Nintendo created all the characters and places and stuff. I just made the story up. The cover was done by Karda4124 of DeviantART

Part One - The Girl That Saved My Life

They say that the day of romance is a day where you treat that one special person in your life that made you whole by giving them the time of their life and make them feel appreciated in your company. This is my story.

It had not been long, an hour, maybe two at best when I had been found, mortally wounded without a care in creation; the pain has dribbled out of me and my limbs were as heavy as stone; I was getting ready to make my trip to the next world. My eyes had been poisoned red and my thoughts had been narrowed down to basic animalistic nonsense and instinct; I could not speak the human language, I could not understand love and reason, only blood and death; which was constantly on my hands. I didn't care who I killed or why, I just did it and I loved it without regret. Oh, I haven't introduced myself, my name is Link, well, that's a small lie; I go by Dark Link in the hearts and minds of the townsfolk in Hyrule and even to the Hero himself, that name has always been pushed on me but I have a new name now. That however, is something that I shall tell you later.

I knew I was dying, my eyes were slowly beginning to close, though I could not feel the eyelids pass in front of them. Then, I saw someone, a frightened young lady stand before me, shielding the bright light of the setting sun from my face. With my last ounce of strength, I tried to lunge, thoughts filled with rage and blood lust, but the lady just took a step back and let me stain the grass even more; she spoke no words; just stared at me, before kneeling down to put her warm hands onto my cheeks, feeling my face and features; her needle like fingers brushed through my metallic grey hair and dark cloth cap; traced around my blood coloured eyes and thin pointed nose till they reached my lean dark lips. I snapped my jaws, making her recoil but the pain was too much to bear for a moment longer, I let out a wail, holding my chest with both hands and leather gloves. I was sure that this was it. My last breath.

"Do not be afraid, hero. I will aid you." she whispered with a voice like silk. I knew she referred to my heroic self; Link; I looked and sounded just like him, how I wondered, she had mixed us up, but no matter how much I wanted to have her blood, I could not do the deed, I had no strength. I felt her hands slide down my quivering body to the route of the problem; a tusk. The boar tusk had gone through my stomach and was nearly through the other side; I had managed to rip it off the beast, but not much further. I needed sustenance; I wanted the rich taste down my throat. Her hand gripped it tightly but she did not pull it out, instead she took a few breaths and opened up a little satchel on her hip, offering me some yellow potion in a small phial; she found my head again and placed it on her folded knees, tipping the contents down my throat while rubbing my head with her other hand humming a soft lullaby to me. I lost consciousness; drifting into a numb and careless sleep.

I thought I had been as good as dead then, but I opened my eyes again to find the young lady at my bedside. She had saved me, the tusk was completely removed or at least to what I could see. She was holding my grey hand, rubbing the back of it with her thumb, whispering to me, sounding like an echo in a long tunnel by my pointed ears; I turned my head as much as I dared, I was in plaster, the shirt of my tunic gone and replaced with clear white bandaging that was cool on my hot screaming wounds. Her ears flicked in my direction upon the sound of my head turning on the pillows

"How do you feel?" her voice cooed, her head leaning forward.

I know I said I constantly had the thought of bloodlust and death, but something strange had happened, I did not have the strength to claw or snap at the girl, nor did I have the want to do it. I was grateful. I had never had this feeling before in my entire existence; when I got hurt, I would ignore it or heal it myself by taking some healing items from the last medicine man I murdered but never before had someone helped me, they would take one look at me and run away before I tried to take an arm or shoot them down with an arrow. What did this lady want from me? Why could I not kill her like the rest?

Oh yeah, I was tied to the wall.

My free arm, my left, which was also my sword arm, was attached to the side of the wall, it was able to move around freely but in the same breath, would not let me move it far; it was made of rope and tied into a series of knots that would take days to even cut through, either they knew I was dangerous, or were not taking any chances with me rolling in my sleep. I was too tired to care at the time.

I managed a groan that consisted of the only words I knew; "Water…food…shelter…must…" I grimaced in pain after that, each word was like a dagger had gone through my throat.

"Ah, you're starting to come back around." she sighed, bringing her hand over my chest to feel my heart pumping "You scared me; you've been sleeping for days."

Unable to say anything more in response, I repeated myself.

"Shh, shh, shh, shh." she said, placing a finger on my lips "It's okay, you're in a warm sheltered place with plenty of food and water."

I dropped back to sleep before she could offer me some. I was exhausted.

It was a whole day and night before I opened my eyes again to find her still sitting there, though she had gone to sleep with her hands looped around mine, the niggling feeling in my head demanded that I slaughter this easy prey but when I tried to lift my hand to her, I-I couldn't. I couldn't touch her. What had happened to me? I tried to sit myself up and take in my surroundings, a silvery grey mare with a dark stripe running across her night black eyes stared at me, her blond tail swatting away the flies that hung around her; she was a beauty; worth taking when I had the strength; so that meant I was in a barn of some sort, figures, she probably wouldn't want me in her home, stealing her money, taking her possessions and the rest. But the more I thought about it, the more I started to wonder why. My thoughts gradually deepened beyond my comprehension; what was I doing? Why was I taking all these lives for something that was senseless? Was this why I was hated so much? Was this why I looked like the Hero?

I winced a little as my stomach growled and brought my hands over it, I dare not think what it was like underneath the bandages, but recognised the pain, I was hungry. Again, I looked at the girl and raised my arm to strike her sleeping body but gasped; my skin! My skin was no longer grey, it was starting to pale in patches all across the back of my hand and arm; it was a few shades darker than the Hero's but, it was no longer grey! What was happening?!

"Good morning." the girl yawned, leaning up from her place among the hay bales with me.

I cocked my head to the side and tried to repeat her words, with little success.

She laughed "How do you feel? You've been sleeping a lot, you must be starved. I changed your bandages last night, you're healing very quickly."

I smiled, not a cruel smile that was the last thing many people saw, but a kind one that was displayed before laughter was floating in the air and tried again "G-Good morn-ning."

I took another look at the girl; she was stunning, her dress was a little dirty from lying in the hay, but her long dark hair was tied up in three plaits on her head showing her thin pink lips but her eyes were glassy and blue; I cupped my mouth, this girl had confused me with the Hero because she couldn't see me! She was blind and was helping someone who could tear her heart out in one swipe without fear. A few hairs on my head darkened in colour just in front of my eyes, transforming black like tar as she offered me some water. I held the flask myself, pouring the cool liquid down my throat with a series of squeaks and whines as my throat was like a desert.

"My brother tied you up when I brought you here." the girl sighed when I handed the flask back "He said you were evil, but if you were, you would have attacked me."

I looked away for a moment; I had to admit, I had thought about it constantly while staring at the oil lamp on the ceiling. What was happening to me?

"You're pretty quiet." she said bringing her hands to my chin "Are you shy?"

Not really but I was getting nervous, my head kept shouting and roaring to attack and drink her blood like I had done with so many other men and women; but my expression never changed from the unsure smile with closed red eyes. I opened them to gaze into her blinded ones, how unfortunate for her, not being able to see what a monster she was so kindly helping, but even more unfortunate for me as I didn't have the strength or the right mindedness to do as I had learned. Unable to say anything to make conversation, I found my fingers working on the many knots that tied my arm up to the wall; grunting and clicking my tongue. The lady put her hand on mine; smiling hopefully in my direction but not really looking at me.

"My name is Ciela. I forgot to tell you." the lady whispered bringing my hands down to my sides before trying to work on the knots herself, I rolled my eyes, her fingers could not work out which bit of rope worked out where and it showed. She eventually gave up in a groan of frustration and sat back down by my side as someone walked in.

"Ciela, get away from that man!" a male voice shouted over the whinny of a horse; I sat up further and held the sheets with my free hand, now without Ciela holding it; she stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, her dress lifting up slightly to show a pair of brown flat shoes. The man that slid down the side of a speckled white horse with brown patches wore thick leathers on his knees, elbows and stomach, not to mention the string guards on his fingers on his right hand, though I could not see a bow from the angle I lay at. He had thick red hair that was cut short and dark blue eyes that were like little lasers and a rusty coloured tunic that had seen better days, it was worn thin in some areas.

He pushed Ciela away so that she nearly fell over into the half full water trough that was at the side, she sighed and brushed a few curls from her face. I made no move to try and stop him, but something echoed in my brain, no longer did I want Ciela, I wanted this man's blood, but the reason was unknown to me, I couldn't work it out; my face remained still but the smile had disappeared. My red eyes blinked softly and my eyebrows rose in question

"What spell have you put on my sister, you wretch!" the man shouted pointing a finger at my nose; he did not know spells and magic as well as I did, I had killed an army's worth of people with the sparkles and illusions.

"Leave him alone, Neri!" Ciela roared throwing her arms out into the air to feel for part of her brother to pull him back without much luck "He's just woken up!"

I seethe under my breath; Neri backs off slightly, holding his sister's shoulders as if he were putting a coat on her. I tilt my head just slightly, my eyes glinting off the oil lamp. Neri stares at me in complete silence for a few moments; I smile.

"Fine." he mutters blinking hard; I shut my eyes and sit upright. "But I'm watching you; Ciela, come inside."

"But-!" she complained, I heard the barn door swing on its hinges.

"Now!" Neri barked.

Ciela looked in my direction for a moment and lowered her head "Sorry. I'll be back later."

I lifted my hand to stop her but I heard the door slam against the door frame and flopped down.

I lay back on the pillows for a little while, constantly looking at my hands and feeling my head for changes in colour but nothing more happened other than a few more hairs turning from grey to black. I tried to pull the knot out again but no matter how I tried, I couldn't; they were too tight even for my fingers to weasel through. I growled in defeat and folded my arms over my chest like a child being told no.

I must have dozed off then, because the next thing I know, I'm hearing Ciela's voice and a clatter of crockery on a tray.

I stretch up and open my eyes to slits to watch her come through in a pale yellow dress with white flower petals decorating it, her hair was tied up, being held up by two white sticks that looked like wings sticking out from the back of her head. She looked even more beautiful and I had no idea why I was thinking this.

She offered me some cooled soup so not to be harsh on my stomach, I drunk it down without hesitation, I was thankful for the food, completely starved with waiting so long for it. After giving the cleaned bowl back, I let out a sigh, I had never had soup before; I barely cooked any meals, I had an iron stomach, being able to eat almost everything raw. Was the tusk going through my stomach changing that?

"You've barely said a word to me since you woke." Ciela sighed "Can you hear me well?"

It wasn't the fact I couldn't hear her. "Yes." I said, covering my mouth, I spoke. I spoke a word. I was making conversation! More grey skin dissolved away.

"You sound unsure." Ciela giggled reaching a hand out and gently touched the bridge of my nose; her fingers met my fringe and tangled with the hair. "You've got so many tats!" she tutted and began to weave her hands gently through my hair to pull the tats and knots out. It was soothing on my scalp, some of those knots had been there years and it was nice to be able to run my hand through without meeting one.

"Thanks." I whispered replacing my cap, my eyes wide from another word escaping my lips.

"No problem. How did you get hurt anyway? You were in a real bad way." Ciela asked taking my cap off my head and slipping it over her own.

"Hey! You don't want to ruin your hair!" I smirked snatching it back; Ciela turned the same red as my eyes; my jaw dropped, I was making conversation, I had such a...gentle voice for someone like myself.

"You think I would ruin my hair? You're the one that needs it brushed!" she giggled snapping her fingers in remark,

I laughed into my hand, she was a quick thinker. "I don't suppose you could ask your brother to undo the rope?"

"I've tried, but he won't listen to me; so I'll do it myself." Ciela sighed taking the white stick out from her hair to reveal they had a small pen blade on the end of them. I was pleasantly surprised that she managed that without cutting herself. She found my tied arm and began to saw through the rope on my wrist, so slowly and carefully so that when the rope fell, the blade would not taste blood. I glanced over at the other stick in the hay; it was practically begging me to stab her. But I turned my head away and watched Ciela work.

It appeared I was still very much…myself.