Chapter 30: Sleep Summons Memories

Maiku stood on the roof of the Forest Temple near the entrance where he discovered that it actually stretched out to the far expanses of the Lost Woods and even to a small portion of the borders between Hyrule and the Gerudo territory which had expanded into a vast desert, the Haunted Wasteland as the Gerudo women called it. He began to feel an overpowering feeling of tiredness even though over the years of pursuit alongside Ganondorf he had built up a tolerance to the need to sleep, but somehow he had tired himself out from nearly about two months of senseless slaughter and carnage throughout Hyrule's neighboring countries that he had no idea existed to make sure that they wouldn't try to rally any soldiers to liberate the Gerudo forces' rapid spread throughout the land and even in opposite dimensions.

Ganondorf's seven year campaign to spread the forces of darkness everywhere had become not only Hyrule, but its neighboring countries as well, into a wasteland of death and destruction; and Maiku was usually the one at the castles of each country for a year or two to make sure everything was in order while Ganondorf stayed in Hyrule with his Gerudos.

He had to travel everywhere, usually alone and by horse back, while Ganondorf attended to matters in his home country. He had endured many wounds and even had endured thousands of hardships, and had even had many women in each country but not once had he ever even taken off the Mask of Shadow even though every woman had asked how his face looked like beneath it. Even he didn't know how he looked now.

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As he drifted off to sleep thousands of thoughts started to flood his mind, but he had one memory from two years prior to the present events that were unfolding now. It was springtime and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in the small village of Aulk in Hyrule's northern neighbor of Koinel. He just rode into the gates of the village and he was about to dismount his horse in front of the gates when he was approached by a small group of kids, they had grown a deep hatred for him and any of Ganondorf's forces and where trying to start trouble with him. At the time he had held himself back from killing anybody who had approached him, but those little kids just wouldn't ease up about his presence in their hometown. They did so much to him; throwing stones at him, trying to pull his mask off, tackling him, and doing any other things that a kid would do.

He threw one to the ground and almost immediately some local guards had swarmed around him. He noticed that these guards were actually fully armored and were even equipped with battle swords which were pointed right at his body at the time. "Hey," he said calmly, putting his hands out harmlessly, "I meant no harm. If it's anybody to be punished around here, it's these children." He knew that they wouldn't listen, they only believe what they wanted to believe without any thought if the person accused meant any harm or not. "My name is Maiku, an ally of the great Ganondorf."

"Ganondorf?" said one of the soldiers to another, "Didn't he already takeover Hyrule, Doma, Cotoa and other countries?"

"Yeah he did" answered one

"Actually," Maiku cut in, "It was I who went to each country… Ganondorf just kept control over Hyrule and remotely controlled the neighboring countries. However, that is not important right now."

"Of course it is!!!" one kid yelled out, "You'll just attack and pillage this village if we refuse to be taken by your forces!!!"

"No," he shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the kid then turned his attention to the guards, "You don't see my method of doing things… I leave the villages and towns alone from death and destruction but I do strike the main sites, more or less the ones with castles in them. But I do not appreciate your mental image of me from the countless stories and rumors that have begun to circulate throughout your neighboring countries. Villages and towns are the ones that have little or no military force, so why should they be attacked by me?"

"Believe what he says!" a female voice cut through a medium sized crowd

"About what?" a soldier asked

"Well, he was assaulted by the children when he walked into the gates." The girl said. Her voice was sensitive and soft, her body frame was seemingly weak but still able to endure harsh labor, her deep brown eyes showed a caring and kind person inside, her hair was black; her skin was light and fair.

"Are you saying that you are trying to defend this wretched young man, Alicia?" a guard asked the girl

"Yes!" she moved closer to Maiku, "I'm sure he meant no harm to us. Please, let him go."

"….." he glared at the guards but was confused why the girl was trying to help him

The guards and the children went away, leaving them both alone at the gate.

"So, is it true?" she said quietly

"What?" he looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"I've heard stories of an evil young man with long black hair that went down to his shoulders, crimson eyes with serpent-like pupils, long flowing black cape, and spiked shoulder armor who wore a tunic with the color of blood and black pants with matching boots; people have said he wore a mask that had the same colors that he wore."

"Well, yes… I am him." he replied coolly, "However; I am not the blood thirsty monster that anyone says I am… I have a sensitive side, too."

"Really?"

He nodded, "I once… had a wife…"

"Were you… close?"

"Yes… but she died… on the wedding day. Even right after we were wed…"

"Was she cute?"

"Yes, how Zoras are compared by…"

"Zora…? You married… a Zora?"

"Yeah…."