Omigosh, everyone! Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for! The end of Forever After.
But have no fear, a sequel is... almost here! No, not really. I just barely started getting ideas for it, so it might not be out for a while. I have a summary of what I want it to be like on my profile page, so go indulge yourself on that to calm your fears and spasms.
Chapter 31
Link signaled, and the scouts moved ahead, positioning themselves on each corner. Claire and Emri followed them. They had been in the fortress for five minutes, and so far, they had met no opposition. At all.
Claire leaned against a wall, looking around the corner carefully. She heard some scratching noisesƒ furrowing her eyebrows, she looked upƒ and screamed.
Link whipped his head around, drawing his sword.
Claire had sunk to the ground, pointing at what had caused her to scream. Biting her nails, she stammered, "Sp-sp-sp-spider!"
Emri blinked, before doubling over, laughing.
Link frowned, sheathing his sword. "I thought the whole point of this part was to be silent."
Claire scurried away from the wall, "Sorry, sorry. No more noise from me. I promise."
After Emri had taken some calming breaths, the group moved forward again.
"...haven't seen Jakx in a while."
"Last I saw 'im, 'e was heading towards th' extraction room."
Link looked around quickly, pushing the two girls into a dark corner, disappearing into another shadow. The other soldiers did the same as two Exelians walked by, talking amicably.
"I thought the extraction was done with. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Hex in a while, either." The first said.
The second waved it off, "Hex is always goin' missin'. Did ya feel those eart'quakes earlier? I was off sleepin' and th' eart'quakes woke me up. I fell of off th' bed."
"I heard that the Rhairu kid was going berserk. Maybe, that's the reason why we haven't seen nobody..."
Claire was holding her breath as the Exelians passed. They were huge! She could only imagine what would happen if she got caught up with one of them...
As their talking died away, Link slipped out from the shadows and signaled for the others to do so, as well.
They met up at a corner, and Link looked at Emri, "Find the extraction room."
Emri saluted, and her eyes went blank.
"Watch for Exelians," Link told the soldiers.
The soldiers nodded, and scattered, slipping from shadow to shadow.
Claire leaned against a wall, waiting. I really hope that there aren't anymore spiders...
Emri shuddered, "This place is beyond confusing! But it's past this hallway and down a few levels. And it's in wreckage. Shea's lying in the center of it, completely out. Exelian bodies are littered everywhere... can't miss it!" Emri added with authentic cheer.
Link nodded, and whistled. The soldiers appeared again. It made Claire wonder what they specialized in... they certainly didn't move like regular arm-to-arm combat fighters.
"They're scouts," Emri whispered in Claire's ear.
"Right. Thanks."
The group quickly made their way down the hall, following Emri's directions as she called them out.
Claire's pulse was beating rapidly. She hoped Shea was alright! If he was unconscious, then there was the certain possibility that he had...
She shook the thought away as they raced down the stairs. The air was growing warmer, and stuffy. It was getting harder to breathe...
The staircase stopped at a door. Link put his hand on the door, before jumping away. There was a brief static connection between his palm and the metal door. The connection made a crackling noise.
He looked around, "Emri, give me your bo-staff."
Emri unhitched the retracted staff from her belt, and warily gave it to Link, "Careful with it."
Link extended it, and set it parallel to the door. There was crinkling noises as the electricity transferred from the door to the bo-staff, and traveling through the connection of Link's hand on the staff itself.
He retracted it again, handing it to Emri, "You don't have to worry about the charges. They transferred into me through it."
Emri looked at her bo-staff with interest. "Smart."
Link drew his sword, and threw his weight into the door. The metal door crashed open, and the group entered.
The floor was uneven, and the presence of other electrical charges made the air hot, and dry. Exelians laid on the ground; some were dead, and some were wounded.
Link stepped over the bodies, and came to one that was still alive; he knelt, looking around, "What happened here?"
The man took a breath, red eyes falling on Link, "The Rhairu kid... he... he- he went..." he took another deep breath, "there was no stopping him... he..." his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
"Trace! I found him!" Emri called from a pile of rocks, "Hurry!"
Link leaped over rocks and ledges, running over to Emri. Claire had joined her before Link reached them. The girls were kneeling by Shea. The boy's eyes were closed, and his face was tensed into worry.
Link fell to his knees, and examine Shea, "He's lost a considerable amount of weight... he's barely breathing."
Claire was pacing, shaking her head.
Emri pursed her lips, "I wonder..." she placed her hands on her head, and closed her eyes. They snapped open, white now. A few seconds past, before they returned to gray. "I can"t get into his mind. It's been blocked off."
Link looked towards the door they had come fromƒ voices were echoing. "Well, damnit." He hissed, before picking Shea up, and putting him over his shoulder. "We're leaving!"
One of the soldiers looked at Link, "Trace, we're going to stay here and hold them off!"
The other four soldiers nodded, drawing their weapons.
Link gave them grateful looks, "Hyrule will know of your heroism. Emri, Claire! Put a hand on my shoulder."
The girls did so, as Link interlinked his fingers, and a green glow surrounded them.
Claire felt an uncomfortable pull at her stomach, as she looked around. Seeing a figure slumped against a wall, she squinted, "...Blaize?"
There was a flash of green when Exelians poured into the room... and then they were gone.
They reappeared outside the Hyrule Castle Town in another flash of green light. Claire let go of Link, swaying as she walked, "Let's not do tha' again..." she said with a slight slur.
Emri stood, shaking her head. "I've always hated teleporting... But is that how you suddenly appeared on that one night when we were being attacked by the stalfos?"
Link nodded, "And how I escaped from the Exelians the first time."
"That's why we couldn't find you when the villagers came to look at the debris!" Claire pointed at Link with sudden realization.
Link stood, holding Shea in his arms. "We need to hurry."
"Right-o, el-Capitan!" Claire saluted, and the group started to push their way past the crowds of people.
The girl then growled, "Have I mentioned how much I hate the city?"
"Yes, Claire," Emri sighed, pushing people aside.
Someone, as they were passing the group, saw Shea. A woman tapped Emri on the shoulder, "Is that... is that...him?"
Emri raised an eyebrow, knowing that it was inevitable, "Yes."
The woman threw her arms up to the sky, and exclaimed, "Praise the Goddesses!"
This only caused more people to turn their attention to Shea. But the brightside to this was that they parted, creating a path for the group to walk.
Claire hunched over, looking at everyone who was watching them, "This is bothering me."
Emri laughed.
When they were finally free of all the overeager people, Emri and Claire pushed the large gate open wide enough for Link and Shea to get through.
They walked across the bridge, and the outside soldiers opened the gate quickly.
There was a sudden movement on Shea's face. Link looked down, and briefly saw his eyelashes flutter, before they closed again.
They were inside the castle now...
"Oh Goddesses, Shea!" Zelda cried, running down the stairs. Link laid Shea down on the nearest couch; Zelda fell to her knees at his head, brushing away the blonde hair from his eyes. "Goddesses help me..." she whispered softly, kissing her son's forehead. She continued stroking his hair, shaking her head slowly. She glanced at Link, "He looks so much like you..." she whispered, smiling softly.
Claire exhaled, and smiled. She looked at Emri, who had tapped her on the arm. Emri inclined her head towards the stairs. She mouthed, "Let's leave them alone," and pulled Claire up the stairs.
Later that night, Claire sat by Shea's bed-side, holding his hand. He still hadn't woken up... not so much as a muscle movement had been noted.
He did look considerably skinner since when he was taken away... was that because he hadn't been eating? If he's tired enough to not wake up for an entire day... then Claire could only imagine what it was the Exelians were doing to extract Rhairu from him.
She sighed, and squeezed Shea hand, "I remember when we first met... I thought you were the biggest dork I had ever seen. You were such a klutz and pushover.. heh, well, look at you now. You've been through so much... you've watched your home get burned to the ground... you've lived with the lie that your father has died. You were captured by Exelians twice!" Claire realized now that she was crying, "You've gotten so strong, Shea. I guess that's why I love you so much; your strength... your entire outlook on life. It's so ridiculously positive, I feel like such a pessimist."
She shook her head, and wiped away the tears. "These last three days... I don't know. I could only think what would happen if you died. I know I should be thinking of Hyrule, and the disaster it would be if you died an all that... but the thought left me so empty!" She paused, "I guess this is what love is... the empty feeling when the one I'm in love with is gone. I feel so empty right nowƒ because it's like you're not here You're not responding to me... I guess that's what's making me feel so empty."
Claire touched her fingertips to her lips, "When you kissed me for the first time... I felt like I could fly. You see, Shea, I didn't have that when I kissed Blaize. It was just... Blaize. But it was almost magic when you kissed me. I want to feel that again... but I can't unless you wake up."
She knelt, holding back sobs. Both of her hands were grasping Shea's cold one, shaking it fervently, "Shea, you need to wake up! Please... please wake up!" She buried her face into the bed sheets, sobbing, "Please..."
Rhairu rubbed his forehead. Today had been very trying on his temper... the Exelians made him very irate. They just didn't seem to understand that one could never harness the power of a god. Many times before, men have tried. And many times before, men have failed. Miserably.
"Come in." He called a second before there was a knock on his door.
His sister, Farore came in. "You alright?" Her green eyes were inquiring.
Rhairu shook his head, turning down the mirror that he used to gaze upon Hyrule, "Each and every day seems to be corrupting the minds of the Hylians. The Exelians' filth is spreading across our once pure lands."
Farore crossed her arms, "Well, Din isn't happy with you, at the moment."
"I'm not exactly on the greatest terms with her, either." Rhairu growled.
Farore shook her head, "She's not mad about intervention of her fight. That's completely irrelevant. You erased her Triforce Holder's memory, completely taking away his Triforce!" She shrugged, "Not that I'm complaining, but do you really think it was wise to shift the Balance so... drastically?"
"Farore, my sister, you must understand that I did what had to be done. Shea was losing control; Blaize has had more training in his abilities and would have annihilated Shea had I not intervened and done what I did." Rhairu defended himself. "Blaize had also become corrupted; his divine mission is to protect Shea, not harm him, as are the other two."
Farore looked at him skeptically, "I think you just wanted to show off. That's what Nayru said, anyways."
Rhairu turned his head towards his sister, "Now that I think about it, where is Nayru?"
"She's playing with that new futuristic cube thing... apparently, you're supposed to twist it until the colors all match up." Farore shook her head, "I can't do it. It's too complicated."
Rhairu turned his head around once more, "And when did she get this?"
"About a half hour ago. I gave it to her to figure out, and she's gone and locked herself in her room."
Rhairu rubbed his temples, "She should be worrying about her side of the Balance, not some puzzle."
Farore punched her brother on the shoulder, "You're too uptight. Why don't you and I go spar? Din won't; she's still upset about last time-"
"-and Nayru has locked herself away."
"So I have no one to spar with," Farore pouted, "Please?"
Rhairu rolled his eyes, walking over to his mirror again, "I'm busy. Maybe later."
Farore scowled, "You're always busy. I don't see how sitting in front of that mirror of yours will solve any problems."
"It's worked so far, hasn't it?" Rhairu turned the mirror up, and it turned to the image of Shea and the girl, Claire. It switched then to the Exelian king, and he was yelling angrily. This caused Rhairu's mouth to turn up in a triumphant grin. Farore looked over her brother's shoulder.
"What's he screaming about?'
"Haven't the foggiest."
Farore scowled again, "Well, I'll leave you to your 'work.' If you're not going to tell me anything, then fine." She started to march out of RhairuÕs room.
Rhairu looked at his sister, amused. "I'll tell you one thing, though, Farore." Farore poked her head through the door with interest, before Rhairu's golden eyes darkened as he continued ominously, grabbing hold of a short dagger from his belt and cutting his palm, letting the blood drip onto the crystal mirror. He continued on in a low voice, staring at the blood on the glassy surface, "Anyone crosses me again... I will put the world into Chaos..."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Ooh, cliffhanger! Anyways, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who read this, especially my dedicated reviewers: The ones who were here from the very beginning, Anonymous Navi, Ezikiel, Draye, HaltiOvi. And those who came in during the middle who tried to review every chaper and waited for this final one; Hunterspire, and Gabbiez (I'll fix those mistakes you pointed out, I promise! I really appreciate your critiquing, and the fact that you caught the little details... 'falala...') and of course, everyone else who I forget to mention. Thank you all!
And a special thanks to my cousin, -Kat-, who forced me to write when I wanted to bang my head on the computer screen, who stuck by me when I was having family issues, and the one who is forcing me to write the sequel (I really have no idea why I am... this one gave me enough grief as it is!). Ah... I guess the fact that Shea had something to do with it... I can't just stop his story, now can I?
And then there's maclbee. She's the creator of Blaize... often times I wonder where that kind of inspiration comes from. She's one of the founders of the ideas for Forever After. Before I even considered turning this into a fanfiction, it was a simple roleplay between the two of us (originally, it was called New Beginnings, but I didn't like the title). She's got full copyright on the chapter 'Moo.' She was a genius for coming up with that one-word come back...
JAMATA! SEE YOU ALL SOON WITH NEW ADVENTURES!
Shinjiru, out!