Author's note: this frickin' chapter was really hard for me. First of all, I wrote at it for nearly seven hours non-stop (exploiting the day where writing just seems like licking ice-cream), not counting all the hours of research and brainstorming I did before, as well as the editing and adding of events afterwards.

But the most difficult for me during this chapter … it bloody swirled up again all those feelings I had buried inside me from that time three years ago, and that was the hardest to swallow. For the first time, I swear in a chapter (the hardcore stuff, not the usual mild swearing I use), there are violation and suicidal thoughts, and for the first time I will not ask you what you think of it. I really don't want to know. I'm just happy this is over. I really let myself go, so please don't hate me for it. I guess there were just some feelings I had to get rid of, and in the end I'm happy to have written this horrible chapter.

Again, for those who wish to skip the Sex parts, I added those little signs

!

and

000

around the adult stuff, so just skip what is written in between them if you don't want to be too shocked. I couldn't do it differently because major plot events happen during that section, but I hope it'll work for you. I tried to arrange the writing around those signs so that it would flow even if you skip.

So let's get this over with.

Chapter 52 – Mors Tibi Imminet

Death is upon you

He had set the book aside by now and gently felt for the wooden, metallic object inside his right trouser leg. Why had he done it?

Look at it, the Curse commanded in a soft, almost seducing tone.

He obeyed, eyeing the shining knife with glistening eyes. It was a beautiful object, with a wooden hilt and elaborately engraved markings in the lovingly tended … teakwood, he presumed by the fine dark, brown-red colour of it. As he lifted it higher to get a closer look, he identified the markings to be Ancient Hylian, the very same old script in which was written the book now lying forgotten on the bedside table. He had learned to read and write Old Hylian from one of Rusl's books in Ordon long ago, by pure curiosity and pleasure to acquire more knowledge of his homeland. His fingers ran over the hollows of the engraving and enjoyed the gentle touch of carefully oiled wood. It weighed quite a lot despite its size, which was about half the length of his underarm. A woman's knife then, he thought while turning it to the light of the candles to decipher the writing. It was a name, a female name, which bore striking resemblance with Luda's name.

Luana … was this the name of Renado's defunct wife? Had this knife belonged to her?

Instantly he felt ashamed. Why had he taken it? What had he intended to do with it? It was Renado's knife, not his to take, but he had smuggled it passed the others as if he was doing something illegal. He had done something illegal, something completely stupid, running around with a knife in your pocket while you were haunted by a curse that wanted to drive you to suicide. And a knife, even if not this one, was the cause of his heavily bandaged arm. Why, oh why had he been so stupid?

Looking at the shining weapon in his hands, a sudden surge of fear overcame him. The effigy of his baring teeth shone back into his widened pupils from the polished blade that only seemed lusting to drive itself into his flesh, draw blood, bring his vulnerable inside out into the unforgiving world. Why had he listened to that wretched curse?!

He threw the fresh sheets aside and bolted out of bed with the knife clutched tightly in his fist, as if wanting to hold it in check should it go somewhere on its own. Looking around fiercely, he searched for a place in the room that was safe, that was not changed every day like a pile of towels on the table, the pillow on his bed or regularly opened like the drawer of the desk by the window. There weren't many places in his room to hide a knife with a five inch blade. Back in his house in Ordon he'd have had hundreds of places, but this was a hotel room. Things tended to stay in their respective travelling bags and were not easily lost.

There was but one place that his eyes set upon which had not changed at all in the time he was now occupying this room. On the left of the bed, in the corner, stood a small, simple broomstick, a thick bundle of horse hair tied to a pole. It was dusting over quite nicely and had thus not even been used yesterday to clean his room. It didn't catch someone's eye immediately, stayed out of sight, silent in the background. A perfect place for an unwanted knife.

Sighing in relief, he stuck the silvery point into the horse hair so that only the dark hilt stuck out, and turned the broom so that it would hide the remains in the shadows of the corner. Inspecting his work, he nodded. The broom looked totally innocent, completely unimportant, like the one-hundred-and-thirty-sixth soldier in a battalion struck by an arrow, with no one to notice as he sinks to the ground, dead, while his fellow comrades launch the attack. It would keep his secret well.

Hang on a minute, he said to himself. Why didn't he tell someone of it? Renado would surely miss it, sooner or later. Inexplicably, the shaman had left it on the round table in the main room, and was probably searching for it right now. What if he'd go look in Link's room? What if he found it?

''If this curse tells you to do something like that, call for help, Link, do you hear me?!''

I have to give it back. Quickly! I have to call for help!

''Meowww.''

What the …

He swirled around to face the window, taking in a sharp breath as he tried to see through the dust covering the glass into the black of night. The sound had come from outside, just like before. He was sure of it. And indeed; two piercing green eyes floated underneath the wooden crossbars, pupils widened ferociously in an elliptical shape. The body which they belonged to seemed invisible, but upon looking closer Link saw a long black tail tapping lightly against the panes.

''Oh my.'' he said, placing a relieved hand on his chest to calm his thumping heart. The cat meowed a second time, now more ruefully, and scratched with its paws on the wood. Link turned a last time to the secret-holding broom in the corner before approaching the window and opening it.

''Come on little one, it's cold outs–''

Nothing. The cat had vanished. All he saw now was the dark of night and the pale moon shining on above him. He looked out the window, craning his neck left and right, but no sign of the shut out feline. Little impatient devil.

He closed the wing again and turned around, jumping in fright at the dark shape standing before him. There was the black cat, sitting patiently on its hind legs and watching him intently. Its tail was swaying gently from left to right, its coal black fur brushing over the wooden floor.

''There you are.'' His voice sounded a little hesitating, for he could swear not to have seen it jump down the window sill the moment he opened it. Was he really that tired?

He crouched down and stretched out a hand at it, but it suddenly tensed up and lowered menacingly on its front legs. ''Weeeowww.'' it growled at him, spitting angrily and lowering its head while staring up at him. He backed away with hands lifted in protection.

''Hey little one, I won't harm you.''

The black animal then advanced on him, teeth drawn like vampire fangs. Link backed away, still with his arms outstretched, until his back collided with the wall, solid, yet soft and squashy …

Soft and squashy? A wall?

While the cat came to a slow halt in front of him, he pressed his back harder against this strange thing he had hit. One of his hands moved slowly back, palm trembling with incertitude, and his twitching fingers met with moist fabric. Additionally, a putrid smell rose from behind him, making him choke and crinkle his nose. His hand rolled up the wet cloth, pulling it over a soft surface, until his fingertips met with skin.

Soft, rancid skin, wrinkled and cold.

A tap landed on his shoulder, freezing and heavy. The skin was moving. Someone was behind him. With a frightened shout he turned around.

''Do you think you can ESCAPE ME?'' the corpse bellowed, widening hollow sockets over a lumpy face swaying like torn rags by a lack of muscles and decay. Yellow teeth behind jumping lips grinned at him as the live cadaver stretched out its bony hand at him and made a staggering step forward. Link shrieked and tumbled back, tripping over the angry cat and falling to the ground with a heavy thud.

''Look at you! A Hero, reduced to THIS!'' the dead man roared, now crashing down on his knees as his bones fell apart because of missing tendons. One strand of his mid-long, dirty beige hair wound around a big tooth in his open mouth and suddenly tensed as the entire jaw-bone dislodged from the skull, swaying in front of his worm-hollowed face while he lolled towards Link, groaning and laughing hysterically. Link breathed hard in panic while he moved back as fast as he could, his back crashing hard against the door. He struggled to stand and grabbed for the handle, but the corpse was already upon him. He screamed as a wiry hand wound around his foot and pulled at him while he fumbled with the doorhandle. It just would not budge.

''Look! LOOK!'' the monster shrieked and pressed his decaying arm onto Link's eyes. A deep cut gaped from the top of the wrist to the middle underarm, spilling with blood. ''You could not even do THIS! You are weak! A COWARD! A BLOODY COWARD!''

Link shoved the appendage away with a desperate cry, kicking at the corpse's head so brutally that it cracked away from the neck and flew through the air to land on the floor with a sickening crunch. The headless body was still clinging to Link's leg as the door was suddenly thrown open from the outside, knocking both him and his rotting assailant back into the room. Link crawled into the light of the corridor towards his rescuer with tears of horror now streaming down his cheeks, hearing how the severed head rolled over the planks and screamed madly at him. ''COWARD! BLOODY COWARD!''

The door was banged shut behind him, and the voice died out. Link sat trembling on the ground with the big form of Renado kneeling beside him, holding him steady while muttering calming words to him. As Link became aware of where he found himself, he quickly stood up and pushed the shaman away from the door. ''There's – a monster – a corpse in – don't go in there –''

''Link!'' Renado called and placed his hands firmly on the Hero's shoulders. ''Where is it?! Tell me right now!''

The Hylian looked fully at Renado, and saw only now the Kakarikan's face red with fury. '' … what …''

''Don't pretend not to know it, you fucking bastard! I know you have it!'' Renado bellowed, suddenly taking a big step towards Link and shoving his palms into the Hero's chest so hard that Link was propelled back against the wall, just coming to a halt next to the stairs.

''Renado …'' he wheezed, but the raging shaman was already storming towards him.

''I'll rip your bloody head off if you don't give it to me RIGHT NOW!''

Screaming in terror, Link dodged under Renado's clawing hands and staggered down the stairs as fast as he could, nearly falling down the last steps as he tripped over his own feet, but the strong arms of his surrogate father caught him in time.

''Link! Please calm down!''

Link looked at Rusl with eyes widened in shock, pointing up towards Renado now storming down the stairs. ''Rusl, he's completely mad! I don't know what he's talking about! You have to stop him!''

The Resistance Group had stood up from their chairs and were approaching him, looking at him as if he just lost his mind. ''What are you talking about, Link?'' Auru asked, stretching out a hand towards him. At once, a strange darkness overcame his eyes, and his face contorted into a disbelieving expression. ''Renado's our friend, and you just called him mad?''

Link froze as they stared at him, his father figure looking at him with the same hurt disbelief Auru was wearing on his wrinkled face. Behind them, Renado had come to a stop and was twitching oddly in his rage, teeth bared like a furious wolf. Ashei asked him what had happened, and Renado answered while pointing an accusing finger at Link.

''He stole my knife! Luana's knife! I'm going to kill him! I'm going to bloody kill him!''

A wave of darkness overcame their faces in an instant, and Ashei turned to Link. ''You did WHAT?'' Her shrill voice echoed in the entire inn and hurt Link's ears. Trembling, he backed away as they advanced on him, Ashei pulling out her skewer and pointing the deadly tip at his chest. ''You gave me a promise, you remember? But all you do is thinking you are a Super Invincible Hero that doesn't need anyone! We helped you so much, and all you do is turn us down!''

Link shook his head, still moving backwards. ''No … I'd never turn you down, please …''

He stumbled as he ran into something standing behind him, and heard the muffled thud of a body falling over. He turned around in fright to see Colin lie on the ground, rubbing his backside while staring up at his big brother, a pained expression on his young face.

''Colin, I'm sorry, I didn't see you.'' Link bend down to him and placed a careful hand on his shoulder, but suddenly the boy started to scream and cry.

''Daddyyyyyy! He pushed me over!''

At once, Rusl went red with fury. ''Link! Get away from my son or I'll rip you apart, I swear to Nayru!''

That was too much for Link. At once he turned around and darted for the door which he tore open, its wing crashing hard against the wall of the inn. However, right in front of him stood another figure, smaller than him, its green eyes clouded with darkness and puffy red from long hours of weeping.

''Link, why didn't you come for me? Why did you let those monsters take me?'' Ilia said, her voice not sounding accusing at all, only sad and sorrowful. Link's breath caught in his throat as he stumbled back again, feeling the others approach from behind.

''Ilia, I …''

''Why didn't you save me? Don't you love me?''

From all sides they were closing in on him, Renado, Ashei and Rusl wearing furious looks on their red faces, Auru gazing disbelieving at him, the children crowding around the weeping Colin and trying to calm him, shooting horrified glances at Link not and then. Colin was crying like a lunatic, still rubbing his backside, shouting through his sobs. ''He pushed me over! Daddy! He pushed me over!''

Only Shad had stayed back, holding the precious Oocca book in his arms and turning the pages with his glasses glimmering interestedly, not paying any attention to the nightmarish scene just playing before Link's eyes.

Shad! He's still normal!

At once Link darted through the horde of his completely antagonized friends towards the scholar in the corner, jiggling on his shoulders. ''Shad! Please, you have to help me, the others–''

''Did you know that some scholars think the Hylians were actually created by the Oocca?'' the bespectacled man said in his fascinated voice, looking up into Link's eyes. ''Oh, a new face. How can I help you, sir?''

The Hylian said nothing for a moment, just stood there while his brain desperately tried to grab what was going on. He looked from the naïve Oocca-man to the others approaching him again like a pack of slow-moving re-deads, their black eyes set on him accusingly. Ilia was there too, looking at him sadly and just shaking her head while placing her hands over her heart. Colin and the others stared on, their sockets as empty as the dead man's up in his room.

What in Din's name was happening to him?!

His look moved from the gathering of people to the round table top. At the exact place where he had found the knife the evening prior now lay a small key. It's polished surface glimmered in the light of the numerous candles lit around the ground floor, calling for him. Somehow he knew what key that was. It was the key Renado always kept with him. The key to his room that he guarded so that Link would not lock himself in. Just like the knife, that stupid shaman had forgotten it on the table.

The Resistance Group had followed his look, and understood just as he darted for it. Rusl bellowed and threw a chair over as he stormed at Link, but the youth was already sprinting up the stairs again. His brain caught up with him the moment he reached his door; what if that horrible corpse was still in his room? He decided quickly that one opponent was easier to beat than ten, and banged the door shut behind himself, turning the key around before retrieving it and throwing it against the broomstick in the corner. Two secrets to hold now, my dear!

Loud banging erupted from outside, but he paid it no mind. He was looking around the room for the corpse that had attacked him earlier, but no dead body was to be found. He didn't even try to come up with a plausible explanation for this, instead retreating into the corner farthest from the door, which was the one behind the rocking chair. Curling up in its shadow, he listened to the constant, violent banging of his once-friends' fists against the locked door, praying silently it would hold their onslaught until they calmed down again. His body was trembling all over now, his breathing sharp and quick, one arm wound around his legs while the other, bandaged one had tucked itself between his thighs and his belly, seeking shelter. It throbbed quietly along with the bangs of the people outside, in a steady, booming rhythm that shook the windowpanes like rattling thunder. But soon enough they quieted down, tired of their futile attempts at reaching him, defeated by a mere little key.

This inconspicuous piece of metal had just saved his life.

But what now?

0

As the banging stopped, the room turned very silent. Sitting there behind the rocking chair, he finally had some time to muse over what had just happened. Looking about the dimly-lit room, he retraced the encounter with the corpse, and came to a rather banal conclusion; that had only been a hallucination, a trick of the mind. The Curse had done this to him. It had wanted to scare him, that's all. There was no corpse in his room, there never had been, and as he realized this, his heartbeat quieted down easily. Still it had frightened him, and his imagination, running amok in the darkness around him, was loaded with the horrible scenes of the cadaver advancing on him, yelling, laughing, calling him ''A BLOODY COWARD!''.

Yes, he was a coward. He had been scared by a hallucination, a simple illusion. His common sense, telling him that a corpse long dead could impossibly be alive and moving, had clicked in much too late. His reason seemed to have slowed down a lot these days. Was it even present any longer? Or was all his world a single, long, much too real hallucination?

''Link?''

That wonderful voice came so suddenly that he twitched in fright. From his hiding place behind the rocking chair, he saw how the owner of that wonderful voice materialized from the shadows. It had erupted a few minutes after the banging on his protective door had ceased, and the thought that she had conspired with those horrible people outside overcame his mind like poisonous fog, blurring it.

''What do you want?!'' he screamed at her, and she backed away, frightened by his sudden outcry. ''Did I hurt you too, in any way?''

Midna's look became worried, and she approached him cautiously. ''No, you didn't. Link, please open the door, we only want to help you.''

He scoffed. ''Oh really? Looked different two minutes ago.''

She sighed and hung her crown-less head, her face flooded by a wave of orange hair that sparkled gently in the dim light of the candle. At once, Link felt sorry for his mean reply upon seeing her so desperate, but a stronger feeling soon crept up from the depths of his belly. The sight of her slender body, broad hips, delicate breasts and sweet face flooded him with a wave of lust, and he felt himself getting aroused just by looking at her.

''I'm sorry.'' he murmured, turning in her direction but staying on the ground. She looked up at him, her face still sad, but a little glimmer of hope shone in her eyes that made her look all the more beautiful.

''It's okay, Link. You're just upset, that's all. Is there anything you need?''

Now that she stood there, small and vulnerable, he knew his answer immediately. ''Yes, I … I think I need something, but I don't know what it is.''

She cocked her broad head a little in question, now approaching him with her small, bare feet pit-patting on the floor towards him. ''Can I make a guess?'' she asked, now sounding more mysterious than helpful. She came to a halt in front of him and knelt down, taking his hands in hers.

''It's Love you need, am I right?'' she breathed, her pointy fingers creeping up his arm and giving him goose-flesh. He gasped a little as she stood in between his legs, leaning over him and looking deeply into his eyes. Her irises were darker than he remembered, but this was surely just the black of night drowning out their true shine simply by lack of light.

!

''Love?'' he whispered, giving back the goose-flesh by caressing her upper arm and looking at her breasts. Their nipples had swollen to the point of being dry little lust-peas, and with a soft growl he felt himself grow hard and stiff as well. He licked his lips as his mouth moistened, and looked back up at her. Her pupils had grown wide with desire, her short teeth toying with her lower lip by biting gently on it. It drove him nearly mad.

At once he lunged at her. She moaned out as he planted his lips on hers while feeling for her tiny breasts, rubbing over their nibbles in turns while exploring her mouth with his tongue. She tasted like honey, and he could have licked her dry had she not pulled back quickly to pull him towards the bed. He followed her while pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it under the table. He did not need that any more.

Midna had jumped onto the bed and was lying on her back with her legs spread, stretching out her arms invitingly. He knelt over her and garnished her mouth with his tongue once more, picking up where he had stopped. This time he would lick her until there was not a single drop of honey left in her mouth. His hands played all the while with her breasts, eliciting her a few aroused moans as he pinched her nipples. His tongue darted around the small space behind her lips, brushing over her teeth, strumming her single, longer vampire-tooth before he dug deeper, suddenly touching her uvula.

000

She pulled back with a gag and pushed him away, coughing violently as the tickled uvula summoned a retching reflex. He looked at her how she turned away from him, feeling slightly guilty to have forgotten that she was, after all, a lot smaller than him. But his arousal was too powerful to hold back now that it had taken hold of him. Without waiting for her to calm down, he turned her back to him and kissed her again.

She looked mildly hurt that he didn't even let her compose herself, but he didn't pay any attention to that. While leaning over her, seeing her small, womanly body underneath him, just begging to be loved, he noticed just how small and weak she was in comparison to him. Whenever she wanted to draw herself up and change position, he pinned her down by her shoulders and just continued to play with her mouth, heedless of her muffled protests. He was the one deciding where they were going, and she could do nothing about it.

Soon he was tired of her mouth, the delicious honey turning to meek salt water on his tongue, and he straightened to find another place he could play with.

''Link, I'm tired of this.'' she said as soon as her lips were free once more to form words. ''I know you're in a bad shape and you need more time to get accustomed with Love, but I need you right now. You hear me? Right now!''

!

She opened her legs even more for him, and he looked at the glistening, mysterious place wet with desire. I need you right now. What exactly did she need him for?

000

''Goddesses damn it, Link! Do you love me or not?'' she growled, impatience etching itself onto her face. He did not know her like this, not at all. What was wrong with her?

''Of course I do, Midna.'' he stammered, but still refrained as to do what she asked. Her impatience grew even more.

''What are you waiting for, then? That this stupid bitch Ilia comes in and you can do it with her instead?!''

Stupid bitch?

That was too much. How did she dare speaking of his childhood friend in this manner?

At once his hand closed over her throat, and her look flickered from angry to frightened. He leaned over her, pinning her to the pillow without really throttling her, but he knew it was difficult for her to get air. What was even more thrilling; he was the one controlling her now. After all this time she pestered him, insulted him and drove him around the world like a slave, he had finally turned the sides around. He could do with her whatever he wanted.

''You want it, eh?'' he asked, a feral look creeping into his darkened eyes. He didn't even hear his own words as his sanity slipped out of his mind's grasp. ''If you so desperately want it, then I'll give it to you.''

!

Still pinning her to the bed, he brushed his leggings down, not even bothering to remove them entirely. Midna squirmed frantically in his hold as she struggled to fill her lungs completely, but he just pushed down harder on her until she couldn't move at all. When he entered her, she let out a weak cry of pain and clamped her thighs shut in an attempt to seal her from him, however, he had a second arm he now used to shove her knee away.

''Link! Stop–'' she choked as he pushed hard into her, making her scream. She was so tight that he barely made it halfway in, but he was resolute to give her what she had asked for. With a violent push he buried himself inside her completely, his member feeling her wet juices spill out onto the sheets at last.

''What's this?'' he asked, not looking at his engulfed sex but boring his gaze into her agony-filled eyes. ''For someone in pain you released quite a load. How do you like the power-play until now? I find it quite … satisfying.''

She began to cry. She actually cried. Her pleasure was too overwhelming! Tears streamed down the sides of her face and disappeared in the sheets, just like her cum had moments ago. He began pounding on her now, every push slow and deep, just like she loved it. She cried out now every time he thrust into her, her tears of ecstasy cascading down in large rivulets of glistening moisture. She was so happy, he thought, she just could not stop crying.

''Link …'' she moaned, her eyes suddenly drooping the moment he felt another warm wave of her honey wash over his sex. Was she falling asleep, or what?

000

''Link …'' Her eyes closed completely.

The way she had said his name was strange. She had never called him by his name in this way, with such a voice. It sounded as if her vocal chords did not fully use the strength given to them, but that it was not deliberately softened either. He could only compare it to his own voice as he had woken in that bed for the first time, weakened by the life-threatening loss of blood, his tone a mere breath of words. And agony. There had been agony in his whisper. His breath loaded with it, the purest and most horrible suffering.

Pain of Death,

Dolor Mortis …

!

The last of his thrusts came involuntarily.

000

Suddenly he was aware of the pain, the excruciating pain she was in, but his limbs were like frozen stiff by horror. He had hurt her, the one person he loved above all else … he had used her like a toy that you could throw in a corner or push down a flight of stairs without bothering if you hurt it. And once it was broken, you just threw it away.

But she was not a toy. And he had broken her nonetheless.

''Midna … I'm …'' he started, but was unable to finish as his look slowly crept down to where they were united.

!

What he had thought to be the honey of Love spilling in abundance out of her at his thrusts,

000

and what he saw instead, was the dreadful truth that he had hurt her in the deepest way possible. The sheets were dark red with blood. His hands that had held her firmly were smeared with the hot life, clinging to his limbs, never letting him go again. He screamed in front of his hands, pulled away from her broken body and wound the woollen blanket around himself to shield all that blood covering him from his wetting eyes.

Midna slowly drew herself up. She gazed at her most intimate, now mutilated place with a strange look in her eyes, one Link could only describe as … interested. Nothing more. Just interested. Her eyes were hollow, shine-less and dull, devoid of all life that had once resided inside them. He twitched in fright as she lifted her eyes on him, their absence of light making them look as if they slowly dissolved into her head to be replaced by a pitch-black abyss. Slowly she drew herself up, staggering a little on her bloodied legs, and looked at him.

''You …'' she mumbled, almost dreamily. It was not even shouted. Just murmured in a tone that sounded neither angry, nor upset, nor sad. Her voice was dull, monotonous, just like her eyes, and that was a thousand times worse than any angry shout Link could have imagined from her. She was so dreadfully … unaffected by the horrible way he had hurt her, as if she was just a corpse with no feeling.

A corpse …

''Midna, I …'' he stammered, feeling his tears run down his cheeks like hot lava. She stood there in front of him, looking at him with this unaffected expression, her perfectly even face only stirred as her mouth spoke to him.

''Don't bother apologizing. You were never good at that anyway.''

''Please, I didn't want to do that –''

''Yeah, sure.'' she cut him off. ''You know what? Go to Hell. I don't care if you kill yourself or if it's someone else. I hate you. Go to Hell.''

Her body slowly covered with cracks and peelings, turning grey and dry, like that of a mummy found after thousands of years. Link watched on, his eyes wide with horror, how she became flaky and dusty, the light soon piercing her from behind as bits and pieces of her powdery body fell off.

''MIDNA!'' Link screamed and lunged forward, grabbing her with his hands.

But she had already fallen to a heap of brown dust on the sheets.

He knelt there, trembling, his arms outstretched to where she had stood in front of him. A biting cold overcame him, but he took no notice of it. All he saw were his two hands in front of him.

The blood covering them had vanished.

0

He had no idea how long he stayed in that room, alone, cut off from the world by the locked door, the wrath of his once-friends and his disappeared, mutilated lover. All he knew was that he must have fallen asleep at some point by an overwhelming exhaustion.

He embraced the forced sleep with a heartiness that was almost distressing. He felt so tired lately. Surely he had not been that tired during his journey, even while fighting all day, travelling all night, and recovering from multiple wounds in between. This tiredness came from something deeper inside him, as if the very generator producing his life energy had been spiled.

When he finally woke up, hours later, the daylight had still not come back. It was black outside and eerily quiet. Only the single candle on his bedside table shone on bravely as it fought against the overwhelming darkness around him. He stood up carefully, his limbs leaden, his feet unsteady, and stepped over to where the blaze clung to its black wick. He watched how the wax boiled at the blue tail of the flame, moving up to the light before recoiling at the strong heat and sinking back down again. He looked at the swimming life mutely, sitting on the cot while gently rubbing his bandaged arm, feeling numb and alone. Alone, yes. So alone …

That was when It spoke to him. Its time had come.

What has happened to you, my friend?

''Oh, nothing, really. I'm all right, don't bother asking.''

But I do. I'm worried about you. Are you always so humble and selfless?

His nose blew out a little breath as if to chuckle, but his lips stayed immobile, as if they had forgotten how to smile. ''Humble and selfless? Those are traits of a Hero, but after all I did, I'm not worth that title any more.''

Oh, you are a Hero then? What an honour to meet you. But you don't look that happy, my little Hero. Why is that so?

He turned to his imaginary interlocutor with sarcasm dripping from every word. ''Oh, but I am happy. Don't you see it?''

Hmm, if you say so. What is happiness, anyway? Having friends? A life worth living? Clear me up, I'm a little confused.

Link was staring at the flame again, but his eyes had begun to water by now. Slowly his salty tears crept over his reddened cheeks, meeting a cracking pair of lips. They were brutally wiped away by a pink tongue as it craved for something liquid. He only noticed then that he was incredibly thirsty.

''Happiness …?'' he stated, thinking sluggishly to compose an accurate definition. ''I guess it's having everything you need, people who care about you, someone who loves you, someone worth fighting for.''

Oh, how pleasant indeed. Yes, it's definitely something worth living for. But you look as if you lost all happiness in this world, my friend. What happened?

More tears ran down his face, but he kept his expression neutral, emotionless. ''I made mistakes, huge mistakes. I stole from a friend, I disappointed another, I was weak enough not to fight for a third, I hurt the one person I love most in this world, no, I killed her with pain …''

His fists clenched at the memory of Midna's face poisoned with fear and agony, her tiny hands clawing at his arms to make him stop, her voice crying out his name in a way she never had before. It almost made him sick just to think of it, but his expression stayed neutral, emotionless.

You made mistakes you cannot undo, my friend. But you have to remember that those people hurt you, too. They cast you out, they left you alone. They were no real friends if they could not forgive you your actions. Everyone makes mistakes, and they acted unfairly towards you.

He heard those words spoken soothingly, and thought them over. Slowly the gears of his brain worked once more, and he was served an entire plate of facts that were, for once, not against him.

Yes, by Nayru. He was not the only one to blame. Had Renado not left the knife on the table, he'd never have been able to take it. Had Ilia not run to the spring with Epona just because she couldn't abide the fact that Link was going away, maybe the bulblins would not have taken her. Had Colin not stood behind Link, he'd not have knocked him over. Had Ashei been insightful enough, she would have kept the notion of suicide a secret. Had Midna not been so selfish as to use him and his love for her only to make HER feel better, he'd not have become so completely blind with lust …

You have to realize that you are the only true victim here, and that it's time you act selfishly for a change. After all that happened to you, all this suffering you had to endure and all those people acting so unfairly towards you, don't you think it's time you come to your right?

Slowly, he nodded. Somehow, everything fitted together now. This voice in his head was right. After so many months of suffering for other people's well-being, for their happiness, it was time he got some happiness for himself. How did he even hold out until now? He suffered so much, and for what? So that the people he loved turned him down? Fine. If they wanted it, they'd get it. It was his turn to act now. They had controlled his life long enough, had made him endure it for so long, had taken every decision he could have made in his life from him. His friends, the people of Hyrule, even the Goddesses … they had all played him like a marionette. His life had been theirs. Go to that fucking temple and get that fucking Fused Shadow, Hero! The world depends on you, bastard! Oh, and may we remind you that if you don't save us, everything will be your fault? Because you were the only one who could DO it! And why didn't you DO it? Because you were selfish!

''And why didn't you help me?'' he breathed, clenching his fists even more until his knuckles were snow-white. ''You turned me down, all of you. I needed you and you weren't there.''

Because YOU were the pawn chosen to do it. You were THEIR pawn, THEIR labour-horse, the one to do all the dirty work so that THEY could live their lives in peace and plenty. The Goddesses traded your happiness for theirs. All decisions you could make were taken from you. All but one …

Link stared blankly into the distance, until he felt something heavy sink into his lap. He looked down, his joints creaking from prolonged immobility, and saw the flashing, silvery beauty of Renado's – Luana's knife glimmer up at him. Even though the only light source in the room was the candle on the bedside table, he saw how the weapon shone with its own, almost divine light. He took the blade in his hands. Its weight had vanished, instead being as light as a feather, its wooden hilt fitting into his palms as if it was made solely for them. His eyes drooped dreamily while he stared at it, taking in every curve, every dip and line the annual rings of the teak had tattooed into the handle. His thumb grazed the sharp side of the blade, his skin parting effortlessly and leaving a trace of red on the metal. His finger came to a halt on the point at the extremity of the weapon, the prow of the vessel, so sharp it punctured him simply by brushing it. Fascinated, he watched how the flickering light of the candle danced on the polished steel, reflecting in his eyes as they drooped further.

It was the key to all of it, like the key that had saved his life from the storming fury of his once-friends. That had been the first clue to his cure. And now, looking down at the wonderful blade in his hands, he finally saw it.

The true counter-curse.

The Light that book had spoken about.

The one thing everyone had been so desperately searching for.

All but one decision they took from you, Link … the decision about your own life … that decision remains solely in your hands …

His look went empty, unfocused, while his hands turned the knife around, set the course of the ship towards home.

What is your decision …?

A single breath escaped his lips the moment he drove the blade towards his heart.

''Link! NO!'''

The sharp point pierced his skin and banged hard against a rib, making him gasp. It just managed to find a way through the moment the knife was suddenly pushed aside by tiny black hands. Link moaned out as the salvaging metal was torn from his body, but his grip still lingered around the bloodied hilt.

''Help! Dammit! I need help!'' a high-pitched voice crashed through his blurred mind while he felt himself sink to the ground, struggling against the black hands that held the revolting knife in check. He pulled at it, tugged at it, stared at whoever was keeping him from finishing the deed. He could not see the face, only the trapped knife in those black hands crossed with turquoise shimmers.

A sudden, loud bang resounded from behind him. His once-friends were once more trying to break through the door. Panic gripped him by the heart as he realized they even wanted to take that last decision from him, and he now tore at the monster's claws with all his might.

A shrill scream pierced his mind the moment the knife was propelled once more towards him, and it found its blooded sheath with dreadful ease. Deeper it went into him, the piercing agony finally breaking through his stupor's barrier. He cried out weakly, screwed up his eyes, gritted his teeth while the ship's prow continued to plough through his skin, breaking the ice.

Something else broke, a deafening crack coming from behind him. The small black hands tore at the knife in his clutch, the anchor keeping him from going any further, but the wind in his sails was too strong for it. The chain ripped …

''NO LINK!''

Through the door that had been brutally smashed to smithereens by the entire Resistance Group united, Renado tumbled into the room and crashed to his knees, his big hands closing over the deadly weapon and tearing it out of its Hylian sheath in one swift motion. It soared through the air to land hard on the floor where it skidded and banged against a foot of the table. An angry ring resounded from the blade as it collided with the wood, but the thick blood covering it drowned out every attempted protest. It came to a final standstill underneath the window, its dripping point directed sulkily away from them.

''Link!'' Renado gasped, jostling on his shoulder to elicit some sort of reaction from the boy. The others plummeted down around them, looking on with widened eyes while the desperate shaman worked Link's consciousness back to their world. Midna had collapsed to a sobbing heap in between the splinters of the smashed door, her hair hanging over her soaked face as she kept her eyes rooted on her companion. Renado had protruded a cloth out of thin air and was holding it on Link's bare chest, and as their eyes fell on the slowly expanding sea of blood in front of the healer's knees, they finally realized something was badly wrong.

''No …'' Ashei breathed as she saw the deep gash on his chest. She had become a white as chalk upon seeing the knife torn from him with a jet of blood, and the others were no better. Rusl was sobbing quietly while stroking over Link's ashen face, muttering weak pleas that he'd wake up for him. Auru and Shad stayed behind, completely immobile, until the older man started to wipe his face occasionally while whispering quietly. ''Dammit … dammit … please no …''

Then, with a sudden moan that made them jump, Link's eyes fluttered open. They all gasped in relief and moved closer, Midna ahead of them already falling to her knees and calling for her partner. ''Link! Please say something, tell me you're all right! Please, talk to me, Link!''

''Midna, calm down and give me some space.'' Renado answered her instead, gently pushing her back so that he could fully concentrate on the faintly breathing youth in front of him. He quickly folded the half-soaked towel together and pressed it on the stab wound while keeping his eyes fixed on Link's face, seeing how the lad shut his eyes feebly in pain.

''Oh Goddesses …'' Ashei whispered from behind them where she knelt in front of the table, Luana's knife resting sticky in her hands. They hardly paid her any attention as they watched how Link's lids let loose a few small tears, his lips opening and closing gently as he struggled to form words. He opened his eyes again and lifted his head a little, but Renado eased him back down.

''Don't move, Link. Stay right there.''

The Hero's countenance went from sad to agonized. A few inaudible breaths escaped his mouth before he found enough strength to talk. ''I … I …''

He swallowed hard and blinked, trying to ignore the dreadful pain of his pierced chest just like he had done so many days before. ''I'm … I'm so sorry … please forgive me …'' he managed to stammer in a broken whisper.

The shaman nodded with a concerned look. ''It's all right. Don't blame yourself. You're safe now, nothing can happen to you any more.''

But Link continued to beg for forgiveness, even when his eyes slowly closed and his words went over to indistinguishable mumbling. Renado, who was still working to stop the constant bleeding of the stab wound, ceased when he noticed the youth gradually lose consciousness again. ''Link? No Link, stay with me.'' he said in alarm. ''Don't give in, I beg you.''

Around him, the others moved closer, placing their hands on the youth's arms and murmuring soft sentences of comfort, and Midna took up stance at Link's head, stroking gently over his sweaty hair and pale cheeks.

Renado saw how the Hylian struggled to keep his senses together, trying vainly to focus on the healer's eyes and the loving people around him. ''You … '' he whispered feebly. ''… you turned … against me … you were … so angry …''

The healer shook his head. ''No, Link, we never turned against you. It was a hallucination, Link, nothing more. What happened was not real. Nothing was real. The Curse did this to you, made you think we turned against you. But we never did, it was all just a hallucination.''

They saw how more tears streamed down Link's face, accompanied by a few feeble sobs. ''I thought … you … I'm so sorry … It's inside … me, It … made me … It's inside me … inside me …''

Inside me …

Inside me …

Renado's brows pursed as he stared at the youth, those two simple words echoing and resounding in his mind, and slowly a thought, a small, inconspicuous idea pieced itself together, grew bigger and bigger, developing with other, seemingly insignificant things he had snapped up, read or seen. Inside me...

''It talks to me.''

''As if my very soul turns against me.''

''Don't eat those mushrooms, they'll blur your mind.''

Deliriant, hallucinogenic … was written in a few places in his medicinal books.

''Here, drink this.''

Side effects...Inside, outside... Inflammation, infection … poison?

''Have you any knowledge of psychological torture?''

''He's hearing voices, he said, loud voices that do not stop.''

''Therefore, Light Water is meant to always defeat Darkness and draw it away from those blessed by the Golden Three.''

''Renado!'' Midna's voice broke through his musings. The healer's head jerked up, and he saw how she had wrapped her hands around Link's face as it had started to turn away limply. He quickly checked on the boy's pulse, finding it weak but present, before he pursed his brows again and thought hard.

''Renado, what's wrong?'' Auru asked, his tone worried.

The healer's face slowly lifted on that of his friend. His brown eyes were shimmering with tears, his look the picture of Hope herself.

''Nothing is wrong. Auru, I think I finally understood.''

They looked at him in utter confusion, waiting for him to elaborate. As he stayed mute with emotion, Ashei's tether came to an end. ''Damn it, Renado! What do you understand?''

The wise shaman ran a hand through his thick, dark hair.

''I think I found the counter-curse.''

000

Author's second note: I told you before even writing this chapter that it would be a horror chapter, but now I'm not so sure any more. The black cat was a homage to 'The Grudge' while Link's reeling thoughts near the end had been inspired by 'The Shining' by Stephen King, but other than that, I found myself writing about depressing stuff, again … I'm just so tired of this …

It's time we finally finish this, right?