Alright folks, here is something that has been in the works for a long, long time…the rewrite of Ascension! I'll get into the details at the end of the chapter. This is a rewrite, even if the two stories do not share the same name. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did, well… xD
Those Who Bear Courage is rated "T" for mild language, violence, and adult themes.


Those Who Bear Courage
A Legend of Zelda Fanfiction

Prologue
Silenced

There is no doubt in my mind, that boy…that boy is not normal…he is not one of us

Link Kokolo grimaced, tentatively raising his right arm to shield his face from the bright lights, lights so intense that just one glance could cause permanent blindness. The rest of the room was eerily dark, so black it rivaled the deepest void, the gray concrete slabs of tables and their occupants unseen. The boy was in some sort of old fashioned chair—modern chairs weren't made of wood, but rather different forms of metal and plastic—his left arm restrained by some sort of medieval chain. The youth bit his lip tentatively, trying to suppress the panicked tremors that subconsciously shook his body. He'd seen this scene in a couple of his father's old movies. The bad guys caught their man and questioned them hours upon hours until they retrieved the information they desired. If the bad guy refused to talk, well

Link pulled on the chain restraint, shuddering at the voices as their incessant nonsensical chatter turned into hollowed laughs…

He must be a Silenced.

A Silenced?

"No!" Link screamed, unable to contain the poignant yell in his vocal chords where it properly belonged. He clamped his hand over his mouth, limbs shaking, cursing internally at himself as he realized just how guilty he looked in their eyes, those ever-staring creepy eyes that monitored his every word, the unseen police who ensured the population was loyal to the tyrant king…

Call him. Call the Almighty Ruler.

Link kept his eyes shut, eyelids flickering from the strain, refusing to take even the teeniest peek. Not only were the panel of so-called "integrity judges" already convinced that he was a Silenced without even asking him a single question or giving him a second to defend himself, they called for the Almighty Ruler. No one accused of being a Silenced who met the Almighty Ruler lived to tell the tale…

"Open your eyes, boy."

A deep, authoritative voice beckoned for the youth to listen. Link wanted to resist, to pretend that he was not locked to an old-fashioned chair in an inescapable room attending the trial that determined whether he lived or died. But no matter how much he wished it, and he really wished it, he knew he would be in even deeper waters if he didn't obey. Everyone obeyed the Almighty Ruler.

It was the only choice they had.

With a choked sniffle as Link held back tears, he ever-so-slowly lowered his right arm that still shielded his baby face and faced the Almighty Ruler with a (forced) determined look swirling around his ocean-blue eyes. He could not see the Almighty Ruler's face. He could only see the silhouette of a towering, beast of a man standing before him, the harsh light on darkness masking all signs of emotion.

With a booming laugh, a laugh devoid of humor or remorse, the Almighty Ruler reached one of his mammoth arms down, holding the boy's face in his ape-like hands. With vigor so strong it was amazing that he did not sever Link's neck in two, the Almighty Ruler forced Link to stare straight up at him, almost mockingly wiping the tears that shone brightly in the child's eyes.

"Tell me your name." It was not a question.

"Link," The youth said quietly, voice shaking so terribly as if a stage-fright musician stepped on the world stage. The harsh, grainy hands of his oppressor, stained by the crimson, forlorn blood of the countless innocents he'd killed, wrapped around the child's neck, leaving bruises almost immediately. Link gasped, feeling precious life sucked out of him with each fading breath.

"I said tell me your name, boy. Say it strongly. Like the man you are supposed to be."

Link involuntary grasped his attacker's arms, his chubby little hands unable to even wrap around the much larger man's—beast's—pinky finger. Fear shocking him from the tips of his toes to the ends of his golden-blond hair, in-between desperate chokes, he managed to scream…

"LINK KOKOLO!"

There was a satisfied harrumph, and Link felt immediate relief as the oppressor released him from his deathly grip. Link coughed, a haggard and weak sound, massaging his sore neck as he relished in the sweet taste of air. The Almighty Ruler seemed almost merciful as he let the child regain his breath before continuing the interrogation.

"Do you know why you are here?"

It was a condescending question even though all parties knew full well why the child was there. Link gnawed at his lower lip, a terrible nervous tick he had been desperately trying to break for years, desperately trying to come up with some plan of action. What could he do? He could try to deny his involvement in the actions that led to this happy little situation, but even by denying or showing any sort of resistance, it would further his guilt even more

"I am a Silenced."

The words escaped Link's mouth before he could try and stop them. What alternative did he have? He could feign innocence and start rattling off the Declaration of Order and the Follower's Pledges like no other, but the evidence was there. The fact he showed emotion, even just a teeny bit of fear, was the nail in the coffin. At this rate, he had no choice but to confess.

"That you most certainly are," The Almighty Ruler's imposing grin was plain as day even though his face was still masked by shadow. "Do you know what happens to Silenced?" He bent down to Link's level, breath that stank of poison and raw meat nearly causing the youth to vomit all over Hyrule's tyrant. Link could almost smell the screams of all of the other panicked children and it caused a deep sick feeling, so painful that no amount of modern medicine could cure. His oppressor didn't give Link the time to answer before he grinned and whispered in the child's ear…

"They are called Silenced because they are promptly, well, excuse my poor choice of words, silenced the moment they are discovered to be resisting me."

A single tear gently trickled down the boy's face, and the oppressor grinned, cruelly wiping it away as if he was mimicking the loving actions of a mother.

"Dear boy," he cooed. "Do not cry. Your Almighty Ruler is a benevolent one, and I promise to save your life, that is, if you offer me something in return."

Link wanted to spit in his oppressor's face, to curse every inch of his being, to tell him there was no way in hell that he was benevolent, but he could not find the courage within him to do so. He was only a little boy. He hadn't even hit puberty yet! What could he do for the oppressor? He had no special knowledge of anything other than his brother's bedtime stories of a happier era, and…

…his brother.

Link's eyes widened larger than red rupees as he glanced at his oppressor, a silent and desperate plea whirling around his innocent blue eyes.

"All you have to do is tell me that your dear big brother is also a Silenced, and I will spare your life," The Almighty Ruler mockingly sang in a sing-songy voice. He gently caressed Link's soft, unmarred skin, ignoring the child's unmentioned desire.

No. Please. No. Not him. Not my brother!

The tears that had pitter-pattered down his face morphed into a heavy waterfall, Link unable to contain the wretched emotions that battled within him. His eyes narrowed, gaining a rare sense of malice, a deep desire to protect filled his normally timid heart.

"My brother is not a Silenced," Link said in an authoritative voice that did not match his twelve-year-old soul.

The oppressor snapped back, light and shadow unable to mask his look of annoyance at the child's recent statement. Link knew that the Almighty Ruler expected him to break, to sob and cry and beg for forgiveness like the coward he should be, but

"You would tell me that even if it meant your death?"

Link said nothing, opting instead to give a strong nod of his head. His oppressor opened his mouth, probably trying to construe some sort of twisted wordplay to convince Link to change his mind. He stared at Link for a few drawn-out moments, the emotionless and power-hungry red stare meeting a determined, courageous blue. Finally, after assessing the young man's resolve, he snapped his fingers with an annoyed wave and a movement that screamed "I cannot be bothered."

"Then die."

A door slammed, sending a vicious tremor through Link's body. The moment the Almighty Ruler was gone; Link's momentary wall of courage crumbled beneath him, leaving the frightened child alone and sobbing, fear wracking every inch of his body. He glanced downwards, wanting to stare at the stainless floor, choosing to stare at inanimate object during his last moments as opposed to staring into the depths of someone's emotionless soul…

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a blackened ax appear out of thin air, poised to come down on the boy in two seconds flat. Link closed his eyes, bracing himself for the worst…

…a steady crimson shield blocked the way, saving Link from an almost certain death.

He's here!

"Link," a panicked voice, a terrified symphony instead of its normal melodic solo, screamed, obliterating the ages-old chain into a million tiny pieces and pulling the child close to him in a genuine, loving hug. Link nervously forced his eyes upwards. Instead of meeting a heartless red glare, his gentle blue met an equally peaceful blue, the warm comforting look of his brother.

"Kallah," Link spoke softly, returning his brother's hug. They stood there for a moment, the strong red crimson shield holding out against the frantic attacks of the so-called "peace" council, allowing the brothers a moment to reunite. He was so happy to have his brother here, the only person he really had in this soulless, despondent world. He was no longer alone, his brother was here to save him…

…wait, to save him?

Link pushed away suddenly, remembering the precarious situation he was in. If Kallah was here, if he openly assisted Link, if the "peace" council saw him…

"No!" Link screamed. "Get away! They'll kill you too!"

Instead of looking panicked or fearful, Kallah only smiled.

"Nah, I'm pretty good in a fight."

Link opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out as he watched Kallah drop the red shield that protected them and gave Link a small salute. In the palms of his hands, a deep red energy formed sabers to slash away at his enemies that charged at him. The shield remained around Link, as he powerlessly stood and watched his only family member engage in a battle he couldn't possibly hope to win.

You are alone, child.

You will always be alone.


A/N

So there you have it!

Welcome to the rewrite of Ascension! I have changed the name to Those Who Bear Courage. This has been in the works for a pretty decent time. This time I wanted to make sure I had a concrete plot, plan, and world to play in, and I have that now. I will keep up the first version of Ascension since even though it is pretty much the same story it's still pretty different, but that version has been discontinued. You'll notice a few changes (some big, some minor) throughout the story but the main plot is the same.

Please leave a review! It would make my day. :) I would also love to hear from those of you who have been following Ascension (thank you for that, by the way, can't thank you enough!) what you think of this version so far. :) Chapter 1 should be coming in the near future! (If I don't get sucked into football Sunday… xD)