Today is Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Gather around for a tale of semi-reunion and betrayal! Chapter 7 of Five Swords is HERE!
So I'm back. Yay. I made the deadline, just as I promised. Although, to be honest, it seems most readers use the opportunity of a Five Swords update to read my PTA fanfiction... I can't say I know why.
Technically, part two starts up here, but like I said, I'm not splitting it up into separate parts. It just seems that would be a waste of time. So, here we are. I hope you enjoy this, I edited it on two different days, and I hope it shows!
Five Swords Part 2
Chapter 7: Climb Death Mountain!
The sky was slowly being covered by gray clouds. Their shadows passed along the dusty rocks that cragged and rose out of the mountain. The dry clay went for miles in all directions. The sun was white, and high in the sky. The ground began to tremble, quietly at first, but growing louder and stronger. Heroes are coming to climb Death Mountain! something whispered in the shade of the stones. A hairy foot with three clawed toes stomped on the ground, cracking the rocks around it. The thing lumbered on, growling quietly to itself as it blinked in the hot light. Rocks tumbled down the side of the mountain. But those heroes will never defeat a Hinox! Go, beast, and kill them! The Hinox slammed down its foot and sent more boulders clunking down towards a blonde boy in green…
Green wiped his brow and looked up at the peak of Death Mountain. Dark gray smoke billowed out of the top, surrounded by a wispy ring of white clouds that circled about the tip endlessly. He deftly stepped to the side as yet another rock rolled past. He continued crawling up the near diagonal slope until he reached a wall of stone. The rocks that fell from here were smaller, but still as big as his head. He straightened his long cap, tightened the Four Sword's scabbard on his shoulder and began to climb up the wall. The wall, luckily, did not loom as highly as it would have liked to think. Only several pebbles fell on the fourth piece of Link. If he had to have climbed any higher, he'd be trying his luck. The rock face thereafter continued to slope at a more or less flat angle, but still sloping. Green sat at the top of the wall and looked back the way he came. It was hard to imagine that a beautiful green forest and a sparkling blue river full of red and purple fish were somewhere in the west. Green wiped his cheek with his sleeve again. He hoped he would see his other selves soon. "Just a little farther," he panted.
He had begun to climb again when he heard it: "Aah! Help me! Help!" Green looked around wildly before he noticed a tiny hand clawing the ground under a stopped boulder.
"Holy crow!" Green shouted as he dashed to the rock. "Hold on, I'll save you!" He shoved at the lower side of the rock with gritted teeth until it gave way and continued rolling down the side of the mountain. He flopped on the ground, the head rush making stars fog up his blue eyes. He glanced dizzily behind him. "Are you okay?" He wheezed as space slowly left his vision.
He was an absurdly short man dressed in an absurdly skin-tight green suit with little brown boots, a red pair of mini shorts, and a bright blue back pack. A clock on his necklace swung in time with his curly black goatee, and his tiny eyes flicked about the mountain side. He stood up, raised his large nose in the air and said in a very commanding voice, "I hereby declare that there are no force gems under that boulder at all." He struck a perfect split. "So says the one and only Tingle!"
Green blinked. "The one and only who?" he asked.
Tingle's face turned to him in a snap, the red swirls on his cheeks flaring. He pointed a trembling finger at him. "How dare you—oh hey those clothes!" He lowered he finger and giggled. "They're so cute! They're just as green as mine!" Green leaned away from him with a look that said he wanted to be crushed under a boulder. Tingle began to hop around like the little flea that he was. "You're dressed just like the fairy I dreamt about! Are you trying to be a hero?"
"Er, I am a hero—"
Tingle spun about on the tip of his boot and hugged himself. "I'm collecting lots of force gems so that I can become real fairy!" He patted Green's shoulder. "Someday, if you collect a lot of force, you'll be a real hero, too."
Green stood up. "Um, thanks, good advice…" He started to walk away when Tingle ran in front of him.
"Take advice from a master," he said, "To be a real hero, you need to collect force." He gestured to his blue sack. "A hero is measured by how much force he collects. I can tell you more, if you want."
"Thanks, but I already knew that." Green tried move around Tingle, but no dice.
"Well, did you know that places filled with natural energy- like this mountain- are also great sources for force gems?"
"Yep, I knew that too." Green hurried on, but Tingle kept pace. Geez, Green thought, this guy is like some fairy that won't shut up!
"I see you've studied." Tingle said admiringly. "Still, you'll need tips from an expert like me!"
"That's okay—"
"No, it's fine! We masters are supposed to pass on our skills."
"I'm fine, please, just leave me alone!"
A shadow fell over them. Four huge knifelike nails wrapped around Green and lifted him yelling into the air. "Eek!" Tingle shrieked, "a Hinox!" He dashed behind a rock.
The Hinox was ripped with muscles and hair, orange skin covered with ripped animal furs for clothes. Its one leering eye looked at his victim and smirked with its brown tusks. Stomping around with no concern for the crumbling stone under its feet, it swung the hero around. Small prisms glinted as they shed from Green's pockets.
Tingle's eyes gleamed. "Look!" he shouted, "It's the rare purple force gems I've been looking for!"
"Hey, get back here!" Green yelled. "Fairies are supposed to help heroes!" A balloon popped out of Tingles pack and lifted him skyward.
"Sorry, but collecting gems come first!" He waved at him as he floated away. "After I become a fairy, I'll help you. Buh-bye!"
"Come back!" Green yelled. "And give me back my force gems!" The Hinox grew bored and threw Green to the ground. Green's head smacked a rock and the Hinox roared at the hero's misfortune.
"Green!" a voice called. A pink portal quickly materialized behind the Hinox, and Blue and Red flew out. Blue cut a nice gash in the Hinox's arm. Red burned its ponytail off with a stick Green had never seen before. The Hinox fell over backwards behind the raised rock it had appeared from. Green shook the spirals from his eyes and gaped. A light blue fairy floated patiently by Red's head. Green pointed and made choking sounds.
Blue smirked and rested his Four Sword on his shoulder. "You know you're not the only hero here, right?"
"We couldn't let you get squished!" Red giggled. Green kept pointing.
The two others blinked, then turned and looked at the twenty Hinoxes waiting behind them.
…
"RUN AWAY!" They ran as the Hinoxes snapped at their heels with tusks and claws.
Fire and smoke burst from the ground and made the heroes screech to a halt. The smoke had gotten thicker, and fire flared up in the small crevice before them. Green peered down at the river of lava that drifted by slowly. Red hid behind Blue, who faced the monsters and drew his sword. "I guess we'll have to stand our ground," he said.
The Hinoxes smiled at them hungrily before looking up suddenly. They ran back several paces and prostrated themselves on the ground. The heroes slowly turned around.
The smoke and fire rising from the river parted to reveal a rocky temple. A throne faced the river, and a girl sat in it with a Hinox groveling at her feet. Blonde bangs swept just so, blue eyes relaxed, legs crossed, and purple hat drifting in the smoky wind, she looked as though she belonged in that chair. She knew what she was doing. "Welcome to my kingdom of fire, my old friends," said Violet Link.
"Vio?" Green managed.
"What're you doing up there?" Blue called.
Red blinked at her with his big blue eyes. "Are you the real Vio?"
"Of course I am," Vio said with a chuckle. "Don't sound so surprised." She gesture at the ancient ruins around her, rocky pillars that stood crumbling at uneven heights. "Lord Vaati has entrusted me with Death Mountain. Isn't that wonderful? If you wish to be my servants, then I welcome you."
"Did you say Vaati?" Green cried. "Vio, you didn't really…"
"Oh, but I have." Vio rested her chin in one hand and set the other on her knee. "I've changed, Green, become more pragmatic. The light of day will soon fall to darkness. Trying to stop it," she smiled slyly, "is a fool's errand."
Green shook his head. "And I used to think she was the smart one…" He muttered.
Red pinched his cheek. "This is a dream, right?" he asked. "It has to be."
Blue stared at Vio intensely. "Or…" he picked up a rock, "it's an illusion!" He hurled the rock with deadly accuracy at Vio. She held up a hand and the rock smacked into it, falling to the floor with a clatter. Red oozed from the center of her palm.
"It's not a dream," a voice hummed in the smoke, "or an illusion. Vio has just found her true self." The smoke curled and carved itself into sharp lines and soft wisps. Long dark hair floated in the wind, blue eyes twinkled mischievously, and his cap and tunic curled roughly like a storm cloud.
"Shadow Link!" Blue growled and raised his sword. The shadow stepped next to the girl and set a hand on her shoulder. "Violet knows who her friends really are!"
Green stared at the duo, then shook his head and blinked quickly. "Come on, Vio!" he shouted. "Don't you remember what he did to Hyrule castle?"
Shadow sat on the arm of Vio's chair. "Think about it," he said with a dismissive gesture. "Vio has superior intelligence. Playing nurse maid to you three fools was never enough for her." Green took a sharp breath. "Lord Vaati and I have given her the chance to reach her full potential." He sneered at the heroes. "The three of you were like stones, tied around her neck and drowning her in a sea of mediocrity." Green's eyes flicked to Vio.
"I'm sorry guys, but he's right." Red began to cry and rubbed his bubbling eyes. Green closed his mouth and frowned. Blue was having none of this mess.
"You dirty traitor!" he roared. "All of that book learning rotted away your morals!" He clenched his fists and stomped forward. "I'm going to teach you a lesson—" he smacked into Green's outstretched arm.
"Wait," said Green, before turning to face Vio. "I can't make you want to stay with us…" He unsheathed his sword, which now shone like polished silver. "But I also can't let you use the power of the Four Sword for evil. If you're serious about all of this, I'm going to have to take you down, here and now."
Red gasped and reached out to Green, "Green, stop—" Blue held him back and shook his head.
"Well," said Shadow. "Isn't this interesting?" He looked at his companion. "What do you say to that?" Vio shrugged his hand off her shoulder and rose from her seat.
"I say that Green is about to learn who the weak link in this chain is." Shadow snickered and snapped his fingers. Death Mountain began to rumble, and a round platform with rocky pillars on all sides slowly rose from the lava river.
"Green, stop!" Red cried again. "You too, Vio!" Vio jumped lightly into the center of the field.
"Around the arena is molten lava," she said, "And the boulders will shoot flames if you get too close." She smirked again at Green. "If you're smart, you'll surrender now before it's too late."
Green jumped onto the arena, and fire flashed around them in anticipation. "I know what I'm doing," he said. "Do you?"
"I think we both know what's about to happen." She readied her duller Four Sword.
Green blinked and she was in front of him, sword slashing. He raised his blade and only lost a part of his green sleeve.
He rolled away and stopped with his back to a rock. The boulder formed a leering face and spit fire at Green, who scampered away just in time.
He looked up, and Vio was above him, sword raised. "You talk tough, but you don't have the nerve to kill me!" She brought down her sword, "You're too soft!" Green blocked it with his own and pushed her away.
"You're no better!" He shouted and advanced on her. "We leave you alone for one day and you join the dark side!" Their blades slammed together and clanged cacophonously. "Talk about not having nerve, I'm ashamed you're even a part of me!"
Red began to sob, tears gushing down his face. Blue papped him absently and yelled, "Come on, Green! Kill the traitor quickly!"
The other side of the river had perhaps even more cacophony than the battle. Shadow rolled around on the bumpy ground and howled with laughter. "This is priceless!" He screamed. "It's the funniest thing I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, Vio was pressing on Green, and they moved closer and closer to a rock. "We're equally matched," Vio grunted, "in strength! But this is also a battle of wits!" Green's boot skidded even closer to the boulder. "Wouldn't you agree?" She asked.
"I would," said Green, "and it seems that you've outwitted yourself!" He lowered himself and held the crossed swords above his head. He grinned at her. "In getting me closer to the rock, you've also gotten too close to me!" He stomped on her toes, his full weight in the heel of his boot. Vio shrieked and jumped back. "Come on, bookworm, it's time to fight!"
He ran at her and she made a wide arc with her sword, screaming, "Now I'm mad!"
They sparred faster and faster, their heartbeats even faster than the shrieking blades. They slid past each other and stilled. Blue, Red, and Shadow watched with baited breath. Green gasped, and slowly tumbled to the ground. His grip on his sword released. Vio looked down at him with thin lips. The battle was over.
"GREEN!" Blue and Red leaped onto the arena, fairy in tow. Blue shook Green's shoulders. "Talk to me, Green, open your eyes!" Shadow clapped slowly as he, too stepped onto the rock.
"Well done, Vio," he said. "Now you are truly one of us." Vio rested her sword on her shoulder and glanced back at the other Links. Red tried to feel Green's pulse and cried. Blue glared at Vio with glistening eyes.
"What?" she asked. "You didn't believe me? Face the consequences." She turned away from them with a swing of her hips.
Shadow placed a hand on her back and led her away. "That was amazing!" he said, and waved a hand at the drooling Hinoxes. "Let's go drink a toast to the Fire temple to celebrate this fantastic occasion!" Laughing, he disappeared into the smog, Vio in arm.
Blue thumped Green on the shoulder. "Come on, Green, stay with us!" Red looked wearily up at the fairy.
"Can you please bring him back to life?" he begged. The fairy drifted and rested on Green's forehead. "I don't need to," said the fairy, "he's only unconscious." Green moaned and sat up with a hand on his chest. The fairy fluttered around them.
"Oh, that hurt," he muttered. He blinked and looked at his friends. "Guys?" he asked.
Red threw his arms around Green and wailed, "Green, you're alive!"
Blue patted Green's chest roughly with his hand and asked, "Why aren't you dead?"
Green pushed his hand away. "No touch." Then he gasped. "Oh, Vio! She's okay!"
"What do you mean?" Red asked with his head cocked.
"When we were fighting, I saw this look in her eyes…"
"So?" Blue asked.
Green looked at where Vio had been before. "She's faked this whole thing to gain the enemy's trust. She's inside all alone." He clenched his fist. "But what is she planning?"
Bum bum buuum... What's going to become of our heroes, now? What is Vio planning? Find out next time on Five Swords!
So. Tingle. I'll be honest, I didn't like writing him. I have no idea why Himekawa decided to add him into the story, especially now, but I suppose he could be considered funny. What do you think?
Chapter 8 is where all that fluffy romance I've been promising is! Are you looking forward to it? Please (please) tell me in a review! I'll see you next Sunday for the update!
