LoZ: Dark Times

"It's not your fault, Niamh," Konbei said gently.

Memories and flashes continued to haunt the child as he was carried- but steadily, they were beginning to subside. His fever still raged, and the re-opened gash on his shoulder was still sending blood in rivers down his bare chest. His eyes relaxed and his shoulders slumped as he fell deep into unconsciousness once more, unaware of the world and its ongoings around him.

"Yeah, I'm sure he will," Ember said as they walked down their street and opened the door. "Dad!"

-S-

Zelda looked to the Assassin, her blue eyes full of concern. "Yes?"

Atticus looked up. "Ember, ther-"

His eyes opened wide when he saw the girl in his children's hands. He got to his feet, and scooped her out of their grip. He hurriedly lay her down on there sofa. He took a step back, and observed her calmly.

"...is she going to die?" Enyo said fearfully.

---

"Perhaps the most apt soloution to this problem would be to sabotage Arthur's forces. Place a drop of posion into his wine, so to speak." the Assassin said.

During the whole escapade of the Shadow boy being accused, explaining himself, then disappearing- that little girl in tow- Lyn had remained strangely quiet, though reacting as such in expression to each event. She looked over at Zelda- her chin was held high as Lyn remained silent, wondering just what her "Queen" would plan on doing now.

As the assassin spoke, Lyn glanced towards him, then back to Zelda, speaking up.

"Sounds like a reasonable plan," she said bluntly, adding, "but that would involve someone either entering his troops secretly, or turning one of them against him."

Fortuna did not stir, her usually rosy face pale in coloration. Yet, she was still breathing.

Zadi clung to Ember's hair, her eyes flashing frantically between the humans.

-S-

Zelda nodded. "You are right. Though it seems the most effective plan we have for now... also, if we were to infiltrate his ranks, we could learn more about this Shadow Magic of his."

Lyn blinked, remembering something.

"That kid said something about shadow magic, didn't he?" she said with a frown. "Maybe if we get him back, we can make him tell us what he knows."

"I think you'll find that I am more than an adequate choice for infiltration." the Assassin said.

---

"...shes lost a lot of blood." Atticus murmered, kneeling beside her. He looked to Ember. "Ember, go upstairs. Theres a little bottle in the my beside table filled with purple liquid. Could you fetch it for me?"

(Prepare to witness the healing magic of the Zelda games XD)

( Gotta love it! XD Shadow will probs be back up and about soon, too, lols. )

Lyn was quiet for a moment- then, smirking, stepped forward.

"Then I'm going with you."

Ember nodded, running upstairs and looking towards the table. He spotted the bottle after a moment, and grabbed it, running back downstairs to hand it to Atticus.

-S-

Zelda smiled slightly. "Though it is a good plan, I do think it best for us to find the Shadow Boy too."

"Hey, if you need something, i can help to. Probably not doing a secret infiltration, but maybe a distraction?" Deserax put out.

The Assassin nodded towards Lyn.

---

"Thank you." Atticus said, taking the bottle. He carefully opened the girls mouth, and poured some of the liquid down her throat.

Lyn glanced over towards Deserax. For a moment she considered speaking to Dalikos, but she was still angry with him, so she looked to the side and said, off-hand and directed to anyone, "We'll need some people to stay here, guard the surviving refugees and protect the castle in case he decides to come here next."

"If we ever have need of a distraction...." Zelda stopped as she looked at Deserax.

"I do not think I would be in proper conscience to put you at risk, young man." She frowned. "We've already lost two children, and you are still recovering."

At Lyn's suggestion, she nodded. "A very useful and vital duty, that is."

-S-

The first thing that happened was that she twitched. She began to drink the liquid, and jerked upwards as she woke from her near-death coma.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Fortuna asked, blinking rapidly at the sudden exposure of her eyes to light.

"Calm down...your safe." Atticus said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Wow...how did you do that?" Enyo said.

"Great Fairy Tears...they work as a super medicine most of the time." Atticus replied.

Konbei knew the Lost Woods like the palm of his hand and it wasn't long until they were deep inside the dark forest. Shadow's blood ran in lines down Konbei's hands and arms and he felt the boy's shoulders slump - unsure if it was a good or bad sign, he picked up his pace.

"Mum," he said when he turned a corner and saw Nuala and Sergius coming in their direction. Nuala looked at him and her eyes came to rest on the boy. Konbei didn't need to explain anything, it was obvious this child needed help and fast. She quickly ushered them back to the house where Konbei laid Shadow on a bed while Nuala sorted though cupboards for medical supplies.

"Oh my goodness..." Celeste said wide-eyed. "There was another attack wasn't there?"

"Ordon Village," Konbei said.

Nuala returned with gauze, bandages and bottles of red and blue potion. She dabbed the potion onto a cloth and started cleaning Shadow's wounds with it while Konbei explained what had happened. Nuala shook her head as she listened to his story about what had happened to Niamh and worked on Shadow. When was done she swapped the blood soaked cloth for gauze pads doused in potion which she dressed his multiple wounds with and secured them in place with the bandages.

Celeste placed a hand over the boy's forehead and felt he had a fever. She gently lifted Shadow's head and poured a little bit of the potion in his lips.

Fortuna looked down at her leg, surprised to find it smooth and completely healed. She looked up at Atticus, a troubled expression on her face.

"I remember Kakariko being attacked. Did it really happen?" Her voice was fearful and unsure.

When potion went down Shadow's throat, he coughed and sputtered a bit, but it went down nonetheless and he swallowed, his eyes still closed and his mind still swimming in unconsciousness. However, even before the potion went down his throat, the blood which had been pouring from the massive hole in his shoulder had caked over and stopped flowing. At an unnatural rate, it had begun to heal, preventing any further blood loss. Even the multiple other, lesser wounds around his body had started to close up and scab over, despite only having received them quite recently. He was healing fast- but it was clear these sped-up effects were not from the potion.

Atticus sighed, and nodded.

"What? What about Kakariko?" Enyo piped up.

As she finished dressing his wounds, Nuala noticed they were healing exceptionally fast - too fast for it to be from the potion. She pursed her lips and frowned to herself; this boy was something else...

"Konbei, use your ice to help lower his fever," Celeste said.

Konbei shifted forward and held his hands over Shadow as layers of ice formed around them. He placed his hands on Shadow's neck and across his shoulder line in an effort to cool the boy down.

Cold... Something was cold... A burning sort of cold, harsh and firm...

Shadow's eyes snapped open.

Instantly, his wide, red eyes went down to the ice on his shoulder-

"AHHWHATTHEFUCKOHSHIT-"

Suddenly he was shouting out, his face completely consumed in terror as he scrambled backwards in panic- only to fall backwards off the bed, landing smack on his back. He groaned instantly in pain from the impact, but, shaking his head, managed to put his hands underneath him and stumble to his feet.

As soon as he did, though-

"N-Niamh!" he shouted, looking around. "Niamh, where are you?!"

And it was then that he realized who exactly he was in the room with, and he looked up at Konbei, his mind blank and his face frozen. His entire body tensed up in preparation- Konbei was going to try and kill him. He knew it. And now he didn't even know what had happened to Niamh...

Ember was quiet, but he too was also listening eagerly.

"Well... it..." Fortuna sighed. Perhaps she should not be the one to tell them. Their father already knew what had happened.

Zadi looked down from Ember's head happily, trying not to make too much of a fuss since the adults could not see her.

Shadow's sudden outburst and startled Celeste and she jumped back in surprise while Nuala only raised an eyebrow at him. Konbei stood there, the ice still surrounding his hands, and stared at Shadow with a look of utter confusion as he tried to figure what the hell just happened...

"...What are you doing?" He said.

Shadow's eyes went to the ice in his hands- fuck how he hated that stuff...

However, he realized after a second's pause, that Konbei wasn't going to kill him. At least, he hadn't advanced on him, and he didn't seem angry...

But... What was he going to tell him about Niamh? He clenched his jaw tight. He had fainted at the bridge... What had happened to her then?

"I shall remain with Her Highness." Prometh nodded. "I doubt I could keep up with any infiltrators; I lack the young blood you posses." he added with a small smile.