Well, chapter 32 is done and ready for your reading pleasure. I know this chapter is a wee bit shorter than the other ones, but I can only write so much at a time before I need to move on! After all the cliffhangers in the last chapter, some of you must be ready to string me up by my ears. Well, some of those are now resolved, while others... not some much, or even more elaborate upon. Also, please refrain from posting your suspicions about the story. Anyways, please enjoy!
-Jack Knights
"Let me go!" he roared, trying to fight his way through the men that dragged him away. It proved impossible to do so, with a full-blown migraine and aching body. Link felt as though someone had tossed him around and stepped on his ribs; he was certain at least one of them was cracked. Despite this all, he battle through the pain, his futile attempts at breaking free only succeeding in angering his captors.
"Knock him out!" said someone to his right. Before Link could react, a needle was pushed into his arm and he felt the familiar burning sensation of the liquid seep through his arm. Within seconds he felt befuddled, his mind growing sluggish and disorientated. No! I have to... Jaz... he managed to think through the haze. His captors laid him done on a slab of stone so ice cold he shivered. Just as he was blacking out, a pair of orange-red eyes flitted into his vision.
Midna... was the last thought that crossed his mind before he fell into the shadows.
"Alright, I am convinced that you are of value to the Resistance," Dormu said eventually. Felicia felt elated as she rebound her package. "Hold on for a minute and I'll organize things for your departure."
"What? We'll be leaving now?" Felicia said, astounded. She hadn't thought that they'd set off so soon, but then again, the nature of her entry was of the utmost importance, she should have foreseen it. She tied the final know and stood as Dormu returned. In his hand he held a strange looking object. It was a pure black stone, full of jagged edges and covered in runic azure lines. Despite her limited knowledge, Felicia at once saw that it was Twili in origin.
"How's that going to help things?" she asked audaciously. Dormu looked at her like she was a fool and she reddened. "Sorry," she muttered, looking at the floor.
"An inquisitive mind is always welcome, but by others it is viewed... distasteful to question such things," Dormu said evenly. The Zora was obviously peeved, but it quickly dissipated when Felicia apologized again. "I'm sure you've noticed the black rips in the sky at certain places, correct?" he asked. Felicia had no idea what he was talking about; all the skies she'd seen were serenely blue. But she nodded regardless, trying to to seem a fool.
"They are, in actuality, portals that exist through Hyrule," he continued. If Dormu had seen through her lie, he hadn't let on. "This little guy," he muttered, indicating to the stone, "is what's going to activate that portal and get us to the Resistance."
"Really?" she said in a hushed tone, full of awe. Amazing that something so small would allow us to travel miles to our destination. "Wait, if that's all there is to it, then why hasn't the Resistance's headquarters been discovered yet?"
"Simple; these stones are rare. Rarer still are people who can use them, and the proper spell to utilize the portals without one are all but lost to time. Of course, there are other, many and varied counter-measures set in place to further deter any unwanted company from intruding upon our friends."
Tight setup they've got, Felicia remarked. "Oh, hold on. What about Sheik?"
"We'll pick him up along the way," Dormu stated simply, setting a clear pack, filled with water on his back. From it extended two cups of a sort. They clasped around his neck, where his gills lay, suctioning onto his flesh. After a brief spell of discomfort, he began breathing easy again. It was devices like these that allowed Zora to remain above water for extended periods of time. "Let's go."
They walked out the door, Felicia securing the cloth by tossing it over a shoulder and bringing it up under the opposite arm, knotting it in front of her chest. The odd pair walked on in silence, but whereas Dormu strolled in relative peace, Felicia couldn't help but let her excitement show. I haven't failed you, father! You're efforts were not in vain after all!
Stopping first by the beach in search of Sheik, they found it empty, save a lone fisherman hauling his rowboat onto the shore. They headed into town, going straight for the fountain Sheik had found Dormu relaxing in. The townspeople often shot him dirty looks and seemed repulsed by him, but Dormu remained complacent despite their jests, something Felicia could have never done. She wasn't one to take things so lightly.
"You keep looking for him," Dormu said after several minutes. "I'll go set things up over there in the woods. There's a field in the middle of the tickets, that's where I'll be."
She nodded and the two separated, going in opposite directions. Where did he go? I know he was reluctant to join them, but he wouldn't run off, she wondered as she looked down a side-street. Would he? Just as she turned to leave, movement caught her eye and she turned back. Crossing in between the houses, was Sheik. And he wasn't alone. A man dressed entirely in black clothing with equally dark hair walked with him. She realized that walking was too light a word for what he was doing; escorting Sheik away was more accurate.
She glanced over her shoulder, a quick survey told her Dormu had gone off in search somewhere else. Cursing her bad luck, she sneaked off after the two men, hiding in the shadows.
"You know, I've always wondered how you managed to escape time and time again," Carlisle chatted idly. Despite his light tine, Sheik remained tense, the dagger pressed into his side a stark reminder he was dealing with a lunatic. "How did you manage to escape the first time?"
"Over the wall," Sheik admitted reluctantly. "I climbed over the gates and hitched a ride with a peasant going elsewhere."
"Ah yes, that was the first time you killed me, wasn't it?" Carlisle all but hissed, his cool demanour slipping slightly as he pushed the knife into Sheik's side.
"How did you manage to survive?" Sheik blurted despite himself. "I was so sure—"
"That you'd driven that blade far enough into my back to suffocate me?" Carlisle finished for him, rolling his eyes. "Well, yes, you did. But no, you weren't content with just letting me die peacefully. No, you had to go set fire to the tent, you..." he caught himself, remembering where he was as he reigned his anger back. "Do you know what that's like? Unable to breathe, call for help, do anything, while your flesh is set ablaze, every square inch screaming in pain? It was pure torture, and it took forever for me to finally die. Even then, the pain was still a throb in the back of my mind."
"You deserved everything you got," Sheik hissed, his fist balling up. "You killed my father!"
"An eye for an eye, eh?" Carlisle chided, snickering. "What you did to me was beyond even. Not to worry though, when we get back to the Citadel, I will return that onto you tenfold, at least."
"Then I guess I won't regret this," Sheik said, slamming his foe into the wall of a house. He felt the sting of the blade as it swiped through the soft flesh of his side. As Carlisle attempted to get up, clutching his dagger, Sheik stepped on his hand, breaking his fingers. The older man hissed in pain, shouting profanities as Sheik picked up the dagger, it's metal blade glinting in the half-light.
Just as he was going to drive the blade through Carlisle's heart, someone grabbed his arm, pulling him away.
"Let's go, before he gets up!" Felicia shouted as she tugged on his arm. He was about to protest when he saw the local law enforcement enter the street a few blocks away. Cursing, he led Felicia down a series of streets, hoping he'd lost both Carlisle and the police. He pulled on her arm, trying to go down another street when Felicia dug in her heels and pulled back.
"No wait, we have to go this way," she said, pointing in the opposite direction. "That's where Dormu said he'd wait for us!"
"Yeah, but the police are that way," he countered. "We can go around."
"You don't understand," Felicia shook her head. "I'm in! We can leave, now and be done with it! He's got a portal open, but it'll only last a few minutes."
"What?" Sheik blurted, astounded. How in Din's name did she... he wondered as he let go of her hand.
"Yeah, I showed him the sword," she admitted, earning another surprised look from Sheik, "and he's gone and gotten everything ready. Let's go!"
They ran in the direction Felicia had pointed out, quickly reaching the limits of the town. The house were further apart here, and much more stately, with sprawling yards and high fences. They paid them little attention, going into the forest surrounding the manors. After a time of finding their way through the trees, stumbling over roots, they crashed through a row of high thickets, arriving in an open field. There in the center, sitting on a stone—one of many forming a circle—was Dormu, a lantern lit by his side as he waited. When he saw them, he stood, walking over to them. Suddenly his expression became one of shock. His warning was not lost on Sheik.
"Behind you! Look out!" he shouted as Sheik heard quick footsteps in the grass behind them. He shoved Felicia forward, turning to face the threat, already unwinding weighted chain. His actions proved too slow as Carlisle crashed into him. Arms raised, it was all he could do to keep the man from wrapping his hands around his neck.
"Go!" he shouted at Felicia, who began running toward him. "I'll be there in a second!"
Dormu obliged, grabbing the girl by the shoulder and bringing her into the stone circle. He immediately began chanting, his hands firmly grasping the Twili charm, which glowed with an unearthly light. Sheik continued to struggle against Carlisle's efforts to choke him, driving his knees into the man's stomach. He rolled away, hoping for a brief respite to catch his breath, but Carlisle granted him no such thing, immediately tackling him again.
"If you had just come along nicely," Carlisle hissed as his fingers wrapped around Sheik's neck, "I wouldn't have to bruise your pretty face."
"Go to hell," he managed to say between gasps for air. Sheik heard Felicia scream his name and turned in time to see her transform into black squares, flying up and into a rift in the night sky. At least she got away, he thought as he let his arms drop. As Carlisle continued to strangle him, he felt around in his pocket, searching for the dagger he'd taken from his foe earlier.
"I'm going to kill you, runt," the mad man muttered, throttling him.
"You... first!" Sheik shouted as he gripped the hilt of the blade, bringing it out of his pocket and driving it into Carlisle's neck in one swift movement. He screamed, his hands leaving Sheik's neck and going to his own. With the last of his strength, Sheik coiled his legs up under his body and launch Carlisle off him, sending him flying. The man landed in a crumpled heap several feet away and Sheik rolled over, coughing for air.
"Sheik! Are you alright?" Dormu said as he dropped down next to the Sheikah. He merely nodded, unable to speak as he was lifted upright, strong arms holding him up. "Come on, let's get you—"
The Zora's words were cut off as he gasped and suddenly his full weight fell upon Sheik, bringing the two of them to their knees. Sheik managed to duck out from under Dormu's body as he fell to the ground, a knife in his back. Whirling around, he saw that Carlisle was standing, clutching his neck as blood oozed out from in between his fingers.
"Damn," he started, struggling to put one foot in front of the other. "I... missed."
"You bastard!" Sheik said as he stood. He trudged over to the man and drove his fist into his middle. Carlisle gasped, his hand falling away from his neck. Sheik saw to his horror that blood no longer flowed from the wound; only a slight trickle of sand fell from the deep cut.
"Why won't you die?" he demanded as he lowered the dying man to the floor. "What in Din's name are you?"
Much to his surprise, Carlisle lifted his hand, placing on Sheik's shoulder. "A demon... and as close... to immortal... as one can get," he murmured, giving the Sheikah a genuine smile. "I'll be back... you know that... right?"
Despite the burning hatred for the dying man, Sheik couldn't help his eyes watering. He bit back the tears bitterly. He gave Sheik's shoulder a squeeze, then his hand fell away, turning to dust as it hit the ground.
"Kinda wish I didn't have to," Carlisle muttered, his brows furrowed. And then he was gone, his body turning to sand in Sheik's grip, who finally let the tears fall for his lost friend.
He found her lying in a pool of blood, staring unblinkingly into the distance. The knight dropped down from his steed and picked her up, wiping away a smear of redness from her cheek. Not that it mattered; she was drenched in the stuff. When his gauntleted hand fell away, the girl's eyes focused on him, narrowing in distaste at what she saw.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice emotionless. "Why won't you let me die?"
"Because, you are much too important to him to let you waste away in this battlefield," the knight said calmly.
"How did you find me?"
"I've been following you for the past few days," he said evenly. His voice betrayed no underlying emotion, if there was any. He led her away from the bloodshed and took her to the rest of his order, where a stretcher was waiting.
"Who are you?" she repeated, glaring at him. The knight shifted uncomfortably as he placed her on the makeshift bed. She implored again and he looked to his comrades, who merely shrugged. One of them nodded and the knight removed his helmet.
"My name is Sid," said a ruggedly handsome face with a light smile. "And these are the Last Knights of Hyrule."