I've been pretty busy lately so sorry again for the semi-late update. I've also been procrastinating, oopsy. I had several projects I've been working on this week and a midrerm plus a quiz. Lots of work. Anyway, I recently learned more about Syntax in English. I try to have good sentence srructure, but now I have a much broader understanding. If you notice a change in my style that's probably me practicing it. Syntax (for those of you who don't know) is sentence structure, such as the pace at which you read something. For example: A long sentence with few commas is read fast so you would use it to describe a horse race or something. Stuff like that. I wish I knew more about that. I would've used a run on sentence for Link's freedom sprint earlier on. Okay, enough chit chat, here are the stats:
Important Roles: Zelda 1, Midna 1.
Darker Days: 3 1/2
Captivity: 3
Life on the Run: 1
All: 1/2
Length: More than 10 Chapters, less than 20.
If you chose more than one I put the second choice as 1/2.
The Guest that chose all: I put Darker Days as the full and All as the half since you suggested I start with that one. It's alright that you double reviewed too, I used to do it all the time when I was a guest (by accident and on purpose). Also, would you mind using a "name" or something I can identify you by? If another guest appears without a name I don't want to get you guys confused or have to disregard your votes if I have another poll again. If I can't tell you apart then I can't be sure if you voted twice. Does that make sense? I hope it does lol. I just wanna make sure you're not forgotten or disregarded is all. 3
Looks like Darker Days won! I'll be doing them in order from most voted to the ones that didn't even make it into the votes. A follower messaged me privately so that's why there seems to be an extra vote and the mention of Midna possibly playing an important role. I'm not going to be actually adding her into the story, but I can add her as a motivation factor or something along those lines.
The first chapter of Darker Days will hopefully be up soon. I'm really excited to write it! It was inspired by the tragic story of a young boy that was kidnapped in India. He couldn't speak any English and his captors told him that if he told the orphanage and other people that he had a family, they would beat him. He was a sad and angry child, he was furious when some Americans came and adopted him because he thought they were buying him and that they knew he wasn't an orphan. He eventually suppressed the memories of his family and what happened after a while. One day he returned once he got his memories back, he found what was left of his family and town. It's a true story, I don't know what the title of the documentary was called, sadly. It won't be exactly like that though. It's actually going to be quite different, it's just inspired by the story.
Moving on, I hope you guys like this chapter. I was gonna hopefully finish it Friday night or Saturday at 1 AM, but I started at 11 PM and I got super duper tired at 1 so I'm posting it now instead. The same thing kinda happened on Saturday night as well so its Sunday morning that I'm posting this. more suspense! Your questions will be answered! Are they the answers you want? Yes? No? Enjoy! (Also if you notice a lot of pretentious seeming words that's me practicing my vocab from my Honors English class. I really need to since my final is gonna have a collection of the words from the year)
Chapter 10
Blue. Pristine blue. His arrow quivered on the string. Those eyes were beautiful. The typical ominous amber of a wolf's eye were replaced by startling sapphires. His arm ached with his heart, pause lengthening. Familiar, but not so. Gentle wild, fearful courage, somehow all at once in them. Rusl blinked, the beast ran. Its paws flew wildly, flinging up piles of snow as it sprinted away from the woods towards Hyrule Field, its mouth open wide it disappeared from his sight, nothing but extirpated snow left in its wake. [Syntax]
With a clack his arrow hit a rock uselessly, not even close to the direction the wolf had disappeared in. The eyes of the beast never caught his attention until he had aimed to kill it. One shot. Right through the eye and into the brain. Relatively painless, of course. That was the only mercy he would extend to those vile creatures. Nevertheless, Rusl remained stunned, bow lowered and his jaw slightly slack. Guilt trembled through him briefly, he had wanted to kill such a beautiful creature. Immediately after the guilt appeared, it was swallowed by the fire of a father's fury deep within his heart. He had remembered seeing that same wolf the day he had gone looking for Link. Blue or deep yellow, the eye was the best way to get through the skull, the most fatal, and he was going to kill anything that threatened his family again. It made a mistake coming into his village and that truculent monster would pay.
In one fluid motion he slung his bow back over his shoulder with care. The wayward arrow was placed amongst the others just as carefully. It looked like he would be out longer than he thought, it would be best to return and pack accordingly. He followed the path home, not yet defeated but with thoughts trailing him and his mind.
For many years his predecessors had believed that looking into a wolf's eye would temporarily paralyze or hypnotize them, allowing the canine a chance to attack [actual historical belief]. Decades of defending flocks of goats and hunting deep within the woods proved the belief to be false. Yet some believed the beauty and fear of the wolf stilled your limbs, while others continued to believe the old tales. Either way, they all discovered that with their own will they could easily dispatch the creature. For a second Rusl believed that he might have fallen victim to the "paralyzing beauty and fear" or whatever his Grandmother had spoken of all those years back. He had snapped out of that thought quickly, it was just his accumulated exhaustion causing his mind to wander instead of shooting his prey.
Upon his return he studied the snow covered village. Talo and Beth played near the nearly frozen creek, the mill and running water being the only things preventing it from freezing over. Ilia sat on a fence near the children, watching them and gently stroking the soft head of Talo's young dog. Everything was so normal... so peaceful... and Rusl was going to ruin it. He and Bo had to tell the village that day. The hunt would have to wait. Uli could pack for him while he and the mayor held the meeting.
Increasingly familiar dread shook his bones and muscles with its intense weight. Mindlessly, his feet led him to Mayor Bo's home. The thud of his fist on the wood vibrated and echoed in his mind. He was not looking forward to it. Not at all. A click and a creak later saw him standing in the house. The larger man welcomed him with as much warmth as he could muster. But he knew it too. He knew what they had to do. And neither of them wanted to do it. [Starting sentences with a conjunction is also syntax, another lil lesson for you guys lol]
"I'll go gather the adults Rusl, you go see your family and rest a bit." Bo murmured. His tone was sluggish and as heavy as the swordsman felt.
The smaller man nodded, he would tell the mayor how the hunt went later. The sooner they got the meeting over with, the better. His mind wandered, but his feet didn't. They knew where to go. They never failed to take him back to his home, even in his weariest of days. Creak and click, he was already inside.
Colin lay where he had placed him, now fast asleep with tear tracts still drying on his cheeks. Sadness and guilt washed over the man, his poor boys. Both of them had to suffer, at least one of them was with him. Uli looked rather distraught as well. She was busy stirring a pot of stew, preparing it for dinner. His precious wife didn't even notice him enter.
With all the tenderness he could muster he wrapped his arms around her midriff, startling her slightly.
"Welcome home, honey." She said with a slight edge. It was laced with annoyance at being startled in her vulnerable state.
"Sorry dear." Rusl responded genuinely, letting go of his wife and sitting in a chair nearby.
Uli harumphed, continuing her duty of making dinner. "Did you kill the wolf? We could make use of its pelt this winter. I have a feeling its going to be much colder than we thought this year."
"I did not, sadly." He explained with a sigh, "Bo and I are holding The meeting, afterward I'll be tracking it down again. I won't have time to pack before The meeting, can you...?"
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before nodding. She knew she couldn't stop him from going so she might as well make sure he had what he needed.
"Thank you, my love. If you need anything while I'm gone just ask Bo. The Resistance will be staying here so they should help as well."
Despite the slight reassurances her husband offered her, it gave Uli little solace. Anxiety trimmed away any relaxation in her mind whenever Rusl or Colin left the house. It kept growing worse. Day. By. Day. She knew why, but that did nothing to help solve her problem. She just couldn't bear to lose another. Her daughter needed her father and Uli didn't dare think about her growing up without knowing her sibling by blood. She wouldn't be able to handle losing anyone else. Never again. Never again.
Rusl felt that he had only been sitting for less than a minute when there was a knock on the door. The blonde boy on the bed shifted slightly, but slept on. Sore feet protested their abuse when the swordsman stood and opened the door. Fado stood in the doorway.
"Mayor Bo said to come get you, Rusl. We're meeting at his house, I'm not sure why, but he said it was urgent."
With a curt nod he followed the herdsman with a blank expression. Oh Goddesses, he was not ready. It was different with telling only a couple people at max, all the adults in the village was a whole other story.
Mouth dry, palms clammy, eyes swiveling. Rusl stood in front of the small gathering in Bo's warm home. The man of the house stood behind him, quiet. At first glance it seemed like a lot of people, especially since Ilia had recently become officially an adult. That and the Resistance sat in the very back, silent as well. Several villagers murmured every now and then, curious as to the reason why they were there. Their attention quickly turned to the 2 men in front of them as Bo cleared his throat. The mayor motioned toward Rusl, indicating for him to start.
"This... is not easy. We are not here to discuss winter supplies, nor are we here to settle on where to start new crops next spring. The last tragedy that stuck was 7 months ago. Our children were taken from us. Fortunately, they returned unscathed. Unfortunately, a new tragedy is here to stay." Rusl paused to compose himself, "For many years we have grown as a cummunity, our families grew as well. When Uli and I welcomed Link into our home, we never imagined what a wonderful young man he would grow into. He grew into a brilliant hero, selfless and full to the brink with outstanding courage. Saying he was well loved would be an understatement.
"Many of you might be wondering why I am saying 'was' instead of 'is'. That is why we are here today. Many days ago I sent Link on an errand in the woods, a simple one, or so I thought. Since I assumed it would be no hard task for him, I grew concerned when his absence became prolonged. He had assured my family that he would return, but he did not. I went to investigate why he had not." He took another deep breath.
Tears threatened to fall from his eyes. Rusl's legs trembled, they struggled to hold his weight. By then the congregation was looking increasingly concerned. The swordsman was avoiding the eyes of the youngest woman, piercing and filled with pained disbelief. Ilia would never forgive him or her father for not telling her earlier. Both he and Bo knew that much.
Rusl continued with his shuddering exhale. "I walked through the woods, calling out for him. It took me awhile, but eventually I stumbled across something. There was blood everywhere. Link's gear lay strewn across a small clearing, there were several dead wolves laying around as well. There was no sign of him." Rather than stopping to allow the others to process it, he ploughed through.
He described how he followed the trail of blood to the den, how he couldn't fit through. He told them all about his fruitless search with the Resistance. Outrage bubbled up from a few of them, "Why didn't we here of this sooner?" They cried out. Patience dwindling, he and Bo explained that together. "How could this happen?". Voices overlapped and sobs permeated the air. By then Ilia was sobbing into her hands, Sera trying in vain to comfort her despite her own tears. Everyone knew the hero, the terrified little lost boy. He had grown into such a brave young man. But now. He was lost to them. Once again, forevermore. It wasn't fair. Fate wasn't fair.
"What are we going to tell the children?" Someone exclaimed. Agreements drifted through the sobs of Ilia and Sera. What /were/ they going to tell them? That their idol was dead? That they would never see the hero again?
"I had to tell Colin this morning already. It's best that you as parents tell them yourselves. That's why the meeting only consists of adults. It'll make it easier on them. Don't keep it from them, if they don't hear it from you they'll hear it from someone else. That would crush them more than hearing it from their father and mother. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go." With that, Rusl was gone, heading towards his house.
There was enough food for 3 days in the pack, 5 if he really stretched it. 2 bedrolls and several thin extra blankets were wrapped snugly within them. It seemed a bit overkill, but Rusl was sure Uli just wanted to keep him from freezing his extremities off. He had a full quiver on his lower back, sword where it always was. It was underneath his pack but he could still pull it free with ease. His shield hung on the side of the bulk of supplies, equally as easy to remove, the bow on the other side.
His remaining son was still asleep as he prepared for his hopefully short hunt. He gave his beautiful wife a short kiss on the lips and one each on both of his sleeping children's foreheads. With a wave goodbye, Rusl stepped out of the door and into the frigid world. He collided with somebody before he even got off his porch.
The other person grunted and stepped back. "I apologize Rusl, I didn't see you come out. Are you alright?"
Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly he nodded. He had run into Auru, the older man appeared to be fine as well.
"So, I heard from Bo you're going on a hunt without the Resistance."
Rusl's lips formed a thin line as he nodded again. He really didn't need the entire Resistance to be with him on the hunt. Not to mention that they would also need to pack, which would take much longer. It would further delay the time he could be hunting down the wolf.
"Well, it's a good thing the others didn't hear about this. Looks like it'll just be me and you Rusl." The swordsman opened his mouth to protest. "Don't get all worked up now, I may be a bit slow in the cold, but I have a feeling you might need me. The others are needed here, what use does an old man have in a grieving village? I'm coming with. You don't need to be murdering yourself by overdoing things."
Rusl didn't know it then, but Auru had a really good point. Vengeance is powerful, it can lead people to exhausting themselves in their determination to satisfy its thirst. People have died in such a pursuit, never resting and overworking themselves to their own demise. Auru knew that, he knew it might be Rusl's downfall if he wasn't kept in check.
At that moment though, the younger swordsman groaned internally. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop the older man. At least Uli packed excessively.
So, that's how Rusl ended up on the hunt for a blue-eyed wolf with the oldest member of the Resistance. The tracks led out into Hyrule Field, continuing along the general area of the path. The meeting had taken longer than he had originally thought. The burning orange of twilight bled through the dark clouds above. Camp was set up alongside the road, snow was shoveled away so that it wouldn't melt and put out the fire or freeze them. Auru had been surprisingly quick that day compared to the past few on the search for Link. Rusl realized that it was likely less of Auru picking up the pace and more of the younger man's own exhaustion and soreness slowing him down. He had been so agressive, sorrowful, and full of malice for many days and it was wearing him down physically as well as emotionally. His mind continued to flow with dreary thoughts, they continued on to the point where he couldn't remember when he had actually fallen asleep.
While Rusl slipped into sleep, Auru sat awake. The cold night air made a frame around his breath despite the small warm fire nearby. The sputtering golden flame sat in front of their poorly constructed tent. Through the darkest of clouds in the sky the moon shone through. The platinum rays shifted as the clouds drifted past. It was beautiful. The older man glanced at the sleeping form beside him. That man was losing sight of such things. Pain and sadness stole the once peaceful and happy features from his face, even in slumber. Looking again to the sky, he prayed to the Goddesses that Rusl would not be lost to vengeance. That he may be saved. Amongst the black canvas a rip appeared, the beauty of the bright stars peered down on him. He smiled. Perhaps, there was hope for him yet.
A/N 3 AM and I have to go to church tomorrow at 9 am so I really gotta go to sleep. I did want to write in Link's POV, but I ran out of room and time and you guys know how that all works (plus my tablets giving me grief again, grr). I hope you guys enjoy this! Next update you'll see will be after the first chapter of Darker Days. Have a good day! See you next time!