Nightmares of Mine
Written by: TheReturningDemise
Prologue
The moon had risen highly above the horizon, as thin as a needle with its crescent shape. It gave no light to the sky, and only made the rest of the night look darker. People often cowered in fear, clinging to the comfort of their homes, praying that within their sleep they would find sanctum from the monsters beyond their village.
For years, this place had been haunted by monsters, plaguing and attacking the innocent townspeople every single night. Sometimes, they would be lucky, and the monsters would slay very few of them. Other times, they would never know the fate of their kin as far more powerful creatures dragged them off into the shadows of the trees.
No guard had ever been posted in the village of the Kokiri from Hyrule. Was it because they weren't important enough? Perhaps, but it was more that no one felt the Kokiri needed protecting.
But they were wrong. Unlike other races, that were not bound by their homeland, the Kokiri could not leave their forest. If they did, they would die. It used to be that their caretaker, the Great Deku Tree, would rid the forest of monsters by keeping a strong enchantment on the Lost Woods.
However now, since the passing of the Great Deku Tree, there was no way for them to be protected. Due to the fact no one in their village knew how to fight, they suffered greatly from the creatures that sought to end their lives.
No one drove the monsters off when they left. They left when they were satisfied. So few of the Kokiri remained, some even dared to try leaving the forest. Not another Kokiri villager had ever heard of them again.
So many names passed through her mind as Saria thought of them, the ones who had died trying to protect their home. Alice, who had fallen to the blade of a Lizalfos. Solas, who had been slaughtered viciously by a pack of demonic dogs, a hybrid of a Re-dead and Like-Like called Lasters.
Saria stared into the small stream running through the center of their village. Once clear as crystal, it now ran with poison, thirst a cause for more slow deaths.
Though she could still see her reflection. She saw herself, with a bruised face and scars running all over her body. Tears ran down as she remembered one of the most horrible losses of the Kokiri.
"Mido..." She murmured, curling up beside the water, wishing she could touch it, hoping that somehow it would turn back to normal.
Mido had not died in front of her. He had been dragged off by a strange man in a strange outfit, into the shadows of the Lost Woods. She had prayed that the man had died in that place, that Mido would escape.
Every pilgrimage to the Forest Temple she made, she could not find him. Until at last, she found something that made her know his fate. A simple, sodden shape on the ground.
It had been Mido. He was barely alive, and she knew she could not save him by the looks of his grievous wounds. He was missing most of his appendages, except his left arm, of which clunched in his fist was a note.
In a final, rasping breath, he had told her only four words. "Run away... s-save... them..." Saria had held him against her for a very long time, she wasn't certain how long.
Tears had fallen from his face, as the light faded from his eyes. Within the note he had held was the same words he had spoken. This was not an event that was from long ago. It was recent, only but days ago.
Every night since then, the monster attacks got worse and worse. Only few remained, most of which were children.
Closing her eyes, she let out a long sigh. "I'm done with hiding," She said in a broken, cracked voice. Shaking her head, she stormed off and pushed aside the curtains of what was once Link's house.
Safe within it were three children and two other women. "Saria!" Said Meg, the oldest of the bunch. "What are you doing here? Is everything ok?"
She nodded. "Everything is fine... I was just thinking..." She closed her eyes. "What if we were to leave the forest? All of us, together? If we die, we die as friends, together, and no longer alone. If we live... it could be a new start..."
Meg had her finger to her chin, turning to look at Lucy, a brunette with silver eyes. She was one of the quietest people in the village, who rarely spoke out during conversations without being called upon. "What do you think, Lucy?"
Lucy looked up, trembling shyly a bit. "We... well, I don't think it's a very good idea... if we all die, the Kokiri will be gone..."
Saria waved her hand. "If we continue to stay here, we will most certainly be gone! We need to make a stand if we don't leave. But how can we? We don't even have weapons! Only shields, and those can only do so much! We have to leave."
Lucy nodded, cuddling with one of the youngest children, Almi, daughter of Solas and Katelin, both of which were dead. The other two, Henbrick and Maria, were sleeping soundly beside Meg.
Saria sighed nervously, hoping that the gods would be merciful on their escape.
She grabbed Meg by the hand and pulled her to her feet. "Everyone wake up," She shouted, "We have to get out of here now! The monsters will be coming at any moment! If we stay, we all die!"
The children were forcefully roused by Lucy, who was oddly rough with them, but comforting them with soft words.
By the second hour of their escape from the forest, Henbrick was complaining constantly about being tired, hungry, or thirsty. By the third hour, she was about to smack him hard across the face, until Lucy finally managed to shush him and explained why they couldn't stop.
Saria knew it was no short route out of the forest, but it would be the safest. If they went the short way, the monsters would be expecting them without a doubt.
I hope I'm not wrong, She thought to herself, leaves cracking underfoot in the pitch black dark. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she jumped at every crackle of a twig, and each time Meg said, "Sorry, my bad."
I really, really hope we can get out of here. One of the children cried out, making her heart nearly leap out of her chest. "What's wrong?!" She demanded, turning around.
She saw nothing wrong with the child. "Well? Almi, what is it?" Almi gulped, pointing up.
She froze, slowly turning around and looking in that direction. A gigantic, ominous eye blinked at them, multiple spindly legs twitching.
Meg spoke for her. "Of all the damn things! It had to be spiders?! Is destiny on drugs or something?" Her face was red, and she moved back a step.
Saria stared at it. It was several feet away, but clearly visible. Maybe... if we all make a run for it... it won't catch us... agh! She shouted in her mind, It has eight legs! It isn't like two is going to help us in this case, and we're lugging behind children...
She didn't realize it, but she was gripping Maria's hand hard enough to make her whimper. "Ow..." Maria whispered, and she lessened her hold, apologizing quietly.
"Meg." She whispered. "Any ideas...?" Meg shook her head, hugging a tree in terror.
Lucy stepped forward. "I do..." She muttered, "When I say run, you run... got it?" They all hesitated, but nodded moments later.
Lucy seemed very tensed up, as if she was nervous to do... whatever she was going to do. Get on with it, Saria thought impatiently, terrified of the spider which had slowly began to climb down.
Lucy darted forward under and between the trees, diverting the spiders attention to herself. "NOW! RUN!" She shouted, fleeing as fast as she could, the gigantic, faint shape racing after her.
It was only seconds before she lost sight of them both. Meg shoved her. "Run, fool!" She growled, and they all began to do so. At times they would have to pull the children with them, ensuring all three of them kept up.
Henbrick's eyes were wide with fear, his pupil as big as the full moon at this point. Almi was crying, terrified of what was to come to pass, and Maria was trying to comfort her. There was no sign of Lucy.
It was at least an hour that they ran through the forest, the end nearing their sights. They had taken few breaks inbetween, all of which interrupted by the sound of things following them.
Almi collapsed, crying dryly, for her tears had stopped hours ago. Maria tugged at her arm, trying to convince her to keep running. Almi shook her head.
Saria sighed. "We can make camp here... but at the slightest sign of someone going to kill us we either run, or if we can... fight back..." There wasn't much to make camp with, she realized. By now she had expected to already be out of the forest and in the great fields of Hyrule.
Using some of the foliage and moss around them, they created makeshift shelters and beds for each of them, keeping close together for warmth.
The children, all except for Almi, had drifted into sleep with ease. Almi was curled up, trembling, her breath visible on the midnights colder winds. "Brr..." She closed her eyes tightly, a single tear forming in her left eye.
Saria slowly wrapped her arm around Almi, in a warm hearted embrace. Almi looked up, smiling lazily at her. "Do you think... Lucy... is gunna be okay...?" The innocent fears in her voice pervaded her newly found peace of mind, a shudder going through her. She was not sure how long it had been since they had made camp, but the question had scarcely come across her mind, even though it was so recent.
Knowing the truth but wishing to keep the child happy for a while longer, she nodded with false pride expressed on her face. "Of course... I believe in Lucy, she knows what she's doing." She does not, a voice in her mind contradicted her words.
Almi was not satisfied with the answer, but would question no further into the matter. Winds swept across the grass, bringing a strange wave of warmth and comfort to them both. Before she knew it, she was sleeping.
PART 2 OF PROLOGUE
He held in his hands the jewel of the Kokiri. Two to go, He thought to himself, his voice deep and powerful, even in his mind. Looking up, he smiled at the darkened sky. "You hear that, Nayru? You hear me, Din?! I am coming for your shards next!" He howled into the sky, laughing happily at this small victory.
One of his servants, a tall looking girl with a dark cloak smiled at him. "Yes, the Kokiri were rather simple to exterminate... though if I recall, there were still a few at the village, yes? Our scouts report... they've gone missing. We have no such corpses to label."
He paused. His hair was wild and long, appearing like a flame as it draped majestically down his back. It was silken, a purplish black in color. His eyes were amber, and seemed to burn like a flame in these words.
"...Missing? Did I not say... to kill each of them? If we do not kill them all by the break of the new moon, the stone will remain alive!" He reached out his hand, heavily smacking his apprentice.
The girl cried out, landing harshly on the ground. "Gah!" She gasped, a red mark hot on her face. She dared not cry, and showed no emotion as she stood up, bowing. "Any more orders for me, sir?" She whispered coldly, making it hard to tell if she was excited for new orders or reluctant to follow them.
I shall correct such behaviors, he chuckled silently, petting her hair underneath her cloak. "Yes, dear... find them... and end their miserable lives... if you fail me..." A blade flickered in his hand. She gasped, cowaring at its sight, her emotionless mask breaking.
He laughed, relishing in her anguish. She nodded. "I will NEVER stop hunting them! I will follow them to the ends of the earth I promise this! I will not return until-" He cut her off, clamping her mouth shut.
He shook his head slowly. "Oh no." She widened her eyes. "You will return at the new moon to report... failure, or success... if you do not return, I will find you, and your punishment will be far more severe than torture this time..."
She stepped back, and she anxiously waited for his next words. He pointed violently away from their basecamp, his eyes narrowed. Terror filled her, and she scrambled off in that direction.
He giggled, loving how he sent her off in the most dangerous direction. "To be my apprentice," He muttered to himself, "You must overcome the terrors of the night... I do care... but I will not allow weakness! If you are weak, you get tortured... if you are strong you are praised!"
She rode upon a horse, her black cloak flowing behind her. The hoofbeats of the great, grey Thericorn matched the pounding of her heart. Should she fail, torture until death was certain. Should she succeed... she felt warm at the thoughts, but nervous at the doubt.
Hateful of it, even. She stroked the horn upon the Thericorn's head, feeling the black barbs of it halfheartedly. It let out a screechlike whinnie, and she whispered quietly. "Find the Kokirans... find them... find them..."
It reared back suddenly, causing her to gasp. It then raced off, faster than ever, the trees a blurr as it flew through the shadows. It raced across rivers, through the densest terrains of the forest. Even the lost woods was lost to her, flying past them like it were nothing.
Branches began to claw her face, blood dripping from her cheek. She wiped it off, holding fast to the reigns of the magical Thericorn. Sparks began to fly from its hooves, and before she knew it, she was behind a very interesting group of children.
She focused her sights on the strangest of them; a girl with green hair, pale skin, and even more interestingly... a powerful aura, like nothing she had ever seen.
A hunger grew inside her, but she sated herself. She would not soil this mission with foolishness. Waving her blade beside her, a long black blade said to have been owned by an ancient Demonic King of old, found in the deepest darkest crypts, she leapt off her horse.
It dipped its head, and turned into a pure shadow, reuniting with her. She smiled, walking towards the children, staying hidden amongst the trees.
The first thing she noticed is they were definately not Hylian. They were Kokiran, as their tones showed they were adult. The even shorter ones must be the children, she realized, holding a finger to her lip as they stumbled about.
She had to be cautious. She didn't know which of them at arms... she had to scout around them, as she had been taught. As she did so, she realized that they were not far from another one of their kin.
Clinging to a branch above her, trembling in terror, was a Kokiri, but unlike any she had seen. This Kokiri had brown hair, with grey eyes. Very rare traits in that race, as far as she had studied. "You!" The girl gasped.
"Is it gone?!" She said urjently, clinging harshly to the branch, so much so that her hands seemed to be bleeding.
She looked around, seeing nothing dangerous in particular. It was about to become dawn. Three days remaining until the new moon, until it was time for her to slaughter her foes.
"I see nothing of danger, come down!" She hollared. The Kokiri sighed in relief, leaping down and holding out her hand. She didn't seem to be injured, merely skiddish and frightened.
The apprentice stared at the Kokiri's hand for a long moment. "What are you doing?" She hissed, confused at the interaction. The Kokiri recoiled, staring at her in surprise.
"Uhm... I was just... trying to say hello... where I come from people shake hands when they introduce one another..." The Kokiri lowered her hand, very embarassed, even red faced.
What a shy brat, she thought to herself. "You may call me-" She paused, realizing she cannot make this person call herself master. Her pause was a bit too long, and the Kokiri seemed amused.
"Hello, miss -. How are you doing today?" She laughed softly, but then became frightened of the grim expression on the girls face. "My name is uhm..." She looked about nervously. "Lucy."
She raised her eyebrow. "My name is... Lye." She said quickly, finally having come up with a name for herself, as she didn't really have one. She was just called apprentice all the time.
Another reason you should betray that monster you call a master... her sword glowed. He brings you nothing but misery and pain! At least you could make a decent life out of what a Hylian could bring you. Marry, be happy. Stop this provincial madness you call servitude, you are merely a good person being forced to do bad things. Why waste away such potential?
She tried to fight these thoughts, but they kept coming. After a few moments of spacing out, Lucy flicked her fingers in front of her face. "Lye...? Are you ok?"
The image of a strange, pale man with white hair draping over one side of his face came to her mind. He seemed to be material for a moment, standing near her. "Stop being so pathetic and join with me instead of that fool you call a master! He is nothing but a dog!"
Anger filled her. "Take that back fool!" She shouted, but he was already gone. Lucy was staring at her, wide eyed.
She shrank back, crying a little. "I... I'm sorry," She whimpered, "I didn't mean to anger you... please, I... I'm sorry..."
Regret filled her. "Oh dear thing I... I wasn't... I was thinking too much and my own thoughts... I was thinking of something that someone else said and yelled at that, not you..."
Lucy wiped a tear away, and Lye gently helped her to her feet. "Your friends aren't far, if you run, you can catch them in that direction..."
Something kept her from killing them that day. For now, she decided to stalk them. She would kill later... it was best to savor prey than waste it blindly. Or is it something else?~ Oh dear girl! You are so manipulated, you don't even know your own name? I feel so sorry for you, I could just... but it fills my heart with rainbows that he hasn't gotten rid of your soul completely my dear!
Lucy had said goodbye, smiling at her happily as if she had made an ally. "Bye, friend! See ya later! Ok? We'll be at Hyrule Castle Town, or Kokiri Village!"
Panick filled her. "Wouldn't you rather be at a more remote, less known place?" She called after, "So much safer, uh... friend!" The word was new to her, and tasted odd on her tongue... a taste she rather... admired.
Chuckles filled her mind, breaking out into mad laughter. She stared at the sword, trying to unsummon it, but it wouldn't go away and glowed red every time she tried. You don't even have any friends to adore!
You throw them all away!
You're a disgrace to your kin!
You pretend to be something so special...
So... special...
She was storming through the forest at this point, tears brimming around her eyes. She tried denying these words, but she knew they were true.
If you leave him... think of the joy!
If he never finds you... think of the thrill!
If you join me... you can be you, finally, without these... lies!
Be free for once you idiot... my master died from denying such simple truths...
TRUST... ME...
NOW...
She fell to the ground, curling up as the same three words burned into her mind. The sword finally disappeared, and she was left alone to cry to herself.