Invincible leaned forward and placed his hands on his hips. "Rin, thanks to your information, we've come to the conclusion that the Ghanims were the ones that attempted to take Zelly's life last week, and they were using some sort of magic to do it."

Zelda growled. "Ghanims again. First my father and now me. Who else is next?"

Invincible's smile never left his face. He wagged a finger in front of her face and said, "I know what you're thinking, Zelly…but I don't want you to worry about it. Thanks to Rin's info, and some reconnaissance on our part, we've located where several Ghanim villages and bases are."

Rin seemed a bit confused. "So…so what are you going to do?"

"What do you think we're going to do?" Invincible said with a grin. When he finally opened his eyes, they were sharp with deadly intent.

"We're going to strike."

************

The Legend of Zelda: Her Story

Chapter 8: Fallen Hero?

By: The Kirby Kid

Disclaimer:

            The Legend of Zelda™ is a funny name…and it's all owned by Nintendo.

Authors Notes:

            Hey… thanks for your patience y'all. I've been…busy. Also I came back from a nice Easter break with the family. I'm applying for some summer courses, but I'll have more time for writing, and I'm full of ideas. :)

Anyway, if you read this, do me a big favor and review will ya? And to all my loyal readers and reviewers, THANK YOU! And please keep reviewing :)

If this chapter seems like filler, I'm sorry. It's really a lead in to something big. Enjoy!

************

"I have to say, Link, I'm very impressed with your progress," the queen said as she poured over the various documents and reports before her. She was sitting by the large round table that held the map of Hyrule, in the middle of the castle War Room. Invincible was standing over her shoulder, looking at the same maps carefully.

The queen nodded to herself and flipped over a page in a report. "In the last week you knights have taken care of four…no…five little Ghanim outlets that were being built right under our noses."

"Yeah. Rin's information was pretty solid," Invincible acknowledged.  "Makes me wonder where he got such accurate info."

Queen Zelda glanced at him and patted his hand gently. "I wouldn't worry. I've interviewed him many times, and his story never changes. He used to live in a town that was overrun by Ghanim…it's not a surprise that he passed through their illusions before he made his way to Hyrule." She tapped her quill on the edge of some papers and sighed. "Besides I was in his mind the whole time and I got no indication that he was lying."

Invincible placed his hands behind his head. "Eh…well…I never said I was worried about him lying."

"Hmm." The queen rose and faced him evenly. "So, where are they all? I can hardly believe they've gone on all these missions and they haven't located a single Ghanim for questioning."

"Uh…" Invincible muttered. "That's a problem."

"What?"

"It seems these guys are pretty good at hiding."

The queen reared on him. "What do you mean, 'good at hiding'?"

Invincible sighed tiredly. "I don't know what else to say, Zelda. Whenever we've neared any of their hideouts, they take off. We think they've got some kind of underground tunnel system. But they're without equipment, and I've got knights on their old grounds twenty-four hours a day. When they come up for air, we'll get 'em."

"That's…still very disturbing. I don't see how they could be so fast as to completely vanish before your knights came up on them." She paused and glanced back at the reports. "You're sure they were there in the first place?"

"We weren't seeing ghosts," Invincible said reassuringly.  "They were there." When he saw the worried look on her face, he tentatively reached up with a hand, and then drew it back and clenched it into a fist. "Don't worry Zelda, you won't lose any more family to those criminals; I promise."

The Queen looked up at him curiously. "You…promise?"

Taking a shocked step backwards, Invincible blinked at her and stammered, "W-what did I say?"

She smiled at him. "It just sounded a little goofy."

Slumping his shoulders, Invincible returned her smile. "Well…how long have you known me Zelda? Have I ever been anything more than a goof? In fact, I think that's the first thing you called me."

The queen shook her head; her long luxurious locks swinging appealingly and covered a wide grin with her hand. "No Link. The first thing I called you was 'moron'. It was after you kept denying what the symbol of the Triforce on your hand was all about, remember?"

"Yeah. I can't believe you remember that?"

"Of course I do," the queen murmured. She glanced away, shyly looking to the floor. " It was the first time we met…"

Invincible nodded slowly and stared at her for a long time. The longer he stared at her, the more he realized how dangerous it was being in the same room. He didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

"I'd…. better go home," he whispered, before firmly placing his hands on her small shoulders. "If you, Zelly or Tibby need me…" He tapped his temple knowingly and released her. "I'll come running."

"I know. Thank you." She beamed and waved as he left the room. When he was gone, she slumped into her plush chair and held her head in her hands. She didn't think anyone knew how lonely she really was. Her children helped fill the void it left in her, as did Impa and her dear friend Malon…but it was really Link who gave her the most comfort.

That is why she couldn't let him get too close. She sighed and sank her head into both of her hands. She couldn't let him get too close…she didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

************

Zelda took a long sip of the cool Koki-tea that she had ordered only a few minutes ago from the outside café. When she finished, she let out a long contented sigh and looked at her friend from across the table. "War," she said.

"War?" Talon repeated.

"Yeah. War. Ghanim: that's all they talk about back in the Castle. Blitzes that, hideouts this." She slumped across the table and sighed again, while poking a few crumbs of cupcake for Moto to pounce on. "And it's getting really boring…"

"You're getting bored? I haven't seen my boyfriend in two days, since your new bodyguard began spilling baddie secrets." Talon huffed.

Zelda's head shot up and she leered at her friend. "That's not very nice. Rin's a nice guy. He's doing us a favor." She turned and smiled over at the boy. "Right Rin? Are you gonna take that from her?"

Rin was sitting just across from them. He was nowhere as good as Rocco when it came to blending into the shadows. He looked back and forth between Talon and Zelda, and looked like he was going to panic. "Uh…well…it's…it's like you say…"

"Relax!" Talon exclaimed, patting the half-Gerudo on the arm. "I guess I should keep my jokes in check with you, you take things so seriously." She crossed her arms and tossed her ruby tresses to the side with a smile. "You're a lot like Rocco actually. You know, Zelly's ex-bodyguard. Hey!" She turned to Zelda with a leer of her own. "What are you doing to suck the humor out of all of your guards, Zelly? Are you hexing them?"

Rolling her eyes, the princess jabbed absently at her Glamoured hair and looked away. "Yeah, that's right. It's all my fault all of my shadow's are stick-in-the-muds." She laughed and looked at Rin, who wasn't laughing. Suddenly the smile fell off of her face. "It's not me is it? Rin, you can tell me if I'm doing something! Maybe I really do hex my guards."

Rin nearly fell off of his chair. "P-princess…there's…you're doing nothing of the sort!" Talon was laughing hysterically.

"Yep. Just like Rocco!"

Rin glared at her, and then at the princess, as her smile became wider and wider. Understanding dawned on him. "Ah, I get it. That was a joke. You two are pretty good…"

"Thank you," Zelda said with a grin. "And you're very gullible." With that, she scooped her little Keaton/Bombchu friend up, stood and waved quickly to Talon. "Well, I'd better get back. See you later Talon."

As Rin rose, he glanced to the princess seriously and asked. "Princess, do you mind if I buy a drink?"

Zelda shrugged. "Of course. I'll meet you back at the Castle, okay."

Rin looked stunned. "Uh… umm, are you sure?" As far as he knew, he was supposed to be at the princess's side at all times from sunrise to sunset.

"You'll just be a moment, right? So I'll meet you at the Courtyard." Rin raised another nervous hand, but the princess had already turned and began her quick trip back to the Hyrule Castle grounds.

His hand hovered in the air for a concerned moment, and then lowered to his side. He turned and saw that Talon had also left. "All right," he thought to himself. "Just a minute…I have to make it look good for this to work." He narrowed his eyes and stared at the princess as she left the vicinity of Castle Town.

************

When Zelda saw Invincible standing in the Courtyard, she saw it as a pleasant surprise. She hardly saw him around anymore since these strikes against the small band of Ghanims began.  She ran up to him anxiously and spread her arms. "Uncle Link!" she blurted.

Invincible looked surprise as the girl wrapped her arms around him. "W..huh? Zelly, hey hi." He smiled at her and then darted his eyes quickly about. "Where's Rin?"

Zelda's smile was genuine and happy. "He's getting something back in Castle Town-"

"What?" the tall knight said harshly.

"He…he'll be back in a few seconds."

Invincible shook his head angrily and stepped off. "You told him he could go, didn't you?"

"What if I did?"

"Zelly," he whispered. There were many people still working and milling about and he didn't want to make a scene. Still, Invincible often found that just being around caused a scene. He was a celebrity in Hyrule, and he was understandably tired of the whole thing. He shook his head and concentrated on the young lady in front of him. "Zelly…this is their job, to be at your side and to protect you! You can't order them not to do their job!"

Zelda wasn't convinced. She crossed her arms defiantly and glared back at him. "It's only for a minute, maybe two max. What's going to happen?"

"How can you say that!?" Invincible said, completely flabbergasted. "We're this close to entering a state of war? Have you forgotten what happened to your-" He bit the thought off quickly and turned away. "Her …father… Of course she hadn't. You idiot, how can you even ask that?" he thought.

He could see that Zelda was frowning, and he rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "Well…I suppose there's no point worrying about it right now."

"That's right!" Zelda whooped. "Besides, you're here, right Uncle Link? What could possibly happen?"

The attack came right at that moment, with a sense of timing that witnesses to the event could only call fated. A flaming sword whipped through the air, and Zelda stood and watched as it cut straight through her beloved Uncle Link.

Invincible's eyes were frozen wide open, and he slumped to the ground in a heap. Zelda saw no blood, no gore, but she did see the trail of fire the sword left behind as it sliced cleanly through his body, and he saw the smoke waft from his still form. She didn't look up as the flaming sword twirled, turned in the air and passed by Zelda and to it's owner.

Stiffly, as if everything was moving in slow motion, Zelda turned and saw the assassin. Standing atop one of the inner walls, he was garbed in black from head to toe, but Zelda thought it looked exactly like her attacker and he held the same fiery blade. The man leaned forward, and then blasted towards her.

The other knights stepped forward to action, but they were moving as if stuck in a quagmire compared to this man. Zelda's hand twitched, and she tried to think about summoning Gram, to defend herself from this killer, but she was frozen with shock and awe.

"Oh Goddess," she cried. He was so close now that she could feel the heat from his blade. Zelda could hear no other sound other than the rushing of blood between her ears.

"Oh Goddess," she prayed again. He raised his sword slightly to the side. He was milliseconds away. She could hear and feel each muscle beat from her heart. It rang between her ears and pulsed behind her eyes. Then she heard the strangest thing. Running water…as if from a serene and crystalline brook.

"Goddess..."

Then Rin was in front of her, sword raised and at the ready. How had he gotten there so quickly? She didn't even see…. Zelda saw him spread his right leg slightly and raise his sword again as the assassin reached them.

There was the horrendous sound of bone hitting bone, and then Zelda saw the assassin's blade fly by her head and clang into the ground. But…that wasn't possible.

"Zelda?"

She focused in front of her. Invincible stood tall, with an arm extended out and a palm up. The assassin's head was flattened against his palm, and his legs hung horizontally in the air. He had been stopped straight in his tracks. Invincible had a red slash across the front of his silver tunic, but otherwise showed no sign of being hurt. In fact, he showed no sign of even having moved. But there he was…

"Are you all right? I'm sorry if I frightened you."

Zelda shook her head and tried to concentrate, but her mind was a mess, her thoughts scattered in every direction. If the Glamour she wore to extend her cut hair wasn't self-sustaining, she it would have definitely unravelled at that moment. She was alive! She wasn't going to die. Invincible wasn't dead! Rin…Rin was here. He was alive. How…how'd he get there so fast? Why couldn't she do anything? Didn't she train with them; didn't she learn the same things they learned? Why couldn't she help herself…she didn't even use any magic? How was Invincible still alive?

She began to shake like a leaf, and then she noticed that Rin was shaking too. His eyes were wide and filled with terror. Why? He seemed to brave before. What was he afraid of? Certainly not Invincible…

"Ya!" she gasped as Invincible put his hands on her shoulders. Ashamed, she tried hard to stop shaking, but couldn't seem to get it done. Invincible just stroked her hair and patted her face gently.

"It's okay. I'm sorry; I let it stretch out too long. It's my fault Zelly, not yours."

"Ho-how…. how, how…. how are you-"

Invincible pulled her close and brushed her hair again. "It didn't hit me. Well…not really. It came close. The rest I faked. I…I was waiting for him," he explained with a nod towards the trembling Rin. "I'm sorry…"

"SIR!" a knight called from nearby. Invincible leaned away from Zelda and noticed the assassin. His body began to swell and before anyone could even blink, it exploded into a cloud of purple smoke.

The knights looked at their captain confusedly. "What the hell was that? Sir?" Invincible didn't look at them; his gaze was solely on the spot where the assassin had just vanished.

"Shit…" he breathed angrily. All that effort into incapacitating the enemy just to have him vanish on him didn't sit well with the silver knight. However, like most things, he didn't let it bother him for too long. He turned to Rin, who still hadn't turned since Invincible stopped the Ghanim, and called out to him. "Hey! Rin!"

Rin straightened suddenly and turned to him. "S…sir. I'm sorry…I was away…" Invincible arched an eyebrow. The boy seemed distracted and genuinely afraid of something.

"Sorry? For what? You were there when Zelda needed you. I just wanted to tell you that you did a good job."

Rin gaped at him, gulped and nodded in acquiescence. Invincible turned back to Zelda and held her shoulders again. "Zelly…I don't think you're safe here."

She blinked nervously. "W-what?"

"I'm not going to let anything like this happen again…but until we can get ready, you're not safe here." He then sighed and looked to the Castle. "We should talk with your mother." Then he smiled knowingly and asked, "When was the last time you and Talon had a slumber party?"

************

The queen had quickly agreed with Invincible, her daughter was not safe at the Castle. The last two attacks seemed to be concentrated solely on her, and even though Invincible was planning a huge action, she didn't want to take any chances. So while Tibalt would sleep with her, Zelda and her bodyguard Rin would be off to the Lon-Lon Ranch to stay with Invincible and his little family.

Zelda couldn't remember the last time she had stayed over for at the Ranch, she must have been just a kid, shortly after her return from the Dark World. She had totally forgotten the sights and smells of the 'milk factory' as Talon liked to call it. When they arrived, she was greeted warmly by Malon and little Romani, and nearly tackled by Talon.

"We are gonna have so much fun, you and I!" she squealed.

Zelda couldn't help but smirk as she tried to push the girl off of her. "Are we gonna milk some cows?"

Talon stretched out an arm, and when Zelda accepted it, she pulled her off of the ground. "Is that what you think we do for fun around here, Zelly: milk cows?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Zelda could only speak while trying hard to suppress a laugh. "Brush cows then? Feed them…birth them? Something to do with cows? Come on, you can't tell me you don't have that little stuffed cow toy, can you Talon."

The redheaded girl stared hard at Zelda and then shuddered. "I can't begin to tell you what's wrong about that," she growled angrily. "First of all, we have horses and cucco's to you know. Second…." She turned away from her and pouted. "I gave that toy to Romani, thank you very much."

"It must have been a very traumatic experience for you."

"Bah. Baby gets what baby wants," Talon scoffed, glancing about to see if her little sister was in earshot. "Besides, I think you wrote the book on traumatic experiences. Are you sure you're okay?"

Zelda shrugged again. "I'm here aren't I?" She tried to appear calm, but Talon had been friends with the princess for years, and she could tell when she was being bothered.

"Well," Talon started happily. "This is your chance to relax. Don't worry about anything, no one's gonna know you're here, daddy's here and you've got your bodyguard staying too." She turned to the Gerudo and waved. "Hi Rin!"

"Uh…hi."

Talon shook her head and beamed at him again. "So much like Rocco. Hey! Speaking of him, he's coming to dinner tonight. Won't that be a riot? Talk about a full house. We're gonna have a huuuuuuuuuge meal, I bet you can't wait.

Zelda stepped forward, genuinely excited. "I'll help!"

"NO!" Talon covered her mouth and blood began to rush to her freckled face. "Uh…I mean… you're a guest here Zelly. Maybe one day…. some, far off day, we'll feel that we're on an equal enough level with you to let you cook for us. But now that's simply not acceptable; I mean, you being a princess and a-"

"Goddess you sure know how to lay it on thick," the princess said, repulsed by the excuses. She started towards the large house while Talon and Rin trailed behind her. "So, which bunk is mine?"

************

The dinner meal was an interesting experience for Zelda. The food was a lot…. heartier than what she was used to in the Castle, and she enjoyed it immensely. It was livelier at the Lon's dinner table too. Romani begged and begged for her father to tell the story about how he had stopped the assassin yesterday, and Uncle Link tried hard to create a 'G' rated story of what happened. The tale he wove brought a smile to Zelda's face, especially considering that he had embellished her part in defeating the criminal…even though in reality she had done nothing but blink.

The most interesting interaction during dinner was between Rin and Rocco, who happened to sit right across from one another. They both avoided looking at each other, silently deciding to concentrate on the foods on their plates. When Talon saw this, she used it as an ample opportunity to tease the heck out of her boyfriend, and she went to work.

She insinuated that Rocco had been secretly relieved that Rin had taken his place as Zelda's bodyguard, and when she did, Rocco nearly choked on his food. When Rin asked if it were true, Rocco predictably reacted with a harsh "Of course it's not!" which prompted Talon to surmise that he missed being Zelda's bodyguard and imply that she was jealous. Rocco had gone two minutes into a speech about how his heart belonged only to her, when he realized that he was being made fun of. Everyone at the table laughed at that, and Rocco had to go ahead and join them in the silliness.

The dinner had done a good job of alleviating everyone's stress, but it didn't stop Zelda from staying up that night. With Malon and Romani sleeping silently on the top bunk of the wide bunk bed, Zelda twirled her short dirty-blonde hair, glamour completely removed, and thought about the previous afternoon in the Courtyard.

She froze, and it disturbed her. She might not have taken the final exam, but she was there for the training. Not just any training, First Rank training. She should have been able to react, to at least attempt to defend herself. Zelda couldn't imagine Busy or Don or Prince Roy freezing like that, and they didn't even have her considerable magical abilities to defend themselves with.

But she did freeze, and it filled her with shame. If Rin or Invincible were not there, she would be dead… It seemed that all of her hard work would have gone to waste. Gram seemed to have gone to waste.

She curled up into a fetal position and looked out a simple plain window. A half moon loomed in the night sky. She stared hard into it to attempt to shake the feelings of dread that was filling her heart. It didn't work.

Zelda couldn't say why, but she felt as if events were coming to a head. Invincible's word to her, that they would make one final strike at a large Ghanim hideout soon, made her sweat in worry.

She would be going along, along with Impa and her mother to lend their magical talents to the assault. After all, she wouldn't be in any danger. It wouldn't be fighting, it would be using magic…something that she could do easier than anyone else in Hyrule.

…Right?

The Knights of Hyrule and Ganon's Ghanims were going to collide in combat, and she knew nothing good would come of it.

But what could she possibly do? Could she act?

The slight sound of running water rushed between he ears.

************

In the small, unlit room, Rin sat silently, bent over a bowl of water. The water was speaking to him.

"What do you want?" the voice said from the tiny pool. "I told you not to call me until the job was done."

Rin gulped and talked quietly. "I…I can't do it."

There was a rage-filled pause of silence, and then the voice responded. "You…won't do it?"

"No!" Rin hissed. "Not that I won't. I meant…. I can't do it. It's not possible."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's too powerful," he breathed nervously. "He's…he's way too strong. Yesterday, he-he moved so fast. You should have seen his eyes… There's no way I can…"

"Falarin," the voice said falsely soothing tone. "Do you think I spent all that time on you so that you could become so cowardly?"

Rin shook his head violently and glared into the bowl. "You don't understand!  I'm telling you it's not possible! I'll be killed, and all of your planning would have gone to waste. Try to listen!"

"Falarin, I think you've forgotten what's at stake here." Rin could hear fingers snap, and the sounds of a door opening, and something dragging.

"What…what are you-"

Then he heard it, a high-pitched wail of pain that pierced him through his heart and threatened to destroy him right then and there. He held the bowl so hard as it emitted that scream, that his arms shook and water spilled all around him.

"NO! STOP IT!" wailed Rin, before checking himself. "Please! I'm begging you, stop hurting her," he whipered.

"Hmph," the voice said. "Somehow I think you've gotten your spine back. Am I right?"

Rin hung his head and bit hard on his lip. With his eyes squeezed shut, a tear dropped down and splashed into the bowl, distorting the image it held. "…Yes…"

"Don't fail, my boy," the voice said, before growing silent.

Rin laid the bowl quietly unto to floor and sat on the bed through most of the night with his head in his hands.

He was thinking ahead to the final raid on the Ghanim, and desperately trying to think of how he would survive a fight to the death with the Silver Knight.

But all he could see as he though ahead, was his own end.

************

The battle is joined, but it doesn't go quite as expected.

There is nothing the Queen, Zelda or Impa can do. All watch as Invincible and Rin fight in a desperate bid for survival.

The outcome will pave the road for the fate of the princess, and of the fractured Triforce, which still plagues the land.

Next Chapter, The Legend of Zelda: Her Story.

End of an Era.

Thanks for reading!