1 Woohoo, another chapter!!! R/R, PLEASE!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: I own no thing in this story besides the characters Astarte and Fuerchthyes… And if you use them without my permission I'll beat you over the head with a stick of butter!!!!!!!
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5 Chapter 2
"ARGH!" Shadow Link slammed his fist down on the table. "How could she do this to me?" He pointed at the crystal ball on the table before him. It showed a picture of Din with her arm threaded through Link's. "We were in love!" The ancient crone cackled from the shadows. "This is why I have called you here, your highness. I can help you get rid of him, if you wish. Unless, of course, you believe it is not what it seems?" Shadow Link looked thoughtful for a moment.
"We shall see," he said finally, throwing on his cloak and storming out the door.
Link stood in the grand hallway, amazed by his surroundings. Beautiful woven tapestries covered almost every inch of the gigantic room, and a chandelier bigger than his house back in Kokiri hung from the ceiling. Din looked at his blank face and laughed. "I know, I was amazed by it the first time I saw it, too. You get used to it though." She stepped forward, ad turned to Link. "Would you like me to show you to your quarters, and then get you when it is time to eat?" Link nodded. "Then come, follow me," she said, stepping through a curtain. Link followed closely behind her. She led him down a long hall that made Termina field look like a doormat, then opened a door and beckoned him inside a room.
"This is where you'll be staying," she said. Link put his sword down on a small table by the door and bean looking around. His eyes froze on a huge portrait on the wall opposite him. Din followed his gaze and nodded.
"Yes, the resemblance you two bear is amazing, isn't it? What's even more amazing is that is name is also Link, well, actually Shadow Link. He is the father of my daughter."
Link shivered.
"Tell me that is not why you let me stay here." Din frowned.
"No, that is the reason I almost did not welcome you here," She looked up at the portrait and sighed. "Ever since he became the ruler of this land he has changed greatly, though not towards me, but towards the world in general. I could sense, though, that inside you are not like him. If you were, I would have run the minute I saw you." She walked to the window, and pointed down at the village beneath them. "At first, the Shadow King sought peace for this land. He worked hard to free those enslaved, end the useless feuds, and he also sought out equality among the races of this land. But, recently, he gained command over a great army of Stalfos. Now, he seeks to conquer neighboring lands, and he does not mind risking the lives of others to do it." She turned, only to find her face just a centimeter away from Link's. She turned her eyes to the ground modestly. "If you would excuse me, I must now go and prepare for…Umm…Well, never mind." She turned towards the door, but Link grabbed her wrist and clasped her to him. She looked up at his calm face and leaned in closer to him. Jus then, the door slammed open. "Din, my darling I've been looking all over for you and I…" Shadow Link froze in
mid-sentence, and stared at the man embracing his love. "So," he murmured, drawing his sword. "The old hag was correct after all." Link shoved Din to the ground, and the sword slashed through air were their heads had been just a moment earlier. He rolled over to the table, grabbed his blade, and swiftly dodged a second attack by the King of Shadow. He stood and faced his attacker. "You will pay for your treason, mortal!" He cried, and let forth a mighty blow. This time Link purposely let the blade pierce his skin, and Shadow Link watched in horror as the wound healed immediately. He sheathed his sword. "I will be back, and do not doubt these words: You will breathe your last at my return." He momentarily blinded Link with a Deku Nut, and swiftly fled through the door.
6 Chapter 3
The crone sensed his energy before he entered. She picked up on it just as her apprentice was trying to raise an elemental spirit from a piece of wood (and to no avail). She cackled hideously, and her apprentice looked up angrily. "Hey," said the girl. "Its not THAT funny!" The hag rolled her yellowed eyes. "No, but your lack of awareness is. Go prepare a pot of tea, Astarte. We are about to have a new customer." The hag cackled again as Astarte walked into the back room. A few minutes later the Shadow King burst into the room furiously, and Astarte handed him a cup of tea. The crone gestured at the door.
"Astarte, you may leave. You have no business with the King." Astarte nodded.
"Yes, ma'am." Shadow Link watched as Astarte headed to the back room. The moment the door closed behind her, he slammed his fists down at the table in front of the crone with a bang.
"I want him dead!" the King yelled. He looked down at the Crystal ball, which was showing Link's grin as the Kings sword sliced through him. He swept his hand across the table, knocking the crystal ball onto the wooden floor, where it shattered into pieces the crone cackled again, waving her hand over the scattered shards of glass, which once again became whole.
"Let me guess: You wish me to use my magick to kill him," rasped the hag. "Of course, you must realize such things are not free." The King nodded.
"I am prepared to pay any amount of money," he said. The crone uttered yet another harsh cackle.
"Money? I have no use for money. What I want is something much more valuable." She gestured to the back room. "My young apprentice is the last of her kind. When she finishes her training, she plans to leave this land. When she does, I will be the last sorceress in the Immortal realm. If that is allowed to happen, the balance between good and evil will once again begin to teeter." The Dark King looked at her suspiciously.
"And just what do you want from me?" The hag flashed him a toothless grin.
"I want your daughter. I will teach her the craft, and, though her powers will not be as great as mine or young Astarte's, she will be a great and powerful witch. You could even say I'd be doing her a favor by teaching her to use these powers." Shadow Link waved his hand.
"Done. I don't give a damn about the brat, anyways," He said lightly. His face took on a most venemous expression. "Now, what about your end of the bargain?" he growled. The crone snapped her fingers.
"Astarte!" she yelled. Behind them a curtain opened, revealing nothing. The hag rolled her eyes. "I know you're there, now make yourself known!" A flicker of light, and the apprentice made herself visible. The hag smiled. "You are getting better, girl. For a moment there, I was beginning to doubt my own senses," she rasped proudly. "Now, it is time to see if you are really all that powerful. Tell me, what is the only spell powerful enough to kill a demi-god?" Astarte looked thoughtful for a moment, then responded.
"The Dagger of Sivara," she answered confidently. The crone nodded.
"Good, and what potion is needed to make this spell work properly?" Astarte looked fearful for a moment, then relieved.
"Bane of Aravis," she responded. The crone cackled merrily.
"Good girl! It will be your final test to make a bottle of the Bane of Aravis strong enough to destroy a Demi-god!" The hag bowed slightly to Shadow Link. "Come back within a days time. Then, you will see the death of Oni-Link." Shadow Link smiled, grabbed his cloak, and swiftly exited. He stopped in the doorway.
"You had better not screw this up!" he growled to Astarte. Then he slammed the door behind him. Astarte turned to the hag.
"Oni-Link? Surely you are not suggesting we kill the Hero of Time, Fuerchthyes?"
Fuerchthyes nodded. "NO!!! You're insane! Do you have any clue what The Order would do to us? They'd hunt us down and kill us!!!" Fuechthyes rolled her yellowed eyes.
"Those bastards don't give a damn what goes on in Hyrule, just as long as the they can sit all high and mighty in this realm without being bothered… And you know if the King does not get what he wants, there will be hell to pay… Now, The Order wouldn't be very happy if you ended up causing our poor sovereign to destroy their little dreams of perfection, now, would they?" croaked the hag. Astarte nodded reluctantly.
"I see, ma'am… Please forgive me for my foolishness," The sorceress said, bowing her head slightly. Fuercthyes nodded and tossed her apprentice a bottle.
"Do not tarry any longer, the mixture must be ready by dawn…" The hag rose from her seat, and Astarte moved towards the back room. Fuerchthyes caught her by the shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "Don't forget, young one, if you can manage to do this, the King will be most…" The hag paused for effect. "Benevolent." The hag's eyes twinkled meaningly, and a smile crept across Astarte's lips. The sorceress turned, and swooped gracefully through the door to the back room. The moment the door closed behind her, however, the smirk disappeared from Astarte's face, replaced by a determined frown. She took one long look at the bottle, and whispered into it.
"I will not be the one responsible for the destruction of Hyrule…"
Disclaimer: I own no thing in this story besides the characters Astarte and Fuerchthyes… And if you use them without my permission I'll beat you over the head with a stick of butter!!!!!!!
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5 Chapter 2
"ARGH!" Shadow Link slammed his fist down on the table. "How could she do this to me?" He pointed at the crystal ball on the table before him. It showed a picture of Din with her arm threaded through Link's. "We were in love!" The ancient crone cackled from the shadows. "This is why I have called you here, your highness. I can help you get rid of him, if you wish. Unless, of course, you believe it is not what it seems?" Shadow Link looked thoughtful for a moment.
"We shall see," he said finally, throwing on his cloak and storming out the door.
Link stood in the grand hallway, amazed by his surroundings. Beautiful woven tapestries covered almost every inch of the gigantic room, and a chandelier bigger than his house back in Kokiri hung from the ceiling. Din looked at his blank face and laughed. "I know, I was amazed by it the first time I saw it, too. You get used to it though." She stepped forward, ad turned to Link. "Would you like me to show you to your quarters, and then get you when it is time to eat?" Link nodded. "Then come, follow me," she said, stepping through a curtain. Link followed closely behind her. She led him down a long hall that made Termina field look like a doormat, then opened a door and beckoned him inside a room.
"This is where you'll be staying," she said. Link put his sword down on a small table by the door and bean looking around. His eyes froze on a huge portrait on the wall opposite him. Din followed his gaze and nodded.
"Yes, the resemblance you two bear is amazing, isn't it? What's even more amazing is that is name is also Link, well, actually Shadow Link. He is the father of my daughter."
Link shivered.
"Tell me that is not why you let me stay here." Din frowned.
"No, that is the reason I almost did not welcome you here," She looked up at the portrait and sighed. "Ever since he became the ruler of this land he has changed greatly, though not towards me, but towards the world in general. I could sense, though, that inside you are not like him. If you were, I would have run the minute I saw you." She walked to the window, and pointed down at the village beneath them. "At first, the Shadow King sought peace for this land. He worked hard to free those enslaved, end the useless feuds, and he also sought out equality among the races of this land. But, recently, he gained command over a great army of Stalfos. Now, he seeks to conquer neighboring lands, and he does not mind risking the lives of others to do it." She turned, only to find her face just a centimeter away from Link's. She turned her eyes to the ground modestly. "If you would excuse me, I must now go and prepare for…Umm…Well, never mind." She turned towards the door, but Link grabbed her wrist and clasped her to him. She looked up at his calm face and leaned in closer to him. Jus then, the door slammed open. "Din, my darling I've been looking all over for you and I…" Shadow Link froze in
mid-sentence, and stared at the man embracing his love. "So," he murmured, drawing his sword. "The old hag was correct after all." Link shoved Din to the ground, and the sword slashed through air were their heads had been just a moment earlier. He rolled over to the table, grabbed his blade, and swiftly dodged a second attack by the King of Shadow. He stood and faced his attacker. "You will pay for your treason, mortal!" He cried, and let forth a mighty blow. This time Link purposely let the blade pierce his skin, and Shadow Link watched in horror as the wound healed immediately. He sheathed his sword. "I will be back, and do not doubt these words: You will breathe your last at my return." He momentarily blinded Link with a Deku Nut, and swiftly fled through the door.
6 Chapter 3
The crone sensed his energy before he entered. She picked up on it just as her apprentice was trying to raise an elemental spirit from a piece of wood (and to no avail). She cackled hideously, and her apprentice looked up angrily. "Hey," said the girl. "Its not THAT funny!" The hag rolled her yellowed eyes. "No, but your lack of awareness is. Go prepare a pot of tea, Astarte. We are about to have a new customer." The hag cackled again as Astarte walked into the back room. A few minutes later the Shadow King burst into the room furiously, and Astarte handed him a cup of tea. The crone gestured at the door.
"Astarte, you may leave. You have no business with the King." Astarte nodded.
"Yes, ma'am." Shadow Link watched as Astarte headed to the back room. The moment the door closed behind her, he slammed his fists down at the table in front of the crone with a bang.
"I want him dead!" the King yelled. He looked down at the Crystal ball, which was showing Link's grin as the Kings sword sliced through him. He swept his hand across the table, knocking the crystal ball onto the wooden floor, where it shattered into pieces the crone cackled again, waving her hand over the scattered shards of glass, which once again became whole.
"Let me guess: You wish me to use my magick to kill him," rasped the hag. "Of course, you must realize such things are not free." The King nodded.
"I am prepared to pay any amount of money," he said. The crone uttered yet another harsh cackle.
"Money? I have no use for money. What I want is something much more valuable." She gestured to the back room. "My young apprentice is the last of her kind. When she finishes her training, she plans to leave this land. When she does, I will be the last sorceress in the Immortal realm. If that is allowed to happen, the balance between good and evil will once again begin to teeter." The Dark King looked at her suspiciously.
"And just what do you want from me?" The hag flashed him a toothless grin.
"I want your daughter. I will teach her the craft, and, though her powers will not be as great as mine or young Astarte's, she will be a great and powerful witch. You could even say I'd be doing her a favor by teaching her to use these powers." Shadow Link waved his hand.
"Done. I don't give a damn about the brat, anyways," He said lightly. His face took on a most venemous expression. "Now, what about your end of the bargain?" he growled. The crone snapped her fingers.
"Astarte!" she yelled. Behind them a curtain opened, revealing nothing. The hag rolled her eyes. "I know you're there, now make yourself known!" A flicker of light, and the apprentice made herself visible. The hag smiled. "You are getting better, girl. For a moment there, I was beginning to doubt my own senses," she rasped proudly. "Now, it is time to see if you are really all that powerful. Tell me, what is the only spell powerful enough to kill a demi-god?" Astarte looked thoughtful for a moment, then responded.
"The Dagger of Sivara," she answered confidently. The crone nodded.
"Good, and what potion is needed to make this spell work properly?" Astarte looked fearful for a moment, then relieved.
"Bane of Aravis," she responded. The crone cackled merrily.
"Good girl! It will be your final test to make a bottle of the Bane of Aravis strong enough to destroy a Demi-god!" The hag bowed slightly to Shadow Link. "Come back within a days time. Then, you will see the death of Oni-Link." Shadow Link smiled, grabbed his cloak, and swiftly exited. He stopped in the doorway.
"You had better not screw this up!" he growled to Astarte. Then he slammed the door behind him. Astarte turned to the hag.
"Oni-Link? Surely you are not suggesting we kill the Hero of Time, Fuerchthyes?"
Fuerchthyes nodded. "NO!!! You're insane! Do you have any clue what The Order would do to us? They'd hunt us down and kill us!!!" Fuechthyes rolled her yellowed eyes.
"Those bastards don't give a damn what goes on in Hyrule, just as long as the they can sit all high and mighty in this realm without being bothered… And you know if the King does not get what he wants, there will be hell to pay… Now, The Order wouldn't be very happy if you ended up causing our poor sovereign to destroy their little dreams of perfection, now, would they?" croaked the hag. Astarte nodded reluctantly.
"I see, ma'am… Please forgive me for my foolishness," The sorceress said, bowing her head slightly. Fuercthyes nodded and tossed her apprentice a bottle.
"Do not tarry any longer, the mixture must be ready by dawn…" The hag rose from her seat, and Astarte moved towards the back room. Fuerchthyes caught her by the shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "Don't forget, young one, if you can manage to do this, the King will be most…" The hag paused for effect. "Benevolent." The hag's eyes twinkled meaningly, and a smile crept across Astarte's lips. The sorceress turned, and swooped gracefully through the door to the back room. The moment the door closed behind her, however, the smirk disappeared from Astarte's face, replaced by a determined frown. She took one long look at the bottle, and whispered into it.
"I will not be the one responsible for the destruction of Hyrule…"