Okay look, I know that I might have accidentally released this a wee bit late (379 days) but I'm not COMPLETELY untruthful. This is definitely larger than the previous chapters. Anyway, if you're fine with the topic of giving up, then you shouldn't be bothered with the content below. Also, if there was one food and drink you could take to the afterlife with you (for eternity), what would said things be? k hav fun bye
WHAM! WHAM! Snake kicked the door again.
"Hyah! Hyah!" he grunted as he swung his leg once again. The wooden frame was becoming weaker with each kick, but it was as if some mystical force was keeping it closed. "Curse this door!" he retreated, defeated. Samus was holding up his (phone) flashlight, shaking her head.
"It's no use. We've both taken turns on this and it's not working. And the windows seem damn near indestructible. What type of house is this?"
"What do you think?" Snake looked at her, but quickly looked away after being blinded by the flashlight. "It's like you said, there's spirits here. Maybe we're stuck until they deem us worthy of leaving."
Samus couldn't tell if he was joking or not. She handed him the flashlight and walked to the door.
"Sitting around and waiting for ghosts sounds like the worst option-" She swiftly lifted her leg and struck out in a swift fashion. The door flew open before she kicked, revealing a strange face. She nearly kicked him, barely missing his head.
Ganon moved backwards to avoid the kick. He was clutching his left arm that was slightly twisted the wrong way and littered with glass. He spit blood onto the floor and looked up. "W-will you take it easy…!? I'm alrea-*HACK* *COUGH*-already busted up as it is." The two looked at him with shocked faces. Snake, stepping in front of Samus, looked Ganon up and down.
"What happened to you and are you okay to walk? Were you the cause of the bang?"
"Sh-shut up, *gasp* and light this." His seemingly broken arm clutched a candlestick. "Can't see a damn thing without it."
"So this is what the boom was?" Samus shined the flashlight on the rubble that was the chandelier. "I'm glad you weren't fully caught by it, or you wouldn't be standing where you are now." She looked back and Ganon was half-propped up against the wall. His breaths were scratchy; he certainly was hurt.
"More weird things happened after that too." he pointed to the second-floor stairs. "T-the stairs pushed up into a solid floor and blocked off the second floor. The hall to the kitchen also blocked itself off too. It seems *spit* like every path that the others have taken have been closed." The damaged ambassador began towards the main doors. Snake held his hand up and made a face.
"I'll stop you there; who went where and is anybody alone? I need to know where to go to reunite everyone." he asked. Ganon turned around and grunted; seemingly in pain.
"I-I think Sheik, the boy, the nerd, and that blue asshole all went upstairs for god knows what. The rest of them: Link, Mega, the girl, and the blue-haired one went through the left hall to the kitchen." Ganon coughed into his hand, sending small specks of red over his arm. "Doesn't matter honestly. It's not my business anyway. I've seen all I needed to see. I'm getting the hell out of here." He used his good arm to push against the doors. They wouldn't budge. He put all of his strength into it, but nothing happened. He grunted. "Somehow, I knew this would happen. I'm going to die here."
"No, nobody dies here." Snake turned around. "It's partially my fault we're here and I will do all I can to keep everyone here alive. You should rest here."
"And wait for those...evil words to come back...Should I wait to be driven mad by demons I have no control over? You see now what happened last time I was alone. Being by yourself is one quick way to die." he winced as he pulled a piece of glass out of his arm. "If I had one question to be answered: why me? I've played by the rules-" Samus stomped her foot.
"Stop talking like you're already a goner! I haven't known you long, but you definitely never struck me as a quitter. If you've got time to complain about why you're stuck here, then you've also got time to help us search for another way out of here. I don't believe in thinking negatively so often." she offered him a smile, but he only shot her a curt look.
"Who cares? I have nothing to be positive about. Have you seen my arm!?"
"You could be dead!"
"Ever think that I would rather be?" he frowned. "What do I have left if I were to get out of here? My business plunged into the ground after many failed investments. I'm running on fumes here. And with her gone...My only friend left is luck and that's if Mansa Mario is the one who would like to gamble and invest in me. I've already lost everything, so there isn't much left to ponder. I've been in nothing but business all my life. If there is anybody who knows how to cut losses, it's me."
Snake began walking to the only open doorway. "How much time are you two planning on wasting here? Ganon, if you don't want to get out of here alive, then I suggest you make yourself comfortable in that chair over there so your last memory can be cozy by the fire."
"Snake!" She turned towards him and flashed a mean look.
"What? He already seems content with his miserable life ending. I don't need to rub his tummy until he feels better. I'm focusing on getting everybody else who wants life out of here. Have fun chatting in the completely haunted lobby." he smiled to himself and left through the doorway. Samus shook her head and sighed.
"Absolutely unbelievable. Hey, Ganon, listen. And I never expected that I would be telling YOU this, but get a grip! I'm not sure what other hardships you face or are facing right now, but if you had already given up hope, then you never would have seeked out help from Mansa Mario. Quit now if you want, but I'm going to call your bluff. You're still just as ready to get out of here ever since the car crashed. I think Snake knows that too, but it doesn't matter if he doesn't. Don't start doubting yourself now; it's dangerous to be uncertain in business." Her eyes blinked open to show her fierce gaze. A bang of thunder sounded, but the room remained unshaken. Ganon looked down and gritted his teeth.
"This is an embarrassment. Quit fucking looking at me and I'll follow close behind." he growled. Samus smiled to herself and the two marched to the right hall to catch up with Snake. Lightning flashed once again as a ghastly young man watched from afar.
Corrin's eyes were dry. There were no more tears or sorrows to be shed. Mega had been very kind to her and she would not take that for granted. Link was down as well. Who could be happy after seeing something so terrible? She piped up, voice trembling with every word.
"I-Is there anything you guys haven't told anybody? Secrets that you're too afraid to let anybody know? I want to get something off my chest since it seems...we have the opportunity to...die here…" Link looked up and sighed. His phone battery was getting low and he still needed his flashlight.
"There are a few things that nobody knows about me; mainly because it's embarrassing." he quickly looked away and scratched his head. The three came to the end of the room, sure not to look back at their mangled companion. They had been here for awhile, crying and praying so much that it seemed to stop time for them. Link tried the knob and was surprised that it wouldn't turn.
"What's with this broken door?" He shoved against it and the hinge broke off; launching the door open and sending Link against the cold wood. "Gah! Ufh, maybe I misjudged my strength…" He looked up and his eyes spread wide. Shelves as far as the eye could see were stacked high with books. In the middle of the room, there were beautiful mounted swivel chairs facing a polished wooden desk. There were two dusty computers underneath fluorescent lights. There were several pictures and newspaper cutouts framed along the walls. Moving his flashlight upwards, Link recognized famous artwork hung along the walls. Mega stepped forward, amazed at the room even as it was shrouded in darkness.
"This is the largest study I have ever seen! It's hard to imagine how much land this mansion covers." The three marveled for what seemed like an eternity before a quiet yet powerful beep played through the air. Link looked down to see his phone left at 5% of a battery.
"Uh, we are REALLY gonna need a new light source fast. My phone isn't going to cut it for very much longer…" he gritted his teeth. The building was large and just the size of the study was enough to get lost in. Link knew that navigating without a light source would be nearly impossible and it didn't help that there were dangers lurking about.
"Where are we going to find a light around here? Best we're going to get is lighting a book on fire." Corrin suggested and picked up a heavy book. She blew air at the top of it and sent a cloud of grey into the air. The man in green shook his head and started leading Mega and Corrin through the maze of books.
"Setting stuff on fire won't really get us anywhere. Books burn quickly and we can't hold them either. But we've got about 10 minutes before we become friends with the darkness. I think we should split up and search for something to brighten our path." His voice echoed through the shadows and fell on deaf ears. Mega and Corrin looked at each other to confirm that they were hearing the same thing.
"Are you hearing yourself right now? Did you not just see what happened a little while back?" Mega exclaimed, but only received empty nods back.
"I understand the risk of being alone in these halls now, but I don't think it's anything compared to being vulnerable in the dark together. Besides, this place is pretty much a library so there is almost a 100% chance that candles or a lantern is somewhere around here." The clock continued ticking and Link's phone struggled to continue following it's commands. Corrin stepped in front of Mega.
"How would splitting us up help any of us, huh? We already have only one flashlight and it's going to go out before any of us finds a candle. Surely you've heard of a scenario when a group splits up and horrible things happen to them, right?" she protested. Link let out a sigh before digging his hand in his pocket. They jingled until he found what he was looking for and pulled it out behind his back.
"Fine...here," he tossed his phone to Mega (who caught it) and revealed a techy-looking head device. "I didn't exactly want people to know I had this, but...fine." Swiftly, he pulled the device over his eyes and a beeping noise sounded into the air. Two dim lights shone on the sides and he began to look up and down as if he was testing his vision.
"What is that thing Link?"
"These are my night vision goggles. I brought them today in case I felt like exploring in the night. I felt like walking along the paths at Mansa Mario's would be peaceful, but it does have other uses I suppose. Anyway, there's no more time left. I have a good couple hours of battery on this thing and you've got barely eight on my phone. You two can search together and I'll look on my own. This place isn't TOO big so if you find anything, hollar loud for me." Before Mega and Corrin had time to argue, Link sped down a row of dark wood bookshelves. A small jingling sound rang through the air with every step, perfectly resembling his bravery. Without much battery left, Mega glanced at his new friend and shone the flashlight forward.
"Mega...since you have Link's phone...can you tell me what time it is?" Corrin spoke through trembling words. The two had only been looking around for a couple of minutes, but the silence was stifling. "I just want to hear anything that isn't our footsteps."
He looked down at the dimmed screen. Merely two percent of battery remained, so if they would find out the time, now would be their last opportunity.
"It's 11:41 pm. I can't believe how late it actually is. I thought we had gotten here around 11 pm." he mentioned while opening a desk drawer. Inside were three unpackaged batteries (AA) and a pair of scissors. Without thinking, he put the batteries into his pocket and held out the pair of scissors. "Do you want these in case of an emergency?"
"Of course not. I don't think it's a good idea to carry around sharp objects especially considering the situation we're in. Somebody could fall on top of them." The girl politely took the red scissors from Mega's hands and put them back into the drawer. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. Besides, it isn't what we're looking for. We should hurry." she told and walked forward. It was understandable to limit the amount of dangerous objects in the vicinity, but one could never quite be overprepared. Despite her warnings, Mega secretly slid the pair of scissors into the pocket opposite of the one that he put batteries in so he didn't make noise. The blades were face down to help himself prevent falling on them, but he was unsure if he was making the right decision.
"Maybe you're right. I doubt we'll need scissors anyway." he lied and joined her side. The dying flashlight stabbed through the walls of darkness and revealed lanes upon lanes of reading material. Corrin let out a fearful huff of air and grabbed Mega's hand.
"So what's your story huh? What was so important to you that you'd sneak off to a discreet business party? If we're going to try and make it out of here then it would be best that we kind of knew each other, right?" The two rounded a corner and walked along the walls. Mega thought back to the reason he came here and his eyes lit up.
"I suppose knowing everyone better can help us out of here. Well, I grew up in a small town named Runepin. It's difficult to see us on the map and everyone in the area pretty much knows everyone. I grew up with only my mom and younger brother to call family. My father passed away when I was the age of four, but mother tells us that he wasn't around very much after she became pregnant with my brother. My mother was a hard worker and she wanted her children to grow away from the evil of the world. So she sheltered us from everywhere outside the town. This is only the third time I've ever left Runepin."
The phone screen began to flash with exclamation marks. It was on one percent and the cowardly device begged to be attached to a charger. Mega nervously tensed up and walked faster.
"Hey, you're squeezing my hand…" Corrin whined as she was dragged along. "Well...Runepin? I can't tell you that I've heard of it, but your mother must have only wanted the best for you and your brother-"
"Yeah, mom never meant any harm. She always wanted the best for her family. I don't think she ever anticipated that bad things would happen. That's always the way that things go, isn't it? The kindest and most good willed people always go first." Corrin came to a halt.
"What do you mean? Are you-"
"She passed away three months ago. Outside of our humble town. She was driving my younger brother to a soccer match located in a different school. Runepin is small, but it still has its own district and he had joined the team only a month before the incident. A drunk driver struck my mother's vehicle and killed her, leaving my brother incapacitated with disabillity. I'm all he has left." he closed his eyes. Remembering what tore apart his family hurt him deeply, but he held back the pain and looked at Corrin with bright eyes. "I'm seeking out Mansa Mario because I can't support my brother on a 19 year old's salary. I want to help my brother and raise funds for the Runepin soccer team to carry my mother's dream of seeing my brother successful. I don't care what happens to me in the future. I just know that I need to be strong for my family. For Manny."
A loud yell cut through the air.
"GUYS I'VE GOT SOMETHING HERE! RUN TO THE BACK END OF THE ROOM!" Corrin and Mega nearly jumped out of their bodies in shock and swung to the voice. The stubborn phone couldn't hold out any longer and the screen, along with the flashlight, regrettably cut out. The two were flushed by darkness and cold washed over the area. Corrin tightly held onto Mega's hand.
"Damn it! LINK! KEEP TALKING AND WE'LL FOLLOW YOUR VOICE!" she cried out. They reached their hands out to the lingering darkness to keep from running into anything.
"UH...WHAT SHOULD I YELL ABOUT!? I DON'T NORMALLY PREPARE SPEECHES TO YELL YOU KNOW?"
"FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS LINK JUST MAKE NOISE PLEASE!" They couldn't even see their own hands in front of their faces.
"JUST MAKE NOISE? UM...OKAY? *Ahem* HEY NOW, YOU'RE AN ALLSTAR! GET YOUR GAME ON! GO! PLAY!"
The girl and the teenager stumbled in the darkness, desperately searching for the source of the horrible singing. Mega bumped his side into the corner of the desk and reminded himself of his decision to keep the scissors. "ONLY SHOOTING STARS BREAK THE MO-OLD! IT'S A COOL PLACE AND THEY SAY IT GETS COLDER! I DON'T REMEMBER THE NEXT LYRIC BUT THE METEOR MAN BEGS TO DIFFER, JUDGING BY THE SOMETHING I DON'T REMEMBER! THE ICE WE SKATE IS GETTING PRETTY THIN!"
Slowly, the two made their way to the back of the room. They used the pain from their bleeding ears (not actually bleeding) to gauge if they were getting closer. Finally, the two crawled their way forward through the darkness. Link stopped and cleared his throat once more.
"Goodness, that really does a number on the throat." he slightly pounded his chest with his free hand. Corrin reached out, but was unable to find Link.
"You oughtta imagine what that does to the ears…"
"Anyway, may light forever brighten this corridor-" Link announced before starting up the lantern. He turned the knob and the electric lantern shone with a brightness that lit up the entire end section of the room. "Wow, that's bright! And the batteries still work too! I found it stationed conveniently under all those pictures of smelly old people-I mean business men! (God what am I doing? I need to be more careful…)" Link began to speak under his breath as he pulled off his goggles. Looking above, he was correct about there being several framed pictures of business men. Every person had their own portrait and they had been dressed professionally. All of a sudden, a translucent (cloudy) blue blob began to form on the picture in the middle. It took on the form of the man in the portrait so that the man's upper body hung directly out of the frame. It slowly looked around before turning its attention to the three below him.
"Yes, I agree. Very convenient...for us!" It spoke in a deep voice. Link turned around so quickly that he fell onto the floor. "None of you should be here. And yet, here you are. I can't help but feel that I'm not the first encounter you have had with the afterlife, yes?" his question hung in the air. The three looked at each other and didn't make a sound. "I know not how to take your silence, but your fear won't save you here. It's as if you're afraid to be the first to speak. You poor souls have witnessed the loss of life; it is clear by your eyes. Worry not; I mean no harm to those who are true at heart." the ghost said. After a quiet moment, Mega looked towards Link and removed his hands from his mouth.
"If you're not going to harm us, then why are you here?" he asked. The ghost slightly chuckled before returning to a serious composure.
"I said that I hold no intent to harm those who are true at heart. This is not the case here. One of you is lying to yourself so you may lie to others. A crime worthy of death. I want each of you to tell me why you are here or I'll be forced to end every one of you." The room went still. Corrin frantically waved her arms back and forth.
"You've got the wrong people! None of us are lying to ourselves, so please don't hurt anyone!" she cried out. The ghost bellowed out a laugh before resuming his stern composure.
"Do not lecture me on insight, woman. I remember standing where you stand now begging for life. Let us hope that it won't be you whose request is denied. Now, no more excuses. I want you to start, Green Man. Why have you come to this forsaken fortress?" Link looked upward in a panic. He adjusted his tie and stood up.
"My name is Link. I come from a land not far from here. I am son to Lady Hylia and Sir Gerude. All my life I have lived in a shadow. I have no brothers or sisters and I was expected to carry on the wishes of my family. Get married early and birth our name to the world, but I rejected this wish. I was an outsider to all because my desires for life didn't match the will of my parents. For this reason, I have been left without purpose. Disowned by my own family who yearns for another son to carry out their wishes. I couldn't simply live with this. I am seeking out Mansa Mario for purpose. He's an idol and master to all of those in need. I know he will aid me in finding my true purpose-"
"LIES!" Ghost's voice shook the entire library and the large bookshelf behind Link tipped in his direction. Mega looked to Corrin.
"Hoist the shelf up or it will crush us!" he dove towards the edge of the dark wood and pushed hard. Corrin quickly pressed herself against the other side and grunted with effort. Link hadn't moved at all and continued to stare into the eyes of the ghost man.
"Why would you lie to me? I! SEE! YOU!" With every word, the bookshelf pressed down with more and more strength. Mega and Corrin struggled to hold it up and begged for assistance, but Link continued to face forward.
"I can't say that I know exactly what you're talking about. Which part did I get wrong?" he shrugged. The ghost's eyes began to glow red.
"Hahaha! You insolent little man! Don't you get it? YOUR FACADE IS A SCAM! It's as clear as day seeing how you haven't even remotely tried to assist your friends!" he laughed. Link sighed and scratched his head. The force of the bookshelf was becoming too much to bear.
"Link! We all have things that we're not proud of! I don't care what it is you're hiding, you need to tell the truth right now! I promise I won't hate you!" Corrin shouted. Link closed his eyes and smiled.
"Ugh, fine. Guess I'm backed into a corner. It would be a shame to die here…" he put his hands into his pockets. The perished business man looked into his soul.
"Empty your left pocket!"
Link dug his hand into his pocket and made a fist. He was hesitant, but followed orders regardless.
"I can't believe it. Being caught for the first time. The ice we skate really is getting pretty thin!" he laughed and took his hand out of his pocket. The bookshelf immediately lightened in weight and swung back in place. Corrin and Mega collapsed from exhaustion and fell to the floor; overcome with shock from Link's actions.
Spilling to the floor out of his hands was Corrin's necklace, rings, and bracelet along with a bloody wristwatch.
Well that was nice wasn't it? Worth the wait? Probably not. I do apologize for my tardiness. We all know that it was one heck of a year.
AngelZeroEXE: I really glad that you're enjoying things so far. There is only intensity from here on out, so be sure to continue hoping for ya boi Mega and the boy Lucas.
TheShadowStarr23: k thx
14shiffna: Ah Florida. Such a sweet girl. Such a lonely girl. A flower like her is nothing to fear...right? Thanks for your continued support and I hope you continue to enjoy the reimagined characters and the situation they've gotten themselves in.
That's going to wrap it up this time folks. Thanks for reading and be sure to leave me any thoughts, insults, concerns, criticism, and even questions in the pretty little box below! Seriously, look at that box. Such a cutie. Oh yeah, that's right, I'm supposed to be done here. Be back next week k byeeeeeeeeee!