Chapter 12
Secrets and Sacrifice
He walked the dark corridors of the temple, deep in thought, waiting for the time to pass. As he paced through the twisting network of passages, he consulted quietly with his Master, both telepathically and verbally. As he communicated with his voice and his mind, his fingers settled upon the ruby-colored, diamond-shaped jewel on his right hip. With his fingers caressing the precious stone, he strode leisurely through the gloomy corridors and over-sized rooms of a forest shrine which was almost as old as time itself.
The parts of the temple that were in ruins housed nothing but dead vegetation, long devoid of life. Ramshackle windows allowed for meager streams of light to pass through, but for naught. The trees and vines creeping along the floors and walls required rays of sunlight no more than a corpse needed sustenance. At the same time, certain sections of this dichotomous sanctuary were teeming with life.
Inhabiting the dankest of alcoves were the keese. The small, bat-like creatures kept to themselves unless an unfamiliar, and unsuspecting being decided to wander through, arousing their interest. Skulltulas, being solitary beasts, positioned themselves sparsely throughout the temple. With light-footed movements, the demon admired the arachnids from afar. Fortunately, every one of these critters, both large and small, were obtemperate to his every word and command.
The human, however, had not even made it far enough into the temple to see what sorts of life forms were kept here…
Traversing ledges which overlooked sparkling pools, he thought about his Master's disapproval. Studying the ancient trees, a silent testament to the structure's age, he contemplated the sword spirit. She was here now. It had been a long, long time. Many years had she slept inside the weapon of the Goddess, just waiting, faithfully waiting…for him.
Reminiscence turned to nostalgia. Lighthearted ponderings turned to gripping jealousy. Was it happening again? Surely not, seeing as though the spirit's ability to feel had been filched from her. Well, perhaps not stolen, per se, but taken, upon her irrevocable consignment. Certainly this would disallow her from making the same mistake again with this hero…
How maddening. What was it about these heroes in green, anyway? This never ending string of golden-haired humans who everyone seemed to revere, almost deify, and love…including the sword spirit? Why such a ubiquitous need to bend over backwards for these little ankle-biters whose main purpose in life was to foil the plans of one greater than themselves? It was ludicrous.
And now, the human was here, resting after his ordeal. Ghirahim had waited for hours for the human to awaken. The demon had been unsure about what to do with him, as no amount of stimulation, magical or physical, seemed to be enough to rouse him. So, he allowed him to sleep.
How surprised he would be when he finally opened his eyes…
Suddenly, the demon heard an unexpected skittering. Standing high above a shallow wading pool full of small aquatic creatures, his head shot up. His sensitive ears picked up the nearly unnoticeable sound. His black eyes searched the immediate area. The sound did not appear to be that of a keese, or deku baba, or even a stray bokoblin who had wandered too far from the temple entrance.
He couldn't quite place the curious noise, however. So, with a preen of his snowy hair, he sighed. He looked in the direction of the chamber which led to the Skyview Spring. If something, or someone, had indeed infiltrated this temple, then they would not evade his keen perception for very long.
Marveling at the impressively uncorrupted leather on his forearms, he lifted his fingers and prepared to transport. Looking around the large room once more, the demon sensed someone's presence. His eyes continued to search, but the rustling he had heard was long gone. Unconcerned, he snapped his finger and thumb, grinning as he thought of what he was going to do with the credulous human…
….
With one foot against the stone wall behind him, Ghirahim leaned back. He gazed upon him-the sleeping hero. With one arm resting on the other, he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He looked so serene laying there, with his cheek resting against the floor, and his hands splayed around his head. His eyes were shut, and he was quite still.
His fern-green tunic and knight's cap were spotless, aside from a bit of the usual dirt which was a forest dweller's constant companion. His two leather pouches hung firmly from his belt, the exact place where they had originally been. Earlier, Ghirahim had taken the liberty of using the human's wooden shield for target practice, inadvertently shattering it into about five-hundred tiny pieces, for the purpose of killing time, of course.
The demon's shoulders bounced lightly as he silently chuckled. Surely the human wouldn't be too disappointed over the loss. After all, the ragged piece of wood could have almost been declared decrepit, not to mention that it had been sacrificed in the honorable name of entertainment. It had been ridiculously close to breaking, anyway. Those forest bokoblins certainly did one hell of a job on it. With a small grin, Ghirahim shook his head.
It had been quite some time since he had seen the young man on his feet…or conscious. With the human extraordinarily resistant to being broken from his slumber, the demon had abandoned his efforts to wake him, leaving him in his state of restfulness. When the demon wasn't wandering about aimlessly to aid the passage of time, he quietly observed the hero. He beheld the human as his back rose and fell with each slow, deep breath. Every once in a while he would appear to shudder, making the demon wonder what he was dreaming about.
Ghirahim looked around the large, open area as the silence echoed. The only true sounds that his senses picked up were the trickling of water and flowing of waterfalls from the Skyview Spring, accompanied by the chirping of small birds and the buzzing of insects. Not the most patient of creatures, the demon tapped his foot, flicking his dark tongue back and forth inside of his mouth. His eyes landed on the human once more. He took a small step, inching forward.
Upon reaching the prone body beneath him, the demon peered downward with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Lowering himself onto one knee, he placed a palm onto the floor by the human's face. At the demon's approach, the human almost appeared to react, flinching ever so slightly in his sleep. Ghirahim's other hand came forward to free his forehead from the sight of wispy, unruly hair. He twitched again under the demon's touch. Ghirahim leaned further down, bringing his pale face directly to the peaceful, unmoving human. His thoughtful frown transformed into a pleased smile.
"You, hero, are going to have a hard time forgetting me," he said with a whisper, twirling a golden lock before sending his fingertip coursing down the softly pointed ear. Pulling their faces together, the demon inhaled, absorbing the hero's unique scent. The human shivered.
Suddenly, a deep, stabbing pain burst through the demon's back, pushing him violently forward. Dropping onto all fours above the human, Ghirahim tensed every part of his body, a look of shock glazing over his face. Lowering his neck, he spotted the tip of a thick, silver blade which had been driven through his chest. Attempting to raise his head, he growled. Furious and disorientated, his mind raced. The pain increased.
With a forceful jerk, the blade was withdrawn, leaving the demon lurching upward before crashing back down onto his hands and knees. As the harsh sound of metal against metal ricocheted off of the walls, he squeezed his fists and eyes shut. The human underneath him gave a light stir.
Resting on his knuckles, Ghirahim grinded his teeth, completely enraged. His large eyes opened as he gazed at the crested door at the end of the room. He had allowed distraction to impede his ability to sense the advance of an attacker…
With a wave of pure hatred washing over every part of him, he placed a lavishly dressed foot onto the floor, leaning his weight onto his knee. With an effortful push, he drove his svelte yet muscular body upward. Noticing the soft sound of feet moving lightsomely away, his discomfort began to fade. His grimace lessened, melting into a diabolic smile. Whoever had made the grave mistake of storming this chamber, let alone entering the temple at all, was going to pay…dearly.
Turning only his head, Ghirahim peeked over his shoulder. Bunched red velvet obscured everything on his face except for his menacing eyes. Viewing the one behind him for a moment, he rotated his body and faced forward. When he saw the bewildered face of the young man before him, he smiled even more.
Another medium built human. He was somewhat bigger than the hero, was slightly broader-shouldered, and darker-haired. He was taller by several inches, but still far shorter than the demon.
Ghirahim didn't make a sound as he examined him. His outfit was far different than the hero's. This human's boots were made of much darker leather. His pants bore a curious design. His tunic and hat were of an entirely dissimilar shade. The goldenrod hue of the woolen material was rather easy on the eyes, especially when combined with the young man's sharp, intelligent look.
Ghirahim eyed him up and down for several seconds, bringing about feelings of unease in the human. The young man tried his best to stand his ground before someone who, by all rights, should have been dead after being stabbed through. His blue eyes proclaimed his confusion.
"Looking for a fight, sky knight?" Ghirahim asked smoothly, pulling one hand behind his back. Horrified by the demon's eyes and voice alone, the yellow-clad human stood firm, gripping the hilt of his sword in a rigid fist. He glanced at the demon's chest. It appeared damaged, but not critically. He swallowed nervously, the keen arch of his dark eyebrows rising. His gaze moved momentarily to the sleeping human.
"What's your name, sky knight?" the demon asked, standing up taller. The human looked at him apprehensively, the fingers on his free hand moving fretfully. "Not going to talk, are we? Well, perhaps some gentle persuasion will loosen your tongue."
Bringing his concealed hand about, Ghirahim's weapon appeared before the human's bemused eyes. His jaw dropped as he looked into the demon's face once more. As the long, thin weapon was lifted, his own sword came up to meet it.
In a flash, Ghirahim lunged forward, aiming to knock the knight's weapon out of his hand. Steadfast in his battle stance, the human reached back, laced his arm into his metal shield and swung it frontward just in time to block the attack. The unconscious human reacted to the loud clash with a shake.
Straining, the knight parried the demon's rapier, consecutively circling his sword around where it was skillfully blocked. Pausing for a moment, the human looked in the direction of the other.
"Did you come for your friend?" Ghirahim inquired, his eyes aglow with eagerness. The human gave him a stern look, visibly perplexed by the situation. "Well, you're going to have to claim him, then." Waving his weapon around teasingly, the demon urged his opponent forward. Prying his eyes away from what he had come so far to find, the knight took a breath, stepped to the fore and readied his weapon.
…..
The duel carried on for several strenuous minutes. Already fatigued from having run countless miles through the dense wilderness, the human forced his body to move. It completed every taxing maneuver that was commanded it, but it was running on little more than steam, and perhaps a substantial portion of fearful determination, as well.
As time wore on, the human began to suspect that he was being toyed with; screwed around with. Or, at the very least, led to erroneously believe that a serious fight was taking place. He was landing more hits than he was taking, but, his opponent was smiling…a lot. No matter how hard his sword struck his enemy, the eerie grin would not leave his face.
With his nimble feet carrying him in circles, the knight's speed began to wane. Breathing heavily from exertion, he stopped several feet away from the demon, safely out of range of his weapon. Resisting the urge to lean forward onto his knees, he looked at the hero, and then back at Ghirahim. He shook his head, wiping the beads of sweat from his brow.
"Had enough yet, human?" the demon asked, his head cocked playfully. He was barely out of breath. Refusing to slouch before his enemy, the young man straightened himself and rolled his shoulders a few times. "Remlit got your tongue?" Ghirahim jeered, waving his weapon around with a chuckle. He looked straight into the human's wide, azure eyes. Still laughing, he held his arms out. "Very well, then, Sir Pipit." With a broad smile and a quick snap, the demon vanished. A swarm of transparent diamonds lingered where his tall frame once stood.
Staring with huge eyes, Pipit couldn't quite believe what he had just seen, or heard. Taken aback by the otherworldly sight that he had just witnessed, and by the fact that this bizarre being seemed to know who he was, he gaped at the floor, trying to make sense of it all.
Completely on edge, he sighed deeply, stretched his shoulders back once more, and looked around the room. Looking to his left, to his right, and finally behind him, he saw no one. Not a single soul, except, of course, for his friend.
With his mind a jumbled, flustered mess, Pipit tried to hone in on his friend. Paranoid that he was going to be jumped on at any given moment, he took an extremely wary step forward. Keeping his feet planted for a second, he blinked, exhaling worriedly. He waited, listening intently for even the smallest of sounds. He clenched his sword, his hand sweating against the leather. His eyes drifted from side to side as he focused.
Taking another breath, he stepped forward again. Freezing a second time, he squinched, and waited…
But, nothing. Peering at the ceiling, Pipit spoke silently to himself. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. In an attempt to regroup after the scuffle, he labored to expel his fears. To be overcome by fear would accomplish nothing for himself, or for his friend.
He took another step, and then another as he haltingly approached Link. Still utterly unnerved, he continuously scanned his surroundings. He knew that this crazy person was going to return. With larger and faster steps, he closed the gap.
Arriving at last, Pipit immediately dropped to his knees, plunked his sword and shield onto the floor next to him, and leaned into Link's face. He was completely still, but very much alive. Pipit searched the area once more before slapping a hand onto Link's back and shaking him.
"Hey!" Pipit said in a gravelly whisper. "Come on, wake up!" Getting no response, Pipit shook him harder. "Come on," he said through gritted teeth, "what the hell did this guy do to you?"
Feeling something brush his cheek, Pipit jumped several inches, grabbed his sword and swung it around. When he turned, however, he found nothing but an empty chamber. Glaring angrily at the distant wall, Pipit turned back to his friend. Placing both hands upon him, he jostled him more forcefully.
"Come on, buddy," Pipit said a bit louder, shaking his head. "You gotta-" Hearing a malicious chuckle right next to his left ear, he jerked to the right and stared, but again, nothing. His heart thumped and his chest heaved.
"Guy's messing with me…" Pipit mumbled bitterly, his hands gripping Link's tunic. Leaning his weight onto his friend, he pushed into him more intensely, hoping to see his eyes open. Link's head rolled back and forth, but he didn't budge. His face melting with discontent, Pipit lowered his head. His yellow knight's cap strew across Link's back. "Dammit!"
Lifting his face once more, he gazed at the ceiling. Unsure of the best course of action, Pipit considered his options; they were few. He quickly decided that he could either make a run for it, or stay. He knew that having to bear the burden of an unconscious man would make the odds of escaping a cunning foe exceedingly low, unfortunately. By staying, though, he would be left with two choices: fight, or beg to be spared. Who knew how the latter would pan out, given the outlandishness of this nutcase…Pipit rubbed his face with both hands.
"This is just a dream, right?" he asked no one. "Just a nightmare that I'm gonna wake up from?" His hands dropped dejectedly into his lap. "Guy should'a been dead…" Running his palm over the top of his head, he studied his friend, mentally gauging his chances of being able to run fast enough with the extra weight on his back. He shook his head again and sighed, foreseeing disaster.
Still, he was profoundly tempted to simply hoist his friend onto his shoulders and dash out of the door. In fact, he almost did, save for his nagging suspicion that a crazed maniac was waiting in the wings to jump out and impale him as soon as he was slowed down by the added hindrance of dead weight.
Becoming fed up, Pipit took a swift hold of his weapon and shield before leaping to his feet. He looked over his shoulder, projecting his voice around the room.
"Well, it's glaringly obvious that you aren't gonna let me leave," Pipit called, his clear words echoing. "So what is it that you want?" He searched all four corners of the room, but heard nothing in response. "What do you want!" he shouted, agitation slowly taking over.
At that moment, the crook of an arm swooped around and claimed his neck with such speed and ferocity that what once was in his hands fell, clamoring to the floor. Instinctively gasping, he wrapped his hands around that which assailed him and threw his head back. Bashing into the bridge of the demon's nose, Pipit claimed a snarl from him, but started to choke as his airway was constricted.
"Not much of a knight to let me just walk up to you and grab you like this," the demon stated breathily into Pipit's ear. Pipit jerked and shut his eyes for a moment. His jaw dropped at the familiar words. He could barely breathe. "Now you listen, and listen good." Pipit stared at the ceiling, powerless. "There's a young man. Blond hair. Green knight's tunic. Right in front of you on the floor. Do you see him?" With the size of his eyes increasing, Pipit stared at Link, shocked upon hearing the words. "I said do you SEE HIM!" Ghirahim screamed into his ear, fiercely squeezing his throat. Flinching from the violent jolt, Pipit bucked and shuddered. Unable to speak, he merely nodded his head, struggling against the demon's tough grip.
"Good," Ghirahim said in a pleased tone. "Not sure if you've noticed, but he's completely incapacitated right now. In fact, he's downright helpless. Would you agree?" Pipit nodded again. "Well, he's going to suffer something horrible. Unimaginable, even. And then he's going to die." Pipit swallowed uncomfortably as the demon emphasized the last word in his ear. "Unless, of course, you do what I say." Pipit's eyes jittered as he listened. He had heard these sorts of words before, but not from the demon. "So, what do you say, sky knight?"
With that, Ghirahim released his grip, twirled the red-faced human around, grasped him by the shoulders and stared him in the eye. Trying not to advertise his discomfort and terror, Pipit gawked back. Not knowing what to expect from this unpredictable man, he felt slightly petrified. Looking down, the demon grinned the same grin that Pipit had had to endure during their fight.
"Calm down," the demon said, leaning inward. "It's not like I'm going to kiss you." To his horror, Pipit felt the demon lower his face and press it against his neck. His skin felt cold. With his arms stiffly by his sides, Pipit looked up, open-mouthed and suspiring. Ghirahim held the human there for several moments, savoring his alarmed breathing and sinking his fingers into the yellow material. It was going to be way too much fun to take his disappointment-fueled anger out on this aidless person.
The sensual feel of the situation began stirring up old feelings for Pipit. Feeling the brush of unwanted lips across his neck, he blushed, suddenly feeling ashamed, but mostly weak. Sensing the change in his body chemistry, Ghirahim pulled back.
"Not unless you want me to," he said, mockingly, giving a tight-lipped chuckle. Not hesitating for a second, Pipit shook his head, his eyes settling on the demon's pale, unhuman mouth. "Come now. You spoke so well a minute ago. Do you really have no words left for me?" Ghirahim looked at Pipit's nervous face. "I like your voice, human. I want to hear more of it." The demon leaned down, bringing his face close enough to sweep against Pipit's mouth. Closing his lips, Pipit inhaled a gust of air through his nose, praying that this was all a strange dream.
"So, what do you have for me human…?" Ghirahim asked curiously, his black eyes speculative. Not knowing what he meant, Pipit shook his head again, his eyes fluttering timidly. But as his enemy's face came forward once more, he knew exactly what was about to happen. Squinting his eyes shut, he recoiled as several panicked breaths escaped him.
"No…" Pipit protested, his face turning away. Ghirahim grinned, reached his gloved hand up and took hold of the hair beneath the human's hat. As the demon made a second attempt, Pipit wriggled his head away, despite the biting pain in his scalp. He placed two hands upon Ghirahim's chest and began to push. Smiling at the human's resistance, the demon tightened his hands around his shoulders.
"Did I not tell you your friend was going to die if you opposed me?" he asked.
"Just let us go," Pipit pleaded quietly, continuing to twist.
"Oh, but I'm far from finished with you." In one fell swoop, the demon caught Pipit off-guard, spun him around and pushed him onto the floor. He landed onto his chest with a heavy thud, his face crashing down next to the back of Link's head. Pipit heaved another breath after having the air snuffed from his lungs. Jabbing a knee into the middle of his back, the demon snatched Pipit's hands and shifted them behind his back.
"St…ah!" Pipit shouted as Ghirahim dropped down, placing unbelievable pressure onto the human's back with his immense bodyweight. The demon hovered over Pipit's distraught face as his frightened eyes landed onto the only sight before him: his friend.
"I'll say this one more time. Maybe I didn't make myself clear," Ghirahim said in a semi-calm voice. "If your resistance continues, or, in other words, if you don't give me your unconditional surrender, then I am going to give you the treat of hearing every last one of your friend's anguished screams as I render his body completely broken." He waited for a few seconds, watching the human's worried expression.
"Then, after he's been violated and beaten beyond recognition, I'll slash his throat, ensuring an outstandingly messy experience for you as you hold him in your arms and watch his life slip painfully away. Then, I'll leave you here, alone, to wallow in your misery and guilt over your culpability for your companion's death. Is this what you want?"
"Of course not," Pipit almost whispered, writhing under the demon. His toes scraped the floor.
"Ready, then?" the demon purred.
"Fine," he sighed, thoughts of all kinds rushing through his mind as he looked at Link. He gasped as the demon flipped him over callously. He opened his eyes in surprise.
"Somehow I knew you wouldn't want to shoulder the blame for your friend's death," Ghirahim said, his tongue slipping from his mouth and curling. A look of repulsion coming over his face, Pipit rotated his head as he refused his enemy access.
"No, not here!" Pipit insisted, appalled by how close he was to Link. "Please jus-" But before he could even come close to completing his plea, the demon had jumped up, buried his hands into his tunic, lifted him with monstrous power and pitched him into the air.
After soaring for several feet and twisting in midair, Pipit collided with the floor and rolled before ramming into the wall. His back and head made rather unpleasant contact with the stone. With a groan, he loosened his tense body and dropped his head to the floor, dizzy and in pain. He blinked a few times, feeling as though karma was paying him a visit. And she was angry.
As Pipit lifted his upper body with shaking arms, the demon slid his feet along the floor and approached him. Pipit looked upon a white, and far fancier, version of his own leather boots. More aggrieved than mad, Pipit leaned against the wall with his legs folded beneath him.
"Is this more to your liking, sky knight?" Ghirahim asked with a smirk. Pipit craned his neck as much as he could in order to look up, but rapidly decided it was a bad idea. He rested his head against the wall and looked away.
"Why did you have to do that?" Pipit asked, trying to catch his breath.
"On your feet, human," the demon demanded, crossing his arms. Sighing tiredly, Pipit knew that if he hesitated then the demon would insist on 'helping' him. Getting himself onto his feet, he stood up and met the demon head-on. He glanced at Link's motionless body, hoping he would wake up, but grateful that he was unaware of what was taking place just a few yards away. With the demon crowding him more and more, Pipit found it arduous not to shy away.
"What's the point of this, anyway?" Pipit asked, still dazed from being thrown, and repulsed by the lack of space between them. "Why don't you either just kill us or let us go?"
"You ask too many questions, sky knight," the demon replied, grasping the golden fabric around his shoulders.
"I like questions, so get used to it," Pipit retorted, trying to avoid Ghirahim's face. The demon raised a brow at the human's tone. "Who are you? What do you want? Why can't I just take him and go? And how do you know who I am?"
"You'll find out," Ghirahim assured him, chasing the human's mouth with his own.
"I think I'd feel better having you beat the crap out of me," Pipit said, "rather than, whatever else…you plan on doing."
"How do you know what I plan to do, human?" Ghirahim asked him.
"I just do," Pipit said, disillusioned. "I have no idea who or what the hell you are, but you're just some sort of…sick perv. Is this how you get your kicks or something? Screwing around with people who are out lost in the woods?"
"Just shut up, sky knight," Ghirahim said, pressing his mouth against the human's.
"Wait!" Pipit cried, his mouth nearly covered. "If you have like…magical abilities, can you just…" Pipit stumbled over his words for a moment. "…Can't you just…" He looked away, shrugging. "…Make yourself look like a woman, or something, 'cause…it would make this a lot less horrific for me." The demon's face changed as he stifled a laugh. His chin dropped as he grinned at the human's attempt to palliate his dilemma.
"No, human," Ghirahim said with a chuckle.
"Is this what you did to him?" Pipit asked, pointing. "I mean, why is he so out of it? Is that what's gonna happen to me?"
"His state is his own doing," Ghirahim said.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Pipit asked, shaking his head confusedly. The demon looked at him sternly.
"It means it wasn't my fault, human," he explained. Pipit gave an incredulous look.
"I don't believe you," he said. "I think you're full of crap." The demon closed his hands tighter.
"Am I?" Ghirahim asked, eliciting a distrustful look from the human. "Well, I believe it's about time to show you I'm not." Dipping his head quickly before Pipit could protest any further, the demon overtook his mouth. Flailing about in surprise, Pipit sought to free himself, but he couldn't. With the odd feeling of the warm, reptilian appendage filling his mouth, he panted and gagged, grabbing hold of the demon's red swathe.
Reeling at first, Pipit's movements slowed as he felt something being withdrawn from his mind. The force behind the extraction, while mostly strange, felt somewhat pleasing to his senses. He locked eyes with the demon, suddenly troubled.
Breaking away from the human, Ghirahim's head rocked back a bit before he gave him another sly grin. A bit breathless, Pipit sunk back.
"What are you?" he asked, licking his lips uneasily.
"The question is, what are you?" the demon asked, his eyes illuminated. "A terrible friend?" Pipit stared back.
"What?" he asked bleakly.
"How long have you been lusting after her, sky knight?" Ghirahim asked, trying to contain his excitement. He now had the fuel that he was looking for. The fire of this human's shame would soon be blazing beautifully. Pipit simply shook his head again, not knowing what the demon was referring to.
"How would you know-"
"It started about three weeks ago, at a certain party," the demon said slowly, watching the human's eyes broaden. "You comforted her in her distress when you learned that she had been deserted. Consoled her in her deep disappointment on account of the hero, over there." All four eyes drifted to Link for a moment. "A few kind words. A hug. The sweet smell of her golden hair as she presses herself against you. Is that all that it takes for you to abandon your loyalties to your best friend?" Pipit's movements and questions abruptly ceased as the demon's insinuations sank in.
"You went home with that tall, gorgeous blonde knight that evening, but…" Ghirahim laughed softly as he dug his fingers into Pipit's shoulders. "…She's not who you were with, that night, was she?" Pipit gaped up at the demon, totally astonished.
"How do…" he started to say. He was unsure of what to offer as a rebuttal.
"Did she not belong to your friend?" the demon asked, drawing information as if from a well.
"No…" Pipit said, swallowing awkwardly. "He has M-"
"But you didn't know that at the time, did you?" Ghirahim reminded him, turning his head and urging him not to lie. He smiled, relishing the human's discomfiture. Pipit looked down, absolutely confused and a bit embarrassed. "She, in essence, was almost betrothed to your best friend, and had been for years."
"How is this any of your business anyway?" he asked, fidgeting his fingers. Ghirahim's tongue swept over his lips.
"Everything is my business, sky knight," he affirmed.
"This is ridiculous," Pipit mumbled heatedly.
"Oh, but we have more to discuss beyond your failings as a friend." Pipit's eyes came up, showing his dread.
"How do you know anything about me…?" he asked softly.
"You've got some interesting fears, human," the demon noted, sounding far more engrossed than Pipit was comfortable with. "There is one small issue I simply cannot resist bringing up. Hopefully you can forgive me, but, I find it simply fascinating." Bending so far down that the pair's foreheads nearly touched, he captured Pipit's eyes with his own.
"You lied, sky knight," Ghirahim taunted, wringing one hand and enjoying the delicious sight of the mental torture seeping its way into the human's soul. "More specifically, you lied to him." Studying his feet, Pipit gave a heavy sigh.
"About what?" he asked, severe indignation starting to permeate his tone.
"You know what I'm alluding to, human, must I say it?" Upon receiving no response, the demon giggled to himself. "I like your stubbornness. It will make your submission all the more enjoyable for me, sky knight." Pipit's eyes drifted from one side to the other as he took another large breath. "And seeing as though you prefer to show yourself ignorant of what I am talking about, then perhaps I do need to explain it. Map it all out for you. Because, sometimes it's utterly necessary and feels so good to get that painful truth out into the open." Pipit lifted his head, giving the demon a rigorously annoyed look.
"Are you like the world's most mislaid, misapplied shrink or something?" Pipit accused, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes. "If so, then somebody sure botched up putting your loony ass in charge of anything." Ever so slightly floored by the feistiness of his comment, the demon nodded.
"I would scourge you for your outright disrespect, human," Ghirahim said authoritatively, "but, at the moment, I have other ways of making you pay." Reaching for Pipit, the demon gripped his tunic, picked him up, slammed him into the wall and nearly shoved their faces together.
"I have a feeling that you would break easier than the other sky child. It's the fear. The fear conjured up in your head tears down the very defenses which serve to protect you." Pipit held onto the demon as he was crushed against the wall. "You told your friend about a certain someone in your past who had taken advantage of you, stole your innocence, betrayed your trust, more than once, did you not?" Pipit shook his head and closed his eyes, not wanting to hear anymore. "Most of what you admitted to was true. But there was one minute detail that you chose to omit from your story. Now, what could that tiny bit of information be?"
The onslaught of disturbing accusations was beginning to take its toll on Pipit. He had not come here for this. He had been drawn here, led by a vision within a dream to aid his friend, not to be abused by a sadist.
"You went back to him. For an entire year. Not because you were forced to, but because you wanted to, sky knight," Ghirahim said straight into Pipit's face. With the distress showing clearly in his eyes, he fought against the demon's restraining hands, his face burning from a mixture of humiliation and rage.
"Isn't it nice to address these little problems of ours?" Ghirahim asked with a sneer, rubbing a hand along Pipit's neck, delighting in the stream of negative emotion that was spilling from him. His touch only added to Pipit's exasperation.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a movement. He turned his head to see Link's hand moving across the floor. His eyes were still shut, but he seemed to be waking up. Pipit looked at his sword and shield which lay next to his friend, hoping with all of his strength that he would take notice of them, and help him, somehow…
"You aren't affected very much by fear," the demon continued. "But, this you do fear: that you will never stop craving that which is dark, and violent. That the love of a woman will never compare to th-"
"That's enough!" Pipit yelled. "It's not true! That's not how-"
"What are you willing to do to save your friend, my capture-bonded sky knight?" Ghirahim interjected. Pipit stared with his mouth agape. "I said, what are you willing to do to save your friend?" He dropped the human roughly onto his feet. "Anything?" At a loss for words, Pipit just blinked. "Let's not break the time-honored tradition of you sacrificing your dignity for him, now."
Jerking sideways, Pipit peeked at his friend. He was amazed to see his eyes fluttering open. Seeing Pipit's face, Ghirahim turned to look, as well.
"I believe our little hero lives," the demon said sardonically. "Time to make your choice. You, or him."
"You've gotta be kidding me," Pipit said, his voice almost breaking. "Just let us go…Let me take him, and…" He breathed in unevenly. "I'll come back," he said quickly.
Ghirahim stared into the human's eyes, deliberating in his head. Pipit's entire body tensed as he observed the demon's small, malevolent grin turn into a full-blown smile. To the demon, his offer was…refreshing, somehow.
"You will, will you?" Ghirahim asked, rubbing the yellow wool between his fingers. Pipit looked away.
"Yes, I will," he forced himself to say. The demon nodded his head, lifted his right hand before the human and waited, anticipation filling his eyes. Very reluctantly, Pipit acquiesced.
"Knight's honor?" Ghirahim sang gleefully. Not knowing what in the world he was agreeing to, Pipit dropped his head and brought his hand up. Taking his hand, Ghirahim shook it so fervently that Pipit had to steady his feet against the energy of it.
"Pipit…" a weak voice said. They both looked at Link, who was finally conscious, but struggling to move. Pipit prayed to the Goddess that he hadn't heard any part of their recent discussion.
"Pipit…what're you…doing here?" Link asked in a raspy voice. Pipit watched his friend try to coordinate himself; it was a valiant effort, but he didn't make it very far. Appearing to be in vast amounts of pain, his face ended up on the floor again. Grateful that his friend was in one piece, but mortified by his own plight, Pipit turned toward the demon.
"Um…trying to help you, but obviously doing a poor job of it," Pipit said. Noticing the manner in which the demon was holding his friend, Link reached out, his fingernails scratching the floor.
"Let him go," Link called out, his blue eyes closing against the pain. As Ghirahim chuckled at the hero's feeble state, Link pressed his palms to the floor, summoned as much vigor as he could find, and walked his hands back, lifting his lower body upward. Placing one hand over his chest, his face twisted in anguish, making Pipit wonder what was wrong with him.
"You know," the demon began, "I probably won't be seeing another human again for a while." He gave Pipit such a cruel look that he thought that the demon was going to mention their agreement. "I very much looked forward to having some sort of fun today. And, I must admit, I've been rewarded with nothing memory book-worthy, at all." His vindictive gaze switched back and forth between the two humans.
"You two aren't leaving this room until I've had my fill; something that makes up for the loss which I suffered earlier." His pitch-black eyes slowly returned to Pipit. "What do you say, sky knight?" Exchanging concerned looks with his friend, a knot began to form in his stomach. Link was still in a fog, but Pipit knew that he was listening.
"I thought you said that we were free to go if I agreed to come back," Pipit whispered out of the corner of his mouth. Ghirahim looked down at him and grinned.
"You agreed to come back. I did not agree to anything, sky knight."
"What?" Pipit cried, jumping back. "You f-" But the demon had slapped a hand over Pipit's mouth, causing him to thrash about. Unable to do anything but witness the disturbing scene, Link held out his hand and shook his head in dismay.
"You humans are a joke, do you realize that?" Ghirahim laughed. "You come here, sent on a Goddess ordained mission," he emphasized, "and you either pass out cold on your way here, or you walk right into a trap on your own accord. It is quite amusing, actually." His eyes floated from one knight to the other. "There seems to be an alarming trend in your pitiful little lives, where females all too easily dupe and deceive you. They've got you doing and believing things that, in all fairness, can't be considered anything other than inane."
Pipit managed to pry the demon's hand away. He shot a glance to Link. He wondered how well he could run at this point. He seemed to be regaining his strength…
"You haven't had much luck…with women yourself, lately," Link quipped. The demon sighed.
"Mmm. Well, be that as it may," Ghirahim said, "you've both been fooled. Quite efficiently."
"What?" Pipit asked the demon.
"The girl," the demon answered. Pipit looked at Link, who looked at Ghirahim.
"What girl?" Pipit committed himself to pulling his tunic free from the demon's grip.
"Your little twilight princess," Ghirahim said, his words heavy with sarcasm. "The one who took it upon herself to lead our hero astray, literally and figuratively." He held his arm out, admiring Link's solemn face. Pipit gawked at both of them.
"Say what?" he asked.
"Haven't you felt it, sky knight?" Ghirahim asked. "Or have you too had your common sense swiped cleanly from you by her radiant beauty?" Pipit shook his head in disbelief as he viewed Link's crestfallen expression. He took a moment to stare off into space.
"What the hell?" Pipit asked. His pondering was quickly interrupted by the demon.
"Believe it," Ghirahim snarled in his face as he ran a finger down the side of Pipit's cheek. Link lifted a hand to his face in consternation. This couldn't possibly be happening. Rolling onto his knees, he groaned from the pain as it shot through him like fire. With his hand over his heart, he gasped shrilly.
Then, he heard an odd sound. He looked around, trying to locate the source. The others had noticed it, as well.
It crossed Link's senses once more, this time more loudly. He completely perked up as his ears lifted and his eyes opened. The pain in his body, however, still left him out of commission. But the sound roused his mind. It almost sounded like…
A laugh. A hearty one, flowing through the chamber and springing off of the walls. Puzzled but thrilled, Link looked at Pipit who was still being mercilessly manhandled by the demon. They all, however, didn't know what was going on.
Link glimpsed at the doorway which led to the chasm outside of the room. He knew that she was there. For a moment, he forgot about the throbbing, and about every baleful thing that had been said about her. Trying to crawl forward, he almost fell.
Midna…he thought. He suddenly felt dizzy. He sat back again, mystified.
"You really need to get your facts straight, Mr. Demon Lord," her elegant voice chimed from the shadows.
