Hi again peoples! Miss me? I know this isn't the next chapter of Farore's Wind that I know you guys have been waiting for, but at least it's something. Right? -_-; Okay fine, I have a bad case of writer's block. I've been relaxing for the whole summer after the hectic business of graduation too, so that took up a large amount of my life. That and World of Warcraft. :P But this will help!

This little one-shot is my first. Plus it might be a little awkward with perspectives, but I wanted to give it a shot. Trial and error. Plus this is my entry for the Legends and Adventures Zelda Fan Fiction contest. Hope you like it!

Adri: Hey guys. I'll be the disclaimer this time and give Bren a break. All characters and rights belong to Nintendo.

To Save a Friend

I never thought it would come down to this.

Okay sure, he was a lazy bum. He may run the "dangerous" and "fragile" machinery below deck, but he wasn't much of a fighter. For all his stories of supposed heroism, he was a coward. He had to be one of, no, the biggest chicken on the sea. Yes, that ridiculous box in the cabin was a testament to that cowardice. Oh right! He was greedy too. That obsession with treasure of his was the reason my sword arm was broken on the Isle of the Dead. We were lucky Zauz had a blue potion on hand to heal it. Heh, yeah, Linebeck had his quirks.

But I never would have dreamed I would have to fight him. He was such a yellowbelly that the thought wouldn't have even crossed my mind, but it had happened. One minute I was rushing into battle to save Tetra from the squid monster, Bellum, the next the monster had us both in his grasp. I may have bottomless courage, as Tetra puts it, but even that couldn't change the fact that we were done for. The tentacle that held me was squeezing the air out of me even as I struggled. Linebeck was just standing there with his month gaped open like a fish. Bellum's eye focused on me, the dark voice I had heard down in the depths of the Ocean King's Temple filling my head.

Give up, boy. Your only escape and the old fool are at the bottom of the sea. Soon I will feast on yours and this girl's life essence, enough to fuel my powers for years to come. The tentacle squeezed even tighter, so tight I thought my ribs would snap. Everything was starting to get hazy. Now then-

"Link!"

Ciela's voice was drowned out in an awful screech of pain. By then I was already slipping away, but I did feel myself being released and hit what was left of the Ghost Ship deck. Everything went black for a few minutes before I heard Ciela calling me again.

"Link! Link wake up!"

My eyes snapped open, and I was greeted by a sight neither I nor the fairy thought was possible. Bellum was on the deck writhing in pain from a stab wound in one of his tentacles. Standing over him was Linebeck swinging the Phantom Sword at the monster franticly. He glanced back, his eyes lighting up but fixed in a determined frown.

"Wake up already, kid!" he bellowed. He didn't see the tentacle that was snaking behind him.

Before I could yell a warning Bellum had his tentacles wrapped around the man. Linebeck yelled out in fear, but that didn't stop him from throwing the sword in my general direction. I managed to grab it before it went into the sea, but wasn't fast enough to stop what happened next. Bellum latched onto Linebeck's back and within seconds had transformed him into one of the monsters I had avoided and fought within the depths of the temple. Linebeck's strained voice whispering my name right before the helmet fell over his head is running through my head.

I've been yelling my throat hoarse to get at least a flicker of recognition out of him, but the colossal sword in his hand keeps swinging. I could barely block one blow with my shield. There was so much power behind that swing, and no recognition. Ciela is telling me to stay calm and allow her to come up with a plan, but I can't. How can I stay calm when the piece of deck wreckage beneath me is rocking and sea water is splashing in my eyes? And the man who had been working with me had suddenly been transformed into a monster. Linebeck didn't deserve this! He was only a bystander that got dragged into this mess. Okay yes he wanted that wish from the Ocean King, but still!

"Link, I'll make a Phantom Sphere!" I could see Ciela was concentrating, but by her shaking I could tell she was as scared as I was. Funny, heroes aren't supposed to get scared, are they? Wait, that tentacle, Ciela!

"Link!"

Now he has Ciela! Without her I can use Phantom Spheres, and there wasn't a chance she could concentrate with that monster's hold on her. If I can't use those, I won't be able to defeat him. I can hear Bellum's laughter again. You cannot stop me. I can control anything, and you wouldn't dare harm your friends, would you hero?

He was right, I wouldn't harm my friends. But I can't get that image of Linebeck's determined eyes out of my mind. He defended me, actually defended me from this squid when he knew he didn't have much of a chance. He still stood up to the monster that had plagued these waters for so long.

Linebeck hadn't been the nicest guy right off the back. He insulted Ciela and I, didn't lift a finger to help on the islands, and was ready to cast off if I did something wrong and leave us. Still, that wasn't important now. He was there for me and Ciela when we needed him, even if he had been dragged into this whole quest. He still offered to help. I have to do this, I need to do this. To free him from Bellum's control. Aren't heroes supposed to love being pitted against all odds? Tetra and I made a living off of it, so why should now be any different?

Heh, no, I'm not going to harm my friends. You Bellum? More than likely. I narrow my eyes and adjust the grip on both my sword and shield. Time for another battle then. I am going to save my friend, make no mistake about that.

Hope you guys enjoyed that! Read and review please. Critics are welcome and appreciated. They make me a better writer!