Legend of Zelda ~ Sealed Away

Lost

A blindingly bright flash of white light, the sickening feeling of magical travel, and a final thudding landing on a hard surface.

Where was he?

Vaati climbed unsteadily to his feet. After having stepped through the temple door just moments before, he had been swept off his feet and to his utter disappointment, was back in the empty confinements of the four sword yet again. All around him was a blank area of unending white, no sounds nor other people anywhere in sight. Even Lexi was gone, probably now appearing at the entrance of the temple. Vaati could just imagine the poor girl looking around right about now in shock and disappointment, her optimistic attitude disintegrating as the harsh realization of his failure hits her harder then a blow with a sword ever could.

Eyes wide in disbelief and blood turning cold as ice, Vaati let the painful reality of the situation sink in. He had failed, and there was nothing he could do about it. No more chance of redemption, no more annoying goddesses, no more challenges, and no more Lexi. He felt an unnatural pang hit his heart as he realized that he would never see his new friend again. Even if he did manage to escape the four swords confinement sometime in the very distant future he wouldn't be able to do so for a couple centuries at least, by which time Lexi would have passed on to a better world, and he would still be cursed with the wretched gift of life.

"No," the distressed sorcerer muttered hoarsely. All feeling had left his body, and all will to live had drained out of him completley. Numbly he stared ahead, not able to accept that he had lost his only chance at redemption and a better life. Yet, the odds had always been against him, hadn't they? He was hated by all, and had been an outright fool to think that this one chance to change his horrible life would actually work.

But things had been going so well. He had made a real friend in Lexi, even shared things with her that he wouldn't have dared to tell any other person. Head down and mind slowly filling with sullen, regretful thoughts, Vaati wished for death to take him. Death at least would be better than this pain and the unconventional suffering that came with years upon years of isolation. Chilled to the bone and feeling drained and lifeless, Vaati made his legs walk forwards and take him somewhere.

Anywhere.

He began to pick up pace and went from a walk to a sprint, running in a straight line and propelling himself forwards. He didn't care when his lungs began screaming for air, or when his legs began to burn with a fiery pain. He just kept on running. Trying to escape the horrible prison he had put himself in, needing to find a way out.

Eventually the strain on his lungs finally reached its max, and Vaati felt his legs give out under him. He unceremoniously collapsed on the ground, sprawled out on the cold, white floor. Ignoring the pain now throbbing on various parts of his body, he unsteadily climbed to his feet again only to fall down once more.

He lay on the ground unmoving and closed his eyes tightly, willing this all to be no more then a bad dream. Yes, when I open my eyes I'll be back with Lexi and I'll have finished the second task, he thought to himself, not really believing any of it. All a dream...

He opened his eyes only to see the empty confinement of the four sword yet again. Feeling lightheaded and still in shock, Vaati shut his eyes tightly. If it wasn't for the shaky rise and fall of his chest as he slowly breathed, on first glance the mage would have appeared to be nothing more than an unfortunate dead body spread out on the floor, the soul having escaped the life of the living and hopefully up to a better and happier place. Though when he died, he was certain it would be the dark realm for him.

Vaati was so lost to the world that he didn't notice a single blue orb floating down gracefully from the sky. It stopped to hover a few feet away from the miserable sorcerer, where it transformed into the beautiful figure of Nayru that Vaati now knew so well. The breathtakingly beautiful goddess calmly walked forwards and knelt down beside Vaati, who still lay with his eyes closed, not yet having noticed this new presence.