Chapter 9

I hate this, I really do. He's been asleep for days now and hasn't shown any sign of waking up… Link, please wake up…

"Hey Midna, how is he?" I look up to Rusl. He had come not that long ago, not long after Link fell asleep.

"Unchanged. I hope he wakes up soon… I wish there was something I could have done to prevent this. He's been through so much, he doesn't deserve this."

"I would agree with you. Link is strong though, you of all people should know this. He will get through this. What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Better than before, but I won't be a hundred percent until Link wakes up."

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do. It's not obvious?" He's so stupid… I reach my hand over to Link and feel his forehead. There's no fever, so that's good. He would get sick so easily on our quest. I'm surprised he even made it through in one piece.

"You need to stay calm." Rusl is really getting on my nerves. I stand up.

"Stay calm?! How would you feel if Uli was lying down in front of you showing no sign of waking up?!"

"You couldn't possibly understand how I feel in this. Yes, it would be horrible feeling if Uli was in Link's situation, but to me this is worse. Link's father always told me that there is no worse fate than losing your child and I raised Link since he was little. I care for him like he's my own flesh and blood." He stopped talking and fell silent. Moving back.

"Wait… he's not related to you?" Link always told me Rusl was his uncle. That his father and Rusl were brothers, both half Hylian and half Ordonian.

"Forget I said anything." Rusl started to turn around. I grabbed his arm.

"Oh no. You're staying right here and explaining to me. You're not Link's uncle?" He turned around.

"No, I'm not. I raised him on a lie to protect him until he was ready to become the hero. I knew from the moment I saw him that he was going to have to do things that not many have done before. Something would come after him and prevent him from fulfilling his fate and I couldn't let that happen. When his parents died, I took him in, he has amnesia, he doesn't remember his first five years, so I used that to my advantage." I let go of him.

"Why haven't you told him the truth now? You've had plenty of chances to do so."

"I guess it's because, I'm afraid. I don't want to lose him, not to death, or to lack of trust because I know he'll be upset if I tell him the truth and he may not trust me anymore. May not trust anyone anymore. He already has trust issues."

"It's not fair to him, keeping secrets about his family… I understand why before, but… you need to fix this. He'll find out one way or another and that will make things so much worse for you."

"You're right. I suppose, once he wakes up and has time to recover, I'll have a very long chat with him." He better. I'm so pissed off right now… He raised my little baby face on a lie… I can understand why, but why couldn't Link know? What difference would it make? No one else had to know! I question Rusl's logic… I sit back down by Link's side. Wake up soon… please… I want to see your beautiful eyes and your cute little smile…

Ok, ok, ok, ok. This is just… I feel like I'm getting turned around, but I know I'm not. I managed to jump up to the torches and grabbed one, I've been using the charred bits to mark the walls to make sure I don't end up turned around somehow. That demon, he's sneaky, he's probably plotting something. Hasn't stopped following me either. He's just… I hate him! I want out! This is really driving me crazy. It's so quiet except for my footsteps that I just… I need more noise, I've even resorted to singing, not giving a damn that someone else was listening to me sing.

I don't like singing in front of other people. I feel like they're judging me and I don't like being told I'm no good at what I do. But I don't care right now. He got me here, if he doesn't like my singing then he has to deal with it.

Oh my gods this tunnel is forever. I mean, I have been walking for I don't know how long. I mean, the demon was right, there are no windows, no way to tell time. Has it been hours, days, weeks, months, I don't know! I JUST DON'T KNOW!

"You're starting to slip, boy. I can sense it." He's also been talking to me lately. I just… I don't want his company, I really don't.

"Shut up."

"You're tense, aggravated, more than usual."

"I said shut up."

"You're losing your mind."

"Shut up!" I try to whack him with my unlit torch and he grabs it without hesitation.

"Oh, I am getting under your skin, aren't I? I could shut up if you let me have another taste of that delicious light of yours."

"Out of the question, damned demon…" I try to pull the torch free.

"Oh, cursing now are you? You don't do that much. Strange considering you're almost an adult, aren't you? Or you could be already and you don't even know it. Who knows how much time has passed in here?"

"I don't know either, but I do know I am going to get out of here. There is nothing you could say to change my mind." I pull the torch free finally and glare at him before turning around. Keep your head, Link. You have to keep going. For Midna, for Rusl, for everyone who loves you and is counting on you.

"Is there anyone who really loves you? I mean, you can't know for sure." What? "You can't get into their minds. You know you love them, but do they? How can you know?"

"Stop trying to get in my head. It won't work."

"Oh, but it did a bit. I saw a flicker in your light. You were starting to think, give in to your anxiety. I know it's there. Though you'd rather not admit it." I shake my head and roll my eyes, I keep going. I can't listen to him. I have to keep my head and get out of here. "What's worse is that no one knows you exist really. No one knows what you did for them."

"Being a hero and doing the right thing is its own reward, I expect nothing in return for what I've done. I don't like the attention or fame. All I like is pleasing others and seeing the smiles on their faces."

"Wow, true hero, aren't you? You sound so noble and mighty. Just like famous heroes of your bloodline."

"Will you please, SHUT UP!" My voice echoes loudly through the tunnel. My ears twitch, am I getting close? I thought I heard something…

"You know what will get me to shut up, wolfy boy."

"That is out of the question… and you know it."

"Then get prepared to hear everything I have to say, Hero of Twilight."

"Hero Chosen by the Gods."

"You care for your title but not fame?"

"I just know what the light spirits called me." I continue walking. I try ignore that annoying demon behind me, but also keeping my guard up so he doesn't try anything.

There has to be a way out! There has to be! I've gotta… I've gotta get out of here! Maybe if I start running again. Maybe that will help me get further… I start doing just that. I hear counting. No… No! Stop it! I run, covering my ears.

"Five… four… three… two…" NO! "one." A hand on my shoulder, halting my run. Immediately my reaction is to swing the torch at him. He catches it and pulls it out of my hand, wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close. He grips a chunk of my hair. I struggle against him, trying to push him off me.

"Stop it! Let me go!" He bites into my neck. I can't breathe… I'm in so much pain… I'm let go of and I fall to my back, paralyzed and unable to move. This isn't fair… Why must this keep happening to me…? What have I done to upset the gods?!

"Aw… the baby is crying." Sure enough, I feel tears slip out of my eyes. I'm scared… I'm so scared… please… someone save me… Someone free me from this hell…! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! "That's just the thing, boy. No one can save you. No one cares. No one truly loves you. Why would they?" They don't…? "No. They never did. They never will either. They want you to suffer. After all, it's your fault they suffered. Your family, your ancestors, they are the reason you had to fight Ganon in the first place. It's their fault Midna had to kill her precious little brother…" Th-they… "They. Hate. You…" They hate me…? "They do. They think you're a vile, fowl beast, you'll turn on them. Cause them nothing but pain and suffering, like your ancestors."

"That's enough out of you!" Who is that…?

"Oh, hello there. Who might you be?"

"It does not matter. You've tormented him long enough and it is time you meet your end…" He sounds kind of familiar…

"Heh. If you really cared, you would have been here sooner."

"I couldn't find this place until now." There is the sound of a blade being drawn. I can't move… I can't see who it is… "You will pay for what you've done…" Whoever he is, he sounds angry… I just… want this to be over… please… let me die…

"You don't have the guts to fight a demon."

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage! I will burn in hell before I let you touch my son again!"

Two months… it's been two months… Link… why…? Why won't you wake up…

"Midna?" I turn to the new voice. It's Ilia, We've been brought back to Link's home village about a week ago. If he doesn't wake… if he dies… they… plan to bury him here… next to his mother… "How is he?"

"Same as usual…" I turn to look at her. "I don't know what to do… He… I…" Ilia steps over and wraps an arm around me.

"I'm sure he will wake up soon."

"You always say that…"

"And I always mean it. He has to come back to you. He loves you. I know he does. I could tell when you guys saw each other. I saw the look in his eyes when he saw you. The same look he used to give me so long ago…"

"I stole him from you, didn't I…?" I'm a horrible person…

"No… You just exist, you can't be blamed for that. He fell for you, he can't be blamed for that. You fall for who you fall for. You sometimes have no control over it. In fact, it's most of the time. I'll move on. He wasn't the one for me. I'm glad I know that now rather than later and end up with an even more of a broken heart."

"I can tell why you're his best friend… He often spoke fondly about you on our quest… He said you were so close to him, that he loved you so much. He sees you as a big sister." Ilia smiles happily.

"I'm honored. He's such a sweetie. I miss him…"

"Me too…" Wait… did he just…? "I could have sworn he just moved… I must be going crazy…" I watch Link carefully. His eyelids twitch. Oh my gods…

"I saw it too!" Ilia leans over him and shakes him a bit. "Link? Link! It's Ilia! Wake up!" Link's twitching. His twitching gets worse and worse.

"H-He's having a seizure! Get Rusl! Quickly!" Ilia nods and runs out. "Link!" I place my hands at either side of his head. "Link, if you can hear me, please, wake up. We miss you! We miss you so much, Link. Please! I can't lose you again…" I place my head to his. "Please… I can't lose you… not again… my heart shattered the day I left you… I know you felt the same way…" My tears fall onto his face. His back arches up, I move back. He screams the loudest I've ever heard him… As quickly as it happened, it stops… He collapses back down, unmoving, completely limp. I hear a faint wolf howl in the distance. "Link…?" I shake him gently. "Link!?" Rusl and Uli rush over, followed by Ilia. Uli places a hand on Link's forehead.

"He's burning up… Ilia, wash cloth soaked with stream water, quick!" I hear the footsteps of Ilia as she runs out. Rusl listens to Link's heartbeat. He sighs. What does that mean!?

"His heartrate is rapid. It could burst with its speed…" Link's eyelids twitch again. I sense something strange. I turn my head and see a gold wolf in the door way. He walks over and jumps onto the bed. Rusl and Uli can't seem to see him… The gold wolf lies his head down on Link's chest and whimpers. A whimper escapes from Link… at least… I thought it came from him… I think it did…

"Link…?" His eyes start to open… oh my gods… He's… He's awake… He looks over at me. His eyes… they… they're so dark… "Oh Link…"

"Link!" Rusl turns Link's head from me. "Thank the Gods…" He pulls Link into a tight hug. "Welcome back…" Link stays still, not returning the hug. That's not normal… What happened to him…?

Hello! I finished a chapter here for you guys! I hope you enjoy it! A remake is in the works, those who care to know. If you want a preview, feel free to PM me or leave a review, sorry to the guests... I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to making more! It took me so long because I had a cyst on my wrist and it hurt to type for too long, but now it's gone. I am looking forward to writing more!

See ya!

-Avy