Here's a story I wrote. It's nothing special, but I've been playing with it in my head for a while now, and it's the only thing I've been able to put to words for a while now. Please review, and let me know what you think, even if you absolutely hate it.
I own nothing.
The call of a cucco heralded the new morning as the sun peeked just over the horizon of the peaceful village of Kakariko. The shadows of the dark and empty streets started to flee before the sunlight as it filtered in over the hills, illuminating everything from the lush green grass to the red brick houses to the cloudless blue sky. The cucco crowed again, refusing to be ignored. The village slowly came to life; faces peered out of open doors into the blinding light, the soldiers guarding the road to Death Mountain changed shifts, and the shopkeepers opened their windows.
inside one of the brick houses, a boy slept, wrapped in his sheets. A third cucco call sounded before he began to stir. He opened his eyes, blinking. He rose, casting off his sheets and dangling his feet over the edge of his down mattress. Still groggy, he sat there for a good minute before he attempted to move again. He was a young boy, with long lanky limbs and dark brown shaggy hair. His eyes, now adjusted, glanced around his surroundings, their red irises taking in all the details of the rather simple room. Aside from his bed there was a small wooden table, a chest of possessions, and a pair of hooks on the wall, from which dangled his weapons.
He finally rose, going to the chest and opening it. He pulled out a garment that he began to slip on. It was a traditional Sheikah outfit, formfitting and blue, adorned with white cloth and wraps to cover his head. The only other decoration the garb boasted was a red eye emblazoned on the front, with three red triangles above it, in a manner reminiscent of eyelashes.
He left his room and entered the main room of the house, where two similarly dressed adults resided, one of whom was preparing food at the counter. She was tall and elegant despite her simple clothing, and had a face that glowed with maternal affection. She turned around to look at him as he entered.
"Good morning, Link! Did you sleep well?" she asked.
He smiled at her and replied, "morning, mother. I slept well. Will breakfast be ready soon?"
"Soon," she said. "It'll be ready by the time you finish your morning training with your father."
The boy, Link turned to look at his father, who sat in a chair, examining a sword. His father pulled out a whetstone and ran it along the length of the blade, before rubbing his finger across the blade, testing its sharpness.
"Morning, son," he said, standing up and hefting his blade. "Get your weapon and meet me outside."
Link nodded in response and turned around, heading into his room.
The shadowed figure sat pensively, chin resting on his hand, brow furrowed, eyes closed, and deep in thought. He opened his eyes, fierce, dominant, and blue. A slow smile worked its way across his features, and his face transformed from its benevolent thoughtfulness, instead embodying an ambition as intense as it was cruel.
He glanced down to his right hand, concentrating on it, studying the faint outline of a triad of triangles, glowing in yellow. The leftmost one glowed the most intensely.
He returned his gaze to the man before him, a tall, muscular, red eyed individual in blue skin-tight clothing. His blond bangs obscured one of his eyes, with the lower half of his face obscured by wraps.
The shadowed figure spoke, his voice deep and menacing, but also commanding. "It has spoken to me. The prophecy has come to pass, I am sure of it. You know what you must do. Bring me all the children; dispose of the rest."
"Yes, O wise one," the man in front of him spoke.
"You may go, the figure told him. The man in front of him turned around and started to leave before the figure called to him again. "Do you have any reservations about what I have demanded of you?"
"No, my liege. My loyalty lies with you alone."
"Do you feel no sympathy at all, Sheik?"
The man turned around, a hint of a smile passing across his face under the wraps. "Not one bit, your majesty." He turned around again, and strode out of the hall, the emblem of a red eye rippling as the cloth it adorned swayed with its wearer.
"Good," said the crowned figure as he leaned back into his throne, a dark smile once again covering his face.
Sunlight danced across the forest floor as the leaves and branches overhead rustled in the wind. Leaves floated in the air, stirred up by the footsteps of two combatants trading blows.
Link grunted with exertion as he swung his practice sword with all his might. His father easily blocked it, disarmed him, and held him at sword point.
"Your strikes are too unfocused and lack technique," his father scolded. "You are just throwing all of your power into wild swings. You must learn to control your strength and temper it with skill."
Link panted, nodding, and turned around and bent over to pick up his fallen sword.
"That's enough for today, Link" his father told him. He noticed that Link seemed utterly despondent at how easily he had been defeated. He wanted Link to be strong, but as he saw Link halfheartedly shouldering his sword, his heart softened. "You did well today, Link, for a boy your age. I sense much improvement." Link's face lit up and his face bore the smile that he saved for when he was happiest.
"Thank you, Father," he said, beaming.
As they walked home from the forest, Link looked up at his father. He seemed so strong, invincible even. He inwardly wondered if he would ever be as strong as his father. He broke the silence, saying:
"Father, why do we train so hard?"
"Strength is its own reward, Link. As Sheikah, we are a proud race of warriors. But a warrior must also choose how to use his strength. We Sheikah have sworn to protect the royal family of Hyrule. One day you will be entirely devoted the royal family, lending your strength to them at all costs."
It was at this moment that Link's mother suddenly stumbled into their path, out of breath.
Link's elation to see his mother was quickly turned on its head as he noticed she seemed in pain. His father noticed too, that she was holding her side. She removed her hand from her side to reveal that her clothes were stained red. She collapsed into her husband's arms, while he noticed the trail of blood she had left behind her.
"You're hurt!" he cried. "Tell me what happened!" His voice quivered in pitch, full of anger laced with sadness.
She caught her breath, and told him in earnest, "Sheik has betrayed our people! He stormed Kakariko with a battalion of royal guards and began killing all the Sheikah, claiming there was a conspiracy against the king. I rushed here to tell you but I'm afraid I might have been followed-"
She never finished; they heard heavy footfalls on the road. Link's father bellowed, "Link! run away and stay hidden!" He then drew his weapon, preparing for the coming battle. His wife, too, staggered to her feet, and drew her sword. Link scrambled away and climbed a nearby tree, nestling in the branches.
He saw that his parents were soon joined by a score of royal guards, heavily armed and led by none other than Sheik, the patriarch of the Sheikah.
"How nice it is to see you two again; it's been such a long time."
"Sheik! What have you done!" cried Link's father.
"There were rumors of an attempt on the King's life and an insurrection planned by the Sheikah. I'm simply carrying out orders."
"You have betrayed us!"
"The betrayal here is on the part of the Sheikah, who have repaid the king's kindness and generosity with deception and lies."
"Have you no loyalty to your kin, or are you simply his dog?" roared Link's father.
"Our loyalty is to the royal family, you know this as well as I," Sheik replied. "If you wish to prove your loyalty, please comply and don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I'm just here to collect your son, and all the other children. If you give him up now, your death will be painless and honorable; befitting of a race whose sole purpose is to die for others' sake."
"You bastard! You are scum not worthy to be called a Sheikah! And you will not be 'collecting' anything, though your men may wish to collect your unsavory head from the ground once I separate it from your corrupt, traitorous body!"
With that he charged, brandishing his weapon and bellowing a war cry that gave Link goosebumps. Soon after, Link's mother charged into the fray with a hair-raising cry of her own and furiously joined her husband.
They were quickly surrounded and forced to fight back to back. The soldiers pressed in on all sides, but Link's parents were full-blooded Sheikah warriors, and would not be dominated so easily. They had killed almost half of the royal guards when the battle seemed to take a turn for the worse.
Link looked on in dismay as his parents began to tire against the heavily armored and equipped soldiers, and Link's mother's wound was clearly slowing her down. It was at this point that Sheik himself joined the fray. He blocked a tired swing from Link's mother before savagely kicking her injured side with unanticipated speed. She doubled over in pain and then time seemed to slow down.
Link froze with horror as he saw Sheik draw his arm back for a fatal thrust. Link's mother, still wincing, opened one eye in time to see this, but it was too late. Sheik thrust forward with his blade as Link's mother attempted to bring up hers in a feeble attempt to block. He effortlessly knocked it aside with his hand as his blade tore through flesh. Blood gushed out as Sheik ran her through, sticking his sword in deep to the hilt. Standing victoriously, he used is foot to push her body off his sword as if she was some meaningless dirt on his sword. Link's father whirled to face him, and tears streamed down his face.
"YOU BASTARD!" he screamed, tears flowing. He gave another war cry and charged forward. "By the three Goddesses, I will-" he was cut short by a sharp pain in his back. One of the Hylian soldiers had shot him with an arrow. When the soldier saw that Link's father continued forward towards Sheik, he shot him again. Link's father fell forward on his knees, now unable to even lift his sword.
"I gave you the option of a painless death, but you have refused, and now you must watch you wife die in pain next to you. And know this: I will find your son, and I will personally make sure he suffers at my hand," Sheik stated with a sadistic smile. He then kicked Link's father over, and continued to kick him on the ground. After a while, he stopped to chide Link's father. "Now you've done it. You've gone and sullied my boots with your filthy blood." Link's father barely heard him, the pain being too great. Sheik brought down his sword with great speed and force. "I will be the last thing you see, you mangy dog," said Sheik as he twisted the blade inside Link's father, whose only response was to spit blood in Sheik's face.
Link stayed still in his hiding place, tears pouring down his cheeks.
"Split up and find the boy," yelled Sheik. "But do not kill him."
Link waited until the soldiers had all left the road in search of him before he approached the bodies of his parents. He looked into the eyes of his father and mother, the light in them quickly fading.
"Son," his father gasped. "I told you *cough* to stay hidden and escape..."
"You must... run away now," his mother managed to get out.
Link could only sit and stare in silence.
"Son," his father gasped again, more feeble this time. "I know you will be a... great warrior someday...and you will... definitely make me proud... So please, you must go. But know... this... I... Love... You..."
"I, too..." his mother said, wincing in pain. "I also know you will be great. You are... destined to do the will of the Goddesses... she said... I know you will vanquish the evil that... corrupts this land... Never forget... I... Love... You..."
With the last of their strength, the two looked into each other's eyes, managing to smile as they felt the end draw near. Then they breathed their last, departing to the afterlife together. Looking down at the dead bodies of his parents, he dipped his thumb in the blood of his father. He dragged his thumb down his outfit starting at the bottom of the eye symbol and forming a crimson tear down his chest. Closing his eyes, he swore to himself, he would never forget the atrocity that had just been committed, nor the brutality, nor the betrayal.
Link opened his eyes. He heard footsteps nearby. It took every ounce of strength he could muster to leave the bodies of his parents, but he rose, and ran. He ran from the village of Kakariko. He ran from the soldiers, he ran from the shadow that had descended over his entire world. He ran far into the woods.
So yeah, first chapter. Sorry if it seemed a little dark for an opening, I plan for the rest of the story to be more lighthearted.
Please review if you like it, and review anyway if you didn't. All criticism welcomed.