Author's Note: This is a side-story from my piece DISCOURAGED, but if you haven't read it I hope you'll still enjoy this as a stand-alone story. If you have read it then the intro to this story is Chapter 15 Half-blood vs Half-god

"Vugu, you never train with me anymore!" Impa whined. She had her wooden shield and sword and was raring to go. All she needed was her older brother to quit being a moblin and play with her.

Vurugu chuckled softly and turned to his little sister. The little girl was wearing tights, a cotton shirt, and the most determined expression a seven year old Sheikah could muster.

"I can't play with you now, Imp," his little sister stuck her tongue out at her least favorite, and most commonly used, nickname. "I have to train myself today."

"But I can help you train!" she said defiantly stomping her foot. Vurugu smiled and went down to one knee.

"I tell you what, little Imp, if you can bring me back an alive Keese, I will train with you."

Impa straightened up, excited to meet her challenge. "Does it havta be alive?" she asked practically hopping from foot to foot.

Vurugu rustled his sister's short hair. "Yes ma'am, has to be alive and unbroken."

Impa wiggled with excitement. "How am I s'posed to catch it alive and unbroken?"

"That's part of the challenge. Now go!"

Too young for typical Sheikah grace Impa turned around and barreled out of the room. She nearly knocked her own mother over on her way out. Vurugu laughed when the girl didn't even take the time to apologize.

"Well someone's in a hurry," Pistel said watching her littlest one flee.

"There's no time for walking when you're young," Vurugu said rising to his feet. "How are you this evening, Mother?"

Pistel smiled her sweet motherly smile. "I came to check on you, Son. How is the training?"

Vurugu sighed. "It's not going so well," he confessed. He turned his back to his mother and surveyed his personal dojo. The walls were adorned with every type of weapon you could think of and the ground was littered with splintered wood that he had either shattered with his bare hands or whittled away with a blade. Truth be told his dojo wasn't his favorite place to train but at least it was private. Well, private aside from his family.

"How is that?" his mother asked full of concern.

"I've reached the limit of what I can teach myself," he said as he walked over to his wall. He grabbed one of his massive double-sided axes and spun the shaft in his hand. Relative to anyone else it was a heavy weapon. To Vurugu it was nothing but an extension of his arm.

"You've finally reached that point," his mother stated more than asked. For anyone else the obvious reply would have been "go find a teacher then" but not for Vurugu. Pistel knew her son too well. She knew that the other families were convinced her son was actually Achashverosh reincarnated. Sometimes even she had to remind herself that her boy had been carried in her womb for nine months, like every other baby, and was nothing more than flesh and blood.

Vurugu started spinning the axe in his hands as though it were as balanced and light as a bo staff. A whooshing noise came from the weapon as it spun faster and faster.

"Who is left in the realm for me to battle?" he asked. He pulled his right hand back but continued to spin the weapon with just his left. "I defeated Gideon of Absistus, Ahmed of Hara, Rien and Grate of Sur, even Termina's Sword Master." He switched to just spinning the axe with his right hand. "But it would be arrogant to call myself the greatest warrior on the Earth. There are likely demons and foes across the planet whose shadow I could not even survive in, but –" he started tossing the whirling blade in the air, shooting his hands in and out quickly just enough to keep the blade spinning in front of him, "if I don't find someone who can help me improve, then I am limited to my shabby self."

"I wouldn't call you shabby,"

Vurugu offered his mother an appreciative smirk.

"What about this bastard child of Magripilis?" Pistel asked. "They say he's defeated three entire families."

With blinding speed Vurugu shot in with both hands and stopped the axes rotation completely. No longer surprised by her son, Pistel saw that he was holding the blade on each side between his index finger and his thumb. With a sigh of disappointment Vurugu returned the plaything to its spot.

"I doubt he will make it all the way to the Malukha family."

"And if he does?" his mother asked. Vurugu could hear the anticipation in her voice.

The Sheikah warrior shrugged his powerful shoulders. "He will not make it past the Malukha family."

Pistel Malukha nodded her approval then turned to leave. "That Hylian was asking about you," she said over her shoulder. "Try not to spend too much time with him."

"Father likes him," Vurugu called as his mother disappeared around the corner.

"Your father's an idiot," he heard from the hallway.

Vurugu shook his head. In typical Sheikah fashion his parents didn't live together. They slept with each other whenever it suited them, bred powerful children, and then avoided each other as much as possible.

The oldest child of the Malukha family gave his dojo one last look, decided there really wasn't much left for him to do today, grabbed his cloaked and headed out.

"Imp is going to be furious," he said to himself. She wouldn't like that he'd blown her off and wasn't actually training.

The young Hylian was waiting for Vurugu just outside his mother's manor.

"Daniel," Vurugu said with a shake of his head. "Why do you come all the way up to our property? You know my mother doesn't like you."

"Really?" he asked, "I thought I was starting to grow on her." He smiled his brilliant white smile, then chuckled at his own joke. Most Sheikah didn't like Hylians, Pistel Malukha was no exception.

Vurugu grasped his friend's forearm and embraced him. As always Vurugu was taken back by how thin Daniel was.

"Are you not carrying your sword?" Vurugu asked incredulously. "You can't be walking around here without a weapon!"

"Bah! You Sheikah aren't that bad!" Daniel said dismissively. "Besides, if one of your people decided to do me harm, a thousand swords wouldn't protect me."

Vurugu ran his hand through his mane of white hair. "You are going to get yourself killed with that kind of thinking. What's worse, you'll put royal blood on the hands of my people."

"There's nothing royal about my blood V. Blood is blood is blood. Now come on, I found a pear tree by the stream."

Vurugu rolled his eyes. "Daniel, for the love of Hylia, we've been going to that same tree for months," he said exasperated. "You didn't just find it, and it's not a pear tree."

"Are you sure? Because I think I saw a pear on it this morning. Let's go check." Without waiting to see if the Sheikah was following him Daniel turned and headed towards the duo's preferred spot.

It was the same tree.

There were no pears.

"So what's new in the great Citadel?" Vurugu asked after they had argued for five minutes whether a yellow leaf was a pear or not.

Daniel shrugged nonchalant. "Oh you know, gossip and drama here, lies and backstabbing there, Absistus merchants are trying to screw us on goods," he wagged his finger above his head, "same ol' crazy stuff as usual." The tall skinny boy with golden hair plopped himself down on the ground with his back against the non-pear tree.

"But the kingdom is at peace, the majority of its citizens are happy. So there's that to be thankful for."

Vurugu remained on his feet but leaned against the non-pear tree with his shoulder off to Daniel's side. The two watched the stream float quietly by.

"Our citizens are least happy when the kingdom is at peace," Vurugu said. "Everyone gets restless and starts looking for reasons to pick fights, to skewer wandering princes."

Daniel looked up at his morbid friend. "Tell me friend, why is it that the Sheikah's greatest warrior is one of the few to befriend a Hylian?"

"My father likes you."

"Your father's an idiot."

They both laughed.

"Well," Vurugu started, "I guess it comes from pride. A superiority complex if you will."

Daniel looked shock. "Are you saying the Sheikah aren't superior beings?"

Vurugu kicked his friend in the thigh. "I have found myself at the mercy of Gerudos, Humans, Hylians, and Gorons. When I fought as a young lad I quickly learned that being Sheikah made little difference as to whether or not a blade could pierce my heart," he explained. "And it definitely wasn't being a Sheikah that convinced anyone to spare me."

"What was it?" Daniel asked rubbing his leg. "Why did anyone spare you? No doubt you were an ugly child. I wouldn't have spared yo—ow!" A second kick.

"Compassion," Vurugu stated, sure of his answer. "Compassion and respect. When I looked at them I saw weaklings whose spirits hadn't been strong enough to find Sheikah bodies. When they looked at me, they saw a boy. A living boy who had only attacked out of foolishness and pride. I'm sure what each person saw was a little different but the product was the same. Life. An undeserved second chance to improve myself.

"So when I look at you," Vurugu continued, "I don't see a Hylian, I see Prince Daniel Harkinian. The wise-beyond-his-years fool who speaks only of peace between races and is convinced pears now suddenly grow in Hyrule."

"Don't forget humble!" Daniel chimed in. "The most humble man to tread the Earth. Way more humble than Vurugu Malukha, reincarnation of Achashverosh, the Fierce De—ow!" A third kick.

"Don't go spreading that." Vurugu warned. "Last thing I need is a bunch of Hylians building a church in my honor."

"Well how about an outhouse? Ow!" A fourth kick. "At least come over to this side so I'm not lopsided."

Vurugu obliged.

"So I heard about this, Isa, kid." Daniel said when his friend had settled in to his post on the opposite side.

"Ugh,"

"Oh?" Daniel asked raising an eyebrow. "What's that about?"

"Magripilis, an impressive Sheikah swordsman –"

"But not as impressive as Vurugu Mal—ow!"

"Married a Hylian woman and had a baby with her," Vurugu continued. "Instead of fleeing Hyrule and trying to let the child live, he chose to raise it here."

Daniel nodded, "Meaning he will have to be tested by every family to earn his right to live. To prove his inferior Hylian blood is not a handicap."

Solemnly Vurugu nodded. "The arrogance of that man, to think that his offspring might be able to defeat nearly one hundred Sheikah warriors."

"Should he have killed the boy at birth?"

Vurugu crossed his arms over his chest. "It would have been more merciful."

"Rarely," Daniel said looking up at his friend, "do I find murder to be the merciful route."

"Bah! You've trespassed on our lands long enough now to know our ways." This time Vurugu only nudged the seated Hylian with his foot. "The moment Magripilis took a Hylian wife his family was destined to experience grief and misery."

"Maybe he is trying to rebuke that destiny," Daniel said, "for his son and the future of your people."

"Then he should have done so himself, not forced his child to do it. Besides," Vurugu sighed heavily then lowered himself to a crouch. "Isa won't succeed."

The two friends from different worlds sat there quietly. There was no need to clarify why Isa wouldn't succeed. Even Prince Daniel Harkinian knew that no matter how talented this young half-Sheikah was, he wouldn't last a moment against Vurugu. The eldest son of the ruling Malukha family had not faced a worthy opponent in decades.

Daniel had been fascinated by the Shadow People when he was a boy. He'd first laid eyes on one at a tournament hosted by his uncle, the king. The melee was supposed to be for Hylians and Humans only yet, the champion, once he'd thrown his hood back, was a young Sheikah. The white haired boy had used his uncle's tournament as his test for manhood.

A throng of disappointed citizens booed the boy off the stage and chased him out of town. When Daniel had asked his father why the boy had been received so he'd been told that Hylians would never be able to get along with the savage people.

At the age of seventeen Daniel decided to meet these savage people for himself. Because the Goddesses had mercy on the curious young prince, they led him to one of the least violent Sheikahs, Kesil Malukha. Daniel found the man being chased by angry cuccoos through a field. When he lent his aid he had no idea he was helping the monarch of the Sheikahs.

"I hope you're one of those blonde-haired lads from the Prava family and not some trespassing Hylian!" Kesil had said when the killer poultry had been chased away.

"I. . . uh," Daniel had started stupidly

"Bahaha I'm just messing with you lad." The man slapped his knee. "Not a soul in these parts would mistake a scrawny lad like you for a Sheikah. Come on inside before you get yourself lynched."

And that moment was when Daniel decided the prejudice of his people was misplaced. Shortly after meeting Kesil, Daniel met Vurugu.

"What if you refused to fight him?" Daniel asked after some time had passed in silence.

Vurugu gave the young Hylian a look. "My mother would disown me, my people would hate me, and if my well-being isn't enough for you one of two things would happen. My family would put one of my siblings or cousins in my place, or, Isa would never truly be accepted as a Sheikah and be banished or executed anyways. Or both."

"What if you let him win?"

Vurugu's left eye twitched. He studied his friend's face intently hoping to find mirth or a sign that he'd been joking. It was difficult for Daniel to return the warrior's gaze.

"Not since becoming a man, have I ever been defeated," Vurugu finally said refusing to let up with his stern glare. "Not once. Not by man, beast, sorcerer or demon."

Daniel did not waver or look away. "Is not this boy's life worth more than your pride?"

"My pride is my honor!" Vurugu shouted. "And my honor is my name!"

Daniel turned his head slightly to avoid getting spit in his eye.

"Why should I sacrifice my name for Magripilis's mistake?"

The Hylian prince responded with the quiet voice of a wise old man. "You would not be sacrificing your name for a mistake," he said. "You would be sacrificing it to show your people their prejudice is misplaced. You would be sacrificing your name for a chance at peace."

Vurugu snorted and rose to his feet. "The Sheikah don't know peace," he said hiding his face from Daniel. "The Sheikah will never know peace."

"Vugu!"

Vurugu and Daniel turned to see little Impa running down the hill. Even from a distance they could see that she was covered head-to-toe in scratches. From her excitement and smile though, you wouldn't be able to tell if she was in any sort of discomfort.

"Why hello, Lady Impa," Daniel said rising to his feet.

Impa skidded to a halt just in front of them and tucked something behind her back. She eyed the Hylian suspiciously.

"Hi," was all she said before turning to her older brother. "Vugu, now you have to train with me, look!"

From behind her back she revealed a lantern box with the most unhappy looking Keese trapped inside.

Vurugu threw his head back and laughed. He put both hands on his little sister's small shoulders. "Well done Imp. Tomorrow I won't do anything except train with you."

Impa started wiggling her tiny butt out of excitement.

"Was it hard to catch it without hurting it?" Daniel asked from the side.

"Really hard!" Impa said forgetting her suspicion. "I accidentally hurt the first one I tried to capture then all of its friends got real angry and kept biting me." She shoved the glass box forward so Daniel could examine her prize. "I had to go find a whole new cave and catch this one without hurting any of its friends first."

With admiration written all over his face, Daniel turned the case about examining the angry little bat. He marveled at how big the creature's teeth were compared to its small physique.

"So you found a way to capture it peacefully?" he asked with a sly look at Vurugu.

Impa nodded excitedly. "Vugu said it was part of the challenge 'cause it's harder."

"Alright, alright, alright," Vurugu said waving his hands between the two. He took the captured Keese from Daniel and gave it back to Impa. "Head back home, Imp. I'll be there to train with you early in the morning."

"Okay!" Hugging her prisoner Impa turned and started heading for home. She stopped a ways out to turn around and shout, "Momma said not to spend too much time with the weakling!"

"Get outta here!" Vurugu yelled back. Impa stuck her tongue out then fled the rest of the way home.

Daniel chuckled good naturedly. "Sweet girl."

Vurugu said nothing and continued to stare at the path that led to his home and his people. "It's getting late," he finally said, "I should head back."

"Vurugu," Daniel placed his hand on his taller friend's muscular shoulder. "I trust you are as wise as you are powerful. I'm sure you'll make the right decision when it comes to Isa." He smiled genuinely at the greatest warrior the Sheikah had ever seen. "And I will be your friend regardless of your decision."

Vurugu turned to face his friend and placed a hand on his thin bony shoulder. "If only you'd been born a Sheikah, you could issue the change you wish to see."

Red eyes stared into blue eyes, and the blue eyes stared back. Vurugu cherished his friendship that wasn't supposed to exist, but he feared he was about to test its limits.

"Have a good night, Prince Daniel."

"And you, Vurugu Malukha," as Vurugu disappeared into the distance he added, "The Fierce Deity."

The noise of the crowd was palpable. Vurugu counted fifteen entire families that had arrived to see the duel. The Prava family alone consisted of forty bloodthirsty, excited Sheikah, ready to see the half-blood's guts spilled in the dirt.

Vurugu ignored them, focused on his opponent, Isa Leesh. The boy, almost sixteen now, had the most determined look on his face Vurugu had ever seen. Scars from his past eleven months of combat tarnished his pale smooth skin but gave him a feral look. He had incredibly light blue eyes but other than that all of his features spoke of his Sheikah lineage. He had strong shoulder muscles and a toned chest, revealed by his tight royal blue shirt. For a sixteen year old, it was impossible to be in better shape than this lad.

It was unlikely anyone in the crowd thought Isa was nervous but Vurugu could see it. Forty years of experience had taught him otherwise. Isa's jaw was clamped just a little too tight. The boy's grip on his sword was just a little too firm. His legs were still, as though he were pouring extra focus into keeping them from shaking. If Vurugu were anyone else, he might feel pity.

"Get him, Vugu!"

Vurugu glanced at his little sister. She was standing in front of his mother, struggling to pull away from the woman's iron grip. Admiration and awe filled the little girl's orbs. A trained, groomed Keese sat on the girl's shoulder.

Pistel lowered her chin and set her cold eyes on Vurugu's. The warrior turned away.

"It is an honor to finally face you, Achashverosh," the half-breed said. His shaved head was already showing beaded sweat. "It is with no small amount of pride that I defeat you today."

Pride

"I wish that you could," Vurugu said quietly.

Isa raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. With the crowd hissing at him, he advanced towards the demi-god.

Vurugu tightened his grip on his sword.

I'm sorry Daniel.

Author's Note: There will be more chapters, with each one being its own short story about Vurugu, Daniel, and the young Impa. Ideally they will be written so they can be enjoyed as stand-alone works but they WILL all be part of my DISCOURAGED universe. A prequel if you will. Let me know what you guys think! Thank you!