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Bzzt. Bzzbzz. Bzz–
The lights flickered, silencing as they went out. Twilight’s eyes widened, panic feasting on his stomach. His heart tried to beat harder than it was, but the sedatives kept his pulse steady, kept his breathing even. It was exactly what he’d feared—Ganon would come for him. He could not afford to stay in one place.
“Fire! Please proceed–”
“Fir–”
“Fire! Please proceed to the nearest–”
The red lights of the emergency lighting came to life. The fire doors all fell closed. The alarm kicked on, dropped off, and came on again over and over and over. It never managed a full sentence before it turned off again. White lights flashed, signaling the path to the stairwell. Twilight could see the burn of a scarlet exit sign but between him and that sign, there was far too long of a gap.
“ Move ,” Twilight spit at himself. “Move!”
He struggled to pick up heavy feet and the bare soles ached against the cold linoleum. His sweaty hands failed to keep purchase on the handrail, his fingers slipping as he dragged his weight down the hall. His shoulder scraped against the textured plaster walls, tears spilled down his cheeks.
“Fire! Please–
“Fire! Please pro–”
“Fi-iirrree…eeee…”
Twilight gasped, eyes moving up to the emergency lights. The alarms slowed to a crawl, the tones falling low and long and then silent. He was plunged into darkness, left shivering in the empty, silent hallway.
Clip.
Clop.
Clip.
Clop.
Hooves. Hooves on the linoleum–hooves just behind him!
“No,” Twilight whimpered, voice breaking. “Nonono!”
He grabbed the railing, he pulled his weight forward— cold . Bitter cold. Dead cold. A heavy weight settled on his shoulder, burning his skin beneath its ghostly chill. It froze the sweat across his back and neck, it crept into his face and ears. Twilight felt a hang grasp his neck, fingers wrapping all the way around it. His breathing stopped over a gag, his heart skipped in his chest. He was so tired and heavy, so frightened . He wanted to go home. He wanted to be in his own bed. He wanted all of it to be over —
“Time!” Sky yelled, spilling into the emergency room.
The priest raised his head, freezing at the sight. The emergency room was deserted. The lights were out, save the red glow of the back-up lighting, and the white door signals flashed silently. Sky expected to hear a warning or alarm, but there was nothing.
Sky’s breath fogged in the frigid air and instinctually, he hugged himself for warmth. Time stood beneath the red burn of the stairwell sign, a paper hospital map in his hands. His face was grave, frost glistened in his lashes.
“I fear we’re too late,” Time admitted, “but he’s still here .”
Sky nodded, grimacing over a turn of his stomach. “I can feel him,” the priest agreed.
Time nodded once. Determined, he pulled a fire extinguished free from its case. With a gesture, he beckoned Sky to follow.
The two skirted up the stairs and as the floors passed, the temperature dropped . The linoleum glittered in the dark, red light bleeding across a slippery icy surface. Sky’s hair stood on end, his cheeks and nose stung. It was hard to breathe , it was so cold.
“Twilight freed himself once,” Time said through chatting teeth. “We have to trust he can do it again. Just once.”
Sky’s face twisted in worry. Twilight had never gone looking for trouble the way he and Time had. He didn’t keep a thumb on the pulse of the occult in Hyrule, he believed in ghosts enough to never attempt to upset them or bring their ill will upon himself. It was unfair for Ganon to choose him of all people. Twilight simply didn’t deserve it.
Time and Sky reached the fifth floor. Sky was admittedly out of breath, though Time wasn’t in much better condition. The cold clawed at their throats and lungs and froze sweat to skin and hair to skin. Sky struggled to catch his breath in the plunging temperature, but he had to keep going for Twilight. For Ilia if no one else.
Not even the emergency lights were on in the behavioral health ward. Crisp moonlight fell through the windows, its pale sheen silver against the thick layer of sparkling ice coating every available surface. If Ganon left any survivors, Time feared they would die of exposure.
Sky grabbed Time’s sleeve, pointing a bluish finger to the floor. Against the moonlight, Time found the curve of hoofprints. Massive hoofprints the size of a man’s head marked the floor as if they were hot iron which melted the ice. The trail froze back over, but it was glasslike and obvious against the snowy frost.
The two worked as quickly as they could, slipping and tumbling over the floor. They followed the path around a corner, in and out of rooms, and then finally , towards the emergency exit.
“Twilight!” Sky screamed, running to grab his friend.
Twilight’s skin was pale, his entire body shaking from the cold. His lips were blue, his eyes burned over freezing tears. He stood on the top rung of the safety railing, primed to throw himself five floors to the cement landing below.
“No!” Twilight shrieked. “Don’t come near!”
Sky grabbed Twilight around the waist, pulling him back. Twilight clawed him, screaming madly as he fought. His nails broke Sky’s skin, his teeth sank into his friend's arm and drew hot blood. Twilight sobbed, twitching viciously one way and then another.
“Get out!” Sky ordered the demon. “Get outta him right now !”
Twilight fell still, a cruel smile spreading across his face. His head dipped, eyes glassy as the monster wrestled for control of the flesh.
“You should have let him die, rat ,” Twilight chuckled.
Time drew a slip of paper from his pocket, crumpled it into his mouth, and held his hand like a knife in front of his nose.
“ Din! ” he demanded.
Twilight screamed, thrashing as if fire licked across his skin. The chill melted from his skin and in place of white and blue, it turned lobster red. Sky held Twilight down for his own safety as the man bucked wildly and Time strained to maintain the spell.
“Get out!” Sky screamed. “Get out right now! ”
Bolstering Time’s spell, Sky drove his palm into Twilight’s chest. A warm blanket like daylight fell over the stairwell and Time flinched away from the blindingly bright light. Just like that, Twilight fell deathly still.
Sky panted, exhausted from calling forth such high magic. Sweat dripped from his bangs and the temperature in the stairwell was suddenly scorching compared to the lethal winter of seconds prior. Sky smacked Twilight’s face, trying to make the man stir.
“C’mon,” he pleaded. “Wake up–open your eyes, Twi!”
“Move,” Time ordered, shouldering Sky aside.
Sky spilled off of Twilight, buckling over the weakness in his arms. Time frowned, placing his ear to Twilight’s chest. He swore, apologized, and smothered Twilight. One hand pinched his assistant’s nose shut, the other clamped down over his mouth. Excruciating seconds passed before Twilight twitched, struggling out from under Time.
He rolled to his side with a wail, screaming and sobbing in terror as he curled in on himself. “I toldjou!” Twilight cried. “I said so, ain’ I?!”
“Twilight,” Sky sighed, relieved. “Twilight, it’s okay—”
Twilight was hardly present, inconsolable over the panic which swept him along in its current. Time took a moment to catch his breath, wiping his chin on the back of his hand. He was glad Twilight was alive, proud of the young man for wresting control away from Ganon. Still, Time struggled to be optimistic about the situation. Ganon was far more powerful than he had any right to be, and they were woefully unprepared to fight a fairytale.