Chapter 14: Entwined in Light and Darkness
Link was practically smothered by Greta as she gave him one big hug. For the most part, he didn't mind even though she was crushing his many tender bruises that adorned his sore and weary body. Pulling back, she was teary-eyed but smiling, her wrinkled face showing both relief and sadness under the faint light of the morning sun peeking through the cover of clouds. "Oh, my dear child, it was wonderful to see you again."
Her calloused hands gently brushed back his hair before resting them on his shoulders. "But please, in the name of all the holy gods, please be more careful on your journey. I do not want to see you sick or hurt again. Both of you." She turned to Siegfried, her smile never fading, and embraced him next. Awkwardly, the older boy stiffly returned the hug, his face turning a light shade of red. "If you two make me worry another moment, my hair will turn all gray."
"Don't worry, Greta." Link tried to sound assuring but his voice was husky and weak. He opted to show her instead by giving the kind old lady a grateful smile after she attempted to fix Siegfried's hair and straightened out his clothes. Draped around the pouting knight's shoulders was the newly sewn hooded cloak Greta had given him that morning. Dark blue in colour and made of fine cloth, it was one of a matching pair with Link wearing the other one. It was one of her last gifts to the boys along with the extra bundle of fresh ingredients she had gathered from her garden for the whole group. Although they had tried to kindly refuse Greta's generous offer, the old lady would not accept no for an answer.
"Again, we must thank you for everything," said Siegfried, forming a small smile as he nodded at her. Link wasn't sure if it was a genuine smile since the knight had been grouchy most of the morning.
When Siegfried remembered the little incident last night with Taki, he had been downright furious at the ninja but only showed his indignation towards her when she wasn't around. When she was present, he tended to scowl with obvious contempt while the elder woman either acted indifferent or stern as usual. Link still wasn't sure what Taki had done to instantly knock the knight out cold. He couldn't see from where he lay and when he asked out of shock, the ninja only ordered the young boy to return to sleep. Her tone indicated that there was to be absolutely no argument. She had clearly made an example of what she was capable of that night...
Surprisingly, Taki was rather gentle with Link that morning… until she had to force the boy to drink all of the foul medicine she had prepared for him. Black as night and as thick as syrup, the antidote she brewed tasted like spiced, bitter dirt with a hint of sourness to it. The reason for the atrocious flavour was later revealed by Siegfried that the concoction was a horrible mixture of Taki's herbal remedy and Link's blue and green potions. Swallowing all of the disgusting liquid took sheer willpower while keeping it down was the main challenge. The whole process was absolute torture and Siegfried enjoyed every moment of it as he stood watching off to the side with a vengeful sneer on his face.
Even though Taki made Link suffer with terrible nausea, she had only meant well. After all, the young warrior had learned that it was her who closely looked after him when he fell ill. The Hylian couldn't be more grateful to her. It took some time but he did eventually start feeling better after downing the medicine. His fever was gone, the pain in his throat and chest was bearable, and the many aches plaguing his entire body were mild compared to the night before.
"Forgive us for intruding on you so suddenly," Siegfried continued with an apologetic frown, averting his gaze to the muddy ground.
Greta gave him a small smile. "I only wish I can do more for you. You've both been through so much..." She draped her arms around both boys for one final hug. "It saddens me to say goodbye again but it is a joy to see you both well and back on your feet. I wish you two the best of luck in finding what you are searching for. You are always welcomed here. Always." Her hand lingered on the older boy's shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. "Siegfried, watch over your little brother now. Do not let him get into more trouble."
The knight flinched, visibly trying to suppress his unspoken denial. "Y-Yeah…" Siegfried murmured, carefully brushing an armoured hand through his hair in a futile attempt to hide his embarrassment. "I'll make sure to keep an eye on him." As he spoke he shot the younger boy a sideways glare and a forced smile.
Link's grin broadened as he raised his brow in a teasing manner. Although he was disappointed that Siegfried revealed his true name to Greta when he told the 'truth' upon their arrival, (which was another fabricated story that spoke of their reason for travelling eastward with Sophitia and the others), Link was still happy that the older blond kept the part where they were brothers. Siegfried wouldn't explain to the Hylian the details of their lie, he only told Link to play along with no questions asked, which the younger boy did to his heart's content and much to Siegfried's annoyance.
In return for her kindness and hospitality, Link handed the old woman a handful of colourful Rupees just as Cassandra and the others made their way around the cottage with their horses in tow. Once everything was packed onto their mounts, they all said their goodbyes and gave a final wave of farewell before setting out on the muddy road.
By noon, they stopped at a humble-looking inn situated along the main road for a hot meal. There were only a few travelers currently staying at the abode and all were visibly uptight. Inside, the atmosphere was tense when three tradesmen currently staying there approached their group, warning of dangers that lie ahead in the eastern direction. The men spoke of monster sightings and further shared their story when Taki and Sophitia probed for more details.
"Giant lizards carrying swords and shields…" Link mumbled, eavesdropping on the conversation taking place in the lobby. He rubbed his tired eyes before slumping over on the worn wooden table, groggy from the long-lasting side-effects of Taki's antidote.
He, Siegfried, Cassandra, Seung Mi-na and Yun-seong were seated around the only two tables in the small dining quarters. The savoury smells of food cooking wafted through the warm air. It was noisy with the tall middle-aged innkeeper and his young teenage daughter preparing the group's meal in the kitchen nearby. Utensils clattered against pots, knives chopped against cutting boards, and water boiled on a firewood stove while the young short-haired brunette hummed a happy little tune as she worked alongside her father. Despite the noise, Link could hear most of what was said between the trademen's answers and Taki's and Sophitia's questions.
"It's Astaroth," Siegfried snarled under his breath from his seat beside the younger boy. With one elbow resting on the table, he propped the side of his head atop his metal knuckles, feigning boredom. His emerald eyes narrowed hatefully at the new groove he was slowly carving into the surface of the table with the index claw of his right gauntlet. Each time the metal scraped against wood, it produced an audible screech that was starting to get on Link's nerves.
Sitting across from the youngest boy, Cassandra leaned forward on her elbows and whispered, "Are you sure? Not dead, moving ones, right?"
The Hylian slightly lifted his hooded head from his folded arms to glance sideways at the standing group in the lobby. He waited, hearing Taki ask a similar question moments later followed by the men's confused and bewildered responses. "Not undead… It was in broad daylight when they saw a small group of lizards marching in the eastern direction. This was two days ago."
Cassandra pursed her lips to the side and furrowed her brow in troubled thought. "We're following Astaroth's army…"
Yun-seong grumbled a curse from the other table, sitting right behind Link. "Don't tell me we're going to have to fight living lizard-freaks too…"
Siegfried snorted, stopping momentarily at his task of digging a hole through the wood to glare over his shoulder at the young man. "It's Astaroth you should be more concerned about, boy."
There was an annoyed grunt from the redhead. "My main concern is you, brat. You– Oof!" A quick elbow jab from Mi-na sharply cut him off.
The knight's snide retort was thankfully interrupted when their meals were brought to their tables by the innkeeper's cheerful daughter. Bowls of hot soup and plates of fried flat bread topped with meat and vegetables were set before each member as well as the two empty seats saved for Sophitia and Taki.
The young brunette was tall for her age of fifteen, having inherited her growing height from her towering father no less. She hovered by their table after their food was served and introduced herself as Nada. She was curious and also eager to strike up a friendly conversation with them, most likely a habit of hers when meeting new guests. With mostly straight faces, Cassandra and Seung Mi-na did most of the talking, introducing each member of the group and telling half-truths and lies about their purpose for travelling.
However, when Nada politely inquired if Link and Siegfried were Cassandra's children, Siegfried choked on his food and Link couldn't help but gape with his mouth full. The Athenian let out a nervous laugh and stuttered, "Wh-What? Don't be ridiculous! I'm not that old! They– They're…" She quickly shifted her gaze between each boy, a sudden idea noticeably forming in her head. "They're my brothers," she stated with a false smile as she gave a curt nod in their direction, prompting them to follow along.
Link couldn't hide his wide, amused smile while Siegfried stared at the blonde girl with uttermost horror. There was stifled laughter coming from Seung Mi-na as Nada quickly apologized for her 'mistake'. By then, Sophitia and Taki joined the others in both the food and their ploy.
"Oh, come on, kid, stop making that face," said Cassandra as she smirked at the silently fuming knight shortly after leaving the inn. Leading her mount by the reins, she raised an eyebrow at Siegfried as she turned her horse around to face the dirt road. "You and Link were already pretending to be brothers. So what's wrong with me pretending to be your sister?" She lightly giggled.
"Siegfried," the long-haired boy growled in irritation. "My name is Sieg-fried. Not 'kid', not 'brat', and certainly not 'brother'!"
"But 'brother' suits you perfectly, brother!" Link added from the side. He received the knight's trademark scowl in return.
"It. Does. Not."
Bearing a mischievous smile, the youngest strolled over and asked in a quiet murmur, "Then why didn't you tell Greta that we aren't brothers?"
Siegfried abruptly turned his back towards the other. "Because! There's really no damn reason. Stop asking about it!" With that, he stormed towards Taki and her borrowed mount, Skeiron, for she had specifically commanded the knight to accompany her at all times while on the road (even though the boy was highly uncomfortably around her) for a reason neither would say and no one would question.
Curious as to why the knight reacted in such a way, Link glanced over at Cassandra in hope for an explanation but she only shrugged. Apparently, no one knew the exact details of Siegfried's story, so Link had no choice but to somehow pry out the answer.
The group continued on the eastern road despite the many warnings the hosts and travelers had given them before their departure. Luckily, they encountered nothing out of the ordinary throughout the rest of the day. Even travelers were sparse, bringing a sense of worry to what could be lying ahead by the time they reached the next village. By nightfall, they made camp near the border of the forest, taking extra precautionary steps to prevent another sudden ambush. With Astaroth and his minions roaming the region, they had to keep their guard up at all times.
As the adults prepared their evening meal by the fire, Link pestered Siegfried to help him feed the horses. Standing before Thanos, Cassandra's chestnut stallion, the boy in green held out his cupped hands full of grains for the horse. Close by, the knight did the same for Sophitia's gray mare, Althaia. Thanos dug right into his meal but the mare seemed hesitant to approach the older boy.
With a sullen smile, Link told the other, "You know, maybe if you stop scowling, you wouldn't scare her so much."
Siegfried huffed. "I'm not scowling. And I don't think– No… never mind." He sighed, his gaze lowering to the ground.
In the dim light of the distant fire, Link couldn't see the knight's face clearly. However, he could easily tell that something was bothering the older warrior. In fact, Siegfried had been noticeably tense ever since they made camp, but had noted no danger. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," was Siegfried's quick reply as he shook his head. As always, he was avoiding the matter, making the Hylian worry.
Link patted Thanos's snout when the animal finished his meal and moved to stand beside Althaia. Hushing, the boy stroked the mare's nose and gently tugged on her reins, coaxing the animal to step towards the knight. She snorted with reluctance but eventually obeyed, taking small steps until she stood tall before the older blond who impatiently waited. Tentatively, she lowered her head and nibbled the first few grains from Siegfried's armoured hands before burrowing her nose into it. Link's smile was brief; concern soon took over when he saw the other looking downcast once more.
The Hylian opened his mouth only to shut it again. Asking about the problem directly would most likely irk the stubborn blond. He thought for a moment and decided to ease up the situation by his usual method and carefully work around from there.
"Siegfried." The knight raised his head and Link smirked in amusement. "You can lower your hands. Althaia's done. Come on, let's feed the other two, brother."
He got the desired reaction from the older warrior. "I am not your brother," Siegfried hissed through clenched teeth.
Snickering, the youngest dragged the sack of feed over to Skeiron and Zephyros. Immediately, the pair of animals stopped grazing and tried to stick their noses into the bag when he got close. He had to forcefully pry them away with Siegfried's help. Oddly but also effectively, the horses shied away from the older boy when he drew near them. As the boys hand-fed the horses after some more coaxing, Link raised an eyebrow at the knight. "You had a chance to deny it back at Greta's but you didn't. So deep down in your little heart you actually enjoy being my brother, don't you?"
Siegfried angrily snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're out of your mind, elf. The only reason I kept up our brotherly act was because…" His anger dwindled and his voice became quiet. "It's punishment… For everything I've done to you…"
"Punishment?" Link burst out laughing and ended up coughing uncontrollably due to his easily irritated throat and lungs. Once he regained his composure, he smirked at his friend. "How is this punishment, brother?"
"Because I hate it. Now stop calling me that!"
"You know I won't let this go." Link grinned. "Besides, we need a background story if people are always asking who we really are. We can't keep making up different lies. Gotta keep up the act. It's actually quite fun with the sisters involved too." The oldest groaned and before he could say anything in retaliation, Link added in a softer tone, "And you've done nothing wrong, Siegfried. There's no reason for you to punish yourself."
Silence fell between them. They listened to the chattering of the adults and the noisy eating horses. "I don't deserve your forgiveness," Siegfried muttered after a moment had passed. He dropped his arms the instant Skeiron finished his meal, keeping his eyes on the ground before his feet. "I've caused you harm many times… and I'm afraid of doing it again."
"You won't. Not with the Master Sword by your side."
"But it was at my side that night," the older blond argued. He reached over his back, his right hand grasping the covered hilt of the aforementioned sword. "Always has been since you have entrusted it to me. It never leaves my sight and yet, on that night, I was still drawn to the evil hiding in the forest without even knowing it! The sword… it's not enough. Not against a creature as powerful as Soul Edge."
Link moved to stand before the taller one and hardened his gaze, however he doubted if Siegfried could see his face. "You saved me with it. You broke out of your trance and wielded the sword in your hands to face the demon."
The other shook his head. "But that was after the demon had lured me to that cursed place and attacked you. The sword didn't protect me before then so how will it now?" Siegfried demanded angrily. "I cannot rely on it! Do you understand?!"
"Is that why you're trying to meditate?" Link quietly asked. He had overheard the many exchanges between the huntress and the knight while they were out on the road that afternoon and the subject of proper meditation was always the main argument.
"It's Taki's stupid idea," the knight grumbled out bitterly. "And it's partially the reason…"
"Hey, kids! It's time to eat!" Seung Mi-na suddenly hollered, cutting in front of Link's next question. He looked over at the camp and saw the woman's silhouette against the glow of the fire, standing and waving at them.
Siegfried grunted in response and started to make his way over.
"Siegfried, wait."
The knight paused and in a gruff tone, he said, "Don't concern yourself with my problems, boy. My problems are my own. I can deal with them myself."
"But–"
"Link... It's bad enough with the girls always giving me pitiful glances. I don't want you to do the same." He continued on, leaving a frowning Hylian behind.
Gasping, Link woke up with a start and abruptly sat up on his bedroll, his heart thumping loud in his ears. Panting, his throat felt tight and he grasped his neck, feeling his own skin and not the cold steel fingers that threatened to steal his very breath.
A dream! Only a dream, he assured himself, breathing a deep sigh of relief as he rubbed his weary eyes. He quickly wiped the sweat trickling down the side of his face and over his brow before brushing a hand through his damp hair. Blue eyes flickered to the side, grateful to see the white light of the Master Sword still shining on the ground nearby. The holy sword was partially freed from the gilded sheath, just enough to cast a faint white glow over the peacefully sleeping form of the older blond-haired boy. Link silently thanked the goddesses for the sword's continued protection over Siegfried even if the knight did not believe in it.
"Bad dream, kid?"
Link nearly gave a start. His head snapped around, seeing a drowsy Yun-seong sitting cross-legged near the small fire still burning through the night. The redhead raised a questionable eyebrow in the Hylian's direction, holding his curved sword flat across his legs.
"Yeah…" Link quietly answered, wringing his clammy hands together over his covered lap.
Over the past few nights his sleep was constantly disturbed by the reoccurring nightmares; where Siegfried wasn't Siegfried anymore but a killer, drenched in the blood of their friends and companions… And Link was always the last one standing to witness it all because it was his fault for letting it happen…
"You promised to kill me…" Those words would always echo through his mind the moment he woke up, haunting him with gut-wrenching guilt and endless dread. He could never fall back asleep after that, resulting in him lying awake until dawn.
"Did you dream of that night?" Yun-seong asked, his attention turning to the fire. His brown eyes shone yellow from the warm light, staring vacantly at something Link could not see. "Hard to forget when a bunch of undead monsters attack you in the dark, huh?"
The young Hylian soundly agreed but didn't speak the truth. Knowing that sleep would never come to him, Link pulled on his boots and joined the young man by the fire, receiving only a bewildered glance from Yun-seong. Sitting just like the other, the boy took comfort in the heat against his chilled skin.
The night was calm and cloudless. Thousands of stars dotted the brilliant sky, accompanying the quarter moon. The group had made camp out in the open field, far from the boundary of the forest. Blue eyes wandered the sea of stars before falling on the man's weapon out of curiosity. "What are you doing with White Storm?"
Yun-seong lowered his gaze to the blade in his lap, his brow knitting slightly. He held it aloft, seeing his reflection in the flat surface of the polished steel. "I was just… thinking."
"What about?"
The redhead didn't answer right away, seemingly lost in his own sword. After a moment, Yun-seong dropped his arms and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, really. Why don't you get back to bed? It's another four or so hours before morning."
Link shook his head and hid his frown by picking up a shriveled leaf and pretending to be fascinated by it as he twirled the stem between his fingers. "I'm not tired. I could watch for you if you want."
Soundly smirking, the young man laid his sword aside and leaned back on the palms of his hands. "Thanks, kid. But if Mi-na found out I let you take over, she won't stop yelling at me about it. She's next on watch. You haven't fully recovered yet either."
"I'm better," Link assured. Three days had passed since they left Greta's home. With Sophitia consistently forcing him to rest, (she even forbade him from partaking in sword practice with Siegfried), and take medication that was thankfully not mixed with any of Link's potions, the Hylian was feeling fine. However, his throat was still very irritable, resulting in him breaking out in coughing fits from time to time.
Yun-seong didn't believe him. Grabbing a long stick by his feet, the redhead poked at the embers with the end, sending fiery red wisps to dance above the flames as the wood cracked and burned black. As he absentmindedly stirred the ash, he gave the boy a knowing look. Yun-seong seemed to hesitate for a moment before he asked a question that Link had least expected; "What's it like being a kid again? It's gotta be weird."
"Not too weird. I'm already used to it." The Hylian grinned, remembering the first time he had ever experienced time-traveling. Waking from a child's body to an adult's was the strangest sensation. "Though, it's kinda annoying when you and everyone else think I'm a helpless kid."
"Can't be helped, especially when you're a little shrimp."
Link made a face. "A what?"
"A shrimp. You." Yun-seong lightly tapped a finger against the boy's forehead.
Blinking, the Hylian cocked his head in confusion and pouted. "Is that another word for 'elf'?"
The young man stifled his laugh. "No, they're tiny creatures that live in water. They're this big." He showed with his thumb and forefinger, barely a centimeter apart.
"So you're saying I'm a tiny aquatic creature? I don't quite understand what you're implying."
Yun-seong tried not to laugh again. He sneered in amusement soon after. "What I'm saying is you're small, small like a shrimp. Look at you," he held his hand above Link's hatless head which only measured up to the man's shoulder sitting up, "you're short and weak."
"Size doesn't matter," Link defended in a huff, crossing his arms. "I took down that giant Lizardman."
"And you got poisoned in the process," the redhead pointed out sullenly.
"It won't happen again now that I know what they're capable of. The undead ones, anyway, if we run into them again."
Yun-seong quietly snorted, glancing over at the other boy who still slept. "It probably will happen," he whispered, his eyes narrowing with unease. "So long as he is around…"
Link furrowed his brow, not liking the strong hatred between Yun-seong and Siegfried. Things had somehow gotten worse since the incident. They rarely spoke to one another, kept their distance during meals and rests, and mostly avoided eye-contact. Moments were quiet but extremely tense when both were together in the same area. One wrong word and the situation would likely turn ugly within an instant. Thankfully, Taki kept Siegfried under her strict control and Mi-na with Yun-seong so nothing really got out of hand.
"The light of the Master Sword will keep evil at bay from him and from us. You don't have to worry." They were nearing the next village and should arrive tomorrow in the evening. Fortunately no danger had found them since that night after they left Athens. No one-eyed demon, no undead, and no sign of Astaroth or his army. Having the Master Sword partially drawn at night was one of Taki's steps in preventing another sudden attack. And to protect Siegfried from his dreams, which Link learned, were no longer suppressed by the Song of Healing alone.
Yun-seong turned back to the fire, his eyes keen on the flickering flames. "In the end, do you think it will work? That you two will return back to normal after finding Soul Edge?"
Confident, the Hylian nodded with a smile. "Of course."
However, the redhead didn't seem to like the boy's answer. Yun-seong's face darkened. "Then he'll turn back into that monster… won't he?"
Link's smile vanished and sadness took its place as he looked away, his eyes falling on his slumbering friend. Deep down, Link knew the dreadful answer… but he didn't say it. "I don't know…" he whispered.
When he felt their horse come to a stop, Siegfried snapped his eyes open. He was annoyed mainly because it felt like he had finally fallen into a meditative state (and not asleep) only to have it suddenly disturbed. Blinking to adjust to the light of the setting sun, he took a quick look around to find out why Taki had stopped their mount.
The answer lay ahead at the end of the road. What should have been the large village of Iografou was replaced by broken stone, shattered wood, gutted buildings, and blackened remains.
"In the name of all the holy gods…" whispered Sophitia as she stopped her horse beside the ninja's, horrified at the destruction that lay before them. Seated in the saddle in front of her was Link who was starting to rouse from sleep.
"What… What happened here?" Cassandra exclaimed.
"An attack," was Taki's answer. To Siegfried, she discreetly asked in a quiet whisper, "Do you sense anything?"
The knight lightly shook his head as he made a face the huntress couldn't see. Suffice to say, he had somewhat gotten used to having the ninja so uncomfortably close to him. He was stuck with her while they travelled and he had no choice in the matter. It didn't bother him too much considering he would rather be with the stoic woman than with the other chatty girls. She was true to her word; since that night they spoke in the woods behind Greta's home, the others stopped confronting him about the ordeal with the undead demons.
On the road, the ninja and knight rarely spoke about anything other than sometimes getting into minor arguments about proper meditation procedures and how beneficial or stupidly ridiculous it was. Other than that, they mostly kept to themselves.
"Who could have done this?" Cassandra demanded angrily, looking at the destruction before them.
Siegfried knew full well who was responsible. "Astaroth," he replied in a bitter snarl. "This is likely his doing. Lizardmen were spotted heading this way, after all."
"This explains why travelers were sparse on our way here," the huntress noted before pressing her horse onward. "We will have to move around the perimeter and continue down the road."
"Wait." Cassandra trotted up to Taki and Siegfried. "Shouldn't we… Shouldn't we stop and search for survivors?"
The boy shook his head and gave her a grim look. "This was done days ago. We won't find any survivors… Those who didn't escape during the attack are probably already dead and eaten considering the number of reptiles in Astaroth's army."
Cassandra was appalled by the horrid truth and her fists tightened. Finally, she looked away and said thickly, "They will pay for this. I swear it."
As they neared the devastation, the smell of burnt wood and death permeated the air. The surrounding field of grass was trampled and torn. Dozens of quills protruding from the ground indicated the meager effort the villagers had put in fighting back. Abandoned pieces of armour and weaponry both shattered and still intact were strewn about, the iron and steel stained with blood. And yet there were no bodies in sight.
The scene was morbidly disturbing especially when cast under the red light of the sunset.
For Astaroth to completely destroy a village, there must have been something the golem was looking for. Another shard of Soul Edge perhaps? Or could it have possibly been Soul Edge itself? The mere thought of the bastard in possession of the cursed sword deeply troubled Siegfried.
His worries intensified when he suddenly felt a dark presence coming from within the ruins of Iografou. Fully alert, he sharply turned his head towards the village just as Taki steered their horse off the main road. An unnerving chill shook his body and his hands clenched tightly around the hilt and scabbard of the sacred sword he carried across his lap. The evil was weak, lesser than a fragment but still noticeable.
Taki sensed his anxiety immediately. "What is it?" she inquired, stopping her mount abruptly and making Skeiron whine. The others stopped as well, their attention directed towards them.
Siegfried narrowed his eyes at the piles of rubble before him, concentrating on the source of the evil coming from somewhere deeper inside. "Something's here…"
"I really hope it's not more dead lizards," mumbled Seung Mi-na, shuddering at the thought.
"Do you know what it is?" Taki further questioned.
The knight shook his head. "No. It's faint…"
"Where?"
"Farther in… How far exactly, I don't know."
The huntress shifted behind him to hop off their horse. "I will investigate this," she said as she dug into her bag tied to the saddle and pulled out a sheathed sword. It was her cursed sword, the one she called Mekki-Maru that was bound under numerous seals to keep its evil contained. "Everyone, stay here."
"Wait! You can't go in by yourself!" Seung Mi-na cried out.
"Yeah. It could very well be another trap or something," Yun-seong added with a look of disdain directed at Siegfried. The blond-haired boy shot a scathing glare at the redhead as he strapped the Master Sword to his back before carefully dismounting. With a grunt, he soundly landed, his armour rattling from the impact. The others were starting to get off their horses as well.
Taki gave each of them a stern glance. "It will be quicker if I go alone."
"But not as safe," warned Sophitia, unfazed by the ninja's stare. "I will go with you."
"I'll come too," said Link, still seated atop his horse.
There was a sharp "No" from Taki, making the elf flinch back. Her fierce, dark eyes didn't give the young boy the chance to argue. "Sophitia. Cassandra. With me. The rest of you are to stay here until we return."
"Why–" was all Yun-seong could mutter before he was cut off.
"That is an order. Do you understand?" She gave the Koreans a pointed look, stilling their tongues from any other form of protest. Even Siegfried dared not to say anything.
Seung Mi-na was obviously unhappy at the command but she gave a curt grunt of agreement. "Fine."
Yun-seong's lips also twisted in distaste but he replied, "Whatever then."
Satisfied, the huntress then turned to the knight, her expression now neutral, and nodded at the weapon he carried. "Keep yourself safe."
Without wasting another moment, she stepped into the ruined village with the sisters right behind her.
Yun-seong groaned soon after and kicked at the flattened grass in frustration. "Just freaking great. Who decided to make her leader?" he grumbled, crossing his arms in an angry huff. "You," he pointed a finger at Siegfried, "better not pull anything stupid, brat, or else I'll have to tie you to a tree."
"You'll only succeed in tying your stupidity to that tree given how you can't even make a proper knot," the long-haired boy shot back.
"I can tie knots just fine!"
"Oh, really?" Siegfried's gaze flickered over to the jumbled mess of ropes and binds that held the Koreans' belongings to the saddle of their horse. Seung Mi-na had complained about it several times over the past week so it was hard not to notice.
"How about I tie your–"
"Quiet!" Mi-na interrupted with a wave of her hand. "Let's just make camp and wait for them to return without shoving arguments down each other's throats."
Night had fallen and the crescent moon was visible in the starry sky by the time they settled a short distance from the village remains, away from the stench and away from the evil. Link started a fire and just like every night, he dragged Siegfried around to feed the horses.
"What do you think is in there?" asked the elf, emptying the last of the animals' feed on the ground. The four horses surrounded the small pile of spilled grains, nearly crushing the small boy between their long legs and large bodies.
Standing aside, Siegfried shrugged as the giggling elf squeezed through the horses. "Could be something Astaroth was looking for but never found, considering he's a blundering idiotic oath. If he was willing to annihilate an entire village for it, it must be important…"
"Another fragment of Soul Edge?" Link suggested while dusting off his hands.
"No. It felt far too weak. It could very well be something the damn golem had left behind in his search. Like a trace."
He was beginning to doubt his own suspicions when an hour passed by and Taki's group had not returned. It was eerily quiet and still. The night was windless but still cold. Link was huddled under a blanket by the fire and Siegfried was anxiously pacing nearby. The Korean pair had wandered to the edge of Iografou for a quick scouting, disappearing into the darkness behind what was once a home.
In circles, the older boy walked around the holy sword he had erected into the grassy ground in hope of warding off any danger. And mostly to calm his nerves. However, the light did very little to ease his growing worries as the hour was starting to turn into two.
He paused when he heard the elf noisily yawn. "Go to sleep if you're tired."
The younger boy rubbed his eyes and grinned at the other. "And miss out on the action? What if more undead Lizardmen appear? You wouldn't be able to handle it."
Siegfried averted his gaze to the Master Sword.
"Ah! Sorry!" Link quickly apologized when he realized what was said. "What I meant was my Light arrows are very effective against the undead and evil beings."
"What about your sword? Isn't it just as effective?"
"Yeah… but you don't really want to fight an undead up close. They stink. Horribly. I can still remember the awful smell. You're lucky you don't remember."
Siegfried rolled his eyes and lightly smirked in amusement. Even though Link was often annoying, he had the tendency to take every serious moment with lighthearted humour. Siegfried freed the sacred sword and dropped beside the younger blond, carefully laying the naked blade between them. "Let's hope that nothing comes," he murmured, staring off at the burning flame before them. "But if something does show itself before me, I will be prepared for it." He tried to sound confident but his voice wavered with doubt.
"Don't worry," Link assured, "The Master Sword will protect you."
The knight snorted. "Unlikely."
"It's been protecting you in your sleep, hasn't it?"
That part was true. The dreadful nightmares had stopped when he slept within the protective light of the holy sword combined with Link's song. However, the sword had yet to prove itself in the fight against the darkest evil that sought after him. "Yes. But what use is it in battle? It's too heavy for me to wield properly. I don't even understand how you could have used it single-handedly when we first fought."
Link bashfully chuckled. "It's… Well, it's mainly because the Master Sword can only be wielded by the chosen Hero…"
Siegfried gave the elf a sideways look of disbelief. "Chosen Hero? Meaning you?"
Link broadly grinned. "Yeah."
Siegfried continued to stare while Link continued to stupidly smile. Running an armoured hand through his long hair, the older warrior couldn't believe the elf's logic. "Why the hell didn't you mention this earlier? And why give it to me if I can't even use the damn thing?"
"Because I only just realized it? And you can. You've already proven that you can fight with it."
"Hardly. Especially with this stupid chain on my left arm." Siegfried couldn't say he was getting used to the added 'weight' of the holy bracelet. It constantly hindered his movements. Sometimes it even felt heavier than before that he was often tempted to tear the damn thing off when he couldn't move his arm. "I'll barely stand a chance against a real opponent. I knew I should've gotten my own sword."
"Hey, it'll get easier over time. You just have to trust in the Master Sword. And… train with it more."
Siegfried heavily sighed. He hated when the elf spoke of his ridiculous beliefs. Complete nonsense, he wanted to say but he said instead, "Just go to sleep. If we're fortunate, nothing will spring out of the shadows and try to kill us."
"That's very reassuring," the youngest replied sarcastically. "There's no way I can sleep now."
"You haven't been sleeping well over the past few nights, am I wrong?" Siegfried saw the surprised look on Link's face. "You're not the only one to notice these things, elf."
The boy furrowed his brow with an angry pout, however it was short-lived. The elf slowly faced the fire. "I've been having bad dreams. That's all."
"Of what?" Siegfried quietly asked.
For a rare moment, the elf watched the flames in silence, his face drawn and tired. "Of what may come…" he finally answered in a monotone.
Perplexed by the boy's obscure answer, the knight raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"The future… One of the possible futures at the end of our journey…"
Judging from Link's morbid expression, Siegfried assumed the outcome of the boy's dreams was not always pleasant. He didn't pry any deeper for he was disturbed to see the usually cheerful elf so glum. "They're only dreams, boy. Dreams about something that has never happened. And probably won't."
The elf glanced at him from the side before smiling. "You could be right. They're only just dreams." But then, under his breath, Siegfried could hear him say, "But sometimes my dreams are premonitions…" Siegfried was curious but didn't question the boy. Instead, he tried to force Link to shut his eyes and rest but only managed to get into a minor quarrel that ended with childish name-calling and sarcastic insults being thrown back and forth.
The night drew longer and colder and Siegfried grew much more apprehensive with each passing second. Warily, he kept his attention on the crumbled village, waiting for the return of the others while Link fought to stay awake. It has been too long since the Koreans had left… what were the fools doing?
Emerald eyes narrowed when they saw the shadows of a collapsed building flicker with movement for a brief second. Then there were the whispers so faint to the ears that brought unnerving chills to run up Siegfried's spine. He shivered. "Did you hear that?" he slowly asked, never leaving his sight from the darkness that haunted the remains of Iografou.
Link turned around to try to see what the other saw. "Hear what?"
"Whispers… You didn't hear it?"
"Err, no…"
That was truly troubling. Siegfried clenched his jaw tight and reached down to grasp the covered hilt of the holy weapon beside him. "Something's not right…"
The elf soundly agreed. "It's been too quiet. Yun-seong and Seung Mi-na have been gone for a while now and Taki and the sisters still haven't returned… Do you sense anything?"
The knight shook his head. "Not with the Master Sword interfering."
"I'm worried… We should go and search for them."
Siegfried's reply was interrupted by a loud cry of a crow coming from right above him. Both boys jumped to their feet at the sound, their heads craned to the night sky only to see the silhouette of the bird soaring over them. It landed on top of a standing stone wall at the very edge of the village boundary. Siegfried's blood ran cold when the bird turned its wicked red eyes towards him. Two tiny burning rubies watched him from the distance, making him feel nothing but utter dread.
"It's that bird!" the elf exclaimed as he stepped forward, quickly grabbing his bow and pulling out an arrow.
The feathered demon repeatedly cried out, its shrill caws renting through the air; mocking; taunting; laughing. It was then that Siegfried felt a horrible pang of guilt when he realized the truth. "It really was a trap…" he managed say, shaking his head. "The others are in danger…"
Link peered over his shoulder at the older boy, dismayed. "How do–" A booming crash coming from the village cut him off. One of the few tall structures visible over the piles of rubble suddenly toppled over, sending plumes of dust into the air. There was screaming and swearing followed by another loud crash of shattering stone and flying debris. Link gasped. "That was Yun-seong and Mi-na!"
He started to run towards the chaos and Siegfried had no choice but to follow, struggling to keep the heavy Master Sword aloft as he ran after the quick elf. Link quickly disappeared around the first pile of broken wood and stone, his light footsteps muted by the rumbling quake of another falling building.
Siegfried slowed to a stop when he reached the watching bird, shooting a hateful glower at the wretched creature. The crow cawed once and took flight, landing on a tilted beam of wood farther in. Its crimson eyes gazed upon him once more and it released another cry. It was beckoning him to follow, just like before…
The boy bared his teeth in a snarl, perturbed by the dreadful situation he knew awaited him in the end if he followed the damn crow.
However, this time he wasn't caught off guard nor was he powerless. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the sacred sword in his care, feeling its divine power surround him in the form of its radiant light. It shielded him from the evil that lurked in the darkness. Knowing that, his doubts started to vanish and his trust in the sword grew. Slowly, he drew a deep, steady breath as he carefully made his way through the rubble, his mind set.
Determined to put an end to the main cause of his suffering and the endangerment of his companions, the knight decided to follow the bird and deal with the demon that wished to take him.
A deep reverberating moan sounded from somewhere close by accompanied with panicked, angry voices belonging to the Koreans. Ignoring the noises, Siegfried broke into a run. The crow led him through the maze of splintered wood, crumbled stone, scorched sections, and partially intact structures; in the opposite direction from the ongoing battle. The Master Sword lit the path that would have otherwise been hidden under shadow. He saw more than damaged buildings… There were corpses, both human and lizard; a handful of warriors that died fighting against the few reptilian soldiers slain on the ground. Dried blood stained the walls and streets and the rancid smell of the bodies was nauseating. Siegfried gritted his teeth and tried to ignore it all.
The crow was waiting, perched at the very top of a wooden beam belonging to an empty, burnt shell of a building on the verge of falling over. When he neared, the bird swooped down behind the structure, leading him into an open plaza. Tired from the cumbersome weight of the Master Sword, Siegfried was covered in sweat and out of breath when he entered the area.
The boy cautiously scanned his surroundings, finding minimal damage to the nearby buildings compared to the rest of the village. Homes and shops mostly remained intact, only to bear scorched marks from fires that had long since extinguished. There were no bodies that he gladly could not see however there were dark streaks that stained the ground that suspiciously looked like blood. The plaza was barren with the exception of a lonely water well situated in the centre. And perched on the small roof of the drawing well was the demonic bird, its beak raised high and its head turned sideways to stare at him with one of its crimson eyes.
Siegfried tensed and braced himself as he made his way over, soundly dragging the holy blade along the cobblestones. It was strangely quiet save for the thunderous beating of his heart, his panting breaths, and the scraping of metal against stone.
He stopped when he was halfway to the well when he heard the distinct echo of footsteps coming from behind him. He twirled around and saw nothing. Holding his breath, he tuned his ears to his surroundings and heard the sound again coming from behind him once more. Snarling in aggravation, he faced the crow only to freeze when the shadows behind the well moved and shifted; rising up to form a dark, blurry, humanoid shape.
Siegfried…
The harsh whisper brought chills and a sharp pain to the side of his head. He grimaced and tried to clutch at the pain but found his left arm too heavy to lift. He stumbled backwards, his vision swimming and his body suddenly weak. With no strength to stand, he fell down on one knee and struggled to fight against the pain and weakness that had taken over, desperate on the power of the sword still held tight within his right hand to help him.
But the damn sword couldn't hear his silent plea. The holy light flickered and dimmed as the ghostly shadow rounded the well and stretched out a long, thin arm, offering its hand towards him.
Komm zu mir… Come to me…
Siegfried's eyes widened and he gaped at the nearing shadow in both surprise and disbelief. Those words… he remembered hearing them before, spoken in a voice that belonged to someone he once knew…
He wanted to ask for the truth, but his own voice failed him. All he could do was stare at the tall ghastly figure as it slowly approached him with silent steps.
Despite the light that shone, the shadow remained hidden and obscure. However, the boy recognized him through the thick fog. For years he had yearned to hear him, to see him, and most of all, to be forgiven…
Wieder nach Hause kommen… Come back home…
Home? How long has it been since he had last heard that word? He couldn't remember the day he had left. He couldn't even recall why he left in the first place.
What has he been doing all this time? How did he end up so far from home?
The shadow towered before him, its hand held out and waiting.
Kommen… Come…
Something heavy slipped out the boy's right hand and dully clattered on the ground beside him. Slowly, he reached up, wanting to go back; to get away from the pain; away from the loss; away from the guilt he always carried.
His fingers nearly touched the other's when a bright golden flash erupted right in front of him, stinging his eyes and blinding him. Crying out in pain, he recoiled and clenched his eyes shut, hearing a familiar voice shouting out his name.
Memories of everything that has ever happened flooded through his mind, bringing him back into his goddamn painful reality. Swearing under his breath, he winced at the agony pounding in his head. Black blotches clouded his vision, preventing him from seeing anything, but he could sense the being before him; the cursed imposter, the one that brought him a false hope that was easily crushed by the awful truth.
Quickly, he groped the ground to find the hilt of the sword he had dropped. Someone grabbed him by the arm and helped him to his feet. He didn't need to see who it was.
"Are you all right?" Link asked, out of breath and noticeably worried.
"No," he growled in anger, unable to contain the rage he was feeling for being easily tricked. Blurry at first, he eyes started to clear and he glowered hatefully at the one that tried to fool him.
He was aghast when he saw the creature clearly before him. Far different than what he had imagined, the one-eyed demon was a hideous abomination composed of dark, brownish bony limbs that burned deep with orange flames. Held within the core of its body was the eye of Soul Edge surrounded by glistening red flesh that pulsed like a living heart. Siegfried could even hear the beating of its life, sounding so horribly loud to his ears.
Its eye was bloodshot and bleeding, most likely due to that blast of golden light that had blinded them both. A thin trickle of dark blood dripped down, making it look as if it cried bloody tears.
Siegfried's anger returned in full force when it faced the boys. He loathed its vile existence and wished nothing but its death by his own hands. How dare that monstrosity manipulate him and control his actions. He wanted vengeance for the pain it had caused not only to him but to Link and his companions as well.
He hefted the Master Sword to hold it steady in both hands. The light was brighter, nearly blinding compared to before, chasing away all shadows and defying the evil that stood tall before him.
"Wretched creature!" he seethed, stepping forward. "You will pay for this!"
It didn't seem like it heard him. The demon was more than angry, Siegfried could feel its rage but it was only directed at the young boy standing beside him. Its bloodied eye glared vehemently at Link, its malicious intent gleaming.
"Link! Get behind me!" the knight ordered without looking back.
"No, I'll fight it too!" the elf argued, soundly drawing his sword and shield.
Impatient, Siegfried wanted to demand the stupid boy to listen but then the demon's attention turned back to the older warrior. He steeled against its piercing stare and bared his teeth in retaliation. The eye was prying into his thoughts; searching, reading, copying… It left a strange tingling sensation at the back of his mind. At the same time, he felt something else, something that didn't make sense that it highly confused him; despite never seeing the creature before, he somehow knew almost everything about it, like they had known each other for an eternity…
Then all of a sudden, the monster's bony segments fell completely apart, its many pieces clattering to the ground and its flames dispersing into nothingness. However, the fleshy eye remained aloft, hovering due to some unseen force. The pulsing orb soon ascended high above the boys, taking its bony pieces with it where they spiraled around the glaring eye.
Link shifted up to Siegfried's side. "Look out! It's… it's doing that thing again!"
It came to no surprise to Siegfried for he was already aware of what the demon was capable of. It was reshaping its body to match the one it copied… The form it chose was…
When the demon landed on the ground with a solid thud, Link sharply gasped and Siegfried could only curse. Standing slightly taller than before, the monster soon fell into an all-too-familiar stance with Soul Edge in its clutches.
"It has Soul Edge!" the elf exclaimed, needlessly pointing with his short sword and gawking at the knight.
Even though every single little detail of the cursed sword looked just like Soul Edge, from the many scars riddled on the pulsing red flesh to the blinking yellow eye, it was not the real thing. Only a fake; a replica. Something only a demon born from the fragments of Soul Edge itself could conjure up.
"No, it's not the real Soul Edge," the older boy snarled. Their situation had just gotten much worse.
"A copy? It copied you!"
Cursing the damn monster to hell was Siegfried's response to that. He fervently examined the monster with narrowed eyes, taking note of its flawless posture. How it held the sword, how the feet were placed, even the position of the upper body showed no error to Siegfried's stance – no, Nightmare's stance.
Siegfried took a short glance at the elf, seeing the boy stand fearlessly against the grotesque monster and its wicked blade. If anything, the elf looked confident even though they were seriously overpowered by the greater demon in terms of strength.
Siegfried gripped the hilt of the Master Sword tightly, currently thankful at its divine protection. Ever since Link arrived, the power of the holy weapon undoubtedly increased, making him realize that the elf's presence was needed to bring forth the sacred blade's true powers.
The demon took a menacing step forward, forcing the boys to warily step back. Unlike the younger boy, the knight was tense and apprehensive. Escaping was impossible at this point. They had no choice but to fight. Engaging a battle against a powerful enemy in the body of a child was suicidal at best.
"Siegfried," Link gave him a quick sideways glance, "Do you think that sword would work?"
The demon took another step, its unblinking eye flickering between the glowing sword and the elf, glowering at both with uttermost hate.
"What would work?" Siegfried demanded in a growl, completely on edge. Keeping his focus on the monster, he was anticipating the demon's first attack.
"To open the time portal! Is it possible with that?"
"The portal…" The knight hadn't thought of that possibility. There was a slight chance that it could work considering it was a weakened Soul Edge and the Master Sword that created the time portal in the first place. "It might–" He didn't get to finish his answer because the demon started to lunge straight at them, its long legs closing the gap within seconds.
Reading its movements, the older warrior could predict its form of attack. Knowing full-well that he wasn't the one being targeted, he acted in haste. Just as the demon swung its vile sword down upon the elf, Siegfried roughly shoved the smaller boy aside. With all his might, he brought the Master Sword up in hope of diverting the larger blade just enough to avoid getting cleaved in half.
But then something surprising happened; the demon's eye grew wide with fear when it saw him take the elf's place. It was afraid to hurt him – it wanted to stop its blade but its momentum carried it forward. All it could do was twist its sword to the side at the last moment, resulting in Soul Edge's flat side clashing hard against the tip of the Master Sword, knocking the holy sword painfully out of Siegfried's hands.
Only sparks flew during the brief connection between both swords and nothing else, eliminating their hope of opening the time portal…
The replica sword of evil slammed into the ground beside him with enough force to shatter the ground and send stones and dust flying. He was struck by the flying debris and knocked onto his side.
Link cried out for him, panicking for his safety when the elf should be focusing on the damn demon. Hidden in a shroud of dust, the abomination ignored Siegfried and headed for the younger boy. The knight tried to shout out a warning but ended up choking at the dust.
He sensed the demon's exhilaration when he saw it sweep its massive blade at the small boy. A loud clang of metal striking metal echoed all around when the monster's sword struck Link's shield. The heavy impact sent the boy flying far and crashing hard against the ground where he tumbled and yelped in pain before rolling to a stop. The elf groaned and struggled to rise, leaving him vulnerable for the demon's next attack.
The ugly creature started to casually walk towards the fallen boy, taking pleasure in seeing its target writhe pitifully on the ground. A horrible screech accompanied it as it dragged the edge of its cursed sword soundly against the stained cobblestones.
With his hands numb and throbbing, Siegfried stumbled to his feet and quickly scanned for the dropped Master Sword. He found the sword within an instant, its bright light penetrating through the settling dust.
The moment he picked it up, he heard running footsteps coming up behind him followed by a panicked curse muttered in Korean. "Hurry, Yun-seong!" Mi-na shouted.
Siegfried saw the young man sprinting towards the one-eyed demon that ignored the pair's arrival. The demon broke into a run, wanting to drive its blade into the elven swordsman who had risen to one knee. Link was watching the attacking creature intently, waiting for the right moment to dodge.
The monster desired the boy's death. It was not going to miss a second time. Lifting its massive blade over its shoulder, it was feinting a downward strike coming from the right.
"Dodge left, Link!" Siegfried yelled.
Without hesitating, the elf dove to the left and made the demon falter in its approach. Sensing Yun-seong closing in, the abomination twisted around with its sword ready to intercept the Korean's blade. Yun-seong was knocked off-balanced from the heavier weapon but was quick to recover.
"Is that Soul Edge? Did that thing find it first?" Seung Mi-na exclaimed, stepping up beside Siegfried. She was in rough condition, with her cloak torn and bloody from her previous battle against whatever had attacked her and Yun-seong. Her left shoulder was badly scraped and bleeding, drenching her whole arm red and there were several small lacerations on her bare legs. Yun-seong also bore visible wounds with blood trickling down the left side of his head and a small but noticeable limp to his left leg.
"That's not the real one," the knight answered with a quick shake of his head.
Mi-na glanced at him with a questioning frown. "A fake Soul Edge? But how?" The answer came to her quickly judging by the wide-eyed look she was suddenly giving the boy.
Not wasting another moment, Siegfried ran towards the cursed demon, ignoring the girl's commands to stop.
The monster was in the midst of a furious onslaught against the defending redhead. The air rang with each heavy swipe of the fake demonic sword against the young man's curved blade. Yun-seong was being pressed back with no chance to counter or evade. Each powerful blow weakened his arms to the point where he could no longer hold up his defense. He loudly swore when his sword slipped out of his hand after blocking the last overhead slash. The precious treasure of the Seong family, White Storm, noisily clattered to the ground, the echoing sound signifying the inevitable end of the Korean's battle.
The deadly edge of the demonic weapon descended on Yun-seong and Siegfried and Mi-na were too far to reach him in time.
However, Link was not forgotten.
Seconds before the blade would hit, a bright blue flash erupted from the demon's pulsing eye, making the creature suddenly jerk to the side and resulting in its grand sword crashing hard into the ground beside the redhead. A cover of dust flew and hid the enemy and the redhead, but Siegfried could hear Yun-seong's cries of relief as he scrambled away and complimented the elf on the rescue.
The dust was swept aside from the enraged demon swinging Soul Edge erratically around, shaking off the magical ice that wished to seal it. It easily broke and dispersed the spell due to the heat from its flaming limbs and its powerful strength.
As the last of the ice soundly shattered, Siegfried charged at the demon's backside with a running thrust. Unexpectedly, the demon twisted around, its fierce, bloody eye glaring venomously at the glowing blade wanting to run it through.
Instead of piercing into the red flesh, the Master Sword was jolted to a stop by a large bony hand encircling around the blade in an iron grip. Within that same instant, the holy sword suddenly flashed with a blinding white light.
Siegfried cried out in pain when he felt intense heat flare from the hilt of the blade that seared his hands, followed by an electrifying shock that surged through his arms and numbed them both. The next thing he knew, he was down on one knee, his arms useless by his sides, his ears loudly ringing, and his eyes blind yet again.
He wasn't sure what was happening around him. There was so much noise: voices were yelling, their words incoherent and muffled; there was rumbling, the earth was shaking beneath him; and then there were the sharp metallic clangs of steel blades clashing. And drumming a rapid beat within his chest was his heart.
It had turned bitterly cold; it felt like frost covered hands had gripped his soul and stole all the heat in his body. Trembling, Siegfried blinked and shook his head to clear his vision and his head. His hands felt like they were on fire as feeling was starting to return to his tingling arms. Moving a finger brought agony and a stifled curse.
His sight was dark and blurry but he did not need to see to confirm the state of his companions that fought against the demon. The abomination was tearing the ground asunder in a wild fury as it sought out the demise of one particular boy who granted the power to defy the great evil radiating from the creature's form. Yun-seong and Mi-na were only mere obstacles that were easily thrown aside in their weakened state, leaving only Link to defend himself.
It was at that moment that Siegfried summoned the strength to defy the freezing cold and ignore the pain to move his body.
He heard the screech of a blade scraping against a shield before the elf's yelp of pain as he roughly landed nearby. The knight dashed towards the fallen boy at the same time the demon lunged for a finishing blow. The creature was injured, the hand that had stopped the sacred blade was missing bony pieces while the fragments that remained were charred black and visibly disintegrating into ashy particles. The Master Sword had hurt it greatly and it wanted vengeance.
Too enthralled in bringing the death of its target, the demon failed to detect Siegfried before he jumped in front of the elf and the monster's falling blade. Stricken with absolute terror, the eye of the demon grew wider than before because this time it could not divert the direction of its sword as Soul Edge descended upon the helpless knight with its immense strength…
But then something slammed right into Siegfried's side. He flew into the ground and painfully tumbled along with whatever had saved him before stopping in a tangled mess of limbs and groaning bodies.
Someone was lying on top of him, hissing a pained curse in Japanese. With his head spinning, it took a little while for him to recognize the voice. Taki…
She was off of him before he could open his eyes, leaving another body lying partially over his chest. It was an arm belonging to the elf, much to his relief.
"Farore…" moaned the younger boy as he came to.
Siegfried nudged him away and got to his feet to find Taki down on one knee. She was pressing a hand over her right thigh, covering a fresh wound that profusely bled.
Emerging from a cover of dust before her was the malevolent demon, its eye burning with hatred that ran deep. It despised the huntress; loathed her completely for she was a constant thorn in its side. She was a pest and a dangerous enemy that threatened to end its existence. Now that she was injured, it was the perfect opportunity to end her meager life.
Before it could take pleasure in the huntress's pain, Siegfried ran forward to stand between the monster and ninja, his right arm raised in a defensive stance while his left was immobile.
"Siegfried! Get back! Now!" Taki exclaimed. Others were voicing their concerns as well, even Cassandra and Sophitia who have just arrived, but the boy ignored them all.
His spiteful glare was transfixed on the ugly, pulsing orb of flesh and evil, meeting the demon's fierce eye. Its stare chilled him to the core but he did not falter. His level of hatred for the creature matched the abomination's in ferocity and he let it be known. The demon could read his thoughts after all; it could sense his feelings just as he could sense its rage and pain.
They eyed each other for what felt like an eternity until the demon finally made a move. It broke out of its stolen stance and slowly retreated backwards, bringing gasps from the others in the area. Its gaze flickered to the side where the glowing sword had been dropped on the ground before turning back to Siegfried with a hint of disappointment.
Soul Edge grazed the broken stone beneath its deadly edge as it was dragged along, producing an audible screech among the tense, breathing silence that had fallen on the battered warriors who all stood and watched the demon warily. The hideous weapon suddenly burst into black fire and vanished into nothing within an instant.
Then the limbs of the monster fell apart, its burning orange flames extinguished from each brownish piece of bone. The pulsing core remained aloft, rising higher into the air with its scattered limbs following suit in an upward spiral. High above it remained for a brief moment with its bony pieces hovering around it, giving Siegfried one last look. The bloodshot eye was gleaming. If the creature had a mouth it would be sneering.
A voice, deep, harsh and goddamn familiar, silenced all noises around the knight and rang through his mind;
Master… I shall await your return… within the darkness that lies at the end… where you shall be… reborn…
He hissed and clenched his eyes shut because each word felt like an arrow piercing through his skull. His body grew weak and his breath was short. He was falling but strong arms caught him. The angry, shrill cry of a crow echoing in the darkness was the last thing he heard before everything was deathly silent once more.
Sophitia had to keep one hand on Taki's shoulder to keep the older woman from rising. "Rest, Taki," the Greek urged, matching the ninja's stern expression with one of her own. "There is no need for you to move. If you need anything, simply ask."
"I no longer require your assistance. Tend to the others," Taki said curtly, shifting into a sitting position with the aid of the other.
Sophitia didn't leave knowing the ninja wouldn't stay still despite the injury to her leg. After leaving the ruins of the village, they had cleansed the gash and sewn it shut before bounding it tight with bandages. The strange blue potion Link had given Taki to drink had numbed her pain and stopped the bleeding.
The group returned to the small camp Seung Mi-na and the others had made earlier when Sophitia, Cassandra, and Taki had left. The fire was blazing once more to warm up after feeling the terrible cold that had plagued them during the confrontation with the Soul Edge creature. The evil aura that haunted the village completely vanished when the demon and red-eyed crow disappeared into the night sky.
It had grown calm but it wasn't quiet; not with the young man named Yun-seong making a loud disgusted noise when he tried a sip of Link's potion. "Ugh! What is this? Tastes horrible! How can anyone even drink this?" he exclaimed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Mi-na cringed as she examined the half-empty bottle now being offered to her by the young blond-haired boy. "I think I'll skip your magic elixir, kiddo."
Link smirked and raised an eyebrow at the two Koreans. "Miss Taki can drink it and she's not complaining," he pointed out.
Mi-na snorted and crossed her arms. "That's because Taki's Taki. She doesn't complain about anything." She noticed the huntress giving her a sharp glare from across the fire and said, "What?"
The ninja soundly sighed and rubbed her forehead wearily while Sophitia softly laughed. "It is true that you rarely complain," Sophitia quietly teased.
"Hmph. What good will complaining do? There are no benefits, only nuisances and a waste of breath." Taki's lips twitch into a fleeting smile when Sophitia laughed with good cheer.
Unable to persuade Mi-na to try his potion, Link rounded the fire to his spot beside the older boy lying unconscious on the other side of Taki. Siegfried had passed out, most likely from enduring the constant strain on his mind and body as he resisted the powerful evil that emanated from the nefarious demon. Sunken into the ground above his head was Link's mystical sword, its holy light casting a protective barrier around him. His eyes were covered by a piece of folded cloth to shield them from the Master Sword's blinding glow. Having the blade fully drawn was a precautionary step to keep the evil at bay… but also to suppress the darkness that was ever present in Siegfried.
The sword that was meant to protect was also dangerous to him. The palms of both of his hands were burned from wielding the sacred weapon for too long, Link had said.
Sophitia frowned with guilt as her eyes passed over the unmoving knight. Again, Sophitia had failed to protect him and it pained her to see him hurt yet again. The injuries she sustained, as well as the others, didn't make up for what Siegfried and Link had to go through.
Sophitia, Cassandra, and Taki had unknowingly been lured into a trap when they followed a moving evil signature to the opposite end of the village. They were nearly crushed to death from falling wood and stone when the building they were searching inside suddenly collapsed. Caught under rubble, the three managed to crawl out having sustained only bruises, scrapes, and minor fractures. However, once they emerged from the ruins, they were met with a group of undead lizards and were forced to fight.
Meanwhile, Yun-seong and Seung Mi-na had encountered a surprise attack by one of the stronger lizard beasts, the one Taki had named an 'Elite' due to its enormous size, that was also undead as well. Fortunately, it was defeated in time before it could spread its poison.
That left Siegfried and Link to battle the demon on their own before the Koreans could joined them…
The fight had been a grueling one. Sophitia had sensed the danger from afar but was unable to make it in time to prevent the children from getting injured.
"We could not have known," said Taki when she noticed Sophitia's guilt trodden expression. "I did not expect the demon to be able to set up a trap so cleverly."
"All it wanted was the brat, right?" asked Yun-seong in a low murmur, having overheard the ninja while he fussed with Mi-na as she bandaged his head. "If he is all it wants, then let it have him– Ow! Ow! Mi-na! That's too tight!"
Seung Mi-na glowered at him angrily. "How can you be so heartless?" she demanded, not bothering to readjust the binds for his comfort as she finished up.
"What? I'm just saying he's endangering all of us. You know what? He's probably been plotting with that eyeball behind our backs."
"Now that is ridiculous!" Mi-na snapped with exasperation.
"But you saw what happened. Why did the eyeball suddenly decide to leave when the brat only stared at it? He was communicating with it somehow."
"That is only your belief, Yun-seong," Link spoke up. His blue eyes hardened against the Korean's angry frown, making the boy look older than he appeared. "Siegfried risked his life for me more than once in that battle. He is not a traitor. He never will be."
"He will when we find Soul Edge," the redhead evenly replied. "Once he lays his hands on that sword, he will turn into a monster. Or am I wrong?"
Link faltered and looked away, his young face turning sad.
"Hey, we can't be sure that will happen," Cassandra argued when she entered the light of the campfire, having overheard the group's discussion upon her return from watering the horses back at the village's well. She was leading Althaia by the reins and the other three animals tailed right behind the mare.
Yun-seong was about to say something but Link spoke first, his tone solemn, "It is… inevitable…"
Sophitia was shocked to hear him say that. It was Taki who questioned him further; "How can you be certain?" Her eyes narrowed inquisitively at the boy. "Is there something you have not told us?"
Link stared at his boots, avoiding all eye contact. "It's not my place to say," he answered after a brief period of contemplating silence.
Yun-seong snorted. "If it's important–"
"I'm sorry…" The boy shook his head, shifting his gaze over the unconscious knight before meeting the Korean's. "I can't tell you…"
The redhead sighed in frustration. "We're going to get killed sooner or later. If not by that ugly eye then probably by him. He's gonna go mad and kill us in our sleep one day."
"Please. That is enough," stated Sophitia in a fervent manner. She had grown tired of the young man's fallacious accusations.
"Fine, but it's not just your grave that's being dug. Mine and Mi-na's lives are in this as well." With a grunt, Yun-seong hopped to his feet, turned abruptly around and started to walk away without another word. He patted his horse as he passed by the animals, making his mount quietly whicker and follow him.
Mi-na didn't try to stop him, but she only gave him a slightly sad look that he ignored. "Yun-seong..."
Taki rubbed her brow again and lowly muttered under her breath, "This journey will be the death of me if I am to endure these pointless arguments time and time again."
"He's afraid," said Link, watching the Korean venture farther into the open field. The boy was clearly upset but also worried for the older male.
"We are all afraid," said Sophitia softly. "Danger lies ahead of us in many forms and the outcome of our journey will likely yield more pain. However," she smiled at the young boy in assurance before raising her attention to the starry sky, "there is still hope so long as we do not give up. We shall bring light to the darkness and continue to fight for the ones we care for."
Her eyes fell on Siegfried and her determination shone through.
If you ever fall to the darkness again, I will bring you back. I promise you.