Bond of a Demon

Chapter Thirty Two

Ghirahim found a platform on the ground and stepped onto it. It glowed a soft green as he did. A pedestal rose from it, holding the shard in a small orb. Ghirahim glanced at me, his expression matching my thoughts. This close to our goals, there's no way it's this easy. Zeefa flew off of Ghirahim's shoulder and examined it carefully.

"I don't see anything wrong with it... then again, it could just be a trick of some sort."

Ghirahim stretched his hand out hesitantly, but I had a bad feeling about it. So, I did something kind of stupid. I moved quicker than him and snatched the shard from the pedestal.

The shard burned in my palm, then melted! The heat seemed to seep into my skin, possibly touching my bones as it spread so quickly it now engulfed my entire arm.

"Ah! What's happening?" I shouted, trying to pry the stuff off. But despite its liquid like state, it wouldn't budge!

Ghirahim grabbed the moving edge of the mysterious stuff and tried to yak it off of me using so much force he broke a sweat, but despite our efforts, nothing helped! It was crawling up my neck now, and down my ribs! This can't be good!

"What's happening, is you are gullible."

Our heads snapped to my left, and we saw what looked for a moment like Tuschia. After looking a bit closer, I realized it wasn't quite her. This was obviously a male, and his hair was black. The design of the thing that covered his eyes was slightly more ornate, and his wings were much larger. He smiled as we both gawked at him, "It is a decoy shard that will kill you the moment it covers you head."

This was bad news, since it was crawling over my left ear right now. Ghirahim ground his teeth.

"Why don't you tell us how to get it off then! Or should I just beat it out of you?"

I glared at Ghirahim in confusion. How is he supposed to know how to get it off? And why is Ghirahim looking at him like he's Wenta? I glanced at the demon wearily, wondering what it is I am missing here.

He smiled and crossed his arms, "Is that a way to treat an old friend?" He took a single step closer and stopped, "How is my dear sister by the way?"

Ghirahim glared as the liquid made its way to my temple. I'm running out of time. "Tuschia is fine, Now get this off!"

Wait... Tuschia is his sister? Then shouldn't we be allying with him? I didn't voice these questions, because this thing is seconds away from killing me now. The demon arched his head back, expanding his chest the way Tuschia did in the cave. I covered my other ear as he let out the awful sound, taking a look at the situation I assumed.

He touched the edge of the liquid and looked down as if concentrating then it slid right off! What he did, I don't exactly know. All I know is I owe him.

"Now, go!" Ghirahim demanded firmly.

I guess not...

"A simple thank you would suffice." He smirked.

Ghirahim sneered, "Consider it payment for the wrong you've done Syucha (See-Oo-Cha)! Give my regards to Wenta. Come on Link, we have to get that shard."

Realization hit me suddenly. He's with Wenta! I unsheathed my sword and glared darkly at him. "Why are you here?"

Syucha crossed his arms, "Just because my sister is so naive as to follow Netti does not mean I am. But that doesn't make me your enemy either Ghirahim. If you'll just listen to Wenta and hear what-"

"Never!" Ghirahim shouted, drawing his sword and slicing Syucha in the chest. I expected him to recoil, lash out or at the very least, react at all. However, he merely stood there as the cut quickly laced itself back together, leaving the barest hint of a scar.

"Very well." He said with a tension in his jaw. "If you take this path Ghirahim, you will not like what you see. You have been warned."

With that, he flew off into the fog and disappeared. I decided I really don't like him.

"Why would Wenta send someone to 'reason' with us?" I asked as I replaced my sword.

Ghirahim sighed heavily, "I don't know, but we haven't the time to figure it out either. We need to defeat Wenta, and we don't have long left." He pointed at my chest then clutched his own with emotional pain in his eyes.

I took his hand with both of mine and held it tightly, feeling a lump form in my throat, "We'll be fine Ghirahim. I promise. We'll fix all of this together."

This seemed to light his eyes up a bit and he kissed my forehead softly, "I like the sound of together. Now let's find that shard."

Third Person

"You are worried."

It wasn't a question, or even an accusation. It was a simple statement with nothing but truth. Tuschia may be physically blind, but she could see better than anyone with eyes. She could see the past, present and possibilities of the future. However, what she saw now was terribly disturbing.

Nevaeh sighed as she paced the temple. All but one of the guardians Ghirahim and Link had encountered were all scattered about the huge temple, with only one left to gain the army needed, the whole building was filled to the brim with tension. Mostly from Nevaeh.

"I can't help it." She said softly, staring longingly out the magical window that appears to be solid stone on the outside. "Ren hasn't come back. Without him-"

"Don't worry about him," Tuschia said quickly, a bit too quickly.

Nevaeh looked at her with narrowed eyes, "What do you mean?"

Tuschia turned to face the same window, and made a small chirping noise. She could then see as the deep purple and ruby colored leaves swayed in the wind outside under the purely white sky. "I do not see Ren fighting with us when we encounter Wenta."

Nevaeh's color paled a shade and her golden eyes dimmed, "What? Is he dead?"

Tuschia did something she'd never done before. She shrugged, "I don't know. Whether he's dead or not, Wenta has him, and has a darkness over him. I cannot see."

Nevaeh's eyes hardened and she looked out the window again, "Ghirahim and Link will set things right again." She sighed and hung her head, her unnaturally sparkling and golden hair falling over her shoulders. "They have to."

Tuschia took Nevaeh's hands gently, "Nevaeh," She spoke so softly it could barely be heard, "I... do not see the human in the future. He has mere days left."

Nevaeh's hands balled up, clenching Tuschia's, "Then... so does Ghirahim."