So... yeah. Honestly, this chapter sucks. I was really happy about the way it starts but the ending kinda kills me. I'm really, genuinely disappointed with this chapter.

Lots of angst ahead and I don't know if I did an even half-okay job at writing it since I kinda suck at writing angst... ugh.

Chapter 3: Monster

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" His mother asked for the fifth time that morning. Link had been up earlier than usual to leave for the village square. He offered the woman a shaky half smile,

"I'm fine. It was just a little fever." He lied. Truthfully, he felt worse now than he had before. Despite the fact that it was cloudy and much cooler, his entire body felt as if it was on fire and any sudden movements made his head ache. His mother pressed her lips into a thin line as she set a bowl of warm porridge in front of him. Even the nearly scentless, bland meal made his stomach roll at the mere thought of eating it.

Fortunately, she excused herself briefly to fetch something from her room and Link used the opportunity to transfer his helping back into the pot that it had been taken from.

When she returned, link made a show of removing the empty spoon from his mouth and taking the now empty bowl to the basin of water used for washing the dishes. She smiled approvingly at his appetite and offered him a second helping, which he adamantly declined. Seeing as he would not change his mind, she produced a brown bundle of cloth. Unfolding it revealed that it was her own worn hooded cape.

"It may rain today. You must take care not to catch cold." She warned, draping the warm fabric over her son's shoulders.

Link chuckled appreciatively at her antics. Once she had fixed it in place by the plain clasp at the front, she handed the boy both baskets of vegetables.

"I'm sorry you have to go to all this trouble. I really do wish we could just sell the blasted things ourselves." She apologized.

Link placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's fine, I understand why. Maybe it's not fair, but it's the way things are. Besides, it's good for me to get out and about once in a while." He said with a weak smile.

Without hesitation, his mother pulled him into a tight hug, "You're a good boy Link. Someday… maybe someday things will get better for us." Startled, it was all Link could do to set down the baskets and return her embrace. After all, it had been a long time since he had heard her sound so optimistic.

A few moments later, he pulled away and gathered up their harvest. "I'll be back soon." He promised.

She smiled in return, her tired eyes seeming to light up, just a bit. "I'll see you then." She said. She placed a small kiss on his forehead and sent him on his way.

He had no way of knowing that it would be the last time he saw her smile.

…

The road from their home to the village square could hardly be called a long walk. The village itself was fairly small and, although Link and his mother lived on the very edge, it took no more than an hour or and an hour and a half at most to reach his destination.

Every two months, the village would gather for market day, to sell what they had or buy what they didn't. The people would set up their make-shift stalls all day to sell meat, oil, produce, cotton, or anything else they could supply.

For this reason, every market day, Link or his mother would set out early in the morning to sell the produce from their garden to the man who owned the produce stall. He was a stingy man who would never pay much for the fruits of their labor, but it was the only way they found they could sell their crops, as no one wanted to buy from outsiders like Link and his mother.

Link sighed, exasperated at the thought. Although it had been almost seventeen years, everyone knew that Link's widowed mother had stumbled upon their small civilization completely by chance. The woman had appeared out of the forest one day on horse back, heavily injured and obviously pregnant. She had passed out soon afterward and the village shaman at the time, and elderly man, had nursed her back to health. When she finally woke up, she told him of the demons that had attacked her and her husband who had been struck down defending her. They had chased her all the way through the Lost Woods before she made it to the secluded little village. Upon hearing her tale, the old man kindly invited her to stay in his house, the very one where they still lived after the man's death. It had only been because of his generosity, that the village had not demanded that she leave after her son had been born with the mark of the triforce. Nevertheless, it was nearly impossible to convince anyone to trade with them, making their only option to depend on the lazy vegetable farmer, who was all too eager to buy their produce for cheap.

…

Link's entire body ached by the time he reached the market. It was still early enough that most people were just now rising, except for the other vendors, who were busily setting up their stalls. Link approached the produce stall where he was forced to wait for another fifteen minutes for the owner to make his appearance.

When at last he showed, he grimaced at the sight of the scrawny blonde boy waiting for him, but then turned his eyes to the fresh vegetables that he carried. "The blazes yeh think y'er doin' 'ere this early, boy?" He drawled.

Link rolled his eyes at the man, "Well, if you're not interested in what I have, then I'll be on my way." He threatened. They went through this routine every time. The man would scowl and curse at the boy but ultimately buy his entire load for a good deal less than what they were worth.

"Y'er awful snippy today." The man replied before removing his wallet from his belt.

Link unloaded the basket's contents into their designated trays while the other man eyed the produce skeptically. "I'll give yeh ten rupees for the lot of'em." He grunted.

Link crossed his arms, "You're a farmer, so you must know how much work it takes to produce this much, I won't take less than thirty rupees." He said stubbornly.

The man grit his teeth, "I'll give yeh fifteen. More then the sorry bunch is worth." He insisted gruffly, but Link stood his ground and demanded no less than twenty-five rupees. As it happened, they eventually settled on twenty even and were both left feeling cheated. Link shoved the four blue rupees he was handed into his pocket before gathering up the now empty baskets and leaving the vegetable merchant.

By that time, most of the stalls had opened and a few early risers were having the first pick of the day's wares. Link approached a stall selling various kinds of meat for a range of prices. The old butcher's son who was a good ten years older than Link had been placed in charge of the stall and sneered as Link approached, "Get on. I'll have nothing to do with you if I can help it." He barked. Link ignored his comment and produced one of the blue rupees he had recently acquired. "I've got five rupees so I'll take whatever that will buy." He said as civilly as he could. The butcher's son was outraged by Link's blatant rudeness. "Didn't you hear me, you little skulltula, I told you to get!" He shouted. Link was about to retort when the door to the butcher's house slammed open. "Boy!" The old butcher shouted at his son. "What in the name of Hyrule do yeh think y'er doin'?" The old man, still in his nightclothes, stomped over to where his son was sputtering some excuse. The man swiped up the blue rupee and, in return, shoved a small parcel of salted meat into Link's hands. The old man then turned back to his son, "I don't give a deku's nuts where the money's comin' from, boy! Yeh think we can afford to be picky?" The son began muttered some form of apology to the irate man. At this point, the loud argument was beginning to draw the disapproving looks of the other shoppers and Link, not wishing to be caught up in a commotion, quietly slipped away.

The rest of his shopping escapade was comparatively uneventful, although the woman who he bought flour from gave him a rather scathing look as she pocketed his second blue rupee.

In a short time that it took for Link to complete his errands, the sky had darkened considerably. The air became thick and humid and he could hear bursts of thunder nearby. Link set off by the dirt path that lead away from the center of the village. His load considerably lighter, he walked with a slight spring in his step as he absently mindedly hummed and old lullaby that his mother used to sing.

About twenty minutes out from the village and entirely without prelude, it began to rain heavily. Link pulled the hood of the cloak over his head and did his best to keep the baskets and groceries under the warm fabric to keep them dry. He never noticed the three figures following behind him, the sound of their heavy footsteps drowned out by the rain.

There was no warning and no chance to escape the large stone that was hurled at the side of his head. He fell into the mud, ears ringing and eyes blurry. He hurried to right himself but was grabbed by both arms and hauled to his feet. As his eyes began to clear, he could make out the face of a boy standing in front of him, and two others restraining either arm. "Well, what have we here?" The first boy, a muscular brunette chuckled. "A stray dog playing out in the rain." He continued. Link didn't need to see to know who it was. Ever since he was a child, these three had persecuted him every time they laid eyes on him. Their leader was a gigantic ape of a boy named Koda, who enjoyed no sport greater than pushing around those weaker than him, his favorite target being Link.

Link locked eyes with his life-long enemy, anger welling up inside of him. "Leave me alone, Koda. I don't have time for you and your flunkies." He snarled weakly. The other only seamed mildly amused at Link's attitude. "Now what's that supposed to mean? You don't wanna play with us?" Without waiting for a response, he sent his fist colliding with Links stomach. The air was knocked from him, leaving him coughing and sputtering, hanging limply between his tormentor's two goons.

The boy on Link's left sneered at the boy's weakness, "C'mon Koda, teach this freak a lesson in manners." He said with a giggle.

"Like I need your permission, Ren." the leader grunted indignantly. Link began to struggle against his captors, "P-please… just let me go… I have to go home…" Link wheezed desperately. He received another firm hit to the stomach in return. Koda's beefy hand grabbed a cluster of his matted hair, forcing his head up to stare his tormentor directly in the eyes. Link trembled in the large boy's grip, no longer daring to struggle or beg for mercy. "Really now…" Koda began, his hot, putrid breath causing Link to gag. "Just what do you have to do that's so terribly important?" He mocked, tightening his grip on the blonde. "Got to run home to your filthy whore of a mother?"

For a moment, the world seemed to slow as Link registered what the lumbering oaf had said. Then, he felt rage build inside of him, burning hot, like nothing he had ever felt. He wanted to rip this idiot to shreds! How dare he? How dare this pig insult his mother? Link wanted to make him pay! Wanted to make him swallow those words!

A large fist rammed against Link's face, jarring him from his internal rant as his head jolted, only to be pulled back by the hand still holding him by his hair. "What's wrong? Got nothing to say? You know I'm right. That filthy skank comes traipsing into our village, raving about being the wife of some knight? Do you really think anyone is fool enough to believe that load of Dodongo crap! And then, to make things even worse, she contaminates our homes with her little demon spawn!" He wrenched Link away from the other two and threw him down on the ground and placed his boot on the back of his head, driving it into the mud. "You're pathetic. I'd be doin' the village a favor if I got rid of you." He kicked the boy in the ribs, forcing him to roll over on his back. He smirked maliciously at the prone figure beneath him. "Go ahead, scream and cry. No one's gonna help you."

Link stared blankly at the hulking teen as he raised his muddied boot, preparing to strike at his victim. I wish… you would just die. The thought came unbidden. No sooner had it crossed his mind than a familiar presence rose up within him.

"Thank you little one. That's all I needed to hear." It said smugly.

Link suddenly felt like he was falling. Everything went dark and he felt completely numb except for the cold sensation that ran up his spine. When his vision returned, he could see Koda's boot connect with his side, but he felt no pain; he was merely a spectator now.

His own hand reached out of its own accord, snatching the other boy's ankle and, with a strength that Link knew for certain was not his, crushed it. The bones made a sickening snapping sound as they broke. The sound was soon drowned out by Koda's shrill screams as he collapsed to the ground in an ungraceful heap.

"Well… if you really want to play, I suppose the three of you will serve my purpose as well as any." The words came from Link's mouth and in his voice, but Link knew they were not his.

"Stop! What are you doing?" Link screamed, struggling to regain control of his body, his voice unheard by all but the darkness that had taken control of him.

Link's mouth let loose a giggle that almost sounded innocent, "Oh, but my dear little one, is this not what you wanted?" It crooned through its puppet. "They've hurt you. Damaged what belongs to me. I simply must punish such wayward children." It turned to face the three cowering boys. There was something not right; even they could see that something was off. Somehow, this was not the same boy staring at them. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed one of them, the boy named Ren by the throat. Ren's eye's widened. His hands flew to the bony fingers that held him, clawing desperately in a vain attempt to escape.

Link tried to move, tried to stop the scene unfolding before him. "No! I didn't mean it! I didn't! You can't do this!" He cried.

A grin spread across the possessed shell of the boy, "Oh… but you did. Do not deny that you've longed for this. Longed for someone to exact your vengeance on these… maggots." His grip tightened around the thrashing teen, eliciting a pitiful, breathless squeal. "That's right. Whine like the animal you are. I want you to beg for your pathetic life."

The third boy, who had remained silent up to this point, slowly started inching away. He didn't get far, however, before it locked eyes with him. "Leaving so soon, are we? You'll miss the best part." It snarled beforegrabbing either side of the choking boy's face with his free hand and forced the boy to turn his head, carelessly examining his profile. "If you're going to skip out on the party, you should at least say goodbye to your dear friends." The grip on the boy's face tightened and it continued to force his head to the side. The boy whimpered at the pain in his strained neck, but his cries were cut short by the unmistakable splintering sound of breaking bones. The boy's facial features immediately went slack as his eyes glossed over and he stopped struggling to breath. With a wicked grin, Link's hand continued to swivel head upon the now limp neck until it was completely backwards on the dead teen's body, dull eyes staring emptily at the boy who had been trying to escape only moments before. "Say goodbye." It said darkly before throwing the lifeless body to the ground.

It could feel Link's fear welling up from where the child was imprisoned within himself. It chuckled approaching the still trembling form that had previously sought to escape. Without hesitation, it brought a bare foot down on the boy's knee, shattering it on impact and eliciting a scream of pure agony. "Can't have you running off just yet. I'm not quite through here."

He now turned to Koda, who was clutching his ankle and cowering in the mud. "Now now, what happened to all that bravado? I had hoped that you would at least be mildly entertaining. But look at you; you're just as pathetic as the next of your race." It kneeled down beside him and reached out, cupping his face in its hand gently. "Now hush, don't cry, child. You shall not suffer the same fate as your… ah… associate." A smile made its way onto Link's face, and poor Koda had the nerve to look hopeful. It finally continued, "No… your punishment will have to be a bit more firm." It sneered. The hand on Koda's face pushed him back to the ground before the other hand rested on his chest, holding him in place.

Koda shook fearfully, "P-please, Link… it… it was all in good fun… w-we didn't mean any of it, I swear!" He pleaded pathetically.

The shadow shrieked with laughter at the sorry sight. The pathetic mortal trembled beneath its powerful grasp. It smiled sweetly, savoring the fear it felt.

When the fit had finally subsided, it grinned wickedly at the boy, "You still don't get it do you? Come now, I know that even a filthy pig like you cannot be that daft. Surely even one such as you could not confuse me with that trembling little worm!"

The hand on Koda's chest lifting in the air, dangling inches away from its target, "I must thank you though. This outing has proved to be quite productive. I thought I would have to wait around all day to find someone for my little project. How kind of you and your buffoons to present yourselves to me."

Koda stared warily at the raised hand before chalking up the courage to speak, "W-what does that even mean?" He stuttered.

The shadow lowered Link's face until the mouth was level with the other child's ear, "I needed your help to prepare for the arrival of my master. The only thing left standing in the way was one pitiful, mortal child with a so-called, unbreakable spirit. Tell me, how does one go about defeating an enemy whose spirit cannot be broken?" Before He had time to respond to the riddle, a sharp pain erupted in his chest as the gaunt hand slammed through him. He felt warm blood well up in his throat, causing him to gag on the substance. "You destroy his heart." Was all he heard before the darkness took him.

It laughing, keeling over as the sensation rushed through him. Fear. He could taste it, bittersweet on his tongue. "What do you think, little one?" He asked, raising the borrowed hand so it was in his clear line of sight. "Such a beautiful color. I must say, it really suits you." He said, bringing the bloodied hand to his mouth, licking the coppery blood from it. It laughed again. It knew that it had won. It could practically feel the terror as it rolled off the imprisoned child in waves.

It wanted to taste more, but that would have to wait. It still had one more loose end to tie up. Turning to the last remaining survivor, it delivered a sharp kick to the boy's side. "Crawl back to your village. Tell them what's happened here… go before I change my mind."

The boy needed no further warning. He took off at a snails pace, sobbing as he dragged his broken and bleeding form along.

Link stared at the pitiful figure through his prison within himself. The world seemed to tilt precariously to the side before Link found himself stumbling, his legs seeming to turn to jelly as control of the limbs was forcefully returned to him. His vision blurred and everything seemed to merge together. The last thing he remembered were a pair of burning crimson eyes.

...Yeah... sorry.

Anyways, hopefully the story will actually start to progress in the next chapter, so if any of you decide to stick around after reading this sorry excuse for an update, I hope you'll enjoy it.

As always, leave a review if you feel like it and, hopefully, I'll see you again in the next chapter... Yeah... I'm going to sleep now.

January 9, 2013