A/N: Okay, so i know Sheik is being quite the ninny… but I assure you he isn't 'evil'. He's blinded by love! DX Thank you for your reviews!
I don't own Legend of Zelda and other disclaimer stuff…
Chapter 16: Hope Not Lost
"This is for his own good. You are a nuisance." Sheik yelled to Dark as he walked away, leaving him to bleed out on the stone floor. Dark continued to watch him as far as his eyes could see and noticed that he seemed to be heading east. Dark glanced down at the small dagger imbedded in his stomach. He was afraid to remove it, fearing it would cause more blood loss. He sighed realizing that his situation wasn't looking so good. He had no potion, no fairy… nothing. He didn't even have his sword because that good-for-nothing Sheikah stole it from him, leaving him vulnerable to any monster passing by that would likely finish him off. He struggled to stand to feet, using the wall behind him as support; however, the movement from his body caused a stream of blood to start spurting from his wound and he immediately crouched back down. He gagged and choked, finding it difficult to breathe after Sheik had broken a few ribs. He threw his head back and let out a horrific scream, ridding his body of all the anger that had been building up inside of him.
"I can't die here…" Dark muttered, "Not like this." He looked towards the sky in dismay knowing he had to do something about his injury and quick. He closed his eyes tight and wrapped his blood-slick hands around the handle of the blade and prepared for the pain that was to come.
Link began to come to and with an awful headache. He opened his eyelids wearily and within his hazy vision all he could see was the sky, bright and blue… beautiful. He attempted to sit up but the pain in his head was too strong to allow him to do so. He propped himself up with his elbows and blinked a couple of times to adjust his sight. He glanced to his side and saw Sheik sitting with his back turned staring off into the distance.
"Sheik?..." Link whispered, "What are you doing here?" Sheik turned to face him with sympathetic eyes.
"Link… I'm glad you're alright." He replied placing a hand on Link's. Link uncomfortably pulled away and looked at his surroundings now that his headache began to subside. The area looked familiar. Then he realized they were at Lake Hylia, but what were they sitting on? He glanced around noticing they were on top of the Lakeside Laboratory where that creepy scientist did his studies. The shingles on the roof were warm from the sunlight and that's when it hit him. It was morning. The sun had just started to set whenever he remembered being kidnapped. Had a day already passed?
"Sheik, what happened? Where is Dark?" Link asked frantically. For some reason he had trouble remembering what had happened to him last night or where he was.
"You were both ambushed in Gerudo Valley." Sheik replied. That's when Link started to remember. He and Dark had wanted to go spy on the Gerudo's...
"Was it the Gerudo's?" Link asked, "Where is Dark?" Sheik looked away from him.
"I… I'm not sure who it was. It was dark out. There was a couple of men… dressed in black. Perhaps minions of Ganondorf… I'm not sure." Sheik stuttered trying to come up with something believable, "I arrived just in time. They were about to take you somewhere but I fought them off and brought you to safety. When I returned for your friend…it…it…" Sheik trailed off trying to force the words out of his mouth.
"It what?" Link screamed grabbing Sheik violently by his shoulders and frantically shaking him, "Tell me!"
"It was too late, Link. He's gone." He replied solemnly, "I brought you his sword… so you would have something to remember him by." He finished holding out the weapon for Link to take. Link was speechless. The area began to spin and tears began to swell in his eyes. He felt a whirlwind of emotions from anger, guilt, sadness, frustration, and surprisingly suspicion. Link's heart was beating dangerously fast and he felt like he was about to shrivel up and die. He grabbed his chest in agony and wasn't even able to force out a cry. He was struggling just to breathe. He remembered Dark running back and forth along the edge of the canyon smiling so vibrantly. He looked so happy. His hot tears began to fall profusely down his face, one after another just like rain. He tried desperately to speak but all that came out of his mouth was hoarse spurts of breathe. He lay back down suddenly overcome with nausea.
"Fuck…" Dark cursed as he yanked the blade from his body. He then quickly took off his tunic as best as he could with one arm while applying pressure to his wound with the other. He had to let go of his stomach for just a few moments as he began to cut his black shirt into long strips with the dagger he'd just removed, all the while coughing up bursts of crimson liquid. His white pants were now completely stained red as well as the rest of his body. He just couldn't stop bleeding. He stuffed scraps of his tunic deep in his wound and began to wrap the strips horizontally around his body making sure to secure them tightly. After he was sure he had managed to at least slow down the blood loss, he wiped an excess amount from his mouth and face hastily wiping it on his already ruined pants. He slid his tongue over his teeth cleaning them as best he could and then spit violently on the ground.
He finally relaxed after working hard to save himself from death when he noticed the sun had started to rise. Had it really been that long? He was slipping in and out of consciousness when he was first stabbed due to emotional and physical stress. That time period must have been longer than he thought. Dark lay there, near wits end. He couldn't believe that Sheikah had ambushed him like this. He couldn't believe that he actually intended to kill him. At least Dark knew that Link was alright wherever he was. Sheik wouldn't hurt him.
"Oh, the things I'm going to do to you…" Dark muttered harshly under his breath, "You should have made sure I was dead."
Link sat trembling on the rooftop; his eyes were wide with insanity. How could he have let his guard down so easily? Tears continued to run down his face as if they were never ending. He'd brought his knees to his chin and stared vacantly into the distance. Sheik sat next to him rubbing his back which caused Link to tense in aggravation. Memories of Dark kept coming back to him like a timeline of flashbacks.
"Go kick some ass Hero. I'll be here when you get back." He could hear Dark's voice, somewhat obnoxious but playful and spirited at the same time. Link shuddered, knowing he would never get to hear those words again. He could still see Dark laying on his bed with his arms behind his head and his feet hanging off. He would never be there to wait for him again…
"I… I thought he was trying to hurt you. I come in here and see fucking crazy clouds flying in the air, the village is on fire, and there's some strange guy walking up to your seemingly lifeless body! What did you expect out of me?" Link began to softly convulse with silent sobs as he realized Dark would never again come to his rescue when he needed him like the time he'd fainted in Death Mountain or when he was almost attacked by a redead in Hyrule town.
The monster was now so close to him he could feel its hot breath tickling his neck. Just as the beast was about to latch onto him it cried out in a horrific moan. Link gasped and then looked down to see a black version of the master sword's blade sticking through the creature's torso and almost stabbing Link himself. Dark pushed his blade to the side cutting the redead in half, then to make sure it was surely to die he stabbed his blade through it's skull and twisted harshly for finality.
Link had completely broken down by this point, bawling uncontrollably. His face was a mess, a mix of tears and snot.
"I always want to be with you…" Dark had said those words back at the inn in Kakariko village whenever he'd confessed his feelings for him.
"And I with you…" Link muttered in between sobs. He was clenching his fists so tight he reopened the wounds on his hands.
"What was that?..." Sheik asked softly as he heard the hero speak. Link didn't answer him. He just wanted Sheik to shut up, keep his hands to himself, and leave him alone.
"I'm not going anywhere…" Dark whispered pulling Link into a gentle hug. This was after Link had accused Dark of wandering off one day. It was Dark who always talked about leaving Link eventually. He had told Dark that he wanted to spend time with him because he never knew when he wouldn't be there anymore…
"Oh sweet goddesses… I never thought it would hurt this bad…" Link squealed wiping his nose, "Except you're not just gone, you're dead!" He shrieked flexing his arms in frustration. Why Dark… how could you leave me like this… I know you… you would have fought to the death to stay with me…
After this thought ran through Link's mind his head shot up violently from his wandering thoughts. He looked over to Dark's sword, still in the clutches of Sheik's hands. He viciously yanked it from his grasp and immediately pulled out the blade to examine it. It wasn't stained with even a single drop of blood. How… can this be? He glanced nervously towards Sheik as suspicion started to grow on his mind.
Dark had almost fallen asleep lying against the rock wall still sitting in Gerudo Valley. He knew that if he started walking he wouldn't get very far and he would probably die from physical stress. He had to live in order to tell Link the truth of what happened, or at least die happily in his arms. None the less he had to see Link one more time before he passed. As if on cue with his thoughts he could hear Link's voice in his head… Why Dark… how could you leave me like this… I know you… you would have fought to the death to stay with me…
His eyes shot open immediately, "Of course I would." He muttered softly, "I tried Link… I really did…" He choked out as his eyes started to swell, "No… it's not over yet." Something inside his heart was telling him to return to Lake Hylia. Sheik would not have taken him to the forest… or the village. He didn't have that kind of time; He wouldn't have been able to explain it to Link. Even if Link wasn't at the Lake, he knew that he would eventually return because that was their favorite place to spend time together. He would begin to miss Dark and want to revisit their memories, this he was sure of.
He glanced around for Epona, remembering that she had been with them last night; however, she was nowhere to be seen.
"She must have run off whenever Sheik attacked me… she got spooked." He realized slamming his fists to the ground seething with rage. He was going to murder Sheik when he found him and make him suffer good, "I can't possibly walk that far…" he whimpered planting his face in his blood stained hands. He glanced to his left towards the canyon and began to crawl in that direction. Dark glanced over the edge, the bottom looking much farther than he remembered it. He drew in a quivering breath realizing this was the only way out; he had to jump. He swung his legs limply over the ledge and began to muster up his courage.
"This is for you, Link." He whispered as he stuck Sheik's dagger securely into a strap of his boot. He would need it. He pushed himself with all his might off of the top of the canyon and as far away from the edge as possible so he wouldn't crash into oncoming rocks. He clasped his hands together and pointed them towards the river flowing below, gracefully diving into the hundred foot fall.
"Did you see him fighting?..." Link asked without turning to face Sheik.
"Yes," He replied, "He fought bravely until his end, that I'm sure."
Liar…
The impact of Dark hitting the water knocked the breath out of him causing even more pressure on his cracked ribs. He felt himself start to sink towards the bottom, slowly moving with the current. Dark lightly waved his arms but couldn't muster the strength to pull himself to the surface; it was almost as if he didn't even want to… He relaxed his aching muscles and let out his last reserve of air he held inside his weakened lungs. He looked upwards towards the sunlight glistening through the water that surrounded him.
Is this… what a peaceful death feels like… is it really this easy…
Dark continued to sway with the rivers current still continuing to relax. He kept putting off the logical thought in the back of his mind that he needed to get some air. Shouldn't his lungs be contorting and twisting, begging for oxygen? They weren't.
It's so nice… to end it like this…
Dark's body was finally giving into him. His will power to live was lessened by the soothing motion of the waves. After struggling so hard for the past couple of hours, he was finally read to let go. He closed his eyes hoping to see a holy light that would take his soul and let him finally be at peace taking away all his pain; however, all he saw when closed his magnificent ruby eyes were those of sapphire staring back at him and wisps of blonde hair framing their perfect oval shape, and then… a beautiful bright smile.
One that was worth living for.
His eyes shot open and he gasped sucking in water. I need to live… Immediately his body's survival instincts triggered and he splashed violently to reach the surface. For you… He choked and sputtered up water when he was reintroduced to oxygen.
My love…
He could see an oncoming waterfall in the distance. It wasn't that big so he would survive the fall without a problem and he knew that beyond it would be Lake Hylia.
"What really happened Sheik?" Link asked fiercely, jumping off of the roof and looking up at him. Sheik followed after Link, leaping from the roof and taking a few steps towards him.
"That is the truth." He replied calmly holding out a hand to grab Link's shoulder. He backed away like a scared animal.
"Don't touch me."
As if the goddesses were trying to help him, the currents pushed Dark ashore a small bank on the very edge of the Lake. He could hear Link in the distance just as he suspected; he had been here. He violently coughed up a few spurts of pinkish water tainted with his blood and rolled onto his stomach. His bandages had becomes loose from the water soaking them and he could feel his blood start to seep out of him again. Dark brought himself to his hands and knees and looked down towards the grass. His fear was confirmed as he watched small droplets paint the ground crimson. Dark knew that he was running out of time fast. He weakly pushed himself to his feet, weighed down by his wet pants and soaking boots.
He trudged wearily up the steady hill towards the direction of Link's voice.
"You are lying. What happened to Dark?" Link roared hostilely. All of the evidence was proving that Sheik had some slip ups in his story.
"You are just delirious. I understand your pain…" Sheik whispered continuing to take another step forward for every step Link took back, "Dark is gone and he's never coming back."
"You might want to think twice… about that." A hoarse voice croaked from behind him.
A/N: What chya gonna do now Sheik? WHAT? Ha… sorry. Lol Please leave a review if you have time… they're my writing fuel! :D
