna. ''Where is he? Speak now!''

Midna brought herself to stand and slowly moved sideways to guide Epona around. She heard a scream from Ilia as they saw the bloodied arm hanging down Epona's side, and they didn't care any more about Renado's forbiddance and all raced forward. Midna was completely ignored as she came cautiously nearer, silently hoping that Link's heart was still beating. Renado, who was the tallest of the gathering, took the cloak spread over Link's body in his hands and began to pull it back, letting all the others gasp at what he uncovered.

Link's face was smeared with blood, as white as ash and covered in sweat. His forehead was placed on Epona's neckline, showing only one of his eyes screwed up in pain. Running down the fur of his horse in large rivulets, blood was streaming all around him, already dry in some places where it crusted Epona's hairy skin.

Even the shaman let out a breath of horror as he saw Link's condition. But he soon regained his instincts of a healer and seized Link's shoulders with both hands and pulled him as gently as possible from Epona's back. He caught his bloodcovered body in his arms and carefully deposed him on the ground. Link was as limp as if he were dead, but his chest still heaved with his short, rattling breaths.

It took a moment before Renado spoke. ''Luda, prepare the bed in the upper room and get me all the bandages and towels you can find. Colin, go and fetch me two buckets of water and bring them to Luda. Ilia, take the other children into the inn and stay there, please.''

Luda ran off hastily with Colin following her, and Renado took again hold of Link and carried him along the path towards Elde Inn. Ilia took Talo's hand who wore an expression of shock and guided the other children into the safety of the inn while running a shaking hand over her face to wipe away the traces of tears on her cheeks. No one paid attention to Midna any more, letting her alone with Epona in the middle of the street. She watched them silently disappearing in the house, sighing in relief but also in sadness.

Link was safe now, but her contribution to his rescue was ignored. Nobody came to her to thank her for bringing him back to them, however, she had already expected something like that. Her appearance made her an untrustworthy creature that no one wanted in their group. The only person having accepted her the way she was had been Link, her faithful companion who had fought at her side so many times, who nearly died to accomplish the duty he had sworn to her.

But even if she was left behind … she was not alone.

Epona moved slowly to her, looking in the same direction than Midna. She had also been left unnoticed even if she had carried Link all the way to Kakariko. Lifting a hand to stroke over her nostrils, Midna said in a low voice. ''Come, Epona, I'll wash you at the spring. You look terrible.''

Indeed, this was true. Epona's beautiful red fur was now even redder and sticking all over. There was so much blood on her that it dripped down her belly, the rivulets drying in the warm air to stiffen her fur along with the dust covering her all over.

Midna took hold of her reins again and guided her past the sanctuary towards the spirit spring. The bright water glistened in the fading light to send smooth shimmers on their bodies, but was tainted brown and red as soon as Epona stepped into it. She ignored the dirty state of the water and plunged in her nostrils deeply to take a long and deserved drink. Meanwhile, Midna scratched her chin as she cogitated about how she might wash the enormous horse all by her own.

''I'll have to find a bucket for you.'' she explained as she turned around to walk back into the village centre. ''I'll be back in a few minutes.''

It was not easy to detect something resembling a bucket in a village which was nearly completely destroyed. She moved past houses that had big holes in their roofs, windows and doors that were barricaded with wooden planks or entire walls shrunken down. The sight of all this startled her, for even if she had travelled within Link's shadow, she had never really taken the time to get a closer look at the state of the mountain village. But now, she became truly aware of all the destruction and misery the invasion of Zant had brought to the light world, and the new grief she felt sank into her stomach where it formed a heavy clump inside her. She let her head sink down on her chin and silently continued her search for a recipient able to hold water in it.

As she came with small steps along the street, she noticed a house on her right which was still intact, except for a broken window grate perhaps and some loose tiles on the roof. Hoping to find something useful in there, she carefully moved up the porch overdrawn by a small canopy and with great effort managed to open the door.

A strange noise met her pointed ears as she stepped inside, sounding as though a door had long not been lubricated and squealed tremendously. She was standing before some sort of counter with one window on either side, and behind it was a very odd looking person who was leaning over something with his back turned to her. Apparently the squeaking noise came from this man's voice, for he sang a very wrong sounding song as he merrily hammered on a small black ball held in place by his crooked fingers:

Oh sweet bombs

you are so nice

the most useful and pretty

and explosive device

Let me fill you with powder

and a fu-uze for sting

So you can explode

and blow up everythin...

He fell silent instantly as the door behind Midna crashed back into the lock, and the imp heard a loud bang as the hammer held previously in the man's hand clanked to the floor.

''Who–Who's there?'' Barnes stuttered with a shaking voice without turning around. Midna could hear his teeth clatter in fear, and if she wouldn't have been so downhearted at the moment, she surely would have made herself great pleasure giving this coward the fright of his life. But instead, she decided to make haste and leave fun aside. ''Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find a bucket in this village? Or do you have one by chance?''she asked with a weary tone.

For a short moment, Barnes didn't answer. Perhaps it was the high pitched sound of Midna's voice that made him uncomfortable since it was the first time she spoke to a stranger and he didn't know her. And he still didn't turn to face her as he replied fearfully. ''S-Stair, f-fourth s-step, oh-on the right side, there b-bu-bucket you find. A-Anything else?''

Midna sighed in relief as she came with an old, wooden pail in her hand down the stairs again, and briefly put it down to pull the door open once more. Before she left, though, something suddenly shot through her mind, like a little voice admonishing her strictly. Paradoxically, it sounded like Link's voice. Where are your manners, Midna? You could at least thank him, don't you think?

She stopped abruptly in the doorframe, glancing over her shoulder towards the quivering man still standing back turned behind his counter. Link was right, she thought; even if this person was a coward, he had done her a great favour by rending her his bucket. ''Thank you.'' she said, and startled at a strange inner feeling overcoming her instantly. At the moment she had voiced these simple two words, there had been like a sigh of relief inside her, like a praising tap on the shoulder that rewarded her for thanking this man. And it was a good feeling, a great feeling, a superb feeling! For the first time in her life, she had thanked someone, properly, not just pretending like she usually did. This time, she had really meant it, and her inner proudness for her thanking painted a big smile on her face. And just before the door fell close again, she heard Barnes answer unsurely. ''You're welcome...?''

She was still very pleased with herself as she returned to the spring where Epona stood waiting. The mare apparently noticed Midna's hilarity and nudged at her interrogatively, not understanding how the little imp could be so happy in a situation like this, when her beloved master laid dying in Renado's house. Midna tapped her neck affectionately and sat to work, filling the bucket with already soiled water. She then flew towards the horse and threw the content of the pail in a large arc over her bloodied back. In a crimson wave, the water washed some blood and dirt away and ran down her legs to diffuse in the crystal spring once more.

Like a blow in the cheek, all the seriousness of the situation in which Midna and Link had got into came crashing upon her again at the sight of his blood, and her jovial attitude collapsed instantly. She remembered everything that had happened these past days, every frightening moment they had known, every instant where they had been just inches away from death, every moan of pain from Link she had heard during the night at the lake.

Her arms stopped their doing as she froze in dismay, the bucket falling with a spattering splash back into the water. Epona was frightened by the spraying droplets and jumped back, snorting angrily. It was okay that her black partner was cheerful whatever the reason, but to play in the water and scare her just for fun was too much! Was she going crackers or what?

This time, the deep sorrow within Midna's soul was too strong. At once, her body felt suddenly immensely heavy, so outworn from tiredness and grief that she dropped on her knees, sobbing in desperation. Epona was immediately at her side as she saw her crying and let out a quiet neigh of sympathy. Midna snivelled into her hands for a while before looking up to the crimson horse. She had just wanted to turn away to obtain some privacy when Epona suddenly let herself fall down into the water and started to wallow boisterously around, sending water everywhere. Midna shrieked and sprang to her feet again to escape the weltering horse, but she was already soaked wet until she had tumbled onto the safe shore.

''What are you doing?'' she shouted furiously. ''This is no time for useless playing! Get back on your feet and come here!''

But Epona wasn't listening at all. She continued merrily tossing her enormous body around in the water and snorted with the utmost pleasure as the crystal springwater washed all the dirt on her away. Midna could shout as much as she wanted, it was completely useless, and she soon fell silent again as her voice broke in tiredness. Go and play then, if it makes you happy, she thought effetely and let herself drop down in the sand to wait.

As the setting sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains, the wafting wind became more chilling and sent shivers across Midna's back. She wrapped her arms around her legs to keep herself a bit warm and watched with drooping eyelids as Epona played in the water. The sight of the rampaging horse somehow amused her, for she soon felt a tug in the corners of her lips the moment Epona threw herself on her back and began thrashing her legs in the air.

At least someone is having fun, she thought, smiling.

But then, Epona suddenly sprang to her hooves again and stared motionlessly at a low branch on the side of the spring. Midna was instantly on guard, assuming that the vigilant horse had perhaps seen a threat or something dangerous.

Seconds ticked sluggishly by wherein Epona didn't move one muscle. But something was wrong; normally when a horse was scared, it flattened it's ears against it's head, but Epona's ears were drawn up and turned forward, facing the branch before her.

Midna was just getting to her feet again to see what it was the horse had noticed, when Epona threw down her head abruptly and began approaching the tree like a cat wanting to catch a mouse. The sight of a still-hunting horse was so weird that Midna had to clap a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle, but she burst into laughter as the mare jumped, eagerly chasing a golden shining beetle flying away.

Midna laughed and laughed, not able to stop. Epona ran after the golden bug and bit and snapped at it, but the beetle was too fast and soon flew over the spring and out of sight. All it left was a stunned looking horse which stared disappointed after it. As she noticed Midna laughing behind her, she turned her big head towards her. Midna could make out through her giggling that the horse looked somehow proud, for her big brown eyes were glistening and shining in happiness.

''Oh Epona! You're so weird!'' she said, repressing her laughing as she walked towards her to patter her mane affectionately. ''Come now, you're still dirty in a few places.''

With that, she took the pail once more in her hand and filled it with water again. But she wasn't able to wash away the blood which had crusted into her fur, so she placed the bucket on Epona's back and began rubbing her with her tiny hands in order to loosen the dry filth in her hair. Soon, however, her palms burned madly, letting her suck in a harsh breath of pain. She landed back down to stand next to the Hero's horse, looking wearily at her scarlet hands. I really wonder how Link always washed his horse. Certainly not with his bare hands …

A soft pit-pat resounding behind her let her spin around. At the edge of the water, one of the children stood a few meters before her, looking observant but not hostile. By her short, black hair and the outstanding clothes she wore, she must be the shaman's daughter. Midna glanced suspiciously over to her, not moving one single muscle.

''I … m-my father asks you to come by our house. He … he wants to speak to you.'' Luda's voice was more filled with fear than distrust, but at least she didn't treat her like an unnatural creature like her father had done. Midna had always found this girl quite nice; she was kind and silent, not so rebellious like the other children or frail like that Ilia.

''Yes.'' she answered, trying to make her voice sound friendly. Luda nodded quickly and stiffly and moved back with hurried steps into the village. Midna had trouble following her with her legs aching in tiredness, but she managed to reach the porch of Renado's house without stumbling.

''Wait!'' she suddenly said, looking back. ''What's with Epona?'' The little girl took a moment to find enough courage to answer. ''I'll take care of her later, d-don't worry.'' she said, waiting for her to enter by holding the door open but hiding half behind it.

It was obvious that Midna's short, impish appearance scared her and the children sitting within the big room of the house. With cautious steps, Midna entered, watching the others closely. She detected Ilia sitting on the wooden floor along with the others, leaning against the counter with an arm wound around little Talo who clung to her body. They all wore an expression of shock and fear, but no one said a word. They just looked at her with distrust in their eyes.

Then, Renado came down the stairs to Midna's right, sending his daughter with a single glance to the upper chamber where he came from.

''How is he?'' asked Midna immediately, ignoring the mistrustful look the healer shot at her. Instantly, all the children jerked and huddled closer together when they heard her strange, feminine voice. Renado gave them a nod to comfort them a bit and turned to Midna, still watching her sternly. ''He lives, that is all I can tell you.''

Midna closed her eyes briefly, exhaling in relief, but then she felt the bulky presence of the big Kakarikan over her. As she opened her eyes again, Renado had stepped to her and grabbed her arm firmly. ''But why is he in such a state? And who are you?''

A yell of pain came for answer, where Midna seized his large hand and tugged at it, tumbling backwards. ''Let me go!'' she screamed. ''You're hurting me!''

The shaman released her instantly and pulled his arm away, seeing that his palm was bloodstained. ''Oh my, I'm sorry … '' he stammered with a shocked voice. ''I didn't notice that you were also injured … are you all right?''

Midna now sat on the ground, rubbing the skin around her cut in a vein attempt to ease the stinging pain. She was astonished that only a touch could make the wound agonize so grievously, but she was also aback that a human asked her if she was all right.

''Yes … I-I think so … '' she answered, looking into his eyes which wore now a much kinder look than before. She tried to stand up again, but since she sat now it was nearly impossible for her to prevail on her legs to rise. Renado noticed it immediately and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder – the other shoulder, of course. ''No no! Don't move, or your wound will only worsen. Do you allow me to carry you to a pillow where you can sit down?''

At this question, Midna's jaw fell agape. What was that? ''I … I beg your pardon?'' she stammered, abashed. Never, ever, would she have imagined that a human would ask her if he might carry her to a pillow.

Renado just smiled, though he seemed a bit surprised by her reaction. ''What do you want my pardon for? You did nothing wrong.'' he chuckled. Standing up, he hurried across the room to disappear in another chamber, but came out almost instantly again carrying a brown pillow which he laid down on the rug in the middle of the room, not far away from the children. Quicker than Midna could watch, he stood beside her again.

''May I ?'' he asked kindly. His arms were outstretched, ready to take hold of her. Midna just nodded, still bewildered, and instantly felt the warm cloth of his long, woollen dress on her soiled black skin. He held her like a child with one arm under her bottom and his other hand holding her at the shoulder. It was a very odd feeling, a sentiment she never had witnessed before, but it pleased her quite fairly.

Only seconds later, she found herself sitting comfortably on the squashy pillow, and sighed in pleasure that she could at last rest her tired limbs. The children cast terrified looks to the shaman who seated himself by the gathering, but he noticed that too and smiled at them to reassure them.

''So tell me, who are you that you come to us with Link so badly wounded?'' he then asked, his voice suddenly stern again.

Midna looked down, breathing a few times to prepare herself for the long speech, for it was a long thing to explain.

''I … I am … me and Link are companions. We travelled together for a long time to find something that is called the Mirror of Twilight.'' At this, Renado let out a gasp, apparently knowing of what she was speaking.

''But the Mirror had been fragmented,'' Midna continued, ''into four pieces that were scattered all over Hyrule. The last of them was situated in a sacred city in the sky, called Celestia, where a dragon threatened the inhabitants. Link and I searched for this beast to free the city from its curse, and Link fought Argorok high in the sky. But during the combat, when he killed the dragon that carried the last of the Mirror pieces, it fell down with me and Link still on him. We plunged into Lake Hylia, but only I surfaced quick enough not to drown. Link was getting the Mirror from the dead dragon, but … he emerged much later than me. It was awful … I-I tried to help him, to free him from the Shard, but then the … the Mirror turned against us and an explosion of dark magic separated me from Link. I found myself on the shore where I collected the Piece, but Link was not with me … ''

Everybody's eyes were now pointed on her. Renado listened with fright in his eyes, so were the children. Ilia had begun crying again, but only her quiet sobbing could be heard from her. Midna's voice broke several times in sadness the further she spoke, and her eyes watered too, but she held her tears back. She didn't want to show anyone that she wasn't strong enough to withstand the gravity of Link's condition like Ilia.

''When I plunged back into the lake to search for him,'' she continued, ''I found him in the water, lifeless and gravely injured, but I could bring him back to life. I passed the night with him, and this morning, I realized that the Mirror had hit him not only once, but at least ten times! And as if that isn't enough, I think it has poisoned him with its dark magic … I-I couldn't do anything to help him … my magic isn't strong enough against this cruelty … ''

Holding her sadness back became suddenly immensely difficult, for the children had all begun crying now, which didn't really make it easier for her. Fortunately, they only cried with tears, not with screams. Renado was the only one who had kept his cheeks dry, but Midna saw his eyes glistening, too.

''I didn't know Link had a companion.'' he said with a soothing voice in an attempt to cheer the gathering a bit up, but also to change the subject. Apparently, he had heard enough information to make his plan about how he would help Link. ''But by what you told us, you must have been together for already quite a while. Why did he never mention anything of you?''

Midna took a deep breath. ''Because I asked him not to. I wanted to remain in his shadow without anyone knowing that I existed. It's … ''she sighed. '' It's a long story.''

Her gaze turned downward, her soul flooded by a wave of memories coming over her mind. Yes, the long week with Link had been the happiest she had ever known, but now, it was her turn to pay back what Link had given her: kindness, strength, loyalty, and untamed courage. ''Please, you have to help him. You are the only one who can save him now.'' she pleaded in a desperate voice.

The healer frowned and looked down. ''I will do what I can, but it will be no simple task. He has suffered a great loss of blood, it's a miracle that he is still alive. You will have to help me if you know what is infesting him. The best is if we go up together and look after him until he gets better.''

With that, Renado stood up and moved towards the stairs, turning around to wait for her.

She had difficulties to raise herself, for her legs still screamed in protest and didn't want to carry her weight any further. When she managed to stand up, she staggered on her feet and stretched out her arms to catch herself if she would tumble back to the wooden floor again, but in that instant, she felt a touch under her arms that supported her. Looking behind, she saw that the little boy with shimmering blue eyes had grabbed her under the armpits to help her standing, casting a kind smile at her. She was again so surprised that a human she didn't even know helped her out that she stared for a moment at him, looking into those bright, sapphire eyes that shone so strong and so young, reminding her of the crystal twin oceans of Link.

''Th-Thank you,'' she said softly, realizing that it was now the second time she said those two words, and she smiled back at Colin to amplify her thanking even more. The fair-haired boy nodded with an even broader smile and accompanied her to the stairs, receiving stunned looks from the others who were still suspicious about this strange black imp.

Ascending the wooden stair now with the aid of Renado who held her by the left arm, she followed the shaman, impatient to see Link again. But she feared a little about how she would find him and if she would be able to bear the sight of his sliced body, now that Renado had uncovered the wounds to heal them.

The door to Link's room was closed, so Renado opened it and stepped inside, Midna coming after him. The chamber was quite big with a single window at the far wall, but was illuminated merely by the lantern standing on a little table beside the only bed in the chamber which stood just next to the door to it's left, top against the wall.

And there Link laid, his body covered with a white blanket that turned red already in different places. He must be either asleep or still unconscious, for his eyes were closed and his face wore a countenance of silence.

Luda sat on a chair next to the bed, a white cloth in her hand that she ran over his burning forehead. She looked back as they entered, getting horror-widened eyes at the sight of Midna. But her father calmed her down with a soothing voice, assuring her that she had nothing to worry about. While he recounted his daughter what Midna had told them downstairs, the imp moved around the bed to get to Link's other side, her eye not leaving the sight of his pale face. Mounting the other chair standing beside him, she placed a trembling hand on his left shoulder just as she had done before at the lake.

Renado ushered Luda outside to look after the children, lowering himself on his daughter's chair to Link's right side. ''So you said that it was this Mirror Shard that caused him the cuts and infested him. Was there something else that happened to him at the lake?''

Midna closed her eye in sorrow. ''Yes, he stayed much too long underwater and when I rescued him, he was not moving, not breathing. I managed to bring him back to life, but I don't know what the water did to him.''

Renado pursed his brows, looking to Link. ''So he nearly drowned, but he survived because you saved him. That's the reason I trust you.'' He looked at her with a kind gaze, his warm, brown eyes glistening knowingly. Midna just smiled wearily in return.

''Now,'' he said, shifting on his seat. ''We must treat his wounds. Would you please hand me the bucket over, please? I will need your help.''

Midna nodded and glided off her chair, searching in the dim light of the chamber for the pail Renado had demanded. Meanwhile, the shaman stood up and brought several towels to the bedside table along with a pile of bandages. He received the water from Midna with a quiet ''Thank you.'' and seated himself anew beside Link. When Midna lowered herself on her chair as well, he carefully began to pull back the blanket covering the wounded Hero. The white cloth was sticking to the bloodstreaming cuts so that the healer had to tug a bit harder, letting Link moan lightly. As Renado uncovered his bare upper body to his navel, Midna let out a frightened gasp of disbelief.

Link's skin was torn apart not ten times like she had thought, but in almost twenty places, the short, deep cuts bathing his torso in blood. The incisions had crusted a bit at the edges but were still wide open, however, the most terrible was the last strike of the Mirror; the longest, worst cut stretching from his collarbone down to his waist lost blood across its entire length, glistening black pebbles in its middle. Furthermore, this one had not started to heal at all, for the skin was as cleanly cut as if Link had received it just five minutes ago.

It was just a dreadful sight.

Renado's eyes were narrowed as he looked over the fatal injuries. ''This is horrible. Who could have done such a thing?'' he murmured, abashed.

Midna was appalled and couldn't bring out a word. She had known that Link was badly wounded, but at this rate … it was really a miracle that his chest still heaved.

A sudden scream of pain drew her out of her stare. Renado had started to wipe away the blood around the incisions as he cleansed them with a towel dripping with water. But always when he put the cloth on Link's skin, the Hero yelled in agony without even opening his eyes, squirming with pain.

''No, don't! You're hurting him!'' screamed Midna and leaped to her feet, her arm shooting forth to tear the cloth out of Renado's hand. The healer let out a gasp and said angrily. ''What are you doing?! He needs his wounds cleansed, or he will bleed to death!''

But Midna wasn't listening. She had placed her right hand on Link's forehead, her other had not shifted from his shoulder as she spoke softly to soothe him. Link's rapid breathing slowly calmed down again but remained painful and rattling. The shaman watched on, his brows furrowed.

''We have to treat his wounds, now, before it is too late.'' he explained after a while. ''If I am to save him, I must start now.''

Midna raised her head to look at him. A flood of tears was running down her cheek, dripping on Link's bloodied stomach. She didn't say anything, just watched him with desperation and deep sadness in her eyes as she continued to stroke Link's face gently.

They sat there on their chairs, staring at each other without pronouncing a single word. There was an odd tension in their looks, as if they fought a silent battle about what was better for Link's health. Neither of them wanted to give in, wanted the other to take over the responsibility of the constantly bleeding wounds in front of them.

At long last, Renado's piercing gaze softened and turned downward, breaking his eye contact with Midna to finally give in, or so thought the imp. Instead, the healer stood up and stretched out his arms in front of Link, wherein Midna frowned suspiciously, not taking her hands off her companion.

But then, Renado let his arms glide carefully under Link' body, and Midna shouted out. But before she could stand up in protest, the shaman lifted Link up a few inches but lowered him down almost instantly after he had pulled his limp body a bit nearer to the edge of the bed.

To Midna's big surprise, he pointed at him while looking to her, and as she didn't react, he said. ''I need your help to soothe him while I cleanse his injuries. You can lay yourself beside him if you like, it is surely a good thing if he feels your presence close to himself.''

It took a moment before Midna shifted. She couldn't believe that the shaman was really serious, but such a wise person as himself would not make jokes in this sort of situations. It only meant that he truly trusted her, that he didn't let himself lead astray by her small and dark appearance but had confidence in the way she treated Link. He had understood that she was a good person and that she would never harm Link.

So, being careful not to knock into Link's sore body, she cuddled herself up to him, lowering her head softly on his shoulder and embracing his left arm with her hands. When she laid comfortably beside him, Renado dipped another cloth into the bucket of water and wrung it out before drawing it nearer to a cut on Link's right side. Midna braced herself for her companion's reaction that would come as soon as the healer touched the wound again, for she knew now how agonizing it must be for him, recalling the way he had writhed in pain only minutes ago.

A groan of torment and a twitching wince beside her confirmed her theory so that there was no doubt any more. Midna pressed herself against Link and stroked his arm while speaking calmingly to him. ''It's okay, Link. It's nearly over.''

Renado worked as quickly as he dared, wiping towels full of blood away and uncovering the pale skin of Link's torso. But the cleansing lasted almost ten minutes, where Link was groaning and squirming in torture, teeth and fists clenched tightly. Midna could do nothing to ease his pain except staying beside him and forcing him to hold still while the shaman worked.

But the worst for both her and Link was the longest, infested incision where Link nearly shrieked in pain. Midna could feel his wet skin sticking to her hands as it sweated in fever and anguish, letting her distress become only deeper. Her forehead which she pressed against his temple then perceived a warm, tickling touch, and as she straightened herself to see where it came from, she saw the tears streaming down Link's cheeks.

It was the first time she saw him crying, though she knew that it wasn't sadness that let his eyes water; it was this unbearable pain in which he was trapped and had no chance to escape.

''Can't you work faster?'' she called to Renado, raising her voice so that the healer could hear her over the youth's screams. Renado was just avoiding Link's hand as it groped for his arm, attending to make it stop hurting him. ''I'm doing my best, but I told you it wouldn't be easy. Oh, can you please hold his arms so that I can finish with this cut?''

Midna frowned at his low sense of tact for Link's sufferings, but it was senseless to protest; he was the healer, not she.

With great difficulties, she managed to bend over Link's chest and hold his arms down, nonetheless glad that Link had not enough strength any more to fight against her light weight pressing on his limbs to paralyse them. Meanwhile, Renado wiped the rest of the blood away, revealing the true extend of the long cut traversing the Hero's body.

As he threw the blood soaked towel back into the bucket, he quickly stoop up and hurried to another table standing near the window where he had apparently prepared some of his own medicine mixed together by himself, for he came back holding a clay bowl filled with a transparent sort of ointment. Midna, having never seen medicine like that before, pursed her brows in mistrust. But she said nothing as the shaman started to smear it over Link's upper body, rubbing it carefully onto the edges of the cuts. Link just turned his head from left to right, relaxing his fists but leaving his eyes screwed up.

As Renado finished the treatment, she watched in amazement how the injuries gradually stopped bleeding, and Link beside her also seemed much more relaxed than before. His eyes were now back to normal, his face calm and silent just as if he would be asleep. The healer caught sight of her astonished look, and his lips began to smile.

''It's a remedy that I self created. It makes the bleeding stop and eases the pain a lot. See? Link doesn't react to my touch any more, his sufferings are at an end. Compose yourself, the worst is now over.''

He chuckled softly as tears of joy filled Midna's crimson eye, and she pressed her forehead on Link's arm as she embraced him carefully. ''Oh Link! It's over, you've done it!''

Link remained silent since he was too exhausted to answer, but he breathed in deeply instead, probably to show her that he was all right. Midna even started to sob silently into his upper arm, her little heart so relieved from her worry about him. She still had difficulties to believe it when Renado

sat down again and applied another strange liquid on the wounds before covering each wound with a stripe of lint. ''I don't want to shift Link's body so I won't bandage the wounds yet.'' she heard him say, but the barely lent an ear to him. The healer covered Link and herself with the blanket once more, and she must have lain there for at least ten minutes wherein the shaman walked in and out of the room, bringing blood soaked towels and water down and fresh water along with clean cloths up again.

As she thought that she had calmed down enough from her gust, she carefully sat up beside her companion, watching the shaman sorting through his medicine on the table near the window. ''When will he wake up?'' she asked. She couldn't wait to hear Link's voice again, to gaze into his beautiful cerulean eyes and see the powerful sparkle of courage glistening in their entity.

The shaman turned and walked back to his chair. ''I can't say it by now, those wounds have cost him a large amount of blood which needs to be replaced, and that can take a few days. What worries me more is this dark magic infection which you spoke of, because it could endanger his healing process if it worsens. But for now, let's just take care of him and see that he regains his strength, and then we'll see about that.''

He cast a quick glance over to the window. ''It's getting dark, I'll just go downstairs and bring the children to bed, then I'll come again and stay the night with you. Is that okay?''

Midna nodded and watched the healer leave the room, closing the door behind him. A thin smile crossed her face; Renado was such a kind man, someone who knew what he was doing. She had made the right choice in coming to Kakariko, that was a sure thing. None other than the shaman could have helped Link in his greatest hour of peril and save him from his sufferings.

She laid down once more next to Link and looked up to his inanimate face. She could hear his soft breaths rattling feebly in his throat, sounding as though he had not taken a mouthful of water in weeks. Perhaps it was this that weakened him also next to his grave loss of blood. The last time he had properly eaten was days away, and she could well remember his difficulties to have enough appetite for two meals a day. But even a stomach used to eat little needed to be filled from time to time, above all when his entire energy was needed to recuperate from his life-threatening wounds.

Determined to draw Renado's attention to that particular problem, she waited impatiently for the shaman's return, where she snuggled up to Link's left arm and felt appreciatively for his breathing motions. It was because she wanted to be certain that he never stopped breathing, that he never stopped living.

She startled as the door swung open again, and the big figure of the Kakarikan appeared in the doorframe. He held in his hand a tiny black bowl which he placed on the bedside table, under the other arm, he carried a woollen blanket.

''Renado, he has to eat or at least to drink a bit, or his condition will worsen even more.'' Midna explained as the healer spread the blanket over a wooden armchair. She had seated up beside Link again and watched Renado with a worried look. The shaman moved to the bed, pointing towards the black bowl. ''I've thought about the same thing, so we'll try to give him some water at first. This is the most important by now, and we'll worry about eating when he is awake.''

With that, he sat down once more, taking the bowl in his hand. Slowly, he approached it to Link's mouth and placed it's edge on his lips. With the other hand, he pulled his chin very gently down to open his mouth, and carefully inclined the bowl to let a bit of water drop onto his tongue. As soon as the liquid made contact with his throat, Link instinctively swallowed even if he wasn't aware that he received something to drink. Relieved that it worked, Renado continued very cautiously in this way, and soon he bowl was completely empty.

''You did it!'' said Midna happily as she watched the last of the water disappear between Link's lips to be swallowed as well. Renado put the bowl away and took a towel from the pile on the table to wipe it over Link's mouth, for there were after all a few drops that had missed their target and had run over his dry lips. ''I'm glad he took it without difficulties. This will do at first, we can go to sleep now.''

Tiredly, he rubbed his eyes with a sigh; apparently, he hadn't slept for some time, perhaps because Link's sudden disappearance had let him without sleep for a couple of days. With another yawn, he let himself sink into the armchair, braiding his fingers in his lap.

Midna felt his piercing gaze linger on her as she sat beside her companion, stroking his cheek gently. She tried to ignore him as best as she could, but soon she moved around uncomfortably, toying with the white blanket in a vain attempt to distract herself. The silence was unbearable, only broken by Link's quiet breaths. When would the shaman as last fall into dreams?

She jumped as Renado spoke to her with an inquisitive voice. ''Tell me, are you from here, or do you come from a land beyond Hyrule?''

Midna had feared all along that he would some time ask this question, for now, she had to give him an explanation. Indeed, her appearance betrayed her, for she resembled neither a Goron, nor a Zora, nor a Hylian such as Link, even if she possessed long pointed ears like him. ''Ehm, why do you want to know?'' she asked with a shaking voice, her nervousness rising.

The healer cocked his head. ''Well, don't take it personal, but your … shape isn't like anything I saw before. Actually, I wondered how you and Link met, if you're not from here. It's … how to say … personal curiosity.'' He cast an excusing smile at her that seemed somehow forced, his eyes not smiling with him. It was as if he waited for her to say a certain thing, to reveal a special detail of her provenance he burned to know but wasn't sure if he guessed right.

Midna was intrigued by this strange look, and suddenly a thought came to her. ''But you already know it, don't you?'' she said suspiciously. ''I told you that me and Link were assembling the shards of the Mirror of Twilight, so the answer is obvious.''

Renado first looked confused, but then his brows moved upward as he widened his eyes. ''What … ?You're a … Twili? You come from the Twilight Realm?''

Instantly, he got to his feet and raced to the other side of the bed where Midna sat frozen. She felt a heavy pain grip her throat as his bulky hands seized her by the neck, pulling her out of bed and smashing her against the wall. She let out a painful shriek and grabbed his thick fingers to tear them off her airway, but he was too strong.

''What were you planning, you filthy traitor?!'' he hissed enraged.

Midna moaned desperately, shivering with fear and terror. Her single eye was open wide in horror as she despairingly tried to breathe.

''What were you doing to Link? You attacked him that night, didn't you? Thought you could get rid of him as soon as you obtained the last of the Mirror Shards, but it won't be like this, do you hear me?''

His voice became louder as his anger transformed into hysteria. ''You attacked our kingdom with your army of shadow beasts! You killed so many innocent people in your lust for power! You transformed Hyrule into a world of shadow!''

Midna feebly shook her head as she choked and gagged, frantically trying to get air. ''No … I never … killed … it wasn't … me … ''

Renado's eyes were protruding outward in insanity, filled with rage and utmost hatred. If he closed his fingers only a bit tighter around her neck, he would have strangled her.

''You came that day into our village and caused this terrible massacre! It was all you! I saw you! You killed her! You murdered her!'' The shaman bared his teeth in fury and pressed harder on Midna's throat, letting her completely breathless. She was squirming weakly in his hold, trying to form words.

''No … I never … killed your … w-wife … ''

Renado's movements froze so abruptly that his hand opened, letting Midna crash down to the floor again. She sucked in the air greedily as she was free at last, panting heavily with one hand clutching her pulsating throat, the other holding her above the ground. She startled as something banged loudly beside her and instinctively threw an arm in front of her face to shield herself against the healer's rage.

But the beating she had expected didn't come. Instead, a strange sobbing sound rang in her ears, letting her look to the side in confusion.

There sat the shaman, kneeling on the floor and pressing his palms on his eyes. The loud bang she had heard must have been the sound of his knees smashing against the floor when he had collapsed in forlornness and sorrow. He was crying, she instantly knew, and could also guess why.

0

The memory was like burned into her mind, playing right before her eyes as if the long months separating them from these horrible events had never passed. She could see the village at the base of Death Mountain, it's houses still intact and nearly glowing in the evening dusk. But the peaceful image of Kakariko is delusive, not so the fearful countenance the Kakarikans standing in the middle of their village are wearing.

They are coming … shadow beasts … an entire army of them.

The ground is quaking from their onrush, and the setting sun is sealed away by a black cloud of darkness following the demons on their way into the main centre. The men are yelling, both in fear and in encouragement for their comrades. They draw their weapons, a ringing sound emanating from their polished steal, and dash forward to meet the invaders in battle.

Midna is standing not far away from the bloody battlefield, hiding her shadowy form behind a corner of a house. She knows that the twilight beasts are searching for her, and that they came only into this village because one of their spies spotted her while entering. A cruel smirk poisons her face, one that reflects her likeness for the gruesome scene playing just before her eye.

While these unlucky humans entertained the beasts, she could sneak out of the village unseen and unheard, disappearing without a trace like the smoke of a log fire and heading towards her true destination: Faron Woods, the place where her people believed the legendary Hero would rise in Hyrule's hour of need.

The dying screams of the fighting men are becoming louder, painfuller, and lesser. More and more corpses suffuse the ground, bathing the dusty street in puddles of blood. The beasts are ruthless, merciless, thrashing their enormous claws through the group of soldiers remaining, who are catapulted across the village with deadly speed, just to land against the red walls or ground. The multiple cracks resounding the moment they hit the stone tell Midna all she has to know about broken necks or skulls, the immediate end of a human soul.

There is just a fistful of fighters left, and an older man of their group screams out to gain the attention of the other soldiers. Midna doesn't understand what he is saying, but apparently he orders them to retreat. So they drop their weapons to the ground and run, as fast as they can. At first, Midna giggles softly when she sees them escaping the twilight beasts, but her smirk soon transforms into an annoyed frown, for these stupid humans are running straight towards her hiding place.

Time to go, she thinks silently and turns around to creep out of the village.

Yet, when she looks around a corner to see if the coast is clear, she hears someone speaking in a hushed voice. ''Come, quickly, hide in here!'' At the entrance of a sand coloured building, a woman ushers a few children inside the house, casting worried looks towards the approaching beasts every now and again. She isn't old, thirty-five perhaps, and her dark skin and hair are smeared with dirt from the flying dust of the street.

Midna sinks down into the shadow of a wooden sign just next to the door of the building and watches this woman risk her life for a bundle of brats. And the demons are approaching still, without haste but not slowing down either.

But then, the woman screams out, which startles Midna. First, she thinks that the human is wounded, but when she looks to her, she finds her staring horrified directly at her hiding place. Midna doesn't dare to move, doesn't dare to blink, until the Kakarikan starts to walk toward her.

No, go away, she thinks nervously. The woman's death is certain if she'd approach her. Midna is the haunted one, and this naive girl would only throw away her life unnecessarily. Strangely she doesn't want this woman to die, so she moves forth from her shadow form, letting the human scream out.

''Who are you?'' she asks, terrified. Midna at first doesn't pay attention to her, scrutinizing the best way for her to sneak away without having the shadow beasts at her toes. ''What are you doing here?'' the woman insists, and Midna lets out an annoyed breath.

''Just shut up, will you? I'm trying to think here! If you want to stay alive, get away from me!''

For a moment, she hears nothing behind her where the woman stands frozen. She even thinks that she turned away to hide in the building as well, when her soft, voice rings out again. ''Why are you saying that? Are you dangerous?''

If I'm dangerous, she asks, thinks Midna with a sneer. Those humans are just so stupid. ''Not me, but those over there.'' she answers, pointing towards the oncoming creatures. ''They will suck out your soul if they find you. Just do what I'm telling you, get away from me, and you'll live.''

But still the woman isn't moving. ''But what about you? They will find you, if you're staying. Come with me, I know a place to hide.''

At that, Midna turns around and looks aghast at her. Why does she care about her, being a hideous imp and above all in shadow form since she can't live in the Light Realm wearing her true shape. But the girl in front of her seems confident about her plan, really willing to help her. Why can't she understand? ''No! I'm staying, you're going, it's as simple as that. Now get a move on, or I'll chase you away!'' she shouts and moves her arms scuddingly before she turns around again.

At last, the Kakarikan seems to understand, for soon Midna hears light footsteps behind her. However, when she turns around to follow her leave with her eyes, which the human takes by moving backwards, she sees, horrified, how a twilight bulblin with a spear astride a mighty boar approaches them at high speed. The woman doesn't seem to notice her doom, turning her back to it, and Midna doesn't hesitate.

Screaming out, she races in front of her and stretches out her hands, facing the monster. The woman screeches in terror the moment she sees the huge boar, but the spear is already flying. Everything seems to run in slow motion, the flight of the shaft coming towards Midna, the sharp pike pointing directly at her belly, the touch, the feeling of –

… nothing … ?

Behind her, she hears a fleshy thump resounding, then an airless breath, then a muffled thud the moment a corpse falls to the ground. Midna's stare is horrified, looking down her belly to the place where the lance had traversed her body. The dreadful truth soon follows when she turns around, seeing the woman on the ground, bleeding, spear in her chest.

The boar races past them, taking no notice of them any more. Midna still stares down at the girl, but she sees her moving. She lives!

Instantly, she kneels down, looking into her glassy eyes. When seeing her, the woman mutters something, not decipherable, and then her look turns into a stare, cold and empty.

At that moment, Midna hears a scream, a man's scream, loud and frightened. She looks up, sees a tall figure running towards them. But she doesn't notices more, for she already transformed into black speckles, warping her way out of the village. The last thing she sees are the sad, sorrowful eyes of this man, his skin as dark as the dead woman's, holding her in his arms and mourning his wife's death.

0

''I never killed your wife … '' she breathed, slowly standing up. ''I saw her being killed, I wanted to help her, but Death was quicker than my might. I beg your pardon …''

Renado lifted his head, looking into her ruby eye. His look was not one of hate, though still filled with silent sadness. ''No, I beg for pardon … it was wrong of me to say those things and to accuse you of the death of my wife. I was just so upset, I remembered those beasts invading our peaceful village, I knew it was the Twilight attacking us, that I thought you were here to cause even more harm and grief. But I completely forgot that you were hurt too, and that you brought Link back to us despite your injuries. If you were about to get rid of him, you would have let him there where he was. Please forgive me for my imputation, I … I really don't know what caused me to … to … loose my mind at that rate.''

He let his gaze fall down to the wooden floor, not able to look into her eyes any longer. Midna felt sympathy's arms embrace her, followed by a warm feeling in her heart she didn't know where it came from, but that wasn't important. She had changed a lot during her time with Link at her side, and her merciless, cruel behaviour had completely vanished. Link had taught her how to be forgiving, how to accept things as they were, and to help a friend stand up when he had fallen over sorrow's mischievous leg. So she took a few slow steps towards him and stretched out her left arm since her right ached terribly.

''It was a huge misunderstanding, Renado, and if you can forgive me, then I'll forgive you.''

The shaman raised his head again and gazed at her. A caring smile brightened his face as he took her tiny hand into his. ''Then so be it.''

000