4: Armor

Darkness and silence surrounded me. I took a few steps forwards. Then again it could have been to the right or the left, maybe even backward. It was to dark to see anything. I hoped I didn't get lost in this maze of inky, pitch blackness.

A sudden, blinding light appeared before me, cutting through the dark like a well sharpened blade. The purple glow was radiating from a figure hovering above the floor or whatever I was standing on. The silhouette was female and very familiar.

"Fi," I breathed.

"Master Link," The violet and blue spirit replied flatly. The best word to describe Fi? Emotionless, figuratively and literally. Her body is always completely, vertically straight. Face hard as granite, eyes as cold as stone, beauty of moonlight on freshly fallen snow. Expressionless was her voice, it never changed tone or pitch, ever. She resides in the goddess sword and was created to guide the chosen hero to their destiny.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"The better question is where are you?" Fi replied. "Where ever you go, I must follow."

"You make it sound so dismal," I muttered. "Anyhow, are you going to answer my question?"

"You already know the answer,"She said. "You just do not realize it,"

"Stop being so cryptic," A voice said behind me. "He is obviously to idiotic to understand."

I spun around as Ghirahim stepped out of the shadows. Our last encounter was a bit less than pleasant. In fact he stabbed me through the hip.

I had returned to the Temple of Time in Laruyu Desert to get a better understanding of the Gate of Time that rested the front courtyard. The old woman on the Sealed Grounds revealed the second gate resulting in the Imprisoned breaking free of its bonds. I was able to force it back into it's prison, but just barely. The seal would likely give way sooner than later.

I was investigating when Ghirahim snuck up on me and drove his sword through my side. He told me to tell him where the second Gate of Time was located, but I refused to speak.

"Then your secret will die with you," The Demon Lord had said. "Without you protecting it, I will find the gate myself and my master will live again!"

What he did not know was it takes more than that to kill me.

"If I had a sword you would already by dead," I growled.

"If we can put our differences aside for a moment, I want to make you a deal," He said calmly.

"I'm listening,"

"I am going to give you a second chance" Ghirahim continued. "I will spare your life if tell me where the other Gate of Time is located."

"No,"

"Do not be rash about this."

"What part of 'no' don't you get?"

"Just think about it for a moment."

"I said it once and I'll say it again, no."

"You making a big mistake, boy!"

"N-O, no!"

"Look I -"

"THERE IS NO WAY ON HYLIA'S GREEN EARTH THAT I AM GOING TO HELP YOU!" I exploded in anger. I don't know what made him think I would tell him.

"So be it," Ghirahim grinned wickedly. He reached out and a sword materialized in his hand.

"Fi," I started backing up. "How do we get out of here?"

"You just have to wake up," She replied as if nothing was happening.

Ghirahim charged at top speed, impaling me through the chest.

My eyes shot open as I sat up quickly. A spearing pain rippled through my body, radiating from my side. I cried out and grasped my hip. I felt material underneath my shirt, wrapped tight about my lower torso. I heard my blood pulsing loudly in my ears, head throbbing. My side, however, hurt about twenty times worse.

"Link!" I heard a muffled cry through the blood in my ears. Someone gently laid me back down on the pillow.

"Are all right?"

I knew that voice. It was the headmaster and Zelda's father. He was sitting next to my bed. I glanced around recognizing my room at the academy. The light of the full moon shone through the small window above and next to my bed.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied.

"You scared us half to death," He sighed.

"Us?"

As if on cue the door opened and Fledge entered the room. His face lit up when he saw me.

"I thought you were going to die," He said shakily. He look worried and tired, dark circles shadowed his eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Fledge," I laughed quietly.

"You seem to be in good hands, so I think I will take my leave," The headmaster stood and left the room. As soon as the door shut Fledge exploded, asking questions at a mile a minute.

"Where have you been?" He questioned. "You leave for five days and come back almost dead! What is that about?"

"I ran into some trouble along the way," I shrugged.

"I can see that."

Fledge sunk into the chair previously occupied by the headmaster, crossing his arms and frowning.

"I'm sorry Fledge," I sighed. "I really am. I should have came back sooner."

"I forgive you," He smiled. "So did you find Zelda?"

"Umm... Yes and no,"

"Enlighten me," Fledge raised an eyebrow.

"I found her and I have been chasing her everywhere, but a woman named Impa will not let her come back with me to Skyloft."

"Is she the one who stabbed you?" Fledge looked puzzled. "If she did, she means business."

"No, it wasn't her," I laughed. "The "Demon Lord" Ghirahim stabbed me because..."

I didn't know wether or not to tell him about the Gate of Time.

"Because why?"

"B-because I wouldn't tell him... Where Zelda went." I lied. Okay it wasn't a complete lie. He had been looking for Zelda until she went through the Gate of Time. Then he started looking for the other gate to get to Zelda. I don't know what she. Had to with all this, but apparently she was pretty important.

"Why did he want to know where Zelda was," Fledge asked. "It must be very important if he tried to kill you."

All I could do was shrug. We sat in silence for a few moments. Fledge opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by large CRACK and a bright red light streaming through the open window. The sudden sound made Fledge nearly fall off his chair.

"What is that?" I got up and headed towards the door, grabbing my sword and shield on the way. I strode down the hall, strapping the weapons to my back as I rounded the corner. I burst through the front doors, breaking into a run, Fledge followed right on my heels. We passed the Statute of the Goddess and the Bazaar, nearing the Plaza where we had seen the light. Several other people had seen the light and were gathered around it.

In the center of the Plaza a large circle, glowing bright red with etched into the ground. Small bolts of what appeared to be crimson lightning danced around it. Two figures lay in the circle. One was a suit of armor and the other was a person laying on their side, long, plaided blonde hair ran down their back. The human wore a red jacket decorated with an emblem I had never seen before. A snake wrapped around a cross, I wondered what that meant. The armor was a full suit, embellished with spikes on the shoulders, knees and head. The metal gleamed in the moonlight, recently polished and cleaned.

The people looked scared of the two and would not step into (or anywhere near) the circle. As I approached the Plaza, I could see the blonde one was wearing large black boots and white gloves. I get to the front of the crowd, nearing the red ring burning in the center. I cautiously stepped into it, not sure what would happen. Nothing did, so I knelt down to the human, shifting them onto their back.

It was a small boy with a blade attached to his right hand, razor sharp and as lethal as the goddess sword. Three large cuts on his chest and forehead were leaking blood, soaking the coat and shirt. Who was this boy and what was he doing with a suit of armor?

His eyes suddenly shot open, full of rage and frustration. He quickly sat up, almost impaling me through the chest. His breathing was heavy and beads of sweat trickled down his face.

"Whoa there," I said dodging the blade. "Calm down."

I took a moment, but he glanced around and then decided to stop attacking me.

The circle he had been laying on had somehow disappeared, leaving not a trace.

I heard a groan next to me. I turned to see the armor on all fours, obviously housing a person.

"Sorry, I-" The boy gasped, grasping him chest.

"Brother!"

The man in the armor knelt next to the boy.

"Brother?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," He replied. "He's my brother."

"Okay, sure why not?"

"You got a problem with that, pal?" The boy said angrily.

"Never mind that," The man in the armor continued. "Can you help my brother?"

"I can't, but I know who can," I replied, gesturing for him to follow me. He picked up his brother and jogged behind me back to the academy. Halfway to the headmasters chambers we passed Grosse's room.

"You shouldn't be running so much," He said in mock sympathy. "You might sprout another leak."

"Can it, Groose," I growled. "I'll deal with you later."

"Oh I'm so..."

He caught sight of the man in the armor and stopped dead in his tracks. The armor was about twice his size and shone wickedly in the moonlight.

"Scared," he squeaked.

I resisted the urge to laugh, but I could not suppress a smile.

Pushing the though out of my head, I knocked on the headmaster's door. A moment later he emerged from his chambers, jumping at the sight of the man in the armor.

"Why Link," he kept his eyes on the man. "What bring you here?"

"This boy is hurt," I panted. It felt like someone just punched me in the side. "He needs help."

"Oh, yes of course," The headmaster inched towards the man in the armor. "I c-can take the boy, i-if that is okay."

"Yes," He said slowly, handing over the child.

"I'll go get Professor Owlan," I volunteered.

"I can take him and his..." The headmaster looked unsure what to call him.

"Brother,"

"O-kay," He turned his attention to me. "Besides, you should get some rest, you look awful."

"Thanks, but no," I shook my head. "I think I should stick around, just in case.

Sitting in a chair next to my bed, the man in the armor watched the boy's chest move up and down slowly. I was seated on the floor next to him, fiddling with a blue rupee.

Professor Owlan was not impressed to be woken up so late, but was more than willing to help. He patched him up and I let him sleep in my bed.

"Thank you,"

"What?"

"Thank you for helping my brother,"

"Don't mention it,"

"My name is Alphonse," The man in the armor extended his arm toward me.

"I'm Link," I shook it. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Heh, yeah" he laughed.

"You should probably get some rest," I yawned. "It is pretty late."

"Sure,"

"Hey, Alphonse."

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Heh, you're funny..."

I think he said something else, but I was already asleep.