I am very special 'cause there's only one of me. Look at my smile I am so damn happy other people are jealous of me! (the Happy Song)
And I am very happy today. My favorite reviewer (because he actually critiques the story every single time he reviews) has finally decided to review my story, and not just last chapter, but ALL 5 OF THEM.
Well, this chapter, when I reread it, really makes me think of the chapter "The Prince's Tale" in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That's the chapter where you get to see Severus Snape's past and find out he's a—
*door breaks down* *Man enters and cocks shotgun * YOU! YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SPOIL THE HARRY POTTER SERIES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ IT. PREPARE TO BE EVISCERATED AND HAVE YOUR BALLS CHOPPED OFF WITH A PAIR OF HEDGE CLIPPERS.
Me: Shit! (runs into shelter) I don't want to lose my future family! NOOOOOOO!
*snaps out of daydream* Huh? Where was I? Oh yeah. Anyway, today ought to be a great day for me. I got my first paycheck, I can replace my lost iPod, the Boston Red Sox are ahead of the Yankees (as it always should be), and above all…
*pulls out guitar*
It's Saturday, Saturday, Gotta get down on Satur- *bang*
Chapter 6: Memories of Sara
Night fell over what remained of Cornelia. Those who had survived had begun to bury the dead that could be recovered. Reports were coming in that Tycoon, Walse, and other areas of Cryonia's northern parts had also been destroyed. Cryonia was on the brink of being completely destroyed.
The rest of the world was in bad shape too.
Thus far, it seemed Ganon had left Hyrule alone, for unknown purposes. But everywhere else had been struck. Fondor had suddenly sunk into the earth, and everyone who lived in it went with the country. Dukomlet was smashed by the tsunamis that resulted from the meteor hitting. Everyone in the towns along the shore had drowned or died in the ensuing chaos. The mountains to the north of Cornelia had been leveled. The desert was now visible from the town's ruins.
All of a sudden, the magnitude of Ganon's ruthlessness had multiplied. No longer was he interested in keeping the world barely alive to rule. He wanted to break the world's back. Then he would destroy it and make it anew when he forced Link's hand.
Ganon seemed to know about what Rytex had surmised. If Link were to lose too much, the darkness inside him might awaken and prevent Ganon's plans from ever coming to fruition.
As Link sat next to a memorial bonfire, in which the remains of those who hadn't wanted to be buried were cremated, Rytex sat next to him.
They both said nothing, but merely stared into the flickering light of the flame.
"How is it that life can seem so long and so important, but it can be so easily snuffed out?" he wondered aloud.
Rytex said nothing.
"Were you close to Sara?" he finally asked.
Link took a while to find his voice.
"Yeah. When I first got here to Cryonia, I rescued her from Garland. After that, we were inseparable. Eventually, we fell in love. Then I left for Pravoka to help you. When I rescued her, I had asked her for a lute that could help me find anyone in the world I wanted, simply by playing it. I took it, but she made me promise to dance with her on the Night of the Hundredth Anniversary of Cornelia. The next time I saw her was that night, and I kept my promise. Then, I didn't see her again until we were on our way back to Hyrule after our confrontation with Ganon in the Keyblade Graveyard."
Rytex nodded silently, still listening.
"After that, she was present at mine and Malon's wedding. Then she returned, and I didn't see her again until we asked where Xemyli lived."
Rytex nodded again.
The memories were as clear as crystal in his mind. His memories with Sara came and went without him even being able to control them.
-X-
Link stepped off the ship as the "All ashore!" call sounded.
He looked around the city he had landed in. Cornelia was a beautiful place. It reminded him of Hyrule, but it was as if an artist had painted the landscape on a canvas.
He heard two people gossiping nearby. Two elderly women seemed absorbed by the topic.
He paid them no mind until he heard "and I heard there's a huge reward from the King."
"Ooh! What is it?"
"Anything the person who rescues her wants. But I doubt anyone's going to get it. This is Garland we're talking about. No one could beat the Head Knight. Not even all the knights combined."
Link's interest was perked. He began to wander the town, asking around about what was going on. The princess of the kingdom, Sara, had been kidnapped by a rogue knight named Garland. No one who had ventured out to save her had returned alive. So he decided to give it a shot.
He was barely twelve, and when he spoke to two knights about it, they couldn't stop laughing.
So Link challenged them to a duel. They figured that they'd go easy on him, but Link thrashed them, even after they fought to the best of their abilities.
He soon figured out that the knight was hiding in a ruin north of the town.
He rode off toward it.
It was in the middle of a swamp, and the ruin was an old temple. In the center, a man dressed in extravagant armor with a cape and a rather large sword was pacing back and forth.
"I wonder who the King will send this time. No one will be able to defeat me. The King's going to have to give in to my demands if he wants to see your face again, Princess."
The princess was his age, with platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, and she looked beautiful. Link gasped slightly at the sight of her from his hiding place.
The gasp alerted Garland.
"Who's there!" he thundered.
He saw Link.
"A child? The King sends a child to fight me! This is an outrage!"
He bellowed angrily, and then ran at Link.
Link, nimble as a Kokiri, slid under Garland's blow, and then slashed backward at Garland's armored legs.
The Gilded Sword was unable to be destroyed, and therefore, it pierced Garland's armor and amputated his leg.
Garland fell, then staggered back up.
"Ah. You are skilled, boy. It seems I underestimated you majorly. However, you still have no chance of defeating me. I, Garland, will knock you down."
He leapt off his remaining leg at Link, who jumped backward, dodging the blade that would have cleaved him in two, then ran up the blade, up to Garland's head, then sliced sideways quickly.
Garland's helmet separated from his armor, which fell sideways a moment later.
The princess simply stared at him.
"Who- who are you?" she asked.
Link walked over to the statue of a grimacing horned demon she was tied to and began to undo the knots.
"My name's Link, Princess."
He undid the knots binding her, and then told her to go get on Epona. He followed her, but first he grabbed Garland's fallen helmet, with his head still in it.
They rode back into the town.
Everyone was downright dumbfounded when they saw a twelve year old ride in with the young princess, carrying Garland's severed head.
They rode upon the castle, and the guards, which included the two knights Link had beaten; all were too stunned to even do anything.
After the gates were opened, Sara led him to the castle's throne room.
Inside, an elderly king sat on the throne.
He looked weary, but as soon as Sara entered the room, his bleary blue eyes widened with surprise and incredulity. His mouth opened and closed several times before he ran at her, and she at him.
They embraced in the center.
Over the next few months, Link and Sara grew to be as big of friends as he and Zelda used to be. But Link was allowed in the castle. He and Sara were nearly inseparable, and Link now stayed with the King as if he were the King's own son.
Then word came that four great beasts had begun to ravage the land. Melmond, a normally prosperous town to the south, had been particularly affected by a creature called Lich.
And so Link set out to defeat them, despite being only fourteen.
And defeat them he did. Within three months, he had vanquished all four of the fiends. When he returned, he was given a hero's welcome.
Link, however, returned to the King's house, but decided to serve as a Knight. Master Eraqus, the resident sword-master taught him alongside another young knight, Cyan Garamonde.
They were friendly rivals, but they learned different techniques for different styles of fighting. Cyan fought with a strong, heavy-style attack. Link fought quickly and struck lightly.
Over time, Link and Sara grew beyond just being friends. As they continued to grow closer, they fell in love.
One day, the day before Link turned sixteen and became a man in the eyes of the Cryonian culture, Link and Sara were watching the sunset on a hill.
Sara leaned up against Link, who simply watched the sunset quietly.
They sat in silence.
Finally, Sara broke it.
"I just realized. It's been four years since you saved me from Garland. You know, you never did ask for a reward for my rescue." she said.
Link smiled.
"That's true. I never did ask for a reward."
"What would you like?" she asked sweetly.
Link laughed.
"You know that ancient lute? The one that you can play when you want to see someone and it will lead you to them?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I want that. I told you about how I'm looking for Navi, right?"
"Mhm."
"I think I'd like that."
She smiled and kissed him on the lips briefly.
"Sure, but you owe me something for it."
"What?" he asked, smiling.
"You know how the nation's hundredth anniversary is in a couple of years? You'll owe me a dance on that night. Dad's already working on it."
"Of course." he said, capturing her lips again.
The next day, a visitor appeared before the King.
He had blood red hair, red eyes, and he was dressed in a black cloak. Link was in his audience chamber also, serving as a guard.
"Your majesty, I come on behalf of the community around Crescent Lake. We need a commission to build a fishing and mining town on the east side of the Thamasa Basin. One of my associates, Ryet Scandas, has determined that precious gems and metals can be found in the mountains. I have already spoken with the Dragon Lord, Bahamut, on this matter. He and I have reached an agreement on the matter. However, we need a charter from you."
King Marinus granted the request, then paused.
"It seems that help would be welcome in this venture. You know of Link of Hyrule and his accomplishments, yes?"
The man nodded.
"Good. I'm going to have him help you in this venture. Link, you'll help them build the town. Then you may return if you wish."
Link walked next to the man, saluted, and then bowed as he left the room.
As they both left the room, the other man introduced himself as Rytex Beryl.
"So, who all's gonna be in charge of this thing?" Link asked.
"With you, there's a grand total of eight of us. There's me, you, Ryet, Axel Pyrus, Demyx Rhapsodos, Exsan Titan, Sean Tanium, and Rega Daen. We're spearheading the project. You are familiar with the towns of Thamasa, Narsche, Crescent Lake and around, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good. That's where the bulk of our supplies will be acquired." he said.
And so, Link left Cornelia. He took his lute and his gear, then when they reached the site of the town's construction, they built a few houses quickly to live in for the present while they worked. One house already existed, and it belonged to Ryet. Over the next year, they built the town, but Link started to miss Hyrule.
"Then go back." said Rytex one day a few weeks after the town had been completed.
After a whole week of interior battle, Link agreed to return to Hyrule to seek his fortune in his home.
As he watched the ship approach the new Harbor Town, Link mounted Epona, then donned a black cloak. He had learned of Hyrule's distrust of Cryonia, and he knew King Rolynd could not find him.
Then the boat pulled ashore and Epona trotted up the main street.
And it was there that his adventure began.
-X-
Link jolted out of his memory. He was still staring at the fire.
Rytex had gone to sleep and it looked like he was the only one left sitting by the fire. Everyone else had already gone to sleep also.
Then it hit him.
His lute!
He could use it to find Ryet. And they desperately needed his help now.
And that is the entire relationship between Link and Sara, also tying in the beginning of "When All the Battles Have Ended, " if you noticed. If not, I suggest you read it again. Yeah, I just had to throw in the lute I barely touched on in WATBHE, as I did hint it would play a major role in the plot later on. If I didn't, well I am now. Now to respond to reviews. Cody8434 didn't review this chapter, but tehepicnessoffail more than made up for that.
Tehepicnessoffail: In response to all 5 reviews… The Inheritence Cycle style of magic dueling is where I got the idea. Yes, Rytex will be kickass in this story. But how could you have forgotten about the Rytemyli (my own condensed form of that. Like it?)? It's explicitly stated all over my first story! Yes, the Perversions and Incompletes were inspired by the Heartless, but also by the Unversed. However, hate to disappoint, but there is no battle at Castle Oblivion as far as I wrote it. I suppose I can add that part in later, though. And finally, you were at Senior Session too? Yeah, I was at Yellow Group. I was the guy with the Fedora. I'm not saying my real name, else I get some strange stalker out to find me. Who were you?
Preview for next chapter: Link has already lost Sara, and now they're off to find the lute. However, Ganon has raised two more enemies to fight against Link and co. Their first encounter will be a bloody one, and two of Link's friends will not survive.