The Twilight Princess

Fifteen

Dr. Kaush took an x-acto knife and drew a line through the chest of the girl. He looked out in the hallway to make sure no one was around, then moved his hands in a circular motion over the chest. Rays of purple magic pierced at his fingertips. The heart slowly detached from its vessels, and flew quickly to Dr. Kaush's hand in a flash. He gripped the specimen tightly.

He made his way over to the sink to wash it off. Just as he turned on the faucet and the water came streaming through, he heard a loud explosion outside. Then came a shake to the ground, which nearly knocked him off his feet. His own heart started to race as he realized that he had been too slow.

The Twilight Princess had told him earlier to be as quick as possible, for that she was going to dispatch a bomb on the hospital at exactly 12 o'clock. Dr. Kaush glanced up at the clock. It read 12:02. "As soon as you get that wretched heart out, get back to me immediately," she had told him. "I need you alive, because you are the key for this plan. Well, the heart is. My point is, I need you alive so that you can deliver it."

"And what about the girl?"

"Leave her to die."

"Very well, your majesty."

"Now go. I'm losing power each wasted minute."

An array of screams surfaced from the main building. Kaush gulped. A ping of fear prickled at his veins. He could have raced out of there, making his escape. But instead he just stood there, frozen like the icicles that hung around the exterior of the building.

"Doctor, what are we going to do with all these infected patients?" He heard a nurse from the hall ask. "We will just have to wheel out as many as possible on gurneys," the doctor replied. "But it's too cold out. Their body heat has gone down due to equirza. There'll likely to die."

"We have no choice."

"Very well, sir."

Without thinking, Kaush grabbed ahold of the monitor and used it to break open the window. He scraped himself on the shattered pieces of class as he crawled out. The soft snow acted as a cushion as he landed on it. He coughed, then got to his feet, and fled the scene before suspicion arose.

The wolves howled in the east at the sound of the mighty explosion. Back inside, the Zeru made their escape, leaving a frightened Kai to fend for himself. He took one look at the exit, and then at the room that Aria was in. He took a deep breath. This is for you, dad he thought.

Kai ran as fast as his feet could take him and opened the thick, wooden door. She seemed to be sound asleep. But Kai quickly realized that wasn't the case. A slim, bloody cut had been lined across her chest. He leaned closer. She wasn't breathing. Kai looked around. All the tools were laid out across the counter. The windows had been shattered, and a broken monitor had fallen to the floor. Someone had definitely been in here.

Kai scooped up Aria into his arms, the fresh blood running down her chest, staining her shirt. Carefully, he heaved her over the edge of the window sill, along with himself. Outside, he tried to give her an artificial CPR, but hope was thinning. It had seemed like it was too late. The wind came to a halt. More wolves howled. The sun started to set, creating a twilight. He cradled her in his arms, mourning.

The bomb went off, utterly destroying the entire hospital with a loud boom. It was such a big explosion, that even the townspeople below the hill could see the fire raging out of the facility. Everyone had successfully made it out alive, but an ambulance still had to be called. Zerelelia only had one hospital, so a nurse volunteered to use her home until it was rebuilt.

......

"She has been killed, your majesty." Kaush appeared in the doorway back at the palace. "Good, Darkini," the Twilight Princess said. With a magical wave of her hand, 'Dr. Kaush' turned back into himself. "Brilliant disguise, by the way."