This story is rated T for violence and (Spoiler alert) character death. There will be no bad language or anything like that. Thank you for bothering, and I hope you enjoy the story!
Crimson Hope - Part I
"I dare you to… uh… eat this flower!" The young, bright blonde girl giggled, holding the yellow petaled plant towards the boy.
"No!" The boy, with hair of a dark gold, protested. "Flowers are living things! I won't eat one unless I'm really starving!"
The girl frowned. "Come on! It's just one wild flower! There are hundreds more!"
The boy shook his head. "No!" He stuck his tongue out at the girl, who squealed.
"Meany!"
Long ago, in a time long since forgotten by the people that lived on the island of Skyloft, life was not so peaceful that children could run amuck and play as these two could. Instead, they cowered indoors, fearing for their fathers and brothers, who were fighting against a demonic army in the land far below where the Hylian people lived during the Era of Sky.
The battling went on for years and years in the Land of Hylia. Each day, another wife, child, friend… all would fall to their knees, despairing for their loved ones that had their lives taken from them at a time that was all too soon. Not a single soul or family was spared, either passing too soon or trapped in mourning for their lost.
It did not help that their leaders were greedy, seeking rise in power over the safety of the people. "After all," they would say, "aren't those the same thing?"
No, those who were brave enough to argue would protest. The leaders would hide away, never seeing the likes of which their people were up against. The people were angry because of this, their anger stirred up all the more by the constant death of loved ones while their leaders sat upon their thrones in a state of thoughtless stupor.
They sought to make the protesters their leaders. The strong warriors, who sought nothing more than the welfare and safety of their people. The ones who had experienced battle, instead of hiding away within the comfort and safety of their stone castles.
This made their lords furious. One such lord, Lord Dagianis, declared the protesters traitors, as well as bringers of chaos. He framed and imprisoned the strongest of them, their most inspirational warrior, for acts that looked horrific in the eyes of the people. Those that believed sought to leave the man in prison for life, much to the delight of Lord Dagianis.
The slowly growing light of hope, which had been planted in the hearts of the people by this warrior, was snuffed out. If the one who fought for us would commit such a crime, they thought, then what is the point of rebellion?
Four years later… something changed. The Demon King charged the fortress of Lord Kishus, where all the lords were meeting. They were viciously murdered by the demons, none of them being trained in the art of combat, none armed, and their people unwilling to aid them.
Without their leaders, despite their incompetence, the people were at a loss. So they searched the fortresses, seeking out for something to aid them.
The people found the remains of the lords' notes and documents, and found that many of the people in the prisons were innocent of the crimes… including the one who had brought hope to the people at a time that seemed so long ago.
The man's breaths came shallow and weezy. His tattered and bloodied tunic hung over his scarred chest, his hands, torso, legs, arms, neck, and feet shackled to the wall, as they had been since he was imprisoned. Dry blood from long ago remained, its trail frozen from his mouth to his chin.
"How dare you? You murdered that child! How dare you stir us up in our anger when you are no better than the ones that already lead us?" The voices echoed angrily.
When was that? He wondered. It felt like years since he had seen the light of the sun and felt the grass and dirt of the land beneath his feet. It felt like centuries since he had seen the wide blue sky, with cotton clouds drifting lazily above. It felt like eons since he felt the slightest sliver of peace or hope.
He was shattered, his spirit broken and beaten. His honor was long gone, replaced by an empty void.
What has the world come to? He knew not what fate had befallen his friends and dearest companions. Perhaps they had all been killed. Perhaps that was why no servant had come to feed or hydrate him in weeks - or at least, what had felt like weeks. His internal clock was long since broken. Perhaps his fate was to rot there, to die of starvation.
However, all he could feel was guilt, despite knowing he had never committed that crime. He should've stayed underground. Anonymity was safe. He shouldn't have rebelled. Then he could've been out there on the front lines, doing something useful.
His long ears pricked at the sound of footsteps. 'Twas not the sound of a servant's cloth shoes, but instead, the sound of metal against stone. They were most likely dragging in a new prisoner. Perhaps it was someone that was innocent of their crime, framed because of their possible rise to power.
At the very least, it means that they have not all been killed. As long as Hylia's people lived on, there was hope for them. There was hope for continued survival… but for how long?
The metal footsteps stopped. They stopped right in front of the thick, wood cell door before him, keeping away the tiniest sliver of light.
He heard the clink of keys. I must be asleep. He had had many dreams of being released. He knew that it was pointless to hope. He would wake up any second, now, the hooded servant prodding him to wake him and bring him his food.
Instead, the door creaked open, revealing a group of men. My hearing seems to be failing me. His sight was blurred by the sudden light.
"Link…" The leader of them addressed, sending a jolt through the man's body. "Link the hero."
The prisoner's eyesight cleared, and there before him stood a regal, battle hardened looking man. He suddenly felt claustrophobic, due to the many souls that were now crowding themselves into his cell.
"Lord Dagianis - the man who framed you - has been killed by the Demon King." The prisoner tilted his head at the man, now vaguely recalling that this was the man that had called him a disgrace because of his crimes.
"You sought us to rebel, for the sake of the survival of the people, but here you are! Murdering. You are no better than those that already lead us, aren't you?" This very man had been cold towards him.
"Please come out into the light of day," Another, younger, pleaded. "The Demon King's army will soon be upon us, and we have not a leader."
A tempting proposal. But he could recall this one regarding him with shock, which quickly shifted to disgust.
The prisoner looked up at the ceiling, away from the faces. "After locking me away for so long… calling me a criminal and a disgrace… you seek my aid?" His voice was coarse and dry from the lack of use. He had not spoken often… for what reason would one have for speaking if they were locked in a cell, all alone?
He could sense fear and the stench of draining hope. There was the same air on the day when he was convicted of a crime he had not, but may as well have, committed. After all, that innocent child would not have been murdered had he obeyed.
"Not only have I been disgraced and spat upon," the prisoner stated absently, "but I have not the strength to fight." He finally met the eyes of the man who seemed to have taken up the mantle of leader for this group. They were hardened and defeated looking, but at the same time there was a glimmer of hope. "I have been starved and beaten. How can one lead a hopeful people when they have been weakened and broken over the course of years?" One whose hope had broken long ago?
The leader narrowed his eyes. "We know the truth, now. We understand that Lord Dagianis was the one who killed that child, all for the sake of your condemnation four years ago."
Four years? It had seemed much longer. The man supposed that it made sense, considering that the only entertainment of sleeping and staring at the cold stone walls would cause time to drag by slowly.
"You are the only one who can lead us," Another, wizened looking man chimed in. "You are experienced in the art of war. Without you, we shall not be able to drive off the Demon king, and the Land of Hylia will certainly fall to ashes."
This one had shook his head, face expressing deepest disappointment in the prisoner.
The leader raised a sheathed sword. "Your weapon. Orville has tended to it for the past four years. Do you remember not the battles you won us with this blade?"
The prisoner closed his eyes. All he could think of was the countless deaths. His comrades, killed brutally. The mothers and children, killed in the flames.
"I do not," the prisoner replied simply, meeting the leader's eyes, "for none of the battles were truly won."
Another young man - too young to be fighting in a war - pushed his way forward. "I've heard a lot about you, Sir. The child that was murdered - that was my younger sister."
All the prisoner could feel was a numb ache of pain.
"I witnessed her being dragged away by Lord Dagianis's soldiers." The boy spat out the title with great hatred. "I know that it wasn't your fault, and now, so does everyone else. Please," The boy pleaded, looking up with hopeful, shining green eyes. "Help us."
The prisoner closed his eyes again. But he already knew the answer.
"And here I thought that I would be destined to die here. A pointless, guilt ridden life." The prisoner's - no, Link's - eyes flashed open. "But if I can be of service to you, than I will do what I can."
It's time… to come out of the shadows.
Hi again. I literally updated Before like, a few hours ago. And I started this story after I updated. And I've already written two parts. It was originally going to be a one shot, but then it ended up needing too many words. So here you go! (Yes, I'll still update Before weekly) I hope you enjoyed part one! There are going to be at least three parts total as of now.
So, if you enjoyed part one, keep reading (when I get the next parts out)! If you didn't, hey, just leave a review and tell me how much you hated it! But if you did like it, I would LOVE it if you reviewed anyway!
Sincerely (No guarantees),
Ari~
