Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction based off of fictional worlds. I do not own the rights to Link, Midna, or any other LoZ Character that will be depicted here. They Belong to Nintendo. I also do not own the rights to Edward Cullen, nor would I want to. That abomination is Property of Stephanie Meyer. I do, however own all rights to The Crusader.
Warning: Edward Cullen DIES at the end of this chapter, get over it.
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"Oh Brave Hero who is chosen by the Gods…" The words echoed in Link's head as if it were being said over and over again.
Link sighed as he pulled his lantern out, peering into a large hole in the wall of the temple. Or, at least, he thought he was still in the temple. None of the rooms on the map looked like the one he was in now. Ever since he fell through a crevasse that had opened in the floor, Link hasn't been able to get back to anything that looked even remotely familiar. He tucked the map back into his pouch and crawled through the hole. Standing up, Link dusted himself off. Behind him, he heard an irritatingly mischievous giggle.
"You went and got us lost again, didn't you, Hero? How the hell are we supposed to get out of here? That mirror isn't going to put itself back together, you know!" Link just sighed and walked into the darkness as the impish little shadow berated him. "I'm not done with you yet, Mister!" She floated after him in a huff. "you're probably going the wrong wa-what was that?" Midna rushed toward a closed door and pressed her large, pointed ears against it. "There it is again! It kind of sounds like a hammer on an anvil. Hurry up and open this door, maybe whoever's on the other side can help me, I mean us, get out of this place."
Link grunted as he pushed the heavy door open. He stepped into a large domed room that echoed with the clash of steel on steel. Two men were engaged in a heated battle. That is to say, one man, wearing leather trousers, boots and a studded leather vest was attacking another, smaller man wearing strange cloth garments. The leather man was hammering away ruthlessly at the defenses of the small man, threatening to carve clean through the short blade with his bastard sword. The small man seemed to notice Link out of the corner of his eye, and began shouting franticly.
"You've got to help me, this man's crazy! He said something about honor and shame, for the love of god, STOP HIM!!"
Link pulled out his bow and knocked an arrow, ready to loose it at the leather man.
"Before you shoot that, boy, mayhaps you should hear both sides of the story, no?" Despite the ferocity of his strikes, the leather man's voice never once showed any sign of stress, as if he weren't putting any effort into his strikes. "This man is a sinner, he chases after an underage female, has been seen waiting outside her bedroom window on countless nights, and has even molested her on several occasions."
"That's not true, she and I are in love!" The small man was inching away, moving toward a dimly lit torch as the leather man continued his assault. "Besides, it shouldn't matter if she's only 17!"
"Oh, but what does matter is that you are 108 years old and stalking the poor girl." Link stood there in awe, the small man did not look to be more than 25, but his lifeless eyes betrayed him. Link could see into them, see something unnatural. He shifted his aim toward the small man.
"Like you're one to talk, old man. You're what, 800 years old? You're practically living in a harem, and on top of that, you've got the hots for your own descendant. That's sick, you fetishist freak!" The small man looked back to Link again, the frightened visage melted into something akin to an overgrown child losing a toy. "I said shoot him, damn it, he's dangerous! Look, my name's Edward, okay, can you give me a hand now?"
"Make your choice, boy, but know that the Gods are watching."
Link didn't know what to do, they were both unnaturally old, both had strange habits and speech, and both made valid arguments. He could hear Midna giggling behind him, relishing in his indecisiveness. Shaking his head, Link looked to the dome, and could barely make out what appeared to be a bomb flower. Midna followed his gaze and whispered into his ear.
"Well, isn't that convenient, at the very least it'll shut them up, might even kill one of them for us."
Link shrugged her off and fired, the steel-tipped shaft whistled through the air before impacting with the explosive plant. The blast shook the entire room and parts of the ceiling began to give way. Backing into the doorway, Link observed both men as they moved with surprising agility, dodging the debris. Shafts of sunlight began to pierce through the thick canopy, illuminating the room. The leather man jumped through one shaft, and thick, acrid smoke rose from his arms.
"Damn it, boy! Do you have any idea how much that stings?" The leather man seemed to hiss as he retreated from the expanding opening.
The man calling himself Edward stepped into the light, and suddenly he resembled a polished marble statue as he shimmered brightly. Looking over Link's shoulder again, Midna burst out laughing.
"Look, Link, I think this guy's wearing glitter! Isn't that just precious!"
"I'm not 'precious', creature! I'm a killer, this is the skin of a killer!"
"No, boy, I'm a killer." Through a cloud of the putrid smoke came the flash of steel, and the next thing Link saw was a smell, glittering head rolling toward his feet. He took a step back when Midna swooped down to pick it up.
"He looks a little confused, don't you think, Hero?" She giggled as she swung the head by it's dirty brown hair. "Too bad he's not shiny anymore, would've made a great lantern."
"You are certainly a strange child, shadow girl." The leather man had skirted the edge of the sunbeam until he was uncomfortably close to the duo. Link Jumped back and readied The Master Sword and Hylean Shield. "Easy, boy. I am not going to fight you, not yet, anyway." The leather man grinned, and as the light shifted slightly, Link and Midna could see that portions of his face had melted away, leaving most of his teeth, including his sizeable fangs fully visible.
Link stepped away slowly, keeping his weapons between him and the leather man's ghastly visage. Midna threw the head at him.
"Y-y-you're one of Zant's minions aren't you? Here to finish us off before we can stop him, right?"
"Zant? Never heard of him, though to be terrorizing a helpless shadow like yourself, he sounds cowardly."
The rage on Midna's face and in her voice were more than enough to stop Link's retreat. "I am no helpless shadow, creep! I'll have you know that I am the Princess of the Twili!" She puffed up proudly. "You're right about one thing, at least. Zant is a complete coward, and he stole the throne, using a terrible power." Midna circled around the leather man, scrutinizing everything about him. "So, if you're not one of Zant's corrupted shadows, then just who the hell ARE you?"
The leather man took a glass flask out of a pouch at his hip. It contained a dark red liquid which he quickly drank. "My apologies, I am Alexander Rosenthal Adelheid III, but most people call me The Crusader."
