Author's Note: This chapter marks the end of the week long udate that I promised you. I hope you all enjoyed all of the chapters that were released today. On that note, I would like to say that the main day for chapter releases will be wednesdays, but you never knkow when I may release a chapter for no reason...just keep your browsers on and, if you want, alert the story. That way you will always know when the next chapter is up for release.
Also, Larathet, one of my original characters, is used in this chapter. All original characters belong to me while all others belong to Nintendo.
Now that we have that out of the way and without further ado, here is chapter 10!

Chapter 10

To Kill the Messenger

Link looked into the glowing red eyes of the small creature.

"Hang on, you're Larathet? I have a letter for you here from the princess..."

Link flashed the small piece of paper toward Larathet, beconing her to take it from him, but it seemed not to faze her at all.

"I care not what you vile creatures have to say to me or the others of my clan. The deaths you brought upon my people will not go without vengeance. You took so many of us without even a single glance of remorse. Even my s…grr...information such as that doesn't matter to an animal as vile as you. Our redemption shall start now and it will begin with you!"

A roar came from the entire surrounding area. The forest began to resound with yelling and cheering. Link began to realize that Larathet was not the only skull creature surrounding him. Hordes of them began to pour out of the woods around him and, in no time at all, he was completely surrounded.

"Please, I'm just a messenger trying to do his job. If you're going to kill me, please just read the letter that I've brought here. You can do me that much and at least let me have the honor of completing my task."

Larathet stared into his eyes for a moment. He could see the hatred burning within them from only the sight of him. What had happened that could have caused such a fiery desire to kill? Moreover, what had Zelda not told him about this transport, about the true nature of this little mission? This was obviously something more intricate than a simple delivery.

Larathet sighed and then flashed Link a small smile.

"Hm, I guess it would only be kind to give you this last request. We don't want to lower ourselves to the level of your evil race. Give me your letter. I shall read it in front of you. When I am finished, you will die."

"That is all that I ask."

If Zelda knew that this would be his reception, surely this letter would be something earth shattering to change the skull people's current mindset. However, if she was only looking for an indication of what would happen should the hylians try to make contact, then a messenger would be a more than acceptable loss. Though, would she really think like that? Would she truly sacrifice his life for a simple analysis? From what she had said to him before he left, Link didn't find that very likely.

Like all of the other skull people, Larathet was short and thin. Link had always been told that skull people were the result of going astray within the Lost Woods, but he had always wondered if they were something more than that. He thought of them, not so much a transformation of a previous race, but an evolution into a new one. They were not monsters created from time spent within these woods; they were just a conversion into a new being from an old version of one. When given the right conditions, maybe all of the peoples of Hyrule had the potential to transform in some way like the skull people do.

Link looked at Larathet and was reminded of the skull kid that he had met in Termina; the skin that looked like wood, the glowing red eyes, the almost beak-like nose. He hadn't seen him in years and wondered if he were still around. He felt bad that he hadn't tried to visit him since he left Termina…he knew how the skull kid felt about being abandoned. This, however, was not the place to think about that at the moment. He had found Larathet and he needed to focus upon her. His life, right now, was within her hands and the grasp of all the skull people that were surrounding him, imprisoning him. There was no time to kick back and ponder anything other than the present situation.

Larathet began to open the folded paper which the letter was written on and the expression upon her face after doing so was enough to confirm Link of his fate.

"You mock our sorrow with this blasphemy!? This paper is blank! There is nothing on this! Your people have nothing to say for their crimes!? Nothing to atone for!? You will be the first to taste our sorrow!"

Larathet drew the hilt of the dagger close to her heart, readying the blade.

"For all of our brethren that have been lost at the hands of your clan, YOUR DEATH SHALL BE THE BEGINING!"

Larathet made a motion to the skull people around the perimeter and, within seconds, they had taken Link by the arms, brought him to his knees, and held his head back to expose the flesh of his neck.

This was it, Zelda had deceived him, he was expendable, he was going to die here.

"DIE YOU SADISTIC MURDERER!"

Larathet held out her dagger and made a mad dash at Link. He held his breath and closed his eyes, readying himself for his imminent demise. Larathet had almost made it to Link when a burst of light emerged right in front of him. Larathet had been thrown to the ground and the guards that had been holding Link had scattered. All of the skull people who had encircling him had suddenly drawn back.

Link couldn't believe what he was seeing. His savior, the one person he had thought would not save him, was standing right in front of him.

"I can't believe it" Link breathed, "It's you…"