[Dream] ♬ My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare

[into_light]

[What was it doing here? What was the Dark Mirror doing here? It was broken, gone, long since lost...]

[Shadow realizes he's at the Tower of Winds again. His tunic is splotched with rust-colored blood, and his hair is in disarray. He clutches his stomach with his hand, raggedly breathing through his clenched, pointed teeth.]

[This was wrong.]

Comments

[xpurpleswordx]

[he doesn't know how he ended up here, or even what was happening. But what he does know is that there was a scream a moment ago, accompanied by bright light...

And that there is only one person who would react that way-]

Shadow!

[the Four Sword drawn, Vio's pace picks up until he's running to where the other is]

Shadow!!

[into_light]

[...A voice. A familiar voice, always comforting to hear.]

Vio...

[He's quickly growing hoarse, not that he would have any strength left to call for Vio either way.]

...Help me.

[Please.]

[xpurpleswordx]

[reaching the other, Vio's pace slows down before dropping down to kneel beside Shadow. What happened? Who did this? Are you okay?]

It's okay, it's going to be okay. [a hand on the other's back and soothing words. There should be a way out of here...

[into_light]

[He flinches, and he is trembling all over. But Vio's words are comforting. He could trust Vio...]

Hurts...a lot.

[The landscape begins to shift, ever so slightly. The makeup of the land seems just a bit less stable than it had before. Almost out-of focus, as though the dream is changing.]

[xnoswordx]

[She remembers this place -- remembers it much more strongly than she previously realized, in fact. But it's not quite the same; it's even colder than her last visit, and even more unnervingly silent. How did she get here?

And then she hears the screaming, and it terrifies her. But the longer she listens to it, the more she realizes that what scares her so much is how familiar it somehow seems. For some reason, she's very sure she knows the owner of the scream, though she's not sure who it is.

Zelda starts to run, picking up the skirts of her gown so as not to trip, attempting to follow the sound to its source. Without really understanding how she got there, she finds her way to the mirror chamber. A thousand shards or more are scattered on the floor, surrounding a weak and bloody figure.

She was right. She knows him.]

Shadow!

[He looks like death, and it horrifies her to imagine. She darts to his side, kicking glass out of the way, and kneels to help him stand.]

Shadow...Shadow?

[into_light]

[...Zelda. It was Zelda. He is more than mortified for her to see his current state, but truly, he is more than grateful to have been found by someone--anyone. However, he recoils, cringing inwardly at her touch. This...this was shameful. She had already seen him as a broken wreck once, he'd hoped it would never happen again.]

Don't...don't touch me...

[xnoswordx]

[Startled, she pulls her hands away from his arm. Is he in such great pain?]

What? Shadow, please, let me help you...

[into_light]

[No...he didn't want to be seen like this. Especially not by her.

Even if he needed her help.]

[Weakly, he tries and fails to stagger to his feet.]

[power_entity]

[She has not appeared this way in an age. Golden head to toe, her skin swirling slowly like liquid metal, her figure bare. Not that it matters, in this form she is a woman in general shape alone. Only her eyes, hair, and the triangle of power blaze red, each leaking glowing swirls into the air as she glances at herself.]

Figures. [An inelegant snort, and she is walking along the corridor towards the sound of screams. Upon reaching the chamber she stops and scents the air, then scowls deeper. Kicking shards of mirror away with her bare feet, she steps closer to the bloody child kneeling in the floor.]

Shadow kid.

[into_light]

[No, not more light! It was red, and virtually emanated power, but it was still enough like light to cause him harm. Even still, he looks up weakly, able to sense that someone is there. The golden skin is something he recognizes only from hearing of legends, and its brilliance catches him off guard for a moment.]

[And then he sees the triangle, and he's sure of it. It's the goddess of power that he has met before; Din.]

What...do you want?

[power_entity]

[...pain was not her intent. Her frown softens, and she draws in a slow breath until her seeping glow dissipates. It takes a visible effort, but she told this one she wouldn't cause him harm if he wasn't trying to attack. Glass tinkling, she crosses the last of the floor and then as an afterthought kneels down to his level.]

I want nothing, kid. What hurts you?

[She raises a warm hand to touch his cheek, an old habit. Mortal skin is so chill.]