Enveloped haziness and frozen chills, my drenched body shivered as the sounds of silence took whole. Pathetically, I stared, feeling nothing more than dread. Backed to a corner, there seemed to be hopelessly nothing I could do. Surrounded by little options, I wanted to search to find a better reasoning to this dilemma, but...

If I give Shadow the stone... He is going to kill Dark. What other choice was there? If I do not give the stone to him... would he really resort to killing someone? He is fine with hurting people and threatening to... kill. He does not seem to care about anyone else's lives... except for his intention of not killing me—which I do not understand whether or not if that intention is out of reliefs of the deal... or something else.

Keeping me alive for a nefarious purpose.

My sight shifted—puckering at Dark, who still clung to the wall with the impaled knives. Devastation flickering.

Why... Why, Dark? You showed me! Why are you afraid of making it obvious to them?! You have a level of control of your power... Why won't you use it?!

Nothing. Even in the slight shift in his throwing knives directed to Shadow... Did they notice? Purposely, he is trying to conceal his power. Obviously, he has a level of control... Although, I am not sure how long he has been hiding that fact. Has he always had control? He would rather suffer than pull the digging knives out of his arm with telekinesis and reveal to Shadow... his power. For whatever reason, I was not sure why he concealed the power.

And... killing Shadow... I had no chance. One bullet. His possessive eyes on me. A measly bullet would be a waste. The only chance of power I had... was through the stone... whether the stone's properties being for his retrieval or mine. However, what could I possibly do with the stone besides hand it over?

"Well...?" Shadow's voice lingered after his statement. Impatience dwelling but confident. "Either everyone's remaining life drains out, or we all just fade into the void. It is only a matter of time." he muttered, rolling his cold, aquatic eyes. "Only difference you can make, Link, is to choose whether or not it is smart enough to hand over the stone or not..." He scoffed and paced forward. "...See, I tend to think of it as... what would be the greatest sacrifice?"

"DON'T GIVE HIM THE FUCKING STONE!" Dark interrupted with a scream.

A moan of exhaustion released from Shadow as his face curled to its scowl. Pinch at his nose; fuss with his hand position. "The issue is... the stone is the only hope for fixing this. If I do not get the stone, there is no possible way of fixing this world's 'faulty'... As this faulty is laid upon Dark, he has to be removed." He paused, fixing his intent gaze on me. "Link, for the good of all our survival, give me the stone and let me combine the stones to restore the rightful balances of this world. Once Dark is removed, and my powers are restored, I will be able to fix the collapse of this world. Dark is too immature for those powers, so I have to be the one."

His words went over my head... Faulty? The balance of the world? Dark's immaturity? What reasoning was there... in...

"YOU LITERALLY DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO ANYONE OR... WHATEVER THE HELL HAPPENS TO THIS FUCKING WORLD!" Dark interrupted, leaning as forward as he could possible towards Shadow, and causing the knives in his arm to press further into his skin. A wince and deeper fixation. "YOU JUST WANT ME DEAD OUT OF SPITE AND FOR YOUR OWN CONTROL OF YOUR POWER!"

"That is not the entirety of this dilemma, Dark." Shadow slicked—condescendingly. "Yes, maybe spite makes these matters easier for me... but, obviously, you cannot control my powers... or even access its fullness. Only I can. Only I can cast the balance for this world—"

"SO, WHAT'S NEXT?! WE GO BACK TO THE PAST?! OBVIOUSLY, YOU HATE IT HERE! YOU MISS YOUR SWEET, WORLD DOMINATION!" Dark snapped, and he tried turning back to me. "HE'S A FUCKING LIAR! DON'T GIVE HIM THE STONE—"

"Give him the stone, Link..." gripped Vio, muttering behind Shadow.

Give him... My eyes dawned over to Vio in bewilderment, coming to watch Shadow scoff in pure confusion and turn to Vio in disgust with the brisk movement of his violet hair.

His aqua eyes feasted on him with tight consideration to Vio's spoken words. "So, what's this story?" he grappled—infuriated with his stance over Vio's dropped head. "You were the last person I'd figure wanting him to simply give up his stone...!"

A twitch of fear and anger contorted on Vio's face as his head rose up to meet Shadow. His remaining eye snaked and strained with the grit of his teeth. "What more is there to do? We are wasting time. There really is not much of a choice." he seethed—his expression flat and serious... dry of a hidden expression for any suspicion. Although, Vio's compliance must have been more befuddling and suspicious to Shadow.

An eye strain at Shadow's face. A fidget at his sneer. A tug, dragging at his lip and up his face. "Wh-Why...?! YOU—" a sickened sound from Shadow.

"I do not understand why you are confused. There is nothing I can do. I am agreeing with you because there is no other option... Clearly—"

A violent shove and grapple over Vio's mouth and throat with the ravaging squeeze of Shadow's pressing hands. "Shut. Up. PLEASE, JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH... YOU'RE BANNED FROM SPEAKING!"

In his intensifying weakness, Vio gave out to a pitched wheeze from Shadow's release of him as Shadow finished to turn back to me and Dark. A strangled breath. Vio fell back into his slump with the reoccurring struggle of a comforting position and air. The yank of his chain stabilizing him back into his fixed discomfort, and his remaining eye landed in pause, forcing him to stare at me. A fatigued, pained expression... but a sense of plea and beg for attention. He wanted to say something else... Something...

My hearing fuzzed in and out of the commotion. "YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS?!" Dark's voice rose over. "IF HE GIVES HIM THE STONE... THAT WILL ALLOW FUCKING IDIOT TO KILL ME!"

"Your life means nothing, Dark." Shadow enunciated, meeting eye-to-eye with Dark. "Just like Vio, you are a disappointment."

His life means nothing? Just like Vio...? My stare fixated, wandering aimlessly across the room without any confirmed form of action. I drifted from the conversation in pure loss. I could not hold an ounce of focus. My hand dropped, pressing to my pocket to feel the shape of the pistol... Why does Shadow... hate them both? What does he want? What is it with him and Vio? My lips firmed and jumping from Vaati and Zelda in the corner of silence... my expression folded into pity and sorrow. I flashed from Dark to Shadow, then to Vio, and my hand dropped, edging around the rounded, pebble-sized stone behind the fabrics of my pants' pockets. Why is it... up to me...? Why do you want me to give Shadow the stone, Vio? You're the one who gave it to me! I'm sure you know why...

He cannot hear me. He could only stare in my direction. Longingly and still, his single eye kept on me, ignoring Shadow.

My mouth fussed in a moment of frustration, peaking at the growing scowl of puzzle on my face. "I—" and my voice came to an abrupt pause by a sudden thought... A sudden, implanted voice... heard in my mind:

Give him the stone and ignore me.

My head jerked—frightened in a turn over to him, who still clung to the wall by the knives. He will not look at me. It would hurt to try. My lip quivered, astounded, and my body trembled in befuddlement. No open voice. No spoken words.

My eyes strained, fidgeting to the stone in my pocket. My breath dragged, and I peered up helplessly to Shadow, who kept a menacing, disdainful gaze over me. Dark...? Why?!

"What did you want to say?" Shadow muttered, annoyed. His arms crossed; his fingers tapped. Bitter impatience.

My lips sucked—reluctance freckling on my face and swarming my eyes. What MORE was there to do? What... was there to do? "Dark, I—" My eyes skidded to Dark, but dropped by my interrupted, heavy sigh. My hand rummaged to my pocket and stole the rounded, red stone for my gaze to split—staring absently to the stone's glow. "Dark, I don't know what you want me to do!" I mumbled to myself.

"Can I say something, Shadow?" Vaati's voice perked.

A scoff rolled from Shadow, and his eyes set back on me. "Go ahead... I don't care."

Glee screened on Vaati's lilac skin with the stretch of a delightful grin. "I think Dark is... acting very odd. Very suspicious...!" A sparkle lit in his remaining crimson eye, and his hand rose in a swinging gesture. "I am not sure if you noticed, Shadow, but... when he threw those knives... originally they were being directed at Vio... I figured it would have been fine! But, then there was this... subtle change of direction!"

Shadow's brows rose, pretending to care. Slight interest. His head turned, and he approached the central candle to contain his attention. His eyes still lingered, holding both me and Dark in its grasp. "How so?" he muttered behind his smirk.

A quiet giggle exerted from Vaati as he leaned over Zelda's shoulder—ecstatic. "I don't believe you have ever had the same type of telekinesis as me. I think he might have manipulated his throw!"

A pained, frivolous laugh from Dark entranced the room. "God, you're so retarded! YOU LITERALLY CAN'T THINK! I THREW THE FUCKING KNIVES AT SHADOW, YOU MORON! IT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO... TELEKINESIS! HOW ELSE WOULD I EVEN PULL A MOVE OUT LIKE THAT?!"

A scrunch at Shadow's brows. "Well... you can manipulate any of my powers within your power span. Clearly, since those powers were never given to you, you are not capable of using most of them... But, it would be very interesting if you were actually able to manipulate telekinesis... especially a SIMPLE form I do not have." He paused to grit his teeth. "Although, I do not know how you would be able to just develop telekinesis... without the assistance of..."

"WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S NO PROOF! I MEAN... LOOK AT HIM" He gestured towards Vaati with the shake of his head. "HE LITERALLY CAN'T SEE SHIT WITH A SINGLE EYE!"

Please, just give him the stone already, so that he gets off my ass! I'll explain everything later!

My eyes rolled in hesitation, sticking to Dark... then to the red glow in my hand. What answer is there? Do you expect him to kill you, or are you confident in not dying somehow? What are you hiding...? I met up to Vio's eye for a second pause of consideration, and finally, I resided in my gut. My faith in Vio and Dark?

"Okay...!" I sounded, asserting my voice over Shadow and Dark. A curious expression rose on Shadow as his attention landed on me with the move of his hair from his face. I swallowed and caught my breath, calming my unsteady nerves. I stole a glimpse of Dark's fretful face, and a full sigh escaped me. "You can have the stone, Shadow..." I squeezed through my lips, presenting the glowing sphere up to him.

A short, excited gasp released from him and his eyes floated with eagerness. "Truly? Grand choice, Link. Very grand! As long as you are honest about handing it over."

"Y-Yeah, well..." My lips fidgeted, and I abstained from any more second thoughts, bracing myself to take a step forward. Trust in Vio? Trust in Dark... What form of free thought could I have, relying on... "You can take it... if you're honest about... saving this world." My gaze straightened, sharpening to narrow on Shadow... and his deceit. Menacing form of fear. He perpetrated fear to form "trust".

A scoff at Shadow with a heave of his shoulders. "Yes, Link." His eyes narrowed, and his head cocked with the sink of his smirk. "Saving this world is just what I will be doing..." A sly tug at his lip for a curled smile, and the stone in my hand flew out of my grasp and flowed into the palm of Shadow's by the swift telekinetic guidance from Vaati.

The smile crooked, and the sea in Shadow's eyes became red of a storm as the spheric stone rested and gleamed onto his reflection. "Perfect..." he hushed to himself, and his eyes flashed up sinisterly to Dark before he whipped out his ritual knife over the candle's flame. Heating its twisted blade, he rounded each edge of the knife to torch it, rotating it with precision and focus until warmth settled on the knife. A quiet chuckle escaped him, and his face blackened with his turn to Vio. "Vio..." his voice tickled, suppressing a strange laugh.

Horror squeezed me. Dark... what do you expect to happen? Goosebumps filled over my skin as I watched a frightened twitch strain at Vio's cheek to his eye. His teeth bit down in cringe, and his eye struggled to look forward. A noticeable squirm at his fingers. His mouth quivered to speak, but he hesitated as Shadow's voice fumed over him.

"It's... brilliant that you are keeping consciousness, I suppose." Shadow seethed as Vio's face drained to light emotion—controlled contempt fluctuated his expression. Shadow made a side-glance to check on Dark and raised his ritual knife underhand to slit a long gash up Vio's wrist, extorting a short scream from him. He then collected and laid Vio's blood into the blade by pressing it against the wound with the squirms of Vio. "We'll see how long you last now with your blood offering."

"Okay, jeez, besides FLIRTING, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" Dark screamed.

Shadow rolled his eyes, straightening his face and ignoring Dark's question by finishing his procedure to leave us all in bewildered suspense. With the blade back over the torch, he slid out the glowing stone I handed over and began scraping its elements against the blood-coated blade, ripening sparks of its crystalized glow—manipulating a new-forming, conducted power onto the blade. By the scrape and the blow of the crippling pieces of the crismanite stone, the torch and blood began to fuse, growing from a fog of light by the distortion the crimanite's glow into a spurting, surrounding flame at the blade. A power exerted; the stone crumbled into black chunks, and the blade became engulfed by an immense, wavering flame.

An uncontained chuckle began to squeak behind Shadow's teeth, and his eyes stuck like a moth to the intensifying flame at the short blade. "Dark..." he voiced with a slight squeal. His complexion brightened with tints of the flame over his pale face, violet bangs, and the revolving seas in his eyes. His free hand with a second criminate stone then came to grasp the flame-lit blade, crushing and squeezing his hand into the blade, dribbling his blood into his clench and onto the table. Before all of us with Shadow's piercing grip, the blade curved and stretched into a long, flaming blade, gaining a foot in size.

Flinging his wounded hand to the side, his posture fixed, and he swung out the stretched blade towards Dark to reveal the grand, sculped weapon. Pride and twisted contempt marked his face, and the weapon yielded in immaculate power. A crackling fire swallowing the blade whole. A flame sword manifesting an unknown power.

Shadow's eyes finally came to a slit, peering over Dark evenly. The sword swung to one side, and he began his approach. "Any final words, Dark?" he sobered from his quiet, fanatic mania.

He... Final words... My eyes shifted, and my footing paced back in thrilled fright. What's the plan now, Dark?!

Dark did not make an attempt to escape, however. He remained restrained against the wall with the pooling drain of blood at his arm. Although, full of life in his eyes, an adamant behavior manipulated his tone of action. A nervous fidget; a nervous laugh. He spouted out at Shadow, "You're gonna kill yourself doing this! This is suicide!" changing the direction of the topic. What? Suicide? You dying... killing Shadow?

A scoff at Dark's remark, however. "Suicide?" Shadow's brows fussed, analyzing Dark's body language a moment. What more was there but his anxious undertones. "You truly believe if I kill you... I'll just... die?"

A confident stride in Dark's tone, despite his fretful energy. "Well, yes! Why not?!" he yelped, catching a glimpse of me in his swarming gaze. "I mean... I... I have your powers, as you say...! And, there was some dumb, retarded theory... If I have a FRACTION of your powers, and you kill me... we both die." A shorthanded laugh heaved out of him. "Does this sound familiar to you...? Because..."

Dark's voice cracked with the assertion of Shadow's clear, broad voice. "I don't think that is the theory exactly. You might be mistaken..." he grumbled and sent a short glare over to Vio at the end of his sentence. "Besides... Vio theorized that theory... for whatever it meant. It's meaningless, however. His word is nothing."

"REALLY?! Nothing, really, really...?!" Dark snapped, blazing his glare. "I mean, he IS the one who TOLD LINK TO GIVE YOU THE STONE... so... CONGRATS, MORON! YOU FUCKING DIDN'T DO SHIT—"

The flame sword drew back in Shadow's gripped hand in steady raise, and Shadow's snide voice rose in a condescending demeanor over Dark. "Enjoy Hell, Dark. It's over." he condemned monotonously. Before a second response or another consideration, the sword thrust into the crisp air and plunged deep into Dark's chest back against the thin wood wall, pinning and slamming his exasperated body.

A split of agony in Dark's face despaired and widened at his strangled eyes. A shared gaze between Shadow's dead expression and Dark's shock. Blood dribbled down the sword, and without a spoken voice, the impaled sword jerked out with the bright release of sprayed red. Drenching over Shadow, darkening in the fabrics of both their clothes, and seeping into the crevasses of the wooden wall and floor... the thick blood covered, and I was met with the unimaginable, horrific dread. My perturbed eyes filled to the scene in distress, and my mouth quivered and the weight at my legs sunk with little to run to...

A desperate scream escaped me with a cower to barricade my eyes, but all I could do was... watch in engulfed paranoia and fear at the grotesque scene...

Slump. Dark's weight slumped over with the held-up contortion of the knives at his arms, and Shadow's reaction: an estranged shift of uncontainable excitement.