Heroes Between Realms

Link

Link started to gain consciousness. He felt something around his bare wrists and ankles - restraints. Cold air sent goosebumps down his exposed skin. He could feel a light smock over his body, but it did nothing to dispell the cold. Something clamped around his left index finger, things stuck to his temples and all over his body. His fingertips and toes tingled. Something sharp struck the inside of his right elbow.

    He dared not open his eyes or so much as twitch a finger. It was better to get a sense of his surroundings before he let the enemy know anything. He started to hear things, like the steady beeping to his right. And voices.
   
    "The sedatives should have worn off by now," said a high female voice.
   
    "Maybe we killed it," replied a deep voice, accompanied by a nudge of Link's leg.
   
    "There's a heartbeat," objected the female voice, "and it's chest is rising and falling - breathing."
   
    Why did they keep referring to Link as "it?" He wasn't an object.
   
    "Waky-waky sleepy head," the deep voice crooned. The owner of the voice shook Link's arm. When he didn't move, the man yelled, "Wake up!" right into his ear.

    Not daring to flinch, Link slowly opened his eyes, forcing them to adjust to the bright room without blinking. Right overhead was a strange white fire glowing from behind a horrible shade. The ceiling was smooth and white. Link didn't move.

    "Ah, there it is," the deep voice said. The owner of the voice leaned over Link, looking him straight in the eye.

   The man's kind face didn't match his evil green eyes. His smooth, clean white hair was slicked back, his white beard trimmed well. His ears were curved instead of pointed. He wore crisp clothing, like nothing Link had ever seen. Probably very expensive. A rectangle pinned to his coat had strange symbols on it - his name in his native language.

    The man stood straight again. "You're very calm, compared to the others we take into our care." He was speaking to Link, but he kept his gaze locked to the ceiling.

     "Hello, over here buddy," White Hair Man said, waving a hand infront of Link's face, who only blinked once. "Can you hear me?"

     When Link didn't respond, White Hair leaned in close and shouted in his ear, "Can you-?"
   
    Link jerked his head away before White Hair could finish. Something crinkled underneath him. Paper?

    "Is it stupid?" White Hair asked the woman across the room.
   
    Before the woman could answer, Link said, "Link. My name is Link." He was fed up with White Hair calling him it.

    "Ah, so you do talk," White Hair said, leaning over him again. "Another one, too," he commented to the woman. Link didn't know what he meant by that. "Where are you from?"

     Link didn't answer.

     "How old are you?"

     He stayed quiet.

     "What is your profession?"

     He only blinked.

    "You don't say much, do you?"

    Link returned his gaze to the ceiling. Moments of silence passed with White Hair using that evil/kind smile in Link's peripheral view, but all he could think about was getting out of the restraints and finding his way to Zelda. He had to stay calm and wait for White Hair to leave. He had to keep his head, and figure out this new puzzle. All those trials in the shrines prepared him for situations like this.

    "All righty then," White Hair broke the silence. He grabbed Link's left arm, twisting it so the inside of his elbow faced up.

    Link glanced at the big hand around his arm, watching as the other hand pulled something from an inside coat pocket. White Hair opened the object with his mouth and moved a black tip toward Link's arm. Link whipped his arm out of White Hair's grasp, away from the black tip. He pulled at the restraint. The paper crinkled underneath him.

    "Just hold still," White Hair commanded around the cap in his mouth. He grabbed Link's arm again, forcibly twisting it the way he wanted as he wrote something on Link's forearm. More strange symbols. "That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" White Hair capped the writing utensil, still smiling. He nodded toward the woman.

    Link pretended he didn't notice this as White Hair kept talking to him - distracting him from whatever the woman was doing. Link was smarter than that. He slowly eased his hand through the restraint. The trick was to twist and stay calm.

    "It's strange," White Hair went on. "We've had quite a few guys named Link fall here. They all had green clothes, while you were dressed in blue. They also came with a lady friend. Yours came a few minutes later. She was looking for you." He smiled a sweet smile, but his eyes were devious.

    Taking this in, Link felt anger rise within him. He had Zelda. He had Zelda. Link was furious with this man, with everything trying to harm his princess, but he didn't let him know that.

    White Hair looked at the woman. Link whipped his hand free the rest of the way to catch the woman's wrist just before she poked him with a needle. She gasped, pulling against him, but he held on tight.

    Link scowled at White Hair. "Where am I? Where are my things? What have you done with Zelda?"

    White Hair's smile grew wider. "Quite a mouthful, there, friend." His hand reached into his coat. Link followed it with his eyes. "Questions for another time."

    Eyes wide, Link struggled against the restraints. He had to get out of there. He had to fight back. He had to save Zelda. But all struggle was futile. White Hair shoved Link's squirming head against the table, holding him still. His needle punctured Link's neck.

    Link tried to fight, but his body became heavy. His hand holding the woman's wrist dropped, invisible weight settled over his limbs. His head fealt fuzzy, his tongue thick. His body tingled as he was pulled under, back into darkness.