Evil's Bane
V 3.5
By: (o'.')o (pc_prettycool@email.com)
Disclaimer:
Dum Dum Duuuuum! Luigi came to my house and forced..I mean.... asked me to tell you to buy Majora's Mask. Because Majora's Mask...and all the characters in it... including Link and the Legend of Zelda franchise itself is owned by Nintendo. Get it? Good.
Note from the Author:
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. I really, really appreciate it. You don't know how much I do actually.
Now, Just a warning...this will get a little bloody. Scratch that...very bloody. I guess all the action was being saved from the last 3 installments :D
A little reminder...all the characters in this story are NOT the same characters in Ocarina of Time. They are their descendants .. but they have the same name. That's all. Really. The only character who's actually the same person as their character in Ocarina of Time is our favorite old bastard, Kaepora Gaebora. Now that that's settled.....
Amp it up! Amp it up! Action Man! Action Man! Amp it up! Amp it up! Action Man! Action Man! Amp it up Action Man. Greatest Hero of Them All! Action Man!
Last Chapter:
It seems our new friend Evil knew Knata when they were kids. Perhaps there is a reason to his madness. The fact that he's half Gerudo and that his father committed suicide when his mother left. Perhaps it was the unexplained death of his brother. Who really knows? However, they know have a good idea where to find him and the rest of the Ghanims. However, Link decided to go it alone. Now, with only with Esea and Epona in his corner, he heads for Giants Tower...and the way to the Ghanim...
And now, on with the tale.
***********
By the time he had been found out, Link had created a huge gap between him and the others. Everyone was stunned and upset...and had this horrible feeling of being tricked...nearly used by Link. He had even tricked Saria into giving him her Ocarina. To say they were more than a bit upset would be a grave understatement.
Especially with Princess Zelda, who was mad enough to eat rocks. She stormed around the hotel in the morning like a tornado mixed with a volcanic eruption. The others, even Nabooru made it a point to avoid her at all costs.
All except Evit, however, who thought the whole situation was funny. An attitude that others thought was sure to get him killed. Probably by Zelda...or Nabooru, or both.
Evit didn't seem to mind, however. He fixed the spectacles on his nose and grinned. "Wow. I never thought the guy would have enough guts to anger you ladies." He laughed. "Or maybe it wasn't so much guts, as it was a lack of sense."
Zelda reared on him. "You think this is a joke, boy!?"
Evit blinked. "Boy?" he thought. He smiled. "Looks like yer guy Link is just lookin' out for your best interest, Zel."
Zelda fumed. "That was NOT his choice to make!" She gritted her teeth and looked around for something to break. "When I find him, I'll grind his bones and wear him around my neck!"
"Ech." thought Evit. "You know, you're very uptight for a....milk maid you said you were?" Evit's eyes narrowed.
"Uh...." Zelda stammered.
Evit leaned closer, causing Nabooru to become alert. "How many milk maids do you know with such a potent electromagnetic field emanating from them?" He smiled. "I don't know of any...except those who happen to have Royal Blood....eh... Zelda?"
Zelda turned white, then looked to Nabooru for help. She only shrugged. It looks like the cat was out of the bag. She turned back to Evit. He smiled.
"This thing on my wrist does more than tell time, ye know."
"It was necessary. I didn't want to cause any trouble by walking in here as a princess." Zelda explained calmly.
"You were afraid we 'non believing yokels' would freak out if the 'magical' Princess of Hyrule stepped into our midst?"
"Dial it back a bit, now." Nabooru said quietly. "It was a necessary ruse." She then turned to Zelda and smiled. "I'm going to find him....and bring him back."
Zelda and Evit where aghast. "Nabooru...there's no way you can catch up."
Nabooru shrugged nervously. "M-maybe there wont be another way across the Giant's Valley...other than waiting for Evit's balloon. If that's the case, I will catch up to him. Just wait for me."
Zelda nodded, and Nabooru left on foot. Evit turned to her and sighed. "Looks like I'd better get back to work."
*************
Link shaded his eyes with his hand as he peered up the top of the huge tower. "Huge is an understatement" Link thought. The tower was several stories high....in fact, from where Link was , at the entrance, he couldn't see the top of it.
From a few meters back, the tower looked like it bulbous construct at the very top. It seemed interesting. Even Esea had no info on it.
She looked down at Link now. "So, do we go in, or we should we knock on the door and wait?" she said snidely.
"Keep your stockings on." Link grumbled. He pushed at the large metal doors of the tower. They opened freely, and he stepped in.
Link gaped. The tales about this place were true. The inside was huge, but there was no way to get to the top. No stairs, no lifts, nothing at all. There wasn't even any windows around. It was pitch black as Link peered around the round room and realized that there as a mural on the wall. "Esea..." he started, "could you go up to the wall, and shed some light on those murals."
Esea huffed. "You could at least say please." Link smiled, a bit ashamed ...but Esea went to the wall and turned up her light. Link saw a portrayal of 4 immense beings. Their bodies looked like giant heads, with a huge nose and 2 beady eyes. Out of that head came 2 gigantic long legs and 2 arms. The portrait of the 4 giants circled the entire wall, and the way it was carved, they all looked to be staring up at the top of the tower.
Link scratched his head. It was weird ....he had never seen such things before...but for some reason they seemed oddly familiar ....
Esea's voice rang distant in the background of his mind....as Link was lost in thoughts that surfaced in his mind. Thoughts that did not belong to him.
********
The little boy looked up as the giants left the center of Clock Town...the danger past at last. Tatl and her brother floated nearby....as did the unconscious body of the poor Skull kid that was drawn into this mess.
The boy watched as they left, an beautiful display of the power of magic and nature. It was awsome to behold. The 4 giants, older than time itself, taking their slow mile-eating steps to the 4 edges of the world....all the while emitting their ancient cry...their Oath to Order. The tune rang through his mind...never to be forgotten again.
..v..a..v.. ..^
***************
The thousand year old memories blasted through Link's mind, shocking him back to reality. He held his head in pain and fell to his knees.
Esea flew quickly to his side. "Hey, you ok?" she asked. Link nodded and slowly rose to his feet. He pulled out Saria's Ocarina and put it to his lips. He had never played a note before in his life...but he knew how to play this.
..v..a..v.. ..^
Esea rang around his ears. "Just what are you doing? You think we have any time for that?" Link ignored her and replayed the tune again. When he finished, he looked at the mural again.
"Come on....." he thought fiercely.
The ground beneath him shook violently and the tower seemed to come apart at the seams. Esea flew around frantically as Link struggled to keep his balance and dodge the falling debris.
"What did you do!?!?" Esea cried, before she barely dodged a large brick that came from the top of the tower.
"Let's go!" Link shouted. The fairy followed and they escaped the death-trap that the tower had become.
Link looked up once he was outside. The bulbous top of the tower started to shift and distort in place. Cracks began to line it's surface. It almost seemed like something inside was...struggling.
Esea gasped and flew to Link's side. "It's gonna come apart!" She yelled. "Run!"
Link leaped out of the way as the bulb at the top of exploded and rained rocks and debris on top of him.
**************
Dust and dirt blew around Link's eyes. He wiped at them and got to his feet. He waved the dust away and got to his feet. Esea zipped behind him, shaking nervously.
"What's wrong, Esea?" Link coughed. "You hurt...or something...wro..." his eyes focused on the object in front of him.
It looked and seemed to be a large mechanical dragon. It was heavenly armored in thin white plates that covered its sinewy body. It was 4 legged, with long arms and legs that seemed exactly the same as each other, and ended in three large toes. It's 4 wings were bird like in design, with many metal plated feathers. At the end of it's long neck was a wedge-shaped head were two narrowed blazing red eyes.
Link realized what Esea was so frightened at. Steam was pouring out of the joints and many holes peppered over the beast. It didn't move, it didn't seem to even breathe. Link peered up the tower. It was still intact, but the bulb at the top was gone.
He now realized it was no bulb...but an egg. Something to hold the beast until awoken by the Oath to Order.
"W-w-w-what....do you think it is?" Esea stammered nervously. Link watched the dragon for any movements...but couldn't detect any.
"What did Evit say....'marvel of ancient technology'?" Link muttered. He took a step forward. "Maybe it's just a machine. It certainly doesn't seem real...."
"Are you crazy!" Esea screamed as Link continued to approach the creature. "Don't go near it. Besides...it looks hot!"
Link would learn later to listen to the fairies warnings. He touched the white plate of the dragon's hide, and cried as his hand was burned. He whipped it away and blew on it, dancing and hopping all around the place.
The dragon's head rose and watched as Link tended to his hand. Esea laughed an 'I told you so'. Link brushed some tears from his eyes and examined his hand. It wasn't too bad.
He glanced over at Epona and marvelled at her calmness. She didn't panic, like other animals would at the sight of the monstrosity. Once Link was ready to take the Dragon across the expanse, he'd have to bid her a fond farewell.
Link looked back at the dragon. "Seems obedient enough...and I should be able to communicate with it with the Ocarina."
Esea marvelled. "Geez. How'd you know!?" Link realized she was talking to him and scratched the behind of his head.
"I uh... remembered it....from a looooong time ago." he sighed. Esea understood. Another gift from a Link of the Past. Link blew on his hand and knelt in front of the dragon. "So....what should we name him?"
"What!?" Esea murmured. "Name it? Why? 'Sides, you don't even know if it's alive...you don't even know if it's a 'he' or not."
"Doesn't matter. I'll treat it as if it's alive. Besides, it's gonna help me, so it deserves my respect." Link smiled.
Esea put a finger to her lips. "Well....I guess. So what will you name it?"
Link thought for a moment. "How about.....'Dragon'!"
Esea blinked.
Epona blinked.
Dragon blinked.
Link looked at all of them. "What?"
Esea sighed. At least he didn't decide to call it, 'Dagona'.
*************
Malon sat alone next to Destiny in the stables. Tears formed around her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away.
"Everything he said...it was all just so he could ditch me...." she lamented. "Everything...." she sniffed and hugged herself fiercely. Maybe Ingo was right, maybe she should have stayed at the Ranch. She should probably quit trying to get through to him. It was obvious after what Link did that he didn't care. Maybe he never did.
Malon looked up as Saria slowly walked into the stables. She sat next to her and draped her arms around Malon's shoulders.
"You know...I don't think it was personal what he did." Saria told her. "He probably thought he was doing it a favor. He always talked about getting rid of us."
Malon sniffed. "I'll kill him." she mumbled. "Who the hell is he to tell us where we can go, or if we can help?" she sighed angrily. "Just wait till I get my hands on him..."
Saria brightened and hugged Malon closer. "It might be sooner than you think." she suggested. "Evit said that if we all get our 'elbows greased' , he'll be done in only a few days. I think he means he wants us to help."
Malon turned to her, then she laughed. "Allright, You carry the nails, I'll grab the hammer." With that, the girls got up and left the stables.
**************
Esea was tucked inside Link's tuke as they rode fast over the great expanse of the Dragon Valley. Link laughed and placed a hand over the Tuke to keep it from flying off. They were flying at an incredibly fast speed. Obviously, Esea was not used to this speed, nor this height. She vocalized it clearly enough.
When they finally landed half an hour later, the little fairy was relieved. Link was just amazed. At that speed, it'd take something like a horse about an hour or two to get over the same distance. He patted Dragon warmly on the neck and smiled. "Thanks a lot kid." he told it. The huge metal beast lowered it's head and blinked once.
"Ugh. What a monster." Esea grumbled. Then she saw the look on Link's face and glanced back at it. "Sorry. Thanks Dragon."
When they turned around, the saw a strange black cloud miles away and high in the air. Link squinted his eyes and looked carefully.
"Esea...." he wondered, "does that cloud look like a building to you..?"
***************
The demon known as Knataghanim watched the screen in the base carefully. The dark spirit of the Master flowed through him, giving him extra-sensory vision and power. He saw the boy now as he dismounted the White Dragon.
"Amazing" he thought to himself. "This boy seems unstoppable. Such determination ....such strength. If only he'd realize the darkness in all of us. If only he'd let it free....let himself free...."
The answer came to him quickly, and he grinned underneath his high dark collar. He called the other neo-ghanims to the War Room. Time to see if they were strong enough to become full ghanims...or at least, give their lives for the cause.
And it was time to see the darkness released from this kid named Link...
***************
Link sat at the edge of the mysterious plain that was before him. On his side was a normal lush green grass...and only a few inches away the ground became lifeless and dusty. It was over this ground that the huge mass in the air floated noiselessly only a few miles before him.
"What do you make of that?" the boy asked Esea. She sat on his head, peering into the distance. She could see farther than Link could...so she acted as his scout.
"Whaddya make of what?" Esea mumbled. Suddenly she gaped and rang next to Link's ear. "Oh Lord Deku....we have trouble Link."
Link bounded to his feet and watched in horror as the field seemed to fill with dark warriors. They were all elven, armed with all sorts of sharp weapons. They wore black clothing and a black cloth covered the bottom of their faces.
"Ghanims?" Esea whimpered. She huddled close to Link's ear, ready to duck inside his Tuke if need be.
"Maybe...." Link said. His eyes narrowed and he moved his hand to his back, where the handle of the Master Sword was. He could feel it now, squirming and struggling, as if trying to release itself from it's sheathe.
The warriors came closer...a full fist of 20 in all. Link shared the Master Sword's rage. He wouldn't be stopped now. He wouldn't let these criminals lay a hand on his friends.
The Master Sword roared in its sheath. It rattled against his back as the shoulders came closer and closer. He could hear their shouts and cries for his death. They were only a few feet away now...
"LINK!!!!" Esea screamed.
He grabbed the handle and whipped the Master Sword out. It was free. Link's eyes instantly went from a normal brown to a steel grey.
He slammed down hisfoot, causing a massive rupture in the ground, and roared. Eyes bulging, and mentally aimed at the middle of the fist of warriors heading towards him.
The spell Din's Fire was invoked. A blast of super hot air careened towards the warriors and hit them full on. Screams filled the air as half of the approaching army was obliterated in that second throwing burned and boiled bodies into the air.
Esea screamed again and hovered over Link's head as he fell to his knees, the spell taking a lot of strength from him. He looked up angrily as the remaining soldiers came towards him.
Link flew to his feet and bounded to the group of 5 on his right. He stepped lightly, jumping a few inches in the air, and brought the Master Sword down across the face of one of the attackers. He wailed and fell to the ground as The Master Sword drank his blood. He continued to wail as Link whipped by him and across to the soldier next to him. He brought the Master Sword down on him in an overhead swing. The warrior blocked it and struggled against Link's pressure. The other warriors around him ran to his aid. One slashed at Link, who moved to the side and took a deep cut against his ribs.
The boy gasped in pain and slammed his foot down again. He roared, and a terrific gale of wind blasted from his center. The spell Faore's Wind was invoked, and a dense cloud of dust covered the battlefield. The warriors were stunned, and stopped their attack for a second. They couldn't find Link, and Link couldn't find them....
..but the Master Sword could.
Link flipped the blade around and crushed it through the chest of the first man he had wounded. Drawing the blade out he quickly ran through the rest of the men. A man ran towards him, sword drawn. Link attacked with his left hand, clamping it hard over his mouth as he drove the Master Sword through his chest.
Turning from him, Link leapt again and brought the blade across the throat of another. Before he hit the ground, Link turned and took two steps at a man with a huge broadsword before he attacked.
The man blocked it and struggled against the boy. Link dropped to his knees and hacked down the mans knees. The warrior wailed as he fell to the ground. Link wanted to put him out of his misery, but another man with a small sword attacked. Link took the attack in his left shoulder, then whipped around and took the mans head off in a single swipe. Blood was sprayed over the dusty ground. Link pulled the small sword from his shoulder and turned to to the man he had maimed only moments before. He lowered the tip of the Master Sword into his heart.
The sword drank greedily. It wanted more.
The dust was still in the air as Link ran towards the remaining five. They were shocked at the carnage the young boy had caused in only a few seconds, but met his attack head on. Link brought the Master Sword to his side, and whipped it across the blade of the first man he encountered. The unbreakable blade of the Master Sword smashed the other blade in half. It flipped through the air and the owner stared after it helplessly before Link nearly dissected him with a slash to the midsection.
Link caught the broken blade that had flipped in the air and immediately flung it at full speed at a rushing attacker, nailing him square in the face and dropping him instantly.
One warrior held his sword loosely in his hand as he watched the carnage unfold in front of him. Link ignored him and leapt out of the way of a mighty blow by a Battle Axe wielding warrior, that destroyed the ground where he had been standing.
The warrior raised his weapon again, and Link leapt forward, reversing his blade cutting side up and driving it into his shoulder. Link grunted as he turned and drove the sword out the shoulder of the man, through bone and muscle. Blood sprayed freely as the arm was severed. The Master Sword drank.
But it was still thirsty.
There was only one soldier left. He stared ahead in stunned silence, unable to see the killer boy in front of him. Link walked slowly behind him, his eyes steel and lidded.
It will destroy all evil.
It will destroy them utterly.
He walked up behind the warrior....a young boy like himself...probably just a wannabe, probably just wanted to be a big-shot in front of his friends. Link tried to imagine what was going through his mind now. If he could only let go...if he could only let him live...but he couldn't.
It will destroy them utterly.
Link put a bloody gloved hand across the boys mouth from behind him, and drove the Master Sword through his back and his heart. The young warrior stiffened, fell to the ground when Link released him.
In a matter of minutes, it was over. The blood and ichor of 10 men was draped over Link's body, and the ashes of the other 10 wafted through the air. Link just stood as the cloud of dust settled back to the earth. Tears began to form in his brown eyes. Slowly, he sank to his knees.
Esea came down from her position in the air. She saw everything, and was on the verge of a breakdown herself. It was the most horrible act of violence she had ever seen in her long life. But the bodies of the men on the ground weren't the only victims.
She flew to his face and pushed against his cheek and hugged him. "Link?" she called. Link continued to stare at the bodies. His hand gripped the Master Sword until his knuckles were white. Slowly, he brought the blade of the Master Sword slowly to his neck, and put a hand on the other side of the blade, pushing slightly.
"What am I doing?" he whispered. "Nothing could justify....". Tears were streaming down his face. The hands on the Master Sword ere trembling. Esea remembered that this was still just a 14 year old boy. Maybe the toll of the fighting and the circumstances he had been thrown into was finally taking it's toll.
"Link...this wasn't your fault." Esea soothed. "Please...Link. This wasn't your fault. You had no choice, they attacked you. Please, put the Sword away." But Link didn't pay heed. The smell of the blood belonging to the men he had slaughtered filled his nostrils, and invaded his mind. He couldn't let go of the Sword. He could feel the pulse of his own blood beating through the vein in his neck. All he had to do was sever it....
It would be so...easy...besides....it wanted to drink....from all evil.
Maybe it wasn't finished drinking....
The old man had warned him. Warned princess Zelda....
He isn't worthy. He is not pure. He's not like the past ones. Though this one also contains Courage, he contains something else. Something that makes him no different than those he will undoubtedly hunt. He's a killer. He might turn on you...
*Kid Name Link v1.4
"He warned me" Link cried. "I should have listened. It's too late now..." His fingers fluttered on the back of the blade, and began to draw.
Esea flew in front of his eyes. "Link!" she called. He tentatively brought his eyes up and looked at the fairy, and she blasted him with the light of a small super Nova. Link's eyes went white and he brought his hands to his eyes, dropping the Master Sword. Link screamed in terrific pain.
"ESEA!" he wailed. Light burst inside of his eyelid, and he gritted his teeth in pain. Esea grimaced.
"I'm so sorry. It's ok, it'll be fine."
Link opened his eyes, and he saw nothing. "You....you've blinded me." he whispered. He could no longer see the carnage he had caused...but the smell of the blood.....
"It's ok...I'll fade. I promise. I've done it before." She flew to his hand and with hesitation, led him to the handle of the Master Sword. "Come on...put it away, and we'll get outta here. We'll find a place to rest."
Link nodded and slowly resheathed the Sword, immediately silencing it's presence. Esea then led Link by the hand through the valley, heading for a place to camp for the night.
"It wasn't your fault Link." she whispered. "The Master Sword, there's something wrong with it. It shouldn't be acting this way. We'll find out why...so don't worry."
The blood-soaked boy followed the heat of the fairy silently. Link had already figured out a way to fix the problem with the Master Sword.
He simply would never use it again.
NEXT CHAPTER:
Has Link lost faith in the Master Sword? What's causing it's mysterious and unbridled thirst for the blood of evil? I mean, I know it's Evil's Bane...but that's just nuts!? And will the others catch up with him before he goes mano-a-mano against Knataghanim? Will Link be mentally ready? Things begin to heat up as Evil's Bane begins it's final half. Stay with me folks! Thanks for reading and please review. Later :D (o'.')o