Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Zelda Franchise... I wish I did.
Chapter 9 - A New Member
"Link, it pains my heart to be sending you off in such a hurry…" Zelda began, looking teary-eyed to the young blond man standing in front of her.
"Oh, I get it." Link replied with a simple grin. "Things are hard and you guys waited for long enough." The Hero back on a pristine-looking Kokiri Tunic, courtesy of doctor Rose and her fantastic skills with needles.
"Indeed, we have…" Zelda said sadly. Her gaze then switched from the green-clad warrior to the quiet Sheikah standing at his side. "Are you sure about this, Sheik?" She asked her little brother, still surprised by his decision.
"Someone has to keep the Hero focused on what is at stake," Sheik said very neutrally, despite the huge grin hidden behind his mask. "Left by his own devices, I am sure he would stop to aid any straight cat he finds in his path."
"Hey!" A loud cry was the Hero's reply to such slander.
Taking advantage of the quiet and peace of the earliest hour of the morning. Zelda prepared the leave for the two of them at the edge of the camp, with only the trio being present in this small send-off. A detail that Sheik complained fairly heavily to his sister, insisting that she should not walk around without at least a squad of soldiers to protect her.
Complains that the Princess so graciously disregarded with her 'Sheik-infuriating' pure smile.
"Link, I want to give you something." Rising the brown bag resting next to her right leg, Zelda unpacked the rather heavy object and presented it to the blue-eyed blond. "Here, the symbol of Hyrule's vanguard. The Hylian Shield."
Taking the Shield with his left and, Link promptly equipped it in place; Casually pressing the hold of the small girdle against his arm. "Before I took the Master Sword, I used to have a small Kokiri Shield… this brings a lot of memories." With a single moment of somber reminiscence, his features quickly changed to one of pure jovial joy. "Thanks, Princess."
"It's a gift for you and everyone else too." She said with a giggle, making the Hero quirk an eyebrow at her. "That way you will get stabbed a lot less."
"I don't get stabbed that frequently…" He grumbled in response.
"Don't complain, Hero." Sheik's amusement is very apparent in his tone. "Easier to block blows with a shield than a sword, no?"
After less than a day in the company of the pair of surrogated siblings, Link already knows very well when he is about to be the target of a constant wave of teasing. "Yeah, yeah… You two go at it. I've important things to do…" Detaching the shield from his arm, Link placed his new equipment together with his sword at his back and reached to the heavy bag of supplies sitting on the ground.
Puffing air from his nostrils, the annoyed Hero stomped away from the other two, a lukewarm frown taking over his expression.
"Isn't he a cutie pie?" Zelda giggled, a caring look showing in her eyes.
After a spare moment of silence, Sheik relented and chuckled. "He sure is."
"Have you given any more thought to what we spoke about last night?" The princess's words never more direct in their intent.
Letting out a tired sigh, the young Sheikah glanced to her and spoke. "I won't pursue any romantic approach towards the Hero."
"Sheik…" Zelda's exasperation elevating to a new level at her little brother's stubbornness.
"However…" He continued. "I will not ignore my feelings anymore. If… I say If, anything is to happen… there won't be any resistance from me."
After giving Sheik an odd look, Zelda shook her head as a peal of easygoing laughter escaped her lips. "It can't be more like Sheik, than doing everything in a hard way just to save some face."
"I am NOT-" As the Sheikah prepared himself to launch a tirade in defense of his ego, a pair o delicate hands grabbed him by the waist and pulled him into a very tight and loving embrace.
"Please… be careful out there," Zelda said with a gentle yet sad little voice. "And take care of Link. Don't let anyone else take advantage of his innocent soul."
Wrapping his arms around the smaller body of his sister, Sheik closed his eyes and replied calmly. "I will… everything depends on this one journey. Nothing will keep the Hero from fulfilling his destiny, I will make sure of it."
Growing agitated by the tardiness of his companion, one very energic Link began to wave his arms in the air as he cried out for the other blond. "Oooiiii! Sheik, are we going or not?"
The Princess and her Shadow Guardian shared a laugh at their hero's antics, with Zelda being the first to pull away from their farewell hug.
"Seems like our hero is ready to start his adventure anew." She said in a bit of jest. "Better not to keep him waiting."
"It seems like so." Replied the red-eyed blond. Taking one last glance at the girl he grew up with, Sheik pated her on the head and turned to leave. As his eyes landed at the jumping blond way ahead of him, he saw Link return his gaze with a bright inviting smile.
Right then, the poor Sheikah felt the poke of a phantom needle right in his chest. 'One day that smile will be the end of me...'
Defying the common sense of any surviving person outside of the Evil Tyrant's allies, a group of very ill-equipped scholars has chosen to light a fire and make camp right in the middle of a clearing close to the mountainous area around Kakariko town.
Seemly without worry or care in the world, this group is sharing idle chat and discussing the few discoveries of their expedition.
To put it correctly, the three senior members of the group are casually enjoying a bowl of hot soup by the fire; while the youngest of them is struggling with their heavy equipment; mainly stacks and stacks of scrolls and other types of writing materials.
"Master… is this really necessary?" The boy, barely old enough to be called a young man, cried out with a grunt.
"But of course my boy, everything in here is necessary. Even the menial task of carrying the luggage is monumental in the grand scheme of things. For our job is the most important job of them all." The man with a giant bald spot on the center of his head sung into the air, the sunlight shining at the pristine center around his crown of hair. "Now, hush-hush. We are discussing a much more important matter than your unsouring chirps."
Watching the pompous man disregard him with a wave of a hand makes the boy boil in a foul temper. 'Acting all high and mighty. So smart and cultured… Yet the bunch of idiots made camp right in the middle of an open field.' A stream of thoughts crossed the boy's mind, one that involves them and a bunch of dark horsemen patrolling the area.
Before he could even cringe at the awful prospect of being found by Ganondorf's lackeys, a cloud of dust raised from behind the bridge far to the left.
"M-M-Master!" The boy's distressed voice echoed long and clear, much to the dissatisfaction of his elders.
"What is it, Vahn?!" Shouted one of the other scholars. "Can't you see how important this…" His dried voice died in his throat, the now terrified older man gaping at the sight of the rapidly approaching company of horsemen riding their way. "By the Goddesses' tears, they found us!"
Vahn, the young man studying under these 'brilliant minds' snarled at the stupidity of that comment. 'Of course they found us! Look where we are!' He wanted to scream at their faces, but his voice disappeared together with the strength of his legs.
Soon enough, the cloud of dust arrived upon them. Heavy sounds of metal boots crashing against the ground sounded off around them, perfectly in sync in a circle. Right then, the man with the meaner look to his eyes drew his sword and pointed to the group of defenseless men.
"Well, would you look at this. The warlock was right in his prediction." He said giving a quick look at each and every face of his victims. "Never expected that our elusive group of shithead book worms would so boldly announce their position with an open campfire."
Bravely taking a step forward, the balding scholar raised his trembling hands and addressed the brigand. "W-We are of no threat to you…." He spoke with barely stable words. "Only a group of lowly scholars, trying to preserve the history of this beautiful country."
Scowling deeply at the stupidity of this man trembling like a green twig, the leader of the horsemen raised his weapon and bashed the dull side of his sword against the man's face. The poor old man cried in pain as a small gush opened in his wrinkled cheek.
"Preserve my ass, you shithead." The menacing man threatened to repeat his strike, making his victim cry out in fear. "We know exactly what your group of sissies is doing out here. And while I couldn't give a fuck about your books and stupid bull… Lord Ganondorf has ordered us to take over that Goron's lair."
Taking a cue from their leader as he approached the man lying on the grass, the other horsemen marched forward, circling each member of the scholar's band.
Hoisting his sword in its sheath, the commanding officer of these dark knights, grabbed the older man by the collar of his robes and raised him to the level of his evil-looking eyes.
"No need to play games now, old fart." He growled in a warning. "Would advise you fucks to not test my limited patience, or I will be forced to dirt my blade. You get my meaning?"
"Y-Y-Yes, sir…." The old man stuttered back.
A cruel smile spread over the knight's cracked lips. "Good stuff, very good. Now…" He raised the man even higher and then tossed him face flat against the grass. "Tell us where in the blazing hells is this secret path to climb the Death Mountain. No bullshit or you know the drill."
"You know… I am glad you chose to come with me." Link said shyly, giving a side glance to the blond walking beside him.
Even as his heart skipped a beat, Sheik did his best to remain cool and collected, giving only a curious look to his companion. "Is that so?" He said back.
"I… never traveled alone. Before, way back when I was a kid, Navi was my company in the long journeys." His words trailed up a bit longer than usual, carrying a bit of melancholy from his little fairy friend's passing. "Knowing that I will have someone I can trust watching my back… it makes it more bearable."
Having no right words to reply that would not break his shell of stern neutrality, Sheik decided to just stay quiet and keep moving forward. And they continued traveling in this silence for long few minutes, only the sounds of the birds and rustling of leaves gracing their ears.
Yet, being who he is, Link is unable to stay quiet for so long. Working his mind very hard to find a way to get the other blond talking again, he jumped and turned to look at Sheik as an idea popped in his head.
"You know, when Navi and I first started our friendship, we decided to play a game to get to know each other better." His face radiating with excitement.
Watching the summer look on the Hero's face, Sheik turned to face him properly and asked. "What kind of game would that be?"
One very large smile crossed Link's lips at that reply. "Little truths. We would ask small things about each other, nothing too serious. That way we could start to understand one another without making anything awkward."
"That sounds… rather interesting." Sheik decided to humor the Hero's proposition, already knowing he would suggest it after sharing this bit of his past. "Since you are the one who knows this game, would you like to start?"
"Sure." The Hero beamed happily, tossing both arms behind his head as he continued walking beside the Sheikah. "So… what is your favorite color?" Link started with the same question Navi asked him years before.
Looking directly at the sight he loves the most, Sheik smiled under his mask and replied. "Blue… definitely blue." Seeing the expecting look on the Hero's face, Sheik proceeded to take his turn. "What about you, Hero? Which color would be yours?"
The goofiest grin Sheik has ever seen appeared on the other blonde's face. "Green." Link proclaimed very proudly, humming happily as he drifted his attention to the edge of Kokiri wilds right ahead of them.
'Of course it would be green…' If this was any other person, Sheik would have face-palmed and called the individual a simpleminded buffoon. But coming from Link, he can only find his answer endearing.
"Your turn." Link chirped.
Sheik thought for a moment, little bits of curiosities coming to his mind, but some of them too grand and personal to ask in an inconsequential game of 'Little Truths.'.
Watching the other blond skip and hop above the growing roots escaping from the grassy ground, his gaze drifted to the bouncing green thing resting on top of the Hero's head. "My question is about the hat."
Link glanced back to the blond Sheikah. "What about it?"
"Don't you find it kinda… silly?" Sheik phrased as gently as he could.
Moving his right hand in a protective instinct to his beloved hat, Link shoots his friend a light weighted frown. "Know what Sheik… you're terrible at this game." One very faint pink line crosses his cheeks, the small chuckles coming from the other boy not helping the state of his face at all. "I love my hat…" Link grumbled quietly.
"My apologies, Hero. It was not my intent to offend you… or your beloved headwear." Sheik tried to appease the other blond, which worked surprisingly well considering that Link quickly glanced back and smiled at him. "We still playing?"
Finally reaching the edge of the cliff down to Hyrule Field, Link turned fully toward Sheik and punched right up in the air. "You bet!" He then clenched his hold in the heavy bag resting in his hand and did a most impressive backflip onto the orange ground far down below.
"Tsk, tsk… This is one game you cannot beat me, Hero." With a large grin pressing against his mask, Sheik felt a little hush pumping in his chest.
'If you want to try and show off…'
With a nimble leap, the young Sheikah disappeared above the tree lines, moving like a blur right after his green-wearing friend.
"Your Highness!" Briar's booming voice sounded off as soon as he entered the Princess's tent. As soon as his liege entered the entry hall, the raven-haired captain saluted her and presented a small stack of papers. "The report you requested."
Graciously accepting the package from the young captain, Zelda eyed the man's exhausted-looking face and sighed. "There was no need to hand these so early. Have you slept yet?"
"N-No, your Highness…"
"Captain, we talked about this already." She began with a reprimanding tone.
"My sincere apologies, Lady Zelda. But it would be impossible to rest with all that commotion right next to my quarters." Explained the soldier, and the Princess nodded in understanding.
The poor Captain was one of the unlucky few to have their sleeping tents right next to the medical ward, or better put, directly where the mass of people spent the entire night chanting and crying.
"Last night was a wild one, wasn't it?" She jested lightly trying to brighten the mood. "Come, let me treat you to a cup of tea." She turned around and waved one hand to the startled Captain, who instantly froze at her invitation.
"M-My Princess… I wouldn't want to impose on you." He said in a mild panic.
"Well, you are not." Her reply came with a soft smile. "I insist, Captain."
'General Val is going to kill me…' Briar instinctively pulled at the collar of his shirt. The last time he afforded any non-strictly professional time with their Royal Princess, the stern red-haired general grilled him for an entire week for his insolence.
"Captain," Zelda called out to the stiff-looking man, making him jump. "Don't forget to take out your boots."
Briar just stared as the blond woman disappeared within her tent, a drop of cold sweat running down his forehead. 'P-Please Goddesses… Help me keep this one a secret.'
Taking out his footwear as ordered by the Princess, Briar stepped inside just to find her sitting in front of a vacant chair close to a pair of steaming cups resting on the small table. Doing his best to stay composed but at the same time fretting like crazy over his situation.
With his joints stiff with jitters, the young captain took his seat on the fancy chair. Keeping his gaze forward and neutral, he is resting his hands on his lap, as if he was a wooden down put to pose in a chair just to muse for a painter.
"Relax, Captain Briar," Zelda said with a giggle. "General Val is still days away from returning to camp. I won't tell him if you don't." She gave him a playful wink as she reached for one of the cups, her little joke almost making the black-haired soldier jump from his seat and run as fast as he can away from here. "Okay… I will stop the teasing. You can relax now."
Briar heavily doubted that comment. The Princess is almost infamous for her playful persona and how she likes to tease and jest with anyone.
Deciding to focus on what would get him out of this situation faster, Briar's eyes shifted to the stack of paper resting on the table. "Your Highness, it warms my heart to inform you that most of the soldiers harmed by the monster's attack are safe from any life-threatening injuries. Within a week or two we will be back into fighting shape."
"That's wonderful." She replied with a sincere smile. "After so many years hiding safely in this refuge we built… Feels quite like the shock to have a monster of that size attacking us here."
"One unsettling event that's for sure." Briar concurred with a troubled frown. "I don't even want to imagine what would transpire yesterday if not for the Hero's interference."
A brighter smile hugs Zelda's lips at the mention of Link. The young Captain noticed the sudden change in his princess's expression and aura, making him raise an eyebrow in slight concern.
"What is your opinion, Captain?" Zelda asked openly. "Now that you have met Link. Now that you have seen him. What do you make of our last hope?"
This question makes Briar zone out from his nervousness. A more normal and relaxed expression taking over his face. Finally reaching for his cup of tea, the young soldier closed his eyes in deep thought.
"I won't lie to you, Your Highness. At first, I didn't think much of the Hero." He said firmly, his eyes still closed. "Even if he is almost as tall as me, his eyes are the eyes of a boy. Untainted by the horrors of war, no traces of someone capable of killing another person." Briar sighed heavily, his eyes finally opening up to show a look of sadness to them. "He will never make it in this war… that was my first thought."
Zelda heard her captain's words with a slight frown on her face, yet a likeminded feeling plagued her thoughts in her second reunion with Link. "Then… what changed?" She asked with genuine curiosity.
Staring at the Princess for a few moments, Briar placed his cup down and folded his arms against his chest. "It was not his display of power against that monster." He explained. "Sure, I never met anyone capable of winning in close combat and raw strength against a creature of such size." A glint of sorrowful pity flashed in his eyes, it was quick and hastily pushed aside, but Zelda didn't miss it. "Right before the Hero won, when he was pinned down to the ground. The look in his eyes… It felt like he carried the pain of the entire world on his shoulders. Princess… I only saw eyes like that in one other person."
Taking in fully the captain's words, Zelda closed her eyes and raised one hand. "Please… don't." She said quietly, even a little angry. "That will be all for now, Captain."
"O-Of course, Your Highness!" Briar quickly jumped to his feet, taking a respectful bow in front of his liege. However, before he turned to leave, he raised his head and spoke. "I had no intention to offend. I beg for forgiveness if I did in any shape or form."
Seeing the mild panic in the man's eyes, Zelda raised a hand and smiled at him. "You didn't offend me, Captain. But there are some things better left unspoken."
Briar nodded his head and then bowed fully again before he turned away to take his leave.
Left alone in the silence of her living room, Zelda presses both hands against her cup. Looking down at the waves rocking on the light brown liquid, she bites her lips to suppress the vile taste rising from her throat. 'You will keep him safe from the darkness consuming Hyrule, right… Sheik?'
'It's been so long…' Holding one hand, clenched tight into a fist, close to his chest. Sheik feels slightly overwhelmed to finally stand in the steps leading to his home town. His ruby eye watched with patient detail every little aspect of the now unkept masonry-work serving as the entrance to Kakariko.
'Even the mossy stones sticking out from the wall feels nostalgic.' He thought as he slides his other hand at the damp-feeling rock formation.
"You know… It feels so weird to come back here…" Link voiced his thoughts, the blond strangely distant from the stairs, standing as far away as he could without falling in the small water channel. "Do we have to go in?"
Sheik looked back to the other blond, considering the ever so sincere request of his companion. Then his gaze drifted to the orange sun setting far back in the distance. "Afraid so, Hero. We'll have to spend the night in Kakariko before continuing our way up the Death Mountain."
Link frowned deeply, but despite his attempt to appear serious and rigid, his stomach growled very loudly; just to make him blush. "Can we have a little lunch break at least?"
"Don't be silly, Link. We are just about to enter Kakariko. Surely you could hold on a little longer until we-" Sheik was promptly interrupted by another growl echoing from the Hero's hungry belly.
Right then, Link's head shot to the left.
'Sniff, sniff, sniff…'
His nose began trailing in a certain way, his eyes focusing on the plain field behind him. "You smelt that?" Sheik looked at him funny but shook his head. "It's almost…" 'Sniff… sniff…' "Oh shoot, that's sun-dried meat!"
Leaving no room for questions or any words at all for the Sheikah to say to him, Link dropped his heavy bag in the tall grass and bolted fairly fast towards one of the hills upwards the stream leading to Hyrule's capital.
Mouth wide open and confusion spread over his face, Sheik just watched as his companion disappeared behind that mount of dirt and grass. Two fingers quickly shooting to massage the bridge of his nose. "He can't be real…" As much as he tried to sound irritated, the small smile on his lips made his voice come out much more friendly than that.
Following in the steps of his energetic hero, Sheik walked over towards the slightly tall hill at a leisurely pace. However, this laid-back attitude of him quickly dwindled to nothingness, as he reached the top and saw Link currently glued to the grass, his face ever so slightly raised to peek at the ground below just ahead.
"Something amiss?" Sheik asked as he joined Link on the grass.
"Look… down there…" Link replied in a hushed tone, pointing with a nod to the messy camp below.
He nodded and followed the hero's gaze. Right then he found the target of the blonde's attention.
A small group of four heavily armored knights, adorned with dark garbs and even darker armors, are gathered around the barely lit campfire in the middle of the clearing.
Sheik would recognize that blasted insignia resting in their armor's chest anywhere. The mark of Ganondorf's evil army.
"What is that filth doing here…" Sheik snarled. For some reason he thought of the cruel men that so mercilessly terrorizes Hyrule, now taking a good lazy time to share stories in a campfire; It infuriates him.
"They have someone with them… a hostage?" Link asked, still whispering. "There, by the boxes to their left."
Sure enough, Sheik quickly found an unconscious form lying awkwardly next to the pile of broken boxes and shred scrolls. One glance at the young man next to him and Sheik knew very well that Link would never let this situation stand. Even if trying to rescue a stranger could put their entire mission at risk, not to mention said hero's life.
Pressing one firm but reassuring hand at the hero's right arm, Sheik pulled the blond back to where they could stand without being seeing. "We should split and try to pincer them." He proposed promptly, surprised that the Hero simply stared at him paying full attention. "My skills are better suited to stealth and subterfuge." Also, assassination, but Sheik failed to mention this part. "When you engage them from this point, I will come from behind and neutralize as many of them as quickly as possible."
Link cringed a little at the word 'neutralize' but he held his expression neutral to nod back to his friend. As the red-eyed blond nodded and turned to leave, Link reached out to him and stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Sheik… be careful. Okay?"
Seeing the glow of concern and care in those blue eyes, Sheik couldn't keep a small smile from tugging at his mask. "Now, Hero… I should be the one saying that." Noticing the small pout appearing on the blonde's lips, Sheik just chuckled. "Worry not, I will be."
Pulling one Deku Nut from his pouch, Sheik used one of his master's signature moves. With a snap of light, he disappeared within thin air, leaving the Hero with mouth agape from such display.
'He's so cool…' Link thought to himself.
Shaking his head to push away the sense of wonder over his companion's 'coolness', Link quickly attached his shield to his left arm and grabbed the Master Sword with his right one. Taking a spare moment to breathe profoundly and let the breeze of air wash away any distraction from his mind, Link raced forward and jumped from the end of the small cliff.
Oblivious to the incoming threat moving their way, the squad of knights got caught off guard as a heavy sound crashed upon the grass just behind them. "T-The hell?!" One of them jumped to his feet, his startled eyes shooting instantly to the bold man that leaped from the hill above.
The other three were not so quick to react. Sitting on the opposite side from where Link landed, this one soldier almost choked with a piece of meat he was chewing, the one at the right tried to reach for his sword at the same moment he tried to stand up, leading him to fall to the side very awkwardly. Lastly, the man that was sitting with his back turned to the cliff got so scared by the scream of his companion, that he simply fell backward onto the grass.
Marching forward to cover space for his fellow knights to recompose themselves, the Knight already poised to fight snarled at Link. "Don't know who you are, you bastard? You either have some massive balls or very serious head problems to jump at us like this."
"Says the guy attacking a single innocent person with his squad of goons." Link replied with a snarl of his own.
"Yeah… just plain retarded then." The brute growled; a distasteful smirk plastered on his lips.
Took only but a glance for Link to notice the reason for the man's smirk. The once incapacitated knights are now standing and ready to battle. Each of them with a crueler look to their eyes than the other.
"Oi…" Said the one holding a spear with a blackened pole. "Isn't this guy familiar to any of you?" He asked, glancing to his partners for confirmation.
The one that fell most embarrassingly, back of the head straight to the grass, stomped a large pace forward. "Screw that. We'll shank this buffoon, then we can ask questions." Not inclined to wait for the other three, this dark knight lunged forward with his bastard sword in full swing.
Holding his left arm forward, Link met the man's strike with the bulk of his shield, stopping the sword's advance without much problem despite the weapon's long size.
By the startled look on the knight's face, he was not expecting to have his blow blocked so easily. "What are you idiots waiting for? Kill the bastard!" He shouted very angrily, but despite the annoyed look on the faces of the others, they quickly stepped in to join the fray.
Realizing that the incoming attackers will try to circle and flank him, Link pushed his arm against the knight's sword, practically bashing him far away from him. Then taking a long jump to his left, he chooses to meet the knight with the spear head-on, giving him no space to thrust with his weapon.
Surprised by the agile movement of the green-clad warrior, the knight tried to do a quick thrust with his spear; the angle wrong and forced, putting a lot of strain on his arms. Easily matching the spear's push with the Hylian Shield, Link bashed the tip of the weapon away, opening the other man up to a full strike.
However, as Link's feet danced in a nimble spin, he pulled his right arm back just enough to aim the full force of his swing onto the pole of the knight's black spear.
The man cried out more in surprise than in pain as his spear got separated into two pieces. The sheer strength of Link's attack being enough to send the knight flying back to the broken wooden stools they were sitting before.
Using this moment to reach the blond in a second of distraction, two other knights jumped at him with their swords ready to strike. Link instantly noticed the threat incoming and shuffled in a mid-turn from where he was standing. Matching the sword flying from the left with his shield and the one coming from the right with his own blade, he stopped both men completely in their attacks.
"T-This guys… He's making fun of us." Growled the knight blocked by the Hylian Shield.
A small grin showed on the Hero's lips, but this small moment faded very quickly as the sound of grass getting squished echoed from behind him. Now holding half a spear in his hand, the man from before its charging toward Link with the full intent of impaling him from behind.
Frowning at the underhanded tactics of these people, Link shoved both men in front of him away and turned just in time to swat the spear away with a swing of the Master Sword and kick the man straight in the chest.
One bloody cough flew from the man's mouth as his back stormed against the ransacked remains of a small tent. "Y-You fucker… I kill you!" With his rage only increasing by the humiliation, the spearmen sprinted forward in total reckless abandon, his sole aim to pierce that smug blond with the tip of his broken weapon.
Just from the movement of that person alone, Link saw at least three ways he could stop this incoming attack with one strike. But at each conclusion, he frowned. In each of them, he would cleave this man in two with the Master Sword, in the way he is running forward, it would be too easy to end this in the wrong way.
Clenching his teeth, Link stepped aside and simply let the man run right past him, thrusting the spear at the wind.
One of the swordmen noticed the hesitation in the blonde's eyes; as he too recognized several ways his idiot of a companion could have died in that charge. "For real…" He growled in disgust, his tone catching the attention of the other tree. "The bastard is afraid of killing people."
A hard frown took over Link's expression, the provocation clearly having an effect on him.
"Bwahahaha! This is beyond ridiculous." Another knight wielding a sword stormed his words out. "Hey, lad. You can't run around playing the hero in shining armor and be scared of dirtying your blade. Shit like that doesn't fly in the real world."
"One can try." Link replied quietly, much to the amusement of the four knights.
"Know what?" Said the hot-headed spearman. "Now I really want to gut this prick."
"Not if I do him in first!" Yelled the fourth knight, finally charging forward with his pair of small blades.
He hacked, cleaved, and strike. A broken tune playing as his bladed cut against the flying breeze in their attempts to reach the evading blond.
Growing annoyed by their provocation and ceaseless attempts to wound him, Link stomped his right feet against the ground and took a firm stance in his form. Swinging his left arm forward in one powerful motion, he bashed his shield against the man's face, blood exploding from the knight's nose into the metallic surface.
With a cry of pain, the man instantly relented the hold of his weapons as his hands reached for his face. As the searing sensation dulled out at least enough to let him open his eyes, he saw the glint of Link's weapon less than two inches away from his face.
In the first shock, the man yelped and froze in place; terrified that this would be his end. But as the seconds passed and that menacing-looking sword continued firm in its poise, a wicked smile crossed his lips.
"Do it." He provoked the hero yet again. "Come on you pussy, drive that sword through my face. Can't do it, can you?"
Biting his lips with enough strength to draw the color away from them, Link glared at the mocking knight. As much as he wanted to wipe away that stupid smirk, he simply can't kill another person. Not when the vivid image of the person he cleaved one arm off still plagues his mind.
Yet, as the dark knight was ready to let out a triumphant bellow of mockery, a second metallic glint flashed right from below the Master Sword.
"He can't do it, But I can."
A flash of silver crossed upwards, cleaning separating the man's head from his shoulders. There was no cry of pain or confusion, there was only the thud of his body falling backward into the ground.
The remaining trio cried in horror as their fallen companion's head rolled toward them. Their petrified gaze traveling to the white and dark blue blur who killed the man.
"You'll pay for that!" Screamed the spearman, flailing the broken weapon in the air as he charged yet again.
However, opting for a fatal mistake, he openly approached the red-eyed ninja expecting the same result as before. At his fourth step forward, a stream of blood flew from his mouth as a thin blade piece his chest in a single thrust.
Letting out one last angry whimper, the man fell forward, dead.
Sharing an equally terrified glanced between one another, the remaining two were quick to turn on their heels and sprint at full speed to their horses resting at the edge of the camp.
Running after the retreating cowards, Sheik leaped towards the man on the left, planting his blade in the man's back, pinning him harshly against the broken earth. Seeing the other one already mounting on his ride, he took out a set of three flying knives and launched them at the last remaining soldier.
Ducking very closely to his horse's back, the dark knight managed to evade two of the spinning throwing weapons. The third, however, sinking fairly deep at the lower end of his back. Crying very loudly in pain, the knight kicked the sides of his horse with enough strength to make the animal jump and sprint forward as if a demon was chasing after them.
With a click of his tongue, Sheik watched as the last of this group of evil lackeys escaped into the distance. Having no meaning to chase after the man, he focused his attention on the task of finishing the job on the man lying beneath him.
Feeling numb and slightly disgusted, Link felt powerless to stop the senseless killing from happening in front of him. He could only watch as Sheik dispatched the evil knights, slightly disturbed by how easy the other blond could end someone's life.
"Are you well, Hero?" He heard Sheik's voice calling out to him, awakening Link from the slight stupor.
Link glanced to the Sheikah, noticing the small spots of blood now dotting his otherwise pristine clothes. "Y-Yeah… I'm fine…"
Sheik felt the trepidation in the hero's voice, which makes him frown a little. "Link. We can't take any chances with people like these." He said with a slightly more annoyed tone than what he intended, making the other blond shudder a little bit. "Look… they are evil. In the most twisted of ways. I've seen what Ganondorf's soldiers are capable of, and given the chance, they would do the worse of things to any of us."
"I know that!" Link replied loudly too, this time his frown surpassing Sheik's. "I know… But it's just… To take someone's life like that… I can't do it… not yet." He then put away both the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield, a weary look plaguing his eyes. "I can still hear that man's screams in my head. How easily I slashed his body in two; how much stronger than him I felt… Sheik, that scares me."
Then the frustration and anger Sheik was feeling just disappeared. His ruby eyes focused on the downcast look on Link's face; it makes his heart hurt. "It's okay, Link…" He said gently as he moves closer to the other blond, to place a caring hand on those broad shoulders. "Until you are ready to carry some of the burdens this war brings. I will be by your side to carry them for you."
A grateful smile crossed the hero's lips. "Thank you…"
Reciprocating with a small smile of his own, Sheik turned away from Link to glance at the unconscious boy lying silently on the ground. "There's still someone in need of our attention." Calmly pacing over to where the sleeping young man is, the Sheikah began to study this person for any injuries.
In his quick look over him, he saw a red-haired boy with a rather delicate physique. He has light brown skin, small hands barely any hard muscles in his legs or arms. More interesting are his clothes; a pair of baggy grey pants, a dark blue shirt that covers most of his chest area and some of his shoulders but leaves his belly and arms fully exposed, lastly his pair of very unique grey desert-shoes, pointy tip and all.
Growing rather curious about this person, Sheik turned his gaze back to Link and pointed one finger towards the red-haired boy. "Are you well enough to help me carry him back to Kakariko?"
Adjusting the height of his shoulders, Link nodded and stepped forward. "Just leave him to me." However, before he followed Sheik to where the boy is laying, Link turned the other way and moved over to grab a pouch of dried meat the squad of dark knights was sharing.
"Link?" Sheik called out to him; a bit worried at the hero's strange behavior.
With the pouch in hand, he turned to Sheik and replied. "It would be a waste to leave the food here…"
Remembering once more that they only found this place because of the hero's nose for food, Sheik could just shake his head and smile softly.