This is part of my three stories competition. Its pretty simple. Whichever story gets the most reviews is the story that gets an update. I don't know when I'll have time to update, but whichever story is in the lead at that point will get dibs. The other two are A Visitor from the Vault (an Adventure Time fanfic) and Company in Exile (a Fallout 3 fanfic).
Link looked up at the sky, amazed by the dull hues. Grey air seemed to float in currents, carrying bits of ash. Dark black pieces of the ground were floating away. Some collided in the air and were sent off in opposite directions. Dull specks fell from the air as well, slipping downward until they were sucked into the ground.
Link took a step, unsure of how solid the ground would be. He cringed while setting his foot down, half expecting to be sucked up like the ashen debris. As Link's foot touched down, an echo resounded from the dull clap of the impact. The noise doubled and tripled, bending and distorting as it grew to fill the whole world. Link could feel the vibrations running through the air; he could feel them in his bones. The noise traveled on and on until it reached the edge of the world, then it stopped. The sound didn't slip way or fade; it had simply been cut off and immediately ceased existing.
In its [lace, a slow pounding filled the air. It was steady, thump-thump… thump-thump…
The beating of some giant invisible heart.
It was at this moment that Link noticed the luminance. The only source of light in the entirety of this darkened world was a blood red glow coming up through the ground. The light burned along with the thumping noise, flickering and fading each time the thumping paused.
Blood red light filled the world, casting shadows where it could not reach. Mysterious silhouettes were revealed in the distance. Some seemed to tower like mountains, jutting straight upward in a way that reminded Link of gnashing teeth. Several small mounds lay on the ground, limp and nondescript.
The blood red light faded, taking the silhouettes along with it. Link was alone in the dark, only able to discern the faint currents of hot air. Each moment of contact felt like breathing down the back of his neck, or fingers trailing down his spine.
The light coursed back through the air, throwing its surreal luminance onto the world. The silhouettes had changed. The mountains were gone, and so were the mounds. In their places was a group of new silhouettes. A speck in the air, far overhead, seemed to be a bird frozen in midflight. Nearer, much nearer, Link saw a mound. Only the one. Link thought he could make out a few charactaristics of an animal. The recognition clicked in Link's mind and he saw the shape of a dead fox. All around it were the black frozen bodies of greedy flies. They were crowded aroundit, unmoving but desperate to get at the body.
Light ebbed from the world. Link was left blinded, He was almost sure something waited out in the darkness. He could hear it moving. Feet scraped on the dry ground, panting breaths tore at the air.
Link could see again, though the only sights were the light itself and a single silhouette. Standing just a dozen or so feet away, the dark shape seemed to stare ominously at Link. The silhouette didn't move, but Link could sense its intent. The moment it was free, the thin would pounce. A faint malevolence seemed affixed to the silhouette.
The light died.
Link stood there waiting for something to happen. He was sure something terrible was going to happen. He could feel something approaching. Something preparing. Something…
A man faced Link. Half his face was a withered mass of scars while the other bore a deep grimace. The man's body was torn and twisted. He stood hunched over as if trying to protect something against his chest. His body was gaunt, allowing Link to see dark veins and knobby joints clearly. The man's skin seemed to be burned at some points, scarred at some points, and decaying at others.
Despite the man's physical frailty, Link could almost feel waves of strength coming from the man's eyes. Those were bold and dark, locked onto Link's with a ferocity that seemed inexplicable.
The man raised one of his arms, the fingers stretched out like a claw. Link watched him, completely entranced and unable to move.
One bony finger touched Link's forehead and the man smiled grimly.
Suddenly and without any provocation, the man dropped dead.
Link jerked awake and sat bolt upright. Every inch of him was alert and Link could feel cold sweat covering his body. His breathes were ragged and it took a good minute to slow them along with the rapid pace of his heart.
He looked down at his hand and watched it tremble slightly. He could still feel the old man's touch on his forehead as if had been real.
But no, that was just a dream. Nothing to worry about.
Link got out of bed slowly and looked beyond the plain cloth curtains covering his windows. Dawn already, time to get going for work. Link sat back down on his bed and began to pull on his boots, lacing them up tightly.
Once he'd grabbed the heavy set of ranch keys from beside the door, Link was ready to go.
Link wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced up at the sun. He didn't have to look far beyond the horizon, so Link turned to his boss and shouted across the field, "Hey Fado, looks like its quittin' time.I'll help you round up the goats then I'll be headin' home." Despite the distance, Link saw his employer nod and they got to work rounding up the goats.
It didn't take long and the sun was still slightly above the horizon by the time Link was leaving. His tired body convinced Link to go straight home. Link was surprised to see Rusl lingering near his house and as he approached, the man walked over to talk to him.
"There's a man in your house," he said simply, "I saw him go in there a couple hours ago and I thought I'd let you know. I don't know if you're expecting him, but…"
Link shook his head and Rusl went on, "Okay, well if he's trouble just holler. I'll wait a few minute before heading back.
"Thanks Rusl," Link said before mounting the ladder.
He climbed up into the tree house, and waited a moment before entering. Once inside he found himself staring at a man seated on his bed.
"Who the hell are you?" Link demanded, "What are you doing here?"
The man just smirked and stood. "I am Captain Daniel Henson, but this isn't about me. May I see your hand, your left hand please, palm up?" The last part was a question, but all Link heard was a demand and an order.
"What? No," Link said sternly, and cut the man off before he could begin talking again, "This is my house, and I'd like to know just what you're doing here."
The man took a step forward and Link became all too aware of the sword hanging at the man's hip. The way the man walked, it seemed to naturally include the weapon.
Before Link could say or do anything else, the man was suddenly standing just in front of him. His hand was gripped around Link's left wrist, twisting it so the palm was facing up.
On Link's palm there was a black dot, directly in the center. It looked just as if ink had been spilled onto his skin.
"Aha!" the man said, reaching for his sword.
As quick and fluid as the man's movement was, Link was faster, somehow. He threw an elbow into the man's face and knocked him backward. He still had a grip on Link's hand and they fell together. Link felt something akin to instinct take over as they grappled on the ground.
Link could feel his hand itching, especially the center of his palm. That hand twisted out of the man's grip while Link's other hand tore the sword from its scabbard. The man grabbed hold of the hilt a moment later and the two of them were left fighting over the half drawn sword.
Link's left hand wrapped around the man's wrist and his eyes went wide. He let out a shriek as oily black smoke slipped out around Link's fingers. The man released the sword and Link drew it out all the way.
In one fluid motion, Link had the blade pressed up against the man's throat.
"What do you want?" Link growled, "Who sent you here?"
The man locked eyes with Link and said, "Go to hell, demon." With a sudden snap, the man threw his head and neck forward, slitting his own throat on the sword.
Link felt the foreign instinct leaving him and his hand stopped itching. He was left staring down at the corpse, his eyes locked on the dead blank ones.
He'd killed a man. The man was dead and Link had killed him. Guilt welled up in him until Link realized the man had done the deed himself. That was enough of a brittle excuse to hold back a breakdown.
Behind him, Link heard the door open and hurriedly close.
"Are you okay Link? I heard a shou…" Rusl said, trailing, "Oh goddesses, what happened?"
"He tried to… kill me," was all Link could choke out.
Rusl nodded and said, "I don't believe you'd have done this if he didn't, but… oh goddesses Link." Rusl moved closer and looked down at the man's body, inspecting an insignia on his jacket.
"Link… this is a royal soldier, an elite one. He wouldn't have just… What's going on?"
"I don't know… I don't know…" Link muttered.
Rusl cupped his face in his hands for a moment then said suddenly, "You'll have to leave, now."
"What? Why?" Link said, jumping up.
"Soldiers like that don't travel alone so there're bound to be more like him nearby. When he doesn't come back, well, they'll come looking. I don't know how you managed to best this one, but I don't think your luck will hold against twenty or more of them at once. I've got some money, here take it. I was going to… oh that doesn't matter now. Take his sword, you know a little about swords don't you? You'll have to…"
Link listened hollowly as Rusl gave him instructions of where he needed to go, who would help him, and other essentials of the world outside Ordon. All the while, Link couldn't help fixating on three facts.
He'd just killed a man
He was going to leave Ordon, the place where he'd grown up, and he had no choice in the matter
There was a black spot on his hand that had caused a man to try and kill him
If this is intriguing and you want more of it, make sure you leave a review to boost its chances of getting a speedy update.
If you're interested in reading the competition, here are the links:
s/9185905/1/A-Visitor-from-the-Vault
s/9185906/1/Company-in-Exile