Playing With Knives- LoZ

scene 125- hours

Again.
The Malice.
The Calamity.

They were dead.
Dead, dead, dead.
And she couldn't save them.

And it was happening again.
Again, again, again.
And she couldn't stop it.

Her powers wouldn't cooperate.
She had to have a reason to use them.
A strong one.

Seemed like saving herself wasn't a good enough reason.
Seemed like staying alive wasn't a good enough reason.

It was getting hard to breathe.
Did she really mind?
Considering her plans, not really.
But she did right now.

It was hard to think.
Think.
She couldn't think.
Couldn't breathe.
Couldn't speak.
Couldn't.
She just couldn't.
She couldn't bear this.

She couldn't f**king stand it.
What was happening to her?
She didn't even care enough to try for Link.
She didn't care enough to even try to use her power.
She didn't care enough to try at all.

She felt like she was dying.
And she just did not care in the slightest.
Not even enough to panic like any normal person.

●●●

He pulled Zelda away from the Malice. She had stopped "talking." She had stopped fighting against it. She had stopped trying to use her power.

"Are you okay?"
There was no response. She just blankly stared ahead.
She shook her head and stood up, stepping around the Malice on the floor.

"I'm sorry. I have to go."

Then, she swiftly went down the stairs and out the door.

Time looked over at him and said,
"We should leave your Hyrule."

He nodded and stood up, stumbling a little.

●●●

As soon as they got back to the other world, Wild sat down at the table.

He was disappointed. Mostly in himself. They didn't have fun. The entire purpose of that trip was to have a good time. He had been to ambitious. Of course something bad would happen.

He sighed.

Time walked over and sat next to him. He then remarked,
"Your Zelda seemed pretty resilient to the Malice."
Wild nodded and said,
"I guess spending a century surrounded by the stuff will do that. It's probably also why she freaked out like that. Makes sense. I... well, nevermind. You could relate, I'm sure."
Wild looked down and nodded, not saying a word.
After a moment, Time continued on with what he was saying.
"I... well, me too, I guess. A lot of us do."
"You guys actually have a reason."

Time was taken aback by the statement.
"What in Hylia's name do you mean?"
Wild looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"None of us dies except you!"

Wild opened his mouth to protest, but Time quickly interrupted.
"Quit that. Nobody else experienced the same things you have. And just  because you died doesn't mean you're bad at... whatever you think you're bad at."
"I'm bad at my job."
"You aren't, though. That's the thing. You're amazing at what you do. Or, you would be, if you didn't think you were so bad at everything."
"I... guess."

Time sighed.
"You know, I didn't th ih no you'd survive that whole thing, considering the state you were in. You're pretty tough."
There was a pause, then Time asked a question.

"What's it like to die?"

It caught Wild a little off-guard at first. He hadn't expected Time, of all people, to ask that.
What was it like? He barely remembered.

"It's... dark. Cold. Empty."
"Is there anything after it?"
"I... don't know. I don't really remember much. I do know that spirits exist, so probably."
"Huh."
"Why did you even ask?"
"Just curious."
"Oh."

After a long silence, Wild gestured at Wind and said,
"Wind looks grumpy."
Time nodded.
"He's been in a bad mood since that mask nearly killed you."
"Not after I nearly killed him?"
"Well, he was out cold for quite a while afterwards, so he didn't really get the chance to be upset."
"Oh."
"So, since the mask incident."

"Anyway, I'm not sure I'd put it like that..."
"What do you mean? It's accurate."
"That mask did nothing. I was the one you nearly got myself killed."

Time abruptly stood up.
"That is not true. That mask can kill someone if they aren't strong enough, and not many people are. I know I barely was."

Wild sighed.
"That doesn't change the fact that I put it on. And it doesn't change the fact that I... I was..."
He looked up, eyes wide. After a moment, he continued on, much quieter now.

"I was going to kill Wind."

"What?"
"I was going to destroy.. something. Then... I was going to kill Wind. I don't... I don't know what I was thinking..."
"That's the mask for you."
"I... stop it. Stop talking about that thing. Quit trying to brush it off. I had to have some reason to want to kill Wind. I wouldn't have done it for no reason, even with that mask. I... should stay away from him for now. And don't tell him about it. I'm... going to go to my Hyrule. Bye."

Wild stood up and walking away, picking up his sword. He pushed it into the ground and disappeared, looking down sadly.