Ch 9:


Sorry folks, sorry. This chapter took a long time (writer's block, countless rewrites just to name a few) but it is a long one... so maybe you all forgive me? Please? Yeah didn't think so haha.

Disclaimer: I would say it but I'm too full of turkey right now to say that I don't own this... drat!

Warning: Ugly guy and redneck ahead, slower traffic to the right... or something like that.

"Alright, ready to go." Link said as he stood up, snapping the last clasp on the gray cloak draped across his body.

The dull colored mantle covered the dusty brown tunic he replaced his torn one with, down to just above his knees. The left side concealed most of his body, leaving only a short opening in the lower half while the top part rose up and snapped into place near his neck. The front section the collar rose up to just below the young hero's chin, so that Link only had to lower his head slightly in order to hide the bottom half of his face. The coat was completed with large hood hanging against the hero's back.

"You know what you must do Cuan? Retrieve the blade from Rusl and then make your way to Death Mountain." Cu's stern tone caused the young hero to wince slightly.

"Once there I need to find the path to Subrosia in order to get the metals needed to repair the Hero's Bow." Link indicated the long object strapped to his back wrapped tightly in slender strips of cloth, "After that I must go to the Goron City atop Death Mountain and convince them to fix the bow with the materials from Subrosia."

Cu nodded his head in satisfaction, "Good, very good Cuan, there might be hope for you yet. Once you have restored the Hero's Bow you must quickly travel to the southern tip of continent, to enter the Lost Woods."

"Where I have to make my way through while avoiding the Skull Kids, find the ancient Forest Temple and save the day right?" Link smiled confident in being successful in his mission.

"Cuan, you ignorant pup! It won't be that easy, the path is long and your time is short. Midna will not be able to keep up the barrier indefinitely, her magic will deplete and the Kokiri, as well as the Twili will all die." Cu snapped at the chosen hero.

The almost smug nature on the young hero's features fell at the old hound's chastisement, "I know there's a lot relying on me to complete these tasks as quickly as I can, yet Midna said she could handle more than a month."

Link glanced at Cu, the now fully yellow wolf, with no more black streaks running through his fur, sat hunched near a fire pit, a wisp of smoke slowly wafting into the air. Next to the golden wolf stood Anselma, her hands clasped over her chest, silent with worry.

The young hero's gaze was drawn away from his teacher and mother to an immense dark sphere, flicks of orange and yellows floated through the murky, fluid-like dome. The orb stretched across the center of the village, encompassing several smaller buildings as well as the massive, squat tree that once served as the general store, yet now housed the displaced villagers.

The face of the Twili Queen flashed in Link's mind, sitting in the middle of the dark sphere, radiating power to keep the dome up, separating those within from the outside world.

"That woman was generous in her estimate; I would not be surprised if she collapsed after just two weeks, so you must hurry Cuan." Cu growled.

The golden wolf's bright crimson eyes started deeply into Link's icy blue ones, "After you reach the temple you must traverse the dangers contained in the ancient sanctuary, to the very center. There you will find a shallow pool. Inside are large green plants, each one of those is a pod holding a seed."

"That seed is the last hope for the Kokiri and the Twili. It contains the essence of the Great Deku Tree, with it will be possible to grow a new forest guardian, one that will bind with the life-force of the woods and sustain all of it."

"Why are seeds that can grow another Deku Tree even there?" Link asked puzzled, "Isn't the Great Deku Tree supposed to last as long as the forest, basically forever?" The young hero eye's narrowed.

"Cuan once more you have proven to be nothing but a pup without it's fangs. Long ago, when the world was new and young a mistake was made and the forest was almost lost. Although it was eventually saved, the Goddesses decided to create a failsafe. Hence the seeds to re-grow the Deku Tree, in the event of it dying were placed in a safe place."

"Time is short, you must go now Cuan. You will find the path to bring you back here after you've retrieved the seed at the end of the temple." With finality, the golden wolf stood up and wandered over to the magical dome before disappearing through it.

"Well it's good to see Cu isn't down from the attack, his concern is… heartwarming." Link commented dryly.

Anselma giggled, "Now, now Link, you know how Master Cu is. He is… worried in his own way. It's just different, that's all." The Hylian woman smiled, struggling slightly with finding the suitable words.

The frown that spread across the young hero's features from the teasing tone his mother's voice slowly turned up, before becoming a smirk akin to the Twili Queen's.

The young champion stepped around the ash filled fire pit and wrapped his hands around the smaller female, "Be safe…" Link whispered as Anselma gently patted his back, "I know you are stronger than you look but I almost lost you once and I don't think I…"

"Shush, you worry too much, just like a little old man, and you're far too young for that… I'm too young for that." Anselma laughed, causing a small frown to bloom across his sharp features, "Now hurry, you must make it to Ordon before nightfall."

Releasing her, the chosen hero spun on his heel and quickly sprinted into the woods, disappearing from sight.

Anselma stood motionless, tears gathering in the corner of her sightless eyes as the bright green outline of her son fade from the sea of white that is her vision.

"I love you too…"


His feet silently gliding through the heavy foliage, Link slid to a stop beside a small stream. Panting slightly the young hero moved his gaze up, following the slope of the massive, steep mound situated on the opposite side of the wide, shallow stream.

Tall trees with large, green needles clustered together tightly up along the sides of the sheer knoll. The colossal pines barricaded the immense hill; making it impossible to climb, save for a path which cut straight through the wall of foliage.

However, tiny round stones that were similar to the gray rocks of the riverbed lined the entire pathway. As Link watched several loose pieces of gravel tumbled down into the shallow stream.

Drawing the young hero's gaze back up the hill was a great flat rock protruding from the center of the rubble strewn path that stretched out to a single point. Numerous cuts and divots pocket marked the entire surface of the stone formation. Yet, what stood out the most were four deep grooves that slightly rounded off into distinctive shapes, creating the illusion of an six fingered hand closed into a tight fist with one finger pointing off into the distance, towards Kokiri Village.

Link untied a leather wineskin from his belt and took a long draw from it, a small trickle of water leaked from his mouth, down his chin before his flicked away with his thumb.

Striding over to the wide river the young hero kneeled down and placed the half full canteen in order to fill it, his intense gaze never leaving the impassible slope.

"Wha'cha looking at boss?" A young, energetic voice echoed through the peaceful atmosphere, shocking the chosen hero.

Link whirled around, his gray cloak flying open as his hand ripped the ornate dagger his mother had given him from his belt. The young hero's blue eyes flashed dangerously as he scanned the forest behind him, slowly turning around looking for the foreign voice.

"Whoa boss, hold your purtty horses, ain't no need to be spin round like that, ma belly is upset with all that moving. That is if I had one, ha!"

"Show yourself!" Link shouted, his powerful glare searching the foliage before shifting to look down the stream banks, his feet spreading apart into a guarded stance.

"Um, boss I'm right here…" The young voice said dryly, "Your a might off there boss, I mean you ain't fergettin' me already boss… right?"

"I can hardly be expected to remember someone I've never met. Now I ask again, reveal yourself." The chosen hero said his mannerism cautious, all the while continuing to seek for the unknown assailant.

"Welp boss, I'd be happy to tell ya where I am… but I can't see a dern thing. I'd reckon I'm some where that's dark."

The young hero tripped over his own feet and almost spilled along the rough ground. Standing upright, Link relaxed his posture and slipped his dagger back into his belt, "You reckon? My friend either you are quite astute or just dim."

"I already told ya boss, I'm somewhere that's real dark, course I'm dim… and I'm not sure what astute means but I thank ye kindly for saying I am one." The mysterious voice responded.

Link wanted to slap himself, "Alright then… let's try this, what was the last thing you remember seeing before you found yourself in a 'dark place'?" The young hero moved towards a large rock jutting out of the ground next to the stream.

"Welp let me think, first I was waked up by that big o'l stick, the Great Deku Tree, and then given to ya boss… Then there was that fight with them big spiders… after that I'm not sure what happened boss." The voice struggled recalling all the events, its tone raising and falling with each word.

The chosen hero's eyes widen in surprise, quickly twisting his body around, Link grabbed the bundled weapon that was strapped to his back and slipped it off. Bringing it around the young hero laid the wrapped weapon in his lap and swiftly unbound the cloth that tightly enfolded the Hero's Bow.

Untying the knot Link began to unwind the soft fabric and exposed the blonde wood of his bow. Looking at the light colored wood, the chosen hero noticed that although still bright the shine that once imbued the ancient weapon was now dulled.

"Yahoo! Thank ye kindly boss, now I'm out of that dark place and can see again." The strange voice said, the young hero almost expecting to see a face with a wide mouth on the bow talking to him. However, the Hero's Bow, despite the lack of its former luster, was unchanged.

"Hey boss, ya gat this here funny look 'bout ya, reminds me of this horny toad I met once. Uglier than sin… not that you're that…"

"WHY… why don't you just stop there and tell me who you are, alright?" Link cut off the voice.

"Oh, gotcha boss. Ahem, I'm the spirit that be inside that here purtty bow ya gat, don't reckon I can tell ya ma name seeing how I fergot it ages ago, but I'd take kindly to ya calling me Hero."

"Hero… Well that's imaginative isn't." Link commented dryly, "So you're a spirit that was turned into an ancient weapon used…"

"Nah boss, you gat it all wrong. I'm just a simple spirit that was put into that there bow by that first hero… now what was his name… Well paint me red and call me a fire-stick I don't recall that darn name of that hero that whittled that bow and put ma purtty self in it." Hero interrupted.

Link rubbed his temples, a sharp pain settling behind his eyes, "I'm not sure I understand you, you're saying that the first hero carved a bow and then put you into it?"

"I'm not real good with them detals thingys but I'd reckon you're 'bout right boss. Ain't had reason to think of these stuff so I'm havin might hard time remembering all the purculars." Hero's odd speech was causing the pain in the young hero's head to grow.

Link ran his hands along his face, suppressing a groan. Lifting his head the young hero's gaze wandered around the surrounding nature when the corner of his eye caught a figure standing next to him.

Leaping to his feet the chosen hero grabbed the dagger on his belt and spun to face the stranger. Narrowing his gaze into a vicious glare, the chosen hero dropped back into a familiar, fighting stance.

Link took in the mysterious figure, who looked no older then Rusl's son Colin, standing relaxed in front of him, a straw hat sat upon scraggly brown hair that reached just past the stranger's pointed ears, his skin a deep tan from many years spent in the sun. The much shorter boy wore a sweat-stained white shirt, the sleeves ripped off. A pair of filthy, blue patchwork leggings adorned his legs with the threadbare bottoms ending well above his ankles. His feet were covered by an old pair of tattered straw sandals. A long stem of wheat hung limply from his mouth as his soft blonde eyes glowed with happiness.

"Y-You're Hero's real form aren't you…?" The young hero asked the poorly dressed man smiling brightly.

"Welp pluck ma hair and call me a baby bird, you be seeing ma face ain't ya boss. Yahoo, this is just a hoot, no one has saw me in the longest, not critter or Hyian." The ancient weapon exclaimed while slapping his knee.

"So I have a bow used by the first hero centuries ago, one that has a spirit contain within, and suddenly I can hear and see you… why?" Link asked, returning his dagger to his belt once again and relaxed his guard.

"Welp, I ain't too sure 'bout that boss, but I'd reckon it had something to do wit ya absorbing the purtty Kokiri Emerald." Hero scratched his cheek, "Them uber magical energies now swirling around through ya body gave you the ability to see me."

The young hero considered Hero's words, remembering the presence that he'd felt and the whispers of a dead language when he first grasped the Hero's Bow. Realization dawned on the chosen hero.

"Not only did the emerald allow me to see you but now I can understand the ancient words too, the ones you were whispering in my head."

"Whispering?! I was shoutin ma head off gettin ya to listen to me. But ya had wool in ya ears or sumtin cause ya ain't heard me till now."

"Uh, I-I'm sorry…?" Link said, rubbing the back of his head, "It was so quiet that I just thought that you…"

"Ah no problem boss, ma Mema always said folks had trouble understanding me, don't reckon why though?" Hero chuckled loudly, "But that ain't important right now, what's we gat to do now boss is figure a way up that there big hill."

The young hero turned and looked up the daunting slope and smiled softly, "Oh that, that's the easy part." At the ancient spirit's raised eyebrow Link began to laugh, "There's a path that only the Kokiri know, which allows you to simply walk up the hill. Although it looks like it's covered in rocks not all of them are real, some, along the pathway are magic seals that give the illusion of stones."

"Welp smack ma head and call me a star, ain't that just the grandest thing, magic pebbles! And her I thought I'd seen everything but I ain't ever seen magic rocks." The spirit said tipping his hat back as his mouth spread into a bright smile, "But if ya know that boss why are ya still standing her, git that 'kester of yours up that hill and find the stuff to fix me up."

Link simply let out a small chuckle as he adjusted his gray cloak across his shoulders, "Alright, alright. I don't need another person pestering me about getting on the road."

With that the chosen hero walked through the ankle deep water of the stream and began to ascend the steep mound leading to the Ordon village, "Hang on Hero, I have a feeling this journey is going to get interesting."


Link slipped through the small wheat field located just pass the cliff edge that marked the border of Ordon, the chaff which was used for the herds of goats that were raised by the rural community and prized by neighboring villages.

Quickly passing through the fields the young hero came to a weathered wooden fence and crouched in the tall grass, peering across the wide, flat plain as dozens of goats grazed on the wild pasture.

"Looks like ya ain't alone boss, I see a youngin out there wit that feller tripping over his breeches." Hero spoke, loudly, in Link's sensitive ear.

The chosen hero nearly fell over from the earsplitting noise, yet managed to grab one of the rails of the fence, "Hero that hurt! Don't yell in my ear. Now get back before someone sees you." The young hero seethed.

"I hate to break it to ya boss but um, yur the only one that can see and hear me." The ancient weapon spirit commented casually, his ever present grin on his face.

"Sorry, sorry, I forgot about you being just a manifestation of the Hero's Bow and not really there. Just be more careful about screaming in my ear alright?"

"Right boss!" Hero yelled, in Link's ear once again causing the young hero to wince and quietly growl while his gaze moved back to the open field.

"I swear Fado, I heard something coming from over there in the bushes, I ain't pulling your leg neither." The child that was helping take care of the herds exclaimed, pulling the larger shepherd towards the tall grass.

"T-Talo I told you that I didn't hear anything and we need to get those animals back into that barn. Now stop wasting time, and git back to work." Fado said, jerking his hand out of the young boy's grip before he turned and stalked back to the wandering goats, mumbling under his breath about troublesome children.

"B-bu-but…" Talo's sentence trailed off, staring at the older man's back as he stomped back to the barn. The small boy's face contorted in rage and he grabbed a stick lying near his feet and throw it with all his strength at Fado, however it fell short, only traveling a few feet, "Y-You…!" The boy screamed, releasing a string of curses.

The bigger shepherd stopped, glaring over his shoulder at the younger boy, his face red in anger and embarrassment from the expletives that Talo had uttered, "W-What did you just say?!"

The short child swallowed nervously, his face paling before he scrambled away from the charging Fado, who picked up the stick that Talo had thrown at him as he passed it.

Link watched as Fado stumbled after the young boy, swinging the improvised weapon around erratically, a smile growing across his features.

Talo tripped and spilled across the pasture, the bigger herder preparing to strike the young boy with the makeshift switch when the young hero decided to make his presence known.

"Now I know you've heard worse than what little Talo learned from his dad Fado. If I remember correctly you even taught me a few of the more… descriptive ones."

The goat herder stayed his hand and spun around, searching for the voice the suddenly spoke. His emerald eyes roamed over the surrounding area, looking for whoever was hiding.

"W-Who's t-there… I-I warn you I'm the s-strongest warrior in this v-village…!" Fado's voice shook as he held the stick in front of himself like a sword.

Link smiled even wider, even though the two Ordonians were only a few paces away they could not see the chosen hero because of his cloak. The simple shroud was imbued with a magic spell that allowed it to absorb the shadows, wrapping the darkness around him, concealing the hero in even the smallest of shades.

Deciding to end their freight, Link stood up and pulled his hood off, "Easy there oh great one, I mean no harm." The young hero said, holding his hands up.

"L-Link, ya scared the life out me! I thought it was a bandit or another kni… um, never mind!" The older man stuttered uneasily, thick beads of sweat began to form on his brow.

A slightly raised eyebrow answered Fado's uneasiness, "You alright there Fado, you seem… unsettled."

"Oh! I-I am f-fine, just still surprised that you're here… I-I mean, since you didn't show up yesterday we… I-I didn't think you'd be coming."

"Right…" Link replied cautiously, unnerved by the Ordonian's agitation, "Something came up and delayed my trip, but now I'm here now and need to see Rusl about my sword."

"R-Right, right… yeah Rusl. I'm not sure if he's here at…"

"He is! I saw him helping that wimp son of his with the fishing pole tha…" Talo's mouth snapped shut at the vicious glare Fado shot him.

The shepherd turned back to the young hero and laughed nervously, "Heh I-I guess he is back… I didn't know cause I've been taking care of them goats all day… H-How 'bout I take you to the village."

"Sure… that would be fine." Link said, pulling his hood back over his head, concealing his features again under the magical cloak.

After ordering Talo to put the goats into the barn the two adults began the short walk to Ordon Village.

The hike across the pasture, through the large, closed gates that lead to the township was made in awkward silence, Fado occasionally glanced over at the young hero traveling next to him apprehensively.

"I don't right like this fella boss, he keeps looking all around like we was being watched or sometin. As ma Mema always said, ya can't trust a man that can't look at a fish for less than a second." Hero said, quietly.

The young hero simply shook his head at the spirit's comment, "Don't mind Fado, he may look and act tough but in reality he's a coward. Besides Ordon here is full of good people and I'd trust them with my life." Link whispered.

Reaching the small valley that separated the goat pasture and the village, Fado and the chosen hero walked down a steep hill and entered Ordon Village. The young hero's gaze traveled across the rural community, a large, two-story log cabin sat at the base of the mound. The young hero smiled warmly at the home of the gruff mayor and his lovely daughter.

The leader of rural community, Mayor Bo was the largest man the hero knew, easily standing two heads taller than the Hylian and an arms span wider. Although the giant's gut stuck out well pass his belt, massive, tree-trunk like arms, rippling with rock hard muscles told a life of hard living conditions. Yet, Link knew the large man had a tender and loving side that softened his tough exterior, especially concerning his precious daughter Ilia.

The chosen hero glanced over at the large cabin and saw the mayor's daughter herself, beating a rug with a small stick. The young girl, who was around the same age as Link, was blessed with a rustic beauty. Her platinum blonde hair was cut short, the back barely touching the nape of her neck.

Catching her gaze, Link frowned when Ilia paled, dropped her stick and hurried inside the large house, slamming the door shut.

Looking around the village Link's frown grew, on the opposite side of the small creek which ran through the village sat another house. A massive water-wheel was attached to one side. The giant wheel dipped into the deeper reservoir that fed the creek and moved the colossal grinding stone which the young hero knew was contained within the house.

Talo's father Jaggle spied the chosen hero and quickly ushered his wife and youngest child, the former with fear filling her features while the tiny boy stared at Link with a cold, calculating expression.

Jaggle a short, heavily tanned man clasped an old battered hoe in his large hands tightly. The old farmer's thick neck tensed while his face turned red from an unidentifiable rage.

Link slowed to a halt, his intense blue eyes focusing only on the angry father, confused on the hostility in his glare. A quiet cough tore the young hero's gaze away from Jaggle and back to the nervous shepherd standing just across the short bridge built over the stream.

"I-I'll leave you to go the rest of the way, I n-need to get something from ma house." With that Fado took off to the home built underneath a massive tree, stretching well above the surrounding hills.

The small country village was situated in the mountains of Talus, rising up between the desolate Ikana Valley and the wet Goponga Swamp lands. The Talus range, smaller than the mighty Death Mountain and its numerous peaks, was unique because of the dark gray rocks that covered the foothills, while wide, flat plateaus allowed animals to graze on the lush grass native to the great heights.

Link simply raised his eyebrows at the peculiar behavior he'd observed since setting foot in Ordon.

"I gat a bad feeling 'bout this boss…" Hero whispered in the young hero's ear, his spirit floating slightly above the ground just behind the chosen hero's.

The Hylian stayed quiet as he continued up the small incline leading to the home of the village's blacksmith, Rusl.

Stepping up to the porch that wrapped around the small dome shaped house Link rapped sharply on the wooden door, the muffled conversation that the young hero's highly sensitive hearing had picked up immediately stopped. Listening intently the Hylian noticed a crack appear in the doorway before a patch of sun bleached hair became visible, followed quickly by the rest of the head of Rusl, the man whom Link had traveled to see.

"L-Link!?" At the swordsman shout of surprise a loud crash boomed from inside the home, "W-wha… Why are… How'd…?!"

The young hero narrowed his eyes, "Sorry, I was delayed and couldn't make the rendezvous…?"

Rusl slipped out of the barely open entranceway and held the door closed, his hand turning white from the tight grip on the handle, "No it's fine Link! I just wasn't expecting you… since you failed to show up yesterday."

Link glanced over the village blacksmith, a dark green jerkin and light colored leggings, which stopped just below his knees, showed signs of heavy wear. A dyed pelt was wrapped around his waist, tied off by a blue belt that was embellished by an unusual crest. A plain brown scabbard was hung across his back by a thick twine rope with a blade hilt covered in brown leather sticking out from behind his broad shoulders. Dark brown skin and light blonde hair showed much time spent under the sun, while rough hands told of a hard worker.

The chosen hero slowly moved his hand, hidden by his drab cloak, over the dagger strapped to his belt, "Is everything alright Rusl… you and everyone else has been acting… strange since I arrived."

"It's… We…" Shaking his head the older swordsman quickly composed himself, breathing deeply he continued, "Sorry we were attacked by a Bokoblin raiding party so everyone is on edge."

"He's fibbing ya boss, I gat that funny feeling in ma belly. And ma Mema always said, if ya feeling that funny feeling in ya belly then either ya need the pot or someone be a lying." Hero spoke up, his manifestation pointing directly at the villager.

Link remained silent, yet his hand tightly gripped the small hilt of his dagger while his gaze moved around the scattered houses, his face dipping below the raised collar of his shroud, hiding the lower half of his face, "Bokoblin raiders… The damage must have been kept to a minimum else you've gotten very good at repairing the devastation."

The older villager glanced down, his features filled with a deep sadness, before his light blue eyes locked with Link's darker ones, "I'm sorry my young friend… I wish there was another way."

As the young hero mulled over the blacksmith's words, the older swordsman stepped to the left side of the door. The wood suddenly shattered, an iron spearhead busting through it, heading for the hero's gut.

Link leapt back, the tip of the lance catching the edge of his cloak, ripping a long tear through it.

The young hero landed in a crouch on the downside of the small hill leading to Ruls' home, his dagger freed from its sheath, the silver blade glinting in the setting sun.

The chosen hero's face contorted into a fierce glare, centering on the village blacksmith who stood next to the doorway with his sword unsheathed and held at the ready. A heavy, armored boot smashed the broken door and out stepped a Hyrule Knight.

The soldier was garbed in an off white jerkin and slacks with a dark green border, a long shirt of chain mail reached his waist before splitting and settling over his hips. The Hyrule banner stitched into a small cloth piece in the center of his chest. Thick plate-mail boots and gloves protected the guard's peripheral extremities. A large helmet, resembling the head of a fish with a ridge running down the center of the helm, covered the knight's top; the faceplate hiding his features behind the heavy metal with two slots for him to see out of.

The soldier pushed the wood remains out of the way and stepped to the side, his spear gripped loosely in one hand while his other grabbed the sword on his belt. Out of the doorway strode another knight, identical to the first save for no lance in his hands. Following the two guards another, more heavily armored soldier walked out of the dome house.

The third knight stood a head taller than the others; his shoulders were encased by thick armored pads that angled up slightly into a sharp point and joined just above his sternum. His legs were protected by a pair of greaves and quisses, which protected his thighs and lower legs. Two paldrons covered his arms, fitting just under the shoulder braces. Chain mail, with thin metal strips woven through the links shielded most of the knight's chest, a small piece of plat mail connected to the shoulder pads by a heavy gold chain. The entire suit was dyed a light blue with crimson border. A wide, silver stripe ran along the outside of the massive shoulder pads, signifying a rank of captain.

A deep purple, sleeveless surcoat hung over the captain's armor, a depiction of a fiery bird of prey with it's wings out stretched, clutching a massive broadsword in it's sharp talons was stitched in the center of the coat. The young hero gritted his teeth; under the tutelage of his mother, who was prominent in the Hyrule courts before her flight, Link memorized the symbols and colors used to indicate the different ranks they portrayed. The crimson hawk, it's wing tips highlighted in gold, was the crest of Herluin, lord of the southern section of Hyrule Kingdom.

Although Hyrule is the second largest kingdom, only surpassed by the Holy Athonian Empire, it still boasted a massive territory.

Hyrule was split into four sections, North, South, East, and West, each one overseen by a lord that answered only to the King of Hyrule. Each lord had dukes, knights, and barons that pledged service in return for land, which created four separate armies for the fragmented part of the whole realm. The center kingdom, Hyrule, also possessed an army, containing the best swords in the entire dominion, giving Hyrule a military prowess that easily exceeded the other neighboring countries.

However, because of the descriptions Anselma had given to Link, the young hero knew the knight standing before him was not the honorable, noble old man that the hero's mother had spoken kindly about.

The massive man stepped fully out of the doorway's shadow and the chosen hero had to force down the bile that rose to his mouth from the horrendous sight of the knight's face.

His entire skin was enflamed, as if the Hylian was consumed by an unquenchable rage. A massive tattoo of an eye dominated the noble's shaved head. One of the long, pointy ears, found on all true Hylains was missing. The other, while wider than most, was bisected completely, matching the bright white scar that traveled halfway across his head. The knight's face was crisscrossed with countless more cuts as well as several terrible burns that stood out vibrantly against the red skin. Yet, the most ghastly feature was a long, slender scar that began at the lord's widow's peak, cut a jagged line through his empty eye socket, and down his jaw. The white stripe stopped partway down the noble's neck.

"So this is the brat that has caused so much pain and suffering, the one that Rayner gave up everything for… utter foolishness!"

The young hero shot the minor royal a furious glare. Yet, pulled back slightly, his features twisting up in confusion, when he noticed that the general's single eyeball was completely white, the same as his mother's.

"He's blind?! But how's that…"

"I feel strong magic comin from that fancy paint spot on his head. I'd reckon that mark is what's responsible for him seeing, even though he ain't gat any eyes." Hero said, his once cheerful, playful cold and serious.

Before Link could ask the ancient spirit what he meant the Hylian lord's gruff voice echoed throughout the small community, "I truly was expecting a demon, yet all I find is an unarmed child. I'm glad now that I sent the rest of the platoon on ahead. It would have been such a slaughter that his highness would have thought I was afraid of this small whelp."

Turning, the lord centered his head tattoo on Rusl standing next to him, "You've done well blacksmith, Hyrule will not forget Ordon's part in the execution of this dark blot on our golden kingdom."

The swordsman remain silent and motionless, a hard expression on his face. However, when Link stared into Rusl's eyes the young hero saw a deep sadness in the older man's gaze.

"Now, the time for talking is over child. You've lived for far too long now." With a wave of his hand, the Hylian noble ordered the two knights escorting him to attack.

The first soldier rushed Link with a great shout. Stopping short of the chosen hero, the armored warrior thrust his spear forward.

Link dodged the sharp point by rolling to his right. Coming up the young hero was forced to jump backwards, using his free hand to push off and complete a full back flip, as the other guard flung a lance that had appeared in his hands at the space the hero just vacated.

Before Link could fully recover from his landing the first knight was upon him again; throwing himself, desperately to the side the chosen hero used his superior speed to avoid the repeated jabs of the knight's spear.

The young hero's mind raced with different strategies to defeat an opponent with a greater reach. Link spotted his chance and rolled forward, under a vicious horizontal swing from the guard's lance and into a low crouch near the other soldier's spear. Latching onto the weapon, Link grabbed it near the point before shoving it backwards as hard as he could. The iron butt-plate hit the knight that the young hero had just dodged in the chest, the single layer of chain mail failing to cushion the devastating blow from cracking the guard's sternum.

Hearing rapidly footsteps approaching Link braced his lance with both hands and held it above his head. The second knight swung his sword in a powerful vertical strike yet was stopped by his own lance that the hero now held.

The chosen hero abruptly pushed against the soldier's blade hard. The knight stumbled back; yet, before he could recover Link swung the spear sideways and hit the guard in the arm with the rod. The heavily, reinforced spear-shaft shattered upon impact and the sound of bones being pulverized echoed through the village as the knight was pitched to the side.

Link tossed the worthless pole pieces and stood up to face the remaining warriors when his ears quirked up and he heard the distinct sound of an arrow flying through the air. Quickly sidestepping the young hero barely managed to see the burl of the wooden bolt; turning around he saw the shaft of the arrow sticking out the ground. However, a hissing sound filled his sensitive ears and the chosen hero watched as a small fuse attached to the bolt burned swiftly. The young hero's eyes widen right before the lit fuse reached three small, round shapes wrapped around the shaft and a great explosion rocked the countryside.

The chosen hero rolled out of the smoke, his gray cloak in tatters and smoldering slightly, yet because of the magic spell infused in the cloth managed to take the brunt of the blast. Scanning the area Link spotted an archer reading another bomb-arrow on the hill leading up to the massive tree that hung over Fado's house.

The young hero quickly leapt out of the way as the exploding bolt hit the ground near him, and sprinted towards a squat rock formation near a small pumpkin patch on the opposite side of the shallow stream running through the village and joining the much deeper part which the water-wheel dipped into.

Link jumped side to side, avoiding the numerous arrows that the archer was raining down on him, each one blowing large chunks out of the ground soon after narrowing missing the increasingly frantic hero.

The young hero reached the side of the odd shaped mound just as three more bomb-arrows thudded into the rock crevices. Clutching the remains of his ruined cloak, Link jumped and curled up in a ball as the explosives destroyed the rock formation and sent massive hunks of stone and dust everywhere.

The blast smashed into the chosen hero's back, his once pristine shroud being consumed by the flames. Sharp pebbles peppered the young hero's back, however, the thick leather hides, layered underneath his brown tunic managed to protect Link from serious damage.

Landing in the deeper part of the stream running through Ordon, the chosen hero shook to clear his head as the last vestiges of his cloak floating off his bruised body. Glancing up through the blue waters Link watched as the dust began to dissipate, looking down the river the young hero started to swim towards the down the brook and towards the deeper sections.

Traveling down the canal the chosen hero stayed under the water, which turned a much darker color with the farther he swam. The passage narrowed significant from two sheer cliffs that slopped up before the waterway ended in a large bowl shaped reservoir that was hidden by tall precipices with tall trees lining the edges all the way around.

Cloistered to one side of the basin, hidden from the village was a small patch of land. Link slowly climbed out of the water and onto the sandy soil on his hands and knees. Gasping for air the young hero allowed himself to relax slightly, knowing that on the small peninsula was a secret hole that led to a cave which would take him to the Ikana Valley and to the vast plains of Hyrule field.


A/N: Well that was a pathetic ending huh?! Sorry for that folks but one I wanted to get this up and out, and second the next chapter is basically the same chapter but that would have mad it way too long so it got stopped here. I know, no excuses, but a man can try right?

Hope someone enjoyed Hero, that guy's going to be in this a lot because I love him, white-trash/redneck at it's finest. With that said if some of you do decide to grace me with a review I just want you guys (or gals... preferably gals ;)) to know that any and all spelling errors and bad grammar while Hero is talking is completely intentional, just had to let you people know that before I get a dozen reviews telling me how much I suck at spilling ;)

Anywho, sorry again for the long wait... but then again there is only one guy reviewing (granted he's a much better writer so it probably makes up for it in the long run but meh) so maybe I shouldn't feel all that bad lol. Remember the 3 R's (Read, Review, and Reheat... see I gave you guys the third R, be happy now... please, don't break out into song lol)You want to run this ship?!


Yes!

W-well you can't... (Serenity)