So I have returned from a long hiatus, for now anyway. And with my return, I would like to present a new story, a Legend of Zelda/Brave Frontier crossover.
To give you a chronological idea of where this takes place, the story's setting is…
*Grand Gaia- In the midst of the God Wars, where the gods have proven successful on beating back the mortal troops after the demise of Grand Gaia's legendary Six Heroes.
*Hyrule- 8 years after the defeat and sealing of Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, where the Kingdom is in a current Era of Peace.
What will happen to these two worlds, who seem to have no connection whatsoever, when a bridge between them is open… but that bridge simply went by different names…?
Reviews are greatly appreciated after reading, and they motivate me to continue writing more at seeing that my stories are well-received. I would also like to thank my Beta Reader for this story, Shirayamimaru, whose eyes and mind are responsible for helping me in the development of the story.
(Side note- I put the Prologue AND Chapter 1 here in order to keep on track numerically)
Prologue- A Fateful Night… Revisited in a Dream…
"Kuura….. Kuura… Help me…."
All was dark and sightless around a boy, 20 years of age. He heard a voice, a feminine voice, call his name through the dark, but he could not find the source anywhere in the pitch black around him.
"Remember your life…. Remember me…"
Her words confused him. What Life? Remember who? Who was this strange girl calling out to him? All of a sudden, a vision of a silver-haired girl flashed in Kuura's sight. In the split second he saw her, she seemed of equal age to him… but somehow… he knew that face… those green eyes… that smile… He knew them from somewhere… he just did not know where exactly.
"Kuura… Where are you…..?"
In the next flash, Kuura saw the girl on the ground, her hand over a stab wound on her stomach. Her blood began pooling around her figure as her skin slowly turned paler and paler from loss of blood; much of it staining her white dress an ugly red.
"It … it hurts….. Is this what it feels like… to die?"
Kuura was mortified as he took a step back into the endless black to get away from the vision. What happened to her to be on the receiving end of an attack that will surely end her life? Who would be heartless and vile enough to harm someone such as this girl? Kuura suddenly began experiencing a mixture of feelings from horror, to despair, to panic, to sickness, and everything in between.
"Kuura…. S-… Save me…"
Mustering the last of her strength, the girl seemed to reach out to him with a yearning gaze. A gaze that said to him she wanted her last moments to be with him. Kuura hesitantly reached a hand forward, but as he did, the vision began to fade into an intense and sudden flash of light. The boy quickly covered his eyes to shield them from the light. When they adjusted, Kuura's gaze was locked on the girl as she began to disappear into nothingness.
"KUURRRAAAAAAAAA!"
Another flash of light blinded the boy, and after it faded, he found himself in a long hallway of what looked to be some sort of castle or stronghold. However, more of the nightmare was to follow. Adding to the horror and fear that Kuura had gained from seeing that girl die in front of him, much of that same scene littered the corridor. Soldiers and Guards lay strewn on the sides of the hallway unmoving; their weapons scattered everywhere across the floor. The bloodstains on the rug under his feet hinted the obvious fact that they were killed and had been dead a short while now. As he began to wander the hallway, he heard a snicker from behind him. Quickly spinning around to see who it was, he found it to be another strange girl, dressed in a pale violet kimono, a couple other sheets of color ornately layering the inside of her outfit. Her dark violet hair was kept short, being decorated on both sides of her head with oriental-looking hair ornaments. Out of her back seemed to be what resembled wings made of scythe blades, and in her left hand were three kunais, each of them dripping blood onto the rug. It was plain to see she was the culprit who cruelly murdered the Guards in the corridor. Her crimson eyes lit up as she admired her handiwork, raising her armed hand to her lips to lick the blood off one of her kunais.
"Heh heh heh… This hallway looks so much better painted red…" she snickered, "It needs more red though… It doesn't seem like enough…"
Just as she was to take a step, she was intercepted by a floating blade of light pointed at the back of her neck. Her eyes went wide for a split moment, but grew into a calm grin as she closed her eyes, "Still wanting to stand in my way I see… don't you ever learn?"
The controller of the ethereal blade was what looked to be a Holy Swordswoman; seven other identical blades floating around her form and ready to engage at a moment's notice. Her platinum hair reached well down her back, but was tied into a messy up-do by a yellow ribbon on the back of her head. Her armor shown like polished metal; complimenting the pure white that she wore underneath it and giving her something of a holy glow.
"You know why I cannot allow you to continue…" She returned, still keeping the lone blade pointed at her enemy's neck.
"And you know why I can't let you get in my way, so I suppose we're both at a conflict then."
"That means one of us will have to relent."
"Well I know it won't be me."
"It won't be me either, so I suppose we'll have to settle this another way."
The kimono girl grinned a little wider before turning to face her opponent, her grin growing into a creepy smile, "You're so pure a white… How I want to so much paint it red with your blood. Your glow is calling to me… it's so inviting… so pure… so fresh…"
The holy swordswoman gave her a disgusted look, "Your lust for blood has driven you insane."
"That may be… but when you love something so much…" the kimono girl readied three more kunais in her right hand, "How can you resist it?"
"I cannot forgive you for the grave sin you have committed! Your Sentence and Judgement have been made! Nothing awaits you, except the Light of Justice that will bring forth your death in vengeance of those you've slain!"
Both charged at each other before Kuura's vision flashed again; this time showing him a new scene. It was in a different room that was occupied by three people; of which was a middle-aged man, what looked to be a naval commander, and a dark magician. The middle-aged man looked to have been a superior to them based on his regal wear and how he held himself in front of this two allies.
The naval commander was dressed in gold-lined blue, carrying a large axe over his shoulder and a black patch covering his right eye. He had a sea blue and white sash across the front of his uniform that likely served as a symbol of rank.
The dark magician covered himself in mostly black to purple attire and sashes, a black marking under and surrounding his left eye. Despite his choice of dark colors, his sand brown hair stood out as a sharp contrast to the colors of this outfit.
Both he and the naval commander watched the middle-aged man with downtrodden expressions; as if they had been told grave news.
"I know you two hate that it's come to this…" the middle-aged man sighed sadly, "But we've no choice given the tide of the war."
"It is understandable," the dark magician nodded, "however, our hearts are still heavy with knowing the reason for this meeting."
"Aye…" the naval commander agreed, "No one wanted it to come to this, but I s'pose there's not much choice left in the matter."
The middle-aged man gave them a comforted smile, knowing they supported him no matter what happened. He then looked over in a nearby chair, where a small, platinum-gray haired boy lay unconscious; as in a deep state of sleep. Kuura viewed the young boy from his unseen place in the room, looking to be no older than 9 or 10 years of age at the most.
"The preparations are already set…" he continued as he held up a pair of small talismans shaped like keys, "I'm placing you both under the care of my son… and in turn I request that you also take care of him in the new world…"
"I swear his safety to you…" the dark magician answered solemnly, "He is family, and therefore will be treated as such."
"You can count on us Mate," the naval commander smirked, "An' don't forget, he's also got his other talismans with 'em too. He'll be well cared for, don't worry."
The middle-aged man smiled a little wider at his friend's words as a tear rolled down his cheek, "I wish his mother and I could go with him… but more than us… it was my wish that he wouldn't be escaping alone… But… she was assassinated on her way here…"
"When the enemy invaded…. We didn't have time to prepare… they caught us off guard completely…"
"Nonetheless… to ensure the survival of the Summoners, he must be sent away to a new world… one that knows not of our special art… one that will accept him for who he is… one that won't turn him away or condemn him for it…"
"Our world, along with that of Grand Gaia and Ishgria, are the only known realms where Summoning is a practiced art." The dark magician stated, "I feel that whatever world he is sent to, he will be safe."
"To further ensure his survival… and his chance at having a better life in this new world… I had his memories erased." The middle-aged man wiped the tear from his eye as he gazed upon his son, "When he wakes up, he will have no memory of this world… of those within it… or even what fate had bestowed upon it. I feel that will be his best shot at living a normal and happy life."
"That also includes his memories… of us…" the naval commander remarked with a hint of depression.
"Yes… That as well. But when the time comes that he must remember what he is destined to do, I pray that you two will help him along."
"I will miss the memories I shared with the lad, but I promise ye… when he takes our talismans and summons us, whenever that may be, we'll do whatever we can to help him remember…"
"And assist him in regaining what is rightfully his." The dark magician finished.
The middle-aged man couldn't hold back the tears any longer as he smiled at his friends, "Thank you… Thank you for being such dear friends…"
Both the commander and the magician nodded in return as the middle-aged man sent them away via their talismans, and then locked them into a special keyring designed to hold Summoning Talismans. There were seven talismans on the ring, including the two that he placed in it, as he tenderly wrapped them in a cloth and then packed them in his son's knapsack. He then rested a hand on his son's cheek and smiled at him.
"Your mother so dearly wished she could see you off to the new world…" he said to him, "But fate had other plans, as she is currently defending this room long enough for me to send you off myself.. Me being the only one capable of opening the Gate. But know this my son… you are a talented young Summoner… and I'm proud of all the progress you made in your training. May you one day remember all you have learned, to one day use your talent to help others and protect those you meet and will hold dear to you…"
Using a larger talisman on a nearby table, he summoned a large golden gate; and pushed the doors open with one hand as he cradled his sleeping son in the other.
"Goodbye my son… this is the best chance at living a normal life that your mother and I can give you… free from war and death… from sorrow and from despair… a life you don't deserve. May you be ever watched and protected by your Friends… and remember that your Mother and I will always be thinking of you… praying and wishing for your safety and well-being."
The Gate began to close as the middle-aged man's strength was unable to keep it open any longer. After taking one last look at his son, he sent him through the Gate with a light push and into the golden light beyond.
"Goodbye my son…" he called, "Goodbye…-"
Kuura could swear he saw the middle-aged man's lips utter a name, but he couldn't hear what name he spoke as the vision disappeared in a final flash of white light. He could see nothing, hear nothing… speak nothing. His mind screamed to take him back to find out the name that man had spoken to his departing son. Before long, he slowly lost the urge to resist the deep sleep that his mind was sending him towards. The white slowly turned to black as he succumbed to the feeling…
-000-
Kuura's eyes slowly fluttered open at the fluctuation of the sunbeams piercing through the curtain and window of his room. He slowly woke up and sat up on his bed as he rubbed his sleepy eyes; going over what he had seen in his dream.
"That was a really freaky dream…" he mused hazily, "I'd just shrug it off as something that maybe stemmed from a story I heard in Castle Town, but why can't I shake the feeling that I have something to do with it?"
He was interrupted from his morning musing from a shout from outside his bedroom door.
"Kuura!" It shouted, "Breakfast is almost ready, so please come on down and join us."
"Coming Miss Malon!" he sleepily shouted back as he yawned and then stood up on the wood floor to stretch. He began his day with some light stretches as he finished his thoughts on the dream.
"Whatever it may be…" he thought, "I'm sure it was just a dream. Besides, no one can "summon" warriors from another world with little keys anyway."
Kuura finished his stretching and then looked over at the keyring on his nightstand and shrugged, "Maybe I'm just thinking about it too much. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
He then opened the door to his bedroom and then headed downstairs to meet the Mistress for Breakfast.
Chapter 1- A New Day… A Fresh Start…
Kuura lazily trotted down the stairs to the main floor. The smell of eggs and bacon overwhelmed his nostrils immediately upon setting his feet on the main floor of the building. The vibrant and energetic mistress of the household, a fiery red-haired woman of 24 hummed to herself as she set a wood table just outside of the area that was the kitchen. For an area so small, Kuura was amazed at how effectively she utilized the space to suit so many needs at the same time.
She looked over her shoulder at him with a grin, "Good morning Kuura. Sleep well last night?"
Kuura nodded before sitting down at the table, not necessarily feeling ready to give a reply yet. The Mistress giggled before returning her attention to her work of finishing breakfast.
"That's ok, I know you're not a morning person. Just remember that I'm not giving you your food until you properly greet me."
Kuura grumbled before taking a breath to help wake himself up, "Good morning Miss Malon. How're you?"
"I'm perfect this morning, thank you for asking." She giggled a little more and then began placing the plates and bowls of eggs, bacon, and toast on the table.
"Is your boyfriend joining us this morning?"
Malon almost tripped over herself in surprise at the boy's comment, "O-Oh, you mean Link? U-Uhm… No, I don't think he'll be joining us today."
"Why not? He normally sticks around to eat before he takes off to wherever he wanted to go in Hyrule."
Kuura was well aware of the relationship between Link, the renowned Hero of Time, and Malon. No matter how many times he would bring it up or call Link her boyfriend, Malon's face would never fail to turn as red as her hair as she stuttered immensely for a response to deny the claim. Her reaction to the claims never grew old to Kuura as he often used this as a way to amuse himself and give her a hard time.
"I do somewhat wish Fairy Boy was here though…" She mumbled to herself.
"Hm? What was that? You were mumbling Miss Malon."
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all Kuura. Just help yourself to breakfast already.
He chuckled to himself in amusement as he began filling his plate with food.
"Honestly Kuura, you really need to learn how to treat a girl right or you'll never find one."
"I only mean it in fun Miss Malon," Kuura shrugged as Malon began filling her plate and sitting down with him, "I'm sorry if I push it too far sometimes. I just can't help it if I'm bored."
"Well you won't be bored today, because I have a busy day planned for you."
"What am I doing today? Milking the cows?"
Malon began eating her breakfast, "Nope."
"Organize the storage barn?"
"Try again."
"Tend to the horses?"
"Uh-uh."
"Collect eggs from the cuccoo coop?"
"Keep guessing."
"Wash the outside walls of the stable?"
"You're getting warmer…"
It took him a moment to think about it before it donned on him. His chore for today was cleaning the stables, the one chore he hated with a passion.
"Awww Miss Malon! I did that three days ago!"
"Well normally if I got a little more help around here instead of you wandering off whenever you got 'bored', I might've given you something else." Malon laughed with a teasing grin.
"I only wandered off before I finished everything else early!"
"And by early, you mean half-done sometimes?
"What about the time I organized the storage barn last week?"
"I asked you to push all the crates of milk into the corner neatly and carefully, but I found only three crates moved and you nowhere to be found."
"That was one time!"
"Or the time last week as well you needed to trim the weeds, and you left about an hour into the job to go organize the storage barn you left a mess the day before."
"But-"
"OR the time three days ago that I asked you to clean the stables and you only cleaned four of them?"
"…"
The farm girl gave a satisfied smile at seeing Kuura's defeated face.
"Fine…. You win."
"You know you have nothing on me Kuura, good choice." Malon snickered between bites of her breakfast.
Kuura sighed discontentedly as he resumed eating; knowing it was going to be a long day ahead of him.
"Buuuut…" Malon stated to him, "Since I'm so nice a person, I'll make you a deal. If you can stick on the job today and clean ALL of the stables from top to bottom, not missing one nook or cranny, I have a special surprise for you."
That grabbed his attention, "And that would be?"
"I can't tell you now, you'll have to finish the job first."
"Awww come on Miss Malon!"
"Sorry Kuura, that's the deal. Take it or leave it."
Kuura gave her an annoyed half-mast gaze before holding his hand out to her, "Fine, deal."
Malon shook his hand and then continued eating her food; content with her morning victory over the one who usually gave HER a hard time. Kuura had been staying at the ranch she ran, Lon Lon Ranch, for about four years now. Prior to that he stayed at an orphanage Kakariko Village at the base of Death Mountain. Beyond that however, he couldn't remember living anywhere else. However, both he and Malon share fun times working at keeping the ranch busy for any possible visitors that may wonder in from Castle Town or elsewhere; though workloads were much easier whenever Link was stopping by for the day. His visits at one time seemed like almost every other day, but as time passed on over the course of two months, his visits seemed to be fewer and farther between. Kuura noticed this one day when he for a brief moment saw a depressed look on Malon's face as he walked past her; though she quickly shook her head to put that feeling aside and continue on her work. After breakfast, Kuura headed back upstairs to change and get ready for a busy day. He had to clean the stables from top to bottom to find out this 'surprise' that the farm girl had in store for him. He wanted to know, but he was heavily considering how badly he wanted to know, in comparison to how badly he hated having to clean the stables. Sighing to himself, he dressed in his usual attire of brown workpants and a white shirt, tying his hair into a spiky tail to keep it out of the way. Once dressed and ready, he headed out the door and to the stables to begin working.
Malon watched him leave as she finished putting the dishes away, "Now I just need to figure out something 'special' to give him… I wonder if he caught on to my bluff…"
-000-
Across Hyrule Field in Castle Town, the square was busy making ready for a special occasion. Today was a special day in Hyrule's history, the day that the kingdom's hero, Link the Hero of Time, had vanquished the King of Evil to the realm of darkness and returned the light of the Triforce upon the ravaged land. That event will have taken place 6 years ago to the date, and from that moment forward, the Queen of Hyrule, Zelda Hylia Nohansen XIV, decreed that such a day must be observed and recognized as a day of celebration. Since the king of evil's banishment, the rate of monster sprees and raids has dropped almost overnight from day one. There indeed would be an occasional raid upon a town or village, but it was never anything coordinated or planned, nor in the end did any lasting damage; rather it was just a raid or plundering party for food or some other necessity that was seen as needed. Thieves still went about their work, but with the rapid diminishing of the monster attacks, their occurrences have dropped as well. This in turn has allowed for Hyrule to rebuild quickly and without interruption. Upon Queen Zelda's coronation, her first action was to call for the rebuilding of the kingdom; to make it stronger and more prosperous than ever before. To assist in this ambition, she sent ambassadors and diplomats to neighboring kingdoms and lands, requesting aid of materials or workers in exchange for highly sought-after Hylian exports; such as Eldin Ore from Death Mountain, or Fairy's Tears from the Sacred Meadow in the Lost Woods. As the townspeople worked busily to prepare for the celebration to take place later that night, the kingdom's hero himself, Link, strolled through Castle Town and sat down at the fountain in the square.
"It's really nice of Zelda to want to throw such a big celebration for what I did 6 years ago…" Link mused to himself, "Hard to believe it's been that long since the last serious attack against Hyrule and the Royal Family. Since Ganondorf's banishment, all monster activity's pretty much dropped to zero. Makes my job as a Knight in Zelda's personal Guard easier, but I can't help but wish every once in a while there was something to do…"
"Caught in your thoughts again?" A voice called from behind the hero, making him jump slightly.
Quickly turning around, Link noticed that it was the Queen herself, Zelda, who had called out to him with her usual pleasant smile. She was not a queen who ordered something to be done and watched from a distance. Rather, Zelda was a queen that HELPED the people on the task she assigned them, and as much as they would say things like 'I got this your Highness, don't worry' or 'please don't burden yourself with my work your Highness', she would still lend a hand where she saw the need. That said, she was dressed in more casual and common wear suited for work, and her golden blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail to prevent it from interfering with her work.
"Can't help it sometimes." The hero shrugged with a grin, "But how about you? Working hard to prepare for the Celebration tonight I see."
Zelda sighed tiredly as she took a seat next to him, "Quite hard. Much of the necessary preparations should have been done two days ago, but because the shipment of wood from the Kokiri Forest was infested with beetle larvae, we had to delay our starting time in order to get fresh wood and prepare it."
"I remember that. It was nice to see the Kokiri Village again after so long though."
"How are the Kokiri children by the way? And the new Great Deku Tree?"
"They're fine, just enjoying the woods like they normally do, and the Deku Tree continues to grow and watch over them as always. Saria also says hello."
The queen giggled, "It has been some time since I last spoke with the Sages."
"She misses talking with you, maybe visiting the woods and getting away from all this would do you some good."
"I'm fine Link. Besides, I cannot leave now, not with much more to do before the Festival tonight."
"What if I took your place? So you can get some fresh air?"
"Link…"
"I need to do something anyway, I was beginning to get kinda bored from nothing to do. So I'll take over for you, and you go out and get some fresh air. We can't have a celebration if our Queen works herself into a coma."
His comment was met with a sarcastic smile, "…a coma you say?"
Link shrugged again and gave an innocent grin, "Have to think ahead."
Zelda sighed and relented, "Alright, you can have my shift for a couple hours. I was on my way over to West Castle Town to help set up some of the merchant's stalls. You can go there while I enjoy my break."
"Sounds good, enjoy your time off."
"Believe me… I will."
Link got up and took off for West Castle Town as Zelda stood up and started wandering through the construction towards the gates that led to Hyrule Field. After all, if she was going to relax and get some fresh air, she may as well remove herself from the work area as well; even if just to prevent the temptation of continuing to work. She admired the various and colorful banners and signs that were being strung and set up as she walked through the street, and upon reaching the gate, she took a breath and sighed.
"It does feel nice to get away from all of it every now and then…" she thought, "This is a big celebration and everything must be in place before tonight if we are to start on time. It will however be a blessing from Nayru if we manage to do so… there's still so much to do."
Debating with herself, her desire to enjoy the inviting open field ahead of her won out as she began a leisurely stroll along the moat around the castle walls to clear her mind. Perhaps Link was right, maybe a little time off wouldn't hurt, she was tired of running around and trying to be in several places at once. She had been not only helping with the construction of some stands and other buildings for the Festival, but also overseeing the development and design of others elsewhere in the meantime. She had been working tirelessly for almost three days now… she needed the time off. Maybe… even a little nap. Zelda's head mused over the thought of an afternoon snooze before finding a comfortable spot underneath a shady tree to relax. She sighed outwardly, it felt so nice to get off her aching feet after being on them for so long. She looked up and watched the clouds drift lazily by in the skies above, and before long, slowly found herself settling down for a short nap before falling asleep.
Nearby, a lone figure clad in silver armor and dark-colored sashes watched the queen in silence from his vantage point atop a nearby cliff. He stayed low to the ground on one knee to prevent himself from being noticed by any passersby, his yellow-green eyes narrowed at the sleeping figure underneath him. He combed a hand through his short, somewhat spiky, salmon hair as he took a glimpse at the gauntlet on his right hand. On the gauntlet was a long, snake-like, chain of daggers that gave the motif of a bladed whip; meant for striking opponents from a distance silently with a quick flick of the wrist. If done right, it would impale the unfortunate soul in a manner similar to the tail of a scorpion, or like the swift and unexpected strike of a deadly cobra. This figure was an assassin, and his target was clear…. The Queen of Hyrule was in his sights. He waited for the proper moment to strike. Zelda was totally helpless in her sleep, and all it would take this assassin is one quick strike to end her life without anyone seeing.
"So, this is my target." He mused quietly, "Can't say she's the wisest of Royals, coming out in the open and taking a nap without anyone nearby to watch her, but I suppose I shouldn't complain. I'm being paid to eliminate her, so I may as well get it over with… and move on to my next target in this land."
The assassin stood up and silently hopped down to the ground, using his adept skills in stealth to muffle any noises he made in his descent and landing on the ground beneath his feet. To his satisfaction, his descent only sounded like a brief swish of the afternoon breeze… despite his weighty armor. Very slowly he crept towards the queen, and upon reaching her, being careful to keep his shadow away from her eyes to alert her of his presence, reached into a pack on his waist and pulled out a small satchel of blue powder. Pinching a little of the material with his fingers and flicking it towards Zelda's face, the queen's muscles began to slowly relax more as she breathed it in and introduced it to her system, descending her into a deeper state of sleep and muting out everything around her. The assassin put the pouch back in his pack when he saw she was truly unconscious. That sleep powder served as a very weak sleep powder, laced with herbs known for neurotoxic effects; thus almost guaranteeing the victim would be completely helpless for the time that the powder was in their system.
"She won't hear or feel a thing. All that's left to do is finish the job…"
He stepped back about five feet before flicking his right wrist and unlocking the dagger-chain; letting it snake on the ground next to his foot. Zelda was completely defenseless and at the mercy of her soon-to-be killer. He put more of his arm into another flicking motion to get his weapon moving and ready to strike, giving it the slight resemblance to a snake on the ground, getting ready to lunge towards its prey. He failed to make a sound, but upon the last preparatory motion of his arm, he quickly lunged it around him towards an unknown presence behind him. The dagger-chain swiftly met a metal object with a series of clangs as the chain continued to strike the object in series, before the assassin whipped it back and caught it with his hand. He was somewhat stunned momentarily, not expecting to sense another presence, but was thankful that he caught on at the last second to parry his apparent attacker.
"Have to admit," he stated, "Not a lot of people catch me in the act of doing my job."
"And you do your job in broad daylight for all to see, assassin?" The voice of a middle-aged woman returned from behind him.
"I'm paid to do the job, not paid on how I do it."
"Reckless are we? Or perhaps would foolish be the better word?"
"You can make the call, but I don't tell you how to do your job do I, guardian?"
The assassin turned around to face the woman. She was firm and well-toned in her build, wearing a black and blue bodysuit with silver armor; a red eye with a single teardrop painted on the chest plate. Her hair, pulled back into a short and tight ponytail was as silver as her armor shining on a bright day; and in her hand was a mid-range dagger, the metal object that the assassin's weapon struck. He could not help either but feel some sort of aura about this person. Something that told him…. This person wasn't a regular bodyguard. He couldn't quite put his finger on it… Experienced? No…. that wasn't it, though her stance and narrowed crimson eyes made it clear she was well-versed in stealth and combat; similar to him. Was it age he sensed from her? No… that wasn't it either. He thought about it as he met her sharp gaze with his own… and he figured it out. Timelessness. That's what he sensed from her aura, something that said she dabbled or had experienced time-altering phenomena. Nothing like this really interested the assassin, but in this case…. He couldn't help but be a LITTLE curious.
"What business do you have with the Queen of Hyrule?" She stated firmly, her stoic face showing she was in no mood for games.
"Simple. My business is killing people who get in the way of my client."
"And your client would be?"
"That's none of your concern, Guardian. You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway."
"Try me. If your skills in deception are as terrible as your skills in stealth, I'm sure I'd see through any lie you would attempt making."
The assassin was slightly impressed by her perception, though stood still as his eyes continued to combat hers in a forestalling standoff. She had a point, most likely she would not accept anything but the truth if he attempted to fool her. Fighting her wasn't the best option either, as that would bring too much attention to himself; and as an assassin, that was the one thing that he was never allowed to do. Not to mention compromise any other potential opportunity he may have later to assassinate the queen; seeing that his chance to do so now was just about screwed.
He stared at her a little longer before a slight curl grew on his lips behind the covering that concealed them.
"My client's from another world, like me." He started, "I'll give you that hint."
The middle-aged woman's brow knitted itself together slightly, considering who it could be. Someone from another world? That could be a number of people. The first one however that came to her mind, was the one she did not want to believe… Ganondorf. But that was impossible, he was sealed into the Dark Realm forever, there was no way he would be able to contact anyone in the world of Light… was there? Maybe it was a sympathizer, someone who followed Ganondorf during his time of rule and was now out for revenge against the queen in his name. Seeing the look in her eyes, the assassin raised a brow.
"Come on, it's not that complicated." He said, grinning just a little wider.
"You are a servant of Ganondorf's," the woman returned sharply, "Are you not?"
The assassin shrugged, "Good guess, I think, but sorry. I don't even know who this 'Ganondorf' you're talking about is."
"Then state your affiliation!"
"Alright then, not that it would do you any good anyway. I'm from the Bariura Empire, and my name is Kuda. I serve the forces behind the God Army that laid waste to all of a realm known as Grand Gaia, including the Bariura Empire itself within it."
The woman still retained her composure as she took it all in.
Bariura Empire? She had never heard of that kingdom before, even in Hyrule ancient history.
Grand Gaia? Another world she had never heard of.
Where was this 'Grand Gaia' he spoke of?
What realm was Kuda hailing from?
Most importantly, what forces would be powerful enough to call themselves a God Army and lay waste to an entire realm? For all she knew, there were only four celestial beings in existence; Great Hylia, and her daughters, Din, Nayru, and Farore. Certainly they were not plotting to suddenly lay waste to their greatest creation, Hyrule… where they?
"Never heard of it huh?" Kuda remarked, snagging her attention again, "Well now you know who I am, how about you, Miss Bodyguard?"
"What importance does the queen have to this 'God Army' you speak of?" She answered, spinning the focus back on him, "What reason does she have to be assassinated?"
"Quite frankly, I don't care what the reason is. All I know is that I'm being paid to take her out, and you're getting in my way."
"She is under my protection by my duty as a Sheikah and her caretaker, I will not simply stand aside and allow you to harm her!" She stepped around him in a wide circle to stand between him and the sleeping queen. Zelda lay fast asleep behind her, completely oblivious to the standoff that was gambling for her very life… still under the effects of the sleep powder.
Kuda studied her carefully before making a single chuckle and shrug, amused at her staunch confidence to protect the queen she served, "Alright. Since you caught me in a good mood today, I suppose I'll let sleeping beauty off the hook this time. After all, it IS unprofessional of an assassin of my caliber to perform his act after being found out. And I honestly have no desire to combat you anyway, as most likely you would be slain where you stand with no chance against a master assassin like me."
Kuda may have meant what he said, but there was more of a hidden reason for backing off like he did. It was the guardian's sagely aura that had some sort of effect on him. Not a feeling of hear… but more… something to be wary of and study a little more before engaging. He turned and began to walk towards the rocky cliff to the Sheikah's left, her eyes watching his every move like a hawk for any potential surprises he would attempt. Thankfully for her, Kuda made his statement clear and honest as he flicked his wrist and retracted his dagger-chain back onto his gauntlet.
"For you to muse over," he finished, not turning to face her, "the only thing I recall hearing about this girl, and another like her, were their abilities to summon the Gate, and their ability to keep such a powerful entity open for those from my world to pass through. Chew on that for a while…"
The assassin disappeared in a blur of darkness, leaving the Sheikah alone with the sleeping queen and in utter bewilderment.
"A Gate?" She mused to herself, "What was he talking about? There is no way he would know of the Sacred Realm. However… that is the only 'Gate' that I can perceive with my current understanding. Kuda… I feel uneasy about the fact that he knows more than he was letting on… but right now I must watch Zelda carefully should he decide to return…"
A slight shifting of grass and a subtle moan could be heard from behind her as she turned to face the queen; who was slowly coming around from the sleep powder's effects wearing off.
"Mmm..." She moaned hazily, and then looked up to see the Sheikah standing before her, "Impa? What are you doing here?"
"I was searching for you Zelda," Impa replied, deeming it a wise idea to not tell her what had just happened until a later time, "After Link told me you walked elsewhere to take a break, I simply wanted to know where you had gone to keep a watch over you."
"You always made sure I was safe from harm no matter where I was Impa, but I am fine though. I simply sat down to take a small rest from my duties, and I suppose I ended up falling asleep."
"Indeed you did, I found you unconscious under the tree just as I found you."
Zelda noticed the dagger still in Impa's hand, "What is your dagger doing in your hand?"
The Sheikah looked down and subtly put it back in its sheath on her belt, "I felt a presence in the area and wanted to be prepared."
Impa felt somewhat guilty for having to deceive her with a half-truth, but she felt it was in her best interest that to not know about Kuda or his attempt to assassinate her until it was a more proper time to reveal it. There was too much going on at that moment in time to burden her with another item for her busy mind to stress about. Thankfully for Impa, Zelda did not probe further as she began standing up to stretch.
"I see… well then, I suppose it was a good thing you found me before they did, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is indeed."
"Do you know how long I was asleep?"
"I am not sure, but it seems that you are well rested regardless of how long you slept."
"Mmm… I agree. I feel much better and more energized from that resting period. Though, I think it may serve best to go back and find Link to continue my work. We still have many preparations that need done in order to be ready for the Festival tonight."
"Agreed, I would recommend you make haste then your Highness. I last saw Link in West Castle Town when I asked him where you went."
"That is where I sent him before I took my break, I suppose I'll be heading that way now."
Zelda began walking off towards Castle Town, leaving Impa alone in Hyrule Field near the tree. Impa turned to face the direction she last saw Kuda with a worried look in her eyes.
"I fear this may be the premonition of something terrible that will be taking place very soon… but… he mentioned two targets. Zelda was one… but who is the other that supposedly possesses the same abilities as her? There is only one able to open the doors to the Sacred Realm after the Master Sword was sealed away behind them… Who is this other individual? And what importance do they have to this God Army he spoke of? And on that note…. What about this… God Army…?"
Impa slowly turned and followed Zelda back into Castle Town. Watching her from the shadows, Kuda, and another shadowy figure, observed from afar. The figure that accompanied the assassin emanated a feeling of death and despair in almost every sense of the word; seeming as if the Grim Reaper himself was birthed from this being. The figure stood about average height, his armor making him look larger and more intimidating however. His near albino white hair served as a sharp contrast to his bright, almost glowing, crimson eyes and horns, as well as the black markings that twisted along the sides of his cheeks and jawline. His black and violet armor, torn wide open at his chest, revealed a reddish-pink crystal that one would guess to be the source of his death-like aura; and it seemed to give off a glow similar to his eyes. Six large, bone-like, tendrils also stretched from his back and curved inward to lightly rest on his shoulders. The figure lightly clenched the black sorcerer's staff in his hand, watching the queen and her caretaker disappear from view, with a light smirk that showed he had taken interest in how Kuda's situation had played out.
"The queen still lives eh?" He stated, "Didn't have it in you to kill a defenseless woman?"
"Enough!" Kuda snapped, not appreciating the figure talking down about his decision, "I would have risked even more failure if I engaged her caretaker. What would you have done in my place if you think so highly of yourself… Shida?"
The figure, Shida, smugly looked over at the assassin, "Kill them both of course. You know for a fact I could have easily done it and not even think twice about it. That said, it makes me wonder why they hired someone as worthless as you if they knew I was just as capable and more."
Kuda responded by shooting his dagger-chain past the side of Shida's head in anger. He was not about to let a necromancer claim he was far better and more skilled than he, a powerful and highly skilled assassin, who had killed countless in cold blood and not even batted an eye at any one of them. The chain of blades retracted back onto Kuda's gauntlet after fully extending and retracting back, but Shida's smug grin remained fixed on him.
"With a temper like that, I can see why people fear you."
"Just a warning, I don't miss twice…"
Shida looked back at the castle wall where the queen and her caretaker were only a few moments ago, "To think that a primitive world like this could house people powerful enough to summon the Gate… this definitely interests me. I know little of the other individual… but the queen of this land… I can sense some powerful magic from her. I wonder if I would ever get a chance to research it in detail…"
Kuda crossed his arms, still annoyed at the necromancer's remarks, "Highly doubtful. She would be dead before you even get close enough to her."
"That can be arranged. I AM a necromancer after all, and I've learned how to bend death itself to my will, so I'd simply keep her just barely alive long enough to serve as my research subject. And if she dies, I'll just resurrect her long enough to extract her essence."
"And when you are finished with your research?"
"Steal her life force and leave her lifeless body for the vultures. Of course, that won't take place until I learn what power of hers in particular is capable of summoning the Gate and opening it. Once I figure that out, I have no further need for her or this land."
"And what of the rest of the kingdom?"
"It'll die off before long. This land is rather primitive, barely even capable of enchanting a blade or piece of armor, let alone using those powers to augment themselves… And the goddesses they worship seem rather weak."
Shida looked over at Kuda from the corner of his eyes, "There's more that should be taken into consideration before the plan is carried out. The queen will prove useful to me a little longer now that I think about it… killing her would be something of a waste."
"My assignment was to KILL her."
"And kill her you shall, Kuda. I never said she SHOULDN'T die… I only said to postpone that assignment until I see no further reason to keep her alive."
"And the other individual?"
"I don't know enough to properly consider what should or shouldn't be done. However, knowing that I cannot stand NOT knowing about something, I shall conduct a little research and probe around for this second individual before I make any calls."
The assassin huffed; clearly not amused that he was paired with a psychotic necromancer who was interested in researching almost anything that moved. It made his job a lot harder and more tedious, seeing that Shida requested numerous time since first arriving in this realm that Kuda's assignment be delayed, or that their progress be put on a temporary pause, while he study and research any plant, animal, or monster he came into contact with. He remembered why he always preferred to go solo when given an assignment, or at least be given a partner that shared his mindset and drive. Kuda was shaken from his musings as Shida turned and headed towards a rocky path leading deep into Death Mountain.
"Let's go Kuda," he said, "I've some experiments to conduct before any further orders are given, and you have no need to be out and about until everything's in place."
The assassin sighed before following the necromancer silently.
Any thoughts thus far? Any ideas for possible Units to bring in? Suggestions for additions to the plot? I'd love to hear them, and who knows, maybe I'll add it in somewhere as the story progresses.
Rate and Review please, and thank you.
One last comment- Kuura is a character that I made, so he naturally belongs to me.