Okay... So... Haaa, I haven't written a fanfic to be posted online in years. I just finished high school, I just turned 18, my friends haven't left for college yet... And I was a lot more immature and a much worse writer back then. Which is why the original first chapter of this has been removed and re-written. Details are important to set the mood. So, before you read this, quick notes.
This story is only going to be a few chapters long. Detailing the life of a guard, starting the night Ganondorf took over and ending later in the future when Link starts getting stuff done.
~CeledeenChapter 1: Coup D'etat
Hyrule Castle loomed over the town that lay at its feet. It showed power and strength, and its beauty made it a sight to behold. Hyrule was respectively peaceful. The king and his daughter lived protectively in the castle with guards at every end, protecting those that in the end, protect everyone else. The time when the sun shined bright, Hyrule Castle Town was a bustling town. People danced in the streets and dogs ran loose, happily and freely.
Which is why this was so unbelievable.
The sun rose and lit up the ground that had been blessed to us and provided the people with warmth. People gathered around town, talking and gossiping around the fountain like every day. Some played music and burst out dancing while children played with dogs or jacks to pass the time. Everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves, as if nothing could go wrong.
And though no one saw it coming, it was because they were ignorant of the princess who believed her dreams, her nightmares, were more then they seemed. Some guards at the castle have overheard and the talk spread. Most of the guards knew that she was seeing what she had called visions, fearing that their close ally, the king of Gerudo, was not to be trusted. Only her keeper, a Sheikah named Impa, had believed her. She believed this 'vision' of hers and stood up for the princess every time she heard a guard talking.
So when cries of panic and fire grew from the castle, there was one thing on everyone's mind.
Was the princess right?
It was too late for that now. Whether or not Ganondorf of the Gerudo had betrayed them was an after thought. The first thing on everyone's mind was to see what was going on and resolve the issue.
Of course, the princess' dream never mentioned skeleton monsters that came out of the castle. How did they get in the castle, behind the line of guards? And who brought them there? Was it truly the Gerudo? How did they have control of such beasts?
The guards knew Impa would protect the princess at all costs. That was her job, that's what was important to her.
To the guards? We had to protect Hyrule and follow the king's wishes, even after his death.
The guards on the outer side of the town helped evacuate, not exactly sure what was going on. The closer you got to the castle, the more fighting you saw. Guards and Skeletal monsters clashed around the screams and roaring fire. How were these creatures armed with weapons? Despite the best efforts from the most skilled knights, the monsters seem to reform and gather up their bones. Piecing themselves together, they'd stand, armed and ready, and start fighting again.
It was our jobs as guards to do our best to keep everyone safe. So adrenaline pumped harder than ever whenever one of us saw civilians under attack or trying to escape from the heat of flames. I saw guards break away from fighting to help them escape, which the skeleton monsters took as an advantage. It was sickening to see how many bodies littered the ground, but most of us were too distracted to notice.
I swung my sword, fighting with everything I had. The helmet caused it near impossible to wipe sweat from my eyes. Especially during battle, unless I enjoyed not living. I landed a few more hits before I smashed my blade into the monster's ribcage and it crumbled into a pile for the third time. I lifted my helmet and wiped the sweat away, noticing the fire had spread more to this part of town. I kicked at the bones, scattering them which meant a moment for me to get away before it gathered again. My boot hit it's armor and my foot cried out in pain, which I hadn't noticed since my whole body ached for me to stop. It was then I heard a sound pierce through the night and looked for the source.
I saw a child, crying in the streets near a pile of rubble and a bit of fire. The stone building must have had wooden supports, causing it to collapse. The tell tale signs of dust means it was recent, I was too distracted on not getting myself killed to notice. Jumping over the pile of bones, I dashed to the child as fast as I could. Coated in sweat all over again from fires raging nearby, I wiped it off where I could, placing my helmet on my head. I ran to the crying child, knowing their safety was important.
If the king were still with us, he'd want me to do this. To save the life of this child.
I ran up and kneeled down, out of breath. I quickly checked him over. He could be worse, a few burns and cuts. The worse seemed to be his ankle, which looks like he just wedged out from under a big boulder. "Don't worry, you're fine." I tried to pick up the small boy, but he refused to move.
"M-my mom... And d-dad..." Tears ran down his face as he stared at the rubble. My stomach sank as what I had hoped proved to be false. This kid was all alone, but that didn't matter. I scooped him up into my arms and stood, realizing that I had less energy than I thought. "N-NO! PUT ME DOWN!" He wriggled, trying to get free.
"LISTEN! This is no time to kid around! If you want to prove anything to anyone right now, prove you can be a man! Sitting here and crying is only going to get you hurt!" The boy seemed to realize that it wasn't the right time to disagree with me, but he still didn't seem to like my plan. I didn't care and turned to get this child safely headed for Kakariko.
I turned around, heading south down the torn street to where I knew the gate was, only then to become face-to-face with the skeleton I was battling before. With the child in my hands, I could not fight, and he didn't seem to want to let us go. But I wasn't going to give up! As a soldier of Hyrule castle, it was my job to protect the citizens, but the kid was in no condition to run on his own.
That's when it happened. Another soldier ran up and swung at the skeleton. Sword hit shield and they swung at each other and were drawn into a stalemate. Then I realized the soldier was my captain.
"CAPTAIN!"
"Go!" He yelled. He kept in the stalemate as long as he could. "Quickly! I can't hold him off like this for long!"
"Y-yes sir!" I turned and ran, ducking under partially fallen debris and broken buildings, the crying boy still in my arms. As I was running, I heard the piercing scream of my captain. I winced and stumbled over rocks but regained my balance and kept running. "Thank you, sir."
For the first time that day, I got lucky. I woke up late, and was assigned with another guard I didn't like that much. Small, pointless details at this point that didn't measure up to what followed, but I finally gotten lucky when it mattered. There were no more monsters on the way to the gate entrance. It seems they were more interested in the castle than the town. That was good, more people could have ran to safety without being stopped.
I kneeled down, nearly collapsing, and let the kid out of my arms carefully. He hopped out and stood, leaning on his good leg. "Go." I said, catching my breath. "To the... On your left..." I was trying to quickly think of the fastest and easiest directions to Kakariko. "Follow the river... Go to the bridge..." My thoughts were jumbled and my vision wasn't the clearest... I hadn't realized how exhausted I had been until that point. "A bridge... Cross it... Up the mountain... just a bit...Ka...Kakariko Village... You'll be safe..."
I stopped talking to catch my breath. I had ran far, carrying a child, running as fast as I could and with no energy and armor on after fighting for... a few hours at least. The sun was up when all this started and it was currently sunset, no one was stationed to raise the bridge anymore. I held a hand to my heart and could swear I could feel it through my armor with how fast and hard it was beating.
I looked up and found the small boy had stopped crying, but hadn't left yet. "Go! Now, before it gets dark!" My panting had slowed a bit but my voice still showed I was exhausted. My headache grew and I motioned to stand only to find I had hardly moved.
"Come with me." The boy said. To save my breath, I shook my head no. "Please! What if I get lost?"
"I gave you directions! You'll be fine!" The boy still stood there as I finally got up and stood. It took energy but after I was standing, I knew I could move. "Like I said, be a man!" I took a deep breath and pulled out my sword again. "Go! You'll be safe there!" I turned and looked back at the burning town that was presented before me.
"You'll die! Please! Come with me!" The child grabbed my arm and pulled, trying to drag me with him. In an instant, I winced and grabbed my arm. The boy reached up and touched it, instantly pulling back. "See! You're bleeding!"
I looked at my arm, pulling my hand away to try and see the damage. It was a fairly deep wound, but I hadn't noticed until that moment. I winced, my mind finally able to recognize it and register the pain. Did I get it in battle? Or while I was running? Adrenaline was pumping through me, I hadn't even felt it til now. It was the only part of my arm exposed from armor to allow me to move. I would have to get it looked at to be able to tell what caused it. I looked back down at the kid and shook my head. "No, now go on already!"
"PLEASE!" He said, sniffling. He grabbed my arm again, and I realized how small he was, to only reach up just passed my hip.
"NO!" I pulled my arm away from him and took a few steps away. I raised my sword towards the field outside of the town gate. "GO! Now!" I spun around and took a few steps toward the town, and only then did I realized I had a slight limp. I had to have looked pathetic as I reached toward my arm.
"Please..." I heard the kid, probably crying again and in a pleading voice. "Please..." I turned and looked at the kid. I could go back and fight til I die with honor, or I could take this child to Kakariko. "If you don't, I'll just follow you til you do!"
This child was foolish. Utterly foolish and stubborn, if he wished to follow a guard that was walking towards certain death, but what did he have to lose at this point? I couldn't risk him getting hurt, he lost everyone tonight. I had been the only one he knew, even if I hadn't really done anything, he was alone. I sighed in defeat and turned, heading out the gate and to Kakariko. I sheathed my sword and waved my gloved hand.
"Come on." I said, not turning around. "We have to make it... Before sundown..." The child followed me, to my side and slightly trailing. All I could think of is where those skeleton monsters came from and if the princess was alright. It was already certain that everyone in the castle was dead. Including the king...
My limp had only gotten worse as I walked, and the kid had grabbed my hand in some effort to help me to keep going. I only panted and grabbed my arm to stop the bleeding. As the adrenaline wore off, the pain sunk in and I knew I wouldn't last. Not long after we left, we heard a horse running along the field, if only briefly. It had gotten too dark to see details, but you could just make it out, retreating from the town. All I could do was hopefully wish Impa had just escaped with the princess.
The sound of another horse quickly followed and I felt my heart drop. How hopeful could I be at this point?
