“I can undoubtedly say that I apologize profoundly for my previous behaviour.”

Fourteen.

“My actions were not of my own accord, but I take all responsibility and can say that I regret the predicament I caused you, Mistress.”

Fifteen.

Finally, I spin around on my heels after my patience has been worn thin, and Fi barely stops before hitting me. Not only has she been completely unlike herself, but she’s been nonstop apologizing—fifteen times, to be exact. I think we can establish that Ghirahim did this, so why is she taking all the blame?

“Fi!” I warn in a daunting tone. For some reason, she looks fearful—afraid of her mistress. “I’m not going to hold this against you, and do you know why?”

Fi’s guilt-ridden crystalline eyes—now blue, instead of that threatening red—just bore into mine, and she responds, “No, I do not, Mistress.”

I can’t exactly explain it, but I burst completely, and reach out and grab her shoulders. “Because I don’t want to! Because it isn’t your fault! Because you’re my friend, Fi!”

I lurch forward, and throw my arms around Fi’s neck. She still floats although lower than usual, but I still hold myself close to her. Fi can’t keeping criticizing herself when it isn’t her fault—no other explanation required. I can’t even begin to imagine how conflicted she feels right now.

My arms slowly drop, and I back away with a grim expression—she needs to let it go. We don’t accuse her for her Ghirahim’s ruthless attack.

“Mistress?” Fi finally speaks up in her melodic tone.

“Yeah?”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what was the action that you just displayed?”

“Um...” What action, exactly? “A hug?”

“A hug...” Fi tests the word on her tongue, and she turns away so that her back faces me and we remain silent.

Our trip back through the Lost Woods has been nothing but Fi repeatedly apologizing, and even I was beginning to miss the creepy whistle of the wind through the densely-packed leaves. Link and Midna stand to the side, probably just letting us run our course—though that doesn’t mean that they don’t stare at us as though we are freaks of nature.

I whisper, “Now Fi, I am going to ask you a question, and you must answer definitely.” She stays silent. “What would you prefer to call me, other than ‘Mistress’?”

Fi doesn’t say anything for a good several seconds, but I barely catch the one word that changes my entire outlook of her personality: “Friend.”

With her back still turned to me, she glows and shrinks back into the Goddess Sword’s aqua hilt, a trail of light following close behind her.

I smile—I am Fi’s friend.

I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. She’s let it go, and knows that we don’t blame her—not only that, but I finally managed to break her monotonous, emotionless ways. A warm hand rests on my shoulder, and I know whose it is.

“It’s good to know that she doesn’t accuse herself anymore,” Link whispers. My smile is laced with melancholy.

“Yeah.”

Midna comes up beside me, and says sheepishly, “I actually feel kind of bad for her.”

Wow, even Midna has sympathy. I turn around with a bounce in my step, and put my hands on my hips with a huge smile plastered on my face to cure the tension that hangs around us.

“So, now that that is over and done with, who wants to listen to music?”

Midna hollers, and Link grins. I guess it’s a yes, then. I scroll for a few moments before clicking on one of the few newer songs I have on my iPod—Radioactive by the Imagine Dragons.

I’m waking up to ash and dust,

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust

I’m breathing in the chemicals

I’m breaking in, shaping up,

And checking out on the prison bus

This is it, the apocalypse

Whoa

I’m breaking up

I feel it in my bones,

Enough to make my systems blow,

Welcome to the new age, to the new age

Welcome to the new age, to the new age

Whoa, whoa, I’m radioactive,

Radioactive

Whoa, whoa, I’m radioactive,

Radioactive

I’m in love with this song. It’s definitely a favourite of mine.

“Neri, Midna.”

We stop humming and look at Link, who’s gazing at the horizon line. “What is it?”

“It’s getting a little dark. It’d be best to set up camp for tonight,” he suggests.

Another day, gone by so fast—but we got a crystal out of it, so it’s worth it.

Within the next quarter hour, we escape from the Lost Woods, definitely not wanting to sleep in there. Who would?

We set up camp about a mile from the entrance to the Lost Woods, taking almost another complete hour to get that far. When I ask Link why we have to be so far away, he tells me that sometimes animals or other cursed things wander out of the Lost Wood’s reach at night and become malicious. He also tells me about how children who become lost in the woods shift to cursed carcasses that continue to stray through the forest for hundreds of years, and the same can happen to us or anyone if we overstay our welcome. We pull out the some logs from the woods and start a fire in the small ring of rocks after I try to dismiss Link’s chilling answer. Midna somehow stored that stew that Link made a few days ago in her realm or whatever you want to call it—and it’s still warm.

We predictably chow down in silence around the campfire while the daylight fades. Even when we’re done, we just stare and appreciate the beauty of the burning coals in front of us. Link even shows me the shadow of Eldin Volcano against the sunset, and the small wisps of smoke rising from the top. It’s breathtaking. Silence is bliss, so we all just stare into the sunset—at the darkening hues of navy, purple, pink, red, orange, and yellow.

“Neri?” Midna breaks the silence, and taps my shoulder. She decided to sit next to me, instead of Link. Sometimes subtle messages are lost.

“Mm hm?”

“Could we hear another story? One of those Disney things?”

I laugh. “You’re still caught up on those?”

“Well Tarzan was really cool...” Midna looks bashful, and starts to distract herself with her bright hair.

“All right, then. Do you have any preferences?”

“Nope.”

“Link? Do you care?”

He looks up at me from his stick that he was poking the fire with, before just throwing it into the voracious flames. “Not exactly. Listening to your voice is better than the creepy sounds of nightfall.”

His little comment makes me blush slightly. Get a grip, Neri! You can’t possibly be falling for a guy like him—you are literally from different worlds, as cheesy as that may sound, I mentally scold myself.

“Then how about my favourite one of all time?”

“Yeah!” Midna jumps up enthusiastically, squirming in her seat.

“Once in the land of Africa, far away in the Pride Lands at the pinnacle called Pride Rock, a baby lion cub was born...”

The Lion King has always been my childhood. I saw it when I was about five, but never knew the name of the movie. I loved it, and for about another several years I searched every library and on Netflix and anywhere in between to find it again. Finally, one of my friends invited me over to her place one day, and we watched it. I must have looked absolutely hysterically when I realized that it was what I was looking for during the past few years. I immediately went out and purchased it, and watched it a million times until I knew every song off by heart. Even nowadays, I always freak when someone says The Lion King.

“And Simba swiped at Scar, and pushed him off the top of Pride Rock! Scar’s hyenas were sick of his dirty lies and tricks, so Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, led the group of hyenas that revolted against him. The hyenas killed Scar, and Simba went on to being the new king after so many years of hiding, and had a daughter to lead the pride after him.”

Midna looks wide eyed, if not more fascinated by this story instead of Tarzan.

“That is awesome!” she screams, looking like she just witnessed the Evel Knievel’s thirteen-bus jump.

“What do you think, Link?”

“That was pretty cool. I think it’s my favourite, too.” I smile. “But maybe we should get to sleep—it’s got to be past midnight by now. Taking into account that we have to get to Eldin Volcano tomorrow, of course.”

“I’ll take watch!” I pipe up. He’s taken probably three watches in a row during the last three nights. “The whole night, both shifts.”

Link doesn’t object, and lays out the blankets.

“Hey, do you know if there’s any ponds or lakes close to here?” I want to have a stupid bath, already. I feel like crap and probably look like it, too—and I don’t want to end up smelling like it.

“Uh, about a five minute walk that way.” Link points to the east, and starts to lay down.

“Thanks! Be back soon!” I start jogging towards the direction he pointed to, and feel the freezing air soak through my hoodie as I run. After that idiot Ghirahim interrupted my last one, I’ve been meaning to squeeze one in. I haven’t been washed since we were in Castle Town.

Within five minutes I’m there, just like Link said. Hopefully I don’t get lost on my way back. I always get lost back in my world, considering that once I tried going home from the grocery store and ended up at the Medicenter—smooth.

The small pool bubbles in front of me, distorting the pale moon reflecting in its waters. It must be because we’re somewhat close to the volcano, but I’m not complaining. I think it’s called geothermal energy, but then again, I suck at science, too. Now that I think about it, I’m horrible at more things than I realized. Reading maps, directions, dancing, science, and especially anything that requires bravery and taking chances. My drawings are the only thing I have going for me.

So I’m not going to give you a really detailed explanation of what happened next, but I slipped into the pool when I was in my bikini. Calling the water warm would be an understatement, because this pool was nearly hotter than any hot tub I’d ever lived to be in. But that doesn’t matter, because it makes me feel so clean, at last. I’m actually kind of...drowsy. But that’s what hot tubs do, right? Besides, a short little relaxation period can’t be that bad...

One Hour Later

‘How long was I asleep for?’ is the first question to pop into my head. I groggily rub my eyes, sitting up from the black obsidian stone that I used as a chair. I’d better hurry back, or I’m screwed.

As I peer around, I try to dismiss the...redness of things, but to no avail. I blink to try and make it fade, but everything still is dusted in crimson.

The hairs on the back of my neck start tingling a little. Is someone watching me? No, that’s just creepy. A little rustling comes from the bushes beside me, but that’s an animal, probably—I hope. Is it just me, or did I hear...laughing? A deep laugh, from the bushes. No, it’s nothing! Just man—or woman up, Neri. Get your shirt on and go.

Wait, why am I hurrying, again? Link and Midna can take care of themselves, as can I. They’ll be fine. Actually, Link’s whole protective act is less than appealing now that I dwell on it. Who the hell does he think he is, standing up for me all the time? Not to mention that he couldn’t even keep up with me in Castle Town—some hero.

Then there’s Midna, who is just whiny about everything. Why can’t she just suck it up and shut her trap? Seriously, she drives me insane some days. Even when we’re in a fight, she rarely does anything useful.

What am I even doing with them? I don’t need those drags. If I can get these crystals myself, it’ll be quicker; and less obvious than two people, a complaining imp, and a non-stop encyclopedia sword with no mute button. But if I try and get away, they’ll only follow me...

I impatiently rub my eyes a little. All this red-vision and thinking is giving me a headache. My anger is beginning to boil over, though I have no idea why... Not to mention all these dark thoughts only make me more furious. Furious with what, however, is the question—myself, Link, Midna, Fi? Two of them? All of them? Who?

Wait, what am I saying? They’ve been so good to me, I can’t just pack up my belongings like a stubborn child and hitchhike on my own.

No, I maybe will. I’ll run away... It’ll make things easier, right? I want to see my family; I want to go home; and I most certainly don’t want distractions like them to pull me back. To make sure they don’t follow me, I think I’ll have to take some extreme measures...

What extreme measures? Why can’t I think straight? I want to stay with them, and definitely wouldn’t even think about hurting them.

But I could kill them, and it would be so easy... They’re asleep right now, so they won’t put up a fight. Even if one of them notices, it’ll still be too late.

No, I don’t want to kill them!

Yes, I do. I will kill them, here and now! I will relish in their blood, and their dead terrified faces, and all the pathetic pleading they will offer in their final moments.

So I get up, and without bothering for clothes in a neat stack beside me, start sprinting—back to camp. I can just take my sword from beside Link, where I laid it to rest with my bow, and kill them. In my bikini, I sprint through the brush to camp. It doesn’t even take ten seconds for me reach my top speed. I feel like a wild animal as I sprint, letting the hairs on my neck stand straight, letting the icy wind chill my pumping heart as it brushes over my skin, and allow the leaves and thistles to scratch me and draw my blood. Is this what it feels like? To be wild, free, and do anything you want—to be hung on euphoria and violate all moral codes?

Imagine it now—being allowed to kill anyone you want, maybe someone you hate, maybe someone you love. Letting the insanity beat your conscience to a pulp and knowing that there is nothing that can stop you.

How do you feel now?

Like a wolf, like me? Is the world crimson around you? Do you feel the same air I do, the same bloodlust that can end all the negative things?

If you were in my shoes, would you continue?

I arrive and skid to a stop, careful not to wake them. Now to just stay stealthy... Carefully reaching for my sword, and I keep my red sight trained on their sleeping bodies. There’s really nothing to be worried about, because Link sleeps like a bear, Midna is weak, and it’s not like Fi can stop me.

I unsheathe the silver blade while trying to keep the metallic ring of the metal quiet. For just a moment, I revel in the sight of the moon’s light, dancing off the surface of the metal. Just one fatal move...

Still fairly unclothed, I careful crawl over to Link, and place both hands on the hilt. I prepare to thrust downward to end his pathetic life. I lick my lips—I’ll enjoy this. My arms raise the sword, and all my adrenaline runs to my arms.

Goodbye, Hero.