EDIT: OMG guys, I'm so sorry! Why did no one tell me that I accidentally updated this chapter with the 30-something-th instead of the fixed/rewritten Chapter 3? XD Luckily I forgot up until when I had posted new content and looked at it :X

Chapter 3! Thanks to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, faving both me and my story and pointing out any mistakes I might've made so far! It's turning out to be real fun writing for you guys!

-Jack Knights

Link had no idea how much time had passed since the mysterious Dagg had closed the door, sealing him in a drawer amongst the dead. As if he was one of them. At first, he had been able to keep his calm, but after a few minutes—it could have hours or seconds, he couldn't tell—he began to panic. He'd never thought himself claustrophobic, but soon, thoughts of dying from lack oxygen or starvation entered his mind. He tried viciously to push them away as he broke out in a sweat. His mind began playing tricks on him then. He began hearing noises; to Link, it was as if the dead had come back to life and were rattling about in their drawers.

He never wanted to help me... he thought miserably as he closed his eyes beneath the sheet. He's probably one Ganondorf's fiends in disguise. This must be a form of torture. The sick bastard wants me to suffer before he finally kills me.

"Well, your mind games won't work on me, do you hear me?" Link shouted, hysteria taking over. If and when he comes back, he won't be expecting me to still be coherent. Then, I'll take my revenge and save Zelda!

Zelda...

Goddesses, why have you abandoned us both? Princess Zelda is dead, Midna is gone and I'm going insane.

"Why have you forsaken me?" Link shouted loudly. He slammed his fist down, sending a fresh wave of pain up his already bruised arm. Did I not do as you asked? Was I not play the role of the unwilling Hero well enough?

Suddenly, light filled into the box and the metal slab was pulled out of the drawer. Link expected to find Ganondorf ready to bring a blade down upon his neck. He whimpered only ever so slightly as he cowered. The lights suddenly dimmed and Link blinked in surprise when a disembodied voice floated around him.

"Come now, we didn't forget about you, Hylian," said a young male's voice. "No need to cry."

"Goddesses, the trauma he must have suffered," came a distinctly familiar growl. "I knew I shouldn't had hidden him in there."

"He was practically screaming, wasn't he?" said the young man again. Unable to take any more of it, Link threw off the sheets and jumped to the ground. After such a long time of lying still in a cramped box, he fell face first, his hand saving his face from being crushed. Lying in a heap on the floor, he moaned in agony.

"Clumsy one, isn't he?"

"Shut up, Sheik," Dagg hissed, hauling Link up. "If you were shoved in a box for four hours straight with nothing but your own thoughts, you'd be the same."

"No I wouldn't, Dagg," Sheik said, coming over to support Link.

"You're right; there's nothing in that thick skull of yours, so you'd die of hunger before you go insane," Dagg retorted, setting Link down on the open gurney. "Drink this, you'll feel better," he added, giving Link a glass filled with water.

"I was gonna say that I'd break out before insanity set in, but—hey don't let him drink that fast!" Sheik said, grabbing for the cup. "You're dehydrated; you'll give yourself stomach cramps and then you'll be even more of a liability."

Grateful, Link took his time while the two men talked things over. He studied the newcomer in the half-light; he was a younger by a few years and slightly shorter with a much lighter build. He wore a mask over his mouth, and a cap upon his head, tuffs of his platinum blonde hair sticking out, covering his face. A long braid trailed down his back, tapering at his waist. The eye that Link could see was bright blue. Sheik noticed Link staring at him then and Link stared back, determined not to show any weakness.

"What are you looking at, Hylian?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I have a name, you know," he retorted, sounding just as bitter as Sheik, draining the glass. "It's Link." Dagg handed him a change of clothes, while the younger man remained silent, studying him with an unblinking eye. Link undressed with his back to the men; the pale blonde inhaled sharply behind him.

"What happened to you? Did you run head-first into charging boar or something?" Sheik asked, receiving a disapproving scowl from Dagg.

"Try a sword," Link muttered as he threw on the shirt. Dagg and Sheik exchanged looks of confusion, but they remained silent.

"Sheik here will lead your escape from the hospital; I have a few things to wrap up here before I head out with you, but you two ought to be able to get out without too much trouble."

"Yeah, all we have to do is make it past the Bulblins and we're home free," Sheik added. Link couldn't tell if he was actually enthusiastic about it or very good with sarcasm.

"How many Bulblins are there?"

"Since I put you in?" Dagg said, thinking. "About fifty more arrived."

Great… he moaned inwardly, as Sheik flung the door open.

They entered into the hallway, which was oddly deserted. Dagg went to the left, adjusting his glasses as his back straightened. Sheik led them to the right, pausing as they reached a T-junction in the corridor. Dagg had given Link a cap to cover his ears, which proved to be too big for him, but he wore it anyway. Sheik was oddly quiet, and Link struggled to keep up with him. They passed no-one as they went, which again, struck Link as odd. We sure are lucky. Almost too lucky. As they rounded a corner, Sheik suddenly came to a halt, causing Link to crash into him.

"What is it?" Link asked in a hushed tone.

"Bulblins are guarding the exit," Sheik whispered back. "They're not too smart, so just back up quietly."

Link began to back up, going as quickly as he could manage with his side protesting angrily for the hallway they just came out from. Unfortunately for Link, their streak of good luck ran out just then as he bumped into a group of people. The things they were carrying went flying everywhere and as Link apologized, Sheik cursed under his breath.

"You idiot, they've heard you," he hissed, glaring at Link as he fumbled around for a pencil that rolled out of his reach.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, diving for the stylus. As luck would have it, the too-big hat Dagg had given him slipped off his head as he did, his hair falling forward, exposing an ear. As one, the group of people gasped in surprise as Link straightened himself, hat in hand. He offered them an apologetic grin as Sheik swore creatively. One of them, a woman with electric blue hair, shouted for the Bulblins and panic ensued.

"Well aren't you just a hoot?" Sheik shouted at the woman as she ran away, followed by the other passer-byers. "Thanks for that, you tart!" he yelled as she screamed blue murder. "And you, put that hat back on; we're making an express getaway."

The Bulblins now had a relatively firm grasp on what was going on and three of them left their post at the entrance while another two descended the stairs at the other end of the hallway. For a moment, the three factions stood looking at each other, completely dumbfounded. Sheik swore colourfully again, grabbing Link by the arm as he dashed forward. He spotted a second hallway a few feet away, which hadn't gone unnoticed by the goblins. Both groups made a run for it as several of the monsters notched their bows, taking aim.

They just managed to dive into the hallway as the arrows sunk into the plaster of the wall. Sheik turned around, his expression dire as he drew a black pellet from a pouch on his thigh. Without a single witty retort, he flung it as them. When it hit the ground, smoke exploded from it obscuring everyone's view. He heard them crashing into each other as they tried to navigate through the smoke to no avail.

"Bulblins, dumb as a rock," Sheik muttered through gritted teeth. The door behind them exploded outward as more of the monsters poured into the corridor. "For the love of Nayru… Go! I'll take care of these idiots!"

Link ducked under a sword as it whistled past, breaking out into a run. He rounded the corner and dashed into a room, surprised to see that it was occupied by a female Zora and oddly enough, a male Twili. Well why not? Everything else seems to have turned on its head today, Link thought amusedly, despite the situation. The squeal of the monsters alerted him moments before two of them came sauntering into the room. Link cursed before muttering a quick apology to the Zora as he grabbed her, holding her in front of him. True to her nature, the girl was oddly calm despite the rapid pounding of her pulse.

"Attack, and you'll kill her too!" Link shouted, unsure whether the Bulblins had understood him. Either they didn't or it mattered not to them, seeing as the shrugged before charged at him anyway. So much for a hostage, Link thought as he shoved the girl aside. She ran for the exit, shouting for help. The Twili reacted then, hurling a chair at one of the monsters. It connected solidly with its head, knocking it to the ground with a squeal. The other goblin took no note of his downed comrade, sweeping it's sword as the Hylian's stomach. Link tried to dash past the monster, but the Bulblin effectively blocked his only exit. Backing away from the sword now pointed at his chest, he scanned the room for anything he could use as a weapon.

A wooden coat rack sat just to his right and he dove for it just as the Bulblin thrust its weapon forward. The sword nicked his arm, causing him to hiss in pain as he wrapped his hand around the wood pole. Thankfully, he was able to bring it up in time to stop a second blow from the goblin, glad that he had taken the time to become adept with a sword in both hands. He thrust his makeshift weapon into the gut of the monster, causing it to stumble back. Scrambling to his feet, a wave of dizziness assailed him, causing him to stagger. The goblin saw his chance and took it, swinging at the Hylian. Jumping backwards awkwardly, the sword sliced through the gown he was wearing and gave him a shallow cut in his abdomen.

Rolling to the side in order to avoid another slash, Link grabbed the pole and thrust it at the Bulblin's unprotected head. The blow landed on the side of the goblin's head, drawing blood. Dazed, but now enraged, it came at him again, flailing out with its sword. Link slipped trying to avoid the blows and fell hard in front of the Bulblin. Shaking its head, it grinned maliciously at him, plunging its sword downward. Link looked at the Twili for help, who took his opportunity with a grim expression, jumping onto the Bulblin's back and yanking its head back as far as he could. Screeching, it's back arched and Link took the chance.

Grabbing the pole, he thrust it at the weak point under its jaw; it ripped through the skin and penetrated through the back of the Bulblin's head. Link skipped backwards as the heavy body fell to the floor turning to thank the Twili. In the heat of the battle, a third Bulblin happened upon the scene and had grabbed the creature, pinning him to his body. He struggled against the monster's grip, only to be stopped by a blade at his neck. Link cursed when he saw his only ally was captured. By then, the other goblin had regained consciousness and charged.

Picking up the dead monster's discarded sword, Link dove to the side as it swung wildly, coming up behind the Bulblin, thrusting into the back of the goblin. It pierced its weak armour, sinking into its hide as the monster screamed in pain. The third goblin grunted as it shunted the Twili away, aiming its sword at the Hylian. Looking over his shoulder, Link delivered a well-placed kick into the Bulblin's middle, sending the monster flying. Pulling the sword out of his dead foe, he jumped at the downed monster piercing its neck. It gurgled in surprise, it's small yellow eyes already filming over with death.

"Thank you for your help," he told the Twili, his amazement that the creature was even in the same room as him returning. The Twili nodded, gasping for air. Link went to the door, poking his head around the frame as he searched for more monsters. To his surprise it was empty, Sheik nowhere to be found. I hope he made it out alright, Link thought as he left the room. As he headed for the flight of stairs he'd seen earlier, he wondered what else could go wrong.