Hello again, Skychild (Fully Updated)

Chapter 13 - Zant

I can feel the resistance of cutting through flesh and bone as I finish killing the last few bulblins before the boss room. The feeling still sickens me yet I know this is the way it has to be if I want to live. I feel Ghirahim's hand on my shoulder as I reach the door to the boss room.

"Be careful, skychild. Zant is a powerful sorcerer. I'll help you as much as I can but this is your journey." He says and I nod. He also summons something and hands it to me. A shield. Albeit a wooden one but a shield nonetheless. I accept it and arm myself with it. I feel more balanced and this feels familiar somehow. I open the door and see a strange man with a mask standing in the middle of the room.

"The Hero of Time. Seems we meet again." He says sourly. I assume he is Zant and from the look on Ghirahim's face, I am right. He glares at Ghirahim.

"Is this going to be a two on one fight?" He asks.

"No. The skychild must defeat you on his own. Besides, even if you were fighting against just me you'd lose. But if you attempt to kill the skychild, don't think I won't intervene, Usurper King." Ghirahim replies. He then disappears and I feel a bit scared facing a sorcerer on my own. He launches something at me suddenly and I instinctively dodge. He summons spell after spell and I keep dodging. As it is the only thing I can do with his speed.

"Ha! Seems you are the Hero. Sorry but Demon Lord or not, I will kill you. Not because of Vaati's orders but because I need to deal revenge on what you and that miserable twilli princess did to me." He growls. Then he launches another volley of spells. Left, right, roll, back. The pattern repeats. At one point I dodge left and find it is too late to dodge another spell launched and I use my shield to deflect it. The power sends me flying into a pillar where I painfully get the breath knocked out of me. I suddenly feel a searing pain around my neck and I clutch at it to see chains extending from Zant's hand to whatever is around my neck. I can't speak or cry out either.

"Seems like the power Vaati gave me is a bonus. I've caught the little hero." He sneers. Suddenly the chains disappear and I am floating in the air feeling like someone is suffocating me. Zant flicks his hand sideways and I get thrown into the wall. I barely get to my feet before I am lifted in the air again.

"Maybe I should toy with you before you die." Zant mutters to himself and throws me into another wall. I feel my shoulder dislocate from the impact. Once again, I barely reach my feet before getting thrown into a wall. Only this time, I can't stand after the impact.

"Too injured already? I guess you are weaker than the other. Or maybe I have just grown stronger." Zant says, stalking closer. This time he picks me up by my neck himself. I just hang there limply.

"Pathetic." He says, pushing my back against the wall, cutting off my air. I feel my combat knife at myself side like it always is and decide to wait for Zant's guard to lower. When he visibly relaxes a bit I whip out the knife before stabbing Zant in the chest, feeling some kind of gem shatter in the process. He drops me and quickly backs away.

"You damn hero..." He says. I can see something like blood oozing out of his chest.

"I will kill you later." He says. Vanishing into shadows. The doors unlock and Ghirahim walks in. Once seeing my state he runs over.

"Are you alright?" He asks. I nod and wince when he puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Dislocated." I wince. He nods.

"Okay on three okay?" He says finding where my shoulder needs to be put back. I nod.

"One, two" and a loud pop and the pain diminishes.

"Three." He finishes. I give him a glare then roll my shoulder to make sure it is properly in place. He helps me stand and aids in my limping to let me sit at a place that is fairly comfortable while he gets my sword, wincing as it burns him, and my shield. I quickly but carefully take my sword from him so it doesn't have to burn him any longer and put it back in it's sheath. He doesn't hand me the shield and instead swoops my up, bridal style, and gets ready to teleport.

"Hey I can walk on my own!" I say. He ignores me and snaps. And we reappear in his room. He sets me down on the bed and takes off my shoes.

"I can do that you know." I grumble.

"You're hurt and stubborn. So of course I'm going to do it anyways." He says taking off my belt then helping me out of my tunic and chainmail. He then begins poking and prodding to see what other injuries I have. Three broken ribs, a sprained knee, and a sprained ankle. He pulls out a red potion and motions for me to drink it. I take it and drink it. It tastes horrible, but I drink it anyways. I hand it back to him and gasp as sharp pains fill my body as my wounds are being healed and clutch onto him. The pain quickly subsides and I pull myself away. Ghirahim gently pushes me down onto the bed and tucks me in.

"I'm not a kid." I mumble. He smirks and kisses my lips.

"I know. Now get some rest." He says, beginning to leave. I grab his arm to keep him from leaving.

"Please, stay." I say. I want someone to curl up against. Curse you cuddly nature, well, not really. Ghirahim smiles and walks over to the other side of the bed he snaps and his normal outfit is replaced by loose fitting pants. White like normal. And I find myself staring at his shirtless torso. He chuckles.

"Like what you see skychild?" He asks in a deeper voice than usual. I blush and turn away. I feel the bed shift as he crawls in next to me and feel arms gently nudge me. I quickly roll over and rest my head on his chest. I can feel him chuckle under me as he wraps an arm around me, using the other to stroke my hair. The feeling relaxes me.

"Just sleep skychild." He says. And I obey. Falling into a deep sleep.