Legend of Zelda ~ Sealed Away

Memories ~ Part 2

Lexi looked on at the seemingly transparent sorcerer in front of her. She felt so helpless, unable to do anything to assist her friend. All she could do was wish him the best of luck in completing the task at hand.

She didn't know what was going on inside his mind right now, nor what memories he was facing. She could only watch Vaati's facial expressions, the single thing that gave away any signs as to what he was going through at the moment. So far there had thankfully been nothing seriously wrong, and Vaati had kept a poker face up until this point. Finally though, he had begun to show emotion, and in the worst way.

Lexi stiffened as she saw Vaati's previously indifferent facial expression change into that of intense pain. His skin paled further than it already was, his eyes scrunched closed, his shoulders hunched over and his body began to shake with silent sobs. Tears pooled at the corners of his eyes and started relentlessly streaming down his face, and Lexi could only watch in pitying horror as one of the strongest, most closed off people she had ever come to know had a complete mental breakdown.

Unable to just stand there and watch her friend in such emotional distress, she took a few steps closer to the mage until she was right beside him. Tentatively, hoping she wasn't breaking Nayru's rule of not interfering, she put a comforting arm around Vaati's shaking shoulders. Softly she whispered consoling words into his ear even though she highly doubted he could hear her, all while wishing she could do something to stop his evident agony. He doesn't deserve this pain, Lexi thought as she silently pleaded to the goddesses to stop the mental torture being inflicted upon her friend. Please, Vaati has been through so much... He doesn't need this. No one deserves this much pain. Please, please stop.

...

Nayru looked down at the wind mage crying on his knees at her feet, in the most vulnerable state she had ever seen him in. It hurt her to see anyone like this, and she even partially regretted showing him that wretched memory, but she reminded herself that it was all for the best. If Vaati was to become a better person, he had to face his past and learn the lessons the memories he kept hidden inside had to offer.

"Vaati," Nayru spoke softly, with a tone of consolation similar to the one Lexi used. "I understand that must have been difficult for you..." She trailed away as the mage looked up at her with eyes that were bloodshot from crying. The look in those gorgeously pained crimson eyes was one she would never forget, filled with countless years of hatred and sadness, and brimming with unhidden agony. Vaati was just so done at the moment with hiding his innermost emotions from the world, and especially from himself.

"It was beyond difficult," he choked, letting tears stream freely down his face. "You actually don't understand, you've never experienced anything like what I went through. When I was a child I cried every day, praying to you worthless goddesses to make my life better! What I just saw from my memories moments ago was the very first time I had been abused in that particular way, and I had desperately hoped you would take pity on me and make the torture stop, though I have no need for your pointless pity now. In fact, I despise it. But you didn't feel sorry for me at all, you never did. From that day forward, things just got worse. I was called a monster by those who didn't bother to take the time of day to truly get to know me just because I looked different, even before I became a monster myself! I hated everything about myself, and I always wondered what was wrong with me that made the other Minish treat me so badly."

Taking a shaky breath he closed his eyes, unable to look at Nayru any longer. "My red eyes were the sign of being the spawn of a demon, they said. According to them, I was only a mistake that should have never been born. I'm sorry if they hated me for my looks, but they did not understand that I didn't choose to have the red eyes or purple hair they called me out for so often. If I had the chance, I would have changed everything about myself... But now I embrace it."