Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Dragmire's War - Brotherhood

-Link-

Link's triangle flared to life.

"Harken!" Link gasped. His eyes shot open and he lurched up. Immediately his stomach throbbed and he groaned in pain and weakness. Link grasped at his stomach. Against his hands was blood-stained bandages. He was in a tent upon a futon.

"You probably shouldn't move yet, just lie down." A voice said from the side.

"Tou!" Link looked over at Tou. Tou was on a futon next to him. Link leaned over and could plainly see that Tou was wounded. Like him, Tou was wrapped in bandages.

"Tou, what happened?! Did Harken do this to you?"

"Let's not talk of him. I was just dreaming of home..." Tou whispered. "Just thinking about him hurts."

"Tou..." Link gulped. He could see no one else in the tent. "What happened?"

Tou sighed. He explained to Link what happened. Link became silent as he spoke, and he clenched the bedding tightly in his fists. With each death Tou listed, Link felt a stab in his chest.

Finally, when Tou was done explaining, Link started to rise. He said, "I have to go... I can't abandon them!"

"You didn't. They chose this. Besides... we're wounded."

Link touched his stomach. He gulped. "How bad was it?"

"The doctors say you had pieces of your sword lodged in your stomach. My best guess is that you blocked that final blow from Harken... and in blocking it, your sword shattered and pierced you." Link gasped. He body felt numb as realization washed over him and he felt a great loss.

Link didn't remember blocking the attack... it was like Midna personally stepped in and protected him with her body. Even in death, Midna was protecting him. So much so that her sword broke trying to save him.

"Midna..." Link whispered.

"Yeah, you named the sword after her, didn't you? I'm sorry..."

"What about you? You're wounded."

Tou was silent a moment. He had already talked with the doctors and was given his ultimatum. Simply put, he didn't have Link's vitality. "It's fine." Tou lied. "It's not as bad as yours. The doctors pretty much ignored me entirely just to work on you. But right now, let's talk of better things. I don't want to think about it right now."

"Okay." Link acknowledged. He breathed shakily. The last remnant of Midna was shattered, Hei was dead, the rest of the unit was dead, Ganon was consumed by the demon, and Solitare held it off to buy them all time. Link was past the point of tears, he didn't know what to feel, what to think. He was numb. He felt incapable of feeling, like the emotion buried within was so great that his body refused to acknowledge it in order to survive. His body shivered, but he was not cold. Tears threatened to fill his eyes, but none rose. Like a sneeze that refused to come, his body wanted to grieve, but nothing happened.

"Link..." Tou whispered. "You remember when we first met?"

Link smiled, "Heh... yeah. I'm pretty sure Hei was picking a fight with me and I kicked his ass. Then I ended up punching you too, and that fight never was decided. Even after all these years."

"It's because you kept going on and on about becoming a general, that your blood was that of a famous unknown general. And you were only a toddler." Tou smiled in memory as well. "Link... do you think you can really do it? Can you become a general?"

Link looked to him, confused. "Where is this coming from?"

"Obviously for someone like a slave to make it to general is not easy. I think it would be easier to climb the tallest mountain with your hands tied behind your back, and after actually experiencing battles, I can't help but feel it is beyond any of us. Just how many brushes with death do you have to overcome to get there? One mistake and everything will have been for nothing. But... even still, you managed to survive your encounter with Harken, even wound him. Everyone put their lives on the line to protect you, Link. It wasn't an order from you, but they still risked themselves for you. That can't be normal. That loyalty isn't normal in so short a time..."